Shakugan no Shana Ⅱ> 1. Time Again

-----OP-----

Mare:
A transient, and yet, eternal affair.

Yuji:
That morning began just like any other.
I was off to meet my best friend from middle school, Hayato Ike, for class.
It felt too normal to be my last morning.

Ike:
Sakai!

Yuji:
Ike. What's up?

Ike:
If you're around, it doesn't feel like I'm in a high school, you know. It's just like the old days.

Yuji:
That's not such a bad thing, is it? So you're free after school today?

Ike:
Nah, I've gotta go to cram school.

Yuji:
Geez, you're already preparing for college?

Ike:
I've gotta do what I can to keep my parents happy, otherwise my allowance ends up suffering. What are you up to?

Yuji:
I guess I'll go down the station and check up the new CD releases.
Wait, hold on. Ike, don't you feel like we had this conversation before?
Cherry blossoms... But it's September, right?

Ike:
Yes, so.

Yuji:
That's weird. Well.
This is our second semester.
All the crazy stuff that happened over summer vacation has long since been forgotten.

Yoshida:
Sakai! Having your good morning?

Yuji:
Yeah, thanks. Yoshida sure has changed. She's much more confident than before.

Ike:
Yoshida. If you're free at some point today, would you mind helping me prepare for tomorrow's student council meeting?

Yoshida:
Sure, no problem. It'd be hard to do all that on your own.

Ike:
I appreciated.

Yuji:
Ike has declared war on a battle for Yoshida's heart.

Tanaka:
Damn, I'm still so freaking sleepy.

Yuji:
I heard that Margery's still staying at Sato's house. Never deadly she's refusing to change her ways.

Ogata:
See ya.

Yuji:
And then, there's her.

Shana:
Quit following me, Wilhelmina. I already told you you don't have to walk me to school!

Wilhelmina:
I do not mean to be a bother, my lady. I simply wish to determine whether or not your school is up to standard.

Tiamat:
We wanna tour.

Shana:
Why can't you wait until I invite you to a cultural festival or something? Go home!

Wilhelmina:
I will leave on one condition: you must promise to alert me when such a festival arises.

Tiamat:
Until then.

Shana:
Yuji!

Yuji:
Some things never change. Shana and I are still alive well in Misaki City.



Teacher:
Now you kids wanna take notes.

Yuji:
Shana doesn't seem faced by what had happened.
But I can't stop thinking about that day.
Right before we thought we were going to disappear, she said something to me.

Shana:
Tenpa Josai. I should tell you. Yuji, I...

Yuji:
For some reason, I can't seem to remember what she said after that.
Did she tell me she... No, I must be crazy. There's no way Shana feels that way about me.

Teacher:
That's it, Hirai! Why are you just sitting there without your notebook or textbook open?!
If you're so smart, fill in a blank for us!

Shana:
Yeah, fine. But I should tell you, sir. Your little fill-in-a-blank question is laughable.
We're not participating in some silly game show. Therefore, the answer shouldn't be so overwhelmingly obvious.
The complete outline is "That which we call a rose. By any other name would smell as sweet."
It's a line from William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet.
Seeing as you've chosen to leave one word to "rose" and "as sweet", the only viable option for the blank...

Yuji:
Why do I feel like this has happened before?

Ogata:
Wow, you made those, kazumi? They look super yummy!

Ike:
They look amazing.

Ogata:
Delicious!

Ike:
Your taste's so much better than what's sold in stores.

Yoshida:
You really think so, Ike?

Yuji:
It's strange. I keep getting this feeling that all this has already happened! It's like deja vu!

Shana:
They're here.

Yuji:
It's a seal!

Friagne:
How do you do, dear young lady? I wonder when we would finally meet face to face.

Yuji:
It's Friagne, the Hunter! But no! It can't be! Shana, what is this?!

Shana:
I guess you must be that Rinne's master.

Friagne:
Yes. You may call her Marianne. I am Friagne, the Hunter.
Isn't that exciting getting to meet you in person? Alastor, the Flame of Heaven.

Alastor:
I can't say that I'm thrilled.

Yuji:
But they have met... This is impossible!

