03x02 - (Dub) The Daihasei Festival

[bunniefuu]

[KONORI]
Honestly.

That's not a simple
favor you're asking for.

I know, and I'm sorry, Konori.

But with only what I have
here in the hospital,

it's not exactly easy to perform
all of my Judgment duties.

[KONORI]
Sheesh.

Your wounds aren't even
completely healed yet.

And wow, they look painful!

Hey! Maybe don't use your
clairvoyance ability

in a hospital?
It's a little inappropriate!

[KONORI chuckles]
Still, I'm serious.

Don't push yourself too hard.

Uiharu is worried about you.

[KUROKO]
Yeah.

She must feel partially
responsible for me getting hurt.

Since she led me into the
situation that resulted'

in these injuries.

Probably.

[KUROKO] But her blaming herself
is the reason I have to

get better as soon as possible.

You know her.

She'll feel like she has
to make up for this somehow.

That's for sure.

Reminds me of someone I know.

What was that?

[KONORI]
Nothing.

[F MEMBER A]
Well, we did it!

[M MEMBER A]
Finally.

[M MEMBER B]
Thank goodness.

[M CHAIRMAN A]
Yes. You've done well, everyone.

But...

Why do I have an awfully
bad feeling about this?

[F REPORTER A] The Daihasei
Festival is about to begin!

It's one of the few
times Academy City

opens its doors
to the outside world,

and parents of
the competing students,

as well as many
other spectators,

have gathered in the
main stadium to watch.

[KOMOE]
Ms. Watanabe!

Long time no see!

Another year,
another festival, huh?

Ms. Tsukuyomi.

May I ask why you're
dressed like that?

[laughs]

Someone has to cheer
on the students!

Well, at least you're
supporting the children.

[KOMOE]
That's right, I almost forgot.

Shokuho is taking the
athlete's pledge this year,

isn't she?

[WATANABE]
Yes.

The plan was to have
some Level 5s perform

a sort of demonstration
this year.

However...

[SHOKUHO, SOGIITA]
The athlete's pledge!

We will...

We all shall...

[SOGIITA] ...adhere to the
ideals of sportsmanship

throughout this year's
Daihasei Festival.

[SHOKUHO] ...use our youthful
dreams and fervent wills

as our strength.

And forge undying bonds with...

Bonds with, uh...

Man, what was it again?

Ah, whatever!

We're gonna do something
or other with those

"undying bonds"
and our overflowing guts!

[CROWD gasps]

[SHOKUHO, SOGIITA
overlapping chatter]

[SOGIITA] ...be sure this
event creates fantastic,

gutsy memories!

And for any difficulties,
hardships, obstacles, trials,

or tribulations that dare
stand in our way,

we pledge to overcome
it all with guts!

[CROWD cheers]

[MIKOTO]
What was that?

Well, that was basically
a disaster, wasn't it?

Uh-huh.

[F ANNOUNCER A]
Um...

This concludes our
opening ceremonies.

[SHOKUHO]
He upstaged me.

[SATEN]
The Daihasei Festival.

An event spanning seven days
that is held in Academy City

every year.

It's kind of like a
large-scale field day.

Unlike conventional
athletic festivals,

the Daihasei Festival has all
of Academy City's students

compete for their schools.

Plus,

TV stations broadcast what's
happening to the whole world!

But the biggest difference...

...is that every single event
has espers competing in them!

And you know what?

They say that when espers
compete against each other,

the resulting phenomenon
is one you won't ever find

anywhere else!

[UIHARU]
Hm?

Do you mean that
urban legend about

whatever-it's-called metal?

[SATEN]
Come on!

Its name is "shadow metal."
It's not that hard.

When dozens,
or better yet, hundreds

of esper abilities clash,

they say this mysterious
metal that's never been found

naturally occurring
on Earth is created!

And where else but
the Daihasei Festival

could that possibly happen?

Not only that, but it's so
rare that it goes for

an astronomical price
if you find the right buyer.

So we gotta look for it
while we have--

[KUROKO]
Saten!

