02x09 - Tsubomi to Mutsumi

[bunniefuu]

You bought another m*ssile
off the Dark Web again?

Well, it was a rare prototype,
so I had to.

I found a super-rare marble statue!

So tacky!

Wow, what a pretty stone!
There are flowers blooming all over it!

That's a cherry blossom agate.
If you want it, feel free to take it.

MUTSUMI

Here's another "Mutsumi" box.

Want to see what's inside?

No, no! Just carry it out as is!

This really takes me back!

Everyone's so small.

ALBUM

It's bad enough that you're slacking.
At least don't make a mess!

That body pillow,
didn't I tell you to throw it out,

Big Bro?

But... but this was made
by a professional prosthetic maker,

and it's a 100% match
for your density and body mass.

Don't wrap around it.
You're giving me the chills.

Understood.

So you say,
but you're only going to hide it again.

My bad, Mutsumi, adding to your workload.

This Old Man Hunter update
is taking forever.

And you haven't been
feeling well lately, either?

Don't worry. I'm just
a little feverish at night, that's all.

It's clear that the resurrected head
has some connection with Dad.

There were traces of Dad's visit
to the Ninomae Manor.

Meaning that looking into Lady Ninomae
would be one way to go about it.

But Lady Ninomae
is someone from 200 years ago.

Our first order of business should be

to find the Ninomae Journal,
the most important Yozakura family record,

and pick up some clues about our dad!

Yeah.

Finding it sounds like a good idea,
but wouldn't it be in the library?

It's an old house,
so even if there are records,

we have no idea
where a lot of the actual things are.

Definitely the library,
as well as the storage rooms,

the repositories, the closets.

We're going to split up the work and
go over the place with a fine-tooth comb!

Shinzo!
Just what are you planning to do

with all these b*llet casings?

I can't get back there.
They're in the way!

Hey, sorry. I'll move them right now.

Who stuffed the bookshelves
on the north side with fashion magazines?

Me!

No surprise there.

The storage room
on the second floor has all my chemicals,

so don't go in there till I move them out.

I want these pressed flowers!

You can have them.
Those are called thistles.

Whose box is this?

My hard drives! I thought I lost them!

Huh? So what's in them, Big Sis?
- So that's where they were?

I can't believe you hoarded
all these old issues of "Step."

Whoa! This cover is epic!

I wanna see it!

All right! Listen up, everyone!

I now realize how foolhardy it would be

to search for a book
in a mansion this cluttered.

Therefore let's begin...

the Yozakura Mansion
Major Cleanup Mission!

Ah!
- What?

YOZAKURA FAMILY

MISSION 36
TSUBOMI & MUTSUMI

Even for you guys,
this is way too sloppy!

For example...

Kengo!
- Me?

These statues of you, put them all away!

The poses are unpleasant, and above all,
I can't tell what they're for!

What, seriously?

But I thought they'd be healing
and a feast for the eyes.

They're stressing me out
visually and mentally!

I'm going to help myself to this tiny one!

Next, Big Sis Shion!

Whoa!

ASAGAO FAMILY

Collecting every version
of the same book...

collecting games by serial number...

you're collecting
too many of the same thing!

Who knew you had no inkling what it
means for a collector to seek perfection.

What a child you still are, Mutsumi.

There's nothing more childish

than buying in bulk!

If it makes you that proud,
would you mind taking

these "Witch Girl Warrior Magical Boing"
goods you lent me...

off my hands?

Whoa! Mutsumi! That was our secret!

I love Usa-Pink, too!

Ai, I'll let you have this, so be quiet!
- Yay!

Big Bro Shinzo...

even you aren't an exception!

Oof!

Buying a ballistic m*ssile?
Just what are you going to do with it?

We're spies, you know, not warmongers!

Worse, you didn't buy it
from our business partners,

but a Dark Web auction,
an easily traceable route!

It was cool,
so I couldn't help myself.

Don't buy weapons like they're jewelry!

So big! It's so cool!

My, my.
No wonder the house gets so cluttered.

You all keep pouncing
from one thing to another.

There are so many heirlooms in this house,
like books and pottery.

Wouldn't you agree that protecting
traditions like those...

is what the Yozakura family
should be about?

So that means that

you've brought out
all those antique stuffed animals...

not because they're cute, but...

Because they're heirlooms.

And the reason you've been
placing them by your pillow lately

isn't because you're afraid
of sleeping alone, right?

Because they're heirlooms.

Oh. So cute!

Am I cluttering up the house
with something, too?

