Disclaimer: i dont own anything marimite or strawberry panic
Chapter Nine: The Theatre Festival – Part 2: The Final Day
Many days went by and finally it was the final day before the Theatre Festival and Sakura couldn't have been happier. The last few weeks had been so stressful for her; not only was she assisting Miyuki in making sure everything was running smoothly, but she was also helping Shizuma with her lines and lending a hand to Chikaru in putting together the costumes. She also found herself getting on stage and showing actors different blocking techniques and even changing some things that Miyuki was trying to do, but just weren't working. Needless to say, by the final week, Sakura just wanted to get the whole ordeal finished and over and done with as soon as possible.
Walking along the hall to the backstage theatre doors, Sakura was reading over notes on her clipboard and going through a list of things to be done in her head and hoping everything would go smoothly today so that everyone could get through a run-through of the production without any problems, even though she knew that that was next to impossible. As Sakura neared the doors, she could hear a commotion coming from inside, quite a bit of shouting. "Probably those Spica girls complaining about something again," Sakura thought, rolling her eyes as she pushed open the door. When she stepped backstage the shouting was louder and more prominent, it seemed to be coming from the main stage. When Sakura walked around to the front she saw a huge crowd of cast and crew members watching something that was happening onstage.
"What's going on?" Sakura asked a nearby student.
"Kaname-sama and Momomi-sama are complaining and being rude again," the girl replied without looking at Sakura who had begun to push her way through the crowd.
Upon reaching the front of the crowd, Sakura looked out onto a most enraging scene. Kaname and Momomi really were creating a scene, and it made Sakura mad.
"Our part here is done," Kaname was saying.
"Yes, there is no need for us to stay here any longer," Momomi agreed.
"It'll be fine as long as the staff does their work properly during the play," Kaname added as the two started walking away.
"Wait!" Nagisa, running from who knows where, yelled as she ran. "Please, wait!" She said as she got on the stage. "Please stay here until the rehearsal is over," Nagisa started once she caught her breath, while Kaname and Momomi turned around to face her. "Because everyone's been doing their best during the past few weeks," she continued as Kaname and Momomi gave her a look that said *why should we care?* "More importantly, I don't want to see everything fall apart the night before the play." Nagisa continued, ignoring the looks that Kaname and Momomi were giving her. "The students from all three schools are looking forward to seeing our play. Therefore we should combine our efforts and do a play that will satisfy everyone," she finished with a hopeful look in her eyes.
"That's none of my business," Kaname said, glaring at Nagisa.
"If this continues, we'll back out," Momomi threatened, turning to Miyuki and Sakura who had made her presence known by standing beside the production director.
"This can't be…" Nagisa was too stunned to say anything more than that.
"Besides, it's too late to find a replacement at this point," Kaname said, cutting Nagisa off as she and Momomi walked up to Nagisa, who refused to move from where she was.
Momomi glared at Nagisa for a minute before yelling "Get out of my way!" With that, she shoved Nagisa to the side and continued walking.
Nagisa, who had cried out in shock as she was shoved away by Momomi, crashed into the set for the final scene and climax of the play and fell to the floor. Sakura looked up as she, and everybody else in the vicinity, heard a loud creaking, and watched in horror as the giant, not to mention heavy, set started to fall to the floor, right towards Nagisa who just stood in frozen shock. All of a sudden, as the set got closer and closer to Nagisa, Shizuma rushed out of nowhere to knock Nagisa out of the way but wound up tripping and crashing into her instead. This sent them both to the floor as the set kept falling. Sakura, watching in terror, made a split second decision. She dropped her clipboard on the floor and sprinted towards Nagisa and Shizuma who had picked themselves up off the floor and were looking up at the looming set.
"GET OUT OF THE WAY!" Sakura yelled as she crashed, head-first and at full speed, into Nagisa and Shizuma, sending the two of them careening into Kaname and Momomi. As Sakura crashed onto the floor she hit her head and almost knocked herself out. When Sakura could see straight again, she looked up and saw the set come; she chanced a quick look over to Nagisa who had recovered from the crash rather quickly, then back up as the set came crashing down on her.
