02x11 - The Answer of the Two

[bunniefuu]

For us both to be given the same
clothes and put into similar rooms...

It's ironic, isn't it?

At last, the house is
treating us the same way.

That's true.

I'm sorry.

I fell asleep for a little while.

Mistress Maryrose,
were you able to rest at all?

No.

Being in this place made
it impossible to sleep.

Honestly. You have nerves of steel.

Also, I didn't get a goodnight kiss.

Oh, dear. Did you feel lonely?

I should have sung you a lullaby.

Please don't.

I'm not a child any longer.

The Answer of the Two

Mistress Kate! You're awake!

I'm so glad!

Last night was quite an ordeal,

so I was worried
you might not wake up!

This soot is as soft as a bed!

I'm so sorry to make you use your soot
powers when you're already so tired!

This much poses no difficulty.

Kate must hone her soot powers.

The adults are likely to be
far stronger than Maryrose.

As we fought, she taught Kate something...

She said not to show enemies mercy.

But she held back against me and Shaun.

And if she hadn't,
we would have lost.

She truly was formidable.

Yes.

I'm certain that Master John
will be exhausted today, too.

I readied a lot of food for his meal,

but he's not waking up.

By the way, what was that letter just now?

Thank you for inviting us here.

Your rooms are very large... and very lovely.

The adults have given an order.

It has been decided that Maryrose will
be punished in Lord Grandfather's wing.

Tonight, she will be turned over
to the warden in the Passageway of Glory.

As an interested party,
Kate, you will bear witness.

The Passageway of Glory?

The only passage connecting the children's wing
to the adult wing. An elevated walkway.

Oh.

The passage we used
on the way to the debut.

Is that...

a Star Bearer's medal?

Kate has never seen
a shadow wearing one.

There is no need for you
to know about that.

We should be going.

Kate...

Thank you for stopping Maryrose.

Barbara...

Maryrose is sorry for
breaking our promise.

Barbara knows nothing of a promise
made with the likes of you.

Blast it! This is infuriating!

This is a promise.

Let us become adults together.

You make a good pair, don't you?

We've been waiting for
newcomers with high aspirations.

Christopher was already respected
throughout the children's wing.

Maryrose took an immediate liking to him,

and they talked together of
the house's future nearly every day.

Selections are generally made based
on existing powers at the debut.

This is where many
shadows end up failing.

If they were to receive proper instruction...

Shall we try doing it?

Currently, Star Bearers have
no responsibility to teach,

but when Christopher becomes a Star Bearer,

the children's wing will likely
become more lively than it is now.

Their conversations were
complicated and difficult to follow,

but Barbara was happy
to be allowed into their circle.

Edward isn't so sure about that.

The house seeks capable
shadows, does it not?

Surely one should prioritize self-improvement
over looking after those who are inferior?

E-Edward...

That isn't the way Christopher thinks.

Pipe down, useless girl.

If you have no opinion
of your own, just keep quiet.

It seems we have inferior
types mixed in here as well.

Edward, thank you for your
direct and honest opinion.

And you do have a point.

But in the long run,

these reforms will prove
to be of service to the house.

True, at first, there may
be things which feel vexing.

But we know of your brilliance,
and that is why we want your help.

Barbara...

You are part of the first class of
students in this educational reform.

What?

Together with Maryrose.

Your abilities have already been
acknowledged by the house.

You've debuted.

You should be more confident.

Thank you so much!

Please show Barbara the way!

Show the way? You're a
bit dramatic, aren't you?

You and Christopher
are friends, right?

Christopher will change
the house as one of its leaders.

All Star Bearers receive invitations,
but his will be especially significant.

Um, are Maryrose and Christopher...

Hm?

A-Are you courting?

Rest easy.

Our relationship is not like that.

What? Rest easy?

Isn't it you, Barbara,
who thinks of Christopher as...

What?

It would be far too presumptuous for
Barbara to view him romantically!

Barbara admires him.

And she thought that the two of
you suited each other well, that's all.

Barbara respects you
very much, too, Maryrose.

Even though you and Maryrose are peers?

After all, you came first at
our debut, and Barbara was second.

There is no difference between us.

And just as we expected...

Christopher became a Star Bearer
along with his peers.

We will hold regular instructor's meetings
with all those gathered here.

Starting now, we can finally dedicate
our efforts to instructing newcomers.

We will each teach them our
specialties in the pastime rooms.

No one surpasses Edward
in literacy and music.

If you would?

Edward has no choice, it seems.

That's incredible, Barbie!

It's as if Barbara has
become healthier too!

That really was incredible!

Master Christopher!

Please do not use "master"
with Christopher, Barbara.

Barbie can become a sports instructor!

What?

But a living doll as an instructor?

Let's try everything we can.

