[haguruma]

Originally Posted by Ayu-ayu

I have to note the possible parallels between "Beatrice's" suicide attempt and that of Ange, as well as what it means for "Beatrice" to "die" and for "Ange" to do the same. Also in "Battler's death" and his "rebirth" as Tohya.

The reason why I wouldn't like this idea is more one of message-decay than anything else. The meeting between Ange and Beato in the Golden Land during EP8 relies heavily on the aspect that Ange is the only one still alive. Beato's message of "If you turn your back on reality and just run away, the only thing waiting for you is the land of death" loses a lot of its impact if this was merely a lip-service to keep Ange from killing herself.

My own hypothesis is that [COLOR="RoyalBlue"]Battler DID successfully rescue Yasu. In the process, Yasu discarded her Beatrice identity--perhaps more than just figuratively in the case of the heavy costume and wig--and the remaining gold at the bottom of the sea.

Though it would be necessary to suspend your disbelief so far, as to believe that Battler was able to swim down to her again, reach her ankle, untie the knot on the rope that had the ingot attached to it, strip Sayo out of her costume and then pull her up to the surface and convince her not to let herself drown again as she was completely convinced to do mere minutes ago.

]quote]This would explain the convenience of Ikuko finding the "Confession" bottle, and how a number of points that seem particularly unknowable to Tohya, Eva, and Ange could make their way into the stories.[/quote]
I'm just wondering which unknowable points you are talking about? Since the only story that is likely present to us as it is is EP1, it is really hard to tell what is part of the actual letters/forgeries anyway.

Also, it would mean that the manga used not only textual but also visual deception at certain points, when there is no way for us to prove one way or the other. Ikuko tells Ange that figuring out the whole truth made her want to make Tohya and Ange meet, but it was Tohya who refused. Why would she lie about such a thing?

Her agelessness matches the fact that Yasu could not mature much physically due to her injuries.

That is never said. Her body would not mature sexually, but it would still age. If it would keep her body from aging at all, she would possibly still be childlike today.

Her power as the master storyteller witch makes more sense this way too.

I never really liked this idea.
It is very much made clear from Featherine's first appearance that her role in the witch's world is set and that she is much older and much more powerful than Beato ever was. There is no hint that connects the two characters, while it is established that there are lots of witches creating stories since forever.

Also, we are told in the EP8 manga that the plot for the forgeries came from Tohya, Ikuko was just doing the writing. So unless either Tohya is actually Sayo and Ikuko is actually Battler, Sayo would not create the stories anymore anyway.

It's one last catbox R07 may have left the lid on as a gift for the happy (?) couple.

It might be, but I just don't see anything actually hinting at it.