The Sun and the Moon is the second story arc of NieR Reincarnation, revolving around high school students Hina Akagi and Yuzuki Kurezome traversing The Cage. This arc differs from the first in that the player chooses which character to play at the start through a series of questions, and the selected character's stories are explored at the end of each chapter.
I: The Dawn/The Gloaming (Binding Magick)[]
Tells the story of a young Witch's experiences at a school for magicians. Narrated by Saryu.
Library Entries[]
The Bond's Beginning[]
A wavy-haired girl is brought to a school for magicians. That day, she meets a bespectacled girl in
a dining hall. Hearing her bread was stolen by mean boys, she puts on a strong front and
goes to reclaim it, but her magic is not sufficient to
finish the job. She is saved by a spiky-haired boy who made impressive use of
magic to thwart the mean boys. She tells the boy she could have handled it herself,
but he changes the subject and urges everyone to eat.
The three break bread together and become friends. Having been peeled from their families and
brought together in this place, each one feel parts of something larger than
themselves—almost as if they were starting a new family.
- When They First Met -
Lips draw tight in an attempt to mask uneasy eyes.
A wavy-haired girl gazes up at the towering building before her.
It smells sweetly of old books. Worn paper. Cracked leather.
As the girl moves, she wonders if she has somehow found her way
into one of her childhood cradle tales.
This is a school for youngsters who show promising aptitude in the ways of magick.
The professor gives her a pamphlet outlining the day's schedule.
It also contains her first lesson: A handful of simple spells she is expected to master.
A feast of almost unbelievable bounty awaits the new students in the dining hall.
Part-way through the hall, she encounters a shy, bespectacled student crying softly to herself.
It seems some cruel boys have stolen her dinner.
"Don't worry," says the new girl. "I'll get it back for you."
She and the other girl make their way to the end of the dining hall.
There, they find the boys clutching stolen heels of bread,
vile sneers spread wide across their faces.
"Give it back," says the girl.
The girl thinks for a moment.
Then she decides to teach the boys a lesson using one of the magicks from her pamphlet.
But the spell is all flash and dazzle, and the laughing boys easily repel it.
"Hey! how dare you lay hands on her!"
The girl gives the spikey haired boy a brief thanks,
even though she felt the issue was well in hand.
The boy smiles proudly, then rushes off to rejoin the feast.
Having so recently been peeled from their families, every heart in the room is filled with unease.
But the smell of good, warm food causes all tension to melt away.
"Thanks for the food!"
The three exchange bashful glances, embarrassed at the way they all spoke at once.
Each one feels part of something larger than themselves—
almost as if they were starting a new family.
What Changes[]
Time passes, and after growing slightly closer to adulthood,
the girls learn of the Day of Pledging—a long-held ritual for magicians in
which two who are close exchange Avowal Rings. Hearing the explanation from
their professor, the students surrender to butterflies in
their stomachs and start attempting to form pairs.
The wavy-haired girl is approached by a number of boys, but rejects them to the last.
The spiky-haired boy teases the girl for being cold,
and the bespectacled girl chuckles as she watches on.
From that day they met in the hall as children, the three were the best of friends.
Before the next class begins, the wavy-haired girl asks her
bespectacled friend what she thinks of
their spiky-haired best friend, but receives a noncommittal response.
- A Few Years After They Met -
Life at school had remained relatively unchanged throughout the long years.
The once-young girl now grows ever closer to adulthood.
A Bell rings out signaling the start of the day,
and she picks up her pace as she runs down the hall.
A bespectacled student calls out to her—
the same one she attempted to recue all those long years ago.
Those she has matured in many ways, she remains as shy has ever.
The professor gazes out across the room, and begins her lecture.
"Pledges are a long-held custom for our kind.
They allow two who are close to form a pair and pass their magicks to each other."
"Once a pair confirms their feelings for one another, they seal the contract with an Avowal Ring."
"The Day of Pledging draws near, and you will all be able to participate if you so desire."
The students have heard much about this ritual,
and murmur excitedly as the professor adjourns class.
A group of boys slowly walk up to the girl with the wavy hair and offer her gifts of adoration.
The girl's mature aura had been garnering popularity for some time.
But she has no interest in forming a contract with the boys, and quickly brushes them aside.
But then, another student walks in to take their place.
It's the spiky-haired boy who shared a meal with the two girls when they were younger.
