01x08 - The Beautiful Girl on the b*ttlefield

[bunniefuu]

[bells jingle]

[chimes tinkling]

[pop]

[funky adventurous music playing]

Time Patrol, Bon, Bon ♪

Bon, Bon, Bon, Bon ♪

Time Patrol, Bon, Bon, Bon, Bon ♪

Time Patrol, Bon, Bon ♪

Bon, Bon, Bon, Bon ♪

Time Patrol, Bon, Bon, Bon, Bon ♪

Bon, Bon ♪

Bon, Bon, Bon, Bon ♪

Come on ♪

[upbeat retrowave music playing]

[music fades out]

[funky adventurous music continues]

Time Patrol, Bon, Bon ♪

Bon, Bon, Bon, Bon ♪

Time Patrol, Bon, Bon, Bon, Bon ♪

Time Patrol, Bon, Bon ♪

Bon, Bon, Bon, Bon ♪

Time Patrol, Bon, Bon, Bon, Bon ♪

Come on ♪

Come on ♪

Bon, Bon ♪

- Come on ♪

- [music fades out]

[tranquil instrumental music playing]

[sighs]

- [Yoko] Hey, Bon!

- Mm.

Hi, Yoko.

You don't look very happy today.

Something getting you down?

The social studies homework.

The interview.

You haven't done it yet?

It just seems so boring.

Asking old people questions

about what their life was like

when they were our age.

[downcast] I don't see the point.

I had fun. My interviews were a blast.

Imagine living without the internet,

or just trying to manage your social life

without a cell phone.

Why would I wanna learn

about such a boring time?

So you procrastinated

just because it sounded boring?

Yeah. And now I have to

talk to the 90-year-old

no one else wanted to interview.

[Yoko] Oh, yeah.

That's Ms. Akiko Shikishima, right?

She's quite sharp for her age,

and she's also very independent.

[grumbles glumly]

[Bon] Well, whatever.

It's still going to be a drag.

Plus, I have English homework to do too.

I'm sure it'll be fine.

How about if I come with you?

[music fades out]

THE BEAUTIFUL GIRL ON THE b*ttlefield

SHIKISHIMA

[Akiko] Well, it took you

an awfully long time to come see me.

I'd presumed the assignment was over.

Oh, it's not. Here I am.

- All right. Come this way.

- [Bon murmurs hesitantly]

[whispers] See? She doesn't act

like she's in her 90s.

- [Akiko] Coming?

- [both gasp]

[both] Uh, yeah!

Yes, it's true.

The world was in great chaos

when I was your age,

and it was a challenging time to grow up.

Everyday life was a struggle.

There wasn't enough food.

There wasn't enough time

for fun or for romance.

"No food, fun, or time for romance."

[Akiko] But I'd fallen in love

with foreign language novels

by a very young age.

And that passion led me

to become an English teacher.

- Wow!

- "Then became an English teacher."

Hmm? An English teacher?

So you can read and write fluently?

- [Akiko] Of course.

- Really? Great.

Then I bet you can translate

these sentences for me.

Bon! What do you think you're doing?

That's so rude. You have no manners.

[Bon] What?

You can't possibly need help

for something so basic.

- Uh.

- [Akiko] Here.

[murmurs nervously]

Try to figure it out on your own,

and I will help you

if you get into trouble.

Huh? But that's not

[Akiko] You get working,

and I'll bring us back some tea.

- [Bon] Uh

- [shoji opens]

[grumbles glumly]

- [shoji closes]

- So unfair.

- Teachers are all the same.

- [chuckles]

Look at it this way.

Now you'll finish

both of your homework assignments.

[grumbles glumly]

It's kind of sad

when you really think about it.

[Bon] Hmm?

[Yoko] She lives in this lovely,

big house all by herself.

[Bon] Huh. Really?

Doesn't she have any family?

[Yoko] I don't think so.

Maybe she just outlived everybody else.

[Yoko] Maybe.

But she also never got married.

You know a lot about her.

Actually, my grandmother talks to me

about her sometimes.

[hushed] Keep this to yourself.

Akiko is the heroine

of a tragic love story.

She is? Really?

Mm-hmm. She was engaged as a young woman.

And then she tragically lost her fiancé.

She's been single ever since he

Hmm? Ever since what?

Uh, Yoko?

Mm Mm.

- [Buyoyon] Aha! Found you!

- [gasps]

My intuition was right yet again.

- [gasps]

- We've been looking for you, Bon.

