Episode 9

original air date: 5.29.02

Epitaph

In the main area Bear and BT are talking about going "there", Bear is questioning her as to why, and she says it's worth investigating. He tells her that he's said it before but does not believe there to be such an item. She tells him that he has to presume that it does exist, for it he does not then he will end up missing something that is right in front of his eyes. 

In Aura's Domain Tsukasa asks, "can you hear me? When is this child going to wake up? When will she speak? Is she broken?"  He gets no answer (or at least no audible one) and then says, "That can't be it."

In the Desert BT is talking to Crim, telling him how by the time she had heard about the Key of the Twilight it had already become a legendary story on the Net.  She goes on to say that it was forgotten until the current situation with Tsukasa happened. Crim says the first he heard of it was off of a fan site's BBS, but by that time it had already become a controversy.  People on the BBS were arguing whether it was in existence or not.  Crim suggests instead of talking about it, they act on it, and start looking for it. He goes on to say how it was perfect timing, that it happened right after the Knights were formed.  He asks BT if she knows about the Knights of the Round Table. She responds by asking if he means King Arthur's Knights.  He tells her that it was announced, "The Knights of Subaru will investigate the 'Key of the Twilight.'"  Crim goes on talking about his past failures, but how he's learned from them, and not ashamed of them, but rather of his failure-fearing heat.  BT asks who started this story in the beginning.  

Now evening in the main area Tsukasa walks a path alone.  There is nobody around when he looks. "It's not here.,” he murmurs.  As he comes up a small hill he runs into another character, a female heavy swordsman.  She asks for his attention, for she has a favor to ask of him.  She tells him she was kinda worried because it was so late, and that she wouldn't be able to find anybody at this hour. Tsukasa asks her what time it is, and she tells him, "a little past 4, it's going to be getting brighter pretty soon." She continues and tells him since she is leaving soon for a vacation in real life for three days, she needs somebody to take care of her little puchiguso.  She asks him if it is all right, and he tells her he can't be bothered.  She begs him again, just for three days.  The adorable little pink puchiguso talks to Tsukasa and says, "I'm hungry, whee!  Let me stay by you somehow, whee!" and then sneezes.  

In a throne room Subaru and BT are talking.  BT says Crim must be refusing this time around, and Subaru tells her "then in that case, Makuam is fine with me as well."  BT asks Subaru where the story of the Key of the Twilight derived from, so she can look for it.  She goes on to tell her that Crim has been looking for it somehow by himself.  "For something as hard as that, ask Subaru" is what she was told by him.  Subaru tells BT a bit about Crim, how he acts then falls out of what he was doing, and that he has helped her, in his ways, in the past.  She goes on to say that the Key of the Twilight's existence is surrounded in mysteries.  "Tell me about it," replies BT.

At the Church's entrance Bear and Mimiru are talking.  Mimiru asks him what's wrong, for he seemed to be spaced out; she asks if he is busy with his work.  Bear asks her if she knows about his work, and she tells him no, that she asked BT about it but she didn't tell her.  She asks him, and all he tells her is, "It's a secret."  Mimiru thinks that the Key doesn't even exist, but Bear tells her that's why it's a story in case it doesn't exist.  She asks him if it's an item that will disrupt everything from the system's root, then why does it even exist in the first place.  Bear agrees, and says that is a good point. He goes on to tell her about a term called "Apoptosis." He tells her about when the body forms it is a big ball of cells, then cells die out and what is left if the form of a hand, or any other body part.  He goes on to say that they are program cells, cells that have been made to die, and that it opposes the way of life - but as a result fingers are formed and the body is complete.  She asks, "then the Key of the Twilight may exist so that something could be born?"  Bear tells her it's just a guess, but would make its existence seem more feasible.  "But this is just a game," says Mimiru.  He tells her it's a strange game and asks her what's the reason that this field (the Church and it's surrounding area) is so different from all the others.  He tells her that this place used to be an island floating over the lake and maybe because of something dieing out, maybe there used to be a time when the water was "drawn in" with graphics.  Bear says there could be another story though for some say the water here all dried up as soon as a strange message was left on the BBS.  

Back in the throne room Subaru tells BT that she can remember the time that message was left on the BBS, but can't remember what it said, for almost nobody could ready what it said.  She continues saying that due to it being deleted almost immediately is probably the main reason on one knows what it said.  Subaru goes on to say that it's still questionable how much of the original text someone was able to see or that the whole thing was a hoax.  BT tells her she wants to see the message.

Back in the main area two other players see Tsukasa walking toward a large door.  They comment saying, "That's him isn't it?" and "that's the guy who had some trouble with the Knighthood."  One of them urges the other to talk to him, so they can later brag to their friends about it.  As Tsukasa walks through the door, they say that it can't be him, for why would a guy like that come to raise a puchiguso.  Inside the little puchiguso looks deathly ill, Tsukasa has returned with some food for it.  As he pets it, it sneezes and Tsukasa asks, "Why?"

