Me: Hey everyone, I'm back~!
Kazu(groaning)*Gets hit in the head with a frying pan*Ouch! Stop that already will ya?
Me: Then stop being rude!
Takato: Aw, c'mon guys, don't fight!
Suzie: Yeah, we got a show to put on! (Mutters): Not that I'm in it...
Me: I heard that Suzie and even though you don't have a part, you do have a role to play, so do Ai and Mako.
Suzie, Ai and Mako: We do?
Everyone else: They do?
Me: Yep! Ai and Mako are part of the lights and sound crew, and Suzie gets an even more speical role, she's the hostess!
Tamers: Hostess?
Me: Yep! She's bascially in charge of all the snacks people can buy, making sure the tickets are being sold and most importantly, the reception party!
Suzie: Wow! I'm in charge of all that?!
Me; Yep, again!
Henry: Are you sure that's wise?
Me: Again, yep! So don't make me repeat myself again. Also, to my dear viewers and followers, if you need visual help with costumes look like look up 'The Little Mermaid Pre-Broadway' and if you need to think what Hikaru looks like, think Kairi in Kingdom hearts 3 but with dark brown hair and greyish-blue eyes. Now, without further a-due...take it away Henry!
Henry: Princess Luka Vocalzal does not own Digimon or The Little Mermaid (Disney or Broadway versions)!
Chapter 1: Opening Night and Scene
A lot of things had changed since the Tamers' adventures in the Digital World; everyone was either a senior, junior or freshmen. Everyone practically celebrated being together again once Ai and Mako were freshmen. Henry was captain of the Martial Arts club, Rika was in the debate team and was running for captain next semester. Takato, naturally, has been captain of the soccer team since he made junior, Kenta was on the baseball team, surprisingly, all that running in the Digital World really paid off. Suzie, Ai and Mako were all apart of the science club, Jeri had joined choir, Ryo joined the swim team and as for Karu, she was content with doing her own thing, and as of yet, has yet to join any teams or clubs or even participate in any school activities, always spending her time reading her mother's books.
However, all that changed when news of the mid-year, annual play had been announced. Last year had been Beauty and the Beast, and it had been a huge success. They had all attended that year also with Ai and Mako, and thought it looked like a lot of fun, so naturally, Takato thought it would be the perfect thing for all of them to do together to makeup for lost time. Rika's cousin Mao decided to join in too, just for the fun of it, but it took a lot of convincing on Takato's part to get Karu to agree to take part, much less audition.
After months of long, hard work of practice, crafts and electric problems; it was finally opening night. Suzie, who was given the role of hostess by the director, had just finished over looking the snack table; three different types of popcorn seasoning and five packages of three different kinds of pop, also, they had a long array of candy bars. Suzie's dark purple hair had grown over the years to reach her waist and it had been styled for the occasion in gentle waves, while at the same time pulled back into delicate ponytail with stylish, white beads. She wore a small touch of shimmering, light pink eyeshadow and rose-pink lip gloss, with a very subtle touch of blush. She wore a stunning, figure-fitting, magenta sundress with a modest V-neck as not to give poor Henry a heart-attack with candy-floss-pink stockings and knee-high, thin, purple boots with a link-chain around her neck with a sunflower pendant.
She smiled as she watched people almost flooding into the school to see the show, after paying the tickets, they're given white bracelets with red or green designs. Red was a normal bracelet that allowed people back in after leaving for the washrooms, green meant they were allowed free re-fills, but the green ones cost extra. "Come one, come all to see Shinjuku High's performance of The Little Mermaid!" Suzie called into a mircrophone, standing outside the school gates to try and attract people into seeing the show, "Starring Hikaru; the headstrong mermaid who dreams of life on land!"
Meanwhile, backstage, up in the tech center, Ai and Mako were busy away with three others prepping the special effects, as well as the props. "All's well over here," Ai said, wearing a white uniform that had a skirt instead of a pair of pants, "How about you guys?"
"Everything's fine here," Mako replied, wearing the male uniform. "Same here," Another boy said. "And here," Another said. "Here's good," The only other female added. "Okay," Ai said, before taking out a corded walkie-talkie and pressed a blue button, "Hikaze, this is Ai, you hear me?"
