Come. It's time for magic.
Your consciousness is leaving your body.
You can only hear the words I'm saying.
The words I'm saying...
It's Zero!
Zero's program has started!
He's cool!
Great!
Hypnotism is great!
Ridiculous.
This is obviously fake.
Though you actually believe it.
One, two, three.
Miss Utau is now completely hypnotized!
Now then...
Please relax.
The instant she falls into this cage, with my magic, she will return in the form of a butterfly.
Come. It's time for magic.
It's Zero time!
Cut!
Now the scenes of Utau's butterfly transformation will all be composed with CG effects.
Good work.
This is ridiculous.
Make the CG effects more flashy than before.
But...
I'm just giving the fans what they want.
All you guys have to do is work according to the CG effects.
Well...
I can see it! I can see it!
I can see Entamestau's guardian spirit!
Ma'am, we have another program.
If you come on a date with me, I'll invite you to my show!
Thank you very much.
If you appear on her show, there's no doubt you will become more popular.
What's with those defiant eyes?
Magic time, is it?
All the magic tricks are nothing but CG effects.
You're an awful, fake magician.
What did you say? Where is your manager?
Our Utau is causing trouble?
How is your production company disciplining its stars?
Well, don't worry about it.
It looks like Utau's popularity will exceed Zero's soon.
What did you say?
The world of show business is awful.
That's why I was casually looking forward to this,
since I'd be able to see your magic with my own eyes.
I'm disappointed.
This is terrible.
I was thinking so much about our teacher that I couldn't concentrate on the test at all.
Wasn't it because you were watching TV yesterday?
So that's an excuse, isn't it?
Amu, maybe you should consult the others about Mr. Nikaidou?
Yeah.
I have something I want to talk about.
Z—Z—Z—Z—
Calm down, Hinamori. I'll explain.
I'm Nakagura Takuya from the fourth grade star class.
I didn't know Zero was a student here.
Since Zero is an unidentifiable, puzzling character,
the only person at school who knows about it is the Chairman of the Board.
Is it all right to tell us this secret?
Takuya trusts us guardians and has revealed his identity to us.
He says he wants us to watch his magic.
Why?
Who cares about the reason?
We get to see Zero's magic with our own eyes!
I got an autograph, too.
We're the only ones who know his identity!
Aren't you a bit too thrilled?
It's just an autograph from a performer. So lame.
But, since Ami is a huge fan, I'll take one.
There it is: Amu's obstinate character.
Just as I thought she would say.
I think it would be better to listen to his circumstances first.
Takuya, don't you have something you want to tell us?
Actually...
Zero's magic is all a sham?
That's mean!
Even yesterday's magic show with the lion?
Yeah.
The camera was stopped before she entered the cage.
Afterwards, the CG was added in.
Because of you, I did really poorly on my test today.
That's the same excuse Amu had.
Be quiet.
I'm shocked!
I don't need his signature!
Yaya, that's rude.
But I'm not happy about receiving an autograph from a fraudulent magician!
So, you've turned away from fake magic and want to practice with us?
No.
When I first started, I truly did use real magic.
But as I got more popular, and more work poured in...
What the audience really wants is not magic.
It's a flashy show.
I wasn't allowed to perform magic on stage.
If I showed my magic to my friends, they would figure out that I was Zero.
Even so, I want to see the faces of people who are delighted by my magic.
So that's why you came to us?
Yeah.
I apologize. I said too much. Sorry.
You apologize too.
Yaya's not going to apologize!
That's a bit low.
Because, because, if he doesn't like being fake that much, he should just quit being Zero!
You're right.
But becoming a famous magician was my dream.
Though my dream came true, I wonder why it hurts so much.
I guess just because your dreams come true doesn't mean that the battle is over.
Well, all we can do is meet him at the royal garden from time to time and let him relieve his stress.
That's true.
No way.
I can't accept this.
Relieving his stress in secret...
It feels like he's fooling his heart's egg.
There has to be something else we can do.
And...
What should we do?
I don't know!
Let's try talking with Nadeshiko.
At any rate, our Amu is...
Worrying about someone else's egg.
Amu, that's cool! Really cool!
Great charas!
Okay, everything is ready.
Is it really all right for me to use this?
It's fine.
These are the kimonos I used when I was a child.
Well then, shall we start?
Yeah.
Chips, syrup, whipcream!
Amu, wonderful!
It's as if she was using magic!
Well, I'm the one who did the design, you know.
Magician of Light, Shining Zero!
Hey, are you going to the after-school concert event?
Of course!
It's an event organized by the guardians, so I definitely won't miss it.
I wonder what kind of event it is.
I can't wait!
Right?
Isn't it about time?
Yeah.
To all students: Thank you for gathering on such short notice.
We are about to start the guardian-organized—
Everyone knows about Zero, the magical boy, right?
We know!
The secret here is that Zero has a rival no one knows about!
If you think it's not true,
look over there!
My name is Shining Zero! I arrive with the magic of light!
Capturing their attention went well.
It went well, Amu!
Yeah.
Have the audience focus on one place,
and then you utilize that opportunity to do the trick.
It's the basis of magic.
Fight! Takuya!
Thank you, upperclassman Hinamori!
Shining Zero?
I see. If I use the disguise of a character other than Zero...
You can perform your magic in front of everyone at school without worrying.
This is great. As expected of the guardians!
It was Tadase who thought of the idea, wasn't it?
