Season 2, Episode 7

To Obtain, To Lose, To Leave is the twenty-third episode of The Guardians. It is the seventh episode of season two.

Link to transcript: To Obtain, To Lose, To Leave/Transcript

## Summary

This episode is a BACKSTORY (until the end). Ayaka breaks her friendship with Mei and Kendra. All alone, she meets someone unusual.

## Plot

**Thursday, 7:50 AM.** Ayaka is at school, looking inside her locker. Suddenly, Kendra slams the door of her locker shut. Kendra seems to be angry at Ayaka -- and Ayaka doesn't know why that is. Mei explains how they've noticed Ayaka distancing herself from them. Ayaka doesn't understand why the two are so angry about that. Kendra won't hear her out, still confronting her. Ayaka finally explains how she's been distancing herself from them because she won't let them be herself; Kendra argues against that statement. Seeing that neither is willing to back down, Ayaka breaks off their friendship and walks away. Kendra is annoyed because she thought Ayaka would simply agree with her and apologize. Mei reminds her that they don't need Ayaka, as they have each other. While they fantasize about being royalty, Ayaka judges them from a distance. Then, Ayaka notices Cam and Mizuki talking to each, and starts wishing she had real friends. The bell rings and Ayaka enters her class.

**Thursday, 12:12 PM.** During lunch, Ayaka goes to the bathroom. She stares at herself in the mirror for quite a while. When Miyu also enters the bathroom, she wonders what is up with her, and questions Ayaka. Miyu wonders if Ayaka is insecure, to which Ayaka states otherwise, as she likes her hair. She also states that, in regards to personality, she desires to be more like her true self -- as she felt like she lacked that freedom with her old friends. Miyu wonders if Ayaka dislikes her eyes, seeing she had covered one and didn't mention them at all. Ayaka reassures her that it's only a hair choice, but Miyu doesn't believe her. Miyu tells her that she shouldn't cover her eyes just because they're not the norm and that she is unique in her own way. Ayaka appreciates those kind words. She wonders if Miyu is also insecure, doubting it because of her fantastic advice. However, Miyu states that she doesn't follow her own advice. Ayaka introduces herself, but Miyu already knows who she is, and leaves the bathroom. After a moment, Ayaka goes back to staring at the mirror. She uncovers her eye, loving the sight of both her eyes uncovered. She immediately goes into the hallway to announce how, from tomorrow, she'll be free. Everyone stares at her weirdly. Ayaka walks away, embarassed.

**Friday, 7:48 AM.** Ayaka is yet again looking inside her locker. This time, it is Mei who slams it shut. Ayaka is annoyed. Kendra wonders what she's doing, as she notices Ayaka's other eye is not covered. Mei and Kendra find the eye strange. Ayaka, however, argues by saying that she loves her eye, and that she shouldn't listen to the two's opinion. She can't change her eyes overnight, so it shouldn't matter -- she believes. Ayaka declares that she's proud of the way she looks and that she's not going to be brought down by Mei and Kendra's words. She wishes them the best, hoping they'll soon realize their wrongdoings. Mei and Kendra are speechless. They compliment her, attempting to get their friend back, but Ayaka walks away, proudly.

**Friday, 4:10 PM.** Ayaka is sorting out the paper in her backpack, when she hears two people arguing in the hallway. It is Rowan and Miyu. Rowan claims to be hurt by Miyu's behaviour. Ayaka recognizes Miyu as the girl that was in the bathroom with her. Rowan calls Miyu an awful friend, constantly guilt tripping her. Ayaka sees that Miyu needs help so, after looking at Kendra and Mei, she gets an idea. Ayaka goes up to Rowan, informing them that Kendra was talking bad about him. Rowan wants more details, so Ayaka lies by saying that Kendra said Rowan dresses like that for attention and that he's really annoying. Rowan laughs, and approaches Kendra, ready to confront her. Kendra and Rowan start arguing -- and Ayaka is proud of that accomplishment. Although, she soon notices that Miyu has left.

Ayaka runs after Miyu on the school field. Miyu wants to be left alone so, activating her power, she throws a rock at Ayaka. Ayaka summons a plant barrier, which destroys the rock upon impact. Miyu immediately feels guilty for throwing the rock, but Ayaka reassures her. Still, Miyu would like to be left alone. Ayaka wonders what's wrong. Miyu finally confesses that everything feels wrong and that she feels so lonely. She realizes how Ayaka also lost her friends, so she talks telepathically to a bird, ordering it to bring a flower to Ayaka. The bird soon comes back, placing flowers in her hair. Miyu explains how her power works to Ayaka. Miyu asks if they will have to deal with her plant barrier. Once Ayaka says yes, Miyu laughs, wondering why she built one in the first place if she can't shrink it back; Ayaka felt like she had no choice. Finally, Miyu thanks Ayaka for what she did back in school. Ayaka simply admits that she did it because she wanted Rowan to leave Miyu alone. Miyu confesses that, after hearing about Ayaka's toxic friends in the bathroom, she gathered up the courage to break her own toxic friendship with Rowan. Miyu, this time, introduces herself to Ayaka. They become friends. Ayaka explains to Miyu how they're Guardians, having had a stranger deliver a note to her explaining that. Miyu finds it unusual. Then, Ayaka grows a flower for Miyu.

