Opening Song: Ano Michi wa Bokura arukidasu (That Road we walked on)

 

You and I searched for our best place

Following that star every single day, and creating a new story on the way

 

When another boring day was born it was a place to escape to

I knew that when the time came we’d all go there together…

 

Memories that we had and those that have yet to be made

The rain and sunny days too I wait for them all…

 

Even if I was alone certainly…I had my way to walk

Running down a dream road time almost reversing to follow me I had so much fun…

 

Even recalling times I was hurt

 

Like that star I wanna shine for eternity and remember your fading voice…

It’s my wish that time didn’t forget…I wish every day

 

Let it shine on.….. The path we walked together…

 

 

(Today the start of our story is at a simple ordinary bus stop. In a couple of minutes a bus pulls up and several people get off. Among these people are our two heroes Sakaki and Gato. After the bus pulls off, both of them turn and look at the huge cityscape that is only a couple of miles away from the bus stop they are standing at currently.)

 

Sakaki: After all that, we’re still on the wrong planet….

 

Gato: I thought the T.S.M. made sure that this kind of thing wouldn’t happen to us.

 

Sakaki: Yeah I thought so too, but according to this watch here which I finally managed to get the hang of, Time Gates are manufactured on a planet called Terrasno. Atsuko said she’s able to rent them easily so most likely that’s the planet we need to head to.

 

Gato: Well the good news is that we’re at least in the right time period. So its just a matter of finding a ride out there.

 

Sakaki: Yeah, hopefully the bus terminal worker was right when he said this would be the place to find a spaceship.

 

Gato: You…you don’t plan on buying one do you?!

 

Sakaki: Yeah? What’s wrong with that?

 

Gato: Well….I just hope you have good credit. Let’s put it that way.

 

(Sakaki stares at him for a minute and then shrugs.)

 

Sakaki: Well it’s up to you if you wanna keep it secret I guess.

(He begins to walk.)

 

Sakaki: What’s NOT a secret is the fact that pretty soon we’ll have Atsuko back safe and sound. I don’t know what those Tengons did to her, but I’ll never forgive them!

 

Gato: Well…let’s just see the spaceships first.

 

Sakaki: You’re keeping something from me aren’t you?

 

Gato: Oh NO! I would NEVER do that.

 

(Soon they are in town and head to the closest Spaceship dealer, which happens to be Fard.)

 

Sakaki: Ok Gato! This is the place!

 

(They walk inside and look around at the spaceships that are small enough to be kept inside.)

 

Sakaki: Awesome! These all look so impressive! Don’t they Gato?!

 

Gato: You should look closer before getting excited.

 

(Sakaki sweatdrops and does what he says. In a minute his eyes become bigger than saucerplates and he steps back from the ship almost in tears.)

 

Sakaki: WH-WH-WH- THE PRICE!

 

Gato: And that’s a used one! Pretty good I’d say.

 

Sakaki: 1,000,000,000,00?! USED?

 

Gato: Well that’s if you decide to spring for power steering, automatic transmission, and power windows and locks.

 

Sakaki: What can we get for cheaper without all of that stuff?

 

Gato: A Bicycle.

 

(Sakaki groans, and walks outside with Gato.)

 

Sakaki: Now we’re back to square one!

 

Gato: Well we took the bus here, why not take the bus to Atsuko’s home planet?

 

Sakaki: Wait, theres a bus system that goes out there?

(Sakaki imagines a bus with plane wings, four tires, and afterburners.)

 

Sakaki: Sweeeeet.

 

Gato: Whatever you just imagined…you’re way off.

 

(Sakaki sticks his tongue out at Gato.)

 

Sakaki: So what do you suggest Jeeves?

 

Gato: Beats me. Maybe you could get a job delivering pizzas, and by the time you get enough money to get a ship, the Tengons would have gotten bored of Toots and let her old dead corps free!

 

Sakaki: Do you even CARE about what happens to her?

 

(Then Sakaki notices a billboard above their location.)

 

Sakaki: Say…Gato?

 

Gato: Huh? What?

 

Sakaki: How about we enter that?

 

(Gato looks up and on the billboard Sakaki noticed is a huge notice.)

