Efa had just left the shelter where Arata was staying and was walking alone through the dusty streets.
Efa:
"How am I supposed to find the rest of my team…?
Tell me, Rin, you told me to go to Dream City. But why here, exactly?
There were so many other possible destinations."
Rin, curled up inside Efa's hood, answered in a drawn-out voice:
"Weeeell… to tell you the truth, somewhere in the Dream Desert, there exists a censoooor…"
Efa stopped dead in her tracks.
Efa:
"You mean… a controller."
Rin:
"Exaaaactly.
In our case, a population controller.
He's in charge of counting the inhabitants of the archipelago."
Efa's body suddenly began to tremble.
Efa:
"What's happening to me… I feel so weak…"
Rin:
"Efa? Are you all right…?"
She stumbled.
Efa:
"What were we talking about… again…?"
Rin watched her face anxiously.
"Dilated pupils…"
He tried to roll as fast as he could toward Harvey.
But two men suddenly appeared and grabbed Efa violently.
???:
"Hey, Ren, look what's lying here. A pretty young lady."
Ren:
"You're right, Maru. She looks exhausted.
I'd bet she hasn't slept in a long time."
Ren grabbed her roughly by the hair.
Maru:
"She's young…"
Ren:
"That doesn't change anything at all."
Maru:
"Put her on the mount."
Rin desperately tried to stop them.
"Stoooop!!"
Ren kicked him away violently. The small machine rolled across the ground.
Maru:
"Scram, scrap heap."
They walked off with Efa.
Maru:
"She's really beautiful…"
Suddenly, a shadow appeared.
A brutal impact smashed something against Maru's head.
Maru:
"Haaaah!!"
Ren:
"What's going o—?!"
He didn't have time to understand.
A lightning-fast punch sent him flying.
Efa collapsed onto the ground, completely disoriented.
The silhouette then sprinkled the two men with shimmering sand.
They instantly fell asleep.
Rin, coming back to his senses, rushed toward Efa.
When the light finally illuminated the figure, he recognized him.
Rin:
"A… Arata?!"
Arata:
"I promise you… we will live."
He placed a pinch of sand on Efa.
She finally drifted into sleep.
Arata:
"Rin."
Rin:
"Yes?"
Arata:
"Where were you and her planning to go?"
Rin:
"We were planning to go to the censoooor…"
Arata lifted Efa, grabbed Rin, and placed them on the two men's camel.
He climbed on as well.
Arata:
"Show me the way."
Rin:
"Then head toward the city exit."
The beast took off at full speed.
Arata was confused at first, but quickly adapted.
Arata:
"It's not that hard… riding a camel."
The camel suddenly slowed down in front of the restaurant where Harvey worked.
Arata set Efa down at the entrance, then immediately left again.
Arata:
"She'll be safer with Harvey."
He looked at Rin.
"What's your name, little machine?"
Rin:
"My name is… model— no. Rin."
Arata:
"Very well."
In the cool desert night, the camel's footsteps seemed to set the rhythm of the world.
They moved on, crossing dune after dune.
The night was beautiful, almost unreal.
Then suddenly, a gigantic storm rose.
A monstrous roar tore through the air.
Rin froze.
Arata:
"A gargantuan creature… at the center of the cyclone."
He narrowed his eyes.
Arata (shocked):
"…Is that a heron?"
The creature charged.
The deafening noise returned.
Rin:
"NO!
That's a titanic Nile Shoebill!!"