02x07 - Road to the Oasis

[bunniefuu]

Causes of death are many and varied.

Old age illness, su1c1de. But out of that long,

morbid list, there's one end that people

fear above all others.

Death by fire.

Whoa. Holy crap. I can actually see it now.

So awesome. Wow. Our Avalon draws near.

It looks more like the Empire than I thought it would.

In fact, it's a bit prettier. It's good to.. Be back home.

Oh, yeah. First. Whew. We just set

foot on Chinese soil. Have we, though?

We're still on the dock. Let's.

Oh, nice. Yeah. It almost looks good enough to eat, right?

Romy. No, it's.. Not. It just tastes like dirt.

Thank you, guys. Need to calm it down a bit. Hey, Lieutenant.

Pop. It feels like we're back at

the academy. Did you teach them their.

Enjoy new Qingdao while you can. All right.

Once I get supplies from the garrison,

we're going to have to roll on through.

I'll show you the way. Howdy, Takeru.

Oh, Ma. Did you come out here just to meet me?

You bet Your Tater, my son Don't come home. Don't ya know.

Hi there. So you're Noto's mom? She sure..

Is. You make out the family resemblance.

He's my pride and joy. Appreciate you watching him.

Glad to help, ma'am. Say, why don't

the two of you catch up while

I get our supplies together, huh?

You sure about.. That? Thanks

so much. We might have grateful.

Well, Takuru seems to me he done got even bigger.

Oh. You reckon? Well, anyway, how's Pall been holding up?

You got your own troubles now, so

don't you go fretting about us.

Just work hard and find yourself a pretty

little Tokyo bride to bring home.

That'll make us happy as larks.

Something wrong, Ma? You look a little wore down.

Nothing gets past you. It's fine, though.

You came here to do a mission, right? Just keep mine in that.

So something is wrong. You got to tell me.

Well, golly, Bob, somebody done tore up the..

Field just in my bit of it.

We're friendly with all the folk around here,

which just makes this more perplexing.

Oh, in tarnation would do this. Oh.

Thank you very much. Just. Where's your team heading?

A fair distance west of here. We'll

drive till we hit the spatial rift.

Well, keep an eye out for bandits on the road.

Also, there's a strange gas that comes out from the ground.

Gas. Looks like we're going to be

driving pretty far inland, doesn't it?

Why does the land look like it got cut out and moved?

Okay, Juggernaut, you lead the way. Oh, yes, sir.

Sorry, Ma. Sorry, Paul. I sure do wish

I could help you hunt down your tater thief,

but I got to get back to work now.

Never you mind that it's plain to see.

You got more important things to handle.

Just work hard and do us proud,

Takeru. And don't fall behind, huh?

Yes, ma'am. I'm a fire soldier. I got this.

Finish up your goodbyes, Come..

Back and see us soon. And next

time you bring a pretty wife with you.

Don't tease, Ma. You can't just go.

We're about to uncover the secrets of the evangelist.

All right, here we go. Y'all take care now.

Good luck with the tater thing.

I'm honored by Gary Nokoshita Kinnakeet an error

on a I.

Oh, my God. Daddy sake. They knocked out the.

Cakobau.

You gotta keep on.

In a on.

Are you going to clown?

You know, I warned them that the air

would get to their heads. Yeah. Yeah.

Why didn't they put on gas masks?

It's almost like they wanted to inhale

copious amounts of a euphoric stimulant.

Okay. You're ready to make some noise?

How do you know he's eating? I'm

not gonna make it home tonight. Huh?

Where are you gonna stay, then? I kept it a secret.

Hold up. I'm on the Chinese peninsula.

Why is that phone call getting through? Let's go.

It's hot and it is hot.

I have cleared my mind and thus I am cool. Aha.

Hostel Rock cited no backup required. We've got.. This.

And fire.

Hostels are down.

Interesting. You can actually see where the gases

are coming up from the ground.

Hey, Lieutenant Pond. You do remember what

we came here to do, right?

We're here to identify the cause of the great

cataclysm that occurred years ago and learn

what we can about Adolla burst around the spacial rift. Duh.

At least we're clear about that much. Why wouldn't we be?

All right, you brats. Stop with the horseplay and behave yourselves around.

All right. Instructor Run! Hang on. Where are we going again?

Our destination is west northwest of here.

We've measured a great deal of burst activity there.

We have a lengthy road trip ahead of us,

so don't use up all of your

energy goofing around. I was hoping.. We'd get there soon.

We're trying to find out if and how a doula bursts

are related to the great cataclysm.

If we're lucky, this info could lead us to the evangelist.

What? Hey, guys, this might sound weird, but..

I feel like that rock might be staring

at us. Oh, is it scaring you? I hope it eats you first.

It shapes too regular to be caused by erosion.

Normal rocks don't look like that. Not unless someone carves them up.

Wonder if that shape got seared into it during the great cataclysm.

It's okay, Tamaki. It scares me too.

My mind is too clear. I'm cold. Put a sock in it. We still

have some time before we get there, so go to sleep.

Hey, you there? Help me. That's weird.

Did anyone else just hear a voice?

