The Anime-zing Race 2
Episode Two
Authors Notes
Okay, back to regular one-hour episodes. A lot of
stuff going on in this chapter, most of it in the "blink and you miss it"
category. In particular, we begin to see some strategies, some teams on a good
day, and other teams on a bad day. There's also some surprises as to which teams
are proving themselves competitive enough to last. Unfortunately, like last
week, it also featured a team I wanted to keep longer. The only drawback to
having a cast of twelve teams that I really, really liked is that some of them
have to leave prematurely.
Recap
Satoshi: (VO) Last time, on the Spirited Away leg of the Anime-zing Race
(Shot
of Satoshi and Arumi starting the race as the twelve begin to hustle.)
Satoshi: (VO) Twelve teams took off from the starting line in Osaka, although
some were overwhelmed right away.
Kasumi:
(VO) One moment Nabiki and I were both readying
ourselves for the race to begin, and in the next moment it already had begun,
and were behind everybody.
(Shots
of the several early position battles- such as Koji & Koichi beating Lina & Gourry to the kiosk,
and Jessie, Tenchi, and Yukina getting their ticket
for the van.)
Satoshi: (VO) While jockeying for earlier transportation, several key
head-to-head contests surfaced.
Koichi:
(VO) Getting on the first train was a huge victory for us. Besides the time
advantage, its a real confidence booster.
(Shots
of Chiharu & Yamazaki and May & Max enjoying their time in Kyoto.)
Satoshi: (VO) Some teams formed friendships based on their position or lack
thereof.
Yamazaki:
(VO) Theres a good chance one of us is going to be eliminated first. So were
enjoying it now before we battle to the death tomorrow morning.
(Shot
of Chiharu & Yamazaki jogging up to the Pit Stop.)
Satoshi: (VO) True dat- Chiharu & Yamazaki
reached the Pit Stop last, minutes behind May & Max. The classmates from Tomoeda were the first team eliminated.
(Rapid
shots of each of the remaining teams at various spots in the first leg.)
Satoshi: (VO) Now, eleven teams remain. Who will be eliminated tonight, on the GoldenBoy leg of the Anime-zing Race?
Leg
Two
(Shots of the bathhouse. Its
daytime, and the place is pretty much dead. Still, Satoshi walks across the
bridge.)
Satoshi: This is the Spirit World. And one of its centerpieces is Abura-ya, a bathhouse owned and operated by the
entrepreneurial sorceress Yubaba. This relaxing
hotspot is the first Pit Stop in the race.
(Shot
of Noboyuki & Tenchi checking in.)
Satoshi:
Teams arrived here at the end of the last leg for a mandatory rest period.
(Shot
of pretty much everybody is gorging on food.)
Satoshi:
(VO) This allows them to eat
(Shot
of Keitaro lying unconscious outside the bathing hall, with a Keitaro-sized
hole in the wall nearby.)
Satoshi:
(VO) sleep
(Shot
of Minato and Kasumi relaxing in the hot spring, discussing various things.)
Satoshi:
(VO) and mingle with the other teams.
(Satoshi
is sitting on Yubabas desk. Yubaba
is too busy with paperwork to notice.)
Satoshi:
The eleven teams have no idea where theyre off to next. They have to figure
out for themselves how to get to the next route marker by solving clues theyll
find in sealed envelopes.
(Yubaba looks up and immediately turns angry.)
Yubaba:
Get down from there!!
(Shot
of Yamaki and Riley sifting through pigs in the previous legs Detour.)
Satoshi:
(VO) Will Yamaki and Riley be able to work together more effectively as the
race continues?
(Shot
of May and Max hugging each other and Satoshi after checking in.)
Satoshi:
(VO) And will May & Max, who were in last place for much of the previous
leg, be able to stay in the race?
(Shot
of Koji and Koichi high-fiving and hugging after
their finish.)
Satoshi:
Koji and Koichi, who were the first to arrive at 5:56 AM
(Onto
the present, where Koji and Koichi stand, Koji armed with their first clue.)
Satoshi:
will depart twelve hours later at 5:56 PM.
(Koji
tears the clue open and reads it.)
[KOJI & KOICHI- Twin Brothers- 1st to Depart- 5:56 PM]
Koji: Enclosed are two train tickets. Ride the train to Swamp Bottom and find Zenibas cottage.
Koichi:
We didnt have much of a lead on the girls so wed better hurry.
(They
run off.)
Koji:
Well, round one certainly went to us. But that doesnt translate into much more
than a three minute head start. This could get really fierce, really fast,
since Jessie and Ayla dont seem like the type that
settles for second place.
(Rapid
shots of a train heading into a deep and foreboding swamp.)
Satoshi: (VO) Teams need to take a train and find the cottage of Zeniba, Yubabas twin sister who
lives quietly at Swamp Bottom. Trains depart every hour.
(Jessie
and Ayla finish reading their clue and walk to the
elevator.)
[JESSIE & AYLA- Rivals- 2nd to Depart- 5:59 PM]
Jessie: The best move is to run until we catch up to the twins.
Ayla: The
important thing is to be on the same train.
Jessie:
Right.
(They
climb into an elevator.)
Ayla:
Our finish last leg works well for us. Were both used to finishing first, but
understood that it was unrealistic to win every leg. Second place meant that we
did well, but ensured that we wouldnt get overconfident.
(Koji
and Koichi exit the bathhouse through a side door and begin to descend a
staircase. They hear a train whistle.)
Koichi:
Down there!
(They
look down. A train is coming up to the bathhouse.)
Koji:
There has to be a station somewhere down there!
(They
run faster down the stairs as the train goes under the bridge. They reach the
ground as the train goes by, and they both run full-speed toward the nearby
station. Before they can arrive, however, the train stops. A few spirits get
off the train, and the doors shut right before Koji & Koichi get there.
They take a moment to catch their breath.)
Koji:
Damn.
Koichi:
That would have been huge. The next ones in an hour.
Koji:
There goes our lead.
(Yukari
counts the money as Minamo tucks away the clue.)
[YUKARI & MINAMO- Best Friends / Teachers- 3rd to Depart- 6:03
PM]
Yukari: Whoo were dealing with some dead emperors
now!
Minamo: Does
it add up to 20,000?
Yukari:
Yessir!
Minamo:
Then we have a train to catch.
Minamo: Yukaris insane. I already knew that. But thats what makes Yukari Yukari. We may seem very different, but we have a unique
way of working together. Its hard to complain after finishing as well as we
did.
(Yukari
& Minamo hustle down, get lost a couple times,
but eventually reach ground level. They slow when they see the other two teams
waiting at the train station. Ayla is standing idly
while Jessie stretches. Koji and Koichi sit on a bench.)
Minamo: I
guess we caught up.
(Yukari
runs up and stands at the very edge of the platform, right in front of the
track.)
Yukari:
Were in first place!
Jessie:
Um no, I dont think so.
Minamo:
Does anyone know when the next train arrives?
Ayla: The
twins said they barely missed one.
Koichi:
The clue said its every hour, so well have to wait awhile.
(Yukari
scoffs, stomps over to the bench, and plants herself directly in-between Koji
and Koichi.)
Yukari:
This is why public transportation is for the weak! Drivings
the way to go!
(Immediately,
Koji and Koichi stand up and scamper away.)
(Touya opens the clue as Yukito
watches eagerly.)
[TOUYA & YUKITO- Best Friends / Students- 4th to Depart- 6:28
PM]
Touya: Ride the train to Swamp Bottom and find Zenibas cottage.
Yukato:
Sounds like a lovely place.
(Touya shakes his head and smiles as they begin the trek
downward.)
Yukito: The key to the race is staying calm. As long as we think straight,
nothing can faze us. In times when other people may be inclined to lose their
tempers, Touya and I will be sure to stay together.
Or at least I will.
(Tenchi
opens the clue and immediately hands money to his father.)
[NOBOYUKI & TENCHI- Father & Son- 5th to Depart- 6:31 PM]
Tenchi: Were very satisfied with our standing right now. Although we didnt
win every battle, we won when we had to. And while some teams focus on
eliminating some of the stronger teams, I hope we can quietly continue to win
when we have to.
