SCENE V
By Maewyn and Bassy66
It is always night in Never Was… With no moon or stars to track its passage, time is meaningless… There is no way to tell how long a night lasts, since there is no day to end it. When you are tired, you sleep… simple as that… unless you don't actually have a bed to sleep on.
Naminè turned over on the couch restlessly. They never thought I was important enough to give me a bed. The couch was lumpy, but being the only other piece of furniture in room, it was still more comfortable than the chair.
Lying there trying to find sleep, Naminè hears the distinct sound of a corridor to darkness opening in the room, and squeezes her eyes shut as she inwardly cringes. OH GOD, WHO IS IT NOW?! CAN'T THEY JUST LEAVE ME ALONE?!
She hears footsteps approaching her, and a feeling of dread washes over her.
"How long are you going to lie there; pretending your asleep?!" He asked sullenly. She opens one eye cautiously, and then breathes a sigh of relief. Naminè slowly sits up and looks up at him.
"Sorry, but Larxene was here earlier…" She said apologetically. Zexion nods, and sits himself down beside Naminè on the couch, takes out the book he brought along, and opens it studying the table of contents.
"Where did we leave off at?" He asked. Naminè smiled.
"Romeo, Benvolio, Mercutio, and a bunch of their friends were on their way to crash a party at the Capulet's house!" She said excitedly. Zexion flipped through the pages of the book thoughtfully.
"Did we finish that scene?" He asked, skeptically. Naminè nodded enthusiastically. "All right, then…" He flips to the right page and reads. "SCENE V. A Hall in Capulet's house. The Musicians are waiting to play. Enter Servants…" Zexion smirks, "with napkins" he adds, reading the Stage Direction.
"FIRST SERVANT:" Naminè smiles, Zexion always reads the name of the character part, before reading the line. Zexion puffed himself up a little, before beginning the scene.
"Where's Potpan, that he helps not to take away?" He asked her in whiny sort of voice, rather similar to Vexen's, she thought with giggle. "He shift a trencher? He scrape a trencher!" She shrugged in answer and he held out the book for her, pointing to the next line.
"SECOND SERVANT:" She read, "When good manners shall lie all in one or two men's hands and they unwashed too, 'tis a foul thing." And she passed the book back to him.
"FIRST SERVANT:" Zexion stated, turning slightly to address the "other" servants of the hall. "Away with the joint-stools, remove the court-cupboard, look to the plate." He said, pointing at the imaginary servants. "Good thou, save me a piece of marchpane; and, as thou lovest me, let the porter let in Susan Grindstone and Nell. Antony, and Potpan!"
Zexion held out the book again, and Naminè read the next line.
"Second Servant: Ay, boy, ready." He nodded to her approvingly.
"First Servant: You are looked for and called for, asked for and sought for, in the great chamber." He told her, and then glanced at the book, then at her.
Naminè smiled and read out loud the Second Servant's next line. "We cannot be here and there too. Cheerly, boys; be brisk awhile, and the longer liver take all."
Zexion smiled at her, and gently plucking the book out of her hands, he rose to his feet. Turning toward his one-person-audience, Zexion reads the Stage Direction. "Enter CAPULET, with the FAIR JULIET" He nods to Naminè, who beams back at him. "And others of his house, greeting the Guests and Maskers arriving." He hands back the book to her.
"CAPULET:" Zexion turns away from her and pulls up his hood over his head. Then he swirls about gesturing grandly and drawing himself up impressively, and then tosses back the hood with a flourish.
"Welcome, gentlemen! ladies that have their toes
Unplagued with corns will have a bout with you."
Zexion declares in a deep voice, a very familiar deep, arrogant voice. Naminè's hands flew to her mouth, as she tried to quiet her sudden squeal of laughter. Zexion is actually very good at mimicking voices, and naturally it was one of his greatest pleasures to mock his fellow Organization Members. All-in-all, he made a very good Marluxia. Noting Naminè's giggles, he favored her with a smile for their shared jest.
