Hey, guess what? I'm back! This story will not be updated as quickly as my last two stories, and I apologize in advance for any late updates so I will not have to do so later. This is inspired by 'Rigoletto'. If you have seen Rigoletto, good for you, if you haven't, I'll try to do my best to make sure you don't have to see it, though it is a great movie. Ok, here are the characters:
Kuon / Ren
Rigaletto/ Ribaldi: Ribaldi is a rich man who keeps to himself and is accused of buying mortgaged houses from the banks and forcing the people who live in the houses to leave if they cannot pay it off.
Kyoko - Bonnie: a girl who has a pure heart, but is used and runs away trying to find what she is really looking for and sets out on an interesting adventure.
Kanae - Gorgie, Bonnie/Kyoko's best friend
Yashiro - Hans the butler
Shoutaru - Local shop owner as well as a rising star
President - He is as he always is: everything.
Maria - all kids in town/Porter
Ruriko - Kathleen, Rurinko likes shou, Kathleen is mean to Bonnie
Gabrielle- ? a princess from a foreign land...
Don't follow? Don't bother, all will be understood in time. Now, Chapter 1, New Beginnings For All...
Once upon a time, in a land far away, there lived a prince. To his people he was called "Kuon." he was a master of acting and song and he used these arts to heal his people and they lived in peace and prosperity.
Kuon was handsome, some would say beautiful. He had a gentle heart and stunning smile and was kind to all his people.
But cold winds blew them ill will.
Without warning this faraway country was invaded by evil. Kuon, wanting to protect his friends and family, went out to fight the evil that threatened them. Takarada begged Kuon not to go.
"Don't tell my father," Kuon said in response to Takarada's pleading. "Or my mother, they will worry. I'll be back before you know it." he said giving Takarada a dazzling smile of confidence.
If only they had known what the outcome would be.
Kuon, though he did slay the evil, was hit with a cursed sword. His face would forever be marred and the poison of the blade, once in his heart, would kill what everyone knew of Prince Kuon and leave only a monster.
Kuon's face, once beautiful, was now pale, cold and death like. In his pride, Kuon allowed the ugliness of his face to reach his heart making it ugly as well. None could heal him.
So Kuon left his kingdom, accompanied only by his friend Takadara and his faithful servant. Never to return to his home until he found one from the land with a pure heart, whose love would break the evil spell that rested on him.
"Kyoko, I need you." Shou Fuwa called.
Mogami Kyoko looked up from her book called "Hizuri Kuon." it was her favorite fairy tale. It had no author name. She wondered who it was that could come up with such a wonderful story.
Kyoko loved to sing. All day when she worked in the general store she would hum to herself.
Kyoko walked into the room where Sho sat lazily at the cash register.
"Good morning, Shou-kun!" she sang.
"Hn," was the reply. "The porch needs sweeping."
Kyoko skipped outside to sweep the porch. she sang as she did her chores, singing seemed to lighten the mood.
Shou loves to sing. Kyoko thought. Only he has a contract with a record company and is famous. I can't even get into the school musical. She thought sadly, but straightened up with determination. But I can still try! Maybe Shoutaru will love me if I get the lead in the school musical and act next to him. Pleased with the plan she continued her work.
Shou could not act very well, but everyone loved to hear him sing. He always got the lead in the school Musical.
Somewhere in the woods...
Late in the night a car pulled up to an empty mansion. The moon shined on the lone car. It's silver light was lonely, reminding each person in the car of the coldness and loneliness that now resided in the Master's heart.
"We're here." said a quiet voice from the driver's seat. Hearing no answer he got out and opened the door. "Sir?"
A tall man stepped out of the car and looked at the house. He grunted and walked to it.
The driver wanted stepped to go after the tall man, but the man in the back seat of the car stopped him.
"Leave him be." the voice said. "He is badly hurt." from the confusion on the driver's face, the man elaborated. "Inside."
The driver nodded.
Maybe, the driver thought parking the car. The one will be here.
Back to Kyoko...
Kyoko sat waiting for her turn to audition. She was auditioning for the school musical, which seemed more like a talent show than anything else. She was rather excited though, because Shou was in the audience and would hear her sing. And she had the perfect song.
"Mogami Kyoko." Kyoko stepped up onto the stage and nodded to the piano player and began to sing her song.
I love the part in fairy tales
that's very near the end.
Where all the kingdom cheers for their new queen.
And all is well and All is good
and everyone belongs
And Happily their every after-ing
But when I enter the kingdom of dreams
and face the promise of all I can be
will they see me as a heroine
Tell me, will they let me in?
I love the hour, the season change
and winter turns to spring
and empty branches
welcome newborn leaves
the earth makes room,
for every flower that reaches for the sun.
