Causes of death are many and varied. Old age, suicide, illness...
But the cause of death that scares the most people in this day and age...
is death by fire.
"Testing Area"
Come to the special care room!
Something unusual is happening to Nataku Son!
I-It's hot! My right arm is hot!
Is that...?
Fire...!
We're observing an Adolla Burst from Nataku Son in the special care room?
Nataku Son? So he really is here.
This is a classified matter.
It's not something to be discussed with outsiders.
—Kurono-kun, the experiment is on hold!
—So the Sixth Pillar's Adolla Burst has awakened. —Kurono-kun, the experiment is on hold!
Then did Shinra-kun's Adolla Burst end up being the trigger?
Come in.
Captain Obi, do you read me?
The situation has taken a turn.
Wha—?
Shinra and Licht are in trouble! Hurry, Vulcan!
If anything happens to those two, you'll pay, Haijima!
This is war, you dumb bastards!
A Matchbox has broken through!
We're currently tracking down whose it is!
That was fast. I haven't even told them anything yet.
"Episode 15: A Three-Way Melee"
What's going on in there?
The temperature inside the room is continuing to rise.
What are those two doing?
We're still reading them, but there's been no change.
I won't let them kill you. I promise, I'll protect you.
Inspector Licht, even if you are a Haijima spy,
you've still saved me time and again.
You're someone we definitely need at the 8th.
They don't hesitate to risk their lives for their friends.
So this is what the 8th is.
It's the strangest thing. Maybe I've been there too long,
—The speakers are still connected, right? —but they seem to be rubbing off on me. I'll go along with this.
—Yes, they should still be working. —but they seem to be rubbing off on me. I'll go along with this.
All right...
Kurono-kun, the test is canceled! Head over to where Nataku-kun is!
"Open" "Testing Area"
—What are you doing? —Shinra-kun,
there's no need to play along with the experiment anymore!
Let's get out of here!
Why, you!
I won't be outdone in a nerd fight!
Nab him!
Licht-san!
Nataku Son is here after all. It sounds like his Adolla Burst has awakened.
I knew they were hiding something!
That cry for help through my Adolla Link was for real!
The 8th will safeguard Nataku!
What's all the commotion?
The 8th has broken in! You have to keep Nataku-kun from them!
The Fire Force, huh? There are probably some weaklings among them.
I'm going to take on the weaker ones first.
Where are Shinra and Licht?
Vulcan, eyes forward.
It's just a little doll, isn't it?
I'll run right over it!
Spider Wire on!
Is everyone okay?
What's that now?
Hostile object spotted. Countering with Tekkyo.
Don't tell me that thing did all that!
What do you mean?
That's what flipped the Matchbox over.
How can it be so powerful at that size?
What the hell kind of generators are Haijima using?
Ah, wait! Look at where those cables lead!
Oh, my, what brings you here?
I've been tasked with watching the children, since they're scared of Kurono,
and now I get to teach the Fire Force some manners, too?
Do you know what this angel belt buckle means? It means I'm a nice lady.
Maki-san, I'll back you up!
I'm not about to be bested by any Haijima mech!
Dominions, let's play with our bigger friends now!
Where is Nataku?
They said he was in the special care room.
Secure Nataku Son at once!
—Shinra-kun... —Right.
Looks like he's that way!
Whoa...
You shouldn't do that to the nice security guards, you know.
L-Let... Let me go!
You're too late.
Sputter! Flare!
Boom!
They got deflected?
One more time!
They got fired on?
Hit them one more time with a Poot-Poot Blaster!
—Poot-Poot Blaster? —Poot-Poot Blaster?
"Pbbt"
How lowbrow. I definitely don't want to get hit by that.
Oh, the children love that one.
Don't you Fire Soldiers, the heroes of children, know that?
Dominions and I raced here to put smiles on the children's faces.
Please don't spoil the children's day of fun.
We know that you Haijima people mistreat the children!
"Day of fun" my ass! Screw that!
What's the name of that mech you made?
What?
I asked what their name is.
The Twin Hover Units, Tekkyo!
The what? Too hard to follow.
What? What are you talking about?
That's too hard for the children to understand.
Hmm, let's see...
If it were up to me, going by the way they look, I'd call them...
