Okay, we got a bare minimum cast and crew together now! Time to go back to the Entertainers.
Hecate: People are going to see my script. I'm so nervous...oh right, who's the rest of the cast?
MC: There's Imix who lives down there, and maybe all of the Creators.
Hecate: US!? Well I doubt anyone would say yes. Even if we did double duty, we Creators would never slack off on back end work. Actually I think most of us would never want to be in the spotlight since we express ourselves through our works.
Macroich: Hmm...did we ever confirm the actors? Aren't we too few on the cast front?
Leib: But we don't even have a script yet. We can always write around that, right?
Hecate: Hey, there are limits to that!
Macroich: Let's talk to Christine and Imix! They're pro actors instead of amateurs like the rest of us!
The party is about to go to the back alley entrance to Cipactli's basement home when MC notices someone in front of the theater.
Boogeyman: (frown)
MC: Mr. Boogeyman? Why are you here?
Boogeyman: Whoo~, found you MC. Wow, fancy meeting you here. Did you come to watch something? You look like you're having fun.
MC: I was, but now I'm going to be on stage... / It's going to be fun!
Boogeyman: W-why? You're always so unpredictable. Are you going to perform with the people behind y--isn't that the star Sir Macroich from I Can't Believe It's Not Jekyll and Hyde!? You're going to perform with him?
Macroich: No need for Sir, Mr. Boogeyman.
Boogeyman: Oh, you can drop the Mr. part since I'm not working as a teacher right now. I'm on holiday from that.
MC: Wait, what? Because it's summer vacation? / Did you finally do something to a student!?
(C) Boogeyman: What!? No! ...I mean you're sort of right, but not like that.
Boogeyman was doing his "scare 'em straight" tactics on behavioral teaching in class. The goal was a light warning. The result was lots of crying and self-inflicted emotional damage.
Boogeyman: I traumatized the children by going too far and that caused a controversy...
MC: D-did they fire you!? ...oh wait, no they didn't.
Boogeyman: No, the other teachers spoke up for me. But I had to think on things and took a sabbatical.
Leib: Making people cry is part of education. Jambavan cries like every day.
Boogeyman: No, I know I went too far, so I thought I should expand my horizons.
MC: Putting on a bag mask and acting can be really fun, but maybe that's too much for kids...
Macroich: Wow, you don't seem scary enough to make children cry.
Boogeyman: I get the opposite a lot actually.
Macroich gets a brainwave!
Macroich: Hmm...hey Boogeyman, do you have business with the Entertainers? You like stagework, right? I can introduce you to Oscar!
Boogeyman: Oh thanks. It's true I like stages actually.
Boogeyman is here to check out a theater troupe while he's off from school.
Macroich: Cool! Join us!
Boogeyman: !? Uh, no thanks I don't really like being in the spotli--
Macroich starts dragging Boogeyman.
Macroich: I can see that you have talent! Put on a mask and you can play with impact!
Boogeyman: I guess???
MC: Join us! Because we're still short on people really...and everyone has their strengths and weaknesses.
Macroich: Do you worry about how you are with the mask on? I predict you'll figure something out if you get on stage!
Boogeyman: Oh my gosh it's like you're a real prophet!
Macroich: Not really, but I'll back it up. Join us, Boogeyman! Join us, Boogeyman! Join us, Boogeyman!
Later
Boogeyman joined the party! And now everyone is in Cipactli's jungle cave.
Macroich: Whoa, there really WAS something like this down here?
Boogeyman: Hey, these aren't native Tokyo plants! Weird!
MC: You didn't know, Macroich? / You sure like plants, Boogeyman / Do we have enough people yet?
(A) Macroich: I haven't been here that long, but maybe the others do. Everyone is so mysterious, but that's what makes them charming!
Leib: Uh yeah it's not normal for one person to have this much space. Maybe someone should look into that?
(B) Boogeyman: Haha, just as a hobby. Touching dirt and grass is relaxing, and chainsawing trees is so exciting. Also these plants don't look like they're tended to. Do they really grow big down here?
