Shinra, tell me everything Dr. Giovanni said to you in the Nether.
Yes, sir.
An Adolla Link...
is a phenomenon that supposedly only happens among those
who have an Adolla Burst, or who have been in contact with Adolla.
Shinra-kun has connected via an Adolla Link to Dr. Giovanni,
as well as...
Lieutenant Konro, of the 7th.
Then this man Konro is questionable.
No, there's no way!
Discussing Lieutenant Konro here will get us nowhere.
I'm going to go over to the 7th and meet with the lieutenant.
If I can find out the reason why I Linked with the lieutenant,
we might be one step closer to the Evangelist.
I'm off to see Lieutenant Konro!
Step right up! Buy one now, and I'll throw in another one for free!
Asakusa is nice and bustling.
Are you sure we should be dropping in without an appointment?
The people at the 7th can't stand to sweat the small stuff.
Actually,
why are you even coming along, Captain Hibana?
Konro could have ties to the Evangelist.
You're too nice to others, and get fooled easily.
I'm telling you, as far as Lieutenant Konro goes, he's on the level.
Oh, the fella from the 8th. What brings you here today?
There's something I need to talk to Lieutenant Konro about.
Well, he's not here.
He went to a storage shed just outside of town on his own.
Okay, I'll go check there for him. Thank you very much.
By the way,
you hound dog, bringing such a hottie along with you!
Is she your girlfriend?
Girlfriend?
No, she's not! This is the captain of the 5th!
Captain?
Girlfriend...
She really doesn't look like she'd object.
The lieutenant is going off on his own to a storage shed with no one else around...
This is getting more and more suspicious.
He must be running some errand.
This is a proto-nationalist we're dealing with, too.
There's no telling what he might be up to.
Hold on.
A White-Clad?
There, you see?
You've been following me for days now, huh?
Ho, you knew, and still came here alone?
You, a warrior who can't fight due to your tephrosis!
If we're doing this, then let's do it already.
"Episode 23: Firecat"
Lieutenant Konro...!
He's getting attacked! We have to hurry and save him!
Don't be too hasty! This is our chance to catch him in the act!
Whoa!
Lieutenant Konro has tephrosis!
Lieutenant of the 7th, you are dead!
Lieutenant Konro!
Shinra?
So what you're saying is,
you and I shared one of these "Adolla Link" things?
Yes.
Do you have any idea why? Have you ever seen a hellish, alternate world?
I sure have.
Two years ago, during the Great Fire of Asakusa.
The one where that demon appeared in Asakusa?
Yeah. This is when I came down with my tephrosis.
This Infernal was unlike any other.
Almost like a mirror image of myself.
Are you trying to replace me?
Sorry, but you can't do that.
Crimson Moon!
I'll see you in hell!
If that was some other world, then it would mean I had an Adolla Link.
You say the demon felt like your mirror reflection? Like a doppelganger?
What's a doppelganger?
It's like a double of a person.
There's sort of an urban legend that says
there's someone who looks exactly like you, somewhere in the world.
It's nothing more than a ghost story, of course,
but apparently, if you run into your doppelganger, it's either kill or be killed.
Yikes!
It did in fact seem like he came to kill me.
And since you killed him instead, that makes you one hard-as-nails man.
That's our Lieutenant Konro, all right.
Don't be ridiculous.
I think I'm going to check into doppelgangers a bit more.
As a sophisticated lady, you're pretty smart.
But why would they come after me?
Could it have something to do with the fact that you've seen Adolla?
Or your scar...
It seems like those who see Adolla tend to get some kind of disfigurement.
So that goes for the others, too...
Still, why would they?
Could it be inconvenient for them
for there to be others who have seen Adolla?
What? Konro, you got attacked?
He was lurking around for so long,
I figured he wouldn't show himself until I was alone.
It was amazing! He defeated him in one blow, without even using his abilities—
What did you do that out of the blue for, you idiot?
You avoided that.
You did teach me how to detect the breath of life, Captain Shinmon.
Which means that you can now fight decently.
Still, the White-Clad are starting to become more forceful, too.
They have some people that my Rapid and Corna won't work against.
Captain Shinmon, how would you fight against someone like that?
You might be able to pull it off now...
I would use the Hysterical Strength of the Fight or Flight Response.
Hysterical Strength?
