Rated TV-14 (DLSV)

Kurumi: Hello, everyone. Remember, when watching the show, the room has to be brightly-lit, and you don't sit 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.

[132 Madison Street, Saturday, September 14th, 6:35am]

[Kurumi practices martial arts on the roof; Shido approaches]

Shido: Morning, Kurumi. You're up pretty early this morning.

Kurumi: Good morning, Shido. I just thought I'd practice on the roof at sunrise to get my mind off the past.

Shido: You had a nightmare, didn't you?

Kurumi: No. But I just can't seem to get Sawa out of my mind. Seeing Mio kill her in front of me all those years ago was what made me the Worst Spirit.

Shido: That's in the past. You can't let that take control of your self-confidence. Remember, all of that was Westcott's fault. If he hadn't summoned Mio in the first place, Sawa would still be with you.

Kurumi: I know. But if there's one good thing that came out of it, it's meeting you, Shido. You, your family, our friends-- Plus, our daughter Kazumi wouldn't even be here.

Shido: Remember, every story has an ending, but in life, every ending is a new beginning. And remember, Sawa will always live on in you, just like Mio will live on in all of us.

Kurumi: [teary-eyed] Thank you, Shido.

[They embrace]

Shido: Let's go back down. All that practice can make you hungry.

Kurumi: Okay.

[They hold hands as they walk back downstairs]

[Neo-DEM Industries HQ, 7:00am]

[ZIEG enters Westcott's office]

ZIEG: I've had my eyes on Spirit Soldier Black, sir, and she has a weakness: Her memory of being the Worst Spirit.

Westcott: Wonderful. Now we need only turn this to our advantage by showing her scenes from her horrifying past.

ZIEG: And once she's lost her confidence,--

Westcott: I'll destroy her.

[Later, back at the warehouse, Origami and Kurumi feed baby formula to Chiyo and Kazumi while Shido serves omelets to his group]

Group: Thank you for the food!

Shido: Dig in, girls!

[Everyone digs in]

[There is a knock at the door]

Shido: Oh, I invited Ai and her group over for breakfast again. It's open!

[Ai, Mai, and Mii enter]

Ai, Mai, and Mii: Good morning!

[They eye the babies; Ai gasps]

Ai: Super genius, you didn't tell me you had a baby!

Origami: This is my daughter Chiyo. She's six months old.

Ai: Oh, she's so cute.

Mai: Kurumi, you have a baby, too?

Kurumi: Mm-hmm. This is Kazumi, and she's four months old.

[Mii fawns over the babies]

Ai: So, who are the proud fathers?

Origami: Actually, they both have the same father.

Ai: Hmm?

[She turns to Shido]

Ai: It was you, wasn't it? I knew how much Origami and Kurumi loved you, so it makes sense that you got them pregnant.

Shido: [sighs] Yes, I did.

Origami: We seduced him.

Kurumi: But we don't have any regrets.

Shido: Nor do I. I have two daughters now.

Kotori: And Mana and I are now proud aunts.

Mana: And I can't wait to get another niece or nephew soon.

Mai: Another?

Tohka: I think now's as good a time as any to tell you all. Miku?

[She and Miku stand up]

Miku: Tohka and I are happy to properly announce that...

Tohka and Miku: We're pregnant!

Ai, Mai, and Mii: OMG!

Shido: When did you girls find out?

Tohka: Just this morning. I got up early and took a pregnancy test. It came back positive.

Miku: Tohka woke me up and showed me. That's when I took my own test, and it came back with the same result.

Mai: Shido, you did them both, didn't you?

Shido: It all started as a simple bath, and then we went all-out.

Yoshino: Congratulations, you two.

Yoshinon: I've never heard such happy news!

Tohka: [sings to the tune of "I've Got a Golden Ticket"]
My longtime wish is coming true.
The same is true for my friend Miku.
This morning, I began to see
a bit of good luck for me.
'Cause I'm gonna have a baby.
I've got a brand-new twinkle in my eye.

