Class 3-2
I have to hide somewhere!
I have to wake up... I have to wake up soon!
Or they'll...
Ryo?
Wh-What do I do?
It found me...
Next time, I'm finished!
October 8th Nocturnal Community Relations Division
Storage #1
What the heck, where did it go? Where could it have gone?
#9 "The Dream Demon of the Haunted Apartment Block"
Miyako, are you almost done?
Yes, just give me a minute.
So, what are you doing, Theo?
Do you guys know what happened to that budget request I made?
The one you met with the other sections about,
and even got the bureau director's stamp on?
Yeah! The one that took me a whole week.
Did you lose it during our last paperwork cleanup?
No! I have to go through that whole stamp rally again?!
I'll help you look, Theo-san!
Thank you!
You're such a great co-worker!
Hold it.
We have an urgent job.
Look.
Urgent?
From Koharu-san?
Subject: Sakaki-kun, Urgent Request To: Sakaki Kyoichi From: Senda Reiji Aida Koharu-san from General Affairs has a kid who's involved in some kind of Another-related trouble. Please talk to her. It seems like her kid is having nightmares and can't sleep at night.
Koharu-san?
Yeah. She works here in our building.
Her kid's having nightmares?
Aida-san is working late tonight and will be at Café L’ambre at 19:00. I can't go because I've got a social function, so somebody go get the details and fill me in later.
Wouldn't you usually go to a hospital for that?
Senda-san sent it to us because he assumed that would be the wrong move.
So this is our priority for the day—
No! That budget sheet is a priority!
You understand, right?
Miyako, want to go alone?
Is it okay?
I'll leave it to you.
Just don't do anything on your own.
I'll give Aida-san a call, so you can go talk to her.
Roger that.
I'm on it. I'll do my best.
We saw something like this before, right?
Yeah.
It was worse in Nerima and Ota Wards than here, though.
Oh, that's why...
If it's happened before, it's easier to deal with.
And it's about time for him to start gaining some confidence in his work, right?
If you're capable of being that considerate,
why did you boss him around like that during the Azazel thing?
I already said I feel bad about that.
I underestimated him.
I didn't think he'd refuse my apology.
I feel like I'm in debt.
If you really feel that way...
Ow!
Then be a good senpai and pay him back.
Sure thing.
So, how much have you heard?
It has to do with dreams, and involves our department. That's all I know.
I see.
I have two boys, you see.
The younger one's name is Ryo.
His school called and told me he keeps napping in class.
I told you not to stay up all night, right?
But I have these scary dreams...
Like the haunted house you went to with your dad over summer break?
I dunno.
But there's this monster that chases me.
And if it finds you three times, it eats you!
It ate Acchan and Yo-kun!
Those are your friends who've been absent with a cold for a long time, right?
I'm next!
It found me twice!
So two of his friends had the same dream and stopped coming to school.
Dreams...
I explained that being hurt in dreams doesn't hurt you in the real world.
But several days later, Ryo didn't wake up...
And he still hasn't.
The hospital says they can't find anything wrong with him.
So that's why you haven't been to work lately.
Yes.
When I told Senda-san about it...
That's for us.
That's a job for Nocturnal Community Relations.
Not a normal doctor.
I'll talk to my staff.
They'll be in touch soon.
Until then, I'd forgotten that Nocturnal Community Relations handles this stuff...
If I'd remembered sooner—
Understood.
We'll do what we can.
I see.
So we start with gathering information.
Yeah.
Any idea what Another it is, by the way?
No, none yet.
Log into A-Search and search for this.
You may be able to narrow it down.
Another Search System
Dreams...
"Dream demons"...
They give you nightmares, and swallow you up into nightmares...
There're lots of different Anothers, huh?
Evening, guys.
Wait, you're still looking for that document?
Yes.
Jeez, what do you want?
Where's Miyako-kun?
Right here.
There you are.
I have a message for you.
That party will be held again this year.
But what does that mean?
