How about it, Granny?
It's probably something psychological.
She's had a terribly hard time of it, right?
I've seen many patients like this.
She's gonna wake up, though, right?
Don't worry. I'll brew up a nice analeptic herbal treatment for her.
Okay.
E-Excuse me,
but are you a Kemono?
I'm obviously human! What a rude kid you are!
Ohana-basan started out as a veterinarian, you see.
In the course of treating wounded stray dogs and such, though,
she ended up treating Kemono, as well.
All life is life, no matter what it is.
You must have been through a lot. You all look exhausted.
I'll let you use some patient beds, so stay the night here.
I'm so glad! Do you have a bath?
I'll go get some hot water going.
Hooray!
"Episode 9: Family"
I don't have any right to open this door.
My first job was to mend my terribly injured mother.
I'd had the power of my healing silk since I was born,
but it wasn't until I was three that I could control it.
He always treated me like I was a "thing."
If I didn't do as he said, he would beat me,
as if he were banging on malfunctioning equipment.
But luckily, I was something that he couldn't afford to break,
so I still got my way to some extent.
I was given a basement room, where I spent most of my life.
I had lots of books that I begged him for,
the girly clothes he chose for me...
...and...
...my sleeping mother.
I barely remember my mother ever being awake.
I would gaze at her face every day, and sleep at her side when I was lonely.
There were times when I wished I was dead,
but I liked the name my mother gave me,
so I chose not to die.
"Tademaru Shiki"
Then one day,
I discovered I had a big brother.
Ah, Shiki! It's been a while. How have you been?
A big brother...
I knew it was childish, but I pictured the brother whose face I'd never seen
as being Prince Charming in one of the books I read.
Once Mom was all better, and woke up again,
we would run away from here together.
And when we did,
I was sure my big brother would know, and come to rescue us.
But it was too good to be true.
I was the one who ruined both of them.
I know you're out there.
Come on in. You must be worried about her.
You've been looking for her all this time, after all.
Are you sure you don't hate me?
I'm a bad seed that should be done away with,
no different from all the other Kemono that you guys killed, aren't I?
I just happen to have a human form, and can speak the language.
Why don't you kill me?! Is it because I look like a little girl?!
--Or is it because-- --Mom is alive because of you.
Compared to you, I haven't done anything for her.
You were there fighting on your own that whole time,
when I didn't just not know it,
I avoiding confronting it, and went on living my life in comfort.
I'm glad that I met you, and I'm glad that you saved her.
So you don't have to keep yourself at arm's length.
Go ahead and hold her hand.
The old lady said it was a psychological thing, right?
And she's your mom, too, isn't she?
You mean, you don't mind if I call my mom Mom?
Nope.
C-Can I call you Big Brother, too?!
Huh? Huh?! What?!
Shiki...
Aya...
Mom... You know who I am?
Of course I do. You've both grown up so much.
I'm so happy you're all right.
Mom!
Hmm, all right...
Hey, soup's on!
--Thank you for this food. --Thank you for this food.
As it happens, I had a job come in.
I have some business to take care of, so I'd like you two to handle it.
The two of us?
All right.
It's been a whole week...
I'm going to stay here for a bit.
Huh?
Mom still isn't back at 100 percent yet,
"Ohana Clinic"
Mom still isn't back at 100 percent yet,
"Ohana Clinic"
and I have a family now. I have to rethink what I'm going to do now.
"Ohana Clinic"
I mean, there's no way we can get by on what I make now.
H-Huh?! You mean, Shiki, you're going to quit being a Kemonoist? No!
We should all live together at the office!
Hey, come on, it's not a communal house.
It's kind of dull around here without Shiki.
Is Shiki ever coming back again?
Who can say? But this is good for him, isn't it?
He has something more important to him than work now.
Do you miss him?
No. I think it is very gratifying.
You smile when you lie, you know that?
It's a little creepy.
Don't go giving me the boot so fast!
Shiki!
Then you aren't quitting?
I never said a word about that. I'm back because things have settled down.
Is that right? That's great.
Like I said, I have to pay you back.
Until you find your parents, I'll die before I quit this place.
Yeah.
We're back to normal!
Are you finished yet?
Huh?! Aya-chan?!
I changed out of those clothes.
Tademaru is the one who gave them to me,
and they didn't really fit my style.
Mom said she's going out today, so she asked me to look after Aya.
This is where you work, Big Brother?
"Big Brother"!
Oh, shut up.
It's not too bad. It reeks of cigarettes and boys,
but it's surprisingly tidy.
Why, thank you.
