An Inevitable Outcome Feature Written and Directed by C. Richard Davies TOGETHER AGAIN 1996 Chapter Based on the works of Naoko Takeuchi, Rumiko Takahashi, Kosuke Fujishima, Matsumoto Izumi, Masaki Kajishima, and various interpretations therof. Incorporating original characters created by C. Richard Davies Dedicated to John Biles, Fred Herriot, and Larry Mann. ACT TWO Establishing Shot: Sunrise in Nerima. A bird chirps. AKANE (V.O.) The next day dawned without any signs of that which had happened just before midnight ... no, wait. Cut to late night Nerima, full moon. AKANE (V.O.) There were quite a few important things on the second day which went on before sunrise. For example -- Cut to a street in Nerima, rather cold and sterile in the moonlight. AYEKA walks down the street, clutching her arms to herself to hold in heat, and looking about anxioulsy. AKANE (V.O.) -- a certain Princess of Jurai was walking the streets of Tokyo, scared for the first time in nearly a year. "Bitterly did I repent at that moment the foolhardy plan which I had formed at home. AYEKA pulls the X-Files tankoubon that she bought yesterday out of her purse and glares at it. AYEKA Lousy Guidelost piece of crap. AKANE (V.O.) "I acknowledged that the situation was of my own making, however." AYEKA Somehow ... somehow I *know* that this is Ryouko's fault. AKANE (V.O.) I think that I would have been a little more upset by Ayeka's efforts to rewrite her story to her own satisfaction if I hadn't realized that I do the same thing sometimes. AYEKA hears a scuffling noise behind her, and begins walking again, doing her best to show no fear. We see her passing an alley ... and then the GANGERS crawl out of the shadows of the alley. They are an extremely scruffy looking company; if this were a few decades down the road, one would expect them to have very obvious cyberwear. As it is, they have tatoos, broken teeth, hair that looks like it should be on the head of a Dragonball charcter, etc. They head out of the alley and start following AYEKA. She hears them, and her face shows her concern. AYEKA (V.O.) If I use my powers, I can probably deal very easily with whoever or whatever is following me ... but it *will* draw attention, and that's not what I -- AYEKA looks up and examines the buildings, being careful not to slow down. AYEKA (V.O.) Perhaps not. The citizens of this area are probably inured to violent noises ... but -- Just then she passes another alley entrance ... and a very large ganger jumps out in front of her. GANGER #1 Boo! AYEKA lets out a shriek, and jumps back -- right into the grasp of another GANGER, a thin but wiry one. He holds her arms spread out, her feet a few inches off the ground. GANGER #2 Well, well, look what we have here. A nice young lady, out on a stroll. AYEKA LET ME GO! A GANGER with red circles tattooed under his eyes steps up in front of AYEKA, and caresses her cheek with one hand and her hip with the other. GANGER #3 Now why would we do that when we could all have such f-- OWWW! GANGER #3 backs away from AYEKA, clutching the sensitive section of his anatomy that she hs just kneed. Nearby, an authoritative GANGER wearing wire-rim glasses sighs deeply. GANGER #4 When will you guys learn to hold their feet when you're doing this routine? Short ONe, go handle it. A very short GANGER, who has been laughing at GANGER #3's suffering, looks indignant. GANGER #5 Why do I always have to -- GANGER #4 Short One. *Skirt*. GANGER #5 blinks, stares at AYEKA's sailor fuku skirt, and darts down to grab her ankles firmly. Then he peeks up her skirt. GANGER #5 Oh boy oh boy oh boy oh boy! AYEKA THAT'S IT! Her expression grows focused, and unseen by the GANGERS, tiny nexi of force resembling small wooden logs begin to materialize around them -- -- only to suddenly vanish when GANGER #4 slaps AYEKA, disrupting her concentration. GANGER #3 Why didn't you do that when she -- GANGER #3 Shut up. She's not scared as much as she should be ... there's something wrong here. Maybe she's one of those ... *Soldiers*. AYEKA blinks, confused. GANGER #2 Hey ... you're right! Who *else* would be wandering around *our* domain in a schoolgirl outfit at this time of night? GANGER #4 And you know what that means, don't you? Evidently not. It means that we can start selling pictures of her and make a fortune from the perverts who -- SHAMPOO (O.S.) You sound like pervert girl's nasty sister. The faces of all the GANGERS fall instantly, while AYEKA looks about, confused. GANGER #4 Oh, *dung*. The GANGERS' heads turn as one to look at a nearby rooftop. SHAMPOO is sitting on the edge, her legs dangling, and smiling almost coquettishly. SHAMPOO Hello, boys! Shampoo *so* glad to see you out of hospital again. Shampoo *miss* you tons and tons! GANGER #4 looks down at GANGER #5. GANGER #4 It has been nice to know you. SHAMPOO pulls out one of her bonbori from behind her back, and caresses its head almost lovingly. SHAMPOO Shampoo wishes that her husband would spar with her, but he ... too busy. So Shampoo very glad you-all volunteer to help. And then she leaps down, and the fight begins. It is horribly uneven. The GANGERS are more interested in getting the hell away from her than in fighting with her, but she declines to let them have that option. O course, AYEKA gets loose during the fight, and triest to stay the heck out of the crazy melee. Unfortunately, one of the GANGERS gets knocked back into her, causing her to fall to the ground, and scattering her purse. AYEKA quickly gets back up and anxiously checks to see that the sailor fuku is undamaged, thus not noticing the condition of her purse, nor the small piece of paper which has landed in a muddy puddle. A few moments later, it's all over. A few of the GANGERS are littered unconsciously over the landscape, but most of them have been put to flight. SHAMPOO surveys the area with a disatisfied expression. When she speaks next it is in Mandarin. SHAMPOO I didn't even break a sweat. I've *got* to find a better class of thug to abuse. She becomes aware of AYEKA suddenly, and speaks to her in Japanese. SHAMPOO All right? AYEKA nods, still a bit startled. SHAMPOO Fine. Go on way. She turns to leave. AYEKA remembers her manners, and speaks in fluent Mandarin. AYEKA Thank you very much. SHAMPOO freezes in place, then slowly turns to look back at AYEKA, startled. SHAMPOO Excuse me? AYEKA Thank you very much for helping me with my problems with these -- AYEKA breaks off as SHAMPOO comes up to her slowly, and begins to examine her face carefully. AYEKA Um, is something wrong. SHAMPOO You're not ... but you aren't Japanese either. So where did you get that sailor suit? AYEKA Um ... a friend gave it to me ... so that I could blend in. Is it really that obvious that I'm not -- SHAMPOO Only to a fellow alien. AYEKA *You're* an *alien*? SHAMPOO briefly rolls her eyes. SHAMPOO No, no, alien is also foreigner. We are neither of us Japanese ... so we are the evil aliens in their eyes. AYEKA Are they truly that fearful? SHAMPOO kicks one of the unconscious thugs. SHAMPOO Ask this pillar of the community. I caught him spraying graffiti on the wall of our restaurant one day. "Chinese whore go home no da!" AYEKA flinches. SHAMPOO smiles slightly. SHAMPOO But words only make one stronger, for they cannot kill. Are you sure that you're all right? AYEKA Very fine, thank you. Well, I must be going. My train will be coming shortly and -- She looks down at her purse and notes the fact that it has upended. Her face falls. AYEKA Oh no! She starts to gather up her possessions. SHAMPOO watches curiously. AYEKA finally comes to the piece of paper in the muddy puddle. She stares at hthe ruined railpass with a look of horror. AYEKA Noooooo ... SHAMPOO Something is wrong? AYEKA Something is wrong. My railpass ... without this, I don't know how I can get h-- back to where my friends are. SHAMPOO Can't you call them and have them come pick you up? AYEKA produces a half-melted phone card from her purse. SHAMPOO blinks. SHAMPOO I didn't know it was *possible* to go that far over the limit. AYEKA What am I going to do? I -- I've been wandering around for hours, waiting for the damn train to show up, and now ... now I don't know what I'm going to do ... SHAMPOO stares at her with an odd expression on her face ... which clears, finally, just before she nods. She taps AYEKA on her shoulder. SHAMPOO You can come rest at my place, all right? AYEKA But -- SHAMPOO Get some rest -- you look dead on your feet -- and then you can use our phone to call your friends. AYEKA But ... I don't want to be an inconvenience -- SHAMPOO waves her hand dismissively. SHAMPOO No trouble! Besides, it's the least I can do for someone who speaks a civilized language. AYEKA blinks at that, then pushes herself to her feet, and bows slightly. SHAMPOO bows back, deeper. AYEKA returns the bow, only deeper. SHAMPOO returns the deep bow. AYEKA bows once more, even deeper. SHAMPOO Okay, if we keep this up we'll be here all night. Let's go. SHAMPOO starts to walk down the street, followed closely by AYEKA, who stares at her with a strange half-smile on her face. AKANE (V.O.) Seeing Shampoo through Ayeka's eyes was ... startling. I will *never* like her. I don't *want* to like her. She's mean-spirited and vicious, and she's tried to kill me. But ... I guess it's more honest to say that I don't understand her. Like she says, she is an alien to us, just as much as Ayeka is ... but Ayeka at least *tries* to make herself seem like less of a strange visitor from another world. Anyway, at about the same time, in another part of the city ... Cut to AETHAN perched on the edge of the roof of a twenty-story building, looking much like a gargoyle. He does not move, he does not breathe. His eyes stare down at the ground without really seeing. AETHAN Dammit. We flash back, through a gauzy haze, to the previous evening. AETHAN and MINAKO are seated on a park bench together. MINAKO Look, I think that I love you -- AETHAN I love you too, but -- He is suddenly crushed by MINAKO's wild embrace, and she kisses him with passion. AETHAN's eyes are wide. This goes on for several minutes before she releases him. AETHAN -- but don't you think that you're moving just a little too fast? Evidently not. Cut back to AETHAN on the building, as he winces at the memory. Cut to the flashback. AETHAN reaches out and takes MINAKO's hand in his. An ofuda streaks out of the darkness and slams into AETHAN's face, right between the eyebrows. MINAKO stares at it, confused. AETHAN slowly reaches up to tear the scroll off of his face, and stands, his fangs clearly in evidence. AETHAN Do you *mind*? RAYE is standing a few feet away. RAYE Stopping you from putting the moves on my friend? Not at all, gaki. MINAKO stands, her face very angry. MINAKO Raye! You promised that you weren't going to do this sort of thing! RAYE I said I wouldn't do it unless he showed signs of getting out of control. He was -- MINAKO He was *holding* *my* *hand*. RAYE Sure, first he holds your hand, then he's clasping your shoulder, then it's down your shirt -- MINAKO RAYE! Cut back to reality. AETHAN Dammit dammit dammit. How do I fix *this*? He shakes his head and goes back to staring at the street below. Slowly, a small point of light begins to descend from the night sky to the ground. AETHAN notices this, and is visibly startled. Wehn the small point of light is a foot or so above the ground, it pulses brightly ... leaving behind a young man (MICHAEL GIDEON) dressed in blue jeans and a black t-shirt. He is currently on his knees, gasping for breath. MICHAEL Okay. Okay. Next time I do that, I'm getting SCUBA gear beforehand. AETHAN is *very* surprised. AETHAN Michael? MICHAEL Aethan!!! I know that you're somewhere around here? I gotta talk to you! AETHAN turns to mist. He rematerializes on the ground, standing behind MICHAEL. MICHAEL It's important, man! Very big stuff! As big as -- AETHAN So talk. MICHAEL spins around, startled. MICHAEL Gah! A smile spreads slowly across AETHAN's face. AETHAN Hello, Michael. Are you well? MICHAEL Y-y-you, man, you r-really enjoy yankin' my ch-chain, don't you? AETHAN