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Monoco: Welcome, my friends, to Old Lumière.
Maelle: Is anyone still here?
Verso: Just Nevrons.
Sciel: So this is where our piece of Lumière used to be. Before the Fracture ripped apart the world and threw us into the sea.
Lune: We’re lucky it did, that’s probably the only reason we survived.
Verso: The heart of the Paintress is in the centre, let’s go.
Lune: Hm. We’ll need a way forward.
Verso: The heart is in the centre of the city. Alright, show off a bit, Monoco.
Monoco: Just admit you can’t do it yourself.
Verso: Putain! MONOCO!
Lune: Monoco, why the hell did you-
Monoco: Sorry. I fucked up. I just wanted to show off.
Sciel: We just have to regroup, the others should be fine. Verso said the heart is in the centre of Old Lumière, right?
Lune: Right. Okay. Monoco, stop crying, we have to move.
Monoco: Yes. Sorry.
Sciel: How exactly did our piece of Lumière end up on an island, when the rest of the city is here?
Monoco: One of the great mysteries.
Lune: I wish we had more time, there’s so much to study here.
Sciel: So, Monoco, what was life like before the Fracture?
Monoco: The world was smaller and cosier. Livelier. There was many more of us Gestrals back then. The Fracture tore our villages apart. Only a fraction of a fraction survived. Our forests are filled with Gestrals awaiting rebirth.
Sciel: Doesn’t that look like one of Esquie’s stones?
Lune: Oh, yeah.
Sciel: Let’s bring him a gift. I was surprised you agreed so readily to Verso’s plans.
Lune: He seems to be our best bet for now. We lack too much information.
Sciel: Do you trust him?
Lune: I trust that he wants to reach the Paintress. So for now, our interests are aligned.
Sciel: He has been helpful. Still, I have this feeling he’s hiding something.
Lune: Monoco, how did you meet Verso?
Monoco: Hm. I don’t really remember. I feel like I’ve always known Verso.
Lune: He mentioned travelling with other Expeditions.
Monoco: Quite a few.
Lune: How many? What happened to them?
Monoco: Hmmm… Hmmm… What happened to them…
Sciel: Maybe ask Verso when we find him.
Lune: Yeah, okay. Finding them comes first. Any idea what this is?
Monoco: I’m afraid not. This is my first time here as well.
Sciel: 58. They were the ones that Verso was travelling with?
Lune: I believe so. They made it surprisingly far. An Axon. Interesting. Verso is… Is this true?
Sciel: Maelle’s with him.
Lune: We need to go. NOW.
Monoco: Verso would never harm her.
Verso: Can you stand? Monoco gets a bit carried away sometimes.
Maelle: My back hurts, but I’m fine.
Verso: Good. The others are probably heading toward the centre of the city. We’ll rejoin them there.
Noco: And find treasure along the way!
Maelle: Feels like home.
Verso: yeah, feels like home. You ok?
Maelle: Monoco fits well in the Disaster Expedition, eh?
Verso: Yeah, he does. After you.
Maelle: Speaking of home, where’d you live in Lumière?
Verso: Above a bakery near the centre. Um… Angelique’s Boulangerie! I ate there every morning. I wonder if it’s still there.
Maelle: It’s called “Mathilde”s” now. When this is over, you should go and visit.
Noco: Verso, where’s the treasure??
Verso: I never said there was treasure.
Noco: Wait a minute…!
Maelle: We’re a pretty good team. Verso? VERSO? Putain. What- Where did he go? Verso, where did you go… I need to find Lune and Sciel. Quickly.
Noco: Hihihi. I’m still here! Don’t worry, Verso runs off all the time. He’s always ditching me and Monoco. He’ll be back.
Maelle: I think I’m close.
Noco: Oh, oh, over there! That must be the place.
Maelle: This manor’s intact… Why does it feel so familiar… I… know this place…
Verso: I knew you’d open the door for her. Merde.
Renoir: Really, Verso? This was your plan? How many times must you hurt our family.
Verso: No. No, you don’t get to lecture ME on family.
Renoir: Why do you refuse to see I am doing this for us? Yet you insist on rushing toward death. You’re trying to stop the wrong cycle.
Verso: You’re doing this for yourself.
Renoir: Of course, it’s easier for you to think that, isn’t it? Easier to betray us, if I’m the villain.
Maelle: Verso, move. I’m gonna fucking kill him.
Renoir: You haven’t told her the truth, have you, son?
Lune: Sorry, we’re late, we were busy doing a bit of reading. Were you planning on sharing that this man, the man who murdered our team, is your father?
Verso: Family is not my favourite topic. right, can we talk about this later? I’d really like for you all to survive this.
Renoir: You forced us to this point. You’re tearing your family apart.
Verso: Everyone all right? Monoco?
Monoco: Noco’s- broken.
Renoir: Why can’t you accept who you are?
Verso: ALICIA, MOVE!
Maelle: What is tha- Will you… Tell me your name?
Verso: Putain! Where did it go? No, no, no, no. Alicia! Fuck! (angry roar)
Back at camp
Esquie: Oooooh Dorrie! Thank you, mon amie!