"Caterpillies."
That's adorable! I love it!
No way!
Why not?
You're the one who said they should have an animal name, weren't you?
Maki-san, you just don't get it!
Giving a mech the name of a living thing
helps to lend the inorganic mech a little more creature-istic...
what do you call it? Affinity? That's the whole reason for the name!
But "Caterpillies" is out of the question! It doesn't have enough character!
I want them to have some affinity, but mech has to be mech!
The name has to have a certain detachment!
In that sense, the iron owl, "Tekkyo" is the perfect name! It's cool!
Wow, what an obnoxious otaku.
—Mm-hmm. —Huh?
Mech is about dreams! I don't expect you to understand right off!
Anyone who calls a mech "that dude" or "little guy" will never get it!
And anyone who gives a mech a girly name like "cutie-pie" is simply a sicko!
A big pervert!
Where's the harm? If you give a mech a cute name and treat it with love,
it's sure to respond in kind. If you build a relationship of trust,
you'll find its performance to be even better.
That's a ridiculous way of thinking, Haijima!
You make it sound religious and gross.
Mech will always be mech! You can't build a relationship of trust with them.
There's no telling when they will break down and disappoint you.
That's why you can't neglect their maintenance.
People can disappoint you pretty easily, too.
Yeah, which is why trusting in others is so necessary.
You've got this. We're going to head out and rescue Shinra.
We at the 8th will never betray each other!
Now return our men to us!
You two don't seem to understand.
I don't treat mech as if they were people.
I'm saying that mech and people are the same. Children especially so!
What do you mean?
If you amuse children, they're entertained,
and if you try to annoy them, they get upset.
Their actions are predictable. I make them do as I please.
Mech and children are both the instruments of adults.
She swatted them away like it was nothing.
Maki-san,
that woman is probably a third generation pyrokinetic.
I don't see any other reason
how she gets that much power out of such a tiny mech.
As long as she has the upper hand in power,
there's no point in taking her on like this.
But I can't let her get away with thinking of children as tools!
I've collected enough data on their Caterpillies.
Their power is stable and their firepower is fairly constant.
You're a second generation pyrokinetic who can control flames.
That means the edge in firepower goes to my Dominions.
Do you have any ideas here?
Let's put everything into a maximum-power shot with both Tekkyo!
I believe in you, Vulcan.
Dominions and I have this in the bag.
My goodness, there they go, running away.
Tekkyo switching to Fire Scene Mode!
Charge superthermal power!
Jet throttle circuits online. Release of all ports complete!
Sanchin-style launch stance ready!
Twin unit coordinates locked! Engaging maximum output!
Maximum thrust in three... two... one...
Judging by this data and configuration,
I can pretty well guess their critical power.
And sure enough, Dominions and I are still home free!
In all my time watching children, I've never once been surprised,
and you two are just like my children— you're absolutely predictable.
Dominions, get set with a Poot-Poot!
Critical power reached! Let's do this!
Tekkyo, maximum output!
90... 100... Better than I expected, but still not good enough.
Violent-but-Deadly Poot-Poot Blaster!
That's it! Keep on coming, and get blown away!
Sputter! Flare! Hang in there!
Power output 100... 110... 120...
It's still climbing?
150?
Are you kidding me?
It's not a mech you're facing; it's people!
I can't let Vulcan's mech lose.
Where was that mech hiding that much power?
That was awesome, Maki-san!
Tekkyo, you did well, too!
If you had lost, you both would have been blown away.
I can't believe you would fight so recklessly.
Are you saying you figured on things turning out like this?
We didn't figure on anything. It was trust.
Yeah, she's right. Going by the numbers, it was impossible.
But I trusted that when Maki-san gets fired up,
she can deliver performance beyond the numbers!
I also believed in your plan and the Tekkyo, Vulcan.
Wow... I'm a little bit surprised.
Let's catch up to the others.
Right. Let's hurry.
Just a second! Playtime isn't over yet!
What makes you think you've beat me?
You're kidding, right?
We had that much trouble with just one of them!
Why did you think it was just one?
I told you, their name is Dominions, right?
Licht, where are you?
Licht, come in!
We're in the special care room.
Currently engaging Haijima staff in combat.
