Ranma Half Moon chapter 27, Incident at the Ball, part 3 of 4
Author's note: This episode fits in with Sailor Moon episode 22, where the Sailor Warriors thwart a plot to steal the silver crystal of a princess during a ball.
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.
"Excuse me, miss, would you like to dance with me?"
Maybe I scared Mister Sanjoin last time when I saw right through his disguise? This time I should play it smarter. Naru looks up and pretends to be surprised. "What?"
Masoto Sanjoin lifts his mask. "It's me."
Naru pretends to be surprised again. "Mister Sanjoin?"
On the other side of the dance floor, Tuxedo Kamen tries to get near the mysterious familiar looking girl (the disguised Usagi). This isn't working. I should case the room of the Princess instead.
It's good that Naru has a dance partner. I was worried that she was going to be a wallflower all night. Disguised Usagi does not notice that Naru's masked dance partner is Masoto "Nephrite" Sanjoin.
Elsewhere on the dance floor, Ranma-ko looks for Minako. I had better warn Minako and Artemis that Nephrite is in the ballroom.
"Miss Saotome?"
Ranma-ko turns around to see the mysterious psychic shrine maiden Hino Rei. She certainly looks different without the shrine maiden uniform. "Miss Hino, I'm surprised to see you here."
Rei smiles. "Someone donated tickets at the shrine. Shall we dance?"
Since Rei is an attractive girl, sure. But, I am also in girl form. "Would that be okay?"
"Yes, you lead."
Ranma-ko leads Rei on the dance floor, taking the male role. I don't really know how to lead in a waltz, so I better use my martial arts training to copy what the other men are doing.
"Ranma, your dancing is very good. You are leading as well as any of the men. I can see a tremendous opportunity for you, if you are up for the challenge."
This is unexpected. "What is it?"
"Of course, it would turn your life upside down. It would require you dedicating your life to a higher cause."
Is she trying to recruit me as a shrine maiden?
"The training would be harsh, and the hours long. It would require every ounce of your sweat and blood. But, in the end, you could become the idol of millions."
"Like the Sailor Warriors?"
Rei briefly looks a little surprised. "Yes, that degree of fame. Do you have it in you Ranma?"
Wow, is Rei one of the Sailor Warriors? She doesn't look anything like any of them. Is she recruiting me to join?
"What is this calling?"
"The Takarazuka Theater."
The music pauses and a tumbleweed blows past.
Ranma-ko rolls her eyes. "The musical theater group where all the parts are played by women?"
"Yes. I think that you would make a tremendous otokoyaku."
"Otokoyaku?"
"Yes, a girl who plays the part of a guy."
A vein on Ranma-ko's head sticks out. "That's very flattering, but I already have something that I am dedicated to, martial arts."
Rei looks disappointed. "That's too bad. You have the strangest aura, of maybe two or three people at once. I was hoping that would be a good sign."
...
Artemis looks over the building from a tree. He sees Masoto Sanjoin lead Naru Osaka out on a balcony and then possess her.
"I'd better get Minako!"
...
Ami cuts in to dance with Ranma-ko.
"You might not remember me, but I'm Rei's friend Ami. I was there when you came to open an investigation on Mamoru."
Ranma-ko thinks back a little. "Okay, I can place you now. Wow, you would think that a guy studying to be a doctor would want to hang out with girls his own age?"
Ami blushes. "I'm also studying to be a doctor."
"Really? So, are you planning on stealing Mamoru from Rei, like you cut into Rei's dance with me?"
This catches Ami off guard. I have deep suspicions about Tuxedo Kamen, and Rei often voices her belief that Tuxedo Kamen is Mamoru. Stealing Mamoru from Rei would not be safe. "I think I would have to know Mamoru a little better before I thought about anything like that."
Ranma-ko sees Minako out of the corner of her eye. "You'll have to excuse me."
Ami curtsies. "Of course."
Ranma-ko rushes over to Minako. "Minako, Masoto Sanjoin is here."
Minako nods. "Artemis saw him possess a girl."
"Probably Naru Osaka."
"They're probably planning on making their move. Let's go."
Ranma-ko and Minako run outside in back of the Embassy. The shadowed, glasses wearing girl watches them.
"Moon Prism Power, Make Up!"
"Venus Star Power, Make Up!"
Ranma-ko and Minako transform in split screen.
The shadowed, glasses wearing girl appears on a balcony. She raises both hands and two Yoma Monsters appear.
"Let's go up this tree." Ranma-ko's Sailor Moon starts jumping up the tree but is the long arm of one of the Yoma Monsters captures her.
...
Tuxedo Kamen dances with disguised Usagi and flashes back to an earlier time. He does not notice that Ranma-ko's Sailor Moon is in trouble.
...
The Yoma Monsters drag Ranma-ko's Sailor Moon and Sailor V behind the trees.
The shadowed, glasses wearing girl laughs. "Ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha, ha!"
A random reflection from one of the embassy's spotlights briefly illuminates the shadowed glasses wearing girl, revealing her to be Mio Kuroki.
To Be Continued!
Author's note: Is Rei really a fan of the Takarazuka theater? Let's ask the Cannon Police.
The Cannon Police say: "Yes: in Sailor Moon episode 96, 'Cold-Hearted Uranus? Makoto in Trouble,' Rei, Usagi, Ami and Minako sit around their study table and argue if it is okay that Makoto was on a date with Haruka. Rei says that two girls dating was weird and Usagi pulls out a magazine (titled musical theater) with a girl in drag on the cover. Rei gets horribly embarrassed and furious at the same time. So, since a musical theater magazine with a woman in drag on the cover would definitely refer to the Takarazuka, Rei being a Takarazuka fan is without a doubt cannon."
The Cannon Police make an "O" with their arms.