I leave Oren and company behind, and continue down the main street. The sunset looks so pretty out here, even without the beautiful lighting for the festival! I look around and see everyone dressed up in summer kimonos. Still, the smells of food begin to fill the air, and, even though I just ate, I cannot wait to try out what they'll have in four hours!

Wait! What am I thinking!? That's not why I'm here! Remember the mission. Remember...the mission.

Cannot say.

(He couldn't be the one... Could he?)

Cannot say.

(No, he couldn't be...He wouldn't have been beaten by Darius's attack if he was.)

I continue to walk, pondering the location of my target. I wish my partner wasn't missing. She was supposed to be the tracker, not me! I don't specialize in intelligence gathering! I'm not from El Escudo! Still how will I...

BASHI!

"Ow!" I find myself on the ground, after colliding with someone who rushed around a vending cart.

"Ouch!" they say.

I get up, saying, "I'm so sorry about that. Please allow me to..."

I look down, I see...

"GGAAAAHHH!!!"

"WHAT!?" yells Darius. "It's you!"

"I thought you left!?"

"What is a flat-chest like you still doing here!?"

"What'd you say!?"

"Did I hit a nerve?"

"Ha! I only let you go during the tournament because of that incident with the local boy near the end of our match! Don't think I'll go so easy on you a second time!"

"Who said anything about leaving, President of the Itty-Bitty Titty Committee?"

"Why you!?"

Unauthorized duplication: this narrative has been taken without consent. Report sightings.

"Arrêtez!!" a voice says from the alley adjacent to the corner where we are.

I turn around and see Hunter, the androgynous figure from this morning. I don't know if they're a woman or not, but they seem to fit into what I believe is a plant tone's kimono quite well. I wonder where they got theirs from...

"Stop embarrassing yourselves, you two!" they say in their more serious tone. "Mydrea, we have to talk."

"Now?"

Hunter nods, still glaring at the two of us. I turn to Darius, then back to Hunter.

"Fine. Guess this guy isn't worth the trouble anyway."

"Why you little bitch!"

"And you must be the young Dives individual," Hunter remarks. "Heard you made quite a ruckus during the torneo."

"You speak French and Spanish?" Darius asks.

"Is that a problem?"

"Maybe not, but I have business with this little demon right here!"

"Like I said, you're not worth the effort," I say back to him.

"Gggrrr...Okay, I don't know what you're up to, but whatever it is you can do, I can do a thousand times better. You hear me? I'm the man who will revolutionize New Vegas, no, ALL of Angelia!"

Hunter looks at Darius after hearing this boast. Some time passes in silence, then they chuckle.

"What's so funny?"

"Quite a bold statement. You sure you can back that up?"

"Indeed I can! Do you doubt a Dives' word?"

"I see. Well, I guess that makes us people with similar goals..."

"Hey!" I say to Hunter, gesturing for them to stop. "We're not supposed to..."

"At this rate, we'll need all the help we can get."

"But getting this asshole involved!?"

"Do you have any leads otherwise?"

.....

"Okay, what's going on?" Darius asks.

We spend a few minutes walking through the alleyways, avoiding any and all contact with the locals. It would seem Hunter knows the city's structure quite well. Eventually, we reach a small, open dead end near the back of an old barn.

"The locals are all getting ready for the festival, so we shouldn't be discovered," Hunter remarks.

When we finally reach our destination at what I assume is the back of the barn, I see the man that Hunter was with earlier sitting on a barrel.

"Ah, Hunter," the man says, "I see you have one more in your company."

"Indeed, Togo. This is Darius Dives."

"Darius, eh?"

"But enough about that. Let's get down to business."

Hunter then walks up to the barn's side and leans on it, while Darius and I remain standing.

"For starters. Tell us what information you have gathered, Mydrea," Hunter says in a serious tone.

"I..have no clear evidence. There is one local that fits much of our description, but his fighting style doesn't complement our known information."

"And this individual's name?"

"Oren Tsurai. However, we cannot be certain that..."

"I will not take any chances, Mydrea. Not with everything happening in New Vegas."

"New Vegas?" Darius exclaims in astonishment. "What are you talking about? And who are you people?"

Before I can say anything, Hunter raises their hand to request silence.

"I am Hunter Vérité of El Escudo. And this here is my partner, Togo Kokoro."

"WHAT!?!? El Escudo!? Of the accursed Kyusen!?"

This reaction is to be expected of most people, as many don't understand the true importance behind our work. Immediately after recollecting himself, he turns to me.

"And does that mean you're...?"

"I refuse to answer your question. All I can say...is that you never stood a chance against me in combat to begin with."

As my words sink in, Darius backs down in fear.

"What do you want with me!?"

"You said you would bring about a revolution for the better."

"Yes. I know that."

"Well, now might be the perfect opportunity for you."

"Huh? What do you mean?"

"Here is your chance to become the savior of both New Vegas and Terraz. Be the one to save them from the evil within their midst."

With each word of flattery, what fear Darius showed now fades and is replaced with confidence. By the end of what Hunter says, Darius proudly stands up and attempts to look heroic.

"Alright then! What is it you want me to do?"

"We are here to bring an end to the misdeeds of Angelia's worst enemy. As we speak, those at El Escudo are continuing to collect information on the target. We hope your cooperation will aid us in bringing this villain to justice and thus incite revolution all across the continent."

.".. I think I know of whom you speak," states Darius. "But can you confirm they are really in Terraz?"

"Indeed. You should know intelligence is what El Escudo is renowned for."

Just as Hunter finishes this statement, a rhime crystal in Togo's pocket begins to glow yellow with electric rhime. This particular crystal is used among the kyusen as a form of communication. It is much like phones during the First Age that could send vocal messages, text, and even images. When Togo removes it from his pocket, the crystal glows brighter.

"We have the information you wanted, Hunter," announces a voice through the crystal. "We have determined the target's current alias."

"Thank you, Chates. Send me visuals on the target now."

With this request, the light from the crystal shines even brighter and begins to show the silhouette of...

...!

(No! I don't want to believe it, but...!)

...

(I'm...sorry.)