==========================
|~Episode 23 ~~ "Exert all your courage to fight!"
==========================
::scenes of Japan::
Narrator: Japan, 1969, a period of high economic growth... This is the
story of the Gatekeepers that protect humans from evil aliens.
::more scenes of Japan::
|Opening Sequence|
[Invaders all over as rolling, gigantic black balls, airplanes, bullet
trains]
Invader's Collective Voices: Assembly to order. Assembly to order. The
edict has been issued. Assemble under our master. Assemble under our
master.
[a flying creature lands on the Diet Building and scene zooms out to a
cool shot of Kageyama with his sunglasses on, and his troop of women
behind him]
[more Invaders come into the city]
[Kageyama is laughing diabolically, awesome close-up of him]
Kageyama: Let's go, my faithful servants. [he walks away, still
laughing]
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
| Ep Title: "Exert all your courage to fight!" |
|-----------------------------------------------------------|
[Shun begins to stir from sleep. Gang looks at him in anticipation.]
Shun: Rurippe...
Fei: So you're finally awake.
Shun: Where are we?
Fei: Captain, you were totally worn out and collapsed.
Reiko: Kaoru carried you here together with Robot-sama.
Kaoru: I'm glad that you're okay.
[Shun flashbacks to what happened with Kageyama, Megumi and Ruriko]
Shun: That's right... I have to go.
Kaoru: What?
Bancho: What did you say?
Shun: I must... [sees broken Gate Robot] Even without the Gate Robot.
Kaoru: [blocks his way] No!
Fei: Invaders are everywhere around here.
Shun: Then ask headquarters for help.
Kaoru: We can't do that!
Megane: According to a report from our secret member, the Far East
Branch has already been forcefully occupied by invaders.
Shun: What?!
Bancho: I want to go save Ruriko as much as you do, but...
Shun: [absorbs info, then,] Even so, I must go... [begins to leave]
Kaoru: [stops Shun] I won't let you! Even if I have to use force!
Bancho: Right! You may go after you beat me!
Shun: Kaoru, please move out of the way.
[Shun tries to push Kaoru away, but she grabs him]
Kaoru: Liner Throw!! [she throws Shun into Bancho]
[Bancho and Shun are sprawled on the floor]
Bancho: [still stuttering] After... you beat me...
Kaoru: You want to defeat Mr. Kageyama. You want to save Ruriko. There's
no way you can do two things at once like this! [pauses] Please calm
down. Since the Commander is in the enemy custody, you're the only one
we can count on, Captain Ukiya!
Shun: Captain...
Kaoru: Exactly, Captain Ukiya. If you worry about Ruriko, you should...
[Alarm begins ringing]
Megane: The enemy's here!
[Invader black iron balls fly in from the sky to attack]
Megane: [drives, looking apprehensive] Oh, my goodness!!
[Bus drives away as invaders pursue. One shoots smaller iron balls at
the bus.]
Fei: [begins drawing power] Come out! Fire Panda! [unleashes a torrent
of fire onto the Invaders.]
Reiko: Gate open! [plays keyboard and creates an illusion of a field
where the Invaders roll to a stop]
Megane: [Bus screeches around a corner] This bus won't be able to take
this much longer!
Shun: It means we can't keep running away from them forever.
Megane: I wish there were a place we could hide and repair the Gate
Robot.
Bancho: Darn, of course there isn't such a convenient place!
Shun: [comes up with an answer] There is.
Bancho: Of course there is!
Shun: I know only one place. That place would be ideal.
[Bus drives off into the distance]
[picture of a building encircles by flag poles]
"New York AEGIS Headquarters"
Voice: Invaders have occupied Japan.
[close-up of a bearded officer, the Supreme Commander]
Jim: Why aren't we going for help?! With my Gate of Supersonic, we can
get to Japan in a moment!
Supreme Commander: That's unnecessary. We also withdrew our army from
Japan.
Jim: Are you going to desert Japan?