I'm here to report in and take care of some business today.
I've decided to work with Granny at her clinic.
Business?
Yep. I've decided to start my own Kemonopathy clinic,
--using the power of my silk. --Oh...
Hey, would you talk her out of it, Inugami-san? She's only eight!
Eight?
That doesn't matter, does it?
And I wouldn't have to if your income wasn't so low, Big Brother.
Then let's put together a contract.
I'm glad we can settle this quickly.
For real?! Are you sure?! You're going for this?!
Kabane, help me stop them!
Why?
Because common sense says it's dangerous!
If she has a power, shouldn't she use it?
I was an idiot for even asking you.
You really are terrific, and your values are spot on!
I watched you that whole time.
How you fought for my brother, and ran Tademaru down!
Kabane, do you have a girlfriend? Go out with me!
--Huh?! --Huh?!
Fine with me.
Shiki!
Hold on a second, Kabane-kun!
Do you know what it means to go out with someone?!
It means to do things together, right?
Yes it does, but it also means something else!
Kabane, I've gotten stronger. Come and fight me.
And now someone else has shown up!
Kon...
Um...
I hate to throw a wet blanket over all this fun,
but can we get down to business?
There have been reports of women being hurt and sustaining facial injuries
along Takeshita Street in Harajuku.
There are no leads on the assailant,
and police are searching for suspects.
Takeshita Street is known as a pedestrian's paradise,
but is currently--
Huh? I go to Harajuku a lot. This is awful.
Is this the work of a Kemono?
Yeah. It's been kept out of the press,
but this goes beyond just "facial injuries." The truth is...
Huh?
...parts of their faces are being peeled right off of them.
Eyelids, noses, lips, and so forth.
Akira, wake up.
You're right, ordinarily, that would be impossible without someone seeing you.
Can we contact the girls who were attacked?
Once I track them down.
Okay, tell them about my clinic.
Hmm? Oh, okay. You got it. I'll set things up.
Sh-She's good...
Okay, let's go, Kabane-san.
You, too?
The other two don't seem to be feeling well.
And I want to be with you!
I-I'm coming, too!
--You, too? --Eh?
Are you sure, kitsune girl? You'd be involved in tanuki business.
I-I wouldn't be involved, just observing.
I'll keep my eye on them, to make sure they don't take any liberties.
"Harajuku Station"
I've never been to Harajuku before.
I've been here once before, when Akira brought me.
It seems like there were more people here then.
Hey, it's dangerous around here right now. Haven't you seen the news?
Let me handle this. I'm Inari-sama's subordinate, after all.
Policemen are kind of like my servants.
Oh yeah. Amazing.
I know, right?
Kon, Metropolitan Police.
Huh? Stop messing around and go home, already.
Most of the stores are closed today.
Um, we're with the Inugami Strangeness Counseling Office.
Did anyone contact you?
Huh? That's who you are? Then yes, we were informed. Please, this way.
The Kemono scent is thick here. They may be nearby. Be careful.
Yeah.
Wait, Kon.
All the victims were said to be female, so I should take the lead.
Quiet! Don't tell me what to do! I don't take orders from tanuki!
Okay, sure. I'm sorry. I won't do it again.
You're mean. Kabane-san is just concerned about you.
Kon is strong, so she'll be fine.
Let's leave her here.
What is this?! My chest feels all mushy!
Why?!
I get it.
A voice? Is somebody there?
Just leave it to me. I can help you.
Wah! What is this?!
--She's being pulled up by something. Only, I can't see what it is. --It hurts! It hurts! It's pulling my hair!
--What do I do? I guess I'll just punch. --It hurts!
I hit something. There's definitely something there.
Aya, are you okay?
Y-Yes.
What was that?!
Kabane, what happened?!
Kon, it was probably our target. I dealt it some damage. It's still nearby.
Th-That hurt. You're so mean.
I'm a Kemono named Katanashi.
Why are you attacking people?
I wanted to be more human.
I wanted to approach the boy who works at the shop across the way.
So that's it. Love.
Love?
Yes! It's love! But the boy at the shop is so handsome,
so he always has girls around him.
It's so agonizing...
That's why I ripped off women's faces and made them my own.
I want to be that boy's number one. Aren't I smart?
Number one?
Hmm? Something's off.
That's not the love that I understand.
Love means giving things, not taking them away.
Does that mean my idea is mistaken?
D-Don't dress it up like that! A couple in love could never know how we feel!
"We"?
Yes! That girl looks like she's in pain, too,
so I was going to drag you by your hair!
