Information[]
Series: Shugo Chara!
Episode Number: 17
English Title: The Breathtaking Speech Contest!
Romanji Title: Supīchi Kontesuto Kiki Ippatsu!
Kanji Title: スピーチコンテスト危機一髪!
Airdate: February 02, 2008
Directed by: Hiromitsu Kanazawa
Written by: Michiru Shimada
Preceeded by: Episode 016: One Two Three☆Heart's Magic!
Followed by: Episode 018: The Delightful and Embarrassed First Date!
Summary[]
Yuu Nikaidou is in his secret hideout looking back over data from two kids' heart's egg he took: Mifuyu Torii and Takuya Nakagura. He notices that since they were both prodigies, they managed to create powerful X-Eggs. He was thinking he was able to get wonderful data off of them when his phone rings. It's the Director of Easter saying Yuu has yet to have found the Embryo and asking how long he was going to have to wait to get it. Yuu only says for him to wait a little longer for his plan was progressing at the moment. The Director asks about the plan, but Yuu wouldn't give away to much information, saying that a miracle was about to happen and they should just leave it as that. The Director asks again what kind of plan it is, but Yuu still wouldn't relent; he said he would tell the Director the details later and hangs up. The Director wonders to himself what the plan is while Yukari looks on.
Later, in a cab with Utau in the pouring rain, Yukari begins to wonder what Yuu's plan is. Since Utau wasn't there when the Director was talking to Yuu as Yukari was, she asks her manager if she was talking about Nikaidou. She also asks what it matters because she wasn't interested people who put on a fake smile and mentions that Ikuto didn't either.
Back at his hideout, Nikaidou's looking out of a window at the rain saying he was going to make an Embryo with the data he collected. As he says that, thunder cracks and lightning strikes. As he goes on, he says he should get one more sample before he begins making his own Embryo. He says he'll use an egg that is as powerful as its owner and at a table, his hands roam over five cards that are face down. Yuu picks the one in the middle and says his next target will be the Jack as they show the card, revealing that it was indeed a Jack. A transparent picture of Kukai appears across the screen.
Amu is on top of a roof asking a person if he has been behind everything that was happening with the X-Eggs. His back is to her, so when he turns around she falters a bit to find Nikaidou. He asks her what would happen if he was behind all of this and starts to grow taller and taller until she's only about level with the middle of his shoe. She freaks out and before she has time to react, he stomps the roof with his foot and she falls down the hole that was created.
It was just a dream as Amu is leaning against a wall with her Guardian Characters trying to wake her. Ran and Miki were unsuccessful, but with a pinch on the cheek from Su, she wakes up. Apparently, though, the pinch hurt as Amu leaps out of her chair screaming. She stops when she sees where she is. In the front a smiling Tadase says they have found their representative and some girls cry out Amu's name. Everyone begins to clap and congratulate her, but she doesn't have a clue of what was going on. A fan of her explains: she was just chosen to represent them at the speech contest. Amu asks about the speech contest and another fan explains that they all voted on it (while Amu was asleep) and says Amu got three more votes than Tadase. Misaki tells Amu she's really good and Amu shyly thanks her while Saaya is angry and wondering why she only got one vote.
At the Royal Garden, everyone hears of Amu being the representative and wish her luck. Kukai says they've always had Tadase as the rep and needed to pick someone else; someone lesss typical that year. Amu gets mad at him for calling her less typical, but then asks what the speech contest was about. Yaya decides to explain and says that the speech contest is a contest for speeches held by their school. Amu says that really didn't help her, so Yaya goes on saying that every year the most outstanding honor students give speeches. Amu freaks out when Yaya said honor students. Yaya also adds on that only the best one wins. Tadase puts in that there is one rep from every elementary school participating. Amu says she's never been chosen as a rep and has never written or said a speech. Then she asks why she was selected and Miki says it was because she was sleeping. Kukai asks about that and she says she couldn't stop thinking about Nikaidou. It's been the third consecutive day that he's been absent from their school and Nadeshiko asks if he's doing that to stop them from getting proof. Tadase doesn't seem to think so; he says Nikaidou would just show up with a new plan and that they had to be very careful and they nod in agreement.
Kuaki stands up and says they should help Amu with her speech and they decided to go to the library to look at past speeches. While they walk to the library, Yaya asks the theme of the speech and Amu says it is "what you value most." Amu starts to think what that could be and Yaya says it has to be friends and Amu says that she'll use that for her speech. What they don't know is that Nikaidou is right behind a tree near them listening in. Daichi stops and looks behind him, so Kukai asks if there was something wrong. Daichi replies that he had the feeling Nikaidou was just there.
In the library, the Guardians are sitting around at a table with Amu while she writes her speech. It begins off with her saying that she may possibly value her friends, but she thinks being stylish is also important. She also adds in her allowance while Su tries to clean up the table that had plently of balled of papers from her last attempts; Ran is looking at Amu and Miki is asleep. Amu bursts out that something is wrong and falls face down on the table. Kiseki gives his advice, saying she should write about world domination. Daichi flies in front of him saying it's being the best at soccer and Pepe says it's naps. Miki flies up to Amu with a bored expression on her face and asks for paint. Su follows and asks for a sewing set and Ran tries to think of something she wants. Amu says it's not about what they want, but about what's important. Temari says she would love to have a new kimono making Amu yell at her, too.
