Yaaaay! I'm back! With another update! That's better than the last one! And sixteen times longer!!

#eye twitches# I almost killed myself writing this, and I hope everyone out there appreciates it! This was a really long scene, and I ended up cutting a little bit out of it to make it a little more managable for me. Plus, it saved me from having to do any more of Jaffar's scene. It was kind of boring anyway. Poor Jaffar. We make so much for of him. :) Hee hee hee. Terror is fun.

Anyway, today we have the first instance of mistaken identity between Sebastian and Viola. I beg forgiveness - I KNOW there is no way that Hector and Nino could be related, but just PRETEND. Please. So, read on, try not to die in the process, enjoy the humour I tried to stick in during the play, and review!

Disclaimer Junk: Guess what? I don't own it. Wish I did - I could probably make a lot of money off it - but I don't own it.

::CAST::

Main Characters:

Orsino - Heath

Olivia - Lyn

Sebastian - Hector

Viola - Nino

Antonio - Eliwood

Maria - Rebecca

Valentine - Wil

Curio - Rath

Toby - Sain

Andrew - Erk

Malvolio - Jaffar

Feste - Matthew

Fabian – Kent

Extras:

Captain: Guy

Attendants: Serra, Priscilla

Servant: Florina O

fficers: Lowen, Karla

Priest: Ninian

"Look at that!" Eliwood said admiringly. "The sun's out, the birds are chirping, the sky's blue and cloudless; it's an absolutely PERFECT day!"

"To spend locked up inside this brick and steel cage, devoid of any sunlight, never to see the sky again," Hector grumbled, casting a long glance out the window. "Ever notice life's never fair?"

"Only to you Hector," Lyn said, rolling her eyes. "The sky always darkens just as you get up every morning."

"Thanks, Lyn," he said sourly. "I just KNEW I could count on you for support."

"Anytime, Hector, anytime," she said sweetly. "Now, come on: it's time for class, and we don't want to be late, do we?" she asked, batting her eyelashes. Hector's eye twitched, but he followed her anyway.

"We'll see you in a bit!" Lyn called cheerfully as she and Ninian peeled off and entered the girl's washroom to change. Eliwood, smiling brightly, pulled Hector off into the boy's washroom. "C'mon, sunshine, time to change!"

"You... are...SO... crusin'... for... a... brusin'..." Hector growled, even as he rifled through his over-stuffed backpack, looking for his now very crumpled costume.

"Ms. Spencer's gonna yell at you for treating your costume like that," Eliwood warned him.

"Screw off, Eliwood," Hector grumbled.

Half an hour – and two dozen funny looks and witty comments – later, Lyn and Ninian emerged to meet their boyfriends.

"What is it about being a girl that makes you take forever to do anything that has to do with clothing or makeup?" Hector whined.

"Stop whining," Lyn commanded as she hitched up her dress. "You should try putting this thing on – it takes forever! There's so much of it!" Just for good measure she held out a bunch at arms length. "This is insane," she grumbled.

"On that, I'll agree," Hector conceded. "Now c'mon – if I hear one more little person who thinks he's funny ask me how long I've been waiting for my class, or my girlfriend, or whatever, I'm gonna snap."

"Did they really do that?" Ninian asked Eliwood.

Eliwood nodded. "Yeah. I think every other person who went by had something funny to say."

"Something to say, but it wasn't funny – ever."

"Geez, Hector, you're in a bad mood today!" Ninian noticed.

"He's ALWAYS in a bad mood," Lyn rolled her eyes.

"Blame it on the weather," Hector told them.

"But it's beautiful outside!" Ninian exclaimed.

"That's the whole POINT," Hector glared out the window, then sighed as they reached the gym. Just then the annoying bell – courtesy of Nils once again – echoed through the halls.

"It doesn't even have windows," Hector noticed sourly as they entered the gym. "Why can't they have windows in here? It's like a box."

