Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Beyond Fate

Fate's Rescue

Day 7... Today marks the seventh day we've been in Colony Lambda...and also a whole week since Sora's been kidnapped. His disappearance affected all of us...Eunie, more than others. No one expected it, none of us did. He was there and then...he wasn't as all that was there was his Nopon phone, his weapon, jacket...and so much blood. The hole in the jacket tells us it was a knife that did it but the size of it differed from other knives. Colony Lambda is doing better, or at least trying to since no one knows how long it's been controlled. So many soldiers have went missing but not all, especially the Colony Commander, Isurd. He was kind enough to allow us to say while we looked for sora. I'm scared we won't find him and if we do, we'll find him hurt or worse...but I can't think like that. I can only hope he's ok in some way, waiting for us to save him... I promise, we'll save you, Sora.
                                                                                     -Mio

Mio closes her diary and leans back on her chair, letting out a stressed sigh as she processes everything that's happened. She's starts rubbing her temple's a bit before Noah enters the barrack.

Noah:" Hey, Mio. Good morning."
Mio:" Morning, Noah. Something wrong?"
Noah:" The others are almost back from their shift so I wanted to see if you were ready for our turn."
Mio:" Ah, right... I'm sorry, it totally slipped my mind."
Noah:" It's fine. You should get ready now in case they come back early."
Mio:" Right."

She gathers her things and heads out of the barracks with Noah, walking through Colony Lambda as they head to the Commander's room. There, they see Taion and Isurd looking over a map and conversing.

Taion:" Noah, Mio. Good morning."
Isurd:" Good morning to you both."
Noah:" Good morning."
Mio:" How goes the search?"
Taion:" Not well...we've expanded around the area and found no trace of Sora. No footprints, no residuals of Ether of any kind...nothing."
Noah:" Our friends aren't having much luck, either. Valdi, Zeon, Teach and Gray haven't found Sora or any trace of him near their area's."
Taion:" A shame...but I won't give up just from this. I want to expand our search radius even further, have the soldiers here help but..."
Isurd:" Unfortunately, at this current moment, all the soldiers are currently apprehensive about Squire's in general...and they have every right to be."
Mio:" But Sora's not like that! He fought hard with us to help liberate the colony!"
Isurd:" I know, I believe you, all of you, when you say that. But all previous Squire encounters have left them under the impression that all Squire's are our enemies."
Taion:" Even so, we'll still search for him. That's what he would do when any one of us went missing."
Noah:" He's right. He's our fool, after all."

Isurd looks over at Taion and notices the look of newfound determination in his eyes. He stares for a bit before letting out a small laugh, which catches Taion off-guard.

Taion:" Is something funny, Commander?"
Isurd:" You really have changed during our time apart, Taion."
Taion:" Nothing so drastic of a change, I assure you."
Mio:" Sure, keep telling yourself that, Taion."
Taion:" Huh?"
Noah:" Isurd noticed it, we've noticed it, the group's noticed it. You've been changing, Taion."
Taion:" Wha?!- I assure you, I've done no such thing!"
Mio:" No need to be so defensive about it. It's a good thing. Really, it is."
Noah:" Lately, you've been on the more positive side of things, trying to lift our spirits during this...time. Like Sora would."
Isurd:" Heh..."

Isurd lets out another chuckle as he watches the three interact as Noah and Mio have smiles in their faces as Taion's is red with embarrassment. He thinks back to when he met them seven days ago right after he woke up.