Ranma Half Moon chapter 24, Ranma vs Tuxedo Kamen, Part 2 of 2

Author's note: This episode fits in the middle of Sailor Moon episode 21, where the Sailor Warriors thwart a plot to have Sailor V killed off in an anime movie.

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.

"This school, this middle school that I have founded, will surely become a beacon of style and elegance, showing the whole world what a stylish and elegant young lady Chitose Fujinomiya is. HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO! Oh, am I talking about myself? How unseemly for a girl of my breeding and ..."

"MOOOOOOOOOOOOOO" A giant cow's head appears from behind a tree.

Minako gets a giant sweat mark beside her head.

"Cut! Minako, doing great!"

Minako blushes. I haven't told Artemis, but one of the upperclassmen from the attached high school to my junior high school, Andrew, is the assistant director. He's tall and pretty, with stylishly short hair and a dazzling smile.

Mio Kuroki watches from the wings. She still has her big glasses on even though she has a pink "Wapiko" wig (with a sideways ponytail) on. "Chance."

"Okay, Minako, let's try it one more time, this time get your chin a little higher on the 'evil anime girl laugh' gimmick."

Minako smiled. For Andrew, I would follow him to the ends of the world, so surely I can raise her chin a little higher.

...

Artemis walks in the park where Ranma had told him the monsters keep appearing. Artemis shudders. I sense a very uncomfortable aura. An evil aura stains this area even though chilling rain fell ten minutes ago.

It must be nice to be rehearsing for a play. This work is no fun at all. Artemis sighs.

"Niihao?"

Artemis whirls around. It is that mysterious white cat. I am fluent in human and cat, but I have not heard a cat use such a strange word before. "Um, hello. My name is Ar-te-mis."

"Ar-te-mis." The white female cat smiles. "I remember." The white cat turns around and runs.

Artemis scratches his head. Is this a stupid cat? Most earth cats have no problems with cat grammar. But, "Niihao"? Where have I heard that word before?

A new scent catches Artemis' attention. He runs over to the Chinese Restaurant.

A small, elderly Chinese woman meets him. "You're a nice kitty. Do you want a shrimp?"

Artemis nods enthusiastically.

"Cologne is happy to give such a nice cat a shrimp." Cologne throws Artemis a shrimp.

Artemis smiles. It is delicious!

"I have customers waiting, but come back anytime."

...

Minako and Ranma-ko wait in a bush.

"Ranma, are you sure that this is Sanjoin Masoto's evil lair?"

"Yes, one of my housemates looked him up on line. I even saw his car in the basement parking lot of that building."

Minako nods. This could be a really great day for me if she could both impress Andrew and bring down Tuxedo Kamen. But something is still bothering me. "Ranma, are you sure Tuxedo Kamen is our enemy?"

"Why do you say that? He just happens to be in the area to save us every time a monster shows up. Isn't that just a little suspicious?"

Minako presses her fingers together. "No, I mean, how can someone so hunky be bad?"

Ranma-ko cringes. "How old are you again?"

"Fourteen." Minako makes a "V" sign and sticks out her tongue.

Ranma-ko sighs. "I guess it's okay to be that naive if you're only fourteen. But, if every bad guy was suspicious looking and butt-ugly then the police would have a really easy job, right?"

"You might be right."

Ranma-ko sighs. It is obvious that Minako isn't buying into what I said.

Ranma sees a light in the basement. "Okay, that's his car. Time to change."

"Venus Star Power, Make Up!"

"Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"

Ranma-ko and Minako transform in split screen.

Sanjoin Masoto pulls out of the building's parking lot entrance. He looks left and right. Are there any hot girls to flirt with before I go to finish off the Sailor Warriors?

"Hold it right there!"

Two girls block his car's path.

Ranma-ko points his finger at Masoto. "Deceiving the sailor warriors by pretending to be a fighter for justice."

"Betraying hot guys everywhere by raising Yoma Monsters."

"I am Sailor Moon ..."

"Sailor V ..."

"... and in the names of the moon and Venus, we will punish you!"

Masoto rolls his eyes. "More warriors? No matter. We'll see if you have teamwork." Masoto snaps his fingers and two Yoma Monsters appear on the hood of his car. Their tails intertwine.

Ranma-ko reacts. "Moon tiara magic!" Ranma-ko throws her tiara, but the Yoma Monsters swipe it back to her with their joined tails.

"Venus crescent beam!" Sailor V fires her beam but the Yoma Monsters artfully dodge it so the beam falls in between them.

"Fire Soul!"

"Shabon Spray!"

The Yoma Monsters counter attack. Ranma and Sailor V get blown backwards and get stuck in a tree.

"Finish them off!"

The Yoma Monsters smile cruelly.

Suddenly a red rose flies past, landing in front of the car.

Masoto snarls in anger. "You? Bah, let's go." The Yoma Monsters jump in the back seat and Masoto races off, driving around the rose.

Tuxedo Kamen shakes his head. "The Yoma Monsters' teamwork defeated you. You two need to learn how to fight together."

Ranma-ko raises her head. "Save the speeches 'Tuxedo Fraud.' I know that you are the leader of the Yoma Monsters."

A giant sweat mark appears beside Tuxedo Kamen's head. "Strange, they seemed to answer to Masoto Sanjoin."

Sailor V raises her head. "Just another trick on your part to get close to the sailor warriors."

Tuxedo Kamen turns his head. "You're wrong."

Ranma-ko points his finger at Tuxedo Kamen. "Then, if you're not Sanjoin Masato, who are you?"

"I don't know. All I know is that I protect the Sailor Warriors." Tuxedo Kamen vanishes.

"See, Ranma, he had an explanation."

"You call that an explanation?"

...

A short shadowed figure appears in front of a kettle, stirring it with a giant staff.

A second shadowed figure walks down a flight of stairs. "Niihao!"

"Great granddaughter, how are you?"

"I had nostalgia again."

The shorter figure nods. "I met this person you told me about. He is very interesting."

A third shadowed figure, this one with glasses (but clearly male, as opposed to the first shadowed figure with glasses) listens from the top of the stairs. Another rival for my love? This will never do!