Hokage Theater Presents
By
Brandon Rice
Disclaimer: FLAME OF RECCA and all of its characters belong to Nobuyuki Anzai, Shogakukan, Inc. and Viz, LLC. None of it is mine: EXCEPT for the plot of this story and of the play they put on.
Author's Rant: WOOOO! What a great day! First I manage to get a hold of Flame of Recca, Volume 7. And then I discover four reviews on my story! Woooooooooo! I feel special. Thanks to those who reviewed (I'll give "review replies" at the end.)
Now, onto chapter two!
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Chapter Two: What Do You Mean 'Kiss'?
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"Play?"
Team Hokage was gathered together in Recca's room. Books on Ninjas, as well as every form of weapon used by the said shinobis, were covering the walls. The group of five from yesterday, Recca, Fuuko, Yanagi, Mikagami and Domon, were still gathered around in a circle. Recca and Yanagi sat on the edge of the bed, while Domon sat beside it with little Ganko Morikawa on his shoulders tugging at his nose ring as she liked to do. Kaoru was next in the circle, a puzzle cube in his hands as he solved it quietly, almost absent-mindedly as he listened to the play idea. Beside him was Fuuko, who was sipping a drink quietly. Mikagami was the last one in the circle and he looked even colder today than he did usually. Kagero stood against the door as well, listening in on the idea; Mr. Tatesako and Mr. Hanabishi were on either side of her."Yeah." Recca responded. "And you two can help us with it. Princess already finished the script, right?"
Yanagi nodded vigorously. She held a stack of papers in her hands and everyone was a bit terrified by what could possibly be drawn on them. She both written out a script, and completely illustrated it with one of her comics. While Recca would make damn sure everyone pretended to like it, he hoped that his Princess had made something interesting and entertaining. After all, the audience of the actual play might laugh and be cruel to her. As her Shinobi, Recca would hunt down everyone in said audience and beat them up if they did; but that wouldn't change her hurt feelings.
"Let's see it Yanagi." Kaoru smiled happily. "Hopefully it'll be as good as usual."Maybe it was the crush the kid had on Yanagi, or maybe it was the fact that he was a kid and her comics were for children, but) was one of the only members of the Hokage who never needed Recca's 'persuasion' to enjoy the comics. He often complained that the story was about Recca, and not him, but that was pushed aside. Ganko enjoyed them too, but she was just a child so that was hardly surprising.
Yanagi grinned. "Okay!" and held up the comic book. On the cover was a picture of what looked like Mikagami, brandishing his Ensui and facing Domon, who had horns on his head and was standing in front of Fuuko who was obviously dressed like a princess. Domon seemed disappointed, Fuuko seemed curious, and Mikagami had an 'I-don't-care' look behind his long hair.Ten minutes later, everyone sat in mute surprise. The story wasn't . . . that bad. It wasn't Romeo and Juliet, but it also wasn't so bad that the audience wouldn't like it. Besides, they were going to use their Madogu, as well as Recca's fireworks, as special effects. No one would be the wiser of the truth, and it would be real eye candy for the viewers.
"Well then!" Tatesako beamed, breaking the silence and jumping down next to the circle of the Hokage. "I guess it's time we start rehearsal, since we only have a week!"
"What?"
The word was said in many different ways by many different people. Mikagami's voice held a hint of surprise, but that same unnaturally cool edge it always kept. Fuuko, whose voice was the exact opposite and was always loud and brash, sounded aghast at the fact. Recca, who had proven time and time again he either didn't care about the obvious or was too stupid to notice it, was shocked completely.
"I talked to the principal." Mr. Tatesako explained. "He's agreed to let you do the play next Friday; and again on Saturday if it's successful."
Mikagami's eye was twitching with annoyance. "We're supposed to have two weeks before he throws us out."
Tatesako sighed. "Mikagami, you're smart, you should know that he wants you all out. You're lucky he gave you what he did."
Mikagami gave an annoyed sigh, the kind he usually reserved for when he was forced to speak to 'the monkeys' (as he called Recca, Domon and Fuuko) and he leaned back.
"Alright then!" Tatesako announced. "We need to rehearse. Fuuko, take the script. You can share it and learn your lines together since we only have one."
