The Final Piece

Synopsis[]

First Half[]

R & H Play — Maebara Ichirō Watches Rika and Hanyū Play

Over a scene of a bored and sleepy Real Estate Agent, who sits at a table in a tent with a sign translated as "Hinamizawa Lot-for-sale Tour," Rika narrates in her Adult Voice that, "Someone once said, 'Destiny is a path you must clear for yourself.'" But, she continues, what gives one a chance to do so, "might be a tiny glimmer of a miracle." A man approaches with a name badge that identifies him as "Ichirō Maebara." His feet stop, he sighs, then without fully revealing his face, he starts to take photographs. He is interrupted by the laughter of very small children. Still looking through the camera, he tries to locate the source of the laughter. He finally sees Rika and Hanyū laughing as they run through the field. He watches them run away through the field.

Satoko wistfully looks out of her classroom window at other children playing. Rika also looks out from another window. Sonozaki "Mion" looks with concern at Satoko. Satoshi walks up to her and thanks her being attentive to his sister who can relax "just a little bit" at school. When "Mion" embarrassingly states she has done nothing, Satoshi eyes become heavy as he corrects her then asks her to save Satoko: "With my power alone, I can't bring back her smile."

Genesis of the Club — How The Club started.

She wonders if Satoko will think of her as a "nuisance" since she is a member of the Sonozaki family. Satoshi says he is here as well. Excited, "Mion" suggests inviting her to play after school. Satoshi laments that she will be berated by their Aunt when she returns home. "Mion" suggests that she join a "club." Satoshi complains that if she gets her cloths dirty she will be berated. "Mion" suggests an "indoor activities" club and suggests playing games. Satoshi then asks "Mion" if he can tell her something: he is taking a part-time job in order to buy Satoko a birthday present. Rena sits in a house staring at her reflection in a mirror. She hears the voice of her mother telling her to take the pills "Reina's" doctor prescribed even if her symptoms go away. She asks Rena a final time if she will not reconsider coming with her. Rena nods that she will not, and her mother leaves.

R Hears R Apologize — Rena's Vision of Hanyū

Rena then stares at her pills, then angrily casts them aside. She walks down a hallway and appears to hear the additional step behind her. She looks and sees no one.

In her bathtub, she watches blood drip from her fingers into the water but then runs down the drain like a worm. She then looks at the scratches on her left wrist. They suddenly foam as she gasps and she hears Hanyū's voice repeating "I'm sorry (ごめんなさい・gomennasai)." She sees the shadowy figure of Hanyū, with her face obscured, dressed in her miko robes repeating, "I'm sorry." Rena calls her vision of Hanyū, "Oyashiro-sama!" She then looks at her wrist where her scratches are normal again.

Rena introducing herself to a neighbor in Hinamizawa. The neighbor recognizes her as "Reina-chan," and Rena meekly corrects her that her name is "Rena." After she leaves, Rena explains to herself that she is no longer "Reina," and she will restart her life under her new name. Before she says it, the scene shifts to Satoshi walking along the school corridor. He feels someone is following him, and he looks behind himself in fear to see no one.

Rena Knows Footsteps — **Footsteps**
*Rena Knows Them!*

Rena then touches his shoulder, frightening him. She offers to listen to him, and he confesses that, "Footsteps are following me around." Rena admits that she knows about "those footsteps."

Irie talks with Satoshi in the waiting room of his clinic. Irie tries to convince him to continue playing baseball. Satoshi explains that he is quitting baseball in order to take a part-time job to purchase a stuffed Teddy bear for his sister's birthday. He then asks if he can take his bat home with him in order to practice swinging. Irie agrees, but he looks concerned as Satoshi leaves.

A bulletin board has photographs of a woman's body. Ōishi Kuraudo's partner Kumagai Katsuya declares this another example of "Oyashiro-sama's Curse." Angry, Ōishi vows to avenge his friend the dead Construction Manager.

