Imprisoned Marionette

Mafuyu's Room
1
Mafuyu
<Turn what I'm feeling now into song lyrics?>
2
Kanade
<Yes, can you try that?>
3
Kanade
<I think those lyrics will help me to get closer to you, like the time you were posting as OWN.>
4
Mafuyu
<No. I can't do it...>
5
Kanade
<Why not? When you were posting as OWN...>
6
Mafuyu
<That was because the messy lump inside my heart forced its way out!>
7
Mafuyu
<I can't consciously turn these feelings into lyrics.>
8
Kanade
<Yuki...>
9
Kanade
(What can I do if even Yuki doesn't understand herself?)
10
Kanade
(But Miku said...)
11
Miku
Maybe the doll reminded Mafuyu of herself.
12
Kanade
(Oh, I get it...)
13
Kanade
(If that marionette did remind Yuki of herself, like Miku said...)
14
Kanade
<What about that marionette then?>
15
Mafuyu
<What?>
16
Kanade
<That marionette you saw at the doll exhibit made you feel sick, remember?>
17
Kanade
<And then you had a dream about becoming one.>
18
Kanade
<Could it be because you saw yourself in that marionette?>
19
Mafuyu
<...!>
20
Kanade
<So, Yuki. Try to remember what you saw in that marionette, and then turn those feelings into lyrics.>
21
Mafuyu
<I can't...>
22
Kanade
<Understanding your feelings may be the key I need to write a song that will save you.>
23
Kanade
<So, please...>
24
Mafuyu
<...>
25
Mafuyu
<Fine, but I don't know how this will turn out...>
26
Kanade
<That's okay...!>
27
Mafuyu
That doll...
28
Mafuyu
It made me feel sick because...
29
Mafuyu
I don't know...
30
Mafuyu
But why don't I know?
Why did it make me feel that way?
31
Mafuyu
This is going to just end up like the last time...
32
Mafuyu
But maybe...
Empty SEKAI
33
Mafuyu
Miku.
34
Miku
Hello, Mafuyu.
35
Mafuyu
Hello...
36
Miku
Kanade visited a short while ago too.
37
Mafuyu
She did?
38
Miku
Yes. She wanted to understand your feelings.
39
Mafuyu
My feelings...
40
Mafuyu
It's not like she can do anything even if she did.
41
Mafuyu
I don't need something that's so unpleasant, painful and utterly useless.
42
Miku
They're not useless.
43
Mafuyu
Huh?
44
Miku
Everything you feel is an important part of you. Even the things that are unpleasant and painful.
45
Miku
So they're not useless.
46
Mafuyu
Everything... Is a part of me...
47
Mafuyu
Why is there a doll here?
48
Mafuyu
It's also a marionette.
But without any strings...
49
Mafuyu
Miku, what's...
50
Miku
This doll has always been in your SEKAI.
51
Miku
You just never noticed it.
52
Mafuyu
Really...?
53
Miku
Done. Look, Mafuyu...
I made a ladder.
54
Mafuyu
I didn't know you could play cat's cradle.
55
Miku
Mizuki taught me.
It's fun.
56
Miku
I cut off the strings on the marionette and turned them into strings for cat's cradle.
57
Mafuyu
...
58
Miku
Strings are so interesting.
59
Miku
You can use them to tie things together, do needlework or manipulate dolls.
60
Miku
And... You can also use them to make something like this.
61
Mafuyu
A marionette without strings isn't a marionette anymore.
62
Mafuyu
But...
63
Mafuyu
It also means this doll is now free.
The next day - 2:00 AM
Mizuki's Room
64
Mizuki
<Hm... It's already been an hour, but Yuki's not here yet. I guess she's still not feeling that great?>
65
Mizuki
<I just hope she doesn't suddenly vanish again like before.>
66
Ena
<I'm less stressed when she's not around.>
67
Mizuki
<You say that, but I know you're worried about her deep down. Enanan's a huge softie under that prickly exterior.>
68
Ena
<Excuse me?!>
69
Mizuki
<Anyways, K, did Yuki say anything to you?>
70
Kanade
<Sorry, I forgot to mention. I'm asking Yuki to write some new lyrics based on how she felt when she saw that doll...>
71
Ena & Mizuki
<That doll?>
72
Mizuki
<Oh! So that's why she's not here.>
73
Mizuki
<Basically, you want her to turn the disgust she felt when she saw that marionette into song lyrics?>
74
Kanade
<Yes.>
75
Ena
<Okay, but...>
76
Ena
<I don't understand what Miku was trying to say when she suggested Mafuyu could be seeing herself in that marionette. What do you think she means?>
77
Mizuki
<Hm, I can sorta understand why she thought they were alike. Kinda sorta.>
78
Mafuyu's Mother
You'd be better off spending time with people who can challenge you rather than those who always need your help. That way you'd actually be learning something as well.
79
Mafuyu's Mother
Make sure you're valuing your own time.
80
Mafuyu
Okay, I will.
81
Mizuki
<...>
82
Mizuki
<Yuki pretty much does everything her mom says...>
83
Mizuki
<And a marionette is a puppet someone controls, right?>
84
Mizuki
<So she may have thought the marionette was just like her—always under someone else's control.>
85
Ena
<That's just silly...>
86
Ena
<If you don't like being manipulated, just speak up.>
87
Mizuki
<Yeah, true...>
88
Mafuyu
<Sorry I'm late...>
89
Mafuyu
<K, I finished the lyrics. Can you take a look?>
Next Chapter: Even Though I Don't Know