Down in the more casual section of the backstage area, where the actors were prepping themselves and doing last minute go-overs, a senior with smooth, shoulder-length, blood-red hair and orangey-brown eyes answered her, "Loud and clear." He was wearing a simple, dark brown cardigan over a long-sleeved, green shirt with loose, faded jeans tucked into brown boots with a matching belt.
"All's clear up here," Ai told him over the walkie-talkie, "We're ready when you guys are."
"Right, on my signal you guys hit the spotlights once the orchestra starts," Joji Hikaze said, "You know you're cues from there," After getting an affirmative sound from the female twin, Joji then turned to address his cast, while clapping his hands to get their attention, "Okay everyone, attention please, attention please," Once he had everyone's attention, he continued, "This is our big day everyone, now I just want to congratulate you all on a job well done these past few months and I'm expecting all of you to live up to all that practice and make this year's mid-year play a big hit!"
"Yes sir!" The actors/actresses all exclaimed eager to live up to expectations. "Good to hear," Joji grinned with a nod, before going to his check-list and turned a page, "Roll call: Matsuki Takato."
"Present!" Takato called from the back. "Kitagawa Kenta," Joji said. "Present!" Kenta said from the third row. "Tagami Dan and Mito Hans," Joji said. "Present!" The two ravenettes called from the back. "Nonaka Mao and Rika," Joji said after checking the two off. "Present!" The redheads said. "Akiyama Ryo," Joji said, but at the lack of response he blinked, "Akiyama Ryo."
"Oh!" The brunette yelped, apparently waking up, "P-Present!" Joji hummed before checking him off. "Higami Taichi, Utashi Yutaka, Orimoto Sora..." Joji continued, checking off names as the owners called back, until, "Wazaki Dan."
"He's not here!" A random actor informed, much to Joji's irritation. "Aw, that Wazaki's never here when you need him," The director grumbled, "All's that left is our stars; Wong Henry and Shiota Hikaru!" He then looked around in confusion at not seeing or hearing them, "Henry, Hikaru!"
"We're right here!" A male voice exclaimed. "Over here!" A female added, "Excuse us!" The two leads made their way to the front of the crowd, a bit embarrassed at not paying attention and being caught. It was true, while Henry and Karu were aiming to simply be extras or helpers, they had been caught singing one of the songs, and Joji had begged them to play the roles of Eric and Ariel.
"I just want to say I'm special proud of the two of you," Joji said, "Even with the weight of the play on both your shoulders and not exactly being comfortable at first, you two over came it and progressed amazingly!"
"Thank you," The two said blushing at the praise, they were not shy, they just didn't like being in the spotlight. "Alright everyone, get ready, we start in a few minutes!" Joji said and the performers rushed to their respected gender's dressing room to get ready.
(In the Girls' Dressing Room)
All the girls were giggling and gossiping about various things as they got ready and helped each other. "So, Karu," Rika said casually as she applied whitish-blonde hair chalk to her hair as said girl hummed in acknowledgement, while taking a sip of water, "When are you going to tell Henry you want to have his babies?" Karu's greyish-blue eyes snapped wide in shock, before doing a spit-take, much to the redhead's and Jeri's amusements as she coughed, while the girls (quietly squealing) listened in.
"Rika!" Karu said looking shocked, yet very alarmed and embarrassed. "What?" Rika asked shrugging. "Why would you ask something like that?" Karu asked scandilously, "I have no such desire!" But the heavy blush on her face told a different story. "But you do like him don't you?" Jeri asked and the other actresses leaned in a little to hear as Karu blushed even harder. "Since we met..." Karu admitted, playing with a strand of her dark brown hair making many girls swoon at the idea of such a romantic story, but the girl sighed, "But he's never going to like me the same way." It was true and it broke Karu's heart knowing the only boy she'd probably every truly love since they were both twelve, would never see her that way.