Supreme Commander We have no choice. If the world can earn peace, we'll
sacrifice one country in the east.
Jim: Supreme Commander-
Supreme Commander: It's been decided.
[picture of the capital building with invaders all around guarding it]
[inside the building. Kageyama's sitting at desk looking "important"
while his girl troops are lined up around the room.]
Girl1: [looks out window] Kageyama-sama, you're so great that those
strangers are your comrades.
Girl2: He's our great chairman.
Girl3: [notices something] Oh, here they are. [all girls turn around]
[door opens and 3 men stand in the doorway. A man with glasses comes
forward nervously.]
Broadcaster: We're from WHK TV.
Kageyama: I've been waiting for you. How long do you need to set up?
Broadcaster: Probably by tomorrow evening.
Kageyama: It'll be too late.
Broadcaster: [gasps] What?
Kageyama: Tomorrow morning.
Broadcaster: [apparently still nervous] Yes. We'll manage that. Excuse
us. [bows and closes the door]
[Kageyama smiles evilly]
[Inside a large workshop/garage. Megane is looking over the Gate Robot]
Bancho: How does it look, Megane?
Megane: I can repair each part temporarily but I can't do the engine...
Bancho: You must do something for that!
Megane: I can't do what I can't do.
[Shun looks down in frustration]
Kaoru: [notices Shun's mood and tries to distract him] There are all
kinds of tools here.
Fei: [cheerfully] That's true.
Reiko: [also cheerfully] So this was your father's workshop.
Shun: It wasn't for work, just a hobby...
[They all fall silent]
[Shun notices an old model airplane on a worktable and picks it up]
[flashback]
[Young Shun holding broken model airplane]
Young Shun: You said you would fix it! You liar!
[end flashback]
Shun: [softly] Liar, huh?
Bancho: Oops... I - just - lost - my - balance... [He falls off Gate
Robot. As he does, he grabs for something to hang onto and ends up
pulling the cover off something while he lands on the ground with a
bang]
Megane: Are you all right? [stops as he sees something and cries out in
surprise]
One of the Girls: What's the matter?
Megane: Look at this! This is the Gate Engine!
Bancho: What did you say?!
[everyone audibly gasps in awe as they look at the Gate Engine that is
in a car]
Shun: It can't be. Why does my dad's car have the Gate Engine?
Megane: I'm not mistaken. This is the genuine original Gate Engine.
One of the Girls: Then Robot-sama will be...
One of the Girls: Fixed!
Megane: The engine block is still alive so it should be okay.
Shun: What does this mean?
Kaoru: This is great, Shun! [Shun turns and runs] Shun!
[Shun heaves the workshop door up and begins to run]
Shun: Why is it in Dad's car? Why is the Gate Engine in that liar's car?
What's going on?!
[Shun's home]
[Shun bursts in while his mother cooks. She looks at him, smiles
slightly, then turns back to her cooking.]
Shun's mom: Have dinner with us. Saemi went grocery shopping. When she
comes back-
Shun: Mom! [pauses] Tell me about Dad... [His mom stops and looks at
Shun, startled] He caused you so much trouble. He was testing his engine
instead of coming to my graduation... And he died leaving us alone.
That's all I know about Dad.
Shun's mom: [Shuts off stove and walks to picture of Shun's dad] I told
you. You've misunderstood your father. [Takes out something from a
drawer and shows it to Shun] Look.
[He stares at a broken pocket watch. It's hands are forever stopped at a
certain time.]
Shun: 9:40am.
Shun's mom: Right. He was on his way to your graduation.
Shun: But he was testing his engine...
Shun's mom: The engine had been completed.
Shun: What?!
Shun's mom: [explains as a flashback is shown] He found a sponsor and
went to see them. It happened on the way back from there.
[flashback]
Shun's dad: Oh, I'm late. I'll keep my word today, Shun. [his eyes
spiral as his gate power begins to react]
[end flashback]
Shun's mom: He tried really hard to keep his promise.
