Rated TV-14 (DLSV)

Yoshino: Hello, everyone. Don't forget, when watching the show, the room has to be brightly-lit.

Yoshinon: And you can't watch 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, Sunday, September 8th, 8:44am]

[Shido's group (minus Yoshino) has breakfast with Tor's group; Yoshino (carrying Yoshinon on her left hand and a special blue lantern) comes out of the room]

Tohka: Good morning, Yoshino. Nothing like sleeping in.

Yoshino: Good morning.

Tomoe: Hey, where'd you get that cool lantern?

Yoshino: Two days ago, I went back to Japan to visit my mother's grave. A distant cousin of hers was there, and she gave me this lantern as a sympathy gift that Mom had left her to give to me. It's been in my family for years.

Yoshinon: According to her cousin, the lantern has great powers.

Miyabi: Wow. That's quite an honor. Could I?

[Yoshino nods and hands Miyabi the lantern]

Miyabi: Wow. Check this out, guys.

Imari: Neat. I heard that for each generation of a family, one is chosen to keep the lantern.

Yoshino: That's what my mom's cousin told me. So keeping the lantern is a big responsibility.

Tor: [looks at a tag with an inscription (in Man'yogana)] Hmm. Interesting inscription. What's it say?

Yoshino: I wish I knew. My mom's cousin says I'm supposed to find out for myself.

[There is a knock on the door]

Lilith: I've got it. [walks up to the door and peers through the hole] Yes?

Ai: We're here about breakfast!

Lilith: [opens the door] Do come in.

[Ai, Mai, and Mii enter; Lilith shuts the door]

Ai: Thanks for inviting us over for breakfast, Shido.

Shido: Anytime, Ai.

Ai: I hope you're not still too sour about what happened at the banquet last weekend.

Mukuro: Let's not dwell on the past and focus on the future.

Mai: Anyway, what you got cooking?

Julie: Pancakes, hash browns, miso soup, and breakfast fried rice.

Sarah: What will it be, ladies?

Ai: We'll just each have a short stack and miso.

Mai: But please, easy on the syrup on mine and Mii's.

Mii: Yeah, it's so lame.

Ai: Do you have apple juice?

Sarah: Yes, we do.

Ai: Three large glasses, please.

[As Sarah serves the trio, Ai notices Yoshino's lantern]

Ai: Hey, cutie. What you got there?

Yoshino: A lantern from my family.

Ai: [eyes the inscription tag] Having trouble with that inscription?

Yoshino: Mm-hmm. I need to figure it out somehow.

Ai: [takes the lantern] Don't worry. I'll help you.

Tohka: Careful, Ai! It's a family heirloom.

Ai: 'Kay. [looks at the inscription] Hmm... Uh... Oh! The inscription says: "Do not try and light up outdated forms of luminescence". [laughs]

[Mai and Mii laugh along]

Mai: A lantern over a flashlight?

Mii: Totes lame.

[She gives Ai a friendly slap on the back, causing Ai to drop Yoshino's lantern; Tsukimi catches it before it hits the ground]

Ai: Ooh! Mii, easy with the back-slapping!

[Mii bows apologetically; the trio eats their breakfast]

Tsukimi: Like Yoshino said, this lantern is an heirloom. [hands it back to Yoshino]

Yoshino: That was close.

Kotori: Well, at least your lantern put those three in their places.

Mana: That's proof it's powerful.

Yoshino: I don't know, Mana. It's hard to understand.

Tohka: You know, Layla knows a friend who can help. I'll call her for the address.

[Neo-DEM Industries HQ, 8:55am]

[LN has seen it all]

LN: I'll show Spirit Soldier Blue the true powers of that little lantern. JB, Nervadrone, ZIEG, find that lantern, wherever it is, and bring it back here.

JB: Yes, LN. Let's go, troops.