"Why wouldn't he?" Jeri asked. "He obviously likes Rika; he respects her, they both enjoy a good fight, they're both good at Digimon, need I go on," Karu answered, while listening her reasons off her fingers. "He also respects you, you also love a good fight, heck, you're the only one who can hold your own against him in a martial arts fight and keep him on his toes!" Rika said in response, "You're also pretty good at Digimon, also, you two seem closer than me and Henry, in fact, you seem to be almost always together here at school and he's also the first to try and protect you whenever a rogue Digimon actually manages to get here." Karu blushed more, seeing the truth in that.
"You..." Karu said hesitantly, "Really think...I could have a chance?"
"I know so," Rika assured with a smile. "Same here, if any girl does, it's you," Jeri agreed, "How about this, after the show at the party; tell him. Find a way to get the two of you alone and tell him how you feel for him." Karu seemed unsure, but gave a small nod, hoping things went well.
(In the Boys' Dressing Room)
All the boys were laughing and joking as they too got themselves ready, before Ryo, unknowingly, asked Henry the same question Rika had asked Karu, but with a leering expression. "So, Henry, when ya gonna tell her?" Ryo asked and the other boys, sans Takato and Kenta (who were confused) grinned as well once realizing what he meant. "Tell who what?" Henry asked while ducking under his vanity to tighten the straps of his boots. "Oh, you know," Ryo said casually, while adjusting his hat, "Telling Karu that you want to make her the mother of your children." Henry's eyes snapped wide and (forgetting he was under his vanity) tried to sit up, only to bang his head, much to his pained-irritation and the others amusements, sans Takato and Kenta who gaped in shock.
"RYO!" Henry, Takato and Kenta all but yelled as the guys laughed. "Oh, come on!" Ryo teased, "Don't tell you haven't once admired her courage, determination and not to mention her beauty,"
"She's practically our sister!" Takato and Kenta shouted, while Henry turned beat red, knowing it was true. He had fallen for the beautiful brunette, but for more than her physical beauty, but her no-nonsense attitude, her kindness to his little sister and her friends, her courage against great odds and her determined nature, despite the odds. She was truly gorgeous; inside and out, that he couldn't deny.
"Admit Wong," One of the extras said with a leering grin, "You practically grew-up with her all through out the high school years, don't tell you haven't once noticed the sexiness of Shiota."
"For your information Tagami, I really don't care," Henry said, shooting him a warning look, added with Takato, Ryo and Kenta's protective glares, Ryo had grown to care for the girl, finding her like the sister he never had (and their looks often had them mistake for twins, not that he honestly minded), so he wasn't afraid to protect her virtue. Henry then sighed in depression before adding begrudgingly, "And yes, I have," Ryo grinned despite himself, while Takato and Kenta were little shocked, though mostly amused with their friend's situation as the bluenette dropped his head on the tabletop in front of him, "What am I going to do, if I say that in those words; she'll pound me into the ground!"
"More like drag you to the nearest closet..." Ryo muttered. "Huh?" Takato and Kenta asked. "Nothing!" Ryo said making them shrug. "She obviously doesn't love me...not that way," Henry said miserably, "She thinks of me as another brother to look after."
"I don't think so," Kenta said. "Yeah, if that were so, she wouldn't indulge you in those fights or be so interested in whatever you say or do," Takato added making Henry blink. "Not to mention she enjoys her time alone with you," Ryo added. "Besides, if one of us had caught her bridal-style, I doubt she'd turn so red you'd think her head was a strawberry," Kenta added, matter-of-factly. Henry blushed darkly at the memory of catching her. "Here's an idea," Takato offered, "At the party, tell her; get a moment with her alone and tell her how you feel." Henry seemed to think on it before sighing, "What do I have to lose?"
The boys cheered, before Mako's voice came over the intercom, "Attention all cast and crew-members, please get to stations, we start in five minutes!" Everyone rushed and practically (some literally) tripping over themselves to get to their stations. Joji was shouting last minutes things, nearly getting hit in the face with a cloth, when he turned and bumped right into Suzie. "Suzie!" Joji gasped in surprise. "Joji, I was looking for you!" Suzie said, motionging to the curtain, "Take a peek!" Curious, he did and his eyes nearly popped out, "It's a full house!" Sure enough, every seat had been filled by people of all ages.
