Episode 3: It'll Become Your Greatest Partner

**It'll Become Your Greatest Partner**(最高の戦友パートナーになるんだからよSaikō no Pātonā ni Narunda kara yo) is the third episode of the Aoharu x Kikanjuu anime series. It aired on July 10, 2015.

## Synopsis

Tachibana has finally paid of her debt to Matsuoka for damages she did to his host club. Although she is happy that she is no longer obligated to play survival games, she's become bored with her ordinary life. One day while walking around school with her friend Kanae, she sees Yukimura leaning at the school's front gate. He calls out to Tachibana and pulls out an adult manga, earning him a kick from Tachibana. Yukimura tells Tachibana that his latest manga volume just came out and he wanted to give it to him, ob

livious that it's inappropriate to read in public, let alone on school grounds. Tachibana tells him to leave but he says that Tachibana looks pent-up and thought his book would help him. He says she seems tense lately without the survival games.

Then he asks if Tachibana is sure she doesn't want to keep playing survival games. That once you've tasted the battlefield you can't go back to an ordinary life. Tachibana swears that she's done with it and then calls over a police officer to arrest Yukimura for being a molester showing adult books to kids. She says that her strength should be used only to fight evil, not for selfish desires. But as the cop apprehends Yukimura, he quickly grabs the cop's gun and asks Tachibana if seeing that excites her any. The cop drags him away, and Kanae tells her not to hang around Yukimura. But Tachibana wants to experience the weight of the gun in her hands, running through grass, being around enemies, wondering who will be hit first... All of the thrills she can only get by playing survival games. But she thinks that she cannot ask to be let back onto Masuoka's team.

    When she gets home from school she sees a black letter with a tiny white gun on it in her mailbox. It's addressed to Yukimura and she is surprised to learn that he too lives in her apartment building. So she goes over to his place, but his mailbox is so full she decides to leave it inside for him.

    While in his empty apartment she sees a room in the back that is full of guns and equipment he uses for the survival games. She puts on a pair of his goggles and holds the gun he loaned her. As soon as she touches them the memories of participating in the survival games return to her. Things such as hiding from opponents, wondering who will shoot first, trying to beat an opponent who is slightly better than her. While she is enjoying her memories Yukimura comes into the room and pulls a gun on Tachibana, asking what she's doing in his room. She apologizes over and over again and Matsuoka soon joins them. He knew this would happen, her finally admitting that she misses the games. So they let her rejoin their team.

Elsewhere, at a hospital, a doctor named Midori finishes up with a young patient. As she and her mother leave his office a very tall man bumps into the girl, knocking her down. He tries to give her a lollipop as a way to apologize but his scary face and imposing body chases her and her mother way. A female hospital worker looks at the scene and comments that he's made someone else cry.

The taller man goes to Midori's office and hands him a black envelope with a tiny white gun on it. He says that it's that time of year again, and that he hopes 'those boys' are there too.

    Later that evening, while doing homework, Tachibana hears Matsuoka saying seductive things to someone on his side of their shared wall. Annoyed, she barges in and finds him sitting on the floor polishing a gun. Yukimura comes over to see what the fuss is about and Matsuoka explains that he was talking to his desert eagle he has named Tsubuan. Tachibana can't believe his behavior but Matsuoka says that she won't understand his feelings until she owns her own gun. Then he decides that Tachibana should buy her own gun.

The next day, Tachibana goes to Akihabara to go shopping for a gun. She meets Yukimura and together they are go to the gun store. He will help her choose and buy it for her because she's a minor. She remembers telling them last night that she doesn't have much money. So Matsuoka hands her an envelope with money in it to use for buying a gun. He tells her not to grab just any gun. That an expensive gun isn't always the best and a cheap gun isn't always the worst. She should buy a gun that feels right because it will become her partner on the battlefield.

As they walk she asks if there is a survival game that determines who's the best team in Japan. Yukimura says yes, and tells her that's what the black envelope is for. It's an invitation to that tournament. Tachibana is impressed that Matsuoka and Yukimura are so talented in the games that they would be invited to such an important event. You must have three members to compete. Only the best survival game teams are allowed to compete. The winners get 1 million yen prize. They can also get rare equipment and vairous special privileges. But the best prize is bragging rights of being the best in Japan. Tachibana feels disappointed that Matsuoka is only in it for the money instead of fun, but Yukimura whispers to himself that that isn't all he cares about. Then he tells Tachibana to look forward to fighting against stronger opponents.

As they walk to the store Yukimura sees a brand new ero game on sale and is torn between standing in line for it or taking Tachibana to the store. Out of pity, Tachibana lets Yukimura stay and heads towards the shop.

    Tachibana eventually finds Eichzen, the survival games store. She's overwhelmed by the selection of goods, and intimidated by the man behind the counter. She thinks he's the store's bouncer because he looks like a soldier fresh from combat. As she looks around confused a man approaches her. He introduces himself as Midori Nagamasa and offers to give her advice on selecting a gun. Firsts he asks what her combat style is: attacker, defender or sniper. Tachibana says a good offense is the best defense, which makes her an attacker. As they look at a wall covered in guns she points out the gun she's used before. He tells her it's a Heckler & Koch MP5. He explains that it's submachine gun, which is shorter than a regular gun and easy for women to use. Then he takes hold of her from behind without warning, feeling her body. He has a moment of confusion before Tachibana pulls away from him. He explains that he was performing a body check to see what her muscles and frame are like.

    Midori suggests a Heckler & Koch G3 SAS High Cycle. It's lightweight, high-speed and fully automatic. It's also 535 millimeters long, weighs 2,430 grams and fires 25 shots per second. The store manager, the man she thought was a bouncer, takes it down and hands it to her. She feels a connection with it immediately. Then Midori recommends she get a dot sight, a charger, spare magazines and batteries too.

All in all it costs 55,650 yen, but she discovers Matsuoka only gave her about 1,000 yen. The store manager is angry but then she remembers what Yukimura told her before they parted ways. Say “going up”. So she asks the store manager what “going up” means, and he says that this is probably what Matsuoka had planned all along. He tells her to follow him upstairs. She looks at Midori and he tells her that it'll be fun. She heads upstairs.

    Right after Tachibana goes upstairs Yukimura comes inside the store holding the adult items he just bought for himself and Tachibana. But he sees Midori instead and is shocked. Then he lunges forward to punch him in the face. But Midori is faster. He grabs Yukimura's fist and twists him around, pinning his chest to the counter. Midori calls Yukimura a mad dog that Matsuoka has not trained right, and Yukimura vows to kill Midori.

## Image Gallery

Tachibana apologizes for trespassing in Yukimura's houseTeam Toy Gun Gun in Yukimura's gear roomMatsuoka and Yukimura welcome Tachibana back into Toy Gun GunUsanagi at his deskMidori and Tachibana look at toy gunsTachibana follows Usanagi upstairsYukimura's ero hoard