Kids playing at a playground, one royal brat smashes the sand hill a little boy has made, and a little girl who was playing with that little boy shoves the brat away and announces herself as Go Pink, making like she's going to change. Our heroes arrive to laugh with delight and enjoy watching thepeace of the park. They continue on their walk, and then see something strange. Kyoko's bike is here. They head into the house and open the computer link to Mint, to ask what Kyoko's bike is doing here. Mint confirms she is with their father. "Why?" Well, it seems she is joining the team. Our heroes are quite shocked. They can practically imagine her laughing as the special pilot of the Victory Robot. They aren't very happy about this.

Mondo and Kyoko are together, preparing for training. In the meantime, the Saima mother is talking with Jirufiiza. She wants blood. And baby brother Drop is still asleep. Jirufiiza pulls out a large knife and is steeling himself to stab. Just in time, Pierre arrives to talk to him. Jirufiiza makes the knife vanish. A moment later Diinasu arrives with Cobolt. They are all displeased with the way things have been going. I wonder how they would feel if they knew what Jirufiiza had been up to? Then the two remaining demons of the previous adventure come, ready to go on the attack against the GogoFive. Jirufiiza sends them out. "We did good last time."

Kyoko is in training, while our heroes are still muttering and chattering amongst themselves about how less-than-pleased they are. But Matsuri hasn't said anything. Then Mint signals them. Something terrible is happening, look outside at the moon! Grumbling, Matoi leads them out and they look up. There is a death-skull leering from the moon, and the female-ish demon speaks. It challenges them, and the next morning they come to where they were called, demanding to know where the Saima are. It laughs back at them, and Matoi shouts for it to come out. It doesn't at once, but knocks them down with an exploding spear. Then the two demons come out. Our heroes change into costume and prepare to fight.

These demons are only amused by the GogoFive's antics. They surge into the abandoned building and begin trashing our heroes. When Matoi fires on them, the shot only bounces back and knocks the heroes down. Pink and Yellow suddenly take off. The male demon prepares to pursue, but the other one stops him and goes after them herself. They are able to knock it about a little but then they hide in a tunnel and the demon snickers. Matsuri's attention is caught by the sound of loose shale and rock falling. She remembers the boy who smashed the other children's sand hill and has an idea. As the demon shouts, "Die," and blasts them, they vanish from its sight.

Surprised, it runs in and looks for them. "Oh, are we playing hide and seek? Where are you hiding?" it mocks them. It moves farther in to look, and then yellow comes swinging down from the outside, to fire a shot from his portion of the Livebird. The startled demon is knocked down. Then Matsuri fires and brings down the roof on its head. With a cry of victory, the two heroes take off.

The other demon is really smashing about the brothers when our last two arrive. "We got one! There's just this one left!" They haul out the V-Lancer. The demon laughs, "I can beat you by myself!" He fires, and our heroes all fall. He stalks forward, laughing. In the meantime, his sister breaks out of the pile of debris. As the demon closes on our seemingly unconscious heroes, they are preparing to attack at close range. The other demon is too far away for her warning shouts to be heard, and the combined firepower destroys the other one, to its sister's dismay. But Jirufiiza arrives and uses the Golemn-card to make the demon big. Our heroes call in the GoLiner.

Mint says Victory Robo is not finished being repaired yet, but Matoi confidently says they'll be okay with the Grand Liner. They begin the transformation sequence. The demon is as large as they are, and the fight is already going badly. Mondo signals Kyoko, who is working inside the Victory Robo, but it isn't ready yet. Nervous, he programs frantically. The female is impressed with her brother's fight, but Jirufiiza asks her why she isn't helping. She replies that it is a game, and there are rules to how these things are done. She turns to watch the fight, and Jirufiiza brutally stabs her. When she falls dead, he uses another Golemn-card. Made large, she attacks the heroes. It is now a race against time.

Mondo completes programming on the newest machine, the Makkusuiria (Max-Liner). Its hanger comes out of the sea, next to the GoLiner's hangers, with a BIIIG letter M on its gate. Kyoko orders out the Max-Liner. Man, this thing is fast. It transforms into a jet and launches from the tracks. Just in time it arrives to laser-blast the undead-demons. Our heroes look up in surprise, and Jirufiiza is equally surprised. The Max-Liner heads out of the atmosphere to get charged with sunligh and comes down. It is a shuttle train, AND it transforms into a smaller, humanoid robot! With a voice, and possibly a mind, of its own. When it greets them all and announces it is "Liner Boy", our heroes are even more confused. They had just gotten used to the idea of Kyoko, and ask their father. He says you need six people. They say, "But I thought Kyoko -- " she opens a line, "Are you guys calling me?" She is still on the Victory Robo. Mondo says, "No, she's only helping with the Victory Robo. After all, GogoFive is not six!" Relieved, our heroes thank their father. And then the battle is joined once again. Our heroes admire the little robot's spunk, as it smashes and knocks the enemy. They help it launch off their shoulder. The demons are totally unprepared for this newcomer, and with Liner Boy, GogoFive defeats the others. Yes, this robot is definitely a character. They thank their father for this new little brother.

Jirufiiza stands on the edge of a cliff, holds in his hands three gems. One red, one gold, and one green. I believe these gems represent the three demons who have just been destroyed. The fight, he says, has only just begun. He clenches his hand about the gems and laughs evilly.

Red lightning from the clouds hits the city building, and Mint frantically sends our heroes out to battle this latest attack. Under the storm they are hit by the vicious attack, and then Jirufiiza appears. Matoi challenges him, and Jirufiiza tells them, "Come!" They rush him, but he disappears. Just as they are stuttering in confusion, they come under explosive attack. Fallen, they see Jirufiiza approaching. They frantically call in the Livebird. Jirufiiza takes them down before they can use it, and laughs at them. He holds in his hands the three gems of the dead demons, and then creates Chimera, and being combined of the remaining essences of the three demons. Jirufiiza teleports out, and Chimera attacks. It whirls in, knocking our heroes in every direction. They haul out the V-machine gun, but the attack is futile. The demon simply spins out of reach and blasts them. The disruption shocks them out of their suits. Mondo sends out a powerful blast that knocks the monster away long enough for his children to escape.

At the Saima castle, Jirufiiza calls to his mother. "Hahauesama!" The Grand Cross is coming, and he will get the Gogofive. She answers him, but is still too far away. He laughs, basking in her approval.

Our battered heroes are back home, shivering in terror. Daimon breaks the silence first, expressing his fear and terror. Shou echoes him and even Nagare. But Matsuri desperately tells them together they'll be able to defeat Jirufiiza. Matoi breaks his own silence, telling the others to listen to Matsuri. He swings away from the computer and tells them to remember what their mother always told them. Matsuri nods in relieved delight at his support. They quote together, "Anata tachi gonin no kyoudai ga, chikara o wasureta, donna konna norikareruhazu, kaasanwa, soo shinjiteimasu. soshite, sonna subarashi kodomotachi no toosan o shinjiteimasu. Shinjirano ga kazoku desu." The memory cheers them, and builds their courage. Then Mondo calls. He tells them the Max System can help. They get excited, but just then the computer link goes staticky. And in the sky...

