Complete Control- Act II
Scene One: Sphere of the Twilight- Palace: Enid's Headquarters
Following Enid into his office, Ayane joins in with the group of people waiting.
Ayane: Darling? (Stomps) I told you not to call me that, Rey! Get it through your thick skull!
Rey: x.x ((Love hurts…how about 'my lovely'?))
Ayane: What is it, Enid? ((Don't even think about it Rey…))
Enid: Before you say anything opposing to this, I'll tell you that we REALLY need you on this mission. I hope you'll cooperate.
Ayane: (Irritated even more and also upset) Enid, you know that I –
Enid: You work solo on your missions, I know. But we REALLY need you this time.
Ayane: (Frowns) I told you; I work ALONE.
Upset at his proposal, Ayane plumps herself onto the chair in front of him, not bothering about the others. One of them, a girl with short brown hair, approached with an extending hand.
Girl: Hey there, you must be Ayane! I'm Jenny! Rey and Sheryl have said a lot of things about you to us! (Smiles) I look forward to talking to you!
Ayane: (Looks away from extended hand and looks at Enid, shaking her head in disapproval) Enid, what is SHE doing here?
Enid: She came with Kyle. (He turns to Kyle) I hope you know what you're doing…
Kyle: Yeah, yeah…she wanted to come…(he mumbles something about being beaten up) geez…don't act like a mother to me too…(arrogance) Cool it, I know what I'm doing…
Enid: (Sighs)I sure hope so…
Jenny: (Looks around) I never knew Sphere of Twilight was a place like this!
Rey: Well, it certainly has it's own style…(chuckles)
Boy: Whaddya think it was like? (Laughs in a stupid manner)
Jenny: Well, I thought it'd be sort of like a –
Boy: Like this? (Makes a scary/crazy face)
Jenny: Well…(Sweat drop)
Sheryl: Oh Al, You're such a child…
From behind Kyle, Al, Rey, Jenny and Sheryl stood two others.
Ayane: (Stands up) I told you before; I work SOLO. Do you not know what that word means? ((So they brought in a human girl to the Sphere of Twilight just because she wanted a tour of the place?))
Enid: (Sighs) As you wish then. I was –
Sheryl: Oh please, PLEASE come! I rather my favorite teams work together just once!
Ayane: (Eyes stay irritated) How about NO? ((Team?))
Sheryl: Oh please—
Rey walk up to stop Sheryl and places his hands on Ayane's chair, smiling.
Rey: (Smile) Enid, I assure you that we'll be going! (Cheerful)
Ayane: (Turns around with a 'what-the-hell-are-you-talking-about' face) We?
Rey: Yup. (Smiles again)
One of the demons behind them opened his mouth. His hands were in his pockets and he wore an annoyed face.
Boy#1: I didn't ask for help. I'm searching for the 'Phoenix-Quill Gemstone' on my own anyways.
Ayane: (Turns back to Enid) See? Can I go now? This is a waste of my time, just like this morning…(Stands up from her seat) and since you already have people on the case, I guess I'll go back to my usual business around here as well.
Rey: Wait, Aya—
Ayane starts out the door, muttering and cursing. Unfortunately, a large brigade of soldiers escorting Enid's father stopped her and she immediately changed her personality.
King: Busy?
Ayane: Not at all, my lord. (Bows politely)
King: What? How can this be now? Surely Junior has told you—
Enid: DAD! I TOLD YOU NOT TO CALL ME THAT! (Flings arms around)
Kyle: Oh yeah, Enid, that's very mature, alright…(Sarcasm)
Jenny: Kyle!
Sheryl: Good morning, my lord! Sheryl's at your service, sir! (Places hand at forehead and smiles blissfully)
Ayane: Was there something the matter, my lord?
King: As a matter of fact, yes. We have decided to form our best players in the crew to link forces at accomplish this mission!
Ayane: Which is…?
King: You and Rey linked with the Night Missionaries, of course! (Laughs)
Ayane: (Shake head in despair) your lordship, you and Enid obviously don't know what 'solo' means…
King: But this a perfect opportunity for you to go out and—
Enid: I've told her, but she works 'Solo'.
