La danse macabre - Stage 5

[shionstear]

La danse macabre

Episode 16 – Kokujoh Yako (V+VI)

The ground.

Vida:

Get in already.

Door closing.

Arme:

Ugh… Cough, cough…!

Vida:

Be a good kid and stay here for the night. Someone will come get you tomorrow.

Arme:

What…?

Vida:

Someone will buy you for a high price.

Arme:

Slave trade… What will happen to me?

Vida:

Dunno. Never thought about it. As long as you give us money that’s all that matters.

Arme:

So I’m… just money for you, huh…

So not everyone on the ground thinks like Libel and the others.

Vida:

Ah?

Arme:

Libel and the others wanted to use the Tenshi… wanted to use me for peace. For freedom.

And they respected my will as well. They gave me the chance to see things with my own eyes.

…it was the first time. It wasn’t a role I was born with. I could be useful by doing something I wanted to do.

I thought it was something happy to be able to be useful like that…

I may only be money for you, but Libel called me hope.

Vida:

…

Arme:

You’re Vida, right? I want to use my strength for you people of the ground…

Can’t you go along with Libel’s plan?

Vida:

…

Arme:

With the help of someone as strong as you, couldn’t we build an equal relationship with Ark?

Vida:

…hah…

You done?

Arme:

…

Vida:

Blah blah blah blah…

I dunno what Libel and co. are thinking nor why they kidnapped you.

And I’ve got zero interest.

What I’m interested in is for how much we can sell you and how many days of food that’ll give us.

Arme:

…c-can’t you see the great cause? With only that short-term goal you---

Vida:

Huh?

Crashing sound.

Arme:

Ugh…!!

Cough, cough…

Vida:

Can a great cause fill our stomachs?

You’ve seen it yourself, haven’t you? The ruined state of this area.

The ground you got to see was something like a sightseeing place.

Arme:

Hah… hah… hah…

Vida:

Our 12^th district is doomed. The soil is rotten, and nothing grows.

This is no place for humans to live. And we are always hungry.

Arme:

…

Vida:

Yet we can’t leave this place. We have no choice but to live here.

It takes our utmost just to live! Unlike you lot!

Arme:

…

Vida:

…tch, talked about unnecessary things.

Arme:

You people are…

Placer:

Let’s switch who’s standing watch, Vida.

Vida:

Yeah, thanks.

Placer:

Kay kay.

Arme:

…you are.

Placer:

Yo. Iiit’s been a… whiiile!!!

Crashing sound.

Arme:

…!!

Placer:

Hah… now I feel better. This was payback, okay?

Arme:

U-ugh…

Placer:

Whoopsie, gotta be careful.

Horca said to keep it at wounds that heal quickly. Otherwise your selling price will sink.

So no wooorries!

I won’t break any bones.

Punching sound.

Arme:

…!!

 

Arme:

Ah…

Placer:

Hmm…

But man… you don’t scream at all, do you? How boring.

Arme:

Ah… Hah…

I’ve been… thinking…

Placer:

Oh, while being beat up? Not bad.

Arme:

You’re different… from Libel and the others…

You don’t have time to… look forward… You’re desperately… living…

Living, living, just living…

Placer:

…so what?

Arme:

That’s because death is around you… That’s why… you long for life…

You’ve gone… through the worst experiences… You didn’t just read about it in a book… you’ve been feeling death…

I understand… This is… scary…

Placer:

…I don’t really get what you mean.

Arme:

My thinking… was naïve… I like the way Libel thinks, but it never crossed my mind that there were people like you…

I lumped the people of the ground all together…

Placer:

I meant to hurt you quite badly though. And you were still thinking about that useless stuff?

Arme:

As I thought… the ground is nice… There’s so many different people with so many different ways of thinking…

Yet again… I think it’d be nice if I could use my power for the ground…

Placer:

You’re crazy.