Miku: I've never had a chance to shine,
never a happy song to sing.
But suddenly, half the world is mine.
What an exciting thing.
'Cause I'm gonna have a baby.
It's ours, Darling!
I've got a golden sun up in the sky.

Tohka: I never thought I'd see the day
when I would face the world and say
"Good morning! Look at the sun!".
Miku: I never thought that I could be
dancing around for all to see.
'Cause I'd have said it couldn't be done.
Tohka: But it can be done.

[They break into a dance number]

Tohka: We never dreamed that we would be
over the moon in ecstasy.
Miku: But nevertheless, it's there that we
are shortly about to be.
Tohka and Miku: 'Cause we're gonna have our babies.
We're gonna have a chance to make our way.
And with our brand-new babies,
it's a brand-new day.

[They continue dancing]

Miku: [looks out the window] Good morning! Look at the sun!

[Ai, Mai, and Mii smile]

Tohka: 'Cause we'd have said it couldn't be done.
Miku: But it can be done!

Tohka and Miku: We never dreamed that we would be
over the moon in ecstasy.
But nevertheless, it's there that we
are shortly about to be.
'Cause we're gonna have our babies.
We're gonna have our babies.
We're gonna have a chance to make our way.
And with our brand-new babies,
it's a brand-new day!

[They embrace]

[The others applaud; Tohka and Miku take a bow]

Shido: That was marvelous, ladies!

Kurumi: Congratulations, Tohka. Miku. [to her daughter] Did your hear that, honey? You're gonna be a big sister to two new babies.

[Kazumi giggles]

Origami: What a family.

Ai: I'm really happy for you guys.

Mai: We wish you all a future of happiness.

Tohka: Thank you.

Miku: You're too kind.

Ai: Anyway, with that news out of the way, we have something to tell you guys, too. Mii?

[Mii holds up an audio cassette recorder (secretly already recording)]

Shido: An old audio cassette recorder?

Ai: We heard the Spirit Soldiers talking, and what we're gonna do is find voices that match what we heard.

Mai: Then we'll find out exactly who they are.

Mii: Mm-hmm.

Origami: Pardon me, but aren't cassette recorders outdated by digital voice recorders?

Ai: Why waste money on that stuff when you can use what you've already got?

Tohka: They also have them on smartphones, you know.

Mai: Oh, please. Hardly anyone ever uses that thing.

Mii: That's so lame.

Mai: Besides, audio cassettes are still being made and sold to this day, and they're dirt cheap.

Ai: And people still make mix tapes with them.

Tohka: No one's arguing that with you. Just saying. Wanna use cassette tapes? Be our guests.

Ai: Thank you. [takes a bite out of her omelet] Mmm. Pretty cool.

Mana: Kurumi, don't forget, you promised you'd help me practice for my blue belt test later.

Kurumi: Right after breakfast, Mana. Right after breakfast.

Ai: So, like, anyway, to discover the Spirit Soldiers' secret identities, we gotta suspect everyone.

[She, Mai, and Mii stare at each other]

Ai, Mai, and Mii: Nah!

[Back at Neo-DEM HQ, Westcott and LN turn ZIEG's attention to a rectangular object under a black cloth]

Westcott: I have for you the perfect tool with which to shatter Kurumi Tokisaki's confidence. Behold! [removes the cloth] The Mirror of Despair!

ZIEG: What does it do?

Westcott: It's a window into scenes of tragic days. Scenes to break Kurumi's confidence. It's an ancient relic dug up only recently by LN and me.

LN: Centuries ago, our ancestors discovered the mirror and its incredible powers. Anyone who looked into it would see their greatest fears, their dark pasts, etc. One the mages committed suicide as a result of the mirror's spell. Another almost suffered the same fate, until she saw an image that regained her confidence. To ensure no one would ever fall under the spell again, the mages buried it.

Westcott: But I'm not like those mages. Not anymore.

