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The girls began their morning with Nanako brushing Konoko's hair. Konoko sat on a stool designed with tiny red flowers upholstery while Nanako stood behind her. As they chatted cheerfully, their little moment was abruptly interrupted by none other than Prince Virgil, who knocked on the door. Konoko got so nervous when he came inside that she brusquely rose from the chair, causing it to fall. The prince's uncommonly persistent gaze only increased her flutter. However, his stare was not because of the stool accident as she thought. Rather, he was fascinated by the new arrangement of her hair. Despite being very simple, it gave her a more feminine look. Konoko tripped while trying to lift the chair back. Nanako jumped to help her. The whole agitation perturbed Prince Virgil's trance.

"I apologize Your Highness!" said Konoko in a precipitous voice, bowing until her face met her knees.

Nanako only made a short graceful nod, smiling. Prince Virgil greeted them both.

"Ladies, the preparations for your departure will soon be completed. The guardians are waiting for you so please follow me this way..."

*

Normally, the four humans would have been simply escorted to the portal and sent back. However, the rumors about Edgar Rimmer trying to manipulate Konoko to change the story's outcome spread fast, producing tension among Manime's authorities. His sudden disappearance and unknown whereabouts intensified their alarm. As a result, the commander specifically requested that the barrier be repaired and set to seal the portal in tandem with the transport of the human guests. Three guardian squads had been mobilized for the task.

This was a clever way of allowing the travelers to make it back home without the risk of anyone else using the portal subsequently. On the flip side, it made the timing pretty tight. A second earlier or later might have produced complications to the point of compromising the entire transport. For this reason, Saitou and Chie received monitoring watches that permitted them to offer precise guidance about the moment of each stage of the process: the arrival in the antechamber, the arrival at the gate, and finally the crossing to the other side. Wanda and Ryuu went to check that the gate was ready. Once the humans and their escorts set off, the two were supposed to join them on the way. For the first time, normal characters also participated in such an operation. Prince Virgil, Richard, and Darts were asked to accompany the party, mainly because of Edgar Rimmer. It was possible that the mysterious antagonist would reappear at a bad moment.

Before they mobilized, all persons involved assembled into the ballroom to recapitulate the plan's phases. Saitou used his staff to transport everyone into an alternate dimension by using the ballroom as both the start and return point for this trip. The dimension functioned similarly to the antechamber with respect to a particular aspect: what happened in it had no impact on Manime or the real world. Alternate dimensions were artificial spaces, also called "dynamic spaces,'' because a guardian could create them in almost every place except for the antechamber and the break zone. An important benefit, and also the main reason for choosing a dynamic space as the meeting place, was that no one from the outside could gain access to what happened here.

Saitou's dynamic space looked like a hexagonal crystal box sustained by a high crystal column, as if it was a gigantic stemware. Through its transparent walls, one could see they were suspended above a beautiful autumn scenery. Inside, there were grey-blue big pillows to sit on. Ichirou and Konoko were the first to make themselves comfortable. Kenji and Nanako followed them shyly.

They were to travel on horseback, as they needed to use traditional transport means and keep low profiles. Riding was preferable to walking due to the horses' speed and at a lower risk of anyone getting lost on the way. The guardians reminded the humans that no matter what happened, they had to keep their emotional reactions in control as much as they could. Not only would an increased emotional level cause calamities, but it also would lead to an energy discharge that could affect the travel. They had only one chance to leave. Right after crossing to the other side, the barrier activated, sealing the gate. Similarly to their emotional outbursts, they also had to be careful with the warps they did. These too caused fluctuations in their energy levels. The mention of the two aspects made the human audience a bit uneasy.

"I don't understand..." began Kenji. "Why are we talking about this? Are we preparing for another war?"

Nanako looked at him, concerned and clutched his arm tighter.

