- 12.5.5
- >Michiru is having trouble coming up with the music for main heroine’s ending theme
- >she has the rest of Icy Tail read the Meguri route to help her come up with ideas
- >they tell her they think it’s disgusting and even though so much of it is cute, only an otaku could enjoy it
- >Michiru thanks them for their opinions but tells them that she’ll stick with her current direction
- >she says that the scenario is disgusting for everyone, even otaku, and she’ll use her music to drag them into the game’s world and make them fall for the heroines
- >later, they draw a relationship chart of the characters and remark the MC is strange in how he has no integrity and how, even at the end of the main heroine’s route, Eriri and Utaha keep showing up while the cousin and kouhai characters get poor treatment
- >at the end, the group gives up, saying they should judge it after the route is finished
- >they remark that it’s clear one last bit of conflict will come before they wind up together, and it’s clear the MC will be responsible for that
- 12.6.5
- >starts off after Utaha promises Tomoya to convince Eriri to work with them with discussing at Eriri’s house at night
- >Utaha tells her that just because Akane doesn’t mean they can slack off since their objective was to beat Akane by forcing her to admit their talent and that they may have been partly responsible for working her up into a stroke
- >Eriri is still undecided, and after some time Utaha decides to change the topic, showing Eriri her idea for a new novel
- >Eriri is furious after reading the project proposal, which has Eriri as the MC and is about her failed love, and asks why she’s showing her this
- >Utaha says she’s stuck on the plot and wants to know more about what happened nine years ago when Eriri abandoned Tomoya
- >Eriri calls Utaha a monster like Akane and slaps her
- >Utaha doesn’t let this faze her and remarks that her getting so mad makes it hard to request her to do the cover art
- >she keeps pressuring Eriri, asking her things like if there was a time when she came to hate Tomoya, if there was a time when she felt he hated her, and what kind of face he made when he was betrayed
- >she tells her to spill out everything, to move forward, and, finally, to give up
- >thirty minutes pass, and Eriri is sobbing
- >she laments why things winded up like this even after finally reconciling with Tomoya
- >Utaha says that she thinks the reason for that lies in what happened nine years ago and that’s she wants to know
- >Eriri says she hasn’t done a single thing wrong
- >Utaha says that her mentality is worth respect and admits she wants to cherish Eriri’s mentality since it’s an essential part of being a creator
- >however, Utaha points out that no matter how much Eriri says she’s done nothing wrong, the fact is that he got afraid that the closer he got to Eriri, the bigger the betrayal he would get, to the point he was never able to get close to her again
- >Eriri asks if she’s saying Eriri is responsible for all that, to which Utaha affirms
- >Utaha says that Eriri was closer to him than anyone and could have chosen to shut herself off into a world with him in it, but chose not to
- >Eriri blames Tomoya for not running away and says that if they had kept quiet until everyone forgot about them, things would’ve been fine
- >Utaha says that he wanted to be open about his relationship with her
- >Eriri says that there was nothing wrong with hiding and there was no need to get everyone to accept them
- >she calls him selfish
- >Utaha remarks that Tomoya probably thought, “is being with me that embarrassing?”
