2-7 The Special Hazardous Waste Leakage Issue
1: Hope (1)#
Four months have past since Tagitsuhime fled to the netherworld, casting aradama-- Special hazardous waste, across all of Kanto.
TV (Male Assemblyman): How do you respond to all the anxiety the public has been feeling, and the damages they have suffered, because of that day four months ago?
TV (Chairman): Witness Origami.
TV (Origami Akane): Thanks to an emergency response by members of the Special Ritual Squad, we were able to prevent a disaster like the one from twenty years ago from occurring again.
TV (Origami Akane): As a part of the administration bureau, I believe we did everything we were capable of.
TV (Male Assemblyman): However, the fact remains that there was leakage of large quantities of special hazardous waste. As the responsibility of your administration, please tell us your future plans for dealing with this incident.
TV (Chairman): Witness Origami.
TV (Origami Akane): We have established a countermeasures headquarters for dealing with the leakage of special hazardous waste, and are devoting all our efforts to its recovery. We estimate it will be completely recovered within the next year.
TV (Male Assemblyman): The people want to hear the full story, of what the administration bureau has been doing! I demand an explanation from the person at the heart of this matter, former bureau director Origami Yukari!
TV (Chairman): Witness Origami.
TV (Origami Akane): The former bureau director is currently undergoing medical care.
Hashima Ema: --These past four months, the National Diet has been going back and forth on this issue over and over again. I'm sick of it, honestly.
Mai: Even though they summon Akane-sama as a witness, it always comes back to demanding an explanation from Yukari-sama. No matter how many times they're told she's receiving medical care.
Ema: Lately, the Sword Administration Bureau has been an easy target. Whether we call it a new administration or Mokusa, it's all the same to them. We're still the careless organization who leaked massive amounts of noro into the area...
Ema: ...All thanks to Tagitsuhime, who dropped aradama like meteors across Kanto back then. What they're calling the Kamakura Special Hazardous Waste Leakage Issue.
Ema: Toji from all affiliations had to be shuffled around to deal with it. In the middle of everything, many of you are stuck fighting under harsh conditions.
Ema: ...But despite it all, the public isn't showing any signs of letting up, are they.
Mai: We just have to put up with it. It's the truth that we couldn't stop the noro from escaping.
Mai: ...Though I still think there's hope. Because--
Academy Intercom: Aradama have been identified in the area of this academy. Toji, make preparations for emergency sortie. I repeat, aradama have been identified--
Mai: Aradama!? What should we do, I think it's best if I go out to help...?
Mirja: Excuse us. I'm Kitora Mirja, from Ayanokouji Martial Arts School's high school division.
Ellen: Maimai! We're here to pick you up!
Kofuki: You've got 4 seconds to get ready! There's aradama-chan that need a beating!
Ellen: Have a little patience! We'll wait 40 seconds at least!
Mirja: At any rate, you're rushing her.
Mai: Everyone...! Sorry, President Hashima. I'll be going now!
Ema: Alright. Take care of yourselves, dealing with those aradama.
Ellen: You can count on us!!
2: Hope (2)#
Ellen: Phew, that's all of them taken care of!
Mirja: Mission accomplished. Let's make our report.
Kofuki: Those aradama were a pushover. Don't they have the real deal around here!
Mai: ...President Hashima, the toji themselves are our hope right now. Facing this difficult struggle all across Kanto, toji are...
Ellen: Maimai, did you say something?
Mai: No, it's nothing. We should head back to President Hashima.
3: The Voice of the People (1)#
Mai: --The problem Tagitsuhime left behind, the Kamakura Special Hazardous Waste Leakage Issue.
Mai: Because we're responding to it after the fact, we're forced to use makeshift countermeasures.
Mai: Toji are always coming and going, being transferred about, and it's putting a heavy burden on them. Shouldn't improving that be our first priority?
Ema: We'd like to treat you toji as best as we can, but the situation isn't making it easy...
Ema: Our efforts these past months are starting to show results, but because many see toji as the cause of the leakage issue, not all areas are cooperating...
Mirja: They're blinding themselves to the reality of the situation by putting faith in malicious rumors. How foolish.
Ellen: All these idiots are just making our work harder.
Mai: Ellen-chan, that's going too far. The public just doesn't know what actually happened, since a lot of it is classified information.
Ellen: Whoops, that was rude of me.
