Scenario:Mireille and Risette - And Then There Were Two

And Then There Were Two

Every day, Mireille and Risette are busy putting a stop to the homunculi they had brought into the world. Despite their efforts, however, the homunculi go on a rampage one day and the town is left with no survivors. The two eliminate the remaining homunculi and decide to leave on a journey to help others as a continuation of their atonement.

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Hollow Man: Gwaah... Give me more...

Hollow Woman: Please... More food...

Eerie moans fill the night air as dark figures roam the streets.

An incident sparked by two residents of this town is what started it all.

One of them is a frail, sickly girl by the name of Mireille, while the other is a homunculus created by her.

Because homunculi are born with only a small amount of genetic factors, they lack the natural means to survive for very long.

Thus they are compelled to seek nourishment via special medicine containing genetic factors...

Or by drinking blood from their creator's own body.

Failure to do so results in a state of hunger where the homunculus loses control.

The homunculus will go on a rampage, seeking anything that can serve as an alternative to their natural means of nourishment.

And so they begin hunting for bodily flesh.

Oblivious to such knowledge, Mireille created Risette, who would go on to devour countless people for sustenance.

To cover up what she was doing, Risette made lesser homunculi who look exactly like the townspeople she ate.

The homunculi population came to outnumber the mortal population. The surviving townspeople now live in perpetual fear of attacks from their neighbors.

Hollow Man: Flesh... Give me your flesh...

Hollow Woman: Let me eat you... Mm, you look tasty...

Risette: ...!

Mireille: Risette. Are these the last of the homunculi showing signs of hunger for today?

Risette: Yes, Mireille.

Mireille crouches by the homunculi remains and closes their wide-open eyes.

Mireille: I'm so sorry for making you suffer... Please rest in peace.

Mireille offers a prayer, then stands back up, taking in the stillness of the town.

Mireille: This is bad... The number of rampaging homunculi is growing by the day...

Risette: It's best that we speed things up. They're reaching a starvation state days earlier than we expected.

Risette: The last thing we want is for the homunculi to lose control in a crowded place like the town square.

Mireille: The losses would be catastrophic. We have to stop that from happening at all costs.

Mireille: We can't afford to let any more people die because of our carelessness.

The two mutter under their breaths as they scan the empty streets.

Man: ...?
You smell something funny coming from outside?

In a house situated in a remote part of town, a man opens a window and takes a sniff.

Woman: No, not really...

Man: Yeah? Strange, I'm sure I know this—

Man: Urgh!

Woman: Sweetie?

The husband suddenly falls from his chair as he buries his head in his hands. The wife runs over in a panic and helps him up.

Woman: My goodness, you look sickly pale! I need to get you a doctor!

Man: I'm...

Woman: Huh?

Man: Hungry... Need blood... Meat...

Man: Meat... Aaaah!

Woman: Eep!

Mireille: ...!
Risette!

Risette immediately rushes into the house and saves the woman.

Woman: Ah...

Risette: Are you hurt?

Woman: H-how did... What happened to him?

Mireille: That was a homunculus. It wasn't your real husband.

Mireille: Starving homunculi will attack people. There were similar incidents nearby, and the smell of blood alone can cause other homunculi to lose themselves.

Woman: That's not what I'm asking! I just want to know why my husband became one of them!

Risette: That's... because of us. I'm a homunculus created by Mireille long ago.

Risette: Without sustenance, my base instincts took over, and I... fed on your husband.

Risette: And to cover up what I'd done, I made a homunculus copy to take his place.

Woman: You! You killed him! Give me back my family!

The woman furiously lashes out at Risette, repeatedly slapping her. She then breaks down in a flood of tears, clinging to the remains of her loved one.

Mireille: My condolences... Though I realize that no matter how sorry I am, what I've done is unforgivable.

Woman: Get out! I don't want to hear your voices or see your faces ever again! Just go already!

Woman: Don't think I'm ever going to forgive and forget... The death of you won't be enough... Curses on your entire family line!

Mireille: ...

As the woman sputters in disgust and continues crying at the top of her lungs, Mireille lowers her gaze and stands up.

Risette follows Mireille out of the house, leaving the devastated woman behind.

Mireille: There should have been plenty of time before the homunculi in that house began to starve.

