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11/26/2022 2:18 pm  #1


Side-Fic 351: The Search Ends

Rated TV-14 (DLSV)

Shido: While watching the program, make sure you're in a brightly-lit room, and that you're not sitting too close to the monitor.



Narrator: In New York City's fight against crime, the dedicated detectives who pursue the most vicious criminals are members of an elite unit known as ACME Crime Net.

[Fraxinus EX, Tuesday, November 12th, 4:22pm (EST)]

[The crew runs numerous scans]

Kannazuki: Keep at it, crew. If we're to find out what happened to the Takamiya parents, we need to scan not only Japan, but the whole world.

Kawagoe: How much longer, Shiizaki?

Shiizaki: At the rate we're going, it could take at least a year to at least get answers.

Minowa: ZIEG knows what's up, but he's not talking.

[Nakatsugawa's phone rings]

Nakatsugawa: [picks up] Nakatsugawa speaking. Yes. Oh. Right. Thank you. [hangs up] That was the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology. They're e-mailing information right now.

[The monitor shows an e-mail from said institute containing profiles with grainy photographs of a blue-haired couple, along with their names and information below]

Karen: Kensuke Takamiya, graduate of Tenguu University, class of 1967.

Ellen: Midori Hayami-Takamiya, Kensuke's wife, graduate of Tenguu University, class of 1967.

Kannazuki: Any family?

Ellen: Parents and grandparents deceased, no siblings, two children. First they had a son named Shinji, and over two years later, they had a daughter named Mana.

Kawagoe: You were saying, Shiizaki?

Shiizaki: Forgive me, but I never thought this search would end so soon.

Mikimoto: Now that we know who the parents are, we just have to find them.

Kannazuki: First, we have to let Shido and Mana know.

[132 Madison Street, 5:25pm]

[Tohka is cooking beef stew; she takes a whiff and smiles]

Tohka: Now for the final taste test.

[She puts a spoonful in a bowl, blows on it gently, then takes a taste]

Tohka: So good! Shido's gonna love this.

[Miku enters, sniffing the stew]

Miku: Does my nose deceive me, or do I smell beef stew?

Tohka: The latter. [hands Miku the bowl and pours another spoonful of stew in it] Here, try some.

[Miku takes a taste]

Miku: Mmm! So yummy! You cooked this?

Tohka: Absolutely. [holds up her phone showing an image of the recipe] I followed this recipe to a T.

Miku: When Darling eats this stew, he's sure to be full.

Tohka: Oh, I've made enough for everyone. I just hope Shido gets back soon from walking Jeb, or the stew will get cold.

Miku: I agree.

[Elsewhere near the street, Shido, Kotori, and Mana walk Jeb]

Jeb: I can't tell you guys how grateful I am that you decided to look after me while Hunter and his family are in Cross World City for the week.

Shido: No problem, Jeb. We sure could use the opportunity to get to know you better.

Kotori: Just make sure you don't let out in public that you can talk.

Jeb: I swore to Ryan 25 years ago I'd keep it secret. I don't intend to break that promise.

Mana: [scratches Jeb behind the ear] That's a good boy.

[A song comes on]

Shido: [sings] Walkin' the dog.
It's fun out walkin' the dog.
Kotori: Lookin' around
at all we see.
Mana: On this street walkin' the dog.
Folks we meet walkin' the dog.
Jeb: They're always sure to say hi
while wanderin' by
each lamp post and tree.

Kotori: We're all out walkin' the dog.
Mana: So happy walkin' the dog.
Shido: No finer friends
or company.
Jeb: When we're out walkin' the dog,...
Shido: What's best about walkin' the dog...
All four: ...is all the doggies and people we meet.
My doggy and me.

[As the song goes on, the four pass by other people walking their dogs]

Shido: Big ones, small ones,
short ones, tall ones.
Sniff! Sniff!
Mana: Smooth or curly,
boy or girly.
Sniff! Sniff!
Kotori: Every shape and color,
every different kind of fur,
every age and every size,
and every him and her!