No. You're one
of the more organized ones, Nanao.

The only thing is...

MUTSUMI
HAIR

I wish you'd store
the family's hair and nail samples

somewhere more out of sight.

Because it's a little creepy.

Sorry about that!

They're useful
for managing everyone's health

and prescribing meds
that match well with each person,

so I end up hoarding too much.

Anyone but you, Nanao,
would be in handcuffs.

Hey, one more thing.

Big Bro Kyoichiro asked me
to give him your samples, so--

SECRET MUTSUMI
COLLECTION

Discard! Discard!

What are you doing
to my Mutsumi collection?

Goliath,
take them to the incinerator.

I don't want that. It's kinda scary.

No!

TRASH

All right! The place is a lot tidier now,

so we can start looking for that journal.

I should be careful
not to hoard too much stuff, too.

That's not true, Taiyo.

Having all this stuff signifies,
for better or for worse,

how long the Yozakura family history is.

You're just getting started
collecting and hoarding stuff.

Objects and memories,
let's build up a whole pile of them!

Mutsumi.

I should make sure the pile
doesn't get too big,

or I'll get yelled at.

Huh? Hey, what's this? Wow!

TAIYO

It's a Taiyo fan!

Isn't this one of those things
you use to cheer on idols?

For sure.

And it has that homemade look, too.

Jeez, Taiyo?
How in love with yourself are you?

Hey! I'm not you, Kengo!

I'd never make something like that!

Then who did?

Ai, where'd you find that?

There!

DO NOT OPEN

It fell out from the gap in Mutsumi's box!

DO NOT REMOVE

Whoops! My hand slipped!

Taiyo posters, photos,
tote bags, coasters,

book covers, red penlights,
and red towels.

Also, eight types of tin badges,

two types of die-cut keyholders,

five types of acrylic stands,
and a life-size cutout.

A double-sided body pillow!

Don't tell me.

These were all...

Made by you, Mutsumi?

Well, what could I do? After all...

After all, Taiyo...

he's my number-one fave.

You really think you can fool us
with such gorgeous tears?

Who would have thought
you had a side like this, Mutsumi?

Lots of Taiyo!

You're just like Big Bro Kyoichiro!

Why, Mutsumi?

Why, when your brother is so like you,

you won't offer your love to me?

The same blood flows in our veins,
you know!

I think I'm going to die.

My whole body's heating up.

Mutsumi.
- Oh.

I didn't know
that you cared so much about me.

I knew he was going to say that!

Thanks, Taiyo!

From now on,
you don't have to hide it, okay?

All right, then! I want to make
a one-to-one scale figurine of you!

So can I take your measurements?

Please, be my guest!

I give up on this couple.

Huh?

Here's an old book!

Hey!

It's the Ninomae Journal!

NINOMAE JOURNAL

I organized all the people, places,

and objects named in the Ninomae Journal.

After analyzing
and sifting through them,

we detected someinine being released
in a location that I'd missed initially.

Founded by Lady Ninomae
back in the day...

the Yozakura Silk Mill.

Still operating today in the textile
industry, including sericulture,

a lot of employees and tourists
come and go during the day.

I'm unable to pinpoint
the source of the someinine due to noise.

There's no telling when Dad
and Lady Ninomae might show up.

Watch your backs.

Are you all right, Mutsumi?

Yes. Thanks.

That low-grade fever hasn't gone down yet.

All the dust from the cleanup
probably didn't help, huh?

No, no, I'm fine.

I'll be on my feet again in no time.

Mutsumi, would you like Big Bro
to sing you a lulla--

No, I wouldn't.

I knew things were all hot and heavy,

but who would have thought
she'd get an actual fever?

You said it.

Hey, no.

Oh.

What's that thing?

What a gaudy centerpiece.

That's the fifth Yozakura head,

who presided over
the Yozakura Silk Factory in its heyday,

Lady Steward Itsuwa.

She launched
numerous brands and shows

using her own company's fibers.

Known for her love of glitz and glamor,

it's said that she ordered her body to be
put on permanent display in all its glory.

Well, I guess you could call her
a Kengo-level narcissist.

What? I don't think
even I would go that far...

Hmm.

I just might.

We suppose so.
- We knew it.

No good. The noise is still preventing me
from detecting the someinine.

Gotcha. For now, we'll split up and...

Water God!

Is this Big Bro Shinzo's Turmeric?

Should I be happy or sad?

It's complicated.

I'm pleased to meet
my beloved grandchildren,

but I'm hardly dressed for the occasion,
not the way I look.

