Episode 19
Swimming Match
(class;
everyone is chattering)
Mrs. Tuisho:
Please settle down class (class slowly quiets). Before we begin, I have some information
about our swimming race this
year. (class
starts cheering as Mrs. Tuisho passes out flyers) Our school will be having its annual
competition 2 weeks from this Saturday.
Anyone can enter the contest (starts handing Noelle a flyer). The only ones who are not eligible are the
ones who have had detention at least once this year (eyes Noelle and pulls the
flyer back. Noelle looks down
shamefully; Niji sighs and Kanshin, Raimei, Taiga, and Daitan start
giggling. Mrs. Tuisho puts the flyer
onto Mika’s desk)
Other than that, if you can swim, you might as well give it a
shot. (she
walks away)
Noelle:
Mika, you should really sign up.
Since you were a lifeguard, you must be a great swimmer!
Tsuta:
Yeah, Mika.
Mika:
Well, actually…I don’t know how to swim.
(pause of silence)
Noelle & Tsuta: WHAT!?!?
Noelle:
But…HOW!?
Tsuta: (stands up) How can you possibly not know how to
swim if you were a lifeguard?? Do you
know how many lives you put in danger???
Mika: Well…um…
Tsuta: You’re so WEIRD, Mika! (Mika looks away shamefully)
Noelle: Tsuta!
Tsuta: (lying back in her chair) Well, she is.
*************************************
(at the swimming pool.
Mika is swimming back and forth.
Her hands clash through the water as she rapidly swims to the other
side. She quickly turns around and swims
back. When she pops out of the water for
a breather, she sees Noelle and Tsuta standing by the pool’s edge)
Noelle: (hands crossed) I thought you said you couldn’t swim.
Tsuta: (hands crossed) Yeah!
Mika: Well…I can, but…(Noelle’s
clothes fall on the ground and she jumps into the water)
Noelle: (in swimsuit; swims to Mika) You’re a great swimmer, so you should
really enter the contest, Mika.
Tsuta: (dips in behind Mika) Why did you lie to us, Mika?
Mika: (turning to Tsuta) I just don’t like contests. That’s all.
I don’t want to enter.
Noelle: But why, Mika? There’s nothing to be afraid of.
Tsuta: Are you afraid of a little audience? (splashes Mika in
the face)
Mika: Hey!
Noelle: Come on, Tsuta. (splashes
Tsuta) Give Mika a break.
Tsuta: Why?
There’s nothing wrong about entering a swimming contest. It would be good for her. (splashes Noelle
back)
Mika:
(thoughts) Good for me? (she looks at Tsuta,
who has always been picking on her, and is surprised that Tsuta might actually
care after all. Noelle splashes Mika
from behind)
Noelle: HAHA!
Mika: (angrily) That DOES IT! Come here, Noelle! (Noelle tries to swim away, but Mika manages
to splash her. Tsuta dunks Mika’s head
who manages to get herself free by splashing
Tsuta. The three start splashing around,
laughing)
*******************************
(at Noelle’s house)
Noelle: You know, we really
need to do something about Mika.
Tsuta: (shakes her head) Come on, Noelle. Give up.
She doesn’t want to do it.
Noelle: (sighs) I know. I was just hoping that maybe we could find a
way to get her to sign up without her knowing…
Tsuta: Noelle, no crazy schemes!
Noelle: Come on…it’ll be easy. I already got a good idea.
Tsuta: You’ve been planning this
all day, haven’t ya?
Noelle: Yup!
****************************************
(Mika’s
room; Noelle enters)
Noelle: Hello, Mika.
Mika: (in chair doing homework; turns around) Hello, Noelle.
Noelle: (leaning in front of the door) Did you have a good
swim?
Mika: Um…yeah.
(moment of silence)
Tsuta: (from behind the door, with hand on forehead. Whispering)
She’s going to blow it.
Mika: Is something wrong?
Noelle: Wrong?
Why would you think that?
Mika: You’re leaning kind of funny…and what’s that
in your hand?
Noelle: This?
Oh, yes, this. (Tsuta hits her
hand on her forehead in frustration)
This is a club Tsuta and I are starting.