"ONEE-SAMA!" Nagisa, who had recovered from the crash with Kaname and Momomi faster than the other three, turned around and looked behind her in time to lock eyes with Sakura for a moment before the set came down on her sister. "ONEE-SAMA!" Nagisa screamed again, trying to get to her sister, but Shizuma, also recovered from the crash by now, held her back and protected her from the massive wind that came after the set crashed to the floor. "ONEE-SAMA!" Once the wind stopped Nagisa ran over to the ruins of the set. "ONEE-SAMA!" Nagisa started attempting to tear the ruins apart. "ONEE-SAMA!" She stopped when she found a scrap of Sakura's uniform caught on a protruding piece of wood. "Onee-sama…" Nagisa crouched down and held the scrap of cloth to her chest. "ONEE-SAM A!" with that last cry, Nagisa burst into tears and slumped to the floor as the other students gathered around, not believing what had just happened.
"Nagisa..." Tamao and Shizuma came over to her, Tamao hugging her tight.
"Why?" Nagisa asked through her tears. "Why did it have to be onee-sama? Why? Why, ONEE-SAMA?" Nagisa yelled, tears streaming down her face, as Tamao, Miyuki and Shizuma tried to calm her and the rest of the students gathered began to talk amongst themselves, some of them crying like Nagisa.
"SHUT UP!" Something that sounded like Sakura's voice rang through the theatre, commanding attention, and silencing even Nagisa's uncontrollable tears.
"Nee-sama?" Nagisa asked, looking around for the source of Sakura's voice.
"Yes stone ears." Sakura replied, making everyone else begin to look for the source. "I have been yelling at you for about five minutes." Sakura's voice continued. "Now are you going to help me get out of here or not?"
"Y-yes," Nagisa agreed, "but, where are you?"
"Stuck under this set, where do you think?" Sakura answered sarcastically. "I'll try to stick my arm out so you can see me." There was a creaking noise and then Sakura's hand was visible, not too far from where Nagisa, Tamao and Shizuma were.
"Okay," Nagisa said once she spotted the hand. "I can see you, but what can we do, there aren't enough of us to lift the set off of you."
"Just bring me a crowbar," Sakura said, withdrawing her arm.
"Why?" Nagisa asked, as Chikaru ran to get what Sakura asked for.
"So I can use it to gain the leverage needed to get me out of here," Sakura explained exasperatedly.
"Got one!" Chikaru exclaimed as she re-entered the stage area with a rusty crowbar
"Great!" Sakura exclaimed, making her arm visible again. "Now hand it to me."
Chikaru did as she asked and Sakura withdrew her arm and the crowbar at the same time.
After some hammering, ripping and cursing, Nagisa could see a board on the top of the now-ruined set come loose.
"HYA!" With a yell that ripped through the expectant and nervous silence, the loose board went flying from the set and crashed to the floor in front of Kaname and Momomi who had recovered from the crash a while ago and were kept where they were by Spica's student council president.
Nagisa sweat-dropped as another, louder, ripping noise, followed by a string of curses and other obscenities, emanated from the hole created by the now-gone loose board. A hunched figure holding a crowbar cast a creepy shadow, created by the lighting in the theatre, came up out of the hole and everyone in the theatre screamed.
As Sakura climbed out of the hole she had made using the crowbar Chikaru had given her, she heard the whole theatre shriek in terror. She couldn't blame them, she probably looked like some freakish horror movie monster with her hair everywhere and her uniform in shredded pieces, not to mention all the blood from where the wood of the set cut her as she attempted to dig herself out of the hole that she got squished in, thank goodness the set crew hollowed out the windows to make it look more realistic.
"ONEE-SAMA!" Sakura was almost knocked over by the force of Nagisa leaping onto her. "Onee-sama," Nagisa cried into Sakura's shoulder, clinging to her like she would disappear if she let go. "Onee-sama, onee-sama..."
"There, there, Nagisa," Sakura asked, stroking her sister's head in an attempt to calm her. "Everything's okay, I'm okay, shh, shh," Sakura kept up her soothing words and actions until Nagisa, and consequently everyone else in the room, calmed down and just looked relieved.
"Are you alright?" Chikaru asked, coming up with Amane, worry clearly etched into her features. Before Sakura could answer, the doors at the top of the theatre flew open and someone yelled at the top of their voice.