Indeed. What does that mean? MICHAEL visibly gives up, and grabs AETHAN in a sudden bear hug. AETHAN smiles, and gently slaps MICHAEL on his back. MICHAEL lets go and takes a step back. MICHAEL Am I well? Well, I am ... okay. I think I finally got long-distance teleportation down, since I was in Liverpool before. This is Tokyo, right? AETHAN Correct. Very impressive. MICHAEL Yeah, but it'll take a while before I get used to it ... the Void is *very* cold, man. AETHAN Yes, that fits with the usual description of the "Empty Places" in the Hermetic Texts. All right, what's so vital that you risk your health and sanity to come find me? MICHAEL You're gonna say that I'm shitting you, but I'm not. Okay? Madeline told me to come find you. AETHAN nods slowly. AETHAN I see. MICHAEL Really? You bel-- AETHAN No, but since you assure me that you are not, as you say, "shitting me", I presume that you have some way of establishing your bona fides as a courier from *my* guardian angel. MICHAEL Yeah. Take a look. AETHAN grimaces. AETHAN I *hate* telepathy. Very well. He pulls one of his gloves off, and slowly reaches out to press his left hand to MICHAEL's left cheek. MICHAEL flinches for a second at the chill of his touch, then settles in, closing his eyes. AETHAN closes his eyes as well, murmuring in a Latin sounding language. Cut to black. Against that black appears the image of a woman with long, dark hair and pale skin, dressed in a white toga (MADELINE). MADELINE He's telling the truth. I met with him. AETHAN pulls back, nodding. MICHAEL opens his eyes. AETHAN All right. Convey unto me the message given unto thee by my aethereal patron. MICHAEL takes a moment to revew everything, then nods shortly. MICHAEL Right. There were two main parts to it. They're apparently interrelated ... anyway, the first is a warning, but not for you. You're supposed to act as another link in the chain for this warning. "Three will go in, two will come out." I think that you'll know to pass it on at an appropriate moment, but she didn't say so, so don't -- AETHAN All right. And the other? MICHAEL This is "marching orders" for you, I guess. You have to protect the misty cloud, at all costs. Does that make *any* sense to you? AETHAN None whatever, which makes it fairly standard for commands from Madeline. It's not as bad as the time I was told that I had to play chess with death as the scorekeeper. MICHAEL So what happened? AETHAN I didn't understand it until I saw the face of the young man who served Roosevelt his last cup of cocoa, while we were playing our last game. Time-delayed poison, you see. MICHAEL Roosevelt? As in, Franklin *Delano* Rossevelt -- AETHAN Well it certainly wasn't Theodore, I was in England then -- MICHAEL Daaaamn. AETHAN In any event, Michael, I doubt that you've made arrangements for a place to stay. I'd be happy to let you crash at my hotel room. MICHAEL That'd be great. 'Scuse. Man, I guess I musta been runnning on adrenaline. That jump took more out of me than I figured. AETHAN You'll be all right? If necessary, I can carry you; it's not uncommon for the local execs to do so, after a debauch. MICHAEL I'll be fine. Just don't expect me to go jumping on rooftops ... AETHAN Wouldn't dream of it. Michael, did Madeline give you any indication as to why she didn't give me the messages directly? MICHAEL Uh ... no. Nothing I picked up on, and like you said, I didn't even bother trying to read her mind. Hey, maybe *I'm* this cloud you're supposed to -- AETHAN I don't think so, Michael. AETHAN starts walking. MICHAEL follows close to him. We see them from above. AETHAN So how is your Japanese, anyway? MICHAEL Well, it could be a lot better, but I think I figured out a way around it when I was in the Pyrenees a few weeks ago. What you might call "the gift of tongues". AETHAN Seriously? MICHAEL The Basque guerillas sure seemed to *think* I was speaking Euskady to 'em. Cut to the halls of the underground base that KENT emerged from. NINIANE walks purposefully down the stairs leading to the vehicle bay. AKANE (V.O.) But if almost everyone in Tokyo was unaware of what was about to happen, there was one person elsewhere in the world who knew that *something* was afoot. NINIANE opens the door to the garage and marches across the concrete floor, the clacking of her high heels blends with the sounds of manual labor. She approaches what looks like a firing range, where ANDREW, STENGOVITCH, and a short, wiry man in his early forties (BRAN) are engaged in some work on a pair of large, cyllindrical devices with glass globes on the business end pointed at a wall of foam padding. They are mounted on the back of a heavy truck, with a seat placed between them. ANDREW, who has been tinkering with the globe on the right side of the seat, finally nods to himself. ANDREW Okay, let's see what this peashooter can do. He slides down the tube, and gestures for BRAN to take the seat. BRAN sits and starts to work the two joystick controls in front of the seat, causing the right handed tube to point at the foam. BRAN pulls a pair of goggles over his eyes. ANDREW looks down over the side of the truck, to note that STENGOVITCH is staring at the foam. ANDREW Goggles on, Stengy. STENGOVITCH expresses disgust at his nickname, but puts on his goggles anyway. Satisfied, ANDREW pulls his goggles down from his head as well. To the side, NINIANE passes two of her fingers before her eyes, causing the air in front of them to darken. ANDREW turns a key mounted into the base of the left tube, which begins to glow and hum. ANDREW You may fire when ready. BRAN, smiling grimly, flips up a catch over the big red button on the right joystick. He takes a deep breath, and presses down on the button. Immediately, the globe lights up brilliantly, and a half second later a thin beam of green light streaks toward the foam, burning into it. It holds out for a short interval, before the humming of the tube begins to become a low whine. BRAN releases the red button, causing the hum to sink to its original level. ANDREW Time? STENGOVITCH checks a digital pocket watch. STENGOVITCH Twenty seven point zero four seconds. ANDREW Okay, check it. STENGOVITCH stands, peels off the goggles, and runs over to the foam wall. He pulls a small ruler out of his overall pocket, and measures the hole cut by the beam. STENGOVITCH Diameter twelve point one milli- metres. ANDREW Hmph. STENGOVITCH produces a small rod from the same pocket and holds it up to the hole. He presses a button on the side of the rod, and a display lights up a second later. STENGOVITCH All the way through. It's reading a depth of three metres, and the other side is concrete. BRAN looks at ANDREW BRAN Three meters of high density foam. ANDREW cups his chin and nods. ANDREW I think ... we can get it a little narrower. I'm gonna want at least six meters of penetration ... NINIANE banishes the darkness in front of her face. NINIANE Andrew. I need to speak with you. ANDREW looks up, annoyed. ANDREW Right. Get more of that foam up from the stores, and start working on focusing the beam BRAN On it. ANDREW clambers down from the truck bed. Running his hands together in a reflexive gesture, he walks over to NINIANE. NINIANE What *is* that thing? ANDREW Behold, the Dragonslayer. High powered maser, with a low power targeting laser along the length of the beam to confuse people. Useless against any kind of metal or ceramic armor ... but against organics? NINIANE What in the world are we doing with such a weapon? ANDREW Reason Number One: Making sure no one else has it. Reason Number Two: Like I said, it's a Dragonslayer. NINIANE looks at ANDREW as though she's not quire sure if he's sane or not. He returns her look with inscrutability. NINIANE You *aren't* seriously proposing to use something like this against *that*, are you? ANDREW Bound to happen eventually. NINIANE That is a child's toy against the Sleeper in the Pacific. If you imagine for one second that your artificery will suffice in a confrontation with -- ANDREW Save it. Is this little lecture what you came to talk to me about? NINIANE takes a deep breath. NINIANE No. Something is happening in Japan. I would estimate a Gamma-class situation, possibly developing into a Delta class unless steps are taken. I am being conservative. ANDREW stares at her for a moment, then nods. ANDREW Okay. I'll check with the boys at Fuji base, see if they report any anomalies -- NINIANE Don't you trust my report? ANDREW This a trick question? Of course not. I don't trust any man, woman, or child on this Earth. The exception being Kent. Anyway, we gotta get confirmation from onsite for a Gamma-class situation. ANDREW heads off towards the exit, leaving NINIANE fuming. NINIANE Kent trusts my judgement. ANDREW News to me. She stares at his retreating back. NINIANE *McGovern* trusted my judgement. ANDREW is at the door. He tosses his parting shot over his shoulder. ANDREW And look where that got him. NINIANE snaps back as though slapped. Her eyes glow momentarily, but with an effort she holds her anger in. Off to one side, BRAN and STENGOVITCH are watching nervously. STENGOVITCH How's it go again? "Do not meddle in the affairs of wizards for --" NINIANE does not look back. NINIANE -- for they dance on the bones of those foolish enough to speak of them behind their backs. She marches towards the door, her heels clicking once more. STENGOVITCH swallows, noisily. BRAN stares at him, amused. BRAN Oughtn't you go get the foam the Chief wanted? STENGOVITCH glowers, but finally gives in. STENGOVITCH Sure, Pops. BRAN That's *DOCTOR* to you, *youth*! Cut to the establishing shot of sunrise in Nerima. AKANE (V.O.) And so, after a rather eventful night, the next day dawned. I was at the train station that morning just in time to see the train that I was going to ride home break down, leaving me stranded in Nekomi for a few hours. Naturally, I called my family to let them know I'd be a little late, and naturally, they were all out of the house. Why? Tegasajutsu -- the ancient art of umbrella fighting. Cut to a pair of gi-clad youths fighting with umbrellas in a ring, inside a large gymnasium. Their movements are one part kendo, one part fencing, and one part pentjak silat. SOUUN, KENT, KASUMI, NABIKI, and RANMA are seated in a rather large audience section. KENT is fascinated; so is KASUMI, but not with the match. KENT Incredible ... I'd heart rumors and folktales, but I never dreamed that anyone actually still *practiced* tegasajutsu. KASUMI Oh yes. There are only a small handful of them, but it's a very useful self-defense tool, I'm told. Ranma, doesn't one of your friends practice tegasajutsu? RANMA Yeah. Sorta ... NABIKI Now if he'll just *show* so that I can win those bets ... RANMA He'll never make it. When we were kids he got lost in a -- NABIKI Ranma, *dear*, I would love to hear many stories of the halcyon days of the youth of Saotome and Hibik, teenage martial arts demigods, but only when I'm trying to cope with insomnia. He'll show. I told him Akane would be here. RANMA In other words, you lied. NABIKI No I didn't. Do you think she'd pass up something like this if she were in town? So Akane *would* be here ... if she were in Nerima. RANMA tries to find fault with that statement, and can't. So he just stares gloomily at the ring. A few moments later, the exhibition match comes to a climax -- one of the fighters swings his umbrella over his head and brings it down towards the other in a two handed blow that the other just barely manages to parry -- -- and a crunching sound is heard. The umbrella of the fighter who swung the overhand blow has snapped in two. The fighter stares at the half that he still clings to, and slowly sinks to his knees. The victorious fighter stands, and manfully represses the urge to gloat over his fallen opponent, who is cradling the remnants of his umbrella, his lips moving in a silent haiku on the subject of dying young. Since the author can no more write decent haiku than good combat scenes, you'll just have to take his word that it's very moving. KENT Perhaps sometimes the best offense is a good defense. KASUMI Ara? KENT