>From the Journal of Akane Tendo April 28
Something interesting happened today. I was at Ucchan's helping
out, when the door slid open and this woman came in. My guess is that
she was around thirty. She had long black hair and a friendly, open
face. She walked up to me and flashhed a badge.
"Reiko Tsereba, Tokyo police. I'm looking for an Akane Tendo."
"You've found her. What can I do for you?"
"I'd like to talk to you about Ranma Saotome,"
I told Shampoo I was taking a break and led the police officer to
the back room. As we were going through the dining area, she stopped.
I noticed she was looking at the portrait of Ukyou hanging on the
wall. We all contributed to getting it done, we even got an "Our
Founder" plaque for it. Tsereba was examining it.
"That's Ukyou," I volunteered.
"She's pretty," she replied.
I buried the knee-jerk feeling of jealousy and led Tsereba to the
back room.
"We were going to talk about Ranma," I said, bringing the subject
back to what she came for. Tsereba sat down at the table that was in
the back room.
"You're Ranma's fiancee, right?"
"Yeah," God, was this woman subtle.
"How long have you known Ranma?"
"About a year or so,"
"Do you know him well?"
"Well...I...that is..." Oh, *real* intelligent Akane.
"Skip it,"
"Officer Tsereba..."
"Sergeant, actually, but you can call me Reiko,"
"Fine, Reiko, what do you want?"
"I want to find out why Ranma Saotome was breaking into Ukyou
Kuonji's grave. There's something going on here, and I want to find
out what it is,"
"Didn't Ranma explain what happened to Ukyou?"
"Yes, he did. But it seems too farfetched, even for Nerima,"
"What do you mean, `even for Nerima'?"
"We've had so many reports of strange stuff happening out here,
most of his story seems normal. In fact, I believe everything about
the water and the disease, but I just can't believe Ukyou's returned
from the dead,"
"Returned from the dead?!" I asked...
Transcript of personal tape recording made by Sgt. Reiko Tsereba,
4/28, 2:30PM
I talked to Akane Tendo, Ranma Saotome's fiancee, today hoping
that she would know why Saotome was digging up Ukyou Kuonji. She
didn't know. In fact, she doesn't even know where Saotome's been for
the past week.
She also didn't know what he meant when he said he's seen Kuonji.
Normally, I'd think Saotome was nuts, but there's been so much
strange shit going on in Nerima the past couple of years that I'm
inclined to give Saotome the benefit of the doubt.
I'm worried about Keibu. He seems hellbent on nailing Saotome for
murder. I don't know if he's been on the force too long, or if he has
something against Saotome personally, or what, but it's clouding his
judgement.
I'm hoping to talk to Saotome sometime before he gets bailed out,
give him a chance to tell his story. Hopefully he'll open up and we
can figure out what's going on...
Statement of Ranma Saotome, 4/28. 4:30 PM
Okay, you want to know what I'm talking about? I'll tell you,
provided you wait until I'm finished. It's something I'm sure you
won't believe. But, you want to know, so--
It happened just ofter the funeral. I was hurt, angry, and pissed
at myself for not being able to do anything to save Ukyou. I spent
most of my time training, looking for some sort of release.
It was on one of those nights that it happened. I had spent the
day thinking on the dojo roof. I was thinking about how there were
some things that no one could prevent. After a while, it became too
depressing and I decided to go for a walk.
I leaped off the dojo roof and began walking. I must havce gone
at least five miles before it happened.
There was a sharp, whistling sound, then something whizzed past
me, taking part of my shirt sleeve with it.
The object embedded itself in the brick wall behind me. I pulled
it out and was shocked to find that it was one of Ukyou's throwing
spatulas, only charred and burnt until it was black.
As I was examining it, I heard the same whistling sound and
dodged. Good thing I did, too. Seven more spatulas arrived and
embedded themselves in the wall. Another came out of nowhere, clipped
my shin and I went down.
I looked up and saw something I wasn't ready for. Standing on the
roof of the house opposite me was Ukyou. She was backlit by the moon,
but there was no mistaking her shape, or the shape of the giant
spatula on her back. I called her name but she ignored me.
No, wait, check that. She didn't ignore me. In fact, she sent
another volley of spatulas in my direction. I rolled out of the way,
the spatulas shrieking by me and joining the others.
I ignored the pain in my leg and leaped to the roof of the house.
I saw Ukyou dashing across the rooftops, I followed. I trailed her
for six blocks before my leg gave out.
As I lay on the ground, in severe pain, another spatula landed in
the ground in front of me. There was a small note tied around the
handle. I unrolled the note and read it. It said "You will pay." It
wasn't signed.
No, I don't have the note or the spatula. You won't believe me if
I tell you...All right, the spatula crumbled to dust and the note
burst into flame.
I _said_ you wouldn't believe me.
Normally, I would have shrugged something like that off. Enough
strange stuff has happened to me before, this just seemed like more
of the same. Unfortunately, I met her again the next night.
I was walking toward Ucchan's, preparing to help out, when it
happened. I had cut through an alley, figuring I could hold my own if
any street punks were stupid enough to try to mug me.
There were no punks, but she was there.
Once again, I didn't see her face. It was too dark. But, I
did see her eyes.
How could I see her eyes if I couldn't see her face? Her eyes
were glowing. Two white glowing slits where her eyes should've been.
Then she spoke.
"Saotome," is what she said. It was Ukyou's voice, and yet there
was something else that I really can't describe. An echo of
something...I don't know.
"Ucchan?" I asked. She responded by throwing more spatulas at me.
I managed to dodge them. When I finished, she was gone. Then her
voice echoed down the alley.
"Prepare to lose everything you care about, Saotome..."
----------
AH! Ze plot Zickens! In the next installment, Ranma breaks out of
jail, Shampoo gets sent to the hospital, and we find out exactly what
Cologne knows about this whole mess.
C&C kindly accepted, but may or may not be acted upon. :)
---Erin 2.5