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[plusanimablog]

There Is No Chapter Zero.

The scanlations lied to me. Should have checked before. My bad.

Well, there should be something to close out the active upkeep of this blog...

Fun Facts:

Sheriff Hops was an Alligator Anima.

That girl from the first page of the entire series was Blanca.

Husky's favorite food is fish...yeah. Well, according to the author, he has preferences but he doesn't have a set favorite. Also, his voice is low and gravelly (Hence, Husky).

I forgot to bring this up in the last chapter but Blanca literally faded away. It's implied every Anima put into her was leaving her like it left Fly. She gave Fly a smile and it's up to you whether it was one of revenge or genuine love.

Thanks and I'll do better in the future.

[plusanimablog]

Sum-Up

(I thought the person who sent the ask in was telling me that today was the day it was released. I fooled myself.)

I read Anima some time in high school and it still is one of my favorite manga. I got some things to ramble because it's actually good/not a sports manga so settle in.

In Philosophy, the Anima is the soul, the irrational part of the soul that's distinct from a person's rational mind. It's your id, basically: your instincts, your needs, what you do instead of why you do. The Anima in this story can only come to children who are in distress. When they reach a point of contentment, usually in adulthood, their Anima will disappear. The Kimunkle tribe allows the adults to hold onto their Animas forever. Why? Because they want to stay intune with nature. Well worn-out stereotype about indigenous folk? Sure...but you can at least see where the author was coming from.

In the afterword, the author says that Cooro became "human" in the last chapter despite keeping his Anima. So he and Senri are going to go through the rest of their lives with their Anima while Husky and Nana are likely to lose theirs. Being a massive fan of Mutant Media (as Tv Tropes calls it), I'm happy with this ending. I want people to keep their powers. I don't like the notion that magic is a crutch that a person has to grow out of. No one needs to use it but demonizating it, saying it's "for children" rubs me the wrong way. I dunno, I'm pretty immature myself so that's probably the reason.

Still, I'm glad I allowed to like Nana again because her speech in Chapter 53 really tied my applicability of the series. Most people like to deny this but everything, from materials to eras to the self, it's fleeting. Nothing is permanent. You may like one thing for a long while only to find your tastes changing. You may be one thing for a long while only to find yourself completely. I brought Mono No Aware in the tags because I'm a pretentious dickwad but also because what little I understand of it is thus: there is beauty in futility. There is art to be found in something you know will not last forever. We reread stories that we've read multiple times before despite knowing the twists because we remember how it made us feel, how it still makes us feel. We love people around us knowing that they could die any day or any minute or even any second. We celebrate holidays and birthdays because they only come one time a year, making them seem fleeting in the long run. Nana says that she knows that she will not have her Anima forever but it's fine; it's important to her now and she's not gonna rush something just because others will shun her because of it. Nana knows the impermanence of self and how she must love her changes, regardless of what they are and how they come.

And now it's time for the QUEER READING: Anima can stand in for any minority. This includes races, disabilities or orientations (The slave thing loses the series a whole point because of how I thought it could have handled better but I understand the author not wanting to linger on an entirely separate culture; still lost the series a whole point though...). When you're an Anima, regardless of your ethnicity or nationality, that's your new race. That's how everyone is going to see you. You are now a person of a different country. You can be a hero, a villain, a costume, something to admire, something to observe, something to villify or something to avoid. You just can't ever be you in the eyes of non-Anima. You're every Anima they've ever heard of. That's the race part. Disabilities and sexual orientations have to share their similarities, namely that 1. People have differing reactions to Anima depending on the culture and 2. depending on the person and the Anima, the Anima doesn't have to be permanent. You can heal certain disabilities or choose to live with them. Some keep a certain label their entire lives, modify it or ditch it entirely for a new one (biological kid of a lesbian over here). Animas explicitly are said not to be permanent but that doesn't make them any less important in the time a person has them.

Last thing to bring up: I love Cooro. He reminds me of Luffy in how so goddamn simple he is while being the most complicated character in the story. We always know how he feels but never what he thinks which is my favorite type of character to read about. I hope that where he is, he's nursing a temporary stomachache from eating too many apples.

So how I feel about the series over all (I may be autistic but damn if I can't bury the lead!): It's brilliant. I like how I never wanted to skip ahead or drop it even when I was disappointed. I felt like some things could be written but compared to the last 2000s series, they could stay in as long as I know the overall experience isn't compromised. I recommend this series to anyone who's okay with depictions of racism, slavery and child marriages. And I mean that unironically.

Series Rating: 8.5/10

Tomorrow is chapter zero. After that, so long fairies.

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 56: Hill Of Fluttering Wings

Welcome to the endgame.

(Okay.)

Inside the facility, the disguised group (They're in cloaks) are looking for Cooro. Husky has to tell Nana not to call for him...only for them to be startled by Marca calling for a missing Cooro. She has an apple and everything. Husky confronts her, asking what happened. She says that she hasn't seen him all morning. He just had surgery and he shouldn't be moving around much. This is where the group learns Cooro had surgery to take his Anima away because he promised Fly that he could have it when he came back to the facility.

They go to the balcony and see a bunch of crows. Marca says the town of Lilt is in that direction, wondering if there's a funeral today. Nana remembers that Lilt is where Cooro was born and thus, where he became an Anima. Marca reveals that in the town of Lilt, they expose dead bodies to the birds for them to be eaten. It's a relatively new custom found by people who believe Anima to be sacred. Since the crows come to feast on the dead, the townspeople now believe crows to be a sign of bad omens or death. Hearing all that, the group figure that's where Cooro must be. Husky asks Marca how long it takes to get to Lilt on foot. She says about five hours. Being pressed for time, they don't ask when Cooro left as they set out after him.

Meanwhile, Fly is meeting with a sitting Blanca. He says they're finally a pair so that soon, they will fly together (I think I know who had Cooro's Anima implanted in them...and it's not Jesso.). Fly is called away though because Lord Nuoref wants to see him. Fly goes to see him grumpily only to be surprised by the king showing up. When Fly asks why he's here, the king answers he wanted to see his Anima research. Then Blanca walks out, startling the king and his men. Fly didn't intend to make her public yet but it can't be helped now...he introduces her as Blanca, a white angel. Lord Nuoref argues that Fly's lying, that there's no such thing as angels and she's a bird Anima. Fly relies on the good ol' association fallacy by saying that if Lord Nuoref doesn't believe in angels, then he's saying God's not real. Then Blanca flies off...and Fly sprouts black wings to follow her.

The king watches silently, thinking that Fly has been possessed by the messenger of death...

