Master and Yokai
So much to do with many obligations. Sigh, well sorry for the wait and if this chapter ain't good. Please excuse my mistakes. Sometimes when I do check it, I overlook a few.
Reviews:
Yu-na milan: I'm glad you like the chapter. Rihan MUST embarrass Rikuo! He's got so much to catch up on. Oh how Nurarihyon misses his youth... And your english isn't bad, really. I actually started gaining respect for Kiyotsugu especially after his decision for Rikuo over everyone else. Oh, I don't know if you read the manga up to date. Sorry, I'll try not to spoil it.
FeuWitch: If I do that, then I'll need to make up a whacky reason for the possibility. Then again... Rihan didn't have an explanation... Well, we'll see what happens! I know what I'll look like as a yokai... -shudders- Probably worse than Kiyotsugu's. Haha.
...
Chapter 7 Debut and Chaos
Rikuo and his classmates were running around setting up everything. They spent some time looking over the revised lines. It was six thirty p.m. Thirty more minutes before curtain rise. Footsteps and murmurs can be heard from the entering audience. Rikuo was praying that he wouldn't change into his night form at this time. All dressed, everything's in positions. Few minutes now. It was nerve wrecking, heart pounding. Now, let the disaster begin. The audience settled down as the lights dimmed, and only one solo light shone on the stage. Curtains were still down, Yokotani-sensei walked up to the center with a microphone.
"Welcome, everyone," she greeted. "Today will be the class performance of Snow-White and the Seven Dwarfs Revised Version." Murmurs rose, all pondering about the 'revised version'. They seemed intrigued and a little baffled at the same time. "Hopefully this goes well..." she muttered under her breath. Some heard and began doubting a little. The teacher walked off the platform, and the curtain began to rise. The audience clapped then quiet down. On stage was dark with only enough light shown to reveal the Magic Mirror (Rinko) and Tsurara in costume. There were some whistles from the audience.
"Mirror, mirror on the wall," Tsurara started, slow and powerful. "Who is the fairest of them all?" She held a fierce glaze at Rinko.
"You are indeed fair," Tsurara gave a proud and satisfied expression. "But, another is fairer than you."
"Who? I demand to know!" She slammed her hand on a near by table.
"Skin as white as snow, lips as red as blood, hair as black as ebony-"
"(GASPS!) Snow-White!" So far, normal. Curtains closed for scenery change. When it rose again, the stage was brighter with a castle background and a makeshift well with some bird (actually looks like birds) puppets. Mezu walked on stage trying really hard not to trip, though nearly did. Some people gasped; some giggled. Then there were just a few who whistled much to his dismay and annoyance that was slightly noticeable. He thought, 'I hate this. I hate this. I hate this.' He finally to the well; however, nearly fell in and dented the prop. The person who hid behind the well controlling the puppets made the birds jump when that happened. The audience at the sides can kind of see puppeteer, who wore clothes to blend in and had a sign on his front and back that says 'No Lookie Here'.
"... Hey birds! Wanna know something?" Mezu began. Now the audience can start to see the difference. This 'actress' gave the character attitude. "This is here," He pointed at the partially dented cardboard prop. "Is a magical wishing well. Watch." He poked the prop. "I... Wish for someone to show up." Gozu walked up to the well but somehow tripped over his foot. Gozu bumped in to Mezu causing them both fall in and break the well. The puppeteer jumped back in shock then held the puppets in front of his face in attempt to cover himself from the crowd.
"OW!" they both cried. The audience laughed at that. Now they're butchering the classic; though this time it was accidental. Still sad. They got back up, regaining unstable balance.
"Y-yo" Gozu held onto the remnants of the well, that got a sad ending, for support.
"S-see birds...? Someone- Some clumsy person- came..." Mezu looked at the birds while trying to also gain balance.
"Hey! I'm not the only clumsy!"
"Whatever... Bye, stranger..." He turned to walk out of the scene but stopped after a few steps. "Oh, by the way, you're paying for the well."
"Yeah yeah yeah. I know. Though it doesn't look like it cost much with its poor quality..."
"Don't judge!" He left.