You're not supposed to tell him!
I came up with the disguise,
but the one who proposed the idea was Hinamori.
Well...
Thank you, upperclassman Hinamori!
I'll have as much fun as possible with this one-day-only character!
Have the efforts of everyone's sparkling love magic reached you?
Yeah!
That was Shining Zero and the guardians.
Thank you!
Is Amu using a character change?
Looks like it.
Cheers!
That was uplifting!
Except there's one person whose spirit wasn't lifted.
I went and did it.
I thought I wouldn't be nervous if I did a character change.
What is "sparkling love magic" anyway?
Takuya, did you have fun?
Yes. It's been a while since I heard his voice.
His?
Yeah.
My friend, Zero.
What'll I do if I fail?
Don't worry. Haven't we been practicing our best?
But...
Takuya, smile! Smile!
Enjoy the stage that you have dreamed of as much as possible!
Yeah!
I had an imaginary friend, Zero.
I received my stage name from him.
A Guardian Chara!
Yeah.
After my dream came true and I was no longer smiling,
he may have started to hate me.
Before I knew it, I wasn't able to see him anymore.
I wonder if he doubted his would-be self, and can no longer see his Guardian Chara.
But today, I felt like I was able to hear his voice.
"Smile, smile," he said.
Take a look at that.
A Guardian Egg?
Takuya.
Yes?
I'm sure you'll be able to meet Zero again!
Yeah!
X Characters born from gifted kids should be somewhat different than X Characters from ordinary garbage eggs.
I'll make sure you are able to supply the data for my research.
I hope Takuya is able to see his Guardian Chara soon.
Yeah!
That's a refined sweetness!
We used unprocessed cream from Hokkaido!
W–W–What's wrong?
Mr. Hokkaido.
I mean, I forgot to talk about Mr. Nikaidou!
What do you mean?
Actually...
Sir?
Hey, Takuya.
I'll give you a lift to the recording studio.
The Chairman asked me to help out.
The Chairman did?
Come, get in.
Sure.
Mr. Nikaidou was coming out of the mountain cabin?
It's not like I saw him clearly, though.
Wait. Now that I think about it, Mr. Nikaidou was at Hoshina Utau's concert and the snowboard lessons.
That's not all.
The times when the X Eggs and Characters started to appear in force,
and when Nikaidou transferred to the school,
are a perfect match.
Hey, Takuya isn't in some kind of danger, is he?
W–What are you saying?
In other words, you're fired.
Why?
No one really cares what the magician in front of the computer graphics looks like.
To be frank, it's not an issue even if they can't do magic.
So I've decided to use a child who obediently listens to what I say and to market him as the second Zero.
That was a terrible thing to do.
Mr. Nikaidou?
Poor guy. I guess your dream of being a famous magician is over.
My dream is...
It's working. There was no need to force him into it after all.
My dream is not over yet!
I'll go to America! I'll expose this magic and relearn all my magic by studying in Las Vegas!
Wait a minute, Las Vegas? And English?
I'll start studying now!
Isn't that impossible?
Smile! Smile! If I do that, I'm sure I'll meet Zero.
Upperclassman Hinamori thought so too!
He's pretty resilient.
About that issue...
Actually, it was me who asked Hinamori and the others to help you.
Your manager asked me to do something to relieve all the stress you had built up.
He was being quite pushy.
Why not?
The public is prohibited from entering.
Please!
If we don't hurry, something will happen to Takuya!
Hinamori said magic is useless, and didn't want to do it.
I promised her extra credit on her test, and she completely changed her mind.
You're lying!
Please, let us!
You can't!
Mr. Nikaidou!
Hey, Hinamori Amu.
Where is Takuya?
Who knows? I wonder where he is.
Wait a minute!
Mr. Nikaidou, are you the culprit behind the X Eggs?
H–Hold on a moment!
Go, Hinamori!
Take care of Takuya!
What just happened?
I don't know.
Let's get out.
What's going on?
Amu, over there!
It's X time!
An X Character!
Takuya!
Black Magic!
Why was Takuya's egg transformed?
Everyone wants a flashy show! No one wants to watch boring magic!
You're joking!
Then what were all those smiles for?
Everyone in the audience, and even your own smile?
Everyone was able to have a sparkling smile. You had the biggest smile of all!
Your magic is the genuine article! True magic!
Amu!
Yeah!
My own heart, unlock!
Character transformation: Amulet Spade!
Amu, before people start coming!
Got it.
Black Magic!
Magic!
Now it's our turn!
Colorful Canvas!
S–Surprise!
Negative Heart,
lock on!
Magic!
Open Heart!
Magic!
Thank you, Amu!
Thank goodness!
Takuya!
Are you all right?
Huh? I...
Long time no see, Takuya! Smile! Smile!
Zero!
All right!
The one who put an X on Takuya's heart's egg had to be....
The data I gathered is exactly as I suspected.
Thank you, Takuya.
I knew it! I thought it was really suspicious!
What, what?
Zero's trick?
The unusually long amount of time you spend in the bathroom?
Not that!
Mr. Nikaidou's true identity!
I wonder...
Even though I'm such a nice guy?
Here he is! Haven't all the X Eggs until now been your fault?
You're thinking about this too much, Himamori.
Next time on Shugo Chara:
Speech Contest in the Nick of Time!
Tadase and I are going to battle it out!
The ghastly breakup of the guardians.
No way!
Come, what will you do, Himamori?