Steins;Gate>24. Achievement Point

Future Okabe:
  • And to further please our whimsy, "Operation Skuld" will be the name we assign this.
  • Forge of yesterday whatever you must to save the future.
  • Without detectably altering the past as you understood it.
  • Okabe Rintarou sees Makise lying dead on the ground in a pool of her own blood.
  • Keep the past for all intents and purposes where it is.
  • Deceive yourself in every last detail.

Suzuha:

  • Hey Dad, hand me that screwdriver.

Daru:

  • Why do you keep calling me that?

Suzuha:

  • Chop, chop! [idiom meaning "hurry up"]



Suzuha:

  • Alright folks, this is our line in the sand.
  • There's just enough juice left in this puppy for one last jump to the past and back.

Okabe:

  • But then, you won't be able to return to your own time.

Suzuha:

  • (laughs)
  • Total non-issue. I never planned to.
  • We do this right, the future as I know it will alter enough so that I'll never have needed to come here in the first place.
  • And that was the idea all along.
  • 'Course, the flipside to that equation is if we screw this up, I'm basically stuck here for good.
  • Bitter expat stewing in could have beens. ["expat" being short for "expatriate"]

Okabe:

  • Too clichéd a fate for you.

Suzuha:

  • Oh yeah?

Okabe:

  • Damn right, yeah.
  • You are under the wing of Hououin Kyouma, whose name among those in the know resonates with visions of topsy-turvydom and inverted status quos.
  • Take solace in that.
  • Agreed?

Suzuha:

  • Agreed. Let's do this.

Okabe:

  • Hear me! Operation Skuld begins now! Let the world tremble!

[opening]

Okabe:

  • Damn it all, where are you?
  • I had my hands on you not a fortnight ago, I'm sure of it.

Daru:

  • "Let the world tremble," he says.
  • Not a bad line. Might have had more 'oomph' if you you hadn't followed it with 'oh crap.'

Suzuha:

  • What's the hold-up, guys? The longer we leave the time machine parked on the roof, the likelier it is that someone's going to notice it's there.

Okabe:

  • I must be getting warmer.
  • Huh?
  • Heh.

Daru:

  • The glowstick saber?
  • You stopping off at a rave along the way?

Okabe:

  • I require the fake blood cleverly hidden in its tip.

Mayuri:

  • Oh, weird. You never told me it had blood.

Suzuha:

  • Ah, I get it. Is that going to substitute for the pool of gore you found her in?

Okabe:

  • Exactly.
  • If the me from July 28th discovers Makise's unconscious form in said pool of gore, he, that is, I, will assume her dead, and thus the past will remain unchanged.
  • Thus will Operation Skuld fulfill its purpose.

Suzuha:

  • Seems solid on the face of it, but-

Daru:

  • I'll say it: Doesn't that gambit seem a little too, I don't know, easy?
  • I mean, to my ears, the future you sounded like he had something a lot more abstract and convoluted in mind.

Okabe:

  • Heh heh heh.
  • That's just what he wanted you to think. All evil geniuses obscure their true intentions, Daru. It's in their nature.
  • Heh heh heh heh.
  • But fear not. I see behind the veil. My tricks are as child's play to me!
  • (laughs)

Suzuha:

  • I'm not sure whether I should be impressed or terrified.

Daru:

  • I'm going with terrified.

Mayuri:

  • Hey! Okarin?
  • Um, Did Kurisu like, sit in this chair over here sometimes? Maybe even a lot?

Okabe:

  • I suppose so.

Mayuri:

  • I can totally remember her sitting here talking to us about stuff, right?
  • When she was excited, she'd get all serious. Sometimes I have a hard time following her. The two of you used to argue all the time. But, you know, the way really good friends do.

Daru:

  • Man, I'll have whatever she's having. Trust me, May, a superstar like Makise Kurisu wouldn't slum it in a cave like this. ["May" here is short for "Mayuri", and is a homophone of "my"]

Mayuri:

  • Oh. Yeah, that would be kind of strange. Maybe I just dreamed it or something.

Suzuha:

  • Or maybe Okabe's not the only one with Reading Steiner.

Okabe:

  • Yeah, well. That wouldn't exactly surprise me.
  • By that, I mean it's not a superpower. Everyone has it.
  • When worldlines break off, deep down we all remember how things used to be.
  • It makes perfect sense to me that Mayuri would have some memories of Kurisu.
  • We're here, that is, Mayuri's here, because Kurisu made the ultimate sacrifice.

