Darker than Black ep.13

June 30, 2007 | 17 Comments

After waiting for 12 episodes, we're finally rewarded with Yin's background story. It's interesting to know that her personality in the past is quite different from her current personality. It makes one wonders if Dolls actually retain the personality of the original person or if they have their own unique personality, even though they are limited by their program. In a way, the Dolls (and Contractors) can be compared to Replicants in Blade Runner or its literary source, Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?. The main difference is that Replicants can mimic human emotion effortlessly while Dolls can't seem to do the same. There was actually some reference about Contractors not being able to see dreams on last week's episode so it's a natural extension for this episode to continue along that theme. As a side note, this episode also provides brief explanation as to why Tsukiakari is integral to Yin's story.

The episode begins with a flashback of a little girl with silver hair practicing piano with her teacher while her mother sat nearby. Halfway through the performance, the teacher told the girl, whose name is Kirsi, that she needed to hold the pedal a little bit longer. Kirsi snapped and told the teacher that she's doing exactly that. In response, the teacher asked her to put more feeling into it but she can start by perfecting her form. In response, Kirsi told the teacher that form and feeling are different but before she could said anything else, the teacher stopped her sentence by placing his finger in front of her lips. Ick. He explained that if he control her form, her feelings could arise from said form. Even if she's sad, that sadness will be lessened if she smiles. Kirsi pouted and told the teacher that she has no idea what he's talking about. In response the teacher smiled and talked to her mother that maybe it's too difficult for her.

The mother laughed and told him that Kirsi is not mature enough to understand it. Kirsi wasn't happy to hear this and asked her mother not to treat her like a child. Kirsi's mother was shocked to hear this so Kirsi eventually calmed down. After a while, Kirsi asked the teacher if that day was full moon. The teacher looked into the window and confirmed it. Kirsi then revealed that she loves this light. And even though she couldn't see it, she could feel its silver colour. In the present time, it is revealed that Kirsi is none other than Yin, who stands alone in an alley, reminiscing about the time when her mother grieved after a plane accident. Meanwhile, inside a temple, Huang informs Mao and Hei that the upper management had informed him about a group which is coming after them. Upon hearing this, Mao complains about their popularity. Hei asks Huang about the group's intention but Huang admits they haven't figured it out.

Inside the Astronomy dome, Kanami tells her subordinate that the lips complexion of medium no.6 is not good so she suggests that they raise the Natrium (Sodium) concentration within the capsule. When the subordinate start mentioning about regulations, Kanami explains that the medium have delicate bodies and minds. Because of this, the researchers can't rely too much on monitors and meters to gauge the individual differences between the mediums. When the subordinate kneels down to inspect a particular medium, she is surprised to see said medium moving its mouth. When she reports this to Kanami, Kanami jokes around by saying that the medium is dreaming. She explains that although it's been confirmed that mediums can't dream, she'd like to think that they see peaceful dreams. Their conversation comes to a halt when Kanami gets an alert about a change in the movement of their surveillance spectres. It seems they converge towards a spot.

As soon as she arrives in the control room, Kanami wonders if the spectres detected a Contractor. The assistant claims it's not but the spectres are drawn to a specific co-ordinate. At the same time, an overweight woman can be seen singing while looking over a bridge. A car then pulls over and from within it, a man comes out and reprimands the woman because he already told her not to go out freely. The woman instead points out at a lifeless body laying underneath the bridge. Upon seeing the body, the man wonders if it's one of 'them'. The woman is not sure but guesses that it's probably someone higher than their target. In response the man reminds the woman that they've been requested to find out background informations and powers of their targets, instead of killing them. When the man notices the spectres watching from nearby phone lines, however, he starts using his power to suck all of the spectres, effectively absorbing them into his body.

This action directly produces alarm all over the Astronomy dome. The subordinate warns Kanami that something happens to the psychic medium. Kanami orders the control room assistant to recall the spectres but unfortunately they can't do this. When they cross-referenced the astrology, they find out that a Contractor with Messier code of CY-463 is active. Kanami is horrified to see this because it means that said Contractor is sucking the spectres medium. Meanwhile, the Contractor who sucked the spectres look uncomfortable. It appears one of the spectres connect him for brief seconds with the Dolls in the Astronomy dome. The Contractor's attention, however, is quickly focused on another spectre rising out of water. As it turns out, the spectre in question is controlled by Yin, so the attempt to suck it caused Yin to fall unconscious in the alley. Upon realising this, the Contractor informs the overweight woman that he just got linked to one of their targets.