"Because two-legged animals, called 'humans', like to compete in this room with things called 'sports'. These 'sports' can be very rough, since some of these two-legged humanoid peoples can be quite strong. If there was a "hole" in this "box"," Lyn made little bunny ears in the air as Eliwood and Ninian laughed silently behind the steaming Hector's back, "then one of these strong humanoids just might put a hard, round object, called a 'ball' through one of the holes, which are also called 'windows'," Lyn smiled innocently. "And that would be why they don't have windows in the gym."

"Remind me why I ever hooked up with you?" Hector mumbled to himself as he slunk to the front of the class, Eliwood and Lyn following him; Eliwood laughing his head off, Lyn looking for infuriatingly superior. "I hate life."

"Good day class, so nice of you to actually be here early," Ms. Spencer beamed at them from the front of the room. "So, let's get started right away. Lyn and Rebecca, onstage please, and Kent, Sain, Jaffar - you be ready, OK?"

"Yes, Ms. Spencer," Kent and Sain replied in unison.

"Did you get that Jaffar?" Ms. Spencer asked to silence. "Jaffar?"

"He says yes!" Nino chirped happily, hanging off his arm. Ms. Spencer rolled her eyes skyward, asking silently for patience.

"Ok, fine, whatever. Let's get started."

Lyn's POV
"Why do they make these costumes so bloody heavy?!" Lyn complained from her place offstage.

"Because Karel made them," Rebecca answered. "Besides, a costume isn't a costume if it isn't heavy and miserable."

"Yours looks light."

"It is," Rebecca said with a cheerful smile. Lyn sighed and hung her head in despair.

"Come on girls!" Ms. Spencer's voice called from the front. "Let's get this thing going! It's a long scene, and we DON'T have all day, you know!"

"Come on, let's go... we might as well. The sooner this is over, the sooner I can get out of this black death trap."

Rebecca giggled as the two of them made their way out onto the stage.

"I have sent after him; he says he'll come. How shall I feast him? What bestow of him? For youth is bought more oft than begg'd or borrow'd," Lyn said, seeming to stare off at an image only she could see. "I speak too loud," she continued, chastising herself. "Where's Malvolio? He is sad and civil, and suits well for a servant with my fortunes. Where is Malvolio?" She said the last sentence with certain heat.

"He's coming, madam, but in very strange manner," Rebecca said with wide eyes. "He is, sure, possess'd, madam!"

"Why, what's the matter?" Lyn said with alarm. "Does he rave?"

"No, madam," Rebecca said, feigning worry. "He does nothing but smile. Your ladyship were best to have some guard about you, if he come; for, sure, the man is tainted in's wits."

"Go! Call him hither," Lyn commanded, and Rebecca hurried off the stage, wearing a mischievous smile. With a small sigh she continued. "I am as mad as he, if sad and merry madness equal be."

There was then a long pause. Rebecca was supposed to come out with Jaffar, but there wasn't anyone there... Lyn began to fell very stupid standing there, on her cue, waiting to the other two to re-emerge. "Guyyyyys!" She called in a stage whisper. "Where are you?"

"Rebecca and Jaffar! What are you two doing??" Ms. Spencer called.

"We're... having... a... bit... of... trouble, Ms. Spencer!" Rebecca yelled, sounding as if she were having a hard time with something. Lyn turned to look offstage to see Rebecca pulling – or pushing – or rather TRYING to push or pull the very reluctant Jaffar onto the stage. He was wearing Malvolio's second costume, and didn't want to come onstage. For a very good reason, Lyn thought, trying very hard not to laugh as she watched the two of them warring for the upper hand. It was clearly Jaffar's right now, since he was bigger – and stronger – than the slight Rebecca.

"Rath! Hector! Get up there and fix whatever's going on! Jaffar! Get out onstage!"

Hector heaved a visible sigh, and pushed himself up, followed by the closed-mouthed Rath. The two boys were quick to break Jaffar's grip on the props, and Hector more or less puppet-walked Jaffar onto the stage, even as Nino protested from the audience.

"Thanks," Lyn heard a breathless Rebecca say to Rath, who simply nodded in return. Then Rebecca ran out to join Jaffar – who wasn't looking very happy – on stage, as Hector jumped off stage to return to his seat.

"Are we ready to go YET?" Ms. Spencer asked peevishly.

