From: Robert Kwong <rk@ucsee.EECS.Berkeley.EDU>
X-Original-Date: Fri, 22 Apr 2005 22:29:30 +0000 (UTC)
Subject: [KOR][FanFic] HARD|<OR Book V Act V Part (3/5) End of the Road?

Hi All,

Finish proofreading this part, so a quicker release this time.

This is Kimagure Orange Road Fanfiction.
This is HARD|<oR fanfiction.
This is my last Book V titled 'Final Acts'.
This is ACT V Part 3/5 titled: End of the Road?

This is the final book of my HARD|<oR series. The format here will be
different from the rest of my books. Prelude & Books A-D can be
thought of as the "TV" episodes style. The Acts contained in the Book
V series can be considered the "Movie" or "OAV" edition of my
fanfiction series. As such, they do not follow a chapter system.

This is the final act of book V. However, it is split into 5 separate
parts, of which is very long in itself. Symbolically, I wanted it to
be explictly 5 Acts in total. Unfortunately, I had a lot more material
left, so I had to separate it into sub-parts for the final act V.
So there are 5 separate sub-parts for the final 5th ACT of Book V.
Hope that doesn't confuse you all out there!

Enjoy!

----------------------------------------------------------------


                                R   D   |<
                              A              O
                           H                     R
                                   I  I  I
                           M                     E
                               O             I
                                  -   V   -

                                     by
                                Robert Kwong
                            Completed  8 18 2002

                "Will you be done with this story already?
                This kappa-neko gig is getting on my nerves!"
                                                Kazuya 

                "Ah, not so fast! I have at least one more
                story to torture you more ;)"
                                                Akane 



                   Act V Final Memories: The End of the Road?
                                Part Three/Five


Author's Notes: I know what you're going to say! Yet another delay!
Yes, this is not the final part. But it's damn near close. I've
learned my lesson, so I'm not going to promise the next story will be
the final part. But who knows by some twisted logic that it'll
probably will be!

Also, as a side note, I had the chance to go to Tokyo, Japan for the
very first time at the same time the big Typhoon #6 passed through! So
it wasn't a great time to visit. But I did find out a lot of things
which I've added detail of in the material below. One tip though:
don't leave your bag in the bin underneath the public green
telephones. I did and when I realized it 30 seconds later, it was
already stolen! So that's my crummy Tokyo experience for you. Now onto
the story!


[The pits!]

I held the Murasame which I had stolen from Drakarn's room using my
unaffected Chameleon abilities, parrying blow after blow of Drakarn's
cutlass, retreating to the edge of the abyss. Nana held up a faint
energy shield to deflect Yayoi's energy blasts, but its effect was
slowly weakening, on the verge of collapse. My prison buddies, John
and Chauncey had sprung free and tried to help the damsel in distress,
but now they were in distress themselves. And the roar from the steamy
lava pits only meant one thing - the awakening of the Great Droon had
started.

So many people in peril and so little I could do. I did not envision
being chewed up in the jaws of the Great Droon as Droon munchies.

But when I saw Wowena fall in when the bridge collapsed, my instincts
took over. Because for that instant, her back profile looked eerily
similar to Hikaru's.

(Ryusei jumps into the space vacated by the bridge!)

Drakarn: (runs over to the edge of the abyss) Serves ya right! There
ya go, down to your bloody death!

(We hear a rumbling and moments later...)

John: My heavens, what is that?

Wowena: Eeeek! Monster!

Drakarn: Curses!

Out of the abyss rises a stone-colored Great Droon with cries similar
to the Sirens and size 5 times normal of a regular Droon.

(It sweeps Drakarn off his feet and into the abyss of lava he goes!)

Yayoi: Good! Your lust for your sacrifice will soon be satiated. Rise
and spread your wings of destruction! Claim your sacrifice and be my
servant forever!

The Great Droon goes down and heads towards John and Wowena who are
holding on to the last fragments of the bridge which is about to give!

Nana: It cannot end like this!

Yayoi: You are powerless to stop it now, my sister! Watch the true
Power!

The Great Droon makes a pass at them and they are gone!

Yayoi: Now, Great Droon. You are my slave now. Descent down and raze
the valley and villages of my ancestors below with your fury!

The Great Droon seems to oblige, doing a figure 8, but then it heads
towards Yayoi!

Yayoi: Wait! Stop! What are you doing? You're suppose to obey me!

The Great Droon does a great dive towards Yayoi but then abruptly
stops, just a few feet away from her, snorting fumes around her.

Yayoi: You stupid beast! If you won't do my bidding, I shall destroy
you!

"I wouldn't do that if I were you."

Yayoi: That voice!

(As the Great Droon rotates around, we see Ryusei, John, and Wowena
sitting on its back!)

Yayoi: How can this be?

Ryusei: You may have awakened it, but I alone have tamed it.

Yayoi: Impossible!

Nana: You fail to understand, older sister. The wildness which exists
within us all can be controlled, even for this creature.

Yayoi: Then I shall destroy you all! Taste this!

(She builds up a huge energy ball!)

Wowena: Stop this!

(Wowena jumps off with her hands stretched out in front of them as the
red energy ball careens towards them!)

Ryusei: Down Wowena!

Wowena: Urgh?

(As Wowena stands there confused, John lunges at her, pushing her out
of the way of the energy ball which still is heading towards Ryusei
and the Great Droon!)

(Ryusei jumps off to bear the brunt of the vortex himself!)

Ryusei: Here goes!

(Ryusei thrusts the Murasume straight at the center vortex of the
energy ball!)

(*Crackling, sizzling sound as Ryusei is using his Power! to hold back
the vortex. When it seems he is about to lose it, he gives one last
thrust!*)

The energy ball is bounced back towards Yayoi! As it touches her, she
starts to crystallize right in front of their eyes!

Yayoi: (pulls her arms back over her head)
Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!

She is enveloped in a resin of red crystal!

John: Davy Crocket! You did it man! I dunno what you did, but you
certainly did it!

Ryusei: Can you check up on the old man and see how he's doing?

John: Can do, my good fellow.

(Ryusei walks over to where Nana is)

Ryusei: What just happened?

Nana: Your Gift! powerful yet focused. This blade channeled and
purified the energy contained within; In essence, it contained her
soul. Now she is a kore.  That is the fate of us Gifters! when we
cease to be.

Ryusei: A "kore"? You mean this crystalline state right now?

Nana: Yes. Highly refined concentration of the Gift! energies that has
overflowed its host and become dormant; its host's physical medium
unable to contain it.

Ryusei: So she is dead. This sword did this?

Nana: By what means did you come by this blade?

Ryusei: This is the most revered sword in a place called Japan where I
came from in the other world. It is called the Murasame. When I came
into your world, I brought it with me to seal the portal.

Nana: Your words ring foreign to my ears. This blade though appears to
be the 'Kat Anh'. Show it to me stranger.

(Nana holds it in her hands and it begins to glow white.)

Wowena: What is 'Kat Anh'?

Nana: Not what is, for it embodies the spirit itself. An artifact of
whenst we came from. But it is a forbidden device lost in the Great
Falling.

Ryusei: Why so?

Nana: It is a device which amplifies the bearer's 'Anh'.

Ryusei: What's that?

Nana: 'Anh' very difficult to explain. Best is the various internal
forces within ourselves. Very dangerous in the wrong hands; can draw
and consume one's 'Anh' and bring the bearer to their end.  But your
hands stranger a harmonious match to it.

Ryusei: You mean this sword helped tame this beast?

Great Droon: (*SNORT*)

Nana: Yes, and contained your mother as well.

Ryusei: So she is my mother.

Nana: Which makes you no longer a stranger.

Ryusei: What will happen to her? (touches the crystal)

"You need not worry about that?

Ryusei: Who said that?

"My, my. I am the fool to have you. The prophecy was true."

Ryusei: Yayoi! But how? I see...telepathic talking.

Nana: Strong is her Channeller powers still to communicate in her
inanimate state.

Ryusei: What prophecy are you talking about?

"Everyone in the royal family know it well.

  The destroyer will come from within, felling our haven from
  the sky, Lost time we will dwell in wait, until the return of
  the son.  to undo the plight - to return the light.

That is why generation after generation of the X-per clan's
Yayaveshamaya have sacrificed their male offspring to ward that
threat, including myself, or so I thought. How ironic it is my son who
would thwart all my efforts. I should have strangled you with my bare
hands rather than let you die at the riverbank.

Ryusei: So, why are you telling me this?

"I am the 500th generation of the line of Yayaveshamaya. Her karna was
passed on, for only she had the power and knowledge as the
channeler. All for the purpose of biding our time and waiting to
return to our home-world through the void gate. "

Ryusei: Passing of karna?

Nana: Our essence, experiences and knowledge accumulated is known as
karna.  Passed on it can be to another host. But foolish are you to
repeat your mistake again?

"Yes, my sister. Father was a fool not to try to return back and stay
on that wretched planet! I thought my powers were great enough to
create the void gate, but I was too young and it caused the
catastrophe.  After the Great Separation, what remaining few of my
sect gathered ourselves and settled in different areas. Each of my
brethren amused ourselves as we watched the development of these petty
humans. They are so easily misled.  Fighting amongst themselves in
silly wars and conflicts for greed, power, money, and honor. Oh, how I
loved the sacrificial blood heart ceremonies the best. The ESPers were
the worst. They never pass on their karna. They live as idle sheep,
only treading outside to thwart our efforts. They thought we wanted to
manipulate and control the world and they were the balancing factor.
Ha! They could never understand the X-per true agenda. What is the use
of ruling these inferior humans? It would be more trouble than its
worth.  Toying with them was the only thing to do to pass the time.
And we waited for the planets to align again, 5000 years later. Once
the connection to the void gate could be opened, we could return and
offer the planet as tribute."

Nana: Understand you do not still. Returning to the Old World would
condemn our old tribe who escaped the judgment. That is why the
Reawakening ceremony was forbidden. But you stole the old text and
destroyed it so only you would know.

"It matters not no more. I used the blood of a male with the Power!
this time to increase the potency of the ceremony. Despite your
interference, the ceremony succeeded. The results were wrong and
instead of the Old World, I got to this despicable place I once called
home."

Ryusei: I imagine I know why. The jewels in the Arabian dagger are not
all genuine. I saw to that.

"You again! So the prophecy keeps ringing true over and over. That is
why the impure gate led us here."

Ryusei: So your ambition ends here.

"This crystal kore grave may seal me here, but it will never
end. There is the chance the Old World will find us instead. They
never forgotten the exodus and would never stop pursuing us."

Nana: What she speaks is true. If they manage to find which realm we
escaped to, the old tribe and the planet dwellers would be condemned.

"There is more. If you wish to leave this cursed place, you can take
your chances with the Va Nor, if it is still in one piece."


(They feel a tremor which feels like an earthquake!)

