Chapter 16- Shikamaru's New Role…
"Alright! Places, everyone!" Gai yells, "Let's redo everything, coz I've got an important announcement to make! So listen up!"
The participants gathered around him to listen to his message. They all looked at him with curiosity.
"What is it, Gai-sensei?" Sakura asked.
Gai smiled at everyone and said, "Due to an unexpected incident that occurred this day, Rock Lee will no longer take part in the play as the leading man! He will therefore be replaced by another student, whose charisma and enthusiasm is just like his!"
"So… You're saying there'll be a new prince, Gai-sensei?" Tenten asked, "So, what's Lee gonna do now?"
"Lee was suddenly attacked by sound nins a few minutes ago and was… badly injured. His bones can barely move! Sob, sob… And that is why, we hired a new prince to take part in the play! Ino!"
"Y-yes, sir?" Ino replied nervously.
"Say hello to your new handsome prince charming, your ever-dashing knight in shining armor, you sweetie-pie savior who'll give you that breathtaking love's first kiss, your sexy bachelor and one and only honey pie muffin cake…"
KAKASHI: JUST GET ON WITH IT!
"He'll be the only person who you're gonna have children with, Ino! …people of Konoha! Let's give it up for the new prince of the play, the one and only person who will be taking over my Rock Lee's place, put your hands together for… NARA SHIKAMARU!"
"What! Shikamaru's taking over Lee's place!" Ino exclaimed, then, she blushed.
Shikamaru shyly walked over to her from behind a tree and smiled nervously, wondering what his blonde friend might do to him next. Ino was silent, still in misbelieve. She looked down at the ground once again, without uttering a single word. Shikamaru was deeply troubled, so he just said, "I hope this play goes well!"
Ino looked at him and stared into his dark eyes. Then, she gave out a sweet smile and held his hands. "I hope this turns out well too!"
Gai smiled at the two and got a megaphone from out of nowhere. With all his passion, he said, "LET THE PRACTICES BEGIN!"
Practices began on that day. During the first few days, Shikamaru was feeling a little unconfident about himself. He said his lines wrong most of the time that Gai always yelled at him and did the whole scene over and over, until he finally got it right. Ino was feeling shy towards him and had a problem saying her lines in front of him that she barely even looked at him straight in the eye. Gai kept on correcting that, too. As for the other participants, they didn't have much trouble with their parts… Sakura just had to do something about the "abracadabra" part…
SAKURA: Abracadabra!
GAI: Sakura! Come up with a better line! This is supposed to be an awesome play! Not a magic show! Let's be original here!
SAKURA: Y-yes, sir! Shazaam!
GAI: Now, that's more like it! Let's give it another try! From the 'evil witch saying that the princess will die on her sixteenth birthday' part! Anko! That's your cue! And, action!
Shizune was in charge of designing and sewing the costumes. Choji was in charge of taking everyone's measurements. Neji was in charge of buying the cloth and materials from the store. Because there was so much to do, Shizune pumped-up some clones to help her do the sewing.
SHIZUNE: KEEP WORKING! THESE COSTUMES WON'T SEW THEMSELVES!
CLONES: YES, MA'AM!
CHOJI: Ya know, I kinda pity those poor clones…
NEJI: Yeah, I do too.
Kurenai was happily playing the part of queen number one, together with her king, Asuma. It was as if she was happily living in a dream… Iruka, on the other hand was completely humiliated…
IRUKA: Hello, this is our son… Shikamaru…
KURENAI: Queen Iruka! You have married such a fine man! King Kakashi is a very responsible ruler! I can tell the two of you will live happily together with your son in your beautiful kingdom!
IRUKA: Yes, I… BAAAAAAAAAH! I CAN'T TAKE THIS ANYMORE! I AM NOT MARRIED TO KAKASHI!
KAKASHI: Hey, cool down, Iruka! It's just a play!
GAI: Let's take five! Iruka, work on that! If you want a role in this play, you're gonna have to start acting like it! I know! You can ask Naruto-kun to teach you the Sexy No Jutsu! You'll be a perfect queen!
IRUKA: I AM SO DISGUSTED! I'LL BE IN MY POST, IF YOU DON'T MIND! HMPH! (leaves)
ASUMA: What's up with him?
KURENAI: He doesn't seem too happy.
KAKASHI: Ah, you're just saying that… But really, he can't resist me!
ASUMA & KURENAI: …uhhh…
Naruto and Sasuke are happily alone together in the special effects room. Sasuke was in charge of the fiery battle scenes, while Naruto was having a hard time working out the smoke machines…
NARUTO: Darn you! Why won't it work!
SASUKE: (smiles) Don't get all pissed again, my love! Nothing will happen if you get all mad!
NARUTO: Yeah, you're right… But this smoke machine is so hard to handle! Can't I use smoke bombs and exploding tags instead? Huh? Hey! There's an idea! I won't have to suffer the smoke machine anymore! Yeah! Watashi ga Uzumaki Naruto dattebayo! Yata!
Kiba and Akamaru (of course,) had no trouble with their work. They were just pulling the curtains…
KIBA: Pull… Pull… Pull… How's everything going there, Akamaru?
AKAMARU: Ruff! Ruff!
KIBA: Oh, that's good. Pull… Pull… Pull… Pull…
HINATA: Kiba-kun, hi!
KIBA: (smirk) Oh, hi, Hinata. Hope you're having fun…
HINATA: Well, I hope you enjoy what you're doing as well! You know, I can see Shino loves his part very much!
Shino read his lines over and over, as the narrator. To expand his vocabulary and reading skills, he tried reading other books as well…
SHINO: To be, or not to be… That… is the question.
CHOJI: Wow! That's deep! If I were Shakespeare-sama, I'd write this instead! To eat, or not to eat… That… is the question… But of course, I'd choose to eat!
SHINO: (sarcastically) Wow. That's very inspiring… Hmmm, I'll try doing some tongue twisters now… (clears throat) She sells seashells by the seashore…
CHOJI: Are those seashells cooked!
Daily practices went on for the whole week… Each day was better than the last one…