03x22 - (Dub) Scavenger

[bunniefuu]

[NARU] Yeah, I'm just saying,
I wanna forget

all about our screw-up as
soon as humanly possible.

No duh, we all do.

That's why we're doing
this job to make up for it.

[NARU]
Yeah I guess.

But to actually fix our rep
we gotta go bigger!

We need a job where
we can strut our stuff!

Then maybe we can
snag us that cool

team name I've been hoping for!

By team name,
do you mean something like

ITEM or SCHOOL?

Uh-huh!
How does HYENA sound to you?

Like we're grody dogs.

[SEIKE] Can you even choose
your own team name?

[LEADER]
Quiet.

[SEIKE]
The puppet isn't here.

It's your fault for making
us get popsicles.

Why are you blaming me?
Everyone bought them!

[LEADER]
It's not a problem.

No mere puppet can
escape from the eyes

of my Predator.

[MIKOTO] Tell us about the
dangers this thing poses.

[KURIBA]
Okay, but to be precise,

it's the dangers her soul pose
that are concerning.

What about it?

Miss Ryoko Kuriba.

Do you, a scientist,
really believe in

such a spiritual thing?

Regardless of how I feel,

it's thought that
what we call a soul

is tied to the body.

When the body
ceases to function,

the soul vanishes with it.

But if a soul is inside
the mechanical body

of the Doppelganger,
it was only placed there,

and temporarily at that.

Even if the vessel is broken,

it doesn't go away;
it just becomes untethered.

An untethered soul
will spread out

from the vessel
into its surroundings.

This ordinarily impossible
"free soul" could then

possess any material
and control it as it pleases.

In the worst-case scenario,

I'm afraid it might
be able to swallow up

Academy City itself
and take control of everything.

[MIKOTO] I'm having trouble
imagining what that

would even be like.

Essentially, we should
avoid breaking the vessel

the soul resides in,
otherwise we risk exposing

the entire city to a
potentially greater threat.

Have you told this to
the people at the lab?

Yes, I have,
but they're so caught up

in the success
of their research,

they refused to imagine
any consequences.

[SHORT-HAIRED WOMAN]
Question.

So if the Doppelganger
decided to hurt itself,

we'd just be out of luck, right?

It's not like we
could do anything.

[KURIBA]
That probably won't happen.

No, I should say
it can't happen.

That artificial body started out

as two separates halves
of two cyborgs.

There's a self-preservation
function built into it.

When it functioned
as prosthetics,

allowing itself to shut
down would directly

endanger the wearer's life.

As a result, it's programmed
not to perform any action

that would cause more than
a specified degree of damage

to itself.

That safety measure
was your doing?

It was.

Artificial muscles that
contract in response

to chemical interaction,

immunosuppressive agents
that inhibit the body's

rejection of flesh bonding.

The Doppelganger
uses a lot of tech

that I personally developed.

And the reason you
spread Indian Poker

everywhere has
something to do with

the Doppelganger, too?

What would make you think that?

Because the time when
you learned about

the Doppelganger's
existence overlaps

with when those cards
started going around.

Why wouldn't I assume
that the two are

connected somehow?

Well, you're not wrong.

Indian Poker allows
someone else to acquire

a person's experiences and
skills through their dreams.

And we advance as
a society by sharing

our experiences with each other.

So by creating a
streamlined avenue

with which to do so,
it should inspire

quicker growth.

While I might not
be able to solve

the Doppelganger situation,

someone interacting
with my ideas through

those cards might.

With a fad that boosts
my number of collaborators,

it becomes a matter
of probability.

Maybe you think it's kind
of an indirect way

of fixing this, but since
I had to do it alone,

it was the best option
I could come up with.

I don't care how it
looks to anyone else.

Now excuse me, but I have to go.

You interrupted me
in the middle of my work.

I'll make sure to do something
about the Doppelganger.

You don't need to get involved.

[SHOKUHO] You don't seem
to like her very much.

Judging by that face.

I dunno, I get that
this girl is just a victim

in this weird situation,
and as a third party,

I don't have enough insight
to judge her honest

attempt at fixing
the whole mess...

By the way,
you're free to go now.

...but I don't care if
it was too much for her

to handle alone.

She used Indian Poker
to rope a bunch of

innocent people into her
dangerous problems.

Y'know?

It just kinda bothers me,
that's all.

