Episode 13 - Ah! Wake Up! That Feeling!
From OMGWiki
[edit] Key Points
[edit] Full Synopsis
Skuld wants to learn to ride a bicycle just like Belldandy. However, the process does not seem as easy as it sounds. Skuld figures she can use her technical prowess to overcome the bicycle's limitations. However, her devices do nothing but hinder her progress.
After the failed attempts with technological help, Belldandy and Keiichi agree to help her. Skuld is not at all thankful for Keiichi's guidance, but feels that with her sister's help, she can do it. But on her first try, Skuld falls to the ground, and is somewhat perplexed that Belldandy didn't catch her. She wonders if this may have been a mistake, but the next several tries continue as the first. Skuld gets angry and demands to know why Belldandy didn't save her. Belldandy replies that she needs to learn how to ride a bicycle, without relying on anyone but herself. Skuld scoffs at her sister's words, feeling that Belldandy doesn't understand the pain she feels, since her sister can ride perfectly. Skuld stalks off, and heads down to a nearby riverfront park.
While there, she watches a young boy named Sentaro practicing on his stuntbike. When a trick he pulls causes him to fall off, Skuld rushes to him, but mainly out of concern for the bike. Giving it a glance, she determines that it needs some work, and manages to tune it up better than Sentaro could have imagined. Impressed by her technical expertise, Sentaro asks Skuld if she likes bicycles. She quietly replies that she actually hates them. As they continue to talk, Urd sneaks up and joins in on the conversation, clueing in Sentaro to Skuld's inability to ride a bike. After Urd leaves, Skuld tells Sentaro how Belldandy just let her fall. As she shows Sentaro a bruise on her left leg, he shows her one that he received from a bicycle fall as well. Skuld is perplexed that even though Sentaro can ride a bicycle, he has several bruises. He explains to her that falling off is part of the process of riding a bicycle. Skuld confusedly brushes off this comment with a laugh.
Later on in the afternoon, Skuld finds herself behind the handlebars of Sentaro's bicycle, as he straddles the rear of the bike on the stunt pegs. As he pushes off and the bike gains momentum, Skuld is at first scared, but with Sentaro's encouragement, she begins to pedal. As her excitement grows, Sentaro jumps off the stunt pegs, leaving Skuld to ride on her own. Once again, she begins to doubt herself, but Sentaro's words of encouragement buoy her on, til' she finds that she has finally been able to ride the bike on her own! Excitedly, she asks Sentaro if she can ride back to show her sister what she's accomplished. Sentaro happily complies.
Skuld happily peddles homeward, confident that she won't give up easily like she did before. Her words are put to the test, when she has to peddle up a steep hill in order to get home. Her will is tested, but at last, she makes it over the ridge, and sees Belldandy on the street below, looking up at her.
Both Belldandy and Skuld pedal back to the riverfront to return Sentaro's bike. As a reward, Belldandy heals Sentaro's bruises. Sentaro thanks them both, and rides home. As Belldandy glances at Skuld, she notices a wonderful sight-Skuld, unknowingly, is quietly making a circular motion with her index finger behind her back, which is causing several dandelions at her feet to move. Belldandy remarks to herself that Skuld has allowed herself to care for another person, which is a Goddess' motivation.
[edit] Manga/Anime Differences
- In the original manga, Skuld returns Sentaro's bike, but she has used her powers to clean it of all the scrapes and scratches it had accumulated. Instead of being happy, Sentaro was angry with her, causing Skuld to wonder why. Keiichi tells her that Sentaro might have seen those scratches as special, given that each one was a mark that told how he kept maturing to develop his skills. The next day, Skuld meets Sentaro again, and he tells her that he isn't mad at her anymore, but wishes he still had one of the scratches that was on his bike. When Skuld inquires about what was so special about it, Sentaro laughingly tells her he won't tell, riling her up a bit. Sentaro was actually referring to the scratch he got on his bike when he first met Skuld.
- Belldandy does not use her powers to heal Sentaro's bruises.
