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 thereof.
Incorporating
original characters created by
by C. Richard Davies
Dedicated to John Biles, Fred Herriot,
and Larry Mann.
ACT FOUR
Opening Shot: MADOKA asleep in bed, alone. The room is flooded with
sunlight, and she slowly awakes. She yawns, and then gets out of bed.
She pulls a dressing gown on over her pyjamas, and wanders out of the
bedroom. She heads into the bathroom, closing the door behind her.
We hear the sound of vomiting.
MADOKA (O.S.)
MUFFLED Oh, *great* ...
There is the sound of teeth being brushed.
AKANE (V.O.)
That's the other reason that I feel
sorry for Kasuga Kyousuke. To have
something as important as that on
the line, and not know it ... BEAT
In any event, it didn't happen for a
few hours after Kyousuke arrived.
Cut to a shot of the dojo at night, with the Helifortress still perched in
the backyard.
AKANE (V.O.)
Kent had taken Aethan DeGales and
his "friend", that Gideon fellow I
never got to know very well, up into
the flying fortress, along with
Kasuga. Aethan probably told him
about the Sailor Senshi -- or rather
Sailor *Scouts*, as they preferred
to be called -- while they were up
there.
Cut to the interior of the dojo hall. It is divided in two parts by a
curtain. On one side, SERENA, RAYE, AMY, LITA, MIHOSHI, AYEKA, and SASAMI
are bedded down on the floor, in sleeping bags. SERENA is snoring, of
course. MIHOSHI is making mumbling noises in her sleep. LITA, AMY, and
SASAMI are asleep more sedately. RAYE and AYEKA are speaking with each
other in low and quiet tones.
AKANE (V.O.)
I think Aethan talked Kent into
talking Kasumi into letting this new
group of visitors camp out in the
dojo. Of course, nobody had even
thought of asking Dad about it. It
hurt to see him reverting to the way
he'd been just before I'd left home,
when Kasumi had told me that he was
starting to get better. But I think
it was mostly an act.
On the other side of the curtain, DARIEN is also fast asleep. There is
another, empty sleeping bag.
Cut to one of the hallways. TENCHI is walking down it, looking around
with an anxious expression. He finally passes a door through which we
hear a flushing noise. RANMA steps out.
TENCHI
Oh, there it is!
RANMA
The toilet? Yep.
TENCHI ducks into the door. RANMA turns to head off, then pauses and
waits. A few moments later, we hear a flush. TENCHI steps out of the
door with a relieved expression on his face.
RANMA
You're ... Tenchi, right? I heard
a couple of the girls you came in
with calling you that.
TENCHI
NOD Right. And you are?
RANMA
Saotome Ranma. BEAT So, just out
of curiousity -- are you engaged to
any of those girls?
TENCHI
BLINK Uh ... no. BEAT Not for
lack of effort on their part, but --
RANMA nods knowingly.
TENCHI
DISBELIEVING Uh, I take it then
that you have relationship troubles,
yourself?
RANMA
DEADPAN Two fiancees, one crazy
Chinese chick who thinks we're
already married, and assorted other
loonies of either sex after me.
TENCHI considers this briefly, then nods.
TENCHI
You win.
RANMA
SHRUGS I usually do. BEAT You
do martial arts?
TENCHI
MODEST A bit of kendo.
RANMA
CONSIDERS Kendo, huh? BEAT I've
probably picked up a bit of that,
what with all my go-arounds with --
anyway, wanna spar?
TENCHI
SHRUGS Sure, I guess. I'm having
trouble sleeping, anyway.
RANMA gestures with his head.
Cut to the lawn outside the dojo, a few moments later. TENCHI and RANMA
are equipped with wooden practice swords. TENCHI salutes slowly in the
Jurain manner.
RANMA
BLINKS What was that?
TENCHI
My style's opening salute.
RANMA
Oh. BEAT; SHRUG Wherefore art
thou, Ushiko-san? Wherefore art
thou, Umao-san?
TENCHI
Excuse me?
RANMA
*My* style's opening salute. BEAT
That was Shakespeare, right? Well,
let's go!
We pull away, lifting above them as they begin to spar. The sound of wood
striking wood awakens RYOUKO, who has found a place to sleep on the roof
of the dojo. She looks down from the roof with an irritated and sleepy
expression ... which fades as she realizes that TENCHI is the one making
the noise. She watches with interest.
Cut to the other side of the Tendou home. LUNA and ARTEMIS are prowling
around.
LUNA
Artemis, are you sensing anything
... unusual about this place?
ARTEMIS
DEADPAN No, but I'm focusing all
my energy on finding Minako, so that
*might* possibly be affecting my
perceptions.
LUNA gives him a disgusted look.
ARTEMIS
UPSET What? Like you'd do any
different if it was Serena, lost in
the void?
LUNA turns away.
LUNA
Well, I *am* getting a funny feeling
about the people in this house.
ARTEMIS
What kind of a funny feeling?
LUNA
The same sort of thing I got when I
was finding the Scouts ...
ARTEMIS
DISMISSIVE You're probably picking
up on whatever energy those aliens
use, that's all.
LUNA
SHAKES HEAD No. It's not the same
at all.
ARTEMIS
Luna, come on. There's only nine
planets, and we have nine senshi.
What, do you think that we're going
to suddenly find a Sailor Sun? A
Sailor Earth? A Sailor Comet Belt?
If they didn't exist in the Silver
Millenium, why --
LUNA
ANNOYED Fine. You stay here and
keep probing the void without any
idea of what you're going to do if
you *find* Minako, and I'll go do
something productive. Bye.
She darts off. ARTEMIS glares, and starts to imitate her British accent.
"And OI'LL goh dew somefing PRO-
duktif!" Sheesh.
Cut to KASUMI's bedroom. She is lying in her bed, with her covers up to
her neck, but not asleep. She lets out a long sigh and closes her eyes.
Slowly, the window slides open, and LUNA, her eyes glowing, makes her
appearance. She pads into the room, and up onto the bed. KASUMI doesn't
open her eyes.
KASUMI
VERY CALM Hello, Luna.
LUNA is shocked enough to jump back, while KASUMI pulls herself into a
kneeling position on the bed. KASUMI looks down at the cat with a vaguely
melancholy expression.
LUNA
You know who I am?!
KASUMI
Yes.
LUNA
... then you know who and what you
are!
KASUMI
Yes, Luna, I've known for almost
four years.
LUNA
But how --
KASUMI
One night, the moon went out. BEAT
And I heard the sound of a cat
screaming. BEAT And I knew who
I had been, once.
LUNA
Who -- VESTA!
KASUMI nods.
LUNA
But how ... you weren't even *on*
the moon when your mother sent the
spirits of the Moon Kingdom to Earth
... you'd been *dead* for ...
KASUMI
I don't know, Luna. I remember ...
I remember how I died, and parts of
my past life ... not much, though,
nine hundred years is much to take
in.
LUNA
Well, it doesn't matter, now. I've
found you, and that's what counts.
Now --
LUNA produces a locket from nowhere, setting it down in front of KASUMI,
who picks it up and examines it.
LUNA
-- that's a focus, it will allow you
to use your energies to take on a
senshi form, just like Serena did
when she was starting as Sailor Moon
-- I imagine that we'll call you --
KASUMI sets the locket down on the bed.
KASUMI
No.
LUNA
-- Sailor Vesta and ... BEAT What
do you mean, no?
KASUMI
I'm not going to be a Sailor Senshi,
Luna.
LUNA
But ... but, Vesta, it's --
KASUMI
FIRM My name is Tendou Kasumi. Do
you call Serenity by *that* name,
when you're with her?
LUNA
No, but ... but Ve-- Kasumi, it's
your --
KASUMI
My destiny? SHAKES HEAD No, Luna.
The only destiny I ever had was to
be my mother's heir and my father's
pawn ... and I gave that destiny up.
BEAT Would you have me usurp
Serenity's place?
LUNA
I ... I hadn't really thought about
it.
KASUMI reaches out a hand, and pets LUNA, gently.
KASUMI
I leave it to your discretion to
decide how much to tell her, Luna.
BEAT What is she like?
LUNA gives the impression of one who doesn't really want to answer a
question. KASUMI gazes down at her with a calm, curious expression.
LUNA
SIGH She is, when she has to be,
the bravest, kindest ... most human
human I have ever known. BEAT She
will be a better queen than Serenity
ever was, and her realm will be more
just.
KASUMI smiles.
LUNA
DESPERATE You're sure that you
won't --
KASUMI
GENTLY FIRM Yes. BEAT Good
night, Luna.
LUNA hops off the bed and heads for the window while KASUMI begins to lie
down. LUNA pauses at the window, and looks back.
LUNA
It was never clear how you died.
BEAT It was said that Beryl had
killed you, herself.
KASUMI does not look at LUNA.
KASUMI
She did.
LUNA
Then you should know that Serena
avenged you --
KASUMI
I know. BEAT; TEARS IN HER VOICE
May the Light be more merciful to
Beryl than this world ever was.
LUNA jerks back ... clearly that was NOT the response she was expecting.
She silently heads out the window, leaving KASUMI alone in the silence.
AKANE (V.O.)
As I write this, I'm starting to
understand why Kasumi felt the way
that she did, even if I don't
understand all the specifics. BEAT
I remember her looking at me with
anxious eyes, when I was a child and
hurt myself fighting ... and one day
I realized that she wasn't only
scared that I'd get hurt fighting,
but that I'd start liking it. BEAT
Liking hurting people. BEAT What
must it be like for someone to know
that she has a sister she's never
met engaged in mortal combat at any
given time?
Cut to the cockpit of the Helifortress. We see KENT easing himself into
the pilot's seat, and looking down at the dojo. Just outside the
building, he can see TENCHI and RANMA sparring. He looks down, and a
wistful expression develops on his face.
Cut to the inside of the dojo hall, and close in on SASAMI, sleeping. Her
face twitches.
Cut to WASHUU's laboratory, where TSUNAMI is suspiciously watching WASHUU
at work. TSUNAMI's face twitches in the same way that SASAMI's did.
WASHUU
So just how close to full synchro
are the two of you, anyway?
TSUNAMI
IRRITATED I don't see that that's
any of your business, Washuu. And
stop trying to change the subject,
it has been nearly a third of this
planet's rotation and you still have
not explained what you did to Sasami
to momentarily cut her off from me.
WASHUU
Pushy, pushy ... BEAT Okay, what
I did was pretty simple. You know
how a convoy of ships moves together
through hyperspace?
TSUNAMI
BLINK What?
WASHUU
All the navigation computers of the
convoy get slaved to the one in the
"point" ship, which does the jump
calculations for every ship, so that
they all emerge in the same form--
TSUNAMI
INTERRUPTS What does any of this
have to do with --
WASHUU
INTERRUPTS BACK --ation, instead
of possibly trying to simultaneously
occupy the same space at the same
time. BEAT Ryouko can do the
same thing. Her teleportation --
as well as both of the 'porters who
were in that area with her -- is
functionally the same as a starship
jump drive, with her brain as a
computer. When I was designing her,
I gave her the ability to slave
herself into any other jump computer
in her vicinity, so that she could
track starships and ... other things
through hyperspace. BEAT And just
now I activated it involuntarily,
and made her space fold a little
larger than it normally is. You
lost track of Sasami because she was
in hyperspace for a while, that's
all.
TSUNAMI
SARCASM "That's all." BEAT Very
well, that was `What'. Now, in
regards to `Why'?
WASHUU
BLAND Would you believe me if I
told you that a manipulative mind-
reading space alien told me to do
it?
TSUNAMI
Of course not!
WASHUU
That's what I thought.
TSUNAMI
Let me guess, this is all part of
some plan of yours, isn't it?
WASHUU
Well, yes.
TSUNAMI
ANGRY Don't you ever get tired of
these inane little --
WASHUU stands up and morphs to adult form so that she can stare TSUNAMI in
the eye.
WASHUU
ANGRY Don't talk to *me* about
*plans*, Ms. "Send the Coward Crown
Prince to His Mom's Home Pond To
Bring Fresh Blood Into The Royal
Line"! You've got no room to be
yelling at --
TSUNAMI
FIERCE RAMIA.
A stab of guilt flashes across WASHUU's face, covered by stubbornness.
WASHUU
That was twelve thousand years ago!
You should have --
TSUNAMI
If I'd had any sense at all, then,
I *should* have blown you out my
airlock. BEAT; ALMOST BREAKING I
had just watched my *sister* KILL
HERSELF, and there you were, pulling
me away from the only person who had
ever treated me as something other
than a useful object, to go fight
some more. Do you have *any* idea
how much that hurt?
WASHUU
BEAT; QUIET Yes.
She abruptly collapses back into her childlike form, and sits back down at
her terminal.
WASHUU
We do things we're not proud of,
because they're necessary. That's
part of what being a grown up is.
BEAT It's one part that I haven't
been able to get away from, no
matter how much I've tried.
TSUNAMI stares at her, then shakes her head.
TSUNAMI
I want your assurances that you
won't try to interfere with Sasami
again.
WASHUU
BORED Sure.
TSUNAMI
Your *assurances*, Washuu.
WASHUU
Here's a thought: Go to her, keep
an eye on her, and if it looks like
I'm trying anything, zap me.
TSUNAMI nods.
TSUNAMI
I think I shall do just that. Good
day, `Sister'.
She vanishes. WASHUU briefly smiles a "Sometimes it's so easy, I'm
ashamed of myself" grin, then goes back to her work.
WASHUU
MUSING Sister. Mother. BEAT
Why do people only call me those
things when they're angry with me?
PLUTO (O.S.)
I've no idea.
WASHUU throws her hands up in the air.
WASHUU
PUT UPON You know, if people just
keep barging in here, I'm gonna stop
putting up the warning signs that
say I'm engaged in risky research,
and someone will come in and get
blasted, and it'll be TURNS AROUND
all your fault!
PLUTO is staring at her angrily.
PLUTO
SHORT I don't care. You. Me.
Outside. NOW.
Cut to an empty street, at dawn. The "point" of an energy blade appears
in mid air, and slices open a circular gate, through which MINAKO tumbles,
taking big gulps of air.
MINAKO
Where *am* I? LOOKS AROUND Tokyo.
Or some other metropolitan Japanese
city. BEAT Unless it's Vancouver,
or some other city with a Japanese
town inside it ... gee, I could be
*really* lost ...
There is the sound of an explosion in the distance.
MINAKO
CHEERFUL Not that it matters!
She dashes off in the direction of the explosion.
Cut to a broken up city street. A large monster which could be best
described as a yellow slug with a head shaped like that of a deformed,
cyclopean bull is smashing into cars and buildings. Fortunately, the
street is mostly empty.
YOHKO (O.S.)
I bear no ill-will to those made
victims of demons; but --
The monster smashes into a building, and a pair of forms are briefly seen
leaping for cover.
YOHKO (O.S.)