Nothing, never mind. SOUUN And now, Kent, we shall see the skill of one of the last true masters of the art -- the great Shujin Tega. >From off, there is a long, high-pitched scream. KENT and RANMA both leap to their feet almost instinctively, as a small OLD WOMAN comes running out of one of the changing rooms. She is in hysterics. RANMA is in motion first, heading down towhere the old woman is crouched, with KENT following only a few moments behind. RANMA leans down to look at the OLD WOMAN. RANMA Hey, what's wrong? The OLD WOMAN either cannot or will not answer, and babbles instead. KENT kneels down until he's at eye level with her. He speaks in Korean. KENT Grandmother. The OLD WOMAN stops babbling abruptly as she hears a gentle voice and a familiar language. KENT What has happened, Grandmother? She points a quavering hand to the door she fled out of. OLD WOMAN Tega ... KENT considers, nods, and speaks gently. KENT Rest. She swallows, and nods once. RANMA has been watching this exchange with mounting confusion. RANMA Did she say something about Tega? KENT Wait here. RANMA Hey?! Why -- KENT Just a h-- um, someone should stay with this lady, and -- RANMA You know how to talk with her, I don't, so -- OLD WOMAN I ... I am sorry, I did not realize where I was. KENT smiles at RANMA, briefly, before standing and heading into the changing room. RANMA is annoyed. RANMA All I need now is -- RYOUGA (O.S.) Saotome! What are you doing to that old woman! RANMA Come on, I didn't even *say* it! Cut to the inside of the changing room. KENT moves slowly towards the showers. While there is a faint mist in the air, there is no sound of running water. KENT keeps looking from one side to the other, never turning his head, only moving his eyes. He is close enough to the shower stalls now to hear the slow, steady dripping. KENT's face is a cool mask, not showing any emotion. He stands before a shower stall with the curtain closed in front of it. Through the curtain we can see a dark mass. KENT lets out a deep breath, and with a single rapid motion pulls back the curtain. We see a single drop of red fall and splash to the floor of the shower. We see KENT's eye blink, and hear the curtain being pulled back. Outside the changing room, RANMA is fending off RYOUGA, while NABIKI has come down to where they are and is trying to talk to RYOUGA. NABIKI Well, Ryouga, I'm sad to tell you that -- RANMA Why don't you just do what you do best, Ryouga? SHUT UP, RANMA! Just a moment, Nabiki-san, while I punish him for betraying Akane-san with that woman -- NABIKI Right. Ryouga, do you listen to yourself when you say stuff like that? RYOUGA looks at the confused OLD WOMAN for a second. RYOUGA It could happen. RANMA looks completely disgusted with the idea. NABIKI *Any*way, Ryouga, you entered this tournament to demonstrate your skills in tegasajutsu, but if you go beating up an opponent who doesn't practice that form, you won't be doing anything for your reputation, which isn't that great as it is. NABIKI (V.O.) Besides, I haven't made any side bets on that sort of thing. NABIKI So where's the percentage? You can kick Ranma's tail any day -- RANMA Like hell he can. NABIKI -- but a match like this comes once in a decade, if that. Have you forgotten your dream? RYOUGA My dream ... We close in on RYOUGA's eye. RYOUGA stands in the centre of a ring, naked to the waist and victorious over an opponent (who looks like an unconscious bearded RANMA). Still he does not seem happy VOICES Look! There is the skilled and honorable practitioner of the art of fighting with an umbrella! Isn't he noble in his dedication to his art to the exclusion of all else? RYOUGA Oh the loneliness of victory ... AKANE (O.S.) Ryouga-sama ... RYOUGA turns to look out of the ring, and sees AKANE (dressed not unlike Talia Shire in the final moments of the original Rocky) standing alone in the stands. RYOUGA Akane-san! The image freezes momentarily. AKANE (V.O.) Okay. Well before this point, I had more or less figured out that Ryouga had a crush of sorts on me, which explained why Ukyou had always been able to manipulate him like she had. It was still a shock to discover just how ... obsessed he was about me ... The image de-freezes. AKANE Oh, Ryouga-sama, I never dreamed that you could be so puissant. I forswear my silly, adolsescent infatuation with Ranma in favor of a healthy mature relationship with you! The first glimpse of hope appears on RYOUGA's face, only to be shattered by the sound of many pigs oinking. RYOUGA But, Akane-san ... what about Akari- chan? AKANE bows her head for a moment. Then she lifts it up, with tears in her eyes. AKANE For your sake, Ryouga-sama, I shall learn to love her too! Hope shines on RYOUGA's face. RYOUGA AKANE-SAN! AKANE's lips move, but it is NABIKI's voice we hear. NABIKI (V.O.) RYOUGA! Leggo of me! RYOUGA blinks. He is holding NABIKI tightly by the shoulders. She is staring up at him with genuine fright in her eyes. RYOUGA becomes aware that every eye in the gymnasium is on him. He lets out a small, sick laugh, and releases his grip on NABIKI. RYOUGA Yes. Ahem. Yes. Your punishment can wait for another day. I am going to demonstrate my skill against the great Shujin Tega! KENT has silently stepped through the door to the changing room. KENT No you aren't. RYOUGA, startled, stares blinkingly at KENT, who doesn't meet his gaze. KENT Nabiki-san, please call the police. And an ambulance, as well. The OLD WOMAN begins to sob again. NABIKI opens her mouth to say something in reply, then nods and heads off. RANMA Is he ... KENT nods, once. RYOUGA Wha? Who're you? What's happened to Shujin-sensei? KENT He's gone. RYOUGA What do you mean, gone? KENT, who stands a fair height over RYOUGA, leans in toward him. KENT He is *dead*. RYOUGA is shocked by this. RYOUGA De-- He pushes past KENT, heading for the door. KENT Boy. RYOUGA pauses, and turns back to look at KENT angrily ... and sees that KENT isn't bothering to look at him. KENT If you go in there, you will learn beyond any hope of unlearning, that the martial arts cannot beat all adversaries. If you go in there, you will never feel safe again. RYOUGA stares at him for a moment ... then snorts. RYOUGA Yeah, right. RYOUGA walks through the door. KENT looks up at the confused, murmuing crowd. KENT Ladies and gentle- men, there has been an unfortunate occurance, but it's important for everyone to remain -- RYOUGA (O.S.) EEEEEEEYAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA! KENT -- calm. Cut to a strange, surreal place. RYOUKO stares directly at our point of view, her face set in a strange smile. RYOUKO Well, well ... this is very interesting. You've made my life a living hell, and now I find out the reason. You. Want. Me. RYOUKO's lips keep moving, but the voice is different. SHAMPOO (V.O.) To make breakfast? Cut to AYEKA, blinking. She stares up at SHAMPOO, dressed now in her waitress outfit. AYEKA Oh. Uh ... my goodness. What time is it? SHAMPOO A little after nine in the morning. We haven't opened yet, but we will soon so -- AYEKA takes a look around at the futon and the room that she's in. It contains a number of photos of SHAMPOO with RANMA (okay, a number of photos of SHAMPOO glomping onto RANMA, with him looking as though he'd rather be anywhere else), a few trophies, and not a lot else. AYEKA Oh dear -- did I put you out of your bed last night? SHAMPOO Nah, I just took a shower and curled up in the corner. No big deal. You woke me up a few times with your groaning, though. AYEKA's face goes very pale. AYEKA I did? SHAMPOO Hot dream about your lover? AYEKA NO! Not at *all*! It's nothing like that -- SHAMPOO Okay, okay, I'll take your word for it. Breakfast, then? AYEKA Thank you very much. SHAMPOO smiles, and heads out of the room. AYEKA collapses in nervous exhaustion as soon as the door closes. AYEKA Why ... why would *I* be having dreams about that withered, evil, foul, wicked, ugly, stupid, violent *alien* -- AYEKA falls silent. Cut to the interior of the Nekohanten's dining area, a little while later. AYEKA is finishing off a bowl of rice while SHAMPOO cleans tables. AYEKA I honestly can't thank you enough for this. SHAMPOO And I honestly can't keep saying "It's no big deal" much more. It *is* sort of my fault that your pass got destroyed last night ... and I know what it's like to be alone in a country where nobody understands you. SHAMPOO heads back behind the counter, picks up the phone, and sets it in front of AYEKA. She produces a phone card from within her blouse, and hands it to AYEKA. SHAMPOO Well? AYEKA But what if what happened to my other card happens this time, too? SHAMPOO Don't be silly, that couldn't happen more than once. AYEKA stares nervously at the card, then swipes it through the card reader attached to the pone. Cut to WASHUU's laboratory. WASHUU is asleep at her console. The screen shows a diagram of a hemispherical dome covering the area of the Masaki shrine and vicinity, with lots of notes indicating the dome's resilience against various forces. A sudden buzzing noise awakens WASHUU. She stares blearily at the screen as it changes to display TENCHI on the phone. TENCHI (MONITOR) Ayeka-san, for God's sake, what are you doing in Tokyo? No, I'm *not* angry, I'm ... let's not go into that. But -- WASHUU's face goes through several stages of panic, before hardening. She reaches out to press a certain button on the console. MIHOSHI (O.S) Ano ... Washuu-chan? WASHUU flinches, and slowly turns to look over her shoulder at MIHOSHI, who is standing nearby. Her hands are folded in front of her as she looks earnestly at WASHUU. WASHUU Mihoshi? How did you get in here? MIHOSHI Um, I used the main entrance, just like anyone else -- WASHUU No you didn't. MIHOSHI Yes I did. WASHUU No you *didn't*. MIHOSHI Yes, I really really did. WASHUU NO, YOU DIDN'T! I closed the only entrance to my lab yesterday, and there is no way in the universe you could *possibly* have gotten in here -- MIHOSHI Why did you do something like that? WASHUU stops in mid-rant. She takes a long, shuddering breath. WASHUU <*very* controlled> I'm doing a very dangerous experiment, MIhoshi. You are very lucky that I'm taking a break, or you might have had your molecules scattered over a hundred thousand alternate universes. MIHOSHI That would hurt. So you're watching home movies on your break? WASHUU Um, yes. Yes I am. She taps a button on the console, dropping the sound coming from the monitor -- on which we now see TENCHI still on the phone, with SASAMI clamoring to use it. MIHOSHI This is really good camera work. MIHOSHI sits down, and watches, entranced by the imagery. WASHUU stares at her, looks at the button, stares at MIHOSHI again. Her face is chagrined. MIHOSHI I remember watching home movies with my parents back home. Oh the scrapes I got into when I was a youth ... WASHUU Started early, huh? MIHOSHI I think family is the most important thing in the world. Don't you think so, Washuu-chan? WASHUU Yes, it's a very important thing. There's nothing that I wouldn't do to protect my daughter, Mihoshi. Nothing. WASHUU is holding a hand behind her back. An energy bolt begins to form in that hand. MIHOSHI blinks. MIHOSHI Oh! I didn't just mean that. I meant ... well, what I mean is ... what I'm trying to say -- WASHUU Mihoshi, please get to the point. MIHOSHI Well, what I'm trying to say is that I like to think of you and Tenchi and Sasami-chan and all the rest as part of my family too. WASHUU's face freezes. MIHOSHI So ... please don't shut yourself off from us like that? You should have seen how upset Tenchi was when he came looking for you and couldn't get in ... WASHUU Really. MIHOSHI If the experiments are really that dangerous, you should post warnings, but it's really important for us to be able to get to you if you need help, Washuu-chan! WASHUU steals a look over her shoulder. TENCHI nods a few times, and hangs up. WASHUU winces at the imagined noise, and turnst back to look at MIHOSHI. WASHUU Mihoshi ... you're quite right. I'll post those warnings immediately. Was there anything else? MIHOSHI gives it some thought, then shakes her head