Thank you for all the reviews and support! *bows* After the long hiatus in January, I'm back~ I present you chapter 4 xD
~Kyoko-tan
Writer: Kyoko-tan
Editor: The awesooommmeee Sakura-tan :)
Disclaimers: I do not own Romeo and Juliet, nor do I own Gakuen Alice. They are owned by William Shakespeare and Tachibana Higuchi respectively.
Recap of Chapter 3:
"Anon good nurse!" I yell back. "Stay but a little, I will come again." I whisper to Natsume.
I ran up the stairs, through the hidden doors and ran back out. I semi-yell and whispers, "Send me word tomorrow of your marriage proposal; for if not, I shall be consume by my grief. A thousand times goodnight."
The Second Scene of the Second Act has concluded.
Chapter 4:
Narumi- sensei whisks onto the stage to perform his Friar role, but somehow ended up wearing his regular, unique outfits. Passionately, he placed his right hand over his chest, while the left arm was extended towards the ceiling – or in this case, the sky.
"The grey-eyed morn smiles on the frowning night. Checkering the Eastern clouds with streaks of light…"
Sensei's voice is drown out by the slight chatters backstage.
"Argghhh, Narumi! He went on stage doing his own thing again!" The backstage director mutters to herself, holding the Friar's outfit in her hand.
"What is sensei even saying? I don't see the point of him reciting this long, no sense and unrelated poem." Luna crosses her arm, head held high and complaining.
Somewhere in the opposite direction, three regular students were standing in the corner. Yes, you read that right. Regular students.
Every year, in order to support the production of Shakespeare plays, we invite a nearby elementary school – or so I hear from Hotaru.
"She should have more respect…" whispers Girl # 1.
"Who does she think she is?" Girl #2 says.
"Acting like a know-it-all, I pity her." Another replies.
"She's so foolish to believe that the world revolves around her." Girl #2 agrees.
"I thought Shakespeare was a good writer?" Luna continues her rants. Hearing no response, she was about to repeat the sentence, when Koko replies.
"This soliloquy builds the foundation of Friar Laurence's personality." Koko's maintains his straight, yet smiling face. "As the story progresses, you'll understand the importance."
"Oh realllly? For all I can see, Sensei's just out there speaking some alien language. I doubt anyone could actually understand him. First he talks about day's changing and now he's onto plants." She retorts him.
"It's an analogy. Anything can be 'evil' or 'good' depending on the perspective, just like plants." He pauses before stating, "Also, the so-called 'alien language' you speak of, is called Shakespearian language, which had a huge influence on modern English."
"Uh huh. I don't think I hear anyone talking like that anymore. Thy, thee, thou…"
"What about 'Wearing your heart on your sleeves'?" Hotaru butts into the conversation.
"What about it? A lot of girls say that idiom."
"In fact, that phrase was popularized by William Shakespeare when he wrote it in his play Othello back in 1604." Koko reasons.
"Ahh … Wait, what does the phrase mean again?"
"You would know if you didn't skip most of the drama practices." Sumire joins in.
"Simply, it means to express your emotion freely." Ruka walks over with his bunny.
"Koko, when did you know so much about Shakespeare?" Sumire inquires.
"I don't."
His straight-forward, yet smiling face appears. An awkward silence rolls through the room. I stop typing. Nothing but the sound of distant stage voices can be heard. Somewhere, quick footsteps disappears in the stage direction.
Thud.
"Waaaaahhh~~" I look over in the stage direction just in time to see Narumi sensei flying across the stage. Natsume, hands in his pocket, is sticking one of his feet out. Judging by this position, I can only imagine that Sensei suffered the same attack like I in the past.
"NA- I mean Romeo, Benedicite! What early tongue so sweet saluteth me?" A vein pops up in sensei's forehead.
"Oh brothers, there Sensei goes again, with his gibberish." Luna rolls her eyes and folds her arms.
"It's a blessing," Ruka states, while petting the rabbit.
"So soon to bid good morrow to thy bed.