The next day, Kurosawa Gai gets a new client, one who points at a photo of Yin standing inside the tobacco shop. Gai tries to show off his English language ability to the gaijin, who turns out to be Kirsi's piano teacher, Aries Kastinen. Gai is flattered that a famous pianist from Northern Europe would seek his help to find the girl. Kiko, however, can't help being snide. She claims that she didn't know Gai is well-known overseas. Kastinen himself is surprised upon finding out that the detective name is Kurosawa Gai. Meanwhile, the Contractor who sucked Yin's spectre is now seen inside a hotel room and is quickly joined by the overweight woman. She comments about how the guy is extremely calm. He tells her that they don't need to rush since the Doll that he shocked last night must be wandering around somewhere right now, acting as if she's sleepwalking. The woman changes the conversation and asks the man if he has a cigarettes. The man wonders if she should smoke since she's a singer and all.

The woman claims that she can't help it since it's her payment. Upon hearing this, the man gives her a box of cigarettes. Upon seeing the notebook the man is holding, the woman also makes a grab for it and reads it outloud. As it turns out the note is about a girl standing near a lake during a white night, wishing to get closer to the silver-colored moon. The woman can't help but laughing upon hearing this but the man snatches the notebook back and tells her that this is his payment. She assures him that it's not a bad payment although it's a bit girly. It would have been better if it actually rhymes. Meanwhile, Huang informs Hei that he hasn't been able to contact Yin since last night. Hei wonders if Yin runs away but Huang rejects the idea since Dolls can't think on their own and she only has a minimal program which keeps her alive. Having said that, he found out that one of the men from the organization had been killed last night.

Huang thinks the killer might have abducted Yin as well. Huang thinks they probably tries to find out information about them. However, Yin has no emotion and her memory is also not that good. He then warns Hei to be careful and tells him that it wouldn't be a big deal if they sacrifice their least useful Doll. Hei responds to this by hanging up the phone abruptly. Meanwhile, Yin is wandering around the city, looking lost. Meanwhile, Mao goes to the cigarette shop and realises that Yin hasn't gone back. Gai and Kiko then arrive there as well so Mao hides himself and informs Hei that these two are looking for Yin. Yin herself makes her way to an open-air theatre where a girl can be seen practicing piano. This brings a memory of the time when Kastinen and her mother praised her piano playing. Back then Kastinen dropped his penlight so Kirsi's mother wanted to turn on the light. Kirsi, however, asked them not to do this because she loves the moonlight.

In the present day, Kiko spots Yin standing on her own so she and her friends decide to take her to a restaurant. When Kiko answers a phone call, however, Yin senses something and leaves the restaurant. Kiko can't follow her since her friend doesn't want her to skip on their bill. Yin herself heads to an empty construction site and ends up meeting the male contractor. He tells her that he can read Dolls' conscious mind and tries to take her away. Before he can do this, Mao appears and paws at him. Hei also arrives and tries to electrocute him but the fat lady appears and sings a song which brings out shockwave that destroys building materials. Hei, who sees Yin in danger, jumps forward to protect her. After saving her, Hei tells Yin to go away. Gai and Kastinen, however, find Yin before she can go far. Meanwhile inside their car, the male Contractor is shocked when the fat lady, Bertha, eats cigarettes before coughing violently. She, however, assures him that she's okay since this is just her payment.

Preview

Inside a taxi, Kastinen asks Yin if she remembers him, causing her to get her memory back. Later on inside the detective agency, Kastinen asks Gai to shelter them until they can leave the country. Kiko thinks that Yin is being followed by stalker and suggests that they hide in a hot springs. At the same time, Huang is unhappy that Hei lost their enemies and let Yin disappear. Mao warns Huang that jumping at each other's throat is what their enemies would want them to do. In response Huang tells them that he doesn't care since he doesn't want to work with them. In response, Hei tells Huang that the feeling is mutual. Besides, Contractors like them don't have embarrassing emotion such as fear. Huang becomes angry and throttles Hei, telling him that he has no idea how frightening the organisation can be. He also tells Hei that he'd kill Yin himself if Hei won't. Speaking of Yin, she's on her way to the Onsen. However when Kastinen suggests that they go back home when this is over, she refuses.

Impression:

Huang is a major jerk is finally confirmed by this episode. Admittedly, we haven't seen much of his story and he probably have a very good reason for not liking Contractors. Having said that, the story certainly doesn't paint a very good impression of his character so far. The way he was being dismissive of Yin's life makes it hard to root for the guy. On top of this, he had the audacity to tell his other team mates that he doesn't want to work with them. Having said that, he was probably telling the truth when he said that the organization is far more terrifying than Hei or Mao could imagine. That, however, makes me wonder why he worked there in the first place. As for Yin, it appears that at one point she used to be a normal girl called Kirsi. However, judging from Huang's information, she's a complete Doll right now. It's likely that the plane accident shown earlier was actually Kirsi's and Yin was created to make her mother feel better.

On next week's episode: Yin loves moonlight.

© memento 2003