01x01 - The Beginning

[bunniefuu]

The Witchblade...

Some call it the w*apon of God,

while others call it the hand of the Devil.

Men seek it, but are
not allowed to possess it.

Women are bewitched by it,
and charmed into battles.

What awaits the one into whom
fate is carved... is glory or destruction.

At this moment, one woman
stands at the edge of destiny.

Just before the sh*t,
my chest feels like it's gonna tear open

I shout out countless times, break out

It's not over,
rush through the endless night

Hot blood flows through my body

The moment it ultimately rots away

it's all over,
fragments of an empty dream come to mind

I can never go back,
I can't remember a thing

I've been reduced to struggling,
and my voice won't carry

Uncontrollable impulses

Give me your XTC,
let me feel it one more time

This body heats up, and I shout out
your name in the darkness

Give me your XTC, I don't need false love

I will accept it, sin and punishment

Slash through the destiny
I've been set up with, Blade

...up... Wake up... Come on.

Mom, wake up!

"Beginning"
Mom, wake up!

"Beginning"

"Beginning"
Just a bit longer...

Just a bit longer...

Sheesh!

Hey! Masane!

Don't do that, Riko!
I was feeling so good...

You're the one who said
to wake you up, Mom.

Oh, you saw it?

Uh-huh. Over there.

Oh!

It's just like the one we saw on TV!

It wasn't an island six years ago.
The whole area was barren land!

Hey, maybe we can see our house.

Watch out!

Oh, don't worry. Huh? Ducks?

Huh?

-Oh, it got separated!
-Watch out!

Go over that way! Or you'll be
all alone! C'mon, hang in there!

Doggy!

What're you doing?!

Oh, I'm so sorry! I was just...

Geez! What a way
for a grown woman to act!

Who cares if a rubber ducky
gets separated?!

Well, I wouldn't call it a jinx,
but I just don't like things being alone.

Like being separated, or left out...
Don't things like that bother you?

Not at all! Geez!
Your kid is far more mature!

Look! She's already trained
that stupid dog! She's somethin' else.

Yeah, she's the one thing I can brag about.

I'm not surprised.
Well, take good care of her.

We lost so many kids in the quake...

Oh... the government established
some kind of department, right?

The Department of Child Welfare...
It's just a sham.

Mom!

Did you dry your hair properly?
You don't want to catch a cold.

Yes, I did, Princess Worrywart Rihoko.

We're almost there. You going
to Tokyo for sightseeing?

We're moving there. The two of us
are going to live in Tokyo.

-Right?
-Right?

Well, if you're going to
live in Tokyo, be very careful.

Right!

There's been a rash
of strange incidents lately.

So watch yourself.

Thanks, Mister! Here you are!

You're missing one flag back there.
You can hoist this! It's all yours!

Hey!

Bye-bye, Mister! Take care, doggy!

Take care!

Strange woman.

They didn't have this before.

So many people! Mom, don't get lost.

That's my line to you!

Oh, yeah! Let's decide on a
meeting place if we get separated!

The Tokyo Tower!

Good thinking!

If you get lost, let's meet
under the Tokyo Tower!

Okay!

All right! First,
let's go find a job and a home!

It's all right.

Actually, let's satisfy our hunger first!

And we'll splurge, in commemoration
of our first day in Tokyo! OK?!

Yeah!

-Hey there.
-You're late!

"Keep Out"

"Keep Out"
And I thought this was
gonna be an easy job.

And I thought this was
gonna be an easy job.

It's the same method.

Yeah. It's bad. We need a broom
and dustpan to pick up the pieces.

What does it take for someone to do this?!

Tozawa! Not you again! Get lost, you hyena!

Thanks a ton!

What a haul!

And now...

Smells like a big scoop!

That makes four Pulverizer Murders,
and at each one is a NSWF badge.

Pretty sure they run the
Department of Child Welfare...

Guess I'll dig around over there!

Detective Nakata! Detective Nakata!

Whaddya want?!

We spotted a suspicious fellow over there.

-Says he's the k*ller.
-Not enough...

That didn't satisfy me at all...

He's probably just some drunk!
Don't keep sending them to me!

-Yes, sir. But what'll we do?
-You guys handle it.

Yes, sir!

-Hey, this way!
-C'mon!

I see. Keep your eyes on her.
If there's a chance, we'll make a move.

Understood.

Excuse me! May I ask you a question?

What is it?

Did a woman with a child about
six years old get a ride on this boat?

Err... yeah, they did.

Seems like they did come to Tokyo.

Did they say where they were going?

Who're you people?
Did those two do something?

No need to worry. We're on their side.

I'm Sakurai with the
Department of Child Welfare.

That was delicious!
You're the best, Mister!

Thanks!

It's sorta unusual to
make broth with bonito!

Err... Yeah...

Well, thanks for the food!

I've been looking for you,
Amaha Masane-san!

-Mom!
-Let's get out of here!

Amaha-san! If you keep
running away with Rihoko-chan,

you'll be charged with kidnapping
by the new child welfare laws!

What?!

