A pair of large clouds drifted across the night sky, covering the moon's silver light.
Pebbles skirted across the barren wasteland following the direction of the passing wind.
The office was—
Dim.
Only lit by a single lamp on his desk.
Arthur's chair faced the window as he watched the moon slowly become uncovered.
It's light—
Rested.
Upon his serious expression.
The time…
The aroma of black coffee filled the room around him, wafting from the single mug on his desk's surface.
His eyes—
Focused.
On the far horizon.
…will soon arrive.
A steady—
Knock.
Sounded from outside his metal door.
His posture—
Relaxed.
"Enter."
…
A steady flow of running water sounded from the courtyard before them, covering the silence they were walking in.
The empty area surrounded them as she paused at the fountain, looking at her reflection.
Art's fist—
Tightened.
Watching the water subtly
"Can we even trust him?"
Jean's movement paused a few steps past Art as she turned to look at her.
"That's something we are going to find out."
Jean watched Art's expression tighten as she continued to stare into the water.
She softly exhaled as she walked over to her, placing her hand on her shoulder.
"Are you ready?"
Art's breathing stabilized as she began to calm herself.
"Yes…"
She lifted her head as she turned towards the hallway leading to Arthur's office.
"...let's get our answers."
Jean nodded, beginning to follow behind her.
"Right."
The fountain—
Rippled.
Removing her reflection from its surface.
A mechanical humming buzzed in the long hallway, as fluorescent lights flickered from overhead.
Their steps tapped on the marble floor as they approached the office.
The pathway—
Extended.
Feeling as if they had been walking forever.
Art's hands subtly twitched.
Is Arthur…
Her eyebrows furrowed as she paused before his door.
…really going to answer?
Art raised her fist, resting the fingers on her chest briefly before knocking with her knuckles.
A voice—
Spoke.
From beyond the door.
"Enter."
Art glanced back at Jean as her hand rested on the knob.
Jean nodded to her as Art returned the gesture.
The door—
Opened.
Creaking into the stagnant office.
Jean stepped through behind Art.
"Excuse us."
The two walked towards his desk, stopping in front as Arthur's chair turned to face them.
His expression—
Tightened.
As he looked at them.
Jean cleared her throat, covering her mouth with a fist.
"The lab infiltration was successful."
Arthur placed his hands together as he leaned forward.
"Good work…"
He glanced at Art, noticing her head being lowered.
"...what were your findings?"
The lamp's orange light rested on the dark surface of the black coffee.
Jean looked over to Art watching her fist slowly clench.
Art's head—
Lifted.
"Why would you not tell us…"
Her gaze focused on Arthur's calm eyes.
"...that you were once a watchman."
Arthur reached for his mug.
"If I had told you sooner…would you still have trusted me?"
Art's hand slowly unclenched.
"That's…"
Jean rested her hand on Art's back.
"We still deserve a proper explanation."
Arthur lifted the mug, taking a sip of his drink before placing back down.
"Hmm…I was watchman Ⅰ, meaning I was the closest in connection to the Maker's endpoint."
Art's finger rested on her chin.
"If you were so close…how did you break free?"
Arthur's expression softened.
"I was lucky to receive outside help."
Jean opened her hand towards him.
"Do you mind if I document this conversation?"
Arthur waved his hand.
"Be my guest."
Jean reached for a small notepad from her thigh pocket as Art picked up a pen, handing it to her.
"Thanks."
Art nodded.
"No problem…"
She shifted her gaze back to Arthur.
"...now then, what were those experiments you were assigned to?"
Arthur's voice lowered as he slowly looked to the desk's surface.
"Those experiments…those endpoints…were something that should have never been reached for."
Jean's pen scribbled across the paper.
"When you say endpoint, what do you mean?"
Arthur leaned back into his chair.
"Even I don't fully understand them."
Jean's pen stopped.
"I see."
Art's eyes—
Twitched.
Watching the regret form across Arthur's face.
"Then why didn't you stop them?"
Arthur's fingers—
Twitched.
"I couldn't…"
A faint—
Smile.
Surfaced from his lips.
"...Which is why…"
His eyes—
Lifted.
Slowly looking at Jean and Art.
"...I started all this in the first place."
Art's ears—
Twitched.
As her eyes slowly widened.
He's…
Her gaze—
Focused.
On Arthur's soft expression.
…sincere.
Jean's shoulders relaxed as she rested her palm on her chest.
"I chose to follow you after you saved me…"
Her head turned towards Art.
"...isn't that right?"
Art softly smiled.
"Yeah…That's right."
Arthur rested his elbows on the armrests of his chair as he placed his hands together.
