In the Wonderland SEKAI, Wonderlands x Showtime perform a show for Miku and KAITO. After the show, Miku and KAITO praise the Rui’s practical effects and Tsukasa’s stunts. Hearing this, Rui mentions that he was considering adding a new stunt for Tsukasa, but notes that he has made considerations for health and safety, so there’s nothing for him to worry about. Suddenly, Len appears in the SEKAI. He had wanted to watch the show as well, but ran into some arguing plushies and didn’t get them to calm down until after the performance was over. Wonderlands x Showtime decide to perform the show again as practice so that Len can watch it too.
That evening when they’re walking home, Nene points out that Rui seems to be enjoying himself a lot more than he was before. Rui isn’t quite sure what she means, so she explains that in middle school he always seemed bored, but now he seems a lot happier. Rui agrees with her, commenting on how he’s finally able to do something with all his ideas.
The next day, Kigurumi-san informs the group of “The First Phoenix Show Contest”, a competition between the various show troupes in Phoenix Wonderland to put on three performances, each to be judged separately. The winners of the contest will be featured in a new Phoenix Wonderland TV advert. Emu seems surprised by the news, and explains that although there had been discussions about competitions in the past, none of them every came to light because her Grandpa felt that there was no need for the different troupes to compete to be the best. On the other hand, Tsukasa is really excited by the news, claiming that this competition will be his chance to become famous and get Phoenix Wonderland global recognition. His overconfidence annoys Nene, but he reminds her that it could be beneficial in helping her achieve her dreams as well. Tsukasa also realises that if they can get more recognition, the park may give them more funding, which Rui can’t disagree with. Although Emu still seems a little downhearted, she agrees to take part since performing more shows will make more people happy.
Wonderlands x Showtime decides to theme their show around Halloween, so Rui suggests doing an adaptation of “Potato Ghosts”, a story about ghosts invading an amusement park on Halloween night after seeing the living enjoying themselves. Once that’s decided, Rui shows the troupe a trapdoor he found in the stage and reveals that he plans to have zombie robots climb out from it during the production. The zombie robots will capture Tsukasa, who will be playing the protagonist, and take him back down the trapdoor. Rui already has one robot built, so they decide to do a test run. The stunt goes well until Tsukasa climbs back up from the trapdoor. While he’s climbing up the ladder, the robot malfunctions and pulls him back down, knocking him unconscious, and he doesn’t wake up until the evening. When he comes to, Rui apologises for the malfunction and takes full responsibility for the accident. Tsukasa accepts the apology and says that he needs to be more careful as well so that he never has an accident during a proper performance. He even praises Rui for the well-crafted scene, but Rui seems to be focused on something else.
On the troupe’s first proper rehearsal day, Tsukasa reassures everyone that he’s feeling better and has even visited a doctor to make sure. Nene asks Rui for the scripts for their read-through, but he still seems to be distracted by something. During the read-through, Rui runs through some of the stage directions, but changes some of the scenes so that Tsukasa doesn’t have to interact with the robots. The latter picks up on this and notes that the scene is rather anticlimactic this way. He suggests that he fight the robots instead, and Rui crafts a new scene based on that idea. However, while Emu and Tsukasa are getting excited about the new action scene, Rui has a change of heart and scraps it, claiming that it will throw off the pacing of the story.
When they get to the scene with the trapdoor scene, Rui tells Tsukasa that he wants to tweak the scene a little, completely removing the use of the trapdoor with the explanation that the scene will be more impactful if in full view of the audience. Tsukasa says that it’s not a bad idea, but asks if Rui is happy with settling for something less thrilling and original than the initial trapdoor stunt. Tsukasa suggests having ten robots pull him through the trapdoor instead of just one to make the scene more powerful. Nene points out how risky it is considering that he was injured when they tried the stunt with just one robot, but Tsukasa brushes it off as him being careless and is confident that he could pull off something even more intense. However, Rui is opposed to the idea, and insists that the actions should be kept on the stage for the audience to see. The others are a little taken aback by his insistence on a much simpler scene, with Emu pointing out that he isn’t acting like himself, although Rui himself is completely oblivious to the fact.
Tsukasa asks Rui if this is what he really wants to do for the show, but Rui informs him that he wouldn’t waste his energy on something he doesn’t intend to do. Tsukasa agrees that that’s the kind of person Rui is, but says it’s clear that Rui is acting differently and his new stage directions aren’t what he really wants to do. He points out how Rui was really enjoying himself when he initially explained the trapdoor stunt, but his enthusiasm disappeared after the accident. Tsukasa also reckons that Rui’s new directions being for the benefit of the audience is his way of persuading himself that this is what he really wants. Rui disagrees, again insisting that this is what he really want to do. Tsukasa gets frustrated and shouts at Rui to stop lying and holding back because of his accident. Rui doesn’t understand why Tsukasa is angry at him, and assures him that he’s being honest. Tsukasa doesn’t believe him and reminds him that he said he’d pull off whatever stunt Rui throws at him no matter how tricky it might be. Emu intervenes before their argument gets worse, and Tsukasa apologises. He remarks again that it’s clear that Rui isn’t himself before leaving, and Emu chases after him.
