Algorithm of Joy

He's out on patrol. The dude's pretty busy and doesn't have time to keep his eyes on us.

We'll finish the final part of the graffiti and get out of here before Mr. Fabian comes back!

Hmm. I finished the painting but ... it lacks the final breath of life. It's not perfect enough...

I think ... it's missing something. What do you think, Endmin?

So ... Endmin —

Join me. We got one last place to visit.

Wait. I see UWST crew mates... Did something happen?

Yvonne? And the Endmin? Why are you here?

A few Aggeloi busted their way onto the underground production floors. We don't know how many rock buggers there are...

Fff. Aggeloi? Since we're going down there anyways, my Mini-Bombtails will take care of them for you.

Shouldn't we wait for a while? UW reinforcements are arriving soon.

Come on, stop being so wishy-washy! Things will get a lot worse if the Aggeloi start breaking apart the machinery downstairs.

But...

Heard that! Thus spake the Endministrator! Leave your problems in our capable hands and worry no longer.

Then we should stay in touch. I'll notify our Security Bureau that you're heading down.

Alright, Endmin. Time for a cleanup job!

Now we got trouble on our hands...

Frost-e-Bytee is prepped. Tweety-Bomb readings look normal. And my pewpews ... have plenty of ammo.

Let's go, Endmin!

Great. Now, stay really close, and try not to get lost!

Fine. Just hurry up because time doesn't wait for anyone!

Professor Crowe divvied out that assembly module for me. Funding was pretty scarce so we had to make do with second-hand machines.

But don't belittle them. Plenty of new UWST tech came from here. Your tools don't matter much. As long as you got the vision and technique, you can "paint" the perfect work.

Now I'm itching to head to the lower floors for more inspirations. This is it! Time to finish our magnum opus.

Hmm. Just like before — Huh?!

Endmin, it's those Aggeloi! They're moving as a cluster!

Frost-e-Bytee! Let's ice these rocky crawlies!

That alarm light has been activated!

The intruders might be over there. Endmin, we should let Frost-e-Bytee scout the way for us.

I worked here before I got my own lab.

I've acquired controls of the elevator. Now I just need a command to activate it.

Heheh. I was probably the only one using this area... So I'm actually quite familiar with the machinery and where everything's stored.

Let's keep going, shall we?

Follow me close.

Go ahead. Admire all the fabulous works I've stored here.

Hmm. I feel better alone, though. UWST crew mates are decent company, but when your visions don't match, you just don't get along.

I got my Tweety-Bombs and Frost-e-Bytee. So, I never felt lonely. Heck, I even have you people around nowadays!

Just a few discarded plans... But they're feasible, you know. Maybe they'll become useful one day. That's why I kept them around.

I'll never work on meaningless design plans.

Aww... These guys are just...

Su ... per ... ite ... rator...

Mmmh-ahhh. The Aggeloi party is finally over!

Endmin...

Feels great finding inspiration with you, Endmin. I think ... this should be far enough for us.

Time to head back!

Okay... Then let's head in together!

Identification success. Locks disengaged.

That's right. This ... is where I first started working on Tata.

In the end ... it did everything for me. It protected my friends ... and ensured everyone lived peacefully ever after.

I wanted it to protect the latest Witching Hour fashion, popular music albums, and upcoming movie sequels from New Wrankwood... Something capable of keeping everyone safe.

I don't know when it changed for me. I just wanted Tata to do more than that... I was hoping for a day when it could level with me ... and maybe even become my one and only companion?

It was the best baby bot in the world... But ... I ... I never knew what it was thinking about... I even failed to protect it...

Initially, I treated it as a vessel for conveying my ingenious ideas, a masterpiece capable of ending the Ætherside threat.

I uploaded a massive amount of data about Valley IV into Tata... Was it the data that drove its final choice? Or the wishes that I forced it to take on?

And when it made its choice... I ... I wasn't even there...

I got no use for these coating paints. Not anymore...

Yeah. New coating for Tata. But they ... they arrived a little too late.

...It's time to go.

