Atonement

So the girl who stabbed Leo back on Route 99... We're going to visit her in the hospital?

That's right. She may not have been in control of what she was doing, but she did still hurt someone.

I want to see the toll it's taken on her mind and body. And...

I have two conditions.

First, you never lay another finger on innocent civilians. And I hope this goes without saying, but this has to continue even after our cooperation comes to an end.

And the second?

Once the fighting is over, you must make it up to the people you hurt.

She may be from a parallel world... But it's because of me and my other half that she came here. I have to take some responsibility for this.

Isuka...

Heheh, I'm sorry. I knew how you were going to react when I said that. Anyway, we shouldn't be talking about this right now. Let's head to her room and...

Wha?! Is that the Parallel Isuka?!

Well, well, well. Looks like you've seen me.

I guess you'll be wanting to comment on how strange it is for me to be in the hospital...

Well, you are the last person I expected to see! What in the world are you doing here?

Heheh... Relax, I'm not after any trouble. I'm just here to pay my dues. It was you who insisted I do so, remember?

You're paying your dues? You mean, you're visiting the girl, too?

Looks like we're heading to the same place. Since we're not fighting anymore, why don't we all head there together?

Looks like we're heading to the same place. Since we're not fighting anymore, why don't we all head there together?

She came here on her own to make it up to the girl? That's a little unexpected.

It is. I didn't realize she was so willing to make things right... ......

In any case, we should head inside.

Yeah, let's go.

Just wondering...

Why are you dressed like that?!

I don't think it would be such a good idea for me to turn up looking as I did back then, do you?

No, you were right to come in disguise.

The nurse for this room has just left. It shouldn't be too hard to take her place. Now's my chance to slip in.

Wait. Be careful not to say anything that will stir up bad memories of what happened, okay? She'll already be in a pretty unstable condition anyway...

I know, I know. I did come here to make it up to her, after all. I'm hardly going to do something that makes things worse.

Do you think it will be okay?

Let's go inside.

Lotta, you have some visitors.

Huh? Why are you up out of bed? You should be lying down...

Uh...

What are you talking about? I'm fine! There's nothing wrong with me. I'm healthy as can be.

Right? That's what they told me after my examination.

Ah, of course! How could I forget?

(There's nothing wrong with her? She even seems so cheerful...)

(What's going on? She seems so different from before, after she stabbed Leo...)

Anyway, do you know why they put me in here?

Huh? Well...

'Cause I don't know. Last thing I remember, I was kinda drowsy, and when I woke up, here I was. Everyone seems really worried about me, but I feel totally normal.

(So she doesn't remember? Maybe that's a good thing as far as she's concerned.)

(That can't be right! How could she be completely back to normal after Curio took control of her?) (She doesn't even have any memory of when she was under his influence. How is that possible? Surely that's too advanced?) (I certainly couldn't do it. But...he's...)

......

Um, hello?

We were just saying how glad we are that you're feeling all okay.

Sorry, Lotta. It must have been quite the shock to find yourself here when you're not even feeling unwell.

It was. But it also made me kinda happy.

Really?

Yeah. Can you keep a secret?

Ever since my baby brother turned up, my mom's never had any time for me. It's all him, him, him.

I was so lonely. But she's come to see me loads since I've been here!

I wish it could always be this way! Teeheehee...

Oh...

But I'm all okay, so now I've gotta go home.

Thanks for coming to see me! I'll be off now!

I'm glad you're okay. Take care, Lotta.

I have a bad feeling about this.

Does this mean that the Curio from this time layer deleted her memory on purpose? Why would he do that? Did he feel bad for her?

You think he did it out of mercy? I'm not so sure... I'd say it means he knew we would come to visit her.

I came here to visit this damaged girl in order to pay my dues. And he...

He just wanted to see how I'd react.

If she was doing fine, if she was happy, safe in the ignorance of what happened, if she was weirdly back to normal...

No way...

I think you're right. Everything he does, he does to... ......

He wants to take the wind out of my sails. He won't even let me make up for what I've done.