The group find Cooro on a cliff, all of them remembering what Aaron told them: In Lilt, when someone dies, their bodies are fed to crows. When he was there, he witnessed the funeral of a mother who was still pregnant with her child. The baby, Cooro, literally burst out of his mother's belly to fly off with the crows.

(GIF by Michael Grasser from Tenor. Seemed appropriate.)

Also, while I've got your attention...

So he can just do that...

But hold your horses, Senri says that is not Cooro's Anima. Husky realizes that he must have taken the Anima from one of the crows on the hill...but he doesn't need the Anima to live. Husky tries to stop him as Fly flies after Blanca, wondering why she's smiling. Nana scares off the crows and Husky fights through the rest to grab Cooro's arm to keep him from flying. Nana shouts apologies while Husky tells Cooro to think of himself, to tell them what he wants. He owes them that much. Cooro, on the mound where his mother was eaten by crows, tearfully turns and hugs Husky.

Fly and Blanca? Well, Fly's Anima rejects him in the air and he plummets before her eyes, silently thanking her for letting him fly with her.

It's...later. Fly has gone missing. The castle and the facility avoid talking about him. Iggy's taking it hard...but Marca suspects that Fly was happy with the way things turned out.

And our little merry band of troublemakers? They're living with Haden, waiting for the day their Animas leave them (except Senri). Who knows? It might not be so far off.

The End.

[plusanimablog]

Did you plan your posts so you would end this review series exactly on the +Anima anniversary ??

Absolutely not. Just lucky. Still gonna bring this up in the ending sum-up though.

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 55: Goodbye

Penultimate chapter of the series.

(This came up when I typed in "wistful". Okay.)

The group come back to the facility with Nana begging for them to be let in. The person at the window says they can't let anyone in without a letter of introduction. Nana says they were literally just there a few hours ago. No dice as the person closes the window on them. Husky tells Nana to back off before the person at the window calls the cops. Meanwhile, Fly is watching them, knowing that they would come back. However, he's not going to give up his "angel" so easily...

Cooro, standing in a hospital gown, asks if he's a man-made Anima to Fly upfront. Fly points out that he has never asked him that before but Cooro, remembering Nana's accusations, is now suddenly curious. Fly tells Cooro that he doesn't have a mother or a father; Aaron made him and he was raised at the church. He is indeed a man-made Anima. He then says that while Cooro says he forgot to come back, he believes forgot on purpose. But he says it doesn't matter and makes him drink something from a cup...

Cooro thinks that he never thought that much about his Anima before; that's why he accepted his mission so easily. Then he met the others...but it doesn't matter now. They left and he promised Fly.

His promise? When he was a kid, he told Fly he could have his Anima when he was older.

Back to the group! They're heading back to Kilter via the tunnel since their plan to fly over the wall was thwarted by race-betraying Anima guards. From Astar to Kilter, it's three hours by carriage, half a day on foot. They cut through the forest to save time...and got lost.

Senri points out a cave for them to stay in because they're not getting to Kilter anytime soon anyway. Also, Nana is bad with forests. Inside however, they find a door. The place is too clean and furnished to be a ruin so they decide to check it out. Inside, they find the underground room that's in the tunnel they need to sneak back into facility. Nana is excited because they don't need to look for the tunnel anymore but Husky halts her horses by pointing out that the White Angel (Blanca) is down there too.

Then he asks if they should release it. I mean, Blanca is the cummulation of Fly's and the other researcher's efforts and dreams, right? If she were freed, they would be mighty upset...

Even Nana compliments him on his deviousness.

(Husky when he's off his shits.)

Anyway, Nana agrees. Blanca may be a man-made Anima but she doesn't think it's right for her to be locked up. They go to her container and find her missing. Then this guy walks in!

Enough stuff, time for political intrigue. An old guy asks the king what he thinks of Fly's actions. He smiles and makes fun of how much of a nerd he is, always with his nose in dem books, never caring about politics or martial arts. The old guy (Lord Nuoref) whines that he's taming Anima and placing them in the military, worrying the populace. The king counters that's why they place them in different squadrons and make sure no units are made purely of Anima. The king ain't having no furries take over his kingdom! Lord Nuoref is relieved but when several cloaked figures approach him to tell him that Fly went into the research facility and hasn't come out, he tells them not to take their eyes off of him.

So that Rat Dude in the image above blocks Senri's paw strike, complaining that he's not as young as he used to be and he'd prefer they not fight. He drinks from his medicine bottle so that he can speak better and reveals his identity: meet Aaron Newt.

To reiterate: he was once the head researcher at the facility and Fly was his apprentice. It's easy to figure out what happened to him: he did an Anima implantation experiment. Naturally, he had to retire his dumbass and let Fly take over. Nana asks if he made Cooro and Husky joins her in telling him off in being such a dick in ruining a kid's life like that. Aaron is confused; he didn't make Cooro. Cooro has been a genuine Anima from birth. He should know: he was there when Cooro was born. They demand to know about Cooro since they need all the information they can get to help him escape.

Aaron says long ago, he was researching Anima in a small village named Lilt....but Iggy is searching for Fly so screw him. He finds him, saying it's weird for him to be up so early in the morning. Fly is goddamn besides himself with smiles, saying he's eager to show Iggy something later. Iggy screams for him not to do anything stupid.

Marca walks into Cooro's room with breakfast and to change his bandages...only to find him missing.

Next chapter is the final one.

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 54: Crystal

Husky and Nana burst into the waiting room to find Senri...and no Cooro. Nana is immediately uneasy, asking where he is. Senri says he left with Fly. All she knows about their relationship is that Fly took Cooro from the church to his research facility...which, admittedly, is more than enough evidence to be unsettled by. Also, pretty much everyone can see that Cooro is never happy around Fly. Nana demands they go to find Cooro and uses her ears to lead them in the direction of Fly's voice. They walk in on Fly talking to Cooro, saying that he's glad Cooro's well considering all the tracking (re: stalking) he's been doing on him. He lightly scolds him: didn't he tell him if he found any other Anima to bring them here?

(Fly ain't giving bad vibes; he's giving tremors.)

You see, Cooro can sense other Anima's presence; that's why he was given the job. But Cooro, for whatever reason, just went off on his own. Cooro apologizes, saying that he forgot. Husky flashes back to their first meeting, remembering Cooro explicitly saying that he was looking for other Anima. Before Husky can draw his own conclusions, Nana bursts in (out? They're on the balcony) and demands to know if what Fly said is true. Did Cooro befriend them under Fly's orders? Fly counters by asking why she's not getting surgery. Nana tells him that she gave up on the surgery because she wanted to keep her Anima. Yes, Anima only comes to traumatized individuals but Nana says that it's wrong to throw away something based purely on its origin (see: Fanta). Fly's much weaker counter is that the facility won't waste the Anima that they take; it'll be given to someone else and implanted in them. Nana says that's wrong too and Husky accuses Fly of creating Blanca by implanting a swan or other Anima into her. Nana demands to know if he did and if so, why?

