FLCL - 'FLCLimax,' Part 2

(The next day, Mamimi is at the bridge, looking for the little robot.)
Mamimi -  Takkun!  Takkun!  I brought some more for you, Chief!  Takkun!
(Out of a pile of garbage and debris, crawls the little robot, which has grown to resemble a small dog.  Mamimi smiles at her new pet.)

(Elsewhere, Naota is riding with Haruko on her Vespa.  They speak to one another, but we can’t hear them.  They appear to be having fun just being together.)

(A whistle blows, it’s Miya-jun, coaching her class during P.E.)
Miya-jun -  Alright, I’m going to raise it ten more centimeters!
(The students for their turn to try hurtling over the bar.)
Masashi -  That’s bad.
Ninamori -  What’s bad?
Masashi -  Really bad.  He hasn’t been home for days.  That’s what I heard.
Miya-jun (O.C.) -  Next person!
Ninamori -  He ran away?
Gaku -  Maybe he eloped with that older girl.  You know, the kiss-kiss one!?!  (Laughs)
(We see the bar being knocked down.)
Gaku -  Miya-jun’s going to his house.
Masashi -  Teacher-parent conference, to see where Naota put his brain.
Ninamori -  All he needs to do is say what he really feels.  That’s what I did, and then I cried and stuff.
(Gaku and Masashi are surprised by this.)
Gaku -  Huh!?!
Masashi -  To who?
(Miya-jun’s whistle blows.)
Ninamori -  To my mother and father!
(She runs off.)
Gaku & Masashi -  Father!?!
(They watch as Ninamori executes a perfect hurtle over the bar.  The whole class applauds.)

(At the river, we see a large piece of debris being pulled from the water.)
Kitsurubami (O.C.) -  It’s normally connected to this contact unit, but we found it like this.
Amarao (O.C.) -  That means the core is functioning independently.  I understand your team saw the document?
Kitsurubami (O.C.) -  Yes.  Last week, in the maintenance room.
(Amarao and Kitsurubami are sitting in a car, parked on the bridge.)
Amarao -  (Regarding the debris) This planet was nearly as mangled as that thing, and it will be yet unless we handle Medical Mechanica very carefully.
Kitsurubami -  Yeah, but don’t you think the Pirate King has some plan to stop it?
Amarao -  I wouldn’t count on it.  He’s not one of us, you know.  We’re not that close.  
(Amarao takes a moment to eye Kitsurubami’s figure.)
Amarao -  Anyway, we don’t even know where Atomsk disappeared to.

(Elsewhere, the little robot is chomping down on a cell phone.)
Mamimi -  There’s plenty for you to eat.  Every kid at my high school has one of these things, you know?
(We see that she has a bag full of the stolen cell phones.)
Mamimi -  Maybe they’re too small...  I think you need bigger stuff now, huh, Chief?
(She watches it eat, and snaps a quick picture of it.  The robot is now the size of a mid-sized dog.)

(We see a convenience store, Naota and Haruko are parked outside.  They are eating cups of instant noodles.)
Haruko -  Bleh! (Spits repeatedly)
Naota -  I tried to tell you.  You can’t get some off brand just because it’s jumbo-sized.  You have to stay with the good kind, like I said.
(She grabs his bowl out of his hand and forcefully hands hers to him.)
Haruko -  Trade!!!
(She eats hungrily from his bowl.)
Naota -  When you act selfish like that, bad things are bound to happen, you know.
Haruko -  Oh, well.  I’ll have to deal with the bad things then.  Think of it like this:  eating Ramen that tastes really bad can be kinda fun too.
(She regards the steaming Medical Mechanica plant in the distance.)
Haruko -  Man, this smoke is really obnoxious.
Naota -  You’re always fighting Medical Mechanica, right?  I mean, is that your job?
Haruko -  (Grins)  They took something from me.  Something I really want.  So, I’m trying to get it back.  That’s the deal.
Naota -  Can you do it?
Haruko -  As long as I have you.
(He tastes Haruko’s bowl of noodles)
Naota -  Ugh!  This really tastes bad!  Trade me back!
Haruko - No way.
Naota -  Man, you’re as selfish as ever.
(They both smile.)

