Searching for Sunken Shadows - 9: Let's Look Together

Empty SEKAI

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Sound Effect: Play

Kanade

Listen

(Thank goodness she stopped crying for now...)

Kanade

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(Still... Is she lost...?
More importantly, how did she get here...?)

Kanade

Listen

Um, so... Where did you come from?

Girl

I don't know...

Girl

I was taking a nap...
But when I woke up, I saw that my plushie was gone and started looking for her...

Kanade

Listen

I see...

Girl

*Nod*

Kanade

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(I still don't understand how she got here, but I should try to get her home as soon as possible...)

Kanade

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(But... How do I actually do that...?)

Kanade

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(Would I be able to take her back by listening to Untitled...?
No, what if she wounds up somewhere unsafe instead...?)

Girl

*Sob*

Girl

Bunny... Where'd you go...?

Kanade

Listen

Oh...

Kanade

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(Right. She said that she lost her plushie. I should help her find it.)

Kanade

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Um, about your plushie...
Do you know where it might've gone?

Girl

I don't know...

Kanade

Listen

Okay...

Sound Effect: Play

Kanade

Listen

So, um...

Kanade

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Does this place not scare you at all...?

Girl

Yeah... This place felt scary at first...

Girl

But that music helped me feel better...

Kanade

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Huh? Music?

Girl

Yeah, the music that's playing right now...

Girl

It feels so warm and cozy...

Kanade

Listen

...!

Kanade

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I see...

Kanade

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Oh...
So, did you also hear it when you first woke up?

Girl

Yeah. It was louder then.

Kanade

Listen

(If it was louder, then somewhere closer to the source may be where she woke up...)

Kanade

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(Which means her plushie may also be waiting for us there.)

Kanade

Listen

Have you tried looking over there yet?

Girl

No, not yet.

Kanade

Listen

Then, shall we...?

Girl

Okay...

???

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Kanade

Listen

This is...

Girl

...!

Kanade

Listen

This lake's beautiful. It's crystal clear...
But I'm not hearing any songs... Huh?

Girl

...

Kanade

Listen

Is something wrong?

Girl

This place is scary...

Kanade

Listen

Wait, scary? Why's that...?

Girl

I don't know, but...

Kanade

Listen

I see...
Then, let's try going over that way.

Kanade

Listen

Oh, also... I'll try seeing if your plushie is somewhere around here. Give me one moment.

Girl

Okay...

Sound Effect: Play

Kanade

Listen

I'm not seeing her plushie anywhere...

Kanade

Listen

(Maybe this isn't the right place...
What if it's closer towards the lake...?)

Kanade

Listen

(Also, she can hear my song coming from the lake. Could there be a music player or something down there...?)

Kanade

Listen

Oh...

Kanade

Listen

(What if her plushie fell into the lake...?)

Kanade

Listen

...!
What was that...?

Girl

Are you okay...?

Kanade

Listen

Yes, I'm okay.
I'm going to keep looking for a little bit longer.

Kanade

Listen

(Going in doesn't seem safe...
But I may also find a clue...)

Sound Effect: Play

Kanade

Listen

(I'm not finding anything...)

Kanade

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(But what I just saw...
If that was her plushie...)

Kanade

Listen

Just a little bit... Oh no...!

Girl

No, don't fall in!

Kanade

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S-Sorry.
But I feel like I'm really close.

Girl

Really...?

Kanade

Listen

Huh...? Where'd that shadow I just saw go...?

Kanade

Listen

That's strange. I could've sworn it was just...

Girl

It's okay...

Kanade

Listen

Huh...?

Girl

I don't want you to get hurt because of me...

Kanade

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No, I'm fine.
I did slip a little just now, but I'll be more careful...

Girl

No, you can stop.

Girl

If she really is in that lake, then there's no point in you looking. I'm probably never gonna get her back...

Girl

We're never gonna find her.

Kanade

Listen

Oh...

Sound Effect: Play

Kanade

Listen

Don't say that...

Kanade

Listen

I'm sure she's here somewhere.

Kanade

Listen

There may be a way for us to look inside the lake. Even if she's not here, she could be somewhere else.

Girl

But...

Kanade

Listen

Don't worry. We'll find her.

Girl

What...?

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Kanade

Listen

We still don't know where she might be... And I know finding her won't be easy.

Kanade

Listen

But that doesn't mean we can give up.

Kanade

Listen

If she's in the lake, then we'll find a way to save her.

Kanade

Listen

So, let's come up with a plan.

Girl

A plan...?

Girl

Okay...!

Girl

Thank you for everything you've done.

Kanade

Listen

What...?

???

Listen

Kanade... Kanade...

Kanade

Listen

Huh...?

Kanade

Listen

Wait, I'm back in my room...?

Kanade

Listen

(But how...?
Was that all a dream...?)

Mafuyu

Listen

Kanade, is something wrong...?

Kanade

Listen

Oh, no... I think I fell asleep just now is all.

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Kanade

Listen

Were you working?

Mafuyu

Listen

No, I just woke up.
I'll finish those lyrics now.

Kanade

Listen

Okay, then I'll also continue working.
Would you mind letting me know when you're finished?

Mafuyu

Listen

*Nod*

Sound Effect: Play

Mafuyu

...——♪

Kanade

Listen

...!

Kanade

Listen

(This is the song I just heard in my dream...)

Kanade

Listen

Mafuyu, that song...

Mafuyu

Listen

Huh...?

100

Mafuyu

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Oh, was I singing just now...?

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101

Kanade

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Y-Yes...
But why...?

102

Mafuyu

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...

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Mafuyu

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I'm not sure, but I thought I just heard it in my dream just now...

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Kanade

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What...?

105

Mafuyu

Listen

I was lost in a place that I'd never been, and I was looking for something. I also felt very scared...

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Mafuyu

Listen

And then I heard this song playing.

107

Mafuyu

Listen

That made me feel a little better...

108

Kanade

Listen

Oh...

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109

Girl

Yeah, the music that's playing right now...

110

Girl

It feels so warm and cozy...

111

Kanade

Listen

(Come to think of it, that little girl kind of looked like Mafuyu...)

112

Kanade

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(What if...?)

113

Kanade

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Mafuyu, do you remember what it was that you were looking for in your dream...?

114

Mafuyu

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I don't...

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Kanade

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Okay...

116

Mafuyu

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Why do you ask?

117

Kanade

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Oh, sorry. It's just that I happened to have a similar dream.

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Kanade

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I was helping a little girl look for her plushie...

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Mafuyu

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Really...?

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Kanade

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Yes. How strange is that...?

121

Kanade

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(That may've been just a dream.)

122

Kanade

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(But if both Mafuyu and that girl felt that they needed to hear my song...)

123

Kanade

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(Then, I have to keep composing...)

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Kanade

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In order to save Mafuyu.

Next Chapter: To Move Forward, Eventually