Arc Light of the Point at Infinity

Steins;Gate Drama CD β 『Mugen Enten no Arc Light』 Divergence 1.130205% (STEINS;GATEドラマCD β『無限遠点のアークライト』ダイバージェンス１．１３０２０５％) is an audo drama first released on April 28, 2010. The drama has since been adapted into a manga 2014. It tells the story of what Mayuri experiences during the final chapter of the visual novel, anime episode 23, and the lives of Mayuri, Okabe, Daru, Suzuha, and Luka in the year after Okabe's first failed attempt to save Kurisu in the 1.129848% β worldline divergence.

Plot
When Okabe time travels with Suzuha to the 28th of July for the first time, he has Mayuri hold on to his cellphone for him. Just as the time machine is disappearing, a second one appears beside it, stunning Mayuri and Daru. Even stranger, Okabe's phone begins to ring with a call from Mayuri's phone even though she isn't using hers. When Mayuri answers the phone, a female voice begs Mayuri to stay calm and listen to her story.

The voice tells how "Okarin" traveled back in time with Amane Suzuha on August 21st to July 28th to save a person named "Makise Kurisu". Someone who it seemed Okarin was in love with. However, upon Okarin's return, he was covered in blood, shaken and severely suffering to the point of breaking. Seeing Okarin in pain like this and hearing that the time travel had caused Okarin to become Makise Kurisu's murderer, Mayuri protects Okarin from Suzuha trying to force Okarin to try again. Even upon being told abstractly of Okarin's power to observe worlds, she defends him, unable to accept putting the fate of the world all solely on Okarin's shoulders when he is like this.

Suzuha takes a step back, but declares that she will not return to the future. She will remain here to try again. However, due to a lack of fuel, even when making a one-way trip, in less than a year from now they would no longer be able to reach July 28th, 2010.

Mayuri continues to call Okarin's name, trying to pull him back from his grief just like he did for her when her grandmother died.

After that, things grew darker for Mayuri. The following year, July 7th, 2011, it is a rainy day on Tanabata. Mayuri and Luka meet while leaving school. They discuss Mayuri's love for Tanabata and the legend of Hikoboshi(Altair) and Orihime(Vega/Arc-light of the Sky). Mayuri reveals that every year her impossible wish for Tanabata was "to become Orihime."

Luka hopes that Mayuri will become Okabe's "Orihime". Mayuri denies, but Luka says that he has noticed that something happened to Okabe and that it is thanks to Mayuri this past year that Okabe has been able to stand again, which is why he believes she can become Okabe's "Orihime". Mayuri corrects Luka again. The one in Okabe's heart is not Mayuri but a person like the stars in the sky who can never be reached, because that person cannot shine anymore.

While it is still raining, Mayuri waits for Okabe at the Tokyo Electronics University. The narrating voice tells that in the past year it has become very hard for her to visit the lab anymore, so she would meet up with Okarin after his university classes, instead. From the two's conversation it is clear that Okabe has buried his personality as Hououin Kyouma, become active in university life, hardly goes to the lab, and is pushing himself to forget and let go. When Mayuri asks him if he is pushing himself, he replies that "playtime" is over.

However, Mayuri tells him that she feels somehow like the lab used to be much more lively with many people and now has become lonely. She asks him if this is related to Makise Kurisu, but he is vehement as he painfully replies that they cannot be related. He flees by deciding to go to a drinking party he was just invited to. Mayuri seeing straight through his lies is saddened.

At the lab, Daru arrives with one of Suzuha's favorite cakes as a farewell gift. Suzuha reflects that she wasn't able to convince Okabe after all, and wonders if she should threaten him at gunpoint like she did half a year ago. Daru discourages her from this, reminding her of the police getting involved then. Suzuha replies that she didn't think that a single gun would be such a big deal in this time period.

It turns out Daru even bought enough cake for Mayuri and Okabe in the hopes that they will come to the lab.

When Mayuri appears just then, she apologizes to Suzuha for not being able to convince Okabe to time travel with Suzuha, because Mayuri did not want to convince him to do so. However, Suzuha tells her not to mind it and that she was planning to travel alone. This brings Mayuri to ask Suzuha about the Mayuri and Okabe of 2036. Suzuha questions why Mayuri wishes to know about this only now. Mayuri tells her that she had not asked sooner because she was afraid of knowing the future.

Even upon hearing that the future is cruel to Mayuri, Mayuri still chooses to know, so Suzuha tells her that the Mayuri she knew was always staring lonely at the sky. When Mayuri asks if Okabe really died in 2025, Suzuha tells her that he died protecting Mayuri from gunshot in a burglary during the war. This horrifies Mayuri, as Suzuha continues to reflect that though Okabe holds the fate of billions of people on his shoulders now, he is easily killed in fourteen years. She says that Mayuri seemed to feel painfully responsible for that. Mayuri used to say, "On that day, if my 'Hikoboshi-sama' had risen again, everything might have changed."