Thou art up roused with some distemperature;
Or if not so, then here I hit right –
Our Romeo hath not been in bed to-night~"
Sensei cheerfully sings the last sentence. Natsume neither denies nor agrees with Narumi. He just shot Narumi a death glare.
In return, Narumi just continues with his phrase. "Wast thou with Rosaline?"
"Rosaline, tch."
"That's my good son! But where hast thou been then?" Narumi slaps Natsume on the back.
"My heart is set on the fair daughter of Capulet," His eyes stares into mine. A resonating warmth, just like his fire Alice, fills my heart.
"The wedding shall be held today," his crimson eyes look away from mine and into Narumi's with determination. "You shall marry us."
Hayate sighs. "What is our Romeo doing out there? He should be near grovel-position, begging for Friar Laurence to marry them. Something like: 'Please, consent to marrying us'" Hayate clings onto the backstage director's legs.
Back on stage, Narumi shouts and acts as if he is suffering from a fainting spell:
"Holy Saint Francis! What a change is here!
Young men's love then lies,
Not truly in their hearts, but in their eyes.
In one respect, I'll thy assistant be;
For this alliance may be so happy prove
To turn your households' rancor to pure love."
Natsume just turns around and briskly walks off the stage. Narumi, finally noticing that Natsume is almost off the stage, quickly runs after him. "Wise people take things slowly!" Narumi hollers.
The background scenario changes again, back to the streets. Ruka and Mochiage walks onto the stage.
"Where the devil should this Romeo be?" Mochiage says. "Came he not home to-night?"
"Not to his father's, I spoke with his man." Ruka replies.
"Rosaline… ahhh. Must be tormenting him to death."
"Oh, and also this letter from Tybalt has been sent to Romeo's house."
"Tybalt… a fine swordsman. Ah, the immortal passado! The punto reverso! The hay!"
"The what? Oh, here comes Romeo."
Natsume walks on the stage, hands still in pocket.
"Signior Romeo, bonjour! There's a French salutation to your French slop." Mochiage comments.
"Hn. We're getting mar-" Natsume almost blurts out.
"A sail, a sail!" Mochiage interrupts Natsume, while pointing at Misaki and Tsubasa as they enter the stage.
"Two! Shirt and a smock."
"Peter, my fan!" Right away, Tsubasa starts to fan Misaki. I chuckle at the thought.
"Good Peter, to hide her face; for her fan's the fairer face." Mochiage taunts. From where I stood, I could see a vain pop up from her forehead. Uh oh, that's not good. Someone shall receive a punishment backstage.
"Gentlemen, can any of you tell me where I may find the young Romeo?" Misaki asks and forces a fake smile.
"I'm Romeo," Natsume says in a harsher tone than the one I imagine. I sigh. Romeo's no Romeo if he's not a sweet talker. I close my eyes and suddenly, I began to visualize Natsume saying one of Romeo's lines.
"But soft! What light through yonder window breaks? It is the East, and Juliet is the sun!"
My eyes snaps open. I shiver rolls down my back. On second thought, I think Natsume should just stay the way he is now. Saying those cheesy lines don't match him at all.
"May I have word with you?" said Misaki.
"An old hare hoar,
And an old hare hoar,
Is very good meat in Lent;
But a hare that is a hoar,
Is too much for a score,
When it hoars ere it be spent." Mochiage sings in an off-beat and off-pitch voice.
"Argh… didn't he practice his vocals before this?" Sumire states backstage, covering her sensitive ears from the noise.
"Farewell, ancient lady!" Ruka and Mochiage bids and walks off the stage.
The curtains fell and the lights dims.
"The play will resume in a short while." Nonoko says through the microphone.
"Good job out there Ruka," I say, as he walks past me.
"Mikan, it's time for you to change into your wedding dress." Anna calls. Quietly, she said the next part. "I bet Natsume would be so surprised when he sees you,"
I walk into the room with Anna behind me. "Tada~" She unravels the cover. In front of me is an off-shoulder wedding dress adorned with embroidery and golden laces. Never had I seen a dress so Juliet-like.
