Tears of an Angel

Chapter 12

"Can I hold you to that remark, Toji?" Shinji asked.

"Of course you can!" Toji answered. "We are gonna make that crowd laugh until they have to wait until their pants dry from their hysterical laughter parade."

"My, you sure are confident, Toji-kun," Rei said. "Okay, Shinji-kun, all done." Rei placed down her make-up as Shinji rose and walked to the door that led to the stage. From the look of it, scene number two was just about done, and people were looking as if they were actually enjoying themselves. "How are they doing, Shinji-kun?" Rei asked as she carried on with her foundation.

"Pretty good," he said. "Scene three will be the first scene with everyone on stage. I'm kind of nervous though."

"Don't be," Toji said, patting Shinji on the back. "Considering we only had six or seven hours to review our lines and learn out songs, I'm sure you, me, Rei-chan, Asuka-chan, and Kaworu-kun will be the only ones out there that will have our lines the most fresh in our heads."

"Can I hold you to that as well?" Shinji asked Toji. Toji had a sweat drop come down his head.

"Umm...I'd rather you didn't on that, I forgot my first line! Rei, what was my first line again?"

"'Yes, I have heard of the recent crime of Mistress Prynne. I will attend the hearing today at noon. I do pray that all of you will accompany me, it is noon in another ten sixty second units.'" Toji and Shinji glared at Rei in pure astonishment.

"Holy cow, Rei," Shinji started, "you should play all the parts. You know all the lines!"

"Well," Rei blushed slightly, " I do read and study various files and reports at Nerv H.Q., so I have a certain knack for it, but I'm not that good." All of a sudden, a girl named Yumiko (who was playing a local nurse) came into the cafeteria.

"Are you guys ready?" she asked. Rei hurried with the last of her blush, and stepped toward Yumiko and informed her that she was. "So far so good," she continued. "The crowd really seems to like this show; we have a full house and we almost sold out of tickets."

There was a "Scene Change!" announced indicating that Scene 2 was now over. The curtain closed and many club members came on stage to move around the set and come in with more props, without making a single peep. "Hey, guys," said one club member, "I saw President Hikari Horaki in the second row! She actually came to our show!"

"Really?" Asuka said surprisingly. "Hikari's here? Cool!"

"Shhh!"

"Sorry! Is anybody else we know in the audience?" Asuka asked while trying to push the cathedral into its proper place.

"I think I saw Kensuke, and Professor Akagi in the first row with Misato," Kaworu said.

"Wait a minute, Misato's here?! Ritsuko too?" Shinji asked.

"Umm...Shinji, there is something I need to tell you...," Rei started, but was interrupted by Mrs. Otonashi who said that the curtain needed to be open now. Everything was quickly moved on stage, and everyone(literally) ran into their positions, whether it was behind a plastic tree, onto of the stairs or balcony at the cathedral or Town Hall (where the main focus was going to take place), or just standing and listening as the most important scene so far had only had seconds to begin. The stage lights behind the curtain were shut off, the music began to fade, and the curtain opened.

The spotlights shown on the balcony of Town Hall and the scaffold. Everyone was ready and raring to go...well, most of them. Kaowru was still convinced that he did not make the best Governor Winthrop in the world, but what choice did he have now as he walked through the doors at the top of Town Hall's balcony with a big, archaic book in his hands, followed by Shinji who stood beside Kaworu with a Bible in his right arm looking somewhat remorse.

The sound of twelve bell chimes were played over the sound system as Rei appeared through the back doors and walked through the audience as she carried a toy baby in a long, periwinkle blanket. The sound of baby cries were also played as Rei was halfway down the aisle.

"It is now the midday hour in our fair, humble, and sequestered town as I now begin the ceremony of sinful conviction of one individual, Mistress Hester Prynne!" Kaworu announced. First line conquered! YEAH! The baby cries grew louder as Rei (or Hester Prynne, whichever you want to call her for the time being) stepped on the stage and stopped before the scaffold.

