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INTERLUDE
Establishing Shot: Night. The edge of a futon. The camera slowly moves
upward.
SHEILA (O.S.)
... and then, after they've all been
blown up ... we're running low on
fuel, and, when you get right down
to it, there's nowhere left for us
to go, anyway. BEAT Over the
comm, I hear her mutter, "And so it
all ends." Then static. She's
either decided to cut out on me and
run into the lava, or she took too
many hits, or ... anyway, I don't
know how I should feel. I hold the
broken medal close ... and then ...
The camera has moved up enough to show two pairs of bare feet and ankles
on the futon. Over the next bit, it moves up to show two female bodies
covered by a blanket and sheets.
PRISS (O.S.)
And then what?
SHEILA (O.S.)
And then I see it. BEAT All of
it. All the wonder, all the horror,
everything that's going to happen
... I see it all stretching out
before me. Like an endless stream
of images. And I really wish that
she was still there, so I could say
"No ... it's all just beginning."
BEAT Because it is.
By now, we can see the faces -- it is PRISS and SHEILA -- and their bare
shoulders. SHEILA pauses for a long moment, looking up at the ceiling,
while PRISS looks at her. SHEILA turns to meet her gaze ... then smiles
mischievously.
SHEILA
So, do you ever dream about past
lives?
PRISS
THINKS Yeahhhh ... when I was just
out of the orphanage, I dreamed
about something not too different.
BEAT I'm walking out of this
cave, feeling depressed and resigned
to something ... and I'm about to
climb up into the ship, when I hear
someone ask me what I'm doing. And
I turn around, and there's this
gorgeous woman with long, black hair
who's -- YOW!
SHEILA is glowering at PRISS.
PRISS
You've got *really* cold feet ...
BEAT Anyway, we have this short
conversation: I'm going up to
fight; she's staying. And then
we're just staring at each other,
and I'm thinking, `I'd like to kiss
her. I'd *really* like to kiss her.
But that would be dumb, so I won't.'
And then I say something weird:
"We'll meet again." And she's like,
what? "Since time is a cycle ...
sooner or later ... this'll all
happen again." `And we'll be
together again, then', I think.
Long pause.
SHEILA
And you leave?
PRISS
Yep.
SHEILA
Good.
PRISS glowers at SHEILA, who smiles unapologetically. PRISS yanks the
pillow that their heads are resting on out from under SHEILA's head.
SHEILA fumes for a moment, before she starts to tickle PRISS, leading to a
brief tickle war that leaves both of them laughing -- healthy, vibrant,
soul-restoring laughter.
PRISS
Crazy dreams, huh?
SHEILA
I don't know ... the Senshi know, or
think that they know, that they've
lived before, thousands of years
ago. Why not us?
PRISS
SHRUGS It's the problem I've
always had with karma ... I don't
wanna think that I'm doomed to keep
doing the same stuff over and over
until I get it right.
SHEILA
Even ... BEAT Even the good
things?
PRISS
Well, yeah. I mean, you can have
too much of a good thing, not that
I've ever --
SHEILA
SMILING SEXILY Oh, reeealllly?
She starts to kiss PRISS' shoulder, moving slowly to her collarbone, up
her neck, onto her cheek, and just as she's about to kiss her on the lips
-- there is the sound of a phone ringing. SHEILA's face twists in an
almost comic expression of rage, and she reaches out to snatch up the
cellular on the phone. PRISS seems unsurprised by the interruption.
SHEILA
People In The Process of Really
Enjoying Themselves, please leave a
message at the tone. FAKE MOAN
MERCURY (TEL)
Very cute, Sheila.
SHEILA gasps a bit, and rolls into a sitting position, hogging the
bedsheets as she does so. PRISS lets out a squawk.
SHEILA
Amy? What's happening?
MERCURY (TEL)
There's a hostage situation in
progress, and we need all the
Palladins to gather at the Temple of
Serenity --
SHEILA
Whoa, back up. Why would the
Palladins be needed to deal with a
hos--
MERCURY (TEL)
Serenity is the hostage.
SHEILA is stunned silent for a very long moment. PRISS rests her head on
SHEILA's right shoulder (the phone is at her left ear), and looks at her
confusedly.
SHEILA
I'm on my way. I'll bring Priss.
MERCURY (TEL)
Oh good, she's with you. BEAT Oh
my. You mean --
SHEILA raises her right hand to rub the back of her head, but PRISS' head
is in the way. SHEILA lets her hand drop.
SHEILA
Uh, right, we'll be there real soon,
bye!
MERCURY (TEL)
Shei--
SHEILA turns the phone off, and turns to look at PRISS.
SHEILA
Serenity has been kidnapped somehow,
and Lady Mercury wants all the
Palladins to gather --
PRISS
Serenity? As in, the Queen?
SHEILA nods with a stunned expression.
PRISS
Boy, whoever's in charge of the
Secret Service is gonna be up
against the wall after this ...
PRISS gets out of bed, and offscreen starts to pull on her underclothes.
SHEILA
I hope not ... Mom's got enough
problems.
PRISS is attaching her bra.
PRISS
Oh yeah ... your mom is her chief
bodyguard.
SHEILA has begun to pull on her knee-length boots.
SHEILA
Well, that and the head of all
civilian intelligence operations
and the international police
organization.
PRISS buttons up her blouse.
PRISS
Seriously?
SHEILA is adjusting her belt.
SHEILA
Yep. BEAT Made my late teenage
years interesting ... I was always
wondering whether she sent people to
spy on my dates or --
PRISS
STANDS UP Look, I gotta know -- is
she gonna try to do something about
this?
SHEILA
Not ... consciously. BEAT She's
always said that she won't interfere
in my life, even if she thinks I'm
making a mistake, unless she thinks
I'm going to get hurt, as in injured
or killed. But ... she could try to
make life difficult for you.
PRISS
When you say the word `difficult',
what *exactly* do you mean? Are we
talking assassination --
SHEILA
Priss!
PRISS
I just wanna know what the odds are!
SHEILA
*You* wanna know the odds? BEAT
Okay, here's the way it's set up --
on the one hand, we have my mother,
a figure of superhuman power and
influence, who has to obey the laws
in both their word and spirit in her
dealings with you. On the other
hand there's you, the picture of
normal humanity with no influence,
but you have one great advantage
that my mom doesn't -- I'm in love
with you. BEAT I think it's a
level playing field, don't you?
PRISS doesn't look as certain as SHEILA sounds.
An Inevitable Outcome Feature
Written and Directed
by C. Richard Davies
TOGETHER AGAIN
2937 Chapter
Based on the works of
Naoko Takeuchi, Rumiko Takahashi,
Suzuki Toshimichi, Haruka Takachiho,
Hiroki Hayashi, Yuuki Masami,
and various interpretations thereof.
Dedicated to Gryphon, MegaZone, and ReRob.
ACT V
CAPTION
SEVERAL HOURS EARLIER
Establishing shot: The frigid red deserts of Mars, under an orange sky
that is filled with black clouds. In the distance is an irregular
formation of rocks, towards which, every few seconds, a bolt of black
lightning shoots. We close in on a trio of figures running towards the
rock formation -- RAYE, SHAMPOO, and RANMA.
RANMA
So what's going to happen if she
*has* managed to call Ucchan's
spirit back?
RAYE
Nothing good. The Black Crystal
will grant any wish, but twist the
wisher's intent so as to produce
a horrific effect.
RANMA
For instance?
RAYE is silent for a long moment.
RAYE
The first known user of the thing
used it to try and find the greatest
power in the universe.
RANMA
And?
RAYE
He died saving the life of a girl
he'd come to love, to whom the
crystal had led him.
RANMA
BLINKS *Love* is the greatest
power in the universe?
SHAMPOO
How you can doubt this, husband?
RANMA ignores her.
RANMA
That's so corny! BEAT So what's
going to happen --
RAYE
There is no way of knowing, beyond
saying that the more innocent the
wish, the more horribly it will be
corrupted.
At that moment, a hideous scream echoes across the landscape. RANMA
blanches.
RANMA
Gennosuke!
He dashes off, easily outpacing RAYE, who from her expression is running
full out. She trades exasperated looks with SHAMPOO.
SHAMPOO
Be careful what you wish for ...
Cut to a barren rock wall, just before GENNOSUKE is flung at it, making a
crunching noise as she hits. GENNOSUKE slumps to the ground, looking
upwards in fear and confusion.
GENNOSUKE
Mommy ... mommy, don't ...
Each of the following sentences is punctuated by a tiny "spatula shuriken"
being flung at GENNOSUKE's cowering form. Each misses by only a few
inches.
UKYOU (O.S.)
You know, you should stop calling me
that. SPAT After all, I'm *not*
your mother. SPAT And you're
definitely *not* my daughter. SPAT
*My* daughter would *never* be a
loathsome, bloodsucking monster like
you. SPAT So I think you'll
thank me, in a way, for relieving
you of the burden of your worthless
life.
We see the spatula in a woman's hand. In slow motion, we see it flung at
GENNOSUKE, slowly spinning towards her head. GENNOSUKE closes her eyes
... and a tiny rock, thrown from above, deflects the spat so that it only
slices open a small cut on her cheek. Our point of view angles upward,
and we can see RANMA looking down with a troubled expression. The view
rotates to his POV ... and we see UKYOU KUONJI. She is exactly the same
as she was in the Twentieth century, and staring up at RANMA with a joyous
expression.
UKYOU
BUBBLY RANCHAN! I knew it, I knew
you weren't dead! I knew that you
didn't die in that stupid tournament
on Earth, I knew it!
RANMA
U-- BEAT Ukyou.
UKYOU
I knew all along that you'd come
back to me and to your daughter --
GENNOSUKE (O.S.)
WHIMPER Mommy ...
UKYOU's face becomes a hideous mask of hatred.
UKYOU
Shut up you little whatever-you-are!
She goes back to being cute and sweet.
UKYOU
-- and she's such a pretty baby!
You'll love her, I know ...
RANMA
Ukyou.
UKYOU
Yes, Ranchan? BEAT Why aren't
you calling me Ucchan?
RANMA
Ukyou ... that girl is our daughter.
UKYOU
BLINKS No she's not.
RANMA
Yes, she is.
UKYOU
SMILES Ranchan, our daughter is
only a month or so old! And what
would any daughter of ours be doing
being a SAVAGE filthy depraved
vampire monster?!
RANMA
Ukyou, you have to understand ...
it's been nearly nine hundred years
since --
SHAMPOO (O.S.)
-- since you went to whatever hell
you belonged in.
UKYOU slowly turns to see SHAMPOO, a bonbori in each hand, standing a few
yards away. SHAMPOO's face is rigid. UKYOU's expression grows darker and
darker as the seconds pass.
UKYOU
You *told* him, didn't you?
SHAMPOO does not reply. UKYOU turns to look up at RANMA, appearing angry
and hurt.
UKYOU
She told you! Didn't she?!
RANMA
She ... she said some things, but --
UKYOU whirls to look back at SHAMPOO.
UKYOU
How dare you tell him?! I told you
that in confidence!
SHAMPOO
Confidence?
UKYOU
Of course! The only reason I told
you was that I was *confident* that
you'd never tell anyone else. After
all, who'd believe it coming from
*you*? BEAT Especially since you
wanted to do it as much as I did.
SHAMPOO's eyes narrow.
SHAMPOO
So you admit it.
UKYOU
To you? Of *course*.
SHAMPOO
Ranma can hear you, you know.
UKYOU
Oh, but I'm not talking to Ranchan
right now, am I?
SHAMPOO looks confused for a few moments by this statement ... then a look
of sudden, horrid understanding blossoms on her face, and she assumes a
combat stance.
SHAMPOO
Ranma, get your daughter out of here
right now!
UKYOU produces her huge battle spatula from nowhere, and holds it in a
ready stance. She pauses to smile up at RANMA.
UKYOU
Ranchan, maybe you should get out of
the way ... somebody definitely has
to teach this Amazon bimbo a lesson,
and it could get messy ... and
you've had enough of that sort of
thing, right? BEAT So *I'll* be
the one to hand this filthy Chinese
whore her head ...
UKYOU's expression grows steadily more malevolent during her final
statement, until she no longer looks quite *human* at the end. RANMA
stares at her in outright horror. She smiles again, and turns to face
SHAMPOO. The edge of her spatula ignites in a black flame. RANMA leaps
down to the floor, picks up GENNOSUKE, and leaps up again, just as UKYOU
charges towards SHAMPOO. We see SHAMPOO from UKYOU's point-of-view,
rapidly moving towards her. She is holding her bonbori vertically at
shoulder length distance.
SHAMPOO
[APOCALYPSE STRIKE OF THE HELL THAT
IS BEST LEFT UNDESCRIBED]!!!
She smashes the heads of the bonbori together.
As RANMA clears the mouth of the crevice, a *huge* burst of flame surges
up. RANMA slides down the rock facing, holding GENNOSUKE (who is
completely terrified) in his arms. He lands on a ledge a few seconds
later, and looks up to see that the flame is still burning.
RANMA
Damn ...
RAYE is standing against the wall, looking up with an annoyed expression.
RAYE
This could get very ugly.
RANMA turns at the sound of her voice, and GENNOSUKE sees her and lets out
a brief shriek of panic.
RAYE
DISGUSTED Oh, cut that out.
GENNOSUKE
You're going to kill me!
RAYE
Don't be an idiot, girl, I'm --
GENNOSUKE
I'm a vampyre, Senshi, I know what
you do to my kind!
RAYE's expression grows troubled, and we close in on her eye.
MUSIC VIDEO FLASHBACK #2
We see several images as the third verse of Dire Strait's "Brothers in
Arms" play. We see a young man with blonde-brown hair and shiny green
eyes (AETHAN DEGALES) smiling at the camera.
SONG
Through these fields of destruction
We see a trenchcoated AETHAN being knocked down in an airport by Serena.
SONG
Baptisms of fire
We see AETHAN talking to Mina while seated on a porch swing, when suddenly
an ofuda is thrown at him, striking him between the eyebrows. He stands,
pulling the ofuda off to reveal a very angry expression, and mouths the
words "Do you *mind*?" at the camera.
SONG
I've witnessed all your suffering
We see AETHAN in very bad shape, bleeding from several wounds, slumped on
the ground, holding the limp, broken body of a young man dressed in
t-shirt and jeans -- and sobbing.
SONG
As the battle raged higher
We see AETHAN battling through hordes of stereotypical devils -- tiny red
men with horns and hooves -- with a blazing katana. His face is
expressionless, but there is a strange light in his eyes.
SONG
But though they did hurt me so bad,
In the fear and alarm,
A devil is clawing at the camera's POV, laughing maniacally.
SONG
You did not desert me,
My brother in arms
AETHAN's gloved hand reaches out, grabs the devil by the head, twists it
360 degrees, and tosses the body over his shoulder. His expression does
not change as he does so. He looks down at the camera's POV, and mouths
the words, "You owe me."
Cut to a shot of an enormous funeral pyre igniting spontaneously, with
AETHAN standing before it with head bowed. He lifts his head, and turns
to look at the camera.
AETHAN
Well? BEAT What are you waiting
for? BEAT I assure you that
you'll never get a better chance
than this. BEAT Don't bother
making excuses. I know that you
would be quite happy to see me dead.
BEAT And right now, girl, I would
welcome death.
There is a long pause, and then AETHAN turns to the camera full on, his
face furious, his fangs definitely in evidence.
AETHAN
"Why?" Woden, Thunor und Nerthus,
girl, *what do you care*? You've
hated me from the first moment we
met. I deserve it, I suppose, I am
one of the monsters you're supposed
to destroy. So destroy me, already!
BEAT; UTTER FURY COME ON! DO IT!
*KILL ME AND BE DONE*, RAYE HINO!
Flames fill the image.
END MUSIC VIDEO FLASHBACK #2
RAYE shakes her head, and then looks at GENNOSUKE with a stern but sad
expression.
RAYE
No. We don't judge people for the
things that they *are*, only for the
things that they've *done*. BEAT
And nothing you've done so far calls
for the death penalty, girl. BEAT
Not even the utterly *stupid* act of
using the Dark Crystal!
GENNOSUKE flinches.
RAYE
Didn't you realize that it wouldn't
call your mother back? Just a demon
to wear her form?
RANMA
STARTLED Hold it! That's not
really Ucchan?
RAYE
It is and it isn't. BEAT Amy's
*so* much better at this sort of
thing ... it's a demon that borrows
a bit of your Ukyou's spirit, and
uses that to shape its form based on
the memories and expectations --
both conscious and otherwise -- that
you had of her. In a sense, it acts
according to your conceptions of
what Ukyou was like.
RANMA blinks, and then looks at GENNOSUKE ... who does her best to avoid
meeting his gaze.
RANMA
But then ...
RAYE
What?
RANMA
SHAKES HEAD Nothing. BEAT So
what do we do now?
RAYE
We wait. And we pray that Shampoo
lives up to her reputation.
RANMA
Shouldn't we --
RAYE
No. That's the other side of this
sort of demon. It ... reflects the
powers of whoever fights it. BEAT
No, reflect isn't the right word.
More like imitates. Once something
has been used against it --
RANMA
So it's got all Shampoo's techniques
now?
RAYE
All that she's used. But if you or
I were to go in there, its powers
would increase to include ours.
BEAT I think that would fit the
definition of "bad", right?
RANMA nods, but he's clearly not happy.
RANMA
I hate waiting.
RAYE
INTONED Patience, grasshopper.
RANMA
GLARES You've been waiting nine
hundred years for an excuse to use
that line, haven't you?
RAYE nods smugly.
Cut to a shot of the Crystal Palace, just before dawn. Cut to a large
chamber inside the palace, with a couch and an entertainment system, along
with table and chairs. TENCHI, WASHUU, and TSUNAMI are seated on the
couch, while RYOUKO is hovering beside the door leading outwards. The
door opens, and everyone looks up to see AYEKA leading a fatigued looking
ENDYMION in to the room. TENCHI gets up to greet him.
ENDYMION
Your Imperial Majesty.
TENCHI
Your Highness. BEAT It's true,
then?
ENDYMION
NODS She was abducted a few
minutes before midnight.
RYOUKO
How'd this happen?
ENDYMION
Apparently, the kidnapper
threatened to detonate a small
nuclear weapon if Serenity didn't
go --
RYOUKO
Wait a minute. How'd he even get
*in* through the security around
this place?
ENDYMION
Ms. Fujiko is generally acknowledged
as the second greatest thief who's
ever lived.
RYOUKO
Huh. Well, that's different.
TENCHI
In any event, if there's any way
that we can be of assistance in
this matter --
ENDYMION
NODS There is. Approximately
twenty-four hours ago, Lady Mars
was given the assignment of
pursuing a criminal to Mars.
TENCHI
I'm aware of that.
ENDYMION
There hasn't been any word from her
since her arrival, about eight hours
ago. BEAT In the event of the
Queen's incapacitation, control of
the Realm's forces descends to Lady
Jupiter -- who is, unfortunately, on
a temporary suspension -- and then
to Lady Mars.
AYEKA
Out of curiosity, Prince Endymion,
where are *you* in the chain of
command?
ENDYMION
SHAKES HEAD I'm not. BEAT I
have absolutely no authority
whatsoever, Lady Ayeka. That's the
way I wanted it when we made plans
for our system.
AYEKA
Why?
ENDYMION
When Darien and Serena were younger,
he was always the one who arrived at
the last moment to give her victory.
BEAT It made him feel needed, but
it caused problems in their home
life ... because he didn't realize
that she *allowed* him to be her
savior of the last moment; that she
was quite capable of dispatching the
monsters without being told, "Now,
Sailor Moon!" BEAT Did you know
that they almost broke up, less than
a year after their marriage, because
of that? Fortunately ...
ENDYMION pauses, then smiles sadly, with remembered warmth.
ENDYMION
Fortunately, a couple, older and
*somewhat* wiser than they, helped
them back together. It took time
and counseling, but gradually he
came to accept that Serena loved him
even though she didn't *need* him.
BEAT In any event, when we began
to make plans for the division of
power in Crystal Tokyo, I made very
certain that I was given no special
office, so that my ego wouldn't
become fixated on the idea that
Serenity *needed* me to do this
task or that job. Because she
doesn't -- I am quite convinced that
the only reason she doesn't run the
whole show by herself is that she
wants to give her Senshi something
to do. As for myself, I have only
one duty -- love her. Just love
her. That's all.
There is a long silence in the room. TENCHI almost, but not quite, looks
over his shoulder at his wives.
TENCHI
I see. Yes, I can definitely see
your point.
ENDYMION
WRY SMILE I thought you might.
BEAT In any event, I'm not in
the chain of command ... however,
with Mars gone, Jupiter on her
suspension, and Venus ... absent,
command over our forces descends
to Mercury, and she's never been
comfortable taking command of
anything. BEAT What I came to
ask was whether or not you would
be willing to use the starship
you brought here to travel to
Mars and assist Lady Mars in
returning home, swifter than we
can?
TENCHI winces.
TENCHI
Unfortunately, as a gesture of
good faith when the call for the
referendum came, we had the
Throneship power down and land in
Alaska. It'll take several hours
to get it space ready, and you
could have a regular ship on Mars
by then.
TSUNAMI and WASHUU exchange a look, as do AYEKA and RYOUKO. Neither
TENCHI nor ENDYMION notice.
TENCHI
I'm sorry, your Highness ... if we
had another ship, I would be glad to
personally --
TSUNAMI
Excuse me.
TENCHI turns to look at TSUNAMI, who is looking down and rotating her
index fingers around a central point.
TENCHI
Yes, Tsunami?
TSUNAMI
Ummmmm. There ... well ...
TENCHI
Tsunami?
TSUNAMI looks up, turns to look at WASHUU ... who is also looking down and
rotating her fingers.
WASHUU
We ... sort of ...
TSUNAMI
There *IS* another ship available.
TENCHI
BLINKS There is?
TSUNAMI
NODS Us.
TENCHI
Tsunami, I appreciate the offer,
but aren't You currently holding
orbit near Pluto? It would --
TSUNAMI
No, We're not.
There is a long silence.
TENCHI
VERY CALM Where are You?
TSUNAMI
We are currently maintaining
geosynchronous orbit over Hokkaido,
cloaked and generating a Minovski
field to prevent the rather large
fleet assembling over Crystal Tokyo
from detecting Us. There have been
several incidents of near collisions
between Us and Space Force vessels,
but they have as yet not discovered
Our presence.
TENCHI
DEEP BREATH *Why* are you orbiting
Earth?
TSUNAMI
We decided to ensure that you would
have a means of leaving the planet
swiftly in the event that the vote
turned against the Jurai-Earth
alliance, and hostility broke out.
TENCHI
*You* decided this by *Yourselves*?
TSUNAMI
No. BEAT It was suggested to Us.
TENCHI slowly turns to look at WASHUU, who is still rotating her fingers.
Her rotation slows down, and finally stops, just as she looks up with an
embarrassed expression.
WASHUU
Oops.
TENCHI
RUBBING HEAD Please explain ...
WASHUU
I knew that you'd do something like
make that good faith gesture, so I
decided to make sure that your
gesture didn't backfire on --
TENCHI
SNAPS Washuu, you DO understand
the concept of a "gesture of good
faith", right? I had the Throneship
grounded because it's the second
most powerful starship in known
space, and I didn't want the Terrans
to have to make their choice with it
hovering over their heads. And now,
I find out that *the* most powerful
starship has been ... BEAT How
could you *do* something so --
WASHUU
Stupid? BEAT I was blinded by
love. It's happened before, and it
will probably happen again. That's
life.
TENCHI stares at her for a few seconds, before he turns away, rubbing the
side of his head.
TENCHI
I cannot afford to get angry right
now, because if I get as angry as I
want to be over this, I won't be
able to think clearly, and I need to
be able to think clearly. BEAT
But when this is over ...
WASHUU sighs, and nods once.
TENCHI
Tsunami, are You ready to set course
for Mars?
TSUNAMI's eyes are distant.
TSUNAMI
There is a problem.
TENCHI
What's the matter?
TSUNAMI
We have just become aware that the
fleet is using gravitic distortion
sensors. If We change Our orbit,
they will certainly become aware of
Our presence.
TENCHI
In other words, you're stuck where
you are.
TSUNAMI
No, those are very good words --
TENCHI
*Great.* Please keep up your
cloak, and do whatever you can to
minimize the chances of discovery.
Prince Endymion, I apologize for
these developments, but I hope that
you will --
ENDYMION
I realize that your wives were only
acting to protect what they saw as
your best interests, Your Majesty.
You have my assurances that I won't
reveal a word of this, except to my
wife, if she asks.
TENCHI
Thank you. I'm sorry that you got
dragged into our little domestic
dispute when you came asking for
help, and that we couldn't give --
AYEKA
Wait, what about Ryo-oh-ki?
TENCHI slowly turns to look at her.
TENCHI
Ayeka, did you know about this too?
AYEKA lowers her head and begins to rotate her index fingers around a
central point.
TENCHI
SIGH Is there some sign on my back
that says, "Don't tell me about it"?
BEAT Where is Ryo-oh-ki?
TSUNAMI
We had her wait for Us on the far
side of the Moon. Presumably, she's
still there, probably poking around
the craters.
TENCHI
All right. Ryouko, if you could go
up to Ryo-oh-ki and head over to
Mars --
RYOUKO
Yeah ... that'd work. It'll take a
few hours, plus however long it
takes to get authorization.
AYEKA touches her hairpiece.
AYEKA
Embassy, please file a flight plan
for a Moon-bound vessel. Size:
humanoid. Classification ... BEAT
occasionally non-belligerent.
RYOUKO gives AYEKA the hairy eyeball.
AYEKA
Full diplomatic authorizations, of
course. PAUSE, LISTENS Good.
