ESCAPE / Last Escape: 09/16/2030, 18:11 ♪ BGM: The Brave Decision ♫     Good, we made it in time! Now to wait for the bulkheads to open-- No, wait a second! Sis isn't here! What!? Don't tell me she--!  (I can't leave her here!)And with that thought in mind, she leapt into a certain office.  Nagisa, you've always wanted to get out of here, haven't you...? So let's get out of here together...Kazami left the room with her sister's body in her arms.  She's late... Ms. Tachibana, hurry!Once Ena yelled impatiently, they saw Kazami appear at the bottom of the emergency staircase. She made it!! Let's go! Please open it up, Captain! Natsuhiko, Watase, and Yuuri raised their voices from back in the control room.  Okay, it's time! Yes! Opening the bulkheads!They operated the three control terminals at once, and opened the bulkheads.  The bulkheads that had kept the nine survivors imprisoned slowly began to open. Mashiro then immediately sent telepathy to Dr. Tenkawa without missing a beat. {Professor, can you hear me!?}She waited for her answer with telepathy-- and then she heard the professor's voice.  {Mashiro!?} {Good, we connected!} {How did we suddenly connect!? Wait, did the bulkheads open!?} {We neutralized the bulkhead lockdown with your hacking software! We're getting out now! How's the situation over there!?} {... Ah! Looks like Security Sector 6 has noticed the bulkheads opening too! Mashiro, get to the entrance as quickly as possible! We'll secure an escape route for you!}The professor's voice was frantic. The situation seemed urgent.  The six of them ran as Mashiro shouted that. Automatic PA: --A 'Case N' has just been detected. In accordance with this emergency, security has shifted to Blockade Mode. Looking down all gates and bulkheads. --The bulkheads shut behind them. But they dared not look back. They kept on running so as to not betray the feelings of the three who stayed behind of their own accord. Eventually, they began to hear a commotion up in front of them--  --The entrance was in tumultuous disarray. Dozens of rescue workers were pushing back a mass of thirty or forty men in protection suits on two sides. And in the center of the parted sea stood a woman-- Professor! Mashiro! Yui!A look of joy shone upon the professor's face-- and then froze the next instant. Wh-where are Natsuhiko and Yuuri!? They stayed behind underground with the Sirius captain! They what!? It's okay, Professor! They won't die! They'll get out of there alive for sure!Salyu shouted that to the professor. The professor hesitated for a second before speaking up. ...Understood. All of you, escape! There's a helicopter on standby outside! Get through to the front entrance!As the professor screamed, members of Security Sector 6 shouted across the sea of rescue squad members. SS6 Member 1: Hold it right there!! SS6 Member 2: You're at risk of radiation contamination! You shouldn't act on your-- How long will you keep making lies like that!?Ukita's shouts interrupted them. SS6 Member 1: ...!? Once the Security Sector 6 members faltered, Kazami and Jun took that opportunity to shout. More importantly, there's a high-magnitude bomb in the facility! It's gonna blow in five minutes! You all need to get outta here -now-!SS6 Member 2: A-a bomb!? This time, they saw a clear disturbance among the Security Sector 6 members. And at the same time, the six survivors slipped through to the outside. SS6 Member 1: W-wait! SS6 Member 2: Don't let them get away! After them! The Security Sector 6 crowd surged and kicked away at the rescue workers. But at that moment-- The rescue copter came into view on the other side of the entrance. Just a little bit further, everyone! If we can just run all the way over there--! But they had the firm conviction that the other six had escaped. Okay! I'll go gather what we need to escape! You two run to the escape exit! Yeah, got it! Let's regroup in the engine room, Captain Kasasagi!Natsuhiko pocketed the broken Alice Number 1 and ran with Yuuri.  They hurried along their route as Natsuhiko withstood the pain of his wounds.  There, he picked up two oxygen respirator sets. (Two sets... This isn't enough!) His ankle hurt from when Salyu twisted it, but he ignored the pain.   There probably wasn't a reliable amount of air remaining in it, but-- (There's still some in it! Better than nothing!)   