- >Eriri says he just doesn’t understand, and Utaha responds that Eriri doesn’t either, and that’s why the two broke
- >Utaha says that the two, at some point, really did hate each other, and that sine neither admitted they were wrong, they didn’t talk to each other about what they did wrong
- >Eriri continues to insist she did nothing wrong, but this time there’s no persuasive power in it
- >Utaha goes on, saying that because they met when they were children unable to sympathize with each other, things didn’t go along well
- >Eriri replies with how Utaha is wrong because things didn’t go well for her either even though they met in high school
- >Utaha, having grown tired of this war of words, says that she and Eriri are just different from Megumi
- >Eriri is annoyed that it sounds like it’s already been decided that Megumi was chosen
- >she says she doesn’t understand since Megumi is normal and could never have been chosen by an otaku like Tomoya
- >Utaha says she doesn’t know how Megumi will respond, but that on Tomoya’s end, it looks like he’s already made up his mind
- >Eriri asks how she arrived at that conclusion
- >Utaha’s proof is that Tomoya abandoned his circle and betrayed Megumi again to help them
- >Eriri says that’s proof they’re important, but Utaha adds that he must have thought “Megumi will manage somehow” and that, in return, Megumi is the only one who believes that Tomoya can manage somehow
- >Eriri is crying again, and she talks of how she loved him for ten years
- >she figures that in such a long time, of course there’d be one point where you hated one another
- >she remarks that such an amount of time is actually a disadvantage if just a little wavering could be so fatal and says she just can’t accept this
- >Eriri says that Megumi has only known him for a bit over a year and that there’s still time for her to come to hate him
- >Utaha admits that’s possible and that she has no idea why Megumi is hanging out with someone as flawed as him
- >she tells Eriri things will be alright though because Tomoya won’t grow distant to her again since he’s a fan of Eriri
- >Utaha internally monologues as she congratulates Eriri on reaching the same position Utaha is in, where she’s looked at as a creator, not a girl
- >Eriri has her head on Utaha’s lap
- >they’re on a first name basis now, and they fall asleep
- 12.7.5
- >Megumi is trying to get out of school as fast as possible, but Michiru catches her because she skipped school
- >they go to a cafe
- >seeing Megumi so mad, Michiru remarks she must have had a fight with Tomoya
- >Megumi says it’s unbelievable that he abandoned his own circle
- >Michiru responds that it’s not anything fatal to the project, and with some adjustment, things will be fine
- >Megumi says she’s mad he’s not putting in all his effort, and though Michiru says it was impossible in the first place with tests and school, Megumi continues with how he didn’t even consult her
- >thirty minutes later, and Megumi is going on about how that might be a big company’s game and there’s might just be some small game, and she starts to reflect on how they promised to go full effort this time to not repeat last year’s mistake
- >things have finally gotten too awkward as Megumi gets emotional and Michiru rushes to get drinks
- >Michiru tells Megumi that she’s in charge now that Tomoya is gone and tells her to keep working, but Megumi says that’s impossible
- >she asks Megumi if that’s because of a physical problem or mental problem
- >Megumi has no good answer
- >Michiru tells her that she was motivated to join the circle by how hard Megumi, a non-otaku, worked, and that if she stops now, she’s not any better than Eriri or Utaha who brought this mess in the first place
- >Megumi says she was never better than them in the first place
- >Michiru comments that the reason Megumi worked so hard was to compete with Eriri and Utaha
- >she says Megumi was a menace to her in how she could get even someone as lazy as her to work hard
- >Michiru, who was looking down the whole time, looks up at Megumi and extends her hand to Megumi, but some papers fall out
- >Michiru tries to get Megumi to not look at them, but it’s too late
- >it turns out Utaha had written a scenario for Michiru to follow to convince Megumi
- >Megumi is furious and leaves the cafe
- >Michiru calls Izumi and tells her she failed
- >Megumi meets Izumi at the train station
- >she says everyone is worried about Megumi and Tomoya and that Megumi should be able to work without Tomoya around
- >Megumi asks Izumi why she’s trying to forgive the person who abandoned his own circle
- >as Izumi is stuck on how to answer, Iori shows up and explains that it’s because he thinks rationally, not emotionally
- >he says that Tomoya will certainly succeed and come back, but by the time he’s finished speaking, Megumi is already gone
- >Megumi is back home
- >LINE messages from Tomoya keep coming, but she refuses to read them, believing that if she reads them, she’s forgiven him
- >she starts muttering to herself, “I’m flat...my expressions are vague, I don’t pull people back, I’m a girl you can’t tell whether or not she’s happy, angry, or sad. That’s me, Katou Megumi.”
- >she gets a mail from Tomoya, and as she reads it she just gets angrier and angrier until she sees the last line “I want to see you soon.”
- >Megumi, about to lose her flatness and trying to hold back her excitement, prints out the mail
- >she takes out a red pen and starts venting her frustrations on the paper, writing things like “You look like you’re having fun even though you betrayed me. I’m actually jealous,” “I’ve never played Fields Chronicle before so I don’t care,” “I absolutely, in no way, definitely do not want to see you.”
