The Only Path to Tomorrow

The Only Path to Tomorrow is the sixth part of the Trailblaze Mission chapter In Our Time. It automatically begins after completing Bullet & Brain.
==Steps==
#Assist the guest
#Learn more about the dream before the Dreammaster's arrival
#Continue to learn more about the dream before the Dreammaster's arrival
#Meet the other "Robin"
#Greet the "Dreammaster"
==Gameplay Notes==
*This mission uses the Fate's Ensemble system, played from the perspective of Robin. The game provides her for use as a Story character.
==Dialogue==
:9 system hours until Charmony Festival - Golden Hour
:...
: Sunday: "When I appeared as a child, my speech, mindset, and soul reflected immaturity and innocence."
: Sunday: "As I grew into adulthood, I left behind my childlike side."
:...
----
:
: Halovian Servant: I humbly request your blessings, esteemed advocate of Xipe.
: Sunday: Come to me, my Kinship. I have sought THEIR presence with us.
: Halovian Servant: As you wish.
: Halovian Servant: I have faithfully served the Alfalfa Family for nearly a decade, promoting the Path of the Harmony to the best of my ability. However, I made a mistake yesterday. While I was preparing dinner for The Family Head, I accidentally dropped a prepared dish on the floor.
: Halovian Servant: Out of laziness, I lied and claimed that everything was ready. Although the Head has dismissed me as punishment, it has been tough to sleep with the guilt still gnawing at me, as I worried that the seeds of evilness may have taken root in my soul. So, I confess to you now to seek atonement for my sins.
: Sunday: Do you sincerely repent and vow to change your ways?
: Halovian Servant: Yes.
: Sunday: Have you examined your soul and confessed all your sins?
: Halovian Servant: Yes.
: Sunday: Are you willing to accept the process of atonement?
: Halovian Servant: Yes.
: Sunday: Very well. Show your dedication and goodwill to The Family, and you shall be reinstated among them. Now, please leave in peace.
: Halovian Servant: Praise Xipe. And thank you, esteemed advocate.
:...
: Sunday: ...Next. Please step forward.
: Panicked Dreamchaser: I... I wholeheartedly confess to you... Please, pardon my sins!
: Sunday: Rest assured. I have implored THEIR presence to be with us. As long as you are sincere, absolution will be granted.
: Panicked Dreamchaser: Oh! Oh, great... you know, I... I arrived in Penacony as a stowaway. I sold everything to get a ticket... my house, my land... and... my two children...
: Sunday: I see... Please go on.
: Panicked Dreamchaser: My children were starving, and I hoped they'd have a chance at survival if they became slaves here. If... if I can strike it rich here, I'll lift them out of that situation... and give them the life they deserve...
: Panicked Dreamchaser: But, but, the Bloodhound Family got wind of it. They're on my tail... hunting me down... I thought I could bring my kids here! It was all my fault... all my fault...
: Sunday: The Family is ready to forgive all sinners. I'll ask the Bloodhound Family to cease their pursuit. You don't need to live in fear anymore.
: Panicked Dreamchaser: Thank you, thank you! I'll work my hardest to redeem my children and make them part of The Family... P—Praise the Harmony!
:...
: Sunday: ...Next. Please step forward.
: Pepeshi Merchant: Hey, long time no see, Mr. Sunday! The most esteemed individual in Penacony and... the next leader of the Oak Family, right?
: Sunday: ...I have sought THEIR presence with us. Let us proceed.
: Pepeshi Merchant: Sure, let's just get this over with. Ahem! I have sinned. Please forgive me! I wasted half a pizza at breakfast... and a bottle of SoulGlad.
: Pepeshi Merchant: That's it. Nothing more. Can we wrap this up? I've got a Roboball game to catch, you know?
: Sunday: Do you... seek to atone for your sins through good deeds?
: Pepeshi Merchant: My "sins"!? Starting to sound like a saint, eh? Let me tell you something — Neither The Family nor you have the right to judge me.
: Pepeshi Merchant: You think nobody knows what your precious Family has done? About the Watchmaker, huh? Don't kid yourself, feather-brain. Those Dreamchasers might be fooled by your act, but don't fool yourself.
: Pepeshi Merchant: Before you start spouting off your holy verses, answer me this... Where does the power of the Oak Family come from? And your power? What makes you think you can sit there, all high and mighty, looking down on everyone else?
: Pepeshi Merchant: Well, I've spent enough time in confession today to enter the Harmony's paradise, right? Then I'll take my leave. Good luck with your election, and... don't make me regret my investments in you.
