Saru (before battle)

Ah, you've arrived. I was waiting for you.

We sifted through and isolated the doors with the highest probability of leading into the Ring's gallery.

The next step would be to enter the alternate door you mentioned, but...

Hold up a sec.

... I was actually gatekeeping more stuff.

<Huh...?>

"Gatekeeping"...? Are you saying you have more to tell about gates - doors?

Yup.

That door over there? Pretty sure it connects to N Corp.'s Nest. I saw Albina going in, all hyped about some canned... whatever it was.

And that wooden door with bandages wrapped around the handle... Papa'd go in there to cross out Vengeances. From what the Book said, it's probably a turf "protected" by a Thumb subsidiary or something.

Unlike earlier, when she offered only vague snippets, even about just a single door...

... Kira was now feeding Alan a stream of intel that seemed solid even to someone as clueless about the Backdoor as me.

Hm... She's far more cooperative than anticipated. Even after that Alan character roughed her up, from what I hear.

<Yeah... You'd think she'd clam up out of spite... I wonder if she changed her mind about cooperating with us.>

Nevertheless, we mustn't let our guard down, Executive Manager. There's no telling when she'll turn on us...

Frickin'... I can literally hear everything you're saying, y'know?

All right, then. Based on the intel... please proceed by investigating the safest doors first.

As for the high-risk ones... I'll continue checking and let you know which ones you need to enter.

Alan tinkered with the devices around him and flashed a couple of doors with blue light.

Guess that means we start with those.

<Where do you guys wanna go first?>

They all look about the same. Just start with the closest one.

Well, Alan did say these are the safest ones... so it shouldn't matter which one.

Just as I reached for the nearest door as Heathcliff told me to, Ryōshū suddenly veered off, stopping in front of another one that stood a few steps apart.

This door... it feels familiar.

<...! You recognize that door?>

I think I passed through it a few times when I was little...

Hardly had Ryōshū stopped speaking when a fragmented memory, painted over in parts, slipped into my mind.

Sorry... it hurt a lot, didn't it?

I... I should've finished my homework faster.

Oh, I know! Let's go for a walk!

*puff* But I don't recall much about it.

That memory just now... Could it be tied to Araya?

<Let's start with that door.>

Okay... This one, yeah?

Here we go.

Impatient as ever, Heathcliff shoved the door open and strode in first. The rest of us followed, including Kira and the other Sinners.

<And this place is...?>

Judging by its state, it seems to be a welfare facility located within a Nest. Most likely a park.

Every sod walkin' here's dragging some animal along - means they've got money to burn. Proper rich lot, this place.

The "walk" the past Ryōshū mentioned in her memory... and the sight of people fussing over their pets.

The pieces clicked together, and I voiced the other memory I saw back at the House of Spiders.

<Did you ever come here... with a puppy named Saru?>

... Yeah. I remember that.

Not a puppy, though.

Saru was... a bit bigger by then.

Sorry... it hurt a lot, didn't it?

I... I should've finished my homework faster.

*whine*

Why isn't she getting any better...? I gave her lots to eat...

Oh, I know! Wanna go for walkies? You love walkies, don't you, Saru?

*bark*

There's this Workshop dad always visits - the door there's connected to a park.

We can go right now!

*pant* *pant*

Ryōshū's childhood memory burned bright in my vision before passing.

... That was her as a kid?!

Verily... such gentleness doth seem most unlike thee, Young Ryōshū.

.......

Hey, Clock. Who said you could show them my memories willy-nilly?

<No, I... Come on. You know it's not something I can control...>

Tsk... G.G.

Back in the House of Spiders, I was the only one who could see the vision of Ryōshū's past.

This time, though, her memories seemed to manifest for everyone around, just like what we experienced in H Corp. with Hong Lu.

Which probably means...

Why are y'all staring at me? That's so random, what the hell.

... Did you not see that just now?

See what? You guys zoning out together?

<Guess it doesn't apply to Kira.>

Then again, unlike how it was between Lin Daiyu and Hong Lu, Kira doesn't have any direct connection to Ryōshū. I guess it makes sense.

Was that adorable hound thy companion of old, Young Ryōshū?

Indeed. My one and only best friend.

And because of that, Saru...

*puff* would be locked away in the Vault every time I had to depart on an assignment. With a Spiral driven through her.

... The first-ever leash. Looking back, it might've been a kinder fate had she died sooner.

To inflict such cruelty upon a voiceless animal... How can such wickedness be borne...?

<What happened to Saru... in the end?>

*puff* ... She died before her time.

I don't recall why, but there was this day when Saru wouldn't stop whimpering in pain. And I... shut myself in my room, crying.

You were? Not someone else...?

Who else? O.C. it was me.

Even after witnessing the fragment of memory, Heathcliff looked utterly unconvinced.

And while I was grieving... Callisto offered a solution. Said he would give me a gift the next day.

And what I received was...

Something he called the Beastbone Blade. A tanto that would whine and yelp in Saru's voice with every swing.