Mika: A club?
Noelle: Yes. (dramatic moment; excitedly)
It’s the SLC, Snails Lovers Club!!!!
Mika: (worried tear drop) Snails Lovers Club?
Spirey: (on Mika’s desk, starts to wake up from its
nap) Koochee?
Noelle: (dramatic moment continues) In honor of Spirey, Tsuta and I have
become fascinated with snails and have strongly desired to learn more about
them! We want to collect snails and
study their natural habitats so that we may be the biggest snail experts in the
world! (thunderclap) (to Mika) It’s free to join, but you have to sign this
application in order to become a member.
So what do you say?
Mika: (stares at her blankly) I say you’re a bit crazy. (gets up and puts her
hand on Noelle’s forehead. Noelle
freezes, her mouth hangs opened) You don’t feel hot. (Noelle falls over) Noelle???
Tsuta: (mumbles and puts her hand on her face) Stupid Noelle! I knew Mika wouldn’t fall for that!
Noelle: (quickly stands up) If you sign up, you even get a free snail
leash, and a free dinner and movie and a pack of gum…(on hands and knees) PLEASE sign up, Mika!!!
Mika: Well, if you want me to join that badly…(takes paper and pen and signs name. hands it back to
Noelle) Here you go…(Noelle snatches the
paper)
Noelle: (rushing out the door) Thanks! Come on, Tsuta! (grabs Tsuta’s arm
while rushing out) Let’s go!
Mika: I sure have some weird friends.
Spirey: (sighs) Koochee…
*********************************
(class)
Mrs. Tuisho: Well, we have had a lot of entries this year
for the contest. From our class, we have
Taiga and Mika. I have your entrance
badges, so good luck to you both. (she hands the badges to Taiga and then to Mika)
Mika: Um…Mrs. Tuisho…I didn’t sign up…
Mrs. Tuisho: You didn’t?
But I have your signature right here.
(Mika takes the paper)
Mika: Huh? (she looks at it. She
then turns around and glares at Noelle who looks the other way. Tsuta is pointing at Noelle)
Mrs. Tuisho: I’m sure you’ll do fine, Mika. And don’t forget, it doesn’t matter if you
win or lose, as long as you give it your best shot. (she walks away,
returning back to the front of the classroom)
Mika: You did this!
Noelle: You already signed, so you can’t back out of
it now.
Mika: NOELLE!
(Tsuta puts her head on her desk and sighs)
***********************************************************
(Mika
is at the swimming pool. She is swimming
hard. As she does so, she has some
flashbacks)
flashbacks
boy
pointing at Mika along with a group: Ha ha! Mika can’t do
anything right!
(Mika
continues swimming)
girl
sitting next to Mika: Oh, here are your
notes from last weeks test. Guess I
forgot I put them in my backpack. Must
be a bummer to get an F, huh? (starts giggling)
(still swimming)
Mika
swimming in the water, she is about 7, kids from the side: wow!
Look at Mika! She’s a really good
swimmer! (Mika sticks her head out of
the water. All is silent. Her head splashes back in the water. She floats while the other swimmers make it
to the end of the race)
Aww, look at Mika! She can’t even do that!
End of flashback
(Mika
gets out of the water. She picks up a
towel to dry off her face. As she starts
to put the towel down, a couple of tears fall down her cheeks. She drops the towel on the floor.)
Mika: (mutters) I can’t do it.
**************************************
(swimming competition.
Students are all dressed in their swimsuits and getting ready for the
first race. Mika comes in, wearing a
shirt and shorts)
Announcer: And they’re off! (the first set of
swimmers jump in)
Noelle: Mika!?
(she and Tsuta run over to her) How come you’re not in a bathing suit?
Mika: (folds her arms and turns around) I said I didn’t
want to enter. You can’t fool me with
that stupid snail trick.
Tsuta: Well, she did.
Mika: (turns to Tsuta, in her face) Shut up!
Person: It’s a good thing you’re not entering the
contest. Now victory will definitely be
mine. Not like it wouldn’t be if you DID
enter.
Noelle, Tsuta, and Mika: (all turn around) Huh?
