Story Reader / Floating Record / ER06 When Day Breaks / Story
On the day of Support Force recruit graduation, Babylonia's weather simulation system creates a brilliantly sunny day.
Bridget... Over here!
Impressed by this year's recruits, Support Force Captain approves limited funds for a modest graduation ceremony.
Despite Trojan's protests and obvious reluctance, the graduation ceremony goes ahead in full swing.
Bridget! Look! My evaluation report!
With this... I can finally apply for a transfer to Task Force!
That's wonderful! See! I told you you could do it!
All thanks to you... I'd probably still be the dead weight of the class without you...
Thank you, Bridget!
Don't mention it, That's what friends are for!
Bridget laughs and gives Ruolin's shoulder a friendly pat.
But I still want to thank you in my own way...
Ruolin carefully pulls three colorful cards from her pocket with excitement.
I managed to get three movie tickets from the WGAA. Would you like to watch it with me?
Hm? Where's Jeffrey?
He's away on a mission on the surface, b-but... I'm not just asking you because he couldn't make it! You're not my backup plan or anything!
Look, to prevent resale, the tickets all have our names—Bridget, Ruolin, and T...
...Trojan?
Um, y-yes... Instructor Trojan has helped me a lot, so I wanted to invite her, but...
I-I'm a bit scared to ask her...
Hey, what's there to be scared of? Come on, I'll go with you!
I haven't seen Instructor Trojan since earlier...
Uh-huh, she's hiding somewhere, but I know exactly where. Let's go!
Leaving the noisy ceremony behind, Bridget guides Ruolin through shortcuts past the training grounds and supply areas to the Support Force warehouse.
I had no idea there was a shortcut...
Yeah, I like to explore if there is downtime between my training sessions.
So that's how I know...
She lifts a curtain and sees Trojan standing inside with her arms crossed.
...Who's there?
Trojan instinctively moves her hand onto her weapon.
I knew you'd be here!
A harsh light breaks into the room.
Ruolin managed to get three movie tickets. Care to join us, Instructor Trojan?
...Not interested.
Trojan casts a tired glance at Bridget and the timid Ruolin, feeling mentally drained.
When will they leave? The Kurono informant will be here any minute.
These tickets are really hard to get. They're non-transferable, and Ruolin went through a lot to get them...
...I'm really not interested.
This is true—she's never been interested in the Golden Age... maybe only a little.
The only thing she cares about is hoarding actual gold.
Movies are just... actors acting out the lives and desires of others.
When a character in a movie finds treasure, it doesn't help you in any way in real life. When they suffer...
Humph. Isn't real-world suffering much worse than the staged dramas in movies?
Sigh... Is that really what you think of movies as a form of entertainment?
Is there an issue?
Trojan ponders how to get the two of them to leave while she waits for Bridget to continue the argument.
Okay.
...?
Hmm... I mean, it's subjective. I may not understand it, but I respect your perspective.
Let's go, Ruolin. When's our movie starting?
It... it starts at 7:30 in the evening...
Bridget quickly leaves with a tearful Ruolin, leaving Trojan momentarily lost.
Still... I guess this is better.
The Kurono agent arrives exactly five minutes later using secret signals before entering this corner of the warehouse that has no surveillance.
7:30 tonight, at the new outdoor theater of the WGAA.
You'll receive your next mission info there. The keyword is "popcorn"... Why are you holding out your hand?
Ticket.
I'm not going to pay money to get info for my new mission. Since when do employees have to pay to work?
...I can't make that call. I suggest you inquire with Logistics Support, or file for reimbursement afterward.
You better hope that works.
...I've got other stuff to do. See ya.
The informant leaves in a rush for fear that Trojan might grab a chair and smash it over his head.
Too scared of Babylonia to set up more encrypted channels, forcing these stupid rendezvous... And now I'm even supposed to ******* pay for this myself? Urgh...
****... Dammit! I want to bloody quit...
Oh, it's already ******* five-thirty. Where am I supposed to get those cursed movie tickets... Wait.
Let's go, Ruolin. When's our movie starting?
It... it starts at 7:30 in the evening...
...
Trojan pauses for a moment before making a call.
