Episode 20. When the Wings Get Spread

Tsubame stands alone in a busy street [near Bansei-bashi] but no one pays any attention to her. Then a voice of Hibari is heard, "Tsubame-chan!!"

A TV news reports the unidentified object which appeared a few days ago. But Hanakoganei Hinako is more concerned about her daughter. When she tells her daughter the bath is ready, she answers from her room, "I'll take it later." Her daughter, Hibari, is talking to injured Densuke. "I'll repair you properly tomorrow." She is confused. What the difference between her and their [the three ladies and perhaps Takashi] feeling? But her profound question is interrupted by her mother, who is dangerously (or UNhumanly ^_^;;) determined to have a bath with her. She carries her on her back and rushes into the bathroom. Seeing this, Tokijirou bemoans being a male parent but finds consolation in his male company, Densuke (^_^;;).

After a bath, Hibari enjoys fruits-flavour milk [milk after having a bath is tradition in Japan (^_^;;) but anything other than coffee milk is a breach of faith (see Geobreeders ^_-)]. Hinako is concerned about scratches she saw all over Hibari's body. She tells her that she fell at the staircase at school.

Hinako changes the subject and says Tokijirou is having a day off tomorrow. He comes in to the kitchen to join them. It is one of rare holiday he can have [he is a very busy engineer] and they can go anywhere Hibari wants to. Hibari is jubilant for the special occasion but soon remembers she has to repair Den-suke tomorrow. Tokijirou offers to do it for her but she insists *she* must repair it. So Hinako changes the plan; they will have a relaxed day at home together and she will cook something special. Tokijirou wants to eat shiratama [kind of dumpling] but his wish gets ignored as usual [^_^;;] by Hibari's "I want to eat pancake!!" Hibari tells Den-suke that they will have pancake tomorrow. But Densuke is drunk and not listening to her. Hibari is furious at her father, who let him drink beer, and Hinako quickly joins to accuse the poor father ^_^;;

[A short sequence showing small Tsubame in France is inserted.]

Next morning, Hibari goes out to the town for Den-suke's parts. As she shops around, she tells what Hinako's pancake means to her. When she was small, her mother cooked it once. Because she said it was delicious, Hinako continued to make some everyday after that. There were even days when she made too many and Tokijirou had to eat them as his supper. Then she bumps into Tsubame and her Petit Ange, who have also come for parts. Hibari says hello to her but the girl gives no reply and walks away.

Hibari is too a nice girl to get discouraged with this. She runs after her and eventually catch up at Bansei-bashi. She invites her to her home; they can repair their Pata-Pi's together. Tsubame is not keen, "You're a meddler." Hibari accepts she might look so but does not mean to. "I don't understand difficult things and all I know is you and I are friends... perhaps..." In any case, Hibari takes Tsubame home without waiting for her answer.

At Hibari's home, they are about to start the repair when Tokijirou comes into the room. Hibari introduces her Tsubame to her father and then pushes him out of the room. They can repair their Pata-Pi by themselves. Instead of shocked Tokijirou, Hinako comes in with tea. As soon as Hibari starts to work, it becomes obvious that the task is beyond her ability. She calls her father for help, to which he jubilantly answers. While they repairs Den-suke, Hinako offers a cup of tea to Tsubame. The image of the tea and happy family scene somehow confuses her, "What's this?" She used to have a tea with Cigogne but at the both end of a long table without exchange of word. She looks at the family again and concludes, "No... I don't know this."

Den-suke is finally repaired and the two Pata-Pi's are having fun with each other. Tokijirou has been watching TV and tries to make conversation with Tsubame, who sits on the floor, but fails to get even a word out of her. Tsubame remains silent but at least keep looking at him as if observing something she doesn't know. In the kitchen, Hibari and Hinako are cooking pancakes. The mother points out Hibari is very enthusiastic and Hibari says that is because she want to see Tsubame surprise by eating Hinako's wonderful pancakes. Hinako senses something in her daughter but only says, "I'd be nice if Tsubame gets surprised." The two starts the baking step.

