08 [Voice]

[drawnbythesword]

[Filtered to Hubert, Sophie, Richard, and Pascal | 50% unhackable]

Lambda's gone.

[/Filter]

...I'd heard of it happening before, but this is the first time it's personally happened to me... What... [There's a hint of hesitation and sadness in his voice.] ...What exactly happens to someone who's sent away from here?

Comments

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

I'm not sure if it would have or not... I'll never find out, either. We can't change the past... So I want to work towards a better future, Richard. [A pause.]

...But only if you'll let me.

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

If I'll let you?

[Richard isn't quite sure he understands.]

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

[He nods.]

Ahh... Yeah. Nothing I've said, about wanting to continue protecting you in the future won't matter... if you won't let me.

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

Asbel...

[And now Richard is faced with a dilemma. On the one hand, he doesn't want Asbel to feel obligated to do anything for him, to risk his own safety to protect someone like him. On the other, he doesn't want to make his friend feel bad by turning his offer down. What does he do now?]

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

[He just stays silent, waiting for Richard to give him an answer.]

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

[Richard doesn't know what to do. No matter what he answers, someone is going to end up hurt in the end. He doesn't want Asbel to get hurt for him, but... won't it be better to let him be happy, at least for a while?]

... if that is what you truly want.

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

[--! Did he really agree...?]

Ah... Thank you, Richard!

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

[Ahh, there's that smile. Richard will endure whatever pain he has to as long as Asbel keeps smiling like that.]

No, thank you. After all, you're the one who vowed to protect me.

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

[Knowing someone else still depends on him relieves him.]

Ah, well... I'm just doing what feels right to me...

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

[And yet it makes Richard feel even worse, because it just further convinces him that he's weak.]

That's exactly why you're stronger than I am.

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

[He shakes his head.] I can only be strong... Because my friends are strong.

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

[And again Richard is silent. He can't bear to tell Asbel that he really isn't that strong at all.]

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

[He'd tell you you're full of shit, Richard. Just in... Asbel terms.

His gaze shifts downward, towards the ground. The awkward silence reminds him there's a reason he's here.]

...Richard, there's... actually a reason I came to see you.

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

[... that does not sound good at all, and the expression on Asbel's face isn't helping that atmosphere.]

Did something happen?

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

...He's gone.

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

Who is?

[Although he has a sinking feeling that he knows exactly who Asbel means.]

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

[There's a long pause. The others might not have been affected that much, especially considering how little time they had spent with him, but... Richard was different. He knew Lambda better than anyone...]

... ... ...Lambda...

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

Lambda is...

[That's a good thing, right? That means he won't have to be experimented on again, trapped in a body he had no say in... Richard should be glad about this, so then why does it hurt so much?]

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

...Yeah. [Even though Lambda won't have to be experimented on here anymore... They have no clue what lies ahead for Lambda on Efinea.]

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

... I see. Thank you for telling me, Asbel.

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

...Of course, Richard. If anyone needed to know, it was you.

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

Will you be all right...?

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

...Yeah, I'll be fine. [He'll cope, in time.]

...Will you?

[Action]

[ledbythewind]

It's far better for Lambda to be safe in our world than it is for him to be here and experimented on again.

[Which isn't really an answer, but shhh.]

[Action]

[drawnbythesword]

...Yeah, it is. [It doesn't make it any better, though.]