02x09 - An Approaching Destiny

[bunniefuu]

[thwack]

[whoosh]

THE 3RD HOLE
"THE SERPENT"

[upbeat rock music playing]

[Kate] I need to make this putt
or I'll bogey the hole.

[groans] It wasn't supposed
to be like this.

It's all their fault, those two monsters.

If I were up against normal players,
I'd be fine.

[screams]

No way!

I'm already four over,
and we're only on the third hole.

Tristan's three under,

and Lancelot is one stroke behind
with two under.

What kind of freaks of nature
are those two guys?

[grunts]

Hey, bub, you dropped your ball over here.

Huh?

Hey! Hold up!

- I'm talking to you, pretty boy.
- [Lancelot] Hmm?

- [Kate] Hey.
- What?

Sorry. I was just... just letting you know
that you dropped this.

Your ball.

Oh. Oh, yeah. Thank you so much.

Whoa. What's with him?
He looks like he's kinda out of it.

[Lancelot] I'm already one stroke behind,
after only three holes.

I need to catch up with him quickly.

Can't fall any further behind.

[descending squeak]

RISING IMPACT

EPISODE 21: AN APPROACHING DESTINY

[Charles] Looks like
they're clear of the green.

Isn't Lancelot doing amazing?

Being only one shot behind
someone as good as Tristan is incredible.

I guess so, but I'm worried
he'll start doubting himself.

Huh?

[Gawain] I think this is the first time
he's ever fallen behind someone

so early in a game.

Maybe it's just one stroke,
but I bet it's really weighing on him.

You really do have
a lot of respect for him, don't you?

I just don't wanna see
anyone spoil his undefeated record.

But there's no shame
in losing to someone like Tristan.

And, as everyone knows,
once Tristan takes the lead,

the gap between him
and the pack only gets wider.

He's just the best,
both mentally and technically.

- [Gawain grumbling]
- What's the matter?

- [rising squeal]
- Huh?

- Aah!
- [Charles gasps, shrieks]

- [Percival murmurs]
- Whoa! What the heck is wrong with you?

[Gawain] Nothing!

But after hearing you talk about this guy,

I'm even more excited
to face off against him.

- [Charles groans]
- Y... You are?

[Gawain] Absolutely!
I'm majorly motivated.

Doesn't competition
get you all excited too?

Yeah, sometimes, but not
when it's against someone like Tristan.

You're looking at it all wrong.

If you wanna be the best,
you gotta take on everybody.

Might as well enjoy it.

[inhales deeply]

Lancelot!

- Don't forget to have fun out there!
- [music fades out]

- Just relax, Lancelot!
- [Kate gasps]

[Lancelot gasps]

[Gawain] Just take it easy! You hear me?

Take it easy!

[softly] Gawain.

[chuckles softly]

It's cool that you care
about your friend that much.

But don't forget,
you're still one over par, Gawain,

so you should maybe
just worry about yourself.

[laughs nervously] Yeah, I know.

What about me?

[Percival] Let's try
to do the best we can.

[Charles] I'm here too, you know.

[Percival] Well, I guess I have the honor.

Huh? Hey, wait.
Aren't you using your driver to tee off?

No. I think it's too risky.

I'd love to use a driver for the distance,
but unfortunately,

this one's not like the first hole,
where there was a nice wide fairway

once you hit over the bridge.

This fairway has zigs and zags in it,
all the way to the green.

And hitting it, even just a little,
off the fairway

means hitting out of bounds!

Well, teeing off means using the driver,
if you ask me.

- You're insane!
- [Percival grunts]

A little 130-yard fade, huh?

I guess your drive is your only good shot.

Talk trash if you want to.

[Gawain] Tristan's shot
on the second hole was incredible.

[clang]

[high-pitched whir]

[excitedly] Cool!

Lancelot one-putted,

but Tristan beat him
by chipping straight in.

So now, I know exactly what I'm gonna do.

Ah, this stinks. I'm out of bounds.

What, no more trash-talking?
Hey, Gawain, which iron are you...

- [gasps] A driver?
- Come on, Oinky. Let's do it.

Look out, guys! Hole-in-one, here we come!

- Huh?
- Huh?

[Charles] What's with you?
You're a shrimp and a lunatic!

[Percival] No one makes a hole-in-one
on a par four!

[Gawain] Okay. Settle in
and figure out what the plan is.

I'm gonna try and hit the flag this time.

Normally, I focus only on the ball,

but today, I'm gonna focus on the pin.

[suspenseful music playing]

Focus.

Focus.

Focus!

All right. I have the image of the flag
burned into my brain.

Oh, wow. They haven't even teed off yet.

It looks like
Gawain is really taking his time.