That day led to a friendship between the three that only grew stronger as the years went by.
The boy teases the wavy-haired girl,
calling her cruel for discarding all of her suitors with such haste.
Though playful, she finds his taunts to be irritating.
But she knows reacting to them will only make her the subject of further ridicule.
The bespectacled girl stifles a laugh at her friends' affectionate bickering.
But this sits poorly with the other girl,
who whirs around and asks a single question of her friend:
> "What do you think of him?"
> "Who do you want to make a pledge with?"
The laughter dies. And after a long moment of serious consideration,
she finally gives a halting answer.
"Um... I don't know. I guess I haven't really thought about it."
"Um... No one in particular."
Their conversation is cut short by the ringing of another bell.
"We're going to be late!" says the bespectacled girl as she bolts from the lecture hall.
A confused eddy of feelings whirl about in the other girl's heart.
But she can only watch as her friends depart.
A Livened Heart[]
The Day of Pledging draws nearer, and a festival is taking place in town.
The wavy-haired girl, unable to control her excitement,
takes her best friends to see the festival, but her bespectacled friend
returns home under weak pretenses, leaving the wavy-haired girl and
the spiky-haired boy in each other's company. The girl soldiers on,
uncomfortably visiting festival stalls with the boy she holds feelings for.
As they make to leave the festival, she confesses her feelings to the boy,
only to be rejected—he has feelings for their bespectacled friend.
Her heart broken, the wavy-haired girl is alone.
The bespectacled girl appears before her.
The wavy-haired girl lashes out at the bespectacled girl,
angry that she kept her plans to make a pledge with the boy a secret from her.
In response, the bespectacled girl sets the record straight—she doesn't
love the boy. She loves the wavy-haired girl.
- Three Days Until the Day of Pledging -
On the Day of Pledging, the city is resplendent with all manner of decorations and colors.
The sight causes the wavy-haired girl to practically bounce up and down with excitement.
"Hurry!" she calls to her friends. "Let's go before the stores close!"
Smiling, she leads her friends through the streets.
> Go to the accessories stall.
Enticed by the sparkle of the goods, the girl suggests they visit a nearby accessory stall.
> Go to the food stall.
Enticed by the delicious scents on the air, the girl suggests they visit a nearby food stall.
"Oh, sorry... The teacher's calling me."
With their bespectacled friend called away, the boy and girl suddenly find themselves alone.
"Let's get going!" she says, trying desperately to control the quiver in her voice.I can't let him know how fast my heart is beating...
Thoughts and emotions swirl inside the girl like a maelstrom.
With all of her senses on the highest of alert, she does not even realize how fast she is moving.
The two finally arrive at the Pledging Plinth, their figures silhouetted by the setting sun.
The girl speaks first.
> Take out your Ring of Avowal.
She removes the Ring of Avowal from an inner pocket—the same one used to seal a pledge.
> Be brave and tell him how you feel.
She opens her heart to the boy, letting all of her emotions and feelings gush forth in a torrent.
Silence stretches out. A moment. An hour. An age.
Finally the boy shakes his head.
The girl's heart is immediately drowned in an ocean of despair.
The boy manages to form a kind of base apology, his head hanging low all the while.
"I'm sorry," he says. "I'm so sorry. I never meant to hurt you."
"But I'm going to make a pact with our best friend."
Vision blurs. Sound roars. Without even realizing it, the girl begins to run...
Hoping that will somehow stop her tears.
When she finally comes to, it is dark; the throngs of people mere suggestions in the shadow.
At the sound of approaching footsteps, she turns around.
Her friend has returned, none the wiser as to what has transpired.
"Hm? He's not with you?"
The innocent question pricks at the girl's heart like a thorn.
"You were my FRIEND! I told you EVERYTHING, and you kept this from me the entire time!"
Bewildered, the bespectacled girl attempts to form a response.
"No, he...he doesn't understand. He doesn't know... Because... I..."
Her lips tremble. Her breath halts.
He doesn't know I love you.
And in the face of this unexpected confession, the wavy-haired girl can only stand and stare...
The Bond's End[]
The feelings the three held were all knotted up.
Unable to accept the truth of things, the wavy-haired girl lashes out at her friend.
"I wish you would both just disappear forever!"
The Day of Pledging arrives.
The names of students who will be paired are called out, one after another.
However, no matter how much time passes the girl's friends are nowhere to
be found, so she starts searching the school for them.
