gallegos@bonaire.ccit.arizona.edu (Ranma Saotome) I'm watching through the looking glass At a girl I thought I once knew But beneath the mellow tears Not everything is clear And I just don't know her anymore Imagine the surprise Reflected in her eyes Generations pass and the child walks alone I took for granted a love I could call my own But I don't need anyone anymore People have come and gone But I have the strength to carry on I have evened the score The awakening has passed on. +-----------------------------------------------------------+ | Daigakusei no Ukyou: As You Like It | | | | Created by David Tai, Paul Gallegos, | | Jeffrey Paul Hosmer and John Walter Biles | | | | Based on the characters created by Rumiko Takahashi | +-----------------------------------------------------------+ =============================================================================== -= Episode 2: "Catastrophe! Film at the Nekohanten." =- =============================================================================== [Early Friday evening. Lardizabal is walking down the street, Makiko in tow. She seems to be animatedly describing some project at school.] Makiko: ...and I'm really excited about my class project in Programming I! Lardizabal: [trying to follow but completely lost] Huh... really? Makiko: [looks at Lardizabal and giggles] Oops! Sorry, Tanaka-kun, I must have been boring you. How are your classes? [eagerly] Are you going to be in another play soon? Lardizabal: [succumbing to Makiko's interest, but trying to appear modest] Well, there will be one or two small class productions, but nothing major this late in the semester. I was hoping to get out for the lead in one of them, but I couldn't find time around my classes... [They are just arriving at the Nekohanten when they hear a crash from inside.] Makiko: What was that? Lardizabal: I don't know... let's see. [He opens the door so that they can stick their heads in. Six youths in black clothes are clustered around the bar of the Nekohanten, facing a scared-looking young man. The man is standing in front of a woman and is trying to keep the gang away from her.] Gang Member 1: [holding a beer bottle by the neck and waving it menacingly at the young man] Come on! Fight me if you're man enough! Makiko: [to Lardizabal] You have to do something, Tanaka-kun! Lardizabal: Me? Why me? Makiko: You're a martial artist, aren't you? [imploringly] Please? Lardizabal: OK, just a second. [pulls out his flask and takes a few good swigs] Here we go... [his voice is noticeably slurred] [Lardizabal launches himself into the room. Well, actually, it looks more like he stumbles into the room. The gang of youths doesn't notice him until he grasps two of them by the shoulders, as if trying to support himself.] Lardizabal: Excush me... [slams the two youths' heads together] Oopsh. [he watches them fall to the ground, clutching their heads] Gang Member 1: What the...? Gang Member 2: What's he doing...? [Lardizabal continues his attack, weaving drunkenly into a third gang member. The youth tries to move out of his way, but Lardizabal manages to knock him down.] Lardizabal: Excush me again.... [hiccups] Let me help you up... [He bends over to apparently help the fallen gang member up, dodging a fourth member's attempt to grab him. While that gang member looks stupidly at empty air, Lardizabal pulls the fallen youth to his feet with so much force he goes flying headfirst into the fourth gang member and they smash into a table. The table breaks underneath them.] Lardizabal: [swaying drunkenly on his feet] Whosh next? Makiko: [from the door] Yay, Tanaka-kun! Voice: CUT! Who let that idiot on the set? [We now see, out of sight of the door, a small film crew. They appear to be university students, possibly juniors and seniors by their age. The man yelling at Lardizabal is a tall, thin, dark-haired student with glasses and who constantly moves nervously as he speaks. Sitting in a director's chair is a more laid-back individual. He has narrow, lean features, a scraggly beard, glasses with square frames and a wild, slightly mad look in his eyes. He is wearing a red and yellow flower print shirt and a red director's cap.] Nervous Student: [pointing at Lardizabal] You! You have RUINED the scene! We have managed to waste an