01x12 - Buddies Back to Back

[bunniefuu]

So this hair-lookin' stuff's
gonna turn into silver?

That's bad.

I was almost positive they
were some kinda roots.

[gasps]

So cool.

They're gonna make my
silver spear with that, huh?

Wow! Science is actually
super weird, isn't it?

Hey, that reminds me...

Kinro, don't you have an
awesome golden spear?

Oh, whoops.

I remember now.
You don't have one!

I kinda can't believe
we're only gonna have

the silver one and not the gold.

[KOHAKU] Ginro, you need to move
your arms, not your mouth!

[CHROME]
So, I meant to ask you,

why are we only making
a silver spear?

[SENKU] Easy, because it's
essential to our quest

to acquire the most
dangerous material.

[CHROME, SUIKA]
Huh?

[gasps]

So shiny! So awesome!

Thank you, Senku!
I love my silver spear!

[KINRO]
Hmph.

[SENKU chuckles]

[SENKU] You don't have
to flap your gums

one millimeter to thank me.

The fact is, I didn't
make that for you.

Come on, we need to get moving.

Ginro, your job today is to
be the team's bodyguard.

[GINRO gasps]

[GINRO]
I'm Ginro the bodyguard!

I'm guarding the bodies!
You're not gonna get past me!

I'm Ginro the...

[KOHAKU]
Wait a sec.

I come here all the time to get
water from these hot springs.

[CHROME]
Yeah, what's the deal?

I thought this was supposed to
be a mega-dangerous mission.

[SENKU]
It gets dangerous up ahead.

Ginro, quit messing around

and hold your spear steady
and pointing forward!

This silver spear
acts as a sensor.

That's the whole reason I
made it in the first place.

Pay close attention
to the tip of it.

It's very important.

You'll need to notice if that
silver begins to turn black.

Turns black? What do you mean?

If that happens, you'll
be dead in seconds.

I'm not joking.

[wheezes]

That turns black, you need
to get away in .1 seconds.

That's the signal for all
of us to start running.

The enemy you're
guarding us from

will k*ll us if we make
just one mistake.

It's the greatest hurdle
in making sulfa dr*gs.

We could die very easily.

It looks to me like
there isn't even

a single fish in this river.

[SENKU]
You're right.

Nothing but green
chatsubomi-goke moss.

This is it for sure.

Our goal's just
upstream from here.

So it's coming up.

That "greatest hurdle"
you mentioned before.

[GINRO]
Everything's okay!

[ALL]
Huh?

[whimpering]

It's still okay.
It's all still okay.

It's still silver, not black.

Still okay. Still okay.

Lookin' good. Still okay.

Hey! What the hell, man?

You're holding the sensor, so
you need to be in front of us!

Well, you told me that I was
gonna die, so I'm terrified!

You wimp.

Then switch places with me
and hand over the silver spear.

Not a chance! I'll do it!
I can be brave, too!

Still okay. We're still okay.

[KOHAKU sighs]

[GINRO]
Uh, still lookin' okay, I think.

It's okay. It's still
okay. It's still okay.

Uh!

You guys? You might
wanna check this out.

Well, Senku, we're here.

What did I tell ya?

We've finally arrived
at the source

of our most k*ller
component for the drug.

I don't really understand
what it is

we're supposed to
be gathering here.

But it does look like a place

where you'd find
something important.

It's absolutely beautiful.

Divine. An entire spring
of emerald green.

[GINRO, CHROME gasp]

[SULFER LADY giggling]

[gasps]

Something wrong, Senku?
Is this not it, or what?

No, this is it.
There's no doubt.

This green water is exactly
the stuff we're after.

But the geography bugs me.

The poison gases that form here,

the hydrogen sulfide
and sulfur dioxide,

are heavier than air.

They settle in low
spots like this one.

I get it now!

That's what the silver spear's
supposed to warn us about!

Yeah. Silver reacts
with hydrogen sulfide.

It blackens immediately.

[giggles]

[giggles]

Get away, Ginro!

