Post by Ninmast on Mar 18, 2007 15:16:54 GMT -5
A Tale of Love
Penned by Miyoko
Performed by Okiya Kasumi
Cast
Renki – Maiko Miyoko
Ame – Maiko Maya
Renki’s Mother – Geiko Akemi
Sorceress – Geiko Eiko
Ninja – Maiko Natsumi
Act 1
The curtains open on a scene of a field where Renki and Ame sit and look up at the background of the hills cresting up, and on top of them, the dark ruins of a fortress.
Ame: It’s beautiful, isn’t it? The way the sunset comes down over it, making it seem like battlements are ablaze in fire ...
Renki: That was how it was destroyed, actually. (He points toward it, as if to bring the scene to life by drawing it for her.) The Imperial Army laid siege to it for three whole months, launching blazing oil against it so that the fire would burn without ceasing.
Ame: (She seems to disbelieve.) Without ceasing?
Renki: (He nods.) The oil burns for hours on end without dying or losing intensity. Even the strongest wind won’t put it out. The entire fortress was ablaze. It is said it got so hot that when the siege ended and the army moved in, what corpses weren’t burnt were baked all the way through.
Ame: (She gasps, looking disgusted.) Oh, Renki, that’s horrible!
Renki: (He shrugs.) The Imperial Army didn’t have a choice. It was filled to the brim with barbarians who wanted to overthrow the kingdom, and they would have fought to the death to do it. To rush in would have meant catastrophic losses, even if they did push through.
Ame: (She frowns at him in disapproval.) You take that far too easily.
Renki: (He grins.) Would you rather I drag you along through some made-up tale of one hero blazing through to rescue his love unscathed?
Ame: (She leans back on the grass with a sigh.) Well, it’d certainly make for a better story ...
Renki: (He chuckles.)
Ame: (She waits for a moment before speaking.) Renki ... Do you ever miss it?
Renki: (He looks over to her as if confused.) Miss what?
Ame: All the fighting. You were the best swordsman in Sakura. You don’t become something like that without enjoying something about it.
Renki: (He laughs.) The best? I wouldn’t say I was the best. No amount of tournaments gives one the right to that title. But yes, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the challenge, the rush, the thrill of the crowds.
Ame: But do you ever miss it? I mean, I could understand it if you retired when you were older, but you left when you were still young enough to keep going for so much longer.
Renki: (He looks thoughtfully upwards.) Yeah, I do miss it sometimes, but I was a tournament fighter, Ame. I spent some time as a soldier, of course, but at the end of it all, I was putting my life on the line for show. I was making more than enough to live comfortably, but that wasn’t enough for me. When my mother fell ill and I came to stay with her, it was easy to put it behind me. (He turns to look at her again with a smile as he puts his arm around her shoulders.) Besides, if I hadn’t, I never would have met you, would I?
Ame: (She smiles as she taps his nose.) That’s so sweet, I’ll have to make it up to you. I’ll make dinner for you tonight. How does that sound?
Renki: (He continues to smile.) I wouldn’t miss it for the whole kingdom.
The lights dim and the spotlights focus on the two as the actors stand and face the audience. The stagehands begin changing the props in preparation for the next scene.
Ame: Tonight, we offer you a story about two souls with a bond so great, nothing can break it. Ame is a common girl, simple but kind. You see her every day when you go down the street. She is the girl stopping in at the bakery for a loaf of bread, or tending her garden as she picks out vegetables to prepare for the evening meal.
Renki: Renki is a retired swordsman who left a successful tournament career as an undefeated champion to move to the small village on the outskirts of the Sakura Kingdoms to tend to his mother when he heard she had fallen ill. While there, he met Ame and the two quickly developed an intimate relationship. Though his mother has recovered, he has not returned to the tournament, and has continued his courtship with Ame. What neither yet know is that their bond is about to be put to the ultimate test.
Ame: This is a tale of adventure and battle. It is a tale of swords and spells. It is a tale that will pit one man against his last, greatest challenge. But above all else, it is A Tale of Love.
The actors step into the shadows as the lights return.
Act 2
The scene now shows the inside of both Ame and Renki’s houses with a street between them. It is now dark outside.
Ame: (She hums to herself as she goes about preparing a meal. She continues to do this throughout the conversation between Renki and his mother.)
Renki: (He enters Stage Center and enters his house.)
Mother: (She looks up from a pot she is stirring.) Oh, Renki! Welcome home! Did you and Ame enjoy yourselves?
Renki: (He nods as he goes over and gives his mother a hug and a kiss on the cheek before going on to leave Stage Left as if going into another room. The actor changes clothes from the casual clothes to the fancier dinner outfit while off-stage.) We spent the entire afternoon sitting in the field and just talking.
