The Final Check-up, part 3 (after battle)
It's finally here, the Department of the Year award.
Indeed, I have finally done it.
…….
With some minor assistance from you, of course. And… some other employees…
C'mon. Admit it. Don't ya notice that a lot more employees are saying hello, good morning, and what have you to you in the hallways compared to when your reputation was a bit… y'know? It's all because I'm just that good of a right-hand man.
I… will admit that your intuitive and spontaneous eye was of… some assistance when it came to identifying certain observations among Abnormalities.
This is the 'potentiality' I was talking about, man!
The same thing you saw in me when you decided to get me on board.
Apologies for ruining the moment, but…
The next few years quickly and busily flew by without much trouble.
Of course, we picked up ourselves a few more 'Department of the Year' awards, some promotions, and some collaborative researches.
Yet all things must come to an end.
The infamous fall of Lobotomy Corporation, for one.
You… …ft us…
So, I don't suppose you have any trouble hazarding what they're all telling me, even as the words come out fragmented.
You… …left… us…
Nothing but words of endless resentment.
You… left us… behind…
<…!>
The fall of the former L Corp…
... I remember what Miss Yuri told us.
The site crumbled in an instant, trapping the employees in there with the Abnormalities…
What… what is this sound?
I...
The whole structure is quaking. What the hell is...
[INITIATING SITE BURIAL IN 100 SECONDS.]
[ANY REMAINING EMPLOYEES MUST IMMEDIATELY EVACUATE THE STRUCTURE.]
[COUNTING DOWN. 95… 94…]
The escape pods to the surface are here, but there's only one seat left. They're saying that the next one's in… five minutes.
I-I…
Listen closely.
At the risk of sounding rather callous, I must inform you that the chance of survival in cases of crises such as this is usually granted only to a very small minority of those affected.
Some, who prioritize the fairness of the process may settle on primitive methods such as drawing lots to see who gets to escape…
And in more barbaric groups, the survivor would be decided by none other than the rule of might.
However, I am glad to find myself among those who are on the side of intelligence. So I make this argument, a suggestion before you.
Compare yourselves, whose sole, final purpose in life is clinging to your mediocre office jobs and making good on your debt payments…
... and me, who has produced several groundbreaking, epochal theses and research results at such an early age.
Whose life, in your eyes, is of greater worth?
Yes, and that is how this tale ends.
The compound collapsed ninety seconds later. I left the employees of my department behind and boarded the escape pod elevator, and survived.
How… how could you…? Without even a hint of remorse…?
Wrath is a hideous emotion.
I am here today only because I have always maintained a cold, rational head.
The L Corp. Branch within Hohenheim's Dungeon of the Fathoms begins to crumble.
It almost appeared as though his heart was crumbling as well.
Well, now that's over with... I invite you to come face me, the Distortion.
And the experiment will come to an end.
<But… just finding and defeating his Distortion in a fight…>
<... I don't think that'll bring him back. I just know it.>
I… agree.
We're still in deep waters here… this can't possibly be all there is to it.