[As Mana holds Jeb's leash, Shido and Kotori do a dance routine; Kotori then switches places with Mana; afterwards, they continue their walk]

Shido, Kotori, and Mana: We're all out walkin' the dog.
So happy walkin' the dog.
Shido: No finer friends
or company.
Kotori and Mana: When we're out walkin' the dog,...
Shido: What's best about walkin' the dog...
Jeb: ...is all the doggies and people we meet...
Kotori and Mana: As we're walking down off in a street.
All: All the doggies and people we meet.
My doggy and me.
My doggy and me.
My doggy and me.
Shido: Out walkin' the dog.
Jeb: Sniff! Sniff!

[Their walk ends in front of the warehouse; they enter; Jeb sniffs]

Jeb: Mmm... Beef stew!

Shido: [removes Jeb's leash] I betcha that's Tohka.

Tohka: [comes out of the kitchen with a tray of five bowls of beef stew] You just hit the jackpot, Shido! You're just in time for dinner.

[She places the tray on the dinner table; Shido and his sisters take their seats beside Miku; each of the five take a bowl; Tohka offers a small portion of special beef stew in a dog bowl to Jeb]

Tohka: I made this low-sodium portion for you, Jeb. No garlic, no onions.

Jeb: Thanks!

[He eats from his bowl; Tohka smiles, then joins the others at the table for their beef stew dinner]

Shido and all four girls: Thank you for the food!

[They all start eating]

Shido: I've never tasted beef stew this good before. You really outdid yourself this time, Tohka.

Tohka: Thanks, Shido. It's my duty as a future mother to get around to cooking.

Miku: Seeing her cook like that gave me the idea to get around to cooking myself so I can prepare for my child. I just need to go through a few online recipes and some hands-on training with one of you.

Shido: Hmm. Good luck with that, Miku.

[Ellen enters from the orbital elevator]

Ellen: Hey, you guys.

Mana: How's the crew, Ellen?

Ellen: So-so. [sniffs] Is that beef stew?

Tohka: Sure is. Care for a bowl?

Ellen: [takes an empty bowl] Thanks.

[Tohka pours a serving of her stew into Ellen's bowl; Ellen takes her seat at the table]

Ellen: [tastes the stew] Mmm-mmm! Shido's done it again.

Shido: Actually, Tohka did all the cooking.

Ellen: Oh! I never thought you'd be that capable. Anyway, Shido, Mana, the crew has been combing the universe for information on your real parents.

Mana: Have they found anything?

Ellen: [shows copies of the Takamiya couple's profiles] Yes. Their names, their looks, and their alma mater.

[She hands Shido the profile copies; Shido and Mana take a closer look and are surprised]

Shido: Who knew our parents were very devoted?

Mana: Mom looked so beautiful. [tearfully] I can't believe we're finally seeing their faces after all these years.

Shido: Ellen, has the crew found them yet?

Ellen: They're canvassing Tenguu University, the National Institute of Information and Communications Technology-- All of Japan. Whatever news they find, they'll let you know.

Shido: We still gotta find out what ZIEG knows about them.

Ellen: Whatever he knows, it can't be good, knowing him. All the Demonoids he sent out-- They were the most dangerous you faced, even though they never stood a chance against you.

[Meanwhile, at ZIEG's underground base, ZIEG turns to the possessed Delta and Epsilon]

ZIEG: The Demonoids I sent to destroy the Spirit Soldiers were all a complete failure. You two are my last line of defense.

Delta: We don't have any Demonoids of our own, but you can at least send one of us against them.

Epsilon: Or both.

ZIEG: I got word that Westcott has sent JB and her tanks to Central Park. I need you two to assist them. [hands Delta a spare handheld Giga Beam laser] Help them lure those Spirit Soldiers into the park and give them Hell, but bring Gold and the traitor to me.

