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Samy^3
Episode 1: We Meet Again
by Lisa Foster (lisa.foster@animenation.com)

Disclaimer: Blah blah characters not mine except for Kyoko Yanaguchi yah
de dah don't sue me blaaaargh Pioneer owns them.

Author's Note: Much thanks goes to Alicia Ashby and Damien Karolev, authors
of the Pokemon fanfic "Evolution", for inspiring this particular idea. This
continuity is set in the Pretty Samy OAV series.

			[-----]

[Opening shot: blackness. A single drop of water falls from the top of the
screen, and splashes into an unseen pond, causing bluish ripples to waver
out. A female voice begins speaking.]

[????]: It's been a long time... sometimes I wonder if it was simply fate
that handed my life to me, or if I was simply at the wrong place at the
wrong time.

[The ghostly image of a girl in her teens, wearing a typical schoolgirl
fuku, appears. Shadows obscure most of her body from view, including her
face; although her long, azure hair is tied up in a single long ponytail
that is located somewhat on the right side of her head, falling to the
small of her back.]

[????]: Things have changed, you know what I mean? Mom's managed to get a
career in singing back up--once she realized that karaoke wasn't exactly
appealing to the fans out there. Tenchi's graduated, along with Aeka and
Ryoko... and they're still fighting like before...

[The girl sighs.]

[????]: Oh, what a life this is...

[She pauses.]

[????]: I haven't introduced myself yet, have I? I'm sorry. My name is
Sasami... Sasami Kawai.

[Cue the intro animation, set to the tune of Megumi Hayashibara's "Too
Late". After the intro ends, the scene opens up to the Kawai household,
inside Sasami's room. The place is decorated with many posters, both of
real people and the occasional Pioneer anime, on the walls. Some stuffed
animals rest in the corner: a Hello Kitty plushie, a little dog sitting
next to it, and another one that looks suspiciously like an Eevee. Moving
further up, we see a bed and a nightstand, the former with a nightgown-clad
Sasami sleeping quietly and the latter with an alarm clock resting on top.
The time is currently 5:14 AM.]

[Sasami]: ... mmm...

[The alarm clock goes off in an ear-shattering array of beeps.]

[Sasami]: Ahhhhh!

[She reaches over and pushes the snooze button gently. The beeping promptly
gets cut off, and is replaced with what sounds like the strains of a very
popular gaijin's pseudo-Latin music.]

[Sasami]: ~sigh~... Mom always felt like she had to broadcast her morning
dosage of karaoke out to the world.

[Alarm Clock] o/` She'll push and pull you out! o/`

[Sasami]: Oooohh.... *Mom*! Are you livin' la vida loca *again*?!

[There's a slight scuffle from downstairs, where Sasami's mother heard her
yell. Her voice floats up a few moments later.]

[Chihiro]: But *Sasami*, it's got such a beat!

[Sasami groans and gets out of bed. The camera skips over the ensuing
clothes-changing scene and instead refocuses on when she walks out of her
room and down the stairs, now clad in a white and purple fuku.]

[Sasami]: Some things never change...

[Chihiro]: Oh, now, Sasami, don't complain! Your mother's a famous singer
now! You should be grateful that you have the privilege to listen to her
sing--for free, I might add--every morning!

[Sasami]: Uh huh.

[Chihiro]: Now, Sasami, please get some breakfast on the table. I'm
starved!

[Sasami]: ... Mom--*yawn*--don't you think I'm a little old to be cooking
for you?

[Chihiro looks at Sasami with a wary, calculating glare.]

[Chihiro]: Sasami... are you denying your mother the care she needs in her
old age?

[Sasami]: /And now she calls herself old.../
No, Mother... *nervous smile* It's just that... well, I've been doing it
for the past, um...

[She begins calculating on her fingers.]

[Sasami]: Nine years. *bright smile*

[Chihiro]: And who's been raising you for those nine years and an
additional eight before?! You still need to pay me back for that time the
computer Tenchi bought crashed!