Ryusei: What is this Va Nor?

Nana: Place of our ancient burial stones. Its location is long lost
after the Great Falling. Not much help it will offer you.

"Not so little sister. Father did not tell you the whole story. It is
the crystallized remains of the Great Elders. The new resting place is
in between the bases of these pyramids. If you pledge your soul and
surrender your katna to it, it may return you back to the other world
as a journey of the dead..

Ryusei: Is this one of your tricks Yayoi?

"Believe me or not, that is the risk you have to take. You do not
belong here. With you here to oppose me, I shall never have my
revenge. With you out of the way, I may still rise again."

John: (carrying Chauncey) We must go sir! This place is about to fall
apart into the lava pits!

Nana: What will you do?

Wowena: (clings to Ryusei's arm) Please don't go away! Stay here with
me!  It won't be any fun without you!

Ryusei: Wowena. You have to be a good, strong girl now who can look
after herself. It's always hard to say goodbye. But you won't be
alone.  (turns to Nana) Nana. Please take care of the Outworlders here
and Wowena. But most of all, promise me this. Keep this crystal intact
at the sanctuary. Despite her vanities, she might be tempered
yet. Perhaps in time, there might be hope for her still.

Nana nods in agreement.

Wowena: Will I ever see you again?

Ryusei: Don't worry about that. (kisses her forehead) Just remember
your big brother here will always be watching you. Now be good now and
help Nana.  I have to go alone.


(walks over the Great Droon)

Ryusei: Now you be a good boy and transport these people safely down,
okay?

(Great Droon snorts a hearty reply!)

Ryusei: That's good.

John: Roy-son! That crazy coot is loaded on the back of this smaller
beast.  You're comin'?

Ryusei: I'm going to go my own way. You watch over Chauncey for me and
get the rest of people loaded up.

John: Sure thing. Be seeing you.


Nana: You have made up your mind.

Ryusei: Thank you for your help. I must try my best to return back for
her.  (clutches the photograph in his pocket) I hope you understand.

Nana: I do. My sister is right. You do not belong here. Bend down. I
wish to impart a parting gift.

Ryusei kneels down and Nana gently taps him on the forehead where his
scar and right-side up triangle mark still lies. The triangle
disappears.

Nana: Now go. May Kataran protect you.


(As John and Chauncey are organizing the rest of the Outworlders to
ride off on the Lower Droons down into the valley, and as Nana and
Wowena depart with the crystal on the Great Droon's back, Ryusei
flashes with the Power!  and disappears)


[At the booth]

Akane: Stop touching me!

Komatsu: (still dressed in the angel sailor-suit uniform) But we have
to do our act! We form a pyramid and you two are at the bottom and I'm
on top!

Hatta: Ooh! Sounds naughty! I could eat you guys up.

Kurumi: Fat chance! No physical contact unless it's me giving you a
suplex!

Komatsu: Hmm...that doesn't sound too bad! I may get knocked out, but
it's going to be pleasant dreams for me!

Hatta; Humph!

Akane: Now what?

Hatta: I saw my rival pass by.

Kurumi: Rival? Who could that be?

Hatta: Who? That person! Tsuni Takamotoishi! The historical shoujo
hentai artist!

Kurumi: Say what?

Komatsu: Let me enlighten you, little one.

Kurumi: Who ya callin' little?

Komatsu: That's her over there!

Akane: Her? The one with the spinster glasses and librarian dress?
That can't be her?

Hatta: Alas, I thought so myself. She's a devil inside, I tell you!
Writing all this lovey dovey shoujo stuff. She's taking my female
demographic away!

Akane: Like you have any!

Kurumi: What's her latest work?

Komatsu: Title is "Ronin Karinan."  She narrating a tale of a female
karin-san who secretly is a ninja in training. She is training to take
the place of her late finance. Her rival is the one who killed her
fiance. The twist turns out to be that he is actually one of her
boarders, a ronin samurai with a mysterious past. She doesn't know it
and is smitten with him. He doesn't know who she is either.  Everytime
they fight, she wears a veil, and he a mask. She gets pissed, because
everytime, he cuts down all her clothes off, leaving her stark naked
in the woods, except for the veil covering her mouth.

Hatta: Hey,...you know a little too much of her manga. Have you been
secretly reading it?

Komatsu: Ummm, research man! I'm your manager, so I need to scope out
the competition.

Hatta: Yeah, right!

Akane: Here she comes over!

Hatta: Quick! Hide me! I don't want to see her!

Kurumi: Too late.

"(sexy voice) Hii! Hatta-san, isn't it?"

Hatta: Hai, hai. Do you want my autograph or something?

"No, nothing like that. I made a silly mistake and forgot my sketching
pencils in my hotel room. May I borrow some of yours?"

Komatsu: Of course. Here you go!

Hatta: Heyyy!

"Arigatou, angel heroine. My booth will be over there. I'll be happy
to draw you a sketch or two as a token of my thanks. Please drop
by. Ja!"

(As she is leaving, Hatta snaps at Komatsu.)

Hatta: What are you doing helping the enemy?

Komatsu: Hey man, sorry about that. It was reflex action. I fall under
the spell when a lady asks for something.

Akane: Really?  So does that mean if I ask you to ditch this angel
uniform gig, you'll let us?

Komatsu: Not in your wildest dreams. But you two will definitely be in
my wildest dreams tonight. Oooh, threesome. (*salivating*)

(*BOP!*)

Kurumi socks Komatsu in the head!

Komatsu: Oh, what a world, what a world. (slumps unconscious, with
stars spinning around his head)

Akane: Dream on!


[At the pool of darkness] 

I teleported down to the base of the pyramids not covered with lava,
the intersection of the 3 giant pyramids in the land of Oiloniis. In
the middle, was a formation of strange multi-color "kore" stones which
looked much like the formation at Stonehenge, but in a pentagram
pattern. There were strange, cryptic carvings on these stones which
vaguely looked like a cross between runic verses and egyptian
pictographs. Within the confines was seems to be a dark pool. It
looked more like a pond, with what look like plants growing on the
outskirts. The medium looked black, as black as pitch darkness, but as
I got closer, I saw it was actually a very deep blue.  Maybe that's
how the deepest depths of the ocean look like. It made me wonder
whether this domain was still actually on earth, but near the center
of the earth, and this pool like a "looking glass".

I wasn't sure how to surrender my katna, but instinctively, I held up
the Murasume, closed my eyes, and made my wish to return back home.
When I opened them again, I saw a faint glow from the stones around
me.  As I glared into the pool, I saw a faint shimmering reflection of
the portal on the other side, ebbing in and out in a random fashion
replaced by different, foreign images I had never seen before. It
seemed to be working, but it could be a portal to any number of
places. If I didn't pick the right instant to jump in, I could be
trapped in another world forever. Around me, the stones of the pyramid
were beginning to fall apart. In a matter of moments, this place would
be no more. I wasn't sure what to do next. Just then, a huge
aftershock rumbled through the ground. I was tettering around the
edge, about to fall in, but I kept my balance. As I turned around, I
saw one of the giant kore stones toppling towards me. I fell back ...


[Back in San Francisco]

I woke up groggy, still feeling the Star Trek "hangover" over the
weekend.  My friend Trebor, whom I was sharing the room with in his
bunk bed, was up already, tapping at the computer, playing Ultima VII
on his new Pentium-90.  He was telling me that Intel didn't want to go
with the '586 moniker because they couldn't trademark it.

My next stop would be Stanford University, where I was going to take a
look at their computing facilities and sit in on a few
classes. Although secretly, I was hoping to meet up with Manami
Kasuga. I wanted to see how she was doing with her writing internship.

Trebor: Dude, you're up. Tell me when you're ready to hang at
Stanford, enemy territory.

He always reminded me of the competitive rivalry between Cal and
Stanford, always putting in a extra knock, especially in a game called
football where they play the 'Big Game' and how Cal is known in
college football for 'The Play.' To him, it was a 'Big Deal', so I
obliged him.

In the background, I was pondering my future and what the Greenwood
gang meant to me. Hasukawa even personally lobbied me and gave me his
honorary duffel bag.  I wanted to work on computer games and even
wrote up my own 3D rpg adventure.  I needed time to port it to
Trebor's computer to let him try it out and evaluate it. He was the
ultimate gamer I knew. He told me of classic rpgs like Bard's Tale
series and Ultima V and VI. Or classic d & d games like secret of the
silver blades and pool of darkness. Adventure games classics such as
King's Quest IV, and V or the Space Quest series. Arcade fury such as
Double Dragon and Street Fighter II. We played in the arcades down in
a place called 'The Underground' back in Berkeley and it was
intoxicating. He even cited obscure PC games he liked such as Budokan
or the Adventures of Tex Murphy. And is most favorite sim?  Sim City,
of course, which he tells me is modeled after San Francisco itself.

Trebor: There's breakfast downstairs! We better get a move on if we
want to avoid the rush hour.


[Ayukawa Mansion]

I sat in the bedroom, packing my stuff, getting ready for my trip
abroad.

It felt funny, with all my family gone, away from Japan, and me still
here, holding up the fort. Even Papa was away in Indonesia taking
pictures of the tropical flowers and wildlife. He was traveling around
South-east Asia, exploring the countryside and nature. It was his way
of being close to my okaasan. He would tell us how she lived virtually
her whole life in the country and loved the plants, the animals, the
trees and the mountains. That was her element. He blamed himself for
taking her away from that peaceful environment into the polluted big
city. So impersonal, interweaving traffics of people criss-crossing
each other at blazing speeds, but without connection of spirit. Taking
these tropical assignments must be cathartic for him to honor her
memory. I imagined that living in the crowded metropolis must have
been suffocating to her, accustomed to big, open wide spaces. She
mysteriously declined in health and died very young.  That is why we
never had the guidance or the parenting of a okaasan. I myself had
very little recollection of her face. But of course, we still have her
beautiful pictures in the photo albums where she would be forever
remembered.

That was the one thing I could easily relate to Madoka on. For even
though she had both her parents, she really had none at all when she
was growing up.  I could understand the loneliness and the feigned
toughness to hide it from everyone. She always thought for everyone
else welfare for it was a way for her to escape her own
loneliness. That was her way of coping. Now she was alone
again. Perhaps she felt suffocated herself and needed space to
breathe.

I espied the red hat at the top of the closet. That was our common
bond, an affirmation of our red-string love. I had not worn it in such
a long time.  I used the Power! to bring it towards me, as it circled
around through the air like a flying ufo. I snatched it in the same
motion I first snared at it the first time I met Madoka. It was as if
her heart was in the air and I was the first to take hold of it. And
once I did, I wouldn't let go.


The red straw hat still felt comfortable. I closed my eyes and
instantly, the sweet memories came back to me.