[Shun stares at the broken watch in his hand and flashbacks to using his
own gate power unconsciously]
Shun: So he had the gate power too...
[Shun's dad enters the gate he's unconsciously opened and begins picking
up super-speed. He loses control of the car and crashes.]
[Shun realizes what really happened, and his eyes begin to water]
Shun: Why didn't you tell me this earlier?
Shun's mom: What are you talking about? You've never wanted to listen.
Shun: Mom...
[Kaoru is, in the meanwhile, listening outside by the door. She
apparently followed Shun.]
Shun's mom: What is it?
Shun: I, no, we... desperately need Dad's engine.
Shun's mom: Why not? Use it for him.
Shun: But...
Shun's mom: I'm sure he'd be happy if you did. [looks up at the portrait
of Shun's dad.] Right, Dad?
[Shun falls silent as he also looks up at his fathers portrait]
Shun: All right, Mom... Thanks...
[Kaoru is crying quietly by the door when Shun comes out.]
Shun: Kaoru-chan...?
[His mom comes to the doorway and sees them together. There's a silence
as they look at each other for a few moments, Shun's mom sadly smiling
while the pair remain serious. Shun slowly slides the door closed. His
mom's smile fades and she begins to go back to the kitchen]
Saemi: I'm home... [she looks to the side, out into the distance] Mom,
wasn't Shun home just now?
Shun's mom: Of course he was. This is his home.
[Saemi enters and the door slides shut]
[Ruriko, unconscious in her bubble]
[flashback]
Young Shun: Because she isn't sniveling like you.
[Young Ruriko gasps as she realizes a huge drop of snot is hanging from
her nose]
Young Ruriko: [sitting in class, looking determined] I'm not a sniveler.
[raising hand determinedly in class] I'll try much harder. [blowing her
nose; winning a race; being praised by a teacher] And someday, Shun will
be surprised... [blowing her nose; winning an award; er, something
written on a chalkboard] ...at how gorgeous I have become... [zooms in
on something on the chalkboard - sorry, I can't understand it, ^^;]
Young Ruriko: But... But... [looking worried while a girl with pigtails
stands at the front of the class] No, it'll be all right. You can do it!
[girl in pigtails shakes Ruriko's hand as they smile] Someday people
will realize how good you are...
Megumi: What is this...? [stands in front of Ruriko's bubble while her
hand is just before Ruriko's heart, letting her see into Ruriko] Is this
Ruriko Ikusawa who's smart, rich and beautiful? This isn't any different
from who she is... This can't be true! Now, you must show me your ugly,
true intention. [eyes spiral black as she calls her gate power]
Young Ruriko: Someday for sure...
[scene of smiling Ruriko shaking a girl's hand dims as Megumi's voice
speaks]
Megumi: You can't do it...
Young Ruriko: [looking frightened] Who's that?
Megumi: Look. [Young Ruriko sees a ring of kids all laughing] No one
recognizes how good you are.
Young Ruriko: That's why... now's the time- [she stares down at a broken
sapling]
Megumi: Right... to hate them. [Young Ruriko trips while a crowd looks
on, smirks on their faces] Hate those who don't appreciate you at all.
[Young Ruriko still looks frightened as a drop of snot slowly comes out
to hang from her nose again]
Unconscious Ruriko: But... I...
[Shun and Kaoru are running back]
Kaoru: It's all good, Shun.
Shun: We still don't know if Dad's engine will run properly.
Kaoru: [hesitantly] Let me ask...
Shun: What?
Kaoru: How do you feel about Ruriko...?
Shun: What??
[They slow to a stop as snowflakes being to fall]
Shun: [looks up at snowflakes] What's this?
[In back of them, Yukino appears in the sky and they turn as she floats
down]
Yukino: She's crying. A little girl is crying...
[Shun looks at her, then steps forward. His step causes a light to
explode up from the ground, which allows him to see a dark place.]
