>>6155253Anger boils up, overflowing the cauldron of your heart. The realization that Millie already had a paramour lingering in her heart bothers you - the part of you that's protective towards Craig.
"Wait a minute, so you're telling me that you've already got someone in your heart... while you're with Craig?! What about his feelings?! Did you ever consider that??"
The words struck true, as remorse gets more visible on Millie's face. You push on.
"Furthermore! What about Clyde? Who is he to you?! Isn't he looking awfully familiar?!"
Through the regret, Millie's words ring with sincerity.
"Clyde... I've been told that he is my longing for James, given form. He was by my side after I got reconstituted from my engram state... but he's... he's not James."
She then looks towards Craig. Teary-eyed Craig...
"I thought I can just be friends with Craig... a relationship without baggages. I'm sorry if I ended up hurting your feelings, Craig. And you as well, Rosa."
Geh... suddenly, your anger lost its bite. Further quenched by a certain little cousin of yours desperately hugging you, tears leaking out of his face.
"That's enough, Rosa... it's alright. Don't be mad at her..."
Sigh, he's right. Millie saw Craig as but a pure, innocent kid, one that she could befriend - one that doesn't remind her of her past. She saw a refuge in his innocence. Tough then, when Craig developed feelings for her...
As the last of your anger dissipates, you sigh and hand the data crystal to Millie. You kinda get it, she wishes this one will be the one that contained James Baxter's engram, a hope as fleeting and thin as a needle lost in Gongalla.
"There's your data crystal... let's get back to town."
That was all you can say, at that moment. Step by step, Craig follows you, sniffling; the rest of the group followed suit in silence. Millie, cradling the crystal gently, with Clyde carrying the rabbit, right behind her; the clown-mime and his charges, making nary a sound; Valencio, his mask a bit less merry as he hauls the other prisoner; and Nemo, whose single visible eye observes intently.
>CHOOSE ONE>□ As Rosa, follow the autowagon tracks>□ As Craig, tell Millie about the grimoire you got>□ As Valencio, try to lighten up the mood>□ As Nemo, assess, observe and analyze this awkward situation>□ Other (fill in) 