Mother: (She chuckles.) Just like always, hmm, Renki? That girl is doing you good. She’s settling you down, getting you away from all that dangerous fighting. I still say worrying over you was one of the things that made me sick in the first place!
Renki: (He sticks his head back on-stage for a moment before pulling it back in after the line.) Mother, we’ve been through this. I retired, I’m done with it, and as soon as I get a price from Tangero-san on that summer house of his, I’ll have a place of my own. You don’t have to worry about that anymore.
Mother: (She grins.) And then you’ll finally propose to Ame and get me some grandchildren, right?
Renki: (He comes back out, looking embarrassed.) Mother ... Let’s take things one step at a time, please?
Mother: (She continues to grin as she looks into the pot, tasting its contents with a sip.) Well, I’m not getting any younger, you know, and with you all grown up, I miss the pitter-patter of little feet. Half a dozen would make for a nice, full family, I think. (She turns her grin to Renki as she looks him over from head to toe.) My ... Let me guess, I’ll be eating alone tonight, hmm, Renki?
Renki: (He rubs the back of his head with a grin.) Yeah ... Ame offered to make dinner.
Mother: (She dusts off her hands.) Well, then, you’d better get going! It’d be rude to keep her waiting. And be sure to tell her if she ever wants my recipe for your favorite creamed shrimp and peas, not to hesitate to ask! (She reaches over to take a sheathed sword off of a stand.) And you should take your sword, too, baby. It really adds something to the presentation.
Renki: (He obediently straps the sword to his waist.)
Mother: (She looks him over one last time with a scrutinizing gaze and nods.) Alright, that’ll have to do. Get going! Don’t keep the girl waiting!
Renki: (He leaves the house, heading toward Ame’s.)
Ninja: (He slips in quietly from Stage Right as Ame continues to hum and prepare the food. He grabs her from behind.)
Ame: (She screams for help before the ninja clasps his hand over her mouth and drags her off-stage.)
Renki: (He is in front of the door to hear the scream and he kicks it open, rushing in to see the ninja running out. He pursues.)
The lights dim again as the stagehands start changing the props for the next scene. Renki walks back to the middle of the stage and the spotlight focuses on him.
Renki: The ninja had taken to horseback by the time Renki had gotten into the alleyway behind Ame’s house. He gave chase as well as he could, but was unable to keep up on foot. He kept the kidnapper in sight long enough, however, to tell where he was going. He was heading directly for the fortress ruins at the top of the hills overlooking the village.
He leaves the stage as the lights darken entirely and the stagehands finish their work before they come back on again.
Act 3
The scene is now the inside of the fortress. The stage is once again divided into two portions. The main portion is the main chambers where the Ninja and the Sorceress stands beside a bound Ame. The other, smaller portion is the hallway leading to it.
Sorceress: (She walks up beside Ame, tracing her cheek.) Mmm, my, he certainly chose well, didn’t he? Yes, you’ll be perfect.
Ninja: (He bows to the sorceress.)
Ame: (She jerks her cheek away from her.) What do you want from me?
Sorceress: (She smirks and lowers her hand.) Nothing you’ll miss when I’m through, I promise. I just want you for your life energy. I’m going to drink it down like a fine rice wine, and leave you a shriveled old husk in my place.
Ame: Liar! What do you want from me?
Sorceress: (She chuckles.) I suppose the only way to prove it to you is to show you. Hold still. It will all be over in a few moments. (She reaches toward the girl again.)
Ame: (She does her best to lean away from the hand.)
The sounds of fighting come from off-stage.
Sorceress: (She jerks away from the girl angrily.) Company? Why do they always come at the worst possible times! See to it!
Ninja: (He bows to the Sorceress.) As you wish. (He leaves to the other portion of the stage.)
Renki: (He rushes in with sword drawn.) You! You’re the one who took Ame!
Ninja: (He chuckles, readying his own sword.) Really? How could you tell? I thought we all looked alike.
The two begin to circle each other.
Renki: Not really. You’re the only person with your face covered.
Ninja: (He continues to chuckle.) I told the boss it made me stand out too much.
Renki: Enough! I didn’t come here for games! Where is she?
Ninja: The girl? She’s right through that door, but I have orders to make sure you don’t get through.
Renki: Then I’ll have to take you down first!
The two begin to fight and after several moments of dancing back and forth, Renki’s blade finds its mark as the actor slides it under the ninja’s arm. The ninja falls and Renki steps over him into the main chamber.
Sorceress: (She scowls.) So you even killed my right-hand man, did you? No matter. I’ll finish you, myself. (She waves her hand.)
