Episode Title

Tooi yakusoku

[A Distant Promise]

Air Date

1993.10.15

• Synopsis by George Robbert, 1994.11.23

Mom is eating a snack and watching the news on TV. Tomomi brings out some tea (to go with the cake) just as the TV reports the archeologists find. Tomomi is surprised at the subject of the carving they found. As the news goes on to talk about an upcoming lunar eclipse, Mom asks where Mikage is. Tomomi replies that she's upstairs writing a letter. Since that's the case, mom is ready to start eating Mikage's cake as well. A slap on the wrist from Tomomi stops her. She goes upstairs to call Mikage, while Mom sit's there, embarrassed.

Mikage is upstairs printing out hieroglyphics on her computer. Tomomi comes in and wonders at this, she thought that her sister was writing to Kurashige. Mikage replies that she is, explaining that Kurashige is going to be leading a tour of the British Museum and she's helping him prepare for it with some information about Egypt. This brings the news broadcast to Tomomi's mind and she tells Mikage about it, explaining how the twins on the relief looked just like them teleporting. Out the window behind them, the eclipse begins.

Mikage surprises her sister by asking to teleport to London. Kurashige has to do his guide-work tomorrow and she wants to get this info to him as soon as possible. ``Please Tomomi,'' begs Mikage. She agrees, and their fingers meet in front of the totally eclipsed moon. ``To London,'' they both say, and a longer, fancier, teleportation sequence kicks in.

Elsewhere, an assassin is advancing upon ``Pharaoh'' with a sword. As the assassin begins his charge to run him through, the Matsunaga twins teleport in and land on top of him. They're surprised at their landing, and even more so at their surroundings. ``This looks like it's not London.'' Pharaoh thanks the two for their timely help in saving him. The twins are even more surprised now, for Pharaoh is wearing Kurashige's face.

At this point Shadowura, one of Pharaoh's advisors, runs up with a couple guards. He's glad that Pharaoh is safe. The twins are surprised to find he looks like Kageura. [Note: the kanji ``kage'' in his name does mean ``shadow.''] He orders the arrest of the twins for attempted assassination, and the guards move to comply. Pharaoh stops this, pointing to the man underneath the twins and says that they saved him instead. Shadowura looks at the twins and starts to wonder.

A slave, Yuuya, comes and reports to a grand lady in her hall. She is Rumiopatra (Daijouji). He tells her of the events that just transpired. She is worried about the attempt on Pharaoh's life, but even more so by the fact that women saved him. She comments that she won't forgive ``them,'' but it's not clear if she means the women or the assassin.

Tomomi and Mikage are dressed in Egyptian clothes and are sitting in Pharaoh's court. Telepathically, they talk of their situation. Tomomi wonders where they are. Mikage say's it's probably Egypt, and after some discussion, figures they must have done a time slip. Interrupting this, Pharaoh asks where they are from. Mikage stammers, ``a distant land.'' Pharaoh says that it looks like they came by magic. Mikage agrees that it does, but says that they call it teleporting. This word gets the full attention of Shadowura, who loudly demands that they do it again. Only Pharaoh's words stop him, pointing out the twins did save his life. He tells the twins to have a leisurely stay. When they stammer an agreement to his statement that they were in a hurry, Shadowura tries to have them arrested again.

At this point Rumiopatra comes in laughing. Yuuya follows her, bearing a tray with a decanter and glasses. She's brought this as a gift for Pharaoh after the troubling attempt on his life. She also wants to see what kind of women saved him and eyes the twins. Her comment that they're ugly and that she's more beautiful ruffles Mikage's feathers.

Rumiopatra then orders Yuuya forward to Pharaoh. He does so, but trips on a joint in the floor, landing on his face. Tomomi comes over asking if he's all right. In contrast, Rumiopatra hits him for his clumsiness. Tomomi grabs her arm. ``Don't hit him again.'' Rumiopatra doesn't take this interference well. It takes a word from Pharaoh to calm her down. His pardoning of Yuuya leaves her no excuse for anger. She walks out with her nose in the air, calling Yuuya to follow. He bows to Tomomi and leaves.

When she is gone, Shadowura comments on how selfish she is, taking advantage of the fact that she's Pharaoh's cousin. Just then, a slave runs in with terrible news for Pharaoh.

It turns out that a corner of the pyramid under construction has collapsed. Several workers have been injured in the process. Pharaoh, Shadowura and the twins stand there surveying the damage. Shadowura can't understand how this would happen the construction of his wonderful pyramid shouldn't have failed. (I guess his design was bad.) Pharaoh tells Shadowura that he should place a higher value on life; this is the third time this has happened.

Mikage wants to help and remembers her notes on pyramid building that she was trying to take to Kurashige. Back at the palace, she and Tomomi look over them. Mikage thinks they will help. With a bit of work they should do fine. ``Together we'll build a masterpiece.''

