Tales of the Epitaph EX

[Hayate]

Tales of the Epitaph

Chapter EX: The Tales of Yore

Part 1: The Fickle Princess

Shiro: Kyoko Von Lumina Kazuhiko. Imperial princess of Lumina Cloth, as well as Kazuto’s fiancée.

Ren: …So that’s the Lumina Cloth princess…W-Wait! Fiancée?!?

~ S.S. Hoerwick, on the Azure Sea ~

~ Lilithday, Skeith-Lunae 24, AC2033 ~

*Kazuto Rin Anu-Takeuchi, age 10, is seen on the deck of a ship bound for Lumina Cloth; nearby, King Shirai converses with one of his lower-ranked advisors*

Shirai: Isn’t it exciting? In just a matter of hours, my son will come face-to-face with the girl he’ll spend the rest of his life with. From what I’ve heard from Kaito and Ryoko, she’s quite the cute little thing too.

Advisor: It certainly is a momentous occasion.

Shirai: *sigh* A shame my dear Gardenia couldn’t be here to share in the festivities, what with her being confined to her bed because of her worsening condition.

Advisor: Don’t fret, your Majesty. Sakaki has assured me that her Highness Queen Gardenia is in the utmost care.

Shirai: …I suppose…

*as Kazuto looks over the edge of the deck towards the landmass slowly closing in, he’s shortly joined by Shiro T. Xion, age 11*

Shiro: Hey.

Kazuto: Hmm? Oh. *bows* Good day, Shiro-sensei.

Shiro: Heh. You can just call me Shiro, y’know.

Kazuto: …Father says that would be disrespectful.

Shiro: *sigh* Whatever you say. …Are you nervous?

Kazuto: A little…I guess. I’m not sure.

Shiro: Me? I’d be sweating bullets. Meeting the girl whose hand in marriage I was promised before I was even born? That’s a pretty big deal in my opinion.

Kazuto: …Okay, now I’m definitely nervous.

Shiro: *laughs* I’m sure it’ll be fine.

Kazuto: …

*a couple of hours later, the group consisting of Shirai, Kazuto, and Shiro stands inside the Lia Fail palace throne room; standing across from them were Emperor Kaito and Empress Ryoko*

Kaito: Shirai, my friend! It’s been far too long!

Shirai: Indeed. You look well, Kaito. As do you, Ryoko. Ravishing as ever, I see.

Ryoko: Hehehe! Oh, Shirai, you flatterer!

Kaito: *looks down at Shiro* …This is the young Mac Anu prince?

Shirai: Hmm? Oh. Hehehe. No, no, that’s Kazuto’s swordsmanship teacher Shiro Xion.

*stepping to the side, Shirai reveals Kazuto, who was hiding behind his father in innocent fear*

Shirai: This is my son.

Ryoko: Awww… He’s such a cutie!

Kazuto: …

Shirai: And where, might I ask, is Princess Kyoko?

Kaito: My counselor will be in with her shortly.

*just then, a high-pitched voice bellows outside the throne room*

: NO! I don’t wanna! You can’t make me!

Counselor: P-Please, your Highness, I’m only doing what I’ve been told! Don’t make this difficult!

: Let me go! I said I’m not doing it and that’s final!

Counselor: *sigh* I apologize in advance for this, your Highness…

: Huh? H-Hey! Put me down!

*moments later, the imperial counselor enters the throne room carrying Kyoko on his shoulder; Kyoko flails her arms and legs about wildly*

Kyoko: Put me down, I said! How dare you treat your princess this way! I’ll have you banished from the palace for this!

Counselor: I-I’ve brought her Highness the princess as y-you’ve requested, your Majesty.

Kaito: Heh. Thank you, counselor. I apologize for the inconvenience.

*as the counselor sets Kyoko down, she immediately retreats to her mother’s side*

Kyoko: Mother! Did you see the way the counselor handled me!? The audacity of it! I demand he be banished!

Ryoko: Now, now, Kyoko, behave yourself. We have very important company today.

Kaito: Kyoko, dear… Meet Kazuto…your future husband.

