Gakuen Alice Academy #10: Light's Camera, QUIET BACKSTAGE
The next day, the S.A. class went to the auditorium, setting up everything and practicing their lines.
Misaki-sempia: "Romeo, Romeo, where for out thou Romeo?"
Tsubasa-sempia looked like he had just seen and almost eaten some moldy chicken. It was the worst performance he'd ever heard. Everyone in the class starred at her, thinking the same thing.
Misaki-sempia: "How was that?"
Tsubasa-sempia: "Well, considering that Natsume and Natsuma can no longer play the roles, that will have to do."
Natsuma: "And who said you could replace us without warning?"
They all turned to see Natsume and Natsuma walking down the isle. Both their hands were in their pockets, while Natsuma wore a smile; no hat, Natsume had his usual emotionless face, and neither of them had bandages on their faces anymore.
Misaki-sempia: "You-you're alright. But you shouldn't be here. You need to rest. Your wound needs to heal."
Natsuma: "Oh you mean this?"
She lifted her shirt to relieve and flawless body; no wound, no scar, just her bare stomach. They were all in shock, except for Natsume.
Tsubasa-sempia: "But how? There's not even a scar."
Natsuma: "When I woke up, I looked at my wound to see how bad it was. It wasn't that bad. Since it had already started healing, I was able to heal it the rest of the way."
They were all silent.
Natsuma: "So, how about we start rehearsing? We already know all our lines."
Tsubasa-sempia: "Alright then. Let's start on Act II, Scene II."
They went on the stage in their positions. Natsuma and Natsume were standing on a ledge, facing each other.
Natsuma: "Romeo!"
Natsume: "Yes my dear?"
Natsuma: "At what o'clock to-morrow shall I send to thee?"
Natsume: "At the hour of nine."
Natsuma: "I will not fail: 'tis twenty years till then. I have forgot why I did call thee back."
Natsume: "Let me stand here till thou remember it."
Everyone in the room was silent and wide eyed in aw. They were the perfect actors together, just like when they danced. No one seemed to notice Narumi-sensei and Mikan enter the room while holding a small box. They watched from the back.
Natsuma: "I shall forget, to have thee still stand there, remembering how I love thy company."
Natsume: "And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget, forgetting any other home but this."
They walked closer to each other until they were in each other's arms, but still starring at each other.
Natsuma: "'Tis almost morning; I would have thee gone: and yet no further than a wanton's bird; who lets it hop a little from her hand, like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves, and with a silk thread plucks it back again, so loving-jealous of his liberty."
Natsume: "I would I were thy bird."
Natsuma: "Sweet, so would I: yet I should kill thee with much cherishing. Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow."
When they finished, they were hugging each other. They looked at everyone and saw they all had their eyes wide, mouths dropped open, and their faces were pale. Suddenly, Mikan and Narumi-sensei began to clap from the auditorium doors. After a while, everyone began to clap and cheer. The two bowed and left the stage. Everyone went back to work as they approached Tsubasa and Misaki.
Natsuma: "So how were we?"
Tsubasa-sempia: "That was… that was….. PERFECT!! You two were amazing! I can't believe it!"
He was so ecstatic. Natsuma only smiled while Natsume didn't say a word. Mikan then ran up to them while Narumi-sensei left.
Mikan: "Natsume, Natsuma, that was amazing. Why didn't you tell me you two could act?"
Natsume: "'Cause you didn't need to know idiot."
He turned and sat in one of the chairs while everyone else practiced. Mikan was mad at the nickname she was called.
Mikan: "Natsume!"
She was mad, but Natsuma just giggled. They all looked at her except for Natsume. They weren't used to seeing her smile or have her hair down. Just then, something dogged on Mikan.
Mikan: "Oh Natsuma, I forgot. Someone gave this to me when I woke up in the hospital."
Mikan handed her the box. It looked like it had already been opened.
Mikan: "Sorry, but I opened it to see what it was."
When Natsuma opened it, her expression turned into shock. She looked up at Mikan and gave her a hug.
Natsuma: "Thank you Mikan. Thank you."
Mikan: "You're welcome."
Natsume was really happy to see the two girls he cared about the most in the world smiling. He gave a small smile as well. When the two girls pulled apart, Natsuma took the box, pulled out her fathers' hat, and put it on her head. She gave Mikan another warm smile.
Natsuma: "Thanks again Mikan."
Mikan: "You're welcome."
