A C&C of TA: 1996 - Act 5 by Master Christopher Richard Davies
<cdavies@gpu.srv.ualberta.ca>
written and noted by: Helen and a beta-fish <blub!>
ACT FIVE
Helen: Ahhhh...finally. The last act of this epic
tale... ^_^;; I wonder...trailer on September
15th...and now May 15th. Ooooooh! Some eight
months going on nine...not a bad start for a
story that belongs within the greater
continuum of Together Again that Master
Davies has created. On the last note,
eventhough Master Davies has formed the three
large chapters: Silver Millennium, 1996, and
2937; the intermittent stories as well as the
many side stories have pushed the number of
actual stories to around twenty and counting.
This is counting the five interludes so far;
the early Gall Force story for Pluto, the
Urasei Yatsura story of Miyuki and Benten in
the Silver Millenium, the mild lime interlude
story within Celebrations....we could go
on...
beta-fish: <blub!> <yes!>
Helen: ...but I'll just say that Master Davies has
certainly prepared a *very* large playground
for his storytelling efforts...
beta-fish: <blub-blub-blub!> <Get on with it!>
Helen: All right! Roll the fic...
beta-fish: <blub-blub-blub-urk!> <We'll snip only
the relevant parts - URK!>
Helen: ...and try to keep the cameo appearances to a
minimum...
[The sound of a projector is heard whirring in the
background...]
We open on blackness and silence.
AKANE (V.O.)
The last day of the five days that
shook the world dawned like any
other. It ended like any other.
It was in the middle that the wonder
and the horror took place. There's
a lesson in that -- things don't
always happen at dramatic moments.
Helen: Drat! Just when I was expectin' somethin';
there's nothin'!
b-fish: <blub...> <sigh...>
There is a long silence.
AKANE (V.O.)
Nabiki ... I've never understood my
sister. To be perfectly honest, I
don't want to. I don't like her,
and I'm fairly sure it's mutual.
<beat> So it didn't really surprise
me when she wasn't willing to help
me with this. Everything I have
about what happened there, in that
narrow street, comes to me from
Kent, through Patricia. What my
sister saw, felt, and thought about
it is going to be lost to history.
<beat> That's life, I guess.
Helen: <heh!> We don't want to understand Nabiki
either...
beta-fish: <blub-blub!> <But we do...understand her
that is...>
There is another long silence.
AKANE (V.O.)
I wish that I could have gotten
Jessica's point of view. <beat> But
I'm not surprised that I didn't.
...
KENT
<slow> That's not quite the whole
story, Jessica. <beat> But then,
you've a knack for only knowing
part of the story, haven't you?
Helen: There are always two sides to every story
(sometimes more) and it's pretty important
that you know which version of the story
you're reading...^_^;;
JESSICA
Oooh, was that an insult?
Helen: <nods>uhhhuhhhh...
KENT
Niniane ... converted her body and
spirit into pure energy. Most of it
went into me --
JESSICA
Kinky.
KENT
-- where it ... I guess you could
say that it wrote some new data to
my brain. I'm still assimilating
it. <beat> But part of it went
into a certain spell that she'd
cast.
...
JESSICA
Good and evil! I'm evil!
KENT
No, you're psychopathic. There's a
difference.
Helen: <bwahahahahaha> The difference between
psychopath and evil is very minute...very
minute...
He starts to limp away.
JESSICA
You're going to just let me go?
After everything I've done --
KENT
You haven't done anything that I can
do anything about right now. I may
come back with a warrant for your
arrest in a bit. Who knows?
Miyuki: We hereby declare...
Natsumi: You're under arrest!
Helen and beta-fish: [sweatdrop]
...
KENT
You knew ... and you never said a
damn thing to me. <beat> Or to
her.
MCGOVERN
In your case ... she asked me not
to. <beat> In hers ... telling her
would have deprived her of her
freedom to choose. Which in a way
is what this is all about, isn't it?
<beat> And I didn't *know*. If the
next twenty-four hours don't work
out in the right way, the line that
leads to where I'm from will never
exist.
Helen: That's always the problem with time
travellers, especially those from the
future...
...
...
MICHAEL
Uh ... don't take this the wrong
way, but does the "healing" your
friend can do have any religious
overtones?
MINAKO
Well, she *is* the Messiah, but --
MICHAEL
<rubs head> I really didn't wanna
know that. <beat> Look, vampyres
and religion just don't mix.
MINAKO
I *know* that, but --
Helen: [pointed look at Raye] Yesahhhhh....she should
know...
