01x08 - The Misanthrope and the Magic of Peace and Quiet

[bunniefuu]

All done.

Pitching a tent's harder than I thought.

Hey! Hitoma!

If you're not busy, help me make food!

Usami! Don't point knives at people!

Shut up!

Get over here or I'll crush you!

What? Crush?!

I just heard you say the word "crush."

Has Mr. Rei finally admitted

to having a crush on me?!

You're annoying me, Karin,

so you help out with the barbecue, too.

What?!

I don't mind, since Mr. Rei's here.

Squeak! I can't handle onions!

What do you need me to do?

Tobari, start preparing the mess tin.

Isaki wants to help make rice

in the mess tin, too!

Episode 8

The Misanthrope and the Magic for Peace and Quiet

I can still eat more!

Clean up once you're done eating.

That was delicious!

Glad you liked it, Macchan!

Isaki had tons of fun, too!

Mr. Rei, would you care for seconds?

Thanks, but I'm too full to eat any more.

No need to hold back, Mr. Rei!

When I serve you rice like this,

it feels like we're newlyweds

Oh, what joy!

No, I really can't eat more.

We're not done just yet!

Marshmallows

Ta-da!

Nothing to end a barbecue

like some marshmallows!

For real? Awesome!

Yeah, let's roast 'em!

I want some, too.

Mr. Hitoma, try a s'more.

S'more?

You take a gooey, melted marshmallow,

and put it between some salty crackers

with chocolate inside.

Whoa, there's no way that's not good!

Mmm! It's so sweet and yummy!

Not gonna have any?

Sensitive tongue.

Karin-rin, can I try

lifting your boobs up?

Isaki, you sound like a perv.

What?

You don't get hyped

when you see some huge milkers?

I don't mind at all.

Score! Thanks, Karin-rin!

Wanna feel Isaki's up in exchange?

The hell's that about?

Thanks, Isaki!

For what?!

Not gonna get in, Neneko?

No, thanks. Don't like water.

Too bad, it feels great.

Hate feeling all soggy.

But you'll still keep us company?

Uchami. Let's see who can

last longer in the sauna.

I won't be part of such a pointless game.

Oh? Is someone scared to lose?

Heh heh.

Machi, even your taunts

are dumb and childish.

A sh**ting star? Should have made a wish.

Still awake, Mr. Hitoma?

You didn't go to sleep, Haneda?

There was somewhere I wanted to go.

Wanna come along?

A shrine?

You see, this is

where this school first started.

Started?

At first, Shiro ran

the school out of this shrine.

Shiro? You mean the principal?

That brings me back.

It all began when a dryad said

she wanted to become human.

I turned her human without thinking,

and sent her off into the human world.

But it didn't work out very well.

She didn't understand

how human manners or culture worked.

That's when the idea came to me.

I just needed to prepare them first

before I turned them human.

That's how the school started.

What happened to that dryad?

She couldn't fit into human society.

But she's still here at our school.

You know the cherry tree?

This is the center of the barrier.

It forms the core of this school.

The core?

Yep.

I thought it'd be good

for you to learn about this place.

As thanks for tagging along,

let me show you something nice.

Did you make a wish?

A wish.

My wish was for your wish to come true.

I wished I could learn to like humans.

I can't tell anyone

about such a stupid wish.

Art Room

Kurosawa. What's that?

A self-portrait?

Yes.

Do you like art?

It's fine.

What?

Um, do you like paintings that are black?

They're fine.

I see.

Don't like colors.

They deviate from what's normal.

What's this? Is that Mr. Hitoma I see?

Mr. Emoto.

Did you come to check in on Kurosawa?

Oh, yes.

Mr. Hitoma, ever wanted to try modeling?

Excuse me?

Kurosawa, why don't you try

having Mr. Hitoma model for you?

He wears black, so sure.

You heard her.

Mr. Hitoma, you'll be our live

model every Monday from now on.

What?! Just like that?!

Kurosawa's already agreed to it.

Right?

You won't?

Please.

A/V Room

All right.