Christopher has previously noticed

that Shadows and their living dolls don't
always share the same characteristics.

And since you have so much soot, Barbara,
it's easy for you to exhaust yourself.

You should build up your endurance, too.

All right! Let's go running!

You're too fast, Barbie!

Ben, you're doing well!

I know you can still keep going!

Huh?

Mistress Barbara is running,
too, isn't she?

Don't you need
to stay by her side?

What? Well, I mean, just look.

Christopher!

There's no need for you to
stay with Barbara!

Christopher is worried
about your health.

You seem the type to overwork
yourself from trying too hard.

You don't have to worry.
It's all right to rest.

And if things get too hard,
Susanna will kindly pat you!

Oh! You're the newcomer... Susanna?

Aileen is training her for the first-aid team.

She can be quite forceful.

This new group is full
of problem children!

He renovated the soot removal room
without permission, causing chaos?

Well, that in itself isn't good,
but it is impressive!

Let's have him train with
Gerald in the research team!

When Christopher receives an invitation,

it will be difficult for anyone else
to win over these young ones.

Maryrose and Barbara are here
to carry on Christopher's wishes,

so Christopher isn't
worried about a thing.

The Star Bearer's medal had probably
never shone so brightly before.

We were the greatest generation.
Everyone was happy.

But...

Christopher's invitation
changed everything.

Maryrose, please come out.

Why have you suddenly
lost all your motivation?

No one comes to the instructor meetings
or conversation parties anymore.

Barbara can't do it alone.

But...

If you were there,
Maryrose, then everyone...

It would be like before.

Maryro—

Barbara...

Sorry, but Maryrose isn't
in the mood for that.

Maryrose doesn't want
to become an adult.

Christopher... Maryrose...

Barbara had the wrong
idea about everything.

There isn't a single thing that
Barbara can do on her own.

Mistress Barbara! That isn't true!

All of it was for nothing!

No...

Barbara didn't mean to...

Barbie?

Barbie!

I'll get straight to the point.

You cannot become an adult.

It was the first time since the debut

that we'd been called
to Lord Grandfather's wing.

You know why, don't you?

Your face has been grievously wounded.

Thomas...

For a living doll to be
ordering Barbara around...

she must now be seen as
truly worthless. Is that right?

I am not a living doll.

You should use "master"
when addressing an adult.

Fusion.

That is what it meant to become an adult.

If only we could have met one last time...

Normally, you'd be disposed of.

However...

An exception has been made,
just this once,

since Christopher has such
high hopes for you.

Christopher?

There are two conditions.

The first was to preserve
order among the children.

The second was the full recovery
of Barbara's face for fusion.

The system changed.

Being a Star Bearer was no longer
the first step toward an invitation.

Instead, it meant being an
educator in the children's wing.

Barbara can't wear this medal yet...

not until she becomes like Christopher.

The selection of the other
Star Bearers was entrusted to Barbara.

Maryrose doesn't want to become an adult.

Barbara parted ways with Maryrose.

Maryrose no longer had any intention
of carrying on Christopher's wishes.

Since then,

The Star Bearers are here!

no matter what anyone has said,
Barbara has maintained complete control.

They're scary!

Barbara has been able to try this hard
because she has something she believes in.

Blast it! This is infuriating.

One day, when the scar is healed,

Barbara can become an adult.

That way, she'll be able
to see Christopher again.

When that happens...

will he praise Barbara?

This letter of consent
for the handover...

It's quite formally written, I must say.

Master Edward...

Our response was delayed by the mistaken
information that Kate was a threat.

Would it be possible to stop manipulating
the Star Bearers according to your whims?

Putting on the airs of a
worthy leader, are we?

Never mind.

I praise you for finding the culprit.

Maryrose...

It seems you were a
rebellious element, after all.

Later, you will tell us
everything in great detail.

To think that the powers
you'd kept hidden

allowed you to control the soot
of others and create phantoms.

Phantoms...

That story Christopher made up
so that the children would clean.

If he knew his tall tale ended up causing
so much division in the children's wing,

he would weep.

Why isn't it Christopher?

The warden of the children's wing...

should be Christopher!

Do not pry into
the affairs of adults.

Lord Grandfather chose me.

Barbara doesn't know anything.

I'm sorry, Barbara.

I retain my memories
from when I was a morph.

I thought that made me freer than
anyone else, and gave me more choices.

Where did I go wrong?

If it meant experiencing this anguish...

Then was breaking Anthony's
brainwashing the right thing to do?

It's a strange feeling.

Before Barbara and the new Star Bearer
order started to hold rejoicing parties...

Coffee was provided once a week
with meals in an individual's rooms.

The rule was that living dolls would
recite their instructions themselves.

Having learned of the brainwashing,

it was a simple thing for me
to keep them from drinking the coffee.

