Machine Dreams
Nicholas waxes rhapsodic about his love of machines. He wants nothing more than to end the battle against the abominations and return to creating machines that bring happiness into people's lives.
Nicholas: Right, then. Let's get started!
Some time has passed since Robomi fought alongside our heroes, and the abominations have begun to rear their ugly heads once again.
Nicholas excitedly prepares to repair one of the mass production Robomis that was damaged in a previous battle.
Nicholas: Good, looks like this one's mostly undamaged. Now to find the source of the problem...
Lyria: Heheh, looks like you're having fun, Nicholas!
Nicholas: Hm? Oh, sorry about that. I was so absorbed I barely noticed you coming in!
Vyrn: Hey, Mecha-Nick, why do you like working on this robot stuff so much, anyway?
Nicholas: Wow, you're really putting me on the spot there. Let's see...
Nicholas: Well, it lets me help others with my know-how. That's a big part of it.
Nicholas: Being able to use machines to make boring grunt work easier for regular people, for example.
Nicholas: I guess I just like seeing people smiling because of something I did.
Lyria: That's wonderful!
Nicholas: Beyond that, I always put in the work no matter what I do. It's awesome to see how much it surprises and delights people.
Vyrn: Haha! Now that you mention it, I love some of the wild stuff you put together, Mecha-Nick!
Nicholas: Right? Why, just the other day—
Marie: You did what? Make another crazy contraption without telling me?
Nicholas: No uh, you just... misheard, I think...
Marie: Sigh... Whatever. I was about to ask Dad about it, anyway.
Nicholas: Haha, have fun! (Don't let her find out, Doc!)
Nicholas: Anyway, machines are cool for all sorts of reasons!
Vyrn: Got it! I'm not exactly an expert, but it sure seems like it'd be fun to mess with 'em sometime!
Nicholas: You bet it is! Just seeing an incredible machine and thinking about how to put it together myself really gets my motor running!
Lyria: An incredible machine? Oh, you must mean Robomi!
Nicholas: That's right. Of all the machines I've encountered, she was the most advanced and the most complicated.
Nicholas: Here, check this out. These are the notes I took during her disassembly.
Vyrn: Whoa, you must've used up a lot of ink jotting all that down!
Nicholas: It's all in here. Everything from the shape and color of the individual parts to the materials used to construct them.
Nicholas: To tell you the truth, I still don't have a good grasp of how she was put together.
Nicholas: We came close to replicating the original's functionality with the mass production models, but we couldn't completely recreate the design.
Vyrn: You're a genius! With notes that detailed, you'll be able to make a perfect copy eventually, right?
Nicholas: Possibly. Either way, there's some technology in the original that I absolutely don't want to replicate.
Lyria: Huh? Like what?
Nicholas: Robomi's control circuit.
Nicholas: That was an artificial recreation of Megumi's brain.
Vyrn: Yeah, that blew my mind when I first heard about it.
Nicholas: That kind of technology is what allows Robomi to transcend the limits of robots.
Nicholas: It'd probably relieve some of the stress on my body, too. But we can't just leave everything up to pure logic.
Nicholas' countenance darkens, his gaze drifting and unfocused. He changes the subject.
Nicholas: Say, what are you guys planning to do if another abomination-level threat appears?
Vyrn: What makes you ask?
Nicholas: We could probably handle things alone the way things are now, but what if the entire skydom came under attack?
Vyrn: Hm, good question. I'm not really sure.
Nicholas: Robomi was probably created to handle a crisis like that. To win a war machines and people couldn't handle alone.
Nicholas: Something tells me I was put here to make sure this generation wouldn't have to suffer through such a tragic conflict ever again.
- That's the reason you're fighting?
- Just don't get yourself blown up.
Choose: That's the reason you're fighting?Nicholas: It's more like... I want to see the fruits of my labor firsthand.
Vyrn: And that's why you decided to stick some robo-junk in your neck? Pretty impressive, if you ask me!