Friagne:
An interesting choice of contractor. The Flaming-Haired Blazing-Eyed Hunter. I've heard of your strength.

Shana:
Just trying.

Friagne:
My, it would appear the tales I've heard are true.

Yuji:
Why is Friagne here? He's supposed to be dead!
Shana and Alastor don't seem bothered by it. But why not?
Not again... This is exactly what happened before. What's going on? Now's...

Marianne:
Master, I'm so sorry I failed you.

Friagne:
There's no need to apologize, Marianne.
But Flame Hazes are brute, I'll return.
And that our claim might [xxx]. After all, this is my hunting ground.

Yuji:
Shana, will you please explain? Why is Friagne still alive?

Shana:
He called this his hunting ground. He must be the reason there're so many torches in this city.

Alastor:
Yes. I would venture to guess, it's all part of his plan.

Shana:
He's insane.

Yuji:
Shana! Would you listen to what I'm asking you?
Why did Friagne show up here when he's supposed to be dead?!
It's like the past is repeating itself. Can't you feel it?

Shana:
I need to rebuild before leaving this seal.



Yuji:
We spent the rest of the school day learning things we'd already covered. Something's not right.

Ike:
What's up, Sakai? You don't get to home? What's wrong?

Yuji:
Can you tell me what month today is right now?

Ike:
What? It's September, you big dummy.

Yuji:
But cherry blossoms usually bloom in the spring time, don't they?

Ike:
I've gotta do what I can to keep my parents happy, otherwise my allowance ends up suffering.
Now see you later. Bye.

Yuji:
Wait. Wilhelmina. Thank goodness, it's you.

Wilhelmina:
Are you all right, master Yuji? Has something happened to the mistress?

Yuji:
Yeah. But it's not just Shana. I'm not sure what's going on.
But Denizens we've already defeated are showing back up.
It's like history is repeating itself. Have you noticed anything out of the ordinary?

Wilhelmina:
I must be going. It's time for me to walk the mistress home.

Tiamat:
School is out for the day.

Shana:
Wilhelmina, you don't have to walk me home, either!

Wilhelmina:
I was in the neighborhood, my lady.

Shana:
Fine. Yuji, you better not be late for training today.

Tiamat:
Be punctual.

Yuji:
What the hell is going on? Everyone's acting strangely.
I hear bells again. I don't get it. Where are they coming from?
This is too berserk. It must be the work of a Crimson Denizen.
But what exactly are they up to? Could it be an unrestricted spell?
Wait, yeah. Margery will know. If I remember correctly, Sato's house is in Hagino-cho.
But I've never actually been there.

I've gotta try to calm down. I'm the only one who realizes what's going on here.
If anybody's gonna get us out of this, it's gonna be me.
But, am I gonna be able to do this on my own?
I've always relied on Shana for help. But this time she's been affected, too.
Any Denizen who's capable of pouring this off has gotta be very strong.
But if it is that powerful, then I don't understand why nobody else's been able to pick up on it.
I mean, even if it is using an unrestricted spell, Shana and the other Flame Haze would have sensed its presence.
There's no way it would have gotten passed her. Exactly! She would have noticed it! So this is impossible.
Wait. Maybe I should approach this differently.
What if it has less [xxx] with her and more with me?
What if I'm the only one who's noticed because... That's gotta be it.

Chigusa:
Yiji-chan. I just made coffee. Would you like a cup?

Yuji:
Mom. Is it the same coffee you always make?

Chigusa:
Yes, it is. You like it, don't you?

Yuji:
This may seem like a weird question to ask, but could you tell me where you bought that coffee?

Chigusa:
Your dad called me this morning, and he said he might be able to make it home soon.

Yuji:
Shana!

Tiriel:
Here you are, dear brother. It's the Nietono no Shana you've been longing for.

Sorath:
Yay!

Yuji:
If I'm right, I should be able to stop them myself.
It's why Friagne showed up even though I know he's dead, why I couldn't go to Sato's house.
It's the reason things from the past keep happening again. I get it now.
It's the only thing it makes sense. So I bet I can do this!
Stop it! Leave her alone!

Tiriel:
He's a foe, dear brother. You have the power now. You can go kill him if you want to.

