Tsubaki!
Noel.
This is odd.
There ought to be more people here.
Even considering the whole Grim Reaper incident.
Makoto!
Is that you, Noel?
I found Tsubaki. I'm with her right now.
Huh?
I'm going to try talking to her.
Why can't you hear
the heartbeat of this world?
Can, and audible...
Can it believe the future
We nurture an inexperienced smile
as we are thrown around
Does not give up
I'd like to know the truth
The night god toys with our suffering
like a branding iron
I won't hold back, won't doubt
If you are innocent after purification,
then let your soul strike out at the demons
Salvation won't lie in fighting
What power is this
You can see it
With eyes of steel we keep our emotions in check
Until our life ends,
commence your awakening
Your hands so clean, your blue shiny lights
May they reach the sky
Rebel 7: The Wings of Justice
This is Tager. Do you copy, Kokonoe?
Yeah, I got you. What's up?
I've picked up a trail. It's faint, but there.
The Azure, huh?
Yes. I found two traces, in fact.
They both appear to lead to the upper levels.
Damn, so we missed each other. Go after her immediately.
Get her before that bastard does, at all costs.
The static is getting worse. The weather, perhaps?
I'm heading to the upper levels.
Roger that.
Nobody here, either...
You know,
I had no idea you'd been assigned to the Zeroth Squadron.
Noel, the reason a member of the Wings of Justice is here in Kagutsuchi is because—
I know.
You came because you were ordered to kill Major Kisaragi and me.
Noel...
How did that happen?
If it had just been me for acting against orders, that'dbe one thing, but...
It's an imperial command. You understand what the Imperator means to me.
Still, it makes no sense for you to kill Major Kisaragi.
Makoto also said—
Then please don't resist and do as I say.
Let's return to HQ together.
If we go now, you still might be able to have your sentence lightened with a pardon from the Imperator.
I'm sorry, Tsubaki. Would you mind waiting just a little longer?
Why?
I can't really put it into words well,
but I have this feeling that something really big is happening in Kagutsuchi right now.
Are you talking about the recent earthquake?
Or perhaps...
...the Grim Reaper incident?
B-Both...
Everything seems to be linked in some way.
In addition,
I feel like I'm related to it in some way too.
Maybe something about the past I cannot remember.
Have you already seen Brother Jin?
No.
I think the Major probably went after that man.
Ragna the Bloodedge.
Is it true that you've made contact with the Grim Reaper, then?
Yeah.
But why?!
He's a rebel who's set himself against the Imperator!
Listen to me, Tsubaki!
True, he does oppose the NOL,
but he has his reasons to do that!
You're being tricked.
You're wrong! I can tell.
I know he's not a bad person.
In fact, with the way the NOL has been acting recently, I'd say it's more—
Noel!
Do you understand the gravity of your words?
Supporting a rebel?
You may as well declare yourself in opposition to the Imperator!
No, it's not! I just...
Second Lieutenant Noel Vermillion.
This is an order from your superior officier.
Return to HQ at once.
If you act against orders,
by my authority as an executive of the court and in the name of the Imperator,
I will declare you a traitor, strip you of your rank,
and sentence you to permanent banishment from the NOL.
Tsubaki...
Always one to crawl in the darkness, much like an insect.
Rabbit.
What's wrong? Getting tired of sitting in the peanut gallery?
Some scenes cannot be seen from the stage.
Huh?
Follow me if you wish to know more.
God...
Noel, Tsubaki. Please don't do anything rash, either of you.
Tsubaki, please!
Just give me some time. Just a little more!
Noel.
I understand.
It seems I have no choice but to force you to comply.
In my right hand, I carry the sword of judgment,
and in my left, the scales of justice.
I serve the wings who govern the heavens.
I am the Wings of Justice!
Second Lieutenant Noel Vermillion,
if you resist, your punishment will be death!
It appears she has donned the Izayoi.
Right now, all eyes have been shut out of Kagutsuchi.
Now, it's time you show them your stuff.
