Shadow Skill TV Anime Series Episode 8 – Synopsis Cast of Characters: Elle Ragu - 59th sevalle of Kuruda Gau Ban – her adoptive brother Faury Brazmetizer – Sui Reme Kyo Ruu – Septia Lowengrin – White Lightning Dias Ragu – Black Wing, Elle’s brother Three villains Teaser: A quiet, sunny day in Kuruda. In the sevalle statue gallery, three female sevalle apprentices are gathered at the pedestal for Elle’s statue. They are wondering when the statue will be finished, but can imagine that it will look truly magnificent. In the artist’s studio. Elle is holding her fighting pose and is protesting at the month it will take for her statue to be finished. The sculptor replies that a statue is part of the sevalle tradition – Elle’s was supposed to have been finished before the fighting festival, but Elle had run away from Kuruda. It was something that had never happened in the two thousand year tradition. Elle asks if the statue can be finished in three days, and the sculptor retorts for her not to be silly it’s not possible – and Elle insists that perhaps in a week…? The sculptor says that the statue should be finished before the assembly of the Four Fighters, and that wouldn’t make much difference, would it? Elle sighs in agreement and apologizes to the sculptor. A map of Ashlianna is shown. A narration begins by saying that the Holy City of Juliannes is located north of Kuruda – a three-day trip. Juliannes is protected by four other cities surrounding it: Kisholana in the east (symbol—ram’s head), Felisha in the west (symbol—phoenix), Kuruda in the south (symbol—lion’s head), and Lekhitor in the north (symbol—unicorn). The sevalles of each of the cities are justly proud of their fighting abilities and have been warned not to fight each other to maintain the peace. It is the most important rule of the Four Fighters, without which there would be total chaos in the world. (Opening Credits) Act 1 A road outside Kuruda. We hear Elle expressing her relief at having escaped the artist. She is riding on top of a huge pile of gear being carried by Gau, who tells Elle that the trip they are on cannot be helped. It is for the peace of Ashlianna. They are en route to Juliannes for the Four Fighters assembly. Flashback. The throne room of Kuruda Palace. King Iba Stola is telling Elle that he has learned that the ceremony of the Four Fighters is soon to be held at the city of Juliannes. The fighters from the Four Cities will gather there. The King tells Elle that it is important to Kuruda, and important that she attend, since she is the 59th sevalle. Elle is surprised at this particular duty, and the King warns her that if all Four Cities do not come to a peaceful arrangement with each other at the assembly, then word of this would spread throughout Ashlianna. The ceremony exists to maintain peace and assure that the countries will not fight among themselves. The King stresses that Elle must keep this in mind and not cause any trouble. (It would seem that the King is aware of Elle’s aura that attracts trouble wherever she goes, just like a magnet .) In the present, Elle wonders aloud that if this is such an important journey, why aren’t there more people around her? She cannot believe that she is being sent alone to Juliannes: “What a pain in the butt.” Flashback to the King: “You should not cause any trouble until you go there for the meeting and come back to Kuruda. Do you understand my instruction?” “That’s what he said!” cries Elle. “It sounds like I’m always going wild and causing trouble everywhere!” Gau asks curiously, “Are you saying that you don’t?” “WHAT did you say?” “Elle, you’re amazing!” “What?!” “You’re not conscious about that at all!” “Of what?” A deer watching the brother and sister on their way is startled into flight by the approach of three strange figures, whose shadows are shown on the ground. The Green Octopus Inn. Faury is hurrying Kyo into a boat moored at the landing, and the latter hurries up struggling under a heavy pack. Faury will have no complaining, and tells Kyo she’ll be left behind if she does. As they row out towards Kuruda mainland, Faury expresses her private opinion that the King is crazy for sending Elle out all by herself to such an important event. Kyo asks, “But Gau is going with her too, right? So I think that she should be OK.” Watching from the cliff is Low, as Faury says, “Do you think he’s going to be useful out there? Believe me, that place is a very polite, high-class society! Elle will not fit in that city, for sure!” Low starts sighing over his “beautiful sunshine” as Faury continues as they take the road Elle and Gau have just traveled: “No, I can’t stress enough that this place is filled with a high class of people! Elle will not fit in there for sure!” Kyo wonders: “Well, what’s going to happen to her, then!” “I’m positive she’s going to lose it…I can see her just going wild and making a big mess out of it. If she causes trouble, Juliannes will disappear from Ashlianna!” “Oh, really?” “That place is so high class