01x21 - Vow

[bunniefuu]

She's lost a lot of blood, but her
external injuries aren't too serious.

The problem is inside her body.

Frankly put, things aren't right.
What exactly happened to her?

Sorry. That's...

Can't say, huh?

Well, I figured as much.

But at this rate,
she won't have long to live!

Mama, Father, walkin' down
the street in a Babylon

Mama, Father, walkin' down the street,
rock this ghetto

Mama, Father, walkin' down
the street in a Babylon

Mama, Father, walkin' down the street,
rock this ghetto

When a rain shower arrives it's sunrise

Frogs croak in the stylishly hazy city

If it'll make exquisite rainbow
sounds sometimes, pick up mystic

Mud that just won't come off

The curtain rises once again, lucky guy

Keep running at that good tempo

and shout out as a clown
with a boundlessly short temper

Just like this, walkin' down the street,
rock this ghetto

Mama, Father, walkin' down the street

Mama, Father, walkin' down
the street in a Babylon

"Vow"

Takayama-san!

Is Mom... Is Mom all right?!

Yeah. She's just a little
exhausted from work.

Some rest, and she'll be all better.

Really? What a relief.

Takayama-san!

Amaha-san is awake!

-Really?!
-Yes. But...

You're going home?!

Yeah.

I'm sorry I worried you, Riko!
I'm all better now, though!

Really? You're not pushing yourself?

Nope, not a bit!

You're such a worrywart, Riko!

-Go wait in the car, okay?
-Okay!

-Are you-
-That was sooner than expected.

When did it start?

The other day...
After I fought by your villa, I guess.

Why didn't you say anything?!

You can't yet!
You need complete bed rest!

If all I'm gonna do is sleep, I can
do it anywhere, not just the hospital!

Masane!

I want to go home. To our home.

You failed?!

Could you please not yell like that?

I even supplied you with
one of our I-Weapons!

Do you expect me to say, "Oh, okay!"
After hearing it's been crushed?!

It wasn't for naught. I did manage
to recover data on the Witchblade.

Individually, it couldn't
stand up to its power,

but in numbers, there's no question
they could seize the Witchblade.

Then why couldn't you have sent
multiple units in the first place?!

You know it's impossible to prepare
many in such a short time frame!

We're not magicians, you know!

The IU-Weapons are progressing here.

You take care of your own work.

Yeah. All right.

Leave the groundwork for the
various government sectors to me.

But any further failure
will not be tolerated!

I know.

Yes. Goodbye.

How I long for a world where
I can immerse myself in research.

There is nothing as worthy
of research as this.

You fainted from anemia?
Are you okay, Masamune-chan?!

Honestly! It's because
you work too much!

Sorry to worry you.

Mom. Are you really all right?

I'm fine! With lots of food and rest,
I'll be better in no time!

Really?

In that case, let's make
an incredible meal for Masamune-chan!

Yay! I can't wait!

Everybody! Let's get to it!

Hey, you.

Does she... really only have anemia?

Hey!

Answer me! Hey!

Liver's the best for anemia!
It's great at recovering stamina, too!

Hmm, but Mom hates liver.

What if we deep-fried it tatsuta style?
She likes fried stuff, right?

Yeah!

"Rihoko & Masane"

No...

I... don't want to die yet!

No... Not yet!

If I die, I'll never get
to be with Riko again...

What's a retired official doing
at a Douji lab at this point?

I smell a major story.

Maybe it's a hunch?
Mine are often right, you see.

I'm here for a personal reason.
Nothing that would be of interest to you.

Personal reason?

Is it related to Masamune?

Let me in, too!
Or else I'll shout for security guards!

I'm running low on time.
Do as you wish.

No cameras.

'Kay...

Seriously, what're you doing here?

You've cut all ties with Douji, right?

I have. But all our research
data is stored here.

Research data?

Data about the Witchblade
and its wearers.

Does the fact you've
come to get it

mean something has
happened to Masamune?!

Talk about super-strict. I thought
this was just a research facility?

Who's there?!

Director Takayama?!

My former staff members.
Members who shouldn't be here, either.

Huh?

Douji laid you all off.
What're you doing here?

Something's come up.

We received an SOS.

SOS?

Director Takayama!

-What's happened?!
-Have a look at this.

The I-Weapons we rolled out
last month to be sent to Baradhi

have started to act
strangely all of a sudden.

They were in dead-stop mode, but
then they'd automatically boot up,

reacting to commands that were
never given, and malfunction.

We requested a recall of all shipped
units so that we could investigate,

but the higher-ups refuse to listen to us.

Wadou, huh...

Yes.

Since our hands were tied,
we decided to secretly call Ota-san's team.

How many are in storage here?

units.

There's that many I-Weapons sitting here,
just waiting to malfunction?!

When did the phenomenon start?