[Sasami]: Mom... that was *also* nine years ago.

[Chihiro]: And you haven't done anything about it! C'mon, up, up, up and
at 'em!

[Sasami sighs and goes about preparing a breakfast for herself, Chihiro,
and Tenchi, who hasn't awakened yet.]

[Sasami]: /It's almost like nothing's changed... but I know better than
that. I still remember the day when Tsunami approached me, and told me that
I was to be her Magical Girl so that she could become the next ruler of
Juraihelm. Back then, it made no sense, but now... it's.../

[A man of about 24 or 25 walks down from upstairs. He's clad in a simple
green shirt and black pants, with his spiky black hair sticking out all
over the place and behind his neck in a short ponytail.]

[Chihiro, singsong]: Good moooorning, Tenchiiii. *warm smile*

[Sasami]: Hi, big brother. *hesitant smile*

[Tenchi]: Eh... mornin', Mom, Sasami...

[Sasami]: What's wrong, Tenchi?

[Chihiro]: Did you like my rendition of Ricky Martin's #1 hit, Tenchi?
*grin* He is *sooo* cute!

[Tenchi]: Uh... heh, *sweatdrop* it was fine, Mom.

[Sasami stirs the bubbling soup on the stove a few times, then takes a
small sip. She continues stirring it and looks back up at him.]

[Sasami]: You look really worn out... was it Aeka and Ryoko again?

[Tenchi]: No... it's nothing. I just didn't get a good night's sleep.

[Sasami]: What happened? Here, this'll just take a minute...

[Tenchi and Chihiro both sit down at the dining table as Sasami puts the
finishing touches on the soup.]

[Chihiro]: All right, my son... feel free to tell your mother what's going
on. Are you seeing someone else? Did you two spend all night--

[Tenchi]: *MOTHER*!

[Sasami giggles and sets out three bowls, ladling the steaming soup into
each one.]

[Sasami]: You know, Tenchi, it's about time you settled down with someone.
You can't waver between Aeka and Ryoko forever.

[Tenchi]: *sigh* Yeah, yeah, I know, Sasami, but everytime I try to go on
a date with a girl either one or both of them get in the way! It's...
arrrghh...

[Sasami nods sympathetically as she sets down a bowl before Chihiro,
Tenchi, and finally her own place as she takes a seat across from her
mother.]

[Sasami]: It's okay, Tenchi... hey, maybe I can introduce you to one of my
friends... *grin*

[Tenchi]: That's all right, Sasami. It's nice of you and all, but I'm
really too old to be looking at girls from my old school.

[Chihiro]: Then maybe I can introduce you to some of *my* friends, Tenchi!
I have a friend who's really--

[Tenchi turns away and tries not to listen to her, blushing lightly.]

[Tenchi]: Uh... heh... anyways, Sasami, how's things? It's been a while
since I came home, with the new job and all...

[Sasami nods, tuning Chihiro out as well. The middle-aged woman is
prattling in the background about potential 'soulmates'--or perhaps just
bedmates--for her son, at a pace that would make NASCAR jealous.]

[Sasami]: Well...

[She pauses, as Chihiro's rapid-fire speech continues in the background.]

[Sasami]: /He never did find out about the whole Juraihelm thing. Sometimes
I wonder if that outfit of mine was *really* that good, or if Tsunami just
put some sort of spell on me so that Tenchi wouldn't recognize me.../

Things are fine, really. Not much has changed... I'm pretty close to
graduating, but it's *such* a pain to study. At least now I have... have
more time.

[Tenchi]: That's good. Say, how's Misao doing? Last time I saw her around,
she was still--

[Sasami]: Don't say that, Tenchi. I was going to check on her later today
anyways... I heard she's been doing a bit better.

[Tenchi nods, and sighs.]

[Tenchi]: Look, I gotta get going if I'm going to catch the train. I'll see
you later tonight, sis. I'll be home for dinner, Mom. *bows his head
slightly, and heads out*

[Sasami nods slowly.]