 

Billboard: ENTER THE ROYAL OLYMPICS! WINNER GETS THE PRIZE OF THEIR WILDEST DREAMS HANDED TO THEM BY THE PRESIDENT HIMSELF!

 

Sakaki: Episode 32: On to a New World! Go for the gold Sakaki!

 

(On the front yard of the President’s huge abode are hundreds of people hoping to get into the contest and win the aforementioned prize. In line are Sakaki and Gato themselves, and they look rather bored….)

 

Sakaki: Geez, I didn’t know the turnout would be so huge.

 

Gato: Which means theres something terribly wrong with this.

 

Sakaki: What do you mean?

 

Gato: Think about it! Who would just hand over any prize anyone would ask for easily? There has got to be a huge ugly, putrid smelling catch with this whole contest.

 

Sakaki: You think so? Well it does seem a bit strange.

 

Gato: Not a “bit” at all! Anyway you’re gonna enter this one alone.

 

Sakaki: Eh?! Why?

 

Gato: Theres NO way I’d get involved in something like this unless there would be no risk to myself.

 

(Gato then turns and sees two bodybuilders with huge muscles both sporting “I like to stomp on small animals and eat them” Shirts.)

 

Gato: And well to be honest…the risk level today is a big flaming RED.

 

Sakaki: Aww come on Gato! Theres no way you’d enter this contest? No way at all?

 

Gato: Not for all the cheese in……cheeseland. That’s not funny at all! I wonder how the original saying went?

(Then Gato begins to leave until he sees a very unwelcome and familiar face.)

 

Gato: YOU?!

 

(The face belongs to Secret Tengon, the Tengon who attacked Gato back in the prehistoric age.)

 

Gato: I thought you were Tyrannosaurs food!

Secret Tengon: I never thought I’d have a second chance to get rid of you. I guess today is my lucky day.

 

(He takes out a gun.)

 

Secret Tengon: Here kitty kitty kitty….

 

Gato: I’ve been looking forward to kicking your ass too! Those kicks and other attacks you gave me hurt!

 

(They both prepare to attack until a bouncer comes and knocks them both out.)

 

Bouncer: Save that type of activity for the contest.

 

(The two of them lie on the floor k.o’ed.)

 

Sakaki: Well….I guess Gato is gonna enter after all. Though its strange that the Tengon’s are here, in fact it was strange they attacked us in the desert! I mean if they have Atsuko why bother with us?

 

Crash(Beside Sakaki): ‘Cause you really got Boss-Sama mad this time. He says he’ll never forgive you.

 

Sakaki: Sure I can understand that, but come on! Can’t he use his resources for something else?

 

Crash: Well I suppose so, but hey I just work there.

 

(They look at each other and sweatdrop.)

 

Sakaki: DIDN’T WE BEAT YOU JUST AN EPISODE AGO?!

 

Crash: YEAH BUT WE’RE CHARACTERS IN THIS STORY TOO! WHATS WRONG WITH APPEARING OFTEN?!!?

 

(Suddenly the background changes and Sakaki and Crash are in a boxing ring, both wearing boxer shorts and sporting boxing gloves. They both glare at each other about to strike, edging at each other slowly when suddenly a bikini clad Bash walks by with the sign that usually has written the round number, but instead has written on it “Boss Tengon’s orders.” The background fades away and Crash grabs the sign.)

 

Crash: Finally! We’ve been waiting forever for this!

 

(Then he realizes something and turns to Bash who is no longer in a bikini.)

 

Crash: Uh…weren’t you wearing a……nevermind.

 

(He reads the sign, and as he reads Boss Tengon’s voice echoes over his.)

 

Boss Tengon: Now Bash, Crash, I’ve really become weary of your constant failure to destroy Sakaki. So this time I’ll dispatch you two and Secret Tengon to bribe a president on a nearby planet to give us the prize of a contest there. Simply tell him to make a deposit into the Tengon bank account, post haste or else we’ll be forced to get really mean and horrible. Those are your orders!

 

Crash: But…the contest has already started, how do we bother bribing them now?

 

(Then he reads the postscript and it was sent 2 weeks ago.)

 

Crash: Hey….Bash-Chan….why are we just getting this now?

 

Sakaki: First of all, I thought you guys had plenty of resources! Why do super villains like you need to resort to bribery?

Crash: SHHH! The big kids are talking.

