| It is July 23rd, just after 4PM. Shin asks that Hizuru's death be kept secret for now. Dr. Hishigata suspects that Shide may have a spare body, which would explain how he was seemingly in two different places at the same time recently. The Doctor suspects that this is the body of Karikiri Iwao, who supposedly died around 1985. Shin reveals his ability to see a few seconds into the future. Sou wishes he could do more. Shin notes that they have lost all or most of the guns that they had had at one time. Shadow Mio identifies the shell pendant in Shin's pocket as the reason Shide broke off the action at Torajima and retreated. She says it contains Ushio's memories "but she has no body, so she can't move". Haine must have mistaken it for Ushio still being alive. Shadow Mio says Ushio designed it so that only she could scan it. Shin realizes that Ushio--an earlier version without these memories--will return during the festival tomorrow. If they can find her and get her to scan the shell, she would regain all the abilities she had when she died. Sou asks Mio (or was it Shadow Mio?) if she likes Shin; she dodges the question. On the rooftop she confesses her love to Shin; he is not surprised. He says he loves Ushio. Afterwards Tokiko and Shadow Mio confront Mio. Shadow Mio points out that if Ushio returns she will still be a Shadow. In the tunnel beneath the clinic (I think) Shin explains his plan. "Shide called my power the ability to observe parallel worlds" he says. He explains that each loop creates a parallel timeline, and only his consciousness can travel between them. He reasons that there should be two Ushios in the 4th loop, one of them drifting in the sea after trying to save Shiori. This Ushio should still exist in the present loop. Shide and Haine probably know this. By reading Shide's mind (during the fight at Torajima?) Ushio figured out a way to return. Sou points out that this will be the first time any of them other than Shin have reached July 24th. Shin has noticed that the shell acts as a sort of compass, pointing to where in the sea Ushio currently is. Haine said Ushio was 'defective', which is why she couldn't sense her. Using the tides the team estimates Ushio's location in the Kii strait. Shin says high tide at 6PM will be their last chance to save Ushio. On the morning of July 24th Karakiri is giving instructions for the festival. Nezu is with Ryuunosuke who is using a copy of Shin's body (I think). Haine/Shadow Shin asks Shide/Karakiri if he has noticed any strays that are ignoring her orders in the Kii strait (numerous Shadows are searching the area). She says two hours ago she lost track of Shin, and he must be hiding his presence like Shide can do when encased in the mud armor. "We need to find Ushio before they do and finish her for good" she says. Tetsu thinks he sees Shin amid the gathering crowd at the festival site. Guil carries Shin in an underwater search for Ushio. They are spotted, but they find her and she quickly scans the shell. Ushio procedes to make mincemeat of the swimming Shadows. |
| So, now there are three Shins--the usual one, Shadow Shin who is being used by Haine, and another copy being used by Ryuunosuke? I must not have been paying close enough attention to see how that happened. Or is Shin allowing Ryuunosuke to share his own body? Based on the episode title, I had thought that this one would be about an agonizing day of setbacks and angst for Shin, but in fact things are largely under control and the prospects for success improve. |