(Touya and Yukito arrive at the station.
Yukari points at them angrily.)
Yukari:
Hey! You were in the other van!
Touya: We
caught up. Whens the next train?
Koji:
Twenty minutes, I think.
Yukito:
Great! Touya, lets go back in and find something to
eat.
(Touya stares at Koji. Koji stares back, standing his
ground.)
Touya:
Why dont we stay here?
Yukito:
Its up to you, Touya, but I hope they have a dining
car.
(Riley
rips open the clue as Yamaki looks over her shoulder.)
[YAMAKI & RILEY- Dating Co-Workers- 6th to Depart- 6:45 PM]
Riley: Ride the train to Swamp Bottom and find Zenibas
cottage.
Yamaki:
I saw the station down below. Come on.
Riley:
Hold on, hold on
(Riley
makes sure she has the train tickets and begins to count the money.)
Yamaki:
Riley! We dont know what time the train gets here. We can do that once were
down there. So lets get moving, okay?
(Riley
frowns and shakes her head as she follows Yamaki to the elevator.)
Riley:
You know, your God complex is a real turnoff.
(They
continue to ride the elevator.)
Yamaki:
Ill admit I made a mistake during the Detour. But theres no place for beating
ourselves up over little errors. The faster we get over it, the faster we make
up for it.
(The
lobby is becoming much more lively as evening approaches and the bathhouse
staff begins cleaning for the nights guests. Therefore, Yamaki and Riley have
a difficult time navigating their way through the workers.)
Yamaki:
Out of the way, this is an emergency!
(They
run outside to the bridge and look over. Riley points.)
Riley:
Down there!
(Yamaki
runs over and looks. They can faintly see the train station, and five teams
waiting for the train. Worse yet, they hear a train whistle. They run to the
other side and see a train approaching.)
Riley:
We need to hurry.
(They
hustle around the end of the building, down a rickety staircase. They reach the
ground level and begin running. They are about halfway from the bridge to the
station when the train comes to the bridge. Minamo,
Koichi, Yukito, and Tenchi begin cheering them on.
The train passes Yamaki and Riley and pulls into the station and slows to a
halt. The first five teams board, which gives Yamaki and Riley the chance to
run up to the platform. Riley pulls the tickets out.)
Riley:
Wait!
(They
run up to the train, not stopping until they give their tickets to the
ticket-taker. He grinds them up and they are granted access to the train. They
stop to catch their breath as many of the other teams applaud their efforts.
Riley smiles and bows at the others. She turns to Yamaki.)
Riley:
Nice work.
(She
extends a hand. Yamaki shakes it as she turns it into a hug.)
Yamaki:
You too.
(Riley,
still exhilarated, continues to smile, panting the whole time.)
(In
a break from the action, Minato and Yukina take off
for the elevator.)
[MINATO & YUKINA- Sisters-In-Law- 7th to Depart- 6:59 PM]
Minato: I thought I heard a train whistle.
Yukina:
We have to run fast then.
(They
silently ready themselves before the elevator arrives.)
Yukina: (VO) We arent a really fast team, but were smart. And were sneaky.
So the best thing we can do is not make mistakes, and do whatever we can
without getting away from the group.
(The
train shuts the doors and departs from the station. Riley slings her bag up to
the overhead compartment. Minamo gives her a hand.)
Minamo:
Great job, Riley. We didnt know if you were going to make it.
Riley:
Thanks. Thats a big load off our chest.
Minamo:
No kidding. Well have to keep our eye on you two!
(Minamo winks and sits back down. Meanwhile, Noboyuki sits down next to Yamaki, still trying to catch
his breath.)
Noboyuki:
Pretty tough for an old man, huh?
Yamaki:
Youre right about that.
Noboyuki:
You really flew down here though. Way to go!
(Yamaki
nods and accepts the comment. Riley approaches.)
Noboyuki:
Well, your girls here. Gotta go!
(Noboyuki sits up and allows Riley to sit down.)
Noboyuki:
All yours, mlady!
(Riley
shakes her head.)
Riley:
Thanks.
(She
sits down as Noboyuki leaves. As Riley and Yamaki
take a breather, their eyes meet. A couple seconds later, they both smile and
laugh a little.)
Riley:
We made the first train by about a minute. It was really important for us, not
just because of our position. We pushed ourselves to get down there in time,
and despite our problems working together, we proved that we make a capable
team.
(Lina reads the clue as Gourry
stands by without one.)
[LINA & GOURRY- Traveling Companions- 8th to Depart- 7:08 PM]
Lina: Ride the train to Swamp Bottom and find Zenibas cottage.
(Lina returns the clue to its envelope and tucks it away.)
Lina: (sarcastic)
Great, more public transportation.
Gourry:
Hey, this way we wont get lost!
(They
approach the elevator.)
Lina:
Keep trying Gourry, youll figure out a way.
Lina:
We finished horribly on the first leg! Although we ended up in a strange world
in the end, it didnt seem to scare any of the competition. But the place that
everybody else considers regular really took us for a loop. Were too
talented to let it stop us for good, but it may take awhile for us to adjust.
(Seta
finishes counting the money and they head out to the elevator.)
[SETA & KEITARO- Master & Apprentice- 9th to Depart- 7:12
PM, 30 Minute Penalty]
Seta: If were lucky, we can catch up at the train station.
Keitaro:
(downbeat) Thats a pretty big if, Mr. Seta.
Seta:
Its a shame we had to use our Fast Forward so early. Having it for emergency
purposes is a nice comfort blanket. Our emergency just came a little earlier
than expected. We had to use it, but we dont regret it. We made a mistake, and
needed to make up for it.
(Shot
of Seta crashing the car in the previous episode as Minato and Yukina look on.)
Satoshi: (VO) Whenever a vehicle is issued to a team, the rules state that the
vehicle will be returned in the same condition. Failure to do so will result in
a penalty. Since Seta & Keitaro crashed their car in the first leg, they were
assessed a 30 minute penalty during the Pit Stop.
(Nabiki finishes counting the money. She nods to Kasumi.)
[NABIKI & KASUMI- Sisters- 10th to Depart- 7:21 PM]
Nabiki: Were loaded. Lets go shopping!
Kasumi:
I thought the clue says we have to get to the train station.
Nabiki: I
was being sarcastic
Kasumi:
Oh! Just keep in mind that if you do go shopping, I need a new apron.
(They
walk to the elevators.)
Kasumi:
Our biggest problem so far has been our lack of urgency. Were both very used
to doing things at our own pace, and just like it is at home- that pace is much
slower than those around us. We may have to do things much faster than were
accustomed to in order to succeed.
(Max
puts the clue in his pack and he and May depart.)
[MAY & MAX- Siblings- Last to Depart- 7:27 PM]
May: Ready?
Max:
Affirmative!
May:
Then lets go. We have a race to lose!
Max:
You dont know that, May.
May:
Thats the spirit!
May:
Were here to have fun. And part of having fun is accepting how well you do no
matter how bad it is. We finished eleventh, and were thrilled. Because were
still here, and thats all that matters.
(By
now, the bathhouse is opening, and the guests are starting to trickle in. May
and Max leave the elevator, giving it up immediately to a number of large dog
spirits. May laughs.)
May:
(joking) Excuse me!!
(They
continue to run, past a good variety of spirits. Most dont get in the way, but
the ones that do dont remain an obstacle for long. Finally, the two get out
the door. As soon as they are outside, they stop and start laughing.)
May:
That was interesting.
Max:
The creatures here are stranger than what we have back home.
May:
And weve got more waiting at the train station
(They
begin running again. They make it to the platform without issue.)
May:
Hi, everybody!
(No
response. Nobody seems to be paying attention to them.)
Max:
I dont think theyre happy to see us, May.
(Yukina walks up to them.)
Yukina:
Actually, its more like none of us care. We knew you were going to be here, so
why react when you show up?
May:
That so? What do we have to do to make you care?
Yukina:
Do something unexpected.
Max:
We werent eliminated. Doesnt that count for something?