TO RYOUKO They want you to
avoid the fleet build up over
Crystal Tokyo, but you're cleared
for immediate departure.
RYOUKO
Right, thanks. BEAT Full
diplomatic authorization, huh?
SMILES WICKEDLY
AYEKA
WEARY Please *try* to avoid
embarrassing Jurai ...
RYOUKO is obviously ignoring her, as she walks over to stand before
TENCHI. She peers over his shoulder at WASHUU, who has a downcast
expression.
RYOUKO
Hey, "Mom"? Could you turn around
for a second?
WASHUU
SIGH Daughter, I've told you that
I don't mind you expressing your
feelings for Tenchi several times.
RYOUKO
Great. I *do* mind you *watching*
me when I do. Turn around.
WASHUU rolls her eyes, and turns her back on them. RYOUKO slowly presses
her lips to TENCHI's, then pulls back, smiling gently.
RYOUKO
Just in case ...
She turns to walk out the door, and notices that AYEKA is staring at her
with mixed disapproval and envy on her face.
RYOUKO
You owe me that one, after a certain
... conversation. BEAT Or lack
thereof.
AYEKA blushes beet red for a moment. RYOUKO heads out the door, pausing
to wave as she exits. TENCHI stares at AYEKA for a moment, then smiles
suddenly.
Cut to Earth orbit. Several large spaceships are maintaining their
positions over a cluster of lights on the planet that resembles the
pentagram of Crystal Tokyo. In between the ships, Mobile Suits -- large,
humanoid mecha of various designs -- dart swiftly about, or hold positions
of their own. Our view closes on a single stationary Mobile Suit. It is
noteworthy not for its armament (a large rifle in its right hand and a
large shield mounted on its left arm) but for its exclusively gray color
and for a large red gem mounted in the center of the torso. (For those
curious and knowledgeable, aside from its coloration and accessory, this
mecha resembles the Mark II Gundam almost exactly). Inside the cockpit,
the pilot -- a young seeming female whose turquoise hair extends out of
her helmet -- is looking rather bored. Suddenly, one of the sensors in
the cockpit begins to beep, and the pilot looks up at her main screen ...
and her jaw drops, for it is showing RYOUKO, standing placidly in the void
of space, apparently examining the Mobile Suit. Finally, RYOUKO mouths
the word "cute", and zooms upwards off the screen.
NAGISA
BLINKS I didn't see that ...
Cut to Mars. RAYE and RANMA are still standing on the ledge with their
backs to the wall, listening to the sounds of the fight. GENNOSUKE is now
standing, although she still looks beaten up.
RANMA
It's been about an hour, hasn't it?
RAYE
About that long, maybe longer. BEAT
What's with the face, Saotome? You
almost look upset at the thought of
Shampoo fighting an opponent that
can match anything she can try.
RANMA
Hey! I don't like her, but I don't
wanna see her --
RAYE
Could've fooled me.
RANMA
STUNG Looks like I did. BEAT I
want her to live, and suffer.
RAYE reacts as though she's been slapped.
RAYE
ANGRY Of *course* she's suffering,
she's in love with *you*.
RANMA
Oh yeah?
RAYE
Yeah! And every woman who's loved
you has suffered in one way or
another!
RANMA clenches a fist, and his battle aura starts to glow. RAYE's eyes
narrow. GENNOSUKE looks nervously at them.
RAYE
That's why we're all *here*, isn't
it?
GENNOSUKE
Uh ... father?
RANMA
Oh yeah? Well I've heard a few
things about your love life, too,
*Lady*!
RAYE
What --
RANMA
You think stories don't get told
about poor Lady Mars and her tragic
doomed love for her Queen?
RAYE
Don't you *dare* drag her into this.
GENNOSUKE
Excuse me ...
RANMA
Oh, I've heard 'em all. "Waah, I
love her but we've never done
anything --" SNORT "-- and now
I'm going to lose her forever."
But you never do, do ya? You talk
about losing your loves -- Lady,
as far as I'm concerned, you've
never known *any* real loss.
RAYE
You *bastard*.
GENNOSUKE
Hey!
RANMA & RAYE (sim)
FURIOUS WHAT?!
GENNOSUKE
Listen to the fight.
They pause, and realize that there is no noise coming from the fight.
There is a brief role of thunder. RAYE scrambles up the wall, followed a
second later. GENNOSUKE watches them go ... and starts to inch away.
RAYE and RANMA peer over the edge, and see that UKYOU -- who is now
radiating Dark Power -- is holding SHAMPOO a foot off the ground, with her
left hand tightly grasping her throat, while ramming the handle of her
battle spatula into her lower chest, causing her to jerk in pain. RANMA
looks like he's about to call out, but RAYE violently gestures for him to
keep quiet. UKYOU laughs shortly, and tosses SHAMPOO aside. SHAMPOO
starts to pull herself to her feet, coughing up blood.
UKYOU
You really are too dumb to quit,
aren't you, bitch?
SHAMPOO is on her feet, but unsteady.
SHAMPOO
When I'm fighting ... for something
as important as this ... I guess I
am ...
UKYOU
As important as *what*? Even if you
defeat me, it won't prove anything.
Ranchan will still hate you like
poison. You're *never* going to win
his heart.
SHAMPOO
I know ...
UKYOU
Then you really are an idiot to keep
fighting like this. Just lie down
and die, like a good little moron.
SHAMPOO
So a monster like you can go on?
Never.
UKYOU
SNORTS So now, after plotting and
scheming and the occasional indirect
murder, you hope to redeem your soul
by battling demons?
In a flash, she is standing in front of SHAMPOO, and with a swing of her
spat, knocks her face first into the crevice wall.
UKYOU
It makes no difference. Your soul
is black like the night, and you're
going straight to Hell when you
die. THERE IS NO HOPE.
SHAMPOO is still against the wall for a long moment.
SHAMPOO
MUFFLED No hope?
UKYOU
None.
SHAMPOO slowly pushes herself out of the small impression that she's made
in the crevice wall, and stands very still, her head bowed, and her back
to our view. Slowly she lifts her head.
SHAMPOO
Then there's no point in holding
back, is there?
UKYOU is startled, but before she can react, SHAMPOO spins around. Her
eyes have become catslits, and she opens her mouth to reveal several
broken teeth -- and to let out a low, cat-like growl. Holding her hands
over her face, her fingernails grow over an inch in length, becoming long
claws. Her face a picture of savagery, she leaps towards UKYOU, roaring
like a lioness. We cut to the horrified faces of RANMA and RAYE as the
sounds of violence begin again -- including the sound of tearing flesh.
RANMA
The Neko-Ken?!
RAYE
This is bad.
RANMA
Where the hell did she learn the
Cat-Fist?
RAYE
Saotome, now is not the time. This
is *very* bad.
RANMA
What's so bad about it? She's
killing the demon, right?
RAYE
Gods, it's a miracle you survived a
century. When she destroys the
demon's physical form, its essence
will naturally seek a new vessel.
And demons --
RANMA
-- have a preference for vessels
which already aren't in control of
themselves. BEAT Like she's not.
BEAT This is bad. What do we do?
RAYE
There's not a hell of a lot that we
*can* do, unless you'd care to try
and coax her out of the Cat-Fist,
which will allow the demon to
regenerate and kill us all.
RANMA
Which it's going to do anyway if it
takes hold of Shampoo in Cat Fist
mode. The only thing that would
stop it would be *me* in that state,
and I still can't turn that on and
off at will ...
RAYE closes her eyes, and concentrates for a second.
RAYE
There might be one way.
RANMA
What is it?
RAYE
In the first few seconds of the
demonic possession, its binding is
usually fairly loose. If I could
do a sufficiently powerful exorcism
on it --
RANMA
It'd go back where it came from?
RAYE opens her eyes, and they're troubled.
RAYE
Maybe even destroy it utterly.
BEAT There's just one problem. By
myself, I don't have enough power to
do the job.
RANMA
Then why the hell'd you bring it --
RAYE
Emphasis on "by myself", Saotome.
BEAT I'd need one of the other
Senshi ... or someone of comparable
power. BEAT I'd need your fire.
RANMA stares at her silently for a moment.
RANMA
You'll need to do a link?
RAYE
Yes. BEAT A deep link. We would
... know each other as well as we
know ourselves.
RANMA
NODS Right. Do it.
He closes his eyes. RAYE stares at him with her misgivings written all
over her face, then slowly reaches out to press her finger tips to his
forehead.
Cut to black.
RANMA floats in the blackness. Suddenly, a speck of light appears in the
distance, and rapidly expands to fill everything with the image of the
Temple that RAYE grew up in. RANMA is suddenly in black and white,
contrasting with the vivid colours of the image. He hears voices, but
can't make out what they're saying. He turns to see a tall man in a
three-piece suit and black sunglasses speaking to a much smaller, wrinkled
man in the robes of a Shinto priest (RAYE'S GRANDFATHER). Finally, the
tall man nods, and turns to walk away. Suddenly, there is the sound of
slapping sandals, as a much younger RAYE (perhaps five or six) comes
running up, her mouth forming the word "Daddy" over and over again.
RAYE'S GRANDFATHER catches her, and holds her back, but she keeps calling
for her Daddy ... who never looks back as he walks out of her life.
RAYE floats in the blackness. Suddenly, a speck of light appears in the
distance, and rapidly expands to fill everything with the image of a bit
of Japanese countryside. RAYE is suddenly in black and white, contrasting
with the vivid colours of the image. She hears something, and turns to
look at a rather large man (GENMA) running and pulling a cart, on top of
which a much younger RANMA (six years old) is sitting and waving at a much
younger UKYOU (ditto), who is running some distance behind them, waving
her arms and shouting. Quite suddenly, RAYE is seated beside young RANMA,
and sees, in his eye, a small tear start to trickle down. He quickly
wipes it away, and looks angry at himself for losing even that much
self-control.
The area around RANMA blurs, and he sees RAYE (now fourteen), sweeping the
grounds of the temple. Quite suddenly, another girl (SERENA) comes
running up to her and starts babbling. RAYE is startled by this. Then
SERENA says something that rubs RAYE the wrong way, and she starts
shouting at her. A strange, rapid thumping noise can be heard, but RANMA
can't seem to identify the source. SERENA starts to back away, but then
she says something that comes through loud and clear.
SERENA
I want to be your friend.
She then heads away, followed by a black cat which casts a look back at
RAYE. RAYE stares, confused, and then notices something on the ground ...
a pen. As she picks it up, the thumping noise slows down.
The area around RAYE blurs, depositing her in a room in the Tendou home,
and she sees RANMA, in her female form, seated beside the prone form of
TENDOU SOUUN, in between NABIKI and AKANE -- and RAYE reacts oddly to the
sight of AKANE with long hair, touching her own hair. KASUMI kneeling at
her father's head, says something that can't be made out. NABIKI reacts
to this, yelling at her father. Her father's response provokes her to
start prodding at RANMA's breasts -- which causes RANMA's face to flush
in embarrassment and humiliation. RANMA turns to look at AKANE in
response to something that she said, and sees that she's smiling at her.
AKANE
I'm Akane. Want to be friends?
RANMA smiles, hesitantly, and there's a faint look of panic in her eyes.
The area around RANMA twists, and he finds himself in a ruined city
district, and he can hear the sounds of battle all around him. RANMA
looks up, just as the body of a young woman with short-cropped blonde hair
in a blue and yellow sailor fuku comes flying through his insubstantial
form. RANMA turns to look at her with a horrified expression, and sees
that she is quite definitely dead -- her upper chest is basically gone.
RANMA looks away, and sees, in the distance, Sailor Moon with a trident
sticking in her stomach. Sailor Mars is crawling towards her ... but Moon
expires before she can touch her hand. For a moment, everything is
still. Then Sailor Moon's body begins to swell, expanding as though some
gas were filling it -- and then it explodes, leaving only tattered rags of
flesh behind, as SERENITY is unleashed. Mars and RANMA stare at this with
mixed horror and wonder.
The area around RAYE twists, and she finds herself in what looks like a
deserted airport terminal. RANMA walks irritatedly towards a row of
phones, picks one up, and talks into it. He stares at it for a moment
with a confused expression, and then his face goes white with sudden
panic. He turns to look out the large picture window at a spaceplane on
the other side ... just as it explodes in a huge fireball that shatters
the window and roars towards him. As the blast front reaches him,
knocking him back, there is only time for him to say one word.
RANMA
Akane --
Then he is knocked through a wall, and fire encompasses everything. RAYE
floats in the fire, with a horrified expression.
The area around RANMA twists, and he watches as Mars, still wearing her
tattered fuku, stumbles into her home, looks up, and sees that a large
crystal in the center of the living room has shattered. She sighs with
relief ... and then she sees the tattered rags of flesh across the
crystal's wreckage, and turns to see ENDYMION standing near the window.
He turns to look at her with a smile on his face. Mars' eyes roll up into
her skull, and she faints.
The area around RAYE twists, and she finds herself watching RANMA erect
the stone structure that will serve as UKYOU's tomb, and realizes that
he's crying.
Dozens of other moments of loss and pain for both of them flash across the
screen ... but mixed in with them are a small handful of moments of joy
and perfect beauty. Finally, the two of them stand before each other, all
illusion stripped, and reach towards one another, slowly merging into a
single being.
RAYE's eyes jerk open, as do RANMA's. Silently, without an expression on
her face, RAYE produces an ofuda, which she holds before her face,
charging it with her fire, making it stand upright. Equally
expressionless, RANMA reaches out to grasp the top of the ofuda,
transferring his battle aura to it ... making the flames burn even more
intensely. RAYE nods, rises, and looks down on the chasm. SHAMPOO is
standing over the remains of UKYOU, and clearly fighting an inner
struggle, which can be seen on her face. She looks up, and sees RAYE
standing there, holding the blazing ofuda, and lets out a hideous, demonic
howl.
RAYE
AKURYOU! TAISAN!
She throws the ofuda at her. It slams into her forehead, and explodes in
flames, knocking SHAMPOO back, but holding *something* -- some twisted,
horned creature -- in its place. The creature writhes, shrieks, and
ultimately disintegrates ... and the human remains do so as well. RAYE
closes her eyes, and lets out a sigh of relief.
UKYOU (O.S.)
Excuse me, what's going on here?
RAYE opens her eyes in disbelief, and stares down at the chasm floor.
UKYOU, dressed in bleached white versions of her usual outfit, is standing
where the creature was standing, looking around confusedly.
SHAMPOO (O.S.)
HOARSE Your basic battle against
the forces of darkness -- namely
you.
UKYOU turns in the direction of SHAMPOO's voice, and lets out a startled
gasp.
UKYOU
Shampoo? Damn, what happened to
you?
SHAMPOO slowly pulls herself to her feet ... and we see that her left arm
seems to be broken, that she's bleeding from wounds all over her body ...
and that her face is covered with wrinkles, and her hair has gone white.
She looks like a woman in her mid-seventies.
SHAMPOO
Fortunes of war. BEAT Go back to
whatever hell you came from, Kuonji
Ukyou.
UKYOU
What?! What would I be doing in
hell? BEAT The last thing I
remember is fighting Cologne --
SHAMPOO
What would you be doing in hell?
Isn't that where murderers go?
UKYOU
I guess. But ... who'd I kill?
SHAMPOO
BEAT You had Akane killed! You
admitted it --
UKYOU
Oh, that. SHRUG I lied.
There is a long silence.
SHAMPOO
You what?
UKYOU
I realized that you were upset that
you thought I'd gotten to her before
you could, so I decided to mess with
your mind. It was pretty easy,
actually.
SHAMPOO
But -- but -- you went after Cologne
when you found out that she --
UKYOU
Was that what that was about? Damn,
I thought she'd found out that I'd
joined Free Mars.
SHAMPOO's face is wide with horror.
SHAMPOO
Then -- you -- didn't --
UKYOU
Of course not. I thought *you* did,
until you came in accusing me.
BEAT I guess we'll never know ...
oh, well, no great loss, anyway.
BEAT Wait a minute, what *did*
happen at the end of my fight with
Cologne? I can't --
Above, RAYE, who looks almost ill, turns to look at RANMA, who is sitting
and looking away from this spectacle.
RAYE
Saotome. She doesn't realize that
she's dead. BEAT You're going to
have to tell her.
RANMA
You do it.
RAYE
It has to be someone she'll believe.
RANMA slowly gets up, and turns to look down at UKYOU, who is talking to
herself, trying to remember what happened.
RANMA
Ukyou.
UKYOU looks up startled, and a huge grin blossoms on her face.
UKYOU
BUBBLY RANCHAN! I knew it, I knew
you weren't dead! I knew that you
didn't die in that stupid tournament
on Earth, I knew it!
RANMA
U-- BEAT Ukyou.
UKYOU
I knew all along that you'd come
back to me and to your daughter --
RANMA
Ucchan. BEAT Goodbye.
UKYOU
Goodbye? W-where are you going?
RANMA
Nowhere. But you're dead, Ucchan.
UKYOU
I'm dead?
RANMA nods. UKYOU experimentally passes one of her hands through her arm.
UKYOU
Damn.
UKYOU's ghost-body disintegrates instantly. SHAMPOO slowly slumps to the
ground with a devastated expression. RAYE closes her eyes.
RAYE
It's over.
Cut to the base of the stone monument. SHAMPOO is seated on a rock with
her head in her hands and a blanket from the car wrapped around her. RANMA
and RAYE meet a few yards behind her, coming from opposite directions.
RAYE
I've searched everywhere. Your
daughter got clean away.
RANMA
I checked the tomb ... and Ukyou's
actual grave hasn't been entered.
BEAT So that body was a creation
of the Dark Crystal --
RAYE
Wherever it is. BEAT Dammit.
If something went right on this
mission, now, I'd be so thrilled I
might just keel over.
RAYE casts a look in SHAMPOO's direction.
RAYE
I'm going to go get the car started.
With the disruption of the crystal
gone, it should work. BEAT Do me
a favor and talk with her, Saotome.
RAYE walks away. RANMA turns to look at SHAMPOO, and slowly walks towards
her, approaching her from the rear. SHAMPOO doesn't look up.
SHAMPOO
If you're going to kill me do it
quickly. I deserve that much.
RANMA just looks at her. SHAMPOO lifts her head, resting her chin on her
knuckles and staring off towards the horizon.
SHAMPOO
She was right. BEAT Even after
all that I'd realized, I was still
jealous of Akane. And it's quite
possible that if I'd been given a
chance to eliminate her so that no
one would know about it ... I'd have
taken it. BEAT Even though I'd
already given up on ever winning
your heart.
RANMA
What?
SHAMPOO
It's true. When I learned that you
had no intention of ever allowing
yourself to be cured of your curse,
I immediately stopped thinking of
you like that. BEAT At most, I
wanted your friendship ...
RANMA
Whoa. Whoa whoa whoa. What does my
curse have to do with anything?
SHAMPOO turns to RANMA, and smiles a very sweet, sad smile.
SHAMPOO
Picture it. Joketsuzoku, 1991. A
young woman warrior seeks to prove
herself in her tribe's annual martial
arts competition, two years before
she is supposed to be allowed in.
Because of her family's prominence
-- and despite the fact that her
father is an outsider -- the Elders
permit it. BEAT Her training and
natural talent carry her to victory
in every battle that she fights --
with one major exception. The last
fight, in which she is tired from
her exertions, against a red-haired
warrior who has been adopted into
the tribe under the name of Du Sho.
Du Sho has been the village champion
for three years running. The young
girl loses to the champion. It is
sad, but even to have competed
against such a one is an honour.
BEAT However, the victor of the
final match is permitted to ask a
boon of the family of the woman she
has defeated. BEAT And Du Sho,
who is a woman of ... unusual
desires, wishes only one thing of
the vanquished warrior's family --
the young woman herself. BEAT As
a student, Du Sho says. BEAT To
preserve the family honor, the young
woman's grandmother acquiesces.
RANMA
Shampoo ...
SHAMPOO
Please do not interrupt. BEAT
Every day, for a year, Du Sho trains
the young woman in the arts. She
learns much. BEAT And every
night, for a year, Du Sho trains the
young woman in ... other things.
Horrible things. Every night, when
it is done, Du Sho whispers in her
"pupil's" ear, "No man shall ever
love you." BEAT Perhaps Du Sho
means that no man shall ever love
her as much as Du Sho does, and
perhaps Du Sho believes that what
she feels for her pupil is love.
Perhaps. BEAT And then the year
has passed, and the time for the
martial arts competition comes
again. Once more, the young woman
petitions to be allowed to compete,
and once again her petition is
accepted, and once again, she
overcomes all those who fight her.
BEAT And once again, she faces
Du Sho on the log. And as she meets
her teacher in the first exchange of
blows, Du Sho whispers in the ear of
her pupil, "Another year, my sweet?"
SHAMPOO is silent. RANMA is staring at her in horror.
SHAMPOO
The next thing that the young woman
remembers is looking at Du Sho's
body as it is taken away for burial.
BEAT It is a disgrace, of course.
The competition is meant to hone the
skills of the Joketsuzoku, not to
eliminate one who is one of their
finest fighters ... no matter how
unusual her tastes. The young woman
warrior's "victory" is ruled invalid,
and the championship is given to the
fighter that she bested just before
the fatal match. BEAT It is a
disgrace, but it attracts the notice
of the young woman's great-grand-
mother ... who takes her under her
wing, so that next year, she can win
the championship. BEAT Unhappily
for all, however ... but I think you
know the rest of the story, because
it is your own, as well.
RANMA
I ... I didn't know.
SHAMPOO
Would you have believed me if I told
you, under any other circumstances,
Ranma? BEAT Would you have even
cared?
RANMA
Yes! My god, *nobody* deserves to
have that happen to them!
SHAMPOO
Would it have made a difference?
SHAMPOO slowly pulls herself to her feet, her joints creaking as she does
so. RANMA moves as if to aid her, but she wards him off.
SHAMPOO
When I can no longer stand by myself
will be my time to fall. BEAT And
I tell you the story now ... because
I want you to understand me, before
the end comes.
RANMA
"The end"? What're you talking
about? You're gonna be okay --
SHAMPOO
I have lost my sense of the Tao,
Saotome Ranma. Soon, the old age
which has been denied shall come on
me with a vengeance. In a few days,
I shall be as my great-grandmother
was. And then an old friend will
come calling.
RANMA
TRYING TO JOKE Mousse?
SHAMPOO
No. BEAT All this is because I
have learned that I have harbored
for centuries a lie at my heart.
BEAT Which leads me to my last
request of you, Saotome Ranma. I
do not wish for you to suffer this
fate. So I ask you this: What, in
the fullness of time, has Hibiki
Ryouga truly done to you?
Cut to RAYE driving the car up to the monument. She sees RANMA standing
alone beside the rock. She stares for a moment, then steps out of the
car.
RAYE
Where is she?
RANMA
She's gone. She said to tell you
that she's resigning her commission,
effective immediately.
RAYE
I see. Well. It's going to be hard
to return this car without the one
who rented it with us, isn't it?
RANMA
Raye --
RAYE
No! You don't get to call me that!
BEAT Stay the hell away from me,
Saotome. Don't talk to me, don't
look at me, and don't even think
that you ...
RAYE trails off as she notices a large shadow growing around them. Both
she and RANMA look up to see Ryo-oh-ki descending from the sky. RYOUKO
teleports a few feet above them.
RYOUKO
Hello, you two. How's tricks?
RAYE
Ryouko? What are *you* doing here?
RYOUKO
Tenchi and Endymion asked me nicely
to come and pick you up from your
mission if you were done. So here
I am.
RAYE
SIGH Why'd they do that?
RYOUKO
Little matter of your queen being
kidnapped.
RAYE stares up at RYOUKO with a shocked and horrified expression.
RAYE
That's not fucking *funny*, Demon.
RYOUKO
SHRUGS Fine, don't believe me.
RAYE
You're *serious*?!
RYOUKO
Yep.
RAYE
HOW DID -- BEAT No. Just get me
to Earth as fast as you can.
RYOUKO and RAYE exchange an EXTREMELY unfriendly glare.
RYOUKO
All right ...
She lands, and holds out her hands for RAYE and RANMA to take. A few
seconds pass.
RYOUKO
Come on, I can't teleport you two
without some sort of contact.
RAYE reluctantly takes RYOUKO's left hand, while RANMA (who seems even
more reluctant) takes her right hand. RYOUKO fixes him with a strange
glare.
RYOUKO
HEAVY SCORN You still haven't
gotten over that yet?
RANMA
Never mind my problems ...
RYOUKO shakes her head, and teleports.
Cut to the control center of Ryo-oh-ki, as RYOUKO, RANMA, and RAYE
materialize. Ryo-oh-ki lets out a friendly "Myah!" which instantly sets
RANMA on edge. RYOUKO sits down in her chair, and braces herself.
RYOUKO
Okay, I think I may have tripped a
few Martian defense systems in my
way in, so we don't have time to
be gentle getting out. Ryo-oh-ki,
anything coming our way?
One of the floating crystals (which is inconveniently located right over
RANMA's shoulder) develops into a crystal version of RYO-OH-KI's "cabbit"
face.
RYO-OH-KI
NEGATIVE Myah.
This spooks RANMA.
RYOUKO
So far, so good. Anyway, both of
you should get down, 'cause I'm not
gonna spare the thrusters getting
us out of here.
RANMA immediately drops to the floor, and spreads out as much as
possible. RAYE does so as well, but less promptly.
RYOUKO
Okay, let's take her up ...
RYO-OH-KI
PANICKED Myah!
RYOUKO jerks her head up to look at one of the screens, a radar display
which shows several "bogies" approaching Ryo-oh-ki's position.
RYOUKO
SHIT! Ryo-oh-ki, PUNCH IT!
From the outside, we see Ryo-oh-ki go from a full stop to about Mach 10 in
the blink of an eye, easily evading the interceptor aircraft that have
been sent after her. We see SHAMPOO looking up at the retreating space
craft from atop a hill.