[KUROKO] You still believe
in such ridiculous rumors?

What? Oh, not at all.

I was just messing around.

It's just a rumor!

I know not to take it seriously.

[KUROKO] That's what you
said last time, and look

what happened!

There's nothing wrong
with being curious,

but maybe consider
the consequences!

[SATEN]
Whoa!

Misaka's in her gym uniform
up on that giant monitor!

Sissy? Where?

[RADIO DJ]
And in Lane Four, this pair!

From Tokiwadai Middle School,
Mikoto Misaka and Mitsuko Kongo!

That's the lineup for the
third event of block seven,

the three-legged race!

Now it's time to
explain the rules!

[KUMOKAWA] If the band around
their ankles comes off,

they are disqualified.

Use of their abilities to
directly harm other competitors

is prohibited.

Further, as a restriction
on higher-level espers,

Misaka is not permitted
to use her electrical abilities.

[RADIO DJ] In other words,
any non-electrical powers

are A-OK for this event!

[M STARTER A]
On your marks!

[RADIO DJ]
So, what do you think?

Is it fair to say that Tokiwadai
is the favorite to win

this race?

[KUMOKAWA] If they were simply
throwing their abilities around

until the others were
knocked out, maybe.

But given that they
must win a race,

depending on the tactics used,
it's anyone's game.

[KONGO laughs]

As if the other schools
have a chance with their tricks.

Do they know who we are?

They would do well
to respect Tokiwadai's

Gods of Wind and Lightning.

We did spend a lot
of time practicing.

And a lot of time
falling flat on our faces.

By the way, did you have
to give us a nickname?

We'll be providing commentary.

I'm your Pirate Radio DJ.

I'm your headband-wearing
bare midriff.

[RADIO DJ] And here comes
the starting g*n, folks!

[M STARTER A]
Get set!

[BOTH gasp]

Hey! What is this?

[AIRIN GIRL A chuckles]

[RADIO DJ] Oh! Right from
the start! Savage!

Those bandages are
clinging to everyone!

Except to the Airin Girl's
High students, of course!

Look at that hustle!

What will happen next?

[KUMOKAWA] According to my
data, she is a telekinetic.

She can control anything
she is in contact with.

Her partner is an esper
who can reduce anything

she touches into raw materials.

It appears she broke down
the track's pavement.

That explains it.

So the black on
the wrappings is asphalt.

It's sticky and looks like
it's starting to harden.

It's a smart move when
used right out of the gate.

Why's that?

With a few notable exceptions,

most abilities have
a limited range.

Once these girls have run
outside the range of others,

it becomes a normal
race for them.

That makes sense!

But wait, the other teams
are starting to break free.

Crap, my clothes are
heavy and sticky now!

Good luck catching up, losers!

[RADIO DJ]
Oh! And what do we have here?

They look like...

[AIRIN GIRL B]
Wait, hamsters? But why?

[KUMOKAWA] It's likely that
Ninoude Affiliated Middle School

set this up before the race.

[KUMOKAWA] Those two are both
rodent-specific telepaths,

if you can believe it.

[RADIO DJ] But are a couple of
hamsters really gonna be enough

to stop them?

[KUMOKAWA] I believe the target
is the band around their ankles.

[RADIO DJ]
So that's it!

Their plan is to have the
hamsters bite their way

through that and
disqualify them!

Not if I can help it!

[AIRIN GIRL B]
Huh?!

Where are you going? No!

[KUMOKAWA]
Hmm...

I guess they chewed through
their underwear straps

by mistake.

Hey, come back!

[RADIO DJ] They seem too
embarrassed to move!

Good job, hamsters!

Approaching the area next are
Habatobi High and Tokiwadai.

And here come
the tiny assassins!

[KUMOKAWA]
Yeah, that's about right.

Hey, jerk!

What do you think you're
doing to my darling Kotaro?

Shut up!

If you don't like it,
then don't sic 'em on us!

[RADIO DJ]
What's this?

Contestant Misaka
has collapsed as well.

