Looks like we managed to break through the blockade.
I wish he'd hurry up and fill us in on the next part of the plan.
L-elf?
Yes. That boy always waits until the last second to tell—
Good work, everybody!
W-What on earth are you wearing?!
What's the big deal? I'm broiling in this thing!
This isn't your private space!
Learn to tell the difference—
Nag, nag, nag...
Renbokoji!
You know she has the same last name as Satomi, right?
Oh, right.
Akira-chan, we want to thank you for coming with us.
How about showing us your face?
You can't interact through texting forever, you know?
Stop that.
If you want to talk to Akira, you'll do it through me.
But we're pilots who fight side by side, so why won't she...
It's my duty to keep Akira safe.
As her family.
What about during a mission?
Do we have to go through you even then?
No, that would be...
Akira?
Oh shoot...
Get lost.
Akira?
Our destination is Earthspace,
Old JIOR territory, Ookuma district.
So we're starting an operation to retake JIOR!
This is a force recon, remember?
Don't go changing the plan.
Come on, they're pretty much the same thing.
Descents to Earth are conducted using Follow Rings.
If we borrow a drop shuttle in the entrance space and dock with it,
all we have to do is follow instructions and proceed down the rings.
So basically, all we have to do is dive down through those rings, right?
Guidance inside the ring is handled automatically, so even a
bunch of amateurs shouldn't have a problem.
The one thing that worries me is that you need clearance for a drop.
That isn't problem.
Or so he says.
Ah.
All this stuff is over my head, so I'll leave it to you.
Could you show us again?
What's the matter?
We have to hurry.
While there's still time.
Oh. You're right.
For now, all we can do is fight.
It may be a curse, but it's also a power that we need.
I'm having trouble swallowing that.
I'm telling you, I saw her myself!
She's an ultra-hot redhead!
Liar.
The only ultra-hot girl recluses are the two-dimensional kind.
Not this one, guys!
Akira Renbokoji.
Isn't the fact that Unit 6's pilot is the
legendary Little Witch like something out of a dream?
If she's cute.
Do you think that legend is true?
That she hacked the entrance exam to
the national university's high school affiliate?
We're not talking about some S-class security level here.
If she really did that, she'd be a god.
I guess that was the cause...
Ah, the bullying.
Is that true, too?
I can't believe that hacker was your little sister.
Why do you coddle her so much?
Her own actions led her to be
bullied and become a recluse,
so she brought it all on herself.
What do you know about it?!
I'm sorry.
Satomi! Satomi!
Everybody tells me that my food doesn't
look very appetizing, but trust me, it's delicious!
But putting soy-pickled vegetables on wafers is a bit strange.
Trust me, it's delicious!
Take my word for it and give it a try!
There's all kinds of pickled vegetables,
but the ones I recommend are the traditional JIOR Kurumaya recipe!
They're a thing of beauty!
They're great with dinner, but they're so good
that I figured they could be used with snacks!
Ow!
W-Where am I?
Caught you.
Want one?
They're awesome with picked veggies on them.
Shoko asked me to look out for you.
She said you're a good person, but not used to people.
S-Shoko-chan did?
You're friends with Shoko, right?
That makes you friends with me, then.
"The friend of my friend is my friend."
I bet that's what Shoko would say.
F-Friends...
Yep. Friends.
Satomi Renbokoji
You hate your brother?
H-He never tried to help me then, so why try to now?
T-That "family" stuff. Self-serving crap.
Hate it. Nothing but bad memories.
Memories... Just be happy you have some.
If you don't have any, you can't even be sad.
Yours are bigger.
When we reach JIOR... reach Earth,
will I be able to remember anything?
You're pretty as a picture, Highness!
Why don't you get a little exercise yourself, Q-vier?
Thanks, but I'll pass!
Where did H-neun go?
He's been playing hooky all day!
He's this total straight-arrow with bobbed hair.
That guy is so uptight!
And the kid is obnoxious.
You always sound like you're having fun!
How has that boy with glasses been lately?
Well, about him...
He's okay, I guess.
But enough about me.
What was the title of that movie you were talking about?
Can you take me someplace with a view of the ocean?
I'm not a taxi.
Would the beach be too public?
Or would a secluded place be better?
To have a private conversation, I mean.
What are you talking about?
Isn't that why you've been tailing me since this morning?
Why don't I call in that rain check?
Why don't we get some tea?
Docking with shuttle complete.
Handing off to Follow Ring guidance.
Please begin transfer.
Pass validity confirmed.
You are cleared to enter port.
Customs inspection complete.
Opening Follow Gauge.
Have a pleasant flight.
Let's see, this one's an unscheduled.
You're—
L-elf?
I'm L-elf.
What was the story with those unscheduled passengers?
The usual line-cutters. "Special clearance from the authorities."
Sheesh, again? Understood.
It looks like it went according to plan.
A passenger liner bound for New Guinea
and three JIOR Mail Steamer cargo ships...
This one is a private jet, huh?
To disguise our landing time, the cargo ships would be best.
You can make out all of that? That's amazing.
That's always been your field of expertise, hasn't it?
What's this channel?
Don't touch that!
Communications frequency match!
It's a match for the spacecraft that launched from Module 77!
You're absolutely certain?
