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 THREE Establishing Shot: The still burning remnants of the Nerima train station, late at night. Our view pans across the rubble slowly, occasionally catching a glimpse of fabric or flesh scattered by the explosion. We finally come to see AKANE, stunned, her dress in tatters, sitting on her rump. AKANE (V.O.) In a way, it made no sense at all. I had been through so much. I had been in battle before this. I had been *dead*, technically, once. But the sudden shock of watching the the destruction of the train station -- seeing so much sudden and apparently *pointless* death -- it shocked me to my core. And even now, it still does. Not as much as what came after, but -- I'll let that speak for itself. KUNOU (O.S.) Tendou Akane-san? AKANE blinks. KUNOU comes slowly up behind her, his clothes also slightly torn up and the bouquet of flowers he was carrying scorched. KUNOU Tendou-san, are you injured? KUNOU starts to lower a hand to her shoulder. AKANE blinks again, and twists away, suddenly producing her mallet and swinging it at KUNOU. Something under the ruins of the train station *shifts*. AKANE manages to stop the mallet just before it smacks into KUNOU's impassive face. She lets out a long shuddering breath. KUNOU I am pleased to see that you are well, Tendou-san, and indeed that your firey spirit remains unquenched by these -- AKANE Kunou, do yourself a favor: Don't make me regret holding back. She pulls her mallet back and puts it away. AKANE What happened? KUNOU An explosion, originating within yon train station, did pummel all about with great tumult. I fear that many have not escaped grievous harm as a result, as you and I have. AKANE Oh God. H-how long was I out? KUNOU I cannot say with any degree of certitude, Tendou-san, but I believe that the incident ocurred perhaps ten or twenty minutes ago. AKANE I don't remember anything after the damn explosion and -- Wait a minute. Twenty minutes and there's no ambulance here yet? No police? Something's wrong here. The voice, very reptillian, emanates from the rubble. VIMOGORGE (O.S.) How true, daughter of man. How true your words. AKANE stares dumbfoundedly at the pile of rubble, while KUNOU stares impassively. KUNOU Alas, it is, as I feared, the work of sorcerers. VIMOGORGE (O.S.) How truly these children speak! How truly! AKANE starts to come to her feet. AKANE Kunou ... I think we should get out of -- AKANE starts to put weight on her left ankle ... which doesn't seem to be up to the task. AKANE -- OW! She collapses and looks down at her ankle -- and then, seeing the very large, purple bruise covering it, really wishes that she hadn't. AKANE Oh, no. Not again. VIMOGORGE (O.S.) Oh dear? Can the daughter of man not run? This won't be any fun at all if the prey can't run ... The rubble begins to shift again ... something is starting to move. AKANE What ... what *are* you ... And then it breaks free. The VIMOGORGE has a long, snake like body with an enormous, lion-like head and four legs with talons on paw-like hands. Bat-like wing membranes are attached to the creature's first pair of limbs. Heavy plating on the tail end of the creature turns it into a spike. Slime covers it, dripping to the ground where it sizzles. Moustache-like tentacles come out of the snout of the beast. Its eyes are black, with tiny pinpricks of light, and they are fixed on AKANE. VIMOGORGE I AM *DEATH*. AKANE stares up at it, genuinely terrified ... and KUNOU steps forward, a strange light in his eye. KUNOU At last ... a worthy opponent ... He pulls forth his bokken, and begins to walk a slow and measured pace towards the VIMOGORGE. AKANE stares at him in complete shock. AKANE KUNOU! WHAT IN HELL ARE YOU DOING? KUNOU looks back at her with a serene expression. KUNOU What I was born to do, Tendou Akane-san. Fear not, I shall put an end to this rude beast 'ere it should cause you any further injury. He turns to stare up into the eyes of the VIMOGORGE, which stares down at him as a man might look down at a particularly interesting bug. VIMOGORGE WHAT IS THIS DOG MEAT THAT COMES BEFORE ME? KUNOU Who am I? I am Kunou Tatewaki. Graduate of Furinkan High School. Undefeated Captain of the Kendo Club. But my peers call me -- the Blue Thunder of Nerima District, Tokyo. Age: Twenty-Two! And he attacks the VIMOGORGE. AKANE watches, appalled. AKANE (V.O.) For the rest of my life, I know, I will wonder. Had he been training so much over the last year that he had finally begun to reach a level of mastery that put him among the rest of the great martial artists of Nerima? Or had I told Ranma a greater truth than I'd realized three years ago; that when Kunou fought a woman he viewed as capable, he was somewhat effective, when he fought a man he viewed as capable, he was very effective, and when he confronted a menace that he chose to regard as worthy of his respect ... that he always was one of the greats? I don't know. I never will. KUNOU is moving very fast as he attacks the VIMOGORGE, and is able to get in several blows before the creature even realizes what's happening. (However, the sheer surprise of being attacked by such an apparently insignificant threat may have a part of this.) The hypersonic blows of the katana bruise but don't seem to break the VIMOGORGE's skin, and it is moving fast enough that KUNOU finds it difficult to strike more than once in a temporarily weakened spot. The VIMOGORGE lashes out with its tentacles, and wraps several of them around his sword arm, dragging KUNOU up towards its mouth. KUNOU manages to swing himself such that he gets a leg grip on the creature's neck, and resist the pull of the tentacles. A period of strain ensues ... and the tentacles give before KUNOU's shoulder does. Ichor drips down from the stubs, and the VIMOGORGE lets out a howl of pain. KUNOU immediately dashes up the length of the beast's neck, and slices his bokken into the base of the creature's throat. Ichor erupts, covering him, and KUNOU is blinded by the spray. The VIMOGORGE twists and rolls in a panicked effort to get rid of the irritant. KUNOU drives his blade into the wound -- and the VIMOGORGE slams its underbody into the ground. There is the sound of a wooden blade snapping. The VIMOGORGE convulses further, twisting in evident agony, for several minutes ... until it finally lets out a strange howl, and the pinpricks of light in its eyes fade. A moment later, it explodes in a burst of purple light. AKANE is even more stunned than she was earlier. She slowly, painfully forces herself to her feet, and hobbles to where the VIMOGORGE had lain. KUNOU is lying there, flat on the ground. His face is bruised and covered with ichor. One of his eyes is swollen shut. His legs bend in the wrong direction. His breath is slow and irregular. Blood is running from his mouth. AKANE KUNOU! She half-runs half-stumbles to where he is, and slowly, gently lifts his head into her lap. KUNOU Tendou Akane-san? AKANE It's gone. Whatever it was, it's gone. KUNOU Doubtless one of the servitor demons of the sorceror Saotome come to drag you back to your servitude. But it is gone? AKANE nods, unable to speak. KUNOU Then my struggle was not in vain. I have but one regret then ... that I was unable to free osage-no-onna from his foul clutches 'ere I -- RANMA (O.S.) But Kunou-sama, you did ... AKANE slowly turns to look up with a horrified expression. RANMA (female form) is standing a few feet away, wearing a red Chinese dress and staring down at KUNOU with a soft, loving expression as she walks slowly close to them. KUNOU My goddess in pigtails! Can it be true? Are you indeed freed from the bondage of the sorceror? RANMA kneels down beside him, and brings her face close to his. RANMA Could a woman whose heart was in bondage give this to her liberator? And she kisses him full on the lips, passionately. After a moment, she releases him. He is smiling, peacefully. KUNOU A man, being chased by a ferocious lion, came to the edge of a ravine, over which hung a cherry tree. He climbed up onto the tree, and moved out onto one of the branches, in hope of leaping to the other side of the ravine. Suddenly, he saw on the other side of the ravine a lion, equally ferocious. Then the branch began to crack. The man ... plucked a cherry from ... the tree and ... said ... "How ... sweet ... this ... is ..." And he dies. RANMA gently reaches out to close his eyes. AKANE stares at her at her in shock. AKANE Ranma, *why* --? RANMA looks up at her. Her lips move, but it is not her voice. NINIANE (V.O.) Was that her name? Ranma? AKANE is shocked. The illusion around NINIANE begins to fade, revealing her true features. NINIANE I was able to discern her appearance and voice from his memories, but he did not know her name. AKANE Wh-wh-who are you? NINIANE My name is Niniane. I mean you no harm, Tendou Akane. I have just now come from your father's home, in order to protect you on your journey back there ... unfortunately, I could not arrive before that creature made itself known. Are you well enough to travel? I think that you would wish to avoid the attention of the authorities. AKANE What ... but ... but Kunou ... NINIANE He will be found by the police, and there will be another unexplained death in the Nerima district. There have been many already, one more will not change matters. AKANE looks as though she wants to protest, but the calm, unyielding expression on NINIANE's face forestalls her. She gently lowers KUNOU's head out of her lap, and NINIANE helps her to her feet, supporting her. AKANE Goodbye ... Kunou-sempai. NINIANE leads AKANE away from the wreckage. A gust of wind blows cherry leaves across KUNOU's body. AKANE (V.O.) Meanwhile, back at my home ... Cut to the dining room of the Tendou home, just as a bright light flashes in through the window. We see KENT look up, at first startled, then chagrined. He stands, walks to the sliding door, and slides it open. He looks up into the sky. The bulk of the Helifortress fills up the sky above the Tendou dojo. A spotlight mounted under the body shines down. KENT looks up with an annoyed expression. RANMA, UKYOU, and RYOUGA join him at the door. RYOUGA What the *hell*? KENT Some ... associates of mine. Sensei, would you mind very much if an aerial