Risette: Yes. Quite a few days, in fact. However, there were very subtle signs of hunger, even if they didn't notice it themselves.

Mireille: To think that the scent of blood alone could have such an effect on homunculi that are far from hungry... We haven't even stopped half of them yet.

Risette: Should we start hunting down all homunculi regardless of how much time they have left?

Mireille: No, let's stay the course for now. Prioritizing the hungry ones is still the safest way to go.

Mireille: Not to mention I promised Cagliostro not to let any more people die...

Mireille: Hack... Cough!

Risette: Mireille! You're coughing blood again... We've already done plenty for today. And you could really use some rest.

Mireille: Right... Thankfully, we're making good progress. And you could probably use some rest yourself.

Risette: Oh, I'm fi—

Mireille: Your body is a mortal one, just like mine. I've been relying solely on you to handle all the homunculi...

Mireille: If you don't take care of yourself, you could end up sick. Just like me.

Mireille: I wouldn't be able to bear the sight of my precious family falling apart. So please, Risette, watch out for yourself.

Risette: Of course... As you wish, Mireille.

Keen on putting an end to the mess they started, the two have been spending night after night taking out homunculi.

However, the utter loathing and contempt they face from surviving family members is starting to take its toll on the pair, both physically and mentally.

Thus they decide it is time to finally take things easy for one night so their bodies can recuperate.

???: Aiiee! H-help!

Mireille: ...!
Those screams just now...

Risette: They're coming from multiple people... Oh no!

Awoken by frantic screams early in the morning, the two quickly set out to check on things.

Fearful Man: Stop it! Don't you recognize me? I... No... Gwaaah!

Mireille: ...!
This is horrible...

The nauseating stench of blood carried by the wind along with bone-chilling screams is enough to make Mireille turn pale.

Risette: Unhand him at once!

Mireille: Are you okay? We'll treat you right away.

Mireille rushes to the man's aid, but bites her lip upon realizing he is no longer breathing.

Mireille: We need to look for survivors! Let's go, Risette!

Mireille: (We were too easy on ourselves! An outbreak on this level definitely wasn't in our predictions!)

Mireille and Risette grow desperate as nightmarish screams come from every direction.

But no matter where they look, they are greeted by mangled corpses lying atop thick pools of blood.

???: S-stay away from me, you monster!

Mireille: That voice... It came from that way!

Risette: Mireille! Don't go alone!

Hollow Resident 1: Meat found... Looking tasty...

Mireille: Eek!

Mireille runs over to help, only to be assaulted by another homunculus.

Risette: ...!
I won't let you take another step toward Mirei—

Woman: It's them... They're the ones that caused all this!

Woman: Damn them! Eeeep!

Mireille: Risette, help her! I'll manage on my own!

Risette: But...

Holding up her book as a shield against the homunculus, Mireille gives the command.

After a moment's hesitation, Risette obeys the order.

Hollow Resident 1: Urgh... So hungry... Help...

Mireille: I'm sorry... but I can't afford to die here!

Along with those words, Mireille invokes a transmutation.

A stake appears out of thin air and pierces through the homunculus that is leaning over Mireille.

Hollow Resident 1: ...

Mireille: Huff... Huff...

Mireille: Cough, cough!

Mireille: Now for the other person... Please tell me you made it, Risette!

Forcing her trembling legs to move, Mireille races toward the direction that Risette went off to.

Mireille: Risette...

Risette: Mireille! Thank goodness you're okay!

Mireille: How's she doing?

Risette: I applied first aid, but she needs proper medical care soon. Otherwise...

Risette shifts her body slightly to reveal the bright red wound on the woman's neck.

Hollow Resident 2: The smell of blood... Aah...

Hollow Resident 3: Yes, blood... Flesh...

Risette: Rgh... There's so many of them!

Mireille: Let's finish this fast! I won't let her die!

A large number of homunculi have gathered, lured by the scent of the woman's blood.

Mireille: Eek!

Risette: Mireille!
Miss, what are you...

Risette loses balance as she props Mireille up and absorbs some of the impact, stopping the alchemist from a nasty fall when the woman forcefully shoves her.

Woman: You murdered my family. Why would I ever turn to you for help? I'd rather die!