[Sasami]: All right, Tenchi... see ya later.

[Chihiro]: And then there's Sherri--she's *such* a playful one, I think
you'll like her, Tenchi--oh, bye!

[Tenchi waves once and heads out the door, running.]

[Chihiro]: Sasami, that boy worries me.

[Sasami]: Yeah, I know... but Tenchi will be fine. *smile* He's good at
taking care of himself. Look at how he puts up with Ryoko and Aeka.

[Chihiro]: ... you make it sound as if it was a *bad* thing that two
beautiful women are constantly fawning over him! Sasami, Sasami...

[Sasami]: It doesn't *sound* very good... I mean, he doesn't seem to like
it.

[Chihiro]: Baaah! He just doesn't know how to appreciate the more-sensitive
gender...

[Sasami eyes her mother dubiously.]

[Sasami]: I guess not... Mom, I gotta catch the 6:21 train if I want to be
on time, so I'll be going now, okay?

[Chihiro]: Oh... all right, Sasami. *smile* Have a nice day at school!

[Sasami]: I will! And Mom, please don't skim money from our store's cash
register again!

[Chihiro]: Awww...

[Sasami smiles knowingly and runs out the front door. The next shot is at
the train station, with Sasami milling around the platform, waiting for the
6:21 to arrive. A few seconds later, the screen turns black, and we see
Sasami standing there, only the top half of her body shown--or rather, not
shown, since the shadows are obscuring most of it.]

[Sasami]: It's strange, like I said before... the years went by so quickly.
Eventually I did find out the entire deal behind the powers at work here...
how Tsunami and Ramiya were just using me and Misao to settle their little
fight.
Tsunami insisted that she wasn't fighting Ramiya... that she was just doing
things as Juraihelm tradition demanded: "A newly-elected Queen must choose
one as her Magical Girl, to prove that she is worthy of the throne of
Juraihelm".
And she went on and explained how she eventually--eventually, after almost
Misao and I had been fighting for two *years*--discovered that Ramiya was
behind all this. Once Tsunami found out... she was hurt, but she didn't let
that get in her way. I never did find out what happened to her, though...
or Rumiya, Misao's--no, Pixy Misa's companion.
I was really, really hurt... and Misao didn't even know why. She didn't
remember anything as Pixy Misa... and I never got to tell her because she
fell ill the next day, very ill. The doctors didn't say what it was, but
Ryo-ohki told me that they didn't know.
He knew, though. According to what he said, Misao was "severely shocked
from suddenly being cut off from Ramiya and Rumiya, and this sent her into
an almost comatose-like state".

[The shadows move slightly, and Sasami looks up, her usually-pink eyes a
bit tinged with pain.]

That's when life changed a lot for me.

[The blackness in the background fades back into that of the train station,
with Sasami's shadowed form fading slowly out of sight. The view is now
from overhead, and as Sasami looks up from her reverie, the train pulls in
slowly, the noises of its landing loud and grating.]

[Announcer]: Attention, attention. The 6:21 train is now boarding.
Passengers, please have your tickets ready to present to the conductor.
Attention, attention...

[Sasami sighs, and begins to rummage around her pockets for the ticket.]

[Sasami]: Just another day...

[She fishes the ticket out and presents it to the conductor. He nods, and
waves her by, and waits for the next person. Sasami carefully steps up onto
the stairs, and boards the train. A few seconds later, it gives a shrill
whistle, and begins heading towards the academy.]

			[-----]

[The shot opens up to that of the Raifu Gakuen, the campus that educates
children of all ages and grade levels. It's currently 7:24 AM. Students are
milling about, trying to catch up on matters in the last few minutes before
class starts. Sasami approaches the main gates, looking around carefully.]

[Sasami]: ...

[????]: Hey, Sasami!

