Innocence Seekers: April Light/Chapter 2/Episode 14

This is the second episode, "Betrayal" (裏切り), of the second chapter of Innocence Seekers: April Light.

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Episode text
The girls were staying in a hotel in Fukuoka. Aoi was at the window, looking outside at the pouring rain.

–Louise: Of all the times it could rain this hard, why did it have to be now?

–Aoi: Well, the forecast did say that there will be storms all day today and tomorrow.

–Wakaba: I could make the rain go away.

–Uzuki: Don't, Wakaba. We might not care, but the general population isn't used to seeing storm clouds suddenly disappear. And we really shouldn't interfere with any large weather events.

–Tamaki: Kanade, do you know where the World Orb is?

–Kanade: I know where it is now. It's off the coast.

–Louise: Wait... off the coast?

–Uzuki: You mean it's in the sea?

–Kanade: I'm sure of it.

–Tamaki: Well, it's not the first time I've been underwater.

–Uzuki: Tama-chan, you've actually gone to underwater places?

–Tamaki: I have; mainly to find the World Orbs. But, of course, this time, I'm here to help find the April Light, rather than see what has happened to them.

–Benio: It doesn't look like the rain will stop anytime soon. Louise, is it possible to just head out anyway?

Suddenly, there was a flash of light outside, followed by a thunderclap.

–Louise: It's possible. But we'll need to be in our mage outfits, and with barriers up. I'd hate to see one of you get hurt as a result of lightning.

–Uzuki: Okay, then.

The girls left the hotel. When they went outside, they headed to the back of the building, changed into their mage outfits, then took off towards the coast.

While flying over the sea:

–Kanade: There!

Kanade pointed towards a patch of sea.

–Louise: So it's there, right?

–Kanade: I'm sure of it.

–Louise: Okay, then. Everyone, we're heading in!

–Everyone: Yes!

The girls dived down towards the patch of sea.

Meanwhile:

–Figure A: I'm terribly sorry, but our troops haven't been able to access the site of the World Orb.

–Leader: What do you mean?

–Figure A: Further studies have found that the site is located underwater, and the cavern itself is inaccessible to our scuba divers, due to its depth. The best we can do right now is send an unmanned submarine.

–Leader: I see.

–Figure B: Master, is there any way we can access it?

–Leader: Leave it to me. The location of the cavern should be no problem for someone as powerful as myself.

The leader left the room.

In the cavern:

–Wakaba: I can't believe the cavern is this deep...

–Tamaki: Well, you'll have to get used to it. 400-metre vertical caves were actually quite common when I was searching for the World Orbs.

–Louise: Anyway, let's go find the World Orb.

–Kanade: Everyone, follow me.

The girls followed Kanade down the cavern.

Eventually, the girls found the World Orb, resting on a pedestal. It was bathed in a blue glow.

–Uzuki: Is that...

–Kanade: That is it. The water-elemental World Orb.

Suddenly, both Kanade and Tamaki drew their weapons.

–Wakaba: Eh, what?

–Tamaki: Over the course of my adventures, I've actually found some intact World Orbs. The thing is, though, the World Orbs themselves have defence systems.

–Kanade: Which means that we need to be on our guard.

Suddenly, the orb itself shot a massive jet of water at the girls. Kanade put up a barrier to deflect the jet.

–Uzuki: Everyone, be careful. Who knows what the orb can do.

The orb then summoned dozens of icicles and sent them flying straight towards the girls. Tamaki responded by taking a grenade from her magic bag and throwing it towards the icicles. The resulting explosion neutralised the attack.

–Kanade: Tamaki, one thing I noticed is that you and Benio use boost-type magic devices. While I know that Benio fights without a weapon, I wonder why you use such a device when you use weapons.

–Tamaki: Unlike most mages, I don't specialise in a single weapon. While it is true that I primarily use swords and guns, I can use pretty much anything thanks to my Inherent Ability. My bag holds a wide variety of weapons, so I can choose which is the best for the situation.