"I'll rehearse with you Fuuko!" Domon shouted almost at once; but Recca shook his head. "You gotta come with me Domon." Recca explained. "You're playing the evil oni, remember? And you breathe fire. And I'm the special effects guy." "So?" Domon asked, very irritable since he was being denied time with Fuuko."So we need to practice using the fireworks!" Recca glared. His father had distilled a great 'fire-safety' in his head. While he ignored this lesson whenever he tossed around his gunpowder for fights, he somehow remembered it when it came to this. "Or you can just wing it on Show-time and risk blowing your head to dust."
Domon sweatdropped. Obviously he didn't want to blow his head into dust, but safety was second to his crush on Fuuko. Fuuko had a un-readable expression on her face, but Recca guessed that she was rooting for Domon to go play with the fire; and not her.
"Actually." Tatesako said. "Tokiya and Fuuko have the most lines, so they should be the ones to take the script. They are the stars."Domon sighed, accepting defeat and he muttered all the way out as he followed Recca and Mr. Hanabishi to the backyard for fireworks training. Once they had left, Yanagi handed the script and the comic to Fuuko, and then she turned over to Mr. Tatesako.
"I was thinking that I could work on the props." She said quietly. Yanagi was a very artistic person; but also a very shy one.
"I'll help." Kaoru said almost instantly; feeling very glad that Recca wasn't around to interfere.
"Sure." Tatesako said, and then he turned around to Kagero. "Miss. Kagero, I hate to ask but the fact is you're from the Sengoku period and the play tales place there. My wife is very good at sewing, so perhaps between your first-hand experience and my knowledge of Ninjas, we can help her make some costumes?"
Kagero nodded. "I'd be happy to help. Come along." She took Mr. Tatesako's hand. At first he seemed confused, but a moment later a large swirling shadow opened on the wall and Kagero lead him into it. Mr. Tatesako was as giddy as a schoolgirl as he stared wide-eyed at the Hokage magic and happily took the shadow-transit back to his own home. After an exchange of "good-byes", Yanagi, Ganko and Kaoru set off to head to the arts and crafts store and stock up on prop supplies. This left only Mikagami and Fuuko in the bedroom with their task of learning their lines.
"Well Mi-chan." Fuuko yawned, flipping through the script. "Which scene should we start with?"
Mikagami blinked. "The first one?"
Fuuko shook her head. "No way. Beginnings are boring! Let's try something interesting. . ." At this point Fuuko stopped talking and began twisting page after page in search of something good. Occasionally she'd stop and say "ooh" but that would be followed by a "we need Domon for that" or "never mind". Finally she reached the end of the play and her eyes rested on something. Halfway down the page she stopped and nodded, without bothering to read the rest.
"Let's do the final act!" She said, placing the script on the bed and standing up. "After Prince Hakugin saves Naomi from the Oni!"
Mikagami nodded and rose to his feet. He hadn't done any acting since his sister's passing. And while he could care less about college, he still remembered all those nights when his sister would come home from work in a bad mood. She never once took it out on him. And she never once complained about the fact that she did all of this for him. His sister had sacrificed so much so that Mikagami could have the money to go to college, and he'd be damned before he'd let her down. No matter what the price he had to pay. Even if it meant doing a play with the monkeys.
"Okay. Let's see. 'Lord Hakugin, you came all this way . . . for me?'"
Mikagami was surprised. Fuuko wasn't terrible. She was actually pretty good at acting. Her voice had gone from the normal rather annoying monkey-tongue to a accent appropriate for her character: Naomi, the peasant who fell in love with the prince. Mikagami quickly scanned over the page and soaked his lines into his brain, and then he spoke them.
"Indeed Naomi, I braved the wilds of this world; and the black soul of Kuro the Oni to find you."It was Fuuko's turn to be surprised. While Mikagami was usually soft-spoken and quiet, his voice was filled with a harsh, icy flavor that perfectly outlined the revenge he lusted for. However, as Prince Hakugin, his voice had become smooth and gentle. It sounded . . . real. Few could change themselves this much to act this naturally.
"But my lord . . ." Fuuko replied, flawlessly pulling off her next line. This was going to be simple. "Why would you risk your life, and the future of our people?"
Mikagami took a quick glance at the script. He was excellent at memorizing his lines fast. Then again, he had mastered one of the hardest forms of swordsmanship in less than seven years; which made this child's play. "Must you even ask Naomi? I love you. I have spent many a lonely night longing for you."