Epsilon and Delta: It shall be done, Master ZIEG. [vanish]

ZIEG: My revenge will be complete in no time.

[Central Park, 6:02pm]

[The Urien tank leads a fleet of DEM Battle Tanks into the park for an attack]

[Cut to the Urien's cockpit]

JB: Spirit Soldiers, come out, come out, wherever you are! [laughs]

[Suddenly, a giant-sized Delta and Epsilon barge into the scene and block the tanks' path]

JB: Everybody halt!

[The tanks stop]

JB: So, you two must be the Demonoid traitors who abandoned my master!

Delta: ZIEG sent us, Lady JB.

JB: ZIEG? That sleazy charlatan who wasted away his entire army? And who gave you the right to give me an honorific?!

Epsilon: ZIEG sent us to assist you in battle, milady.

Delta: Please allow us.

[JB looks closely at the two Demonoids' red eyes]

JB: [in her mind] Mind control. Well, at least now they'll bend to our will. [aloud] All right, but this is your last chance! Don't fail us again! Now, step aside!

[The Demonoid sisters step aside, allowing the tanks to pass]

[Back at the warehouse, the alarm blares; Shido's group enters the lab and get a transmission from Artemisia]

Artemisia: Central Park is under attack! There's tanks afoot!

[The transmission opens a channel to the attack on Central Park]

Tohka: Wait, those two-- That's Delta and Epsilon!

Shido: The Demonoid sisters!

Miku: Where have they been this past year?!

Origami: They must've gone AWOL. But look at their eyes!

[She zooms in on Delta and Epsilon's red eyes]

Yoshino: They're completely red.

Kotori: The Demonoids must be possessing them as punishment.

Artemisia: You've got to stop them.

Mukuro: We'll do that, Artemisia, but we can't destroy Delta or Epsilon.

Artemisia: Why not?

Kurumi: Those Demonoids are reincarnated from two orphaned prodigy sisters who were killed in the first spatial quake.

[Cut to the Fraxinus bridge]

Artemisia: How can that be?!

Kannazuki: During their battle with Mu, she revealed the truth about Delta and Epsilon, who they were before the spatial quake killed them, and how Prescott had been stalking them for their skills for years. That's when he allowed Westcott to reincarnate them as Demonoids.

Artemisia: But why would they go AWOL, as Origami assumed?

Elliot: Call it a hunch, but I'd say they got their original memories back and ran off. But somehow, the Demonoids found them and forced them to bend to Westcott's will.

Artemisia: [shudders] I say we capture them. Go, Spirit Soldiers!

Shido's group: Roger!

[The transmission ends]

Kawagoe: Guys, a transmission from the Chipmunks. They're near the scene of the attack.

[Said transmission is shown; the Chipmunks are near a memorial with their Battle Spiders]

Alvin: Ratatoskr, this is the Chipmunks. Do you copy?

Artemisia: We read you, Alvin. You had better take your brothers to a safe place.

Simon: We're Spider Riders, Artie. We'll be on standby, just in case.

Theodore: In the meantime, you won't believe what we found.

[The Chipmunks turn attention to the memorial]

Artemisia: A memorial.

Alvin: Not just any memorial.

[He zooms the camera in on two particular names on the memorial]

[The entire crew is in shock]

Artemisia: It... can't be!

[Back at Central Park, the Demonoids' attack commences; civilians retreat for their lives]

JB: Run! Run! Run, chickens! You're not the ones we want, anyway! It's those Spirit Soldiers!

[Suddenly, the Sephira Voyagers fly into the scene, firing lasers at the tanks and giant Demonoids]

Epsilon: They're here!

Delta: Time to destroy them!

JB: All units, fire!

[The tanks fire missiles at the Sephira Voyagers, which repel them with their reflector shields]

Shido: Remember, girls, we can't destroy Delta or Epsilon. We have to capture them and reverse the Demonoids' mind control first.

