Tonari/Plot

Tonari's Past
Tonari lives rather normal life in a presumably wealthy family. Her dream is to surpass her father Erran G. Dalton. At seven years old, she wakes up and finds her mother dead. Her father gets condemned as a killer and is to be exiled. Tonari is faced with a decision between staying home as an orphan or following her father into exile. Tonari decides on the latter, as she believes in her father's innocence. They are sent to Jananda Island, where everyone is obsessed with the tournament which determines the leader of the island.

One day, Erran reveals to Tonari that he has decided to participate in the tournament. Despite Tonari's worry, he insists and promises her that he will not die. Erran wins the tournament, leaving Tonari in denial as she does not accept her father as a ruthless killer. On her next birthday, she discovers a book from her father as a birthday gift. Whilst reading the attached note, Erran falls down a nearby set of stairs. He tries to apologize, but dies before he was able to finish his sentence.

In the next few years, Tonari lives on her own and meets a few friends. They plan an escape, only to be struck by the reality that they aren't welcome in the outside world.

Meeting Fushi
Tonari is 14 year old when she sees Fushi at a port preparing to board the ship to Sarlnine. She is approached by a mysterious man who tells her that if she leads Fushi to Jananda, he will win the tournament and completely change Tonari and Jananda Island's fate. Intrigued in the opportunity, Tonari appears in front of Fushi and Pioran, guiding them to the ship to Jananda, explaining that the other one is full.

Upon Fushi's arrival in Jananda, he was inspected by a man who notices that his legs aren’t shackled and that he isn’t branded. Tonari appears again, apologizing to the man and stating that she'll bring Fushi back. Tonari grabs Fushi's hand and runs. Fushi questions Tonari about Pioran's whereabouts, to which she answers vaguely that "she's probably already taken care of". Tonari then proceeds to tell Fushi that "everyone who comes here eventually comes to smile", but without explaining any deeper meanings. Fushi frees himself from Tonari's grip and disappears into a crowd.

However, they unexpectedly reunite some time later, as Tonari and her friends find Fushi lying dead on the ground after failing to climb a tall wall. Fushi is able to revive himself, earning cheers from Tonari's group. Fushi asks them if they know a way to get to the other side of the wall, but none of them do. Tonari then explains that Jananda island is a place for criminals, and that even if he found Pioran, she won't be able to leave as long as she's marked. Seeing Fushi enraged, Tonari proceeds to sign him up for the arena tournament, assuring him that if he wins, he will be able to control the island.