Just recently. Two days ago, I'd say.

But it was yesterday they
started to really go haywire.

Around : in the evening, I'd say.

What is it?!

The Witchblade. The Witchblade
was in combat mode at those times!

That can't be! The I-Weapons
have safeguards in place

to prevent them from reacting
to the Witchblade!

To the earlier Witchblade, you mean.

It appears we need to update
the data on it.

Honestly! Buying all this!
Don't blame me if there's any left over!

Knowing Mom, she'll scarf it all down!

When she's hungry,
there's no stopping her!

All right! I'm gonna
work hard for you, Mom!

The Witchblade and the I-Weapons
are undeniably connected.

I guess it's because they're
drawn to immense energy.

Hold on a sec!

Do you mean all these things
are gonna go after Masamune?!

Yes... Pretty much.

Could I see the PC?

There's data I want to check.

This damn thing!

If it weren't-

If it weren't for this,
both Riko and I could-

Why me?!

Why Riko?!

Why?!

Why?!

Neither of us asked for this power!

So why?! Why?!

Hey. She doesn't have
simple anemia, does she?

The Witchblade's excessive power
is eating away at her body.

At this rate, she's going to die soon.

S-so that's...

B-but she can get better, right?!
That's why you're checking this data?

The data Sohou Reina left behind...

I had a look at her observational
records provided by the NSWF,

but I can find no way to prevent
Witchblade-induced breakdowns.

Then what happens to Masamune?!

Hey!

C-can't you take it off?!
Can't you just take the Witchblade off her?!

That is exactly what is impossible.

The only way to escape the Witchblade...
is through death.

What the hell?

What the hell is the Witchblade?!

She never wanted to fight!
She just wanted to keep Rihoko safe.

Yet, you guys twist her around
your little finger,

run her ragged, and then
this is what she gets?!

Hundreds of I-Weapons are gonna
go berserk and go after her?!

She never wanted that!

Wanted or not, this is the fate
of those chosen by the Witchblade.

They attract fights, and die in fights.

Damn you!

All I can do is support
her until the end!

It has been determined that the fighting
in the Bay Area the other day

was caused by remnants of the X-Cons.

I thought all the X-Cons
had been disposed of?!

I can't believe some survived...

To let the public know that Douji
intends to take full responsibility,

I feel we must work with the
government to exterminate the X-Cons.

I ask for negotiations with
all levels of the government.

What brilliant thinking!

Now we can capture the Witchblade
in the city, out in the open!

Just brilliant, Wadou-san! As they say,
a wise man profits from his-

Shut up! You're annoying!

Aoi.

Go to the Neo-Gene training center
and find the most skilled Sisters.

Yes. How many do you need?

One is enough. Having many
will only slow me down.

Maria-sama?

What's wrong, Maria-sama?

It's nothing.

I'm going to obtain power...

I'm going to obtain the Witchblade...
The power to have everything...

You're going to k*ll me.

Even after I die, you'll still be here.

And then you'll do to Rihoko
what you've done to me.

No! I refuse to let you!

I'm going to die.
But I'm going to take you...

...with me...

...to Hell!

I'm going to stay here and
take care of the I-Weapons.

There's no way to tell what's going
on without detailed analysis, but...

Hundreds of I-Weapons going berserk...
That's some serious stuff.

I'm going to work to prevent
that from happening.

During that time

I leave Masane and Rihoko in your hands!

Oh, Tozawa-chan! Welcome back!

Yeah.

-Hey, kiddo! Food's waitin'!
-Michael! Could you get a plate?

Delicious! Your food's definitely
the best in the world, Riko!

You get better so quickly, Masamune-chan!

-Is it good? Is it good?
-Yeah! It's great!

Isn't it, though?!

We made some for you too,
Tozawa-chan! Here you go!

What're you just standing there for?

Join in quick, before Masane eats it all!

Oh, right.

Where's Takayama?

Yeah, uhh... He went back to a Douji lab.

Douji? What for?

Well, some stuff came up.

So, umm...

What's wrong, Tozawa-chan?
Did you eat on your way here?

No, I'll eat. Yeah.

Hey! Take some pictures!

What brought that on?

Everyone worked hard to make all this!
We gotta commemorate it!

Great idea!

Let's put the "Rihoko-chan and Chou-san
special salad" in the center!

Riko! Over here!

Come up!

Oh, all right. Line up, everyone!

Dammit... I can't focus...

Okay! One more!

-'Kay!
-'Kay!

I turn around half-asleep,
my hair hitting my right cheek

Your voice was there, and the air is warm

Your right hand grazes my left shoulder

Why not hold on tight?

I need to grow stronger

so yesterday's wish can change tomorrow

Oh...

But right now I'm still quaffing love

after breathing in your smell
and leaping across

Reach your hands out to me

I'm so happy