-- but, to those who dwell in dark-
ness, since the --
The monster smashes into the car behind which the forms dodged. They
dodge again, behind trash cans.
YOHKO
-- since the time of the ancient
gods, we have been --
The monster draws back and lets out a belch of brownish-yellow gas at the
trash cans. YOHKO and AZUSA run for cover behind a nearby car. YOHKO
looks to be somewhere between annoyance and panic.
YOHKO
Azusa-chan, I know that you really
want me to do the whole spiel before
we attack, but are you *sure* there
aren't precedents for doing it the
other way around?
AZUSA looks uncertain.
MINAKO (O.S.)
If not, let's make one!
She bounds over YOHKO and AZUSA's heads, grinning as she leaps towards the
monster.
YOHKO (sim)
Mina!
AZUSA (sim)
Minako-san!
MINAKO
VENUS ... LOVELY ... BLADE!
Just as MINAKO is about to smack into the side of the monster's head, the
sword forms between her hands and she slices downwards. The monster
howls.
YOHKO
-- sincethetimeoftheancientgodswe
havebeenyourdestroyersthe106th
generationofdevilhunterandapprentice
arehere! TO AZUSA Happy?
AZUSA nods, and produces her spear as she charges towards the monster.
YOHKO's soul sword is out as she does the same.
The fighting style of the Devil Hunters and Sailor Venus in this scene
could best be described as exuberant. The monster, while powerful, is
very stupid, and they are outmaneuvering it from the very beginning.
Thus, they feel free to show off, doing acrobatic attacks and the like,
trading quips while striking blows. Finally, AZUSA delivers a thrust to
the base of the monster's neck, while MINAKO and YOHKO give simultaneous
sword strikes through its eye. The monster convulses, then collapses,
with the fighters jumping away from the carcass as it does.
MINAKO
PLEASED SIGH Nice work out. BEAT
Hello, Yohko. This is Tokyo, right?
YOHKO
Uh ... yes. Nerima district. It's
good to see you again, Mina.
MINAKO
Likewise! BEAT Hello, Azusa-chan!
Worked out that little problem yet?
AZUSA
SHAKES HEAD No, Minako-san ...
still working on it.
AZUSA looks sadly at YOHKO who is staring confusedly at MINAKO.
YOHKO
"Little problem"?
MINAKO
Nothing to worry about. BEAT
Nerima? Isn't this a little off
the beaten path for you two?
YOHKO
For you, too. Grandmother was
contacted by an old client of hers
who lives in this area, something
about a bunch of murders, and she
sent us in to investigate, as usual.
The side of the monster's carcass begins to bulge. AZUSA notices.
MINAKO
Neat. I got sent here by a botched
teleportation.
AZUSA
Umm ... Yohko-san?
YOHKO
"Botched tele--"
AZUSA
Minako-san?
MINAKO
At least I hope that's what happened
... I don't want to think that my
GLOATING *boyfriend* dropped me
off here deliberately --
AZUSA
Ummmmm ...
YOHKO
SHOCKED No! You didn't! You did
*not* get a boyfriend before I did,
no way!
MINAKO
SWEET Waaaaay.
AZUSA
DESPERATE Guys?
YOHKO
Oh ... life is so, *so* unfair ...
AZUSA
PANICS YOU GUYS?!?
They turn to look at her.
AZUSA
I don't think that the monster is
dead yet!
YOHKO and MINAKO stare at the bulges in the side of the monster, and
immediately get ready for more fighting -- just as a human arm bursts out
of the side of the carcass. It remains rigid for a moment, then collapses
in exhaustion.
YOHKO
Oh, GOD!
They all dash over to the monster, and start to widen the hole torn by the
arm in the monster's skin, until KASUGA AKANE tumbles out, limp, covered
in the monster's digestive juices, and gasping for breath.
KASUGA AKANE
GASPING Wha ... wha ... wha ...
MINAKO
SOOTHING It's all right, we killed
the demon.
AKANE stares groggily at MINAKO, then nods vaguely.
KASUGA AKANE
Okay ...
She lets out a long sigh, and starts to close her eyes. A moment later,
they burst open.
KASUGA AKANE
Shiken!
MINAKO
What?
KASUGA AKANE
Shiken, my ... my fiance, he ... we
were in a car, we were arguing, and
that ... that thing smashed through
the windshield and sucked us both
up like some sort of vacuumn cleaner
from hell --
MINAKO, YOHKO, and AZUSA look at the hole in the monster's side, and
wince.
YOHKO
VERY RELUCTANT I'll do it.
Taking a deep breath, she puts her hands on either side of the slash, and
pulls it open wide enough to stick her head in, which she promptly does.
The inside of the monster's body cavities are dimly lit. YOHKO looks
around quickly, obviously trying to hold her breath. Her gaze finally
stops on the remains of SHIKEN ... a sight which, judging by her reaction,
we are lucky to not see. She pulls her head back out.
Outside, YOHKO takes another deep breath, and shudders a bit.
KASUGA AKANE
Did you see him?
YOHKO doesn't look at her.
YOHKO
No. BEAT I couldn't see ...
anything that looked like another
human being.
The implications of that sink in for AKANE, and she begins to cry.
KASUGA AKANE
I ... I don't get it ... what's
with me? I didn't want to marry
him ... I didn't even like him ...
much ... so I should be happy that
he's --
Her words are cut off by a sudden spasm of pain. MINAKO, on her knees
beside AKANE, reaches out to steady her by placing a hand on her stomach
... and recoils. After a second, she slowly puts her hand back.
Something throbs in AKANE's stomach, vibrating up MINAKO's arm. YOHKO and
AZUSA watch in horror.
YOHKO
QUIET Azusa-chan, do you have that
Devil Hunter's guide of yours, with
you?
AZUSA nods rapidly, and produces a large tome from her backpack.
AZUSA
Look for the monster's picture?
YOHKO
Yes.
AZUSA starts flipping through the book.
KASUGA AKANE
DREADING Something's wrong, isn't
it? Something's wrong with me.
MINAKO
REASSURING We don't know that, not
for sure, so don't go and --
AZUSA's jaw drops.
AZUSA
Amida-sama ...
YOHKO looks at her expectantly. AZUSA just shakes her head, and hands the
book to YOHKO. YOHKO stares down at the page, and becomes very pale.
KASUGA AKANE
FRIGHTENED What? BEAT WHAT?
YOHKO
Miss ... what's your name? You
never did say.
KASUGA AKANE
Akane. What --
YOHKO
Akane-san ... this particular kind
of monster has two uses for human
prey. BEAT Males, it uses as
... as a food supply. BEAT And
STRUGGLING females ... it uses to
... reproduce ...
AKANE stares up at YOHKO, who can't meet her gaze. She turns her head to
stare at MINAKO, who is gazing back at her in horror.
KASUGA AKANE
VERY QUIET It's inside of me.
Isn't it?
MINAKO can't stand that gaze for more than a few seconds, so she looks up
at YOHKO.
YOHKO
TRYING TO HOLD ON The book says
that there's about ten minutes from
conception to ... birth, and that
the spawn achieves ... it's able to
continue the cycle under a year.
BEAT And the spawn can't be
banished from the Earth dimension,
like the parent.
MINAKO starts to shake her head, then freezes, with a wild look on her
face.
MINAKO
SAILOR MOON! She can purify her,
heal her, she can --
AZUSA and YOHKO look hopeful.
MINAKO
FADING -- she can do a lot of
things ... but I don't know where
she is ...
AKANE suddenly grabs MINAKO's hand, and jerks it up her body, to her
collarbone. MINAKO looks back, and is obviously frightened by what she
sees in AKANE's eyes.
KASUGA AKANE
KILL ME.
MINAKO
I --
KASUGA AKANE
I never wanted to be a mother, and
definitely not like this, KILL ME!
MINAKO
I cccccc-- I caaaa -- I --
KASUGA AKANE
TEARS PLEASE.
MINAKO looks at YOHKO and AZUSA, who stare back helplessly. MINAKO turns
back to AKANE and stares into her eyes for a second. She has a hard time
speaking.
MINAKO
Where can I get in touch with your
fam--
KASUGA AKANE
They won't care. BEAT Nobody's
going to miss me. BEAT The only
person I ever loved never even knew.
When I'm gone, no one will remember
... it'll be like I never existed.
MINAKO nods, and slowly moves her hand, covered by AKANE's hand, to
AKANE's left breast.
MINAKO
I'll remember. BEAT I will always
remember you.
KASUGA AKANE
SMILES DESPITE FEAR AND PAIN Thank
you.
MINAKO
FAINT Please close your eyes.
AKANE does so.
KASUGA AKANE
Will it hurt?
MINAKO
I don't know. BEAT But if it
does ... it only hurts for a little
while. I promise. I won't do it
until --
There's a surge in AKANE's stomach.
KASUGA AKANE
Now.
MINAKO
WHISPERED Crescent Beam.
Beneath their gripped hands, there is a flash of golden light. AKANE's
eyes flash open in shock. MINAKO stares at them, as if expecting to see
the shock to fade, for her face to show peace at the end.
It doesn't.
Cut to a bathroom. MADOKA, brushing her teeth, jerks up. She looks over
her shoulder, an odd expression on her face. Slowly, she starts to brush
her teeth again.
Cut back to MINAKO and AKANE. MINAKO's hand is still resting on AKANE's
breast. MINAKO doesn't seem to be breathing. YOHKO slowly approaches,
and touches MINAKO's shoulder.
MINAKO
QUIET Don't touch me, please.
YOHKO backs off a short distance. MINAKO slowly releases AKANE's death
grip on her hand, and rests AKANE's hand over the cauterized hole in her
chest. She starts to move back, and remove her gloves.
MINAKO
CALM My, these are dirty. BEAT
Very dirty. I'm never going to be
able to get these clean. Even with
bleach ...
She turns to stare at YOHKO. Her eyes are full of tears.
YOHKO
Mina ...
MINAKO
Yohko, do you have a lighter? Or
something else that bbburns? I need
to get rid of these gloves. They're
dirty. Very, very ddddddd--
She breaks down. YOHKO quickly holds her as she sobs, and AZUSA joins a
moment later. A few minutes pass.
WOMAN (O.S.)
How sad.
YOHKO looks up sharply. Standing nearby is a WOMAN (apparently in her
early thirties), with short-cropped gray hair, dressed in a long black
coat. She is staring at the decaying carcass of the monster, her hands in
her coat pockets.
YOHKO
Who --
The WOMAN turns to look at YOHKO. We see that she has grey eyes with
flecks of gold.
WOMAN
Who am I? BEAT I'm the bad guy.
YOHKO
What?
WOMAN
Well, not *THE* bad guy, not yet.
But I'm working on it.
YOHKO slowly disengages MINAKO from her embrace, and starts to stand up.
YOHKO
You're the one responsible for
freeing this monster?
The WOMAN thinks about that for a moment.
WOMAN
... in the long run, yes. I stopped
someone from stopping the opening of
the gate that brought it here, so --
YOHKO flourishes her soul sword. The WOMAN does not seem unduly
impressed.
YOHKO
Why?
WOMAN
SHRUG I wanted to make a deal with
the one that was actually being
called here. This thing was just
the daemonic equivalent of a fly on
a rat coming ashore --
YOHKO
Okay. That's IT!
She charges. The WOMAN regards her with mild interest right up until the
last possible moment, when she sidesteps with superhuman speed, brushing a
hand across YOHKO's swordarm as she does. YOHKO goes past, then whirls
around to try again.
WOMAN
Nuh-uh-*uh* ...
YOHKO's sword arm stretches out to the side. She looks at it, startled.
YOHKO
W-what's happening --
WOMAN
GRINNING THIS.
YOHKO's arm begins to bend backwards at the elbow. She struggles, in
obvious pain, trying to fight the force which is holding her arm captive.
AZUSA
YOHKO-SAN!
AZUSA rises and throws her spear at the WOMAN's back. The WOMAN's eyes
narrow. YOHKO's arm snaps back, and she lets out a shriek of agony. The
WOMAN whirls and catches the spear just before it hits her chest. AZUSA
starts to visibly panic.
WOMAN
Cute. Very cute.
She discards the spear casually, and starts to walk towards MINAKO, who
slowly pushes herself off the floor, frightened and still in shock.
WOMAN
SOOTHING Relax. I don't intend to
kill you. BEAT I overheard you
mention someone called Sailor Moon.
BEAT I think that I know where
she is. If she's in this district
at all, she'll be at the Tendou dojo
... just a little ways from here.
BEAT Also there will be a man,
named Kent. I want you to give him
a message.
MINAKO
Message? What --
WOMAN
Tell him that Jessica is here, and
that I'm waiting.
The WOMAN (hereafter referred to as JESSICA) looks down at AKANE's body
for a moment.
JESSICA
It's a shame so many people have to
die for one man's mistake ... but
that's life, I guess. BEAT Funny
how the police never showed up,
isn't it? Oh well. I don't think
you and I will ever meet again.
BEAT If I we do, I'll probably
have to kill you or something.
Bye.
She leaps into the air ... and starts flying away, fairly slowly. MINAKO
watches, stunned. AZUSA is trying to help YOHKO, who is obviously in
extreme pain.
AZUSA
Yohko-san, are you all right?
YOHKO
STRAINED Well, other the little
thing about my arm being broken,
yes ...
MINAKO turns back to them.
MINAKO
Yohko ... you'd better get to a
hospital.
YOHKO looks like she wants to protest, but then she slowly seems to
collapse in on herself.
YOHKO
You're right ... I hate it, but ...
give my regards to the other Sailors,
okay?
AZUSA begins to help her up, shouldering her. MINAKO nods, and turns to
go.
YOHKO
Mina ... don't blame yourself.
MINAKO doesn't look back.
MINAKO
QUIET "Who is to be blamed for
my failure to do my best?". BEAT
See you.
She runs off.
AZUSA
Is she going to be all right?
YOHKO
She got the quote right. BEAT I
don't think she is, no.
Cut to the TENDOU kitchen. KASUMI is preparing breakfast, assisted by
PATRICIA. LITA, dressed in the same clothes as yesterday (now slightly
wrinkled) wanders into the kitchen.
KASUMI
Good morning.
LITA
Um ... good morning. BEAT Uh ...
we haven't really been introduced.
I'm Hippolyta Kino. Everyone calls
me Lita.
KASUMI
Yes, I overheard. Tendou Kasumi.
PATRICIA
I Patricia Delafontaine am.
KASUMI
Patricia, where do we always put the
verb?
PATRICIA
BLINKS, SHEEPISH I *am* Patricia
Delafontaine. I ... don't ... speak
Japanese very well.
LITA
It's okay, it's somewhere close to
being a second language for me too.
BEAT Um ...
KASUMI
Yes, we do remember the fact that
you're a Sailor ... Scout.
LITA
BLINK Uh ... thanks. BEAT But
I was wondering whether or not I
could help out with the cooking? I
don't want to be taking too much
advantage of your hospitality.
KASUMI
Of course!