Woman: And I sure as hell hope you do too! Haha.... Ahahahaha!

Mireille: What are you saying... Stop... Stooop!

The woman shakes off Mireille's grasp and plunges into the circle of homunculi, convulsive laughter overtaking her.

Risette: No!

Risette quickly gets back up to fight off the homunculi, but it is too late.

Past the piles of homunculi corpses is a sight so ghastly, Risette cannot help but turn away from it.

Mireille: Why... I was sure we could save her...

Risette: Her hate for us surpassed any concern for her own safety...

Mireille: ...

Mireille: Let's go, Risette. There might be other survivors.

Mireille: I know we couldn't save her, but that's no excuse to give up on anyone else.

Mireille: The more we... No, it will be worth it if we can save even one person.

Risette: Indeed...

The two offer a small prayer to the deceased before resuming their business.

Their purpose: to save someone—anyone. It is all that matters to them now.

They continue their search for hours on end, but to no avail.

Even as the sun begins to set, they fail to find a single living person.

Risette: Pant... Wheeze... That should be the last of them.

Mireille: Huff... Huff... Yes.

The two breathe a long sigh while counting the number of fallen homunculi, easing the tension of the situation.

After a pensive look at the fiery red sky, Mireille casts her gaze downward.

Mireille: There were no other survivors after all...

Risette: Yes... If only I had acted more swiftly.

Mireille: You're not alone, Risette. My predictions were too naive, and with only the two of us, there was only so much we could do.

Mireille: In the end, we couldn't save a single soul. I told myself I wouldn't let another person die on my watch, but now we're the only ones still alive in town.

Mireille: Kind of sad that we can't even keep a single promise...

Risette: ...

In this now perpetually quiet town, a thick silence falls between the two.

Mireille: We've terminated all the homunculi. But our work still isn't done.

Mireille: We should pay our respects to the dead. And that includes the homunculi.

Risette: Right.

Risette: Let's use a wagon, at least as far as the cemetery. The least we can do is not damage their bodies any further...

The two make multiple trips between the town and the cemetery to move all the bodies.

They work quietly without rest, the countless lives lost weighing heavily on their minds.

Finally, the first crack of morning light peeks out from behind a building.

Mireille: ...

Risette: Mireille. What do we do now?

Risette: There is no one left in town. How can I... How can we atone for our sins?

Risette's words hang heavily in the air, with no place to go. Eventually, quietly, Mireille begins to make her way through them as she confides her thoughts.

Mireille: I'm thinking we can go on a journey.

Risette: A journey, you say?

Mireille: Mm-hm. Think of all the lives we took and the lives we couldn't save.

Mireille: We can begin to atone by saving as many lives... No, by saving more than those we failed.

Mireille: We'll come to the aid of not just people in danger, but also those in trouble or distress...

Mireille: I want to help as many people as I can... Every small deed will be a step toward redemption.

Mireille: Even if it's just to satisfy my own conscience, I'd rather be proactive about it than living in the same old place, quietly praying for the well-being of others.

Risette: But, Mireille. You still have a dream...

Mireille: I can continue my research on creating a new body anywhere. And I don't know how well it will work, but I've been saving up medicine for something like this.

Mireille: I can't use my sickness as an excuse to not take action.

Mireille: Come with me, Risette. Together, we'll be able to make it anywhere.

Risette: Very well. If that is your decision, then I'll gladly accompany you.

After returning home from the cemetery and taking a brief reprieve, the two begin making preparations for departure.

The next day comes.

Risette: I guess this is goodbye to the town...

Mireille: Let's take one last good look at the scenery, so that we never forget the tragedy we gave birth to.

Standing at the town's entrance with the bare necessities needed for travel, they burn the view of the town into their memories.

Risette: The sins I've committed are unforgivable.

Risette: No matter how much I atone...

Risette: I'm so sorry... Truly...

Mireille: It's not all you, Risette. I'm just as guilty.

Mireille: I... We won't ever forget our sins... and the weight of all your lives...

Their confession lingers and fades into the air of the now resident-less town.

Mireille and Risette take deep, sincere bows before turning on their heels and setting out.

A never-ending path of repentance awaits the two, where they will spend the remainder of their lives saving as many troubled souls as they can.