Scenario:The Other Side of the Sky - Chapter 5: No Right, No Wrong—Only Pride - Episode 2

The Other Side of the Sky - Chapter 5: No Right, No Wrong—Only Pride - Episode 2

The school board is eager to expel Tsubasa, but Elmott bows his head and begs them to consider the circumstances. He reveals the link between Sho and the CEO—also chairman of the school board—who pushed the other board member to testify against Tsubasa. Elmott also explains that Tsubasa was trying to remove the dangerous Demon Reactors from use. His impassioned plea saves Tsubasa from expulsion and moves the young man to tears.

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The members of the Mysteria Academy School Board rain down criticism on Tsubasa.

Mr. Bertrand and his allies on the faculty attempt to mediate, but the board members refuse to listen.

Board Member 2: Countless times have we advised that this complete failure of a student be turned out of the academy—in vain!

Board Member 2: Well, no more will we suffer this decision to rest in the hands of the faculty! He is to be expelled forthwith!

Board Member 1: We cannot continue to allow this vermin to besmirch the reputation of these hallowed halls of learning! He must be removed!

Tsubasa: ...

As the board members work themselves into a lather, Elmott steps before them.

Elmott: ...

Board Member 2: What fresh hell is this! You have something to add?

All eyes turn to Elmott. The teacher bows his head low.

Tsubasa: Wha!

Elmott: I'm this kid's homeroom teacher.

Elmott: I'm askin' ya, please, not to take away the only place he can call home.

Tsubasa: (Don't do it... Don't bow your head to people like them... for someone like me.)

Tsubasa: (You don't gotta get down in the muck to clean up after me!)

Tsubasa: Hey...

Mr. Bertrand: Hush.

Mr. Bertrand: Burn this moment into your memory... and never forget that there are adults worthy of the name.

Tsubasa: ...

Board Member 1: Buwahaha! Don't tell me you're going to cover for this worthless student!

Board Member 1: You can't be a competent teacher if you're willing to stoop so low. Perhaps a look into your credentials is in order...

Elmott: You may be right... I don't really think I'm cut out to be a teacher.

Elmott: But I'd be a hell of a lot worse if I didn't protect my students, don'tcha think?

Elmott: I've learned that a teacher should act like a lighthouse, guiding troubled students away from the shallows and the rocks below.

Elmott: So I know what I'm doing now is the right thing for a teacher to do.

Elmott: Don't you all agree? Or am I wrong?

Board Members: ...

Elmott: So listen. We're all here to support our students and their education, aren't we?

Elmott: And I don't think people with pure motives like that would ever call a student worthless...

Elmott: Maybe it's not my place to say this, but... I think that's what calls someone's credentials as an educator into question.

Elmott: So... Am I wrong?

Board Members: Hurgh...

Elmott: This little twerp knows what he did wrong.

Elmott: We'll see to his punishment later.

Elmott: So I'm asking you all... not to take this young man's future from him.

Elmott: This kid...

Elmott: This kid's gonna be a mage the academy will be proud to have on its list of alumni.

Tsubasa: What! Hey!

Elmott: Ain't that right, Tsubasa?

Tsubasa: ...

Granny: That teacher came by for a visit, you know. Heehee... I got the feeling I could count on him.

Granny: I asked him to train you up into a fine young mage.

Tsubasa: (That's right... I...)

Tsubasa: I'm gonna be a mage that Mysteria Academy can be proud of!

Tsubasa's determined voice rings out in the room.

The board members are startled into a sheepish silence.

But the calm is not to last.

Sho's father, the CEO of Tandem Airborne Express, steps into the room in answer to Mr. Bertrand's summons.

Mr. Bertrand: Ah, there you are. Come in, come in.

Tandem CEO: Mr. Bertrand, esteemed members of the board, please forgive my tardiness. Work ran late as it so often does...

Tandem CEO: Well? What seems to be the trouble this time?

Tsubasa: Tch...

Mr. Bertrand: We've just been hearing Tsubasa out and coming to an understanding about the violent incident at the academy today.

