Tai Kamiya
Presents “Gatekeepers”
Episode Sixteen- Begin to Wrap it Up!
(Tai is with all the main characters, although Ryo is
notably absent.)
Tai: Okay, gang, listen up. You know how some series constantly squander
airtime, opting to have tons and tons of meaningless filler episodes, only to
realize in the end that they have so much to wrap up end they don’t have enough
episodes to cover it all?
Cody: I don’t know Tai. All those “World Tour” episodes were pretty essential to the plot. Otherwise we wouldn’t have run into… Dingo… and uh… Mina… and uh… hey Sora, what were those Russians named?
Sora: What Russians?
Tai: Um… I was talking about Gatekeepers.
Matt: What?! That last episode was vital to the plot!
(Everybody turns and stares at Matt.)
Matt: What? Saemi does become a Gatekeeper, doesn’t she?
Tai: No.
(Matt stands up.)
Matt: Well, forget this then! I’m outta here!
(Matt walks out of the building.)
Kari: Is Matt even in the rest of the series?
Tai: I’d have to check… I don’t think so.
Yolei: So let me guess- we’re stuck with four episodes worth of plot in three episodes time.
Tai: Exactly. How did you know?
Yolei: Simple. You said that we’re doing eighteen episodes, right?
Tai: Yeah.
Yolei: And that the real series is twenty-four.
Tai: Uh huh…
(Yolei smiles stupidly.)
Yolei: If you look at the top of the screen it says episode sixteen, and it says episode twenty-one right below this line. Three episodes left vs. four episodes left!
(Tai sweatdrops.)
Tai: Well, we probably already knocked down the first three, it was only a matter of time before we shattered the fourth wall…
Episode Twenty-One- Protect the Festival of Progress
and Harmony!
(An early morning talk show. The two yakkers have
their giant cups of java and are pleasant and cheerful about everything.)
Yakker 1: Hello! It’s a bright and shiny Monday in
January!! It’s
Yakker 2: That’s right! Now can you guess who our guest is for today?
Yakker 1: Well, you stupid parasite! It’s somebody who’s just so excited to be here, that’s for sure!
(Zoom out to show a half-asleep Mrs. Kamiya in a bathrobe, sullenly cooking breakfast.)
Mrs. Kamiya: (to the television) Oh, just shut up.
(Mr. Kamiya walks in, wearing a business suit. It’s clear that he’s anxious.)
Mr. Kamiya: Is the taxi here yet?
Mrs. Kamiya: Not yet. Here, eat some breakfast.
Mr. Kamiya: I’ll grab something on the way there…
Mrs. Kamiya: Swell.
(Mrs. Kamiya takes the pan of whatever she’s cooking, and in one smooth motion dumps it into the garbage can.)
Mr. Kamiya: I can’t believe they picked my company for something as important as this. How do I look?
Mrs. Kamiya: (not looking) Fine.
Mr. Kamiya: Thanks, honey.
Kari: (OS) Actually, Dad, your tie’s not on straight.
(Mr. Kamiya looks over to her daughter, who has entered the room, smiling as always.)
Kari: I’ll help you with that.
(Kari straightens his tie.)
Mrs. Kamiya: Hey, Kari- isn’t that the creepy kid who gave you flowers?
(Kari looks towards the television. Ken is on as a guest, giving his “parasite” spiel.)
Mr. Kamiya: Flowers? Aren’t you a little young to be dating?
Kari: We aren’t dating. I totally burned him. Ran off right in the middle of what could have turned into a date. Firm, heartless rejection, you know?
Mrs. Kamiya: And we’re very proud of you for that.
(They hear an impatient car horn from outside.)
Mr. Kamiya: That’s the cab… gotta go.
(Kari smiles and hands him his briefcase as he runs off.)
Ken: (VO) And don’t just blame the politicians. It’s more than just the higher-ups that dictate everything we do…
(Kari and Mrs. Kamiya turn to the television.)
Ken: It’s everybody. The consumers who buy and then squander resources. You are all to blame!!
(Outside, Mr. Kamiya gets in the cab.)
Mr. Kamiya: Good morning.
