As if life weren’t complicated enough, my computer decided to turn itself into a singularity and obliterated my entire desk, so having taken a week off unwillingly I now return with a double header of Sora no Woto! For those of you also following my Durarara!! reviews, relax, I plan to do a double header of that too, so expect a quick four reviews without my usual prelude jargon and drama.
It's not the glasses that let her see through Rio
Episode 3 of Soto no Woto starts with Kanata back up on the roof the next day with bugle in hand, prepared to play the morning call. Again, her sound is abysmal, but it’s a minor inprovement from her first attempt though not many people seem to notice. The squad starts the day with a breakfast made by Kanata, complete with a miso soup with stock from her home town. Afterwards the squad goes to work cleaning and maintaining the base and their equipment as we are treated to a slight montage. While this is going on, Rio and Felicia take a moment aside to talk, and while Rio won’t admit it flat out, she’s clearly taken a shine to her pupil which her commanding officer can see.
Lip Service Joke Here
After work, Felicia, Noel, and Kureha decide to go into town to pick up some supplies while Rio and Kanata stay behind to practice trumpeteering. The three leave, and Rio gives a demonstration as to how Kanata should be able to control her mouthpiece and lips by playing a scale with relative ease. Kanata makes an attempt next and, as usual, fails, barely able to produce any sound. The two take a break and Rio asks Kanata why she joined the military to whice she explains she heard she could learn to play an instrument for free (though defending their country is important too!). Kanata asks back the same question to which Rio doesn’t elaborate on much, only really saying it was the opposite of Kanata’s reason.
Kanata falls ill
Kanata recalls back to the trumpeteer from her childhood and tells Rio she reminds her of that lady, and then immediatly collapses in a cold sweat. Rio bolts from her seat and sits Kanata up, and doing so remembers back to a painful memory from her own childhood of this exact same situation. Rio changes Kanata into her nightgown and lays her out in her bed then rushes about to find some medicine, only to find that their medicine was one of the things the others went into town to gather. Rio has another flashback and remembers a man from the church that came to care for her mother when she fell ill years ago. With no other options, Rio gets on her motorbike and speeds into town for help.
Yumina & Rio
At the church, a young priest who looks after the orphen children named Yumina meets Rio at the door, both surprised to see the other. Rio asks for her help and the pair rush back to the base. Yumina dissolves some of her herbs into a drinking pot and feeds it to Kanata believing she’s contracted malaria. Rio doesn’t understand since only kids are supposed to get malaria, but Yumina explains adults can catch it too if they work themselves too hard (as Kanata had that same day). Though serious, Yumina is certain she’ll recover quickly and leaves Rio with some extra medicine just in case. The two, whatever past they have, seem to have swept it under the rug, and though from opposing lifestyles seem to have forged a new friendship in a way.
Opposite beliefs, United causes
The beans at the bottom of the soup
Dreaming her dream of the trumpet all those years ago, Kanata slumbers until she wakes up to Rio humming. She sits up, startling Rio casuing her to cut her thumb while peeling an apple. Rio bandages herself up, and Kanata feels useless for falling ill, then causing Rio to hurt herself. She feels like the beans at the bottom of the stew she had made that morning, serving a purpose, but utterly useless. She then asks Rio where she heard the song she was humming, ‘Amazing Grace’ as it was the song the trumpeteer played all those years back. Rio leads Kanata out to the tank and fiddles with it a moment before finally, ‘Amazing Grace’ plays over the speaker in it’s full symphonic form.
Harmony
Rio moves back beside Kanata while listening on and explains that the symphonic form works because they all work together, like a military squad. Everyone has their role and purpose, and though the work is hard, it’s what they are meant to do. Rio goes on telling Kanata she’s the new girl, and it’s her job to cause trouble for Rio. Yes, she will be scolded when she messes up, but that’s her duty, and Rio wouldn’t have it any other way. Kanata makes a pact then and there to fulfill her role and cause as much trouble as she can for Rio. Rio naturally chuckles at the idea, and tells Kanata to go easy on her.
