Subject: [ranma][xover][fanfic] NARRABUNDAH 1/2 - Volume I, chapter 4
From: Ratbat
Date: 1/26/1997, 2:39 AM
To: Fanfix


                         NARRABUNDAH 1/2
                               
                         by Urac Sigma
                               
                               
                      Volume I, part four
                               
         Nan da yo? Toboki-sensei - Oneesan no Otoko?!
                               
                               
                      CAST OF CHARACTERS
                               
                          TENDO SUZY
                       SIGMATOME RATBAT
                         The betrothed
                               
                          TENDO FIONA
                          TENDO NIKI
                       Leftover sisters
                               
                          TENDO BOBBI
                         SIGMATOME LEN
                       Intrusive parents
                               
                       DR TOBOKI CALLUM
                          Medical guy
                               
                         KUNOU JARRAH
                        Complete moron
                               
                       HODJSUKE TIMOTHY
                        That little guy
                               
                               A
                         LAB ASSISTANT
                               
                            and the
                           LOST BOY




             TITLE SEQUENCE.

             [A  lot  of  surreal-looking running and  dancing
             that  culminates in Suzy and Ratbat standing back
             to  back.  With the alternate Jajauma ni  Sasenai
             de, and an art card matching the voice-over.]

SUZY [VO]:   Nan da yo? Toboki-sensei - Oneesan no Otoko?!



             1. PATH.

             [CAPTION:  Neribanda, Japan - Saturday 19  August
             1995 ]

             [Gradually coming into this night view  are  Suzy
             and  Ratbat. Their progress is slow,  as  Ratbat-
             chan  seems unwilling to move her legs more  than
             a  couple  of centimetres at a time.  She  is  in
             quite  some pain, and her face betrays  that  she
             also  has no idea why. Suzy is leading her along,
             looking  quite  concerned, but turning  her  face
             whenever  Ratbat tries to look at her. In  short,
             this  is less than an hour after the end of  last
             episode.  Suzy  tries to turn in  one  direction,
             but Ratbat doesn't.]

RATBAT:      Ernn...Dojo's the...other way...innit?

SUZY:        There's  a doctor nearby. Dr Toboki Callum.  He's
             been  treating me, Niki and Fiona ever  since  we
             were little...he's like a family friend.

             [Ratbat nods and starts off in that direction.]

SUZY:        He'd better be there...



             2. DR CALLUM'S RECEPTION.

             [Just  open on the door, which is closed.  [Whoa,
             that's  sloppy.] After a pause,  there  are  door
             chimes,  and a man in his early thirties  enters.
             He  has short but wavy red hair, glasses,  and  a
             white  coat  and stethoscope over  a  blue  denim
             shirt and jeans. He answers the door.]

EARLY THIRTIES:    Hi.  What  can-- [he peers closer,  through
             the cross-dressing] Suzy!

             [Suzy  and  Ratbat are indeed there, and  stagger
             in.]

SUZY:        Konbanwa, Toboki-sensei.

CALLUM:      God,  Suz, how many times do I have to tell  you?
             You can call me Callum.

SUZY:        Hai.  To-- Callum, this is Ratbat. Would  you  be
             able to look him over?

CALLUM:      Sure.  You're  lucky I'm up this late...I  had  a
             few unexpected patients, you see.


SUZY:        Oh...

CALLUM:      Um,  take her through to my office. I'll be there
             in a second.

SUZY:        Hai!

             [She  leads  Ratbat  off. Despite  her  contorted
             face,  Ratbat  manages to raise  the  eyebrow  of
             observant  curiosity. Follow  Dr  Callum  through
             to...]



             3. INFIRMARY.

             [Here,  four  beds  are set  up,  containing  [in
             varying  degrees  of  bandagement  and  groaning]
             Bobbi, Len, Jarrah and Tim.]

JARRAH:      I  tell  thee,  Tim  - had they  not  been  using
             dishonourable   and  underhanded  tactics,   they
             would now be cowering before me for mercy-- Ow.

TIM:         Nng...Hai, Kunou-sama.

BOBBI:       D'you  think,  Sigmatome, (urk!)  that  maybe  we
             should get back to training one of these days?

