Steam flows out from the faceplate on Aries's new form.
James
(Aries: [Taleh]?!)
(His Manifesto changed!)
(It wasn't like this when I fought him…)
(So what happened?!)
(How did his Manifesto get like this!?)
Chuck
Oh?
Do you really think just cause you got some fancy can around your body you'll be safe?
Well, why don't I show you just how wrong you are!
Chuck lunges for Taylor
Fornax emerges once more
James
Taylor!
Get outta there!
He's planning something!
Taylor
That's what I'm betting on!
Fornax gets blocked by Aries and is sent flying back
Chuck
AUGH!
Coughs
Chuck
(W-what was that?)
(I knew it hurt to attack him before, but this is on a whole new level…)
(What is that thing…)
James
Taylor, I don't know where you learned to use that, but I'm glad you did.
Taylor
I haven't used it too much…
After you beat me 'n' Deacon, I was mad that I couldn't protect the boss, so I decided to train my Manifesto to make myself stronger…
And the more and more hits I took, the more I started thinking of better ways to use Aries.
Normally, I'd just take hits and then let my partner fight them…
…but I wanted a way to fight for myself, and eventually, I found a way to do it:
That's what made my new Aries: [Taleh]
James
(A new power emerging from heavy injuries and training…)
(Now that I think about it, a similar thing happened with Lacerta when fighting Sinatra and his dogs…)
(...Lacerta's bullets changed to rotate faster than before.)
(Is this latent potential of Manifestos something that can be found in all Manifestos through proper discipline and training?)
(Or is this a phenomenon a select few Manifestos have access to?)
(If so, is it possible he's looking for a Manifesto user with that latent potential to make himself stronger?)
(Does that mean there's a way to detect that potential?)
Chuck charges in for another attack
He gets deflected again by Aries as Auriga begins to attack
Chuck
Uuuugh…
YOU BASTARDS!!!
HOW DARE YOU GET BETWEEN ME AND MY REVENGE!!!
I'VE BEEN THINKING OF THIS MOMENT FOR SO LONG!!!
AND YOU NOBODIES HAD TO COME OUTTA NOWHERE TO GANG UP ON ME!!!
IT'S NOT FAIR!!!
Will
Geez, this is kinda sad to watch…
Are they always like this James?
…
James?
Will looks over at James to see his clothes catching fire
Will
JAMES!!!
YOUR CLOTHES!!!
James
?
!!!
James rips off his coat
James
(W-what the hell?!)
(He tried lighting me on fire through my coat!)
(I guess that means I was right, if his target is between something, then he can set them on fire…)
(I got lucky it was just my jacket, but if this keeps up I might be fighting him buck naked!)
(Ideally we could deal with him before it gets to that point…)
(I wonder, what's this new Aries capable of?)
(I remember when I fought it,it couldn't even connect a single punch with me…)
(…but looking at it now, it's slow but it's at least able to actually fight!)
Chuck dodges another of Aries's punches
Chuck
(Predictable!)
(Predictable!)
(I can see all of these attacks coming from a mile away!)
(He's too slow if he plans on hitting me—)
Chuck gets hit by some bullets from Lacerta
Chuck
Agh!
(Fuck! I wasn't paying attention!)
?!
Auriga starts attacking Chuck as he tries to block with Fornax
James
(If we can over power him with force, then we can win…)
(It'll all work out as long as we don't give him a minute to rest!)
James fires off more bullets and begins to run
James
(Don't keep a static position!)
(Just keep moving!)
(I don't know if there's a way to prevent his attacks, or what kinda effect this might trigger, but if I can avoid getting hit by one of those punches…)
James gets out of the way of Taylor
James
(…I will!)
James starts firing again on Chuck
Will
He's not attacking as much!
I think we're winning!
James
Don't celebrate too soon…
We don't know what he has waiting for us…
(I don't think the man who avoided being arrested for the last year, and years before that would go down like that…)
(It seems all too easy…)
Will! Taylor!
Stay back for a second!
Taylor
Eh?
But why?
Can't you see we got him beat?
Will
Yeah, why don't we just finish him off?
James
Call it a gut instinct…
I don't trust how easy this is…
Will
Easy?!
He lit you on fire!
James
I know, but look at him…
I don't think a man hell bent on revenge would just give in like this…
Will
Why don't you just destroy his Manifesto?
James
Its armour is too thick…
(Then again, Lacerta's bullets have more punch to them now with the new rotation of them. I guess it's worth a try to pierce the armour.)
On second thought, you're right.
Let's just destroy the Manifesto and clean our hands of it all.
Taylor, come with me.
Will, go back and check on Ricky and the others in there, yell if anything happened…
I don't think he's with anyone, but we can't be sure.
Will
S-sure!
Will turns and makes his way towards the bank
Taylor
Never imagined you'd have a partner
James
?
Taylor
When you came to the hideout, you didn't strike me as the kind of person who got along well with others.
And looking at you now, I'm not sure how much that's changed…
…but you seem a little less lonely than you did before
James
Really?
…
James takes a deep breath in
James
Let's talk more later.
I'll buy you lunch or something
Taylor
…
Heh, you're right, a fight really isn't the place for a conversation…
But you and Deacon are both talkers.
James
You think so?
Taylor
Hahahaha!
Of course!
Remember how after you beat us you did a whole speech?!
You're definitely a talker!
At least I can understand what you're saying, I was always lost when Deacon would talk with me…
…I should go visit him after this…
James
?
Haven't you visited him?
Taylor
Ha, no, I couldn't bring myself to face him after our loss, I failed to protect him and he got hurt cause of my weakness…
I needed to make myself stronger before I could see him again.
James
I'm sure that nut would be happy to see you again
Taylor
Hahahahaha!
You're right!
I'm getting excited!
Let's get this over with so I can go meet him!
Huh?
Uhhh, James?
James
Yeah?
What is it?
Taylor
Where did he go?
James
What do you mean?
He's sitting right–
!?!
James looks around to see Chuck isn't where he left him before
James
DAMN IT!!!
Lacerta emerges
James
Taylor!
Be on guard!
We don't know where he went!
Assume that he's still nearby!
Taylor gets ready to fight again
Taylor
What's the plan?
James
Let's get back to the bank to make sure everyone in there's safe!
James turns around, only to see Will being held hostage by Chuck with a knife
Chuck
I wouldn't be so fast, Spectre…
One wrong step and your partner says goodbye to his throat!
James
Chuck…
Never thought you'd do something so cowardly like taking hostages…
Chuck
Can you blame a guy?
It's your fault for having a conversation in the middle of our fight!
That guy's right, you are a talker!
James
Taylor, get ready…
On my signal, you get in close and I attack from here…
Ready…
…
Hey, Taylor…
I said ready–
!!!
James turns to see Taylor's face turned to ashes
James
TAYLOR!!!!!!