[ZIEG snickers]

[Central Park, 8:44am]

Mana: Kurumi, I've been taking martial arts classes ever since I finished middle school. I wanna use those skills to protect not only myself, but my big brother, and the rest of you. I have to be ready in case my Wizard powers go out for good. But some other students at school don't think I'm ready. They keep teasing me.

Kurumi: They're wrong, Mana. When I was a kid, I was often getting teased about being helpless. But old friends of mine got me interested in martial arts, and it gave me confidence that I could succeed at things. That's important. As long as you have confidence, you can prove those naysayers wrong.

Mana: You have such a way with words. Okay, I'm ready. Let's get to it.

[Later, they practice over the course of a few minutes; despite Mana slipping up at first, she finally starts to catch up with Kurumi; afterwards, they bow to each other]

Kurumi: Nice work, Mana. You'll make blue belt in no time.

Mana: Thank you, Kurumi. I'd better get back to the warehouse. I've still got some homework to finish. [leaves]

Kurumi: I'll meet you there later.

[Back at Neo-DEM HQ, LN hands ZIEG the Mirror of Despair]

Westcott: It's time, ZIEG. Take the Bandersnatch and the Mirror of Despair to Central Park and show Spirit Soldier Black the most traumatic moments of her past. Don't fail me.

ZIEG: Understood, sir.

LN: Then go already! What the hell are you waiting for, a doggie treat?! Get going! Out! Out! Out!

ZIEG: [takes the mirror and leaves] I'm on it.

LN: Decent help is never easy to find these days.

[Back at Central Park, Kurumi jogs in the park, until she runs into ZIEG]

ZIEG: Don't move!

Kurumi: Outta my way, ZIEG. You know you can't beat me.

ZIEG: I've got a big surprise for you. Get her, Bandersnatch!

[Bandersnatch 2.0 units ambush Kurumi and restrain her]

ZIEG: Prepare to meet your end, Spirit Soldier Black! Behold the Mirror of Despair!

[The mirror appears in his hands]

Kurumi: I'm in no mood for your foolishness. My daughter's waiting.

ZIEG: You're confident now, but not for long. Remember this day?

[The mirror shows Kurumi a vision of when she was young; in the vision, a young Kurumi is being teased in elementary school]

Kurumi: Those old memories can't stop me, ZIEG.

ZIEG: Keep her strangled, Bandersnatch!

[The Bandersnatch tighten their grip on Kurumi]

ZIEG: This is just the beginning!

[The mirror shows a vision of Kurumi witnessing the death of her friend Sawa Yamauchi]

Kurumi: Sawa...! No! Don't do this to me!

ZIEG: You see?! Already, your confidence is dropping fast! You can't escape the past!

[Kurumi tearfully grits her teeth]

[Back at Neo-DEM HQ, LN presents Westcott with a new hyena-like Demonoid]

LN: Hyenoid will make the perfect Demonoid to laugh at his victims.

Hyenoid: [laughs] With Spirit Soldier Black outta the way, the other Spirit Soldiers will be easy prey.

Westcott: Remember, don't kill them. Attack and capture. Destroying them is my job and mine alone.

Hyenoid: No need to gimme an order like that, boss. Sometimes humiliation is worse than death! [laughs; vanishes]

[Later, Hyenoid wreaks havoc on Teardrop Park, frightening and laughing at citizens]

Hyenoid: Spirit Soldiers, come out and face me, or admit you're cowards!

[Fraxinus EX, 9:12am]

[Kotori enters the lab, where Karen is nearly finished polishing newly-forged arsenal with Sephira Steel]

Kotori: Karen, any progress with the Reiryoku Armor?

Karen: Almost done polishing, commander. Now, take a look.