[She, Nervadrone, and ZIEG leave the base]

LN: Once I have that lantern, Westcott and I will use its power to make mattress stuffing out of those Spirit Soldiers.

Ellen: [inside LN] I won't let that happen.

[Forest Hills Gardens, 9:58am]

[Tohka and Yoshino approach a house with a large garden]

Tohka: From what Layla told me, Iju is a very amazing guy. He'd been a gardener for over 30 years, and he's an aspiring author.

Yoshino: I'm sure he'll be truly amazing if he knows what this inscription means.

Tohka: If anyone can do it, it's Iju.

[She knocks on the door; Iju opens the door and comes out; Iju closes the door]

Iju: [bows] Tohka, welcome.

[Tohka bows back]

Tohka: Pleasure to see you again, Iju. This is my friend Yoshino.

Yoshino: [bows] Hello.

Yoshinon: And I'm Yoshinon. [bows]

Yoshino: She's my puppet, given to me by my late mother. [hands Iju her lantern] Mom also left me this lantern.

Iju: [inspects the lantern] Tohka was right. You really have a very special lantern. Follow me to my garden.

[Tohka and Yoshino follow him to his garden; there are several lanterns hanging]

Yoshino: Iju, you've got quite a collection of lanterns.

Iju: I see you're fond of things of beauty, Yoshino. [shows one of his lanterns] This one in particular is my favorite. My very first lantern. It was given to me by my father on my third birthday. Its inscription describes courage. [reads the inscription on the tag of said lantern] "The beast you fear is only as dominant as your imagination." What does it mean to you?

Yoshino: It's hard to understand, but it sounded like fear is only as strong as how you think of it.

Tohka: Very good.

Iju: And belief is what makes it so.

Tohka: Iju, we were wondering if you could tell us what the inscription says on Yoshino's lantern.

Yoshino: A relative of mine told me I had to find its meaning for myself. But I'm stuck.

Iju: Hmm. [reads the inscription on Yoshino's lantern] "The torch may light your path, but the soul must light your way." [hands Yoshino back her lantern] These words are wise and strong, but remember, they are only words. Like before, you must discover what this means to you.

Tohka: And belief is what makes it so.

Iju: Be patient, Yoshino. These ancient words will reveal themselves with time. Now, if you'll excuse me, I must tend to the next chapter of my book.

[All three bow; Iju leaves]

Tohka: Thanks, Iju. [turns to Yoshino] I should mention, Iju's advice doesn't always make sense until, at most, two days later.

Yoshinon: Good, 'cause it sure doesn't now.

Yoshino: I'm sure it will.

[Suddenly, Bandersnatch units appear, alongside JB, Nervadrone, and ZIEG]

Tohka: Oh, great. Company.

Yoshino: [puts down her lantern and puts Yoshinon in her purse] Time to go all-out.

Tohka and Yoshino: Sephira, GO!

[They get suited up and fight the Bandersnatch]

JB: Okay, you two. While they're distracted, find that lantern.

[Her fellow generals enter the garden and observe the lanterns]

Nervadrone: How can we tell which one is the one we're after?

ZIEG: I say we take all of them. I doubt LN will yell at us if we do. [grabs the one Yoshino left] Grab every lantern you can find, and leave no stone unturned!

[They raid the garden, grabbing every lantern in sight; as soon as every one is acquired, they rush out of sight with JB, taking the lanterns with them]

[Back at the Bandersnatch fight, Tohka and Yoshino take down Bandersnatch after Bandersnatch, until they are destroyed]

Tohka: That's the last of them.

Yoshino: Now for JB and the others.

[They look around, but the generals are nowhere in sight]

Tohka: No one. Retroform!

[She and Yoshino retroform; Yoshino takes Yoshinon out of her purse and slips her back on her left hand; they suddenly notice that the lanterns are missing]

Tohka: The lanterns! They're gone!

Yoshino: [looks around] Mine, too! [falls to her knees] Those Bandersnatch were just decoys so they could steal it.