Nicholas: Well, I wasn't about to ask someone else to be my guinea pig.
Nicholas nervously places a finger or two on the back of his neck.
Vyrn: It's wild that just one of those plugs is enough to turn you into a super hero, though!
Nicholas: Oh? Interested in giving it a shot yourself, Vyrn?
Suddenly grabbing his scalpel, a look of madness falls across Nicholas' face.
Vyrn: Nah, it's cool! Seriously! Keep that thing away from my neck!
Nicholas: Don't tell me you're getting cold feet! The operation will only take a few minutes!
Vyrn: Eep! No, stop! Somebody save me!
Nicholas: Vyrn, it's okay, buddy! I was just joking!
Vyrn: Lemme guess, Mecha-Nick. You got your sense of humor from robots, too?
Nicholas: Haha, sorry...
Choose: Just don't get yourself blown up.Nicholas: Well, I'm not exactly trying to.
Vyrn: You sure do seem to be getting beat up all the time, though!
Nicholas: I mean, I'm not trying to get myself hurt, but going out there and fighting feels like my calling, strangely enough.
Nicholas: How do I put this? Using something I built myself to fight just feels right. It's the same feeling I get when I tinker with machines.
Lyria: Aren't you scared when you go out there?
Nicholas: Not particularly. In the heat of combat, it sometimes occurs to me that this might be the reason why I started working with machines to begin with.
Nicholas: Of course, I'd choose a peaceful solution over fighting for my life any day.
Continue 1Nicholas: That being said...
Lyria: What is it?
Nicholas: I've got my hands full working on the Robomi replicas and the suit. It's fun in its own way, but exhausting.
Vyrn: Really? You seem like you're having a blast with both of them!
Nicholas: Honestly, I don't want to just make tools of war. I want to create something that'd make people happy, too.
Lyria: Are you talking about the thing Marie got upset about earlier?
Nicholas: Yeah, I put it together the other day. Here, check it out.
Nicholas pulls back a mysterious sheet draped over a corner of the room to reveal a marvelous miniature airship.
For a moment, it seems as if it's about to begin flying. Instead, it suddenly transforms into a tiny machina soldier.
Vyrn: Whoa, did that thing just do what I think it did?
Nicholas: Bwahahaha! Pretty cool, huh?
Marie: Sigh... So that's what you and Dad have been up to?
Nicholas: Erk!
Marie: So? What's the secret behind this one?
Nicholas: Oh, er! I tried to use some of the design techniques we learned from Robomi in different ways!
Nicholas: It took some super precise engineering and a special custom lathe, but the end results speak for themselves!
Marie: Hee hee...
Nicholas: You're not angry, Marie?
Marie: Oh, Nicholas. When I see you working on this kind of thing, you look like some kind of overjoyed child.
Marie: I just can't find it in me to be angry when I see you like this.
Nicholas: Oh... okay...
Marie: Now then, care to tell me how much it cost to make that thing?
Nicholas: Sure. I don't think we broke the bank this time, but I'll let you be the judge of that.
Marie: Geez. Would it kill you to tell me the next time you work on one of these?
Nicholas: Haha... Roger that.
Nicholas fights to make people happy and keep them that way.
With the threat of abomination attacks still looming large, his battle is far from over. But whatever crisis awaits, he'll be there to meet it.
Trial and Errors
On an island threatened by abomination attack, Nicholas runs into a boy with serious school struggles. In an attempt to reinvigorate his interest in education, Nicholas brings him into the laboratory to do some gunpowder mixing.
The crew travels to an island of a suspected abomination attack and awaits orders to launch.
Vyrn: Hey, won't those abominations be showing up any minute now?
Nicholas: Yeah. We've picked up traces of their anti-repulsion fields.
Dr. Rashomon: Take every possible precaution. We have no idea when they'll appear.
Nicholas: Understood, Doctor!
While deploying the replica Robomis in town, the crew notices an unhappy-looking youth standing on a street corner.
Boy: ...
Nicholas: Hey, kid, what are you doing out here by yourself?
