MultiCrack Office (before battle)

After a round of intelligence gathering from Faust...

We opened the door to the next cabin, only to be greeted by a loud commotion.

It sounds like there are other survivors?

Ah, passengers in danger! Fret not, for I have arrived to - Euagh!

Whoa, whoa! Don't come any closer! Who the hell are you guys?

A four-armed woman suddenly jumped in our path.

... She appeared without warning.

Faust stumbled a little, inadvertently slapped by the figure's swinging arms as she pushed us away.

Right, like you gave me any warning before you practically kicked that door open.

Uh, would you mind moving that huge sword out of our faces? It's a bit threatening.

Threatening? I'm just trying to protect the civilians in this car.

Also, is that a bio-prosthetic? Must be an old timer, huh? I thought those things went out of style forever ago.

... Oh, you wanna see what this old timer's got left in him?

Aha... thou art from the north, verily?! Thy garb is that of northerners, no?

This really ain't the time, lass!

Anyways, it looks like we're in the same mess here. Make way for us, yeah?

…….

She seemed to be sizing us up for a moment.

Nah. How do I trust you? Got any proof that you ain't bitten? I'm not gonna let all my effort protecting this place go to waste...

Bitten? The bloody hell are you on about?

Weird, ya look completely lost. If you were in one of the economy cars, I'm sure you've seen -

... Hold on.

Are y'all from the first class car?

Yeah. We just woke up from our capsules.

Hmm, but none of you look very... I mean, aren't first class seats supposed to be... Well, why didn't you say so from the get-go?

Name's Sasha. MultiCrack Office Rep.

With that, she lowered her weapons and allowed us to pass.

Have you not left this car for the duration of the ride, Sasha?

Hm? Uh, no, I haven't...

We warped over to T Corp. after picking up one of their contracts, but... jeez, can ya believe that this train broke down? Shit, is it even "broken"?

I'm not feeling hungry or sleepy at all. It stinks of some shady bullshit, if ya ask me.

You can feel all that even in a prosthetic body...?

Man, how could I live without my favorite hobby, drifting into a sweet nap after a pleasant meal? So, I made sure to get high-quality parts for 'em so I can still feel 'em all.

Hasn't something else of note also occurred?

You bet your ass did something else of note go down!

How distracting... Is it hard for you to speak without being so hyper?

Or at least stop swinging your arms around like that...

Can't do that, friend... I broke all my prosthetic arms in a fight, so I'm calibrating a new set. Gotta keep swinging 'em if I want 'em to sync up with the other parts ASAP.

Anyhoo, I dunno what the hell's going on, but people started turnin' into some weird monsters all of a sudden.

Haven't a goddamn clue as to who they are... don't seem like they can understand us, either.

Good thing my train car didn't have a lot of those monsters. I just chopped what monsters there were to pieces and hauled the civilians to this... vacant car.

Sob...

3,201 red colors... 3,202 red colors...

... You have decided to protect them, despite the potential risk that they may transform as well.

But of course! 'Tis an expected duty of any valorous Fixer to stand guard in the front lines against evil to protect the weak!

I've been keepin' a close eye on 'em for the last three days, and so far... zero transformations.

Go past this car, and you'll see what hell on earth really means. Those monsters are constantly trying to claw their way to the front of the train... so if ya ask me, I'd wager that some shit went down there at one of the train cars in the back, and it spread like wildfire 'till it reached here.

... I see.

And that's all I can tell ya about the situation. So... what's your story? Why'd you rich, first class folks suddenly decide to grace us peasants with your presence?

Nothing that's happening here could've made it to your swanky first class cars, so what's your business down here?

W Corp. has hired us to solve this case. We are...

Um...

FIXERS!

Indeed... Fixers.

Faust nodded reluctantly as she affirmed Don Quixote's boisterous declaration.

Huh. They got every single one of you a first class ticket? Your Office must be rollin' in the dough.

... Wait a goddamn second. So W Corp. already knew that this would happen?

But... hm. Are you really contracted to a Wing? Not sure if I trust ya...

As you must be well aware yourself, contracts and contract fulfillment are of paramount importance for Fixers.

With that in mind, please recall that W Corp. is one of the most secretive Wings of the City.

Ah, a non-disclosure agreement, huh? Makes sense. I wouldn't wanna deal with those Öufi boys either... Anyways, I'm still gonna have to ask for proof that you're actually contracted by W Corp.

This is the master keycard given to us by W Corp. I believe that it can open most doors aboard this train.

Faust produced a master keycard from her pocket. I guess there isn't any other way for us to prove that we're actually contracted by W Corp....

A keycard? So you used this to open the path between the first class and the economy class car... Let's see... W Corp. logo... Woah, nice materials. Looks like you're telling the truth.

Alright, I won't pry. Not like there's any cash in it for me either.

So... I guess you gotta go all the way down there for your job, huh?

Yes.

The Fixer finally got out of our way. Then, with one of her free hands, pointed toward the opposite door.

Well~ It's your funeral, ladies and gents. Or your victory lap, if you guys are really that good. Lotsa luck to y'all.

I thank thee for thy words of courage, Fixer Sasha!

I shall trust thee with protection of this fortress; prithee, protect the innocents in my stead!

…….

Um... big sis, are you a Fixer? Are you going to save us from the monsters in the cars behind us?

Hoh?

Just as we were about to reach the other end of the car, a little passenger pulled on Don Quixote's coattails.

Mhm! Aye, forsooth!

Whoa...! Are you a famous Fixer?

Forsooth once again! Thou mayest know me as a profoundly illustrious Fixer!

Whoaaaa... I-I wanna be a Fixer, too! Just like y -

Don't pester the lady! I'm sorry, she's my daughter, and -

Muahaha, worry thyself not, 'tis no bother! No bother at all~! Thou must dream of becoming a Fixer thyself, little squire~?

It is fortunate that someone like yourself is aboard the train. Your presence ensured that child's survival.

Whatcha talkin' about all of a sudden? C'mon, no need to keep up appearances between people in the same line of work.

I'm just here to collect some sweet, sweet emergency contract fees from each and every one of 'em. Are you two on something or what?

... I see.

<... I don't think Don Quixote needs to hear what she just said.>

... Didn't know you could be like that, Faust.

Be like... what?

You knew there was no way the Fixer was actually there to protect them out of pure goodwill, but you decided to go along with Don Quixote's delusions anyway. Am I right?

…….

Good move. I was getting worried about what might happen if she started acting out again.

You saw the twinkle in her eyes too, right...? Don Quixote's always been energetic, but she's been especially bouncy today.

Eyes...

Faust strode toward Sasha with a question.

I have one last thing to inquire.

It'll be 30k Ahn per inquiry.

... That is quite an unsound decision to make for someone who claims to be "in the same line of work" as us.

Have you considered the possibility that, once our contract is successfully completed, we could include references to a particularly cooperative Associate Office in our report to W Corp?

W-woah... You serious?

Well then, let me hear it.

Were the eyes of the monsters you faced red, by any chance?

Sasha paused her swinging arms for a moment upon hearing that question, appearing to either be in thought or trying to recall something... then answered.

... Umm, I dunno? Those monsters were red all over, but... is there something special about their eye color?

Well, for one, my prosthetic eye is red. That passenger over there's got red eyes, and... Oh, you there. That lady with a big sword's also got red eyes.

What, is someone out there paying cash for info on red eyes or something?

No, well.

It was a question of no significance.

Faust nodded lightly in her direction, then opened the door to the next car.

Guuuuhhhh...

*Whistle*

It was just as we had feared. The scene that appeared before us looked like it came straight out of a painting of hell.