entire DAY setting up for this shot because of you! [The laid-back student puts a restraining hand on the nervous student's shoulder.] Laid-back Student: No, Steven... I see potential in this. You see, he... [points at Lardizabal] is, like, indicative of the spirit of the bar, poignantly lashing out at aggressors and, you know, protecting the innocent. It's very karmic. Steven: Karmic?! It destroys the scene, Francis! Francis: [shrugs] I think we should keep it. Whoa, major inspiration, let's keep it, but it won't be the spirit of the bar, but, like, the spirit of justice appearing in the CONTEXT of a bar... Steven: [starts to pull at his hair] Argh! Lardizabal: [still swaying, but sobering up rapidly] Can someone tell me what is going on? [Later. Lardizabal, Makiko, Francis, Steven, Shampoo, and Mousse are sitting at the bar. Shampoo is looking a little tired. Around them, students work at cleaning up the mess made by the fight.] Lardizabal: You're making a movie in the Nekohanten? Shampoo: [nodding] They pay big time. [smiles] Francis: Yes. The natural ambience of this establishment is conducive to the portrayal of man's inner struggle with his physical and moral natures while, simultaneously contending with external forces. [Everyone looks at him blankly until Steven speaks up.] Steven: We couldn't get a sound stage, so we had to settle for this... [trails off as Shampoo stares at him] Anyway, we're part of the Mizunoikan Film Club, you see. The Club is competing in an Amateur Film Contest. We're putting in a lot of entries, hoping that one of them will win, but most of the Seniors took our usual production facilities. Fortunately, Francis has a rich family. [Francis nods amiably.] Mousse: Tendo Nabiki apparently knows Steven and Francis and suggested the Nekohanten. She even helped negotiate the deal. Makiko: So, where is Nabiki? Steven: [coughing and nodding towards Francis] She had some... artistic differences with us and decided to just act as an intermediary. Since she also helped finance the film, she'll get a part of the prize money. [looks glum] It's in her contract. Lardizabal: So, what's the film about? Francis: [enthusiastic] Okay. Like, here's the concept. We've got this girl, only it's not a girl, it's EVERY girl, and this guy who may or may not be any guy, I haven't finalized. Anyway, they're dual, like a bi-organism, VERY into the whole karmic thing. So this gang, which represents forces that drive bonds apart, takes her away, and this guy embodies RAGE and goes after them, like a journey of the soul, right? Proving grounds of man and all? And we get into a bunch of what the LAYMAN would call 'fights' but which are really dances of masculine power and sexual energy, and finally after we conquer the final bad guy who is in charge of the oppressive forces, there's this joining of two bodies and unlocking of stored beauty, like, POTENTIAL beauty and love, and they leave. [Lardizabal looks stunned while Mousse and Steven seem to have heard it all before. Shampoo looks confused, as most of the words were beyond her. Makiko is the only one who seems to be thinking about the answer coherently.] Makiko: [puzzled] They just leave? Francis: Well, TECHNICALLY, yes, but really on a deeper level they've transcended the plane of manifestation and into the realm of the one, the true, the good and the beautiful. Lardizabal: Gah. Francis: [speaking earnestly] I can't, like, take all the credit. This is a modern updating of the classical Hong Kong action hero, Wong Fei Hong. We will, like, be exploring what all other Wong Fei Hong movies failed to convey, the portrayal of a class struggle, exemplified by the actions of one man, the hero, representing the disenfranchised lower class, as he struggles against the villains, or bourgeois upper class. It is, like, my belief that the Japanese need to be exposed to the legend of Wong Fei Hong. Steven: [explaining for the terminally confused] Wong Fei Hong is your basic hero, righter of wrongs, rob from the rich, give to the poor type. Basically, it'll be a martial arts action movie. Guy's girlfriend gets kidnaped by a gang in the first scene--which YOU ruined. [glares at Lardizabal] The hero then adopts a disguise and fights the gang. In the end he rescues his girlfriend and they ride