Episode 8

original air date: 5.22.02

Promise

Mimiru is sitting alone in the main field; we hear her reciting a recent e-mail she wrote to Tsukasa:

Hello this is Mimiru. How are you doing? I've been worried since I haven't seen you at all.

 You know what... I'll be waiting at the Donaroriak Square. I'll be waiting so please show up, ok?

Mimiru sits on a small wooden ramp, waiting for Tsukasa. B.T. is standing next to her; she comments on how Mimiru's attitude has changed, Mimiru says a lot has happened. She tells her she's decided to go out with Tsukasa till she gets tired of it. Mimiru goes on to tell her that he is just isolating his own feelings from whatever people tell him.  B.T. asks what she meant when she said she was going out with Tsukasa, for nobody knows where he is. Mimiru tells her that she can still contact him and has sent him messages.  She tells her that just because she mailed him doesn't mean he'll come out.  Mimiru tells her that she is clumsy when it comes to putting her feelings into words, and that she never acts about those expressions because of it. "Once I call on him... I can only wait for him.  That's about all I can do."  B.T. asks her how just waiting for him is no different than doing nothing, Mimiru tells her she sent the message first, and now she is just going to wait for him.  B.T. gives her a blank look, until she asks what's wrong, B.T. tells her it would be nice if those feelings of her get passed onto him.  She asks her if she is planning something, and B.T. tells her not yet.  "Just kidding" replies B.T.  She continues saying that waiting is a difficult thing to do. Mimiru asks if she's experienced it herself.  "How should I put this..." answers B.T.

In Aura's domain Tsukasa is curled up against the bed, then has a flashback to the real world.  A child runs by, and there are three children sitting in what looks to be a park. Many other groups of people are there too, but their faces are all obscured by either hair, or darken eyes so as not to tell just who all these people are.  Tsukasa still sitting against the bed says, "After such a long time...” Maho floats down from above and mouths something to Tsukasa. "I don't like it." is his reply.  "Why? It was mother who told me to meet Mimiru in the first place. Why?"  Maho slants her eyes, and then floats away again.  "Whatever happens... it's not important to me." Tsukasa puts his head in his knees and says, "I.. don't want to go."  

Back in the main area Bear now joins Mimiru and BT. Bear asks her about her waiting, and she tells him she can't think of something better with her head.  Bear tells her that is not a good attitude to have, "Mimiru is a lot more clever than what she thinks of herself." Mimiru disagrees with him.  Bear states that even though the Scarlet Knights are looking for him, they have yet to find Tsukasa.  B.T. points out that he is a character that can transcend beyond the system and could have his own place.  Bear mentions that if that is the case, then finding him would be impossible and maybe waiting for him is the best and only solution.  Mimiru agrees, but says it's not the best solution, but may be the only one.  B.T. suggests outside, Bears says, "There are so many."  Both Mimiru and B.T. in unison say, "That's a convenient way of putting it."  Bear asks if they should catch him at Unizone and B.T tells him that's just like they always do, that there's no need to catch unimportant ones.  Bear rambles on metaphysically: "If you connect two dots, they become a line, and when that line is at an end the outline of the ground appears.  The outline is more distinct with as the number of dots increases.  But right now, we're at a point where we need to collect those dots."  Mimiru tells Bear she'll leave the outside to him, and she will continue to wait.  She tells them she's sorry, that's she'll be back after making some tea, and then she freezes exactly as she was when she said that.  Bear comments that this is what happens when a player stops using the interface device.  B.T. points out that the player of Tsukasa has stopped using the interface device, yet still has control over his character.  Bear agrees, and says the reason for such behavior probably can't be found outside, and this problem can only be solved inside the game, "Of course, that only applies if we're related to Tsukasa."  Bear suggests they investigate Tsukasa's use of unusual methods.  Bear also suggest that if they do this, they could probably use Sora.  "How would that be?" asks B.T.

In the snowfield Sora is running through a wooded area, and then leaps over a cliff and lands behind some players.  "Isn't there anyone that has seen Tsukasa-kun?" he asks them as he hold a knife to one of them.  The one being held tells him he doesn't know.  "Ah, really?"  Sora now appears in the Mushroom Field, he sees three more players battling a large centipede monster.  He grabs one of them from behind, throws him against a mushroom, and draws his blade to his neck asking if he knows Tsukasa-kun.  Sora tells him he should answer quickly. He tells Sora he does know him, and Sora asks where he has seen him.  "BBS" is his answer.  The player falls to the ground dead as Sora stands above him.  "What an empty headed kid." Sora mutters, and once again warps away.  