Second Half[]

Irie leaves a store with Satoshi and the large stuffed Teddy bear. They enter Irie's car together. Irie notices that Satoshi seems to not feel well, and Satoshi replies that he things he is coming down with a cold. He then asks Irie to confirm that, with the death of his aunt, Satoko has no one left to bother her. Irie agrees. Satoshi begins to sweat and asks if his aunt is really gone.

Irie replies that he was at her autopsy. Nevertheless, Satoshi believes the people he passes all look like his dead aunt despite the fact he killed her. He asks if this is "Oyashiro-sama's Curse," and he confesses to Irie as if talking to Satoko that he originally planned to use the money to run away. He starts to scratch at his wrist wondering if, "there are maggots crawling around in my blood as well," then he starts scratching at his throat despite Irie's demands he stop. Irie speeds to his clinic. Two clinic workers rush out, and one carries him into the clinic. As he is carried, Satoshi asks Irie to save him. Takano offhandedly asks what is wrong. Irie diagnoses him as a high level Hinamizawa Syndrome, to which Takano delights in their luck--"Could this also be thanks to Oyashiro-sama's Curse?"--in obtaining "another specimen."

Rika Hanyu Ichirō — "Like homicidal girls with the potential for mass-execution, Nipaa~!"

As Ichirō watches somewhat stunned, the laughing Rika and Hanyū run towards him. Rika tells him in her Child Voice that Hinamizawa is a great village which she is sure has things he did not have in his city. He agrees with a smile. Rika continues that she is sure he will bring something from his city that cannot be found in Hinamizawa. When Ichirō asks if she is sure, Hanyū happily replies that he definitely has this thing, ending with a happy "Au-au!" Rika continues that they have been living in the village for a long time, "and that's why nothing has changed." Ichirō asks if that is not a quality of the village. Rika responds did he not come to Hinamizawa because he sought change. He smiles and agrees. Rika states that it is like fresh water is purified if it is allowed to stream: "A lake without currents is but a dank marsh." She then states that "we" have been waiting for him to move to Hinamizawa, and she says his name to his surprise. The previously asleep Real Estate Agent catches up to Maebara, asking him not to wander so far off. Maebara turns to apologize to him, but when he turns back to the field he finds Rika and Hanyū gone. Outside the Sonozaki House, Kimiyoshi Kiichirō's Son talks with Sonozaki Oryō. Mion addresses him politely as "uncle." He admits to her that he is surprised that "someone from the city," wishes to buy a home in Hinamizawa.

Oryō Honest — "Especially ones who shoot little girls in the face!" [*Citation Needed*. – Ed.]

After he drives away in the "Hinamizawa Sight Seeing Tour" van, Mion asks Oryō why she decided to put lots up for sale even though Oryō "hates outsiders." Oryō replies that she does hate outsiders, "especially those from the city," but they are necessary for the village: "It is like refreshing the air." She then playfully reminds Mion that when "Ryūgū Rena" moved in and became Mion's friend, Mion said she was happy to make friends with someone close to her age. She then kindly adds that Mion always complained that school was "so boring," before "Rena-chan" came and even laughs.

Mion pleasantly asks if Oryō feels she has changed because someone came from the outside. Oryō replies that even in cold winters one has to open a window to refresh the air: "Fresh air comes in, and stale air like us will have to be driven out." Oryō confesses she hoped it would be someone energetic to which the older people could depend on, but she will be happy if he just causes a "stir." She then reminds Mion of the day when Satoshi disappeared when Mion confronted her. "You know . . . that opened up my eyes." Oryō confesses she thought the family conflicts would die out as the "old guard" died out, but she now feels it must happen sooner. Mion rhetorically asks that Oryō cannot do it herself, "so you're leaving the task up to an outsider?" Oryō replies, "That is the best I can do." Mion smiles and Oryō reminds her that the "new wind" will be of her generation. She must accept the "new wind" from outside and mix it with the "old wind" of Hinamizawa. She then laments that since she is old she can only be "the one that everyone hates."