–Kanade: I see. Well, whatever suits you best.

The orb launched a barrage of blue magic bullets at the girls. Aoi responded by putting up a barrier. Meanwhile, Wakaba leapt up and shot at the orb, to no avail.

–Uzuki: My turn now!

Uzuki charged straight at the orb with her sword. She managed to get several hits in before the orb responded by attacking Uzuki with an ice spear, forcing her to evade the attack. Benio then charged at the orb and sent a powerful kick, but the orb did not budge.

–Louise: Wait, are we trying to deactivate the World Orb's defence system, or are we trying to destroy it?

–Kanade: You shouldn't worry; the orbs can take a lot of punishment.

–Tamaki: Hold on, everyone!

Everyone turned towards Tamaki.

–Tamaki: To deactivate its defence system, you must attack it with the same element. Aoi, do you understand?

–Aoi: Yes, Tamaki. I'm on it.

Aoi began to cast a spell, and a blue magic circle appeared beneath her feet. Several icicles appeared beside Aoi. With a swing of her spear, the icicles were sent straight towards the orb. Upon impact, the counter the orb was preparing dissipated.

–Uzuki: Is it over?

–Kanade: It is. Tamaki, you must've figured it out before.

–Tamaki: I learnt the hard way. It seems paradoxical, but attacking a World Orb with the same element can deactivate its defence system. Of course, it must not be attacked once its defence system is deactivated; otherwise it could reactivate.

–Louise: Anyway, Kanade, you know what to do.

–Kanade: Right.

Kanade approached the orb. She took out her pendant, and placed it on the orb. Suddenly, both the orb and the pendant began to glow brightly.

–Aoi: Kanade, what is it trying to tell you?

–Kanade: The magical girl... uses water and ice magic.

Everyone stood in silence for a moment.

–Benio: Is that it?

–Kanade: Unfortunately, that's it.

–Louise: Well, we won't get the full picture until we find all 20 World Orbs, so let's leave and go find the next one.

The girls were about to leave when an old, but battle-hardened man walked towards them.

–Kanade: Wait... who are you?

–Louise: Ah, it's Yamamoto, the leader of the Zodiac Warriors.

–Kanade: I see. But what is he doing all the way out here?

–Louise: Let me ask him.

Louise walked up to Yamamoto.

–Louise: Yamamoto, it's been a while. How have you been?

–Yamamoto: I have been doing well, Louise. Sorry for my recent absence.

–Louise: Ah, we were intending to tell you about the Donsilans, and how they're after the World Orbs to find the April Light.

–Yamamoto: Yes, I've heard of it. Now, it is imperative that we find the World Orbs, to find the April Light. That is why...

–Louise: What is it?

There was a few seconds of silence.

–Yamamoto: Hand over the girl, now!

–Kanade: Eh?!

–Uzuki: No way! Why are you doing this, Yamamoto?

–Yamamoto: Don't ask, just hand her over! And surrender the World Orb to me!

–Wakaba: W-What do we do?

–Tamaki: We'll hand them over.

–Kanade: Wait, Tamaki...

–Tamaki: Just play along with me.

–Kanade: Ah, okay.

–Yamamoto: A wise decision. Remember, little ones, the dawn of the new world is coming.

–Tamaki: Then, we'll be taking our leave.

The girls left Kanade with Yamamoto, then proceeded to walk past him. Once they went ten metres away from Yamamoto, Tamaki suddenly took a gun from her magic bag and fired in the direction of Yamamoto. The bullet missed Yamamoto, but struck the World Orb.

–Yamamoto: You! What are you...

–Uzuki: Tama-chan, you know we can't win against him. So what are you doing?

–Tamaki: Yamamoto, that bullet wasn't for you. Otherwise, why would I have missed?

Suddenly, the World Orb materialised its defence system, and it proceeded to attack Yamamoto with multiple icicles and ice weapons. In the chaos, Kanade escaped and ended up with the girls.

–Tamaki: Have fun with the defence system, old man.

