02x12 - The Observatory (Belvedere)

[bunniefuu]

In the midst of the Daihasei Festival,

Oriana Thomson continues her flight across Academy City.

As myself and Stiyl give chase, we're shown up by her,

while Tsuchimikado is picked off.

Even Himegami, who just happened to be standing there, was set upon.

Damn it! Oriana, I swear, you'll pay for this!

"A Certain Magical Index II"

Omote nara GO Ura wa STAY

Mazu kotae wo kikasete

"Douka oshiete kuremasen ka?"

Tenshi wa misadameru egao no mama

Mayoe! Sono te wo hiku mono nado inai

Kami ga kudasu sono kotae wa fukou datta

Sou sore koso kami kara no okurimono

Norikoetara miete kuru sa dakara ima sugu (Look for it by oneself, no buts about it)

No buts!

Damn it!

Tsuchimikado? Sorry, but I lost sight of Oriana.

Do you have any idea where she might have been headed?

This bus appears to circle around School District ,

but where she might get off is... hold on a sec.

What is it, Kami?

Say, why is Oriana walking around town?

Huh? Well, because we keep chasing after her--

No, before that.

If there's no deal for the Croce di Pietro,

then it isn't to meet anyone, right?

So then, her strolling around the city

is just going to increase her risk, isn't it?

If that's the case,

it means that there's a reason why Oriana is acting all by herself.

What reason?

I don't know that much, but she may have been searching

for the conditions they need to use the Croce di Pietro.

Conditions?

There has to be some special circumstance, or they can't use it?

I asked Stiyl to check into that for us.

Now that you mention it, he forwarded me an email from Orsola.

I'll send it to you, too.

I read it, Kami. It appears to be a record dealing with

the cleaning of the vault the Croce di Pietro was in.

So, what did it say?

When the Croce di Pietro was stored,

they were neurotically sensitive about not letting any light hit it.

Light?

They must have been trying to keep it from inadvertently activating.

Which would mean that it activates when the sun hits it?

If that's true, then she would have already done so.

Also, it says to finish the cleaning during the daytime.

So then, time doesn't enter into it.

Nope.

However, there was apparently a problem with the caretakers.

They would use horoscopes to do astrology while on duty.

Astrology? If they did their cleaning during the daytime,

it was nighttime light they were wary of.

In other words, it was the stars.

Indeed. By enlisting the figures in the night sky into magical arrays,

they could obtain an enormous amount of power.

If the Croce di Pietro acts like an antenna

to collect the light of the night sky,

that would mean Oriana is out looking for the optimum spot

in which to set up an antenna.

But Peter d*ed on June th.

Moreover, Japan's latitude and longitude

isn't the same as the Vatican's.

If they can't overcome those problems,

it rules out the constellation use theory.

But, we don't have any more time to think about it.

Let's just get moving.

If we work under the assumption that they are using constellations,

then our time limit would have to be...

Sundown? Well, what should I do?

Toma!

What are you doing up here?

I-Index?!

It looks like Kanzaki Kaori isn't here after all.

Lidvia...

I know what you're going to say.

The girl that you engaged was an ordinary civilian.

Her name is Himegami Aisa.

Despite possessing an extremely significant power,

she is not particularly a magician.

That Celtic cross was nothing more than an accessory

to keep her power under wraps, and she is not the least bit aggressive.

How awful...

Truly awful, indeed. We have struck out at a civilian

who had nothing to do with this operation. And this makes it twice.

They are sinners who stray, do wrong, and seek salvation,

who we are to protect.

We must not make any more mistakes.

For her sake, we must use the Croce di Pietro,

and bring Academy City under our control.

I'm not so sure everything is going to work out.

By placing Academy City within our hands,

will all of everyone's problems really be solved?

Toma, why aren't you with everyone else in your class?

You haven't competed in any events all afternoon, huh? Why not?

O-Oh, I was helping out with the steering committee.

That's weird. I sent a text out to the guys in my class.

A text?

Maybe I didn't have any service.

Or maybe the signal didn't reach the service center.

I-In any case, Index, you go back to where the others are.

Toma, Toma, they said next up is group gymnastics.

Will you be there?

Yes, I will. I'll finish up my assistance as quick as I can.

I'm gonna be there. So will you wait for me there, Index?

Mm-hmm!

Sorry about that, Kami.

Let's finish up our assistance quick.

On the other hand,

with this many people around...

"Wait up!"

says Misaka Misaka, catching up.

Hmm?

"What's the problem? Misaka was only looking at the souvenirs!"

says Misaka Misaka by way of protest.

Misaka?