"Yes Ms. Spencer!" Rebecca and Lyn chorused.

"Then GO!"

"Uh..." Lyn quickly ran through the script in her mind. It was hard to do this play without the script, and this scene was the longest – if you didn't count Act 5. "Oh!" She turned to Jaffar. "How now Malvolio!"

"Sweet lady. Ho. Ho" Jaffar said stiffly.

"Jaffar!" Rebecca elbowed him. Jaffar glared him.

"Smil'st thou?" Lyn tried to sound indignant. "I sent for thee upon a sad occasion!"

"Sad, lady. I could be sad; this does make some obstruction in the blood –"

"JAFFAR!!" Ms. Spencer bellowed. "Enthusiasm! Enunciation! Bring the part to life!"

Jaffar sighed, but Lyn saw him throw and quick glance at Nino before rolling his eyes. "Sad, lady! I could be sad; this does make some obstruction in the blood, this cross-gartering; but what of that?" he said, gesturing to his legs. "If it please the eye of one, it is with me as the very true sonnet is, 'Please one, and please all.'"

Lyn stared in shock for a moment before re-gathering her wits. "Er... Why, how dost thou, man?" She said, half shocked, before finally demanding, "What is the matter with thee?"

"Not black in my mind, though yellow in my legs. It did come to his hands, and commands shall be executed; I think we do know the sweet Roman hand." Lyn thought she noted a slight twitch in Jaffar's eyebrow. He might be doing it with more life, but he wasn't doing it willingly, that was for sure.

"Wilt thou go to bed, Malvolio?" Lyn asked, eyeing him with distaste.

"..." Jaffar seemed to be struggling with the next line, but he finally blurted it out, "To bed! Ay, sweet-heart, and I'll come to thee."

"God comfort thee! Why dost thou smile so and kiss thy hand so oft?" Lyn cried, jerking her body away.

"How do you, Malvolio?" Rebecca asked, eyeing him – trying not to smile all the while.

"At your request! Yes; nightingales answer daws." Whatever THAT meant. Why couldn't they have the scripts that told them what everything meant on the side??

"Why appear you with this ridiculous boldness before my lady?" Rebecca demanded, obviously angry by the "insult" to her "lady".

"'Be not afraid of greatness'; 'twas well writ," Jaffar said, nodding slightly.

"What mean'st thou by that, Malvolio?" Lyn asked, growing angry.

"'Some are born great,'—" Jaffar continued stubbornly through Lyn's burst.

"Ha!"

"'Some achieve greatness,'—"

"What say'st thou?!?" Lyn almost yelled.

"'And some have greatness thrust upon them!'" Jaffar said, almost as loudly.

"Heaven restore thee!"

"'Remember who commended thy yellow stockings,'—"

"Thy yellow stockings!" Lyn said with obvious distaste.

"'And wish'd to see thee cross-garter'd.'"

"Cross-garter'd!" Lyn cried with horror.

"'Go to, thou art made, if thou desir'st to be so;'—" Jaffar was doing well, Lyn thought. He'd been speaking more than she'd ever heard him, AND he hadn't cracked yet. Not that that really meant anything.

"Am I made?"

"'If not, let me see thee a servant still.'"

"Why, this is very midsummer madness!" Lyn cried.

Then Florina came onstage. Lyn had almost forgotten Florina was in the play... much like everyone else, probably. Florina was trying to get to her mark, and stay as far away from Jaffar as she could, and it wasn't really working well. She was half-hidden behind the curtains when she started speaking, but for some reason Ms. Spencer let it go.

"M-madam," Florina stammered, not very loudly.

"Louder, Florina!" Ms. Spencer called from the back of the gym. We can't hear you!

Florina gulped and tried again, a little louder. "Madam – "

"LOUDER, Florina!"

"M-Madam, t-the young gentleman of the... of... of the..." Florina stumbled for her next line.

"Count Orsino, Florina!" Rebecca whispered in her ear.

"T-the young gentleman of... of the Count Orsino's is return'd; I-I could hardly e-entreat him back: he... he attends your ladyship's p-pleasure." Florina blushed hard at the last word.