SHAMPOO
WHISPERED Bie liao, ai ren.
Inside Ryo-oh-ki, inertial dampers take care of much of the stress of
acceleration, but everyone is pressed flat against the floor, even the
floating crystals and RYOUKO's chair. Finally, after a few seconds of
this, the thrusters level off, just as Ryo-oh-ki arrives in Martian
orbit. RAYE picks herself up off the floor.
RAYE
Ryouko, how soon can we get there?
RYOUKO
All things being equal, two hours.
RAYE
Can you make it any faster?
RYOUKO
Not without alerting every listener
from the Solar Confederation on
Mercury to the Brethren of Saint
Teilhard on Pluto that there's a
transwarp-capable ship insystem, and
that the Jurains are up to something
they probably shouldn't be, no.
RAYE
A yes or a no *would* have satisfied
me, you know.
RYOUKO
Well, you rarely get satisfaction,
do you?
RAYE looks like she's about to spontaneously combust. RYOUKO is amused.
RYOUKO
Boy, no wonder you and Ayeka get
along so well ... you react *just*
the same ...
RAYE smiles wintrily.
RAYE
Strange, I hear that you and Ayeka
get along *much* better than she
and I do ...
RYOUKO glares at her.
RANMA
'Scuse me.
RYOUKO and RAYE turn to look at him. He is still lying on the floor, and
RYO-OH-KI is buzzing around his head inquisitively.
RANMA
Could you get this thing to leave
me alone?
Cut to the Temple of Serenity, which resembles the Parthenon of Greece --
it is a large white building on a hill with lots of columns. Currently
it is surrounded on all sides by several dozen Patrol Labors, a few tanks,
and an extensive fleet of hovercars. Nearby is a huge tank-like mecha.
There is an air of barely held-in panic.
Cut to a corridor inside the temple. KEI and YURI walk briskly down the
corridor.
YURI
What'd they say that this place was
again?
KEI
Some temple of some weird religion.
They cleared it out last night, just
before they made the snatch.
YURI
So are we gonna go through with this
thing?
KEI
I dunno, Yuri, I really ... let's go
along with it until we get a clearer
idea of what's *really* going on
here.
YURI
And then?
KEI
We punt.
They arrive at a door, and open it. Inside is FUJIKO, still holding onto
her thermal detonator and standing beside SERENITY, who is seated in a
chair, her hands in her lap. The room is otherwise undecorated.
FUJIKO
Well it's about time. Where's the
Chief?
YURI
You mean Mr. --
FUJIKO
No names.
KEI
I dunno, it was Sm-- uh, his aide
who had us transported over here.
BEAT Lot of spectators, aren't
there?
FUJIKO
Dammit, I want to get this thing
disarmed ...
YURI starts towards her.
YURI
I know a bit about explosives, let
me --
FUJIKO steps back quickly.
FUJIKO
No, thanks all the same, but I'd
really rather not be -- uh, I mean,
only the Chief can disarm it, it's
based on his fingerprints.
YURI isn't fooled for an instant, and her expression shows it.
YURI
Ah. That would make it difficult
to disarm, wouldn't it.
KEI is staring at SERENITY, who turns to gaze back at her unblinkingly.
KEI
So you're Queen Serenity, huh?
SERENITY bows her head in acknowledgment.
KEI
I'm Kei, she's Yuri. We're 3WA
Trouble Consultant Team --
SERENITY
The Lovely Angels. BEAT We are
aware of your reputation, although
we believed that you had lost your
lives some centuries ago.
KEI
Well, rumors of our deaths were
greatly exaggerated. BEAT Anyway,
we're going to escort you to your
trial.
SERENITY
Our trial?
KEI
Yeah, your trial.
SERENITY
For crimes against humanity?
KEI
Uh ...
SERENITY
And where will this alleged trial
transpire?
KEI
Well ...
FUJIKO
Hey! You don't need to know any of
that! TO KEI And you shouldn't
talk to the prisoner!
KEI
Hey, I know my job, okay?
FUJIKO snorts and rolls her eyes. KEI and YURI glower at her, and then
stop quickly as they realize that SERENITY is watching everything that
they do with a patient expression.
SERENITY
Well, in any event, we are glad that
our captors are concerned with true
justice, and that they have provided
us with such very capable bodyguards
as yourselves. SMILES
KEI and YURI stare at SERENITY for a moment.
KEI
Yuri, may I have a word with you
outside?
YURI
Sure.
They file out of the room, under FUJIKO's suspicious look. Outside, KEI
turns to look at YURI. They both speak in a rushed tone of voice.
KEI
She's not scared of us.
YURI
Maybe she doesn't know who we are,
really.
KEI
She knows. She knows and it doesn't
faze her.
YURI
Okay ... so she's nuts. I mean,
that royal we thing that she's got
going, can you *get* any more
megalomaniac than that?
KEI
She doesn't sound like a nutcase
megalomaniac and you know it.
YURI
Okay, what does she sound like?
KEI
I don't know what she sounds like,
but she sounds nothing like any of
the power freaks that we've ever
run up against.
YURI
Then what is she?
CHIEF (O.S.)
Convinced of the rightness of her
position, of course, as are all
dictators of the human spirit.
KEI and YURI turn to see the CHIEF approaching, wearing white robes and a
headband with a moon insignia. For a moment, they are baffled by his
apparel ... and then they start giggling. The CHIEF is unamused.
YURI
What (hee hee!) is with *that* (ho
ho ho!) get up, Deacon?
CHIEF
As part of our seizure of the temple
earlier this morning, I was forced
to take on the guise of one of the
priests, and I have not had the
opportunity to change yet.
KEI
AMUSED Whatever ... anyway, you'd
better defuse that circuit on the
thermal detonator that --
CHIEF
What circuit?
KEI and YURI exchange a disgusted, *weary* glance.
CHIEF
What are you talking about?
KEI
It's not important ... anyway, when
do we smuggle Serenity out of here
to the moon shuttle, or whatever
you've got worked out to fly her to
the moon?
CHIEF
SMILES We don't.
Cut to the huge tank-like mecha -- the Mobile Armored Command Center --
which has a set of stairs leading up to a door in the side (about where
the second floor would be on a building). SHEILA's car arrives some
distance from the MACC, and she and PRISS step out and head for the
stairs. Midway up, PRISS turns to look around at the assembled labors,
and sees something off to one side that gives her pause.
PRISS
Huh ... hey!
SHEILA looks down.
SHEILA
What?
PRISS gestures towards something offscreen.
PRISS
What's that?
SHEILA looks where PRISS gesture. We see a small, unremarkable looking
building not too far from the temple, with a sign out in front advertising
the "Museum of the Knight Sabres".
SHEILA
Nobody told you about that? I
thought Raye might have ... it's
really just a tourist trap. BEAT
I haven't been there in a while ...
they've got a few displays about
your more famous cases, like the
boomer uprising that led to an
attack on the MegaTokyo fusion plant
in --
PRISS
The WHAT?
SHEILA
SMILE Maybe we should have kept on
reading the journal instead of ...
um ...
PRISS gives SHEILA a suffering look. SHEILA chuckles, and starts heading
up the ladder again. PRISS shakes her head in mixed annoyance and
amusement, and heads after her.
Cut to the bridge of the MACC. It is set up as a circle, with various
crew stations around the circumference -- weapons control and steering
face forward towards a large monitor screen -- and a large command chair
in the center. All stations are currently occupied by various uniformed
men and women, but the command chair is unoccupied. MERCURY (in fuku) and
JUPITER (in street clothes) are considering the command chair.
MERCURY
Let's review the situation again.
JUPITER
SIGH Sure.
MERCURY
On the one hand, I am temperamentally
unsuited for command. I lack many
of the aggressive personality traits
that you, Raye, and Mina possess --
or at the least, they are not as
obvious in my decision making
process as they would be in yours.
JUPITER
Okay, granted.
MERCURY
I would prefer to completely analyze
a situation, working up to the last
possible moment to achieve an
optimal strategy.
JUPITER
Like now.
MERCURY
NOD And this is a liability in a
crisis situation, just as much as an
overly aggressive personality would
be.
JUPITER
I agree completely.
MERCURY
On the other hand, I am the only
Sailor Soldier present, as you are
still suspended from active duty.
Therefore, I have the obligation to
take command, even though I believe
that my command will be disastrous.
JUPITER
Disagree on several points. BEAT
Look, here's what you should do.
Take command just long enough to
bring me back to active status, and
then step down. This is a totally
unprecedented situation, Amy! None
of us have ever been on suspension
during a crisis! I don't think the
normal rules should apply!
MERCURY
Lita, I'm unwilling to ignore her
orders when I agree with them. And
I have noticed a certain degree of
erratic behavior ... but doubtless
you think the same of me.
JUPITER is clutching her hair. The next shot is taken up by a two-shot of
MERCURY and JUPITER's heads and shoulders, not showing the command chair.
JUPITER
No, Amy, I don't. BEAT Look, we
don't have time to dance around this
-- either take command --
VENUS (O.S.)
Hello?
JUPITER
-- find some loophole in your ethics
to justify turning it over to me --
VENUS (O.S.)
What a nice chair!
JUPITER
-- or -- or ...
JUPITER and MERCURY slowly turn to look at LADY VENUS, who is wearing
casual clothes in her colors -- orange, yellow and blue -- and examining
all the neat features of the command chair, like being able to put one's
legs up.
VENUS
Cooool. Hi there!
MERCURY
Mina. BEAT Mina, when did you
get here?
VENUS
Oh, about an hour or so ago ... one
of my buddies in the Service got in
touch with me. At first I was
*really* cheesed off at having my
vacation interrupted, but I figured
I should come out here and give you
the benefit of my expertise in
handling hostage situations. You
know what they say -- those who can,
do unto others as they'd have done
unto them, while those who can't,
teach to educate themselves.
VENUS abruptly causes the chair to begin a slow 360. When she's out of
sight, MERCURY and JUPITER exchange a look of raw panic, which they hide
as she comes back into sight, smiling still.
VENUS
That was fun, but can it get faster?
MERCURY
Ah ... no, I don't think so. BEAT
Mina, do you want to be in command
of this operation?
VENUS
YIKES! No way! BEAT But you
don't want to be either, Amy ... and
you're on suspension right now, Lita
(I'm sorry to hear that, by the by)
and since Raye is on Mars, and
Serenity is the person who's been
kidnapped, I'm the only one who's
qualified. BEAT Well, we could
ask Pluto, but does anyone know when
she is?
Suddenly inspired, VENUS stands up.
VENUS
LOUD Can I please have your
attention?
Everyone on the bridge turns to look at VENUS.
VENUS
I have an important question for all
of you. Does anyone present know
when Sailor Pluto is?
Heads are shaken, hands are spread, and there is a general consensus that
the answer is no.
VENUS
GLUM Daaaamn. She's never around
when you think you need her, only
when she thinks you need her. And
the worst part is, she's usually
right. TO JUPITER Isn't that
annoying of her?
JUPITER nods rapidly, clearly not trusting herself to speak. VENUS slumps
into the chair.
VENUS
GLUM Well, I don't want the job,
but I'll take it since Amy doesn't
want it either. ALL BUSINESS Our
first priority should be to open
communications with the kidnappers,
find out what they want, and delay
long enough to be able to move our
people into position to extract
Serenity without endangering her.
PLEADING Could somebody send out
for some doughnuts?
The door to the bridge slides open to admit SHEILA and PRISS. JUPITER
immediately tenses up and scowls. VENUS, facing away from the door,
blinks at this.
VENUS
Would you prefer bagels?
SHEILA
SURPRISED Mina!
VENUS whirls around, a big grin on her face.
VENUS
Sheila-chan!
SHEILA
When did you --
VENUS
No, we've done that one already.
Ask me if I brought you anything.
SHEILA
BEAT Did you bring me anything,
Aunt Mina?
VENUS' grin gets naughty.
VENUS
Oh, yeah, I think you and a special
someone will get a lot of use out of
the --
JUPITER
SNAP Mina!
VENUS looks back at JUPITER with a cross expression, then turns back to
SHEILA.
VENUS
On second thought, I'll tell you
about it when there are fewer
puritans about. BEAT Who's your
friend?
All eyes focus on PRISS, who has been observing this conversation silently
with a confused expression.
SHEILA
Um, this is Priscilla S. Asagiri, of
the Knight Sabres. Priss, this is
Lady Venus.
PRISS
WAVES Yo.
VENUS
A-sa-gi-ri. BEAT Did you sing at
one point?
PRISS
Uh ... yeah ...
VENUS
Ah! That's where I remember the
name from! I never ... just a
moment.
VENUS rifles through her clothing, producing a pen and a small pad of
paper, and smiling triumphantly.
VENUS
Can I have your autograph?
PRISS stares at VENUS for a long moment in disbelief, and then opens her
mouth to tell her off. But something in VENUS' expression -- perhaps the
pleading look in her eyes -- stops her. With a very strange look on her
face, PRISS takes the pen and paper, and signs her name quickly. VENUS
looks at the paper for a moment after it's handed back to her ... and then
places it in one of her pockets with a sad expression. She quickly cheers
up though, when she realizes that everyone is watching her.
VENUS
So, what do you do now?
PRISS
I ... I guess I'm a Palladin, now.
VENUS
Oooookay. Ummmm ... where are the
Palladins supposed to go, Amy?
MERCURY
We're planning to address them in
the Strat-Com center, so perhaps you
two should head there.
SHEILA
Right. TO VENUS It's nice to see
you again, Aunt Mina!
VENUS
You too!
PRISS, still giving VENUS an odd look, and SHEILA turn to go. Just as
they're at the door, VENUS starts talking again.
VENUS
Remind me not to forget to give you
your you-know-what. BEAT The two
of you will have a lot of fun with
it!
PRISS and SHEILA stop dead in their tracks. PRISS risks a look. VENUS is
smiling benevolently and waving the fingers of her hand, MERCURY is
terribly embarrassed, and JUPITER resembles an embodiment of the wrath of
God.
SHEILA
SMALL VOICE Thank you Aunt Mina.
They head out the door. MINA turns back to the front of the bridge.
VENUS
Now, about those doughnuts ...
There is a sudden buzzing from one side of the bridge. A blue-haired
woman in a gray special forces uniform (Ryouga and Amy's daughter,
hereafter referred to as LIEUTENANT RYOUKO) seated at one of the stations,
examines her control panel.
LIEUTENANT RYOUKO
Lady Venus, we're receiving a
transmission from the temple.
VENUS
I'm not gonna get any donuts, am I?
SIGH Okay, put it on screen.
The forward screen resolves into an image of a featureless room, with a
man standing at the center. His features are obscured by a distortion
effect which leaves the rest of him -- specifically his pinstripe suit,
worn by the CHIEF -- and the room clearly visible.
CHIEF (DISTORT)
Have I the honor of addressing one
of the Sailor Senshi?
VENUS
Yep!
CHIEF (DISTORT)
Lady Venus, I think? I have to
guess, after all, we can't see you.
VENUS
Actually, we can't see you very
well either. Do you suppose you
could turn off that distort field --
CHIEF (DISTORT)
LAUGHTER Oh, no, Lady Venus -- I'm
sure that it's you, no one else has
quite your sense of humour.
VENUS
BLUSH Flatterer.
JUPITER
WHISPERED ANGRILY Mina!
VENUS
Ahem! I take it that you represent
the organization that has taken Her
Majesty hostage?
CHIEF (DISTORT)
Correct.
VENUS
And that you have done so to advance
or publicize a cause?
CHIEF (DISTORT)
Correct.
VENUS
Very well, then. BEAT Which
cause?
CHIEF (DISTORT)
Liberty! Equality! Fr --
VENUS
-- ee beer? Well, that's a lot to
ask for ... just what does
kidnapping her Majesty have to do
with this?
CHIEF (DISTORT)
It is our intention to transport her
to the neutral lunar colony for a
trial for her terrible crimes
against hum --
VENUS presses a finger to her lips in a shushing gesture, and the audio of
the transmission is cut.
VENUS
"Neutral lunar colony"? BEAT The
last I heard was that the lunars had
pledged allegiance.
MERCURY
Delusional.
VENUS
No, really, I remember hearing about
it --
MERCURY
CONTROLLED Not you, Mina, him.
JUPITER
Just a typical deluded nutcase?
VENUS
I've never met one of those ...
bring up the volume.
CHIEF (DISTORT)
-- and in short, her failure to
bring the benefits of a free and
democratic society to --
YURI stumbles into the shot suddenly.
YURI
Ooops ... uh, scuse me ...
CHIEF (DISTORT)
... In any event, those are our
intentions, and any attack on us
will result in the immediate
execution of our hostages.
YURI & VENUS (SIM)
HostagES? As in more than one?
YURI and VENUS stare at each other for a brief moment.
CHIEF (DISTORT)
RAPID We will contact you with
further demands in an hour.
The screen goes blank rapidly.
LT. RYOUKO
They've cut the signal ... I've got
a pretty clear idea of where they
were transmitting from inside the
temple. BEAT Was that ... really
... her? As in ...
VENUS
SUBDUED Did you record?
LT. RYOUKO nods.
VENUS
SUBDUED Run a match.
LT. RYOUKO bends over the computer for a few seconds ... then looks up
with a sick expression.
LT. RYOUKO
99.999% match with the archive
photos of her, Lady Venus. That's
either her or a clone, and --
VENUS
So ... our adversaries include the
legendary -- perhaps *infamous* is a
better word, though infamous on a
legendary scale -- troubleshooters
known as ... the Dirty Pair.
The tension on the bridge is extremely high, as if everyone is expecting
all hell to break loose after those fatal words are spoken. Even JUPITER
looks stunned by this revelation.
MERCURY
QUICK We don't know that they're
both --
VENUS
Of course we do. Some things *are*
indestructible. SUDDENLY HAPPY
And isn't that nice to consider?
VENUS suddenly stands up and claps her hands together.
VENUS
Yeah! Yeah, I think this is a good
thing for us! I mean, so what if
the Dirty Pair never failed in their
mission objectives? Well, except in
the last one, and it was ultimately
a success anyway ... but I mean ...
ADDRESSING MERCURY AND JUPITER
Think about it like this: they're a
symbol, darnit! A team that was
never broken up! Just like us! We
won't get broken up, either! We
should draw inspiration from this!
BEAT Why don't we all take a
little break and think about that
for a while? I think I'm going to
go take a walk while I think ... can
I get anyone anything?
She turns around, looking for requests from the bridge crew, of which
there are none.
VENUS
Okay! While you're thinking, if
someone could get in touch with Luna
and Artemis -- they're running
things for us on the moon, right?
MERCURY nods slowly.
VENUS
-- get in touch with Luna and
Artemis, find out what might be
going on there ... oh, and see if
you can contact Raye, too, while
we're on the subject. Well, I'm
off, back in a little bit!
VENUS strolls out the bridge doors, flashing the bridge a "V-for-Victory"
as they close behind her. There is dead silence on the bridge.
MERCURY
Did she --
LT. RYOUKO
We have a teleportation reading just
outside the bridge, Ma'am. BEAT
She --
MERCURY
SIGH I know where she went, dear.
Believe me, I know.
Cut to the entrance of the memorial park. VENUS appears in a shower of
golden light, trembling and covering her face. After a moment, she looks
up at the statue of Sailor Saturn that guards the entrance. She stands
there for a short while.
VENUS
It would be so ... easy.
We see her hand reaching towards the small plaque that decorates the
statue -- on which we can see the following written.
"Ask not for whom the bell tolls,
It tolls for thee."
VENUS' hand is almost touching the plaque -- but at the last moment, she
flinches away, bringing her hand back up to her collar. She shakes her
head.
VENUS
*Too* easy.
With her free hand, she smacks the hand that was reaching, and smiles as
the hand droops as though it is pouting. She slowly walks into the
memorial park. VENUS passes the holographic memorial to Sailor Moon,
looking up at it with something very akin to envy on her face as she walks
past. Finally, she comes to the end of her path, standing before a
larger-than-life statue of a young man, dressed in a trenchcoat and
trousers, his head bowed and shadowed in such a way that we cannot see his
face. VENUS sits down, facing away from the statue and blocking our view
of a plaque attached to the base of the statue.
VENUS
I miss you. BEAT; SINGSONG I wish
you were he-ere. BEAT It really
would have been easy. Kill 'em all,
let whoever sort it out. Just ...
give it to someone else. And we'd
be together. BEAT Right? Am I
right? BEAT No. Of course not.
A monster like you wouldn't want
anything to do with a monster like
me. BEAT I took a bullet to my
chest last week. If my trauma
damper hadn't kicked in, I wouldn't
be talking to you -- hey wait a
minute! BEAT So I had to get my
heart fixed. But you know what? I
think I got ripped off. Because it
still hurts. I-i-i-ttt st-st-st--
VENUS clonks herself on the side of the head, making a dull thud.
VENUS
MUTTER Gotta get that looked at.
BEAT How'm I gonna do this? I
mean, we're dealing with the two
deadliest human beings -- well, we
don't count as human any more --
ever created by an intelligence
whose ultimate goals we still don't
understand. BEAT And they've got
her. And since we only exist to
defend and protect her, they've got
*us* right where they want us. Not
that I've ever done a very good job
of that ... have I? BEAT If I
could just --
VENUS suddenly stands up, with an excited expression on her face. She
turns to face the statue, which is still hidden from us.
VENUS
Got it! I get Artemis to send me
down a spare disguise pen, turn
myself into her, and go up to the
temple, saying "Hah-hah! Stupid
kidnappers, you grabbed the wrong
Queen!" They snatch me, let her go,
and then I have the whole fleet turn
the temple into so much glow-in-the-
dark clay! BEAT What do you mean
it wouldn't work? BEAT Okay, so
they probably wouldn't let her go,
but I'd be in the *zone* to get her
out, right? BEAT Of course they
wouldn't stop me from blowing up the
temple around me. What matters more
-- her safety or me? BEAT Well,
if they won't do it, then I'll tell
them what I did! After that, they
should be glad to --
VENUS' face suddenly crumples. Slowly, she lies down on the plaque,
curled up in a fetal position.
VENUS
SOFT They all know that I'm --
but they still expect me to be --
and I can't. It would hurt too much
if I were -- BEAT BUT IT HURTS
ANYWAY! HOW IS THAT FAIR?
VENUS picks herself up off the ground, dusts herself off, and looks up at
the statue.
VENUS
Anyway. I gotta go. Thanks for
listening. You're really good at
that, but I wish you'd talk back a
little more. BEAT Be seeing you.
VENUS turns and walks away, at last allowing us a clear view of the
inscription on the memorial.
AETHAN DEGALES
529 - 545
545 - 1996
1996 - 2034
You walk a road that's thorny, through no fault of your own.
But, as rain enters the earth, and the river flows to the sea,
So, too, do tears fall to their predestined end.
Your suffering is over.
Find peace for
Eternity
Cut to PRISS and SHEILA, walking through a corridor of the MACC, side by
side.
PRISS
So, in other words, she's nuts.
SHEILA
WEARY No, she's not nuts. She's a
little bit ... erratic, and she's
done some things that have caused
people to question her judgment. But
according to Aunt Amy, she's not
insane in the sense that she *is*
responsible for her actions, even if
they are bizarre.
PRISS
Y'know, your aunts are a real fun
bunch.
SHEILA stops abruptly and turns to glare at PRISS.
SHEILA
They've been alive for nearly a
thousand years, and they've seen
things that would probably leave
ordinary people screaming as blood
flowed out their eyes. As far as
I'm concerned, they've all earned as
much eccentricity as they want!
PRISS stares at SHEILA, a little startled at her vehemence. SHEILA
visibly calms down, and sighs.
SHEILA
Priss, they're my *family*.
PRISS stares for a moment, nods, and starts walking.
PRISS
And I'm not.
SHEILA
I didn't *say* that.
PRISS
You didn't have to.
SHEILA's fists clench at her side.
SHEILA
Priss, if someone had asked you why
you were hanging around with a crazy
Shaolin stockbroker like Linna
Yamazaki, what would you have told
them?
PRISS halts, and speaks without looking back.
PRISS
I would have told them to fuck off
and die. Nobody slams my --
SHEILA
-- family.
PRISS looks angrily over her shoulder at her.
PRISS
SMOOTH -- *friends*.
SHEILA
SIGH Okay. And what if this
someone was someone that you cared
a lot about; that you thought you
were in love with; that you might
even want to spend the rest of your
life with?
They stare at each other for a moment, both with unreadable expressions on
their faces. PRISS turns away first, and continues walking down the hall.
PRISS
NONCHALANT I'm gonna die alone,
anyway.
SHEILA reacts as though she's been slapped. She watches PRISS head down
the corridor for a second, then hurries to catch up to her. They arrive
at the STRATegic-COMmand Center, an area-like room with several rows of
seats and a holoprojector in the center. It is filled with somewhere
between thirty and fifty people of tremendously varied dress and
description -- the Palladins of Crystal Tokyo. They are clustered in
small groups, discussing various things. In our first pass through the
room, we catch sight of a red-haired woman in a slinky red dress enthusing
about a lipstick that a rather androgynous younger dark-haired woman in a
bizarre description-defying outfit is staring at with a disbelieving
expression; a pair of swordsmen (blades peacebonded), one with flowing
blonde hair and cleanshaven, the other with dark black hair and a full
beard and mustache, talking placidly; and a tall, lanky man holding a
hand-held hologram display that shows a humanoid cyclopean mecha,
discussing it with a young woman with short brown hair, large glasses, and
a green outfit under her white lab coat. We see SHEILA react to seeing
these two, and she heads down towards them, beckoning PRISS to follow
her. PRISS shrugs and follows. The man (JOHNNY RAIDEN) looks up as they
approach, and smiles. He speaks in an odd Australian accent that has a
vaguely German feel to it.