KASUMI and PATRICIA open a space for her at the counter, and LITA starts
cutting carrots. Suddenly, KENT opens the door to the kitchen.
KENT
Patricia, I --
He stares for a moment at KASUMI, PATRICIA, and LITA who are staring
back. LITA has her heart in her eyes.
KENT
SHORT Never mind.
He shuts the door.
KASUMI
Oh my. I wonder --
LITA
DREAMILY He's dreamy ... who is
he?
PATRICIA and KASUMI exchange looks of sympathetic pain.
Cut to the hallway. KENT walks down the hallway, a disturbed look on his
face.
KENT
There are days I truly hate being a
telepath. BEAT Women ...
NINIANE appears from nowhere and falls into step beside him.
NINIANE
DRY Aren't we wonderful?
KENT
BRUSQUE Niniane. I'd assumed you
would still be celebrating your
reunion with McGovern.
NINIANE
Oh no. Got that out of the way a
while ago, so I'd have plenty of
time to remind you --
KENT
"Three will go in, and two will come
out."
NINIANE looks momentarily startled, but recovers.
NINIANE
*I'd* assumed you would be true to
your word and forget that.
KENT pauses and turns to look directly at NINIANE.
KENT
CASUAL I probably would have, but
Aethan said the same thing two days
ago.
NINIANE
STARTLED, ANRGY Oh. So you give
the vampyre who ran a competing
agency to ours for nearly a year --
KENT
This isn't a competition, Niniane.
NINIANE
-- more credence than my prophecies.
Thank you ever so much.
KENT
Finished?
NINIANE
I believe so.
KENT
Good. BEAT I'm trying to set up a
meeting to discuss strategies in a
few hours. I'd appreciate it if
you would spread the word.
NINIANE
BLINK Aren't you going to give me
backtalk about --
KENT
Niniane, I realize that Modern
English isn't your first language,
but I thought that you understood
enough of its idioms to know that
"backtalk" is something you give a
superior. BEAT Which means that
I *can't* give you backtalk.
He smiles pleasantly at her startled expression, then turns to go.
NINIANE
QUIET You could at least *thank*
me.
KENT turns to look back at NINIANE with a disbelieving expression. RANMA,
looking annoyed, appears at the far end of the corridor.
KENT
You want me to thank you for telling
me, in effect, that someone's going
to die and there's not a damn thing
I can do to stop it. BEAT Thanks
so much for your gift, Niniane.
RANMA
Excuse me? Die?
KENT
Ranma. Good morning. How'd your
sparring session with that Tenchi
fellow go? I couldn't watch the
whole --
RANMA
I don't wanna talk about it. What's
this about someone's going to die?
KENT
Niniane, here, is a seer, among her
other talents. She has foreseen that
... well, it was strangely put, but
amounted to the idea that in any
group of three that I see in the
next few days, one of the people
may not survive these events. BEAT
In which case, you might want to
avoid the kitchen.
RANMA
Is Akane cooking or something?
AKANE (V.O.)
I'm going to find him and hit him
just as soon as I get this written
down.
KENT
No. Kasumi, Patricia, and one of
the Sailor Scouts are. This may be
your last chance to get to know any
of them.
He walks off, leaving NINIANE fuming, and RANMA confused. He turns to
look at her.
RANMA
Um ...
NINIANE
DANGEROUS Yes ...?
RANMA
So ... is what he said true?
NINIANE
CLIPPED Essentially.
RANMA
And ... there's no way out of it?
NINIANE
What is, is.
RANMA
BLINK That's a real hopeless
attitude you've got there, y'know?
NINIANE
UPSET Excuse me, it's not my fault
that everything I foresee happens!
RANMA
Even when you try to prevent it?
NINIANE
I --
RANMA
Wait a minute ... you've *tried* to
stop things from coming true, right?
NINIANE
I -- I have informed people of what
I saw, and it changed nothing.
RANMA
UPSET But you didn't do anything,
or *try* anything yourself to change
things. BEAT Lady, that's not
hopeless, that's *stupid*.
NINIANE reacts as though slapped.
NINIANE
How *dare* you, you miserable little
*boy*? I am over fifteen hundred
years old! I have seen things that
made my soul scream in anguish!
I have done things that you can't
even imagine --
RANMA takes a step back.
RANMA
And in all that, you never tried to
change one thing you saw in a
vision. BEAT Lady, I take it all
back. You're not hopeless, *or*
stupid. You're just a coward.
He turns his back on her, and starts walking away. NINIANE is beyond
shocked.
NINIANE
WHISPERED That's *NOT* true!
Cut to SHAMPOO, standing outside the dojo, staring up at the Helifortress
without really looking at it.
SHAMPOO
CHINESE What am I going to do? I
have to marry him ... gods, I *want*
to marry him, still, no matter how
far into perversion she's dragged
him --
COLOGNE pogo sticks beside her.
COLOGNE
BRUSQUE Practice your Japanese,
girl.
SHAMPOO
CHINESE Great grandmother, I have
to --
COLOGNE
I said, in Japanese --
SHAMPOO
ANGRY No!
COLOGNE is shocked. For a second, she stares at her protege in dead
silence.
COLOGNE
So. Are you at last going to
challenge me, Shan Pu?
SHAMPOO
STARTLED I ... no, no of course
not!
COLOGNE
Not *yet*, you mean.
SHAMPOO
I ... SHAKES HEAD Great grand--
mother, I do not wish to challenge
you today. I wish to speak in our
language with you about a problem.
COLOGNE
What problem have you found that
you cannot speak of it in --
SHAMPOO's frustration is clearly visible on her face.
SHAMPOO
-- in a language in which you've
given me no instruction? That I'm
expected to learn as some sort of
punishment for dragging you out of
your retirement? BEAT Great-
grandmother, I don't have the words
to talk about this problem in
Japanese. It's not the sort of
thing that phrasebooks cover.
COLOGNE
QUIET Very well. Speak.
Cut to a hallway in the TENDOU dojo. AYEKA and RAYE wander around,
talking.
RAYE
Frankly, Ayeka-san, *something* goes
wrong every time we try using that
... what did you call it again?
AYEKA
Psychoportative gestalt.
RAYE
... so I'm not seriously surprised
by all this. BEAT Annoyed as all
hell, but -- anyway, I'm stressed
out. Maybe I ought to go take a
shower --
They pass a window through which we can see SHAMPOO speaking with
COLOGNE. AYEKA pauses, startled.
AYEKA
Shan Pu?
RAYE
Huh? Well, if you have some, we
won't have to take any from the
Tendou --
AYEKA
CONFUSED Excuse me? BEAT No, a
friend of mine named Shan Pu ...
she's outside.
RAYE comes over to the window with AYEKA. They listen to SHAMPOO talking
with COLOGNE in Mandarin Chinese. SHAMPOO says something that causes both
COLOGNE and AYEKA to react with shock.
AYEKA
Aiyaah!
RAYE
Huh? What?
AYEKA
STARTLED Didn't you hear? She saw
her husband having ... intercourse
with --
RAYE
You speak Chinese?
AYEKA stares at RAYE for a moment.
AYEKA
You mean ... there's a difference
between the language that she's
using and the one that we're using
now?
RAYE
Uh ... yeah. They're not related,
at all.
AYEKA
Oh ... oh dear. No wonder she
thought I was a foreigner when we
spoke.
RAYE
I don't get it ... how can you --
AYEKA touches the wood-carved headband that she wears.
AYEKA
All the members of Jurai's royal
family are given training in what
we call telelinguistics -- the
ability to mentally translate
languages, and to project thoughts
that convey the meaning of what we
say in the listener's native
language. I can actually only speak
a bit of Japanese on my own.
RAYE
Seriously? That's amazing ...
AYEKA
MODEST Well, it's not really as
incredible a thing as all that.
After all, it's the only telepathic
ability I have, and it only works
because my headband is a psychic
amplifier. BEAT Sometimes, it
works so well that I don't even
realize that I'm listening to a
translation ...
She turns back to the window ... and sees SHAMPOO glaring in. AYEKA is
startled.
AYEKA
MANDARIN Eek!
SHAMPOO
MANDARIN; *VERY* ANGRY What. Did.
You. Hear?
AYEKA
I ... I regret your husband's folly.
SHAMPOO's face gets even more frosty ... and she turns and stomps away.
RAYE has been watching with a confused expression.
RAYE
What'd you say to her?
AYEKA
I ... all I said was that I was
sorry for what her husband had done,
and she --
RAYE
UPSET And she didn't give you a
chance to explain or -- why, that --
RAYE angrily opens the window, and climbs through it.
RAYE
Hey, you! HEADING AFTER SHAMPOO
You with the cheesebuns on your
head!
AYEKA intends to follow RAYE out through the window, but is hindered by
her dress' large skirt.
AYEKA
DREADING Oh, dear.
She dashes down the hallway. URD, who has been standing in the shadows,
unnoticed until now, steps forward to watch her go. She smiles, a quiet
smile totally at odds with her usual vampish persona.
URD
... the most unlikely of friends ...
Outside the house, RAYE chases after SHAMPOO who is walking away angrily.
RAYE
Hey, you! Stop, I said!
SHAMPOO abruptly stops, and whips around so that she is in RAYE's face.
SHAMPOO
What want, Annoying No-Know Girl?
RAYE
UNDAUNTED I wanna know why the
heck you didn't give Ayeka-san the
chance to explain --
SHAMPOO
-- explain *more* Shampoo's shame?
RAYE
No! *Why* she didn't tell you that
she was an alien!
There is a long pause.
SHAMPOO
Alien is foreigner, yes?
RAYE
No, this time, alien is person from
another planet.
Another long pause.
SHAMPOO
You think Shampoo *really* stupid.
RAYE
SARCASM That's not the issue here.
SHAMPOO
IGNORING She one of saucer people.
*Sure*. She look and talk like
human being, but she really a saucer
people. Explain everything.
RAYE
You don't think so? Then how do you
explain her translation trick?
SHAMPOO stares at RAYE as though in doubt as to her sanity.
SHAMPOO
Magic!
RAYE
DEEP SIGH Okay, whatEVER. I don't
see why you got so mad at --
SHAMPOO
She let me think she from other than
Japan --
RAYE
And she is! Even if you aren't
willing to believe that she's from
another planet, she *is* from
outside Japan.
SHAMPOO
SNORT Sure. She have Annoying
Not-Know Girl as friend, but she
not from Japan --
RAYE
ANGRY And what's that supposed
to mean?
SHAMPOO
Shampoo know how Japanese people are
to foreigners. Shampoo know *very*
well how Japanese people --
RAYE
*VERY* ANGRY Oh YEAH? You know
the opinion of each and every one
of the Japanese, huh?
SHAMPOO
I --
RAYE
You even call me "Not-Know Girl",
and then have the nerve to say you
know how I feel or think? BEAT
Yeah, there's a lot of racism in
Japan. I'm not going to try and
justify it, or apologize for it.
All I can do is try and live my life
without embracing it.
RAYE turns away.
RAYE
And for what it's worth, if I were
as bad as you're making me out to
be, I wouldn't have my best friends
in this world. BEAT Because all
four of them are `only' part-
Japanese. Later, Cheesebun Head.
She stalks away, leaving SHAMPOO with a very confused expression.
From the roof of the dojo, AETHAN is watching with an oddly amused look on
his face. He shakes his head, and then suddenly looks towards the gates
of the dojo.
MINAKO approaches the gate of the dojo at a dead run, gasping for breath.
She pauses momentarily.
MINAKO
... six minutes ...
She closes her eyes, and shakes her head violently. She returns to her
normal appearance, and opens the gate.
AETHAN is standing just inside. Their eyes meet. A long silence ensues.
MINAKO
I'm not clean anymore. Will you let
me love you, now?
AETHAN's face gives no indication if he's confused by her words or not.
AETHAN
I should have explained to you what
was happening. I should not have
just left you there. BEAT You
should not have interfered when the
teleportation took effect. You
placed yourself in serious danger.
BEAT I think we're even. Don't
you?
MINAKO nods, trembling.
AETHAN
Very well. BEAT Do you want me
to take you to your friends or --
MINAKO
PANICS NO! BEAT; GASP No.
AETHAN
All right. BEAT You're going to
have to face them sooner or later,
though.
MINAKO
ALMOST ACCUSING You know.
Close in on AETHAN's eye.
We see a surreal image of MINAKO -- a line drawing in pale chalk on a
shifting polychromatic background. On the drawing, blobs of colour are
dabbed -- red on the hands, black on the heart, green in the stomach, and
white interspersed clots of the shifting background in the mind. Her eyes
are still blue.
AETHAN (V.O.)
Yes. I know.
Close in on one of the eyes.
We draw back from MINAKO's actual eye.
MINAKO
They can't. Not *ever*.
There is another long silence.
AETHAN
All right. Then they won't. BEAT
Come. You need a shower.
He clutches his arm around her shoulders, and she nestles into his side.
They begin to walk in the direction of the Helifortress.
MINAKO
It won't work. BEAT But I'll do
it, anyway. BEAT Does it ever
get easier?
AETHAN
Yes. Every time. It gets easier,
and easier, and easier ... and then
it gets hard to stop. BEAT It is
... *very* hard for me to stop.
MINAKO
But you do.
AETHAN
Yes.
MINAKO
Will you teach me to stop?
AETHAN
If I can.
Fade to black.
AKANE (V.O.)
Aino Minako frightens me. BEAT
It's something I've never dealt with
before -- I've been afraid of what
someone's going to do to me or to
people I care about ... but I've
never been scared of what someone
might do to herself. BEAT When I
visited her, in preparation for
writing this, I was prepared to deal
with a grieving woman. And she
wasn't. She was very cheerful when
we spoke, and it wasn't until I
*looked* that I saw the anguish and
turmoil that she was suffering from.
BEAT She gave me *everything*
about these days, from beginning to
end. Even beyond all the minutiae I
had to cut, I've left out the candid
depictions of her "encounters" with
DeGales, among other things. BEAT
Anyway, it was around eleven that
morning that the meeting finally
got going.
Fade in on the kitchen. LITA and PATRICIA are watching KASUMI prepare a
dish of some sort, and listening to her instructions, as UKYOU enters.
KASUMI
Ara! Hello, Kuonji-san.
UKYOU
Hello, Kasumi. Uh ... Sailor ...
Jupiter, right?
LITA
Yep.
UKYOU
BEAT Never *dreamed* I'd be ...
anyway, your leader asked me to tell
you that the meeting's starting.
KASUMI watches this exchange intently.
LITA
Okay, thanks. BEAT Raye and Amy
are already there, though ... and
it's not like she's going to need me
to do anything they can't ... so ...
UKYOU
Tell me about it. I feel like I'm
only here because Ranchan invited me
over two nights ago, and hasn't
figured out how to ask me to leave.
BEAT; QUICK But that's not true,
of course.
KASUMI diplomatically finishes off the katsudon she's making without
comment.
KASUMI
Well, then, Kuonji-san, would you
like to help us cook?
