Freesia 80

Freesia, Chapter 80 (Monthly Ikki, August 2009)


<1>
THUD
Chapter 80: Temporary Return

=WHOA!


<2>
=What's...
=Going on?


<3>
TH-TH-THUD

=Why are they bombing here?
=To prevent the enforcement?
=Does Higuchi know about this?
=A coincidence?//No... It can't be.


<4>
CREEPS..


<5>
BWHACK

THUD
[x2]CRASH


<6>
=WHOAAAA!


<7>
=Oh dear.
=And right when I had him cornered.//Now I've got to start all over again.

=What's the time limit for this enforcement, anyways?
=They haven't told me anything.

=Oh.

=My glasses...


<8>
=The all clear will be given momentarily. Please be patient.

=The Air Defense Control Bureau is currently running a final safety check.
=Please remain in your current locations.

=The gas and water lines will remain cut off until a safety inspection has been completed. We apologize for the inconvenience.
=People whose homes or properties have sustained damage should...

=Finally.
=Walking back to the agency actually takes quite a while...

=I've got to go back and get orders from the higher-ups...
=I wonder if they're in...


<9>
=I knew it.
=No one's here.

=They must've all evacuated.

GACHUK


<11>
WHOOOSH..

[bubble]GREAK
CREAK


<12>
=Why...
=Are you still here?


<13>
=Someone needs to stay to keep things moving.

=You...//Finished the enforcement, didn't you?

=He got away,
=While I was looking for my glasses...

=...Idiot.

=And now I can't carry out the enforcement on you...
=Even though you're right here, right now.


<14>
=I screwed up the timing.//There's no point in killing you when I haven't disposed of Tanaka.
=I'm on an irreversible time axis, so I can't switch the pieces around.

=Then you'll never be able to dispose of me.

=I guess so.
=With those wounds,

=It's too late.

=That's too bad.

=What's too bad?
=That I can't carry out your enforcement?//Or are you talking about the wounds?

=That you can't carry out my enforcement.


<15>
=Why is that too bad?
=Didn't you know this was going to happen?

=You really are hard to grasp, aren't you.
=You might as well tell me something.

=What?

=Just "something."

=Even the sequence of events,
=None of it makes any sense.

=Why did you recruit me for this job?
=No... Why were you there in the first place?


<16>
=Why...
=Were you watching me?

=Why are you asking?
=What's your point?


<17>
=I told you. I want to know "something."//What have you done up until now?
=Every facet of my life has gone wrong ever since I met you, and I want to know why.

=That's not an easy question.

=That "something" you're finally catching on to...
=I've been searching for that for a long time.//A long, long time.

=This is an experiment.//I'm not looking on indifferently, I'm observing.
=You get involved in things. That doesn't do any good.
=I arrange the circumstances myself... Everything that has to do with people.


<18>
=Victim,

=Or assailant,
=It makes no difference to me.

=I thought I could find the missing pieces if I associated with others in every possible way.

=The only problem was,
=I was using myself as the guinea pig.//It's difficult to examine things accurately and objectively when they happen to you.

=But it wouldn't mean anything,
=If I used a person with a different disposition from me.


<19>
=I knew immediately,
=That we were exactly alike. The same kind of human being.

=So that's why,
=You were watching me.

=I was lucky enough to find a sample like you.
=I couldn't afford to make any more mistakes.//I had to be more calm, more cautious...

=But keeping you in predictable situations wouldn't get me the results I wanted.

=So I needed a more unique environment.//But too much stimulation could destroy your mind.
=I had to think ahead, test your tolerance, and immerse you into suitable situations.

=That's why I recruited you for this job.


<20>
=Enforcement provides the environment and situations most suitable for this experiment.
=I can manage you and observe you every step of the way. It's bound to provide good results.//Don't you agree?

=I don't.

=Ah?

="The Phantom" said you would eventually destroy me, but...//The same goes for you.
=It's dangerous for humans like us to share territory.
=You must've known that.

=I knew it was a risky experiment.
=But this was the only way.

=What makes you so sure?
=Did a "friend" tell you?


<21>
=...Friend?

=Deep down... You knew, didn't you?
=That no matter how long you kept experimenting,

="Nothing" would be there.


<22>
=No!
=It can't be.

=It was going so well...//If you'd only tried harder,
=I made it so far...
=Why did you have to come back emptyhanded?

=If you'd only...

=If you'd only carried out my enforcement,
=I would've gained "something..."


<23>
=Something...

=Look, I already told you it's too late.
=Just tell me what I can do right now.

=Water.

=Huh?
=Bring me water.


<24>
=My throat is all dried up from talking.//I'm...
=I'm really thirsty.
=So...

=I want water.


<25>
=Oh... Water, huh.

=Sure,
=I'll be right back.

=GACHUK

=You don't,
=Need to come back.


<26>
=By the time you come back,
=I won't need water anymore...

=I still have some questions, you know.

=When I die...
=I want to be alone, for once.

=You've always been alone.