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…

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

 

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

 

 

(This time we begin things in the Tengon mothership in what seems to be a church chapel. Many Tengon sit in the pews listing to a mystery man playing an organ. The tune he plays is both haunting and saddening as if it sings of his own personal tragedy. The doors to the chapel open and a Tengon warrior walks down the chapel until he gets to the organ player. The warrior waits patiently until the organ concert is over until he speaks.)

 

Tengon Warrior: Dr, Boss Tengon requests your presence.

 

(The organ player turns around and turns out to be a very handsome young man who wears glasses. Even though his face looks to be that of a very kind person, deep down he is more villainous than anyone would ever guess. He adjusts his glasses and smiles congenially.)

 

Man: I understand. (Addressing Audience) Please be sure to come to more of my sermons everyone…every day we need a cleansing of the soul. To wring out any thing that might make us forget why we were put here.

 

(The congregation begins to file out now, and soon the organ player and warrior are the only ones left.)

 

Man: So he would like to see me? Do you know what for?

 

Tengon: No, he only said it was important.

 

(He adjusts his glasses again and gets a dark look.)

 

Man: Fine.

 

(He walks ahead of the warrior, and after the man has gone for a couple of minutes the warrior says.)

 

Tengon Warrior: Man…that guy always gives me the creeps…

 

(Soon both are walking through the corridors of the Tengon mothership and soon arrive in Boss Tengon’s quarters. The Tengon Warrior lets them in and soon they stand before the head honcho Boss Tengon himself. Boss Tengon is reading a newspaper when they come in and doesn’t notice their entry.)

 

Tengon Warrior: Um Boss Tengon?

 

Boss Tengon: What?

 

Tengon Warrior: I brought the Dr as ordered….

 

Boss Tengon: Huh?

 

(He looks over his paper and sees the man with glasses.)

 

Boss Tengon: Ack!

 

(He throws the paper aside and sits in a serious pose.)

 

Boss Tengon: Dr, I’m glad you could make it here, and its nice to see you are in good health.

 

(The man doesn’t acknowledge any of these words and continues to face Boss Tengon in an unfaltering gaze.)

 

Boss Tengon: While I know you are a doctor and therefore haven’t been on the battlefield I need a favor from you. You have no doubt heard of our adversary Sakaki? He continues to hinder our path as we search for the Master technology. So I wanted you to use your impressive intellect….

 

Man: Boss Tengon I already know.

 

(Boss Tengon is both confused and infuriated by being cut off mid sentence.)

 

Boss Tengon: So what is it then? Since you’re so smart?!

 

Man: You want me to analyze this Sakaki and find his weaknesses…then utilizing these weaknesses…obliterate him.

 

(Boss Tengon is silent.)

 

Man: Right?

 

Boss Tengon: Yeah….well I mean if you could let ME obliterate him….that would be nice….

 

Man: Do not worry Boss Tengon…I will do as you command.

 

Boss Tengon: I hope you will get it done…. Dr. Sinister.

 

(He bows and then walks out, and as he walks towards where he will take a ship to where Sakaki waits he smiles a dark smile that hides dangerous secrets.)

 

Sakaki: Episode 22: The delusion of trust

 

(Dr. Sinister along with a couple of Tengon soldiers fly to the prehistoric era to find and destroy Sakaki.)

 

Dr Sinister: How have you been finding Sakaki so far?

 

Tengon Solider: Well we managed to put a tracking device on the ship he uses to fly around the time flow…. so that’s how we’ve been keeping up with him….

 

Dr. Sinister: How interesting.

 

Tengon Solider: So Dr, what is our plan of attack?

 

Dr. Sinister: You will stay on the ship. Only I will be needed for this mission.

 

(The soldiers all look confused at each other, and they continue towards an unsuspecting Sakaki in the prehistoric age. Meanwhile Atsuko is taking pictures of various wildlife as Sakaki accompanies her.)

 

Sakaki: So what are we gonna do? The Tengons have already found us here.

 

Atsuko: I dunno yet…I mean how long can we really keep running from them?

 

Sakaki: You have a point…I mean I feel bad about going home with those guys on your tail….

 

Atsuko: I just wish I understood why? I mean….i guess revenge….but theres a fine line between revenge and obsession….and they’ve jumped that line several times.

 

Sakaki: Hmm…. They were looking for something called “Master Technology” if I remember…..Maybe they think we have it?

 

Atsuko: Well we don’t…I would give it to them if I had it so they’d leave us alone….

Sakaki: I wish I could figure it out too…..

 

(Then Atsuko sees something in the distance.)

 

Atsuko: Sakaki! I thought I saw something…..

 

Sakaki: Really?

 

Atsuko: Let’s check it out….

 

Sakaki: Ok!

 

(They both run over to what Atsuko is seeing, but then Sakaki stops for a second because he thinks he hears something.)