As she help dresses me, I can't help but notice how beautifully design the dress is. The top is tightly fitted with a corset-like back. At the hips, it flares outward revealing several different layers. The inner most is lace, while the outer is a continuation of the top, creamy silk fabric – slightly darker than Juliet's ball dress. In between is a golden silk with flower embroidery, giving a slight historical taste. As a final touch, a golden ribbon sits on the hips.
"Wah~ Mikan, you look beautiful. Natsume wouldn't be able to stop looking at you." Anna squeals next to me. I blush at her comment.
Just then, Hotaru comes behind me to set my hair. She twists my hair into a messy bun and adjusts the tiara. The veil rests behind me.
'There,"
I grab Anna's awaiting hand, and steps out from the room. "I present you… the bride!" Anna announces.
Silence.
I blush harder and stare at the floor below me.
"Mikan, you look so beautiful~" Misaki rushes over to me and grasp my hand.
"Isn't she, Ruka?" Tsubasa teases and slaps Ruka's back, as he blushes in an unrecognizable red.
"Umm…." His voice is near-inaudible.
I continue to walk towards the stage door and through the door cracks; I can see Natsume standing on stage, hands still in his pockets. I take a deep breath and listen to my heart hammering in my chest.
The familiar piano melody begins to play once the curtains rises. Slowly, I made my way onto the stage; Misaki holding my hand. Up ahead, I can see Narumi-sensei and Natsume staring at me.
Finally, I took the place beside Natsume and I carefully move my hand from Misaki to his. This is where my hands belong. Forever and always.
"These violent delights have violent ends
And in their triumph die, like fire and powder,
Which, as they kiss, consume.
Therefore love moderately; long love doth so;" Narumi wickedly smiles.
I look into Natsume's eyes as the place the ring upon my left, ring finger. As my eyes travels downward to see the ring, I couldn't help but shed tears of joy. This is exactly how I imagine my future wedding.
He leans in to my ear and whispers, "Baka, don't cry."
I close my eyes and leans forward to kiss him as an act to finalize our wedding. It's just the two of us.
Distantly, I heard Narumi singing the second part of the sentence, "Oh, I almost forgot! Speak now, or forever hold your peace!"
I wish he never said it. It happens so quickly. My mind almost didn't have enough time to register. Almost.
"I oppose!"
I snap out from my position and look towards the voice. It's Luna, in time to ruin my wedding. She is still wearing her Tybalt outfit.
"Na- Romeo is mine! I won't let anyone have him, but me." She waves her sword around.
I squeeze Natsume's hand for support. Suddenly, I thought came to me. "Oh, if it isn't my cousin, Tybalt. If you're looking for a duel, you'll have to wait until later. We're in the middle of the white veil occasion, as you can see."
My eyes travel back to Natsume's.
"I'm not here for a duel, I want Natsume!"
I sharply glance back at Luna and with a taunting voice I said, "And why would a man like you want Natsume, besides a duel?"
She takes a step back, lost with what to say next to rebut. The thought of no longer being a girl registers in her mind. "I… I…"
"By my head, it's the Capulet." Ruka walks onto the stage and gives us a knowing glance.
"By my heel, I care not." Mochiage tags along.
"Withdraw unto some private place or else depart, Tybalt." Ruka warns.
"Romeo, the love I bear thee can afford no better terms than this: draw your sword." Luna states as the script was written. For some reason, I had doubts that it is her intention to make Natsume her enemy.
"…" Natsume didn't budge.
"O calm, dishonourable, vile submission! Alla stoccata carries away." Mochiage draws his prop sword. Ruka draws as well and the duel begins.
They fight and Mochiage falls. On the floors, he dramatically wheezes out, "I'm hurt. A plague upon both your houses…"
I gasp. 'No… if this continues, Na – I mean Romeo will be banished.'
Natsume kneels over Mochiage, before placing his hand on the hilt of the sword.
"Bleh," Mochiage comically states, and lays limp on the floor.
