Okay, resisting the urge to reference Bleach, we start our tale March 1996. Why did all the cool shit go down when I was a toddler?
Anyway, it's the night of the incident and Shiki's being rushed to the ER. Still awaiting an explanation for why. But not to worry, we have an expert with us today!
Shiki is rushed to the operating room while Mikiya mimes a conversation with a man in a trench coat outside.
And then floating. A lot of floating. To put it in perspective, flash back to episode one, count how many times the word "float" was used, then multiply that number by thirty seconds. Yeah.
The months roll by, as Mikiya visits Shiki, still encased with the layers of darkness the coma provides. He graduates, meets Touko and begins working for her. All the while, Shiki floats.
Two years of floating. What a snooze-fest. Now if she had some Bud Light, that'd be a different story.
Finally, two years or so later, she awakes to a new world. A world filled with lines. She traces one of the lines in her flower vase. Slowly but surely, like the shadow of death itself, the flowers crumble. A nurse walks in and discovers Shiki's recovery, alerting the doctor.
He's brought in, and talks with Shiki. But it's sadly a one-sided conversation, as Shiki can only watch while the doctor and nurses fall apart. Over. And over.
Desperate to stop these visions, does she
(A) Think happy thoughts?
(B) Listen tot he Beach Boys?
(C) Squish her eyes out with her palms?
Ew. Mikiya stops by and is hastily informed of Shiki's return to consciousness. But sadly, only family is allowed in, as she's in a state of confusion after such a sudden awaking. Yeah, right. Let's... Let's just go with that.
The nurses meanwhile, chatter excitedly about the arrival of the new speech therapist. And step in Touko. A woman of many talents, isn't she? She's placed in charge of Shiki and sent off, while other doctors roll a man with a strange tattoo down the hall.
Touko drops in to Shiki's room, still in full-blown Genki-mode, and... blatantly flirts with Shiki. Hmmm, not exactly the direction I thought this movie would go in, but hey! No complaints here!
They talk about Shiki's misdiagnosed aphasia. Shiki catches on though, asking touko if she's really a doctor. Professionally, no, but I'm more than willing to bet she's somehow related to The Doctor
But then, sadness, as she breaks it to her that SHIKI's gone. Didn't she want to get rid of him? Anyway, grieving yadda yadda. Is something going to happen this episode or not?
Night arrives to the hospital, leaving Shiki alone. But not quite. Shadows swarm around her, blue lights flying about, caressing her in their cod, malicious darkness. It's all pretty symbolic and stuff.
Uh huh. Yeah. Maybe a little too symbolic. Touko visits again the next day, and the next, to talk to Shiki about SHIKI. Meanwhile, she reports back to Mikiya.
"She's hollow inside. Her chest is open, like a hole." Well, time to track down Don Kanonji.
And more rape symbolism. SMELLS LIKE BAD SPIRIT! Meanwhile, Touko instructs Mikiya to fill the hole in Shiki. Give her new memories to supplement the void. Touko continues to visit, and Shiki requests some scissors, which is immediately shot down.
"I just want to cut my hair."
Sure ya do kiddo, sure ya do. Touko leaves, warning that she may come as a different person when next they meet. The day rolls by, bringing night once more. Shiki, recalling the pain of seeing everything fall apart, decides to poke out her own eyes rather than see that again. She's saved from blindness by Touko, who decided to drop by again for no explained reason.
She explains to Shiki that even without sight, she'd still see. Always ready with a meaningless but deep quip, aren't you Touko? She offers to teach Shiki how to use her eyes, explaining just why she has them. After being so close to death, add in the brain damage from the accident, she can now see the death of all things, the natural desire to disassemble and rebuild.
She warns Shiki to wake up, or else the stray thoughts floting about this hospital will possess and kill her. Such a top-qualtiy container, perfectly empty. She leaves. A pair of feet pound down the halls that night, lifted on cushions of wispy white. They've come for her.
SPIRITS ARE ALWAYS WITH YOU!
More creepy rape symbolism later, we cut to Mikiya, in the meat factory. Feeling whimsically musical, he sings us some wonderful Engrish!
Ahm singeen in ze rain
Just singeen in ze rain
Wut a glorious feelink, Ahm hoppy again
Ahm laughy at Cloud
So duck up above
Sun Tzu's in mah heart
And Ahm ready fer lurv
Let ze storm Cloud chase *rip strangle gurgle*
Everywun from ze face
Come on wif ze rain
Ah've goot ah smile on mah face
Ah valk down ze lane *rip strangle strangle rip TOSS!*
Ahm hoppy again! *toss punch scract flip punch*
Ahm singeen ahnd doncin in ze rain
Ahm singeen ahnd doncin in ze rain!
Shiki opens up a window, throwing herself and the possessed vessel out of it. She thrusts it down, bouncing the vessel downwards while she glides and lands on her feet. Touko arrives behind her, ready to back her up.
Touko sets the body ablaze, with little to no effect. She remarks how useless she is against a corpse. It can't feel pain and is not inconvenienced by dismemberment. Shiki decides to step in, fully ready. Without hesitation. She removes the bandages and the fight begins.
It charges, but she stuns it by tracing the lines with her fingers. With a swift palm to the jaw, she knocks it back. Touko tosses Shiki her most prized possession, the Soul Harvester, the Guillotine, the Steel of End, The Nothing. Her knife.
She jettisons the sheath, slashing away her growth of excess hair. The corpse charges, but Shiki takes apart it's arm with one cut. Time for the finishing blow!
FINAL SUPER ATTACK KANON-BALL! *stab* Oooh, that's gotta hurt. Oh wait, no it doesn't. 'CAUSE YOU DEAD!
Turns out, not so much. Shiki didn't follow through and the spiritual entity rushes into her. The Butterfly Chorus begins again, as a blank-eyed Shiki draws the blade to her throat.
"You can't get away now." ... Oh yes. Time for awesome. "I'll kill the weak me! I won't give you Ryougi Shiki!" She plunges the knife not into her throat, but her chest, dispelling the spirits in a final burst. She draws the knife from it's sheath of flesh, and flicks it clean. Not of her blood, but of spirit.
She turns to Touko. She asks if she'll teach her. Touko accepts. In return, she'll work as her familiar. Shiki accepts as well. After all, if the job is to kill, she has no other intentions. And so begins a new future.
Meanwhile, off in the distance, a tall, robed raven of a man approaches Kirie and Fujino, offering them their desires. It's Arya Souren's move. And he has many cards to play.
Well, sorry for keeping you waiting, as always. I'm taking a trip, so I meet be gone for a few days starting Wednesday. But don't distress, I'm seeing this through to the end!
