To Aru Majutsu no Index II 3

Aineze briefs Touma and the others on the infiltration of the Amakusa members; and she also declares that she would never forgive anyone who uses their authority of a church to perform such acts. Stiyl leads Touma and Index away, informing them that Kanzaki Kaori has disappeared and cannot be contacted. Her current location is unknown, regardless of whether she was helping her fellow Amakusa members. Touma then chooses another priority, rescuing Ursula. Stiyl then agrees to Touma's decision since Ursula was just a cipher for "Liber Al vel Aegis" and without her, "Liber Al vel Aegis" would just be an useless treasure. The diversion for the Amakusa begins and Stiyl, Index and Touma heads to rescue Ursula. Heading to her location, the trio is quickly ambushed by members of the Amakusa. Stiyl hands the cross he obtained from the archbishop to Touma and asks him to keep it if he wants to survive. Stiyl then escapes with Index with a spell he casted and Touma was yet again, the decoy for the members. Luckily, he was able to avoid the Amakusa but had tripped over a metal can, revealing his location to one of the members of the Amakusa. Alone, he was able to fend her off and took her sword away. Touma quickly ran into Ursula, who was binded and muted by spells, and releases her with his Imagine Breaker. Ursula asks if Touma was with the Roman Catholics or with the Anglican Church and felt relieved for him when she knows he does not belong to any. Touma then asks about the "Liber Al vel Aegis", which Ursula reveals about how she's trying to decipher the "Liber Al vel Aegis" to find a way to destroy the book. Ursula then request Touma to help her wear the cross Stiyl handed to him and before they could continue their conversation, Stiyl falls and is injured by the leader of the current Amakusa forces, Tatemiya Saiji. Touma doesn't want to engage Saiji but was soon forced to do so but even with his Imagine Breaker, he isn't able to get past his spells, which Index had forewarned that it wasn't actually magic at all. Stiyl starts to call forth his flaming sword and attempts to charge at Saiji. Touma calls for Stiyl to ignore him and stabs through him, Stiyl does so and with Imagine Breaker denying both the flame sword and Saiji's magic resistance, Touma is able to land a punch on Saiji and with Stiyl, the both of them manage to capture Tatemiya Saiji. Saiji is tied and "sealed" with Stiyl's magic cards, and he starts to attack Touma with his influential words. He tells Touma if he really think Ursula would be safe with the Roman Catholics. He adds on that the Roman Catholics were planning to take Ursula's life instead to prevent the "Liber Al vel Aegis" from being deciphered and had used the disappearance of "Liber Al vel Aegis" as a "disguise" to capture Ursula and silence her in secret. Saiji continues to tell Touma that the Amakusa plans to protect her with the pride of their priestess, Kanzaki Kaori. Touma still didn't believe Saiji's words and doubted her, similarly to Ursula, who had doubted Saiji as well. Touma's decision however starts to waver when he hears Ursula's scream and was then asked by Saiji to take Ursula away from the Roman Catholics and the Amakusa and bring her to somewhere safe. Members of the Anieze forces, Sister Lucia and Sister Angelene, arrives to obtain custody of Tatemiya Saiji. Touma asks her if he could see Ursula again and had tapped Sister Lucia on her shoulder and with that, he accidentally incurred her wrath since he was a non-believer and attacked Touma with flaming wheel, injuring Touma in the process. Angelene also intercepts Index but was negated by Spell Interceptor, which was casted by Index. Touma now begins to really doubt his decision made after the Roman Catholics leave the scene.

Plot development is in a good pace, doubts rising from the Roman Catholics, and the unknown "Liber Al vel Aegis". Saiji's words do have an impact on Touma (and on me as well). Stiyl is pathetically weak ._____. what's with his sword that even need incantations? == spell casters with incantations, super long ones, does seem useless... Kanzaki's presence remains unknown, with the Amakusa or not still remains as a mystery. Drawings kinda weird this episode, just seems rather different from the others. What exactly is the cross the Archbishop handed to Stiyl and now to Ursula is still another mystery. Arc seems nice too, waiting for Accelerator to appear again :)