In the present day, Kaito is in the kitchen. It's night. Ayaka goes up to them, wondering if the note she was given was delivered by them. Kaito confirms that it was. They confess that they were the one trying to reunite everyone at first, instead of Yuki. However, Kaito felt so weak and useless around Yuki, so they left. Kaito admits that they felt even more useless after getting Corrupted. Ayaka is worried. Kaito apologizes for saying that -- but Ayaka informs them that they're always free to let their feelings out. Although, Kaito thinks otherwise, as they believe they don't matter. They plan to go home, and reject Ayaka's offer to accompany them. Kaito wants to be left alone. They run away and, when Ayaka goes to look for them, they're already gone.

## Quotes

*"Can you-- Can you rewind that a bit? Maybe, tell me the whole story first. Why did it come to this, Kendra?"*

**-Ayaka**

*"Do we look like toys to you?!"*

**-Kendra, to Ayaka**

*"Why are you making a huge deal of this?! You won’t even let me be myself! Why do you think I ignored you?!"*

**-Ayaka**

*"You’re nobody without us, Ayaka! Nobody!"*

**-Kendra**

*"Goodbye, Kendra. Maybe we’ll be friends again, another day."*

**-Ayaka**

*"She’ll soon come to realize how insignificant she is without her besties!"*

**-Kendra, about Ayaka**

*"You don’t have to hide who you truly are. Don’t seek validation from others; your opinion is the only one that matters. You mustn’t cover your eyes just because they're not the norm. You are unique in your own way."*

**-Miyu, to Ayaka**

*"From tomorrow, I’ll be a free woman! I'll do things my own way and I’ll be who I want to be!"*

**-Ayaka**

*"Well, I like them! I shouldn’t try to hide them because it’s not something I can change overnight. I am proud of the way I look and you’re not going to make me doubt myself, Kendra. Not. Again. I wish you the best, old friends. Hopefully, you’ll realize your wrongdoings, in the future."*

**-Ayaka**

*"Different is beautiful."*

**-Ayaka**

*"YOU’RE the one being sad? That should be ME! I suffer every day, Miyu. Mostly because of what an awful friend you are! Why won’t you try to understand me?!"*

**-Rowan**

*"She said that you dress like that for attention, and that you’re really annoying. Like, super annoying."*

**-Ayaka, to Rowan, about Kendra**

*"Let the war begin."*

**-Ayaka**

*"Kendra, Kendra, Kendra. I heard what you said about me."*

**-Rowan**

*"Oh, shut up, emo! I don’t want you near me, ugh!"*

**-Kendra, to Rowan**

*"Everything’s wrong! I feel so lonely! You don’t get it because you’re so pretty and you probably…have…"*

**-Miyu, to Ayaka**

*"If I picture an animal in my head really clearly, I get their abilities. And, also, I speak to animals telepathically. It’s a bit difficult, so it doesn’t always work, though."*

**-Miyu**

*"Of course! After all, friends always help to break a plant barrier."*

**-Miyu, to Ayaka**

*"I received this note from a stranger. I didn’t see them clearly. I don’t even know how they knew."*

**-Ayaka**

*"I made it to signify our BLOSSOMING friendship."*

**-Ayaka, to Miyu, about the flower she grew**

*"I was the one trying to reunite everyone, at first. After a few months of working with Yuki, however, I realized that she was stronger than me, so I left. I felt completely useless. Even more after I got Corrupted."*

**-Kaito**

*"You don’t have to be the funny one. You’re still a human and you have your own problems. It’s okay to let your feelings out."*

**-Ayaka, to Kaito**

*"Just leave me be, Ayaka!"*

**-Kaito**

## Trivia

* In the toys scene, the toys in the background have Kendra and Mei's hair.
* The waterfall sequence is made to represent shampoo adverts.
* This episode was made to be cliché and a bit cringey.
* When Ayaka walks away from Kendra and Mei's second argument, it was meant to come off as a bit cringey.
* To obtain = Miyu as a friend. To lose = Miyu and Ayaka losing their friends. To leave = Kaito leaving at the end, but also Ayaka and Miyu leaving their toxic friendships.
* Characters from other gacha series can be seen in the background.
* "You're so pretty and you probably have", Miyu was about to say that Ayaka had tons of friends -- before realizing she had lost them.
* It is implied that Miyu doesn't have to speak to animals for them to understand. In season 1, she probably did it just for the laughs, since it made people believe she had to do that.
* The flower + bird thing is a parallel to Season 1, Episode 5.
* When Kaito is leaving, in Kaito's memory, Axel can be seen reaching out for them.
* The first episode in season 2 to not have Guardians by Helloween playing as the outro.
* Miyu and Kaito are parallels to one another in this episode.

## Gallery

Sky interrupting the episodeKendra and Mei confronting Ayaka"Do we look like toys to you?""We gave you loveand fame."Kendra threatening AyakaAyaka and Mei fantasizingCam and MizukiAyaka introducing herselfKendra pointing out Ayaka's eye is not coveredSpeechlessRowan arguing with MiyuAyaka gets an ideaAyaka spreading lies about KendraKendra and Rowan arguingMiyu's goneMiyu activating her powerAyaka breaks the rock thrown at herMiyu talks to a bird telepathicallyMiyu gets the bird to give Ayaka flowersMiyu's power pt.1Miyu's power pt.2Ayaka showing Miyu the note she receivedKaito in the kitchenAyaka trying to comfort KaitoKaito running awayAyaka lost sight of Kaito