If it weren't for those damn Tripods,
we'd be living it up in Highland right now.
We could blow a fortune in just one night! [gasps]
Don't often see you here, dreamer boy!
[patron 1] This here will give you something to dream about.
This right here!
[both laugh]
[beeps]
[Kanata] Mam, you got a minute?
Young Kanata.
[sighs]
How many times do I have to tell you?
I can't help you with fairy tales like Histoire.
You can take that nonsense of yours and--
[Kanata] I want to work.
Huh?
[Kanata] I want to practice.
So please, if you know anything--
[patron 2] Tokio finally scraped the crap off his shoe?
That is, if you have anything for me.
Or maybe he kicked you to the curb.
[grunts]
Morgan! Clint!
What tough, burly men you are to be picking on a fledgling Drifter!
You've fallen on your asses many times.
Maybe I ought to tell Kanata all about it?
[Morgan and Clint groan]
- Kanata. - Yes?
I got something for ya.
But if you wanna be a real Drifter, chew out your own critics next time.
Okay!
[Tokio] Todra Gorge.
There are a lot of reports of numerous Enders around Point 13
which appear to have no correlation to the weather.
The marsh there is likely to have high levels of Blueschist Density.
So it'll be great if you can dig for treasures
while out there getting combat experience.
Yes.
I can't be relying on you and Noir forever.
I need to hone my own skills.
That's the spirit.
[grunts] So then why are you tagging along?
This is something I need to do on my own.
Come on, don't hurt my feelings.
I'm still here for you!
Pardon?
I'm just killing time.
I won't interfere, so don't you worry.
[Kanata sighs]
And you only have to do the bare minimum navigation, Noir.
You don't need me?
[sighs]
I can't always be relying on you.
I need to be strong, too.
You've really got your eye on the ball.
No wonder the old mule is going soft on him.
[alarm blaring]
Looks like the heavens are smiling upon us with a swift opportunity for training.
[Kanata gasps]
Behind us!
[Tokio] Are they chasing us?
Or are they on a mission somewhere?
- [Kanata] Let's go, Noir! - Okay.
Mini Enders.
Ten of them.
Engagement imminent.
[Kanata] Got it.
You just sit back from here, Noir.
I can do this.
First, I'll pick them off at a distance.
They dodged?
Right?
No, left!
- [display beeping] - [grunts]
[yelps]
They're just tires!
[grunts]
- Two Enders are headed for the Carrier. - Damn it.
Tokio!
Oh, no. I am so scared. Won't somebody rescue me?
[Kanata] Damn it! Hit them, hit them!
- [grunting] - Kanata, shall I set the sights?
[Tokio] Oh, dear.
You can't be cool if you lose your cool.
Mouton!
Huh?
- What? - Kanata, above us.
[gasps]
[Magus] That was a bit of a whimper.
Shall we go for raging hot instead?
Okay!
Flim Flame POW!
[gasps]
Is that...
That was a Magus Skill.
Right, and one that only a Type Zero can use.
[grunts, panting]
Hey, thank you for your help.
[mechanism hisses]
[gasps]
[chuckles]
[stammers]
[stutters] Nice to meet you.
[yelps]
Offering yourself up on a platter to a Coffin rider you don't even know...
- [grunts] - That's pretty careless for a Drifter.
- [grunts] Let me go! - But to be so frightened of me.
- What a meanie. - [yelps]
[whimpering]
- Hey, stop! - Excuse me, Madam Seductress.
That guy's just a newbie. He's a little lacking in experience.
I can tell.
He could do with a teacher.
[gasps] Stop!
I'm sure you'd love for her to teach you.
After all, you do like the boing boings.
- [Kanata] What are you talking about? - [laughs]
Boing boing?
[Magus exclaims]
Hey, Clauds, no fair!
- What? - Let me join!
Hey, wait! Who are you?
Don't just copy what she's doing!
And what is she doing?
- Won't ya tell me, mister? - [Kanata stammers]
No, wait! Stop!
My name is Claudia.
And this is my partner, Flamme.
I'm Flammy! Nice to meet ya.
