(The valley ships are still circling, high above.)

We're coming on two hours now!

And there's more insects than ever.

Princess! Princess!!

* * *

(Nausicaä is having a flashback dream.)

Nausicaä. Nausicaä! Come here. Come here!

Father… And mother, too.

No… I don't want to go that way.

Go away! There's nothing here. Really, there's nothing here! No, hide!

It's an ohmu larva.

So she was protecting it after all.
Give it here, Nausicaä.

No! She hasn't done anything!

People and insects cannot live in the same world, my child.

Please, don't kill her! Please…

* * *

(Nausicaä awakens.)

Teto.

(She gets up and looks around.)

What a strange place.

(Asbel runs up, carrying Minerva over his head.)

Hey! I finally found it. How do you feel?

Where are we?

First, let me thank you. I'm Asbel of Pejité. Thank you for saving my life.

I'm Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds. Where are we?

(Laughs) You'll never guess. We're underneath the Blight.

Under the Jungle??

Look. We fell down from up there, with the sand.

(Nausicaä's hand flies to her mouth.)

We don't have our masks on!

Yeah, amazing, isn't it? The air here is clean. Hard to believe… that there could be a place like this, under the Blight.

What is it?

(Nausicaä walks away, wordlessly.)

Nausicaä, don't go too far!

What a magnificent tree.
It's dead but still passing water.

(She sees a sandfall from the ceiling. She examines the sand.)

Just like the sand from the well…

The dead trees are turning to sand, and accumulating underground…

(Asbel finds Nausicaä lying on the ground. He runs to her.)

Nausicaä… Are you crying?

Mm hmm. From happiness.

(Asbel and Nausicaä are sitting and talking.)

Lastelle's my twin sister. I wanted to be there for her.

I'm sorry. I meant to contact her family sooner…

No. I'm sorry. I almost killed the one who saw her into the next world.

No, no…

So, that thing is in the Valley of the Winds?

(Asbel flinches.)

What the heck are these nuts?

They're called chico nuts. They're very nutritious.

They taste bizarre, but I could eat a whole boot-full!

(Laughs)

(Asbel and Nausicaä work together to fix Minerva. Later that night, she shares her thoughts on the Jungle.)

How the Blight was created? You sure think about the strangest things.

The trees of the Jungle were born to clean this world that humans have polluted. They take in the earth's poison and turn it into clean crystals. Then they die and turn to sand. That's how this underground cavern was created. The insects are protecting the jungle.

If that's true, then the human race is doomed. It may take thousands of years, but we can't go on living in fear of the insects and the vapours. I guess all we can hope for is to find a way to stop the Blight from growing any further.

You sound just like K'Shana.

No, we're different. We aren't planning to use the Titan for warfare. Tomorrow, when you meet the others, you'll see.

Let's just go to sleep. We have a lot of flying to do tomorrow.

* * *

(Kurotowa enters the room housing the Titan chrysalis. Yupa spies from an opening in the wall.)

Nothing to report.

All going smoothly?

Yes, sir. The upper torso is almost stable.

The more I look at you, the prettier you look, you ugly beast. With each pulse in your veins, you stir up old, forgotten ambitions in this penniless soldier.

(The Titan opens its eyes.)

I swear, it's laughing at me. You should never have been dragged out of your tomb, you monstrous son of a bitch.

Chief! Her Highness' convoy has been attacked by a Pejité rebel! All ships were destroyed except one corvette!

Her Highness?

I'm told her ship exploded mid-air.

Chief!?

The villagers are still in the dark about this?

Yes, sir.

Good. I'll go at once. All regiments, continue the operation.

Yes, sir!

Well, well. Is this a stroke of luck for a simple commoner, or a deadly trap for her Highness' second-in-command?

(Yupa retreats to find a couple of boys waiting with a message.)

Uncle Mito and the others have returned.

They're waiting for you at the Acid Sea, Master Yupa.

* * *

(Yupa greets Mito and the uncles.)

We were forced to leave the princess behind.

No… I'm grateful you're not hurt.

(Yupa is negotiating with K'Shana.)

A conditional release?

We entreat you, drown the Titan Warrior in the Acid Sea and go back to Tolmechia. The soldiers who remain in the Valley are few. We could easily retake power by force, but I see no sense in welcoming more casualties.

Fire and water are useless against that thing. Nor can you move it until it decides to walk on its own. Don't you see? It's too late. I was ordered to conquer Pejité for fear that the Titan's power would fall into foreign hands. Once word gets out that it's here, every kingdom in the area will try and invade. You have only one choice left: revive the Titan, use it, and learn to live with it, for the protection your sovereignty! Look.