enthusiastically. MIHOSHI Well, I guess I'd better go see if anything's changed. I really hope that Ayeka-san is okay ... Washuu-chan, do you have any way of -- WASHUU I'm very sorry, but all my resources are tied up in this experiment, Mihoshi. I ... I hope that she's all right, too. MIHOSHI nods, and scampers off. WASHUU watches her go, almost rising out of the seat as she turns out of sight ... then settling down. She turns to stare at the monitor, which shows TENCHI speaking (silently) with RYOUKO. She watches them with a tired, desperate expression for a moment, and then closes her eyes. And then WASHUU starts to scream. Cut to the exterior of Ucchan's, in Nerima. It is a little before noon. RANMA approaches the entrance, looking tired and upset. He takes the handle of the door in hand, breathes deeply for a moment, and then slides open the door. RANMA walks into the dusty interior of Ucchan's. RANMA Okay, Ukyou, whaddaya wanna talk ... to ... me ... about ... He trails off, staring at UKYOU, who is seated at one of the tables in the dining area, facing away from him. She doesn't look up as she nurses a quiet bowl of sake. UKYOU is dressed in a yellow blouse and a light blue skirt. She does *not* have her distinctive hair ribbon. After a moment, she rises, and slowly turns to look at RANMA. Her eyes have dark circles under them. UKYOU Hello, Ranma. RANMA Uh. Er. Um, how's it been going ... Ukyou? UKYOU ... Fairly well, thank you. I've been out of town for a while. I just got back this week. RANMA Oh? I ... well, I mean, I noticed that you weren't working out of here, anymore, but ... you didn't tell me what was going on, so ... UKYOU I know. That's one of my problems, I think ... I'm not as direct as you are, Ran-- Ranma ... I try to be too subtle. Just like when we were kids. I never told you that I was a girl. I thought you knew ... so I didn't have to tell you. I should have though. I should have told you ... but ... RANMA takes a step closer to UKYOU. RANMA So ... what happened? Over this last year, I mean -- UKYOU Since I tried to murder Akane, you mean? RANMA takes a step *back* from UKYOU. RANMA I didn't say that. UKYOU It's true enough. I honestly wanted to kill her rather than let her marry you. Before I would have let that happen, I owuld have killed her, you, the Tendous, your father, your *mother* ... and I would have laughed as I did. I'd laugh and laugh and -- UKYOU suddenly draws in a long, shuddering breath and slumps down in her seat, covering her face. RANMA stares at her, appalled ... until he sees her shoulder quivering. Then he starts towards her. RANMA Ucchan ... UKYOU lifts her head up. Her eyes are bright with tears. UKYOU Don't. Not yet. Not until you know why -- RANMA Ucchan ... it's okay, it was probably all Shampoo's idea, right? You just went along with it to make sure that things didn't get too out of -- UKYOU shakes her head. UKYOU No. Ranch-- Ranma, this is what happened. Do you remember how, a little more than a year ago, I got sick? RANMA Uh, yeah! Of course I do. I was really ... um, concerned. But, so was everyone ... UKYOU Right. Well, after a while, it seemed as though I had gotten better ... but I hadn't. I was still very sick for a few months after I got better ... but it only showed up in the way that I acted. RANMA You mean -- UKYOU It was like watching myself through a haze, Ranma ...I saw what I was doing, but it wasn't *real* to me. Afterwards, when we all ran home, Konatsu tried to talk to me about something -- I don't remember what, but ... I tried to take his head off with my spat when he did. RANMA Ucchan! UKYOU Konatsu is very very fast, did you know that? I woke up ... in the hospital that he'd managed to find. The cure took six months, and it almost killed me when it took effect and I realized what I'd done. I was a murderer, Ranma -- RANMA No! Dammit, nobody really got hurt! UKYOU But if you *intend* to do something then -- RANMA Then nothing! Actions matter, not thoughts! Hell, I've *wanted* to tear Ryouga's head off more times than I can count, but I *don't*. UKYOU I *tried*. RANMA You didn't *suceed*. You were sick, Ucchan! Do you think I'm gonna go hating you 'cause you were sick? UKYOU slowly turns to gaze at RANMA, something akin to hope being born in her eyes. UKYOU You mean that you *forgive* me? RANMA Hell, yes! Ucchan, you're my best friend in this whole crazy world! I'm just upset that you didn't try and talk to me sooner! Am I *that* intimidating? UKYOU lets out a long, shuddering breath ... UKYOU Ranchan ... And quite suddenly she flings herself at him, glomping onto him (thusly scaring the heck out of him) and resting her chin on his shoulder. UKYOU Yes ... you *are that imtimidating Whenever I see you, I see the little boy who always managed to defeat me every day as I defended my father's okonomiyaki cart -- RANMA Ucchan? UKYOU Yes, Ranchan? RANMA I can't breathe. UKYOU releases her tight grip on RANMA, stepping back as she does so. She smiles winsomely. UKYOU I'm sorry, Ranchan, it's just ... if you've missed me, I've missed you just as much. RANMA nods, getting his breath back. RANMA Well, yeah. Course you did. Lemme tell ya, there've been times when I could really have used someone to talk to. UKYOU heads behind the grill. UKYOU Tell me about them. I want to know all about your year. RANMA takes his usual seat. RANMA Well ... after the fiasco, my dad and Mr. Tendou finally fell out. "Otousan" blamed oyaji for most of the damage to the dojo, and insisted that he pay up somehow. UKYOU has begun to cook the first okonomiyaki. UKYOU And since your father has never paid his way in his life -- RANMA He ran. But not fast enough to get away from my mom. Anyway, she and Mr. Tendou came up with a way to make some money off of dad. UKYOU Make him teach lessons at the dojo? She tosses him the okonomiyaki, which has a partial heart drawn on it. RANMA doesn't notice. RANMA Yeah, right. The world needs more people with the neko-ken. No, they sold him to the Tokyo Zoo with instructions to only bathe him in cold water. RANMA starts to eat the okonomiyaki. UKYOU pauses in her preparation of the second to look up, startled. UKYOU Seriously? You *sold* your father to pay for his crimes? RANMA Well, it wasn't *me*, it was -- UKYOU begins to laugh, a laughter which is located somewhere between healthy amusement and maniacal hysteria, tending more toward the former than the latter. RANMA pauses to stare at her a bit anxiously. UKYOU I'm sorry, but ... that's so much *better* than anything that I ever planned for him, Ranchan. RANMA Um ... thanks, I think. Like I said, it wasn't really my idea, but ... Anyway, even that wasn't enough to fix all the damages to the dojo. Mr. Tendou finally came to the conclusion that he needed students -- regular ones, not drop- ins like Ryouga and the rest of them. *This* is where I came in. I spent most of last winter goin' around and giving public demos of musabetsu kakutou. It was kinda fun. I learned a few new tricks. So now we've got a couple classes running all the time, and we're doing okay. UKYOU I'm glad to hear that the Tendous weren't too hurt by what happened. But ... Ranchan, shouldn't you have started university last year? She tosses him the second okonomiyaki, with the first kanji of his name written on it. He chows down. RANMA Yeah, but I ain't had any time ... and let's face it, what am I gonna do at university anyway? Yeah, having a piece of paper would probably help the rep of the school, but ... maybe later. I'm too damn busy now. One good thing about university, though. UKYOU What's that? RANMA Me and Akane get along *great* now that we never see each other. UKYOU pauses in her preparation of the third, fourth, and fifth okonomiyaki to look up, startled. UKYOU You mean she went off without you? RANMA Yeah. She's taking classes at some college in Nekomi. She's supposed to be coming home later today, and it'll be the first time I've seen her in -- UKYOU Looking forward to it? RANMA Why would I look forward to seeing that uncute, bad tempered, suspicious tomboy?! RANMA bends down and starts taking large, savage bites out of his okonomiyaki. UKYOU stares up at the ceiling with a beatific look on her face and whispers (as though *screaming*) "Thank you". She reverts to normal before RANMA looks up. RANMA Still, I'm hoping that it'll be ... well, as calm as it *can* be. With the day being like it's been so far, I don't need any more hassles from her. UKYOU sends the three finished okonomiyaki across to RANMA. UKYOU What happened? RANMA Hear about the tegasajutsu competition? UKYOU Yeah, but ... Oh, Ranchan, you didn't try and fight Ryouga with his own style, did you? RANMA Nah. Well, not yet. No, what happened was there was a murder at the gym while the tournament was just getting started. UKYOU Murder? Someone *died*? RANMA Yeah. Ryouga didn't seem to be handling it very well, either. Cut to RYOUGA in a dimly lit chamber. RYOUGA Look, I swear that I know nothing about it! I was nowhere near the place ... no, I don't have an alibi ... but I swear! I'd swear on my mother's grave ... if I knew where it was, or that she was dead, but ... I mean, I've *threatened* to hurt people badly, but I would never, ever do anything that awful to another human being ... I-I-I-I wouldn't even know where to start, and -- The two POLICE investigators who have been listening take a moment to converse behind their hands. POLICE #1 What'd we ask him again? POLICE #2 I *think* it was something about the condition of the body when he saw it. Are you sure that we don't have anything on this guy? POLICE #1 Apparently, there was a file, but it kept getting lost or misplaced. We pull back from the windowed door to the interrogation room, leaving RYOUGA still babbling, and move sideways to another windowed door, through which we can see KENT seated, his arms crossed over his chest and his face set in a frown. INSPECTOR ZENIGATA (*not* Interpol's Zenigata, but a distant relative) is seated across the table from KENT, and engaged in a staring contest with him. Neither man moves. Finally, ZENIGATA swallows visibly. KENT still doesn't blink. ZENIGATA You probably don't remember me, do you ... Mr. Masefield. I was only a junior clerk when you last visited Nerima. I still remember how my superiors complained every time you were present at the scene of one of those crimes, but always produced enough evidence to demonstrate someone else was the guilty party. You drove some of my superiors to drink. KENT I discovered the body under the circumstances which I have already described. If you intend to arrest me, please do so. ZENIGATA What, and deny you the chance to solve the case, thus demonstrating the idiocy of the police once more? KENT I'm on vacation. I don't feel obligated. ZENIGATA stares at him with a very cold expression, and then stands. ZENIGATA Very well. You will, of course, be required to remain in this district for the duration of our inquiry. KENT I will remain in this district for the duration of my vacation and not one moment longer. ZENIGATA It is *very* unwise to insult the police in such a manner, Mr. -- KENT stands. He looms over the Inspector. KENT It would be *unbelievably* unwise for you to harass that old woman simply because she is of Korean descent. ZENIGATA blinks, very startled. KENT You blind, bigoted, petty idiot. You truly have no idea what you're dealing with, do you? You're so far out of your league that it's not even funny. I could kill you right now in any of a thousand ways, and the only question that *my* superiors would ask would be why did I consent to be interrogated in the first place. But you're not worth my time. Good day. KENT walks around ZENIGATA, opens the door, and steps out without saying another word. ZENIGATA blinks. He is seated at the table, but KENT is gone from the other side. ZENIGATA turns to stare at the dark mirror on the wall of the interrogation room. ZENIGATA What just happened? A VOICE comes from above, through an intercom. VOICE You spent a few moments staring at one another ... and then he got up and left, while you kept right on