"As you know," intervened Prince Virgil, "the Duke of Amingham, who attacked Miss Asada the other night, is still on the loose. He's a dangerous man in possession of information that only Manime authorities usually have! Since we don't know what to expect from him, it's safer that we prepare for a possible confrontation."

Konoko frowned. Among her evil characters, she felt most uneasy about Edgar because she hadn't properly shaped his personality yet. Except for the stories of Hesperia's past, Edgar Rimmer didn't play a significant role in the manga so far. His direct intervention during the goblins' attack surprised her. She wondered if it was her who made him act that way or if the characters could have their own initiatives, independent of their creators' knowledge and will. Ichirou glanced at her, tense.

"That's also the reason why we're using this environment," explained Saitou. "To keep what we talk about a secret. No outsider spy can breach this place!"

*

The group galloped smoothly until they left The Last Kingdom of Hesperia. Upon reaching the corridor with anime posters, they met Wanda and Ryuu, who led the way. The corridor was not made for horse riding, so they had to advance one by one. Ryuu was at the top while Darts came last. By the time they were close to entering the antechamber, their apprehension about the possibility of a surprise attack had dissipated. Saitou and Chie focused mainly on their timers, occasionally checking the emotional levels of their human companions as well. Everything went according to the plan. As there seemed to be no danger, Konoko, Ichirou, and Kenji were permitted to race to the gate. The trio went ahead. Yet, when the rest of the party also approached, they were shocked to hear the loud noises of a terrible fight going on inside the antechamber. Saitou shouted after the three friends, but he received no answer. Nanako started to worry. Chie became agitated upon checking their emotional levels. Konoko's had doubled. If it continued to rise, it would put the mission at risk. The pink-haired guardian's troubled expression along with her companions' lack of response gave Nanako an ice-cold chill down her back. She galloped toward the antechamber. Saitou and Richard followed immediately. Darts and Prince Virgil came last, but Richard gave them some discrete signs to stay hidden for the time being. The two made a few steps back.

Upon entering the antechamber, Konoko and the boys had found themselves in the middle of an intense battle between the guardians and the Black King's troops from The Lost Kingdom of Hesperia. Because of the ruckus, they didn't hear Saitou calling them. Konoko wondered how did the Black King know about the antechamber? And why was the king missing? His soldiers were certainly no match for the guardians, yet the latter seemed already exhausted. The girl looked around her in search of Edgar Rimmer. After what she had heard inside the dynamic space, she suspected the warlock was behind this.

Saitou made a stormy appearance launching his staff—which had become a giant blazing light disc—through the room. Half of the king's soldiers were put to the ground. Konoko, Ichirou, and Kenji rejoiced at the sight of reinforcements coming, but most of all, they were glad to be reunited with Nanako. Saitou commanded them to follow him to the gate. Richard, Chie, Ryuu and Wanda engaged in battle alongside the rest of the guardians.

"Please be careful with these soldiers!" cried a guardian girl to her newly appeared fellow colleagues. "Don't use powerful techniques against them!"

Wanda and Chie stopped fighting and looked curiously at their comrade.

"Why?" asked Saitou indignantly. He clearly saw that a powerful technique was impactful.

"They are fake characters! It's easy to destroy them, yet they are instantly replaced by others. It's a never-ending process!" answered the guardian girl. "You'll get exhausted in no time if you use up your energy too fast!"

"Fake soldiers!" thought Konoko, upon hearing the conversation. They were not the Black King's men after all. Konoko had a sudden revelation: it was the same technique she had used when she fought the guardians. Stopping from her march alongside her friends, the girl noticed the charcoal traces left by the destroyed soldiers. She was certain now. Edgar was her only character who could use the same technique she did. In order to be able to continually create fake soldiers, he must have been close by.

"Wanda," Konoko shouted. "It's Edgar Rimmer! He is creating these soldiers! He must be disguised as one of them by use of an illusionary technique!" she added. As Konoko couldn't see Edgar anywhere, she concluded he was undercover. She still couldn't help but search for him feverishly. What did he want? He clearly didn't know their plan. Otherwise, he wouldn't have come here before them. Most likely, he would have attacked them on their way.