Jirufiiza appears, with destruction of human world speech number 10, and begins destroying buildings and general slaughter. Mint calls the heroes to go and they get going. Frantically, Mondo tries to tell them to wait. But they have their courage back and tell him they are going, because they are the Gogofive. They hurry out, racing towards the area of battle. And Chimera appears to challenge them. They face it fearlessly, and change into their battle-uniforms. Go Red, Go Blue, Go Green, Go Yellow, Go Pink! One person's life is the future of the world! And they fight. It knocks them about badly at first, but they will not give up. Matoi faces it.

Mondo is telling Kyoko they have 30, no, 20 minutes to complete the programming. She doesn't back down, either. The demon and our heroes are doing lots of damage. Mondo signals the kids and tells them there is a new program. They stand to recieve the new weapons, the V mode Bracelet, which appears on their opposite wrists and replaces the old bracelet, which vanishes. Our heroes are able to fight the demon with these bracelets powering their strikes. From the bracelets they are able to seriously blast the demon, which falls. But Jirufiiza comes. For reasons I cannot fathom, he makes himself big, rather than the Chimera (well, it is already dead). Our heroes call in the Go Liner and form the Grand Liner, while the Max Shuttle goes into space to charge up, and hurtles back down transforming into Liner Boy!

Jirufiiza challenges them, and they start their attack sending Liner Boy at him. He knocks the blue robot down, committing serious damage. Our heroes call the robot, but it has shut down due to damage. Jirufiiza laughs. Mondo and Kyoko program madly, muttering about the battle coming.

Koboruta and Diinasu are watching the battle, speculating on what will happen. Diinasu comments on the power her brother is using. She's somewhat mocking. Drop, listening, murmers. And Jirufiiza stands as the Grand Storm attack blows around him, and he is undamaged. Our heroes are stunned. Kyoko and Mondo are getting there, they think, just a little more time! Hold on! And Jirufiiza is preparing to destroy the Grand Liner, gloating over his victory. He raises his weapon to bring it flying down and... Just in time, Matoi gets the robot's hand up to catch the weapon. Jirufiiza is rather startled. "What?!" he exclaims. "Where are you getting the power!" Matoi shouts back at Jirufiiza that getting knocked down does not mean he's going to give up. They stand the robot on its feet. But Jirufiiza, too, hasn't given up. The face in his stomach changes, eyes glowing. Jirufiiza lets out a blast that punches a hole through Grand Liner.

Koboruta is impressed. "Wow, he's using his own life energy!" "That's a lot of power,"(or something) Diinasu comments. Drop says, "Do-roppu.", blinking.

And the robot topples. But Kyoko and Mondo have completed the programming. He is inside a vehicle, as she is. Mint frantically calls. And then, Kyoko and Mondo run in and tell Minto to send out the Victory Machines. It does, and our heroes form the Victory Robot, and call out the Braver Sword. Jirufiiza snears, and they try the Victory Promidence attack. Jirufiiza braces himself, and then laughs as the power skitters over his body. He calls on his mother to witness, as he summons up the power to blast the robot the same way he had Grand Liner. They are badly shaken, but not out. And then Mondo and Kyoko manage to get Liner Boy up and running. It takes shuttle formation, and picks up the Victory Robo. They do "Max Formation" and assemble together as one gigantic, lovely robot. The Max Victory Robot. And they challenge Jirufiiza, who is less than impressed. But now his shots are not as effective against this new formation. Our heroes duck out of the way of his blasts, and office buildings suffer. But then the smoke is blinding, and they have to wait until Jirufiiza steps out from the clouds. He tries his life-force attack again, and our heroes topple. Kyoko and Mint cry out, but Mondo says not to worry. For the Max Victory's solar panels have absorbed and channeled Jirufiiza's attack, and now they send it back at him in blasts of power. Stunned, then vitally wounded, Jirufiiza calls out to his mother. Something about beautiful, wanted to see her. He is dying, lightning and static, and then he falls. And then he blows up. A ball of red energy flies away.

Diinasu is torn in horror and shock. She screams for her big brother, and falls on the floor, crying. Koboruta can't believe it, and slams his weapon against a pillar in fury. And then, no one seems to notice as the gleaming red ball comes and enters Drop, right where his third eye would be.

Mondo signals the kids, but they are unconscious in the cockpit. Kyoko calls and they begin to wake up. "Father, Kyoko, Mint! Mother, we did it!" And as they stagger away from the scene of the battle, they remember what their mother always told them. "Anata tachi gonin no kyoudai ga, chikara o wasureta, donna konna norikareruhazu, kaasanwa, soo shinjiteimasu. soshite, sonna subarashi kodomotachi no toosan o shinjiteimasu. Shinjirano ga kazoku desu."

At the Saima base, the Mother now speaks to all the siblings, and Drop suddenly changes and becomes a pupae. The mother is very pleased, but of the others, only Pierre is happy. Indeed, Diinasu is FURIOUS.

A demon goes to gravestones and awakens the ghosts of the recently dead. Their power is deadly, and they kill a passing policeman. But a child, Mikao, had come to say his prayers to his dead grandfather, and see him among the ghosts. He whispers, calling his grandfather until the ghost hears him and turns around.

The boy finds Nagare leaving a twenty-four hour shop that suddenly closes. Nagare is jumpy, but he comes when the boy leads him to an abandoned house. Nagare finds himself fighting ghosts and blasts one which turns to dust. He decides these ghosts are not really ghosts, but creations of the Saima. He fights them and is about to destroy them when the child runs to stand between them and his grandfather's ghost. The Saima demon brushes the boy aside and leaves with his ghosts.

Together at their home, they look through a children's story written and illustrated by the boy's grandfather before death. The boy tells him his grandfather had been the only person there for him, since his parents were always working, and that the grandfather had died without finishing his last book. They tell the boy (Nagare particularly) that this creature is not really his grandfather, just something that looks like him. But the boy counters with his memory of the ghost responding to him. Mondo says the ghost is actually a creation from the people's DNA. So when the next attack starts, our heroes go out to face the ghosts. Nagare promises the boy he'll do his best for the grandfather.

The ghosts are killing people in the park. The grandfather is heading the attack and our heroes are about to destroy it when Nagare himself jumps between the shot. He wants somehow to reach the ghosts,somehow. The boy, Mikao, comes when he sees Nagare shot by the demons. He comes with the last book the grandfather had been making before he died and begs his grandfather to remember him. And the old man does recognize the child and holds his grandson close. The other ghosts stop their attack in confusion, realizing suddenly that they are alive, in some way. The demon destroys the other ghosts and comes after the boy and his grandfather, but our heroes force it back. Nagare tries to prevent them from killing the demon, because he knows it will destroy the ghost, but the grandfather himself tells them to fight. This monster is an abomination. So they obey and destroy it, and the grandfather's ghost turns to dust. Mikao is left weeping.

