Story Reader / Event Story / The Meandering Three / Story
A wasteland is not just a barren field. It is also a land with hostile weather.
For example, the heat at noon can kill a horse, while the temperature at night can freeze a man.
...No! I refuse!
****ing hell! I haven't even asked you to pay me back for my bike!
Noctis, hand me the rope.
W-wait! What are you doing?!
Beardy nervously protects the pile of "motorcycle" while his teeth chatter loudly.
Vera threatening to tie him up with a rope would not have scared him this much, but on a freezing night like this, he cannot stop shaking.
We're just taking some gas. What's the matter, man?
Look at the state of your bike. Recycle things! Save the planet!
N-no!
Know your place. We're only bringing you with us out of the kindness of our hearts.
But this is my only bike! I was going to fix it!
Fine. I won't use it, then.
We Constructs won't freeze to death, anyway. You, on the other hand, probably won't survive until morning.
Vera chuckles and throws the rope at Beardy's feet without saying another word.
Awoooo—
Rustling, No. 21 walks out behind a giant rock.
Hey, 21! Where have you been?
I kept hearing howling... What is that?
With the help of the moonlight, Noctis notices a struggling, furry creature in between No. 21 claws.
A rabbit.
There are other wolves here. I saw them.
They wanted to eat Beardy, but there are still a few movies I want to watch.
So I convinced them to leave. I caught this on my way back.
Awoooo—
The wolves howl nearby once again, and No. 21 responds accordingly.
Awoooo—
Is that the prey you brought back?
Yes.
Why did you catch it? It's no use to us. Let it go—
Hold on.
Beardy's voice is still shaking, but everyone from Cerberus can understand what he is trying to say.
Tch.
Save some for me. That's good oil.
And... let's start a fire.
A single column of smoke splits the dark blue sky in two, starkly contrasting with the wilderness' nocturnal expanse.
The smoke flows upward as if it is a river among the stars.
Do you want a piece?
Sniff...
It smells good, but I don't need to eat.
What a shame. Rabbits are tasty.
Is there extra? I'll take some.
Noctis gathers around the campfire and instinctively moves the bomb he carries behind him.
Beardy cuts a slice of meat from the roasted rabbit and hands it to No. 21 before cutting another one and stuffing it in his mouth. Then he hands Noctis his knife.
You're a grown man. Do it yourself.
Noctis nods and takes the knife from Beardy, cutting a slice of rabbit meat and eating it.
Hmm... It tastes... strange.
I knew the taste better when I was human...
Of course. It's meat. Meat is always great.
Noctis flips the knife around and hands it to Beardy in one swift motion.
Beardy's lips curl slightly, and he chuckles.
What?
Beardy flips the knife around in his hand.
You pointed the knife at yourself when you passed it.
That's a simple etiquette from the Golden Age. Most humans have forgotten about it nowadays, and yet a Construct still remembers.
Oh. Old habits.
What about Captain? She should try it too.
She's up there keeping watch.
Noctis points at the figure sitting on top of the giant rock.
Hey, Captain! Want to come down and have a snack?
No, thanks.
See? That's how she is.
But I've remembered how to do this.
After seeing it done once?
Yes. Skin it, open it up, remove the intestines, and then roast it.
Besides, I know how to roast marshmallows.
It's not that simple!
You couldn't have done it before, 21!
Your claws tear everything in halves. There's no way they can do something so delicate.
But I can make cactus sashimi.
Ugh.
Ugh.
It tastes like grass, and it's slimy.
That said, cacti are the only thing that can save lives in this desert.
In an emergency, you have to rely on a cactus for hydration and sugar.
Those prickles, or leaves, are so troublesome.
Cactus leaves?
That's right. Those prickles are actually cactus leaves. To prevent water loss and stop other animals from feeding on them, it evolves into its current form.
They do this to evade their natural predators?
I've seen evolutionary paths like this on a terminal before. I've always been curious about that.
Who knows if they are evading predators or protecting themselves?
Sometimes, the prickles you use to protect yourself can hurt other people... Ouch!
No. 21 has taken out another small piece of cactus from who-knows-where and placed it in Beardy's hand.
Like this.
Yeah. We should put some needles like this in a bomb next time.
Are you... a devil?
I still remember seeing the Strike Hawk members playing a video game.
There were adorable cacti in the game, and they would grow...
A single column of smoke splits the dark blue sky in two, starkly contrasting with the wilderness' nocturnal expanse.
The smoke flows upward as if it is a river among the stars...
By the time the sizzling sound and the smell of the roasted meat fade, Cerberus and Beardy are already on the road again.
Since Beardy's motorcycle does not have a lot of fuel to begin with, the Cerberus members have to follow his guidance and head for the next settlement on the way to resupply.
Noctis, No. 21, and Beardy get more and more familiar with each other on this journey of modest length.
You've also been to Con... Con-something.
Constellia. Your tin brain can't remember anything.
I was just passing by. I was mostly there to help out an old friend.
Although I didn't find her there...
Is that it?
Vera interrupts the three of them. She points at a dark shape in the near distance and asks.
That's it. That's the place.
It seems empty. Why would no one turn on their lights otherwise...
Curfew. They only turn their lights on at night in special times. This is how they protect themselves.
You're not lying to us, are you?
What do I get out of tricking you? I was going to show a movie in this town.
And I think they'll be happy to receive you.
What do you mean?
The asshole in the mechanic's shop was a notorious gang leader in this area. He led a gang of thugs called Van Diesels and threatened the residents with their mechanoids and Corrupted.
I imagine they'll appreciate you for taking care of him.
What was his deal? Why did he have mechanoids and the Corrupted working for him?
Who knows? This is no man's land. Perhaps he got really lucky.
Alright. It's right ahead of us.
We'll find out when we get there.