[ducks from a Flame Sniper that narrowly
misses]
beta-fish: <blub-blurb-blub!> <Don't try that with
Raye!>
Helen: Hush! You just stay in that fish bowl there,
thank ye!
MICHAEL stares at her for a long moment, before a concerned expression
starts to develop on his face.
MICHAEL
<slow> You're pretty concerned about
me slitting my wrists for a person
who was about to slit her own.
MINAKO
<quiet> It's different when you have
to watch. When it's being done to
you, you don't have time to think
about it ... but when all you can do
is watch --
Helen: [reads the Nike ad] Just do it!
...
Cut to RAYE, sitting in the dojo, looking at the sliding door with an
apprehensive expression.
SHAMPOO (O.S.)
Hey, barely-know girl. You want to
watch door all night or play cards?
RAYE turns back to look at SHAMPOO, who is sitting with URD and AYEKA.
URD has produced a poker dealer's cap from somewhere.
RAYE
Oh, I'm quite ready to play a fair
game --
She glares first at AYEKA and then at SHAMPOO.
RAYE
-- as long as the two of you don't
try that "I've never played this
game before" scam *again*.
AYEKA
<blinks> But I haven't! Really.
<beat> Granted, one can claim
familiarity with a rather similar
game ... *some* familiarity ...
RAYE
Yeah, right, *that's* why you've
still got half your chips and I --
URD
Now, now, like I once told Bradey,
"Never count your money when you're
sitting at the table; there'll be
time enough for counting when the
dealing's done."
RAYE
Who's Bradey?
URD
<ignores her> Let's play cards!
Helen: anooo...wonderful set up for the first
introduction of poker scene in TA: 2937...
We take a brief tour of the dojo, seeing UKYOU and LITA talking, busily
exchanging recipes; RANMA and TENCHI discussing something -- probably
fighting, while DARIEN and RYOUKO watch on from opposite sides. SASAMI
is
curled up in the corner, half-asleep, while MIHOSHI is all the way
there.
Helen: Y'know...in the Further Adventures of Serena
and Luna, Lita Kino is in the States opening
a Ucchan's okinomiyaki restaurant...I'd say
this was where she picked up the idea...
beta-fish: <blub-blub-blub-blub!!> <But look at
what happened!>
Helen: Oh yeahhhhh....well _I_ think that
okinomiyaki is fine...must be those American
taste buds that are wrong !
...
PATRICIA
Thank you, Kasumi-san. <beat>
Kasumi-san? What is ... human?
KASUMI gives the question a serious moment of thought.
KASUMI
What does it mean to be human?
<beat> To be human is to be aware,
always, even if only unconsciously,
of one's flaws ... and to try and
transcend them, always, in one way
or another. <beat> This is how we
are unlike the monsters who call
themselves gods.
PATRICIA
Ara?
Helen: ' to try and become like god,
is far from becoming like god. '
Theodore Roethke
Cut to the roof of the dojo, where BELLDANDY is sitting, watching the
stars. KEIICHI pokes his head through one of the holes in the roof, and
sees her.
KEIICHI
<quiet> Belldandy?
She turns to him quickly, and lets out a sigh of immense relief.
BELLDANDY
Keiichi-san! Thank goodness you're
all right!
KEIICHI climbs out onto the roof, and makes his way over to where she
is.
BELLDANDY
I was worried that *she* would not
permit you to see me ...
KEIICHI
Uh, no ... she's let me have the run
of the house. <beat> Uh, Belldandy
... Tendou-san really does seem like
a nice person ...
BELLDANDY
<shakes her head> Don't be taken in
by appearances, Keiichi-san. She is
of the most vile species of humanity
to have been ever born from Mother
Earth.
KEIICHI
What?
Cut back to the kitchen. SERENA starts to sneak in, then realizes it is
occupied, and ducks back out, though not all the way.
KASUMI
I'm going to tell you a story, now.
It may not all be true, but it is
what I *know*. <beat> Long, long ago
there was life on the moon.
Helen [deep announcer voice]: Long, long ago...in a
galaxy far, far
away...
SERENA jumps, but is not noticed by either of them.
KASUMI
There was life on all the worlds of
this solar system. It was an age
... undreamt of. <beat> Within a
few short millennia of his birth as
a species, mankind harnessed the
hidden powers of the world, and
spread out throughout the *worlds*.
<beat> By their own will and power,
they pulled themselves out of the
muck of Earth ... and up among the
stars. *By* *themselves*. <beat>
And this made the gods mad with
envy.
Cut back to the roof.
BELLDANDY
They called themselves godlings.