That bomb was the final key to their escape. (That's everything we need...!)Two oxygen respirators. One air tank. And a time bomb-- With all those things in his arms, Watase hurried for the engine room. Three minutes until detonation--!  The ladder that led to the drainage pipe. The place Watase had tried to escape from, but abandoned. (Of course, we can't escape through the drainage pipe... But I'm sure we can use the pipe to protect ourselves from the explosion!)The pipe was filled with water and its walls were 2.4 cm thick. Once the tetryl bomb detonated, the safest place in the facility was most likely inside that pipe. And just as Natsuhiko and Yuuri reached the top of the pipe-- --Watase arrived in the engine room. In his arms were the oxygen respirators, the air tank, and the time bomb. Watase, you're late! Sorry, ran into some unexpected difficulties!Watase headed to the pipe next to Natsuhiko and Yuuri with terrific speed. The ''intake pipe'' that ran about 3 m away from the drainage pipe. If they blew a hole in that pipe, it'd submerge LABO in water-- Watase climbed up there and set the time bomb on top of the pipe. Okay! Ready!Watase shouted and then looked at his watch. The numbers read ''6:16:41''. Just 19 seconds until detonation--! Captain Kasasagi, this way! Hurry! Yeah, I know!Watase stood on top of the intake pipe, focused all of his strength into his feet-- --and jumped to the drainage pipe 3 m away with the air tank in his arms. Sorry for the wait, you two! You made it! Let's hurry on over!Natsuhiko shouted and looked to the pipe. There was a hole in it. The hole Watase had opened with an axe three hours ago. There was no guarantee that they'd survive if they got inside. The three of them could still die if the explosion blew the entire pipe away. (But we have to take that gamble!)The three of them nodded to each other-- --and slipped into the drainage pipe.  ♪ BGM: Silence ♫ Natsuhiko's wounds were inundated. (Ghh!)It burned and stung, but still-- (It's nothing I can't withstand...!)The three of them held their breath inside the hot water and waited for the explosion to come. Watase held Natsuhiko and Yuuri to protect them. (Is it here yet!? Hurry up and bring it!)After several seconds that felt like an eternity passed-- A tremendous roar rang out. A shock wave ran through and shook the pipe. (... Nnnggghh!!)The sounds of destruction echoed forth from all around them. The pipe shook as if they had been tossed into a waterspout. They could even feel the explosive blast blowing through. But they were protected from it all by the water that surrounded them. ...--Eventually, after the roars and tremors died down--... They crawled out of the drainage pipe.  Natsuhiko exclaimed at the sight that spread out before him. The engine room was ablaze. And due to the explosion induced by the time bomb Watase set up earlier-- The intake pipe had broken and begun to spew water.  ...Blowing a hole in the intake pipe would cause LABO's basements to be submerged underwater...Watase muttered that as he watched the water flow. ...drowning everyone inside the facility. That's why the intake pipe was the only place we could never open a hole through. But now that we're in this situation and the other six have escaped-- It's okay for us to open a hole in the pipe now, right? Kind of goes without saying, don't you think?Natsuhiko chuckled and looked down at the spectacle beneath him. Indeed~~ their escape route was right there. Unlike the drainage pipe, the intake pipe had no obstructions whatsoever. If you opened a hole in there, you'd be able to escape. The only problem was how to breathe. But thanks to the oxygen respirators Watase had prepared, they all had a secure air supply. Once the basements have been filled with water... The water should stop flowing out. Then it's just a straight line to Lake Rokumei!And thus, the three of them waited for the water to submerge LABO's basements. --And after some time had passed, the engine room was full of water. Natsuhiko and Yuuri put on the oxygen respirators. Watase held the air tank tube in his mouth. {Ready to go, guys?} {Ready when you are.} {Okay, then it's 500 m to Lake Rokumei-- All we have to do now is walk.}The three nodded at each other-- And then slipped into the intake pipe.  ♪ BGM: Ominous Ambience ♫ the three of them walked in silence. Watase led the way in front of Natsuhiko, with Yuuri behind. No light reached inside the pipe, leaving their vision nearly useless. But still, they pressed on forward. To leave LABO, their prison of nine hours. And little by little-- Natsuhiko felt something that had been surrounding his body slowly fade away. (...?)It may have just been his imagination. It was an indescribable sensation. (WX particles...?)LABO's interior was filled with WX particles. Those elementary particles that tried to connect people, even if it meant rearranging their genes. Perhaps Natsuhiko had unconsciously felt their presence. (No... the WX particle energy should've already decayed away... Then what exactly...?)As he pondered, suddenly-- He remembered a previous conversation he had with Yuuri. The experiment that Yuuri and Dr. Tenkawa were going to perform today. When Natsuhiko asked what sort of experiment his mother had attempted to run, Yuuri answered thusly:  The experimental procedure was to use the WX particle amplifier to create a roughly 500 mSv WX particle field in Area N. But WX particles are merely lumps of energy without any sort of information. An 'empty spirit', so to speak. Basically, this is what the professor wanted to test: If I took all of my intracerebral information energy and emitted it outside my brain with BC-- Would that create a copy of my spirit?--Due to the terrorist attack, the experiment could not be carried out. But instead-- (I kept using BC... Not just me, but Yuuri too. And Mashiro, and Nagisa, and Ms. Tachibana too...)And as a result, the emitted information energy lingered and mixed. And eventually, perhaps something was even born out of it. Or perhaps the malfunctioning particle amplifier merely gave birth to an empty spirit. Or maybe nothing was born at all. Natsuhiko did not know. (... But when I think back... I feel like something was always right there beside me.)In times of pain, in times of hopelessness, and in times of paranoia and doubt-- It was always there with Natsuhiko. Superimposing itself with his mind through BC particles and showing him which route to take. ...Natsuhiko couldn't help but feel that was the case.  (... I get the feeling something's fading away. Something that had always been inside of me...)The further they got away from LABO, the more real that feeling became. But right before Watase could think any more about it-- It suddenly got hard to breathe. ♪ BGM: Static ♫ (...!? Crap, the air tank's running low...!)Watase's heart throbbed in pain. How much longer until the exit? The path was dark and seemed to go on forever. (... Goddammit... We've come this far...!)He desperately tried to keep walking, but the water resistance hindered his advance. His brain became oxygen deprived, and his consciousness gradually grew hazy. (C-crap... can't breathe...! drat... it...! It... hurts...!)Eventually, his thoughts grew muddy. His memory hazed over as well--... (Gh... Wh... why...? ...Why does it... hurt so much...!? W... wait... Where... the hell am I, even...? ...What am I doing... in a place like this...? ...Why... am I carrying this heavy thing...!? ...) (Th... that's right... To... save... everyone... I leapt... into the gas...!)Area 3's inner ring was filled with oxygen-deficient air. Only a few minutes were left until it was time to administer AD. (... I need... to get this AD... to everyone... quick...! Or else... everyone... will die...!)--He didn't want anyone to die. With his mind entirely devoted to that thought, Watase crawled forward. But the wounds he incurred along the way on his mission suddenly began to hurt. His fractured ribs. The gunshot wound to his flank. The laceration on the back of his head. His entire battered body. His throat felt like it was on fire from thirst and all the vomiting he'd done, and his body was as heavy as lead from all the exhaustion he'd built up. His lungs wheezed from the difficulty to breathe. His heart felt like it was about to burst-- (... drat... it... ...Is... this... the end...!?)Right when the last of Watase's strength was about to fade, a voice echoed in his head.  (!!) ♪ BGM: Ominous Ambience ♫ He seemed to have hallucinated for a second. Watase forcibly pumped himself back up and responded. {I-I'm okay... Just a little tired.