Tohka: Understood, but considering how strong they are, capturing without destroying them is easier said than done.

Origami: Let's form the Sephira Ultra Robo!

[The voyagers all combine to form the Sephira Ultra Robo]

[Cut to the cockpit with all 12 Spirit Soldiers]

Shido: Tohka, you deal with Epsilon. I'll handle Delta in the Sephira Racer.

Kotori: Leave the DEM tanks to me and the Defender Tank.

[They jump out of the cockpit and into the cockpits of the arriving Sephira Racer and Defender Tank]

Shido: Hey, Delta! Meet the Sephira Racer!

[The Sephira Racer takes on Battle Formation and faces Delta]

Delta: Your new contraption doesn't scare me, Gold!

[She strikes the Sephira Racer with her kanabo staff; the racer strikes back with its saber]

Delta: Our time off has given us more time to plan your demise.

Shido: I know what Westcott did to you before you were reincarnated.

Delta: And I don't care! That's all in the past!

[She and the Sephira Racer continue fighting]

Epsilon: While my sister deals with your leader, the rest of you are mine!

[She fights the Sephira Ultra Robo with her bo staff]

Tohka: Epsilon, before you kill us, you should know, we already destroyed your master's right-hand woman.

Epsilon: So what? LN's death doesn't change anything, other than the fact that we want Ellen destroyed!

Origami: Well, we're not gonna let you even touch her! Not after the hell she went through!

[Back on the ground, the Defender Tank faces the enemy tanks]

Kotori: We meet again, JB.

JB: You're still outnumbered, Red. Not to mention, you're looking at Westcott's new right-hand.

Kotori: Figures you'd take LN's job after we took her out. But that doesn't make you anywhere near as strong as her.

JB: [furiously] Oh, you're in for it now! All units, charge!

[All enemy units charge at the Defender Tank]

Kotori: Firing lasers now!

[Her tank fires lasers at the enemy tanks, hitting them and pushing them back]

Kotori: This is getting way too intense. Bro, let's take this battle to the quarry!

[Cut to the Sephira Racer's cockpit]

Shido: Right! [pushes a button on his Spirit Brace] Sephira Vortex, engage!

[All combatants get transported to Tuckahoe Quarry]

Epsilon: Where the hell'd that move come from?

Delta: I don't know, but at least nothing else will get in our way.

[They slam their staffs to the ground and swing at the Sephira Racer and Sephira Robo, striking them every second]

Tohka: Kotori, are you sure the vortex plan is a good idea?

Kotori: For the good of the nearby civilians, yes! Duh!

Shido: Watch it, Kotori!

JB: And watch this!

[Her Urien rams the Defender Tank hard]

Kotori: Oh, you're in for it now!

[Her tank rams the Urien hard]

Kotori: These tanks aren't bumper cars, you know! Tunneling mode!

[Emerging from the front of the Defender Tank is a large drill; the tank leans forward and burrows underground via the tank]

JB: How does she do that?

[The Defender Tank pops up from beneath the Urien, sending it flying; the Urien lands on the smaller enemy tanks, smashing them to smithereens; the Defender Tank fires its lasers at the Urien, hitting it hard]

Kotori: Give up yet?

[The Urien gets back on its treads]

JB: Not a chance in Hell!

[Her tank fires a barrage of missiles at the Defender Tank, which dodges swiftly]

Kotori: Well, neither am I!

[Both tanks continue towards each other; the Defender Tank retracts its drill; Kotori lowers the windshield and points her Spirit Pistol at the Urien]

JB: [lowers the windshield of her tank and points a gun at Kotori] A gunfight, eh? Okay, I'm game. [opens fire] Take this!

Kotori: [opens fire] Take that!

[Both projectiles pass each other; Kotori reflects the enemy projectile right back at JB with her Sephira Shield; both projectiles miss JB, but blast the Urien control console; the Urien goes out of control as it nears the edge of a cliff]

JB: Master Westcott, she struck the controls! My tank's out of control! Gotta bail out!