(That night, Mamimi is walking along the bridge.  The robot, which she has on a leash, walks behind her.  In a dark alley, they creep up behind a parked scooter.  We see that Mamimi has the license-plate number written in an address book.)
Mamimi -  Yeah, that’s the one, Chief.  I finally found it...  Now, a little pay back for splashing me.  Go ahead...  Eat up.
(The robot looks at her for a moment, then goes to work.  Within seconds, it has devoured the entire bike.  Mamimi watches with a sinister calm.  Upon finishing, the robot almost doubles in size.)
Mamimi -  Come on, Chief, let’s go find the next one!
(They walk off into the night together.)

(The next morning, Ninamori is walking to school.  She suddenly recognizes Haruko’s Vespa, parked beside a public bench.  She sees Haruko and Naota, sleeping on the bench together, covered in blankets and pieces of cardboard.  She opens her mouth to say something, but all that comes out is...)
Ninamori -  Huh...  
(She turns and leaves, without another word.)

(In a back alley, Mamimi walks with the robot, which is now the size of a truck.  Mamimi looks exhausted.  She’s obviously been out all night.)
Mamimi -  (Giggles tiredly)  Finally, I think I’ll be able to forgive all of them after this.

(Elsewhere, Masashi and Gaku are just leaving Masahi’s father’s liquor store.)
Masashi -  Last night...  You know Fuji?  Well, his sister’s moped got hit, too.
(They exit the store.)
Masashi -  See ya later!
Gaku -  That Yankee girl with the bleached hair?  Fuji’s older sister, you mean?
Masashi -  Everyone from downtown over.  Their motorcycles are wrecked, and their cars and bikes.
(Then, they notice Mamimi, tugging at the robot’s leash.)
Mamimi -  Hurry!  Someone’s gonna see us!
Gaku -  What’s that?
Masashi -  Well, well...
(She suddenly looks towards them.)
Gaku -  It’s Naota’s wife!  The one he dumped!
(Mamimi glares at them, annoyed.  Suddenly, the now-monsterous robot runs out from behind the corner, roaring ferociously.  The boys are terrified.)
Gaku -  What’s that!?!
(The robot starts trudging towards them, dragging Mamimi behind it.)
Gaku -  Was it something I said!?!
(Meanwhile, Mamimi tries in vain to get her oversized pet under control.)
Mamimi -  Hey!  Stop it!  They’re not on my revenge list!  Cut it out!  Be a good boy!
(All three yell as the robot starts running at full steam.  The robot then pounces on the pickup truck in front of Masashi’s father’s store, trying to devour it.  The kids are helpless to do anything but watch as it swings the vehicle around like a toy.)
Mamimi - Takkun!  Don’t eat their pickup!!!  Takkun!  Why do you do bad things like this!?!
(She pulls on the leash, still trying in vain to corral her pet.)
Masashi -  That’s my father’s truck!!!

(Meanwhile, at Noata’s house, Miya-jun is meeting with Kamon.  We see Miya-jun’s new Volkswagen Beetle parked outside.)
Miya-jun -  Ugh!  A pupil should not skip school for no reason!
Kamon -  Yes, I totally agree.
(We can see by Miya-jun’s expression that she’s already frustrated with Kamon.)
Kamon -  When I was in the sixth grade, I was in charge of the hamster.  But, I caught a cold and I was absent.  So, when I went back to school, two or three days later, it was dead.  Well, everyone made a big deal about it, calling me “Hamster Killer.”  But, the kids who said that had never once taken care of a hamster in their lives.  Did they even think about me...?
Miya-jun -  (Interrupting) I’m talking about your son.  Can we stay focused?
(Kamon thinks for a moment)
Kamon -  Oh, right!  He’ll be okay, trust me!  Unlike that hamster, Naota’s enjoying his freedom.