For the rest of the day and two weeks, they all practiced until the big night came.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (TWO WEEKS LATER: NIGHT TIME) xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
The S.A. class and Natsume were in the backstage area of the auditorium. Some watched as the room filled with students and teachers. Tsubasa and Misaki were running around, panicking because they couldn't find Natsuma.
Misaki-sempia: "Where is she?"
Tsubasa-sempia: "I don't know. We can't do the show without her."
Misaki-sempia: "We don't even have an understudy."
Tsubasa-sempia: "That's because she was so good, I don't think we could find a person alive to replace her."
Suddenly, the back doors to the backstage opened and a head appeared in the doorway. It was Natsuma. Tsubasa-sempia and Misaki-sempia were so relieved to see her, they ran to the door before she could come in. They barraged her with questions.
Natsuma: "I'm sorry I'm late. It's just… my first outfit. It makes me look… girly."
They pulled her in the door to take a look. When she was in, everyone backstage stared wide eyed at her. Even Natsume did from the corner of his left eye. She had her hair down with gems in it like a headband, a long, purple dress that went passed her ankles and didn't cover her shoulders, open- toed, ankle wrapped, high healed shoes, her sleeves dangled from her wrists, she had on a little pink eye shadow, and she also wore light pink lipstick. It seemed like time stood still for a while as they all stared at her. Then, someone near the stage broke the silence.
Person: "We're on in 10 min."
They all snapped back to their senses and made sure everything was ready. Natsuma sighed as she walked over to Natsume and gave him a smile. He gave her a little smile as well.
Natsuma: "Hay."
Natsume: "Hay. Nice dress girly- girl."
Natsuma: "Natsume!"
She punched him in the arm, making him hold it and laugh a little. Just then, Mikan came up to them.
Mikan: "Natsuma, you finally made it."
Natsuma: "Ya. Sorry for being late. It's just I was a little scared to come in this outfit."
Mikan: "Why? You look beautiful."
Natsuma gave her a smile that all the guys that saw her would pass out from being in love.
Natsuma: "Thanks Mikan."
The two began laughing and giggling. Natsume felt his heart swell with happiness. After a while, the play began. One of the student's from the S.A. class walked on first to present his lines.
Student #1: "Two households, both alike in dignity, in fair Verona, where we lay our scene. From ancient grudge break to new mutiny, where civil blood makes civil hands unclean. From forth the fatal loins of these two foes, a pair of star-cross'd lovers take their life; whole misadventured piteous overthrows do with their death bury their parents' strife. The fearful passage of their death-mark'd love, and the continuance of their parents' rage, which, but their children's end, nought could remove. Is now the two hours' traffic of our stage; the which if you with patient ears attend, what here shall miss, our toil shall strive to mend."
After he was done, Youichi came on holding a sign that said Act I, Scene I and walked off the stage. Everyone in the audience laughed a little because he was just so cute. The part of the scene that they were playing right now was when Romeo walks in on Montague and Benvolio's conversation. (a/n: Tsubasa-sempia played Benvolio and someone else played Montague)
Tsubasa-sempia: "See, where he comes: so please you, step aside; I'll know his grievance, or be much denied."
Student #2: "I would thou wert so happy by thy stay, to hear true shrift. Come, madam, let's away."
The student left the stage and Natsume walked on.
Tsubasa-sempia: "Good-morrow, cousin."
Natsume: "Is the day so young?"
Tsubasa-sempia: "But new struck nine."
Natsume: "Ay me! sad hours seem long. Was that my father that went hence so fast?"
Tsubasa-sempia: "It was. What sadness lengthens Romeo's hours?"
Natsume: "Not having that, which, having, makes them short."
Tsubasa-sempia: "In love?"
Natsume: "Out…"
Tsubasa-sempia: "Of love?"
Natsume: "Out of her favour, where I am in love."
As they preformed, all the girls in the audience had hearts in their eyes and were starring at Natsume. They were surprised that he had different emotions on his face. Acting was really the only time he ever showed emotion.
Tsubasa-sempia: "Alas, that love, so gentle in his view, should be so tyrannous and rough in proof!"
Natsume: "Alas, that love, whose view is muffled still, Should, without eyes, see pathways to his will! Where shall we dine? O me! What fray was here? Yet tell me not, for I have heard it all. Here's much to do with hate, but more with love. Why, then, O brawling love! O loving hate! O any thing, of nothing first create! O heavy lightness! serious vanity! Mis-shapen chaos of well-seeming forms! Feather of lead, bright smoke, cold fire, sick health! Still-waking sleep, that is not what it is! This love feel I, that feel no love in this. Dost thou not laugh?"
Tsubasa-sempia: "No, coz, I rather weep."
