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Sciel: Wanna go for a ride? Apparently that was where people went on dates, you know. What do you think happened in those cabins?
Gustave: No, actually, my guess is this was Expedition 50. You see, they created this giant wheel and they tried to cross the world.
Sciel: Okay, okay, professor.
Esquie: Mes amis! Florrie is close, I can feel it!
Maelle: Come on, you can fly, can’t you get Florrie yourself?
Esquie: Oh no, too much effort.
Gustave: So, wait. Esquie is that powerful?
Sciel: Apparently so. But also lazy.
Gustave: All right, let’s go.
Sciel: What a weird creature.
Lune: A shrine to the Paintress.
Gustave: The Paintress destroyed our world. And someone built her a shrine?
Lune: The weak-minded turn to whatever they can to explain the unknown.
Sciel: When you’re at the mercy of a power you don’t understand, you might try anything.
Gustave: Looks like a farm.
Sciel: Like old times, eh?
Esquie: Ohohoh Florrie is over there! Oooh, but I sense something scaryyyy.
Gustave: Alright, let’s get rid of him, the rock should be nearby.
Maelle: Easier than expected.
Gustave: Hey don’t jinx us. No need to invite misfortune.
Lune: I don’t see any stones.
Maelle: What’s happening?
Gustave: Misfortune.
Maelle: Is it really dead?
Gustave: Looks like it.
Sciel: Is this it?
Esquie: Ooooh! FLORRIE! All right! Ready to sail like a snail! Just jump, mes amis! It’s not that high!
Lune: We can finally cross the sea.
Sciel: You don’t happen to have some wine stashed away, do you?
Esquie: Wine?
Gustave: Hey, you can do this.
Sciel: I hate water.
Gustave: She doesn’t seem that far now, does she?
Maelle: Yeah. Wanna throw one more rock?
Gustave: The others are waiting, but…
Maelle: You might reach her.
Gustave: Okay. Ooh, what about that one?
Maelle: Does it really matter?
Gustave: Well, you know, like I always say, it’s not about the rock, it’s more about the–
Maelle: Gustave…
Gustave: Run.
Maelle: Run… Please, run.
Gustave: Why… Why are you doing this? We’ve done NOTHING to you. We should be on the same side. Let her go.
Sciel: Something’s going on up there.
Lune: Esquie, get us up there!
Esquie: I can’t!
Lune: Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck!
Gustave: For those who come after, right?
Maelle: No, no, no, no… You promised… GUSTAVE! Nonononono–
White-haired man: You won’t yet understand. But this is a kindness, not a cruelty.
Unknown woman: You let her come?! You know she’s too weak for this, how could you let her take such a risk?
Unknown man: You only care when things are right in front of you. My sweet child, you were supposed to stay home. I told you not to worry. But since you’re here now, just stay put–
Unknown woman: What are you saying? You must go home, NOW. This does not involve you.
Unknown man: When this is over, we’ll go home together.
Unknown woman: No!
White-haired man: This won’t make sense to you now, but we both want what’s best for our families. I’m sorry you’re caught in the middle. But I did try to warn you. It’s been a while. Stay out of this. You chose to walk away. You don’t get to come back now and interfere.
Stranger: You’ve lived more than a lifetime. It’s time to let her go.
White-haired man: A lifetime. A lifetime with my family torn apart. No, I want my family back.
Stranger: It’s not your family. But she is.
White-haired man: You would use her?
Stranger: She chose to come. I didn’t make the rules between you two. Hey, are you alright? It’s okay. I’ll handle things here. Get back to your friends. Go.
White-haired man: So that’s it. You’ve set us down this path, but are you ready for the consequences?
Stranger: She’ll never paint again.
Back at camp
Sciel: Last time we sat together like this…
Lune: Mm. In Lumière. Mourning our parents.
Sciel: Seems like everytime we’re together, it’s to grieve. I wish we could have spent more time… in less hopeless contexts.
Lune: The plan doesn’t change. We aim for the Monolith. We keep heading north. With Esquie’s help, we can make it. But we lost the Lumina Converter–
Sciel: It’s ok, we can think about that later–
Lune: All the backups were destroyed by that MAN, but Expedition 32 will bring more, their chances will be better– We need to prepare them. I should update our journals–
Sciel: Hey, hey, hey. It’s ok. Tomorrow will still come.
Lune: Sciel–
Stranger: This seemed important. If you want to reach the Monolith, the best path is through the quarry up north.
Lune: Who are you?
Sciel: And where did you get that expedition uniform?
Stranger: Strange way to say thank you. Um. I’m sorry I couldn’t save your friend. I’m wearing an expedition uniform because I, too, am an Expeditioner–
Sciel: What? What d’you mean, you’re an–
Lune: I’ve never seen you before–
Stranger: First Expedition. Expedition Zero.
Lune: Expedition Zero? But how are you alive? And not–
Stranger: Old? I don’t know, exactly, but some of us stopped aging. And we’re not affected by the Gommage.
Lune: “Some” of you. Like the man on the cliff.
Stranger: Renoir. Our commander.
Lune: Why? Why did he massacre our team?
Sciel: How could he turn on his own people?
Stranger: He believes his immortality is a gift from the Paintress. Killing her would kill him too. And he enjoys living forever.
Lune: And you don’t?
Stranger: Burying everyone you know while you live on… Can wear you down a bit. I couldn’t help your friend, but perhaps, I can help you.
Lune: You want to join us?
Stranger: If you don’t mind the company… Yes.
Maelle: So if I want to kill Renoir, I have to kill the Paintress first. What’s your name?
Stranger: Verso.