You must be disappointed.

I couldn't be more embarrassed.

What the...

It's talking?

I see there's a child who takes after me.

I'm quite touched.

Normally,
I'd give you an exuberant welcome...

gorgeous attire, glory and abundance,

the brilliant dawn
of the Yozakura conglomerate.

I wanted to fully showcase
the harmonious display of beauty

forged by my artistic sensibility
and business acumen.

However...

this castle has already been cursed.

By our founding ancestor,
Tsubomi Yozakura.

Human bones!

We found some
at the Ninomae Manor, too.

These black cherry blossoms
are roots put down by Tsubomi.

They're demonic roots that absorb people.

Her longevity prompted Tsubomi,
out of fear of aging,

to spread these roots out far and wide
in order to live on...

deep and long.

She also used her own blood
to awaken the heads, her descendants,

at rest in their respective locations...

drawing out hidden powers that never
would have manifested in a family head.

And so, to have them protect her roots,

she turned the former heads into puppets
that she could control at will.

I have no interest in Tsubomi's fate.

The last thing I'd do
is worship her as Ninomae does.

I ask you to please send me back
to the underworld with your own hands.

I get it. It's not just
that I can't register it due to the noise.

The whole silk factory's
tainted with someinine!

She probably specializes in skills
like Kengo's Observation and Trace.

She's transforming the whole factory.

All right, here it comes.

You guys, we're sticking to the plan!

Right!

Most likely, those black trees
are the source of the enemy's energy.

First thing...

Destroy!

So beautiful.

I was able to slash away most of them.

I'll finish them off with one more blow
to eradicate--

Big Sis Mutsumi's vitals are off!

What?

What's wrong, Mutsumi?

Hey, dumbass Big Bro!

What's going on over there?

I see. So that stinking hag...

Watch your language, my dear.

You should show restraint
before your mother.

Tsubomi?

You're much too talkative.

Is this how you thank me
for reviving you with my blood?

It's not in my nature to cling to life
in such an unseemly way.

Is that the person Taiyo told us about?

Tsubomi?

I'll take command of the front lines now.

Nanao, watch over Mutsumi!

Roger that!

But Big Sis' temperature keeps spiking.

This is bad!

Cherry blossoms?

My bond with Mutsumi has awakened.

Even a great tree such
as I will wither away one day.

To revive my aging, deteriorating body,

I needed fertilizer of the most staggering
potency and succulence.

That's why I planted
these special seeds of mine

into the Yozakura family

and waited for them
to blossom and bloom profusely.

And then...

I should have harvested them.

Though I failed to do so that day,

I was able to embed
a strong bond in her...

roots too thin to be seen,
that can never be severed.

That said, having missed
a golden opportunity,

I'd withered completely
and needed to rebuild myself...

into a robust body
that could withstand robust fertilizer.

Momo, Dr. Kawashita...

my descendants
who'd become family heads...

people whose names were unknown to me
became the source of my sustenance.

Thoroughly hydrated,

I regained my vigor, bit by bit.

And now the time is ripe.

I am ready to absorb that child into me
through my roots.

Yes.

That child was born for me,

and she will die for me.

Too engrossed
in your chatter and absorption?

Thanks. Now I can move.

You little pests, listen up.

The roots and the previous heads,
that's what's sustaining Tsubomi's life.

Meaning there's just one thing to do.

Demolish them all.

Then you'll be able to obliterate
the power of the roots

that are draining away
the current head's life.

Give this gorgon who refuses to die...

the coup de grace.

What a bad girl.

As long as I have Mutsumi,
I don't need anything else.

All of you, come back...

to my womb.

My body is...

No way! She's absorbing
all of their someinine?

What the heck?

This could be fatal!
Get out of there right now!

But if this keeps up...

Big Sis Mutsumi will...

Demolish them all.

What should I do?

Taiyo... can you hear me?

Run away.

I'll be fine.

If you're all safe, that's enough for me.

He repelled my roots.

I'm such an idiot.

I haven't been protecting Mutsumi.

Mutsumi has always protected me.

The vow I made that day...

I'm going to...

protect you!

This time, no matter what,
I'm going to come through!

AMATERASU - CHAOTIC BLOOMING

Let us meet again.

Taiyo!

Are you all right?

Taiyo...

I won't let her have her way.

I swear I'm going to save you, Mutsumi.

Right.

Mother, the roots have stopped throbbing.

Itsuwa's roots have been destroyed.

I shall heal them and then restore them.

No need to panic.

That child will always be in my grasp.

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