[KUMOKAWA] Her E-M field must
be keeping the hamsters at bay,

and she appears to be
in shock because of it.

How tiresome.

It seems everyone is
pulling out their tricks

and it's devolved
into utter chaos.

If it were me there,
I know exactly what I'd do.

I'd control the contestants and
judges with my Mental Out,

and then stroll leisurely
to the finish line

without breaking a sweat.

[KONORI] Well, using it on
people who aren't in the race

is against the rules.

And so are unrelated items.

[SHOKUHO]
Huh?

[RADIO DJ]
The third event of block seven,

the three-legged race,
is entering the home stretch!

Once they round
this last corner,

it's a straight shot
to the finish line!

The Habatobi High
team has been bringing

its A-game since breaking free,

and is now in the lead
at the final turn!

But Tokiwadai and Ninoude
are still right on their tail!

[NINOUDE GIRL A]
This isn't over.

I know we can get past them!

[Yeah? Well you're not
the only ones!

[GROUP yells]

[RADIO DJ]
Ahh, what just happened?

Both teams have
inexplicably slipped!

But Tokiwadai avoids
disaster thanks to

contestant Misaka's magnetism!

[KUMOKAWA] Habatobi High's
contestant Amime has the ability

to control the frictional
coefficient of anything

he touches.

When we were rounding
the corner,

I leaned into the turn
and touched the track.

It only lasts for a short
time, unfortunately.

[RADIO DJ] Tokiwadai uses the
centrifugal force to close

the gap!

I had a feeling it wasn't
gonna be that easy!

Ready?

[RADIO DJ] Oh! Contestant Amime
has used his ability

so they can skate
their way to the end!

I can collect the moisture
from the air in my hand,

break it down, and ignite it!

And I think it'll make for
a fine rocket boost here!

It's a straight shot
to the goal.

We got this in the bag!

[BOTH yell]

[RADIO DJ] Uh-oh!
Habatobi High has lost control!

They're heading out of bounds!

[AMIME]
Oh, no!

[AMIME, TODOROKI grunt]

[RADIO DJ]
What's this?

A gym mat has
flown through the air,

catching the team
before the crash landing!

What team but Tokiwadai
could have performed

such a dramatic rescue?

Contestant Misaka
pulled up the safety mat

with her magnetism, and
Contestant Kongo launched it

toward them with her Aero Hand!

One false move and that could
have gone all sorts of wrong!

But that combo was
performed flawlessly!

Damn it!

If we hadn't screwed that up,
we would have won!

Hang on.

[AMIME]
What?

[TODOROKI]
Iron filings?

[MIKOTO] Back from when we were
wrapped up in those bandages,

I used the opportunity to
mix iron into the asphalt

before it hardened.

I was planning to intervene
if I saw you approaching

the finish line before us.

But you guys kinda
saved me the trouble.

Sorry for being so sneaky!

She didn't miss a beat.

What do they teach them
at that fancy school?

[TODOROKI] She basically just
told us no matter what we did,

we were gonna lose.

[RADIO DJ] And finally, the
Tokiwadai team crosses

the finish line!

[KUMOKAWA] It's not the
most surprising result.

Perhaps the other schools
would have stood

a better chance if they
teamed up on them.

Hey! They won!

[UIHARU] They make a
pretty good pair, after all.

If it weren't for my injuries.

I would be the one
standing next to her,

basking in the glory
of our teamwork!

[squeals] Mitsuko Kongo!
Get outta the way!

You're blocking
my view of Sissy!

[XOCHITL] Damn it. How do I
answer a call on this thing?

Is it a new model?

I wish they hadn't given
me this crazy phone.

I wouldn't be having this
problem with a regular cell.

[SATEN] If you pull that part
on the side out,

you'll be able to
use the screen,

and then you can call them
back from your call history.

Oh, you're right.

Thanks, that was very helpf--

[yells]

Did I do something wrong?

Uh... No. I just...

[UIHARU]
Hey, Saten, we're leaving!

Oh. Mm-hmm! Be right there!