: Sunday: ...
:...
----
: Sunday: O, revered Triple-Faced Soul, hear my doubts...
: Sunday: Who can judge the strong when their power hides their crimes?
: Sunday: Who can vouch for the weak when they will pay any price to survive?
: Sunday: Who can comfort the purest souls when even they get led astray?
: Sunday: If "the strong defending the weak" is truly the foundation of paradise...
: Sunday: ...then who— who is responsible for the suffering and anguish in this wretched world?
----
:...
: Robin: Brother... Brother...?
: Robin: ...Brother? Are you alright?
: Sunday: ...I'm fine. I've been working long hours, and I just made a trip to Dreamflux Reef and back... So I'm a bit out of sorts. But it'll all be over before we know it.
: Welt: You've been working non-stop on the Charmony Festival, Mr. Sunday, and no one could have predicted this incident. Even if the Stellaron does pose a grave threat, I still feel sorry for all the trouble we've caused you.
: Sunday: Hehe, no need to worry about troubling anyone. The Charmony Festival was meant to spread joy and harmony across the Cosmos. But now that we know the truth, I'm afraid we'll have to cancel it.
: Robin: It has always been our wish to make everyone happy, so... we'll do our best to explain everything to the Dreammaster. I'm sure he'll understand.
: Robin: Even if the negotiation does not go smoothly... I'll refuse to go on stage. Without the Chordmaster, the would not arrive, and the Charmony Festival would be just a grand performance, and nothing more.
: Welt: I'm relieved to see your determination.
: Welt: Y'know, since arriving in Penacony, we haven't had any contact with this Dreammaster himself. I'd heard of the heads of the five major lineages, but the Dreammaster is a mystery to me.
: Sunday: The Dreammaster rarely grants an audience — even for us. But given the urgency of the situation, he's agreed to meet us in person.
: Robin: Perhaps you'll be the first guest to meet the Dreammaster in years, Mr. Yang.
: Welt: Let's hope we can reach a consensus that satisfies everyone.
: Sunday: Indeed — let us hope so.
: Robin: It's about time. We'll have to get ready for the meeting... I apologize for any inconvenience caused by the urgency.
: Welt: Don't worry. I'll be waiting here.
===Assist the guest===
: Drunken Guest: Oh, dear... it's Mr. Sunday! Hey, come over here! Hahaha...
: Sunday: Looks like someone needs help... let's go check it out.
;(Talk to Welt, optional)
: Welt: Thank you for everything you've done. I'll be waiting here.
----
;(Talk to Drunken Guest)
: Drunken Guest: Oh, Mr. Sunday... Hey there! Okay, see the moon in the sky? It's about the size of the cap on my SoulGlad bottle!
: Drunken Guest: If I just reached out my hand... I could grab the moon, couldn't I?
: Sunday: The moon... You mean the Grand Theater?
: Drunken Guest: Oh, yeah! Haha, look at me! I've been away from home for too long... I must be missing that moon... *hiccup*
: Drunken Guest: But... it's no big deal! The Grand Theater here looks much better than the moon back home... It's just... magnificent!
: Drunken Guest: They told me not to sell everything I had just to come to Penacony... Tsk, how short-sighted!
: Robin: Selling everything you had? Why would you go to such lengths?
: Drunken Guest: Why? Can't you see...? Life back home is miserable... It's not really living at all.
: Drunken Guest: It's better to be here in Penacony! No pain, no worries about tomorrow, just sweet dreams! You can do whatever you want! That's what I call living... *hiccup* Yeah, now this is the life!
: Robin: Is this... truly "living"...?
: Drunken Guest: *hiccup* Huh...? What did you just say, young lady...? I didn't quite catch that...
: Sunday: Oh, it's nothing, sir. You see, the traffic on Glaux Avenue can be dangerous. How about I ask a Bloodhound Family member to escort you to Aideen Park over there so you can continue enjoying your sweet dream?
: Drunken Guest: Oh... yeah, that's a great idea! Wow, no wonder you're the leader of this sweet dream! You're totally a lifesaver!
: Drunken Guest: See you around, Mr. Sunday! And... It was nice chatting with you... *hiccup*
----
: Robin: ...
: Sunday: What's up, sister?
: Robin: This is the land of the dreams, but why do they live like this?
: Robin: The man we ran into... he doesn't seem happy at all.
: Robin: Even though sweet dreams are nice, they're just illusions. But for him, they're the only way to survive, even if it means giving up on reality... That's not really living at all.
