InuYasha Fan Fiction ❯ The Play ❯ Act 1: The Script ( Chapter 1 )

These characters do not belong to me and I do not claim to own them. All rights belong to Rumiko Takahashi.

 

 

 

It was an ordinary Friday morning, with all the students anxiously waiting for the weekend to finally arrive. Kagome was sitting in her usual desk chatting with Sango, who was across the aisle from her. The door suddenly opened and her history teacher, Mr. Kahino, strode into the room, immediately silencing the class. He quickly took attendance before he stood up in front of his desk and surveyed the room.

 

“In the next couple of weeks we'll be doing something brand new and significantly more fun than our usual lessons,” he said, and all the students' faces brightened immediately. This definitely sounded like good news to them, especially if it didn't include note-taking. This was one of the reasons history class was one of the most eagerly anticipated classes, at least sometimes. That fact didn't say a lot, of course, because none of the classes were very eagerly anticipated, but at least on some days, when the student body got lucky, Mr. Kahino changed the normal, boring routine. They did random different projects instead of the usual tedious lecture added with a pound of homework.

 

“I believe that this method will make most students recall more information and make the curriculum more interesting,” Mr. Kahino continued. “Plus, you get the added benefit that instead of an actual written test over the material in question, the amount of effort you put forth into this will be your `exam'. And of course, how it turns out.” He paused for a while here, letting the students talk it out among their friends and neighbors rather than trying to speak over them. However, these statements were not met with as much excitement as perhaps Mr. Kahino expected. Everyone, he could surmise, was wondering anxiously what he was planning. He had just placed a gigantic weight on their effort, but what if it happened to be something incredibly boring or stupid? Unfortunately for them, they were the first period class, so there was no other class who knew what they were doing. Now, of course, the entire school would know what Mr. Kahino was doing with his history class at, the very latest, lunch

 

He could clearly see the division in the class, the two halves easily separated. One part were the nervous students eagerly awaiting to hear what they had to do in order to pass this `test', while the other part was sitting back and relaxing, hoping to get paired with one the geniuses for an easy ticket to an A. He shook his head at the students' folly. This was not so simple a task that would require the usual partners or groups. No, this was much bigger, as everyone was in one large group, yet still graded as an individual. This project was way beyond what they would have ever expected.

 

“This class, obviously the others as well, and the senior history classes are going to act out the `Legend of the Shikon no Tama',” he said, without even a bit of variation or suspenseful pauses in the entire sentence. Kagome thought their drama coach would've been quite disappointed with that performance. It was clear Mr. Kahino had never had a speech or drama class in his life, or at least not one he paid attention in. He had had the whole class hanging on his every word (or at least half...), and he just dropped the statement like it was nothing. It was sad, really. The only interesting bit of news that he provided them with was the fact that they weren't going to have to do this alone. Both the senior and junior classes were putting on this act/skit/play performance, so that was at least a little different and new. But still, how exciting could a single legend be? You probably just have your stereotypical hero, damsel in distress, and evil villain to be conquered. Yay. She was not that interested in history.

 

A student sitting a few desks away from Sango raised his hand. This kid was a diligent member of the half that wished they would get partnered with a genius for projects, and was currently mightily disappointed when he found out they weren't having partners and were basically individuals in this.

 

“And no, it's not optional,” Mr. Kahino said, answering the student's question even before he asked. Kagome always hated it when he did that. It only made her feel like her question was stupid enough where she shouldn't even have to ask it. And somehow, at least once a week, he always managed to do that to at least one person. Quite frequently, it was Kagome herself.