"Got it!" replied Wanda, who was specialized in dispelling illusions.

Wanda made a sign to Richard and the latter galloped toward the corridor. She needed Darts' assistance to corner Edgar. Meanwhile, Ichirou noticed that Konoko remained behind.

"Konoko, what are you doing?"

"I'm just trying to help!"

"They can handle it! Our job is to go home! Come on!"

Looking into Ichirou's eyes, Konoko recognized his same expression from the previous night when he asked her to accompany him at the castle. This time she chose to follow him. She was going home! Richard returned. Together with Ryuu and Saitou, they made a triangle around the four friends to help them advance. The clash was intense. One of the soldiers grabbed Konoko. She screamed. Ichirou tried to liberate her, but he was thrown at a far distance. They both lost their horses. Konoko managed to break free, but she was hit and fell to the ground. She crawled toward Ichirou. Wanda and Chie intervened, allowing Konoko to reunite with her friend. Konoko helped Ichirou get to his feet and they slowly advanced toward the gate, with him leaning on to her. Nanako and Kenji were already there. Saitou cried desperately after Konoko, but because of her apprehension, her ears got blocked. Ichirou gradually recovered from the impact's shock. No longer needing support, he took the lead, catching Konoko's hand and speeding up. Nanako dismounted and went through the portal reluctantly, watching Konoko and Ichirou with anxiety.

"Go Nanako!" shouted Ichirou. "We'll meet on the other side!"

After Nanako passed, Kenji followed. With only half of his body on the other side he waited for his friends with his hand stretched out to them. At that moment, Prince Virgil appeared out of nowhere and engaged into a fight with none other than Edgar. Wanda and Darts had managed to blow off his cover. While running by Ichirou's side, Konoko became restless at the sound of the weapons clashing behind her back. Saitou screamed at her to get moving, but she couldn't resist taking one peek at what happened in her rear—Virgil was to be killed by Edgar's dagger.

"NOOO!" she screamed in horror.

"NOW, Ichirou!" shouted Saitou.

The dagger diverged, Prince Virgil took two steps back, and then returned vigorously toward Edgar with the intention of putting his sword into his enemy's stomach. Yet, the duke already started to fade away. His time in the antechamber was up. Konoko stood paralyzed as she watched Edgar disappear. He fixed her with his eyes and sneered. "Did he know what was going to happen?" wondered Konoko.

The girl felt as if she was held by a heavy weight. Her body no longer listened to her commands to move. Saitou's eyes enlarged with terror, his irises becoming small. The gate closed soon. Ichirou took Konoko into his arms forcefully and reached the gate. Before crossing, she clutched onto John's jacket.

"Hang on Konoko! We're almost home!" whispered Ichirou to her.

Konoko watched John's clear eyes becoming Ichirou's again and felt safe. As Ichirou passed through the gate, she breathed heavily. Nanako and Kenji waited in anguish. Nanako was so nervous that she walked repeatedly from the window to the door and back, gnawing her nails. Kenji waited silently on Konoko's bed with his head into his hands. They had both returned to their human form. When Ichirou and Konoko finally arrived through the poster, Nanako knew immediately that something was wrong by Ichirou's anxiety and Konoko's lack of responsiveness. They tried vainly to make Konoko come to her senses. She seemed conscious, but her eyes had no spark and her expression looked as if her spirit had left her. After carefully helping her drink a glass of water, Konoko got enough strength to raise her head and look at each of them. Her eyes were still empty. She passed out. Ichirou called the ambulance.

*

"What happened?" Konoko, Saitou, and Chie, asked all at the same time.

"You didn't cross," observed Saitou in a small voice, incapable of believing that Konoko was with them.

"Where am I?" inquired the girl with a feeling of unsettlement.

"You're in the antechamber... with us..." Chie was just as shocked as Saitou. Both of them looked at Konoko terrified.