(they see a really beautiful girl in a
bikini. She is about their age.)
Tsuta: (smugly) I’ve never seen you around before.
Noelle: What school are you from?
Person (Girl): Another school in
Noelle: (in rage) People like that burn me up!
Tsuta: (puts her hand on Noelle’s shoulder) Noelle, don’t even
think about it!
Mika: I’m entering.
(Noelle and Tsuta turn around, surprised)
Tsuta: You’re entering?
Mika: (nods her head. Her hands clench in fists) I’ll show her! She doesn’t know who she’s messing with! (Noelle cheers in the background. Tsuta sighs)
Tsuta: (grumbles) Show off.
Daraku: (from a locker room) That girl’s going to work like a
charm….
Announcer: Will the contestants get ready! (Mika, who was wearing her swimsuit
underneath her clothes, is now standing at her assigned lane. The strange girl is in the lane next to her
on her right. She gives Mika an evil
look) Get
ready…get set…and GO! (everyone jumps in)
And they’re off!
Noelle: (cheering) Come on, Mika! You can do it!
Tsuta: (mutters) Go Mika. Yahoo.
Announcer: And it looks like the contestant in lane 3 is
already off at an excellent start!
Noelle: Yeah!
Yah to go, Mika! (Mika continues
swimming as hard as she can. She is
breathing heavily as her arms plunge into the water. She gets to the end of the lane and flips
around. The crowd continues cheering) (casually) I brought my swimsuit with me for after the
race.
Tsuta: (sighs) Yeah, me too.
Announcer: Wow!
Lane number 3 is already starting her second lap, while everyone else is
only a little past half they’re first!
Except for lane number 4, who seems to be catching up to number 3!
Noelle: Hey, that’s that weird girl! (Tsuta looks up)
Tsuta: Yeah, you’re right! (Mika continues swimming. The girl in lane 4 pops her head out of the
water and does a little evil HmmHmmHmmm! (Whatever
type of laugh that’s called) while swimming, the girl
takes her foot and gives Mika a hard kick.
Mika gets off balance for a split sec., but then continues her swimming.) Hey, that girl is trying to mess Mika up!
Noelle: What!?
(the girl’s hand gives Mika a quick, hard
shove. Again, Mika loses her balance,
but only for a split second. Annoyed,
the girl shoves her again.) Come on,
Tsuta! Let’s go tell the lifeguard.
Tsuta: Yeah.
(the two girls take off; Noelle leaves her
backpack on the floor. The girl again
gives Mika another push who now starting to get a little more off balance. Finally, the girl gives Mika a kick so hard
Mika actually stops swimming. The girl
gives another little laugh. Noelle is
talking to the lifeguard and pointing to lane 4. Tsuta has her hands crossed as she watches
the other swimmers catch up. The
lifeguard nods his head to Noelle. Suddenly,
black rain drops start coming down from the ceiling. At first, there are only a few; not real noticeable. Then more start coming down. People start panicking. The lifeguard stands up and blows his
whistle. He then runs to the pool. A mist starts coming down.)
Noelle: (sighs) This has to be Dark Star again. (realizes she doesn’t
have her backpack) Ut oh, my stuff! (out of the corner
of her eye, she sees that Tsuta has fainted.
She turns around to see everyone has fainted, including the
swimmers. They are all floating, face
down in the pool. Noelle, running, takes
off her shirt and jumps into the pool, trying to flip people over. Dark Star laughs)
Dark Star: So this is what you do. You would rather save a few people than
yourself and many others. How selfish.
Noelle: These people will die if I cannot at least
flip them upright! I know I can beat you
later. (she
continues)
Dark Star: (lifts up Noelle’s backpack) Very funny, but it will be very hard
to beat me…if I have all of your belongings…(Noelle stops) I even have your watch! So your backup plan is blown, too.
Noelle: (smirks) Yes, my plan would have been blown, if
that was my REAL watch!
Dark Star: What!?!?!?
Noelle: I put the fake watch in my backpack. You haven’t attacked me in awhile, so I had a
feeling you would be doing something like this.
