Get your own Free Home PageFour months ago at the entrance ceremony...
All the girls are proud and pleased to be in the school. Three of them recognise one girl; Jessie Gurtland. [Note the girl with dark brown hair is the "Oneesama!" girl in Episode 3 ^_^;;] They are excited to see the girl who was the ace of the American national team at the age of 17 and has joined the school with the highest score. They are very pleased to be with her. Jessie coolly replies, "I'm pleased to hear so. Please be my good friends but I won't limit myself as your rival." A box runs across the space between them.
Yes, it is the Akari House with Ichino running after it. "What the hell are you hiding behind!? It's the entrance ceremony now!" Akari is too shy to expose herself in front of all these unfamiliar people. But her explanation does not satisfy Ichino, who rips off the box. The three girls have heard of her; a girl who has joined the school with the worst marks and a daughter of legendary Cosmo Beauty, Midou Tomoe. The name of Tomoe triggers something in Jessie. Her gaze at Akari is not friendly to say the least.
Title
The computer explains the history of Earth. In 2034 AD, the axis of rotation of Earth suddenly moved nearly 90 degrees, causing disaster to mankind and its civilisation. This phenomenon, known as "Pole Shift", killed about 99% of the population. But mankind has recovered from it with a spirit!
Three girls, Akari, Ichino and Ayla, are listening to it. They all look serious until Ichino and Akari show a sign of emotion. Are they moved by the heroic effort of their ancestors? Suddenly Akari's long hair streams upwards and then she herself falls upwards. No, they were upside down from the beginning in front of a big screen (that is, they can control even there hair against gravity ^_^;;). Soon a voice announces the end of training and the other two girls come down from their seats.
Coming out of the training room, Ichino scolds Akari; she should show more guts. Now that the training is over, Ichino complains about the ban on going out of the school during the term. After all, they are glamorous highschool girls! [Akari and Ayla seems not to agree with her] Then Ling-Fa shows up on a bike. She tells the girls that the Midou Tomoe Memorial Hall is an ideal place to have fun. Akari says otherwise. Ichino wonders "Why do you always refuse to go there? It's a memorial place for your great mother." Ling-Fa explains that there are "embarrassing" photos of Akari there. Ichino, Akari's best friend, is really interested ^_^;; and Akari's tearful plea is gracefully ignored.
"Midou Tomoe. The winner of Daiundoukai at the age of 16. The youngest Cosmo Beauty ever." Ichino is impressed. "'Running Legend of The Strongest', 'Goddess of Speed', 'Unbeaten Rose Of Field'..." She even impresses Ling-Fa. But her daughter is... Akari is fully aware and feeling humiliated in comparison with her great mother she tries to hide in Akari House.
Ichino wants to see the "embarrassing" photos and Ling-Fa introduces them, again ignoring Akari's plea. Akari rushes to Ling-Fa in an attempt to stop her but is held by Ayla, who has responded to Ichino's words, "Ayla, hold her." As Ayla is a very nice(?) person, she struggles between Ichino's order and Akari's plea to let her go. In the mean time, Ling-Fa opens the curtain. "The secret" turns out to be rare photos showing "Midou Tomoe as a Mother." They are B/W [why ^_^;;] photos of her and Akari, the last of which shows Akari crying in front of her wet futon. Ling-Fa explains Tomoe was 31 at that time and Akari was 12. This is enough to make Ichino hold her sides with laughter. "Did you wet your bed at 12 years old? It's only three years ago!" Ayla asks the disgraced Akari, "How about now?" "No, I don't any more!!" Ichino can't stop laughing and Akari predictably escapes into her Akari House.
Akari leaves the museum and walks along the corridor, where she finds another room celebrating her mother's achievements; Midou Tomoe Motion Library. She has never seen her mother running. All she knows of Midou Tomoe is a very gentle mother with a smile. Naturally she goes into the room, where the walls are filled with the images of Tomoe as an athletess. Akari is impressed but distracted by a voice also admiring her, "Beautiful...."