- >Megumi calls out Michiru and Izumi for a meeting and apologizes for her behavior the other day
- >she wants to hold an all night gamemaking session
- >when Megumi is asked what’s changed about her, she said she stopped forgiving Tomoya
- >she says they’ll make him grovel for mercy when he comes back, and if they don’t work on the game now, they won’t have an excuse to do so
- >the three girls are holding the session at Izumi’s house
- >Izumi has Megumi start modeling for her while Michiru is doing the music for Meguri’s first date
- >as she looks at the art and listens to the music, she starts to reminisce about her time with Tomoya and wonders why she chose to be with a selfish guy like him
- >she starts to cry and leaves the room to wash her face
- >during the twenty minute period she was in the bathroom, Izumi drew another picture after seeing Megumi’s expression
- >Michiru and Izumi say they need a deeper understanding of Meguri in order for them to complete their work, so they have Megumi give them consultation on what kind of character Meguri is
- >they start by asking her about Meguri’s reaction after the MC ditches their date and runs off to Utaha and remark that she’s really angry
- >Michiru wonders why, if Meguri is someone who values girls over guys, is she so mad when the MC is doing it for a friend’s sake and says that after reading the plot, she got the idea that Meguri was more kind and honest
- >Megumi says that she’s still kind and honest, but she’s just more human-like with this expression
- >Izumi admits Megumi is right that if a character is just kind and honest, they’re also weak, but Michiru is confused because she thought being kind and honest was Meguri’s selling point
- >Megumi corrects her and says that’s only in the beginning; at this stage, Meguri gets jealous, gets unpleasant, and acts unfair
- >Michiru says that if Meguri really values girls over guys, she should be sending him off with a smile
- >Megumi shows that she does, and while Meguri is smiing at the scene, when the MC is gone, she gets angry, and the two remark that only makes her scary
- >Michiru asks again on which Meguri values more, the girls or the MC, this time asking for a percentage
- >Megumi says that Meguri normally values female friends at 90% and the MC at 10%
- >Michiru points out that means there are times when Meguri doesn’t value things that way, and Megumi corrects her saying that at important times, Meguri values girls and the MC 50-50
- >when pointed out that basically means 50-50 in the end, Megumi gets depressed as she realizes how unpleasant Meguri is
- >they move on the scene where Meguri and the MC fight after he left for Eriri without consulting Meguri
- >Izumi and Michiru ask Megumi if that was jealousy, which Megumi denies and she further emphasizes that Meguri values female friendship over romance
- >Michiru asks why Meguri gets so mad then because it seemed like a situation that couldn’t be helped, and Izumi comments that since a cherished childhood friend collapsed, not being rational was understandable
- >Megumi says that Meguri is mad she wasn’t consulted
- >Michiru asks if that means Meguri was asking for special treatment, pointing out that Meguri was mad he didn’t consult her specifically and didn’t mention consulting other heroines
- >they call her a landmine heroine who contradicts her “girls over guys” message
- >they go on to ask why Meguri didn’t ask Eriri directly and use that as further proof for their conclusion
- >Michiru asks her for the real reason Meguri got mad, and Megumi continues to say that it was because she wasn’t consulted
- >Michiru puts up a hypothetical scenario where the MC explains that he did what he did because he loved Eriri best and asks whether Meguri would have accepted that
- >Megumi is confused, so Michiru lets her answer in percentages of three options (1. The MC was at fault for not consulting 2. The best friend was at fault for going out alone like that 3. The MC was at fault for preferring the best friend) on why Meguri was mad
- >Megumi gets thirty seconds to answer, and at the end she whispers the percentages in their ears
- >they give a huge reaction and remark that she’s surprisingly aggressive
- >they move on to the kiss scene
- >Megumi refuses to answer anything related to this, so Michiru tells her she just has to say yes or no
- >Michiru asks if she did the scene in real life, and Megumi again refuses to answer because if she did, her secret would come out
- >Michiru presses on and brings up how that means Megumi is aware that whether or not they kissed being doubted is the normal state of affairs and believes that she’s gone farther than anyone else with Tomoya
