Memories That Can't Be Killed ( 想い出は殺せない / おもいではころせない / omoide wa korosenai ) is the ninety-ninth chapter of the Elfen Lied manga series.
Plot[]
Nana desperately searches for Kouta and senses the presence of Lucy in a metal lighthouse in the distance. Kurama finds her escape pod on the beach, just as Nana tells him of her whereabouts, which prompts him to say to tell Nana to let him confront Lucy by himself, both for her safety and to prevent her from sensing her presence as she gets closer.
On top of the lighthouse, Lucy's apology ends with a brutal rejection by Kouta, who flatly says that he can never forgive her for murdering Kanae and their father. She starts to cry but is still happy to have offered the apology, in memory of the happiest times of her life, as a child and in the present, all spent with him and the others. He asks precisely who Nyu was, and she describes her as an idealized self of what she would be like without horns. She explains the DNA Voice as well, saying that even though it cannot take over her body and simply gives commands to kill humans, she willingly carried out its wishes. When Kouta asks why, she responds that despite how different she is, she didn't want to be bullied anymore, but is now in a state that she could do nothing but stain her hands with blood, and moves to say goodbye to him, this time forever.
Kouta stops her, and denounces her explanation about the inner voice, saying that it's something humans have to live with and control, and that is what makes them different from the beasts. He also claims that horns don't matter and rises despite being hurt to demand that Lucy promises to stop using her vectors to kill people forever. He ignores the bleeding and her pleas to go to the hospital and repeatedly demands she promise him, in which case they can all still live together. He makes it clear that this is not forgiveness, something he can never give, that he even hates her for what she's done, and that part of him wants to kill her. But he refuses to lose another family member, and casting her out would mean losing the innocent Nyu as well. Stating it flatly, he says that using her vectors to kill will make it impossible for her to live with others.
She gives in and makes the promise, and says that being with Kouta is all she has ever wanted. To her surprise, he embraces her while tossing his harsh words from earlier aside and reminds her of the promise. While doing so, he collapses and hacks up blood. Telling him to stay put, she runs to call for an ambulance and prays for him not to die and fearing the worst has yet to come no matter what. At the bottom of one flight of stairs inside the lighthouse, Kurama is waiting for her, with his gun drawn and aimed directly at her at point blank range.
Trivia[]
- Mayu is on the chapter's cover, either concerned about something or asking that silence be kept, which at this stage in the series, seems a bit odd. Her attire seems essential and normal for her character.
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