Episode 07 - I... I Want to Be of Help To You, Big Sister
It's evening in Academy City. Keitz Nokleben, head of security for Project Level 6 Shift, is informed of a fire at one of their satellite research facilities. Soon, a report of another fire comes in... and then another. Word starts pouring in of mysterious fires destroying multiple laboratories affiliated with the project. There is no intruder or any obvious cause — the computers and other systems are simply exploding. They quickly realize the attack is coming in over the communication lines. Nokleben immediately orders all facilities to shut down external communications at once.
On the street, her PDA plugged into a phone booth terminal, Mikoto starts getting error messages and realizes they're on to her. She estimates she's taken out about 70% of the Level 6 Shift facilities remotely, and resolves to take the rest out in person. Changing into her street clothes, she heads off...
Mikoto spends the next few days coming home late at night or leaving before dawn, and occasionally falling asleep from exhaustion. Kuroko, watching this, gets increasingly concerned, but Mikoto insists everything is fine. Kuroko realizes that Mikoto is caught up in something serious that, for whatever reason, she can't talk about.
At Judgement, Konori mentions word of mysterious fires breaking out at research facilities, although there haven't been any requests for assistance. Kuroko recommends they increase their patrols just in case, and heads out herself. Walking around the district, she finds a group of young children searching around an alleyway. They are hunting for money cards — not for their cash value, but because of a rumour that some of them can bring good luck or even grant wishes. Kuroko scolds them and sends them on their way; although one of them, a girl named Minori, seems reluctant to leave.
When Kuroko meets up with Uiharu and Saten later, she mentions this new fad. They talk about lucky charms, and what they would wish for if they had the chance. When asked what she'd wish for, Kuroko hesitates for a moment, then says it's a pointless question.
Meanwhile, Nokleben is informed that the latest attacks seem to involve a physical intruder — only with locks that appear to have been bypassed, no alarms, and nothing showing up on surveillance cameras. When told that nearby wind turbines were seen rotating backwards around the time of the attack, Nokleben remarks that such a phenomenon could be a result of electromagnetic interference. Then he says that if "she" is the culprit, then they don't have the power to stop her directly. However, he seems remarkably unconcerned, suggesting cryptically that losing research sites doesn't necessarily matter.
Kuroko returns to the dorm around sunset to find Mikoto lying asleep on top of her bed. She moves in close and is worried to see an agitated look on Mikoto's face as she sleeps. She remembers the question from earlier, and whispers that if she had a wish, it would be to help her 'big sister'.
The next morning, Kuroko wakes up to find Mikoto gone. Worried but not surprised, she resolves to do her best that day. Out on patrol, she runs into Minori, the girl from before, who is still searching for money cards. Kuroko talks to her, and learns that she wants a good luck charm to give to her friend who's moving away. During their conversation, Saten and Uiharu — also searching for money cards — happen to come by. Saten tries to show Minori her searching technique, while Uiharu and Saten discuss the ethics of using lost items as good luck charms.
In the middle of this, Konori also happens past, and asks what they're all doing. Once they explain, she has an idea — and leads everyone to a riverside park to search for four-leaf clovers. There they spend several peaceful hours looking through the grass. Watching some butterflies flutter around together, Kuroko says it must be nice to be able to communicate without even talking. Uiharu, realizing what's on her mind, tells Kuroko that she's sure Mikoto understands how much she cares. Saten adds that it's not just Mikoto who has support — everyone is there for Kuroko, too.
As evening falls, Kuroko comes back to the dorm and finds Mikoto about to head out. Kuroko tries to say something, but in the end just smiles and tells her to come back safely. Mikoto starts to leave, then pauses on her way out the door and softly thanks Kuroko. When she's gone, Kuroko takes out a four-leaf clover that she found, and says she'll be waiting for Mikoto to return.
That night, Mikoto obliterates another research facility. She notes, with grim satisfaction, that there are now only two facilities left...
Tropes
- All There in the Manual: Keitz Nokleben's name is only revealed in the credits.
- Badass Bureaucrat: Nokleben is quite possibly the most effective and successful opponent Mikoto has ever gone up against. He deduces her identity and quickly figures out how to foil her efforts, all from the comfort of his office and without so much as breaking a sweat.
- Breather Episode: While this episode does continue the ongoing plot, it steps back from the action to a large extent, only showing glimpses of what Mikoto is doing while shifting the focus to Kuroko and the others. This partly serves to convey several days going by as Mikoto takes out various facilities, but it also provides a pause between the dark and emotionally intense episodes that come before and after this one.
- Cool Big Sis: Kuroko towards Minori, in a 'stern but protective' kind of way. Later Konori as well, towards everyone.
- Made of Explodium: Whatever Mikoto does to sabotage the project's computers remotely, it causes them to explode.
- Out of Focus: Mikoto is largely in the background in this episode, which is focused more on Kuroko.
- Punch-Clock Villain: Nokleben doesn't seem to be a researcher, or have any interest in what Project Level 6 Shift actually does. His job is simply to keep the project running smoothly despite outside interference.