LEN:         Bullshit.   We   were   just   having   an    off
             night...argh.

             [Dr  Callum  enters, and addresses Niki,  who  is
             standing bemused on the other side of the room.]

CALLUM:      How are they, Niki?

NIKI:        Hey,  Cal.  They're hurting,  but  I  think  it's
             mostly their egos.

CALLUM:      Well,  that'll  show  them  to  get  into  street
             fights in the middle of the night.

             [Jarrah  reaches for his rubber  sword  with  his
             unbandaged arm.]

JARRAH:      Darest thou mock me, witch doctor...?

             [Dr  Callum calmly walks over and pushes a couple
             of  points on the arm, and it goes limp, dropping
             the weapon.]

CALLUM:      Now. Sumimasen.

             [He   exits.  Niki  sticks  her  tongue  out   at
             Jarrah.]

JARRAH:      I hate you.

NIKI:        Bite me.



             4. DR CALLUM'S OFFICE.

             [Ratbat  is  foetally  curled  on  the  examining
             table  while  Suzy is over at his  desk.  She  is
             fiddling  with a Newton's Cradle. She  pulls  one
             of  the  balls  back, and when it  contacts,  its
             opposite  number swings right around and  crashes
             into  the  others. She hastily  puts  it  in  the
             drawer as Dr Callum enters.]

CALLUM:      Now - what seems to be the problem?

RATBAT:      A  while ago...Ratbat just collapsed, saying that
             his stomach was hurting. And, well...look.

CALLUM:      'He'?

             [Suzy realises.]

SUZY:        Oh!  He's not really a girl. I mean, he  is,  but
             he's also a boy...uh...

CALLUM:      Aaaahhh, I see.

             [He leans conspiratorially over Ratbat.]

CALLUM:      Look, they go for that kind of thing far more  in
             the  West,  but,  seeing as you're  a  friend  of
             Suzy's, I could give you a prescription for  some
             pills,  and  the address of a colleague  of  mine
             who--

SUZY:        Ne!      Umm...gomen,      Callum...it's      not
             that...umm...do you mind if I make  use  of  that
             hot water bottle?

CALLUM:      No, be my guest.

             [She  picks up a hot water bottle from  the  rack
             under  the  table  and empties  it  onto  Ratbat,
             changing her back into him. Callum boggles for  a
             moment.]

SUZY:        He  fell  into a cursed spring in China.  He  can
             use hot water to return to normal...

RATBAT:      Nnh... uh? Hang about - it's stopped.

             [Suzy talks right over him.]

SUZY:        But  as  soon  as  he gets wet  with  cold  water
             again...

             [She splashes him with a glass of water.]

SUZY:        Bang, back to the 'fair sex'. What did you say?

             [Ratbat is suddenly in pain again.]

RATBAT:      Eeeiiii...don't worry...

CALLUM:      Really?  That's  interesting...I can't  say  I've
             seen  that happen before. Not that fast,  anyway.
             I  really  must  check my books  later  on.  Now,
             let's see what I can do to help you.

             [With  small  difficulty, he gets Ratbat  to  lie
             straight.]

CALLUM:      Um...Ratbat,  isn't  it? Now,  let's  see  if  we
             can't...

             [Behind  him, Fiona enters, and Suzy  covers  her
             face with a hand.]

FIONA:       Toboki-sensei?  I  just re-did  the  dressing  on
             Sigmatome-san's  leg. He messed  it  up  when  he
             tried to go looking for Scotch.

CALLUM:      Thanks...[he turns and faces her] Fiona!

             [At  this  point,  he  goes  quite  strange.  His
             glasses   fog   up,  he  starts  dancing   around
             epileptically, and babbling.]

CALLUM:      Fiona! Hey, this is a surprise!! What beings  you
             here?!

             [Fiona smiles sweetly.]

FIONA:       Oh,  Toboki-sensei - don't you remember? Niki and
             I  brought  the four in the infirmary in,  a  few
             hours ago.

CALLUM:      Oh,  please, Fiona, there's no need for Callum  -
             call me formality!

             [He  goes over to the skeleton he has hanging  on
             a stand in the corner.]