Post-End Titles[]

Keiichi stands outside the school expressing surprise that it is actually the school. From behind him with his wife, his father scolds him that to the people of the village this is a school. The Principle Kaieda and the teacher Chie Rumiko appear, and the Principle laughs that they are just a branch school who borrowed a building from the Forestry Preserve. Chie asks if he can manage the rules which will be different from the schools he has attended prior. Keiichi states he will, then turns to his father and tells him he likes and prefers it to a school in the city. As he runs in the building, the Principle remarks that it looks like the school "will become lively again." As they leave together, his father tells the Principle to "give him Hell!" if he acts up. Their departure reveals Rika and Hanyū sitting on a pile of wood. This time, Hanyū is translucent and dressed in her miko robes. Rika simply says in her Child Voice, "So you've finally moved here. We were getting tired of waiting." Hanyū emits a happy "Au-au" and states that, "things are going to change again now." She claims that Keiichi is "our trump card who taught us how to make a miracle happen." Rika reminds her that his miracles often "collapse at important times." Hanyū protests with an upset "Au-au-au-au" that it is not his fault.

Rika agrees: "It is Hanyū's fault!" "Apologize to Keiichi," she says with a smile as Hanyū turns chibi with tears and "Auu~! Auu~!" Rika then continues in her Adult Voice that up until now they have only assembled the "usual pieces on the game board." They are missing the piece that can stand up to Takano. "That piece is you, Hanyū." She then invites Hanyū to begin with her: "We have lived over a hundred years for this day."

Teaser[]

Chibi Hanyū announce another episode of "Dark Rika's Advice Corner," with the caller, again, being Hōjō Teppei. Chibi Rika, in her Adult Voice, sighs, "This guy again?" Chibi Hanyū relates that he asks:

"Who exactly are you Hanyū-san? Are you really an alien who came from the M37 star cluster like someone says? If that's the case, can you shoot laser beams from your arms or chest or forehead?"

Chibi Rika angrily tells her to answer questions about herself. Hanyū makes "bee-bong" noises ending with an "Auu~!" and then announcing the title of the next episode. She then zooms off the scene as Chibi Rika sighs, "And off she goes."

Characters[]

In order of appearance

Referbacks and Forwards[]

Shion changes places with Mion for this time period depicted in the arcs Watanagashi-hen and Meakashi-hen.
Shion invented The Club.
Seeing is Believing Auu~!: Maebara Ichirō is able to see Hanyū on his first visit to Hinamizawa. She wears a simple "one-piece" dress rather than her usual miko robes. Rena sees her as part of the progression of her Hinamizawa Syndrome dressed in her miko robes. This as well as the next episode suggests that Hanyū can determine when she is seen. In previous arcs, Rena has advocated for belief in Oyashiro-sama since she saw her.
Rena's mother calls her "Reina."
The real "disappearance" of Satoshi.
- Satoshi reveals that his throat "itches."
Mion revealed to Shion in Meakashi-hen that she directly confronted their grandmother over her Satoshi's disappearance.
The Teaser refers to the fact that "what" Hanyū is is never fully explained, and, as Rika confesses in the next episode and the manga versions, no matter how many times Hanyū explains it, she can never understand it.

Trivia[]

Rena or Reina: When They Cry Wiki understands that it is very difficult to hear the difference in pronunciation if one is not Japanese.

Cultural References[]

Miko (巫女)

Memorable Moments[]

Rika and Hanyū greet Maebara Ichirō
Satoshi decompensates.
Ōryo admits that Hinamizawa needs outsiders, even if she hates them.
Rika makes clear that Hanyū needs to act.

Quotes[]

"I do hate outsiders, particularly ones from the city." – Oryō
"Even though you're sick of the cold, you'll open up the windows from time to time." – Oryō
"It's all Hanyū's fault!" – Rika
"We've spent over a hundred years preparing for this day." – Rika