5-8.3 One With the Flame

8: An Answer

Mihono: It's hard getting close, cause of this fire...!
Kanayamahime: Please withstand it a little longer.
Mihono: A little longer...?
Kanayamahime: Yes.
Mihono: If you're sure, then I'll do what I can, but...
Mihono: ...Wait? Is it me, or is it getting less hot?
Kanayamahime: The miko are beginning to have an effect. Let's wait a little longer.
Mihono: The miko?
Kanaymahime: The miko outside, who are trying to save you. I asked the miko for their aid.
Mihono: They're here... But... why?
Kanaymahime: What is it you want to know?
Mihono: Why are you helping me, Kanayamahime?
Kanayamahime: I have not done anything.
Kanayamahime: If I helped you as you asked, Kagutsuchi would grow stronger.
Mihono: ...Huh?
Kanayamahime: My power is Kagutsuchi's power. It would consume you.
Mihono: ......
Mihono: Why... are you worried about me?
Mihono: Because of my ancestors, you ended up being...
Kanayamahime: The Atago gave me a place to belong.
Kanayamahime: The Atago bloodline is where I belong. That is where I have slept.
Mihono: ...
Kanayamahime: I wish to be with you.
Mihono: With me...
Mihono: You just want to be together with me...?
Kanayamahime: I do.
Mihono: And, that's why you gave me your power...
Kanayamahime: Yes.
Kanayamahime: Yet, I cannot stand against Kagutsuchi. My power is Kagutsuchi's power.
Mihono: ............
Mihono: So you just wanted to be together with me...
Mihono: And that dream... and me losing control... None of that was stuff you wanted to happen...
Kanayamahaime: You were the one who sought for it, Mihono.
Mihono: !?
Mihono: ...I did?
Mihono: That's what... I wanted?
Kanayamahime: You did.
Kanayamahime: You wished for power.
Mihono: ...Yeah, you're right that I kept asking for more from Kashuu Kiyomitsu.
Mihono: I thought, if I had Kashuu Kiyomitsu's power... if I had your power...
Mihono: ...So that's why.
Mihono: You were just answering what I wanted.
Mihono: Cause I was weak and kept choosing the easy way... I just figured I'd use your power, and stopped improving on my own...
Kanayamahime: I do not mind.
Mihono: ...I can't do that.
Kanayamahime: You won't?
Mihono: I mean, you just want to be together with me, right, Kanayamahime?
Mihono: So then, all you have to do is be with me! You don't have to do anything if I'm being selfish!
Kanayamahime: What do you mean?
Mihono: It shouldn't have to do with whether I want something or not...
Mihono: Let's just be together!
Mihono: If you don't like something, say no! If you want to help me, then help me!
Mihono: You should be the one to decide, not me!
Mihono: We should be more like that!
Kanayamahime: But, my promise with the Atago...
Mihono: What happened in the past doesn't matter!
Mihono: Cause this is just about you and me! We're just talking about how the two of us should be together!
Mihono: And I think... we should be equals!
Kanayamahime: Equals...
Mihono: The way things are... all I'm doing is using you. I'll definitely end up depending too much on you again.
Mihono: And I'd hate to do that!
Mihono: So let's just be together in our own way!
Mihono: So what do you think, Kanayamahime? Are you okay with that!?
Kanayamahime: I think, so long as I can be with you, Mihono, it would be fine.
Mihono: That's not what I mean! Don't you have anything you want besides that?
Kanayamahime: This is difficult.
Kanayamahime: ...Ah.
Mihono: Did you think of something?
Kanayamahime: I wish to save you. That is what I desire.
Kanayamahime: Which is why I will oppose Kagutsuchi.
Mihono: Okay!
Kanayamahime: ......This is fine with you, Mihono?
Kanayamahime: Very well.
Kanayamahime: I will follow my own desire and destroy Kagutsuchi.
Mihono: Sure! Help me out, Kanayamahime!



9: To Exorcise Kagutsuchi (1)

Mihono: ......
Chie: She stopped... moving?
Chie: Mihono-chan...?
Kiyoka: Hono-chan! Can you hear us!?
Yui: Come back to us, Mihono-chan!
Hana: Mihono!
Kofuki: If you don't get your ass back here, I'm not messing around with you anymore, Mihocchi!
Mirja: ......
Akira: You're sure keeping your cool about this.
Mirja: That's my responsibility.
Mirja: If the worst should happen... Please handle the rest.
Akira: ...Yeah.
Mihono?: A...gh...
Everyone: --!
Ellen: ...Want to make a bet, Kaoru?
Kaoru: If you're okay with letting me bet she'll be fine.
Ellen: Oh, then it's not much of a bet.
Kaoru: Figured as much.
Kaoru: All the bets are off, so you'd better come back, Mihono!
Mihono?: Ugh... ghh...
Sayaka: Mai...
Mai: It's alright, Sayaka-chan.
Mai: I'm sure... she'll be smiling just like usual.
Sayaka: ...Mm.
Sayaka: Mihono...!
Mihono?: ...
Kanami: Mihono-chan'll definitely beat Kanayamahime!
Hiyori: That's right! Everyone's waiting here for you to come back!
Kanami: So... We believe in you, Mihono-chan!!
Mihono: ............
Mihono: Ah-- it's everybody.
Everyone: ......
Kofuki: "Ah-- it's everybody"; is that all you've got to say, Dumbacchi!?
Mihono: Dumbacchi!?
Chie: It's you, isn't it, Mihono-chan?
Chie: Thank goodness...! Mihono-chan... Mihono-chan...!
Mihono: Sorry for making you worry, Chii-nee.
Kiyoka: Really, Hono-chan!
Chie: Chie-san's not the only one you made worry!
Mihono: I know, Kiyoka.
Mihono: ...Thanks.
Yui: ......
Hana: Yui?
Yui: It's just, it's too precious...
Yui: I just love the investigation team so much...
Hana: ...Sure.
Hana: It's just not the team without Mihono.



