Okay, I'm sorry to say that I'm not quite as proud of this chapter as I have been of the others, mainly because we stuck at a part of the show that I'm not particularly enthused about. But I really like the "Kim's Nightmare" track, so things might get better soon.

Eridala: Yeah. I've noticed that to avoid even more confusion, I seem to be following the movie more (well, I mean, by cutting out a lot of major characters ^blush^). Thank you for reviewing!

Leraiv Potter: Cool! Someone else who knows both! ^randomly high fives^ Thanks for reading!

Lena: ^smiles broadly^ Thank you so much!

PhantomAngel22: Wow! Now I have people reading who only know MS (previously, you'll notice, most just know Avalon). Glad to know MS fans like it too! Thank you!

Thanks to all of my readers/reviewers (especially the reviewers!), regardless of whether or not they've kept up with the story!

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Director: Okay, the next song is "What a Waste". Mordred: get up there and go.

Mordred: Check it out!

^waits for the next line^

Director: Oh right...Arthur and Elaine haven't gotten the chorus back yet. ^thoughtful^ I wonder where they are...

%%%%%% BARBADOS %%%%%%

Arthur: Come on! I'm sure you guys don't really want to kill us!

Elaine: I think they might. I mean, tying us to a burning pillar and stuff.

^they look day and the burning hay they're standing on^

Arthur: Um...you'll get a raise!

Chorus: He lies!

Arthur: No, really! The director really wants you back.

Chorus: ^glare^

Arthur: We all really miss you.

Chorus: ^lowers pitchforks^ Oh.

Elaine: Ah...dress...burning...

Arthur: How dare you allow a fair lady to burn!

Chorus: ^unties Elaine^

Arthur: Um...kings shouldn't burn either!

Chorus: We're a democracy!

Arthur: Oh. Shit.

Chorus: ^unties Arthur^ We'll just drown you instead.

Arthur: ^gulp^

Elaine: Wait! Can't some of you come back and be in the show?

Chorus: ^completely ignores her^

Elaine: ^sigh^

%%%%%% BACK IN THE THEATER %%%%%%

Director: Oh well. I'm sure they're fine. Other people: say the doormen lines for now.

Lancelot: Girls...I've got girls. Gorgeous girls! Very nice.

Gwenhwyfar: Lancelot! You are participating in the vulgarity!

Accolon: Hey wow...oh look! We've got to see this!

Lancelot: Girls. I've got girls. Gorgeous girls. Very nice.

Accolon: I'm glad my wife's not here to see this.

Gwenhwyfar: I thought I was your wife?

Director: Lance and Accolon are just filling in because we don't have a chorus. They aren't actually being their characters right now. But Mordred is. Go!

Mordred: What a waste! To pay for my keep, I'm rounding up sheep to fleece here in Bangkok. I'm disgraced! I can't get ahead...there's nothing as dead and peace here in Bangkok. 10 cents an hour! That's all they pay! ^plotting^ I'll have to swim to the USA...If you're looking for fun - original sin! - if you want to put out, then you've got to come in!

Gwenhwyfar: Is that the worst of it? ^flinch^

Mordred: ^grinning, finding a spot to annoy her with^ Gee, isn't Bangkok really neat? The things they're selling on the street! Fresh dog, if that's what you'd enjoy. A girl, or if you want, a boy!

Gwen: Dog?!? ^runs away, turning green^

Director: Mordred...

Gwen: ^returns, pale^ Just go on.

Mordred: Hey boys, don't stand around like wimps! Watch out, those guys, they're really pimps. You want some thrills, come on and grab it! Three girls, two gerbils, and a rabbit!

Gwen: Dear God! ^runs off again^

Director: Can we just skip the rest of the selling scene? Go to where John enters.

Lancelot: ^goes onstage near Mordred^

Mordred: You want a girl, sir? You like one of these?

Lancelot: You have a Kim here. Can I see her please?

Morgaine: I'm just so popular.

Mordred: You pick them well. ^Morgaine beams^ Monsieur John, is that you?

Lancelot: The Engineer? Jesus Christ, you're here too?!?

Mordred: ^clinging to his arm^ Of all my friends, you're the one that I miss...

Lancelot: I'm looking for Kim.

Mordred: I love you so, you and your buddy, Chris!

Lancelot: ^shoves away^ I'm here about him. Kim has a child born in...um...?

Mordred: '75. I fill that out, and it's you who arrives! You'll find the end of your quest here in our little dive! ^gestures to big Moulin Rouge set^

^set falls over^

Lancelot: ^raises eyebrow, unimpressed^

Mordred: I'm impressed...American clerks: a system that works! There's really no other.

Lancelot: Listen: spare me the gas. Is there really a child?

