EPISODE 6 – THE BATTLE FOR DREAMS

"Quickly." Taro pressed. He widened his eyes when he saw Tiga was charging his energy and channelling it at them. "It's too late!"

Hikaru grabbed Ichijouji's shoulder and dragged him down with him. He closed his eyes and waited for the inevitable pain of being burned alive. Instead, he felt a tingle running down his body. He opened his eyes to see the grassy field had changed to the inside of classroom.

"What happened?" He asked to no one in particular. He looked in shock when Ichijouji suddenly pitched forward and lied on his front.

"Seems that we made it just in time…" A raspy voice broke the silence. Hikaru whipped his head to the side to see Taro was swaying on his feet.

"Taro!" He exclaimed. Taro was too far gone to notice Hikaru's worried frown. He tried to raise his tired head before his knees buckled. The last thing he heard was footsteps approaching them.

"Marie?" Ultra Father asked with a frown.

"I'm worried. He had expanded too much energy in the span of a few hours only." Ultra Mother fussed around her son. Her husband shook his head.

"Our son is strong. You don't have to worry. He's from my lineage. Of course he's strong." Ultra Father boasted off. His wife rolled her eyes in fond exasperation.

"Whatever make you happy Ken." She replied with a chuckle.

"I'm shocked. I can't believe Tomoya used me."

Taro awoke slowly to the angry words of Kenta. His eyes flicked to his forehead, noting a wet handkerchief was there. He didn't commented, his mind was too far away from the state of Ichijouji.

"What's more shocking is that the enemy has obtained Ultraman dolls as well." Taro spoke quietly.

"Taro."

The shrunken warrior ignored the pity and concern dripping from Hikaru's word. He heard a shuffle and turned to his side to see Ichijouji got up and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Hikaru got up and followed the other teen. He ignored them in favour of closing his eyes and sighed deeply.

"Why? Why is this happening? Someone please tell me what I should do. Father, Mother, nii-san tachi. I need your guidance. Please."

"We're sorry little brother for leaving you like this. We swear we never want this to happen. Please hang on." Ultraman sat beside Ultra Mother and touched Taro's shoulder in regret.

"He's giving up." Seven spoke lowly. "Is there something that we can do?" He raised his head and looked towards Zoffy and Ultra Father. The latter shook his head.

"Just be there for him. Remind him that we will always be there for him. That's all what we can do."

"I assume that it has something to do with your father?"

Taro looked startled when a new voice suddenly joined in. He glanced to his side.

"Principal?" He mumbled, parroting Hikaru just now.

"You're the son of the man who controls the distinguished Ichijouji Group." Taro perked up when he heard the principal response.

"Ichijouji Group…You mean…"

"That has nothing to do with me." Ichijouji cut in.

"Hey, what's your dream for the future?" Taro frowned when he heard Hikaru's tone.

"I have no such dream."

"Eh?"

Ichijouji turned around and face them. "I've gotten everything I wanted since I was a child. Since birth, anything I needed came to me without much effort." He smiled to them.

"That smile." Taro turned his eyes to the ceiling. He put a hand over his eyes. "That fake smile. We're much more similar than I thought."

"Fake smile? What did he meant by that?" Zero asked.

Seven and Ultraman looked at each other. "Not many people know but Taro didn't have any friend growing up. He always alone. It's not because he didn't know how to make friend. More to the fact that everyone were afraid of him."

"Afraid? Why?" Mebius frowned.

"Taro is the son of the commander of space garrison and leader of Silver Cross Organisation. By that title alone, people shunned him because they afraid of his power. He only had us as his friends. But all of us were always busy. We sometimes don't have time for him. So he always smile and told us that it's alright and he's sorry to disturb us." Seven explained.

"Is it bad?" Taro turned his attention back towards Ichijouji. Without waiting for reply, the teen walked out from the room but not before pausing to look at the principal.

"Wait!"

"Hikaru." Taro stopped the Ginga's host from following the other teen. "Leave him to me."

