Episode 21 – Warui Mushi (Troublesome Insects)

Nanami walks up to Ohtori Academy, followed closely by Aiko, Keiko, and Yuuko.

Yuuko: You look pretty as always, Nanami-sama.
Aiko: There’s no match for you in the academy, Nanami-sama.
Keiko: we’re really happy to be allowed to be with you, Nanami-sama.

Title card: Troublesome Insects

Yuuko: Hey... You're in the same class as us, right?
Aiko: If you like, why don't you join our group?
Keiko: Let’s be friends.

Touga walks up to Nanami.

Touga: It was a wonderful entrance ceremony, Nanami.
Nanami: Big brother!
Yuuko: Isn't that Kiryuu Touga-sama?
Aiko: It is, it's Touga-sama, Student Council President!
Keiko: Then, this girl is...
Yuuko: Touga-sama's little sister?!
Aiko, Keiko, Yuuko: It’s so dreamy!

Aiko, Yuuko, and Keiko are in their room.

Keiko, Aiko, Yuuko: Ah, what a wonderful encounter!
Aiko: Meeting Nanami-sama changed my life.
Keiko: We were lucky to be the first ones to talk to Nanami-sama.
Yuuko: We've got to be grateful. Nanami-sama chose us from among so many students.
Aiko: Yes, we were selected to serve Nanami-sama!
Keiko: That's right, Aiko!
Aiko: Keiko, Yuuko! From now on, let's work together and give it our best shot!
Keiko: Right!
Yuuko: We're all the chosen ones.
Keiko, Aiko, Yuuko: Let's do it!

Nanami: I know! A party! Why didn't I think of it sooner? I'll throw a magnificent party to encourage my brother! (pointing to Aiko, Keiko, and Yuuko) And it's got to be really magnificent! As things are, I won't be particular. I'll generously invite all the prominent people in the entire academy!
Student: Oh, Kiryuu-san, you're on day duty, right? Wipe off the blackboard!
Nanami: (ignoring the student) That will definitely cheer up my brother!
Keiko: That's a great idea, Nanami-sama!
Yuuko: Touga-sama has really been looking gloomy lately.
Aiko: I'm really touched by your consideration for your brother, Nanami-sama!
Student: Kiryuu-san, the blackboard...
Nanami: Would you all help me with it?
Aiko, Yuuko: Yes!
Keiko: Gladly!

Juri: A party?
Keiko: (handing Juri an inviation) Please do attend.
Juri: When the Student Council is in such a crisis? Honestly...

Keiko: (to Miki) Please attend!

Keiko: (to Wakaba) Please!

Keiko: (to Suzuki, Yamada, and Tanaka) Please!

Keiko: (to Chu Chu) Nanami-sama really worries about Touga-sama.

Keiko stands above a courtyard and throws out invitations to the students below.

Keiko: Please! Please!

Keiko is in her room, getting dressed for the party.

Keiko: I'll get to see Touga-sama for the first time in a long time. But I know he won't be looking at a girl like me. Touga-sama, still I...

Aiko and Yuuko are at the party, getting ready. Keiko comes in with a large pile of plates.

Keiko: Aiko! Yuuko! For Touga-sama and Nanami-sama, let's work together and get everything ready!
Yuuko: Yes, but you seem awfully spirited today, Keiko.
Keiko: Oh, do I?
Yuuko: That's a new dress, right? It looks good on you.
Keiko: Really?
Yuuko: Really, really! It looks good on her, right, Aiko?
Aiko: Yes. It looks so lovely.
Keiko: Thank you, Yuuko, Aiko!
Nanami: Well? Have the preparations been made?
Aiko, Yuuko: Yes!
Keiko: We barely made it.
Nanami: Oh, Keiko-san, I have a little favor to ask of you.
Keiko: What is it?
Nanami: I completely forgot I had some paperwork to finish up for the Student Council tonight. I'm sorry, Keiko-san, but would you get it done for me?
Keiko: But the party...
Nanami: But everything's ready, isn't it?
Keiko: Yes...
Nanami: Then, there isn't a problem, is there? The paperwork is at the school. So, please go right now.
Keiko: Um, Nanami-sama?
Nanami: Is anything wrong?
Keiko: No.
Nanami: Then, please.
Keiko: Yes.

Keiko walks down the halls of Ohtori Academy in silence.

Keiko: (thinking) I...have always... I have always been watching Touga-sama. Always... The only one who can approach the prince is the princess from the wonder world.

Keiko sits in a dark room at the school, doing paperwork. Later, she looks in on the party from outside. She then runs away.

In her room, she has taken off her dress and is letting down her hair.

Keiko: Touga-sama... He lives in a different world than mine. Right. A girl like me...

Utena: Touga looked better than we thought, didn't he?

Utena, Miki and Anthy are standing outside Ohtori Academy. Anthy appears to be bowing repeatedly to a pillar. Miki clicks his stopwatch.

