MB-8 Denouement

Mighty big ruckus you've caused, Mr. Anthony.

Had I not known all about your plan in advance, I'm afraid not even I could've stopped you.

You're Jesselton?

That's right. I'm Jesselton.

I'm sure you've noticed we've passed by each other in the prison a couple times, but allow me to introduce myself again.

My name is Jesselton Williams, the very last obstacle to your prison break charade.

Where's Domma?

Right here.

......

Anthony, I'm sorry.

I was waitin' here for you. I didn't expect this guy to barge into the clinic with the prisoners...

Domma...

This is such a gloomy place. It would be unbecoming of me to let a beautiful lady wait here all by herself.

That's why I figured I'd offer her my protection.

Mr. Jesselton...

Oh, Ms. Robin, it looks like I was expecting a little too much from you. What a disappointment.

Or perhaps you never tried to kill him in the first place?

I...

She failed, and your lackeys couldn't hurt me.

Yet you spared her life. I must say, you are a fine gentleman, Mr. Anthony.

Save it.

Very well. Let us get straight to the point.

Mr. Anthony, if you don't want this young lady to die, please step over here.

......

Ms. Kafka, I would appreciate it if you would stay right there.

I can tell you're the opportunistic kind. Please try not to do anything that would put Ms. Domma in harm's way.

Hmph.

......

Yes, just stand right there.

All of you, surround him.

Anthony, don't listen to him!

It's okay, Domma. We are going to save you.

I have to hand it to you, Mr. Anthony. It's admirable that you are able to stay calm even in such a precarious situation.

I'm sure you know what it is that I want, and you also know that I won't spare you out of compassion.

Here's my suggestion. Abandon the lady, abandon your affectations, and come fight me.

You're wasting your breath.

I wonder how long you can keep this up.

And you, Ms. Robin.

Eh?

I would like you to kill Mr. Anthony. After all, you still have a job to do.

It doesn't matter what kind of agreement you've made with Mr. Anthony or if you've had a change of heart, for whatever reason.

If you want the money, and if you want to save your father, then this is your last, best hope.

......

I...

Why the hesitation? Did Anthony promise you a blank check? Or have you grown soft on him after all this time?

Last chance, Ms. Robin.

I... I...

Think of your father. Think of how your life is in tatters. Think of your future, your wish.

If I were you, I wouldn't hesitate.

What are you trying to do?

What am I trying to do?

Isn't it obvious? If all I wanted was to kill you, I've had plenty of chances here.

But that would be a li'l bit boring, wouldn't it?

I've never found killing someone all that much fun, Mr. Anthony.

But I really enjoy those moments when a person is faced with no choice but to abandon their past.

That is why I lured Ms. Robin here. I long to see her change. I crave for her fall.

And I thirst for your change as well. I thirst for the moment you finally lose your cool and bare your fangs, all for the sake of your family, your goals!

I mean it, Mr. Anthony. Take off your gentleman's facade.

Think of your family. Think of all you've been through, the humiliations you've faced. Think of the reason you're breaking out of this prison.

Do you really want to die here?

Do you really want to throw your life away for a woman you've only known a few years?

Stand up, Mr. Anthony. Push Ms. Robin aside, forget Ms. Domma, come at me and kill me!

Not everyone out there is like you, Jesselton.

You should know that you aren't all that special either, Anthony.

I'll give you five seconds, Ms. Robin. If you don't act, I'll do it myself, and you'll die here with him.

Five.

Ms. Robin, you have yet to pay off your father's medical bills, and Mr. Anthony is penniless.

Anthony, I...

Four.

Mr. Anthony, your parents are having a miserable time in prison. They're being ostracized.

Father, mother...

Three.

Anthony, don't worry about me! You can't die here!

Hmph!

Gah...

Guess what, bitch? You ain't killing yourself on my watch.

Ro...bin... don't...

Well, Ms. Domma is quite a bit more fiery than I expected. How admirable.

Alas, it didn't go as she planned.

Jes-sel-ton.

Now that's the face I want to see, Mr. Anthony. Wonderful.

......

I'm curious. What is it that fuels your conviction?

Do you think your death can buy my sympathy for everyone else here?

Are your principles worth that much to you?

Perhaps you still have a card up your sleeve?

I've done much to betray my principles in this prison.

I sweet-talked the jailers, stuck up for Barton, fought those I didn't want to fight, and lived a life I didn't want to live.

This has nothing to do with principles.

This only has to do with me.

I won't sacrifice Domma for my own ends. That's all there is to it.

Even though your family is still waiting for you?

You have no right to talk about my family.

Even though you have revenge to take and questions you need answered?