"Ah ha, my mistresses! Which of you all
Will now deny to dance? She that makes dainty,
She, I'll swear, hath corns; am I come near ye now?"
Zexion beamed at her and, then turn with a great impressive flourish to address the empty seat next to her.
"Welcome, gentlemen!" Zexion leaned in closer, talking to the "Imaginary Masker". "I have seen the day that I have worn a visor," Zexion leaned closer to Naminè, and looking intently into her eyes, making her blush. "and could tell a whispering tale in a fair lady's ear," He said, smiling warmly at her, deepening her blush. "Such as would please:" He straightened up again, with sigh. " 'tis gone, 'tis gone, 'tis gone: You are welcome, gentlemen! Come, musicians, play.
A hall, a hall! Give room! and foot it, girls."
"Music plays, and they dance." Zexion said, pausing to read the stage direction, before jumping back into his Capulet character.
"More light, you knaves; and turn the tables up,
And quench the fire, the room is grown too hot." Zexion ordered the unseen servants, before turning to Naminè, and resting a hand on her shoulder, he leans down to speak to her.
"Ah, sirrah, this unlook'd-for sport comes well.
Nay, sit, nay, sit, good cousin Capulet;
For you and I are past our dancing days:" Zexion turned and slumped down in the seat beside her, his hand still on her shoulder companionably.
"How long is't now since last yourself and I
Were in a mask?"
Zexion leaned over, showing her the next line in the book.
"SECOND CAPULET:" Naminè read. "By'r lady, thirty years."
Zexion looked at her in mock surprise.
"CAPULET: What, man! 'tis not so much, 'tis not so much:
'Tis since the nuptials of Lucentio,
Come pentecost as quickly as it will,
Some five and twenty years; and then we mask'd."
Naminè laughed at Zexion's pleading expression and posturing, so like Marluxia. She shook her head at him.
"SECOND CAPULET: 'Tis more, 'tis more, his son is elder, sir;
His son is thirty." Naminè said smugly.
Zexion shook his head, woefully.
"CAPULET: Will you tell me that?
His son was but a ward two years ago."
Zexion glanced at the book in Naminè's hands, and beamed, as he said the next line, standing up and facing her.
"ROMEO: [To a Servingman]" He leaned toward an unseen player.
"What lady is that, which doth
enrich the hand
Of yonder knight?"
Naminè smiled up at him admiringly, before reading the next line.
"SERVANT: I know not, sir."
Zexion smiles at her, gently.
"ROMEO:
O, she doth teach the torches to burn bright!
It seems she hangs upon the cheek of night
Like a rich jewel in an Ethiope's ear;"
Naminè blushed as Zexion knelt down on one knee, gazing at her adoringly, with his night blue eyes shining.
"Beauty too rich for use, for earth too dear!
So shows a snowy dove trooping with crows," Zexion smiled at irony, and Naminè giggled.
"As yonder lady o'er her fellows shows.
The measure done, I'll watch her place of stand,
And, touching hers, make blessed my rude hand.
Did my heart love till now? forswear it, sight!
For I ne'er saw true beauty till this night."
Zexion then looked at Naminè, who is gazing at him transfixed… He paused, for a moment, before reaching over and tapping the page of the book gently with his finger. "Tybalt…" He prompted.
"Huh?" Naminè blinked and looked down at the page. "Oh right… Tybalt…" She paused and lowered her voice, folding her arms in cocky and arrogant manner.
"This, by his voice, should be a Montague.
Fetch me my rapier, boy." She snarled at Zexion. "What dares the slave,
Come hither, cover'd with an antic face,
To fleer and scorn at our solemnity?
Now, by the stock and honour of my kin,
To strike him dead, I hold it not a sin."
Zexion blinked at her, impressed! He grinned at her, Naminè beamed at his praise.
"CAPULET:
Why, how now, kinsman! wherefore storm you so?" Zexion asked, curiously. Naminè gave him her best scowl, which he thought was amusing! Naminè huffed, stood up to face him.