(K'Shana removes one of her mechanical hands.)

An insect…?

If I ever take a husband, he'll see even more dreadful injuries. Destroy the Wastelands! Destroy the insects! What's so wrong about taking back our domain? Now's your chance to steal the Titan from us, just as we stole it from Pejité.

We will not revive the Demon Giant!

(A boy rushes up the stairs. The boy on guard blocks him from entering the room.)

It's an emergency!

Hey, what's the password?

I said it's an emergency!!

Wind?

Valley!!!

Okay.

We missed some spores!

What!?

They're making lots of vapours and the whole valley's in a panic!

* * *

(A mob of villagers are yelling at the gates of the castle.)

Give them back!
We need them right now!
If we don't hurry, the whole valley is done for!
That's right!
We need our hand-hooks and flamethrowers!
It's growing as we speak!

(Kurotowa watches from above.)

Those tools could be used as weapons. I wouldn't advise it…

It can't be helped. Return everything except the firearms.

Yes, sir.

The corvette is departing.

No screw-ups this time. Gather all the remaining troops in Pejité and bring them to the valley.

Yes, sir.

Man, these villagers are a pain in the ass.

(Armed with their flamethrowers, the villagers are rushing to the infected forest.)

Hurry. Hurry up!

(Mito and Yupa are leaving in the gunship.)

Please find the princess.

Take care of the valley. Take no drastic action until I return.

Yes, sir.
Let's go back to the valley.

(The villagers are realizing the full extent of the damage.)

Oh God! It's spread this far.

It's reached here, too.

Out of the way!

What are you doing??

Even here!

Baba…

We have no choice. We have to burn the forest. If we delay, the whole valley could get swallowed by the Jungle.

Isn't there anything we can do? This is the forest that's protected our water for 300 years.

Shit. If only they'd left us alone…

(Goll and the other uncles, on their way back, see thick black smoke rising from the valley.)

Looks like this whole thing is far from over.
Let's go!

(K'Shana, in her cell, shifts, and a blade extends from the heel of her boot.)

* * *

(Nausicaä and Asbel are flying towards Pejité.)

I don't know, it all looks the same to me.

There are no insects… What's going on? My heart is pounding.

It's just a little further. Just past those mountains.

Something doesn't look right with Pejité. What's that haze?

Asbel, put on your mask!

Insects! All dead…

Let's go on to Pejité!

Be careful. We'll be running into Tolmechian troops.

(Nausicaä and Asbel make their way through the ruins of Pejité. Asbel breaks away and Nausicaä follows. They stop dead in their tracks.)

(Gasp)

An ohmu…!

Even the Centre Dome was destroyed!

(Asbel is sitting with his head in his hands, despairing for his country.)

This is the end of Pejité. What's the point in destroying the Tolmechians now?

Destroying…!? Asbel, what are you talking about?

(A ship makes its way across the sky.)

That's a brig.

Those are my friends. Let's go!

(The Pejité leader is exiting the ship.)

Asbel! You're alive!

What have you done? There's no hope of recovery!

You've seen the city. Don't worry. Even if it's swallowed up by the Blight, we can burn it right away.

But the Titan isn't here any more.

I know. It's in the Valley of the Winds.

How did you…?

(Laughs) We haven't been twiddling our thumbs. Stage two is already in progress. By tonight, the Tolmechian army in the Valley of the Winds will be annihilated.

What??

(Nausicaä rushes up, coming to the attention of the leader for the first time.)

Annihilated? How? What are you going to do?

Asbel, who is this?

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Winds. I owe her my life.

The Valley…?

Tell me! What's going on? Asbel! You know, don't you? Tell me!

We're going to… make the insects attack.

(Gasps) So you were the ones who made them attack Pejité?

How could you?

We must take back the Titan in its chrysalis stage at all costs.

It's for everyone's protection… Try and understand.

Everyone except the people in the Valley! Stop them! Stop them now! Please!

It's too late!

Once they've started swarming, there's no stopping them. We have been all but destroyed at the hands of the Tolmechians. We have no other means left to us!

(Nausicaä makes a break for it.)

Stop her!

Let me go! Let me go!

By making sacrifices now, we can reclaim the Titan, and burn away the Wastelands to take back the human world.

That's a lie! You're just the same as the Tolmechians!

No, we're not! They'd use it for wanton destruction!