battleship landed in your yard? SOUUN's head is resting on his left shoulder, his eyes vague. KASUMI is making sure he doesn't fall over and hurt himself. KENT That's what I thought. He waves for the ship to "come forward". In the cockpit of the Helifortress, ANDREW watches KENT wave on a monitor. He grins, and presses a pair of controls on the console while pressing forward on the steering mechanism. The Helifortress tips forward so that its body is at an angle of about 30 degrees from the ground. Two pairs of landing gear start to descend from the body, with the two that are further back from the front of the battleship being longer. When the skids have reached the ground, the rotors of the ship slow and stop. A portion of the hull, located roughly at the center of the square formed by the four landing gear, rotates out to be parallel to the ground, and starts to descend as a shaft towards the pond in the backyard. When it reaches the bottom, the shaft -- which is an elevator, obviously -- opens its doors. MCGOVERN steps out -- MCGOVERN Hey, Kent! Great to see YAAAA-- -- and falls into the pond. STENGOVITCH and RAVEN come to the edge of the elevator and look down as MCGOVERN surfaces with a mortified expression on his face. RANMA seems nonplussed. RANMA These friends of yours ... really know how to make an entrance, don't they? KENT McGovern?! MCGOVERN Um ... hi. Just then, NINIANE appears to hop over the wall of the dojo, carrying AKANE in her arms. RANMA's head twists in her direction, almost as though it's involuntary. He is clearly shocked at her condition. RANMA Akane?! AKANE looks up, weary. AKANE Ranma? RANMA dashes over to where NINIANE is walking with AKANE. RYOUGA starts to head after him, but stops a few seconds later with a morose look on his face. NINIANE gratefully hands her over, and RANMA and AKANE spend a few moments staring at each other. RANMA So ... what happened to you? AKANE I ... I really don't want to talk about it. RANMA looks down at her leg, and sees the bruise. RANMA Lemme guess, you tripped walking here and -- AKANE Excuse me? I am *not* that clumsy. RANMA Then what happened?! AKANE I don't wanna talk about it! And where you when I was at the ... the train station, anyway? RANMA Hey, all I knew was that you were s'posed to be home this afternoon, not this late in the evening! AKANE And whose fault is that? RANMA You didn't call! AKANE You weren't *home* when I did! RANMA Oh so now I'm supposed to sit around waiting on phone calls from an uncute tomboy like -- AKANE mallets him. As a result, they both fall to the ground. AKANE (V.O.) It was our first meeting in months. Of course it turned into a fight. RYOUGA How *dare* Ranma treat Akane-san like that when she's injured! He starts heading towards them again, only to be slammed into the ground with a spatula. UKYOU It's wonderful to see them getting along that well ... just wonderful. KENT watches these antics from near the pond as he pulls a dripping MCGOVERN out. KENT Children. Children with more power than some gods I've had to deal with ... NINIANE approaches him. NINIANE And another one of them slew a vimogorge earlier tonight. KENT Vimogorge?! NINIANE nods, soberly. NINIANE He died in the accomplishment, however. I made sure that there were no ... unfortunate side effects from the deed. NABIKI, who has approached them while looking up at the Helifortress with a covetous expression. NABIKI Excuse me? Who died? KENT Nin-- NINIANE Some boy named Kunou Tatewaki. Why? NABIKI is silent for a very long moment. NABIKI Kunou-chan? He's dead? NINIANE nods. NABIKI stares momentarily at KENT, who finds himself unable to meet her gaze. NABIKI Who exactly are you people? And what is going on? Cut to a shot of the Tendou Dojo, with the Helifortress parked in the yard, in early morning sunlight. AKANE (V.O.) My older sister wouldn't get an answer to that question for a few hours. I still wonder why none of the neighbors came by to ask why there was a giant -- whatever you want to call it -- in our yard. Maybe they were just used to the weirdness by that point. I finally got put to bed by my older sister, and spent the rest of the night trying to not have nightmares about what had happened to Kunou. I didn't get a chance to talk to Ranma ... as usual. But it seemed that Ranma took Kent's advice about keeping his friends -- in this case, Ryouga and Ukyou -- close, even though I would probably have phrased it as keeping his enemies closer. As for Kent himself, he went up into the vehicle and spent that night consulting with his friends about what to tell us and how much. He came down, in the early hours of the morning, to see just what had been done at the site of the explosion. Cut to the grim sight of many white sheets spread over the ground of the shattered train station, covering the bodies and parts of bodies that have been recovered. KENT moves through them, his face emotionless, his eyes completely hidden by his glasses. Ambulance and rescue workers are still trying to free some victims from the rubble. We see a uniformed police officer leading KUNOU KODACHI towards one of the sheets. Her face is even more emotionless than KENT's. Two other police officers lift the sheet. KODACHI looks down. She blinks once. She nods, and turns and walks away. KENT follows her with his eyes as she does. He starts to walk again. He examines the wreckage of the station itself, and nods once. URD (O.S.) Pretty awful, isn't it? KENT looks up to see URD and SKULD looking at him, still in their trenchcoats and glasses. KENT blinks. KENT It is indeed. And you are? SKULD Special agents Tana Skuldey and -- URD -- Urd Megami. We're with the -- SKULD -- a special group of undercover agents of justice. Who are you? KENT produces his badge. The gold trim glistens in the early morning sunlight. KENT Kent Masefield. Planetary Defense Forces. Commanding officer. *Which* special group of undercover agents of justice, young lady? There are *so* many, as I'm sure you're aware. URD and SKULD look non-plussed. URD opens her mouth for a moment, then closes it and blinks in shock. KENT's face has Divinity tattoos. Or rather, he has black-scabbed wounds on his face where a god would have them, in patterns that echo but are subtly different from the tattoos on URD's, SKULD's, and BELLDANDY's faces. URD shakes her head. KENT's face is normal, with no scabbing anywhere. He is staring at her oddly. KENT Is something wrong? URD Um, no! No, not at all. Um, okay, truth? We're not agents from some do-gooder organization. SKULD stares up at her older sister in shock, while URD swiftly clamps a hand over SKULD's mouth. KENT Do tell? URD Yep, me and my sweet lil' sister here were just playing a little practical joke on the Japanese, you see, we're tourists and we thought it might be a good idea to pretend to be secret agents and -- KENT holds up a hand. KENT Look, word to the wise. It's a bad idea to pretend to be an agent of any government, from a cop on the beat up to the head of state. It can really get you in a lot of bad trouble. Just ... cut it out. URD Right, sure, anything you say, come on, Tana dear! She wrestles SKULD away, SKULD protesting angrily under URD's hand. KENT shakes his head and returns to his examination of the ruins. AKANE (V.O.) Meanwhile, in Juuban ... Cut to the living room of the Hikawa Jinja's "manse". A loud snoring can be heard. RAYE comes into the living room, looking rather dishevelled in her robes. She homes in on the couch as the source of the snoring noise, and looks over the back to see RYOUKO curled up there. RAYE's face twists in irritation, and she heads over to the door leading outside. RAYE Bakemono ... She exits. RYOUKO's eyes don't open. RYOUKO Twit ... Cut to the deck just outside the house, where AYEKA is kneeling and enjoying the sunrise. RAYE enters the scene from within the house, and notices AYEKA. RAYE Oh, good morning, Ayeka-san. AYEKA Good morning, Raye-san ... RAYE Did you sleep well? AYEKA Yes. Thank you again for letting us stay here in the wake of our current difficulties. There is a long and uncomfortable pause. RAYE It's different, now, isn't it? AYEKA nods, sadly. RAYE kneels down a foot or so away from her. RAYE I ... where ... where did you come from? I mean ... you *look* just like a human. AYEKA It is best never to put too much stock in appearances. RAYE True enough, but -- AYEKA I have no more idea as to why our two peoples are so similar than you, Raye-san. Perhaps you are a lost colony of ours. It's happened before. My world is located ... um ... She looks up at the early morning sky, and points at the approximate location of the Pleiades. AYEKA ... there. Our world and our sun are both named Jurai. I have not seen either in roughly seven hundred of your years -- RAYE SEVEN HUNDRED? AYEKA I spent the vast majority of that interval in coldsleep. We are a long lived people, but I am still a youth. On my world, I would be considered to be on the threshold of adulthood. RAYE Me too. I turn eighteen in a few weeks. AYEKA I see. I came to this world ... for a number of reasons that don't really matter now. Here I found my love -- Tenchi -- scion of a line of my people who had come to this world many years earlier. TENCHI, looking slightly bushed, appears in doorway, unnoticed by either of them. He hangs back, not wanting to eavesdrop, but unable to back away either. RAYE Then, he's the one you were telling me about ... the one whose feelings you aren't sure about? AYEKA Yes. At times he seems so dedicated to me ... but sometimes I honestly worry that he cares more about that ... horrible woman than he does about me! TENCHI looks stricken, as though he'd rather be anywhere else. RAYE "That horrible woman" meaning the demoness currently sleeping in my living room? AYEKA nods vigorously. TENCHI braces himself. AYEKA Ryouko. That ... bakemono has caused me more pain and anguish than anyone else in the universe. She ravaged my world, broke up my family, came close to killing my little sister, and ... OOOH! She does so many things simply to annoy and anger me! TENCHI relaxes, with a disturbed expression on his face. RAYE If he knows all this, why does he let her hang around with him? TENCHI opens his mouth to answer. AYEKA Because ... in spite