 

Sakaki: Hmm….what was that?

 

(Then Atsuko yells.)

 

Sakaki: Atsuko!

 

(He runs over and sees Atsuko dangling over a cliff.)

 

Sakaki: Atsuko! I’m coming!

 

Atsuko: Please hurry!

 

(He starts down to save her but then a voice yells in his head….)

 

Voice: DON’T SAVE HER.

 

(Sakaki pauses.)

 

Sakaki: Who…who are you?

 

Voice: WHAT HAS SHE DONE FOR YOU? OTHER THAN MAKE YOU SUFFER FOR HER OWN NEEDS.

 

Sakaki: WHO ARE YOU?! ANSWER ME!

 

Atsuko: Sakaki! What’s going on?!

 

(The voice in Sakaki’s head continues to repeat these things over and over until the young hero has been brought to his knees.)

 

Sakaki: Stop it!

(Atsuko’s grip is sliding off…)

 

Atsuko: Sakaki! Sakaki! What are you doing?!

 

(Finally she lets go and is caught before she falls by Gato and Slash who just happened to come by.)

 

Gato: Toots? I never knew you were into danger like this….

 

Slash: Sis? What are you doing?

 

(They yank her up, and catch their breath.)

 

Atsuko: Thanks you two…..

 

(Then she walks over to Sakaki and looks at him angrily.)

 

Atsuko: What were you doing?!

 

(The voices in Sakaki’s head have stopped and he can now stand up again.)

 

Sakaki: Atsuko……I’m sorry…..there were voices…..

 

Atsuko: Voices? Sakaki what kind of excuse was that?

 

Sakaki: Its not an excuse! Something deep inside of me said not to save you…..

 

Atsuko: If that is true….why did you stop?

 

Sakaki: It was so strong………

 

Gato: Hey, what is going on here anyway?

 

Atsuko: According to Sakaki voices stopped him from saving me…..i don’t believe that at all…..but then if it is true why would he listen to them?

 

Sakaki: Atsuko! Wait you’ve got it all wrong!

 

Atsuko: I knew you were a little mad about not going home….but is that really how you feel?

 

(She stares at him for a minute then begins to go back to the Time Gate.)

 

Gato: Wow, I dunno what you did….but it seems like she’s really mad this time….

 

Slash: Hey pops, what did she mean by all of that? Is onee-chan gonna be ok?

Gato: I don’t know WHY you kids insist on calling me that!

 

(Sakaki stares after her and frowns.)

 

Sakaki: Something is wrong here…..

 

(Later all of our cats….and human girl convene at the Time Gate. Atsuko seems to be a bit more jovial than she was this afternoon….but the incident still burns in Sakaki’s mind.)

 

Sakaki(Thinking): I just wonder who that was? And how did they know about Atsuko and I situation? (Then he sighs) Maybe I’m just thinking too much…. Probably it was the sun frying my brain.

 

Saber: Hey bro, you gonna mope about something all night or get something to eat with us?

 

Sakaki: Hmm? Well I guess I AM hungry…

 

(Atsuko stands up suddenly and says to Sakaki.)

 

Atsuko: Hey Sakaki I’m sorry to interrupt you….but I just realized that the Time Gate needs calibration.

 

Heiya: What’s that?

 

Gato: Some fancy ship term.

 

Tiger: Do you mean that thing you travel in?

 

Sakaki: Oh ok. Sure what do you want me to do?

 

Atsuko: Simply head outside to the back and I’ll give you more instructions.

 

Sakaki: Ok.

 

Tiger: Will you be ready to eat soon?

 

Sakaki: Yeah…this shouldn’t take long right?

 

(Atsuko says nothing.)

 

Sakaki: Yeah we should be done in a sec.

 

(He goes outside to the back of the Time gate to its thrusters and stands there waiting for his further instructions.)

Heiya: Hey bro!

 

Sakaki: Heiya? You came too?

 

Heiya: Yeah I wanted to keep you company.

 

Sakaki: That’s nice of you.

 

(Then they hear a low clicking noise that begins to get louder.)

 

Heiya: I’ve never heard that noise before….

 

Sakaki: Hmm…it sounds vaguely familiar…

 

(Then Sakaki’s eyes widen as he remembers where he’s heard that sound before.)

 

Sakaki: Heiya! DUCK!

 

(He dives out of the way and so does Heiya as the boosters of the Time Gate go off. In a second they’re out again.…but anyone who would have been unlucky enough to be standing near that area would have been barbecued….)

Sakaki: Man! That was close!

 

(Heiya shakes herself off.)

 

Sakaki: Are you ok?

 

Heiya: Yeah…a little bit scared but ok….

 

(Sakaki grits his teeth and runs back into the Time Gate.)

 

Sakaki: ATSUKO! WHATS THE IDEA?!?!