It was Jessie. As soon as she sees Akari, she tries to walk away. Akari meekly says, "You can stay here. *I'll* go out." Jessie isn't in a good mood. "I can stay? You, a daughter of Midou Tomoe, grant me permission to see her!?" Akari does not know what to say. Jessie has always been rather curt with her. She asks Jessie if she has done anything to offend her. Jessie's outright denial relieves Akari, who carelessly carries on to say "This is the first time I've seen my mother running. She is amazing. Compared with her, I'm nothing, am I?" Her words are enough to make Jessie explode. "You don't appreciate what a great athletess your mother was! Not a bit!" An emotional Jessie continues to blame Akari. "What are you, the daughter of Midou Tomoe with her blood, doing here? Letting your talent die, giving up all the effort, not even trying to look ahead! Why are you here!?"
Ichino and the others come to the Library in search of Akari in time to see Jessie come out of it. Then they find Akari crying alone in the room. Ichino thinks it is because they teased her too much and apologises to her but Akari's reply surprises them all; "Jessie challenged me to a match. What should I do!?"
Jessie is determined. She will teach Akari a lesson. To her, Akari's very existence is anathema.
"Compete with me and show me your real talent!" Akari, in her room, recollects Jessie's words and wonders why. She cannot understand Jessie's anger or why her mother told to her to come here.
Ling-Fa is no lame merchant to let this wonderful event happen quietly. She assigns herself as promoter of the show and tries to sell tickets (with a box lunch ^_^;;) to the students. But her ambitious little scheme is broken by Jessie herself. She tells everyone to leave them alone as this is a personal issue. When Ling-Fa tries to defy Jessie, Jessie's shows her physical power is enough to end the matter.
Ichino has been looking for Akari and finds her in Akari House in the corridor. She tries to cheer her up. Jessie might be beyond Akari's or Ichino's reach now. But she is human and they may be able to beat her in the future. So all Akari should do now is show her what she can do. "So, come out, Akari" Her gentle voice is redeemed in an unexpected way. Akari comes out of the loo behind Ichino. Her words have certainly encouraged Akari, who hugs her and vows she will do her best. But Akari has forgotten one thing; she did not wash her hands. "You idiot!!"
The match is about to start. Jessie has chosen the 2000m dash for the competition. She tells Akari it was the event in which Midou Tomoe made her first World Record at the age of fifteen. At the starting position Akari encourages herself; "Jessie is as human as I am."
But her determination vanishes right after the start. Jessie is fast, even faster than usual. Ayla knows Jessie's hard training is to acquire the same running form as Tomoe; her strength is proportional to her effort! While she is running, Jessie thinks of Akari. She admits her great potential but; "However big your wings are, you can't fly unless you flap. No one will admire a flower that never blooms!"
Akari is desperately looking for Jessie in front of her when Jessie looms up right behind her; "I'll show you the power of Jessie Gurtland, the successor of Midou Tomoe!" She wins the race by more than a lap and her time ties the school record.
When Akari comes in to the finish, Jessie gives Akari credit for not quitting the race. Akari answers with a smile and praises Jessie; "I was no match although I did my best..." It was the last straw and Jessie hits her in the face. "Did you say you did your best!? You have no right to be here. Get out of here!" Akari is confused; after all she is not her mother and can't satisfy Jessie's expectation.
Rain begins to fall and washes over Akari, who stays on the track. Ayla and Ling-Fa want to know why Ichino, who has always been with Akari in times of trouble, is now doing nothing but watching. Ichino thinks, if Akari is aiming to be Cosmo Beauty, she mustn't be discouraged by such a small hardship as this. She should grow up on this humiliation and beat Jessie. But Akari betrays her trust and gets into a space taxi to run away from the school.
[Please note that unlike the ordinary cheerful preview, the one for Eps 6 had no words except the title]
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