灼眼のシャナ II Episode 02

SPOILER Summary: Since Yoshida-san began bringing Yuujo bento’s (boxed lunches) to eat, Shana decided she needed to get in on the act. Wilhelmina is not happy that Shana is choosing Yuuji’s mother (Chigusa-san) over herself to learn cooking. Chigusa-san tells Shana she’s happy to teach her but wonders if Wilhelmina would be better. Shana assures her she would not since Wilhelmina can’t cook real food, only microwave stuff.

Yuuji wears Alastor and trains with Wilhelmina, who’s distracted by Shana’s sudden interest in cooking. Her training battle with Yuuji gets rougher than it should and Reiji Maigo within Yuuji reacts, actually burning off Wilhelmina’s ribbons. She asks Alastor about the power, which kinda surprises him that she would only just now notice it since his power levels are significantly higher than they used to be. Tiamat says “Seirei-den,” the former residence of the members of the Bal Masqué. Because Hecate synchronized with the Mystes Yuuji, he became part of the fountain of existence. The results of the massive amounts of power that had been poured briefly into Hecate are now in Yuuji. Reiji Maigo the replenishes this vast amount of power nightly. Alastor explains that this is the reason they are hesitant to leave the city.

Meanwhile, the Bal Masqué have taken up temporary residence while Seirei-den is being repaired. Bel Peol and Sydonay discuss their current situation. Sydonay is heading out and tells Bel Peol that she better not do anything weird to his beloved Hecate. She plays innocent and he provides a specific answer — Blue Insignia. Bel Peol tells him that Hecate knows everything they are doing is for their ultimate goal. Sydonay then leaves as Hecate continues to pray.

The next day at school, Yoshida-san has again brought a bento of sandwiches and Shana has also brought one filled with Mellon Pan. Yuuji does the only thing he can do and eat everything from both girls. However, this makes him ill and he has to be taken to the nurses office. As he lays there ill, Yoshida-san and Shana are there. Shana warns Yoshida-san off, stating that Yuuji will be no good like this. However, before it can go any further, the bells sound and Shana looks outside to see a Fuzetsu has formed in the distance. She gets Yuuji up and before they leave, Yoshida-san tells him to be careful.

Yuuji and Shana enter the Fuzetsu, but Shana feels no Tomogara presence. Yuuji is stunned to see the Misago Festival within the Fuzetsu and soon remembers the Tomogara from episode 1. He warns Shana that they are within a dream again and it appears that Shana did not kill the Tomogra. He wants to make sure that Shana is real and pinches her face, causing her to react and let him know that she’s real. As they run to find the Tomogara, Yuuji realizes that the dream started when they were still with Yoshida-san and so they must be within her dream. Sure enough, they find a trapped, sleeping Yoshida-san.

A Tomogara is there in a jester-clown costume. The Tomogara introduces herself as Gisuikyou — Mare. They are within Mare’s unrestricted spell known as Gemeinde, where dreams from memories become reality. The bells she carries are a Hougu known as Papagena. Mare had simply occupied the body of a Mystes in their previous encounter. Mare attacks and Shana tells Yuuji to wake Yoshida-san. Mare states that things will only go as she wishes and prevents Yuuji from reaching Yoshida-san while Bel Peol keeps Shana occupied in a battle. Shana manages to get an attack on Mare but it does no damage. Yuuji reasons that this should not be and because this Tomogara is so small, it is within him.

Sure enough, Mare is within Yuuji and attempting to get Reiji Maigo. However, Reiji Maigo rejects Mare’s touch and ejects him from Yuuji’s body. This causes the image of Bel Peol to disappear. This rejection stuns the now heavily damaged Mare, who states that Reiji Maigo has a Keeper — a powerful Hougu that the Bal Masqué have been looking for. As such, Mare can no longer get the Hougu, so she will now prevent them from leaving the dream world by killing Yuuji. Yuuji manages to get Yoshida-san to awaken, which ends the dream and defeats Mare.

The trio awaken in the infirmary and Yuuji thanks her for waking up. Yoshida-san explains that she heard him speak and wanted to see him. Shana gives up her demand that Yoshida-san not bring bento’s for Yuuji and Yoshida-san decides she won’t bring as much food in the future. Later at dinner, Shana relays everything she’s learned to Alastor and Wilhelmina, which surprises them both. Elsewhere, Tanaka and Sato are concerned over Margery’s increased drinking as is Marchosias. Margery fears something is about to happen.

Later at school, a new student named Konoe Fumina arrives, and Yuuji and Shana have an instant reaction to her, apparently seeing her as Hecate.

Thoughts: I think it was pretty obvious to everyone that Mare was within Yuuji after last week’s episode. I guess she’s gone for good now. It will be interesting if Fumina ends up being Hecate. And I’m wanting to see Margery Daw get into the action, but I guess that will come soon enough.