All New Episode! (5/3/03) Guest Director: Anthony Hummerston

Gookin Uensa offers to take the troubleshooters back to Shikoku. On board are the usual suspects, as well as Kimori's new bride and a local hero named Oguroyumi. Although the regular cast don't know him yet, he is to play a pivotal role in the story that unfolds.

As the ship rounds the rugged north west coast, of Kyushu, a winter storm brews up. Emiko's insides are doing the same, and soon she is praying to the Kami of the sea (with a burnt offering - a sample of the morning's toast). The Kami of the sea is not letting up however, and soon all the crew and the passengers too are feeling the effects of the buffeting winds and heaving seas. Oguroyumi puts his arm to the pump, and soon is bailing water with the rest of them. Instead of abating, the storm gets worse, and soon the whole ship is fighting for survival. Mariko is having deja-vu deja-vu at the thought of going down with a ship a second time. (How could the same ship happen to the same girl twice?)

The captain makes a last ditch attempt to keep the ship afloat, ditching several barrels of cargo and a few crates, which helps to offset the mass of water filling the ship. The last hatch is battened down, and the few remaining crates and a piece of splintered mast are lashed up and cast overboard to make a sea anchor. The rudder is turned by degrees and the ship points into the wind. Here at least the pumps and bailers can get the water situation under control. The ship spends an uncomfortable night, carried by the wind and tide until the temporary anchor starts to give way, and all hope seems to be lost. However, the Kami of the sea has decided that the offerings are enough to please it, and the storm blows over. The temperature drops too, and soon an icy breeze fills what is left of the sails, and the captain makes an announcement. "I fear that we will not make Shikoku without re-supplying and repairs; I suggest that we look for a sheltered spot near the shore to moor up and take stock of the damage." One of the crew members is a native of these waters and suggests a small inlet which has a steeply shelving beach, which would make a good natural harbour. Captain Uensa studies his chart, and heads for the inlet.

Their plans of sliding into the inlet are dashed however, as it seems another merchant ship has got there first. This other ship also seems to have run into some fearsome weather, as it is split in two, with its mast having crashed through the keel. The captain sends the cabin boy over, in the hope that he might use the other ship as a place where he can tie up, using it as a temporary jetty. However after a few minutes the cabin boy comes racing back, shrieking that there are demons aboard the wreck. (Editors note: In the original Japanese version these demons were called "Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles" - but this subtlety was lost in translation.)

The troubleshooters recognise their cue, and are sent over to deal with the pesky demons. Kimori and his new wife are engaged in the buying and selling of flowers. (Editors Note: this phrase was lost in translation) and the following scene didn't make the final cut: Sugiyama is helping the ship's cook in the galley.

The pesky demons are green, scaly and smell of fish, but alas are not Deep Ones^TM, but a family of Kappa who are systematically looting the abandoned ship. The heroes are having none of this and draw their swords. The Kappa respond with darts of water, and create a mud pool on the already slippery and slanting deck. The girls have a go on the slide, while the boys start to valiantly cut down the little green critters.

Just as Emiko stands up on the slippery foredeck, the last of the Kappa screms a warning, ducks a blow from the troubleshooters, and starts attacking something slithering across the deck. The others are surprised at the Kappa's warning, but turn and confront whatever it is. The Whatever it is appears to be a Tako (big-man-eating-octopus), but this specimen is a giant. The monstrous octopus has been lurking in the smashed stern of the ship, and had decided that some Kappa might be good hors d'ouvres, and some Troubleshooters a good main course. The Kappa and the troubleshooters decide that it is actually calamari on today's menu, and slice the thing into bite-size chunks.