All hands to battle stations!
Don't let them land on Earth!
It's the Dorssian navy!
How did they find us?
If our communications frequency is detected,
it's the obvious outcome.
You're... You're saying that I did this?
I thought you said there wouldn't be any combat!
Securing the ship's flight path has top priority.
If we leave the rings, our descent will fail!
A holding action until we begin reentry, huh?
Don't let them near the ship.
Assume that if we take a single hit, it's all over.
All units, don't stray too far from the ship!
That's a whole lot of warnings!
Hey, one came at us from underneath!
Which do we attack?
Both of them, obviously!
The one below us is a special-spec Ideal.
Shoot it down.
Brother, I brought you some rice porridge.
What are you doing?!
I'm okay. I'm okay...
But you have a terrible fever!
Whether or not I get into the best school
hinges on this one test.
I can't take any time off.
Brother...
I have to do this... I have to...
Anything other than a national school is unthinkable!
Is that clear, Satomi?
Will you be one of the winners?
Or will you end up a loser?
It's all decided here.
I have to pass... I have to!
I did this!
It's no use, my heat levels are almost critical!
What are we supposed to do?!
I can't take much more of this!
Now I'm pissed!
I'll go down there and beat the crap out of him!
Don't.
Why not?!
There's no time.
If you go any further from the ship and can't return,
your heat levels will max out in no time.
Why is that guy working just fine?!
They're modified versions that have been attached
to in-atmosphere shuttles.
As long as that is not destroyed, they are capable of unassisted reentry.
Move closer to the ship. You're all nearly maxed out.
Yamada! Get back here!
Even if I do, we're history if we take one hit, remember?!
Yamada! Come back!
Sure, once I take this guy out!
Oh no!
Crap!
Yamada!
You okay?
It's about to fire!
We're done for!
All because of me...
We're sitting ducks!
Akira-chan?
Akira?
Akira!
The other one's coming in for another pass!
What do we do?!
Professor! It's just this one, but it's good to go!
Perfect! Nice work!
Tokishima, do you read me?
Yes!
Care to try out a Familiar?
They're ready?!
Impact Booster, docking sequence engage!
Heat dump complete!
Amazing! He destroyed it in one blow!
Recall Tokishima immediately.
We'll begin reentry any moment.
Wait, grab Akira! Retrieve Akira!
Unit 6 is too far away from the ship.
It's too late to save her.
It's like that other time all over again!
Again, I'm just...
Why did I go and do that?
I knew what would happen.
No matter what I did, he would never...
Brother...
JIOR National University High Schoo l 66th Annual Entrance Exam Sheet
Brother!
Akira!
You're Akira-chan?
I'd like to ask you a few questions, if you don't mind.
I see here that you're scheduled to take the exam today.
You didn't ask her to hack into the exam test sheet, did you?
I had no idea.
I don't understand why she would do such a thing, either.
Help me!
It's not like he cares if I live or die anyway.
Takahi.
Move us over to Akira. Please.
Satomi...
Haruto?
What?
Unit 1, it's...
What do you think you're doing? Return at once!
I can't stand by and watch one of us die!
I'm saving her!
Sentimental fool!
What did you do?
It isn't compatible with aftermarket parts?
My controls, they're—
Haruto!
Haruto! Haruto!
Change the ship's trajectory! Save Akira!
If we override our trajectory now, this ship will burn up too!
So you're just going to let her die?!
If I let this chance pass by,
when will I ever get another to make things right with Akira?
This time, I'm gonna protect her!
As her big brother!
A transmission from Unit 6? What's this?
These are... ground control radio transmissions?
She's hacking them?
Hacking them?
It means that even if this ship veers off course,
we'd still be able to make reentry if we locked onto one of these.
This is... Akira's voice!
She's calling out to me! Asking me to save her!
Pick out appropriate guidance from that mess?
But that's not...
It's impossible! Not from all that noise!
I can't make out anything they're saying!
Stop talking all at once!
It's no use! I can't make anything out!
Alter heading... to 10 o'clock, 40 minutes.
Adjust entry angle... to 27 degrees.
To the north-northeast...
Satomi? You can...
I'll call out the instructions!
I want you to take the ship's controls!
You want me to jeopardize everything just to save your little sister?
If we do nothing, it will mean losing two Valvraves.
Wouldn't that throw a wrench in your plans?
Takahi...
Leaders have to be prepared to show a firm hand.
You need Haruto's abilities, don't you?
We need someone who can
make the reentry work even after we go off course.
You're the only one with the skill to do that.
I'm begging you, L-elf.
Please!
As you wish.
I won't turn a deaf ear.
All this time, I've pretended not to hear you.
Pretended not to see you.
Help me!
Brother...
Akira!
Brother!
I won't hide from it anymore!
The crime and the punishment, we'll take them on together!
Because we're family!
Units 1 and 6 are aboard the shuttle!
Satomi!
Pretty...
Akira! Are you okay?! You're okay!
Stop talking so much, Brother.
Hey!
Haruto, are you okay?
Haruto?
His eyes, they...
- L-elf. - What?
Where did you set us down?
We went off course.
We're inside Dorssian territory.
Next time, episode 15, "Return to Karlstein."
Valvrave the Liberator...
The system that will expose the truth of the world.