03x03 - Balloon Hunter

[bunniefuu]

Okay, the next competition is...

"Balloon Hunter"

...the Balloon Hunter!

"Hazamaya Kana, Class 1-3"

In this contest, 30 students
chosen from each school

will compete to break the paper balloons
attached to their opponents' heads

using the designated beanbags!

Contestants whose balloons
are popped are disqualified,

and the team with the most
students remaining at the end wins.

The game area is spread out,
but going onto roads open to the public

and going indoors is prohibited!

--Also, as with the other games,
direct att*cks with one's ability are off-limits!

--All right, let's get going. Miss Misaka...?
--Also, as with the other games,
direct att*cks with one's ability are off-limits!

--Miss Kongo, we're getting started!
--All right, are all of the school teams ready?

I'll give you points for not
tucking your tail and running away.

Ha! You might be laughing on the
other side of your face when this is over!

Okay,

ready...!

Huh?



Just keep running as far as you can!

If we all make it through
this, it'll be a tie!

H-How negative!

Let's go after them!

"Pursuing them individually is dangerous.
We should act in three-man teams,"

proposes Misaka...

Oh well, then.

How in the world did this end up happening?

Actually, I can pretty well imagine.

On the other hand, the fact
that no one could tell she isn't me

is kind of lucky, but
kind of dejecting, too...

Well, there's no helping what's already done.

You're competing in my place,
so go ahead and tear it up.

"A Certain Magical Railgun T"

Uiharu, are you sure you
don't have to patrol?

I'm about to go, but it will be over the net.

In a large-scale event like this,
they anticipate a number of cyberattacks.

Ah, and that's right up your alley, isn't it?

Okay, three minutes have passed
since the start of the balloon hunter game,

and there is still no one
out from either team.

Who will be the one to break this tie?

Isn't that the event that Misaka
said she was competing in next?

It probably is. I wonder if
she changed her clothes in time.

Oh, this is Misaka we're
talking about. I think she's fine.

Ah, Kongo!

We have to split up, everyone.

--Right!
--Right!

A competition to break the
balloons on each other's heads, huh?

Tokiwadai has lots of other espers
besides Misaka who are amazing, right?

They're going to win
with no trouble, aren't they?

Hmm... good question.

Why don't you give up already?

A telekinesist...

Let me guess, you lured me here?

Heh-heh, it seems pretty
juvenile to do this against a girl,

but don't worry, I'm not
going to hit you in your face!

If that's your best,
you're not even a Level 3, are you?

I, too, am a telekinesist.

One who is in a class way
above yours, to boot.

Damn!

Do you think you can keep dodging them all?

Contestant Omoshi is out!

At this rate,

I could take all of you on,
and still have change left over.

Your schoolmates will soon be--

Contestant Kirifu is out!

Huh?!

But didn't that att*ck happen
after he was disqualified?

It was completely invalid!

It would be, if I had done it.

H-Hi, there.

She's the one who
telekinetically threw it at you.

You dropped your guard, thinking it was over,

Level 4 telekinesist Kirifu Megumi.

Why do you know my full name?

Because we're all weak.
We checked out everything to know about you,

and came up with some strategies.

Is everyone in position?

I can confirm that moments ago,
at least five members of the other team

came into this alleyway.

We are in control of all three
exits leading out of it.

I will telepathically give
the signal to move in.

All right then, three... two...

...one...?

M-Miss Kobayashi, take it easy...

Screams that are delivered
telepathically echo directly within the brain.

It amounts to a sonic w*apon
that can't be blocked out.

Oh, and that's just a toy, so relax.

"Kobayashi Satori: LV3 telepath"
"Weaknesses: bugs [especially spiders]"

They just keep scampering away.

They don't know when to quit!

M-Mud?

We have to go through there?

Our shoes are going to get dirty.

How about we go around?

Y-Yes, let's do that.

There they go.

They don't even realize
they're being led around.

Incredible. We're playing
Tokiwadai like a violin.

Just like you said we would, Baba.

Oh, I just collected some
data and made some suggestions.

But how did you get such
detailed information?

Including personalities and weaknesses?

I have a friend over at
the Garden of Learning.

That's how.

Hey, what do we do next?

Oh, hold on a second.

--Sure enough, wars are won
by detailed intelligence
--Let's see... Next, we move.

--and a leader who can make effective use of it.
--Let's see... Next, we move.

--and a leader who can make effective use of it.
--We rendezvous with Nomura and the others at Point 5A.

--and a leader who can make effective use of it.
--Where is Point 5A again?

--Know the enemy and know yourself,
--Where is Point 5A again?

--Know the enemy and know yourself,
--That would be...

--and even these knuckle-draggers
will make good pawns.
--That would be...

--and even these knuckle-draggers
will make good pawns.
--...the stockyard over on Block 2.

Over there, huh?

Okay, let's get going...

Baba?

Hmm? Okay, let's get going.

