02x12 - Glad I Became a Magical Girl

[bunniefuu]

Magical Girls.

Those who use magic
to protect the livelihood of everyone.

This title also includes those who support
and assist Magical Girls with their work.

They fight courageously and skillfully

to exterminate creatures called "Kaii"
that spawn out of nowhere.

Strong, cool, and agile.

A legitimate, well-paying job
admired by everyone.

That's Magical Girls.

Protocol: disabled.

Don't do this, Ms. Tsuchiba.
You have to reconsider!

This is Tsuchiba.
I apologize for delaying extermination.

I'll hurry...
- Tsuchiba.

Koga speaking.

Regarding your ongoing task,
I'm asking you to immediately

abort the mission.

Abort the mission? Why?

Have I made any blunders?

Abort?

You did nothing wrong.

It's just that...

saving your life is our top priority.

Understood.

Calling Coast Guard HQ!
This is Scops Owl 02. Do you read?

This is HQ. Loud and clear.

A Kaii at Takeshiba Pier
knocked down Scops Owl 01.

As we speak, a Magical Girl from AST
is deploying a large-scale spell.

Although the Kaii has weakened,
it's still quite active.

I repeat, the Kaii is still active!

It's disappearing...

Even after such a wide-range deployment...

Ms. Tsuchiba...

My company has ordered me to abort.

We can exchange opinions
over the weekend, if you'd like.

We'll send reinforcements.

Until they arrive...

Hello?

Apologies for calling out of the blue.

This is Shigemoto,
the president of Magilumiere.

I'd like to speak with President Koga.

How did you get my number?

What?

Uh, it's an urgent matter...

Just deploy the reinforcements.

Hello? Who's this?
- Koga.

Shigemoto?

Let's work together.

Huh?! What are you--

Isn't this just like 15 years ago?

You withdrew because you noticed
the resemblance to that incident, right?

If you send reinforcements now,
they'll take ten minutes to arrive.

Devising and executing a new plan
would take at least five,

all while the danger grows.

My company, however,
can respond immediately.

That doesn't mean...

Are you going to let
Magical Girls die on the job?

We're going to work
with Magilumiere temporarily.

Thank you for cooperating.

Do whatever you want...

Connect me to your engineers right away.

Um, this is the Engineering Department.

Sorry this is so sudden.

We're sending
our company's Alice System platform

along with spell generation codes
for each of our registered Magical Girls.

What?

Basically,

we'd like your Magical Girl
to join our proposed combination spell.

Please let me help.

He's sharing
Magilumiere's entire source code!

Are we even allowed
to see such valuable intel?!

What is that company thinking?

I'll create two IDs
and grant access permission.

Maybe I'll throw in
a spare ID, just in case!

This is awesome.
No joke, I'm getting so psyched!

Got it.

I need you to mentally prepare.

"Plan A" conducted by Magilumiere
will probably fail.

What do you mean?

Realistically, we cannot exterminate this
with our capabilities alone.

So, we'll shift to a more practical
"Plan B" and collaborate.

I'd like to attempt a combination spell.

Combination?
- Combination!

The combination
will depend on the situation.

But if AST shows up at the scene,

we'll make use of their power.

All items shared.

Now entering combination phase!

Follow the outline we sent.

Once you're all in position,
activate each individual Magic Circle.

They'll link together to form an attack.

Okay, assume your positions!

All members, confirmed in position!

Output range, check!

Output balance adjustments complete.

Transmitting Magic Circle prompt!

Magic received.

Checking procedure!

Deploying the first Magic Circle!

Deployment, check!

Can I do the next one?

The floor is yours.

Initiating procedure!

Looks good. Next!

I'm preparing the link now!

Deployment complete. Link now!

The link is 80% complete!

They're being too flashy.

Magilumiere's finished their deployment.

Now it's our turn.

Magic levels and stamina, both stable.

No issues--

Ms. Tsuchiba?

Error? But why?

Recheck output and conversion!

Did it mess up
'cause of that injury just now?

No, that's not it...

I think this error
was triggered by emotional disturbance.

Huh?

Why?

EMPLOYEE ID
KANA SAKURAGI, MAGICAL GIRL

Huh?

Why?

How did I usually do this before?

Saving your life is our top priority.

Oh, that's right.

When employees exist
solely for the company's sake,

that's our value.

The output is unstable! At this rate...

Kana! Back her up!

Um, but my Magic Circle...

We'll take care of it!
We got three girls here.

She's your friend, ain't she?
That takes priority! We got your back!

Okay!

Sit back and relax.
It's more fun playin' with me anyway.

Ms. Koshigaya.
- Maki?

Iroha and I boosted
our Magic Circles' output a little.

You can cut your burden in half.

We'll hold out somehow.

'Kay, I owe ya!

Ms. Tsuchiba...

Our Barley Spice Show
is coming to Zenrakuen Amusement Park!

Come and see us, okay?

Tune in next week, too!

Ta-da! New release!
It's the Deluxe Barley Spice Wand!