10: To Exorcise Kagutsuchi (2)

Mirja: Asakura Mihono, is it safe to assume the issue with Kanayamahime has been settled?
Mihono: Yeah, Kanayamahime's fine now. Right, Kanayamahime?
Kanayamahime: ...
Hiyori: --!?
Hiyori: ...That's Kanayamahime?
Kanami: ...?
Kanami: She's like Mihono-chan before, but different...?
Hiyori: What are you talking about?
Kanami: Mihono-chan before felt a lot more aggressive, but Kanayamahime's a lot calmer...
Akira: What's that got to do with anything!
Mihono: Stop!!
Akira: Get outta the way! This isn't gonna end until we kill her!
Mihono: But, Kanayamahime isn't the bad one!
Akira: Who do you think you're fooling!?
Akira: Killing her's the only way to stop anybody else from getting hurt!!
Mihono: But Kanayamahime wasn't doing any of the bad stuff; that was Kagutsuchi!!
Akira: I've gotta make this right! And the only way to do that's by killing and exorcising Kanayamahime!!
Akira: That's what this comes down to at this point!
Mihono: I don't care about any of that!!
Akira: What're you, stupid!!
Mihono: I am stupid-!!
Akira: ...Whatever happens, you asked for it.
Mihono: I'm not letting you kill her. Kanayamahime, get behind me.
Kanayamahime: ...I will not. Please step out of the way, Mihono.
Mihono: Kanayamahime?
Kanayamahime: I will follow my own wishes and fight this miko.
Akira: Fine by me! Nobody else has to get involved!
Mihono: You can't either, Kanayamahime! We're absolutely going to need Akira-san's help for beating Kagutsuchi!
Mirja: Asakura Mihono, what is Kagutsuchi...? And, we'll need to defeat it?
Mihono: Kagutsuchi's Kanayamahime's main body.
Mihono: Kanayamahime just wants to be with me.
Mihono: Kanayamahime's not the one who wants to mess everything up; that's Kagutsuchi!
Mihono: Isn't that right, Kanayamahime?
Kanayamahime: It is.
Kiyoka: She is a great aradama... isn't she? She's kind of, awfully well behaved...
Yui: Like she's, totally hooked on Mihono-chan...?
Hana: Hooked on her? That's a real Yui way of putting it.
Hana: Though... Yeah. She doesn't look like she wants to hurt anybody.
Mihono: If we beat Kagutsuchi, Kanayamahime shouldn't end up hurting anybody anymore!
Kaoru: What, like Nene?
Mihono: Like that!
Kaoru: Then, I don't see why not. If she's not dangerous, it'd be too much work fighting her.
Ellen: For sure! Friendly aradama are always welcome!
Hiyori: It turned out just like you said, in the end.
Kanami: Eh?
Hiyori: Remember what you said in Mihono's room?
Hiyori: How, we should try getting along with a great aradama.
Kanami: I was only thinking it might worth trying... Mihono-chan's the one who went through all this to get here.
Kofuki: Getting along with an aradama? We're doing this again...?
Kiyoka: There's no stopping Hono-chan with that.
Hana: Mihono's really rubbing off on you guys.
Hana: ...Though I guess it's the same for me.
Akira: Aghh... That's not the issue here.
Akira: I'm suppressing Kanayamahime. That's not changing.
Akira: If I've gotta smack you all down getting to her, don't think I won't.
Mihono: That's what I'm saying though; instead of Kanayamahime, let's work together to beat Kagutsuchi!
Akira: Not happening.
Akira: This one's gotta go. ......Oi, we're picking up where we left off. You good to go?
Kanayamahime: I am not.
Akira: Hahh?
Kanayamahime: There would be no reason for it.
Kanayamahime: Kagutsuchi and myself are one. If Kagutsuchi were to be exorcised, I would be gone as well.
Mihono: .........Huh?
Mihono: W-Wait, you didn't say anything about that! Weren't we going to fight Kagutsuchi cause you wanted to be together with me!?
Kanayamahime: That's not correct.
Kanayamahime: I had two desires. Both of them contradicted the other. So I chose my desire to protect you.
Mihono: But, we can't do that...
Mihono: Isn't there something else we can do?
Mihono: Some way to beat just Kagutsuchi, and you'll still be here?
Kanayamahime: There is no such thing.
Kanayamahime: Only one of my desires can be granted.
Kanami: Kanayamahime's kindhearted, isn't she...
Kanami: I think I know how she feels... wanting to be with Mihono-chan.
Mihono: ...See?
Akira: Tch, this is all out of whack. If we beat Kagutsuchi, you're gone too, right?
Kanayamahime: Yes.
Akira: ...Then fine.
Akira: I'll just have to tear Kagutsuchi apart.