What Lies Beyond Guiding a Lost Child

Phoenix Wonderland

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1

Len

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<Oh no. D-Does this mean we're lost...?>
2

Miku

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<Calm down, Len.
But... What do we do...?>
3

Mafuyu

Listen

I can use my phone to let Kanade and the others know...

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4

Mafuyu

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Okay, I got a hold of them...
They said to wait and stay put.
5

Miku

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<Thank goodness...
We should be fine now, Len.>

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6

Len

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<Yeah...!>
7

Mafuyu

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Let's find a place that's easy to find and wait for them there...
8

Len

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<...>
9

Len

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<Aren't you scared of being all alone like this...?>
10

Mafuyu

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Not really...
11

Len

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<O-Okay...
That's amazing... I'm actually a little scared...>
12

Mafuyu

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Why are you so scared, Len...?
You're not actually alone right now.
13

Len

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<Yeah, I know...>
14

Len

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<I keep going back to when I arrived in SEKAI for the first time...>
15

Mafuyu

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When you arrived in SEKAI?
16

Len

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<Yeah... It was so big and empty...
And I was lost until Miku found me.>
17

Len

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<Just the thought of that still petrifies me a bit...>
18

Mafuyu

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...

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19

Mafuyu

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That reminds me. When I was little...

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20

Little Mafuyu

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Wow...!
21

Mafuyu's Mother

Mafuyu, this amusement park's very crowded, so you need to promise not to stray too far from me.
22

Little Mafuyu

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Okay!
Thank you for bringing me here, Mommy!
23

Little Mafuyu

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(Everything's so sparkly...!
And everyone's smiling like they're really having fun!)
24

Mafuyu's Mother

Oh, Mafuyu, look.
The churros from that shop are supposed to be very good. Shall we go try it out?
25

Little Mafuyu

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Okay!

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26

Mafuyu's Mother

There's quite a line...
Would you be okay with us waiting a little?
27

Little Mafuyu

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That's okay!
This park's so sparkly that I'm having fun just looking at everything!
28

Mafuyu's Mother

Hehe. You're such a good girl, Mafuyu.
But you still need to promise to stay by my side.
29

Little Mafuyu

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I will!
30

Little Mafuyu

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(What should we go on after we get our churros...? The merry-go-round's really cute, but the fish coaster also looks fun.)
31

Little Mafuyu

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(Phenny's supposed to go for walks sometimes around the park too.)
32

Little Mafuyu

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(I wonder where he could be...)
33

Little Mafuyu

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*Gasp*
34

Little Mafuyu

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(It's Phenny! Oh, I wanna shake hands with him...!)
35

Mafuyu's Mother

Here's your churro, Mafuyu.
Is plain okay?
36

Little Mafuyu

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Oh, plain's okay!
Also, Mommy, I just saw Phenny over there...

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37

Mafuyu's Mother

Just a minute.
Your father's calling me. What could this be about?
38

Little Mafuyu

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O-Okay...
39

Little Mafuyu

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(Oh no... Phenny's about to leave... If I don't go now, I might not get to shake hands with him...)
40

Little Mafuyu

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(But I have to stay close to Mommy...)
41

Little Mafuyu

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Um, Mommy...?
42

Mafuyu's Mother

I'm sorry, Mafuyu. In a minute.
43

Mafuyu's Mother

Oh, you'll be done with work early?
That means I'll need to start preparing dinner soon.
44

Little Mafuyu

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...
45

Little Mafuyu

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(Mommy's still talking on her phone.)
46

Little Mafuyu

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(I know I'm not supposed to...)
47

Little Mafuyu

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(But Phenny's right there, so maybe if I go for just a little bit...)

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48

Little Mafuyu

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Hehe...
49

Little Mafuyu

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(I got to shake hands with Phenny...
Now I need to get back to where Mommy is!)

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50

Little Mafuyu

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Huh?
51

Little Mafuyu

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Mommy was just right here...
Where'd she go?
52

Little Mafuyu

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(I don't see her... Uh oh...)
53

Little Mafuyu

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Mommy...?

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54

Little Mafuyu

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Wh-What do I do...?
I'm lost... I have to find Mommy...

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55

Female Passerby

Oh, what's wrong?
Did you get separated from your mommy and daddy?
56

Little Mafuyu

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...!
57

Female Passerby

You seem lost...
Can you tell me your name?
58

Little Mafuyu

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Um, Asahina...
59

Little Mafuyu

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(Wait, Mommy said that I'm not supposed to talk to any strangers...)
60

Little Mafuyu

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Um... I...
61

Little Mafuyu

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I-I'm sorry...!