Although it was but for a few moments, it felt like an eternity of
bliss.  I was tempted to stay in that position forever, but I knew I
had some unfinished business to attend to. I gazed at my plane tickets
to Las Vegas.  There, I was going to interview a Japanese war veteran
on behalf of Aso Tamaki whose name I did not know. Only the address
was provided. I would find out when I get there.

Not wanting to leave my favorite memory behind, I placed the red straw
hat in with the rest of my belongings.

I heard the horn of Master's car. He was my ride to Narita.

Master: Looking sharp Kasuga-kun. You ready?

Kyosuke: As ready as I'll ever be. While in America, I would be
getting closer to Madoka, where-ever she is now.


[Anime Expo]

Akane: There you are Kazuya! About time you showed up!

Kazuya: Hey, somebody's got to feed Jingoro.

Kurumi: You look cute in your ewok costume.

Hatta: That's not an ewok costume! It's a kappaneko costume!

Kurumi: Whatever.

Hatta: Argh! I'm dealing with a bunch of amateurs!

Akane: Oh hush and stop your whining! You're getting out of character
as Devil Adeulf.

Hatta: Well, the devil is hungry! Is it lunchtime yet? Get me some
food!

Kurumi: Now you're acting like a wookie. Always thinking with your
stomach!

(Akane high-fives Kurumi)

Akane: That's a good one!

Kazuya: Ha ha. So she knows her Star Wars. Big deal. At least I'm not
dressed as a girl!

Akane: Speaking of which, what happened to Komatsu?

Kurumi: Over there.

Komatsu walks over, wearing his slick armani suit getup.

Hatta: Hey man, why are you out of costume?

Komatsu: It's not my fault! I was willing to take one for the
team. But my, too many guys were hitting on me! Creeped me out too
much.

Hatta: But my story is about 3 angels! Three! There's only 2 angels
here.  How am I going to explain that when the press people come here?
You're going to ruin my new manga debut!

Komatsu: Don't worry buddy! I got it covered. I have a
replacement. See!  Here she comes.

(We see another lovely angel now walking towards the booth)

Akane: Hey, is that Manami?

Kurumi: No way, but she does wear glasses.

Hatta: Very good! Where'd you get someone as hot looking as that at
the last minute?

Komatsu: Easy. I smoozed with the broad who borrowed your pencils.

Hatta: Borrowed my pencils? Don't tell me...

"Hello everyone! Tsuni Takamotoishi, reporting for duty!"

(does a mini salute!)

Hatta: Noooooooooooooooooooooooo!


[Manami's literature lecture]

..as I was saying, the story of Odysseus and the hero theme is the
natural mythological theme commonly used across all cultures'
stories. As Joseph Campbell aludes to in his book, "A Hero with a
Thousand Faces", which you will read in the intermediate version of
this class, he states the hero goes through different phases of his
journey. The first phase is being far removed from his home, which in
Odysseus's case was because of the Trojan War which lasted ten
years. You would think that would be the end of it, but no, there
would be more. In his efforts to return home, he instead is lost amid
the wild seas, facing unknown monsters and dangers and temptations of
all sorts, including that of song, wine, and flesh. Encountering these
calamities and how he overcomes them is the second phase of the
hero. In enduring and surviving, he gains prizes, material or
otherwise. The final phase is the eventual return home and the
retelling of the tales. This is a validation and indirectly a passing
on of knowledge and experience to the next generation, which in this
case is his son Telemachus. In time, the cycle will be repeated again,
where he himself will take the journey out.  In a way, it is the
journey of life we all go through at one time.  Back in the frontier
days, Horace Greenly uttered his famous phrase, "Go West, young man."
It was doctrine for young men to go out into the unknown, Wild West
with its own set of unknown dangers. Surviving and taming of the West
meant you had conquered the demons, external and internal to yourself.
They made their fortunes out there as well, through various
opportunities which the West presented itself, either through gold
mining, or trading, or homesteading. The various tribes of Native
Americans had similar rituals for their young boys to go out into the
forest by themselves to face a great, fearsome animal. If they
returned successfully, they attained a new level and become a
warrior. Today, it is not just men, but women as well that have to
take their own journeys of discovery. In the next assignment, I want
you to write about someone you know that have gone through this "hero"
life experience, according to the themes I've mentioned.

[In another part of campus]

Muroke: Wow, this place is big!

Trebor: Yeah, sure is.

Muroke: Something the matter?

Trebor: Feels awkward for me to be walking here, being a Cal guy and
all.  Here it is. Their computing center. Let's find a terminal. I'm
sure I can find out what computer classes you can sit in on.

Muroke: Sounds good. Later, can we drop by one of the housing areas.

Trebor: Sure. But why?

Muroke: I have a friend here on campus and I want to meet up with them
while I'm here visiting.

[At a club in Las Vegas]

(before opening)

(a lady is busy cleaning the saxophone with a lint cloth)

(the manager, after finishing talking to the barkeep, walks over)

"You're in early today."

"Yes. Gotta give that instrument that weekly deep cleaning. You don't
treat them right, they're come back and bite you.

"So true. Say, you've been great entertaining the joint here this
three weeks.  Business has sure picked up since you are here."

"Thank you Mr Mayberry."

"I'm not one to ask about one's business, but I'm willing to offer you
a permanent position here if you like. I talk to everyone here and
they all like you, including me."

"I'm flattered sir, but as I told you before, it's a temporary gig to
tie me to the next town I'm going. "

"So I see. Nothing I can say to change your mind?"

"Not when my heart is set on something bigger."

"I wager that's one fight I can't win. Can you at least let me know
how much longer the folks here can enjoy your company?"

"I'm thinking one more week. Then I'm off to L.A."

"Hollywood huh? I know many who followed their dreams out to Sunset
Boulevard, only to have it shatter. I pray it doesn't happen to
you. But if you need a place to come back to, we'll always welcome you
with open arms."

"Appreciate the thought. If I do come back, you will get to know the
real me."

[Stanford University]

(Manami walking back to Dana back to the international house.)

Dana: The professor is really challenging us in this latest
assignment.

Manami: I'll say. Writing about a "hero" I know? That would require a
great deal of thought.

Dana: Strange.

Manami: What?

Dana: There's two odd-looking fellows running around in the baseball
field without their uniforms.

Manami: Really? Hey!

Dana: What is it?

Manami: I think I recognize that guy!

Dana: You do? How strange.

Manami: Call it a hunch, Let's go down there and take a look.

(as they walk down)

Trebor: (huff and puff) Geez. Give me a break, will ya?

Muroke: You're that out of shape?

Trebor: Yep. My body was meant for holding a joystick or a keyboard,
not running the 100 yard dash!

Muroke: It's only 90 feet from base to base! Alright. Still, nice
field here.  What do they call it?

Trebor: As I recall from the sports cast, I believe it's called
"Sunken Diamond."

Muroke: Is that so? Peculiar name.

Trebor: Yeah. Hey...there's two chicks coming over!

Muroke: Where?

Trebor: Over there!

Muroke: Hey, that looks like...

(starts to run over...)

Trebor: Hey! Wait for me! Let me in on the action...

[Anime Expo]

"Hello anime fans out there,this is May J Sommers, roving reporter for
all the festivities of Anime Expo 1995 in sunny Southern California!
Hope you'all enjoying your pre-July 4th weekend coming up. But first,
an interview with one of the hottest manga artist straight from Japan,
Kazuya Hatta-san of Yurushite Agerite. Now he is here in the States to
present his newest manga titled: "I'll Forgive You."

Hatta: (in english) Annoo...Hello! (waves meekly into the camera)

"Okaaaaay. Would you mind telling us why you are dressed up as?"

Hatta: Umm...A costume for character in story. Devil Adeulf.

"I see...it looks more like a Count Dracula costume to me, but I
suppose vampires are hell spawn as well. As we pan around the booth,
we can see the various color sketches he has drawn ..."

Hatta to Komatsu: (whispering) Hey...help me out here! I forgot the
interview's in English!

Komatsu: (whispers back) You're on your own. Who told you to sleep
during English class?

"And now back to the creator himself. Last question. How did you come
up with the name of this manga, 'I'll Forgive You.'"?

Hatta: Oh. I...I....

(English) "What he meant to say is that it's the catch-phrase of us 3
angels here."

(Kurumi and Akane look up in shock)

May Summers: Catch-phrase?

"Yes. The premise of the manga is centered on Devil Adeulf raiding
human villages and the 3 heroines of the story, who happen to be
sailor angels who comes to the rescue. Devil Adeulf would then beg for
forgiveness, and being the kind-hearted heroes they are, they would
utter: 'I'll forgive you!'  Right ladies?"

(The 3 angels utter "Hai!" in unison as they smile into the cameras
and make 'V's with both their hands.)

May Summers: So that's it! Sounds like we have another winning manga
from manga creator Mr Hatta-san.

Komatsu: Wow! I'm impressed, Tsuni Takamotoishi-san!

Kurumi: Wah! I didn't know you can speak English so well!

Tsuni: Why thank you. When someone like me does so many interviews,
you will but have to improve.

Akane: How did you know so much about the new manga?

Tsuni: I just read the interview notes that Hatta-san has scribbled on
his tablet.

Kazuya: Where's Hatta?

Komatsu: He's probably in the can. He gets that way when he gets very
nervous.  Don't worry about him; he'll be alright.


[Sunken Diamond]

Manami and Dana is walking from home plate side.

Muroke and Trebor are around the third base area.

Manami: Anno...

Muroke: Eh? Manami-san des ka?

Manami: Hai! So you are really here! Your email didn't lie.

Trebor: Email huh? So what have you two lovebirds been plotting?

(Manami blushes as Muroke pokes Trebor in the stomach)

Muroke: It's not like that. We're just good friends.

Trebor: Okay, okay I get the picture. Sorry I asked. What are your
names anyway?

Manami: Manami Kasuga is my name and my roommate here is Dana Kim.

Trebor: Please to make your acquaintance.

Muroke: I was about to try to find the place where you were
staying. We were detoured by this baseball field.

Manami: So it seems everything seems to happen around a baseball
field.

Dana: Manami, don't we have to go?

Manami: Oh, yes. We have to work at the dinner commons tonight in the
international house we are staying at.

Muroke: Okay. Perhaps we'll find another time for me to tell you what
happened in New York.

Manami: Wait a minute. (scribbles something in journal book and rips
the page out). Here you go. I'll see you later.

(Manami and Dana hurries off)

Muroke: What's this?

Trebor: That's a phone number! You lucky dog!


[Anime Expo]

Kurumi: About time you came back! What took you so long?

Hatta: Is she gone yet?

Akane: Yeah, she's gone.

Kazuya: Boo!

Hatta: (jumps back!) Aieee!

Kazuya: Gawd, you really got spooked by her!

Hatta: That woman, she's the kryptonite to my manga suit of armor! She
does everything better than I do! How am I suppose to compete with
that?