of herself, I believe, she has been something of a comfort to Tenchi at times. And she did ... aid in saving my life at one point. I'm convinced that she did so only because she knew that Tenchi would never forgive her if I came to harm by her action *or* inaction, but the fact remains that she did act to protect me. And one of Tenchi-sama's best, noblest qualities is that he is so loving and generous ... that he extends an open heart to everyone he knows. TENCHI is blushing like crazy. RAYE This all seems so fantastic ... AYEKA More unbelievable than pretty sailor suited soldiers of love and justice? RAYE You have a point. AYEKA In truth, your life seems far more incredible than mine. And not just to me either. Sasami-chan was up half the night talking about how "totally cool" it would be to be a magical girl like you Soldiers. RAYE Well, it's fun once in a while ... but it's an awful burden, too. Feeling like you're the only line of defense between darkness and light ... knowing that you can be called to give up your life for the cause ... AYEKA And would you give it up? RAYE Never. AYEKA Tell me how it began. RAYE looks up at the moon, still visible in the sky. RAYE Thousands of years ago, our moon was inhabited by a great civilization ... the Moon Kingdom, ruled over by the wise and kind Queen Serenity. But the evil Queen Beryl, envious of the power of the Moon Kingdom, led an army of monsters against it, killing its defenders and the Queen's only daughter, the Princess Serenity. With her last strength, the Queen banished Beryl and her army to the dark Negaverse ... and sent all the souls of those who had died in the battle to Earth, to be reborn there. We are the defenders of the Moon Kingdom, reborn. And our Princess ... is Serena. AYEKA's eyes bulge. AYEKA Serena. The ... um, rather enthusiastic young lady with the unusual hair style? RAYE It was something of a shock to *me* at the time, too. But after all, you shouldn't put too much stock in appearances. AYEKA blinks at that, and then sees the smile hovering around RAYE's lips. She smiles herself, then, and they both have a hearty laugh. TENCHI, standing back, smiles too. AYEKA So in your own way, you're an alien too. RAYE Kami knows I always felt like one when I was growing up. So ... since you weren't here on a school trip like you said, why did you come to Tokyo on your own? TENCHI I'd like to know that myself, Ayeka- san. RAYE and AYEKA both whirl as the realize that TENCHI is standing behind them, rather embarrassed. AYEKA Oh! Uh ... Tenchi-sama ... how long have you been there? TENCHI Not very long. RAYE stands, still very embarrassed. RAYE Well, I'll leave you two to discuss ... things. I wouldn't want to listen in on private conversations, that's unbelievably -- She realizes what she's saying, and flushes. RAYE bows, and heads back into the house. TENCHI comes and kneels down where she was kneeling. AYEKA gazes at him nervously. AYEKA Tenchi-sama, I -- TENCHI I'm not angry with you Ayeka. Well, not much. *Why* did you trick Mihoshi like that? You know that she's easily tricked, but you still ... AYEKA It was the only way I could think of to get to the Okayama train station. TENCHI So that you could come to Tokyo. Why did you need to go to Tokyo? AYEKA lets out a long sigh, and produces the battered copy of the X-Files tankoubon which she bought yesterday, and holds it out towards TENCHI. AYEKA This is why. He stares at it in confusion. Cut to the breakfast table of the Tendou home. On one side are lined up (in this order) UKYOU, NABIKI, RANMA, AKANE, KASUMI, and RYOUGA. On the other side (in this order) are PATRICIA, ANDREW, MCGOVERN, NINIANE, and KENT. PATRICIA is wearing a grey jogging suit with a crest identical to the symbol on KENT's badge -- a pyramid with an eye. KENT Kasumi-san, won't your father be joining us? KASUMI No ... he has elected to not get out of bed this morning. NABIKI No great loss there. KASUMI Nabiki. NABIKI Neechan, I don't care any more. I just want to know what the hell we've gotten into, and how I can get *out* of it. KENT All right. That's an understandable reaction. The problem is not explaining what's going on ... the problem is where to start. It's possible that there has always been an organization like ours. I know of at least one group that was active during the war which did much the same sort of thing we do, and which has definite ties to us. But our story, for all intents and purposes, begins on a certain specific day: Cut to TENCHI and AYEKA. TENCHI is reading aloud from the manga. TENCHI June 21, 1947. An American business man named Kenneth Arnold is flying in his private plane over Washington state, and sees nine objects flying at speeds of about 2000 to 3000 kilometers per hour. When he reports the sighting to the media, they are immediately dubbed flying saucers. According to UFO scholars, less than two weeks later the wreckage of one such flying saucer was discovered in a farm near Corona, New Mexico ... a town less than nine miles from Roswell. The official report is that it was a weather balloon. Cut back to the Tendou home. ANDREW It wasn't a weather balloon. It wasn't a flying saucer, either. It was something much worse. A flying classroom. RANMA Huh? ANDREW All the technology in that thing was specifically designed by whoever dropped it to be easily reverse engineered by whoever got their grubby lil' hands on it. It was probably damn near magic for people whose concept of a user friendly computer was a cute girl trained in the use of a slide rule, but it's not that far from where we are now; probably about thirty to forty years in advance of current technology. It was intended as a cheap bribe to whoever found it -- "See what we can give you? Isn't it worth letting us mess with a few of your species?" Cut back to TENCHI and AYEKA. TENCHI Also recovered from the crashed spacecraft were a number of corpses of apparently alien beings. Ayeka-san ... I really don't see what the point of all this is. Were ... were these aliens Jurains? AYEKA No. Very much not. Consider the picture, Tenchi-sama ... TENCHI looks down at the artist's conception drawing of the alien -- a stereotypical "Gray" -- large head, small body, pasty skin, huge slitted eyes. AYEKA We know them as the Alephae. Cut to the TENDOU home. KENT Whoever they are, they don't seem to have designs of "conquest" on us as such. At least, not yet. And the reports of them abducting humans and performing medical experiments on them are by and large a screen for their real aims. Cut to AYEKA and TENCHI AYEKA They are masters of psychological warfare. When they happen on a species which they deem to be "worthy" of their attentions, they begin efforts to determine the species' gravest mental or emotional liability ... and the best way to exploit it. Cut to the TENDOU home. MCGOVERN Their actions seem to be predicated on a desire to convince humanity that all extraterrestrial life is utterly hostile towards our species. They're trying to increase our level of xenophobia, which was already high to begin with. Cut to TENCHI and AYEKA. AYEKA Often, when the Imperial Navy has found and liberated worlds which have been dominated by the Alephae, the worlds have proven to be almost psychotic in their paranoid fear of alien contact -- and many have even disintegrated so far that they view other branches of their species -- different ethnic groups, different philosophies or religions, or even different *genders* -- as the aliens to be feared and hated. TENCHI Ayeka-san ... this is incredible. But I don't see why you had to come to Tokyo to learn more about it. AYEKA Tenchi-sama, I have lived on this world for just about a year. Yoshou-oniisama has lived here for more than seven hundred. Even if the article is right, and the Alephae have been here for only forty-nine years ... *why* *hasn't* *he* *done* *anything*? Cut to the Tendou home. KENT The problem with conducting these sorts of terror tactics is that someone will eventually find out, and probably start taking steps to fight back. Within a few months after Arnold's sighting, an agency had been created by the U.N. to investigate what was going on. By 1953 they knew they were at war. That's when their agency changed into the Planetary Defense Force. That's us. RANMA What happened to "I could tell you but I'd have to kill you"? ANDREW Kent! What have you been telling these people? We don't kill people who find out, we recruit 'em. It just makes sense. KENT gives ANDREW a very annoyed look, which the older man receives with equanimity. AKANE Excuse me ... how are the things that you fight connected to what happened last night? If that was an alien, then -- KENT Not exactly, Akane-san. While we *began* fighting against the aliens, since then we've discovered a host of other entities that seem to have been born entirely on Earth or ... in other places. NINIANE Other places which frequently cannot exist in the scientific world view. What you and that young man faced last night, Tendou Akane, was one such. The technical name for it is vimogorge -- which means, power eater, approximately. RANMA looks at AKANE, startled by the reference to "that young man". AKANE does not meet his gaze. NABIKI Like what you were saying last night -- it wants the souls of martial artists? Ones that have advanced their training to the point where they're practically magic-users? KENT nods. NINIANE Correct. They also seek the souls of actual magic-users and psychics. They are also quite willing to feed on ordinary human souls when their favored prey is unavailable. UKYOU Isn't there anything they *won't* eat? NINIANE Gods. Have you one at hand? Cut to URD and SKULD, wandering the streets of NERIMA. SKULD seems rather angry, while URD just looks tired. AKANE (V.O.) As a matter of fact, we did. We just didn't know it yet. SKULD I demand an explanation! URD comes to an abrupt stop. URD Okay. I'm tired, I'm hungry, and my feet hurt. This whole plan has definitely entered the realm we call "not fun". SKULD That isn't what I was talk-- URD Fine. But before I give you one, Skuld, you know what the Almighty always says: "Breakfast is the most important meal of the day!" Positive treasure trove of sage advice, our dad. She looks around, and her gaze