Paradox Meltdown Is the tenth chapter of the Steins;Gate visual novel, it also features both the Kurisu Makise and Mayuri Shiina alternate endings, the second one can lead to the true ending if the right choices were made during the story.
Plot[]
After everything they’ve been through, he couldn’t do it. He heads to the roof of the place where Suzuha landed, unsure of what to do. He decides to wait until the fated day to see if Mayuri’s fate changed and they spend the time at ComiMa. He mentioned nothing about her fate, lying that he was just spending time with her on a whim. That night, a white van runs into them. Mayuri pushes Rintaro out the way and gets run over.
Rintaro time leaps back to when he first went up to the roof and began thinking through everything that has happened. Kurisu appears, knowing something was wrong when he decided to stop hacking SERN’s servers. Rintaro tries not to say anything but Kurisu manages to persuade him otherwise. He tells her everything that’s happened once again and that Kurisu will die if he wants to save Mayuri.
For a moment, Kurisu stays silent and gazes into the distance. Then she begins to talk about time travel theory. Rintaro was troubled because he didn’t want to see anyone die. Kurisu smiles, saying he isn’t a god and wasn’t the one controlling everything that happens. Even if what he has explained is real, he can continue to believe that Kurisu is simply living in another timeline. She assures him there is nothing to trouble over.
Just then, Mayuri calls. She was worried about Rintaro too. Kurisu urges him to go see her at the ComiMa but he doesn’t find her there. He goes to her aunt’s grave and there she was talking. Rintaro overhears her saying she dreamt of herself dying in many different ways and every time, she would see Rintaro trying to save her. She didn’t know why and was trying to call out to Rintaro in her dreams, apologising that he had to go through so much hardship. She changes subject, telling her aunt there are lots more lab members now and how fun it’s become. Rintaro was a lot livelier and happier compared to the days when it was just him and Mayuri at the lab.
Eventually, Rintaro calls out to her, reassuring her everything will be fine and stay the way they are. He walks her back then returns to the roof where Kurisu still was. Kurisu sees Rintaro but wants to be left alone. Just as Rintaro was about to leave, it starts raining heavily. Both of them are soaked by the time they run back inside the dimly lit building. After teasing Kurisu a bit, Rintaro sits next to her. He finds his sleeve was torn while running back inside. Kurisu takes out a sewing pack and helps fix it. It was too dark to see which colour the thread was but it’ll be something to look forward to once they get out.
There was a moment of silence. Kurisu starts talking again, asking if he had made up his mind yet whether to continue hacking the system. Perhaps it was just her imagination but she too seems to remember how many times he tried to save Mayuri and how she tried her best to help. She was scared of being left behind when the timeline shifts but that doesn’t mean she wants to see Mayuri get killed either. She insists Rintaro saves Mayuri. Rintaro grits his teeth and suddenly pulls Kurisu towards her and holds her tightly. He didn’t want to lose anyone…
Stardust Sky[]
Mayuri's Ending
Rintaro finally apologises quitely into Kurisu’s ear, sorry that he can’t save her. He already made up his mind that he must save Mayuri no matter what. Kurisu quietly says she understands and gets up. She commands Rintaro to stay there while she returns to the lab first.
2 hours later, Rintaro returns to the lab, he finds Kurisu wasn’t there. He finds an e-mail from her with a quote saying, “Stop trying to predict what will happen in the future. It is best you accept time as a gift.” She had decided to return to the hotel. Rintaro continues to wonder if it was right to not try and save Kurisu. After taking a shower, Mayuri arrives. She didn’t go to the ComiMa because she was worried about Rintaro looking troubled.
Rintaro looks at Mayuri, asking what would she do if he was hiding something from her. She smiles like she usually does, replying that she would wait until he’s ready to tell her. She didn’t want to be a burden for him. But she soon learns that Rintaro looked so troubled because he was trying to keep everything secret from her so she asks him to tell her everything… even if it means hurting her. Rintaro puts on his “mad scientist” ego and begins to tell her everything starting from the day SERN attacked the lab, Mayuri’s death, how he time leaped countless times trying to save her and… how he was about to sacrifice Kurisu to save her.
