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MMCA EP 3

EPISODE 3: Switch the Script

EXT. MAIN CHARACTER ACADEMY/SIDEWALK – MORNING (1)

LIZZY LION is on her way to school when she notices SHINICHI TEMPEST getting out of a strange van. She looks suspicious, but she runs up to him and greets him in a cheery voice.

LIZZY LION:

“Hey Tempest-San! Who’s van is that?”

SHINICHI TEMPEST:

“I just ubered to school. I slept in.”

LIZZY LION:

“Oh.”

CUT TO

INT. CLASSROOM – MORNING (2)

MR. NONONSENSE:

“Alright, plot prep is now complete. We will now begin regular class. THREE! TWO! ONE! ACTION! Today is a dark day, students. The Academy was just contacted by the police. We’ve been informed that Chisaki died two days ago by a negligent driver. There will be a service held for him after school.”

INTRO PLAYS THAT’S FULL OF SPOILERS AND DESPONDENT EDGY PROFILE SHOTS OF THE CHARACTERS AS THEY SLOWLY LOOK FROM THE SKY TOWARDS THE CAMERA. THE SONG IS A BANGER AND HELLA SWEET.

MR. NONONSENSE:

“Now, I need to re-establish context by repeating myself for the viewers who have just returned from the intro and I will not change how I say it at all. We think our audience has less than average memory retention.”

“Today is a dark day, students. The Academy was just contacted by the police. We’ve been informed that Chisaki died two days ago by a negligent driver. There will be a service held for him after school.”

The students are muttering quietly amongst themselves.

LIZZY LION INT. MONOLOGUE:

“How sad. That guy was a jerk but he didn’t deserve that. Oh wait. My character should have a reaction to this.”

LIZZY LION:

“Oh Tempest-san, I can’t believe this! How awful! How could this happen to someone so young!”

MR. NONONSENSE:

“Ms. Lion, keep it down.”

LIZZY LION:

“Sorry Mr. NoNonsense.”

LIZZY LION looks to SHINICHI TEMPEST. He is sitting with an expression that is difficult to read.

LIZZY LION INT. MONOLOGUE:

“Tempest is acting weird. He had no reaction to this news. It’s almost like he already knew. But how could he? Unless… Could he be the negligent driver? Is that why he didn’t drive to school today?”

CUT TO

MR. NONONSENSE:

“And so concludes our one and only class of the day as is customary in the Slice of Life genre as to leave enough room for plot.”

CUT TO

INT. CAFETERIA – MID-AFTERNOON (3)

LIZZY LION and SHINICHI TEMPEST are sitting at a table together. SHINICHI TEMPEST looks paranoid, his eyes darting about him, as LIZZY LION is strained as she acts like her cutesy character.

LIZZY LION:

“Whoever thought to make tater tots so small! Doesn’t their size make them that much cuter?”

LIZZY LION INT. MONOLOGUE:

“He can’t even focus on a single thing I say. Although, I can’t blame him. Who could focus on such dull conversation? He just SEEMS guilty. Would he really kill Chisaki over one altercation? No. This is more than that. The whole world can see us now. Maybe the embarrassment, the pressure? It got to him. Pushed him to do it.”

FLASHBACK BEGIN

CHISAKI:

“HOI! Stop muttering to yourself, wannabe!”

CHISAKI punches SHINICHI TEMPEST and he falls down hard. He lays in pain for a while as everyone watches. A close-up of SHINICHI TEMPEST’s face shows without his added int. monologue dialogue.

FLASHBACK END

LIZZY LION INT. MONOLOGUE:

“But that’s before we knew about the cameras. We didn’t know we were being recorded yet. I just can’t deny this feeling that something is terribly wrong.”

FLASHBACK BEGIN

LIZZY LION looks to SHINICHI TEMPEST. He is sitting with an expression that is difficult to read.

FLASHBACK END

LIZZY LION:

“So, how are you feeling about Chisaki?”

SHINICHI TEMPEST:

“I just can’t figure out the significance of his death.”

LIZZY LION:

“Significance? What do you mean?”

SHINICHI TEMPEST:

“Like was it part of the show or was it real? You know what? Nevermind. I don’t want to burden you while you’re enjoying your tots.”

They both notice the cameras.

LIZZY LION:

“Okay.”

LIZZY LION INT. MONOLOGUE:

“That was cryptic.”

LIZZY LION shoves a bunch of tots in her cheeks and smiles at Tempest, and he laughs. Camera zooms in on LIZZY LION’s chipmunk face as she thinks in a menacing tone:

LIZZY LION INT. MONOLOGUE:

“I will find out your secret.”

CUT TO

EXT. MAIN CHARACTER ACADEMY – AFTERNOON (4)

The final school bell rings. LIZZY LION is waving goodbye to Tempest. As he looks away, she jumps into the bushes and watches him. The same van from earlier pulls up and SHINICHI TEMPEST climbs in. LIZZY LION rushes to grab onto the back of the van and holds on. As YUREI OKABE whips around a turn, the door Lizzy is holding onto swings open. She’s holding on to the handle for dear life as she tries to stay hidden from view of the window.