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62

Female Passerby

Hey, wait...!
63

Little Mafuyu

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(Some strangers tried to talk to me... And everyone else is staring at me...)
64

Little Mafuyu

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(Was the merry-go-round always that big...? The horsies looked so much cuter before...)
65

Little Mafuyu

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(Now they look...scary.)
66

Little Mafuyu

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(The park stopped being sparkly too...
What's going on...?)
67

Little Mafuyu

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(I'm scared... I'm so scared...
Mommy... Where are you...?)
68

Little Mafuyu

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Mommy... Mommy...!
69

Mafuyu's Mother

Mafuyu!
Thank goodness! I looked all over for you...!
70

Little Mafuyu

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Huh...?
M-Mommy...!

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71

Little Mafuyu

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Mommy...
72

Mafuyu's Mother

I was worried sick about you.
But I'm so glad I found you...

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73

Mafuyu's Mother

Are you okay, Mafuyu?
Are you hurt at all?
74

Little Mafuyu

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I'm okay...
75

Mafuyu's Mother

Okay, that's good to hear...
76

Little Mafuyu

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I'm sorry, Mommy...
77

Mafuyu's Mother

No, that's okay.
You being safe is all that matters.
78

Little Mafuyu

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Mommy...
79

Mafuyu's Mother

However, Mafuyu, can I ask you one question?
80

Little Mafuyu

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Um, okay?
81

Mafuyu's Mother

Why did you break our promise?
82

Little Mafuyu

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Huh...?
83

Mafuyu's Mother

Didn't you say that you wouldn't leave my side? So why did you decide to run off like that?

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84

Little Mafuyu

Listen

I...
U-Uhh...
85

Mafuyu's Mother

You disappearing like that absolutely terrified me, Mafuyu.
86

Mafuyu's Mother

I was afraid that you'd become a “bad girl” that gives her mother grief...
87

Little Mafuyu

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...!
88

Little Mafuyu

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A bad girl...?
89

Mafuyu's Mother

Yes, Mafuyu. The thought of you vanishing from right out under me made me so sad...
90

Mafuyu's Mother

It made my heart sink... And made me so fearful...
91

Mafuyu's Mother

Honestly...
92

Little Mafuyu

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Oh no...
93

Little Mafuyu

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I-I'm so sorry, Mommy...!
Please, don't cry... I... I...
94

Little Mafuyu

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I don't want to see you cry...
95

Mafuyu's Mother

Mafuyu, you're so kind...
96

Mafuyu's Mother

But I'd feel so much better if I knew that you'd be a “good girl” who listens to what her mother says...
97

Little Mafuyu

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Mommy...
98

Little Mafuyu

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I'm really sorry...
I promise to be a good girl...!
I promise to listen to what you say...!
99

Mafuyu's Mother

Mafuyu...
100

Mafuyu's Mother

Hehe. It's okay.
I feel much better now that I know you're going to be a good girl for me.
101

Mafuyu's Mother

Anyway, let's head home for the day.
I need to start preparing dinner so that your father can come home at any time.
102

Little Mafuyu

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Okay... Huh...?!
103

Little Mafuyu

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M-Mommy...
That hurts... Please, don't pull...

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104

Little Mafuyu

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Mommy...
105

Mafuyu

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My mom's hand felt so cold that time...
106

Mafuyu

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No, not just then...
Even now... She feels so cold...
107

Mafuyu

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(But why...?)
108

Len

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<Mafuyu...>
109

Lost Girl

*Sob*
Mommy... Where are you...?
110

Miku

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<Oh, she must be lost...>
111

Len

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<O-Oh no...! We have to help her...!>
112

Mafuyu

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Right... Oh, wait...
113

Girl's Mother

There you are!
Thank goodness... Are you hurt?
114

Lost Girl

Mommy...!
No, I'm okay!

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115

Girl's Mother

You must've been so scared, but you're safe now. Let's hold hands so you don't get lost again.
116

Lost Girl

Okay!
117

Mafuyu

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...
I think she's okay now.
118

Len

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<Thank goodness...>
119

Miku

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<You seem happy, Len.>
120

Len

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<Because she seemed so warm...>
121

Mafuyu

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Warm...?
122

Len

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<Y-Yeah. Her heart must've felt so cold when she was all alone...>
123

Mafuyu

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Len, you know what that feels like...?
124

Len

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<Because I...>
125

Len

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<I was like her too...
When I arrived in SEKAI, there was no one but me...>
126

Len

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<I tried looking for everyone, but I couldn't find any of them...>
127

Len

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<I felt so lonely...>
128

Miku

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<Len...>
129

Len

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<But then, Miku found me...
And felt so warm when she took my hand.>
130

Mafuyu

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Why...?
131

Len

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<Because it felt like she was saying, “You're not alone”...>
132

Len

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<So I thought that little girl must've felt the same way.>
133

Mafuyu

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Not alone...

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134

Kanade

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I won't go anywhere...
135

Mafuyu

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(I think I've felt the warmth he's talking about before...)
136

???

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Mafuyu...!
137

Mafuyu

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...!
Next Chapter: To Me, This Place Is