"O Romeo, Romeo, brave Mercutio is dead!" Ruka says in a horrified voice. I ran in front of Natsume to stop him from drawing his sword. I was determined to change Romeo and Juliet's fate – at least on this stage.
"Don't," I mouth Natsume. "Follow me."
I glance towards Luna. "Cousin Tybalt, stop this. You have already dyed this sacred ceremony with crimson red, what more do you want to do?"
Luna takes a step forward with a smirk on her face. "You call this a wedding? Where are your witnesses? Besides, everyone knows Romeo loves Rosaline." She rolls her eyes.
"That was nothing more than an infatuation!"
"Infatuation… would you sneak into a nemesis' party just because you're infatuated with someone?"
"You must excuse young Romeo. He lacks the knowledge to decipher the difference between love and infatuation." Nobara walks out wearing a dark blue, off-shoulder Victorian dress.
"Lady Juliet," she bows.
"Lady Rosaline," I return.
Nobara walks past me; towards Mochiage and knelt beside him. "Mercutio was so young and full of life." She carefully and skilfully slips Mercutio's dagger into her pocket. Nobara then walks over to Tybalt.
"Dear Tybalt, would you come with me to the authorities to accept your punishment for committing such a crime?"
"Accept? Why should I accept any punishments? Psh… the sword was his enemy," Luna walks past Nobara and avoids eye contact with anyone.
"An eye for an eye," Nobara whispers. She draws the dagger from her pocket and swiftly stabs Luna's back.
"Wha-" Luna looks wide-eyed to her back to see the prop sword stuck to her back. "I am wounded, ahh~"
Instead of falling on the spot – like most actors would in this situation – she falls on top of Natsume, which cause him to land on the floor.
"My wish can finally come true: To die in Romeo's arms," She happily snuggles into his chest and gives me a satisfied smirk.
"Romeo, away, be gone! Tybalt is slain." Ruka states. He helps to pry Luna's fingers from Natsume's arms. "Juliet!"
I ran over and pull Natsume away. Once freed, we both quickly ran off the stage. Somewhere during this mess, Narumi also fled the stage.
We ran and ran, until we reach my change room. I close the door behind me and lock the door. 'You never know if Luna's chasing after us.' I thought.
I pant heavily. It's not easy to run in a corset-like, wedding dress with heels. I look up to see Natsume, still holding my hand, staring back at me.
Through the speakers, I can hear Hotaru whisking onto the stage with her duck motor. "Speak, where are the vile beginners of this fray?"
"O noble Prince, There lies the man,
That slew thy kinsmen, brave Mercutio." Says Ruka, who is still kneeling on the floor.
"Just now, I heard a strong thought from the change room saying 'I want to kiss her!'" Koko says, somewhere just outside our room.
I laugh at the comment.
"Kiss me." Natsume bluntly remarks. It's dark in the room, but I can clearly make out the sincere eyes.
I nod slightly; I doubt he could have seen. I lean in to give him a kiss on the lips. His hand cups my cheeks and I grasp them to hold them there. They were so warm and full of strength.
"One more." He states. This time, he leans in.
In the distance, I can hear Sumire and Youichi performing on stage.
"Justice is served. Tybalt slew Mercutio; Tybalt has fallen. Prince, must reconsider Lady Rosaline's sentence. She has only served justice, that couldn't have been served any other way!" Sumire reasons.
"Reason with the attorney," Hotaru states.
However, all these noises were drowning away by his kiss. It's just the two of us —Romeo and Juliet; not having a care in the world.
This is a perfect, flawless moment, I'll never forget. And thus, the start of my life as Juliet Montague begins.
The First Scene of the Third Act has concluded.
Did you know?: "An eye for an eye" is commonly used to describe the Hammurabi Code, (founded in Babylonia) the oldest law known and has influenced many laws following it's creation.
Thanks for reading~
If I can get 4 more reviews, I shall upload chapter 5 within 2 weeks. So review, review, review and review everyone. (Get it? xD)
The picture of the wedding dress, veil and song are up on our blog. Feel free to check out our profile and our website for story progress updates and check out our other fanfictions.
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