that Elle can cause serious trouble there just by walking around…” “Why are you stressing the high-class part so much?” wonders Kyo. “I’m from that city and I know it well!” “OH!” Act 2 On the road. Low is panting and out of breath. As he takes a rest, he wonders, “Where are you going, Sunshine?” A roadside inn. The innkeeper is telling Gau that he and Elle can eat in the big restaurant; Elle is staring at a map, following the path of the road they are taking with a strange expression in her eyes. (Music is sweet and nostalgic here) She sees that the road branches at a certain point, and an expression of longing fills her green eyes. She follows the left-hand branch of the road to where a place is marked on the map; and so lost in thought is she that Gau has to call her twice to catch her attention. “What’s the matter?” he asks, and Elle says, “It’s nothing. Don’t worry.” Outside, the three strange figures have also arrived at the roadside inn. They look like hired thugs. Inside the restaurant, Elle is so unusually pensive that Gau asks again what the matter is. “I’m thinking about something. I was thinking…I might want to visit this place before I go there (Juliannes).” “WHAT?? You can’t do that! We’re not on vacation!” As Elle continues to look pensive, Low appears from out of some scrub. It appears he’s lost Faury and Kyo, his “pretty little sunshine who is as fast as any deer” He takes off at a run on the high road, easily passing his quarry on the low road! Kyo has sunk to her knees, crying out that she can’t walk any more; Faury is urging her to stop whining, because Juliannes is in danger. Low decides that if he keeps on that road, he’ll end up in Juliannes, where he has heard the Ceremony of the Four Fighters will be held. He wonders if Kyo is attending or if she is just there for the fun. At the inn. Gau is remonstrating with Elle. “We’ve been traveling because of this event. We can’t visit other places!” “Yeah, I know that, maybe I won’t go then!” Suddenly, the conversation from the other customers can be heard: “What? Kaira Lu Luka’s the great fighter from Lekhitor!” “Maybe so, but if you’ve heard the rumors, they’re not all about Kaira you know – I’ve heard of Sai-oh of Kisholana, Tiantes of Felisha, and others, too!” “But are you sure he was talking about them?” “He said the sevalle of Kuruda was weak like a deer!” Elle’s thoughtful expression turns into a frown that bodes no good for anyone within its vicinity. The rumor-monger adds: “And get this – he also said this person looks stupid.” It is too much for Elle, and she let’s loose with a sevalle punch, only to have it blocked by a VERY neat one-handed move from Gau, who stops her in mid-flight. “I really don’t think you should be doing this now,” he says with an authority that he ought to use more often. “Remember what the King said to you?” Uncaring of all eyes upon them (including the three strangers), Elle yells, “Shut UP! This guy made fun of me!” The innkeeper cries out, “Please stop it! Leave this place if you’re going to cause trouble!” “I didn’t cause anything!” “Please don’t bother any of the customers here!” Under the commotion, one of the strangers slips a powder into Elle’s mug, and with a satisfied smile on his face, thinks: “She’ll be finished by tomorrow afternoon.” As expected, Elle takes a long swig from the mug as she wonders aloud what the ceremony is about, and says she’ll beat the people from Kisholana, Felisha and the others, too. The three strangers leave the inn, apparently having completed their business. Venting, Elle says, “Aaaa….! I should go visit that place!” And angrily elbows a nearby post, cracking it in half and literally bringing down the house. “This is such an awful inn. They probably didn’t build it right!” she says, as Gau sweatdrops and the customers wonder what hit them. Low comes upon the scene of destruction the next morning, and concludes that a demon beast must have been responsible. From there he then extends his theory to come to the conclusion that “his beautiful sunshine” is in danger – and sets off at top speed for Juliannes. As he leaves the scene, Faury and Kyo arrive at what used to be the inn, just as Faury is saying that she is sure they must have stayed someplace on the way to Juliannes. Kyo surveys the damage: “You mean THAT…I wonder if a bear came out here.” Faury flatly declares, “It wasn’t a bear, it was Elle!” The signpost at the crossroads. Over the sound of approaching footsteps we hear Gau saying: “We used to have so much money to get us to the city before, but now we’ve used it to pay for all the repairs to that old inn! I can’t believe it! I don’t have any friends who can lend me money in Juliannes…” He is so lost in worry over their financial situation that he fails to see that Elle has paused at the crossroads, instead of following him. Gau goes on, “I mean, I’m not worried about getting there, but what are we going to do, on the way back?” Elle is reading to herself: “To the left is Prorahan…OK.” “We weren’t able to