What happened to your body?
But it's you, Grandpa. You're alive!
Don't move, Sadayoshi!
How loathsome.
The more you look and act like Masaru, the angrier it makes me.
But I am Masaru!
You fooled me for a long time even after you became my son.
I realized too late.
Dad hasn't taken control of my brain!
When I realized what sins you were up to, I wanted to at least save poor Masaru.
But to no avail.
I shall ask you two questions.
The first one being, have you found the soft stone, Sadayoshi?
Let it bloom or let it wither
The setting sun ignites the horizon
And the gears turn
When the horn blows, the flames dance
The story waits for no-one
Off they go, the gears are churning
A red past chases after you
The jester's smile
What's behind the mask?
You can't erase the scars
No matter how they burn
Let it bloom or let it wither
The setting sun ignites the horizon
Alone in the depths of the night
Let out a cry that can cut through fate
That's the cue to begin
The curtain is rising, it's time to dance
Everybody sheds tears at the end
So hold them in now and keep going
Until the day the curtain falls
The gears will keep turning
#16 Encounter
What's a soft stone? I don't know what it is.
I knew you'd say that.
By repeatedly downloading your memory and soul,
you've become able to live on forever in others' bodies.
Yet, you still want the soft stone more than anything.
Let me tell you where it is then.
Along with all I experienced.
I was wrong in trying to just kill you.
You should be killed only after you witness the harm you have caused.
And when you have done so, I will ask you the next question.
To see what is going through your mind at that moment.
W-What is that?
It is my blood. My memories are dissolved in it.
Drink that blood.
And experience for yourself all that I went through.
Inside of me...
Grandpa's memories... They're flowing in.
"MIURA DOJO"
I... I...
Stop!
Good work, Shoji.
Come to the back. Yae will make you some tea.
Yes, sir.
Master wants you to marry Yae and take over the dojo.
But I'm no good with women.
Excuse me, where's the doc?
My master has fallen sick.
Master!
Forgive me, but duty calls so I must go.
Yes, go.
I was learning swordsmanship at Nagasaki's best dojo while working as a doctor.
Dr. Bai Yin was the man who taught me medicine.
I was a child then...
Take the medicine twice a day. Use clean cloths.
Oh, thank you.
What an amazing doctor.
He came from a faraway country.
I heard he can speak Japanese already. He sure is smart.
Wow, what kind of magic is that?
What's your name, boy?
Shoji.
Hey!
How dare you talk to Dr. Yin like that!
What have you done! Those are his precious tools.
Stand up!
Wait a minute.
Tools and medicines are not human.
What sense is there in harming a human for breaking a healer's tools?
If you must make him take responsibility, take my head first.
Dr. Yin!
And so, I became Dr. Yin's apprentice.
Dr. Yin taught me many things besides just medicine.
I've never seen anything like this before.
Look carefully, Shoji.
That is what the world is.
A new world was opened up to me thanks to Dr. Yin.
Whoa, a puppet?
It's not finished yet?
It was an old dream of mine to make it.
Not going to finish it?
Let's finish it together then.
This is my name, "Bai Yin."
This is how you'd read your name in Japanese.
Shirogane.
Shirogane, huh?
So this is the famous pleasure district.
This way, Doc.
You'll be fine now.
How do you feel? Can you get up?
Thank you for everything.
The heart stops willing to try as you grow older.
Just take it easy for a while.
Oh, and don't play around too much now.
Can't help it.
I will make the medicine, so if you'll find these ingredients.
Excuse me.
How beautiful...
Tohno-dayu, you came.
May I see that?
Of course.
Head clerk, you don't need to find the second one, the red gentian root.
May I ask why?
I hear it's used often for swollen lymph nodes.
But it takes time for the body to absorb and doesn't do much.
I could prepare an even better medicine for you.
Don't be like that now.
You're shaming the poor doctor.
What is shame when it comes to helping others?
Am I right, Doctor?
You're right.
What's with this woman?
Now, I have other guests to attend to.
-Forgive me, Doctor. -Oh, don't worry about it.
I apologize for her rudeness.
Do raise your head, I really don't mind it.
But what is she?
Her knowledge of medicine is incredible.
I shall tell you then. You and I go back a long way.
I know you can keep a secret.
People call her the other-worldly courtesan.
Can you guess why?
No.
She is not from this land.
Her name is Angelina.
About a year ago, as I was on my way home...
I had another attack.
I thought my time was up.
She was like a heavenly maiden.
She saved my life.
But what really surprised me was...
she volunteered to be a lady of pleasure.
It's been a year since I made it to this country.
The number of countries I have hitherto traveled.
Ever since that day...
Now, go wherever you wish, Angelina.
Why so suddenly?
How am I to live away from here, away from my people?
Take this with you.
Aqua Vitae?
Have somebody drink it.
A man who will spend his eternity with you.
Shiroganes use their whole lives to destroy automata.