Tohka: I'm sorry, Yoshino.

Yoshino: I swore in front of my cousin that I wouldn't let anything happen to it, and now it's gone. I shouldn't have let it out of my sight.

Tohka: Don't be so hard on yourself, honey. We'll find it.

Yoshinon: But what would the Demonoids want with a lot of lanterns?

[Ai, Mai, and Mii enter]

Tohka: What are you guys doing here?

Ai: Oh, we were just in the neighborhood seeing new sights and checking out beautiful gardens.

Mai: What's wrong with Yoshino?

Tohka: A bunch of irreplaceable lanterns have been stolen. One of them was Yoshino's.

Ai: Oh, bummer. Tell you what, we'll find them. But Yoshino, please take my advice and come into the 2010s.

Mai: Ever hear of flashlights? No lantern can beat that.

Mii: So lame.

Ai: C'mon, girls. Let's go hunting.

[She and the other two leave]

Tohka: Come on, Yoshino. We'd better get to the Fraxinus and let everyone know.

[She and Yoshino transport out]

[Elsewhere in the neighborhood, JB is furious at Nervadrone and ZIEG]

JB: Look at this mess, you brainless bots! Who said you could take all these lanterns?! We only wanted one! Now, find the right one, or I'll short-circuit you both!

[She tosses a lantern out of sight, unaware it is Yoshino's lantern; it lands right in front of Ai, Mai, and Mii]

Mai: Whoa! That one scared the crap outta me!

Ai: [grabs the lantern] This must be one of the stolen lanterns.

[She turns around and notices the Demonoid generals]

Ai: Mai, Mii, look.

[Mai and Mii notice the Demonoids]

JB: Forget it! Let's take 'em all and let the higher-ups decide. Then we'll bring the others back.

[She and her fellow Demonoids vanish, taking the lanterns with them]

Mai: Demonoids!

Ai: So they stole the lanterns.

Mii: That's so lame.

Mai: What the hell would they want with those lanterns?

Ai: I don't know, Mai. We'd better stay here until they come back.

[Fraxinus EX, 10:15am]

[Shido's group is gathered at the bridge]

MARIA: It's pretty much likely that the Demonoids only want Yoshino's lantern, not the others.

Origami: I'm betting it has to do with the lantern's great powers. That's what Yoshino's cousin told her.

Karen: Impressive deduction, Origami. If this is the case, we have to retrieve it before the Demonoids can harness its power.

Miku: I say we get them all back.

Tohka: Yeah, those lanterns mean a lot to Iju. But who knows what the Demonoids have done with Yoshino's by now.

[Back at Neo-DEM HQ, Westcott looks through the pile of stolen lanterns]

Westcott: Why did you three bring back so many lanterns? How am I supposed to know which one has the great powers?

Nervadrone: The garden guy said they were all powerful.

LN: Just consider yourselves lucky I have a natural gift for sensing remarkable energy.

[She looks through the lanterns until she picks up a bright blue lantern]

LN: This is the one.

JB: [picks up a red lantern] Doesn't this one match the drapes?

LN: I know what I'm doing, JB, so just zip it!

Westcott: Enough! LN, create a Demonoid out of that lantern at once. The rest of you, get the rest of these out of my base!

[JB, Nervadrone, and ZIEG vanish, taking the other stolen lanterns with them; LN takes the last one to her office]

LN: Yoshino Himekawa is so loyal to this lantern, she won't find it in her heart to destroy Lantron. Lantron's gonna light your way to the valley of the dead, Spirit Soldiers! [laughs]

[Later, back at Forest Hills Gardens, Ai, Mai, and Mii continue looking for the stolen lanterns, until they return to the scene of the crime; the stolen lanterns are back where they belong Iju inspects them]

Ai: Hey! How'd those lanterns come back all of a sudden?

Iju: Are you detectives?

