[determined]The blueprints, the blueprints! Pazu fluttered a hand. Their high-pitched voice echoed through the stone corridor, making them flinch a little themselves. [flustered]...Found the blueprints. They spread out the old parchment. Dust puffed up, and Pazu sneezed. —Achoo! It was a cute sneeze. [amused]...Hehe. Sheeta covered her mouth with her hand. Her emerald eyes were laughing. [embarrassed]D-Don't laugh! Pazu's face went red to the tips of their ears as they leaned closer to the parchment. These were the blueprints they'd found together with the stone slab in that stone chamber back then. The entire castle of Laputa was drawn in fine, detailed lines. [serious]...There! Pazu's finger traced a narrow passageway connected to the throne room. [excited]It's a ventilation shaft! We can get in from here! [worried]But, Pazu... this passage is awfully narrow. [determined]Narrow or not, we're going. We have to stop them. The two of them ran. The entrance to the ventilation shaft was a stone hole gaping open in the wall. Pazu stretched up and grabbed the edge. —But. [strained]Ngh...! They couldn't pull themself up. Their arms wouldn't lift. In this body, they couldn't even support their own weight. [tense]Damn it...! They gritted their teeth. Their high-pitched voice trembled with frustration. [gentle]Pazu. Sheeta's hand touched Pazu's back. —Thump. [shy]I-I'll push you up. [embarrassed]...Please. Sheeta's slender, pale hands pressed firmly against Pazu's back, pushing upward. Warm. Pazu's body was shoved into the ventilation shaft. [surprised]Wah...! [worried]A-Are you okay?! [flustered]I-I'm fine! You come too! Sheeta followed in after them. The passage was cramped. The stone walls squeezed their shoulders tight together. Their breaths were right there, close. [whispers]...U-Um. Sheeta's voice came trembling from behind. [embarrassed]Wh-What is it? [shy]...We're bumping into each other. [flustered]C-Can't be helped! It's cramped in here! Pazu faced forward, their face bright red. (Damn it, why is my heart pounding like this?) They screamed inside their head. —Just then. Thunk! [pain]Ow ow ow!! Pazu smacked their head on the ceiling, stars flashing before their eyes. [amused]...Pff...! From behind, they could hear the sound of desperately stifled laughter. [embarrassed]Wh-What! I said don't laugh! [laughing]I-I mean... I-I'm sorry... hehe... Pazu pouted and faced forward again. But—their breathing eased, just a little. Their two breaths, in that cramped passage, somehow matched perfectly. [whispers]...Let's go. [gentle]...Okay. In the throne room, Muska stood. Before them was the great crystal of levitation stone, three meters high. Its pale blue light illuminated Muska's glossy golden hair. [cold]...With this. Muska stretched their long, slender fingers toward the crystal. [serious]The world is mine. Their hand touched it. —Light. Their vision went pure white. [shocked]Wh...!? Muska's eyes widened. Their entire body was being drawn into the crystal. When they came to, it was—a great hall. A gathering of Laputa's royal family. Adults sat on high chairs. There were many children. Everyone wore glittering clothes and was laughing. —In the corner, there was a single boy. [mocking]Hey, look. They say that's the kid from the branch family. [laughing]A fake! Not even real royalty! [sneering]Can't even use Laputa's power, and they still had the nerve to show up. The boy—the young Muska—huddled in the corner, knees drawn up, making themself small. Tears welled in their eyes. [crying]...I'm... No voice came out. [sad]...I just... They just wanted to be acknowledged. [shocked]...Ah. A sound escaped Muska's lips. The present Muska stood before that vision. [trembling]...S-Something like this... They tried to pull their hand away. But the crystal wouldn't let go. [scared]...Let go...! The face of the cold, calculating strategist crumbled. [crying]...I... Forgotten emotions surged in their chest. Loneliness. [whispers]...I... —Crash!! [surprised]Whoa!! [scared]Eek!! Pazu and Sheeta tumbled down from the ventilation shaft in the ceiling. Tangled together, they rolled across the stone floor. [pain]Ow ow ow... Pazu lifted their head. Right before their eyes— Muska stood frozen, hand still touching the crystal. The rims of their eyes were red. [surprised]...Muska? Muska didn't