First Lieutenant Tsubaki Yayoi, please fight to your heart's content.
All it cost is your own light.
That's...
The sealed armagus Izayoi.
A powerful armagus that has been passed down in my family,
the Yayois, for generations.
Don't do this, Tsubaki!
There's no point to us fighting!
Then don't resist and obey me, Noel!
Th-That's...
An observer, huh?
As well as...
...the Azure man.
Who the hell are you?
That puppet. It's not a Nox Nyctores?
Did you bring me all this way just to introduce me to some pervert?
Relius Clover, this is not a story that you may interfere in.
Interfere? I merely came to witness my creation.
What do you intend to do with her?
It was supposed to have been a defective unit.
And yet, it is that one that became the Azure Successor.
It concerns me.
If possible, I'd like to retrieve and examine it.
And how is that not "interfering"?
Aren't you the one interfering here?
I heard you unleashed the Tsukuyomi Unit.
The time-shearing Susano'o and the time-shielding Tsukuyomi.
You are in an awfully talkative mood today.
Hey, Rabbit, this clearly doesn't have anything to do with me, so I'm gonna just—
Don't do this, Tsubaki!
Noel?!
Don't do this.
Tsubaki...
A Nox Nyctores?!
Why do you have one?
That's right, Noel.
You always did...
...stick your nose where it didn't belong!
Noel!
What's wrong, Noel?
Aren't you able to pull the trigger?
B-Bolverk...
...doesn't exist to shoot...
...my friends!
Tsubaki! Let's stop this already!
Hey, what the flying fuck is going on here?
I merely came to observe my creation.
Your what?
That thing there is something I made.
Dimensional Boundary Interface Prime Field No. 12.
It is nothing more and nothing less.
A Prime Field?
Noel?
She keeps on going on about friends this and friends that.
What a load of nonsense.
Absolute bullshit.
Captain Hazama?!
Her words are drivel.
You can't let her lead you astray like that.
It's using those meaningless words that she steals everything away from you.
You graduated from the Military Academy at the top of your class
and come from one of the prestigious Duodecim,
so how come you put up with this insignificant Praetorian Guard?
Especially since you're part of the disposal unit, shunned even by your own!
I have pride in the work I do.
I live in service of the Imperator.
I have never felt discontent, not once!
Lying's a sin, First Lieutenant!
Deep inside, you feel hatred, don't you?
Hatred?
For Noel Vermillion, who stands before you.
N-No!
Noel's my...
Tsubaki?
Utterly mediocre grades.
An absentminded personality completely at odds with a Praetorian Guard's duty.
This is the woman to whom you lost the enviable post of being Jin Kisaragi's ministral secretary!
I mean, c'mon! How can you not hate her?
Noel is my good friend.
I am following the Imperator's command—
You saw it, did you not?!
When you put on the Izayoi?!
That was a distortion in the world.
In truth, you should have been the one standing by Jin Kisaragi's side!
Noel Vermillion.
She is a being that should not exist in this world.
She shouldn't exist?
One who shouldn't be here.
No, one who mustn't be here.
She's the one who will take everything from you in this world.
Noel!
I know, right?
That just ain't correct.
Better go right those wrongs.
And then you can die!
A tragic death!
You're nothing but a trigger to activate the dolly!
The preparations for the Cauldron are now complete.
I suppose it's about time we made our own move.
Off we go, Phantom.
Aurora Impact!
Type V!
Tsubaki!
A-As I thought...
I'm no match for you...
I'm sorry.
Why? Why do you apologize?!
You, who took my place...
Who took everything from me!
Tsubaki...
And even then...
Even then, I...
Charging ars magus!
Restraint System, disengage!
Stop this already!
With all the power I can muster!
Tsubaki!
Mr. Ragna!
Ragna?!
The Grim Reaper, Ragna the Bloodedge?!
What are you doing here?
You two are starting to piss me off!
You wanna fight or not?
Watching you just makes me mad.
Grim Reaper...