Hello? Stiyl?

I've finished treating the schoolgirl.

How is Himegami?!

I don't even want to have to use that spell again.

For the time being, we've kept her from going into shock.

It's the doctor's job from here on, though.

Hey, man...

Huh? What's with the wussified voice?

I have no intention of getting chummy with--

I still haven't told you thank you.

If you hadn't been here, Himegami would've... Himegami would've...

Stop that. We're still not certain that she's going to survive.

Even so, I... I...

Sounds like you're busy, so I'll catch you later.

Call Tsuchimikado!

It sounds like he's onto something. I'm heading there, too,

once I can get away from this lady!

Looks like I was right after all.

In which case, what do we do with this discrepancy?

Ah, Fukiyose?

Are you feeling any better?

I'm doing fine.

But never mind me, are there any problems at the Daihasei Festival?

As it happens, Himegami is in a real fix.

Don't tell me those idiots did something again!

Actually, she was att*cked by someone, and taken to the hospital.

att*cked?!

If Kamijo and his friend hadn't been there,

things may have turned out a lot worse.

Ah, the priest just went by!

Mr. Priest!

Huh? A priest?

What exactly is going on in this city?

Okay...

So sure enough, the constellations hold the key to activating it.

Yeah, but, it was summer when the Croce di Pietro was used before.

I doubt they can substitute the autumn constellations.

There's something else here. Some gimmick that we haven't figured out.

But we don't have any more time to kick it around.

The English Puritan Church?

Am I reaching the cell phone of Mr. Stiyl Magnus?

A wrong number?!

I am so terribly sorry!

Wait, that voice--is that you, Orsola?

Oh, my, then you must be...

Thank you for all your help earlier.

Thanks to you, I am fitting right in around here--

Say, if you have something to report, could you hurry it up?

Why, yes, the other day,

Miss Kanzaki showed me where this delicious Japanese restaurant is--

I mean, tell us whatever information you've discovered already!

Right. I have learned more about the conditions needed

to use the Croce di Pietro.

It is said to be some kind of large-scale fixture

for using the power of the constellations.

Sorry, but we already knew that.

Oh, is that right?

Well then, you must also know that

it can freely activate anywhere in the world, regardless of season.

When I found that together with Miss Sherry,

I thought we at long last had something.

Just a second. What are you talking about?

In order to use the Croce di Pietro,

one must have a firm grasp of the area where it will be employed,

and then select the most fitting of eighty-eight constellations for that area,

before the conditions to activate it can be achieved.

Which would mean...

Yes, while there are various restrictions, practically speaking,

control by the Roman Orthodox Church is possible

anywhere in the entire world.

Wha--?

We're starting to get it. You mean that Peter allows a lot of latitude

in the location of his martyrdom.

But even if they chose a location, what about the time?

St. Peter was put to death on June th.

That is the precise date when the Croce di Pietro

was used at the Vatican.

You mean they intentionally took it on that date?

They were prepared to die for it.

It's not such an impossible tale.

So, Orsola, have you found out at what location they would use

the Croce di Pietro in Japan today, September th?

Yes.

"A Certain Magical Index II"

"A Certain Magical Index II" But of course I have found that out.

"A Certain Magical Index II"

Wow! Look, look, Mikoto!

A quasi-five-dimensional kaleidoscope!

Heh, how fascinating!

Stay away from those shady goods.

Pick something that will be more memorable.

Oh, you are being so girly.

Y-You be quiet, you dumb mother!

I-I know the clammy feel of that gaze...

S-Sissy, is that lady a member of your family?

Wow! What is this...?

This... hyperinflated version of Sissy's aura...?

D-Damn it, if that is how it is, then I will psych myself up,

and have the both of you bring it on!

Whoa, Kuroko, are you...?

Mikoto, does your girliness swing that way, as well?

Huh? N-No!

Come on, Kuroko! Hurry and snap back to reality!

--Geez, wake up, you! --S-Sissy!

Good morning! Good morning!

Oh, that boy...

So, the reason why Oriana was walking around

was because she was seeing whether that location would work?

Yeah. Everywhere we've been up to now

has had buildings or roadside trees blocking out the sky.

That leaves only one point.

I'm sure she will be going there.

The experimental airport in School District ?

There won't be anything to obscure the sky there.

Sorry to take so long.

Man, what is the deal with that lady?

Every time I used a repel spell, as soon as I left the affected area,

she would catch up to me again.

Forget about that, what do we do?

School District is under incredibly tight security.

Are we going to be able to get in?

That's no problem. I'll just use the "Just-this-once" prerogative

that only I have.

Prerogative?

