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[ * A pale, thin girl lays down a strange doll among a pile of others in an old chapel. * ]

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Episode II: Ayatsuri No Utage
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A Banquet of Marionettes

- Oh, how cute!

- Don't you think that Japanese dolls are kinda spooky?

- Huh? Why?

- Folks say the dolls' hair grows out. You know, that sort of thing.

- Oh, come on!

...

- You are suspended in time, too.

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- She ain't here!

- Really? Where could she be?

- What a pain!

- Maybe she's in the club room.

- Yeah, let's go see!

- Yeah!

...

- Missing...?

- Not again! This is creepy!

- They left her for just a moment, and she disappeared!

- This makes... six boys and girls now, right? I'm kinda scared!

- Hey! She's watching him again!

- Yeah, and she just transferred here!

- Don't worry... There's no way Kei's gonna fall for her!

...

- You always seem so... bored.

- I've been waiting... for you.

- What about classes?

- What about them?

...

- There thaey go again!

- Say, who's that girl?

- Oh, she's an upperclassman. I see her and Kei together a lot.

- Hmm...!

- I'm jealous!

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- I want to become one with you. Make me like someone from your world, soon.

- Kei... don't be impatient. Do you want me to break my promise?

- Promise?

- To make your beauty last forever...

- You can...? This body, which will rot and decay into muck not many years from now... can you really?

- I told you... I have that power. So don't rush me.

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- Can you believe this, Larva? This woman who steals my prey? On top of which, she's a Shinma! I know... Shinma must be banished, right? But I also need the blood of beautiful people.

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- Kei?

- Oh, hello, Kayo.

- How are your studies going? Your mother is worried that maybe you need a tutor, or someone to take care of you...

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- Kei? Hello?

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- Kei! How do you explain these grades? Try being more like your borther and sister!

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- You upset Mom again.

- I can't be like you.

- No matter. We already know that we'll go to work at Dad's company.

- The company will do fine with just you there. I just wanna get away from this house.

- You've been spoiled because you're the youngest.

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- Where's Mother?

- She's out again today. Do you need something? I'll do it for you...

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- Give some thought to your future.

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- Kei! Your future is all set! Why are you fighting it?

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- In other words, you want me to find someone?

- No, actually... how do I put it... a doll.

- A doll?

- I told you that my daughter disappeared while at summer school... but the next day, I couldn't sit still and visited the school, hoping there might be a clue. A girl from the Art Club said she saw something strange just after my daughter disappeared. She said there was a strange doll lying where my daughter should have been. The police wouldn't take it seriously, nor would anyone else. But I got the feeling that, somehow, that doll was my daughter. The doll disappeared all of a sudden... What do you think? I know this isn't much of a clue. But I'm desperate enough to try even spiritualism.

- Your daughter... might have been turned into a doll, you think?

- Yes.

- Please tell me where the school is!

- Certainly!

- I'm not sure whther this is a job for me, but... A girl changed into a doll... A strange case... But the monster called Shinma might be behind this incident. And where ther's Shinma, there's sure to be that vampire girl I'm searching for.

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- No longer will you age or grow decrepit. You can live forever looking like you do now.

- "And thus will the life energy that you emit become my sustenance..."

- Who's there?!

- I am Miyu.

- The vampire girl who's hunting us down...

- I'm only returning stray Shinma to the Dark. Don't worry. I'm not looking to fight you just now. I came to ask you something. Why don't you turn Yuzuki Kei into a doll? You, who turn young people into dolls, and bask in the lives sealed therein... why not him?

- Heh-heh...!

- Stop that!

- I see. You have your eye on him, too! You've got the wrong ipression. I'm not interested in him. Kei approached me. He must've discovered somehow that I have powers which people don't. He asked me if there was a way to preserve his beauty. I wonder if he wants to look like this, though!

- Larva! ... Shinma! When next we meet, I will ask you once more. Be reaady with an answer to my question!

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- Tell me, please, Kei... There's someone else, isn't there?

- Yes.

- What kind of person is she?

- I'm not even sure... if it is a person.

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- Excuse me! Sorry about that. Thank you.

- Intriguing sketch.

- Wow... what a cutie!

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- Mind if I sit here? - Not at all.

- I wouldn't go near that woman if I were you. If it's eternal life you want, I'll give it to you. If you want to live forever, as you are now, I know a way.

- I don't care about that.

- She knows nothing about eternal beauty!

- I don't know how you know... but the promise I gave is just an excuse to see her. I... care about her... I love her. She's the only woman I desire. Even if she's not a being of this world, that's fine with me.

- Love? ... A human "loving" a Shinma?

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- Excuse me, is that the faculty office over there?

- Yes, ma'am.

- Pardon me. I need information about one of your students as quickly as spossible.

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- I told you to leave me alone, Himiko. Are you after me? Or maybe a Shinma?

- I'm after you... to keep you from victimizing anyone else. I suppose your next target is that boy? As always, a good-looking victim...

- You're right. I like beautiful people.

- So why are you just watching him?

- Because I like him especially.

- I've got a present for you.

- Hmm... Holy water... How nice.

- What... in the world... are you? Bright sunlight has no effect on you... and you sneer at crosses and holy water. Vampires like that...

- Do exist! You're looking at one... My name is Miyu. As the last vampire, I hunt the Shinma, those beings who were once feared as gods, or sometimes monsters. Living and drinking human blood mean one and the same thing to me. He is Larva, a Shinma bound to me, having received my blood. Any more questions, Himiko?

- You and the Shinma are essentially the same species, right? So why do you hunt them? Don't tell me you're a protector of humans... That can't be...!

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- There's a strange underclassman nosing around. I don't care about eternal beauty. Take me to a world where you and I can be together forever. Even if it means transforming my body, it wouldn't matter.

- Stop it! I'm... I'm...

- I know... and it's okay... I... love you...

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- A protector of humans? Hmph! After I became aware of my vampire heritage, everything changed. In accordance with my duty, I send them back to their proper world. You see, my people have been doing it for generations.

- Your "duty"?

- It's none of your concern.

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No, Kei...

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- Miyu... are you after that boy? Or a new Shinma? Why have you come to this school?

- It's both. I'm both hunter and vampire...

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- Hello, Miyu.

- First, give him to me. Then I will return you to the Dark. Shinma... Ranka...

- Larva!

- I have no use for a man like this... though I wouldn't give him to a greedy, grasping girl either.

- Kei? Kei! Larva! Take a good look. The man who loved you will now receive my blood and gain ternal life.

- You asked me why I didn't turn Kei into a doll. Here's the answer! I loved a human being even though I'm a Shinma. I fell in live with Kei. So I couldn't transform him into a doll, existing but not living. Shinma and humans are diferrent. I tried to forget about love... but I was wrong to do so.

- Kei...

- Well, Miyu... Can you love this beautiful man, now that he looks like this? Can you drink his blood? I can love him... in this form... He's mine... all mine...

- Return the Shinma to the Dark!

... - You lost, Miyu.

- I returned the Shinma, Ranka, to the Dark which is its home... I didn't lose.

- I don't mean as the hunter... I'm talking about the woman within you.

- Larva...

[ end ]