“A Friend in Need I” Episode 133/621
[TEASER]
G: “Looking out at the cosmos makes you think-- about where we
are-- where we’ve been-- where we’re going now.”
X: “Yeah-- and like the bigger now. I mean, Gabrielle, what are
we gonna do? Wander around Greece our whole lives looking for
trouble? Why don’t we go away? Far away? Whaddya say?”
G: “I can’t believe you’re awake, much less listening to me.”
X: “Let’s go south to the land of the Pharaohs. I hear they’re
in need of a girl with a chakram.”
G: “You know that there’s somebody out there.”
X: “Yeah, he’s been trying to find us the past half-hour.”
Kenji [Ken]’s Voice: “Oh!”
G: “Are you all right?”
Ken: “Ah-- yes. Thank you.”
G: “Whoa!”
Ken: “Are you Xena?”
X: “Who’s askin’?”
Ken 1: “A messenger-- sent by Akemi.”
X: “Akemi? You saw Akemi?”
Ken: “Several weeks ago. I was journeying with another monk
through a forest-- near the town of Higuchi.”
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Kens Voice: “It started to rain. And we sought shelter at a
teahouse.”
Monk 2 [Laughs]: “Kenji-- not even _you_ could be frightened of
this.”
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Ken: “Your shuji has great dignity and beauty.”
Ken’s Voice: “I am blessed with a certainty-- about what it
means to be a monk-- but my companion-- was not as steadfast in
his resolve.”
Akemi [Ake]: “You must leave-- now.”
Yodoshi [Yod]: [Roars] [Inhales, Blows out, then inhales]
Monk 2: [Screams]
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Ken: [Coughs]
Ake: “I know you’re a good man. In the teahose, I felt the
compassion in your heart. Don’t fear me.”
Ken: “W-who-- who was that demon?!”
Ake: “The lord of the dark land. He’s preparing an army to wage
war in Higuchi-- and slowly, the populace. Honorable monk-- I
beg you to do what must be done-- to stop him enslaving the souls
of that city.”
Ken: “But I’m no swordsman!”
Ake: “There’s one in the west-- far beyond the setting sun.”
Ken: “A samurai?! A priest?! A god?!”
Ake: “No-- a warrior princess.”
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[ACT I]
Ken’s Voice: “The way of the sword-- is the most ancient of the
warrior’s art. With practice-- the samurai develops the sacred
virtues of bravery-- self-discipline-- and honor. A samurai
would rather a warrior, than live as a warrior.”
G: “This Akemi who sent for Xena-- what do you know about her”
Ken: “She was forced by Yodoshi-- the lord of the dark land-- to
seduce souls-- into his grasp. She’s very beautiful-- and she’s
a ghost.”
G: “She’s a-- ?”
X: “Gabrielle, before we reach Jappa-- I should tell you
everything that happened there last time.”
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X: “Many years ago-- Borias told me about a young girl who was
kidnapped by a Chinese warlord. She’d been taken hostage from a
mighty island-- even further east than Ch’in.”
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[The Past]
X’s Voice: “Being the kind of person I was then-- the challenge
of finding a new land to plunder was just too much for me. I had
to meet her.”
X: “So, her daddy’s rich, you say?”
Borias [Bor]: “And powerful. He should pay well for the return
of his sweet daughter.”
Kao: “Come. Akemi-- meet-- ”
Ake: “Xena-- the warrior princess.”
X: “You know me?”
Ake: “Oh, yes. I’ve heard that you’re afraid of nothing. Kao
here-- he’s afraid of many things.”
Bor: “This girl has spirit.”
Kao: “This girl deserves to die-- speaking like that in front of
my guests.”
Ake: “You won’t kill me. Xena won’t let you. Because in her
heart-- she knows that she will soon love me.”
Bor: “Xena loves no one.”
Ake: “I’ll be your student, Xena. You’ll take me with you.
You’ll teach me everything you know.”
Kao: “I have a few lessons for you!”
X: “Here-- 50 pieces of gold. It’s the best offer you’ll get
for her.”