[She jumps out of the Urien and vanishes; the Urien engulfs in a massive explosion as it falls off the cliff; the charred remains land on the ground in pieces]

Kotori: That takes care of that. Back to work!

[She jumps back into the Sephira Ultra Robo's cockpit]

Origami: Nice work, Kotori. Now for those two.

[Cut back outside]

Epsilon: Lady JB's defeat won't be in vain.

Delta: Can you handle this move?

[They whip out their Demonoid Cannons and charge them to full power]

Delta and Epsilon: Demonoid Cannons!

[They fire blasts from their cannons at the Sephira Ultra Robo and Sephira Racer, hitting them both hard]

Epsilon: You and your mecha are no match for us!

[The two Demonoid sisters strike the mecha rigorously with their staffs]

[Split-screen to the two cockpits]

Shido: Damn, these two are tough!

Natsumi: Even tougher than last time!

Miku: Apparently, Westcott's hold over them made them even more powerful.

Origami: We'll have to bring our mecha together.

Tohka: After what we did to LN, Westcott may have been expecting that.

Kaguya: I know, Shido, but we have to risk it.

Yuzuru: Addition. Using the Emission Strike would be a big mistake.

Shido: You're right. Let's do this, guys!

All 12 Spirit Soldiers: Combine!

[The two mechas combine to form the Sephira Max Robo]

Spirit Soldiers: Sephira Max Robo, ready!

Delta: LN only lost because she couldn't adjust to that new formation.

Epsilon: We're smarter than that!

[They charge at the Sephira Max Robo, who charges back at them; a fight breaks out]

Delta: You Spirit Soldiers will never defeat the Demonoids!

Epsilon: You may have put an end to Lady LN and Mu, but you only got lucky those times!

Kotori: Luck had nothing to do with it!

[The Sephira Max Robo punches the Demonoids backwards]

Kotori: And besides, she was only that powerful because of a kidnapped ex-Wizard.

Tohka: I killed her after we freed her prisoner. You two, on the other hand, are prisoners yourselves.

Delta: Silence!

[She jumps up and kicks the Sephira Max Robo backwards]

Epsilon: [wallops the Sephira Max Robo with her bo] ZIEG has given us a second chance with Master Westcott!

Shido: ZIEG?! So he's behind your brainwashing!

Delta: Wrong! We pledge our allegiance to the Demonoids by choice! Not by force!

Origami: That's not what Mu told us!

Epsilon: She lied to you, just like she lied to Master Westcott!

Delta: That's why she fell out of Westcott's favor!

Shido: ZIEG's mind control is making you lie! Westcott created Mu, so only he's responsible for all her failures, and her death!

Delta and Epsilon: SHUT UP!

[They fire a massive blast from their Demonoid Cannons at the Sephira Max Robo, hitting it, but the giant mecha absorbs the flames]

Delta: Where the hell'd that come from?!

Kotori: The Sephira Max Robo has the ability to max out its energy with any strong burst of energy you throw at it!

Shido: Now to divert it to a new finisher! Max Gungnir Cannons!

[The Sephira Max Robo's Gungnir Cannons expand]

Delta: CHARGE!

[She and Epsilon charge at the Sephira Max Robo]

[Cut to the cockpit]

Shido: Remember, subdue them, but don't destroy them. Chances are, if they're with ZIEG, they may know what he knows about my real parents.

Origami: Understood.

Shido: Gungnir Cannons, full power!

All Spirit Soldiers: FIRE!!

[Outside, the cannons fire multiple blasts at the Demonoid sisters, hitting them hard and knocking them to the ground; they shrink back down to normal size; the Spirit Soldiers jump out of the cockpit and face them]

Shido: You're coming with us!

Delta: This isn't over, Spirit Soldiers!

Epsilon: We're just getting started!