off into the sunset. Lardizabal: [recovering his equilibrium] Oh. Why didn't you just say so? Pretty hackneyed plot. Steven: [points at Francis] Tell Mr. Artiste that. But the contest is more about the production of the film rather than the story. [The guy and the girl whom the 'gang' had been confronting comes up to the bar at this moment.] Guy: [to Francis] Francis-san! I must protest these last minute changes you have made in my script! Girl: Me, too! [holds up a script which seems liberally scribbled on in red ink] How do you expect me to learn ALL these changes in time to perform? Steven: Now, now... Mamoru-san, Usagi-san... I'm sure we can reach some sort of compromise. Francis: [as if Steven weren't speaking] I can, like, only go where my Muse takes me. Inspiration, you know, STRIKES me and I must become one with its cosmic message. [looks carefully at the guy (Mamoru)] Whoa! New idea! We can have you wearing a frog suit in the last scene, representing the classical prince-frog motif in a physical representation. It adds totally new dimensions to your unmasking after the kiss, a true metamorphosis, the shedding of the cocoon... Mamoru: I am NOT wearing a frog suit! Usagi: And I am not kissing a frog! Mamoru: Francis-san, if you do not change the script back, I QUIT! Usagi: Me too! Francis: [shrugging] OK. [turns to Steven] Bummer... now we need totally new actors. Usagi, Mamoru, and Steven: Huh?! Francis: [nodding] Yes! I see a totally NEW perspective. The changing hero and damsel, indicative of the changing ways of our time. Very symbolic. [munches on some bar nuts] [Mamoru and Usagi start to protest, but two members of the film crew haul them off.] Film Crew 1: Sorry, but Francis is the one who's paying us for this. Film Crew 2: Have a nice day! [Mamoru and Usagi get thrown out the door. Steven turns to Francis in a state of near-apoplexy.] Steven: WHERE are we going to get new actors from? Makiko: Tanaka-kun is an actor! He's a theater arts major! [beams at Lardizabal] Francis: Really? Coolness. [turns to Steven] See? No problem. Lardizabal: [sweating] Um, well... Steven: [ignoring Lardizabal] Now, we need a damsel... [turns to Makiko] What about you, miss? Makiko: [blushing] I could never... I mean, I'd be too embarrassed. What about Shampoo? [Shampoo blinks. She has been pretty quiet throughout the conversation. She looks like she was in the middle of dozing off. She snaps her head up, ignoring a sympathetic look from Mousse.] Shampoo: Yes? Steven: Good! We'll compensate you, of course. Francis: Righteous! Yes, the exotic Amazon as the symbol for womanhood, strong, yet incomplete without the yang to her yin... or is that the yin to yang? [Shampoo's gaze turns very cold. Mousse hastens to change the subject.] Mousse: [to Makiko] Francis-san also needs a lot of help with the props and equipment, Makiko-san. Maybe you'd like to help out like the rest of us, watch Tanaka-san perform? Makiko: [beams] Yes! I'd love to help! I bet Ukyou would want to help as well! She loves plays and theater stuff, especially after she got that part in the Taming of the Shrew. [The group continues talking about the film. Shampoo excuses herself early, however, and disappears into the kitchen. Mousse follows her a moment later.] Mousse: [In Mandarin] Shampoo: [looking angrily at him] [stops and takes a deep breath] T-thank you, Mousse. Mousse: [looking at her sympathetically] [shrugs] [Shampoo turns away and Mousse decides not to force his company on her. He leaves. Shampoo walks over to the far wall and looks at a picture mounted there. It is of the entire gang from Nerima, taken when they were stranded on Togenkyou, the Island of Illusions. She reaches out and presses her finger against Ranma's picture.] Shampoo: [looks at Cologne in the picture] Great-grandmother... [She stares at the photo for the longest time, her finger sliding over the old, familiar faces. Finally, it stops under one. It looks like Shampoo might actually speak a third name, but she doesn't.] * * * [Ukyou and Makiko's apartment. Ukyou and Ranma are lying on the floor, staring at math texts in another study session. Ukyou is wearing a comfortable T-shirt and jeans, while Ranma is wearing his usual Chinese outfit. Megami is sitting at the table, reading a children's