JOHNNY
Hey, Sheila! Got you out of the
stacks, did they?
SHEILA
SMILE Somebody's got to write down
the specifics of whatever crazy
plans you guys come up with.
The young woman (RITSUKO URAWA) speaks in a gentle, patient, and very
formal tone.
RITSUKO
"Crazy plans" are hardly our stock-
in-trade, Ms. Tenkai.
SHEILA
Hello to you too, Ritsuko. Whatcha
got there?
JOHNNY
An ever-so-slightly radical upgrade
proposal for our Zakus, to take full
advantage of the psychcommu.
SHEILA and RITSUKO stare at him.
JOHNNY
Sorry, thought control system. Old
habits die hard.
RITSUKO
Essentially, the TC system allows
the creation of an empathic overload
booster. Affected systems would be
supercharged based on the pilot's
emotional state -- a sufficiently
angry pilot could easily increase
his or her available motive power
by over fifty percent.
SHEILA
With just a standard interface?
RITSUKO
No, and standard neural training
won't be enough either. The actual
systems involved are fairly similar
to psychic amplifiers, but not quite
as sophisticated.
RITSUKO notices that PRISS is following the conversation with an
expression torn between interest and confusion.
RITSUKO
But we're being rude. Who's your
friend, Ms. Tenkai?
SHEILA
Oh, sorry. Priscilla Asagiri, this
is Dr. Ritsuko Urawa, Chief Mecha
Engineer of the First Fleet, and --
JOHNNY comes to his feet, and we realize that he's just over seven feet
tall.
JOHNNY
Leftenant Commander Johnny Raiden,
Heroic and Suicidal Test Pilot.
He extends a hand in greeting. PRISS, looking up at him, slowly takes it.
PRISS
I'm gonna say something stupid and
obvious in a second.
JOHNNY
Don't worry, most people do.
PRISS
Boy, you're tall.
JOHNNY nods, grinning. He pauses as something comes to him.
JOHNNY
Half a minute. Priss *Asagiri*?
You're --
PRISS
Her great-great-great-great-and-
several-more-greats-grand-daughter,
namesake, and lookalike.
JOHNNY looks puzzled ... and then understanding dawns on his face, and he
smiles broadly.
JOHNNY
Riiiiight.
He sits again, and SHEILA and PRISS also sit down.
SHEILA
So has the Second Fleet been called
home for this situation?
JOHNNY
Nah, Yamato and m'boys are still
minding Venus to make sure they
don't get ideas. But me and the
Doc got called in with the rest of
the Palladins, on a fast shuttle.
JOHNNY adjusts the hologram to erase the image of the mecha, replacing it
with a detail of the Crystal Tokyo area from orbit. (The fact that the
city is clearly planned around a RIGHT-SIDE UP pentagram should be made
clear. Several lights with tags -- SKYLARK, DAUNTLESS, SMITH, KINNISON,
DUQUESNE, among others -- appear on the display.
JOHNNY
They've called in the Fifth Fleet
from the Outer Darkness Region, and
spread the Fourth out to cover --
SHEILA
Wait a minute ...
She points at the light marked DAUNTLESS.
SHEILA
Isn't that Psyche Company's carrier?
JOHNNY nods once in silence.
SHEILA
HUSHED They brought the Lensmen?
BEAT Whewwwwww ...
PRISS
Uh, 'scuse? Lensmen? Wasn't that
a really bad movie made in 2012?
SHEILA
WRY LOOK Don't remind me, please.
There is a connection, but ...
anyway, "Lensmen" is the nickname
of the 298th, 299th, and 300th
Mobile Suit Squadrons of the Royal
Space Force, unofficially known as
Psyche Company. All the pilots
are magicians, psychics, or possess
other exotic talents. SMILES AT
RITSUKO A while ago, someone came
up with a way to amplify talents
like that, using certain specially
designed crystals that look a lot
like huge lenses. Inevitably, the
pilots were called Lensmen ...
PRISS
So do the Senshi use these things?
RITSUKO shakes her head firmly.
RITSUKO
The level of power that a Senshi
possesses would easily overload the
largest amplifier we can build.
BEAT And as one's natural power
increases, the amount of enhancement
that one can gain from artificial
sources decreases. If we were able
to construct an amplifier that would
measurably magnify Lady Mercury's
power, for example, it would be
about the size of the moon and
improve her power by ... BEAT I'm
sorry, I'm lecturing, aren't I?
PRISS shrugs, a small smile playing about her lips.
PRISS
Yeah, but when you do, you sorta
sound like someone I knew ... a long
time ago.
RITSUKO blinks, startled.
RITSUKO
*I* sound like Dr. Stingray? BEAT
Thank you very much, Ms. Asagiri,
that is a considerable compliment.
PRISS
It is?
RITSUKO
NODS In my opinion, her visionary
mecha designs are without equal.
Even now, we don't understand all
the secrets of the hardsuits --
LT. RYOUKO (O.S.)
And couldn't use one even if we did.
Everyone looks in LT. RYOUKO's direction as we see her approach casually,
still in her uniform.
RITSUKO
That's hardly true any more, Sister.
LT. RYOUKO fixes PRISS with a faintly predatory look, which PRISS returns
calmly.
LT. RYOUKO
Hmm. You have a point, Ritsuko.
BEAT Hello, Johnny. BEAT; TO
SHEILA Hello, You.
SHEILA gives LT. RYOUKO a look of mixed amusement and disdain, but she is
back to talking to PRISS.
LT. RYOUKO
Lieutenant Ryouko Mizuno, Battlesuit
Pilot Temporarily Drafted as Bridge
Crew. Pleased to meet you.
PRISS
Right. BEAT You're one of her
sisters?
LT. RYOUKO
*Half*-sisters. Very different
fathers.
RITSUKO
SOFT Not as different as you'd
like to believe, Sister.
RYOUKO glares at RITSUKO, who meets her look evenly.
LT. RYOUKO
I *believe* that I made it clear how
tired I was of this particular line
of conversation *quite* some time
ago.
SHEILA steps between them, none-too-subtly heading off a conflict.
SHEILA
Ahem. So anyways, Ryouko, what's
the word on the bridge?
LT. RYOUKO
"Panic." BEAT We received a
message from the kidnappers just a
little while ago that has everyone
on the edge.
SHEILA
What happened?
LT. RYOUKO
SHAKES HEAD Not yet. Wouldn't do
anyone here any good to know it just
yet. It'd just set us even further
on edge than we already are ...
JOHNNY
DISMISSIVE Aw, cut the crap,
Ryouko. What's the worst that it
could be, the Dirty Pair?
Dead silence descends on the room, and everyone in the room is suddenly
staring at JOHNNY. Well, except for PRISS (who seems confused) and RYOUKO
(who is rubbing her head as though she has a terrible headache).
JOHNNY
It was a *joke*, people. Get a
grip, already.
SHEILA
PATIENT Yes, but Johnny ... it
wasn't FUNNY.
Cut to a harsh-featured man carrying a long, broad-edged spear, sitting
some distance away, hunched as though he carries a heavy burden on his
shoulders. He looks upwards with a foul expression.
USHIO
Well, *somebody* found it amusing.
Cut back to the group as conversation slowly begins again. A beeping
noise issues from RYOUKO's wrist. She holds it up to her mouth.
LT. RYOUKO
Mizuno, go.
VOICE
She's back, hurry.
LT. RYOUKO
I'm on my way.
She nods in farewell, and heads up the stairs to the exit at a run.
PRISS
So ... what's a Dirty Pair?
We follow RYOUKO running through the corridor, until she reaches the main
access passage leading to the outside of the MACC, through which VENUS is
entering at a brisk pace. RYOUKO slows, but continues to run in place.
VENUS
Ah, hello, Ryouko-chan ... or should
I call you Lieutenant Mizuno, now?
LT. RYOUKO
As you wish, Lady Venus.
VENUS
All right. BEAT Keeping in shape,
are we?
LT. RYOUKO
Yes, Lady Venus.
VENUS
I think I'll join you.
She begins running in place too.
LT. RYOUKO
An excellent idea, Lady Venus.
RYOUKO starts running up the corridor to the bridge. VENUS stays running
in place for a few moments.
VENUS
I wonder if this is a race ...
She nods once, and then takes off at a dash. We see her running from her
POV, swiftly catching up to LT. RYOUKO, passing her, and arriving at the
bridge smiling sunnily.
VENUS
Hello!
MERCURY is running calculations on one of the terminals, while JUPITER
leans against the wall with an expression with elements of rage, guilt,
and extreme annoyance on her face. MERCURY speaks without looking up.
MERCURY
Welcome back, Mina. Did you enjoy
your walk?
VENUS heads for the command chair.
VENUS
Yes. Yes I did. I think that I've
got a better idea of how to handle
this situation now.
JUPITER
Good.
VENUS begins to sit down in the command chair.
RAYE (O.S.)
Yes, Mina, that's very good. I'd
like to hear about your ideas, but
don't even think about sitting in
my chair.
VENUS looks upwards, mouths "Thank you", and turns to look at RAYE, who is
standing at the entrance, followed by RANMA and RYOUKO. MERCURY turns
around.
VENUS
Raye! I'm so glad --
RAYE
Yes, I am too.
She takes her seat in the center, which VENUS quickly vacates.
RAYE
All right, I want a full situational
report, STAT. What are we up
against this time?
JUPITER
A bunch of terrorists, backed up by
the --
RAYE
Lita, why are you out of uniform?
JUPITER
DEEP BREATH I'm on suspension.
Go ahead; ask me why. I've got an
answer ready.
RAYE's mouth quirks up in a half-smile.
RAYE & JUPITER (sim)
None of your business.
RAYE
Right. Backed up by ...?
JUPITER
The Lovely Angels.
RAYE
STARES You're making a try at a
joke, right?
JUPITER
No. The kidnappers sent a video
transmission out, and a young woman
with bluish-black hair stumbled into
the shot. She's an exact physical
match for ... what's her name again?
VENUS
Yuri. She's the cool one. BEAT I
got her autograph, once ...
LT. RYOUKO finally arrives at the bridge at this point, with a frustrated
and embarrassed expression on her face. Before going to her station, she
does a double take as she passes RANMA, and stares at him in a very
hostile manner for a moment.
RAYE
Amy, could it have been a clone?
MERCURY
Anything's possible, but I've been
reviewing the footage ... and her
behavior is an almost exact match
for virtually all the documentation
we have on her -- slightly ditzy,
but at the same time very capable.
And since braintaping in the United
Galactica period was only in its
infancy, and it's believed that all
possible backups of Kei and Yuri
were destroyed with the Central
Computer ... a very good actor could
have pulled a performance like that
off, but considering the physical
match, I really do think she was the
genuine article, Raye.
RAYE
Great. BEAT Other than Serenity,
are they holding any other hostages?
Temple personnel, maybe?
JUPITER
We interviewed everyone who fled
when the temple was taken over early
this morning. About ten of the
senior members of the Cult are
unaccounted for, including the Arch
Deacon.
RAYE
Have we done a scan for lifesigns?
LT. RYOUKO
Repeatedly, with no effect. There's
some sort of jamming ... but it only
affects bioscanners.
RAYE
Damn. Okay, what about --
RYOUKO
Hold it ... this sounds familiar.
RAYE turns to look at RYOUKO, who is walking over to the scanner console
at which Lieutenant Ryouko is sitting.
RYOUKO
Do you get a "too many lifesigns"
message?
LT. RYOUKO
Uh ... yes.
RYOUKO
NODS Okay, what you wanna do is
configure it to ignore any life
signs of human beings.
LT. RYOUKO
Excuse me?
RYOUKO
Homo sapiens, dominant species on
Earth?
LT. RYOUKO
But --
RYOUKO
Just do it.
LT. RYOUKO adjusts the scanner, clearly not understanding what RYOUKO is
aiming at. She starts another scan.
RYOUKO
Interrupt it. Now!
The scan is interrupted.
RYOUKO
Okay, now configure it to ignore
all the life signs that you just
got, but find human lifesigns.
Seven human lifesigns are indicated on the screen, one of which, flagged,
is definitely SERENITY's lifesign.
RAYE
How?
RYOUKO
There's a certain species of plant
life growing on a planet around
what you call Barnard's Star that
possesses a more complicated
biological signature than you'd
expect from a non-sentient, such
that it shows up on any bioscan for
"higher lifeforms". The problem is,
there's more variance in a bioscan
of two members of a typical sentient
species than there is between two
members of this shrub ... heck, more
variance between an individual and
a clone. Anyway, this trick's been
used by space pirates to confuse
scanners for about a thousand years.
One famous space pirate worked alone
in an oversized ship with a bunch of
this stuff, to make the marks think
the ship had a huge crew.
LT. RYOUKO
Who was this?
RYOUKO
Me.
RAYE
Excellent job, Ryouko.
RYOUKO and LT. RYOUKO speak simultaneously.
RYOUKO
Woo, a compliment!
LT. RYOUKO
Thank you, Lady Mars.
There is a short pause.
RAYE
I was, in fact, speaking to the
Lieutenant. BEAT But Ryouko,
you are ... useful to have around.
RYOUKO looks down at LT. RYOUKO, who meets her gaze steadily.
RYOUKO
Your name's Ryouko, huh?
LT. RYOUKO
Lieutenant Mizuno Ryouko.
RYOUKO
Mizuno, huh? LOOKS AT MERCURY
Your mom has *great* taste in names,
then ...
MERCURY holds her head as though she has suddenly developed a migraine
headache.
LT. RYOUKO
VERY COOL Yes, I was named after
my father.
RYOUKO
Oh.
RAYE
Ahem. Lieutenant, run a comparison
of each of those "prints" against
our files, see what you can come up
with.
LT. RYOUKO
Aye.
A few seconds later, one of the other patterns has been identified as
belonging to "FUJIKO".
JUPITER
She's *mine*.
VENUS
Aren't you on suspension?
JUPITER
GLARES AT VENUS As soon as I'm
*off* suspension, she's mine.
VENUS
Okay.
RAYE
None of the others match anyone in
the files?
LT. RYOUKO
Negative. Could be hostages, or
could be other kidnappers.
RAYE
Alright. I want every bit of data
we have on the Temple -- blueprints,
especially -- packaged up to give a
briefing to the Palladins in ten
minutes.
BRIDGE CREW
Aye!
They spring into action. RANMA takes advantage of the distraction to
approach LADY MERCURY.
RANMA
'Scuse me.
MERCURY
Yes, Mr. Saotome?
RANMA
I need to talk to you about
something.
Cut to outside the MACC. PRISS is sitting on the steps leading to the
main access, alternately watching the Patrol Labors guard the perimeter of
the Temple and staring at the Knight Sabres Museum in the distance.
Finally, she nods, stands up, and starts down the stairs. As she reaches
the bottom, she notices that NOA is standing nearby, looking up at her
Labor (SHINJI), which is standing at ease in the shadow of the MACC.
PRISS waves at her, and NOA returns the wave, just as SHINJI's chestplate
opens up, revealing CATTY at the controls. PRISS looks up at the Labor
with distrust written all over her face, and continues walking. CATTY
drops down from the cockpit, and looks up at the head of the Labor with a
concerned expression.
CATTY
You were right ... his emotional
and psychological development *has*
stabilized at the level of an early
adolescent -- roughly 13 to 15 years
of age.
NOA
And that's definitely not normal.
CATTY
SIGH Psychology's not an exact
science, AI Psychology even less so.
It's definitely not *typical*, but
it's no more abnormal than an AI
that catapulted herself into early
senility within a few seconds of her
awakening, or the gender confused
AI I dealt with a few years ago.
BEAT Most new sentiences "prefer"
to advance to the same level of
maturity exhibited by the other
entities that they come into contact
with -- and since Shinji's contacts
have been more or less limited to
yourself and ...
NOA
HEAVY SARCASM His "daddy".
CATTY
WRY GRIN -- along with a few of
your associates -- and I compliment
you on letting Mr. Yamazaki pay a
visit, he seems to have made a much
better "father" figure than the one
which he was "born" to. In any
case, based on his contacts, he
*should* have developed to a mature
persona, roughly 25 to 30. But he
hasn't. And he probably won't for
several years.
NOA
When is he going to start "talking"?
CATTY
I've made the connection between his
neural net and the loudspeaker, and
uploaded the sounds database -- so
he has the capability, he just has
to teach himself to use it. I had
him shut off his audio pickup so he
could do it in peace. It *will*
probably be baby-talk the first few
times that he tries --
NOA
But that's normal. Did you talk in
baby talk when you were awakened?
A few yards away, PRISS halts in midstep.
CATTY
Ahhhh ...
NOA
I mean, I know that you're unique
in that respect, but ... uh, is
something wrong?
CATTY has covered her eyes with her right hand.
CATTY
No. No, no. Yes, but ... it's not
your fault, Chief Izumi.
NOA looks over her shoulder to see PRISS staring in their direction with
an extremely wrathful expression.
NOA
Oh! BEAT Ohhhh. BEAT Uh ...
would you like police protection?
CATTY
No, thank you. I believe that I can
handle the situation without too
much difficulty.
NOA nods, and warily looking in PRISS direction once more, heads over to
SHINJI, and clambers up inside the cockpit. CATTY walks slowly but
deliberately towards PRISS. When she is within arms reach, she speaks.
CATTY
CALM Is there something that you'd
like to say?
PRISS
FURIOUS You're a boomer.
CATTY
I prefer the term cyberdroid.
PRISS
You're a fucking *boomer*.
CATTY
In fact, I *am* capable of a wide
variety of sexual acts, which is not
surprising, considering that one of
the models that my design is based
upon is the Bu-33s.
PRISS
STARTLED Sexaroid?
CATTY
Yes. Which means, I suppose that
you will view me as "human in every
way that counts". BEAT Even
though I have no desire to be human,
any more than your friend --
PRISS
The hell she didn't! Sylvie *did*
want to be human! She said --
CATTY
"I wanted to be free. Like you."
PRISS
STUNNED How did --
CATTY
First words of the song "I Want to
Be Free", written and performed by
Priss Asagiri, 2035, liner notes
"Dedicated to Sylvie and Anri."
BEAT She wanted to be free of
the prejudice and bigotry that the
human race felt, and I am often
distressed but rarely surprised to
find, still feels towards us.
Cyberdroids. BEAT Boomers.
Angrily, CATTY walks away towards SHINJI, but pauses to look back over her
shoulder at PRISS.
CATTY
It seems that the writer of that
song is dead. A pity. She was a
remarkable being ... for a human.
CATTY approaches SHINJI, now looking more hurt than angry. SHINJI's voice
is that of a boy just on the edge of adolescence -- it cracks a lot.
SHINJI
Is something wrong, Catty-oneesama?
CATTY looks up at the Labor's "head", startled and amazed. Slowly, a
smile spreads across her features.
CATTY
No. No, everything's all right.
SHINJI's chest opens up, and NOA is revealed, smiling broadly.
NOA
He's a smart kid, isn't he?
CATTY
NOD Yes. He is indeed.
PRISS stares in their direction for a moment, then visibly "gives up" and
turns to walk towards the Museum of the Knight Sabres again ... just as a
beeping noise issues from her hip carried cellular. PRISS snatches it up,
and flips it open.
PRISS
Yeah.
SHEILA
Priss, you'd better get back here,
there's going to be a briefing in a
few minutes.
PRISS
Great.
She shuts down the cellular, and heads back to the stairs. There's a
faint rumble of thunder, and the first drops of rain begin to fall.
Cut to the inside of the entrance of the MACC. PRISS comes in out of the
rain, and shakes out her hair, just as RAYE comes down the corridor.
RAYE
Priss!
PRISS
Hey. What happened to you?
RAYE
What do you mean?
PRISS
I called you last night and --
RAYE
You didn't get the message I sent to
you yesterday morning?
PRISS
No ...
RAYE
ANNOYED AT SELF And I forgot to
change my answering machine, too ...
damn. BEAT I had to go to Mars
on business yesterday ... I just got
back a little while ago.
PRISS
You *went* to Mars? ODD SMILE I
thought that you *were* --
RAYE
Ahem. Heard it. A few times.
BEAT So what happened?
PRISS
Took care of the thing with the
labors. And then I finally got
'round to reading Sylia's journal.
RAYE
Okay. Did it bring back anything?
PRISS
Nope. BEAT Not exactly. BEAT
I found out a couple things ...
Anyway ... uh ... something did
happen that --
RAYE
Sheila.
PRISS
BLINKS Have you been reading my
mind or something?
RAYE
I can't do that except under certain
conditions, so no. BEAT Mina has
a big mouth, and she told me about
Sheila's "cute new girlfriend" when
she thought Lita wasn't listening.
PRISS
GAG "Cute new girlfriend"?
RAYE
She has a slightly romantic view of
some things. BEAT Priss, it's okay
with me. I'm happy for you.
They start to walk down the corridor at a slow pace.
PRISS
Unfortunately, it'll be over in a
week.
RAYE
Oh come on!
PRISS
It won't work ... she's too -- And
I'm too -- GESTURES WEARILY
RAYE
Give it a chance! BEAT And give
*yourself* a chance! "We were born
to be happy", remember? Even if you
did choose to enter coldsleep as a
way of escaping from the world, we
all want this to be a happy ending
for you.
PRISS
Even Jupiter?
RAYE looks away, upset.
PRISS
And you still think that I've got a
chance with Sheila?
RAYE
Priss, I'm absolutely the last one
to be saying that "True love can
stand against any force," because I
know that's not true. BEAT But I
believe that love can survive in the
face of overwhelming odds. BEAT
And I thought you never gave up.
PRISS
QUIRKY SMILE Only when I think I
don't have anything left to fight
for.
RAYE
SOLEMN Love is always worth it,
Priss. BEAT It's why I keep on
going. Some days, it's the only
reason I have.
PRISS
TEASING For the look in Her
Majesty's eye?
RAYE
ANNOYED Kami-sama, is it that
obvious?
PRISS
SNORT Only to folks who *aren't*
looking at you when you talk about
her.
RAYE
Marvelous ...
PRISS
So this is rough on you?
RAYE
NODS I can't remember the last
time I was so ... scared. BEAT
At least I'm not the only one --
PRISS
STARTLED Scared? I'd have
thought you'd be angry, or --
RAYE
Oh, I am. I want to tear the
miserable wretches who've done this
to pieces ... but I'm more afraid
of what might happen to her if I
*fail* ... if I lose her again, I --
BEAT I don't know what I'll do.
PRISS
WHISPERED It must be nice ...
RAYE
Hm?
PRISS
It must be nice ... to be able to
admit when you're scared.
RAYE smiles sadly.
RAYE
Yeah. BEAT Anyway ...
She motions her head towards a door marked SHOWER.
RAYE
I've got to grab a quick shower
before I give this briefing. I'll
see you there.
RAYE ducks into the room. PRISS turns to go, then pauses.
PRISS
"Again"?
And then slowly, a look of utter and complete shock spreads across her
face as she understands.
PRISS
No. No way ...
PRISS turns and heads back down the corridor, the way that she came. She
darts out the exit, just as RANMA steps around the corner, in time to see
her leave. He pauses.
RANMA
Now where've I seen ...
Sudden recognition in his features, RANMA darts to the door ... then
pauses as he realizes that the rain has begun to pour. He stares up with
a greatly put-upon expression.
RANMA
Typical ...
RANMA heads out the door into the rain.
Cut to RAYE stepping out of the shower with a towel wrapped around her. A
beeping noise comes from the ceiling.
RAYE
Yes.
LT. RYOUKO
I've got Luna and Artemis on the
line, sir. Should I put them
through or --
RAYE
Yes, connect them here.
She starts to brush her hair, as LUNA and ARTEMIS appear on a screen in
the bathroom.
RAYE
Luna. Artemis. What've you got for
us?
LUNA
We've been investigating. Mars, if
ANYONE up here is expecting to take
custody of Serenity, they're playing
it very close to their chests ... so
close that our network hasn't been
able to get ANYTHING.
ARTEMIS
And that's as damn well close to
impossible as you can get. I don't
think you can let a pin drop on the
Moon without one of us finding out
about it.
LUNA
Flatterer.
ARTEMIS
ANNOYED I meant "one of the *two*
of us".
RAYE
She knows that, Artemis, she's just
teasing you.
LUNA
HURT Do *I* spoil *your* jokes on
Serenity or Endymion?
RAYE
Sorry, Luna. I'm a little ...
LUNA
SOFT We know. So are we.
ARTEMIS
Do you have a plan yet?
RAYE
A few ideas, and I'm hoping that the
Palladins will come up with a few
more. No strategy, yet.
ARTEMIS
Right. BEAT Oh, Admiral Tailor
wanted us to let whoever was in
charge know that the Mihoshi is
almost finished its repairs.
RAYE
That's nice. BEAT Is he telling
the truth?
LUNA
According to our information, she
still has a few more days to peak
function. She could go out, but ...
RAYE
Right. Have Justy on standby for a
signal from me. Ideally ... but if
this were an ideal universe, this
wouldn't be happening, would it?
LUNA
CONCERNED Are you alright?
RAYE
I'll be fine. BEAT I have to be
fine. BEAT Artemis ... Mina's
here. Do you want to talk to her?
ARTEMIS looks very upset -- more hurt and ashamed than angry.
ARTEMIS
SOFT No. BEAT No, Mars ... I
don't think ... talking didn't make
a difference before ... why should
it now?
RAYE
Artemis, what she's done to herself
isn't your fault.
ARTEMIS
Yes it is ... I should have been
there to tell her not to take those
damn implants when I had the chance,
and now --
RAYE
So she would have died? BEAT I
don't like her cybernetics either,
but when she started, she didn't
have a choice. BEAT I think that
you should talk to her, Artemis.
ARTEMIS shakes his head in silence. RAYE sighs.
RAYE
Whatever, Artemis. Stay where we
can reach you two, okay?