In Makuam Subaru is with Ginkan on a boat that is resting against the bank.  "That is... I believe, a problem," Subaru says, "However, ordering the knights to watch Sora's actions... Ginkan tells her he has worked with the knights in the past, and if they leave such an irresponsible man, the honor of the knights... Subaru asks: is that all? the honor?  She then asks if there is anything else.  Ginkan goes on saying for example, the monster accident. Subaru's tells him there must be a problem with the management.  Ginkan suggests that if this continues they could say it was a bug that appeared from the test data for the next version.  Subaru brings up that the BBS is becoming more difficult to handle, and is a huge problem.  Ginkan asks her if that monster case is solved, will Tsukasa's case be forgotten.  Subaru does not get a chance to answer, for she sees B.T. waving to her from afar.  Subaru asks her what she wants, and B.T. tells her she has a favor to ask.  She tells her it is unrelated to Tsukasa, but that she thinks they should investigate the "Great Flow" which could sweep through "The World."  Subaru asks her if she is interested in the Knight's plan. B.T. tells her no, that she is interested in the "Great Flow."  She goes on to tell Subaru that she is the only person that is expecting the important of things going on within the Scarlet Knights.  Subaru asks her if she is planning on being mischievous, B.T. tells her that she is smart, and to leave it at this.  Subaru does not see her point.  "I'm just requesting with the assumptions I've mentioned." is B.T. reply.  

Mimiru is still waiting in the main area, and she says to herself that it's already bright outside, and that if she says still she'll not be able to do anything.  She gets up and walks around a bit.  She sees some other players across a chasm, but turns and keeps on walking.  She stops and says, "Ah, he was here after all...” She runs to a warp gate and grabs a player who looks just like Tsukasa, but as she turns him around she sees it is not he.  She apologizes and then walks away. 

Mimiru still sitting in her spot is joined by another player, he asks her if she is free, and suggests joining up and making a party.  She tells him she is busy; he is confused and tells her it doesn't look like she's doing anything at all.  Mimiru apologizes and tells him she's waiting for a person.  He tells her that she said that before, finally Mimiru turns around and looks at him and says, "I did?"  He tells her she said it, and that he remembers it.  "Whatever you're waiting for it's like a Godot" [pronounced ga-dough, even the subber misspelled it] Mimiru does not understand, and the players wonders why she is not laughing, says goodbye and walks away. As he does, Bear is walking up.  He asks her that is she is still waiting, even with no sleep?  She tells him she didn't think it would feel like waiting if she fell asleep.  Bear offers to take her place for an hour so she can get some sleep. She tells him that if Tsukasa came when she was not there he might leave to some place, and she doesn't want that.  "So you’re still going to wait?" asks Bear.  Mimiru tells him she's still young and is going to put some effort into it during this holiday.  Bear comments on how determined she is.  She goes on to ask Bear what is Godot.  Bear tells her it's a drama, a play.  She asks what it's about, and he tells her it is about a man waiting for Godot forever.  "Godot must not be coming,” remarks Mimiru.  "Nope," Bear answers.  Mimiru says Tsukasa will come, that's why she is waiting.  Bear pats her on the head and she tells him she doesn't like that, that's she not a little child. 

Somewhere in a throne room in Makuam Crim is there with B.T. and asks her if she is B.T.  She asks why, and he tells her that the character that he is playing is that kind of man.  She remarks that he must be some kind of old-fashioned man.  He goes on to tell her he doesn't like following the latest trend and regardless of whatever other people say, he likes this character.  He asks if she would like him to go into detail about, but she declines. He agrees saying that Subaru would not have chosen a bar such as this to talk about that, and asks her what this is about.  She tells him it's about some story related to Tsukasa, and may be related to the future of "The World."  He tells her such stories interest him a lot. 