(Nabiki and Kasumi walk by.)
Nabiki:
It counts towards developing a begrudging respect.
May:
Thats no fun.
Yukina:
Not unless we want to try a fierce battle for supremacy among the three sibling
teams.
(Split-screen
of May and Kasumi staring each other down. May is trying to look as fiery as
possible. Kasumi has her usual hazy smile. May shakes her head.)
May:
Sorry no way I could ever have a rivalry with Kasumi.
Kasumi:
Isnt there another sibling team? The twins?
Yukina:
Theyre doing good. They dont count.
May:
Besides, theyre kinda cute. Whod want to be their rivals?
(On
the first train, Koji and Koichi start sneezing. After a couple sneezes, they
both stop. They look at each other and shrug. Everybody else in the train is
staring back.)
Ayla:
Wow they sneeze together.
Noboyuki:
Thats disturbing in a way.
Yukari:
Hit em in the solar plexus!!
Yukito:
(to Yukari) Thats to stop hiccups.
(The
second train arrives. The five teams board quietly.)
Max: (VO) You feel a lot of different emotions when getting on the train.
Its a little gratifying- were square with several other teams and have the
chance to start again. Its also a little frightening. We dont know whats
ahead for us.
(The
train departs and all teams have their luggage overhead and are seated.)
Minato: (VO) The ride was long, but also relaxing. Its a shame it was dark
because it would have been great to see the view. But it was tranquil, and a
great opportunity to just sit there with Yukina,
without worrying too much about what place were in or how were planning to
get ahead of the other teams.
(The
train continues to cruise down the track through the night.)
----
(Its
still very much dark, and half of each team is asleep. The train stops at a
station for a moment. Nobody gets off. The doors shut and the train proceeds.)
Jessie:
Thats five.
Tenchi:
They said it was station six, right?
(Touya nudges Yukito.)
Touya:
Yuki wake up, were almost there.
(Jessie,
Tenchi, Koji, Minamo, and Yamaki follow suit and wake
their partners up. Koji takes a deep breath.)
Koji:
Next stop
Minamo: The stations arent labeled, and all we knew was that Swamp Bottom
was the sixth stop. Which meant someone had to keep track. And since theres
still a lot of distrust going on, every team had to keep track, since there was
no room for error. Basically, one person on each team got no sleep at all and
the other got a full nights sleep.
(Koichi
and Koji silently psyche themselves up.)
Koichi:
Things really tensed up when we approached the last stop. We didnt know what
we were doing out there in that swamp at four in the morning. Not only that,
but some of us, like Koji, had to stay up to count stations so didnt get a
good rest.
(The
train pulls up to Swamp Bottom, a lowly, forgotten train station. The six teams
disembark and begin running down the dimly lit path. They dont get far before
a walking lamp stands in their path. The teams stop in their tracks.)
Jessie:
What is that?
Ayla: I
think it wants us to follow it.
(The
lamp nods.)
Noboyuki:
Did Timmy fall down the well?
(The
lamp walks down the path, lighting it for the teams as they follow.)
Noboyuki: (VO) You could definitely say it was an unusual way to show us where
to go. Couldnt those yellow-and-red flags have suited the same purpose?
(The
lamp jumps on an overhanging gate. The teams quickly get the hint and run to
the house inside. Touya and Yukito
get the first jump and reach the cottage first, where a route marker waits
outside. They open the door, and are shoved in by the other five teams waiting
to get inside. The twelve are greeted to the sight of Satoshi getting help on
his onmyoji training from sorceress Zeniba. Or rather- they are both magically controlling
paper dolls, and fighting each other with them.)
Satoshi:
Take that, that, that, that, and that!
(Zenibas doll slices through Satoshis and it flutters to
the ground.)
Satoshi:
Aw I want a rematch!
Zeniba:
Sorry. Youre very good, but itll take quite a bit of magic to defeat me. And
in the meantime, we have guests.
(Satoshi
finally notices the six teams and stands up.)
Satoshi:
Oh, hey! Did you have a fun trip?
Jessie:
How did you do that with those paper dolls?
(Satoshi
rubs the back of his neck.)
Satoshi:
(false modesty) Oh, Im an apprentice onmyoji priest.
Anyway
(Satoshi
retrieves a box and sets it on the table.)
Satoshi:
Listen up, since Im about to teach you something that youll need for the rest
of the race. You guys need to learn how to hop dimensions. First and foremost,
youll need to find one of these.
(Satoshi
pulls out a little yellow creature that somewhat resembles one of the puchuus from Excel Saga.)
Satoshi:
This is an oni. He has magic that you can use to jump
to any dimension you so desire. The process isnt too bad, as long as you
really want to go to where youre supposed to. Head out front and Ill show
you. Zeniba?
Zeniba:
Im coming.
(They
walk out to the front.)
Satoshi:
Stand in a circle and hold hands.)
(The
twelve do so with a little hesitation. Satoshi and Zeniba
stand in the center.)
Satoshi:
(to the oni) Now you better do what youre told this
time!
(The
oni jumps off Satoshis palm and pulls a marker out
of its marker space. It begins to create a circle around the teams.)
Satoshi:
After this, youll be on your own with these. First off, you have to fill your
mind with only thoughts of your destination. For example, right now, were
heading back to the mountain tunnel in the real world where you came in here.
Everybody picture that.
(Everybody
closes their eyes and does so.)
Satoshi:
Now open your eyes because you need to see this. Stand in the center and face
your partner back-to-back. In the absence of Arumi, Ill have to settle for this
old bag.
Zeniba:
(defensive) I consider myself pretty for my age
Satoshi:
Sure. Anyway, standing back-to-back, shout out the magic words.
(Zeniba and Satoshi stand back-to-back and hold hands.)
Satoshi
/ Zeniba: Kyu kyu noritsuge!!
(In
a flash, the scene changes around them. The six teams, Satoshi, and Zeniba are in the real world by the tunnel. The teams are
all somewhat in awe.)
Satoshi:
Uh why arent you running to the route marker??
(They
spy the next route marker near the road leading through the woods. They all
frantically make a run for it. Noboyuki and Tenchi
were closest and reach it first. This one has a clue box and Noboyuki gets the first envelope.)
Noboyuki:
Run through the woods to the main road, choose a marked vehicle, and drive to Daitoku Terayamas estate outside
Kyoto.
(Rapid
shots through the dimly lit mountain path to the main road nearby. A line of sedans
line the end of the path. Follow that with rapid shots through the windshield
of said cars to a fancy traditional Japanese estate.)
Satoshi: (VO) Teams must run down the path and into one of the Honda Accords at
the end of it. From there, they need to find the estate of Daitoku
Terayama, a traditional Japanese house located in the
mountains east of Kyoto.
(Noboyuki and Tenchi run full speed toward the vehicles, but
are passed almost immediately by Jessie and Ayla.
Yukari runs by, but Minamo holds back a little.
Yamaki & Riley and Koji & Koichi remain in back. Jessie and Ayla nab the first car.)
[JESSIE & AYLA- Rivals- Currently in 1st Place]
Ayla: Ill drive.
Jessie:
You sure?
Ayla: You
had to stay up while I got to sleep. Therefore, it makes sense that I drive.
(As
they talk, they get into the car.)
Jessie:
What? You want me to take a nap or something?
Ayla: If
its a long trip, perhaps. First we need to stop somewhere and ask for
directions.
(Ayla pulls out and veers right.)
Jessie:
No! Everybodys going to do that! Lets put some space between us and them
before we stop.
Ayla:
Which way do we go?
(Jessie
points out Aylas window.)
Jessie:
It looks like the suns coming up on that side. So thats east. So go the other
way.
Ayla:
Right. I distinctly remember going east when we left Kyoto.
Jessie:
Exactly.
(Meanwhile,
Yamaki & Riley and Koji & Koichi waste no time in finding an open gas
station. Koji begins picking up a few food items )
Riley:
At least you arent one of those guys that refuse to ask for directions.
(As
Koji gets the essentials, the other three run up to the clerk.)
Yamaki
/ Riley / Koichi: Where the hell are we?!
