Koushiro! Part 1
Disclaimer: I don't own digimon. Toei does. I also don't own Oliver Twist, though I am in my school's presentation of Oliver Twist as Bill Sikes
Cast List
Koushiro Izumi: An orphan boy, age 10
Takeru Takaishi: a cheerful young pickpocket
Taichi Yagami: the wicked leader of a gang of thieves
Yamato Ishida: a sinister thief
Sora Takenouchi: Yamato's girl
Hikari Yagami: another young pickpocket
Mimi Tachikawa: a young lady
Gennai: a respectable gentleman
Jyou Kido: Master of a workhouse
Miss Megan: a Workhouse matron
Charissa: a silly maid
Mr. Sowerberry-a coffinmaker
Mrs. Sowerberry- His wife
Noah Claypole-a cowardly bully
Old Sally- an old female servant
Eliza Sellers- a bookstore clerk
Miss Monks- a mysterious stranger
Mrs. Bedwin: Gennai's housekeeper
Mrs. Grimwig: A skeptical old lady
"Arrgh! Gruel again!" Koushiro, a ten year-old orphan complained. Every day of his life he had gruel and he had never seen the world outside this small Japanese workhouse. He wished he could just once taste a figgy pudding or a leg of lamb or a roll of sushi.
"And as if gruel in general wasn't bad enough. We don't even get enough! Look at me lads! I'm thin as a rail!" One workhouse child yelled.
"Mr. Kido keeps the good food locked up." Another explained to the others.
"If I don't get some food in my belly, I'm likely to eat one of you in my sleep." An older boy said to some of the younger boys, who cowered away in fear.
"And Miss Megan beats us if we try to get some food." Yet another whined.
"I have an idea. We draw straws to see who goes to get more gruel. I'll cut the straws. Whoever gets the short one goes." One boy offered and cut the straws. Each boy grabbed one. Koushiro opened his hand to see that he had the short straw.
"Go for it Koushiro! Good luck!" A boy said, patting him on the back. Koushiro walked up to a workhouse employee, who was doling out gruel.
"What is it boy? You already got your gruel." The employee scowled, looking down at Koushiro.
"Please sir. I want some more." Koushiro squeaked.
Meanwhile, in the opposite room, Mr. Kido, the master of the workhouse, and Miss Megan, the workhouse matron, were having tea and cake.
"More cake Mr. Kido?" Smiled Miss Megan. Mr. Kido nodded his head and as he leaned over to receive his cake, he gave her a small peck on the cheek. Miss Megan turned her head coyly and saw Koushiro holding up his bowl and asking for more through the window. Her face instantly became a mask of anger and she stormed out of the parlor and grabbed poor Koushiro by the ear.
"You little brat! How could you possibly ask for more? In the morning, you will be apprenticed to the first man who comes to the workhouse looking for somebody to hire. Does that sound good?" Miss Megan snarled.
"No ma'am. It sounds terrible." Koushiro whimpered.
"Shut up brat! For that little comment, you're going to be hauled through the streets right now by Mr. Kido in search of a master, whether you like it or not!" Miss Megan yelled. She dragged him into Mr. Kido's office who hauled him into the busy Odaiba streets.
"Boy for sale! Boy for sale!" Mr. Kido hollered. A butcher walked up to Mr. Kido.
"I'm in need of an apprentice. How much?" The butcher asked.
"Only 100 yen. It's an unbeatable price!" Mr. Kido said.
"100 yen for that scrawny runt? He ain't worth 60 yen!" The butcher screamed and ran back into his shop. Mr. Kido kept on marching until he reached the shop of Mr. Sowerberry, a coffinmaker.
"Ah, Mr. Sowerberry. How are you? And bless me, here's young Noah Claypole." Mr. Kido said as he noticed Noah Claypole, a muscular boy of about 14.
"Hello Mr. Kido. How are ya today?" Noah asked.
"Quite good young master Claypole. And here's young Charissa, Mrs. Sowerberry's little maid." Mr. Kido said to Charissa, who clumsily curtsied.
"I believe you owe me an apprentice, Mr. Kido." Mr. Sowerberry said.
"Ah, yes. That's why I came. This little boy would make a delightful apprentice." Mr. Kido explained.
"He's quite scrawny. I don't think we should be taking him in John." Mrs. Sowerberry said to her husband.
"Yes, He is rather small but give him plenty of gruel to build him up till he's as strong as young Master Claypole." Mr. Kido said.
"And take a look at his most unusual face, my love. It has an interesting expression of melancholy. I think he'd make a delightful coffin follower. Not for grown-up funerals, of course. Just for children's funerals." Mr. Sowerberry said as he examined Koushiro's face and payed Mr. Kido the yen for the boy. Mr. Kido left for the workhouse and Mr. and Mrs. Sowerberry went off into the back room.
"Why does he get to be the coffin follower and get the big hat and coat? I wanted that!" Noah screamed.
"Why Noah, you don't have a melancholy face like Koushiro." Charissa giggled.
"So, work-us, how's your mother?" Noah asked Koushiro.
"She's dead." Koushiro explained.
"You know, it's a right good thing she died. If she didn't , she'd most likely have been hanged. She was a bad one, that's for sure." Noah scowled.
"You take that back!" Koushiro yelled.
"Why should I? It's true." Noah said. Koushiro couldn't take this anymore. He pounced on Noah and began to choke him. Charissa screamed and began to beat Koushiro with an umbrella.
"Help! Master, missus! He'll murder me!" Noah choked. The Sowerberry's came rushing from the kitchen and Mrs. Sowerberry separated the two boys.
"Now what is the meaning of this Koushiro?" Mrs. Sowerberry screamed at Koushiro.
"He called my mother names." Koushiro explained to the angry woman.
"So what if he did? She probably deserved it." Mrs. Sowerberry hissed.
"She didn't. I swear." Koushiro said.
"That's a bloody lie, it is! She deserved every word of it!" Mrs. Sowerberry shrieked. Koushiro began to cry and bolted out the door. He kept running for seven days until he reached Tokyo.