Still in the stable, the owner comes in and Tsukasa runs to him.  "Welcome to the Donaroriak Puchiguso Farm!"  HE ask what he wants to know, Tsukasa asks what is wrong with the puchiguso.  He tells him it is terrible, that it has Kuchi-Jistempa (an epidemic commonly found in dogs) and it is a serious disease. He asks him if he didn't already vaccinate it.  Tsukasa asks if it can be cured, he tells him the antidote is the Purple Cherry.  

In the snowfield Tsukasa appears and searches for the Purple Cherry.  The cold weather and wind obviously affects him as he wanders searching.  He sees some cherries covered in some snow, but when he brushes them off, they are not the right kind.  He continues his search, tiring and becoming colder and colder - but he does not give up.

In the forest gathered around a small campfire BT, Mimiru and Bear discussing searching for the Key of the Twilight.  Bear tells BT that he wants to look for it, but with the situation with Tsukasa he's not sure.  Mimiru is pretty sure they wouldn't be able to find it even if they did look. BT tells her that with 20 million people playing this game there might be somebody that received the original message.  She goes on to say they have the help of Subaru and Crim, and the more people they have helping the better.  One of them hints at getting Sora involved, and that somebody has to go talk to him.  BT says it's Mimiru's turn.

In the Wasteland Mimiru is searching for Sora.  Sora appears and Mimiru attacks with her sword, but of course Sora stops her attack with his blades.  She asks him if he knows an informer or not.  She explains what she is looking for, and Sora gets excited. She tells him it has nothing to do with him, but needs his help.  He wants to partner up with her to look, but she will not have it.  He says that's the only way he'll help.  Sora goes on to say he does know someone, and that she's quite talented.  

A flash to the Real World, a young child is walking, tears streaming down their face.  They are walking a bicycle through a city street.  The child stops, as three other children on bikes stop in front the child, screaming something.  The three children ride away, and the lone child is standing with the bike.  The child now heads the opposite direction.

A close up of Tsukasa, his eyes closed and his head down, he looks up, and mutters something. 

Back in the forest around the campfire BT and Bear listen to what Mimiru has to say.  She tells them that Sora might be able to help, that he might be able to contact someone named Helba.  Hearing this name, Bear perks up, saying he's heard of the name through rumors.  BT asks about this character, "A super expert hacker," is Bears response.  Mimiru is surprised to hear that such a person would play this game, and Bear tells her you can't underestimate people's hobbies.  Bear tells her this is a good find, but asks Mimiru why the long face.   She tells him it's because she promised Sora to let him join them in exchange for contacting Helba.  

Mimiru appears in the main area, and Tsukasa appears shortly after her.  She sees him and starts to follow.

BT appears in the wasteland, followed by Sora.  He is surprised to see her and not Mimiru, she ask him why he's not bothering her today.  Sora says, "because it's raining...” He tells her he's established contact with Helba.  "So?" is her response.  He tells her Helba seems to know about them and will contact them later.  BT tells him if that's all it was, that he could have just mailed them instead of asking to meet.  He lets her know that he knows Crim is helping out as well, and it's better if they were careful.  BT asks why, and he tells he they want "that," but he just wants to be the one to find it for he has no interest in the item itself.  He goes on to say that if Crim finds it first, he'll say it never existed, and even if they discover it first, Crim will just take it.  

Back in the puchiguso farm, Tsukasa rushes in with the Purple Cherry, he tries to get the puchiguso to eat it, and sets it in front of him.  Mimiru watches from the door.  The puchiguso is too weak to eat the cherry, as Tsukasa pets it, it begins to glow then dissipates into a bunch of little lights and fades away.  The owner of the puchiguso comes running in, and seeing this yells out "That... that's so cruel!  I asked you to look after it. Why did you do it? What the hell were you doing?!"  Mimiru and the owner start arguing about the situation, and Tsukasa is still in a state of shock as he stares wide eyed where the puchiguso once was. Tsukasa gets up and tells them to stop it.  He tells the owner that he didn't make it in time, and he's sorry.  He then walks out, leaving the two girls.  

Outside in the main area, Mimiru sits next to Tsukasa and asks him why he accepted the job.  Tsukasa gets up and Mimiru asks him to stay a little longer, but if he doesn't want to that fine too.  He sits back down, next to her, and they both sit there for a moment.  As Tsukasa is looking at his hand he says "Why... why did it have to be me...” Mimiru reaches out and hold his hand.  "It's warm," he says, "that puchiguso back then was also warm.  Since it was even warmer when it was healthy... I never would have thought... that a little puchiguso could be so warm.  So... I thought it would be bad if it went away.  And so..."  Mimiru just sits by his side holding his hand as he puts his head down.