"I'll come to him," Lyn said kindly, nodding to indicate Florina's "dismissal". Florina gave her a weak grin and almost fled the stage. "Good Maria, let this fellow," she gestured disdainfully at Jaffar and noted – with some anxiety – that his jaw tightened and a tick appeared, "be look'd to. Where's my cousin Toby? Let some of my people have a special care of him; I would not have him miscarry for the half of my dowry."

"Cut!" Ms. Spencer called from the audience. Everyone on the stage stopped and looked at her in surprise.

"Very good, very good. However, we're quickly running out of time. So," she paused, leafing through the script. "We're going to skip Malvolio's speech, and we're going to go to... the point were Sir Andrew joins Toby and Fabian... and maybe Maria. Let's get started, then!"

There was a bit of grumbling at this sudden shift, but Jaffar seemed just mildly relieved to be spared any more speaking. Lyn had noticed that his voice had been going a little hoarse – probably because of the fact that he'd never talked that much before.

When Erk, Sain and Kent were on the stage, Ms. Spencer nodded, and they started, with Erk coming onstage from the side.

Erk's POV
"More matter for a May morning," Kent was saying as Erk moved up to his cue, beside "Toby".

"Here 's the challenge, read it; I warrant there 's vinegar and pepper in 't," he said, thrusting a blank piece of lined paper at Sain.

"Is 't so saucy?" Kent asked, a little surprised-sounding.

"Ay, is 't, I warrant him; do but read," he said, "Eager" for "praise". He made very sure to add the little quotation marks in his head.

"Give me," Sain said rudely, finally grabbing the proffered piece of blank paper and pretending to peruse it. "'Youth,'" he said, reading what "Erk" had "wrote", "'whatsoever thou art, thou art but a scurvy fellow.'"

"Good and valiant," Kent said in an approving tone.

"' Wonder not, nor admire not in thy mind, why I do call thee so, for I will show thee no reason for 't.'" Sain continued.

"A good note; that keeps you from the blow of the law." KENT, at least, seemed to like it.

"' Thou com'st to the lady Olivia, and in my sight she uses thee kindly: but thou liest in thy throat; that is not the matter I challenge thee for.'"

"Very brief, and to exceeding good sense—less." Erk sighed. It seemed EVERYONE had some line that no one else could understand.

"'I will waylay thee going home; where if it be thy chance to kill me,—'"

"Good," Kent interrupted Sain again.

"' Thou kill 'st me like a rogue and a villain.'"

"Still you keep o' th' windy side of the law; good." At least, Erk thought, even if Kent would never participate in a trick like the one they plated on "Malvolio", he would keep his fixation with the law. What WAS it with Kent and manners and doing things right?

"'Fare thee well; and God have mercy upon one of our souls! He may have mercy upon mine; but my hope is better, and so look to thyself. Thy friend, as thou usest him, and thy sworn enemy, ANDREW AGUECHEEK.'" Sain paused for a minute. "If this letter move him not, his legs cannot; I'll give 't him," he said dubiously.

There was a pause among the three, then a cry from the audience, "What do you MEAN, I'm supposed to be on!" Rebecca cried, jumping up from her seat next to Rath and almost flying up the aisle. Panting, she joined them.

"Uh – Y-you may have very fit occasion f-for 't;" She paused trying to get her breathing back to normal. "He is now in some commerce with my lady, and will by and by depart." It took Erk a minute to realize Rebecca was talking about Nino being with Olivia.

"Go, Sir Andrew; scout me for him at the corner of the orchard, like a bum-baily. So soon as ever thou see'st him, draw; and as thou drawest, swear horrible; for it comes to pass oft, that a terrible oath, with a swaggering accent sharply twang'd off, gives manhood more approbation than ever proof itself would have earn'd him," Sain said with great pomp and circumstance. "Away!" he almost roared, and Erk took an uneasy step back.

"Nay, let me alone for swearing," he said over his shoulder as he walked offstage. FINALLY! He thought, leaning against the wall. Quiet time.