manga, mouthing the words as she reads them. Megami seems to be about ten years old.] Ukyou: [looking up] Ran-chan, what did you get on problem seven? [Ranma says nothing and keeps scribbling at his paper.] Ukyou: Ran-chan? Ranma: [running his fingers through his hair] Damn it! I can't get this to work out! Ukyou: [scooting over] Let me take a look. [scoots over next to him and leans in close to study his paper] Ran-chan, you keep repeating the procedure here... Ranma: No way! [looks at it] Oh. No wonder it didn't work out... Megami: Is Uncle Ran-chan OK, Ukyou? Ranma: [smiling over at the little girl] I'm fine, Megami-chan. [Megami blushes and buries her head in the manga. Ukyou smiles at her as Ranma bends down over his paper again. Her smile turns a little nervous as she realizes just how close she is to him. He doesn't seem to notice. She shakes her head and is about to move away when...] Makiko: [bouncing in] I'm home!! [Ukyou whips her head around at the sound of Makiko's voice. At the same time, Ranma raises his head sharply and collides with Ukyou's chin with a loud crack.] Ranma and Ukyou: Ow! Megami: [giggling] Auntie Maki! Makiko: [noticing Ranma and Ukyou's discomfort] Well, that's one way to put your heads together. [smiles and goes over to pick up Megami] How are you, Megami-chan? Oof, you're getting too heavy for this. Megami: [waving her manga] I wanna be a magical girl when I grow up, Auntie Maki! [Makiko, Ukyou, and Ranma exchange glances. Ukyou gets up and takes Megami from Makiko.] Ukyou: You're already a magical girl, Megami-chan.... [hugs Megami tightly] Now, go read your manga while your Uncle Ran-chan and I finish our homework, OK? [Megami looks at Ranma, who smiles at her again. Megami squirms in Ukyou's arms and makes her put her down. She then runs off into Ukyou and Makiko's bedroom and closes the door. The others watch her with expressions of amusement and/or confusion. Makiko then flops down on the floor by Ranma. Ukyou sits back down by her book.] Makiko: You'll never guess what happened today! [Makiko quickly fills them in on what happened to her and Lardizabal at the Nekohanten, not mentioning that Lardizabal now has the lead.] Ranma: You're kidding? They're filming a movie? Ukyou: Wow, sounds exciting, Maki-chan! Makiko: They need people to help out and I volunteered. Do you want to help too, Ukyou? It'd be a lot of fun! Ukyou: [putting a finger to her cheek] Well, I dunno... I have to watch Megami-chan and all... [Makiko's face falls. Ukyou giggles.] Okay, I'll do it! [turns to Ranma] What about you, Ran-chan? Ranma: Huh? Makiko: Yeah! Please say you'll help us out, Ran-chan! [Makiko and Ukyou stare at Ranma imploringly.] Ranma: [sweating] Cut... Cut that out! Look, I have too much work to do for my classes and finals are only a week away-- Makiko: [looking sad] I guess we'll just have to get Tanaka-kun to do it-- [Makiko winks at Ukyou secretly. Ukyou looks confused at first, then comprehension dawns.] Ranma: [snorting] Lardy? Look what happened in the last play he took part in! Ukyou: [mock-sorrowfully] Well, who else could do as good a job on the set? Ranma: Hah! I could do it lots better than that drunk! [Makiko and Ukyou trade smug glances.] Ukyou: Gee, thanks, Ran-chan! Maki-chan, when should we be there? Ranma: Hey, waitasec! I never said-- Makiko: Oh, come on, Ran-chan. It'll be a lot of fun! Ranma: I can't help out, OK? I need to find some part-time work. Ukyou: [frowning] I thought that you and Akane were living off money from home... Ranma: Yeah, well, we've had to pay a lot for... um, repairs to the room over the semester. Akane's doing some work for her theater professors, typing papers and the like. Ukyou: Well, Francis is apparently paying the stage hands something. Maybe you can work for him? Ranma: At the Nekohanten? Um... Ukyou: Can't hurt to try, can it? At the very least, you can help us keep an eye on Megami while we're working. [Ranma looks dubious. Makiko, however, starts pleading with him and Ukyou joins in.] Makiko and Ukyou: Pleeeeeeeease, Ran-chan? [Ranma gives in, looking nervous as Makiko and Ukyou talk about the film.] * * * [The Nekohanten, Saturday. Francis and Steven are directing their helpers as they get ready to re-shoot the opening scene of the movie. Shampoo and