 

Sakaki: Jerk.

 

Crash: So…why are we just getting this Bash-chan?

 

Bash: Um…well….it….seems…..

 

Crash: Seems what?

 

Bash: Um…

 

(She points at the upper left corner of the orders, and everyone sees stamped several times there is “INSUFFCIENT POSTAGE.”)

 

Crash: So It’s been going back and forth over and over again until now?

 

Bash: Um….uh-huh.

 

Crash: So how did you get it now?

 

Bash: When…um….you….like….went to….um….get…like…that…money…order..i…found it in the……post office….garbage…

 

Crash: That’s LAME!

 

(Bash’s eyes tear up.)

 

Crash: No no no! Not you, I mean this whole orders thing! We’re Tengons too! Don’t we deserve more respect than this? We work hard! Suffer! Make Friends! WHY CAN’T WE GET A BREAK!?

 

(Sakaki claps sparsely at this. Then he notices that it’s his turn in line.)

 

Sakaki: Well I’ve gotta go. See you later.

 

Bash: Bye bye.

 

Crash: You’re not supposed to say that to the enemy.

 

(Sakaki quickly signs in and after he does he walks to where the other registered many are. Sakaki glances over at his opposition, the one that takes precedence over the others is a boy who looks a couple years older than himself and has Grey emotionless eyes that match his Grey hair. He wears a black trenchcoat and a chain necklace with a feather on the end of it.)

 

Sakaki: Huh, something about that guy is defiantly out of the ordinary.

(Then our hero shrugs)

 

Sakaki: Probably my imagination.

 

(Soon after Crash has signed up, and has a huge grin.)

 

Secret Tengon: What’s up with you Intern?

 

Crash: Well, since we can’t simply bribe those guys anymore, I’m going to enter the contest, and when I win they’ll give us the money we need!

 

Bash: That’s…um….really…..brilliant…..Crash-san.

 

Crash: Isn’t it?

 

Secret Tengon (scoffs): Well don’t expect any help from me. Boss Tengon simply said I have to come and make sure you guys finally get something right.

 

Crash: Don’t worry about it!

 

Bash: Should….i….um….like….enter…too?

 

Crash: Nah, only one of us is needed. After all our only real opposition is Sakaki.

 

(Then the whole crowd of registered applicants’ runs by dragging Crash along with them.)

 

Crash: Wait! WAIT! I CAN WALK ON MY OWN! WAIT A SECOND!!!!!

 

Secret Tengon: Something tells me…this too will be a mission failure.

 

(Gato walks by Bash and Secret Tengon. He stops and stares at him, and then finally sticks out his tongue and runs away.)

 

Secret Tengon: WHY THAT LITTLE….

 

Bash: Secret…san, like….um wouldn’t…you…um….get….like….in trouble….for…attacking…him?

 

(Secret Tengon stops and adjusts himself.)

 

Secret Tengon: Right. Anyway lets just see how your bratty friend is going to do in this contest.

 

(Sakaki sees the crowd run by with Crash in tow, and finally decides to join them. While running however he looks back and sees the boy from earlier walking slowly in his own pace behind everyone else.)

 

Sakaki: What’s his deal?

 

(Our hero shrugs and runs along with the others. However as he was taking interest in the boy, the boy is taking interest in him….)

 

Boy: So that’s the guy we’re after. He doesn’t look impressive at all.

 

(He continues to walk in his own pace, and soon everyone arrives at a huge mansion, which is probably the president’s house. Everyone comes to a standstill here, and awaits their next orders.)

 

Sakaki: Eh? Well looks like things will get interesting from here.

 

(Crash finally manages to drag himself up, and stands up beside Sakaki.)

 

Sakaki: Oh you’re alive.

 

Crash: Shut up….

 

(Then the doors to the mansion open up and a middle-aged man surrounded by more bouncers steps out.)

 

Man: Greetings everyone! I’m sure most of you know who I am, but to those new here, I am the president of this fine country.

 

(Everyone applauds.)

 

President: Thank you very much for your kind reception! Now the reason why I’m holding this contest is actually fairly simple! In this world, and many others around the universe there are people with special physical abilities and attributes! These people are the ones who help us explore this and other unknown worlds! So this contest will help us find the strongest one out all of you and give him the just reward they deserve! Of course I the president will make sure with the power vested in me that you get whatever is in your wildest dreams. Well everything except my job.