YUREI OKABE:

“Would you close that damn door.”

YUREI OKABE continues to mutter.

YUREI OKABE:

Stupid thing won’t stay closed but the bodyshop guy CLAIMS to have fixed it, and now my car is a safety hazard.

As he is mumbling, camera angle shows that LIZZY LION is completely visible in the side mirror but YUREI OKABE never seems to notice even as passersby honk at him. SHINICHI TEMPEST is struggling to pull the door closed surprised at its weight while nearby drivers are waving frantically at YUREI OKABE and he flippantly ignores them and blows them off. Finally, SHINICHI TEMPEST is able to close the door. YUREI OKABE shakes a fist at the cars nearby like he doesn’t have the energy to really give a shit.

CUT TO

EXT. DECREPIT APARTMENT COMPLEX – EARLY EVENING (5)

YUREI OKABE and SHINICHI TEMPEST are walking into YUREI OKABE’S apartment building. LIZZY LION tugs on the broken door once they’re gone which opens easily. She let’s herself in to snoop.

LIZZY LION:

“What the Media is all of this?”

LIZZY LION inspects YUREI OKABE’S gear. One of which is a weird probe with a log chart hanging on the wall behind it. On it reads a series of dates each marked with varying “horny” levels and few moments of “spiritual ascension upon orgasm”.

LIZZY LION:

“Ew, oh my God. Who IS this psycho?”

She steps out of the van and is surprised to find YUREI OKABE and SHINICHI TEMPEST standing there. SHINICHI TEMPEST is shocked but YUREI OKABE’S reaction is quite odd.

YUREI OKABE:

“A ghost.”

SHINICHI TEMPEST:

“Huh?”

YUREI OKABE:

“Could it be, Aria?”

YUREI OKABE’s eyes are twinkling as both hands are clasped in adoration.

LIZZY LION:

“What? NO. Who is that? Tempest, who IS this guy?”

YUREI OKABE:

“Ahem hur ehehm… Nevermind that. You just bear a passing resemblance to someone I… once knew.”

YUREI OKABE glances at the machine Liz was inspecting earlier.

SHINICHI TEMPEST:

“Anyway, this is my classmate.”

LIZZY LION:

“His best friend, actually. Sorry to go creepo mode on you and follow you in secret.”

LIZZY LION pauses and reconsiders what she just said.

LIZZY LION:

“Actually, no I’m not. It’s time to explain yourselves. BOTH of you but especially the adult who is one phone call away from being sacked.”

LIZZY LION pulls out her phone and types out 911 or whatever the number is for emergency services for the country they’re in.

YUREI OKABE:

“Whoa whoa whoa there kid! Calm down. I just work here! Well, not here. The Academy. I’m an actor. With the school. I’m on your buddy’s role card. I’m the Mentor.”

LIZZY LION:

“That doesn’t explain why you’re such a creep.”

YUREI OKABE:

“That’s my role! I’m just playing the part. Look, we’re not supposed to speak in meta. There’s camera guys all around.”

LIZZY LION and SHINICHI TEMPEST only now notice the hidden camera crew.

LIZZY LION INT. MONOLOGUE:

“You know what? Enough of this bull shit.”

LIZZY LION:

“You’re both morons. I’m rewriting the script. Follow my lead, jackasses.”

YUREI OKABE and SHINICHI TEMPEST bray and haw as they trot into the van like donkeys after her. LIZZY LION is sitting in the driver seat, YUREI OKABE is in the passenger seat, and SHINICHI TEMPEST is forced to stand in the back.

LIZZY LION:

“You’re a ghost hunter?”

YUREI OKABE:

“At your service.”

LIZZY LION:

“Cool, you’re a loser in your thirties who can’t pay rent. Tempest, why are you with this guy?”

SHINICHI TEMPEST:

“He found me at school. He told me to get in his van.”

LIZZY LION:

“And you did? Why would you do that?”

SHINICHI TEMPEST:

“Well, you got into his van.”

YUREI OKABE:

“His bullly died and is haunting him at school and I have it on good authority that if he doesn’t take care of his silly little ghost problem, then he’s gonna make like an asparagus and stink up the place with his recently relieved bowels from which will come via his corpse if you catch my drift.”

SHINICHI TEMPEST:

“What?!”

LIZZY LION:

“What century are you from?”

YUREI OKABE:

“Yeah I was going to tell you about the stakes i.e. your life but I’m no longer the ring leader.”

LIZZY LION:

“So, we’re fighting a ghost?”

YUREI OKABE:

“Oh yes.”

LIZZY LION:

“Let’s go.”

SHINICHI TEMPEST:

“Uh this seems like the kind of thing that takes more preparation… at least a few more episodes worth.”

YUREI OKABE:

“Meh, fine. Let’s go.”

SHINICHI TEMPEST:

“Um, guys? I really don’t think we should go too off script-“

YUREI OKABE:

“SHADDUP!”

LIZZY LION:

“THIS ISN’T ABOUT YOU!”

SHINICHI TEMPEST:

“But I’m the main character.”

-END OF EPISODE-

Published inSketch