(The cab driver loses control, flashing himself as an Invader for a brief second before regaining his composure and human form.)
Cabbie: Sit down and shut up.
(He drives off at a ridiculous speed.)
(At AEGIS Headquarters, Joe is busy concentrating on a
picture at his desk. Mimi walks up with a cup of coffee.)
Mimi: You know, most people read newspapers in the morning. Those have words!
(Joe takes the coffee and downs it in one gulp.)
Joe: There’s something about this kid…
Mimi: What do you mean?
Joe: Well… look at him.
(Mimi looks at the picture. It’s of Ken, smiling extremely evilly.)
Mimi: He looks like a nice, young man to me!
(Joe turns towards Mimi, giving her an odd look.)
Izzy: (OS) Who is it? Can I see?
(Joe and Mimi look over at Izzy, looking away from a computer terminal.)
Mimi: Um… don’t you have school today?
(Izzy returns to the terminal.)
Izzy: Yeah.
(Izzy resumes typing like nobody’s business.)
Izzy: (to the screen) Trade Curtis Martin for Matt Turk? You’ve gotta be kidding me!
(At school, all the good kids are there, and it seems that
all the good kids now want to get into the Society for Political Thought. Isogai is controlling them.)
Isogai: Now now, we have
enough memberships for everybody! Just sign up here and you’ll get your chance
to listen to Ken all day long!
(Cheers from the masses as they rush to sign up. Isogai sneaks out to join Kari, TK, Yolei, and Cody.)
Isogai: Hey guys, here to join us?
TK: Nah, we’re just dropping by.
Cody: Wow… Ken’s getting popular.
Isogai: I just hope it’s due to his brains instead of his looks.
(Yolei glomps TK.)
Yolei: It can’t be his looks, otherwise TK’d be the one getting all the attention.
Kari: (sarcastic) And I’m sure that would be such a crime…
Isogai: Wait- are you implying that TK is cuter than Yolei?
Yolei: You bet
Isogai: Blasphemy!!
(A student runs up to Isogai.)
Student: Is somebody speaking against Mr. Ichijouji’s teachings?
Isogai: (calm) Uh… it’s nothing to get worked up over…
(The student walks away. Isogai leaves as well, but casting a fiendish glare at TK.)
Isogai: (quietly) …this time.
(Sora is at her desk in class, sifting through her book
bag.)
Sora: Hmm… I forgot my pencil…
(Sora continues looking.)
Sora: Oh- it doesn’t matter! I forgot my notebook too! But maybe I can follow along in the text… oh… forgot that too…
(Sora turns the bag upside-down. It’s empty.)
Sora: Heck… I forgot everything! Don’t you hate when that happens?
(Sora looks around at several classmates talking with each other.)
Sora: Hey… can I borrow something?
Classmate 1: So are you going to the big rally tomorrow?
Classmate 2: Definitely. I can’t wait to see Ken in person! Where is it?
Classmate 1: Tokyo Tower.
Classmate 2: Excellent… I’ll…
(Sora taps one of them on the shoulder.)
Sora: Excuse me… can I borrow a something?
(Davis, TK, and Kari are in class yakking.)
Davis: I don’t get it. Why’s Ken so popular all of a sudden?
Kari: Well, he did appear on television. I guess he really got people into what he says.
Davis: I believe in what I say- where’s my entourage?
TK: What Ken says is considered by most to be smart.
Davis: Oh.
Kari: TK, when was the last time you talked to him?
TK: Haven’t seen him since the incident at Christmas.
Davis: He was saying some pretty weird stuff back there too.
TK: Eh, Ken’s just a little different. That might be why so many people like him.
(TK smiles.)
TK: Heck, if he’s going to be such an oddball and yet so popular… you’d be perfect for him Kari!
Kari: What?? I…
Davis: Hey, don’t suggest anything like that to Princess Kari!
(TK and Kari look at Davis.)
TK: You haven’t said that in awhile…
Kari: It works fine. Next scene!
Tai: (OS) That’s my line!
(The Political Thought club room. Ken is alone inside.
It’s dark. Bags of fan mail are strewn about along the sides.)