CALLUM:      Look, Hoppy-chan! Fiona's here!

             [Hoppy-chan, naturally enough, doesn't respond.]

CALLUM:      What's  that?  Hm...you don't sound  well.  Here,
             have an injection.

             [He  pokes  the skeleton's arm with a syringe.  A
             CU  of  Suzy  shows that she is laughing  beneath
             her hand.]

RATBAT:      Nhh...

             [Bad   move.  When  Toboki  Callum's  like  this,
             pretend you don't exist.]

CALLUM:      Oh dear! What's wrong with you?

             [He  slams his hand right into Ratbat's  midriff,
             which doesn't improve her mood any. He pokes  her
             chest a couple of times.]

CALLUM:      My, what pectorals.

             [Niki appears and sees what has happened.]

NIKI [Self]: Kuso. [Aloud] Oneechan...I think Haha needs  some
             tending to.

FIONA:       Oh. Hontoo ni? I'll be right there.

             [Both sisters exit the room, past Dr Callum,  who
             is   juggling  medical  implements.  The  instant
             Fiona leaves, he calms right down. He turns  back
             to Ratbat, who looks ready to die.]

CALLUM:      Oh,  gomen.  Didn't mean to leave you like  that,
             Ratbat. Hmm...

             [He conducts a briefish examination of Ratbat.]

CALLUM:      Aaaa, sooka.

             [He  places  his  fingers  delicately  on  a  few
             points on Ratbat's body.]

RATBAT:      Arrrgg--   uh?  [Stopped  mid-groan]  It's...[she
             touches  her stomach experimentally, and tenderly
             gets  down  from the table.] it's  gone.  Glenda,
             you're good.

SUZY:        What was that? What did you do?

CALLUM:      Oh,   that  was  mumei-gekkei-monogoto.   Er,   a
             pressure-point  technique I once learnt.  Instant
             relief from period pain.

SUZY & RATBAT:    Uh-huh...[face-fault] PERIOD PAIN?!

CALLUM:      Hai. Those were menstrual cramps that Ratbat  was
             feeling.  Now,  if you'll excuse me,  I'd  better
             see how my other patients are getting on.

             [Suzy  and  Ratbat  stand  dumbfounded.  Dissolve
             to:]



             5. NERIBANDA STREET.

             [Ratbat-chan and Suzy are walking home.  Suzy  is
             shaking her head.]

SUZY:        All  that  fuss just over getting your  period...
             You can tell you're an otoko at heart, really.

             [Ratbat  opens her mouth with a bizarre  look  in
             her  eyes,  then appears to change her mind.  She
             instead says:]

RATBAT:      Well,  I've  no got the...mental preparation  for
             it!  Asides,  I  bet  you  didnae  exactly  react
             calmly for your first one.

             [Suzy thinks back.]

             [Flashback to:]



             6. LIVING ROOM.

             [Calm  in  the dojo for once. A fourteen-year-old
             Fiona  is  sitting at a table reading a textbook.
             Niki  [age  twelve] is counting money.  Bobbi  is
             writing a letter.]

             [CAPTION:  Neribanda, Japan - Monday 4 June  1990
             ]

             [Suddenly,  there  is  an  enormous  scream,  and
             eleven-year-old Suzy [making the  noise],  rushes
             straight   through   at   an   unheard-of   rate,
             disappearing by making a Suzy-shaped hole in  the
             back wall.]

             [Fiona  looks reasonably surprised. Bobbi's  eyes
             are wide, wide open. Niki barely looks up.]

NIKI [Flat]: She's started.



             7. NERIBANDA STREET.

SUZY:        Of course I did.

             [Ratbat   doesn't  believe  her,  but  goes   on,
             changing tack entirely.]

RATBAT:      Ye  were  casting expressions over  young  Callum
             there. Do you...

             [Suzy slows down.]

SUZY:        Hai...

             [She  looks back in expectation of ridicule,  but
             nothing comes.]

RATBAT:      I  thought  as  much.  I can  usually  tell  when
             someone  fancies someone...I just  don't  usually
             let on.

             [Suzy's  face  shows how valid  she  thinks  that
             remark is.]

SUZY:        [sigh] It's not going to happen, though...