Lardizabal, meanwhile, are being worked over by the makeup and costuming people. Mousse is helping the stage hands out.] Shampoo: Shampoo no see why no beat up gang. Steven: [groaning] Look, Shampoo, the whole point of the movie is for the hero to fight against impossible odds to rescue the damsel, namely you. Shampoo: [snorting] Gang not so tough. Shampoo beat with one hand. Steven: [looking nervously over his shoulder at Francis] Please, don't give him any ideas... [Shampoo still looks grumpy, but sits quietly as the costumers and makeup artists finish their job. Actually, she looks quite pretty, if in a totally different fashion than usual. She is wearing a nice Western-style white dress and her hair is now in a long braid trailing down her back. She looks less exotic and more... cute. Lardizabal looks pretty much the same as ever, except for the addition of a leather jacket. At this moment, Ranma, Makiko, Ukyou, and Megami come in. Megami is wearing a sailor suit and clutching Ukyou's hand as she looks around with big eyes.] Makiko: [calling out] Francis-san, Steven-san! Sorry we're late! [Makiko walks over to the directors. Shampoo, meanwhile, lights up at the sight of Ranma.] Shampoo: [runs over] Aiya, Ranma come see Shampoo! Ranma: [instinctively backing away] Uh, no Shampoo I-- [gets a good look at her costume] Huh? Shampoo, what are you wearing? Ukyou: [looking not too happy] That's a... different look, Shampoo. Megami: Ukyou, who's that? Ukyou: That's Shampoo, Megami. She's a... friend of your Uncle Ran-chan's. Megami: [pouting] Don't like her. She looks stupid. [makes a face] [Shampoo's face clouds over, but Makiko walks back over before things get out of hand.] Makiko: I think she looks great! [spies Lardizabal] Wow, Tanaka-kun, you look cool! Lardizabal: [smiles] Think so? Makiko: [turning to Ranma] Oh, Ran-chan, Francis and Steven say they can use another hand... they ll only pay us about 500 yen an hour, but they're filming today and tomorrow... about 10 hours a day... that OK? Ranma: [looking relieved] That'll help. Thanks, Makiko. Shampoo: [snuggling up to Ranma] Ranma like Shampoo new look? Ranma: [sweating] Um, er... it's... that is... it's kinda... well, maybe sorta cute. Why are you wearing that get-up? Shampoo: [beaming] Is for film! [she gets closer, if possible] Ranma, when you leave Akane? Violent tomboy's food put spell on you? [Megami sticks her tongue out at Ranma and Shampoo and runs off, dragging Ukyou with her. Makiko giggles and follows them.] Ranma: Geez, it's not like that! [sees the rest leaving] Ucchan, wait! Ukyou: [grinning] See you later, Ran-chan! [waves] [While Ranma tries to extricate himself from Shampoo, Ukyou and Makiko wander over to Lardizabal. Megami watches them, chewing a lock of her hair solemnly, though she looks over at Ranma occasionally.] Makiko: Good luck, Tanaka-kun! Ukyou: [smiling] Yeah, must be exciting, your first screen role. Lardizabal: [craning his neck to look around] Ah... didn't Akane come? [Makiko frowns slightly, but Lardizabal doesn't notice.] Ukyou: Nope, she's doing some work for one of her theater professors. [Further conversation is cut short as Steven and Francis apparently decide the set is as good as it is going to get.] Steven: Places, people! [to Francis] Do you really think it will work this time? Francis: [shrugs] Who can, like, say? The path of a true artist is a rocky, road-less-traveled, difficult path, you know, winding ever onward. Hey, do you think we can work in, like, a road trip our hero takes on his journey of self-discovery to-- Steven: No. [Francis blinks. He was expecting a longer argument.] Francis: Steven, your vibes are getting majorly uncool. Steven: Francis, you are a hell of an artist, but if you suggest one more major change to the film that we do not have the budget for, I will personally run your spleen through the editing machine. Do we understand each other? Francis: [blinks] Wow, righteous anger attack. [nods] I can work with you like that. [thinks] Do you think you could, like, do that again on film? It would work in well for the scene on vengeance and the finer emotions of the soul-- [Steven looks ready to tear his hair out again. Slowly, the actors take their places. Shampoo tears herself away from Ranma, finally, to take