Mayuri:

  • Listen to you.
  • You liked her a whole lot, huh?

Okabe:

  • Well, now. She was my assistant. One might even say she was a confidante, as vital to me as the air I breathe.

Mayuri:

  • Awwwww!

Okabe:

  • Of course, the woman was deperately in love with me, too.

Daru:

  • 2-D life is so much simpler than this.

Mayuri:

  • Well...There's no question about it, then. You've got to save her.
  • But I'm betting you knew that already.

Okabe:

  • Indeed.



Mayuri:

  • Promise to be careful, OK? And promise to come back.

Okabe:

  • Don't you worry.

Daru:

  • Umm...Mis Amane?
  • If it's really true that I'm your old man or whatever then uh, who's your mom?

Suzuha:

  • Don't worry, it's a pleasant surprise.

Okabe:

  • Sure it is.

Daru:

  • Uhhhh.....

Okabe:

  • Let's go.

Suzuha:

  • Alright, same thing as before. Avoid running into yourself. Otherwise, do what you have to do.

Okabe:

  • Got it.
  • You leave the glow stick for me at the appointed spot.

Suzuha:

  • No problem.

Okabe:

  • "Forge of yesterday whatever I must to save the future." Easier said than done, but here goes.
  • Not sure how this all fits together, but clearly the first order of business is to prevent Mayuri from getting her paws on that metal Oopa.
  • Take that out of the mix, and the time travel thesis will burn to cinders.
  • Bingo.

Past Mayuri:

  • I'm sorry. I know sometimes its not, but this one counts for sure. These are really, really rare, and I'm broke.

Past Okabe:

  • I look like an ATM to you? Too bad, so sad, Greedy Gus. Life lesson.

Past Mayuri:

  • Awwwww!

Past Okabe:

  • Heh heh heh heh heh. The reality principal does like to disabuse us of our whims.

Past Mayuri:

  • Aww, cool!

Past Okabe:

  • Oh yeah? Is it rare?

Past Mayuri:

  • Na uh, I don't think so. But he's super cute anyway.

Okabe:

  • Done. On to the next.

Past Makise:

  • Uh. Oh, I'm sorry.

Okabe:

  • K-Kurisu?

Past Makise:

  • Umm, have met before?
  • I don't think I know you, do I?

Okabe:

  • Kurisu...

Past Makise:

  • Look, whoever...
  • What is your trauma?!
  • Don't rush to help me or anything.

Okabe:

  • I, uh...
  • I'm just...I've come here to save your life.

(four chimes)

PA address:

  • Your attention please. Dr. Nakabachi's conference is about to begin on the eighth floor lecture hall. All who are interested are welcome to attend.

Past Makise:

  • At least explain what you mean!

Okabe (thoughts):

  • Note to self: Ad-libbing my way through a portrayal of past me is awwk-ward.
  • Kurisu found the Oopa? Of course! Ah, but since that little fellow is made of your garden-variety plastic, the time travel thesis will go up in smoke en route to Russia. Good. Very good. Excellent.
  • Next phase: deflect her homicidal maniac of a father and render Makise unconscious.
  • The blood's dried up!
  • Okabe, you fool! You can't seal a viscous fluid up for heaven knows how long and expect it not to congeal.

Past Dr. Nakabachi:

  • What in the hell do you want?

Past Makise:

  • Look, please! I just want you to read this. OK, Dad?

Okabe (thoughts):

  • Think, damn it! There must be something you can use! Anything! Surely...
  • Size it up. I can get Nakabachi out of here, that's the easy part.
  • The tricky bit is the blood. Something in this room will have to do.

Past Dr. Nakabachi:

  • Shut up!
  • You dare call me a thief?

Okabe:

  • (thoughts):That's it!
  • DOCTORR!

Past Dr. Nakabachi:

  • Who the hell are you?

Okabe:

  • (laughs)
  • "Who am I?," he asks. Why, anarchy incarnate, sir. An archon buffeted by the stormy passions of madness and chaos!.
  • But you would prefer my mortal handle. The name...is Hououin...HYOUMA!