settles on the Nekohanten. She shrugs. URD Come on, this place looks pretty good. Cute name. I wonder if they actually serve ... nah. SKULD glowers at URD as she marches away. SKULD Sure. Show the world how you have no control over your physical urges. Well, I'll show *you* how a goddess -- SKULD's belly rumbles, and her expression becomes tragic. SKULD I wish oneesan were here ... She sadly follows URD to the door. Cut to a train station in Nekomi. BELLDANDY is looking perplexedly at the ticket agent. BELLDANDY But I don't understand. Why are there no trains to Nerima today? AGENT Apparently there was some sort of accident at Nerima station. It's probably one of those crazy martial artists that they've got there, you know? BELLDANDY obviously has no idea what the AGENT is talking about, but she smiles sweetly and nods all the same. She turns and heads out of the station. Outside, KEIICHI is standing nervously behind Banpei, which is glaring at MARA, standing a few feet away with an annoyed, bored expression. BELLDANDY Unfortunately, there seems to have been some sort of accident at the train station in Nerima. KEIICHI Could it be the work of this ... Adversary? MARA Uh-huh. Sure. An entity that desires the immediate death of all material life, everywhere, is going to start by disrupting train schedules across Japan. You seriously intend to *unite* with this walking *turnip*, Bell-- MARA drops off as BELLDANDY gives her The Look. It is a look that just hints at the incredible amount of anger that BELLDANDY is holding at bay. BELLDANDY Mara, please do not insult Keiichi-san in such a way. MARA Right. BELLDANDY It seems, then that we needs must take a bus to Nerima, if we wish to rendezvous with my sisters. KEIICHI Belldandy ... wouldn't it be simpler for you and Mara to just ... you know ... *go*? I mean, without me? I mean ... I'd probably just get in the way. MARA has recovered from her intimidation enough to nod vigorously. BELLDANDY No, Keiichi-san! You could *never* be in the way. I need you to be with me ... always ... KEIICHI Belldandy ... BELLDANDY Keiichi ... MARA Gag me ... A few moments later, KEIICHI, BELLDANDY, and MARA are all seated in that order on a large bus. KEIICHI looks very tired -- he's been running on all cylinders since last night, and hasn't had a chance to sleep. So, as the bus pulls out of the depot, he slowly slips into unconsciousness. BELLDANDY watches over him as he does. MARA watches her as she does so, her face a mixture of irritation, confusion, and envy (perhaps with a bit of regret admixed in? Who can say?) MARA You really do mean to do it, don't you? You intend to unite with ... him. BELLDANDY nods, not looking at MARA. MARA *Why*? I do *not* understand *why* you ... the most, the greatest, the *brightest* of all your office would throw *everything* away for ... *him*? BELLDANDY's explanation is given in a quiet tone, as if she is stating the most obvious thing in the world. BELLDANDY Because I love him. I love him more than springtime. I love him more than sunlight. I love him more than anything in the world. I love him more than God. MARA looks horribly stricken for a moment, then turns her head away, trying to seem as though she's annoyed. Cut to the interior of the Nekohanten, with a small early lunch clientele. SHAMPOO is waiting tables, and turns to look at the two new customers -- URD and SKULD -- as they enter. SHAMPOO Aiya! Welcome to Neko- hanten! Please have seat and -- URD Do you serve any kinda booze in this joint? SHAMPOO blinks. SKULD looks momentarily confused, then smacks her head in irritation. SHAMPOO Uh ... yes. Yes, we do. URD Fine, start sending servings to our table and I'll tell you when to stop. SKULD URRRD! URD walks, obviously ignoring SKULD's distress, to one of the tables, and slumps down. URD I'm beat. SKULD sits down across from her, and glares at her. SKULD Urd, what language are we speaking. URD Does it matter? SKULD We're *not* supposed to go switching languages on the spur of the moment like this! It's not a good way to blend in! URD Better? SKULD Yes! Now, you said that you'd explain why you freaked out when you saw that guy! URD I'll be able to explain it better when I get some alcohol into my system. SKULD You liar! You're planning to drink yourself into oblivion so that you don't *have* to explain it to me! SHAMPOO arrives then, carrying a pair of sake jugs. She sets one in front of each of them, then gets a lacerating glare from SKULD. Embarrassed, she picks up SKULD's jug. URD I'll take hers. SKULD Oh no you don't! You're going to tell me what happened, and *then* you can booze 'til your eyes turn black! URD Oh yeah? She starts to chug the first jug. SHAMPOO begins to back away from the table, looking very nervous. SHAMPOO Ummmm ... SKULD Darnit, Urd, you cannot just douse your sorrows like this! We have work to do! SHAMPOO drops the menus in front of them. SHAMPOO I'll let you take a look at our menus and be back to get your orders shortly thank you and have a nice day. She dashes off. Cut to the rear of the Nekohanten, where COLOGNE is reading a dogeared copy of the Sangokushi. SHAMPOO enters at a dash. SHAMPOO Great-grandmother, there are -- COLOGNE doesn't look up. COLOGNE Practice your Japanese, girl. SHAMPOO Great-grandmother, there strange people in restaurant. COLOGNE Of course there are. This *is* Japan, after all. SHAMPOO But -- COLOGNE Very well, what exactly is *so* odd about these particular people? Describe them. Cut back to the dining room. URD and SKULD are still arguing. URD -- and I'm telling you what I saw! He had two marks HERE -- She points to the marks just under the corners of her eyes. URD -- and one HERE -- She points to the mark between her eyebrows. URD -- and you know what that means! SKULD *I* think it means you're going crazy on me. Okay, now for the moment, let's assume that you saw what you say you saw. URD Gee, thanks. SKULD A divinity *cannot* hide the marks of his or her presence, so it's a good thing that most mortals don't notice them or know what they mean. COLOGNE (O.S.) WHAT? Silence falls in the dining room. COLOGNE abruptly hops out from the back, and surveys the crowd. Her eyes light on SKULD and URD (who stare back). She closes her eyes, and lets out a long-suffering sigh. COLOGNE (V.O.) Ancestors, what have I ever done to deserve this? Don't answer that. She coughs. COLOGNE Due to a recent family tragedy, I am forced to close the Nekohanten for the remainder of the day. I deeply regret the inconvenience. Would the two deities be so kind as to remain, however? Everyone begins to get up and file out, except for URD and SKULD, who share an exasperated expression. URD Busted. SKULD Yep. Finally, everybody but them has left. SHAMPOO comes out of the back of the room with a confused expression. COLOGNE I wish no trouble with you or your kind. SHAMPOO Great-grandmother? COLOGNE Not now, child. URD Neither do we. What we want is -- some ramen would go nicely with -- SKULD Nor do we seek to cause you great distress. We are engaged in an investigation into a nexus of improbability which has recently increased several times in size. Do you know anything with regards to this? COLOGNE Improbability, eh? My son- in-law. It's bound to be him. SHAMPOO What? COLOGNE Great-granddaughter, have you not noticed that *everything* strange which happens in this district either has its origins with or draws in your husband? SHAMPOO Well ... sort of ... SKULD Tell me more about this son-in-law of yours ... SHAMPOO suddenly notices the mallet slung across SKULD's back. A series of images run through her mind, and is reproduced in SD-form above her head. SD-AKANE hitting SD-RANMA over the head with a mallet. SD-AKANE in a wedding dress beside SD-RANMA in a tuxedo. SD-SKULD hitting SD-RANMA with her mallet. SD-SKULD in a wedding dress ... SHAMPOO Excuse me. You wouldn't happen to be some strange girl who has a delusional belief that she has any rights at all to my husband for the simple reason that you were at one point a long time ago engaged, would you? SKULD ME? Marry? A *mortal*? Are you *crazy* or just plain -- COLOGNE interposes herself between SKULD and SHAMPOO. COLOGNE I apologize for the ignorance of my great-granddaughter. Behave! These are our honored guests! URD Speaking of which, a little more sake would be nice? Cut to a posh dining room. Our point of view pans around it over AKANE's voice. AKANE (V.O.) As it happens, they weren't the only ones having dinner at that time. There was a rather important, if somewhat more confrontational dinner happening in Nerima, between two cousins ... and their fiancees. Our point of view pans onto KYOUSUKE, MADOKA, SHIKEN, and KASUGA AKANE. (She is now very grown up, but her red hair is still cropped fairly short.) Everyone is smiling and having a good time. SHIKEN ... I was shocked! No, no, I was amazed! I mean, I had only started dating Akane a little while before your ... incident in Bosnia, Kasuga-san, and I had no idea that she was related to you! I never even thought to ask! KASUGA AKANE I didn't want to seem like I was bragging about your misfortune. KYOUSUKE It wasn't that bad, really; I hardly remember anything from when I got knocked out to when I woke up in the U.N. Hospital. SHIKEN But it must have been hard for you, Ayukawa-san. MADOKA It was ... a somewhat confusing experience. But I had friends to help me through it. KASUGA AKANE Oh, really? Hikaru? MADOKA Yes, she was in town then. Um, excuse me. I think I need to visit the washroom. She looks at AKANE, who smiles and waves. MADOKA blinks, and heads off. As she steps out of sight, SHIKEN's beeper goes off. SHIKEN Oh! Please excuse me, this could be important. He stands and leaves. AKANE and KYOUSUKE watch him go. KYOUSUKE Well ... he seems like a nice guy. A little -- KASUGA AKANE -- silly? KYOUSUKE Well, I wouldn't say that ... KASUGA AKANE I would. God I hate my life. KYOUSUKE blinks. AKANE's smile flows off her face, and she turns to look directly at KYOUSUKE. She looks old before her time, tired, and sick. KASUGA AKANE I'm supposed to *marry* that human turnip! I don't believe it! KYOUSUKE A-akane? KASUGA AKANE What was I *thinking*? *Was* I thinking, or was someone else doing my thinking for me? That's one of