I don't hear anything anymore.
We can't use our chokers down here.
Get topside and call for backup.
I'll check on Zanka.
Thank goodness.
Looks like he just finished.
Zanka, were you injured?
How'd you leave the Raiders?
White hair... darker at the ends.
Sour expression... circles under the eyes.
Who are you?
So it's you, is it?
The Sphereite Giver...
He's...
a Raider?!
He blocked the exit!
Damn it.
There are more of those thieves here...
He's a member of the Cleaners.
Going after him will make you an enemy of all of us!
I was late, okay?
I got a bad sense of defec—uh, direction.
I got all turned around, and by the time I got here the other guys were down.
Sorry. Didn't mean to give you so much time.
Hey. Where's Zanka?
There was another Cleaner the way you came from.
What's he—
There's someone who really wants to talk to you.
How's about you come with me, my little Sphereite friend?
You don't need that. No trash beasts here.
What did you do to the Cleaner with the staff?!
Oh, the guy with the bad attitude?
No worries.
I try to go gentle when an opponent is strong.
I just knocked him out. He's not dead.
Although...
I don't think he's enjoying my venom, exactly...
Just come along quietly. It won't hurt a bit.
What's the call?
You've got potential.
You, I don't need.
I'll protect my team at all costs!
No matter who I have to fight, I'll protect their...
their worth!
Oh, yeah.
I heard the Cleaners kept weaklings called "supporters" in their ranks.
What can a weakling protect?
Hey... Gris...
You can't fight him unarmed.
Just fall back, okay?
You don't need to protect me!
I can handle him myself.
Come on, out of the way!
Hey, Sphereite, man...
Promise that you won't get upset, but...
I think he's already dead.
But hey, don't worry.
Weaklings are completely worthless!
Episode 6
"One Good Strike!!"
Rudo?
Hey.
What the hell are you doing?!
Stop it, Rudo!
What in the world?
Why are you bashing your head into the wall?
You told me... not to hurt other people.
And you took that to mean you should hurt yourself?
Why in the world...
Rudo, I thought you'd settled down a bit since the pain in your hands dulled some.
You're avoiding people, too.
So what else is there? What led you to do this?
Nothing.
There's nothing else there.
Nothing at all... but...
The only thing I've had... all the time...
is this angry feeling.
If you ask me what I'm angry about, though,
I can't explain.
I see.
You think your parents threw you out,
and it's convinced you that you're worthless.
Must be such a miserable feeling that it turns into anger.
And you don't know how to work through that yet.
What does it mean to be... worthless?
Okay, once I've got you patched up, let's head outside.
One of the reasons you feel empty is probably because
you haven't found things you like and want to do.
Today, let's look around, experience all kinds of things,
and little by little, find the things that you like.
As we do that, little by little, this empty room of yours
will come to be full of things you like!
Just warn me when it's time to bring in a girl you like, okay?
That's a promise.
Well, you showed a little interest in a few things, at least...
but nothing hit the bull's-eye, huh?
Well, it's just day one. There's plenty more to try.
Regto. What's that?
Oh, looks like an upstanding citizen throwing out his trash.
Rudo?
Rudo! What's come over you?
What's that making you feel?
It's just a little bit broken...
You shouldn't throw it out!
It's got a lot of life left! This isn't right!
I want to fix it...
I want to fix it!
This is more than just projection.
I see. You can perceive the worth in things others throw away.
I see.
That's why he couldn't use his vital instrument then.
We got it all wrong, didn't we?
Rudo's power isn't to turn the objects he touches into vital instruments...
It's to bring out their full and uninhibited worth!
S...
Sweet!
Is that your vital instrument?
What can it do? What powers does it have?
I couldn't even start to guess!
Gris. Hang in there!
Gris. You're the reason I remembered.
My core... the thing I've always wanted to do...
If you hadn't brought that up, I'd probably still be lashing out blindly.
I wouldn't produce anything real.
But it's different now.
I'm gonna disprove everything you just said,
and affirm everything you just took a shit on!
And then I'm gonna kick your ass!
Rudo...
Wow, you sound pissed!
I like that!
Nothing I love more than hard fighters and strong Givers!
The name's Jabber.
Jabber Wonger.
I think I'd like to have a little fun before I take you back.
What's your name?
It's Rudo, shithead.
Okay...
Let's tear each other to pieces...
Rudo, my friend!
The bleeding won't stop!
Damn it. We need to get you help!
I'll be fine.
Gris!
Rudo.
The reason you couldn't use your instrument properly at our last job was because
you had a lot of emotions—desperation, anger—clouding your main purpose.
But I don't think we have to worry now.
Oh?
I thought you were down for a fight, but you're not coming at me.
You even want to do this?
If you want some, come get some. Shithead.
C'mon, I told you my name before!
Call me that!
One, two...
"Jabber, my friend"!
Aw, why'd you dodge?
That's no fun at all.
Let's have some back-and-forth!
Okay?
What's this all about?
My attacks can't hit you?
Gris said he prayed to this talisman of his
for everyone to make it back safely.
"Come back safely" means uninjured, right?
To remain uninjured, you want the best defense possible, right?
This is how I imagine that:
"Make sure the enemy's attacks can't hit."
Oh, I get it. It's a power that increases your ability to dodge.
Sounds handy.
But though my attacks might not be hitting you...
Your attacks can't hit me, either.
You haven't realized?
I've been evading your attacks all this time without moving a step.
I'm not the one who's been moving.
You are.
The hell you say...
Which means I know where you're going to end up.
I can't use this talisman to attack,
because it's Gris's prayer embodied.
So I'll use his preferred weapon, fists,
to punch your lights out!
You made me move?
You summon that big, scary thing, use its power to direct my movements,
then attack with your fists?
That's so roundabout!
You said you wanted to have some fun before you brought me in.
I'll play your game until you're in a heap on the floor, shithead.
Hey, can you stop ending every line with "shithead"?
I get it.
So the game's rigged against me, huh?
And you don't feel any guilt about a guy getting beat to hell?
Not when it's you.
So glad to hear it!
Hey, good eye there!
You...
piece of shit!
Had enough yet?
Why don't you just stay down?
Been a while since I took a beating that good...
And I bet you enjoyed dishing it out, too!
It's important that we both get a taste.
But I noticed a thing...
That vital instrument of yours...
It detects hostile intent directed at you, and moves the attack out of the way, right?
When I sent that rubble at you as a smokescreen, I noticed...
It's not triggered by things that don't have hostile intent—any will of their own.
So what?
My vital instrument, Mankira...
The right claws contain a powerful neurotoxin.
What's he doing?
Man, every time I do this, it's something else!
Man, that hurts! I can't think straight!
Okay!
Okay now, Rudo...
If I lose conscious control and just rail around mindlessly,
will your instrument perceive any "hostile intent"?
Can't wait... to find out.