Flame of Recca Episode Summaries

Episode Four: Labyrinth of Mirrors: The Flame’s Do or Die Spirit!

Previously, Hanabishi Recca was able to save his friend Fuko from the control of Kage Houshi’s gift, the Fujin. In the shadows, Mikagami Tokiya saw their battle. He was provoked by Kage Houshi to fight Recca. He believes Recca to be part of the group of men who killed his sister. He battles with Recca and almost kills him except the presence of Yanagi on the scene stops him. For now.

Yanagi runs to Recca, but Tokiya leaps to block her way. The blade of Ensui liquefies and splashes on the ground. Yanagi stops, intimidated by the older student. He approaches her, commenting that she looks like his departed sister. She gazes at him for a moment before brushing past him to examine Recca’s state and in the process, knocking away Ensui from Tokiya’s grasp.

She holds Recca carefully, questioning Tokiya why he’d do such a thing. Does he have a heart? Tokiya recovers from his shock and smiles grimly, replying that his feelings are set aside for the revenge of his sister. He walks away stating that today, Yanagi has saved Recca’s life, but who knows what tomorrow will bring? He will find his answers, no matter the cost. Recca weakly lifts his head and curses in response. Yanagi rolls him onto his back and heals his many cuts and bruises

A small waterfall tumbles down into a luxurious pool where Kouran receives more information on the girl who healed the boy at the construction site. Yanagi. Kouran regards a picture of Yanagi taking care of a group of kids and requests for more information on her from his goons. The immortality trick of the Hokage Ninja will finally be discovered with the help of this girl…

Recca, Domon and Fuko meet to account the earlier night’s events. Fuko informs the other two that Tokiya is the smartest kid in school and one grade higher than them. However, he was famous for his ice cold stare. Recca announces that Tokiya possesses the elemental Ensui, leading the group to believe that Kage Houshi may be the cause. When they suggests for Recca to beat up Tokiya, his defeated expression stops them.

At the day care center, Yanagi tells an…. interesting story to the children (Recca beat up the big bad Domon and saved his princess and they lived happily ever after!!!…) only to be met by blank stares and two thumbs DOWN. She looks up and sees Fuko and Domon also in the audience. Looking past them, Recca sits glumly on the swings. To cheer him up, Yanagi suggests a field trip to the amusement park, of which Domon is more than willing to vouch for…… at first.

Tokiya watches the four of them, paying special attention to Recca. <<I wiped the floor with him last night! How can his injuries already have healed? This boy is dangerous.>> He spins around and walks away.

Domon fearfully looks down at the amazingly small moving specks on the ground. And suddenly, the ground comes rushing up to meet him. (You don’t mind going back up would you? I think I left my vital organs up there.) Recca doesn’t participate in the fun with the others, choosing instead to stare at his absolutely fascinating shoes. When Yanagi asks him what’s wrong, he replies that it is his duty to protect her, yet she is always saving him. Yanagi laughs it off and offers to buy juice. Yanagi walks back with the juice wondering how to help Recca out of his depression. She is stopped by Tokiya who leads her into the House of Mirrors. Fuko and Domon urge Recca to snap out of his despondency and find Yanagi who is taking too long. Exasperated by his lack of response, Fuko and Domon search for Yanagi on their own, leaving Recca to stare after them.

In the House of Mirrors, Yanagi discovers Tokiya’s past and his desire to avenge his sister’s death. She realizes that Tokiya doesn’t trust Recca and is willing to hurt him to get the answers he wants.

Recca trudges before the House of Mirrors. He hears Yanagi yelling at him to run away because of the danger nearby. Recca recalls his short time with Yanagi and races to her. At the same time, Yanagi pleads with Tokiya to leave Recca alone. But it is too late.

Recca runs into the House of Mirrors and faces Tokiya while asking Yanagi if she’s okay. Recca beseeches Yanagi to forgive him for acting stupidly and to accept him as her ninja again. Yanagi smiles in response. Tokiya implores Yanagi to get out of the way. The fight begins.

Recca calls out his flame, setting off the water sprinklers. In retaliation, Tokiya draws the water into Ensui. Three flames shoot out of Recca’s arm towards Tokiya who cuts two of them in half and dodges the last. The last flame shatters and mirror and the broken pieces fly in Yanagi’s in direction. They cut into flesh and blood flows… Recca’s blood. He stands in front of Yanagi, shielding her. Tokiya ridicules him for using up his energy and getting injured in the process.

Before the fight continues, Fuko and Domon scramble in to aide Recca. Fuko challenges Tokiya to fight her in place of Recca. Recca refuses the offer. Tokiya and Recca continue to fight, dodging and countering each other’s attack. Tokiya knocks Recca back with a kick and Recca lunges forward with a punch… only to have his fist connect with a mirror. Tokiya kicks Recca into a mirror. At this, Fuko and Domon race to help their fallen friend. However, their feet stick to the floor. Their individual shadows melt together into one and Kage Houshi makes her entrance. She forbids them to interrupt the struggle. Recca picks himself up and charges again. The two fight until Recca once again smashes his knuckles into a mirror. Turning around to charge at Tokiya, he is knocked back and stays prone on the ground. Tokiya sneers at him again, telling him that guts wouldn’t be enough to defeat him.

Recca staggers to his feet leaning back on a mirror for support and chuckles. Tokiya looks on in bewilderment, asking Recca if he surrenders. Recca smirks, holding up two fingers. Two more flames, and you’re history. He pulls his fireworks from his pocket and summons his fire. Tokiya scoffs that Recca has not yet learned anything from their fight. Recca ignores him and hurls his flame against the mirror, breaking the glass. Tokiya looks around himself to locate Recca’s position. Recca launches himself down upon Tokiya. Tokiya whirls around, and Ensui penetrates straight through Recca’s chest, through his heart…

And the glass shatters, the broken glass showering around Tokiya. << Mirror?!>> Recca stands behind him, his flame surrounding his fist. He charges at Tokiya who only barely manages to swing Ensui around in time. Recca continues to shove Tokiya back with his flame.

"Mikagami, you said that Flame can be beaten by Water, right? But there’s one thing you forgot…… Evaporation. Flame burns Water, too."

With that, the water forming the blade disperses and Tokiya is slammed into the mirror behind him. She slumps to the floor. Fuko and Domon are able to move again. Tokiya surrenders to Recca, accepting that Recca did not know of his sister’s death. Kage Houshi apologizes to them all. Recca glares at her accusingly. She explains that she needs to improve their skills, for another Flame master will appear before them. Among his followers will be the person who killed Tokiya’s sister. Tokiya interrupts, saying that it does not concern him. He asks Recca if he believes that he can truly protect Yanagi. Recca answers affirmatively… Should he not succeed, he would commit Hara-kiri (suicide). Tokiya smiles at that. No, Recca didn’t need to commit Hara-kiri, if he doesn’t succeed, Tokiya will just cut him in half. Recca smirks. Fine

As Tokiya leaves, Recca collapses to the floor, energy spent. Yanagi rushes to heal him, cutting her self to give him her blood since he lost too much of his own. Kage Houshi watches them sadly a tear trickling down her face. They can’t afford to lose anymore. Behind her, a man watches the entire scene.

Kouran is informed that the suspected girl indeed has powers. She may be the key to his immortality. Kurei laughs. "Now I know why stealing the elementals felt so necessary. I’ll capture the girl with the power of healing."

End of Episode 4