<beat> Because they were born with
a strange ability to wield the
hidden powers of the universe from
the cradle ... they felt themselves
to be the equal of my kindred. They
spread throughout the solar system,
turning every world into as close to
a duplicate of Earth as they could,
caring nothing for the ecologies of
these worlds. Nature existed only
as a tool, or an obstacle to them.
<beat> And as for those humans not
blessed with the wonder of magic?
They were scarcely better off than
animals.
Cut back to the kitchen.
KASUMI
It was not a perfect world that man
created. There was injustice and
inequality. But this has been true
of all peoples, of all nations. The
gods despised the Silver Millennium
not for the cruelties and horrors,
but because it had been accomplished
without their help.
Cut back to the roof.
BELLDANDY
We watched in horror, and could do
nothing. For they never invited us
into their lives. There was no true
spiritual urge among them ... only a
relentless desire to push the limits
of what could be done. An endless
crusade for more power, more wealth,
more of all things. <beat> They
even meddled where we will not, and
created true life, from lifelessness.
They dared. They dared.
Helen: ...hmmmm...to go where no man (or Godling)
has gone before... ^_^;; I'd say that
they've done what all of those alchemists of
the Dark and Renaissance Ages were trying to
do: break the secret to humanity -- a
question that was first raised in the Greeks:
Plato, Aristotle, Galen...and then through
the ages...Descartes, Harvey...
Cut back to the kitchen.
KASUMI
In the end ... there arose one whose
soul had been given to anger, and
hatred, and grief ... and she tore
down the Silver Millennium with her
own hands. <beat> And what did the
gods do? They mocked us. "You
never needed us before," they said
as millions upon millions died.
"You surely can't need us now."
They sat back, and laughed.
Cut back to the roof.
BELLDANDY
In the fullness of time, there came
the Apocalypse. One of their own
dealt the final blow to the rotting
hulk that was the civilization of
the godlings. And millions upon
millions of innocents died in the
conflagration. And we could do
nothing ... for they did not call on
us. They called on their powers or
those of their rulers to save them
... and those powers were fading
like the setting of a sun. <beat>
We watched ... and wept.
Cut back to the kitchen.
PATRICIA
<muted> Is this really a true story?
KASUMI
It is ... and I should know. I was
there.
SERENA slowly steps into the kitchen.
SERENA
<quiet> Who were you?
KASUMI is frozen for a second, staring at SERENA in stunned horror.
PATRICIA looks up to see who it is, and blinks.
SERENA
<quiet> Please ... I have to know
who you were ...
KASUMI
No you don't. We are who we are ...
who we were should not enter into
it --
SERENA
But it does.
KASUMI looks as though she wants to argue with the statement for a few
moments ... then her resistance collapses under the sad, quiet look in
SERENA's eyes.
KASUMI
My name ... was Vesta. <beat> Vesta,
daughter of Serenity.
SERENA's eyes open even wider. For a few seconds, absolutely nothing
happens.
SERENA
Did we ever meet?
KASUMI shakes her head. Tears are beginning to pool in SERENA's eyes.
SERENA
Then I can't know ... I can't know
if it's okay or not ... to call you
oneesama ...
KASUMI looks as though she's been hit with a mallet ... and then, for
the
first time since she began to recount her story, there is life in her
eyes, and hope.
KASUMI
Of course it's all right, my dear
sister. Of course.
Quite suddenly, SERENA dashes forward to embrace KASUMI, startling the
heck out of PATRICIA. There is much shedding of tears -- not all on
SERENA's part.
Cut to the roof.
BELLDANDY
They cannot be trusted, ever, these
"godlings". Not even in another
life. <beat> We made the mistake of
not stopping them, then, and the
human race paid for it with nearly
twelve thousand years of darkness.
Even now ...
Helen: ...a beautiful explanation that both links
the stories from 'Heaven is a very strange
place' as well as the ending to TA: 2937.
beta-fish: <blub!> <Hai!>
Helen: I might note with _some_ cynicism that the
seiyuu for both Belldandy and Kasumi are the
same... Goddess and Godling...so close yet so
far..
She trails off, and realizes that KEIICHI is slumped over on his side,
fast asleep. She sighs, and smiles.
...
AKANE (V.O.)
After that, it quieted down for the
night. I had finally gotten to
sleep a while before any of this
went on, and was busy dreaming of
the demons I'd fought earlier that
day. I'd done well -- Skuld had
complemented me on the way I dealt
with the bugs -- but it bothered
me how easy it had been to crush
the little things ... without even
having to think about it. <beat>
Adventure, I'd been told, was some-
one else having a terrible time far
away. I felt like I was having an
adventure. I hated it.