None of that is more important than the life of a friend.

Even if it ends up killing you?

Even if it ends up killing me.

Anthony...

You have to think everything through and make your own choices. Then, you need to take responsibility for each of those choices.

Otherwise, you'll never be able to take your fate into your own hands.

You must scrutinize yourself and think about what it is that you want to do.

Anthony...

How regrettable.

Well then. Two.

One.

Ms. Robin, I understand your struggle, but you have a decision to make.

Anthony.

No matter what you end up doing, don't regret your decision, Robin.

Right.

Gurghh!

Anthony, leave Domma to me!

Tsk! You prick!

Heh, you two sure kept me waiting!

When did you...?!

...Euggh...

Anthony!

*Roars*!!!

So this is the trick you had up your sleeve.

You knew Ms. Robin was on your side?

Perhaps your offer wasn't enticing enough.

Are you sure about this, Ms. Robin?

From where I'm standing, you have chosen a path that has no future.

It's true that if it wasn't for the Simons, my father wouldn't have turned out like that, but it's his fault for not getting back up on his feet.

I knew that. I just didn't want to accept it.

And I... really don't want to do that either.

Anthony promised to come up with something to raise money for my father's medical bills.

But that doesn't actually matter.

I've decided I'm not going to kill Anthony, and even if he doesn't help me, I'll come up with something else myself.

And if my father dies before I get the money, then I...

Then I'll kill myself and apologize to him in hell.

That's my decision.

......

Beautiful. Beautiful indeed.

What a beautiful resolve, Ms. Robin.

I suppose you've made your decision. You want to turn your back on our agreement because of that resolve.

Very well. Who am I to blame you for that? I should applaud you for making that decision, even.

That said, I still have to point out one thing.

When I said this path had no future, I didn't mean you won't have much of a future after your little jailbreak.

I mean it all ends right here and now.

There isn't a future where you make it out of this prison alive.

I guess we'll have to see about that.

No, no, no.

I have to admit. You are very strong, Mr. Anthony.

As for me, killing and violence aren't exactly my thing.

That's why Ms. Domma was only the first step in my attempt to stop you from 'seeing about that'.

As for the second step—

Ugh... agh...

Waagh!

Anthony, Kafka, are you two okay?

I'm... fine.

You haven't forgotten the shackles on you, have you?

Dammit, this guy's thought everything through.

I appreciate your compliment, Ms. Kafka.

You asshole, you've been lying to Robin from the start!

No, no, no. I just like to have more than one option.

Had Ms. Robin gone through with the deal and succeeded, it would've saved me quite a bit of trouble.

And if she failed, as you can see, I've prepared a fall-back for her.

You can't say I planned for all this without putting myself in her shoes.

Easy for you to say, but you dragged her into this mess.

Haha, I never denied I wanted to see her struggle, did I?

However, Ms. Kafka, you are very much in the know yourself. Think about it. Do you think she could've raised enough money for her father's surgery, had I not dragged her into this mess?

I think it's extraordinarily unlikely.

Hmph.

See? You can't argue with me on that.

Hmph... I have to admit. She has a lot more to gain... by helping you out.

But she didn't help you.

And that's more than enough for me!

*Roars*!!!

Still trying to fight despite the circumstances?

Very well, then allow me to personally tear apart that last delusion.

Anthony, I'll back you up!

Tsk, I ain't quite as strong as Anthony, y'know...

Huh... You guys watch out! His hand...

His hand turned black!

Ahh, how heartwarming.

To think I get to crush this emotional get-together...

It just fills me with delight, Anthony!

Son of a...!

It's no use, Anthony.

Ms. Robin, I'm afraid I've underestimated your fighting prowess. I must say, I'm taking a liking to you more and more by the minute.

How about it? Help me now, and I will forgive all that you've done.

How about no?!

What's with this guy's hand? It's got so hard after it turned black!

Oh, let me introduce you to my Originium Arts. I can control iron. And I've also received a few modifications to my body.

When you attacked just now, it felt as though you hit an iron plate, didn't it?

That isn't just my Originium Arts at work.

Beneath my skin, I have what I suppose you can aptly call the crystallization of technology, courtesy of Rhine Lab—a tiny metal plating.

Well, I'm afraid I don't know what its proper name is, but it's strong enough to greatly reduce the impact of your attacks.

Hold on, you're from Rhine Lab?!

Unfortunately, I'm not.

In any case, I'm surprised you're able to put up such a fight despite those shackles.

Looks like it's time to get serious.

His hand... turned into a blade...

Did you know, Mr. Anthony?

