Speaker
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Dialogue
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Location: Bus’s Backdoor
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A dark, silent night. All are sound asleep.
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Thus we assemble…
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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This better be worth the trouble…
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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It will be worth every trouble, of course! Now, come hither…
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We quietly and sneakily followed Don Quixote, taking care to not make a noise.
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Manager DANTE
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<Are we really crossing this line…?>
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Bloody hell, lass! Don't you know what happened the last time I crossed it?
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Alas, it will be different this time! All we must do is… follow the corridor immediately to the right of this delineation and open the door here…
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Manager DANTE
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<So they’re the symbols she was talking about.>
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Past the door, through the window, the symbols Don Quixote mentioned shimmered. Symbols that seemed to indicate a sack, a wrapped present, and what appeared to represent… fancy clothes.
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Manager DANTE
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<So… they’re the Red Sack and the Reindeer-Man’s symbols?>
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Precisely!
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Right. I suppose you’re the expert with these things. I’m going in!
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Manager DANTE
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<Huh? H-hold on!>
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Before I even had the chance to stop him, Heathcliff barged into the door…
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Location: ???
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And we found ourselves almost getting dragged in by his sheer fervor.
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Oho…
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We found ourselves in a rather sizable room.
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This place was decorated with numerous Christmas-themed ornaments. Warm, cozy lighting reflected off the wooden flooring, and a maze of conveyor belts were installed all over the place. This place is…
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Location: Gift Factory
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Manager DANTE
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<… a factory?>
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Quite!
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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And what are those things? Those little children-like…
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Ahm! Ahm!
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Hark!!! It is I, Don Quixote!!!
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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What the hell is she doing?!
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The little figures Heathcliff indicated didn't exactly look like children. They all froze for a moment before turning around in our direction.
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… They weren’t humans, that's for sure.
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Give me but a moment. I have already parlayed with these fellows!
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Manager DANTE
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<What happened to the 'sneakiest of peeks'?!!>
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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… Oi, Clockhead. Something’s coming this way.
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A small(but larger than others around it) figure scurried over and stood before us.
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???
???
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Ahh~ Lady Don Quixote! You finally grace us with your presence once again-ome!!!
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???
???
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And just as you did before… poof!! Appearing from the most unexpected places again-ome!!
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Manager DANTE
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<Who's this, Don Quixote?>
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Hm! The one who shall grant us the wonderful gifts indeed!
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He rubbed his hands(or what I assumed to be hands) together, looked up at us, and started.
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???
???
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Pleased to make your acquaintance-ome! You must be Lady Don Quixote’s friend-omes!.
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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My g’name is Dodoru. A gnome who works at this gift factory-ome. And why, of course, I make gifts here-ome.
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Manager DANTE
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<A gnome…?>
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Indeed, a gnome!
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… Was that supposed to be obvious?
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What are gnomes, anyway…?
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Manager DANTE
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<So they’re not humans, right…?>
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Yes! These fellows are not humans, they’re gnomes!
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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Yes, g’of course. Not… human-omes. Hoom hoom.
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Didn’t think non-humans were allowed in the City…
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Manager DANTE
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<… They’re not Abnormalities or Distortions, either. They’re something else.>
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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The C-City… I knew it…
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Welllll, why does it matter if they are not humans! What truly matters is the heart with which they commit themselves to work, that is!
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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G’of course, of course~ You are absolutely right, m’lady-ome!
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Manager DANTE
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<Didn’t that Dodoru gnome say something weird about the City just now?>
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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So that wasn’t just me, huh?
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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WELL-OME!
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This 'Dodoru' cut in on our conversation.
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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Do the friends of Lady Don Quixote wish for any present-omes?
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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Say, we have fancy clothes and powerful weapon-omes! Or delicious cookie-omes.
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Fancy… clothes? So you really have ‘em?
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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Looks like we've got a winner-ome!
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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Well, well. Then please, this way…
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The gnome said something about introducing us to the reception hall and led us to a certain room in his scurrying gait.
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Manager DANTE
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<This…>
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Location: Gift Factory Reception Hall
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Manager DANTE
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<… seems more like a storage space than a reception hall.>
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Oho! Behold, there is a warm fireplace and a table in this cozy place. What more could thee possibly ask for?!!!
