-And that's what happened. -Thank you.
So Masaru really came here.
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
#17 Visitors
Sadayoshi.
How much of the memory did you see?
The memory...
Oh, I was watching Grandpa's memory, wasn't I?
I saw you marry Angelina.
So that means you and her had a son named Sadayoshi.
My dad, who you say is inside my brain.
Of course, Master Sadayoshi!
You stay quiet!
You still continue to act innocent, do you?
You never were my son to begin with.
You mean...
My only child is Éléonore.
My daughter.
Éléonore?
Shirogane?
Don't act like you don't know!
Just as you saw, Angelina and I promised to spend eternity together.
We studied Arlequin's workings, then created our own marionettes.
"...ANGELINA SAIGA"
It's done.
Good, this will protect it.
I'm sorry, this is all I can do.
Nonsense. These words will bring strength to these puppets.
They will be useful for shiroganes all over the world.
That's when you appeared.
Dean!
Hello!
Monsieur Shoji, thank you for making Angelina happy.
Oh Angelina, I see you're doing great.
Oh dear, stop it now.
Forgive me, I couldn't hold back my joy.
What a funny guy.
Just like always.
I was sent by Madame Lucille to help make and transport the marionettes.
I'm the shirogane, Dean Maistre.
That was how I met you.
In time I started my own company.
And adopted you as my son.
You changed your name from Dean to Sadayoshi.
I was at the height of my happiness.
Um, dear?
-I don't know how to tell you this... -What is it?
I think, that for a shirogane woman...
This is the first case ever.
What is it?
A baby...
I'm pregnant.
A baby...
That's wonderful, Angelina!
Wow, I'm going to be a father!
I was in seventh heaven.
I'd never even imagined that I'd be able to hold my own child.
And that was Shirogane?
Excuse me.
A strange foreigner is here.
A foreigner? Must be...
Guy!
I thought so. Have you come to kill Sadayoshi?
Yes, because I promised you 3 years ago.
That I'd kill this boy if we found out Sadayoshi had downloaded himself.
Thanks for coming.
Sadayoshi disappeared after that fight.
So we never knew if the download was a success.
That's why you let Masaru wander around on his own.
If I let Masaru go to the mansion, the Kurogas would take action.
I figured that you would be able to judge him then.
Yes, but you came a bit early.
What's going on?
Kill me? I don't understand.
I've come here before in what you call the Meiji era.
On a certain mission.
You did?
I'll tell it to you, Sadayoshi.
Once you hear it all, will you still be able to say that you're Masaru?
I was 12 when I contracted ZONAPHA syndrome.
The doctors back then could do nothing either.
And my mother left me.
Under the pretense of hospitalization.
She was a fool.
She gave her child candy to try to erase her guilt.
I'd get seizures in the small cold hospital room.
But the doctors could do nothing.
My mother never came to see me.
I realized amidst my pain.
That I'd been alone all my life.
And then, Lucille showed me the path to become a shirogane.
After 10 years of training, I had my first job.
To go see Angelina.
She lived in a village known for its ancient puppet dances.
Kuroga Village.
It had long-standing links with Shoji, the puppet maker.
You must be a shirogane! You're French, aren't you?
Oh, how wonderful. I haven't met another French person for so long.
I have come from Quiberon to carry out certain orders.
The soft stone that creates Aqua Vitae is vital for creating shiroganes.
Right now, there are not enough of us compared to the automata.
We must turn as many ZONAPHA patients as we can into shiroganes.
So...
I will take out the soft stone inside you and implant it in your child.
Then take it to Quiberon.
Headquarters will extract the soft stone from the child whenever necessary.
You mean to make my baby a mere vessel for the soft stone?
Headquarters have decided.
I have studied medicine. I can do the necessary operation.
I understand.
Please wait out back.
What's the meaning of this?
I'd often asked myself.
Are shiroganes human?
Or are they just machines for destroying automata?
Shiroganes are not human.
You're a shirogane, too.
No.
I am a mother.
What can you do with that huge belly?
I will never make my child live the life I did.
I'll finish this right now.
Shiroganes don't die, so I won't hold back.
I'll immobilize you, and then take out the soft stone.
My baby...!
You thought that would help any?
She held her belly and fell from her head!
So is that what you call motherly love?
Have you...
no mother...?
Doing such a thing...
What will your mother think?
I have no mother!
That woman left me. I'm all alone.
Then you wish to make this child live the way you did?
All alone, without a mother?
So what?