: Sunday: I suppose you have a point... but in my opinion, that's how most people live their lives.
: Robin: ...Why do you say that?
: Sunday: You think that man is not actually "living," but that's not quite accurate. Even without Penacony, people create their own illusions called "self-value."
: Sunday: People believe they have a predetermined value to fulfill. Gaining value means gaining power, and those deemed worthless are seen as the weak.
: Sunday: However, value doesn't come out of thin air, and there's a limit to it. To accumulate value, people have to take from others. So, the weak get exploited and oppressed...
: Robin: Are you suggesting that... this is not how things should be?
: Sunday: Exactly, but ironically, people don't think there's anything wrong with it, because they uphold the illusory notion of self-value, and even the weak believe in it.
: Sunday: Survival of the fittest... that's where all the tragedies in the world come from. People come to the sweet dream in Penacony to escape from that reality and find solace.
: Sunday: No tragedies exist here, only happiness, although in its nascent form. Isn't that the same paradise we yearn for in our dreams?
: Robin: ...
: Robin: Perhaps that man is just an exception. Let's not jump to conclusions. We should experience the Dreamscape ourselves, just as I did at Dreamflux Reef.
: Sunday: Yes, seeing is believing. I'll accompany you. The Dreammaster hasn't shown up yet, so we have some time for a stroll.
===Learn more about the dream before the Dreammaster's arrival===
;(Talk to Cheerful Guest)
: Cheerful Guest: Glad to meet you again, Robin! How are the preparations for the Charmony Festival coming along? We're all so excited about it!
: Robin: It's going smoothly. Thanks for making the trip to join the Festival.
: Cheerful Guest: You're too kind, Robin. It's a pleasure to have guests from all over the universe celebrating day and night!
: Cheerful Guest: I can't stand being lonely or bored, so this jubilant Dreamscape is perfect for me.
: Robin: But if this went on forever... would it get boring too?
: Cheerful Guest: Nah, not at all! Who would get tired of having so much fun?
: Cheerful Guest: Every day, you get to wear fancy clothes, explore all sorts of dream bubbles, indulge in delicious food without gaining weight, and you never get old or sick... As long as you can afford a room, this place is the ultimate paradise!
: Robin: But... you know that only a few things can be brought back from the Dreamscape to reality, right?
: Cheerful Guest: That's exactly why I don't plan on bringing anything back! Just enjoying the dream itself is good enough for me! I mean, I'm not one of those long-living species. I only have around sixty or seventy years in this lifetime, and there's so much to worry about... Being happy here is pure bliss.
: Cheerful Guest: Only in this sweet dream can I truly feel like I'm in control of my life and fate... Who would want to go back to reality after experiencing this bliss?
: Robin: ...I see. I genuinely wish you all the happiness in the world.
: Cheerful Guest: And I wish you a fantastic performance, Robin! I'm off to the Blue Hour for the ball. See you later!
----
: Robin: *sigh*
: Sunday: Seems like that guest's perspective didn't resonate with you either.
: Robin: She had a valid point, and I could sense her genuine happiness. It's just that...
: Sunday: What you're trying to say is... she thinks she's in control of her life, but in reality, she's just escaping from reality and seeking solace in this sweet dream. Once she steps out of this sanctuary, everything will be lost.
: Robin: Well, she did make mention of being able to "afford a room"... didn't she?
: Sunday: However, the paradise in our dreams... it doesn't have to end.
: Robin: No, and the paradise we yearn for... shouldn't be just a fleeting dream either.
===Continue to learn more about the dream before the Dreammaster's arrival===
;(Talk to Quiet Guest)
:Quiet Guest: ...
: Robin: The scenery in this Dreamscape is truly breathtaking, isn't it?
: Quiet Guest: Oh, Robin? Can't believe I'm meeting you in person here... What an honor.
: Quiet Guest: You're right. Even though time stands still in this Dreamscape, it always feels fresh... I find something new every time.
: Robin: A philosophical mind... I hope I'm not intruding.
: Quiet Guest: Not at all. With little time left, I yearn for meaningful conversations, especially with someone as esteemed as you. Do you mind if we chat?
: Robin: It's my pleasure. No need to be formal — just speak your mind. You said "with little time left"... Please forgive me for being blunt, but is that why you came to Penacony?
: Quiet Guest: Hehe, yeah... I was part of a war, and while escaping from the Sukhousian mothership, I got exposed to some radioactive materials.