Ken: Excellent. This is the perfect time for a bad guy cliché.
(Ken steeples his fingers.)
Ken: Everything is going according to plan. All my adoring fans will soon be at my command, and we will achieve our true objective.
Devimon: (VO) We will make them fearful…
Machinedramon: (VO) We will make them bow down to us…
Ken: Glad you decided to attend.
(Devimon and Machinedramon’s shadows both appear on either side of Ken.)
Ken: AEGIS thinks that you have been vanquished, but I have made up a new power on the spot and revived you. And do you know why I revived you? So we can take revenge…
Machinedramon: Negative.
Devimon: We do not seek revenge. Revenge is a human quality. We can not dominate humanity if we succumb to basic human frailties.
Ken: Aw… you’re no fun.
(The door slides open. Isogai’s on the other side.)
Isogai: Ken, you said you needed some “me” time, but who are you talking to?
(Ken snaps for a second.)
Ken: (angry) Never interrupt me while I’m in my evil mode!!
(Isogai is concerned for a second.)
Isogai: Evil… mode?
(Ken calms down and smiles.)
Ken: I’m sorry… did I say evil mode? I meant to say a la mode. We should go out and get some pie. Okay?
(Isogai is still hesitant.)
Isogai: Oh… okay.
(Ken walks up to Isogai and smiles.)
Ken: Isogai… I know that we’re expecting a lot of new members to the society…
Isogai: I know. Over 10,000 people are expected at the Tokyo Tower rally.
Ken: Excellent… but remember something- you were here since the beginning. That makes you special.
Isogai: Ken… I’m getting hungry. Let’s go get that pie.
(They walk out. Ken shuts the door behind him.)
Machinedramon: Devimon, is it just me, or is Ichijouji that susceptible to being controlled by evil guys like us?
Devimon: A little of both. He’s not that vulnerable… but it just wouldn’t seem right if we controlled Mimi or somebody like that.
Machinedramon: Understood.
Devimon: I’ll make you a deal… next time we take control of an innocent child, we’ll try to get that Jeri girl. She’s always fun to control.
(At the World Expo in Osaka, Mr. Kamiya
is surveying the grounds with a chairman of the event. Around them, various
construction crews are adding decorations which can only be described as
eyesores. One such notable eyesore is a giant conic object, twisted around in
some Dali-fashion so that the tip faces outward. There is a red circle at the
very edge of the statue.)
Mr. Kamiya: Sir, it’s an absolute honor to be able to
help with an event like this.
Chairman: (surly) Yeah, yeah…
Mr. Kamiya: However, I do have to wonder about some of the decorations you’re using around here.
Chairman: Such as?
Mr. Kamiya: Well… not to be too much of a critic… but everything’s pretty… for lack of a better word… ugly.
Chairman: What do you mean? Looks fine to me…
Mr. Kamiya: What about that painting over there…
(They both look over. All the painting is is a Nazi swastika.)
Chairman: Nice design… very impressionistic.
Mr. Kamiya: Uh… it’s a Nazi sign.
Chairman: (annoyed) Look, Kamiya, it’s a World Expo- everybody should have a say in it, not just the cultures you have come to believe are “right.” There is no “right” or “wrong” in the world’s view.
Mr. Kamiya: Okay… perhaps… but look at this…
(Mr. Kamiya reaches into his briefcase and produces a sheet of paper.)
Mr. Kamiya: I think it’s very noble to collect money for various charities, and I can’t argue the decision to donate a portion of the revenue as well…
(Mr. Kamiya looks at the sheet of paper and hands it to the Chairman.)
Mr. Kamiya: But this is the list of charities that would receive money…
Chairman: And??
Mr. Kamiya: Why the hell is the al-Qaida terrorist network at the top of the list?
(Chairman hands the list back to Mr. Kamiya.)
Chairman: (annoyed) Because it starts with an “A” dumbass!
Mr. Kamiya: You don’t get out much, do you?
Chairman: You bother me. Time to silence you.
(The chairman pulls out his shades. Much to the surprise of everybody, he’s a red Invader. Mr. Kamiya is soon ambushed by several other plain ol’ Invaders.)