Boy: Um, er...
Nicholas: Is something troubling you? If it's okay, I'd be happy to chat with you. Did something happen?
Boy: Well...
After hesitating for a moment, the boy begins to open up.
Nicholas: I see. Nothing at school interests you, huh?
Boy: Yeah. Nothing I do seems to matter. Everything I try just ends up being pointless, it feels like...
Nicholas: Got it. Want me to teach you something that'll be useful in a real job, then?
Boy: Like what?
Nicholas: How about helping me out in the lab? It's nothing super hard or anything. I bet you'd do great.
Boy: Definitely!
Nicholas: Let's start with having you prepare the gunpowder used in our robots' weapons.
Vyrn: Hold on, are you sure it's okay to have a kid work with gunpowder?
Nicholas: This isn't like normal gunpowder. It's prepared specifically not to explode during battles with abominations.
Nicholas: All right, let's get started. Watch and learn!
Nicholas extracts a small amount of powder from a handful of medicine bottles.
Nicholas: We take powders from #1, #2, and #3 and mix them at a proportion of 6 to 4 to 1.
Nicholas: Be extra careful with #3. Use too much, and—
Vyrn: Whoa, are you okay, Mecha-Nick?
Nicholas: Cough... As you can see, it'll explode if you're not careful.
Lyria: Your face is covered in soot!
Boy: Hahaha! What a goof!
Nicholas: That's what happens if you mess up. Make sure you get the ratio right.
Nicholas: Wanna give it a shot? Mix them together, and we'll check how you did with a test firing!
Boy: Okay, got it!
The crew watches over the boy as he carefully measures out the powder with a scale.
Vyrn: This is making me nervous...
Nicholas: No worries. You'd have to use a lot of powder from #3 to get an explosion.
Vyrn: Wait, does that mean you messed up on purpose when you mixed the gunpowder earlier?
Nicholas: Right. Had to make sure he understood the potential dangers involved.
Vyrn: Hoo boy... You're really pulling for this kid, huh?
Nicholas: I've got my reasons.
Nicholas: Besides, he's had the luxury of going to school, so I might as well make sure he puts what he's learned to use.
Nicholas watches kindly over the boy as he painstakingly measures the gunpowder.
Nicholas: Sometimes inspiration comes from trying to accurately calculate a measurement, or thinking over why something failed.
Nicholas: Eureka moments can happen when you least expect it. I want him to realize that.
Boy: Finished!
Nicholas: Attaboy! Fast, too! Ready to test it out?
Nicholas: We'll be analyzing the gunpowder's efficacy while I test some new suit cushioning materials. Careful, everyone!
Trial and Errors: Scene 2
Nicholas dons the Gigante Suit to test the gunpowder, but the suit cushioning material needs work. With abominations about to attack, Nicholas's apprentice suggests pouring a slime into the suit to cushion him from blows.
Nicholas: All that hard work in the mixing room paid off! This gunpowder packs some serious punch!
Boy: Heheh...
Nicholas: This griffin down I used for cushioning, though, isn't the best.
Vyrn: Oh yeah? What's wrong with it?
Nicholas: It clumped up in a few places. Made it hard to move.
Nicholas: Cleanup's going to be a pain, too.
Vyrn: Whoa, you're right. It's jammed up all over the place. That's one heck of a mess!
Nicholas: Messing with machines means dealing with failure. What matters is letting your failures shape your successes.
Nicholas: Whew... That took a while to clean up.
Vyrn: Geez, what were you planning to do if abominations decided to attack?
Nicholas: Erk... I'll just cross that bridge when I get there!
Nicholas: !
Vyrn: Speak of the devils!
Nicholas: This isn't good. It's been a while since I've had to launch without cushioning.
Lyria: What's wrong with the material you've used in the past?
Nicholas: I'm fresh out. Placed an order for more, but I'm still waiting for it to arrive.
Boy: I think I have an idea for a replacement!
