first hymn; video

[cantic]

This is Locrian Sergeant Tear Grants of the Oracle Knights, home world Auldrant. I'm seeking whoever can give me information on the clinic; I'm a healer and I'd like to offer my services there.

[ She pauses before moving on to her next order of business. ]

The Initiative makes a convincing case for why we should willingly join their cause. "The United Earth will destroy our worlds as well"... At the very least, it makes for a compelling argument, particularly in light of the recent display of the United Earth's level of firepower. But how much of that is actually true?

It's not that I find the Initiative untrustworthy, but rather that they've given me little cause to trust them. Although recent events certainly make you feel compassion for their cause.

I'm presuming some of you have already gone on missions, so you have less biased accounts. Any insight you could give me would be appreciated.

Comments

[iciclerain]

The Oracle Knights don't exist here. That title doesn't have much meaning anymore. [Or as other people might say: hello, Tear.]

[cantic]

Asch? [ She heard he'd been here, but she didn't think— ] When did you arrive?

[iciclerain]

Just the other day, right after everyone was brought to the moon base. [It's still very odd to him that they are on the moon but he's more or less managed to curb his astonishment.]

[cantic]

[ Then he arrived just as she did, and she hadn't noticed him... A tiny bit of guilty relief flutters in her. As awful as it is to think, she'd hate to have come across him while she was looking for Luke.

But then there's the matter of it being...well, Asch. She can't escape the fact that he died, and Luke did not, and there can only be one of them. ]

What was the date back home?

[iciclerain]

[The date, huh? There's only one reason Tear could be asking him about that.] We were on Eldrant, if that's what you were wondering.

[cantic]

[ That hardly narrows it down for her. So much happened that day. Asch and Major Legretta, Van and Luke... They lost so many. ]

Can you be more specific?

[iciclerain]

[...] I had just sent that idiot on ahead to join the rest of you. I stayed behind to deal with the Oracle Knight replicas. I don't know what happened after that. [Because after that he was dead, but if Tear didn't know that he wasn't about to tell her.]

[cantic]

[ Asch manages to simultaneously be the most direct and yet the most indirect person she's ever met... It's amazing how he manages. ]

...I see. I'm... [ sorry, she wants to say, but that's pity, and inappropriate. The fact remains that only Asch or Luke could survive, and though she feels for Natalia and for Asch's life cut short, she's glad it's Luke. She needs it to be Luke. ]

I'm not sure if you're aware, but we succeeded. In stopping my brother, that is. And Luke freed Lorelei.

[iciclerain]

I've heard. [Asch's tone is a little less flat than it usually is. It's still a far cry from friendly, of course, but he's never had anything against Tear. He finds it easy to respect her and appreciates her directness on the matter.] If you didn't already realize it, he's here, too.

[cantic]

I did. [ The reality of Luke's presence is a light spot in her consciousness, something warm to cling to in this difficult place. ]

But thank you for telling me.

[iciclerain]

Don't. Someone has to keep an eye on that idiot. [And it sure as hell won't be him.]

[cantic]

[ said in an aside beneath her breath ]

And who's going to keep an eye on you?

[iciclerain]

[Oi.] What was that?

[cantic]

N-nothing. In any case, I know you prefer to work alone, but I'd appreciate it if you could remain in contact. Until we have more information we should stick together.

[iciclerain]

[Hmm...]

Actually, I agree. This place is dangerous on its own, and Dist is here. [Not that Asch would ever call Dist an actual threat, but he had a talent for complicating things.]