That bombing bastard you were with told me. That you can’t survive on the ground if you’re not crazy.

Arme:

I see…

Ha… hahaha… I’m glad… I wonder if I’m capable of living on the ground.

Punching sound.

Arme:

Ugh…!!

Placer:

Well, not like it matters to me.

Arme:

Hah… hah…

Placer:

Your thinking is that of those that have the luxury to think like that. And I reeeally don’t like it.

Don’t act like you understand it. That’s just your gaze from above.

Arme:

…I’ve been told that before… I’m sorry…

Placer:

…I don’t get difficult things. But long ago, Horca once said…

For us from the 12 districts... The numbers needed for humans to survive have fallen too low already.

Arme:

…the minimum viable population…

Placer:

Ah, yeah, that thing. And therefore…

Sooner or later we’ll be gone either way.

Arme:

…wait… couldn’t you just blend with the people of the other districts…?

Placer:

We choose not to. That’s the kind of race we are.

Arme:

What… even. …so you’re just waiting for your destruction?

Placer:

Yeah?

We are born here. And we die here.

We even have a grave. Though it’s just a ridiculously large hole.

We just get tossed down there. Generation after generation.

Arme:

Ha… haha… The ground really has different systems of value, huh…

Placer:

You probably can’t imagine that, having lived in the sky. And? Aren’t we super unfortunate?

Arme:

…maybe.

Placer:

See, then it’s settled. We’re veeery unfortunate, that’s why…

I want to make people that had a happy life as unhappy as I can.

Arme:

…eh?

Placer:

You see. Otherwise we wouldn’t be equal, right? It’d be really unfair for us.

Arme:

…even if you do that, nothing will change---

Punching sound.

Arme:

Gah!!

Placer:

It will.

Punching sound.

Placer:

It wiiill!!! Our feelings will!!!!

Crashing sound.

Placer:

What should we do then!?!! Just tolerate it!?!!

Me! Vida!! Horca!!!

Punching sound.

Placer:

Aren’t we pitiable!!?!

Breaking sound.

Placer:

Being thrown down the same place all alone!?!

Arme:

Ugh…! Gah…!!

Placer:

Ahahaha! Ahahahaha!!!!

Punching sound.

Image noise.

Arme:

…

Short cut.

Horca:

Yawn…

He’s not dead, is he?

Heeey, Placer. Someone’s here to pick up Tenshi-chan.

Opening lock.

Horca:

…it was open…?

Hey hey hey! The Tenshi ran!?

…!?

Placer…! Placer…!!

He’s… not breathing…?

T-that's a lie, right...? Right! Right!?!

Wake up… Come on, wake up! Placer!!!

Episode 17.1 – Unity Order (III)

Unity Order briefing room.

Knocking sound.

Schau:

I came to visit you.

Leiden.

Leiden:

Oh… thanks.

Schau:

…thought you’d die. You really are tough.

Leiden:

…I thought so too. Muscles are important, huh?

But, I won’t be able to move a finger for a while. I’m so bored.

Schau:

…to think you’d be dealt with that badly. There must be monsters down there.

Leiden:

There are. And it was way beyond our expectations.

Schau:

…

Door opening.

Reue:

Please excuse the intrusion.

Oh, Leiden-kun! It’s true, you woke up! How nice, how nice.

Leiden:

General…

Reue:

Maaan… How niiice…!

Leiden:

You’re angry.

Schau:

Sure is.

Reue:

Of course I would be.

Honestly, going for wool and coming home shorn. Though I never saw such a pretty shearing.

I told you to bring back Qual-kun, right? So why exactly did you accompany him on his quest for conflict instead?

Schau:

I know right.

Leiden:

…but… I thought he was right since he is my superior.

I only know that it’s correct to follow your superior’s orders, so I was confused and used practical assessment…

Reue:

Whatever it was! Even if Qual-kun is higher ranked than you, why did you overwrite my orders, even though I’m the highest ranked one!?