What are you doing? Unbelievable.

Why would you just show up

in front of my friend like this?

Oh, settle down.

We've got Time Lock on, of course.

We've gotta go now.

We even brought your boat for you.

- [whoosh]

- [Bon] Guh!

So where are we going today?

[Ream] To Okinawa.

We're traveling back to May 25th, 1945.

1945?

Okinawa?

[Buyoyon] It's toward the end

of the Pacific w*r.

[Ream] You've heard of

the Kamikaze Special Attack Corps?

They crashed their planes

into the enemy's battleships and died.

In other words, they were human bombs.

The kamikazes, huh?

In the very last stage of the w*r,

there were many young men

who died carrying out this special attack.

And when I say they were young,

I mean they weren't much older

than we are now.

We're to rescue Ensign Sakuragi

of the Imperial Japanese Navy,

who is taking part in the seventh attack,

called "Operation Kikusui VII."

[Buyoyon] Sakuragi was ordered

to join the attack on the American fleet

off the coast of Toguchi.

[Time Boats whoosh]

[gasps]

- [somber music playing]

- [Bon] This is awful.

[Ream] The naval bombardment at the time

of the American landing was fierce.

It's been two months since then,

and most of the main island

has fallen into American hands.

The Japanese forces

are desperately fighting

to defend the Shuri Line,

but it will be breached

before the end of this month.

- [Bon] You say it like it's nothing.

- [Ream] Because that's just history.

Uh Huh?

What's going on over there?

What are those black things?

- [distant explosions]

- [gasps] We've gotta hurry!

The kamikaze attack has already started!

[somber music continues]

[fighter planes rumbling]

[gasps]

[descending roar]

[murmurs anxiously]

[Bon] The planes are getting shot down

one after another!

We have to help them,

or they're all gonna die!

We're only looking for Ensign Sakuragi,

so stay focused!

Why would we pick and choose like that?

We gotta save everyone if we can!

On every falling kamikaze plane

and on every battleship under attack,

there are people on board!

[soldiers screaming]

[Bon] And each and every one of them

has a family back home!

- [Ream] Stop yelling at me!

- [Bon gasps]

You don't think I'm feeling

all the same things you are?

Uh. [sighs]

To save someone, we need a guarantee

from the Time Patrol Research Office.

We must avoid the risk

of changing history at all costs.

Nineteen hundred planes

went on a kamikaze mission

during the Battle of Okinawa.

And we're only here to save one of them.

It's horrible.

- [men straining]

- [soldier] Serg! Serg!

[Ream] But that's what we must do.

[heavy a*tillery fire]

[shell clangs]

- [expl*si*n echoes]

- [gasps]

How could anybody deal with this?

Maybe I'm not cut out

to be a Time Patrol Agen

Aah!

Aah!

[Ream gasps]

[grunts]

[Time Boat whooshes]

Are you nuts? We're on a b*ttlefield, Bon!

Sorry.

Hey! I just found Ensign Sakuragi!

Where is he?

Over in that plane!

[Bon grunts]

[Buyoyon] Any second now,

he's going to crash into a destroyer.

Then what are we waiting for?

[descending roar]

[both] He's been shot!

[dramatic music playing]

He's heading to the island.

He must've lost control of the plane!

[plane rumbling, sputtering]

Oh no. He's gonna crash into the mountain!

Time Lock on!

[ethereal thrum]

[zap]

[both sigh]

I have to undo the Time Lock on Sakuragi.

[ethereal thrum]

[Bon] Hey. He's moving.

He made it. He's alive.

[grunting]

Whoa-oh! Uh!

[Bon] Oh no!

- [thrum]

- [melodic trill]

[Ream] I'll make him land in slow motion.

Good thinking.

His safe landing's been confirmed.

Time Lock off!

- [ethereal thrum]

- [zap]

[rumbles]

- How is he?

- [Bon] Mm.

Well, his wounds aren't too bad.

Yeah. I think we can take care of them

with the instant healing agent.

[Ream] I think we've given him

enough treatment.

[Bon] Let's keep an eye on him

a little while longer.

If the Americans rescue him,

they'll send him home eventually.

[Buyoyon] Buyo.

[solemn music playing]

[groans softly]

[inhales softly]

[Bon] Look. He's awake.

[gasps]

[Ream] Seems he can't believe

he survived that crash.

[exhales]

- [distant expl*si*n]

- [gasps]

I won't become their prisoner.

[Bon] Huh? Why is he checking his g*n?

