Shakugan no Shana (灼眼のシャナ)

Yuji...

Shana...

this is for the best I'm changing your destiny.

Don't fight me.

It's what I decided Christmas Eve.

Tomorrow, December the 24th,

at precisely nineteen hundred hours,

come to the Illumination Fiesta

being held at the clock tower.

When you've made your choice,

please meet one of us there.

You asked me to choose...

And I did!

Yuji...

That night...

Yuji vanished from Misaki City.

Hey Shana?

Isn't that enough for today?

Yeah.

You know, as I was watching you this morning...

I couldn't help but wonder why you choose

to do all of your training in our little yard.

You'd be better off somewhere a bit more spacious,

wouldn't you?

What am I saying? !

Then you wouldn't have a reason to come over each day.

I don't know what I'd do without your visits;

I get so lonely.

You're not alone.

I guess you're right...

Once the baby's born it'll be much livelier around here.

You should start getting ready or else you'll be late...

That's no way to start the new semester.

Here, let me get that for you.

Now, it's time for your bath!

Okay.

I noticed Yuji's mug is gone.

It was his favorite...

He used it every time we drank tea.

When a Torch disappears,

everything related to the original human

ceases to exist.

Even their family's memories of them disappear.

Unless, of course,

they happen to have knowledge

of the Crimson World.

I'm aware of that.

Yuji doesn't live here anymore...

Hey! I'm sorry!

It's hard to believe...

It's hard to believe...

Hi Kazumi...! Did you have a good New Years?

Jeez... where were you...?

I was gettin' lonely because none of the gang's here.

The gang?

Yeah, Sato's absent, Shana hasn't made it in yet,

and Ike's been at a student council meeting all morning.

Oh, I see.

Oops! I almost left somebody out!

How could I forget about you...?!

I've missed ya!

Hey, you also forgot your lover boy, Tanaka.

He can hear you, ya know!

Why're you always trying to embarrass me? !

He's gone...

Nobody even remembers Sakai.

Well, knock it off!

I asked you here...

To tell you that I love you.

Happy New Year, Yoshida... Good to see you.

Yeah the same to you... Ike.

You two- Hey!

Nakamura!

I brought this steamed bun just for you! Try it!

Stuff the whole thing in there!

Hi Shana...

Are you okay?

That night...

My heart broke...

I was sure Sakai had chosen Shana over me.

Yuji's gone!

Back then...

I thought Sakai was gone forever...

but now...

we have hope.

He may not be with us...

But we know...

Yuji is still alive.

Yuji Sakai...

What are you thinking about?

The Flame Haze

and Crimson Denizens...

Why do they permeate your thoughts?

There must be a way...

I'm afraid not...

When a Crimson Denizen devours

a human's Power of Existence,

that destruction of existence

creates a rift within the world.

They know their actions have dire consequences...

yet they continue to feed.

But isn't there some way?

There is not...

The tools known as Flame Haze

were created to protect the world

from Denizen attacks,

thereby preventing the Great Disaster.

They are fighting a never-ending battle.

They're tools...

in an endless war.

Precisely.

What should I do?

I don't know...

I knew that Mystes kid was a troublemaker,

but I still can't believe he vanished into thin air.

No joke...

We never even got to say goodbye.

But the midget thinks he's still alive...

We'll see 'bout that.

Sounds like a case of denial, if you ask me.

Well, she seems pretty sure of it.

I gotta admit, her argument was convincing...

so much so that I even agreed to help her beef up

her Unrestricted Spells.

Never thought I'd see the day!

No offense, but you're not the "teacher" type.

If I start out with a stiff drink it should be easy.

Anyway, it seems midget and company

are already worrying about the next battle.

Against Bal Masque?

Yes unfortunately...

Wilhelmina suspects the disappearance of Yuji...

and the random attacks on Outlaw Posts

are all part of something they're planning...

and I would have to agree.

Alastor's right about this city...

it could be a Maelstrom of Warfare.

You think it's attracting misfortune...?

No wonder you and your big butt brought us to this dump...!

You're drawn to trouble like a moth to a flame, aren't ya?

Yeah... That's me...

I've got a score to settle.

The demon I'm hunting is trapped

in the Midnight Lost Child within Yuji.

The Silver...

But I can't worry about that now.

Our job is to gather information.

Is that why you're sending Keisaku to Outlaw?

You got it...

I was able to get him a little job

working for them as a messenger.

You sure that's a good idea?

Don't worry, I'm just testing him.

I need to make sure he's capable

of following my directions.

Sometimes I think he'd be better off

if he never got mixed up with you.

But if he sticks with me...

at least his survival is guaranteed.

Bye...! See ya tomorrow!

Bye!

Ogata wanted to go by Sato's and check on him...

but I couldn't bring myself to do it...

I don't wanna risk running into Margery.

I can't face her...

not after what happened...

I can't!

Yo.

Sato...! Why weren't you at school today?

Sorry... I had some things to get done...