Ai: No, sir, but we volunteered to help find these missing lanterns. It looks as though someone had already returned them.

Iju: Yes, it's a mystery as to why they were even stolen in the first place. Tohka told me all about it. Thankfully, they are all back, safe and sound. Except for one, though.

Ai: [holds up Yoshino's lantern] Could it be this one?

Iju: No. A young lady came by with that same lantern to show it to me and ask if I could help translate. The one I am missing is almost like that one.

Mai: Oh. Well, don't worry. We'll find it.

Iju: That really won't be necessary, ladies. There will be other lanterns. That one hardly had any meaning, compared to the others.

Ai: Okay. We'll just get out of your way.

[The trio exits]

Ai: Well, so much for the lantern hunt.

Mai: At least we found that one.

Ai: Obvi, it's Yoshino's. C'mon, let's get back to the warehouse.

[Suddenly, a lantern-like Demonoid appears before them]

Lantron: Hiya, ladies!

Ai: D-D-D-D-D-Demonoid!

Mai: Shaped like a giant lantern!

Mii: So scary and so lame!

Ai: RUN!

[They rush out, dropping the lantern; Lantron shrugs and continues looking around]

[On Seasongood Road, Tohka and Yoshino look around]

Tohka: Yoshino, what good is it gonna do if we keep looking? MARIA and Karen said they'd let us know if anything happens.

Yoshino: I feel responsible, Tohka. If the Demonoids use my lantern's power for evil, mankind could be in danger.

Tohka: I understand. Let's keep looking.

[Ai, Mai, and Mii rush up to them]

Ai: Call 911! Call 911! There's a Demonoid in Puritan Avenue!

Mai: He's big, shaped like a lantern!

Mii: So ugly, so lame!

[They rush to find a place to hide]

Yoshino: A Demonoid shaped like a lantern? [gasps]

Yoshinon: Contact the others fast!

Tohka: [to her Spirit Brace] This is Tohka. Do you read me?

[Cut back to the Fraxinus with the others]

Shido: [responds] Go ahead, Tohka. What's up?

Tohka: Ai and her group said they saw a lantern-shaped Demonoid in Puritan Avenue.

[The Fraxinus monitors open a channel to Puritan Avenue where Lantron is on the loose]

Shido: We're on our way, girls! Sephira, GO!

[He, Origami, Nia, Kurumi, Kotori, Mukuro, Natsumi, the twins, and Miku get suited up and transport out]

Yoshinon: Let's head this creep off!

Tohka and Yoshino: Sephira, GO!

[They get suited up and teleport to Puritan Avenue, where they meet up with the others]

Yoshino: Sephira Squadron...!

Spirit Soldiers: Spirit Soldiers!

Lantron: Greetings, Spirit Soldiers! I am Lantron!

Natsumi: Looks as if the Demonoids customized your lantern, Yoshino.

Kotori: We're here to trash your lights, Lantron!

Lantron: Do your worst. Not that it'll do you any good, anyway.

Yoshino: Wait, guys. Don't attack him. Maybe we can find a way to stop him without destroying my lantern. I have to save it if I can.

Lantron: I'd be happy to replace your lantern. I'll look great in your rec room, after I've wrecked all 12 of you! [laughs] FIRE!

[He unleashes strobes of flaming light at the Spirit Soldiers, who narrowly dodge]

Yoshino: You shouldn't use the lantern's powers like that!

Lantron: Then how 'bout like this?

[He fires his strobes of light in a different way, hitting the Spirit Soldiers]

Miku: That's one strong lantern, I'll admit.

Lantron: Just wait'll you get a load of my high beams!

Kaguya: We gotta fall back and regroup!

Yuzuru: Objection! It won't work! He'll just come after us.

Yoshino: Wait. According to the lantern's inscription, the soul lights the way. It's not the lantern that has the power. It's me.

Lantron: What, you need another demonstration of my great power, kid?