Kao: “I do what I want with my property. I say this isn’t a
good day to trade.”
X: “Is it a good day to die?”
Bor: “It’s unhealthy to negotiate with this one. I’d take the
gold.”
Kao: “Guards!”
[Fight]
X: “I’ve shut off the flow of blood to your brain. You got 10--
9-- 8-- ah, forget it.”
Bor: “I would have taken the gold.”
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X: “You know, Borias? I have a dream-- a dream of conquering
every land between here and Brittania.”
Bor: “Xena-- you’re always looking for green pastures to rape
and pillage.”
X: “Yep-- and maybe there’s more in this than just the ransom,
huh? I mean, with her father as an ally, I could get a nice
toehold on that island.”
Bor: “What makes you so sure she’ll lead you to Daddy?”
X: “Ah, she wouldn’t lie to me. Hm-m-- she worships her
teacher.”
Bor: [Laughs]
X: “What’s so funny?”
Bor: “Xena, you couldn’t teach a dog to bark.” [Laughs]
X: “Akemi! Come here. I wanna show you something.”
Ake: “You’re wrong. Xena will be a gerat teacher.”
X: [Snickers]
Ake: “I’m ready.”
X: “All right. If someone’s comin’ atcha with a right/left
combination-- this is what I wantcha to do. You feint back,
twist in the direction of the blow, and then deliver a vicious
jumping, spinning back-kick. All right?”
Ake: “Right, so-- that’s right, a left-- a feint-- uh, a
jumping, swinging-- ”
X: “-- jumping, spinning back-kick. All right. Now, I’ll be a
bad guy.”
Bor: [Laughs]
X: “Lesson one-- trust no one.”
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Bor: “Remember, Xena-- I get 10 % of the ransom. [Laughs] Good
luck, teacher.”
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X: “Come on, Akemi-- keep up.”
Ake [Sighs]: “My ribs are still a little sore.”
X: “Well, next time we’ll start with something a little
simpler-- like listening. Listen to that.”
Ake: “To what?”
X: “To life and death. Every sound, every movement, is a
message. A wagon just crossed a creek up ahead. A deer grazing
nearby.”
Ake: “When you listen to the Kami like that-- you must be at
peace.”
X: “The Kami? What’s that?”
Ake: “The Kami are the powers behind all nature. They make the
sun shine-- the grass grow. They brought you to me.”
X: “No, no, no. When I listen like that, I’m at war. Every
sound is a possible warning of an enemy approaching.”
Ake: “I believe that one day, Xena-- the Kami will help you know
peace. And I would be honored-- if you would accept this.”
X: “Oh-h-h-h-- uh-h-h-h-h-- it’s really pretty.”
Ake: “It’s our scripts. When my people are overcome with a
feeling-- that needs to be preserved-- we write verse.”
X: “Oh, yeah? Like what feeling?”
Ake: “Love.”
X: “Love?”
Ake: “‘Yesterday-- the moon took lodging on my sleeve. Today--
I have hope for even the brokenhearted stars.’”
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[The Present]
G: “So beautiful. To write something like that, she must have
loved you very much. What’s wrong?”
X: “The truth is, Gabrielle-- she broke my heart.”
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[ACT II]
G: “Se broke your heart? I don’t understand.”
X: “For a while, I didn’t understand myself.”
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[The Past]
X’s Voice: “When I travelled with Akemi to her island for the
ransom-- I was to learn that my heart was seeking something
else.”
X: “I thought I was taking you to your father.”
Ake: “His castle’s in the north. We came here first to visit my
grandfather. He-- died here-- many years ago.”
X: “Are you telling me that we have walked days in the wrong
direction to see a _dead_ guy?!”
Ake: “We must visit my grandfather to seek his blessing. He’s
dead-- but-- I can still speak to him.”
X: “All your talk about moons up your sleeve-- you were playing
me for a fool. I oughtta just-- !”
Ake: “You hear the Kami through the sounds of nature. In the
same way-- I hear sounds that are silent to you. My grandfather
says that you are a wise and appropriate teacher-- and-- he feels
your sword-- is not good enough.”