Like I've explained time and time again,

if a child doesn't have the
proper environment to grow up in,

the Dept. Of Child Welfare will
take custody of the child. It's the law!

Right now, you have no income, no home-

You kicked us out!

You're only allowed to live
at the domestic shelter for six years.

Rihoko and I are determined to work it out!

Rihoko-chan is only six years old!

I can help my mom! She can't even cook!
So I have to be with her!

So please! Let me stay with my mom!

Rihoko-chan. Could I talk
to your mom alone for a minute?

I'm her mother...
Why can't I live with her?

You've really changed, Amaha-san.

On that day six years ago,

you and Rihoko-chan were
miraculously saved at Naru Point.

But when you awoke, you had
completely lost your memory.

You couldn't even
remember your own name.

And no one would've known you
were her mother had it not been

for your maternity record book.

When you first came to the center,
you told your counselor

you couldn't feel anything
maternal towards Rihoko-chan.

That's-!

It's only natural,
since you had lost your memory.

That's not it! I may have
felt that at the time...

But now we're a close family of two!

Then you must think hard
about what is best for Rihoko-chan.

Do you realize how detrimental it is

for a young child to live
each day in uncertainty?

Can you afford a doctor if she gets sick?

It's true that right now I...

The Dept. Of Child Welfare can
provide her a nurturing environment.

There's even a hospital,
and a kindergarten.

Which is better for her happiness?

If you're her mother, you know the answer.

When the department feels
you're capable of providing for her,

you can live together again.

Well then, Rihoko-chan! Let's go!

-What about my mom?
-She says she's not coming.

-You're lying!
-She says to come with me.

No! Mom! I want to live with you! Mom!

Mom! Please! I can cook!
And I promise I'll wake you up nicely-

-Let's go. New friends are waiting!
-Please! Let me stay!

Mom!

No!

Do you need an escort?

-Mom!
-No, that won't be necessary.

-Riko!
-Hey!

Mom! Mom!

Start the car! Quickly!

Stop! What're you doing!

Mom!

Mom!

-It's just for a while!
-Let go of me!

You're not being
separated forever. Stop it!

You wouldn't understand
how a mother feels!

Let me out! Let me out! Let me out!

Rihoko-chan. You'll be able
to live with your mom someday.

You wouldn't understand how I feel!

Riko!

-Mom!
-Unbelievable!

Stealing a police car!

We can't let a mother like that
have her child back!

Stop the car!

Wha-?!

Alright! Gotcha!

The sun's about to set.
Maybe I'll drop by...

Riko... I'm so sorry
for leaving you all alone...

Isn't that great, Rihoko-chan?
Your mother wasn't hurt!

But stealing a police car...
That was a bad thing for her to do.

-Pee.
-Eh? Oh.

-You don't need to hurry.
-Okay.

Damn... This smell is too much...

And it's first-rate!

Oww!

What the hell?!

I'm sorry! Are you all right?!

Oh, crap!

It works! This thing
is my life, you know!

I'm sorry, but do you have a car?!

Huh? Yeah.

Rihoko-chan!

Where are you?!

-You Rihoko?
-Rihoko-chan!

-Please help me escape!
-Rihoko-chan!

-Eh?!
-Are you all right?!

I want to save my mom!

Yeah, right! If I run off with a kid...

Is something the matter, Sakurai-san?!

I can't find a little girl!
Could she be down below?

Damn!

Hey!

Is someone there?!

So? Where's your mom?

South Asagaya Detention Center.

Do you not know where it is?

Lemme think for a sec...

Boy, did I pick up a winner...

That glow in my hand is gone...

What's wrong?!

The cop car thief is in pain.
We may need an ambulance.

-Confirm first.
-Roger that.

Hey, are you okay?!

A monster!

-That's nothing to me.
-Dammit!

See ya!

-We're here.
-I'll come, too!

Forget it! You wait here!

I'll go check things out.
You got a photo or anything?

Of your mom.

So you're the one that smells so great!

It's gonna feel so good
to smash you into bits!

Don't run away...

Here it comes! Bang bang! Bam bam!

-Over here?!
-What the hell?!

Die!

Nobody can interrupt now.
Let's have some real fun together...

I can finally smash you!
I can't wait to hear the sound!

What the-?! You're with the NSWF!
No wonder you smell so-

You're the greatest!
This time, I'll get you in one blow!

You're not enough for me.

Hey, I'm not-

What is that?!

-Hey! What're you doing there?
-Crap!

And... cut!

Now then. Guess I'll collect this one.

Riko!

Mom...

The recovery team will
take care of the X-Con,

but what about my video data?

I got it. It's the Witchblade wearer,
no mistake about it.

I sh*t her with a tranquilizer,
so we'll be able to get her shortly.

-I'm looking forward to it.
-Understood.

Why now?

Riko...

Riko...

I'm coming...

Ri... ko...

I murmur, "I love you,"
with all my emotion

All my feelings until yesterday
now overflow and dissolve quickly

If only this one last prayer
could make it through...

Thank you for giving us the words
to ascertain each other, God

Tomorrow, we'll reach out
and hold hands harder than normal

Tomorrow, we'll reach out,
hug, kiss, and love each other