Shadow Skill TV Anime Series Episode 13 – Synopsis Cast of Characters: Elle Ragu - 59th sevalle of Kuruda Gau Ban – valle Black Howling, her adoptive brother Scarface Vy Low – 57th sevalle of Kuruda Screb Lowengren – valle White Lightning Teaser: Flasback scene to Low’s first confrontations with Gau. Voice-over narration: “A wise man once said, do not utter strings of flattering compliments to describe a fighter. A fight is supposed to be extremely merciless and cruel. He also said, when a man must fight against an irreplaceable friend, the mercilessness of the fight is at its absolute maximum.” (Opening Credits) Act 1 An house in an isolated, lonely place. Low is lying on a bed, heavily bandaged, staring into space, muttering Gau’s name. In his mind, he is reliving the fight with Gau on the training ground of the Green Octopus…and his first defeat. Scarface arrives at the house, carrying provisions. He walks in to the house, and notes that Low hasn’t eaten the food that was left for him. He tells Low to stop worrying about the fight and urges him to eat. Low apologizes and tells Scarface he is not thinking over the fight; Scarface approves and gazes out the window. Kuruda Colosseum (?). A cockpit. Elle and Gau are at a cockfight. Elle is loudly cheering on one of the fighting birds, and when Gau tells her gambling is no way to make money, Elle retorts that they need more money than what they earn at the Green Octopus, and that the cockpit is a means to make the extra cash. She turns back to the pit as the cockfight starts, and Gau is swept back into the memories of his fight with Gau. He remembers Low’s taunts and how he was beaten, Kyo’s tearful and urgent pleading. The bird on which Elle placed all her money loses, and as she cries out her frustration, we see Gau’s eyes still unfocused, remembering the fight. Act 2 The isolated house where Low is recuperating. We hear Scarface saying, “Not serious enough? You mean you weren’t?” He is talking to Low, who is trying to analyze the fight. Low muses that he couldn’t concentrate enough during the fight, and Scarface wants to know if Low thinks that’s why he lost to Gau. Low replies, “No, but whatever I say now would be just an excuse. And it won’t change the fact that I lost the fight to him. It’s just…” “It’s just…what?” Flashback to the fight scene. Low’s voice-over narrates: “At the time, I’m sure Gau Ban put everything that he had in order to fight me. I accepted, of course, and I revealed all the power that I had. I was so sure of this at that time; however, I’m having my doubts now. Can’t be sure…I was wondering if I was being lenient during the fight without knowing it…however, I’ve been wondering if my body couldn’t help forget that I was fighting my friend…” “If that’s true, so what?” “Actually, I’ve been feeling very sorry for Gau. A Kuruda mercenary must never hold back and should never reveal everything he has to an opponent coming with full power…if he doesn’t do it, it is really lenient for the opponent.” Scarface closes his eyes as he tells Low, as we see images of the teaser scenes from the pilot episode. “A Kuruda mercenaries are…said to be the ones who rule with incomparable honor and fear because of the outstanding power they have. Truthfully, honor and fear are one and indivisible. You must learn and understand this, and after that, the ones who can still continue to fight…Those will be recognized as sevalles. It is definitely not easy to improve your mental strength to that degree.” Back to the present. Low asks, “Mental strength?” “That’s right. It means it’s not fighting techniques that matter. Mental strength is what decides the true value of the Kuruda mercenary. And there are many actual examples when one’s opponent is an irreplaceable friend…” “What’s that?” Flashback to Faury’s fight against Elle, as Scarface narrates, “Kuruda mercenaries must fight sometimes, even though the opponent may turn out to be a very good friend. In that case, no matter how hard one tries to defeat the opponent, it is impossible to erase the fact, as long as he is a human being, no one can block it out of his mind…” Back to the present. Scarface continues, “You can’t do anything about this, no matter how strong you think your mind is, for whoever won, what remains after the fight is the bitterest regret…there will be nothing else there.” Low stares in wonder at the solemn Scarface, then is startled as the sevalle suddenly turns and catches him staring. Sternly, Scarface orders Low, “I don’t like you thinking about the fight against Gau and blaming your loss on your lenience. The fight has already been decided…if you can’t bear the bitterness of defeat, die and leave this world forever.” Low stares at Scarface, and as the sevalle leaves the house, his words carry back on the wind…”At a time like this, you must think about what is going through Gau’s head. You’d better try to think about that.” The Kuruda docks. Gau places a token down on the boat-hire counter, to signify his return of the boat. The man in charge thanks Gau, saying, “Since the Prorahan war, the government makes us check all traffic. Sorry for the trouble.” “A wartime regime, huh?” says Elle, and later in the boat as they make their way over to the Green Octopus Island, she sighs, “I’m sure Faury will make a fuss about this!” “So will Feorina,” adds Gau, “We really wasted time on the way back. Do you know what time it is? It’s the busiest hour at the restaurant!” “I know that!” A moment of silence. “Hey, Elle...” “Huh? What