RATBAT:      What,  'cos  'e's  fifteen-odd years  older  than
             you?

             [Suzy   scowls:  She  doesn't  like  that   being
             pointed out.]

SUZY:        Iie. He fancies someone else.

RATBAT:      Hontoo? Dare?

             [She gives her a square look.]

SUZY:        Who do you think, Ratti-chan...?

RATBAT:      Oh aye... Do you think Fiona knows how 'e feels?

SUZY:        Nah.

RATBAT:      Nani? After all that lot?

SUZY:        Well,  think  about it...if he  does  that  every
             time she's around...

RATBAT:      Sooda... She just thinks that that is him.

SUZY:        I actually wish she would work it out, though...

RATBAT:      Doshite?

SUZY:        I  think  that  if,  like, he had  someone,  then
             I'd...I'd  sort of give up on him. I don't  know,
             I'd...feel better about not having him.

RATBAT:      Hai...

             [They have arrived back at the dojo.]

SUZY:        Well,  this was an interesting evening. I  became
             a  man,  and  you...well,  you  really  became  a
             woman!

RATBAT:      Actually, Suzy-kun...I was...erm...

             [She has a small plead in her eyes.]

RATBAT:      ...I  think  I  need  kind of...a  bit  of...help
             there. I was utterly unprepared for that...

SUZY:        Um. Oh. Uh, OK.

             [She giggles and shakes her head.]

SUZY:        God,  I thought I might have to give someone That
             Talk one day, but I never thought it would be  my
             f-- [covering sneeze] --a boy.

             [They  walk  up  to the dojo, and we  hear  their
             receding dialogue.]

SUZY:        Are...are  you  sure  you wouldn't  rather  Fiona
             talked to you about this?

RATBAT:      Pretty much.

             [They open the door and go in.]

SUZY:        Niki?

RATBAT [OOV, firm]:    No.



             8. LAB.

             [A     dingy-looking     laboratory,     probably
             underground.]

             [CAPTION: Interlude
                              Minnesota,  USA  -  Saturday  19
             August 1995    ]

             [There is a doorbell sound, and a man dressed  in
             a  black  answers  the door. The  lost  boy  whom
             we've  been  trailing for the past two  weeks  is
             there.  He  carries a Japanese-English phrasebook
             that he reads from brokenly.]

LOST BOY:    Do you...give me...directions of Neribanda area?

             [The  man,  in turn, gets out an English-Japanese
             phrasebook at which he does even worse.]

MAN:         Watashi wa Neribanda no naka de wakarimasen.  Eki
             ni ikimasuka? Hai, soodesu.

             [The boy just blinks. ]

LOST BOY:    Goodbye. Thank you for your helping.

             [He goes.]



             9. LIVING ROOM.

             [Suzy  and Ratbat are here. Suzy is idly doodling
             while  Ratbat  sits with a thoughtful  expression
             on his face.]

RATBAT:      So why don't we get them together?

             [Suzy isn't quite listening.]

SUZY:        Who?

RATBAT:      Callum-sensei and Fiona.

SUZY:        Nani?  Have  you  been in the spice  cupboard  or
             something?

RATBAT:      I  just  thought about what you said last  night.
             About if 'e had someone. We've both seen that  he
             fancies  her.  She  probably wouldn't  mind  him,
             either, if she was...given a chance?

             [Suzy  is considering this. She nods slowly,  her
             pen in her mouth.]

SUZY:        Hai...

RATBAT:      I  mean...it'd be good for her, it'd be good  for
             him,  it'd  be good for them - it'd be  good  for
             you, an' all, goin' from you said.

SUZY [VO]:   Hmmm...he's   got  a  point...I  do   feel   that
             way...but  would I still if he got together  with
             someone?  With  Fiona, even? And would  it  work,
             for that matter? [Pause]

             [She furrows her brow, thinking.]

SUZY:        Oh, go on, Tendo, take some chances!

RATBAT:      Eh?

             [Suzy  realises she didn't mean to say  that  out
             loud.]

SUZY:        Gomen. All right, we could try it.

RATBAT:      Nice.  'Ere's  the 64000-yen question,  though  -
             how?