Before they can address the need to comfort the boy, Cobolt goes to Pierre, who stands guard over Drop's cocoon, and tells him to use a golemn card. The demon is made large, but is unable to defeat our heroes. And then the battle is over, and Mikao lays his grandfather's sketchpad down at his grave. Then the boy floats up into the air and our heroes watch as he vanishes into the sky. It is then that they realize the boy, too, had been a ghost. Not a creation of the demons, but a real ghost. They find the boy's gravestone with the unfinished story. Then the art-pad glows, and it flips to the previously empty last page. The story has been completed. The illustration shows the boy's spirit joining his grandfather's in heaven. And you'll have to pardon me, this one made me weep. It was great.

August 9, 1999

And our heroes are suffering the summer heat, when their father tells them he is taking them to a resort Turns out he is not, actually. Well, he is, but he is there to give a speech to leading scientists and needs his children to watch over the meeting. As they are sitting there Matsuri sees a familiar woman sunbathing across the pool. It takes a moment, and she recognizes Diinasu. Matoi is watching over the meeting when he hears his sister call him. Before he can go out to join them, the imps attack. The monster calls itself Siren, and it beams the room of humans. When Matsuri and her other brothers arrive, the room is full of children, playing and having fun. And one child sits in a chair, intently studying the papers. But it is the child in the orange coat that catches there attention. When asked he says he doesn't know where he got the jacket, but they recognize him easily. It is Matoi, and he knows it. Annoyed by Nagare's too close inspection, he pinches the man's cheek and tells them his name. He just has no memory from beyond this age. And then the Saima attack, and Diinasu changes the rest of the brothers. Matoi, though surprised, recognizes them immediately. Matsuri transfers into costume and fights the Saima, her "little" brothers watching in admiration.

She is forced to flee with her brothers, and at one point fighting Diinasu slices her face. This of course means there will be a continuing rivalry between the two women. She manages to hide with the boys, and one is weeping (Shou, I think) and tells her he is worried about his little sister. The boys gather together and Matoi is reassuring the others, reminding them of the last time their sister was lost. Matsuri, too, remembers. A storm and she had hidden under a house, and it was with considerable relief that her brothers had found her, promising never to leave her alone. She reminds them of that, and they are surprised that she knows.

But then Diinasu broadcasts a signal warning Matsuri that if she doesn't come out, the other children will be killed. The brothers panic, sure their sister is among the others, but Matsuri makes them promise to stay behind and she goes to rescue the children.

The child that would have been their father is less afraid and more intent upon the demon that has them. While the others cringe, he uses chalk to draw a picture of it on the wall. The boys distract and waylay the two imps, then get the kids out of there. They have to drag the child Mondo Hakase from there, as he has intently been writing a mathmatical formulae that will help. One brother asks, "Is she here?" about Matsuri and Matoi shakes his head. The children hear the sounds of battle, and see Diinasu fighting the young woman who has been watching them, and then Matoi remembers what the woman had said to them, and he realizes that she is their sister, and he calls to tell her that. His recognition gives her strength, and she faces down Diinasu. Then the monster comes in, but a shout from the boy Mondo is immediate. He tells Matsuri where the monster's weak point is, and Matsuri shoots it in the fanlike ears. Damaged, power disrupted, and the children are returned to their adult forms, confused and astonished.

Matsuri leads the attack against the demon, her brothers supporting her enthusiastically. They destroy the demon. Diinasu, furious, is about to go into rage when Pierre arrives with a golemn card. "Do it!" she tells him. He does. The Siren is reproduced in large, demonic form. Our heroes call in the GoLiner. Then they also call in their new companion, the Liner Boy. Together they trash the demon. A final round of the Grand Storm, and it is over.

And now the heroes are able to enjoy the swimming ppol. The boys have faint memories of their adventure as children, diving off the cliff, luring the Imps, and having Matsuri to protect them. Then Mondo calls them and they come, dressed quickly. He tells them the danger is increasing with the coming of the Grand Cross. They were able to get a clear image of the Saima mother, which hisses at them from the screen, all glowing yellow eyes and fangs.

August 16, 1999

The Grand Cross is coming. Matoi stands atop their building, watching the weird behaviour of the clouds. Daimon does pushups until he can't anymore, feeling bizarre and sick and frightened all at once. Matsuri stands letting the water run over dirty dishes in the sink, her mind blank, then finally starts scrubbing. Shou paces uneasily behind Nagare, who is attentive to a computer. He looks over his brother's shoulder at the faint image of a eyes, nose and mouth visible through white clouds. The coming Saima queen. Furious, Shou tries to start a fight. They are confronting each other when they hear a dish crash. They turn and stare at Matsuri, who takes a moment to see their startled expressions. "I'm sorry," she says, and bends to clear the mess. She cuts her finger on the edge of the plate. Nagare opens the computer line to talke to Mondo about the negative energy coming with the Grand Cross. Answers are still not forthcoming.

And in space, the Saima mother bespeaks her children. Diinasu is still in shock, so it is left to Koboruta, to startle everyone by demanding they step up their attacks on Earth. He summons Pierre and demands to know what the wizard has been up to. Pierre comes with a card that he got from Jirufiiza. Diinasu is vaguely furious and acknowledging. Then Pierre flings the card into the demon gate, bringing forth another wizard-demon. It swears it will be the one to bring on the full effects of the Grand Cross. To bring the mother here....

A nice day, people at amusement parks, and then all watch in surprise as a hole opens in the sky. Then lightning bolts smash buildings down and the screaming starts. Our heroes signal Mondo, demanding to know if this is the Grand Cross. He says no it isn't, this isn't really important. But our heroes still cannot sit by and watch it happen. They head out into the city, to look for and fight the Saima.

And under the city, the strange old demon performs his magic.

Our heroes are clearing people out of the damaged areas, putting out fires, evacuating people. While the kids are out, Mondo detects a pattern to the fire attacks. He heads out to investigate, following the energy surges on his machine until he finds the general area the power is coming from. The heroes urgently work to rescue people from flaming buildings. Mint signals them, telling them that Mondo has gone. They continue their work, fretting about where he might be.

Mondo finds a building full of greenish-skinned corpses. Using his lighter as a source he heads down, eventually getting under the building. He soon stumbles upon the Saima, with it's arcane symbols constructed of blocks of stones. Mondo can't quite figure out what they are up to, but his questions are blocked off when Koboruta catches him. The imps pin him, while Diinasu and Koboruta decide his fate. He would make great bait. She laughs at Mondo. And later, when our heroes realize they can't reach Mondo, Diinasu snickers as their frightened voices come over his bracelet. And then... the spell is almost complete. Koboruta and Diinasu are thrilled! The mother would soon be here!