 

(Everyone laughs at this joke.)

 

President: Of course you must win first! The rules are simple, there is a forest that leads into a swampy area unknown to most people of this fine country. The person who manages to get to the goal on the other side first wins everything. Of course since we don’t know what’s in there, I can’t guarantee that you’ll make it out the way you went in. So everyone do your best and try your hardest!

(The crowd erupts into thunderous cheering and then prepares to set off.)

 

President: On your mark….get ready….get set…..GO!!!!

 

(Everyone dashes off for the forest at once. The vast amount of people headed to the forest at once almost makes the mysterious place seem welcoming. However that doesn’t last too long….for not even a couple of minutes pass before there is a scream, and then the thud of a limp body falling.)

 

Sakaki: What the…what was that?

 

(Sakaki draws the midnight blade and glances all around his area.)

 

Sakaki: I don’t like this feeling, something evil VERY evil is in this forest…

 

(Meanwhile Crash slowly makes his way through the forest.)

 

Crash: When they said “Olympics” I figured you know some figure skating, some gymnastics, and maybe at worst some hockey! Not something like this…

 

(Then something lands on Crash’s face. He instantly begins to run around in circles trying to pull it off.)

 

Crash: GUAHHHH! GET THIS THING OFF OF ME!!!

 

(He yanks it off and finds out that its Gato.)

 

Gato: Drat it, all of you Tengons look the same. I thought for sure you were that Secret-jerk.

 

Crash: WELL I’M NOT! Wait…don’t you usually hang out with Sakaki?

 

Gato: Yeah, but I lost him a while ago.

 

Crash: Well then! I suppose its time to interrogate you for some info on Sakaki!

 

Gato: You don’t have the balls.

 

(In a minute Crash’s face is severely scratched up and he is pulling Gato in a wagon covered by a parasol.)

 

Gato: Faster man-slave!

 

Crash: How…did that happen….?!

 

(Sakaki runs with the Midnight blade still drawn out through the forest. His uneasy feeling from earlier hasn’t left him, and so he wants to find Gato quickly and get out of this strange forest. However in a minute he is surrounded by other competitors.)

 

 

Competitor 1: Hehehee

 

Competitor 2: We figured that it would be easier to eliminate people first then get to the goal!

 

Competitor 3: Of course by courtesy we get rid of the weakest looking ones first. So you should feel honored.

 

Sakaki: Yeah…. NOT! I have no intention of stopping here! I have reasons why I want to win this contest!

 

(They lunge for him and he simply avoids their attacks. Using the hilt of the midnight blade he is able to hit his foes without killing them. In a minute they’re all knocked out and Sakaki is free to progress.)

 

Sakaki: If all the other guys are as easy as this, then this contest is in the bag!

 

(Then he hears yet another scream this time nearer to his location.)

 

Sakaki: But now I’ve got to put winning on the back burner…this sounds like trouble…

 

(Sakaki dashes over to where he thought he heard the scream and when he gets there he is shocked to see one body of a man bleeding profusely, and yet another hanging by his neck in a tree.)

 

Sakaki: What the…..is there some kind of monster?!

 

(He progresses forward a little bit and peaks from behind two bushes and sees what’s going on.)

 

Sakaki: It’s not a monster….

 

(It’s the boy from earlier that Sakaki had his eyes on. He’s fighting with yet another competitor, well…. its very obvious who is winning, so much so that describing their scuffle as a fight does it no justice. The boy smacks his foe in the head with his bare hand, which decks him out on the floor. Then the boy is about to deliver the finishing blow when Sakaki finally seeing enough screams out in protest.)

 

Sakaki: Hey STOP IT!

 

(The boy stops and looks up at Sakaki.)

Sakaki: What do you think you’re doing?

 

Boy: Winning this contest. What do you think?

 

Sakaki: Winning?! By killing people? Who says you need to do that?

 

Boy: He got in my way….so I killed him. I think that’s fairly simple.

 

Sakaki: Don’t mess with me! That’s not right and you know it!

 

Boy: Look kid, I was taught in my family that if you’re strong you get to do whatever you want. Its as simple as that. Even a little kid knows that if you’re strong you get to make whatever kinds of rules you want to make over the weak.