Fly answers: she has no will of her own, just a body. You see, Fly's teacher Aaron Newt discovered her sleeping underneath the cathedral. Blanca is an artificial life form: a doll made of organic compounds. The realization of man's dreams of attaining flight. But she's not complete so Aaron and Fly implanted all sorts of Anima into her (They also put makeup so the markings wouldn't stand out.). He rationalizes that, she being an angel, she should have all the abilities found on Earth. That's why the facility collects Anima.

Nana doesn't care about any of that shit though. She's stuck on the whole "Cooro was ordered to befriend them" thing. She coldly accuses him of trying to steal their Anima, saying that he's different from them and he doesn't know what it's like to suffer with and be grateful for having Anima. Crying, she runs off after shouting goodbye. Husky runs after her and Senri, despite Cooro questioning him, runs after them. Fly is a bit ruffled but not too worried that he let two Animas escape; after all, if you try to force an Anima out of someone, it will just die. But he'll call it Even Steven since Cooro came back. He asks if he would like to go after them and Cooro says no. He got the gist of what Nana said and he did make a promise to Fly.

And what are the group doing now that they left the facility? Clothes shopping!

Well, Nana is. Husky and Senri are very clearly shaken and want to at least discuss what happened. Nana responds by forcing clothes on them and eating up a bunch of sweets, wasting their money. Husky calls her out on this and Nana breaks down, admitting she's angry and frustrated and sad. Husky quietly waits for her to finish crying and asks her if she's serious about leaving Cooro like that. He explains that Cooro has a great poker face but it's clear he's putting on an act. The only reason he didn't chase after them is because Nana said goodbye. Cooro always tries to respect free will so he doesn't put up a fight. Nana flashes back to when Cooro let Husky go when they had a fight with him, saying it's his own choice and he has no right to force him. Also with Shadow: if Husky hadn't sent him after him, Cooro wouldn't have gone no matter how much he wanted to. So Nana shouldn't think that just because he didn't stop her doesn't mean he wanted to let her go. Nana tears up because she didn't want to say goodbye either.

Also, Husky points out that Cooro was clearly avoiding running into Fly. Nana was the one who wanted to go to the church, not him. Cooro literally doesn't want to be at the research facility so he must have a reason to stay behind. Nana timidly suggests that Cooro is a man-made Anima and that's why he's staying. Husky shouts of course not because he's fucking Cooro! Alway smiling, always happy, always making others They'll kidnap him even if he says he doesn't want to come. Husky tells her to tone it down a bit...but he's also certain that Cooro will want to come with them.

Back at Astara, Iggy asks to see Fly but Marca turns him away at the door. She says he's out right now (and sneaks away while Iggy is thinking, glad that he doesn't remember her). He catches her...to tell her not to do anything careless involving Anima, telling her to pass the message along to him.

The chapter ends with Fly approaching Cooro in his room, telling him to show his wings. Cooro does so and Fly admires them, revealing him he plans on taking them, in accordance with Cooro's promise.

ANIMA RATING:

Blanca Anima: A bunch of Anima apparently but we only see the wings. But it gives her the ability to turn into a white ghost that can fly through walls so it's technically the best one we've seen so far.

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 53: My Anima

So...Blanca.

Husky and Nana see her, Nana thinking that she's a real angel. Then she wakes up and GASP, she's the White Shadow!

Husky and Nana escape the room, recognizing her from last night. They find themselves in a strange room full of plants. Then Nana sees this:

She screams and runs off. Then the White Shadow flies around her. She freaks out, thinking it's trying to get inside her. Then Cooro and Senri burst in...then Fly bursts in after them, shoving them out of the way. He cries out "Blanca!" and the White Shadow returns to Blanca's body. Nana asks if Blanca is the girl's name and Fly responds in the affirmative. He says she's an angel Anima. Husky demands to know what the hell is going on and Fly offers to explain in a different room, leading them to another track that leads out to Astar. Turns out they're in a tunnel that was made in the capital a long time ago. Only a small part of it is still usable. He takes them outdoors to the Astarian National Research Facility. Then he takes them to the library where they see Marca (surprise surprise, Husky isn't happy to see her). Cooro just recognizes her as the lady who gave them apples. Fly asks her to make them some tea as he leads the kids away.

He finds out they met Lyra and confirms that she underwent Anima implantation at her own request. He also confirms that he can also remove an Anima, turning the Anima user into a human. He says that becoming an Anima is not something children wish for; they unconsciously draw in Animas in order to survive. A child cries, an Anima arrives. The Anima marking is a scar that he can remove with surgery. Animas tend to leave on their own when a child grows up, no longer being needed. But Fly asks why wait? Why prolong your suffering? The facility can help children lead normal lives.

Husky calls him out, asking what exactly is he supposed to do for them? Fly responds by saying that since Nana is good with a needle, he can have her take an apprenticeship under a seamstress. He then cryptically says that if there's someone that you can't see because of your Anima, you can see them again in Husky's earshot. However, he won't recommend the procedure to Senri, saying that being a Kimunkle the Anima are sacred to his culture. The offer stands for everyone else though. Cooro himself says that Nana should do what will make her happy.

We later seen Nana bathing to prep for the surgery. Cooro himself is thinking by the window, wondering if he really will be happier without an Anima. I mean, he had one since birth so he wouldn't know. So Nana is being led to the surgery room to be prepped for anesthesia. She hesitates and admits that since it's the last time, she wants to say goodbye to her Anima. She sprouts her bat wings and bat ears and thanks them for helping her and introducing her to her friends. When Marca asks if she's ready, she flies off, saying she's changed her mind. She's not happy despite her Anima; she's happy because of her Anima. And hey, if it's going to disappear when she's an adult, what's the rush? She then rushes over to see Husky, afraid that he had the surgery and Husky pops out to yell at her for screaming. Nana hugs him and says that she didn't have the surgery. Husky says he thought about it but didn't go through with it; he's happy the way he is. When Nana asks where Cooro and Senri are, Husky says they never wanted to remove their Anima in the first place so they're probably in the waiting room. The chapter ends with them going off to search for them.