Saitou went directly to where the gate was. The foggy image of Konoko's room had disappeared. That part of the antechamber was now as white as the rest of the place. Konoko's heart started racing at this discovery.

"The gate is not completely sealed!" announced Saitou. "There is a thin fissure." He looked confused to his fellow guardians. Three of them came to give a second opinion.

Konoko watched breathlessly the guardians who investigated the portal.

"Can I still go back?"

Chie hurried to them for an answer. She returned quickly. By the look of her face there was no good news.

"I don't think that's possible Konoko," she began in a fearful tone. "The gate's opening is too small."

"The girl no longer has a body," said Wanda to Chie, hopeful that this might have saved the problem.

"What?" jumped Konoko. She immediately looked at her hands, but she could not tell the difference. She looked like an anime character even before this incident.

"Even if she no longer has her body, that glitch is still too small. Neither a character could pass through it. Maybe only a very tiny one..." remarked Chie.

"Am I dead?" asked Konoko apprehensively.

"No honey, you're not dead," replied Wanda in a neutral tone. "I can see a feeble signal of your body's print in your energetic aura. I wouldn't see it if your body was lifeless." She looked closer at her small radar to make sure. "Hmmm... it seems you still have a weak connection with your body, just as the gate has a small—" she stopped as she was struck by a sudden revelation.

"Hey!" Wanda shouted after the guardians that analyzed the gate. "It's the girl! Konoko keeps the gate open! There is some kind of residual link between her and her body!" She showed the radar to her colleagues.

As the group gathered near the portal and engaged in a heated conversation, Chie approached Konoko and gently touched her hand.

"Did anything unusual happen when you crossed?"

"No! Ah! Wait... there was something. Just before crossing with Ichirou, I felt as if a heavy weight had been attached to me and I could no longer move."

Chie regarded Konoko with worried eyes. What the girl said sounded similar to the situations when someone had a drop in energy.

"Do you remember when we told you to be wary of how you used your warping abilities?"

"I was careful!" Konoko defended herself. "I didn't do any change except for... " Konoko felt like fainting as she recalled the moment Virgil was almost killed. She covered her mouth with her hands and looked fearfully at Chie. "But..." she started again, "it couldn't have been that, could it? It was the only time!"

"You're right," said Chie. "That alone shouldn't have drained you of energy..."

"Unless," intervened Saitou who had approached the two, "it was not the energy fluctuation, but the focus." He stared at Konoko as if he tried to rewind the past events only by looking at her.

"What do you mean?" asked Konoko impatiently.

"Think about it Konoko!" he replied. "It was a critical moment! Nanako and Kenji had passed, it was yours and Ichirou's turn. But you stopped and looked back. That shouldn't have meant anything in itself. However, to change the outcome of a fight... that requires you to immerse your mind in that instance. Your shift in focus must have caused you to miss the exact time of your departure."

Konoko remembered the moment when she had turned to Virgil. She faintly heard Saitou shouting at Ichirou. The two of them were in the background of her attention, a distant signal... The girl covered her mouth with her right hand and fell on her knees. Her eyes ached as she could no longer hold her tears.

"But, if I missed the departure moment, how come my body reached the other side?" insisted Konoko still clinging on to hope.

"It must have been Ichirou," concluded Saitou as if the idea barely came to him. "He must have forced your advancement. That's it! That's what caused the split!" he exclaimed excitedly at his own discovery.

"The split?" asked Konoko and Chie at the same time.

"Don't you see? Konoko, you are both here and in your world! After His Highness' fight distracted you, Ichirou took you with him without you actively participating in that move. You didn't have enough time to fully shift your attention back to him. That caused you to split. While your body went to your world, most of your soul remained here. But they are still connected. For this reason, the gate cannot completely seal."

No one could contest Saitou's conclusion. It made sense. Konoko put her head into her hands, leaning her elbows on her knees.