In time, she comes across the boy's corpse.
The bespectacled girl has disappeared without a trace.
During the boy's funeral, the girl feels intense regret that
her words of anger had become reality.
"I must find her."
The wavy-haired girl is stunned.
She thought her friends were going to betray her by pledging themselves to each other.
But instead, her bespectacled friend has confessed feelings for her.
"I went out with him once because I didn't know how to get out of it,"
whispers the bespectacled girl. But it was you. It wasalways you.
The wavy-haired girl is confused. Bewildered. Overwhelmed.
All she can think to do is escape.
"I hate you!" She cries as she flees. "I wish you would both just disappear forever!"
- Three Days Later, the Day of Pledging -
For the next three days, the girl barely eats or sleeps.
Her heart aches with regret.
Regret that she allowed her emotions to run roughshod.
Regret at the horrible things she had said.
On the Day of Pledging, the air in the school is heavy and thick.
The professor clears her throat.
She lists the students who have pledged themselves to each other.
But the girl's friends are nowhere to be found.
She watches blankly as one pair after another walk past with joy on their faces.
But no matter how much time passes, her friends do not arrive.
The professor is clearly troubled by this development.
Knowing how close the three are, she asks the girl to search for them.
As she runs, the girl comes to a realization.
They're both happy. That's what matters.
She decides then and there to apologize to her friends.
And do all she can to support whatever decision they arrive at.
Finally, she comes to a door held fast by a strange magick.
Concerned, she quickly dispels it and proceeds inside.
The boy lies before her. His body is cold and still.
The cause of his death is unknown.
But as no magick art can revive him, a funeral is held the following day.
The boy lies in his casket.
His death is a mystery.
And the bespectacled girl has vanished without a trace.
The wavy-haired girl had wished them both away in a moment of rage, and now it had come to pass.
If only she had supported them.
If only she'd never loved the boy.
If only. If only. If only.
As regret clamps its cold fingers around her heart,
she whispers four words to whatever god might be listening...
I..must...find...her...
II: Noontide/Eventide (Curse of the Rift)[]
Follows the journey of a strange Beast trying to become human. Narrated by Priyet.
Library Entries[]
The Mirror's Temptation[]
There was once an incident at a school of magick that ended in one person's death and another's
disappearance. In a vast and misty wood not far from the city in which the school stood,
an unknown creature forges a path toward a ruin nestled deep among the trees.
There, it finds a single mirror standing sentinel within the wood.
Wishing to conceal the disgusting visage it sees reflected in the mirror, it dons a white cloth,
but its loathsome appearance lingers in the mirror. The shape in the mirror changes to a shadow,
which laughs at the creature.
The shadow named the creature a "werebeast"--a thing beyond comprehension--and
offers the beats a proposition.
"If you but fulfill my desires, I will make your every wish come true."
In response, the werebeast replied:
"I will do anything to become human. Anything."
Nighttime Violence[]
Having made a deal with the shadow, the werebeast heads to the city where magick users live.
The night is dark. The silence full. The people sleep easily in the protection of their homes.
As the werebeast takes in the sight, an indescribable feelings well up in its chest.
When it gazes into a dusty window, it sees the shadow asks.
"You know what you must do, yes?" the shadow asks.
In response, the werebeast starts destroying everything in its vicinity.
Benches, barrels, windows... The shadow revels in the destruction caused by the werebeast,
for it is an existence that thrives on anger, sadness, and hatred. Woken up by the commotion,
the townsfolk emerge from the homes and loose howls of rage.
Frightened, the werebeast fled and made its way back to the wood.
The werebeast pleads the shadow to turn it human, and the shadow makes a final demand:
"Before I make you human, you must snuff out the lives of one hundred magick users."
A Warped Voice[]
The air in the wood hands strangely ominous.
The werebeast trundles along, dragging a large and heavy sack behind it.
The sack contrained a corpse--the 99th magick user killed as a sacrifice for the shadow.
As the shadow raises its voice in utter glee and delight,
animosity and rage seep out from the mirror and coat the werebeast in its sheen.
Memories race through the creature's mind. Memories of people it loved.
Memories of people it hated. Memories of regret, rejection, and pain...
When the werebeast regains consciousness, it finds a young witch standing before itself.
The shadow demands its 100th sacrifice, but the werebeast refuses,
for the witch was the wavy-haired girl the werebeast loved back when she was human.