Ew - no way.

... I always knew there was something creepy with robo-unc... So that's how he killed your dog, huh?

No. He didn't kill Saru. That tanto was alive.

<Did you just say alive?>

Bloody hell... A right nutter, that psycho...

Her eyes were embedded in it like adornments, and they'd stare at me in accusation. The tiny heart beat as though it was quaking with fear.

It was a horrible sight. And I felt "pity."

*puff* So I shortened what remained of her time... with my own hands.

Got me thinkin' after hearing all that... Why do you still mess with that "art" thing, then? Let's be honest - after seeing somethin' like that, you'd wanna steer well clear, yeah?

Right? Those things he called "artworks" were all so cursed. Straight-up nightmare fuel.

Like, I haven't really checked out other Ring artworks outside Albina and her Nursefather's... so maybe I'm just a noob when it comes to all that, but yeah, their stuff never gave me any art vibes, for real.

I thought the same.

Well, I was terrified at first. Yet as I learned more, there were some facets that suited my taste.

Thou findest appeal.. in those grotesque creations...?

From what you've told me about Callisto, it looks like he failed to stick to his own advice...

But there's something he always used to say.

"Art is wholly subjective, and thus one must never expect the understanding of others."

*puff* The uncanny, the horrible... There's a beauty that lies in the grotesqueness of it all.

... Can't say I quite get it, but if you say so...

Nah, but bloody hell. How do you end up gettin' used to that kinda thing?

Why do you need to understand? You're not an artist.

I got used to it, but that bastard Callisto's installation artworks caused night terrors and nightmares for -

.......

*rattle*

The scabbard moved, and Ryōshū came to a pause.

It trembled, but there was at once a strange liveliness to it - as though it quivered between fear and anticipation.

Night terrors... crying from nightmares... in the House of Spiders...?

There was actually someone who got scared of Ring stuff back in your day?

.......

I need to check something. We've seen enough here - let's go back.

<Yeah, let's. Nothing else worth checking around here anyway.>

With the inspection complete, we quickly followed Ryōshū back.

She stood in front of the "artworks" covered in sheets of cloth, lost in thought.

Right here. There used to be a huge artwork displayed here.

... I don't know what kind of impulse struck him, but the bastard went about fussing, saying he needed practice so he wouldn't lose his touch.

*sniffle* Mommy...

... What's wrong?

O-over there...

... Thought I told you to keep the exhibition in your room.

Ah, you've returned, Yoshihide.

I decided to attempt installation art of a somewhat larger scale this time, but I ran out of space in my gallery.

M-Mommy... people were screaming...

Dearest Yoshihide, Araya has reached an age where she may be introduced into the world of aesthetics. Surely this wouldn't be a problem?

It would.

... You liking it and me acquiring the taste doesn't mean Araya will.

Waaaah! *sniffle*

... Let's get you back to our room.

... I was hugging something in my arms. It was crying.

Saru...? No. Too big to be Saru.

The lacerated memories can never be made whole no matter how many fragments are glued together.

We could tell Ryōshū everything we knew about Araya, but it'd never truly reach her.

... I see. This hollow void... this must be "Araya."

The sensation and emotion for what's been emptied begin to entangle with Ryōshū's memories...

... and that makes it possible for us to reminisce about Araya together.

The soft rattle Araya gave seemed to show how pleased she was with this small step.

<All right. Time to check out the next door.>

We entered several more Backdoors that Alan pointed out,

but unfortunately, none of the places we ended up at stirred Ryōshū's memories any further.

Pretty much nothing here. I think we're don - hmm?

Wh-what the... How'd they get in here?

Startled, Kira pointed ahead, where figures wearing animal masks were hauling what looked like massive lumps of flesh hidden behind a tent of sorts.

<Those Ring assailants from before...?>

Didst thou not say thou hast sealed that door earlier? How then do these villains come to stand before us once more?!

They probably infiltrated via an entirely separate route. Another Backdoor.

As you can see... their objective appears to be the retrieval of the Ring Nursefather's artworks.

Get on with it!

We need to move as many pieces as we can before we pull out!

Wait, but I thought robo-unc was washed? He's got so many fanboys and fangirls here!

... Hah. Does his artwork possess value in and of itself,

or is it just a case of posthumous premium of "death effect?" Think about it.

Some of the pieces have already been taken.

Of course, they are of little value to both our companies...

Watching them sweating and struggling to drag those mediocre pieces with them... Pretty funny.

But imagining how those pieces will be labeled with some pathetic notion of "heritage" connected to my name on their description plaques...? Pretty unsavory.

They may be occupied with transporting those objects for now, but they will likely soon find cause to harm the Wayfarer and LCE personnel stationed here, Executive Manager.

It would be prudent to eliminate them without delay, considering the Ring's reputation.

<Outis is right. Better to wipe them out before they try anything stupid.>

<... Guys, looks like we've got another job to do. Lend me a hand.>

The radio didn't buzz with the Sinner's replies this time... but it should be fine.