01x09 - Because You Were by My Side

[bunniefuu]

Day Six of the Nine Schools Competition!

Today, the Battle Board and Ice Pillars Break Rookie Events will be held!

Amy! Good luck!

If I win here, I'll be through to the finals!

Miyuki and Shizuku are already there!

I have to give it my best shot!

Whoever strikes first wins! Go!

I see.

Because she's altered the phenomena by moving her pillar,

it's impervious to any changes from my magic.

I already knew you'd try an attack like that!

Nice going, Amy!

Just keep going and lock up the win!

It's still too early to tell.

Eh?

You're right. Surely, Third High must've researched Amy's strategy.

Here's my next move!

All according to my calculations.

That's our Shiori!

Yes. She certainly kept pace with her opponent.

What... What just happened?

Those pillars should've fallen over...

but they just kept sliding away!

I see. Pretty brilliant.

Who would've thought she'd reduce the ice's coefficient of friction to zero?

All right!

Right before the collision with the opponent's pillar,

she minimizes the coefficient of friction of her own pillar.

The instant the three pillars become one,

she increases the coefficient of friction to the max.

The only one who can pull off this move is Kanou, a magician adept at detailed calculations.

By now, Contestant Akechi is out of options.

I'm going to take care of her now in one fell swoop!

Airi...

I felt trapped by my family's issues and tormented by my inferiority complex,

but it was you who taught me.

There was something more important that I could trust.

I'm not going to look back anymore.

I'm only going to look ahead and not hold back. Just watch me.

Airi!

Wh-What should I do?

Amelia? Amelia?

Amelia, listen closely...

Why now at a time like this?

Come to think of it, what was it that Grandma said that day?

It looks like I overestimated First High's engineer.

Oh no! It's over!

Not yet.

There's no way that Onii-sama doesn't have a counterattack in mind.

Well, we have no chance against them in terms of control.

Still, Amy...

that's not your field, is it?

Is this going to end with me losing?

But I've worked hard to make it here.

So everyone will forgive me, right?

I...

No...

I...

Look at Amy's Psions!

I'm not...

just like this...

No!

No way! She's not capable of an advanced move like that!

I...

What did I just do?

Amelia...

That's right. With Magic Sumo.

Yeah.

I came really, really close...

but I lost!

Amelia, listen closely.

You mustn't lie.

Huh?

Magicians like you and me turn lies into reality.

That's why we must be careful about lying.

Without our knowing it, a lie can rewrite reality and become the truth.

U-Um... Uh...

I suppose that's still a little too hard for you.

One day you'll come to understand.

One day...

Grandma, I get it now.

The truth is, I want to win!

I don't want to lose!

So, I'm going to do all I can as far as I can go!

She did it!

Really, Amy, who knew you had all that hidden power?

But come to think of it...

Those card games we've been playing every night...

Have you noticed that Amy seems to be losing just as much as she's winning?

Now that you mention it...

No way! That was on purpose?

Well, I can't say for sure.

If Amy has a habit of letting up without knowing it,

but now she's unrestrained...

then this might be Amy's true power.

Who would've thought she was this powerful? But most likely, Contestant Akechi, you're...

Three pillars versus two now! This should do it!

Huh?

This is bad! It's sooner than we thought!

I knew your stamina wouldn't hold up forever.

I haven't lost yet!

I don't want to lose!

The only way to win is to hurl a pillar and bring down her opponents' three remaining ones.

But even if she did manage to fling it,

those three are fused together as a single unit now.

Smashing into it to knock it over will be nearly impossible.

Now, it's only a matter of how she'll bend reality with her magical power.

For a magician, images are reality.

Isn't that right, Grandma?

That's why I imagined myself smashing my opponent's pillars over and over!

Please, let me deliver it!

All of my power in my final blow!

Go!

She still has that much power left?

I won't go down in defeat!

I'm focusing all of my Psions on defense!

No good, huh?

No! Hold up!

Well played.

An utter defeat.

Yippee ki yay!

First High School

Ice Pillars Break <Final>

- Akechi Eimi (First High School)

- Kitayama Shizuku (First High School)

- Shiba Miyuki (First High School)

Honoka, congratulations on making it to the Battle Board final!

Congratulations to you and Shizuku, too!

This is amazing! I mean, First High's swept all three spots in the final!

You guys...

Sorry to keep you waiting.

Amy!

Don't overdo it!

You should be in bed.

I-I'm fine, okay?

Everyone!

The Tournament Committee has approached us with a proposal.

Proposal?

First High has swept all three spots in the Women's Ice Pillars Break Rookie Event final.

So, they want to know

if we'd like to skip this afternoon's final and have all three of you share first place.

U-U-Um, I was thinking of withdrawing anyway before you mentioned this proposal.

Well, I guess I don't blame you!

This is awesome! All three of you in first place!

Congratulations, all of you!

All right, then, we'll accept the proposal, and you'll all take first place.

Hold on a second.

I'd like to compete against Miyuki.

Shizuku...

You heard Kitayama-san.

Miyuki-san, what do you want to do?

I...

If Shizuku wishes to compete against me, then I have no reason to refuse.

I see.

In that case, I'll let the Tournament Committee know.

Right!

Yakisoba

Okonomiyaki

I didn't see that coming. You going up against Miyuki.

I guess that's how strongly you felt about it, huh?

Yeah.

Because it's my chance. I just didn't want to pass it up.

Enrolling at First High...

and meeting Miyuki...

It shattered my ego to see someone in the same school year who's that amazing.