"Yeah bye..." Close curtains for another scenery change. The audience was laughing a little. It probably shouldn't even be considered much as a revised version. It's more like a messed up story somewhat based on the original. The stage was dark again with only enough light to reveal Tsurara and Shiranami at the center, when curtains rose again. The crowd cheered for Tsurara and a little for Kubinashi. Isn't Yuki Onna popular?
"Hunter, kill Snow-White," Tsurara gave off an evil aura causing Kubinashi, and others, to back up. Even the crowd had the urge to move but only leaned back on the seats. She was that good.
"B-but your majesty! The princess-" Shiranami stuttered.
"No buts! Kill her and bring her heart back to me in this box as evidence!" She handed him a box painted black. Sighing, he took it. However, after picking it up off Tsurara's hands, there was some black paint on her hands. She held her hands to face in shock. The paint hasn't dried! Shiranami dropped the box and saw his hands stained too. People were laughing. This was so unprofessional and embarrassing for the class. Shiranami, hesitantly, picked it up again, though it was bent on the side now, and walked off the stage as the curtains closed again.
Backstage, everyone was freaking out about this. It's even more different from the original than the rehearsal. "Were the props done at last minute?" Tsurara asked her classmates.
"Some were since there was so much to do!" One of them responded. The two went to wash their hands.
"We're a laughing stock!" Kiyotsugu panicked. Though they seem to be enjoying it so far. The cast never did intent to follow the script completely, well some.
"Stay calm, class," Yokotani attempted to calm them. "The audience is actually pretty happy right now. Just make it seem like this was the completely intended." But it was already a little too late for some parts, like the last scene. It was completely obvious that that was not part of the plan. "Hurry, the curtains are rising!"
The scene was that of a forest with some origami flowers on the ground. Mezu walked to the flowers and just stared at them. From behind, Shiranami walked up with a toy dagger. His hand was shaking. Mezu turned and backed up. "Can I help you...?" He didn't scream! He accidentally improved, not being scared of the fake dagger. The dagger fell to the ground.
"I-I can't... Run far away into the forest and never return." Kubinashi warned.
"Can't what? Run, why?"
"The Queen! She's jealous of you and wants to kill you!"
"I really can't imagine that..."
"Well it's true, now run!" Mezu ran backstage, but he tripped on the way yet again. Although when he tripped this time, he ended up sliding off stage.
"AHHH!" Crash! Was the floor polished...?
"Oooh..." The crowd winced along with Shiranami stared at the mess. Curtains then fell. While curtains were down, people were recovering or moving stuff around. Yokotani-sensei stepped and stage and explained that they had to skip some scenes. When curtains rose again, the background looked like a mine, and the dwarfs were scattered around pretending to mine with picks in their hands. People were whispering about the beards that were supposed to be there. They also realized there was no singing whatsoever here. (They can actually sing though. Just that here, not in unison.) One thing that really caught their eyes was that the name of each dwarf was written on their shirts to distinguish them from one another. They puzzled by the name change.
"We're done for the day!" Yura called to the others. The actors lined up and started marching out the door. They are tall dwarfs too. Someone was humming out the tune though. They walked stage and lights went off for a bit then went back on revealing the scene changed quickly, and the dwarfs were coming back. There was also an upper platform that's currently covered. There was stairs connecting to that area, and the other props were in place for the house.
"Whoa! Everything's... clean!" Rikuo shouted moving his head around and about. Natsumi just wondered in the back looking around with a dumb look.
"The dust has been wiped!" Saori awed then faked a sneeze.
"The webs are gone..." Kana said with a yawn.
"The dishes are cleaned and placed into the cabinets," Aoi said calmly.
"Hey look! There's food!" Shima pointed to the table with fake food. He was about to touch the table until Yura slapped his hand. "Ow!"
"Don't touch it! You don't know you- who ate- made it! Someone must be in here... Be it human or human- monster." They looked around, eventually turning their heads to the stairs, tracing to the upper platform.
"Dopey, go look!" Yura pushed Natsumi there. She walked up the steps scared and peeked behind the curtain, and Mezu moved a bit, not that anyone can see. He was on another table complaining mentally that it hurts. She came back panicking gesturing all sorts of nonsense. "A monster?" They all creeped in careful to see. Mezu sat up, but upon instinct again, Yura threw a charm onto him.
"AHH! WHAT THE?" He panicked, falling off the table. 'AGAIN?' Rikuo removed it. The crowded got a little confused, but some who knew that she is an exorcist laughed.