(The
clerk raises an eyebrow.)
Clerk:
My convenience store. And you damn well better buy something.
(Minamo is driving, and yawns.)
[YUKARI & MINAMO- Best Friends / Teachers]
Yukari:
Youre getting tired!! Let me drive!
Minamo:
Im not tired!
Yukari:
Yeah you are. Cant you see the sign?!
(The
sign ahead says Tollway to Kyoto- 2 Miles)
Minamo:
Oh. Must have missed that.
Yukari:
Its okay, Nyamo. Were still friends, even if youre
wrong all the time.
Minamo: Okay,
okay, see if you can find the address on the map
(Minamo looks over. Yukari has fallen asleep. Minamo keeps driving.)
Minamo: The drive back to Kyoto was very difficult, since I didnt get any
sleep the night before. If we had thought about it, we could have had Yukari
count the stops on the train, but she fell asleep before I could bring it up.
(Yukito is parked at another store. Touya
jumps in and sets a bag between them. He slams the door and Yukito
pulls out.)
[TOUYA & YUKITO- Best Friends / Students]
Touya: Figured youd be hungry.
(Yukito prepares to pull onto the highway. Touya sees another teams approaching.)
Touya:
Go- get ahead of them.
(Yukito doesnt respond. A couple seconds later, the car
passes by and Yukito safely pulls out.)
Yukito:
Sorry. Better safe than sorry, right?
Touya:
(disappointed) I guess
(Random
shots of the six teams on the highway. Everyone who slept on the train is
driving except Minamo. Koichi stays awake to
supervise his father. Back at the mountain, the second group arrives and goes
after the route marker. The sun is starting to come up. Seta gets the clue
first.)
Seta:
Drive to Daitoku Terayamas
estate outside Kyoto.
Keitaro:
This time, Im driving.
(Another
frenetic scramble to the cars. Lina & Gourry pass Seta & Keitaro.)
Gourry: (VO) Its crazy. We go from relaxing on a train to teleporting to
another dimension to running like hell in a matter of minutes.
(Minato
and Yukina reach the cars after Lina
& Gourry and Seta & Keitaro. They climb in
and take off as the last two teams arrive. May and Max run right past their
father, Norman, and claim the next car in line.)
May
/ Max: Dibs!
(Nabiki follows immediately as Norman runs up to it.)
Nabiki:
Hey! You ran past your
Max:
This is our chance, Dad, we need to move fast!
(The
three pile in and drive off as Nabiki and Kasumi get
into their car.)
Nabiki: Im not used to losing. But then again, Ive never been in a race
like this before. Kasumi and I need to start moving as fast as we can every
minute we can if we want to stay alive. So far, this hasnt been going
according to plan.
(Minato
is wide-awake and driving.)
[MINATO & YUKINA- Currently in 9th Place]
Minato: Its a good thing I slept on the train, otherwise, Id be too tired to
drive.
(Minato
looks over. Yukina is already sound asleep. Minato
smiles.)
Minato:
Sleep tight, Yukina.
(The
leading teams near Kyoto. Yamaki and Riley see a jogger.)
Yamaki:
Slow down.
(Riley
does so. Yamaki rolls down the window and checks the clue.)
Yamaki:
Excuse me. Do you know where the estate of Daitoku Terayama is?
(The
jogger points straight ahead.)
Jogger:
Down that way to the next road, hang a right, and another couple kilometers.
Yamaki:
Thanks.
(He
rolls up the window.)
Riley:
Good move.
(Jessie
and Ayla stop at a gas station.)
Jessie:
Were looking for the Daitoku Terayama
house.
Clerk:
Cant help you.
Ayla:
Jessie. Lets get a map and find the address.
Jessie:
No, lets just use this.
(They
approach a large map on the wall and begin looking for the address.)
(Yamaki
and Riley reach the gate of the large traditional Japanese house. They see the
route marker, park their car, and run inside to the clue box. Riley reads.)
[YAMAKI & RILEY- Dating Co-Workers- Currently in 1st Place]
Riley: Drive to the Nishikyogoku Sports Park in Kyoto
and find the route marker by the swimming complex.
(Rapid
shots of the car heading into town and to the park. Olympic gold-medalist in
swimming and Golden Girl #4 Ayuko Hayami
is poolside with the scoop.)
Ayuko: Teams must drive into Kyoto and find this pool
at the Nishikyogoku Sports Park and the route marker
outside it.
(Noboyuki and Tenchi happen upon the estate. Noboyuki parks as Tenchi gets out. Noboyuki
follows his son as he reaches and reads the clue.)
[NOBOYUKI & TENCHI- Father & Son- Currently in 2nd Place]
Tenchi: We have to go back to Kyoto. I can find this place.
Noboyuki:
Right!
(They
run back in.)
Noboyuki: It astounds me how well were racing. Were on the same page and
working effectively. There definitely arent any complaints so far!
(Koji
and Koichi pull up to the estate next, with Touya and
Yukito right on their heels. Koichi pulls out the
clue and opens it.)
Koji:
Koichi! Lets get out of here first.
(They
run off as Touya and Yukito
arrive. Yukito opens the clue.)
Yukito:
Drive to the
Touya:
Thats all I need to hear. Read the rest when were in the car.
(The
four return to the car. Koji and Koichi take off right before the best friends.)
(May
is barely keeping her eyes open as Max is buried in his map.)
[MAY & MAX- Siblings- Currently in 10th Place]
May: (whining) Max, could you please put that map away so I can get some sleep?
Max:
(not looking up) I want to know exactly which exit we should take. If we make
the wrong turn, we could be extremely far behind.
May:
We have an hour to go. I really need some sleep!
Max:
If you remain awake long enough, your biological clock will reset itself and
youll feel fine.
May:
Ill clock you if you dont put that damn map away!
(Jessie
and Ayla are driving to Kyoto. Jessie is re-reading
the new clue.)
[JESSIE & AYLA- Rivals- Currently in 5th Place]
Ayla: It would have been best if we bought a map.
Jessie:
It doesnt matter now. We got there, and now were heading to a pool. Ill give
you three guesses what well be doing there!
Ayla:
Swimming?
Jessie:
(smiling) We have little to worry about.
----
(Yamaki
and Riley pull up to the park. They see the route marker outside the swimming
pool and approach it. Riley reads.)
Riley:
Detour- Iron Man or Iron Chef.
(Shot
of Arumis hand pulling out a Detour envelope.)
Ayuko: (VO) A Detour is a choice between two tasks.
Each has its own pros and cons.
(Shot
of Ayuko doing laps in the pool.)
Ayuko:
(VO) In Iron Man, teams must go into the swimming facility and collectively
swim 1500 meters freestyle- 15 laps in this pool. There are no restrictions on
the way a team shares the task between the members, but only one person on a
team may swim at a time, and it is an exhausting length no matter how a team
divides it.
(Rapid
shots of a city street, to Noriko, Golden Girl #3, running a ramen cart.)
Ayuko:
(VO) In Iron Chef, teams will need to navigate the streets of Kyoto on foot and
find Noriko and her ramen cart. Noriko will help them make a bowl of ramen from
scratch. Once the team makes a bowl that satisfies Noriko, they will be given
their next clue.
(Meanwhile,
Seta is asleep, but fortunately hes not driving. Keitaro, on the other hand,
is having problems staying awake.)
[SETA & KEITARO- Master & Apprentice- Currently in 9th
Place]
Keitaro: (to himself) Dont fall asleep dont fall asleep dont fall asleep
(Keitaros eyes suddenly burst open and he veers madly into another
lane.)
Keitaro:
(to himself, louder) Dont rear-end a semi!
(Keitaro
sighs as he passes the truck.)
Keitaro:
(to himself, calmer) Dont fall asleep dont crash dont fall asleep
Keitaro:
(VO) Since I didnt sleep well on the train, it took every ounce of energy to
make sure I didnt crash again or fall asleep. Its hard enough to not fall
behind- gaining ground seems impossible.
(Noboyuki and Tenchi enter the pool facility.)
Tenchi:
Are you sure about this? Those other teams are pretty strong. Can you keep up
with them swimming?