UKYOU
Sure! BEAT How about some --
KASUMI
I'm sorry, but we're all out of the
ingredients for okonomiyaki --
UKYOU
That's okay, I brought a bunch with
me. I'll go get my gear!
She dashes off. KASUMI looks stricken.
LITA
Ummm ... don't you like okonomiyaki?
KASUMI
Not ... three days ... in a row, no.
LITA appears fairly ill at the thought. There is a sudden doorbell.
KASUMI quickly heads out to answer it. The door slides open, revealing
BELLDANDY, MARA, and KEIICHI.
KASUMI's face freezes, as does BELLDANDY's face. The tension in the room
increases several times over.
KASUMI
CLIPPED What do *you* want here?
BELLDANDY
I am Goddess First Class, Unlimited
License, Belldandy. My sisters are
within. I *will* enter.
KEIICHI is looking at BELLDANDY in shock at the coldness in her words.
MARA appears to be panicking.
MARA
... she finally develops some back-
bone, and it has to happen *now*?
Both of them are ignored.
KASUMI
You are not welcome here.
Their eyes lock. Yellow lightning flashes between them.
KEIICHI
DISBELIEVING Belldandy ...?
BELLDANDY abruptly breaks the eyelock, and turns to look at KEIICHI
uncertainly. KASUMI follows her gaze, and quickly makes a decision.
KASUMI
Young sir. What is your name?
KEIICHI
Me?
KASUMI
Yes, had I referred to the daemon
accompanying you, I should have said
"young madam".
KEIICHI
Uh ... Morisato Keiichi. Nice to --
KASUMI
Morisato Keiichi-san, can you vouch
for this person's lack of hostile
intent?
KEIICHI
VERY CONFUSED Uh ... you mean Mara,
right?
MARA glares at him.
KASUMI
No. I refer to this "Goddess".
KEIICHI
Right. Sorry. MIND CATCHES UP
Hostile intent?! *Belldandy's* --
KASUMI
Correct.
KEIICHI
Uh ... y-yes, of course! She'd
never even hurt a fly!
KASUMI gazes at KEIICHI for a long moment ... then nods, decisively.
KASUMI
VERY FORMAL The Goddess First
Class Belldandy, the Demon First
Class Mara, and the mortal Morisato
Keiichi may enter the Tendou home.
BEAT Should any harm come to any
here by your actions, I shall
forthwith insist on your departure.
BELLDANDY
I shall finish my business here,
and depart immediately thereafter.
KASUMI steps aside. As BELLDANDY steps past her, she whispers.
KASUMI
WHISPER If you harm any of my
sisters, I shall kill you.
BELLDANDY gives no indication of hearing, but walks past, cooly serene.
MARA evidently did hear, and gives KASUMI an incredulous look as she walks
past. KASUMI ignores her, and instead glomps onto KEIICHI as he passes.
KASUMI
This way, Morisato-san.
KEIICHI
Uh, excuse me?
KASUMI smiles apologetically.
KASUMI
I am sorry, Mr. Morisato, but as you
are a hostage, I have to keep an eye
on you. Please come this way.
She politely guides the shocked KEIICHI down the hall. Suddenly,
BELLDANDY's "angel", Hollybell, appears before KASUMI's face, and speaks
in an incomprehensible language.
SUBTITLE
Thus saith Belldandy: Should any
harm come to Keiichi-san, I shall
not rest until the line of the Moon
Kingdom is no more.
The "angel" vanishes.
KEIICHI
BLINKS Uh ... what was that all
about?
KASUMI
Nothing very important. BEAT Do
you like okonomiyaki, Morisato-san?
KEIICHI
Well, yeah, it's okay.
KASUMI
Oh, good.
SASAMI is standing at the door to the kitchen, staring down the hallway
with a forlorn expression, as KASUMI and KEIICHI approach from behind her.
KASUMI
Ara?
SASAMI turns around, and bows quickly.
SASAMI
Hello. My big sister said that they
were going to be talking about grown
up things, so I should go help in the
kitchen. Can I?
KASUMI
MURMURED I wonder when we approach
the point of "too many"? ALOUD Of
course. You are Sasami-chan, if I
remember rightly?
SASAMI
CHEERFUL AND ENTHUSIASTIC Yes!
KASUMI
And this is Morisato Keiichi-san.
KEIICHI smiles despite his confusion.
KEIICHI
Pleased to meet you.
SASAMI is *very* startled, and stares at KEIICHI without responding.
KEIICHI
Uh ... something wrong?
SASAMI snaps out of it, and shakes her head quickly, not trusting her
voice.
KEIICHI
Ooookay.
Cut to the inside of the dojo, the only room in the house large enough to
hold this meeting. All the cast except those who have been shown to be
elsewhere or who enter during the scene are present. RYOUKO is smiling
malevolently in RANMA's direction. causing him to become very nervous.
AKANE notices, and is building up to "jealousy". AMY is quietly working
with her computer.
KENT is addressing the assembly.
KENT
... and that's the situation. A
group of demons have been summoned
to this world by persons unknown --
although we have suspicions --
RANMA
The old freak.
KENT
NODS -- and I am asking for your
collective assistance in dealing
with them. BEAT Any questions?
SERENA's hand shoots straight up.
KENT
Yes, Ms. Tsukino?
SERENA
What about Mina? What are you
doing to --
KENT
As I told Mr. DeGales, there's not
much we can do except --
The door slides open. MINAKO, looking refreshed and cheerful, wanders in,
followed closely by AETHAN.
MINAKO
-- except what's going to work!
SERENA
MINA!
RAYE half-rises.
RAYE
God, Mina, are you all --
MINAKO
VERY SINCERE Yes! I'm completely
all right. Why wouldn't I be?
GIDEON
You got lost in the Void, girl,
that's not --
MINAKO
I coped! BEAT You're ... Michael
Gideon, right? Aethan's told me a
lot about you!
GIDEON
Really. BEAT Huh. He hasn't
told me anything about you.
MINAKO
Of course not. BEAT So, what'd
I miss?
KENT
Well, to summarize, demons are
invading, will you help us fight
them?
MINAKO
Oh. BEAT Yeah, that'd explain
it. You're Kent Masefield, right?
KENT
Correct. Aethan told --
MINAKO
No, not much. But this woman named
Jessica told me that you'd be here,
and --
KENT moves from a position a few feet away from MINAKO to where he's
looming over her. His face is blanch white.
KENT
NOT MUCH OVER A WHISPER WHAT?
MINAKO stares up at him without concern.
MINAKO
Don't crowd me, please.
KENT opens his mouth to snap a retort ... and something in MINAKO's eyes
makes him back down.
MINAKO
I worked my way out of -- the
Void? -- quite a ways from here.
There was a demon ... and I fought
it, with some help from some of my
other friends. BEAT Anyway,
after we'd finished, this woman
came out of nowhere, beat the heck
out of my friends, and told me to
deliver a message to a guy named
Kent Masefield, here. BEAT
She said to tell you that Jessica
was here, and that she was waiting.
And then she flew away.
ANDREW is getting to his feet, looking alarmed.
ANDREW
Flew, as in, ran away fast, right?
MINAKO
SLOWLY; AS THOUGH TO AN IDIOT No,
she *flew*.
NINIANE nods, fatalistically.
MINAKO
So -- does it make any sense to
you?
KENT
QUIET Yes. BEAT That woman
was Jessica --
MINAKO
I *think* I'd figured out that part.
KENT
Her full name is Jessica Drummond.
She's an international terrorist and
criminal, wanted on every continent
except Antarctica, for offenses
punishable by death. BEAT She is
also my half-sister.
Silence greets this revelation.
KENT
My father ... was a great and heroic
man. BEAT He made a number of
terrible mistakes in his life.
BEAT I ... it seems, at times,
that it is the responsibility of
children to either continue the work
that their parents left undone ...
or to make amends for the mistakes
of their parents' lives ... or as
often as not, both.
He seems to be looking at RANMA as he says this.
KENT
She's waiting? That's not a
surprise ... she's been waiting for
a chance to kill me since we were
about eight years old. BEAT Did
she say anything else?
MINAKO
Uh ... I think she said something
about it being a shame that a lot of
people had to die for someone's
mistake --
KENT
IMPATIENT And?
MINAKO
Would you back off, please? Geez,
I wasn't expecting the Span--
KENT
ODD SMILE Don't. The way things
are going, they'd show up.
MINAKO is completely shocked.
KENT
Ahem.
MINAKO
Uh ... THINKS something about it
being strange that ... the police
hadn't shown up --
AKANE is suddenly on her feet.
AKANE
Wait a minute -- I remember thinking
the same thing the other night, when
that demon blew up the train station
and -- that it was ridiculous for
the police to have not shown up
after something that ... *big* had
happened.
KENT
SLOWLY The police did show up, but
not until --
URD
Until after I called them.
KENT turns to look at her, a bit surprised.
KENT
You did?
URD
What? You think all I do is walk
around and look good?
SKULD
MUTTERED Could fool me sometimes.
ALOUD We saw the explosion, and
figured that since we were inside
the nexus of improbability, we
shouldn't use our powers to fix
things, because we didn't know how
it'd come out --
URD glowers at SKULD as a brief SD image of what actually happened appears
over her head: the explosion, then SD-URD cackling as she flexes her
fingers, and begins to make magical gestures, followed by SD-SKULD
whopping her with the mallet, and lecturing in an incoherent, tinny voice.
DARIEN
You'll excuse me for saying so, but
it seems that everything seems to be
pointing towards the police as "part
of the problem".
KENT
NOD Or at least, something's
happening there that Jessica --
MINAKO
-- or her boss.
KENT
Her boss?
MINAKO
Yeah ... she said something about
how she'd stopped someone from
stopping the gate from opening, so
that she could make a deal with --
MARA (O.S.)
She's *MINE*.
URD and SKULD's heads whip around to the door as it slams open, revealing
a *very* pissed off MARA. SKULD's mallet is instantly at hand, and URD
begins to summon up a thunderbolt --
Just as BELLDANDY steps into view.
BELLDANDY
Oh, *there* you are! I've been
looking all over for the two of you.
URD and SKULD facefault.
BELLDANDY
Please allow me to introduce myself.
I am the Goddess First Class,
Unlimited License, Belldandy. I
take it that you've met my sisters.
BELLDANDY turns to KENT, and blinks at him for a moment.
BELLDANDY
Oh my. BEAT Aren't you --
NINIANE begins to move her hand behind her back, tracing an arcane pattern
in the air, as she stares with horror at BELLDANDY. BELLDANDY pauses,
then shakes her head.
BELLDANDY
I'm sorry. I mistook you for some-
one else.
NINIANE lets out a sigh of relief, and drops her hand. KENT is plainly
confused, but covers it by turning to look at MARA.
KENT
Excuse me ... but aren't you a
demon?
Everyone reacts to that. RAYE gets out an ofuda, RYOUKO looks at MARA
with interest, etc.
MARA
Yeah. What's yer point?
KENT
VERY CASUAL Why shouldn't we blast
you off the face of the earth?
MARA
Maybe because you don't have the
cojones. BEAT Or maybe because,
miracul of miraculs, I'm on your
side?
KENT
What side's that?
MARA
The "get-rid-of-the-Adversary" side?
NINIANE, URD, SKULD, AETHAN, and COLOGNE all react with varying degrees of
shock. MCGOVERN has a strange little smile.
AKANE (V.O.)
It was the first time most of those
in the room had heard the name ...
at least in connection with our
current situation ...
KENT has a strange expression on his face.
KENT
The Adversary?
MARA
Yeah. A few days back some idiot
mortal attracted its attention
and drew it to this plane. I tried
to stop the stupid ritual, but your
little sister stopped me before I
could.
TENCHI
Uh ... excuse me, but what exactly
is the ... Adversary?
MARA opens her mouth to explain.
NINIANE
Evil. BEAT It is the enemy of
all who live.
TENCHI
Oh. BEAT So ... why not just
call it the Enemy, then?
NINIANE opens her mouth to reply, then steals a quick look at KENT. She
shrugs.
NINIANE
Tradition.
KENT turns back to MARA.
KENT
In any event ... why did you try to
prevent the Adversary's coming?
MARA
SHRUG I'm not done with this world
yet. And when the Adversary is,
there won't be anything left of it
but a barren cinder orbiting a burnt
out star. Where's the fun in that?
KENT nods once, then turns back to NINIANE.
KENT
You know about this thing?
NINIANE
Legends, only.
KENT
How can it be beaten?
MARA has a brief fit of laughter, which earns her hostile looks from all
three goddesses.
NINIANE
According to the legends -- boredom.
BEAT In several accounts, when the
Adversary wasn't able to achieve a
sufficiently swift victory, it lost
interest in the conflict, and quit
the field.
COLOGNE
The accounts of my people also tell
of such things.
A series of Chinese paintings illustrate the following tale. Ku-Len Sing
resembles has long, greenish-black hair, with earlocks.
COLOGNE (V.O.)
It is said that Ku-Len Sing, the
daughter of an Amazon matriarch and
the God of War, was able to cause
the Adversary -- whose name in our
tongue I will not pronounce -- to
lose interest in Earth during the
First Emperor's reign by defeating a
horde of goblinkind, singlehandedly.
The battle is said to have lasted
five days and five nights.
RANMA (V.O.)
So what happened to her after that?
COLOGNE (V.O.)
Most of the parts of her body were
recovered, eventually.
Cut back to reality. Most of the more ... sensitive souls in the room are
rather disturbed by COLOGNE's story, and SERENA in particular seems green
around the gills.
KENT
I'm not going to ask what happens
to the heroes in your stories, all
right, Niniane?
NINIANE
Probably a wise move.
KENT
Okay ... what exactly does this
thing want? Power? Souls? A
blue gem with an attitude problem?
NINIANE has a guarded expression, and is relieved when BELLDANDY speaks
up.
BELLDANDY
According to the stories of *my*
people ... it craves the destruction
of the material universe.
KENT
MUTTERED ... next time, definitely
take the fishing trip.
BELLDANDY
Excuse me?
KENT
Never mind. BEAT All right. One
thing at a time -- I think that we
should examine the question of why
the local police are being so slow
on the draw. BEAT Come to think
of it ... it took a rather long time
for them to get there after Shujin's
murder, too ...
NABIKI
SUDDENLY INTERESTED Yeah. I mean,
it's *normal* for them to stay the
heck away from martial arts duels in
this town, but after a murder -- they
took something like a half hour to
get there.
KENT
I take it that you know about how
the police operate under normal
circumstances?
NABIKI
MODEST I keep my eyes open.
KENT
NODS Okay. TO EVERYONE What I'm
going to suggest may surprise some
of you, but I think that the best
way that we can operate is to divide
into groups of three --
NINIANE and RANMA look startled. A confused murmur begins to develop.
KENT
-- but not necessarily three people
from the same ... *team*, as you
might call them.
RANMA
Uh ... why *three*?