The werebeast expresses her feelings, and when the witch heard the beast's voice,
she realized it was who she had been looking for--her bespectacled friend.
Loss's Shadow[]
The wavy-haired girl and the werebeast exchange words, and it comes to
light that the bespectacled firl was responsible for the death of their mutual best friend.
It is also revealed that she only killed the boy because his actions left her no choice.
However, even after hearing the werebeast's explanation,
the wavy-haired could not bring herself to forgive.
The wavy-haired girl brandishes her staff and attacks the werebeast.
The werebeast emerges triumphant,
and manages to reclaim her senses before finishing off the wavy-haired girl,
instead opting to extend a hand to her fallen opponent. The wavy-haired girl,
overcome with regret and blaming herself for everything that transpired, commits suicide by
plunging her staff into her own chest. The beast cries out in despair and clings to the mirror,
begging it to save her friend.
But the shadow does not appear, and the glass remains silent.
There had never been a shadow, much less one that could grant wishes.
It was never anything more than an illusion the werebeast conjured up to
justify its hatred and desire for revenge. But with her path to revenge at its end,
she discovered that it led...to nothing.
III: Twilight/Daybreak (One Vow)[]
Tells the tale of a virtual Songstress who performs to bring happiness amongst unending war. Narrated by Marie.
Library Entries[]
The Pure Songstress[]
The stage is set in a distant and technologically advanced world.
At a concert venue, a widely popular singer is due to release her newest
creation. Her true identity, as well as what agency is backing her, is unknown.
But her popularity is undeniable all the same, and her powerful voice helps
those who hear it forget their troubles. In a time where the people are
plagued by never-ending war, the people look to her songs for relief.
Trouble breaks out during her concert. Just as the girl thought to express
words of thanks to her crowd, a group opposed to her actions appears
before her. Unsatisfied that she would engage in such activities during
times of war, they angrily berate the girl. And as thought in response to their
pressure, the singer disappears, leaving only a pair of words in her
wake: LOG OUT. She is a digital songstress, appearing only on social
networks in virtual reality.
Voice and Reason[]
This country develops under the governance of artificial intelligence,
and its capital city shines even in the dark of the night. The only beams of
light, however, come from the city’s illumination, for there is nothing but
darkness found on the face of its people. The girl had ceased all of her
activity since the commotion at her las concert, and she sighs deeply as
she walks the city streets. Everywhere she looks and sees armed guards,
drones, and security cameras. People argue. Citizens are drafted for the
war. The long war caused fierce disputes within their own borders.
Ther reason the girl took up singing was to help reclaim the joy the people
of this nation held long ago. But as she gains more fans, so too rises the
number of people who criticize her actions, and it has come now to the point
where some among the, would resort to force. The girl was deeply troubled
that her own actions ended up causing further conflict. She began to
wonder if there had been any meaning to anything she had done.
A Reason to Sing[]
The girl was unsure if she should sing again. Though it was something she
had initially taken up as a means of bringing joy to the people, she could
not shake the feeling that there was no point in continuing if it just ends up
hurting people. If her aim was to inspire joy, what should she have done?
Her eyes, once driven by the power of her prayers, were clouded with
darkness.
At the moment, she receives a notification. Upon opening her inbox, she
finds messages beyond counting. Many offer words of encouragement,
while some contain scathing critiques. But among them, she finds herself
particularly moved by a message from a former soldier. He says that even
though he is no longer able to fight, her music encourages him to keep
helping however he can. As she reads the messages, she is reminded of a
sensation–an emotion–long thought lost.
IDOL[]
An unusual event befalls the city at night. The girl appears as holograms
and on monitors begins singing before the surprised populace. A melody
of prayer echoes through the streets and across the battlefields. As the city is
enveloped in music, people who support her emerge, as do those who
criticize her. And as people are absorbed in her powerful, yet delicate song,
a light begins to shine behind them–it is songsters in question.
She walks through the city to witness it for herself up close. She does what
she does not just for those who support her actions – she does it for the sake
of all, which she communicates through the power of song. She will wipe
away their tears and stay close to their heavy hearts. As she thinks back on
this vow she made long ago, she says to herself, "And I will keep singing.
Because I..."
IV: The Gloaming/The Dawn (Proof of Zero)[]
Follows the AI leader of an advanced country and her need to be complete. Narrated by Yurie.