"Joji? Joji?" Ai said over the walkie-talkie, "Hikaze!" That snapped him out of it. "Huh, what?" He asked. "We're ready when you are," Ai told him, making him jump in realization. "Oh! Oh yes, of course!" Joji said in a rush as he ushered Suzie off-stage, before speaking to the conductor over a comlink, "Hit it Hitoshi!"
The senior before the ochestra nodded to his musicians and with that, the musicians began the first song in a roar of music. 'Tonight,' Henry and Karu silently vowed as the curtains parted, 'Tonight, I'll tell her/him.' From the rafters, the tech-crew lowered the hull of a boat with five actors dressed as sailors up in the netting. At the wheel as an actor dressed in more higher-titled sailor. To his left was another senior with curly, magenta hair and dark violet eyes with fair skin wearing a blue jacket over a white dress shirt with a purple scarf tucked into his jacket with blue pants with silver designs on the sides and black shoes with silver buckles with a handkerchief in hand. To his right was Henry, whose dark blue hair was combed to look wind-swept, yet neat at the same time and his silver eyes danced with joy. He wore a loose, white dress shirt with black pants, a red sash for a belt and brown boots with darker straps and gold buckles.
"I'll tell you a tale of the bottomless blue!" The pilot sang.
"An' its hey, to the starboard, heave-ho!" The sailors added.
"Brave sailor, beware, 'cause a big 'uns a-brewin'!" The pilot started
"Mysterious fathoms below!
Heave-ho!" The sailors finished.
"I'll sing you a song of the king of the sea," The pilot continued.
"An' its hey, to the starboard, heave-ho!" All six sang together.
"Ruler of all of the oceans is he," The pilot began once more.
"In mysterious fathoms below!" The sailors finished again, "Fathoms below, below! From whence wayward westerlies blow! Where Mao is king, and his merpeople sing. In Mysterious Fathoms Below!"
"Open the back sail, open her wide!
Raise her back quickly, starboard side!" Henry sang enthusiastically.
"Isn't this perfection Ken?" Henry asked the magenta-haired teen, "Out here on the open sea, surrounded by nothing but water!"
"Ah, yes...it's...delightful!" Ken said sickly, stumbling for balance, but thankfully Henry caught him as kids and a few older people laughed at his antics.
"The salt on your skin, and the wind in your hair," Henry sang, "We're miles from the shore, and guess what?" He gave a grin as he shot his arms above his head, "I don't care!"
"As for me..." Ken moaned, looking like he was going to be sick, "I'm about to heave-ho!" He brought the handkerchief to his mouth as people laughed at him again. "Back to work!" The pilot called to the sailors, who began the next verse.
"I'll sing you a song of the king of the sea
An' it's hey, to the starboard, heave-ho!
Ruler of all of the oceans is he
In mysterious fathoms below!" The sailors sang together in perfect sync.
"King of the sea, indeed!" Ken scoffed, obviously not believing them, "A lot of nautical nonsense! Nothing but a superstition!"
"I once knew who met a mermaid! She got first his heart, then his mind!" The pilot told them, seriously, "And once its was not, she just left him to rot! And she wasn't the worst of her kind!"
"The king of the ocean gets angry!" A blonde sailor sang.
"And when he gets angry, beware!" A raven-haired sailor sang.
"I'm tellin' ya, lad
When King Mao is mad
How the waves will buck, rock to and fro!" The pilot finished.
"Hang on good luck," All six sang together, doing a sink motion with their arms, "As down you go!"
Henry chuckled at the sickly green look on Ken's face, when suddenly, a beautiful female voice began to vocalize, "Ah ah ah ah...ah ah ah ah ah..." Seeming to echo through the theater, much to the people's curiosity. "What is that?" Henry asked transfixed, "Do you hear something?" All but Ken looked around bewildered as they tried to find the source of the voice.
"Milord, please," Ken begged Henry, "Enough sea-faring; you've got to get back, to honor your father's dying wish," At this point the singing stopped, "And take up his crown."
