The next morning
Nonogi Park

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1

Tsukasa

Listen

Alright, do it!
2

Emu

Listen

Aye aye, sir!
Rui, can I power it up now?
3

Rui

Listen

Yes. The time has come for the bird robot I made for our shows to rise once more...
4

Rui

Listen

As Robo-Phoenix!
5

Nene

Listen

Chasing around a flying robot...
Do you really think this is going to be good practice, Tsukasa...?
6

Rui

Listen

He said the idea is based on the advice he received from Seiryuin... And I think it should prove effective.
7

Tsukasa

Listen

Rio has to chase the phoenix around for a large portion of the show, so I figured that I should try doing that for as long as I can! That may give me some new insights!
8

Nene

Listen

I see...
9

Emu

Listen

Here we go!
Power ON!

Sound Effect: Play

Sound Effect: Play

10

Tsukasa

Listen

Ah, it's up!
Time to catch you!!!

Sound Effect: Play

11

Tsukasa

Listen

Grr...!
The way it moves is so unpredictable...!
12

Robo-Phoenix

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“Oh, done already...?
You sounded so confident about catching me just now.”
13

Tsukasa

Listen

Huh...?! Was that...?!
14

Nene

Listen

It's a recording of my voice.
15

Rui

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The phoenix taunts Rio as he chases after her, no? I thought this would help make it feel more real.
16

Tsukasa

Listen

True...
I appreciate it!

Sound Effect: Play

17

Robo-Phoenix

Listen

“Too slow.
Honestly, where are you looking? Are you not going to catch me?”
18

Tsukasa

Listen

(Rio's an eight-year-old boy...
Also, he's not very athletic and only has his favorite bug-catching net at his disposal.)
19

Tsukasa

Listen

(With that in mind, catching a phoenix sounds absolutely impossible. However...)
20

Tsukasa

Listen

(His mother's life depends on him succeeding right now...!)
21

Tsukasa

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“Stop!
I'm going to catch you no matter what!”

Sound Effect: Play

A few hours later

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22

Tsukasa

Listen

Huff... Huff...
23

Emu

Listen

Are you okay, Tsukasa?
You fell a whole lot...
24

Tsukasa

Listen

I'm fine. Rio also falls quite a lot.
Also, I'm being careful not to actually get hurt.
25

Nene

Listen

I know we don't have much time, but try not to push yourself too hard, okay? Here, use this bandage.
26

Tsukasa

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Ah, thank you.
27

Tsukasa

Listen

But...
I still haven't quite figured Rio out yet...
28

Tsukasa

Listen

I may not have actually made a connection with him yet. I mean, we're not in a forest, and the temperature and humidity feel completely different...
29

Tsukasa

Listen

Alas, I know that I can't ask for everything. We don't have time to visit a forest since we need to practice, so...
30

Tsukasa

Listen

Rio spends three days and nights surviving only on water...
31

Tsukasa

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Then, I shall do the same.
32

Nene

Listen

What?! You're kidding, right...?!
33

Nene

Listen

B-But... We're still practicing every day, and you have to play the chicken, remember? Just water? Are you sure...?
34

Tsukasa

Listen

I fear that I won't be able to become Rio if I don't...
35

Rui

Listen

...
Your resolve is admirable, Tsukasa, and I don't plan to get in the way of you becoming a star.
36

Rui

Listen

However, I will stop you if I believe you're taking things too far.
37

Tsukasa

Listen

Okay, thank you.
Especially since there would be a negative impact on the show if I were to fall ill.
38

Tsukasa

Listen

But... Until then, I'm going to push myself to the limit!

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39

Tsukasa

Listen

Huff... Huff...
40

Cast Member A

Tenma, you're slowing down!
Try to keep up!
41

Tsukasa

Listen

...
42

Tsukasa

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(Grr... I'd be able to keep running if only I were at full strength...)

Sound Effect: Play

43

Tsukasa

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*Wince*
44

Emu

Listen

Oh no!
Tsukasa, you're really wobbly! Are you sure you're okay?

Sound Effect: Play

45

Tsukasa

Listen

S-Sorry, Emu.
I feel a little lightheaded since I haven't had anything to eat...
46

Tsukasa

Listen

At the same time, I think I'm starting to understand how hard it is to move while in a state of severe hunger...
47

Tsukasa

Listen

But I'm also supposed to have wandered into an unfamiliar land. Oh, I can try remembering what it was like when we were stranded on that desert island...
48

Emu

Listen

Tsukasa...
49

Emu

Listen

(I know you can do it...!)
50

Tsukasa

Listen

“Wait...! Oh...”
51

Tsukasa

Listen

“I... I thought I had you this time!”
52

Tsukasa

Listen

“Why can't I catch you...?
Why am I so weak and powerless...?”
53

Tsukasa

Listen

No, that doesn't sound right...
He's feeling more than just sorrow here...
54

Nene

Listen

He's doing better than before, but...
55

Rui

Listen

He feels that he's still missing something...
56

Emu

Listen

...
57

Tsukasa

Listen

(Still no...)
58

Tsukasa

Listen

(I'm trying to express how he truly feels, but...)