LUNA & ARTEMIS (sim)
Right.
The screen goes blank, and RAYE shakes her head wordlessly.
Cut to a desk in an office that overlooks a huge drydock in which a
starship that bears a vague resemblance to a combination of an Imperial
Star Destroyer and a Rebel Blockade Runner is undergoing repairs. LUNA
and ARTEMIS are standing on the desk, looking up at a blank screen. LUNA
turns to ARTEMIS.
LUNA
You *should* have talked to her.
It's not your fault, love.
LUNA hops of the desk and drops to the ground in 1/6th gravity, and walks
away on landing.
ARTEMIS
WHISPERED Yes it is. More than
you would understand, and in ways
that you can never know ... it is.
Cut back to the bathroom. RAYE has dressed in her Senshi uniform. She
briefly frowns, and it shifts into a set of fatigues ... then shakes her
head, going back to the modified fuku. She picks up something, and lowers
her head to take off her eyepatch, holding her hand to her face as she
does. A beeping ensues.
LT. RYOUKO
Sir, we're receiving a transmission
from the Palace ... it's the Prince.
RAYE lifts her head. She has inserted a very natural looking cybereye
into her eye socket.
RAYE
Onscreen.
ENDYMION appears.
ENDYMION
Raye. Ryouko let Tenchi know that
you were back, so I thought I'd
check on you.
RAYE
WEARY SMILE Well, I could have
picked a better chauffeur, but ...
thank you.
ENDYMION
I knew that you'd want to be here
to handle this job.
RAYE nods. A long awkward pause ensues.
ENDYMION
Bring her back.
RAYE
I always have.
ENDYMION
Yes. However ... uh, I also have
some instructions from her, that I
was supposed to give you if this
ever happened. BEAT She said
that if you come up with a plan to
get her out of a situation that
will certainly succeed, but will
probably cost you your life ...
you're supposed to find another
plan.
RAYE
What?!
ENDYMION
She knows that you wouldn't risk a
plan that would probably lose anyone
*else's* life, so --
RAYE
Dammit!
ENDYMION
Raye, she loves you ... and she
wants to be able to come back to
both of us.
RAYE holds a hand over her artificial eye for a moment, muttering ... the
word "baka" is often heard. She finally runs her hand through her hair,
and looks up.
RAYE
All right. I ... I won't.
ENDYMION
Good. BEAT Take care of things.
The screen goes blank, and RAYE sighs exasperatedly once more, before
heading out of the shower room. In the corridor, she meets VENUS, heading
down the way that she had been heading earlier.
VENUS
Hi. EXCITED Hey, I was wondering
about that!
RAYE gestures to her eye.
RAYE
This? BEAT I got a few upgrades.
VENUS
Peaches! We'll have to compare in
a bit.
RAYE
Yeah. *After* we get Serenity back.
VENUS' smile flickers a bit.
VENUS
Right.
Cut to the Strat-Com center, which is even more tightly packed than it was
earlier. SHEILA, JOHNNY, RITSUKO and LT. RYOUKO are sitting in a small
cluster at the lower level of the chamber. SHEILA keeps looking over her
shoulder at the entrance. RYOUKO is hovering with her legs crossed up at
the top row, watching the proceedings with vague interest. Just then, the
Senshi -- MARS, MERCURY, and VENUS -- enter through the doors at the top,
and walk down the aisles to stand in the center of the chamber. JUPITER
enters a few seconds later, and closes the door behind her, remaining on
the uppermost level after she does so. All conversation in the room has
been stilled by the arrival of the Senshi. RAYE takes a deep breath --
then notices that there's an empty seat beside SHEILA. She gives SHEILA
an inquisitive look, to which SHEILA gestures helplessly in response.
RAYE looks up at the doors ... and sees that JUPITER has a faint, angry
smile on her face. The doors have been locked.
RAYE
SIGHS We'll start now.
Cut to the inside of a darkened building. Suddenly, lights come on. The
camera's POV is looking at a large chamber, and a young male GUIDE dashes
past the camera's POV to stand in front of it.
GUIDE
Actually, we're supposed to be shut
down right now, because of the, uh,
*crisis*, if you'll pardon the joke,
that's going on right now, but, I
mean, since it's *you* ... DEEP
BREATH I'll skip the usual spiel on
how and why the Knight Sabres were
founded, and get right to the
exhibits.
The GUIDE walks into the chamber, and the camera's POV follows, jumping as
though it were walking. The guide pauses at the first exhibit -- what
looks like a shrine to Nene Romanova. The centerpiece is a large, blown
up photograph of Nene in her ADP dress uniform, smiling broadly, looking a
few years older than she did in the series.
GUIDE
These are some of the handful of
surviving photographs of Nene ...
many of these were preserved only
because of her association with
the Senshi, as one of their main
agents in MegaTokyo ... like this
one, for example.
The GUIDE points at a photograph of Nene dressed in a strange and arcane
costume including a skirt that is slit high up on both hips. She is
standing beside JUPITER -- who towers over her and looks down at her with
a confused yet smiling expression. NENE is trying, unsuccessfully, to put
rabbit ears on JUPITER, but can't quite reach.
PRISS (O.S.)
So ... Jupiter was close to her?
GUIDE
Oh yes. Lady Jupiter was Ms.
Romanova's primary contact among the
Senshi.
PRISS nods.
PRISS
Thought so.
Cut to the STRATCOM chamber. The large hologram projector in the center
of the room is displaying an image of the Temple. RAYE slowly circles the
center of the room as she speaks.
RAYE
As you are all aware ... Neo-Queen
Serenity has been kidnapped -- or it
seems somewhat more accurate to view
her as taken hostage -- by forces
that have taken control of the
headquarters of this fringe religion
as a base. BEAT Our objective is
simple. Get her safely out of there
with a bare minimum of loss of life
and property damage. BEAT
Unfortunately, both parts of that
goal are hindered by two of these
terrorists' suspected allies.
LADY MERCURY makes an adjustment to the hologram projector, such that it
turns to file photos of KEI and YURI. Gasps of sheer horror are heard
throughout the room. JOHNNY turns a shocked gaze on LT. RYOUKO.
JOHNNY
You bleeding liar.
LT. RYOUKO
I didn't lie. I just didn't admit
that you were right.
JOHNNY
What's the bleeding difference?!
RAYE
AHEM.
The panicked whispering slowly dies down.
RAYE
These two need no introduction, it
seems. BEAT Their presence means
that we have to step carefully, but
that would be true no matter what
the opposition had in their hand.
The Lovely Angels *can* be defeated.
They *were* defeated in their final
mission, no matter how historians go
on about how their loss finally got
the Planet Pirates broken up once
and for all. THEY -- WERE -- BEATEN
-- by an force of a few dozen scum
of the galaxy equipped with some
ultratech. BEAT We're better
than that, Ladies and Gentlemen.
This isn't going to be a repeat of a
Dirty Pair casefile. They're going
down.
Cut to the inside of a hallway in the Temple. KEI and YURI march on
either side of SERENITY, their blasters out and ready.
KEI
We're moving *up* in the world,
Yuri. No more more dangerous under-
cover assignments for you and me, no
sir. Now we march people around.
From room to room! From floor to
floor! Yes, even up to the topmost
level of the Temple of Whoever The
Heck These Weirdos Worship!
SERENITY
I *am* enjoying the tour.
YURI tries half-heartedly to suppress a giggle at that comment. KEI
glowers.
KEI
I'm glad *somebody's* happy. BEAT
Yuri, this is stupid. Anybody could
do this sort of thing, he doesn't
need a pair of "galactic legends" to
escort a helpless prisoner around a
deserted temple!
YURI
It is a bit strange ...
KEI
Hell, he could do it himself! Have
the satisfaction of shoving a queen
around to his heart's content!
SERENITY
Now, I doubt that I would enjoy
*that*.
KEI
Would you *please* --
SERENITY
Perhaps he does not want to see me.
BEAT Or does not want me to see
him.
KEI and YURI come to a complete stop. SERENITY, her arms held behind her
back with the neutralizer bracelet clasping her left wrist, continues
forward for a few paces, before turning to look over her shoulder with a
quizzical expression at the Pair.
YURI
What do you mean ... doesn't want
you to see him? BEAT Kei, what
if this isn't a rebellion, what if
it's some sort of coup?
KEI
In that case ...
YURI
Does the name Deacon mean anything
to you?
SERENITY
Deacon? BEAT Deacon. Deekon.
Deakon. Daikon. BEAT I believe
that that was the anime convention
which gave the animators later known
as Gainax their first major exposure
... was it not?
A long silence ensues.
YURI
*WHAT?*
SERENITY
Perhaps that was before your time.
KEI
Yuri, you idiot! Why in the world
would he tell us his real name?!
SERENITY
It is always sad to see distrust in
the ranks of an organization ...
KEI
Oh yeah? I suppose you blindly
trust everyone in your pack.
SERENITY
SHAKES HEAD No. Not blindly. I
know beyond any shadow of a doubt
that the people whom I trust are
trustworthy.
YURI
UNEASY How?
SERENITY
They have all proven themselves.
Many times over. To me, and just as
importantly, to themselves. They
*know* how much I trust them.
KEI
But are there any people in your
pack that you don't trust?
SERENITY
HESITANT Perhaps ... one or two
who I am uncertain about.
KEI
Okay. That established, does this
guy sound like anyone you know --
he's about --
SERENITY
I am sorry, Miss, but I have a
terrible memory for faces.
KEI
Great. BEAT Wait a minute, he's
got you right where he wants you --
*why* wouldn't he want you to see
him in his moment of triumph?
SERENITY
Perhaps he does not believe that
this *is* his moment of triumph ...
perhaps he believes that it is I
who has him right where I want him.
YURI
That's crazy.
SERENITY
Perhaps. Or he believes that if he
were to face me, he would be unable
to resist doing something that he
would regret.
KEI
You mean ... he'd try and kill you
out of hand.
SERENITY
As you say.
KEI and YURI exchange a glimpse.
YURI
We won't let him do that.
SERENITY
I know.
KEI
Huh?
SERENITY
After all, if you did permit him
to kill me ... then my death would
be your fault. BEAT And it is
never your fault, is it?
She smiles sweetly at the stunned Pair.
SERENITY
Shall we go? It would be rude to
keep Mr. Deacon waiting.
KEI and YURI exchange a look ... then shrug, and walk swiftly to catch up
and walk beside SERENITY.
Cut to PRISS being led by the GUIDE to a display around a familiar yet
somehow different looking blue hardsuit.
GUIDE
And this is something with which you
are already well-acquainted ... or
would be, if not for your ... um,
little problem.
PRISS
You know about that, huh?
GUIDE
NOD Dr. Bairessey mentioned it
when he came for his daily visit a
few days ago. BEAT In any event,
this is the Mark 11 Stingray Exo-
Skeletal Battlesuit, "Morning Mist"
model. Constructed 2041, it had not
yet been field tested before the end
of the Knight Sabres.
PRISS
But it works?
GUIDE
Theoretically. Mackinnison Stingray
left clear instructions for its
maintenance with us, and generations
of archivists have followed them to
the letter. Assuming the best, all
you'd need to do is ... well, um ...
PRISS
Slap on a softsuit and go?
GUIDE
BLINK Oh. Right. No, the Mark 8
Hardsuit eliminated the need for the
innerwear of previous designs, and
all of the later versions followed
in its path.
PRISS is suddenly *very* interested and aware.
PRISS
So ... if I wanted to, I could just
slip this thing on over my regular
clothes and --
The GUIDE is rather embarrassed.
GUIDE
Well, no. BEAT Nudity is --
PRISS
DISBELIEVING What?
GUIDE
All the versions after the Mark 8
required that the operator be naked
under the suit. We're not sure why
Dr. Stingray constructed it along
those lines, but ...
PRISS
So if I activate the explosive
release I'm giving everyone a free
show?!
GUIDE
UPSET That feature was replaced
in the Mark 4 ... with a real self-
destruct system ...
PRISS
Oh, this gets better and better.
BEAT Okay, whatever. Do you
suppose I could try it on?
GUIDE
Well, considering the situation, I
don't think it'd be a good idea to
let you go *out*, but as long as you
didn't leave the building, I'm sure
it would be all right.
PRISS
Great. When they ask you about it,
remember to tell them that you asked
if I'd lost touch with reality, and
I pulled a gun on you and told you
that this was fantasy, before I
knocked you out.
GUIDE
Huh?
PRISS gives the GUIDE a right cross to jaw, knocking him out at once.
PRISS
No respect for history.
She vaults into the display area, and examines the advanced hard suit.
The helmet comes off easily, revealing a tiny switch on inside of the
suit's neck.
PRISS
Nice to see some things don't
change.
She taps the switch, and the chest area bends forward from the waist,
while the rear of the legs angle backwards, bending at the knees. PRISS
examines the interior, and sees that it has been lined with the material
that made up the innerwear.
PRISS
Mackie *must* have suggested it to
Sylia at a weak moment for her.
She sighs, and begins to pull off her clothes.
Cut back to the STRATCOM center. The holographic display is showing three
dimensional blueprints of the Temple grounds.
RAYE
And that, ladies and gentlemen, is
everything that we've been able to
dig up on the Temple's structure.
Let me stress again that all scans
confirm that the building has been
wired to self-destruct at any time.
BEAT You've all been recruited,
over the centuries, because of your
various skills, but more importantly
because you've all shown an ability
to think non-linearly ... to make
intuitive leaps and apply them to
strategy and tactics. That's what
we need of you today -- a plan to
get her Majesty out of there,
safely. BEAT I should also note
that plans that hinge on daring solo
raids into the Temple are *not*
acceptable.
There is a sudden babble from the crowd. A young looking woman with pink
hair and hard eyes stands up.
SAKI
With all due respect, Lady Mars ...
that sort of thing is what most of
us tend to specialize in.
RAYE
CLIPPED I'm aware of that.
SAKI
Then --
RAYE
But I'm not willing to accept
suggestions for a plan that I've
been personally ordered not to
attempt under any circumstances. If
I'm not allowed to do it, then
neither is anyone else.
SAKI sits down with an annoyed expression. Simultaneously, a young woman
with honey blond hair stands up not far away from her.
HONEY
Lady Mars, you mentioned that there
were a number of additional people
in the complex.
RAYE
That's correct, Major Kisaragi.
HONEY
Would it be possible to slip a small
group of operatives into the temple,
covering them with a brief attack by
... a battlesuit equipped soldier,
which we would officially claim as a
renegade action -- in any event, the
agents would neutralize and disguise
themselves as enemy personnel, and
rescue the Queen that way?
LT. RYOUKO
STANDS I'd be willing to volunteer
for the attack ... although I wonder
why the Major immediately thought of
a battlesuit pilot to perform an
"unauthorized" action.
SHEILA
MUTTERED Maybe because 'suiters
tend to crack up more often than any
other unit?
LT. RYOUKO
TURNS AND GLARES Would you provide
statistics for that virulent piece
of slander?
SHEILA
I'm looking at one.
LT. RYOUKO looks as though she's about to physically attack SHEILA, when
MERCURY coughs deliberately. RYOUKO pauses, visibly calms down, and sits.
RAYE
I appreciate the offer, Lieutenant.
BEAT Unfortunately, there's a
problem. Mercury, if you could
bring up the lifescans?
MERCURY adjusts the console. Several flagged lights appear on the three
dimensional diagram of the temple -- one is tagged SERENITY, and is
accompanied by two UNKNOWN lights as it moves up through a series of
staircases. Two other UNKNOWN lights are located in a lower level room,
near where a light marked FUJIKO is moving slowly. Near the top of the
complex is a final UNKNOWN.
RAYE
ASIDE They're moving her. ALOUD
We think that these --
She points to the two accompanying Serenity.
RAYE
-- are the Dirty Pair, but we're not
one hundred percent sure. However,
we're fairly sure that these --
She gestures at the two in the lower level room.
RAYE
-- *must* be the other hostages that
the terrorist leader mentioned in
passing. The presence of Fujiko,
on the same level, argues for that.
In other words, the only group of
people that you could impersonate
would need an incredible excuse to
be wandering around unhindered.
BEAT A good idea, but not for this
situation.
RAYE looks up at the dots indicating Serenity and the Dirty Pair. They
have reached the uppermost level of the complex. The Unknown is moving
towards their location.
Cut to a shot of the highest point of the temple, a broad tower that
extends a few feet above the roof of the "Parthenon" structure. Its most
notable exterior feature is a large picture window that displays SERENITY,
seated quietly in a high-backed chair. Inside, KEI and YURI peer in
through the door leading to the chamber in which she sits. Footsteps are
heard, and they look up to see the CHIEF climbing up the staircase. He
has changed into his usual pinstripe suit.
CHIEF
WHISPERED Did she give you any
trouble?
KEI
LOW No. None.
YURI
She sat down in that chair in there
as soon as we got here and hasn't
moved or spoken since. See for
yourself.
She gestures for him to come take a look, but he shakes his head
violently.
CHIEF
No. I fear that if I lay eyes on
that, that ... *thing*, I may be
driven to do something ...
His hands are clawing the air in front of him, and KEI and YURI are
looking at him with wary looks. Suddenly, he clasps his hands together in
a prayerful fashion.
CHIEF
... something which is not for me to
decide. Something which belongs to
another.
KEI and YURI exchange a look which screams, "Nutcase." YURI turns back to
him and smiles calmly.
YURI
So ... what's next, Chief? Where do
we go from here?
CHIEF
SOBER Now I will make my final
attempt at a peaceful settlement
with the government ... and after it
is rejected ...
He trails off, making a dramatic pause.
KEI
Then what?
CHIEF
We go up.
Cut to the display of PRISS' hardsuit. PRISS is now completely suited up,
and within her helmet is examining the modifications that have been made
between this suit and the ones that she is familiar with, as information
scrolls across her Heads-Up Display.
PRISS
Railgun ... modified ammo loads,
huh? Should be interesting ...
Slight increase in laser output.
Improved knucklebomber employing ...
Gack! How much TNT? I bet I had
fun with that. BEAT Got rid of
the rocket kicks, huh? Well, they
were fun, but ... too much stress
on the drivetrain. Whatever.
BEAT I don't get it ... what's
the big improvement that this thing
has over the suit I was using when
everything went --
(FEMALE) RANMA (O.S.)
Flight.
PRISS whirls, and instinctively raises her right arm to fire her railgun
at the target. We see the strip of metal streak towards a figure in the
shadows ... who at the last minute lifts her hand to catch the bolt
between two fingers, an inch from her face.
(FEMALE) RANMA
Nice to meet you, too.
Inside her hardsuit, PRISS is beyond stunned.
PRISS
SHEILA?
RANMA steps into clearer view, and we can see the reason for PRISS'
confusion ... her "pig-tail" has grown even longer, until it reaches her
waist. Aside from that, she looks just like she did in the Twentieth
Century, but her eyes (like Male RANMA's) give a clearer idea of her true
age.
RANMA
Nope. I can understand your
confusion, though.
PRISS
Who the hell are you and how the
fuck did you do that?
RANMA
Saotome Ranma. And practice. Lots
of practice. BEAT I see that you
managed to get it up and running.
PRISS
Uh ... am I supposed to know you
from somewhere? BEAT Wait, let
me guess. You're Nene's remote
descendant, come to beat me up for
all those times I made fun of her.
RANMA
Not even close, and no, we've never
met. However, we do have a couple
friends in common.
PRISS
Raye?
RANMA
Actually, I was thinking more of
Linna Yamazaki.
A long silence ensues.
PRISS
You knew Linna?
RANMA
That's what I said. I met her in
China, a little under nine hundred
years ago.
PRISS
You're immortal, then.
RANMA
Sure seems that way, sometimes. She
was ... somewhat helpful in a little
situation that I found myself in,
and when she found out that I was
going to be around for a long time,
she described you to me ... asked me
to look you up when you got out of
coldsleep. BEAT Anyway, I saw
you running out of the MACC, and
decided to see what you were up to.
BEAT So what do you think you're
doing?
PRISS
I thought I might pop over to the
Temple, look up Serenity, have a few
drinks ...
RANMA
In other words, a suicidal rescue
attempt, rushing in where angels say
"I'm not getting paid enough to do
this?"
PRISS
It's what I do best.
RANMA
SHRUGS You won't get any argument
from me. It's probably as good a
plan as they're coming up with in
there. BEAT But what I want to
know is, why?
PRISS
What?
RANMA
No, why. BEAT I know about you,
Asagiri. I know that the Senshi
dragged you out of coldsleep, mucked
with your memories, and turned you
into a carrier pigeon ... aside from
a mild rejuvenation job, you don't
owe them a thing. So I wanna know
why you're doing a crazy stunt like
this.
PRISS raises her visor.
PRISS
Why the hell do you care?
RANMA idly snaps the railgun bolt in two.
RANMA
Satisfy a frail old woman's curious
nature.
PRISS closes her eyes for a long moment, then opens them again.
PRISS
Because Serenity means more to Raye
than anything in this world, and
she's the only friend I've got left.
BEAT Because she lost her once,
when Serena died, and I don't want
her to lose her again. BEAT And
because ... because only one person
ever loved me like that, and she
never told me, and now she's gone.
BEAT And nobody should ever lose a
love like that twice.
RANMA is silent for a long moment ... and then, slowly, she nods.
RANMA
You're right. BEAT As I said ...
the major improvement to the Mark 11
Hardsuits was the addition, to all
five of them, of a fully functional
flight system.
PRISS is visibly startled.
PRISS
Wait a minute, this thing doesn't
have any more thrusters than my old
suit --
RANMA
SHAKES HEAD Doesn't need them.
PRISS
Then how -- BEAT Did Sylia figure
out how to mess with *gravity*?
RANMA
Yes, but that's not what's involved
here. BEAT When I saw it, on
Linna's suit ... I thought Stingray
must have been listening to too much
Wagner. BEAT Anyway, there's not
enough room to use it in here ...
c'mon outside.
PRISS
Is this gonna attract attention?
RANMA
Yeah, but so will a suicidal assault
on the temple, and this'll give you
an edge on the bad guys.
PRISS
Works for me.
RANMA turns and heads out of the room, with PRISS following a few feet
behind.
Cut to the StratCom center.
RAYE
No, Captain Montoya, we don't have
an apocalypse cloak, and I don't
think that would work this time.
The brown-haired bearded swordsman sits down with an annoyed look on his
face. A beeping noise comes from the terminal where MERCURY is sitting.
MERCURY
We're receiving a signal from the
temple.
RAYE
Put it up.
Several holographic view screens appear in the center of the room,
broadcasting the image in all directions. The CHIEF, with the distortion
field up is standing in a featureless room.
CHIEF
I assume I am speaking to Lady Venus
once more?
RAYE
You assume incorrectly. Lady Venus
has transferred command to myself,
Lady Mars.
CHIEF
Oh dear.
RAYE
We will not under any circumstances
negotiate with terrorists. Release
Neo-Queen Serenity AT ONCE.
CHIEF
I see. Well. There's nothing much
to say, then. Good day.
The screen dissolves to static.
MERCURY
Transmission lost.
Cut to the room shown in the transmission. The CHIEF slowly reaches
inside his suit, producing a small penlike device ... and with an almost
ecstatic expression, he presses a button on the end.
Cut to a shot of several large turbines, beginning to move swiftly.
Cut back to the StratCom center. There is a sudden, ominous rumbling.
RAYE
What was that?
MERCURY
Small scale seismic disturbance ...
Raye! Several *extremely* large
gravitational disruptions, centered
under the Temple.
RAYE
But ... WHISPERED Son of a bitch.
ALOUD Give me an exterior view!
The holodisplay shows the Temple hill slowly but surely coming apart ...
with the temple and much of the top of the hill slowly ascending.
Cut to an exterior view of the same, as the Patrol Labors gathered at the
foot of the hill back away to avoid several sudden avalanches. One grav
car comes too close to the floating structure, and its engines suddenly
fail, causing it to crash to the ground.
NOA (LOUD SPEAKER)
All units, fall back! Fall back!
Cut to the exterior of the Knight Sabres museum, just as RANMA and PRISS
exit at a dash. RANMA looks up with an expression which can be summed up
in her words.
RANMA
Huh! Never seen anything like that
before ...
PRISS
HOW THE HELL --?
RANMA
Big contragrav turbines, big as a
house ... and nothing with a smaller
set will be able to get close. This
is where you come in, of course ...
PRISS
I can get close to that thing?
RANMA
Yep. BEAT; AS IF QUOTING "That's
what your wings were made for."
PRISS
Huh?
RANMA
Never mind. Just say `Flight Mode'.
PRISS
DISBELIEVING Come on.
RANMA
What?
PRISS
Do I gotta shout "Saber Beam" if I
wanna use my laser?
RANMA
ANNOYED No. But the flight system
*is* voice activated. You don't
have to *shout*, just *speak*.
PRISS
Running around naked under a hard
suit, sentai voice command ... Sylia
must really have had a few too many
when she came up with this stuff ...
RANMA is clutching the sides of her head and gritting her teeth.
RANMA
Will you hurry up and do it, you
uncute --
PRISS
SIGH Flight Mode.
Immediately, two small bulges on the hard suit's rear shoulders begin to
glow a bright blue-white colour ... and a few seconds later, they expand
and explode outwards, forming two long blue-white energy constructs that
look for all the world like large, feathered bird wings. Inside the
helmet, PRISS reacts in shocked astonishment.
PRISS
WHISPERED Shit.
RANMA nods with a satisfied smile.
RANMA
Still works after all this time.
That's pretty damn impressive ...
She nods her head towards the slowly ascending Temple.
RANMA
Well? Go get 'em.
PRISS
Uh, newsflash, lady, I've never done
this sort of thing before ...
RANMA
Just give yourself a short running
distance, a couple meters should do
it, and jump. The computer should
handle the rest. Just point your
nose the way that you wanna go.