Library Entries[]
Noble Darkness[]
A war rages in a technologically advanced country where artificial intelligence rules over the populace,
with a battle currently unfolding in the ruins of what was recently a proud city. Soldiers are led in this
fight by a lone girl. This girl, who looks entirely out of place on a battlefield, walks into the hailstorm of
bullets. She ascertains the positions of enemy soldiers, relays them to the soldiers, guiding them to an
overwhelming victory. Bodies litter the ground around her. In order to further cement their victory, she
orders the soldiers to use the corpses as traps. If it would benefit the nation, she would not hesitate to
issue even the most brutal of commands. For this girl, this hologram who stands on the battlefield, is
the Al tasked with governing this nation.
Shadow and Shade[]
Making war is not the girl's only task. Charged with leading the country alone, she must also advise those
who seek her guidance. She is consulted regarding the treatment of prisoners, unauthorized access to
their camera systems, and so on. When speaking to her, one of her ministers makes the mistake of saying
the word "incomplete," which inspires the girl's ire, for to her it is a most despicable word. The minister
realizes his mistake. The air around them grows tense, and cold as ice. She lets her minister off with a
warning that she would destroy him should he ever say it again, and with a click of her tongue, she leaves
the scene. For this girl who must govern alone, imperfection, compromise, and resignation are forbidden.
She knows this, which is why she searches for a key element that was left out during her creation. And
she will do anything to obtain it. She will do anything to be complete.
Empty Recess[]
The nation was previously ruled by an Al called Unit One who, despite being complete,
made some kind of mistake and was disposed of. Because of this, the cause of said
mistake was removed from the Unit Two before her activation. She is an imperfect
being, created in the search for completeness and perfection. The false eye in her
socket is like a brand that proves her incompleteness. No matter how much she seeks
perfection, her right eye sees nothing. She wonders what the complete Unit One was
able to see, and the unknowing of it all warps her mind. These thoughts she holds are
why her body shudders with a mix of shock and rapture when she sees the singing girl
in white... For the singer was the very same Unit One that the girl had been searching for.
AI Dolls[]
The girl attacks her predecessor. She believed that if she were to steal Unit One's
right eye, she would finally be complete. Perfection is demanded of her, and it
torments her so that she cannot play the part. The people's brazen stares and
outrageous expectations haunt her, and she blames Unit One's failures for her
suffering. Fueled by all the feelings she had previously kept in check, she closes in
on Unit One, claims her right eye, and inserts it in her own socket. However, the
function that had been removed from the girl was a conscience. Though she desired
completeness, her newly acquired conscience generated countless errors as it
attempted to reconcile with all the reprehensible deeds she had committed,
ultimately causing the girl to crumble away to nothing. And Unit One, who had been
singing as a form of atonement, is now left without a conscience, and she has no
idea what she even wanted to do in the first place.
V: Eventide/Noontide (One Thousand Moons)[]
Follows a thief in his pursuit to bring back a princess' smile. Narrated by Yudil.
Library Entries[]
Two of Different Births[]
There once was a kingdom wreathed by sea and sand.
In this place made prosperous by abundant trade, its queen issues a notice:
"The princess had ceased to smile, and any man who returns her joy may have her."
Seeking to try his luck at this challenge, one sailor makes his way to the kingdom,
garbs himself in its finest clothes and jewelry, and heads for the palace.
He is confident that the princess and kingdom entire will soon be his, but then he encounters a ragged boy...
A boy who happens to be a thief. What he wants, he takes. This is the guiding principle of this boy's life.
He strips the sailor of his belongings and begins his journey to the palace so he
might make the princess smile and claim all this land has for himself.
But no matter how fantastic a tale he spins for her, she offers not even the hint of a smile.
His ambitions crushed to dust, the boy is removed from the premises by the palace guards.
A Reason to Rise Up[]
The boy didn't give up, visiting the princess time and again to regale her with stories of adventure.
He would tell of instruments which speak, or springs of gold within jars, but nothing made her smile.
One day, the princess asks why he goes to such lengths for her sake, and after finally hearing her speak,
the boy promises to make her smile on the morrow and takes his leave.
Though his original reasons to visit the palace had been devilish,
he now finds himself genuinely wishing to see the princess smile.
That night, he encounters a fortune teller. Raising her hands to her crystal ball, she says to the boy,
"Death awaits if you continue to see the princess." The boy laughs in response, claiming
"A future is something I take for myself." He is a thief, after all.
