Part 60: 4

[Video: "4"]
You know the drill with these by now; still, you should probably watch it.



He looked to the side. Lotus's face was ashen, and if not for the hand she'd put against the wall, Junpei didn't think she could have stood. Seven looked old, and tired, and used. His eyes stared at the floor, seeing nothing.

Junpei said nothing, he simply began to walk toward the open door, and the hallway they'd come down earlier.



Junpei! Where are you going?!

He blinked when their voices broke the silence. He stopped.



You're gonna bring them here...



Don't worry about that. Just stay here and wait. All right?
...
...

He began to walk again.

He looked over his shoulder and watched Seven and Lotus grow smaller and smaller.

They stared back, not moving. He wasn't sure if they could.



If it still worked, then maybe...

Before long, Junpei found himself in front of the elevator.

Next to the door was a button with a triangle on it.

He pushed it, and the door opened.





June! Santa!

He kept calling, and walked to the center of the room.

...But try as he might, he couldn't find them.

Urgh... Damnit!



Increasingly frustrated, and increasingly worried, Junpei left the large hospital room.

He had no choice. He would have to look for them.









Some time later, Junpei found himself at the chapel.

He stepped inside, expecting to find nothing.

But there, on the red carpet in the center of the room...



Kanny!

Junpei cried her name, and ran.

Like lightning he ran, across the room, toward her.

Oh man... Kanny...

He stumbled to a stop.

As he looked down at her body, lying so still on the floor, he felt the icy grip of fear upon his heart.

She was still... So very still...



Relief washed over him.

Kanny!

Junpei reached down and gently, very gently, lifted her up.

Kanny! Kanny! Are you all right?!

[Music: Recollection]



Trembling, Junpei wrapped his arm around her back.

She was cold... Very cold.

Junpei tried to convince himself that it was only his imagination, but she felt as though she were fading away.

He could feel his heart pounding frantically in his chest.

Oh man... Kanny... What the hell happened to you...? You...you feel...
Jumpy... I'm sorry....

Her voice was very faint.



N-No way! No way am I gonna let you die! I'm gonna save you, I promise!
Thank you, Jumpy... Thank you so much... For everything... I was...really happy... To see you again, Jumpy... Really...happy...



You're gonna see me again lots more times! You've... You've just gotta hang on, all right Kanny!?
Jumpy, did you know... You...meant a lot to me...when we were kids...



Junpei's vision had gone blurry. It took him a moment to realize his eyes were filled with tears.

He could feel a piercing point of heat deep in his heart, like a white-hot flame.

He looked down at Akane...


















There was a crack of static from above his head, and a voice spoke.

Zero!



Junpei frantically scanned the ceiling for the source of the voice.





Santa? Seven? Lotus?

...Junpei?

What the hell are you talking about?!
No matter. I will tell you again.



No! No, it hasn't! I'm not gonna let it end yet!
I'm gonna get out of here with Kanny!



Why?!



The wrong path...?
That is correct. Your path was inevitable, however. Admit defeat.



W-What are you talking about?!
It matters not. The loser has been decided.
I told you, I'm not gonna lose!
No. You misunderstand.



















W-What...?!

Junpei didn't have time to ponder what that meant before--

He heard the door slam shut behind him.

He spun around. There was no one there.

Was it...Zero?



She managed a single nod.

Junpei laid her back down gently, and leapt for the door.

He yanked it open and shot outside.



Damnit!

He didn't want to leave Kanny alone any longer than he had to, so Junpei turned around and headed back to the chapel.

[Music: Silence]



Oh God... No... No...
Where is she... Kanny... Kanny... Kanny...





But there was nothing. No answer.

His voice faded away, and all that remained was cold, unfeeling silence.





[Music: Quietus]

















And that's the story of 999. We never get off the boat, Zero admits defeat for some reason, about half the cast are very dead, the identity of Zero remains a mystery for all time. On the plus side: this is the first ending where we didn't immediately die on-screen. Hurray for a slow, torturous death by drowning!































...Okay, fine we're not quite done yet.