Earlier That Day
Sachiko, Rei, Yumi, Yoshino, Shimako and Sei were wandering around, staring at the grounds and buildings on them in sheer wonder and awe. Youko had emailed Sachiko, and the rest of the current Yamayurikai, about a Theatre Festival happening at Astraea Hill, the school Sakura went to being situated on it along with three others. Miyuki had found Miator's website by chance and found an article about the upcoming production of Carmen by the residents of the Strawberry Dorms. She also found out that Miyuki Rokujou was the director, and that Sakura Aoi, Sachiko's sister, was the Assistant Director for the production.
Leaping at the excuse to check up on her little sister, Sachiko decided that the Yamayurikai should go and see the production, as it might be an interesting one to perform at Lillian sometime. However, due to a family commitment on Touko's part, a mandatory ceremony for Noriko and University time restraints for Youko and Eriko, it turned out that only Sachiko, Rei, Yoshino, Yumi and Shimako could go, Sei had just tagged along for the ride.
After a long plane flight and a short drive, the small group had arrived at Miator, where they were greeted by the Head Sister, whom Sachiko had previously contacted to inform of their visit. The Head Sister explained that everybody working on Carmen were in the theatre for one final rehearsal before the performance the next day. Thinking that Sakura would also be there, the group got directions and headed towards the theatre.
After a short walk, they made it to the theatre and, not wanting to disturb anybody, watched the proceedings from beside the special effects booth where two Miator girls were working. They watched with interest as two girls in white uniforms shoved a redhead in a black uniform against the set, which started to fall towards the poor girl. They saw another girl try to get the redhead out of the way, but tripped and crashed into her instead, sending both of them to the floor. Then they watched in utter horror as the girl they originally came to see, yelled at the two girls and pushed them out of the way, falling on her knees and only managing to lock eyes with the redhead for two seconds before the set landed on top of her.
The group stood frozen to the spot, not believing what had just happened. Yumi started to hiccup and Yoshino, Shimako and Rei already had tears running down their faces. Sei stood still as a flashback of the day the Head Sister at Lillian told them that Sakura had been in a car crash and could possibly be dead. Sachiko too stood frozen, eyes wide, unable to move, unable to breathe, the terror she felt on the day of Sakura's accident coming back ten times worse than it had before.
Suddenly, one of the girls in the effects booth shrieked and pointed at the stage, grabbing the Yamayurikai members' attention immediately. They watched as an arm came out from under the set and a girl in a pink uniform with a light yellow sweater handed it a crowbar before disappearing again. Minutes later, a yell was heard, followed by a board flying off the set and a figure emerged as the entire theatre shrieked in terror.
Recognizing the figure as Sakura, the Yamayurikai members breathed a sigh of relief and wiped their eyes of their dried tears. Sachiko started breathing again and, once she was back at a normal heart-rate, hardened her face into a mask of anger took off towards the stage, yelling Sakura's full name as loud as she could in order to get the other girl's attention.
Present Moment
"SAKURA AOI KUSUMOTO OGASAWARA!"
Sakura flinched at the use of all her last names in one sentence and looked at Shizuma who had stiffened at the more-than-familiar voice yelling loud enough to fill the entire theatre.
"Onee-sama," Sakura said exasperatedly as she stepped away from a curious Nagisa and turned around to see the rapidly approaching figures of her sister and some of her friends from Lillian. "I would greatly appreciate it if you didn't yell your head off as a way of announcing yourself. It is highly unnecessary and very..." Sakura didn't get to finish her sentence as Nagisa's earlier death-grip on her was replaced by that of her elder sister.
"Don't you ever scare me like that again!" Sachiko ordered, freeing Sakura who was immediately enveloped by Sei, Rei, Shimako and Yoshino all at the same time.
"What are you trying to do? Give us all a heart attack?" Sei asked, pulling away to give Sakura a dirty, yet relieved, look.
"We got enough of that after the car crash," Yoshino said, also pulling away to glare at Sakura.
"Yoshino's right, we would prefer it if something like that didn't happen again," Shimako agreed, following Yoshino's example by letting go of Sakura, leaving Yumi as the only one to not let go of her friend.