And across the city, our heroes could see the beam of pure, golden flame headed up into the sky towards a bright light. The villains laugh and taunt Mondo. But they are interrupted in their mockery by the arrival of the Gogofive. The demons chase our heroes out, though Matoi stays and manages to get to Mondo. Mondo tells him to destroy the summoning spell before the Saima Queen makes it to this reality While the monster is distracted, Mondo desperately picks up a weapon and stabs it. It falls, and they think they've done it, however... it gets back up again. And then it goes big. Matoi frantically gets his bleeding father out of there. And then at the monster's summons, the clouds roil and the sky turns dark. The Saima Queen appears in the clouds, laughing. Diinasu cheers. "Mother'll be here, soon!" Koboruta is just as happy. Mondo sends the kids to fight the Saima. Matoi calls Mint and says to send Victory Robo and Liner Boy. The robot happily obeys. Soon our heroes are in their machines and ready to fight as a unit. They face off around the fire fountain that is bringing the Saima Queen.

Liner Boy tries the Liner Kick, but only gets knocked down. Victory Robo tries the Victory Prominence attack, but that doesn't help. Mondo watches from the bround. He sees the giant flame reaching into the sky, and finally heads inside the building. He moves carefully around debris, shielding his eyes from dust and other things. Our heroes form the Victory Max Robo to fight the demon. They fire inbetween buildings at the creature. They try to call in more energy, but the coming of the Saima Queen has disrupted their systems. A tidal wave threatens the city.

Mondo makes his way into the chamber. When he can't get too close to the fire, he hauls out a rock. The resulting explosion satisfyingly disrupts the fire fountain, and the monster. But the building collapses in and his children scream when they realize he might easily be dead.

They pull themselves together to finally defeat this monster. The queen is even closer, the Bay Area 55 shakes with the undertow of the tidal wave she brings. Yet our heroes manage to destroy the demon. With his death, the fire fountain dies. And the queen shrieks with agony.

Our heroes search the wreckage for their father. They find his bruised, battered body, lying limp amonst the things in his short life. Almost sure he's dead, they urgently call Matsuri to open up her medical kit, while the boys hold his limp body and call him urgently. And Matsuri drops the vial she holds.

On the Saima base, Diinasu is about ready to blame herself for their failure to bring the queen through. She is almost collapsing in anguish. Koboruta scrambles for something to say, and then realizes he is in as much despair as her. So close, and yet they had failed! They wail togethere. Then someone speaks, telling them to stop worrying. They turn and find her appraching them. She is imbedded in stone, tentacles hanging down. She seems to be in pain, or at least in a fury. The two of them are stunned at her appearance.

26th ep, August 22, 1999

Rushing through the corridors of a hospital, clinging to the edges of the gurney their father is lying on, skin torn and bloody, oxygen mask on his face. His children call on him to wake as he is rushed into emergency, and the nurses have to hold the five back until things calm down. And the Queen, embedded in stone, listens to the anguished apologies of Diinasu and Koboruta, beside Pierre and the cocooned Drop. Koboruta jumps to his feet angrily, but the Queen uses her power to alarm and terrify them into quieting down. She expects that when Drop matures, all this will be fine.

Our distressed heroes wait. When the door slides open, Shou calls the others but it is only a surgeon leaving the room. They weep and half of them slump back into the waiting chairs. Then Mint calls them to fight the Saima. Daimon is afraid to leave the hospital, shouldn't they stay? But Matoi shakes his head and gets to his feet. "It doesn't matter where we go. He'll still be in here." And they determine they will go, Nagare stating it most firmly. Explosions, people running, and trees bursting into flame. The monster is Desutagu, all red and armored, vaguely beetle-like. While the people rush around, a child appears and walks through the flames, staring about in puzzlement. The monster sends the imps towards the child, who looks at them. But before anything can happen, the Gogofive are there. Matoi sends Matsuri to evacuate the child, and the others fight. An imp knocks Matsuri down, but she gets loose and takes the boy, then braces him against a pillar as she fights. She tells him to run, but he is too amazed to do anything but stand there and watch. "Why aren't you running?!" Then as an imp pins her, she calls to him, "You have to run!" But he takes a step forward, and his eyes glow with flames. And the imp's hands around her neck begin to steam. It pulls away in pain and confusion as they burst into fire and runs about knocking other imps over. Matsuri turns a startled gaze on the child, who finally does run away. The new monster fights the other Gogofive, but Matsuri arrives in time to prevent them from getting trashed by firing her V-Lancer on it. Before it can return to attack, the imp races over, waving its burning hands and explaining in chitters. Matsuri fires on it and the two disappear.

And back at the hospital, Mondo is still in surgery, while Matsuri is telling her brothers about the little boy, and how he had flames in his eyes and she is sure, caused the imp to catch fire. They are finding that a little tough to swallow, but Nagare points out that this is called Pyrokinesis. They are fretting that this child might be a Saima, but Matsuri rises to the boy's defense. "He helped me!" and just then, the doctor comes out. "How is he?" He will be all right, but he's going to need quiet and rest. Can't walk yet. They follow his gurney anxiously as it is wheeled from the room, but Matoi pulls them away from that. They have to search for this child.

And that is very much the Saima's concern as well. Desutagu is apologizing for his failure and explaining about this child. The queen aims a punishing blast on him. To silence him? And our heroes search the town, but no one knows anything about a strange boy in white. Shou sees Daimon calling in the bushes and tells him, "This isn't a cat we're looking for!" And Matsuri goes into an amusement arcade, asking children and attendants. She doesn't see two taller boys, body language obviously hostile, taking the boy from the arcade. They have him outside and are trying to bully him. He stares at them when they ask him for money, repeating the word with a puzzled blink. I guess they think his white clothes mean he has cash. "What is money?" When they push at him angrily, his eyes burn, and boxes nearby burst into flames. He approaches them angrily, and now they are frightened and begin to back away. Matsuri comes just in time to have an idea what may happen. "You must stop!" she calls, racing towards them.

The two boys turn and run, but flames race along the ground and encircle them. Matsuri jumps into the circle and pulls them down, reassuring them. Sure enough, the flames die, leaving scorched cement. The boy in white runs, and Matsuri pursues him. She catches up to him, has his shoulders firmly telling him, "You helped me earlier." He blinks and recognizes her, looking vaguely surprised. She kneels down to look up at him, rather than alarm him, and tells him she's here now to help him. She takes him to the sea and brings him some ice cream, which he stares at in puzzlement. She reassure him he can eat it, then licks her own. Knowing then what he is supposed to do with it, he follows suit and is amazed by the taste. She asks him his name, and he says he doesn't know. When she asks how long he has had his power, he tells her he doesn't know and becomes upset, "I really don't know!" he drops his ice cream. and clutches his head in sudden pain and she hastens to comfort him, cuddling his shaking shoulders close and rubbing him soothingly. "You're warm. Mama... I want to see my Mama." "Do you know where she is?" But he gathers to his feet shakily, hit by an overwhelming compulsion and desire to find his mother. As he passes a young tree, it burst into flames. Terrified, Matsuri hesitates before following the half-staggering child. Parked cars burst into flames around him as he calls "Mama!" and atop some stored train-cars, Desutagu sees the boy and comes after him. In a whirl of power, the boy sets the attacking monster and imps on fire, explosions everywhere. Matsuri runs through the flames and protects the child from Desutagu's retaliation, but her brothers arrive and they stand protective together.