Mordred: Yes. We are blessed! And Kim's on a trip for citizenship, and I am her brother. ^beams^

Lancelot: Your brother, my ass! Listen, take me inside!

Director: I hate to stop you, but the line is actually, "You're her brother, my ass".

Lancelot: Yes, but on the CD we've been taking turns listening to, it sounds like he says, "your brother".

Director: Yes, but A) that's not what's in the script and B) that makes no sense!

Lancelot: Fine. ^nose in air^

Mordred: Look, Kim, who got our application! I said I'd bring us all salvation!

Morgaine: Oh my god, Monsieur John! Yes, of course he'd send you...lazy good for nothing...couldn't even come himself...^twitch^

Lancelot: ^ignoring^ Not in here. Is there someplace near we could talk?

Morgaine: ^to invisible customer^ Take your hands off! We're finished...go find someone else! ^still batting invisible hands^ OMG! He's not letting go! Rape!

Mordred: ^slaps Morgaine^

Morgaine: Oh. Never mind. It's all good now.

Lancelot: Come with me; there's a lot I've got to say first.

Morgaine: Chris is here! Say he's here! O my god, it's all true! ^melts^

Mordred: I suggest, whatever it be, you leave it to me. Just play little mother.

Lancelot: What I need to find out, she can tell me alone.

Mordred: Oh...I've gotcha. ^winks^

Lancelot: Um...eh?

Mordred: You two want some alone time...that's cool with me!

Lance: No, man. It's just a line.

Morgaine: ^mutters unhappily^ You used to like me. You thought I was pretty.

Lance: Yeah. Then I discovered that you look like my mom. ^shivers^

Morgaine: ^slaps^

Director: You guys are taking this all too personally! It's called acting! And besides, John's not hitting on Kim to begin with!

Mordred: Ah ha! I knew you made up those lines! They weren't in the script!

Lance: Yes they are. ^looks at Mordred's script^ My father was a tattoo artist in Haiphong? We're not there yet!

Morgaine: Oh god! First he was a GI, then a marine, and now a tattoo artist?!?

Director: No, that line refers to the Engineer's father, not Chris!

Morgaine: Since when is the Engineer's background relevant to the story?

Mordred: I have feelings too, you know!

Director: Continue, dammit!

Morgaine: Can you take me to Chris? I can leave here right now! We've been here for so long...took this job to survive. One month at sea, I was sure we'd drown! But I thought about Chris, and we didn't go down. ^pause^ Kim's very sentimental, isn't she?

Director: That's one way to put it. See, the misunderstanding between Kim and Chris about their relationship mirrors the misunderstanding between the two cultures expressed in the show, which means that a statement about the war is probably being made.

Morgaine: ^nods^ That's really cool, actually. I suppose it would mean more if any of us had directly experienced the war.

Director: Yes, but people in the audience will have.

Accolon: We're gonna have an audience?

Director: Yeah...did you think we'd just stumble through this thing and you guys would go home?

Mordred: We're going to have to do it all over again?!? ^draws sword in annoyance^

Morgause: ^from the booth^ Mordred, remain disciplined!

Mordred: ^putting sword away^ Yes, Mother.

Director: Oh yeah...I'd forgotten you were up there.

Morgause: Are we continuing? And is there anything for me to do?

Director: Actually, yes. There's a rather large number coming up. I just hope Arthur and the chorus come back...it's his only song for the rest of the show.

Lance: Can we skip the next couple scenes?

Director: Look, is there something here you don't understand?!? We are going to perform this show in front of a paying audience! The whole show, not just whichever bits and pieces you like best! So deal with it!

Lance: ^frowns^ But the chorus hasn't practiced anything!

Director: But the chorus is a group of professionals that I hired just for this! Not random, useless, idiotic, juvenile strangers I picked up like you!

^long pause^

Accolon: That was really hurtful, you know.

Morgaine: Yeah! We're not random!

Lance: He obviously doesn't appreciate us. Let's get out of here!

Director: ^conciliatory^ Hey, guys! Why don't you just hang out and take a break for however long you like, and then - only when you feel like it! - we can keep working on whichever scenes you want!

Mordred: Too late, man. We're leaving.

Gwen: I'm afraid we can't leave. Remember, there's that woman outside who's trying to sue Morgaine over Tam. And there's the police investigating the deaths of tech crew members...

Mordred: Oh right...heh heh...

Tam: So...we're just going to take the break?

Morgaine: Works for me.

Director: Okay! Break time!

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Yeah, kinda dull. But it will hopefully get better! Please review, and once more, constructive criticism = okay. Flames = you paying my bills in emotional therapy.

Happy New Year! ~Saranha