Yuka sat alone in her room clenching and releasing her fists at the thought of what went down only moments ago. It only just registered to her that she was alone in her anger against Lucy. She could excuse the two littler ones since they didn't know her relatives and shouldn't have the same emotional connection to them, but they didn't just come to her aid, they DEFENDED Lucy! And not only them but... Kouta. She couldn't wrap her head around how he could not only defend Lucy, but bring her back into their lives to live with them like nothing had ever happened! So wrapped up in her thoughts was she, that she nearly failed to hear the door to her room open and close. She looked up to find Kouta standing their, his emotions indesernable on his face.
Without a word, he walked up to Yuka and simply sat down beside her. After a moment of silence, Kouta figured he outta start talking.
"The video didn't show it, but at the time, I felt as you do now." he said. "There were so many thoughts running through my head at the time, but those feelings of hate were ever present among them. Pushing Lucy out of the way of that bullet was more instinctual than anything."
Okay, so that explained that instance, but not everything that had come after that that led to now, Yuka thought. "Then make me understand." She said. "Make me understand how you could disrespect your sister and father by treating their murderer so kindly."
Kouta took a moment to think over what he was going to say. "Would killing Lucy really be a good way to honour their memory? Would they have wanted their deaths to have led to you or I killing someone else? Someone who regrets what she's done the moment after it was done? Would they have wanted that?" Yuka was silent as she mulled over Kouta's words. "She started crying as I was shaking her. She knew full well the gravity of what she had done and couldn't take back. I can't be sure if I'm misremembering or not, but I think she tried to kill herself as I was shaking her. As I was shaking her, I think she tried choking herself out with her vectors before she decided against it and ran. She wanted herself dead like you want her dead."
"So she understands, that doesn't make it right." Yuka said.
"No Yuka, it doesn't. She knows she'll never make it right. But even so, she's still willing to try. Can't you at least see that?" Kouta asks. "Listen, I'm not saying you have to forgive her wholesale, but what you should do is try to move on WITH her. I'm not even all the way at forgiving her yet, but I'm still going to move on with her, because father and Kanae wouldn't want to have left behind hate for a girl who didn't know what she was doing."
Yuka thought for awhile before something stuck out to her. "Yet?" she asked.
"I think I can forgive Lucy one day." Kouta admits. "It's what Father and Kanae would have wanted. It's what I would have wanted if I would have died in that train car. I don't hate Lucy. Who I hate are all the people that hurt her and set her on that self destructive path."
Yuka takes a moment to breath, seriously considering Kouta's words. "Fine. I'll... I'll try to move on."
Kouta hugged Yuka after this comment. "It's not going to be easy, but soon, you won't hate her anymore."
"I'll trust in you, Kouta. I'll trust in that." Yuka responds, returning his hug.
Soon after Yuka was brought back into the room and awkwardly apologized to Lucy, the group was able to get the viewing underway, though Yuka was seated at the opposite side of the room as Lucy. She didn't know if she could stand to be near the queen Diclonius right now.
The episode began showing the bridge, now night time before quickly switching to some trees before going back to the bridge. It the quickly shows Kurama holding Nana on the shore before going back to the bridge again. It the goes back to Nana and Kurama, the former wearing Kurama's jacket and seeming to have woken up in that moment, then looking up to Kurama.
Nana: Papa?
She quickly hugs her papa.
Nana: Its you! Oh papa! Oh papa, its you!
Cut back to earlier where Kurama and Bando were riding in the boat.
Bando: Drop me off here. I don't want em to hear me.
Nana sighed in relief. That was her papa's only assistance with Bando. She'd rather not associate her papa with that bad man.
With that, Bando hops out of the boat and vaults over the railing to a section of walkway close to the bridge. Kurama lightly sails over the water as he watches Bando head away. An explosion then catches his attention where he sees a naked and injured Nana fall.
Kurama: Nana!
Cut back to the two at present.
Kurama: If I had come a moment later than I did, you might have... I thought I told you to get as far away as you could.
Nana: I was going to, but... anyway, papa, what are you doing here? Did you come here to find me?
"That was an obvious deflection of the question." Yuka points out.
"It worked though. He didn't ask me anymore about it." Nana said.
Cut to Bando's gun lying in the sand. Lucy looks down.
Lucy: Thats a shame, isn't it?
Lucy stands atop a bloodied Bando.
"Now that we're here, it makes me wonder how he thought things would turn out differently." Kouta says.