Red Invader: Take him away. They will arrive soon…
(At Headquarters, Izzy and Joe have immersed themselves in
a game of cards. Izzy plays one.)
Izzy: I’ll play my orc chief… and with my talisman
already on the table, his defense value increases by two.
(Izzy looks at one card and moves it forward.)
Izzy: (smug) I’m also moving my dread knight into attack mode. How about that, Joey?
(Izzy smiles and looks at Joe. Joe frowns and spills his hand of normal playing cards.)
Joe: (annoyed) Izzy, for the last time- can you or can’t you beat three-of-a-kind?
(The alarm goes off. Joe quickly stands up.)
Joe: Never mind. Mimi! What’s the problem?!
(Mimi is at the controls.)
Mimi: Same old, same old- Invaders attacking, we have to save the day. This time they’re at the World Expo in Osaka.
Joe: Fire up the Gate-Signal!
(At school, everybody is seen going into their respective
portals. TK, Kari, Yolei, Sora, and Cody enter with no issue. Davis has a
little trouble figuring out which urinal in the bathroom takes him to HQ, but
gets it eventually. Rika, however, is standing in front of the portal at the
library. She hesitates for a long while, before deciding to jump in. She joins
the rest of them at HQ.)
Joe: Invaders are attacking the World Expo in Osaka. This is where I should
give an emotional speech about saving the festival of progress and harmony and
all that, but it’s episode sixteen and you should know
the drill be now. Go out and kick some booty.
Gatekeepers: Roger… AEGIS!
(TK and Izzy launch the helicopter, with the Gate Robot in
tow.)
TK: Can’t this thing go any faster?
Izzy: Not with Mr. Roboto in the trunk. Why?
(TK looks over at the plane. Magic pan shot through his window, to the window of the plane Kari is sitting in.)
TK: (VO) Kari?
(Kari looks around. TK’s on
the radio.)
TK: (VO) Kari, I’m sure
he’s fine. We’ll get him out of there.
(Davis sits down next to
Kari.)
Davis: Yeah. Nothing ever
happens to the good guys and their families.
(Yolei leans over.)
Yolei: Uh… Davis? Who’s
flying the plane?
Davis: I dunno… the pilot?
Yolei: Well… there’s nobody
but us Gatekeepers on the plane. And Izzy’s flying the helicopter.
Davis: Your point?
(Yolei turns to Kari.)
Yolei: Uh oh.
(The plane begins to
plummet. TK and Izzy notice.)
Izzy: I knew we shouldn’t
have let Davis drive. Should we go down for them?
TK: No… they can take care
of themselves. We need to get to Osaka in a hurry.
Izzy: I’m going as fast I
can, TK.
TK: Yeah, but I’m not.
Remember back in episode three when I used my power to speed up the car?
Izzy: That wouldn’t work here,
TK. We’re in midair, we’re towing a giant robot, and…
TK: GATE OPEN!!!
Izzy: …and I’m about to
die.
(TK opens the gate and the
helicopter slides through it.)
(Back at HQ, Joe and Mimi
are observing the action.)
Mimi: Commander, the helicopter is increasing its velocity ten-fold.
Joe: Mimi, skip the
techno-babble.
Mimi: Fine- it’s going too
freaking fast! The frame won’t hold up!
Joe: Let’s see…
(Joe pulls up an overhead
radar of the entire country. The helicopter’s blip is clearly moving at a
steady pace.)
Joe: Yeah- that’s too
freaking fast.
(It comes to a dead halt in
Osaka.)
Joe: Never mind…
(TK and Izzy are surveying
the huddled mess. The robot is in decent shape, however.)
TK: How the heck did we run out of gas?
Izzy: I told you we should have
refueled in Yokohama!
TK: No problemo- we have
the robot. Ever wanted to get in the driver’s seat?
Izzy: I can drive?
Prodigious!
TK: No. I drive. There’s no
passenger seat, so we’re going to be really uncomfortable!
(They get in the robot.)
TK: (OS) Watch your foot!!
Izzy: (OS) Sorry!
(The robot speeds off. As
it nears the expo, they get sideswiped by something.)