*Kazuto and Kyoko step forward to meet up-close*

Kazuto: *gulp* U-Um… It’s a…p-pleasure…to meet you.

Kyoko: …Ugh. He’s so scrawny. He has the face of a weakling. Hardly seems worthy to be my husband.

Kazuto: …

Ryoko: Manners, Kyoko, manners! …I apologize on behalf of my daughter, Shirai. She gets her pickiness from my side of the family. Hahaha.

Shirai: Think nothing of it.

Kaito: Kyoko, why don’t you show Kazuto your garden while your parents catch up with an old friend?

Shirai: Look after Kazuto, will you, Shiro?

Shiro: Yes, your Majesty.

*once again, Kazuto and Kyoko make eye contact*

Kazuto: …Hehehe…

Kyoko: *turns away and puffs up cheeks* Hmph!

*a short while later, Kyoko leads Kazuto and Shiro into her personal garden on the east side of the palace, where she grows rare species of flowers*

Shiro: *sniffs* Mmm… Quite a fragrant sanctuary you have here, your Highness.

Kyoko: Of course it is. This garden was nurtured by my own two hands after all.

*Kyoko walks forward and kneels down in one of the nearby flowerbeds to admire the various petal colors*

Kazuto: …I get the feeling Kyoko doesn’t like me very much…

Shiro: Don’t worry about it. Girls are fickle. You never what they’re thinking. Just give her a little time, and she’ll warm up to you before you know it.

Kazuto: …How do you know so much about girls, Shiro-sensei?

Shiro: When you grow up in a home with nine sisters, you pick up a few things. Hehehe.

*Kyoko takes a small bunch of flowers into her hands and takes in their aroma*

Kyoko: Ahhhh… Hmm?

*just then, in the distance, Kyoko spots a single flower with purple and white petals poking out of the ground; unfortunately, the ground it was poking out of is at the top of a cliff that overlooks the sea*

Kyoko: Hmm…

*as Kazuto admires the garden himself, he’s suddenly approached from behind by Kyoko*

Kyoko: HEY, YOU!!!

Kazuto: Aah! *spins around* Kyoko? W-What is it?

*just then, Kyoko takes him by the wrist and pulls him in the direction of the cliff edge*

Kyoko: See that flower? Go get it for me!

Kazuto: W-Way out there!? On the cliff!? But…it looks dangerous…

Kyoko: Dangerous!? You’re such a wimp! I thought you were a man!

Kazuto: …I…

Kyoko: Ugh! You’re so useless! Fine! I’ll do it myself!

*climbing over the protective outer fence, Kyoko makes her way out to the edge of the sea cliff and kneels down to pick the flower out of the ground*

Kazuto: H-Hey! Be careful, Kyoko!

Kyoko: Hah! I don’t need you to worry about me! I do this kind of thing all the time!

*all of a sudden, the ground on which Kyoko was kneeling starts to give in from her weight*

Kyoko: !!!

Kazuto: Kyoko, get away from there!

Kyoko: It’s fine…! This is nothing…! This is--! *gasp*

*as the ground starts to tremble, Kyoko starts to fear for her well-being; she slowly inches her way back to stable ground in hopes of not shaking the earth below her too greatly, but…*

CRACK!

*…the earth at her feet eventually does give way and she tumbles downward*

Kyoko: AAAAHHHH!!!!

*just moments before Kyoko plunges to her death, Kazuto leaps in and grabs a hold of her arm to prevent her fall*

Kyoko: *gasp*

Kazuto: Don’t…worry, Kyoko…! I’ve got you…!

Kyoko: K-Kazuto…

*with help from Shiro, Kazuto pulls Kyoko up to safety*

Kazuto: *panting* Are you…okay, Kyoko…?

Kyoko: W-Why would you…help me if you were scared…?

Kazuto: Heh. Well, for one, Father would kill me if I let anything happen to you. Secondly…

*taking the flower Kyoko had picked out of the ground, Kazuto places it in her hair*

Kazuto: …you and I are engaged, so…I guess I’m supposed to look out for you from now on.