[suspenseful music continues]

[Gawain] Hmm!

- [crackling]
- [rousing music plays]

Just have to hang onto this feeling
and hit it hard!

- [resonant clang]
- [high-pitched screech]

[music swells]

[pinging]

Hole-in-one time!

[music ends]

- [Charles groans]
- Boy. That was a fantastic shot.

He missed the pin by inches.

What was that shot?

[Gawain grumbles]

"Close but no cigar," as they say.

[laughs]

How can you be so accurate
and still hit it so far?

Well, it only works when the ball
needs to go in a straight line.

But hitting the ball super straight
with a driver with no slice or hook

is exactly what most golfers
find so hard to do.

I guess I'm lucky.

But also, I can't really hit a fade
or a draw or anything like that.

So that's how it is.
We all just have different skills.

[gasps softly]

You might be the most unusual person
I've ever met, Gawain.

You are a nut,

but I'm really glad
you and I got to play together today.

[Gawain] Me too! So you can be there
when I get my hole-in-one.

[Percival giggles] Yeah!

- [Gawain] All right! Let's go!
- [Charles] Hey! No running!

[laughs]

So he's getting a hole-in-one, huh?

[Quester] The odds of scoring
an ace on a par three

are one in 10,000 for amateurs,

and one in 3,000 even for professionals.

So when it comes to a par-four hole,
it's practically a miracle.

If he knew that,
he couldn't afford to be so fearless.

One of Gawain's strengths
is all the stuff he doesn't know.

[chuckles]

You and I better be on our game,
or the little guy's gonna take us down.

THE 7TH GROUP

[Liebel] You should know, I don't intend
to let you beat me this round either.

[Quester] Bring it on.

[grumbles] What is it with these two?

They're both playing
almost perfect games so far.

- [thwack]
- [whoosh]

[intriguing guitar music plays]

Good precise control
on that shot as usual, Liebel.

That's a good lie.

[Ryan] That tee shot was flawless.

He hit it almost 360 yards
and then dropped it in the sweet spot,

on a straight line to the pin.

What's a guy that good
even doing in the Japanese school?

And how come he hasn't competed
in the cup before?

- [sharp clang]
- [Ryan gasps]

[ball pinging, whooshing]

[grunts] I think I missed it.

[Ryan] Quester Phoenix, though,
him I remember.

He came in tenth last year.

He can hit the green directly
from this distance almost every time.

He hits perfectly straight,
just like this Gawain kid does.

I have to stop them somehow.

As the fifth-place finisher last year,
my honor is at stake!

[dramatic music plays]

[grumbles]

[thwack]

[grumbles]

- [ping]
- [ball clatters]

- [ping]
- [ball clatters]

[Quester] We're both three under par
after the third hole, Liebel.

This is pretty exciting.

[Liebel chuckles] Yeah.

[Ryan grumbles]

No fair.

- They're both just too damn good.
- [music fades out]

[dreamy jingle]

Just relax, Lancelot!

[Lancelot] Yes. He's right.

No need to get impatient.

Simply focus on
staying close with Tristan.

[thwack]

[ball skidding]

He... he chipped it in!

[Lancelot] Good enough.

- [clang]
- [both gasp]

[debris clatters]

[Gawain murmuring]

I guess it's true.
You only ever hit the ball straight.

That's an amazing talent to have.

Is that ability a good thing
or a bad thing?

[Quester] After that first game
with Gawain,

I found myself
thinking differently about things.

I started to think, "Without fun,
what's the point in playing golf?"

It does seem
Gawain always manages to have fun.

And he's so honest
and straightforward about everything.

I wish I had him for a little brother.

Sadly, I'm an only child.

I understand.

At least you get to have Gawain
here in the tournament as your junior.

Yeah, you're right.

And being his senior makes me
even more determined to win.

[Quester chuckles]

The first group ought to be
finishing the front nine just now.

[Tim] This year's game hasn't gone
at all like I thought it would.

Tristan is still the clear favorite,
so at least that hasn't changed.

He really is in a whole different league.

Oh, I don't know.

Don't forget, it was your Japanese pair
that defeated our number one pair

the first day of the cup.

Must've been masterful training
for them to do so well.

Kind of you to say, Tim.

But here's something
you might be surprised to know.

The junior golfer in that duo has been
playing the game for less than a year.

How could that be?

How much tournament experience
does he have?

I would say, he really doesn't have any.

And his putting and ability with irons
are strictly amateur.

But still, he does have one talent
that caught Merlin's eye.

Yes, I heard.

His incredible ability to drive the ball.

[whoosh]

And... I'm told he may even have...

[gasps]

...the Rising Impact.

[Aria chuckles]

You... you don't deny it then?

