1:00 AM — Ascension Gala, Cargo Hold — Shirley's POV
The deeper they walked… The quieter it became.
Not because there were fewer prisoners, it was because there were fewer voices.
The rows of cages stretched endlessly beneath the harsh factory lights, disappearing into the distance like aisles in an enormous warehouse. Every few steps another pair of eyes followed them.
Some hopeful, some completely exhausted, some too empty to care.
Shirley swallowed, "…I hate this place."
Nobody disagreed.
Michonne remained several paces ahead, her eyes constantly moving. Looking for a doorway, for a vent, for anything that leads to a way out.
She wasn't searching for prisoners anymore, she was searching for mistakes.
EBS hugged her arms against the cold, "How can something this big exist inside a plane?"
"It shouldn't," Michonne answered.
"Yet it does," EBS said.
Silence settled again.
Then… a metallic scraping echoed somewhere ahead.
Everyone stopped. Shirley's hand immediately found the handle of his cleaver, "…Did you hear that?"
Michonne nodded once, "I did."
EBS lowered her voice, "…Guard?"
Michonne slowly shook her head, "No," She listened carefully, "Too slow."
Another scrape, metal against metal.
Then, the sound of something heavy had been dropped onto the floor.
Shirley frowned, "…Should we check it out?"
Michonne looked toward the sound, "…That's why we're here."
She stepped forward first. Shirley and EBS followed close behind.
The farther they walked, the stranger the cargo hold became.
The cages began changing.
Some were completely empty, others contained restraints… But no prisoners.
Some still had fresh chains hanging open. As if someone had been inside only moments ago.
EBS slowed, "…These weren't empty before…"
Michonne crouched beside one of the cages. She ran two fingers across the steel floor.
Then held them beneath the light. Almost no speck of dust
"…Someone cleaned this."
Shirley blinked, "Cleaned it?"
Michonne nodded, "This operation is more than organized."
She looked toward the endless darkness ahead.
"…It's maintained."
For some reason…
That frightened Shirley more than the prisoners had.
The trio continued deeper into the cargo hold.
Rows of cages stretched endlessly beneath the harsh factory lights. They eventually passed the long table where weapons and personal belongings had been dumped.
Shirley immediately recognized it. It was where he found his cleavers, also where Michonne found her katana.
But EBS suddenly stopped.
Without saying a word, she hurried toward the table and began digging through the piles.
Clothes, weapons, jewelry, phones.
She tossed everything aside.
Shirley and Michonne exchanged a confused glance before looking back at her.
"What are you doing?" Michonne asked.
"My phone," EBS answered without looking up. "I need my phone."
Shirley's brow furrowed. Nearby prisoners overheard her immediately.
"My watch! It's silver!"
"Please, my wedding ring!"
"My knife's over there!"
"Pink hair! Grab my bag!"
"Please!"
The voices multiplied within seconds. Michonne sighed through her nose.
"…See?"
She looked at EBS.
"This is exactly why we don't have time for this."
She stepped forward and grabbed EBS's forearm, "Come on."
EBS immediately pulled away, "No."
"I said come on."
"I need it."
Michonne clicked her tongue before letting go, "…Unbelievable."
She turned toward Shirley, "I'm done arguing. We're wasting time."
She started walking.
Shirley didn't move.
He watched EBS continue throwing belongings across the table, barely paying attention to the growing chorus around her.
"…EBS."
No response.
"…You promised you'd help us."
Still nothing.
"My phone is more important right now," she muttered, breathing heavily as she searched.
Then, "There!"
She pulled a phone from beneath a pile of jackets. A dark pink case.
Her eyes lit up. She hugged it tightly against her chest before laughing in relief, "I found it…"
The surrounding prisoners only became louder.
"My wallet!"
"My glasses!"
"Please!"
Shirley stared at her, then at the prisoners, then back at her.
Something inside him finally snapped.
He walked over, "EBS."
She smiled without looking up, "What?"
He held out his hand, "…Give me the phone."
She blinked, "What?"
"Give it to me."
Her smile disappeared, "…No."
Shirley didn't ask again.
He stepped forward and pulled it from her hands.
"E-hey!"
She reached for it, but Shirley had already stepped back.
He looked down at the phone for only a second.
Then removed the pink case. The phone hit the steel floor.
EBS froze, "…Shirley?"
He raised one foot, then brought it down. The screen shattered beneath his shoe.
Again.
And again.
Until nothing remained but broken glass and twisted metal.
Silence.
Even the nearby prisoners stopped shouting.
EBS simply stared. Her lips trembled, "…Why?"
Shirley didn't raise his voice.
"You were willing to leave thousands of people waiting…"
"…for a phone."
His eyes met hers, "I trusted you."
He turned away.
"…Come on, Michonne."
Without another word, he walked deeper into the cargo hold.
Michonne looked once at the broken phone.
Then at EBS.
For the first time… She silently agreed with Shirley.
And followed after him.
1:13 AM — Ascension Gala, First Floor: Entertainment District
D1 staggered against the bar, barely keeping herself upright.
