About time I got around to commenting on this (so sue me, I'm
feeling ambitious)
On Sun, 12 Apr 1998, Chris Davies wrote:
KASUMI
Yes, Luna, I've known for almost
four years.
LUNA
But how --
KASUMI
One night, the moon went out. <beat>
And I heard the sound of a cat
screaming. <beat> And I knew who
I had been, once.
....
Oh my!
<snip>
LUNA
It was never clear how you died.
<beat> It was said that Beryl had
killed you, herself.
KASUMI does not look at LUNA.
KASUMI
She did.
LUNA
Then you should know that Serena
avenged you --
KASUMI
I know. <beat; tears in her voice>
May the Light be more merciful to
Beryl than this world ever was.
I assume this is an attempt to make people curious about the next
prequel?
<snip>
WASHUU
<angry> Don't talk to *me* about
*plans*, Ms. "Send the Coward Crown
Prince to His Mom's Home Pond To
Bring Fresh Blood Into The Royal
Line"! You've got no room to be
yelling at --
Touche'.
TSUNAMI
<fierce> RAMIA.
Or maybe not....
<snip>
KASUGA AKANE
KILL ME.
MINAKO
I --
KASUGA AKANE
I never wanted to be a mother, and
definitely not like this, KILL ME!
MINAKO
I cccccc-- I caaaa -- I --
KASUGA AKANE
<tears> PLEASE.
At this point, the more fanatical Anti-Moonies out there would
point out that Aino-san has slain scores of sentient creatures without a
qualm by this point, but there is a difference between killing an advisary
in battle and granting a merciful death to an innocent who knows she's
doomed and is begging you for release.
In short, this is _truly_ harsh.
There's a surge in AKANE's stomach.
KASUGA AKANE
Now.
MINAKO
<whispered> Crescent Beam.
<winces>
<snip>
COLOGNE
What problem have you found that
you cannot speak of it in --
SHAMPOO's frustration is clearly visible on her face.
SHAMPOO
-- in a language in which you've
given me no instruction? That I'm
expected to learn as some sort of
punishment for dragging you out of
your retirement?
No ma'am, no sign of resentment here! None at _all_!
RAYE
Hey, you! <heading after SHAMPOO>
You with the cheesebuns on your
head!
<chortle>
SHAMPOO
Shampoo know how Japanese people are
to foreigners. Shampoo know *very*
well how Japanese people --
Now while I'll be the first to say that 'Poo is coming off as a
bitter, judgemental, shortsighted dolt here; one can argue that she has
more justification than say... Rei-chan.
RAYE
And for what it's worth, if I were
as bad as you're making me out to
be, I wouldn't have my best friends
in this world. <beat> Because all
four of them are `only' part-
Japanese. Later, Cheesebun Head.
Touche' again <snickers at Shampoo's new nickname>
I just realised something Davies. You seem to be one of the few
SM writers out there (yes, this includes the guys at DIC) who bothers
trying to rationalize why a bunch of Tokyo schoolgirls have/use english
names.
<snip>
KASUMI's face freezes, as does BELLDANDY's face. The tension in the room
increases several times over.
KASUMI
<clipped> What do *you* want here?
BELLDANDY
I am Goddess First Class, Unlimited
License, Belldandy. My sisters are
within. I *will* enter.
*piku*
I take it exchanging recipies is out of the question at the
moment?
KASUMI
<whisper> If you harm any of my
sisters I shall kill you.
<mini-snip>
SUBTITLE
Thus saith Belldandy: Should any
harm come to Keiichi-san, I shall
not rest until the line of the Moon
Kingdom is no more.
O_O;
You seem to be hinting at a fair amount of mutual distrust here,
going back well over a conventional lifetime. Am I correct?
<snip>
A series of Chinese paintings illustrate the following tale. Ku-Len Sing
resembles has long, greenish-black hair, with earlocks.
Resembles a what?
COLOGNE (V.O.)
It is said that Ku-Len Sing, the
daughter of an Amazon matriarch and
the God of War, was able to cause
the Adversary -- whose name in our
tongue I will not pronounce -- to
lose interst in Earth during the
First Emperor's reign by defeating a
horde of goblinkind, singlehandedly.
The battle is said to have lasted
five days and five nights.