staring. Cut to the hallway. KENT walks down to the waiting area, where SOUUN is seated. SOUUN quickly stands. KENT Thank you for waiting, Sensei. SOUUN Of course. Were you able to assist the police. KENT Well, with personnel if nothing else ... um, yes. Suddenly, the sounds of a squabble break out down the hallway. KENT and SOUUN look to see RYOUGA being physically ejected from the interrogation room. RYOUGA But ... but ... POLICE #1 Just *leave*, damn you! WE get the message, you know *nothing* about this case. LEAVE! They finally get him out the door, and shut it behind him. RYOUGA stares, not fully comprehending. RYOUGA Am I under arrest? KENT This ... person is one of Ranma's friends? SOUUN In a manner of speaking. He wants to kill him over a loaf of bread. KENT I see -- WHAT? No, never mind. Sensei, I have to go and do some things in town ... I will be back by supper. In any case, I'd be deeply indebted if you'd take him back to the dojo with you. SOUUN Certainly ... but why? KENT A hunch. KENT bows and heads off, lost in thought. SOUUN goes over to get RYOUGA. AKANE (V.O.) Kent's display of his psychic powers did not, as he believed it might, lead to Inspector Zenigata's removal from the police force. I used to wonder at times if the secrecy that psychics, magic users, and some martial artists almost obsess over is really intended to protect them, of if it's designed to provide thme with something to laugh about as they walk among the "mundanes". Certainly many of them don't seem to take it as seriously as they ought to ... for example: Cut to a pair of ornate, closed doors. Beside them is a chalk sign which reads: KASUGA FAMILY REUNION Members of the Kasuga Family ONLY May Enter Unless You have Godlike ESPer Powers In Which Case We Can't Stop You Now Can We? Cut to insides a large dining room with a raised stage and a podium. Several elderly people are seated at the head table. KASUGA-OJIISAN is speaking. OJIISAN -- and so, by the simple virtue of having outlived all my aunts and uncles, I am to be considered the head of the family. It is a silly and irresponsible way to choose a leader, and I have enjoyed the heck out of it. We see the many branches of the Kasuga family of psychics -- focusing for several moments on KYOUSUKE, MANAMI, and KURUMI (neither of whom have changed very much). There are four chairs around the table. OJIISAN And so, in the spirit of silliness and irresponsibility, let us toast. To those who are not silly, who are responsible; who come into our lives, taking the burden of our secret as their own. To those who are no longer with us. KYOUSUKE looks sadly at the unset place at his family's table. OJIISAN notices. OJIISAN And to those whom we hope will soon be able to join us. To the other part of our family. Kampai. The toast is made. We close in on KYOUSUKE's left eyeball ... ... and pull out of MADOKA's left eyeball. She and several other people, all in fancy dress, are seated in a waiting room. Beside her is seated a light haired young man (SHIKEN) who is obviously very put out by the situation. He is talking, but MADOKA is not paying any attention to him. SHIKEN -- don't you agree? Ma'am? MADOKA Excuse me? SHIKEN Don't you agree that it's ridiculous that we should be forced to wait out here while the family members are doing some ... family bonding thing? MADOKA Not really. SHIKEN But ... have you been through this before, then? MADOKA Yes. Once. SHIKEN Then do you have any idea what goes on? MADOKA stares at him for a moment, then nods soberly. She looks around to make sure no one is listening, then bends close to SHIKEN's ear. MADOKA I think it involves cannibalism. SHIKEN clearly believes her completely, and is shocked. SHIKEN Why ... why that's *horrible*. Well. When I marry Akane -- MADOKA is visibly startled. SHIKEN -- I'll make it quite clear that that sort of thing is unacceptible, and -- MADOKA Excuse me. You're ... engaged to marry Kasuga Akane-san? SHIKEN Yes. Do you know her? MADOKA I thought I ... er, yes, I do. I haven't seen her in years, though. SHIKEN Koyama Shiken. MADOKA Ayukawa Madoka. SHIKEN Ayukawa ... I think I've heard that name somewhere before now ... The doors to the dining room open up, and a young woman in a waiter's uniform gestures for all those waiting to enter. SHIKEN stands, with a frightened yet eager expression on his face. MADOKA watches him go, shakes his head, and stands herself. MADOKA Who'd have thought? Cut to a hotel room. There is the sound of a shower running. MICHAEL is curled up in bed, sleeping peacefully, when the phone rings. The phone moves telekinetically to his ear. MICHAEL never even opens his eyes. MICHAEL Yo? MINAKO (TEL) Uh ... I think I have the wrong number, sorry. MICHAEL 'Sawright. The phone hangs up. A minute later, it rings again. MICHAEL's eyes blink open, and he grabs the floating phone. MICHAEL Hello? MINAKO (TEL) Is ... there an Aethan DeGales there? MICHAEL closes his eyes. MICHAEL (V.O.) Aethan, phone for you. Some girl. The sounds of the shower stop. MICHAEL Just a minute. AETHAN comes out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped around his waist. His skin seems to be very pink, instead of its usual pallor. MICHALE holds out the phone to him, and then curls up again. AETHAN Minako? MINAKO (TEL) Um ... hi. AETHAN Hello. MINAKO (TEL) Are you still angry at me? AETHAN I never was angry at *you*. MINAKO (TEL) Really? Yeah, yeah, yeah, you wouldn't say something like that if it wasn't true. So ... do you wanna do something today? AETHAN I would very much enjoy going out with you today. Where did you have in mind? MINAKO (TEL) Well, there's this shopping mall in Nerima that just opened up. I've wanted to see it for a while now, and -- AETHAN That sounds good, Minako. Shall I meet you at your place? MINAKO (TEL) Yeah! Um, when will you be here? AETHAN An hour, no more. I'll see you then. MINAKO (TEL) Seeya! AETHAN hangs up the phone, plucks the reciever out of MICHAEL's telekinetic grip, and sets it down. MICHAEL doesn't look up. MICHAEL Awfully young, isn't she? AETHAN By my age, the difference between your years and hers are neglible. MICHAEL I thought you prefered older women. AETHAN heads into the bathroom. AETHAN She has a very old soul. MICHAEL reacts as though stabbed. MICHAEL No ... you didn't just use *that* old chestnut, did you? AETHAN (O.S.) *Verrry* old soul. MICHAEL pounds his head against the pillow. Cut to NINIANE, seated in a large, dimly lit reading room, immersed in a thick tome entitled "De Vermis Mysteriis". AKANE (V.O.) Meanwhile, another old soul was waiting impatiently. In a way, Niniane puzzles me more than any of the others. She *should* have known, just as much as Washuu and Tsunami did, what was happening, but it wasn't until she was as up to her neck in it as the rest of us that she did. ANDREW steps into the reading room. NINIANE doesn't look up. ANDREW I finally managed to get in touch with Fuji Base. Around midnight, Japanese time, something happened there. NINIANE Really. She delicately blows on her left thumb and pointer finger, then uses those digits to turn the page of the tome. ANDREW They're not sure *what* it was, but it knocked out all their commo gear, as well as setting the construction for Fuji-2 back -- NINIANE Is that the aerial battle fortress made out of tin foil or the one made out of balsa? ANDREW Okay, go ahead, laugh. Meanwhile, Kunikida's getting permission from the Japanese government for us to come in and investigate. I presue that you want in. NINIANE looks up. NINIANE Correct. ANDREW Fine, we launch in an hour. Be ready by then. ANDREW turns to go. NINIANE I'll take an apology now. ANDREW looks back. ANDREW For what? NINIANE For doubting my veracity. ANDREW Which part of "We need to get on-site confirmation," do you not understand. NINIANE stands. NINIANE If *Kent had said that there was a Gamma-class situation -- ANDREW He's on-site, technically. NINIANE -- in *Brazil*, you would have been damn the archers, charge! ANDREW Yeah, probably. NINIANE And you see nothing wrong with this? ANDREW No. He's *Kent*. You're *not*. ANDREW turns and marches away, while NINIANE glares daggers at his back. When he closes the door behind him, NINIANE angrily throws her tome at the floor. Cut to a shot of a different, equally heavily book dropping to hit the floor. MINAKO bends down to pick it up. MINAKO Drat. She sets it back on the shelf, and hurries away to where AETHAN is examining the Japanese edition of "Vampire: The Masquerade" (Kyuketsuki: Masukaraido) with bemused interest. MINAKO peers over his shoulder. MINAKO See any friends? AETHAN No indeed. The original publisher of this gave me a turn a few years back when they come up with something that *was* based But this is almost all nonsense, and what they get right is ... well, to be charitable, they get a few things that we've let slip into the public domain. MINAKO Like the tanning booth thing? AETHAN Like the tanning booth thing. You *do* realize that we are being followed. MINAKO doesn't look up. MINAKO We are? Dammit! I knew I shouldn't have told Amy about this. A few metres away, AMY, SERENA, LITA, and RAYE are peering at AETHAN and MINAKO from around the corners of the bookshelves. AMY I wish she hadn't told me about this ... RAYE You did the right thing, telling the rest of us, though. LITA Yeah. Now we can make sure that no overzealous religious fanatics mess with their date. RAYE and LITA share an extremely unfriendly look. SERENA Not to mention scoping them out in the process. Ooh, what a hunk. RAYE Se-REE-na! SERENA Raye, why can't you just be happy for Mina like the rest of us? RAYE Because I don't *trust* that guy! He's gonna break her heart, if he doesn't actually *hurt* her in a physical sense, and I wouldn't be surprised if he did. AMY Raye, by all accounts, Aethan is a decent entitly. I don't think this is a terribly rational way of dealing with any *potential* problem that he might pose to her. RAYE I'm not a terribly rational person. AMY I'd noticed. LITA Hey, where'd they go? They all peer around the corner. AETHAN and MINAKO have escaped. RAYE Argh! Now we're going to have to search though this whole damn mall again -- LITA Assuming they didn't decide to go elsewhere. RAYE starts grinding her teeth. RAYE Okay. I think we ought to split up. We can cover more ground that way. LITA Uh-uh, Raye. No way am I gonna let you go off on your lonesome so that you can mess up their date. Serena, what do you think? SERENA Ummmm ... well ... Raye, do you promise that you won't try and break them up? RAYE If I see him slavering over her -- SERENA points out the wrist communicator they're all wearing. RAYE -- I'll call all of you before I do anything. SERENA Okay, then there's no problem, right Lita? LITA Right ... They split up. Cut to the parking lot of the shopping mall. The Masaki family van pulls into a parking space. MIHOSHI hops out of the driver's seat, while TENCHI climbs out of the passenger side. RYOUKO and SASAMI exit from the rear of the vehicle. TENCHI Okay, I think this is the mall where Ayeka said that she'd meet us. RYOUKO Pretty big place. TENCHI Yeah ... RYOUKO Maybe we should split up to look for her? TENCHI Ryouko, you wouldn't be planning to do something to Ayeka if you found her? RYOUKO Does that sound like the sort of thing I'd do? TENCHI Yes. SASAMI Ryouko-neechan ... RYOUKO Okay, okay, I *promise* that I won't try anything with Ayeka ... TENCHI All right. Whether we find her or not, we all meet back here in an hour, all right? A quick group nod, and they head into the shopping mall. Cut to an entrance on the far side of the building from where TENCHI and company have entered. AYEKA and SHAMPOO approach. AYEKA Once more, thank you very much. If ever you are in the Okayama region, please feel free to visit the Masaki shrine. SHAMPOO I may take you up on that. From what you say, it sounds like a good place to train. They bow politely, and AYEKA heads into the shopping mall. SHAMPOO gazes up at the sun. SHAMPOO About two in the afternoon. The umbrella fighting competition should be about over. Time to go remind my husband that I still exist ... She walks off, passing KENT MASEFIELD, who seems to be deep in thought as he enters the shopping mall. Cut to a pet shop in the shopping mall. SERENA is gazing at a bunny. AKANE (V.O.) I actually think that what happened at this point may be one of the most significant events in history. SASAMI (O.S.) Excuse me, oneesan? SERENA turns blinkingly to look at SASAMI, who is dressed in a "normal" outfit for a girl of her age. SERENA crouches down to be at eye level with her. SERENA Yes? SASAMI I'm looking for my big sister. Have you seen a pretty lady with dark hair and red-brown eyes? SERENA Hmmm. Except for the eyes, she sounds like my friend Raye ... but no, I haven't seen anyone like that. SASAMI looks very frustrated. SASAMI She said she'd be here, and I don't know where to start looking for her, and -- SERENA Wait a minute, are you searching all by yourself? SASAMI Well, yes ... SERENA Oh, geez, that's not safe! Well, it's probably not as bad as going around in Juuban by yourself, but ... I've heard very strange rumors about this neighborhood. Listen, why don't I take you over to the security desk, and we can have them page her? SASAMI Gee, thanks! SERENA extends a hand to SASAMI, who takes it. They walk off together, not realizing that they're walking *away* from the security desk, which is located right next to the pet shop. Cut to the lingerie section of a clothing store. RAYE walks through it alertly, but she is also acutely conscious of all the frilly undergarments around her. She finally pauses to examine a bustier, running a finger along the lace. Her eyes slowly close ... RYOUKO (O.S.) Are you going to pick that up or not? 