They change into battle armor to fight. The boy watches, almost expressionless, a strange hint of shock or resentment in his expression. He stares at them as they fight and cut their way through the attacking imps. Matsuri keeps protectively near him, and then tries to rush him away but he stops suddenly. "Thank you, big sister." But there is something different in his voice, and she stops to stare at him. "I'll think about you." And the flames burn in his eyes, she realizes he is about to turn them on her. Matoi sees what is happening and knocks her out of the line of fire, to get hit by the blast himself. He is knocked tumbling, and the others come to him, then find themselves facing the boy. "He ain't no good guy!" snaps Matoi. Matsuri gets in front. "Why attack me?"

And a strange, beautiful smile appears on the innocent face. Desutagu, though, finally knows. He says it is power like Drop's. And the boy raises his head, hearing the voice of his mother and seeing her appear above. "Oh no, she's not dead!" But she laughs in the sky. "You've been taking care of Drop." But she calls him to mature, and he answer her, his voice slowly changing from that of a child to that of a young man. He raises his hand, his cocoon appears above him. Matoi frantically fires, but Matsuri deflects his aim, for to her this is not a monster, but a child she shared ice cream with. It takes a moment, as he fades into the cocoon. She still cannot change her mind to regard him as an enemy. Then a terrible explosion, fire in the earth, and a gleaming new being arises from the flames. Drop, terrible and beautiful. The red gem-star on his chest inherited from Jirufiiza. He is frightening there. And Pierre is delighted, the siblings amazed. The queen declares her newly adult child "Salamandesu." And he introduces himself, thanking them for taking care of him while he was vulnerable. Furious, Matoi attacks, only to find he is unable to quite keep Salamandesu where he wants him. Salamandesu has no such difficulty, and pins Matoi under his foot while firing on the others. He is too powerful, and takes Matoi's weapon to shoot him with it, then tosses it away, chuckling. Matsuri begs him to stop, and it seems he might, but then he catches her and drags her to him. "Let her go!" screams Matoi. But she is still trying to reach him, losing consciousness in his grasp. He is about to claw her to pieces when a stabbing pain races through his head and he staggers from her, falling. "What's the matter?" she asks him. But Pierre is there and fires on her, rushing to gather Salamandesu and take him back to base before anything can happen.

And our heroes fight the imps and Desutagu. Matoi busts one of its horns, and they are able to fire their combined Victory Lancer blasts on him. He is destroyed, and then made large by a furious Pierre. Our heroes call in the Goliner and Max Liner, form the Victory Robo as fast as they can, and down comes Liner Boy to join them and fight this monster. Liner Boy starts the softening blows, and Victory Robo comes in for harder blows, then they form the Max Victory Robo and apply all firepower to destroying the demon.

Salamandesu walks into the throne room. He kneels to his mother, who explains that the star in his chest is Jirufiiza's. He has so much extra power from his older brother, who is dead. He is the third born son and will be third as long as they are above him. She's setting up major sibling rivalry, isn't that lovely? And he is troubled that there is still his older brother and sister to deal with. He is on the bottom. As if on cue, Koboruta enters the area to greet him, with Diinasu right behind. They are actually trying to welcome him, and he seems to find that a bit odd. But he bows to them and tells them not to give up. They are pleased, but the queen is closing her eyes.

Our heroes are back at this hospital, anxious and nervous. They are foced to wait. With weary sighs they walk through the hall until a doctor calls them. Their father is all right! Delighted, he lets them into Mondo's rooms and they gather close around him. Half conscious, he mutters something that grosses them out.

August 29, 1999.

The Saima Queen is angry, for the Grand Cross is about here and she is still not full of power. Koboruta remembers his brother's death and says now that Drop is Salamandesu, they should be able to do more. Diinasu and Pierre look at each other as if they might disagree. But Salamandesu steps forward to reassure Koboruta, despite the death of Jirufiiza. I am much more powerful than Jirufiiza was, he says. Koboruta says he has a plan, and Diinasu asks mockingly to see what it is. And Koboruta calls forth Doguru. an ancient-seeming demon, whose powers are channeled through a bow.

In the hospital, Daimon is walking with his heavily bandaged father when the call comes. There is a drip IV Mondo has to keep with him. Mint is in a panic. The others hurry from the house and Daimon, uneasy, has to leave.

It looks like the first day of school after summer, children are carrying all sorts of things and all have their packs. And they are under attack by the imps! One little girl is pinned when Daimon arrives and gives her room to run, then the others are there, too, and they all fight. But there are many, many imps. Confused by the absence of a main monster, but then Mint calls to tell them he has found it. And the demon attacks a building. The heroes are not sure what to do, but Daimon tells his family to go. He will hold off the imps. They obey, and he fights on his own, unaware that one small boy is still there, hidden in the bushes, trembling.

The demon watches, pleased, as apartment building collapse under his attack. Power is coming to him through the ground, through his bow. But then the heroes arrive. He blasts them and disappears before they can get him back. They call Daimon, who faces one last imp and destroys it with a sub-machinegun-like attack. He is feeling quite pleased with himself when he hears a groan of pain. Yes, the little boy had been hiding right behind where the imp was, and was caught in Daimon's blast. The child collapses, unconscious, bleeding. And Daimon also collapses in shock.

The others arrive at the hospital and are not certain what to say to him. He stands there frozen, clutching his jacket and staring at the hospital doors where the boy has been taken. And then the child's parents come out and turn to face the Gogofive. Matoi introduces himself, and the child's father says the boy is still alive. He and the mother are very pale and are holding themselves under control as best they can. The others join Matoi to apologize, but Daimon weeps even as the mother does. Matoi swears to do anything they can to help, and the mother is about to shout, but her husband stops her, I believe making an understanding speech about how these things happen in battle. But Daimon will have none of it. He says he did see the child. It matters not to him that he did not know what he saw, in memory he knows what that blur of color inside the bushes beyond the imp was. And he remembers making the choice to fire the way he did. His father hears his guilty anguish and they all watch as Daimon starts to collapse slowly.

Diinasu and Pierre come to confront Koboruta. They have not seen enough from this attack. Salamandesu wants to defend Koboruta from their slander. Koboruta sends him out, Salamandesu says "With pleasure," and the demon snickers where it is.

And Daimon sits in their house, remembering the justified anger and grief of the boy's mother after he had confessed that he did see the child. The father's anger. And he cries out in protest, catching the intent attention of his family. He leaves his bracelet and flees the house, they calling after him. He goes to the hospital, where the boy lies in intensive care. He sets a present down, a new art kit, in front of the child's closed door. He turns to leave, only to walk almost over his father, who takes him in hand. Mondo gives Daimon a thing of milk, and they sit together in reception. Mondo talks, perhaps about guilt and the hazards of fighting. Daimon rejects the reassurance, while his brothers and sister stare at the food they wrapped and saved for him. Mondo has left Daimon alone in the dark, for if the boy won't listen, words will never be enough.