Miki: But he still doesn't show himself in the academy.
Utena: The way the president is, the Student Council must be in trouble.
Nanami: Oh, are you so worried about my brother that you sneak around and spy on him?

Utena and Miki turn to see Nanami, followed by Aiko, Keiko and Yuuko.

Nanami: How disgusting.
Utena: Don’t be ridiculous! Who would do anything like that?
Keiko: My, my... Are you playing dumb?
Yuuko: You were talking about him just now. What nerve!
Utena: I went to the party because I was invited!
Nanami: My, I just thought, "Even a dead tree may add to the beauty of a mountain", and you got conceited. What impudent people there are in this world!
Utena: Now look...
Keiko: Why don't you try to think about your own standing?
Aiko, Yuuko: I'll say!
Nanami: I can't stand to even think about a girl like you hanging around my brother. Right! I won't allow a single insect to swarm around my brother!

Miki clicks his stopwatch. Nanami turns to leave.

Nanami: Shall we go, everyone?
Miki: I'm sorry, Tenjou-sempai.
Utena: Don't apologize, Miki. It happens all the time.

Anthy suddenly brings her head up.

Anthy: I’m sorry, um... Was I sleeping? Was I?
Utena: Chu Chu was crying all last night, wasn't he?

Utena: You see, the open cluster, Pleiades, is known as Subaru in Japan and is even mentioned in Sei Shounagon’s "Pillow Book".

Utena and Anthy are in Akio’s office, looking at the stars.

Anthy: That's pretty detailed, Utena-sama.
Utena: Well, that's just what Akio told me. I've been studying from him closely of late.
Anthy: I see.
Akio: Wonderful, aren't they? The winter constellations...
Anthy: Big brother...
Akio: (walking in) Friendship is beautiful. Castor and Pollux of the Gemini are known to be very friendly with each other, but the way you're watching the stars together, you look even more beautiful than the Gemimi.
Utena: Oh, that can't be.

Utena is in the elevator to leave Akio's office.

Utena: (to Anthy) Well, I'm leaving.
Anthy: All right, Utena-sama.

The doors to the elevator close. Akio walks up to Anthy.

Akio: Listen, Anthy, you should continue to be friendly with Utena-san. Just like Castor and Pollux of the Gemini.
Anthy: Yes, big brother.

Keiko is walking in the rain, carrying an umbrella. She stops as she sees Touga walking ahead of her, without an umbrella.

Keiko: (thinking) What should I do? Touga-sama is getting soaked. Lend him my umbrella? But a girl like me and Touga-sama? ...But a chance like this won't come again.

She calls to Touga.

Keiko: Uh, Touga-sama?

He stops, and Keiko runs up to her.

Keiko: If it's okay, won't you join me? The rain is bad for your health.

Nanami runs through the rain, holding an umbrella. She stops as she sees Keiko and Touga walking together. Her face contorts into anger.

Keiko walks to a courtyard in Ohtori Academy.

Keiko: Nanami-sama? It's me, Nanami-sama. Where are you, Nanami-sama?
Nanami: I'm right here, Keiko-san.
Keiko: Nanami-sama? You said you wanted to see me?
Nanami: Sonoda Keiko-san, you are now dismissed from all clubs, the dorm's self-government association, culture circles, and all the other organizations you belong to.
Keiko: Why is that, Nanami-sama?
Nanami: Why?! Don't play dumb! How careless I was! The real troublesome insect was right under my feet! To think that I didn't notice until today!
Keiko: Nanami-sama...
Nanami: I told you, I won't allow even a single insect to swarm around my brother! I'll thoroughly exterminate all troublesome insects like you!
Keiko: Oh no...
Nanami: Please prepare yourself, Keiko-san.

Nanami leaves. Keiko stands in shocked silence for a moment, then hears Aiko and Yuuko laughing.

Aiko: Nanami-sama is about to leave.
Yuuko: we should leave, too.
Keiko: Yuuko! Aiko! (running over to them) Please, will you intercede with Nanami-sama for me? You're the only ones who can help me! Please!
Yuuko: (to Aiko) Did you hear something?
Aiko: Nothing.

Yuuko and Aiko walk away. Keiko falls to the ground, defeated.

Keiko sits in an otherwise empty classroom, silent, with a slightly smug look on her face. Meanwhile, the Nemuro Memorial Hall elevator starts up.

Keiko: I admired Nanami-sama from the bottom of my heart. That's what I believed, and I've been serving her. But actually, that wasn't true. I was only with Nanami-sama to get closer to Touga-sama, even the slightest bit. Without that reason, who'd want to be with her?
Mikage: (over intercom) Deeper. Go deeper.
Keiko: That selfish... I'm a single girl! What's wrong with me falling in love with someone? Why do I have to hold back because of her? Just because she's Touga-sama’s sister, she monopolizes his love. Even right before my own eyes! (standing up) And that girl has no idea how I felt all this time! She doesn't even try to understand!