I was extra prepared! (she lifts up her arm)
Huh? (she
looks at it)
Dark Star: Where’s your watch?
Noelle: I must have left it at home…(Dark
Star laughs evilly)
Dark Star: Though my Firewidows won’t work in the water,
I still have some nice attacks. Take
this! (he
shoots a black electric sphere. Noelle
quickly swims underwater and manages to avoid a direct hit. However, she gets a little shock on her right
shoulder. Noelle puts her hand on her
shoulder in pain as she starts to swim back up for some air.) I’ve got you now! (another black electric
ball aims for Noelle who doesn’t have time to dive under as she did
before. Noelle squints
her eyes. She then realizes after a few
seconds that the attack never hit her. She
opens her eyes to see Mika floating above the water, blocking the electric
ball.)
Dark Star: What the!?!?
(Mika’s eyes opened, revealing two golden glowing eyes. (Her ring is also floating in the air.) Dark Star’s energy ball explodes into
millions of pieces that quickly dissolve.
Dark Star starts to move uncontrollably) What are you doing??? (He slams into a wall several meters
away. He falls.
Noelle: Mika…what’s going on?
(Mika
floats in the air some more, her eyes still glowing. Suddenly, her ring stops floating. Her eyes close as she plunges into the water)
******************************************
(still at the competition.
Everyone is up and moving now.
Mika is lying on the ground, Noelle standing over her.)
Mika: (does a little groan as she starts to get up) Noelle…what
happened?
Noelle: You passed out in the pool.
Tsuta: Everyone did.
The competition has been postponed.
Mika: Postponed?
Tsuta: Yes, in four weeks.
Girl: Um…excuse me.
(Noelle and Tsuta turn around to see the girl who was trying to mess up
Mika earlier during the race) Do any of
you guys own these? (she
holds out two rose earrings in her palm.
Noelle and Tsuta shake their heads) Oh.
Well, I found them earlier and put them on for good luck with the race...which
I guess didn’t work out very well. (blushing) I mean, I
wasn’t trying to steal them. I know I
should have turned them in right away.
Well then, I’d better keep looking.
Bye! (she
leaves)
Noelle: (she and Tsuta have worried teardrops) That was odd. (Noelle looks up to see Daraku scowling. She frowns suspiciously)
Tsuta: So Mika…you ok?
Mika: (who is now sitting up) Yes, I think so.
Tsuta: Good.
Now I can go. (she
walks away. Noelle and Mika are
dumbfounded for a moment)
Noelle: Are you going to reenter the race, Mika?
Mika: I don’t know…
Noelle: I’ll be more ready next time, I promise.
Mika: Dark Star did something, didn’t he?
Noelle: You don’t remember?
Mika: Remember what?
Noelle: You were floating. And your eyes were glowing. You sent Dark Star to that wall over there. (Noelle points to the broken pieces of the
wall. A couple of cops and some other
people are observing it)
Mika: What!?
I hope you’re joking, Noelle. It
isn’t funny.
Noelle: (shakes head) No, it isn’t. You have some sort of power you can’t
control. Nevertheless, you don’t even
know you have it. (Mika squeezes her
ring)
Mika: Now you know.
Noelle: Know what?
Mika: Why I can’t enter the race. (she stands up, her
back to Noelle) There’s something about
me…strange…and I can’t figure it out. I
don’t know what it is…I know nothing. Except for this ring.
I think it’s the reason why…I don’t know…I mean, I want to take it off,
so I can be normal (turns to
Noelle) but I can’t.
Noelle: You can’t?
Mika: (holding the ring) It’s like…if I take it off, my soul
will just float away…
Noelle: (smiling) Whatever the reason is, we’ll
eventually figure it out. Don’t worry,
Mika. You’ll get your answers…I’m sure
of it. But don’t let this ring stop you
from being who you are. You are a great
swimmer, Mika; don’t forget that. And you
need to take chances. I promise if you
do, I’ll always be there for you, and if you fall, I’ll help you. That is what friends are for, Mika. (grins) Ok?
Mika: It’s funny.
You’re always a troublemaker in class, yet you always know the right
things to say. (the
two girls smile)