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Lucia: Crimson Weave VI
With only a few lonely stars, the sky is pitch-black, allowing not the least bit of snowlight to seep through the hazy clouds.
Sitting by the campfire that's faintly aglow, Alpha keeps her eyes trained on the dancing sparks.
...
Putting down the bandage in hand, Alpha fiddles with the campfire. The fire burns lazily, casting light that stretches the shadows of the trees into the distance.
The white cat from before comes out of nowhere and does a lazy roll beside the campfire.
Right then, Alpha hears someone calling her name.
So you're the one that brought this cat here.
Feeling confused, you look at where Alpha is pointing—and see the white cat that's been following you around all this time.
It hits you that this cat goes back and forth between you and Alpha—which explains the meows you heard every now and then coming from the channel when you talked to Alpha.
Feeling unashamed about its lack of loyalty, the cat does a stretch—before resting comfortably on Alpha's lap.
Reminds me of a certain someone.
Without turning around, Alpha adds fuel to the campfire. With it, the campfire flares, burning a hole through the pitch-black night.
Putting down the medication and bandages in your hands, you sit down across Alpha—and see yourself in her eyes as the firelight shines in them.
Here, catch.
With a silver parabola trailing in its wake, an object lands squarely in your hand. It's a crushed tracker.
Our deal is still on—but I think it's time we put it to an end.
But before we get there... I'm afraid I've got some bad news for you.
I had a look at what's in the hard drive, and it's completely useless. Ask an illiterate to memorize "Project Winter" from this hard drive and they'd have no trouble doing it at all.
This is the second time you're getting this from me.
Alpha tosses the hard drive at you as if it were a useless piece of garbage.
What's not? That it's completely useless? Wait... are you trying to say that I'm wrong for thinking that you came all the way here just for this hard drive?
The hard drive is chipped and stained with dried-up vital fluid.
Alpha might be tough, but you can only imagine how she survived the fall from the cliff.
Hah...
Let me guess. You came all the way here for what's in the hard drive because it's got to do with her... or with them, should I say?
Are you only being kind to me because I'm a Construct?
...
As if to prove your point, specks of light start appearing across the conservation area. Judging from the fact that it's still the wee hours, you believe their expedition is getting ready to head out.
And that's humans for you—they might struggle, but they never give up.
And even if they're trapped all the way down at the bottom of an abyss, all they need is a little hope for them to fight their way back up.
Because they choose to do so.
So naive.
Surprisingly, that's all Alpha says. Turning around to face the campfire, she seems so absorbed that you doubt she really heard what you said.
As the campfire shines in Alpha's eyes, you notice the sun is slowly making its way up the sky.
Then, suddenly, Alpha stands up and pulls you to your feet.
Come with me.
Alpha walks so fast you can barely catch up. The sun is still rising, but as you move away from the campfire, the path you are walking down is still pitch-black.
You turn on your flashlight—unaware of the stone by your foot...
...!
In the nick of time, Alpha dashes over and grabs your hand, her body clinging to the cliff.
...Not so tough now, huh?
In the cyan light of dawn, you can't see anything past the serious look on Alpha's face.
You allow yourself to hang along the cliff with nothing but Alpha being the only thing holding you in place—all the while quietly removing your hand from the jetpack launcher you grabbed onto.
Even if she chooses to let go now, you still have enough time to get the jetpack on your protective suit to work to avoid a deadly fall.
Alpha squints, her eyes looking impish.
Say, what if I let go now, like this…
Says Alpha as she loosens her grip.
You really have faith in everyone, don't you?
Even when they're your enemy.
With a little pull, Alpha drags you back up without breaking a sweat.
Getting back to your feet and dusting yourself, you answer Alpha's question.
It's me that you have faith in, huh...
Alpha repeats what you said as she casts you a dangerous glance.
Do you really understand what you just said?
You understand that the two of you come from very different places...
Getting back to your feet and dusting yourself, you repeat the word dubiously back to Alpha.
That's what we'll always be to each other—so long as you never stop pursuing a future where the Punishing Virus is obliterated.
Uh-huh...
Whatever makes you sleep better today—but just don't be surprised if I ever hit you where you least expect it.
Without saying anything else, Alpha turns around and carries on walking toward the peak.
The peak you and Alpha are on isn't the highest around—although it still places you at an altitude from which the skyline seems to stretch indefinitely into the distance.
Still pitch-black moments ago, the skies are now azure. The flaming red, rising from behind the clouds, slowly makes its way across the boundless skies.
Then, the clouds are set ablaze—when a rush of wind clears the way for sunlight to pass through, donning the snow-capped peak across with light so golden that it almost threatens to scorch the eye.
The sun is out.
Awash in the sunlight of daybreak, you strike up a conversation.
Says someone who doesn't have anything to keep themselves alive but still thought it'd be a good idea to battle in the snow?
Didn't kill you, huh? Fancy bringing home something that might land you straight in the lock-up, then?
Time flies as you chitchat—and before you know it, the sun has made its way up the sky, casting down light so warm over both you and Alpha and the cat that you barely remember where you are.
Hearing the beeps from the communication device hanging by her waist, Alpha knows that they've just sent her the coordinates for the next location where they believe the Punishing Virus exists.
Time is up.
Pulling the bandages she has left out of her pocket and tossing them off to the human, Alpha mounts her motorcycle.
Catching the bandages, the human says nothing to stop her.
The cat hops up to Alpha's motorcycle, too. With a frown, Alpha picks it up by the neck and puts it back on the ground—only to see it hop back up ever so gracefully.
Get off.
Totally oblivious to the command, the cat makes itself comfortable on the seat and starts cleaning itself with its tongue.
...Fine.
Pushing the cat forward on the seat so it doesn't fall off, Alpha turns around for one last look.
Alpha knows better than to say goodbye because she knows full well that their paths, in all likelihood, will never cross again.
Neither of them is going to stay where they are—and there is no telling whether they'll ever see each other again down their respective paths.
Standing unmoving, [player name] quietly looks this way, seemingly knowing all along that their brief encounter would end as abruptly as it began.
Kicking her motorcycle into gear and showered in sunlight, Alpha speeds down the path of her own choosing.
This is where they part ways—for good, perhaps.
Whether fate shall put them across each other's paths again, however, only time will tell.