Shun: Rurippe! Megumi!
Megumi: [undisturbed, she continues on, softly] Hate those who didn't
recognize who you were.
Ruriko: No, I can't...
Megumi: Why not?
Ruriko: Because I'm a sniveler...
Megumi: Then, hate Shun Ukiya who insulted you as a sniveler. [Ruriko
opens her mouth, but says nothing] What's the matter?
Ruriko: Because... I...
Shun: Rurippe... Rurippe!! [the light takes him back to where he was]
Rurippe... Yukino, you did this for us in yesterday's battle too... Why
do you always care for us?
Yukino: 'I will always be waiting for you' | 'Forever, as my black hair
turns gray.'
Yukino: You two are just like us from the long forgotten past... I don't
want you to repeat the past, that's all... [Yukino fades and disappears]
Kaoru: Shun...
Shun: Kaoru-chan.
Kaoru: Yes?
Shun: Let's go and help repair the Gate Robot!
Kaoru: [absorbs what he says, then smiles] All right!
[They run off into the night]
[The next day]
Broadcaster: The government's emergency program is now on the air. [the
city is strangely quiet] Set your TV volume at maximum. Ask as many
neighbors as possible to watch this program. We appreciate your
cooperation.
Official: Attention, citizens of Japan. At 7am today, a new Prime
Minister was... [he freezes, unable to continue, then two of Kageyama's
women take him away. Kageyama takes his place.]
Kageyama: Hello, you dirty bugs watching TV. I'm Reiji Kageyama, chosen
to be your new Prime Minister. "New Prime Minister Kageyama". Let me
perform my first official duty as Prime Minister. Starting today, you
bugs are under total control of my government. First, I'm proclaiming
martial law under the invader security corps.
Official: [struggles with his female captors] No way! What about the
people's freedom?!
Kageyama: [coolly] I'm done with him. Take him away.
Official: Citizens of Japan! Or whoever you are! Save this country's,
Japan's, future! [to his captors] Let me go!
[Invaders are being crushed as a building crumbles on top of them]
Shirei: Well done.
[Girl with helmet who always used to say "So wild!" is now holding a
large weapon]
Girl with helmet: Shirei, let's go now!
Ochiai: Who is this?
Shirei: Stationed for emergencies is AEGIS secret member, Miss Ogawa.
[Invaders pop up from under the rubble]
Ogawa: [delighted] Oh, it feels great! [she begins blasting them]
Shirei: Let's escape now!
Ochiai along with remaining AEGIS members: Yes!
[Shun turns the key to his Gate Robot and starts the engine]
Megane: Increase the RPM's, then let out the clutch slowly.
Shun: All right. [revs the engine a few times, then presses the pedals.
The Gate Robot slowly begins to move as the others gasp in awe.]
Megane: [tears in his eyes] This is so great!
[Gate Robot comes out of workshop and straightens to stand at its full
height.]
Bancho: It's moving!
Shun: It moved... [looking proud] The Gate Robot really moved with Dad's
Gate Engine.
One of the Girls: That's good!
One of the Girls: We did it!
Matsuda: [screeches truck to a halt] Here's another strange bad guy!
Shun: Mr. Matsuda!
Matsuda: That sounds like Shun...
Gang: What nice timing! You saved us, Sir!
[Matsuda's mouth drops open as he sees the team shouting and waving at
him]
[Matsuda's truck zooms off with the Gate Robot, covered with a cloth,
riding on the back of it]
[Kageyama on the truck's radio]: This government will deprive freedom
from all its citizens. Bugs don't need rights. [Matsuda, Megane and
Bancho are seen up front] And also, those who act like bugs will be
executed immediately! [The rest of the team are riding in back with the
Gate Robot] They'll simply contribute to population adjustment. [the
truck continues on its way]
Kageyama: [looking slightly crazed] And now, I'll enforce the law
depriving the right to sunlight! [laughs evilly as the scene fades
black]