Allison to Lillia - Episode 23

It's time for another brand new arc of Allison to Lillia, which is in no way, shape or form inspired by an arc we've already seen regarding plots being hatched on long distance trains. Of course not, like a series of this calibre would be reduced to reusing old ideas...

Anyhow, it's spring break for Lillia (the girl is on a permanent holiday from school, I swear), and to make the most of that time Allison invites her on a little trip, taking a military plane before boarding a train to complete the journey. However, that train just happens (oh, joyous coincidence!) to be ferrying a certain Princess Matilda, who is due to marry Treize when he turns twenty if he can't find anybody better (or worse, depending on how you look at it). With such precious cargo, of course everyone's favourite incompetent secret agent Travas has been put in charge of the operation, a plan that is so important that everyone involved has been given codenames, with Travas taking on the cunning pseudonym of "Leader" (which he clearly nicked off that angry woman from the last story arc).


Meanwhile, some fat man has hired an imprisoned criminal to go out and kill someone. The rest of the plot writes itself from that point really, and I'm sure I don't need to point out the ridiculous concept of hiring a criminal who is in prison to commit a murder - But I will anyway. Firstly, I doubt most prisons are in the habit of letting their most dangerous inmates out on day release to go and commit further crimes, and secondly, why would you want to hire someone who is in prison anyway - Doesn't the fact that he's been caught and incarcerated suggest that he's a bit of a rubbish criminal in the first place?

I also have to question the competence of Travas' staff in this episode, with one in particular taking on her codename of 'Anne' with glee, but then blubbing her complete family history out to the princess at the first available opportunity. Great, tell her all about your parents, what they did and where they're buried... I mean, that won't blow your cover at all now, will it?

Anyway, back to the plot... Wait, not quite yet, I have another gripe. Why on Earth is Benedict getting so angry with Fiona about her buying too many cameras? They're a godamn royal family, they can buy as many cameras as they like and still afford to live in a big palace with dynamite-proof kitchens and ultra-secret hidden lofts! Has nobody told him that's he's married into money?

Right, honestly now, back to the story... While Allison and Lillia, and Treize and Travas start out on different trains, a "breakdown" to the formers vehicle leads them to be allowed aboard the latter along with the rest of the passengers. But wait a second, how can they possibly let members of the public share a train with royalty without thoroughly vetting them first? Don't worry, Travas' team has control of everything, as one of his party quickly scans the passengers with his binoculars (even though they're stood three feet in front of him) to ensure that none of them are suspicious. Because of course the convicted felon hired to murder someone will still be in his prison uniform and not changed into a suit or anything, right?

So, everyone is happily aboard the new train, and it's only a matter of time before Lillia bumps into Treize and demands that he tell her why he's there. The episode ends, leaving us wondering what stupidity will distract Lillia from finding out the truth this time around. And what about the princess' safety? Oh, that's right, there's nobody suspicious on the train... If I roll my eyes any more they're going to drop out of their sockets.

Well, time for me to put away the colander, which I've now verified has entirely less holes than this episode of Allison to Lillia. Don't worry though, I've already got a sieve ready for my comparison with episode twenty-four, so don't miss it!