Shadowura's eyebrows twitch in consternation as he looks at the new plans for the pyramid Mikage is showing to him and Pharaoh. Behind them, the new construction continues apace. Tomomi is even helping cook for the workers. It seems that everyone is happy with this new state of affairs, except Shadowura and Rumiopatra (who is hiding behind a corner). She tells Yuuya that she'll deal with these two. He's shocked to hear her talking like this, the twins haven't done anything wrong. Rumiopatra counters that the two are in her way. She especially doesn't like how well Mikage and Pharaoh are getting along.

Back at the palace, Mikage is going over the pyramid plans with Pharaoh and Shadowura. As she explains things, Pharaoh reaches out and takes her hand, saying how lucky he is for her to have suddenly come into his life. Shadowura, notices both their happy faces and excuses himself to go off and ``study teleportation.'' Pharaoh continues telling Mikage that it must have been fate that brought them together. He smiles and promises her that they will meet again in the future, even if they don't remember this time. He reaches out and touches her smiling face, telling her that it is destined to happen.

As he says this, something the shadows behind them glitters. Tomomi comes up, carrying a bowl of snacks for them to eat. From the other direction, a black robed assassin jumps out and throws a knife at Mikage. Pharaoh jumps and grabs her for protection, and Tomomi drops her bowl in shock. The knife hits Pharaoh in the shoulder and he falls to the ground. The assassin runs off, frustrated that he failed, and the twins rush over to Pharaoh.

Shadowura comes up, having heard the commotion, wanting to make sure everythings ok. Pharaoh says he's ok, sits up and pulls the knife out of his shoulder. Mikage is relieved to the point of tears that he's all right. She leaves him in Shadowura's care. Saying that she won't forgive the assassin, she links fingers with Tomomi to teleport off.

Outside, the assassin continues running off. He rounds a corner, only to be grabbed by Yuuya, who holds a sickle to his throat and demands to know who set him up to this. The assassin's reply that it was Rumiopatra surprises Yuuya enough for him to break free. As he begins to run off, his escape route is suddenly blocked by the appearance of Tomomi and Mikage, arriving with righteous anger.

The assassin turns and runs in a different direction. The avenging twins are about to follow him when Yuuya tells them to wait. Mikage demands to know why, since this fellow injured Pharaoh who was protecting her, and accuses Yuuya of protecting the assassin. Yuuya gallantly replies that, ``this is all my fault, I'll take the punishment.'' Tomomi wonders why, and demands to know who Yuuya is doing this for. As he continues to claim that he's working alone, Mikage figures out and accuses him of being only a ``junior partner'' in this affair.

Just then, Shadowura and a pair of guards show up on the wall above the three. He recognizes Yuuya as belonging to ``the future queen.'' This surprises the twins and they ask who she is. He doesn't really answer but arrests Yuuya and has him taken off for punishment. The twins ask him to stop, but Shadowura doesn't, saying that this will be a spectacle. Tomomi's worried about Yuuya, and he looks back at her with a smile as they take him away.

Rumiopatra is standing in her chambers, gloating over the progress of her plans to become the Queen of Egypt. She stops laughing when the twins teleport in and accuse her. Mikage's saying that Pharaoh was hurt protecting her does surprise Rumiopatra though. Tomomi tells her that Yuuya is going to be punished and begs her to intercede and help him. Rumiopatra says there's nothing she can do, but Mikage doesn't accept this answer. Their conversation is interrupted by a gong sounding.

It is announcing Yuuya's punishment. He is tied to a cross and guards are piling firewood around the base to burn him. Tomomi and Mikage run up and ask Shadowura to wait a little. He refuses to saying that Yuuya committed treason and must be punished.

Tomomi begs Yuuya to tell the truth. ``This is better,'' he replies. Mikage notices the beginning of another lunar eclipse, and realizes that they can take advantage of this good luck. She drags Tomomi to the stake, and with arms outstretched, they block the way. Shadowura demands they stand aside. Mikage refuses, pointing out what is happening to the moon. Shadowura and the guards are scared by this power, and freeze until Pharaoh comes up, asks what is going on, and pardons Yuuya. Shadowura has to comply. Tomomi asks Pharaoh why he's here and he looks back at Rumiopatra who was watching from hiding. Once released, Yuuya kneels in front of Tomomi and says that he owes her his life. Tomomi and Mikage are both happy again.

The twins flowers start flashing, and they realize they must get back. Mikage apologizes to Pharaoh about this, and he repeats his promise to her that they will meet again in the future. The twins then teleport off.

They appear back in their room, asleep on the bed. Mom comes up asking what they're doing and threatening to eat all the cake herself. Tomomi wonders if this was just a dream. As if in answer, they notice the end of the lunar eclipse outside. Mom's asking if they're not going to eat any cake motivates them to quickly run downstairs.

Kurashige's voice reads a letter to Mikage. He thanks her for all of her help, and says he liked seeing the carving with their teleport-pose. He comments that they are closely tied and thanks Mikage for telling him all she's heard. He finishes by restating Pharaoh's promise to meet again. Mikage pauses from reading the letter and looks out the window. She imagines Kurashige telling her this promise, and as he does, his face fades into Pharaoh's.

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