Mayuri was shocked at the truth and felt like an idiot about being oblivious and just sitting around making her costumes. She asks Rintaro to take her to see Kurisu. It was late night. They soon meet up. After Rintaro gives Mayuri a gentle push, Mayuri hugs Kurisu tightly. She didn’t want her to be sacrificed either. Kurisu gives Mayuri a hug, insisting she will be alive and well in America. It was something she had decided herself so there is no one to blame. She tells Rintaro to never let Mayuri go again then leaves.
Rintaro held Mayuri as she cried on his chest. They promise never to separate again as the sun rised. Together, they return to the lab where Daru was waiting. He makes a speech as his “mad scientist” self and holding Mayuri’s hand tightly, he hits the enter key.
The Reading Steiner trigger takes effect and Rintaro finds himself still in the lab. Daru and Mayuri were standing there but, there were no signs of Kurisu left. Not even that little piece of thread she used to fix his lab coat’s sleeve with. The PhoneWave hasn’t been developed further and the others don’t remember Kurisu at all. Rintaro cries, holding onto Mayuri, begging her never to leave his side.
Three days after the fated hour, Mayuri was still alive and well. There was no follow up news on the the murder case of Makise Kurisu. Rintaro leaves to find Mayuri handing out flyers for the May Queen cafe and together they head back to the lab to get away from the summer heat. Suddenly, Mayuri disappears. Fearing she was in trouble again, Rintaro calls out Mayuri’s name. She appears behind him with some shredded ice drinks. As they walk by the Rajio building hand in hand, Mayuri pauses to look up. She feels as if she’s forgotten about someone. Someone important. She claims to hear a voice wishing her happiness. Rintaro knew she was talking about Kurisu but tells her instead, “It must be god.”
Mayuri thanks “god” and together with Rintaro, they continue walking.
Kurisu ending[]
Kurisu gently pushes away from him. Seeing Rintaro couldn’t make a decision, she raises her voice saying she will not help him this time and will be heading back to America. She leaves the building first.
Rintaro returns to the lab and stares at the PhoneWave, unwilling to use it. He suddenly hears Kurisu’s voice behind him. She had come back because she couldn’t stand to see Rintaro suffering so much. However, she still insists he makes the final change. As Rintaro thinks back to the days and everything they’ve been through together, he realises Kurisu wasn’t just a friend to him anymore… He had fallen in love with her. He had to say something.
Rintaro confesses his love and asks how Kurisu felt about him. She blushes, grabs him by his lab coat and orders him to close his eyes. Their lips lock. Rintaro looks at Kurisu surprised. She stutters, telling him not to forget her. Rintaro replies in his usual voice filled with pride that it wasn’t enough. It wasn’t his first kiss so he’ll need another one to remember her. They kiss again but longer this time. Time seemed to flash by for that brief moment.
The next day Rintaro sees Kurisu off. She didn’t want anyone else to come. Rintaro gives her one of Mirai Gadget’s inventions – a camera to take with her back to America as a memento. As Kurisu walks off into the distance, Rintaro shouts out that he’ll never forget her.
Returning back to the lab, he makes a speech as his “mad scientist” self and with tears in his eyes, his hand moves down to hit the enter key to erase the very first D-Mail he sent from the SERN servers. Suddenly, Kurisu bursts in through the door just in time to say she will never forget Rintaro too.
The Reading Steiner trigger takes effect and Rintaro finds himself still in the lab. Daru and Mayuri were standing there but, there were no signs of Kurisu left. Not even that little piece of thread she used to fix his lab coat’s sleeve with. The PhoneWave hasn’t been developed further and the others don’t remember Kurisu at all. Rintaro tries to put on another victory speech again but Mayuri could tell he wanted to cry. In his heart secretly he asked why was he made to choose. Why did Kurisu have to see him off with a smile. The tears came bursting out as Mayuri gently comforted him.
Three days after the fated hour, Mayuri was still alive and well. Rintaro decided it was safe to dismantle the PhoneWave and the IBN 5100. Daru thought it was a shame they couldn’t sell the computer for a huge sum of money and to Mayuri, a microwave was essential but, Rintaro insists it was for the best and they can find a new microwave. He gazes at the trashed devices and remembers Kurisu’s words that even though she may have made mistakes, she didn’t regret them. It was all a part of accepting herself and learning who she was. Rintaro agrees and finally concludes humankind can not rely on time machines. It was beyond their control and things were best as they are.
Characters[]
By order of apparence: TBA
Chapter Title Explanation[]
TBA