A small amount of flash powder is lit next to Renki to mimic a blast of magic.
Renki: (He falls backwards and rolls over so he is face-down.)
Ame: (She screams.) RENKI!
Sorceress: (She chuckles as she steps over toward him, bending down next to him as she speaks.) You really are quite an attractive young man ... it’d be a shame to waste you on death ... Maybe I won’t kill you ... Perhaps after I take your beloved’s life energy, I’ll enslave you, keep you around for personal entertainment for a few hundred years. Or maybe I’ll just turn you into a statue. Nice and permanent.
Renki tries to stand again, but the Sorceress stretches her hand out toward him as he slams against the floor again.
Sorceress: Now, don’t be hasty. I wouldn’t want you broken before you’re even stone! Imagine being stuck with your limbs bent at such grotesque angles for all of eternity!
Ame: (She closes her eyes as she flails.) Renki! Get up! Get up, Renki!
Renki: (He groans but can’t push against the magical force. Instead, as he collapses again, he lets his sword arm slip out from under him, swinging out quickly before the Sorceress can tell what he is doing.)
Sorceress: (She jumps back and cries out as the sword cuts into her leg.) You brute!
Renki: (He wastes no time. With the Sorceress’ spell weakened from the distraction, he leaps up and plunges the sword into her before pulling it back out again and returning it to his sheath as she falls at his feet.)
Ame: (She still has her eyes closed. As the Sorceress’ body hits the floor, she cautiously opens one up.) Renki?
Renki: (He moves behind her and unties her, helping her onto the ground.) It’s okay, Ame. It’s over. You’re safe.
Ame: (She smiles weakly.) Kind of like that story you wouldn’t tell me, huh?
Renki: (He chuckles as they walk off toward Stage Right.) Yes. Kind of like that.
The lights dim again and the spotlight focuses on them as they turn to face the audience.
Renki: Renki found out that sometimes, fairy tales aren’t as far-fetched as they seem. That evening, he proposed to Ame.
Ame: She accepted and they moved into Lord Tangero’s summer house just as they planned, and they spent the rest of their days peacefully together.
Renki: (He looks about conspiratorially before turning back toward the audience.) And in case you’re wondering ... (He holds up eight fingers.) This many kids!
The rest of the cast comes on stage beside them and together, they bow to the crowd.
Penned by Miyoko
Performed by Okiya Kasumi
Cast
Renki – Maiko Miyoko
Ame – Maiko Maya
Renki’s Mother – Geiko Akemi
Sorceress – Geiko Eiko
Ninja – Maiko Natsumi
Act 1
The curtains open on a scene of a field where Renki and Ame sit and look up at the background of the hills cresting up, and on top of them, the dark ruins of a fortress.
Ame: It’s beautiful, isn’t it? The way the sunset comes down over it, making it seem like battlements are ablaze in fire ...
Renki: That was how it was destroyed, actually. (He points toward it, as if to bring the scene to life by drawing it for her.) The Imperial Army laid siege to it for three whole months, launching blazing oil against it so that the fire would burn without ceasing.
Ame: (She seems to disbelieve.) Without ceasing?
Renki: (He nods.) The oil burns for hours on end without dying or losing intensity. Even the strongest wind won’t put it out. The entire fortress was ablaze. It is said it got so hot that when the siege ended and the army moved in, what corpses weren’t burnt were baked all the way through.
Ame: (She gasps, looking disgusted.) Oh, Renki, that’s horrible!
Renki: (He shrugs.) The Imperial Army didn’t have a choice. It was filled to the brim with barbarians who wanted to overthrow the kingdom, and they would have fought to the death to do it. To rush in would have meant catastrophic losses, even if they did push through.
Ame: (She frowns at him in disapproval.) You take that far too easily.
Renki: (He grins.) Would you rather I drag you along through some made-up tale of one hero blazing through to rescue his love unscathed?
Ame: (She leans back on the grass with a sigh.) Well, it’d certainly make for a better story ...
Renki: (He chuckles.)
Ame: (She waits for a moment before speaking.) Renki ... Do you ever miss it?
Renki: (He looks over to her as if confused.) Miss what?
Ame: All the fighting. You were the best swordsman in Sakura. You don’t become something like that without enjoying something about it.
Renki: (He laughs.) The best? I wouldn’t say I was the best. No amount of tournaments gives one the right to that title. But yes, I enjoyed it. I enjoyed the challenge, the rush, the thrill of the crowds.
Ame: But do you ever miss it? I mean, I could understand it if you retired when you were older, but you left when you were still young enough to keep going for so much longer.