"The bullets, I suppose. The higher caliber ones he mentioned." Mayu reminds him.
"They were harder to deflect." Lucy admits.
Bando: I've been living for this. You think I need a gun to kill you? I'll do it with my barehands.
Bando raises his arm and looks up at her.
Bando: Do you hear me, freak?
Lucy: You aren't going to kill me?
Bando: Huh?
Lucy stamps his arm back down with her foot.
Lucy: This is the last you're ever going to see of me.
Bando adopts a look of fear before Lucy steps off of him. She then walks away.
Bando: Wait? Where are you going you bitch!
"You spared him?" Kouta says, surprised.
"He was down and out. I didn't wanna have to kill him if I had too." Lucy explains. "I... figured you didn't want anymore blood on my hands."
Yuka raised her eyebrow at this. 'It probably had sometime to do with seeing Kouta again. She's probably not going to say that, though.'
Cut to Wanta sleeping soundly outside his dog house. Cut to Mayu looking out the darkened window as Yuka sits at the table.
Mayu: I'm starting to worry that something did happen.
"And I was justified more than I wanted to know." Mayu mutters to herself.
Yuka: Mayu?
Mayu: Yes?
Yuka: You know, Kouta's father... and his little sister Kanae... they were murdered.
Mayu: What?
Yuka: They were killed while he watched.
Cut to Kouta walking, dazed as Yuka speaks.
Yuka took this opportunity to take in Kouta's words from earlier. He didn't know what to think here, he had just re-learned his friend was responsible for his family's murder. 'Knowing what led Lucy to that point as well as having that voice coerce her young mind could only make it easier for him to feel pity for her and try to help despite what she had done.' Yuka help but agree with him there. She was starting to see why Kouta did what he did. 'That walk must have given him time to rationalize everything he had just remembered.'
Yuka: Because of the shock of what he saw he had to spend a year in the hospital.
Lucy couldn't help but feel even more guilty for her actions indirectly causing further suffering for him.
Cut back to Yuka and Mayu.
Yuka: I suppose that because I was a child at the time... everyone waited to tell me what had happened.
Mayu: What about the killer?
'Closer... and more sympathetic than we thought.' Mayu thinks.
Yuka: There were dozens of other victims in the area, and the police investigated the case for a long time but...
Mayu: I didn't know that Kouta had been through anything that terrible.
Yuka: Kouta says he doesn't remember anything about what happened. When you said there's a reason that Kouta's so kind, he's kind to you and the other girls because you'd be completely alone if it wasn't for him taking you in. It's because he's been there. And you all remind him of Kanae.
Kouta nodded at Yuka's assessment. When he was recovering in the hospital, he was mostly alone for that year. While he still had his mother with him and she did visit, those visits were far and few between. 'She had to deal with the loss too. On top of work and who knows what else.' He thought. 'It was probably harder on her than it was for me.'
Yuka: But I'm so selfish. I get jealous that he isn't paying attention to me. I get angry and I nag him and cry. I'm horrible!
"I don't think you're horrible, or selfish." Kouta says. "Sure you lash out sometimes, but everyones prone to that. And I know you nag me because you care." 'I could do without the smacking, though.'
"Thanks Kouta. It's good to know you think that way." Yuka says.
Yuka: He may be the father of the house, but I'm no good as a mother.
Mayu: Yuka... Yuka I think... it seems to me you're in love with Kouta, aren't you?
Yuka: Yes...
Yuka turns beet red and chances a look at Kouta to see him looking... unsure? 'Is... is he seriously considering Lucy over me?' Yuka could understand wanting to move on with her, but possibly entering a relationship with her?! 'No. I need to calm down.' After taking a deep breath, she tries again. 'It's clear the two shared something of a connection in the flash back episodes and Lucy developed romantic feelings because of it, and while it was unclear if Kouta developed feelings back then, he clearly has some level of them now, though they didn't seem to outweigh his feelings for me at the very least.'
Cut to the hospital.
Isobe: Shirakawa has been killed.
Isobe stands beside Mariko's bedside.
Isobe: It was Lucy. Yes, I don't know why Lucy turned up, and I'm even less sure about why #35 has been disabled.
"I'm surprised he didn't make the connection when Kouta seemed to know her." Mayu pointed out. "As well as Lucy not having killed him when he made his escape."
"He was panicking for his life." Kouta explained. "It makes sense he would miss critical details like that."