Helen: ...hmmmmm...when you use the word:
'complement' here, do you mean 'compliment'
as in praise or 'complement' as working
together and whatnot. I could see both
things happening if Skuld is there...the
Molljnir Mk. II handles bugs very closely
with the way that Akane's chi mallet WHOMP's
Ranma...
...
MIHOSHI suddenly starts waving her hand.
MIHOSHI
I do, I do! <beat> I think ... uh,
it's kind of like what my granddaddy
did with garbage on our homelands.
He buried it, *far* away from any
land or water that he was using ...
but eventually it got in the land
and the water anyway, just not when
he was using it, but when my daddy
was ... <beat> Is that right?
RYOUKO
<muttered> This explains so much ...
KENT
Right.
RYOUKO collapses momentarily.
Helen: Quoting Mr. Mathews:
Kiyone grabbed Mihoshi and kissed her.
"Mihoshi, sometimes you're so stupid, you're
brilliant!"
Galaxy Police Mihoshi's
Academy Days
...
>From his expression, KENT appears to be struggling with something.
KENT
I don't know how to explain this.
<beat> I don't know if this is true
for everyone, or just for me ...
but each person who has taken the
role of the Defender has had *two*
souls, in a way. One part was the
soul that everyone on Earth gets.
One per customer. The other part
was the immortal part, the part that
was a small piece of the Defender.
It guides and records the doings of
the ... the host, I guess you could
call it. <beat> So, now, while I
remember all of the lives that the
Defender has been ... they weren't
*me*. But I recognize parts of
myself, attitudes that I thought
were mine *in* them ... and I'm left
to wonder how much of me is of my
own making, and how much is --
DARIEN
<quiet> Don't think about it.
KENT
But --
DARIEN
Don't *think* about it. We are who
we are.
KENT stares at DARIEN for a second ... then nods, slowly.
Helen: ...aaaahhhhh...somehow Mr. Masefield's
explanation is *very* similar to one that
Serenity would give to a certain Ms. Asagiri
in the far future... ^_^
...
RYOUKO
Yo, question.
KENT
Yes?
RYOUKO
So, this Defender stops the plans of
this Adversary ... and the plans are
generally aimed at wiping out all
life in the universe, right?
KENT
More or less, yes.
RYOUKO
Then would you mind telling me what
the hell's so `ill-chosen' about the
name "the Defender"? It's been
bothering me for a while.
KENT
<blinks> Well ... because he's not
*defending* anything. He's stopping
the plans, not because he cares
about humanity, but because he hates
the Adversary. In fact --
RYOUKO
<interrupting> So?
KENT
-- that's where "the Adversary" came
from, it's *his* ad-- <break off>
What do you mean, so?
RYOUKO
So he's stopping these plans despite
not caring if they succeed or not.
So what?
KENT
<baffled> He's doing it for the
wrong reasons. If you do the right
thing, for the wrong reason, it's
*not* good --
Helen: Duty for the sake of duty...how
depressing...but a classic situation for a
hero...tragic and otherwise.
RYOUKO
<irritated> Says who? <beat> I
mean, I try to stay friendly with
a certain Imperial snobbiness --
AYEKA
<haughty> Since when?
RYOUKO
<ignores her> -- not because I give
two shakes of a schthazi ass what
she thinks about me, but because
someone I *do* care about wants me
to. Does that mean it doesn't mean
anything?
KENT looks at TENCHI.
KENT
You wanna try answering this one?
TENCHI
<lowers head> I'm not going to say
anything.
KEIICHI
That's probably a very wise move.
TENCHI
<not lifting head> Thank you.
Cut to the grey space. WASHUU is laughing her head off.
PLUTO
<annoyed> Would you stop that?
He's quite right, you know.
WASHUU
<malicious> Oh really? So did my
helping you out in the War to get
you off my back make whatever you
forced me to do less of a "good"
thing?
PLUTO
<grudging> Unfortunately, yes.
WASHUU
<malicious> But did it make *any*
difference at all in the outcome?
PLUTO glares wordlessly for a few seconds.
PLUTO
<quiet> It is too soon to tell.
WASHUU
"If it cannot be measured to signif-
icant figures, it is not fact ... it
is an opinion." <beat> All this
bunkum about "the work becomes
corrupt" is stuff people made up to
make people *want* to be selfless
and noble and decent, and to feel
guilty about not being that way all
the time. The universe looks at
actions, not at motives.
PLUTO
<angry> I said that it was too soon
to tell. Ask me again in a thousand
years, and I may be able to answer
with more *precision*.
Helen [as Pluto]: But then again, I might not.
...