"TYBALT:
Uncle, this is a Montague, our foe,
A villain that is hither come in spite,
To scorn at our solemnity this night." Naminè declared, rather forcefully. Zexion smirked at her, thrilled with her serious acting ability.
"CAPULET:
"Young Romeo is it?" He asked in amusement.
"TYBALT:
'Tis he, that villain Romeo." Naminè nodded.
"CAPULET:" Zexion closed the distance between them and glared down at her.
"Content thee, gentle coz, let him alone;
He bears him like a portly gentleman;
And, to say truth, Verona brags of him
To be a virtuous and well-govern'd youth:
I would not for the wealth of all the town
Here in my house do him disparagement:
Therefore be patient, take no note of him:
It is my will, the which if thou respect,
Show a fair presence and put off these frowns,
And ill-beseeming semblance for a feast."
Naminè glared back at him, while gripping the book tightly with both hands.
"TYBALT:" She said the character's name like it was an insult!
"It fits, when such a villain is a guest:
I'll not endure him."
"CAPULET:
He shall be endured!" Zexion returned hotly, pulling out his best Marluxia Imitation.
"What, goodman boy! I say, he shall: go to;
Am I the master here, or you? go to.
You'll not endure him! God shall mend my soul!
You'll make a mutiny among my guests!
You will set cock-a-hoop! you'll be the man!"
They both glared at each other, and then they cracked smiles, and started laughing. Wiping the tears of laughter out of her eyes, Naminè asked, "What is a cock-a-hoop?!" She laughed.
"You're so friggin' happy that he's here."
"Oh…no I'm not."
"No really that's what it means. You are delighted."
"That's stupid."
"I didn't write it."
"lemme get this straight. Marl-err…CAPULET is telling Ax- TYBALT that he has to be happy that you-err…ROMEO crashed his party?"
"Essentially yeah."
"No wonder he's pissed." Naminè looks down at the book.
"TYBALT: Why, uncle, 'tis a shame." She says as snidely as she can.
"CAPULET: Go to, go to;
You are a saucy boy: is't so, indeed?" He laughs.
"This trick may chance to scathe you, I know what:
You must contrary me! marry, 'tis time.
Well said, my hearts! You are a princox; go—"
"Princox?!" She laughed. Zexion rolled his eyes at the interruption.
"It means a self-confident young man."
"You mean he really is Axel! Overbearing, rude, conce-"
"BE QUIET!" Pauses, to calm himself, "or-More light, more light! For shame!"
"What?" she glares at him.
"It's in the book." He sighed. "I'll make you quiet. What, cheerly, my hearts!"
She stared blankly at him. "It's your line." He said.
"Huh? Oh …" she looks down at the book.
"What's my line?" with a sigh, Zexion showed the pale blonde the next line.
"TYBALT:" She reads, in annoyance. "Patience perforce with wilful choler meeting
Makes my flesh tremble in their different greeting.
I will withdraw: but this intrusion shall
Now seeming sweet convert to bitter gall." She glares at Zexion, before reading the stage direction. "And the two exit! Tybalt extremely pissed!" Naminè stated, sitting down on the couch in irritation.
"…did I do something wrong?"
"Read your line Romeo!"
Zexion looked scared. "um… ah… ROMEO… [To JULIET]" He glanced nervously.
"If I profane with my unworthiest hand…
This holy shrine, the gentle fine is this:" Zexion, his face turning slightly pink, as he knelt in front of her and took her hand in his.
"My lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand
To smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss." Zexion said, leaning down to kiss her hand, but she yanks it back.
"JULIET:" She giggled, teasingly. "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much," She smiled innocently, and then her hand slammed into his forehead, knocking him backward onto his butt! He stares up at her in shock, as she continues. "Which mannerly devotion shows in this;
For saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch," She laughed, as she waved her hands in front of him mockingly. "And palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."
Zexion stared at her for a long moment, before getting to his feet in irritation, walk over and grabbing the offending hands.
