Lakhasly

OTOOSAN: Good daughters.Tooriko is quiet with shock for a moment and then weeps uncontrollably.) AIKO: (Eerie calmness) You must tell me what has happened to my mother.(He takes out a silver, sparkling box. Immediately, the Kuro-ko tinkles wind chimes and Aiko looks around, startled as if she hears something. Aiko holds the box and slowly opens it, scattering sparkling dust. She takes out a large silver and gold lacquered mirror with angel hair hanging in shreds from it. It leaves her in a state of awe. Tooriko is afraid of it.) AIKO: What is it, Father?(Tooriko leaves. Aiko stares into the mirror as the Kuro-ko tinkles the wind chimes. Lights crossfade...)(Aiko dares look again and gasps. Tooriko's curiosity is quelled by fear.) AIKO: It is Mother, when she was a young girl!(Tooriko helps him off with his coat. He and Tooriko sit around the candle. Incredulous, Aiko puts on her father's coat and prepares to leave.) OTOOSAN: Take off my coat and sit, Aiko.(Otoosan reaches for the satchel and removes two packages.) OTOOSAN: Here.(Tooriko screams in fright and Otoosan silences her with a gentle look.) OTOOSAN: It seems so, does it not?(Warm, loving woman's laughter is heard only by Aiko who jumps in surprise and fear.) TOORIKO: (Staring at her) You are possessed.(He offers it to Tooriko, but she motions for him to offer it to Aiko. He hands it to Aiko. Her pleasure gives Tooriko pleasure.) For you, Aiko-chan.TOORIKO: Aiko-chan, childhood is a butterfly feeding on the dew of youth.(Aiko brandishes the mirror toward her sister who jumps in fright.) Keep that thing away from me!There is no use for it. AIKO: Let it burn and, when it is gone, I want its scent to linger in my hair and kimono.TOORIKO (Bowing low) Welcome home, Otoosan.(Removes a porcelain doll from his satchel.) I brought this porcelain doll for your mother.(He picks up his things and leaves. Tooriko tries to blow out the candle and Aiko stops her.) Leave it be. TOORIKO: But it is almost burned away.OTOOSAN: Where are you going in such a hurry, Aiko?TOORIKO: Quiet, Aiko!AIKO: Tell me where she is. OTOOSAN: Sit.(To the ether) Come back, Okaasan.AIKO: (Facetiously) Oh I am certain.(She opens her gift. It is a scarf.) TOORIKO: Thank you, Otoosan.And for you, Aiko-chan.OTOOSAN: It is called a "mirror." AIKO: "...mirror..."AIKO: (Startled) There is a girl in the glass!OTOOSAN: (Laughs) And who does she look like?I can hear her; can you hear-- OTOOSAN: No one else in Matsuyama has such a mirror.AIKO: Thank you, Otoosan.And the dew disappears quickly.TOORIKO: Dear Aiko...AIKO: Welcome, Father.TOORIKO: Out into the snow to find you!AIKO: Where is Mother?OTOOSAN: It is so cold.Let me sit for a-- AIKO: Is she with the horses?(Otoosan takes the coat off of her and forces her to sit.) Children, your mother has...left us. AIKO: What?No. No. OTOOSAN: ...there has been...I shall save it. OTOOSAN: Do not save it. Wear it. Make yourself look beautiful.TOORIKO: Does it belong in the house?OTOOSAN: It is magic.AIKO: Mother has become a child in this mirror.TOORIKO: No!We will all be cursed.OTOOSAN: Whenever you miss your mother, look in this mirror and you will find her looking back at you.AIKO: There is a spirit in the mirror!TOORIKO: And not just because of this mirror.OTOOSAN: It is healing magic.TOORIKO: Little sister, learn to be practical.As you can see, our parents are not immortal.AIKO: But they are.TOORIKO: Put that thing away!AIKO: But I really saw her.You must grow up. AIKO: No. Never-never-no.TOORIKO: Oh, how can you behave so when she has died this night?AIKO: She is a soldier, a soldier of the soul, like me!AIKO: The night shall never be good again.Hello.an accident.Today.Now.Look in the glass.How can that be so?What have you done?Have you put her in the mirror?Can I get her out?No!You will be the talk of the town.It is black magic.Mother lives.I saw her in this mirror.I did!Do you not see that the gods have punished her for riding out into the snow like a soldier?I shall ride, too, and I will return in one piece with Mother at my side.Good night.