Izzy: What was that?
TK: It was a crane!
Izzy: Think the Invaders
control it?
TK: That or Eriol expects
me to transform a Clow Card…
Izzy: Just fly past it.
(They do so, flying past
the out-of-control crane. However, they are forced to stop at their next
obstacle. The weird-looking cone has come to life, but that’s not why they
stopped- Kari’s father is on the big red circle.)
Izzy: Oh no… they’ve got a
hostage.
TK: Well- let’s rescue the
hostage!
Izzy: How?
(TK guns it forward and
starts to climb the cone.)
(Meanwhile, the bus has
arrived as a back-up for the plane, and digivolves into über-tour bus, while
headed for the cone. On top of the bus, Kari sees the robot attempting to climb
the arm.)
Kari: TK’s attacking already!
Sora: (OS) What do we do?
Kari: Davis, hold steady.
Everybody else- keep his butt covered!
(Yolei jumps down off the
bus, grabs some beams from a construction site, and throws them.)
Yolei: I-BEAM!!
(The beams each land in the
cone structure, giving the robot some footing on which to climb. Yolei smiles
at her handiwork and runs back towards the bus.)
Yolei: Eat your heart out
Rapidmon…
(Yolei jumps back on the bus
while Cody launches his attack.)
Cody: Fire Ankylosaur!!
(Cody launches
successfully, then gets a strange look from Sora. Cody explains.)
Cody: It’s my next level of
attack. Since my Digimon’s champion form is an ankylosaur, I thought it fits.
Sora: Ah, ah… very nice.
Cody: Thank you.
(Kari is waiting
impatiently, with her bow drawn and arrow ready to fire.)
Kari: Are you quite
finished?
Cody: Oh. Yes.
Kari: Good- ARROW OF…
(Kari stops. Her arrow
drops to the ground.)
Cody: What’s wrong?
Kari: Dad…
(Up on the cone, the Gate Robot is using the beams to
scale the structure. Unfortunately, the cone begins to sway rapidly.)
Izzy: What’s going on?
TK: Cody’s attack disrupted it. It’s pissed off now!
Izzy: That’s not good.
(The cone continues to buck around, and eventually shakes the robot off, sending it plummeting below.)
TK: Izzy, you maintain this thing- is there a button to stop us from falling?
Izzy: Yeah, the emergency eject button!
(TK looks around.)
TK: There is no eject button!
Izzy: Like the remote for my VCR…
(They continue to fall. To make matters worse, their landing pad is a large black shadow. They fall into the vortex, which then proceeds to expand and suck in everything around it… except the big cone. It begins to pull on the bus.)
Davis: I can’t… control it… any longer!
(The bus veers towards the vortex. Kari, who was standing on the roof, is jolted, and falls off.)
Yolei: (concerned) Kari!
(Rika, sitting in back of the bus, makes a move and crashes through the emergency exit and jumping off, holding out an arm.)
Rika: WALL OF… cushiony pillows.
(A green wall appears below Kari and she lands. Rika lands safely nearby.)
Rika: You always cause problems.
(Speaking of problems, the vortex consumes both the robot and bus.)
(At HQ, Joe and Mimi are both on a couch, eating popcorn,
watching the events unfold. Mimi smiles, and slyly puts a hand on Joe’s leg. He
suddenly stands up when the radar goes out.)
Joe: What happened to our communications?
Mimi: Jeez, always when it’s getting good.
Joe: These isn’t normal…
Mimi: And sending our friends to go save the world while we sit here and munch on popcorn is?
Joe: Well- yeah. But this- this isn’t normal behavior for the Invaders.
Mimi: Aw, come on Joe. Let’s just watch something else. I got “His and Her Circumstances” on DVD!
(Joe sits down.)
Joe: Eh, it’s all good.
(In the vortex, it’s pretty dark, but we can clearly see
the bus, the robot, and a few other artifacts. TK, Izzy, Yolei, Sora, Cody, and
Davis are all inside.)
Izzy: Guys- I think we’re inside an Invader.
TK: No matter. We do have powers, remember?
(TK whips out his kendo stick.)
TK: Vacuum Missile!
