What? How Strange! A Rival
Appears!
Episode eight starts off with a romantic
interlude: the cherry blossoms are in bloom and Momiji is on her way to
school. She is hurrying because she is late, and who should she happen
to meet? Mr. Kusanagi, dressed all in black and waiting for her.
He approaches her and divulges his feelings for her. He's... in love
with her. He closes in for a kiss and ALL OF A SUDDEN, he's Mr.
Kunikida!!! How could such a lovely dream go so wrong!? And why is
Momiji having dreams like this anyway!? She asks herself that same
questions as she takes a phone call from a man telling her that she has passed
the criteria necessary and she is now a finalist in an idol singer
contest.
More than surprised, she starts off for school and runs
into a pack of reporters. They somehow heard of her part in rescuing
little Yukiko and they want to know how she became involved.
Uncomfortable with their questions, Momiji makes her excuses and manages to
get away. She then runs into Kusanagi who startles her and she blushes,
remembering her dream. He asks her what's wrong, and of course, Momiji
dodges that question too, leaving him behind in her trail of dust, completely
puzzled by her attitude as she flees the scene.
Later, when Momiji tells the TAC about the contest,
she receives mixed reactions; Takeuchi wonders if it's such a good idea
with the press already following Momiji around, but Mr. Kunikida and Yaegashi
seem to think it might be a really good idea. Momiji herself can't
decide if it's something that she wants to do or not but goes ahead with it,
propelled by Yaegashi's enthusiasm and Mr. Kunikida's approval. She
arrives at the studio where they are having interviews and is clearly
uncomfortable, wondering what she's doing there.
Meanwhile, Sakura enters the scene arriving at the airport
and going to her hotel. We see her dress in her ceremonial kimono and
red hakama and she goes to the studio where Momiji is auditioning, looking for
Aragami. The scene switches back and forth between Momiji and Sakura, as
Momiji faces the panel of judges and Sakura searches for the Aragami, taunting
it to show itself. Finally, the Aragami appears, and as it does,
Momiji's mitama reacts to it. She flees the audition, and meets up with
Kusanagi who asks her if she senses an Aragami.
They track it to where Sakura is and a battle ensues in
which Kusanagi and Sakura show their skills, competing to see who is superior
while Momiji looks on, feeling left out. After the battle, Sakura kisses
Kusanagi, and Momiji gets jealous, irate at Sakura's bold attitude. That
night, Momiji hears someone calling to her, but she doesn't know who it
is.
The next day at the finals, Momiji looks out into the
audience and feels intimidated, deciding to go home. Enter Sakura,
dressed in black and more than willing to take Momiji's place on stage.
Sakura's attitude irritates Momiji and she changes her mind, grabbing a mike
and joining Sakura on the stage. During their performance, the Aragami
reappears and it manages to capture Kusanagi. Sakura tries to free him,
planning to attack the Aragami from behind, but Momiji stops her,
sensing that the Aragami is the one who had tried to speak to her the
night before.
Momiji talks to it and learns that it was a willow tree
that had been cut down, its mate still standing outside the studio. It
tells Momiji that the two trees had been together for so long and it only
wished to be enshrined next to the one outside the station. Momiji
promises that it will be done, and the tree releases Kusanagi and its mitama
disintegrates. Then Momiji asks the reason that the willow tree
contacted her and learns that apart from being the Kushinada, the spirit of
the tree sensed Momiji's yearning to be with the one that she loved, and
Momiji realizes that the spirit is talking about Kusanagi.
The episode ends with Momiji and Kusanagi standing outside the TV station next
to the tree's shrine. Kusanagi thanks her for what she did for him and
tells her that she's the "one". Momiji blushes and asks what
that's supposed to mean, to which Kusanagi replies that she's a great
Kushinada. Not quite the answer she was hoping for, but she'll take
it...