the reasons I wanted to talk to you ... KYOUSUKE Wait a minute. What are you saying? You mean, you don't love Koyama-san? KASUGA AKANE No! I don't! We met on an omiai arranged by *my* parents, Kyousuke. Does that suggest that something less than ethical might be going on? KYOUSUKE You think that your parents might have used the power on your mind to make you fall in love with him? Akane, that's crazy! KASUGA AKANE I'm not sure it was my parents. KYOUSUKE Well, that's a relief -- KASUGA AKANE I think it was ojiisan. KYOUSUKE Akane! This is paranoid! KASUGA AKANE Oh really. Let's consider the facts shall we? When I was a teenager, did I show *any* interest in boys? KYOUSUKE You mean, other than that time you were bombed out of your skull and invited me up to your room? KASUGA AKANE You see, you just proved my point! KYOUSUKE Which was what? KASUGA AKANE Only when I am without control over my actions -- drunk or mind- controlled, take your pick -- have I shown any interest in a hetero- sexual relationship. I'm *GAY*, Kyousuke! KYOUSUKE I can somehow tell where this is leading. KASUGA AKANE I've come up with a great plan. I'll use the power to make myself look like you. Then you can go to New York and look up Hikaru-chan while -- KYOUSUKE -- while you seduce Madoka? KASUGA AKANE Right! Oh, she'll be upset at first, but -- KYOUSUKE Akane, where in the world do you come up with this stuff? KASUGA AKANE This way, everyone's happy! I'm happy, Madoka-chan is happy, you're happy -- KYOUSUKE Oh yeah? KASUGA AKANE -- and Hikaru isn't lonely in New York like you sometimes worry that she might be, so she's happy! KYOUSUKE And your fiance? KASUGA AKANE He can go be happy kissing ass at his company for all I care. Kyousuke -- KYOUSUKE NO. I don't know how you found out about my worrying about Hikaru, Akane, but that was *very* low. Even if I was inclined to go along with that stupid plan, *that* would have killed me on it. There is a long pause in the conversation. KASUGA AKANE I just don't want to live a lie anymore. KYOUSUKE Then get out of the engagement the old-fashioned way, Akane. You're an adult now, you can -- KASUGA AKANE You seriously think they'll *let* me do that? KYOUSUKE Oh, come on! KASUGA AKANE Kyousuke, think about it. Consider if you will my family and yours. Your mother married a non-esper, and mine married a distant cousin who *was* one. Which of our family lines produced more powerful espers? And ask yourself this. Why, when ojiisan put up so much of a fuss when your father and your mother fell in love, is he so happy to see you marrying Madoka-chan? KYOUSUKE blinks. He opens his mouth ... and can't find anything to say. Cut to MINAKO's bedroom. MINAKO is lying in bed with a contented look on her face. AKANE (V.O.) Questions about love and the reasons why we love someone were on more than one mind that day. Speaking for myself, I was busily avoiding dealing with Ranma. In the months that I'd been at Nekomi, he hadn't once sent me any letters, he hadn't called, he hadn't visited. But I hadn't written or called him either. In any event ... Cut to the kitchen. AETHAN is standing by the phone, wearing a bathrobe entirely too small for him and a non-plussed expression. The phone is ringing. MICHAEL (TEL.) Hello? AETHAN Hello, Michael. MICHAEL (TEL.) Hey! What happened to you? You didn't come back to the hotel last ni-- AETHAN I'm aware of that. What happened was ... a story too long to tell at this point. Suffice it to say that I am not in any danger. Thus far. However, I ran into one of our more worldly associates. MICHAEL (TEL.) Uh-*huh*. AETHAN You may recall him from the Mexican conference. He hinted that there was a large deal brewing here, as well. You may wish to examine the relevant sections of the news, see if you can discern any trends. MICHAEL (TEL.) Gotcha. Just give me a call when you think something's about to pop. AETHAN I shall. Be seeing you. He hangs up, and looks down at his robe. AETHAN How do things like this *happen*? ARTEMIS comes wandering in through the kitty hole in the door of the house, looking rather tired. He stops dead when he sees AETHAN. They stare at each other for several moment. ARTEMIS That's it, I'm going to *kill* you. He leaps at AETHAN's face, claws out and snarling. AETHAN is knocked to the floor, more from surprise than anything else. He struggles with the outraged cat, trying desperately to keep him from clawing his eyes. AETHAN Artemis! Calm down, dammit! You're over-reacting! Nothing happened! MINAKO comes wandering into the kitchen, wearing little more than the beatific smile on her face. MINAKO What a beautiful, sunshiney day ... ARTEMIS You *liar*! MINAKO realizes what's going on, and grabs ARTEMIS, wrestling him off of AETHAN. MINAKO Artemis! That's no way to treat a guest! ARTEMIS Lemme at him! Seducing your host is no way for a guest to behave! MINAKO Oh for Pete's sake, Artemis! He *didn't* seduce me! ARTEMIS Oh, really? MINAKO No! I seduced him. ARTEMIS looks profoundly shocked. He stares at AETHAN, who is too mortified to meet his gaze. ARTEMIS hangs his head. ARTEMIS Where did I go wrong? MINAKO I think it was when you explained condoms to me. Ever since then, the cat was out of the bush, and into the hand. AETHAN That's out of the bag, Minako. MINAKO That's another way of putting it, yes. ARTEMIS You really ... you actually went and ... you ... MINAKO Three times! Wanna see us do it again? AETHAN & ARTEMIS (sim) NO! MINAKO Okay. I'm gonna go have a shower, then. No peeking! She sets ARTEMIS down on the floor, peeking under AETHAN's robe -- which causes her to smile broadly -- as she does, and then skips off. ARTEMIS stumbles over to collapse against AETHAN's side. They are both silent as they hear the shower begin to run. AETHAN It wasn't what I intended to happen. ARTEMIS I've said the exact same thing about a thousand times in connection with her. Did I cut you badly? AETHAN They've healed. ARTEMIS Oh good. Welcome to the family. AETHAN starts to stand, gently lifting ARTEMIS up with him. AETHAN Thank you, Artemis. I hope that your endorsement will stop Mr. Aino from shooting me ... He walks towards the bedroom. ARTEMIS This is Japan. Where's he going to get a gun? And besides, haven't you noticed that they're never around? Her parents, I mean. *I'm* more of a father to her than he is. AETHAN I'd noticed the last part, at least. Cut to KASUMI in the kitchen, washing dishes. PATRICIA walks into the room with a strained expression on her face. PATRICIA Ahh ... excuse? KASUMI Ah! Hello, Ms. ... Delafontaine, right? PATRICIA Yes. I -- KASUMI How can I help you? PATRICIA I no speak good Japan. Please, where bathroom? KASUMI quickly dries her hands, and leads her to the bathroom. They pass KENT and ANDREW in the hallway. PATRICIA pauses to look at KENT, who does not meet her gaze. She sighs and proceeds. KASUMI looks at her with sympathy. We follow KENT and ANDREW. KENT I can't *believe* that you brought her with you ... ANDREW We might need what she has. 'Sides that, it wouldn't be right to just leave her on the base. KENT She's *seventeen*, Andrew. She's too young to be -- ANDREW And what about you? And what about these martial arts demigods that you've stumbled onto? KENT It's *not* the same thing. ANDREW Look, she's here, there ain't no point in arguing about it now. KENT Fine. But she is our *last* resort, you understand. If every thing else that we have fails to play out, *then* we launch. She doesn't even have any -- ANDREW Two hundred hours of sim. KENT -- *real* experience! ANDREW And how's she gonna get any if you don't let her go in? KENT gives ANDREW a withering glare. ANDREW Kent, she's like *you*. *You* were born for what you do, *she* was born for -- KENT's glare gets even more intent, and ANDREW cuts off and looks away. Cut to RANMA, sitting on the porch, staring up at the Helifortress with a disgruntled expression. KENT and ANDREW come around the corner. KENT notices RANMA. KENT Hey, Ranma. RANMA Yo. KENT You said something about having a few more allies that you hadn't called in yet. You talked to them yet. RANMA No ... I've been trying to avoid dealing with them ... but I guess there's no putting it off any longer. He stands, and heads into the dining room. He picks up the phone and dials a number, visibly bracing himself as he does. Cut to the Nekohanten. SHAMPOO and URD are still talking. SHAMPOO This is incredible. *You* gave my ancestors their first love potion? URD If I remember right. It was a while ago, y'understand ... Joketsuzoku was a lot less milit-- The phone rings. COLOGNE (O.S.) Shampoo, answer the phone. SHAMPOO Yes! Excuse me, please. She heads over to the phone, and picks it up, reverting to her Japanese. SHAMPOO Hello, this Nekohanten! You want what? Go to a split screen, RANMA on the left, SHAMPOO on the right. RANMA Hey, Shampoo. It's -- SHAMPOO RANMA! You call ask Shampoo on date! RANMA No, I didn't. Shampoo, I think you and your great-grandmother should come over to the house and -- SHAMPOO At last! You ask Shampoo to join in silly no-needed Japanese wedding! RANMA looks up at the ceiling with a "why do I even *bother*?" expression. RANMA NO! Shampoo, would you pipe down and let me finish a sentence? SHAMPOO Okay. RANMA Look, there's some kind of demon running around town, and the people who've come to fight it told me that there's safety in numbers, or something like that, and it's going after martial artists. So maybe you and your great-grandmother could get up here so that we can make some kinda plan? SHAMPOO Demon? RANMA Yes, Shampoo, demon. Maybe you've heard about all the murders in town these last couple days? SHAMPOO Yes ... Shampoo tell great-grandmother, and we come. Ranma think it would be good if Shampoo bring goddesses visiting her restaurant as back up? RANMA stares at the phone, perplexed, for a moment. RANMA You're having a few of the Fukano- kami-ryu martial artists over for drinks or something? SHAMPOO No no, different goddesses. Nice ones. RANMA Whatever, Shampoo, just get over here as soon as possible. Seeya. He hangs up and takes up the full screen. RANMA Goddesses. Right. Well, that's one hurdle curled. Now all I gotta do is make sure Akane doesn't find out I invited her over. A blue battle aura glows