This is strange.

It's about time for final preparations.

Isn't there still a short while before the appointed time?

The security situation is changing strangely.

It looks like they've caught on that I'm nearby.

In that case, the location of our belvedere...

Probably. But it seems to be the most practical place.

We won't involve any more civilians here, either.

In that case...

Yes. You get ready, as well.

Let's now bring Academy City under our control.

Just like pushing a maiden of light,

unaware of anything before now, into the mud.

I had them alter the security status of School District a bit.

We'll take advantage of that confusion.

The Croce di Pietro will be activated just after sundown.

Probably between the hours of and .

It's ten minutes to the District terminal station.

That means once we get there,

we'll only have twenty-five minutes before time is up.

Just to be clear on the matter,

you intend to face Oriana in your condition?

I wish like crazy I could get some rest.

But District 's security is not so lax

that the two of you can break in alone.

All right.

Once we get on this train, there's no turning back.

k*lling will be all that awaits us.

Are you ready for this, Kamijo Toma?

Yeah. We're going to put a stop to all of this.

And one other thing...

What?

Remember this: I have no intention of ending this with k*lling.

Toma isn't here?

U-Um...

Um, how do you mean...

I am terribly sorry.

Here you have entrusted your precious son to me,

and I cannot account for his actions.

There is just one thing we'd like to ask you.

Yes, what is it?

Toma is acting voluntarily, right?

He isn't being dragged around by someone else?

Oh, yes. That is correct.

Then, it's something that means more to Toma than competing.

I can't come up with any reason to stop him, can you?

No.

Turning the skies of heaven to our housetop,

in order to establish peace in this land,

I now call on the blessing of the Holy Apostles.

The security around here is focused on the skies.

There aren't that many places to hide here, after all.

Then, how is Oriana getting into the airport?

She must have already done whatever it is.

Tsuchimikado, we're running out of time.

Ah, we'll just use that.

We're near the public airport. The skies are crowded with both

passenger planes and experimental craft.

The monitoring crafts have to alter their patrol routes regularly,

to prevent mid-air collisions.

If we sneak in under their blind spots, we should be able to manage.

Wait! Tsuchimikado!

What, Kami?

Tsuchimikado!

Are you okay, Tsuchimikado?!

Go on... Kami...!

Destroy that page... and the two of you go on...!

What about you?!

Stiyl, can't you heal him with your magic?

You think she's going to wait for that?!

Kamijo Toma!

Flame to my hand!

Its form, a sword; its purpose, conviction!

Hurry!

So the saint isn't coming after all, huh?

Which means, I guess it's just the three of you.

A barrier? She's cut off all communication.

Stiyl!

Oh, my!

I'm not so responsive that I can get my satisfaction on the side.

Break apart!

I see you guys still cave all too quickly.

I will stop you, right here.

I am not letting you use the Croce di Pietro.

If you mean to mess up Academy City, and ruin the Daihasei Festival,

then I swear, I will stop you!

How unkind to call it "messing up."

The Croce di Pietro removes the wall between magic and science,

and might just lead the people of the world to happiness.

Happiness?

How nice. I can kind of see how those words might sound nice.

However, the problem I have with it

is that by you using the Croce di Pietro right here and now,

you're going to wreck the Daihasei Festival!

So many people treasure the Daihasei Festival.

I don't care how great the religion that you settle down with is,

there's no way you have the right to deprive them of those feelings!

Do you think that much of an emotionally-charged argument

is going to sway me?

If that's all it takes to hurt you,

then you're out of order to begin with.

Can you say the same thing

in front of Fukiyose and Himegami, the ones you injured?

Ultimately, that's all I wanted to say. Except...

If you're still thinking of doing anything in my town,

I will wipe out any illusions of it, till there are no traces left!

Karamatta unmei mo kaete ikeru kara

subete wa kono te no naka ni aru!

Dare nimo makenai chikara ga koko ni nai nara

imajin nante kowashite shimaeba ii

Harimeguru shisutemu bakkappu insutooru wa OK

Kami sae mo shirienai fiirudo ga hiraku

Juuman no deeta mo isshun no mirakuru sae

suisoku fukanou na "ikite'ru katachi" dakara

In a Magic∞world exciting time or space there's no limit

Dareka wo mamoreru chikara ga hoshii

Karamatta unmei mo kaete ikeru kara

subete wa kono te no naka ni aru!

"Preview"

"Preview" I don't care how lofty your goal is--

I don't care how admirable your cause is--

by no means will I let you do as you please!

I won't let it end like this!

Next time, "Croce di Pietro."

When science and magic cross paths, the story begins.