...That's the gist of it, Lyudmila. Told you everything I know.
Lyudmila
What're you delivering for the Venezias?
Sommer
It's a batch of tires tonight.
Sommer
It's usually stuff for making vehicles. Originium engines, steel, alloys, things like that. At times there's also frozen fins, frozen meat, booze, meds...
Sommer
It's pretty common in other Siracusan cities. Goods the famiglie buy don't have to go through normal customs, so they save a lot on taxes. But here in Nuova Volsinii—
Lyudmila
I get it. No need to go into detail.
Sommer
Alright, alright.
Lyudmila
This isn't your first time, is it?
Sommer
Err... Lyudmila, did you hang back from joining tonight's film shoot because of me?
Look, sorry, but Ruggiero and I are really busy here! Would you mind leaving?
Mafioso
So busy you can't even stop for a cup of coffee?
Mafioso
C'mon, Sommer, Ruggiero, lighten up!
Mafioso
This is Nuova Volsinii! We're all citizens here, and we're going to be rubbing shoulders for quite a while longer. Gotta talk to one another, y'know?
Sommer
......
Mafioso
How about we set up a caffè across from your camp? With that many drivers, business would be booming, and it'd be easy for us to meet up—
Mafioso
The hell's going on *cough* *cough* Where's all this smoke coming from? My eyes, gah—
Mafioso
Merda! Which of you stronzi hit me?!
Mafioso
Ouch—
Mafioso
......
Truck Driver
......
Sommer
......
Mafioso
Sommer! Ruggiero!
Sommer
W-We don't know who did it either! We're all the way over here, and we haven't moved an inch...
Sommer
And you know we can't do Arts...
Truck Driver
I heard the reason why this plate was put out on the border of the city, and why City Hall didn't do anything with it until they let us set up our camp, is 'cause it used to—
Mafioso
S-Stop talking crap already. I'll let you two off this time.
We never had a chance to know you better until you helped us out of that bind that time. Everyone started to talk to you, asking you about what the hell your mysterious Arts are, and your experiences in Ursus...
Lyudmila
A famiglia associate's not going to come looking for you just because they 'don't like the look of your face'.
Lyudmila
They kept pestering you after that. Why didn't you tell me, Sommer?
Sommer
......
Lyudmila
Does Eirene know?
Sommer
(Shakes head)
Sommer
I need to get Guri her treatment and bring her over to Nuova Volsinii. I need this money, Lyudmila.
Sommer
And what use would telling you have been? They're a pack of rabid wolves who won't give up until they catch their prey. I'm not going to bring that sort of trouble onto the association.
Sommer
We're a band of brothers and sisters living together. But we're just ordinary people, nothing more.
Lyudmila
......
The faces of the drivers flash through Lyudmila's mind one after another. She doesn't say anything.
She's never taken off that mask since she arrived here, and she sometimes frowns when... Breaks my heart, it does.
Truck Driver B
You're telling me. I've been holding back from smoking these past few days she's been around. It's killing me.
Truck Driver A
Quick, light up already—
Lyudmila
......
Truck Driver A
L-Lyudmila...
Truck Driver A
Scusa, scusa! We're about to do a night delivery, so we were just gonna have a pre-drive smoke to pick ourselves up—or not! No smoking is fine! We'll put them out right away!
Lyudmila
Err... If you want to smoke, go ahead. No need to hide it from me.
Truck Driver B
Huh?
Truck Driver B
Well, everyone thought you wore the mask because you've got a weak throat or something... Your crystals are in a pretty peculiar place, you know. Us drivers smoke a lot, so we thought...
You'd better get off and wait at that intersection coming up. We're about to arrive, and there'll be trouble with the Venezias if I show up with a rando in tow.
Lyudmila
......
Sommer
Lyudmila...
Lyudmila
Enough. I got on your truck, so I'll stick with you all the way.
Sommer
Thanks, Lyudmila.
Sommer
No matter what happens, I'm lucky to have you with me.
Sommer
Hmmhmm♪ Hmmhmmhmm♪ Hmm♪
Lyudmila
You've been listening to this song on loop for a while now. Not tired of it?
Sommer
Of course not!
Sommer
'A Chance Encounter' is an amazing song, and Sora's got one hell of a singing voice!
Sommer
It's the hottest new single this week. There was an interview saying she recorded it just for Carnevale.
Sommer
'A chance encounter'... Now I'm not a cultured man, but these words... Don't you think they're about people like us?
Lyudmila
......
Sommer
You're going to leave, aren't you, Lyudmila?
Lyudmila
Eh? What?
Sommer
You said you didn't have any family or friends left in Siracusa, and no place to go. Everyone at camp will be happy to have someone as interesting as you stick around.
Sommer
Eirene and I have talked it over before, but I feel like you're not going to stay with us at the Union forever...
Sommer
There's doubt in your eyes, and hate, but I don't know who they're for.
Lyudmila
......
Sommer
Do you still remember what you were like when you first saw Eirene?
Lyudmila
I don't remember anything worth mentioning.
Lyudmila
I woke up in the camp, and you and Eirene were standing in front of me...
Sommer
The moment you saw her, your expression changed in an instant... Though it went back real quick.
Doesn't matter if it's in Yan or Siracusa, every time I run into that girl, I get struck by a bout of bad luck.
Sommer
So that's how it is.
Sommer
I'm not going to ask you if those stories of Ursus are ones you heard from elsewhere or ones you experienced yourself, Lyudmila. No need for us to argue over who's more unlucky in life, either...
Sommer
This really is a chance encounter between two sfortunati, haha.
Sommer
Eirene always says life will show how much it cares for people with bad luck, it's just running a bit late is all.
Lyudmila
......
Lyudmila says nothing in response. As the truck turns past the intersection, she turns her head to look out the window on a whim—
Lyudmila
That's—
Sommer
Cazzo! The steering wheel's not working all of a sudden—
Lyudmila
Sommer, look out! There's a car over there—
???
True wolf. Finally found you.
???
You will not get away.
???
Hey! Can't you see there's people in there? Your knife and my arrow blew out their tires. Shouldn't we save them?
???
Oh.
???
You're right, Agnese. We shouldn't get distracted during a hunt.
A splitting headache pounds against the inside of Lyudmila's skull.
She yanks off her seat belt and pushes open the truck door, falling from her seat as she does. As her face plants into the ground, she sees a familiar red silhouette fade down the intersection.
Lyudmila
*cough* *cough*...
Before the dizziness disperses, before she can take stock of the situation, before she can check on Sommer... Rage. An unending rage washes over her like the tide.
Lyudmila
What the hell's with this bad luck?! How come it's you again?!
I've handled tougher fights in the Siracusa of old with many more people on the other end.
Ingrid
But I'm always the last one standing. No exceptions.
Ingrid
Don't treat humans like beasts. Your hunting skills won't work on me.
Ingrid
You can certainly continue to try. Same goes for you, 'Projekt Red'.
Lunacub
......
Projekt Red
......
Lunacub
I'll find you.
Projekt Red
My blade... not sharp enough...
Ingrid
Come.
Ingrid
.....?
Ingrid
You can't hide from me forever. I won't wait any longer for Vargo's answers.
Projekt Red
......
Projekt Red
I lost. To the Vulpo out of nowhere.
Lyudmila
Damned pup!
Lyudmila
Think you can just walk away after I finally found you?
Projekt Red
......
Projekt Red
You again?!
Lyudmila brandishes her knife once again, but Projekt Red nimbly dodges it. A heavy kick immediately slams into her back. Her arm is pinned down, and her knife clatters onto the ground.
By the time she can react, she is already being pressed down into the dirt.
