Hanashi 20 - The Price of Vice

Atsuko responds, "It's okay; Everything will soon be history." She is relieved that Hideo is no longer blind to the truth, and she is equally glad that she too can see things for what they are. The truth can be a heavy burden to bear, often accompanied by great sorrow. However, accepting the truth is the key to freedom and liberation. Mere complaining and sulking does not bring change. To bring about change, it is necessary to confront and overcome the darkest parts of one's heart, allowing the light to shine through. As the music fades away, Hideo halts his dance and pulls Atsuko close for a warm embrace. Atsuko reciprocates the hug, fervently hoping for a happy ending for Hideo. Hideo closes his eyes, feeling no pain as his body starts to vanish into thin air. He knows that he is finally free from the role of a villain. Stunned and bewildered, Atsuko stands in the now-silent and brightly lit ballroom, trying to make sense of everything that has happened. She gazes down at her own hands, watching as they slowly become transparent. In the blink of an eye, the scene around her starts to fade away, and a bright, all-encompassing light engulfs everything, including Atsuko herself. Overwhelmed by the experience, she blacks out, her mind unable to comprehend the events unfolding around her.

****

Remiel observes the scene with keen interest, his eyes fixed on the sleeping pods of Atsuko and Hideo. As he monitors their vitals, he notes that Atsuko's readings are stable, while Hideo's vital signs have plummeted to a thin, lifeless line. The water in his pod has turned from transparent to murky black.  It is a tragic moment, and all are left to wonder what happened to Hideo and where he has gone. He was only a copy of his original self, a mere fragment that had somehow turned into something malevolent. But even in his death, there is a glimmer of hope that perhaps Hideo is not entirely gone. In the haste of motion, Remiel rushes to the Somnus control panel and begins to manipulate the glitches in the system. He inserts a white flash drive into the interface, causing a massive shift in the land of Caspien. The program stabilizes, repairing all the damage that Dr. Alistair had caused and returning the entire dimension to its natural state. It ensures that the program cannot merge with reality. Meanwhile, Dr. Alistair roams around his labyrinthine facility, destroying everything and everyone in his path. He has lost himself in his maze as he searches for the central control room and his enemy, Remiel. Dr. Alistair's voice echoes through the lab, his eyes darting around frantically as he searches for someone. "Where is he? Where is that annoying pest?!" he shrieks, his desire for bloodshed and destruction growing stronger with each passing moment. He begins to regret using the special knife that transforms him into an immortal creature. As time passes, he feels his logical mind slipping away, replaced by a senseless beast with an insatiable desire for destruction. 

Meanwhile, Remiel sits in Dr. Alistair's seat, his expression severe despite the temptation to celebrate. He knows that things can go from bright to grim in a heartbeat and is determined to ensure that reality and the dimension of Caspien stay separate for the sake of humanity. Looking around the lab room, he notices several Gem Pods containing other bodies, including many replicas of both Kenzo and Hideo. Strangely, all the replicas of those who are Hideo are covered in black, while Kenzo and his replicas appear normal. Suddenly, a loud and piercing screech shatters the silence, causing Remiel to jump in fear. He wonders if Dr. Alistair will come for him, but he soon realizes that Dr. Alistair is too busy thrashing about in pain. As he transforms into a strange and new creature, his human senses begin to dull, and his beastly mentality takes over. Dr. Alistair has lost sight of his original goal and is now consumed by the desire to destroy everything in his path.

****

"So we are still dreaming?" Atsuko asks, sniffling and feeling her face flush with heat. "In a way, yes." Jun replies. He stands up and helps Atsuko to her feet. As she looks at him, she notices that Jun's appearance has changed. "You look different." she comments. Jun nods, "I've exceeded my Gem Pod limit. It won't be long before I'm stuck here for eternity." Atsuko understands that this is the same for her. She and Jun have been trapped in Caspien for too long, living in a false reality.

****

Jun, however, tries to downplay his culinary skills. "It's nothing really," he says humbly, "Just a hobby." As they enjoy their soup, Atsuko's demeanor suddenly changes, and she looks troubled. "What's going to happen to us now?" she asks Jun, her voice trembling. Jun takes a deep breath and replies, "We have to go through the forest and find a white door." Atsuko's eyes widened in alarm. "And then what?" she presses on, her soup suddenly tasting bland and unappetizing. "What if we can't make it back to our reality?" Jun's face darkens, and he puts down his spoon. "I don't know," he admits, "But we have to keep going. Remiel and Seiko are doing everything they can to help us." Atsuko nods, but her eyes are brimming with tears. She can't help but feel overwhelmed by the uncertainty of their situation. 

Jun stands up from his stool and walks over to Atsuko, enfolding her in a warm embrace. "My fair maiden," he whispers, "Please don't cry. As long as we stick together, I will always protect you. Seeing you cry breaks my heart." Atsuko sobs uncontrollably, her body shaking with emotion, but she feels a glimmer of hope knowing that Jun is there for her. Atsuko's tears flow down her cheeks, and she embraces Jun tightly, unable to contain her emotions. Jun, too, is overwhelmed by the gravity of their situation, and his tears start to fall silently as he tries to console her. "We've been living in a world of illusions, believing in lies that we thought were real." Atsuko whispers bitterly, letting out a dry laugh. Jun nods his head in agreement, his expression grave. The silence between them is suffocating, and the oppressive atmosphere is only amplified by the gravity of their situation. Suddenly, a familiar voice breaks through the stillness, commanding their attention. "Both of you, pull yourselves together! There is still hope, and there is still time. You must hurry to the white door, or else!" A white silhouette appears behind them, gradually taking on a recognizable form. It is Leonarda, Jun's younger sister.

"Leonarda..." Jun whispers in disbelief, momentarily forgetting her presence. Atsuko stands up and gazes at her, surprised. Leonarda embraces them both, filling them with a sense of warmth and hope that they had almost forgotten. As they break away from the hug, Jun pats Leonarda's head, gratitude etched on his face. "Thank you for being here." he says softly. Atsuko chuckles and playfully pouts, "It took her long enough." Leonarda looks apologetic, "I'm sorry, guys. While Remiel was installing glitches in this world, I was one of those glitches, but I also received a massive update." Jun and Atsuko were standing face to face, their eyes locked in a deep gaze. Out of nowhere, Jun leaned in and planted a gentle kiss on Atsuko's forehead. Atsuko was taken aback and her face turned bright red. "What was that?" she asked in surprise.  

Jun looked at her with a warm smile and said, "It's a kiss of oath. I want to be by your side forever, until the end of time."  This unexpected gesture from Jun made Atsuko feel different. She felt as if things were changing between them. Despite the false reality they were living in, Jun's love for Atsuko remained unchanged. She was the one who made him smile and feel alive.  The veil of delusion is starting to fall from their eyes. Both Atsuko and Jun realized the truth about their situation. 

Fortunately, they had Remiel by their side, who kept his promise of saving them. With the end drawing near, they all hope that the light of peace will prevail and destroy every dark thing that is bleak and devoid of justice.