"Umm, onee-sama," Nagisa said, tugging on Sakura's sleeve to get her attention, "who are they?" she asked, voicing the question on everybody's mind at the moment.
"Oh right," Sakura said, looking from her sister to the confused looks of the rest of the gathered group and back again. "Everyone, these are friends of mine from my last school: Satou Sei-san, currently attending University, Yoshino, Shimako and Yumi, fifth-years, and Rei and Sachiko who are sixth-years. These are Nagisa and Tamao, fourth-years at Miator, Chikaru, a fifth-year and the Student Council President of Lulim, Amane, a fifth-year at Spica, Miyuki, a sixth-year and the Student Council President of Miator, and Shizuma, a sixth-year and the Etoile of Astraea Hill," Sakura said, giving introductions and pointing at each girl as she said their names.
"So this is the infamous Hanazono-san," Sei said, flashing her signature Cheshire-cat grin while Shizuma and Sachiko just stared at each other. "I thought she looked familiar, I stole a peek at your photo album when you weren't looking," she said, as means of explaining herself to the others.
"Anyway," Sakura said, choosing to ignore Sei for the time being, "what on earth are you guys doing here?"
"Youko was surfing the web and found out about this Theatre Festival thing going on here," Sei said.
"She recognized it as the school you were attending and emailed all of us the link to it," Rei said.
"And Sachiko-sama used it as the perfect excuse to come visit and check up on you," Yoshino said.
"Thank Maria-sama we did," Sachiko said, breaking eye contact with Shizuma to glare at Sakura. "What on earth were you thinking?"
"That people I care about were in trouble, and I wasn't going to lose someone important to me for a third time when there was something I could do to stop it," Sakura replied, glaring right back at Sachiko.
"So you decided to risk your own life?" Sachiko asked incredulously.
"Why not? It's exactly the same thing Lance did is it not?" Sakura asked, inwardly flinching when she brought that subject back up.
"Sakura's right onee-chan," Yumi said, speaking for the first time but refusing to let go of Sakura. This started up a whole new debate between the members of the Yamayurikai while Sakura rolled her eyes.
"What's going on?" Nagisa asked, looking at Sakura who was thinking about how to change the topic again. "Onee-sama, what are they talking about?"
"It's nothing Nagisa-chan," Sakura said, looking at her little sister. "Don't worry about it."
"That doesn't mean she should risk her life!" Sachiko exclaimed, bringing everyone's lapsing attention back to the new arrivals.
"Ahem," Sakura said, clearing her throat and getting everyone's attention before the debate turned violent. "I don't mean to interrupt your discussion on my actions, however we have a set to rebuild and a rehearsal to get through before the performance tomorrow, so if you don't mind, I'll have you wait in the Strawberry Dorms for me while we get everything sorted out here."
"No way," Sachiko deadpanned. "I'm not letting you out of my sight."
"Fine, whatever," Sakura said rolling her eyes at the over-protectiveness of her elder sister. "Suit yourself, however I will request that you help us out." As Sakura made to start, she realized that Yumi was still attached to her. "Um, Yumi? Could you let go of me please?" After watching Yumi spring back with a raccoon face and many apologies, Sakura gathered the other Astraea Hill students and the Lillian students together. "Okay everyone!" Sakura yelled, getting everyone's lapsing attention. "We've got a lot of work to do, but if we all work together, I think we can fix this in time for the performance tomorrow. Let's get to work!"
With that, all the students began rushing around doing various things; cleaning up the broken set, grabbing tools, painting, etc. As Sakura worked, she watched with satisfaction that everyone was working together to fix the mess Kaname and Momomi, who were also helping under Shion's watchful eye, had made in the first place. She also watched Sachiko and Shizuma work together, without speaking, so as to make sure neither of them killed the other. Sakura sighed and continued to work, hoping that the next day, the day of the performance, would go through without a hitch. Boy did she have another thing coming.
A/N: hey guys. wow, two chapters in what? two days? thats a new record. not really, i basically just took an earlier version of this fanfiction and modified it to fit into these chapters. prolly wont update for a while after this, but i hope you guys enjoy. next chapter: the theatre festival begins! (took long enough) what sort of trouble is going to be brewed up? R + R to find out!