(Noboyuki is barely listening. Hes busy staring at Riley,
diving into the pool.)
Noboyuki:
Theres nothing you can do to change my mind
(Koichi
is buried in a map.)
Koichi: Um oh, I guess that was our turn back there.
Koji:
We missed it?
Koichi:
Turn left up here. We shouldnt lose too much ground.
(Touya and Yukito read the
Detour.)
[TOUYA & YUKITO- Best Friends / Students- 3rd at Detour]
Touya: Swimming
or cooking. I can do both.
Yukito: I
am a little hungry
Touya: It
says nothing about eating. But swimming seems faster. Lets do that.
Yukito:
Sure thing, Touya.
(They
rush inside. Koji and Koichi get the clue.)
Koichi:
Well, swimming might be faster
Koji:
Yeah, to the other teams.
Koichi:
We can swim alright. Whats the problem?
Koji:
They can all swim circles around us. But if we do the other one, we wont get
tired.
Koichi:
Well, I suppose.
(Koji
and Koichi run, on foot, to the location specified for the cooking challenge.)
Koji:
(VO) Were one of the younger teams, so we have a disadvantage when it comes to
physical activity. We chose cooking because we didnt want to over-exert
ourselves trying to keep up with strong teams like Jessie and Ayla.
(Yukito dives into the pool and begins swimming at an
incredible pace. Meanwhile, in the next lane, Noboyuki
finishes up a lap and gets out of the pool as Tenchi does a few. Noboyuki grabs a towel, but drops it upon seeing Yukito.)
Noboyuki:
Holy how does he do that?
Touya: He
can do anything.
(Yukito finishes the first lap. Touya
dives in immediately. Yukito gets out. Touya moves just as quickly as Yukito.
Noboyuki is even more shocked.)
Noboyuki:
How then how does
Yukito:
Oh, he can do anything.
(Nabiki & Kasumi park outside the estate. Minato & Yukina pull up a little ways behind them. Kasumi and Yukina burst out of the car immediately and go after the
clue. Nabiki and Minato get out as well and follow. Yukina wins the race to get the clue. She opens it, reads
it, and shouts back.)
Yukina:
Sis! Were driving back to Kyoto!
Minato:
All right!
Nabiki:
Thank you!
(Nabiki charges back into her vehicle and puts it in drive
as Minato re-enters her car. Nabiki puts the car in reverse
and backs up right next to Minatos vehicle.)
Yukina:
Hey! Dont even think of backing into us!
(Yukina hops in with Minato.)
Yukina:
Go!
Minato:
I cant pull out with her there.
Yukina:
Then back up and get going!
(By
the time she does, Kasumi is back in the car and the Nerima sisters take off,
retaining their lead.)
Yukina: Dammit!
Minato:
(reprimanding) Yukina, language!
(Yukari
admires the pool from an outside window as Minamo
walks up to the route marker, a little sluggish.)
[YUKARI & MINAMO- Best Friends / Teachers- 6th at Detour]
Yukari: Hey, Nyamo, a pool! Maybe a little swim will
wake you up!
Minamo:
We dont have time to go swimming
(Minamo reads the clue. She smiles a little.)
Minamo:
On second thought
(Jessie
and Ayla are in their swimsuits.)
Jessie:
Okay, you do seven laps, then Ill do seven laps.
Ayla: Who
should do the last one?
Jessie:
I might as well
Ayla:
Shouldnt the faster one do the majority of the laps?
Jessie:
(angry) Dont try to imply that youre a faster swimmer than me!
Ayla: Im
not implying that.
Jessie:
So how do we determine who should do the last lap?
(Ayla walks up to Ayuko.)
Ayla:
Excuse me. Could you time us so we know whos fastest at seven laps?
Ayuko:
Oh sure. I guess its not a problem.
(Ayuko gets a stopwatch. Ayla
lines up. After a second she turns back to Ayuko.)
Ayla: Im
waiting
(Ayuko figures it out and smiles.)
Ayuko:
Go!
(Ayla dives in.)
(Lina and Gourry are driving
aimlessly through the mountains.)
[LINA & GOURRY- Traveling Companions]
Gourry: I cant make hide or hair of this map, Lina!
Lina: Of
course not
(Lina rolls down the window at somebody getting his mail.)
Lina:
Hey! Were looking for some Terayama place! Where the
hell is it?!
Man:
What??
Lina: You
damn well better know where it is!
Man:
Um I think you hang a left a few miles down the road.
Lina:
(cheery) Thanks!
(She
speeds away.)
(While
most of the teams are distracted with Jessie and Aylas
performance, Touya and Yukito
finish first. Yukito hops out of the pool. Touya throws a towel around his neck and takes the clue.)
Touya: Travel
to Kogane City and find the route marker outside
Mayor Juzo Katsudas
campaign headquarters.
(Rapid
shots of a train going down the Japanese countryside to Kanazawa, followed by a
trip to a campaign office. The Golden Boy himself, Kintaro
Oe, offers a very educational explanation.)
Kintaro: (VO) Teams must find their way to Kogane City, a suburb of Kanazawa. There theyll have to
find the headquarters of the campaign to re-elect Mayor Katsuda.
I used to work on the campaign. It was quite educational and quite painful
too.
(After
a long time searching, Koji and Koichi find their girl. Noriko is chopping
vegetables when they arrive.)
Koichi:
Hi! Were here to make ramen!
Noriko:
Wonderful! If you could get a couple aprons from the cabinet below and a bag of
flour, well get started.
(Koichi
does so. Koji is suddenly a little nervous.)
Koji:
I guess when they said make it from scratch they werent kidding
(Yamaki
assists Riley out of the pool and they get their next clue. After reading it,
they come to the conclusion.)
Yamaki:
Lets take a train. Ill start the car while you change.
Riley:
Alright.
(As
they leave, Jessie finishes lap 14.)
Jessie:
Done! Whats my time?
(Ayuko is busy staring at the stopwatch.)
Jessie:
(impatient) Well?
Ayuko:
(awed) You just set a world record
Jessie:
But did I beat Ayla?
Ayuko: Ayla had the previous world record
Jessie:
So I beat her?
Ayuko:
Ya.
Jessie:
Wow I actually beat
Ayla: You
still have a lap to go.
(Jessie
pauses for a second and looks up at Ayla.)
Jessie:
Oh yeah
(Jessie
takes off swimming. Ayla turns around and folds her
arms.)
Ayla: Im
not bothered by that
(Keitaro
is driving, although now Seta is awake.)
Seta:
According to my map, the pool is on the west side of the city.
Keitaro:
Should I stay on the tollway until we get to that
part of town?
Seta:
Its fastest, yes.
(Meanwhile,
Lina angrily pulls up to the estate. She storms out
of the vehicle. Gourry follows her.)
[LINA & GOURRY- Currently in Last Place]
Lina:
These stupid roads around these stupid mountains! Why cant they just plow
through them like we always did?
Gourry:
Did we?
(Lina reaches the box and throws everything away except the
Fast Forward envelope.)
Lina:
Ive had enough of this leg wheres that Fast Forward?
(Lina opens it as Gourry leans in
and looks over her shoulder.)
(Rapid
shots to a convenience store, and Golden Girl #5 Reiko Torayama
standing by her motorcycle in appropriate biker gear.)
Reiko:
Theres only one Fast Forward in each leg of the race. The first team to get it
can speed through everything like me and Bemo on a
downhill straightaway. But the Man says they can only use it once, so theyll
have to be smart with it. To claim the Fast Forward on this leg, the team needs
to find me at this convenience store and hop into the sidecar of my Bemo-baby. After we rip through the mountain pass at 120
per, theyll know the true meaning of fast, and can get their Fast Forward.
(Back
at the pool, Yukari and Minamo are the only team
left. Minamo is in the pool, but shes seriously
tiring. Minamo shouts to Yukari from the water.)
Minamo:
Yukari, youre up! I cant do any more!
(Yukari
lines up to dive in. Minamo touches the wall and Yukari
executes the most brilliant belly-flop into the water. She emerges from the
water and begins swimming at a much slower pace than Minamo.