You drink the well-water just like everyone else. Who do you think is purifying the water? It's the trees of the Jungle that are turning the poisoned lakes and rivers into clean ground water. And you're going to burn down that jungle! Why did you ever dig up your precious Titan in the first place?!

Then what are you suggesting we do?! Bow to the Tolmechian Empire?

No, no! Asbel, tell them. Why the Jungle was born! That the insects are the ones protecting the world! Asbel, please!

(Asbel suddenly grabs the leader's weapon.)

What the--

Don't move! Let her go.

Asbel, you don't know what you're--

(Asbel fires a shot at their feet.)

I'm serious. Release her! Nausicaä, warn your people.

(Asbel is struck unconscious from behind.)

(Gasp) Asbel!! Release me!

* * *

(K'Shana, having escaped, makes her way back to the valley. She sees a battle in progress.)

Idiots…!

(Goll and the uncles are running. Goll is clutching a grenade.)

We have to finish what's been started now.

But he said no drastic action…

(Kurotowa is doing his best to contain the situation.)

Stop shaking like a leaf. Just move in with the tanks!

Chief! The last man went down.

Are they coming this way?

I don't know. The villagers are gathering.

Man… A forest or two, and they all go ballistic. It's Pejité all over again-- Huh?

(He sees the uncles attack the tank.)

What…?!

(Against all odds, they take over the tank.)

They've taken the tank!

(The uncles pile into their prize.)

Go, quickly!

Don't rush me.

Oh, here they come!

Forward!

Hurry, hurry!

Maybe this one. Argh… Aha!

(The tank lurches backward.)

What are you doing??

Forward, you senile idiot, forward!

I know, goddammit.

(They drive off, narrowly escaping a most embarrassing death as the bridge crumbles behind them.)

Dammit! Send out all the tanks! Uh--

(K'Shana is striding in.)

She was alive after all… Oh well, the dream is over.

Your Highness!

(The uncles are protecting the villagers with their newly acquired tank.)

We'll hold them back! Lead everyone and take refuge by the Acid Sea!

Understood.
Take cover until the Princess returns with the gunship!
Everybody, hurry!
Hurry!

(Goll loads another shell into the cannon.)

Can't you quit dawdling and help out just a little?

I have a bad back, okay?
Here they come! The other tanks are coming!

Quickly!

I know, goddammit.

* * *

(A lieutenant on a Tolmechian Corvette confirms a lookout's report.)

Are you absolutely sure?

It's the Pejité brig. I caught a glimpse of it just behind those clouds.

Good!

(On the Pejité brig, a woman and a girl approach a holding cell and the guard.)

Be careful. She was still violent a few minutes ago.

(They are admitted into the cell.)

(To the girl) Hurry.

(The girl begins to undress.)

(To Nausicaä) Miss Nausicaä, let's get you out of here. Go and warn your people in the Valley. There may be time if you use your wings. It's ready to take off.

Asbel has told us everything.

I'll take your place. Hurry and take this…

Who are you?

I'm Lastelle's mother.

Mother!

(They embrace.)

I'm so sorry. What we've done is all wrong.

Hurry!

(Nausicaä, now in the girl's clothes, escapes with the woman.)

What about her?

She'll be okay. Don't worry.

(They enter a room full of sympathizers, all women and children.)

Take care.

Please forgive us our crimes.

(Asbel pokes his head up from below the floor.)

Nausicaä, over here! Hurry.

Godspeed.

Everybody, thank you!

Sorry it took so long.

(He leads her to an outer door, and Minerva, waiting to fly.)

Can you take off from here?

I'll try.

(As Nausicaä looks outside, the Corvette appears from behind the clouds. It opens fire.)

Corvette--!!

Retreat! Into the clouds, now!

Cease fire!
Fools! Clouds are a hellstorm of turbulence and lightning!

It's no use! We can't steer!

The ship is breaking up!

This is no good. We have to leave the cloud and fight!

(The Corvette materializes right in front of them.)

Sly devils!

Dammit. What are they trying to do?

The clouds! They're going to force us onto the clouds and board!

They're coming! You have to leave now!

I can't! I can't leave you all like this! That girl who took my place, your mother…

Only you can save the people of the Valley! Go now, for me! For all of us!

Take over the ship. Take no prisoners. Go!

(A Tolmechian soldier finds Asbel and Nausicaä.)

Go, Nausicaä! Go!!

(Asbel pushes Nausicaä and Minerva out the door with his foot.)

Asbel!

* * *

(Nausicaä finds her resolve, then flies off. The Tolmechian Corvette gives chase and attacks. A zillion bullets miss her.)