Hi there. Welcome.
Do you want a Wonder Egg?
It's hard.
What? You're not sure yet?
Don't hesitate.
Have courage and believe in yourself.
Crack the Egg.
Shut up!
It has the thing you want in it.
It has your wish in it.
If you crack it in the Egg world...
...and if you clear your mission...
She's a little warm.
You might be able to get it back.
Your friend.
Your memories.
Your loved one.
The first time's free.
After that, bring your wallet.
What? How do we make the Eggs?
That's a trade secret.
We can't just tell you.
I know: Let us tell you about our regular customers instead.
A group of four charming young girls.
It's our story that no one else knows about, right?
A story... that no one knows about.
Listen, and then make up your mind
about whether you'll bring home an Egg.
"Wonder Egg Priority" "Episode 8: 'The Happy Friendship Plan'"
about whether you'll bring home an Egg.
I'm going out.
Huh?
This is...
This isn't reality. It's a dream.
Or, well, let's call it the "Egg world."
A world only people who've broken an Egg can connect to.
It's strongly influenced by your mental landscape.
And under certain conditions, you can share that world with other people.
Fun, right?
You synchronized.
We what?
You fell asleep near each other, and at almost the same time, so...
But why aren't we in my dream?
You're pulled by whoever's feelings are stronger.
Break the Egg.
The what?
The Wonder Egg.
When you crack a Wonder Egg, a girl emerges from inside it.
They're girls who approached death of their own will and left this life,
but you will protect them.
What from?
From Seeno Evils and Wonder Killers.
What are they?!
You ought to know!
They're Seeno Evils!
What's that?!
No idea!
Now, let's get right to one of our regulars.
Her name is Ai Ohto.
A 14-year-old with mismatched eye colors.
A middle-school second year.
Ai! Your teacher is here.
"Ai's Room"
There's no need to force her to get up, ma'am.
When she met us, she wouldn't go to school.
She says she was bullied for her heterochromia.
Well, that's not why she was skipping school, though.
What's that?
A game.
Do you like games?
Ai's meeting with Koito Nagase, a new student in her class,
changed her destiny in a big way.
It's mysterious.
You shouldn't hide it.
I get bullied for it.
Always.
It's pretty.
Be my friend.
Let's be best friends.
If we could, I'd be happy.
Me, too.
She finally made a best friend.
But one day, she lost her without warning.
Oh, no. What happened?
Classic harassment.
Why would they do this to you?
Because you're my friend?
That's not it.
They say Mr. Sawaki is giving me special treatment.
I think they're jealous.
I'm sorry. I was scared.
Scared of being left out.
Are you okay?
Did you get the video?
You were scared, huh?
Sorry.
I'm so sorry.
It's fine.
I know you tried your best.
I'm sorry.
It's my fault.
Because I betrayed you.
Koito Nagase committed suicide.
Why'd she die?
What was Ai lacking?
Who pushed Koito toward it?
Ai is fighting to get back the best friend she lost.
I'm done pretending not to see!
I understand.
There was a part of me that resented her.
We were friends, so why didn't she talk to me?
Why?!
If she'd asked me to die with her,
I'd...
I'd have...!
Now I'm mad!
A mission's victory condition is to defeat a Wonder Killer,
a symbol of the Egg girl's discord, obsession, or trauma.
In the Egg world, you're immortal.
And your physical abilities dramatically increase.
Now I'm really mad!
You may be immortal, but watch out for injuries.
If you come back hurt, you'll end up like her.
Neiru Aonuma.
Here's my contact info.
Message me when you want to change plans.
--I'll buy Eggs on odd days; you buy them on even days.
--Huh?! --I'll buy Eggs on odd days; you buy them on even days.
We won't have to meet again.
Neiru's a girl genius. She's just 14, but she runs her own company.
It's huge.
She's calm, not very talkative,
and not very outgoing.
Here.
Thanks.
This smells amazing!
You're right.
Right?
You're trusting, Ai. You forgive easily.
I'm hopeless that way.
You're lovely that way.
You're hopeless and lovely that way.
We need someone like that sometimes, or we'll never be saved.
--She seems to have taken to Ai, --A capable woman actually spoils them.
--but she's a little too harsh on Rika. --Why are you looking at me?
--but she's a little too harsh on Rika. --Because it's your turn.
You're an anachronistic fool.