SUZY:        You mean you didn't have a plan already? Baka!

RATBAT:      Well,  I'm 'ardly gonna 'ave a plan ready  if  ye
             don't  even think the first idea's any  good,  am
             I? Baka-sempai!

SUZY:        You  could  at least have thought up a  draft  to
             outline your idea! Baka-sama!

RATBAT:      Och,  well pardon me for tryin' to meet with your
             approval! Baka-megamisama!

             [At  this  point, Suzy mallets him, so  he  makes
             the  oyakusoku pozu and goes down.  Niki  appears
             in the doorway.]

NIKI:        Ah, ce doit être l'amour.

SUZY:        Uh?

RATBAT:      'It must be love'.

NIKI:        I  couldn't  help but overhear your conversation,
             what  with  only  being in the  next  street  and
             everything  -  I think I might be  able  to  help
             this little plot of yours going.

RATBAT:      Really? How's that, then?

             [Niki holds out her hand.]

NIKI:        Uh-uh. Cough up, first.

             [On  Ratbat's  bemused face,  we  hear  a  rather
             disgusting Suzy-generated noise, followed by  the
             vision  of  Niki  wiping  her  hand  on  a  black
             Kleenex.]

NIKI:        I've  got  to remember, never say that  to  Tendo
             Suzy... Look, you're not going the right  way  if
             you want to hear my plan.

SUZY:        You're not going the right way if you don't  want
             to get wet again.

             [Niki bobs down.]

NIKI:        Who says I don't, my dear...

             [Suzy  looks  about to launch into one  of  these
             again, then decides against it.]

SUZY:        Plan.

NIKI:        [Sigh]  OK, here's the idea. [Fade] For a  start,
             you've got to get them...



             10. FIONA'S  BEDROOM.

             [She's  studying again. I really hope she  enjoys
             studying  and  preparing things. [I  don't  quite
             know  what she supposedly studies, either, now  I
             think  about it. I guess she's doing a  part-time
             course  or something. Whatever.] Suzy knocks  and
             enters.]

FIONA:       Oh. Ohayo, Suzy-chan.

SUZY:        Ohayo.   Umm,  Fiona...what  would  you  say   to
             inviting Toboki-sensei to dinner tomorrow night?

FIONA:       Why,  that would be a great idea, imoto-chan!  We
             so very rarely see him outside of work!

SUZY:        Iidesuneee!

             [A   thought  bubble  appears  over   her   head,
             containing   a   checkbox  which  suddenly   gets
             ticked. Suzy gets the big cute eyes.]

SUZY:        Could I help you cook?

             [Fiona pauses, remembering something.]

BOBBI [VO, off,  in pain]:   I'm sorry, girls...it looks  like
             your mother may not make it through the night...

             [Her face brightens.]

FIONA:       I know, Suzy - you may set the table.

             [The thought bubble appears again, this time  the
             box  getting  crossed. The  bubble  turns  black,
             becoming a rain cloud that pours down on Suzy.]

SUZY [From the pits of Hell]:    Doomo arigatoo gozaimasu.

             [She  stalks out, Fiona smiling innocently  after
             her.]



             11. OUTSIDE DOJO.

             [Ratbat-kun is waiting by the gate,  such  as  it
             is.  Pan  across the street to show that  Tim  is
             lurking  on  the  other side of  the  street.  He
             doesn't  seem to be doing anything much, possibly
             lurking  for  Kunou.  A  small  amount  of   rain
             starts,  and  we  all know what  happens  to  The
             Greatest Martial Artist in Neribanda.]

RATBAT:      Ee...

             [Tim  wasn't paying attention properly,  and  now
             he double-takes.]

TIM:         Nani...?

             [He  rubs  his  eyes, but in the moment  that  he
             does  so,  a  cyclist comes past  and  sends  him
             flying  out  of the picture. Ratbat  is  suddenly
             alert, and runs back to the dojo.]



             12. LIVING ROOM.

             [Niki   has  the  parents  in  a  huddle.  Ratbat
             enters.]

RATBAT:      'e's comin'!

             [Leaves.]