Komatsu: Come on buddy! She's just a woman! Sure, she's a better
interviewer and looks great in a sailor suit and glasses, and draws a
mean manga, but other than that, what does she got that you don't?

Hatta: (sarcastic) Great! Thanks for cheering me up, buster!

Komatsu: No problem! It's the end of the fair today. Just two more
days left!  We'll go to a strip club tonight to cheer you up.

Kazuya: Can I come along?

Akane: Ha! You wish, little bro! (grabs him by the collar and hauls
him away)

[Back in Japan]

We see #1 walking through Shinjuku pass all the beautiful ladies
propositioning him.

"What's wrong Tiger? Ain't got the goods today?"

#1: Sorry ladies! The 'Stud' is out today! Special house-call I gotta
make.

"Ahhh! That's too bad. Dial me up when you'll done."

#1: You got it baby.

(He enters what appears to be a massage parlor!)

Miss: May I help you?

#1: I want the extra special service.

Miss: What is the word?

#1: Cat's Meow.

Miss: Come this way please.

(He enters a special back room. )

#1: Old man! I'm here!

(A firm, but gentle voice rings into the room.)

"I know. I've been watching your every move."

#1: So you must know the trouble I've seen."

"Only thine eyes can tell. What did you see?"

#1: A sight so aweful that is stranger than even the X-files! I didn't
even tell Kaori! It's been on my mind for the past few days.

"You can speak to me about anything if you wish. I have assisted you
for your revenge in return for your cooperation in my jobs."

#1: I do appreciate the gigs, but I need to know. Is Akira really
dead?

"Akira? A code-name long unspoken. He was your first partner back in
South America. Yes, Akira is quite dead. I personally inspected his
corpse. A pity he met his end with the drug lords. He was your first
partner you had."

#1: Yes. It seems all the partners I have keep dying. The count is up
to 3 now.

"I can see your reluctance in having Kaori be your partner in the
detective business."

#1: Yeah, tell me about it. I have to be extra careful with her. I
promised her brother to keep her out of harm's way. But she's stubborn
and headstrong like her brother. But that's not the issue.

"Then what is? You requested the audience with me.

#1: Ok. Let's cut to the chase. I saw someone resembling Akira
at the XIA facilities.

"So. What is the problem?"

#1: Are you lying to me? Is he really truly alive and that somehow,
the XIA has their hands on him.

"If they do, that means only one thing."

#1: He has the Power!?

"Hai. To what extent, it is unknown. All I can tell you was he was
dead by all definitions of it, medical and physical. If he could defy
that, it would be beyond my cognizance. Or it could be another thing."

#1: I thought about it too. He could be an imposter.

"True. But why ask me?"

#1: You knew him better than any of us did, even me.

"The Akira I knew was always brash, cocky, and out of control. That
was why you two were a perfect fit together during the wars in the
jungle. Without that bravado, you wouldn't have survived long."

#1: I know what you mean. This one had a blank look on his face. He
didn't move an inch in that chair. It was as if he was a wax
figure. the only movement he mad was blink once. But Clancy dangled a
proposition in front of me. She told me if I did one final mission for
the XIA, that she would reveal the one thing I don't have. My past.

"A tempting proposition. But how would she know?"

#1: She doesn't. But she says the figure in the chair, Akira does. Is
that true?

"He was the one who brought you into my corps out of the blue. You
were an interloper then. I didn't have time to ask questions so I took
you in. How he came across you, only he would know. "

#1: I see. Do me a favor, will ya? If I decide to take this, I want
you to watch over Kaori for me. I don't want her coming with me this
time.

"Wakata! Tread carefully cowboy."

[L.A. beat]

Kazuya: Gawd! You have so much energy!

Akane: (*Huff and puff*) Do we have to walk!

Kurumi: Yah! We going to rock this place!

Akane: Where are we anyway?

Kurumi: This is the arena for the main event.

Kazuya: Is it boxing?

Kurumi: No dummy. It's American wrestling. World Wrestling Federation.
Or WWF. I got tickets for all of us!

Akane and Kazuya: OH NO!

[Back in San Francisco]

Trebor: Hey Muroke-san. Your want to catch the game? The Giants are
on.  Third inning. Giants up 5 to nothing.

Muroke: I'll come down and watch with you later. I gotta make a call
first.

Trebor: Oh, that call! I see. Good luck buddy!

Muroke: (on the phone) Hello?

"Hello?"

Muroke: May I speak with Manami?

"Hold on."

Muroke: (*whew*) That must have been her roommate.

"Yes?"

Muroke: Hi Manami. It's me. Muroke.

"Ah, #2! Just kidding! So what's up?"

Muroke: Ah, nothing much. Just wanted to test out this number and all.
No, that's not it. I've dying to talk to you all this time.

Manami: Well, I'm here now. Oh, I haven't thank you for this writing
contest.  I never knew what opportunity it would unlock. I've made a
lot of new friends here.

Muroke: Oh, it's my pleasure. Now I know why I called you up.  It's
about my trip to New York where I chanced upon your family.


Manami: Yes, you sent me a letter on that. But why I try ask Kurumi
about it, she tight-lipped about it. So you have to spill the beans
for me.

Muroke: Oh, you don't know about Madoka-san?

Manami: No, what happened?

Muroke: Oh, I'm not sure if I'm suppose to tell you. It'll depress
you.

Manami: Please tell me. Otherwise, it will irritate me the whole
night.

Muroke: Well okay. But brace yourself. She disappeared the day the
Kasuga family was suppose to fly back to Japan. It seems she left on
her own accord.

Manami: She left oniichan? I can't believe it!

Muroke: I haven't even told you the circumstances leading up to it.

"Manami! Your turn!"

Manami: I have to go now. Can we talk tomorrow?

Muroke: Oh yeah. That's fine. I'll tell you the rest of the story
then.

[Back in the arena]

(Inside, they see all sorts in the audience: punk rockers with
wild-colored hair, and sporting leather jackets and pierced outerwear
while local toughs were playing with their brass knuckles and sporting
their elaborate tattoos.)

Kazuya: Are you sure we should be here? These people look dangerous!

Kurumi: Sure! That's the usual crowd at a wrestling scene! Oh, the
smell of beer and vomit!

Akane: Get your filthy hands off me!

Kurumi: You alright?

Akane: Why do I have to get the food? I have to wade through a
gauntlet of slimy, icky hands.

Kazuya: Cause you lost the rock paper scissors!

Akane; You probably used your mind reading ability to cheat!

Kazuya: Did not! I can't read empty heads!

Akane: Why you!

Kurumi; Cool it you two! The real fighting is in the ring!

Announcer: And now, LA, we have a show that surely will spring
fireworks!  The first match would be a rock and sock 'em between
Humankind and the Giga Show. The second match will be good 'ole
Hacksaw Jim versus local sensation the Artful Dodger. The finale will
end with a mystery tag team fight what should be cat-roaring fun!


[JAL Airlines]

Kyosuke riding in the window seat, at the left wing of the plane.

Kyosuke: (looking outside the window) (*sigh*)

"Anything wrong, son?"

Kyosuke: No Father. Just restless.

"12 hour plane trips are known to do that. I am a minister, not a
father."

Kyosuke: Gomen. I get the two mixed up.

"Honest mistake I suppose. Your country is very nice. Reminds me of
Vegas at night, but with those pachinko thig-a-ma-jigs instead of the
slots."

Kyosuke: Ah, you must mean the downtown Tokyo area.

"Yes. Although to tell you the truth, I miss those steak and lobster
buffets for a song. No offense, but fish ain't my cup of tea."

Kyosuke: Yes, the food is definitely lighter in Japan than in the U.S.

"Say, excuse me if I'm getting personal, but do you got woman
troubles?  Did your sweetheart break your heart?"

Kyosuke: Kind of in a way. She ran off.

"With another man?"

Kyosuke: No. She just ran off.

"Were you two engaged? Getting ready to be married."

Kyosuke: Yes. How did you know?

"Like a told you, I'm a minister. I see these things all the time. In
Vegas, you get to perform a lot of ceremonies for those folks from all
walks of life.  I've seen my share of cold feet as well. Jitters
before getting hitched. How long was this?"

Kyosuke: Over a month now.

"That explains the sighing. You believe in her?"

Kyosuke: Yes, with all my heart.

"Then you just gonna have to hang in there. Woman are a strange breed,
but they would come around eventually. I'm praying for you son. Look
me up if you need my services."

(passes him a business card which reads: Rocket Ministries)

"I'm just located in the middle of the Strip where all the action
is. Don't worry about the fees. It's on the house. I never forget a
face."

Kyosuke: Thanks, I guess.

[At the Arena toilet]

Kazuya: Gawd, those buffalo wings really are too spicy.

(enters one of the stalls and starts throwing up!)

(in enter 2 men)

"Boss! Wait up! We got big trouble!"

"Make it quick. I don't have all the time in the world."

"The Pawlowski Twins can't perform tonight. Case of bad sushi. Their
stomachs are getting pumped as we speak."

"What are you telling me though? Get the substitutes!"

"Tried! They stuck in traffic! And the last match is due to begin in 5
minutes."

"I don't care how you do it! Get someone out there!"

(exits out)

"Man, I'm screwed!"

Kazuya: (exits stall) Excuse me.

"Who are you? What do you want?

Kazuya: I can help with your problem. You see...


[Sunset Boulevard]

Hatta: Are you sure you know how to drive here? Everything's backward
here.

Komatsu: Relax man. We're crusing for babes here in babe central.

Hatta: Looks like a bunch of hookers roaming the streets to me.

Komatsu: Exactly! Thing about it! A luscious blonde, blue-eyed goddess
of beauty doing the nasty all night long. There! Two at the
corner. Just perfect for the two of us! I'll pull up. I'll roll down
the window and you talk to her.

Hatta: Woah, wait a minute.

(We see a pert blonde, in hot pants and a revealing tank top.)

"Hiya cutie!  Nice outfits. It's so Miami Vice."

Hatta: Ummm, thank you. (nervous laugh)

"Ahhh, foreigners too! How exotic! Me and my buddy will have to give
you the "special" service. What do you say?

Hatta: Sound good. What are your names?

"Mine's Cassandra. He's Butch."

Hatta: He?

"Say hi Butch!"

(They see the second companion behind, sporting a five o'clock shadow,
waving!)

"Hello boys!"

Hatta: Aieee! Step on it!

Komatsu: I'm way ahead of you!

[Back to the main event]

Kurumi: Sock 'em! Bash em! Power drive him!

Kazuya: I'm back!

Akane: What took you so long?

Kazuya: I had to do the business, literally. Let's go!

Akane: Go where?

Kazuya: It's a surprise.

Akane: I don't like your surprises one bit.

Kazuya: No time to argue. I met the coordinator and got backstage
access!

Kurumi: Honto?

Kazuya: Hai! So follow me!