X: “There’s a string of widows from here to Greece that say
different.”
Ake: “Compared to a Katana-- all other swords are toys.”
X: “Well-- then get me one of those.”
Ake: “The great Katana lies near here-- but-- you must know-- in
our country-- women are forbidden to own Katana.”
X: “Well, they’re just gonna have to get used to it, aren’t
they?”
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Ake: “Sensei-- I come bearing a challenge. My master wishes to
fight you for possession of the Katana-- forged from the purest
ore-- of the Hakiman temple.”
Sensei [Sen]: “Your master must be a mighty samurai.”
X: “Oh, no-- I’m just a girl-- in search of a really good
sword.”
Sen: “A woman?! A foreigner! Challenging us-- for the sacred
Katana?! This-- is a great insolence!”
X: “Well, I guess you’re gonna have to teach me a lesson, hm-m?”
[Fight]
X: “Ooh, gimme, gimme.”
X: “Yeah. Grandpa was right. Now, _this_ is a sword.”
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Ake: “‘In a flurry of snow-- two breaths of wind unite-- and
become as one-- and then disappear into each other.’”
X: “Listen, Akemi-- I don’t want you to take this the wrong
way-- I really love this sword-- and you’re a nice kid, but I
just came for the ransom.”
Ake: “I don’t believe that. What do you hear now?”
X: “Snow falling on cedars. No-- your heart-- beating harder
than normal.”
Ake: “You’re a master of war-- yet-- you know no words to speak
of love. And then you go and save my life. There’s no greater
gift of love a teacher can give a student than that. I have
another gift I must ask of you. I saw what you did to kill that
coward, Kao.”
X: “It’s a sacred trust.”
Ake: “I would be honored-- beyond words-- if you’d teach me
that.”
X: “All right.”
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[The Present]
G: “You knew her for a few weeks and you taught her the pinch?
Xena, in all the time--”
Captain [Interrupts]: “Higuchi is under siege, and there’s no
place to dock. I’m turning back.”
X: “What?! Gabrielle, I’ve got to go ashore.”
G: “I’m with you.”
X: “I knew you’d say that.”
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X: “Firebombs.”
G: “They’re going to burn Higuchi to the ground.”
X: “We’ve gotta release the water from the tower. Gabrielle,
what would you do?”
G: “I saw these acrobats. They used-- ”
X: “Show me, Gabrielle.”
G: “Climb on!”
X: “All right. What’s next?”
G: “This way!”
X: “Gabrie-e-e-e-e-elle!”
Warrior: [Screams]
G: “Whoa! Xena! [Yells] Go for the ladder!”
Warriors: “Kill her!” “Retreat!”
Villagers: [Cheer]
X: “Whoo-hoo!”
Villager: “Yeah! We’ve won! We’ve won!”
G: “Higuchi is saved.”
X: “Not quite the way I would have done it, Gabrielle, but it
sure worked.” [They chuckle.]
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[ACT III]
G: “You know, Xena, I still don’t understand. You taught Akemi
the pinch. Did she ever use it?”
X: “Yes, unfortunately, she did.”
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[The Past]
X’s Voice: “After a many days’ walk-- we reached her father’s
fortress.”
Yodoshi [Yod]: “Akemi?”
X: “Akemi, what are you doing?”
[Fight]
Ake: “You have 30 seconds to live. My brothers-- my sisters--
my mother-- and my gentle grandparents-- I avenge all your deaths
at the hands of this monster.”
Ake: “Father-- ”
X: “Father?”
Ake: “-- I pray you suffer in death-- the way your family
sufferied in life. It was my duty. He had to die.”
X: “I don’t care about that! What about the ransom?! Where’s
my money?!”
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Ake: “Forgive me, Xena.”
X: “I don’t suppose there’s any inheritance in this!”
Ake: “I have one last thing to ask of you. Restore my honor.
The sacred katana.”
X: “You want me to cut off-- ? That’s why you wanted me to take
the katana.”