Tadase says that friendship must be the important thing and Kukai laughs at the honor students. Tadase says that with any challenges you may face, friends could help you overcome them. Kukai calls that lame so Tadase asks what he thought it was. Kukai says it has to be giving your all without regrets and adds that Tadase was too serious. Nadeshiko tells the two to listen to Amu and they apologize. Adjacent to them behind a bookcase was Saaya. She was staring at Amu sitting with Kukai and Tadase.
Outside she's biting on a handkerchief and begins to think about Kukai and Tadase; her current and previous favorites, respectively. She bites on the handkerchief again and says that Amu is getting close to the two of them. Someone behind her agrees and, turning around, she sees Nikaidou sitting on a bench and asks if he was still supposed to be on vacation. He ignores that and asks her if something was wrong. She lies and says nothing was bothering her, but he says that didn't seem to be the case. He goes on saying that Amu irritates him, too, which made her jealous again, asking why she was always around Kukai and Tadase. She also thinks she should've been chosen as the representative. He agrees and says she should express her feelings and, to himself, he adds it makes it easier to trick her heart. Her heart's egg is shown being glazed over with a thin coat of gray while she stands up straight, looking into space.
Kukai is leaving from soccer practice when he meets up with Saaya. He asks who she was as he forgot who she was and she introduces herself, but adds a lie saying she was a close friend of Amu's and that they tell each other everything. He asks if that's true, but she goes on saying that something's been bothering her. Saaya says that Amu's been saying some mean things about him, but he doesn't believe it. She puts in that Amu said that Tadase's a better leader and tha Kukai should just stop trying to get the King's Chair. He asks about him wanting the King's Chair and she says that it saddens Amu. Then she holds up a letter saying something about Tadase, but she "changes" her mind saying that he shouldn't read the letter and runs off, "accidentally" dropping the letter. Tucking his soccer ball under one arm, he steps forward and picks up the letter and reads it. It's mainly about Tadase saying that since Kukai had never been the rep, Tadase would lend all of his skills to helping Amu. It also says that Tadase thinks Kukai may be jealous that Tadase was the King's Chair even though he was younger than Kukai. The soccer ball falls from his arm and he lowers his head.
Amu and Tadase look for Kukai and find him on a bench. He looks over at them and hides the letter he had in his hand. Amu holds out what she was holding in her hands and says the draft of her speech was finished and she wanted him to read it. Kukai says he never wanted the King's Chair. Amu and Tadase look confuse. Kukai glares at Amu and she steps back looking sad. Kukai turns to glare at Tadase and tells him that he shouldn't be full of himself before walking off.
Kukai and Daichi are in front of a tree and while Kukai punches the tree, he says he couldn't believe that Tadase would write anything like that and that he trusted him. Kukai then wonders who he should trust not knowing that Nikaidou was standing behind a tree behind them. Daichi begins to moan and clutches at himself which gets Kukai's attention. He calls Daichi's name, but Daichi slowly falls to the ground as his egg comes to engulf him. Kukai aks what's wrong as he drops to his knees to pick up the egg. He couldn't believe that Daichi was returned to his egg. From behind his tree, Nikaidou smiles and thinks that this was exactly what he wanted.
The announcer for the 36th Speech Contest tells the audience that the contest was about to begin. She tells them that six reps had been chosen; those six being the ones sitting behind her on the stage. She asks the crowd who would come out the winner and a few of Amu's fans shout that she would, of course and that they couldn't wait to see what her speech was about. Amu had fidgeted the whole time on stage and backstage, with the Guardians excluding Yaya, she starts yelling she can't take it and asks what should she do. She gets some water and gulps it down before saying she was dizzy. Her Guardian Characters tell her to calm down. They say she should do the charm; she does and then she calms down saying she would be okay before she takes that back and begins to freak out again. Nadeshiko tells her she'll be fine because she could look at her speech and Amu agrees saying she wouldn't be able to do it if she couldn't look at it.
Kukai, sitting in a chair in a corner by himself, asks if she was going to read the speech Tadase wrote and asks if a speech was supposed to be one that expressed your own feelings. Amu stops her freaking out and Tadase tells Kukai that Amu wote the speech herself and he only gave her some pointers and advice. Holding up the pice of paper he got from Saaya, Kukai tells Tadase that he knew the truth and that he wasn't fooling him. Tadase wonders how Kukai could say all of that and thinks that maybe he did want the King's Chair. Kukai replies that he was the better choice for it. Amu come in btween the two and tells Tadase to calm and asks why Kukai was so mad. He only tells her to keep quiet and she tells him she can't and won't.
