Preparations and Herons

**Preparations and Herons** (備えとアオサギ, *Sonae to Aosagi*) is the ninth episode of the Houkago Teibou Nisshi anime.

## Overview

The Embarkment Club members all attend a mandatory swim practice lead by Sayaka. The following day, the club members go fishing and a heron with a fishing line caught on its leg bothers Hina.

## Complete Summary

At school, Hina and Natsumi finish up a CPR class that they did together and talk about the swim practice for their club. They soon run into a morose Makoto and just after they do, Sayaka calls out to them. Sayaka reminds them of the swim practice they'll be doing later that day, much to Makoto's dismay.

Afterschool by the poolside, the Embankment Club do stretches and are then instructed by Sayaka on how things will proceed from there. It's also learned that when Sayaka was in college she was a lifeguard. To start things off, Sayaka gets into the pool and has soon has Yūki get in too. Once Yūki's in the pool she starts to float on her back, which is what they'll be doing that day. Eventually, all of the club members enter the pool, and Makoto being afraid of water is held by Yūki. As Yūki and Makoto continue their conversation with each other, Hina and Natsumi talk about how Hina also can't swim. Even so, Hina notes that so long as her feet touch the floor she's fine. Wasting no more time, they both complete their task of laying on their backs on the water. Unsurprisingly Makoto struggles to do this. To help Makoto with her predicament, Sayaka gives her a makeshift floatation device.

Once that's finished, Sayaka reveals to the group that the inflatable belt life jackets have arrived. The group puts the belts on, while Sayaka elaborates on the belt's functions. In light of this, Sayaka has a disconcerted Makoto try it out to show everyone how it works. Reluctantly, Makoto jumps into the pool and belly flops onto Sayaka in the process. Just as Sayaka regains consciousness, the rest of the club members dive into the pool and try out their belts knocking her unconsciousness again. A livid Sayaka then details that they need to reimburse her for 6K¥ for using the belts as the cost of the tank to the belt is 2K¥ each.

The rainy season finally over, the Embarkment Club members with the exception of Yūki go fishing again. Concerned that the water is too dirty to fish in, Hina is reassured by her fellow club members that it'll be fine as fish have a good sense of smell and sight. Makoto then demonstrates how to catch a fish in dirty water with a burakuri rig and catches a scorpionfish. As they fish, they're visited by a Heron who steals one of Hina's fish. Yūki then arrives at the scene and after learning what happened, gives an explanation on Herons. Just as Hina catches another fish, but releases it due to its small size, the heron once again snatches it. Right after yelling at the thieving heron, Hina notices that the heron has a used fishing line attached to its leg. Hina believes that they should catch it and remove the line attached to it, however, Yūki notes how hard that task would be. Not wanting to fish any longer, the club calls it a day.

That night, Hina does some research on how herons commonly get fishing lines caught in their bodies and the adverse effects it has. What Hina learned had a dramatic effect on her and later contacts Yūki to help concoct a plan to capture the heron. The plan is disclosed to Natsumi and Makoto the following day at the club. With permission from the city hall and the proper tools and supplies, the club goes on a hunt for the heron. Hina begins the plan by luring the heron over with some, "Fresh Blue Sprats". Once the heron is close enough, the undercover Yūki, Makoto, and Yūki grab the bird and Hina removes the fishing line from its leg. Believing that the heron is too traumatized to return, they start fishing, but as Hina does she notices the heron is back.

## Characters in Order of Appearance

* Tsurugi Hina
* Hodaka Natsumi
* Ōno Makoto
* Kotani Sayaka
* Kuroiwa Yūki