immediately behind him. RANMA Y'know, one of these days, I'm gonna learn to keep my mouth shut. He turns to see AKANE glaring balefully at him. AKANE RANNNMAAAA. What did you call her and tell her to come over for? RANMA It wasn't my idea! Do you think I'd call that crazy chick over here -- AKANE YES! You've probably been running all over Nerima with her while I've been gone! RANMA Well excuse me for not following you around like some lovesick piggy all the -- AKANE hits RANMA, sending him flying through the dining room out across the porch -- just as PATRICIA and KASUMI walk around the corner -- and into the pond in the back yard. AKANE storms limpingly through the dining room to stand on the porch, just as RANMA (now female) crawls out of the pond, stomps up onto the deck, and poises to yell at her. She stands like that for a full second, then finally swivels and starts to walk away. RANMA Hell with this. AKANE blinks, not fully comprehending what has just transpired. AKANE RANMA! Where do you think you're going! RANMA My room. AKANE storms after him. PATRICIA and KASUMI have been watching this. PATRICIA turns to KASUMI with a quizzical expression. PATRICIA Love? KASUMI I hope so, dear. PATRICIA follows KASUMI as she heads into the kitchen. KASUMI So, I meant to ask -- what exactly do you do in Kent-san's Planetary Defense Forces? PATRICIA takes a moment to puzzle out the question, then nods. PATRICIA I ultimate weapon. KASUMI pauses, and turns to look at the short, almost scrawny girl. KASUMI You ... own the ultimate weapon? PATRICIA blinks, thinks about it, and then smiles, embarrassed. PATRICIA Sorry. Mistake. I *am* ultimate weapon. KASUMI Oh my. Cut to AKANE pounding on the door to RANMA's room. AKANE Ranma! Open this door right now! RANMA (O.S.) Or what? AKANE Or ... or ... AKANE (V.O.) "Or I'll break it down." The thing is, I couldn't. Living in a dormitory with a dozen other girls had taught me a few things about the need for privacy. A long time ago, it felt like, I could have just slammed the sliding door open and burst in. I *had*, a couple times. But ... now I wanted him to ask me to come in. I wanted him to let me come in. Does that make any sense at all? AKANE Ranma ... can I plz come in? There is a long silence. RANMA (O.S.) What? AKANE Can I ... please ... come in? There is another silence. RANMA (O.S.) Sure. Whatever. AKANE braces herself and slides the door open. RANMA is sitting on her futon, glaring at the window (thus looking away from the doorway). AKANE Ranma, I -- RANMA I didn't go running around with her at all. I went out of my way to *avoid* dealing with her. AKANE Oh really. I recall a certain incident with a reversal jewel -- RANMA Y'know, I don't know why, when Cologne zapped you with that thing, you didn't just start killing me. AKANE reacts as if slapped. RANMA I mean, when you put it on right side up, it's supposed to make you feel even more of what you actually feel for a person, so -- AKANE Ranma! I *don't* want you *dead*! AKANE (V.O.) Much. RANMA Sure. No, you're right. If that thing was working properly, you would've just transferred to another high school like *that*. AKANE Ranma ... This is about my going off to college, isn't it! You're just upset that -- RANMA -- I got in less fights? Yeah, a little. But you know what kills me, Akane? You know what really, really kills me? For all I know, you were running around with some college guys while I was here. And then you come back and -- AKANE RANMA! I didn't have time to do anything like that, and unlike a few people I know, *I'm* faithful. How could you think something like that? Do you seriously think that I could change that much from one year away from -- RANMA turns to look at AKANE angrily. RANMA As a matter of fact, YES. I *know* you can change how you feel and act completely! AKANE What are you talking -- RANMA "Wanna be friends?" She looks away again, and AKANE blinks. And remembers. And is upset. AKANE That's *different*! RANMA In one lousy second you went from the only person who'd treated me like a human being in years to -- all because I *wasn't* -- AKANE I was upset! You ... you didn't even try to explain! RANMA 'Cause I knew that you'd start hating me if I did! Just like you *did*! AKANE Ranma! How I feel about you does *not* change when *you* do! RANMA Oh yeah?! AKANE (V.O.) No matter how much I try, I can't explain to myself why I did what I did then. AKANE grabs RANMA, spins her around, and kisses her soundly on the lips. RANMA's eyes bulge, and she starts to push AKANE away. They stare at each other. And then they do it again, and begin to fall onto the futon. Our point of view starts to look at the shaded window. Appropriate noises are heard. AKANE (V.O.) I had *no* idea what I was doing. Okay, that's not quite true. While I was at college, I'd ... accidentally wandered into the showers while two of my floormates were ... anyway, I'd run out after a few minutes, because I'd been too embarrassed, but ... I remembered a few things. I knew, at least, more than he did. She did. Whatever. A lot of ... it was due to the sheer insanity, the chance we were taking, of getting caught by my father, my sisters, or by Ukyou. I wonder if it would have been even sweeter if we'd known we were endangering our lives? Close in on the window, through which we can see two angry eyes glaring. Cut to the other side of the window. SHAMPOO is staring through. Her face is white with fury. SHAMPOO I. KILLLLL! She reaches back, her bonbori in hand ... and her arm is caught. She looks back to see URD glaring at her. URD Okay, what's going -- SHAMPOO points at the window in incoherent fury. URD takes a look. URD Well ... not a lot of technique, but quite a bit of -- SHAMPOO That Shampoo's husband! URD Oh. Um, so you're -- SHAMPOO NO. URD Then -- oh! Jyusenkyo. Cool. SHAMPOO Not cool! Not cool at all! Vile! Disgusting! URD What's *your* problem? SHAMPOO draws in a deep breath ... and starts ranting in rapid-fire Mandarin. URD's face goes from vague confusion to shock to as close as she gets to horror. SHAMPOO is in tears at the end of it. URD Oh, geez. AKANE (V.O.) I never found out what she'd told the goddess. It can't have been anything too important, though -- probably just some biased story of her life up until that point, and how I was stealing her husband from her by foul enchantments. Typical Shampoo lies, in other words. Anyway, nothing came of it. While downstairs, Kent Masefield was explaining the situation to Cologne. Cut to the living room of the Tendou home. COLOGNE is seated on the couch, her staff close at hand, while KENT kneels before her. NABIKI is watching the discussion with a neutral expression. COLOGNE "Those who eat the souls of the mighty," eh? KENT inclines his head. NABIKI I take it you've heard of this kind of thing before? COLOGNE You take it correctly, Tendou Nabiki -- but in the history of the Joke- tsuzoku, there are not many things in the myriad hells that we have *not* heard of. You know then, the ways to kill them? KENT One of the local warriors -- NABIKI His name was Kunou. KENT continues as though NABIKI hadn't interrupted, earning him a harsh glare from NABIKI. KENT -- was able to dispatch one of them with the assistance of one of my associates. To slay the vimogorge requires both a magical and physical assault. NABIKI Or else what happens? COLOGNE Slay the soul and not the body, and it can continue to wreak havoc. Slay the body, and the soul dies -- but its death spasms tear open a gate to the Hell That Is Best Not Described. NABIKI The what? KENT Chinese Hells usually have very descriptive names. So one which is "best not described" is ... well, you can imagine. COLOGNE I doubt that. In any event, Mr. Masefield, you were wise to ask for my presence. And fortunate, as well. KENT Oh? Were you planning on taking some sort of trip, that we couldn't get in contact with -- COLOGNE No. But your invitation came at a remarkably fortuitous point in time -- SKULD (O.S.) It's *beautiful*! Oh WOW! Cut to the porch, where SKULD is standing -- actually, all but floating -- as she stares up at the Helifortress with a rapturous expression. COLOGNE, NABIKI, and KENT (in ascending vertical order) stick their heads out to see what's going on. SKULD All my life I've waited to see something like this ... something that showed true engineering -- KENT Ex-cuse me. SKULD whirls around. SKULD Did you build that? Did you -- Oh no! KENT You again? SKULD Uh ... URD, supporting a still teary SHAMPOO, wanders around the corner, talking to her. URD ... but the thing is, you *can't* let something like that ruin you. You've got to be -- KENT You're both here? URD looks up, startled, and stares at KENT for a moment, half-expecting to see the marks appear on his face again. Nothing happens. KENT All right, what's going on here? Did you tell these people that you were secret agents -- URD Nope. We told 'em the truth. Urd, Goddess Second Class, Limited, and well met. SKULD's eyes boggle. NABIKI nods, and turns to head into the house. SKULD *URD*! KENT I see. You are those who weave fate? URD It's actually more like programming, but yeah. KENT Isn't there supposed to be another one -- URD She's busy, right now. You're taking this rather well. KENT Superhuman martial artists, espers, demons, aliens ... after a while, one stops being surprised by anything. NABIKI returns, carrying a jug, and still nodding calmly. NABIKI I'll drink to that ... SHAMPOO Sound like good idea. Cut to a shot of RANMA and AKANE, curled up together under the covers. AKANE (V.O.) Meanwhile ... Cut to a shot of KYOUSUKE and MADOKA, sitting on a couch. KYOUSUKE is talking. KYOUSUKE ... and then she has the nerve to talk to *me* about taking care of Hikaru! *Akane*! Ms. "I'll Pretend To Be You So Hikaru Doesn't Get In The Way of My Attempt to Impress my Peer Group!" MADOKA nods. KYOUSUKE Doesn't what she was suggesting *bother* you? MADOKA Not as much as what Akane was saying about your grandfather bothers you. He stares at her, aghast. She gives him The Look. KYOUSUKE slumps KYOUSUKE What if she's right? MADOKA What if she is? KYOUSUKE Then ... you and I are ... MADOKA You and I are in love. It took me a hell of a time to find you after you left me that first time, and I