Minamo gets out of the water, throws a towel around
her shoulder, and sits down.)
Minamo:
Keep going for awhile, Yukari, youre fine.
(Lina and Gourry arrive at the
convenience store. Reiko leans on her bike.)
[FAST FORWARD- Reiko and Bemo-Baby]
Lina: Are you the motorcycle-fetish girl?
Reiko:
Its not a fetish. Its love. My Bemo-baby loves me
more than any man ever could.
(Lina looks up at Gourry, then
back to Reiko.)
Lina: No
arguments here. Lets do whatever it is we have to do.
Reiko:
Hop in and hang on.
(After
doing all the necessary boring equipment checks, Reiko revs up the motor in her
typically sensual fashion. She seems to be taking extreme pleasure in the
action as the cycle begins to purr between her legs. Finally, she cant take it
anymore and she explodes taking off through the mountains as fast as she can
go. Lina and Gourry barely
hold in their breakfast.)
Gourry: (VO) That woman moved extremely fast! We were always complaining
about how long it took to get through the mountains, but they should have given
us a motorcycle instead!
(They
finish up and pull back into the convenience store. Reiko catches her breath
after the experience, while Lina and Gourry quietly step out of the sidecar and kiss the ground.
Reiko walks up to them.)
Reiko:
Its a lot faster when were not towing excess baggage. When its just Bemo and I its magic.
Lina:
Well, we cant use magic so we need that Fast Forward thing if we want to stay
in this race!
(Reiko
hands Lina the Fast Forward. She opens it excitedly.)
Lina: Yay! Congratulations you have won the Fast Forward. Go
directly to the next Pit Stop- Mayor Katsudas mansion
in Kogane City.
Gourry:
Where the heck is that?
(Rapid
shots to the Katsuda mansion.)
Arumi: (VO) Having won the Fast Forward, Lina and Gourry may go directly to the next Pit Stop- the mansion of
Koganes mayor, Juzo Katsuda. The last team to arrive will be eliminated.
(Koji
and Koichi wait impatiently for Noriko to try their noodles. She smiles.)
Noriko:
Well done!
(They
both sigh in relief as she hands over the clue.)
Koichi:
(VO) We were the last ones on the first train to complete the Detour, but we
didnt mind as much, because we were still very fresh. Id imagine that after
all that swimming some of the other teams may be pretty tired.
(Nabiki & Kasumi and Minato & Yukina
reach the pool at the same time.)
[NABIKI & KASUMI / MINATO & YUKINA- Currently Tied in 7th
Place]
Yukina: Were swimming. No doubt about that.
(They
rush in. Nabiki still ponders it.)
Nabiki:
Well, swimming would be faster but cooking is your specialty.
Kasumi:
But swimming is faster.
Nabiki:
Can you swim faster than those two?
Kasumi:
Well, I can try
(Nabiki stares at Kasumi for awhile, then makes her
decision.)
Nabiki:
Lets do it.
Nabiki: My sister is not competitive. And thats definitely a liability here.
I feel like I have to be in charge of the team, because its the only way well
get anywhere. Still, Kasumi has her positive qualities, and the key to our
success is knowing when and how to use them.
--
(At
the train station, Jessie and Ayla run in, trying to
figure out where to go. Meanwhile, Noboyuki runs in
behind them, making a beeline for a ticket machine. Tenchi follows.)
Tenchi:
Do you know which train we want?
Noboyuki:
(quiet) Shh! Dont tell that to the amazons!
(Noboyuki pushes a few buttons.)
Noboyuki:
Lets see here Ive been to Kanazawa before. We want the Raicho
train yes! Theres one leaving in twenty minutes
(Noboyuki confirms the purchase and gets the tickets. He
walks away.)
Noboyuki:
Okay now we get out of here and
(Jessie
walks up to them.)
Jessie:
How the hell do you get tickets here?
Noboyuki:
Try the ticket office over there! Im sure theyll help!
Jessie:
Oh thanks.
(Jessie
joins Ayla and get over there.)
Noboyuki:
Quick, lets get to the platform.
Tenchi:
(slightly unnerved) Um right.
(They
get to the platform and find Yamaki & Riley and Touya
& Yukito waiting.)
Noboyuki:
Hello, everybody!
(No
response from Yamaki, Riley, or Touya.)
Yukito: Noboyuki! Glad you could make it!
(Yukari
& Minamo get in line at the ticket window. They
see Jessie & Ayla at the front, although Jessie
is a little angry.)
Yukari:
What the hecks up with them?
Minamo: (yawning)
Dunno.
(Koji
and Koichi run in and see the line.)
Koichi:
Everybody wants to get out of here!
Koji:
Lets do this ourselves then. Cant be any worse than Shibuya.
(They
go up to the ticket machine and futz with it.)
Koji:
Damn! The 8:39 train is sold out.
Koichi:
Maybe theres another service.
Koji:
Yeah, yeah
(After
more fiddling with it, they find something. Koji sighs.)
Koji:
Yeah. 9:08. Its more expensive though.
Koichi:
The second train is better than third train. Its worth it.
Koji:
Youre right about that. Okay, 9:08 it is.
(They
get their tickets and head to the platform bumping into Jessie and Ayla.)
Koichi:
Are you two on the 9:08 train too?
Jessie:
(surprised) Theres a 9:08 train??
Koji:
Well, yeah. Its a little more
(Koji
trails off as he realizes what hes doing. A couple seconds of uncomfortable
silence later, Ayla smiles.)
Ayla:
Thank you.
(They
run to try one of the machines. Koji and Koichi look at each other for a
moment.)
Koji
/ Koichi: Dammit!
(Keitaro
is cheering on Seta in the pool. He occasionally looks over to the sisters. Yukina has a slight lead.)
Nabiki:
Faster Kasumi!! Show no mercy!
(Kasumi
manages to pick up her pace a little as Yukina begins
to tire. They are even as they reach the far wall and turn around. Slowly,
Kasumi overtakes Yukina and hits the wall before her.
Nabiki excitedly helps her out.)
Nabiki:
Wow! I didnt know you could do that!
Kasumi:
Neither did I!
(Ayuko hands over the clue as Yukina
finishes. Nabiki rips the clue open.)
Nabiki:
Too bad we cant celebrate. We have to get to Kanazawa.
(They
run in to change as Yukina towels off, a little
angry. Minato tries to calm her.)
Yukina: I cant believe we lost to them! I was second-team all-conference in
my junior high school back on Jupiter! And somehow Nabiki
and Kasumi were able to beat us! Well turn it around somehow
(Yukari
and Minamo are at the ticket counter. Minamo yawns, letting Yukari handle the transaction.)
Clerk:
Im sorry, but the next Raicho train to Kanazawa is
sold out.
Yukari:
What? Dammit!
Clerk:
The next one is more expensive. Its a Thunderbird that
Yukari:
(interrupting) Oh I see! You want to hit us up for more money! Well, Im not
giving you the satisfaction! Whens the next Raicho?!
Clerk:
9:39.
Yukari:
Alright then! You wont be yanking our yen!
(The
clerk prints the tickets as Yukari storms away confidently. Minamo
takes the tickets and looks at them closely.)
Minamo:
Wait a minute did she just buy tickets for the third train when there were
plenty available for the second?
Clerk:
I believe she did, maam. Thanks for using Japan Railways!
Yukari:
(smiling) I did a number on that clerk! Sure were getting there 40 minutes
later, but there are more important things, you know?
(May
and Max finish their cooking with Noriko. She taste-tests.)
Noriko:
Very nice! Good work on such short notice.
(She
hands them the clue. They eagerly open it.)
Max:
Im not the best athlete, and Mays hardly world-class. We did the cooking
challenge because I have a solid sense of direction, and wed probably finish
faster.
(Koji
& Koichi and Jessie & Ayla are boarding the
9:08 train. Just before the doors shut, Lina & Gourry hustle and manage to jump on at the last second.
First thing Lina does is scream.)
Lina: I
hate those stupid ticket machines!!
Jessie:
I know. Primitive old clunkers, arent they?