Without wasting any more time, the shrunken warrior teleported out to find the teen. Ichijouji was standing with his back to the wall. He got faraway look on his eyes.

"When a child has such a great father, it's never easy for that child to live up to his name." Taro said while standing on Ichijouji's shoulder. He sighed and closed his eyes. "It's the same for me."

"Why is it blurring around the edge?" Ace asked while looking at the silent Qiv.

"Maybe it's his flashback. I'm not sure. This is the first time I use my power without supervision." Qiv shrugged her shoulder while looking at the memory with rapt attention.

"I think I remember this memory." Ultra Mother spoke while glancing at her husband. Ultra Father sighed and slumped his shoulder.

Taro around the age of ten years old was standing and looking with heartbroken expression as his father turned around and disregard his son.

"I'm sorry my son." Ultra Father whispered with regret. His wife gripped his hand and looked at him lovingly.

"It's in the past. Let it go."

"Father!" Taro shot his hand forward as if to stop his father. He bowed his head and lowered his hand slowly with shaking shoulders.

"Father…" He called brokenly.

Ultra Father flinched at the tone. Ace sidled next to him and just sat there as silent support. His father looked at him appreciatively.

Child-Taro's body shook with repressed sobs. His mother was kneeling in front of him. She was rubbing his shoulder.

"I want to be like you, Father!" Taro raised his head when his mother said that. "Did he scold you when you told him that?" Taro nodded in shame.

"I think it's because Father doesn't want you to be just like him." Taro widened his eyes in shock when his mother told him that.

"Taro." Ultra Mother took both of his hands. She rubbed soothing circle on his knuckles. "You're unique. There's only one you in the entire world. The same goes for Father." He listened attentively. "You shouldn't become someone you are not. It's impossible for you to be just like Father." He flinched and bowed his head at her words.

Ultra Mother got up and turned around. "But you can surpass him." He gasped and quickly got up. He looked at her in wonder. "Father wants you to surpass him in the future. Mother believes that's what he wants for you." She looked to her back and saw her son frowned.

"Surpass Father…in the future?" He gaped at the notion before slowly his eyes showed fiery determination. He gave a nod and stood erect.

"I will. One day I will surely surpass Father."

"He's already surpassing me." Ultra Father kissed his son's brow.

"My otouto is one of a kind." Ace bragged.

"Too true." Jack crowed happily and nudged at the silent Zoffy. The latter cocked one of his eyebrows at him. "Don't you want to say anything?"

"Why should I say something when it's all true?" Zoffy spoke with an underlying smug tone. Seven and Ultraman high-five with a grin.

"I believe that's what your father is thinking about too." Taro returned to the present and spoke with conviction.

"To have a dream is merely to have a desire that can't be fulfilled." Ichijouji spoke in monotone.

"Eh?" Taro tilted his head to the side.

"Recall. Just look at all the people who have 'lived' into kaiju. They used every despicable means to fulfil their desire." Ichijouji raised the dark spark in his hand. "But…I'm different from them. That's how I still maintain my sanity." He smiled creepily, making Taro shuddered.

"But that isn't fun, is it?"

Taro whirled around to see all four teenagers running towards them. "Hikaru. Everyone."

"I'm sorry. But I just have to butt in." Hikaru smiled at the dumbfounded Taro. "Let me explain it to you. When you think of your future dreams, you should feel a sense of excitement, or thrill. Maybe you're unsure if they will come true and you feel troubled because of that. But that's part of having a dream. That's what makes having dreams so much fun!" Hikaru gave a blinding grin to them.

"I think so too."

"Yeah! Me too!"

Misuzu and Kenta said. They turned around when there was not another voice chimed in.

"Chigusa?"

The girl bit her lower lips with a bowed head. She suddenly smiled. "Yeah! Even though it's troubling, it's fun!"

Ichijouji scoffed. "How pointless. An idol, a cameraman, a confectioner and an adventurer?" He addressed them one by one. "Those don't count as dreams to me."

"What?" Hikaru walked forward and stood looking at Ichijouji from the side.

"I can be any of those without any real effort."

