“Look, do ya really think it’s a good idea for me ta make up my mind right now?”
“What are you talking about, boy? Of course it’s a good idea! This is a matter of honor!”
“I know that, but I just met these girls—I really don’t know all that much about them yet. Don’tcha think it might be a good idea ta get ta know them better first? Ya know, ta make sure that both of us are actually compatible?”
“Uh….”
“Unless, of course, yer willin’ ta risk havin’ the marriage that’s s’posed ta unite the schools endin’ in a divorce.”
Genma hesitated at this—which gave Soun a chance to jump in, as he was definitely not willing to risk that. “That sounds like a very wise idea. After all, a happy marriage can only mean good things for any grandchildren that may come along—wouldn’t you agree, Saotome?”
“Huh? Um, yes, I suppose so.”
“Excellent! Then why don’t we have dinner, and then you can get to know my daughters some more.”
Ranma couldn’t find any fault with that course of action. “Sounds good ta me.”
It wasn’t until after dinner that Minako had a chance to finish the exercises she’d begun. Thus, she was alone in the dojo when Ranma came in carrying two glasses of water. “Oh, hi there, Ranma. Is something wrong?”
“Not really… um… is anybody else gonna be coming in here anytime soon?”
Minako squinted nervously at this. “Not that I know of… why?”
It was then that Ranma realized just how suspicious that particular question could sound, especially to someone he’d known for only a few hours. “Uh, hold on, it’s… it’s nuthin’ like that—I just wanted ta talk ta ya alone, ’cuz there’s somethin’ else about me you gotta know, and I mean just you. I mean, other than the cat thing.”
“Really? What?”
“Well, this.” Ranma poured the water over his head, changing into his cat form.
“Um, Ranma, you already told me about this, remember?”
“Yes, he did, but he didn’t tell you everything.”
“What do you mean, Ranma? And why are you referring to yourself in the third person….” It was at this point that Minako realized two things. First, that that wasn’t Ranma’s voice. And second, that that voice was coming from a cat. “ACK! Who are you, and what did you do with Ranma?!”
Artemis, however, expected his charge to express surprise and/or disbelief when he revealed his existence to her, so he was able to maintain control of the situation. “Ranma’s fine. In fact, he hasn’t gone anywhere—technically, he and I are the same person.”
“Huh?”
“Perhaps I should start at the beginning. My name is Artemis, and as you’ve no doubt figured out, I’m far from an ordinary cat.”
“So… what are you?”
“A mau, or mooncat.”
“And what exactly is a mooncat?”
“Look, just let me get through my spiel first, okay? Then you can ask questions.”
Minako shrugged. “Alright.”
“Minako, you have been chosen to help protect the earth from its gravest threats, using magical powers granted to you through your birthright as Princess of the Morning Star.”
“Huh?”
Artemis sighed. That’s what you get for casting verbal imagery before teenagers, he throught to himself.
Actually, as far as verbal imagery goes, that was pretty corny. I mean, calling Venus the “Morning Star”? Ain’t that a Western tradition? And while I’m at it, don’t they also got a tradition of alluding ta the main demon in their cosmology by that phrase?
Artemis almost scowled at the kibitzer in his head. Nobody asked for a literary analysis, Dr. Johnson. He then returned his attention to the young woman in front of him. “You’re a magical girl who gets her powers from the planet Venus.”
“What? Like the ones on TV? That’s ridiculous!”
“More ridiculous than a potential fiancé who shares his mind with a talking cat?”
This gave Minako pause. “Okay, let’s just set aside the whole magical girl business for now—what does Ranma have to do with this?”
Artemis sighed—he didn’t like to dwell on this particular story. “Ranma sort of got thrown into my life, and my mission, as a result of a training exercise that went horribly wrong. It’s a bit difficult to explain, mostly because it wasn’t a pleasant experience for either of us, but basically, my original body died, but my soul was transferred into Ranma’s body. It was only after Jusenkyo that I got my own body back, or at least a version of that body.”
“So Ranma is…”
“He’s still here, but since I’m actually a cat, he figures that I should have control of this body. That also means that he’ll remember this entire conversation, in the same way that I’ll remember any conversations you have with him.”
“So, what, he just stays quiet and lets you do everything?”
“Not exactly quiet… the two of us have been talking in our mind since the Neko-ken debacle occurred. In fact, if you ever see Ranma ‘spacing out,’ chances are he’s talking to me. Also, he can take control of this body and talk, and I can do the same with his human body. We just don’t normally do that unless it’s necessary, partly out of respect for each other, and partly because we don’t want people to be confused by any sudden changes in personality.”
“Well, I’m still not sure if I believe you….”
“Hold up; you didn’t think I was going to do this without giving you some sort of proof, right? Hang on—I’ve got something for you.” Artemis then did a complex back flip, and when he landed on his feet…. “There we—huh?” The white cat found himself staring at a conspicuously empty section of ground in front of him.
“Is something supposed to happen?”
“Well, I should have retrieved your transformation device from the pocket dimension where Ranma’s clothes go when we’re in our cat form—let me try that again.” Artemis did so, this time adding a bit of a twist, resulting in a rod-shaped object about 15 centimeters in length and a strange insignia on one end [clattering?] on the ground.
Naturally curious, Minako picked the object up. “What is it? It looks like a pen.”
“It is a pen.”
“You went through all that trouble for a stupid pen?!”
“It’s not just a pen—that’s what it’s disguised as. It’s one of the tools you’ll need to use in the fight against evil.”
“You mean there’s more?”
Artemis responded with another flip, which brought a crescent-shaped compact out of his subspace pocket. “You’ll also be using this compact as well… but I’m getting ahead of myself. For definitive proof that I’m not making this all up, simply hold your transformation pen above your head and say your transformation phrase: ‘Venus Power, Make Up!’”
Minako looked uncertain, but after taking a quick look around to be absolutely certain that nobody was watching her, did as the cat instructed. “Venus Power, Make Up!”
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(Posted Sat, 29 Jul 2006 06:41)
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