You look worried.

......

But just so you're aware, this is no concern of mine.

I'm only here for our truce. This doesn't change a thing.

The battle may be over, but a promise is still a promise. Let me keep it.

Oh?

More visitors for Lotta? She certainly does have a lot of older friends...

So how do you know little Lotta?

Wait, did someone else come to visit her?

Yes, some mysterious golden-haired guy came by before.

He was wearing a black robe. It looked like the two of them had such a fun chat together.

What?!

This is bad. We have to follow after her.

Why her? Shouldn't we be going after Curio?

No, if we don't go after Lotta right away, it's not going to end well. Curio was sowing the seeds of discord when he came to see her.

If we don't stop this right away, things won't be getting back to normal anytime soon.

Wait, I thought we captured the backup Curio! Did he escape?!

A backup, eh? Well, well... Now I see. I can't say I approve, but at least now I understand what's going on.

That said... This is bad. We have to follow after her.

Why her? Shouldn't we be going after Curio?

No, if we don't go after Lotta right away, it's not going to end well. Curio was sowing the seeds of discord when he came to see her.

It may only be a backup, but if we don't stop this right away, things are only going to get worse.

Curio! Are you the same Curio we met earlier at the Xeno-Domain?!

What's this? This Curio is already...

Well...

...No, it's okay. I can see from your face that there's nothing to be gained from asking. That said... This is bad. We have to follow after her.

Why her? Shouldn't we be going after Curio?

No, if we don't go after Lotta right away, it's not going to end well. Curio was sowing the seeds of discord when he came to see her.

If we don't stop this right away, things won't be getting back to normal anytime soon.

Gold hair and a black robe... Wait, it couldn't be!

...Fascinating. That almost makes it sound as though... As though Curio, once thought dead, has come back to life.

But, we saw it happen! He...!

It's confusing, yes, but this is no time for panic. Ghost, revenant, or whatever he may be... If that really is Curio, then the situation is very bad. We should give chase immediately.

Why her? Shouldn't we be going after Curio?

No, if we don't go after Lotta right away, it's not going to end well. If that really was Curio, then he was sowing the seeds of discord when he came to see her.

If we don't stop this right away, things won't be getting back to normal anytime soon.

Do you happen to know where Lotta went?

I think she went to the Garden of IDA to see her mother.

Her mother? I think I know what Curio's up to. We have to hurry.

To the Garden of IDA we go! Come on, you two!

W-Wait up!

Are we too late? Where did she go?

Hey, you two! What's going on? I'm not really following.

Curio spoke to Lotta in the hospital. She'll have told him what she told us. How her mother never spends any time with her now that she has a new baby. Common complaints for a child, but...

And what's so bad about that?

There wouldn't usually be anything wrong with it. But she chose the worst possible person to talk to.

His power to control others means that he can amplify the tiniest of complaints and make it take over her completely. He's going to take control of her mind and stir up trouble again.

What?! So he's going to come and take control of her?

He no longer needs to go to such hassle. That's what all this has been hinting at.

He's been using her in a very deliberate way, to show us once more quite how capable he really is. He has total command over his powers. So much so that he can control her even if she's lost her memories.

Basically, if he made any sort of contact with her in the hospital, before we arrived...

Then he'll have sown the seeds of control. Activating this power later on would be, well, child's play for him. All he'd need is some sort of trigger. And I think that trigger might be...

Mommy!

Don't let her touch her mom!

You think her mother is the trigger?!

That would be a very Curio thing to do. We have to keep them apart!

Security drones?! But they're malfunctioning!

This must be his doing. He'll have sent them here to stall for time.

Are you telling me he was able to predict every single thing we'd do?

I wouldn't put it past him. I imagine he's watching us right now, with a cruel smile on his face.

I do not appreciate his meddling in my attempts at reconciliation. Come on, let's destroy these things!

Let's go, Aldo!

Okay!

Last one!

Grr! He really does not want us getting past!

I can see his face now, laughing at us.