So this Gawain has
the same gift as Quester?

But that's... that's impossible.

How in the world could there be
two people with the same gift?

- [children chattering]
- [boy 1] So cool, right?

- [boy 2] So pretty.
- [children chuckling]

- [festive instrumental music playing]
- [child chuckles]

[children chattering indistinctly]

- [soundscape fades]
- [poignant music plays]

[Gawain laughing heartily]

[Taizo] I realize now how quiet
this festival is without you here.

[poignant music fades out]

It's been less than half a year

since a boy from Fukushima
fell in love with golf,

despite having grown up
with no knowledge of the sport.

I certainly never thought the game
would take him all the way to the UK.

It certainly is ironic.

THE 7TH HOLE

[dramatic rock music plays]

[sighs]

[Ice] Unbelievable.

That's four consecutive birdies
for this stinking bloke.

[Todoin] Get the pin for me, would ya?

[putter pings]

- Whoa! That's too hard.
- [scoffs]

He's not ignoring the line, is he?

[music swells]

Hmm!

[music softens]

All right!

[Bridget grumbles]

[sharp thwack]

- [music ends]
- [Platalissa whimpers softly]

- [intriguing music plays]
- [man] How interesting.

The competitors this year
are surprisingly good.

But the star...

THE 5TH HOLE

- [clang]
- [whoosh]

[clang]

...the star of the tournament, as expected,
is Tristan Liones, 15 years old.

His successful chip-in rate
is almost 100%.

He's formidable.

And there's another one here
worth watching.

Lancelot Norman from the Japanese school.

Since he transferred schools
right before the Camelot Cup,

I have no data on him.

But in the school competition yesterday,
he made all 11 of his putts in one shot.

Even more amazing,

one of those was a 70-foot putt
from the fairway,

and on the final hole no less.

Almost beyond belief.

But now, this putt here
will be even more challenging.

How is he going to read the line?

[suspenseful music playing]

He's going to hit this
without reading the line at all.

- [music fades]
- [ball clatters]

[chuckles]

That's the kind of thing
that makes coming here worthwhile.

That was the fifth group.

It's unlikely that there'll be
any players of note in the sixth group.

[sharp thrum]

[man gasps] That flash.

[whizzing]

- [crash]
- [tree bark clattering]

It can only come from Rising Impact.

Quester's shot,
but hitting the tree was a mistake.

He's still not ready.

Huh? Wait.

That... that's not Quester.

Let's see.

"Gawain... Nanaumi"?

[dramatic music plays]

Nanaumi.

Aw, not again.

Why'd I have to hit it
right into the trees?

I guess I shouldn't have
used the driver, huh?

Yeah, I thought your driver'd be
too much club for this hole.

Huh?

Hey, it looks like there's somebody
standing up on top of that ledge.

Nah. It can't be.

[music fades out]

[laptop keys clacking]

[Aria] As we expected, all the players
are struggling a bit with this course.

That's the nature of golf.

A player's strengths don't always
match up well with the course at hand.

The players who win consistently

are the ones
who can concentrate on their game

without getting caught up
by different environments and conditions.

Come on!

I can't see the scoreboard
through all o' you guys.

Move it, will ya?

[straining]

- [Gawain] Hey, Percival!
- Uh.

What the...

Forget the crowd
and climb on up here with me.

You can see perfectly.

[suspenseful music plays]

As expected,
Tristan is already well out in front.

He's under par on every hole.

Halfway and he's nine under par already.

That freakin' jerk.
He's really pissing me off.

Hmm...

Whoa. Lancelot looks like... [grunts]

- Aah! Aah-aah-aah!
- [Aria] Listen up, everyone.

I have the scores all tallied up here
if you want to come take a look.

[Yumiko] Oh yeah! I do!

Yeah, me too!

Hey, wait! Don't leave me here!

[Yumiko] Well, so far,
the eight-overs are... James and Platalissa.

And it looks like Kate is seven over.

That crabby Chucky guy's five over.

- [Charles groans]
- [Gawain] The three-over is sideburns guy.

[Platalissa whimpers softly]

You only learned golf
in the first place by imitation.

You'll never be a winner
with that approach.

[sobs softly]

[Gawain] Then the two-over is me,

and the one-stroke-overs
are Percival and Yumiko.

[Percival] I'll catch up on the back nine,
just you watch.

[Yumiko] This is not over.
Not by a long shot.

[Gawain] The even-pars are Ryan
and Matthew and porcupine-hair guy.

[Ice scoffs]

[Gawain] The one-under is Sfida,
Platalissa's sis.

The two-under is Bridget.

Oh, she must be the punk girl.

[Bridget snickers]

[Gawain] Then there's Quester
at three under.