[Sasami looks around and sees a girl about her age with brown hair done up
in a short but wide braid behind her neck, blue eyes, and a smile.]

[Sasami]: Oh, hi, Kyoko! *smile*

[Kyoko]: Good mornin'. *looks off to the side* Say, you didn't happen to
see Kensuke on your way in, did you?

[Sasami]: *blinkblink* Kensuke? Who's that?

[Kyoko]: *sigh*... Tch, tch, Sasami... you'd better be more aware of what's
around you if you ever want to get a boyfriend!

[Sasami, mumbling]: That's the least of my worries right now... *louder
tone of voice* Okay, okay, if you'll tell me who he is...

[Kyoko]: He's a guy that we recently spotted on our Cutest Hunks of Raifu
Network--

[Sasami's eyes fly open.]

[Sasami]: Since when did this come around? How come no one told me I was on
it?

[Kyoko looks at her with a knowing smile. Sasami pauses, and manages to
sweatdrop.]

[Kyoko]: Sasami. You don't know *anything*, do you?

[Sasami]: Uh... *backs away slightly, and glances up at the clock* Know
what? *nervous smile*

[Kyoko]: *groan* Boys, Sasami. Aren't you the *least* bit interested in
them? ... oh no, it *can't* be true...

[Sasami]: *blink* Huh? What can't be true? What're you talking about,
Kyoko?

[Kyoko]: Uh... heh... well, Sasami... *takes on a scholarly tone* I've seen
you and Misao Amano around many times before--before she got sick, that is.

[Sasami lowers her head slightly, staring dully at the ground.]

[Sasami]: Yeah... and?

[Kyoko, oblivious of Sasami's demeanor, goes on.]

[Kyoko]: *Well*... it's just that you and her are really good friends...

[Sasami suddenly understands, and she looks at Kyoko, irritated.]

[Sasami]: That's just *gross*, Kyoko!

[Kyoko]: *giggle* Sorry, but... hee hee...

[Sasami]: *sigh* You've been reading too much manga. It's just that Misao
and I are really good friends, ever since we've been little... and I'm just
worried about her. That's all.

[Kyoko]: If you say so, Sasami... look, I'm sorry if I got a little carried
away--

[She is cut off as the school bell rings, signalling the beginning of
class.]

[Kyoko & Sasami]: ... eep.

[The two girls sprint for the gate, but they're both too late, as a teacher
comes by and shuts the iron-cast door directly in their faces. Kyoko groans
and looks around, as if trying to find another way in; Sasami just sighs,
looking at the teacher.]

[Teacher]: You are late. Please present your student IDs.

[Kyoko begins looking for hers as Sasami pulls her wallet out from her
pocket and takes a plastic card out with her picture on it. The teacher
takes it, and studies it for a few seconds before answering.]

[Teacher]: Sasami Kawai... this is the third time this week you have been
late for class. Please report afterschool to the detention hall.

[Kyoko finally finds her ID, and hands it over to the teacher with a
rather-cheerful smile.]

[Kyoko]: Here ya go. *grin*

[Teacher]: Kyoko Yanaguchi... you *too* are late for class, and this has
been the *fifth* time this week. You know where to go.

[Kyoko]: Yes, yes, sensei... *slight grin*

[Teacher]: It is hardly a laughing matter, Miss Yanaguchi. You would do
well to watch yourself.

[The teacher opens the gate for the two girls. Sasami walks in as Kyoko
rushes past her, laughing and smiling. He then closes the gate, tosses
Kyoko a final glare that she chooses to ignore, and stalks off. Sasami eyes
her friend dubiously.]

[Sasami]: Kyoko... *sigh* What's so funny?

[Kyoko]: *laughing* Nothing, Sasami... nothing at all!

[Sasami, eyes wide]: You really scare me sometimes, Kyoko... look, I hate
to be the party pooper, but we really *need* to go to class now.

[Kyoko stops running and laughing and looks at her soberly.]

[Kyoko]: Yeah... okay, Sasami. Whatever you say.