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 52: Opening Pandora's Box

Fly is in his place, sharing caramel chocolates with a cloaked figure who calls him master. The cloaked figure snitches that someone named "Blanca" ran away but came back, Fly figuring it's because Cooro is in Kilter right now.

So back at the church, Nana asks why Cooro went back to sleep after seeing that ghost last night. Nana is worried it really was a ghost, considering the church is right next to a graveyard. A couple of kids come by and Nana brings up the altar, which scares them and summons Mother Superior. Mother Superior tells Nana that she must have imagined it and the altar is sacred so don't go near it. Later on, a considerable distance further from the Mother Superior, Nana says that she's suspicious. Husky wonders if she's hiding something and Nana asks Cooro if he knows anything. Cooro doesn't answer. When Nana asks him why he keeps spacing out, he asks when are they going to leave. Nana says they just got here yesterday and asks why he doesn't want to spend more time in the place he grew up. Cooro says he does like the place and Nana wants to stay longer (so that she can find out more about Cooro's past). Raine finds them and invites them to a picnic that afternoon. Husky asks Cooro if it's okay with him...but Nana just speaks up and says that they're going.

Karmically, their supposed picnic is just them digging up potatoes, much to Nana's consternation. Raine points out that it's a picnic because they'll have fun cooking the potatoes later on. Nana thinks she's been tricked (should have kept your mind on your own business). Cooro's back to normal (because food is involved) and Nana drags off Husky to talk again. This time, she points out that Cooro only started getting antsy to leave when he saw the white shadow last night and everyone started talking about the altar. She figures those must be the keys to Cooro's past. She says if they leave the church without investigating, they may never get another attempt at learning about Cooro's past. Still, she's nervous and so is Husky. Then she springs up, remembering the church is empty and now is their chance to investigate.

Senri and Cooro are cooking the potatoes outside and Cooro notes that he keeps spacing out. Senri feeds him potatoes before he notices that Husky and Nana are missing.

Husky and Nana are at the altar, pushing it to the side to discover a secret entrance. Husky is suspicious, knowing that a secret entrance should be locked. Nana finds a ladder and goes down it with Husky to find a big room with a cart. She gets in and naturally triggers it, getting it moving. Husky jumps in to save her...stupidly forgetting that she can fly, leaving him alone in the moving cart as she saves herself.

Meanwhile, Cooro and Senri go to the church to look for the rest before they find the opened altar, figuring out that Husky and Nana must be down there. Fly comes in, out of nowhere, saying that he really should have locked it from the other side.

He goes down to find the cart missing, much to his shock. Cooro flies past him along with a running Senri, again ignoring his presence. Fly isn't bothered though, instead remarking on their stamina. "Children, what can you do? They don't think before they act."

The cart does end up stopping and the kids disembark. Then they see a door, going inside to find Fly's room with his books and chocolates. Husky is about to read about Anima implantation before Nana interrupts him to point him to "Blanca", the angel from chapters ago. End of chapter.

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 51: The White Shadow

Several shadowy people in the facility say that the race was a success. They got dem sum good Anima. Here, it's revealed that Fly is also the king's nephew. The figures speculate that if Anima are accepted into society and more importantly, obviously, the military, Lord Greena Aight (Still Fly) would gain more power. Oh sure, Fly has given no indication that he even cares about politics but that "I don't care" attitude of his makes him even more suspicious! Lord Yuriel, the heir to the throne, is still too young to rule so Fly is the obvious candidate. These random old men can't let him rule...

Fly, yawning, is approached by Commander Iggy about the rumors going around the castle. Fly brushes them off, saying he knows that they're saying he's using the Anima to take over Astaria. He thinks it's funny. Iggy angrily says that his carefree attitude makes people suspect him even more (true) but Fly isn't worried. Iggy thinks that Lord Nuoref (probably one of the old men) could have him assassinated though...eh, whatever. Fly is a bit perturbed though. You see, those old men are trying to disrupt his fun. That simply won't do...but first, lunch!

Cooro and the boys are swimming in the lake while Nana watches. She talks to Lyra, wondering how Cooro knows Fly. When she asked him, he said, "I know him...but don't worry about it!". So naturally, Nana is more worried. However, Lyra says she doesn't know either. Cooro was taken to the research facility before she was and, by the time she got there, he was already gone. So she doesn't know their relationship. However, Fly loves Anima research and Cooro is an unique Anima, so Fly probably didn't leave him alone. Nana is a bit worried by that, knowing that Fly did the Anima implants. She points out that none of the group are Anima because they want to be. Lyra simply asks her if she doesn't want to be an Anima, why doesn't she just have the research facility take her Anima from her? Obviously, Nana didn't know that was an option. Lyra explains that they take your Anima and implant it in someone else, creating artificial Anima. Then Lyra tosses more shade, saying that Cooro's backstory is awfully suspicious. He might be lying about being an Anima.

She then hears a carriage coming and runs off, saying goodbye to Nana. Cooro...telling lies? Impossible. At least Nana thinks so. She calls for (shouts for) Husky to come to her, leading him out to a clearing to share her theory that Cooro is a man-made Anima. She knows she's onto something because doesn't immediately yell at her/say he hates women. He himself has had his suspicions about Cooro from the start too, from his acceptance of his Anima to the fact that he was born with it. We know by now that Anima are triggered by trauma so it should be impossible to be born with it, right? The obvious solution? Go to Kilter to investigate...with Cooro. Cooro agrees, saying they'll stay the night at the church...all according to plan. The church may have information on his past that will solve the mystery.

A fisherwoman leads a bunch of kids while heading out for fish while singing a song while wearing hats. Nana spots them and says the song sounds like something Cooro would sing. The woman stops, sees Cooro and excitedly runs over to greet him, saying he's gotten taller. Cooro identifies her as Raine, saying she was the oldest kid at the church. Raine says the Mother Superior will be happy to see him and leads them all back to the church.

The Mother Superior is happy to see him and sees his friends. She explains that Raine came back to work at the church after finishing vocational school. She also heard that Cooro was a fine worker at the Research Facility. Aha! A clue! Anyway, at night, in bed, Nana is still awake. She wants to ask Cooro but the words just won't come out. I mean, he was being evasive earlier when she asked about Fly so I don't blame her. Then everyone sees a bird spirit float above Cooro's bed, thinking it's a ghost. Nana hits it with the ultrasound attack but, being a transparent energy being, it somehow doesn't work. She tries to get Husky to help her follow it but he was knocked out by the scream. She's on her own. She runs after it and it disappears into the floor. Raine comes over to investigate the noise and Nana tells her she saw a ghost. Raine brushes her off, saying this place is protected by God so she crazy, then shoos her off to bed. When she gets back, Cooro is already asleep. End of chapter.