(They follow Kazuya through the walkway)

Kurumi: Hurry! They were getting to the 2x4!

(They here the sounding bell)

Kurumi: Argh! That the end of the second match! We missed it!

Kazuya: Not to worry. We'll definitely catch the last match. Here we
are.


Kurumi: Where?

Kazuya: Through those doors. But wait. (whispers into Akane's ear)

Akane: You want me to use the Power! to do what?

Kazuya: Just do it for Kurumi-ne-chan's sake!

Akane: You better not be messing around.

Kazuya: Moi? Now go through those doors!

Announcer: Welcome to the final match of the evening. The mystery
match. The one which all of you are waiting in anticipation for. Wait
no longer, for it promises to be a real tag team cat-fight! First off,
the challengers. They're shrouded in mystery, they're from Japan, and
they're making their debut. Let's hear it for the Lovely Ninjas, Li
and Chun!

Akane: Lovely Ninjas?

Kazuya: Show time!

(Kazuya flings open the doors and pushes them out! To the crowd, Akane
and Kurumi appear to be dressed up as scantily-clad pink and blue
ninja suits thanks to Akane's projection Power!)

Kurumi: Yahoo! Now I get to be part of the action.

Akane: Ehhh? I didn't agree to do this!

Announcer: And who will compete with these lovely beauties? Why, none
other than the Biker Mamas, Magnolia and Marge!

(out comes these 300 pound hulking biker mamas wearing their bandannas
and large sweat-pants)

Akane: Aieee! We have to wrestle with them!

Kurumi: Goody! Some real challenge! Bring it on!

[At a Hard Rock Cafe]

Hatta: Komatsu! They were travestites!

Komatsu: I know, I know. But don't let that get you down. Here, drinks
on me.

Hatta: At least this place seem a lot safer.

Komatsu: Yeah, Has the same ambivalence of Shin ABCB. Probably a bunch
of actors types and writers hang out in this place.

Hatta: You probably right. Hollywood action heroes maybe? Maybe Rocky?

Komatsu: No such luck. Hubba hubba! Look what we have here!

Hatta: (puts his hand to his mouth)

Komatsu & Hatta: It's Miss Macross!


[At the main event]

Magnolia: You sissy girl! When I get my hands on you, I'm going to
crunch your scrawny toothpick body !

Large Marge: That ain't nothin'. I'm going to stomp her flat as a
butterfly!

Akane: (running around the ring waving her hands over her head!)  H -
e - l - p - p - ! - ! - !

(crowd is booing!)

Kurumi: Tag me! Tag me in!

Akane: You s - u - r -e - ?

Kurumi: Yes! (slaps her hand as she passes by)

Large Marge: Now, little girl, you're mine!

Kurumi: Oh yeah? Watch this!

(Kurumi starts to twirl around as if re-enacting a transformation
scene!)

Magnolia: Ooh! It's so scary...NOT! Let's smack this fragile china
girl!

Kurumi: Obviously, I have to teach you a geography lesson!

Large Marge: Snort! Come on! Gimme your best shot, toothpick!

Kurumi: You asked for it!

Akane: I can't look!

(* SPINNING POWER

                                S - L - A - P - !-!-! *)


(Kurumi delivers a spinning power punch right into large marge's
face!)

Magnolia: Ra ha ha! That's the last slap you get on me. We're gonna
apply the smack! Margie? Margie?

(Large Marge falls backwards into Magnolia!)

Magnolia: (roars in anger and pounds her chest!)

Akane: Now you got them really angry!

Kazuya: Relax, relax. It's Kurumi we're talking about.

Announcer: I don't believe it folks! That little blue ninja girl just
applied some major smack to Large Marge. She's down on her rumpus at
the end of the ring. Now Mags is out for blood! Oh, another surprise!
It's unbelievable!  That blue girl just picked up Big Mags!

Akane: Sugoi! (shoots her arms up)

Kazuya: Are you just the cheerleader?

Akane: Shut up! After this, I'm going to give you some smack myself!

Announcer: Holy Toledo! Is this an optical illusion or what? She
twirling Big Mags around like a sack of wheat! Who is this woman
behind the mask?  Oh, suplex! Suplex! Oh, that's gotta hurt! 300
pounds of pure bam on the mat! You can feel the aftershocks! Who would
have thunk? Two unknown amateurs from the Far East pulling this vast
upset in this final match!


Akane: We won! We won!

Kazuya: Hey Kurumi! Stop waving to the crowd and pin one of them down!

Kurumi: Say what?

Akane: Watch out! Behind you!

(as she turns around...)

(*WHUMP!*)

Announcer: Wow, out of the blue, no pun intended, Large Marge
blindsided and clothesline the blue beauty.

Kazuya: Crap! Kurumi's down!

Akane: Look! It's gets worse!

Kazuya: Noooo!

Announcer: Looks like Large Marge is not messing around. She's going
to go for the kill and she gets up on the ropes to perform her
bellyflop bomb or as they call it, 'The Big Dipper.' Little blue girl
will be flatter than a blueberry pancake after this!

"Hello?"

Large Marge: (looks down) Get out of my face, pipsqueak!

Kazuya: Okay!

Large Marge: (look back across Kurumi's body lying in the center of
the ring) You're mine! Geronimo!

(Leaps high up in the air and lands splat on the target!)

Announcer: What a turn of events! The pink ninja girl who wasn't
involved in the action at all pulled her partner away and managed to
haul Big Mags in the center of the ring. Large Marge just landed on
her partner! What was she thinking? Didn't she see her partner in the
middle of the ring?  No way you could miss her! Now the pink girl is
dragging the blue one over and putting her hands over the Big
Mamas. One, Two, Three! It's over folks!  Chauk a victory for the
foreign newcomers, the Lovely Ninjas!

Kazuya: Now let's get out of here before they wake up!

Akane: I hear you!

Kurumi: (shakes her head as if waking up from a sleep) What a strange
dream!

Akane: You didn't dream it! (grabs her by the hand)

(All three depart through the double door entrance and we see a brief
glint of light.)

Roving interviewer: Hey, where they go? I saw them here a second ago!

[Back at the Hard Rock]

"You are mistakened."

Komatsu: No way! We're your biggest fans! We idolized you!

Hatta: Yeah. With 0-G Love and Little White Dragon, who can forget a
voice like that?

"Well, you found me out. I would have never imagined there would be
people here who would recognize me, since I was a voice actress."

Hatta: Are you kidding? Who can forget Miss Macross?

Komatsu: Personally, I thought you were robbed. You should have been
the one that ended up with Hikaru.

"Umm, you know that was just a story, right? It isn't real!"

Komatsu: Oh, come on. Who do you take us to be? We're not your
obsessive fan-boys who just gets caught up in the anime.

Hatta: But just in case we don't meet again, can you sign autographs
for us?

[July 4th!]

[At the Orpheum Theater in San Francisco]

"10 more days before show time!"

It was like 10 days till the day of reckoning. July 14th. Even though
I have been through this before, there was still this feeling of
heightened anxiety - in anticipation of an upcoming event. Day in and
day out, practice after practice. The work was rigorous, given we
wanted to cram 3 months of training in less than one month. At least I
didn't need to get a second job; the production company was paying me
for assisting the director in his adapting of the play Atlantean on
the other side of the coast. From sea to shining sea, I guess, as the
song goes.

And yes, even on America's Independence Day, we worked.

As well you might imagined, I didn't have time to hang out at the
nightclubs.  Dancing for 7-8 hours daily does that to you. Instead,
I've become somewhat of a couch potato, watching tons of American
television in the meantime. A side effect is that my speaking of
English was greatly improving. One thing in Japan is that they only
teach you to read English. That was why initially, when I came to New
York, I had a hard time understanding what people were saying. You
might say to yourself that I spent almost 4 years in New York.
True. My English should have improved by now. It did, but not as much
as I would like to. In New York, it was easier to get by, since
everything was so Japanese-friendly. Virtually all the items had
Japanese translation on it. When I went dating or clubbing, we mostly
drank or danced. Bruno, my former boyfriend wasn't the talkative type.

Now my time out was mostly resting and watching T.V. I suppose my wild
days of partying in New York were behind me. I lived the high-strung
life already.  San Francisco operated at a different wavelength. A
more deliberate, free-style way, much like the Village, but with a
West Coast flavor.

I liked the drama shows like E.R., but had a hard time understanding
the comedy shows, even Friends, sometimes. Much of American humor
depends on cultural pretexts, much like Japanese bathroom humor. The
laugh track does help to remind me when something is funny.

I wasn't just all homebody though. With my Sundays off, I spent my
time riding my bike at all the various nearby parks. A much more
rigorous workout than I would have imagined, due to the hills, but in
a way nostalgic to me. I remember Sempai's place was up in the hills
area. It was hard to get up there, but when you did, I had my reward
waiting. In some way, I found my dreams to be those hills, which you
have to work hard to trek up, inch by inch up the high obstacle. It
would seem quite daunting, without constant reminder to myself of what
was waiting for me at the top. That was the thing that drove me to the
top.

At least with my outdoor treks, I had someone along with me. Her name
was Vivian. She was your self-independent woman. The way we met was
quite funny.  She was dog-walking several dogs along Market and one of
her dogs had accidentally "squirted" me on my shoes. She apologized
profusely and pressed me to give out my workplace address where she
would meet me after work. It turned out that we went shoe-shopping on
her tab that day. From that point on, we became fast friends. She was
a fitness nut, roller-blading, running, riding bikes, and even
kick-boxing. She taught me a few moves, since she said it should be
easy for me, being a dancer and because a woman should know how to
defend herself. Given my traumatic experiences in my abductions in New
York, I agreed with her. You can never take anything for granted. She
even helped me get a license for a pepper spray.

As for Vivian, her ambition was to one day be a physical trainer. Her
dog-walking helped to keep her in shape and pay the bills. We would
constantly meet at Jamba Juice or Starbucks where she would
exclusively order only the fruity drinks while I had the teas or
mocha. She would mostly talk about the inequalities that a woman has
to face in the workplace and in general life. She was curious to hear
my insights about a Japanese woman's treatment in Japanese society and
whether it matched the rumors she heard before. Often times, I would
feel embarrassed about telling her how easy it was to indulge in the
vices back home, and yet contradictory how low the crime was. It was
that sort of cultural dialog that greatly improved my English ability
and give me insight on the diversity in the city.

"Good, good work! That's a rap for now. Break for Lunch. Yo, double H!
Can you handle the shifts after lunch?"

"OK. No problem."

I gotta get back to work. I'll talk to you later.

[At the 2nd day of Anime Expo]

(Everyone seems to be in a tired mood)

Akane: Why do I have to wear this costume again? Geez. Oww, my body's
aching so bad!

Kurumi: Are you kidding me? I did all the wrestling. I'm barely sore.