(Half
an hour later, the final train boards. Yukari & Minamo,
Nabiki & Kasumi, Minato & Yukina,
Seta & Keitaro, and May & Max board. Minamo
goes to sleep right away, too tired to be unhappy with Yukari. Yukina is a little worried, but Minato relaxes her.)
Seta: We didnt expect to be this far back this long. Its always very
dangerous to be stuck in the last group. Im confident that we can hold our own
against them, but the longer it takes for us to get ahead, the longer we run
the risk of being eliminated.
(After
a montage of train shots, the first train pulls into Kanazawa. All teams hail a
cab. Touya and Yukito have
luck on their side this time.)
[TOUYA & YUKITO- Best Friends / Students- Currently in 1st
Place]
Yukito: Kogane, please.
Touya:
And make it fast, we only have ten minutes on the second train.
(The
three cabs speed out. The second train arrives and three more teams rush out.)
[Train 2- 13 Minutes Behind Train 1]
Koji: Taxi!
Lina:
Yeah, taxi!
(Koji
and Koichi get the first one, while Lina and Gourry pile into the second. Koji hustles the driver on.)
Koji:
Whats the fastest way to get to Kogane?
Driver:
Which part?
Koichi:
Probably someplace close to downtown. We need to find a campaign headquarters.
Driver:
Oh yeah! I know where youre talking about. I got a buddy in the yakuza.
(Meanwhile,
Noboyuki and Tenchi arent having the same luck.)
Tenchi:
Its in the suburbs! You havent heard of it?
(The
driver pulls over. Noboyuki shakes his head.)
Noboyuki:
Its a good thing we got the first train.
Tenchi:
No kidding.
(Although
Touya & Yukito got the
first cab, Yamaki and Riley must have gotten the best one. As they arrive first
at Katsuda HQ. Yamaki retrieves the clue at the
marker.)
[YAMAKI & RILEY- 1st at Road Block]
Yamaki: Road Block. This person must be a golden go-fer.
Riley:
I guess Ill can do this one
Yamaki:
Yeah. Im not the go-fer type.
(Kintaro is walking in front of the HQ. He reads from his
precious notes.)
Kintaro:
Lets see here C-Base does not mean sex. Wait wrong page
(Kintaro finds it.)
Kintaro:
Aha! A Road Block is a task that only one person may perform! In this Road
Block, that lucky person gets to take one of my old jobs or three. Mayor Katsuda needs some help programming his website. I find it
a little self-serving and subjective, but thats just my opinion...
(Bicycle
POV shot to Madame President, Golden Girl #1, waiting at an outdoor caf.)
Kintaro:
(VO) Anyway, the team member must strap on a backpack filled with notes from Katsudas staff. Then, they must deliver the notes on a
bicycle to one of the programmers I used to work for. Shes one very hot but
very sinister babe. Madame President will give that person another stack to
deliver back to the HQ. The next clue is in there.
(Riley
takes off as Touya & Yukito
arrive. They dont take long to reach a conclusion.)
Yukito:
Youve been a go-fer for companies before, havent you?
Touya:
About a million times.
(Touya, who probably rivals Kintaro
in number of part-time jobs taken, reads the details and bikes away.)
(Lina and Gourry, meanwhile, are
struggling a little.)
Lina:
Its a big mansion! How many of those can there be?!
Driver:
As far as I know, there arent any. I dont know where youre talking about.
Lina:
Jeez
(Riley
is consciously watching Touya on her tail. She
reaches Madame President right before him. Riley drops off her backpack as the
two look at each other and smile.)
Riley:
Wow, didnt think Id bump into you again!
Mdme.
President: Riley! One of my best employees! How you been?!
(Touya rushes up and drops off the backpack.)
Touya:
What do I need from you?
Mdme.
President: (temperamental) A sock to the face! Im busy!
Riley:
You havent changed a bit, have you?
Riley:
Yeah, I used to work for her. Its the best place for a charming young female
computer programmer to find work. Better than Hypnos,
thats for damn sure.
(Conversely,
Koji and Koichi see the route marker from a distance.)
Koichi:
Right there!
(The
cab drops them off as they race to the marker.)
[KOJI & KOICHI- 3rd at Road Block]
Koji: Road Block.
Koichi:
Im rested up, Ill do it.
(Koichi
straps the pack on and leaves.)
(Touya overtakes Riley easily and returns with the new
backpack. Yukito retrieves the clue while it is still
on his back.)
Yukito:
Check in at the next Pit Stop- the Katsuda mansion
just outside the city limits.
(Rapid
shots to the high-class mansion.)
Arumi: (VO) Teams must now find the location of the mayoral mansion just
outside the city. This secluded, Western-style estate is the second Pit Stop in
the race. The last team to arrive will be eliminated.
(Noboyuki and Tenchi arrive. Tenchi decides to do it without
much fuss. Jessie and Ayla, however, are a different
matter.)
Jessie:
Look, I was the fastest swimmer today, so it makes sense that I go.
Ayla: I
dont see the logic with that.
Jessie:
You want logic? How about we alternate these? You can have the next one.
(After
thinking about it for a moment, Ayla nods.)
Ayla:
Very well.
(Jessie
opens the envelope and smiles.)
Jessie:
Sweet.
(Koichi
reaches Madame President and silently drops the backpack on the table. She
replaces the material inside with new papers and the route marker. He straps it
on and bikes off. Madame President tilts her head.)
Mdme.
President: Theyre much easier to deal with when they dont talk
(A
cab pulls up and an intimidating blond and a confident redhead run out to the
Pit Stop. Arumi and Naoko Katsuda, Golden Girl #2,
greet them. In the display on the route marker, GOLDEN BOY is written in
large white letters, with KOGANE CITY in smaller green letters above it.
Naoko bows.)
Naoko:
Welcome to Kogane City.
Arumi:
Lina and Gourry youre
team number one.
(Lina holds out a peace sign.)
Lina: Now
thats more like it!
Gourry:
Its easy when you dont have to do all the stuff in the middle.
(Koichi
pulls up to the end of the course. Koji takes the clue and opens it.)
Koichi:
We have to hurry. Jessie was moving fast.
Koji:
Okay. Call a cab.
(Touya and Yukito reach the Pit
Stop. Naoko smiles at both of them and winks.)
Arumi:
Touya and Yukito? Youre
team number two.
(Yukito smiles and pats Touyas
shoulder.)
(As
Tenchi pulls in on his bike, Noboyuki runs up.)
Noboyuki:
How did Jessie get ahead of you?
Tenchi:
Because shes super-human!
Noboyuki:
Oh. I didnt know that.
(Tenchi
takes off the backpack and gets the clue out.)
(Naoko
couldnt care less about the next team to arrive.)
Arumi:
Yamaki and Riley, youre team number three.
(Riley
smiles at Yamaki.)
Riley:
Thats much better, thank you.
(A
couple minutes later, Koji and Koichi rush up hurriedly. Naoko smiles.)
Naoko:
Welcome to my house.
Arumi:
Koji and Koichi- you are team number four.
Koji:
All right!
(They
high-five.)
(The
teams on the third train pile out and rush for cabs. May & Max sneak ahead and
are able to get the first cab. Yukari and Minamo are
in the middle of the pack.)
[Train 3- 56 Minutes Behind Train 1]
Yukari: (VO) Okay, maybe we should have paid the extra money. It was rough
in the last group. Theres five teams racing like hell, and one of thems going to get spit out. Nyamo
and I have to make sure its not us.
(Jessie
and Ayla run up to the mat.)
Arumi:
Jessie and Ayla? Youre team number five.
(Seta
and Keitaro are very nervous as their cabbie moves a little slowly.)
[SETA & KEITARO- Master & Apprentice- Currently in Last Place]
Keitaro: Can you please go faster?
(No
response. Keitaro sits back, very nervous.)
Seta:
Dont worry about it. We have to manage what we can control. Well probably
have a Road Block next. Who should do it?
Keitaro:
Probably you
Seta:
If its something physical, youd better take it. I did most of the swimming,
so youre more refreshed.
Keitaro:
If you say so.