The demon is back, using the string of his bow to send charges into the city. Strange trilobite like creatures gobble their way through cement and buildings begin to collapse, city streets disintegrate. Mint has found the source of the attack, and our heroes remember when the demon injected the land with these critters. Matoi says they'll attack, and they'll bring Daimon's bracelet with them because they need him. His brothers and sister tell him he should be patient and understanding, but Matoi snaps at them angrily. They can't afford this self-indulgence in the face of a Saima attack. Daimon has to come back.

And the demon's creatures commit mass destruction. Stopping the creatures is too difficult, so our heroes go after the demon. But when they arrive, so too do Koboruta and Salamandesu, much to Matsuri's dismay. Our three heroes fight, for Matoi has gone to try to retrieve Daimon.

From the roof of the hospital, Mondo and his youngest son are watching the destruction with dismay when Matoi finds them. He has Daimon's coat, and when Daimon sees him, the boy refuses with a wail of self-recrimination. But Matoi will have none of it, shouting angrily. "So that kid got hurt! We still need you to protect the world! You can't only think of your own failure! We must try!" He leaves the jacket with Daimon and races off to join his family.

The others are down under Salamandesu's attack. He starts to ask them "Why," when Matoi arrives without Daimon. But Mondo is pressing the youngest to join the others, at the least because they need him. And Daimon grasps his courage and heart in both hands and runs to join them. Unfortunately on the way out, he runs into the boy's parents, who are talking with the doctors. The mother sees how he's dressed and demands why he's going out again. He has no answer for her, only bites his lips and bows quickly, before racing out. She is about to pursue him, but her husband catches her hand. They watch the boy flee.

Salamandesu has our heroes down, and pulls up Matoi so that Koboruta can fire on him. The demon is playing his bow, when Daimon arrives and destroys it. His brothers and sister call out to him, and he rappels down to join them, still in civilian clothes. Salamandesu seems to find this more of interest than needing strong reaction, when Daimon changes to join his family. Demon and Saima attack together, but then so do the Gogofive. With their courage back, they are able to actually hit Salamandesu, though it seems to have no effect. And Daimon faces the demon alone. He is about to five the V-machinegun when he remembers how the child had been hurt. He freezes. Matoi, struggling with Salamandesu, sees this and calls out to him. It is a struggle, but at last Daimon forces himself to shoot. The demon is fallen, bleeding. Daimon has been hit in the shoulder, but seems all right. Salamandesu seems impressed, while Koboruta rushes to the demon's aid. And Koboruta and the demon are hit at once by the GoGoFive's shot, while Salamandesu steps aside. And a furious Koboruta calls in Pierre to make his demon big.

Our heroes call in the GoLiner and Liner Boy. It is time to fight. The robots assemble into the Victory Robo. The demon is deadly, but they won't give up. Liner Boy uses the Liner Kick and knocks the demon, then they join the robots together, Machs Victory Robo, and the demon falls under their attack.

And in the hospital, Daimon leaves flowers at the child's door (Katsuya). He bows and starts to leave, when the child is wheeled out of the next room. Katsuya thanks Daimon for the art kit, and shows the first painting he has made, of the Gogofive, with Daimon, GoYellow, at the center of the picture. The boy's parents stand beyond, and smile and bow to Daimon, who almost breaks down and returns the bow. Katsuya tells Daimon not to give up, and that HE won't give up, either. That does break Daimon, and he starts weeping in a combination of relief. His family watches, approving and loving him.

September 5, 1999

Shou is fighting the Magma Golemn, alone in the Victory Robo! He calls in Liner Boy, and the young robot refuses to obey him, attacking the Magma Golemn with careless disregard of Shou's orders, and only losing the fight! And then we find out it was only a simulation, and Liner Boy was only there virtually (hahah). Shou storms into the bay where Liner Boy is, demanding to know why he disobeyed. The answer displeases him so he grabs up a chair to throw it at the robot. His brothers and sister have to restrain him, astonished. Then their father calls and they go to his office. He has a visitor, another Hakase. This is the man responsible for the programming of Liner Boy's AI, and he has come (he says) because there are some glitches and he would like to fix them. This is a considerable relief to Shou, who volunteers to take Liner Boy to the other Hakase's lab.

Using the Green Hover, he carries Liner Boy on a platform and sets him carefully down in the other labs bay. The robot is nervous about the coming programming, and Shou hastens to reassure him, telling him who will do the programming. Liner Boy recognizes the name, "My father?" he asks. At any rate, Shou swears it'll be okay, and then the Hakase arrives with two subordinates and ushers him away. On the stairs towards the exit from the building, Hakase says something that makes Shou somewhat nervous about leaving Liner Boy alone in this uncertain operation. He asks if he can be there for the little (hah!) robot. Hakase says no. When Shou starts to plead and grabs at him, the other two men pull him away and down the stairs. And then a Saima demon walks in announcing that Liner Boy will be under their control. Horrified, Shou tries to fight, but it turns out the two lab technicians are Imps. He hurries up the stairs to stand between them and telling Hakase to run, when the scientist smashes him in the back of the head with a clipboard. Shou falls to the bottom of the stairs. Just before he loses consciousness, he looks up and sees the angry face of the scientist. He knows who hit him.

Mint, frightened, calls in the others. Something has happened, they've lost contact with Shou! The Tatsumis are off to the rescue!

Shou regains consciousness to find he's been chained to the wall in the lab. The demon mocks him, for they have taken his bracelet and he is helpless without it. He tries to ignore it and plead with Hakase, who is across the room. It turns out the Saima have kidnapped Hakase's infant son and threatened to kill the baby unless Hakase does as they require. When the Saima is about to kill Shou, Hakase intervenes, saying he could use the boy's help to speed up the setting of a new AI chip for Liner Boy. The Saima demon decides that's a worthy cause, and lets Shou help, with mocking warnings about the baby.

Meanwhile, Shou's siblings arrive at the lab. They open the door to the building only to find a bizillion imps awaiting them. With shouts of surprise, they try to barricade the door but the imps get out and our heroes have to fight!

Shou talks to Hakase as they work, trying to talk him out of it. Hakase points out angrily that this is about the life of his son, and Shou counters that Liner Boy thinks Hakase is his father, so in a way the man has two sons to consider here. This is new thought, and does not sit very well. They complete the new AI chip and attach it to a motherboard intended to be put in Liner Boy. But Hakase has had a change of heart. He returns Shou's bracelet and the two agree. Shou will search for the baby, Hakase will take the chip and get the heck out of there to warn the Gogofive. They create a diversion, setting off a small explosion that fills the room with smoke. They call for help. The imps come rushing in, and the two humnans sneak out. Out goes Hakase, and down the halls goes Shou. He finds the room the baby was said to be in, but there is only the bassinet, and imps are everywhere.

Outside, the others are fighting when Hakase comes running out of the building to let them know what's up. Just then, Shou signals and tells them that he can not find the baby, but he's still searching. And then there's laughter from the peanut gallery. Yes, it is Diinasu. She tells them that the baby is in a room with a bunch of lovely explosives, and that she will detonate them unless she gets the chip. Hakase can't bear it. He pulls out the box and gives it to her. Naturally, she detonates the bombs anyway.