(Elsewhere, Amarao and Kitsurubami are driving somewhere in Amarao’s car.)
Amarao -  So, Kitsurubami?  What do you like to do when you’re off the clock?
Kitsurubami -  (Uncomfortably) Um, I don’t want to talk about that now.
Amarao -  Don’t be so cold; we’re on the same team.  (Placing his hand on hers) Come on, tell me...
(Kitsurubami immediately freaks out.)
Kitsurubami -  This is a problem!
Amarao -  This kind of “problem” is nothing.  Trust me.
(Just then, the now giant robot smashes through a building up the road from them.  The car come to a screeching halt.)
Kitsurubami -  Commander!!!
Amarao -  Jeez!  it’s huge!!!
(We see Mamimi, hanging from the robot’s body by the leash.)
Mamimi -  Takkun!  Listen!  You shouldn’t do things like this!!!
Amarao -  Takkun?  (His eyes go wide.)  Do you know what that thing is!?!  It’s the terminal core!!!  She’s been feeding it!
(Then, Amarao and Kitsurubami run for their lives as the robot steps on the car, crushing it flat.  Amarao hits someone as he dives for safety.  He looks up.  It’s Canti, the robot, dressed as a crossing guard.)
Amarao -  It’s him!
Kitsurubami -  In a green skirt?
Amarao -  Why is he here!?!
(The terminal core comes blasting into the scene.  As soon as Canti sees it, the strange symbol appears on his face/screen.  The terminal core then draws Canti in, and merges with him.)
Amarao -  That’s it!  He’s a component!  He’s part of the terminal core!!!

(In the background, we see the Medical Mechanica plant as it starts to roar.  The roaring wakes Haruko, who is still lying on the bench with Naota.  Elsewhere, it causes Miya-jun to look out the door, while Kamon continues talking in the background.)
Kamon -  ...And that hamster, Hamtaro?
(Miya-jun screams as the terminal core picks up her car and chomps it down in one bite.)
Miya-jun -  Aah!  That’s my new VW...!!!!!

(Meanwhile, Kitsurubami shoots at the mechanical beast with her pistol.  The beast turns towards her.  Amarao grabs Kitsurubami and throws her out of harm’s way.)
Amarao -  Get out of here!!!
(But, now he’s the one standing in the monster’s path.  We hear him yell as the terminal core crashes through a few more buildings before leaping into the air.)

(Elsewhere, we see Haruko and Naota traveling down the road at breakneck speed.)
Naota -  Aah!!!
Haruko -  Sleepy-time’s all over!
(They look up to see the terminal core as it flies through the air.  Mamimi and Amarao are still attached to it.)
Mamimi -  Aah!!!
Amarao -  I can’t get loose!!!
Naota -  (In amazement) Oh...!
Haruko -  It’s the climax!!!!!