Back in the main area still sits Mimiru, she is surprised to see Sora show up and sit down in her place, as she as hidden under the small ramp.  "I know you're there, so stop hiding.  It's useless." Sora asks could you be here? and jams his knife through the wooden ramp- very close to where Mimiru was hiding.  She comes out and Sora pats the place next to him and says, "let's talk."  She tells him they have nothing to talk about.  "Aren't you surprised that I knew where to find you?"  She asks if it was B.T., he tells her she's wrong, and asks if she ever reads the BBS.  He tells her that is says there is a swordsman waiting for a person, and then comments that's bad.  Mimiru agrees, Sora goes on to say it's awkward to ask about Tsukasa-kun, and finally asks her why she is waiting here.  Her answer is that this place is used often.  "Is that it? You didn't think about this at all."  He tells her that a dungeon or some place far away from people’s eyes is easily found.  But thanks her, for now he can wait for Tsukasa too. Mimiru is surprised to hear this, and he tells her he has the right to, for he was the one that allowed him to escape from the Scarlet Knights.  He also tells her that since she didn't do her job, they lost their chance. 

Back in the throne room Crim and B.T. continue their discussion.  He tells her that he thinks he knows what's worrying Subaru.  B.T says they can't receive help from the Scarlet Knights, which is lead by Ginkan.  He tells her he is not planning to start a coup, and neither is B.T.  He then asks her what she is planning to do. He tells her without the strength of an organization, what can the two of them do.    "There are advantages to having only two people."  Crim tells her he does not like playing around w/ words, and to get to the point.  "Your ability to act, my ability to analyze.  With those two abilities, we could gather information faster than anyone else without being tracked."  Crim asks her what information they would be looking for, and she tells him that Tsukasa is after all just a processor brought to reality and the reason is something different.  "Pursuing that reason is the objective."  She tells him that is the reason even Subaru is interesting in knowing.  B.T. goes on to say that what makes Tsukasa such a bother is that his actions are beyond the system, and that they also know there is an item that transcends beyond they system.  Crim tells her that can't be done, that such an item doesn't exist.  He tells her in the past he as searched for it, but never found a clue that proves the existence of such an item.  B.T. tells him that what you see with your eyes is not the only thing in the world and they can't just disregard its existence because they haven't noticed it.  She gets up to leave and as she passes him tells him that if he feels that way, to contact her.  "Searching for the Key of the Twilight... this must be fate.  What are you doing to do Crim?" he says to himself. 

In the main area Sora and Mimiru still sit.  Sora asks her if she set a time to meet or not, of course she tells him no.  Sora is shocked that she didn't and ask her if she is really going to wait till her shows up.  Sora tells her there is a limit on how long you can wait, and that she should have set a time, like from this hour to another, instead of just waiting forever until he decide to show up.  Sora finally gives up, stands up and stretches and tells Mimiru he can't do this anymore, and is leaving.  Mimiru makes a sound, Sora hearing her asks her if she's gloating, she says it's not like that, but rather it's just boring being there alone.  Sora lies and says he'll stay then, but then tells her he just can't without getting some sleep.  He reminds her that he just helped getting Tsukasa out, and then hops away. 

Back in Aura's domain Tsukasa still sits hunched against Aura's bed, again he had a flashback to the real world.  Again in a crowded area that appears to be a picnic or sorts, there are many people around, and alone sits a small child.  Other children run by, and yet the little child still sits.  He looks up and sees other groups of children sitting and picnicking with an adult.  An adult walks up to the child and stops.  The child looks up and the adult offer a plate to the child- but they do not accept- they just sit there.  They eventually walk away, leaving the child alone again.  He clings to himself tightly, and utters something (inaudible), and yet he is still alone. "In any case, she's definitely gone," mutters Tsukasa (now back in 'The World.')  "She cant' be there." 

Mimiru still sits and reviews what she is doing and thinking about what Sora told her about choosing a time and a place. She laments and says she should have chosen a dungeon. What she doesn't realize is that Tsukasa is standing behind her, not saying anything.  She stands up and slowly turns around.  "You really are here," Tsukasa utters.  She agrees, and he tells her she's stupid.  He turns to leave, and she tells him to wait.  She then tells him she will protect him.  "From what?" Tsukasa asks.  She tells him many things, and he asks her if she thinks she is able to.  She tells him she's not sure, but that she's decided to anyway.  He tells her to do whatever she wants, and Tsukasa walks away.  She stands there and nods, "Sure."

Back in Aura's domain Maho sits in the grass and is pulling it out with her hands.  A voice says, "It's done.  Tsukasa does not know anything.  The book that fell from a high place...   is destroyed.  Hope is something that leads to despair.  It is the best way of bringing excitement.