 

Sakaki: THAT’S ENOUGH OF YOUR STUPID RETORHIC!

 

(The boy looks shocked and then smiles coldly.)

 

Boy: Well if you don’t like it, why not get rid of me?

 

Sakaki: That’s what you’d want right? Well I refuse!

 

Boy: Fine then, but I don’t like how you were talking to me just now, so I’m afraid you have to go.

 

(He dashes at Sakaki with amazing speed and takes out a dagger. Sakaki barely manages to fend this off with the Midnight blade, and is knocked backwards a bit. He trips over a corpse, which helps him fend off the boy’s next advance. Sakaki realizes that this place isn’t a good place to have their fight so he begins to run away.)

 

Boy: Escaping? As you wish.

 

(The boy follows him, and they both run for some time. The boy swings his dagger, and while its small, every swing he makes cuts holes in the nearby trees, even almost knocking some over.)

Sakaki: What the…its almost as if invisible blades are cutting those trees down….how is he doing that?

 

(Finally Sakaki and the boy end up at the edge of a cliff with a single tree overlooking the long drop. Sakaki stops and gets into a battle pose.)

 

Sakaki: Ok, now I’m ready to take you on!

 

(The boy laughs diversely.)

 

Boy: You’re so naiieve. You think you led me here? Or maybe that’s what I wanted you to believe. However, you will end up dying today unless you manage to entertain me.

 

Sakaki: Sorry pal, but I’m nobody’s plaything!

 

(He runs at the boy ready to swing the midnight blade at him, but the boy kicks him in the face and follows up with another deadly kick to his stomach. Sakaki drops to his knees and loosens his grip on the midnight blade.)

 

Boy: You see? You’re nothing more than talk. The world will be better off without someone like you in it.

 

(His eyes are completely dark now, and he takes out his dagger. The blade turns white and this light blinds Sakaki making everything seem fuzzy now.)

 

Sakaki: What the….what did he do?!

 

(Sakaki manages to block a blow from his side because he heard the “whoosh” sound the dagger made as it cut the air.)

 

Sakaki: That was…

 

(Then suddenly without switching hands, the dagger switches sides! Sakaki is caught completely off guard by this tactic, and is stabbed in the back twice.)

 

Sakaki: Guh….

 

Boy: That was a level one-sakki jutsu. If you couldn’t defend against that, you’d might as well just commit suicide.

 

(Sakaki lies on the floor bleeding.)

 

Boy: Hmm…you were a bit entertaining so I’ll leave you with my name. It’s Grawl. At least now when you head to the afterlife you know whose name to curse.

 

(He begins to walk away, but then stops suddenly. Without turning around he says….)

 

Grawl: You obviously have a strong will to live.

 

(Sakaki is standing up, but his hat is covering his eyes. He’s breathing heavily, and is clutching the midnight blade with all of the strength he has left over.)

 

Grawl: Why do you want to live so badly? Its all so meaningless, you are born, you get your strength when you’re around our ages, then you get old and senile, and if you have any luck left you die. Wouldn’t you rather die in your prime?

 

(Sakaki points the blade at him.)

 

Grawl: Oh? So you have a counterattack?

 

Sakaki: IT’S NOT MEANINGLESS. Life is the only time you have to make friends, to make promises to have dreams, and ambitions.

 

(Then he has a mental flash of Atsuko before she was taken by the Tengons and the most recent happing of last episode.)

 

Sakaki: Most of all…..i……have a promise to keep!

 

(He removes his hat from his eyes and they look darker and more hardened.)

 

Grawl: So then, do something. I grow tired of your needless talk.

 

Sakaki: I WILL THEN!

 

(He swings the midnight blade and a huge red wave of energy surges at Grawl.)

 

Grawl: Is this your ultimate attack?

 

(The beam surges towards Grawl and he smiles evilly.)

 

Grawl: This is NOTHING!

 

(He GRABS the attack and rips it like a sheet of paper.)

 

Sakaki: Bu….how?!

 

Grawl: That attack had NO killing intent in it. With no killing intent, you’d might as well just throw a leaf at me.