But just in time, Shou found the baby. He snatched up the boy and made a dash for it, changing into his armor. He makes it out of the building and is able to hand the baby safely to Hakase. Then our heroes are able to fight the demon, whom they destroy and therefore Pierre makes large. They are holding their own when Liner Boy arrives, sounding like he has a bad case of the heaves. Yes, Diinasu has installed the chip and sends Liner Boy against the Victory Robo. She is really getting a laugh out of all of this. Hakase, meanwhile, sets his baby son down on the grass, telling him that his little brother needs help. Hakase runs off to the battle and calls to Liner Boy. Diinasu tells the robot to squash Hakase, and it looks like that is what will happen. But Hakase calls a stop, telling his creation that he is proud of him and loves him, his other son. Liner Boy begins to fight the programming and finally shorts out the Saima AI chip, falling. Diinasu is stunned. "How can this robot have feelings?!" But Liner Boy reboots, greets his father with considerable, wistful relief, and goes back into the fight. Together they destroy the demon, and Shou is loudest in cheering on Liner Boy.

September 13, 1999

Stars, the Milky Way in the night, and a young woman, out in the dark, with telescope and all sorts of equipment. She gazes up at what seems to be a gaping blackness amongst the stars. "That's weird. There is something in the way, so I can't see the stars..?" She thinks about it and decides to call. "It might be a new black hole!" Excited, she dials the phone.

And Nagare is working on the new Gogofive changer. "Wow, Dad, you really made this thing great!" He is putting it together, when his phone rings and he picks it up. "Yeah, who's calling?" he says. And a bright woman's voice says, "Nagare-kun, I found it!" "What?" he grumps. "Did you forget our promise?" she asks him. "Sorry, I can't drop what I'm doing right now, call me again," he says and hangs up the phone. She calls his name into the phone, then gives up, and touches the sign they'd carved in the tree, wistfully. The arrow pointing up to the sky. And Nagare freezes in what he's doing. "Wait a sec! Was that Sayuri?!"

Salamandesu approaches, "Mother, you called me?" She snaps "I can't put my faith in Diinasu! I only believe in you! Look at this." And she shows him an image of a spikey, bizarre asteroid. She is calling it to Earth and it is full of Minus Energy. When it hits, it will destroy pretty much everything alive, and empower her. But she's afraid the Gogofive will stop it. Salamandesu swears he won't let that happen, and brings out a card with some kind of flower-demon on it, giving it to Pierre. When Pierre makes his spell, Papetongu comes out of the gate.

And Sayuri has brought her data to a scientist, who has identified the approaching thing as an asteroid. She asks if they can name it, but he tells her this is a very bad thing. It's loaded with minus engery, and its trajectory is a collision course with Earth. And while they are talking, tentacles come through the doorway and start to throttle the scientists in the room! Sayuri screams as the cackling demon enters, and the man tells her, struggling to breathe and speak, to take the data CD to Tatsumi Hakase, hurry! She grabs the CD and races out the door before the demon can get her, hops on a motorcycle and heads out, riding straight through a group of imps. Salamandesu watches her going and grumbles, "Stupid human girl, you'll sleep here." (euphamism for die) He manages to blow out her tires and she goes over a cliff. Salamandesu is pretty sure she's dead, and smugly walks away from the flames.

But our heroes are reading data handed them by their father, while he brings them tea. Mondo wonders where Nagare is, but it turns out he hasn't come out of his room. What they don't know is that he's building the Go-Blaster! A new weapon for his siblings and him! Ah, father and son competition. You put Mondo's V-Mode bracelet with it, and the power is something else. He hasn't tested it yet. But Mint suddenly calls him, and he hears that something has happened, he is being signalled by his friend. The man on the screen is the scientist Sayuri brought her information to, but there is something odd about the way he is moving. He is very still. And we see that is because he is being operated like a machine, by the tentacles of Papetongu. It is telling them that there is really nothing to worry about, and explaining away the anomolies Mondo has been worrying about. Papetongu purrs happily as the explanation is swallowed. Our heroes sit down in relief. And as the communication ends, Nagare comes down the stair, stretching and yawning. "Imakura Hakase!" he identifies the man on the screen, and asks how Sayuri Hakase (Hakase, is a word meaning like Doctor of Science or something) is. But the answer is unexpected. That woman is somewhere else, has not come back. "Where? Why?" he asks, alarmed. But Imakura says, "I don't know," and cuts the communication. Nagare, puzzled, stands away from the screen.

And he grabs the van and heads up to the oservatory as fast as he can drive. He races into the strangely silent building, towards Imakura Hakase, who sits like a wooden doll. "Where is Sayuri?" "I don't know," answers the man again. "She doesn't matter to me." Startled, Nagare grabs the man's shoulders, shaking him. "But she's your daughter!" The man finally turns his head and looks at Nagare, eyes dead. "What?" and then an agony of pain strikes him, and a tentacle slips from his sleeve as he clutches his head. The tentacles pull out and the man drops with a groan. Barely conscious as Nagare holds him anxiously, he says, "Be careful, Nagare! The Saima -- " Before Nagare can react, imps and Papetongu enter the room. Imakura makes it to his feet and Nagare gets him to the door, fighting off imps, tells him to run. He says he will look for Sayuri, and Nagare fights to hold the imps back, eventually being forced out of the building. He runs away from the pursuing imps, only to find Salamandesu in his way. And Salamandesu points out that Nagare is looking for Imakura's lost daughter and the CD. Furious, Nagare asks where she is. Salamandesu says she is dead. "No!" And they fight. Nagare pulls out his Go Blaster and drives back the imps, but Salamandesu's blast knocks him down. He fires and injures the Saima, but Papetongu pulls him off. Nagare gets away and fires an energy rope. He is away and escaped, but that only leaves a VERY angry Salamandesu to curse him.

Nagare finds Sayuri's burning motorcycle, and a little away from her a cellphone. He picks it up and is shaken to find a small, half-fried image of them together, stuck to the phone. Five years earlier, they had rendesvoused underneath a nearby tree. She had sent him a letter asking him to meet her there. They sat apart, too shy to look at each other. She thanked him for coming. To tell him they couldn't be together. Shaken, he said "Of course." But she jumped to her feet and put her hands on the shaken young man's arm. "No, I like you best, but I have a big dream, and there's no room for anything else." She pulled him to his feet and he watched as she carved an arrow pointing up into the trunk of the tree. She wants to find a new star, and have it named for her. She smiles dreamily and looks at him with bright, glowing eyes. And she wants to share it with him when she succeeds. He nods, "Me, too." They would meet here. He is so young, and uncertain of himself. He swallows and wipes his sweating palms on his pants legs. When he steps forward, to us obviously planning to kiss her, she takes his hand between hers and wishes him well. She shakes his hand and leaves him alone under the tree. "Great, a handshake," he says mournfully, and touches the symbol she had carved on the tree.