He has spent his whole life stealing whatever he likes,
and the reason he wants the princess's smile... is because there was once a smile he was unable to reclaim.
An Unenchanted Memory[]
This is a tale of when the boy thief did not yet know his way of life.
At this time, he is a slave aboard a ship.
His only solace is this unending misery is a slave girl aboard the same ship.
The girl would read to him stories of adventure, granting him courage.
However, the girl gradually stopped smiling due to the abuse dealt out by the ship's captain,
and in the end day, the boy surrenders to his anger and takes the captain's life.
He was too late, however, for the poor girl's heart was already broken beyond repair,
and she would never smile again.
He learns that what is once lost can never be reclaimed
and in this moment,
he resolves to join the side of the takers so that nothing can ever be stolen from him again.
Returning to the present, the thief boy has begun thinking of the princess as the slave girl from his past.
She whispers to him, "Take me from this place." The boy responds, "I will. Tonight."
With this secret promise exchanged the boy leaves the palace,
wondering if can return her smile once and for all.
The Thief Who Stole A Princess[]
A brilliant moon hanging heavy in the dark, the thief sneaks into the palace.
Seeking freedom,
the pair run through the midnight city and make for a boat the boy left waiting for them in a bay.
The princess wonders why the boy insists on doing so much for her and he replies,
"Because I wish to see you smile."
Though he cannot see her face clearly beneath her veil, he is sure he has found her smile.
Then, guards clad in black appear, and alongside them is the fortune teller who foretold the boy's doom.
The boy fights, unwilling to relinquish the princess,
and collects wound after poisoned wound in the process,
eventually losing consciousness. When he comes to, he awakes on a boat atop the sea.
He briefly wonders if he has attained freedom,
but quickly realizes the boat's only other passenger is not the princess, but the fortune teller.
With a laugh she thrusts her spear into him and with scorn he sinks his blade into her.
Entangled like lovers, they vanish into the depths.
As the boy's heart is consumed by an inky blackness,
he dwells on whether he was able to protect the princess's smile.
VI: Daybreak/Twilight (One Sun)[]
Library Entries[]
A Princess's Melancholy[]
In a kingdom wreathed by sea and sand,
the queen issues a notice stating that
the princess has lost her smile, and that any man who returns it to her may have her.
Hearing this, suitors gather from far and wide, forming great lines with the palace
courtyard. The princess gazes upon the men with not even the faintest hint of
a smile as she hears them out one by one.
She can tell from their words that they
only see the princess for her station, and as
a prize to be won. As she lets out a sigh,
a sailor boy appears before her and begins
to speak. The princess finds herself enraptured
with the wild tale he spins, but before
long, he is escorted away by the guards.
It is not just the men who do not see the woman for who she is. There is not a
single soul who sees her as more than the role of the demure princess that she
was born into. Unable to bear this curse, she eventually lost the will to smile.
The only places she can find peace are in her private chambers, and in a secret
she keeps close to her chest. The woman stares at herself in the mirror.
Dressed in the guise of a fortune teller,
she slips from the palace and heads for the
nighttime city of danger and vice that lies
beyond its walls in search of amusement.
Resonant Sentiments[]
The woman is in a dim and dingy alleyway a short
distance from the hustle and bustle of the city.
She awaits customers beneath a small tent,
for she is a fortune teller of great repute, and rumors claim
her words can change even fate itself. Even as a child, the
princess possessed a gift for such fortunes.
A couple appears before her to have their fortunes scried,
and she divines their fates from her crystal ball.
She then imparts words that tear the couple's
relationship apart at the seams, for watching the bonds of seemingly
happy couples disintegrate before her very
eyes eases the melancholy that plagues her.
However, deep in her heart, she knows that whether
she assumes the role of princess
or fortune teller, salvation will never come for her.
As she ponders her current situation,
a familiar boy passes before her tent. It is the young
sailor boy-the same one who captured her attention
with his wild tales of adventure. Perhaps he sees the real me,
she thinks with a faint glimmer of hope as she decides
to test his motives. She says to him,
"Death awaits if you continue to see the princess,"
but the boy just responds with loud, innocent laughter.
As the woman makes her way back
to the palace, she finds her steps to be lighter than usual.
The Wounded Pair[]
Despite being warned of his fate, the sailor boy continues to frequent
the palace so he might meet with the princess.