 

(He charges at Sakaki, grabs him by the neck and then slams him through the lone tree knocking it over and sending the top of the three and Sakaki flying off the cliff.)

 

Grawl: Takahashi Sakaki, you have a long way to go before you become a challenge to my family, but if you do manage to pull through, (he gets a ecstatic yet evil expression.) WHAT a challenge it would be.

 

(Sakaki falls unconsus to the ground.)

 

Grawl: Live Takahashi Sakaki! Get Stronger Takahashi Sakaki! CHALLENGE ME Takahashi Sakaki!

 

(Sakaki falls in mid-air and looks up at Grawl. Then he blacks out. A while later he wakes up and Gato is sitting at the foot of the bed that he’s in.)

 

Gato: So you’re awake.

 

Sakaki: Where am I? How did I get here?

 

Gato: Well, for one thing, you actually managed to win this contest.

 

Sakaki: I….did?

 

Gato: Yeah they found you sleeping beside the goal, then they carried you here.

 

Sakaki: Grawl…..

 

Gato: Who?

 

Sakaki: Nothing, so I guess I have to go claim my prize.

 

Gato: Way ahead of you. I already told them what we wanted was the tickets for the space-liner headed to Atsuko’s planet.

 

Sakaki: You…did that for me?

 

Gato: Don’t get all sappy. Of course I asked for something for me.

 

(Then two scantily clad women come by and start fanning and petting Gato.)

 

Sakaki: You……

 

Gato: Yes?

 

Sakaki: What happened to the Tengons?

 

Gato: Well pretty much after they found you by the goal, everyone in the contest either gave up or well was dead in the forest or other more mysterious means. The Tengon guys pretty much retreated after that.

 

Sakaki: I see.

 

Gato: Well anyway, the girls and I have a previous engagement.

 

(Gato follows the girls out, and Sakaki sighs he then winces in pain and remembers his back injury.)

 

Sakaki: That guy, Grawl was it? He acted as if we were meant to meet later…..

(He sighs and lies down in bed.)

 

Sakaki: This whole thing is getting really complicated.

 

(Meanwhile far away at a bus stop, a familiar figure is at a payphone.)

 

Figure: Sister, its me Grawl. (Pause) Don’t worry about where I am. I tested that Sakaki fellow, and he defiantly will be worth our time if he trains some. It looks like Dr. Sinister was right to call us in on this case. Tell father that I’ll be back soon, and mother not to worry. Ok sister. Goodbye.

 

(He hangs up and sits on a nearby bench. He has a look of thoughtfulness, which is soon replaced, by a michevious look.)

 

Grawl: Takahashi Sakaki, please entertain me….its been so long you see…..

 

 

Ending Song: Ai wa Jikan o tomarenai (Love can’t stop time.)

 

You’re late for our promised time again (Now)

There’s so much on my mind I can’t be mad (Now)

 

Am I really into you? Or is this one of those flings?

The first time we held hands, wasn’t it on that rainy day?

 

Yeah…..I’m Really in love

 

Its so annoying but yet so true I can’t stop time or you

 

What will happen now? (Will we take a step forward or back?)

Will I still love you when you hurt me? (It’s too much now)

 

Can we really keep what we believe and be in love?

With all of this on my mind maybe its better if you’re a bit late…

 

 

 

NEXT TIME’S STORY

 

Sakaki: Public service announcement everyone!

 

Robotic voice: The next episode will not unfortunately have anything to do with the plot.

 

Sakaki: Now this public service announcement is to keep the volume of fan-threats and violence low. Ok…no complaining people!!! Everyone hates fillers, but they are a necessary part of anime!

 

Robotic Voice: Due to the sudden plot elements added all at once, we need time to create more story elements to continue the story’s pacing properly.

 

Sakaki: I couldn’t have said it better! Domo arigatou mister robotto!

 

Robotic Voice: I will request for you not to call me that, and please everyone in the audience don’t let the episode content scare you away from the next episode.

 

Sakaki: Yikes…harsh. Next time on Sakaki Jikan Tabibito!

 

THE WORLD’S NUMBER ONE GUY!

 

Sakaki (Singing): Juuuuuuuuuuuuuuust where the hell have you been thank you……

 

Robotic Voice: Simple pleasures for simple minds I suppose.

 

Sakaki: Did Gato build you?!