Um... Need something?

You seem awfully familiar.

Have we met somewhere before?

No. You must be imagining it.

Heh. Yeah, I guess so!

[UIHARU]
Hey, Saten!

Right. Coming!

[phone ringing]

[MEMBER DOCTOR]
Why didn't you answer before?

Are you in trouble?

[XOCHITL] No. I just couldn't
get on the phone quick enough.

[DOCTOR] You've safely managed
to get into Academy City, then?

I have.

[DOCTOR] This is your first
mission for MEMBER,

so you'd better succeed.

You need to make
a good impression,

my young lady of the Aztec.

I know.

[RADIO DJ] Oh! Nagatenjouki
Academy breaks ahead of the pack

and is the first across
the finish line!

They're on fire!

[MISAKA SISTER A]
The Daihasei Festival.

Misaka does not currently
receive any formal education,

so she cannot participate.

[CAT meows]

[MISAKA SISTER A]
Let's go back to the hospital.

[SATEN]
Misaka!

We watched you in
the three-legged race!

Impressive as always.

[MIKOTO chuckles]

I'm glad we won, but we did get
pretty dirty in the process.

Hey, whatever,
a win's a win, right?

And man, I was surprised
by how fast you were!

Those were boys
in the same year as us,

but you passed them, no problem!

[chuckles]
Thanks, I guess.

Ever since I was little,
I've been pretty qui--

[MISUZU] Mikoto has been a
little speed demon ever since

she was in kindergarten.

[MIKOTO]
Oh, Mama!

Yoo-hoo!

[MIKOTO]
What's up?

I thought we were
meeting later--

[UIHARU, SATEN]
Mama?!

Uh... "Mama" is what I
used to call her as a kid,

so it kinda slipped out.

It's not like I do
that all the time.

[SATEN] Wait, Mama as in her
mother? I didn't mishear that?

Not her older sister,
but her mother?

You look like you're
barely 20 years old!

Oh. Yeah, that.

[MISUZU] Ah... I take it you
two are Mikoto's friends?

What a kind thing
for you to say.

[SATEN] Ah, but you know,
now that I'm really taking

a good look, I can totally see
parts of Misaka in you.

Chest excluded.

Hey, uh, Saten?

Why don't you and I
have a little chat later?

Just the two of us.

[SATEN] I'm kidding!
It was just a joke, okay?

[MIKOTO]
Sure.

Oh. Hey, where's Kuroko?

She was going out on Judgment
patrol last time I heard.

If you need her for something,
I can call her.

Thanks, but it's fine.

I was just thinking I
could ask her if she would

teleport me back to
Tokiwadai so I could change

out of this filthy
uniform I'm stuck in.

Right.

I can see why you wouldn't
want to keep that on anymore.

But looking at the time,

I don't think I can make it back
before the next race starts.

You could always ask
someone to fill in for you

in the meantime.

It wouldn't be long.

Yeah, maybe.

That idiot and I have
our showdown though,

so I gotta make sure
I'm there for that.

And who might "that idiot" be?

Mama is curious!

Why are you making
such a big deal about it?

There's nothing
special about him.

He's just some stupid guy.

Who? Tell me!

[SATEN] From what I've
gathered, he's someone who

Misaka apparently owes a lot to.

[MISUZU]
Ooh, tell me more.

[UIHARU]
Hey! I just remembered!

I was watching the scavenger
hunt coverage earlier,

and I saw Misaka
with a spiky-haired boy.

[MISUZU]
Spiky-haired?

Oh! That boy!

[SATEN]
Wait, you know who he is?

[MISUZU] Yeah, I happened
to see them this morning.

Misaka was with what looked
like a high-school aged boy,

and said that if he beat her,

she'd do anything
he said, or something.

[MIKOTO]
Come on!

There are three of them
against me now?

[M STUDENTS yelling]

[AWATSUKI] Wow. They're
being incredibly forceful.

It's almost kind of gruesome.

Awatsuki.

[AWATSUKI]
Yes?

Have you ever been
in a fight before?