And in modern times he remembers her voice on the phone. "Have you forgotten our promise?" And he knows where she must be. He drops the phone and runs through the woods, the mists, to the tree. "Sayuri," he whispers, sure she is not here. But there is sound and movement. She comes out of hiding, holding her injured arm. He runs to her and she falls into his hold. She had remembered, and is glad he did. He helps her up and they will head out together, but the Saima have caught up with him. They demand the CD Rom. Nagare has no idea what they're talking about, but Sayuri knows. And they are attacked in flames. Sayuri hauls out the CD Rom and Nagare frantically tries to make her hide it, but Salamandesu blasts it until it falls on the grass. But the attack is not over, and Nagare changes into armor to fight. He puts out the flames around them, the coolant drives Salamandesu and his monster back. Just then the others arrive. Matoi whispers, "Have you got the data?" But before he can explain, with Sayuri's hand on his shoulder, Salamandesu has words for them. And Nagare leads the fight, as our heroes identify themselves, and state their mission purpose. Salamandesu sends in the imps, and the battle is joined. Our heroes do quite well. Eventually, in a small duplicate of an US Old West town, Nagare and Salamandesu face off, whith a small crowd of imps watching. Nagare shoots his way through them to get to Slaman. It's funny, imps falling from rooftops, and soon Salamandesu stands with Nagare's two guns pointed at his chest. But he cannot be fast enough, Salamandesu says, and knocks our hero tumbling. And Nagare uses his weapon in V-mode Hypermode. His shot does serious damage, staggering the furious Salamandesu, who blasts him back but has to retreat. And Nagare hears the cries of his family as they are blasted, and brings them their own Go Blasters. They all make rather quick work of Papetongu, but Pierre comes and makes him big!

The Go Liner and Max Liner are called in, to Liner Boy's enthusiastic response, and Mint's equally enthusiastic sending. Our heroes board their 99 Machines and form the Victory Robo, and in short order, ride into battle to form Max Victory Robo! They face Papetongu, his tentacles tangling their feet and making a great conduit for energy bolts. They are badly shaken by the blasts, but Nagare heads out onto the robot's shoulders and blasts it with his own gun. His shots do quite a bit of damage, and release the robot from the tentacles. He tells Matoi to go ahead, and the massive barrage destroys Papetongu. But Salamandesu is pleased, sure that they've managed to prevent the important information from falling into the Gogofive's hand. The Queen is pleased.

And our heroes race to the trees where Sayuri is waiting. They are angry, for they've heard she allowed the CD to be destroyed. She explains that Salamandesu had seen her, and knew she had it. However... and she bends down and brings the CD out from behind a broken tree-trunk. Yes, she had faked them out! She hands it to Nagare while the others gape in surprise. She explains just how dangerous the asteroid is. Matoi thanks her, and she goes on to explain that they had made these promises long ago, and you can see that Nagare is rather hoping she isn't going to go into details as he waves at her and reassures her she doesn't have to keep her promise. Shou and Daimon snicker at him, and Matoi eyes him doubtfully, but the others drag Matoi off, leaving a stuttering Nagare alone with Sayuri. He coughs and turns back to her. She doesn't have to keep he promise, for the two of them. She smiles and gazes at him, and once again he is struck with a wish to kiss her, and steps forward. But she tells him sadly, that she hasn't yet fulfilled her dream. "Eh?" he says, dumbfounded. "Just wish me luck and I'll keep trying, yes? Nagare Hakuse." She takes his hand and shakes it firmly, while he is practically falling over in disappointment. She wishes him farewell and walks away. Mournfully he slumps against the tree. "A handshake. JUST a handshake!" he wails silently.

September 19, 1999

It looks like such a nice, peaceful day. Except for the approach of that strange meteor-that-isn't. Mint is helping Mondo as he has machinery moved into the Grand Liner. Meanwhile, the kids are studying the computer readouts on the big meteor, and beginning to feel very nervous. Mondo and Mint come in and send them out to practice formations. Liner Boy comes together with Victory Liner in the Max Formation. Studying their readouts, they begin to solar charge their weaponry.

The Saima are watching, and feeling very uneasy. The Queen determines to send Salamandesu out, and Diinasu somewhat mockingly agrees to help.

Meanwhile, our heroes continue the charging. Salamandesu arrives. After considering the situation, he makes a bubble of shadow over the robots, and the influx of energy stops. He tells the startled heroes that he can't let them do this. Recognizing him in shock, they leave the robot to fight.

Mondo tries to get the Robot charging again while his kids keep the Saima busy. Salamandesu cannot fight them very well and maintain the shade, so he's getting pretty battered, but he is determined. But then he starts laughing and teleports out. It's too late. The meteor has arrived in close range. It will reach Earth in three hours. Pierre, Diinasu, Koboruta are all very excited. The Queen praises Salamandesu.

Our heroes return to their father, who has been thinking about the matter. He tells them he's come up with a chance. He shows them the elegant machines he's loaded into the Victory Liner. They will form the Victory Mars, and they are made to go into space! The kids begin to perk up. The computer scans are still yeilding information on the bizarre meteor. Matoi encourages his siblings and they take a moment, but then agree firmly. Mondo sends them off with his blessings, and they change into uniform. They salute him, Matoi announcing that they are off. Big production of things, checking their weapons as they ride the platform down to get in the Go Liner. Then Liner Boy (in shuttle form) is prepared for launch. It is hooked together with the Grand Liner and aimed straight for the sky. Minto does the countdown for launch. Our heroes steady themselves and... we're off.

The Saima watch the launch in stunned surprise. Don't these creatures ever quit??? The Queen has something up her sleeve, though.

Our heroes pass through the smaller bits travelling with the meteor. It's close. People run out into the street to watch it in the sky. Big thing. Mondo is urging the kids to form Victory Mars. The formup sequence is done in computer animation. They land on the surface of the meteor, forming a moving robot. It is a walker-like thing, comprised of yellow, pink, and I think red. It has Waldo arms, which they deploy to dig into the surface of the asteroid. They plant a BIIIG yellow bomb, which drills its way into the ground. Something about 20 minutes. Oh, boy. They launch the robot, needing to plant another bomb. Just after they plant it, the Queen starts her attack. They won't be able to get clear, as debris falls on their machine. There is only one chance, they must form another sequence. And on Earth, Mondo is getting frantic to protect his kids. They reconfigure in robot mode, as Victory Mars. That's a fine looking machine! And the asteroid will hit in 2 minutes. They think of their father, of all the things that have happened between them since he showed them he was alive. Matoi signals and thanks Mondo, tells him they've really appreciated everything. And then they stab into the ground of the asteroid, setting off the explosions that will destroy it. Mondo screams "STOOP!" into his computer screen. But they can't. Protection of the Earth comes first.

The Queen, her children, Mondo, watches in horror as the asteroid explodes. And just when Mondo is about to collapse, Mint alerts him. They can hear the voices of his children. The Go Liner comes hurtling out of the flames. Mondo begins weeping with joy. The minus energy itself had protected his children. How the villains must be pissed!