Well, everyone
has their reasons.

[KURIBA]
Mikoto Misaka.

Maybe I should have
partnered up with her.

No.

I doubt anyone at
the lab will do anything

as idiotic as destroying
the Doppelganger.

I shouldn't jump
head-first into this.

Give it some time
and it'll sort itself out.

[DOPPEL] Miahilin, used for the
aftereffects of cybernetics.

Easy to obtain,
but there aren't many people

who order the
high-quality version.

I just had to access the
pharmaceutical company's

database,

and then narrowing it down
from there wasn't hard.

Are you kidding? The Doppel!

[DOPPEL]
You're slow.

You're like a shut-in.
You need exercise.

You look like you're overworked
and not sleeping well.

You need to make sure
you're eating right, too.

Maybe it's the medical
equipment talking,

but I can't help
but be concerned.

What are you after? Is it me?

Do you want to switch places
with me or something?

Or have you found
a way to drive my soul

out of my body?

Good question.

But either way, you end
up no longer existing.

So what does it matter?

[KURIBA] Sorry, but I'm
not ready for that yet.

[DOPPEL] So she had a
contingency plan in place.

But the fact that it didn't hurt
me and just kept me in place

means--

[DOPPEL]
What was that?

A truck slid toward me?

[SEIKE] You've got good
reflexes, don't you?

And here I was, thinking
I had just turned you

into a metal pancake!

If I reduce the frictional
coefficient to zero,

what happens?

Oh, crap!

Just kidding.

Nice one!

[YAKUMARU] Well? Just having
your limbs grabbed is one thing,

but when it's your whole body,

it's harder to break
free and run, huh?

Come on now!

If you just stand there,
the area of effect's gonna

get bigger!

[DOPPEL]
Paper?

Capture complete!

[SEIKE] That was a piece
of cake after all.

[LEADER] Seike, right before
we made contact,

there was a woman
who looked just like this.

It's not likely they switched
places, but it's possible.

Just to be safe,
go and check it out for me.

[SEIKE] There's such a thing
as "over-delegating."

But all right, I'll take
care of it for you.

[LEADER] Now. All that's
left is to take this thing

to the designated location.

Hmm.

You look quite a bit different
than in the report.

Must've thought it
would be easier to blend in

on the streets like this.

Or maybe you're hoping
to become a real human.

Is that it?

But if you have to look at
your disguise all the time,

won't it just serve as
a reminder that you're

really an object on the inside?

You poor thing.

[laughs]

I'm kidding.

Was the occult act too much?

Kinda melodramatic.

No way, I thought it was poetic!

[DOPPEL]
Incidentally...

[GROUP gasps]

[DOPPEL] As an artificial
creation, my perception of pain

is represented digitally.

For my own reference,
would you show me

what reactions would be
correct in this situation?

Hey! What are you letting
up on her for, Naru?

[NARU]
I'm at full power!

Except my paper isn't listening
to me for some reason!

But why?!

[LEADER]
And, according to our specs,

she shouldn't be able
to break free from Naru!

[grunts]

Wow, even your extremities
make bizarre motions.

Or would a human express it
as being "funny" instead?

[LEADER grunts, screams]

[NARU]
Why, you--!

Let go.. of... her!

[DOPPEL] I think I'll gouge
out her eyeballs next.

You're dead!

[yells]

[KURIBA] That artificial body
started out as two separates

halves of two cyborgs--
there's a self-preservation

function built into it.

As a result, it's programmed
not to perform

any action that
would cause more than

a specified degree
of damage to itself.

[blow lands]

Who even are you?

[SEIKE] Well, she's bleeding,
there's no way around that.

I guess it's safe
to assume she's human.

If the other three realize
she's an honor student,

they might just get
the urge to off her.

But since I've confirmed
what she is,

it should be fine to let her go.

What do you think
you're doing there?

Uh, just pickin' on some wimp.

What's it to you?

Who do you think you are?

Some kind of hero that arrives

when a girl finds
herself in trouble?

[SEIKE]
Where'd you--?

What?

[MIKOTO]
Are you okay?

[KURIBA]
Why?

[KURIBA] When I was little,
I was involved in

a building collapse.

The only way that
I was able to survive

was by receiving a lung
transplant from my mother.

But after the procedure,
my already frail mother

was left in even worse
health than before.

So as I grew up,

I devoted myself
to Academy City.