Kofuki: I couldn't care less what they think, but it pisses me off they're getting in the way of smashing up aradama-chan.
Academy Intercom: Aradama have been identified in the area of this academy. Toji, make preparations for emergency sortie. I repeat, aradama have been identified--
Mai: Again!?
Kofuki: Heheh, a chance to blow off some stress! Hang tight, aradama-chan! I'll be right there!
4: The Voice of the People (2)#
Mirja: --Mission accomplished.
Kofuki: Dammit, it's just the runts again! Can't they transfer me somewhere where there's tougher aradama?
Mai: ...I hope the toji working in other areas are doing alright...
Ellen: Are you worried about everyone, Maimai?
Mai: Mm. Compared to our assignment, those stationed elsewhere should be facing much tougher conditions...
Ellen: You're right... I hope Kaoru's hanging in there...
Kofuki: Don't waste time worrying about them. All the toji I know are the kind who wouldn't know to lay down dead if they'd died.
Kofuki: I mean, if this mission were tough enough to make them crack, they'd have quit being toji a long time ago. So every one of them's gonna pull through somehow.
Ellen: --You've got a point! Kaoru's probably groaning "I wanna vacation..." while she's gritting her teeth and getting things done!
Mai: ...Shichinosato-san, thank you.
Kofuki: I don't need your thanks. I just hate it when the mood starts coming down.
Ellen: Oh, I got a message.
Ellen: ...Everyone, I just got a big scoop. Let's get back to the dorms.
Mai: Ellen-chan, is this about...?
Ellen: You know it, I got that progress report back.
Mirja: What progress report are you talking about?
Ellen: I'll explain it all later! Let's go, everybody!
5: Progress Report (1)#
Ellen: So Maimai and I used our connections with Grandpa and the presidents to learn what Kaoru and the others have been up to!
Mai: Kanami-chan, Hiyori-chan, Sayaka-chan, Kaoru-chan, as well as Mihono-chan, Setouchi-san, Kiyoka-san, Yamashiro-san, and Suzumoto-san. We tried to find out where they are and what they've been doing.
Mirja: I see. And you just now got that progress report back.
Fukuda Sawano: Now then, I'll start going over the report. Of the 9 toji investigated, we were able to get back information on 6 of them, who were working under directions from each school.
Sawano: However... Asakura Mihono, Yamashiro Yui, and Suzumoto Hana were mainly dispatched and transferred under the direction of the Metropolitan Police Department, so we weren't able to obtain any information on them.
Mai: Is that so... I couldn't get in touch with Mihono-chan by phone either...
Ellen: What about those two from Ayanokouji, Yui and Hana?
Mai: I don't know their contact info, so...
Ellen: Do you know their numbers, Mirja?
Mirja: Sorry, I don't have either of theirs. I was never in a position to exchange information with Suzumoto Hana, after all...
Ellen: You didn't get Yui's number? I heard you two were working together for a pretty long while.
Mirja: Yamashiro Yui was very persistent in requesting that we should exchange contact information, but I sensed I was in danger and refused.
Ellen: Oh...
Mirja: Though, if you were unable to contact Asakura Mihono, it might mean she's stationed in an area unable to get signal. Or she may be so busy that she has no free time to spare.
Ellen: Oh... That makes me worried.
Kofuki: Does that mean, if you're working under the MPD, they keep you so busy fighting aradama that you don't get time for anything else? I'm so jealous. Maybe one of them'll swap with me.
Ellen: You're such a hard worker, Fukki. If only I could take that energy and split it between you and Kaoru.
Mai: I get the feeling it's a little different for Shichinosato-san than being a hard worker though...
Academy Intercom: Aradama have been identified in the area of this academy. Toji, make preparations for emergency sortie. I repeat, aradama have been identified--
Kofuki: Whoa-! Aradama showed up again! Wait for me, aradama-chan! I'll be right there to trash you!
6: Progress Report (2)#
Kofuki: This time's another sleepwalk. Awww, give me some stronger aradama to work with. When all they've got is numbers, even I'm getting bored.
Mirja: At any rate, the aradama are dealt with. We should continue hearing that report.
Mai: Okay. But, it doesn't sit right with me that we couldn't find anything about Mihono-chan and the others...
Ellen: I'm sure they're doing fine! Let's go to the dorms and hear the rest!
7: Two Months Ago, on a Certain Battleground (1)#
Sawano: I'll continue with the report. Of the toji we were able to get information on, I won't be able to provide information in real time, as they were transferred around quite often.