- [Quester chuckles]
- [Bridget] Hmm?

You keep up the good work.

Sure.

[Gawain] The four-unders
are this "Guangling,"

and then Todoin from the Japanese team.

Yay! Then the five-unders
are ol' Bilford and Liebel.

[Yumiko] Really?
Then Liebel is doing great, huh?

Man, look at Lancelot!

Whoa! He's six under!

Oh, wait. That's bad.
I'm eight strokes behind him.

And finally,

the only one ahead of Lancelot
is Tristan with nine under par.

[Gawain] That guy is three strokes
ahead of Lancelot,

after just the front nine.

[music ends]

- Hey, wait. There's someone else here.
- [both] Huh?

- Right there.
- [both] Huh?!

- [dramatic sting]
- [Gawain and Yumiko] It's Wanglian!

[Yumiko] He's in second place
at seven under!

Huh? Are you kidding?

Wanglian?

That's quite a surprise,

considering he shot even-par
in the tryouts.

[Aria] I'm surprised too,

especially considering
the conservative way he plays the game.

[all] Huh?

[Bridget] What?

[Liebel] Huh?

[clapping ends]

[man] Excellent.

I've really enjoyed
watching the games thus far.

[suspenseful music plays]

What? What are you doing here?

You should have told us you were coming.

Hello there, Tim... Jason... Merlin.

My, it has been a while.

Arthur.

[Arthur] More than a decade, in fact.

We've both gotten old, haven't we?

Have we met? I don't believe
we've been properly introduced.

I'm a coach
from when this school wasn't so rundown.

You were... a coach?

That doesn't explain
what you're doing here now.

[Arthur] Don't get so worked up, Jason.

I just came to watch my son play
in the Camelot Cup.

Your son?

Hmm. I think I've seen that guy before.

What are you even doing here, Dad?

I wanted to see if my son is finally
taking the game of golf seriously,

or not.

You came to watch me play? That's a lie.

You never come to see me.

So then, Arthur,

why don't you tell us all
why you're really here?

Oh, calm down.
Why must you be so suspicious?

Why shouldn't I want to see my son?

But I also have a genuine interest

in seeing the skill levels
of the students at the academy.

- [footsteps approach]
- Hmm?

h*-h*!

You really are Quester's dad,
aren't you, mister?

I can tell, because you look
just like an old version of him.

Sorry. This is not a good time
for introductions.

[Gawain] Uh... Huh?

You're Gawain Nanaumi.

Is that right?

Yeah.

[Arthur] Nanaumi is an unusual name.
Where are you from?

[Gawain] A place called Fukushima
in Japan.

From Koriyama, you have to transfer
to the Tōhoku Main Line.

- Then you get another...
- Tell me about your parents.

- [Gawain] What?
- What do you think you're doing, Dad?

[Arthur grunts]

[Quester gasps]

Can you answer my question?

Okay! But I don't have a mom
or a dad anymore.

I've lived with my grandpa my whole life.

Anyway, why do you wanna know
where I'm from and stuff?

You're the only one
to ever ask me about my mom and dad.

I am.

And I wonder if you recall her name.

Shoku was her name,
from the words "laugh" and "child."

She died the summer I was born though.

I see.

She died.

Thank you.

[Gawain] I wish I could remember her,
but I don't.

What is this, Dad?

Did you know her?
Is that why you wanted to ask me that?

Father... [grunts, hesitates]

- [fist clenching]
- [intriguing music plays]

[intriguing music pulsing]

[Arthur] Goodbye.
I apologize for interrupting.

Why'd he leave?
Did I say something wrong to him?

That's Dad.

Nothing good ever comes of it
when he shows up.

[music continues]

[music fades out]

[footsteps approach]

- [Tim] Quester?
- Huh?

What did your father come here for?

I have no clue.

He knows I don't want
anything to do with him anymore.

But Dad still won't leave me alone.

He can go to hell!

- [tense music plays]
- Arthur Phoenix.

Why would he come at a time like this?

[Aria] There's more to this story
than what anyone is saying.

What did this Arthur fellow do?

Are you all right?

Yeah, I'm fine.

- [sighs]
- [Bridget] Um...

I wonder if you recall her name.

[Quester] Why did Dad ask Gawain that?

Why?

[tense music continues]

[slow heartbeat thumping steadily]

[Quester] What is this?

What's this feeling of dread?

[heartbeat thumping]

[music crescendoes]

- [heartbeat thumps]
- [music fades out]

- [theme music plays]
- [lyrics in Japanese]

[in English] ♪ Let's play
For all the love ♪

♪ Let's play for all the love ♪

♪ Let's play for all the love ♪

♪ Let's play for all the love ♪