"Speaking of details, Nana, why doesn't the institute know about your vector disabling move?" Lucy asked.
"Its not something I tried until our fight." Nana explained. "I remembered papa explain how the vectors worked and how they came from that special part of our brain. I figured pinching it with my vectors would do something and it worked!"
"And with no permanent damage. Thats some quick thinking Nana!" Mayu praises.
"Yeah... maybe... someday... you could teach it to me? I want to learn how to deal with Diclonius nonleathally should I ever need to." Lucy timidly asks.
Nana is shocked at the prospect of Lucy asking something of her... or anyone for that matter, she was usually the one to do the asking, but overcoming the shock she was left with the feeling of pride of getting to teach someone. "Of coarse! I'd e happy to teach you!" She happily exclaims.
Isobe: For some reason, she's completely incapable of using her vectors which means the plan is a complete failure.
A moment of silence, Kakuzawa's reply.
Isobe: There must be other ways to-
Cut to Kakuzawa.
Kakuzawa: Even if her vectors don't emerge, we still have ways in which we can make use of number 35.
"I can't imagine how." Mayu says, offhandedly.
"Probably some form of dissection or chemical injection." Lucy replied. 'I would know being the recipient of some of that myself, in a way, I'm lucky to be a queen Diclonius because that probably spared me from some of the more damaging experiments that could have been done. I'm too important of a "subject" to risk anything too damaging.'
Mayu winces at Lucy's response. 'Shouldn't have asked.'
Lucy notices Mayu's wince and cringes at herself. "Sorry." She responded.
Cut back to Mariko, who listens to Isobe talking.
Isobe: Yes sir. I understand.
Isobe hangs up.
Isobe: If anyone around here isn't human, it's him.
"Thats the smartest thing he's said all day." Nana remarks.
"And the truest." Kouta says. "In a way, it's also the pot calling the kettle black."
He then turns to look at Mariko, who feins being asleep.
Isobe: But then again, it's hard to believe a monster like you is Kurama's daughter. Life can be very cruel sometimes.
He then looks to his phone, seeing Mariko's time bomb is off. He then walks out of the room when Mariko opens her eyes.
Isobe: Don't let your guard down for a second. If anything happens, don't hesitate.
Soldier: Yes sir!
Mariko: ...Ku...ra...ma?...
'Hmm, I wondered how Mariko knew papa was her real papa.' Nana thought. 'Does that mean if I met the people who gave birth to me, I wouldn't know it was them?' Nana decided to banish that line of thought. It would get her no where and she would miss out on the viewing if she decided to pursue it.
Cut back to Kurama and Mariko.
Kurama: And you're certain she's there, Nana?
Nana: Um, yes. I can sense that she's awake. I don't understand, I mean, why do you have to kill that little girl papa?
Kurama: Because that girl is my real daughter?
Nana: That doesn't make any sense at all!
"No sense indeed." Kouta mutters, misinterpreting Nana's words. 'Why did he feel the need to kill Mariko? Was it an attempt to set things right, because if so, I can't see how killing Mariko accomplishes that. If anything, it would be braking his promise he made to his wife. Maybe thats why he feels HE needs to do it? Because Mariko is his responsibility or something like that?' Kouta figured he'd just have to watch and hope his question was answered.
Another feeling comes over Nana.
Kurama: What's the matter?
Nana: I can sense Lucy. She's coming closer too.
Kurama: Oh no, Lucy.
Cut to Lucy walking along the bridge.
Cut to Mariko, also sensing Lucy.
Cut back to Lucy.
Lucy: She knows I'm coming.
Cut back to Mariko.
Mariko: So, you must really wanna die.
Lucy would have laughed at how true Mariko's words were if it wasn't so depressing she used to feel like that, and some days, still felt like that.
Cut to the outside of her hospital room where Isobe walks by. He looks at his phone again, when he hears gunshots. A door bursts open, throwing out a soldier who levitates before being ripped apart and thrown away. Mariko then rolls out. Upon seeing Isobe, she smiles.
Mariko: I'm feeling better! My vectors came out the first time I tried but I guess you can see that.
Isobe can only stare in horror and fear.
Mariko: And Lucy will be along any time now.
Cut to Lucy walking up some stairs, a statue was prominent near the staircase.
Cut to Isobe and a soldier hiding out some place near stairs.
"How'd he get away?" Mayu asks.
