A Chance Meeting of Light and Dark III (邂逅明暗 III Kaikō Meian III ) is the 29th chapter of the Shakugan no Shana manga series.
Lamies learned about Shana from Yūji and got him to see the foolishness of his recent behavior towards Shana.
Summary[]
As Shana struggled to get up, Alastor was in disbelief as she had forgotten how to fight. Shana was moving her body well, but wasn't thinking the battle through, like a running child who didn't take into account that she was going to fall over. Shana herself had not realized this.

Lamies goading Yūji.
Lamies hadn't heard of the name "Shana", so Yūji explained that he had named her, and that she was contracted to "Flame of Heaven" Alastor. Lamies was surprised to hear that, as he was an acquaintance of Alastor, and he could now understand why Yūji was so confident in Shana's strength. Yūji said that he would tell Shana and Alastor about Lamies' wish to stay in the city, if Shana ever wanted to see him again. He told Lamies that Shana might not return because he was useless to her and also no longer felt like helping her. From Yūji's words, Lamies learned that Shana was female. He was then able to assess the situation through Yūji's statements and from previously observing Yoshida's shyness around Yūji. Lamies asked Yūji if he was sure Shana thought he was useless, as he had never directly asked her, and told him that he had jumped to conclusions. He claimed that Yūji's perceived uselessness was just an excuse to reject Shana because he had lost his nerve. Yūji argued that there was no way Shana would care about a weak human like him.
In his head, Lamies cursed Alastor for not telling Yūji something because of his overprotectiveness of Shana. Lamies decided to tell Yūji by first asking rhetorical questions about the Crimson Realm; of all the planets in the vast universe, why do Crimson Denizens appear on Earth, and why was the Crimson Realm, though unable to be reached, right next to it? Lamies explained that though they were different existences, humans and Denizens were the same inside, which was why they could take humans' Power of Existence, and had the feeling of wanting things or achieving things on Earth. Yūji got what Lamies was trying to say; that he shouldn't see Shana as special. Flame Haze were originally human, so they don't have power unobtainable for a human. Yūji said that Shana was actually very strong, but Lamies said she was stronger than Yūji, but that was all. Yūji reflected that he had felt Shana's humanity, but hadn't considered her feelings. He was irritated at his weakness, at always needing her to save him, decided by himself that she wouldn't care if he was gone, vented his anger on her, and sulked. Yūji lamented his weak behavior and tried to thank Lamies for making him realize this, but Lamies claimed he wasn't being altruistic, but merely supporting someone who could help defeat his pursuer. With the conversation finished, Lamies woke Yoshida with a snap of his fingers.
As Shana barely remained standing, Margery poked her head out of her Toga and asked if she really was the "Flame-Haired Burning-Eyed Hunter". Marchosias thought that Shana was weak, and that maybe Friagne hadn't been as strong as rumored either. Margery said that if Shana didn't get in her way, she would let her go after one more attack. Margery summoned seven swords around Shana, trapping her. Shana had thought that she wouldn't keep thinking about Yūji when she began fighting. She didn't know why she felt so strongly about Yūji not being there. Margery fired a massive blast of flames from her mouth, which smashed into Shana and sent her flying off of the roof and out of Margery's Fūzetsu. As she fell, Shana remembered smiling at Yūji and him smiling back when she was shot by Trigger Happy. She reached out to the sky, but this time, Yūji wasn't present. Like before, Shana fell into the Mana River.
Characters[]
- Alastor
- Shana
- Margery Daw
- Lamies
- Yūji Sakai
- Kazumi Yoshida
- Marchosias
- Friagne (mentioned)
Powers and Abilities Used[]
Unrestricted Spells[]
- Toga - Margery
- Improvisational Poem of Slaughter (Solomon Grundy) - Margery
Locations[]
Quotes[]
- Lamies (to Yūji): "Oh dear, what a blockhead you are! Jumping to conclusions without even asking the other person!"
- Lamies (thinking): "Good grief, "Flame of Heaven". Seems you've developed a protectiveness of your long-awaited contractor and didn't tell this boy..."
- Yūji (thinking): "That's right. I've seen it... and felt it... her humanity, and her heart which is like my own. And yet I... not only did I not sympathize with her, but just because my training wasn't going well, I was irritated at my weakness. I resented how uncool I was for always needing her to save me, decided that a Flame Haze like her... wouldn't care if I was gone, and on top of all that, I vented my anger, and sulked alone... Shit...!! How weak and worthless am I...!!?"
- Shana (as she was being defeated by Margery): "...Yūji, why...?"
Trivia[]
- As Yūji recalled how he had felt Shana's humanity, he recalled how Shana was happy when he was training well with her, in chapter 21, as well as Shana's upset expression when he left her training, in chapter 22.
- As she was about to be defeated by Margery, Shana recalled how Yūji had been disinterested and didn't want to go with her, in chapter 24.
- Shana again recalled smiling at Yūji and him smiling back at her when she was shot by Trigger Happy, in chapter 18.
Cultural References[]
- The Improvisational Poem of Slaughter used by Margery against Shana references the nursery rhyme Solomon Grundy.