The elevator abruptly stops at the basement. Mikage stands over Keiko, who is sitting in a corner of the elevator.

Mikage: I understand. I suppose you have no choice but to revolutionize the world. The way before you has been prepared.

Keiko looks out from the elevator at the basement.

Keiko: Where am I?

Touga is sitting in a room, facing away from the door. Keiko enters and opens an umbrella. She walks over to Touga and holds it over him.

Keiko: Touga-sama... Look at me. Touga-sama...

With the hand wearing a black Rose Signet, Keiko pulls the sword out of Touga's chest. She looks over the sword happily.

Keiko: Touga-sama...

She holds the sword against her as if it were Touga.

Keiko: From now on, please look only at me!

Utena opens her locker and finds a note taped to the inside: "To the one engaged: I shall wait for you in the duel arena this evening."

C-ko starts a skit behind a stained glass window Utena is in front of.

C-ko: Extra! Extra! Extra!
C-ko: (as an insect) Any troublesome insects here? Any troublesome insects here?
C-ko: (as a butterfly) Oh, it's Namahage!
C-ko: (as an insect) No, I'm a mantis! Snipsnipsnip!
C-ko: (as a butterfly) Everyone, hurry up and run!
C-ko: (as an insect) Snipsnipsnip!
C-ko: (as a butterfly) Run! Run!
C-ko: (as an insect) Snipsnipsnipsnip!
C-ko: (as a butterfly) Run! Runrunrun!
C-ko: (as an insect) Snipsnipsnipsnipsnipsnipsnipsnip!
C-ko: (as a butterfly) Runrunrunrunrunrun!
C-ko: (as a dragonfly) Just running away won't fix this. Take this insecticide!

Something is sprayed from a can.

C-ko: (as an insect) Can't breathe...snip...
C-ko: (as a butterfly) We're gonna die, too! (falling to the ground) It's a curse.
Utena: (closing locker) That's a room deodorant.

Utena opens the doors to the duel arena and climbs the steps.

An open umbrella is on top of each desk in the duel arena.

Utena: You're...
Keiko: I swear by this black rose, that I shall win this duel, and bring death to the Rose Bride!
Utena: You're...
Keiko: With this sword, Touga-sama's sword, I will defeat you.
Utena: Touga's sword?
Keiko: For mine and Touga-sama’s future, I will fight. Now, draw your sword!

Anthy summons the Sword of Dios. Utena pulls it from her chest.

Utena: ...the power to revolutionize the world!

The bells near the duel arena ring. Keiko charges at Utena.

Utena: Why are you...
Keiko: You should know well what kind of a girl Nanami is. She doesn't even think of a girl like me as a person. Knowing that, I've been serving her anyway.
Utena: But I don't understand. Why Touga's sword?
Keiko: You don't need to know!

Keiko charges at Utena again. She struggles to hold her back.

Keiko: Can you beat this sword, Tenjou Utena? This sword, Touga-sama's sword? The noblest sword in the world! With this sword, I will attain great power. And then, I will kill that girl! I'll kill that Nanami who stands between Touga-sama and me!

Keiko makes a swipe at Utena, but she flips in the air, dodging it.

Keiko: That's right. The real troublesome insect is Nanami. I see. That girl is a troublesome insect.

Utena summons the power of Dios and charges at Keiko. She cuts off her rose, and the bells ring again. Keiko falls into one of the red silhouettes. Utena and Anthy stand over her.

Utena: I don't even know her name. I thought she was Nanami's friend. It's scary how the roots of hatred spread underground, unseen.

Inside Nemuro Memorial Hall, a coffin slides backwards through the wall and is consumed by flames.

Mikage: Another failure. But it is interesting that she called her master an insect.

Keiko: I'm happy only being with you, Nanami-sama. There’s no way a girl like me can love Touga-sama, is there?

Nanami is walking up to Ohtori Academy, followed by Keiko, Aiko, and Yuuko.

Nanami: You're right. Considering your standing, it's obvious. Please continue to be with me forever, Keiko-san.
Keiko: Yes, certainly.
Yuuko: Keiko, we've been friends all along.
Aiko: Yes, we are, no matter what happens.

Meanwhile, Utena and Anthy have been watching.

Utena: I just don't know...
Anthy: The one with her hair tied and her bangs curled is Keiko-san. The one with shoulder length hair curling to the outside is Aiko-san. The one with her hair curing to the inside around her cheeks is Yuuko-san.
Utena: That's not what I'm talking about. How can she still be Nanami's friend? Even though she's actually carrying all sorts of feelings...
Anthy: That's easy. For someone you love, your feelings for any other people become insignificant. You can deceive yourself as much as you need to.

To be continued...