is it?” “How do you think Low is doing? He stopped coming to Octopus restaurant.” “Does it bother you?” Silence. Elle sighs, “What’s with you? You look so serious! You beat him up, period! What can you do about it?” Gau recalls the challenge issued by Low the day he arrived with the writ of summons for Elle. He murmurs, “I was too out of it to be aware of it during the fight, but I noticed it later.” “Noticed what?” asks Elle. Gau replies, “I thought that Low was seriously worried about me, and that had a lot to do with what happened. In order to show me what a Kuruda mercenary was supposed to be…I think that’s why he purposely decided to challenge me to a fight.” “So what, then?” “If I were more determined as a mercenary, Low wouldn’t have had to go through that ugly fight. When I think about it, I feel kind of sad.” Elle responds bracingly, pointing out the other, simpler explanation for what happened on that day. “Come on, you’re a man, aren’t you? Quit going on about it!” “But still…” “Just shut up!” cries Elle, exasperated. “Listen, Gau, no matter how it started, Low and you did end up in a real fight! I can’t believe you think that Low was really worried about you…who do you think you are, huh?” “What do you mean by that?” “Everybody’s always so worried about me. You think that’s all true, don’t you? Don’t fancy yourself.” “I’m not thinking that way at all…” “You just said that Low must’ve been worried about you!” “Well, that was because…” Flashback to the writ of summons scene… “He came to deliver me the writ of summons, and since you said something he didn’t like, he tried to eliminate you, and that’s what happened. If you misunderstand this, I’ll never forgive you, even if I am your sister.” In a sudden shift of mood, Elle goes, “Aaah, that sounds so gross…’He’s worried about me…’ hmp!!” The isolated house. We see Low’s bed, but it’s empty. Act 3 The forest at night. The camera focuses on a crutch leaning against a rock. We then see Low, still full of bandages, starting to do his exercises, and he falls to his knees with the strain of pushing himself. He mutters, “Gau Ban…I don’t understand why did you do that?” Flashback to the day Low first challenged Gau to that fight in the Colosseum…we hear Gau’s voice, “Why do you attack people’s minds? Why do you do it so much?” over the scenes of the fight that Low is reliving. Low asks, “Just why…” and Scarface’s voice echoes, “At a time like this, think about about what is going through Gau’s head…you’d better try and think about that.” “I know that…I understand it…” Flashback to the fight at the Green Octopus Island. “Both Gau and I threw all the power we had at each other. And then that’s what happened. I suppose Scarface may be right…” Low struggles to his feet, thinking, as he resumes his practice stance, “All I can do now is live while I suffer with the regret, no matter how painful it may be for me…” The Green Octopus Inn. Elle is inside, in sevalle armor, singing the “Born Legend” theme in a *very* bad voice …using the broomstick as a microphone of sorts, and the customers don’t know whether to be dismayed or to laugh. It rather seems as though they are enjoying it, though. As the song continues, we are treated to a montage of scenes from Elle’s history over the past episodes: her rescue of the caravan’s runaway wagon; the first time she assumes the sevalle stance, with those stars sparkling around her; her entrance into Kuruda Colosseum for the fighting festival, revealing the sevalle mark; her triumph over the beast in the arena; Kyo tearing around the forest path with another demon beast in pursuit, and the little septia’s face after Elle’s encouraging words; the Four Fighters; Elle catching the falling dishes in her waitress outfit. Outside, in the inn’s backyard, Gau is chopping wood. Sensing a presence, he looks up to see Scarface watching him. “Scarface!” “Shadow Skill seems to be in a good mood,” says the sevalle, indicating the applause and laughter from the inn. “Ah, yeah, she’s always like that…” “You want some of this?” asks Scarface, producing a bottle of wine. “But I’m not old enough!” “The bitter taste will suit you now.” “What?” “Fighting one’s own friend is supposed to be painful, and it’s even worse if you are the winner.” Gau turns to fully face Scarface. “How is Low doing now?” “Don’t worry, he hasn’t died…yet.” Gau’s face falls, and Scarface adds, “But I know that he is suffering from a bitter feeling, as much as you are. That delays the recovery of his injury.” Gau’s face falls even farther at this. “It’s my…I mean, our fight at that time…” “You want to know if it was supposed to end that way.” “Yeah…I’m getting really confused. I defeated my friend in a really strange way, and I’m not sure if that was right.” Scarface pulls the cork out of the jug with his teeth, and says, “Well, I guess I’ve been playing the role of a preaching dad lately.” He takes a long swig from the jug, and goes on, “Gau…” “Yeah?” “Why do you think you should fight?” “What? Well…” Flashback to the battle scenes in Prorahan. “I heard the rumor of yours. I heard you fought incredibly well in Prorahan.” “Well…it’s no big deal.” “I thought a fight with a thousand could only be accomplished by me. I never imagined that you’d be able to manage. You are amazing. Gau…you don’t have to be shy. It’s something you can be proud of!” Back to the present. “However…however, in another sense, you just carried out your duty as a Kuruda mercenary.” “That’s exactly what I did.” Scarface