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But I see now, I underestimated your influence on her.

I'm a good sport. This round is a draw.

Shame, though. With the speed that boat's going at, she'll be in a nautical pickle pretty soon.

What...?

Making an entire island for the two of you was tiring enough. What, next you want me to create the entire continent of Terra so your pathetic farce can play out over and over?

No, the boat's about to reach the edge of this dreamland, and once it does, she'll fall into the next one.

Another cycle, another reset.

She's bound to forget about you in the end.

No. I'm going to find a way to catch her—

Sorry, out of time.

Sakiko feels a burst of cold under her feet. Somehow, seawater has crept up to her ankles.

Dark clouds gather where the sea and sky meet, punctuated by rays of dazzling light.

Uika—!

The water rises with a fervor. Sakiko senses something dragging her down towards the abyss.

Uika—! Wait for me!

Gloom; cold; suffocation.

The water strains against her eardrums. What oxygen is left in her lungs slowly dwindles, as does the feeble light from above.

Her sight blurs. Salty, bitter seawater forces its way into her mouth, in a bid to occupy the last vestiges of her consciousness.

And so, she falls, and falls.

Down to the seabed, a place that knows no light.

'Saki...'

'Saki... Saki...'

A voice approaches, though she cannot tell from where.

Where am I?

Who is calling for me?

Come... on... wake up...

It is a familiar voice. One she has not heard in a very long time.

The cold, waterlogged seabed is gone; was never here. In its place, dry land, and swirling eddies of dust.

Who...?

Sakiko struggles to open her eyes. A pale strand of hair greets her.

Saki. Are you okay?

...Mutsumi?

Mm. I'm here.

Such simple words, and yet they bring tears to Sakiko's eyes.

It's no fault of the sand in the air, she knows that. For only she knows just how helpless she feels in this moment.

If she speaks now, her voice will break. But she can't afford to care about that. All she can think of is to clutch at the final straw she has.

Mutsumi... I... What do I do...?