He's Still Alive Isn't He? Yes, Yes He Is

"This is- Was the place." Sibley said, having led Aether and Nahida to where the building once was, having found Akemi in the trap along the way.

Without wating a second, Aether jumped in the crater, "Paimon! PAIMON!!" He yelled trying to get heard by his companion.

At being called, Paimon floated from underneath a crate that managed to survived the explosion, in her chibi form, "I'm here!" She said, getting Aether's immediate attention, making him rush to hug her.

"Oh thank God..." He said with immense relief washing over him, "For a moment I was worried you... You know..." He said, implying that he thought she was dead.

"Dottore is not as smart as he thought cause his... Copies, set up the tools wrong causing an explosion." Paimon lied, not wanting to seem suspicious.

That excuse caused Akemi and Nahida to look at Paimon with a 'are you for real?' Followed by Sibley doing the same after she gave her a quick scan to check her health.

The looks made Paimon giggle awkwardly, at least unti they were interrupted by the now familiar voice of Scaramouche, "I thought I heard something, but this?" He said in surprise.

"Oh it's you Hat Guy!" Nahida greeted, making Paimon and Akemi laugh outloud, while Aether and Sibley were amused at the puppet's annoyed expression.

"I told you not to call me that." Scara reminded Nahida, "Anyhow, I guess it was true that Dottore was still alive huh?" He asked.

As the ex Harbringer went to check the bodies, Aether smiled, "Caught in his own hubris by not thinking he could make mistakes." He commented.

This made Scara sigh, "None of these are the actual Dottore." He informed them, "I've spent enough time around him to figure the difference between the actual breathing living thing and an artificial copy." He explained.

"God damnit." Sibley cursed as she facepalmed, "And I'm guessing the corpse you inspected counted as living and breathing? Or was at least..." She deduced.

In response, Scaramouche nodded, and waited for them to figure out what he had already.

"He's still in Sumeru isn't he?" Aether asked, having notied the lok on the puppet's face, "That he is." Scara confirmed.

The revelation made everyone else groan in annoyance, "I see why the Tsaritsa kept him around, he's resourceful." Nahida commented.

"That's why he was assigned to make me into a God." Scaramouche added, "But I'm happy I don't have to go through him..." He admitted, knowing how horrible it would have been.

Akemi looked up to the sky hearing that, "God you say..." she muttered, and idea coming to her mind, "Nahida, as an Archon you have a Gnosis right?" She asked the short God, who nodded in response, "Give it to Sibley, that should quicken her energy recovery." She explained.

This information made Sibley perk up in joy, "No more being useless! Yes!!" She cheered.

As Nahida handed Sibley herGnosis, Akemi shook her head, "It'll hasten your recovery, but it'll still take a few hours." She corrected, causing Sibley to fall down on her face and sigh in disappointment.

"I was wondering, why is she like that?" Scaramouche asked, having noticed how small Sibley is, "Energy Saving mode." Akemi simply replied.

After two hours of Sibley checking and scanning around for clues.

"This guy knows what he's doing..." Sibley commented, having still not found any trace of the doctor.

"Don't compliment the war criminal." Nahida scolded, "But I have to agree, he does know, which is worrysome..." She said, "If he's able to figure out that there's people in Sumeru looking for him, we might never find him." She explained.

That was a problem that quickly rooted itself into everyone's minds, "If we had a SpiritCatcher here they could scan for someone who has the same appearence as these corpses..." Paimon suggested, having understood that that role is very adaptable.

Hearing that made Akemi remember something, "OF COURSE!!" She yelled, "Sibley! Open your profile!" She instructed her partner.

Not having a reason not to comply, Sibley did just that, projectig the profile which displayed her information, "Good, now scroll down." Akemi instructed further, prompting Sibley to do as such, making the screen show a tab labeled as call.

"Oh I see!" Sibley exclaimed, opening the tab, making it display thousands and thousands of name, "Filter for SpiritCatcher." She requested, making the list only display SpiritCatchers, "Alright... What now?" She asked.

"Filter for investigation division." Akemi instructed the projection, making the list shorten further, "Now you just need to choose and call." She told her partned.

Scrolling the list, Sibley searched for someone who seemed to be capable, "What about this one? Kempia, Elite rank, two thousand and five successul investigations." She read.

"Seems good." Scaramouche confirmed, "Now you just need to confirmI guess." He said, prompting Sibley to confirm the selection.

After a few seconds, the window closed, and a moment after a portal opened out of which stepped a girl just slightly shorter than Sibley's regular height, with the same color palette, but somehow looking slightly frailer, wearing on her wrist an Elite Freedom Matrix.

Profile 34

Name: Kempia.

Age: Not Important.

Occupation: M.L.E. Elite SpiritCatcher, Investigation Division.

"K-Kempia a-at y-your service!" Kempia stuttered, clearly very nervous, "Wh-What would you like me to-to do?" She asked, still stuttering.

Sibley looked at Kempia, with a confused face, "You're a lot more shy than I thought you would be." She commented.

"S-Sorry miss!" Kempia apologiezed with a small bow, "Don't worry! It's not a problem!" Sibley reassured, not having expected that.

"We just need you to find something." Nahida explained, ready to lead her to one of the more intact bodies.