Episode 10

Iku and Tezuka are on a bus. Iku keeps sighing until Tezuka tells her to knock it off. She begs him to send her back to Tokyo. This is his reaction:

They have a defense mission close to Iku’s hometown. They need to protect a work of art that protests the Media Enhancement forces. Shibasaki calls Tezuka to warn him that the library corps in the town they’re headed to are unusual and can’t be dealt with in the usual ways. Tezuka tells her that he’ll give her all the information he’s collected from his evil brother.

Non-violent protesters meet Genda at the art museum and request that the library corps hand over their weapons. Genda doesn’t want to hand over a work of art to Media Enhancement without a fight. The chief librarian of the area greets Genda. He’s arranging to talk with Media Enhancement instead of setting up a defensive perimeter.
Dojo tells Iku to be careful since she’ll be the only one staying at the female dorm. She agrees to call for help if she needs it. Iku is greeted by her new dormmates, who insist on carrying her bags.

They drop her things all over the stairs, saying that everything is too heavy. They make fun of Iku for being so strong. Two girls from the defense department run up, diffusing the situation. They pick up Iku’s things and introduce themselves. Iku is still annoyed, but her new defense apartment acquaintances tell her to bear with it while she’s there.

Genda talks strategy with his team. They are going to set up a command center and retrain the local defense forces who haven’t fired a shot in the past two years. He’s also going to inform the commander about the Chief Librarian’s defiance. Iku tries to go to get something to eat. She’s surrounded by mean people from the Affairs Department. Her defense department friend drags her away and explains that Defense Department members have to eat last. Iku is amazed at the strange rules, and wonders why the Defense Department puts up with it. It turns out that so many people have quit due to hazing, they are trying to avoid further conflict.
There’s garbage in the Defense Department girl’s locker room. Iku wants to go to the library to complain, but they tell her to stop. They’re just being targeted for worse treatment because Iku and the other people from the main library corps branch are visiting. Dojo asks how everything is going and Iku tells him that things are going well. Then, she’s locked in the laundry room and receives hate mail in her dorm room.
Iku returns from practice and the Affairs Deparment girls make fun of her. She punches the wall, leaving a large dent in the drywall. Iku goes to get her laundry and the local Defense girls are staring at her uniform while it was hanging on a line to dry. Someone has soiled it. Iku tells them to go back to the dorm so they won’t be seen with her. Dojo sees Iku returning to the dorm alone.
They go to a laundromat together. Dojo says that he usually meets people like Iku, so he forgets that people can be so spiteful. Iku says that if she was in the same environment and was one of the majority, she’d probably act the same way. Dojo is sure that she wouldn’t persecute other people, because he’s observed her closely. He notices her bruised knuckles and grabs her hand. She tells him to treat her the way he always does, and he pats her on the head.

Then he hugs her and she starts crying. Awwwwwwwwww.
Elsewhere, the girls from the Affairs Department have cornered one of the local Defense girls, saying “Do you know that person’s weakness? Give us some information.” The next day an announcement goes out over the loudspeaker calling Iku to the library lobby. Dojo notices the announcement too. Iku sees her mother in the lobby, who immediately slaps her, calling her a disobedient child. She starts dragging Iku away. Iku yells that she’s in the middle of her work. Iku’s mom calls her job barbarous. Iku slaps her mother! She says that if she’s such a disappointment, her mother should disown her and find a better daughter from somewhere else. Dojo comes in and tells Iku to stop, she’s attracting too much attention.
Iku’s mom meets with Genda, although the meeting doesn’t seem to be very productive since she is just sitting there crying. Iku waits in a hallway, disgusted with her mother’s manipulation. Dojo tells Iku to call her father and tell him to pick up her mom. Iku protests, saying that she doesn’t want to get into a fight with her father too. Dojo tells her that her father won’t be a problem. He tells her to face her problems.
Iku is meeting with her parents. She apologises about hiding the truth from them, saying that she’s been working very hard. Iku’s dad says that it is amazing that Iku is the first female Special Forces team member. He knows because her picture was published in a magazine. He’s proud of her. Iku’s mother still protests. She wants to know if he’s hoping for Iku’s death again, since it is his fault that she fell from a cliff. Iku doesn’t remember any of this. Her father tells her that there was a small boulder behind their house where Iku liked to pretend to rock climb with him when she was little.

Iku fell and had a bald patch on her head. Iku’s dad thought it was great that she only needed three stitches. Iku realizes that her mother is just worried about her. She makes up with her mother. Back at the dorm, her new friends apologize for informing on Iku. She says that everything is ok, and they don’t need to apologize. Iku decides to face her problems by getting back at the Affairs Deparment.