The girls escaped the cavern, leaving Yamamoto attempting to neutralise the defence system with his fire magic.

Back at the surface:

–Kanade: What was going on with him?

–Louise: I knew that would happen. But I was shocked that Tamaki agreed almost immediately.

–Tamaki: Well, I knew that if the World Orb was attacked, it would cause its defence system to reactivate. I told you that in the cavern. So I lured Yamamoto in with a false sense of security, by allowing him to approach the World Orb.

–Aoi: And that was when you fired, right?

–Tamaki: Yes. I knew that Yamamoto didn't have the means to deactivate the defence system, so I figured that it was the best solution.

–Louise: Anyway, we better tell the rest of the Zodiac Warriors about Yamamoto.

–Uzuki: Let's head back.

The girls flew back to the coast.

Back at the hotel, Louise was on her laptop, preparing a report to send to the leaders of the Zodiac Warriors.

–Uzuki: Wakaba, don't your parents currently reside here?

–Wakaba: Ah, that's correct.

–Uzuki: Then why don't you pay them a visit?

–Wakaba: I don't think my parents would like it if I interrupted their work.

–Uzuki: But aren't you worried about your younger sister?

–Wakaba: Momiji? Not a day goes by when I don't worry about her. But, my parents had their reasons to take her along while leaving me and my older sister with Otohane-san. Uzuki, you worry about Satsuki as well, right?

–Uzuki: Ah, yes. Ever since my parents died, Satsuki has been living in Chiyohara, while Yayoi-nee remained in Yaezora and my other sisters and I were sent to Tokyo. However, we regularly take the time to visit her.

–Wakaba: Come to think about it, I haven't visited Momiji in a while. Maybe now is the time. Uzuki, do you want to come with me to my parents' place?

–Uzuki: Are you sure?

–Wakaba: Yes.

–Uzuki: Okay.

The two girls left the hotel. It was still raining heavily, and the wind was making it difficult to use an umbrella.

–Uzuki: Wakaba... about the rain...

–Wakaba: Why don't we put up barriers?

–Uzuki: Ah, good idea.

The two began to cast a spell. Barriers then appeared around them. The two then walked to where Wakaba's parents were living.

When they arrived, Wakaba rang the doorbell. The door opened, revealing a woman.

–Wakaba: Ah, Mum, we're here to visit you.

–Wakaba's Mother: Wakaba, are you here by order of the Zodiac Warriors?

–Wakaba: In a way, yes. We were here to find the World Orb which was off the coast.

–Wakaba's Mother: I see. Anyway, you must be Uzuki, right?

–Uzuki: That's right. I'm Uzuki Miyana. Nice to meet you, Harumi-san.

–Wakaba's Mother: Then I should introduce myself as well. I am Yōko Harumi, and as you can see behind me, my husband and I research magic for the Zodiac Warriors. Why don't you two come in.

–Uzuki: Okay.

The two girls entered the house.

–Wakaba: Mum, where is Dad?

–Yōko: Oh, he's currently in the basement, working on new spells.

–Uzuki: So your role is to work on creating spells and experimenting with them, right?

–Yōko: That's right.

–Uzuki: But couldn't any mage create their own spells?

–Yōko: Theoretically, yes, but such spells are often wildly inefficient, and may have nasty effects. What we specialise in, though, are Secret Skills.

–Uzuki: Secret Skills?

–Yōko: They're techniques or spells which are often specific to an individual or a select few mages. They are very powerful, and are effectively a Full Burst mode in the form of a single attack in many cases. Uzuki, you already know a Secret Skill.

–Uzuki: Do I?

–Yōko: Sagitta Aurorae. I had the fortune of seeing Tsukika use it in a battle, and it pretty much devastated the battlefield.

–Uzuki: Ah, that. I always thought it was just a spell unique to my family.

–Yōko: Indeed it is unique to the Miyana line. But, nevertheless, it is a Secret Skill.

–Wakaba: I've been wondering, how do you work with Secret Skills when they're specific to a mage?