Every year, we and the other wards take turns
temporarily transferring someone to the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office.
Transferring?
We work for one of the special wards.
Tokyo Metropolitan Government Office employees are Tokyo city employees.
We're completely different.
So every year, each ward sends one person to work with the city government for a while.
The goal is to build relationships between the wards and the city government.
And so... This year, it's your turn.
But I've got that urgent job...
Don't worry. Sharing that with them is part of what this is about.
Also, it starts tomorrow.
Miyako-san!
Um...
Shimizu, from Chiyoda Ward!
We saw each other at Toyama Park.
Oh, I remember!
Wait, how do you remember my name?
You're famous for a lot of reasons in our business.
You've been really busy ever since then, I've heard!
It's true. I've heard about you as well, Miyako-san.
Hello.
I'm Kanoichi Satoru, with the Tokyo Metropolitan Nocturnal Cultural and Environmental Department.
Kanoichi? Are you related to Kanoichi Akane?
Yes, she and I are cousins.
Nice to meet you,
Miyako Arata-san.
Really? You're willing to help us?
Yes. That's how this works.
October 9th
If you think, from the look if it, that the Another can be eliminated,
I'll deal with it.
Eliminated?
Your department has the same equipment, right?
So this is a dream demon, right?
The same one that showed up in Nerima Ward before.
Before?
It keeps happening.
A child goes into a building that nobody uses anymore,
thanks to the decreasing population, and goes into a coma.
There are tons of spots even in downtown Tokyo that are abandoned,
due to land prices and stuff.
The spots are always places where there used to be children,
like hospitals or elementary schools.
Miyako-san?
I was just wondering why the victims are always children.
What's wrong?
I've never thought about why Anothers do anything.
Of course, we can use legends and traditions to guess at their motives.
But we lack your ears.
The Ears of Sand.
An ability that allows you to communicate with Anothers.
We don't have that.
And we don't think we need it, really.
But if you're going to co-exist, isn't it better if you can communicate?
If I can exterminate an Another, I will,
and if I can't, I'll treat it as a form of natural disaster.
Do you talk with rats or typhoons?
Rats?
The Anothers have always had reasons for what they've done in all the cases I've seen.
A lot of them I couldn't accept or understand, but...
The Nocturnal Community Relations sections are, in theory,
supposed to find a way to co-exist with Anothers.
But we can't communicate with them.
Well, I've been able to.
Um...
Hey...
We're not going to get anywhere like this.
Let's get going.
You're going to talk to people involved in the case, right?
October 9th
JR Shinjuku Station
Can you tell us what you know, Kakeru-kun?
Sure.
It was a rumor in Ryo's class...
I'm playing tag in my dreams!
What?
I've been caught twice.
Next time, I'll win!
What are you talking about? It's just a dream, right?
But I gotta win, you know?
After that, his friend stopped going to school.
And the rumors started to spread.
About how if you get caught three times, you don't wake up?
My little brother said that before he went into a coma.
It found me twice!
Just like Acchan and Yo-kun!
Are you dreaming about playing tag?
Yo-kun said he started having dreams after Acchan stopped coming to school.
He said he was having the same dreams.
He said he'd dreamed about playing tag twice.
And the next day he stopped coming to school, too.
Right after that, Ryo went into a coma.
How did Ryo-kun know it was the same dream?
The game always starts in the same place, he said.
It always... starts in the same place.
The apartment block we used to play in.
The Ghost Apartments.
He made the rules.
We all dream of that place!
So it's the same!
Which means... Which means the same thing will happen to me!
It'll eat me!
What's going to happen to him?
Tell me about these Ghost Apartments.
It's an old apartment complex near our school.
Ryo used to play there with his friends.
That matches what we know about the dream demon.
It's the same case.
Please... promise me you'll save my brother!
Yeah, we're on it.
Thank you!
First, tell us where these apartments are.
Okay!
Here.
This is building 28, which is no longer used,
and where they used to play.
Yeah, this feels different from the others.
Let's start by going inside.