Natsume: "Good heart, at what?"
Tsubasa-sempia: "At thy good heart's oppression."
Natsume: "Why, such is love's transgression. Griefs of mine own lie heavy in my breast,
Which thou wilt propagate, to have it prest with more of thine: this love that thou hast shown doth add more grief to too much of mine own. Love is a smoke raised with the fume of sighs; being purged, a fire sparkling in lovers' eyes; being vex'd a sea nourish'd with lovers' tears: what is it else? A madness most discreet, a choking gall and a preserving sweet. Farewell, my coz."
Tsubasa-sempia: "Soft! I will go along; an if you leave me so, you do me wrong."
Natsume: "Tut, I have lost myself; I am not here; this is not Romeo, he's some other where."
Tsubasa-sempia: "Tell me in sadness, who is that you love."
Natsume: "What, shall I groan and tell thee?"
Tsubasa-sempia: "(Groan!) why, no. But sadly tell me who."
Natsume: "Bid a sick man in sadness make his will: ah, word ill urged to one that is so ill! In sadness, cousin, I do love a woman."
Tsubasa-sempia: "I aim'd so near, when I supposed you loved."
Natsume: "A right good mark-man! And she's fair I love."
Tsubasa-sempia: "A right fair mark, fair coz, is soonest hit."
Natsume: "Well, in that hit you miss: she'll not be hit With Cupid's arrow; she hath Dian's wit; and, in strong proof of chastity well arm'd, from love's weak childish bow she lives unharm'd. She will not stay the siege of loving terms, nor bide the encounter of assailing eyes, nor ope her lap to saint-seducing gold: O, she is rich in beauty, only poor, that when she dies with beauty dies her store."
Tsubasa-sempia: "Then she hath sworn that she will still live chaste?"
Natsume: "She hath, and in that sparing makes huge waste, for beauty starved with her severity cuts beauty off from all posterity. She is too fair, too wise, wisely too fair, to merit bliss by making me despair: she hath forsworn to love, and in that vow do I live dead that live to tell it now."
Tsubasa-sempia: "Be ruled by me, forget to think of her."
Natsume: "O, teach me how I should forget to think."
Tsubasa-sempia: "By giving liberty unto thine eyes; examine other beauties."
Natsume: "'Tis the way to call hers exquisite, in question more: these happy masks that kiss fair ladies' brows being black put us in mind they hide the fair; he that is strucken blind cannot forget the precious treasure of his eyesight lost: show me a mistress that is passing fair, what doth her beauty serve, but as a note where I may read who pass'd that passing fair? Farewell: thou canst not teach me to forget."
Tsubasa-sempia: "I'll pay that doctrine, or else die in debt."
After their scene was over, the lights dimmed so the backstage crew could set up for the next scene. Natsume walked up to Mikan and Natsuma.
Natsuma: "That was great bro. I didn't know you still had it in you."
Natsume: "Hmm."
Mikan: "Natsume, how come you don't show emotions more often?"
Natsume: "'Cause I don't want to polka- dots."
Mikan: "Why you…!"
She stopped when she heard Natsuma giggling. She in turn giggled as well. Natsume felt like his heart would pop out of his throat at any moment.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (ACT I, SCENE V) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Natsume: "If I profane with my unworthiest hand this holy shrine, the gentle fine is this: my lips, two blushing pilgrims, ready stand to smooth that rough touch with a tender kiss."
Natsuma: "Good pilgrim, you do wrong your hand too much, which mannerly devotion shows in this; for saints have hands that pilgrims' hands do touch, and palm to palm is holy palmers' kiss."
Natsume: "Have not saints lips, and holy palmers too?"
Natsuma: "Ay, pilgrim, lips that they must use in prayer."
Natsume: "O, then, dear saint, let lips do what hands do; they pray, grant thou, lest faith turn to despair."
Natsuma: "Saints do not move, though grant for prayers' sake."
Natsume: "Then move not, while my prayer's effect I take. Thus from my lips, by yours, my sin is purged."
Natsuma: "Then have my lips the sin that they have took."
Natsume: "Sin from thy lips? O trespass sweetly urged! Give me my sin again."
Natsuma: "You kiss by the book."
Just then, Mikan walked in. In the play, she's the nurse. Tsubasa also walks in a little while after her.
Mikan: "Madam, your mother craves a word with you."
Natsume: "What is her mother?"
Mikan: "Marry, bachelor, her mother is the lady of the house, and a good lady, and a wise and virtuous I nursed her daughter, that you talk'd withal; I tell you, he that can lay hold of her shall have the chinks."