am *not* going to let you go just because you're worrying about the reasons that I decided to love you. KYOUSUKE But -- MADOKA But what? I *know* why I love you. If we were brought together by some psychic manipulators, I choose to believe that they were acting in accordance with what was meant to be. Because this is *right*. Kyousuke, do you *seriously* think that I would feel the way I do about you if it had been imposed on me like Akane thinks her feelings for Shiken were? If she can tell the difference, don't you think *I* could? KYOUSUKE Shiken can't. MADOKA gives him another dose of The Look. MADOKA That's because he's an idiot. Do you think *I'm* an idiot, *Kasuga- kun*? KYOUSUKE A-A-A-Ayukawa ... They look at each other for a moment, then break up into laughter. KYOUSUKE No, you're not an idiot. I am, though. MADOKA nods calmly. KYOUSUKE glowers for a moment, then smiles. The phone (located on the table behind them) rings. KYOUSUKE picks it up. KYOUSUKE Kasuga res-- OJIISAN (PHONE) In answer to your question, no, I didn't do anything to make Akane- chan fall for that young man, and neither did her parents. She's just being paranoid. KYOUSUKE Ojiisan?! OJIISAN Yes, now ... in a few minutes, you're going to receive a phone call from an old friend of our family. Don't be intimidated, no matter what he says. KYOUSUKE What? OJIISAN The honor of our family, and the safety of the world depend on you, Kyousuke! KYOUSUKE Excuse me? OJIISAN Say hello to Madoka-san for me! KYOUSUKE Ojiisan! OJIISAN Yes? KYOUSUKE You mean that you didn't try to get me matched up with Madoka? Dead silence. OJIISAN Say hello to Madoka-san for me! Ja! Click. KYOUSUKE stares at the phone in his hand with an appalled expression, before setting it down. Moments later, it rings again. He lets it ring twice, before MADOKA irritatedly picks it up. MADOKA Moshi moshi? It's for you. She hands him the phone, which he reluctantly accepts. KYOUSUKE Hello? KENT (PHONE) Kasuga Kyousuke? KYOUSUKE Yes. KENT (PHONE) My name is Kent Masefield. I need you to come to the Tendou Dojo in Nerima as soon as possible -- KYOUSUKE Hold it! Why should I just get up and go somewhere on your say-so? KENT (PHONE) I'm sorry, I can't explain it in greater detail over the phone. KYOUSUKE Well, then I can't come -- KENT (PHONE) Kasuga-san. Get your butt down here or you and your family are on CNN. Click. Cut to KENT dropping a cell phone in the pocket of his trenchcoat. His expression is annoyed as he walks through the living room to the porch. He stares out at the horizon, standing silently. OJIISAN (V.O.) Was that really necessary? KENT flinches. KENT (V.O.) Probably not. It *was*, I stress, a bluff. OJIISAN (V.O.) All right. KENT (V.O.) You're sure that he can handle it? OJIISAN (V.O.) He's the most powerful of his generation, Kent. If he *can't* do what you need him to do, none of us can. And it's worth a shot, right? KENT smiles, painfully. KENT (V.O.) He would be, wouldn't he? There is a long silence. OJIISAN (V.O.) Regrets? KENT (V.O.) Many. But ... he was the one she wanted, and who was I to argue? There is one thing I wonder, though. OJIISAN (V.O.) What? KENT (V.O.) "Kyousuke"? She told me that she wanted to name her first child Akira. OJIISAN (V.O.) She changed her mind, I suppose. Are you going to tell him? KENT (V.O.) I don't know yet. Should I, Fa-- Sensei? OJIISAN (V.O.) I'm sure you'll do the right thing. And you could call me the other, if you felt inclined. KENT shakes his head. OJIISAN (V.O.) All right. I'll leave you to it, Kent. Good luck. KENT stands, still staring at the horizon for a few minutes. >From the kitchen, PATRICIA is staring at him through the window with a sad expression. KASUMI watches her with one just as sad. Cut to the parking lot of the shopping mall from last time, in early evening. It is deserted except for the Masaki van. RYOUKO materializes beside the van, looking around cautiously. When satisfied, she beckons offscreen. SASAMI, MIHOSHI, AYEKA, and AMY all come running quickly, followed a few moments later by TENCHI, DARIEN, LITA, and AETHAN -- each carrying a tire. SERENA and MINAKO (both carrying their respective cats, LUNA and ARTEMIS) are "helping" DARIEN and AETHAN. RAYE is bringing up the rear, and keeping a close eye on AETHAN. A few moments later, the exploded tires on the van have been replaced. DARIEN is lowering the jack on the last one. DARIEN Well, that should be good enough to get you back to ... Okayama? TENCHI Right. I really am sorry to put you out like this ... SERENA Oh, it's no big deal! RAYE Says the one who nearly had a heart attack trying to lift one of the tires. SERENA RAAAAAYEEEEE! Why are you always so *mean* to me! A tongue war immediately commences, with the Senshi and associates sighing and not watching. The Tenchi family, on the other hand, watch in confusion and/or apprehension. RYOUKO and AYEKA, standing a little ways away, watch with confused interest. RYOUKO ... is it just me or do they -- AYEKA Don't be ridiculous, Ryouko. While Raye-san is almost as refined and polite as am I, Tsukino-san is much more kind and *decent* than you are. MIHOSHI is in tears. MIHOSHI Oh, it's *so* sad to see such good friends fighting! RYOUKO and AYEKA have suddenly ill expressions. Little bubbles appear over their heads -- super-deformed versions of themselves dressed in sailor fuku. SD-RYOUKO My Tenchi-chan! SD-AYEKA My Tenchi-chan! In the middle, between the two bubbles, appears a third -- an SD-MIHOSHI (sailor fuku) hugging an SD-TENCHI (tuxedo). SD-MIHOSHI Wai! My Tenchi-chan! SD-TENCHI Mihoko ... They kiss. Our focus changes to RYOUKO and AYEKA's stricken faces. SD-MIHOSHI & SD-TENCHI (O.S.) Mmmm ... rapture ... RAYE (O.S.) Ummm ... Ayeka-san? AYEKA blinks, and comes back to reality. RAYE is looking at her with a puzzled expression. RAYE Something wrong? AYEKA No! No, nothing's wrong. Ahem. Thank you once again for inviting us into your home while we were looking for the spare parts for our vehicle. RAYE Oh, it was nothing. AYEKA Not nothing, but a great deal. If you should ever visit Okayama -- RYOUKO -- be *sure* to come and see us. RAYE and RYOUKO exchange an angry glare. AETHAN, who is standing beside MINAKO, lets out a long sigh. AETHAN At least it's not just directed at me ... Suddenly AETHAN flinches. KENT (V.O.) Aethan. I need you to come to these coordinates, as soon as possible. MINAKO Aethan? Are you all right? AETHAN I'll be there. I'm fine, Minako, but ... MINAKO You'll be where? Aethan, where are you going? AETHAN tries to step back from her, but she presses close to him. AETHAN Minako, I have to ... leave you, for a while. MINAKO What?! Why?! AETHAN I -- Cut to WASHUU's laboratory. WASHUU and MADELINE are watching the screen intently. WASHUU Geez ... these two are almost as good as the soaps Mihoshi watches. MADELINE They are rather melodramatic. But are you ready to implement the second phase? WASHUU Yeah. If Ryouko finds out that I did this, she'll never -- MADELINE I do not care. WASHUU glares at MADELINE, whose expression is cool and implacable. MADELINE If you do not do this, there is a good chance that your daughter will not be alive to forgive you for the mistakes you have made over the last sixty hours, which put her in this jeopardy in the first place. Given that -- WASHUU Tell me, are all innately telepathic species as lacking in *tact* as yours is? MADELINE Yes. WASHUU Explains a few things ... anyway, the second phase has already begun. Cut back to AETHAN and MINAKO arguing, with the others watching. ARTEMIS has climbed onto LITA's shoulder instead. SERENA Shouldn't we ... try to stop them? RAYE No, the sooner they break up, the *safer* -- LITA Raye, put a sock in it. AETHAN Look, I am sorry, but I cannot tell you where I'm going, because you'd try to follow me! MINAKO Of *course* I would! AETHAN And it's too *dangerous* -- >From his expression, AETHAN immediately realizes what kind of a mistake that statement was. MINAKO Dangerous?! I *live* for dangerous! VENUS COSMIC POWER! While the transformation sequence begins, AETHAN steps back. AETHAN (V.O.) Michael, I need you to do a very quick two-stage teleport to my location and then to a certain set of coordinates. Up for it? MICHAEL (V.O.) I'm on it. MINAKO's change completed, she takes another step forward. MINAKO Now, the Sailor Suited Soldier of Love wants some explanations, or I'll punish you in the name of -- AETHAN Goodbye. MINAKO -- no, Venus -- what do you mean, `goodbye' -- MICHAEL materializes behind AETHAN, and grabs him by the shoulder. RYOUKO suddenly clutches her stomach, in sudden pain. Her face is confused. MINAKO realizes what's about to happen. MINAKO No! She leaps forward, grabbing ahold of AETHAN's coat, just as MICHAEL teleports them, inadvertantly dragging her with them. RYOUKO's stomach pains again manifest. SERENA and ARTEMIS (sim) MINA!! AMY is busily typing her computer. AMY I *think* I have a lock on their destination! SERENA Right! Everybody, transform! The transformation sequence goes off. TENCHI stares, blinkingly at them, blushing deeply as he does so. Of course, RYOUKO and AYEKA notice this. Meanwhile, DARIEN does his quiet, subtle transformation to Tuxedo Mask. SASAMI I definitely want to be a magical girl ... SERENA Luna! If Darien helps us, can we do a Sailor Teleport without Mina? LUNA I'm not sure, but I think that ought to work! SERENA All right! Masaki-san, I'm *really* sorry we're ducking on you like this ... TENCHI That's okay ... I know how these things happen. SERENA flashes him a quick grin, then grabs Tuxedo Mask's hand in one hand and Sailor Mars' in the other. AMY and LITA complete the circle, and the power begins to develop. RYOUKO is bent over now, and AYEKA notices quickly. AYEKA Ryouko? What's wrong? RYOUKO I ... LUNA Sailor ... ARTEMIS TELEPORT! RYOUKO AGGGH!!! The Sailors vanish in a flash of light. RYOUKO is curled up in a ball on the ground. TENCHI RYOUKO! What's wrong?! RYOUKO I don't *KNOW*! I -- RYOUKO begins to emit blue sparks, startling everyone, and attracting LUNA and ARTEMIS' attention. LUNA What -- The lightning flashes, and everyone vanishes, including the two cats. A moment later, SAILOR PLUTO materializes, and stares where they were a moment before. She's pissed. PLUTO