Kyoko: …Kazuto… *blush*

Shiro: *grins*

Kyoko: … *rises to feet* Y-You know…this never would’ve happened if you just did what I told you to begin with! *quickly walks away*

Kazuto: … *sigh* Maybe I’m doing something wrong…

Shiro: Don’t worry. You got through to her.

Kazuto: I did? You think so?

Shiro: Mm-hmm. I could tell.

*now several yards away, Kyoko looks back at Kazuto before turning away; she takes the flower out of her hair and admires its petal colors*

Kyoko: … *smiles*

~*~*~*~

Part 2: The Last Pendragon

Saber: Your Highness, Lady Kyoko… I would not be here kneeling before you today were it not for the kindness you showed me so long ago… You convinced Emperor Kaito and Empress Ryoko to take me in -- a person with no one to call family and no home to return to… Everything I am today, I am because of you…

~ Capital of LeGable, Kingdom of Mac Anu ~

~ Sayaday, Macha-Lunae 28, AC2016 ~

*in a LeGable delivery room, a couple celebrates the birth of their daughter*

Doctor: Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Pendragon… It’s a girl.

*the doctor hands the newborn to her mother, who cradles her in her arms*

Baby: *crying*

Mother: Oh… Isn’t she beautiful?

Father: She certainly is. Have you thought about what to name her?

Mother: I was thinking…Arturia.

Father: “Arturia”. …It’s perfect.

Arturia: *crying*

*two years later, a short while after the Coite-Bodher War had begun, Arturia, age 2, is seen playing happily with some toys, while her parents, dressed in soldier’s body armor, address Arturia’s caregiver*

Father: …I trust you’ll take good care of Arturia while we’re gone?

Caregiver: Of course. I’ll protect her with my very life. …I still think it’s terrible that the two of you have been ordered back to the front lines, especially after you’d sworn to stay away from the battlefield.

Mother: It can’t be helped, I suppose. But worry not. We’ll be back before you realize it.

Caregiver: …I understand. Do be careful, won’t you?

*walking over, Arturia’s mother takes her baby into her arms and kisses her on the forehead*

Mother: Bye, my little Arturia. Be a good girl for your nanny, okay? We’ll be back home soon.

Arturia: *baby-like coos*

*the forlorn mother sets Arturia back down and heads out the door with her husband to fight in the war*

Caregiver: …Stay safe.

*unfortunately, as Arturia’s caregiver later discovers, the infant Arturia’s parents never return; a little over two months later, sometime after the war ended, a generic soldier appears on the doorstep of the Pendragon household to regrettably inform the caregiver that Arturia’s parents died in the line of duty; this revelation causes the caregiver to collapse in tears*

~ LeGable Docks, Kingdom of Mac Anu ~

~ Filiday, Zefie-Lunae 3, AC2019 ~

*at the LeGable docks, a number of Lumina-Cloth-bound ships were prepared to transport parentless Mac Anu children and infants to a special orphanage in Lia Fail; Arturia’s caregiver could be seen approaching one of the ships*

Caregiver: Forgive my selfishness, little one… But your late parents would sooner have my head than leave you in my permanent care… I’m not worthy of such a task… And I’d sooner take my own life than to have you grow up in a war-torn place such as this… I know that you’ll be happier in a richer and safer environment like Lumina Cloth… Consider it…my final gift to you as your nanny…

*the caregiver hands Arturia off to one of the soldiers and watches as he carries Arturia onto the ship*

Caregiver: *clasps hands together* …May the fortune of Aura shine upon you always…

*before long, the ships all pull away from the docks, and the children and infants onboard are taken to Lia Fail*

~ Capital of Lia Fail, Kingdom of Lumina Cloth ~

~ Jinnday, Macha-Lunae 36, AC2030 ~

*for just over 11 years, Arturia had grown up in the Lia Fail Orphanage while awaiting adoption; unfortunately, no one would accept her, and Arturia was forced to watch as the friends she made at the orphanage get adopted one after another; by the time of her 13th birthday, she was one of the few orphans left; Arturia is seen staring out the window while sitting on a bed in one of the rooms where the orphaned children slept*

Arturia: …

*one of the orphanage caretakers, Reiko, shortly enters*

Reiko: …How are you feeling, Arturia?