[Sasami]: /Hmm... she's sure acting weird today... I wonder what's up?/

[The two girls make their way into class as the camera pans up to the dull
morning sky. The sky fades, and disappears into black as the shadowed form
of Sasami appears again.]

[Sasami]: Kyoko Yanaguchi... she's a girl I made friends with around the
time Misao was hospitalized. We met one day after school--she just walked
up to me and said, "Hey, you're Misao Amano's friend, aren't ya?! Well, the
name's Kyoko Yanaguchi... and *I'm* a princess!"
I kind of looked at her in that vacant way people liked to call "cute", and
just nodded, thinking to myself, "this girl's insane, and I'm going to have
to transform to save myself, only Ryo-ohki isn't here..."
"Just kidding," she said, going on. "I'm not really a princess... say, can
I walk home with you?"
"Oh... sure," I said, wondering who she was and why she wanted to walk with
me after I had known her for... um, thirty seconds. "Say... Kyoko... how
did you know I was friends with Misao?" I asked, deciding to actually say
something before I landed into trouble like I did so often back then.
"I saw you two around a lot," she said, as if that explained everything.
"You two must be good friends, huh?"
"I guess so," I said warily. "What grade are you in, Kyoko?"
"Same as you are," she said. The two of us began walking down the street
back to my house, with me leading the way, of course. "Fourth level."
I nodded. I didn't see anything wrong with her at the time... but that was
probably because I had to deal with Mom all the time. *She* was a handful,
as I'm sure you know by now.

[Sasami pauses momentarily, and takes in a deep breath, the sound echoing
hollowly in the expanse of her mental introspections.]

Anyways, to make a long story short, Kyoko and I got to know each other as
we saw each other at school more often--actually, *she* would find *me* and
at first it was almost like she was forcing herself onto me, but I got used
to it like I got used to being Tsunami's Magical Girl. She isn't a bad girl
really... I met her parents and the four of us had dinner together a few
times. I think she just needs attention; I noticed that her parents didn't
talk to her a lot... and she always seems to be hanging around by herself
at school.
And now we're going to be spending time together again... in detention.
This sucks.

[The blackness and Sasami's shadowed body fades out, to be replaced by a
view of a dingy, post-class schoolroom, with rows of empty desks and a
chalkboard detailing the rules of detention. Sasami is sitting in one seat,
doing her homework quietly while Kyoko's sitting to her right one chair
down, secretly drawing something while the teacher on duty isn't looking.]

[Sasami]: ...
/I have to stop being late every morning... I get up at 5:14 AM and I get
there with about 10 minutes to spare, but I wind up late anyways. It's not
*fair*.../

[She continues to work on some equations, groaning a bit as she flips the
page to see another sheet full of unsolved questions.]

[Kyoko]: ... pssst.

[Sasami]: ...

[Kyoko, whispering harshly]: Psst! Sasami!

[Sasami glares over at her a bit accusingly and more reproachfully.]

[Sasami, mouthing]: You're not supposed to talk during detention!

[Kyoko, whispering]: I've got something to show you!

[She folds the drawing she was working on in half lengthwise, then
vertically, and tosses the folded paper at Sasami's desk. Unfortunately,
since there's a table between them, the paper ends up arcing up into the
air before drifting back down underneath the desk between them.]

[Sasami groans, and reachs down to pick it up. The teacher picks that
moment to turn around.]

[Teacher]: *ahem*...

[Sasami]: Excuse me, sensei... I was just picking up this paper I dropped
from my folder.

[Teacher]: Do you think I'm stupid? I heard you and your friend whispering
while my back was turned.

[Sasami looks at Kyoko in minor annoyance as the girl grins and shrugs. The
teacher continues his reprimanding.]

[Teacher]: Both of you have an extra period of detention tomorrow
afternoon.

