Wishes in the Bell

Hiyuki has been invited to the Frostlands

Go see Lucilla

Hiyuki: What are you looking at?

Lucilla: Ah, there you are. Nothing really. I've just been wondering... if I wanted to land another astronomical investment to study all the Exoswarm coming off this giant mech...

Lucilla: What kind of pitch would it take to make every major player in Solaris nod along and funnel Credits into my pocket, year after year?

Hiyuki: Have you figured it out?

Lucilla: Not yet. My conscience won't let me think that far. Luckily, the man who can figure it out is back.

Hiyuki: ...The old man who promised me the blade? The head of the Spacetrek Collective?

Lucilla: The very same, but don't let the quick agreement fool you. He's already thinking ten steps ahead. If Ashinohara wasn't in such dire straits, he wouldn't have agreed to forge that blade for you so easily.

Lucilla: Or at the very least, he'd have made sure he got his pound of flesh in return.

Hiyuki: ...I couldn't find the child. Time and space in that dimension are too fractured. My familiar lost its way.

Lucilla: Hm... then we need something that can hold out longer. A better way to search?

Hiyuki: Voidmatter reactivity has been high lately. A clear sign to follow would be best.

Lucilla: That child is the Exostrider's Resonator. There's no clearer sign than that.

Lucilla: Looks like it's time the Exostrider was reactivated. When that happens, whether you're an annoying adult or the one meant to pilot it, I'm sure everyone will be on board, don't you think?

Lucilla: Ooh, what if we used footage of the Exostrider activating to pitch for funding?

Hiyuki: And the confidentiality agreements?

Lucilla: No sympathy for my chronic funding anxiety?

Lucilla: Fine. Go to Honami. I already approved your leave of absence.

Hiyuki: Why?

Lucilla: To... test the blade?

Lucilla: Even once the Exostrider awakens, there's still a chance it fails. If it does, what you sealed in the Dimmr Plains becomes a liability...

Lucilla: But it could also be our ace in the hole.

Lucilla: So before I give you the thankless task of guarding those plains, go deal with matters of the heart first.

Hiyuki: ...Understood. I will return in one day.

Lucilla: Take two. Give yourself a day to look around.

Lucilla: Go on. A Black Shores member will meet you there. Hmph... I still have all of Dr. Luuk's mess to clean up.

Hiyuki: Understood. I am at your call should you require it.

Lucilla: Yes, I'm listening...

Lucilla: So it's about Denia... I see. Let's discuss it in person.

Head to Honami

Black Shores Contact: Lady Miko, can you hear me?

Hiyuki: Yes. You may call me Hiyuki.

Black Shores Contact: Understood, Lady Hiyuki.

Hiyuki: ...Mmm.

Black Shores Contact: Most of the Left Behind in Honami City have been relocated. But a few, the ones whose regrets run deepest, still roam the danger zones.

Black Shores Contact: Their unfulfilled desires concentrate the Lament's power. An incident just waiting to happen.

Black Shores Contact: With you here, I feel better about the situation. We didn't expect you to take this on yourself...

Hiyuki: Protecting Honami is the duty of the Miko of Flaming Sakura. I thank you for your support.

Hiyuki: Actually, I have a favor to ask.

Black Shores Contact: Oh, is it about Gyokuro, the former miko? We've already found traces that may belong to her, but nothing we can confirm yet.

Black Shores Contact: We're in the process of narrowing down her location. As soon as we learn anything, you'll be the first to know.

Hiyuki: I am in your debt.

Black Shores Contact: Oh, it's nothing. If it weren't for you back then, I would have... Anyway, I'll leave this area to you!

Hiyuki: You can rely on me.

Hiyuki: …Was there something else you wanted to say?

Black Shores Contact: ...N-Nothing! Lady Hiyuki, it's just... Ugh, thank you for everything you do! Goodbye!

Purge the Left Behind

Impassioned Youth: You... You are...!

Hiyuki: Yes.

Impassioned Youth: Miko of Flaming Sakura, you're back! I knew those monsters wouldn't stand a chance!

Impassioned Youth: Everyone else thought we were done for, but I told them, "Don't worry. Lady Miko will come and save us!"

Hiyuki: ...I'm sorry. I was too late.

Impassioned Youth: It doesn't matter! You're here now, aren't you?

Impassioned Youth: Please, just say it. Say the Miko of Flaming Sakura has returned, and that those monsters are finished…!

Hiyuki: The Threnodian has retreated, but I couldn't... I couldn't save you...