At this, Fuuko burst out laughing dropping all professionalism she had once used. She quickly covered her mouth and bit her lip to surpass the giggles that had erupted, but it was a hard task. Mikagami rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh. She had been like a different person a moment ago; but one simple line with even the slightest perverted hint and she had gone back to being a baboon."S-sorry." Fuuko snickered.
"Whatever." Mikagami's eye twitched before he repeated his last line. This time, he was rewarded with Fuuko finishing her line.
"Lord Hakugin . . . It is wrong."
"It is against the law!" Fuuko's character replied in a whiney, embarrassed voice that sounded very odd coming out of her mouth.
"I am Prince." Mikagami's character responded. "I shall change the law."
"I . . . am not worthy." Fuuko responded as she glanced at the script.
"You are mistaken." Tokiya, or Hakugin as he was acting, shook his head. His sister had always made him go all out on his acting. Even physical gestures. "I believe you are worthy."
"I . . . no. No Lord Hakugin, you are wrong." Fuuko turned away, closing her eyes and, to Tokiya's amazement, crying. Recca had mentioned that she had done acting in elementary school, but he had not expected her to be able to cry on command. That was a truly rare gift among those on stage; and truthfully Mikagami hadn't expected the monkey to be so gifted. Ignoring his shock, Mikagami looked back to the script and read his next line.
"I cannot be wrong, Naomi-chan. The only wrong of this day is your refusal to admit your equal love.""I . . ." For a monkey, Fuuko was great at this. She made it very convincing, as if she and Mikagami really were these young lovers. Mikagami blinked once as the thought of Fuuko and himself being lovers crossed his mind. Why did his mind torture him with such mental images? "I do love you." Fuuko finally finished.
"I know you do." Mikagami read his lines. "Now kiss me Naomi-chan."Fuuko looked down at the script to find her next line and she froze. The loss of color on her face, combined with the look of mute shock and embarrassment had peaked Mikagami's interest. Tokiya looked down and found a small sentence combined in parenthesis. The words "(Hakugin and Naomi kiss. Naomi breaks away with tears of happiness in her eyes and they embrace)". Mikagami's face froze over quicker than his sword.
Neither of them spoke.
Yanagi expected them to . . . kiss?
"Err. Mi-chan?"
"I'm not kissing you." Fuuko's eye twitched. While she was relieved that Mikagami was not going to try to kiss her, she was also very annoyed that he had said it like that. She was no girly-girl, but there was no way in hell someone was going to act like the idea of kissing Fuuko Kirisawa was something worth the expression Mikagami had on his face."Why not?"
Mikagami blinked. "You want me to kiss you?"
"Wha—of course I don't!""Then what is your problem?" The silvery-haired boy asked as he shifted the weight from one foot to the other.
"I want you to want to kiss me!" Fuuko snarled.
"What?"
"I want you to want to kiss me, without actually doing it."
Mikagami's eye twitched once again. This had to be the single most confusing and pointless conversation ever carried out by human beings. It was like a bad sitcom. Rubbing the area between his eyes with a hand exhaustedly, Mikagami tried to get the facts straight. Finally he looked over at her and spoke.
"So you don't want me to kiss you, but you want me to want too?"
"Pretty much." Fuuko replied.
"I need new friends." Mikagami sighed, turning around and exited the room as if he was afraid his mind may rot if he stayed here any longer. Truthfully, that was a thought that had crossed his mind quite a few times over the months with Team Hokage. Oh they each had something Mikagami respected about them (well not Domon, he was just a gorilla), but he couldn't for the life of him figure out how so many people could have so few brain cells between them.
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"No Domon!" Recca growled as the larger Team Hokage member fell onto his bottom for the twelfth time in a row. Domon was supposed to be learning how to throw one of the gray balls up in front of his mouth. He was supposed to light the fuse as he did so, so that it would explode at exactly the right time. He had to take a deep breath and blow out at the explosion, so that the flames leapt across the stage and made it look like he was blowing fire. It would be awesome if it worked; but Domon just wasn't getting it right.
"HEY! IT ISN'T THAT EASY HANABISHI!" Domon spat.