Ayane: (Stress Mark) You…((Bastard…trying to make me look bad…))
Rey: (Walks up and winks at King) don't worry, you highness! WE WON'T FAIL YOU! (Bows)
Ayane: There you go with the 'we' again…(rolls eyes)
Rey: … (Sweat drop)
King: (Laughs) Now that's what I like to hear!
Ayane: Arg…is no one listening to me? Rey and I are NOT A TEAM!
Rey: (Pouts)
Ayane: Stop that!
Rey: Please? (Puppy-face)
Ayane: I SAID STOP THAT! (Stress Mark) ((Perverted, little…))
She aims a punch at him but he catches her by the wrist, grinning.
Rey: Come on, Aya…please? (Puppy-eyes)
Ayane: Arg! You are the most idiotic, insolent…little prick I have ever met!
Rey: Thank you. (Smiles with charm) So…how about it?
Ayame: Fine! Whatever! (Sulks)
King: (Laughs) Well, I'm glad to her the news…(Turns to leave)
Ayane: Ah! (Bows) Have a good day, sir.
After King Yama leaves, Ayane turns to the office and leans against the opening border of the door.
Ayane: Okay then, fine. What are we doing? ((I can't believe that I actually let him talk me into it!)) (Looks at Rey)
Rey: Hee…(Smiles and flashes peace sign)
Ayane: … (Stress mark) ((That imprudent, little…what does he take me as?))
Enid: Very well then. Your undertaking: 'The Phoenix-Quill Gemstone'.
Ayane: Yeah, yeah, I figured as much. (Waves hand in irritation as a motion for him to continue on) I heard you found out about it? So there really is one?
Enid: Well, it was said that the gem were gone, burned in the fires of oblivion years ago. But until recently, we found the yellow stone in the hands of a little girl in your world, Kyle.
Kyle: Our world?
Enid: (Rests elbows on desk) But unfortunately, words slipped out and there were casualties…
Ayane: Casualties? What kind of casualties?(Raises eyebrows)
Enid: Many. Thieveries occurred all at once…and now the gem remains at large…no one knows where it went. It's—
Rey: Safe?
Enid: We really have no clue, Rey…and that remains a problem… and who knows? Maybe it's been used already…or destroyed…even shattered. It just flew away the moment all the demons came to claim it. Thankfully, they were driven back by our forces. But still—
Ayane: So this is a hunt? ((What am I? A treasurer or something?))
Boy#1: So it was found last week, and yet you tell us NOW? (Sarcasm)
Kyle: (Turns to him)You having a bad day, Vincent?
Vincent: … you…how dare you mock me…
Jenny: But what does the Gem do?
Ayane: (Chuckles) The Phoenix-Quill Gemstone…there is only one in the world. It was believed to be made of a special kind of rock in the Fires of Mayhem in the 'Twilight Mountains'.
Enid: Yes, you come from the Lost Calms, the place where it was hidden, you should know more about it than any of us here…((This is why you're here…))
Ayane: I haven't done my research…but Enid, don't you realize, that once whoever possesses a piece of the gem, they will continue to find the others? The gem…if, as you say, they really are shattered, they will continue to call out to each other…
Enid: Isn't there a legend saying —
Ayane: It is NOT A LEGEND. I've seen the gem being touched myself…it has the exact powers described in the ancient text…and although I am not sure kind of power it grants, I felt the strong presence of energy when that demon's fingertips touched it. He was burned, and that is how powerful the stone is…I was always told by different people when I was small, what you would find when you devoured the whole gem into your soul, from a book of unimaginable spells to a chamber full of gold, waiting to be poured out. It can grant immortality, anything you possibly imagine…I've felt, and I've seen the power, do you think it is a legend, Enid? Do you?
Rey: Calm down…(Sweat Drop)
Enid: Erm…
Ayane: Unless Enid, (Stands up) You're implying that I lie…? (Dark Aura)
Enid: Of course not…. (Sweat drop)
Jenny: But how do you know if does anything at all? Maybe what you found…what you felt…was just some illusion?
