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Kaitou Saint Tail Vol 3 Episodes 9-12
Fan sub by VKLL
Episode 12
12-21-1995 Gyouten! Dai Tokage no Santa!?
Surprise! Santa is a big lizard?!
Item stolen: A pet lizard named TamaThis episode opens with Meimi arriving at school, greeting her friends with a statement about it being cold, to which Ryoko says that since it’s close to Christmas the cold is only natural. Meimi gets dreamy, hoping for snow, but then adds that the classroom has been quiet of late. Ryoko points to Asuka Jr. as the cause for this, siting a lack of challenges as the reason. Meimi approaches the young detective, who is leaning on an open window, and she tells him to cheer up. Naturally he gets mad at this and the usual fight breaks out. Asuka Jr. says the girls in his class are uninteresting and Meimi demands to know what he does find attractive. After taunting him further Asuka Jr. sites Saint Tail for one. Meimi gasps, drawing his attention. She wonders, aloud, why his head is so full of Saint Tail, and he looks surprised… as Meimi levels him with her briefcase. Turning she flees the room thinking about the fact that she and Saint Tail are one and the same.
We next see Sister Seira with a small crying child. Seira gets the girl, Maiyu-chan, to confide that Gou-chan stole her pet Tama from her. Seira asks if Maiyu has told her mother, but it seems the mother doesn’t care for pets and was happy with the theft. Seira assures her that God will help.
That night Meimi is told the story, and when asked what Tama looks like Seira says his fur is black and he’s wearing a ribbon. Meimi rises and says she’s going. Seira is shocked and questions Meimi about a challenge to Asuka Jr. Meimi proclaims he isn’t worthy of one. Seira points out this will be breaking her promise, and Meimi screams she doesn’t care. Why bother with a person who is so full of Saint Tail?
Saint Tail arrives at Gou-chan’s house and using magic from her hat lowers a rope over the side of the roof to let herself down to his room. (Remember Meimi said it was cold… and Asuka Jr. was sitting in the open window… well Gou is asleep with the window open!)
Once in the room Saint Tail addresses the sleeping boy, chastising him for what he did and saying he reminds her of another little boy she knows. Gou stirs and Saint Tail stops talking, drops to her hands and knees and begins looking for the missing pet. When she comes face to face with the sleeping lizard she quickly withdraws in shock. Taking a moment to collect herself she reflects on the fact that she’s too scared to actually steal the thing, but then rallies knowing that Saint Tail can’t be stopped. Dragging the basket Tama is sleeping in towards the window she slips, spilling Tama from the basket and waking Gou. She has just enough time to replace the basket and escape unnoticed.
Back on the roof Saint Tail decides this is not the night for the theft and heads home, only to be spotted by Asuka Heiji and an officer. They take off after the fleet thief. So intent on her are they that they fail to see the turn in the road, and wind up in the river.
The next day the newspaper headline is regarding Saint Tail and her unknown crime. Asuka Jr. is beside himself because he didn’t receive a challenge. He questions his friends in class, demanding to know why he didn’t, and is unwilling to believe Saint Tail would break a promise. Meimi, blaming herself, tries to cheer him up, saying even Saint Tail can forget a promise. The usual fight breaks out with Meimi telling him that no matter how long he tries he’ll never catch Saint Tail. He questions her as to why she should know, and in a moment of manic aggravation Meimi declares herself to be Saint Tail. Seira is horrified, but seemingly Asuka Jr. didn’t hear the admission. He asks Meimi what she had said, but Meimi can only stand in horror.
Cut to Meimi, at home with Ruby, clutching a pillow on her bed. Looking like a poster child for misery she falls to her side, still in shock, but also unsure if he actually heard her. Ruby, when questioned about it, is her ever-helpful self, and mews with a smile.
That night on the news Asuka Jr. manages to insinuate himself before the camera, to the amusement for Meimi’s father who calls her to witness the event. Meimi arrives in time to hear Asuka Jr. telling Saint Tail to meet him at Park A that evening or he will spread her true identity all over town. Meimi realizes she’s be caught as the TV breaks for a preemptive commercial. Her father, reflecting on the beauty of the thieves in his life wonders is Saint Tail is beautiful, like Eimi was in her youth, and turning to ask Meimi, finds her gone.
Eye Catch…
At the chapel Seira is telling Meimi that she mustn’t go, that it’s probably a trap. A very quiet and resigned Meimi agrees, but confides she always thought it would be best to be caught by him. Seira realizes there is no stopping Meimi, but cautions her to not just walk up to him, as they don’t know for sure how much he actually knows. Seira reminds Meimi that the pet, Tama, also needs to be taken as Maiya’s family is moving and will be gone in the morning. Meimi promises to deliver a Christmas memory to Maiya. Seira, pleased, states that if Meimi is caught she, Seira, will be there with Meimi. Reassured Meimi becomes Saint Tail.
In the park Asuka Jr., alone, is wondering if Saint Tail will be coming. As it starts to snow he ducks inside a phone booth for warmth. And, in one of the most romantic scenes of the series, or the manga, the phone rings.
Cautiously moving the phone to his ear, the receiver explodes in a shower of confetti. Looking up Asuka Jr. can see Saint Tail standing at the top of the stairs a little ways off, obviously watching him. Once again hearing Seira’s warning to surprise him Saint Tail wonders if there is any point in it. With a wave of her wand Saint Tail sets the phone to ringing loudly. Suddenly, beside her, a cel phone can be heard. Picking it up she hears Asuka Jr. scream for her to stop! He tells her he won’t leave the booth, so she has nothing to worry about. Saint Tail questions him about exposing her, and he says flatly, it was a lie. Saint Tail has to admit Seira was right about how much he realized. Asuka Jr. goes on to ask why she didn’t send him a challenge. Saint Tail can hardly believe he would call her for that. He explains just how important it is to him, pointing out that if she doesn’t send one, he won’t know to go, and someone else might be there… to catch her. Overwhelmed by this admission Asuka Jr. wonders what his problem is… when Saint Tail suddenly says she is going to come over to him. Skipping lightly down the stairs Saint Tail quietly asks for Seira’s forgiveness, as she is unable to stay away from him. Asuka Jr. bemoans the fact that the windows are fogged, and wiping one, tries to get a better look at her.
Standing with her back pressed to the door Saint Tail raises the phone to her ear again. She apologizes for not challenging him, and promises to never repeat the act. To herself she begs him to never give up on her, and taping the cel phone to the booth door runs away. Asuka Jr. comes out, calling for her to not get caught, making her promise to let it be him. Disappearing into the night Asuka Jr. watches her go, and turning back to the booth finds her challenge on the door. Once again she is going after the stolen pet Tama. Startled by the challenge taking place that evening Asuka Jr. heads to Gou’s home.
In the basket, instead of Tama, we see a note, warning against picking on girls.
Uplifted by balloons Tama floats serenely over the town of Seika, dressed as Santa Claus. Asuka Jr. arrives in time to see the flight, and we see Asuka Heiji also being alerted to the theft. Meanwhile children all over town are calling for their parents to see Santa Claus floating by. Suddenly the sack Tama is carrying open, raining presents down on the town. Asuka Heiji, watching Tama get away admits Saint Tail has escaped yet again.
We then see Maiya, by the window, waiting. Her mother tells her to give it up when Tama floats into view. Mom sighs, resigned to the fact that Tama is coming along with the move.
Asuka Jr., and the rest of the town, is holding his present, vowing, once again, that he will catch Saint Tail. Last of all we see Saint Tail… wishing us a Merry Christmas.
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