 

“We will act it out in front of an audience, like a play or show, so this is serious business now. Here is the entire script,” Mr. Kahino continued, and pointed to a pile of papers on his desk. A huge towering stack of papers that everyone had seen when they'd come into the classroom and hoped was not their homework for tonight. “3,236 pages. Of course, it would take way too long to memorize the whole play, not to mention what a strain it would take on your young, adolescent brains, so we'll perform the first few acts of the play, and then, if the audience likes it well enough, we'll cast the aspiring actors and actresses into the full rendition of the Legend, directed by Mrs. Nuvani and I, and then we'll finish the rest of the script,” he said. He saw a few smirks across the room, directed at fellow classmates. He knew the brightest slackers saw what they figured was a loophole. If they could put in enough effort to pass, yet only get a minor part, they could get by with only a third of the work, never having to learn what the Legend is about or read the full script. Sadly for them, he had seen that already. “However, we will go over the entire script in class so everyone knows the whole entire complete story. And if I don't feel that we know it well enough, well then, there will be several pop quizzes and a written test over the Legend of the infamous Shikon no Tama,” he finished with a big smile of his own, specifically directed at no one, of course, as he saw glares from those students that were so recently smirking before. Oh yes, some days he just loved teaching...

 

Once again, the class was split. One half were the responsible, hardworking students who were resolving to put enough effort into this so there were no pop quizzes or written tests. Some, he was sure, were going to put in extra to make up for the lack of the other half, who were either glaring at him because he foiled their scheme or sitting back in their desks, completely unaware of the opportunity they could have had.

 

“Now, here is a copy of the shorter script-” Mr. Kahino said while passing out packets of papers. All the students sighed in relief as it was no where near as big as the entire script was. However, it was quite obvious that whoever got the leading roles would have quite a lot to learn. Kagome noticed that fortunately there were quite a few major parts to share lines, instead of it being a burden on only one leading character who was typically male, normally didn't enjoy drama, completely uncooperative, and never knew his lines anyway. “The auditions are tomorrow. Be there or be square!”

 

The entire class looked at him in disbelief, for once single-minded in their thoughts. What did he just say?

 

Mr. Kahino coughed, a little red in the face. He forgot what generation he was dealing with for a moment, and thought quickly. “Meaning you get a zero for half of your grade if you don't show. That will pretty much flunk you for the year, even if you ace everything else I have and will throw at you,” he said, satisfied that he had recovered over his error quickly and efficiently.

 

The same student as before raised his hand. This time, though, Mr. Kahino couldn't possibly think of what he wanted to ask, and therefore was forced to call on him. He was always slightly disappointed when this happened. He loved to answer questions before they were even asked. It sort of made him feel like he was psychic, at least in a small way.

 

“Yes, Mr. Saski?” he asked. That got a smirk from the student. This guy was one he was frequently answering his questions before they were asked. Saski always loved to gloat at the moments he couldn't. Of course, these moments just made Mr. Kahino even happier when he managed to answer before the asking, which led to a subtle competition between the teacher and student.

 

“What happens if we don't get a part?” Maybe, Saski thought, he could act badly and not get a part. Mr. Kahino couldn't possibly flunk him. If he did, he could hear himself complaining to the principal already, `He can't give me a zero just because I wasn't born to be an actor, I took history class, not drama!' Ah, the beauty of underachievement to a skilled practitioner.

 

“Trust me, Mr. Saski, there are enough small parts in order for everybody to get one,” Mr. Kahino said with a wide grin. Saski had tried to slip around a lot of assignments before, but on this one he was stuck. He would personally make sure Saski got a part, hopefully as a tree - every kid's theater nightmare since kindergarten. Or else a rock would do just as well. Or, of course, the ugliest, silent, most degrading role of all time would work perfectly, too.

 

Mr. Kahino then went on and explained in a very short summary (that managed to last the rest of the class period), of how the entire script went. Basically, he talked on about how a girl, a hanyou, a demon slayer, and a monk went on a journey to piece together this mystical jewel called the Shikon no Tama. This was still history class, and every legend had at least some truth, supposedly. Even though this was a very far-fetched tale that had to do with demons and magical jewels, apparently it was in the correct time period they were learning about. Somehow, Kagome knew, history just got weirder and weirder as you keep going farther and farther back in time.