That won't do it.

But we can't cut back any more...

I'll work through holidays
and make ends meet somehow...

We can't take Mei out
over the long weekend anymore...

It's out of our hands.

Barley Spice, can you hear me?

I have a wish for you.

Dad and Mom are both working hard,

but they're struggling a whole lot.

Barley Spice, please save them!

I want everyone
to laugh like they used to.

Please!

Watch your step there.

We're cleared to take him in.
Can we transport now?

He suddenly collapsed with a headache?

Yes. He's been unconscious ever since.

He'll be okay, right?
You can save him, right?!

Please, calm down.
- If anything happened to him, I...

Somehow, we managed to save his life.

But he can't return
to his previous lifestyle.

Another extension on his hospitalization?

Sorry, Mei.

Hang in there a little longer.

Barley Spice isn't real,
so she won't save me.

I have to save myself somehow.

I'll study hard,

get good grades,

and build myself a solid track record.

I'll be the best
and rise through the ranks.

Then, nothing will be
"out of our hands" anymore.

Or so I thought...

Ms. Tsuchiba!
You need to adjust your magic power!

Try deploying it again, please!

It's right above you! Look out!

Are you okay?

My coworkers are holding the Kaii back.

Take some time to regroup.

I'm sorry. Um, I'll hurry...

You're right, Ms. Tsuchiba.
Barley Spice isn't real.

But still,

she's a fictional character
we drew courage from.

We're nearing our limit...

Deactivate the Magic Circles!

No, we can still do this!

Hell yeah!

We're not finished yet!

At the end of the day,
fiction is still fiction.

That won't give me courage...

Right now,

we can draw courage from our colleagues!

We can...

We can do it! We'll be your Barley Spice!

So...

Let's do this together.

Okay.

Initiating procedure!

All Magic Circles...

Ready to link!
- Ready to link!

Formation-refined Magic Circle,
fixed output!

All links are locked!
Get ready to activate!

Load complete!

Activate the combination Magic Circle!

Luminous Operation!

Kaii levels are rapidly decreasing.

The signal's gone.

Mission accomplished!

My little Kana!

We did it, we did it, we did it!

We'll now begin transporting
victims of the Kaii attack.

If you are injured, please alert
a nearby attendant or reach out to us.

According to reports just moments ago,

all passengers aboard the helicopter
were safely rescued.

I sincerely apologize
for any inconvenience I caused--

Don't worry 'bout it!

Chill out! You're stiff as hell!

But...

We should be thanking you.

You really helped us out
with that combination spell!

That's right!

We did this together as colleagues, right?

Yes.

All righty!

All's well that ends well!

Let's scarf down
some curry dandan noodles!

My, what a splendid idea.

Spiciness at level five!

Wait, um...

After completing a task,
I must submit a report...

Ms. Tsuchiba.

Come on!

Okay.

Fixed output immediately before linking?

How'd you do that?

I can't even fathom how god-tier that was!

It's nothing, really.

Your activation prep
was fast too, Yamimori.

That sure means a lot!

Looks like we managed to prevail.

Yeah.

However,

the real battle starts now.

Is it too spicy for you?

Although it's a manner violation,
I'd also recommend adding rice at the end.

Can you finish all that food, though?

No sweat, right?

It's very good.

Regarding this disaster,

related authorities are working together
to investigate the cause.

Minister, any future countermeasures?

What do you think
about easing regulations?

Regarding Kaii mutation...

Wow, that went far beyond my calculations.

Who could've expected
Koga to partner up with Shigemoto?

MHLW PRESS CONFERENCE

You went beyond our calculations.

If I had left that alone,
Shigemoto would've defeated it himself.

You triggered the risk
of that Magical Device.

Such actions will work against
our objective of producing results.

Triggered risk? You're one to talk.

Creating danger is your specialty,
isn't it, Kamakura?

You miss the government-controlled era
that badly, do you?

I could ask you the same.

So, what do you think?
Is this operation ultimately a failure?

Failure? Absolutely not.

I'll turn this into a success.

Kana, you got plans tomorrow, right?

Go home already.

But I'm not even
halfway through this report...

Excessive overtime
is counterproductive, you know.

Just keep the MHLW waiting.

In the end, business ain't enough
to keep this world's gears spinning.

It's the customers who watch how we work
and decide the future of our industry.

How we work...

You've grown a ton
since you first came here, little Kana.

Um, you really think so?

She's right!

Indeed.

You heard 'em.
Enjoy that lunch date tomorrow, ya hear?

Sound good, Kana?

Okay!

This reminds me of Barley Spice.

But wearing this to lunch
might be a bit, you know...

But I want it...

I'm glad I became a Magical Girl.

Those I admired...

Those I never would have met
if I'd lived a normal life...

And even those I considered distant...

This job brought us together
as irreplaceable comrades.

I'm not the only one fighting.

We grow strong
because we all fight together.

And I'm sure that's true
no matter what your occupation is.