"This woman, Hester Prynne, is here for the hearing of her crime as an adulteress! By the glory of our Lord, God Almighty, please step upon the scaffold, Mistress Prynne." Shinji (Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale) commanded with a more gentle voice than Kaworu had done. Rei, in her very elaborate dress and bonnet, climbed up the wooden steps while other town members threw garbage, paper, and rotten food at her. Once reaching the top of the scaffold, Rei turned toward Reverend Dimmesdale and Governor Winthrop and the rest of the Town Council and still cheating out towards the audience for them to see her.

"Mistress Prynne," Governor Winthrop began, nice and loud, "you are charged with these crimes committed as followed: One charge of having an unholy affair when your husband was not yet declared dead, and Two, of the crime of adultery and being with child as an evil result of this crime. How do you plead?"

"Guilty, sir..." Hester spoke in a regretful voice.

"Now, the most important question I will ask of you, who is the father of the babe you hold near your breast?" Winthrop asked.

Silence.

"Well?"

"I will not speak of the man of my child. I will not answer your question. I will never reveal his name, so long as I am alive."

"Mistress Prynne..." Dimmesdale began, "this type of crime is only punishable by hanging at the gallows; however, due to the virtue of the child, and now that you are its mother, we cannot bestow a crime such as that against you."

"Reverend?" Winthrop said in concern. "What are you saying?"

"Governor...that would be a sin within a sin itself! What will the child do?"

Silence.

'My word, Shinji looks so adorable when he's begging like that' Kaworu thought to himself. However, it was his line now, so Shinji stared at him for a say-so. "Oh..um...yes! The child must stay with its mother until then."

"Aside from that issue, who fathers this child? Who is your partner in this conspiracy?" Dimmesdale asked her.

No answer.

"I ask you, maybe plead with you, Mistress Prynne, who the father is. It would probably be in your best interest to do so if you do not want this man to suffer from inner evil and guilt," Dimmesdale continued.

Rei said: "I will decline." The time came for Rei to sing her song. The music started exactly like it should. Note after note passed, Rei took a deep breath and was about to sing the first words, which was IT IS– but the song slowed down and static filled the auditorium. The next words that were heard by the actors, actresses, and audience almost makes me scared to type them but here it goes.

DIRTY POP, YO!

B.T.

SICK AND TIRED HEARING ALL THESE PEOPLE TALK ABOUT

WHAT'S THE DEAL WITH THIS POP LIFE AND WHEN IS IT GONNA FADE OUT

THE THING YOU'VE GOT TO REALIZE WHAT WE DO IS NOT A TREND

WE GOT THE GIFT OF MELODY WE GONNA BRING IT TILL THE END

(COME ON NOW)

Rei was so shocked that she didn't move. Mrs. Otonashi's eyes popped wide open, and Yumiko cursed under her breath. That was her copy of songs that she copied over the musical's songs. The CDs must have gotten mixed up. First it is N'Sync, then it is Britney Spears, and then..you don't wanna know.

"I love this song!!!" Toji called out. He pushed his way through a few other drama kids and began to break dance very...oddly as the chorus started.

DO YOU EVER WONDER WHY

THIS MUSIC GETS YOU HIGH?

IT TAKES YOU ON A RIDE

FEEL IT WHEN YOUR BODY STARTS TO ROCK

(BODY STARTS TO ROCK)

BABY YOU CAN'T STOP

(YOU CAN'T STOP)

AND THE MUSIC'S ALL YOU GOT

COME ON NOW

THIS MUST BE, POP!

The audience roared in laughter; Misato cheered with a beer can in her hand and shouted "Forget the West Hill, this is freakin' awesome!" Shinji nervously glanced out to see that his father, Gendo, was looking rather confused. Shinji began to break in a cold sweat.

The second song came on:

YOU DRIVE ME CRAZY!