And you'll be Kana, Noi Noi, Tokky, and Moo.
We veterans stick our noses in and help others out in a pinch.
That's the Drifter's Way.
So don't hold it against me.
The way of the Drifter?
By the way, Kanata.
- Wanna get rich quick? - What?
Well, well, Miss!
If this is a honeypot situation, I'd be happy to take the bait!
I thought you were keeping a safe distance?
I thought you didn't want to get involved.
You are indeed prudent.
So, how about it?
You're so talented, and you have a Type Zero Magus,
and yet you want help from a flunky like me?
[chuckles]
You'll understand when we get there.
[engines rumbling]
Wow...
Daisies. Fields of them.
How unusual to find them in a place like this.
The flowers aren't half bad,
but that treasure outshines them all.
[Kanata] An AO Crystal?
What do you think? It's pretty big.
[Flamme] Noi Noi! Over here!
[laughing]
[Claudia] I finally found a big one,
but I can't mine it with all the Enders around.
[Mouton] I see.
The AO Waves emitted from a crystal of this size
are sure to attract a large number of Enders.
Couldn't you just raise your shields and mine it that way?
I thought I'd have my work cut out for me doing it solo.
So you found an impressionable newbie to help you out?
That's about it. No hard feelings, eh?
Not at all. I get it.
It's better than twisting things to make me look good.
You give yourself too little credit.
But still, I like that.
We'll split it, 50-50.
Not only is it big, but you can tell the quality is top-notch.
We could sell it for dirt cheap and still be on easy street!
You've done a meticulous job so far.
[Tokio] Right?
Why go through all that trouble?
Why not just blow up the entire area and any Enders along with it?
Believe me, I'd love to...
- [Flamme exclaims] - ...but Flamme really likes this area.
- [Flamme] Isn't it pretty? - I'd like to leave this place unscathed.
Yeah!
For you!
Having fun, Noir?
I don't know.
But...
I like how white and pretty these are.
Claudia!
I'll do it!
[Claudia] Then we have a deal!
[device beeping]
[beeping stops]
[gasps, chuckles]
[Claudia] Let's come up with our action plan while we eat.
We work at night.
I trust you understand why?
The Enders slow down at night.
[chuckles]
It's go time once we deactivate the AO Wave Insulation Shield.
[Claudia] The Enders will be on the move within ten minutes.
One of us will keep them at bay in the gorge,
and the other will mine the AO Crystal in the Coffin.
It's hardly an action plan, being so simple and all.
Not at all.
I say, "Simple is best."
Now all that's left is to decide who will defend and who will mine.
[Claudia] About that...
[Kanata] There's another access point?
[Claudia] Yes, though it's hard to recognize.
There is a chance that Enders could come from there.
[Tokio] That's easy.
Leave that part to me.
- [Claudia] You'd do that for us? - I'm just here to kill time.
That shouldn't put too much of a damper on your training, right?
Tokio...
[Claudia] Thank you.
Now we just need to decide on the main defense and the miner.
- [gasps] - Naturally, I'll be on defense.
What?
I'm a little worried about ammo,
but I think I can hold out for one last fight.
[Kanata] Hey!
[Claudia] What is it?
The main defense.
Could you let me handle it?
Don't let the numbers fool you just because it's nighttime.
- You ready to risk your life? - I am.
[Claudia] All right, then. I'll leave it to you.
- Kanata. - [gasps]
[Mouton chuckles] Reminds me of old times.
Your own days of yore?
No, yours, master.
What?
[Flamme] This guy's name is GLENSHINOBI!
He's a super strong buddy for me and Clauds!
- And Kana's buddy looks to be an Ogre. - [Noir] Ogre?
They got these big horns and are super scary and strong,
and the legends say that only beans can calm them down.
Ogre.
[Flamme] And your big, strong Ogre can protect us!
So my friends can keep smiling their pure innocence!
[Noir] Pure innocence?
[Flamme] Long ago, people gave meanings to different flowers.
White daisies symbolized purity and innocence!
They suit you, Noi Noi!
But,
I can't get it back.
Just kidding!