Tandem CEO: I see. While we're at it, shall we discuss what happened when he visited my place of business this morning?

Board Member 2: Are we to understand that he did something more?

Tandem CEO: Yes. This young man barged into my office, slung around all sorts of unjust accusations, and then, most horrifying of all... he assaulted me.

Tsubasa: ...

Board Members: ...

Elmott: Sigh...

Mr. Bertrand: Come on, then, Tsubasa. Make your apologies. You know that violence is wrong.

Tsubasa hesitates at first but, urged on by Elmott and Mr. Bertrand, he contritely bows his head.

Tsubasa: I apologize. That was wrong of me.

Tandem CEO: Ahh... No. No, I'm afraid an insincere apology won't be sufficient at all.

Tandem CEO: I demand his immediate expulsion. Furthermore, I want him sent to Juvenile Detention Island for several years of rehabilitation.

Elmott: Hey now, Pops... Let's take a good look at the events leading up to this, huh?

Tandem CEO: Whatever are you referring to?

Elmott: Well... nothing happens in a vacuum, y'know. The roots of this one go down a good ways.

Elmott: We didn't ask you here today as chairman of the school board...

Elmott: We asked you here as the father of the student who caused a violent incident.

Tandem CEO: ...

Elmott: Tsubasa's truly learned the error of his ways.

Elmott: The board members here understand that... At least, I believe they do.

Board Member 2: Well... It's certainly true that he seems different from his usual, brash self...

Elmott: Right! But you can't quite come to a decision yet, am I right?

Elmott: Which is why I'm askin' you to consider the extenuating circumstances.

Elmott: Tsubasa wasn't fightin' all by his lonesome. It takes two to tussle.

Elmott: You're the one who witnessed the quarrel... Why did you let Sho off the hook?

Board Member 2: Let him... I didn't...

Elmott: I'm not trying to put you on the spot.

Elmott: But don't you think you should hear both sides of the story in a case like this?

Elmott: Punishing only Tsubasa with expulsion without even hearing him out seems a little odd, doesn't it?

Elmott: Or... were you worried about upsetting a certain someone?

Board Member 2: D-don't be absurd!

Elmott: And leaving that aside for a moment...

Elmott: The root of all this lies in an incident that happened here in Mysteria... the Tandem Airborne Express disaster.

Elmott: I'm sure none of you have forgotten what happened that day...

Elmott: Or why the person who caused it is still conducting business as if it never happened...

Tandem CEO: Just what are you trying to say!

Elmott: I told you. I'm explaining the extenuating circumstances.

Board Member 3: What kind of connection are you implying between those two incidents?

Elmott: Tsubasa lost his parents in that disaster.

Board Member 3: I... I see...

Elmott: The technology used in the airship which crashed so spectacularly was called the Demon Reactor.

Elmott: And that's what the CEO here's son and his gang buddies are using on their gearcycles. Isn't that right?

Tsubasa: Yeah...

Board Member 3: Chairman... Is this true?

Tandem CEO: You can't possibly believe that my son would...

The CEO shoots a piercing look at the woman who witnessed Tsubasa and Sho's fight.

Board Member 2: ...

Elmott: Heh heh... Sometimes when you don't feel like answerin', it's best to follow that instinct.

Board Member 3: Chairman... I'm not sure what to believe.

Board Member 3: Is this person really acting in the best interests of the students?

Board Member 2: Are you saying you don't trust my testimony!

Board Member 3: I can't help but agree with Mr. Elmott that blaming only one participant for the fight seems strange.

Board Member 2: Urk...

Elmott: You've got the right to remain silent if you wanna, but I feel like the longer you do, the less trustworthy you look.

Elmott: I'm sure Sho's father agrees with me. Right?

Tandem CEO: Hurgh...

The CEO finds himself the center of everyone's attention.

Their gaze seems to say that they are listening carefully, ready to judge whether what he says next is true or false.

Perhaps sensing that he can't pull the wool over their eyes, the CEO changes his attitude.

Tandem CEO: It pains me to admit, but... my son Sho is the head of a gearcycle gang.

Board Member 2: Hurgh...