The yet unmentioned, silent teenager stepped up to fill her in.
Boy#2: That is impossible. Years ago, a demon was able to obtain the gemstone. He decided at the very end, not to destroy the gem, but to use it. He devoured it, but was never heard from again.
Jenny: (Trembles)So we'll have to find them…right? Are you really going to have to go hunt for it?
Ayane: Arg! (To Koenma) Koenma, the least you could've done was told them the important information! Now I have to listen to you blabber about all the damned things we already know!
Rey: We? (Pops up in front of her)
Ayane: Arg! Shut up! Fine, 'me' then! (Stress mark) And I told you to STOP DOING THAT!
She punches him through the wall comically. A hole ripped on the ceiling that lead to King Yama's chamber. Enid had yet another hole to explain to his father that day. But still, he smiled as Ayane cursed and muttered, just like her usual, morning self.
Boy#2: The purpose of the Phoenix Gemstone is to grant anything its holder wishes. To grant him unthinkable demonic powers, but at a high price. It is a powerful item, but it is very dangerous. Not only can it give life, but it can also take it away…it seeks powerful creatures and lures them in with it's magnificent power. Almost anyone seeking that power, shocked by the energy it has, will be able to walk towards it and slowly give in…and the stone shall be able to take over whoever's body it is…
Kyle: Nice to hear you talking again, Matthew. You got me worried for a second there
Matthew: Well, I was thinking… (Sweat Drop)
Ayane: So you want us to find the pebble and give it to you?
Enid: I want you to work together (Eyes Aya suspiciously) and I want you to destroy it…the legend will continue if we don't…and war will come…
Rey: So then, have you finally decided to join, Aya? (Pops up in front of her again and smiles)
Ayane: … (Anger mark) STOP THAT! (Punches him into the air) I told you that I hate it when you pop-up in front of me like that! (Ka-bonk) So stop doing it, damn it! ((How the hell did he come back from the second floor that fast?))
Scene Two: Sphere of the Twilight- Palace: Main Garden/Front yard
After a few hours of talking, Ayane follows Rey out of the palace doors. They sit at a stone table in the gardens. Kyle and Al leave to go back to their own world with Matthew and Jenny following, Sheryl decided to help see them off. Vincent was the only one who stayed, but he was somewhere in the woods at that moment.
Rey: So…you're going with us then?
Ayane: (sarcasm) Do I have a choice?
Rey: (Laughs) (Sweat drop) Well…I was surprised you agreed so quickly… is it because of the gem?
Ayane: … ((He's making it sound like I love power or something…))
Rey: Aya? (Looks at her serious face as she leans her elbow against stone table) Hello?
He waves his hand in front of her face and waves it around. She makes no movement whatsoever, struck in her own thoughts. Only when he started to tug with her hair did she stop.
Ayane: …(Sits still as Rey starts to shape her hair into weird forms) (Stress marks build)Stop it! What the hell are you trying to doing! (Stomps)
Rey: Ouch…you sure pack a punch for a little girl…(Brushes dirt and massages his shoulders, groaning in pain.) Your hair was messy…I figured I could fix it for you…I see you don't like other people touching it…
Ayane: No, just you…(sarcasm) (Pauses)Little girl? (Stress marks increase) Excuse me? (Dark aura and evil, menacing face erupts)
Rey: Erm…I mean…uh…(Sweat drop)
Ayane: Jerk! (Ka-bonk) Just because I'm shorter than you doesn't mean you can say stuff like that! Ugh!
Rey: (Stars spin around head as he lies on ground with a big bump on his head)
Ayane: (Pauses)So…the gem really is our mission…well, perhaps we should prepare…
Rey: (smiles back) Yeah, we should…so you're coming?
Ayane: Yeah…
Rey: …so we're a team?
Ayane: You bet we are! (Smiles and blushes)
Rey: Are you blushing…?
Ayane: Shut up! (Kick)
Rey: It's nice to see you acting like yourself, Aya…so…you really are coming with me?