"I'll answer any further questions you may have."
Art began to look towards the ceiling, watching the metal vent above.
Jean raised her hand.
"Was there another watchman available to take your place, once you broke free?"
Arthur's voice—
Quiet.
"The watchmen…"
His eyes—
Closed.
For a brief moment as his breathing continued steady.
"...are his precise sculptures."
Jean's pen began to scratch across the paper.
"What do you mean?"
Arthur glanced at his mug.
"They are very hard to come by."
Jean touched the end of the pen to her lips.
"Then the answer to my question was a no."
Arthur's fingers curled around the handle.
"My replacement…was decided long before I even broke free."
The pen resumed its normal pace as Art exhaled, lowering her chin to a level plane.
"What are the chances of us completing our true objective of liberation?"
Black coffee ran down Arthur's throat as he lowered the mug from his lips.
"With two sculptures destroyed…almost certainly."
Only if…
The surface—
Rippled.
As Arthur looked into it.
…she doesn't interfere.
Art's eyes—
Narrowed.
As she placed her palms on the desk.
She leaned forward over its surface.
"You know something about Kane…don't you?"
Arthur's mug softly tapped the desk surface.
"Yes…Though, it's only through a flickering remembrance."
The coffee sat—
Still.
As his gaze shifted towards it.
His face—
Softened.
Warm.
A distant memory surfaced in his mind.
The leaves of a grand oak tree shifted in an exact rhythm with one another.
His hand rested on the hilt of a black sword.
A young woman smiled holding a bundle of bandages in her arms.
Her finger—
Reached.
As a tiny hand reached back.
Soft words echoed through his mind.
Please…
A sweet smell of roses surrounded the warmth of the memory.
…Watch over him.
Art's posture—
Straightened.
Slowly as she noticed Arthur's behavior.
There's something…more to this.
The office—
Silent.
As neither spoke a single word.
The scratching of a pen filled the space instead.
Jean exhaled.
"Art, what exactly were you looking for when asking that question?"
Art shrugged.
"Kane seemed weird lately so I just thought I'd ask."
Arthur's face—
Tightened.
"What's changed about him?"
Art placed her hand around her chin, trying to think about the question.
The air—
Shifted.
As she tried to think about Kane.
Her memories—
Distorted.
Showing her nothing different than before.
Art sighed, lowering her hand.
"Never mind. He's probably just tired."
Arthur began to relax.
"I see."
Jean flipped the notepad page.
"What is your plan of action going forward?"
Arthur inhaled through his nose.
"That will be discussed tomorrow…"
He placed his palms on the ends of his armrests.
"...any further questions?"
Art snickered to herself.
"Out of curiosity…were you the strongest watchmen?"
Arthur lightly chuckled.
"No."
Jean continued looking at her notepad.
"Was that question necessary?"
Art shrugged.
"Just because, partly for Grimm's sake as well."
Jean shook her head.
"Whatever…Anyways I have no further questions."
Art rested her hands at her side.
"Me neither."
Arthur's chair began to rotate towards the window behind him.
"Get some rest…dismissed."
Jean closed the notepad, returning the black pen to Arthur's desk.
They both saluted before heading towards the exit door, closing it behind them as they left.
Arthur deeply sighed as he rested his head on the cushion chair.
His eyes—
Closed.
As his breathing slowed down.
Another memory surfaced from deep within.
A screeching alarm echoed throughout the laboratory facility.
His breathing was elevated as he ran past the oak tree searching for someone.
Arthur's movement—
Halted.
At an open doorway.
A small figure—
Stood.
Distorted.
As if his vision was blurred.
His back faced Arthur as the figure's hands were held out facing his palms up.
A droplet—
Splashed.
In the puddle beneath the figure.
Arthur's eyes moved down, looking at the pool of red liquid.
His eyes—
Widened.
A woman laid—
Cold.
Still.
The dim light flickered overhead, outlining her face.
A warm—
Expression.
Rested across her face.
The smile was full of sincere love as her hollow eyes stayed locked on the small figure.
Arthur's jaw tightened as he gripped the doorframe.
Footsteps approached from the left side.
He glanced over watching a small group of soldiers rushing towards him.
His hand—
Lowered.
As he clenched his fist.
Arthur's face tightened as he turned to the right, running towards a different room.
He glanced back over his shoulder, watching the figure being dragged away.
A chain—
Rattled.
As he continued to his destination.
The memory ended as Arthur slowly opened his eyes.
Your time…
Silver light from the crescent moon rested upon his face.
…is ticking down…
A night breeze pushed a cloud over the moon, dimming its luminescence.
…Maker.