[g*n c*ck]

[both gasp]

- [Bon] Huh!

- [ethereal thrum]

[zap]

- [Bon] Wait! Wait!

- [hurried footsteps]

I thought if we saved him,

he'd wanna live.

Japanese soldiers preferred to die

with their pride intact.

They couldn't endure the dishonor

of being captured by the enemy.

[ethereal thrum]

[p*stol clicks]

[grunts]

[grunts, sighs]

[murmurs angrily]

Ugh!

[groans despairingly]

[grunts angrily]

[melancholy music playing]

[Ream] Where could he be going?

[music fades out]

- [distant birds calling]

- [insects chirping]

[Bon] I wonder if he's trying to regroup

with other Japanese soldiers.

[Ream] There aren't any.

The American troops have gained

complete control of this area.

[Bon] Well, he doesn't exactly look like

he's planning to turn himself in.

[somber violin music playing]

[flies buzzing]

[grumbles softly]

- [approaching rumble]

- [gasps, grunts]

[squelch]

- [rumbling distancing]

- [gasps]

[tense music playing]

Clearly, he has no interest

in surrendering to anyone.

[Buyoyon] We have to do something.

It's time.

- [Bon] Ensign Sakuragi.

- Stay back!

Uh, we're not your enemy.

We're here to help you.

But there isn't enough time

to explain everything.

Huh? How could these children

end up in a w*r zone?

[grumbles] No! Stop! Stop!

- [pounding]

- I must've hit my head when I crashed.

Calm down.

They're not really here.

[scoffs] And I don't have time

for hallucinations.

[both] Uh

[Bon] Please stop.

Listen to us for a minute.

[Ream] You're not going to

keep fighting, are you?

The moment your plane got shot down,

your job was officially over.

It's pointless for you to die now.

Because no matter what you do today,

the fighting in Okinawa

is going to come to end next month.

This will all be over soon.

The w*r is gonna end on August 15th.

[Sakuragi] What did you say?

Uh, well it ends

with the unconditional surrender of Japan.

Did you say Japan will lose?!

[all murmur in terror]

- How dare you? You b*stards!

- [tense music playing]

Japan is a divine nation!

We shall prevail!

[growls]

- [Ream gasps]

- Oh. I get it.

You! You must be an American.

Well I

I knew something was wrong.

You two, you're enemy spies.

[both] No, no, no, no, no!

- Liars!

- [both whimper]

[Bon] Aah!

- Stop right there! [pants]

- [Bon murmurs nervously]

Maybe we shouldn't have told him!

- [rustling]

- [Bon panting]

[Time Boats whir]

[Bon grunts]

Come back, cowards!

[breathing heavily]

[huffs]

[groans wearily]

[grunts]

[katana clacks]

[birds chattering]

- [crickets chirping]

- [bird hooting]

All right. I shall die

in this place, then.

I shall attack on my own with this sword

and die a glorious and honorable death.

[bird calls continue]

Oh, Akiko.

Are you at home

looking up at this same moon?

[beeping faintly]

[Akiko] What?

You leave tomorrow?

Yes.

I ship out early,

so I have to pack tonight.

So soon? That's just not fair.

But that's the way it is.

It's the age we live in.

- [poignant music playing]

- [Akiko] Hmm.

[Sakuragi] Listen, Akiko,

I'm not saying

this is going to happen, but

please don't mourn me forever

if I don't make it back alive.

[gasps] Why would you say

such a horrible thing?

- [sobs]

- [Sakuragi gasps]

[sobbing]

If you die, then I'll [sobs]

You're making this harder

than it needs to be.

- Please stop.

- [murmurs]

Look around.

How can I not want

to protect our beautiful country?

I would gladly give up my life to save it.

Come on. See me off with a smile?

[Bon grumbles]

This is what Ensign Sakuragi's

thinking about now.

It's transmitted

through the device I cast earlier.

[Bon] Hmm

What is it?

It's just that the cedar tree on the hill,

it looks a lot like the one

that was cut down in our village.

Oh! That's it. He's in my neighborhood.

Huh?

Before all the housing complexes

were built.

Hang on.

That girl

He called her Akiko, right?

- Akiko Akiko

- Yeah. What about her?

I think I might know her!

That's Akiko Shikishima.

She's the old lady I was with today

when you showed up.

- [Ream] Huh?

- [Buyoyon] What?

[Time Boats whir, whoosh]

Well, if that's who she is,

she might save this mission.