Renki: (He looks thoughtfully upwards.) Yeah, I do miss it sometimes, but I was a tournament fighter, Ame. I spent some time as a soldier, of course, but at the end of it all, I was putting my life on the line for show. I was making more than enough to live comfortably, but that wasn’t enough for me. When my mother fell ill and I came to stay with her, it was easy to put it behind me. (He turns to look at her again with a smile as he puts his arm around her shoulders.) Besides, if I hadn’t, I never would have met you, would I?
Ame: (She smiles as she taps his nose.) That’s so sweet, I’ll have to make it up to you. I’ll make dinner for you tonight. How does that sound?
Renki: (He continues to smile.) I wouldn’t miss it for the whole kingdom.
The lights dim and the spotlights focus on the two as the actors stand and face the audience. The stagehands begin changing the props in preparation for the next scene.
Ame: Tonight, we offer you a story about two souls with a bond so great, nothing can break it. Ame is a common girl, simple but kind. You see her every day when you go down the street. She is the girl stopping in at the bakery for a loaf of bread, or tending her garden as she picks out vegetables to prepare for the evening meal.
Renki: Renki is a retired swordsman who left a successful tournament career as an undefeated champion to move to the small village on the outskirts of the Sakura Kingdoms to tend to his mother when he heard she had fallen ill. While there, he met Ame and the two quickly developed an intimate relationship. Though his mother has recovered, he has not returned to the tournament, and has continued his courtship with Ame. What neither yet know is that their bond is about to be put to the ultimate test.
Ame: This is a tale of adventure and battle. It is a tale of swords and spells. It is a tale that will pit one man against his last, greatest challenge. But above all else, it is A Tale of Love.
The actors step into the shadows as the lights return.
Act 2
The scene now shows the inside of both Ame and Renki’s houses with a street between them. It is now dark outside.
Ame: (She hums to herself as she goes about preparing a meal. She continues to do this throughout the conversation between Renki and his mother.)
Renki: (He enters Stage Center and enters his house.)
Mother: (She looks up from a pot she is stirring.) Oh, Renki! Welcome home! Did you and Ame enjoy yourselves?
Renki: (He nods as he goes over and gives his mother a hug and a kiss on the cheek before going on to leave Stage Left as if going into another room. The actor changes clothes from the casual clothes to the fancier dinner outfit while off-stage.) We spent the entire afternoon sitting in the field and just talking.
Mother: (She chuckles.) Just like always, hmm, Renki? That girl is doing you good. She’s settling you down, getting you away from all that dangerous fighting. I still say worrying over you was one of the things that made me sick in the first place!
Renki: (He sticks his head back on-stage for a moment before pulling it back in after the line.) Mother, we’ve been through this. I retired, I’m done with it, and as soon as I get a price from Tangero-san on that summer house of his, I’ll have a place of my own. You don’t have to worry about that anymore.
Mother: (She grins.) And then you’ll finally propose to Ame and get me some grandchildren, right?
Renki: (He comes back out, looking embarrassed.) Mother ... Let’s take things one step at a time, please?
Mother: (She continues to grin as she looks into the pot, tasting its contents with a sip.) Well, I’m not getting any younger, you know, and with you all grown up, I miss the pitter-patter of little feet. Half a dozen would make for a nice, full family, I think. (She turns her grin to Renki as she looks him over from head to toe.) My ... Let me guess, I’ll be eating alone tonight, hmm, Renki?
Renki: (He rubs the back of his head with a grin.) Yeah ... Ame offered to make dinner.
Mother: (She dusts off her hands.) Well, then, you’d better get going! It’d be rude to keep her waiting. And be sure to tell her if she ever wants my recipe for your favorite creamed shrimp and peas, not to hesitate to ask! (She reaches over to take a sheathed sword off of a stand.) And you should take your sword, too, baby. It really adds something to the presentation.
Renki: (He obediently straps the sword to his waist.)
Mother: (She looks him over one last time with a scrutinizing gaze and nods.) Alright, that’ll have to do. Get going! Don’t keep the girl waiting!
Renki: (He leaves the house, heading toward Ame’s.)
Ninja: (He slips in quietly from Stage Right as Ame continues to hum and prepare the food. He grabs her from behind.)
Ame: (She screams for help before the ninja clasps his hand over her mouth and drags her off-stage.)
Renki: (He is in front of the door to hear the scream and he kicks it open, rushing in to see the ninja running out. He pursues.)
The lights dim again as the stagehands start changing the props for the next scene. Renki walks back to the middle of the stage and the spotlight focuses on him.