Past Dr. Nakabachi:

  • I hope that's not your idea of intimidation
  • Wait! Your the damn heckler from the conference!
  • I see how it is. The two of you were in on this together.
  • Planning to make nattering old Nakabachi shit the bed during what should have been his moment of glory, huh?
  • Heh heh heh heh. Well, my boy. You've succeeded beautifully.
  • (laughs)

Past Makise:

  • Dad, no!
  • Run!

Okabe:

  • Run? Not just yet. The man's pulled his knife out for a reason. I'm curious to see what it is.

Past Dr. Nakabachi:

  • Are you out of your mind?

Okabe:

  • That's a very good question. But surely the issue of my sanity is neither here nor there for a tough old bird like you.

Past Dr. Nakabachi:

  • You're mocking me!

Okabe:

  • Aww, sorry. Is it hard getting short shrift from a living god?

Past Dr. Nakabachi:

  • Don't push me! I'll rip your goddamn eyes right out of their sockets!

Okabe:

  • Well, I'm right here. Can't imagine what's stopping you. Unless, of course, you're just a simperng blowhard.
  • That's it, isn't it? Of course it is. You're just a washed-up, spineless, COWARD!

Past Makise:

  • No! Oh God...
  • Dad? What...what are you...

Past Dr. Nakabachi:

  • You...you provoked me!
  • That's what you get, punk!

Okabe (thoughts):

  • Stay calm! Bite the bullet...just a little more.

Okabe:

  • You...you...provoked...me.

Past Dr. Nakabachi:

  • This isn't over, you crazy son of a bitch!

Past Makise:

  • Oh my god!
  • Alright, just try not to move! I'll call an ambulance.
  • Hello? Yes, I've got a man here who's been stabbed and is losing a lot of blood. We need the paramedics at the Radio building. Immediately.

Okabe:

  • I told you..
  • I came here to...
  • I came here to save your life.

Past Makise:

  • Huh? [almost inaudible due to music, but detectable in voice track in 5.1 audio]

(Okabe yells)

Okabe (thoughts):
  • Well done. I think we've got it.
  • Oh, Kurisu...

Suzuha:

  • Uncle...

Okabe:

  • Farewell...
  • Wait...

Suzuha:

  • Huh?

Okabe:

  • Please...we have to be absolutely sure.

Suzuha:

  • Look, you're just gonna have to take it on faith. We don't have time. I've got to get you out of here.

Okabe:

  • Just wait...

Past Okabe:

  • Uh...I know you're there!

Okabe (thoughts):

  • Best of luck. You'll need it.
  • The next three weeks...are going to be the hardest three weeks of your life.

Suzuha:

  • You make me crazy, you know that? There are no words to describe how stupid that was!

Okabe:

  • Stupid, perhaps...but it worked.

Suzuha:

  • Listen, I've only stopped the bleeding superficially. Get to a hospital the minute you're back!
  • And hold on, it's gonna get rough.
  • Here we go.

Okabe:

  • Is this...

Suzuha:

  • If you're asking me whether we've reached Stein's Gate, I don't know.

Okabe:

  • Guess we'll find out.

Suzuha:

  • I do know that if you're theory hit the mark, the thesis will burn. Which means the world's superpowers won't start their time travel pissing contest.
  • And that World War 3'll never happen.
  • Much as I might like to, I'm afaraid I can't stick around.
  • So let me get a thank you out now while I can.
  • It's been a trip!
  • Thank you!
  • See you in 7 years.

[start of credit sequence]

Mayuri:

  • Hey!
  • Huh?

Dr. Nakabachi (television):

  • Call me a crackpot if it helps you sleep at night, but mankind's future was riding on that thesis! Now it's gone! All gone!

Television reporter:

  • Such outbursts are motivating Russian officials to reconsider his defection.

Mayuri:

  • Dang it! He's so hard to track down when he wants to be.
  • Well, if he comes back, tell him I was here.

Ruka:

  • Uh. Before you go...

Mayuri:

  • Huh?

Okabe (flashback voice):

  • This identifies you as Lab Member 006.

Ruka (flashback voice):

  • Wait. When did I become a lab member?

Okabe (flashback voice):

  • Well, you probably wouldn't yet remember your induction...
  • Give it time, though.

Mayuri:

  • Huh?
  • I wonder what the letters mean.

Faris:

  • Kyouma? He was actually just here.

Mayuri:

  • Yeah? I keep missing him.
  • Hey, this may sound kind of weird, but did he give you anything?