pay the whole amount for the repairs, either. We have more debts to pay off.” Gau turns and finally sees Elle striking off on the road to Prorahan and demands to know where she is going. But Elle is moving as if she’s in a trance, and as Gau tries to block her, she apologizes and says she’s going to visit that place, and keeps on moving. Naturally, Gau follows her… Act 3 A ghost town. Elle and Gau have arrived at Prorahan, and Gau is looking around him with every evidence of nervousness. Even the plants are dead. Elle is still walking with single-minded purpose until they hear the sound of a blacksmith’s forge. We then see a man forging a boomerang, who stands as he senses them on the ridge above him. Gau wonders aloud who it could be, and Elle announces, “Dias. This man is my brother.” This startles Gau, who had never heard of Dias before. He stays up on the ridge as Elle goes down to meet her brother, and their greeting is formal. Dias looks up at Gau on the ridge, and following his gaze, Elle beckons him down. After a little hesitation, Gau picks his way carefully down – he is, after all, loaded with everything. Dias watches him keenly through his glasses. As Gau descends, the three strangers from the inn appear just behind the edge of the ridge. “We mixed the medicine last night.” “I’m sure the medicine is going to work soon.” “And then the 59th sevalle will finally disappear from this earth.” “This is the catalyst to destroying the Holy Country. We’re doing well.” As Elle introduces Gau to Dias, we hear, “Don’t take the sevalle from Kuruda lightly. We have to make sure she’s dead.” Inside Dias’ house, Gau drops all the gear in shock as he discovers Scarface has told Dias about him. “You are the hope for our future,” says Dias, handling a boomerang. Gau replies, “Tell me, do you know Scarface very well?” Outside, Elle is seated in a chair, drinking. Her mind seems far away as she puts her feet up and starts to rock the chair. Running towards Juliannes, Low is wondering why Kyo is heading for that place. Then he stops at the crossroads, wondering why he’s running at all. Pausing at the signpost, he realizes that he’s wondering why he’s putting himself through all this. Then he remembers it’s because Kyo is in an awful lot of danger, and with that, he sets off at full speed down the road to Juliannes, calling out Kyo’s name. Behind him, Faury and Kyo proceed at a more sedate pace down the road. In the field behind Dias’ house, Dias gives Gau his first look at a boomerang, and explains to the awed young man where he met Scarface. “Eleven years ago, during the war.” Flashback. Scenes of war and Scarface in action. “That was Scarface. He was a great fighter. I’d never seen anything like it.” “Does that mean you were hoping to become a sevalle?” “I didn’t have a shred of humanity and I killed anyone who stood up to be my enemy. I was just one of the sevalles, but back then, everyone called me Black Wing. I had too much confidence. They told me I was just a murderer who chose to kill people for them. They were right. I was just a killer. There was a friend of Scar’s whose name was Kain Phalanx. He was a sevalle one generation from Elle. He was the 58th sevalle. But Kain said, ‘My fighting spirit is becoming more and more insane…’ and he fell into the dark side completely. And in the end, he was defeated by Scar’s own hand.” “He passed away?” “Scar has lectured me time and time again not to become a monster like his friend Kain did so long ago.” “So then you became friends with Scar some time after that happened?” “Yes, that’s right. But I’m afraid now, that it seems like Scar himself, after so long…is falling deeper and deeper into the dark and tragic world of fighting.” “What?” Dias rounds on the younger man. “Gau…just being a sevalle is not good enough to improve your fighting abilities. You need to have the strength to control your own mind. Only after that are they called the true sevalles. Do this for me…watch Elle and help her.” “What, are you serious? I can’t help her!” “She has mastered the Kuruda Style Annihilation technique, and many respect her for this, but she also has the position to be feared at times by many people.” (cut to Elle passed out on Dias’ porch, surrounded by bottles) Dias goes on, “There is also the danger that she may also follow the same path that Kain did long ago.” In front of Dias’ house, the three villains of the episode are observing Elle. They think their drug has worked, but must make sure by killing her…now. Dias and Gau are walking back from the field. Dias is saying, “Elle is not as strong as you think. There is always the danger of the dark side. The only thing I can do for her as her older brother is to pray that she walks down the right path as a fighter. I want you to help her.” “Uh…yes!” “I’m very glad she found someone like you.” Act 4 As the three thugs sneak up on Elle with drawn blades, they are startled by the aura that envelops her, changing from red to blue. “What!! She just can’t fight off the