Renki: The ninja had taken to horseback by the time Renki had gotten into the alleyway behind Ame’s house. He gave chase as well as he could, but was unable to keep up on foot. He kept the kidnapper in sight long enough, however, to tell where he was going. He was heading directly for the fortress ruins at the top of the hills overlooking the village.
He leaves the stage as the lights darken entirely and the stagehands finish their work before they come back on again.
Act 3
The scene is now the inside of the fortress. The stage is once again divided into two portions. The main portion is the main chambers where the Ninja and the Sorceress stands beside a bound Ame. The other, smaller portion is the hallway leading to it.
Sorceress: (She walks up beside Ame, tracing her cheek.) Mmm, my, he certainly chose well, didn’t he? Yes, you’ll be perfect.
Ninja: (He bows to the sorceress.)
Ame: (She jerks her cheek away from her.) What do you want from me?
Sorceress: (She smirks and lowers her hand.) Nothing you’ll miss when I’m through, I promise. I just want you for your life energy. I’m going to drink it down like a fine rice wine, and leave you a shriveled old husk in my place.
Ame: Liar! What do you want from me?
Sorceress: (She chuckles.) I suppose the only way to prove it to you is to show you. Hold still. It will all be over in a few moments. (She reaches toward the girl again.)
Ame: (She does her best to lean away from the hand.)
The sounds of fighting come from off-stage.
Sorceress: (She jerks away from the girl angrily.) Company? Why do they always come at the worst possible times! See to it!
Ninja: (He bows to the Sorceress.) As you wish. (He leaves to the other portion of the stage.)
Renki: (He rushes in with sword drawn.) You! You’re the one who took Ame!
Ninja: (He chuckles, readying his own sword.) Really? How could you tell? I thought we all looked alike.
The two begin to circle each other.
Renki: Not really. You’re the only person with your face covered.
Ninja: (He continues to chuckle.) I told the boss it made me stand out too much.
Renki: Enough! I didn’t come here for games! Where is she?
Ninja: The girl? She’s right through that door, but I have orders to make sure you don’t get through.
Renki: Then I’ll have to take you down first!
The two begin to fight and after several moments of dancing back and forth, Renki’s blade finds its mark as the actor slides it under the ninja’s arm. The ninja falls and Renki steps over him into the main chamber.
Sorceress: (She scowls.) So you even killed my right-hand man, did you? No matter. I’ll finish you, myself. (She waves her hand.)
A small amount of flash powder is lit next to Renki to mimic a blast of magic.
Renki: (He falls backwards and rolls over so he is face-down.)
Ame: (She screams.) RENKI!
Sorceress: (She chuckles as she steps over toward him, bending down next to him as she speaks.) You really are quite an attractive young man ... it’d be a shame to waste you on death ... Maybe I won’t kill you ... Perhaps after I take your beloved’s life energy, I’ll enslave you, keep you around for personal entertainment for a few hundred years. Or maybe I’ll just turn you into a statue. Nice and permanent.
Renki tries to stand again, but the Sorceress stretches her hand out toward him as he slams against the floor again.
Sorceress: Now, don’t be hasty. I wouldn’t want you broken before you’re even stone! Imagine being stuck with your limbs bent at such grotesque angles for all of eternity!
Ame: (She closes her eyes as she flails.) Renki! Get up! Get up, Renki!
Renki: (He groans but can’t push against the magical force. Instead, as he collapses again, he lets his sword arm slip out from under him, swinging out quickly before the Sorceress can tell what he is doing.)
Sorceress: (She jumps back and cries out as the sword cuts into her leg.) You brute!
Renki: (He wastes no time. With the Sorceress’ spell weakened from the distraction, he leaps up and plunges the sword into her before pulling it back out again and returning it to his sheath as she falls at his feet.)
Ame: (She still has her eyes closed. As the Sorceress’ body hits the floor, she cautiously opens one up.) Renki?
Renki: (He moves behind her and unties her, helping her onto the ground.) It’s okay, Ame. It’s over. You’re safe.
Ame: (She smiles weakly.) Kind of like that story you wouldn’t tell me, huh?
Renki: (He chuckles as they walk off toward Stage Right.) Yes. Kind of like that.
The lights dim again and the spotlight focuses on them as they turn to face the audience.
Renki: Renki found out that sometimes, fairy tales aren’t as far-fetched as they seem. That evening, he proposed to Ame.
Ame: She accepted and they moved into Lord Tangero’s summer house just as they planned, and they spent the rest of their days peacefully together.
Renki: (He looks about conspiratorially before turning back toward the audience.) And in case you’re wondering ... (He holds up eight fingers.) This many kids!
The rest of the cast comes on stage beside them and together, they bow to the crowd.