Leiden:

Uhh…?

Reue:

Was that too difficult?!

Schau:

Lemme talk from a third party’s point of view.

I think it’s your fault for letting an idiot go on his own, Captain Reue.

Reue:

Eeeh!?

Leiden:

Exactly. You know that I’m an idiot.

Reue:

Wait how is this my fault now?

Well… whatever. I’ll think of a punishment once you’ve healed up.

…glad you survived, Leiden-kun.

Leiden:

Hmm… I’m sorry.

General… Have you still not found Qual?

Reue:

…his whereabouts are still unknown.

We just know that he carried you to our base down there before he vanished.

Schau:

What’s he doing… It never ends well if you aggravate a stubborn person.

And didn’t Qual also lose to the guy you fought, Leiden?

If he goes after Lord Tenshi again, won’t they kill him next time?

Reue:

Yes… I’m worried. I hope he doesn’t do anything rash.

Leiden:

…

He’s someone to do just that.

Peeping sound.

Schau:

…what? Yeah, he’s here.

Yes yes. Understood.

Reue:

What was it?

Schau:

Captain Reue, the church is calling you.

Reue:

Hah… how depressing. Well, gotta ask what we do next.

Guess I’ll go. Leiden-kun, take care resting.

Leiden:

Yeah. I should be able to move again in a month.

Schau:

Ah.

Right, Captain Reue. Shouldn’t we deal with the people that beat up Leiden?

Won’t it be bothersome if they come at us again?

Leiden:

Indeed. Though I believe no matter how often I’d fight him I wouldn’t win.

Reue:

If even you say that then the ground sure is terrifying.

But, no worries. Personally, I don’t have any intentions of dealing with the ground.

No matter how strong he is, he’s just one person, right? Even if it we happened to clash…

We’ll just defeat him with 1000 men.

1000 men with 1000 guns, shooting down one million bullets from the sky.

Schau:

I guess…

Leiden:

…indeed. 1000 are stronger than 1.

Reue:

Right? Very smart of you, Leiden-kun.

 

Episode 17.2 – The Church of Nerve (III)

The ground.

Qual:

Yes…

I know that I’m being selfish. And I don’t mind if I get exiled from Ark if I fail.

…thank you very much.

I will definitely bring back Lord Tenshi.

Lord Eternea.

Peeping sound.

…I don’t need anything anymore.

As long… as I can save Lord Tenshi.

Cut to the cathedral.

Reue:

Huh…? What… did you just say…?

Misericorde:

You heard me right.

Transfer Unity Order’s fighting prowess to the lesser world and retrieve Lord Tenshi.

It doesn’t matter how many people you use.

Eternea:

…

Reue:

Why did you… suddenly change your mind…?

Misericorde:

There is no need for discussion. Just abide by our instructions.

Reue:

B-but you said… we didn’t need to retrieve Lord Tenshi…

Misericorde:

Thanks to whom do you people get to live so peacefully?

Reue:

…the Church of Nerve.

Misericorde:

Indeed. So work as we want you to.

Reue:

Understood…

Misericorde:

Furthermore, the commanding officer for this mission will be Qual who’s already on the ground.

Reue:

!?

Misericorde:

Move the troops according to him. Captain Reue, you may stay on Ark if you want.

Cut to a hallway.

Reue:

…

I see… I understand…

You ignored me and negotiated directly with the top, Qual-kun. What bad manners…

…is this due to having been the retainer?

To think he’d use a hidden method to contact Lord Eternea directly…

Tch… He’s making a fool out of me.

Son of a bitch.

Cut back to cathedral.

Eternea:

…forgive me, Misericorde.

Misericorde:

No, think nothing of it. It is true that there’s no need to intentionally retrieve Lord Tenshi, but…

I think it’s not bad to have Qual do as he pleases, considering the future.

Eternea:

Yes, it’d be good if he’s satisfied with this.