(We see the terminal core crash-land onto the giant hand beside the Medical Mechanica plant.  As he recovers, Amarao notices his phone ringing.)
Kitsurubami -  (Panicked)  I-I-Is the plant going to activate...!?!?!
Amarao -  Not yet.  It’s still missing something.  I’m not sure what.
(We see the terminal core beside the giant hole in the hand.  Amarao then hears a motor running.  He looks up to see Haruko and Naota flying through the air on Haruko’s Vespa.)
Haruko - Yahoo!
Amarao -  It’s her!
(He shoots at them repeatedly, causing them to crash.  As the smoke clears, he glares at Naota.)
Amarao -  Where are your eyebrows?  Why did you take them off?  I told you not to trust her.  She’s only thinking about herself.  She doesn’t care what happens to you.  She doesn’t care what happens to anyone!  But you have family and friends that live here.  And that high school girl, you want to save her, don’t you?  Of course you do.  That’s normal.  You’re thinking like an adult.  Come over here.  Don’t let her manipulate you!
(Without a word, Naota turns and walks towards Haruko.)
Amarao -  What are you doing!?!  How much pain before you realize!?!  Are you out of your mind!?!  You brat!!!
(Naota ignores him.  He stands in front of Haruko.  She puts her arms around him.)
Haruko -  Takkun...  It’s time to get what I want, but I need your help, ‘kay?
(With that, she throws him up in the air and hits him with her guitar.)
Haruko -  All right!  Get ready!  
Amarao -  Don’t do it!!!
Haruko -  Launch time!!!!!
(We see Naota get swallowed whole by the terminal core.)
Amarao -  Aah!!!  We’re screwed!!!!!
(We watch as the terminal core merges with the hand by diving into the hole.  We see Noata’s POV of another reality as Amarao continues panicking.)
Amarao (O.C.) -  This is insane!  You’re doing exactly what Medical Mechanica wants!  
(We see a number of huge irons, like the Medical Mechanica plant, ironing the planet’s surface until it’s smooth as glass.)
Amarao (O.C.) -  They’re flattening planets all over the galaxy, smoothing out the wrinkles so you can’t think!  Even the Pirate King has been captured!  They’re using him to lure you in!  It’s over!  It’s all over...!!!!!
(Back in the real world, Haruko answers Amarao’s panic with a sinister light in her eye.)
Haruko -  I said I don’t care about any of that!  I just want Atomsk, that’s all.  I don’t care what happens to this planet!  They’ll have to learn to think smooth, I guess.
(Amarao yells as the giant hand turns upside-down so that it can grip the handle on the iron-shaped plant.)
Amarao -  See!  She tricked you!  I tried to tell you!  Why wouldn’t you believe me!?!  I can’t hold on to these wrinkles...!!!
(He falls off of the hand and onto the plant.  From high up, Haruko laughs to herself as she watches the scene unfold below.  Now on the handle of the plant, Amarao yells in horror as the hand is rapidly descending down on top of him.  As the hand crashes down on the handle, Kitsurubami yells into the phone.)
Kitsurubami -  Commander!!!  Commander Amarao...!?!?!
(Then, a strange red light appears from beneath the hand.  Somehow, the red Canti has appeared out of nowhere, and has kept the huge hand from crushing Amarao.  Haruko eyes the red glow excitedly.)
Haruko -  Here he is!  Huh?
(We watch as a creature emerges from Canti’s face/screen.  It looks like Noata, but he’s glowing bright red.  Suddenly, with the force of a bomb going off, he blasts the hand off of the plant, sending it skyward.  We see Mamimi fly up with the hail of debris.  Meanwhile, Amarao watches in awe.)
Amarao -  That kid... did he do it?  He got the powers of the Pirate King, Atomsk!!!
(The red Noata stands on Canti’s head, holding both Noata’s Flying-V guitar and Atomsk’s Gibson EB-0 bass.  We see Haruko’s bracelet rattling wildly.  The bandage on Noata’s forehead peals off, revealing Atomsk’s symbol on his forehead.  Haruko is infuriated.)
Haruko -  (Angrily)  Takkun!!!  You can’t do that!  That power is mine!!!
(She attacks with the force of a bomb going off.  The battle is on.  Haruko swings at Naota with her guitar. However, Naota seems to have no trouble blocking her attacks.  Every blow shakes the earth around them.)
Haruko -  Don’t get my way, or you’ll regret it!!!
(Meanwhile, Amarao watches from the top of the Medical Mechanica plant.)
Amarao -  This is our chance!  We can gather up the outsiders and get rid of them all at once!
(But, at this point, he’s helpless to do anything else but watch.  Meanwhile, Haruko and Naota are still at it.)
Haruko -  I’m not gonna go easy on you, Takkun!  Only one of us can eat him, and that’s gonna be me...!!!!!
(But, Naota stops her guitar with just one hand, knocking it out of her hands and up into the air.  Haruko in sent tumbling down on to the Medical Mechanica plant.  Apparently her guitar was what gave her the ability to fly.  She looks up.)
Haruko -  That guitar!
(We see that Naota is blazing through the air towards her position.  Somehow, Naota’s guitar and Atomsk’s guitar have been fused into one double-necked guitar.  Desperately seeking to take any control of the situation, Amarao shouts at Naota.)
Amarao -  She’s just as bad as Medical Mechanica!!!  You’re not gonna get what you want from her!  Fight back!  Take her out!!!
(Naota continues blazing towards Haruko.  Haruko realizes this may be the end.  But just as he reaches her, he stops.  He looks up.  She’s still infuriated.)
Naota -  (Softly)  I love you.
Haruko -  (Taken aback)  Hm!?!
(Without warning, he kisses her.  Amarao is horrified by this.  This is not the way he wanted things to go.  Then, Naota leans backward, and out of his forehead bursts a huge red creature.  From afar, we see the glowing creature has taken the shape of a huge bird.)
Haruko -  Atomsk!!!
(Amarao watches all of this in disbelief.  Suddenly, anything in Mabase that isn’t nailed down is being lifted into the air, as if being drawn up by some sort of alien magnetism.)
Masashi -  What is that thing!?!
Gaku -  What’s going on!?!  Oh, man!
(Many people start yelling as vehicles, houses, and other bits of inanimate matter start drifting through the air towards Atomsk.)
Amarao -  N.O...!!!
(He yells as his eyebrows peel off and join the swirling cloud of matter that is now circling Atomsk.  The Medical Mechanica plant is ripped off its foundation.  We see that the cloud of matter is being drawn into Atomsk’s head.  The huge hand, which is just now falling back down to earth, is quickly ripped apart and absorbed by the Pirate King’s legendary N.O. field.  Haruko watches as Atomsk rears back to face the sky.  His chest begins to pulse with energy.  Then, Atomsk blasts off into space as ball of light and disappears.  In his absence, the cloud of matter, including the Medical Mechanica plant, comes crashing down to earth.  We see the ring on Haruko’s bracelet pointing straight up into space.  Haruko looks longingly up into the sky.)