A fight?

[WANNAI] I mean, besides
that time against STUDY.

We've been taught all this time
that the enemy is within us,

that we're training not
to be better than others,

but to overcome
our own weaknesses.

But looking at kids
from the other schools,

I can't help but wonder
if our competitive sides

aren't somewhat lacking.

You might be right.

I don't know if we'd
be able to muster up

that kind of force and power
in the pursuit of victory

like they do.

[WANNAI] And I do believe
what we've been taught.

I don't think it's right to hurt
others or look down on them.

But...

I wonder if we shouldn't learn
how to fight competitively.

Just in case.

Honestly...

I've never gotten angry,
not even in the one fight.

So that's why you asked
me about that earlier.

--Well, I'm in the same boat.
--[WANNAI] I've got it!

Hey, Awatsuki.

Would you mind trying
to get angry with me

so we can practice?

[AWATSUKI]
Huh?!

Um... Okay.

You... You, uh...

...suck!

[STUDENTS] Down with
Tokiwadai Middle School!

[M HOSTILE A]
Elite school? Yeah, right!

They're all girls,
and middle schoolers, at that!

We can't let ourselves
lose to them!

[STUDENTS]
Yeah!

[KONGO]
Oh, goodness.

I'm glad you have
so much spirit.

After all, every school
should be trying to win

this competition.

However, we are one of
the five who actually have

a shot at taking the title.

We are not going to roll over
and lose just because

you wish us to.

Tokiwadai will beat you
so badly that you'll be telling

your grandchildren
how fearsome we are.

Look at Kongo,
talking a big game!

Such poise in the face
of such furious opposition!

Very impressive!

Let's show them what
a real cheer looks like.

Tokiwadai... go!

Go.

Oh, please, we can do
better than that!

Once more!

Go!

--[KONGO] Once more!
--[GROUP] Go!

[F TOKIWADAI C]
This is unfortunate.

What are we going to do?

[WANNAI]
Is there a problem?

Well, yes.

The next contest
is about to start,

but Misaka is nowhere
to be found.

[WANNAI]
Oh.

[MISAKA SISTER A] "Once again,
Misaka finds herself watching

the games.

But it is not as if she
is depressed about being

unable to compete,
you understand. Yeah,"

says Misaka, at odds
with her emotions.

[CAT meows]

Although she cannot deny
that there is some feeling

of alienation.

There! Hey, Misaka!

[MISAKA SISTER A]
Yes?

[WANNAI]
Huh?

Why aren't you wearing
your gym uniform?

We're all supposed to be.

[AWATSUKI]
Oh, I bet I know.

I saw the three-legged
race earlier.

You took it off because those
other girls got it all dirty,

didn't you?

Oh, yeah, and you have
nothing else to change into!

In that case,
you can borrow mine.

[MIKOTO]
Oh, man!

I thought if I used my ability,

I could get there
and back in time,

but this is pushing it!

Hey, everyone,
sorry I'm late! I--

It's not too small
on you, is it?

It shouldn't obstruct
any movement.

In fact, it's quite loose
across the chest.

I'll take care of the little one
while you're out there.

Huh?

[WANNAI]
Is something wrong?

No, I just thought I saw
someone for a second.

[MIKOTO groans]
What in the world is she doing?

[KOZAKU] So?
How is everything coming along?

In place and at the ready.

There shouldn't be
any problems at all.

Just like you wanted.

This is going to render her
completely powerless.

[M HOSTILE B]
Baba, we're getting started.

Oh, my bad! On my way!

Well, well, he sounds
confident, doesn't he?

I guess I should expect
as much from MEMBER,

the dark side outfit directly
under the governing board.

But I'll reserve judgment
until I see what

he's actually capable of.

[BABA laughs]

[MISAKA SISTER A]
"Oh, dear.

Misaka has been mistaken
for her big sister,

and ends up having
to compete in the games.

She must do her best
for the others,"

enthuses Misaka, in the style
of an animated program's

preview segment.

[MIKOTO] Uh, well. At least
you sound determined.