Ranma Half Moon chapter 21, A Love Letter of Mystery and Promise, part 5 of 5
Author's note: This episode fits in around the same time frame as Sailor Moon episode 19, Tuxedo Kamen's Love Letter.
Author's note: I now have a fiction press site for non-fanfiction stuff. If you want to check it out, do a search for "resop" at the "fictionpress" website. My story is called "A Dream of Roses". It is about a group of blossoming young girls who are giving it their all for an opportunity to shine brightly as professional wrestlers in Japan.
Ranma-ko looks on in horror. This means the girl in Tuxedo Kamen's arms was never in danger from the Yoma Monsters, she was only being used as a decoy, a decoy from the King of the Yoma Monsters, Tuxedo Kamen!
Suddenly, a small store item hits Ranma-ko in the back of her head. She turns around to see Artemis by the store window where Ranma-ko broke in.
"Help, please! Minako is in trouble."
Minako? Ranma thinks. Oh yeah, the girl from the school festival who came with Artemis. Ranma-ko nods. No point in trying to save the decoy girl, and the other girl apparently wasn't in trouble yet.
Ranma-ko and Artemis take off at a dead sprint, Artemis flying in places and Ranma-ko doing her martial arts jumps that only look like flying.
Two blocks away, two Yoma Monsters have Minako tied up.
"Moon Prism Power, Make Up!" Ranma-ko transforms and closes the distance.
"Moon Tiara Action!" Ranma-ko's Sailor Moon throws her tiara, expertly hitting both Yoma Monsters. They drop Aino Minako, who coughs.
"This was supposed to be a night of romance and promise, but you monsters of the night keep attacking innocent girls. I'm Sailor Moon, In the name of the Moon I'm going to clobber both of you."
Artemis cringes. "She really needs to work on that."
The two Yoma Monsters attack. Ranma-ko lures them away from their victim so that she wouldn't have to defend and attack at the same time.
Ranma-ko sees an alley. If I lure them in that alley, they can't double team me.
Ranma-ko ducks down the alley then jumps up to a fire escape so she can hit them with a sneak attack.
The Yoma Monsters turn the corner and howl when they don't see Ranma-ko.
"Fire, cough, cough, Soul!"
From the other end of the alley a fire ball blows by underneath Ranma-ko, destroying the Yoma Monsters.
Two sailor suited warriors run by underneath Ranma-ko. One holds something that looks like a handheld computer and the other has a surgical mask on. "Hurry, cough, cough, I can feel Sailor Moon is in danger." The two girls run right past Ranma-ko.
That was Sailor Mercury and Sailor Mars. Ranma-ko looks thoughtful. Hey, I'm not in trouble anymore. Maybe they meant the other Sailor Moon? Ranma-ko untransforms and runs back to check on Minako, who is still trying to catch her breath.
Minako reaches up and grabs Ranma-ko's hands. "Saotome-kun? Did you get your man?"
Ranma-ko breaks out in a cold sweat. How did this girl know I was going to see Tuxedo Mask?
"Are you okay? You were roughed up back there by those muggers."
"But they weren't muggers, they were Yoma Monsters."
Artemis breaks into a cold sweat. What is Minako saying?
Ranma-ko's eyes grow wide. Could it be? She didn't look anything like Sailor V, but ... "Um, excuse me, I don't mean to be rude, but ..."
"Hey, I'm definitely a girl!"
Ranma-ko nods. That certainly cinches it. Ranma-ko smiles and points at Minako. "So, you are Sailor V."
Minako, who up until that time had been babbling in shock, is suddenly snapped into lucidity. "Me?"
"It all makes sense now. Now I know why Sailor V was so confident before."
Minako raises an annoyed eyebrow. "And, why is that?"
"I only started wearing girl's clothes a month ago. I didn't have a lot of confidence at first because I thought my big breasts would be a distraction and ruin the effect of the clothes. But, when one of my housemates lent me a designer bra it made the clothes look a lot better and really made me feel like a million bucks."
Veins pop out on the side of Minako's head. "And, why are you saying this to me?"
"Because the Yoma Monsters ripped your shirt and I can see that you're wearing that same brand of bra."
Minako slaps Ranma-ko. "Ranma, please. You're really a guy. That was peeping. Humphda!"
"Even after wishing me well girl to girl?" Ranma-ko mumbles as Ranma-ko slides down a telephone pole with an impression of Minako's hand on the side of Ranma-ko's face.
Artemis sighs. "Minako, I think you went overboard."
"Artemis, you're a cat, but you're still a guy. You wouldn't understand."
Ranma-ko sighs. "It's okay, Artemis, I'm used to these sorts of situations."
Minako kneels by Ranma-ko. "Anyway, thanks for saving me. I guess we'll be fighting together?"
Ranma-ko nods. "Yeah. And, I now know who the king of those monsters is."
Artemis and Minako gasp.
"The king of the monsters is Tuxedo Kamen. And, the girl we saved tonight is his decoy."
Minako nods. "Well, if we're going to fight together, I had better give you my number." Minako writes it on a piece of paper.
Artemis raises an eyebrow.
"Thanks. I'm going to be looking into that decoy."
Minako nods. "Please send me reports, Saotome-kun."
The shadowy figure watching from the alley turns and melts into the darkness.
...
A cauldron sits over a low fire in a dark basement. On a high stool a small figure, much smaller than the figure in the alley, stirs the contents of the pot. The small figure cackles.
A door to the basement opens. A tall figure with no glasses and hair noticeably different than the figure in the alley walks down the steps. "Great grand mother?"
"Yes, my child?"
"I saw something today. Me nostalgic, but don't know why."
"Tell me about it my child."
The larger figure comes close to the smaller figure. The sound of the cauldron boiling and bubbling drowns out her explanation.
"Great grand daughter, this is most auspicious. Things are going to get very interesting now. He, he, he, he." The small figure throws something into the cauldron, and the contents splash and pop loudly.
End of Episode
New closing theme: "Gyopi Dance" (closing theme for Goldfish Warning! - the song that Mio-chan and Minako were singing to each other.)
In the next episode: Minako's unconfident audition and a fourth shadowed antagonist. Wait, could this be an early version of Professor Tomoe and the Witches 5 (the Death Busters)? Tune in next time to find out!
