It's On! Wonder Halloween! - 4: Invisible Change

Wonder Stage

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1

Tsukasa

Okay, team!
Let's start our first full rehearsal!

2

Emu

Yeah!

3

Emu

But are you sure you're okay?
Doesn't it still hurt?

4

Nene

You hit your head pretty hard, so take it easy. We don't want to make you worse than you already are.

5

Tsukasa

Are you worried about me or just mocking me...?

6

Tsukasa

Anyway, I'm fine! I got checked out at a hospital just to be sure.

7

Tsukasa

Let's focus on the rehearsal today, okay?

8

Emu

If you're REALLY sure you're okay... Let's get started!

9

Nene

We're going to do a read-through first, right?
Rui, you said you'd bring us copies of the script.

10

Rui

...

11

Nene

Rui? Hello?

12

Rui

Sorry, what was that? Ah, the script.
Here are your copies! Ready to go?

13

Nene

Yeah...

14

Emu

Director! We have a remarkably large audience today!

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15

Tsukasa

Oh? Excellent!
Let's see what sort of demographic it is this time... Huh?

16

Tsukasa

Am... Am I seeing this right?
Are these creatures...crawling out of graves?!

17

Tsukasa

Could they be... No, they DEFINITELY are zombies! And they're headed this way!

18

Emu

Yikes, you're right!
And they don't smell very nice either!

19

Tsukasa

That's not the problem! Goodness me, we must evacuate our visitors at once!

20

Tsukasa

Before the zombies get them, that is!

21

Rui

At this point Tsukasa makes his way to the center of the audience seats while addressing the guests as he passes them.

22

Tsukasa

Run away! Run away!
Zombies are coming!

23

Rui

Next, he faces the oncoming zombies and...

24

Rui

No, er... He should turn back and return to the stage. Then he says his next line....

25

Tsukasa

Hold on, isn't that kind of anticlimactic?

26

Tsukasa

This is the first scene with the zombies.
It needs to have more of an impact.

27

Rui

Yes, I suppose so...

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28

Tsukasa

How about I fight the zombies?

29

Emu

Cooool!
I wanna fight too!

30

Nene

That could work. Tsukasa could struggle as he tries to fight one zombie and the audience will know that these are formidable opponents.

31

Rui

Yes... We could have that. And while he's struggling with the one zombie, a whole throng of them can appear from the other side...

32

Rui

Tsukasa dashes back towards the stage, the zombies close ranks and the audience will hold their breath.

33

Tsukasa

Hah! Everyone's eyes will be glued to me!

34

Emu

And then? What happens next?

35

Rui

Just when the zombies are about to catch him, Tsukasa performs a miraculous leap!

36

Tsukasa

Ah, it's wire-flying time!

37

Rui

He somersaults in the air and flies past his pursuers...

38

Emu

That's going to look INCREDIBLE♪

39

Tsukasa

This is just the kind of daring performance I was born for! What comes after that, Rui?

40

Rui

Actually... This might be too much action so early in the play. It'll throw off the pacing.

41

Tsukasa

Really?

42

Rui

I need to give it some more thought. Let's leave it for now and move on to the next scene.

43

Nene

Rui...?

44

Tsukasa

Sooo... The next scene is where I get dragged away into the trap room!

45

Tsukasa

We had a bit of an accident last time, but I'll pull it off without a hitch this time!

46

Rui

About that scene...

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47

Rui

I'd like to tweak it a little.

48

Tsukasa

In what way?

49

Rui

Disappearing into the trap room creates a problem where the audience can't see what's happening.

50

Rui

It would be better if zombies appeared at the far side of the stage and you'll find yourself cornered.

51

Rui

You can still act the being dragged underground part, just you'll be doing it while in the full view of the audience. Don't you think that would be better?

52

Tsukasa

Well, it's not bad but...

53

Tsukasa

Are you sure you're happy with just that...?

54

Rui

Hm? What do you mean?

55

Tsukasa

Our Halloween show deserves to be more original than that. I'm fired up for it and really want to outdo myself.

56

Tsukasa

There's nothing wrong with pantomiming it but it's going to take away from the realism we're trying to create.

57

Tsukasa

Now, zombies emerging from beneath the stage gives it a real sense of danger!

58

Tsukasa

Let's have TEN zombies gang up on me and pull me under for a powerful and dramatic effect!

59

Nene

That many? It sounds risky, especially since you nearly got hurt last time we tried it with just one.

60

Tsukasa

That was due to my carelessness. Don't worry, I can do this! The audience will be even more thrilled if it looks a little dangerous!

61

Tsukasa

What do you think, Rui?

62

Rui

Um...

63

Rui

I don't think it would be visually appealing.
We should keep the action on the stage.

64

Rui

Let's go with the change I mentioned earlier... Hm?

65

Rui

What is it?
Did I say something strange?

66

Nene

Not strange, but...

67

Emu

It's just that...
You don't sound like yourself.

68

Rui

I don't...?

69

Rui

Hmm. I'm not doing anything out of the ordinary. How am I acting different from usual?

70

Emu

It's hard to put my finger on it, but...

71

Tsukasa

...

72

Tsukasa

Hey, Rui...

73

Tsukasa

Is this honestly what you want from this show?

74

Rui

Huh?

Next Chapter: Greatest Production