"Its odd. I don't think Mariko would have ever spared him." Nana agrees.
Soldier: Thirty minutes minimum till the reinforcements arrive on the scene.
Isobe: Then we'll have to let the monsters fight among themselves. We can't afford anymore victims, besides I've got this.
He flips his phone open, to Mariko's time bomb. Lucy reaches the top of the staircase to find Mariko waiting for her.
Mariko: Why'd you come here?
"Why did you run after her?" Kouta asks. "You've never explained that."
"I figured Mariko would escape the Institute while she was out and wreak havoc on Kamakura after she does. I didn't want that to happen for the possibility that you would be killed, so I decided I needed to kill her to end it." Lucy admits. "It was wrong perhaps, but I didn't see any other way."
Lucy: Whats wrong? Haven't I been your target all along?
Mariko laughs.
Mariko: Thats good, you seem pretty confident.
Lucy: ...look, I don't want anyone else involved.
Mariko quickly summons her vectors to attack Lucy, who meets them head on, though Mariko sends more vectors toward her, to which Lucy dodges to the side, allowing Mariko's vectors to warp some nearby hand railing. She then runs as several vectors trail behind her.
'Its like something out of a nightmare.' Mayu shudders, glad on one level that she normally can't see vectors.
Mariko picks herself up, still in the wheel chair, and floats elsewhere where she lands. Lucy is hidden behind one of the pillars.
Lucy: The hell is she?
Mariko: rolls her chair, clearly looking for Lucy. To her right, a floating Lucy lowers herself to the ground, unbeknownst to Mariko.
"How'd you get up there?" Kouta exclaims.
"It took more time than the video suggests." Lucy explains. "I used my vectors to move myself along the building, silently and out of sight of Mariko, allowing me to sneak up on her like that."
"W-Whats the purpose of suspending yourself in the air like that?" Yuka asks.
"I needed to take the chance to get the lay of the land." Lucy explains. "I knew the institute was nearby and I wanted to see if I could see them. I didn't want any other factors interrupting our battle."
As she finally turns to her right, Lucy's vectors knock her and her chair over. Mariko's prosthetic arm comes off as she is knocked down. She lands near some railing, one of the wheels of her overturned chair still spinning. Mariko recovers as Lucy approaches.
Lucy: Don't worry, I don't plan to let you suffer much longer.
"You could have done without saying that." Yuka criticizes.
Lucy winces. "I know, but I've been saying stuff like that it was almost like second nature back then. I mean't it in a way that isn't as sinister as you're thinking."
Mariko only starts laughing at this, which surprises Lucy.
Mariko: Oh I see. You think you're going to kill me, right?
Lucy the takes notice of Mariko's arm.
Mariko: They say you're the queen and everything, but NO ONE CAN KILL ME! NOBODY!
Mariko then deploys all her vectors, knocking her chair away in the process. One hits Lucy, sending her flying back. Mariko's other vectors follow her. The trap her against the railing and relentlessly beat upon her.
Everyone flinches at seeing this done to Lucy. Even Yuka, which surprises herself.
Blood starts to drip from Lucy's mouth at all the punishment until finally, a horn breaks off of her.
Yuka couldn't help but take notice of the blood that came from the horn. 'That means something in the horn requires blood flow to function. Are the horns necessary for controlling the vectors in some way? Or are they responsible for how Diclonius can sense one another?'
Mariko's vectors cause the structure Isobe and the soldier are hiding in to collapse slightly. Lucy lays unconscious, held up by the railing.
'Did... did Lucy just lose?' Kouta could hardly believe it. Neither could Mayu, who was thinking similar thoughts.
Isobe: We won! If we act quickly, we can capture Lucy!
Isobe rushes to the knocked out Lucy. Her eyes lay white as blood continues to trickle out of her mouth.
Even if it was in the past, Kouta found it hard to see Lucy in such a state. The white of her eyes made it especially disturbing, making her look as if she was dead. He shook his head to try to dispel the image.
Isobe: We did it! I can write my own ticket from now on. I've just got to...
Isobe gets on his phone and activates something. Mariko can only laugh.
Mariko: So this is the scary Lucy that everyone was so afraid of?
Kurama: Mariko!
Mariko and Isobe looks on.
Mariko: Who are you?
Kurama stands there with Nana.
Nana mentally prepared herself for the scene she knew was coming.
Isobe: Ch-Chief Kurama!
Mariko: Kurama? You're my daddy?
