Episode 16

original air date: 7.17.02

Depth

The scene opens in the real world. A heart monitor is fluctuating and an alarm is going off. We see the patient, the girl from the previous episodes. She is still breathing, but when the heart monitor goes flat-line, she stops. We return to "The World" where both Mimiru and Bear are falling threw a tunnel of data. Finally they emerge in Dun Loireag. They both gather themselves and focus on the topic at hand. What happened to Tsukasa? We once again see Tsukasa get data drained, and Mimiru worries about what happened to Tsukasa. Bear comforts her by telling her not to worry. That he probably emerged somewhere else. Yet Mimiru is still worried. Tsukasa has all of his senses in the game, and if he can feel pain from being hit, what happens if he dies?

We return to the chapel, and find BT once again attempting to open the Twilight Eye and return to the upside down castle. However it seems the path back there has closed, seeing as how the spell didn't work. Sora confronts BT. He is suspicious of her, saying that since he wasn't there, he isn't sure if the story she told him is true. He goes on by saying that she could be lying and waiting for the right time to use the Key of the Twilight. BT points out that Tsukasa, Bear and Mimiru also met the upside-down man, and that they didn't find anything. However Sora tells her that they met him 'after' her. Thus they probably didn't get the same message. So in order to see if she was telling the truth, he decides to test her. The scene ends with BT falling to the ground dead, and Sora disappointed she didn't even put up a fight.

In the dungeon from the first episode, we see Mimiru standing in front of the familiar chest, and then we see the scene of her meeting Tsukasa for the first time. Mimiru is still worried. Bear then joins her and tries to comfort her again. He tells her that the real Tsukasa is all right. But Mimiru isn't completely sure he is telling the truth. He then tells her that Tsukasa will probably show up out of nowhere, and that they just have to wait. Mimiru agrees and says she isn't bad at waiting.

In the throne room, Crim is telling Subaru what happened at the castle. He apologizes for not acquiring the Key of Twilight. They discuss the Key further, and after asking her if she thinks it exists, Subaru tells hi, that she still does. That the matters surrounding it have become very complicated. She decides to speak with the Descendents of Fianaa, Orca and Balmung, about the Key of the Twilight. Subaru learns that Mimiru, Bear and Tsukasa were also at the castle. And after hearing that Crim, BT, and probably everyone else had to do a hard reset to return to the game, she worries about Tsukasa. Crim wonders why Subaru worries so much about Tsukasa. She is surprised that Crim doesn't know and that she didn't tell him. She fills Crim in and is shocked. Then both seem to wonder what happened to Tsukasa, since he can't log out.

He scene switches to some unseen place, and all we can hear is a scream. Various images flash across the scream, finally we see Tsukasa, and he reappears in the area with the little girl. He writhes in pain on the ground and continues to cry out in pain, until finally the area returns to normal, and Tsukasa gets up. He wonders what exactly happens, and looks over at the little girl. She turns towards him and opens her eyes. They are pitch black and tears emerge. Tsukasa is shocked, but then when we see the girl again she is sleeping normally. The voice calls out to Tsukasa, welcoming him home. And continues by telling him her speech of how she will protect him as long as she walks with her.

Tsukasa is then seen on a snowfield. He is trying to figure out what's going on. He wonders what exactly is he. He isn't in front of a computer; he is there in the "World". He wonders if he is even real.

In Mac Anu, Subaru encounters Silver Knight. He tells her that there are issues she should look into. However she shrugs him off telling him he can take care of it. However she reminds him that they are not moderators. They are only players. So they should only act as a third party, dealing with the issue. As she leaves, she tells Silver Knight that she has other areas to check. But Silver Knight stops her and tells her that he and the knights are worried about her. They feel that she, as their leader, represents their views. However if she were to stop representing those views, he wonders what exactly they would do. She tells him if that's the way they believe in her, they can continue to do so.

In a grassland field, Subaru stands in front of the dungeon entrance, which looks similar to the one where they held Tsukasa in a previous episode. As she turns to leave, Tsukasa emerges and seemingly at a loss for words, both just stare at each other.

On a hill, Tsukasa and Subaru are sitting and talking. Tsukasa tells her of his worries. He wonders if he is even real. He can't even die, something a human could do. However since he can't do that there, he is in doubt. Subaru comforts him by taking his hand and putting it on her chest…(Not that chest you sickos). She asks him if he can feel her heart beating, He tells her he can, and thus Subaru tells him if he can feel her heart beat of her real self, he must be alive. She tells him that she will wait for him to wake up, so she can meet him. Tsukasa asks her why, and she only tells her because she wants to, and that is reason enough. Tsukasa is still in doubt however. Subaru tells him "A small light shines best in darkness." And that even if he doesn't see his path, it's there and he will eventually find it.

On a forest field, Bear meets with BT and they discuss The Key of Twilight. BT asks what Bear will do next, since there isn't any more leads, they seem to be stuck on what to do next. They look at their information, 3 points.

1. The Upside-down man. 2. The man said he loved someone. Who exactly is he talking about? 3. And who is the girl he kept mentioning?

They still aren't sure how to go about finding the information. Before they can continue, Bear gets an email from Mimiru. Bear asks if BT wants to come along, she declines however and Bear leaves. However BT appears sad about something.

In Dun Loireag, Bear meets up with Mimiru and Subaru. Mimiru exclaims that Subaru has seen Tsukasa. Bear asks when she had seen him. Subaru tells him that it was recent. Then goes on with how he was. She tells them how depressed he was. And that he was very unsure of himself, even wondering about his existence as he died, but came back. Bear and Subaru worry about Tsukasa's mental well being. Subaru says they don't have much time as they thought before. Mimiru asks if they have a solution to the problem. Bear just says they only have "The Key of the Twilight to work with. However since they still have not found it, things look pretty bad. However at that point Mimiru remembers that during their meeting with the upside-down man, Tsukasa stated: "I think I've found it!" They wonder if he meant he found out where the Key was. So they decide to ask Tsukasa about it. Subaru has to leave them however, as she has business in Mac Anu.

In a dungeon, we find that Mimiru had just asked Tsukasa what he meant; however Tsukasa doesn't remember even saying it. Mimiru presses him again for anything, however Bear stops her and tells him it's all right if he forgot. As the conversation ends, Tsukasa thanks them both and gates out. This makes both Bear and Mimiru nervous for why he thanked them.

In the field with the floating girl, Tsukasa walks up to the bed, then the girl stops floating and comes to a rest on the bed for the first time. Tsukasa, very confused and unsure of himself, lies down next to her.