| Shin, Shadow Ushio (SU) and Sou take a look at the video recorded in Ushio's cellphone. They are startled to see both versions of Ushio together. The two say that only they can unlock the cellphone and tell Shin to listen carefully. Original Ushio (OU) assures Shin he can trust SU. She tells him that 'everything started with Shiori'. On July 17th Shiori told OU about seeing her double, but OU didn't take her seriously at the time. The next day, after a flash of light at the beach OU saw her own double, SU. Afterwards OU promised Shiori she would investigate her double. Alone with Mio, OU swore she could not care less about Shin but Mio was not convinced. In her shower OU found SU. SU said she thought she was the authentic Ushio Kofune and therefore naturally came home, only to be shocked to see OU and Mio together. Both initially thought they were the real deal while the other was a Shadow. They realize that there must be a second Shiori somewhere as well. The two go to Mt. Takanosu, where Shiori said she first encountered her Shadow. They go to the old Hishigata clinic, which is supposed to be haunted. They see a semi-human thing which gives off a flash and begins to take on Ushio's form. SU realizes the secret to fighting Shadows and kills it. She deduces that the shadow is her real body while her 'projected body' is just a weapon to protect the main one. SU also copies the data from OU's leg to heal a wound it sustained to its own. But copied data will eventually disappear, SU feels, unless the original is erased, thus making the copy become the original. The copy must kill the original, or else it will die itself. The two realize that Shiori is therefore in danger and feel they must do something. At this point they made the recording that Shin, SU and Sou are watching. SU remembers all this now. Also, her powers have returned. She wants to replay from her memory what happened on July 21st, when OU died, for Shin and Sou. Sure enough, the three find themselves waist deep in the water at the beach on that date. They see a small crowd on the beach, including Mio, Shiori, Sou, Tokiko, Hamaji (a boy Shiori's age) and Akari, a small girl. Shin senses that this is just a recording of events of that date and all they can do it watch and see what happens. SU agrees. Nearby they see both Ushios, identically dressed in swimsuits (SU has 'copied' the item). SU transforms herself into the seashell pendant and OU puts it on. OU notices that Shiori has disappeared. They see splashing away from shore; SU warns that she senses a Shadow. When OU and SU try to save her they see Shiori's Shadow dragging her down. SU transforms back into human form and helps fight. Shadow Shiori declares her to be 'faulty'. Shiori is saved but OU drowns. SU apologizes for not saving OU but vows to 'wipe out' the Shadows with Shin's help and prevent the slaughter at the Summer Festival. Sou gets emotional. Suddenly Shadow Shiori is back and reaches out and grabs Shin by the wrist, which ought to be impossible since he is only a viewer of the recording and by this time it is dead. 'Found Ya!' is declares. SU ends the recording and it disappears--but a black mark remains on Shin's wrist. It turns out that this was actually Mother, not Shadow Shiori. "You won't get away again" it vows. |
| What caused Shadow Ushio's memory to temporarily fail? If everything started with Shiori, was her Shadow the one that made a flawed (from the Shadows' prespective) copy of Ushio? The fight at the beach was confusing; it is bound to be that way when there are identical doubles of characters amid fast moving action. Did Mio unknowingly rescue Shadow Shiori? I should probably watch the scene a second time. In the end, just when it seems that the heroes have figured out just what happened to the original Ushio, a new twist occurs and we are back to square one. But that's Ok, as all these twist are genuinely exciting and intriguing. If a copy will die if the original remains alive, Shadow Ushio should be OK now. |