her place as well. Ranma is put to work on some last minute rearranging of furniture. Ukyou and Makiko are also put to work, largely helping Francis and Steven out where needed, running errands and carrying messages. Megami stays close to the costuming and makeup people, who immediately start playing dress-up with her.] Makiko: [standing in front of the camera with a clapboard marked "SCENE 1, Rehearsal"] And... ACTION! [giggles and darts away] [Lardizabal and Shampoo are sitting together at a table. Shampoo is looking bored, while Lardizabal is trying to summon up some enthusiasm for acting across from her. He has his script in front of them, as this is a dress rehearsal before actually filming.] Lardizabal: Are you having a good time, Ching-Hsia? Shampoo: [speaking in Mandarin] [looks like she might vomit] Steven: Hold it! Why aren't you speaking Japanese, Shampoo? Shampoo: [holding out the script] You say read what script say. Shampoo read. [Steven looks at the script. It has been written in Mandarin by one of the helpful stage hands.] Steven: Read it in Japanese. Japanese! Shampoo: Why you not say before. [turns back to Lardizabal] Of course, Fei Hong, because Sh--Ching-Hsia with you. [A low groan is heard from Steven's direction. The actors continue. Lardizabal takes Shampoo's hand. In the crowd, Makiko frowns suddenly. Ukyou notices this.] Ukyou: [whispers] Hey, something wrong, Maki-chan? Makiko: [also whispering] He doesn't have to hold her hand, does he? Isn't he putting it on a bit thick? [Ukyou just grins at her roommate. Meanwhile, on the set, the "gang" has made their swaggering entrance. They quickly approach Shampoo and Lardizabal and one of them tries to grab Shampoo. Big mistake. Shampoo casually grabs the offender's wrist and sends him flying.] Steven: [strangled tone] CUT! * * * [Later in the day. Shampoo and Lardizabal have settled a bit into their roles and Mousse is running a small drink stand for the crew.] Ukyou: [approaching Mousse] Hey, Mousse, it's getting near dinner time... is there anything to eat? Mousse: [pushing his glasses back on his nose] Oh, hi, Ukyou. No, I don't have anything other than bar nuts. Shampoo handles the restaurant part, but she's been too busy today to cook. [looks glum] I'm not looking forward to defaulting, but to be honest, I'm not a great cook. Ukyou: Defaulting? Mousse: [depressed] When Tendo Nabiki set up the deal between us and Francis, it said we're supposed to supply food and drink for the crew at cost. Ukyou: [blinks] Mousse, isn't the Nekohanten doing well? Mousse: [looks around and continues as no one else is near] Not that great. Business is good, but we barely make any profit because the overhead is so high. Shampoo is working herself too hard.... [looks embarrassed] I never realized how the old ghoul made things easier. No one ever dared overcharge her or walk out on a tab. Ukyou: [getting a serious glint in her eye] Well, don't worry, Mousse. [reaches out and squeezes his hand] I'll make sure that you don't lose money on this. Mousse: Um, thanks, Ukyou.... [lowers his voice] I've been meaning to ask you.... who's the child you and Makiko brought? Ukyou: [evasively] Um, well, she's a Moon-child. I found her in a bamboo grove and... [sees the look on Mousse's face] I'm telling the truth! Ran-chan isn't the only person weird stuff happens to, you know! [heads for the kitchen] [Mousse looks on as Ukyou darts away, then starts polishing to his counter again. Ukyou goes up to Shampoo, who is going over her lines for her next scene.] Shampoo: [in Mandarin] [in Japanese, looking disgusted] "Eek! Save me!" [in Mandarin] [Shampoo smiles and daydreams of Ranma carrying her off into the sunset. Suddenly, Ranma changes into Mousse, eyeglasses golden in the sun. Shampoo blinks.] Shampoo: [She is just getting back into the daydream when Ukyou pops up next to her.] Ukyou: Hey, Shampoo! [Shampoo gives a start and almost falls over in her seat. She jumps to her feet.] Shampoo: What okonomiyaki-girl want? Shampoo very busy here! Ukyou: [waving her hands in front of her] Whoa, girl, I'm sorry I startled you. Look, Mousse said the Nekohanten has to cook the meals for these gluttons. I just thought I'd offer to do that since you're in front of the cameras. Can I use your kitchen? Shampoo: [looks startled] Shampoo forget about cooking! [Shampoo starts for the kitchen when Ukyou zooms in front of her.] Ukyou: Hey, Shampoo, let me handle it, OK? You've got enough on your mind right now. Please? Shampoo: [sags a little, looking tired but wary] Why Ukyou do this for Shampoo? Ukyou: [managing a sympathetic look] We both know how tough it can get to run a restaurant. I'm just offering to help out as a favor to Mousse and you. Shampoo: [doesn't seem to know what to say] Thank you, Ukyou. Ukyou: Hey, what are friends for? [Ukyou heads for the kitchen, stopping to pick up a giggling Megami from the make-up people to help her in the kitchen. Shampoo watches her go.] Shampoo: [sounding confused and surprised] Friends? We friends? [blinks] Did Shampoo put wrong mushrooms in ramen today? * * * [Late at night. The filming has finally stopped and the cast and crew are cleaning things. Steven and Francis are discussing the filming for the next day.] Steven: Well, only tomorrow left. Francis: Yes, but I am still not certain about the final scene. I think we need a more physical metaphor for the evolution of the hero's character from his downtrodden, repressed, socially inferior beginnings to his heroic end state. [Steven seems too tired for Francis to even faze him.] Steven: Bigger fight. Right. Well, I think we can add more to it... [Ranma is stacking away the audio equipment with some help from Makiko and Ukyou. Megami is curled up on a chair, asleep. Shampoo and Mousse are nearby, serving coffee and other drinks to the crew. Lardizabal is reading over his script for the next day, trying to make sense of the red scrawls Francis has made on it.] Lardizabal: What the heck does he mean, "express the underlying metaphor in a socially acceptable manner while at the same time heightening the character's roots in the lower classes?" [A passing stagehand overhears his remark.] Stagehand: He means you should poke fun at the guy. Lardizabal: [shaking his head in disbelief] Sheesh. [While Mousse is pouring tea for Makiko and Ukyou and making small talk, Shampoo scoots over to Lardizabal.] Shampoo: [offering him a bottle of sake] Want drink? Lardizabal do good work. Lardizabal: [looking warily at Shampoo] How much is it going to cost? Shampoo: [looking innocent] Is on house! Try! Is great-grandmother special recipe. [Lardizabal looks dubious, but takes a sip. Almost immediately he screws up his face and looks like he might explode.] Shampoo: Good, yes? Lardizabal: [panting] Aghhh! Powerful stuff. Shampoo: If you not man enough to drink, Shampoo give to Ranma. Lardizabal: [offended] Hey, gimme that! I can drink the whole thing. I'm a master of Drunken Style Martial Arts! [takes a drink from the bottle and starts wheezing] Shampoo: [seeing him to the door] Shampoo think you get home before finish. Shampoo not letting drunk crash here. Lardizabal: [already a few sheets to the wind] Per'ectly unnerstandable... [stumbles out the door] Shampoo: [thinks to herself in Mandarin] [Makiko wanders up with Ukyou and Ranma. They all look quizzically at the daydreaming Shampoo.] Makiko: [curiously] Shampoo? Shampoo: [startled] Yes?! Makiko: Um... have you seen Tanaka-kun? We were going to go home... Ukyou: Thanks again for letting me cook, Shampoo... Ranma: Yeah, I'd have starved to death if you... Ukyou: I swear, Ran-chan, there must be a Saotome gene related to eating. You and your father... Ranma: Hey, we ain't nothing alike! [Makiko giggles and turns back to Shampoo.] Shampoo: Shampoo not know where drunk-boy is. He go home, Shampoo think. [to Ukyou] Kitchen better be clean as Shampoo leave it. Ukyou: [dangerous glint in her eye as she turns from arguing with Ranma] Spotless! Shampoo: Shampoo go see for herself. [Shampoo enters the kitchen. We hear a splash and a small scream, followed by a cat's hissing. Megami wakes up and looks around blearily.] Ukyou: [grinning] Guess Shampoo didn't see the bucket of water I used while mopping. Oh, well. * * * [Sunday morning. We see a sleepy-eyed Shampoo walking around the Nekohanten kitchen and yawning. She is wearing her standard Chinese outfit. She places a kettle on the stove. MuuMuu-chan is sleeping in a small cage on a counter. The cage door is unlatched.] Shampoo: [yawning, then speaking in Mandarin]