When you're on the verge of a crisis,
and you overcome your limits to release all of your latent strength,
it's called Hysterical Strength.
H-How is it done?
Hell if I know. You figure it out.
Waka, you can't say that when you're the one who brought it up.
Go round up the youngsters from your company.
I don't want to have to teach this over and over.
Lucky you! Waka is agreeing to give you his personal instruction again!
Thank you very much, sir!
I promise you, I'll get even stronger!
The Knight-samurai deigns to return to Asakusa once more.
You sure you don't want to be the Samurai-knight?
This way means you're a samurai.
Let's cut the nonsense! Forward, men!
Pardon the intrusion.
You're early. Is showing up ahead of time the imperial way?
It's you and top-knot head again, then?
Actually, there's one more with us today.
I'm Kotatsu Tamaki!
Please train me, as well!
You're here? You're too early.
We're looking forward again to whatever you can teach us.
Hm? What's this? There's one more of you.
I'm well aware that I'm not at the level where I'm ready to receive your training.
But I want to be someone other than the weak person I am now.
Would you allow me to at least observe?
You want to get stronger?
Yes, sir!
And why is that?
Because I'm so gutless right now that I'm a burden on the other crewmen.
If I were stronger, there are lives that might have been spared.
Is that a sob story?
No, sir! It's remorse and resolve!
I see. But merely observing is likely to bore you out of your mind.
Hey!
—What is it, Waka? —What is it, Waka?
Go have some fun with that lady.
—Who, that airhead? —Who, that airhead?
What do you want to play, trampy lady?
And it better be fun, or you'll pay, shameless lady.
Huh? Huh? Kusakabe?
Looking after those two is a handful.
Tamaki, I'm going to see how strong you are
by the way you play with Hikage and Hinata.
Oh, okay.
Kon-san, aren't you going to watch the rookies from the 8th?
I'll do that once I finish sweeping up in here.
Oh, I'll do that. You go ahead and watch.
It's my duty today. I don't mind.
Waka says you gotta keep away from both of us for one minute.
We're gonna play tag.
—Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! —Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!
—All right, already. —Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! —Hurry! Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!
Okay, I'll start running.
Though I don't want to run so fast it makes them cry.
I'll just go nice and easy on them.
Uh-oh, run!
—Are you mocking us? —Are you mocking us?
Th-That hurt!
—Run like you mean it, or we'll kill you! —Run like you mean it, or we'll kill you!
Damn it, all right, then.
Girls shouldn't use potty language like "damn it"!
And if you talk down to us, we'll dump you right in the Sumida River!
You want me to run like I mean it, then? Well, don't cry if you can't keep up!
For heaven's sake, what is this? I didn't come to Asakusa to play games.
I want to catch up with Shinra and Arthur, even just a little bit.
Didn't we tell you not to hold back, you sow?
Do you honestly not want to get any stronger, you piece of crap?
We're being nice enough to play with you. Don't go getting the wrong idea.
Are these girls that good?
Guess we better get started, too.
Please do, sir!
Wow, haven't seen this in a while.
What are you doing, sir?
Not since it was Beni's turn.
It's been a long time since we've taken in a sight like this.
Another peaceful day in Asakusa.
Ow! That's too hot! Ow! Ow!
—It's peaceful, all right. —My clothes are burning! My butt is sticking out!
—Eight seconds! Nowhere near a minute! —Eight seconds! Nowhere near a minute!
Yeah, I know!
But just watch this!
I mean business now! Go on and catch me if you can, you little brats!
Hina, looks like she's finally gotten motivated.
We should get going, too, Hika.
Coming through!
Woo-hoo!
Don't blame me if your kimonos get burned!
Wishful thinking! Five seconds!
Five seconds? That's less than last time.
This is her meaning business? Don't make me laugh.
I'm just getting started. Let's go again!
Isn't a minute too long for her?
Might as well make it 30 seconds.
I'll show them.
I'm a Fire Soldier.
How is school going, Tamaki? Are you going to get your sister certification?
We're not a clerical family, so there are a lot of tests,
but the teacher says I'm doing fine.
Don't get in over your head, now.
It's just that because...
Mama and Papa told me...
Tamaki-san, good morning!
Good morning.
Ah, your badge!
Yeah! I'm a sister now!
I still have the written test and the interview before I'm certified as a sister.
Yeah, but you're smart, so you'll do fine. Hang in there.