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 50: Childhood Friends Part 2

Lyra and Cooro are playing tag as kids in a flashback, Cooro flying off with his Anima in front of her. But screw his past cheating ass, right now he's stuffing his face at the checkpoint. After asking if the guy he helped is okay, he then flies off to continue the race. When he leaves, the attendants say that black-winged people are supposed to be messengers of death but Cooro seems alright. While flying, Cooro wonders where Lyra is...well Cooro, she is being stalked by Jesso and is trying to give him the slip.

Meanwhile, Nana and Husky are chilling by the rocks, Nana occupying herself by stitching something in embroidery. Feeling a bit shy being alone with Husky, she tries to strike up conversation by asking how far along Senri and Cooro are. Husky responds by...running off. The reason? Girls don't talk...EVER. Then he spots Marca and recognizes her as the girl who has been stalking his group since the mountains. He wonders if she came over because of the race attracting so many Anima...then he sees her meet up with Fly. And he hears them talking about Cooro. He's already nervous but he gets downright spooked when Nana comes up behind him, giving away his position to both of them.

Husky runs off with her while Fly watches. Back to the race! Lyra can't shake Jesso who, again, loudly announces out to everyone who is not listening that he has been using his Anima to get by in life by any means necessary. That's why he needs to win this race: he wants to live an honest life. Surprisingly, Lyra is not touched by his tale of woe, doing a barrel roll in mid air and sending him crashing into a rock, saying that literally every Anima wants what he's looking for. Exhausted, Lyra is shocked when Cooro finally catches up to her. He's happy she's safe...she tears into his ass for that. She always hated how he never took anything seriously. She says that he's like that because he has had an Anima since the beginning; she had to wait to get one. She flies off, crying, thinking she has to win the race. Then her wings cramp up and she falls out of the sky, right in front of Cooro.

Meanwhile, Senri found some plants...and Cooro and Lyra, the former having broken the latter's fall with his body. They both witness Lyra's Anima float off before their eyes. Then she wakes up. Senri takes her back to town and Cooro says he'll finish the race for her. He flies off and Lyra notes he's as happy-go-lucky as ever.

So...he comes in last. But Fly and Marca see him...and Nana drag him off! A lot happens in a little time. They both go to check on Lyra who has a sprained leg but is otherwise fine. She's freaking out though, saying "he'll" be mad at her. When Cooro asks, she explains that she's been jealous of Cooro since he was a kid for having an Anima. Even the teachers were nice to him. She felt if she had an Anima, even if she was an orphan, she could do something different with her life. They took her from the church to the Research Facility and told her she can be an Anima too. She was implanted with a swallow Anima by the head of Research Facility Eight...Fly Greena Aight.

Husky rightly suspects that he's the man he spotted earlier and he tells Cooro they need to leave town, right now. Cooro being Cooro, he runs out to get his prize for flying. It's sweets and salt. He ran back for sweets and salt. Remember that from this point forward. Sweets and salt. That's when Fly and Marca walk up on him. Fly says hi. Cooro turns and says he got his prize, time to boogie out. Fly, unaffected by the snub, says that if he's leaving, Kilter is nearby. He can stop by the church. Cooro doesn't answer, he keeps moving. Nana asks who he was. Cooro ends the chapter...still not answering.

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 49: Childhood Friends Part 1

Cooro and the gang are shoveling dirt for money, Cooro singing about how he's gonna get paid.

Cooro, Husky and Senri are paid for the week and Nana joins them after babysitting the foreman's daughter. She didn't get paid much but she got cookies and bread! Nana thinks to herself that from now on...hm...that's the thing: what now? Will they keep traveling together? Grow up together? She thinks her friends are hot but she also wants to marry into a rich family (The Classic Dilemma). Marrying Husky will be marrying rich...but screw shipping, there's a flier for the 1st Yellow Valley Race. And it's Anima only!

So, as you have probably guessed, the race is a scheme to scout out low-rank retainers for Asteria's Anima division or something. Basically, they need messengers. One guy in the army goes "Wow, Anima sure are more accepted these days" only for another guy to correct him: if Anima figure out how powerful they are, they'll lord over others with their obvious superiority. So they need to get them under control first. Another guy points out it's the research facility that deals with Anima, specifically Research Facility Eight. He then begins to talk about the head of Facility Eight...who shows up right behind him. It's Fly!

At Yellow Valley, the group marvels at all the Anima they see around them. So the Yellow Valley Race has two categories: The Air Race and the Land Race. You have to visit three checkpoints on your way to the finish line. Nana, looking at the map, says it'll take two days to go to the finish line, Husky saying that they'll probably testing stamina and nighttime activity. When Cooro questions the "testing" part, Husky says the fine print details that Astaria is looking to hire Anima based on their scores. You get a job, you get rights. That's why there are so many Anima.

So some Seifer-looking tool with wings shows up to taunt the group, saying they're going to lose and he's going to win so fuck manners. He's The Great Jesso and you're not.

That's 10,000 gillah prize is as good as his so give up now and save everyone the embarrassment in watching you fail. Cooro is still going to enter anyway: the race is free to enter and even if you lose, you get a prize just for participating. Senri is taking part in the ground race. Nana and Husky are sitting out so it's on with the race including the mysterious shadowy figure watching them on a roof!

Whoever the hell this is.

The group spots her quickly and Cooro seems to recognize her as a girl named Lyra. He runs up to greet her and she says hi...and sprouts wings, saying she won't lose to him before flying off. She's a swallow Anima and Cooro says he knows her from the church he grew up in. But he's a bit surprised because she wasn't an Anima while he knew her. So that means the Trauma happened. We cut over to Lyra who is just as shocked to see Cooro only to steel herself by saying she won't lose to him no matter what.

The race begins and the contestants are off! Cooro analyzes his chances, acknowledging that there are fifteen contestants other than him and that they're all bigger than him. He sees Lyra and wishes her luck in the race...only for her to fly off, ignoring him. Poor Cooro thinks she hates him...

Meanwhile, in the land race, Husky and Nana (mostly Nana) cheer on Senri. When the ground racers run off, Nana asks about Lyra. She wants to talk to her later about how Cooro was when he was little. Husky has to tell her for what has to be the umpeenth time that she needs to mind her own damn business in these matters. If Cooro wanted them to know about his past, he would tell them. Everyone has shit they don't need others prying into. He adds that if it weren't for extenuating circumstances, he wouldn't have talked about himself either. Nana counters that Cooro's mysterious, and that he's different from other Anima. Husky thinks he's different alright...in that he accepts himself and his Anima identity. That's something that's always confused him...