[The lab monitor shows blueprints of the completed armor (steel vest and shoulder pads, steel gauntlets, steel boots, and a new cannon)]

Karen: This armor is built for one Spirit Soldier to use at a time. The user is protected against strong Demonoid attacks, and their physical attacks are doubled in strength. And one blast from the Reiryoku Cannon carries power tantamount to that of the Sephira Robo's Gungnir Cannons.

Kotori: Thanks, Karen. It's high time this new arsenal would be ready.

[The alarm blares; the monitor opens separate channels to Kurumi in Central Park and to Hyenoid's attack on Teardrop Park]

Karen: Another Demonoid in Teardrop Park.

Kotori: And Kurumi's in trouble!

[Karen eyes ZIEG holding the mirror]

Karen: Oh, no.

Kotori: What is it?

Karen: The Mirror of Despair! So they finally dug it up.

Kotori: You've heard of it?

Karen: The stories I heard about it back in my old village were true. We need the other Spirit Soldiers.

Kotori: [to her Spirit Brace] Emergency! Spirit Soldiers, report to the Fraxinus lab at once!

[The rest of the gang (minus Kurumi) transports into the lab]

Shido: What's goin' on, Kotori?

Kaguya: Yeah, and where's Kurumi?

Yuzuru: Remark. It's not like her to not show up in an emergency.

Kotori: The emergency is Kurumi!

Karen: ZIEG is using a spell with the Mirror of Despair that Westcott dug up so he can undermine Kurumi's self-confidence.

Origami: How do you know about that mirror?

Karen: Some of my ancestors were under its spell once. After one of them overcame it, they buried it deep underground. But now it's in the hands of the Demonoids.

Natsumi: This is not good.

Nia: Can't you just teleport her back here?

Karen: I could, but she'll still be under the spell.

Mukuro: Then we'll have to go down there and save her.

Karen: The trick is, in order to break the mirror's spell over her, Kurumi has to regain her confidence by herself. The mirror can't be destroyed until then.

Kotori: Nevertheless, there's another emergency that requires our attention.

Karen: Westcott's attacking Teardrop Park with a hyena-like Demonoid who mocks his victims the same way ZIEG is mocking Kurumi.

Shido: All right, girls. It's time to Sephira, GO!

[He, Tohka, Origami, Nia, Yoshino, Kotori, Mukuro, Natsumi, the twins, and Miku get suited up and teleport to Teardrop Park and face Hyenoid and another army of Bandersnatch]

Hyenoid: There you are! In the name of Isaac Westcott and LN, I, Hyenoid, will crush you like flies!

Shido: Keep it together, girls! Let's get 'em!

[He fights Hyenoid as the others fight the Bandersnatch army]

Hyenoid: You guys are pathetic! [laughs]

Shido: You'll regret laughing!

[He continuously jabs Hyenoid with his Spirit Knuckles]

Hyenoid: [laughs] Didn't even hurt! Just tickled!

[He smacks Shido to the ground]

Kotori: [kicks a Bandersnatch down] I'm coming, bro!

[She jumps up and fires a blast from her Spirit Pistol at Hyenoid, who repels with his wrist-mounted shields and punches her to the ground]

Hyenoid: [laughs] You're just a pathetic excuse for a little sister.

[Shido and Kotori get back on their feet]

Shido: Don't you mock my sister that way! Sephira Spear!

[He gets equipped with his spear]

Kotori: Spirit Lance!

[She gets equipped with her lance; both continue fighting Hyenoid]

Hyenoid: [guffaws] Fruitless! Totally fruitless! You two are contemptible!

[The other Spirit Soldiers struggle against the Bandersnatch, but barely make a comeback; Tohka and Miku each kick a unit in the emblem, vaporizing them]

Miku: Way to nail it, Tohka!

Tohka: Us future mamas gotta stick together, Miku.

[They hi-five]

Origami: Back off, bolt-brains!

[She punches six units in the emblem one by one, vaporizing them]

Origami: Who else wants some?!

