Chapter 2.
GOTHAM CITY, N.J.
(MARCH 27, 1969)
Dr. Charles McNider lifted the small microphone in his left hand while he used his right hand to flip the activation switch of the portable reel-to-reel tape recorder in front of him. When he was sure the audiotape reels were running, he began speaking.
"Dear Thomas:
By now, you must have noticed a little bit of what makes the book I sent you so unusual. To say the least! Personally, I would've preferred to donate it to the Rare Books section of the GSU campus library. But, the Larko Lamp incident, six years ago, is still too fresh in the minds of the Board of Regents. So, they are understandably reluctant to accept anything else with an occult reputation anywhere on campus! Thus, at the request of my old colleague, Kent Nelson, I hid the tome in plain sight among my own private collection of books in Braille."
"That's how I learned that this book is basically a prison... for a race of extra-dimensional creatures who call themselves 'The Unown'!"
"In their native dimension, they communicate with each other through what I can only describe as 'electromagnetic empathy.' That is; not only can each one feel what their fellow Unown are feeling. But, they can also convey their own individual feelings the same way: electromagnetically. It's like neuro-synaptic activity. Only more carefully varied, like the frequencies of a two-way radio. And, what's more; in large enough groups, that empathy borders on full-fledged telepathy!"
"Yet, when it comes to communicating with us, it's more like a car radio. They can perceive our thoughts. But, not vice-versa. They've managed to circumvent that obstacle, however, by evolving the ability to psychokinetically transform into the alphanumeric characters of any written language imaginable. That's how I've managed to learn so much about them. They became living Braille script!"
"That, in turn, is how I learned about their ultimate ability. When the whole race empathically unites, they can change the very world around them. I'm not just referring to the molecular transmutation of matter. But, the alteration of reality itself! That's why I've held on to the book as long as I have, Thomas. But, with Myra and I moving to Florida, as soon as my retirement becomes official, I have to transfer custody of the book to someone! And you're the only one I can trust with it."
"If the postal system does it job better than usual, you should be receiving this tape the day after your fortieth birthday. That's when I'll pay you a visit and answer any remaining questions you might have. Until then, this is good old Doc McNider, signing off."
Four days later, at breakfast, Myra McNider (nee Mason) tearfully read her husband the article on the front page of their morning newspaper. The one detailing the tragic ending to the Wayne family's night out at the movies.
NERIMA-KU, TOKYO, JAPAN
(DECEMBER 18, 1975)
"Konichiwa, Master Bruce!" exclaimed Alfred Pennyworth, as he stepped out of the rented limousine.
"I'm fine, Alfred," replied the thirteen-year-old multi-millionaire. "How are you?"
"Never better, sir."
"And Gotham City? What are the crime stats like?"
Alfred sighed at the brevity of the joyous reunion. For the past three years, his youthful employer had ended every long-distance phone call with the same enquiry. And, as much as he incessantly wished he could do otherwise, he had always responded with the harsh truth.
"Still going up, sir. Although, it might provide you some consolation to know that, this year, the increase was only by five percent!"
"No, Alfred, it doesn't. Any percentage of increase greater than zero is too much, as far as I'm permanently concerned!"
Alfred sighed. "Then, I take it your long-range plans are still unchanged?"
The youngster grimly nodded, before getting into the back seat of the limo, while Alfred got behind the steering wheel.
"I hope you have, at least, been keeping your promise not to overwork yourself, Master Bruce. To allow yourself some kind of mundane leisure activity between martial arts classes?"
To Alfred's relief, his ward actually smiled!
"As a matter of fact, yes. They have an interesting form of television program, here, called 'anime.' It's basically an animated cartoon version of the comic strips called 'manga!' And there are two specific anime series that I find fascinating. 'Gekko Kamen' and 'Ogon Batto.' The former title loosely translates as 'Moonlight Mask.' And it's basically a Japanese update of the Lone Ranger! Only instead of a white horse, the gun-slinging hero rides a motorcycle on his nocturnal crusades against crime."
"I see. And the latter title?"
"Loosely translates to 'Golden Bat.' Although, technically, it should be called 'Ogon Komori' as 'batto' is a loan word from English referring to baseball bats rather than the flying mammal! In any event, the title character is the reanimated mummy of an Atlantean wizard -although, personally, I suspect it's more like antediluvean super-science- who aids the pre-adolescent daughter of an archaeologist battle the schemes for world domination constantly being hatched by a mad scientist named Dr. Zero."
"Well, that all sounds very fascinating, Master Bruce. Fortunately, however, mad science is one form of criminal activity even Gotham City is unlikely to ever see. So, fasten your seat belt, and prepare to enjoy a merry- -and long overdue- -Christmas vacation, at home."
NERIMA-KU, TOKYO, JAPAN
(FIFTEEN YEARS LATER)
Nabiki Tendo looked at her father and sisters before glaring at the short, hook-nosed old man called Happosai.
"I can't believe you even listened to him! First of all, Ranma's mother's real given name is Nodoka. Not Sakura! Secondly, she's not even Eurasian. She's full Japanese! So, how could even an elderly pervert like him fail to recognize this woman as a Caucasian-American?"
The seventeen-year-old journalism student held up a publicity photograph of a white woman with light brown hair done up in a bun and blue eyes wearing a blue tuxedo with tails; a black top hat with red band; a red bow tie; and a white blouse that contrasted quite stunningly with her black bikini briefs and matching high heels.
"If she isn't Mrs. Saotome," demanded sixteen-year-old Akane Tendo. "...then who is she, really?"
"Ms. Haley Norton," replied her middle sister. "A scion of the two biggest circus-owning families in the United States. Her father, Joseph Norton, was the last of the Norton Brothers. And when he married the daughter and only child of C. C. Haley, his father-in-law agreed to a merger of their two shows as a wedding present! A show she has owned, and been ringmaster of, since she was twenty-one."
"But, if that's the case," replied Kasumi Tendo, their eldest sister. "...then why did Genma and Ranma agree to join her circus?"
That, Nabiki admitted, she had no answer for. She added, however, that she was going to work really hard on tracking the Haley & Norton Bros. Circus.
"They're going to be touring the Eastern Hemisphere for the next six months before heading back to America. When they do. . ."
"...I'll be sure to be there, right on the spot, to ask them that very question!" declared Akane, heatedly interrupting her.
"As will I," muttered Kuno Kodachi, eavesdropping on the conversation from her hiding place atop the Tendo family's roof.
Six months later, two jet liners took off from Japan, bound for Gotham City in the United States. The one transporting Kasumi and Akane Tendo departing on May 1, 1990. The other- -transporting Kuno Kodachi- -departing a day ahead of them!
tbc
