It's been three weeks since you woke up.
Admiral...
I'm so glad that you made it in time for this critical operation.
I'm sure they're waiting for you.
Thank you.
Hikari...
Episode 10 "Big Sister and Little Sister."
Let's go, Hikari!
Right!
The core! It's where the right wing attaches!
Got it!
Tsurugi Issen!
We did it, Kanno-san!
Yeah, you did great.
Yeah, and I'm you're partner!
No way are you my partner...
But that's what you said last time!
N-No, I didn't!
You did!
You two make a great pair.
I'm a little jealous.
Sada-chan, I'm hungry...
Maybe I'll make waffles when we get back.
All right, let's return to base.
Before Nipa-san crashes.
Huh? I'm crashing less now, right?
Wrong.
Huh? That's strange.
Oh? What's that?
That's...
Salute Field Marshal Manstein.
Right, be seated.
Sorry for coming so suddenly, Squadron Leader Rall.
Not at all.
And what brings you here today?
I confidentially told some of you about this.
But the forces at Petersburg
will be executing Operation Freyja to take out Grigori.
It's time, then.
What's Freyja?
It's one of the gods here.
She's said to be the fertility goddess.
With our supply lines restored, morale has greatly improved.
And we've officially decided to execute Operation Freyja.
And we will be asking the 502nd to participate.
At last, huh?
Is this mission based on the 501st Strike Witches' victory at Gallia?
If so, don't you think it's too risky?
I see news travels fast among Witches.
Don't worry. The Neuroi technology is too powerful for us to use.
Then...
The plan is a simple one.
The Petersburg troops are presently gathering at Murmansk,
where the whole force will strike at Grigori.
And our success will mean...
The loss of ability to produce new Neuroi.
Correct. And then we'll enter the undefended Grigori
and use an ultra-large railgun to destroy the core.
Is that what you were carrying on the ship?
How do you plan to locate the core?
Hmm?
In addition, we have already selected the Witch who will be responsible
for locating the core.
Wait!
You aren't going to make Hikari do something so dangerous, are you?
No! No, no!
Huh? Me?
They finally learned about it, huh?
Calm down, Kanno-san, Nipa-san.
But, Sensei! You really think this wimp can go inside
a Neuroi nest and make it out okay?!
There is still a month until the operation starts.
If I can train Hikari-san during that time, it will be fine.
Unfortunately, the operation is in seven days.
Seven days?
What is the meaning of this?
I was told it would be a month.
Grigori has started to move.
Grigori...
...has started to move?
If we lose our supply lines again, the front will collapse.
We can't afford to wait a month.
Now is our only chance.
U-Um—
Screw you!
Stop it, Kanno.
No, I won't stop!
Why aren't you
telling her she doesn't have to obey a suicide order?!
Kanno-san...
I'm opposed to this, too!
I can't let my comrade be put in danger!
Is there no other way?
After all, I can't let my little kitty go alone.
If you insist...
We'll go with her.
You guys...
Everyone...
I'll do it!
I'll make sure it works!
You idiot, what are you—
You seem to be mistaken about something.
We aren't using Sergeant Karibuchi for this mission.
Then...
I suppose it's about time.
She's here?
Here?
She arrived from Murmansk right on time.
Just what I'd expect, I guess.
Wh-What was that?
A Witch, right?
That's...
Hikari?
Hikari-san?
Now, the 502nd will be what it should.
You've done well on your own this far, Squadron Leader Rall.
Thank you, sir.
Dismissed.
Sly old bastard.
So there won't be any punishment for
having Hikari-san stay with the 502nd, it seems.
Instead, I think we'll have a bit of a mess on our hands.
I knew it!
That's... That's...
My sister!
Sis, I did my best!
I did my best to fly with you!
Sis, you're better!
Hikari.
Sis?
What are you doing here?
You were supposed to be at the Kauhava base.
What are you doing here?
Um, well...
Hikari, you don't belong here.
Sis...
Grigori
Is it really moving?
It's so big, it's hard to tell. But yeah.
I hope the operation is in time.
The Petersburg Forces A new group of troops that was formed in order to battle the Neuroi nest, Grigori, that appeared northeast of Petersburg. Field Marshal Manstein of the Empire of Karlsland is the commander, and with the help of Suomus's Field Marshal Mannerheim, they came up with "Operation Freyja." They are currently preparing to execute that operation.
Hikari,
you don't belong here.
But I'm a lot stronger than I was in Fusou.
I can even fly with Chidori!
That isn't what I'm saying.
Get your stuff together, and go to Kauhava at once.
This is an official order.
No way!
Sis...
Takami!
You're finally here.
You made me wait, damn it.
Seems you haven't changed, Kanno-san.
I don't change that easily.
But your little sister's gotten pretty good.
Takami?
I am Sub-lieutenant Karibuchi Takami.
As of today, I'll be joining the 502nd.
I haven't seen you since Libau, Flight Leader Rall.
Yes, it's been a long time, Takami.
She really made it back to the front lines.
Isn't that great, Georgette?
Flight Leader Rall told me all about you.
Hey, where is she?
There you are, Hikari!
What are you doing here?
Takami's finally back, after all this time.
Hikari?
You're heating this up, Takami-chan.
Gotcha!
Not yet!
Wow...
She's on a par with Krupinski-san.