Akane: Yeah, but who pulled you out from being flat-sumi from those
hideous Biker Mamas?

Kurumi: It was fun though! I got my chance to participate in a real
wrestling match! Lucky we have the Power! Or else we would have be
creamed.

Kazuya: No abusing the Power! today! Ojiichan told us to meet up for
the big family pow-wow. So we got to save it up.

Akane: Speaking of two saps who need saving, here comes the terrible
two-some.

Hatta: (*Yawn*) Hiii!

Kazuya: You guys must have had a really late night!

Komatsu: Tell me about it. We were singing karaoke with Miss Macross
all night!

Akane: Honto? Lucky! Next to Madoka-san, she was my idol!

Hatta: Yeah, she was hot! But not in a dirty way! She is a wholesome
hottie.

Komatsu: You really are sleepy. Leave the talking to me.

"Anno, ..."

Komatsu: Oh, you're Japanese!

Kazuya: You could tell?

Komatsu: Shuush! Excuse me. What can I do for you?

"I'm perusing the hall to evaluate the various costumes. Your booth
caught my eye with the lovely ladies here."

Kazuya: Where? (turns his head)

(Akane socks him in the head!)

Akane: Oh, don't mind him. What do you do?

"My real job is marketing director at Squaresoft. On behalf of my
company, I'm here promoting the new Final Fantasy manga series. I'm
also one of the judges in the costume contest being held tomorrow. "

Kurumi: Sounds cool!

"Yes it is. Nice to meet you all. Hope to see you folks at the
contest. Ja"

Akane: (*twinkle eyes*) Wow...,he's dreamy. What was his name?

Komatsu: I wasn't paying particular attention, but I think it was
Shino Tezu..  or something like that.

Hatta: Too bad he wasn't from Elf! I thought for a moment we had a
chance to turn my manga into an H-anime!

Komatsu: One thing at a time. We'll get our tentacles into everything
soon enough.

[Back in San Fran]

Muroke: Are you sure it's summer here?

Trebor: Positive. It's the ocean breeze that makes it cool. Trust me!
You'll wish it was this cool if you're stuck in the oven-baked South
Bay region.

Muroke: Are you sure they know how to get here?

Trebor: Trust me! It's a piece of cake. From where they are, they can
take the VTA to the Cal Train station in Palo Alto. From there, they
take it into downtown San Francisco. Then they go from Embarcadero to
the Muni station and the the outbound N-Judah train all the way to the
Sunset Area at 33rd.  Then they just walk down 4 long blocks to this
park.

Muroke: Thankfully, this park is close by your house.

Trebor: They better get here soon. I'm about to start on the barbecue
for the hot dogs and burgers.

[Downtown S.F.]

Hikaru: (jogs up) Hi Vivian! What did you want to see me urgently for?

Vivian: Guess what?

Hikaru: Uh, what?

Vivian: I scored cool afternoon tickets to an early showing of Beach
Blanket Babylon today at 5:00pm! Will you make it?

Hikaru: Director is letting us off early today at 4:30 for July 4th,
so the timing is just right.

Vivian: That's super. You're going to love the hats! Let's go grab a
bite to eat.

Hikaru: I'm with you.

[On the other side of the street]

Dana: Instead of buses, we take the subway?

Manami: Yes, I believe those were the instructions.

Dana: Isn't that the symbol?

Manami: (turns her head) Where?

Dana: The MUNI symbol for the underground subway.

Manami: Oh, that must be it. Let's go down.

(as they are walking down, Manami catches a glimpse of Hikaru's hair
going into the restaurant.)

Dana: See something?

Manami: No; I thought I did. Let's go before we are late.

[Anime Expo]

Akane: Ojiichan! You came!

Ojiichan: Hai, hai. Never went to anime convention in America before.

Kazuya: You never went to an anime convention in Japan either.

(Ojiichan does a pratfall!)

Kurumi: Where's Obaachan?

Ojiichan: Toilet. Too much tea.

Komatsu: (crouches to Ojiichan's ear) How's the babe watch?

(Komatsu and Hatta both snicker)

Ojiichan: Oh so-so. Who is the cutie over there? (points)

Hatta: (puts his hand flat to the left side of his mouth as if
whispering) You don't mean her? The spinster?

Ojiichan: Oi! She looks good in glasses.

Komatsu: That Tsuni-san. I guess even she would be a "younger" woman
for old gramps here!

Akane: What are you boars mumbling about!

Kazuya: They're probably scoping the chicks in the hall!

Akane: Shudup ewok!

Kazuya: I'm a kappaneko! Not a freakin' ewok!

Kurumi: Obaachan! You're back!

Obaachan: Oi, Oi!

Akane: You still haven't explained why you showed up here.

Ojiichan: My reason? It is simply this. Free food!

Kurumi: Oh yeah! Hatta and Komatsu is paying out tab anyway, so let's
chow down!

[Back in Sunset Park]

Me and Dana finally made it to the destination: a small little
recreation center nearby an elementary school. I met Muroke and his
friend who was doing what was called a barbecue. It's like cooking
yams over hot coals, but with flames and all. Even though it looked
quite fattening, it was quite good. I must have eaten at least 5 of
the home-made burgers and hot dogs each.  Much better than
MacDonalds. Dana was kidding me about my voracious appetite.  I told
her it was nothing, since I can consume about 3 whole pizzas. She was
quite taken aback by it.

We also played catch with baseball mitts and all. When we were tired,
sitting out in the grassy baseball field diamond, I finally learned
the truth about the whole sordid affair in New York from Muroke.

Muroke had traveled to the Big Apple with a friend, compliments of #1.
Haroken-san, my former employer was also there. My oniichan was going
to marry Madoka-san in New York. However, things happened. My sister
Kurumi had a run-in with #1. Ojiichan and oniichan were missing for a
while. And poor Hikaru was mixed in the middle and got herself
abducted again by the evil Anita and some other bad people. There was
a big showdown on a boat out in a undisclosed location. Luckily, all
my family members and Hikaru was safe from that ordeal. But poor
Haroken-san went down with the ship.  However, Madoka took off on
oniichan for reasons unknown to him.  That was something I had to talk
to oniichan about once I get home.

I wonder when I would have a chance to talk to my family again?


[Airplane ride]

Pilot: Hello folks! Just about 3 more hours left before our final
destination.  But in the meantime, enjoy the view down below of the
Golden Gate Bridge, the gateway to the west.

As I gazed down at the Golden Gate which was more red than gold, its
strong reddish glow reminded me of Madoka, the red straw hat, and the
red string of fate which I thought was unbreakable. I pictured myself,
circling through the clouds, spinning through figure 8's around the
bridge, with Madoka hand-in-hand, much like Superman's romantic flight
with Lois Lane. We would fly free like the red straw hat first did
when I made my fortuitous catch.  Then I saw the red bridge of fate
fade away from view just as quickly. How things you love can quickly
be taken away from you. I was just kicking myself inside on how I just
took for granted my love Madoka in terms of her giving me support and
encouragement all this time, and I, the laggard not reciprocating,
encouraging her as well. They say for a relationship to work, it has
to work both ways. At least that was what the minister beside me was
espousing.

I looked backed upon the times and I thought I knew what Madoka
wanted. How I put so much pressure on myself to be the "salary" man,
the man of the house, the provider who would support us. How cocky I
was, subjecting Madoka to so much worry and heartache while I
foolhardily traversed across the world for some whimsical dangerous
fancy. She would never object; how could she?  She couldn't get in the
way of my dreams. However, I failed to consider what her dreams would
be. I always thought she wanted to follow in the footsteps of her
parents and be a composer or great musician. That was why she taught
at that school of music. But was she satisfied or content with that
life?  I never stopped to consider her feelings, her ambitions, her
desires. How could we share a life together if I couldn't understand
something as basic as that?

"You okay son?"

Kyosuke: What makes you say that, Reverend.

"You were muttering to yourself. I got worried. One more thing."

Kyosuke: What?

"I'm a minister, not a reverend."

[Beach Blanket Bizarro!]

Hikaru: Wow!

Vivian: You know it! What a blast!

Hikaru: I'll say. Such giant hats with monuments on it!

"Hello, hello, hello folks. Welcome again to the annual Independence
version of the show!  Don't go anywhere since you can't anyway. Don't
feel blue, or red or white either for we bring the colorful amusements
to you! For starters, we have of course, the Statue of Liberty! Or as
I like to say, give me Liberty or give me a light! You know, I love my
smokes! Thank god for the Native Americans! Or as they call me, Black
Lung! From NYC to DC, we have the Washington Monument! Don't you
marvel at that piece? Don't you like that erect structure? I meant the
hat piece, not Francois' piece! What can I say? Now from long and
pointy to wide and curvy. What is it?  Why it's the Big Arch of St
Louis! Boy, I wouldn't give to ride those curves, if you know what I
mean. Whoo-hoo! We keep going west across the plains across this great
nation of ours, and where do we end up? A four-some! You hear people
tell you they had a three-some? I just laugh in their face and tell
them a four-some is one better. Am I right or am I right? Seriously
folks, this ain't your father's four-some fantasy. Instead, we have
our founding fathers duo paired up with a penny and a Teddy to form
the fabulous four-some! Not the Fab Four but the Fresh Prez of Mt
Rushmore.  I'm telling you these four lovely ladies can knock on my
door anytime if they can get their presidents right! No, no. You. The
one with the PJ Jazzy Jefferson on top of you. Geez, doesn't that
sound dirty? But enough about my underwear. You swap with her! Yes!
Yes! Yes! There you have it. Mount Rushmore! Or if we wait a minute
too long, it'll be Mount Crushmore soon!  Whaddya say? Let's give it
up for our four super troopers of Lana, Lola, Linda, and Fred, no I
mean Francine! Yeah, yeah. You can fight over me later!

Now from the mountains to the valleys of Silicon in the West Coast, or
in this show, silicone, we move from Rushmore to Gold Rush as
epitomized by the Golden Gate in the classic old-time song, where the
line goes San Francisco, open your golden gates, which is the same
line I tried last night with my blonde girlfriend, ahem! Look at those
3 three walk in unison balancing that structure! It's like
synchronized hat walking! That should be a sport, at least in the Bay
Area, but enough tolling around. What's up with the open hand? You
want me to give you 5? Here, a high five! No, not that five? Oh, I
see! Here's a five dollar bill! Even with make-believe, you gotta pay
as you go! Or for them, to go bye-bye.

