Story Reader / Festival Event Story / The Night Train on Reunion / Story
Getting off the train, you now see that it doesn't seem to bother Conductor that humans, surprisingly, need to eat.
On the 6:00 am Administrative Avenue now watching the virtual public servants going about their day...
You, Nikola, Allen, and Sica feel every bit as hungry as you usually do in the real world.
And I thought we were in a virtual space?
While it's true that mechanoids and Constructs see mankind's hunger as a burden and deficiency...
But a perfect replay can only be replayed when it accurately portrays what's imperfect, and this, I believe, is what humans call the spirit of the craftsman.
That's like rerunning a program with all the bugs in it, no?
Thank you for the compliment, sir.
...I didn't mean that as a compliment, though.
Well, guess we really went a few months back in time.
Looking up at a screen Allen is pointing at on the street, you see that all of you have "actually" traveled back in time.
Well, best of luck.
And what's your job here?
I'll be here waiting for you to complete your respective fights before I proceed with data verification.
That's not fair, though!
Without saying another word, Conductor waves its robotic arm at us again.
Let's get started, then.
Adjusting his necktie, Nikola steps into the passing stream of public servants.
Well, guess Ayla and I are going to head back to WGAA first.
Still worried about Iris Warbler, I presume?
But I am...
Right, you were at CC around this time, right?
Sica first nods her head—before she suddenly starts shaking her head, seemingly having made up her mind.
No, I'm fine.
Let the bygones be bygones. It's okay.
It's all just a replay of the past, remember? So let's enjoy it!
We'll be on our way, then?
Oops, I'm usually at CC's control office sorting through missions around this time!
See you all in a bit!
With it, Ayla, Allen, and Sica make their way into the crowd.
Shall we?
What were we doing now a few months ago...
What's that sound?
Right, you're probably hungry now, no? Commandant?
I wonder if the food here is of any use, though.
So? Should we head back to the lounge first?
There are restaurants on the Administrative Layer. I say let's head down there for breakfast first before we go back to the lounge.
Not really, but Murray and I talk about this place every now and then.
It's down that way. About 500 meters away from here.
Karenina just went back to Engineering Force's headquarters, and Kamui... where did he go?
He said he had to attend to something and left in a hurry.
Well... let's go, then?
With Lee leading the way, the rest of you slip into the stream of people dressed in formal attire.
I'll have two sandwiches and a milk. Thanks.
Hey, stop pushing me already! My bun!
One pancake and two coffees. Thanks!
A small store right outside the Parliament's hall is overcrowded with public servants carrying suitcases.
Among them, of course, is Lucia, who's volunteered to order breakfast for everyone.
One coffee and a waffle, thanks.
Commander Nikola?!
Hey. What are you all doing here?
Nikola grabs the paper cup that the clerk of the breakfast shop has passed his way and, ever so carefully, puts the nicely wrapped waffle into his suitcase.
Sweet things give you the energy boost when you need it. Common sense.
I don't seem to remember there being a ground mission for Gray Raven at this time.
We're done with Hetero Tower for now. We just need Lee to come up with his report and do some cleanup back at Babylonia.
Shooting Lee a glance, Nikola doesn't seem to want to say more.
We're just a few weeks away from what happened at Constellia now.
Correct, but they still have a lot to do before that.
Allen should really come down to Gray Raven sometime to pick your brain on how to work through the paperwork. I really should have asked you to show her how request forms should be written.
Excuse me. Coming through... Ah... Ah-choo!
A public servant with panda eyes carrying two coffees tries to make his way through the crowd—and almost spills his coffee on Nikola when an urge to sneeze gets the better of him.
S-Sir! Oh boy, I'm so sorry...
...Don't sweat it.
Thank you, sir! That was horrible.
It's fine. Go on.
With an apologetic smile, the public servant steps into the elevator bound for the Parliament's hall.
...I gotta go now, and so should you all—to play your own roles, that is. Stop wasting time here.
Nodding your way, Nikola takes a sip of coffee from his paper cup before turning to head toward the Parliament's hall.
Is it just me or is Commander Nikola a bit different from how I remember him...
Some people can get uptight, but there are bound to be times when they can take things slowly.
Commander Nikola seems to be taking things slower here... and I don't think that's a bad thing at all.
Here is your coffee and sandwich, Commandant! And I got both of you something, too, Lee and Liv!
That's a lot of food... but why do we need to eat?
Because it's been a while since we last enjoyed breakfast together, no?
Has it really? Well, I remember seeing Commandant eating energy bars every now and then before heading out for missions...
That doesn't count!
Uhm... I can't seem to remember taking our time to enjoy a breakfast together like this.
You say as you pass Lee a hot coffee and a sandwich.
...And that's basically it for this meeting.
Anything else from you, Wells?
Nope. And you, Nikola?
Yes.
Nikola takes a folder out of his suitcase and passes it to Hassen.
This is the proposal in paper that Allen brought up before.
Given that there is still a lot to be done around Hetero Tower, we were hoping to leave this case in the capable hands of the General Staff.
Uhm... are you sure about this?
Opening the folder, Hassen looks dubiously at Nikola.
Absolutely.
Are you sure this isn't some sort of joke?
Carefully, Hassen lays the folder open on the table...
Revealing a golden lemon waffle with syrup inside.
Oh boy...
...
One hell of a proposal, ain't it?
You didn't get this folder directly from Allen, did you?
Absolutely not!
Well, then. I say we "take care" of this proposal here first.
This is one sweet proposal, I gotta say—but sweet is exactly what we need now for an energy boost, no?
What say you, Nikola?
...Sure, if you insist.
Sitting on the sofa with a cup of hot coffee in hand, Allen is taking his time savoring the aftertaste of breakfast.
You submitted our application to Commander Nikola for the first time today, right? Allen?
Nope, I did that yesterday.
And you still remember that?
Course I do, because I came up with countless copies after that—and I guess I was only trying to spice up the application because that squad meant something special to me.
But then Nikola said my application read more like a book... than an official document.
Speaking of which, I don't think I've ever read that first application you wrote.
Do you want to? I mean, despite what Nikola said, I think I did a good job.
I'd describe it as a tasty lemon waffle with syrup.
Seems like you really are happy with how you wrote it. Well... you got me! Can I have a look?
One sec. Let me try to dig it out...
From the filing cabinet, Allen pulls out a piece of beige woodfree paper with a golden WGAA stamp on it and passes it to Ayla.
As soon as Ayla takes it from Allen, however, the paper becomes two.
Uh?
Right then, papers materialize out of thin air everywhere in the office and begin duplicating...
And before they know it, they're literally up to their necks awash in papers.
Allen!
What in the world is...