They then turn on the Kappa, who begs for mercy. She tells them that they've seen off the remainder of her family, and offers to tell them what happened to the other ship in return for her life. The Troubleshooters are merciful, and hear that the other ship also tried to make the natural harbour, but were shipwrecked on the jagged rocks. "During the storm, the crew decided to make a dash for the shore during a lull in the wind. The white-faced demons seemed to want to stay. There was a fight with a Tako that had been swept into the inlet. The crew were either killed or injured. The Tako was hurt, and frightened off by the thunder. I don't know if that one in the boat is the same [Tako] or another one. When the demon officers came ashore, only two of the crew survived, and those were mortally wounded. They all spent a night sheltering in a little cave up the beach some way. In the morning, the two crew members had died, and were buried here. Me and my family came out to see what was going on, and the pale-faced demons took several trips back to the wreck and brought back barrels, boxes, and clubs. We tried to approach them, but they drove us off, shouting and screaming in a foreign tongue. When they went we decided to investigate the wreckage. The pale-faced Demons followed the stream toward the village of Kokukawa*.

The village is about 3-4 miles away over scrubland and paddy fields. More to the point the afternoon is getting steadily darker, and arctic conditions are bringing snow down from the North. The lone Kappa offers her services as a guide, and the troubleshooters agree that they should go and get help from the village, and also delve deeper into what happened to the pale faced demons.

Kimori and Sugiyama decide to stay behind and hinder help with the mooring and repairs to the ship. The others gather up a few things and are soon off following the Kappa along a black stream that leads roughly south. The Kappa soon makes a detour around some rather marshy ground, and presses on. Soon after they are back on the course of the stream, the Kappa's strength and stamina starts to fade. She apologises, but explains that the further from the salt water of her home, the weaker she becomes. She points out a causeway alongside the stream, which leads directly to the village of Kokugawa**. Once the Kappa has left them to it the weather really closes in and the slow flurries become blizzards, and the light of the day is fading fast. Soon our heroes are fighting for breath, and peering into the dark and the snow, ever fearful of falling from the causeway into the stream below.

Just as they are really starting to suffer from exposure, they hear wild beasts howling. Their morale hits rock-bottom. On the rock bottom, across the causeway is a high stockade, in poor repair, but enough to keep most wild beasts out. They try the gateway, it is unlocked, but the snow drifts are too high to move the gate, so they decide to climb over.

Over the stockade are several dozen large barns, obviously used to store crops from the paddy fields all around. They find one unlocked, and are just about to go in when they discover that an adjacent one is not only unlocked, but occupied. The trouble-shooters make their entrance...

Inside the barn are dozens of peasant farmers, all huddled together. There is a standoff for a short while, until the girls demand a bath and a hot fire. This they get. There is a bit of commotion, and the village headman, a little fellow in his fifties, comes forward. "My lords, please save us, we are beset on all sides by ill fortune." He says, "The winter has set in, and storm demons have assaulted and taken our village. Two days ago they came - in the midst of a fierce rainstorm, and demanded food and shelter. We are a poor village, and have little of either, some of us refused, and the storm demons became angry, Then there was a clap of thunder and my son fell to the floor. He died soon after, but by that time the storm demons had taken up in the pagoda. Only the abbot had no fear. We are farmers, not soldiers, and we fled our village in fear. None of us dare approach, and the ones that do suffer the same fate as my son."

This sounds like another job for Gallant troubleshooters, so... Oguroyumi decides that a bow & arrows would be a useful addition to his armoury, and is up late into the night with string, glue, feathers and canes (and those little red suckers for the arrow tips).

The next morning they set off along the causeway, alongside the millstream, until they are within 100 yards or so of the pagoda. They are stopped short by a body in the snow. It is of a peasant man. There is a lot of frozen blood around him, but no obvious wound. Just then there is a noise like thunder, and the dirt is kicked up in front of them. How can there be thunder on a bright frosty morning? Oguroyumi considers his home-made bow, but cannot see any likely enemies.

Little do they know, that this could very easily end in disaster if they don't exercise caution. They exercise their caution by throwing it to the wind, and decide on a bold frontal approach, (across the minefield?) and after a slight pause, Mariko is hit, and wounded. They decide to withdraw out of range, and consider sending Mariko back to rejoin the villagers in the grain stores. However the trouble-shooters decide on a proper, safe and considered plan: To run full tilt over the causeway, over the bridge, and to the doors of the pagoda, all under a hail of bullets from the frightened westerners.

