Last time Kurama confronted the master mind behind Foliage Fortress, Rose, his female clone. Their skills and strategies were equal, dragging the fight on with the advantage to neither. Rose then revealed she could willingly transform into a fox demon like Yoko Kurama. They continued their fight until Rose decided to reveal the captured friends of Kurama. All fighters are low on energy and the world will be destroyed soon. Kurama must choose whether he will use his strength and time to save the world or his friends. Time is ticking as Kurama battles within himself. Can he make his decision in time?
Episode 20 : Split and Merge
[Kurama stands surrounded by the Puzzle of Plants. He is sweating but attempts to look calm. He tilts his head forward and closes his eyes.]
Kurama Voiceover: There is no time left. Either I can abandon my friends and save the world, or…
[Yoko Kurama’s face continually appears as a ghosted image over Kurama’s mind while talking then fades out.]
Yoko Kurama Image: …abandon the world to save our friends.
Kurama Voiceover: But even if I were to free Hiei, he cannot reach the orb and stop detonation in time while I freed the others. He would not have strength enough to get through the puzzle.
Yoko Kurama Image: Forget the world.
Kurama Voiceover: It is not just the world. It is Midori, Mother, my family.
Yoko Kurama Image: Our friends have loved ones too.
Kurama Voiceover: Kayko, Shizuru, Yukina. They would be saddened of the loss should I let my comrades die. But if they should die instead, the pain my friends would experience would be unbearable.
Yoko Kurama Image: Listen to me.
Kurama Voiceover: There must be a way…
Yoko Kurama: I can help.
Kurama: [screams] THERE MUST BE A WAY!!!
[Kurama starts untangling plants to go towards the orb.]
Kurama Voiceover: For the greater good, I must save the world.
[Yoko Kurama appears completely ghosted over Kurama.]
Yoko Kurama Image: Not if I have a say in it.
[Kurama starts to glow as he continues to work his way towards the orb. Yoko’s spirit pulls back. Yoko’s spirit turns to head in the opposite direction. Kurama and Yoko’s spirit both pull as they open up paths through the Puzzle of Plants.]
Kurama: I have to try.
Yoko Kurama: So do I.
[Yoko’s spirit breaks free of Kurama. Kurama increases his speed as he works his way towards the orb while Yoko’s spirit clears a path towards his friends. They each work intently and silently. Yoko’s spirit reaches the room with Kuwabara, Yusuke, and Hiei. Yoko’s spirit touches the Energy Extractor holding Hiei. The surrounding plants retract and the clamps unlatch. Hiei falls forward to the ground.]
Yoko’s spirit: I know you’re tired, but you must go help Suichi.
Hiei: [nodding] Hm.
[Hiei pushes himself up. He takes off running, grabbing his sword off the ground on his way to the path. Yoko’s spirit goes over to Yusuke and touches the machine he is in to retract the plants.]
Yusuke: How did you do that? I thought you and Kurama were the same.
[Yusuke falls to the ground. Yoko’s spirit goes to Kuwabara to release him.]
Yoko’s spirit: We are, but the situation is dire. I venture to guess that our difference of opinion on the matter enabled us to split apart, but that leaves us considerably vulnerable.
[Kuwabara falls to the ground.]
Yoko’s spirit: I will work on freeing the detectives. You must keep the sun from hitting the energy storage.
[Yusuke and Kuwabara stand up. Yusuke gives a thumbs up.]
Yusuke: Right.
Kuwabara: We’re on it.
[Yusuke and Kuwabara head towards quick as they are able. Yoko’s spirit goes to the cube of plants in the corner. The cage starts falling apart, branch by branch.]
* * *
[Kurama pushes and pulls through the plants of the puzzle. Hiei arrives behind him. Kurama continues to work.]
Kurama: Hiei! You’re well. I’m glad. We are almost to the edge of this giant puzzle.
Hiei: Good. I will make them pay.
* * *
[Yusuke and Kuwabara run through the pathway.]
* * *
[Yoko’s spirit continues on breaking through the cage. Ryone slips out and curls up on the floor.]
* * *
[Plants are thin enough to see a corridor beyond them. Kurama swipes some away.]
Kurama: Almost there.
[Kurama retracts the remaining branches. Hiei dashes off ahead. Kurama widens the exit then continues.]
* * *
[In a room, many cloaked figures stand in a circle around a giant orb. They each have a hand outstretched, emitting energy to it. Green, porcelain Chinese dragons wriggle around the orb as if they were alive. Two of the cloaked figures are sliding a big metal door to the side, allowing sunlight to creep in. Hiei appears and slashes through the figures. Later, Kurama appears and pulls out his rose whip. Yusuke and Kuwabara also enter and start punching the cloaked figures that are still standing. The sunlight is almost touching the orb. Kuwabara knocks out one of the figures at the metal door and begins pushing it closed. Yusuke takes out the figure on the other end of the door. Kuwabara finishes pushing the door shut. All the cloaked figures have been defeated. Kaisei and Fubuki run in, Fubuki carrying Ryone. Yoko’s spirit follows. Kurama looks at Yoko’s spirit, which approaches him. With a glow, Yoko’s spirit reunites with Kurama. Kuwabara looks down at the fallen cloaked figures.]