–Yōko: Of course, we don't actually work with the real thing, but we can emulate their effects in our virtual laboratory. By studying Secret Skills, we can not only improve a mage's effectiveness with said techniques, but also construct ordinary spells based on them.

–Wakaba: I see.

–Uzuki: Anyway, I've yet to use Sagitta Aurorae. I've felt that the way Yayoi-nee taught me the spell didn't fit in with my fighting style.

–Wakaba: Then, what about that mana collection spell you used against Aria?

–Uzuki: That was just an ordinary mana collection spell Yayoi-nee also taught me. It isn't as powerful as Sagitta Aurorae, and I felt that it wasn't the time to use the latter.

–Yōko: Uzuki, about Sagitta Aurorae...

–Uzuki: What is it, Harumi-san?

–Yōko: I can help you adjust it to your own fighting style. The spell was given that name because Tsukika herself used bows.

–Uzuki: But of my sisters, only Yayoi-nee uses bows. I use a sword.

–Yōko: Uzuki, have you ever tried throwing your sword?

–Uzuki: Why would I do that? It's my magic device.

–Yōko: Well, it's key to actually being able to use Sagitta Aurorae. By treating your sword as if it were an arrow, you can facilitate its use.

–Uzuki: I'd rather have my sword transform into a bow, since that makes more sense to me. So I'll just go and ask Hiyorin instead.

–Yōko: I see. Anyway, Wakaba, I think it's time you learnt your Secret Skill.

–Wakaba: Me?

–Yōko: You might've used a form of it in Full Burst mode, but I'll teach you how to use it outside of Full Burst mode.

–Wakaba: Okay, then. Anyway, Mum, I also came here to see Momiji. Is she here?

–Yōko: She's at a relative's place. Some of the things we do here can be really dangerous, so we send her off to a relative before we begin our experiments.

–Wakaba: I understand. I can visit her later, if you want.

–Yōko: Anyway, Wakaba, please come with me. Uzuki, come with me as well.

–Uzuki: Ah, okay.

In the basement laboratory:

–Uzuki: Wow, I've never even seen all of these.

–Wakaba: Uzuki, do you think the others have Secret Skills as well?

–Uzuki: Most likely. But I wonder why we weren't told about this before?

–Yōko: Often a Secret Skill requires a specific condition in order to be used. For example, Sagitta Aurorae requires a fairly high background mana density, which can only be achieved through a prolonged magical battle. Others may require the mage's device to be in its ultimate form, or the mage to be near defeat. There are many possible conditions, and we're still investigating them all.

–Uzuki: Ah, okay.

–Yōko: By the way, we have a witch to help us for now.

–Wakaba: Eh? A witch?

–Yōko: And not just an ordinary witch. She's a witch by blood.

–Uzuki: Then who?

The witch came out of one of the rooms. She looked like a young girl around Uzuki's age.

–Uzuki: Wait, Orialla?

–Orialla: It's been a while, Uzuki.

–Wakaba: Uzuki, you know this witch?

–Uzuki: She is Orialla. She is contracted to Yayoi-nee, so I've met her before.

–Orialla: Anyway, Yayoi sent me to help train you girls. With the Donsilan invasion, and Yamamoto's betrayal, things are only going to get more challenging.

–Wakaba: But we were able to defeat a Donsilan magical girl.

–Orialla: That? You were only able to do it because of sheer numbers, and the fact that you had help from a Donsilan magical girl of your own. The first time a Donsilan magical girl appeared, Amelia and her witch were actually losing until Erika and her witch intervened.

–Uzuki: From what I've heard, the main issue with engaging Donsilans is that they can knock mages out of Full Burst mode.

–Orialla: That's correct. However, Secret Skills are not affected by this, so knowing them is vitally important.

–Yōko: Anyway, Orialla, can you prepare the witch space?

–Wakaba: Witch space?

–Uzuki: Yayoi-nee said that it's basically a pocket dimension created by witches. Witches use them to lure mages into traps. By the way, we magical girls can do something similar.