Sawano: What I do know is, presently, Mashiko Kaoru-san is stationed in Gunma, and Etou Kanami-san, Juujou Hiyori-san, and Itomi Sayaka-san are stationed together in Kamakura.
Ellen: Hmm. It sounds like everyone really did get transferred around. From what I've heard, they might sometimes stay for only a few days before getting moved again.
Kofuki: What, are they touring the country while taking out aradama-chan?
Mai: I think that's a misleading way of putting it...
Mirja: Come to think of it, I don't know if this information will be of any use, but two months ago, when I had a temporary change of assignment, I was placed in the same unit as Yamashiro Yui and Suzumoto Hana.
Mai: You were?
Mirja: Yes. Thinking back on it now, it was a bit of a strange situation...
Two months ago, on a certain battleground.
Yui: Mirja-san! I haven't seen you in forever! I missed you so, so badly!
Mirja: Yamashiro Yui. It's been some time.
Yui: The two months I've been away from you, Mirja-san, felt like twenty years to me...!!
Mirja: Is that so. These two months have felt like two months to me, so I can't relate to you at all.
Yui: Ughh, you're as cold as ever, Mirja-san...
Hana: Kitora Mirja-senpai. I'm honored to be working together with you again today.
Mirja: Suzumoto Hana. Likewise, I look forward to working with you.
Hana: By the way, did you hear? This time, under direct orders from Ayanokouji's President Souraku Yuzuki, the three of us are to form a unit for an urgent assignment.
Mirja: Yes, I had heard as much. Although, she wouldn't say the reason why the three of us were chosen--
Headquarters: Aradama have been located. Toji on the scene, please take action.
Yui: Ehh, we're fighting already? I wanted to have a longer lovers' talk with Mirja-san though...
Mirja: You haven't changed, I see. Let's keep this serious; it's time to sortie.
Yui: Understood! I can't wait to fight side by side, Mirja-san!
8: Two Months Ago, on a Certain Battleground (2)#
Mirja: --After the aradama were suppressed, we went together to report on the situation. However, for some reason, we were told they would hear our reports individually. I wonder what that was about...
Mai: They wanted to talk to you separately? That's strange... I wonder what President Souraku is thinking...
Kofuki: Oh yeah, Mirja, what's up with the investigation team? Right now we're putting activities on hold, right?
Mirja: I don't know. Perhaps President Souraku is considering reforming the investigation team?
Ellen: That has to be it! You and Yui and Hana were all on the investigation team, after all!
Kofuki: Getting the investigation team back together, huh. If that means sending me after tougher aradama, then I'm not complaining.
Mai: I don't know, something seems wrong about splitting you up like that. I hope I'm overthinking it, but...
Ellen: Hmmm. For the time being, I don't think worrying about it will get us anywhere. Right now all we can do is defeat any aradama that show up, and work towards making the situation better!
Mai: Y-You're right!
Kofuki: It's fine by me if things never get back to normal. I get to fight way more aradama-chan like this.
Ellen: Oh... The way you think about things is scary, Fukki...
9: Evening Bout (1)#
At that time, the three who had been reported to be in Kamakura; Etou Kanami, Juujou Hiyori, and Itomi Sayaka, were--
Kanami: Haaah! Hyaa-!
Sayaka: Pant... Pant... ...There's no opening... For me to attack...!!
Kanami: --Haa-!!
Sayaka: ...!!
Kanami: ...Phew. Okay, why don't we stop here for tonight?
Sayaka: ...Okay.
Hiyori: You two, you were having another training match?
Kanami: Ah-! Hiyori-chan! Wanna do it too, Hiyori-chan? Fighting against Sayaka-chan is a lot of fun!
Hiyori: I'll pass. We have work to do tomorrow, you know?
Kanami: Don't worry about that~. Aradama could show up at any time, so you have to fit in training whenever you can!
Kanami: You know, with aradama all across Kanto and everyone getting assigned elsewhere, I'm lucky I ended up with you two.
Kanami: It's rough having to sortie again and again every day, but I get to have these matches every night--
Academy Intercom: Aradama have been identified in the area of this academy. Toji, make preparations for emergency sortie. I repeat, aradama have been identified--
Kanami: Oh no! There's aradama! Hiyori-chan! Sayaka-chan! Let's go!