(Naoko
seriously eyes Tenchi, while Noboyuki seriously eyes
Naoko. Arumi coughs.)
Arumi:
Please, if youre going to ogle anybody, ogle me and take the beating you
deserve.
Naoko:
Oh, dont worry. My daddy and his bodyguards dont like it when people ogle me.
(Arumi
nods.)
Arumi:
Fair enough- Noboyuki and Tenchi, youre team number
six.
(May
and Max reach the Road Block. Max runs out immediately as May turns to the
cabbie.)
May:
You rock!
(Max
gets the clue.)
Max:
Road Block.
May:
I see bikes, Ill do it.
(May
is strapped in as Nabiki & Kasumi rush up.)
Nabiki:
Road Block- mine.
(The
next two cabs arrive. Minato & Yukina get to the
clue seconds before Yukari & Minamo. Nabiki has just left.)
Minato: Road Block. This person must be a golden go-fer.
Yukina:
This ones mine. Nabikis going down!
Minamo:
Road Block
Yukari:
MINE!!!
(Minamo eyes the bikes and hands Yukari the clue.)
Minamo:
Thats the first smart thing youve said all day.
(With
a rebel yell, Yukari heads for the safety equipment.)
(Seta
and Keitaro hop out of the car. Immediately, Seta rushes for the clue and opens
it.)
Seta: Road Block, youre doing it.
(Seta
opens the envelope skims it for a second, and hands it to Keitaro. Keitaro
takes it.)
Seta:
Youre riding the bikes.
Keitaro:
Got it.
(Yukina is pedaling as hard as she can, but Yukari madly
whizzes by her.)
Yukina:
Pedal, pedal, pedal faster!!
(Shes
left in the dust as Yukari advances. Nearing the caf, Yukari sees May on her
return trip. They approach each other head to head.)
Yukari:
Get out of my way!
May:
No! You get out of my way!!
(After
a rousing game of chicken, neither seems to be set on letting the other have
the right of way. Finally, at the very last moment, May brakes hard and turns
her bike to the side. Yukari is forced to veer madly out of control, but barely
manages to stay on. May doesnt stop, as she pedals hard back to the route
marker. There, Max is waiting with the others.)
Max:
Someones coming
(May
is tiring quickly, but skids in to a stop. Max raises his arms.)
Max:
You did it!
May:
(tired) Yeah get the clue.
(May
gets off the bike and sits down on the sidewalk as Max reads the clue.)
Max:
Check in at the next Pit Stop- Mayor Katsudas
mansion. Ready May?
May:
You bet!
(May
looks exhausted, but it doesnt seem to be slowing her down.)
May:
I had a serious adrenaline rush during the Road Block. We were ahead, and I was
doing something I was good at. I was totally exhausted afterwards, but I didnt
care because I kicked some butt!
(Nabiki is steadily on the home stretch. However, Yukari is
attacking her as well.)
Yukari:
Beep beep!
(Nabiki tries to maneuver herself to prevent being passed,
but Yukari dukes a little and sneaks by, almost crashing into Nabiki in the process.)
Nabiki:
Hey!
(Yukari
reaches the end seconds before Nabiki. Kasumi takes
the clue from the backpack.)
Kasumi:
So how was it?
(No
response. Nabiki is still eyeing down Yukari.)
Nabiki:
Come on! We have some teachers to beat.
(Yukina is flat out done when she pedals in. She collapses
as soon as she reaches the headquarters.)
Minato:
Yukina!
Yukina:
Get clue
(Minato
fetches the clue. She looks through it, hoists Yukina
on her back, and carries her to the taxi.)
Minato:
Just a little further and weve made it!
(Right
behind them, Keitaro finishes. He jumps off the bike, letting it crash into the
HQs faade. He reads the clue.)
Keitaro:
The last team to arrive will be eliminated.
Seta:
I already assumed that.
(They
get into a cab right behind Minato and Yukina.)
(While
racing to the Pit Stop, Nabiki constantly nags the
driver.)
Nabiki:
Cmon, get ahead of those two. We need to beat them to the mansion.
Kasumi:
Why? There were two teams behind us.
Nabiki:
Yeah, but they didnt cut me off.
(The
driver makes an arguably dangerous pass on a two-lane highway.)
(At
the Pit Stop, May and Max hurriedly jump on.)
Arumi:
May and Max- youre team number seven.
May:
Nice!
Max:
Way to bike, May!
(They
high-five.)
(Behind
them, Nabiki and Kasumi take to running as they beat
out Yukari and Minamos taxi by a few seconds. Yukari
begins to sprint for the finish, while Minamo slows
down.)
Yukari:
Nyamo-chan!
Minamo:
Dont worry about it. Its not worth our energy.
Yukari:
But
(Nabiki and Kasumi jump on the mat. Yukari rushes up to them
but is forced to wait.)
Arumi:
Nabiki and Kasumi? Youre team number eight.
Kasumi:
Thank you!
(Nabiki is satisfied. They step aside. Yukari jumps on
immediately, while Minamo steps on afterwards.)
Arumi:
Yukari and Minamo? Youre team number nine.
(Minato
is clearly aware of the cab behind them.)
Minato:
Okay, Yukina, were going to have to run for the Pit
Stop as soon as we stop, okay?
Yukina: I
guess I can do it
Minato:
We only get one shot at this, so lets make it count.
(Seta
and Keitaro are leaning toward the door. Seta has a small wad of bills in his
hand.)
Seta:
Ready?
Keitaro:
Ready, Mr. Seta.
(The
cab pulls over. Seta throws the money into the drivers lap and he and Keitaro
pile out of the car at the same time Minato & Yukina
do. Yukina, Seta and Keitaro gets a clean jerk at
their packs and strap them on easily. However, Minato takes a little too long
with hers. Seta and Keitaro take the lead. Minato and Yukina
run full-speed after them, but simply arent able to keep pace with them. Seta
jumps on the mat, while Keitaro runs right past it, and into a compromising
position with Naoko.)
Arumi:
Seta and Keitaro
(Arumi
looks down at Keitaro.)
Arumi:
If you survive Mayor Katsudas hitmen,
youre team number ten.
(Seta
smiles and exhales.)
Seta:
That was a little too close right Keitaro?
(No
response.)
(Both
Minato and Yukina are disappointed as they slowly
walk to the mat. Arumi tries to look as gentle as possible, while Naoko is
gone- busy calling her daddy.)
Arumi:
Minato and Yukina? You are the last team to arrive.
Unfortunately, you have been eliminated from the race.
(Yukina is still breathing heavily, and doesnt respond
initially. Until Minato hugs her.)
Minato:
You did so well
(Yukina smiles.)
Yukina:
Thanks. So did you.
Yukina: (VO) Its hard to say what went wrong. We gave it our best, but so
did everybody else. Everybody elses best was just better in the end.
Minato:
After fighting in a war for so long, I forgot how purely exhilarating
competition can be when its just for fun. This was a lot of fun, and Im glad
I could share it with Yukina.
Yukina: I cant say our relationship got stronger. It doesnt need to get any
stronger. Were very happy with each other, and nothing can change that.
End of Episode Two
Authors
Notes
The last part of this leg was much of
a blur because of a lot of things going on at once. It makes for an interesting
effect, since most of the teams had their own individual plot going, but few
got much significant focus. Since few of these plots become long-term, it goes
to highlight the intensity of the race, even this early. Thatll come into play
next episode, when things really heat up.
Zenibas control over paper dolls, as demonstrated in
the movie, is a practice called onmyoji. Satoshi
becomes an apprentice at the art late in his series, and learns to control
paper dolls in the same way.
Since Madame Presidents company consists entirely of pretty young female
computer experts, it seems perfectly natural that Riley used to work there. And
apologies to everybody who was hoping to see the always under-appreciated
Golden Girl #6- anime cel painter Chie. I had a hard
enough time fitting Girls 1-5 in there.
Next Week on the Anime-zing Race:
* Planes, boats, and motorcycles give teams a vehicular headache.
* Teams begin forming all sorts of partnerships, but how long will they last?
* One team strategically puts another deep in last place and fears their vengeance.