[Sasami manages not to look too crestfallen, and resumes sitting down and
doing her homework, tucking the picture into her folder. The camera slowly
shifts off of her studious form, and focuses onto Kyoko and her smiling
face.]

[Kyoko]: ... heh.

[She smirks, and goes about emptying her backpack out onto the desk, to the
protests of the teacher. The camera moves onto the various textbooks,
notebooks, and pens; then the shot focuses on one particular textbook whose
title is obscured by Kyoko's hand. The shot zooms outwards, and the hand
holding the book now belongs to Sasami, walking down the street to her home
by herself. Behind her, the sun is setting in a fiery display of red and
orange.]

[Sasami]: /I didn't even get to visit Misao at the hospital... and it's all
because of that Kyoko... oooohhh.../

[She perks up, as if remembering something.]

[Sasami]: /Kyoko... that's right, what was that thing she wanted to show me
in detention today? Let's see.../

[She shifts her arm, bringing her folder out. Sasami begins fishing through
it, looking for the piece of paper. Finally finding it, she takes it out
and unfolds it slowly.]

[Sasami]: ...

[Close-up of her widening eyes.]

[Sasami]: Oh my God... what *is*...

[The camera shifts back to a side shot of her standing there looking at the
picture. She quickly glances around, then stuffs the picture back into her
folder, and continues walking, her pace now an angry stride.]

[By the time she arrives at her house, it's already dark; she had missed
her usual train, and the next one had been almost two hours later. Sasami
walks into the house, and immediately heads up to her room, mumbling a
cursory "hi, Mom" as she enters. Instead of the usual reply, though, she is
met with silence. Sasami enters her room and slings her backpack on her bed
and is about to change when she realizes this, and heads back downstairs,
looking around.]

[Sasami]: Mom...? Tenchi? Where is everybody?

[Sasami looks around, and finds no one. The house is empty.]

[Sasami]: /It's not like Mom to go too far away from her karaoke
machine.../

[She looks over. The machine is there, untouched, pretty much the way it
was left since this morning.]

[Sasami]: ...

[The silence is interrupted by the ringing of a phone. Sasami jumps in
startlement, and reaches over to pick it up.]

[Sasami]: Kawai residence, hello?

[Voice]: Yes... is there a Miss Sasami Kawai there?

[Sasami]: This is she, how can I help you?

[Voice]: This is Dr. Fujisawa down at the Angel's Mercy Clinic... a Misao
Amano is asking for you.

[Sasami gapes, and is stunned speechless for a few moments. She opens her
mouth to say something, but nothing comes out.]

[Voice]: Miss Kawai? Are you there?

[Sasami]: ... y-yes, I'm sorry. Is she all right? Has she awakened?

[The doctor's voice becomes a bit more jovial.]

[Voice]: Yes, Miss Kawai, she simply woke up about a half-hour ago and has been asking for you ever since. It's a major miracle for someone like her
to be able to recover like this... we still haven't figured out what
afflicted her in the first place, but the preliminary tests we ran looked
good. She needs a lot of support now, Miss Kawai... according to her
statements, you're one of her closest friends, and she *has* been basically
out of the world of the living for about seven--

[Sasami]: Okay, okay! *sighs* I'll come right over. Thank you so much...

[Voice]: My pleasure, Miss Kawai. Godspeed.

[Sasami hangs up the phone, and goes over to the dinner table to write out
a small note.]

[Sasami, writing]: Dear... Mom... and... Tenchi... I had to... go to the
clinic... to check... on Misao. She woke up earlier... today... and I'm
really... worried about her... sorry about dinner... we can all go out...
to that nice... restaurant Mom wanted to go to... after I get home. Love
you, Sasami.

[She adds a trademark symbol: a small sketch of her face and a heart next
to it. After a moment of thought, she flips the pencil around and erases
both, then places the note on the dinner table where Chihiro and Tenchi are
bound to notice it.]