Ever since I arrived at the prison, ever since I first laid my eyes on you, I've felt a sort of mismatch.

You are doing your damnedest to control yourself, to make yourself seem harmless, and to make yourself look well-mannered.

But you're strength incarnate.

From that moment onward, I've been waiting for this to happen.

So that I can tear off that well-mannered facade of yours and unleash the violence hidden underneath—

I'm sure I didn't disappoint.

Not at all. You opened my eyes.

You have no right to judge who I am!!! *Roar*!!!

I'm not here to judge. What I'm trying to say is you're much less of an eyesore now.

Using your teeth too, huh? Tsk, tsk.

I'm sorry to say your teeth won't be able to tear into me.

...Dammit! Dammit!

Anthony, my friend, is there really all that much you can accomplish outside?

Will you be able to save your parents? Your family?

Let me tell you. You'll have nothing once you step out there.

You're living quite the life here in prison. Even the warden has to kowtow to you.

I may have said I could've killed you long ago, but it wouldn't have been a walk in the park if you didn't go on this little excursion.

Why go through all that trouble? Isn't life in prison plenty comfortable?

On July 24th six years ago, I was heading to a dinner party when, all of a sudden, a bodyguard told me something had happened back home and my father told me to run.

I had no idea what had happened. I didn't even had the chance to say goodbye to my parents before I went on the run.

I was arrested when I made it to Ironforge.

I thought that was all there was to it, but it didn't take long after I was put in prison for me to find out that wasn't the case.

The way I'm treated here is not how criminals are usually treated. I realized right away that my father probably arranged for my imprisonment.

Well, what a coincidence. I think so too. But if that's what you think, wouldn't you say that's all the more reason not to betray your father's wishes?

My father's wishes?

Looks like you really enjoy looking down on people and trying to plot them out, Jesselton.

Has anyone ever told you how petty you are?

I've been told that before, indeed.

But I'm afraid how petty I am has nothing to do with your prison break.

I could live a comfortable life here. I could even turn it into my own little kingdom.

But what would that get me? It would only make me the prisoner with the most freedom.

I've lived here for six years, and there was nary a moment when I didn't want to step outside.

I want to leave not because I want to prove how amazing I am. I want to leave because I need to figure out just what had happened back home. I need to tell the ones responsible for my family's downfall that we're not done yet!

To tell the truth, that impassioned speech is really rubbing me the wrong way.

But no big deal. Whatever the case may be, you aren't getting out of this place alive.

I may not be able to take you down, but I've stalled you long enough. The other guards should be here soon as the lockdown ends, too.

You did well. Your friends did, too. This isn't your fault.

It's just that most of life in this world ends up unsatisfactory.

Unfortunately, this is as far as you go.

Listen. Here comes the reaper.

So this is it...?

Tsk, what should we do...?

Sorry to disappoint, but the reaper isn't coming just yet.

On a different note, Anthony, you are way too loud. I could hear you on my way here.

Who... are you?

Hm? You...

I have to hand it to you. Even I was a little surprised by your plan.

It took me a good while to stop those other guards.

Huh? Where've I seen you before...?

Hold on, you...

Rhine Lab Defense Director, Saria!

Right, I remember you, Jesselton.

I'm honored to be remembered by someone as esteemed as you.

Not a lot of resumes make it to my desk.

I remember the moment you told me I didn't get the job too.

But first, I'm curious. What is Her Highness the Defense Director doing here in a prison?

You needn't worry about that.

All you need to know is that this is where it all ends for you.

Where it ends for me?

No, no, no. It seems you're mistaken about something, Director Saria, or should I say just Saria?

I heard your ability isn't all that dissimilar to mine, but before I even had the chance to find out, you'd already slammed the door in my face.

For all these years, I've wondered whether you're actually stronger than me.

Looks like we have the chance to find out now.

Hmph.

Her hand changed color too!

It's so white... beautiful...

You're right. Your Arts are rather similar to mine.

However...

I've told you before, Jesselton.

You're too fixated on the moment and you lack perseverance. I don't need anyone like that working for me.

......

You're too small-minded.

Dammit...

If this is how you are, there's no way I could accept your application.

Out of the way.

Saria!!!

I told you to get out of the way.

Sa...ri...a...

S-So strong...

I heard the Defense Director was pretty badass, but this is on another level...

Thank God I've never crossed her.

Thank you very much, M-Ms. Saria.

It's okay. If you can still walk, now's the time to do it.

Before that, I have a question I need to ask you, Anthony Simon.

Please. Go ahead.

Have you heard the name Ferdinand before?

Ferdinand... I heard that name from my father.

So it was you, Ferdinand.