KENT
BLASE It's my lucky number. BEAT
Also, there are exactly twenty-seven
people here, now, which gives us
nine of these groups.
AMY suddenly looks up from her computer.
AMY
There are only twenty-six here.
BEAT Ah ... Lita.
KENT
NODS I included Sailor Jupiter,
yes. BEAT What are you doing, if
you don't mind my asking?
AMY
UNLFLUSTERED I'm taking minutes.
That *is* proper meeting procedure,
isn't it?
KENT
Yes it is. I'm glad you thought of
it. Thank you.
COLOGNE
Ahem. Excuse me, but I think you
would be better served if Ms. Kuonji
-- who is also in the kitchen --
went in my place.
KENT looks at COLOGNE for a moment, then nods slowly.
KENT
Yes. I see your point. MANDARIN
Thank you, Honored Grandmother, for
forgoing the glory of the field to
defend this place.
COLOGNE accepts the thanks with good grace, turns to SHAMPOO and gives her
a meaningful look, and starts to hop out of the room.
COLOGNE
I will send Ms. Kuonji and the Sailor
Senshi back when I meet them.
She slides the door shut behind her.
KENT
Now, I'd like to give you the chance
to make your own groups, but --
Chaos. RYOUKO and AYEKA grab either side of TENCHI, with MIHOSHI looking
anxiously down at him from behind. AKANE does not go so far as to grab
RANMA, but she *does* give SHAMPOO a warning glare -- which is returned,
with interest. RYOUGA glowers in RANMA's direction. RAYE, AMY, and MINA
exchange a quick look of anxiety, before looking at DARIEN and SERENA,
sitting together holding hands peacefully. MARA grins at BELLDANDY, which
look is not lost on URD and SKULD. KYOUSUKE looks lost.
KENT
MUTTERED -- but that probably
wouldn't work. BEAT I wonder
why.
AMY suddenly waves her hand in the air, and the arguments slow as she
does.
AMY
Excuse me! I think I can come up
with a fair way of choosing the
groups.
KENT
Go on.
AMY
My computer will randomly pick
three names from the list of people
present, and set them up as a group.
Would everyone view that as fair?
RYOUKO and AYEKA look as though they want to protest the arbitrary nature
of the possibility that they won't either of them get TENCHI.
TENCHI
*VERY* FAST Yes! Very fair!
KENT
I have one request, however. BEAT
Nabiki-san, you mentioned that you
were familiar with the police. I'd
appreciate it if you'd accompany me
when I went down to the station.
NABIKI seems to be about to ask "What's it worth to you", but something in
KENT's expresssion stops her.
NABIKI
GRUDGING Okay.
KENT
And if ...
KENT surveys the assembled group, and his gaze settles on the TENCHI
bunch.
KENT
... you'd also come with me, Mr.
Masaki, I'd appreciate it.
Shock dominates RYOUKO and AYEKA's features. They suddenly glare at
NABIKI, as if non-verbally warning her off. NABIKI seems unphased.
TENCHI
Certainly, if you think I can help.
KENT
Right. If you could remove their
names and mine from the process, we
can get started.
AMY
It's done.
A piece of paper shoots out from the back of the computer, and falls to
the floor.
Cut to a place of endless grey mist. PLUTO and WASHUU appear to be
studying a large, incandescent globe. WASHUU is laughing her head off,
much to PLUTO's obvious annoyance.
WASHUU
"Random selection". Right. Sure.
So how long ago did you set these
teams up, anyway? Before or after
the Silver Millenium?
PLUTO
My, aren't we cynical. I did not.
WASHUU
STILL AMUSED Sure.
PLUTO
VERY ANNOYED Washuu, if it were my
intention to *interfere* in these
events, Uranus and Neptune would be
there. BEAT As it is, you are
correct -- given the intersecting
probability fields in the Tendou
dojo, the results are not in any way
random.
WASHUU
AMUSED If you say so, I guess --
PLUTO
Washuu, shut up.
WASHUU
Gonna make me?
A long, EXTREMELY hostile look is exchanged.
WASHUU
Don't bother trying to intimidate
me, Pluto. I know exactly what
you're capable of doing, and I know
that the last time we went 'round,
it was a draw. I might not remember
much else about it, but I *do* know
that I've progressed since then.
PLUTO
QUIET And I have not?
WASHUU
I doubt it. You wouldn't need me if
you had.
A long silence ensues.
PLUTO
It would not be appropriate for
beings of our stature to be fighting
one another at this time. Reality
itself is imperiled --
WASHUU
-- or it's closer than ever before
to perfection. BEAT I know what
happens in the Gathering, Pluto.
I've observed it millions of times,
in places far removed from this
little mudball. BEAT And all I
care about is that my daughter and
her friends come out of this alive
and sane. The rest of you can go
hang, for all I care.
PLUTO
For one who claims to have grown,
*Callistra*, you don't seem to
have changed a great deal.
WASHUU glares at PLUTO with real anger now.
Cut to RYOUGA plodding along with a depressed look on his face.
RYOUGA
Why do random selections always end
up with me *not* being with --
AMY, transformed to SAILOR MERCURY, walking beside him, smiles
apologetically.
AMY
I programmed the selector to not
pair up associates unless there
was no one else available. It
seemed the best solution to the
problem of what to do about the
ladies from Okayama.
RYOUGA
DEPRESSED Oh. That makes sense.
I guess. Kind of.
ANDREW, walking a little ways behind the two of them, is looking around at
his surroundings with the air of one constantly alert for danger.
ANDREW
So are there any more?
RYOUGA
Excuse me?
ANDREW
Any more quote godlike martial
artists unquote in this district?
RYOUGA
Oh. Well, there's Mousse, but he's
on a training trip. Uh ... Konatsu,
the ninja who works in Ucchans --
ANDREW
MUTTERED There *would* be a ninja
in it, eventually ...
RYOUGA
-- I suppose Kodachi might count,
but she's probably out of it. That
combat cheerleader -- whatsername,
Mariko ... but she moved out a
while back. That guy who does the
Martial Arts Tea Ceremony --
ANDREW
Okay, okay, okay! MUTTERED Why
did I ask? Oh, why did I ask?
RYOUGA is caught up his telling.
RYOUGA
-- and then there are the occasional
weirdos who wander through, like
Pantyhose Tarou.
TAROU (O.S.)
Gee, thanks, pig boy.
RYOUGA, with something akin to genuine fear on his face, whirls to see
that the effeminate looking martial artist is leaning against the wall of
a nearby building.
TAROU
HEAVY SARCASM It's nice to know
you think I'm in the same league as
the Tea Ceremony guy.
RYOUGA
WARY What do you want?
TAROU gets off the wall.
TAROU
The usual. Where's the old freak?
RYOUGA
I don't know.
TAROU considers this.
TAROU
Okay. That didn't strain your
brain, did it?
AMY
ANNOYED Excuse me --
TAROU doesn't even bother looking at her.
TAROU
Shut up, slit. I'm gonna go to the
the Dojo of Stupid People and ask
fem boy --
AMY is too shocked to say anything.
RYOUGA
OUTRAGED Hey! Take that back.
TAROU
What?
RYOUGA
What you just called her! Why --
TAROU
Look, piggy wiggy, I'll call whoever
I want, whatever I want -- unless
you'd care to do something about my
mouth?
RYOUGA unlimbers his umbrella with an angry expression.
AMY
Mr. Hibiki -- you don't have to do
this!
RYOUGA
I am *not* going to just stand here
and let --
AMY
It's all right, it's just a word.
I'm not --
TAROU
Come on, P-chan ... unless your li'l
girl is holding your weenie --
AMY, outraged at the implication, whirls.
AMY
MERCURY BUBBLES FREEZE!
A storm of bubbles shoot towards TAROU, who, not expecting to be beset by
magic, is caught by them. An icy statue forms around him. RYOUGA stares
at AMY in shock.
AMY
A BIT EMBARRASSED My boyfriend's
honor was at stake. I --
TAROU shatters the ice, and smiles evilly.
TAROU
How refreshing. Now, *pig-boy*,
where were we? Oh yeah. The scene
where I beat your head in. Well,
let's GO.
Close up of TAROU's snarling face --
Just as two shots ring out. TAROU's face freezes ... as he slowly
crumples to the ground. Blood is flowing from his knees, and he is
obviously in great pain.
ANDREW, holding his Colt "Peacemaker" Revolver, has no more expression on
his face than he would if he'd just swatted a fly.
TAROU is shocked beyond anger.
TAROU
You son of a bitch. You've crippled
me.
ANDREW
Probably. But try anything, and the
next one'll go right between your
eyebrows. *I* don't have time for
your stupid little games, and I'm
fairly sure that Mr. Hibiki wasn't
really spoiling for a fight. TO
RYOUGA Am I wrong?
RYOUGA
A *BIT* SCARED Uh ... no. Not
... much. With him.
ANDREW
Okay, then. If I don't forget, I'll
be sure and call an ambulance and
tell them where to find you. See
ya.
He starts off in the direction they were headed before. After a moment,
RYOUGA follows. AMY almost starts to bend down and try and treat the
wounds, but TAROU snarls at her, causing her to back off, and head after
them.
AMY catches up to ANDREW, *very* angry.
AMY
Was that *necessary*?
ANDREW returns her glare evenly for a moment, then nods subtly.
ANDREW
No. I could have blown his head off
first thing.
AMY
Or you could have tried talking --
ANDREW
Isn't that what Mr. Hibiki *did*,
Ms. Mizuno? TO RYOUGA What's
that guy's beef, anyway?
RYOUGA
Well ... as near as I understand it,
he wants to find Happosai -- the one
Ranma calls the `old freak' and make
him give him a new name. He doesn't
like his name, you see.
ANDREW
What's so bad about Tarou? I mean,
I wouldn't want to be named after a
cat either, but --
RYOUGA
No, the other part. Pantyhose.
ANDREW comes to a dead stop, and gives RYOUGA the Look. Ryouga has never
gotten the Look from another man, so it makes him rather nervous.
ANDREW
It's not *nice* to tell dumb jokes
to your elders, kid.
RYOUGA
No, *seriously*! Happosai named him,
and --
ANDREW
Okay, is this some Japanese custom I
don't know about? That only the one
who named you can change it?
RYOUGA
EXPLAINING THE OBVIOUS He's not
Japanese. He's Chinese.
ANDREW rolls his eyes.
ANDREW
Okay. Anyway, Ms. Mizuno, given
this information, how would you have
talked him out of fighting?
AMY
I didn't *have* this information.
If I'd talked, I could have drawn it
out of him, empathized, and --
ANDREW
PUZZLED Now, why would he have
empathized with you, when he'd just
called you a -- ahem, what he called
you?
AMY
I ... BEAT I just think that it
didn't have to be so violent.
Violence doesn't solve anything.
ANDREW
Tell that to the Carthaginians.
AMY
ANGRY I've read Starship Troopers,
thank you.
ANDREW
Really? Huh. I'm impressed. I
shouldn't be, you seemed like a
smart kid from the start ... okay,
you're not wrong. Me kneecapping
that screwed-up kid hasn't solved the
problem someone else is going to
have to deal with when it comes to
him, eventually. But his problem
doesn't relate to the problem you,
me, and Hibiki are dealing with
right now. It's too big, for one
thing. Our job is to keep an eye
out for signs that the demons are
moving in the open. BEAT Do you
understand where I'm coming from?
AMY
GRUDGING Yes. I think so. I
don't know if I can agree with it,
but --
ANDREW
That's not the point. Are you
willing to put it behind you?
AMY eventually nods.
ANDREW
Okay. LOOKS UP Now -- where the
hell did Hibiki go?
They are the only people on the street.
Cut to rooftops. SKULD drops down on one of them, and looks backwards.
SKULD
Well, at least Keiichi didn't try to
fool around with my big sister while
I was out.
AKANE drops down beside her.
AKANE
He didn't seem like such a lecher
back there, Skuld-san.
SKULD
Call me Skuld, please, honorifics
don't really apply. And of course
he's a lecher. All boys are. BEAT
Are you coming over or not?!?
Cut to a row of buildings across an alley -- perhaps eight or nine feet
wide -- from AKANE and SKULD. KYOUSUKE is looking down at the gulf with
an anxious expression.
KYOUSUKE
I'm really sorry ... I'm just not
used to --
AKANE
Look, nobody will give you a second
look in this town, unless you do
something *really* flashy. Jumping
across a gulf isn't going to make
waves.
KYOUSUKE nods uncertainly, then closes his eyes, glows momentarily, and
jumps across the alleyway.
AKANE
Okay. Now get used to doing that
*without* pausing, and we'll be all
set. BEAT Now, what do you mean,
all boys are lechers?
SKULD
Well they are. BEAT; TO KYOUSUKE
When you were a teenager, were you a
lech, Mr. Kasuga?
KYOUSUKE
No. BEAT Some of my -- what
constitutes being a lech, exactly?
SKULD
Thinking of things that you'd like
to do to girls if you got a chance,
chasing after them --
AKANE
MUTTERED, PERHAPS UNCONSCIOUSLY
... letting more than one girl think
you're interested at a time ...
SKULD
Oh, that's *sick*! Nobody but a
complete lech would do that!
There is a long, uncomfortable pause.
KYOUSUKE
Right.
AKANE
I guess ...
SKULD
Anyway, let's get going.
She dashes off. AKANE gives KYOUSUKE a speculative glance that he
pretends to ignore, as they follow.
AKANE (V.O.)
For the record ... no, I don't think
Kasuga-san is a lech.
Cut to KENT, NABIKI, and TENCHI, walking down the street slowly.
TENCHI
Um ... Mr. Masefield, do you mind if
I ask you something?
KENT
Ask, and I'll let you know if I mind
or not.
TENCHI
Well, Mr. DeGales has told you about
... well --
KENT
He's told me what you *said*. I
should tell you, he doesn't believe
in aliens.
TENCHI
Well, I -- wait a minute!
NABIKI
Oh, this should be interesting.
KENT
Everyone has a different threshold
of disbelief. BEAT Anyway?
TENCHI
Well, I was wondering whether or not
I'm going to be in trouble -- since
it's my fault that Princess Ayeka, and
Ryouko, and Mihoshi, and --
KENT
No. It's only when there are large
numbers of a species, interfering in
human affairs, that the PDF gets
involved. BEAT Although I think
may have to have some words with
our Japanese office. You're from
Okayama?
TENCHI nods.
KENT
DISTURBED That's very strange.
One of the PDF's senior members
lives there.
TENCHI develops a sick expression.
KENT
He's retired, now, but if he were to
observe anything odd going on in the
vicinity, it wouldn't be hard for
him to call in an investigation
team. I --
TENCHI
WEAK Would his name be Masaki
Katsuhito?
KENT
Why, yes. BEAT A relative of
yours, I take it?
TENCHI nods weakly. NABIKI stares ... and a slow, *dangerous* smile grows
on her face.
NABIKI
SOFTLY I seeeee ...
