Flame of Recca Episode Summaries

Episode Eight: Dollhouse! Fuko’s Deathmatch!

Last time, Recca, Fuko and Domon successfully defeated the Kurei’s statue, Maria, shattering it into several pieces. They proceeded onwards to meet the elemental master Katashiro Reiran who controlled the elemental weapon Kato Kugutsu. Her mannequins were all destroyed by Fuko’s Fujin. However, the group’s luck turned as Reiran trapped Fuko with her elemental attaching golden threads to all parts of Fuko’s body, rendering her immobile.

The group watches Reiran in stunned silence. Fuko informs Domon and Recca that she can’t move. Reiran laughs at this, explaining that when she was fighting Fuko, she used the golden threads and tied her up bit by bit. This took away Fuko’s control of her own body and gave that control to Reiran.

Domon charges at Reiran, but she only smirks, placing her fingers lightly on the elemental weapon at her forearm. Fuko’s leg connects with Domon’s stomach, knocking him back (D: Nani (What)? WHY ARE YOU SO MEAN TO ME???) Recca shouts Fuko’s name questioningly. Fuko insists that she’s incapable of controlling her body. Reiran smiles and touches the Kugutsu again. Fuko lunges at Recca, her needles held like claws, surprising him. Recca sputters at Fuko, demanding her to stop. She weakly protests that she can’t control it (as you can see, Recca and Domon don’t catch on to things very quickly so she has to repeat the same thing a couple hundred times...). Domon stands up, determined to stop all this nonsense. However, when he takes a step forward, he freezes.

Recca is distracted as he glances briefly at Domon, asking what was wrong with (alliteration ^_^) him. He made a move towards Domon but found numerous threads wrapped around his limbs, keeping him from going any further. Reiran smiles, saying that she tied them up as well while they focused on Fuko.

Kurei watches the fight, his slight uneasiness extinguished as he saw the group lose to Reiran. He stops Mokuren from touching Yanagi since it was no longer a concern to discover the identities of the three teens. After all, they’re about to die anyway, ne?

Reiran moves her hand to the Kugutsu, calling for Primela to rise up. Primela picks up a sword and slowly gazes from one person to another. Who would be the first to die? Her eyes fall on Fuko. Primela advances…

Her sword pierces through Fuko’s skin, and Fuko screams in pain. Primela steps back. It was only a graze on the shoulder. Reiran apologizes, "Gomen nasai (I’m very sorry). Primela is too small to use a sword. It may take a while for you to die." Recca and Domon protest, horrified as Primela continues to stab Fuko, unable to help because of the threads holding them in place. They strain at their bondage.

Fuko’s vision blurs. She looks at the mocking Reiran and recalls their fight. Why didn’t she act hurt when I slashed her across the shoulders? Did she dodge? No, that’s not possible, so… why? Reiran’s voice drifts into her thoughts interrupting her. "Primela, you can kill her now." Fuko looks down at Primela and gasps. The slices through the air at Fuko. Domon and Recca protest.

Laughter fills the room. The sword stops in its path and Primela steps back from the giggling girl (Yup, she’s *totally* lost it…). "I see…."

Fuko summons her Fujin. The force of the wind snaps the golden threads. Reiran smirks. Sure, you can break my thread, but can you still fight? She lashes out with her threads again, but Fuko leaps at her, knocking off the elemental weapon. Domon and Recca cheer. Reiran falls to the floor, eyes blank. Just another mannequin. Recca and Domon stare in disbelief. So… who’s the real elemental master? Fuko turns ad glares. "It’s you, over there!"

"Primela, you’re the elemental master!" Primela trembles, collapsing to her knees. How’d she figure it out? She played the *perfect* doll, without blinking or anything! Fuko tells her she only knew because Reiran didn’t act hurt earlier and she saw Primela hesitate before stabbing her.

Primela silently gets to her feet and walks over to the mannequin of Reiran, kneeling by it. She places her arms on the doll’s chest and sobs "MAMA!!!" The three regard her inquisitively. Primela explains how she can to be an elemental master…

"My mom died about a year ago. After that, all I could do was cry. The kids made fun of me. One day, I was walking through the streets and I saw her! (It was a mannequin in a store window that appeared uncannily like her mom. I say it was a stalker who kept following her around, taking pictures of her and eventually gave the photos to the store owner and they made a mannequin. Yup, that’s right…) I visited her everyday. One day, a man came to me. It was Kurei. (Kurei holds out the Kugutsu. It attaches to the mannequin and it comes alive, hugging Primela.) He said I could have the Kato Kugutsu if I helped him."

Primela apologizes for what she did. Fuko kneels and hugs her. Primela hesitates, then smiles and returns the hug. She suddenly pulls back. Kurei would punish her if he found out they were friends! Recca ceases her worrying assuring her that they would defeat Kurei.

Koganei races to ward Kurei that Reiran was defeated (but since he was staring at the fight the whole time, I kinda think he already knew that…) Mokuren grins evilly. Now he’d be allowed to torture the girl. Kurei stops him again, instead telling Koganei to open the prison downstairs. Mokuren informs Yanagi that a deadly murderer was confined down there. If he weren’t, he’d kill them all in their sleep. She gasps. (I’ve noticed that she does a lot of that…..)

Kage Houshi stares at the swirling purple in the Eikai ball. "Such an ominous aura, they may not survive…" The person she’s talking to turns away. "That’s of no concern to me." Kage Houshi watches Tokiya’s retreating back. "His power would be a great asset to Recca’s team."

Koganei opens the doors to the prison. "Oops. Forgot the key. Oh well." His Kougon Anki arcs through the air, easily shattering the lock. A huge figure sits hunched before Koganei. Koganei tells him that he’s finally being let out, but he needs to get rid of three nuisances first…. The giant’s growl echoes through the sky.

Fuko finishes bandaging her wounds. Domon tells "chibi’ to lead the way. She indignantly glares at him. "THAT ISN’T MY NAME!!!!!!" Recca, Domon, and Fuko look at her expectantly, waiting for her to give them her real name. Her face flushes bright red, Recca and Domon lean in as she whispers the words into their ears. "Morikawa…… Ganko…." She nods slightly, looking down. Recca and Domon freeze in place for a moment….. then explode into laughter.

"BWAHAHAHAHA!!!! GANKO MEANS STUBBORN!!" "GANKO MEAN PIGHEADED!!!" They circle around Ganko chanting her name. Fuko smiles at their antics. This must be their way of being nice to her. Ganko’s face turns red again, only this time in fury. A cloud of dust encompasses the three of them as she beats up Recca and Domon. Fuko sweatdrops……. Maybe not.

Recca lifts Ganko onto his shoulders. Ganko states that Yanagi is probably on the fourth floor. They ground shakes as they hear *heavy* footsteps above them (heavy? There’s gotta be an ELEPHANT up there to make that much noise!!!!) The group races up the stairs. They throw the doors open only to be met by a dark room of stone.

A huge, muscled man slowly strides to them, towering over them intimidatingly…. Sekioh. Sekioh breaks off a thick pillar and tosses it at them. They scatter out of the way. Recca and Fuko observe him warily, but Domon immediately step up to the challenge. He rushes at Sekioh, fist bared.

End of Episode 8