Part 76: Episode 68: The Wall
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Hmm… Let’s go get a closer look at it. We can’t see much from over here.
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Indeed.
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……
Sakuya ran his wing along the wall.
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Iron, maybe…? It’s quite firm, at any rate.
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Maybe it is some sort of shelter…
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Hmm, my phone’s out of range. Maybe this wall is blocking the signal…?
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That seems likely.
Sakuya gave a couple firm hits against the wall, creating an echoing sound.
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…It sounds thick, and dense. Trying to break a hole in it will not be practical.
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Maybe there’s an emergency exit or something?
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We should check. We still don’t know whether or not we are completely sealed in, after all.
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Right. Let’s walk around the perimeter.
We slowly walked the perimeter, keeping an eye out for anything resembling an exit.
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Doesn’t look like there are any doors or anything…
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I’d think an emergency shelter would have some sort of airflow built in, yeah…
If not, then… we’re in deep trouble.
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Hrrm.
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What are you looking at?
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Up there. Is that some sort of hatchway?
He points upwards.
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Ah!
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That does look like it might lead outside. Let’s go look.
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…I don’t see any sort of latch. Can we open it by hand?
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Hmm… Yeah, maybe there’s a switch or something somewhere.
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It does not seem like we can do anything here now. Let us remember its location and return later.
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I don’t like to think about it, but… If there really is such a terrible disaster out there that this is the only option, maybe it would be better to leave it shut, anyway.
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Indeed. Let us move on.
We still don’t know what’s going on outside…
I’ve got enough on my mind just thinking about Goon, but… I’m worried about my family outside, too.
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I hope my mother’s okay…
I could no longer avoid it, as much as I wanted to. We walked across campus to our final destination. Slowly and cautiously, I entered the chemistry lab with Sakuya.
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It’s always been one of the gloomier parts of the school, but today the lab is downright depressing.
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Hello, Kawara.
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Sir, thank you… for being with Goon now.
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Of course. Sakazaki came and asked me to come right after you two left the gym.
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He must have gone past us. How unfortunate…
The doctor is lining the pieces of Goon up on one of the lab benches.
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……
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I’m not glowering at you.
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Do you disapprove of my handling her?
He gives me an evil smile.
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…No, that’s not it.
I just wish we had a doctor who wasn’t this malicious.
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Are you finding anything, Dr. Iwamine?
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Not yet, no. I only just finished assembling her.
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It will take some time… I will send word to you when I’ve finished.
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Very well. We shall not interfere.
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Come, Kawara.
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…Right.
As we made to leave, the doctor called out.
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Oh, Mr. Kawara. A moment, please.
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Yes?
The music stops.
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A hint…?
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You suspect me of foul play, do you not? In light of that, I shall leave it up to you whether you decide to believe me or not.
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Anyway, I think you have missed something very important.
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……?
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You’re just a little bit off. But, I’m sure you’ll find the answer yourself if you keep looking.
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Hohoho… Isn’t it beautiful, Mr. Kawara? The sound of your life crumbling apart around you.
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……
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I take it that it does not suit your tastes. Very well.
He was rather fond of the unusual, himself… A pity.
He…?
The more Dr. Iwamine talks, the less I understand about what he’s trying to say.
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Well, then. You can handle the outside investigation, and I, the… internal. Hohoho. Good luck, Mr. Kawara.
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Right… Thanks, doctor.
As we left, I could hear the two adults talking in the lab, but I couldn’t make out what they were saying.
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Nothing important. I was just giving him a little emotional support, and encouragement.
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I see… That’s good, then.