Chaos;Child ~Children's Collapse~ 9

Chaos Child 9

p1: ===================================================
Chapter 9: Ask yourself 01

p2: ===================================================
[sfx]: Swallow

[sfx]: Ah!

p3: ===================================================
Spit that up this instant!

…9:37.

Claire,
/ my body won’t start really absorbing this until it gets to my intestines?
…Yes.

Then it’ll be at least 15 minutes.

Mio, where do you think you’re--
The bathroom. While I can.

p4: ===================================================
Put the sample in the middle box, please.

…I am disappointed in you, Miss Coleman.
You’re the director here. How can you allow something so dangerous?!

We both know she never listens once she’s made up her mind.

…

p5: ===================================================
[sfx]: Heavy breathing
Mild perspiration… Heartbeat over 120. Shouldn’t have taken effect that fast.

Then, the placebo effect? Am I being too rash?
[sfx]: Tick tock

No… She’s still way ahead of me.

…?
Pupils dilated—

p6: ===================================================
You think that’ll catch you up to her? To Kurisu?

p7: ===================================================
[sfx]: Heavy breathing
Who the hell are…

Wait…
She looks like I did as a kid…?

Lame.
/ You could’ve taken your time, too, but noooo.
Oh, or perhaps…

p8: ===================================================
You’re upset that she saved Beth, and not you?

[sfx]: Heavy breathing

Though you know, maybe that’s the way you should be.
Be the kids’ friend and settle with researching ways to help them.
You’ll never overcome [em]her[/em], but that’s fine.

p9: ===================================================
[sfx]: Heavy breathing
…Shut up.

Why? You figured it out just fine over the year you spent with her.
Figured out that she’s not made of the same stuff as you.

Shut up…! I’ll kill you…!

Give up already. Doesn’t this form make it all clear?
There’s a part of you that’s scared shitless.

p10: ===================================================
Right now, you’re no different than me.

I TOLD YOU TO SHUT UP!

p11: ===================================================
Mio…?!

p12: ===================================================
[sfx]: Blink

How are you feeling?

…How long was I out?
Less than two hours.

Why am I in the director’s office?

Because it was close.
Besides, Miss Coleman said we shouldn’t let any of the other staff see you like this.

p13: ===================================================
…Good.

[sfx]: Throb!

Lie down! Don’t push yourself!
[sfx]: Thud / jump!

…

Mio.

Come back to our lab.

Huh…?

p14: ===================================================
While Miss Coleman bandaged your hand,
she took the time to draw blood.

Any scientist would’ve.

…Perhaps. But personally?

It upset me. Terribly.

p15: ===================================================
Sorry, but I’ll pass.

…Why do you do research?

You told me, before, that you want to destroy everything I am.
…But even so, this is too extreme. Why do you feel such a need to—

What about you, huh?

?

p16: ===================================================
Why do you keep researching?

[sfx]: Muttering
…Because that stupid whatchamacallit final battle thing is coming, and we must be ready.

…What?
Ignore that.

…Hmm.
To forge a future that goes beyond my own expectations, I suppose.

p17: ===================================================
Didn’t expect something that vague outta you.

It’s a tremendously important goal. To me, at least.

Mio?

Is there anything you hold that high?

p18: ===================================================
…

[sfx]: Lean

[sfx]: Clack

[sfx]: Throb
OUCH!

Damn blood vessels expanding…
[sfx]: Throbbing

p19: ===================================================
Be the kids’ friend
and settle with researching ways to help them.

You’ll never overcome [em]her[/em], but that’s fine.

p20: ===================================================
[sfx]: Pour

[sfx]: Sit

Thank you for taking care of Mio.
/ How is she?

She’s asleep. Her condition is stable.

Then she should be fine. Given that, let’s both go back.
/ Beth’s experiment should be done in another hour or two as w—

Miss Coleman.

p21: ===================================================
How do you view Mio?

…In what sense?

She’s exceptionally talented, yet knows no way forward except by charging straight ahead.
Are you acting as a director should, and guiding her to other paths?

p22: ===================================================
You may be right, and she may indeed lack the ability to put on the breaks.
Yet isn’t that the mindset a scientist should strive for?

p23: ===================================================
[sfx]: Squeeze
Mio may have no intentions of leaving this place…
But if something does happen to her, do not expect me to remain silent!
The girl’s merely 16, for goodness’ sake!

[sfx]: Whisper
And Alan’s only 8.

…?

p24: ===================================================
[sfx]: Step x2

[sfx]: Tink