Natsume: "Is she a Capulet? O dear account! my life is my foe's debt."
Tsubasa: "Away, begone; the sport is at the best."
Natsume: "Ay, so I fear; the more is my unrest."
Student #3: "Nay, gentlemen, prepare not to be gone; 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."
Natsume and Tsubasa walked off the stage while Mikan and Natsuma walked around the stage, still saying their lines.
Natsuma: "Come hither, nurse. What is yond gentleman?"
Mikan: "The son and heir of old Tiberio."
Natsuma: "What's he that now is going out of door?"
Mikan: "Marry, that, I think, be young Petrucio."
Natsuma: "What's he that follows there, that would not dance?"
Mikan: "I know not."
Natsuma: "Go ask his name: if he be married. My grave is like to be my wedding bed."
Mikan: "His name is Romeo, and a Montague; the only son of your great enemy."
Natsuma: "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."
Mikan: "What's this? what's this?"
Natsuma: "A rhyme I learn'd even now of one I danced withal."
Then, someone called "Juliet" from behind the stage.
Mikan: "Anon, anon! Come, let's away; the strangers all are gone."
They both left the stage as the light's dimmed for the scene while the audience applauded.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (ACT II, SCENE II) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It was the scene that Natsume and Natsuma did their first day of practice.
Natsuma: "Romeo!"
Natsume: "Yes my dear?"
Natsuma: "At what o'clock to-morrow shall I send to thee?
Natsume: "At the hour of nine."
Natsuma: "I will not fail: 'tis twenty years till then. I have forgot why I did call thee back."
Natsume: "Let me stand here till thou remember it."
Natsuma: "I shall forget, to have thee still stand there, remembering how I love thy company."
Natsume: "And I'll still stay, to have thee still forget, forgetting any other home but this."
They walked closer to each other until they were in each other's arms, but still starring at each other.
Natsuma: "'Tis almost morning; I would have thee gone: and yet no further than a wanton's bird; who lets it hop a little from her hand, like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves, and with a silk thread plucks it back again, so loving-jealous of his liberty."
Natsume: "I would I were thy bird."
As they did their performance, they felt a presence in the audience that made the hair on the back of their necks stand and freeze. They continued to perform, not wanting to ruin the play, but they also looked out of the corner of their eyes and saw Persona. He was in the back of the auditorium, leaning against the wall. No one could see that they were looking at the audience so they were safe from everyone turning around to look as well.
Natsuma: "Sweet, so would I: yet I should kill thee with much cherishing. Good night, good night! parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow."
Natsuma: "'Tis almost morning; I would have thee gone: and yet no further than a wanton's bird; who lets it hop a little from her hand, like a poor prisoner in his twisted gyves, and with a silk thread plucks it back again, so loving-jealous of his liberty."
Natsume: "I would I were thy bird."
Natsuma: "Sweet, so would I: yet I should kill thee with much cherishing. Good night, good night! Parting is such sweet sorrow, that I shall say good night till it be morrow."
They were hugging each other as they finished. The lights dimmed for the next scene and they left the stage. When they were backstage, Mikan ran up to them with a big smile.
Mikan: "You guys were great! That was better than the first time!"
She looked at them and noticed that their bangs were covering their eyes.
Natsuma: "Natsume, you felt it, didn't you?"
Natsume: "Ya."
Mikan: "What, you felt what?"
Natsuma looked up at Mikan and smiled.
Natsuma: "Oh, nothing Mikan. We were just talking aloud. Sorry. We should get ready for the next scene."
She gave a smile and Mikan smile back.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx (ACT V, SCENE III) xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
It was the last scene of the play. They had just played the part where Romeo had drunken his poison. One of the students' was playing Friar Laurence and another played the first watchman. He had just entered the tomb.
Student #4: "Romeo! O, pale! Who else? What, Paris too? And steep'd in blood? Ah, what an unkind hour is guilty of this lamentable chance! The lady stirs."
At this point, the sleeping Natsuma woke up.
Natsuma: "O comfortable friar! Where is my lord? I do remember well where I should be, and there I am. Where is my Romeo?"
She looks and sees Natsume on the floor. He hears a noise at the temple entrance.
Student #4: "I hear some noise. Lady, come from that nest of death, contagion, and unnatural sleep: a greater power than we can contradict hath thwarted our intents. Come, come away. Thy husband in thy bosom there lies dead; and Paris too. Come, I'll dispose of thee among a sisterhood of holy nuns: stay not to question, for the watch is coming; come, go, good Juliet,"
He hears it again.