Krupinski-san has more talent,
but she's more in tune with her Unit.
Impressive.
All that time in rehab, and she hasn't missed a beat.
It's good to have her around, isn't it?
What is this? It's great!
It's called "sara-udon." It's soul food from my hometown.
Man...
She's pretty, she's strong, and she can even cook.
Takami-san's perfect!
Right, Hikari?
Hikari?
Huh? Oh, yeah...
Thanks for the food.
Hikari?
Seems she can't stay put.
She's probably worried.
It's kinda weird...
What is?
Hikari.
It feels like she's avoiding Takami-san.
Come to think of it,
I heard the two of them got along well.
Maybe she's nervous, after having not seen her for a while?
I don't know.
I hope so, but the mission's really soon.
About that...
Hikari-san seems to have been issued a transfer order to Kauhava.
Wait!
Why is Hikari leaving us?
This was an irregular situation to begin with,
and she was originally assigned to Kauhava base.
But isn't this next mission really important?
They can't fight together?
It's a direct order from Field Marshal Manstein.
Unfortunately.
But...
I don't want her to leave.
But maybe this is for the best.
What? Why?
Well, the Contact Eye is really dangerous.
Maybe she'd be better off in Kauhava...
Huh? Even you, Georgette-san?
What do you think, Nao-chan?
Huh? Me? Why?
You always said
you were going to fight with Takami, right?
The one thing I know for sure is that you want to be
on the battlefield with the stronger person.
Hikari.
Sis...
Stop wasting time,
and prepare to report to Kauhava.
I'm not wasting time!
I've worked so hard to get closer to you!
At first, the 502nd refused to accept me.
But I worked and worked! And now they say I'm one of them!
And I can use the Contact Eye, too!
I used it to beat lots of Neuroi with Kanno-san!
I know all of that.
But even so,
you cannot stay here.
Sis...
Flight Leader Rall...
Why not just say that you love your sister
and don't want to see her in danger?
Removing your sister from the front lines...
Was that the deal you made with Field Marshal Manstein?
So you knew.
She's already received an official order.
Why are you putting so much pressure on her?
Because she...
Hikari isn't the type to ever give up.
It's the only way.
What I really...
What I really want to do is give her a big hug
and say I'm proud of how hard she's worked.
But all I can do is hurt her!
Both of you are bad at saying what you feel.
The recon team monitoring Grigori was just wiped out.
Wiped out?
The report states it was the orb-type Neuroi
that appeared earlier in the Barents Sea.
That's impossible!
We defeated it!
But it's true.
That Unit...
That's mine!
I destroyed its core. So why...
Don't get so worked up.
Flight Leader, you don't mean to...
If you couldn't defeat it, I'll have to go.
Let's go, Takami.
This will be a good warm-up before our mission.
Yes.
Wait!
Hikari?
What are you doing here?
Let me fight, too.
How many times must I say it's impossible?
We won't...
We won't know until we try!
Very well.
Flight Leader Rall?
If your Contact Eye can beat Takami,
I'll do whatever it takes to keep you in the 502nd.
Really?!
However, if that happens, Takami will go to Kauhava instead.
Even if you win,
you will not get your wish of fighting with Takami.
Will you do it, anyway?
I will!
Because I am
a member of the 502nd!
Hikari...
You...
Excellent.
What will you do, Takami?
Fine!
Let's see who really belongs in the 502nd.
Yeah, let's do it!
Everyone, the Neuroi is heading toward Murmansk.
We can safely assume
it's after the forces that are gathering for Operation Freyja.
Takami and Hikari, find the core, and pass its location to me.
The one who finds it fastest and most accurately is the winner.
Roger!
Hikari's always wanted to fight alongside Takami-san.
Why is she doing this competition?
Takami-san can see the core from range, and Hikari-san can't.
There's no way...
Yes, her chances of winning are extremely slim.
Sensei?
But regardless, she bet on that tiny chance,
so she could fight with us
and to show her big sister how she's grown.
Hikari...
Neuroi, eleven o'clock.
It was true. It's regenerated.
Let's go!
I'll end this fast!
Core spotted. Location H4699 T9326.
Fast.
I did it!
Huh?
The core...
The core regenerated?
What did you say?
Then, how do we defeat it?
No, wait.
Something is moving inside the core!
It's like there's a core inside the core!
So that was the trick?
That's probably its real core.
Its real core?
We have to target that.
It split?
I can't focus on my Eye!
Hikari!
I'm not done yet!
You can do it, Hikari!
There are too many of them!
Karibuchi-san!
Hikari-san!
Seems it's time for remedial lessons.
Remember...
What you've gained here!
How you learned to fly!
Rossmann-sensei...
Yes!
Right!
Left!
Right!
Get out of my way!
Hikari...
Initial targeting lock.
Go, Hikari!
Adjusting targets.
Final adjustment!
Targeting lock complete!
Grid H1588! T1127!
Here!
Was it me... or Sis?
Hikari!
Sis...
Hikari...
You've gotten so much stronger...
You both located the core accurately,
but Takami was slightly faster.
Thus, as planned, Takami will remain in the unit.
That is all.
To Be Continued
This is how it should be, Hikari.
I'll fight for you, as well.
To protect you and everyone else... That's my wish.
Next time on Brave Witches: We Won't Know Until We Try.
Episode 11 "We Won't Know Until We Try"