Impassioned Youth: But you defeated it. Again. And one day, you'll drive it away from Ashinohara for good!

Hiyuki: (I... failed their hopes.)

Hiyuki: (No matter how many times we drive it back, the Threnodian always returns.)

Hiyuki: (When will we be freed from this nightmare, Ashinohara…?)

Sorrowful Man: This is all your fault! "Eternal Miko," huh? …You're all useless! Every last one of you!

Hiyuki: ...

Sorrowful Man: How do you even dare show your face in Honami…!

Sorrowful Man: They're dead! Everyone's dead! Hahaha… I knew it. I knew the Threnodian couldn't be defeated… I should've run away as far as I could…

Sorrowful Man: Lady Miko... Lady Miko! Please! Do something! Anything?

Hiyuki: I...

Sorrowful Man: Powerful people like you won't die even if you lose. What about us? What about ordinary people? Just wait to be torn apart?

Sorrowful Man: ...I knew you couldn't hold the line. I knew it couldn't be killed, but... how do we go on from here?

Sorrowful Man: Lady Miko... Heroes...! Tell me, what should we do?!

Hiyuki: If you need someone to hate, let it be me.

Hiyuki: (If I had been stronger… could I have saved them?)

Hiyuki: (If only I had more power...)

Nervous Girl: Lady Miko... Are you the Lady Miko?

Nervous Girl: Oh! You are! You're the miko who once talked to Lady Gyokuro!

Nervous Girl: She told me about you. She said you're her most treasured family, just like my big sister and I! Your name is... um, it's...

Hiyuki: Hiyuki.

Nervous Girl: Yes! Hiyuki, that's it! Such a pretty name, just like Lady Gyokuro's!

Nervous Girl: My sister said if I hid here and prayed with all my heart, Lady Miko would come and save us. So… I've been waiting.

Hiyuki: Little one, what's your name? Your hands are cold. Have you been waiting long?

Nervous Girl: Kanna. My sister calls me Kanna.

Kanna: Lady Miko... you're finally here, but my sister... She...

Hiyuki: It's alright. I'm listening.

Hiyuki: She asked you to wait here, didn't she? She must have trusted you very much to give you such an important task.

Kanna: A... task?

Hiyuki: Yes, a task. If not for you, I would never have found this place.

Hiyuki: You did well, Kanna. You completed your task perfectly.

Kanna: Lady Miko, are you here to save Honami? Then… is Honami safe now?

Hiyuki: …Mm, Honami will be fine.

Kanna: Sister said you carry everyone's wishes. That you're the strongest! I knew you'd come and fix everything!

Kanna: Um… Lady Miko, can you help me find my sister?

Kanna: When we find her, let's eat red bean pudding! We make the best red bean pudding in the whole world! If you come try it, everyone will want some!

Hiyuki: Then you'll need to make a lot of it. Can you manage that?

Kanna: Pinky promise! We'll make lots and lots of pudding!

Kanna: Then even if the Threnodian comes back, we'll have something to eat, and we won't be scared anymore!

Hiyuki: It's a promise then. We'll make a lot of pudding.

Hiyuki: ...

Hiyuki: (Red bean pudding... Gyokuro always did have a weakness for sweets like that.)

Hiyuki: (This time... will I find her traces and truly set her free?)

Lively Woman: Hello, Lady Miko. I've been waiting for you for a very long time.

Lively Woman: My final wish… was simply to see you one last time.

Hiyuki: ...Your final wish?

Lively Woman: Yes. It's alright. I know I'm dead. I know I'm what they call a "Left Behind" now.

Lively Woman: But I thought if I'm going to remain like this anyway, I may as well get what I wanted before I disappear, right?

Hiyuki: I've heard of cases where the Left Behind remain aware of their state, sustained by powerful desires… But for such a simple wish…

Hiyuki: You truly only wished to see me again?

Lively Woman: Hehe. I mean, you are a legend. You've been the Miko of Flaming Sakura since my great-grandmother's time.

Lively Woman: When I heard Honami was in danger and that the Miko of Flaming Sakura would meet the vanguard, I rushed here just to see you.

Hiyuki: You shouldn't have taken such a risk. If you wished to see me, you could have gone to the Flaming Sakura.

Lively Woman: I know, I know. Everyone says you can just write your wish on the plaque and Lady Miko will see it… but I worried. What if it never reached you?

Lively Woman: So I came all this way to make the wish in person. I wanted to see whether it would come true.

Hiyuki: Very well. Then tell me, what is your true wish?