"He really is an ass." Kenta commented. Taro surely would be laughing at that comment if the situation was not tense.

Hikaru suddenly chuckled, making Taro looked at him with confused expression. "Alright. I'll decide your dream for you then!"

Ichijouji frowned at Hikaru. "Eh?"

Hikaru smirked. "Defeat Ultraman Ginga!"

"Hikaru-kun!" Misuzu took a step forward.

"If you're that good, this shouldn't be a problem for you, right?" Hikaru grinned.

"Of course. We'll settle this now." Ichijouji walked emotionless to the outside.

Taro teleported and stood on Hikaru's shoulder. "Why didn't you speak something, Taro?" He asked, curious.

"I feel that only your stubbornness can get through Ichijouji. Let's go outside." Taro suggested. Hikaru nodded and took a step forward before the warrior stumbled.

"Taro!" He managed to grab him from tumbling to the ground.

"You okay?" Misuzu asked worriedly.

"I'm fine. I just need to rest." He smiled at the worried teens.

Hikaru looked conflicted before he nodded. All four of them ran outside to see Ichijouji had summoned Jean-Killer.

"Who's that?"

"That's Jean-Killer. Ichijouji's robot." Taro replied to Kenta. He watched as Ichijouji touched something on the device before a light enveloped him and brought him inside. "But I don't think he's just a robot. He have an otherworldly presence." He muttered.

"Eh?" Taro glanced to the befuddled Hikaru. He gasped as he saw Ginga Spark came to life.

"It can't be!" He exclaimed in shock.

"You're willing to help me, Ultraman Ginga?"

Hikaru said excitedly before he raised his hand to the sky. A gust of wind knocked Taro to the ground. He had been saved by the quick action of Misuzu. She cradled him protectively.

"You okay?"

"I'll live." He reassured the resident priestess. Both of them turned to see the fight between Jean-Killer and Ultraman Ginga. The two giants were punching, kicking and attacking each other with everything that they got. Taro tuned to them to hear what they were talking.

"In this worlds, there are things that can't be achieved easily! I need you to realize why dreams are so important!" Hikaru yelled.

"Is this coincidence?" Jack suddenly broke the silence. "I saw Taro in that boy."

"You are not the only one." Seven glanced towards the two oldest warriors there. Both of them looked pride at Taro and Hikaru.

"Hikaru is persistent. Never give up. He will try hard until he succeed." Ultra Father grinned.

"Not to mention that he will try to sway everyone to follow his opinion. Just like one of our resident warrior here." Ultra Mother spoke fondly while looking at her son.

"My dream is to defeat Ultraman Ginga. And I'll surpass you!" Ichijouji said stubbornly.

"When chasing a dream, you're supposed to go all out and smile!" Ginga punched Jean-Killer in the face a soon as Hikaru spoke. There was a bright light and a gasp from Ichijouji. Taro frowned, didn't know what happened to make the unemotional teen to act like that. He smiled and sighed in relieved when he saw Jean-Killer's eyes turned blank. Taro was startled when he saw someone standing not too far away from Ginga and tried to warn the warrior when Ginga's color timer started blinking.

"Hikaru!"

"I can't see who's controlling him but I have a really bad feeling about this!" Hikaru replied.

Tiga suddenly attacked Ginga without mercy. Taro looked worried with Ginga's condition. The latter was looking fatigued and his movement had became clumsy.

"Look!"

There was a voice from behind them. Misuzu spun around quickly, making Taro dizzy with the action.

"Attention!"

"Alien Valkie!" Taro glared at the alien in front of him.

"I'm starting to hate that alien to personal level already."

"You're not the only one." Jack muttered to Ace.

Kenta and Chigusa quickly took a shovel and safety cone respectively. They put the items in front of them to defend themselves.

"Cute." Zero snickered.

"I wouldn't do that unless you want to get hurt."

Taro glared at the implication of Alien Valkie's words. He looked bemused when the alien fell down to his knees when he slipped on something.

"O…kay. This starting to get weird." Taro shook his head.