Leib: Science or magic, one of the two.
(C) Hecate: Oh my, Macroich smoothtalked Boogeyman into coming along. He's one of the bright and sunny people...
Leib: Not your thing, right? You'll be working with them, so better get over that quick.
Hecate: I know, but it's hard to stop myself there...
Boogeyman: So, where's Imix? In that pyramid back there?
Leib: Nah, he should be nearby. Let's wait.
The party looks around while waiting. Hekate is taking notes because she's seeing things she didn't see in Tokyo or Tir na Nog.
Hecate: I'm getting ideas! Wow this looks so much like Itzamna's home world pictures. It feels like I'll find a dragon's open mouth if I push the leaves aside--
Cipactli: You people are late. I thought you weren't coming back.
Hecate: AAAAA
MC: AAAAA / Sorry to keep you waiting / We got people!
(A) Cipactli: You too, MC? I'm sad now...
(B) Hecate: Oh, you're Imix? I'm sorry, I thought I was manifesting for a second there.
Cipactli: It's fine. Your scream was a good one.
Cipactli counts the party by hand.
Cipactli: Is this really it?
Leib: The rest of the crew will come later.
Macroich: Wow, it's going to be great to get on stage with you again, Imix! Looking forward to learn!
Cipactli: Oh, you got our little new guy? I guess this might work out after all.
Macroich: Wow, it hits different being called little after everyone keeps calling seven people's worth of big!
Cipatcli: So, are they actors too?
Boogeyman walks up and shakes Cipactli's hand.
Boogeyman: Hi, I'm Boogeyman...I've seen a lot of your shows. Can I get an autograph? And a photo?
Cipactli: Ooh, you found someone with a good eye!
Boogeyman: Macroich, can you take a picture of us? Let's act out that one scene from Not Phantom of the Opera!
Macroich: Okay! But don't spread it on social media.
MC: You like plays? Wow, I knew you liked reading picture books aloud but still.
Hecate introduces herself about now.
Cipactli: Oh, the scriptwriter? I know you write other genres, but I'm glad you have experience.
Hecate: Do you have a script outline I can look at?
Cipactli: Okay, I'll ask Christine. She should say yes. But first, can you show me what you can do? Give me a quick intro scene.
Leib: NO WAIT STOP
Hekate: :D
Hecate's Doujin Dreamland
Cipactli: USELESS waste of space! How can you be such an incompetent worker, forgetting what I trained you to do?
MC: I'm sorry... / My boss is an asshole... / (tsk)
Heckate: Oh no, he's going to go on for an hour now
Leib: Rip, their luck ran out.
No one will bell the cat while the storm rages. But in private...
Cipactli: MC, can we stop yet...?
MC: Nope! Payback for earlier today! What would people think if they saw you now?
Ooh, power reversal~. At night, behind closed doors, they--
Present
Cipactli: NO WAIT STOP
Hecate: but why tho? We're getting to the best part!
Cipactli: Okay okay, you're good. Now don't put anything like that into the show.
Hecate: o.o
Hecate: :(
Hecate: :o
Hecate: ...okay, leaving it like that makes it special. Sorry, I just got carried away when I heard from Leib you needed taming...
Boogeyman: That's all you needed to go to forbidden places!? Oh no, this is going to be bad!
Hecate: Tee hee, ooh, the jealousy of a colleague who knows what's happening but won't say anything... And the despair of thinking it's more relationship abuse of authority but finding out it's consensual!
Boogeyman: NO DON'T PUT ME IN LIKE THIS
Cipactli: Okay, things should be fine if I'm starring in her script and she doesn't write something with details like that. Did you get some good ideas while taking notes?
Everyone looks at Hecate.
Hecate: Oh yes, once I saw the view and you. It's okay, it'll be a classic with themes of love and barriers!
Leib: Doubt.
Macroich: It'll be cool! So what's the story like, Hecate?
And so Hecate starts to talk about her script.
End of Episode
Hecate, behave! There's children in the audience!
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