Lune: Care to explain? Your father?
Verso: I don’t think of him as my father anymore.
Sciel: Still. Why didn’t you just tell us?
Verso: Because it’s private and it’s painful. And it’s none of your business. I cut ties with him decades ago.
Lune: Lying by omission is still lying.
Verso: I’ve told you everything you need to know-
Lune: I’d rather make that determination for myself.
Sciel: I think we can all understand where each other’s wyoming from. Right? He hasn’t steered us wrong yet. But we’re a team now. And we won’t get very far if we don’t trust each other.
Maelle: Family- is complicated.
Lune: The stories say that Gestrals reincarnate? Is that true? Can you bring Noco back?
Monoco: Partially. We can bring Noco back to life, but not all of Noco will return. It will be- a different Noco. The one you knew is gone.
Verso: I’m- I am so very sorry, my friend. And all… all for naught. The Paintress’ heart was in that manor and now it’s gone. We have no way to access the Monolith.
Lune: Expedition 58 seemed to think you knew another way.
Verso: What?
Lune: We found 58 and their journals.
Verso: So that’s how you- I wasn’t hiding it, if that’s what you’re implying. It’s a dead end.
Maelle: Wait, what’re you talking about?
Lune: There is someone else who can help us.
Lune: Excuse me. Is it true? Can you make a weapon that can pierce the barrier? Do you need something from the Axons?
The Curator: Axons. Axons.
Lune: Do you need… their hearts?
Verso: Look. To create this weapon, he needs enormous amounts of pure chroma. Which is way beyond what we can get from Nevrons. The only source are Axons, but like I said, that’s a dead end, it’s impossible.
Maelle: What? What are Axons?
Verso: They’re massive creatures living on islands around the Monolith. They’re much stronger and MUCH, MUCH more dangerous than Nevrons. I can’t die and I still couldn’t take them down.
Lune: Yet we found the corpse of one in Old Lumière. So it’s possible.
Verso: I don’t know how that one die, but I’m telling you, listen to me, please, our chances of taking them down without you lot dying are close to zero.
Lune: Close, but not zero. Death is coming either way. And as Expeditioners, if we die, we die fighting.
Monoco: Wonderful pep talk.
Lune: I know.
Verso: Alright, if – IF – we’re going to fight the Axons, then let’s be smart about it.
Sciel: What d’you mean?
Verso: I’ve had a few rough encounters with the Axons. There are three located on islands around the Monolith. and we need at least two hearts to get enough chroma. One lives on a mountain, too high for us to reach, so that one’s out. We should start with the one to the west of the Monolith. It’s already been weakened by previous Expeditions, alright?
Lune: Yeah, good idea. Maximise our chances.
Sciel: Or we embrace the challenge and pick the one in the east!
Monoco: Mmmmm, I like your spirit.
Sciel: Thank you.
Verso: Did you listen to what I just said?
Sciel: All these years and you never defeated an Axon?
Verso: They’re kind of tough.
Sciel: And you think our chances are close to zero?
Verso: I didn’t think you cared about odds.
Sciel: Lune and I have less than a year. But Maelle’s different.
Verso: Hmm.
Verso: I’m sorry, mon vieux. We’ll bring Noco back.
Monoco: I know.
Verso: I’m ready, just say the word.
Monoco: When the time is right. After we’ve settled this.
Verso: Lune…
Lune: Mm.
Verso: Okay, we’ll talk later then.
Verso: Ready for the Axons?
Maelle: …
Verso: Course you are.
Esquie: I’m mad.
Verso: Esquie?
Esquie: I’m stinking mad.
Verso: About Noco?
Esquie: That was MEAN. I thought he cared! Renoir’s not being Renoir!
Verso: He’s not- (exhale) I know, buddy. I’m mad too.
Maelle finds a spot where she can write. She spends some time writing in Gustave’s journal, to honour his memory. She writes about Old Lumière and how their city was actually transported from the continent to the ocean. She hopes Gustave’s apprentices will read this journal someday.
Maelle: So the masked person with Renoir, that’s your sister?
Verso: …
Maelle: Not a hard leap to make.
Verso: Her name’s Alicia.
Maelle: What’s wrong with her? She wears a mask all the time, she never talks, and she’s always staring.
Verso: She, uh- She was trapped in a fire. A long time ago. Damaged her face and her throat, so, up- Yeah.
Maelle: Huh. Why… did they come to see me?
Verso: I don’t know. That surprised me, when you told me. She helped me before, I thought she’d help me again. But it seems she’s chosen a different side. “Family is complicated,” right?
Maelle: Mm. Yeah.
Verso: Do you want the armband back?
Maelle: What?
Verso: I feel like a fraud, wearing it. Given, you know…
Maelle: Wear it anyway. You said you chose your side, right?
Verso: I did. You’re not upset with me?
Maelle: Strangely, no. I hate secrets, but… Gustave always gave people the benefit of the doubt. And your actions are what matters. I trust you.
Verso: Thanks.