Chapter 6: Can You Feel the Love Tonight?
Duke: Sonic, this is Usagi. She's my old best friend!
Sonic: {Thoroughly confused} Friend?!
Duke: Yeah. Hey, Joey, come over here.
{Joey gets himself unstuck.}
Duke: Usagi, this is Joey. Joey, Usagi.
Joey: Pleased to make your acquaintance.
Usagi: The pleasure's all mine.
Sonic: How do you do.. Whoa! Whoa. Time out.. Lemme get this straight. You know her. She knows you. But she wants to kill him. And everybody's... okay with this? DID I MISS SOMETHING?!
Duke: Relax, Sonic.
Usagi: Wait till everybody finds out you've been here all this time! And your mother... what will she think?
Duke: {Misunderstanding} She doesn't have to know. Nobody has to know.
Usagi: Well, of course they do. Everyone thinks you're dead.
Duke: They do?
Usagi: Yeah. Sephiroth told us about the stampede.
Duke: He did? Well... {beginning to see something} what else did he tell you?
Usagi: What else matters? You're alive. and that means... you're the king.
Sonic: King? Pbbb. Lady, have you got your moonlits crossed.
Joey: King? Your Majesty! I gravel at your feet. {Noisily kisses Duke's feet}
Duke: Stop it.
Sonic: {To Joey} It's not "gravel." It's "grovel." And DON'T- he's not the king. {to Duke} Are ya?
Duke: No.
Usagi: Duke?!
Duke: No, I'm not the king. Maybe I was gonna be, but... that was a long time ago.
Sonic: Let me get this straight. You're the king? And you never told us?
Duke: Look, I'm still the same guy.
Sonic: {Enthusiastic} But with power!
Usagi: {Apologetic} Could you guys... excuse us for a few minutes?
Sonic: Hey, {taps Joey} whatever she has to say, she can say in front of us. Right, Duke?
Duke: Hmm. Maybe you'd better go.
Sonic: {Aghast, then resigned} It starts. You think you know a guy...
{Joey and Sonic pad off. Joey sighs.}
Duke: Sonic and Joey. You learn to love 'em.
{Usagi has her head bowed down sadly.}
Duke: What? ...What is it?
Usagi: {Quietly} It's like you're back from the dead. You don't know how much this will mean to everyone. {Pained expression} ...What it means to me.
Duke: Hey, it's okay.
Usagi: {Rested her head on Duke's shoulder, moaning} I've really missed you.
Duke: {Placing his arms around her} I've missed you too.
{They are hugging together. We hear Sonic sigh; camera switch to show them watching from the bushes.}
Sonic: {Heavy sigh} I tell you, Joey, this idiot.
Joey: Oh. Sorry.
Sonic: Not you. Them! Him. Her. Alone.
Joey: What's wrong with that?
Sonic: {Singing. Parenthetical part is spoken by Joey.} I can see what's happening
(What?)
And they don't have a clue
(Who?)
They'll fall in love and here's the bottom line
Our trio's down to two.
(Oh.)
{In a sarcastic mock-French accent} Ze sweet caress of twilight
{Back to normal, but still sarcastic} There's magic everywhere
And with all this romantic atmosphere
Disaster's in the air
{The scene passes from Sonic and Joey to Duke and Usagi in front of a waterfall.}
FS: Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the lunatic brings?
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things.
{After walking around each other, taking in each other's movements, they stop to drink at the water.}
Duke: {Thinking} So many things to tell her
But how to make her see
The truth about my past? Impossible!
She'd turn away from me.
Usagi: {Thinking} He's holding back, he's hiding
But what? I can't decide
Why won't he be the king I know he is?
The king I see inside?
{During the Chorus the following occurs: Duke looks at Usagi, smiles, and runs off stage. He runs back on stage, grabs a vine in his hands and splashes into the middle of the pond. Usagi looks out over the still water. Suddenly Duke lunges up under her and pulls her in the pond playfully. She immediately comes out dripping and miffed. When Duke comes out, she pushes him back in. The scene switches to them tussling. They end up play fighting. After tumbling down a hillside, Duke ends up pinning Usagi for a first. She gives him a tiny, sweet kiss. Duke looks startled and stares at Usagi. Close-up of Usagi, as she stares back with a seductive smile. Close-up of Duke, whose expression changes from a surprised one to a comprehending one.. The two exchanges kisses on their lips as the last lyrics are sung.}
Chorus: Can you feel the love tonight?
The peace the lunatic brings?
The world, for once, in perfect harmony
With all its living things?
Can you feel the love tonight?
You needn't look too far -
Stealing through the night sky strategies
Love is where they are.
{Camera switches back to a tearful Sonic and Joey.}
Sonic: And if he falls in love tonight {Joey sniffs}
It can be assumed -
{Sonic hugs Joey, tearfully.}
Joey: His carefree days with us are history -
Sonic and Joey: In short, our pal is doomed.
{They let loose crying full force.}
Duke: Isn't this a great place?
Usagi: It is beautiful. But I don't understand something. You've been alive all this time. Why didn't you come back to the moon castle?
Duke: {Climbing into a "hammock" of hanging vines} Well, I just needed to... get out on my own. Live my own life. And I did. And it's great. {He sounds almost as if trying to convince himself as well as Usagi.}
Usagi: {Voice catching, as though barely under control} We've really needed you at home.
Duke: {Quieter} No one needs me.
Usagi: Yes, we do! You're the king.
Duke: Usagi, we've been through this. I'm not the king. Sephiroth is.
Usagi: Duke, he let the mavericks take over the Moonlight Kingdom.
Duke: What?
Usagi: Everything's destroyed. There's no homes. No animals. Duke, if you don't do something soon, everyone will leave away.
Duke: I can't go back.
Usagi: {Louder} Why?
Duke: You wouldn't understand.
Usagi: What wouldn't I understand?
Duke: {Hastily} No, no, no. It doesn't matter. Hakuna Matata.
Usagi: {Confused} What?
Duke: Hakuna Matata. It's something I learned out here. Look, sometimes bad things happen...
Usagi: Duke Fleed!
Duke: (Continuing, irritated) ...And there's nothing you can do about it. So why worry?
{Duke starts away from Usagi, walking on a fallen tree. Usagi trots back up to him.}
Usagi: Because it's your responsibility!
Duke: Well, what about you? YOU left.
Usagi: I left to find help! And I found YOU. Don't you understand? You're our only hope.
Duke: Sorry.
Usagi: What's happened to you? You're not the Duke Fleed I remember.
Duke: You're right. I'm not. Now are you satisfied?
Usagi: No, just disappointed.
Duke: You know, you're starting to sound like my father. {Walking away again}
Usagi: Good. At least one of us does.
{Duke is obviously cut by the comment about his father; he tears into Usagi with his words.}
Duke: {Angry} Listen, you think you can just show up and tell me how to live my life? You don't even know what I've been through!
Usagi: I would if you would just tell me!
Duke: Forget it!
Usagi: Fine!
To be continue...