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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And we have some delicious refreshments ready for you as well-ome.
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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Please wait a moment, and I’ll be right back with the gifts you want-ome.
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The gnome bowed, opened the door, and scuttled out of the room.
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Manager DANTE
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<Are reception halls usually this… barren?>
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I’ve never been in one before, so I had no idea if this was what they were supposed to look like. I had to ask.
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Especially because it was starting to get pretty obvious, even with my rather limited experience, that there was something off about this whole situation.
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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I have once heard the rumor that this kind of decor has been catching on in recent years!
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Yeah. I’ve heard that too. Apparently it's popular for some blokes to just deliberately leave their stuff lying around in some half-finished-looking buildings.
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Manager DANTE
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<Is that what this is…? Hm.>
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Still thy heart, Manager Esquire! I shall personally be responsible for this expedition and claim ourselves shiny gifts!
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Hm… If push comes to shove, I could nab some of these… I saw them packing some shiny, expensive-lookin’ stuff over there.
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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No thievery this time, Heathcliff! Has the incident with the hair coupons already left thy mind?!
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Ah, blimey… Tsk, fine.
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Heathcliff was as foul-mouthed as always, but it was evident from his relaxing expression that his anxiety was starting to ease.
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Maybe the fact that we’re here, about to find what we're looking for… was a comforting thought.
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Manager DANTE
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<Heathcliff, is it that important that you dress well for this… occasion?>
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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… Huh? Oh, yeah…
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A rather delicate but gently smoldering hearth. Calm, silent air. A perfect atmosphere to bring up uncomfortable subjects for some honest heart-to-heart.
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Manager DANTE
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<Or is someone waiting for you there… Someone who you’d like to dress up for?>
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Well… I suppose you’re not completely wrong…
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Oho, oho! A secret, is it?!
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Don Quixote excitedly and loudly dragged her chair up close to Heathcliff.
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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I… have to go back as… a successful man. As someone of great worth.
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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So that they'll know that I’ve changed. That I’m no longer 'that witless brigand' Heathcliff…
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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That’s why I have to dress posh when I return. To appear like… a man of quality.
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Hooh… Hath someone stoked the fire of envy in thy stomach?
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Manager DANTE
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<… Is this about revenge? Like Ishmael?>
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Revenge…
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Heathcliff leaned back on his chair. It creaked as he rocked gently back and forth.
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There was a look of deep introspection on his face. Which was, if my memory serves me right, a first.
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Well, I suppose you could call it revenge. But… what I really want to do, is…
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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… make her regret. Yeah. That's what this is.
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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I’ll show them. I’ll trample over those bastards who thought I wasn’t worth shite.
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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… So that she’ll regret not choosing me. So that she will feel that regret down to the deepest reaches of her heart.
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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I’ll prove to Cathy that there was no better man for her than I.
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Cathy.
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Heathcliff’s eyes tremble a little as he speaks her name.
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He’s mentioned that name before.
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His eyes trembled then, too.
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Manager DANTE
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<This Cathy… must be someone pretty important to you.>
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Of course. Bloody important.
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Manager DANTE
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<So… what happened between the two of you? Between you and Cathy?>
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Catherine, to be exact. And I call her Cathy.
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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It’s a long and complicated story.
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Aha! Allow mine intuition to speak for thee! This 'Cathy' must be thy lover, is she not?!
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Manager DANTE
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<W-wait, is that what she is to you?!>
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Huh?! N-no! I-it’s nothing like that…!
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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O-okay. Maybe a little… bit… Hm.
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He’s stuttering like Sinclair on a bad day.
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While his disposition was as brusque as always, I could clearly see that he couldn’t stop himself from smiling from a mere mention of her name. And that gave me more than enough answers.
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Every Sinner had a reason for joining Limbus Company, so…
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… maybe Heathcliff joined Limbus Company for this 'Cathy' person.
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Manager DANTE
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<Makes me wonder what kind of a person she might be, though. Someone that special, that precious to Heathcliff…>
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Don’t be so overdramatic. That ain’t me.