Things are going pretty smoothly so far.
We're way in the lead.

Stay on your toes, though.
They have Misaka Mikoto on their team.

That radar warning thing she does
means sneak att*cks won't work.

She's like her own fortress.

Still,

there's no need to eliminate
all of them, is there?

Yeah. No reason to go out on a limb.

We should spread the word to not go near her.

Isn't that the way?

If we didn't have enough numbers,
we couldn't move the plan forward,

so I intervened here and there,

but now that we're overwhelming them,
the real goal is getting left behind.

What a pain.

Well, let's see what shakes out.

No way! No way!

Why did I have to run into the Level 5?!

I-Is she gone?

There was an incident in
this alleyway previously,

so the layout, not to mention
the locations to hide

and from which to att*ck are all familiar.

Damn, that was a stretch, all right!

Ah, that way is dangerous.

"There, you see?" says Misaka with a sigh.

Contestant Misaka defeats
her second opponent!

Can Tokiwadai bounce back
in the time remaining?!

Did you see that, kitty?

Miss Misaka is amazing.

That really is an adorable cat, huh?

It looks as though this is
the end of the line for me...

Ecaterina, limit yourself
to only one rat per day...

That's fine and all, but please
hurry along to the sidelines, okay?

Huh? Oh, really?

You were awesome. There
were seven of us, too.

Given the power of Kongo Mitsuko,
it is no surprise!

--She apparently just transferred in,
so there was hardly any data on her.
--You should be proud that you managed to b*at me at all!

Just transferred in, and
she's still that pompous?

Bad news! Nomura and the
others were wiped out!

For real?!

This is bad. Our lead has
been nearly eliminated.

What's worse, so is our precious Level 3.

Nice!

Maybe we should go after
Misaka Mikoto after all.

Huh?

Right now, the other team
isn't acting cohesively,

but with the time limit
approaching and no time to spare,

they might start working together.

If they team up against us,
it will be hard to maintain our slim lead.

But if we take out their head right now,

we can shake them up,
and their leadership will get muddled.

Yeah, we get that, but...

...there's no way to b*at her.

Don't you worry.

There's a stunningly simple way...

"#3 Balloon Hunter"

...to bring her down.

Heh-heh, looks like I got away clean!

Judgment!

You are under arrest for
flagrant snatch and grab-- Huh?

You would be better off not
making this harder for both of us.

I am in an especially poor mood right now!

After all, so far today...

--...I have not seen Sissy even once.
--What is this?! Damn it! Pull them out!

Sissy must be competing right about now.

Where is the largest street
monitor around here again?

"Strange," says Misaka, tilting her head.

That girl does not appear
to have any desire to fight,

but she also does not seem to
be running away in any random direction.

Rather, perhaps the reason she came
to an area with open vantage points

may have something to do with her ability,

or perhaps...

...this is a trap.

If you can't hit your opponent
by throwing at them,

then don't throw anything.

Huh?

The rules of the competition

state that you have to break the paper
balloons using the designated beanbags,

and that's all they say.

In other words, you can break them
by holding the beanbag in your hand.

If Misaka Mikoto tries to use
her electric shocks against the beanbags,

it counts as attacking an opponent
with her ability, and she'll be disqualified.

By simply holding the beanbags in
our hands, we can lock down her shocks.

If she can't use her ability,
then the playing field is level!

In that case...

You're mine!

"Misaka has engaged in combat
over 10,000 times with someone

who could take her life with a single touch.

It will not be a simple matter
to catch her," warns Misaka.

Don't let up! Everyone charge her together!

Oh! Contestant Misaka,
faced with a flurry of hands,

dodges, dodges, and dodges!
This is incredible!

Good grief,

it took a lot of work
to set up those conditions.

Typically, Misaka Mikoto
emits faint EM waves around her,

which can serve as a kind of radar
if she pays attention to them.

And it's nearly impossible
for an electronic device,

--even a small one, to get near her undetected.
--Everybody, close the gap!

--even a small one, to get near her undetected.
--Don't give her any room to dodge!

However, under these circumstances,
with her focus distracted by the contestants closing in,

and the rules of the game preventing
her from using her ability...

Listen!

Everybody, together--

A hole in the wall has opened up.

Now is the chance to--

Contestant Misaka is eliminated!

Huh? No way! We did it!

We b*at her!

Misaka is...

...defeated.

Mission accomplished.

Man, that was an unusual mission, though.

I mean, incapacitate Misaka Mikoto?

The Balloon Hunter competition is now over!

Tokiwadai Middle School,
which was favored to win,

has been beaten by a razor-thin margin!

Their first black mark in the tournament.

One might say this is the greatest takeaway

from competing in the Daihasei Festival.

Yes. There is much that
can be learned from defeat.

For those who are conceited
because of their Level or status,

it's just what the doctor ordered.

It won't do to have them worrying
about soiling their clothes over winning.

Yes, indeed.