With that, it is time for Suzuha to go. Mayuri asks her if she really will go. What will happen to Suzuha if she fails? Will she relive this past year? However, Suzuha doesn't know. Herself of this past year and herself that will travel now and be stuck in the past will be different people. She predicts that eventually worldline convergence would correct a "distortion" like her. Mayuri panics to stop her and turns to Daru, but he simply encourages Suzuha. With an "Okey Dokey," Suzuha departs the lab.

Mayuri does not understand how Daru can be so calm. However, he tells her that he will not stop Suzuha. For the past year, he had wanted to know why his future self had sent Suzuha back in time, even though it is dangerous and they would never meet again. However, when he once asked Suzuha, her reply was that it was "Father's kindness". Living in the nightmare of 2036, her life was already on the line. She had lost many loved ones and she had killed many people loved by others. In comparison, being here in this time was bliss. Being able to live in this peaceful time of her mother and father was so wonderful that her feelings of wanting to change the future only grew stronger. Her resolve to complete her mission was for the sake of letting this happiness continue on into the future. She then thanked Daru for the past year.

Reflecting on this, Daru tells Mayuri that seeing Suzuha smiling at that moment, he could no longer to stop her. Instead, he has prepared himself to send her off, doing whatever he can for her. When Mayuri asks, "Whatever he can for her?", he tells Mayuri that in 2036 he will complete the world's first time machine.

Mayuri faces a turning point as she wonders what she should do and what should she have done. Hearing she wishes to do something, Daru encourages her that she has already helped Okabe to stand again. However, Mayuri thinks of her future words, "On that day, if my 'Hikoboshi-sama' had risen again, everything might have changed." She asks Daru what he thinks that means. Daru tells her that she must have been referring to someone, though he does not know who she must have meant. However, right now what Mayuri can do is either "pursue risks" or "desire stability". If she chooses risks, it might be painful to both her and her "Hikoboshi-sama". Reflecting on the risks and failures up to this point, he asks Mayuri what she wants to do, telling her that no one will hold against her what she chooses.

In her thoughts, Mayuri knows who her only "Hikoboshi-sama" is. The identities Okarin and Hououin Kyouma together make up her beloved "Okabe Rintarou", who helped her after she lost her grandmother. However, now Okarin has decided that "playtime is over". Since a year ago, something very important has been lost. It feels so lonely that she wants to cry. Mayuri realizes what she desires from the very bottom of her heart, and tells it to Daru.

She wants to meet "Hououin Kyouma" again. Even if she cannot become "Orihime-sama", her "Hikoboshi-sama" will always be "Okabe Rintarou". Daru acknowledges that that is "Mayu-shi's choice". He encourages her that there is no need to hesitate and they head after Suzuha.

It is a windy evening when Suzuha arrives at the rooftop of the Radio Kaikan building and moves to start up the C203 time machine. However, it turns out that Okabe was waiting for her. He asks her how she managed to keep the time machine from being found for a whole year. Suzuha tells him that she got the assistance of Akiha Rumiho and other influential people in Akihabara. When asked why he is here, Okabe tells her that he cannot allow her to time travel. She must know that she is bound to fail. After all, she saw his failure. However, Suzuha argues that there must be a way to evade the worldline convergence. Okabe tells her that the Steins Gate is just a delusion. Suzuha replies that she is only following her father's directions, because she believes in him. Okabe continues to argue with her, but Suzuha sticks by her faith in her dad. Okabe then tries to forcefully stop Suzuha, but she easily overpowers him and turns her gun on him. He laughs that she will not shoot him, because he is destined to die in 2025. However, she shoots him in the leg.

Mayuri and Daru burst onto the roof. After assuring Suzuha that they are not there to stop her from going, Mayuri asks her to take Mayuri with her to August 21, 2010 to the minute when Okabe and Suzuha were gone time traveling. Okabe tries to stop Mayuri, but Suzuha asks Mayuri if she is certain. There is no guarantee it will work and the world might erase them. However, Mayuri's reply is that she does not want to make her Hikoboshi-sama into someone who never existed. She does not want to make the twenty-six years of regret of her future self into something that never happened.

Mayuri apologizes to Okabe, but she has made her decision. Okabe curses. He asks Suzuha why she appeared at that time, when he had already tried to accept this ending. Why did she give him half-baked hopes and is now taking Mayuri away. He begs Mayuri to not do anything. If she does, all the [people's] feelings he had sacrificed to get here will be wasted. Kurisu's death will be for nothing.