paces the small backyard and looks out across the horizon to the hill with the stone circle. “For you, in a situation like this, it is more important for you to think about how you felt when you defeated Low on top of that hill…what was going through your head when it happened. What did you think? Did you feel good at the time?” “Why, no…” “Then how did you feel?” “At the time, I was…desperate, and I didn’t know what was going on, so I just…” Scarface asks sharply, “Then let me ask you, why do you think you fight?” “I fight…probably, for the pride of being a Kuruda mercenary. And also, in order to become a shield for someone.” “But do you really think that way?” “Huh?” “Do you think that way from the bottom of your heart? If so, you won’t be able to become a sevalle for quite a while.” “But…why do you say that?” Gau’s eyes are wide with shock and bewilderment. Scarface’s expression is harsh, as are his words. “It is true that a sevalle fights for pride as a Kuruda mercenary…and also to be a shield for someone. That’s what we SAY. However, honestly, it is the other way around.” Flash to scenes of Elle fighting the demon beast and Core Iks in the Kuruda Colosseum arena. “Why does Elle fight?” “It’s because…” “Elle became a sevalle because she is strong. That’s the greatest and only reason for her. She didn’t try to be a sevalle to protect someone…for the pride of the Kuruda mercenary…Listen. The reason to fight is supposed to come after the person becomes strong. After they are recognized as the strongest. The reason isn’t there first…it’ll never be that way.” Flash to scenes of Dias’ life as a mercenary, as Scarface goes on. “Dias too, has thirsted for strength since he was a boy. And he was fighting recklessly in battlefields. Listen…what everyone does at first, is increase their own power to its absolute limit. ‘I want to be strong.’ And the single-minded desire people continue to fight. Reason, meaning and logic come after.” Return to the present. Scarface rounds on a shocked Gau. “What I want to tell you is that you can’t afford to take this much time whining about it, just because you had to defeat your friend. Gau! Refine your techniques! Improve your power even more! You have to think about becoming even stronger than you are now! Low is just a bumpy stone that you happened to step on while you were on the road to being a great sevalle! You just have to kick it away and keep walking!” “But I…can’t!” “Friends are a good thing. Serious fights aren’t bad either. But they are something that the master should look back on later. Those who are on their way up have no time to be bothered by trivial things…you don’t have to understand now, but if there comes a time that you become a sevalle, I am sure you will understand it then.” Scarface tosses the jug of liquor to Gau, who just barely manages to catch it reflexively. The sevalle’s parting shot to Gau: “Drink it up. It is to drink away all the pain you have now…” Gau takes a tentative swallow and chokes on the liquid, coughing it up all over. Act 4 Morning at the Green Octopus. Gau is standing inside the stone circle on top of the hill overlooking the inn, recalling the moment of the fight when the light of battle entered his eyes and Low exclaimed that that is what he had been waiting for. Gau’s eyes widen as the limping figure of Low on crutches, heavily bandaged, appears over the crest of the hill. “What’s the matter? You look as if you’d met a ghost or something,” says Low, as Gau stares speechlessly at him. “I won’t die because of your imperfect Shadow Skill…” A small smile crosses his mouth, and Gau’s expression resolves itself into relief, as he replies, with an equally faint smile, “That’s good. I’m glad.” Flash to Elle sleeping peacefully inside the Inn. On the hill, Low tells Gau that he is thinking of going on a trip. “A trip?” “I’ll train myself from scratch.” “I see.” “My only concern right now is over Miss Kyo.” “Huh?” “Miss Kyo has a gentle mind, just like a sunflower. And she should always be under the love of the sun. I want you to take care of her…don’t let the shadow lay on her mind.” “Ahh…sure.” “Ah-ha, I’m just talking to myself…never mind. There’s one thing I want to ask you. Did I fight with all the power that I had?” “Yeah, I’m sure you did. I want to ask you too…were my fighting skills…” “You committed everything that you had when you attacked me. I, the White Lightning, guarantee that to you.” Low then crutches forward and pulls out something from his vest. He presses it into Gau’s palm, then places his other hand over their clasped ones. “Gau…remember, no matter where you are, no matter far you go, I will always be with you…” Gau’s response is to place his free hand over the other. As Low leaves, Gau opens his palms to discover Low’s earrings there. Low’s voice-over: “A Kuruda mercenary will grow stronger with the heart of a good friend. Go as far as you can, together with my mind. ” Gau’s eyes suddenly fill and tears slide down his cheeks, as he whispers, “Thank you, Lowengren.” Narration: “A wise man once said, do not utter flattering compliments to describe a fighter. A fight is supposed to be extremely merciless and cruel. He said, when a man fights against an irreplaceable friend, the mercilessness of the fight is at its maximum. However, many people argued against this and said, although it is true, after the two have fought, if just one teardrop remains in their eyes, this will be the proof that they will forever be great friends.” (Closing Credits)