Subject: [FFML] [r.5] [GG] Interlude for Eyepatch and Microphone
From: "Glazius Falconar" <GlaziusFalconar@peoplepc.com>
Date: 11/4/2002, 9:08 PM
To:


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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