Nene is left behind with Rui, and he asks her if Tsukasa is right. She agrees with what Tsukasa said, and tells Rui that the spark in his eyes has disappeared since the accident. Nene realises that Rui is completely oblivious to his change in behaviour, and decides she has to help him realise that he’s holding back, but she remembers that she was never able to help him back in middle school and wonders if this situation will be the same. She suggests that they go to SEKAI for advice, but Rui isn’t sure how the Virtual Singers will be able to help with personal troubles, much less since he can’t even put his problem into words. However, Nene reminds him that if things continue as they are then they won’t be able to put on the best possible show, which convinces Rui to go to SEKAI with her.
Over in the SEKAI, KAITO runs into Miku and Len trying to do a show with the plushies, although they are struggling since two of the plushies started arguing again. A dog plushie is trying to make the show better, while a cat plushie is worried about the dog plushie getting injured. Len comes to the conclusion that the conflict was unavoidable, since it’s easy to get worked up and fixated on your own ideas for making a performance great, and your ideas might clash with someone else’s. The Virtual Singers spot Rui and Nene arriving in the SEKAI, so KAITO goes over to talk to them, taking the arguing plushies with him.
Rui explains his situation to KAITO, who asks if this has ever happened before. Rui says it’s actually the opposite, and recalls a memory of his childhood where his friends refused to jump off a wall with him for a show because they were worried about getting hurt, despite Rui having made sure it was safe. Rui tells KAITO that even when there were other kids who liked his ideas, they all got fed up and left him sooner or later until he was all alone. Nene remembers a time she talked with Rui during middle school, when she was part of an acting troupe and he was working alone. She offered him a place in the troupe, but he declined because he was doing fine alone and thought it was for the best that way. Nene tells Rui that he’s very considerate of others and always makes sure his ideas are safe, even when they were children.
The shows that Wonderlands x Showtime perform mean everything to Rui and he’s happiest when his troupemates are having fun performing what he writes; this is why the idea of him holding back doesn’t make sense. KAITO starts to understand what’s really going on with Rui, and tells him that he’s finally found a group of friends who let him unleash his full potential. This statement is able to nudge Rui in the right direction, and he figures out that since the accident with Tsukasa, he became afraid that Tsukasa would hate him and leave just like everyone else did when he was younger, and subconsciously started holding back. He believes that he has disappointed his friends and let them down over these fears, but KAITO reassures Rui that his concerns are nothing to be ashamed of. KAITO addresses the plushies again, and tells them that because they both love shows, it’s natural that they want to preserve the place they’ve found. No one wants to see their friends get hurt, but because they share the same goals, they need to find a balance to move ahead together. KAITO brings this back to Rui, and tells him he’s sure Tsukasa will understand the situation. Nene agrees, saying that both Rui and Tsukasa are “show maniacs” and will be able to work things out.
Back in the real world, Emu catches up to Tsukasa and he opens up to her. Tsukasa asks Emu if she likes Rui’s shows, to which she responds that she loves them because they remind her of the shows performed by her Grandpa because of how exciting they are. Tsukasa says that he likes that about them as well, and explains that this is what made him angry. He felt as though Rui was forgetting Wonderlands x Showtime’s goal of making shows that were fun for everyone, but he admits that it’s not entirely Rui’s fault. Tsukasa confesses that he was angry at himself as well for killing Rui’s confidence because a star should inspire his director to entrust him with any role.
At rehearsal the next day, Rui asks Tsukasa to test something for him, and reveals a wall prop that can be raised up from behind the stage. The prop will be used at the end of the play instead of the trapdoor, and the scene will instead have Tsukasa climbing up the wall to escape from the zombies rather than have him fall down the trapdoor while being captured. He decides this scene is more interesting for the audience, since they will be able to see what’s happening in the zombie pit, but it is also a much more exciting and original concept more like what he wants to do. Tsukasa agrees to the scene and they do a rehearsal of it immediately. Rui also included the ten zombie robots that Tsukasa asked for the day prior. After rehearsal, Emu and Nene comment on how Rui seems to be enjoying himself again, and Tsukasa tells Rui to keep throwing his best ideas at him without holding back, and he promises to deliver on them.
After the Halloween show, Kigurumi-san comes to tell Wonderlands x Showtime the results for the first round of the show contest, and reveals that they placed 3rd out of 10. The show is deemed a success, and they were able to place close to troupes working on much bigger stages. However, there is a large gap in score between Wonderlands x Showtime and the groups in first and second, so they have some hard work to do to catch up. Rui brings out some props he wanted to try out for their next show, and tells Tsukasa that although he has wanted to do something with a water tank, it didn’t work out so now he wants Tsukasa to do a stunt in the sky, and they resume their friendly bickering. Meanwhile, Nene is glad to see that things have gone back to normal, and tells Rui that she’s happy they’re making shows together just like they did as children. Although she wasn’t able to help him in middle school, she tells him that he can count on her now.
This event contains the following tropes:
- The Confidant: KAITO acts as this to both Rui and the arguing cat and dog plushies.
- Friendless Background: Rui didn't have many friends growing up, and all the ones he did have left him at one point or another. This is revealed to be the reason why he started holding back his directing, because he didn't want Tsukasa to hate him and leave just like everyone had in his past.
- Kids Are Cruel: All of Rui's childhood friends (aside from Nene) left him because they thought his stunts and ideas were dangerous and weird.
- Mirror Character: The cat plushie is one to Rui, both of them holding back their friend out of fear that they'll get hurt. Meanwhile the dog plushie is one to Tsukasa, neither of whom like being held back because they want to put on the best show.
- O.O.C. Is Serious Business: Rui unconciously starts acting less enthusiastic and stops putting his all into shows, which immediately notifies Tsukasa, Emu, and Nene that something is wrong.
