The episode starts out with Shana trying to learn how to prepare lunch for Yuji via Yuji’s mom because she’s jealous at Yoshida bringing food for Yuji. Here we find out Wilhelmina can’t cook if her life depended on it. Meanwhile, Wilhelmina helps Yuji in his training to better use his powers. She’s distracted that Shana doesn’t want her help in learning how to cook and she her distraction is taken out on Yuji. From that, Yuji is able to demonstrate that he has much more power than before (namely, last season). And from last season, his temporary synchronization with Hecate helped to expand his energy/power capacity. At least they’re making it so that he can defend himself instead of just being a liability. Over at the bad guys’ headquarters, Bal Masque is rebuilding their floating castle. Metamorphosis heads out on an undisclosed mission.

At lunch, Shana stuffs a bento in front of Yuji to counter Yoshida’s bento. Although I was expecting to see some kind of lunch that she failed to make for him, it turned out to be a bunch of melon breads jam packed into the box that uncompresses themselves after Yuji opens the box. Forced to eat both lunches, Yuji passes out during class. The comic relief and the love triangle themes so far in this series are here, but not so much in regards to what the real plot of this season will be. The show needs more Flame Haze ass-kicking and less slice of life drama.

While the two girls argue over what’s best for Yuji at the nurse’s office, the enemy from the previous episode takes the opportunity to put Shana, Yuji, and Yoshida into a dream state. Yuji remembers what’s going on. His realization doesn’t break the fake reality. He pinches Shana’s face to make sure, resulting in a counter punch to the gut and a possible sword slash from Shana. Anyway, Yuji deduces that Yoshida needs to realize it’s a dream as well. They get back to her, but she’s unconscious and the Tomogara, named Mare, is there waiting for them. Of course, cocky bad guys always say stuff like “she’ll never wake up”. Though, you know that’s not true at all. Anyway, Shana in the meantime is busy fighting the memory of one of the Bal Masque personnel and not doing very well. Though these people are supposed to be quite tough, one would think that Shana be a lot stronger than this.

While standing around being useless, Yuji takes note that Shana’s attacks have no effect against Mare. He also takes note that Mare inhabits the bodies of Mystes to do battle. From that, he determines that Mare is inside him, as he’s a Mystes. Mare goes after the Reiji Maigo inside Yuji, but upon contact, she is ejected out of Yuji, fatally wounded. She references that there is a “Keeper” attached to the Reiji Maigo before she dies. Yoshida wakes up right before Mare dies and all three are returned to their reality. Upon hearing about this Keeper, there are rumblings from Alastor all the way to Margery Daw. And as a final shocker, the end of the episode introduces a new transfer student who bears a striking resemblance to Hecate. Obviously, this is going to be the driving force for the next several episodes before anyone finds out what’s really going on. On a personal note, I don’t see the resemblance. Not without that oversized hat that she’s always wearing. I guess I’ll just have follow along with the story.