NIKI:        Now  -  do  you  remember it, guys?  As  soon  as
             things  start  to calm down, we all make  excuses
             and go, leaving Fiona and Callum together.

BOBBI:       Ohhh! Do we have to go through with this?

NIKI:        Listen  - remember who makes it possible for  you
             to   get  the  real,  bottled-in-Scotland  Scotch
             whisky at cost!

LEN:         Yeah,  but  I like the cheap domestic  crap  much
             better anyway!

             [Niki sighs and rolls her eyes.]

NIKI:        Then  I'll  get you that at cost, OK? [To  Bobbi]
             Besides,  don't  you  want  to  see  your  eldest
             daughter happy?

BOBBI:       But  you've seen her! Waiting on us hand and foot
             is  what makes her happy! We can't take that away
             from her!

             [Niki  reaches into her top and withdraws a  roll
             of camera film.]

BOBBI:       What's that?

NIKI:        You don't know?

LEN:         No.

NIKI:        Good.  If  you want to keep it that  way,  behave
             yourselves tonight.

FIONA [OOV]: Ah! Irasshai! Toboki-sensei, konbanwa!

CALLUM [OOV]:Fiif-Fi-Fiona!  What  a pleasant  surprise!  Have
             you  come  around  to your house  for  dinner  as
             well?

             [Suzy grits her teeth. Ratbat-kun returns.]

SUZY:        Fuck, I'd forgotten about that.

RATBAT:      We'll just have to distract him as best we can.

NIKI:        Come on, then, guys.

             [The  kids  do  a very animated-series  three-way
             hand join.]

SUZY, RATBAT,   NIKI:      TENDO-SIGMATOME  TOBOKI-SENSEI   NO
             SAKUSEN!

             [After  that little effort, take the 'camera'  up
             to  find  the clock on the wall. An hour  passes.
             Go  back down to find the dining table, with  the
             seven   diners  around  it.  Show  that  Callum's
             attention is drifting towards Fiona, and  so  his
             glasses  are  getting slightly  foggy,  and  he's
             quietly making a funny noise. Ratbat leaps in.]

RATBAT:      'ere,  To--  Callum, gomen - where did  ye  learn
             all  that stuff like pressure-pointin' and  what-
             have-you?  I  mean, is there just  that  one  you
             used the other day, or what?

             [Callum giggles at Fiona, but as Niki steers  his
             head   around,  his  attention  is  captured   by
             Ratbat.]

CALLUM:      Oh,  no.  I  know  hundreds of those.  Literally.
             From  everything  from  an  ingrown  toenail   to
             chronic muscle fatigue.

BOBBI:       Before   he   started  practicing  here,   Callum
             studied  martial  arts  quite  extensively.  He's
             really  good  these days, but he only  ever  uses
             the healing techniques.

CALLUM:      I  can't see the point in all that business  with
             physical  contests. It's usually me that  has  to
             patch  people up afterwards, so I might  as  well
             be good at it.

RATBAT:      'ow  good are you, though? At, like, the fighting
             an' stuff?

CALLUM:      Well, say you were to challenge me...

RATBAT:      Hai?

CALLUM:      I  could have you flat on your back before  you'd
             even got your mouth closed.

RATBAT:      Och, I dunno about that 'un. I'm qui-- ow!

             [Suzy has elbowed him.]

SUZY:        Dame!

RATBAT:      Hmph!

             [Niki  looks  at her watch and frowns.  Suddenly,
             she knocks a glass of water onto Ratbat.]

RATBAT:      Oi!

NIKI:        Oh,  chikusho - I've accidentally changed  Ratbat
             into   a  girl.  [Very  forced,  trying  to  make
             everyone get the point.] We'd better go  and  get
             some hot water to change you back.

RATBAT:      Um?  [Realises] Och, ye're right. Come on,  Suzy-
             kun.

SUZY:        Right. I'll just come, and...uh...hold it still.

             [She follows them out with a 'why did I just  say
             that?' expression on her face.]

BOBBI:       Oh!  Sumimasen  -  I think I hear  the  telephone
             ringing.

             [She gets up to go.]

FIONA:       But Okaasan - the telephone's just over there.

             [She  points  to  one on the other  side  of  the
             room.]