Back to the Air Race. Cooro is coming up to the first checkpoint. He then sees Jesso attacking another contestant with a goddamn knife, ultimately stabbing him out of the air.

Jesso states out loud to himself with no one around to hear that when you have someone on your level, you take them out first. That's what his big brother taught him. Then he spots Lyra...

Cooro swoops down to help the person who was stabbed, who tells him that his wing was slashed. He can't fly in that condition. He then tells him to beware Jesso, the Hawk Anima.

The chapter ends with Jesso creeping in on Lyra, who has just made the first checkpoint...

ANIMA RATING:

Swallow Anima: You can fly. Cool. 7/10

Hawk Anima: I don't usually do this but I infer you also have talons. Cooler. 8/10

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 48: The Angel's Lake Part 2

So turns out Angel Douche had told the villagers that Cooro was the black-winged messenger of Death and now they're throwing rocks at him.

Nana drags him away into a tent to escape and finds out he's bleeding. Luckily, they're in the troupe's tent and they're attended to. They introduce themselves: Alan, Miranda (we know her name from the last chapter) and Dylan. They're all siblings. Cooro then asks for a hat and wig to protect his head.

The villagers are patting their backs for throwing rocks at an unarmed child while the group meets up again. Nana no longer wants to leave town...she wants to fuck up Angel Douche.

We get inside Angel Douche's head, him thinking he needs to be the White Angel because he can only see himself surviving as the White Angel. We then see Fly writing a report on him: He's about fourteen, he's a swan Anima (Nana was right) and he has some sort of plan for meeting him...

Next, we see the troupe perform again. The group are in the crowd and see Angel Douche watching Miranda. He spots them and, like the bitch he is, darts off. Senri catches him though. He cowers and when Husky asks him, gives his name as Cyranova. Husky threatens him into going into town and telling everyone he's a phony but he refuses. Husky ain't hearing his shit though, rightfully pissed that he sold out a fellow Anima to save his own ass. Shockingly, Cooro calls him off, saying that Cyranova is suffering the most. Nana points out that when he's an Angel, Cyranova acts so brave. Now he's just a puss-puss. It's here where Cyranova reveals his dark secret: he used to be fat.

He was an only child in a merchant's family. His parents died a year ago in an accident. His uncle inherited the shop and sent him out to work, calling it training. But he was clumsy and weak, making a useless kid who couldn't do his job. He would work him to the bone and starve him, forcing out Cyranova's Anima. Then he had swan wings and thought he became an angel. Everyone loved him and Miranda looks at him with admiration. However, Husky and Nana say that she's looking at the Angel, not him. He weakly argues that nobody notices the real him; if no one sees him, then he doesn't really exist. Then Cooro pats his chest, saying that he's right there so he's obviously real. If there's no one else around, does he disappear? If that was the case, he wouldn't be an Anima now, would he? Hearing that, he leaves to think a little.

Later, Nana comes upon Miranda practicing for a play. Miranda finds it difficult to be an angel, seeing them as too pure and innocent to emulate properly. Nana tries to quiz her on her feelings for the angel...but later, back in fog, the villagers are getting restless. They're wondering where the angel is. The group wonders if they drove Cyranova away and go to get him. The man of the hour is ready to take off...only for two guys from the Asteria Research Facility to approach him. One of the guys says if Cyranova comes with them, they can guarantee his livelihood. They begin to drag him off only for him to snatch back, saying he still has stuff he needs to do and doesn't want to go. The guys get aggressive, saying he (Fly) said to get as many bird Anima as they can so they're not taking no for an answer. They put a cloth over his mouth and Cooro drops out of nowhere to rescue him.

Senri backs him up and in the fight, Cyranova falls over into the water under the cliff. Husky swoops up and saves him from below though. Then Nana knocks them out with the ultrasonic screech and the fight's over.

Warming up at a campfire, Cyranova asks why they saved him. Cooro smiles and says that he didn't want to go so they made sure his decision was respected. Hearing that, later on Cyranova stops the troupe's wagon in the middle of the road to reveal himself as the angel...and ask to join their troupe. End of chapter.

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 47: The Angel's Lake Part 1

A grandpa and his granddaughter are picking strawberries. Then they see her:

Anyway, Fly gets a letter delivered by a...whatever the fuck this is:

It says a white angel has been spotted at Fantale. Fly gives a knowing smirk and tells his...thing that he'll give it some honey tea while he writes another letter for it to take back to Fantale.

Meanwhile, the group are in Fantale and are somehow shocked to see a church. Then a performer girl dances up, inviting them to see The Alalran Troupe in person. Cooro drags them to see it and the troupe puts on a show about a pure-hearted family in Fantale. One day, the smallest granddaughter was picking wild strawberries before she saw a beautiful angel (sound familiar?). The daughter (played by a cute dog in the troupe) offered the angel the strawberries and the angel, not having a mortal idea about how fair transactions work, has been watching over Fantale ever since. An old woman tells the group that this tale is based on a true story...one that happened just a month ago (That's a quick adaptation process). She says that every now and then, the angel appears on a foggy morning.

Nana shouts that she wants to meet her and the old woman tells her the troupe has been responsible for adapting the news into a story. That's when Cooro notices a guy watching the show in disguise. He seems to be really into the actress playing the angel...and doesn't like it when Cooro notices. He runs off and when Husky asks what the hell his damage was, Cooro says that he is an Anima. Nana says that he was into the girl on the stage whose name is Miranda according his wistful utterances on a hill facing the town.

At night, Nana says she wants to see the angel. Cooro agrees so the next day, it's a foggy morning so that it means it's angel weather. Standing outside a church, Cooro seems distracted. Husky asks what's wrong and Cooro simply says being outside a church reminds him of the last church he was at. Remember, he grew up in a church and was raised by the nuns there. He was told that angels with white wings are messengers of god and angels with black wings are bringers of death...but Earth needs them both. Nana asks if they were so nice to him, why did he leave? Naturally before he could answer, the angel shows up.

Everyone's watching and Cooro spots a guy with a familiar confusing winged creature on his shoulder...before Nana pulls him over to listen to the angel, who indeed says that she is a messenger from Heaven. Then the collection basket gets put down (oh boy)...people put money in (Nana puts in a strawberry) and the angel flies off. Cooro flies after them (Gonna start referring to them as such because a town member said that was a "him" and I have a poor track record with this stuff) and Nana flies after Cooro. So they catch up and surprise surprise, the angel turns out to be the guy in the crowd watching the play earlier. He's terrified, thinking that Cooro is an Angel of Death but he and Nana clear things up quickly.