Yuji:
Shana's completely helpless in this situation, so I guess it's all up to me.
Just [xxx] my theory, I wonder if I can remember what she said to me that day.

Shana:
Yuji, I...

Yuji:
No, all that can exist here is stuff I already know.
I can't go anywhere I've never been before.
And no one can answer questions I don't already know the answer, too.
Because all of this... is a world that I created!

Mare:
A transient, and yet, eternal affair.

Yuji:
This is all a dream!

Shana:
Yuji, what are you doing?

Yuji:
Shana!

Shana:
You can't space out in the middle of a fight!

Yuji:
Sorry. How long was I asleep?

Alastor:
Well, no more than a few seconds. But even that's dangerous in battle, you can take your nap [when we're done.]

Shana:
Damn it, you gotta pay attention!

Yuji:
Yeah, yeah, right. There is the Shana I know.

Shana:
You're not sleep-walking, are you?
No matter how weak the Denizen may be, you can't let your guard down.
She has a very powerful treasure tool.

Yuji:
You think she's weak?

Mare:
Welcome back, Mystes. How was your transient dream?

Shana:
Not too smart showing yourself to me. I can easily overpower you. There's no way you can win.

Mare:
Maybe not. But I have no problem risking my life to get what I want.
As a Crimson Denizen, I'm free to do whatever I please as long as I account.

Shana:
Party's over. You've been caught.
That's the first time I encountered such an incredibly weak Crimson Denizen.

Alastor:
Had it not shown itself, we may never have even realized it was here.

Yuji:
It may have been weak, but it had a strange power.

Shana:
What do you mean? Like putting you to sleep in the middle of battle?

Yuji:
No. I think... Wait, I just completely forgot what I was gonna say. What was it?

Shana:
Geez. You are sleep-walking.

Alastor:
You've got to stay on top of your game, Yuji Sakai.
Don't forget that you have the Midnight Lost Child treasure tool inside of you.
You never know when Bal Masque might come after you to steal it for themselves.

Yuji:
I know.

Shana:
Okay, let's go to school.

Yuji:
Shana. I...

Shana:
Go on.

Yuji:
Oh, I've been meaning to ask you about something.
Remember when we thought we were gonna disappear?
What did you say to me right before the blast happened?

Shana:
I... I don't remember. I probably thanked you for fighting alongside me.

Yuji:
I definitely heard you say my name. So that's about it.

Shana:
I... I said I respect you. Yeah, that's it. Now what?

Yuji:
So that's all?

Shana:
Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! What I said isn't important!

Yuji:
It certainly sounded like it was.

Shana:
Well, not important enough for me to remember.

Yuji:
If you say so. Then I should [xxx] for long. There's no way she said...

Yoshida:
Good morning.

Yuji:
Oh, hey there. Good morning to you too.

Ike:
Yo, what's up?

Yoshida:
Oh, I didn't see you, Ike.

Yuji:
Oh, good morning.

Yoshida:
I did it because I love you, Sakai.

Ike:
Hey, about Yoshida, next term I'm competing for her heart.

Shana:
Guess this is round 2, huh?

Yoshida:
And this time, I'm serious.

Shana:
Yeah, well. So my. So watch out.

Margery:
Oh, my head hurts so bad! Why won't you do something that help me out?!

Marcosias:
I told you to stop! I swear you're like a bottomless pit with the booze, Margery!
You just keep going and going! God may be sitting you.

Margery:
Stop yelling at me, Marco!

Sato:
Hey, Margery. I brought some water. It's on the table.
I'll get some hangover medicine on the way home.

Margery:
Oh hurry 'cause I'm dying over here!

Sato:
I know, I know. I'll be back soon.

Ogata:
The weather's awesome today, huh?

Tanaka:
Yeah, beautiful weather.

-----ED-----

The mysterious dream I thought I've woken up on starts over and over again.
But this time, I'm not the only one who gets pulled in. Shana and Yoshida are, too.
Shana and I desperately try to find a way out of the nightmare.
Who could possibly be manipulating our dreams?
It seems that Bel-Peol, Sydoney and Hecate are ready to make their next move.
Bal Masque begins a new plot.
Next time, Shakugan no Shana Ⅱ, Prelude to Everything.