"Now will not I deliver his letter; for the behaviour of the young gentleman gives him out to be of good capacity and breeding; his employment between his lord and my niece confirms no less: therefore this letter, being so excellently ignorant, will breed no terror in the youth; he will find it comes from a clodpole. But, sir, I will deliver his challenge by word of mouth; set upon Aguecheek a notable report of valour; and drive the gentleman, as I know his youth will aptly receive it, into a most hideous opinion of his rage, skill, fury, and impetuosity. This will so fright them both, that they will kill one another by the look, like cockatrices." Sain closed his mouth suddenly and looked to the offstage. Erk suddenly found his "little space" quite a bit more cramped then normal when Lyn and Nino pushed past him to get onstage. He looked after Nino, sighed, and headed back further offstage.

Nino's POV
"Here he comes with your niece; give them way till he take leave, and presently after him." Kent 'whispered' in Sain's ear. Of course, that whisper was so loud, Nino was sure that the people at the back of the room could hear him.

"I will meditate the while upon some horrid message for a challenge," Sain said, then proudly led the way out, Kent behind him, rolling his eyes, and Rebecca trying very hard not to laugh.

"I have said too much unto a heart of stone, And laid mine honour too unchary out. There 's something in me that reproves my fault; But such a headstrong potent fault it is, That it but mocks reproof," Lyn was saying to Nino, yet again praying the "Viola" would fall in love with her. Although she didn't know it, Nino did the exact same thing Erk did, adding the quotation marks in her head.

"With the same haviour that your passion bears, Goes on my master's grief," she said, trying to turn the conversation 'round to talk of Orsino, or Heath, or ... whatever.

"Here, wear this jewel for me," Lyn said, giving Nino a brooch one of the grade twelve's had found – Isadora, she thought – jiggling it slightly to get Nino to take it. "'t is my picture: Refuse it not; it hath no tongue to vex you: And I beseech you come again to-morrow. What shall you ask of me that I'll deny, That honour sav'd may upon asking give?"

"Nothing but this," Nino said, "—your true love for my master."

"How with mine honour may I give him that Which I have given to you?"

"I will acquit you,"

"Well, come again to-morrow; fare thee well. A fiend like thee might bear my soul to hell." Lyn said, before turning and exiting to offstage – right after she stepped – very hard – on Sain's foot when he blocked her way. Nino winced slightly.

Limping slightly, Sain and Kent emerged onstage as soon as Lyn was past them. "Gentleman, God save thee!" Sain cried to Nino, who started to feel a little apprehensive.

"And you, sir," she answered politely.

"That defence thou hast, betake thee to 't. Of what nature the wrongs are thou hast done him, I know not; but thy intercepter, full of despite, bloody as the hunter, attends thee at the orchard-end. Dismount thy tuck, be yare in thy preparation; for thy assailant is quick, skilful, and deadly," Sain went on, and on, and on, growing more and more forceful. It was making Nino feel a little intimidated – which, she supposed, was kind of the point.

"You mistake, sir;" Nino said, trying to be polite. "I am sure no man hath any quarrel to me: my remembrance is very free and clear from any image of offence done to any man."

"You'll find it otherwise, I assure you," Sain said gaily. "Therefore, if you hold your life at any price, betake you to your guard; for your opposite hath in him what youth, strength, skill, and wrath can furnish man withal."

"I pray you, sir, what is he?" she asked.

"He is knight, dubb'd with unhatch'd rapier and on carpet consideration; but he is a devil in private brawl: souls and bodies hath he divorc'd three; and his incensement at this moment is so implacable that satisfaction can be none but by pangs of death and sepulchre. Hob, nob, is his word; give 't or take 't."

"I will return again into the house and desire some conduct of the lady. I am no fighter. I have heard of some kind of men that put quarrels purposely on others, to taste their valour; belike this is a man of that quirk," Nino said, trying to find a way out of the fight Sain was happily proposing.

"Sir, no; his indignation derives itself out of a very competent injury," Sain winked at Kent. "Therefore get you on and give him his desire. Back you shall not to the house, unless you undertake that with me which with as much safety you might answer him. Therefore on, or strip your sword stark naked; for meddle you must, that's certain, or forswear to wear iron about you."