I can just format my memory and become a clean slate!
'Cause I'm a Magus! [laughs]
[gasps]
- Yes. I will protect you. - [Flamme] What?
I, Kanata, and the Ogre.
We'll protect you.
Huh?
Did I say something?
[gasps]
[chuckles] You're funny.
You're a good girl, Noir.
I hope you never change!
Amazing! It's like brand new!
You didn't have to do maintenance for me.
[gasps]
- I'll have to pay you back in kind. - [gasps]
This is just a quick fix to increase our chances of success.
The weapons and joints are worn,
so you'll have to fix them at a later date.
Especially around here.
It's on its last legs.
You'll want to swap it out.
Call it jury-rigged if you will,
but a mechanic who can patch things up that quickly is worth his weight in gold.
[stutters] Thank you.
[Claudia] Do you perform maintenance on Noir as well?
[Kanata] No, not yet.
[Claudia] Flamme is a Type Zero unit too,
so she needs Amasian-grade parts and technology.
You'd best be prepared for steep fees.
You mean, Noir is a Type Zero?
Didn't you know?
I heard she might be,
but I never thought it'd be true.
[Claudia] According to Flamme,
Type Zero units can tell each other apart.
You'd best be careful.
Some people will stop at nothing to get their hands on a Type Zero Magus.
You must protect her.
I will.
My mechanical skills aside,
I'm nothing more than a hack when it comes to being a Drifter.
Why did you want to become a Drifter?
I've always wanted to visit the legendary Histoire... [gasps]
[Claudia] Mmm. I think that's lovely.
What?
You and Tokio are the only people who haven't laughed at me for that.
- It must be nice. - How?
[Claudia] You have a dream, and you have the skill.
When I left my hometown, I had nothing.
Claudia...
Kanata, Drifters are free.
You're free to fight and live the way you want.
So fight in your own way.
It's your life.
What?
[gasps]
That was for the maintenance.
See you tonight!
Hey! [stutters]
[sighs] She's a free spirit, all right.
Do things my way?
[grunts]
[humming]
[Claudia] What a lovely night this turned out to be.
The mining's going well.
But the gate-crashers could show up at any moment.
[Flamme] Come on, guys. We got this!
Huh?
Did you do this, Noir?
Yes. Do you not like it?
No, I don't mind.
We can do what we want, right?
Will you navigate, Noir?
Of course.
[Noir] Enders approaching.
Seven, the same as this afternoon, and one intermediate.
An intermediate, too?
[sighs]
Let's go for round two.
This is as far as we got this afternoon.
- Enemies are in the kill zone. - [Kanata] Let's detonate!
And so it begins.
The first failure is the basis for the next harvest.
- You could learn a thing or two, master? - No way.
Well, he's got one thing going for him.
[Kanata] Don't let them move!
Stay calm, and take them out one by one!
[groans]
That makes six.
- Which leaves-- - Kanata.
[screams]
[grunts]
[breathes heavily] Wait.
It's Tokio!
[Tokio] Hey, now!
Alley-oop! [chuckles]
Come here, you!
[groans]
[Tokio] Man, you're pretty rusty!
Still, I'd call that a pass.
[Kanata] Someone still had to come to my rescue.
[sighs]
I'll get there next time!
[Kanata] Claudia!
How did your mining go?
What's that?
Claudia?
- Kanata. Look there. - Huh? Whoa!
Claudia?
Oops, you found me.
Sorry, Kanata.
I need the money for Flamme's maintenance.
[Flamme] Kana! Noi Noi!
And DAISYOGRE.
Thanks for protecting the flowers!
DAISYOGRE?
You'll have to tell me more about your dream next time.
[in English] See you again.
Bye. Ciao.
[Kanata, in Japanese] No way!
She got us.
[Tokio] Never let your guard down when someone betrays you.
This is also the way of the Drifter.
A bit of an expensive way to learn a lesson.
[chuckles]
That's not true.
Right, Noir?
[Noir] Yes, we now have something wonderful.
Yeah?
We're in this together.
DAISYOGRE.
Translated by Rychelle Brittain