: Quiet Guest: And then? All my comrades died, and my hometown was wiped out by neutron bombardments. I couldn't bear to live with everything I knew gone... That's when I heard about a possible solution here, so I came.
: Robin: How heart-wrenching... I hope The Family has been able to help you.
: Quiet Guest: They have, and I'm truly grateful for that. They provided me with a comfortable room, the most advanced life-support devices in the Cosmos, and a stellar team of caregivers.
: Quiet Guest: My physical body is now in the Dreampool, sustained by life support. The me you see here is whole, rational, and no different from any other person... but I can't say the same for the "me" in the hotel room.
: Quiet Guest: My true appearance... Well, I hope you never have to witness it, Robin.
: Robin: So... you'll be living forever in this Dreamscape, right?
: Quiet Guest: Heh, just being able to live at all is good enough for me. Whether it's in this Dreamscape or not, well, I don't really have much say in the matter.
: Quiet Guest: My world has been torn apart, and my life could end any second. So... even if this whole place is an illusion, it's still my paradise, and I'll treasure every moment I spend here.
: Quiet Guest: Heh... how I envy those everlasting things...
----
: Robin: That old man's story... it's so tragic. Fortunately, this sweet dream gives him joyful memories to hold onto for the rest of his life.
: Sunday: That's precisely why this sweet dream in Penacony exists.
: Robin: However, even the sweet dream has its limitations. While it provides solace to the disillusioned, it can't completely eliminate pain in reality.
: Sunday: There will be a way out. Penacony is already on the right track.
===Meet the other "Robin"===
: ???: Look who we have here? A lovely young lady.
: Robin: Wait, is that... me?
----
;(Talk to ???)
: ???: Brother! What a surprise to see you again.
: Sunday: Show yourself. Your trick won't work on us.
: Robin: I've heard that a skilled Masked Fool received an invitation too... That must be you, right? Did you enjoy yourself?
: Sparkle: Barely. The people here are way too gullible. A little bait is all it takes for them to bite, and they run away at the slightest hint of danger. In other words, they're naive and cowardly!
: Robin: Now that you've had your fill, it'd be wise to leave before it's too late. The music of the Harmony doesn't tolerate discord.
: Sparkle: What? Now that you have the real Robin, I'm useless? Oh, how disheartening! I've done so much for The Family.
: Sparkle: You should be thanking me because if it weren't for me cleaning up this mess... Penacony would still be in shambles. Don't you think?
: Sunday: That was a personal request from the head of the Iris Family, and it has nothing to do with us. Step aside and stop causing trouble for the Charmony Festival.
: Sparkle: The Charmony Festival? Heh, you think you can scare me? You think I've no idea what you're planning?
: Sparkle: I don't care what you're thinking, chicken wing boy, but I'm pretty sure our lovely Robin won't be appearing on stage. After all, you're well aware of what a sorry state this Dreamscape is in under the banner of Harmony...
: Sparkle: Penacony, the Land of the Dreams... is this truly the paradise you desire?
: Sunday: ...Stop it!
: Sparkle: What's the rush, chicken wing boy? Did I get to you?
: Robin: Our paradise is none of your concern, Masked Fool. Leave now, or The Family won't tolerate you anymore.
: Sparkle: Alright, alright. I'll go, but Robin, I suggest you seriously consider this...
: Sparkle: ...Do you really believe those living in dreams can escape pain and find true happiness?
: Robin: ...
: Sparkle: Well, I've done my part, and now I'm simply waiting for the fireworks to begin.
: Sparkle: Here, the last two gifts for both of you, and don't lose them. If, by some unfortunate chance, the Charmony Festival starts against all odds... remember to use them during the show.
: Sparkle: And it'll be thrilling! Bang!
===Greet the "Dreammaster"===
: Sunday: I heard a raven cawing in the distance... It seems the Dreammaster will arrive soon.
----
;(Approach marked location)
: Sunday: Let's wait here for the Dreammaster to arrive.
: Robin: Okay. By the way, brother, I heard you no longer have a sweet tooth. Back when we were kids, you used to steal my desserts...
: Robin: Seems like a lot has changed during my absence. What exactly happened?
: Sunday: Well, someone has to stay awake even in this sweet dream.
: Robin: But that "someone" doesn't have to be you or anyone in particular. You're carrying too much on your shoulders, brother.
: Robin: The paradise in our dreams... it shouldn't be like this.
: Robin: Penacony is nothing more than a dream. It can't erase the worries and pain of reality or bring true happiness... It only offers an escape from reality. Nothing more.
: Sunday: Remember the old man we met earlier? Without this dream, he might have completely lost himself.
