Dreams of the Quill

It was kind of awkward finding a suitable quote from the intro this time around. I can’t use Akari’s line because this episode is about Alice, and Alice’s complete line (”I may not be able to unlock Athena’s treasure box anymore!!!”) sounds 100% wrong taken out of context.

Pssst. In case anyone’s lost count, I skipped one episode in the past, so we’re at 8 now.

This episode, much like my second-favorite ARIA episode of all time (The Natural 13), focused on the relationship between Alice (I/may be/an introvert) and Athena (to you/a shallow/clumsy senpai). No, this didn’t usurp the throne of second place. In fact, I’m not sure how good the episode was compared to other ARIA episodes… I think it may have actually been bad compared to them. Though, that’s not saying a whole lot (remember, ARIA is gold).

The episode had very few embarrassing remarks and, as a result, very few instances of ‘OBJECTION! Embarrassing remarks are not permitted!!’ The episode had only one or two ‘my my *giggle*’ and, while President Maa eyed President Aria’s belly, there was no biting.

Maa would make a good mudkip, by the way.

Anyway, back to what this episode DID have:
- ridiculously good animation, similar to the Masshiro na START episode
- Athena SD - makes me wanna be clumsy
- plotting - who does Athena think she is, Matsuoka Miu?
- Alice crying - a lot - made me kinda sad

In the best interests of like, enjoying things that are good for good reasons, I’m going to assume that Akari and Aika’s “oooo, picnic, must be… THAT” was a reference to the Single exam and not a date. This in spite of the fact that Alice clearly thought it was a date; what the heck was up with her creating a schedule? Anyway, Alice is a silly little girl.

As is Athena. Ooh my, I can’t hold myself back—they’re perfect for each other.

Way more so than I thought back in The Natural 13.

Athena, in The Natural 13, had some prize line about wanting to be like a hidden character in a game, who shows up when you’re in a pinch and makes you think, “Lucky!” At the time, I thought that that line was her attempt at relating with Alice and bringing her logic down to a level that her cute junior could understand.

Wow, was I mistaken. It’s still an awesome line, but…

Those are exactly the terms in which Athena thinks. She’s such a kid, so childish—her ‘deception’ thing with the amnesia in this episode was so splendidly childlike that I almost couldn’t believe it. And it was totally obvious that she was lying about it moments after it became totally obvious to Alicia—the moment Alicia stepped out, it was clear that there was absolutely nothing wrong.

Athena and Alicia are best friends after all.

Alicia wouldn’t leave for work were Athena seriously in trouble.

Non-clumsy Athena was kind of scary.

Crying Alice was incredibly awwwwwwwwww.

And even-more-human-than-before Alicia was… well, more human.

In closing: don’t pull crazy stunts like this to find out if your underclassmen are in love with you or not; while it’s not quite bitchy it is kind of insensitive and, as was noted by someone on MAL, it’s a recipe for losing your friends. It’s okay if you’re Athena though because you can sing well, and because everyone knows you mean well, and your underclassman is in love with you, after all.

Let"s be together on Aqua again next time.