Kurama: Mariko...
Mariko: Oh daddy...
"She sounds so different..." Mayu mutters. 'Its hard to believe this is the same person who sadistically tore people apart with out a care in the world.'
Mariko struggles, but eventually stands up with the help of her overturned chair. Kurama watches wide eyed as his daughter slowly makes her way towards him.
Mariko: Daddy. I've been hoping to meet you.
Mariko struggles to walk and eventually falls down. Kurama flinches. Mariko sits up.
Mariko: Oh daddy.
Kurama looks as if he's about to cry before closing his eyes in resolve, taking out a gun and pointing it at his daughter.
Despite knowing it was coming, the humans gasped at the action.
Mariko is shocked at this and Nana looks away. Tears come from Mariko's eyes.
Mariko: All this time... that I was locked away in that dark room... I was looking forward to the day we'd meet. You'd say, "come out" and there'd you be with mommy, waiting to take me home so we could be a real family.
There are tears in Kurama's eyes as she speaks.
Mariko: You and mommy would tell me, "Mariko we love you so much" and now, we meet just like in my dreams. How could you do this to me, how could you? You were supposed to take care of me! No daddy! No daddy! Nooooooooo!
Everyone in the room couldn't help but feel Mariko's sadness, her speech also having an effect on them.
'It just drives in how lucky they are...' Yuka thinks, looking to Lucy and Nana. 'They have what most Diclonius won't even experience in their lives. Happiness with people you can call a family.' Yuka actually found herself feeling bad for wanting to take that away from Lucy.
Kurama: Its my fault. I had to kill so many other people's children. But I kept you alive because you were my daughter. I had no right to be so selfish. It was my sin from the beginning, but you'll have to pay.
Mariko: Than why did you let me live so long when all I did was suffer? How could you, daddy? I thought you loved me.
Nana: This is dangerous!
Mariko then takes notice of the other Diclonius in the room.
Nana: Papa! We should get out of here!
Everyone winced at Nana's use of the word "papa" especially after Mariko's speech.
Mariko: Papa? But why? Why is she allowed to call you papa? She isn't your daughter. How could you abandon your own daughter to grow up alone? How could you!
Mariko sends out a single vector and grabs Nana by the throat.
Kurama: Nana!
Nana is thrown back against the railing and held in place.
Mayu flinches, fearing for her friend's safety for a second.
Nana: Papa... get out!
Mariko: Hey, daddy? Would you be sad if she died? If you don't know, I'll try it so we can find out.
Mariko then sent some other vectors to punch Nana out. They continued punching her as Kurama could only watch. After a moment, he drops his pistol, slightly shocking Mariko.
Kouta began to see what his plan entailed. 'He's not going to kill her. He's really going to make things right, at least in the only way the situation allows.'
This is enough for her to release Nana, who slumps down to the floor. Kurama then approaches his daughter.
Mariko: Stay away. Stay away from me.
Kurama kneels down to hug his daughter and stroke her hair.
Kurama: Warmth. Love. Joy. Everything good taken from you, and I was the one who took it. Mariko, not a moment has gone by since the day you were born that I haven't been thinking of you.
Mariko: Daddy...
Kurama: I'm so sorry Mariko.
Isobe clenches his teeth as Kurama picks Mariko up.
Kurama: From now on, we'll always be together.
Mariko: Do you mean it?
Kurama: I promise you. Go ahead! Do it!
Isobe: But, chief! Don't tell me you've been planning this all along!
Yuka and Mayu gasp lightly, now seeing his plan.
'It's inevitable. I suppose the only way he can right at least one of his wrongs was to not only comfort her in her last hours, but to go with her into the unknown.' Mayu thinks.
Kurama: I've worked for the Director for many years now. I know the kinds of measures he takes.
Isobe can only stare opened mouthed as Kurama takes Mariko away, though not before stopping in front of Nana.
Kurama: Nana, promise me you'll do all you can to be happy.
Nana eventually lifts her bruised and beaten face.
Nana: Papa.
Nana looked upward. She hoped she was making her papa proud. Where ever he was.
Kurama continues walking away.
Nana: Papa!
Isobe and Nana can only watch him go. The soldier accompanying Isobe just dies then. Both Nana and Isobe get to the staircase Lucy entered on and watched as Kurama walks away.
Isobe: If I disobey his orders, I'm certain to be killed. Please, don't think badly of me for this.