 

(Gato, Slash, Saber and the mother tiger are all gathered around the controls of the Time Gate.)

 

Sakaki: What’s going on?

 

(They move aside to reveal that Atsuko is sitting in the control seat………fast asleep. She has a big smile and a little bit of drool going down her lips.)

 

Atsuko(Sleepily): Mmmm ham sounds good daddy…..

 

Sakaki: What the….?

 

Gato: She was at the control panel pressing buttons, then she just fell asleep like that.

 

Tiger: Do people where you come from do that often?

 

Sakaki: What is going on here? Atsuko never falls asleep at the controls like that….when she’s sleepy she usually sets the Time gate down or allows me to steer…..

 

Slash: Maybe she’s just extra tired today?

 

Sakaki: Maybe…or is she just mad at me for…earlier…Doesn’t she trust me?

 

(Later Atsuko is in her bedroom continuing her good dream, as she rolls over in her bed still smiling and scratching her stomach. Sakaki and the others are in the main room of the Time Gate just sitting around…..Seemingly.)

 

Sakaki: Its strange….first the voices in my head and now Atsuko’s whole stunt….

 

Gato: Well you’ve always been a nut-job, but toots is a case to worry about.

 

Sakaki: Hey….

 

Heiya: Bro, are you mad at your friend?

 

Sakaki: Mad? No…. Confused is more like it….

 

Gato: You guys just need some space…. that’s why I make it a habit to get away from you two at least three times a day.

 

Sakaki: And we rarely miss you either.

 

Gato: And now is one of those times I need to get away.

 

(He saunters out.)

 

Sakaki: Dammit…I just wish I understood what was going on around here…..

 

Tiger: Perhaps you’re thinking about things too much….

 

Sakaki: That’s what I thought at first…..but then again if we don’t think about it now it might end in tragedy…

 

(Then Sakaki perks up.)

 

Sakaki: Hey….don’t the predators come out late at night?

 

Slash: Yeah they do…

Saber: One time I went out at night and this dinosaur started chasing me! Luckily mom came and scared him away….boy I would hate to be out alone at this time of night…

 

(Slash and Saber look at each other.)

 

Saber: What about…

 

Slash: Pops?!

 

(Sakaki gets up instantly and runs outside.)

 

Sakaki: Gato! Gato! Where are you?!

 

(Sakaki runs outside looking for him and finally spots him running down a valley.)

 

Sakaki: Gato! Come back! Its really dangerous out here!

 

(He follows Gato down the valley and soon realizes that he can’t get back out.)

 

Sakaki: Oh great…..but where did that Gato get to?!

 

(Gato is gone.)

 

Sakaki: How did he get out of here so easily?

 

Gato(From above): Nice knowing ya chump!

 

Sakaki: Gato?!?!

 

(Then a dinosaur swats Sakaki with its tail sending him flying.)

 

Sakaki: AHHHHHHHHHHHH!

 

(He lands and struggles to get up.)

 

Sakaki: Did he really just leave me here?

 

(Then two more dinosaurs appear and charge at Sakaki.)

 

Sakaki: AUGH!

 

(He fights them off with the quick sword landing rapid hits on both dinosaurs. But it does nothing but nick the huge lizards.)

 

Sakaki: Drat….this sword might be quick but it doesn’t do any damage…

 

(They close in on him and it looks like Sakaki’s time is up. Meanwhile back at the Time Gate, Gato saunters in and yawns.)

 

Gato: That was fun. Now its time for food and bed.

 

Saber: Pops, did you see Big bro? He went looking for you.

 

Gato: He did? Where did he go looking?

 

Slash: In that direction.

 

(Slash points in the opposite direction that Gato came from.)

 

Gato: What?! I went THIS way. Why would he go over there?

 

(Then the Time gate begins to make a whining noise and starts to lift.)

 

Gato: What the?! Is toots leaving without us?!

 

(Then a rope appears out of no where and wraps around one of the Time Gate’s legs, and soon the ship can’t rise anymore.)

 

Gato: What the heck?

 

(Sakaki walks out of the dark shadows, a bit scratched up but otherwise ok.)

 

Slash: Bro!

 

Sakaki: It took me a while….but I figured out what is going on here.

 

(He takes out the sword of flames and points it at Gato.)

 

Gato: Hold on!!!!!!!!!!! What are you doing?

 

(He charges at Gato and jumps over him. After landing a mystery shape tries to flee but Sakaki stops it by swinging over and over again. Unfortunately the mystery assailant manages to avoid each blow skillfully.)

 

Sakaki: Show yourself! COWARD!

 

(The mysterious figure walks forward to Sakaki and is none other than….)

 

Dr. Sinister: I applaud you Takahashi-san.

 

Sakaki: What?! Who are you?

 

(Dr. Sinister takes a bow.)

