天下制覇

I swear to Zeus, if I hear one more speech from Keiichi about saving Satoko, I’ll kill her myself.

Impressions:

Aroduc’s Note:
Yawn. A very boring episode. Everybody is working together, we get it. 20 minutes of listening to K-1 talk about saving Satoko is a bit much. Especially after at least five to ten minutes of it last week. All that really happened this episode is that more people were at the counselor towards the end, everybody learned about Satoko’s relatively meaningless disease, and it only took 20 minutes… three full days in the show… of listening to Keiichi’s speeches for Rika to decide to stop being a bump on a log.

Summary:

At school, Keiichi is giving a speech to all the other kids about Satoko. He tells them how it’s strange that she’s not coming to school anymore and that she needs their help and that she’s one of them. All the others chime in too. Keiichi goes into a long speech about if they all work together they can save her. Chie walks in, but Rika prevents her from stopping Keiichi’s oration, saying that it’s needed to save Satoko. The principal then appears and says that they’ll both help as well and Chie relents.

The entire crew heads to the counseling center to try to convince them en masse. They have another meeting with the child care people, but they again say that they can’t do anything because Satoko won’t come forward herself. Shion loses it again and starts yelling at them that Satoko needs their help now.  K-1 is also extremely frustrated and gets ready to start yelling bloody murder at them, but Rena stops him.

On the way home, K-1 is still annoyed, but the nameless classmates are more hopeful of doing what they can to make her safe. Chie is also convinced that they’ll be able to help her. After a depressing little speech about the Hojos from Mion, Keiichi forms a new plan.

At Angel Mort, Keiichi is trying to convince Kameda to help them. Kameda won’t though because tomorrow is  Dessert Festival. Seriously, abused kid versus dessert festival. Keiichi gives another cheeseball speech which convinces Kameda and somehow every other person in the restaurant and they start their own army of doom, along with all the waitresses as well.

That night, Keiichi talks to Irie about anything else that he can do. He tells them that all three of them, Takano and Tomitake will do what they can too. Ooishi is waiting for Keiichi as he leaves. Ooishi says that he’s sorry that he won’t be able to help, but he does tell them that the Child Counselors had a meeting with the Sonozaki and intimates that the problem is that the Sonozaki are against helping the Hojos. Keiichi isn’t too put off though and thanks Ooishi for the information. Satoko is a companion though, and he’ll definitely save her.

The next day, everybody is having a pow wow to figure out how to head out. Chie walks in with Satoko, but her eyes are pretty much dead and she’s totally passive. She apologizes for worrying people and sits down. Nobody is fooled though. Keiichi tries to talk with her, but she just says that she’s doing her best because her brother is gone. He pats her on the head, and she starts to cry.

Everybody comes around her and tells her that all she needs to do is ask for help and everybody in the class will protect her so they can play together again. Satoko’s tears dry though, and she says that she’s really fine. Rena starts to tell her about the time she felt totally alone and needed to be saved. Rena holds her hand out to Satoko and Keiichi tells her that they’ll surely save her.

Suddenly there are footsteps and Satoko panics and starts to cower as the principal walks in. She tries to say something about what her uncle will do, but can’t finish her sentence and keeps crying as Rika tries to comfort her and asks if she’s had her medicine for today.

At the nurse’s office, Satoko is sleeping. Outside, Keiichi asks Rika how she’s doing and what the medicine was. Rika explains that Satoko is very ill and prone to hallucinations and minor psychotic episodes. As her conclusion finishes, they hear glass break and Satoko starts yelling and thrashing about again.

A little later, Satoko is asleep again. Rika explains a little more about Satoko’s episodes to Keiichi and how she needs a daily injection to stay healthy. He asks if it isn’t possible for Satoko to stay with Rika. That’s not possible though. Teppei has threatened to burn Satoshi’s room, and the last physical memories of him if Satoko ever ran away. Keiichi is pissed and says that he should have killed Teppei afterall. Rika grabs his arm and says that he shouldn’t. He says that understands, and both say that they’ll break destiny this time.

Everybody is gathered this time to go to the counselor’s. Teachers, Angel Mort staff, everybody. Rika, Keiichi and Irie are the three representatives to talk to them. Keiichi, obvious, Irie as a doctor, and Rika as Satoko’s best friend. Rika starts silently talking with Hanyuu while Keiichi is pleading their case. Hanyuu wonders if they’ll really be able to change Satoko’s mind. Rika suddenly realizes that a miracle only happens when everybody works together. Hanyuu replies that it won’t, because Satoko herself isn’t helping them. Rika says that’s wrong, and that she, herself, was the problem. Even as Satoko’s friend, she just stood passively.

Rika continues, saying that this world is the one where everybody is working together to help eachother, and the best that can be had. If this world fails, then she’ll give up. Hanyuu is a bit depressed at hearing this, but Rika tells her how she’s going to destroy fateffor the sake of this world. She then stands up and interrupts Keiichi, saying that the only ones that can save Satoko are themselves.