Cooro didn't stop him to snitch, he stopped him to warn him that a guy (Fly) was watching him earlier and he needs to look out. He advises that he either stop with the angel shit or leave town. The guy gets defensive, shouting that he is a messenger from heaven and Cooro is...a death bringer so he's the one that should leave. He flies off and Cooro identifies him as a Swan Anima, then says the group should probably leave town too, much to Nana's confusion. They leave to find Husky and Senri, touch town in another part of town and some little girl hits Cooro with a rock. End of chapter.

ANIMA RATING:

Swan Anima-You can fly and you're probably pretty. That's it. 7.5/10

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 46: Blue Wings

At the Asteria National Research Facility~!, Fly (Iggy's friend who knows Cooro) calls out to a girl named Marca for working hard. She responds by falling over in front of him. He helps her up and tells her that an Anima group of four (our group) has appeared at the northern town of Rock Porter. Marca (who I am just now realizing is the group's stalker whose name I kept insisting on misspelling) dashes off to see them only for Fly to stop her. He tells her that she has work left to do and reminds her of the fact that only did she lose sight of them on Moss Mountain, she had to be saved by military. She's bummed but he tells her that he's glad that he has her for his assistant because she likes Anima so much. Marca happily tells him that she came to the facility after reading Aaron Newt's books and asks Fly why he started researching Anima. He thinks...and flashes back to his childhood with Commander Iggy, bugging him away from sword practice.

Their favorite game was exploring Astar and while doing that, Fly reveals that he directly studied under the aforementioned Aaron Newt. Apparently, everyone thought he was a freak for researching Anima, especially Iggy who lost his grandfather to a bear Anima. Fly points out that researching something isn't based on the good or bad of it, it's making the unknown known. I mean, if you're going to fight something, you'll have to know about it, right? That's why research is important. Anyway, they end up in the slums where they find a kid who's apparently dressed in clothes from a nearby factory (observation skills are important, says Fly). Fly offers to get someone to help her but the kid suddenly sprouts wings while shouting for him not to get anyone. The kids have just found their first real life Anima.

She tries to run off but Fly stops her, saying he can't leave her alone because she's an Anima. This somehow flusters her instead of creeping her out and she joins the two, revealing that she was an apprentice at the factory despite hating it because her family needed the money. She wants to go home...but the two little shits keep following her. Fly points out (appropriately) that she has wings but she won't fly away, probably because she is injured. He also points out that she has what are clearly pigeon wings. The girl herself guesses that it's because there were a lot of pigeons outside the factory. Fly (again, appropriately) that winged Anima, specifically birds, are his favorite because they remind him of angels. Iggy, shitling that he is, disputes that and says that all Anima are just animals. Iggy argues that even gods take the form of animals but Iggy argues not in Asteria.

Fly literally has to tell him not to say bad things in front of her and that he'll hurt her feelings. This somehow shocks Iggy who was literally just manhandling her a while ago, somehow unable to perceive his aggressive tendencies as "mean" even with his prejudice factored out. Fly runs after her and asks her about her Anima which she reveals that she didn't always have. Turns out she was bullied by other kids in the factory and she jumped from the tower and those wings appeared on her. She then jumps off a cliff in front of them and flies, only for Fly to slip off and fall (inappropriately) and her to swoop in and catch him. After she calls him an idiot, Fly decides then and there that he'll research Anima.

She takes them back to her family's house. They think that she want to go back but she tells them she won't. She left for an Apprenticeship. If she goes back empty-handed, that'll make things harder on her mom. She just wanted to see her house one last time. But she'll come back some day...then she flies off. Fly, who's watching, figures out that bird Anima aren't real angels...then what about that girl in Dr. Aaron's lab, Blanca?

In the present, Marca calls Fly out on flashbacking, asking if he was in love with the pigeon girl. He answers that she wasn't his type. What's his type? It's a secret. End of chapter.

Ten more chapters left in the series after this one.

*Meant to be sung in Doofenshmirtz's jingle voice.

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 45: Where Wishes Go

So the King and Kazana fall into a tree.

Then they fall off a tree and into a water. The king is saved by Senri and Kazana rushes him again only for Crystal to slash him away. When Crystal says that she won't let Kazana continue, he shouts that she's the king's twin sister and that she was in a position to reform Sailand. Instead, she threw it away. The day he learnt that as her slave, he was never able to forgive her. The king contemptuously answers that twins causes fighting over succession and that the kingdom doesn't need two rulers. Kazana responds that he's right...and that's why he's going to kill the king, saying that will make Crystal in charge instead. Crystal hits him away with her staff and tells him that Keane is in fact next in line to the throne, tomorrow being his thirteenth birthday and the day he is officially recognized as an adult, making him an heir to the throne. If something happens to him, the prince after him gets the throne. If something happens to that prince, the next will inherit it. And so on and so on...the fact is, with the current system in place, Crystal will never get the throne.

With a final sharp blow to his solar plexus, Kazana is down. The king moves in to kill him, saying that even if Crystal knows him, they can't abide assassinations. Crystal answers that Kazana won't be able to assassinate anyone anymore and cryptically repeats a superstition to her king brother: that if one twin dies, the other follows soon after. The king simply turns to leave, telling her to take Kazana out and not make a scene about it. Crystal agrees and has Senri help her.

The royals are watching the group leave and the king asks if the silver haired boy is Myrrha. She simply says that he is a fish Anima. Hashas, still there for some fucking reason, figures out who "Sapphire" really is...

The group looks over Kazana who finally wakes up. Here, we learn that not only is Crystal Husky's aunt but that she's the one who taught him staff fighting. Husky wanted her to know that he was alive too...and Nana teases him for liking his aunt, namely more for her traditionally masculine qualities (gallantry, bravery) so he hates other girls even more. Husky promptly beats their asses.

Later at night, Husky is on the roof. Crystal joins him to tell him that she's arranged a ship to take him Asteria. He tells her that he's going to build a life with his friends in Asteria, which Crystal is happy to hear. She tells him he's made good friends...

The next day, the group is at the harbor. Nana runs up in new clothes along with Crystal's old clothes for everyone. She thanks Husky for coming back with them and he brushes her off, tsundere-style. Kazana, also there, calls Cooro over. He says he's going to Crystal's plantation (ugh...) to lay low for a while. Apparently, a lot of guys lose their Anima while there. He asks Cooro if it's true that people lose their Anima when they're fulfilled, as if Cooro is supposed to know that. Cooro answers that if fulfilled means happy, he's happy even though he's an Anima. He can fly, he can get food, he has friends...what more do you need in life?