Misericorde:

Indeed. No matter if he succeeds or if he fails, whatever direction he falls towards…

We can use him.

Episode 18 – Chance meetings and cracks and… (I+II+III)

The ground.

Cura:

The 12^th district… Sure didn’t wanna have to ever come here.

Oh well, can’t help it now. Let’s go and save sonny…

Libel:

…yes.

Are you okay, Cura?

Cura:

What? …you’re worried about the thing with Fuga?

Libel:

Yes.

Flashback to Rebellion hideout.

Libel:

He’s awake again. Thank god, Fuga…

Fuga:

…Libel-san.

Cura:

Stay put for a while, don’t worry about anything else.

Fuga:

Anything else…?

Libel:

…we’re gonna save Arme. We’ll be heading to Kokujoh Yako’s hideout in the 12^th district.

Fuga:

…

Cura:

We heard about a trader who wants to buy Arme. There’s still some time left until he goes to their hideout.

We’ll aim for after the trade is completed. Security will be high, but we have no other choice…

Libel:

Yes… we can still save him.

Fuga:

Wouldn’t it be better to stop?

Libel:

Fuga…?

Fuga:

Wasn’t it… a mistake to bare our fangs at Unity Order and Ark…?

Cura:

…

Fuga:

They were strong… stronger than I imagined.

I… I thought I’d die… f-for real.

Libel:

It’s okay… don’t remember it, Fuga.

Fuga:

I thought I was prepared to die… I decided to follow you, Libel-san… I was ready… when fighting too…

But when I was about to be killed… I knew, it was completely different…

I-it h-hurt… but it wouldn’t end… A-ahh…!

Cura:

Calm down. It’s okay. It’s okay now, Fuga.

Fuga:

C-can’t we just leave it be? It’s… enough…

Can’t we just leave the Tenshi alone… Even if we rescue him from Kokujoh Yako, Unity Order is sure to come…

Libel:

Fuga, that’s…

Fuga:

It’s enough… Even without the Tenshi we’ve been able to survive, right?

W-we’ll manage, somehow. Let’s do our best within our limits…

At this rate, we’ll just die… Libel-san and Cura-san too. Can’t we… just give up…?

Libel:

I can’t… I can’t do that.

Fuga:

Why…

Libel:

For the ground to achieve true freedom we need Arme.

I understand your feelings. …I’ll go.

Fuga:

Libel-san…!

Libel:

It’s okay. I’ll end it all. You just rest.

Cura:

…

Fuga:

I don’t get… what Libel-san is saying…

I can’t… become Libel-san…

…! Cough, cough…

Cura:

Hey, are you okay!? …you’re coughing up blood! You need to rest, Fuga.

Fuga:

…

Why… Why, Libel-san…

Cut back to present.

Cura:

…what, you got worried? How very unlike you.

Libel:

I…

Cura:

The leader I know does things without hesitation once he decides on them.

Don’t waver after all this time. I decided since we were kids that I’d stay by your side.

Libel:

…!

Thank you, Cura.

Cura:

Sure thing. Once we save sonny be sure to thank Fuga as well.

Libel:

Yes…!

Cura:

…hey, hide. Someone came out from their hideout.

Libel:

…

Cura:

…? That’s…

Libel:

Arme…?

Cura:

What even… Let’s go!

 

Arme:

Libel, Cura! You came to save me!?

Libel:

…yeah. Those wounds, are you okay?

Arme:

No, my entire body hurts so much that I feel like crying. But I’m good.

I’m glad to have met you two. I thought I’d never see you again…

Libel:

Yes, all’s okay now, Arme.

Cura:

But… what happened, sonny? We were ready to go all out with Vida.

Arme:

That… The man who was standing guard was someone called Placer.

Libel:

The one who attacked us in the desert?

Arme:

Yes… him.

He suddenly coughed up blood and collapsed.

Libel:

…!

Cura:

He coughed up blood and… just collapsed?