Yoshino: My lantern is just an object, to remind me of the power I possess.

Shido: Let's dim his light, guys!

[The Spirit Soldiers fight Lantron, who knocks each of them to the ground]

Yoshino: [gets back on her feet] You're just a worthless walking lampshade, Lantron. Spirit Axe!

[Her Spirit Axe appears; she and Lantron fight]

Tohka: That's the way to do it, Yoshino!

Nia: All right! Go get him, girl!

Lantron: Make light of me, will ya?!

[He and Yoshino trade jabs; he grabs Yoshino's left hand]

Yoshino: Wrong hand.

Lantron: Sorry.

[Using her left hand, Yoshino flips Lantron on his back]

Lantron: I'll dim you for that!

Yoshino: Ice Strike!

[She strikes Lantron with her axe]

Yoshino: Firearm mode!

[She converts her axe to firearm mode]

Yoshino: Sephira Freeze!

[Her axe fires a cold blast at Lantron, freezing him before he can make another move]

Yoshino: What's wrong? Having a little power failure?

[Lantron struggles to move]

Shido: We'd better bring our weapons together before he breaks outta that ice.

[He, Tohka, Origami, Yoshino, Miku, and Kotori combine their weapons]

Yoshino: Sephira Bazooka! Lock on target!

[She locks on to Lantron]

Spirit Soldiers: FIRE!

[The Sephira Bazooka fires a massive blast of spiritual energy at Lantron, hitting him hard; Lantron engulfs in an explosion; one of his chips flies out and shatters to pieces]

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

LN: The Spirit Soldiers can't get rid of Lantron that easily. Fire the Giga Beam!

[JB pushes the Giga Beam button; back at Forest Hills, Lantron's remaining chip reassembles him; the Giga Beam hits Lantron, enlarging him]

Lantron: I'm back and brighter than ever!

Yoshino: Send in the Sephira Voyagers!

[Sephira Voyagers Gold, White, Blue, Red, Fuchsia, and Violet fly into the scene]

Tohka: Initiate Sephira Robo transformation!

[The six Sephira Voyagers combine to form the Sephira Robo; all 12 Spirit Soldiers jump into the cockpit]

Lantron: Come and get me, Spirit Soldiers!

[Suddenly, Mana, in her Vanargandr CR-Unit, flies into the scene]

Mana: Hey, Big Brother! I thought you could use some quick assistance!

Lantron: Ah, you're just a measly little target.

[He unleashes his balls of light at the Sephira Robo and Mana, hitting them]

[Cut to the Sephira Robo's cockpit]

Tohka: That did some serious damage!

Mana: Let me at him, guys!

[The Spirit Soldiers watch as Mana charges at Lantron]

Shido: All right! Go get him, Mana!

[Outside, Lantron fires his light balls at Mana, who dodges every one]

Mana: Wolftail!

[She strikes Lantron with her blade and kicks him; Lantron slaps her back; Mana brushes off the damage dust from her arms]

Lantron: I don't care if you're a Ratatoskr Wizard. You're just a little dim bulb.

Mana: What did you say?! [growls]

[Her power levels rise]

Mana: No one calls Mana Takamiya a dim bulb and lives on to brag about it! Fenrir: Lightning Field!

[Fenrir, the mechanical jaw on her left arm, opens up and glows; she spins around in a square around Lantron, surrounding him with streaks of lightning]

Lantron: What a cheap-ass trick!

Mana: You'll regret making me mad, Lantron! FIRE!

[Fenrir bombards Lantron with massive blasts of energy; Lantron screams as he takes the blasts; Mana flies into the Sephira Robo's cockpit]

Shido: Good girl, Mana! Let's finish him off!

Yoshino: Bring on the saber!

[Outside, the Sephira Robo gets equipped with its glowing saber]

Lantron: You brats'll never get me!

Yoshino: Time to pull your plug, Lantron!