If only you didn't exist...
Then Brother Jin wouldn't have...
"Brother Jin"?
If only you didn't exist!
What the hell am I doing here for?
Well, if you wanna keep at it, count me in for the fight.
Wh-Why would you do that?!
Mr. Ragna, this has nothing to do with—
Openly expressing emotions as though you were a living thing.
Colonel Relius?
Bastard!
You may have succeeded the Azure, but in the end, you're still a defective unit.
That fucker creeps me out!
Hey.
You going after her? And then what?
She saved you a lot of trouble by leaving.
B-But...
She's my...
She's my friend!
So I have to go! I have to...
Jesus...
Go on.
If that is what your heart dictates.
Ms. Rachel...
I don't care what you do.
Please excuse me!
Hey.
What's up with that, Rabbit?!
Why'd you show me this? Was that your goal?
What she really is.
It's beginning to dawn on you, isn't it?
The color of her eyes are different.
That's true. She's still in the pre-smelting state.
Right now, she's no different than an ordinary human.
Now that you know, what will you do with her?
Reflect upon it, Ragna.
Shit!
Oh? Looks like the Izayoi's barrier is down.
Let's take a look!
What?! They're both alive?!
This was going to be the perfect bloodbath!
She's always getting crushed like a bug,
so I give her a little extra, but she still fails?!
I swear...
And Major Kisaragi's death was voided by a retake too.
What an utterly useless girl.
Can't count on anyone but yourself in the end, can ya?
Tsubaki!
Um...
Um, you know, I...
Tsubaki?
Wait, your eyes!
Wh-Why?
That is how the Izayoi functions.
It's an armagus that was created to steal light in every way possible.
Why would you use it, then?
I can't win against people like Brother Jin or you.
I had no choice but to rely on the Izayoi.
But that's—
It's so...
Hey, Noel, did you know?
I've always been envious of you.
Huh?
Noel, you're much more than you take yourself for.
No matter how hard I worked, I could never win against you.
That's not true!
I always looked up to you.
Always thinking how great it would be if I could be like you.
Because... Because you've always been so kind and strong and dependable.
Both Makoto and I really love you for that!
Thank you, Noel.
But you know, I'm not the admirable person you think I am.
When you ended up working alongside Brother Jin,
I thought of you and...
...wished you'd disappear, once and for all.
Well?
You must be disappointed in me, right?
No, not at all.
I don't care. I still...
I still really love you, Tsubaki!
Even though I tried to kill you?
You had no choice! You were ordered to!
Today...
Just for today, let's say that we never met.
But know that this is a one-time thing.
Hey, Tager.
Is that you, Kokonoe?
The comm signal is extremely unstable.
Is it because of the bombardment the other day?
No, that's not it.
It's something way more powerful...
Kokonoe?
Never mind. More importantly, how's the hunt for the Azure going?
I've confirmed the traces.
As we thought, it's on the upper levels. You keep on following those tracks.
If things go well, you might be able to rendezvous with one of our undercover agents.
Roger that.
If this comm interference is due to the sealed armagus...
I swear, shit just keeps happening.
Noel!
Thank goodness, you're all right.
Where's Tsubaki?
Makoto!
The interminable rehearsal has come to an end
and I suppose we can say the story has finally reached an intermission.
Just show me blaze your mind
Only you destroy our world
Just show me blaze your brave
Make alter our memories
Go for it!
I believed
that even if the world were an empty illusion
I would look for a faint warmth
waiting for me somewhere
Don't look away now
It's time to come now
Look hard at me
I will free you from your grief
Don't be afraid of sorrow
I'll promise you
Endless reincarnation
I'm powerless
My memories course through my head like fog
Why do I fight?
I fight to protect you until the very end
You must obey the destiny
We're fated to be
We resign the destiny
guided by the voices
So, that is the sealed armagus Izayoi?
It is quite a fine soul.
Rebel 8: The Mechanical Soul
Episode 8, "The Mechanical Soul".
Izayoi spoke?!