However, Mayuri tells him that is exactly why they cannot make it into something that never happened. Even when it is raining and the clouds cover the sky, the stars are always there shining. She reminds him that today is Tanabata, the only time of the year that Orihime and Hikoboshi are allowed to see each other. Therefore, Mayuri will chase away the clouds in Okabe's sky.

In the time machine, as Suzuha adjusts the settings, Mayuri thinks that this is her self-righteousness, selfishness, wish, and choice to go meet her clueless self of back then. The time machine departs.

August 21st, 2010, Mayuri answers Okabe's phone and the familiar voice begs Mayuri to stay calm and listen to her story. Mayuri asks who the person is, but 2011 Mayuri apologizes for not being able to say. 2011 Mayuri asks Mayuri if she likes Hououin Kyouma. She warns Mayuri that Okarin will fail to rescue Makise Kurisu, and asks Mayuri to do anything she can at that time to bring forth her "Hikoboshi-sama". The two Mayuries say in sync, "Hououin Kyouma". 2011 Mayuri warns that at this rate Hououin Kyouma's memories will disappear from within Okarin. Therefore, 2011 Mayuri asks her to fix Okarin's broken heart, even if force is necessary. Just calling Okarin's name will not reach him, Mayuri must remember the time when Hououin Kyouma was born. With that, 2011 Mayuri tells her that the feelings of twenty-six plus one more years have been passed on to her. As their time machine begins to jump, 2011 Mayuri assures Mayuri that she believes the Steins Gate exists and encourages her to believe in Okarin, her friends, and herself.

The second time machine disappears, and Mayuri resolves herself to believe and thanks "Future Mayushii". Immediately, Okabe and Suzuha arrive back from July 28th. The terrible sight of a broken and bloodied Okabe plays out again. However, this time when Okabe despairs and breaks down, Mayuri shouts "Okarin-!" and slaps him.

Okabe reels from the slap, and Mayuri tells him with tears in her voice that he is not the type to give up. She encourages him that she knows he is the type to try to the very end. She reminds him of how he came every day after Mayuri's grandmother passed away to try to save Mayuri. It was thanks to him that she was able to bid her grandmother farewell. Mayuri admits that she does not understand well what is going on, but he must not give up. However, Okabe tells Mayuri that he killed Kurisu, and laments again that it is pointless.

Just then, Suzuha replies, "It isn't pointless," and Okabe's cellphone begins to ring.

The Mayuri and Suzuha of 2011 are rattled by the turbulence in the time machine. Suzuha apologizes. It was good that they jumped to avoid a time paradox. However, they will not be able to make it back to 2011 safely. There is not enough fuel and no way of knowing when and where the Kerr black hole will throw them out again. It might be one day or 100,000,000.

Mayuri simply thanks Suzuha for taking her back to August 21st. She feels sure that the other Mayushii and Mayuri's "Hikoboshi-sama" will do what they need to.

Suzuha wishes that she had Reading Steiner as well, so that she could observe worldline changes.

Mayuri thinks in her mind to Okabe that even if the world is dark and under an infinite shadow, he must not close his eyes and give up. He must not kill Hououin Kyouma. If he does not give up, then the feelings will surely reach, just like starlight that travels for hundreds or thousands of years. In her heart she tells Okabe, "Let's meet in the Steins Gate," in the lab she will always be waiting for him and everyone else.

Main Characters

 * Mayuri Shiina
 * Itaru Hashida
 * Suzuha Amane
 * Rintaro Okabe

Supporting Characters

 * Luka Urushibara

Manga adaptation
Steins;Gate: Mugen Enten no Arc Light (STEINS;GATE 無限遠点のアークライト) is the manga adaptation was illustrated by Nariie Shinichirou, who was also the artist behind the manga adaptation of Aishin Maze no Babel. It was serialized in Shueisha's Ultra Jump magazine between April 19th and August 19th, 2014. On November 19th of the same year, it was published as a single volume ISBN 978-4088900322. The manga adaptation includes small additions, such as starting with a short prologue depicting the Mayuri of 2036, divergence 1.129848% in the war zone city of Akihabara, speaking her own words of regret. The story also ends with a three page epilogue.

Related media
Though the audio drama was released two years before the Epigraph Trilogy was published, its story is apparently companion to the Epigraph Trilogy: Heijikyokusen no Epigraph, Eigou Kaiki no Pandora, and Mugen Enten no Altair. The Epigraph Trilogy depicts August 13, 2036, divergence 1.129848%. While Arc Light of the Point at Infinity mentions January and covers July 7th, 2011 of the same divergence.