Episode 16
The Truth of Mika
(at school)
Noelle: (stretching) I’m glad it’s
Friday.
Kanshin: Get your stupid
hands out of my face! (Pow! Noelle punches
Kanshin as she is stretching)
Noelle: Oops! Sorry, Kanshin.
Tsuta: (sighs) You just can’t go
one day without getting into trouble.
Noelle: There’s nothing
wrong with punching Kanshin. He doesn’t
mind.
Kanshin: (holding nose) You may look like a
girl, but you sure act like you’re a guy!
Noelle: (another punch) WHAT DO YOU MEAN BY
THAT???
Mika: And she does this
every day?
Tsuta: (nods her head) Every day that I’ve
known her.
Noelle: Hey, we should go
the park today after detention.
Tsuta: Isn’t this the last
time the cherry blossoms will bloom before winter?
Noelle: (nods her head) Yup! And they’re so pretty! Everyone loves cherry blossoms! You’re going to come, too, right Mika?
Mika: (nodding her head) Not everyone loves
cherry blossoms, Noelle. (Noelle and
Tsuta give a surprised look)
*******************************************
(Noelle,
Tsuta, and Mika are walking in the park.
Spirey is on Mika’s shoulder)
Tsuta: It’s so beautiful! (Noelle nods her head)
Spirey: (a petal from one
of the cherry blossoms lands on Spirey’s nose.
Spirey happily starts blowing at it, though it proceeds to fall back on
his nose. He starts jumping excitedly) Koochee!
Mika: They’re ok, but you
can’t forget that saying “Every rose has its thorns.” (just as Mika
finishes saying this, Daraku is seen from a short distance)
Tsuta: Daraku!
Noelle: (muttering to Mika
as Tsuta runs over to him)
Speaking of roses…
Daraku: (muttering to
himself) It’s
too crowded here.
Tsuta: Daraku! (she runs up to him,
surprising Daraku. Noelle and Mika watch
from a distance)
Mika: Aren’t you going to
tell her?
Noelle: No. I’ve tried too many times. (Tsuta is laughing next to Daraku who is kind
of bothered and embarrassed at the same time) If she wants to be friends with
Daraku, then that’s her own decision. (closes her eyes and looks down, shaking her head in
agreement with herself) Personally, I
don’t see anything great about him. Even
if I wasn’t aware of his true identity, but I guess Tsuta can’t help not seeing
that…(notices Mika is gone) Mika?
Where did you go? (she sees Mika ducking behind a tree. Noelle runs up to her and ducks behind the
tree as well.) Mika, what’s going on?
Mika: (annoyed) Ssssssh! (the two girls grow
silent. There is the laughter of
children playing and people talking in the background. Mika stands perfectly still, watching
something, anxiously and nervously. Spirey
mutters a soft and worried Koochee. Mika
does not blink; fear has embraced her.
Noelle watches her, apprehensively.
She looks up to see what Mika was staring at. All she sees is a woman on a cell phone who
is stopped on a path right across from their tree. The woman looks around for a bit, closes the
cell phone which she folds up and puts back in her black pocketbook, looks
around again, and then proceeds to leave.
Mika continues standing behind the tree, not moving a muscle.)
Noelle: Mika, are you
ok? (Mika unfreezes and starts
running.) Mika, where are you
going? (Noelle starts running after her)
Mika: (thoughts) I hope she didn’t
see me…(closing her eyes)…and I wish Noelle wouldn’t follow me.
***************************************************
(Mika
is still running. She is back in the
city now. She stops by a light post to
catch her breath. Noelle finally manages
to catch up to her)
Noelle: Mika, why are you
running?
Mika: (emotionless) I saw my sister’s
friend.
Noelle: So?
Mika: (hands clenched in
fists, her face wet with tears) She’s the one I’ve been living with,
Noelle. (Noelle gives a gasp)
Noelle: I don’t understand…
Mika: (turns around;
Noelle can see Mika’s frustration and despair in her face) Why do you think I ran away? (Noelle pauses, not sure how to answer the
question) Tell me, Noelle. Why do you think I ran away? (turns around
again. Noelle clears her throat)
Noelle: Mika, I want to
help you, but I can’t unless you tell me what happened. Why did you run away?
Mika: (pauses) I ran away, because
I had no other choice.
Noelle: (frustrated and
concerned) No
other choice from what?
Mika: Let’s go. It’s no good standing here. (starts walking.)
Noelle: Mika! (Mika does not turn around. Noelle gives a long sigh and follows her)
***********************************
(at Noelle’s house. The
two girls enter)
Noelle: Mother! We’re home!
Zaisan: (from the staircase) You don’t have to
yell, Noelle. (Noelle sticks out her
tongue at him. Zaisan does the same)
Mother: Hello, Noelle. Mika, I believe you know Ms. Aiko. (the woman from the
park steps up next to Noelle’s Mother)
Aiko: Mika, enough with
this foolishness. Go pack your
stuff. We’re leaving. (Mika freezes) GO!
(Mika runs up the stairs.) Thank
you for watching her. I am sorry she was
such a problem.