Board Member 1: Is this true?

Board Member 3: And even knowing that, you left Sho out of your testimony?

Board Member 2: I... I am terribly sorry...

Board Members: ...

Elmott: While you're in the confessional mood, Pops... I got a few questions about the Demon Reactors.

Elmott: Seeing as how the ones using them are a gearcycle gang run by the son of Tandem Airborne Express's CEO...

Elmott: You know claiming ignorance ain't gonna fly, don't you?

Tandem CEO: ...

Elmott: That technology is dangerous. It caused a disaster that hurt a lotta people...

Elmott: And no one oughta know that better than you, right?

Board Member 3: You understand that, don't you, Chairman? You promised never to allow another incident like that to occur...

The CEO seems at a loss for a response.

Once again, his attitude turns on a dime.

Tandem CEO: I... That is...

Tandem CEO: It was my son! Yes, my son took those engines without my consent! It had nothing to do with me!

Elmott: Maybe Sho acted on his own, or maybe you had some reason to try out the technology again...

Elmott: That's not somethin' we can figure out here.

Elmott: What we do know for sure is that the Demon Reactor technology is still alive and kicking. Isn't it?

Mr. Bertrand: This is deeply troubling news.

Board Member 3: Yes...

Elmott: By the way... You're Sho's father, right?

Elmott: If your son ran off with something so dangerous, why would you just let it be?

Tandem CEO: Because! He's! I can't control him!

Tandem CEO: So...

Elmott: You saying a weakling who can't even control his own son can run a school board?

Tandem CEO: N-no, I...

Elmott: Uuugh. I can't even deal with this crap.

Elmott: I've got better things to do than lecture you...

Elmott: Uh... Members of the board? Lemme get back to the issue at hand.

Elmott: This student who you called worthless was looking for a way to get the Demon Reactors off of Sho's gang's gearcycles.

Elmott: But as you can see, it didn't work out.

Elmott: He visited Tandem, the CEO tried to pretend he didn't know anything about it, and to top it off, he spit on the promise he made to Tsubasa's grandmother after the disaster.

Elmott: Then he ran into Sho, who provoked him, and ended up raising his fists...

Elmott: Which brings us around to this expulsion proceeding.

Board Members: ...

Tandem CEO: W-wait! I have something to say! I never intended to profit from using that technology!

Tandem CEO: So please, leave the Skydom Bureau of Investigation out of it!

Elmott: Hey, now... You got the wrong end of this stick, pal.

Tandem CEO: What did you say?

Elmott: All I'm tryin' to do is get the board to let Tsubasa stay in school.

Elmott: Revealing your crimes to the world wasn't even on the agenda.

Tandem CEO: Hurk...

Elmott: Everyone, now you know what pushed Tsubasa to raise his fists.

Elmott: So I'm askin' ya... Whatever else you do, don't expel him, huh?

Board Members: ...

Board Member 3: Of course we won't.

Elmott: Heh. 'Preciate it.

Tsubasa: Thank you!

Elmott's passionate entreaty seems to broaden the board's narrow-minded worldview, however slightly.

Of course, their growing distrust of their own chairman, the Tandem CEO, didn't hurt.

But with the situation resolved, Elmott heaves a sigh of relief.

The board members troop out of the room with a last glance back at Sho's father, the chairman of the school board.

The CEO stands alone, stewing in regret at letting Elmott set him up.

Elmott: Tough break, pal... Trust is so important in the business world too...

Tandem CEO: Why, you—

Elmott: Whoa, easy there, buddy. This is a school. You're a parent and I'm a teacher. Let's not do anything either of us'll regret.

Tandem CEO: Grrr... Humph!

Elmott: Heh heh. What a sore loser. Lame...

Tsubasa: Hey. Thanks...

Elmott: Heh... Nice to see you sayin' what you feel, at least a little.

Elmott's belief in Tsubasa never wavered as he defended his student from the other adults who couldn't see beyond their petty prejudices.

In order to repay that kindness, Tsubasa swears to himself that he will use words—not fists—to settle the score with Sho.