Who are you calling "fool"?
Stop, fool.
Coochy-coochy-coo...
How about here?
--Still, she has her charms.
--They really get along, huh? --Still, she has her charms.
--Yeah. --One of those "tsunderes"?
No, we--
What about this spot?
Neiru is buying Eggs and fighting to get back her little sister.
Who are you fighting for?
You're sure it's not for yourself?
You don't like who you are now, so you go.
Even if you're scared.
You want to change the self you hate.
Sorry, but I have to go.
What for?!
For someone selfish enough to... kill themselves...?
Rika, Neiru's trying to save her sister.
Wrong.
My sister stabbed me.
Huh?
Then, she ran away and jumped off a bridge.
That's...
That's what they told me when I woke up in the ICU.
Then you've got even less of a reason.
The scar aches and keeps me awake.
But the pain has faded since I started going there.
When I try to forget her, my scar aches, like a curse.
That's why I go.
No other reason.
It's for me.
Girls become adults.
The miraculous beauty of a butterfly emerging.
A brief moment.
You're pretty, too. Why don't you die?
Why not die when you're at your most beautiful?
--Why cling to a meaningless life?
--This isn't good. --Why cling to a meaningless life?
--Hey, why don't you die?
--Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? --Hey, why don't you die?
--Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? --Why don't you?
--Mirror, mirror on the wall, who's the fairest of them all? --Tell me!
I'm going to blow your mind.
"Why don't I die," huh?
You tempted me to die, didn't you?
Experience gained in the Egg world
is directly reflected in reality.
For example, as you run and jump there, your athleticism improves.
It seems like fighting there puts a heavy strain on our bodies.
Like high-altitude training?
Yes.
Now you mention it, I think I've gotten some definition on my abs.
Your wounds heal faster, too, so heal up before you come back.
"When you get back next time," "let's be friends."
It might be a bit tough at first.
It takes practice.
I'm going
to change.
Don't worry. You can do it, too.
I'm going
to blow your mind.
Stop!
It's my fault!
Leave me alone!
--So... --You just want attention!
What you really mean is that you want someone to find you and love you!
So, I won't leave you alone!
I can't leave you alone!
Sorry,
but that's just abuse!
Now I'm really mad!
Goodbye, coach!
Thank you, Ai.
These aren't Seeno Evils!
They're Haters.
You've done too much to stand out in this world.
Envy and spite created Haters of you girls from among the Seeno Evils.
They don't have the guts to show their faces, but they do have madness.
They're strong in groups.
Maybe as strong as a boss.
Run or hide.
They're after you: the "heroes" in the limelight.
Hide here until the bell rings.
You can't clear the mission if you don't fight.
Well, focus on maintaining the status quo for today.
I have a solution in mind.
But Yae is hurt. It's my fault she--
Not a problem.
She'll regenerate in as little as ten minutes in her Egg.
Damn, they found us?
Protect the Egg girl until time runs out. That's your top priority.
Society is built on "report, contact, consult."
Say it out loud and share it.
Our greatest objective is...
...Wonder...
...Egg...
...Priority.
As we were saying,
this girl is Rika Kawai, a former junior idol.
Remember it as Rika Kawai, like "kawaii," since I'm so super cute.
She's talkative, excitable, and above all, greedy.
Anyway, I forgot my wallet.
Sorry, but could you spot me cash?
Huh?
Thanks.
Huh?
Come see Rika again, okay?
Just kidding!
She may seem indomitable at first glance,
but her home life is complicated.
My daddy says a beautiful woman doesn't need a wallet.
Someone will always offer to pay for her.
Of course, he got divorced.
One of these five is my real daddy.
So, which one is it?
Rika doesn't know her real father.
She obsesses over the father she's never met and dislikes her mother.
Well, you see,
I don't know either.
I'm pretty sure it's one of these guys, though.
You'll meet him someday.
Someday.
I want to meet him now.
Now.
No.
The girl Rika wants to save is Chiemi, a fan from her junior idol days.
My little wallet who'd buy me anything.
Chiemi was a real idiot.
She got in line for me dozens, maybe hundreds of times.
She just gave me all her allowance and New Year's money with a smile.
I believed I had a rich patron.
Then one day, I saw her shoplifting in town.
She'd been selling what she took.
Oh, I totally know that feeling.