Kuwabara: They’re all Kuramas!
Yusuke: This is slightly disturbing.
Kurama: It would seem as though a science experiment of cloning went awry when the creations turned on the creator. Or at least Rose rebelled. These other copies did not seem to have as much life or spirit in them as she does.
Yusuke: That still doesn’t explain how whoever got a girl clone out of you. [wink] Is there something you’re not telling us? [scratches head] I mean as far as my understanding goes, clones are exact copies, and if there is a girl, then there has to be some sort of difference so if she really is different from you, being a girl, then she’s not a clone.
Kuwabara: Geeze, Urameshi, if you had gone to high school, then you would now that the only difference is in the Y-chromosome. The freak-demon scientist probably just extracted the Y out of a Kurama DNA sample and doubled his X.
[Clapping can be heard. Everyone turns to see Rose emerging from the passageway.]
Rose: Brilliant deduction.
Yusuke: Look who’s back!
Rose: You expected me to stay away after you paused my plan? I came to finish it off.
Yusuke: So tell me, how can you be a clone if you’re a girl and Kurama’s a man?
Kuwabara: [yells] I told you! Some chromosomes in a sample were altered!
Rose: You should listen to him; he does have a point
[Hiei grabs his Katana to draw again.]
Hiei: I don’t know what nonsense the fool is talking about, but now that you have shown your face, I will have to make you pay for tying me up the way you did back there. It took three of you to capture me before, but now you are just one…and a girl at that!
Kurama: Reserve your energy Hiei. None of us are in condition to fight.
[Hiei dashes towards Rose. She crosses her arm in front of her with a bristly plant covering. She side-steps as she swings to block Hiei’s attack, shattering his sword.]
Rose: That is precisely why it will only take me to defeat you. But first, don’t you want answers? Aren’t you curious? I know one of you is.
[Rose looks over to Kurama and locks eye contact. As Rose talks, she glides over to the orb and slips a hand onto it. The porcelain dragons behave adversely from before as she takes energy from it. A plant slides down her other side and creeps towards the sliding door that is blocking the sun.]
Rose: You want to know who tried to clone you. Why you for the test subject? How they got your DNA? How did we develop so fast? Why even attempt the gender change? What previous failures came before the success of us, what else was being planned? Why did I revolt against it, how could I? Why do I want to destroy the world? Why did I warn you?
[Kurama takes a step towards Rose. He grabs both of her hands, removing them from their tasks.]
Kurama: Fighting will get us no where. If you are willing to clarify, please do. You would not waste your time in provoking our minds if you truly intended to be done with us; if that were the case, you would have killed us by now.
Rose: You cannot kill me if you ever want to know your answers.
Yusuke: Not all of us really care about that.
Kurama: [looking into Rose’s eyes] If you came from me, then I should understand you better than anyone.
[Kurama takes a step closer to Rose. She moves back continually as Kurama continues to get closer to her.]
Kurama: You were afraid to be alone. You wanted to create a new world after destroying the old but that cannot be done alone. You needed other DNA samples.
[Rose pulls her face back with an uncomfortable look.]
Kurama: Or was it that you planned to be stopped? Was this whole façade placed to justify us killing you? Putting you out of your wretched existence?
[Rose’s back touches the wall, and she and Kurama stop walking. Rose clenches her teeth.]
Rose: [full of discontent] How dare you? How dare you! What do you know? You were loved, pampered, spoiled! I never received any such treatment in the lab! How could you understand the feelings I harbor?
[Kurama lets go of one of Rose’s hands to cup the side of her face.]
Kurama: Relax. It wasn’t your fault that you were created.
[Rose’s eyes swell with tears she is holding back. Kurama wraps his arms around Rose.]
Kurama: If you truly came from me, then return to me. Know what I have learned.
[Kurama holds Rose in a tight embrace. Similar to when he merged back with Yoko’s spirit, Kurama and Rose start to glow. The glow intensifies. The others look on in awe. When the glow dies down, Rose is gone. Kurama turns to face the others with a sigh.]
Kurama: It is done.
Yusuke: Wow. Where’d she go?
Kurama: She is part of me now.
Kuwabara: So now you have her memories and thoughts?
Kurama: [soft grunt] Partially. She is still striving to keep them away from my knowledge. I have discovered some, but there is much enigma to unravel yet.
Kaisei: What do you know now?
[Kurama holds out a hand, with the rose-shaped ring on the palm.]
Kurama: Rose’s ring. It is no more than a pretty ornament now. It contained the essence of all the clones, serving to control them, but they are gone now. Their names were numbered in order they were created, M most likely standing for ‘male.’ Rose’s original name was X-2-1-3-F-5. After she took this ring from the scientist, she disposed of that title and named herself. That is all the information I can get from her at this time.
