A Complicated Time III (もつれる今 III Motsureru Ima III) is the 23rd chapter of the Shakugan no Shana manga series.
Yūji began to believe that Shana didn't need him. With help from Satō and Tanaka, Margery was beginning to understand what had occurred in Misaki City a week ago.
Summary[]
Shana destroying Nina.
Yūji recalled when he was attacked by the giant cat and was blacking out. He had seen Shana arrive and destroy the cat before going to him. He hadn't been able to do anything, and thought that it didn't matter to Shana if he was there or not.
In his house, Chigusa was carrying a drink for Yūji but scolded him, thinking that he had been bullying Shana. Yūji didn't understand and she said that he was insensitive, much like his father Kantarō. Chigusa took Yūji's drink and left drinking it, telling him to think about it, leaving him confused.
Shana angered by the mention of Yūji.
In class before school started, Yoshida was writing down a list when Ike arrived. Ike looked at the list, which included a handkerchief, a towel, and a book, and guessed that she wanted to buy something for Yūji, but she was planning for her brother's birthday. Ike suggested that Yoshida should get Yūji to help her pick a present, making her embarrassed, but he was sure that Yūji would help her. Shana entered the classroom and Ike asked her about Yūji, but she angrily said that she didn't know where he was.
Near the Mana River embankment, Satō and Tanaka were exhausted from guiding Margery through the city. Tanaka asked whether he and Satō would have to fight the monster as well, but Margery stated that that was her job. Marchosias told the two that their guidance was to help their search for Lamies. Satō and Tanaka now knew about Torches, and figured that a Denizen had been in the city before Lamies. Margery, who now knew the make-up of the city, asked about any strange incidents that have happened recently. There was only one the two could think of, and the group headed to a building, where a mysterious explosion had occurred a week ago.
Margery seeing the Yoda Department Store.
Arriving at the scene, the two boys explained that there had been about 30 casualties and the cause of the explosion was unknown. Margery commented that Denizens usually tried to cover their tracks, and figured that there had been a fight between a Denizen and a Flame Haze. Marchosias vaguely sensed another presence in the city besides Lamies, who was hiding his own presence, but couldn't pinpoint it unless that presence used an Unrestricted Spell or started devouring people. Margery and Marchosias told the boys that they would kill anyone who got in their way, even a fellow Flame Haze. Margery asked if they knew of any more strange incidents, so the two talked about a supposed prank call to the police on the night of the explosion, the call saying that there was another explosion on the roof of the Yoda Department Store. The police had mobilized its whole force, only for them to find that no explosion had occurred. Margery took this incident seriously, explaining again that Denizens and Flame Haze usually restore damaged locations. As something was supposed to have happened but didn't, it was proof that something strange had happened. Margery wanted to be taken to the scene, but Yoda Department Store was actually right in front of them, a couple of blocks away.
Characters[]
- Yūji Sakai
- Nina (flashback only)
- Mika (flashback only)
- Mika's mother (flashback only)
- Shana
- Chigusa Sakai
- Kantarō Sakai (mentioned)
- Kazumi Yoshida
- Hayato Ike
- Keisaku Satō
- Eita Tanaka
- Margery Daw
- Marchosias
- Lamies (mentioned)
Powers and Abilities Used[]
Treasure Tools[]
- Nietono no Shana - Shana
Locations[]
Quotes[]
- Yūji (thinking): "Shana's strong, but I... couldn't do..."
Yūji: "It wouldn't matter to her whether I was there or not." - Margery (to Tanaka): "Who'd ask you to do that? Slaughtering Denizens is a job for me, a Flame Haze."
- Marchosias: "Anyway, if this the remains of a battle, they smashed it pretty well. They'd get on well with us."
Trivia[]
Omake page after the chapter.
- At the end of this chapter, there is an omake page, the first of fifteen featuring Shana-tan and Nina.
- Yūji recalled what had happened after encountering Nina in chapter 21.
- The explosion from one week prior refers to when Friagne was retreating after capturing Yūji. He had undone his Fūzetsu and exploded all of the remaining mannequin Rinne with Dance Party, destroying the building. This occurred in chapter 15.
- The supposed prank call to the police was likely a bystander who saw explosions from mannequins exploded by Friagne on the roof of the department store. These explosions, however, produced minimal damage, as they were blown up individually and often in mid-air, and no casualties, as the department store was abandoned, so the call was deemed a prank by the police, who had arrived on the roof after the fight with Friagne had concluded.