It hurts, Maman...
I'm so lonely, Maman...
Don't go!
Don't leave me all alone!
I got used to it.
And so will that child!
You cannot win.
Olympia and all the other puppets. My husband and I made them.
They're not tools to take babies away from their mothers.
Dammit!
As long as I have Arlequin...
No, even if it's me alone.
I won't let you implant the stone in my child!
You think you've already won?
Embrace of the Holy Mother!
I'll suck your blood out!
Arlequin won't make it...
"...ANGELINA SAIGA"
It stopped?
What happened then?
She cared for me wholeheartedly, even though I'd come for her baby.
Not only that...
Then why don't I be your mother?
Are you crazy?
I'm already embracing the life of one.
I could always embrace another.
You... Shut up!
I hadn't given up.
I could take her baby after she gave birth.
I waited for my health to return. Yet...
Hey, one piece each.
Hey, you took two!
You'll run out of candy if you do that.
I just... don't need them anymore.
And the day drew near.
What day?
It's in your memory, too.
Yes, right around when Guy was targeting Angelina,
I had an unexpected encounter.
Unexpected?
See for yourself.
Through my memory.
This again...
I'm running.
Through a crowd.
Because I saw Angelina.
Angelina? That can't be.
She's in Kuroga Village right now.
But that must be her.
Why do you put a suffering person on display?
Are you asking me?
Do people learn to laugh by looking at this immobile doll?
Impossible. She looks just like Angelina.
But it's not her.
No, we don't laugh at it.
Rather, it's the opposite.
This man bore the sins of all mankind and was put up on a cross.
Sins? What is a sin?
To kill people, to be greedy.
Oh yes, there's an interesting one.
To make an image of anything in this world.
An image?
So puppets are a sin, too?
Well, I've built my fortune by making puppets.
That'd make me quite a sinner.
A puppet maker?
Then do you know...
A human named Angelina Saiga?
Who the hell are you?
I hear gears turning.
Are you...?
I have come here to meet that woman.
I'm the Francine automaton.
What? So you're the leader of the Midnight Circus.
What do you want with my wife?
I came to ask Angelina Saiga to dismantle my body.
-Are you sure about this? -Yes.
Then I will first adjust you to be weaker than a human.
Wow, the person who created you was quite the technician.
Yes, but my creator wouldn't take me with him.
Goodbye, you thing that isn't Francine.
Goodbye...
Creator...
If you do not like me because I cannot laugh...
I will learn how to laugh.
So please do not leave me.
Please, do not leave me...
-And so you left on a journey. -Yes.
A long journey with my friends.
But even after 100 years, I couldn't understand how to laugh.
I became weary.
So I chose to be gone.
I found a name on a shirogane's marionette that I had once destroyed.
That name gave me hope.
I decided to let the Francine doll meet Angelina.
I figured she should be judged by someone who had suffered from ZONAPHA.
Of course, I let Angelina know beforehand through a letter.
But was this puppet really evil?
I was beginning to have doubts.
She really does look like me.
Just like Lucille, my mother, told me.
What do you mean?
My mother had an aunt.
But there was a famine in the village.
And the aunt was sent far away for one less mouth to feed.
Her name was Francine.
I see. No wonder you look so alike.
A pleasure to meet you.
-I am... -Francine!
Why are you...
Guy Christophe will destroy you!
Wait, I wish to ask her something first!
What's wrong?
The baby...
The contractions are strong. Not too long now.
Hang in there.
I'm fine, and I'm glad you're here with me.
It'll take half a day to fetch a midwife.
-Guy... -Huh?
Will you do it?
Me?
You told me you studied medicine.
I tried to take your baby away, remember?
Please, I want you to do it.
She wishes it. And so do I.
Okay, fine!
Bring some warm water!
What is Angelina doing?
Is she sick?
No, she's giving birth to a child.
Giving birth?
It means...
Why are you here anyways?
I was brought here.
Ugh, you get on my nerves.
It means to push the baby that's inside outside the body.
You mean, humans create humans inside their bodies?
That is incredible.
You didn't even know that?
Okay, breathe out slowly now.
One, two...
Oh no...
A breech position.
-Breech? -The baby's upside down.
But don't worry. I can do this.
-No arms. -What?
No, calm down. They're just still inside the body.
Pull it out slowly...
-There! -Let me.
Almost, now.
She's not crying.
Babies cry to send air into their lungs.
It's a bad sign if they don't cry.
And that was how she was born.
Éléonore, the only child.
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