Episode 13 of *Gachiakuta* opens with a haunting glimpse into Amo's tragic past. As a child, her mother presented her to a man with the deceptive promise of eternal love. To Amo's innocent mind, the words sparkled like a fairy tale, but the harsh reality was that her mother had sold her into the clutches of a pedophile.
The man whisked her away to a castle where she still resides, showering her with gifts to mask his true intentions. As she grew older, he casually revealed the source of his "generosity"—he was a trafficker. Yet, despite his dual role as provider and predator, society shunned him, labeling him as creepy and repulsive.
One day, he proposed they perform their "usual ritual" to soothe his restless spirit. When Amo, her heart pounding and breath short, tried to refuse, he insisted that this frantic sensation was the very essence of love. Her young mind, desperate to rationalize the abuse, twisted reality, painting a distorted filter over the horrors she endured.
After the ritual, chaos erupted as two masked figures burst into the room. One wore the same menacing mask as Regto’s killer, sending a chill down Amo’s spine. The creepy man attempted to defend himself with his prized possession—a pair of boots that now belong to Amo—but he was no match for the intruders. They savagely beat him down.
One of the masked strangers tossed the boots to Amo, declaring they suited her far better and urging her to keep them until the "right time." With a flourish, they sprouted wings and soared into the sky like fallen angels, leaving Amo spellbound by their ethereal exit.
Distracted by the spectacle, she failed to notice the bloodied man behind her—until he spotted her clutching his boots. Enraged, he unleashed a fury of kicks to her face. In that moment, amidst the pain and chaos, Amo’s eyes blazed with a fierce, unyielding resolve as she hissed, *"No one else will ever have these boots."*
Then, in a moment laden with tension and emotion, Rudo arrives, his presence a balm as he comes to apologize and to listen intently to the remainder of Amo's poignant tale. The eerie man, taken aback by the boots' uncanny reaction to the girl, was met with Amo's resolute assertion that this was undeniable proof of the boots' rightful ownership by her. As their verbal clash escalated into a fiery confrontation, tempers flared, and fists began to fly. In the chaos, Amo, caught in the throes of the moment, inadvertently pushed the man out of the castle's confines, and he plummeted to his doom. With his demise, the boots unequivocally became hers alone.
As Amo's narrative draws to a close, the Cleaners, their curiosity piqued, inquire about the elusive angel. Yet, Amo's response is tinged with uncertainty; she lacks the answers they seek. She doesn't know the mechanics of how he traversed the border, nor can she pinpoint his landing spot. Still, she reveals a tantalizing clue: she glimpsed him once more, a month prior, coinciding precisely with Rudo's descent to the Ground. As Rudo approaches to converse with her, his eyes catch sight of her drawing - an image of the angel, donning the same enigmatic mask as her uncle's assassin.
This revelation sends Rudo spiraling into a fresh bout of madness. His mind conjures up a harrowing vision: the angel and his accomplice, battered and bloodied, lying beside Regto's grave. Just as his thoughts threaten to plunge deeper into the abyss of darkness, Amo's voice cuts through the chaos, offering a glimmer of understanding. She tells him that they are kindred spirits, both using instruments that cater to those who feel incomplete. The boots, she explains, were her conduit to a semblance of humanity, helping her grasp the horrors the creepy man had inflicted upon her. Despite her efforts to forge connections, they always eluded her grasp.
That's why, she says, she harbors no anger towards Rudo. She comprehends the universal struggle, recognizing that people often resort to violence with their hands rather than seeking to build bridges. Touched by her words, Rudo proposes that they embark on a journey of learning together, to master the art of connection. He extends his hand in a gesture of friendship, and a smile graces Amo's lips.
They exit the castle, Amo choosing to stay behind to sort through her tangled emotions. Rudo, however, vows to maintain contact, a promise that brings a fleeting smile to Amo's face. Yet, as with all things, that happiness is ephemeral, soon fading into the background of uncertainty.
As she gently shuts her door, her mind drifting toward the promise of a future sleepover, an ominous presence materializes behind her. All that breaks the silence is the blood - curdling sound of her screams. Later, the stark image of Jabber trudging out of the endless desert unfolds before our eyes. And then, as if drawing the curtain on a sinister act, the episode concludes with the Raiders’ leader rising to his full height, his voice cutting through the air like a knife as he declares, "It's time to start."
