inspired by "Ranma 1/2"
art and story of Rumiko Takahashi
under contract from Shogakukan
seasoned lightly with "Mobile Fighter G Gundam"
directorial vision of Yasuhiro Imagawa
under contract from Bandai
rammed through fourth wall as "Interlude for Eyepatch and Microphone"
directed, produced, and written by Glazius Falconar
camera by BracketVision
give the first two all the credit
give the last one all the blame
enjoy
*********
[ A street in Nerima, daytime. Shops line both sides. On the right
side, a sidewalk cafe has laid out tables and chairs, and people sit
in them, eating or reading the paper. A steady procession of people
walk up and down the sidewalks. The street stretches into the
distance, meeting another one that runs at right angles along a canal
fence. Two people walk by the fence in the distance - a girl in a blue
sundress (AKANE) and a boy in a red shirt and black pants (RANMA).
Suddenly Akane stops, and the two begin to have a very animated
conversation. The noise of the crowd passing by drowns all of it out.
The people at the cafe eating continue eating. One man gets up and
walks off and another sits down in his place. The people reading the
paper unfold and refold it, turning pages. The people walking by keep
walking by. Akane and Ranma continue to talk to each other.
Akane hauls back and belts Ranma, sending him up, up, and nearly away.
When he's just about out of the frame to the upper right, everything
abruptly slows to a stop.
Except for one of the people reading the newspapers at the cafe. The
paper rustles a bit as it's flipped and turned, and eventually it's
folded up and put down.
The man behind it has close-cut black hair and a mustache, and is
wearing an eyepatch, a red suit, pink dress shirt, and yellow bowtie
(STOKER). Stoker looks directly at the camera, smiling slightly. ]
STOKER: Hello, everyone. Permit me, if you will, to color with my own
spotlight -
[ A sudden, pronounced click, and a spotlight shines down on Stoker,
throwing the frozen world into a light shadow. ]
STOKER: - the events even now taking place in this little ward of old
Tokyo.
Many of you are familiar with the outcome of the thirteenth
Gundam Fight. Some may know a bit about the Gundam Fighters
themselves. Others may keep a very clear memory of the entire
tournament, and everything that was said and done, and those
of you who have may know what I am about to reveal. Please,
though, allow me to lay the foundation for everything else I
will say.
[ STOKER pulls what seems to be a handkerchief from a pocket of his
suit. As he unfolds it, we can see it's striped black, red, and
yellow, after the fashion of the German flag. He pulls the cloth over
his head - it's a mask, with a single large eyehole and a yellow and
black chevron above the eyehole. The eyepatch is still under the mask.
STOKER strikes a sudden, defiant pose in his seat, and the camera
zooms in on his face as he shouts. ]
STOKER: A martial artist is a man who can only express his feelings
through his fists!
[ The camera pulls back again. STOKER takes the mask off, and slowly
folds it up and tucks it away. He clears his throat. ]
STOKER: You might call it a very one-sided view of affairs. You might
believe it applies only to the Gundam Fighters. You _may_
even think it an outright lie. But ponder this for just a
moment.
[ STOKER reaches into his suit and pulls out a pair of photographs,
holding them close to the camera. In the one on the left, a boy with a
yellow shirt and tiger-striped bandana (RYOGA) is holding a glowing
ball, tears running down his face. In the one on the right, Ranma is
holding a similar ball and smirking confidently. ]
STOKER: In this ward of old Tokyo, where some fighters can bat each
other around with nothing more than a flood of emotions...
might there not be some truth to it?
[ STOKER tucks the pictures away. ]
STOKER: In the heat of battle, or so I have been told, there is
nothing to gain and much to lose by hiding your own emotions
behind a wall. Two fighters, challenging each other and using
their skills to the fullest, cannot help but see into each
others' hearts.
[ STOKER turns slightly, regarding the frozen Ranma and Akane. ]
STOKER: What do you suppose she is feeling now? And what do you
suppose _he_ is feeling now? And why do you think they end up
together, after everything has been settled?
[ STOKER turns back to the camera. ]
STOKER: And many more questions follow after these, like a rockslide
after the first few pebbles. Why is he reluctant to fight
girls? Because of what he may feel? What they may feel? Both?
What would happen if, when this all began, he knew what the
champion of the thirteenth Gundam Fight would eventually come
to know?
That _by_ fighting someone you can express not only anger,
hatred, and sorrow, but also love? Trust? Friendship?
Or does he know that already? Did he know it to begin with?
Who else knows it? It can be a difficult truth, but not an
impossible one...
[ STOKER trails off and shrugs, grinning.]
STOKER: Perhaps this is all just idle speculation. After all, in the
end, who can be sure of anything?
But in this new light... take a look at the battle of hearts
and fists that continues to play itself out, here in this
little ward of old Tokyo!
[ STOKER suddenly leaps up onto his chair, one hand flinging the suit
jacket over his head. He holds the jacket and eyepatch in one hand;
the other hand has a microphone, and both eyes are in perfect
condition. Stoker smiles widely. ]
STOKER: Romance Fight, all set! Ready...
[ STOKER flings both arms upward. ]
STOKER: GOOOOOOO!
[ As the word echoes and fades away, Stoker freezes in his pose.
Gradually, his image and spotlight fade from the picture, leaving
behind only the paper on an empty table at the cafe. The picture
slowly starts up again. Ranma flies up out of the screen. People
begin walking to and fro, and someone sits down in the chair Stoker
formerly occupied and picks up the paper.
Akane looks up at the sky for a few moments. It isn't clear from here
what expression is on her face. Slowly, she turns and walks off to the
left.
Fade to black. ]
*******
Little idea coming out of the Typical Ranma Fic chain, expressed and
phrased in a manner that seemed like a good idea at the time.
Stoker fans, does he seem alright?
--GF
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