Shall I add scrubbing toilets
to their dorm chore rotation?

That is a good idea.

"Misaka did not remain vigilant,
and fell for the opposing team's plan,"

says Misaka, reflecting on her own mistake.

She was unable to fulfil
her role as your substitute.

Did you have fun?

Did you have fun competing?

Y-Yes.

Then there's nothing to feel down about.

The switch itself wasn't fair play,

but you couldn't help it
that you got mistaken for me,

and it's also my own fault for being late.

Besides, there at the end,
I think you held out longer than I would have.

I'm impressed.

It's just about lunchtime.

Have you had anything to eat?

No.

Here.

These are street stall vouchers
that they gave out to the students.

I have a date to eat lunch with my mama,
so you can use them if you like.

Street stalls, you say?

The festival is going on anyway,

so let's both enjoy ourselves.

Oh, you still have the gym clothes
on that you borrowed from Miss Wannai.

Get them back to her as soon as you can.

I know it's okay to bring your own food in,

but I'm not so sure that includes
cheese fondue with your own pot.

Oh, now, mother and daughter,

sitting around a pot during
the sports festival is pretty nice, isn't it?

How so?

Aw, but it's gonna take a
while before the cheese is melted.

I should have cut these up smaller first.

Okay, I'll go buy us something to drink.

I'd sure like some wine.

There's no way they have that here.

Ah, man...

It sure is crowded, huh?

You, too, huh?

You, too? This is aggravating, huh?
There are lines everywhere you go.

Yeah. Ol' Kamijo here very nearly
wet himself, even as old as he is.

What are you talking about?!

How the restrooms are so crowded,
you nearly whiz in your pants, right?

I just came here to buy some drinks!

Oh, that.

You really do have no delicacy...

In that case,
I'll go buy enough for you all, too.

What my old lady prepared
for us probably won't be enough.

Just sit tight for a bit, okay?

Plus, he's an unusually nice guy...

See? Just like I told you, right?

Yes, indeed.

Still, I'm surprised you could
tell from the video footage.

Mental Out can be used many different ways.

I'm not telling, though.

Okay, then. I guess I should
expect as much from a Level 5.

You can skip the brown-nosing.

Just keep up your fine powers of observation.

Well, well...

Miss Misaka, enjoying a relaxed lunchtime?

Relaxed?

What, are you training somewhere
out of sight during the lunch break?

Don't be silly.

I had all my afternoon
competitions cancelled.

Huh?!

After everything this morning, I'm exhausted.

Listen to you.

Do you think this will be enough for lunch?

It's mostly tea, though...

Um, and who is this lady here?

My classmate.

Sort of.

She's in your... class...?

O-Oh, she's your classmate, huh? Okay, okay.

I detected his gaze dropping 30 cm just now!

Nice to meet you,

Mr. Kamijo.

I am Miss Misaka's friend, Shokuho Misaki.

It's a pleasure.

Wh-Who are you calling a friend?!

Ooh, how scary!

Miss Misaka doesn't seem to like me.
She's always so bristly with me.

Y-Yeah, she's always prickly with me, too...

Oh, yeah? So she's bristly
and prickly, huh? How funny!

Stop describing me...

like I was a sound effect,
and hitting it off after just meeting!

See you later, Miss Misaka.
Compete hard enough for the both of us!

Hmm...

Is something the matter?
You look unusually lost in thought.

Uiharu, how's work going?

There were three fairly
large-scale server att*cks,

but they were only slightly
worse than amateur level,

so I dealt with them in no time at all.

O-Oh, yeah?

What about you, Miss Saten?

Tell me,

where would Shadow Metal be lying around?

Are we still talking about that?

If it's created wherever esper
powers engage with each other,

it would probably be on the grounds
where powerhouse schools competed.

Didn't Miss Shirai warn you about this?

You're not having financial trouble, are you?

Uh-uh.

I mean, I'm not exactly well-to-do, either.

How can I put this?
It's the adventure, you know?

Of obtaining something that
isn't conventionally recognized,

and which you'd otherwise
never find in your day-to-day life.

Just like being a Level 5.

Ah, what the hey.

I'll follow your lead on this.
"Shadow Metal," did you call it?

I'll check around for
whatever information I can find.

There's my Uiharu!

How come you're wearing
gym shorts under here?

So I can go out and compete right away.

Um, please don't tug.

Cotton candy...

...and candy apples...
What must they taste like?

The yakisoba might
have egg in it, so rule that out.

"Ah, cats are able to eat
ikayaki," says Misaka...

Oh...

...no... These clothes...
are borrowed, too...

Now they're dirty...

"Next episode preview"

Sissy, at last, the two
of us are alone together!

"Next episode preview"
"#4 Tampering"

It's not that big a deal.

Oh, no! It has been 23 episodes
since the two of us did a preview together!

So, Sissy, go ahead and lay one
of your usual passionate kisses on--

I do not even get to make a quip?!