All Spirit Soldiers and Mana: Spiritual Strike!

[The Sephira Robo strikes Lantron with its saber; Lantron screams, falls to the ground, and an explosion is shown; his last chip pops out of the smoke; Yoshino jumps out of the cockpit with her axe in hand, standing on top of the Sephira Robo]

Yoshino: You may be a family heirloom, but a lantern is only as strong as its owner.

[She jumps up and raises her axe]

Yoshino: So long, Lantron!

[She slices the chip in half with her axe and lands safely on the ground; the chip vaporizes; the other Spirit Soldiers and Mana jump out of the cockpit and join Yoshino]

Mana: Good work, guys. The Demonoid's lantern is no more.

Yoshino: Termination complete! Sephira Squadron...!

All 12 Spirit Soldiers: Spirit Soldiers!

[They all transport out; the Sephira Robo poses triumphantly, then transports out; back on the ground, Ai, Mai, and Mii come out of their hiding spot; they have seen the whole fight]

Ai: Did you guys see that?!

Mai: The Spirit Soldiers!

Mii: Wow!

Mai: Ai, nobody's gonna believe this.

Ai: We'll prove it, Mai. You guys heard their voices when they battled on the ground. They're real people. If we can hear 'em, we can touch 'em. Girls, we've got plans to plan. Oh, but first...

[She picks up Yoshino's lantern that she dropped]

Ai: Yoshino.

[The trio heads out]

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

LN: How dare that little traitor intervene!

JB: Traitor?

LN: She deserted DEM Industries in Westcott's previous life and has turned on us ever since.

JB: Let me see that footage.

[The monitor replays the giant battle; JB pauses at the point where Mana shows up and zooms in on her]

JB: [in her mind] It's... her!

[132 Madison Street, 11:34am]

[Yoshino sits at the dining table with Tohka and Shido]

Tohka: Yoshino, we're so proud of you. I know how hard it was to destroy your lantern.

Yoshino: Me, too, but once I figured out the lantern was just a symbol of the Himekawa family's strength and courage, it was easy.

Shido: It's sad, though, having to get rid of your family heirloom. I wish we didn't have to demolish it.

Yoshinon: Don't worry. It's just a lantern.

Yoshino: Everything it represented is in me. And more importantly, we're all safe.

Tohka: Most def.

[She kisses Yoshino on the cheek; the rest of Shido's group, carrying bags of fast food, approaches with Ai, Mai, and Mii]

Kotori: Sorry we're late, guys. There was a line at the counter, and we ran into these three on the way back.

Mana: They insisted on following us here.

Ai: After that lantern Demonoid got blown up, it was much safer to go back and pick this up.

[She hands Yoshino back her lantern]

Yoshino: My lantern!

Yoshinon: I thought it was destroyed!

Mai: What made you think that?

Nia: The Demonoids stole it to turn it into a Demonoid, and it had to be destroyed.

Origami: Apparently, they stole so many lanterns, they ended up picking the wrong one.

Mii: They're so lame.

Ai: Anyway, before we picked up the lantern, we saw the most amazing thing. 12 superheroes in colored spandex fighting against the lantern Demonoid. And they call themselves the Spirit Soldiers.

Mai: Those guys are, like, our heroes!

Mii: Mm-hmm! Mm-hmm!

Ai: And then it hit us. We've decided that we're gonna discover the Spirit Soldiers' secret identities.

Shido: Oh. Well, good luck with that.

Mai: Thanks, Shido.

Ai: C'mon, girls. Let's roll!

[She and her group exit the warehouse]

Shido: Guys, we'd better start keeping tabs on those three.

Tohka: Who knows if they'll actually find out we're actually the Spirit Soldiers?

Kurumi: Whatever it takes, we'll make sure they don't find out.

[The others nod]


Kurumi: Next time: Kurumi and the Mirror of Despair.

Last edited by TVLubber (8/31/2022 5:56 pm)