"Sure it is." Recca replied, pulling off the move flawlessly. "And you have bigger lungs, you can do it better.""Shut the fuc—"
At this moment, however, the door of the house opened. A very annoyed Mikagami came stepping out and walked right between Domon and Recca. (Mr. Hanabishi had gone for a smoke) A moment later, Fuuko followed behind with a dangerous glare in her eyes. Recca and Domon both took a scuttle backwards at that look, since they both knew her well enough to know she was pissed.
"Mikagami! Get back here!" She snarled, twirling an ice pick in her hand like she always did when she was annoyed.
"I don't want to kiss you." Mikagami replied.
"I don't want you to kiss me! I just want you to want too!" Fuuko snapped back.
"We're back!" Yanagi's singsong voice called as she came strolling across the grounds. She held a large box of craft supplies in her arms, and Kaoru and Ganko were following her close also holding brown boxes full of the same. However, between Domon's face (which was filled with horror), Recca's (which held confusion), Fuuko's (savage, loathing anger) and Mikagami's (sheer vexation), she quickly quieted down.
"Thanks Yanagi!" Fuuko snapped. "Why did you have to write me and Mikagami kissing?""Hey, don't yell at my Princess!"
Fwap.
"Fuuko! Be careful with those picks, you could have hit Recca!"
"No, I'm fine Princess. She always throws those at me— YAH! – see?"
"Monkeys . . . they're all monkeys."
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The conversation faded, and broke off all together. The man in black waved his hand and the large glowing orb of light vanished. The room was pitch black for a minute when the overhead lamp finally clicked back on. This room was barren, save only the large oak table that Kurei sat at. Rain was beading down on the windows in icy sheets, and the sound was becoming increasingly annoying.
"Well?" Kurei breathed impatiently as the orb that had showed Recca and the others vanished. "Can you take care of this?""Can I? No." The man in black responded, flicking his long hair, which was black and thin; like piano wire, behind his head. "You're father isn't paying me enough for my services. However Kurei-sama, I will dispatch one of my associates to murder them, yes."
Kurei rolled his eyes behind the mask. "I don't care who kills them. My only concern is that they die."
"And die they will." The man in black responded. "You need not worry. From what my magic has shown us, they are holding a play. I assure you, by midnight on that night they shall all be dead."
"Not Recca!" Kurei spat. "Nor the Sakoshita girl! I need them alive!"
"I do not take prisoners." The man in black hissed dangerously. "If you want them alive, capture them yourself Kurei." All respect for the flame-wielder was dropped.
"Fine. Just kill the rest of them. With them gone, Recca won't stand a chance."
"I doubt that, Kurei, but I really don't care. I'm only in this for the money. And for the Madogu, of course. I get to keep Fuujin, Ensui, Kogon Ankin and the rest."
"Fine." Kurei tilted his head. "You kill them and you can have whatever you want. Just don't disappoint me as much as my own associates have." At this, Kurei shot a nasty glance at Raiha, who stood by the door in silence.
"Very well, Kurei." The man in black nodded. "Team Hokage will die by midnight, next Friday night."
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More Rant: Woooo! Flame of Recca Volume Seven! Heh, I can't get over it.
Well, it's nearly four am right now. I've been writing this since 1:30. I saw those four reviews and just had to hurry up the process. Heh.
Speaking of my four wonderful reviews (I'm a sucker for these), here's my feedback!
Rockyspirit
Indeed it is ToFuu! Well, not yet, obviously. But it will be. Mikagami will warm up. It'll just take time.
TwistedApathy
Mokuren. Yeah. I knew that. I just couldn't spell it, and was much too lazy to go all the way to my bedroom and dig out my Manga. –snickers- And yeah! Seventh volume! I got it today (I may have mentioned that once or twice, or a million times . God I'm a nerd) Wow? All 33? Cooooool. COOOOOOOOOL.
Oh. And you get a cookie for the suffix list.
Yuuhi amino
Mmmhmm. They do kiss. Err... later. Heh. Yanagi's playing matchmaker and she doesn't even know it.
G-Cleft
Ah, thank you! You've inflated my already over-sized head with your kind words. Heh. I gotta go stab my ego and keep it down, but first I shall thank you. The plot is creative, but very hard to expand on. Meh. Oh well, next chapter I'll get into Ganko's crush and fill some time.
Anyway, I thank you all for the reviews, and I'll beg you for some more now.
Chow.