"GAH!" She realized her mistake again. Face palm.
"Oh, it's lit-er, people..." He said after getting up and calming down.
"It's a girl? That's no monster!" Kana declared. Words being the opposite of him, he twitched a little, but most people didn't notice.
"Excuse me, ma'm. What are you- who are you and what are you doing there- here?" Yura asked.
"Well, I ran away from a hunter who was trying to kill me because the queen ordered it. Something about jealous... That sort of thing. It's normal I guess. Oh, I'm Snow-White."
"The princess?" they exclaimed.
"... Yes."
"Uhh... So you ran into here?"
"Yep."
"Was the messing- cleaning and booking- cooking you're doing?"
"I'm not sure what you said, but I did clean and cook. You people are messy... people."
"What makes you think you could stay here?" Aoi asked.
"Well if you let me stay, I'll do the house work for you."
"Will you really?"
"I did it just now, didn't I?"
"Aw, let her stay. Cleaning and cooking will be one thing less to worry about," Shima said. They agreed to that. "But where will you sleep?"
"Not here..." He muttered to the side, rubbing his side.
"But the princess should have the beds."
"NO! I'll find somewhere to sleep and something else to sleep on!"
"We insist!" And before he could argue back they left the area.
"But..." The dwarfs went back down and looked around for a comfortable spot and fought for it, eventually resting. Compared to the table, the other props designed for 'sleeping' on actually looked more comfortable. Curtains closed. Generally good atmosphere in the audience so far. They moved some of the props to the side because they were going to be used soon. When curtains rose, there was a solo light on Tsurara and Rinko.
"Mirror, mirror on the wall. Now who's the fairest of them all?" She held a vain glaze and did a hair flip.
"Queen, you are of beauty rare, but Snow-White living in the glen with seven little men is a thousand times more fair," Rinko responded.
"WHAT! She is dead! Behold her heart lies in this box! How could a dead woman be more beautiful in her decaying state?" Furious, she held the drying box towards Rinko.
"You are mistaken, that is a pig's heart you hold. Didn't I also say that she is living?"
"WHAT?" Tsurara growled and stomped off. It was dark again as Rinko moved off stage, and some other stuff was moved into the spot light range. Lights were back, and Tsurara was seen pacing back and forth. "If I want something done right, I have to do it myself... Then, I'll need a disguise! Disguise... As what? An old lady? Nah, that's too weird... I know! I'll use make up and ugly clothes to make it seem like I'm a peasant girl taking a stroll! It's perfect! Now... What to use... Ah, the sleeping spell. Perfect." She pretends to conduct the spell with random objects in her possession. She stuck an apple she grabbed off a nearby table into in a cauldron, which is really just a stock pot filled with... something... "In the form of an apple. She'll never see it coming! AHAHAHAHAHA!" Everyone felt scared. It really does seem like she has done this before. Curtains fell and a lot of movements and sounds occurred. The audience whispered amongst each other about the feeling. Curtains rose, and the eight cottage people sat in a circle in the 'house' in a dim lighting to indicate night time.
"So tell us a story," Rikuo urged. It took the crowd a bit of time to remember that some scenes were skipped with various reasons.
"Yeah!" the rest echoed.
"What story?" Mezu asked.
"A true story," one requested.
"A love story," another joined.
"Hmm.. Four hundred years ago, there was an ayakashi who-" I think you know where this is going. Kiyotsugu was about to say something after being crushed thinking when they were finally going to follow the script but didn't. He's a super yokai fanatic so he let this one go. Others had a questioning expression while few had a feeling that was going to happen. "-He and his followers defeated Hagoromo Gitsune and saved the Princess. Then they live happily ever after. The end." The audience murmured to each other about the yokai tale.
"Was that princess you?" one of the dwarfs asked, following his lines.
"NO! I said four hundred years ago, didn't I? I'm not that old." It got quiet on stage while others laughed. It got awkward.
"Oh yeah... Well... Thanks for the story. Good night." They stood up to go to 'bed'. Lights went out for a moment then came back on but brighter. The princess and dwarfs faced each other.
"Well, we're off to work," Yura said to the princess. "Remember to not talk to rangers- strangers."
"Got it." They walked off stage. Tsurara in her 'old hag' outfit walked up.