Nicholas: Oh yeah? Mind showing me? Maybe it's something I've never tried before.
Boy: Sure! I'll be right back!
The boy runs out of the room and returns shortly thereafter.
Boy: Heheh... What do you think?
Vyrn: That's not a cushion! That's a monster!
Boy: But slimes bounce back no matter how hard they get hit!
Boy: And they're all goopy and stuff, so I bet you can just pour one into the suit!
Nicholas: ...
Vyrn: You're not seriously considering it, are you?
Nicholas: I am!
Vyrn: Have you lost your mind, Mecha-Nick?
Nicholas: Slimes are, indeed, quite resistant to physical blows, making them a reasonable choice for shock absorption.
Nicholas: Heheh... Using a monster to protect myself from monsters? Never would have thought of that!
Nicholas: Color me intrigued. No, more than intrigued. Color me ready to test it out right here, right now!
Vyrn: Are you sure this is the best time to be running experiments?
Despite Vyrn's objections, Nicholas eagerly pours the slime into his suit.
Nicholas: Suiting up!
Nicholas: Hngh!
Vyrn: Hey uh, you okay?
Nicholas: Oh, man. This is super gross...
Abomination: Yeewoaar!
Vyrn: The abominations are already here?
Nicholas: Okay, let's get this party started!
Vyrn: You're gonna fight while your suit's filled with goop?
Nicholas: Lifting off!
Trial and Errors: Scene 3
Slime turns out to be the perfect in-suit shock absorber... ignoring some unexpected side effects to Nicholas' body hair. The crew is surprised by his willingness to look after the young understudy, and Nicholas explains that it's likely thanks to Robomi's influence.
Nicholas: Well I'll be. I thought this would be a disaster, but slimes might be exactly what I'm looking for!
Vyrn: Hold on, are you saying it's better than everything else you've used until now?
Nicholas: Yeah! It's a little unsettling at first, but everything else is practically perfect!
But when Nicholas removes the suit...
Nicholas: Whoa!
Vyrn: Are you okay, Mecha-Nick?
Nicholas: My body! It's melting!
Vyrn: The heck?
Nicholas: To be more specific, my body's fine, but my body hair's pretty much gone.
Vyrn: Wash it off, quick!
It appears the hairs on Nicholas' body have been dissolved completely by the slime's digestive juices.
Nicholas quickly rinses himself off, clearing away the acidic fluids in the process.
Nicholas: Whew, I thought I was a goner back there...
Boy: Sorry. It's all my fault for bringing the slime in here.
Nicholas: Oh no, don't worry about it. Like I said, experiments mean failure. And I learned a lot from this one, let me tell you.
Boy: You did?
Nicholas: I finally know the kind of consistency I want for suit cushioning. All I have to do is make a few adjustments, and we're good to go.
Nicholas: So like I said, don't worry about it! You did good, kid.
Boy: Heheh. Thanks, Mecha-Nick!
With the abominations exterminated, (Captain) and the crew bid Nicholas' young pupil farewell.
Vyrn: Wow, Mecha-Nick! I never figured you for the doting, responsible type!
Nicholas: Oh yeah?
Vyrn: Yeah! I mean, you never would've blown yourself up or doused yourself in slime juices if you hadn't brought the kid under your wing!
Nicholas: You might be right about that. But honestly, experiments are just fun.
Nicholas: I was never the studious type, but I learned quickly once I started experimenting in the lab.
Nicholas: Maybe he was the same. I couldn't tell if that kid was going to work out in the lab, but I figured he was worth a shot.
Vyrn: Now I get it! Still, kinda weird to see you looking after a kid when Marie calls you a kid herself!
Marie: Truly. What changed, Nicholas?
Nicholas: Hm...
Nicholas: Robomi's influence, maybe? Remember when she ignored my commands because a child was in danger?
Nicholas: Seeing her in action probably had an influence on me.
Nicholas reflects on the days he spent with Robomi.
Even more than lost technologies, the precious lessons that he's learned from her remain forever in his heart.