Hair?
Did you put her up to that, Kon?
No, I didn't. I didn't, but...
What is going on with you? If you have something to say, then say it!
Shut up...
Huh?
Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!
Be quiet! Be quiet! Be quiet! I don't know what's happening to me!
My chest feels all mushy, and my head is spinning!
It's always so much fun being with Kabane, but today, it's no fun at all!
Kon...
I-It's all your fault.
--Huh?! --I'll devour you!
Kon!
Aya, are you okay?
Kabane-san, your arm...!
I'll be fine.
Kon, you can't eat Aya. If you have to eat someone, then eat me.
How mean! You made her cry!
Who's really the mean one?
--I very nearly got eaten! --Kon...
We're back!
H-How did it go? Did you get hurt?
Not at all.
And the job?
All taken care of!
She said she did it all because she wanted to look human,
so I made her look human, at least on the outside.
She also promised that she wouldn't attack people anymore.
Aya did it all by herself. I didn't have to do a thing.
For real?
I was only able to because Kabane-san was protecting me.
Wh-What do we do, Shiki? Aya-chan is better at this than we are.
Well, I have to get going now.
Kabane-san, don't go two-timing me. Mwah!
Listen, you...!
What? If Kabane-san and I get married, would you disapprove?
Wha--? Marr--?
Wait, I'll see you off.
Kon, are you here?
No!
There you are.
Did something happen? You were acting a lot differently today.
Kon, are you all r--
Oh, wait! Let's talk!
Kabane, I'll bet you hate me now, huh?
Why?
Because I tried to devour that bug-smelling girl.
She's your number one, right?
Do you mean Aya? Aya is Shiki's little sister,
so I couldn't let you eat her, which is why I protected her.
Did you get hurt somewhere? You're dirty.
I'm fine. I got scraped when I fell out of the tree.
Hmm?!
It's better! My chest mushiness is all gone!
So you were just sick? I'm glad it wasn't something serious.
Yeah. I didn't know what was happening. I thought I was dying.
Good. When you were crying, I didn't know what was happening, either.
Then, whenever that happens, do this.
All right.
That Kemono said that she wanted to be his number one.
Same for me. I've worked all this time to become Inari-sama's number one.
But right now, I want to be your number one, too.
What do I do to do that?
My number one?
Gee,
I don't know.
Oh. That's too bad.
When you find out, be sure to let me know.
Thanks so much, Inugami-san, for fulfilling my wishes.
Hey, this was easy enough to do.
I may have been taken in by Akio-kun's ambitions,
but it doesn't change the fact that I gave birth to those children.
I wanted to memorialize them like this.
Did you tell the other two about today?
Not a word. That was what you requested, after all.
Thank you very much.
If they'd learned about this, I'm sure it would upset them.
Well unfortunately,
all of your other children who lived here have likely been disposed of.
The woman I know is very fastidious about that.
I see.
Please don't make that face.
They didn't work as hard as they did so you would look like that.
Please make some memories now with Shiki and Aya
to make up for what you couldn't do earlier.
And if you ever want to commemorate the others, I'll accompany you any time.
Right.
Hello!
Wha--? I thought you were done!
What are you doing here?
Why? You don't seem to be doing anything.
Besides, I'm not here for you, I'm here for my boyfriend!
Boyfriend?!
Right, Kabane-san? Where should we go today?
Kabane, it's a nice day! Today you're gonna come fight me--
There you are, bug-girl!
Huh? Who are you calling bug-girl, you old biddy?!
You know, you still haven't apologized to me for last time!
Now, now...
--Incredible. Kabane-kun is a ladies man. --You mean me trying to devour you?
--Incredible. Kabane-kun is a ladies man. --The Kemono world is survival of the fittest.
--If they get married, K-Kabane will become my brother. That's too much. --The Kemono world is survival of the fittest.
--If they get married, K-Kabane will become my brother. That's too much. --Be grateful you're still alive at all.
--If they get married, K-Kabane will become my brother. That's too much. --You brute!
You can't leave things like this, Kabane-kun.
Which one do you choose?
Which what?
You can only have one lover.
I know it's hard, but as a boy, you have to make the tough choice!
Lover? Oh, you mean a boyfriend or a girlfriend is someone you love?
In that case, I know who it is.
Who? Who?!
Inugami-san.
Huh?! Kabane-san, you go for older men?! Are you kidding me?!
D-Don't drag me into this!
Kabane-kun is still confused from that time with that cat man.
Let's not even correct him; it'd be too much trouble.
"Next time" "Episode 10: Twins"