I JUST CAN'T SLEEP

I'M SO EXCITED, I'M IN TOO DEEP

OH, CRAZY! BUT IT FEELS ALL RIGHT

BABY THINKIN' OF YOU KEEPS ME UP ALL NIGHT!

Quickly, Watanuki (the music person in charge of conducting the songs and music) pressed the stop button, and the music ceased. Asuka could faintly see some figures outlined by the light of the spotlights shining from behind them. They looked very familiar as though they were people see saw often.

HOLY $!#, she thought. EVERYBODY FROM NERV H.Q. IS HERE!!

Indeed it was true! Along the fifth row from the right wing of the auditorium sat Maya, Makoto, Shigeru, Misato (whom Asuka already knew was there), Gendo, Fuyutski, Ritsuko, and all other members who were there and accounted for.

"My word!" said Asuka (Mistress Hibbins) "Where did that come from? It must be the voices of the dead attempting to speak through the mind of Mistress Prynne's child, who was born from sin itself!" Asuka thought of that from her familiar knowing of the character of Mistress Hibbins. I was not from the script at all (mainly because N'Sync and Britney Spears were not suppose to sing in replacement of the musical's first actual song, let alone exist at the time of the 17th century. The audience laughed again and again at that statement.

Most of the members who felt as though they would break down from possible stage embarrassment or fright due to these series of unfortunate events (No, not the book series by Lemony Sniket). Toji, tired from break dancing, coughed and started to get the play back on course.

"There may be an answer to this possible witchcraft. If only Mistress Prynne admits who the father is of her child," Roger Chillingsworth (Toji) said.

"If there be no greater solution, could the said Hester Prynne please speak the truth," Governor Winthrop said.

"It is all too necessary for you to do so," Dimmesdale added on.

The two spotlights came upon Rei as the stage lights rested on everyone else so they could still be seen by the public. Rei froze; the place was dead silent, as though an Angel would attack at any moment, but this, of course, was utterly impossible. She could still remember the night when she prayed for the safety of Kaworu when Tabris managed to escape his restraints. She was scared that night, she really was. Her heart felt a painful shrill when the lights rested on her, the audience, fellow actors, and Mrs. Otonashi waiting to hear what she had to say.

The last second, her mind came up with nothing. Rei, who knew all the lines to the script, and all the songs, was lost for words altogether. Her mind went blank. She hesitated for a moment, chickened out and spoke the first words that came to mind:

"Have you ever noticed that well-aged liquor can be used as stage make-up blood, and tastes very good with bread? If not, try well-roasted marshmallows mixed with the same wine. Think for yourself and any recipe can be one's toaster!"

Huh? What? Excuse me? Uhh? That was running through the heads of many at this point and time. Shinji and Kaworu looked at each other, both confused and worried, Asuka tried her best not to laugh, Toji was already giggling quietly as the audience snickered with puzzlement.

"Umm...i-it would seem that I have no choice but to deliver the final punishment. Hester Prynne, for punishment of this nefarious deed you have committed, you shall be burdened by wearing this scarlet letter A on your bosom as a stigma of what you have done, it will also be a daily reminder to you and everyone else that are within earshot of my voice, that this crime will never be committed again in this region of Massachusetts. You are now from the day you die, to wear this symbol of sin! Until then, you and your child shall also be given an additional punishment of three hours stand on the scaffold as one would deserve to be scorned at the pillory. I rest this case; after the hours, you shall be escorted back to the jail cells. I bid all of you, my fellow townsfolk, good day," Kaworu addressed in an articulate matter.

The audience applauded at his monologue, then, after thata huge crash was heard backstage as a headlight fell off the ceiling of the stage then was rescued by a assortment of ropes that prevented it from hitting the floor and smashing into a million pieces. All actors looked at each other as the curtain puller, Yumiko, was demanded by Mrs. Otonashi to close the curtain and she did. The audience's laughter continued as the talked amongst others and themselves as someone from behind the curtain held out a sign that read:

PLEASE STAND BY!