Arturia: …I’m…never gonna be adopted…am I, Miss Reiko?

Reiko: Oh, Arturia, dear, don’t say that. Of course you will. Who wouldn’t want a cute little thing like you as their own?

Arturia: Then why hasn’t anyone picked me yet? It’s been 11 years!

Reiko: …Because all those parents just can’t see how special you are. When I look at you, I see a girl who has the potential to become a beautiful, powerful woman. I see someone who refuses to let herself be swayed by hardships.

Arturia: …If that’s the case, why don’t you adopt me…?

Reiko: …

Arturia: See!? I told you! No one wants to call me their daughter, not even you! I don’t have any stupid “potential” and I never did!

*jumping off the bed, Arturia dashes out of the room in tears*

Reiko: …Oh, Arturia…

*that evening, sometime after the sun had gone down, Arturia assembles whatever belongings she owned in a backpack and sneaks out of the orphanage*

Arturia: If no one wants to give me a home…then I’ll find one myself…!

*now on her own, Arturia wanders Lia Fail, navigating through the various alleyways; she eventually finds her way into the city slums, where a number of destitute characters dwell; soon enough, Arturia’s wandering leads her into another dead end*

Arturia: Oh, not again…! I was just here 10 minutes ago…!

: Hey, girly…

Arturia: !!!

*spinning around, Arturia finds herself cornered by a pair of dirty hobos*

Hobo 1: Got any food in that bag of yours?

Arturia: S-Sorry, I don’t…have anything.

Hobo 2: Aw, come on… Not even a few crumbs of bread?

Arturia: G-Get away from me…!

Hobo 1: Go for the bag!

: HEY! LEAVE HER ALONE!

*turning to their rear, the two bums notice a young girl no older than 8 confronting them*

Hobo 2: Hahaha! Who’s gonna make us?

*at that moment, a pair of Lumina Cloth knights appears, drawing their swords partway out of their sheaths*

Hobos: !!!

*at the sight of the knights’ blades, the two bums retreat into the shadows*

: Hah! How pathetic! Running away with their tails between their legs at the first sign of danger!

Arturia: W-Who… Who are you?

*as the girl approaches, Arturia comes face-to-face with the young Princess Kyoko Von Lumina Kazuhiko*

Kyoko: *smiles* I’m Kyoko. Are you okay?

Arturia: Uh…y-yes. Thank you, your Highness.

Knight 1: Your Highness Princess Kyoko. We should be returning to the palace soon. It’s not safe for us to linger here.

Kyoko: …What’s your name?

Arturia: …Arturia. Arturia Pendragon.

Kyoko: Where do you live?

Arturia: I…don’t live anywhere.

Kyoko: Aw… No home?

Knight 2: It’s almost too dark out to see, your Highness. Please, his Majesty Emperor Kaito is waiting.

Kyoko: … *gasp* I know! Come live with me!

Arturia: !!!

Knights: !!!

Arturia: I-I’m…sorry?

Kyoko: Yeah! I have a good feeling about you! I think we can have lots of fun together! We can be like sisters! My parents don’t let me have regular friends, but I’m sure I can convince them to let you stay in the palace with us!

Arturia: I… I don’t think that’s…

Knight 1: Your Highness, be reasonable. The emperor and empress will never agree to such a thing. Besides, you know full well your parents don’t permit you to associate with--

Kyoko: It’s exactly that way of thinking that’s why I don’t have any friends to play with! I say she’s gonna stay with us in the palace and that’s final!

Knights: …

*reaching over, Kyoko takes Arturia by the hand and pulls her along*

Arturia: H-Hey! What are you--!?

Kyoko: C’mon, c’mon! Let’s get going!

Arturia: …

*later that evening, Arturia stands in Kyoko’s bedroom; its color theme was a lavish combination of yellow, pink, and purple*

Arturia: …Princess…Kyoko’s room… *closes eyes* …Smells like…cinnamon…

*just then, Kyoko enters with a wide smile*

Kyoko: I’m back! And guess what? Mommy and Daddy agreed to let you stay in the palace!