Lively Woman: I wish for world peace. For people to stop living in fear of the Lament. I want everyone to survive it—

Lively Woman: Lady Miko, my wish is... "That there will never be another Miko of Flaming Sakura."

Hiyuki: ...

Hiyuki: I see. Then I promise you. This wish will be fulfilled.

Lively Woman: I know it will.

Grand Architect: After all, you are the Eternal Miko—

Grand Architect: Now, now. No need for that, Lady Miko.

Grand Architect: If you wished, you could cut down this avatar at any moment. But… I think you'll find this far more interesting.

Hiyuki: Gyokuro's Shiratoriwhite bird.

Grand Architect: I know the Fractsidus has caused Ashinohara its fair share of grief. But personally? I hold no ill will toward you.

Grand Architect: I had dealings with the previous miko. It wasn't exactly a pleasant chat, but I promise you, her death was not by my hand.

Grand Architect: Just as you once witnessed, she met the fate all Mikos of Flaming Sakura share. She died burning her future to ash to pay for the present.

Grand Architect: Aren't you even a little curious? About what I showed her?

Grand Architect: If this makes you uncomfortable, feel free to cut through space and leave. This face of mine, of course, is entirely at your mercy.

Hiyuki: No need to dull my blade.

Grand Architect: Hmph... She wears the exact same expression as the previous miko. I suppose one day, she too will be reduced to ashes by her own wish.

Grand Architect: Oh, Eternal Miko... is she simply arrogant? Or just a coward?

Continue onward

Hiyuki: (A peaceful Honami... Why bother with such an illusion?)

Hiyuki: Gyokuro...?

Hiyuki: (If Ashinohara could truly be this peaceful, if their dreams could really come true… then I wouldn't have to raise my blade ever again…)

See who that familiar silhouette belongs to...

Kanna: Lady Gyokuro, guess what? No math homework today!

Kanna: My parents and my big sister finally taught me how to make red bean pudding. Want to try mine?

Gyokuro: I'd love to! You know I can't resist red bean pudding. Wouldn't miss your special batch for the world, little Kanna.

Kanna: Yay! I'll go make it right now—

Hiyuki: AneueOlder sister, I'm here. What is it?

Gyokuro: My, my. Can't a sister just want to see her favorite girl without a reason?

Hiyuki: ...That's not what I meant.

Gyokuro: Hehe. There's that serious little face. I just wanted to chat. Always relaxes me.

Gyokuro: So? How are things at the Flaming Sakura?

Hiyuki: The usual. Many came to make wishes.

Gyokuro: The Threnodian's active cycle is almost here. Death will be a frequent visitor to Ashinohara once more.

Gyokuro: Prayers for safety, peace, victory… they pile up thickest at times like this.

Gyokuro: The Miko of Flaming Sakura is the bridge between people and the divine. A "wish jar" for all their hopes. We must listen to every single one.

Hiyuki: ...Lately, I've been hearing you ring the Suzuritual bell.

Hiyuki: To grant those wishes, you burn your future using the Suzu's power. Continue... and one day there'll be nothing left to burn.

Hiyuki: You should have stepped down already, Aneueolder sister. Let me become the Miko of Flaming Sakura. Let me inherit the Suzu.

Gyokuro: Oh, I'm perfectly fine! I've got futures to spare, you know?

Gyokuro: You tell me, little Hiyuki. What's got you so fixated on this? Don't tell me you're secretly in awe watching my heroics on the battlefield, and—

Hiyuki: Yes. I want to be just like you.

Gyokuro: Heh... you wish! You're a hundred years too early for that, you little blockhead.

Gyokuro: Enough about the Suzu! Stay and have some pudding with me instead. I know a wonderful little shop.

Gyokuro: Always practicing archery under that sakura tree. What a bore! A girl your age should be out living a little!

Hiyuki: ...Here we go again. You know I don't care about any of that.

Hiyuki: I'm going back.

Gyokuro: You sure? Come on, consider granting your big sister's wish.

Hiyuki: I only came because you called. I put my work on hold. I can't stay too long.

Hiyuki: Besides... I don't like red bean pudding.

Gyokuro: Huh?! I keep forgetting you have the world's most boring palate. What a shame.

Gyokuro: I'll just have to enjoy it all by my lonesome, then!

Hiyuki: Gyokuro never once spoke of her own wishes. She lived only to grant the wishes of others.

Hiyuki: If only... I had chosen to go with her.

Enter the snack shop

Hiyuki: (...I should go there. One more look will be enough…)

Accept the Grand Architect's invitation