Episode 18

* Episode
* Title Card
* End Card

## Episode Guide

**"A Midnight Meeting of Peers"** (深 (しん) 夜 (や) の同 (どう) 期 (き) 会 (かい) , *Shin'ya no Dōkikai*?) is the eighteenth episode of the *Shadows House* anime series and the fifth episode of the second season. It aired on August 6, 2022.

## Summary

Olly and Oliver declare Emilico a "super living doll" due to her handling of the mobile soot collector, and run tests on her physical ability. John is shocked by the unique personalities of the members of the Research Team. Kate checks out the various inventions of the Research Team, and Oliver explains to her that Benjamin, Barbara, Gilbert, John, Kate, Douglas, and Sarah are all identified as shadows with high soot quantities. He also tells her that the culprit is likely a man, as strength is required to open the door to the soot pipes. However, he refuses to answer any questions about Christopher and "Anthony", who Kate doesn't know. Kate manages to get a list of shadows with perfumes that Shaun identified as having a similar scent to the robed figure. Before the group leaves, Oliver gives Emilico and Shaun a key to unlock the door to their rooms for further research, and to fix the wall respectively. Back in the manor, Kate fully trusts John and decides to bring Patrick and Louise to her side.

At midnight, the four meet in Patrick's room, where Kate struggles to convince Louise and Patrick as they don't see the point in helping her. She switches to establishing a friendly bond instead, with them and invites the group to make dolls out of everyone's soot. The figures are baked by the nearby fireplace and the peers exchange light banter. Patrick and Louise decide to help Kate after seeing the other side of her. The peers swear on their soot figurines to find the culprit together.

## Plot

Olly and Oliver quickly pick up Emilico, declaring her a "super living doll" and complimenting her handling of the mobile soot collector. Oliver feeds Anna and Nancy sugar cubes after they bring in tea, shocking John. Lydia declares she'll slit his throat for being noisy, which scares John. Seeing Jeremiah and Jeremy sleeping through the commotion, John wonders out loud if the Research Team has any common sense. Oliver explains that the team recently moved to the cabin as the original lab in the manor's basement, was too cramped. He assumes Kate and John are in a relationship, much to Kate's displeasure. Jeremiah and Jeremy have woken up during this, and starts eating. Emilico notices that Jeremy is eating meat despite being a doll, and Olly mentions that as a privilege in working with the Star Bearers, dolls are allowed to eat better meals. Exploring the inventions of the Research Team, Oliver explains that Benjamin, Barbara, Gilbert, John, Kate, Douglas, and Sarah all have high soot volumes. He also explains that only an older man could open the door to the soot pipes as it is heavy, which partly proves the Belle twins' innocence. Kate theorizes that Christopher is the robed figure and possibly responsible, but Oliver refuses to answer as Christopher and "Anthony" are the only topics he can't discuss. Shaun remembers that the robed figure wore perfume, and the group ask Lydia about the perfumes she manages. Kate asks for a list of shadows that use perfume closest to the one Shaun remembers, then to see if anyone recently changed perfumes, to Lydia's displeasure. Seeing the time, Kate decides to leave, and Oliver gives both Emilico and Shaun keys that will unlock the door of the doll's room at night. He asks Kate to come by again, and for John and Shaun to fix the broken wall. On the way back, Kate internally decides to trust John for his help and decides to bring Patrick and Louise to her side.

At night, Kate has John, Louise, and Patrick meet up in Patrick's room, sneaking out to the hall through Emilico's room. At the meeting, Kate explains the situation to the group and asks for their help in the investigation. However, Louise and Patrick are reluctant to help as they don't want to get involved, with Louise pointing out that Kate is acting self-centered. Kate realizes her personality is stopping her from making allies and focuses her efforts on just establishing a bond in the group. Seeing John giving off soot, she takes some and kneads it into a sootman and invites the others to join her, apologizing for trying to talk about heavy topics. Seeing how soot may have different textures, the rest of the shadows join in. After Patrick fails to make a shape from his soot, the shadows mix all their soot and turn it into a clay-like substance. John makes a mini Kate, Patrick makes a skull, Louise makes a scorch with a flower, and Kate makes a sootman. The figures heated up and turned into pottery figures to keep them from coming to life, and Patrick sees that Kate made a bow in memory of Shirley. Kate hopes to meet her again someday and give her the figure, deciding not to force Patrick and Louise to get involved. Despite this, Patrick and Louise speak up and chooses to help, having seen the more caring side of Kate. The peers declare they will all find the culprit together.

## Characters

1. Kate
2. Emilico
3. John
4. Shaun
5. Oliver
6. Olly
7. Anna
8. Nancy
9. Lydia
10. Liddy (No Lines)
11. Jeremiah (No Lines)
12. Jeremy (No Lines)
13. Master Robe (Fantasy)
14. Louise
15. Lou (Fantasy)
16. Patrick
17. Ricky (Fantasy)
18. Mia (Flashback)
19. Rum (Flashback)