"This is as uncivil as strange," Nino said. "I beseech you, do me this courteous office, as to know of the knight what my offence to him is; it is something of my negligence, nothing of my purpose."

"I will do so. Signior Fabian, stay you by this gentleman till my return," Sain said, and with a flourish, left the stage. There was certainly a lot of coming on and going of the stage in this scene.

"Pray you, sir, do you know of this matter?" Nino asked Kent when Sain had left.

"I know the knight is incens'd against you, even to a mortal arbitrement; but nothing of the circumstance more," Kent said, adding to the terror Sain had started against Nino.

"I beseech you, what manner of man is he?"

"Nothing of that wonderful promise, to read him by his form, as you are like to find him in the proof of his valour. He is, indeed, sir, the most skilful, bloody, and fatal opposite that you could possibly have found in any part of Illyria. Will you walk towards him? I will make your peace with him, if I can." Kent offered.

"I shall be much bound to you for 't. I am one that had rather go with sir priest than sir knight; I care not who knows so much of my mettle," Nino assented and the two of them made their way offstage. Nino hastily apologized to Erk when she, quite by accident, followed Lyn's example and trod heavily on his foot.

"Why, man, he's a very devil;" Sain was saying loudly as he and Erk walked onto the stage. "I have not seen such a firago. I had a pass with him, rapier, scabbard, and all, and he gives me the stuck in with such a mortal motion that it is inevitable; and, on the answer, he pays you as surely as your feet hit the ground they step on. They say he has been fencer to the Sophy."

"Pox on 't, I'll not meddle with him," Erk said, turning his back and trying to walk offstage. Sain hurriedly grabbed his arm.

"Ay, but he will not now be pacified; Fabian can scarce hold him yonder," Sain said, pulling him back to the middle of the stage.

"Plague on 't; and I thought he had been valiant and so cunning in fence, I'd have seen him damn'd ere I 'd have challeng'd him. Let him let the matter slip, and I'll give him my horse, gray Capilet!" Erk said, struggling against Sain's grip to get away. Nino had the distinct impression that Erk was fighting the urge to scream "NOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooO!"

"I 'll make the motion. Stand here, make a good show on 't; this shall end without the perdition of souls," Sain said, pressing down "lightly" on Erk's shoulder – so lightly, in fact, that Erk almost screamed in pain. Then Sain turned his back to Erk and "whispered" loudly enough for people on the other side of the school to hear him, "Marry, I 'll ride your horse as well as I ride you!"

"Come on, Nino," Kent told her. "Let's get this over with."

"OK!" Nino said, and followed Kent out.

"I have his horse to take up the quarrel; I have persuaded him the youth 's a devil," Sain said privately to Kent when the four of them were onstage.

"He is as horribly conceited of him; and pants and looks pale, as if a bear were at his heels." (Kent)

"There 's no remedy, sir:" Sain said to Nino with a smirk, "he will fight with you for 's oath sake. Marry, he hath better bethought him of his quarrel, and he finds that now scarce to be worth talking of: therefore draw, for the supportance of his vow; he protests he will not hurt you."

Nino stared at him, then turned to "aside" and said, "Pray God defend me! A little thing would make me tell them how much I lack of a man!"

"Give ground, if you see him furious." (Kent)

"Come, Sir Andrew!" Sain said boisterously to Erk, "there's no remedy; the gentleman will, for his honour's sake, have one bout with you; he cannot by the duello avoid it; but he has promis'd me, as he is a gentleman and a avoid it; but he has promis'd me, as he is a gentleman and a soldier, he will not hurt you. Come on; to 't!"

"Pray God, he keep his oath!" (Erk)

"I do assure you 't is against my will," Nino said nervously as both she and Erk drew their prop swords, courtesy of the fencing club.

Just then a cry came from offstage, making Nino jump. That wasn't part of the play, but it worked well. She found out who it was as Eliwood rushed from offstage onstage and stood between her and Erk. Addressing Erk, Kent and Sain, he cried, "Put up your sword. If this young gentleman Have done offence, I take the fault on me; If you offend him, I for him defy you!"

