WARNING: The following contains spoilers for Rust-Eater Bisco Season 1, Episode 6, "Companions and Prey," now streaming on Crunchyroll and Funimation.
In Episode 6 of Rust-Eater Bisco, Milo and Bisco's journey finally seems to be back on track and headed toward success. Any hint of the Watch and Governor Kurokawa's cunning is long gone as the two trudge through the frozen expanse of Shimobuki. Unfortunately for them, there's still plenty of danger in the wilds beyond Imihama.
Episode 6 further illustrates just how drastically Japan's natural environment was affected by the mysterious Tetsujin, with Bisco and Milo leaving the sand dunes on foot only to end up in a snowy tundra days later. This new destination is comparably uneventful -- that is, until they run into Tirol again. Despite Bisco's complaints, he and Milo end up saving her from freezing to death and the unlikely trio is reunited for the time being.
Having left the abandoned makeshift shrine around the same time back in Episode 4, Tirol was able to beat Bisco and Milo to Shimobuki after she found and repaired an old helicopter. She was only able to make it so far until getting shot down by an anti-aircraft gun, implying that virtually each locality in this world sees outsiders as a threat. The three of them travel together on Actagawa -- much to Bisco's chagrin -- to get to Kitsunezaka Station. Tirol repays her debt along the way, bartering with Shimobuki traders and making sure they don't all get swindled.
While Episode 5 of Rust-Eater Bisco left fans on a cliffhanger with Jabi's plan to get close to Governor Kurokawa foiled, Episode 6 makes little to no mention of his situation back in Imihama. Instead, viewers are treated to flashbacks of Jabi helping Bisco with his archery as a little boy as Bisco fondly reminisces about his beloved father-figure while Tirol hotwires a railcar so the pair can continue their journey.
More of Tirol's backstory is also revealed from before she was employed in the Governor's special forces. Her vast mechanical skills are a result of the time she spent working as a mechanic on a Tetsujin, only to leave once everyone around her began dying of the Rusting. She's spent her time as a mercenary ever since, offering her mechanic skills and bartering goods along the way.
Once Tirol bids an emotional goodbye, Milo and Bisco depart but it's not long before they hit trouble. Adding to the list of weird creatures in Rust-Eater Bisco are the oilsquids, whose home the rail car inadvertently barges in on. Before they left, Bisco and Milo made a breakthrough on the whereabouts of the Rust-Eater mushroom after flipping through a Mushroom Keeper guidebook acquired from the traders. The mushroom is said to grow atop giant pipe-snakes, yet another odd creature and possibly another threat.
Luck is on their side though -- as they reach their destination, a pipe-snake appears and attacks the giant bird that had nearly taken Milo out. Clearly, looking for the mushroom is going to be more than they bargained for because Bisco's arrows can't even pierce the snake's skin.
Adding to the trouble is Pawoo, who suddenly appears in an angry burst. Maybe Milo can convince her to end her hunt, but with a giant snake to kill -- and possibly needing to steal from other Mushroom Keepers to even get the mushroom -- it's safe to say Bisco and Milo still have a heck of a fight ahead of them.