Let's go find out.

[whoosh]

[grunts] We should split up.

Look around. Search for clues.

[bright upbeat music playing]

[Buyoyon grunts]

I found them!

MAY 3, 1945

[Bon] No doubt about it now.

[both] Hmm.

[drone whizzes]

- [Time Boats whir]

- [Ream] All right. Now, back to Okinawa.

[music fades out]

[crickets chirping]

[Sakuragi] May 26th

of the Imperial Year 2605.

At 0300 hours, I, Ensign Takeo Sakuragi

of the Imperial Japanese Navy,

shall brave an attack on Naka Airfield,

occupied by American forces.

[exhales resolutely]

May Imperial Japan last forevermore.

[foreboding music playing]

[katana whistles, thrums]

Long live His Majesty the Emperor!

Long live the Empire of Japan!

Long live the Japanese Navy!

Banzai!

[man 1] Did you hear that?

- Hear what?

- Everybody up!

- [man 2] sh*t.

- [r*fles clacking]

[clacks]

Drop your weapon, and put your hands up!

- [Sakuragi] Aah!

- [man 3] Do you understand me?

- Drop your stinking weapon now!

- Aah!

Akiko.

Aah!

[soft ethereal whirring]

[gasps]

[whirring continues]

[tender music playing]

[gasps]

[gasps] Aki?

Takeo!

- [gasps]

- Akiko! [chuckles]

It actually worked!

Their brain waves

transcended time and space

and were able to synchronize.

[drone whizzing, beeping]

[Bon] So is the older version of Akiko

in my time seeing Takeo like this too?

[Ream] Yeah.

As long as her time stands still.

What? The future?

How many years later?

The emperors already changed twice?

Mm-hmm.

And for all of that time, I waited.

I waited for you for all those years.

- [poignant music playing]

- [sighs]

[man 3] What the hell

do you think you're doing?

Drop your weapon already!

This is bad.

They're going to sh**t him at any moment.

I'm sure Akiko is doing her best

to persuade him.

She wants him to come home alive.

[birds chirping]

[children] Hi, Ms. Shikishima!

Akiko.

Yes, it's true. I became a teacher.

Although, that feels like a lifetime ago.

But being a teacher was so fulfilling.

Time just flies when you're surrounded

by children every day.

Of course, there were tough times too.

But I

I really have no regrets.

I was happy with the life I led.

[poignant music continues]

I see.

[Akiko] Except

[sobbing]

[murmuring despondently]

[gasps]

[present-day Akiko] That life

[voices blend]would have been

so much better with you.

[Sakuragi sobs softly]

[murmurs, sniffles]

[poignant music swells]

[music crescendoes, fades out]

[katana whistles]

[clatters]

- [heavy g*nf*re]

- [Sakuragi grunts]

- [Ream gasps]

- You can't go!

But look what's happening!

Those should only have been warning shots.

Cease fire! Cease fire!

[shells clatter]

[Sakuragi breathes softly]

[soldiers murmuring anxiously]

[r*fles c*ck]

[wind howls]

Holy sh*t.

Hold your fire!

- Put your g*ns down!

- [both gasp]

- [man 3] Put your g*ns down!

- [both giggle]

[poignant music continues]

[steady footsteps plod]

[Bon] Even if we only

get to save one person,

we're still doing something

completely amazing.

I'm glad you've come around

to seeing it that way.

And I'm proud

to be part of the Time Patrol.

[Time Boats whoosh]

[Buyoyon whizzing]

[zap]

And of course, at her age, she's

Wait a sec.

- Huh? Huh?

- [door opens]

Sorry about that. What were you saying?

What was I saying?

When did you walk out of the room?

Oh, I'm sorry.

My husband is coming home early

with our granddaughter.

I'll have to help you with English

some other time.

- Okay. But I thought you were single.

- [Yoko grumbles]

- Bon, you never pay attention.

- [Akiko chuckles]

[both] Thank you for your time.

According to what my grandmother told me,

Akiko's husband went on a kamikaze mission

but miraculously came back alive.

[Bon] Oh. Really?

Apparently, he had a strange dream

where a young girl appeared

in the middle of the b*ttlefield.

A strange dream?

[gasps]

We forgot to use the Forgetter again.

Something wrong?

Mm It's nothing.

[poignant music crescendoes]

So he said a beautiful girl

appeared on the b*ttlefield, huh?

["Tears in the Sky" by Lena Leon playing]

[music fades out]