|
The side story begins with a retelling of Magius' initial influence on Kamihama: Namely, the fact Kyubey can no longer enter it thanks to the help of a force field surrounding the entire area. Touka, Nemu, Alina and Mifuyu discusss the recent arrival of the Amane Sisters into the team, and realize that merely 6 members is far from sufficient to gather enough energy to lead their project to fruition.
This is when Alina suggests that Mifuyu be in charge of the recruitment, due to her status as veteran. However, Mifuyu refuses: If she begins recruiting girls inside of Kamihama, there may be confusion about her sudden reappearance in the Western sections, and Yachiyo might find her; If she begins looking outside of the city, nobody will listen to her since she's a stranger outside of Kamihama - which loops them back to the beginning of their problem. Mifuyu suddenly sneezes. She explains that she's been feeling a little sick since she's moved out of her parents' home - something she managed to accomplish thanks to grants bestowed from Touka. The latter asks if she can't just heal herself up with magic, since she's a Magical Girl. Mifuyu says she prefers staying sick, as this is one of the few human things left about herself.
The following day, the three Magius are reunited, but Mifuyu is conspicuously absent. They begin further discussing the problem of recruiting more members. Nemu brings up the harshness of Magical Girls' fate, and the moral implications of the means that they use to attain their goals. Touka mentions that if they also begin recruiting members that don't know about the Witch system, they'll look like a strange cult, further limiting their potential magical girl options.
Touka mentions a discrepancy between supply and demand, which earns her a snarky quip from Nemu. Alina cuts them short before the two can argue further, then directs them back on topic. Touka explains that Mifuyu should take care of recruitment anyways, but in the Eastern wards instead, where she is less known. She then explains that they can extend their potential magical girl pool to girls who simply have a hard time fighting witches. Touka begins praising herself from her genius, but Nemu remarks that putting it in a "come with us if you want to be saved" manner is just making them sound like a cult anyways. As Touka begins reasoning in raw statistics, Nemu laments about the fact it's just the six of them to recruit people around Kamihama.
Alina decides to lead the conversation anyways, focusing on how to enhance the force field and discussing Nemu's rumor creation. Suddenly, Alina receives a message from Mifuyu, informing them that her cold's gotten worse and that she won't be present for today's meeting. Touka is reminded of her illness-induced past, and chastises Mifuyu for not using her magic to heal herself. As Alina is about to send Mifuyu a message back to inform her that she can stay home, Nemu gets the idea of using radio waves to communicate their message in the most efficient way possible such as using e-mail, phone messages, etc. Touka praises Nemu for the idea, and decides to give it a test run.
Later on, Touka sneaks in Mifuyu's living quarters. She finds her asleep and with dinner bought from the convenience store. As Mifuyu groans in discomfort in her sleep, however, Touka decides to try and help her, bringing back a cold, humid towel to apply to her forehead. Touka is surprised that she's now caring for someone, but Mifuyu wakes up shortly after. Mifuyu offers Touka tea despite the former's sickness, but Touka refuses, demanding that she rest up. However, since Mifuyu's awake, Touka decides to use Mifuyu as a guinea pig for the transmission test run, and messages back Nemu to inform her of the situation and launch the experiment. Soon after, Mifuyu begins hearing singing, which makes the experiment a success.
The song is revealed to be from back when Touka was hospitalized; a nurse would sing it to her often to help her get better. She decided to use this specific song knowing Mifuyu's sickness, in hopes that this'd help her feel better, to which Mifuyu agrees. She quickly deduces that the experiment is actually meant to help with the recruitment of Magical Girls using radio waves. Having found that witches and similar creatures only magical girls can see are tuned to a specific frequency, Touka decided to use this specific wavelength to send a message only magical girls can hear within and beyond Kamihama. Mifuyu praises Touka, and then finds renewed vigor, telling Touka she should be right back on her feet the following day; but Touka asks her not to overwork herself.