MM! 4

The new tactic for curing Taro's masochism was now of the "Power of Love" . With that, Mio now becomes Taro's lover and their first date is planned by Michiru-sensei, for the worst. And so the date begins, with Michiru-sensei giving Taro guidelines for the lane and soon, with Taro receiving a direct kick in the face. Apparently, he revealed how long he had actually waited when Mio asks him, where he should have replied, typically, "actually i just got here as well". The symptoms of masochism appeared immediately with that kick and with Mio handing her hand to Taro, he merely touched her hand and left. Being pissed off by him, Mio grabs Taro's hand and leaves with him, acting like a real couple. Mio had initally forgotten about where they should go next but soon heads off to the park. In the park, the duo seats on the mat and Mio took out the food that she made, which Taro deems as "dangerous" to begin with. He then spot plasters on Mio's hand and asks her if she was alright and that she need not put in so much effort on this date. However, the plasters were just for show to "trick" Taro into worrying for Mio and when Taro really did tried her food and appreciated it, Mio felt embarrassed and started stuffing food into Taro. The next step was to walk around in the park where they stop for some ice-cream and with some of the cream on Mio's face, Taro receives a guideline call from Michiru-sensei, telling him to wipe it off for her. Taro took her advice and got done with the task, "raising" Mio's affection by a notch and everything seems to be a bishoujo-game prepared by Michiru-sensei. Moving on to the next location, while Taro was wondering if Mio was also nervous with her face being red, a cross-dressed Hayama appears with his cocky attitude, belittling Mio's figure and small frame. He then continues the taunting by grabbing Taro over and even almost plant a kiss onto him. Mio was utterly surprised at the development and suspected them of having forbidden love which Taro denies. Hayama doesn't give up on Taro since it was all Michiru-sensei's plan and was ultimately "forcefully" sent off. At the theme park, the duo went onto the ferris wheel and Michiru-sensei gave her next guideline, which was to let Mio rest on Taro's lap and then talk about what they like about each other. Mio follows suit to the instructions and was embarrassed when Taro says that he likes how she loves to help other people and was cute too, but Mio couldn't really find something she "likes" about Taro. After Hayama, the next person they encounter is Yuno, who "declares" that she'll be taking Taro away. Both Mio and Yuno then resulted in a tug-of-war, with Taro in the center, feeling absolute bliss with each of his arm being tied to a rope and being pulled by two bishoujos. Mio couldn't last long and Taro went to Yuno's side, "activating" her automatic repelling male system and Taro got sent off into the sky. Soon after, Mio bends down and started spitting out red liquid, which was obviously just tomato juice but playing by the storyline, Taro is given two choices from Michiru-sensei with Mio having contracted a terminal illness and can't live long, and he chose the option of marrying her now. Taro is immediately captured after he chose the option and was brought to the church where he finally gets to see the cunning Michiru-sensei and she tells him that the date was actually for Mio instead and then leaves when Mio arrives in a bridal costume. Following the ceremony, Mio took advances and gave Taro her first kiss which he then stops her soon after. He turns out to be angry instead and asks why would Mio kiss a person like him and that a kiss is something important that can only be given to someone that he or she loves. Mio was however hoping to cure his masochism and took the sacrifice but it resulted in Taro storming off in the end. Mio tried to stop him but collapses and it turns out she had a high fever ever since the date started, explaining why she had forgotten about the locations they should have gone and her face looking red. Taro carries her and runs to the nearest hospital in the rain, pestering Mio on why she had placed her life on the line trying to help him. From being carried, Mio manage to see a serious side of Taro and declares that she likes the part of him giving his all when it concerns someone else and important to him. The duo then arrives in the hospital with Michiru-sensei who reveals to Taro that Mio couldn't socialise well and had hoped that the date would change her by a little. Taro then stayed on in the hospital to look after Mio and when Mio had fully recovered, she asks Taro to close his eyes again which he anticipates another kiss but it was a heavy blow to the face and his masochism is yet to be cured. Mio concludes that the "Power of Love" is ineffective and gave Taro a beaming smile.

definitely, a Mio and Taro pairing is indeed special and interesting. i wouldn't doubt if they could get together in the end, they seem good together :) overall, it was a cute little date and things did progressed fast from walking along the streets to vomiting tomato juice to marriage and a kiss. As an important first kiss, Mio doesn't seem to have taken it into account but Taro did, this might also hint to a start of their cute little relationship. Seriously, there is something wrong with Hayama's attitude, cross-dressing and having that attitude to boot definitely entices a point blank blow to his face. (Not that he's actually bad)The climax with Taro carrying Mio and running to the hospital in the rain was sweet too. Cute little episode and a moving end! :)