 

Dr. Sinister: I am Dr. Sinister a Tengon scientist. My mission was to find out your weakness and use it to destroy you. However you have become quite the opponent Takahashi-san.

 

Sakaki: You…you aren’t like the other Tengons at all….

 

Dr. Sinister: Astute observation. Rather than use brute force to stop you, I decided to cut what was important to your little group. It’s not power, or even determination that makes the three of you what you are. It’s a little thing called………TRUST.

 

Sakaki: So that’s why you made all those little accidents happen! You were trying to drive a wedge between us!

 

Dr. Sinister: Yes I was. (Chuckles.) And funny enough it was working. You were ready to assume the worst about your friends…and they were about to do the same of you.

 

Sakaki: HOW DARE YOU SCREW WITH US LIKE THAT YOU FREAK!

 

(He grabs Dr. Sinister.)

 

Dr. Sinister: Why are you so angry Takahashi-san? Is it because cheap future holograms and illusions broke the trust you thought you and your friends had? Or that I used simple hypnosis on the girl to nearly kill you? Look how easily you and your friends were separated! If I had brought a real threat with me you would have easily been mowed over.

 

(Sakaki gets more and more furious.)

 

Dr. Sinister: Well now, don’t be angry with me. Be angry with the choice of friends you have. If they were REAL comrades they wouldn’t have been so easily fooled. Maybe you should just leave them while you’re ahead.

 

(Sakaki finally reaches his breaking point and punches Dr. Sinister full force in the face.)

 

Sakaki: YOU’RE WRONG! I ALWAYS TRUST THEM!

 

Gato: Sakaki….

 

Sakaki: It’ll take more than you or ANYONE’S tricks to fool us!

 

(Dr Sinister feels the side of his face that was hit and smiles. He stands up again and looks at Sakaki.)

 

Dr. Sinister: Perhaps…perhaps. But remember this well Takahashi-san. We Tengons will get revenge from you.

(He snaps his fingers and the Time gate lands with a thud beside them, which shakes up the cats, all except Sakaki who stares at Sinister with the same expression. A small disk flies from the Time Gate to Dr. Sinister’s hand and the Dr catches it and smiles.)

 

Dr. Sinister: I look forward to our next meeting Takahashi-san.

 

(Sakaki rushes at him but in the blink of an eye Dr. Sinister disappears.)

 

Sakaki: What the?!

 

Gato: What or Who was that?!

 

(Sakaki thrusts the sword of flames into the ground and growls.)

 

Sakaki: Damn….he was stronger than any Tengon I’ve ever met…..and the fact is he was so right…..if we meet up with him again will we be ready?

 

(Back at the Tengon mothership Dr. Sinister walks down the corridors until he reaches his lab and sits at monitor. He takes out a little blue box and opens it up revealing that in it is three hair samples from our heroes.)

 

Dr. Sinister: Now lets see if Takahashi-san is worth our time….no…MY TIME.

 

(He turns on a nearby radio that plays soft opera as he begins to research the hair.)

 

Dr. Sinister: Good things come to those who wait…and I think its past my time…. Takahashi-san…you are only one roadblock of many I have to cross…. but once I have what I need….there will be nothing that can stop me.

 

(Dr. Sinister turns up the music and leans back in his chair. Meanwhile Sakaki sits in Atsuko’s bedroom across from her bed and watches her sleep.)

 

Sakaki (Thinking): Atsuko….I barely know anything about you…and now theres someone who’s gonna use that against us….

 

(Atsuko turns over and starts to breathe quietly as Sakaki stares out into the moonlight.)

 

Ending Song: “Kizen Hibiku” (Resolute Echo)

 

Every day I hear your voice echo goodbye

The words I never could say resurface

 

A new curtain draws over the sun

And a miracle springs out

 

(For Eternity)

 

I wonder about the magic of a smile

If it’s not permitted can it be forgiven?

 

The wondrous time that we were always laughing

 

(Just you and me)

 

Everything stops even the sky

And the wind carries a sweet scent

 

My heart skips a beat as I see you return

Even if it’s just your memory I wish to have…I want it to be stronger….

 

 

NEXT TIME’S EPISODE

 

Slash: So pops, while we’re out here tell me something.

 

Gato: QUIT CALLING ME THAT! And what?

 

Slash: What do you think is the relationship between your two friends?

 

Gato: Toots and lunk-head? Well…I dunno they seem like ordinary friends to me…

 

Slash: Really? Then why are they talking so secretly in the rain like this?

 

Gato: THEY’RE WHAT?!?

 

Heiya: Is pops jealous?

 

Saber: Maybe….but what’s jealous sis?

 

Atsuko: Next time on Sakaki Jikan Tabibito

 

ATSUKO’S TROUBLES & TENGON’S INVOLVEMENT

 

Gato: That moron better not muscle in on my woman!