This place...? Yeah. It brought back plenty of memories. But ... I'm alright. No need to worry about me.

I'm ready to head up. How about you, Endmin?

Good. Let's get going. Better not leave the crew mates waiting for too long.

Sure... Just try to be safe, k?

They're coming back up!

Hooo. I knew you'd be alright.

Much appreciated. Seems like we're racking up a serious debt of gratitude.

Oh, Yvonne, about that graffiti...

Okay, okay. I confess. I drew that thing... And I'll clean it up according to procedure.

No, that's not what I was trying to say... Sure we have our SOPs ... and everyone knows you drew it. But Aleeza told me that everyone kind of likes it.

So, that graffiti is half-done, right?

I was about to ask if you could finish it.

Wha? Are you alright?! Did some Landbreaker knock you on the head during their attack...?

*Sigh* Aleeza said the same thing. Do you really treat me as a tedious bore?

The attack really devastated the Park. Morale is at rock bottom.

You've been looking for me ... just to tell me this?

Of course. Ah...! But I must remind you. This is an exceptional case. It doesn't give you permission to do whatever you want!

Nevertheless... You and your TA-TA saved everyone in the Park, and did so many things for us...

Everyone else hopes to see you and offer their gratitude in person too.

Endmin, I ... I'm not really good at handling a situation like this — HELP!

Really?

But that work of yours is a true spectacle. People are really happy to see it and hope it can be completed. Your work has breathed life into the Park and everyone's thankful.

Why am I sniveling again ... hngh...

*Sniffs*... Really...? I don't believe it...

...Stop saying things like that.

It sounds like you'll be heading somewhere far away ... and never come back.

That's right. No one's gonna let you do this alone. There's me and everyone else. And —

Oh, we got some time left. Follow me, Endmin!

Sorry, Endmin... I actually thought about drawing Tata when the paints arrived.

I collected all the smiles in Valley IV and, with my own hands, gave it the perfect smile emote... There's no way I could forget...

Left us?! What do you mean?! I won't allow that!

I'm gonna restore it! And this time, I'll protect it! I won't let it leave me again... *hik*!

But I was scared that my drawings wouldn't match my memories... Scared that my drawings wouldn't look anything like Tata...

Heh. You're looking at a defense system that I specifically designed to protect our production lines... It's super reliable!

Ah... Well, yeah... Let me think for a moment.

Heheh... So there was this ... budgetary issue that prevented us from slapping on an emergency kill switch. Yeah ... we probably can't switch it off...

Have no fear! I got an idea.

I thought about having a gate that greets you when you report to work. It'd start your day with a morale boost.

Sometimes I would think ... that the gate actually looked forward to seeing and greeting me —

Endmin, do you have similar ideas as well?

If machines had emotions ... we'd get a double dose of happiness!

Absolutely correct! The smiley looks like a greeting. Not bad, right?

Hmmhmm... That's it... Done!

Good morning! Good afternoon! And good evening! I'd also smile and respond with: "Hi there!"

Welp ... yeah... But look at it! It's bedazzling, right?

It may look super impressive, but it's got a design weakness. Let's find a way through the middle!

How should we get across... Ah, I got it!

Is this the warehouse? Oh, I got it! Endmin, wait here for me.

Heheh. You'll see soon enough. I just got a perfect idea!

I'll handle the path and you'll take care of the Aggeloi outside. The legendary Endmin can definitely pull it off! Go! Go! Go!

Why do you sound like Andre? You're both asking me the same questions...

Truth be told... I got no idea! Sure, I made plenty of plans but I didn't think any of them through.

But I gotta make this clear. If my projects get into trouble, Endmin, please promise me you're on my side.

Enough with the niceties. You've been a great help to me as well, Endmin!

Really? Then you better be mentally prepared.

Great! Let's go!

Oh my goodness. You're far more powerful than I expected... That's a lot of Aggeloi you defeated.

Really? Then promise you'll protect me forever!

Ahem. Enough games for now. Once the drones finish laying down the boards, we'll be able to cross.