'Don't worry. THIS in particular isn't why we think badly of you.' Yuka remarks in her head.
Isobe activates Mariko's bomb.
Nana: Papa.
Kurama is on one of the bridges when he stops.
Mariko: Daddy?
Kurama: Mariko. You should know this much, I'm happy I have a chance to tell you. Your mother loved you so much. She loved you until the last breath she took. Both of us loved you... more then you could ever realize.
A tear slips from him, landing on Mariko's face. Mariko responds by cuddling closer to her father. Just then, the timer on Mariko's bomb hits zero. She gasps as the high pitched beep sounds out.
Nana closes her eyes for this part.
The two huddle close together as flashes appear on the screen. The first of Kurama and his wife with a baby Mariko, the second of the three eating together a third of them together, then a forth this time with Mariko riding on Kurama's shoulders, and the last of the two parents seeing their daughter off to school. The two then explode in a large ball of fire. Nana gasps and sinks to her knees at this.
Nana: He can't... he can't be gone... it isn't fair... PAPA!
Lucy watches the explosion from else where. Isobe drops his phone, bringing Nana's attention to him. He then points his gun at her.
Isobe: You're the only one left. Think of the rewar-
Isobe's head then flys from his body. Nana looks to see Lucy resting on the stairs.
Nana: Lucy.
Lucy: Greedy, foolish humans. They're worthless.
"I mean't the institute." Lucy clarifies.
"You really need to learn how to word your sentences better." Yuka, somewhat harshly states.
"Yuka." Kouta edges on, worried another fight will break up.
"She's right, Kouta. It's fine." Lucy says.
Nana: You know thats not true! Papa was... papa wa...
Lucy: Go live with Kouta in that house.
Lucy approaches Nana.
Lucy: I want you to do what I can't do. As much as I wish I could.
"Seems you were wrong." Kouta smiles at her.
"Yeah." Lucy smiles back.
Nana: Lucy.
Lucy wordlessly walks away.
Cut to Arakawa looking at the picture of Kouta.
Kakuzawa: Dispatch the remaining SAT units and capture Lucy. Tell them to do what's necessary so long as they bring back her head and torso.
Arakawa rips the page out of the book and stuffs it in her lab coat pocket.
Arakawa: I can't hand him over to this guy.
Everyone sighs in relief at Arakawa's defence of him.
'In the event that I'm ever drawn back into conflict with the Institute, I have to remember to rescue her. It's the least I can do to repay her for not handing Kouta over to these bastards.' Lucy thinks. 'Hell, she might even be willing to listen to us. Understand that we're just people that lash out at a world that lashes out at us. It may be misplaced optimism, but maybe she can be a step into ending the Diclonius genocide.'
Kakuzawa: Sounds like those fools dug their own graves.
Arakawa: Um, excuse me sir, would it be okay for me to take a bath soon?
Kakuzawa takes off his wig, exposing his small horns. Arakawa gasps at this.
The others follow Arakawa's example.
"I guess it makes sense if his bastard of a son is one too." Lucy growls.
"I can't help but imagine... what if he was exposed...?" Yuka mutters to herself.
Kakuzawa: My plans for you are just beginning my dear. Make yourself at home.
Kakuzawa laughs as Arakawa scampers away.
Cut to the stone steps where Kouta sits alone. Eventually, Lucy appears behind him. Kouta notices and rises.
Kouta: Are you hurt?
Lucy: Its nothing serious.
"Nothing serious? There's blood dripping down your face and your missing a horn!" Mayu exclaims.
"It's not my usual, but again, nothing serious." Lucy affirms.
The next shot shows just the night sky and the ocean before going back to Kouta and Lucy, now both sitting on the steps.
Kouta: That girl I used to know. The girl I played with when I was a child. And the girl we called Nyu. They're both you, aren't they?
Lucy: You have to understand, I was born to put an end to human life.
"Thats not true! We're living proof right now!" Nana exclaims.
"Yes, your right but at that point, I've been told that so many times and destroyed so many lives that I believed it." Lucy says. "I hope one day that I'm proved wrong."
Kouta frowned at Lucy's response. 'She still see's herself as a curse...'
Kouta: Huh?
Lucy: In just five years... in just five years, I can say to it that there are more of us born then there are human infants. But if I succeed in remaking the world, you're going to have to die. Kouta... You were a happy dream in a life thats been nothing but a hellish nightmare. Those days I spent with you... they were the only good days I've ever known. I cherish them.