"Hello, dear!" She just popped up in his face, which in return backed up.
"The deer's over there." He pointed offstage at some weird object. She turned and gave a perplexed look at the thing before turning back.
"Ha. Ha. Very funny."
"Very funny. Wait, how did you get in here...?" He looked around for an opening.
"The door. Would you like an apple?" She stuck out her hand, gripping the 'poisoned' apple gently.
"No. I'm allergic to apples." 'Don't make me taste it again!' Tsurara pretended to shove the apple in his mouth, but like last time she shoved a little too far that he actually got a taste of it. "EMM!" He fell on the ground coughing before appearing dead. That may or may not be acting... Tsurara panicked in her head but continued acting, laughing evilly.
"Oho ho ho ho ho! Mission success!" Mezu grabbed Tsurara's leg. "Ah!"
"That was one terrible apple... Are you trying to kill me...?"
"What? You're still alive?"
"You are such a terrible step-mother..."
"Wait, how do you know it's me?"
"You didn't disguise yourself well enough... It was too obvious!"
"Drat! Maybe I should have gone with the old hag guise... But then that'll hide my pretty face..."
"Would that really matter?"
"Yes, it does! I'm the fairest in all the land!"
"Is that what magic mirror says?"
"Urk... Well, I will be!" She shook her leg to try to rid him. When he finally let go, it is revealed that he tied her foot to the table leg. "HEY!" She attempted to untie the rope, but that's one good knot!
"That was for the apple." He got up to leave the stage but tripped, yet again but this time intentionally.
"Hehe hehe hehe."
"Ah shut up! At least I'm not tied to the table."
"But you're not elegant like me." Tsurara did a hair flip.
"But you're also not the beauty queen." She twitched. She then threw the apple remains at his head with that latter thinking, 'Miss! Miss! Miss!" It didn't miss as it was supposed to...
"OW!" Mezu fell face flat on the ground with a bump on his head.
"Oooh..." The crowd winced again. They began wondering if they're taking acting to the extreme. Tsurara removed the rope on the table but it was still attached to her foot.
"Now I did it!" She was about the walking out behind the side curtains until the dwarfs returned.
"It's the queen!" Yura cried.
"She's pretty." They all looked at Shima who turned into deep crimson.
"Now's not the time, Bashful! Get her!" They chased around the long table, jumping over the princess every now and then.
"STOP FOLLOWING ME!" Tsurara demanded. Shima stopped.
"BASHFUL!" He chased again.
"STOP!" He stopped.
"BASHFUL!" He ran.
"STOP!" He stopped.
"BASHFUL!" He ran.
"STOP!" He stopped.
"BASHFUL!"
"WHAT DO YOU WANT FROM ME?" he cried. They all stopped.
"Get her!/Don't chase me!" Their answers were mixed.
"You know what, I'm just gonna sit out..." Shima took a seat, and they resumed to their tasks. Laugh. Kiyotsugu had to push the prince out again because he forgot that he was supposed to appear. So he stumbled in, stepped on Mezu, and bumped to the others, forcing them to fall backwards on one another.
"OW!" They all cried.
"So glad I sat out," Shima commented.
"... Sorry..." he muttered.
"That's not gonna cut it!" Tsurara growled. The dwarfs grabbed Tsurara.
"Gotcha!" they successfully claimed.
"... See what you did?"
"Not really," Gozu got up only for Mezu to trip him for stepping on him that was also not supposed to happen again.
"Stupid!" the princess stuck out his tongue. "I'm being so abused here..."
"You're still alive?" Tsurara glared at her failure.
"You only threw an apple at my head! It'll only give me a big bump on the head at best."
"We're arresting you for attempted murder. You being queen matters not," Rikuo said to Tsurara.
"WHAT? What are you? The police? What authority do you have over the queen?" She howled.
"Yes. We have special authority to manage the monarchy. We are disguised as miners. Well, not really. That's our side job."
"Outrageous..." Much if not all of the audience agreed with her.
"Well, you don't have a voice here." The dwarfs escorted the queen out.
"Well you can show yourself out, and don't randomly barge into homes," Mezu told Gozu. The crowd was shouting, 'Hypocrite!'