Her black hair had come undone, hanging in tangled strands across her face. Sweat dripped from her chin as another wave of dizziness struck.
She struggled to focus on the two Smileys standing before her.
"Y-you…"
She swallowed hard.
"…Cargo hold…"
A hiccup interrupted her.
"…New chains…"
Her words slurred together.
"Go…"
The Smileys exchanged a brief glance before nodding.
D1 weakly lifted both hands, placing one on each of their shoulders.
A dull gray ring silently spread beneath their feet.
Within seconds…
The two Smileys vanished.
The ring closed behind them as though it had never existed.
D1 leaned heavily against the counter. Her vision blurred. Dark spots crept into the corners of her eyes.
Then, footsteps echoed down the staircase.
August descended slowly, hands folded behind his back.
His once-pristine suit was torn in several places. Thin scratches crossed his cheek, collar, and sleeves.
He glanced down at himself with mild disappointment.
"…No spare suit."
He sighed, "What poor management."
Two Smileys followed behind him.
One carried Tucker over his shoulder. The other supported Diamond.
Blood continued dripping from the wound in her abdomen.
She remained conscious.
Barely.
One hand pressed desperately against the injury as each breath became more difficult than the last.
August surveyed the nearly empty Entertainment District before his eyes settled on D1.
"…You look dreadful."
D1 said nothing, she couldn't.
Her breathing remained uneven as she looked away.
August stepped closer, "Perhaps this will improve your mood."
The Smiley gently lowered Diamond onto the floor before her.
D1's eyes widened, "…Diamond…"
Her voice cracked. She instinctively reached forward.
August spoke before she could, "She fought well."
He looked down at Diamond almost thoughtfully.
"I'd kill her…"
"…but executing the commander of a Playing Card fleet would be unnecessarily troublesome."
He gave a faint smile.
"So… I'll settle for removing her from the board."
He nodded once, "Take her."
Another Smiley lifted Diamond into their arms and turned toward the hallway leading to the infirmary.
D1 reached out instinctively.
"Wait—"
She tried to stand. Her legs immediately buckled beneath her.
She collapsed back onto the floor.
August looked down at her without the slightest hint of sympathy.
"Don't forget why you're still alive."
Silence.
"As long as your Absolute Presence remains useful…"
"…you remain useful."
He leaned down just enough for his shadow to fall over her.
"The moment that changes…"
"…so will your value."
D1 lowered her head.
"…Yes…"
Her voice was barely audible.
August turned and walked away without another glance.
Behind the strands of hair covering her face…
D1's hand slowly clenched into a fist.
From anger.
"Patience D1, Patience. Only 1 hour and 45 minutes remain." August said.
1:15 AM — Ascension Gala, Cargo Hold — Shirley's POV
"I can't believe she did that."
Shirley's voice echoed through the cargo hold.
"I mean… after everything that's happened… she still chose her phone."
Michonne walked beside him, her hand resting on the hilt of her katana, "You did the right thing."
Shirley sighed, "It doesn't feel like it. It rarely does."
For a while, only their footsteps filled the silence.
Then Shirley spoke again, "You know what I don't get?"
Michonne glanced toward him,"What?"
"People."
He scratched the back of his head, "Since I was little… everyone's just been staring at screens."
"They'll sit next to someone for hours and never say a word. They'll ignore the people right infront of them. I've always called the people who aren't like that geniuses."
Michonne raised an eyebrow.
"Geniuses? Why?"
Shirley nodded.
"Because they actually live. They go outside, they'll talk, they laugh with people instead of a screen."
He looked down at one of his cleavers, "I used to think I was the only one."
A small smile crossed his face.
"Then I met Micheal."
"Madison, Doug…"
"Even Tucker became one when we first met Micheal."
"The more people I meet… the more I realize there are geniuses everywhere."
Michonne was quiet.
"But there's always someone…" Shirley continued.
"Someone who just disappears into a screen. It makes me wonder…"
He looked up, "…Is there a place where people don't live like that?"
"A place where everyone actually knows each other. Where people spend more time talking than scrolling."
"Where everyone's different… but everyone still belongs."
Michonne studied him for a few seconds.
"You think a place like that exists?"
"I want it to."
"And if it doesn't," Michonne asked.
Shirley didn't hesitate, "Then I'll make it."
Michonne let out the faintest breath through her nose, "You think you can change the world."
"I think people can. They just forgot how. And I want to remind them."
Michonne almost smiled. She looked away before answering.
"…Good. Look for that place Shirley, search for it."
It was barely louder than a whisper.
Then, her expression changed.
She stopped walking. Ahead of them, the occupied rows of cages came to an end.
Beyond them stood dozens of empty cells. Fresh restraints hung open from the walls.
And waiting just beyond them, two Smileys.
Standing perfectly still, watching and waiting.
Shirley's grip tightened around his cleavers.
Michonne rested her hand firmly on her katana.
The two exchanged a single glance.
A nod.
Then they charged.