Everyone burst out laughing. "Is he trying to be a jokester?" Mebius asked, snickering.

"Dangerous!" Alien Valkie spoke to himself. He got up and dusted himself off. "You gotta give it to them. They are very strong, aren't they?" The alien took a few steps forward while the teens scrambled backwards. "Ultramen, that is."

Taro looked uncomfortable with what the alien was implying. "Ultra Telekinesis!" He roared.

Alien Valkie had been pushed to the back and side. Taro was dismayed to find out his power was still did not recovered fully.

"Dangerous! Dangerous again!" Alien Valkie shook his head. Chigusa raised the safety cone high to the air to hit the alien. "W-W-Wait wait wait!"

The alien quickly knelt and raised his hands placatingly. "Wait! Hold your horses!"

"As you said, the Ultramen are very strong!" Misuzu spoke bravely.

Suddenly, Taro got an idea. He winced at what he's going to do. "Sorry Father. I know you will hate me for this but it is the only way." He mumbled.

"Hmmm? What do you mean, my son?" Ultra Father cocked his head to the side.

"Can you hear me, the one who's controlling Tiga Dark? If you don't want Alien Valkie to be hurt then call off Tiga Dark right now!" He yelled to the dark warrior. Tiga turned his attention towards him.

"Should heroes use such underhanded means?!" Alien Valkie gasped. Taro managed to restrain himself from flinching at the statement.

"Oh Taro." Ultra Father gathered his son into his arms. He kissed his forehead tenderly. "Nothing you did or do will lessen my love for you." He cuddled his son.

"We will love you always, my baby." Ultra Mother cooed at her unconscious son.

"Why you still accept him when he's clearly fought dirty?"

Zoffy glared at Qiv. He almost snapped at her when he saw she's clearly confused, not trying to incite their wrath. He stopped Jack from coming towards her.

"Because we are family. And family means that we will accept him, flaws and mistakes and all that." Zoffy answered firmly.

"Even when he's doing huge mistakes? Over and over?" She frowned.

"Even that." Seven spoke firmly.

"Why?"

"Because we love him. Plain and simple." Ace shrugged his shoulder.

Alien Valkie pushed them out of his way. Suddenly, there were lights shot out from Tiga Dark's eyes towards the alien.

"Why?! What is this?!" The alien screamed. "I feel this power surging through my body!"

"No." The shrunken warrior whispered in alarmed. He couldn't helped but felt a small sliver of fear when he saw his enemy grew in size to his actual form.

"Oh no! There are more enemies now!" Kenta spoke.

"Ultraman Taro-san!" Chigusa pleaded.

"I want to be big again!" Taro moaned.

"Wow. I think that's Taro's new favourite words." Ultraman said sarcastically after they all stopped laughing.

"Is he going to change profession from warrior to comedian?" Zero snickered. Seven swatted the back of his son's head.

"Don't made fun of your second cousin." Seven admonished even though his mouth was twitching to fight a smile.

Taro watched anxiously as Tiga Dark and Alien Valkie ganged up on Ginga. "Please, please, please. Someone help him." He pleaded softly.

There was a movement from the downed Jean-Killer. He watched bemusedly as Jean-Killer's eyes shone alive and he got up. The robot raised his arm and powered up his cannon. Taro opened his mouth to warn Ginga but to his surprise, the robot shot at Tiga Dark.

"Alright!" The three humans jumped excitedly. He sighed in relieved when Jean-Killer attacked the alien, cementing his believe that he's on their side.

"Yeah, nice one!" Kenta crowed.

Taro smiled proudly as Jean-Killer helped Ginga to his feet. Together, both of them stood to face the new challenges. They charged up their attack. Jean-Killer with his suddenly appeared gun and Ginga with the custom ultra warrior attack. They unleashed the attacks at the same time, creating shock wave and explosion.

"Alright, they did it!"

"Ginga's awesome!"

He chuckled at the enthusiastic shouts from the teens. He looked at the two beings who now stood side by side.

"Restoring Jean-Killer to Jean-Nine. It looks like his strong feelings have brought back a miracle."