After some time, the two Pata-Pi hit into a sideboard and photo frames on top of it fall to the floor. Seeing them, Tsubame seems a little surprised. They are their family photos... probably something she wanted from Cigogne but never got. Tokijirou comes to clear the mess and realises Tsubame is looking at photos. He takes it wrongly and thinks she must have appalled with the overfond parents. He tries to make excuses; it was Hibari who insisted to keep the here and, as both parents have a job, the time they spend together is very precious... Tsubame doesn't know the phrase, "overfond parents" [oya-baka, literally "parents' stupidity"] and asks "Being together and taking photos together means you're idiot?" Tokijirou corrects her and tries to explain only to reveal what an overfond father he is.

To his great relief, Hibari comes out of the kitchen with pancakes. Everyone gets two but they look different. Hibari reveals the top one is cooked by Hinako while the bottom one is by Hibari. She gave the best one she made to Tsubame and decent one to her mother. She gets one a little burnt and one totally burnt goes to her father. But she does not forget to add sweet words, "It's not you get it because I burnt. I burnt it for your sake." ^_^;; This illogical excuse is surprisingly [maybe not...] accepted and he seems rather pleased.

Hibari is more interested in how Tsubame will react to the pancakes she and Hinako made for her. "For me?" The word reminds Tsubame the day she received Petit Ange. Cigogne told her it has been made for her and walked away. Hibari forces Tsubame to hold a knife and fork and tells her to try some. Hinako checks Hibari; being looked at so hard, Tsubame can't eat.

Eventually Tsubame cuts the pancake and try a small piece. The taste of pancake recalls what she saw today here and realises the huge gap between her life so far and Hibari's. She drops her knife and fork and stands up without a word, which worries Hibari immensely. Then Tsubame is shocked to see Petit Ange enjoying its pancake with Den-suke. Hinako's gentle offer that she'd cook something else if she doesn't like pancakes becomes the last straw. Tsubame runs out of the room. She gives an angry look to Hibari before getting out of the house. Hibari is shocked. "Did I do something wrong, Mum? She was really angry and I didn't know how she feels." Petit Ange comes to the door, trying to follow Tsubame, and Hibari decides to go to look for her with it. After they left, Den-suke, with a white sack, comes but it is too heave for him. Tokijirou opens it for it. The parents now realise Tsubame is lonely.

After going through the town in the evening, Hibari eventually finds her in front of the school. She starts talking about various things she has thought. Den-suke was beaten by the black Deva and Hibari turned out to be its owner. Then she fused with Den-suke to destroy Petit Ange. She learned various feelings of people and got confused. When she saw Tsubame at the parts shop, she was pleased at least they were the same and pancakes were... Hibari realises her talk is getting illogical. She tries to return Petit Ange to Tsubame but she refuses it, "I don't want it. I hate it." This infuriates Hibari but Tsubame remains calm, "You're a meddler." This time she is defiant, "Yeah, I am a meddler!"

Hibari gets a reaction which she has probably never dreamed of. For the first time, Tsubame lets her emotion out. "You're unfair, Hibari. All are for you. You've got everything. Everyone is looking at you. You have a place to go back. What else do you want!? I cannot go back any more and no one is looking at me! What I want is... is..." She stops there with tears in her eyes and slowly turns around, as if hiding her tears. Hibari doesn't know what to say and remains silent. It is Petit Ange who takes the action. It flies off her hands and lands on Tsubame's shoulder. It holds its wings as if consoling her. She answers to it by touching it gently. Then Den-suke arrives with the bag, "Pancake! Pancake!" Hibari picks up Den-suke and walks to Tsubame. "I'm sorry Tsubame-chan but I cannot stop being a meddler." She holds out Den-suke, which in turn holds out his back, to Tsubame. She takes a piece out of the bag and eats it. "Hibari... it's delicious." She still does not look at her but an unmistakable smile comes up on her face.

Back to Synopses index page
Back to Neko-Han-Ten Homepage

This page is hosted by Get your own Free Home Page