PRISS pauses, then nods once ... then pauses again.
PRISS
Aren't you coming?
RANMA
How, praytell? Am I supposed to
transform to Great Saotomeman and
fly using my immense chi? BEAT
You're on your own, Asagiri ...
PRISS
Right. BEAT Thanks.
She visibly braces herself, then runs forward a few steps, and takes a
leap ... and then the wings take over, flapping several times a second.
PRISS
WHOAHOAHOAHOAHOAHOAHOAHOAHOAHOA!
After a few seconds of panicked shrieking, PRISS appears to have gotten a
handle on it, and starts flying in the general direction of the rising
temple. RANMA looks up at her with a nonplussed expression.
RANMA
I guess Linna had had a few practice
runs after all ... BEAT Fly with
my chi? Never actually tried that
... maybe some other time. BEAT I
wonder where I could get a kettle of
hot water around here?
Cut to the bridge of the MACC as RAYE, VENUS, MERCURY, JUPITER, LT.
RYOUKO, and SHEILA enter at a run. RAYE immediately takes the captain's
chair, while RYOUKO drops into the sensor control post. MERCURY heads for
another console.
RAYE
Put it onscreen.
The main display shows the temple rising higher into the air. None of
the gravitic vehicles are able to approach it without losing power, and so
are maintaining a safe distance.
RAYE
Shitshitshitshit! BEAT Amy!
Contragrav turbines that powerful
are huge, right?
MERCURY
Extremely. And the engineering
required so that they won't tear
loose from whatever structure you're
trying to lift is also extensive.
RAYE
In other words, this has been a long
time in the planning.
MERCURY
NODS They must have infiltrated
the Cult some time ago and --
RAYE
No. BEAT I want you to examine
the Archdeacon of the Cult of
Serenity's transaction records for
the last year.
MERCURY blinks, startled, and then bends to her task. A few moments
later, she looks up, now even more startled.
MERCURY
How?
RAYE
Intuition. BEAT He bought the
raw materials to build the turbines
over an extended period, right? If
he'd bought them in a lump, or
preassembled, our agents would have
taken notice ... nobody builds CG
equipment that large without a good
reason. A good reason in their
world view, at least.
JUPITER
But ... but Raye! It doesn't make
any sense! I've *met* the man! He
*literally* worships the ground
Serenity walks on! He's opposed to
the treaty with Jurai on the basis
that we don't need *any* alliances
since we're ruled by a GODDESS! Why
would he *do* something like this?
RAYE
When we catch him, Lita, be sure and
ask him, okay?
JUPITER visibly snaps.
JUPITER
And how the *hell* are we going to
do *that*?! We can't threaten to
shoot the damn thing, or it'll blow
up, or worse crash! We can't get
near it with any kind of contragrav!
If it gets out to orbit, we won't
won't be able to have the fleet move
in for the exact same reasons! And
because of you and your reckless
behavior --
RAYE snaps to look angrily in her direction.
JUPITER
-- we can't even teleport up there
ourselves and go in shooting, 'cause
that'd be a suicidal mission, and
Gods forbid that any of *us* get to
risk *our* lives to save hers, since
you've bloody well cornered the
market on --
RAYE
FURIOUS Hippolita Kino, get the
hell off this bridge!
JUPITER suddenly seems to realize exactly what she's been saying.
JUPITER
Raye, I --
RAYE
No! Not one more word out of you!
You're on suspension, and the only
reason I've let you be present for
this was out of consideration for
your feelings, but since you've
shown that you don't give a fig for
anyone else's feelings --
JUPITER
NO! That's not --
RAYE
-- you can just go back to your
quarters and watch what happens on
TV like the *rest* of the civilians!
BEAT I said, get off my bridge, or
I'll call security and --
VENUS
SHUT UP! BEAT Both of you, shut
up! BEAT My lack of god, I don't
believe what I'm hearing. BEAT
Serenity's in the worst place that
she's been in since ... since the
final battles of the War, and all
the two of you can do is stand there
and yell at each other for not being
able to do more to help her! BEAT
We're *all* helpless! We're *all*
scared! And everyone is relying on
*us* to make the right decisions,
and we don't know what they are!
BEAT; CRYING What the hell went
wrong? We were supposed to always
be together, getting on each other's
nerves, and laughing our way through
the hard times -- not turning into
THIS! BEAT We were meant to get
a happy ending! We were supposed to
be happy! I was supposed to be ...
to be ... WHISPERED ... what would
Serena say if she saw us like this?
VENUS is holding her face in her hands, shuddering. JUPITER and RAYE gaze
at her for a few seconds, then meet each other's gaze. For a moment, RAYE
tries to hold onto her angry expression ... and then it collapses, and
there's a look of sheer terror in her eyes.
RAYE
I don't *know* what we're going to
do, Lita. I don't know *how* we're
going to save her this time, or what
we're going to do if we *don't*.
BEAT But I do know that I *can't*
find a way to save her *and* deal
with you at the same time, so if you
can't handle it, *please* leave. I
won't think any less of you if you
do.
JUPITER momentarily lets the fear that she's feeling show, but then clamps
it down again.
JUPITER
I'm ... I'm sorry. I'm sc-- I'm
*worried* about the same things that
you are ... and I'm not good with
feelings. BEAT I can handle it.
I have to. I couldn't ... *stand*
not being at the heart of it ...
a second time.
RAYE nods ... and a brief silence descends on the bridge, broken by a beep
from the sensor station, where LT. RYOUKO (like everyone else on the
bridge) has been watching the confrontation. She turns back to her radar
display.
LT. RYOUKO
Lady Mars, we've got an unidentified
airborne object moving towards the
Temple.
RAYE
Let's see it.
A long distance shot of the winged hardsuit is displayed as it flies
towards the Temple.
RAYE
Increase magnification ... no, it
can't be ...
The hardsuit is clearly visible in all its detail now.
RAYE & SHEILA (sim)
STRANGLED Priss!
JUPITER
What the hell is she doing?! How'd
she get that thing up and running?
RAYE
If she gets out, I'll ask her that
myself. BEAT Open a channel to
her ...
The communications officer -- a young woman of African heritage and
light-blue-purple hair -- tries for a few seconds.
PENDA
No response on any frequency.
JUPITER
Raye, do something!
RAYE
Like what?
JUPITER
Stop her! If she goes in there,
guns blazing, they're going to kill
Serenity!
RAYE
Then we'll just have to hope that
she's more subtle than that, because
I don't have any idea how to stop
her.
LT. RYOUKO stands up quickly.
LT. RYOUKO
Milady! If I take a small group of
battlesuits up after her, I'm very
confident of our ability to bring
her in.
SHEILA stares at her with mingled terror and outrage.
SHEILA
THE HELL YOU WILL!
RAYE shoots a glare in SHEILA's direction, but speaks as though she were
looking at LT. RYOUKO.
RAYE
No, Ryouko, our strike suits aren't
equal to --
LT. RYOUKO
With all due respect, Lady Mars, I
think that you both underestimate
us and overestimate the Stingray
technology!
SHEILA
Raye, she just wants to go out there
and fight Priss so she can `prove'
herself --
LT. RYOUKO
Keep your delusions to yourself,
dyke.
SHEILA whirls, utterly furious, and directs a punch at RYOUKO's face. She
dodges, but SHEILA's fist slams into the metal wall of her workstation,
leaving a clear impression.
RAYE
ENOUGH! Sheila, you shouldn't even
be on the bridge, so unless you want
to spend the next few days in jail,
get ahold of yourself. Lieutenant,
I warn you that your remarks verge
on conduct unbecoming an officer ...
apologize AT ONCE.
LT. RYOUKO
STIFF I apologize, *Ms.* Tenkai.
BEAT I was unaware that you took
offense at that particular term used
as self-description by individuals
of your --
MERCURY
ANGRY RYOUKO.
RYOUKO glowers at LADY MERCURY, then bows in her direction and is silent.
RAYE
DEEP SIGH Request denied. Her
armor can get inside the Temple's
contragrav field, which would
prevent any of our battlesuits
from getting close. BEAT We'll
just have to rely on her discretion.
JUPITER
What discretion?
RAYE
Not now, Lita ...
JUPITER
God's names, Raye, how can you trust
someone like that? She --
RAYE
The *same* way that I trust *you*,
who also quote *wimped* *out*,
unquote. BEAT Don't you realize
just how much you sound like a
hypocrite when you talk like that?
BEAT She lost herself when Nene
was killed, and when she found out
that Sylia had taken Genom tower
with her like that. Just like you
lost yourself when Serena died.
You two are the *same*.
JUPITER
Yes! AND LOOK WHAT *I* DID *AFTER*
THAT!
RAYE is confused ... and then suddenly understanding dawns on her face.
RAYE
You think she's going to crack up,
and ... do the same sort of thing
that you did when you killed Kunou.
BEAT Lita, that's crazy. Just
because you've suffered the same
sort of things --
JUPITER
-- doesn't mean that she'll also go
postal eventually? Maybe. All I
know is that I can't trust her to do
the right thing. TO SHEILA EVER.
SHEILA stares at her mother for a very long moment, her anger and shock
clear in her eyes ... then turns and storms off the bridge. RAYE and
JUPITER follow her with their eyes.
RAYE
Isn't it fortunate, then, for all
concerned, that you don't *have* to
trust her? BEAT Because I *can*,
and I *do*.
RAYE turns her back on JUPITER, and looks at the screen. PRISS is within
a short distance of the tower, closer than any grav cars have been able to
get.
RAYE
WHISPERED Godspeed.
A whistled version of "Flight of the Valkyries" slowly draws RAYE's
attention ... and she turns to stare at VENUS, who is whistling the tune
with a faraway expression on her face.
Cut to the courtyard of the temple, as PRISS moves gracefully towards the
building at its far end. She comes to a stop and lands beside the
glasshouse. SERENITY is sitting in her chair with a blank expression on
her face. PRISS holds up her right hand to blast one of the windows ...
then pauses.
PRISS
Wait a minute ...
She punches the window instead. It shatters inward, and little bits of
glass streak by SERENITY's face. (Some of them seem to be deflected by an
invisible barrier just before they touch her.) PRISS steps into the hole
in the wall, and approaches SERENITY, lifting her visor.
PRISS
Yo. BEAT Hey. Are you okay?
Seren-- Serena?
SERENITY turns to look at PRISS calmly.
SERENITY
I am no longer that person. Hello,
Ms. Asagiri.
PRISS
Huh? SHAKES HEAD Whatever. I've
come to get you out of here.
SERENITY
Yes, I thought you might.
PRISS
DUBIOUS *Are* you okay?
SERENITY
Quite all right, thank you. Well,
except for this.
She holds up her right arm, with the negation band firmly clamped around
it.
PRISS
That's the same sort of thing that
that boomer had Raye put on ...
Shit. You've got nothing, do you?
SERENITY
I would not go so far as to say
*that* ...
PRISS
Right, right, faster and stronger
than any mortal, just hold on tight
when we get out of here --
Cut to the hallway just outside the room, as KEI and YURI come tearing up
the stairs, followed closely by SMITHERS.
KEI
I thought you said nobody could get
near us with that field up!
SMITHERS
TERRIFIED Nobody *ought* to be
able to --
YURI quickly peeks in the door to the glassroom, and lets out a short,
quiet squawk before ducking back to safety.
YURI
We're screwed.
KEI
What?!
YURI
MORTAL FEAR Knight Sabres.
KEI
Oh yeah, right. Next you'll be
talking about the Sailor Soldiers
...
YURI motions for KEI to take a look for herself. She does so, and gulps
before backing away.
KEI
Okay ... so they dusted off an old
battlesuit. Big deal ... it's not
like its one of the actual Sabres is
running that thing ... and even then
they did get beaten. Couple times.
I think.
YURI
Quit trying to rationalize and panic
like I have!
KEI nods silently to herself.
KEI
Okay, there's only one way to do
this.
YURI
I'm listening.
KEI
Rush in and hope whoever's in there
is as scared of us as we are of her
... suit.
YURI
Sounds like a plan.
KEI silently counts to three, and then the Pair turn and throw open the
doors. KEI has a very large, almost Kirbyesque gun in a shooter's grip,
while YURI is holding a blaster and the Bloody Card in either hand.
KEI & YURI (sim)
FREEZE!
PRISS slams down her visor as she whirls to look at them ... and blinks.
Repeatedly. Close shots of the Pair's battle bikinis.
PRISS
You have *got* to be kidding.
KEI and YURI are mortified.
PRISS
Who the hell are --
SERENITY
They are the most famous team of
Trouble Consultants ever employed by
the Worlds Work Welfare Association
-- the Lovely Angels.
PRISS
The ... LOOKS AGAIN Come on. Are
you serious? BEAT These are the
ones that everyone was so scared of
back at the meeting?
KEI's eyes close, and her jaw clenches.
PRISS
*These* are the ones they were
calling the twin goddesses of death
and destruction?
KEI shows her teeth.
PRISS
*This* is the Dirty Pair?
KEI's eyes flash open, and she starts firing her BFG at its maximum firing
rate. Bullets, tiny bursts of energy, and little arrows shoot out of it.
YURI stares at her with a startled expression but wisely doesn't try to
stop her.
KEI
SCREAMING DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE
DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE!
After a few seconds, she stops both her firing and her screaming, and
takes several long gasps of air. She stares at PRISS ... whose armor is
dented and scorched, and there are arrows sticking out at odd angles. But
she's still standing. SERENITY pops her head out from behind PRISS, and
smiles apologetically.
PRISS
Was that supposed to accomplish
something?
KEI throws the gun away, and runs at PRISS with the clear intention of
engaging her in hand to hand. PRISS raises her right arm, and the doors
of her railgun open up -- and everything goes into slow motion as YURI
sees this, and throws the Bloody Card, and it loops around KEI to smash
into the weapon arm just as the bolt is emerging from the railgun. Sparks
fly, making PRISS yelp in surprise more than pain. The arm's weapons are
disabled. The Card loops back to YURI, who is disturbed to see that it is
dented and slightly melted. Then KEI closes with PRISS.
While somewhat less fundamentally indescribable than RANMA and RYOUGA's
grudge match, this is still a fight which can only be imagined. PRISS'
*slight* advantages of strength and damage resistance are set off by KEI's
greater experience and skill ... and by the fact that she fights EXTREMELY
dirty. (So does PRISS, but KEI knows more dirty tricks.) Put simply,
it's an even match, and its going to come down to who lasts longest.
YURI is watching the fight worriedly, her gun ready. SMITHERS approaches
her, with a very nervous expression.
SMITHERS
Why aren't you --
YURI
I'm trying to find a way to avoid
hitting her.
SMITHERS
For God's sake, don't shoot if you
think that you can't avoid hitting
the Queen!
YURI glares at him.
YURI
I'll try to avoid hitting your cute
hostage. She's a nice person. But
if I can't avoid hitting Kei any
other way --
She turns back to the fight.
SMITHERS
I see. BEAT I understand
completely. Really I do.
He silently lifts a small, holdout weapon of some sort, which he points at
the base of YURI's skull.
Back in the fight, PRISS has maneuvered KEI around so that KEI can't see
what's going on at the doorway, but PRISS can and does. For a moment, she
freezes ...
PRISS
Hey! Look out!
KEI
Oh come on, do you think I'm dumb
enough to fall for --
YURI *is* "dumb" enough to "fall for" it, and turns to see SMITHERS
pointing the weapon at her, and shrieks. The weapon discharges, searing a
bolt of energy across the bottom of YURI's cheek, which makes her shriek a
second time. YURI lashes out, slamming a high kick into SMITHERS' jaw,
knocking him back before he can get a second shot off, and then firing her
own gun at his chest. Repeatedly. He goes flying backward, down the
staircase.
KEI pauses, and turns to see YURI collapse to her knees.
KEI
YURIIII!
PRISS lets out a sigh of relief ... and is thus off guard for KEI's
furious pounding of her chest and visor.
KEI
MESS WITH *MY* MIND, WILL YOU?!
KEI lets up after a few seconds, letting PRISS collapse limply to the
floor, and runs over to YURI.
KEI
Yuri!
YURI is clutching her cheek with her right hand.
YURI
Owowowowowow.
KEI
Let me see it.
YURI shakes her head.
YURI
Ow! Ow!
KEI
Yuri, does it hurt when you talk or
move your head?
YURI
NODS OW.
KEI
Then shut up and sit still you ditz!
YURI looks at her reproachfully, but obeys. KEI stands, grabs YURI's gun,
and marches back into the room. Unnoticed by either of them, the CHIEF
pokes his head up the staircase.
YURI strides over to where PRISS is lying, slams her heel into PRISS'
stomach (eliciting a grunt of pain) wrenches her visor upward, and points
the gun at PRISS' face.
KEI
Don't call us that. Okay?
PRISS
Huh?
KEI
That name.
PRISS
The Dirty --
KEI shoots just to the side of PRISS' head.
KEI
Darn my itchy trigger finger.
PRISS
O-kay.
KEI turns to look at SERENITY, who is sitting peacefully, smiling and
humming.
KEI
Allright. Enough already. What's
going on here?
SERENITY
Why are you asking me? I am the one
being --
KEI
And we're the ones being led to
believe that you're a megalomaniac.
Are you?
SERENITY gives the question serious thought.
SERENITY
A megalomaniac is an individual who
believes that he or she is a super-
being chosen for a certain task?
KEI
Works for me.
SERENITY
In that case ... yes. BEAT
However, I have certain very good
reasons to believe that I am that
which I believe I am.
KEI
ANGRY Dammit could you *please*
give me a straight answer?!
YURI
Kei ...
KEI
No! Dammit, Yuri, I *have* to have
an answer to this! I'm tired of not
finding out things until it's too
late to do anything! I'm tired of
things going wrong because we didn't
realize something important! I'm
*tired* of feeling like a *shit*
every time the Central Computer says
"It's not their fault" and having to
see the faces of people who got hurt
in our mix-ups on the news *every*
*bloody* *night*! BEAT I'm tired.
TO SERENITY So talk, you! Since
we woke up it's been nothing but
"Serenity rules with an iron fist!
She crushes all opposition! She
forces her will on the populace!"
Now it's your turn! I wanna hear
your side of the story! Talk!
SERENITY is still for a long moment ... and then she shakes her head.
SERENITY
No.
KEI
BLINKS WHAT?
SERENITY
Kei, maturity involves both taking
responsibility for your actions ...
and accepting that you are *not*
responsible for everything in the
world. I understand how you feel, I
have felt the pain of wishing that
there was something that I could
have done to make matters right when
there wasn't. BEAT But consider
... if I persuade you that I am on
the side of good, and lie to you ...
when you realize your error, you
will be able to deny responsibility
for your choice by claiming that you
were tricked. BEAT And you will
have learned nothing.
KEI
I ... I just want ...
SERENITY
PITYING You just want someone to
take you in her arms, cradle you to
sleep, and whisper softly, "It is
not your fault, Kei-chan." BEAT I
am sorry, Kei. I will not do that.
I could. BEAT If I wanted to, I
could make you love me as a daughter
loves a mother, or as a sister loves
a sister, or as some women love each
other. I could make anyone do that.
Everyone. "All would look on me and
despair". BEAT I will not do
that. I have chosen otherwise.
She stands, and walks calmly and gracefully to where KEI is standing and
staring at her with a confused expression.
SERENITY
Choice is an important thing, Kei.
But it must be a Choice made with
full awareness of what will happen
if the Choice is made. BEAT Down
both paths, you will survive this
day. But if you choose to act in
anger and confusion, an innocent
will die -- and it *will* be your
fault. While if you choose to act
in love and hope, you may always
wonder whether you did the right
thing, for there is no Central
Computer to absolve you, now -- and
I have seen what madness can come
from knowing that something could
have gone another way. BEAT But
the Choice must be made --
SERENITY quickly stomps on PRISS' hand as it reaches up to grab KEI's
ankle.
PRISS
HEY!
SERENITY
-- and made *without* interference.
KEI
I don't understand. What --
CHIEF (O.S.)
EX-cuse me.
KEI whirls around to stare at the CHIEF, who is standing in the doorway,
holding YURI in a headlock with one arm, while the other clutches a
detonator switch of some sort.
CHIEF
You aren't living up to your part of
the deal, Kei. BEAT Kill the one
in the hardsuit. Now. Or I'll be
forced to use *this*.
KEI
Oh yeah? And what's *that*?
CHIEF
Rest assured, that if you don't kill
her, this will do it for you ... but
that it will take you, me, SHOVES
YURI her, and Serenity with her.
BEAT Come now. You wouldn't want
the death of an innocent like Yuri
on your hands, now would you?
He caresses the developing scar on YURI's cheek, causing her face to twist
in pain. KEI's eyes go to slits, and everything goes into slow motion as
she swings the gun around, so that it points at SERENITY, the chair, the
wall, and finally at the CHIEF ... and then we see KEI's eyes widen in
surprise ... and the gun continues its swing, as KEI releases it from her
hand and lets it go flying into the opposite wall.
KEI
Do it yourself, you bastard. BEAT
I don't do wetwork.
The CHIEF seems completely shocked by this development. He stares at KEI
for a few seconds, and then SERENITY steps between them, and looks at him
quizzically.
SERENITY
Well?
The CHIEF lets go of YURI and tries to stumble back out of SERENITY's
view, and accidentally (or perhaps not) stabs down on the trigger
mechanism of the device in his hand.
Below, the turbines pause for an instant ... and then begin to spin at an
almost unbelievable pace, making them glow white hot.
Outside, the mass of the Temple and hill has slowed down to a stop ... and
suddenly it shoots skyward faster than a speeding bullet.
In the MACC, everything is in chaos. The display shows a mass and gravity
distortion field heading upward towards the fleet of spaceships over
Crystal Tokyo at an extreme velocity.
RAYE
SHOUTING I don't *care* how they
do it, just get those damn ships
OUT OF THE WAY!
MERCURY
Dear God it's pulling *TEN* GEES!
VENUS
QUIZZICAL Isn't that her lucky
number?
JUPITER
SHUT UP, MINA!
Inside the Temple, KEI has been crushed to the floor beside PRISS, while
YURI is crumpled to the ground in the corridor, some distance from where
the CHIEF is lying. PRISS struggles, even as she bleeds from her nose, to
look up ...
... and sees that while SERENITY is bent, even bowed, she's still
standing.
And she's pissed.
When she speaks, although she speaks in a normal volume and tone, it is as
though *billions* of other voices are combined with hers, complimenting
her voice and each other, so that her voice becomes a thing of incredible
beauty and power.
SERENITY
*ENOUGH*.
In a view from space, we see several space ships moving out of the way of
the swiftly approaching mass of the Temple ... and we see it slow down,
gradually stopping at about the same orbital "level" that most of the
ships occupy.
Cut to the command center of the MACC. Everything is quiet as all eyes
are on the image of the temple on the display. PENDA is listening to an
earpiece microphone.
PENDA
The Skylark's scanners indicate that
... a magical construct is holding
in atmosphere, and gravity is being
generated by the structure's CG
turbines. BEAT All other scans
are being jammed.
RAYE
BEAT She's loose.
In the temple, SERENITY bends down to check KEI, and assures herself that
she's unconscious but otherwise fine. She turns to PRISS, and is startled
to see that she's somehow holding onto consciousness.
SERENITY
Rest, Priss. BEAT I am going to
make it all right. BEAT I
promised you that, a long time ago,
and you know that I do not lie.
PRISS
STRANGLED It ... *was* ...
SERENITY nods, and PRISS relaxes. She looks up at the glass roof of the
building.
PRISS
Stars ...
SERENITY
Yes, Priss. You made it to the
heavens after all.
PRISS
ODD But ... I thhhhh ... think
I've ... seen ... this ... before.
PRISS' eyes close, and SERENITY looks at her with a confused expression
... then gently passes her hand through the glass of her vizor to caress
her cheek. SERENITY moves slowly to where YURI is unconscious, and she
makes sure that she's no more than that. A tiny glow surrounds her
fingers as she touches the scar on YURI's cheek, and when she pulls her
hand away, it is gone. And finally, she comes to the CHIEF. She looks
down at him with an unreadable expression.
SERENITY
Awaken, Archdeacon of the Cult of
Serenity.
The CHIEF is instantly awake, and stares up at SERENITY with an expression
of rapturous devotion. She meets his look with a stern face.
SERENITY
Why.
CHIEF
To glorify you, Goddess! I knew
that if I were to bring you to the
moon, your true power would be
revealed to all, and that all the
worlds would bow down before you
and --
SERENITY
You did not do this to glorify me,
Archdeacon.
CHIEF
I -- I did not do these things for
my own aggrandizement!
SERENITY
SHAKES HEAD No. Your failing is
far more terrible than that.
CHIEF
How have I --
SERENITY
What you call piety, Archdeacon, and
wish to believe is a chaste and just
love for one you view as a goddess
-- is nothing more than purest lust.
CHIEF
NO! I have mortified myself so that
I no longer feel such physical --
SERENITY
What you feel is not physical. It is
far more abhorrent. BEAT You
desire to possess me ... my body, my
heart, and my soul. And my power.
You would not use it for your own
aggrandizement, true. Instead, you
would make all who live bow down
before me -- make a love gift of the
universe to me. BEAT I do not
want the universe, Archdeacon.
CHIEF
You are a GODDESS! It is yours by
*right*!
SERENITY
ANGRY You speak of things that you
do not understand. You --
CHIEF
YOU ARE A GODDESS!
SERENITY
ANGRY YES! I AM! AND YOU DO NOT
KNOW WHAT THAT MEANS! BEAT But
I will *show* you.
CHIEF
What?
SERENITY
For a moment -- only a moment -- you
will see through the eyes of a god,
feel what a god would feel, know
what a god can know. BEAT Is
this your desire?