It seems the brainwashing
has worn off quite a bit, Anthony.

Yes.

It's as though the fog in my
brain has cleared.

The brainwashing may make
management easier for the adults,

but it means that children can't
think deeply about anything.

That's true!

In that case, let's break
everyone's brainwashing!

Wait! We should
be discreet about that.

It isn't as though you want
to start a rebellion, is it?

Of course not.

This life isn't a bad one, right?

First, we should think of ways to have
the adults reconsider the current system.

Just what you'd expect
of Christopher's face!

Very admirable!

Why did you want me and Rosemary
to stop drinking the coffee?

Well...

Maryrose was lonely!

Since Maryrose is the only
one who knows the secret...

First, Maryrose wanted Rosemary
to feel the same way she did.

And if you're brainwashed,
then jokes aren't funny, right?

Maryrose couldn't say,
"Let's try sneaking out!"

Soothing Mistress Maryrose
must be difficult.

Or, "Why don't you try on
Maryrose's clothes?"

Not at all.

Hey!

Stop whispering together, will you?

But this could be a problem...

Anthony is already so intelligent,

and now he'll be able to
use even more of his brain?

Will Christopher really be
able to manage as his master?

Master Christopher,
you are a splendid master.

Amidst the greatest generation,

Christopher's achievements were celebrated.

And the secret star in the shadows
was the living doll, Anthony.

The fact that they could achieve so much
with Anthony's brainwashing broken...

It gave me a feeling of
superiority at the time.

Master Christopher has received
an invitation, hasn't he?

Yes.

Things are going to get busy.

Maryrose and the others will have
to bring the children together in his stead.

And our allies who are free
of the brainwashing are gone.

If we had Mistress Barbara, at least...

Stop saying that, Rosemary.

We discussed it with
Christopher, didn't we?

We said that this secret would
only be a burden for Barbara.

Who's there?

Anthony!

What's happened?

Didn't you go to Lord Grandfather's wing?

I've learned why the
brainwashing is necessary.

Without it, no one would
be able to accept the grave truth...

We humans were brought here to offer
our faces and bodies to the shadows.

We are no more than vessels.

Fusion...

When Master Christopher
learned of it, he...

Christopher k*lled himself.

What decision should I have made?

At what point should I have realized the
gravity of everything in order to save him?

I couldn't find the answers.

Maryrose, please come out.

Barbara...

If you were there,
Maryrose, then everyone...

It would be like before.

I wanted to speak to her in that moment.

But...

There were too many
things I couldn't tell her.

The distance between
Barbara and myself,

the span of a single door,
was just too far.

Maryrose...

When Barbara called me Edward just now,

you didn't react at all.

Isn't this form "Ed" to you?

We have confirmed that information
about the fusion process has been leaked.

That means there must be an informer.

You will cough up who it is,
and we will catch them.

Be ready.

And do not underestimate adults.

Stepping past the halfway point
in the Passageway of Glory

means that we're now in
Lord Grandfather's wing, doesn't it?

There's no going back now.

What is this?

This tremendous quantity of soot...

Where did you plant it?!

This is the domain of the adults!

Which means that if trouble occurs,

it will be seen as your fault, Edward!

Maryrose!

We will all stop her together!

Oh! Kate, you stay here,
would you?

No one but Star Bearers must ever
enter the Passageway of Glory!

I would never forget Ed!

Taking over Ed's body so you could live...

Do you truly think
nothing of it, Edward?!

Using the phantom disturbances
to stir up trouble,

defying the adults...

and now damaging the
Passageway of Glory itself...

This goes beyond a simple lack of
devotion to Lord Grandfather.

Has the coffee not accumulated
in her system enough?

Mistress Maryrose!

Is this Edward's soot power?

Edward's power is to vibrate
the air using soot to manipulate sound.

I'm sure the soot placed in your ears must
be ringing most dreadfully right now.

Oh...

Apologies.

You can't hear, can you?

This is the difference
in our strengths.

Becoming an adult heightens
one's soot powers as well.

The world of adults which I so admired
as a child was exactly as I'd imagined it.

The world of adults which you'd admired?

If you thought I'd envy you, you're wrong.

If something is only gained through
the sacrifice of something precious,

what value could it possibly have?

If it means having to go
through fusion, then...

Traveling through
a jumbled labyrinth...

Over and over

This lonely utopia...

I have no more need of it

A vanished smile

Promises are lies, too

Everything is pointless,
isn't it? And yet...

Even misshapen as I am, I keep searching...

For shadows of recollection

Roses whose love has rotted...

Lock their feelings away

That silhouette from back then...

I've kept on chasing it...

Even if pale, frozen thorns

Pierce my heart over and over

Until I can take that hand

Again and again

I'll wish on a star

Next time,

Next Time

Those Who Fight Back

"Those Who Fight Back"