But what if you could spend that time on something else?
Then there may be some meaning to this cursed body.
I haven't a clue what you mean.
What are you telling me to do, Teacher?
Mother!
I knew not for what to live after that day.
How can a shirogane live without its purpose?
That woman gets on my nerves!
I don't want to see her face ever again.
Wait, that room...
Sorry, wrong room.
Wait a minute.
Sir.
Have we ever met before?
Huh? Don't think so.
I'm a poor doctor. Don't have no money for you people.
Well then.
But could you come here for a second?
Why? I'm leaving now.
Is Nagasaki's best doctor afraid of a girl like me?
Fine, just for a second.
It's not that this man interested me.
I had lost interest in everything. I hoped for nothing.
I couldn't even die with this immortal body.
I could only walk a long dark path all on my own.
Alone.
Help me...
Alone...
Help me...
Alone...
Somebody help me!
There's something with your smile.
It's too pretty.
Like a doll carved out of wood.
That's right. I was just a doll that destroyed automata.
And now, I've lost even that purpose and just drag this immortal body around.
Of course I'm not human!
How dare this man...!
You know nothing about me!
Wait!
Tell me one thing.
What?
What would you do if you had an immortal body?
All the men to whom I've asked this question...
Not one could give me a satisfactory answer.
Even with his big mouth, this man will be no different.
Immortal, you say?
Sounds nice.
Then I'd be able to fall in love with a girl.
Love just one girl for all eternity.
Just... one girl?
It's a fire!
Tohno-dayu, Doctor, you gotta run!
A samurai tried to force a courtesan to die with him and started a fire!
O-Kiku... I lost everything because of you.
Don't have a penny to my name.
You're dying with me!
Who the hell are you?
A doctor, so what?
This is no place for a doctor.
Stay out of this!
Bye-bye now.
T-Tohno-dayu.
This puppet... Why do you...?
This is the puppet I made with Dr. Bai Yin when I was young.
The memory of the man dissolved in my blood is reviving.
You're Shoji...
You gave us the name of shirogane?
How do you know that?
We can talk later, we must get out.
But before that...
You got a smudge. Gotta keep your pretty face pretty.
Why is it...
I want to see more of this man's smile.
We can't pass through here.
Not even with Arlequin.
If we give up, it'll be all over.
There will always be a path forward.
A path forward...
I'd been searching for a path.
No, I'd given up on finding it.
But now, I have met this man.
This man is like no other that I've met.
Arlequin!
I will open a path.
Count to 30, then run.
30? You'll die if you do that!
Stop!
I won't die.
And you will think I'm a monster.
You will fear me. And that will be the end.
Any feelings I have for you will be in vain.
Swirling Tiger!
Yet, I do not mind.
Because I wish...
I wish for you to live!
Forget it all.
He probably saw me still alive in the flames and thinks I'm a monster.
Nobody would drink Aqua Vitae for me.
How did you find me?
I heard from Mr. Nakayama.
But anyways, you idiot!
You'll catch a cold!
I'm an unremarkable sort of man.
I'm over 30, still unmarried, I don't have any fine hobbies, either.
But I can listen to you and get mad and cry with you.
How about it?
If there's something weighing you down, you can tell me.
No, don't say that...
You'll make my heart overflow.
And if it does, I'll be cast away again.
He'll shove me away.
No...
No, Angelina!
Don't open your heart to him!
I listened.
All about her past.
It was all beyond my imagination.
So now you know.
I was cast away by my mother with just this medicine.
But I don't wish for anyone to drink it anymore.
Nobody should have to bear this curse besides me.
Now you've done it.
What a fool you are, Angelina.
Now, to face the terrified man.
And be rejected.
Your mother cared for you deeply.
She threw me out!
She did it on purpose to free you from a heavy burden.
The only thing a mother could do for her immortal offspring,
was to make sure she had somebody to walk the path with her.
But the man who will truly care for her
will be somebody she must find for herself.
Your mother decided to bet on it and gave you that medicine.
Mother...
Understand now?
Then let's go.
Where to?
Your path and mine.
They are one and the same.
But...
You'll walk with me? Don't I scare you?
I...
Listen here.
When Nagasaki men want something we go for it.
I know this is a bit late,
but it was love at first sight.
Then, you will walk with me?
Together through eternity?
Sure thing.
Even after all of eternity.
That smile of yours...
I love it more than anything.
That man held me as if I were a feather.
Ever so gently.
Mother...
Avoiding the crowds, I walk in the dark
And wait with bated breath in the wings
My expression is calm while I scream inside
On the verge of being torn apart
I dance and beckon you to join me
As a shadow swings across the stage
I tell myself this is the last time
But I can't seem to cut myself free
Too scared to stop for a moment
My impatience hides the cries of somebody left behind
Nobody notices the shadow standing in the sudden rain
Somewhere far away, a memory of you is saying goodbye
I stand here watching, no longer able to reach you