This week's Bizarro Dreams features episode 15. Ikki is the subject dreamer with an extended flashback plus manga scenes. Ikki wakes up from the nightmare, prompting his friends to knock because they felt his cosmo. It's one of the false alarms expected to happen in the year.
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Today's weather is pouring showers.
This week begins the August chapter.
BIZARRO DREAMS ALERT!
(Bizarro Dreams episode 15)
[Date of event: August 1, Wednesday - week 1]
[flashback sequence. Ikki wakes up after training]
Ikki – Shun… Is that you, Shun?
Esmeralda – Oh, Ikki…
Ikki – It's you, Esmeralda.
Esmeralda – You mistook me for your brother again.
Ikki – You look identical, that's why.
[Esmeralda chuckles]
Esmeralda – You're going to die if you keep going like this.
Ikki – I can't die. I must get the cloth no matter what. Anyway, you shouldn't be here, Esmeralda. You should be out on your own.
Esmeralda – I could've done that, but he raised me when I was very young. He's like a father to me. He wasn't always like this. It's just after returning from Sanctuary that he changed drastically.
Ikki – Is that so?
Esmeralda – Yes! I was lucky, but other girls have it worse. They're sold into slavery and abused night after night. At least I don't suffer much when I'm with him.
Ikki – Anyway, I think he's strict for my benefit.
[Esmeralda sighs and continues to heal Ikki]
[sometime later, a friend of theirs greets them]
Friend – Esmeralda, Ikki! It's been a while!
Esmeralda – Yes, I'm glad to see you.
Ikki (observes bruises) It happened again, right?
Friend – Yes… but I'm used to it…
Ikki – Only a few farms on this island, and you got sold to one…
Friend – That's life here. The girls on this island are sold into slavery when they turn seven. It's the only way their parents and brothers can survive. It's a hard world for the poor.
[a man who looks like Jango appears, grabbing the friend from behind and slamming her to the ground]
Owner – Lazy bitch! Looks like we'll have another lesson tonight.
Friend – No… please no…
Owner – Even the hogs and cattle have far more value than you. If it wasn't for your bod, I would've dumped you into the ocean long ago! You're not even worth the three sacks of flour I paid for you.
Ikki – What the hell, man?!
[Ikki grabs the man and punches him]
Ikki – How dare you see her as a sexual object?!
Owner – You're more gullible than you think you are! You can deny all you want, but you obviously have the hots for the blonde gal beside you. I wouldn't be surprised if you two have done it. (laughs)
Ikki – No way! Esmeralda's not like that! I'm not like that! Our relationship is just as pure as snow.
Owner – Ha! We'll see about that!
Ikki – You bastard!
Esmeralda (clings to Ikki) Stop, Ikki! Don't let him provoke you!
Ikki – Listen, you! Leave this island and go home to your family!
Friend – I can't. If I did that, they'd sell me to someone worse… Esmeralda, Ikki. (cries) I'll stay here… at least until he becomes the Phoenix saint.
[time passed, and Ikki faces his master, Guilty]
Guilty – Ikki! Today is the last day of your training. Defeat me and become the Phoenix saint, or die here on Death Queen Island. There are no alternatives!
[they exchange blows. However, Guilty lets his fist slip and hits Esmeralda]
Esmeralda – Aaaah!
Ikki (runs) Esmeralda, no!
Esmeralda (falls) Ikki!
Ikki (grabs) You must hang on, Esmeralda!
Esmeralda – Ikki… become the Phoenix… fly away (dies)
Ikki (sobs) Esmeralda, Esmeralda!
Guilty – Foolish Ikki! You should've killed me!
Ikki (cries) You evil bastard!
[his cosmo awakens in full, allowing him to kill his master and earn the Phoenix cloth. Flashback ends]
[Ikki awakens from his knockout earlier. He sits up, surrounded by Seiya, Shun, Shiryu, and Hyoga, who have heard his flashback story nonstop. Ikki awakens in a daze]
Shun – Brother, I'm so glad you're awake!
Ikki – Shun…
[Shun hugs Ikki to everyone's surprise, including Ikki himself]
Shun – Brother, I'm so sorry. I should've gone to Death Queen Island instead of you going in my place.
[Ikki backs off and sees the gold helmet on his lap]
Ikki – When did this get here? Anyway, take it, Seiya. I have no need for it anymore.
Seiya (nodding) Right!
Hyoga – Hey, what happened to the rest of the cloth?
Seiya – Good question. I don't see it.
Shun – Don't tell me someone stole it.
Seiya (shocked) What?!
[the party hears a rumbling sound]
Shiryu – Do you guys hear something?
Hyoga – Yeah, it's a rumbling sound.
[large piles of dirt collapse from the summit]
Shiryu – It's a landslide!
Hyoga – Let's get out of here!
[they run, but Shun turns back to see a weakened Ikki not moving]
Shun (attempting to reach out) Brother!
Seiya (holds Shun) Shun!
Shun – No! Not after we're reunited!
Ikki – Goodbye… my brothers… argh!
[the party leaps over the chasm as the landslide drags Ikki away]
Shun – Brother!
[the landslide stops, and they stand before a grave]
Shiryu – Did he call us brothers?
Hyoga – No worries! That's only in the manga.
Shiryu (nods) Oh, okay.
Seiya – I think he's still alive. We should dig.
Hyoga – It's just as Seiya says. He's 100% dead.
[Seiya sweat drops while holding the helmet]
(wake-up reaction)
It's yet another dull summer night. But Ikki wakes up in discomfort, perhaps anxious due to the pouring showers close to dawn. To make matters worse, his cosmos suddenly emerges without any prompting or warning. This prompts his friends to wake up and knock on his door, but his cosmos fades upon hearing the knock as if startled.
"Ikki, you okay?" Seiya asks. "We felt your cosmo!"
"Is that you, Seiya?" Ikki asks.
"Yeah, me and other guys. We're outside."
"I'm okay," Ikki pauses. "I don't know what happened, but my cosmo suddenly happened, but it's nothing to worry about. It's gone."
"Brother, did you have a nightmare or something?" Shun asks.
"Maybe...?"
Ikki hears random mumbling from behind the door. He gets up from his bed and approaches the door to hear his friends from the outside.
"It's okay. There's no need to enter. I'm not hurt or anything. It's just a false alarm. That is all, but thanks for coming."
"Okay, if you say so." Seiya pauses. "We'll leave you be. But Ikki, if your sudden cosmo stems from a battle-related flashback and it involves us, you should tell us about it. You can't keep it all in, especially when you can't enter the building to see the counselor."
"You mean that Dr. Haruki person?"
"Yeah, him! He's our go-to guy for advice."
"Is it okay to tell him about our lives as Saints?"
"The teachers we've met are Gold Saint-look alikes. Dr. Haruki is one of them, so even though he's not Mu, he seems to know a lot."
"Counseling, huh? What good would that do?"
"Brother, I know that merely talking will not undo all the suffering you endured, but having someone to talk to would shift the burden off. Can you call and have him arrange a meeting with you during lunch break?"
"Shun, we're on vacation," Ikki says.
"I know! Given that you spend so much time alone here during school, having him come to you at least once would be a good idea. Dr. Haruki said he'll schedule time to see us if we need him. That includes you too."
Ikki remains pensive. "I'll think about it."
"I'm so glad, Big Brother. See you later."
Ikki hears the footsteps fade away as the others return to their rooms. He returns to his bed, relieved by his small talk with them.
To be continued...