(TK launches it, but it has no effect on anything. Likewise, TK gets extremely tired.)
TK: Boy… that takes a lot out of you. Man… I’m gonna lie down for a second. Cody- give it a try.
Cody: Fire Arma…
(Cody falls over.)
Cody: Nap first, magic later.
(Davis jumps up.)
Davis: This is my chance to save the day!!
Izzy: Uh… with what?
(Davis looks around, and slumps down.)
Davis: I dunno.
Yolei: I just realized something. If we’re in an expanse of nothingness, how can we hear each other’s voices?
Izzy: Simple. There’s still air in here, so sound likely travels through it.
Yolei: Think it would go through the wall? Kari and Rika are still out there.
Izzy: I guess it’s worth a shot.
(Outside, Kari still has been hurt by the fall. Rika,
however, is in perfect health, and walks towards Kari.)
Rika: The powers behind the Invaders is energy. They
absorb it. They feed off it. Negative, positive, it doesn’t matter. They could
be cries, laughter, our gate powers, or life in general- it’s all one big
buffet to them.
(They hear the screams from Yolei and Izzy.)
Rika: (cynical) Oh no. They’re in trouble.
(Kari squirms, still work. Rika stands over her, smug.)
Rika: Come on- save them. Kari? They’re suffering. And you’re the almighty Kari. You’re popular, smart, athletic. Everybody looks up to you. You’re perfect. So save them.
(Kari does nothing. She is still weak.)
Rika: What’s wrong? Can’t you save them? I know I can’t. I’m just an insignificant nothing to you. What can I possibly do to save them?
Kari: TK…
(Rika smiles.)
(Back in the abyss, Izzy and Yolei have given up.)
Izzy: It’s not working. Yolei, you should probably keep your powers in reserve.
We’re dropping like flies in this place.
Yolei: What else can we do?
Devimon: (VO) Nothing! Give up! Make it easy for all of us!
TK: Devimon?? Didn’t we kill you?
Machinedramon: (VO) Hail Invader!
Devimon: (VO) What he meant to say was that there’s no way we’re going to let you destroy the main bad guys in episode eleven!
(The two evil Digimon continue to laugh, their echoes surrounding the area.)
Izzy: Wait- did you hear an echo?
Yolei: Don’t remind me…
Izzy: So that means sound is at least getting to the walls.
Yolei: Which means that sound may have an effect on it!
(Izzy and Yolei turn to Sora.)
Sora: It’s a good thing I brought my portable keyboard with me!
(Sora pulls out her bag and starts rifling through it.)
Sora: Um… oh… I forgot my portable keyboard. Can I borrow one from somebody?
Yolei: Aw, screw it- we’ll do this the easy way!
(Yolei runs over, grabs both TK and Davis, and literally hurls them towards the edge. They pop out and end up outside.)
Yolei: And don’t come back until you save the world!!
(Kari is attempting to stand up. Rika watches.)
Rika: Oh… going to try some heroics now?
Kari: (weak) Rika… why are you doing this to me?
Rika: Why? Simple- you helped kill Miss Asaji.
Kari: We… we had to. If we wouldn’t have… they could have taken over the world. Rika- I know it’s hard to understand, but in order to stop the Invaders, sometimes we’re forced to make sacrifices, as difficult as they are. I know you liked Miss Asaji, but we had to do it to save mankind.
Rika: Do you truly believe it?
Kari: Of course. Otherwise I wouldn’t be able to sleep at night.
(Rika smiles again.)
Rika: Good.
(Rika points at the red circle on the cone, with Mr. Kamiya still tied to it.)
Rika: There’s the Invader’s weak point. Care to put your theory to the test and make a sacrifice?
(Kari stares at her father.)
(Meanwhile, TK and Davis collide on the cone. TK pulls
Davis up.)
TK: Come on Davis, we have to get Kari’s dad out of there.
Davis: Right!
(They run like crazy up the side of the cone.)
TK: Hold on…
(TK stops, and takes a few staggered breaths. He continues.)
Davis: Still affected by the dark energy?
TK: No… I just need to hit the treadmill more often.
(They continue running up frantically.)