"I couldn't let His Highness die!" she cried.

The prince looked at her, but only for a brief moment. He quickly averted his eyes because her sight was too painful for him to watch.

"You shouldn't have done that," intervened a guardian girl with glittering orange eyes. "The characters cannot die!" she remarked innocently. "They can get erased, but that's something else! It can only be caused by a powerful aftereffect of an imbalance between our worlds."

Konoko looked at the guardian girl with terrified eyes. Had she saved the prince in vain, only to lose her chance to go home?

"Not quite," intervened Wanda. "It's true that normally a character can't die outside their story. If that happens, they usually return to their manga right after dying outside of it. But if the author themselves witnesses their character's death and becomes convinced of it... it's different! Chances are high that the respective character will soon die in the manga because the author will become driven to write the story to reflect that outcome. Of course, just as you say, even if they die inside the story, the character doesn't actually disappear because they still exist in the part before their death. However," Wanda turned to Konoko, "you wouldn't have wanted His Highness to die in The Lost Kingdom of Hesperia, would you, honey?"

Konoko shook her head vigorously. She didn't want that to happen. After remaining silent for a moment with her face down, she asked.

"Is there anything, anything at all that I can do to return home?" Her words felt heartbreaking for those present.

"We don't know Konoko," answered Saitou with difficulty, "we never encountered such a situation before."

Konoko started to cry silently, but she trembled as if her body was ready to come apart. Chie came to her and took her head in her tiny arms. Konoko hugged the little pink-haired guardian and kept crying.

"I want to go home!" she mumbled between sobs. "I want home!"

*

"Hello my dear!" greeted the Venerable cheerfully.

The old man was the first person Konoko set her eyes upon when she woke up. The girl laid in a bed with a canopy in a very sunny room.

"Where am I?" she asked while her memories gradually came back to her.

"You're in The Lost Kingdom of Hesperia at Castle Brims," replied the Venerable. "His Highness said this would be your home until we found a solution to send you back to your world. He brought you here himself," he added.

The old man's jolly mood made her feel much better despite her misery. She looked around. Saitou, Chie, Grace, and the prince were also inside the room. Her eyes met Virgil's. She was so overwhelmed by his care for her that she could not bring herself to say a word. Chie and Grace came quickly by her side, each taking one of her hands and holding them with tenderness. The girl gazed at them gratefully. Grace's attachment to her must have come as a side effect of her fusion with Nanako. Her expression looked maturer as well. After more than two weeks together, the two must have influenced one another. As for Chie, although she smiled, her eyes were sad.

"You scared them, you know?" began the Venerable. "In fact, you scared all of us when you almost lost your control. Miss Chie had to restrain you when the walls of the antechamber started to crumble to pieces. The impact you have on this world should be weaker now when you no longer have your body, but let's not forget about your remaining connection with it."

"I'm so sorry!" Konoko spoke to the old man, embarrassed. "I messed it up after all." she said in a disappointed tone.

"Oh, don't speak like that, child! You seem to see things darker than they really are! We managed to close the portal, didn't we? It is not perfect, but at the very least humans can no longer come in here. Most of the characters cannot go there either. The majority of the humans returned to their world. The present situation may not be ideal, of course, but there is HOPE my dear!" He gave her a large smile as he said this.

Konoko's look changed upon hearing the word "hope".

"Your friends are perfectly fine!" continued the Venerable. "After the guardians told me about the small glitch, I couldn't help sending a little spy," he laughed.

Konoko's face lit up, her eyes teared up with joy, her cheeks flustered, and her heartbeats intensified.

"Your body is alive too! You're at no risk of dying any soon. However, I think we shouldn't let it stay in a coma too long either. What do you think, Konoko?"

"Is there a way to return?" she asked breathlessly, almost choking because of her enthusiasm.

"Well, there is a possibility, though me and Krieg never had the chance to test it before. I can't properly anticipate the risks, but I'm hopeful!"

