Episode 7: Antlion

Rio tired

The Sky resort is still flying high up in the sky. Rina, Anya and Mint are informed by Mr. Howard that Cartia has another challenger in a gate battle against Rio. Anya complains that it has only been two hours, having two gate battles in one day is absurd. According to Mr. Howard, this challenger is a sniper known as the Merciless Queen. He asks where is Rio, with Anya telling him that she is resting in her room after the Gate Battle had taken a lot out of her. It seems that Cartia will do anything to win. Going back to one snowy day, when Rio and Rina were kids. Both of them are playing together by throwing cards to knock down a tower of snacks on top of the mantelpiece. Rio misses, but Rina manages to hit them. Both of them now have an equal amount of snacks between them. Before they can eat them, Risa; Rio’s mother asks Rio why she lost on purpose. Rio tells her that she gave it to Rina so that they can have the same number. Rina then hugs her and tells her that she loves her. Back in the present, Rio wakes up to Rina; who apologizes for waking her and hands her costume for the Gate Battle. Rina tells her not to do anything stupid and hugs her.

Flying without wings

Rio is now in her costume and is prepared for her gate battle against the Merciless Queen. The game is sky jumping shooting. Each player has to shoot targets as they fly up towards the top. They begin, with the Merciless Queen blocking off Rio in the first few targets. Cartia asks Tiffany where is Mr. Howard. She tells him that he has an upset stomach, therefore he is feeling ill. Tiffany also offers to show Cartia to the toilet to prove that he is there, but she declines. Rio continues to battle, by adapting the game to her advantage, but this does not stop the Merciless Queen, who continues her shooting the targets. Meanwhile, Mr. Howard is not in the toilet but actual fact is in his office. Watching the scoring of the gate battle on the screen, he sends the Adams Twins, Linda and Mint off to investigate into what Cartia is hiding. Mint looks elsewhere while the twins are with Linda who can’t get access to the computers making them believe that Cartia has done something to them. Eru asks Linda to land the Sky resort and sort everything out, but she is also unable to do that as well.

Where is your 'ead at?

Meanwhile the game continues with both Rio and Queen evenly matched. The Merciless Queen, decides to end the game and switches weapons and fires. The resulting fire breaks one of the trees and a rogue branch hits Rio, sending her falling and ends up losing her weapon. Anya meets up with the twins and Linda, but trips over in the entrance and knocks Linda’s head off. This causes the game to lose power of the wind. Linda puts her head back on and power is restored. This interruption gives Rio the advantage to get back into the game, as she throws several playing cards and destroys the remaining targets winning the game. Rio exits the arena but collapses in Rina’s arms. Mint meanwhile meets with Jack and wants to ask him something. Rio, who is tired, gets back to her room with Rina. Tiffany wonders what Cartia is after, whether it is her gates she is after or Rio herself. Jack tells Mint that the Sky Resort will remain flying until Rio loses. He also explains that he doesn’t know how Cartia got the gates but knows that a rainbow will be seen when one gets all of the gates.

Beaten by a woman, the shame

Rio and Rina relax having a bath. Rina tells Rio that she would be there for her and would protect her, Rio then senses someone watching them. Later, walking the corridor Rio feels someone tap her on her shoulder. She immediately throws him, to find out it is Carlos. Back on the ground, Dana reads the fortune that there will be confusion and betrayal. Rina takes Rio to the hologram deck to relax, Rina heads to the control room to program some nice scenery. However, Rina is captured by Bull Hard and he activates the hologram. Rio is stuck in a hologram dodging trucks and cars, next she falls through the road towards lava, and then she is picked up by some tentacles and is swallowed up. Rio wakes up in a room as a young Rina runs by. She chases after her but she has gone. Her mother appears and tells her that her kindness to people is what makes them unhappy. Rina appears, tells Rio to go away and then vanishes. Rio then ends up in total blackness. Mint walks by and finds Rio unconscious. Rio is brought to Mr. Howard’s office. Mr. Howard informs Rio that she has another gate battle to compete in, adding that he should of realise that the little distracts were Cartia’s doing to make Rio falter. Rio tells Mr. Howard that Rina has been captured. Rina is tied to a Roulette table as Rio is challenged by the Strong Arm King as Rio shouts for Rina back. Rina wakes up and has a vision of her younger self.

Not really exciting the episode really. I think there is more to it here and I think Rio will lose at some point and have all of her gates lost. The only thing that can stop Cartia if Rio loses, is if some unknown has a Gate. Dana’s prediction of betrayal maybe someone close to Rio. Ok so this blog is several months late, as this was originally being typed up on my laptop, I was typing this in comfort at the dinner table, but halfway typing I was forced to move elsewhere and never got the chance to finish it. Anyway, since it is more than halfway and only has 13 episodes so may as well finish it and get it out of the way (and partly because I want to have a full-house home page, which I have been trying to get since I started blogging here, only to be stopped by just one…) Hopefully, this one can make so that I can tick it off the bucket list.