Faris:

  • You know, as a matter of fact, he did.

Okabe (flashback):

  • 007. Guard that designation with your life.
  • If ever you're in need of assistance, cleave to that pin.
  • And chant "La Yohda Systella."

Mayuri:

  • Oh.

Mr. Braun:

  • Huh? Sorry kid. Your pal went on his merry way not two minutes ago.

Nae:

  • Mayuri!

Mayuri:

  • Tu-tu-roo! Hey Nae!

Moeka:

  • Huh?

Mr. Braun:

  • Oh yeah, manners. This is our brand new part-timer.

Moeka:

  • Nice to meet you. My name's Kiryu.

Mr. Braun:

  • Took a shine to her when she got Short Round here out of a jam. [reference to a young character in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom]
  • She said she didn't have a job, so I thought "Hey, why not."

Mayuri:

  • (laughs)
  • Shiina Mayuri.

Mr. Braun:

  • Heh. It's funny. Freak show was falling all over himself when he met her, and she hadn't even gotten a name out.

Okabe (flashback):

  • Consider it an open invitation to our humble lair.

Moeka (flashback):

  • Thanks.
  • That's very kind of you.



Mayuri:

  • Tu-tu-roo! It's good to have you back-arin!

Daru:

  • Did you just mash up "Okarin" with "Good to have you back?"

Mayuri:

  • Uh-huh.
  • Don't tell me he's not here.

Daru:

  • He won't be long.
  • Just runnin' a few errands.

Mayuri:

  • OK.
  • Ahh!

Daru:

  • Hmm?
  • Oh, those.
  • Lab member badges, apparently.
  • 003 for me. 002 for you.
  • He says they go all the way to 008, but...
  • Did I sleep through a couple of meetings or something, 'cause I don't remeber that many people being on board with us?

Mayuri:

  • Okarin must be the 'O'...
  • Shiina, Hashida, Urushibara, Faris, and
  • Hmm. Wonder what the 'M', the 'K', and the 'A' stand for?

Daru:

  • Beats me.
  • He put the last one in a box. Says 008 will show up in seven years.

Okabe (flashback):

  • I realize it may be hard to believe, but trust me when I say I have it on very good authority.

Daru (flashback):

  • That what we're calling the voice in your head?

Okabe (flashback):

  • You're the reason they show up, acxtually.

Daru (flashback):

  • Say what?

Mayuri:

  • That's a long time.
  • But I'm sure whoever it is'll be super cool and totally willing to cosplay with me.

Daru:

  • I'm supposed to wait seven years? My mind doesn't go that far ahead.

Mayuri:

  • Just think, though. How much fun will it be with so many new friends at the lab?
  • And I don't think we'll change too much, No matter how many years pass.



Okabe:

  • Where are you now, I wonder?
  • Doggedly hammering away at some groundbreaking new thesis over in the States?
  • It's not hard to see you pulling a slew of all-nighters in front of a dry erase board.
  • Well...Whatever the case, I just hope you've made your peace with your father's...issues.
  • I've made my peace with the fact of you having no memory of our three weeks together.
  • Took a while, though.
  • Whether or not you and I ever see each other again, the world's a decidedly better place with you in it.
  • As long you're out there, doing your thing...we all benefit.
  • And, bittersweet though it is, sometimes just knowing I'm not the only one who sees things as I do is enough.

Makise:

  • It...it's you!
  • I've been looking everywhere for you.
  • I don't even know how to begin to say what I want to...

Okabe:

  • It's me. The jig is up. She's wise to us.
  • Do what? What do you mean, you want me to protect her?
  • Very well. Just never let it be said I don't indulge you people to a fault.
  • Yes, I'm aware.
  • And if that's it's choice, far be it for me to argue.
  • Alright, then. El Psy Congroo.

Makise:

  • El...what?

Okabe:

  • So we meet again, Christina!

Makise:

  • Knock it off with that crap! My name's not Christina. And I'm sure as hell not your assistant!
  • Uhh...wait.

Okabe:

  • Good to have you back. Assistant of mine. Christina. AKA Kurisu.
  • Perhaps the Universe can't justifiably be called infinite.
  • But the possibilities within it...
  • Different story altogether.
  • That much I've learned.
  • This...
  • ...is the choice of Stein's Gate.

[end]