Day after day, he flashes a daring grin as he fabricates tales of adventure.
Though the woman cannot know if his words are true,
she finds herself taken with the desperate
dedication to making her smile. She wonders if he,
and perhaps only he, sees her for who she is.
But no matter how much she wants to believe in this possibility,
she cannot shake her doubts, and decides to test the boy yet again.
"Take me from this place," she whispers into his ear.
Elated, the boy leaves the palace, thinking to have won the princess's heart.
When they next meet, it will be clear if he truly sees her or not.
The princess dresses her lady-in-waiting in her own
clothes and awaits the boy's arrival. If the boy sees through the ruse
and realizes it is the lady-in-waiting wearing the princess's clothes,
perhaps her doubts will finally be laid to rest.
Concealing herself, she waits ... and prays. But
after the boy's arrives, the scene that unfolds
before her transforms her prayers into despair
incarnate. Unable to see through the lady-in-waiting's guise,
he takes her from the palace.
Left behind, the princess curses herself for permitting
her heart to feel joy, however short-lived.
To Beyond the Sea[]
In fortune teller's garb, the princess follows the boy, while also ordering
her guards to kill him on sight. Until just moments ago,
the boy was the one who had set her soul aflame,
and was meant to rescue her from her cage.
If he can no longer play that role, what meaning
has his life anymore? As she reaches the beach,
the sand is darkened with blood. The boy
is putting his life on the line, fighting to protect
her disguised lady-in-waiting. "I will not let
anyone have the princess's smile," he says,
and in the princess's heart of hearts she lets
fly a silent scream, "I am in the princess!"
At the end of a long battle, the sailor boy falls unconscious.
Though the princess finds her will to live fading,
she decides to set to sea with the boy.
Yielding the position of princess to her lady-in-waiting,
she boards a boat and makes for the open sea,
where there are no kingdoms or titles.
When the boy awakens, the princess says to him,
"It all unfolded just as I predicted." Then she pierces the boy
with her spear, and he slashes her with his blade.
Tangled in an ironic embrace, they sink into the sunless depths.
As the boy stares at her with hate in his eyes,
she smiles ... for he is finally looking at her, and only her.
Hina's Story[]
- "Smile with the brightness of the sun—even if it consumes you."
- — Poem of the Sun
Library Entries[]
Ordinary Days[]
In a metropolitan high school, there is a girl who is sociable, popular,
and a star student. While she may seem to enjoy the very picture of
an ideal youth, all that awaits her when she returns home to a rented
apartment is her unemployed father, and days of crushing poverty
as she struggles to make ends meet. Her mother,
whom her father is now divorced from,
was an extravagant spender and saddled him with
impossible debts that have left him a spiritually broken man.
Caring for her father, she starts cleaning the apartment.
Picking a photo off the floor and looking at it, she sees her
younger brother, who now lives with their mother.
She remembers a time when the family was together.
Happy. She crushes the photo in her fist and returns to her father's side.
No matter how difficult things get, she will
continue to smile for the sake of the father she loves so much.
The Secret[]
The girl runs down a city street. Though night,
the streets are bright with neon lights.
Her hood pulled over her eyes in an attempt to hide her face,
she enters a dingy alleyway away from any main streets.
There, she meets her client-a young man of college age.
After taking his money, she hands him a small bag containing illegal drugs.
Though it harms her conscience greatly, this is the secret
profession she has assumed so she might repay her family's
massive debt. All she wants is to live a quiet life with her
father, and she will risk everything for this one small wish.
Upon returning home, her father breaks into tears and speaks of the
shame he feels at not being able to provide his daughter
with the higher education she deserves.
As she offers her father words of comfort, cold rage accumulates in her
heart as she thinks about the person who shoulders the
blame for their terrible misfortune-her mother.
Loss[]
The girl works a secret job to protect the life she has with her father.
Bearing the weight of her crimes in solitude she continues to go to school
as normal, but one day not long before graduation,
her school finds out about her secret job.
She is berated by her teachers, her offer to join an upstanding
company is rescinded, and she has been suspended.
All of her hard work has blown away like chaff in the wind, and on top of it all,
rumors about what she's done are spreading through the school like wildfire.
Having lost everything, she turns her mind over to darkness
What keeps her going in this difficult time is thoughts of her father,
who has always been on her side no matter what.