The door slides open and Yaya tells Amu her speech was the next one after the current one. Amu says she understands, but then says she can't find her speech. Yaya asks if she lost it and Tadase says that it could have been someone, but lets his sentence trail off as he looks at Kukai. Amu disagrees, but looks in his direction as the other four do. He asks if they think he hid it and Tadase says he was acting like he didn't want Amu to give the speech. He slams his hands down on a table and says he would have never done anything like that. They hear clapping and Nadeshiko says that Amu has to go on. Amu says she can't without her script so Kukai says she must have dropped it and runs off with Amu and Nadeshiko following him. Amu wants to know what was going on as she couldn't see the two as they were now.
Kukai's in the library saying he couldn't believe that they thought he did it and that he had trusted them. Behind him, someone asks if he hates his friends that much and he turns around to Nikaidou. Niakidou says that Kukai can't trust anything anymore and that some people just put themselves first. He keeps going saying that there is no such thing as friendship and Kukai begins to clutch his chest. He falls to his knees as Daichi's egg rolls out in front of him. He begins to say he doesn't understand anything anymore and that he can't believe in himself. Nikaidou only says that that's fine as his egg would make a great X-Egg. Kukai repeats the word “X-Egg” and starts to laugh, making Nikaidou wonder why. Daichi's egg begins to move and he pops out of it with a huge smile. Kukai says he caught him, but Nikaidou is still trying to figure out what happened.
From behind a bookcase, Tadase, Amu, Nadeshiko, and Yaya walk out, with Tadase complimenting Kukai's acting skills. Kukai says the same thing about him. Amu hasn't a clue what's going on. Tadase points to Nikaidou and says that's how he turned heart's eggs into X-Eggs. Kukai puts in that they have proof now and that everything had been his fault. Amu still doesn't know what happened and asks for someone to explain it to her. Kukai says that Tadase would never write a letter like the one he got off of Saaya and he didn’t deserve to be a Guardian if he didn’t know that. Tadase tells her that Kukai asked about it afterward, and it is shown that Kukai placed the letter in Tadase's pocket when Amu and Tadase came to show him the draft of the former's speech.
Amu still looks a bit confused, but she turns to Nadeshiko and Yaya and ask if they knew about the plan. Nadeshiko says she noticed it and Yaya says Nadeshiko told her. Amu gets mad and Tadase tries to calm her down with his special attack: a sad expression on his face. It nearly works, but she exclaims she wouldn't forgive them. The Guardians turn their attention back to Nikaidou and, after a little talking about how being different is what makes them their own self, Nikaidou tells them it was time for him to leave the school. He even tells them he collected data from the kids there and that will help him with his project. He turns to leave, but the Guardians won't let him go and the go back around the bookcase to get in his way. Amu wants them to leave it to her and Kukai notices that she seems fired up. She yells at Tadase and Kukai saying she "wasn't" mad about being the only one who didn't know about their plan. They apologize and Ran calls to Amu so they transform in Amulet Heart.
Amu summons her Heart Rod which makes Yaya wish she had a new item and Kukai tells her to finish it up quickly. Amu agrees, but freaks out about the rod suddenly showing up and, while shaking it all around, says that the magic wouldn't come out. Ran quickly tells her she wasn't doing it right and Nikaidou thinks that it was all a bluff on their part. That's when Amu figures out she's supposed to throw it, to Ran's delight and approval. After twirling the rod around, Amu performs Spiral Heart and throws it at him, only to have it miss. Her mouth, along with Su and Miki's, falls open and Nikaidou laughs, but Amu tells him she was only kidding. The rod comes back and knocks the briefcase out of his hands, but he manages to catch it as the Heart Rod comes back to its owner.
She tells him she won't miss the next time, but he asks her if she was supposed to be doing something else and pulls some papers out of his pockets. Amu recognizes it as her speech and in the auditorium they're getting ready to hear her speech. Amu can't believe she forgot about the speech so Nikaidou says he ought to give it back to her. She looks confused and yells when it begins to rain pieces of her speech she worked so hard on. Tadase and Kukai Character Change and tell her to leave it to them so she can go give her speech. She tells them she doesn't have her speech, but Nadeshiko says Amu'll think of something and they, along with Yaya, leave. After a quick glance behind them, Kukai and Tadase turn their attention back to Nikaidou, only to see that he was gone and a window was slowly moving back and forth.
In the auditorium, the announcer is asking if Amu was absent to some murmuring from the audience wondering where she was also. Someone laughs and says they should give a speech instead, the person turning out to be Saaya. Someone dashes by her and up to the stage, out of breath. Looking up, Amu notices all of the people staring at her and freaks out inside of her head. After a incredibly short improv about friendship and blushing like a maniac, she tells them she was finished and was greeted to the loud cheers of the audience. Saaya was nearly up on the stage when she wonders why she was there in the first place. She notices that everyone was cheering and assumes it was for and begins to wave at them.
Elsewhere, Nikaidou is walking along thinking the Embryo will soon be born and that he'll be the one laughing in the end. In the Royal Garden, Amu's Guardian Characters are congratulating her on Judges' Special Award. The Guardians congratulate her also, but she tells them it was nothing big. Kukai says they should kick Nikaidou's butt someday and she agrees. A picture is shown with the five of them and their Guardian Characters.