Ake: “After that is done-- take my ashes-- and place them in the
family shrine-- in the town of Higuchi.”
X: “No, no. No, I’m not going to-- ! Akemi.”
Ake: “I pray you will. ‘The-- snow melts. Flowers fade. And I
pass-- as all things do.’”
X: “You-- ”
Ake: “‘But-but time-- and love-- they go on.’ Restore my honor,
Xena.”
X: [Yells]
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[The Present]
Villagers [Cheer]: “Xena!” “Yeah, Xena!” “Xena!”
G: “How will you feel when you come face-to-face with Akemi’s
ghost?”
Harukata [Har]: “Better question is-- how will Xena feel--
face--to-face-- with the ghosts of the people she killed at
Higuchi?!”
X: “What?”
G: “Who are you?”
Har: “My family name is Harukata.”
Ken: “But he’s know as the killer of ghosts.”
G: “Xena saved your city.”
Har: “This time. But that does nothing to atone-- for what
happened-- when last she was here.”
G: “What’s he talking about?”
X: “I was fulfilling Akemi’s dying wish-- to place her ashes at
the family shrine here in Higuchi.”
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[The Past]
X’s Voice: “Word got out that I was honoring the ashes of a girl
who had killed her father. The townsfolk felt that I would be
defiling her graveyard. They banded toegether to stop me.”
X’s Voice: “I tried to ignore them, but they came after me.”
[Fight]
X: “No! Akemi!”
Villagers: “Fire! Fire!”
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[The Present]
Har: “The wind took the fire-- from house to house. 40,000 of
my townsfolk-- perished-- in the flames!”
X: “No, it’s not possible.”
Har: “That is-- only the beginning!”
Ken: “Akemi told me that after she killed her father, Yodoshi’s
spirit was so full of evil-- even the underworld would not allow
him to enter. He becoame Lord Yodoshi-- the eater of souls. The
40,00 lost spirits were at his mercy. Now he holds them-- inside
him-- enslaved.”
X: “Then I am guilty of a greater evil than I ever thought
possible.”
G: “Xena, it was a horrible accident.”
X: “No-- no, I must put things right.”
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[ACT IV]
X’s Voice: “Can you hear them?”
G: “I thought I heard a horse, before.”
X: “Listen not just to the sounds-- but to what’s behind the
sounds.”
G: “How many are there?”
X: “At least three armies are gathering.”
G: “I’ll warn the others.”
X: “Ghost killer-- I know that you think of me as your enemy--
but you must believe this. My spirit aches for the torment I’ve
caused.”
Har: “We both want-- the same thing-- to release those souls.”
X: “You’ve devoted your life to killing Yodoshi. Why is it that
you have never succeeded?”
Har: “I have the power-- to slay-- but it is impossible for me--
to get close enough-- to use my blade.”
X: “Why?”
Har: “Because-- I am mortal. Only-- another ghost-- can trap--
a spirit as mighty as Yodoshi.”
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X: “Akemi-- I know what I must do-- but I’m afraid that this
day-- what’s done may not be undone.”
G: “Xena, the militia is prepared. Why aren’t you ready?”
X: “Gabrielle, come here. [Sniffs] Come here. Give me your
hands. All right. Here. Feel the surge of blood under the
skin. Now, just behind-- ”
G: “Xena-- you don’t have to do this. I understand why you
would never wanna teach me the pinch.”
X: “No. No, today more than ever-- I want you to know what I
know. Please.”
G: “Why are you doing this?”
X: “Gabrielle-- if I only had 30 seconds to live-- this is how
I’d want to live them-- looking into your eyes.”
G: “Stop this. Stop it.”
X: “Always remember, I love you.”
G: “Why would you teach me this right now? I don’t understand!”
X: “There’s nothing to understand. I just wanted you to know
everything I know. Let’s go. We got a battle to win.”
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Ken: “Wouldn’t it be better if we stayed with Xena?”
G: “Xena wants us to lead a contingent to the east plain. She
said a group of Yodoshi’s archers are gathering there.”
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