I learned all about
cyborg technology

in order to someday
treat my mother.

After putting everything
I had into it,

and starting to see
some results,

my mother took a turn
for the worse.

Pulmonary edema and
an associated infection.

My mother's body was
nearing the breaking point.

The doctor said that
administering drugs

could slow her
decline temporarily,

but after a year,
or two at the most,

we couldn't expect
it to keep working.

I would have to develop
cyborg parts for all

the affected areas
in her body.

But I was profoundly
short on data.

With the number of cyborg
treatment cases being so low,

I was extremely hard-pressed
to collect the data

for all the necessary regions.

I wasn't going
to make it in time.

[KURIBA]
Hey Chief?

What's the word on
that plan I proposed?

Oh, yeah. Right, that one.

It'd be such an
unprecedented experiment

we wouldn't find any volunteers.

[KURIBA]
Then I'll do it.

By dividing myself in half,

we would gather exhaustive
data on my whole body.

And I would be both the
observer and the subject.

In a way, one could call
it the most ideal

circumstance possible.

I'll save you.

[SHOKUHO] And that seems
to be the gist of it.

At least, as far
as I investigated.

I don't get why she
wouldn't tell us about that.

Think about it
from her perspective.

We're just a couple
of strangers who lied

to get her attention.

She's smart to keep her
cards close to her chest.

I get that, but still!

Perhaps she feels
responsible for the creation

of the Doppelganger.

I mean, it was the direct
result of her relentless

pursuit to treat her mother.

So maybe she wants to
take care of it by herself.

And if I'm not mistaken,
that's a feeling

you aren't entirely
unfamiliar with.

Incidentally,
by Kuriba's calculations,

if Indian Poker keeps
spreading as far and wide

as it has been,

then statistically speaking,
in two more months,

a method of destroying
the so-called soul

should surface.

So, until then...

[SHOKUHO]
Yes.

She was probably planning
to keep the secret

all to herself.

[MIKOTO]
All to... herself.

[KUROKO]
Yes?

[MIKOTO]
Kuroko, how are things there?

The head resident
was in a sour mood,

and I had an awful
time pulling the wool

over her eyes, but I managed.

There's no guarantee
she won't come knocking

again though, so I hope
you're on your way back.

Actually, it looks like
this is going to take

a little while longer.

I think I'll be able make it
back before midnight, though.

[KUROKO] Very well, I'll come up
with something else, then.

This is turning into
quite the thankless job.

Look, I promise to
make it up to you

as soon as I can.

Ooh, do you really
mean that, Sissy?

Then how about we sleep
in the same bed--

[MIKOTO] Something
other than that. Later.

[KUROKO]
Ugh!

I'm sure this is a touchy
subject for you, Misaka.

[SEIKE]
They're... an Electromaster?

Who is this?

[KURIBA]
I don't know.

I did just run into the
Doppelganger, though,

so I'm thinking the two
must be related.

Earlier, I think we might
have started off

on the wrong foot.

Sorry if I gave you attitude.

[MIKOTO]
I get it.

You must have your reasons
for what you're doing.

But if there's anything
you can't handle

on your own, I'm here.

For example,
I'll take care of this.

I'm grateful.

[SEIKE]
All done?

For the record, I was finished
with Little Miss Patchwork

anyway,

now that I know for sure she
isn't the target I'm after.

But never mind her.

Are you and I gonna have
some fun together now?

Well, if you're not after her,

there's no reason
for us to fight.

[SEIKE] What's wrong?
Don't hold back for my sake.

I may not look like it,

but I'm rockin' the same
equipment as you.

Huh?

Or is a valiant hero
like yourself too afraid

to fight me?

I don't know where you're
getting "hero" from.

I just don't like picking on
people who are weaker than me.

[SEIKE]
Oh, yeah?

That's some pretty big talk.

Guess I'll have to show
you what I'm made of!

[NARU]
Sorry.

I know we were told to
capture it in one piece.

[YAKUMARU]
No need to apologize.

If you hadn't done it,
I would've.

[LEADER]
It really hurts.

Don't worry, I'm on it.

I'll mix up a painkiller for you
right away, in just a second.

[metal creaks]

[YAKUMARU] Wait, if the hunk of
scrap metal is still up

and running, we can still
complete our mission!

[NARU]
Both of you, get back!