Oh... Got it! I'm an Endfield operator now, so I guess I'll be following your orders for a while, Endmin!

I really haven't been back for a while. The problems kept coming, and I totally lost track of time...

Endmin, what about you?

*Sigh* I almost forgot about all that. We're just too different. After all, you're the Endministrator of Endfield Industries —

You're Tata's friend, the protagonist of numerous legends, the hope of the people...

And despite all these super heavy responsibilities ... you still ran all over ... just to do graffiti with me.

Well ... pinky promise! Let's complete that masterpiece together!

Mmhmm. It's a deal, then.

Your plans. For the future. When this is all over, where are you headed next?

You got a blightload of problems to solve every time they wake you up.

How did this huge guy get here?! Endmin, watch out!

Tata uploaded some data at the moment of the explosion. This, together with the files from Professor Crowe...

What exactly comprises its "memories"? Language models, cognitive algorithms... If I figure this out and transfer it to a new chassis...

*Sigh* Unfortunately ... Tata was trying to complete its mission ... and didn't have time to upload the backup model...

Endmin, if Tata came back but forgot everything about its journey with us, would it still be Tata?

You're not the same as Tata, Endmin... Fff. I guess you're not that different actually!

You're both a unique phenomenon in this ever-changing world... A novel form of continuous iteration.

I got a new idea, Endmin! Wanna be a co-artist of yet another magnificent work?

No. This isn't just a work. It's our greatest undertaking! Our very own companion!

Endmin, that faraway destination you just mentioned...

We'll reach it together. Me, you, everyone, and of course —

Tata!

This big fella has been abandoned for way too long. Access is locked. We need to restart the control panel and...

Hmm... I think they changed the activation command. Endmin, can you help me look for it?

Check for things like audio logs nearby. They should have the latest command... And let Frost-e-Bytee tag along. It should help you find it.

Take good care of the Endmin —

I'll hack the control panel. You find the command!

That's right! The UWST spent years figuring out how to beat the Blight...

Look at these big fellas. I don't know if I should call them rigorously robust or ponderously inflexible... In any case, UWST designs will always do the job.

Unfortunately, the UW-style focuses too much on practicality. Their designs lack that dash of human touch...

TADA — And this is my design, Endmin! Look! Couldn't be more different from the UW approach, don't you think?

People who work with machines for years... Well, they probably feel a little lonely and empty inside. I definitely don't want my machines to feel that way.

That's that. Let's keep moving!

Did Yvonne forget to clean out these stuff... Hmm. Is that a giftbox?

There's a memo sticker on the side. Reads: "Parting gift."

*Sigh* The girl really has an attitude and we never stopped arguing. But now that she's gone, I feel like I kinda miss her.

Stop crying. She'll be back if we got another joint project going. Let's leave a backdoor and change the command to "Super Iterator"!

Me? Crying? Stop imagining things!

Decrypting the Æther energy was a massive undertaking...

I emptied ten crates of bubble coffee just to compute a new constant for the depth stability tests!

Material samples mailed from the Commandery... Impacts from our Originium structures were too strong for conventional D64 Steel.

UWST application procedures can be a real hassle. I would have paid for it out of my own pocket if it'd been available on the market.

Oh. That... I'm surprised they didn't erase it.

I wanted to write a motto here, but got stuck for days.

In the end, I decided to write something simple. Just a self reminder that designs must look good.

Project inception to physical prototyping... I can't remember how many types of material I used during this process.

I brought Tata to plenty of places and met a lot of people. Everyone helped. That's how I got to successfully build Tata.

I disqualified this material because of insufficient toughness... Kept a piece as a memento.

Tsk. The Aggeloi are blocking the exit.

Our weapons probably won't hit those Aggeloi on the high platforms...

Endmin, I'll take out the one perched up high.

Incoming!

Legacy systems are such a hassle... Endmin, just find that command for me.

Got a new idea, Endmin! I'm reserving a bit of your time —

Heheh. I was just joking!

Well, thanks a million for everything this time. If you need help, or if you're just looking for fun, give me a call. I'll be there!