Yusuke: So you know the scientist guy who did the cloning?
Kurama: [shakes head] That is information Rose is stubbornly withholding.
Kuwabara: Do you at least know how to get this ship back to earth?
Fubuki: Yeah! I hate to think of how many dates I’ve missed while stuck up here!
[Kurama smiles.]
***COMMERCIAL BREAK***
[Kurama and Yusuke arrive at Kurama’s apartment. Kurama pulls out a key to unlock the door.]
Yusuke: Before, didn’t you have a hard time juggling three lives? How can you take on this fourth now that you merged with Rose?
Kurama: I will manage [pause] somehow.
[Kurama opens the door. He and Yusuke go in.]
Yusuke: [calling out] Honeys! We’re home!
[Kurama and Yusuke walk down the hall to the bedroom. They peek in to see Midori in bed and Kayko rocking Kazuki near the bedside. Yusuke goes to Kayko and kisses her then picks up Kazuki. Kayko stands up.]
Yusuke: Miss me?
Kayko: I think the question should be, did you miss me?
Yusuke: Do you even have to ask?
[Kurama walks over to Midori. Midori attempts to sit up.]
Kurama: Please don’t overexert yourself, dear.
[Kurama eases Midori back down and holds her hands.]
Midori: I’m glad you are all right. The baby has been waiting for you.
Kurama: I wouldn’t miss its birth for the world.
[Midori chuckles, but the laugh turns into a painful groan.]
Kurama: Oh, no. What’s wrong?
Midori: [takes a deep breath] Don’t worry it’s just a contraction.
Kurama: Oh. Just a contraction. [shocked] A contraction! Shouldn’t we call the doctor!
Midori: It’s okay. Contractions are normal. We don’t need to worry until they’re closer together. The baby won’t come until contractions are about ten minutes apart.
Kurama: If you’re sure you are all right.
Yusuke: Well I guess we’ll be off, good luck you two!
Kurama: Thank you for taking care of Midori, Kayko.
Kayko: Oh. No problem it was fun.
Midori: [screams as if her life depended on it] AAAAHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!
[Kurama panics over Midori.]
Kurama: Another one? We’ve got to get you to the hospital!
* * *
[In a hospital waiting area, Kurama paces back and forth. Yusuke and Kayko sit with Kazuki. Yusuke watches Kurama then leans over to Kayko.]
Yusuke: Wow, you’d think it was his first kid or something.
Kurama: [innocently] Eh, well…actually it is…
Yusuke: [sly] Oh, come on! You’ve been around for a few thousand years, you telling me you’ve never done this before?
Kurama: Physical attraction is different for humans than my breed of demon. Back when I was Yoko, I was consumed with desires for treasure, power and…
Midori’s voice: AAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!!!! SUICHI I HATE YOU!!!!!
[Kurama jumps. He frantically runs around.]
Kurama: DAH! I’M SORRY I’M SORRY I’M SORRY I’M SORRRRRYYYYY!!!!!!!
* * *
[Rose is in a room with a lot of buttons. Her hand is on a giant rusty-looking button that has the word ‘panic’ inscribed on it.]
Rose: What they don’t know is I now have access to pressing his buttons!
[Rose pushes the ‘panic’ button repeatedly.]
Rose: Panic! Panic! Panic!
[Yoko Kurama approaches Rose from behind, grabs her by her biceps, and picks her up.]
Yoko Kurama: Enough of that now, let’s be serious.
[Yoko Kurama turns and carries Rose away.]
* * *
[Back in the hospital, Mr. Hatanaka, Shiori, and Kakoda arrive. Shiori places an arm around Kurama’s shoulders. Kakoda sits by Yusuke and Kayko while Kurama enters the emergency room with his parents.]
* * *
[In Spirit World, Koenma broods at his desk with a book opened in front of him. Ayame enters.]
Ayame: Koenma-sir. With the orb the spirit detectives retrieved, we have been able to confirm your suspicions. The Foliage Fortress is one of the Gifts to Deity. If set off, the ray hitting the earth would have enriched the life energy on Earth. But the energy had an extra ingredient added to it. Had the plan gone through, the sun passing through the energy would have sent a beam to the earth that would incinerate demons.
Koenma: Is that so? [ponders] Then there is something out of place.
Narrator: The world is safe for the time being. But Koenma’s discovery has him worried. With the facts now at hand, what does this information mean to the world?
“Koenma here! In case you were thinking I’ve been slacking on the job, I haven’t. I sacrificed a lot of screen time these past few episodes to do some serious research! The fortress case is wrapped up, but there is a lot more that needs to be looked into. Such as corruption, threats, and people acting weird; as if these fruitcakes weren’t nutty enough for you already! So if things aren’t adding up for you either, you’ll want to catch the next exciting episode of YuYu Hakusho Beyond!"