10: Evening Bout (2)#
Hiyori: ...Suppression completed. It doesn't seem like there were any victims.
Kanami: Thank goodness we were training before bed! Otherwise we wouldn't have been able to make it out here so fast!
Kanami: But still, it really seems like the number of aradama are growing. I hope the others deployed elsewhere are doing okay.
Sayaka: ...I heard some news about Mihono before. They said where Mihono is has the hardest conditions.
Kanami: Really!? Is Mihono-chan going be alright...?
11: Reassignment Order (1)#
Kanami: I wonder how Mihono-chan's doing...
Sayaka: There aren't enough people. There's too much to do, so it can't be helped.
Kanami: I know, but I'm still worried. If it's that much harder than we have it here, then...
Mihono: --Ah! Kanami and Itomi-san!
Kanami: Huh-!? Mihono-chan!?
Mihono: I haven't seen you in so long~! How've you been?
Kanami: Eh? Eh? What!? Why are you here!?
Kanami: I kept calling you, but you never answered your phone... I was really worried about you!
Mihono: Ehehe~, sorry, sorry. I was way out in the mountains and didn't get any signal.
Kanami: So that's all it was. Well, I'm glad I get to see your smiling face again!
Mihono: Sorry I made you worry!
Kanami: No, it's not like that... You don't have to apologize, Mihono-chan.
Mihono: We got reinforcements all of a sudden, so I was sent to Kamakura. I only just got here.
Kanami: Really! So that means you'll be here with us from now on?
Mihono: It's just a temporary reassignment, but I should be here for a while... I think!
Kanami: Awesome-! Oh yeah, Mihono-chan, are you feeling okay? I heard they were working you pretty hard...
Mihono: Thanks for worrying about me. It was so busy I didn't get time to sleep sometimes, but I'd just remember we were fixing up the Kamakura Special something or other and do my best to pull through.
Kanami: Ahaha! It's the Kamakura Special Hazardous Waste Leakage Issue. You should at least remember the name of the assignment you're on. That's so like you, Mihono-chan!
Mihono: But it's way too long! And there's some really hard kanji in there--
Academy Intercom: Aradama have been identified in the area of this academy. Toji, make preparations for emergency sortie. I repeat, aradama have been identified--
Mihono: Looks like it's back to work already! Kanami! Itomi-san! Let's go together!
12: Reassignment Order (2)#
Mihono: Yawwwn... In the end, they kept us fighting all the way till nighttime... I just wanna dive into bed...
Kanami: There's so much I wanted to talk to you about, but I guess we should save it for tomorrow...
Mihono: Yeah... We can talk tomorrow...
Kanami: And it's been a while, so I wanted to have a practice match with you, but...
Mihono: Are you for real, Kanami...!? We've been doing missions all day; how can you keep going...!?
The next morning.
Sayaka: Ah-, Kanami.
Kanami: Morning, Hiyori-chan, Sayaka-chan! Let's do our best again today!
Hiyori: Kanami. I have this letter from Mihono to give to you.
Kanami: Huh-!? From Mihono-chan?
Hiyori: Last night, it seems like she suddenly got an order of reassignment. Read the letter if you want to hear the rest.
Kanami: O-Oh...
Letter (Mihono): Dear Kanami. I'm sorry I have to leave so soon. I thought if I called you I might wake you up, so I left this letter with Juujou-san who I happened to run into last night.
Kanami: Mihono-chan... You should have woken me up...
Letter (Mihono): I was really happy to hear you were worried about me. But you don't have to worry about me anymore. If we meet again, this time for sure, we can have that match...
Hiyori: I told her this last night, but this letter kind of reads like she's going to going off to die.
Kanami: Hey, Hiyori-chan! Don't say things like that!
Sayaka: This is my first time seeing a letter from a dead person.
Kanami: She's not dead!? It's okay, Mihono-chan! I get what you're trying to say, okay!
Hiyori: The way you're shouting up at the heavens like that is only making it seem more like she died.
Kanami: Hiyori-chan!? Why are you being so rude!?
Hiyori: ...Actually, last night, Mihono told me to try to cheer you up.
Kanami: That was you trying to cheer me up!? Mihono-chan, you couldn't have picked a worse person for the job!
Hiyori: ...I can't help but agree. I'm not suited for this sort of thing.
Kanami: ......Mihono-chan. We'll definitely have that match someday. Until then, we just have to both keep trying our best... Right?