Washuu ... Cut back to WASHUU's laboratory. WASHUU is leaning back, a smug expression on her face. TSUNAMI (O.S.) WASHUU! What have you *done*?! WASHUU, startled, whips around. TSUNAMI (or possibly a hologram of her) is standing immediately behind her, with an extremely angry expression on her face. MADELINE is nowhere to be seen. TSUNAMI You are going to explain to me what you have done to Sasami, *now*, and then you and I are going to have words, *sister*. Cut to the porch of the Tendou Dojo, where KENT is still standing. AETHAN and MICHAEL materialize a short distance away. AETHAN blinks. AETHAN Minako? Michael, *where's* Minako? MICHAEL She the girl with the interesting outfit that was grabbing onto you? AETHAN *Yes*. MICHAEL Ummm ... maybe she let go before the teleportation took effect, or I couldn't carry her so she got left behind -- AETHAN Michael, what usually happens when you try to teleport too much mass? MICHAEL Well ... nothing. I mean, I don't go anywhere, so ... so she probably let go -- AETHAN MICHAEL! She's lost in the *VOID*! MICHAEL -- or that could have happened, too. AETHAN is on the verge of hysterics as KENT walks towards him. KENT Aethan. Something the matter? AETHAN Kent! Have you someone who can teleport handy? Someone dear to me has been -- KENT Not at the moment, no. What -- There is a flash of intense light above the pond. KENT whirls around just in time to see the Sailors (*minus* MINAKO) and the Tenchi family drop out of nowhere into the pond. There is a large splash. In the kitchen, KASUMI is preparing some food, and looks out the window. KASUMI Oh my! More guests! SERENA crawls out of the pond first, followed quickly by LUNA, who is *very* annoyed to be wet. LUNA The *one* time I get dragged along on one of those teleports is the time I get plopped into the nearest body of water -- SERENA Luna? I ... feel funny ... Cut to RANMA's room, where RANMA has gotten out of bed and is staring out the window. AKANE is pulling on her clothes. AKANE What? What is it? RANMA You're never going to believe me. AKANE shakes her head and limps over to look out the window herself. Cut to the porch, where NABIKI wanders past, and looks out at the pond ... Just as SERENA abruptly detransforms. NABIKI is silent for a long moment, then shrugs. NABIKI Aliens, demons, godesses, espers, and wizards ... of course the Sailor Senshi *would* show up. Cut to the kitchen. KASUMI looks out at SERENA and LUNA. For a moment, a full moon symbol glows on her forehead. KASUMI Oh, *no*. Cut to the pond, where RAYE, AMY, and LITA also detransform after they crawl out. LITA Amy? Please tell me you know what's going on? AMY shakes her head, bewhilderedly. RAYE looks around anxiously ... and her gaze settles on AETHAN. Before AETHAN can react, she is in his face. RAYE *YOU*! WHAT DID YOU DO?! AETHAN Ms. Hino, now is not -- RAYE AND WHERE'S MINA? AETHAN I'm not sure. She may have been lost in the teleportation, because she foolishly grabbed -- RAYE slaps him with every bit of power she has in her arm. RAYE You son-of-a-bitch! You've gone and gotten my friend *killed*! AETHAN's face goes absolutely cold. AETHAN And? RAYE What do you mean, and? AETHAN I am a monster, am I not? I am only using her to satisfy my vile lusts, am I not? Thus, my grief at her loss should be minimal, should it not? I can find an equally capable blood-toy anywhere, can I not? AETHAN has been slowly moving his head towards RAYE so that instead of her being in his face, he now looms over her. AETHAN Ms. Hino, if you would kindly exhibit a greater degree of consistency in your bloody-minded prejudice, it would be greatly appreciated. He turns away and glares at MICHAEL. AETHAN FIND HER. He turns and stalks away from them. Meanwhile, TENCHI has hauled a stricken-looking RYOUKO up onto dry land. SASAMI (who looks extremely disoriented), MIHOSHI, and AYEKA are all standing nearby. TENCHI Ryouko?! Are you all right? RYOUKO Tenchi ... TENCHI Ryouko, what's -- RYOUKO Tenchi ... I don't have very long to ... be with you ... TENCHI Ryouko, what are you saying? RYOUKO The darkness, Tenchi, the darkness is falling ... it won't be long now ... but ... MIHOSHI is beginning to tear up, while AYEKA has a look that hovers somewhere between skepticism and concern. TENCHI Ryouko, there's *got* to be some way to -- RYOUKO No ... you can only comfort me as I go into the darkness ... Tenchi ... one little kiss is all I ask -- AYEKA closes her eyes, and nods decisively. AYEKA Ryouko, I'm so sad to hear that you're dying. No, no, I'm a liar ... after all, when you're gone I *will* have Tenchi all to myself, so -- RYOUKO bolts up. RYOUKO Oh yeah?! Is that what you think? TENCHI Ryouko. RYOUKO realizes her mistake. RYOUKO I'm saved! Tenchi, you saved my life with your deep feelings for me! TENCHI Great. Cut to RANMA's room. RANMA and AKANE are still at the window, watching RYOUKO and AYEKA squabbling while TENCHI tries to stay out of the way. RANMA Why does that seem oddly familiar? AKANE Do you think we should go down and say ... hello? RANMA Um. Yeah. And I want some hot water, too. He turns away. AKANE is still standing at the window with an apprehensive expression. There is an odd tension in the air. AKANE Ranma? RANMA Yeah? AKANE ... it was nice but I don't want it to happen again for a while. There is a long silence. RANMA finishes pulling on her pants, and walks out of the room with a stony expression on her face. AKANE (V.O.) The implications of what I'd just done had *finally* caught up to me. For three years I had dance-stepped around the issue of what I felt about him ... and about *her*. Now it was out in the open ... and he still hadn't said the words. And neither had I. Cut to the staircase. As RANMA descends, SHAMPOO steps into view, heading upstairs. Her expression, if possible, is even more stony than RANMA's. RANMA flinches as he meets her gaze. RANMA Um. Hi, Shampoo. SHAMPOO walks up the stairs very slowly, until she is standing in RANMA's face. SHAMPOO Nihao, *husband*. RANMA Uh ... has Kent already told you about the situation? SHAMPOO Shampoo understands situation very well. RANMA Okay ... sorry I wasn't there to greet you when you came by, but -- SHAMPOO Shampoo understands. Excuse? Shampoo need have bath. No feel *clean* right now. She cuts around RANMA, leaving her with a confused look on her face. SHAMPOO continues up the stairs. She pauses at AKANE's door. She stares at it with revulsion and loathing. SHAMPOO How? *Why*? She continues on. Cut to an exterior view of the Helicarrier's control cockpit. Through the windows, we can see that ANDREW is trying to ignore a very persistent SKULD. Cut to inside the cockpit. ANDREW is examining sensor readings while SKULD bugs him. SKULD Come on? *Please* tell me a little bit about how this thing was built? It flies, right? You're not supposed to be building flying objects this big for a few centuries yet ... I mean, what does it use to power the rotors? I didn't see any fissionables when I went poking in the engine room, so -- ANDREW Whoever sang "Thank Heaven for Little Girls" should be dragged out into the street and shot. SKULD mallets ANDREW. SKULD *Meanie*! BRAN steps down into the cockpit, and sees SKULD glaring at ANDREW's unconscious form. He nervously turns to go, but SKULD spots him before he can. SKULD Hey! Hey, do you know how this ship was built? Do you know where I can find the one who built it? BRAN Uh ... well, that would be me, miss. SKULD is *very* excited. Her whole face lights up. SKULD Reeeallly?!? Cut to the front gate of the Tendou dojo. We see KENT slip out the door, and let out a weary sigh. KENT Join the Planetary Defense Force. Travel to strange, exotic places. Meet interesting people -- KYOUSUKE (O.S.) -- and threaten them? KENT looks up. KYOUSUKE is standing nearby with an angry expression. There is a long silence as the two men consider each other. KENT finally nods. KENT You look like them. KYOUSUKE Excuse me? KENT Your parents. You look like them. KYOUSUKE You knew my mother and father? KENT I only met your father once, very briefly. But I did know your mother. I met her when your grandfather was training me. KYOUSUKE Oh. Wait ... then, you're an esper too? KENT Yep. Telepath. I'm pretty good, but not as good as your mother was. Of course, she couldn't communicate with anything *sapient*, but ... KYOUSUKE Then why would you threaten to expose my -- KENT Oh. That. Sorry. A number of things had put me in a bad mood when I called. KYOUSUKE stares at him, then shakes his head in disbelief. KYOUSUKE All right, you've got me here now. What do you need me for? KENT You're part of my back-up plan, Kasuga-san. If all goes well, we should be able to dispose of the demons that have begun to infest the city before they can tear open a gate to bring more of their kind here. KYOUSUKE's mouth begins to hang open when KENT mentions demons. KENT If we don't, we're going to have to perform a major banishing ritual that requires complete coordination between the participants, which can only be achieved by placing them in a psychic link. I'm going to show you how to do it, in the event that I'm killed in battle and can't do it myself. The important thing is that we have to defeat the demons before they get the bright idea to try and awaken something that's sleeping beneath the Pacific, not too far from here. KYOUSUKE What? Gojiira? KENT Yes. KENT gently guides a stunned KYOUSUKE into the dojo as we start to pull away. AKANE (V.O.) I think I pity Kasuga Kyousuke more than anyone else who became involved in this. Aside from the fact that he had his esper abilities, his life *had* really been fairly normal. He wasn't a warrior, and now he was being asked to become involved in a fight against opponents he'd never dreamed existed. In any event, all the players had finally been drawn together ... with a few key exceptions. Cut to a shot of BELLDANDY, MARA, and KEIICHI stepping off a bus. Cut to a shot of a deserted street. Suddenly, a hole begins to tear in the air, and MINAKO pushes herself through it before it seals behind her. She gulps air like a woman rescued from drowning, and looks around confusedly. MINAKO Where *am* I? Cut to black. AKANE (V.O.) And the Adversary began to make its moves. TO BE CONTINUED