Delta and Epsilon: See ya! [vanish]

Shido: Damn! Almost.

[The Spirit Soldiers retroform]

Tohka: We'll get 'em soon enough, Shido.

[Mana, Ryouko, Mikie, and Mildred enter with Artemisia]

Mana: Hey, guys!

Mikie: Did we miss anything?

Yoshino: Just Delta and Epsilon, innocent sisters turned into possessed Demonoids.

Natsumi: We tried to capture them, but they got away.

Ryouko: The crew told us the story. It's sad that Westcott would reincarnate two victims of the first spatial quake just to make them do his bidding.

Shido: Anyway, all Demonoid activity has been cleared out. But what are you all doing here?

Mildred: The Chipmunks found another piece of the puzzle concerning your and Mana's parents, Shido.

Ryouko: But you won't believe it.

Shido: Where are the Chipmunks?

Artemisia: Central Park. Prepare to teleport.

[Everyone teleports out]

[Back at Neo-DEM HQ, JB kneels before Westcott]

JB: Please forgive me for the loss of our tank battalion, sir.

Westcott: You disappoint me.

JB: I take it you've heard that ZIEG found Delta and Epsilon and made them his own minions?

Westcott: Yes.

JB: Shall I go down to his hideout and kill them?

Westcott: No. Let them stay. Of course,... this will be their last chance.

[Back at ZIEG's underground base, ZIEG turns to Delta and Epsilon]

ZIEG: Why did you let the Spirit Soldiers get away alive?!

Delta: Their new mecha combo was too much for us to handle.

Epsilon: We had to retreat.

ZIEG: SILENCE! Now they'll be able to find the truth about the Takamiya parents! There's no excuse for your failure!

Delta: It doesn't matter if they know or not. They still don't know the whole truth.

ZIEG: Not now, but their chances of solving the mystery will continue to grow as long as they exist. No one must know the truth. [grimly; clenches his fist] No one.

[Central Park, 6:30pm]

[Shido's group meets up with the Chipmunks]

Shido: What'd you guys find?

Alvin: Come, Shido.

[Everyone heads for the memorial the Chipmunks discovered: The same memorial ZIEG discovered in the previous episode]

Mana: A memorial?

Simon: Flight 5246, December 23rd, 1989. It departed from LaGuardia Airport for Mongolia.

Theodore: The plane never landed. Not a shred of evidence of where it was.

Alvin: Over 200 people on board were declared legally dead two years later. [turns everyone's attention to two particular names; voice breaks] Shido, Mana,...

[Shido and Mana take a closer look at the names:
Kensuke Takamiya (January 10th, 1946-December 23rd, 1989)
Midori Takamiya (November 13th, 1945-December 23rd, 1989)]

[Shido and Mana are in shock and try to fight tears]

Shido: All these years of wondering where our real parents are,...

Mana: Now all we have left is this cold stone with their names on them.

[The others are heartbroken]

Tohka: I know how tough this is for you, Shido. I'm sorry.

[She hugs Shido]

Kotori: Mana...

[She and Mana hug]

Artemisia: From what Shido told me, ZIEG said he knew what happened.

Origami: He must've seen this memorial before we met him.

Ellen: Or it could be that the Demonoids may have something do with their flight's disappearance.

Kotori: Ellen, did ZIEG ever give LN any information on this when you were still her prisoner?

Ellen: No. The earliest I can remember is Westcott introducing LN to him and the other new generals. He also hardly ever talked to LN except when it came to their current Demonoid work.

Shido: It doesn't matter. Our parents are dead.

Mana: We're never gonna see them again.

Ryouko: Be that as it may, we still have to get ZIEG talking. Tell us what he knows about this tragedy.

Shido: You're right, Ryouko. [sighs] C'mon. Let's head back.

[They all set off]


Shido: Next time: Wizard No More.

Last edited by TVLubber (6/09/2023 9:59 pm)


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