"Mari On My Mind"
A one-act play by
anonymous
Cast of Characters:
Mari: A 28-year old female military officer trapped in her 14-year old body
Mari's Mind: The thoughts of Mari manifest in human form
?: Mysterious white-haired traveler. Male, approximately Mari's age
Location:
The scorched remains of a forest
Time:
The near future
SCENE I
MARI, wearing a pink military jumpsuit with black and white accents, wanders in the forest.
MARI
No, no, no. I know I've passed by these rocks before. Damn it, this was stupid...
MARI'S MIND (off stage)
Hey! Hey, wait up!
MARI pauses and glances over her shoulder. MARI'S MIND, a mirror reflection of MARI wearing the same clothing, enters stage right. She stops next to MARI to catch her breath.
MARI'S MIND
Finally, I've been looking all over for you!
MARI
Who...who are you?
MARI'S MIND
I'm you! Well, I guess technically I'm part of you. Or...are you part of me? Anyway, we're Mari!
MARI begins walking again, keeping her gaze towards the ground. MARI'S MIND keeps in step.
MARI
I...I don't have time for this. You need to go away.
MARI'S MIND
Oh, come on. I've been wandering these woods for hours trying to find you. And it doesn't seem like you're making any headway, am I right? So let's keep each other company!
MARI continues to walk, ignoring her visitor.
MARI'S MIND
Hey, isn't it weird that Asuka and Hikari left us behind?
MARI
They...Asuka didn't leave me behind.
MARI'S MIND
Then where'd she go?
MARI
She's probably scouting ahead. I just need to catch up with her.
MARI'S MIND
Hey, remember back in boarding school when we went to that big museum in London? We were so excited to be in the group with all the popular girls. Remember when they asked us to go save some seats in the auditorium for the lecture but never came back? And when we tried asking them about it they just ignored us?
MARI
I…
MARI'S MIND
Oh, and remember that one time after gym class? We were still in the shower and overhead the other girls making fun of us? What did they call us?
MARI
They...they called me poor.
MARI'S MIND
Yeah, that's it! Poor Mari. How'd Poor Mari get into an elite school like this? They'd joke about how we ate like a poor person and dressed like a poor person and then when Dad died that one girl asked if it was because we couldn't afford going to the doctor. And we just got so pissed we socked her right in the mouth!
MARI'S MIND pantomimes punching someone
MARI
I...I gave that bitch a taste of the real world.
MARI'S MIND
Yeah we did! And remember the reaction we got? Everyone's eyes on us, our heart pumping a million miles a second. What a rush!
(FADE OUT)
SCENE II
MARI sits on the ground, eating from a small tin can. MARI'S MIND sits across from her.
MARI
Why are you still here?
MARI'S MIND
That's a dumb question. This is the first time we've really been alone in like fifteen years. We still got a lot to talk about!
MARI
No...no we don't.
MARI'S MIND
I was just thinking, remember when we got accepted into the Eva pilot program? Boy did it feel good to rub that in those little princesses' faces. Oh, you wanna talk to me? That's fine, but I only answer to Illustrious now.
MARI
Please...just shut up.
MARI'S MIND
We'd sit there and listen 'em talk about their little trips to New York or Paris and then just butt in with a story from training. Like when we took that low-Earth orbit training and oh, I don't know, went into space! And sometimes we'd walk in with bandages on our arms or legs and act like it was nothing!
MARI
...yeah.
MARI'S MIND
And the boys! They hung on every word. We'd sit in the cafeteria and they'd bring us chips and soda and deserts just trying to get close. Just one more story, Mari Illustrious, please! Remember how angry the other girls were?
MARI chuckles softly
MARI
Yeah...I had those idiots eating out of my hand.
MARI'S MIND
I know, right?! And then we talked that helicopter pilot into flying us over the school and parachuting down!
MARI chuckles louder
MARI
Yeah, the headmaster really lost it. But I just flashed my NERV badge and he shut right up.
MARI'S MIND
So awesome! Well, hey, it's getting late. You should get some sleep, we'll try to get back on track tomorrow.
MARI
Yeah...that sounds good.
MARI'S MIND
Goodnight.
MARI lays down.
MARI
Goodnight.
(Fade out)
MARI'S MIND exists stage left. ?, wearing a white button down shirt and black slacks, takes her place.
(Fade in)
MARI wakes up, startled by the unknown visitor
?
Hello, Mari Makinami.
MARI:
What...who...who are you?
?
My name doesn't matter.
MARI:
What...what do you want? I don't have anything. You gotta believe me.
?
Oh, trust me, there's nothing you have that I want.
MARI:
Then...why are you here?
?
I just passed by in the middle of the night and saw you laying here alone. I thought I'd keep you company until the morning. Just in case anyone else showed up.
? stands up and brushes off the seat of his pants.
?
Well, I'm off. Nice to see you again, Mari Makinami.
? beings to walk away. MARI scrambles to her feet.
MARI
Hey, wait a second. You...you want something to eat? Or some water?
? pauses and turns back towards MARI
?
You don't know me. You don't know where I came from. You haven't even asked how I know your name. But the first thing you do is offer to sacrifice your own provisions for my good?
MARI
I mean…
?
You Lilin. Always more worried about helping others than your own self-preservation.
MARI
I just...I was just asking. Don't have to be an ass about it.
?
I'd apologize if I felt the need. With that that said, I must get going.
? turns and starts to walk away, then stops.
?
Mari Makinami, we will see each other soon. But I must warn you. If you attempt to stop what I plan to do, I will kill you.
(Fade out)
SCENE III
MARI is again wandering through the woods. MARI'S MIND walks lock-step with her. They travel silently for some time.
MARI'S MIND
You think that guy's really gonna kill us?
MARI:
...shut up.
MARI'S MIND
I mean, he knew our name and everything.
MARI:
Please shut up.
MARI'S MIND:
And, like, after all these years fighting giant monsters and bad guys with machine guns-
MARI:
I said...I said SHUT UP!
They walk in silence. MARI pauses and kneels down, cradling her head in her hands. She begins to cry. MARI'S MIND sits next to her. They stay like this for some time.
MARI'S MIND
I miss all the dumb stuff we used to get away with.
MARI
...yeah.
MARI'S MIND
Even in a school full of actual royalty people looked up to us. Because we-
MARI
Because we fought for everything we had. From the day we were born. Every hour...every day...no one ever handed us a damn thing. And all that fighting...
MARI'S MIND
...it left us tired.
MARI leans over, resting her head on the shoulder of MARI'S MIND
MARI
So we got in fights...broke windows…
MARI'S MIND
...jumped out of airplanes...battled giant, crazy-looking monsters…
MARI
...just to try to forget all that weight bearing down on us. To feel something.
MARI'S MIND
To make sure we'd never end up numb like those spoiled brats.
MARI
Just to really feel alive.
MARI'S MIND
And when that rush hits...
MARI'S MIND pantomimes a rocket taking off. MARI and MARI'S MIND chuckle together, then MARI pauses and sighs.
MARI
I miss Mom and Dad.
MARI'S MIND
Yeah...me too. Hey, wait...you hear that?
They both stand, scanning the area.
MARI
Yeah...is that…
MARI'S MIND
Hikari?
MARI
Yeah...Hikari? Hey, Hikari? Hikari, can you hear me?!
MARI'S MIND
I think she's over there.
MARI
Hang on Hikari, just keep calling out!
MARI runs off stage continuing to yell for Hikari, leaving MARI'S MIND behind. MARI'S MIND smiles.
(Fade out)
THE END