'Cause if you're not, I'd like to try it on. RAYE's eyes snap open. She is quite embarassed, and naturally gets rather angry. She spins around to yell at the person who has so upset her ... and her mouth hangs open. RYOUKO, carrying a small pile of lingerie under her arm, stares irritatedly at RAYE. RYOUKO What? RAYE closes her mouth slowly, and starts to back away. RAYE Noooothing. She turns and heads off quickly. RYOUKO stares, then shrugs. RYOUKO Weirdo. RAYE finally stops in an isolated corner of the store, and flips up the lid of her wrist communicator, and presses all four buttons on it. Cut to LITA, wandering down the concourse of the mall. Her wrist commnunicator beeps, and she flips up the lid. RAYE (DISTORTED) I haven't found Mina, but I think I've found something *really* bad! LITA is looking down at her watch, and doesn't see TENCHI walking past her. Cut to AMY, who is sitting at a table in a restaurant with MINAKO and AETHAN. AMY -- was a bit shocked, but ... well, I think my cousin has been dating a vampyre as well. AETHAN Truly? AMY She keeps dropping little hints, and -- AMY's wrist communicator begins to beep. AMY opens it up. RAYE (DISTORTED) Amy, come quickly, I -- AMY I've found Mina, by the way. RAYE (DISTORTED) Good, bring her! We'll need her! Get to the Penmart, quick! MINAKO blinks. MINAKO It's nice to be needed, I guess. Aethan, I -- AETHAN nods. AETHAN Go on. If you need me, I will be there in a twinkling. AMY and MINAKO stand, and head off. MINAKO It's a good thing that you're wearing your communicator, Amy, because -- Cut to MINAKO's bedroom. ARTEMIS leaps up onto the dressing table and sees the beeping communicator. ARTEMIS AAGH! She forgot it again! Cut to RAYE's location. She is staring intently at the wrist communicator. Only the yellow and white lights are still blinking. RAYE Come *on*, Serena, where *are* you? Cut to SERENA and SASAMI having ice cream cones while seated on a bench. SASAMI Uh ... Serena-neechan, your watch is beeping. SERENA (V.O.) Hmmm ... it's probably just Raye calling to let us know that she's found Mina. Well, the others can probably keep them from killing each other, but if I go off, who'll look after Sasami-chan? So, I guess I'd better be responsible and stay here. SERENA It's just an alarm to remind me that ... um, my lunch break at my school is almost over. Yeah. Nothing important. Cut to RAYE still staring at the communicator with an irritated expression. RAYE ... irresponsible little ... OOOH! She stabs the white button, and shuts the communicator's cover. Cut back to SERENA. SERENA See? Just stopped. SASAMI Oh. Anyway, I think I'd like to have a little brother like you do, Serena-neechan. SERENA No way ... they're *way* too big a pain in the neck. I wanted a little sister -- Cut to RAYE standing at the entrance to the clothing store, as AMY, LITA, and MINAKO come a-running. LITA Where's Serena? RAYE She didn't answer her beeper, we'll just have to deal with this on our own. There's a demon in this store. It's walking around buying lingerie. Dead silence greets RAYE's pronouncement. MINAKO Raye, are you feeling well? RAYE YES! Dammit, I sensed vast amounts of malevolent power coming from this "person". MINAKO But you also sense malevolent power from Aethan. RAYE Your point being? The others sigh, and bow their heads. RAYE Look, better to be safe than sorry! Do we *really* want a repeat of what happened in a certain park three years ago? MINAKO jerks as though she has been slapped. MINAKO Okay. Okay, Raye ... we'll go in, see what's happening ... RAYE Right! MINAKO ... and if you're wrong, you'll apologize to Aethan. RAYE's eyes bulge. RAYE WHAT? MINAKO If you're wrong about this, then you could be wrong about him, couldn't you? If you don't agree, we don't go in. You're *not* in charge here. Her face is stern and set. RAYE closes her eyes, and takes a deep breath. RAYE ... iagree. MINAKO Seriously? RAYE nods shortly. MINAKO Wow. You're easier to bluff out than I thought! Let's head for the bathrooms ... I think it's time to reapply some ... makeup. MINAKO runs into the store. RAYE has a pole-axed expression on her face. AMY and LITA share a look. LITA Think she'll learn from this? AMY She rarely does ... They start after MINAKO, with RAYE following closely behind a few moments later. Cut to a hot ramen stand. AETHAN sits on the bench in front of it. AETHAN One bowl, please. Seated beside him is KENT, busily consuming a dish of noodles. Neither looks at the other. They speak in English. KENT Aethan. AETHAN Kent. There is a long silence as AETHAN's bowl of soup is delivered and paid for. He holds it in his hands. AETHAN I heard about Bartholomew. You have my condolences. KENT Thank you. I heard about the Shadowfall. Your people did good work. AETHAN Yes they did. It didn't save them, but they did the job. What do you want of me, Kent? KENT Something is wrong in this city. There was a murder this morning which no living human could have committed. Do you know anything? AETHAN Nothing about this. However, I was instructed to deliver a warning to someone when I felt it was time to do so. I believe that now is the time. "Three will go in, two will come out." KENT turns to look at him. KENT Did you recieve this from your "mysterious patron"? AETHAN Indeed. Anything else? KENT I am alone. If it comes to a fight, will you help? AETHAN gazes down into his bowl. AETHAN Ever since the Shadows fell ... ever since Celestine died a mortal ... I have felt very strange. I finally remembered, recently, when I last felt this way. 'Twas on the eve of Hastings. I feel as though an age is ending, Kent. Our age. And I wonder who shall take up the torch in our failing hands. Yes. When you call for me, I shall come. And possibly not alone. Not all the Shadows fell, and ... I travel in odd company these days. KENT I don't doubt. I cannot say how much of a warning I can give you, but I shall try to give as much as I can. Aren't you going to eat that? AETHAN Eh? Oh, this. No. It's to warm my hands. The young lady I am with commented on how cold my touch can be. So ... KENT nods and turns to go. AETHAN Kent. Have you felt as I have said? That Yeats' great rough beast had begun to slouch its way towards Jerusalem to be born? KENT is silent and still for a long moment. KENT No. The only great beast I know of still sleeps, and hopefully shall for some time to come. Stay sharp, Aethan. He walks off, alone. Cut to RYOUKO, carrying a somewhat larger pile of lingerie and whistling as she walks casually towards the check-out counter. RAYE (O.S.) Hold it right there! RYOUKO halts, and slowly turns towards the sound of the voice. Sailor Mars, Sailor Mercury, Sailor Jupiter, and Sailor Venus are all standing on various objects that lift them a level above her head. RYOUKO blinks. RYOUKO You have *got* to be kidding me. RAYE I don't know how you were able to trick all the other people here, but I can see past your cute act to the vicious demon within! RYOUKO Candid Camera ... got to be ... RAYE And in the names of planets Mars -- MINAKO -- Venus -- AMY -- Mercury -- LITA -- and Jupiter, we will right wrongs and -- RYOUKO starts to edge away. RYOUKO Or maybe this is all just some weird dream, like the one I had about me and -- RAYE notices. RAYE I SAID HOLD IT! MARS FIRE IGNITE! A jet of flame leaps out towards RYOUKO, who is knocked back into a rack of dresses by the force of the fire. She is unhurt, but the underwear is burnt badly. She holds up a halter-top brassiere, and watches it slowly disintegrate into ashes. RYOUKO is pissed. RYOUKO All right, little girls. You wanna play? We'll play. RYOUKO manifests her sword with a sweeping gesture and leaps into the air, diving towards RAYE. MINAKO notes the sword, and nods. She presses her fists together in a horizontal bar. MINAKO VENUS LOVELY BLADE! She pulls the fists apart, and a bright yellow blade materializes in the space between. MINAKO is leaping even as she does so, and manages to parry RYOUKO's slashing strike towards RAYE. RAYE Told you so ... MINAKO has RYOUKO's blade locked, but RYOUKO is slowly forcing the two blades down towards RAYE ... thus leaving her back wide open. LITA JUPITER ... AMY SHINEY ... LITA THUNDERCLAP ... AMY AQUA ... LITA ZAP! AMY ILLUSION! The two attacks combine, increasing their combined power exponentially, and slam into RYOUKO's back. RYOUKO lets out a hollow scream, and her sword dematerializes as she falls to the ground, her eyes closed. LITA Well, that wasn't as hard as I -- RYOUKO's eyes blink open, and she shoots back up into the air again, hovering in clear sight of all four of the Sailors and glowing blue. RYOUKO THAT. HURT. She swivels around and directs an energy blast in AMY's direction, which AMY just barely dodges and which carves out a two foot diameter hole in the wall behind her. RYOUKO Please permit me to return the favor! Cut to the entrance. We see people fleeing the store in panic as the sounds of the fight can be heard in the distance. TENCHI approaches and looks up in shock. FLEEING BYSTANDER Run! Run! It's the Sailor Senshi fighting some demon! Run! TENCHI Ryouko ... Cut to the bench where SASAMI and SERENA are licking at their ice cream cones. SASAMI No, really, Serena-neechan, I think you'd make a great big sister! I don't understand why your little brother is such a pain when he has you for an example! SERENA is blushing immensely. SERENA Aw, stop it! You're embarassing -- Just then the crowd of people running from the fight in the clothing store surge past them. FLEEING BYSTANDER Run! Run! It's the Sailor Senshi fighting some demon! Run! SERENA and SASAMI are both stricken. SERENA (V.O.) Oh no! The Scouts need me! But -- SASAMI Serena-neechan! I saw my oneesan running past! SERENA Really! Well then -- SASAMI gets up and starts heading after the crowd. SASAMI I'd better hurry up and catch her! Thanks for the ice cream, Serena- neechan! SERENA Bye! SERENA dashes off in the direction that the crowd was fleeing from. Cut to another part of the mall. AYEKA walks down the hallway, looking for a familiar face. She hears a distant rumble, and jumps to the side just as the crowd of FRIGHTENED BYSTANDERS dash past. FLEEING BYSTANDER Run! Run! It's the Sailor Soldiers fighting some demon! Run! AYEKA closes her eyes, sighs, and nods. AYEKA Of course. What in the world are Sailor Soldiers? SASAMI (O.S.) ONEESAN! SASAMI runs up to her sister, and they share a tight embrace. SASAMI is crying, a