Kuniko and Momoko bump into Kunihito, who masquerades himself as an otaku. He threatens them to stay away from the area but both of them decide to follow him anyway. Using a virtual simulator supplied by the old otaku shopowners, Kuniko hacks the security camera in the shop to see what Kunihito is up to. Kunihito and Leon, one of Ryoko's men, question a shopowner on who may have recently purchased a specific nanochip. After using a piece of mimic armor to bribe the owner, he reveals that an American finance company called Serpent purchased one. Kuniko discovers Karin's presence. Miiko tells stories of the livelihood of Duomo residents to Mikuni and the girl longs to go outside. Kuniko and Kunihito are forced on a date by Momoko. The pair question and criticize each of their faction's motives. A bomb shower occurs and the two seek shelter. Kuniko and Kunihito formally introduce themselves and learn more about each other's lifestyles, however their conversation goes sour and Kuniko attacks Kunihito in anger and escapes, losing her boomerang in the process. Kuniko brings back the mimic armor sample to show her grandmother and Takehiko. Karin speaks to a governmental minister, asking him if he wants to take down Serpent.

Atlas authority announces the imminent execution of Kuniko and everyone approach this news with mixed results. Momoko visits Kuniko in jail and hands her food prepared by Nagiko and a dress to wear before her execution. Tomoka reluctantly seduces the guard to allow her to talk to Kuniko but is caught by Leon. However, he lets Tomoka speak with Kuniko briefly before ending the conversation, telling her that he will pretend that the two girls' conversation never happened. Rena, Nao and the other prisoners plan something by bribing various guards or improvising various materials. Ryoko plans to do something about Kuniko and Mikuni's destinies with the former's execution. Wearing lipstick and her original colthes, Kuniko prepares for the execution. Suddenly, Kuniko cuts off the guards' weapons with nanowires from the lipstick and escapes with Tomoka on a hydrogen balloon the prisoners created, promising to come back for them one day. Ryoko is impressed by what Kuniko and the prisoners did, but she has the guards kill off all the prisoners. As Kuniko and Tomoka head home with a waiting Momoko, a solar eclipse occurs and Mikuni and her retainers play on the highway.

A heated discussion erupts among Metal Age members on whether Kuniko will take over Nagiko's place as leader. A flashback shows Kuniko's childhood and her first meeting with Momoko and Miiko. After beating Momoko up, Sayoko demands to know how he got the earring. When Momoko refuses to talk, Sayoko resorts to using truth serum to make him tell the truth, but he has a tolerance to the medicine and reveals nothing. By watching Sayoko, Momoko deduces that she was once a mother, this causes Sayoko to strangle him. Mikuni tricks Miiko to a game of hide-and-seek but quietly sneaks outside the palace. She passes out from pain when sunlight envelops outside. At this time, Hiruko prophesies over the sun, moon and land, stating the time has come to listen to Amatsumihashira, the pillar of heaven. Klaris returns control of Medusa over to Karin. Mikuni reveals to Sayoko that she heard a voice, which shocks Sayoko. Ryoko makes a press conference announcing her new position as prime minister, which angers Kuniko and Metal Age. After being told to standby, Sayoko resorts to take Mikuni to where the sun shines. Kuniko makes her decision to become leader of Metal Age. She accepts the sun blade from Nagiko and causes a resonance with the other blades. Ryoko sends stealth carriers to attack the facility where Medusa is kept.

Karin sings a lullaby but doesn't remember how she knew it. Kunihito remembers the song while dreaming of obtaining the land blade when he was a child. He wakes up to find his remaining crew from the carrier adrift in the ocean. The carbon market is stabilized for the moment and Karin receives a cat for a visitor. Kunihito remembers that the carrier was enveloped by a light emitted from a satellite. Ryoko receives a report that their forces aren't able to close on Medusa's location due to typhoons. Karin receives a message from her parents that they will be back soon, however she laments that she's unable to leave the place, but a long-haired youth trespasses her place and invites her outside. Meanwhile the youth tries to get Karin to come out, but she vehemently refuses. She discovers that the guy wasn't captured by security on camera. Karin knows it wasn't a dream and wishes to see the guy again. True to her words, the youth reappears this time inside her room. He convinces Karin that she can interact with other people despite her protests. He invites her outside to a meeting, claiming she will find what she lost. Leon requests permission from Ryoko to view files pertaining to the Digmas. After days of waiting for help, Kunihito sees a plane headed in their direction. Karin finally leaves her home, which resembles a bird cage. She thanks the youth for helping her remember that her mother sang her the lullaby, and the youth disappears. Leon finds information pertaining to the youth, Digma Zero aka Canary, who supposedly died five years ago without having seen the outside world. As Karin finishes her song, the cat disappears as well. Kunihito as a child releases canaries from a bird cage.

Ryoko decides to make Miiko the next vessel for Lord Hiruko. Kuniko returns with Momoko back to Duomo to think of their next step. After being welcomed back by the citizens, Kuniko goes to confront Nagiko about her role as first governor of Atlas. When she gets no answer, Kuniko has no choice but to banish her grandmother from Duomo. Before leaving, Nagiko informs her about Takehiko's disappearance after returning to the town. Miiko is forcibly turned into Hiruko's new vessel. Furukawa shares Kuniko his discovery that the artillery attacks came from a genetically modified plant called Daedalus. Ryoko also discovers this fact, but ignores the plant's threat as it will not be able to harm Atlas, but the same could not be said for Duomo and the rest living below. Kunihito makes his decision to leave the military. Mikuni pulls herself together and plans to attack Atlas to rescue Miiko. Kuniko and her team make their way to the forest to burn down Daedalus, but it retaliates against them. Mikuni fails to have her people kill Ryoko, but the woman brings her to see Miiko, who has turned into Hiruko's vessel. As Miiko's personality fights against Hiruko to speak with Mikuni, Ryoko has security surround Mikuni. Sayoko arrives to take Miiko/Hiruko hostage and leaves Atlas together with Mikuni. Momoko tells Kuniko that Daedalus will one day overwhelm and create a forest full of its plants, due to the bomb shower. As Kuniko contemplates this alone, Takehiko attempts to kill her.