- >Megumi gets suspicious at how smart Michiru is acting and realizes Utaha is feeding her lines using Michiru’s earphones and listening with a mic
- >she decides to continue with things as they are and asks everyone if they think she and Tomoya are going out
- >a surprised reaction from the two and a long silence later, she says that they aren’t going out yet
- >another surprised reaction from the two,
- >Utaha comments that means Megumi believes herself higher than all the other girls and that she doesn’t consider the possibility of anyone else winning
- >furthermore, Utaha says that means Megumi won’t hold back to her friends or best friends
- >Megumi says that Meguri values her friends, but as main heroine, she must weigh that friendship and romance
- >she asks if Meguri is a girl who would forgive the MC even though he betrayed Meguri and can’t abandon the girls he supposedly rejected
- >in the end, Megumi says that yes, Meguri is that kind of girl, and thanks everyone for making her realize that
- >she says Meguri doesn’t mind if her partner isn’t handsome or loves her more deeply than anyone else loves and that she just wants someone normal or at least relatively normal
- >she says even if the guy causes problems, is strange, or doesn’t read the mood, as long as it isn’t unpleasant, she’s fine with it
- >she continues, saying since that guy’s the first, that’s fine, and that less unpleasant guy might show up one day, but she doesn’t feel like risking throwing everything away for that guy because it’s bothersome
- >she says that even though she’s called a bothersome girl a lot, she herself doesn’t like bothersome things, and that’s why she’s fine with this
- >Megumi tells Utaha that while Tomoya might have been someone special to her, to Megumi, he was just normal, and that’s what she liked about him, and that she doesn’t care if Utaha has ill will towards her for that
- >Megumi starts crying and asks why, even though she’s this kind of girl, there’s any conflict in her route at all
- >she asks why the route where the heroine gets beaten up is always viewed as more interesting, and at that moment, she really starts to miss Tomoya
- >Megumi says that she doesn’t care for a trial for greater love; in exchange for just a little happiness, she’d take the route with no conflict
- >her crying grows uncontrollable, but Utaha tells her that she feels nothing from her crying and that since it’s her route’s challenge, she can do something about it
- >internally, Utaha monologues that the pain Megumi feels from a mere two week absence is nothing compared to the pain Eriri felt from losing a decade long love and that Eriri’s crying had real sorrow
- >Utaha says that whether or not there is conflict is at the will of the creator and that the characters of the story just have to deal with it
- >she tells Megumi that she finds her annoying since even though she’s the only one who gets to have and can deal with her route’s conflict, she’s crying so much about it
- >in the end, Utaha asks Megumi what she’s going to do and if she wants Utaha to give back Tomoya
- >her response is that he was always part of blessing software
- >Utaha tells her to say it stronger
- >Megumi tries to say “Tomoya is mine” but fumbles near the end
- Epilogue (same time as V12’s epilogue)
- >Iori asks Izumi if she’s learned anything from Eriri
- >she says that Eriri’s drawing style is something that just can’t be copied
- >however, she says it’s fine because she also got motivation
- >Michiru and Utaha are heading out for dinner
- >Michiru thanks Utaha for what she did for the circle
- >Utaha says that Tomoya was essential for Field Chronicle XIII, and to keep up his motivation, she had to protect his circle
- >Michiru tells Utaha it’s fine for her to cry, but Utaha tells her she hasn’t given up yet
- >she says even if she did, there still wouldn’t be a need to cry because she connected with so many people and met a friend for life
- >Michiru says she doesn’t really care if Tomoya has a girlfriend or not
- >Eriri is drawing outside with her back on the tree
- >she reminisces about the time Tomoya came to that tree to pick her up and how she faked a sprained ankle
- >she considers putting that image in her drawing but stops
- >instead, she draws shooting stars that represent the tears flowing down her cheeks
- >the rest is basically the same as V12’s epilogue where Tomoya confesses from Megumi’s POV
- >she’s unbelievably happy to be back with him and as he confesses, she does her best to keep being flat and stop her emotions from showing on her face
- >last sentence, after his confession: “After all, not even that attempt at getting even could make up for the love she felt these past few days at all.”
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