—The Great Sol is watching your efforts.
—And just because everyone else was doing it... —The Great Sol is watching your efforts.
Nya!
Tamaki-san!
but I kept tripping up for no reason.
Are you all right? Easy, now...
Is something wrong?
There's fire coming from your bottom!
Just because I started making flames...
Damn! How long was that?
Twelve seconds.
One of your better times.
Again!
That's amazing, isn't it? If you're a third generation,
does that mean you're going to be a Fire Soldier?
A Fire Soldier sister? Now that's cool!
If you do enlist, it will be at the 1st, right?
The 1st, huh?
Look there!
Wow!
It's Lieutenant Rekka Hoshimiya!
He's so cool, isn't he?
Young girl students! Don't just watch from over there, come here!
The 1st is fervently waiting for fresh faces like you to enlist!
Huh? What do we do?
He spotted us!
L-Let's get out of here!
I looked up to Lieutenant Rekka, the same way everyone else did.
Just because... everyone else said so.
Papa! Mama! I want to become a sister and join the 1st!
I became a Fire Soldier just because.
I will stand by and see your end through!
You're going to die in my place, Tamaki!
Please, Kusakabe...
Defeat Lieutenant Rekka.
Leave him to me. That's why I'm here.
I'll show them!
Too bad!
That was 18 seconds!
I want to change!
Hika...
Hina...
But I've just been carried along by everyone else so far.
I know it's not going to be that easy for me to change.
And everyone else is trying so hard...
So then, so will I!
I'm going to try harder, too!
Thirty seconds left.
We're gonna go all-out now, too.
I swear I'm going to keep away from you.
—Nya! —Ow!
S-Sorry!
No, I should apologize. My Lecher Lure strikes again.
You know that boy you pounced on earlier, right? He's my boyfriend.
"Lecher Lure" my eye! You did it on purpose, didn't you?
You flirty little warthog!
I'm sorry. But I really didn't do it on purpose.
Go over and sit in the corner, you troublemaker!
Still wearing twin tails in middle school, too.
For a warthog, you sure are a flirt! Hurry and get over there!
Are twin tails supposed to be flirty?
I like them—they're like floppy animal ears.
Must be nice to be a cat. They don't get lechered.
I wish I could be...
as quick as...
a cat!
Forty seconds! Not good, Hikage! If she keeps this up, she'll get away from us!
We're not gonna let her!
They're catching up!
And as nimble as a cat!
Damn, 45 seconds!
What are you sitting in the corner for? Come on over here.
If I sit over there, my Lecher Lure will bother you, right?
I'll sit in the corner. You go sit over there.
It's okay. I'm used to it.
I'm more used to sitting in the corner. Give the "Devil" his due.
"Slap"
—Put me down! —How does this happen?
Look, I'll sit in the corner, okay?
It's true, that is awkward as hell,
but it doesn't mean you have to consign yourself to the corner.
I mean, look at that idiot.
He's as low as they come, but he always sits in the birthday boy's seat.
Have a little self-respect, yourself.
I'm done slinking off into the corner!
Why did you come to a stop? Are you giving up?
For these last ten seconds, I'm not running away!
I'm steamrolling through!
Now she's coming after us.
She might have actually gotten away, too!
—Unite! —Unite!
—Mother Fox! —Mother Fox!
I'm gonna tear right through you!
"Nekomata Fireball"
Nekomata Fireball!
—Damn that woman! We're not done yet! —Damn that woman! We're not done yet!
That's 60 seconds. I don't know why,
but there was some reason why you were suppressing your own power.
Captain Shinmon!
But you've peeled that layer away, haven't you?
Thank you very much!
Nobody asked you to peel that much away.
S-Sorry, sir!
—Floozy! —Floozy!
Is a simple game of tag enough to really change me that much?
Anyone who can't take a simple game this seriously
doesn't stand a chance when it comes to playing for keeps.
Now, for the first time, you've stood in the ring.
Keep it up.
Thank you very much, sir!
What exactly are you doing to yourself over there?
Oh my...
Captain Shinmon! Where did you go?
You can't tell us you've forgotten about us!
"To be continued"
"Fire Force, Season 2"
The strain of death is making me smile.
"Next time"
Next time on Fire Force, Season 2, episode 24, "Signs of Upheaval."
"Episode 24: Signs of Upheaval"
Return to the great flame of fire. Látom.