RANMA (V.O.)
So what happened to her after that?
COLOGNE (V.O.)
Most of the parts of her body were
recovered, eventually.
Ah, the price of fame <facefaults>
<snip>
WASHUU
Don't bother trying to intimidate
me, Pluto. I know exactly what
you're capable of doing, and I know
that the last time we went 'round,
it was a draw. I might not remember
much else about it, but I *do* know
that I've progressed since then.
Davies, let me tell you something about these flagrantly
ham-fisted attempts to drum up interest in TA: SMChapter....
They are quite effective.
RYOUGA
Why do random selections always end
up with me *not* being with --
AMY, transformed to SAILOR MERCURY, walking beside him, smiles
apologetically.
AMY
I programmed the selector to not
pair up associates unless there
was no one else available.
And so it begins....
TAROU
Shut up, slit. I'm gonna go to the
I suppose that is either a typo or an obscure canadian euphemism.
Close up of TAROU's snarling face --
Just as two shots ring out. TAROU's face freezes ... as he slowly
crumples to the ground. Blood is flowing from his knees, and he is
obviously in great pain.
I get the distinct feeling that you are not a Taro-Fanboy(tm)
<snip>
AKANE (V.O.)
For the record ... no, I don't think
Kasuga-san is a lech.
"A Spinless Twit, maybe...."
<snip>
TENCHI
<weak> Would his name be Masaki
Katsuhito?
KENT
Why, yes. Do you know him?
<snicker>
TENCHI nods weakly. NABIKI stares ... and a slow, *dangerous* smile grows
on her face.
NABIKI
<softly> I seeeee ...
Don't think it 'Biki, the competition's a bit too... fierce for
your taste.
<snip>
YOSHOU
Hmm. As it happens, my grandson
doesn't have a fiancee, as such.
But do you really think that it's a
good idea to engage him to one of
your grand-daughters without telling
him?
"... assuming of course that you would rather not see your flesh
and blood get maimed and beaten...."
<snip>
KONATSU is standing there, beat red, holding a pile of clothes in front of
hir "privates".
I see you've read 'New Frontier' one too many times as well....
<snip>
This particular demon (hereafter called a Sagu) is a hulking humanoid dark
purple shape roughly eight feet tall, with a massive, cyclopean-eyed head
which is slightly out of proportion to the size of its body. It is gazing
down at KASUMI without moving.
There is a long silence.
KASUMI
Oh my.
Now don't you wish you had taken Luna up on her offer, Kaz?
<snip>
He runs off. NABIKI stares at TENCHI with an acquisitive air.
NABIKI
Sooo ... you're an alien prince,
huh?
TENCHI
Well, yes. <beat> I hope you don't
find that --
NABIKI
In line for the throne?
TENCHI
I ... guess so. I don't really think
about it.
NABIKI
<grins> We will talk about this more,
later. Right now ...
Like I said before, don't _even_ think about such things unless
you have an ace in the hole, Nabs....
<snip>
STENGOVITCH (V.O.)
Will you ever tell her?
KENT (V.O.)
Not until we can undo it. Maybe not
then.
PATRICIA's face moves in a silent scream.
KENT (V.O.)
Who knows what knowing about this
would do to her?
Cut to black.
AKANE (V.O.)
She'd lied when she said she knew
how to set the autodoc. <beat>
She heard everything.
<winces again>
<snip>
TENCHI looks like he's about to freak out. AYEKA directs an angry glare
in AYEKA's direction.
Typo here (assuming Aeka-hime's not part Carrgite)
<snip>
KENT
My half-sister is a telekinetic.
She also has a doctorate in human
physiology. <beat> Can you imagine
what someone could do to the inside
of your body, if they had the skill
of a surgeon, and didn't need to
touch you?
eep!
NINIANE
First time I've tried to make sense
since I've awoke. <beat> It will
be okay ... you can end it, Kent. I
believe in you. <beat> I still see
you as you. I loved Emrys more than
I could stand, but *everyone* loved
you. Even the Morrigan loved you as
she hated you. I love you still.
<beat; Welsh> Yield not, Pendragon.
Morte d'Arthur tie in too? The Author's Notes are going to be a
doozy at this rate.
Overall assessment: Excellent. Complicated, but excellent.
HTG