Back in the Magius' HQ, with Mifuyu now present, the other Magius have to withstand an irrational bout of anger from Touka. It's revealed that this scene is back from where the Rumor of the Seance Shrine was defeated, and Yachiyo came out of it unscathed. Mifuyu acknowledges the presence of a new ally by Yachiyo's side now, and that they should be more careful. While Nemu suggests creating more rumors, Alina suggests using witches instead due to the similarity between doppels and witches; However, Mifuyu claims that method is too harsh, but Alina retorts that spreading awareness of the truth is their best option. Touka begins explaining that they should create rumors frightening enough to inflict trauma on their victims, which shocks Mifuyu and prompts her to scold Touka, explaining that they will not sacrifice people for the sake of their goals and that as long as Magical Girls aren't in danger of becoming witches, they can take their time.
Nemu, however, sympathizes with Touka's situation, reminding Mifuyu that she uses her own life force to create rumors and that using it on low-quality ones would be a waste. Alina agrees, claiming she cannot turn down an offer to create beautiful art. Mifuyu reiterates her desire not to cause more sacrifices than necessary, but Touka slaps her and goes away.
Mifuyu's objections are putting a stop on Magius' plans, as if they stall out too long, people might eventually figure out what rumors are, and the Feathers may be also caught and spill the beans. Nemu admits, however, that Mifuyu, despite her stalling, has a point, as if they lost sight of their moral standing, their plans would fall into disarray quickly as the Feathers are still people, and might eventually sense danger and defect from the Magius altogether. As a result, Mifuyu represents a tremendous weight in the Magius thanks to her popularity, and should she leave herself, the organization may collapse. A frustrated Touka eventually decides to go cool down elsewhere, as she believes she's not thinking clearly. Nemu expresses her relief over Touka noticing, which upsets the latter, who asks her why she hadn't told her directly in the first place if she knew; to which Nemu replies it'd only have made her angrier.
Back in her room, Touka ponders what she could possibly do to help Mifuyu understand. She compares the magical girl system to a dog-eat-dog world and a "survival of the fittest", and says she's ready to do anything to survive as well.
The next day, in Saint Lilliana Academy, Touka is tasked to do group work, which bores her immensely. A younger classmate asks her to explain division to her, but Touka berates her for failing to grasp a concept so simple to her. The teacher tries to explain Touka that this girl only started studying division, but Touka retorts by saying she knew about it far before her age. She then adds that while people can't grasp concepts as easily as she can, she believes she's clever enough to explain them, which is indirect praise directed at Touka. She finally settles on teaching the girl how to do division.
As the lesson continues, Touka tries explaining the girl about fractions, but the teacher informs her it's currently outside of the program. She settles on remainders instead, and the girl comments about how said remainder looks lonely, separated from the rest of the numbers, which confuses Touka. While trying to keep her calm, Touka tells the girl how numbers don't have feelings and that it should be fine, but the girl insists that all numbers should get along, and that as group leader, Touka should have a way to figure this out. Touka snaps at this, and angrily reiterates that numbers are merely concepts and that there is no other thing to do with them but to write that down as intended. The girl, however, begins crying, and Touka realizes she's made a mistake.
As the teacher drags her aside and begins scolding her, Touka reiterates that getting rid of the remainder is the only way to have the answer. This statement, however, makes something click in Touka's mind. She decides she's had enough of being patient, and will tell that to Mifuyu once she sees her again.
With a renewed resolve and an unusually foul mood, Touka meets again with Nemu to tell her about her plans to use the radio frequencies to drag in more witches in Kamihama and use more dangerous rumors, as it is the most cost-efficient solution they have before her. Nemu states that Mifuyu won't be pleased with that outcome, but Touka says that as the genius, she gets to decide whatever she wants. Mifuyu incidentally arrives right after, and Touka explains her point of view to her once and for all. She claims that it's necessary for now, in order to make a better future.