CHIEF
WEEPING Yes oh yes oh yes oh y--
SERENITY
It is done.
The CHIEF's litany is suddenly interrupted. His pupils dilate until there
is no iris left.
And he Sees.
PRISS' eyes jerk open as a hideous and terrible scream erupts near her,
and she looks up as the CHIEF runs past her, screaming and clawing at his
face, smashing through the window, running through the courtyard, and
leaping off the edge of the hill ... and passing through the force field
into the vacuum beyond. Unlike DAL CASSIO, earlier, the CHIEF is
fortunate enough to have a wide open mouth and be in the process of
expelling all the oxygen from his lungs, so that he will not explosively
decompress. Instead, he will probably maintain a stable orbit for as long
as it takes him to die -- a few minutes -- and a little while after that.
PRISS closes her eyes to slits, as SERENITY comes out of the hallway with
a sad but determined expression.
SERENITY
I am sorry. Even to such as you, I
am sorry. BEAT Time to go home.
From space, we see the mass begin to descend ... then stop abruptly.
We see SERENITY's bowed head jerk up as the sudden stop shakes everything
around. There is an awful, sudden silence.
SERENITY
DREADING WHISPER Oh no.
The voice that speaks is the voice from the final moments of the first
act, the voice that spoke in KEI and YURI's vision.
WOMAN'S VOICE
OH YES, SERENITY.
SERENITY draws a deep breath, and we close in on her eye.
SERENITY stands, muted, in blackness.
WOMAN'S VOICE
YOU LEFT THE EARTH BEHIND, LITTLE
QUEEN, OF YOUR OWN FREE WILL AND
VOLITION. NO ONE FORCED YOU, THIS
TIME. BEAT AND THE CRYSTAL IS
NOT WITH YOU. BEAT AND I NEED
NOT LET YOU RETURN.
SERENITY
If I do not return, those with me
will slowly die. They are already
hurt gravely --
WOMAN'S VOICE
WHAT IS THAT TO ME? THEY ARE NOT
*MY* CHILDREN. ALIENS! FREAKS,
AND ALIENS!
KEI's image appears in the darkness.
WOMAN'S VOICE
MISCEGENATION.
YURI's image is beside it.
WOMAN'S VOICE
THE TAINT IS FAINTER HERE, AND
DIFFERENT, BUT STILL PRESENT.
FUJIKO's image is beside it.
WOMAN'S VOICE
THIS ONE ...
It blanks out.
WOMAN'S VOICE
THAT ONE SEEMS TO HAVE BEEN MORE
WILY THAN YOU THOUGHT. SHE HAS MADE
HER *OWN* ESCAPE.
The images of two women in nun-like attire appear.
WOMAN'S VOICE
AND THESE TWO WORSHIP *YOU*, AND
CAME TO WITNESS A MIRACLE INVOLVING
YOU. WHY SHOULD I LET SUCH AS THEY
RETURN?
SERENITY
And what of the other?
WOMAN'S VOICE
UNDOUBTABLY LIKE THE OTHERS --
SERENITY
She is nothing like the others. I
demand that you look closely.
WOMAN'S VOICE
YOU MAY DEMAND NOTHING OF ME --
SERENITY
I DEMAND THIS OF YOU. I, SERENITY,
DAUGHTER OF SERENITY, DEMAND THIS
OF YOU, RHEANNION.
There is a long silence in the Kami Plane.
WOMAN'S VOICE
SHE IS ... SHE IS HUMAN. SHE IS
ALMOST UNTOUCHED BY YOU. BEAT
YOU BROUGHT HER WITH YOU FOR THE
SOLE PURPOSE OF TRAPPING ME INTO
LETTING YOU RETURN. DID YOU NOT?!
SERENITY
Believe what you wish, Rheannion. I
know that I cannot change your will
about me or mine ... now.
WOMAN'S VOICE
EVER!
SERENITY
Perhaps. In any event, stand aside,
and let me return, that I might save
this collection of miscegenations
and humans.
WOMAN'S VOICE
THERE WILL BE A RECKONING.
SERENITY
BORED Of course.
The blackness slowly fades away, leaving an empty gray void behind.
SERENITY remains standing for a moment, then collapses to her knees. Her
face is exhausted. Then a figure is kneeling on her right side. SERENITY
turns to look, and it is BELLDANDY, who is looking at her with a concerned
expression.
BELLDANDY
Are you able to continue? If not,
we are willing to help.
SERENITY nods.
SERENITY
I have to be able to continue. If
I do not, who will?
Another figure is kneeling on her left side. SERENITY turns to look, and
it is TENDOU KASUMI, with a full moon symbol on her forehead.
KASUMI
Are you sure?
SERENITY nods again.
SERENITY
I am sure ... oneesama.
BELLDANDY and KASUMI smile at each other, bow at the waist, and then
vanish. SERENITY starts to push herself up ... but it seems to be harder
than it ought to be. She tries a few times, and seems very frustrated.
An white-gloved hand attached to a blue-sleeved arm reaches down towards
her. SERENITY looks up, and is clearly shocked by what she sees. The
hand gestures to her as if to say, come on, take my hand, I'll guide you.
SERENITY reaches out and, not without trepidation, takes the hand.
SERENITY's eyes open, and she is standing where she stood before.
SERENITY
I learn something new everyday.
From space, we see the mass of the Temple begin to descend to Earth once
more.
Time elapses, and we see the mass of the temple settle uneasily into the
ground from whence it had been ripped earlier. (This is a noisy affair.)
A few minutes pass, and SERENITY appears at the entrance to the temple,
waving at the MACC. In a pulse of fire, mist, and golden light, the
Sailor Senshi appear around her. RAYE is on the verge of a conniption
fit.
SERENITY
Hello, did you miss me? BEAT Is
something --
RAYE
DON'T YOU EVER DO THAT TO US AGAIN,
DO YOU HEAR ME?! SWEET GODDESS HAVE
MERCY, DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT THE
PAST FEW HOURS HAVE BEEN LIKE FOR ME
AND THE REST OF --
SERENITY goes up on tiptoes and kisses RAYE on the mouth, effectively
stopping her rant. After about half-a-minute, she settles down, and
smiles sunnily.
SERENITY
I missed you, too. BEAT Maybe I
*should* do this more often.
RAYE
No. Don't. Do. THAT. Or --
SERENITY
Or you will punish me in the name
of the moon? BEAT How kinky of
you, Raye.
RAYE covers her face with her hands and makes "Gah" noises. SERENITY
smiles at MERCURY, who sighs with mixed embarrassment and relief and
smiles back. SERENITY then turns to look at JUPITER. JUPITER is looking
at her with mixed fear and love ... and SERENITY smiles again.
SERENITY
I changed my mind. Your suspension
is off, effective immediately.
JUPITER
Really?
SERENITY
Yes. BEAT Now you know what it is
to *really* be helpless in a moment
of crisis, Lita. Never forget it.
JUPITER nods humbly, and concentrates. Lightning flares around her, and
she stands revealed in her Senshi uniform.
JUPITER
Now, where's Fujiko?
SERENITY
SHAKES HEAD Escaped. She either
teleported or *was* teleported away
around the time that we began to
descend. BEAT There will be
future chances, Jupiter.
JUPITER
Yeah. But I'd like to get her,
anyway.
SERENITY
You could enlist the assistance of
her old associate --
JUPITER
GLOWER Not in *this* life. BEAT
What about --
SERENITY
Ms. Asagiri is unconscious in the
temple, as are the Lovely Angels.
The latter have surrendered and are
to be considered non-belligerent ...
give them full medical treatment, at
my expense, please.
MERCURY
I'll get right on it ...
She activates her visor, and heads into the Temple. SERENITY turns to
speak to VENUS ... and blinks to realize that she's gone.
SERENITY
Where did Mina --
VENUS is standing behind a pillar some distance away, trembling. She bows
her head, and teleports in a shower of golden light. SERENITY notices the
burst of light, and her face falls.
SERENITY
WHISPERED Oh Mina ... she would
have forgiven you anything ... why
can't you forgive yourself?
She shakes her head in sorrow, and looks down the hill ... to see ENDYMION
standing at the base, looking up. Letting out a happy shriek, she dashes
down the hill, rushing to throw herself into his arms. Above, RAYE and
JUPITER look down at the reunion. JUPITER looks at RAYE with a strange
expression. RAYE notices, and lifts an eyebrow inquiringly. JUPITER
shakes her head.
JUPITER
I will never understand you as long
as I live, will I?
RAYE
SMILE I hope not.
She starts down the hill to join them. JUPITER watches for a moment, and
shakes her head again.
Fade to black.
CAPTION
SOME HOURS LATER
Fade up on KEI and YURI in a pair of hospital beds in a bleached white
hospital room. In the distance, we can hear the faint sound of
announcements being made over the PA system.
YURI
Nice of them to fix my cheek, wasn't
it?
KEI
Yep. BEAT If you consider making
sure we look our best for a public
execution to be `nice'.
YURI
Oh come on, Kei --
KEI
Conspiracy to commit kidnapping of
the ruler of a planet. And they
can probably make a case for
attempted kathilicide --
YURI
That's "regicide".
KEI
Whatever you want to call it, they
can make it stick! We're *doomed*!
BEAT And the only question left
is, how do they execute people here?
TENCHI (O.S.)
They don't. At least, not in the
way that you think.
KEI and YURI turn to see TENCHI, wearing his robes, standing at the door.
He smiles politely.
YURI (V.O.)
LOVESTRUCK Mine!
KEI (V.O.)
DITTO Mine!
YURI
Uh ... good day, sir ... uh, you
seem kinda familiar, but --
TENCHI comes into the room and walks towards the area between their beds.
TENCHI
Well, I wasn't in the news very much
in your era, but it's not impossible
that you learned about me ... in one
way or another. BEAT My name is
Tenchi.
YURI
BOGGLES The Imperial Crown Prince
of Jurai?!
TENCHI
Not anymore ... now I'm sort of the
Emperor.
KEI and YURI exchange a quick panicked glance.
KEI
Uh ... about that little incident
with the space elevator on your
homeworld --
TENCHI
SHAKES HEAD Ancient history.
Besides. It wasn't *your* fault.
KEI
Oh yeah?
TENCHI
FIRM Yes. BEAT The WWWA Central
Computer was charting a path for
galactic humanity that neither I nor
most of those who also discovered it
approved of, but it was not, legends
to the contrary, "insane". BEAT
It kept clearing you of the blame
for those incidents because you
weren't responsible for them, and
that's that.
YURI
But what about now?
TENCHI
Now, you have been absolved of any
improper conduct during this recent
crisis by Serenity, due to your
ignorance of the circumstances.
BEAT But ...
KEI
Here it comes ...
TENCHI
Within a few minutes after the
revelation of your presence here on
Earth ... a petition was started to
ask Serenity to have you deported
at once. BEAT At last count it
had over sixty million signatures.
KEI
Oh.
TENCHI
You sound almost disappointed.
KEI
I'm wondering when the other shoe
is going to drop.
TENCHI rubs the back of his head.
YURI
FLAT Let's hear it.
TENCHI
DEEP BREATH Every other nation in
the Solar sytem has declared you
persona non grata. BEAT And word
has come from the Centauri that any
attempt to foist you two off on
them -- and since they are the
closest former member of United
Galactica, they *would* be the
logical first choice -- as an act of
war ... and we're expecting similar
statements from other nearby powers,
shortly.
KEI has covered her eyes with her hand, and bent downward. YURI looks
ill.
KEI
Then where are we going to go? What
are we going to do?
TENCHI
We come now to the good news!
YURI
You've decided to shoot us and put
us out of our misery?
TENCHI
No. BEAT I am inviting you to
Jurai.
KEI looks up, startled.
KEI
Whaaat?
TENCHI
I'm fairly sure that I can arrange
your naturalization, since I have
some amount of influence over the
government.
YURI
But ... why?
TENCHI
There are a couple reasons. One:
I'm of the opinion that the Jurain
Intelligence Service needs a new
command staff ... and you two would
be able to do the job nicely. Two:
I think that the two of you have
gotten a harder deal in all of this
than you deserve. BEAT As one
who knows very well what it's like
to have to live down one's own
legend ... I definitely sympathize.
And three ... BEAT Yuri, one of
your grandfathers was named Wataru
Kasuga, a psychic investigator?
YURI
Uh ... yeah, how'd you --
TENCHI
And Kei ... your grandmother was
a Kizarkan native named Aeshka
Kuramitsu, wasn't she?
KEI
DEFENSIVE Yeah? So?
TENCHI
SMILES Her mother ... was a very,
very dear friend of mine. BEAT
And the line of Kasuga has been
friendly to the house of Jurai for a
long time, as well. BEAT That
was my Great-Grandmother's family
name, you see.
TENCHI turns to go out, but pauses at the door.
TENCHI
We won't be leaving for Jurai for a
few days, so you'll have time to
relax ... and you can stop worrying
about anyone trying to lynch you.
BEAT I think you'll like Jurai ...
it's sometimes a little too calm for
my liking ... but I think you'll
find ways to change that.
He smiles, bows, and exits the room. KEI and YURI follow him with "the
dreamy-eyed look".
KEI & YURI (sim)
What a hunk ...
TENCHI pops his head back into the room with a nervous expression.
TENCHI
I'm married. I'm very, very, very
married. So married ... it's scary
sometimes how married I am ...
TENCHI steps back out of the room, bowing repeatedly. He turns to walk up
the corridor.
YURI (O.S.)
I saw him first!
TENCHI flinches, and continues walking, past a room in which we can see
PRISS laid up in a hospital bed with SHEILA sitting on the far side of the
bed from the door.
PRISS
So this Ryouko really wants to beat
my nose in, huh?
SHEILA
NOD She's so competitive, she'll
do damn near anything to prove that
she's the best at whatever she
chooses to do -- and as it stands,
you seem like a possible challenger
to her status as "best battlesuit
pilot in the realm." BEAT The
fact that she's also so homophobic
that I think she keeps her eyes
closed when she goes to a public
bath doesn't help, either, or that
you and I are --
PRISS
Great.
SHEILA
APOLOGETIC We've had a feud going
on for a long while now ...
PRISS
So now I gotta deal with a crazy
archenemy of yours *and* your mom,
too? Cheeeee ...
SHEILA studies her hands intently.
SHEILA
QUIET I found out why my mom hates
you so --
PRISS
IRRITATED She thinks I'm gonna go
postal like she did when you were
kidnapped, right?
SHEILA looks up, startled.
SHEILA
How the hell --
PRISS
Look, I'm not Sylia, I'm not even
Nene, but I'm not a complete idiot
either. When she started talking
about "failing in the crunch", I
thought she meant when I ... BEAT
but that wasn't it. At least, not
completely. Your story last night
was the clincher, though.
SHEILA looks like she doesn't know quite how to deal with that. PRISS
looks around.
PRISS
I hate hospitals. I can't wait to
get out of here --
SHEILA
Oh! Right. Um ... listen, I've
been thinking. I've been living in
an appartment that's just a little
too large for one person for a
while now, and --
PRISS holds up a hand.
PRISS
Look, right now, the only thing I'm
thinking about are a few questions
I wanna ask the Queen as soon as I'm
up. But ... I don't wanna move in
with you yet.
SHEILA
But ... why not?
PRISS
Well for starters, I like my digs
now.
SHEILA
APPALLED You *like* that spirit-
cursed relic?
PRISS
I like having neighbors I can pull a
gun on with impunity, okay? BEAT
And I like my --
SHEILA
But Priss!
PRISS
Listen, has it occured to you that
we might be moving --
JUPITER
Excuse me.
SHEILA and PRISS break off their argument, and look to the door. JUPITER,
in her full regalia, the Space Sword at her side, is standing there,
filling up much of the frame.
SHEILA
WARNINGLY Mother --
JUPITER
I have not come here to fight.
She steps into the room, and slowly approaches PRISS' bed. PRISS looks up
at her with the expression of a cornered wolf. JUPITER's expression is
hard to understand ... it is as though she wants to be anywhere else, but
at the same time clearly wants to be where she is.
JUPITER
It ... it has been ... BEAT I have
come to the conclusion ... that I
... may ... owe you ... an apology.
PRISS
BLINKS And?
JUPITER
DEEP BREATH I am sorry that I have
treated you so poorly as I have
since your awakening, Priscilla
Asagiri. You have done nothing to
deserve it.
PRISS
And?
JUPITER
That's all I came to say.
She bows stiffly, then turns to leave.
PRISS
Riiiiight.
JUPITER pauses.
JUPITER
Excuse me?
PRISS
SUDDENLY VERY ANGRY Look, I don't
*want* your friendship and I don't
*need* your apology, okay? What the
hell did you think you were going to
accomplish, coming here all `I'm
*so* sorry' like that?
JUPITER is silent for a long moment.
JUPITER
I was trying to do the right thing.
PRISS
INTENSE SARCASM I'm so sure --
JUPITER turns, and there are tears glistening in her eyes.
JUPITER
And I was hoping that you and I ...
would be able to talk to each other
about Nene. BEAT She was a very,
very ... good person. BEAT But
the good tend to die young. BEAT
So it's up to the evil people like
me to protect them, I guess. And I
did a lousy job. With both Nene.
And with Serena. BEAT Such is
life.
She turns and walks swiftly out the door. PRISS watches her go with a
troubled, uncertain expression on her face.
SHEILA
How could you?
PRISS turns to look at SHEILA, who has stood up and is moving slowly
around the bed.
SHEILA
She came here, all but on her hands
and knees to apologize to you -- and
you tossed it in her face like a
piece of garbage. BEAT How could
you *do* that to her?
PRISS
I ... I didn't think she was --
SHEILA is at the door, and she looks nervously out it, before turning back
to look at PRISS with an angry expression.
SHEILA
You know what? You are absolutely
right. We *were* moving too fast.
PRISS
I -- I'm s--
Too late. SHEILA runs out the door.
SHEILA
MOM!
PRISS stares at the door for a few moments.
PRISS
Alone again. BEAT Naturally.
She starts to pull herself out of bed, moving slowly.
We see SHEILA go rushing past a closed door in the hallway.
SHEILA
Mom! Wait up!
Our attention focuses on the closed door. We draw towards it.
Cut to a shot of RYOUGA's peaceful sleeping face.
MERCURY (O.S.)
Ryouga. BEAT Wake up, Ryouga.
RYOUGA's eyes flutter open, and he smiles sleepily up at MERCURY, whose
face is calm.
RYOUGA
Good morning, Amy-chan ...
He trails off, and a confused expression flashes across his face.
RYOUGA
Something ... something is different.
MERCURY
You're not dreaming anymore, Ryouga.
That's one difference.
RYOUGA
That was ... a dream.
MERCURY
Yes. We placed you in cyrogenic
suspension until we could find a way
to deal with your condition. BEAT
And we have.
RYOUGA
SCARED You mean I'm not immortal
any m--
MERCURY
Yes, you are *still* immortal.
BEAT I'm sorry, Ryouga, I should
have thought of this sooner. To
eliminate the supernatural
corruption of the mermaid's liver
formula, all that was needed was
to replace the mermaid liver with
that of another long-lived, magical
being.
RYOUGA
What --
RANMA (F) (O.S.)
Hi dere.
RYOUGA turns with glacial slowness to look at RANMA, leaning on her side
on an operating table, topless and with a large, swiftly healing scar over
her stomach, approximately where the liver is located, and a very naughty
grin.
RANMA
How's it going, old buddy old pal?
RYOUGA
RRRRRAAAAAANNNNNNNNNMMMMMMMAAAAAA!
MERCURY
SIGH Restraints.
Metal fasteners loop up around RYOUGA before he can leap to start beating
the stuffing out of RANMA.
RYOUGA
AMY! GET ME OUT OF THESE THINGS!
MERCURY
Well, if you're too weak to break
them by yourself, then you're *much*
too weak to be fighting, don't you
think?
RANMA
I certainly like him tied up like
this.
RYOUGA
RANMA! WHEN I AM FREED, I WILL
TAKE A VENGEANCE ON YOU THAT WILL
MAKE SATAN WEEP AT YOUR TORMENT!
RANMA
Vengeance for saving your life?
RYOUGA
VENGEANCE FOR MAKING ME *OWE* YOU OF
ALL BEINGS MY LIFE!
RANMA
You've got a warped sense of values,
P-Chan.
RYOUGA
STOP CALLING ME P-CHAN!!!
MERCURY
CONFUSED Saotome-san, why *do* you
call Ryouga by the name of a pet pig
I had a long time ago?
RYOUGA stops in mid-rant. RANMA looks confusedly at MERCURY for a moment
... then turns to look at RYOUGA with an expression that hovers between
disgust and amazement.
RANMA
You're incredible.
RYOUGA is audibly grinding his teeth together.
RANMA
It's an old joke, Mizuno-sensei. An
old joke between old friends.
RYOUGA
YOU WERE NEVER MY FRIEND!
RANMA
IGNORES HIM It'd take too long to
explain.
MERCURY
SIGH Very well. Now, your liver
should regrow in a few days, and the
artificial substitute will have to
be taken out some time before that.
Are you sure that you don't want to
rest here until --
RANMA
Nope. BEAT I've got ... other
things to do.
MERCURY
Very well. In that case --
She moves very swiftly, picking up RANMA's black silk shirt, dropping it
in her arms, and marching her out the door.
MERCURY
-- be sure to come back in a day or
so, but not for the next few hours,
because I'm going to busy. Very
very busy.
MERCURY gently shoves RANMA out the door, closes it behind her, and there
is the sound of locks being fastened. RANMA looks back, a bit startled,
but then shrugs and pulls on her shirt. She fastens it and turns to go,
walking down the corridor, to a balcony. She pauses at the balcony, and
looks up at the evening sky ... to where Mars is in the heavens.
RANMA
WHISPERED I'll try, Shampoo. I'll
try to be his friend. BEAT But
it'll never work.
He shakes his head, and walks away, down the corridor, past another closed
door, which we focus in on.
In TENCHI's quarter's lounge area, SERENITY, ENDYMION, TENCHI, WASHUU, and
TSUNAMI are sitting around the blazing fireplace, drinking hot cocoa.
TENCHI
Well, it's certainly been an
interesting visit.
SERENITY
Yes ... yes it has. BEAT I am
glad that you are going to find a
place for Kei and Yuri.
TENCHI
It's no big deal. I'd do the same
for any of our friend' descendants.
WASHUU
It's true. He has. Often. To an
annoying degree.
Everyone but TENCHI snickers, while TENCHI gives WASHUU a level glare.
WASHUU
But it's a good idea in this case.
I'll finally get a chance to observe
two Agents of Chaos at close range.
ENDYMION
They're Agents of Chaos? Literally?
WASHUU
CONSIDERS Well, once you get away
from the idea of Chaos as an entity,
and more like a concept ... and
understand that they aren't aware of
their own nature in this respect,
any more than Mihoshi was -- yes,
their function in the Universal All
is to act as a disruption in certain
nexi that have grown too rigid or
"dark". BEAT This language isn't
ready for this kind of discussion,
though, so "Agent of Chaos" is as
close as we're going to get. BEAT
And I'm really looking forward to
seeing a little applied chaos in the
pattern of Jurai ...
TSUNAMI lets out a deep sigh, causing everyone else to chuckle. SERENITY
sets down her cup.
SERENITY
Well, your Imperial Majesty, it has
been a pleasure to share this cocoa
with you, but now is the time for
all good freed kidnapping victims to
hie themselves to bed.
She and ENDYMION rise, accompanied by TENCHI, who escorts them to the
door. SERENITY and TENCHI bow to each other just as SERENITY steps out.
SERENITY
It's always nice to see you, Tenchi.
BEAT But perhaps we should hold
the next reunion on your planet ...
in another two hundred years.
TENCHI
Sounds like a plan.
SERENITY and ENDYMION exit, and TENCHI closes the door with a smile on his
face that disintegrates into a fierce frown the minute that he turns to
look at his wives.
TSUNAMI
Now, Tenchi ... We realize that you
are upset with the two of us, but --
WASHUU
-- we were only doing it because we
love you more than you love honor,
and --
TENCHI
In the name of Jurai, I will punish
you.
TSUNAMI & WASHUU (sim)
What?
TENCHI
HARD In my bedroom. Now.
TSUNAMI and WASHUU stand up and start walking slowly towards the door
leading to TENCHI's bedchamber, with him following close behind.
TSUNAMI (V.O.)
Sister, what is he going to do?
WASHUU (V.O.)
I don't know. I've never seen him
like this. He could do anything.
*Any*thing!
They step through the door, and TENCHI shuts it firmly behind him with the
sound of the closing of a tomb. All is in silence for a few minutes.
And then the giggles and laughter start, followed soon by moans and cries.
TSUNAMI (V.O.)
Oh my! OOOOHHHH MY! SISTER! I
didn't think you meant THIS kind of
anything!
WASHUU (V.O.)
Uh! Huhhuhhuh! I ... I didn't!
TENCHI (V.O)
You should have ...
TSUNAMI & WASHUU (sim) (V.O.)
Oh, TENCHI!
Cut to RAYE's house, late evening. She enters, still dressed in her fuku
and high heels, which she changes to a kimono and slippers the moment that
the door closes. She stretches, and yawns.
RAYE
Any messages?
COMPUTER VOICE
You have recieved a total of sixty
new messages since your last update,
bringing your total to one hundred
and forty-five unanswered messages.
RAYE visibly winces.
RAYE
Five most recent.
COMPUTER VOICE
Message from Ayeka Masaki, 1830;
Message from Admiral Justy Tailor,
1825; Message from Amy Mizuno,
1543; Message from Shan Pu, 12--
RAYE
ALERT Play message from Shan
Pu, immediately.
A wall on the side of the entrance hallway turns into a screen, which
displays SHAMPOO's face as a young woman.
