灼眼のシャナ II Episode 03

SPOILER Summary: As the teacher introduces the new female student Konoe Fumina-kun, Shana and Yuuji see the face of the Bal Masqué member known as Hecate. Shana evokes a fuzetsu to see if Hecate will reveal herself, since she wouldn’t be frozen in time like normal humans would. She is frozen, but Yoshida-san is not, to Yuuji and Shana’s surprise. It seems that the Flame Haze Khamsin gave her an artifact (Hougu?) which allows her to move within the fuzetsu. Shana examines Konoe closely and even pulls her sword on her, but gets no reaction. If it is Hecate, she’s acting very well. Since Alastor can’t confirm if it is Hecate or not and even Yuuji doesn’t sense Hecate, whom he knows very well, the trio return to their desks and Shana releases the fuzetsu.

The teacher instructs Konoe to take the vacant seat at the back of the class, but she quietly insists on taking the seat next to Yuuji, which concerns both Yoshida and Shana. The teacher asks her to take out her books, but this seems to confuse Konoe a bit as the concept of taking her own books out seems alien to her. She ends up dumping her books out all over and Yuuji helps her pick them up. Among her books is a cloth which she has been told is to be used to cover her desk, which she does.

At Sato’s house, he and Tanaka are sleeping and Tanaka awakens to discover they are late for school. Marchosias finds this amusing, telling them that they don’t have to hang out with Margery Daw as if it is their job. Margery awakens and states she senses a sneaky presence in the city. However, with three Flame Haze already in the city, this Tomogara would be smart to quickly retreat as if nothing else, Margery will kill it. She then falls back asleep. As if on queue, we see a Tomogara floating on wheels of fire on the edge of the city, wondering if any Flame Haze will come.

Back at school, Ogata decides to take Konoe under her wing for P.E. class. Shana warns Yuuji to be careful, but Yuuji is more concerned about the Tomogara presence he senses outside the city. Shana isn’t concerned about it at the moment, but she is pleased that Yuuji could sense it and tells him so. At the girl’s P.E. class, they are to play volleyball and Yoshida decides to make some discreet inquiries about Konoe by talking to her and asking her questions. If Konoe is Hecate, she doesn’t give Yoshida any clues and even ends up falling asleep, her head resting on Yoshida’s lap.

At lunch, Ogata again takes Konoe under her wing to go buy some pan (Japanese bread products specifically). Konoe quietly grabs Yuuji to go with them, but he tells her that he already has a bento to eat (I assume from Yoshida). Tanaka and Sato finally arrive at school and are briefed about the new girl and put in a request to Margery Daw, who specializes in unrestricted spells which might force Hecate to reveal herself. Down where the pan products are sold, Ogata finds herself alone as Konoe is outside with some birds. Margery arrives atop Marchosias and the two immediately spot the facial similarities between Konoe and Hecate. Margery does her thing and while the birds all react to her spell, Konoe does not. However, Margery’s spell has drawn the attention of the mysterious Tomogara.

As Yuuji and Shana walk home, Shana decides to test Konoe again, but without telling Yuuji. She gives him her book bag and goes off to find Konoe, who’s come to a shrine after following a bird. Shana quickly comes to the shrine and erects a fuzetsu to test Konoe. Konoe doesn’t move, but the Tomogara on fiery wheels does. He calls himself Cache-sama and doesn’t appear to know who Shana and Alastor are by sight. A battle begins and while Cache takes some damage, one of his rings comes off his finger, rolls to Shana and explodes. He feels he’s got the upper hand, but Shana is unharmed and identifies herself. She attacks the now scared Cache and damages him severely.

Needing to get healing, he goes to the “frozen” body of Konoe to eat her existence. Yuuji arrives in the fuzetsu and appeals to Shana since if Konoe is actually just a human, he doesn’t want her to be killed. The Tomogara gets to Konoe and touches her for a moment before Shana launches her sword into the Tomogara, slaying him. Yuuji manages to save Konoe from further harm by catching her after she had been knocked over while still frozen in time. She has an injury on her arm with blood where Cache touched her, revealing that she was indeed human.

Yuuji and Shana walk home and discuss Shana’s trap and test. Yuuji wasn’t too pleased with how she did it, but Shana reminded him they couldn’t relax or trail properly unless she knew for sure that Konoe was human. Today’s training will be with Wilhelmina.

Elsewhere, a horned, winged male humanoid in a suit named Fecor asks Bel Peol if he did OK. She confirms that he did and that the plan is going perfectly.

At school the next morning, Yoshida is told that Konoe isn’t a Tomogara, which relieves her. Konoe arrives and again dumps her books all over the place. As Yuuji helps her, he notices a small bird feather in her hair. He tries to remove it, but it won’t move and an amused Konoe softly grabs his arm. This is seen by both Shana and Yoshida, who are not happy about that.

Thoughts: I think Konoe will indeed be Hecate or at least some trap set by the Bal Masqué to get Yuuji. Hecate’s empty existence might be why she could emulate a human but still not be sensed by Margery Daw, Shana, or Yuuji as a Tomogara. Fecor must also be a Tomogara and I figure established the “Cache-sama” Tomogara that Shana dispatched.

Yuuji is getting better though since he was at least able to sense the Tomogara as it came to the outside of the city. Then again, that too may have been part of the Bal Masqué design.

Regardless, I’m enjoying this at least as much as the first series. It is nice to see that Yoshida can be part of the “team” with her artifact.