The next part is set in the past, during Touka's hospitalization with Nemu and Ui, with Touka playing a video game against Iroha, and Iroha losing. Ui states that Iroha isn't very good at games, with Iroha retorting that she's better at turn-based board games like shogi. Iroha, however, says she's glad to get all three of them to play games together, and Touka explains she got this game from one of her dad's acquaintances who knew about her love for space. Most of the games Touka are gifted have educational content, which Nemu remarks on; However, Touka claims she already knows all of that. While Iroha praises Touka for her knowledge, Ui remarks it might have nothing to do at all with being good at games.
Iroha then orders all three girls to stop the videogames and do their homework. Iroha remarks the huge break between classes, and asks if that means they have a lot of homework. Ui replies that they only have one big assignment to do: Self-study. Nemu explains that they have to compile information on a hobby or interest, then make a presentation about that, and those without a hobby can look things up online. Ui asks what Iroha would present, and she answers that she'd talk about cooking and baking, as these are the two topics she knows best. Iroha returns the question, and Ui answers that she's going to look into what people sing in school choirs, while Nemu will do her part on her favorite books, particularly philosophical children's stories.
Iroha guesses that Touka will do her presentation about space, but guesses that she'll do more a full-blown class than a simple presentation; However, she greatly upsets Touka by accident. Iroha quickly apologizes, but Touka says that it's not her fault, but rather something else that happened.
It's explained in another anterior scene that Touka decided against doing her project about space, and rather focus on quantum computers. Ui is a little disappointed, being eager to watch Touka talk about space. The teacher calls Touka, and asks her as well if she'll do something on space. She believes that even if the students might not understand the tricky parts, that she'll do a good job at teaching them and making them interested about the topic. However, Touka refuses, unwilling to share her knowledge as she's worked hard to gather it.
Back in the hospital, Iroha guesses that people would still like to hear Touka talk about space, which disappoints the latter as she realizes everyone is in favor of her talking about space. She still expresses refusal over teaching people about this, as she claims she's already had too much stolen from her. She tearfully explains that she understands she's bedridden for the rest of her life, and the hospital doesn't allow her to leave because the world is better outside, and that if she experiences it firsthand, she'll never want to come back.
All that Touka knows of the world is the Satomi Medical Center. She only gets her knowledge of the outside world through internet. She reminisces her father, who never misses a chance to remind her how proud he is of her and her ability to learn so quickly. He informs that Touka should use her smarts to help the rest of the community around her. Touka is worried at the notion of "giving back", but her father tells her that he'll gift her anything she wants if she complies. She asks about living under the same roof as her parents, about finally being free. However, her father cannot gift her that, as she's still very sick and needs to remain at the hospital for further treatment. Touka therefore decides to never give back anything to anyone, as anything she ever gave out to people, she was never given anything back in return.
Touka muses about outer space, the only world that ever gave her anything. She admired the cosmos for its limitless freedom and its endless ability to be discovered over and over. She got to learn things only she knew, which is why outer space is so important to her. Suddenly, she feels a sharp pain in her back which immobilizes her.
Later on, a sleeping Touka is awoken by the same lullaby she used to transmit the radio waves in the present. It's revealed that the 'nurse' who used to sing this song to her is no one other than Iroha herself. Touka asks what Iroha is doing here, and Iroha offers her a present, which is an apple pie she baked herself. Iroha was feeling bad after offending Touka the other day, which is why she made that apple pie for her. Touka laments about how she cannot eat it, but Iroha reassures her that she obtained her father's guidance to prepare it without any ingredient that she cannot eat. Touka taste-tests it, and finds that the pie is incredibly delicious.
Iroha explains that she could teach Touka little thing after little thing to make her happy like this. In the same fashion, she requests that Touka share her knowledge about outer space one more time, to make them just as happy. Iroha tries the pie out, and is surprised at the taste herself. Touka agrees.
The next day, Touka arrives late to class. However, she's brought a lot of classroom materials for everyone. If they want to learn about space, she claims that she should start with constellations first. She then tells Ui that her older sister Iroha is much like the Beta Pegasi. However, she doesn't give Ui an explanation, telling Ui to go look it up herself.
|