OTOOSAN: Good daughters. Hello. TOORIKO (Bowing low) Welcome home, Otoosan. AIKO: Welcome, Father. OTOOSAN: Where are you going in such a hurry, Aiko? TOORIKO: Out into the snow to find you! AIKO: Where is Mother? OTOOSAN: It is so cold. Let me sit for a— AIKO: Is she with the horses? TOORIKO: Quiet, Aiko! (Tooriko helps him off with his coat. He and Tooriko sit around the candle. Incredulous, Aiko puts on her father’s coat and prepares to leave.) OTOOSAN: Take off my coat and sit, Aiko. AIKO: Tell me where she is. OTOOSAN: Sit. (Otoosan takes the coat off of her and forces her to sit.) Children, your mother has… left us. AIKO: What? No. No. OTOOSAN: ...there has been… an accident. (The breath knocked out of her, Aiko sits motionlessly. Tooriko is quiet with shock for a moment and then weeps uncontrollably.) AIKO: (Eerie calmness) You must tell me what has happened to my mother. OTOOSAN: The snow. An accident with the horses. Her head struck a rock. When they found her, she was already… AIKO: How can you sit there like a piece of stone? TOORIKO: Aiko! AIKO: How can you? What are you? OTOOSAN: The bearer of our pain so that you can go on. TOORIKO: Oh, this family. Pull yourself together, Father. OTOOSAN: Your mother drifts in the winds tonight, seeking her next existence. We must keep the sky clear; we must not weep. AIKO: Bring her back. (To the ether) Come back, Okaasan. Come back! Please, please, come back. OTOOSAN: Enough, gentle Aiko-chan… we must go on as usual… AIKO: What? How? TOORIKO: Shall we sit around like fools and weep? AIKO: You never loved her like I did. TOORIKO: I am older and I have loved her longer. AIKO: And I love her best. (Otoosan reaches for the satchel and removes two packages.) OTOOSAN: Here. Your gifts. Come. Let us be as curious and happy as we always are when I return from my journeys. AIKO: I only want the return of my mother. OTOOSAN: What do you think I brought you, Aiko-chan? AIKO: Who will I ask for help when I am learning new embroidery? TOORIKO: I will help you. AIKO: You do not help. You order. OTOOSAN: We will all help each other. AIKO: Tooriko-san will only help herself and her husband. TOORIKO: What is wrong with that? If you ever grow up, you will bring a husband to live here with you and Otoosan. You will know secrets that will make you selfish sometimes, too. OTOOSAN: Yes, Aiko, I will find you a strong, patient man. TOORIKO: In this case, perhaps a saint is required. OTOOSAN: And Tooriko will always be near. Her husband plans to build their new house just on the other side of the village. AIKO: It might as well be on the other side of the universe. OTOOSAN: When I am gone, you two sisters will be all that is left of our family. Can you not be civil to one another? Come, Aiko-chan. Come sit by me. AIKO: Who will cook tonight, Otoosan? TOORIKO: I will cook. AIKO: You? The taste will kill— Sorry. But you don’t know how to cook. You don’t. OTOOSAN: Your aunt will come tomorrow to help. AIKO: Aunt Yukiko! OTOOSAN: This is a time to find strength in family. Yukiko Obasan is good and kind. AIKO: And rough as a tree trunk. TOORIKO: But sturdy and lasting. OTOOSAN: Are you not curious about your present, Aiko? Perhaps it will give you a little light in this darkness? AIKO: (Facetiously) Oh I am certain. OTOOSAN: Then if I have brought a new doll, must I find another little girl to give it to? AIKO: Otoosan? Could the gods have made a mistake? Can they be persuaded to give back my mother? OTOOSAN: Open your present, dear child. AIKO: How can I behold these gifts at such a time? TOORIKO: Because we need to. If I stare at the tatami all night and cry, then I will not make it to morning. OTOOSAN: Here, Tooriko-san. (She opens her gift. It is a scarf.) TOORIKO: Thank you, Otoosan. I shall save it. OTOOSAN: Do not save it. Wear it. Make yourself look beautiful. Today. Now. And for you, Aiko-chan. (He takes out a silver, sparkling box. Immediately, the Kuro-ko tinkles wind chimes and Aiko looks around, startled as if she hears something. Aiko holds the box and slowly opens it, scattering sparkling dust. She takes out a large silver and gold lacquered mirror with angel hair hanging in shreds from it. It leaves her in a state of awe. Tooriko is afraid of it.) AIKO: What is it, Father? OTOOSAN: It is called a “mirror.” AIKO: “...mirror…” TOORIKO: Does it belong in the house? OTOOSAN: It is magic. Look in the glass. AIKO: (Startled) There is a girl in the glass! OTOOSAN: (Laughs) And who does she look like? (Aiko dares look again and gasps. Tooriko’s curiosity is quelled by fear.) AIKO: It is Mother, when she was a young girl! (Tooriko screams in fright and Otoosan silences her with a gentle look.) OTOOSAN: It seems so, does it not? AIKO: Mother has become a child in this mirror. How can that be so? What have you done? Have you put her in the mirror? Can I get her out? TOORIKO: No! No! We will all be cursed. OTOOSAN: Whenever you miss your mother, look in this mirror and you will find her looking back at you. (Warm, loving woman’s laughter is heard only by Aiko who jumps in surprise and fear.) TOORIKO: (Staring at her) You are possessed. AIKO: There is a spirit in the mirror! I can hear her; can you hear— OTOOSAN: No one else in Matsuyama has such a mirror. You will be the talk of the town. TOORIKO: And not just because of this mirror. (Aiko brandishes the mirror toward her sister who jumps in fright.) Keep that thing away from me! It is black magic. OTOOSAN: It is healing magic. (Removes a porcelain doll from his satchel.) I brought this porcelain doll for your mother. (He offers it to Tooriko, but she motions for him to offer it to Aiko. He hands it to Aiko. Her pleasure gives Tooriko pleasure.) For you, Aiko-chan. AIKO: Thank you, Otoosan. (He picks up his things and leaves. Tooriko tries to blow out the candle and Aiko stops her.) Leave it be. TOORIKO: But it is almost burned away. There is no use for it. AIKO: Let it burn and, when it is gone, I want its scent to linger in my hair and kimono. TOORIKO: Little sister, learn to be practical. As you can see, our parents are not immortal. AIKO: But they are. Mother lives. I saw her in this mirror. TOORIKO: Put that thing away! AIKO: But I really saw her. I did! TOORIKO: Aiko-chan, childhood is a butterfly feeding on the dew of youth. And the dew disappears quickly. You must grow up. AIKO: No. Never-never-no. TOORIKO: Oh, how can you behave so when she has died this night? Do you not see that the gods have punished her for riding out into the snow like a soldier? AIKO: She is a soldier, a soldier of the soul, like me! I shall ride, too, and I will return in one piece with Mother at my side. TOORIKO: Dear Aiko… Good night. AIKO: The night shall never be good again. (Tooriko leaves. Aiko stares into the mirror as the Kuro-ko tinkles the wind chimes. Lights crossfade…)