"I told you, that's not the life for me Ken," Henry told him, before motioning to himself, "Do I really look like the type to stay cooped up inside the palace all day to you?"
(BACK-STAGE)
A few of the Tamers smirked at that statement. "If it meant working on your computer, yes," Rika sniggered as Karu kept a mic covered with a cloth to keep anyone from hearing the redhead. "Mr. Hikaze, I'm looking through the script and can't find that line," Kenta said in slight concern to Joji as he thumbed through a copy of the script, referring to said statement. "A little improvise here and there doesn't hurt anything Kenta," Joji assured, "Henry knows what he's doing."
(ON-STAGE)
With the cue of the lights, Henry began to sing once more, "This is where I belong! Out on the clear-wide blue here, I feel complete new here in the tide swift flow! And when the call is strong! I feel like I can hear the sea, wild and green; calling me...In mysterious fathoms below..."
"Ah ah ah ah...ah ah ah ah ah..." The mystery voice sung once more, instantly capturing Henry's attention. "There it is again!" He exclaimed looking for the source of the voice. "We ought to be heading back to shore, You're Majesty!" The pilot said to Henry. "Indeed we should," Ken agreed hastily, but Henry had other plans.
"Not while I'm captain!" The half-Chinese, half-Japanese teen said, "Now follow that voice! To the ends of the earth if we have to!"
"Aye, aye Captain!" The pilot replied as Ken moaned in misery, while Henry got out a spyglass and began looked out over the audience as if searching for the owner of the mysterious voice. As this happened the pilot and sailors sang one last verse to wrap up the scene.
"There's mermaids out there in the bottomless blue
An it's hey, to the starboard, heave-ho!
Watch out for 'em, lad, or you'll go to your ruin
Myste~ri~ous Fath~oms be~LOW~!"
As they held the last note, the ship was lifted back up into the rafters in one big dramatic finish. A lot of people cheered and clapped for the opening scene as the fake waves rose up towards the rafters and the lights turned dark blue.
(BACK-STAGE)
"Great job Henry!" Takato cheered as he and Ryo clapped said actor on the back. "You guys did great too!" Kenta added to the other actors who had been on during the first scene as everyone got ready for the next scene. "Thanks, went better than I thought it would," Henry remarked. "At least you got to go first," Rika complained, arms folded, "I'm, what? Three acts in?"
"Counting the one that's about to start?" Suzie asked, holding her own copy of the script, "Yep." Rika groaned.
As everyone else talked, Henry quietly snuck over to wear the snacks were, smiling as he reached for one of the cookies Takato had brought, only to meet someone else's hand. Henry and the other person yelped, only for him to see it was Karu. "Oh, hey Henry," Karu smiled, "Great work on the opening scene."
"Thanks," Henry said before handing her a cookie, "Here." She smiled and muttered a quick 'thank you', making him turn pink in the cheeks. "Um...Henry?" She spoke up, suddenly timid much to his curiosity. He had seen her wear many emotions; anger, rage, even sorrow, but he never seen Karu of all people look the least bit timid. "Yes?" He asked. "I...I really..." She tried to say, only to be interrupted by one of her story-sisters. "C'mon Karu, Hanna really needs to talk to you about something, I didn't ask what," She said, pulling her off. "But, I...talk to you later Henry?" Karu said quickly. "Um...sure," Henry said confused, yet also strangely disappointed but smiled re-assuringly all the same, making her smile back.
"OH COME ON!" Suzie yelled in disbelieved-annoyance as she popped up from behind the table, startling her brother. "Suzie!" Jeri and Rika scolded as they pulled her back under. Henry looked very lost, but shrugged and walked off, while grabbing a cookie and pop.
Me: And there we have, our opening scene! Wow, that took forever!
Takato: Also, Henry and Karu's first attempt of confessing.
Kenta: Technically Karu's first attempt.
Suzie: And darn it all, they were interrupted!
Me: Well, there's still plenty of scenes left, not to mention the reception party after. I'm sure it'll happen sooner or later. Now, all my dear viewers and followers, please review and remember the golden rule!
Kazu: And what's that?
Me: NO FLAMING!