Iku slams her fist down on a cafeteria table. The room is filled with Affairs Department girls. She says that she’s going to ignore everything that’s happened up until now, but if anyone interferes with the Defense Department from now on, she’s going to write up a report stating that the Affairs Department is interfering with the defense of the exhibition. That will provoke an investigation by the Kantou Library Base, where Iku has plenty of friends. The Affairs Department girls make a half-hearted attempt at apologizing by telling Iku and her friends that they can use the dorm facilities freely. Iku is about to go after them when the Defense Department girls finally confront them, saying that they demand to be treated fairly, they don’t need any special treatment.

Genda also confronts the Chief Librarian, saying when the incident is over she will have to take responsibility for her actions.

Episode 11

The governor of the prefecture announces at a press conference that the exhibition will continue as planned. If there is an armed confrontation, the Media Enhancement group will be held responsible, since the Library Corps came to the defense of the exhibit at their request. Iku is disappointed that the media seems to be siding with the Media Enhancement group. Genda tells her not to worry. Dojo points out that her father is also at the press conference, in his job working for the prefecture. Iku is happy to see her father’s support of the exhibit.
Tezuka excuses himself to take a phone call.

It is his evil older brother, who asks if Genda wrote the script for the press conference. Hikaru’s brother says that he should expect only one inspection from the Media Enhancement group before the exhibit opens. Shibasaki meets with the Library Corps commander, and tells him that the non-violent resistance movement has financial ties with Media Enhancement. The weakness of the local library base is part of the Media Enhancement plan. The commander tells Shibasaki to keep the information from the Library Corps for now, he doesn’t want to damage their morale.
The Library Corps are preparing for battle. They’ve received a document from the judiciary that indicates that the information from Tezuka’s brother was accurate. They feel like they’re well prepared now. Genda goes over the battle plan. Iku and Dojo work to get ready, building a barricade. They have some time for a break and Iku asks him to go somewhere with her. He seems surprised.

As they walk along the barricade, Dojo notices the chief librarian passing them. Iku tells Dojo to come into a greenhouse, saying that he had wanted to see a place where chamomile flowers blossom.

Komaki is shopping at a convenience store for snacks for his comrades when he runs into a Media Enhancement commander who has loaded up his own shopping basket full of drinks. Komaki and the Media Enhancement dude walk down the street together. They comment that they shouldn’t be talking to each other, but they’ll be confronting each other with guns when the dawn comes.

Media Enhancement dude comments that he likes smart guys like Komaki, all of his colleagues are idiots. Komaki asks why he doesn’t join the library corps, and he says that he’s stuck in Media Enhancement because he joined due to personal connections. Dojo warns Iku that the battle tomorrow will be intense because of the targeted artwork. He says that it is inappropriate of him to ask this of her because he’s her commanding officer, but she should protect her own life before anything else.
At dawn the Media Enhancement vans drive through the barricades and start to shoot. Iku relays the order to return fire!

One of Tezuka’s fellow snipers gets hit. No one knows where the shot was fired from. Iku says that the enemy must have fired from the trees. Tezuka understands. She says, “I’m counting on you, agoraphobic sniper!” He takes down the enemy snipers. Tezuka goes to take the wounded sniper to the medical camp. Dojo is under heavy attack. He tells Iku to get someone to shore up the position. Communication lines are down, so she decides to run to the captain herself. Iku’s local friends show up with replacement ammo!

The chief librarian freaks out as the battle rages. Media Enhancement forces get reinforcements. Komaki’s acquaintance sees that everyone is in a battle frenzy. The troops rush the barriers, not caring about casualties. Genda tells everyone not to hesitate to fire at close range, they need to protect their own lives. Iku yells for the wounded to take refuge in the museum. Dojo tells her to go there too, and she refuses. She says that she’s his messenger and she will stick by his side until the battle is done. He calls her an idiot. Just like old times!

Dojo leaps up and starts firing his machine gun. Iku is shocked by the brutality of the battle. She grabs her machine gun and starts firing, yelling at the Media Enhancement troops.

She fires until she’s out of ammo. She can’t get a new cartridge to go in her gun. Dojo tells her that she did a good job defending. She freaks out and he embraces her, telling her to calm down. The battle is over. Dojo tells Iku that everyone freaks out the first time they really need to face battle. She says that Tezuka was calm. He tells her that Tezuka faced a different number of enemies. She should learn from the situation to stay in control of her feelings.

Dojo sees the chief librarian walking with a container of gas. He goes after her. The governor congratulates Genda on protecting the art. A stray Media Enhancement soldier threatens the group. Genda places himself in front of the art, daring him to shoot. The chief librarian is preparing to burn files in a warehouse. Dojo tells her to stop, and she fires at him. Iku runs up to the entrance. Genda is shot. He grins, saying “This is the end!” and collapses. Dojo tells Iku to restrain the librarian. Burning boxes fall on him, and Iku screams.