[ALL gasp]

How did you know when to stop?

If you had taken one more step,

we could've been
together forever!

[GINRO screams]

--[GINRO] Get away from me!
--[KOHAKU] Calm down, Ginro!

[KOHAKU] It's okay! You're safe!
There's no one there!

[KOHAKU]
Whoa, that bird just melted.

[CHROME] All right, what's
going on with the water here?

[SENKU] It's got something that
was discovered by an alchemist

way back in the eighth century.

But during my time,
it served as the foundation

for a wide variety of
chemical industries.

[SENKU]
Sulfuric acid.

[CHROME] And we can't make
the medicine for Ruri

without this dangerous stuff?

[SENKU]
Not only that,

we're gonna need it for
all types of chemistry.

It's essential for
further advancement.

Well, then, we'll have to
brute force our way through

to gather some.

I'm not afraid to risk my life
if it'll save my sister's.

I should be fast enough to--

Here's a story from
back in my day.

There was a research
group that went to an area

of sulfuric acid like that one.

The man in front knelt
down for a moment,

probably just tying his shoes.

Professor? Is something
the matter?

The poor guy was dead.

He'd knelt right into
an invisible cloud

of hydrogen sulfide.

It sounds crazy, but it's true.

Humans don't stand a chance

when Mother Nature
wants us dead.

You can be ridiculously fast,
but it won't make a difference.

So what in the hell are
we supposed to do, Senku?

I have to save Ruri,
no matter what!

There's still a way
for us to do this.

I know just the thing.
We'll make gas masks.

The only way to fight
a chemical enemy

is by using some
chemistry of our own.

Heh.

Now, there's no telling how
effective this is gonna be.

And with this experiment,

we can't simply rely
on trial and error.

Because error equals death.

All right, we gotta
make my mask next.

You won't be needing
one of these.

[SENKU]
Sorry, Chrome,

but you won't be going
on this mission anymore.

You'll be staying here.

What? Where's this coming fr--?

Just shut up and listen to me!

There's no guarantee
these things'll work.

And if all our scientists
bite the big one,

then who's gonna be
left to save Ruri?

[SENKU]
Every human dies eventually,

but their knowledge
can go on living.

It can even be passed down
for millions of years.

I hope you're ready, Chrome.

Because I'm gonna pass all the
science I know down to you--

all two million years of it.

[CHROME] Whoa! Wait, wait,
wait, hang on, would ya?

It's too soon! Quit talking like
I'm replacing you or something!

That's just asking for trouble!

[SENKU] Heh. Well, isn't that
sweet? You really care about me.

What are you, my girlfriend?

Dying doesn't interest me one
millimeter, so calm down.

But if we don't
want Ruri to die,

we gotta go through that
cloud of poison gas

and get us some sulfuric acid.

Now, if both of us end up
kicking the bucket together,

then in a flash,
all knowledge of science

will disappear from
the face of the Earth.

[CHROME] So you want me to stay
behind 'cause you might die.

Yeah, but first I gotta
fill your head with science.

If that's the case,
I'm not gonna listen to you!

[gasps]

[SENKU]
Stop acting like a kid.

Don't get fussy 'cause
you gotta stay home.

You're missing the point!

I won't be helping you
with your crappy plan.

Especially not if it means
that it's just okay

for my friend to die!

Sorry to disappoint you, Senku,

but I'm not taking
your knowledge.

So if you happen
to croak out there,

it's just gonna be
game over for science!

You're coming back alive!

There's a ten billion percent
chance! You have to, Senku!

I mean, the plan doesn't
make sense anyway.

Why's the guy who knows
everything about science

the one risking his life
with that poison gas?

Send me or somebody else!

After all, I thought you
always went with

what's the most "logical."

Well, making me stay back
here isn't logical at all.

Are you just trying
to protect me?

Like I'm your kid or something?

Don't you dare
patronize me, assh*le.

[SENKU sighs]

I'm not patronizing
anyone, idiot.

Also, I'm being
completely logical.