Better to finish this thing off!

I'm gonna cave that tin
can you call a head in,

right here and now!

[NARU gasps]

What? Why is my paper
protecting this stupid thing?

[NARU screams]

--What the--?
--How'd it--?

[LEADER]
It took away her paper!

[DOPPEL]
How mean.

I made proper skin
and everything.

Well, this is a bit unwieldy,
but it'll still move fine.

[NARU growls]

[SEIKE] Being able to freely
adjust frictional coefficients

like I can, the falling
beams can't hurt me.

b*ll*ts and blades
wouldn't work either.

Sure, I might not be able to
deflect your electric shocks,

but the beams that are
so nicely scattered about

will serve as grounding.

If the falling debris
crushes you, so be it.

But if you're lucky enough
to deflect all that,

I'll take you down directly.

Huh?

Why are the beams
flying this way?

[SEIKE]
Your ability.

You're a psychokinetic,
not an electromaster.

No, a magnetism manipulator?

How can you control all that?

This isn't good.

I may not take any damage, but
my grounding is disappearing!

No choice.

I've underestimated you!

It's going to cost me a finger,

but you won't have
time to dodge this.

Even if you shock
me unconscious,

my momentum will still cut you!

[MIKOTO]
Look at that.

You're stronger than I thought.

[SEIKE] You're a girl?
Wait a sec, you're...

[NARU]
Hey, check this out!

It says I'll have a
super-successful week!

They still print horoscopes?

You think there's anybody
in a scientific city

like this who believes
in that stuff?

Me, for one.

Though to be fair, I didn't
believe in them either,

until just recently.

But hear me out,
it was totally accurate

the other week!

It said that the greatest
encounter of my life

would happen,

that I would have a terrible
failure at work as a result,

and I'd lose credibility!

My unlucky colors
were red and white!

Oh, man, that's about as
accurate as it could have been.

[NARU]
Right? Listen to this week's!

I'm supposed to meet
someone wonderful!

And that it might even help
turn things around at work!

Plus I need to be good
to my loved ones.

Not bad!

[LEADER] Well, horoscopes
notwithstanding,

we really did draw the short
straw on that last mission.

Of the 2.3 million people
in Academy City,

only seven of them are Level 5s.

We got unlucky.

Out of everyone
we could have run into,

it was one of seven.

But there's no way we'll fight
another one any time soon.

It's practically impossible.

[SEIKE]
The third-ranked Level 5.

Railgun.

That's the occult for you.

A bunch of bull.

[MIKOTO] Well, that's certainly
not enough to k*ll you.

Then again, I can't ask you
any questions now, either.

That just leaves one of you
who's still able to move.

[YAKUMARU]
Naru!

What do I do?

I doubt I could carry
both of them,

let alone run away
while doing it!

Okay!

[DOPPEL] Oh, you're just going
to leave your friends here

and run?

[YAKUMARU] I can't destroy it,
it'll just repair itself

with another substance like
it did with Naru's paper.

But... If I can freeze it...

All right!

[LEADER]
Yakumaru!

Wrong one.

Paper?

[DOPPEL]
That's for tricking me before.

This "hunk of scrap metal"
can create

pretty convincing dummies,
wouldn't you say so?

[YAKUMARU gasps]
No!

[NARU]
Give that back.

I'm gonna catch a cold out here!

Yakku!

[DOPPEL] I was originally
planning to let them return

alive, so they could
give a full report.

But perhaps it's necessary
to show them

just how powerful I can be.

[YAKUMARU] We should be okay,
now that we've made it this far.

[LEADER]
You saved us, Naru.

[NARU chuckles]
I am Scavenger's ace.

No need to thank me for
doing what comes natural.

What are we supposed
to do now, Leader?

[LEADER]
First we meet up with Seike,

who should really
be back by now.

[MIKOTO]
The one in the sailor uniform?

Try looking on the
ground back there.

Shouldn't have messed with me,
that wouldn't have happened.

Is it safe to assume
you're all a group, then?

[LEADER gasps]

Railgun?!

[LEADER]
Not good, not good, not good!

We're still traumatized by the
memory of Academy City's

First-ranked beating
us to a pulp,

and now we have to face off
against the third-ranked,

Railgun? No, wait a sec!

If we can pull this off, we
might just make our comeback

after all!

[NARU] That inner monologue
only took 0.1 seconds!