Arturia: T-They did…?

Kyoko: Mm-hmm! And I even had them enroll you in the Knight Academy! You can be one of my knights and protect me all the time! Isn’t that cool? …H-Hey… What’s wrong, Arturia? You look so sad…

Arturia: …I’m sorry, your Highness… All of this is…so sudden… I don’t think I’m worthy of such consideration… Why would someone of your caliber help a nobody like me…?

Kyoko: *giggling* I told you, I had a good feeling about you. That’s all it might’ve been, but Mommy says a lot to me about destiny. She says if you get a feeling like that, don’t ignore it. I don’t think it was a coincidence that I met you today. I think it was…destiny.

Arturia: …Destiny… But what about everyone at the orphanage…? They must’ve discovered I’m missing by now…

Kyoko: Daddy says it’s all taken care of. No need to worry.

Arturia: T-This is… Princess, I… I don’t know what to say…

Kyoko: Hehehe. You don’t have to say anything. Now come on! It’s sleepover time!

*over the course of the next couple of hours, Kyoko and Arturia tire themselves doing various sleepover activities; by midnight, Kyoko was so worn out, she’d fallen asleep in a sloppy position on her bed; Arturia tucks her in properly and walks over to the window to gaze up at the moon*

Arturia: (…I’ve been…adopted… I have a family now… It’s like a dream come true… I should be happy, and yet…) *looks over at Kyoko*

Kyoko: *snoring*

Arturia: …

*reaching into her backpack, Arturia takes out a kendo stick she often practices with; with the bamboo blade in hand, she assumes an attack stance*

Arturia: (…Destiny or not…I have a home now because of Princess Kyoko’s kindness… I may not know much of destiny, but I do know of honor…)

*stepping forward, Arturia swings the kendo stick vertically downward…*

Arturia: (I will become a knight of Lia Fail…)

*…then horizontally…*

Arturia: (I will fight on behalf of Lumina Cloth…)

*…then vertically upward…*

Arturia: (And in the name of Princess Kyoko, to whom I pledge my life and loyalty…)

*…then thrusts forward*

Arturia: (I will be as a sword of protection…! Her sword…!)

*finally, with a swift and silent leap, Arturia brings the kendo stick down as if striking an invisible target*

Arturia: (…Princess Kyoko’s “saber”…!!!)

~*~*~*~

Part 3: The Scythe is Born

Ren: How’d you know this was buried here, Mitsuru?

Mitsuru: …Because I was gonna give it to my brother as a birthday present…before I…killed him.

~ Island City of Tartarga, Kingdom of Lumina Cloth ~

~ Albaday, Fidchell-Lunae 15, AC2034 ~

*in the slummy city streets of Tartarga, a small number of people are seen walking about; a small percentage of the population walks about the marketplace bartering for food and various goods*

Merchant: Fresh bread! Fresh fruit! Only 50 GP a pound!

*just then, the merchant hears a quiet commotion behind him; several urns are heard clattering as if something had been tossed against them*

Merchant: *turns head* Hmm?

*at that moment, a pair of kids -- a teenage boy and a 9-year-old girl -- sneak up on the merchant’s stand and snatch some food; the boy snags a roll of bread while the girl picks up a couple of apples; in the girl’s haste, she accidentally knocks over other items on the stand, which grabs the merchant’s attention*

Merchant: HEY!

Girl: *gasp*

*the girl attempts to flee, but the merchant grabs her by the back of the collar*

Girl: Aah!

Merchant: Heh! I got you this time!

*just then, a small jagged rock strikes the merchant’s hand, and his grip on her girl’s collar loosens, allowing her to run away*

Merchant: Dammit! Get back here, you thieving kids! …Argh!

*once they were in the clear, the two kids settle down to eat the food they’d stolen; the boy takes a large bite out of his bread roll*

Boy: Mmm! That is fresh!

Girl: …

Boy: Hmm? Go ahead, Mitsuru. Eat.