[Sasami]: /It's been a while since the last time I had to leave a note like
this... it was back in the hotel when we went on that school trip./

[Sasami checks around the house one more time to make sure everything's in
order, then heads out to the garage. The scene fades to black, and the
shadowed form of Sasami appears again, her eyes obscured completely once
more.]

[Sasami]: It was a complete surprise. Misao Amano had been in clinical coma
for almost seven whole years; an unexpected and nearly-complete recovery in
the span of a few minutes was not something that they had expected. But I
knew it was going to happen; both Ryo-ohki and I did, the day when he left
to return to Juraihelm. He told me, but I had already figured it out... one
of these days I was going to have to confront the girl that I had spent two
years fighting against with no clue that she was my best friend.

[The shadows shift, highlighting different areas of her fuku, but leaving
her eyes obscured.]

[Sasami]: ... Pixy Misa. Ramiya. Rumiya. And Misao Amano, in the middle of
all this.

[Both blackness and shadowed Sasami fade out as an overhead view of the
Angel's Mercy hospital fades in. A nondescript little car pulls up into the
parking lot, and finds a spot in one of the many now-empty spaces. Sasami
opens the door, climbs out, and closes the door, making sure to lock from
the inside first. She looks over at the building, then begins to run
towards the entrance.]

[The next shot is from inside: a somewhat-frantic Sasami enters and goes
over to the receptionist, who is calmly typing away at a keyboard, a
cigarette in her mouth.]

[Sasami]: Ex... excuse me, Miss?
/Even though I got all those workouts as Pretty Samy... they didn't help me
out any. After all, magical powers make things so much easier./

[Receptionist, clipped voice]: Yes. May I help you.

[Sasami]: My name is S-Sasami Kawai, and I am here to see Misao Amano,
please.

[The receptionist doesn't warm to her, and reaches over to tap a few keys
on her keyboard before picking up the phone next to her.]

[Receptionist]: Yes, Doctor Fujisawa... there's a Sasami Kawai out here,
cl--oh? Well, then, doctor, right away.

[She waves Sasami irritably towards the elevator.]

[Receptionist]: Room 3516.

[Sasami nods a brief thanks, and dashes to the elevator, pressing the UP
button. Of course, as with all elevators, it takes a while before the car
comes down, and Sasami, meanwhile, is obviously worried, shuffling her feet
and looking back and forth between the ground and the dial above the
elevator. Finally, the doors slide open and she walks in as a young,
red-haired man walks out. The two exchange looks for a brief moment...]

[Red-head]: ...

[Sasami]: *blink* ...?

[Then the young man smirks, and turns the corner, disappearing from sight.]

[Sasami]: No, it can't be...

[She presses the button for the third floor, and the doors slide closed.]

[Cut to a shot of the third floor. The doors to the elevator slide open
again, and Sasami walks out into the empty hallway and begins looking for
room 3516, her footsteps echoing up and down the corridor.]

[Sasami]: /This is almost like when I first met Tsunami... too creepy./

[She finally sees a tag labelled "3516" over a door, and rushes over,
placing her hand on the knob gently.]

[Sasami, aloud]: Misao... I hope you're all right...

[Sasami turns the door knob slowly, and swings the door open. She is met
with the sight of a pale-complexioned woman with black hair that shines a
certain sheen of purple and blue eyes, dressed in a sterile white hospital
gown. The sheets are drawn around her shoulders and her lap; it looks
almost as if she was wearing a second-rate cape. Next to her is the rugged,
friendly face of Dr. Fujisawa. He smiles a greeting at Sasami; the woman
barely manages a similar smile before she breaks out into a fit of
coughing.]

[Sasami]: Oh...!

[She rushes up to the woman and tries to help her, easing her gently back
down onto the bed and drawing the covers around her. The woman coughs once
more, then smiles thinly at Sasami.]

[Misao]: Hello, Sasami. Nice to see you here.

[The scene fades out, and the ending animation plays as Kikuko Inoue's
"Sotsugyou~Graduation" plays in the background...]

			[-----]

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