The chance to go up against a magician of Miyuki's caliber doesn't come your way that often.

That's why I couldn't back down.

I'm going to do everything I possibly can in this match. No holding back.

Shizuku...

All right! Then, I'm rooting for you, Shizuku! Give it all you've got!

I'm in the Battle Board final, and you're in the Pillars Break final!

Let's both win our events and celebrate together!

We're going to stuff ourselves with a lot of good food and party all night!

I like it. Sounds fun.

Okay, let's promise each other!

We're both going to win!

Right. That's a promise.

Airi...

I'm sorry I couldn't win.

It's all right. Don't worry about it.

It was such a good match.

Thank you. I know I should feel bitter, but somehow I feel so reinvigorated.

I've never felt this way before.

Shiori, you've gotten stronger, I see.

Even though I did lose.

But it's all thanks to you, Airi.

Eh?

It's because of you that I learned not to be shackled by my past

and to look straight ahead toward the future.

Thanks.

Shizuku's amazing.

I was so intimidated when I saw Miyuki.

I have to do my best, too!

Yes, that's right! You have to do your best!

Here we are in the finals.

I've been looking forward to going one-on-one with you!

I'm sure you have some eye-popping tricks up your sleeve for this match, too, yes?

I got a chance to see your Spirit Magic!

I'm not going to lose to you!

I'm going to beat you, no matter what!

Oh?

Well then, it's going to be one fun match.

All right, I'll see you in the final!

Later!

I'm not used to doing that kind of thing.

Is this Shizuku's influence?

Mitsui-san, it seems like Shiba-kun can't be spared from Ice Pillars Break, after all.

Well, it can't be helped, I guess.

After all, Tatsuya-san's in charge of both Miyuki and Shizuku.

Oh, but I have a message from him.

What?

"If you stick to the plan we came up with together, you can win it all.

If the going gets tough, then remember your training."

That's what he said!

Tatsuya-san...

So, your opponent in the final is Third High's Tsukushiin, huh?

Spirit Magic that can manipulate the water's surface.

Do I have a chance?

When she uses Spirit Magic, her Phenomena Interference Power emits electromagnetic noise.

Your chance of winning lies in that noise, Honoka.

Understood! I'm heading over now!

And now, the Women's Battle Board Rookie Event is about to start!

Mirroring Magic!

Since she's altering the water's surface with magic,

it also has the effect of blocking other spells.

So, it's like Area Interference.

I managed to strike first!

Since Ancient Magic takes longer to activate than Modern Magic!

Huh! I already took the flaws of Ancient Magic into consideration.

I'm abandoning the first part of the race... to focus on the remainder!

I've seen this move before!

Is she planning to leap over my magic range?

It's against the rules to take a shortcut by using a Jump Spell!

All right!

I see! So she's jumping horizontally!

That wouldn't be a violation.

But that's not the only thing I've got planned!

Honoka, your sensitivity to light is your asset, right?

If you maximize that feature, you should be able to sense Contestant Tsukushiin's noise.

That's your strength, Honoka.

I can see it now, Tatsuya-san!

Right where that light's shining... That's where she's laid magic traps!

If I know where they are...

My spirits got suppressed?

That girl... Could it be that she's the same as me?

Mitsui Honoka...

Mitsui...

light pool

I see!

So, that girl is a Light Element!

So, that's why she could see my magic, huh?

No wonder I thought I could sense something familiar about her!

This is just perfect!

This Nine Schools Competition sure is a blast!

I can see the full course from the top of this waterfall!

This is my chance to see all the spots where she cast her magic!

Eh? This many?

What should I do?

If I suppress them all, it'll drain all my stamina!

I-I'll just start with the spots nearby!

Huh?

This feeling...

A dummy?

I knew it!

She realized that I could see where she'd cast her magic,

and she used that dummy to drain my power!

Well, sorry, but I'm not falling for that!

Eh?

Eh?

So, it wasn't just a dummy! She actually unleashed something that huge, too?

Eat my dust!

Mitsui-san!

It's not over yet! This match has only just begun!

What? That was a CAD, too?

That's not Ancient Magic!

That's... Modern Magic!

Water Spirit?

Ancient Magic spells are like my arms and legs.

I can use them in my sleep.

That's why I can focus on Modern Magic.

No good. I can't catch up!

Mitsui-san, try to remember all that training you did

and all of the advice that Shiba-kun gave you!

Honoka...

What's going on?

That's right. I've trained like there was no tomorrow!

I've worked hard along with everyone else!

Not to mention, I've got Tatsuya-san on my side!

Suddenly, she's moving much better.

We Elements have been known to unleash powers that we didn't know we had,

for the sake of those we depend on. Is that what this is?

Right, here's my k*ller move!

No matter what kind of wave comes my way, I'm not going to lose!

I've caught up!

The race will come down to that curve at the loop exit!

I've grabbed the inside track! I win!

What the...

How did that happen?

I had the inside track!

Illusion Magic!

She made the shadow darker to create an optical illusion!

How did I miss that?

Tatsuya-san, the strategy you taught me was a huge success!

Tatsuya-san!

I...

was able to win!

Oh man, she sure got me!

Who knew that I would suffer an embarrassing defeat in a water sport?

I guess that goes to show how strong your feelings were!

F-F-Feelings?

Touko...

Oh! I can't stand this!

Here, here.

I won! I fought tooth and nail!

I can't stand this!

What about Shizuku?

Congratulations, Honoka.

Now, it's my turn.

"NEXT EPISODE"