Cut to the kitchen of the Masaki home, where YOSHOU (aka Masaki Katsuhito)
is enjoying a quiet tea.
YOSHOU
Ahhh. An excellent blend.
KASUGA-OJIICHAN is sitting across from him.
OJIICHAN
I'm glad you approve. Now, about
the matter I came here to discuss.
YOSHOU
Hmm. As it happens, my grandson
doesn't have a fiancee, as such.
But do you really think that it's a
good idea to engage him to one of
your grand-daughters without telling
him?
OJIICHAN
Well, at the rate those two are
going, they're never going to settle
down. I'm just glad they quit
dating those two leches ... in any
case, we need to act in their best
interests. BEAT And besides,
it might produce something ... very
interesting?
YOSHOU sips his tea, inscrutably.
Cut to UKYOU, approaching the door of UCCHAN's. She looks over her
shoulder.
UKYOU
If you don't mind, I'd like to check
out my okonomiyaki-ya before we go
any further.
LITA (as Sailor Jupiter) nods. MICHAEL GIDEON, clearly a bit
uncomfortable in the presence of these two, is standing a ways behind.
LITA
Go right ahead ... sing out if you
need any help, though.
UKYOU flashes a friendly smile, and heads in. LITA turns to look at
MICHAEL.
LITA
You know ... we still haven't been
formally introduced.
MICHAEL
No ... no we haven't. Michael
Gideon, atcherservice. Everyone
calls me Gideon but --
Cut to UKYOU moving through the empty store with a cautious air.
Back outside.
LITA
So how do you know Aethan?
MICHAEL
GUARDED Pretty well.
Cut to UKYOU checking behind the grill. She starts to examine the grill,
establishing that it's rather warm.
Back outside.
LITA
No, not how well do you know --
MICHAEL
Oh. Uh, we used to work pretty
closely together. When the Shadows
were still a going concern. But if
you know him, I guess you know all
about that.
Cut to UKYOU reacting to a faint noise, swiftly unlimbering her battle
spatula. She starts heading for the storage room.
Back outside.
LITA
Uh ... maybe I don't know him as
well as that. What are the Shadows?
MICHAEL flinches.
Cut to UKYOU standing beside the door, and slowly reaching for the handle.
Back outside.
MICHAEL
Well, a few years ago, he talked
me and a few other people into doing
charity work -- of the `saving the
world' variety, if you know -- yeah,
you know what I mean. We called
ourselves the Shadows.
Cut to UKYOU closing her hand around the handle. Her arm tenses.
Back outside.
LITA
So where are these Shadows now?
Aside from you and him, I mean?
Cut to inside as UKYOU jerks back the handle, and jumps around the door to
see what's inside the storage room. Her eyes bulge in shock.
Back outside.
MICHAEL
Most of 'em are dead.
Cut to UKYOU letting out a short, hollow scream.
Back outside. LITA turns and dashes into the restaurant with her hands
already beginning to make the gestures of an attack. MICHAEL is not far
behind.
Inside, LITA dashes towards where UKYOU is standing, her eyes tightly
closed.
LITA
What? WHAT?
UKYOU
I --
LITA looks in the supply closet.
KONATSU is standing there, beet red, holding a pile of clothes in front of
hir "privates".
KONATSU
I ... I was about to start cleaning
up, and so I was changing into my --
TEARS FORGIVE ME, UKYOU-SAMA!
LITA slowly turns to look at UKYOU, whose eyes are still closed.
LITA
Ummm ... friend of yours?
UKYOU
TIGHT Employee. Is s/he dressed
yet?
LITA
Nooo. BEAT She?
UKYOU
S/he. Long story.
Cut to a little while later. UKYOU is working behind the grill with a
mortified expression, while LITA and MICHAEL eat okonomiyaki.
LITA
I still don't see what the big deal
is. I mean -- BEAT Wait. Don't
tell me you've never seen a --
UKYOU
Of course I haven't! BEAT At
least, not since I was very small,
and I was playing with --
MICHAEL begins to look embarrased.
LITA
Okay, but it's *still* not such a
big deal. I mean, I didn't see
it, but would you say that it was --
UKYOU
I don't want to *think* about it,
thanks!
LITA
Come on! I mean, judging by his
chest, he's --
UKYOU
-- a guy who thinks that part was a
mistake on the assembly line! It's
bad enough my fiancee turns into a
girl, I don't want to put up with a
guy who *wants* to be a girl!
AKANE (V.O.)
-- said Nerima's most famous female-
to-male transvestite.
MICHAEL
Um, do you think we could get --
LITA
I don't see what the big deal about
*that* is. I mean, it'd be really
useful, I think.
UKYOU
APPALLED Excuse me?
LITA
Well think about it.
UKYOU
DELIBERATE No. I'm not *like*
that --
LITA
Neither am *I*! BEAT But think
about it -- if he spends a lot of
time as a girl, he'll know what
girls *like*, right?
AKANE (V.O.)
Well, no.
MICHAEL stands up and starts waving his arms.
MICHAEL
VERY EMBARRASSED That's it! I
quit!
He starts to head for the door, with UKYOU and LITA staring at him,
startled to be reminded of his presence. AETHAN appears in the doorway,
staring quizzically at MICHAEL.
AETHAN
"Quit?"
MICHAEL
Uh ... I meant, for a smoke.
AETHAN
Filthy habit.
He looks at UKYOU.
AETHAN
May I come in?
UKYOU
Uh ... sure.
AETHAN steps across the threshold, followed closely by MINAKO.
MINAKO
Find anything?
LITA
Not a thing. You?
MINAKO
Nope. It's just as well, I guess.
LITA
Huh? Mina ... are you okay? You're
usually more enthusiastic than --
MINAKO
I meant that we've had enough
trouble with the third member of our
"team".
There is a low rumble, as of a building collapsing.
MIHOSHI (O.S.)
AAAACCK!
LITA
Was that --
AETHAN
WEARY If not, there is another
just like her, in which case total
surrender to the enemy seems like a
reasonable idea.
MINAKO
Imagine Serena, only worse, without
any of her good qualities.
LITA shudders, then turns to look at AETHAN.
LITA
So you used to run an operation
called the Shadows, huh?
AETHAN gives MICHAEL the Look.
MICHAEL
She wormed it out of me with her
feminine wiles.
LITA
MUTTERED You jerk.
AETHAN
Ahem. That's correct, yes.
LITA
Is that where you met that Masefield
guy?
AETHAN blinks -- clearly he was not expecting a question along those
lines.
AETHAN
In a way. BEAT It was ... my,
close to two years ago. Our agents
were running into frequent ... shall
we say, encounters? ... with PDF
personnel.
MICHAEL
Shall we say, slugfests?
AETHAN
It was, it turned out, a plot by a
third party -- actually, an alliance
of a few third parties -- to force
our organizations to expend their
strength fighting with each other,
rather than them. Almost worked,
but for one thing.
MICHAEL
We're in pitched battle with the
"Alpha" Team these guys send out --
the same people here now, basically
-- when all of a sudden the lights
go out, and when they come back,
Aethan and their chief are standing
face to face, smiling like Cheshire
cats who've just eaten canaries.
MINAKO mouths the words "smiling like Cheshire cats who've just eaten
canaries" silently.
AETHAN
FAINT SMILE What our adversaries
failed to take into consideration
was that while my path had never
before crossed Mr. Masefield's, I
was not unaware of his existence and
reputation -- nor vice versa. It
was child's play to arrange matters
so that we could make an alliance of
our own.
UKYOU
He's good with strategy?
AETHAN
Very.
UKYOU
DUBIOUS If you say so.
The image freezes.
AKANE (V.O.)
I should probably explain something
here -- Mr. DeGales, unlike Mr.
Gideon, actually spoke Japanese.
But he didn't think in it, he
translated in his head. Which is
why his lack of familiarity with
all the names of everyone in my
household paid off.
Image resumes.
UKYOU
If I were a genius of strategy, I
sure wouldn't leave someone as
untrustworthy as Cologne guarding
the house when Misty Cloud was
there.
Long silence.
AETHAN
BLINK Excuse me?
UKYOU
Kasumi. The oldest Tendou sister?
The one who wanders around in --
AETHAN
Yes, but her name means Misty
Cloud?
UKYOU
Huh? BEAT Yeah. Huh. Never
noticed that --
AETHAN whips around to stare at MICHAEL in horror, who returns the gaze in
the same way.
MICHAEL
SHRIEK GO, MAN, GO!
AETHAN goes. He is out the door and out of sight before MICHAEL finishes
speaking.
MINAKO
Huh? What? AETHAN!
LITA
TO MICHAEL What's going on?
MICHAEL
A while ago, Aethan got a warning
that he was supposed to protect a
misty cloud.
LITA
You mean, Kasumi-san?
MICHAEL
Right.
Cut to KASUMI, carrying a basket of clean laundry out into the garden to
hang.
MICHAEL (V.O.)
So in other words, regardless of
Masefield's strategy, everyone at
the house is in a hell of a lot of
trouble!
KASUMI begins to hang the laundry, humming a soft, gentle tune as she
does.
From behind her, a shadow creeps across the lawn, until it covers KASUMI's
back entirely.
KASUMI pauses, and with no expression on her face at all, turns to look
behind her.
This particular demon (hereafter called a Sagu) is a hulking humanoid dark
purple shape roughly eight feet tall, with a massive, cyclopean-eyed head
which is slightly out of proportion to the size of its body. It is gazing
down at KASUMI without moving.
There is a long silence.
KASUMI
Oh my.
The Sagu lifts its right arm high, a magical blade of force appearing from
it -- then starts to swing it down towards KASUMI's horrified face.
It is met in midstroke by an ogham-engraved katana. KASUMI looks down the
sword's length to see AETHAN, his face clenched, his fangs obvious, his
eyes slits.
AETHAN
RUN.
KASUMI ducks under the hanging laundry and dashes for the house as the
fight between AETHAN and the Sagu begins.
It is a dangerously equal battle, with neither fighter able to hold the
advantage for very long. Initially, the Sagu seems to be toying with the
vampyre, but a few close misses end playtime. The skin of AETHAN's face
seems to be pulling very tightly against his skull.
Quite suddenly, AETHAN mistimes a step and falls over the laundry basket.
The sword of the SAGU descends, and the laundry is stained with blood.
On the porch, KASUMI appears, half-dragging a protesting PATRICIA. KASUMI
lets out a shriek at the sight of her laundry, then turns to stare
frantically at PATRICIA.
KASUMI
Ultimate weapon?
PATRICIA blinks, startled -- and then her jaw sets. She nods once, then
stands in a wide stance on the porch, her arms at her side -- and then she
opens her mouth to yell.
There is a flash of light.
The flash prompts the Sagu-demon to look up from whatever it is doing to
AETHAN in time for a massive dark green fist to slam into its face,
knocking it back. The Sagu rolls up to get a look at the new attacker.
The Mark II MARCHER Powered Armor is roughly eight feet tall, without a
distinct head servo -- there is an obvious head, but it is recessed into
the body and doesn't turn. Its eyes glow blue. It is important to note
that the MARCHER is disturbingly *biological* in its appearance -- instead
of clean mechanical limbs, its arms and legs are muscled much like a human
being's limbs. In fact, the MARCHER and the Sagu resemble each other, in
a way.
The MARCHER points its fist towards the Sagu, and a pair of missile bays
open up on its wrist. Two grenade like projectiles are shot towards the
Sagu, with only one hitting to explode against its carcass. The Sagu
howls in pain, and then bolts up to slam into the MARCHER, knocking both
to the ground. Pinning the MARCHER's arms with its knees, the Sagu begins
to slam its fists into the head and shoulders of the Powered Armor.
Cut to inside the Powered Armor. We can only see PATRICIA's head and
shoulders. She is being shaken by each impact, and appears to be in pain
as well. She lets out a hollow cry.
A shinai hits the back of the Sagu's head, doing absolutely no damage, but
causing it to stop, and slowly turn around to see who has just assaulted
it. It stares for a few seconds at the frightened face of STENGOVITCH.
STENGOVITCH
MUTTERED, PANICKED What on Earth
am I doing? I --
The Sagu lifts a fist --
Just as the MARCHER exerts itself to the utmost, throwing the Sagu off of
it. A haymaker punch sends the demon flying into the pond. An arm
reaches out of the pond, then convulses and falls back. The MARCHER
whirls to look at STENGOVITCH. Its eyes glow *very* brightly.
There is another flash of light.
PATRICIA stands where the MARCHER was, looking *very* angry.
PATRICIA
What are you *doing*, you fricking
*moron*, trying to get yourself
killed or --
STENGOVITCH
Well, I --
PATRICIA
And don't go handing me some "but
I saved your life" schtick, I had
it under control! I may have to
defer to Kent, I may have to defer
to my Uncle, but there's no way on
God's green earth that I'm going to
defer to --
The Sagu explodes out of the pond, rocketing towards the two of them.
PATRICIA opens her mouth --
Flash of light.
-- the MARCHER turns to fight the demon again, and the demon generates its
sword and brings it down in a sweeping motion.
The left arm of the MARCHER goes flying.
Inside the Powered Armor, all the blood rushes out of PATRICIA's face.
Outside, STENGOVITCH stares.
STENGOVITCH
DISBELIEVING WHISPER My God.
The Sagu lifts its sword again, to finish the job.
The katana bursts from its chest, and ignites with a green flame. The
Sagu convulses, and the sword is withdrawn. It turns.
AETHAN's face is the mask of death -- skin pulled so tightly over his
skull as to seem almost transparent. His eyes are almost completely
pupil, with only a faint red lining around the outside. His fangs are
very visible. His left hand is clawed, and it darts up to grab the eye of
the Sagu's head. His right arm parries the demon's sword as he clutches
hold of the eye -- then crushes it. His hand goes into the skull of the
demon. A sword stroke forces it to its knees. Then his left arm is in
the demon's head up to his elbow, and his teeth clench even further.
And the demon suddenly disintegrates, leaving only ichor splattered on
AETHAN's torn clothes. AETHAN shudders in the sudden wind.
KASUMI steps gingerly off the porch, and approaches AETHAN from behind.
KASUMI
Is it ... gone?
AETHAN does not turn to look at her; his voice is strange because of the
fangs.
AETHAN
Yeth.
KASUMI
Are you all right?
AETHAN
Fine.
She reaches out to touch him on the shoulder.
AETHAN
Don't.
She does anyway. He jerks away, allowing her to catch a glimpse of his
fangs. There is a long, silent moment.
KASUMI
You're ... a vampire, aren't you?
AETHAN
More or leth.
KASUMI
Is it true that ... vampires, when
they exert themselves, need --
AETHAN
BLUNT Doeth'nt matter.
KASUMI very slowly begins to open the top button of her dress.
AETHAN
Thtop it.
KASUMI
You risked your life for me. I have
to --
AETHAN
You don't *have* to do *anything*!
KASUMI
Very well, I want to --
AETHAN turns. There is naked desire in his eyes.