Kazana laughs, saying Cooro is strange and Cooro says that Kazana is happy too, probably because Crystal was nice to him. Kazana blushes. Cooro gets hit.

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 44: Black Talons

Lady Dylana chews her son Keane out for leading Husky and the group back here. Keane, dirty rotten traitor aside, reveals he genuinely wanted to get Husky to see his mom again. He then asks his own mom why she said that wasn't Myrrha when that clearly was Myrrha. Lady Dylana answers that there would be trouble if Myrrha was alive. Keane asks if it's because he's next in line for the throne and says that Myrrha said that he would leave if he saw his mother again. Lady Dylana is shocked by this, asking if he said anything else about her (who we can all guess by now is the woman who pushed him to drown in the water) and Keane answers no, much to her relief. Then Keane asks the million dollar question: why doesn't Lady Marein recognize her own son?

Cooro is stuffing his face with food while the group sits before Lady Marein in her own room, apparently not in jail. Nana asks if that's really his mom since she can't even recognize him. Also, she's feeding them? What the heck? Outside, a guard asks a servant if it's alright for the kids to be in the harem. The servant says it's just one of Marein's whims and they'll indulge her for now, quietly ushering the kids out of the castle when she's done with them so that they won't cause a bigger disturbance than they already have. The guard (a woman, incidentally) says she doesn't mind the kids but the man (Senri) freaks her out, plus no guys are allowed in the harem. The servant's answer? He's not a man, he's a bear.

In the room, Lady Marein says she once had a son named Myrrha. He would be around Husky's age, interestingly. A year ago, he went missing after falling in a pond. Reports say he killed himself. But she doesn't believe he would kill himself. She notes that after her son "died", Lady Dylana stopped bullying her and would avoid her. It was like she was afraid of something...very strange.

She then asks Husky what kind of life he is living. Cooro answers he catches fish for them to eat. Lady Marein notes that Myrrha couldn't swim. Hearing that, Husky morphs into his Anima form right in front of her. He shouts that he's a fish Anima; that's how he's still alive. After getting a bucket of water dumped on him by Nana (misunderstanding how his powers work), he says that in Sailand, Anima are slaves. That's why he can't stay here nor does he want to. His Anima helps him survive so he wants to stay an Anima. Nana then awkwardly chimes in that she and the others are Anima too and they are also happy. Then Marein kneels down:

Lady Marein then tells her Mistress of the Robes (who was apparently just watching the whole thing) to tie up all the food and give them to the group to go. She tells her to then take the kids out the castle because sure they broke and entered but they're just kids. That's when Nana asks where Kazana is. Cooro says they lost him in the courtyard and Husky says he probably ran when they got caught. Lady Marein tells them not to get caught by the King...and of course then, the signal for the king chimes.

Lady Dylana says something is not right, however, and when the ladies rush out to greet him, they see Kazana swoop down and take him away in his talons (title reference!) right in front of Lord Hashas. The guards watch in horror as Nana asks what Kazana is thinking. Cooro quickly points out the king was kidnapped because he rules over a kingdom where Anima are made slaves. He then (reasonably) asks if he should save him, which Husky says that obviously he should (*cough* Uncle Tom Merman *cough*).

The King slashes at Kazana with a blade he apparently had on his person and demands to know what the hell is wrong with him. Kazana says he's going to kill him and that he'll give Sailand to a new king. Cooro swoops up to stop Kazana and that's when he sees the "king"'s face: it's Crystal.

Nah, the king just happens to look like Crystal. The real Crystal is on the ground, shouting for Kazana to stop. Nana uses the distraction to hit Kazana with an ultrasound scream...only for him to dodge by tackling the king, sending them both plummeting down off the ledge they were fighting on. The chapter ends with Husky running after them...with Lord Hashas thinking he looks familiar.

[plusanimablog]

Chapter 43: Stairway Capture

So Edo lost the kids, who left their collars behind.

Then a servant gets a letter for Crystal which she reacts to in shock...but eh, let's see Keane react to the return of his (misgendered him last chapter; he's a prince and that makes him a bit hypocritcal for bullying Husky for looking like that) brother Husky, or as he calls him, "Myrrha". He's overjoyed that he's alive but he rebuffs him, saying that he hated his guts when he was around. Keane reveals that he thought he killed himself because he was so mean to him which Husky reacts to in shock, saying he would never do that. Nana is shocked that the princes would fight each other which Husky replies to by explaining the princes are born rivals, fighting each other over their statuses. If the king likes a Queen, the prince gets an automatic higher status. If he favors a prince, the Queen is better off automatically. He then says as bad as it can get among princes, it gets way worse among the Queens (Nana has to stop him from saying "it's because they're girls" but you know he was thinking it). Th queens not only have their kids to think about but their homelands so it brings the worst out in them...so there it is. That's why Husky hates girls. They fight over frivolous things, do insidious actions such as hiding needles in cupcakes and badmouth other children...why do we even still have women?!

(Fight the real enemy.)

Keane then asks if the rest of the group are Husky's servants. He answers that they're his friends and Nana explains he came back to see his mother. When Keane asks Husky for confirmation, Husky responds in the affirmative and says that he's just here for that. When he leaves, they can go back to saying he's dead. Suddenly, Keane is on his side, saying he'll make sure he'll see his mother and tell her that he's alive.

The next day, some guy is looking for Keane because he needs to talk to him about something but Keane is leading the group through the garden, taking advantage of the fact that the morning is when everyone is in their rooms, getting tutored. He tells them to stay in the courtyard, he'll go get Lady Marein. Then they hearing a jingling noise. Husky says that's the noise that's made when a Queen is coming. It's Lady Dylana, Keane's mother. He rushes off to greet her as the group hides. When she asks if he's supposed to be studying, he shouts loud enough for the gods to hear that Prince Myrrha is alive. Then he points out the group.

While definitely a little shit, hold back on the stones, folks. Myrrha just wanted to ease his mother's consciousness that has been apparently stressed out since Myrrha's "death". Lady Dylana, however, doesn't believe that that kid is Myrrha and orders the guards to seize him, much to Keane's shock. Cooro tells Husky that they're going and flies off with him into the palace, the guards giving chase.

Nana's pissed too, wondering where the hell Kazana is because he was supposed to be the damn decoy. Cooro does some sick flight manuevers through the palace walls and Husky yells out to stop Senri from fighting the guards...only for the fighting to stop when none other than Lady Marein steps down to survey the noise. Looking at them, seeing her son, she says...seize them.

Outside, Crystal arrives on horseback outside the castle, ending the audience by requesting an audience with the king.