Mother: (shakes head) She wasn’t a problem
at all. I tried several times to get her
to talk to me, but she would never tell me anything.
Aiko: She’s very stubborn. She is always taking off like this. Mika? What is taking you so long? (Mika doesn’t say a word. She comes from the stairs with her backpack,
and her bag in hands.) It’s about
time! (Noelle watches as Mika walks down
the stairs. She does not smile. Aiko walks over to her) You obedient girl! (she grabs Mika by
the year and drags her out of the house)
Noelle: Mika! Don’t leave!
Mother: (puts her warm,
comforting hand on Noelle’s shoulder) Don’t worry, Noelle. Everything will be fine. (she walks away)
Noelle: But Mother! (Noelle looks desperately out the
window. She can hear Aiko scolding Mika,
who refuses to say a word. Suddenly,
Aiko’s hand is in the air. Noelle
watches terrified as the hand slams across Mika’s face. Mika’s head jerks back from the impact of the
hit. She drops her bag on the ground.)
Aiko: BRAT!!!! (Noelle watches terrified, her eyes fill up
with tears and anger)
Noelle: MIKA!!!!!!! (she is about to run
outside when her Grandmother puts her hand in front of her, shaking her head. Noelle looks up at her as the tears fall down
her face)
Grandmother: Stay Noelle. (Noelle hears a sound from outside. She looks out the window to see the
police. Aiko freezes as the cops come to
her. She is handcuffed. Aiko growls at Mika, continuing to yell at
her. Another cop puts a cloth over Mika’s
face. He walks with her to another
police car (not the same one with Aiko).
Noelle watches as both cars drive away)
Noelle: What happened?
Mother: (coming from the
kitchen) I
called the police. (Noelle turns around,
stunned)
Noelle: What? But how did you…
Mother: She showed signs of
abuse. I called child protection
services right away, and it was agreed that she would stay here, where it was
safe for her, until whoever was hurting her would show up again. I called them right after Aiko left. (Noelle falls into her Mother’s arms.)
Noelle: Thank you, Mother. (Noelle’s Mother nods her head with a sad
smile) What will happen to Mika, though?
Mother: For now, she will
stay with child protection services. She
will come back here when they figure things out. Unfortunately, I think Mika’s been through
more than just abuse. Emotionally. (Noelle gets up and walks to the door. She walks over to where Mika dropped her
bag. There is a little bit of Mika’s
blood on the bag. A tear falls onto one
of the drops of blood. Noelle gives a
smile)
Noelle: (out loud to
herself) I’m
glad everything will be fine, Mika.
*********************************
(Nova
is at the cabin with her Butterjewels, practicing)
Nova: Sunstar, aim at
that rock…ok…now! Attack Power! (The Butterjewel proceeds to do this, turning
the rock into dust.) (happily) Well done!
Ok, so we have gotten better with our aiming. (looks up at all
three Butterjewels; winking) Now we need
to learn some cool attack moves! (excitedly) Ones that
Dark Star would never expect! Stardust,
come over here! (the
Butterjewel walks toward her) ok, you
lie down here,
Tsuki’s voice from
behind: You
should really practice with their powers.
(Tsuki and her Unijewel come up to join them) Your red Butterjewel and your orange Butterjewel
both have their special powers. Use
these powers to your advantage. Do not
overlook them.
Nova: (nods her heads) Yes. You’re right, Tsuki.
Tsuki: But remember…(Nova turns around)
The special fruit powers take up a great deal of energy. When they use their attack, they will be much
weaker. Don’t forget that, Nova.
Nova: (shakes her head
again) Yes. (she turns to
Stardust.) Ok now…(Stardust
and
Tsuki: You’re Butterjewels
need a lot of practice.
Nova: I kind of know
that. (blows
out a puff of smoke)
****************************************
(Nova
and Tsuki are sitting on the edge of a cliff.
The Jewels are all resting)
Tsuki: They’ll get better
next time, Nova. (Nova sighs) You may not realize it, but they have
improved a lot. And so have you.
Nova: I’m just frustrated.
Tsuki: Even if you’re frustrated,
you can’t give up.
Nova: It’s not just
that. (standing
up)
Tsuki: What else is it?
Nova: I’m worried about
Mika.
Tsuki: (grumbles) Was wondering why
she wasn’t here.
Nova: Tsuki, she’s one of
us. I know it. But the connection…I just don’t understand…
Tsuki: What connection?
Nova: She left
today. I…I just don’t know. How come we can transform but she cannot?
Tsuki: (annoyed; standing
up) Hey, don’t
forget! When I transform, I can’t
remember a thing that happened before! Most
of my life is completely blank!
Nova: (looks up at the
stars) Why do
the stars hold so many secrets?
Tsuki: (calmed down; looks
up at the stars as well)
Don’t know. But…I wish
they would tell us…all of their secrets…
**************************************
(Noelle
is up in her bedroom. The doorbell
rings. She immediately runs down the
stairs and opens the door)
Noelle: Mika! (Mika is standing there, smiling. She looks much happier than a few days ago. A man is standing behind her)
Mika: Hello, Noelle! (Noelle backs away from the door as Mika and
the man enter. Noelle’s Mother comes in
from the kitchen)
Mother: It’s good to see
you again, Mika.