Student #4: "I dare no longer stay."
Natsuma: "Go; get thee hence, for I will not away."
He leaves the stage once she finishes. She bends down next to him.
Natsuma: "What's here? A cup, closed in my true love's hand? Poison, I see, hath been his timeless end:"
She took the bottle from his hand and tried to drink it, but nothing came out. She looked at the bottle, then tossed it away angrily.
Natsuma: "O churl! Drunk all, and left no friendly drop to help me after? I will kiss thy lips; haply some poison yet doth hang on them, to make die with a restorative."
Natsuma slowly lowered her head towards Natsume's. The entire audience went dead silent. Everyone was on the edge of their seats. As her eyes closed and their lips connected, the audience gasped. For every fan girl, fan boy, Mikan, and Ruka, time seemed to stand completely still, but in truth, it only lasted a few seconds to a minute. She parted her lips and stared at him.
Natsuma: "Thy lips are warm."
She suddenly heard a noise from offstage.
Student #5: "Lead, boy: which way?"
Natsuma: "Yea, noise? Then I'll be brief."
She spotted a dagger on his waste and took it in her hand. She unsheathed it and everyone saw it shine as the stage lights hit it. The audience gasped at it. It looked so real, but it wasn't. It was a fake dagger that Natsuma had created. The part that you held onto was real, but the knife itself was just an illusion.
Natsuma: "O happy dagger! This is thy sheathe; here rust, and let me die!"
In one quick thrust, she stabbed herself. After she stabbed herself with the fake dagger, everyone gasped in fear, thinking that it was real. She pulled it out of her and tossed it away from them, fake blood appeared on her dress which was also an illusion. Instead of falling on the ground like the script said, she decided to ad-lib a little.
Natsuma: "Romeo, my love, with you I shall forever stay."
With those last words, a single tear ran down her face and she collapsed on his body. Luckily, she was light otherwise it would have hurt. As the lights dimmed and the curtains closed, there was a strange silence in the audience for a moment. Tsubasa and Misaki looked out at the audience in fear.
Tsubasa-sempia whispering: "Why aren't they clapping?"
Misaki-sempia whispering: "I don't know. Maybe they didn't like the show."
Suddenly, they almost went deaf at the loud applause they heard. They looked out at the audience. Everyone, every single one of them had tears in their eyes, smiles on their faces, and were clapping and whistling their hearts out. It was the best show they had ever seen and they probably wouldn't see a show any better unless Natsume and Natsuma played in it. As the curtains opened, everyone cheered louder, if that's even possible, as everyone took a bow. Natsuma looked to her right and saw Ruka starring at her. She let go of Natsume's hand and gestured for him to come. He blushed as he slowly proceeded to her side and bowed with everyone else. As they bowed, Natsuma and Natsume noticed that Persona had left. Their uneasy feeling was gone as well. When everyone was backstage, some of the audience came backstage to congratulate their friends and the other actors. Just as Natsuma was about to leave, Mikan walked, or rather ran, up to her, calling her name.
Mikan: "Natsuma, where are you going?"
Natsuma: "Oh, no where Mikan. I'm just really tired. I was going to go to bed early since we probably have a big day tomorrow."
Mikan: "Oh. Okay."
She ran off after hearing Tsubasa calling her. Natsuma was about to leave when Natsume put his hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him.
Natsume: "What's really wrong?"
Natsuma: "Natsume, I'm just really tired, really."
He let go of her, but still looked at her with concern.
Natsuma: "Don't worry Nasu. I'm fine. I'll see you guys tomorrow."
She waved good-bye and left for her room. As she walked through the woods, she came to a halt.
Natsuma: "Alright, come out. I know you're there."
On cue, Persona came from behind a tree.
Natsuma: "Persona, what is it you want?"
Persona: "Why I merely came to congratulate you on a job well done tonight. It was the best Romeo and Juliet performance I'd ever seen."
Natsuma: "Thank you. Now, if you don't mind, I'm going to bed. I don't feel well."
Persona: "Of course. Get some rest."
He left into the woods and Natsuma kept walking to her room. When she got in her room, she leant on the door as she fell to her knees. When she lifted her head so you could see her eyes, her cheeks were beat red, her forehead was sweaty, and she was coughing. She walked to her closet, put on a night gown, and went to bed. She looked at her clock before falling asleep. It read 11:23 p.m.
Natsuma: "Oh man. Tomorrow's gonna be a long day."
She turned to lie on her back.
Natsuma: "And the worst part is that I'm sick."
To be continued...