"You, sir! why, what are you?" Sain yelled.

"One, sir, that for his love dares yet do more Than you have heard him brag to you he will."

"Nay, if you be an undertaker, I am for you." Sain yelled at Eliwood, and the both of THEM drew THEIR swords. Again, courtesy of the fencing club. Just before they could start, Lowen and Karla darted from offstage, swinging little cudgels.

"O good Sir Toby, hold! here come the officers!" Kent cried. Nino personally thought that Kent would probably be a better officer than Fabian.

"I 'll be with you anon," Sain warned Nino.

"Pray, sir, put your sword up, if you please." (Nino)

"Marry, will I, sir; and, for that I promis'd you, I 'll be as good as my word; he will bear you easily, and reins well." (Erk)

"This is the man; do thy office," Lowen said, facing the wrong way because of his hair. Nino saw Ms. Spencer hang her head and sigh.

"Antonio, I arrest thee at the suit Of Count Orsino!" Karla said in a carefully rehearsed tone.

"You do mistake me, sir," Eliwood said with wide-eyed innocence.

"No, sir, no jot;" Lowen said, still facing the wrong way. Nino had to hide a smile as she watched Ms. Spencer bang her head against the back of a padded audience chair. "I know your favour well, Though now you have no sea-cap on your head. Take him away; he knows I know him well."

"I must obey," Eliwood said in a submissive tone that wasn't him at all. He then turned to Nino and continued, "This comes with seeking you But there's no remedy; I shall answer it. What will you do, now my necessity Makes me to ask you for my purse? It grieves me Much more for what I cannot do for you Than what befalls myself. You stand amaz'd; But be of comfort."

"Come, sir, away," Karla barked at him.

"I must entreat of you some of that money," Eliwood tried again, a little more forceful this time.

"What money, sir?" Nino asked, surprised. "For the fair kindness you have show'd me here, And, part, being prompted by your present trouble, Out of my lean and low ability I 'll lend you something. My having is not much; I 'll make division of my present with you: Hold, there 's half my coffer."

"Will you deny me now?" Eliwood cried in anguish so real Nino was surprised. "Is 't possible that my deserts to you Can lack persuasion? Do not tempt my misery, Lest that it make me so unsound a man As to upbraid you with those kindnesses That I have done for you!"

"I know of none; Nor know I you by voice or any feature. I hate ingratitude more in a man Than lying, vainness, babbling, drunkenness, Or any taint of vice whose strong corruption Inhabits our frail blood," Nino said with some heat.

"O heavens themselves!" (Eliwood)

"Come, sir!" Karla said, getting annoyed. "I pray you, go."

"Let me speak a little," Eliwood said to Karla before turning back to Nino. "This youth that you see here I snatch'd one half out of the jaws of death, Reliev'd him with such sanctity of love, And to his image, which methought did promise Most venerable worth, did I devotion."

"What 's that to us?" Lowen demanded to the wall. "The time goes by; away!"

"But O how vile an idol proves this god! Thou hast, Sebastian, done good feature shame. In nature there 's no blemish but the mind; None can be call'd deform'd but the unkind. Virtue is beauty; but the beauteous evil Are empty trunks, o'erflourish'd by the devil." (Eliwood)

"The man grows mad!" Lowen exclaimed. "Away with him! Come, come, sir."

"Lead me on," Eliwood sighed, as he and Karla moved offstage. Lowen, also following the cue to get offstage did just that - by walking OFF the stage and falling with a loud THUD to the laughter of his classmates. Ms. Spencer threw up her hands and groaned.

When the laughter had died down, Nino continued. "Methinks his words do from such passion fly That he believes himself; so do not I. Prove true, imagination, O, prove true, That I, dear brother, be now ta'en for you!"

"Come hither, knight; come hither, Fabian; we'll whisper o'er a couplet or two of most sage saws." Sain said to his cohorts.

"He nam'd Sebastian," Nino continued, oblivious to Sain, Kent and Erk. "I my brother know Yet living in my glass; even such and so In favour was my brother; and he went Still in this fashion, colour, ornament, For him I imitate. O, if it prove, Tempests are kind, and salt waves fresh in love!" Then, much pleased with her performance, she left.