AETHAN
You don't know what you're thaying.
It'th not like the thtories, it
*hurtth*!
KASUMI
I know you won't hurt me.
AETHAN begins to slowly draw closer to her.
AETHAN
I don't know if I will be able to
thtop ...
He is standing *extremely* close to her. Her eyes are closed.
KASUMI
I know you won't hurt me.
AETHAN opens his mouth, and bends down towards the exposed flesh of
KASUMI's neck. For a moment, nothing happens.
KASUMI's eyes jerk open.
AETHAN jolts back, his face rigid with horror and self-contempt.
AETHAN
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
He convulses once, and then collapses, his face strangely peaceful.
KASUMI looks down at him with a shaken expression on her face.
KASUMI
Oh my. TEARS Oh ... my.
Cut to KENT, looking around a corner at the police station.
KENT
Everything seems normal to me. You?
NABIKI looks around the corner.
NABIKI
I hate cliche phrases, so I won't
say what I think.
They duck back, rejoining TENCHI
KENT
Too quiet.
NABIKI
A bit.
KENT
Right. Okay, I'll --
There is the beeping of a portable phone. KENT and NABIKI both check; it
turns out to be KENT's, which makes him scowl as he turns it on.
KENT
What. BEAT WHAT? BEAT Shit.
Hangs up.
TENCHI
What --
KENT
Attack on the dojo. Repulsed, with
... injuries. VERY QUICK Your
sister not among them. I've got to
get back there -- but we still need
to find out what's going on here.
BEAT Can you handle it?
NABIKI
I ... COCKY Sure.
KENT
I was speaking to Mr. Masaki.
TENCHI
Well ... I think so. I --
KENT pulls off his watch.
KENT
If there's too many of them, break
the face. That'll bring everyone
a-running.
TENCHI
STILL DUBIOUS Okay. I just hope
that I --
KENT
I saw you fighting Ranma last night.
You will. Don't worry about that.
He runs off. NABIKI stares at TENCHI with an acquisitive air.
NABIKI
Sooo ... you're an alien prince,
huh?
TENCHI
Well, yes. BEAT I hope you don't
find that --
NABIKI
In line for the throne?
TENCHI
I ... guess so. I don't really think
about it.
NABIKI
GRINS We will talk about this more,
later. Right now ...
Cut to KENT jogging down the street. He pulls out his cell phone and taps
out a short code, then lifts it to his ear.
KENT
Niniane, I --
Cut to SERENA (as Sailor Moon) holding another cell phone just like
KENT's.
SERENA
Mr. Masefield?
KENT (TEL)
Ms. Tsukino?! Where did you get --
Cut back to reveal that SERENA is standing on a rooftop with DARIEN (as
Tuxedo Mask) hovering nearby.
SERENA
I don't know what's going on! Ms.
Niniane just disappeared after she
gave me her phone-thingy. I ... we
looked away for a few seconds, and
she was gone. What's --
KENT (TEL)
Dammit!
SERENA
I'm sorry I'm sorry I'm sorry --
KENT (TEL)
Not *you*. *Her*. I don't know
what she's trying to pull -- look,
drop what you're doing, and start
heading back to the dojo. The
situation has changed. If Niniane
shows up, don't *listen* to her,
just tell her to get back to the
dojo, ASAP.
SERENA
Ummm ... one question?
KENT (TEL)
ANNOYED It means as soon as
possible, Ms. Tsukino. I'll see you
soon.
SERENA takes the phone away from her ear.
SERENA
We're supposed to go back to the
dojo. BEAT Muffin, you know how
to get back to the dojo, right? I
don't remember the route we took to
get here --
DARIEN
I ... oh, boy. I wasn't really
paying attention either.
SERENA
TINY You mean we're lost?
Down in the alley beside the building they stand on, RYOUGA looks around
frantically.
RYOUGA
Mr. Delafontaine? Ms. Mizuno?
Aaaagh. Where am I now?
NINIANE is watching them from nearby. Her face is troubled.
NINIANE
I don't understand ... I step away
from them, but someone else comes
to take my place ... making three
again. BEAT Is this what Kent
meant? That my prophecy made him
feel ... helpless?
She shakes her head.
NINIANE
No. I know better than that. I
know that the three will include
him, at least. BEAT And if
Jessica is here ... then that's
the other. BEAT So who is
the third?
Cut to KENT arriving at the doors of the dojo, where STENGOVITCH is
waiting on the border of panic. KENT takes a moment to stare at him, then
sighs.
KENT
So now you know. BEAT Come on.
KENT leads STENGOVITCH into the dojo grounds. AETHAN has been moved
inside the house, but the MARCHER armor is still laying on its back, its
arm torn cleanly off. They approach it.
KENT
SOFTLY Patricia? Are you still
with us?
PATRICIA (DISTORT)
TINY I can't feel my arm.
KENT looks over at where the arm would be, and sighs.
KENT
I'm not surprised. You should be
grateful.
STENGOVITCH looks at him dumbfoundedly.
KENT
Try moving it.
Of course, nothing happens.
PATRICIA (DISTORT)
PANIC No feedback.
KENT
QUICK That's okay! Whatever you
were fighting tore open a pretty
huge gash in your arm -- it wouldn't
surprise me if the armor was pumping
enough painkillers into your system
to knock you right the hell out.
PATRICIA (DISTORT)
But it's going to be okay?
KENT
You're gonna have a pretty bad scar,
there, but you should be okay.
Comes with the territory. BEAT
But don't deactivate the armor. You
need the autodoc. I want you to set
this thing up to put you into sleep
mode until the autodoc computer says
you're okay. You know how to do
that, right?
PATRICIA (DISTORT)
Uh ... yeah.
KENT
Okay. Do it now. SEVERAL BEATS
Is it done?
PATRICIA (DISTORT)
TIRED Almost ...
KENT
Good. SEVERAL BEATS Patricia?
No answer. KENT sighs, and turns to STENGOVITCH.
KENT
DEAD Get the arm.
STENGOVITCH
I ... I don't understand.
KENT
I'll explain, as we do it. Go get
the arm.
STENGOVITCH runs over to where the arm fell, and carries it -- with
difficulty -- to KENT. KENT shows no problem in hefting the arm. He
calmly sets it down beside the shoulder.
KENT
When Andrew told me what he'd done
... I wanted to kill him. Maybe I
should have. BEAT How did you
think that the MARCHER appeared
around Patricia, Stengovitch?
STENGOVITCH
Well ... I figured that the amulet
she wore all the time was some sort
of device to summon the armor from
subspace, or something like that.
KENT
Subspace. Good idea. Don't you
think that if the PDF had that kind
of technology we'd use it for
something a lot less flashy than a
summoned suit of powered armor?
Backpacks that could contain every
device an operative could possibly
need? Vehicles with different
interior and exterior dimensions?
STENGOVITCH
I guess ... I didn't really --
KENT
No. It works on a much simpler, and
more horrifying level. BEAT There
is no MARCHER Powered Armor, son.
What you see before you is her body.
BEAT The first suit -- the *real*
MARCHER -- was the armor his younger
brother wore during that mess in
Afghanistan. That was ... God,
almost seventeen years ago, now.
Longer than you've been alive.
BEAT Anyway, Andrew went a little
crazy when that happened. He went
and hid out in a cave for a few
years. Down there, something ...
crystallized, in his mind. He made
several breakthroughs in biotech and
nanomechanics. And naturally, the
first thing he thought of "building"
was a better MARCHER.
KENT looks down at the arm and the shoulder.
KENT
Take a look. You'll see what I'm
talking about.
STENGOVITCH looks down at the joint -- then jerks back.
STENGOVITCH
It's --!
KENT
Don't look so shocked. You've seen
the self-repair system in operation
before.
STENGOVITCH
But ... I mean ... that was when I
thought it wasn't *alive* ...
KENT
Matter's matter, isn't it?
STENGOVITCH
I ... I don't know. This ... this
doesn't feel *right*.
KENT
NODS Every time she activates the
armor, a nanotechnological virus
rewrites her DNA to make her into
this. And then speeds up the
growth process a few million times.
The burst of light is to cover the
growth. If you want to be disgusted
sometime, watch her with anti-flare
goggles on.
STENGOVITCH's expression suggests that he won't be doing that anytime
soon.
KENT
When she orders it to deactivate,
a second nano-virus rewrites her to
her original structure. The armor,
the extra muscles, the other stuff
... it all becomes like dead hair or
skin. And decomposes even faster.
BEAT I don't know what would
happen, though, if she tried to
return to normal with her arm cut
off like that, though. Probably
she'd grow another one. But I don't
want to take the chance.
STENGOVITCH
Sir ... what you said earlier, about
subspace technology having more uses
than just making a single suit of
armor work ... you could say the
same about this kind of nano--
KENT
Yes, probably. BEAT If a certain
arrogant telepath hadn't, when he
learned what the last man on earth
he trusted had done with it, burned
the details of how to create it out
of his friend's mind, we'd have all
sorts of neat gadgets, I'd imagine.
STENGOVITCH
You ... I don't ... BEAT Okay,
she doesn't know what's been done to
her, and that's terrible, but ... is
it really that --
KENT
The problem with this kind of thing
is that the effects are impossible
to completely predict. Errors creep
into the programming, no matter how
careful you think you are. BEAT
Her "armored" form has evolved,
since he first used the processes on
her when she was fourteen. So has
her "normal" form. I'll give you a
list of the side-effects we've
discovered.
KENT stares intently at STENGOVITCH, who seems to be rocked by the
revelations.
STENGOVITCH
No ... no way. BEAT This is ...
this is terrible. How could someone
do this to his niece?! How --
KENT
-- could someone do this to his
daughter?
STENGOVITCH's face goes completely pale.
STENGOVITCH
No ...
KENT
She was born five months after her
"father" -- Andrew's brother -- died
in Afghanistan. He'd been there for
about three months. All very above
board. BEAT Except that she was
born three weeks premature ... and
Andrew was three weeks late in
joining the team.
STENGOVITCH
He didn't --
KENT
No. *That*, he didn't do. He might
have, but a Belyorussian telekinetic
did the job for him.
STENGOVITCH
He knows, then?
KENT nods.
STENGOVITCH
And he still did it.
KENT
He needed someone with a strong set
of psychic defenses. Most people
have fairly weak ones. Patricia ...
has one of the strongest I have ever
encountered. BEAT Not one person
in a billion has a wall of mind that
strong. It was just lucky that one
of those who did was his daughter.
STENGOVITCH
How can you *let* someone like that
walk free -- be part of the PDF?
KENT
Because I know exactly what he's
capable of. I *know* what evil
lurks in his heart -- and I know I
can check it if I have to. BEAT
No one is without sin, Katsuhito
Stengovitch. No one.
His eyes seem to almost burn as he says this, and STENGOVITCH takes a step
back.
STENGOVITCH
I thought we were the good guys.
KENT
We are. BEAT Andrew's actions
are a stain on our record. But to
throw him out wouldn't make the
stain go away. BEAT The only
way we can do that is to hope that
some good does come of this ...
wrong, that was done to Patricia.
BEAT It's almost done.
He stands.
KENT
When Sailor Moon and her boyfriend
get here, explain what happened, and
ask them to start guarding this
place. Bran's up in the Fortress,
right?
STENGOVITCH nods, not meeting KENT's gaze.
KENT
Katsuhito ... don't let this make
you feel ashamed to be PDF. BEAT
Your grandfather taught me what it
meant to be a hero, as much as my
father did. Don't let this make you
ashamed of Takamura Taishi and the
Kishin Corps.
Cut to inside the powered armor. PATRICIA's face is absolutely still,
though her eyes hang open without expression.
STENGOVITCH (V.O.)
Will you ever tell her?
KENT (V.O.)
Not until we can undo it. Maybe not
then.
PATRICIA's face moves in a silent scream.
KENT (V.O.)
Who knows what knowing about this
would do to her?
Cut to black.
AKANE (V.O.)
She'd lied when she said she knew
how to set the autodoc. BEAT
She heard everything.
Cut to a communications center, where BRAN is seated in front of a wall of
monitors. KENT stands behind him.
KENT
And nobody went near it?
BRAN
If they did, they were invisible ...
and they should have shown up on the
K-cameras even so.
KENT
There's no way that a demon like --
He points at a video image of the Sagu.
KENT
-- that should have been able to
cross the wards I set up without my
knowing about it.
He fumes for a moment, then snaps his fingers.
KENT
Did we have a camera on the location
of any of the wards?
BRAN
CHECKS Uh ... yes. The one right
near the main entrance.
KENT
Okay, I want a time lapse sequence
-- five shots every hour -- of that
area, filtered through a K-lens.
BRAN
Starting as soon as we arrived?
KENT
Right.
BRAN makes the adjustments. The monitor in front of his head shows a shot
of the inside of the Tendou front gates; on the ground there is a circle
of grey light. A clock in the lower right hand corner tells what time it
is in the image being shown.
At around noon of the second day, the circle vanishes.
KENT
Shit! Check the log of entrances,
who came in around then?
BRAN
According to this ... someone has a
really weird sense of --
KENT
Just read it, don't editorialize.
BRAN
Yes, *sir*. The Goddess Belldandy,
the Demoness Mara, and --
KENT
WEARY Of course. The goddess
probably did something to make it
safe for her "friend" to enter.
KENT turns to leave.
KENT
Okay, I'm going to go reset the
wards. If either of those two
report back here, I want you to call
me *immediately*.
BRAN nods, and KENT steps out of the room, into a hallway.
He turns to see COLOGNE, standing some distance away. For a very long
moment.
KENT
I ought to ask why you did nothing
to help when the demon attacked.
COLOGNE
Would you believe me if I told you
that I recognized the being's powers
as being vastly superior to my own?
KENT
I'd believe that that was probably
part of it.
COLOGNE
And you'd be right. BEAT It is
always good strategy to know the
capabilities of one's ... allies,
is it not, Mr. Masefield?
KENT nods slowly.
KENT
Naturally. I'd probably have done
the same thing.
He turns to go. COLOGNE in turn, turns to head in the opposite direction,
with a satisfied expression on her face.
KENT (O.S.)
If I am ever convinced that you did
so because of a grudge against the
Tendou household, however, I ...
KENT's voice blends with the next voice, fading out slowly.
WOMAN (O.S.)
MANDARIN ... however, I will not
rest until the Joketsuzoku are torn
from this Earth. I expect that you
would do the same, correct, Khu
Luong?
COLOGNE whirls. KENT is walking away at an even pace.
COLOGNE
What did you just say?
KENT turns back to look at her, calmly.
KENT
I think you heard me.
KENT turns a corner and is gone from sight. COLOGNE stares at where he
was for a moment.
COLOGNE
Well. BEAT How remarkable.
Cut to outside, the path leading from the Tendou gate. KENT stands,
tracing something in the air.
AKANE (V.O.)
I couldn't make Cologne reveal whose
voice she thought she'd heard. I
have my suspicions, however.