–Wakaba: Ah, okay.

Orialla began to focus. Suddenly, everyone was transported to a strange realm, with floating chunks of land over a vast sea.

–Yōko: Wakaba, your Secret Skill requires your magic device to be in its twin cannon form.

–Wakaba: Wait, I always thought that came with my Full Burst mode. Are you saying that I can use it outside of Full Burst?

–Yōko: Your device is supposed to be independent of whether you are in Full Burst mode or not. Anyway, Orialla, shall we begin?

–Orialla: Yes.

Orialla materialised a bow and began to shoot arrows at Wakaba, forcing her to evade the attacks.

–Wakaba: W-W-Wait! Don't just attack me all of a sudden!

Wakaba changed into her mage outfit.

–Yōko: Now, Wakaba, can you transform your device into its twin cannon form?

–Wakaba: Ah, I'll try.

Wakaba began to focus. Her device then transformed into twin arm-mounted cannons.

–Uzuki: Remember when you fought Aria? I noticed that your attacks in Full Burst mode caused massive explosions of air upon impact. Can you replicate that?

–Wakaba: Let me try that.

Wakaba aimed her cannons at Orialla, then fired a barrage of magic bullets at her. However, the bullets lacked power, and dissipated on Orialla's barrier.

–Uzuki: No, no, that's not what you're supposed to do. Try firing one large bullet.

–Wakaba: Ah, okay.

Wakaba placed her hands together and pointed them at Orialla. She began to cast a spell, and a massive green magic circle appeared beneath her feet. A large bullet began to materailise in front of her.

–Yōko: That's it, Wakaba.

–Wakaba: Secret Skill, Blast Calamity!

Wakaba fired the massive bullet straight at Orialla. Upon impact with the barrier, a massive explosion of air resulted, completely shattering the barrier, as well as taking out a large chunk of the floating island on which everyone was standing. When the dust cleared, Orialla was nowhere to be seen.

–Wakaba: Wait, where did she go?

–Uzuki: That can happen sometimes with Orialla. But she's perfectly fine.

It was then that Wakaba noticed Orialla standing behind Uzuki.

–Wakaba: Ah! You surprised me there.

–Orialla: I'd say that was quite good, Wakaba. With some refinements, it will become a powerful weapon in your arsenal. However, don't overuse it, otherwise you'll find yourself out of mana in no time.

–Wakaba: Ah, okay.

The space began to warp, and then everyone found themselves back in the real world. Wakaba changed out of her mage outfit.

–Yōko: Wakaba, there are many other Secret Skills which you can learn. However, that should be it for today; we'll teach you the others another time.

–Wakaba: About Blast Calamity, is it unique to me, or are there others using similar Secret Skills?

–Yōko: It's actually a rare Secret Skill, but it's not unique. Of all the mages and magical girls I know, apart from you, only Chelsea Allen can use Blast Calamity. Anyway, I'm sure the others are waiting for you, so maybe it's time for you two to leave.

–Uzuki: Ah, okay. Thanks for everything, Harumi-san. And we'll see you later.

–Yōko: Good luck out there.

The two girls exited the basement laboratory, and the house. Outside, Aoi and Benio were waiting.

–Wakaba: Umm... just how long have you two been waiting out there in the rain?

–Aoi: Actually, we only just arrived. Anyway, Tamaki has been worried about you two, and asked me to take you back to the hotel.

–Uzuki: Ah, okay. Then let's head back.

The four headed back to the hotel.

End of Episode 14

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Commentary
The locations of the World Orbs are often related to the respective orb's element. In this episode, the World Orb is located underwater, as befitting a water-elemental orb. Other locations for other elements include a volcano for fire-elemental orbs, and a high mountain for air-elemental orbs.

Yōko Harumi and her three daughters all share the kanji for "leaf" (葉) in their given names (Yōko: 葉子, Aoba: 青葉, Wakaba: 若葉, Momiji: 紅葉).