BOBBI:       Um, yeah. No. I mean nextdoor's denwa!

             [She exits, flustered.]

LEN:         Er,  um...excuse me. I'm just gonna go...er, take
             a bath.

             [He  runs out into the yard, and we hear a  large
             splash, followed by Len trying to sing My Way  as
             a  panda.  This means that Dr Callum  has  no-one
             left  here  but Fiona. His glasses start  to  fog
             up, and he starts to giggle. Fiona just looks  at
             him   charmingly.  Show  that  he  is   straining
             slightly.]

CALLUM [VO]: No,  don't  carry on like that!  You've  got  her
             alone  at long last! Say something smart!  You're
             a  doctor, you must have something interesting to
             say!

CALLUM:      So,   uh,  day-chan,  what  do  you  Fiona   with
             yourself these do's?

             [Fiona laughs politely.]

FIONA:       Oh, Callum...you're so funny.

CALLUM:      I  am?  I  mean,  am I? I mean, that's  nice  and
             everything, but I just don't do it in purpose,  I
             mean  I  would if I thought it was good...[laughs
             slightly maniacally]



             13. BOTTOM OF STAIRWELL.

             [Bobbi  is  leaning on the rail,  listening.  She
             shakes her head sadly.]

BOBBI:       Oh, Fiona-chan...



             14. NIKI'S LAIR.

             [CU  on a Monopoly board. A long-nailed, slightly
             webbed  hand  comes into view and moves  the  dog
             token.]

RATBAT:      Ichi,  ni,  san,  shi. Hm. Does anyone  own  this
             one?

NIKI:        Hai,  watashi. Let's see...and it's got how  many
             hotels on it? Oh, OK. Let me think...

             [She  fishes a calculator from amongst  her  vast
             collection  of  game-profits and  presses  a  few
             buttons.]

NIKI:        ...call it...hyakuman en.

RATBAT:      A  million  yen?! Yer only supposed  to  put  two
             hotels on these things!

NIKI:        Who says?

SUZY:        The bank.

NIKI:        Ee,  but  I  own  the bank now. I  convinced  the
             manager  that  there were some...transactions  he
             didn't want the general public to know about.

             [Ratbat  bundles everything before  her  over  to
             Niki.]

RATBAT:      Och,  ye've  cleaned me out,  all  right?  Happy?
             Bled  a  virgin  dry  and appeased  the  gods  of
             commerce now, have we?

NIKI [Sarcasm]:    Aaaaaaa, aware na Ratti. OK, just  to  show
             that  I'm  not  a  total  demon,  I'll  let   you
             keep...this.

RATBAT:      The plastic dog. Woo-heee.

NIKI:        Ne,  it'll  be  worth  heaps on  the  collector's
             market in about ninety years' time. Suzy-kun!

             [Suzy rolls.]

NIKI:        A double?

SUZY:        Iie.

NIKI:        Oh, well, looks like you're still in gaol then.

SUZY:        I'm  not really sure if you can bribe the  police
             to  come  and  get me on the other  side  of  the
             Monopoly board.

NIKI:        It's  a  big world out there, dear imoto - you've
             got to take what you can get.

             [Somehow manages to cast a glare that links  them
             together.]

NIKI:        Speaking  of which...I might sneak down  and  see
             how  our  oneechan's  faring  with  the  lovesick
             medicine-man.

             [She  steps over the board and exits. Ratbat  and
             Suzy  display  a lack of enthusiasm  for  further
             Monopoly.]

RATBAT:      Suzy-kun...?

SUZY:        Hai?

RATBAT:      What   do   you  make  of  ou--  of  this   whole
             engagement concept?

SUZY:        I think my mother interferes too much.

RATBAT:      Hai,  and  I think the same about the Bamboo  Boy
             down  there.  I meant, sort of...aside  from  the
             forced-ness?

             [Suzy  is  about  to  give  her  usual  reply  of
             resentment, but somehow doesn't.]

SUZY:        I...[She's  really thinking of saying  something]
             ...wakaranai.

             [Ratbat  wipes off a similar expression  of  what
             he was going to say.]

RATBAT:      I  think  I  know  what ye mean  there.  I've  no
             really thought about it any other way.