[Mukuro, Yoshino, and Natsumi each ram one unit into another, ramming them in the units and vaporizing them; Nia and the twins each power-slam a unit to the ground, crushing their emblems and vaporizing them]

Nia: That's the last of 'em. Now it's your turn, Hyenoid!

Shido: You'll be sorry you ever took on the Spirit Soldiers!

Hyenoid: Oh, that's what you think!

[He fights all 11 Spirit Soldiers]

[Back in Central Park, Kurumi continues watching visions of her dark past shown in the Mirror of Despair; among them is Kurumi's past as a Spirit, killing numerous people]

Kurumi: Stop it! Let me go! I can't take it!

ZIEG: The worst is yet to come, Kurumi. This final image will shatter your self-confidence once and for all. That little defector you call a rival-turned-protege is just like you: Severely lacking in confidence! [laughs]

Kurumi: [in tears] No. Not Mana. Please.

[The mirror shows a vision of Mana successfully practicing her martial arts skills on the roof of the warehouse; Kurumi is surprised; ZIEG notices and is shocked]

ZIEG: What's this?! She's doing fine?! How the hell did that scene get in there?!

Kurumi: It's simple. Mana does have confidence. She's always had it, as have I! I'm not falling for your little mirror tricks! I'm not the killer I used to be anymore! I'm strong enough within to handle all your taunting!

[She elbows the Bandersnatch that are strangling her in the emblems, destroying them]

Kurumi: Sephira, GO!

[She gets suited up and slowly walks toward ZIEG]

ZIEG: Don't just stand there, Bandersnatch! Grab her!

[Bandersnatch units charge at her, but Kurumi casually shoots them in the emblems one by one with her Spirit Musket, vaporizing them; as soon as the last one is gone, Kurumi points her musket at the mirror]

ZIEG: What are you doing?!

[Kurumi fires a large blast at the mirror, shattering it to pieces and sending ZIEG flying backwards; he lands on the ground]

ZIEG: Not the mirror!

Kurumi: [points her musket at ZIEG] And I've got more bullets if you want 'em!

ZIEG: Screw this! [vanishes]

[Kurumi's Spirit Brace beeps]

Kurumi: I read you.

Karen: Well done, Kurumi. But you must hurry now. The others need your help at Teardrop Park. You'll need extra power to beat this Demonoid.

Kurumi: I'm on my way!

[She teleports to Teardrop Park, where the other Spirit Soldiers are overwhelmed by Hyenoid]

Kurumi: [fires bullets from her musket at Hyenoid] Surprise!

[The bullets all hit Hyenoid hard]

Hyenoid: Spirit Soldier Black?!

Kurumi: Joke's over! Leave my friends alone!

Hyenoid: [laughs] The joke's on you, Nightmare!

Shido: I knew you'd make it!

Kurumi: Sorry I'm late, but I'm ready for action.

Kotori: Then you'll be the first to test out our new Reiryoku Armor. What do you say?

Kurumi: I'd be honored.

Hyenoid: [laughs] Honored? Whatever you have up your sleeves, I can take it!

Kurumi: Or can you? Reiryoku Armor, energize!

[She gets equipped with the Reiryoku Armor and the Reiryoku Cannon]

Kurumi: What an incredible get-up.

Hyenoid: [laughs] Not gonna do you any good! [whoops as he charges at Kurumi]

Kurumi: Just try.

[Hyenoid strikes her, but the new armor is too strong; Hyenoid's claws break; Hyenoid screams in pain]

Hyenoid: My claws! How dare you!

Shido: And that's just the beginning. Go get him, babe.

Kurumi: It's time to show this clown who gets the last laugh! [points the Reiryoku Cannon at Hyenoid] Reiryoku Cannon, charge!

[The cannon charges]

Hyenoid: [charges at Kurumi again] That's gonna be me!

Kurumi: FIRE!

[The cannon fires a massive burst of spiritual energy at Hyenoid, hitting him hard; Hyenoid screams, falls to the ground, and an explosion is shown; both of his chips fly out of the explosion; Kurumi points the cannon and her musket at the chips]

Kurumi: So long, Hyenoid!

