Sought After Sebastia

Riica, what's up?

Aldo, we have a message from Miss Sebastia. She wants us to go to her housing unit in Theta District.

Riica, I don't think you need to be so formal about Sebastia.

Do you think so? Understood. Okay, just Sebastia. Input confirmed.

Anyway, what does she want? Did she say anything else?

"I have the feeling that I'm being watched. It's so creepy! Please help."

, was the rest of the message.

I guess we should go ask her ourselves. I'm sure she's just overreacting. Who would be stalking her?

Oh, you're here, took you long enough. I need you to be here quicker than a laser when I call!

I'm sorry. I'm afraid with my current processor my top speed is approximately 160 with an electrical output of 200,000.

Aaanyway. What did you want to talk about, Sebastia? Something about being stalked?

Yes. Recently I've been feeling like I'm being watched.

There's just this sense that someone's following me... Someone's definitely after me.

Are you sure? Could it just be your imagination?

Are you saying you don't believe me?! You're saying I'm a liar?!

I wouldn't go that far...

Based on her blood pressure, pulse, vocal pattern and infrared output, I have determined that Miss Sebastia is not lying.

See? See? Wait, Miss Sebastia? Please, don't ever call me that, Riica.

Understood. Designating "Sebastia." Input confirmed.

Good. Now, there's something I want you to look into. Can you check if there's anyone suspicious in Elzion? Especially near here? I've been so scared lately I haven't slept a wink. Riica, please! I need your help!

Roger! I will scan the perimeter around Sebastia's housing unit.

Tch... You mean we have to search around here on some wild goose chase?

We'd better get compensated for this, Sebastia. I'm not kidding. No more freebies, you hear?!

Hey, buddy, you got a moment?

Hi. What do you want?

Oh, well...you know, it's nothing really. We just wanted to know what you're doing here?

Aldo! This man... He isn't human!

What?! So...

Well spotted. Though I expected nothing less from Professor Madoka's favorite toy. The miracle android, Riica.

You mean she's right?! But then, why would the Synth Humans be keeping tabs on Sebastia?

Don't you know? That girl is the genius granddaughter of the CEO of KMS. I heard she was collecting deactivated Synth Humans so I came to see for myself. And it's as I thought. She's able to replace parts in a way that even we haven't been able to do.

So that means you...

Kyaaah!

Oh no, Sebastia?!

Hold on, now! You have to get through me, first! Riica, filthy humans, let's do this!

Damn it!

You're too late... My friends did what we came to do. The likes of you vile humans can't stop us. The only thing that might be able to is Riica's true power.

My...true power?

Let's talk about that later. We need to get to Sebastia NOW!

Sebastia, are you okay?!

Blood pressure and pulse are fluctuating, but other vitals are all normal. She appears to be unharmed.

Yes, I'm fine. But...

I was foolish. It seems they've found out about my hobby of collecting and improving old parts.

There are no anomalies in this Synth Soldier...

But it does seem to have a generally lower mass.

Yes... They took all the high end parts I'd hidden in the cabinet. I was going to throw them out anyway, of course.

High end? Is this bad?

They look like normal parts, but are much more powerful. If they were to analyze and replicate them, Elzion wouldn't last very long.

I see. That's bad, all right.

Aldo, let's go. We have to get those parts back!

Take me with you. This is all my fault, after all.

Okay. Let's go! I think we might be able to find the Synth Human that was following Sebastia in the Industrial Ruins.

I've found the Synth Soldier!

So you followed me here... Clearly you don't value your lives.

Ah, so you're the humans who beat Galliard. Very well. The analysis was incomplete, but I still managed to equip the parts I stole. Let's see what they can do! Come at me, meat bags!

Destruction of high end parts confirmed!

Guh! I see... I see now how you beat Galliard. But don't think I'll let you get away unscathed.

Kyah!

Ugh!

Aldo?!

Riica?!

Fall back. Threat level S detected. Deus Ex Machina Protocol: activated.

Riica?

Interlock disengaged! Boost barrel loaded! Destruction mode activated!

What...no...

Annihilate All Enemies.

Wait, Rii, Kahh!

Threat cleared. Destruction mode disengaged. Normal persona reactivated.

......

Ah, ouch...

Wha... What the?! What...what's going on?

Oh! Did I... Situational report...

Hmm... I see. This is starting to get interesting.

There's something I need to check, so I'll go on ahead. Come by my house later, okay?

H-Hey, Sebastia!

I don't know what's going on, but I guess we should head back to Elzion.

......

Hey, Riica, are you okay?

A-Affirmative. Roger that. Let's go home, Aldo.

Riica, Aldo, you made it.

Just what's going on?

Riica, I need you to hear something. Your destruction program, it seems to be built into your most basic of programming.

What does that mean?

I hacked into KMS's R&D department just to make sure, and there's no doubt. Your original blueprints were for a peaceful robot, but at some point you were converted into a weapon to fight the Synth Humans. You're designed to enter into that "destruction mode" whenever you find yourself in a dangerous situation.

Once the danger is over, your system erases all evidence of what happened. In your case, Riica, it seems you've had some kind of patch installed after the fact that suppresses the destruction mode. All of this comes together and causes what look like errors to you.

A patch that suppresses my destruction mode?

Yes. Your designer was Professor Madoka Chronos. It seems she was against weaponizing you from the start. And so she secretly implemented some "improvements" of her own to sabotage those protocols.

Madoka never wanted for you to be used that way.

Professor Madoka Chronos...

I have a great deal of respect for Madoka, and I don't hate you either, Riica. It may be that Madoka's efforts have only made your life more difficult, but you should live the way you want.

Right. Sebastia's right. It doesn't matter if you have an error every now and again.

After all, I make mistakes and mess up all the time. And I don't worry about it. And neither should you.

...Roger.