What is as American as Apple Pie! Why, the Big Apple of course! And
I'm not talking about a computer chief. From Times Square, we have the
Big Apple!  Note, that is not the Kool Aid man, but I heard they were
close cousins. What do you have here in the West Coast? Nothing, until
now! Let me introduce to you the Big Orange! Or as I like to call it,
the Big O, or as my lady puts it, the Big O-my-gawd! Ever see two
fruits brawling? And I don't mean out in the city! Who do you have as
the enforcer breaking it up? Why, yes.  It's Uncle Sam! He's making
them shake hands. Aww, isn't that a sight? An apple-orange shake. Now
what is he getting? Is that cake? Why, yes it is!  A large cake with a
authentic replica of Old Glory on it and firecracker candles sparkling
on top of it! He may not be no spring chicken, but he is a Yankee
Doodle Dandy with cake and candy! Look at it go off!

(the whole stage sparkles with pyrotechnics as the cast members
reenter the stage to make the finale entrance)


[On the bus] 

Kazuya: Why are we in such a rush?

Akane: Yeah. Where are we going?

Ojiichan: Grand Canyon!

Kurumi: Cool! More sight-seeing!

Ojiichan: Ha ha. Young people! No. Tonight we unite to find Madoka!

Akane: Why do we have to ride this crummy bus for? Couldn't we just
flash to it?

Ojiichan: No. Save the Power! for the link.

Kazuya: I bet Hatta and Komatsu are having more fun than we are!

[Anime Expo]

Hatta: I'm gonna get those girls! Leaving right at the end of the show
without cleaning up the booth first. Hey! Where are you going? Aren't
you going to help me?

Komatsu: No can do buddy. Got this power date, I mean power dinner.
So you're on your own to clean. But you can handle it. See ya!

Hatta: Great! Poor old me, always left to do the dirty work.

"I can help you if you want."

Hatta: Who said that?

"I did."

Hatta: Yo-yo-you're ...

"Speechless? Do not be. Booth cleanup is part of the job at the shows
for us manga artists."

Hatta: <Help me!>


[Back at the Park]

Manami: Well, I have to be getting back now. It's getting late.

Muroke: Oh, okay. I was hoping we can see the fireworks. But you're
right.  That's won't happen until much later.

Manami: I did have a fun time today! Thank you and your friend for the
food and hospitality. It was a nice break for me. I have a final
writing assignment coming up so this is a nice breather.

Muroke: I'll be pretty busy myself. I'm visiting all these prospective
colleges. I've even going to visit some game companies!

Manami: That sounds exciting!

Muroke: Umm, can I ask you one more thing?

Manami: What is it?

Muroke: Can we meet up again, if you have time.

Manami: Sure. Why not? There's this play that's going to open soon
downtown that you've probably seen already. Hikaru-chan's probably
still burning up the stages in New York.

Muroke: Yeah, she was great when I saw her debut.

Dana: Manami! We have to go.

Manami: Let's talk about it at a later time. Enjoy the fireworks! Ja
ne!


[Sin City]

      Everybody got to have a dream.  A dream so far, so hard to see.
        To chase, to catch, to believe it can be.

         But sometimes we lose sight, we forget,
        we worry, we despair, we lose faith in ourselves, in our
         hopes, in our dreams.

        When it seems impossible to escape the abyss overflowing with
         the inner demons feeding our self-doubt and fears.


        Out of the dark brooding comes a gentle reminder, a helping
         hand, a soft light, to help bring us back to our senses.

        And so I Got my dreams,
                running free and loose.

        Out of my heart, and through my mind.  Got to get these
        feelings rolling till it burns inside me everlasting free.


Mayberry: A big hand to Madame M. on her final performance at the
club. Tinseltown is her next stop, so let's wish her well on her
journeys ahead!


[At XIA headquarters]

Clancy: You are back. Consider my proposition carefully?

#1: Yep. You got me. I'm going to take on this final mission for you
folks to infiltrate the Red Dragon Triad, the lone surviving part of
the 7 pieces.  In return, I get to speak to Akira about my past. Deal?

Clancy: It is agreed upon.

#1: But on one condition. Once this is done, will you folks just leave
me  the hell alone?

Clancy: I will see to it that your services will no longer be required
after completion of your mission.

#1: Fine. But where am I suppose to start?

Clancy; You start with the key to the kingdom.

[Fireworks display]

Manami: Kirai!

Dana: Spectacular. Patriotism is strong in any country.

Manami; In Japan, you can see fireworks during Tanabata.

Dana: We are lucky we made it back in time.

(on the other side of the bay)

Trebor: Sorry about the view. The fog is partially blocking the view
across the Golden Gate Bridge. But there's a better view out near the
tower.

Muroke: It's alright. It's the feeling you get when watching the
fireworks that counts.


[At the Grand Canyon]

Akane: (*huff and puff*) We finally made it!

Kurumi: Sugoi! We can see the fireworks across Las Vegas!

Kazuya: We didn't come here to fool around. So ojiichan? What are we
suppose to do?

Ojiichan: Form secret seance formation. Light display good cover for
us.  Akane go there. Kurumi over there. Kazuya in the middle.  Me and
Obaa spread out.

Akane: You mean we have to walk to the other side of the Grand
Canyon!?

Ojiichan: No, no! Use the Power! now. Move over quickly! The stars and
moon not always be in good position long.

(We see the teleportation flash of the Power!)

(We see the 5 members now across each part of the Grand Canyon,
forming a pentagram shape.)

Ojiichan: Mina ready?

Kazuya, Akane, Kurumi: HAI!!

Ojiichan: Obaa, start the link!

Obaachan: Oi, oi!

(We see a energy light emanate from obaachan linking with each member,
as it bounces between them and criss-crosses to form a star
configuration)


[Hong Kong]

Rouji Kouta is in a gambling casino.

He is sitting at a poker table, surrounded by two gorgeous ladies.

Dealer: Discard?

Rouji: Yes. 4 cards.

(dealer doles out the requested amount and collects the discard)

Dealer: Mr Cage? Any cards for you?

"No need. I raise you 10k."

Dealer: The pot is now 50 thousand hong kong dollars. What is your
play?

Rouji: Call.

"You haven't looked at your new cards!"

Rouji: No need.

"Your loss. I have a full house. "

(A man dressed in a black suit and wearing sunglasses comes up to the
table)

"Excuse me. Urgent message for Mr Kouta." (whispers something in his
ear)

Rouji: Excuse me ladies. I have to be going. The boss is calling me.

J. Cage: Aren't you going to finish your hand?

Rouji: I'll let you do the honors. Deposit my winnings to my credit
when you're done.

J. Cage: (rises to protest) Don't try running off. Hey! Where'd he go?

Dealer: He is gone already. Shall I finish his hand?

J. Cage: Go ahead.

(The dealer opens up the 4 dealt cards to reveal 9, 10, J, Q, and K of
clubs!)

J. Cage: I'll open the last card.

(He opens it up to reveal the black Ace of Clubs!)

J. Cage: That sly devil! He must have the God of Gamblers' blood in
him!


[Manami's place]

I was really tired from my excursion today and so was Dana, so we both
slept early.

As I lay sleeping, I felt a poking from a stick-like object.

Manami: (*Yawn*) Am I awake already? I just went to sleep.

"You will have plenty time for sleep, my pretty ESPer, after you
become my next sacrifice. Br ha ha ha ha!

Manami: Who said that?

"Your worst rival you can imagine. I am the wicked dragon witch queen
of the East. And I got your little cat too! It should serve as a tasty
morsel for my wyverns!


(We see the cat locked up in a light green bamboo wicket cage. We see
Dorothy tied up to a pole just on the outskirts of a lake. The wicked
witch is only a few paces away.)

Manami: My oz dream. How did I get back into it? And who is she? She
doesn't look like anyone I know.

Totoro: That is Yayoi!

Manami: Ya who?

Totoro: Yayoi. The arch-rival of the ESPers.

Manami: Oh. That's the person Muroke spoke of.

Totoro: Hai. You killed her fellow cohort. That's why you got the magic
ruby shoes.

Manami: At least that detail didn't change.

"Enough chit-chat! I wish to possess your slippers. But for that to
happen, you must die! But the death blow cannot be cast from my own
hand, as the magic of the shoes ordain. Only by secondary kill can I
come into possession. My foolish wyverns dare not maime you in fear of
the magic guard annoited by the goody goody witch.  Ergo, you shall be
presented to my sea pet as a sacrificial snack. I'll make sure he
chews you well before digesting you.

Manami: Ewww! How gross!

"Dorothy, we've come to save you!"

Wicked Witch: The three bungling idiots of the domain. How I tire of
your idiocy, whining, and cowardice. Wyverns, attack!

Lioness: Oh gawd! They're coming! We should fall back.

Scarecrow: I may not be a battle tactician, but something tells me we
should split up to divide and confuse them.

Tinperson: Good idea. I can take their fire attacks, so I'll occupy
them.  You two go and rescue Dorothy.

Wicked witch: The water is quaking. A sign that my serpent draws near.
My forces will occupy your friends long enough until you are no more.
He will come hither and devour you most devoutly.

Manami: You are wrong! Unlike you, I have faith in my friends. I
believe in them,

(The scarecrow wanders off into the castle, while the lioness is
jumping around to try to flee the pursuing wyverns towards Dorothy's
direction. )

(Meanwhile, we see the serpent appear in the center of the lake. A
huge 300 feet monstrosity that looks like Godzilla!)

The lioness makes his way towards Totoro's cage.

Lioness: Here Totoro. Get away!

(She uses her paw to swat the lock off easily)

Wicked Witch: Oh no you don't!

(She casts a spell which suspends the lioness in the air!)

(Meanwhile, the serpent is inching closer and closer as it wades
through the lake water until it is within 20 lengths of Manami!)

Meanwhile, the Tinperson breaks through the line of wyverns and
trudges towards Dorothy's position.

Wicked Witch: I got you too!

(She starts an incantation.)

Scarecrow: (up at the top rampart of the castle looking down)
Tinperson! Go for the wicked witch first! Or else she will immobilize
you as well!

(As the witch is finishing her incantation,)

Wicked witch: Aww!

(Totoro the cat is viciously clawing at her and jumping up and down on
her)

Wicked witch: Get off me, you stupid cat!

Manami: Tinperson! Try to push her into the water. It's our only
chance!

Tinperson: Yes!

(As the Tinperson rushes with arms forward towards the wicked witch,
she adeptly side-steps, as the Tinperson falls into the lake water.

Wicked Witch: Missed me!

Manami: Miss this!

Manami kicks the wicked witch in the butt where she side-step two, as
she trips over Totoro and rolls into the water.

The Lioness falls from the sky as a result but lands on her feet!

Scarecrow: Is everyone alright?

Manami: Yes. In a manner of moments, our trouble should be over.

(As Manami says this, the wicked witch stands up in the water, with a
mad look on her face!)

Wicked Witch: You shall pay for getting me wet!

Manami: Impossible. You should be melting when you make contact with
water.

Wicked Witch: Ha! I'm not that kind of wicked witch!

(The serpent is now at the witch's side!)

Wicked witch: (pats it) Now my pet. Eat them all up!

Scarecrow: You forgotten about me! Taste this!