I know everything about
how the gas mask works

and about the materials
we're going to get,

so our odds of success
are best if I handle this.

End of story.

[CHROME]
You want to increase our odds?

That's not how you do it!

We'll have a better chance for
success if you and I tag team.

To save each other
if we run into trouble.

Am I wrong?

[SENKU chuckles]

If we "run into trouble," we'll
be dead from the poison gas.

It'll be too late
to save each other.

Well, I mean something like,

"sh*t, I'm getting a k*ller
leg cramp!" type situation,

not the worst case scenario!

[SENKU]
Heh. Guess you do have a point.

It might be by a
microscopic percent,

but it would raise
my chance of survival.

Taiju and Yuzuriha,
your friends...

They're spies in the
Tsukasa Empire, right?

They're putting everything
on the line, ya know?

Your lives are in
each other's hands.

If I'm your friend,

it means I'm not higher
or lower than you.

So I don't need you
to protect me...

...'cause I've got your back,
and you've got mine, right?

Tch.

Man, this means
more work for us

'cause now we've gotta
make another gas mask.

I hope you're happy.

Okay. I've got your
back, Chrome.

Your life is in my hands.

That's right. And your
life's in my hands.

[RURI] Kohaku, now that
Mother's no longer with us,

we need to have a crucial talk.

The priestess's most
important duty.

Do you know what that is?

"The Hundred Tales."

The knowledge contained
within those stories

must be passed down from
generation to generation.

Our way of life would not
survive without them.

Understand, Kohaku?

Ruri's days on this Earth
are dwindling rapidly.

We cannot afford to let the
"Hundred Tales" be lost forever.

You're in perfect health.

When Ruri dies,
you must take her place!

[KOHAKU]
I refuse to accept that!

I won't be taking over anything!

Wha--?

I have no intention
of being a part of this.

Not if it means that afterwards,

it's just okay for
my sister to die!

[KOKUYO]
Where are you going, Kohaku?

[KOHAKU] If I'm in a position to
take over the role of priestess,

Ruri will have no
reason to keep living.

I know what to do!

I'll just have to make
Father hate me.

I'll be the wild daughter.

Someone utterly unfit
to become the priestess.

But I won't stop carrying
this healing water,

even if I have to do
it thousands of times.

If that's what it's gonna take
to cure Ruri, I'll do it!

Ya know, you and I are more
alike than you'd think.

And to be honest, if my sister
were to marry a man like you,

it would make everyone in
the village really happy.

But unfortunately,
you weren't blessed

with the ability to fight.

I suppose the gods aren't
very considerate, huh?

If everything goes
according to our plan,

Ruri will be marrying
either Kinro or Ginro.

So how 'bout this?

She and I do look alike--

would you like me to be
your wife as consolation?

[CHROME chuckles]

You're nothing like her.

Ruri's a lady,
but you are a gorilla.

[giggles]

Like I said, a gorilla.

What was that about, anyway?
Got a crush on me or somethin'?

[KOHAKU]
Not a chance.

[CHROME chuckles]

[CHROME]
Yeah, that's what I thought.

So don't say crazy
stuff like that.

[SENKU] This is a lot like when
we made Edison's light bulb.

First, we steam-roast
some bamboo.

[CHROME] Whoa. You can really
use glass to start a fire?

[SENKU] Add potassium carbonate,
extracted from ash.

We also used this
in our ramen-making.

[SENKU] This black powder
is activated charcoal

mixed with potassium carbonate.

It'll trap the poison
gas and neutralize it.

[CHROME] Now we have our
own chemical barrier

to keep out poison gas.

[CHROME]
Time for us scientists to return

for a tag team rematch!

[SENKU chuckles]

[SENKU] We're gonna get over
the greatest hurdle together.

We'll come home victorious,
carrying jars of sulfuric acid.

I won't go!

The fairy of the spring
put a curse on me!

My silver spear turned black!
And that bird melted!

So there is no way that I'm
ever going back there again!

Don't be a baby, Ginro.
Come on, we're going!