Mitsuru: …Is it…okay for us to be doing this…Matsu? I don’t like stealing…

*rubbing the crumbs of bread from the corners of his mouth, Mitsuru’s brother Matsu grins at her*

Matsu: Heh. Would you rather go hungry?

Mitsuru: …No.

Matsu: Listen, Mitsuru. All that talk about how Lia Fail’s supposed to come and improve our living situations -- it’s complete bunk. Those top-brass kingdom fat-asses are too busy sitting pretty on their 12-story-high chairs of gold stuffing their faces while we’re left at the bottom scrounging for scraps. Whatever help they promised us…isn’t coming. …We’re on our own.

Mitsuru: …

Matsu: …But I promise that’s gonna change someday.

Mitsuru: Huh?

Matsu: Even if no one’s coming to help us, that doesn’t mean we should just accept it. One day, I’m gonna get off this dump of an island. Find a better life for myself in the capital. Eat real food and breathe real air. And when that day comes, I’m taking you and Dad with me.

Mitsuru: …Matsu…

Matsu: *stands up* …Come on. Let’s head back.

Mitsuru: Right.

*upon rising to her feet, Mitsuru takes a bite out of her apple and follows her brother towards their home on the south end of town; upon entering, Matsu calls out*

Matsu: We’re home, Dad!

*as Mitsuru enters, she notices the day’s date on a nearby calendar*

Mitsuru: …Ah! That’s right! Matsu, your birthday’s coming up, isn’t it?

Matsu: Heh. Not much to celebrate in my opinion.

Mitsuru: Have you thought about what you want for a present?

Matsu: Ah, you don’t have to get me anything, Mitsuru. Besides, I doubt you’d be able to find anything “present-worthy” in this city. Hahaha.

*even after Matsu has shrugged off Mitsuru’s offer, she still smiles at him, deciding to surprise him with a gift anyway; a couple of days later, the day prior to Matsu’s birthday, Mitsuru wanders the city aimlessly as they tries to come up with a thoughtful birthday gift for her brother; her walk eventually leads her into the cemetery*

Mitsuru: *sigh* Matsu’s birthday is tomorrow, and I still can’t think of anything to give him…

*just then, something in the corner of Mitsuru’s eye shimmers dimly*

Mitsuru: Hmm? What was that?

*looking around, Mitsuru notices the shimmer again; walking towards her left, she happens upon a shallow grave; inside it was a Macha Sphere giving off a faint shine*

Mitsuru: Ooh…

*climbing inside the hollow grave, Mitsuru picks up the glowing orb*

Mitsuru: …Hmm! It’s perfect! This’ll make a great gift for--

*just then, the sphere in Mitsuru’s hands emanates a powerful but brief purple shine…*

Mitsuru: *gasp*

*…and the same glow then appears in her eyes; now under the Macha Sphere’s control, Mitsuru drops it onto the ground and lets her arms hang lifelessly at her sides*

Mitsuru: …

*later that afternoon…*

Merchant: COME BACK HERE, YOU LITTLE BRAT!!!

*in the bazaar, Matsu is seen liberating food from the same merchant he’d stolen from days earlier; he retreats into the shadows of an alleyway as the merchant dashes by*

Matsu: Heh! “Big and chubby” makes this too easy for me! *bites into pear* Hehehe!

*closing in on home, Matsu throws the pear core away, not caring where it lands, and enters through the front door*

Matsu: I’m home! …Hmm? *gasp*

*just then, Matsu bears witness to a picture that fills him with confusion and fright: several feet away from him, he sees Mitsuru standing above their father; in Mitsuru’s right hand was a serrated knife covered in blood, and their father lay dead on the floor at Mitsuru’s feet; turning her head back, Mitsuru glares at Matsu with lifeless eyes*

Mitsuru: …

Matsu: M-Mitsuru…!? W-What… What did you do…!?

Mitsuru: …

Matsu: Answer me, Mitsuru!!! What on Earth did you just do?!?

*shuffling her feet, Mitsuru inches slowly towards Matsu with the intent to kill him as well; she leaps at him, but Matsu restrains her by grabbing her wrists*

Matsu: The hell are you doing, Mitsuru!? Have you gone insane!?