"A very dishonest paltry boy," Sain said with distaste after Nino had hidden herself offstage, "And more a coward than a hare: his dishonesty appears in leaving his friend here in necessity and denying him; and for his cowardship, ask Fabian."

"A coward, a most devout coward, religious in it," Kent agreed – for once – with Sain.

"'Slid, I'll after him again and beat him!" Erk declared.

"Do; cuff him soundly, but never draw thy sword," Sain cautioned.

"And I do not,—" Erk said, the last part of whatever he was going to say getting cut off. That is, if there WAS any more of what he was going to say. Shakespeare was very hard for Nino.

"Come, let's see the event," Kent said to Sain.

"I dare lay any money 't will be nothing yet," Sain answered – much to Nino's confusion, since it didn't really make sense – and they both headed offstage. Nino made a hasty retreat to avoid having any more stepped-on toes.

"Is that it?" Ms. Spencer called wearily. "Good. Perfect. You can go. No, wait – everyone but Heath and Hector can go. The rest of you dismissed. And Lowen..." Nino heard an audible sigh. "Please get a haircut before you kill yourself."

"It'll have to wait Ms. Spencer," Lowen said earnestly. "I have a driver's test tomorrow, so the haircut'll have to wait!" His announcement was met with another groan from Ms. Spencer, and nervous laughter from the drivers of the class.

Nino was the last of the backstage group to emerge, and looked around for Jaffar. He usually waited for her. To one side she saw Hector and Heath getting chewed out by Ms. Spencer about the importance of timing and being on time and not being distracted by things in the audience, etc. etc., and at the front of the gym by the doors, Priscilla and Lyn hanging around waiting for the two boys to be finished. Nino smiled to herself. Since Priscilla was waiting for Heath, did that mean the two of them were together? That would be nice. Heath was a good person, and so was Priscilla, and they both deserved girlfriends/boyfriends.

She made her way to the gym doors, her books in one arm. She greeted Lyn and Priscilla cheerfully as she past them, and entered the school hall.

It wasn't the prettiest school in the world. It was one of the older ones, and a few decades of wear and tear by boisterous students – and random vandals – had erased some of its glory. But to Nino, it was her home away from home, were she got to be with friends away from her disapproving mother. And Jaffar. There was always Jaffar. Sonia didn't approve of him – Sonia never approved of anything – but he was nice to have around.

She uttered a little squeal when she felt the doors she was carrying pulled out of her arm. She looked up, and saw Jaffar looking straight ahead – now carrying her books. She smiled happily. This was how things were supposed to be.

Aww! How sweet! I'm getting cavities. I stuck that in there for a friend who asked me if anything bad was going to happen to Nino-Jaffar. No. It's not. I like them too much. This friend also asked me if I was going to do another play - she requested a "Midsummer Night's Dream". Maybe. Readers can suggest plays (providing people WANT me to do another one) or you can tell me to bugger off and get away from Either one is fine. So long as you review.

Review Responses

----

-----------

------------------------

xZero84x: I'm forgetting someone? Er... oO that's not good. #ducks Hector's axe as he tries to chop her up for not letting him pound Eliwood# Help!

elven-girl10:

1) Glad you're happy I updated.

2)No, you are NOT mistaken! It just happened!

3)Thank you. I inked them, but I haven't put the new copies up yet. Must get around to that sometime. Next year or so! : )

Firelien: MINE! Heath is MINE! This is MY fic. #grabs Heath and runs off, thus starting a war of the Heath fangirls# Oops.

...eer... anyway! Glad you liked it! Hopefully this one was better than the last one. I hope.

Wandering Cat: With the possible exception of Heath, Rath is my favorite. I don't mind venting. Venting is good. You get to act like a steam valve. It's kinda cool. My sister does it all the time. She looks like Buu (DBZ) when she does.

#wanders into Cat's dreamworld# Hmm... not to bad. If it was ME, however, I'd rather it had more normal people. Chibies are cute, but cuteness only gets you so far ;)