Nah. It'd be better
if he just stayed here.

He'd only slow us down.

Listen, what happened at
the spring wasn't a curse.

It's science.

Rub the black sulfuric acid
sludge with an alkaline base

and it'll turn silver again.

Even some warm
ashes'll do the trick.

[CHROME] Ah! The poison
gas sensor's back!

Now we can head back to
the sulfuric acid spring.

The poor guy was dead.

[CHROME]
Literally do or die this time.

[SULFUR LADY screams]

[CHROME] Do we really stand
a chance against this?

One breath can mean
instant death.

[CHROME]
Huh? The hell?

Senku, are you seriously
just running up to it?

[SENKU] If you stand around
huffing and puffing in fear,

the gas mask won't be able to
keep up with purifying the air.

Tch. It's a ridiculously
simple concept.

Freak out too much and you die.

Got it? Let's go.

[CHROME] Yeah, I understand
the reasoning, but...

Damn it. Senku, I'm just
not as ballsy as you are.

[KASEKI]
This is for the birds.

I could be doing so
many other things

beside sitting here
dealing with this.

[GINRO] Senku and Chrome
have gotta be insane.

[KASEKI]
Hm?

I mean, do they not
think that it's scary?

One wrong move and you're dead!

Ya know, I hate it when
people pull that stuff!

Trying to pretend they're brave
when they're just crazy!

So you'd prefer to stay
home and run your mouth

rather than run towards danger.

And I suppose you feel like
a loser compared to them

because you're so weak.

No, I don't.

[KASEKI]
Don't worry, Ginro.

You want my opinion,

I don't think you're
the slightest bit weak.

Fear is the secret
to a long life.

And that should be
pretty convincing,

coming from an old fogy like me.

I used to be a real wimp.

And I guarantee you,
those boys are scared, too.

There's not a soul out there
that's immune to fear.

[GINRO] Oh, yeah. I hadn't
thought about it before.

I can only imagine how
terrifying it must be for Kinro,

with his fuzzy eyes,
to go up against Magma.

[KASEKI] But for the sake of
something precious to us,

we try to overcome our fear,

using our brains
and a lot of heart.

That's what they're doing.

Well, at least,
that's my take on it.

The only thing I want...
is to save my sister's life.

Oh, dear, it would
seem that I let myself

get a little carried away and
made another one of these.

Guess I should
just leave it here.

Don't really have a use for it.

[gasps]

[CHROME]
Senku!

The hose on your
gas mask is melting

and it's about to bust open!

[SENKU chuckles]

[SENKU]
That was close.

Good thing we came
out here as a team.

[CHROME]
This is bad. Like, actually bad.

Senku's trying like crazy
to catch up to me.

Don't bother, man.
There's no chance in hell.

Damn it! It was
such a tiny misstep.

I hope they can at
least still save Ruri.

[GINRO yells]

[gasps]

[SENKU, CHROME]
Ginro?

[SULFUR LADY screaming]

[GINRO]
You're too heavy!

[SENKU] You gotta control
your breathing, Ginro!

Your gas mask can't
keep up with you!

[GINRO] It can't? Is the
poison gas going to k*ll me?

Am I going to die right now?

[SULFUR LADY snarling]

[SENKU] The activated charcoal
and potassium carbonate

will keep you safe, I swear!

But only if you
control your breath!

I know that you can
overcome your fear!

That's how you got out this far
in the first place, isn't it?

[CHROME] Yo, Ginro. Listen
to this and think with this.

No matter how powerful
nature may be,

it doesn't have a
heart to listen to

or a brain to reason with.

But humans are different.

That's all we've
got going for us!

[GINRO]
Right. I'm Ginro the bodyguard.

[SULFUR LADY screams]

[GINRO] I'll overcome my fear
with my head and my heart.

[GINRO yells]

[screaming]

We've got a bad tag team with
me and Senku, the scientists...

...and me, the bodyguard.

Together, we overcame
the greatest hurdle so far.

Sulfuric acid acquired!

[CHROME, GINRO]
Yeah!