poison! It’s just not possible!” Elle groggily comes to, and then faces the men with clear bright eyes, smiling at them. “I feel so much better now! I don’t know what you guys put in my drink, but medicine like that just doesn’t work on me! Who the heck are you guys, anyway!” The thugs grit their teeth, and as Elle asks who sent them, one of them lunges after her with his blade. She meets him halfway, even as Dias’ black wings slice through the air and Gau charges into the melee. The three thugs leave, with one of them unconscious from Elle’s punch. (nice shot of Dias retrieving his black wing ) As Elle looks up towards the ridge, Gau comes at full tilt, asking frantically: “ELLE!! Are you all right? Are you hurt?” Elle takes delight in informing Gau that: “Do you really think that stupid guys like that can defeat me? No way! They were scared of the black wing boomerang. That weapon is the best!” She is a proud little sister once again, not the 59th sevalle. “The weapons you make are the best there are in the whole world!” Then she grows sober and somewhat embarrassed as she tells Dias: “Although your eyes are getting even worse, I can see.” Dias replies with a boyish smile: “That’s true. But despite this, I can see more things more clearly than before.” A puzzled expression crosses Elle’s face, turning to concerned worry as Dias doubles over coughing. “Brother!” “No…I’m all right.” Elle’s eyes tremble with sudden fear. At his forge, Dias is working on yet another black wing, hammering it into shape. Elle and Gau are leaving, standing on the ridge. Elle is looking down at her brother as if she wants to stamp the memory in her mind permanently, and after a long moment, they leave. Gau comments: “You guys are strange. You don’t even say goodbye?” “I just came by to see him. It doesn’t really matter.” “But…” They proceed into the ghost town, and Elle asks: “Hey, Gau, do you mind if we talk to each other a bit?” “So what’s on your mind?” “I’ll tell you something that no one knows about…I’ll tell you why I thought about coming here so much. My brother is not going to live very much longer.” “What?” “My brother was a sevalle apprentice in the past. He was much more talented than I ever was. He was incredibly powerful. Much stronger than I am now. Then when my brother turned 16, my parents passed away. That was around the time he was about to become a true sevalle.” Flashback sequence, black and white. It is a rainy day, Dias and Elle are walking behind the coffins of their parents to bury them. Present-time Elle continues: “Right after that, I became very sick with the exact same illness that they had.” Flashback to little Elle sick in bed. “It was a very rare illness at the time. The medicine didn’t work, and the doctor gave up on me, as well. But my brother never gave up…” Flashback to young Dias: (“Don’t worry Elle! You’re going to be just fine! I’m going to save your life, for sure!”) Scenes of Dias as a mercenary fighting in various battles. “We needed a lot of money to heal this illness. My brother fought in many battles to make money. I survived because of that, but my brother fought in more battles.” Elle’s face crumples as if she’s fighting back tears: “The extra battles he fought really damaged his body, so I ended up becoming sevalle instead…because my brother could not make it in…because of his body condition…so I don’t deserve to be here!” Elle turns to a wondering Gau and declares fiercely, “It’s not me! I’m not the 59th sevalle – it was never supposed to be Elle Ragu, but Dias Ragu instead, the Black Wing!” Elle slams her fist into her hand, she declares in a tearful voice, “It was always supposed to be the Black Wing!” “You’re wrong!” declares Gau firmly. “It’s not right!” Elle looks up at him in surprise, hearing the authority in the young man’s voice. More gently, Gau adds: “It wasn’t anyone’s fault that you became sick with that illnes. Dias did what he had to do as your older brother to save your life! If you keep saying things like that, then I feel sorry for your brother who fought for you!” This is a new concept for Elle, who tries to absorb what Gau is saying. “Dias told me to watch you, and help you out if I could. He cares about you, so much… why don’t we go already? We’re going to be late for the ceremony.” As Gau walks away somewhat impatiently, Elle stares after him and says, “Hey, Gau…oh, wow, I’m getting sleepy now. It can’t be that pellet…” The crash of Elle’s body hitting the ground makes Gau stop in his tracks. He turns to find Elle unconscious, snoring in peaceful slumber. “Are you all right, Elle…?” On the high road, Low is still running at full tilt towards Juliannes. Observing that the sun is going down, he wonders if “his sunshine is gone for good. What am I saying…!” Way behind, Kyo and Faury are walking. Kyo sighs, “We can’t catch up to Gau and Elle. I can’t believe how fast they walk!” Faury comments, “But we’re very close to Juliannes.” “Maybe we passed them on the way?” “I really don’t think so…” (Closing Credits)