little. AYEKA I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry ... There is a sudden bawling from the sidelines, and AYEKA and SASAMI both turn to see MIHOSHI sobbing her eyes out. MIHOSHI I'm sorry, Ayeka-san, I'm *so* sorry that you had to come all the way to Tokyo to get that stuff so that Sasami could make haggis and ... oh, this is all too dramatic! SASAMI, who knows what haggis is, reacts with nausea. AYEKA Yes, well, let's go and see what we can do for Ryouko's newest victims. Cut to the exit of the shopping mall. KENT exits, looking very distracted. Immediately after he wanders out of sight, the crowd bursts out the door, still panicing. Cut to the battlefield inside the shopping center. RYOUKO is dancing rings around Mars, Jupiter, and Venus, while Mercury has stepped back to try and analyze the situation. RYOUKO keeps sending stray energy bolts her way to throw her off-balance. Of course, the fire, lightning, laser bolts, and coruscating bolts of radiant energy have not been kind to the store's decor. LITA suddenly manages to get in close enough to grab RYOUKO in a headlock and immobilise one of her arms. RYOUKO shoots up towards the ceiling, but LITA keeps on holding on. RYOUKO All right, you living spark plug ... let's see you take a little of your own medicine! RYOUKO charges her aura with electrical energy. LITA lets out a hollow scream, but somehow manages to keep her muscles clenched around RYOUKO's throat. LITA MMMMMMAAAAARRRRRRRSSSSSS! RAYE swallows, and then grows very still. RAYE Mars. Her left hand glows with her symbol and a red light. RAYE Flame. The light pulses, forming a bow of fire and an arrow, already set in place. She pulls back on an invisible string. RYOUKO stares down at RAYE even as she continues to electrocute LITA. Their eyes meet. And RYOUKO sees death in RAYE's eyes. RAYE SNI-- RYOUKO suddenly teleports, leaving LITA in midair. RAYE banishes her attack, while MINA rushes forward to catch LITA before she hits the ground. LITA is groggy and her uniform is smoking, but she's otherwise all right. RAYE breathes a sigh of relief ... and then feels a breath on her neck. RYOUKO is standing immediately behind her, with her energy sword out and blazing. RYOUKO All right. No more foreplay. She hefts her sword high, and swings it downward at RAYE and -- A hurled ice cream cone knocks her off balance. RAYE blinks. SERENA (O.S.) How dare you destroy this excellent shop of fine clothing and menace my friends at the same time? RYOUKO gazes at SERENA, now transformed to Sailor Moon, and standing a little ways away, flanked by MINA and AMY. LITA is weakly bringing up the rear. The ice cream is quickly melting on RYOUKO's head. SERENA Even if the manager forgives you, I won't! I am the pretty sailor- suited soldier of love and justice, Sailor Moon! In the name of the moon ... YOU'RE GONNA GET IT! RYOUKO blinks. She lets out a long sigh, and covers her eyes with one of her hands. RYOUKO Look, why don't we just call it a draw? SERENA blinks repeatedly. SERENA Um ... what? RYOUKO Look ... even *I* can only take so much inanity in one day ... let's just pretend this whole embarrassing incident never happened, and I'll go my way and let you go yours -- TENCHI (O.S.) That's a very mature attitude to take, Ryouko. RYOUKO Oh, damn ... TENCHI steps around the remains of one of the store's shoe stands, looking very annoyed. TENCHI It's a shame it didn't occur to you *while* you were destroying this store ... RYOUKO Um! Tenchi! Uh ... well, you see, it was like this ... I was looking for you-know-who and I thought I might find her here among all these girly clothes and then these ... people just *attacked* me without *any* provocation and without giving me a chance to explain or -- TENCHI Gee, where've I heard *that* before? RAYE has stealthily made her way back to the other Sailors. RAYE No reason? You call you being a demon no reason? RYOUKO A demon? Me? That's absurd! I'm just a simple, honest space pirate. TENCHI Ryouko! RYOUKO Right, sorry, *retired* space -- AYEKA, SASAMI, and MIHOSHI arrive suddenly. AYEKA looks at the battle damage with a cynical, "I-knew-it", air ... then sees and is seen by RAYE. They stare at each other. AYEKA closes her eyes and re-opens them. She stares at RAYE confusedly. >From AYEKA's perspective, we see an image of RAYE in her normal clothes (what she was wearing before she transformed) superimpose itself over RAYE in her uniform. AYEKA Raye-san? RAYE blinks, VERY startled. RAYE Um ... who? I -- SASAMI looks in equal confusion at SERENA. SASAMI Serena-neechan? Why are you wearing that swimsuit when there's no pool in this mall? SERENA Sasami-chan ... you can recognize me? SASAMI Well, yes! Of course! Why shouldn't I? AMY has been quietly working with her computer since TENCHI arrived ... and she looks up now. AMY Sailor Moon ... none of these people are human beings. There is a long silence as that sinks in. SERENA You know, this truce idea sounds ... really, really nice. Cut to WASHUU's laboratory. WASHUU is slumped, staring at a diagram that looks a bit like the schematics that SKULD was examining earlier. Her eyes are even more bloodshot then before. There is a rustling noise behind her, and WASHUU lets out a sigh. WASHUU Come to gloat, Tsunami? MADELINE's face is cool. MADELINE Wrong. WASHUU wearily looks over her shoulder, and flinches. WASHUU Awwww ... not one of you guys ... not today ... MADELINE I take it from your perusal of these patterns that you failed in your efforts to keep your daughter and her friends out of the growing maelstrom? WASHUU Yep. They're doomed, aren't they. MADELINE Perhaps not. Know, Washuu, that we have been preparing for this exact moment for nearly a millenium. *If* our pawn succeeds, those near to him *should* be protected. Lend their strength to him ... WASHUU How do I know that I can trust you? MADELINE You are fully aware, Washuu, that it is impossible for us to lie. WASHUU I am *also* fully aware that what is about to transpire is impossible for you to fully calculate and predict. How can you be *sure* that my child will survive this Gathering intact? MADELINE You of all entities should be aware that no one *ever* emerges from the Gathering "intact". But think, Washuu, think. Is there any place safer to be during the Gathering than at the side of the Defender? WASHUU Go back a few million years and say that to my mother. MADELINE blinks, non-plussed. WASHUU Oh, I'll do it, all right. I s'pose you've been honing your weapons for so long that the slightest touch on your part would make them useless? MADELINE Correct. Well, then? WASHUU casually taps a key on her keyboard. Cut to the parking lot of the shopping mall where the Masaki van is parked. All four tires suddenly blow out. Cut to the base. ANDREW, who has changed out of his overalls into a set of beige combat fatigues, is walking down the hallway at a fast pace. AKANE (V.O.) In Nekomi, the train had finally been fixed, and I had started my way home. Everywhere, it seems, things were beginning to speed up. There is a flash of light beside ANDREW, startling him. A tall, lanky man with short cropped blond hair and green eyes (ALISTAIR MCGOVERN) is standing beside him, wearing a long black trenchcoat and a fedora. He starts walking immediately. MCGOVERN Don't stop. ANDREW hurries to catch up with him. ANDREW McGovern?! But -- MCGOVERN It's nice to see you again, too. ANDREW But we all thought you were dead! MCGOVERN Really? Wow. It worked better than I thought, then. You were supposed to. You had to find your way into this Gathering without my guidance, before I could come and help out. ANDREW Gathering? Then there *is* a Gamma class situation in Japan? MCGOVERN Gamma? No. Omega, if things go wrong. ANDREW Shit. MCGOVERN What have you done so far? They reach an elevator. ANDREW swipes a card through a scanner, and the door opens. They step in. The elevator is very silent. ANDREW The Helifortress is fueling now, Patricia is on board, I've called in the Ops teams and put them on stand by. MCGOVERN Who've you got manning the boards back here? ANDREW Well ... the new girl. Came on after you ... uh, *left*. Got a real knack for computers ... MCGOVERN Linda Maverick? ANDREW That's the one. MCGOVERN Good. She's a cyberpsi. ANDREW WHAT? MCGOVERN I don't *know* how she slipped past, Andrew, but she did. It's not an issue now, but if this works like it ought to, she'll be important. Make it seem like you always knew, get her working in design -- you'd be amazed what you can do by combining a CAD tool with a direct neural interface to the computer. ANDREW So you know how this all works out? MCGOVERN Sort of. The doors to the elevator open, and they are in a hangar. The immense bulk of the Helifortress -- a vehicle about the size of a jumbo jet with helicopter blades set in its wings fills the space. MCGOVERN You have, I hope, guessed that I'm from the future? ANDREW Yeah, a while back. I don't suppose you know a Corporal Ted -- MCGOVERN Not now, Andrew. The only primary source for this sequence of events was lost a long time ago. But we've worked a few details out, and ... Based on probability studies, humanity has three days to live if extraordinary measures are not taken within that time. ANDREW is beyond aghast. ANDREW Three days? MCGOVERN Highest probability is that the forces involved devastate the planet and then move on to other worlds. Next highest involve the Gathered heroes giving their lives to defeat the forces, leaving the immediate future in the hands of SEELE. ANDREW *Those* idiots? C'mon. MCGOVERN I'm quite serious. They aren't involved in this mess, but they will profit from it. Slimmer probabilities have this as a typical victory of the Defender -- ANDREW Who? MCGOVERN -- which means that universal armageddon is postponed another moment longer. Those are the ones that we're aiming for, by the way. ANDREW stands in front ot MCGOVERN. NINIANE comes down the steps leading up to the interior of the Helifortress. ANDREW is blocking her view of MCGOVERN. ANDREW There's something you're not tellin' me. MCGOVERN shrugs, and smiles. ANDREW Okay, whatever. I trust you. What do you -- NINIANE I thought you trusted no one on this Earth. Who is -- MCGOVERN peers around ANDREW's shoulder, smiling broadly and goofily. MCGOVERN I'm newly arrived, so I don't get in his bad books as much. Hi, love. NINIANE's eyes bulge, and her jaw drops. And then she's running to throw herself at him, shoving ANDREW out of the way, sobbing, covering his face with kisses, behaving like a much younger woman -- but still taking time to throw a triumphant glare at ANDREW, who wearily looks away. Cut to a reinforced cargo hold. PATRICIA, wearing a set of clothes that vaguely resemble a typical Japanese schoolgirl's phys ed uniform, is leaning against the wall. She looks very anxious. ANDREW (INTERCOM) Patricia? PATRICIA Yes? ANDREW (INTERCOM) Are you ready? PATRICIA looks as though she wants to say no ... but she closes her eyes, and swallows. PATRICIA I have to be. There's no one else. ANDREW (INTERCOM) Right. We'll be taking off in just a few minutes. It's a few hours to Japan, so if you wanna get some sleep ... PATRICIA nods, then grins sheepishly at her mistake. PATRICIA Right, Uncle. I'll be fine. She pulls a thin, silver capsule out of her belt, and stares at it. PATRICIA I have to be fine. MUSIC VIDEO SEQUENCE #1 As the opening bars of Europe's "The Final Countdown" begin to play, we cut to the cockpit of the Helifortress, where Andrew is completing the preflight checklist. He gazes at PATRICIA's image on a monitor set into the control panel with a vague look of regret on his face ... then shakes his head, and goes back to work. Cut to the passenger compartment, where we see MCGOVERN and NINIANE seated in one row of seats, talking quietly together, while STENGOVITCH tries to peep over the back of the seat at them, until BRAN pulls him down. SONG We're leaving together, Cut to a communications center. A young woman with short cropped blonde hair is staring at a computer terminal, watching information flash across it. She looks up at a big monitor