(He weakly throws a vial over which will hit the ground instead.)

(But in one lunging motion, the lioness times her jump and uses her
paw to tap the vial in mid-air towards the lake.)

(The vial lands in the lake, but nothing happens.)

Scarecrow: Oh no! (slaps his forehead of straw)

Wicked Witch: You ignoramus fool! You thought you had me! The crystal
vial's contents is useless unless broken.

Tinperson: L-l-l-ike t-t-t-this!

(With the last ounce of strength, the Tinperson breaks the vial lying
on its stomach.)

Wicked Witch: Noooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!

Everything in the lake starts to crystallize, Wicked Witch, Serpent,
and all.

Totoro: Woah man. What a way to end things.

Lioness: The wyverns. They are flying away.

Manami: Without their leader, they have no one to follow.

Scarecrow: I'm back down.

Manami: How did you know what the vial would do?

Scarecrow: I didn't, but I must have wandered into the wicked witch's
alchemy lab. There were pictures below each vial, and I saw the water
symbol but with pointy, jagged edges on top. So I guess it affected
the water somehow and wanted to try it on the lake before the monster
left the water.  It seem to work.

Lioness: Work too well! Now poor Tinperson is dead! Boo-hooo!

Manami: We have to move on. Let's go back.

We marched back to the wizard's place, sad of the plight of the
Tinperson.  I used the axe discarded to the side by the Tinperson to
cut her out of the lake while the Lioness carried her back, though
shivering the whole way, since it was equivalent to carrying a block
of ice. We braved the journey with heavy hearts, with the Tinperson
having the biggest heart of all, sacrificing herself without
hesitation to save us all.

(*knock knock knock*)

Wizard's attendants: What do you want?

Scarecrow: We want to see the wizard again.

Hatta attendant: Hogwash! The wizard's busy. Now scram!

Lioness: Now listen buddy, and listen good! Me and my friends are not
in a good mood. We just lost a dear friend. Now if you don't open this
door right this minute, I will break it down myself! And when I do, I
will tear each one of you into thousands of little scraps for the rats
to devour.

Komatsu attendant: Alright, alright! We'll open the door!

Manami: Wow, lioness. Now you're the brave one I remember before.

Lioness: Was I? I was just bluffin'. I didn't really mean to do all
those mean things I said. Bluffin' I tell you.

Manami: Okay. Stay cool. We're going to see the wizard again.

We were escorted through the long passageway and into the same
foreboding room.

(A large dragon's head appears again above them)

"WHO - DARE - DISTURBS - THE SLUMBER - OF - THE GREAT - AND POWERFUL -
WIZARD!"

Manami: It is I. My friends and I have returned from the quest you
have given us. Here's the Wicked Witch of the East's staff.

"LAY - IT - ON - THE - ALTAR - BEFORE - YOU!"

Manami: Done. Now about your promise...

"I MADE NO PROMISE TO YOU. NOW BEGONE!"

Scarecrow: Hey, that's no fair!

Lioness: Yeah! After all we went through!

Manami: Totoro! Where are you going?

(jumps out of Manami's arms and yanks at a curtain cloaked in
darkness.)

Manami: What's this?

(she pulls it to reveal a telephone booth with a green telephone and
...)

Manami: Ojii-chan! What are you doing in there?

Ojiichan: Gomen, Manami-chan. We're looking for Madoka-chan.  But I
seem to have found you instead. Is this your dream?

Manami: Hai! You seem to be the wizard here.

Ojiichan: Hai, hai. Our Kasuga clan is down in the Grand Canyon, so we
are doing a seance to look for Madoka. Hey, we can borrow your Power!
since you're nearby.

Manami: I can lend me power. But I need to finish my dream before I
can help.

Ojiichan: So ka. Okay.

Scarecrow: Dorothy. What's taking so long? Is he the wizard?

Ojiichan: Hai! I am the wizard!

Lioness: But you're just a little old man.

Ojiichan: I am. I come from the same land as Manami here.

Scarecrow: Manami?

Ojiichan: I mean...what's your name?

Manami: (whispers) Dorothy.

Ojiichan: Dorothy here. So what seems to be the trouble.

Totoro: Listen wizard. They wanna know whether you can grant them a
brain, courage, and whatever you can do for the Tinperson.

Ojiichan: You have talking cats in your dream? We have to analyze it
later.  Now, now, which one to begin. Ah, scarecrow. (Kyosuke, no
doubt. I can see Manami-chan why you think he needs to look for his
brain sometimes.) You think your head is full of mush and needs a
brain, but that's not true.  (*ahem*)There are a lot of people who
have brains full of mush. No, you have something more
valuable. Intellect. But before you had no proof. Well now that's
going to change. I present to you your proof. A diploma.  Straight
from wizard man himself. That would validate to your fellow Oz-ians
that you are more than a scarecrow. That you are an educated scholar!

Scarecrow: Oh thank you, thank you so much great and mighty wizard. I
think, ergo I am!

Ojiichan: Wonderful, wonderful. Now lioness, having courage does not
mean being fearless all the time. Real courage means knowing it's okay
to be afraid and overcoming it to help out people despite your
fear. Being the wizard, I happen to know you have real courage inside
you. You mustn't be afraid to show it. To help in displaying your
real, true courage, I shall give you a star badge. This will indicate
to everyone that you are a brave protectorate of the land who will
help defend the rights of the small and weak.

Lioness: I am honored wizard for this prestigious commendation and
shall do my best to protect the land and its inhabitants here from any
danger yet unknown.

Wizard: That's the spirit!

Manami: Is there anything you can do for poor Tinperson here?

Lioness & Scarecrow: Please! Help our friend!

Ojiichan: (touches it) Ai yay yay! Too cold!

Manami: So she can't be saved?

Ojiichan: Give me a minute. Let me huff ...and puff and...now Stand
back everyone! Alright dear! Let her rip!

Obaachan: Oi Oi!

(The dragon's head breathes a flame of fire which instantly melts the
ice off the Tinperson!)

Tinperson: Where am I? How did I get here?

Scarecrow: My friend! I am glad you are alright!

Lioness: Me too!

Tinperson: I could use some oil though. Are you the great and powerful
wizard?

Ojiichan: That I am. And I have heard your request. You desire a
heart. But you fail to realize that you already have one. No, not the
one that beats steadily to sustain oneself. The kind of heart that you
can give to others through love and care. Through your unselfish
actions towards others, you have demonstrated more heart than most
people would ever exhibit. Because of this, I shall commission you to
take this cat into your care. Through your care and attention and love
towards this cat, it will serve as the symbol of your "heart".

Tinperson: Oh, I am so happy to hear that! Thank you wizard!


Totoro: Yo wiz man! I never agreed to this! What would metal-head know
about taking care of a cat?

Manami: Now, Totoro, Remember what you told me before? You were once
Yuusaku who was madly in love with Hikaru. Now this is your second
chance to finally be together.

Totoro: Well, I suppose you have a point.

Tinperson: Dorothy, are you speaking some special cat language to him?

Dorothy: Why yes I am.

Tinperson: Maybe I can learn the same language in time. Oh Thank you
wizard!  Thank you for your wonderful gesture.

(squeezes the cat)

Totoro: Hey, easy on the fur, metal lady!

Ojiichan: Okay. Thank you all for coming. Goodbye now.

Scarecrow: Hey, what about Dorothy?

Lioness: Yeah, she wants to go home.

Tinperson: She deserves it too.

Ojiichan: You're right. She deserves her wish to be fulfilled as well.
But I can't do anything.

Manami: What do you mean?

Ojiichan: I can't send you home. I never had that power. But you
do. You have the power to go home yourself. Through the power of the
red shoes.

Lioness: Really?

Scarecrow: But how?

Ojiichan: All she needs to do is click her ruby red shoes 3 times and
say 'There's no place like home.'

(Tinperson is crying!)

Dorothy: Wait Tinperson! You mustn't cry! Or you'll rust your eyelids
shut.

Tinperson: Oh I'm sorry Dorothy. I can't help it. I just realized
something.  Once you go, we won't have any more fun adventures
anymore.

Scarecrow: And I won't have anyone to give me advice on the crows.

Lioness: And I won't have you to protect anymore.

Dorothy: Everyone. I understand how you feel. But I have friends and
family to return to. They're probably worried sick about me. You four
have become a family onto yourselves. Please support each other.

Wizard: It's time for you to go now.

(Dorothy nods)

(As Dorothy looks back upon her friends, their faces all turn sad at
her impending departure)

Manami: You guys! You all have been wonderful to me. Scarecrow, I'm
going to miss your sparkling wit. And Lioness, serve as a good role
model for everyone.  And Tinperson, take good care of my Totoro, which
I know you will. Here I go.  I miss all of you folks. I hate long
goodbyes, but I have a feeling I'll see each and every one of you
soon. So long everybody!

Everyone: Bye Dorothy! We love you! Safe trip back home!

Ojiichan: We better go and join the seance. Or the plane-time will
pass.

Manami: (closes her eyes and clicks her ruby red shoes 3 times)

  There's no place like home.
                There's no place like home.  There's no place like
                        home...



[Arrival]

I arrived at the Las Vegas, after a changeover flight at L.A. Very
glitsy airport. Even Narita doesn't have pachinko machines. I shared a
taxi with the preacher man to his establishment right in the middle of
the neon action.

"Son. You have accommodations?"

Kyosuke: No sir. I was thinking of continuing this taxi out to this
address.

(looks at address)

"Heavens no son! Vegas may be awake, though it still dangerous to
drive out to these parts this late.  I'll put you up myself. As a man
of God, giving assistance is second nature. "

Kyosuke: Thank you. I humbly accept your offer sir.

(as Kyosuke is getting out, he catches a glimpse of wisp of hair from
a red Mustang passing by.)

"What is it son?"

Kyosuke: That car.

"Caddys and mustangs are commonplace here. Mustang ranch, that's
another can of worms. Stay clear of those woman of sin."


[Back at the Grand Canyon]

Ojiichan: (telepathically) Manami has joined us now.

Kurumi: Where is she?

Akane: Looks like in the center of our link.

Ojiichan: Good. Manami, you watch the vision. Spread!

(We see a spectacular light show beams emanate from the Grand Canyon
from the pentagram stance, as it looks like the beams are
triangulating the position like gps!)

Park Ranger #1: You see that?

Park Ranger #2: Ah, that's just the fireworks.

As if continuing my dream sequence, I was thrust into this creepy
darkness. Oniichan told me it was a psychedelic mixture of colors he
saw when he went time-traveling. Where was Madoka in this shimmering
sea of void?

I saw a hand stick out out of the blue. I instinctively reached out
and grabbed it and...


(We see a hot lady driving off away from the desert in her red
Mustang)

(As she is driving, she briefly feels a warm glow from her chest)

"What was that sensation? "





                       -=[End Act V Part III]=-