Cruise Party 4 (after battle)
<So they were... Mermaids...>
Yeah. Whoever sailed on this ship... they were probably too distracted by the party to realize that they broke a law of the Lake. So...
<So they ended up getting devoured by a Whale.>
<And this deserted ship... is the aftermath.>
Even if we stick to every single law of the Lake, depending on the type of its Waves, getting too close to a ship that broke the law could get us swept up in the aftermath.
Their single lapse of judgment led to this chilling catastrophe.
I remembered Ishmael looking into the Lake, muttering to herself. I also remembered the rough, biting words she threw at us.
This was the reality of the Great Lake that Ishmael survived before joining us.
A place where even the smallest mistake could mean total annihilation.
A place where one must struggle endlessly to survive the terrible unknown.
<So this was the kind of path Ishmael sailed before joining us...>
If only... If only I'd known... Then maybe I could've been more understanding of her.
I keep going back to my quarrel with Ishmael back at the Boatworks. I can't stop thinking about it.
We have dispatched the Mermaids that descended onto the deck, but lingering any longer may draw the rest of them to us.
This party is over. Let's return to our ship.
We left the cruise ship as fast as we could.
After an indeterminate amount of time...
<So we didn't find anything...>
<I made the wrong call. I shouldn't have made such a rash decision.>
…….
It's okay. At least we're still alive.
And that was that. Ishmael didn't say more.
It is fortunate, however, that we procured ourselves some ration for the journey ahead.
Hey, the radar's caught something. It's... large.
... That is very close to the center of the coordinates.
Then that dot on the radar has to be...
... The Lobotomy Corp. Branch of District 21.
... I'm going out for some air.
Ishmael slowly returned to the spot by the ship's railings where she stood muttering to herself.
For a moment, I wondered if I should follow her like I did earlier, but...
<…….>
... But maybe she wanted some time alone to think about things. I decided to leave her be.
... Get your shit together.
Bury your feelings from them.
I have a mission I must see through to the end - my one and only mission. I've sharpened my harpoon for that singular moment.
I... have to be colder. Harsher.
I have... a mission that I can't fail...
And if anything even dares to stand in my way, I'll...