The Puppeteers

Chapter 9: Had she always known?

The show was over, all of the actors bowed and got their claps.

"That was really good." Kanade said.

"I agree! They really put their effort into this show." Ena replied.

They turned to Mafuyu who had been quiet the whole time.

Mizuki tilted their head a little.

"Mafuyu, what's wrong?"

"Nothing." She deadpanned.

Kanade's expression got slightly more serious.

"What did you think of the show? Did it make you feel anything?"

"I didn't really like it."

Mafuyu's answer was straightforward and yet, so blunt at the same time.

"Huh? Why?!"

"I feel like it's a bit of a different show from their usuals, and it feels disgusting."

"Usuals? You watch them a lot?" Ena questioned.

"I've definetly seen a few of them, one of the troupe members even resemble a little to my classmate." Mafuyu stated her observings, "And now that they've done this show without hiding their identities...I'm sure of it."

"Oh! That's right, this is the Wonderlands x Showtime isn't it?" Mizuki replied, "Then, aren't they the one that..."

"That must be right. Even the name of their SEKAI is called the Wonderland SEKAI. There's no doubt."

Hearing their conversations, the troupe couldn't help but feel a bit nervous.

"Ah...Rui, was this maybe a bad idea?"

Rui stood quiet.

"It doesn't matter anymore, they were bound to find out eventually, anyway." Nene commented.

"I'm sorry...I just thought it would help us get to the Fragment SEKAI's..." Emu weeped.

Mafuyu stood up from her seat and walked towards the troupe.

"Mafuyu...!" Ena uttered her name, but her goal was already set in stone and it was too late.

"Rui, you were the one who's mask fell during the show, right?"

"...Huh?"

"One of my friends had invited me to go there, I had always heard of your group for being dangerous, and I thought why not and accepted the invitation."

"Oh, really? Are you a fan?" Tsukasa asked happily.

"I'm not sure if I count as one. I just find your group a bit interesting."

"Is there...something you want to say?" Nene questioned, feeling a bit awkward.

"Yes, I do actually." She continued, "Where did the idea come from? To make a show to go into our Fragment SEKAI's?"

"Well, it was Emu's idea to say the least..."

"Uhh, did you not...like it?" Emu started feeling a bit frightened by Mafuyu's presence.

"Ofcourse I didn't. This show seemed nothing more than fake feelings put together without thinking about it thoroughly."

"Fake feelings...?"

"Yes. Maybe the reason I feel this way is because you had put special effort to make it different than the original show. Am I right?"

A sudden heavy silence weighed on all of them.

"You...have a good eye." Tsukasa avoided her gaze, he could feel a small tear of sweat trickle down his cheek.

"What's wrong, are you too afraid to face me? Or are you only feeling this way because you're coming to the realization that your stupid shows won't help us get out of here?"

"Hey! Mafuyu!" Mizuki put their arm on her shoulder.

"Stupid...shows...?" Emu stared at the floor in disbelief.

Normally in this situation, Rui or Tsukasa would stand up to protect their friends, but...

Even they knew that what Mafuyu said was partially right.

"Anyway, my point is," Mafuyu said, "If you won't put in your real feelings because you're afraid of being caught, you won't be able to do much. These fake feelings create nothing more than extra unneeded anomalies inside this place."

"Extra anomalies?" Nene repeated, still confused.

Mafuyu stared at her.

"Maybe if you had listened to Miku's explanation more closely, you would've been able to understand."

Nene thought back to Miku's explanation.

"That's a good question~! Do you remember how I mentioned that Overlapped SEKAI's happen when two SEKAI's have extremely similar and strong feelings?" Miku explained, "Normally, this wouldn't be too big of a problem, and both of your groups would share one big SEKAI instead of having two seperate ones. However, there is a feeling here that isn't a part of the similar and big feeling this SEKAI has."

"What..?"

"Someone here, despite not sharing the same similar and strong feelings as everyone else, has managed to somehow get into the Overlapped SEKAI. And since something like this would normally be impossible, it created an anomaly, which now prevents everyone here from leaving unless you destroy it."

Seeing everyones curious faces, Miku continued.

"We'll call this person the traitor. In order to leave, we must find this traitor and destroy the anomaly."

She snapped back to reality.

"So, the more fake feelings we have here, the more anomalies it creates? And the less chances we'll be able to escape?"

Mafuyu sighed, "I thought that much would be obvious from the start. She did say the traitors fake feelings created an anomaly, didn't she?"

"Which means," She continued, "The traitors have to be one of the members of Wonderlands x Showtime."

"One of us...?"

"Only you guys have been creating more fake feelings since we got here, and I know Nene knows more about this whole situation than all of us combined, isn't that right?"

"Huh, no wait, hey..."

"It's not Nene, Mafuyu. Don't just jump to conclusions." Ena said.

"Yeah, it's not good to randomly decide all on your own..." Kanade agreed.

"Pfft, all on my own?"

"Is there somebody from the outside world helping you, Mafuyu?" Tsukasa questioned.

"Not quite. But perhaps it can be interpreted that way aswell..."

They paused for a few seconds.

"Guys..." Mizuki broke the silence, "Where's Nene?"