[Ailysa]

Ailysa listened to BSN and Nathan's words. She felt uneasy at seeing BSN sound so pessimistic, but there was truth in her words. The odds were dispiritingly against them, but her assertion that they had a common enemy was false. How could she explain to them that the angels – the ones that were so often seen in the light of being pure and sanctimonious, were after her? That fighting against the demons would mean fighting alongside the angels, which would result in her downfall?

“It’s Anjio,” BSN said. “Ailysa, I don't think you should be fighting yet. Nathan, Sara, everyone, if you want to help, then please. I don't think we alone will be capable of stopping him if he decided to enter the camp.”

Ailysa nodded, rising from the log she was sitting on and watched as Nathan, BSN and Wixern sped off in the direction of the supposed demon. She thought for a second; who was Anjio? She disregarded the thought, knowing that he was one of many demons, but it was what BSN had said before that really struck her:

“A real fight is winning, standing back to back with the one you trust, against unsurmountable odds. At least... that's what I've always believed.”

But as she watched as everything happened around her with the pain of tire, Ailysa’s pang of loneliness swelled deep inside her with an unrelenting torture. She cold not fight alongside her own friends and assist to hinder their foe. She was a survivor; one of those that she had so fervently tried to defend. Was she so weak; even so weak to stop thinking about him? He had given her reason to go to the Machine Capital, even when told that they would all be martyrs. Her courage to stand up against Controls and send him to the depths of the world was sparked by his presence beside her. Ailysa could move on from her separation from Controls; time heals. But the Pistol Ninja’s disappearance had left a hole of confidence and reassurance in her. Why couldn’t she let go?!

She had to concentrate on the ones she still had with her. There was still one friend; one special little feline that depended on her and she couldn’t imagine for anything to happen to him. Right now there was a demon on the loose and she had to be strong… despite how hard it is.

“Bub!” she called, then furrowed her brow. “Bub?”

She paused briefly for a second, thinking back to when he was last with her. But… that was when…

“Bub!” she yelled, panic rising sharply. “BUB! Where are you?!!”