: Robin: That might be true, but... even without Penacony, he could have chosen another path. As far as I know, the Intelligentsia Guild has been promoting their rehabilitation techniques for a long time now.
: Robin: That path may have been more ordinary and challenging, but now he's in a comatose state, and the "sweet dream" has become a sort of end-of-life care. His fate... is sealed.
: Robin: Is Penacony granting these people a future, or is it taking it away from them?
: Sunday: Well, don't forget this... not everyone really has a future.
: Sunday: The future for humanity is like the sky for birds. People mistakenly believe that flight is inherent to birds because they've never witnessed those birds crashing to their death.
: Sunday: Do you remember how we took in that little Charmony Dove when we were young?
: Robin: Yeah, we took care of it — provided food and water, and groomed its feathers. And later... when I decided to leave Penacony, I opened the cage and set it free.
: Sunday: Well, I didn't mention what happened to it in my letters, because I didn't want to upset you.
: Sunday: Shortly after you left, it crashed to its death right in front of your window.
----
: Robin: ...I had surmised as much. I knew you wouldn't have avoided mentioning the bird for no reason.
: Robin: Despite that unfortunate outcome, I still believe it was the right decision. Birds aren't meant to spend their lives in cages... They belong in the sky, even if they can't fly.
: Sunday: But here's the thing. If there are birds in this world that can never fly, can we really assert that they belong in the sky?
: Robin: Are you implying... that the same goes for humans too?
: Sunday: Let's take the Astral Express as an example. The Nameless made tremendous efforts to bridge worlds, gaining fame across the universe... However, only a few extraordinary individuals can endure such a perilous journey.
: Sunday: That's because the pursuit of the Trailblaze exceeds the capabilities of ordinary humans. Otherwise, why would this Path be filled with broken rails, an abandoned Express, and even a fallen ?
: Robin: That's just sophistry. If that were true, then only the powerful would have the right to determine the future.
: Sunday: Unfortunately, that's exactly what happens. Another name for "the future" is "self-value."
: Sunday: While this world has its fair share of heroes who inspire people and garner admiration for their heroic deeds, the majority of ordinary people will never become heroes in their lifetime.
: Sunday: Some are born weak and vulnerable, some find themselves trapped in unfortunate circumstances, some fall victim to malice and cowardice. When it comes to survival, everyone is equal, and the weak can only watch as their gets constantly diminished by external forces.
: Robin: That's why we should care for the weak and support them as if their suffering were our own... That's what the Odes of Harmony have always taught us.
: Sunday: While the Harmony holds noble aspirations, the strong will always be strong, and the weak will always be weak, even in this carefree dream... Human nature contains greatness, but it also harbors inherent weaknesses that can't be eradicated.
: Sunday: In the end, if people can't even secure their own survival, they won't care about the illusory future of equality. As long as the law of survival of the fittest prevails... there will always be fledglings crashing to their death.
: Robin: But if people don't live for the future, do they merely exist for survival? If even you, my brother, don't believe that the Harmony will save the weak, then which Aeon can make our dreams come true?
: Sunday: ...
: Sunday: People often forget that when the first bird took flight, the entire world envisioned a future where...
: Sunday: No more fledglings would ever crash to their death.
----
: Trustful Boy: Are you reading, sister? What are you reading?
: Guileless Girl: Mr. Gopher Wood gave me a picture book! It's about the story of the Harmonic Strings!
: Guileless Girl: If I could become a Chordmaster, I'd like to summon... Dominicus the Harmonious Choir! I want to sing with everyone and spread our wishes so that all can feel happiness and joy.
: Trustful Boy: I see. Then... I would summon the Harmonious Choir, too.
: Guileless Girl: Don't you... have a wish of your own, brother?
: Trustful Boy: Of course, I do. It's just that... it includes your wish and everyone else's. I long for a true paradise where everyone can find peace.
: Guileless Girl: Then let's build a stage there and invite everyone to our performance so that both our wishes come true, through the power of the Harmonious Choir.
: Trustful Boy: It's a deal then.
: Guileless Girl: Yeah, it's a deal! But how can I become a Chordmaster...?
: Trustful Boy: ...
: Sunday: Maybe you'll have to become a star first.
----
:Returning to the Trailblazer's POV...
:When you have a chance to make a choice, make one that you know you won't regret.
== Trivia == 
*The name of this mission is a reference to 's The Only Path to Tomorrow.
==Other Languages==
==Change History==
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ru:Единственный путь навстречу завтра