Whoa. What's going on?

Don't tell me that gas is making me hallucinate now. No.

I'm sober and it's hot too. So then

the voice heard asking for help was coming from that monster.

Whoa. It was me. You guys are

from the Xing Xing Dao Base, right? Let's see.

Whew. That was a close call. Didn't

realize the giant worms were so easy to piss off.

Uh, get off our truck. You're the one that thinks after.

Stop trying to drag us into your mess. Hey, wait. Oh, good.

How is that mom talking?

It's a vile, infernal familiar. I say

we should feed it to the land Dragon. Wait. Have mercy on me.

Hot potato. Judging by the size, feel and smell,

there's no doubt this came from our farm.

Oh, so you're the man who tore up our fields.

Spare my life, please. You're new to the area.

Right. Well, I'm a local. I can show you around.

If you let me stay here, I can

help you reach your destination safely.

What's that got to do with my taters?

It's just a fun. It's got it.

Check out my driving skills. The can't shake this thing. Shenron.

Ogun, get out there. You heard the man.

Perfect. I was just starting to get bored.

Yoruba spear.

Oh, good. Let's try and draw it away. You're the force.

Take this damn earthworm.

Listen, this whole region is giant worm territory.

If we aren't careful, we can end

up with or of them after us.

By the way, where are you guys trying to go?

We're headed for a hot spot on the spatial rift.

The hot spot, huh? Oh, I think I get what you mean.

Have you been there? Of course I've been there.

It's where me and my friends.

So that's the place you guys are driving to, huh?

We expected a harsh environment on account

of all the adolla burst activity.

I'm surprised to see living animals here

at all, let alone talking ones.

The place is anything but harsh. It used to be our oasis.

If they hadn't come and taken it from us,

I never would have had to steal these potatoes.

If you people are heading that way, then I'm coming with you.

The oasis was my home once, and I want it back. The man.

Over here, you squirmy freaks have some. This.

Well, we managed to get it pretty

far from the truck dope. Our diversion worked.

Yeah. You better turn around. Nicely done. Now get back here.

Thank goodness we can finally relax. Oh,

and what the hell are you? He's a dirty potato. Even Mo.

You have anything to say for yourself..

To keep it brief? I'm originally from an oasis

out to the west of here.

It's nothing like the Badlands that we're in right now.

It has plants and water. It's a real Paradise.

An oasis in a wasteland like this.

I'm finding this hard to believe.

I had a lot of friends who lived in the oasis,

too, but we all scattered into the

Badlands after we were driven out.

But what do you know? There are crows out here too.

Wait, I know them. Yeah. Hey, Yatta. Down here.

You three stay up here. I'll be back

for evening scope. Who are your companions?

Yatta here was one of my buddies at the Oasis.

I'm assuming that your soldiers from Shin Qingdao.

It's rare to see you come this far inland.

I borrowed a few potatoes from a farm there,

and these guys caught me with the goods.

How dense can you be if you're

dumb enough to get caught? Then just stay underground.

How many talking animals do you think

we're going to meet out here?

Hey, we're.. Fire soldiers from Tokyo.

Fire soldiers. Interesting. What is it that brings

you all the way out here? We're on a research assignment.

Let's finish this later. We need to set up camp.

Making a fire might not be any trouble,

but I'd rather not wait until dark.

Oh, yeah. Dude, did you just. Oh.

So you're going to the oasis to investigate

a doula bursts, is that right? Yep. That's the gist of it.

Maybe it's because of them that you're able to speak.

I don't suppose you would know.

We have no idea what changed us.

Most of the local creatures are as speechless

as the birds behind me. Gotcha.

What else can you tell us? You said

you were driven out of the oasis.

Yeah. One day, a mysterious g*ng showed up out of nowhere.

They att*cked everyone they came across without a word.

Nothing we tried would make them stop.

Those of us who escaped have lived in exile ever since.

And since there isn't much food out here,

you had to resort to stealing.

I guess that makes it kind of okay.

My little molehill of annoyance has grown

into a volcanic mountain of fury.

This is far from any cities. It gets really dark. Yeah.

Hey, look down. Where those lights there all day?

I don't know. The sun was shining pretty bright today.

Maybe that stopped us from noticing them before.

Yo. What a sight. It's like an ocean of stars.

But what are they, really?

No fair infernals. But there are so many of them.

You can actually see them as a crew.

I can hardly see a thing at night. I envy your sharp eyes.

It's true. These badlands are teeming with infernals.

Some of them have been wandering the wastes

for centuries, ever since the great cataclysm.

I had heard that Infernals couldn't die

on their own. But this is insane.

We need to help them put them to rest.

Oh, just the seven of us. Forget it.

There are too many. I've heard stories

on your island across the sea.

You k*ll Infernals as soon as they ignite. Yes.

No, we put them to rest.

Well, that isn't an option here. The ground is unstable.

One wrong step and you'll fall in

the lava. Just leave them be.

I still don't understand what you are.

I'm honestly, neither do I. My friends

and I never care to think about it.

Until we encountered humans like you and learned our intelligence was abnormal.

Each light is a person in pain.