Lucy looks away and starts shaking.
Lucy: All this time... I've lived in hope of telling you how sorry I am.
Lucy hides her face in her hands which still sit on her lap.
Lucy: I've fought armies just to have this chance, but now... theres nothing I can say that's good enough.
This scene just hit Yuka harder. To see Lucy herself admit in a crying mess that she can never atone for how she wronged him. 'Kouta really is something else. Giving hope to the hopeless.'
'Oh Lucy...' Mayu thought. She felt like just giving Lucy a hug, because after all she's been through she could really use one... or a hundred.
'I really hope she'll be able to move past all that pain.' It really just ached Nana's heart to see Lucy like this. It was almost impossible to believe that not too long ago, she believed Lucy was nothing more than an unrepentant monster.
Lucy looks to him, crying. Lucy gets up and makes to leave, but Kouta quickly gets up and traps her in a hug.
Kouta: Don't go!
'All that time dreaming of that day, the only aspiration I had left in my life, and I still can't believe it went like this.' Lucy thinks. 'Never in my wildest dreams did I think he would hug me and say everything that he did.'
Lucy: But, Kouta I killed your family.
Kouta: I can't explain it! Theres no way I can forgive what you did to Kanae and my dad. I'll never get them back. But I can't... I can't let you go knowing that you'll hurt people! Theres already too much in my life that I reget! I wanna put a stop to the bloodshed! Besides, I love that lonely little girl I met so long ago... and I love Nyu. She's like nobody I've ever met.
Yuka's heart couldn't help but stop when Kouta said he loved Lucy. 'This just confirms what I already knew. I have a rival for Kouta's attentions.' She felt she didn't want Lucy to feel the pain of having Kouta choose her over Lucy herself, but at the same time she didn't want to give up on her romantic interest with Kouta. 'Oh God, this is going to get complicated, isn't it.
Lucy: Kouta.
Lucy then turns around and kisses Kouta.
Everyone subtlety turns to eye Yuka, who's eye twitches, but nothing more is said.
While Lucy doesn't regret what happened, she couldn't say she felt pride in having it thrown in her face. 'She probably feels how I felt watching her and Kouta kiss.' She thought.
The screen the nslowly shows different points of Lucy and Kouta together as kids; Their first meeting, their ride on the bus, their time at the zoo, their time in the cave while it was raining, them eating shaved ice together, Kouta taking Lucy's hand, their water fight together, Kouta seeing Lucy off after a day, the two waiting for their clothes to dry together, and finally the two listening the music box in the cave together. It then flashes back to present day where Lucy pulls away from the kiss.
Lucy: I wanted to forget everything... so nothing could ever come between us.
Kouta: Nyu...
Kouta wondered if the bullet wound wasn't the only reason Lucy's mind split into Nyu, but that desire to erase the past so the two could have a chance to live together.
Lucy: Kouta, I'm so sorry. For all the sadness I've caused you. I'm so sorry.
Kouta: I'm sorry too.
Tears poll in Kouta's eyes.
Kouta: I know your life's been hard you didn't deserve that sadness... I wish I could have done something.
'I wish I would have known so I COULD have done something.' Kouta thought, glumly.
Lucy: Oh Kouta...
Kouta then hugs Lucy, who returns the hug.
'Okay, no need to rub it in.' Yuka thinks to herself with annoyance.
The two tighten their hug after a moment when Lucy lets a tear fall. As the tear falls, the screen fades to black.
Cut to Nana walking home.
Nana: I have to go home.
Cut to a trio of flood lights activating.
Mayu's heart was racing, thinking they had found Nana and that her best friend had to go through even more before she could get to where she is today.
Cut back to Nana walking.
Nana: I have to go home.
Cut to a row of soldiers standing in front of the lights.
Cut back to Nana.
Nana: I have to go home.
Cut back to the soldiers.
Soldier: Ready!
The soldiers head their command and chamber their rounds. Lucy stands before them.
Mayu sighed in relief that Nana was spared more trouble. 'Lucy can handle them. Otherwise, how could she be here.'
Cut to Nana in front of the Maple inn.
Nana: I have to go home. My family is waiting.
"We'll always wait for you. And if you don't come back, we'll go out and bring you back." Kouta says, making the younger Diclonius smile.
Cut back to Lucy, surrounded by soldiers.
Soldier fire!