answer. Their hand—wouldn't come away from the crystal. It was trembling. —Just then. Rumble rumble rumble rumble... [scared]Wh-What is that?! The throne room shook. The opening panel in the ceiling cracked with a groaning, splintering sound. Fissures spread like a spiderweb. —Crash!! The glass-like ceiling shattered into pieces. The night air howled in—whoosh!! Cold. Sheeta's pendant began to glow with abnormal intensity. [scared]Pazu!! Sheeta screamed. The next instant— Thud!! A sensation of being pulled downward. No, that wasn't it. Laputa was—ascending, rapidly upward. [scared]Uwaaah!! Pazu grabbed Sheeta's arm. They tried to shield her behind a pillar. But—. [strained]Ngh...! Their own arms couldn't support Sheeta. A girl's slender arms didn't have enough strength. (I can't protect Sheeta—!!) Pazu ground their back teeth. The shaking forced them both to just cling to the pillar. In the end, they wound up clinging to each other. [scared]...Pazu, Muska is—! Sheeta's voice trembled. Looking over, Muska still stood frozen before the crystal. Their face was vacant. [shouted]Muska!! Let go!! At Pazu's voice, Muska's shoulders twitched. Muska's hand came away from the crystal. —Crackle. The pale blue light vanished. But. [cold]...It's already too late. Rumble rumble rumble rumble...!! The entire castle groaned and creaked. The sky outside the window grew darker. The stars drew closer. —Bam!!! [angry]Oi oi oi!! What the hell's goin' on?!! Dola burst through the throne room doors, smashing them open. Draped over their shoulders were their three unconscious sons. [shouted]You useless sons!! How long are ya gonna sleep?!! They smacked all three on the head—whap whap whap! [surprised]Wah!? What?! [scared]Gyaa! It's shaking!! [fainting]Ah... ah... Henri looked about to faint again. [angry]Pathetic!! Get up!! Dola's thick arms grabbed the three by the scruffs of their necks and hauled them upright. [serious]...The ascent won't stop. At this rate... Their voice dropped low. Pazu understood too. The air was getting thin. Everyone was going to die. The temperature kept dropping. Sheeta's breath turned white. [scared]...S-So cold... Her body trembled in small shudders. Pazu took off their own jacket. Flutter. [gentle]...Sheeta, here. They draped the jacket over Sheeta's shoulders. [surprised]...Pazu. Sheeta's emerald eyes looked up at Pazu. [embarrassed]...I don't have any strength. I can't even protect you. Their voice trembled. [determined]But—at least let me do this much. Pazu looked straight at Sheeta. [serious]I will definitely stop it. Sheeta's heart—pounded so hard it hurt. [crying]...Thank you. That was all she could say. By the wall, Muska stood alone, silent. The vision they'd just seen wouldn't leave their mind. —That loneliness. —That thirst to be acknowledged. Muska closed their eyes. (I...) They said nothing. [urgent]...Pazu! Sheeta! Dola pointed at the wall. [excited]What the heck is this?! There's letters glowin'!! Looking, ancient letters glowed pale blue on the wall of the throne room. Sheeta caught her breath. [surprised]...This is! It was a wall that had been blank just moments ago. It seemed the letters had surfaced because Muska touching the crystal had caused the defense functions to malfunction. [serious]...It's the incantation for an emergency stop. Sheeta's voice trembled. [worried]But... one passage—the characters are too old... I can't read it... [shocked]What?! Outside the window, it grew even darker. The stars were so close they seemed within reach. The air was thin. It was hard to breathe. [scared]...Pazu. Sheeta squeezed Pazu's hand. It was a cold hand. Pazu squeezed back. The castle's ascent wouldn't stop. The ancient letters on the wall held the answer—yet no one could read them. [whispers]...I will. Pazu gripped Sheeta's hand tightly. [trembling]I will, definitely... Their voice was hoarse. But—their eyes weren't dead yet. Even in despair, there was still—light. Just then, one passage of the ancient letters on the wall glowed especially bright. The very passage she'd said was too old to read. [surprised]...Ah. Sheeta's eyes widened. The letters—seemed to shift their shape, just slightly. But. [frustrated]...I still can't read it... Sheeta's voice was on the verge of breaking. The castle kept rising. Outside the window, it was pitch black.