A man shouldn’t complain, though. What choice do we have but to take our lot in life? You do the best you can with what you’ve got. A dear friend said that to me, once. And I’ve carried it with me ever since.

They say nothing, letting the old man talk. CRAZY DIAMOND’s hands appeared, reaching out and gripping the handle and turning it, slowly, quietly. The hinges creak, but so does everything else on the ship.

Youth is wasted on the young. That’s another thing I was told once, when I was young myself. It’s not like it’s your fault. You just don’t know any better.

The steel door creaks open, and the siblings duck inside as quiet as possible. Shizuka turns on the flashlight she brought and shines it across the engine room. The humming erupts in volume. Even in the low light, they can tell they’re in the engine room. The main engine towers over them, pipes and valves twisting out of it and crawling out of the walls like the head of Medusa. The human sound continues over the mechanical ones. They listen close, and track the voice from behind the giant machine.

You run around half-cocked, so reckless. So impatient. You think you can take on the world, because you haven’t been in it long enough to know just what it can do to you. What it can take from you. And when it does, there’s nothing you can do, except wait. Be patient.

Josuke scowls. He’s tired of hearing this old fart babble. He approaches the blind spot of the engine, the source of the talking. Josuke knows that’s where he must be. Shizuka is on the opposite side, flashlight off, counting down from three. Josuke does the same. On one, they will turn the corner and catch the old man from both sides. He keeps talking.

That’s one of the best. The best virtues that come with age. From losing important things, valuable things…

One. Josuke turns the corner, Stand at the ready. He spots his sister at the opposite side, flicking on her flashlight and covering the cramped space in light.

Sanjo isn’t there. They hear the steel door creak. Slam close. And lock.

Patience.

“Shit,” Josuke hisses. He runs back around, meets Shizuka, standing back to back with her. Peering into the darkness, searching for their enemy. Over the machine noises, he carries on his hot air.

This is what I’m talking about. You’re so arrogant, thinking things would be this easy. Honestly, you put on some flu masks, and think they’ll solve all your problems? I expected this much from the little princess, but you, Sergeant? Honestly…

“What do you want from me?” Shizuka demands the darkness, “what did I ever do to you?”

It’s nothing that you did, princess. It’s just… seeing your face has brought up some memories. Memories of… valuable things that I lost. And I’ve waited a very long time for a chance like this… For a chance like you, to show itself. But still, it’s painful memories you’ve dredged. So before I do what I need to do, I think I’ll hurt you a little. To make myself feel better, see?

“You’re sick.”

You’re telling me! It’s not your fault, sweet girl. It’s not your fault you were born from a monster!

Shizuka was taken aback from that last word. In her confusion, her attention is focused solely on what he just said. “A… a monster?…”

“Don’t listen to him, Shizuka,” Josuke says, “he’s trying to freak you out, make you slip up. He can’t touch us as long as we’re not breathing in his filth, and we don’t need to worry about that as long as we have these masks. We’re going to be just fine.”

There is no reply except for the din of the engine.

Sanjo appears out of the smoke and shadow. A swift, agile kick sends the flashlight spinning out of Shizuka’s hand. They hear it hit the ground hard, as the batteries rattle out. The light disappears, shrouded in the dark.

Josuke blinks from the sudden departure of the light, and moves towards the sound of scuffling. He hears a flick. The low glint of something metallic. A knife.

Josuke moves to intercept. Too slow. The blade flashes upward. He hears a soft yelp. Josuke sees the silhouette of his sister dodge backwards, as if she was just cut. Josuke has had enough.