SUZY:        Well,  it's kind of hard to disassociate the  two
             things.

RATBAT:      This  is true. And I really have the feeling that
             neither  my  father nor your mother were  exactly
             OK  to  drive  when they first came up  with  the
             idea...

SUZY:        No. [Laughs]

RATBAT:      It's  no the last time Chichi would do that  kind
             of thing, mind you.

SUZY:        Hontoo?

RATBAT:      Aye.  'E was always forgettin' I existed. He kept
             leaving  me  behind  in places,  using  me  as  a
             bargaining chip. He almost lost me in a  game  of
             poker  once, or so I heard. We're probably  lucky
             I'm  not  engaged to all three of you. [Shudders]
             What about being engaged to a girl?

SUZY:        You're not really a girl.

RATBAT:      No, I'm a woman, remember? [Evil grin]

SUZY:        [Giggle] You know what I mean.

RATBAT:      Hai,  hai... I wonder if that means  I  can  have
             children?  No.  That's a thought  too  fiddly  to
             think with.

             [Suzy is obviously picturing too much.]

SUZY:        Yee-esss........

RATBAT:      No, what I me--

             [Niki bursts back in.]

NIKI:        He's gone!

SUZY:        Toboki-sensei?

NIKI:        Hai.  Fiona's  off  to bed. She's  just  finished
             cleaning up.

RATBAT:      You    mean    we   got   them   alone   together
             after...what? Two years he's had this  thing?  We
             get  them  alone  together after two  years,  and
             nothing happens?

NIKI:        Not that I can see.

SUZY:        Nerf!

SUZY [VO]:   If  Toboki-sensei isn't involved with Fiona, that
             means  he's still available. But didn't I  say  I
             didn't want him available?

             [She looks over at Ratbat for a moment.]

SUZY [VO]:   But  I'll probably...no, I...I don't know what  I
             want about him! About anyone! Nerf!!

SUZY:        Kuso! I hate romance!

             [She  bangs  her  head  against  the  wall.  Niki
             barely  notices, and by now Ratbat  doesn't  look
             too surprised.]

NIKI:        I wonder what it was?



             15. FIONA'S BEDROOM.

             [Fiona is here, getting ready for bed. She  wears
             a  lovely pale blue nightie, and has a teddy-bear
             waiting for her.]

RATBAT [VO]: Maybe   they   found   out   they   just   wereno
             compatible.

NIKI [VO]:   Could be.

SUZY [VO]:   Who  knows?  Maybe she's actually  got  eyes  for
             someone else entirely...

             [Fiona  gets to her bed, then opens a  drawer  on
             her  bedside table. Out of it she pulls a  framed
             photograph. She looks at it wistfully.]

FIONA:       Oh,  Toboki-sensei  is  very  charming  -  but  I
             couldn't  accept him over you. One day you'll  be
             mine, and we'll be together.

             [She kisses the photograph.]

FIONA:       Oyasuminasai, my darling. Goodnight...

             [She  lays the photograph in the drawer and  gets
             into  bed. As the photo is laid out, we  can  see
             it is...]

FIONA:       ...Tim-chan.

             [She  pushes  the  drawer shut  and  out  go  the
             lights.]



             END CREDITS.

                          Tendo Suzy
                          SUZY STYLES
                               
                       Sigmatome Ratbat
                          URAC SIGMA
                               
                          Tendo Niki
                         NIKI O'BRIEN
                               
                          Tendo Bobbi
                         ROBYN SCHOLES
                               
                       Dr Toboki Callum
                         CALLUM BOWEN
                               
                         Hodjsuke Tim
                           TIM HODGE
                               
                           Lost boy
                          EUAN BOWEN
                               
                          TV's Frank
                         FRANK CONNIFF
                               
                               
                          written by
                          URAC SIGMA
                               
                      additional material
                          SUZY STYLES
                               
                   creation and development
                          URAC SIGMA
                          EUAN BOWEN
                         LEILA FETTER
                          SUZY STYLES
                               
                       with apologies to
                       TAKAHASHI RUMIKO
                               
                  © Recycadelic Cacti MCMXCVI