...Ahem, Bridget? Is Ruolin... is Ruolin still with you?
Well, um...
Night falls and a few stars begin to glide across the simulated sky.
The WGAA spent a fortune restoring projection equipment from the Golden Age and built a new outdoor theater to regularly screen classic films shot on Earth during that era.
The chairman of the WGAA claims that the films help those who have lived in Babylonia for too long remember their homeland—a place so close yet so far.
This excuse is a bit far-fetched, but Babylonia approved it.
At the modest outdoor venue, fighters and staff from Babylonia fill the seats in high spirits. Some have brought homemade snacks and various electrolyte drinks.
Let's see... This is us! Oh, Trojan? You're so early.
They are surprised to find the blue-haired Construct already sitting there with her eyes closed. Several gold bottles lie by her feet.
Mmm... ah, you're here.
They did do her a favor, so Trojan forces a polite smile.
I wasn't going to come because I don't really care for this kind of entertainment, as you know, but... Ahem.
The drinks I ordered just arrived, and they expire in three days, so I brought them here... or they would go to waste.
Here, these are for you.
She points at the neatly placed drinks.
Hey, I thought Constructs don't need to eat...
No way! It's the limited edition beer-like alcohol-flavor electrolyte!
The... what?
Constructs don't need to eat, but we can drink electrolytes like these... This is amazing! Jeffrey and I have been dying to try this, but we could never get our hands on it...
Wait... I thought alcohol-flavor electrolytes have a shelf life of 30 days...
Bridget gently tugs at Ruolin's shirt.
Ah... Oh! A-anyway, thank you. Thank you so much!
Don't worry about it... I'm glad you like it.
She turns her gaze away uncomfortably. She is not used to handling such direct displays of emotion.
Is the movie about to start?
The guide lights dim as the massive screen, raised by the WGAA staff, flickers with snow-like static.
This one should be called "The Twilight Seeker". I heard it's a really old film...
This is my first time watching a movie...
...
The movie begins.
On an endless wilderness, golden sands, and gun smoke linger in the air. The sun is dipping low.
Horses and convertibles race across the vast landscape. Cloaks billow wildly in the dusty wind as thundering hoofbeats rip through the air.
The film rolls slowly, but Bridget and Ruolin are already lost in this symphony of light and shadow. Even Trojan finds herself drawn into this world on a screen...
Click.
As the sound of mechanical gears breaks the silence, the massive screen suddenly goes dark.
What—! What's going on?
I think there's something wrong with the projector...
The projector has short-circuited. Screening will resume in approximately three minutes. Please remain in your seats—
I repeat: The projector has short-circuited. Screening will resume in about three minutes. Please remain in your seats—
Oh, thank goodness! It'll resume. I thought it was going to just stop right at the cliffhanger...
Trojan? Where are you going? The movie will resume in three minutes!
I'll go and get some... popcorn.
Trojan is walking in the darkness with a bucket of popcorn. Its ridiculous sweet aroma rises with an irritating intensity that disrupts her rare moment of peace.
Hidden among the popcorn is a note with several timestamps written in code.
Konstantin. Support. Eliminate.
...
A surge of emotion wells up in her. She cannot tell whether it is satisfaction or sorrow. She crumbles the note in the darkness and returns to her seat.
Popcorn... Can Constructs even eat that?
...It's fine. Eating occasionally can stabilize a Construct's M.I.N.D. Didn't you learn this in cultural training?
Ah... Haha... Mind if I try some?
...Here.
Bridget giggles playfully as she shares the bucket of popcorn with Ruolin.
Here, try some...
She grabs a handful of popcorn and puts it in Trojan's palm.
At the end of the movie, everyone meets their destiny—the villain who had all the cards falls victim to their own greed, and the vengeful hero rides off into a new life.
Phew... I was so worried the villain would get a happy ending...
Hah, if I were the protagonist, I wouldn't have gotten myself into that situation... Trojan? The movie's over.
...Ah, I spaced out.
From that ending, right? It was amazing!
...Yeah, it was.
The despicable and greedy will get what they deserve.
This... this is how any story should end.
Right? Eh... wait, Trojan? You're going the wrong way! The dorm is this way!