KENT steps back, then nods.
KENT
Not the best ... but it'll have to
do. BEAT Niniane has a lot to
answer for.
Cut to somewhere dark. Something watches through a "ball" of light as
KENT turns to walk towards the gate. A breath quickens in anticipation.
Cut to just outside the Tendou gate. KENT steps through. He turns to his
left and sees a tall, dark-haired young man (TAKA) being led down the
street by a short auburn-haired girl (MIAKA). He opens his mouth to call
out to them.
Cut back to somewhere dark.
HAPPOSAI (DISTORT)
NOW.
A series of short shots showing *everyone* that was sent out into the city
being suddenly and surprisingly attacked by a variety of demons. TENCHI
and NABIKI, for example, open the door to the police station only to find
that everyone inside has been transformed into a zombie-like creature.
TENCHI immediately manifests the Wings of the Light Hawk, and begins
slaying, while NABIKI falls back out of the building.
Cut to just outside the TENDOU gate. Something slams into KENT from
behind, knocking his glasses off his face and sending him flying. He hits
the ground hard and awkwardly. Down the street, MIAKA lets out a short
shriek. KENT is rolling up to face his attackers when a bolt of lightning
crashes into him from above. While still reeling from that, the demon
attacking him -- which resembles nothing so much as a van with short,
stubby arms and a pair of horns -- rolls up and starts to pound him with
its clenched fists.
Down the street, TAKA reacts to this sight.
TAKA
Shit! That guy!
He assumes an aggressive stance.
MIAKA
NO! You still aren't up to it, TA--
Cut to KENT's point of view, just as another lightning strike slams into
him. His head lolls to stare at TAKA and MIAKA, at first blurry and
indistinct figures, then (in a moment of lacerating clarity) he sees them
as through he were only a few feet away. Then another bolt slams into
him.
KENT's eyes close.
Cut to black.
AKANE (V.O.)
And at the very last moment, just as
Kent's heart stopped, he realized
where he had seen that young man's
eyes before. BEAT In the mirror
reflection of his own face.
There is a long silence.
KENT (V.O.)
Oh well.
Light floods the screen, and as it clears we see the world from KENT's
perspective. He is moving through the air over the demon, and everything
is utterly silent. Over the next sequence, the only sound to be heard is
a rapid rhythmic drumbeat ... one beat every 1.8 seconds. His foot slams
into the demon's backside, and shockwaves ripple out from the point of
contact, and up his leg. The demon roars, as KENT runs up the back of the
demon to its "face", grabs one of the horns in either hand, then flips
over in front of it, pulling the horns down with him. He pivots then,
slamming the heel of his foot (the same foot that hit the demon's back)
into the "face". KENT then jerks back, pulling the entire bulk of the
demon up to a ninety degree angle with the ground -- supporting it with
his other leg. For exactly nine seconds, it rests there, the several
million tiny feet of the demon flailing in the air -- and then KENT draws
his leg back, and yanks the horns down hard, PULLING the demon's head into
the ground. There is an enormous impact, and the demon convulses. KENT
releases the grip of his right hand on the horns, then pulls it back, and
*slams* it into the top of the demon's body. Reddish ichor sprays as he
does.
The demon dissolves.
Sound finally returns ... the sound of KENT breathing, heavily. He slowly
turns to stare at TAKA and MIAKA, who are staring right back.
KENT
VERY QUIET Leave this place. Get
out of this district. Get out of
this city. Get out of this country,
if you can. But leave this place.
They start to back away. KENT turns ... then pauses, and looks back.
KENT
Boy.
TAKA stiffens.
KENT
Don't *ever* ... give her cause to
mourn you. BEAT Understand?
TAKA nods, mutely. KENT starts to walk away, noticeably limping with the
leg with which he did both kicks.
MIAKA
Taka? Did you know that man?
TAKA
No ... I don't think so. BEAT I
wonder how he knew me.
Unnoticed by them, a shaky hand reaches down to pick up KENT's glasses.
Cut to RAYE (as SAILOR MARS) performing the Mars Flame Sniper on a demon,
which is completely incinerated.
RAYE
RELIEVED That's the last of them,
I think.
SHAMPOO looks at her with an evaluatory expression.
RAYE
SUSPICIOUS What?
SHAMPOO
Potential. BEAT Short skirt not
help in fight with this demon,
though. Not distract.
RAYE
Excuse me? That is *not* why we --
AYEKA, who has switched to her battle costume, watches the encounter with
interest.
TENCHI (O.S.)
NABIKI-SAN?!
AYEKA whips around to see TENCHI, with the sword out and ready, running
down the street with an anxious, even frightened expression.
AYEKA
Tenchi-sama?
TENCHI
Ayeka-san! Was there a fight here,
too?
AYEKA
Yes, QUICK but I'm all ri--
TENCHI
Oh god ... I don't know where she
got to ...
AYEKA
Who?
TENCHI
Tendou Nabiki-san! She was with me,
and -- and ... DEEP BREATH we got
separated. In the fight. And I --
AYEKA is hovering somewhere between concern for TENCHI's mental well-being
and irritation.
AYEKA
SOOTHING It's all right, Tenchi ...
she wouldn't have volunteered to go
out if she didn't think she could
take care of herself.
SHAMPOO
HELPFUL Actually, Mercenary Girl
rely on kindness of strangers.
TENCHI looks like he's about to freak out. AYEKA directs an angry glare
in SHAMPOO's direction.
AYEKA
FORCED Thank you, Shan Pu.
SHAMPOO appears dumbfounded. RAYE storms in to stand right beside her.
RAYE
HISSED You *jerk*! What are you
doing? Can't you see he's worried
about her?
SHAMPOO
Why? He not part of her tribe.
RAYE stares at her for a very long moment, before turning away.
RAYE
Maybe his tribe is bigger than you
can understand.
Cut to NABIKI, edging along a wall. She peers around it, to see RYOUKO,
RANMA, and MCGOVERN surveying several dozen demon corpses -- of a
different type than the other demons.
RANMA
DISGUSTED Five. Who knows how
many attack, and I beat five.
RYOUKO
TEASING Oh what's the matter?
Jealous?
RANMA
No, I am *not* --
RYOUKO
Worried that *everyone* from Okayama
is tougher than you are, instead of
just SINGS Tenchi?
RANMA
IRRITATED Leave me alone.
MCGOVERN
Excuse me ... I take it you watched
the sparring match between Saotome-
san and Masaki-san?
RYOUKO
Why yes, I *did* watch him get his
rear end handed to him by --
MCGOVERN turns to look at RANMA, and lets out a sigh.
MCGOVERN
Oh, for Pete's sake. Look, it's one
lost *fake* fight among *millions*
of real --
RANMA
Millions?
MCGOVERN
I meant thousands. I not speak good
Japa--
RANMA
Thousands?
MCGOVERN
Hundreds. I got the terms confused,
is all. Anyway --
NABIKI makes a mental note, then runs off. She pauses as she sees KENT
limping into an empty bath-house. For a second, she wonders ... then
dashes forward.
Cut to inside the bath-house. KENT slowly pulls off his brown jacket,
which has become covered in red ichor, and then takes a step towards the
showers -- before collapsing, in obvious pain. He lies still for a
moment.
There is the sound of footsteps. KENT looks up ... then settles back down
again.
KENT
Oh. You.
NABIKI stares at him.
NABIKI
Don't sound so thrilled. BEAT It
seems that a few days ago, a demon
parked in the basement of the police
station, and started turning the
officers into zombies. That's
probably why it took so long for
them to respond.
KENT
Makes sense. Good work. BEAT
Where is Masaki-san?
NABIKI
Dunno. We got separated. BEAT
Are you all right?
KENT
Assorted minor injuries.
NABIKI
Riiight. That's why your leg looks
broken.
KENT
As I said. Assorted minor injuries.
He suddenly straightens the leg in question, producing a sharp, cracking
noise, startling NABIKI.
NABIKI
Okay, very cute, very macho, cut it
ou--
KENT moves the leg normally, though a bit stiffly. NABIKI stares.
NABIKI
What the *hell* are you?
KENT
Isn't it obvious? I'm Superman.
He rolls into a seated position for a moment, then lies back down.
KENT
And I'm tired.
NABIKI slowly settles down to watch him.
Nearby, a slim hand reaches out to pick up the jacket, and pull it away.
Cut to the outside. High on a rooftop overlooking the public bath,
JESSICA stares down.
JESSICA
Hm. I wouldn't have expected this.
I figured the witness would be that
little twit in the armor, or the
mage. Not that it matters, really.
She prepares to leap down -- as KENT walks out of the public bath, alone.
JESSICA blinks.
JESSICA
Now what the hell is he doing? Even
for him, that's a fast recovery ...
and why's he leaving the witness?
SHAKES HEAD Who cares? The time
has come ...
She leaps into the air, and floats after KENT.
Cut back to the bath house. KENT is seated, now.
KENT
Nabiki ... when you were at the
bank, did you see anyone there who
looked like the description I gave
you of Jessica?
NABIKI
No ... of course, I probably
wouldn't have noticed my sisters
under those circumstances. BEAT
Could you tell me something?
KENT
Yes, many things. What do you want
in particular?
NABIKI
What's so fearsome about this woman?
KENT takes a long breath.
KENT
Easy to explain, hard to understand.
I'm a telepath.
NABIKI
I *thought* so.
KENT
My half-sister is a telekinetic.
She also has a doctorate in human
physiology. BEAT Can you imagine
what someone could do to the inside
of your body, if they had the skill
of a surgeon, and didn't need to
touch you?
NABIKI shudders.
KENT
Fortunately, she has -- we suspect
psychosomatic -- limitations on her
power. She needs to touch an object
before she can use her power on it,
and she can only use her power on
objects she has touched within the
last minute. BEAT So she'd need
to touch a human being before she
could start messing with his or her
internal organs, and could only do
so for a minute before she'd need to
touch him or her again. Sadly,
a minute is about all she needs.
NABIKI
Scary. And she wants you dead?
KENT
So she's been saying. I don't have
any reason to doubt her. BEAT If
she wasn't at the police station,
she probably followed you back, to
get to where I was.
They both pause, and look towards the entrance to the public baths. There
is a long, tense moment.
KENT
Or not. BEAT Wait a minute.
Where the *hell* is my jacket?
Cut to KENT, standing at a corner, looking around it cautiously. JESSICA
glides up silently, then alights behind him. She holds her fingers over
his shoulder, for a moment.
JESSICA
Tap tap. Hello, oniisama!
KENT whirls ... and changes as he does so, revealing that it is actually
NINIANE, wearing KENT's jacket and glasses. JESSICA is startled.
JESSICA
You?! What the fuck are you doing?
NINIANE
GIDDY Changing fate. It's rather
exhilarating when you get right down
to it.
JESSICA
He's still at the baths, isn't he?
That ... *asshole*!
She turns to head back to the baths, and a jet of flame courses past her
ear. She slowly turns back to stare at NINIANE, who has suddenly become
quite serious, and is pulling off the glasses.
NINIANE
You're not going anywhere. *I'm*
going to stop you, right here.
JESSICA
Don't be an idiot. I've got no
quarrel with you, so stay the --
NINIANE
I can't do that. BEAT Don't you
understand? I have acted, I am
changing the pattern ... already,
three went in, and very soon, the
other two will come out! You can't
go back.
JESSICA stares at her, clearly believing her to be a lunatic.
JESSICA
All right ... if that's how you want
it, I'll be glad to oblige.
And she attacks. It is a duel of dodging, with JESSICA trying to land a
single touch on NINIANE, who is in turn trying to send a variety of
magical spells at JESSICA. JESSICA is *much* faster than NINIANE,
however, and sometimes seems to be half-toying with her. Suddenly, she
twists and grabs an arms-length neck-lock on NINIANE.
JESSICA
Say hi to whatever weirdo god you
follow -- and if it's the big guy
... tell him from me that he sucks.
There is no outward sign as JESSICA begins to use her power to twist and
mutilate NINIANE's organs, only the scream of pain that erupts from the
sorceress' throat.
Cut to a hazy image of NABIKI helping KENT limp out of the baths.
NINIANE suddenly twists her right arm to jab at the midpoint of JESSICA's
forehead. A red mystic symbol suddenly blooms there, and NINIANE abruptly
stops jerking in JESSICA's grip. Clenching hold of her wrist, the
sorceress pulls herself free, and collapses a few feet away.
JESSICA
What. Have. You. Done?!
NINIANE takes a moment to cough up some blood.
NINIANE
WEARY, BUT HAPPY Beaten you.
Spell of holding. You can't move
... it's a wonder you can even
speak. And Kent is out of the
bath now, so I beat you.
JESSICA
Oh? BEAT Know. My. Minute.
Limit?
NINIANE
What about it?
JESSICA
It's. *FIVE*!
And NINIANE begins to convulse and scream once more, while a murderous
light dances in JESSICA's eyes.
KENT (O.S.)
STOP!
NINIANE stops.
JESSICA
ALMOST LOVING Kent ...
KENT dashes forward, half-dragging NABIKI with him. He drops to NINIANE's
side. She is bleeding profusely from the nostrils and mouth.
NINIANE
Beat ...
KENT
Hang on! We'll get a doctor here,
you'll --
NINIANE
No. Dying. SHUDDER Sorry. But
I changed fate, Kent. I'm not a
coward.
KENT
Niniane, now is not the time to be
talking about that --
NINIANE grabs his shoulder.
NINIANE
Now is all I have! BEAT Too much
... too much to tell you. BEAT
You're going to have to face him,
Kent ... you're going to face him,
and I won't see it.
KENT
Face ... you mean the Adversary?
NINIANE nods weakly.
KENT
But you said it'd be suicide to
face -- you said no one had ever
battled that thing head on and --
NINIANE
Because you always get distracted.
BEAT You face one of its powerful
proxies ... and no matter what
happens, you're never in any shape
to fight it afterwards. BEAT You
weren't supposed to die there, in
the mud of Camlann ... you were born
for greater things.
KENT
Niniane, stop it. You're not making
sense.
NINIANE smiles up at him.
NINIANE
First time I've tried to make sense
since I've awoke. BEAT It will
be okay ... you can end it, Kent. I
believe in you. BEAT I still see
you as you. I loved Emrys more than
I could stand, but *everyone* loved
you. Even the Morrigan loved you as
she hated you. I love you still.
BEAT; WELSH Yield not, Pendragon.
She pulls him down into full-mouthed kiss.
And explodes. Her body converts completely into living flame -- half of
it running into KENT through his mouth, nose, and eyes, the rest of it
running into JESSICA's forehead -- causing her to shriek piercingly.
A moment later, it is gone. KENT remains bent over where her body was for
a long moment, then slowly lifts himself up.
His eyes are shining with the light of a sun.
KENT
DREADFUL Oh my God.
Cut to black.
AKANE
And the Defender awoke.
To Be Continued.
Together Again: 1996 Chapter, 04/28/98