SHAMPOO
Hello, Raye. Don't let my looks
fool you, I still *feel* like I'm
turning into a crone ... but if I'm
right, that should pass when I get
my connection to the Tao back in
order. That should take a few days.
BEAT I'm planning on spending
those days here, on Mars ... in
meditation, mostly. BEAT I made
a terrible mistake, Raye. Quite
honestly, I don't know how I'm ever
going to make this up to Ranma ...
or even if it's *possible* to do
so. BEAT When I'm back up to
max, I'm probably going to start
tracking Gennosuke. I have things
to make up to her, as well. BEAT
I'm going to send a message like
this to Ayeka, too, so you don't
have to tell her. SMILE Our
game is going to be a little more
irregular than usual, I guess.
BEAT; FROWN There was something
else ... OH! Yeah ... to mess
with Ranma's head a bit, I sort
of implied that I was going to
crawl off and die somewhere. EVIL
GRIN Don't let him know that's
not the case ...
She flashes a 'V for victory', and the screen goes blank.
COMPUTER VOICE
Message ends. Delete or save?
RAYE is staring at the screen with irritation, amazement, and laughter on
her face. Finally, she starts to giggle, and moves on to laughter shortly
after that. After a few moments, she regains control of herself.
RAYE
Save. Definitely save. BEAT Play
most recent message from Ayeka.
AYEKA appears on the screen with a greatly put-upon expression. She
silently shakes her head, and looks up at the ceiling.
AYEKA
Typical. Exactly what I'd expect
from her ... BEAT Which means, of
course, that she knows me better
than I think ... hmmmmm.
The screen goes blank again, and RAYE smilingly shakes her head, and walks
into her home.
Cut to a corridor. SERENITY and ENDYMION stroll casually, holding hands.
As they come to a junction, SERENITY pauses, looking down one of the
corridors.
SERENITY
Dear, it seems that my evening's
tasks are not yet finished. Would
you be willing to wait a few minutes
more?
ENDYMION
Of course.
He raises her hand to his lips, and heads down the other corridor. She
smiles as she watches him go, and walks patiently down the opposite
corridor. PRISS steps out of an alcove, wearing her usual leathers and an
angry expression.
SERENITY
Good evening, Ms. --
PRISS
Save it. I just want some answers,
and then I'm outta here.
SERENITY is silent for a moment, then sighs.
SERENITY
Why did you push her away?
PRISS
Stay *out* of my mind.
SERENITY
As you wish.
PRISS
MOCKING I suppose she was my "one
true destined love" ...
SERENITY
No, just a chance at happiness.
PRISS
Yeah, right. BEAT I want to know
... about my dream.
SERENITY
It is based, in part, on events that
occured in your twelfth year ... and
yes, I was there.
SERENITY's eyes are far away.
SERENITY
I told you that I was in Tokyo on
the day of Second Kanto, and in the
wake of its passage as well. I
walked through the devastation, and
I wept for those who had lost their
lives. That is how it came to pass
that I discovered a young girl,
twelve years old, with eyes ... that
reminded me of another scared little
girl. BEAT I destroyed a boomer
that might have maimed you or given
you a serious injury, gathered you
up, and took you to a survivor camp
that was run by competent workers.
BEAT And as I carried you, I told
you that ...
PRISS
"It's going to be all right." A big
fat fucking lie.
SERENITY
BLINKS No. I said "I will make
it all right." BEAT I believed
that taking you to the shelter would
accomplish this. BEAT I was
mistaken. And that is why you are
here, now, Priss. Because I will
keep my promise to you, no matter
what.
PRISS
Why don't I remember any of this?
SERENITY
I placed a mild forgetfulness effect
on you, to make you forget my face
and features. BEAT I did not judge
correctly the depth of your trauma.
An electrical accident a few weeks
later only compounded the damage.
These are the origins of the near-
total amnesia about your childhood
that plagues you --
PRISS
And the later mindmessing only made
it worse, I know all th--
SERENITY
No. BEAT I stated that the later
memory-editing "seemed" to parallel
the damage, causing it to be lost
forever. And indeed, it does appear
that way without closer examination.
And I have had a chance to examine
your mind more completely --
PRISS
Stay OUT.
SERENITY
-- several hours ago. BEAT Priss,
the reason that you do not remember
the years between 2034 and 2041 is
that you do not *want* to remember
them, subconsciously.
PRISS
What? Why?
SERENITY shakes her head, sadly.
SERENITY
I can only guess. BEAT When you
were brought out of coldsleep, you
were given a mild rejuvenation,
shaving perhaps seven or eight years
off your age. You may be unready to
have certain memories that you have
associated with being a certain age.
But I do not know, beyond the fact
that the only one who can set your
mind free is you yourself.
PRISS
STUNNNED How?
SERENITY shakes her head, sadly.
PRISS
What are you?
SERENITY turns away.
SERENITY
A long time ago ... there was a very
small girl named Serena, who had two
spirits, living in symbiosis. BEAT
One day ... in a horrible battle ...
Serena was killed. BEAT One of
her spirits went on to whatever fate
awaits those who have died. The
other ... became a goddess. BEAT
But perhaps you do not understand.
The gods and goddesses of this cosm
are not its masters. We are only
tools for its maintenance, employed
by ... greater powers.
SERENITY turns back, and her eyes are glowing a gleaming silver.
SERENITY
What am I, Priscilla Serena Asagiri?
I am the moon. I am a reflected
light, guiding mankind through this
dark night ... a night that now, at
last, approaches its end, with the
coming of morning. BEAT And of
morning mist.
PRISS stares ... and then gapes.
PRISS
"Morning mist?" But ... but that's
my --
SERENITY
A coincidence. Perhaps. BEAT If
you wish to go, Priss, you may do
so. If you believe that you will be
happier elsewhere, I urge you to
leave.
PRISS
I don't ... SHAKES HEAD I don't
know what I am or what I want,
anymore ... I was born to be a
fighter, but --
SERENITY
No. BEAT You were not. You
*became* a warrior through unkind
twists of fate ... you were born to
be one of the greatest poets and
musicians of your age. Bear that in
mind when you make your decisions.
BEAT I also urge you to forgive
Lady Jupiter. She is correct in one
respect, at least -- you and she
have a great deal in common. BEAT
And Nene Romanova would not enjoy
seeing two of her friends fight,
even after she was gone, I think.
She turns to go, then pauses.
SERENITY
And thank you for saving the world.
PRISS gapes.
PRISS
WHAT?
SERENITY
"Who saves one life in time saves
all the world." BEAT Had you
decided *not* to warn Yuri of the
danger that she faced, the man who
called himself Smithers would have
killed her to prevent her from
possibly killing me. With her
partner dead, there would have been
nothing for Kei to live for, and
she would quite probably have gone
berserk, and so killed me, you, the
Deacon ... and everyone else in the
temple. It was wired to explode,
but you didn't know that ...
PRISS looks a bit ill.
SERENITY
And then Raye -- in grief and rage
at my death -- would have set loose
the Senshi of Destruction before her
time. BEAT And the world would
have died. And the darkness would
last forever.
SERENITY pauses, and seems to be looking over PRISS' shoulder.
SERENITY
So I would say that she saved the
world, wouldn't you?
PLUTO (O.S.)
So it would seem.
PRISS whirls, and sees PLUTO, a tall, tanned woman with long greenish-
black hair and dark red eyes, in a Sailor Senshi uniform, carrying a long
staff with a heart set atop it.
PRISS
Oh, great. Another one. What are
you, Lady Asteroid Belt?
PLUTO
No. My name is Pluto.
SERENITY
SMILING I will leave you two to
your discussion ...
SERENITY walks out of sight as PRISS watches her go.
PLUTO
If you would please give me your
hand, we can begin.
PRISS turns to look at her.
PRISS
Begin what?
Unconsciously, she reaches out her left hand towards PLUTO, who takes it
in her own.
PLUTO
The process of giving you your
reward.
Grasping her staff tightly, PLUTO slams its butt into the floor. They
disappear.
Cut to a balcony. AYEKA leans against the railing, looking at the setting
sun. RYOUKO walks up to the railing, and stands beside her. They speak
without looking at each other.
AYEKA
I thought that you were sleeping.
RYOUKO
Who can sleep with *that* going on
next door?
AYEKA nods.
RYOUKO
So ... we're gonna start powering up
the Throneship tomorrow morning ...
so that we can leave the day after.
AYEKA
I see.
RYOUKO
I take it that you won't be coming
back with us?
AYEKA
No ... I still have work to do here.
RYOUKO
Someone else could do it.
AYEKA
Would you trust someone else to
guard Tenchi from harm?
RYOUKO is silent.
AYEKA
Then it would seem that we're at an
impasse.
She turns and begins to walk, slowly, to the exit.
RYOUKO
You want me to say it, don't you?
AYEKA pauses.
RYOUKO
Fine. You dragged it out of me. I.
Miss. You. BEAT It's been over
two hundred years since I've seen
you face to face and I missed you
almost all of that time.
AYEKA
Ryouko ...
RYOUKO
Okay! You win. Here it is -- I l--
AYEKA
VERY FAST When I supposed to meet
you I slipped into Tenchi's bed to
sleep with him.
RYOUKO is stunned.
AYEKA
I tricked you. Ho ho! Aren't I
evil? BEAT Well, off I go.
She starts lightly running for the exit. RYOUKO stares after her, her jaw
down as far as it can go. Then understanding dawns in her eyes.
RYOUKO
GROWL AYEKA!!!!
She dashes off after her.
Cut to a misty void, but a different misty void than SERENITY was in
earlier. PRISS and PLUTO appear, and PRISS immediately releases her grip
on PLUTO's hand when she realizes what's happened.
PRISS
Where the hell am I now?
PLUTO
Any answer I could give you to that
question would be meaningless to
y--
PRISS
Try. Please?
PLUTO glares at her, and then begins speaking quickly and fluidly in a
language that sounds like it might be the common ancestor of all human
linguistic families. She comes to a conclusion, and pauses.
PLUTO
Satisfied?
PRISS
What *was* that --
PLUTO
The language which my mother's race
spoke. It was known as Solenoid.
BEAT But that is neither here nor
there. BEAT Some say virtue is
its own reward. I have rarely found
that to be the case ... as often as
not, people who do the right thing
come out of it feeling lousy. BEAT
You have done the right thing quite
a bit of late, Priscilla Asagiri.
Ask anything, and it can be granted
--
PRISS
Even --
PLUTO
-- so long as it does not violate
the integrity of the timeline.
PRISS' face falls.
PRISS
Lemme guess, bringing back the dead
falls under that heading.
PLUTO
Yes. Nene Romanova has met her end,
just as Linna Yamazaki also did,
many years after that.
PRISS
And Sylia blew herself up when she
nuked Genom tower.
PRISS sighs, and looks down at her feet.
PLUTO
Did she?
PRISS looks up with a startled expression on her face, as PLUTO swirls her
staff around in a circle several times, then brings it to a halt, holding
it out along her arm, and then giving it a half twist, as though to turn a
key. A glowing portal appears at the end of the staff.
PLUTO
Beyond this gate of time lies the
city of Megatokyo, in the year
2041. BEAT Two days have passed
since the final mission of the
Knight Sabres, and Sylia Stingray
has made her suicidal choice. You
shall have a single chance to save
her life, and shall face grave risks
without --
Before PLUTO can say another word, PRISS *flings* herself through the
portal, disappearing. PLUTO blinks.
PLUTO
Why do they *never* listen to the
complete explanation?
PLUTO sighs, and turns away ...
And PRISS' hand streaks out of the portal to blindly grab the end of her
staff. Startled, PLUTO watches as PRISS drags herself, and SYLIA STINGRAY
-- who is unconscious and dressed in the tattered remnants of a business
suit -- through the portal, pausing only long enough to let out a short
scream.
PRISS
CLOSE IT!!!!!
PRISS lands, cradling SYLIA's body against her, a few feet away from the
gate. PLUTO stares at her, oddly. An unbelievably bright light flashes
from the portal, and PLUTO dispels it.
PLUTO
Ah. That. BEAT The portal was
sealed against dangerous radiation.
You needn't have worried.
PRISS
BREATHING HEAVIL Oh. BEAT
That's good ...
PLUTO stares at them, shakes her head.
PLUTO
HEAVY Heroes.
But then, unexpectedly, she smiles at them with a surprisingly soft
expression, and says a few words in that language again. This time,
subtitles are provided.
SUBTITLE
AND SO THE ETERNAL STORY ENDS. WELL
DONE ... SOLENOIDS.
She taps the butt of her staff against the surface beneath her feet, and
it dissolves, leaving PRISS holding SYLIA, lying on the ground before the
Knight Sabres memorial.
PRISS looks around for a moment, then finally gets a good look at SYLIA.
Her face has a few more worry lines around the eyes and mouth. SYLIA's
eyes slowly open. Her expression is initially one of bleak acceptance,
changing swiftly to shock as she sees PRISS looking down at her.
SYLIA
Priss? BEAT What are you doing
in hell?
PRISS
SHAKES HEAD This ain't hell,
Sylia.
SYLIA looks around, with confusion on her face.
SYLIA
Has some momentous mistake happened,
to let me into heaven?
PRISS is right on the verge of tears as she shakes her head again.
PRISS
This isn't heaven *or* hell ...
SYLIA
Then where are we?
And then PRISS can't hold back anymore, and grabs SYLIA, pulling her into
a tight hug, as the tears begin to flow freely.
PRISS
We're at the end Sylia. This is our
happy ending.
SYLIA
We are? It is? BEAT Are you
sure?
PRISS leans back, still holding onto SYLIA, to look into her eyes.
PRISS
Yeah. BEAT It's going to be all
right. I promise ...
And then PRISS realizes where she's heard those words before, and whose
voice she was hearing in her dream.
Her own.
PRISS
It's got to be okay, right? BEAT
We're together again.
And then she gently, firmly, and passionately kisses SYLIA full on the
lips. SYLIA's eyes widen ... then slowly close.
We start to pull back from them, leaving them together in the full
moonlight.
WASHUU (V.O.)
Admit it, you're a softy.
PLUTO (V.O.)
In certain cases, yes.
WASHUU (V.O.)
Just certain cases, huh?
NENE (V.O.)
Oh, give it a rest! Does it matter
why she brought them together? They
are, and they make a cute couple, so
that's what counts.
PLUTO & WASHUU (sim) (V.O.)
Bug off, youth.
There is the clear and unmistakable noise of a raspberry being blown.
KASUMI & BELLDANDY (sim) (V.O.)
Oh dear ...
Cut to a shot of SERENITY walking to her bedroom. She opens the door,
turns to look directly at the camera ... and winks. Then she goes in and
closes the door.
THE END
OP Theme: "Sugao no Spytachi"
(Spies Uncovered)
Lyrics: Okada Fumiko * Music and Arrangement: Seo Ichizoo
Performed by: Priss Asagiri, 2937
Monochrome no hitomi Monochrome eyes...
Ai no deai wa deja vu. love's first meeting is deja vu.
Umareru mae no kioku Memories from before birth
high-speed de playback. play back at high speed.
Yozora ni klaxon no In the night sky, the klaxon
hanabi ga chitta. fireworks have broken up.
Fushigi tomaru toiki It's strange... my sigh stops...
heart no bell ga naru yo my heart's bell rings.
Spy no yoo ni cool ni Like a spy, cooly,
hold me tight. Hold me tight
Karadagoto yume o rock shite. Rock my dreams together with my body
Futari dake no gravia. A photo of just us two
Sugao no roman. A romance with no lies.
Tricolor no egao A tricolor smile...
mirror ni utsuru deja vu. deja vu reflected in the mirror.
Tokimeku senaka awase Quivering backs together
jumon no yoo ni I need you. Like a spell I need you
Accel fumitsuzukete Standing on the accelerator,
doko made iku no. where are you going?
Yokan mawaru binetsu A premonition... a swirling fever...
suhada ga natsu o yobu yo. my bare skin calls to Summer.
Spy no yoo ni hot ni Like a spy, hotly
hold me tight. hold me tight
Tsuyogatteita wa kinoo made. I'd been pretending until yesterday.
Odoridashita scenario. A scenario that danced out.
Sugao no roman. A romance with no lies.
I know a place we can go to get love.
I know a place we can go to get love.
Spy no yoo ni cool ni Like a spy, cooly,
hold me tight. Hold me tight
Karadagoto yume o rock shite. Rock my dreams together with my body
Futari dake no gravia. A photo of just us two
Sugao no roman. A romance with no lies.
Spy no yoo ni hot ni Like a spy, hotly
hold me tight. hold me tight
Tsuyogatteita wa kinoo made. I'd been pretending until yesterday.
Odoridashita scenario. A scenario that danced out.
Sugao no roman. A romance with no lies.
The Vocal Cast of Together Again: 2937 Chapter
Neo-Queen Serenity .......... Terri Hawkes
Lady Mars / Raye ............ Katie Griffin
Lady Jupiter / Lita ......... Susan Roman
Lady Mercury / Amy .......... Karen Bernstein
Lady Venus / Mina ........... Stephanie Morgenstern
Ranma Saotome(male) ......... Sarah Strange
Ranma Saotome(female) ....... Venus Terzo
Akane Tendou ................ Myriam Sirois
Shampoo ..................... Cathy Weseluck
Ukyou Kuonji ................ Kelly Sheridan
Gennosuke Kuonji ............ Kelly Sheridan
Ryouga Hibiki ............... Mike Donovan
Prince Endymion ............. Toby Proctor
Luna ........................ Jill Frappier
Artemis ..................... Ron Ruben
Sailor Pluto ................ Sabrina Grdevich
Priss Asagiri ............... Alannah Myles
Sylia Stingray .............. Sean Young
Nene Romanova ............... Renee O'Connor
Tenchi Masaki ............... M. "Kermit" Miller
Ryouko Masaki ............... Petrea Burchard
Ayeka Masaki ................ Jennifer Darling
Washuu Masaki ............... K.T. Vogt
Tsunami Masaki .............. Sherry Lynn
Mihoshi Kuramitsu ........... Ellen Gerstell
Kei ......................... Lara Cody
Yuri ........................ Wendee Lee
Noa Izumi ................... [Miina Tominaga]
Shinji ...................... [Megumi Ogata]
Kiichi Goto ................. [Ryunosuke Ohbayashi]
Asuma Shinohara ............. [Toshio Furukawa]
Sheila Tenkai ............... Nikki Purvis
Trakal ...................... Ed Wasser
Matisse dal Cassio .......... Marco de la Cruz
Dean Bairessey .............. Ben Cantrick
Chief / Archdeacon .......... Harry Shearer
Smithers .................... Harry Shearer
Michael Ordene .............. Harry Shearer
Catty ....................... [Naoko Watanabe]
Nuriko ...................... Rachel Herndon
Dzartenkin .................. William Forward
Megumi Morisato ............. Amanda Spivey
Johnny Raiden ............... Mel Gibson
Ryouko Mizuno ............... Venus Terzo
Ritsuko Urawa ............... Karen Bernstein
Belldandy ................... Juliet Cesario
Kasumi Tendou ............... Willow Johnson
Aethan DeGales .............. Michael Crawford
Author's Notes
(or "It's Done! AHAHHAHAHA!")
If it is a mistake to put the cart before the horse, it is an even bigger one to write the author's notes before the story is done. While I can, at this point (0830, 10 June 1997) see the light at the end of the tunnel, it remains to be seen whether it is the exit or an oncoming train.
However, if I am tired now, how will I feel when the story *is* done, and it would be time to do the author's notes?
Hell with it.
As the credits for each of the five acts have indicated, this story is dedicated to Ben "Gryphon" Hutchins, Megazone, and Rob "ReRob" Mandeville, the initial creators of the Ur-Megacrossover, "Undocumented Features". Astute readers will have noted a handful of tongue-in-cheek references to this ultimate Megacrossover/Self-Insertion fic ... it was an effort to avoid naming one of the RSF Supercarriers "Wandering Son" (and yes, by the way, we *will* see more of the Crystal Kingdom Royal Space Force ... there's a sidestory planned to illustrate its workings, which will also be my Gainax tribute story.) I'd also like to thank Kris "Redneck" Overstreet, Eyrie Productions' major representative on the FFML, for not lambasting me for writing a work of this magnitude in script format, and Martin "PCHammer" Rose, for *almost* bringing a certain odango atama into the Undocumented Features universe ... and for writing *damn* fine stories in the process.
Inspirations Divided By Section:
Sailor Moon: Credit for giving me the idea of writing about what Crystal Tokyo will be like goes to Alexander "Andy" Combs, who is also "my" RAAC moderator ... I think I may have that backwards, and I'm one of "his" writers. Ah well. He wrote one of the first *really* good SM fanfics I read, "Rabbit Test", which was probably the first story to try and deal with the Crystal Tokyo setting from a less than "Everything is idyllic" standpoint.
Ranma 1/2: It's not obvious here, probably, but I have drawn on all of my favorite "Ranma and Akane's future life together" stories to create my vision of the future of the cast. In particular, "Thy Inward Love" by Richard Lawson, "Bitter End" by James Bateman aka Zen, and "Ranma 2096" by Chris Willmore and co. Read 'em. They're good.
Bubble Gum Crisis: Priss and Sylia's relationship troubles come out of a misinterpretation I made of a comment by Jeanne Hedge, so it's all her fault. (Joke! Joke!)
Dirty Pair: I became fascinated with Kei and Yuri not through animation or "Amerimanga", but through Ryan Mathews' and Larry Mann's fanfic, especially "Reunions" and "The Ballad of Lord Robin". As with Mr. Mathews', I have shamelessly stolen from both of the sources of Dirty Pair lore -- the anime and Adam Warrens -- to create their part of the story.
Mobile Police Patlabor: This is awkward to admit. After I wrote Noa's flashback, I realized what I was doing ... in at least two stories that I've seen, "Angel of Light" and "Dance of Shiva", the 2nd Unit comes out of retirement in the BGC period to save the day (or help, at least). My problem with this is one of realism ... they'll be pushing *60* in the 2030s, and unless sneaky and underhanded ways are developed to give them an additional edge (which is sort of in genre) that's no good for people going into combat. I realized that I was responding to this and to a comic book trend, very popular in the seventies and early eighties, and beginning to come back into use now, of bringing back "Golden Age" characters (characters that were around, either in their respective "universes" or in reality, during the 1930s and 40s) and ignoring or downplaying the effects of aging on them. Sure, Noa will always be young at heart ... but her reflexes aren't going to be as sharp as they were when she was 21! Unless, of course, the rumors are true and she really is a proto-NewType ...
Tenchi Muyou: My ideas about who Tenchi'll marry eventually are more or less unique ... (no, Sean, you didn't inspire me to do it when you implied that having him marry Washuu if Ryouko and Ayeka went skipping off together hand in hand would be a bad idea ...) Ryan Mathews has kindly given me permission to use the name he invented for Mihoshi's species, the Kizarkans, in "Tenchi Muyou: Star of Jurai". (And making Mihoshi related to Kei is something of a nod in Mr. Mathews' direction as well ...)
Gall Force: I liked Rhea Gall Force. It was a very pretty film. It didn't have any continuity with the events of the third OAV, aside from the line about "the cycle of prosperity and destruction". So, while I have combined the Gorm uprising with Adam Warren's "Nanoclysm" with David Pulver's "Reign of Steel" game world, I have basically ignored Rhea Gall Force and everything that followed it. So yes, Sheila *is* Rabby and Priss *is* Lufy. Sylia *is* Shildy. Mackie *was* Patty. :)
Hmm ... what else to talk about. I know! Let's discuss --
Ten Ways to Tell
that
You've Spent
Too Much Time Writing A Fanfic
and
Not Enough Time Sleeping
1. You write a list like this one.
2. You realize that you are unable to resist the temptation to wander around with an insane grin on your face, and that you don't really *want* to resist the temptation ...
3. Someone makes a joke about having done so much research for your story that you must be having lots of dreams about the characters ... and you wonder what a dream is.
4. When taking a break, you accidentally discover a web page about a series that you haven't incorporated into the megacrossover that you're writing, and spend the next several hours looking up everything there is on the series.
5. You start to view people as characters in a story ... and are strongly tempted to reveal yourself as an otaku avatar and start solving their problems with your omnipotent might.
6. Who is Number 1? 2. You are Number 6.
7. You make really obscure jokes in the story that nobody gets. And if you're really making sleep into a foreign country, you make really obscure jokes in the List afterwards.
8. You realize that you look like a composite of the main characters of "Otaku no Video" ... and remembering what happens to them at the end, the thought is strangely pleasing.
9. You start going through Usenet looking for sigs you don't like.
10. On learning that a distant associate of yours is a very capable anime-style artist, your first impulse is to ask if she's interested in doing a dojinshi based on your story.
Take a deep breath, ladies and gents ... here comes the disclaimer.
Sailor Moon was created by Naoko Takeuchi and brought to North America by DiC. Ranma 1/2 was created by Rumiko Takahashi and brought to North America by Viz Entertainment. Tenchi Muyou was created by Hiroki Hayashi and Masaki Kajishima and brought to North America by Pioneer LDC. The Dirty Pair was created by Haruka Takachiro and brought to North America by Streamline Entertainment. Mobile Police Patlabor was created by Yuuki Masami and brought to North America by U.S. Manga Corps and Manga Entertainment. Bubblegum Crisis was created by Suzuki Toshimichi and brought to North America by AnimEigo. Gall Force was created by Hideki Kakinuma and brought to North America by U.S. Manga Corps. Oh My Goddess was created by Kosuke Fujishima and brought to North America by AnimEigo. Fushigi Yuugi was created by Yuu Watase. Mobile Suit Gundam was created by Tomino Yoshiyuki. This story, while incorporating elements from the aforementioned films and magazines and probably others as well, which are held under copyright by others, is copyright 1997 by Chris Davies.
Nobody Sue Me Okay?
Together Again: 2937 Chapter, 07/02/97