[Her firearms fire upon each chip, vaporizing them both]

Kurumi: Termination complete! Sephira Squadron...!

All 12: Spirit Soldiers!

Shido: Nice work!

Kotori: I knew this Reiryoku Armor would work! C'mon, guys. Let's head back.

[They all teleport out]

[Back at Neo-DEM HQ, Westcott is furious]

Westcott: Another Demonoid destroyed. Another plan ruined.

LN: My apologies for Hyenoid's failure, sir. But this wouldn't have happened if it weren't for ZIEG's incompetence!

Westcott: ZIEG! Get over here!

[ZIEG approaches him; the other generals quietly laugh]

Nervadrone: He's in trouble now.

JB: I knew that mirror wasn't gonna work.

ZIEG: Yes, Mr. Westcott.

Westcott: You call yourself a general? How could you let Spirit Soldier Black destroy the Mirror of Despair?

LN: And you'd better have a good excuse!

ZIEG: Let me explain. A scene appeared in the mirror with the deserter practicing without fear, and--

LN: SILENCE! When Master Westcott wants your feeble excuses, I'll give you some to memorize. Understood?!

ZIEG: Yes.

LN: Good. And the next time you're sent out into the field, don't come back until the job is done!

Westcott: As for you, Spirit Soldiers, mark my words, this is not the end.

[132 Madison Street, 11:35am]

[During Shido's martial arts class, the rest of the gang watches as Shido instructs Mana in her blue belt test; Mana performs her moves with flying colors]

Kotori: Damn, she's getting good at this.

Kurumi: All that practicing is paying off.

[At last, Mana is finished; she and Shido bow to each other]

Shido: Mana Takamiya, with great pleasure, I hereby promote you to the rank of blue belt.

[He wraps the belt around Mana's waist; everyone else applauds]

Shido: Congratulations, kiddo. You've earned it.

Mana: Thanks, Big Brother.

[They embrace; Kurumi walks up to Mana]

Kurumi: Congratulations, Mana.

Mana: I couldn't have done it without you, Kurumi.

Kurumi: Well, you found the confidence within yourself.

Mana: Thank you for everything.

[They shake hands and embrace]

Kurumi: You're most welcome.

[Ai, Mai, and Mii enter, their clothes covered with mud]

Ai: Listen up! Everyone! Our voice recording mission is done!

Mai: And now, we'll expose the true identities of the Spirit Soldiers.

Kurumi: [giggles] What happened to you three?

Ai: Oh, Kurumi, you wouldn't believe the Hell we went through to get voices on tape.

Mai: We called everyone we knew, we interviewed people at the Y, and we even trudged through parts of Central Park, though we also ended up falling in a mud puddle.

Ai: But it's well worth it. The tape, Mii.

[Mii extracts her cassette recorder, which is also pretty muddy]

Mukuro: You mean you think you've figured out who they really are?

Ai: Well, we can't say for sure, but once we play this tape, we'll see if we recognize the voices we heard.

Mai: Roll it, Mii.

[Mii presses the play button on the recorder and turns up the volume, but only distortion is heard]

Mii: NO WAY!

[She opens it and takes out the cassette; it is muddy and eaten and snapped]

Mii: Oh. Gross. Lame tape.

[She tosses the damaged cassette into the wastebasket]

Origami: I did warn them.

Tohka: They'll never learn.

Ai: Can't you do anything right?! Okay. This may be a bump in the road, but we won't give up until we do find the truth. Let's do lunch, girls.

[She, Mai, and Mii exit the warehouse; Tohka jokingly salutes them; Origami giggles]

Kurumi: Good luck, Ai. [giggles]

Shido: Looks like they're gonna need all the help they can get.

Mana: And then some.

[They all laugh]


Nia: Next time: Fire Safety.

Last edited by TVLubber (2/03/2023 3:07 pm)