"I want to try!" exclaimed Konoko with eagerness.

"It is not easy, you know? It's actually more difficult than what you had to do to save Nanako." he looked inquisitively at Konoko.

"It doesn't matter!" replied the girl impatiently.

"Very well then! You have to build a character after yourself. Since the body is not here, the fusion cannot cause you to die. However, you still cannot remain together. One of you has to become the dominant here and chase away the other. You must make sure the character will take over so that you are pushed back into your world."

"How will this transfer take place?"

"I frankly don't know. At any rate, you should bear in mind this is not a regular fusion. You will build the character inside you, which is different from when you created characters after your friends. The character built inside you will not start as a different individual that only resembles you. If in a fusion the character and its model are different persons that combine, in your case, it will be quite the opposite. You will start as one and then divide. For this reason, it won't be easy for the character to take control as it happens with regular fusions. Remember! Since you are human, your spirit is stronger. Your character will need your help to become dominant."

"But what if I lose my identity while helping the character to take over?"

"Aha! That's where the difficulty comes in! During this process, you must always keep your awareness of who you are and where your real home is. Look at me Konoko!" the old man became very serious and his eyes got a burning glow. "Whether you manage or not to keep your identity, it depends entirely on you!"

"But, I..." Konoko remembered how easily she lost herself in her imagination.

"Don't worry!" intervened Grace encouragingly. "We will be sure to remind you as often as we can!" Chie nodded to confirm that she would do the same.

"Me too!" added Saitou.

"You can count on me as well!" said Prince Virgil.

Konoko looked at all of them with gratitude, but the old man interrupted before she could express herself in words.

"One more important thing Konoko! The transition to your body may not be perfect from the very beginning. You might encounter intermissions, temporarily separating you from the body. Don't let them dishearten you. Persevere! I'm sure your friends' devotion to you will significantly ease up the process!"

*

* *

Almost six months had passed since Konoko was left stranded in The Lost Kingdom of Hesperia. She concentrated on creating her character while progressing with her manga to more easily endure her painful longing for her life, family, and most of all her friends. Building a character inside her didn't prove as difficult as she initially expected. Her passion about her story and her attachment to its universe allowed Konoko to easily find herself a role in it. Then one day, that new role became another self—Marimar, a short-haired, spry war orphan who genuinely cherished all people and living creatures alike. She was not just any character, but her manga's long-awaited heroine herself! However, even if this new life as Marimar felt very alluring and fulfilling to Konoko, nothing could replace her loss. She did her best not to forget it just as the Venerable advised her. The quiet moments when she rested or when she had no company still felt unbearable. Before she fell asleep, one particular memory tortured her and, at the same time, spurred her on to persevere: Ichirou holding her into his arms when they had lost Nanako. It continually reminded Konoko that no anime character, no matter how perfect, could replace the warmth of a human heart.

*

A week had passed since Ichirou, Nanako, and Kenji brought the unconscious Konoko to the hospital. They all kept her company, taking turns. Her family was always there as well. That week had been a nightmare for everyone. Right after Konoko went into a coma, Ichirou had a breakdown and wanted to tear up her poster. Nanako barely managed to stop him. When Konoko finally woke up, it was a day for celebration! Though she looked absent-minded, the doctor said it was normal. Only a few days later, she was released from the hospital. They all went back to their apartment together with Konoko's parents. The girl's family decided that until she fully recovered, it was best that she returned to her childhood home with them.

While her friends helped her pack, Konoko went to the restroom. A long time passed and she didn't return. Nanako went to check up on her, but she didn't respond to the door knocking nor when she was called. It all ended up with Ichirou opening the door by force. Konoko stood before the mirror. She had cut her hair. As Ichirou and Nanako looked at their friend in astonishment, she turned to them. Ichirou felt so relieved at recognizing Konoko's specific expression after such a long time! But then, a tear of thick, black ink fell down Konoko's right cheek and she said in a choking voice: "Help!"