Aria: Check surroundings.
Beneath you is a layer of... snow? Soft enough to lessen the impact of your fall, but not enough that it didn't hurt at all.
Still, it wasn't painful enough to disrupt your focus.
Your disguise remains in effect.
Aria: Can you tell where exactly you are, and if the others are with you?
And in the distance, you see that familiar tower again...
It looks like you've made it to the other side.
But... what about everyone else?
Aria: Look for the others.
- Aria: Nino?
- Aria: Mei? Meimona...?
- Aria: F-Five...? Reed?
- Aria: Where are you...?
You take a look behind you at where the rift used to be. It closed off so quickly... as if to say, there's no turning back at this point.
Your heart shudders as the worst possibility races to the forefront of your mind.
Aria: Be sad.
Still, Reed was right behind you, wasn't he? Five, Ludwig, and Boyfriend should've been close too. Looking for them might be your best bet for now.
But as you think about what happened back there...
Your sadness slowly turns to anger.
-/-/-/->
You were so close... why did he force you to abandon them?
God dang it. This is not the time to be sad.
You have a bone to pick with that certain someone. Wherever he is, you're gonna find him, and you're gonna give him a piece of your mind.
And you won't be hearing anything about moping and giving up on anyone, okay!?
-/-/-/->
- Ludwig: Bark!
- Aria: !
Pet: Reunite with beloved owner.
- Aria: Oh my gosh... Ludwig!
- Aria: You made it!
Owner: Reunite with beloved pet.
- Aria: I'm so glad!
- Ludwig: Bark... bark bork?
- Aria: I'm fine, I'm fine!
- Aria: Not badly hurt at all. See?
- Ludwig: Bork!
- Aria: Where are the others, Ludwig?
- Aria: Are you all alone...?
- Ludwig: ...
Ludwig: Reveal hiding friend.
- Ludwig: Boof.
- Aria: Ah! Boyfriend!
- Aria: You both made it...
- Boyfriend: ...
- Aria: Atta boy, Ludwig! Good job keeping him safe!
- Ludwig: BARK!
- Boyfriend: ...Hissss.
- Aria: W-whoa! Don't hiss at me!
- Aria: Don't worry, I won't hurt you!
- Boyfriend: Meow... meooooow...
Does he recognize that he's been separated from his owner?
Ludwig used to whine in a similar manner whenever you'd be gone for too long. It is likely that the same is true for Boyfriend, then.
-/-/-/->
- Aria: Sorry, I don't know where your owner is.
- Aria: But I promise we'll find her, alright?
- Aria: Auh, why am I even trying to speak to an animal!
- Aria: I know you won't understand me...
- Ludwig: Brrrk?
- Aria: ...Hm, wait, what if...
Aria: Try to appease Boyfriend.
- Aria: ...Meimona. Mei.
- Boyfriend: ...Meow!
- Aria: Yes, Mei! You recognize her name!
- Aria: Do you want Mei?
- Boyfriend: Meow meow meooow!
- Aria: Oh! Sounds like a yes to me!
- Aria: I will be looking for Mei.
- Aria: So come with me. Yes?
- Boyfriend: ...
- Aria: And look, Ludwig will be here too! Yes? Yes?
- Boyfriend: ...
- Boyfriend: M-meow.
Wow, you had no idea cats needed to be persuaded this way until now!
Ludwig comes to trust people far easier than this little guy. Which could be a problem, huh... but compared to Boyfriend, he's much easier to communicate with.
Probably because you've trained him that way, really.
Aria: Communicate with Ludwig.
- Aria: Where's Five, Ludwig?
- Ludwig: ...Bark.
- Aria: How about Reed, then...?
So then... you have nothing but yourself and these two pets.
Come to think of it, Ludwig approached you from a totally different direction than expected. Somehow, he and Boyfriend exited a rift at a point further away from yours, even though they were right behind you.
To be honest, you can't really make any sense of why that is the case. It all goes against your physical understanding of the barrier. But, regardless...
Maybe the same is true for the others, then.
> Be Reed.
Reed: Analyse the situation - Where are you, who's with you, and who isnt?
Reed: Formulate plan.
Reed: You need to find the others, look for a vantage point.
Reed: What can you see?
Reed: Lament the fact you told them all it'd be fine.
Aria BE CAREFUL YOU FOOL. Thats not snow! ITS VOLANIC ASH!!! It has a very high pH and burns the skin, breathing it in causes it to solidify in your lungs and feel like fire. DONT GO IN THE TUNNEL YOU ULTRA FOOL! Your stepping inside a volcanic crevice the CO2/methaine/etc gases is going to kill you! Oh no the gases are going to make you pass out and die from asphyxiation. The ash will cover you and fossilize your body. Not even Nino will be able to save you! No wonder everything was dead on the other side the earth "was salted" from all the ash sulfur and other chemicals. The barrier was keeping the human world safe. I bet those evil monsters used a magical weapon of mass destruction. Typical monsters using chemical weapons as means to an end. With no care for nature or the living only blood lust and winning at all costs
QUICK USE BOYFRIEND AS A GASMASK AND COVER YOURSELF IN Ludwig as a smock. BREATH IN BOYFRIEND ONLY SNIFFING HIM CAN SAVE YOU NOW! HURRY ONLY BOYFRIEND'S SCENT WILL PROTECT YOU!!!!