Arme:

Yes. He was hurting me all over, and then suddenly looked like he was suffering and coughed up lots of blood…

Libel:

…lots of blood.

Arme:

I didn’t understand what was happening, but I thought it was the only opportunity, so I ran.

Cura:

Huh… Was he sick? Maybe some kind of poison…?

You didn’t do anything, right sonny?

Arme:

…I can’t think of anything at all. I just put up with the pain.

Libel:

…there’s no point thinking about it now. Let’s get away from here.

Cura:

Y-yeah. It’d be bad if Vida appeared.

Can you run, sonny?

Arme:

Yes, I’m oka---!

Gun shots.

Libel:

…!

Cura:

Shooting!? Did Kokujoh Yako notice us!?

Libel:

No…!? This is…!

Running sound.

Arme:

Unity Order…

Cura:

What’s… with these numbers.

Short cut.

Schau:

Ah. Found Lord Tenshi and Rebellion.

…they ran. Starting pursuit.

No worries. There’s a lot I wanna say but I’ll do my job properly.

Acting Captain Qual.

Cut back to Rebellion.

Cura:

Hah… hah…! How did this happen!?

Gun shots.

Cura:

What’s with these numbers!? There’s like one or two hundred!?

Arme:

Hah… hah… I don’t know! I’m sure something happened on Ark!

Gun shots.

Libel:

…! They’re keeping it to warning shots because of Arme.

Cura:

Shit! That doesn’t make me feel better!!

Libel:

Cura, where can we run to!?

Cura:

Good thing I came prepared! Let’s go up that mountain!

Libel:

Understood! Arme!

Arme:

Wah!

Libel:

That wound. You can’t possibly run like that.

Hold on tight. We’re jumping.

Arme:

O-okay!

This is kinda… nostalgic.

Short cut.

Unity Order Soldier:

Lord Schau! The vanguard has lost sight of Lord Tenshi!

…they ran towards the mountain which has many covers. They’re taking advantage of our unfamiliarity of the ground.

Schau:

Hmm.

Unity Order Soldier:

Lord Schau, where are you going?

Schau:

Somewhere as far up as possible.

 

Cura:

Hah… hah… Did we lose them?

Arme:

Amazing, Cura! Just like you planned!

Libel:

It’s thanks to the densely growing plants. We were saved by the poor visibility.

Cura:

Yup, running’s the best. We can climb the mountain like this and go down the other side again.

Libel:

Yes, let’s get away from them.

Gun shot.

Cura:

Guh…!?

Arme:

Cura!?

Libel:

Wha---! Where from!?

Cura:

I-impossible…!

Libel:

Judging by the angle… from that other mountain…?

A super long sniper shot…?! And you mean to tell me he aimed through all the leaves…!?

Cura:

Shit… They’ve got one ridiculous sniper on their side! Libel, Arme, let’s run!!

Arme:

W-we’re not leaving you behind!

Cura:

Shut up and go!!

Arme:

…!!

Cura:

He precisely aimed at my leg; I can’t run anymore.

Sonny. For me you’re already hope.

We need you for our comeback!

Arme:

Cura…

Cura:

I’m counting on you, Libel.

Libel:

Yes. You better don’t die.

Cura:

Ha, I won’t. I’ll dig a hole or something and hide until it calms down.

Arme:

…! Please make a reeeally deep one so they can’t find you!

Cura:

Yes yes, got it. We’ll meet back at the hideout.

Libel:

Let’s go, Arme!

Short cut.

Libel:

I see it! If we go over here we can go back down!

Arme:

What an amazing cliff…! I can’t see the bottom of it!

We have to take care not to fa---

Wah!

Libel-what’s wrong!?

Libel:

…

Qual:

I was waiting for you.

Arme:

Qual…!

Libel:

…you knew we were passing through here?

Qual:

Who knows. Let’s settle it, Libel.

To be continued…