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Manager DANTE
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<Now, I do this not out of my obligations as the Manager. But I’m starting to think that I want to help you out. So that you could be the best man you can be for her.>
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Indeed! We! Shall all! Be!
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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People of quali—
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Ka-thunk.
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I heard a door open in that very moment.
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It wasn’t the reception hall door. That one was made of wood, and wouldn’t make the sound that I just heard.
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This sound came from over there, away from us, from a dark corner of the room.
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Then, we heard sounds of metal scraping against wood. It was accompanied by a howling blizzard.
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Manager DANTE
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<So those were sleigh marks, huh…>
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The huge sleigh made its way across the wooden floor, on the marks that were already on the floorboards. It was flanked by several gnomes.
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The sleigh was red, and the sacks on it were either black or red.
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But they were all…
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… littered with flesh and blood.
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Gift Factory
Cherry Gnome
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Dodoru! We’ve got your next batch of ingredients right ‘ere-ome!
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Gift Factory
Leafy Gnome
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Phew… my back-ome…
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Gift Factory
Shadowy Gnome
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C’mon, friend-ome~ Just think about the looks on our friends’ faces when they open their present-omes! All is g’worth it, of course. Well g’worth it.
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Gift Factory
Leafy Gnome
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Hear-ome, hear-ome!
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The gaggle of gnomes, who were walking in our direction as they chattered and gossiped, froze in place upon noticing us.
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Gift Factory
Cherry Gnome
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Quit lollygaggin’-ome!
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Gift Factory
Leafy Gnome
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Quit chit-chatting and help us out-ome! We’ve got a lot to process-ome… Besides, we’ve brought some live ones this time-ome!
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I think I saw some sacks on the sleigh move.
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No, they were thrashing. Like… something was trying to escape…
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Manager DANTE
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<… Is that…?>
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Grab your weapon, girl…
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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What is the matter with thee? These fellows are but hardworking—
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???
???
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H-hello?! Is there someone out there? Please, help! Get me out of here!!!
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Gift Factory
Cherry Gnome
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Ome!!! What a joyous day-ome! This one’s fresh-ome!
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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N-no…
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Gift Factory
Shadowy Gnome
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But they… they’re human-omes!
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Gift Factory
Leafy Gnome
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Did manager Dodoru bring ‘em in-ome...? How’d he manage to bring in humans so fresh-ome?
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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So… all along… thy factory has been…
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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Oh boy…!
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I could hear a familiar voice coming from the other door in the room as Don Quixote stood there flabbergasted.
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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Dodoru’s done a blunder-ome… That sleigh wasn’t supposed to be coming here-ome!
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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Don’tcha worry-ome. Just a little game between us gnomes!
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Manager DANTE
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<That’s your excuse…?>
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Master Dodoru.
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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Dodoru’s listening-ome.
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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Tell me the contents of those sacks.
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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R-raw material for presents, of course-ome!! Besides, Lady Don Quixote-ome? Dodoru's prepared those fancy clothes for you and your friends to wear-ome! Why don’t we head right out to wear—
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Sinner #3 DON QUIXOTE
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What! Raw! Materials! Are they?!
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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Ome!!! Dodoru’s tired of lie-omes! Human-omes! Humans! Like you!
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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You lot! What’d I say about using this storage space-ome?! I told you this one was off limit-omes!
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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What, are ya gonna deliver nothing but disappointment to our neighbor-omes?! Even now, they await gifts from our factory-ome!
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Gift Factory
Leafy Gnome
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Oh… my bad-ome…
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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Unnggh-ome…! And I already told the factory director to look forward to this batch-ome!
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Manager DANTE
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<Haah…>
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What was I thinking?
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This was absolutely not worth it.
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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I know what you’re thinking, Clockhead…
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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So quit sighin’ and start strategizin’. We’ve got to get out of here, yeah?
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… Yeah. Sitting here and feeling sorry for myself won't do anything. It never did.
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Manager DANTE
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<… Got it.>
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Gift Factory
Dodoru
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Grab your tool-omes! Fresh, locally produced materials coming up-ome!!!
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Sinner #7 HEATHCLIFF
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Right then! Let’s crack on, you little shitbags!
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