What does the building look like?
I'm sorry, but the thing is...
visibility is poor...
Visibility is poor?
Northwest from the...
gate...
Shinra! Licht!
Black smoke?
Licht-san, keep back!
Out of my way. Let me at the weak-looking guy behind you.
Captain!
Licht-san, go join the captain.
Shinra, Licht, are you both okay?
Captain, we found Nataku, but he's being safeguarded by Haijima staff.
So you're crewmen from the 8th?
Let me go! I haven't done anything!
Not doing anything won't cut it! Unless you get fired up, it won't... cut... it!
You've got this! I know you do!
Your child abuse is clear to see! Let the boy go!
Abuse, maybe, but it's my job.
Iris, keep back!
So the Fire Force has weaklings like that in their ranks?
—What was that? —Iris, don't inhale it!
Captain Guard!
Trying to protect the weak is a waste of time.
Don't you have any shame?
"Spare the strong and quash the weak." "Let the world be as such."
That is my thinking.
Everyone is right here.
Just as I predicted, Sixth Pillar located!
There he is.
Which one's the Sixth Pillar?
Charon, what are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Haumea?
I really am supposed to be, actually.
Pillars and their protectors are a set.
But Haumea got too annoyed at me, and told me to get lost.
Yeah, I get that. I went through a period like that with my father.
Come to think of it, he died during that period.
Do all girls your age go through this sort of thing? Well, shoot.
That doesn't mean you had to come with me, though.
You could have just been quiet and stood by.
Inca, are you treating me like a pest, too?
Yes she is, Charon-san.
I am here to keep Miss Inca safe.
Me, her protector maid.
We're both protectors here, so let's just get along and guard the Pillar, Ritsu.
Silence, Char-oaf. Only my master gives me orders.
Ch-Char-oaf?
Fine. Ritsu, you take Inca. Which one is the next Pillar?
The kid being carried in that guy's arm.
Things are about to get fun again.
Let's recover him.
Stop treating him so rough!
I'm warning you—you stronger ones, leave the weak here and go!
Not you!
The Sixth Pillar is ours!
No reaction?
CLAP!
—Grab the Sixth Pillar! —Right!
Wah! L-Let go of me!
H-Help!
The White-Clad, here?
And a body that blades can't hurt?
What exactly is going on here?
There you are again, Charon!
We meet again, fire-rat. I'm here for the Sixth Pillar.
How did you know there would be an Adolla Burst here?
Don't tell me it was Inca!
Hello!
You!
Let's watch a whole bunch of people die again together!
It's dangerous to stand that far forward.
Ritsu, you worry too much.
It doesn't do any good to worry over such little things.
There, you see? There's danger all over the place.
How are we supposed to take on this many of them?
All we can really do now is run.
Oh, don't be like that. Let's enjoy this puppet show together.
Wow!
Ah! Look what you did to my Dominions!
Haijima-made stuff sure is fragile, huh?
If I could have sniped them from a distance,
we wouldn't have had to expose you to danger by coming so close.
Today, you're protecting me instead of our precious Sho-kun,
Arrow.
White-Clad?
That electricity-user is bad news.
We need to get Arthur, or it will get ugly for us.
Well, shucks. She destroyed them like it was child's play.
And in the middle of a children's play, too.
We've come for Nataku, the Sixth Pillar. We won't let anyone stand in our way.
That's why I took those things out ahead of time.
It's a very big no-no to break other people's things.
You're a naughty little girl.
O-ho, I think the old biddy is about to snap.
Arrow, you say something to zing her, too.
I'll handle things here. Vulcan, you go get Arthur.
I'll leave the Tekkyo here.
It's going to take a little more time to cool down before they can restart.
It looks like playtime is at an end.
This calls for some painful discipline.
Come on, punisher Dominion!
It's stretched out all over!
"To be continued"
"Fire Force, Season 2"
"Next time"
As the battle between the 8th, Haijima, and the White-Clad unfolds,
Ritsu's ability places Nataku-san in a dire situation.
Isn't this a little bit too dangerous?
Time for a new job.
Next time on Fire Force, Season 2, episode 16, "Mind Blown."
"Episode 16: Mind Blown"
Return to the great flame of fire. Látom.