"We're glad you've come"
is whispered on the breeze
But when I enter the spring of my dreams
Just like a wildflower that bursts on the scene.
Will I find my place with a gentle wind?
Tell me, will they let me in?
Tell me, will they let me in?
Sure, there was more to the song, but Kyoko decided to end it there. She didn't like the rest of the song anyway. This part was beautiful.
The school director and the stage manager looked at each other and whispered quietly. The director looked up.
"You have the script, please read page twenty five."
Kyoko looked up the page and read the script.
"Why do I pour out my heart and my soul, expose it to all the world and its harsh criticism? We are told to sacrifice everything, to risk it all, with no guarantee of success. ..."*
As she continued through the monologue she hoped she would get the part. When she finished, she was excused and the director called up the next person.
"Matsunai Ruriko,"
Ruriko passed Kyoko while walking to the stage. She smirked.
"Hi Ruriko," Kyoko nodded in greeting.
"You've improved since last year," Ruriko said sticking her nose in the air and continued to the stage.
Rurika started singing. Kyoko sat alone, as always. She didn't have many friends, and the few friend's she had sat with their families.
As Ruriko finished her song Kyoko was called to the stage as they were going to announce the parts people got. The director stood and everyone held their breath.
"Our lead lady will be played by... Ms Matsunai Ruriko."
Kyoko felt her countenance fall. In the end she was where she always was in a play: in the audience. Sawara, the stage manager, was talking to Ruriko. Kyoko applauded the girl lightly. She did have a beautiful voice and could act tolerably well.
"You were robbed." a little girl said, coming up behind Kyoko.
"Ruriko does have a beautiful voice, though." Kyoko protested. "And her dance was good as well." they looked over at the girl who was talking with Shou. "She's horrible, but being bitter won't make me any better than she. I'll go say my congratulations." Kyoko excused herself and walked over to Ruriko.
"So why do you let her hang around? It's hard to see you when she's hawking over you." Ruriko said.
"It's not like I can help it. She's a good cook and cleaner." Shou shrugged.
"It sounds as if you just keep her as your maid."
"Not 'as if.'" Shou said and Kyoko froze. "That's the way it is." Ruriko looked beyond the boy and looked at Kyoko. Kyoko was hurt.
Curse love! She thought. Curse beauty. Curse singing. Curse Acting. And...
"Curse you, Shoutaru Fuwa!" she screamed and ran out the door.
Kyoko ran to her house and threw all her clothes and her precious things into a suitcase and went to her bike. She took one look at the store Mr and Mrs Fuwa had left their son and glared at it.
"Curse you too!" she shouted.
Kyoko rode her bike for an hour before stopping in a small town. She went inside a barber shop and cut her long black hair, had it dyed orange and bought a new outfit. As she stepped out she looked at the sky.
"I'll get you Shoutaru, for tricking me!" she shouted and hopped on her bike, pretending she wasn't crying the entire way. (AN, yes, she's crying, it's because she wasted her life on the likes of Shou)
Kyoko wasn't sure how long she rode, but it was night time when she came to a small town in the woods. She walked into a Daruma-ya restaurant, probably half dead. She sat down and was like a ghost, she was so tired.
"Where are you going?" the elderly woman serving her asked.
"Anywhere." Kyoko responded.
"You look tired. Where are you from?"
"Kyoto."
The woman's eyebrows rose.
"Kyoto?" she asked. "A long distance. When did you leave?"
"This morning?" it sounded like she was questioning herself.
"By car?"
Kyoko shook her head. "My bike."
"My!" the old woman said. "You must be tired. Do you need a place to stay?"
"I'll find one."
"Nonsense. You must stay with us tonight. We have an empty room. Please stay."
"I couldn't dream of imposing on you..."
"We can let you wash dishes for our trouble." the woman offered.
Kyoko smiled. "I'd love to stay here."
and that is where Kyoko's interesting adventure began...
Well, hello there. I hope this sounds interesting. Again, for my own amusement just because I saw so many similarities between the stories. :) I am still in the middle of a play and I start a different job later this week, so updates may be slow.
Ren: Why don't you just write it first and then post it?
Me: what's the fun in that? That doesn't pose and Challenge to me.
Kyoko: Why do I do this thing called 'acting'? why do I pour out my heart and my soul, expose it to all the world and it's harsh criticism? we are told to sacrifice everything. to risk it all, with no guarantee of success. to do this, we must really want it. we tell ourselves, that "Yes! I want it!" But...'
Me: ... Is she still going?
Ren: *nods*
Me: *stares at Kyoko and blinks twice before smiling at... uh... the reader* please excuse our leading actress who likes the monologue i used. We'll have to end the chapter here. See you next time, same fan writer, same fan fiction. :)
*Monologue by SG, do not steal, I don't own it or skip beat.