These aren't the only ones either. There are others just like them,

endlessly burning all over the world.

And each one is another reason that we have

to find the truth about Eidola and the great cataclysm.

I'll go and find Tamaki. For now, she can pray for him.

We've almost reached the oasis. You had a nice,

quiet trip, thanks to the directions we've given you.

Hopefully this means you're starting to trust us a little.

I guess that's one way to put it.

There's just too much we don't know about this region,

so we'll take any helping hand or claw that's offered.

Once we reach the top of that crag,

we'll have a view of the whole oasis.

We have to climb this thing. Don't feel like I can.

I'll go assess the situation. I'll head

up there with him. Be careful.

Okay, let's do this. I've never met

a human who could fly before.

Hey, you. With the mask in the hair.

Now that we're this close to the oasis,

you don't have to worry about the gas. Really?

You're right. The air is perfectly fine here.

If there really is water here, this

would be a great spot to grow potatoes.

You're big on the Tates, aren't you?

You know, the air doesn't feel as dry as it did on the road.

We need to move quietly. Not a problem.

We'll scout the place out from here. Keep your head down.

Amazing. There really are plants growing here.

It's the tabernacle that gives it life.

Tabernacle. You can see it over there, right?

Well, what does it look like? How the hell did that get here?

Down, you idiot. You recognize the tabernacle?

Yeah, of course I do. It's the keystone of the Tokyo Empire.

It's amaterasu. It must be. But how

did it get here? This doesn't make sense.

Get down. We don't need to draw attention.

Wait. I thought Amaterasu was built by Vulcan's ancestors.

Shinra's assessment is dead on. That's a small, weathered version of Amaterasu.

Is it another perpetual generator? Even if not.

What's an amaterasu look alike doing way out here?

We'll just have to check it out in person.

The tabernacle is right in the middle of the oasis.

Follow me and I'll show you the way.

I'm noticing a lot of manmade objects. Yeah.

Peep that one. A lot of this stuff

is from before the great cataclysm.

All the trees out here seem to be in really good health.

The tabernacle is just a bit northwest of here.

Hey, so if this tabernacle of theirs is related to Amaterasu,

then it's probably powered by an adolla burst, don't you think?

And that means it's because of an odola

burst that the forest grew back.

Think Vulcan's family came through. They built a Motoyasu, didn't they?

The official story is that the Holy

Sol Temple designed it with the help of Vulcan's ancestors.

But if this tabernacle was built before Amaterasu, that probably isn't true.

You'd think Amaterasu was based off of this place.

Well, either way, it's cool to see

that this much life was created by an adult immersed.

It feels like proof that these flames

have the power to help restore the world.

Amazing. It's no wonder a doula bursts are considered sacred. Huh?

Flipside, there's a pretty good chance they're

what wreck this world in the first place.

We should hit the middle of the oasis any minute now.

Hold up. We made it to one of the pillars.

See, there are more just like it all around the Tabernacle's perimeter.

That means we're really close, right?

Yeah, but it also means soon you'll

meet the jerks who ran me out of here.

We came to investigate. I don't want

to fight if we can avoid it.

Well, if you're hoping they'll negotiate, you'll be disappointed.

He's right. These invaders have no interest in diplomacy.

I'm sorry, Lieutenant, but we can't turn back.

We're closing in on the mystery behind spontaneous human combustion.

Even if scope is right and these guys are unwilling to negotiate.

That just means we should be ready to fight them.

Yeah, that's the spirit. This guy's my hero.

We were given clear orders. It's not

our mission to instigate fights with unknown parties.

I am not going to let anyone stand between me and the truth.

Are you slipping? We didn't all come

this far to give up now. I respectfully agree with Kusakabe.

I never said we were going to turn back.

But we're fire soldiers, not army men.

We want to handle this peacefully, if at all possible.

Wait a minute. I didn't lead you

all this way here for nothing.

You're supposed to take this place back from me and my friends.

We're not about to att*ck without asking questions.

You could ask them questions all day long,

but they're not going to answer. I'm begging you, help us.

In frontal dogs.

What do you mean, infernal dogs? Those are hell hounds. Doesn't matter.

What's the matter? I thought you were going

to negotiate with them and.. Realize they were dogs.

Hurry up and climb a tree.

Three ashes thou wert in art, May

thy soul return to the great flame of fire.

Lotto.

They may be dogs, but it's

still our duty as fire soldiers to release them from the flames,

just like we would if they were human. Tamaki.

Hey, if they were animals, you should have told us. So.

What did you think they were? Humans way out here.

Those dogs may not have seemed that tough

to you, but they ate my friends.

And believe it or not, we tried to fight. It's just.

Just what? Their boss isn't like them.

He's a thousand times worse. Against him,

there was nothing we could do.

Protect the forest. Is this and the dollar link.

Where's it coming from? The forest.

The tabernacle lies in the center of

the forest to scope and his companion.

It was the b*ating heart of the home they cherished.

Why were they forced to leave it behind?

They came from beyond the spatial rift to create the world anew.

Next time on Fire Force. Season two Episode eight.

Smoldering malevolence. Return to the great flame of fire. LatAm.