(A few moments later, Naota is standing among the wreckage of Mabase as Haruko prepares to take off.)
Haruko -  I lost him again because of you, Takkun.  We couldn’t pull it off.
(He looks down, dejected.)
Haruko -  (Smiles)  Wanna come along...?  (He does not answer.)  You know what?  Forget it.  ‘Cause you’re still a kid, Takkun.  Save it for next time.
(With that, she putters off into the sky on her Vespa, carrying the double-neck guitar.  Naota watches her go.  Elsewhere, Mamimi is just crawling out of a pile of debris.  She notices Naota, climbing to the top of a nearby hill to find Haruko’s blue bass, which laid out neatly as if were meant to be found.  As he profiled against the dimly lit sky, Mamimi watches Naota pick up the guitar and look off into the sky.  She quickly takes out her camera and clicks the shutter to capture the image.)

(Black.)
Naota (V. O.) -  “So long, Naota.”  That’s Mamimi said when she left school.
(We hear the familiar sound of the drink machine dispensing a soda.  Like in the first episode, Naota has gone to get a drink from the machine, but another hand presses another button before he can do so.  However, this time it is Ninamori who pulls the trick on him.  He looks at her with dismay.)
Naota -  You could have asked me before you picked that one!
(She raises an indignant eyebrow at him.  Masashi and Gaku stand nearby.  We can see that the whole gang is dressed in middle school uniforms.)
Masashi -  Ninamori?
Gaku -  There’s no practice today?
Ninamori -  You know what, Naota?
(Naota gulps.)
Ninamori -  That uniform looks really stupid on you.
Naota -  Yeah?  What about you?
Ninamori -  Here.
(She holds the bottle out at him.)
Naota -  I can’t drink that!  It’s too carbonated!
Ninamori -  You really are still a kid.
(He stumbles for something to retort with, but before he can find it...)
Ninamori -  Yikes!  I’m late for practice!
Naota -  Hey!  Give me back my money!!!
Masashi -  Hey, I’ll take a sip, Naota.
Gaku -  Give me some too!
Naota -  Huh?  What!?!
Naota (V.O.) -  Nothing amazing happens here.  Everything is ordinary.
(Our view pulls back to show the city of Mabase, including the giant Medical Mechanica plant, which is now resting on its hill at a weird angle, right where Atomsk dropped it.)
Naota (V.O.) -  We crossed the bridge as usual...
(Our view fades into a scene at the Nandaba bakery.)
Kamon (O.C.) -  Hey, TV-Boy!  When you’re done cleaning the futons, open up the store!
Naota (V.O.) -  ...And before we knew it, the seasons had changed.
Shigekuni (O.C.) - (To Kamon)  You goofing off again, aren’t you?  You lazy butt!
Naota (V.O.) -  Mamimi left town...
Kamon (O.C.) -  (To Shigekuni)  But Dad, I’m really busy...
Naota (V.O.) -  She said she wanted to be a photographer...
Kamon (O.C.) -  (To Shigekuni)  People are waiting for “Come on, Mabase’s” next issue, okay!?!
Naota (V.O.) -  I don’t know what happened to her after that.
Shigekuni (O.C.) - (To Kamon, angrily)  Aw, shut up!
Miyu-Miyu -  Meow.
(The scene ends with us in Naota’s room.  There is an open magazine on Naota’s bed.  At the top of the page, it reads “Fresh Cameraman Photo Contest.” On the page below, we see Mamimi’s photo of Naota holding Haruko’s bass.  Below it, a caption reads “Fooly Coolly.”  In the corner of Naota’s room lies Haruko’s bass.  As the scene ends, the bottom string inexplicably lets out a single note, all on its own.)
(Ending credits.)

Thanks for reading!  Congratulations on getting this far.  I hope you’ve enjoyed it.  I feel a great sense of accomplishment now that I have all six episodes.  Again, thank you for your patronage and your patience.  Look for more fanfic type writings from me in the future, and please continue to support FLCL-CRUX!

Best wishes,
The Omnipotent J.  
evilgod84