"ROMEO:" He stated, leaning down almost nose to nose with her, looking directing into her eyes. He smirks. "Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"
Naminè turned as red as a tomato and leaned back away from him, but he held her hands tightly.
"JULIET… ah… Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer." She answered. He grinned at her, mischievously. Her face somehow got redder.
"ROMEO:" He said, leaning in closer as she leans back.
"O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do;
They pray—"Naminè slaps him. "OW! Damn it, Naminè! "
"grant thou, lest faith turn to despair." Zexion finished, glaring at her while rubbing his cheek.
"JULIET: Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake." Naminè rolled her eyes at him.
"ROMEO:" Zexion spat. "Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take." Grabbing her shoulders, he leans in close to her. "Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged." And he kisses her. Naminè with an indignant shriek, slugs him in the face. Startled Zexion losses his balance, and falls backward to the floor, landing on his butt. Again. Zexion stared at her in wide-eyed shock, clutching his nose in pain.
"Damn, Naminè! That hurt! What do you do that for—"
"You had it coming."
"Romeo and Juliet kiss… It says so! Right here in the Stage Direction written in this book!" He protested, pointing at the book.
"Just because it says so in the book, does not mean that you have the right to do something like that!"
"We have been acting out the Stage Direction all along, so if the book says that Romeo and Juliet kiss—Then of course we should, because it's part of the play…" Zexion explained, then he scowled at her. "Need I remind you, that was your idea to do all the stage direction and act out the play. I thought that's what you wanted to do. If you didn't want to you should have told me."
Naminè blinked and thought about it. He was right, and that annoyed her.
"I thought I made myself clear when you landed on your butt the first time. It's not my fault that you're a slow learner." She smirked at him. She leaned forward and looked at him. "Or maybe I'm misunderstanding the situation. And this has nothing to do with the book."
"What are you implying?!" Zexion demanded.
"I'm too innocent to say. Marluxia keeps such things away from a lady." Zexion blinked, and then his face turned as red as Axel's hair.
"Are you insinuating that I wanted to do more than kiss you?"
"So you are actually admitting that you did?!" it was somehow both a question and a statement. If possible Zexion turned even redder, absolutely flabbergasted.
They stare at each other for a couple minutes.
"Damn it! You are reading into this too much." Zexion said, in self-denial. Naminè blinked at him, waiting for him to start talking. "I thought we were acting…" He said, uncomfortably.
"Yes…how did that lead to kissing?"
"It's in the stage direction. I'm sorry you didn't understand the situation…"
"It's ok…" Naminè said, then she pauses, "What is the next line in the book?" Zexion took the book….then he turned bright red.
"um…" He stammers. "JULIET: Then have my lips the sin that they have took."
"WHAT?!" she snatched the book back from him. At this point, both beet-red, Naminè looks him in the eye, and suggests, "Maybe, we should look for another book?"
"How do you feel about horror?"
"…Nevermind. Read your line."
Zexion cringed, and reads the line. "ROMEO: Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again." He sighs. "Damn, and we haven't even gotten to the Balcony scene yet." He muttered, as he picked up the book and looked at it, his face still flushed. He scanned the scene, but in reality he was just taking a moment to compose himself. "And they kiss again… You kiss by the book."
"Excuse me!" Naminè raised her hand ready to slap him.
"That's Juliet's line." Zexion stated, "JULIET: You kiss by the book…" He reads. "All right, so you want to do it or not—"
"WHAT?!" Naminè gasped, staring at Zexion in shock. Zexion looks back at her in confusion.
"Ah, yes, do you want to say your lines or just skip to the Nurse's part?" He asked, puzzled, "What did you think I was asking?"
"Nothing!" Red-faced, Naminè looks quickly down at the book, and then giggles. "You kiss by the book—I think that it means you are a good kisser- I mean Romeo is!" Naminè exclaimed, absolutely beside herself with giggles. Zexion stared at her. He's happy, she isn't smacking him, but he's confused as to why she's laughing.