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59

Tsukasa

Listen

(I still haven't brought Rio to life...)
60

Tsukasa

Listen

(Why?
What am I missing here...?)
61

Tsukasa

Listen

(As much as I want to figure it out, I don't have time... At this rate...)
62

Tsukasa

Listen

No...!
I absolutely don't have time to think about that. I need to act! Now!
63

Tsukasa

Listen

Do not give up, Tsukasa Tenma!
I know you can do it...!
64

Tsukasa

Listen

“Why can't I catch you...?
Why am I so weak and powerless...?”
Two days before the audition

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65

Nene

Listen

...
66

Tsukasa

Listen

“What is your goal exactly...?!”
67

Tsukasa

Listen

“I'm doing everything I can to catch you, but all you do is taunt and tease me!”
68

Sakurako

Listen

“You are mistaken...”
69

Sakurako

Listen

“The way you have been chasing me around so persistently... A very small part of me actually admires you...”
70

Sakurako

Listen

“Regardless of all the pain you are feeling, you still wish to save your mother?”
71

Tsukasa

Listen

“I do...
Which is why I need to take your heart back to her...!”
72

Tsukasa

Listen

(No...
All wrong...!)
73

Tsukasa

Listen

(Performing opposite Seiryuin inevitably leads to my character sounding artificial... No, more than that...)
74

Nene

Listen

You've gotta be kidding me...
75

Nene

Listen

She feels even more like a phoenix now...
76

Rui

Listen

I-I'm staggered...
77

Emu

Listen

...
78

Director

Stop there. Next.
79

Tsukasa

Listen

Thank you...
80

Cast Member A

I'll be in this next scene!
81

Sakurako

Listen

Yes, of course.
82

Cast Member A

“Wh-What am I supposed to do...?
I want to save my mom, but...”
83

Rui

Listen

(The others are beginning to distinguish themselves from one another as Seiryuin pulls them along...)
84

Rui

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(None seem to be the clear favorite, but at this rate, Tsukasa...)
85

Rui

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(Not only will he not be able to reach Seiryuin's level, just getting the role is going to be a struggle...)
86

Tsukasa

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(Each Rio has its qualities...
They're all doing an excellent job of showing how frustrated he feels being unable to catch the phoenix despite his best efforts.)
87

Tsukasa

Listen

(What am I going to do...?)
88

Tsukasa

Listen

(I only have two days left...
What can I do...?!)
89

Rui

Listen

Tsukasa...
Tsukasa's Room

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90

Tsukasa

Listen

(Do I need to start observing what the others are doing in order to win this part...?)
91

Tsukasa

Listen

(I'll surely be selected if I can show that my portrayal is even marginally better.)
92

Tsukasa

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(And after I'm chosen, I may be given more opportunities to polish what I have as we practice.)
93

Tsukasa

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(Which means, first and foremost, I need to come up with a way to win this audition...)
94

Tsukasa

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No... No, that won't do!
95

Tsukasa

Listen

There's no point in winning this part with such a cheap portrayal.
96

Tsukasa

Listen

Because the kind of star I want to become is...

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97

Tsukasa

Listen

(I've done everything I can...)
98

Tsukasa

Listen

(I've thought about my character's background, how he feels, how he acts and moves... So many times too.)

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99

Tsukasa

Listen

(And yet, I'm struggling...)
100

Tsukasa

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(I'm nowhere near Seiryuin's level, or the others for that matter.)
101

Tsukasa

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(There's just no end to it, is there...?)
102

Tsukasa

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(The shows we've done at the Wonder Stage, our ambassadorial performances, that show we did with Asahi and his troupe, the workshop I attended...)
103

Tsukasa

Listen

(I clearly felt that I grew and made big steps each time I stood on stage.)
104

Tsukasa

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(Which is why I thought the same would apply for this show. I was convinced that I'd be able to keep growing.)
105

Tsukasa

Listen

(But...)
106

Tsukasa

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(There are plenty of others just like me out there.)
107

Tsukasa

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(Not only that, great actors and incredible talent like Asahi and Seiryuin exist...)
108

Tsukasa

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(And that person...)

Sound Effect: Play

109

Tsukasa

Listen

(He's on top of the world.
Somewhere so distant and unfathomable...)
110

Tsukasa

Listen

I...
111

Tsukasa

Listen

How can I reach that place?
What do I need to do exactly...?
112

Tsukasa

Listen

No, stop...
113

Tsukasa

Listen

You won't be able to reach it if you don't extend your hand. You won't achieve anything...
114

Tsukasa

Listen

Keep moving forward, Tsukasa Tenma...

Sound Effect: Play

115

Tsukasa

Listen

Who could that be? It's so late...

Sound Effect: Play

116

Tsukasa

Listen

Oh...
Wonderland SEKAI

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117

Tsukasa

Listen

What are you all doing here so late...?
118

Emu

Listen

We're really sorry, Tsukasa, but we thought this was our only chance!
119

Nene

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Yeah...
There isn't much time left until the audition...
120

Rui

Listen

But we've come this far.
So, why don't we think about it together?
121

Rui

Listen

A way for you to fully capture Rio.
122

Tsukasa

Listen

All of you...
123

Tsukasa

Listen

(Now I see...
I kept trying to figure this all out on my own, but...)

Sound Effect: Play

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124

Tsukasa

Listen

(It takes more than one person to put on a show.)
125

Tsukasa

Listen

(I've been able to reach some great heights already because I've had them here with me...)
126

Tsukasa

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(The chances of the current me succeeding at this are exceedingly slim...)
127

Tsukasa

Listen

(But...)
128

Tsukasa

Listen

(I'm not about to stop here...
Not while I have their support.)
129

Tsukasa

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(As someone who's destined to become a future star...!)
130

Tsukasa

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Yes, I appreciate it greatly...
131

Tsukasa

Listen

Until the day of the audition, let's do our best together!!!

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132

Tsukasa

Listen

Now...?!
You couldn't have picked a worse time...!
133

Nene

Listen

Hehe. It just means you're aching for a bite, right? Make sure to eat something tomorrow so that you'll be ready to practice at full strength.

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134

Emu

Listen

Oh, I'll bring a really big rice ball!!!
Next Chapter: Beyond Me