Let's begin our special training program.

Taught by the director herself

Today's course will be "Humans

and Humanoid Species."

Humanoid?

Werewolf

Mermaid

The main examples would be werewolves

like Isaki and mermaids like Kyoka.

Yuki-onna

Oh, yuki-onna like Yuki

and crow tengu like the principal as well.

Crow Tengu

You mean species whose original forms

are close to that of humans?

That's right, Mr. Hitoma.

You're quick on the uptake.

I have a question I'd like to ask.

Hm? What is it?

Do aliens, inter-dimensional

sliders, and espers exist?

Sure do.

They do?!

So, why this training all of a sudden?

There's a humanoid species visiting us,

so I figured you should brush up.

Visiting us? Is it an alien?

Nope, a witch.

A witch?!

I wanted to introduce you to said witch.

Would that be all right?

What?

She's Neneko Kurosawa's guardian.

What?!

She can be a bit of a handful,

but I'm sure you'll be fine.

Director's Office

Long time, no see. How's it been?

Oh, Lady Shiranui!

It's so boring without you around!

You're so wonderfully tiny in this form.

Like an adorable infant.

Thanks.

Is this her homeroom teacher?

That's right. Call him Mr. Hitoma.

Oh?

She's showing zero interest.

Let me introduce you.

This is Alice Medea, her guardian.

Hello. I'm Rei Hitoma,

Neneko Kurosawa's homeroom teacher.

Did she end up being named Neneko?

You came up with

a great name, Lady Shiranui.

Thanks.

Lady Shiranui, how much longer

are you going to stay in this dull place?

With these tacky, loud-mouthed tengu.

Pardon?

You came to me for advice

when you started the school,

so I thought you were

going to stay by my side.

I told you I was going to

stick around here from the start.

But you really helped me

out back then, Alice.

Thanks.

I love you!

On what business have you come here again?

What? The biggest reason

is I wanted to see Lady Shiranui.

And since I'm here, I wanted to ask my

kitty's homeroom teacher how she's doing.

There you have it.

How do you think Neneko's

doing, Mr. Hitoma?

Kurosawa's doing just fine.

I do warn her about

falling asleep all the time.

But it hasn't affected her grades,

which are top of the class.

I see.

It's best that she leave me before long,

so turn her human as soon as you can.

That all depends on Neneko.

Miss Alice, why do you

want Kurosawa to be human?

I don't know if it's from

being around me for so long,

but she's started to gain magical power.

Good thing I noticed just

before it was too late.

Too late?

We can't have her wielding magic,

so I reached out to Lady Shiranui,

who agreed to take her in.

Why can't she wield magic?

If she exceeds a certain level of

magical power, she'll cease to be a cat.

I believe you call it

a nekomata around here?

Nekomata?

It'd be a real hassle if that happened.

Nekomata are but shadows

of their beastly selves.

They can't control their own magic,

and attack people against their will.

Nekomata

Do you think she could live

with herself like that?

Which is why, to ensure her

magical power stays below the limit,

I figured I could have Lady

Shiranui turn her into a human.

I can't turn Alice down.

Neneko agreed to as well,

so I let her enroll.

Kurosawa agreed to it?

What's more, as long

as she's inside the barrier,

her physical body will stop growing,

so she won't gain any magic.

Um, can I tell Kurosawa

about our meeting, Miss Alice?

Huh? No Sure

Which is it?

I don't want her to think

I'm an uncool mom who's clingy!

But I'm sure she's sensed my magic

and figured out I'm here.

In that case, I guess it should be fine

Alice, weren't you here today to see me?

Yes! That's right!

Listen up, human.

Feel free to tell my kitty all

about my visit.

Oh, sure.

What? Is she just a big ol' softy?

It's about time I get going.

I'm planning to stay in the area

for a while, so I'll be back soon.

Bye, Lady Shiranui.

Yeah. Stay in touch.

What'd you think of Alice?

I had my reservations, but I'm glad

to see how much she cares about Kurosawa.

Right? She's a funny one.