Zexion glances at her perplexed. "Oh well, at least, we are on the same page now…" glances at the book and shrugs. "Let us take it back to the beginning of Romeo and Juliets's Dialogue…"
"Let's by pass it, the nurse's lines will probably be safer." Naminè pointed out.
They stared at each other expectantly, and then Zexion sighed, "Nurse, it's your line!"
Naminè blinked, "Okay," She looks at the book, and studies it for a long moment. "Nurse: Madam, your mother craves a word with you."
"ROMEO: What is her mother?"
Naminè blinks, "What do you mean- What is her mother?!"
"That's the way, it is written."
"But, shouldn't it say WHO?!" She protests, Zexion sighs in irritation.
"I am not Shakespeare! Can we please just read the play?!"
"All right! Geez, you don't have to get all whiny about it!"
"Just read your line."
"Fine," Shen huffed. "Nurse: Marry, bachelor," She blinks, "He is Married?"
"NO!" Zexion Exclaims in Frustration. "Marry is another word for Indeed in Elizabethan England."
"Oh," Naminè continued, "Her mother is the lady of the house, And a good lady, and a wise and virtuous—and this is so not, Larxene." Naminè laughed. "I nursed her daughter, that you talk'd withal; I tell you, he that can lay hold of her- Shall have the chinks." Naminè cringed, "What they going to be sick? Like the Chickenpox?"
"The Chinks means cash- She's rich!"
"Oh," Naminè nods in understanding, Zexion rolls his eyes.
"ROMEO: Is she a Capulet? O dear account! My life is my foe's debt."
"BENVOLIO:" Naminè read, "Away, begone; the sport is at the best."
"ROMEO: Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest." Zexion smiled. "I think this is a good place to stop." Naminè frowned.
"But we're almost done."
"There is a whole section with Juliet and the nurse." He protests.
Ignoring him Naminè goes into Capulet's lines. "CAPULET: Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone;"
He sighs in defeat, as she continues.
"We have a trifling foolish banquet towards.
Is it e'en so? why, then, I thank you all
I thank you, honest gentlemen; good night.
More torches here! Come on then, let's to bed.
Ah, sirrah, by my fay, it waxes late:
I'll to my rest." She smiled triumphantly, as she read the stage direction. "Exeunt all but JULIET and Nurse"
"So who's Juliet?" Zexion gave Naminè a look.
"Read."
"JULIET:" Naminè beams, "Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman?"
"Nurse:" Zexion sighs, resigned. "The son and heir of old Tiberio."
"Who's Tiberio?"
"He's a just some random character, can we please finish this?" He pretty much begged her. Naminè just looked at him.
"JULIET: What's he that now is going out of door?" She pointed at the door, trying to get back into character.
"Nurse: Marry, that, I think, be young Petrucio."
"Who is—"
"No! No more questions! Just read!"
"Fine!" She huffed. "JULIET: What's he that follows there, that would not dance?"
"Nurse: I know not."
"JULIET: Go ask his name: if he be married." Naminè prodded him.
"My grave is like to be my wedding bed." Naminè paused, "Wait-a-minute! Didn't she just met this guy, and she is already thinking about marrying him?!"
"Yes, it is love at first sight. What do you want? Read your line."
"It's yours."
"Damn it. Nurse: His name is Romeo, and a Montague;
The only son of your great enemy."
"JULIET: My only love sprung from my only hate!
Too early seen unknown, and known too late!
Prodigious birth of love it is to me,
That I must love a loathed enemy."
"Nurse: What's this? what's this?"
"What's what?" Naminè blinked in confusion.
"Screw it! I'm out of here!" And Zexion corridored out. Naminè looked at where he was, looks at the book, and then reads her lines.
"JULIET: A rhyme I learn'd even now
Of one I danced withal.
One calls within 'Juliet.'
Nurse:
Anon, anon!
Come, let's away; the strangers all are gone.
Exeunt" And with that Naminè closes the book.
The end
If we get enough reviews we will do the balcony scene, but only if we get enough reviews.
Oh yeah disclaimer, come on we all know I don't own this.