Chapter 24 - Mob Little Boy: Hah… hah…! Little Girl: I found him! Everyone, come over here! Little Boy: Ah… Little Boy: …Please… I'm begging you, believe me! My dad's from the Federation, but… Little Girl: Of course we believe you. You're our friend. Everyone’s been worried sick! Little Boy: …Thank you… Little Girl: We'll protect you. Everyone, let’s go this way- Ah…!? Man: Found you, brat. I’m the one who snitched on your dad. Man: I've never liked him anyway! He’s always runnin’ his mouth complaining! Man: He probably figured out I’d been skimming money from the liquor store… You're next! [The little girl grabs the man’s arm.] Little Girl: …Run! Little Boy: Watch out…! Man: You're in the way. Move…! [BAM!] Little Girl: AAAHH…! Little Boy: AH…! How dare you…!? You…! Man: Bring it on! You think you can beat an adult!? [WHIP!] Man: …Ghk! What the-!? W-Why’s a whip…wrapped around my arm!? U Lutri: Be grateful I didn't aim for your ass. Amiya Rai: Do you kids have somewhere safe to go? Can you make it there on your own? Little Girl: Yeah…! Amiya Rai: Good. Be careful. Little Boy: …What about you two? I haven't seen you around here. Where did you come from? Little Boy: You're… not Federation spies, right…? Amiya Rai: ……… Amiya Rai: No. Now go. Little Boy: …Okay! Thank you, mister! [Lutri knocks the man unconscious.] Man: Ugh…! U Lutri: Good grief. What a mess. Amiya Rai: Yeah. U Lutri: Amiya, why'd you lie to him? Amiya Rai: Huh? U Lutri: That kid. You didn’t have to hide it from him. Amiya Rai: He might feel troubled by the fact that his “enemy” saved him. Amiya Rai: It’s not worth giving him another thing to worry about. U Lutri: Huh… Amiya Rai: …Apparently the Wartime Consul announced that the Emperor has passed away. He blamed the Federation for it. U Lutri: And what really happened? Amiya Rai: Euro wants peace. He didn’t even mobilize the Federation army. Even if there really was an assassination, it wasn't us. U Lutri: A coup, then. Amiya Rai: It has to be. Someone on the inside probably assassinated the Emperor and pinned the blame on the Federation. Amiya Rai: I suppose it wouldn’t take much digging to find that out if the government actually functioned properly. This madness can't last forever. Amiya Rai: Unless… U Lutri: Unless they're prepared to rule through fear. Pretty scary guy, isn't he? Our dear Wartime Consul. Amiya Rai: I'm worried about Euro and Eleu. Amiya Rai: We need to track them as soon as possible-… Amiya Rai: ……… U Lutri: We've got company. Amiya Rai: One of them is a child. Maybe they're with those kids from earlier. The other one is… U Lutri: A soldier. I'll handle it. Amiya Rai: Wait-! U Lutri: Can you stop creepily spying on us? Eleu Coge: It isn't spying. It's tactical surveillance. Amiya Rai: That voice… Eleu Coge: Whether it's creepy is a matter of opinion, and it has nothing to do with my reasons for doing it. U Lutri: You're a wordy bastard. Is that really the last thing you’re gonna say before you die? Amiya Rai: Eleu! Eleu Coge: Amiya…? Amiya Rai? U Lutri: What? You two know each other? Fail Urus: Are you okay, Eleu!? Fail Urus: (Fail starts singing his Arca Song then cuts off.) Eleu Coge: Wait, Fail! You don't need to sing! U Lutri: Is this kid an Echo Master? Amiya Rai: I think I've seen you before. You're from Ecolina Village… Fail Urus: …The Federation army!? D-Don't come any closer! Eleu Coge: It's okay, Fail. This is Amiya. He's with the Federation army but he's the second-nicest man I know, after me of course. Amiya Rai: You do realize how extreme you are sometimes, right? I’m way nicer. U Lutri: Nice people don't strangle guys with their legs. Fail Urus: ………Um… U Lutri: For the record, I'm a very dangerous guy. Keep your distance. Fail Urus: …I think I'm more at ease with people who tell me that right from the start…For some reason… Amiya & Eleu: Why? U Lutri: Heh. Honest men are always popular. Amiya Rai: That's rich coming from you. Eleu Coge: It's good to see you, Amiya. There's something I need your help with. Amiya Rai: Same here. Let me introduce you, this is U Lutri. He's a Song Seeker. Eleu Coge: I'm Eleu Coge. Former Federation soldier, currently an Echo investigator. And this is Fail from Ecolina Village. Fail Urus: I'm Fail. Nice to meet you. U Lutri: Hey. Call me Lutri. Eleu Coge: That's enough introductions. Let's move somewhere safer. Amiya, follow me this way. Amiya Rai: Thanks. Fail Urus: Ha……… U Lutri: What? Keep staring and I’ll start charging you for it. Fail Urus: Ah, um… Sorry. U Lutri: I'm asking you what’s on your mind. Fail Urus: Um… What's a Song Seeker? U Lutri: Interested? Become my partner and I'll tell you. Fail Urus: Partner? What about him? U Lutri: He’s a prince. Princes don't partner up with thieves. Fail Urus: He's a prince!? …Wait, a thief? U Lutri: Oops. Maybe "explorer" would've landed better. Amiya Rai: Lutri, we're leaving without you! U Lutri: Yeah, yeah. To be continued...