Ayane: Rey, you really are annoying sometimes…but yes, of course I'll be going! (Smiles) Besides, you're mental and you need me…(sparkle-sparkle)
Rey: Hey!
Ayane: (Pauses) …wherever you're going, I'll go too …
Rey: like a stalker?
Ayane: you…! (Stress mark) (Raises fist) I was trying to be deep, damn it! Why do you always have to—
Rey: Kidding! (Sweat drop)
There was a short silence as they sit it in the garden table, the warm sun glistening upon them.
Rey: (Takes her hand) Are you… doing this for me?
Ayane: (Blushes) Well…sort of…
Rey: (Smiles) Thank you.
Ayane: I …want to be closer…
Rey: And you just thought of this? Aya, we've been a team ever since we were little, we were best friends…didn't you realize it then?
Ayane: Well I—
Rey: You've always said you worked alone because you were afraid of others getting hurt. But Aya, I can take care of myself! (Faces softens) And I can take care of you too…when can I prove myself worthy enough to do that?
Ayane: (slips hand away from his grasp and turns away) I can take care of myself…
Rey: So that's all? What about us?
Ayane: …
Rey: (stands up and wraps arms around Ayane's shoulders) You ask to be closer and yet you keep pushing me away…even after that night…Ayane, why can't you give yourself a break? It's time you've put your guard down too…let me protect you…once in a while… (Lowers head to lay on her shoulders)
Ayane: Rey…
Rey: Come on, Ayane…let me take care of you…
Ayane: I can't. I don't want you to—
Rey: I won't die, I've told you before. You're always thinking like that, ever since Strife died. (Exhales and stands upright, his hands still on her shoulders)
Ayane: …I just don't want you to end up like him…
Rey: I assure you, I won't. (Pauses) Hey, if it makes you feel any better, I'll promise that I won't ever leave you…
Ayane: Hm…that's sounds…
Rey: Nice? Romantic? Heart-throbbing? (Chuckles)
Ayane: You moron, you just ruined the moment! (Stress mark)
Rey: What? You don't think I am? To tell you the truth, I think I may be too much for you to handle…
Ayane: I am this close (shows him length with her fingers) to breaking your neck!
Rey: (Chuckles) Just remember, Aya, I don't want you to think about this anymore…it wasn't your fault; I want you to stop thinking about it, okay?
Ayane: (Faces saddens) ButStrife…he always smiled at me like nothing was wrong…like nothing would happen…but in the end he still…just like Hajime…
Rey: It wasn't your fault. (Tightens his grip on her shoulders, slowly massaging her to calm her down)
Ayane: …but maybe it was…
Rey: It wasn't! Stop thinking like that! You know perfectly it wasn't! But your mind wanders through the past! If you don't move on, what will happen to you in the future? What will happen to us?
Ayane: I…(Looks away, uncomfortable)…don't know…
Rey: You're still denying it to yourself, aren't you? (Sighs) Aya, you and I both know that that night was the best moment ever. I know you saw that, why deny it? You know perfectly well what your feelings are, and I know mine…(He tilts her chin up so he could gaze into her hazel eyes) We aren't children anymore, Aya…we've grown up…
Ayane: I noticed, but I didn't think you took that night so seriously…I thought we were only friends…
Rey: Even after that night? After that, you started acting more independent, you started pulling farther from me…what were you thinking of?
Ayane: I don't want to be dependent…I didn't want…
Rey: You're a horrible liar, Aya. You act as if that night was nothing, but it really was something to you, wasn't it? The things we were involved with, we both knew it would happen someday…
Ayane: (Turns away) We aren't involved.
Rey: Bullshit, you know perfectly well we're involved.
Ayane: You win…(She sighs and gives in to him, smiling) but still, I wonder…and how long are you going to stab that night into my mind…(Smiles) when'll you let me forget it? (She slowly catches his hands)
Chuckling, Rey pulls her up from the chair, one hand on her waist and the other at her hand. Smiling, he slowly pull her towards him for a kiss.
—Act II End—