Oh no! Lotta, she'll...

Huh? Mom...my...

Lotta? What's wrong?

Mommy...

You never spend any time with me, Mommy... You hate me, don't you? I know you do. I wish that stupid baby had never been born... If there was no one else, then I'd have been happy... That's what the nice man says!

Is that a knife?! Where'd she get that?!

Curio! Back in the hospital, he must have...

Gah. You're...stronger than I'd expect... For a child...

Huh? Miss... Wha?! Where'd that... Why've I got a knife?

Sleep now...

Aaahhh! Lotta!

Get her to the hospital! Ma'am, you'd better go too. Escort her, will you, Aldo?

Y-Yeah, of course!

How is your wound?! Why did you...

Why did I jump in front of her? Because otherwise we would have been too late. But surely you knew that?

Let's go. We should check on the girl.

Wait! You need medical attention, too!

I won't forgive him for this. Lotta really got hurt this time. If only we'd stopped him sooner.

......

But if the two of you hadn't realized what Curio was planning, things would have ended up even worse.

I'm glad that the two of you were there. Your kindness and your quick thinking saved Lotta from something truly terrible.

Aldo...

How is your wound? With only basic first aid, you'll...

It's fine. Don't worry about me. Besides...

Did you just say I was kind? Please don't get the wrong idea here.

Huh?

But you risked your own life to save Lotta from any more pain.

I was simply paying my dues, and taking responsibility for having once involved her in my schemes. That was a condition of our truce, after all. And now that I've done my duty by her, I couldn't care less what happens to her.

How could you say that?

This was just a means to an end for me. I would happily put myself in such danger again and again if it helped me to achieve my goals.

I will do whatever I have to in order to achieve my goals, even if it ends up benefiting others. Whether that be someone I'm completely indifferent towards, or someone I don't even know. All that I did, I did to pay my dues, since that was what was required to gain your cooperation.

Are you really saying that you don't feel anything for all those people you hurt back then?

But...

You don't understand why I don't worry about others like you do, when we should be pretty much the same person?

Worry is a luxury bestowed only to the privileged few.

I have never had the time to worry, or to stress about trivial little frivolities like that.

And in that sense...

You and I are fundamentally different people. We will never see eye to eye.

And with that, I'll take my leave. I've kept my end of the bargain, so you keep yours. I'll expect your full cooperation.

Then my promise is fulfilled. I'll take my leave, I don't need another lecture.

H-Hey!

Isuka. Are you okay?

Thank you, Aldo. It looks like I misread her.

She is another possibility of myself. I guess I just assumed that despite any differences in appearance, we must be essentially the same person.

However...

...... I... I don't know what to think about her. She's a question I just don't have the answer to.

...... Even so, I still...

Ngh...

You wasted my time.

Oh, is that what I was doing? You really are malicious, aren't you? Expecting me to do that when you're the one who broke this off.

...... Whatever. As far as I'm concerned...

Thinking about you, or her for that matter, is a luxury not afforded to me.

You wasted my time.

Oh, is that what I was doing? You really are malicious, aren't you? Expecting me to do that when you're the one who broke this off.

...... Whatever. As far as I'm concerned... Thinking about you, or her for that matter, is a luxury not afforded to me.

Besides... Watching from somewhere? Trust me, the human you were based on is already...

......

......

Ugh... Always so cryptic.

You wasted my time.

Oh, is that what I was doing? You really are malicious, aren't you? Expecting me to do that when you're the one who broke this off.

...... Whatever. As far as I'm concerned... Thinking about you, or her for that matter, is a luxury not afforded to me.

More importantly, you...

......

You have such a twisted definition of "fun."

You wasted my time.

Oh, is that what I was doing? You really are malicious, aren't you? Expecting me to do that when you're the one who broke this off.

...... Whatever. As far as I'm concerned... Thinking about you, or her for that matter, is a luxury not afforded to me.

Besides... Watching from somewhere? You're already...

......

Then...

......

......

Ugh... Always so cryptic.