} {Do you not have oxygen!? Take some of mine then--} {Stop! I don't need your concern!} {What!?} {You're a survivor in need of rescue... I have to be the one who rescues you.}After that mental answer, Natsuhiko grew quiet. After a moment's silence, he continued speaking to Watase. {Hang in there, Watase...! It's gotta be just a little bit further!} {Yeah!}As Watase ravenously sucked in what little oxygen remained in the tank-- --he spurred his body to keep walking.  (He's such a slave driver...!)He had heard that voice countless times today. And countless times had that voice bestowed him with courage. (Is that why I've been trying to save everyone...? He's just been leading me this entire time...? ...No...!)He suddenly recalled a conversation he once had with Yuuri.  Well... I read about it in a book. When people are thrown into extreme situations such as disasters or accidents... they say that they hear a voice that isn't actually there. ...They also say that the voice is always telling that person what actions they should take. Sure is a strange phenomenon, that's for sure... Wonder why it happens. The human mind... their knowledge and memories, that is-- works at its absolute best in extreme situations like this... And so it tells you 'what you should do' in the form of a voice echoing in your head... perhaps? Memories, huh. But I don't have any of those... But it's said that even when you lose your memories, they leave behind a vague 'feeling'. So perhaps in your case, that feeling in your mind was the strong 'desire to save people'----''The Third Man factor''. Its true nature was most likely a strong feeling within the mind. The desire to save someone-- (... That's right. That's what's always been driving me forward. And the other ''me'' who disappeared when I regained my memories...!)It wasn't just the feelings that propagated from Natsuhiko. The feelings of Wataru, Kazami, Jun, Ena, Ukita, Yuuri, Mashiro, Salyu-- --and everyone else Watase had come in contact with had mixed inside his mind, becoming one single will. The will ''to live''. And the will ''to save''-- (... Don't stop! Stay conscious...! If I fall here, the two behind me can't advance!)With that thought alone, Watase pressed forward. To carry out his mission--...  Natsuhiko reached out and pressed Watase's back. {You can do it... You can do it, Watase!}And then wordlessly, Watase wrapped his arm around his back and grasped Natsuhiko's hand. Relieved, Natsuhiko sent telepathy to Yuuri. {You with us, Yuuri!?} {Yeah! I'm right here!}Yuuri's hand soon touched his back. Natsuhiko reached his right arm behind himself and grasped her hand. In the midst of the cold sensation of the water, they felt each other's warmth. --In the darkness without light. In the overwhelming black void where they lost sight of even themselves. The sensation of hands in his hands solidified Natsuhiko's consciousness. And then he felt the warmth of life. His heart was filled with the thought that he was not alone. By his presence and her presence alone... Natsuhiko was able to push forward. ------ ---- ...Just how far had he walked? Suddenly--!  (!?)He had gotten out of the pipe! Natsuhiko had been thrown out into the depths of Lake Rokumei. (Ah!!)At that moment, the oxygen respirator fell out of his mouth. (Crap, I need to get to the shore quick! But which way is the shore!?)Natsuhiko panicked at his disorientation, but-- --The hands he held hadn't slipped out of his grip. In the dark depths, he faintly saw an orange uniform. Watase swam to the surface, still holding onto Natsuhiko's left hand. Relieved, Natsuhiko held his other hand tight as well. His right hand, his connection to Yuuri. --How many times had he held that hand since he'd met her? This time, he would not let her go. As Natsuhiko swore upon that oath, he saw light streaming down from above. (--...)They then brought their faces up out from the water--  Pwhaaaahhhh!! Haah! Haah! Haah...!Watase breathed furiously as he got out of the lake. Haaah...!  Yuuri took off her oxygen respirator and spoke to the other two. Hikorin, Captain Kasasagi... We're... outside, aren't we...? We made it outside, didn't we!?Her eyes were wet with both the lake water and her tears... ...Yeah. That's right, Yuuri...! --Natsuhiko's and Watase's shouts of joy resounded in the night sky.
|
|
| ← # ? May 31, 2017 21:55 |
|