"Yeah, yeah, yeah." He walked off stage, and curtains fell with a giant sign attached saying, 'The End?' The audience clapped loudly, cheering various actors and/or actresses. Oddly enough, they appear to like this messed up version over the original. What strange tastes they all have. When curtains rose for the final time, the class were lined up and bowed. There was differently not going to be an encore. Everyone left talking about the play. The class cleaned up, changed, and put things away before returning home.
On the way back to the Nura mansion, they were commenting on the debut. "Ugh! That was tiring..." they stretched.
"I know right..." Kubinashi spoke, and they just gave him a look.
"You did less than most of us!"
"Acting wise, but unlike most of you, I was moving a lot of the props. Especially the heavier ones." They quiet down. That was reasonable enough to be tired.
"I really hate my role..." Mezu complained. Abused and dignity lost.
"They roles were not particularly the best..." Shaking that off, they entered the building.
"Yo! Nice play hahaha!" Rihan greeted them. A lot of them were snickering. Yep, they snuck into the auditorium, in disguise, to watch. They groaned. They're never going to let it go. At least not for a while.
"Let's not talk about it..." Rikuo groaned.
"Fine, fine!" Then the first entered. There was something about him that was off. He... looks younger!
"G-grandpa?" They were shocked. His wish came true.
"Oh how much more alive I feel now!"
"How did this happen?"
"I don't know. It just sorta happened after dinner." What did he eat? They stared.
"What was dinner...?" They all turned to Wakana who was carried in some refreshments. "Mom." She turned, smiling at her son.
"Yes?"
"What was dinner?"
"Hmm... Oh! There was a sale on liver today. Dinner was liver." Liver... What kind of liver...? Human liver's a power source for yokai... The ones who respect humans looked horrified.
"W-what kind of liver...?"
"I don't know... I assumed they were animal liver." They looked at each other, wide-eyed, and silent. "Is something the matter?"
"N-nothing... Thanks, mom." She patted him on the head and left after giving all of them refreshment.
"E-even so... Liver doesn't regenerate organs..." Nurarihyon informed. Then he reverted back to his shorter self. "What? NO! I'm old and short again!" Bald too. He really missed his previous appearance.
"Pops, you were always old," Rihan reminded. WHACK! "OW!"
"Shut up, stupid son!" Either he got that from Karasu Tengu or the Tengu got it from him... Well he continued to mope.
"Hurtful... Rikuo, come to papa! Stay away from the mean old man!" He got hit again.
"Dad... You're treating like a little kid... And I lived with Grandpa for a long time now. He actually treats me better," Rikuo reasoned.
"Now what did I say on that matter? You're still a kid, now come here." Sighing, he gave in and walked to the immature father who picked him up like he used to.
"You're so embarrassing! This is just awkward now!"
"I remember I also said that I have a lot of embarrassing to catch up to."
"DAD!"
"So Rikuo, who do you like more? Me or that idiot?" Nurarihyon asked.
"That's a tough one..."
"It shouldn't be."
"I'll get back to that... Dad! Put me down! I can change into my night form anytime now!" Before Rihan was able to put him down, Night Rikuo came out causing them both to fall down. Everyone else pretty much left by now.
"Ouch! You're heavy!" Rihan shook his arms.
"I'm 13... A full adult as a yokai... If you have trouble picking me up, then you're weak."
"HEY! Mean Rikuo is definitely out..." Wasn't that obvious when he changed forms? "Mind you, I was gone for some years now."
"Excuses."
"Oy! You don't know what the afterlife is like!"
"From what I've heard and seen, it seems to just be a continuation of life but in spirit form and never aging. The place where spirits go must be packed."
"Sort of... You won't believe how big it is actually."
"Okay this is just getting weirder! I'll find out eventually..." Rikuo started towards the door. "I'm going to go to bed. I'm tired. Good night..."
...
Okay, I copied and paste bits from the other chapters and changed some stuff. I was originally going to change a lot more but yeah... The ending was a bit bad... I wanted something else at the end but I forgot what... Hopefully, it gets better... Well, no more of that play, but it'll haunt them. So, now make up more stuff and tie it with the plotline but with changes. Hmmm... What to do... Oh yeah, it's officially their break from school. So you won't see that place for a while. There are plenty of characters I want to add, but that'll have to wait.
R&R Please and I'm sorry if this chapter didn't meet expectations.