Why don't you show us what you can do?
This was originally a Shinjuku Ward case.
Why don't you investigate the building?
We'll put up a barrier.
If you're worried, I'll back you up.
No, this is my job.
Good. Thanks.
Kanoichi-san, need some tape?
No, I have my own methods.
Wow...
Oh, Miyako-san.
Call me if something comes up.
Okay, time to get to work.
Nobody's here, huh?
Did I just...
It's better than the basement under Mount Hakone.
Tag! Tag!
Wait!
Huh?
It's not here.
Tag! Tag!
Let's play! Let's play!
Don't disappear.
This isn't tag. It's hide-and-seek.
You can hear me?
Yeah.
Are you the one who kidnapped Ryo-kun and the other kids?
I didn't kidnap them. I had them join me.
Join me?
Tag!
Wait!
Hey, we're not done talking yet!
Wait, I said!
That's not fair!
Over here!
Jeez!
Listen to me!
That's suspicious...
Are you in here?
Found you!
This is a MegaTrive!
I remember this!
I'm not over there!
I'm over here!
I found you!
Jeez.
You're in here!
In this world, nobody can see me. So I can't play with them.
But I can do what I want in their dreams.
We play three games. If I win three times, they're mine.
Does that mean...
Since you can't get them to play with you in reality,
you're having them play with you in dreams?
There used to be lots of people here until a while ago.
I wasn't lonely.
I could always play.
They're gone now, though.
Everybody left. And I stayed here, alone.
But then, kids came that I could play with.
So I had them join me.
Now I won't be lonely!
I see...
I understand how you feel.
Lately I haven't been able to play with any of my friends.
You're lonely?
A little.
So I promised I'd play with them soon.
I'm jealous...
Sometimes your friends have to go away for a while.
But I think you're still connected to them.
So don't force people to be your friends.
Let's look for people who will play with you.
At first, I will.
I'm Arata.
Ara... ta?
If this place is lonely for you, go someplace with more people.
I'll take you to a place with lots of kids.
A place where I won't be lonely?
Is there one? Can I go there?
If you take me to a place where I won't be lonely, I'll give everyone back.
But if you're lying, I'll trap you in a dream.
Listen, there's no need to do that.
We can talk, like this.
So if you want to complain to me, you can.
That's what it means to be friends.
Am I wrong?
You're right!
Okay, let's get going, then!
Okay!
There you are!
Miyako-san!
We've been looking for you.
Sorry.
So, is this the Another?
Yeah.
It seems it was kidnapping children out of loneliness.
Is this your friend?
Then he's my friend, too.
Okay, let's do it, then.
Kanoichi-san?
There, it's dealt with.
Wow! One stomp with your foot!
People who work at the Metropolitan Government Office really are amazing!
That was nothing.
It's dangerous if you're not used to it, though. So don't try and copy me.
Were you okay, Miyako-san?
What did you just do?
I dealt with the Another.
He said he'd release the children!
You're a naïve idiot.
Let's assume, hypothetically, that he released the children.
What guarantee do we have that he wouldn't do it again?
Well...
What you're doing is the same as killing a criminal who confesses,
and saying that you've gotten rid of crime.
Anothers are things, not people.
They're stories that have stopped midway, you could say.
They repeat the same actions.
Our only option is to eliminate them.
Eliminate them?
And I can't trust your interpreting.
You're saying the Ears of Sand are a lie?
No.
I've heard a lot of stories.
One, for instance, about a terrible Another that calls itself your friend.
Which means there's even a chance that you're trying to trick us
and bring chaos to society.
Yes... as a servant of the god of chaos and deception, Huehuecóyotl.
You know that he's the destroyer of civilization, after all.
You're saying you can't trust me?!
Seriously? You don't think people think that?
You've never given it a second thought?
I guess the people around you really do spoil you.
What are you getting at?!
You're not needed here.
That's what I'm saying, Miyako Arata-san.
#10 "White Cocoon and Blue Flames"