(Kari has an arrow aimed at the target, and daddy. Rika is
smiling.)
Rika: Well? Save the world. Just fire, and despite a little sacrifice-
everything’s all better.
Kari: I… can’t do it.
Rika: Do it!
Kari: Arrow of… light…
(Kari fires, but changes her aim so that the arrow flies off to the right.)
Kari: I’m sorry… I failed.
(Rika continues to smile.)
Rika: You did. You let everybody down. I think it’s time you went away for a while.
(Rika waves a hand.)
Rika: Gate open…
(A dark gate appears below herself and Kari.)
(Fortunately, TK and Davis have reached the summit and
proceed to untie Mr. Kamiya.)
Davis: Are you okay?
Mr. Kamiya: Not… really… but thanks for asking.
TK: We’ll get you out of here, okay?
(As they proceed to help him down, Rika and Kari descend into the dark gate. However, on the way down, Kari sees that TK and Davis have gotten Mr. Kamiya down.)
Kari: Dad… he’s safe…
(Kari looks at the arrow, still flying wide right.)
Kari: (to the arrow) Please… please…
(With the last ounce of gate power she has available, Kari wills the arrow to change its course, landing directly in the center of the red circle. The circle vanishes, and the entire cone begins to disintegrate. Kari falls unconscious. Rika continues to smile.)
(It’s a massive footrace as TK and Davis run for their
lives, with Mr. Kamiya in tow. They barely are able
to reach the ground safely before the entire cone vanishes. With it, the strange
dark world also releases its contents and everybody else spits out onto the
ground. TK begins looking around.)
TK: Where’s Kari?
Davis: Kari?!
Yolei: She fell off somewhere. Rika followed her. I didn’t see where they went.
(They begin to look around for them.)
Cody: Guys, I’d hate to be the bearer of bad news, but we should get Mr. Kamiya to a hospital. They beat him up pretty badly. I’m sure Kari can take care of herself.
TK: But…
Izzy: Stay if you want, but with the helicopter crashed, we only have the bus for now.
TK: Get Joe to spring for a taxi when you get back. I’m going to keep looking for them.
Izzy: Okay. We’ll be seeing you then.
(The bus takes off, with Mr. Kamiya aboard. TK remains, and continues to look around for Kari, to no avail.)
(In some unknown location, Kari is lying on the floor,
unconscious. Rika stands next to her, looking straight ahead.)
Rika: After she realized the futility of it all, she closed her gate
completely. She is ours now.
(On the other end of the conversation, Ken smiles, steps forward, and hugs Rika.)
Ken: Excellent. You have done well. Perhaps you can help me in future ventures.
(Rika smiles, losing herself to the embrace.)
Rika: As long as somebody finally appreciates me…
End Episode Sixteen
Author’s Notes
Yeah. That’s right- drama. And we’ll be seeing plenty of it in the next two
episodes.
More NFL references- Izzy is apparently wasting time with a fantasy football
league. Curtis Martin is a rusher for the Jets, while Matt Turk is the team’s
punter. I used those names in particular for two reasons- one is that in last
week’s game, Matt Turk had the longest run of the day in a busted play. Two is
that Matt Turk is also the only NFL player that is from Wisconsin-Whitewater,
where I currently attend.
For those who forgot, Rapidmon’s attack is called
Tri-Beam.
Also, although there were no Evangelion references
per se, the “multiple people in one robot” and the “sucked into strange
mysterious void” plotlines were both covered a few times in the series. And
“His and Her Circumstances” is a high-school romance series by the same people
who did Eva.
I have a Pokémon semi-fic called “So How Could the
Show End?” If you’re absolutely dying for spoilers, or have already read the
Gatekeepers ending over there, we’re now at a point where you can match
characters and figure out how the series ends.
Next Episode- “Put It All On The Line!”
The rally at Tokyo Tower turns into a riot as Ken unleashes his greatest
weapon ever- his own Gate Robot. But when the Gatekeepers try to stop him, the
mob sides with Ken, and even more chaos ensues. To make matters worse, the
whereabouts of Kari and Rika are still unknown, and TK can only fear for the
worst.