Taro stiffened at hearing the unknown voice. "Impossible." He hissed in disbelieved.

"Ginga?" Hikaru asked excitedly.

"Ginga have his consciousness?" Mebius spoke in shocked.

"What does this mean?" Ace swiveled to see his father. Ultra Father looked pensive for a moment.

"Ginga and Taro both have his consciousness. Something must have happened at the final battle." Jack reasoned.

"But it was only possible because of your strong conviction."

"Is that you, Ginga?" Hikaru couldn't helped but grinned from inside Ginga.

"Ultraman Ginga, just who are you? Amongst all the dolls, why am I the only one that is conscious?" He widened his eyes when Ginga turned his sorrowful eyes to him. "No, you are too. Why? What do you know?" His questions went unanswered as Ginga shimmered and Hikaru stood at his place, the same time Jean-Killer or Jean-Nine deposited Ichijouji to the ground.

The teens ran towards Hikaru who ran with a big grin on his face. "Guys, do you see that?" Hikaru almost jumped excitedly.

"I see. Ginga's really awesome!" Kenta nodded exuberantly.

"Don't forget. Hikaru is powerful too!" Chigusa chimed in.

"So does this mean Ichijouji is in our side?" Misuzu couldn't helped but asked.

"I don't know. What do you think, Taro?" Hikaru shrugged his shoulder. He furrowed his brows when he saw the warrior in Misuzu's hand was looking a bit subdued. "Taro?" He bend his knees and touched Taro's shoulder with a fingertip. The shrunken warrior jerked and shook his head.

"What?" Taro turned to face the teens. All of them were looking at him worriedly.

"You okay?" Hikaru asked in concern.

"Yeah, I'm fine. What was your question again?" He gave a reassuring smile to them.

"I asked whether Ichijouji can be consider on our team or not." Hikaru enunciated slowly while looking at Taro's face with a frown.

"You better ask him. From his action alone, it looks like he agreed to join us. There he is." Taro looked pointedly at Hikaru's back. The latter turned around and saw Ichijouji was standing not too far away from them.

"Thanks. I would've been defeated if you hadn't helped me." Hikaru grinned.

"There's no need to thank me. Ginga can only fall by my hand. I didn't want anyone else to have that." Ichijouji lowered his head for a second before he raised it back to look Hikaru at his eyes. "You said it, that's my dream." He turned around to walk away.

"Remember what else I said?" Hikaru stopped the other teen. "You're supposed to go all out for your dream, and it's supposed to make you smile! You understand, Tomoya?"

Ichijouji stood still for a few seconds. He didn't said anything and walked away from them.

"How rude." Kenta grumbled.

"Let him be. After all I have a feeling that we will see him again sooner or later." Hikaru shrugged his shoulder.

"So, what are we going to do now?" Chigusa asked with a smile.

"Hey, let's play football." Kenta suggested.

"Yeah. Let's go." Hikaru agreed excitedly. He started to run to the field when Misuzu's voice stopped him.

"Taro?"

Hikaru cocked his head to the side and saw Taro stood on a branch. "Taro, you're coming?"

Taro shook his head. "Go on. I will see you later." He promptly vanished and appeared in the room that he shared with Hikaru.

"Seeing Ginga just now, it seems I have forgotten something. But what is it?" He crossed his hands over his chest while looking at the teens who were playing happily. "I don't know why but I have a feeling that this final battle will be the death of me."

Ace gripped his brother's arm. "Why did he said that? I don't like it."

Ultra Father and Ultra Mother looked at each other. Ace frowned when he saw both of his parents were quiet.

"Mother? Father? What is it?" He inquired.

Ultra Mother nodded and her husband sighed. "We never tell you anything because we don't want you to worry senselessly. But there was a point in time when we both felt his life force suddenly vanished."

"No." Zoffy whispered in horror.

"What does it mean?" Qiv frowned when he saw everyone in the room were looking in disbelieved and sadness towards the comatose warrior.

"It means that he's…dead." Zero spoke slowly.