There is a slight delay as they catch their breath. Breath caught, they break into the pagoda.

The characters progress their way up and through the pagoda. On the first level the resistance is slight, as they are confronted by two of the white demons armed with knives. They fall quickly under raining blows. Emiko and Komako not even getting a look in.

On level two the defenders are armed with knives and long muskets, the knifemen close in, while the musketmen make deafening noise and a whole lot of smoke. They soon discover that muskets make ineffective clubs, and there are enemies enough for the whole troubleshooter team to earn a budo or two.

On level three, warned by the sound of the guns on level two, the defenders change their tactics. They let the troubleshooters bunch up in the doorway before leaping in, under the cover of the guns. Emiko tackles the men with the clubs, and takes several rounds to whittle them down to their last gasp. Komako has taken on one of the gunners, who has shot his bolt, and found that the firearm an unwieldy club. He is no match for Komako. When no foreigner remains standing, the race is on to the top - but in their haste, they leave one man only unconscious.

On the fourth level, the delay has given the defenders time to barricade the door against the troubleshooters. This delay is made all the more tense as the attackers take several rounds to smash their way through. They eventually spill into the room, and for the fist time the pale demons make a palpable hit. Oguroyumi takes a blast full in the chest. He is thrown backwards, and the others fear for their friend. With him sprawled against the back wall, bleeding heavily, their morale drops noticeably. They make heavy weather of the fight, and are starting to pay for their swift rise up the pagoda. The demons start to look like a force to be reckoned with. Mariko's team is looking rather frail without their main fighters. Just as it seems that our heroes might lose both the fight and Ogoroyumi, his death rattle becomes a shout. He surprises us all by staggering to his feet, a red mist in his eyes and a fire in his belly. Although he is on the brink of consciousness, and death is only another wound away, he shows us all the true spirit of bushido. His fear of death gone, his blows fall freely. Within two rounds, he is scoring critical hits on his opponents.

The astonishing reversal of fortune revives the others' spirits, and soon they too are scoring critical hits. The tide has turned once more.

Inspired by their revival, Oguroyumi becomes like the Kamikazi "divine wind". On a whim, the Troubleshooters decide to change tack completely. They have now seen the devastating effect of the muskets at close range. To this end they decide to get Emiko to hold the door, and make it look as if the attack is coming from that direction. Meantime the others are seen climbing up the outside of the tower. There are several heart-stopping moments when Komako grabs at a lose tile, and nearly plunges 150 feet to his death. He manages to pull himself onto a ledge which then gives way. His quick strong hands save him from the fall once more. There is another heart-stopping moment where is seems that the bold try at being sneaky could end in disaster. But luck is on their side, and the last few defenders find again that their guns are useless after their initial shot. Some of their critical failures are their downfall, (and morbidly comical). In the end, their leader surrenders, and his second lieutenant is rendered unconscious. With only the man left on level three to mop up, the heroes finally gain control of the pagoda.

Oguroyumi slumps down, the last of his strength gone completely. His short life starts to flash in front of his eyes. We see him downing the dragon again with one shot from his bow. The troubleshooters somehow recognise him for the legend that he is. Emiko is swift with the first aid, and manages to pull him back from the brink.

The pale demons are vanquished, and the troubleshooters sweep through their temporary barracks. The priest is liberated, and treated. They send word back to the villagers, still huddling in the grain stores. The village headman takes charge, and takes responsibility for the pale demons, now revealed to be dishevelled and dirty western sailors. With murder, attempted murder and kidnapping to name but three of their crimes, their prospects do not look good. However there might be political ground to gain, by using them as bargaining tokens. Later, the trouble-shooters are feted by the happy villagers, and spend a good while resting. They set off back after a couple of days, only to find that the weather has worsened, and Captain Uensa's ship is no longer in the little harbour...

In both Kyushu and Shikoku this is known as "pWùe!Ü"!!"