Especially how she

doesn't seem to realize it.

Art Room

So it was my mistress

I knew it was her magic.

Hey, Kurosawa.

Can I ask you something?

Kurosawa, do you want to be human?

If my mistress wills it.

I'm not asking about Miss Alice.

Do you want to be human?

I don't know.

But since I'm not normal

What do you think being normal means?

Whatever my mistress wills.

That's what's normal.

Mr. Hitoma.

Do you think colors are necessary?

Huh? Colors?

It's normal for everyone else

to use lots of colors.

My mistress also

I like your art, Kurosawa.

Your art may lack color,

but you come through clearly in it.

You and I may see in different colors,

but that difference

doesn't mean you're wrong.

That's why I don't think colors

are an absolute must.

I dodged that!

Shiranui High

Yes? This is Hitoma speaking.

Oh, Mr. Hitoma.

Kurosawa attempted an escape

from the barrier.

What?

Luckily, we caught

her in time, so she's safe.

Mr. Hitoma, can you come

to the principal's office now?

I'll be right there.

Principal's Office

Why'd you try to escape?

I wanted to erase the colors.

Mr. Hitoma.

I don't want to become human.

So you broke school rules,

hoping to be expelled?

Yes.

But why an escape?

Is there somewhere you were trying to go?

Because

I thought my mistress

would come and get me.

Miss Alice?

Yes.

Why don't you show

yourself already, Alice?

What?

Can't keep your mouth shut, tengu?

I can't really blame him this time around.

Mistress

A lowly cat like you has got

some nerve summoning me here.

So? What will you do?

If you go back with me, your only

future will be turning into a monster.

I studied up.

Huh? What?

I studied black magic in search

of a way to remain in control of myself.

A way to control yourself?

Did you find one?

I found nothing.

So it was pointless.

Still, I don't want to be human.

So

I was hoping you would

put an end to it all.

What?! Do you realize what you're saying?!

I do.

You rescued me. Raised me.

Gave me your magic.

And now I'm here.

Which is why

Alice.

It's your responsibility.

And if I refuse?

You can't.

Seriously?

Didn't you say you were fine

with being human?

Mr. Hitoma taught me.

I don't need to abide

by what you will of me as normal.

You're all I need.

You're all I ever wanted.

Why are you making me do this?

The color black is all I'll ever know.

What? I don't know what that means.

With a little more time,

I might have figured something out.

So you could deal with it

if you just had more time?

If I could control her magic,

and create a suitable vessel to hold it

Three years, then.

You have three years.

I'll maintain Neneko

at her current magical level.

Can you figure something out in that time?

I-I can!

Neneko?

Does that mean

I might be able to stay

with Alice forever?

Yes, if everything goes well.

I want to stay with Alice.

Then you'll have to work hard.

Lady Shiranui.

How exactly will you stop her

from gaining magic?

There are two methods.

The first is to lend her my ring,

and have her learn to control her magic.

The second is to have her live in

the shrine in the forest and learn there.

I suggest the latter,

since I can lend my support.

The shrine?

Ugh, I don't want to

be indebted to a tengu!

I would rather not as well.

But since it's Lady Shiranui's proposal,

I'll go along with it.

So? What do you think?

Fine

Even if it means being

beholden to that tengu

In that case

Neneko Kurosawa, you are hereby dismissed.

Ugh, this shrine's a mess.

Must you be so rude all the time, Alice?

Can I use magic on this

building? Is it magic-free?

Why does it sound like

you're talking about smoking?

Due to the barrier,

you can't use magic on the building.

Instead, Mr. Hitoma will be

making visits as a custodian.

Do a good job cleaning this place.

Sure thing.

I don't know if I should

still call you Kurosawa

But I saw you finished that portrait of me

in the art room a while back.

That drawing's been long complete.

But it seems Kurosawa didn't

want to put an end to it.

Was she fussing over the details?

Or perhaps she took

a liking to you, Mr. Hitoma.

I guess we'll never know,

since she's left the school.

Kurosawa.

Thank you.