to see the Helifortress' rotors begin to spin. SONG But still it's farewell In the hangar bay, a large section of the roof begins to slide back, revealing the daylight. SONG And maybe we'll come back, To earth, who can tell? I guess there is no one to blame We're leaving ground The giant skids of the Helicarrier slowly retract into its body, leaving it hovering just above the floor. Cut to ANDREW's face as he silently counts down from five over the next line, before pulling back on the throttle. SONG Will things ever be the same again? It's the final countdown... The Helicarrier lifts up into the desert sky above Area 51, and begins to make its way to the East. Cut to the kitchen of a certain shrine in Nekomi. BELLDANDY is cheerily washing dishes. She hums while she works. AKANE (V.O.) Okay, I'll admit it. The first time that I actually *met* Belldandy, as opposed to the times I'd seen her on campus without knowing who she was, I wondered what had happened to my oldest sister that she had that strange hair dye and those colour changing contact lenses. To say nothing of her ... strange fashion sense. And even after I *knew* that they were two different people, I kept seeing ... echoes. I had never seen anyone who took as much pleasure in the mundanities of life as my eldest sister ... and this week I met two. There is a sudden jangling alarm. BELLDANDY is startled. BELLDANDY Oh my! The alarm! She sets the plate that she's drying down, and wipes her hands on a towel, before heading out to see what caused the alarm. She walks out of the shrine to the temple gate ... Where she sees Banpei (the Temple's guardian robot) standing over a charm covered, seriously injured MARA. BELLDANDY Mara?! MARA Truce! BELLDANDY Truce? Really, Mara? A truce? MARA No, I enjoy lying here and drowning in my own blood and feeling the tiny incisions these charms are making in my skin. It gets me off. YES, I REALLY WANT A TRUCE, DAMMIT! Cut to the living room of the temple. BELLDANDY is gently cleaning MARA's wounds while KEIICHI stands by and looks on apprehensively. BELLDANDY What in the world *did* this to you? MARA That's the hell of it. I don't know. What're you looking at, Morisato? KEIICHI Um ... well, I -- MARA Oooh! Could it be that you don't trust me? Could it be that you *doubt* Belldandy's faith in me? OUCH! BELLDANDY's smile is rather strained as she pulls the cloth back from MARA's face. BELLDANDY You will admit, Mara, that you have not exactly given Keiichi-san reason to trust you -- MARA Of course! I'd think you were a bloody idiot if you did! Of course, I think you're a bloody idiot *anyway*, but OUCH! BELLDANDY is holding the lobe of MARA's ear between her thumb and forefinger. MARA ANYWAY ... the point is, there are far worse things in the hells than me. And last night, one of the mortals called one of the worst into this world. BELLDANDY gasps. KEIICHI Someone summoned a demon from ... uh, Niffelhelm? MARA You wish. This particular being is elder than all the demons in *Nifflheim*. He's spoken of only in whispers among the mightiest of our people. He is called the Adversary. BELLDANDY I believe that I learnt of him in one of my graduate classes. There was not much information on him ... MARA It's said that he taught Hela how to make the Hand of Glory, and kept Fenris as a lap dog for a year, before his binding. There is a long silence. KEIICHI I should be impressed by those references, shouldn't I? MARA looks ready to make a cutting retort, then realizes that BELLDANDY is still holding her earlobe. BELLDANDY Those are two of the Elder Demons of Mara's office, Keiichi-san. It is also said that this Adversary told Loki where to find the Almighty in the earliest days. MARA I never heard *that* ... KEIICHI So ... what's going to happen? Is ... is the Almighty going to do something about this? MARA Yeah, right. BELLDANDY Unfortunately, the Almighty may only intervene in the destiny of the world if he is asked to do so by a mortal, in a specific manner -- and the Silmarils have been lost a very long time, Keiichi-san. KEIICHI clearly doesn't get the reference. KEIICHI Oh. Right. So ... what *is* going to happen? BELLDANDY shakes her head. BELLDANDY I don't know, Keiichi-san. Nothing like this has ever happened before. MARA So where's Urd and the brat? OW! BELLDANDY My sisters have gone into Tokyo on some expedition of which they sought to keep me unaware. I don't know what they might be about. Cut to a placid Nerima street. An old woman (the one who occasionally provokes RANMA's transformation by accidentally splashing him) is walking slowly as two shadows fall on her. She turns around. SKULD and URD are wearing trenchcoats and mirror shades. SKULD Excuse me, we're with the Secret Police. Have you witnessed any unusual events in this neighborhood that you'd like to discuss with us? The old woman slowly shakes her head and starts to back away slowly. URD I don't think this is working ... SKULD I don't get it ... I thought that Japanese people had a high degree of respect for the police -- URD Skuld, I don't think the Japanese police go around wearing black trenchcoats and mirrored sunglasses. I *do* think you've been watching that American TV show too much -- SKULD But Scully-sama is so intellectual! URD rolls her eyes. URD Right ... let's keep working on it. They walk along the street. Cut to the entrance hall of the Tendou home. KENT is silently slipping off his shoes as KASUMI enters from the kitchen. KASUMI Ara! Kent-san ... I didn't hear you come in ... KENT I forgot to announce myself. I was thinking ... KASUMI I see ... KENT looks at her for a moment, and then shakes his head. KENT No ... no, I'm afraid you don't. Kasumi-san ... you are a wonderful, kind, decent, and gentle human being. I'm not. It would not work out. KASUMI is shocked. KASUMI Then ... you know? KENT nods. KASUMI Oh my. I ... hope that I have not embarassed you by -- KENT No, no. It is very flattering, but I am ... He searches for the words. KASUMI Not available? KENT Not so much that as ... I am not a good person to love, Tendou Kasumi-san. The last three people to try ended up terribly hurt at the end. I hope only that I have not hurt you by waiting this long to tell you. KASUMI Oh no. Well, perhaps a little ... from the ending of the last of my childish dreams ... KENT Forgive me. KASUMI I do. One of Ranma's friends will be cooking dinner for our family this evening, as partial recompense for ... certain events in which she was involved a year ago. Do you like okonomiyaki, Kent-san? KENT Yes ... I like it quite a bit. Cut to KENT looking mildly ill as he watches RANMA wolf down several okonomiyaki from a large stack of them. RYOUGA and UKYOU (who are very carefully avoiding looking at each other) are also seated around the table with the Tendou family. SOUUN So, Kent-san ... how was your day after leaving the police station? KENT Well ... I did a little poking to see what more I could find out about this crime. RYOUGA Are you some sort of private investigator or something like that? KENT Yes to the "something like that" part. I discovered that Shujin-san was not the only martial artist to have disappeared or died mysteriously within the last twenty four hours. Stunned silence greets that announcement. RANMA stops eating. KENT The first was an elderly priest of one of the local Shinto shrines, noted for the quality of his charms. He died of a heart attack a few minutes after midnight. According to his family, he was in excellent health for a man of his age. Over the course of this day, a total of twenty people in the Nerima ward have either died of mysterious and unlikely "accidents" or simply vanished without trace. Shujin-san was the first to have been clearly murdered, however. But all the victims have a common quality. KENT sips at his tea. UKYOU *What?* What common quality? KENT They all had either honed their training in their chosen styles of the martial arts to the point where they were possessed of nearly supernatural capabilities ... or actually practiced other arts which could be generally described as magic. In the course of my career, I have encountered a similar pattern of crimes once before. The individual responsible for the murders in that instance was a being which, for lack of a better term, I will refer to as a demon. RANMA There's a *demon* in Nerima? KENT Yes. And it wants to eat the souls of martial artists. Like I said earlier, Ranma. Some things you can't fight with the art alone. He looks at RYOUGA just after he says that. RYOUGA swallows, nervously. KENT At this point in its growth, the demon will avoid large quantities of its prey, preferring to pick it off one by one. For now, there is safety in numbers. Ranma, are there any other major martial artists in town that you know about? RANMA thinks, and is about to shake his head ... then pauses. RANMA Yeah. There's Shampoo and the old ghoul. Mousse is out of town right now, off on a training -- KENT Is there some reason these people are named for hygeine products? NABIKI Linguistic coincidence. We hope. KENT In any event, it might be a good idea to call them and invite them up here, for mutual protection. It will come here eventually, and the only chance to defeat it is to make a strategy to beat it in familiar territory ... KASUMI Excuse me, Kent-san ... but if there's going to be a fight, here, should non-combatants such as myself leave? KENT takes a quick look at SOUUN, who is quietly having a conniption fit. KENT Not just yet, Kasumi-san. NABIKI Well, someone's going to have to go and pick up Akane at the train station. KENT ... Akane? NABIKI Yeah, my little sister. Akane. The only person who consistently beats a certain martial arts demigod I know. KENT slowly turns to stare at RANMA. RANMA Hey! It's not like that! She -- UKYOU What she does is sneak up on him and whack him with that mallet of hers. RYOUGA looks as though he is about to take issue with UKYOU's characterization of AKANE, but KENT interrupts before he can. KENT Um ... excuse me. This ... mallet. She carries it around with her ... right? RANMA I guess so. I dunno where she hides the damn thing ... KENT She always has it handy. And she only uses it when she's angry? NABIKI No. Only when she's really angry. If she used it when she was angry, she'd use it all the -- KENT Great Scott. In other words she can materialize a physical object from her anger-based ki?! The implications of that statement slowly sink in, and KENT, RANMA, and RYOUGA all bound to their feet at about the same time -- Just as a great light shines into the TENDOU dining room from outside. Cut to the Nerima train station. AKANE (V.O.) And then I arrived. We see AKANE, wearing a yellow sundress and carrying a large suitcase in her left hand, step off the train. She seems tired, but otherwise much the same. She looks around for any sign of her famiy coming to pick her up, but sees no one. This causes her to frown. She walks out of the train station, and is startled. KUNOU TENDOU AKANE-SAN! AKANE slowly looks over her shoulder to see that KUNOU is standing nearby, in his usual kendo outfit, with his bokken in one hand and a bouquet of roses in the other. AKANE lets out a long, slow sigh. AKANE Hello, Kunou-san. How have you -- KUNOU Ah, my heart is once more filled with the voice of Tendou Akane-san! Oh joyous occasion! At last, you have fought free of the coils of foreign slavery unto which the -- KUNOU continues to rant. AKANE -- foul sorceror Saotome did cruelly place you, yadda yadda yadda ... where *is* Ranma? It is at that point that the train station explodes. We see AKANE's shocked face as she looks up at the debris flying away from it towards her. AKANE (V.O.) All the pieces were in place. The Adversary was there. The heroes had been gathered. And I was there, as well. The last Gathering of the Palladins had begun. TO BE CONTINUED Chris Davies, Advocate for Darkness, Part-Time Champion of Light. "Damn it all, how am I supposed to sit here and wallow in self-pity and disgust with all this racket going on?" -- Yuusaku Godai, Maison Ikkoku. http://www.ualberta.ca/~cdavies/hmpage.html