Noelle: Come on, Mika! Upstairs!
(pulls Mika’s arm)
Mika: Ok, ok! (Noelle’s Mother smiles as she turns to the
man who is holding some paperwork)
Noelle: (opening a door) Check it out! (Mika looks inside the room. It is her own
bedroom. There are some fresh sheets all
tucked in on her bed, along with a couple of fluffy pillows and a stuffed bunny
and new outfits in her closet. Mika
looks around the room excitedly.) It use to be my Grandfather’s office. We fixed it up while you were gone.
Mika: Thank
you, Noelle! This is great! (she falls onto her
bed. Noelle takes a seat on the floor.)
Noelle: I think it’s fair, Mika, if you explain some things to me. I mean, as your friend, I should have the
right to know. (Mika gets off the bed
and also sits on the floor)
Mika: You’re right,
Noelle. (pauses) I know you are wondering why I left home…and
why I was living with Akio. (Noelle nods
her head) Remember the first day we met…at
the beach?
Noelle: Yes. The next morning, you were gone… (brief memory image
from the beach episode)
Mika: Well, that night
when I was sleeping in your tent, my sister came.
~~~~~~~(memory scene)~~~~~~~~~~
(Mika
is sleeping in the tent. Klora has opened the flap and is gently shaking her)
Klora: (whispering) Mika, get up. We have to leave.
Mika: Huh? Klora…what’s wrong?
Klora: Mika…Father went
bankrupt.
Mika: What!?!?!?
Klora: We have nothing
left, Mika. Absolutely
nothing. (Mika stares at her
terrified)
Mika: Where’s Sharno?
Klora: He left. He and Father had to leave right away. (sighs) I have a friend. You will have to stay with her until things
settle down. Come on, Mika. We need to go.
Mika: But, Klora! Why can’t I
live with you?
Klora: Stop fussing, Mika! (pulls her up) You’re going to live with Akio for a few days
and that is that. There is nothing more
to discuss.
~~~~~~~~(end of memory scene)~~~~~~~~~
Noelle: So that’s what
happened.
Mika: But it wasn’t for a
few days. I haven’t heard anything from Klora since she dropped me off at Akio’s. She doesn’t know I’m here…
Noelle: Why wouldn’t you
tell me, Mika?
Mika: Because…I was
afraid.
Noelle: Afraid?
Mika: Aiko threatened to
hurt me if I told anyone…and…I didn’t know what to do…
Noelle: (smiling) But everything will
be fine now, Mika.
Mika: (returning the
smile) Yes. Until I hear from my sister…I can stay
here. (she
falls onto the bed) So soft! (Noelle giggles)
******************************************
(at school; Monday)
Noelle: (chin on her desk) I hate Mondays.
Tsuta: Where have you
been, Noelle? (Noelle looks up at Tsuta)
Noelle: What do you mean?
Tsuta: What do I
mean? You and Mika just left! I looked all over the park and couldn’t find
you guys anywhere!!!
Noelle: (blushing
embarrassedly) Oh.
Tsuta: Oh??? Is that all you have to say of yourself??? While you were out having fun I went crazy trying to figure out
what happened to you!
Daraku: (from behind) It was a nice
Friday evening, Tsuta.
Tsuta: (turns around and
starts blushing) What?
Daraku: I enjoyed the ice
cream and the movie and the dinner. We
should get together more often. (he walks to his seat)
Noelle: (eyeing Tsuta) You were looking
all over for us, huh?
Tsuta: (blushing) Well…well… (the two girls start laughing. Mika lies her head down on her desk.)
~~~~~~~~~~(memory scene)~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
(Mika
is outside with her mother. She is
roughly 3 years old)
Mika’s Mother: Look at all these
pretty flowers, Mika! Why don’t you pick
some to give to your father and your sister?
Mika: OK! (she takes off in
the field of flowers. Mika’s Mother
watches her joyfully take off. She stares
up at the sky. It’s a beautiful
day. A few white, puff clouds float lazily
in the bright blue sky. The couple of
cherry blossoms surrounding the field are in bloom. A cool breeze blows Mika’s Mother’s face as
she listens to the sounds of nature that surrounds her. She looks up when she hears Mika’s excited
voice) Mommy,
look what I got!
Mika’s Mother: They’re beautiful,
Mika!
Mika: These are for
daddy. And these are for Klora. And these are
for you! (hands
her the flowers)
Mika’s Mother: They’re lovely,
Mika! How did you know I loved these
flowers?
Mika: ‘cause
they’re sunflowers?
Mika’s Mother: (hugging Mika) No, because they’re
Mika flowers.
~~~(next memory scene.
Mika is still 3 years old. It is
cold and raining)
Mika: (crying) Here, mommy! Here are some Mika flowers! (she puts the
flowers by the grave as her tears mix with the raindrops falling into the
cement block)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~(end of dream sequence)~~~~~~~~~~~
Noelle: Mika, are you ok?
Mika: (back to reality; smiling) Yup! (thoughts) It’s so great to have friends!