Yeah, we got sugar daddies for the same reason.
I didn't want that.
So, I told her I'd never be friends with a fan.
I said I'd be too embarrassed to be seen with a fatty in the first place.
I said, "Never come back."
After that, another fan told me what happened.
Chiemi died.
She was skin and bones, like a mummy.
I couldn't forget her if I wanted to.
This...
This isn't Chiemi.
She regrets that something she said ended up driving Chiemi to her death.
That's why she fights.
I'll hit you
with a shot to the heart!
Rika?!
Yeah, but what's with those Haters?
Who asked them to treat us like heroes? We're not doing this for fun.
Didn't you say you "had a solution in mind"?
Yes. Look, here it is now.
Thanks.
That case contains things that will support you.
Basically, it's what you call a "power up."
So, how do we use them?
First, you hatch them in this world.
Hatch them?
Oh, but don't do it here.
Go home and open them when you're alone.
Why?
They require imprinting.
They see whoever meets their gaze first as their parent.
Chant "veni" to call them from their eggs.
"Redi" to return them.
Veni.
A snake.
Hello?
I'm not sure how to react.
Veni.
He ate it!
Haters are their favorite food.
Envy and spite are their bread and butter.
Okay, I'm counting on you!
And finally, there's Momoe Sawaki.
She's a tall, slender girl.
It was just a day, but I fell in love with you.
I'm really glad that I got to meet you.
She says she's often mistaken for a boy or gets asked out by girls.
Don't worry. I'll protect you.
Well, everything she says or does is cool and handsome.
Get lost!
She might be the most "normal" of the four.
I love you. I don't want to disappear.
I want to stay with you forever.
There are more than you'd think, Haruka.
Girls like you, who say they love me.
The girl Momoe wants to save is Haruka.
She’s got complicated circumstances of her own.
Haruka was willing to see me as a girl.
Touch me.
Your friend who killed herself?
Yeah.
But she suddenly took her clothes off in the infirmary.
She put the moves on you? Whoa.
I got scared and ended up pushing her away.
Excuse us!
--Hello. --Oh, my!
Aren't you Mr. Sawaki's...?
Momoe Sawaki. I'm his niece.
What a pretty young lady.
And one of Momoe's relatives, Shuichiro Sawaki, is Ai's teacher.
There's no reason to have a complex.
Your eyes are charming.
Okay.
I'll paint how you look to me.
When it's finished, I want you to have confidence.
I hear Mr. Sawaki's entering it in the next exhibition.
He says he wants to win a prize and make a living as a painter.
A painting of me?
Confident?
If not, you should decline.
Mr. Sawaki's future is on the line.
I...
Shuichiro Sawaki is disturbing Ai's mind.
His relationship with Koito Nagase.
His relationship with Ai's mother.
Listen calmly, okay?
We've been thinking that we'd like to start dating.
You mean that my uncle might have been involved in Koito's suicide?
I told you, there's no way.
--I guess we'll never know the truth unless we bring Koito back and ask her.
--Bye-bye, Mr. S. --I guess we'll never know the truth unless we bring Koito back and ask her.
Goodbye.
There might be a factor complicating matters.
Huh?
Ai likes Mr. Sawaki, too.
--If the truth were easy to find, no one would struggle.
--Ohto? --If the truth were easy to find, no one would struggle.
--The human heart is difficult to fathom.
--What's wrong? --The human heart is difficult to fathom.
It looks like Ai's made up her mind to hunt down the truth,
but we'll have to see where that goes.
I...!
I'm...
...going to go to school!
Well, that's pretty much how you use the Eggs.
Huh? You don't seem too enthusiastic.
Hmm. You look as though you can't trust us.
Really? After we broke it all down for you?
That's not nice.
We protect these girls.
From monsters.
This is a women-only car!
I'm a girl, too!
Get lost!
I'm worn out.
I want to be saved.
Hmm?
Mannen?
And you've got to... protect your mom.
All right.
Next, we'll tell you about ourselves.
Info about us'll cost you.
However, that's all for today.
Drop in again if you want to hear more.
We'll be waiting.
Let's go, Mannen!
I'll knock you off your feet
with a shot to the heart!
Hey, if I protect a bunch more people, will Koito come back to life?
She will, right?!
"Next time 'A Story No One Knows'"
To be continued.
"Next time 'A Story No One Knows'"