Lucy looks up as a hail of bullets comes towards her. The camera goes up, showing Lucy hurling her vectors outwards. It then cuts to another shot of the moon as Lucy's other horn flys up in front of it.
"Oh yeah, how did you get your horns back if you lost them here?" Yuka asks, both out of curiosity and to get her mind off of the moment her and Kouta had just shared in the previous scenes.
"They grew back between the time of this and when I came back." Lucy explains. 'Really wish they hadn't, though.'
It then cuts to the stone steps again, though no one is there. The screen then fades to black again.
'Huh. Really thought it would show how I faked my death." Lucy thought. 'Then again, there doesn't seem to be much time left if this is the same length as all the previous videos. It's probably going to skip the month I spent away from the Inn, aimlessly wandering around Kamakura before I was able to gather the strength to come back here.'
Cut to the Maple inn, though it is day time.
Yuka: Look if you just stayed organized, cleaning up wouldn't take so long. If you don't hurry up and get it done, you're not getting lunch.
Kouta: Okay, I know.
It then shows Kouta sitting on his own, listening to the music box while holding the shell Nyu gave him.
"Oh, it's showing the day you came back?" Kouta says.
Lucy couldn't help but wonder why it would show this. Was there some significance that she didn't know about?
He remembers Nyu giveing it to him when Yuka approaches.
Yuka: What's the matter?
Kouta: Oh, it's nothing.
Cut to Mayu and Nana, working in the kitchen.
Mayu: You're getting better already, Nana.
Nana: Oh please, anybody can grill sausage.
Mayu: Thats true, but this time the sausages weren't burnt.
Nana: Hey! Thats mean!
The older three were able to stifle their giggles at Mayu's remark.
After a moment, it cuts to Kouta sitting on a chair near the dinning table which Yuka sets.
Kouta: Yuka.
Yuka: Hm?
Kouta: You just put out an extra bowl.
Yuka: I thought it would be nice. You know, having her here.
Kouta: Yeah, I guess you're right.
Lucy couldn't help but smile at this. 'I'm so lucky to still be a part of this family.'
After it shows Nyu's bowl and chopsticks, it cuts to the four sitting at the table.
Everyone: Thank you for the food!
Nana digs into the noodles.
Nana: Yummy!
Yuka: Thats right, it's your first time eating somen noodles.
Nana: Oh yeah, I couldn't be here last time you served them.
Both Yuka and Kouta adopt a look of concern followed by Mayu as tears gather in Nana's eyes.
Nana: There are just so many wonderful things in this world.
Nana's mind goes to Mariko.
Nana: So many good things.
Nana's mind then goes to Lucy.
Lucy was also touched Nana thought of her that way. That she deserved to experience life's joys despite what she had done.
Mayu: Nana?
Nana looks around to see all the concern for her.
Nana: Oh, I'm sorry! Lets eat!
Yuka: Thats right. You need to eat if you're going to grow up healthy.
Wanta then starts barking.
Yuka: Huh? Is someone at the gate.
Kouta: I'll go check.
It then cuts to Wanta ecstatically barking to someone at the gate. Kouta comes out from the house to see a shadow of someone. As Kouta moves to answer it, the music box slows until it eventually stops. Then, the clock starts moving, hitting twelve causing it's bell to ring out.
Kouta: Huh? It's working?
Cut to black before "DAS ENDE" shows.
"So... thats it?" Nana asks. "It's over?
"Seems so." Yuka says. "When we went into this, I never imagined getting such a... ride shall we say."
"Maybe watching this has brought us all closer together." Kouta says. "Maybe it brought out secrets of our past we would rather leave buried, but we're all trustworthy with each other. I know without a doubt no one in this room would treat the knowledge of those pasts irresponsibly."
"I know." Yuka says. "I promise we won't."
"It's not over." Mayu says.
"Huh?" Kouta looks to see there is a new "bonus" option on the screen.
"Okay. Thats not going to have a walkthrough on how the show was made, or a directors commentary, right?" Yuka half jokes.
"...Should we?" Lucy asks after some hesitation.
"I suppose so." Kouta says, clicking that option.
AN: WAIT WHAT?! An update after only a few days of the last one?! Yeah, I just so happen to have a lot of time on my hands. (Don't let the Diclonius of Blood Gulch readers know. They'll be pissed I used all that time on this.) In any case, don't be too hopeful that the next chapter comes out as quick. I mean, its not off the table, we'll just have to see what happens. Please leave a review!