Driven by a desire to continue smiling by her father's side,
she makes her way home.
However, what she sees upon returning home is beyond
her worst nightmares. The empty shell of her father swings
slowly in the gloom-he has taken his own life.
Her last ray of sunlight flickers and dies.
And as tears begin to form around the corner of her eyes,
she finds herself tumbling into an endless dark.
Nostalgic Home[]
The girl wakes from a strange dream in which she journeyed through
towers made of stone in order to change the past. Looking around,
she realizes that she is in her home in the real world.
Suddenly hearing a familiar voice, she hurries to the entrance and sees
her father with a kind smile on his face. And after she does,
she cannot help but bury her face in his chest and sob.
As her father gently stroked her hair,
she surrenders herself to this brief moment of happiness.
Having regained a normal life with her father, she enjoys the
kind of brilliant youth any high-schooler would aspire to ... but it all
comes to a sudden end due to the actions of her younger brother.
She finally learns the truth: No matter how many times she rewrites the past,
her father will always be killed by her brother, and she herself
will always kill her mother due to the hatred she holds for her.
- No matter how much she may pray, she wish to live
with her father will never come true. In order to bring
about her earnest wish for revenge, she once again makes for The Cage.
Yuzuki's Story[]
- "Guide with the affection of the moon—even if it breaks you."
- — Poem of the Moon
Library Entries[]
Ordinary Days[]
In the library of a metropolitan high school,
a boy is reading over a complicated technical manual.
A place apart from the usual bustle of youth, this
library is like a sanctuary to him. But unfortunately,
on this day, the chatter of other students is an
annoyance too great for him to bear, causing him
to abandon his study earlier than expected.
After getting teased for always being alone,
the boy heads to the hospital where his mother is admitted.
Naturally frail, his mother lost even the ability to stand
due to the abuse she suffered at the hands of her ex-husband-the
boy's father. He finds a photograph on the floor of his mother's
hospital room. It shows his big sister, who went to live their father,
and captures a moment in time when his parents were happy together.
The boy now devotes himself to his studies so he might
one day save his dear mother, and he
doesn't care if he has to walk that path in solitude.
The Secret[]
The boy devotes his entire life to becoming a doctor
so he might save his bedridden mother.
He feels intense stress whenever confronted with the
absurdities of modern society, but he does his best all the same.
One day, he is called upon by his mother's physician and confronted
with a devastating truth: His mother's congenital heart condition has
worsened, and she very little time left. The boy pleads with the doctor,
insisting there must be some way to save her, and the doctor
says a heart transplant is her only hope.
There would be many hurdles to overcome, including finding a suitable
donor and paying for the costly procedure. Thinking on how it's his
father's fault that his mother's life is in danger, he feels a hot rage
accumulating in his heart. In his mother's hospital room,
the boy agonizes as he holds her hand in his own ... but then an idea
comes to him. Noticing his own heart beating in his chest,
he wonders if he could offer it up to save his mother.
Loss[]
The boy wanders the darkness of his own mind.
In doing so, he is reminded that there is no place for him in this world.
The only thing that keeps him going despite it all is thoughts of his mother,
who has always been on his side no matter what. He steels his resolve to
sacrifice his own life to save his mother's. He will use poison purchased
on a shady website to cause his brain to die while leaving his heart intact for
his mother. The boy brings the poison to his mouth, and his final moments
feel as though they will last into eternity ... but then his phone rings.
After rushing to the hospital, he is greeted by the sight of his
mother dead in her hospital bed. The boy then remains by her side,
weeping at the loss of his last remaining beam of moonlight.
Nostalgic Home[]
The boy wakes from a strange dream in which he journeyed
through towers made of stone in order to change the past.
Looking around, he realizes that he is in his home in the real world.
Suddenly hearing a familiar voice, he hurries to the entrance and sees
his mother with a cheerful smile on her face. Finally seeing his
mother well, the boy cannot help but shed tears and wish that
this moment of happiness will last forever.
His mother released from the hospital and their lives back to normal,
the boy gradually starts fitting in more at school ... but it all comes
to a sudden end due to the actions of his older sister.
He finally learns the truth: No matter how many times he rewrites the past,
his mother will always be killed by his sister, and he himself will always
kill his father due to the hatred he holds for him.
No matter how much he resists, he will never save his mother.
In order to bring about his earnest wish for revenge,
he once again makes for The Cage.
Gallery[]