*shaking off Matsu’s grip, Mitsuru swiftly slashes at his chest, spurting blood onto the floor*

Matsu: Aggghhh!

*Matsu falls back onto the floor and clenches his chest in pain; looking up, he sees Mitsuru slowly closing in*

Mitsuru: …

Matsu: Ah… Aah! D-Don’t come near me!

*Matsu nearly stumbles as he jumps to his feet, and he bolts back out from the front door; unfortunately, his footing was unstable and he slips and falls in the dirt*

Matsu: Gah! Got to…get out of…! *gasp*

*all of a sudden, Mitsuru, who had easily caught up with the disoriented teen, picks him up by the neck; she slowly picks him up to her height while her right hand tightly grasped the knife*

Matsu: *choking* M-Mitsuru, please! Don’t do this! You don’t know what you’re doing!

Mitsuru: *raises knife* …

Matsu: N-No! Mitsuru, stop! What are you--!? *gasp*

*Matsu’s pleas are cut short as Mitsuru thrusts the knife into his chest; as he coughs violently, blood spatters onto Mitsuru’s face and trickles down from the sides of his mouth*

Matsu: …Mi…M-Mitsuru… W-Why…?

*Mitsuru’s grip on Matsu’s neck loosens, and Matsu collapses onto the ground*

Matsu: …I…d-don’t…understand… Mi…tsuru…

*having lost much blood at this point, Matsu falls silent, finally succumbing to death; Mitsuru looks down at him with blank, purple eyes*

Mitsuru: …

: AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

*turning her head to her left, Mitsuru notices a girl in her 20’s standing several yards away -- an eyewitness to Matsu’s murder*

Girl: M-Matsu! You…! What did you do to Matsu?!?

*Mitsuru takes a single step forward, but the girl flees in terror*

Mitsuru: …

*a short while later, Mitsuru was back in the cemetery, covering the Macha Sphere with graveyard soil to conceal it from those who might try to destroy it; once the deed was done, Mitsuru rises to her feet*

Mitsuru: …

: Look! There she is!

*glancing to her right, Mitsuru notices a small mob of Tartargan civilians charging at her angrily*

Man 1: MURDERER!!!

Woman 1: MONSTER!!!

Man 2: PUT HER IN CHAINS!!!

*unable to challenge that many people by herself, Mitsuru follows her basic instinct and runs away; the mob chases Mitsuru to the pier; just before the mob could reach her, Mitsuru seizes a small wooden boat and sails away from Tartarga*

Man 1: Yeah, that’s right! You’d better run!

*after sailing westward for half a day, Mitsuru finally reaches the mainland and washes up on shore; hungry and depleted of energy, she collapses in the sand, unable to move*

Mitsuru: …

: …Hey. …Hey! Wake up!

Mitsuru: …Ohhhh…

*picking her head up, Mitsuru meets a mystery woman whose face was concealed by the glaring light of the sunrise*

: Damn… You look like hell, “Red”… *hands Mitsuru a canteen* Here. Drink.

*picking herself up off the sand, Mitsuru takes the canteen and quickly downs the water inside*

Mitsuru: *relieved sigh* …Thank you…

: Whatcha doin’ way out here, kid? Where’d you come from?

Mitsuru: …I…don’t know… I can’t remember…

: Well, where are your folks at?

Mitsuru: …I can’t remember…

: *eye twitches* Can you remember anything?

Mitsuru: …

: *groan* Amnesia, huh? …Hmph! Alright then! *places hands on hips* Since you got nowhere to go, what say you come along with me?

Mitsuru: Huh?

: I’m putting together a mercenary guild. I’ve already got a bunch of candidates lined up for recruitment. You want in? … ‘Course, if you don’t want to…

Mitsuru: … *nods*

Beatrice: Well, that settles that then! …Oh, yeah! Nearly forgot to introduce myself! The name’s Beatrice!

Mitsuru: …Mitsuru.

Beatrice: Oh, so you do remember something after all… Okay. Good to know ya, Mitsuru.

Mitsuru: …

Beatrice: *sweatdrop* …Not much of a talker, are you, kid?