Kizuna~Bonds [Screenplay 1/2]
KIZUNA~BONDS
A SCREENPLAY BY
[AERIS]
SCENE 1: A DREAM OF DEPARTURE
FADE in from white to a scene bathed in yellow light. The
backdrop is beautiful - a sun low in the background casting
its reflection off shimmering water. We see a young man, a
teenager, AIDEN, staring off towards it. It's a very
peaceful setting.
Not so peaceful is another young man, MIKAEL. He's running,
and he's running hard. He's almost winded, and he's not
unfit. We hear his breath.
CUT to: AIDEN turns his head - a wind blows strands of hair,
feathering it. ZOOM to his face as a smile appears. The
camera moves from his face in profile, to 3/4 or maybe 5/6
full.
CUT to: MIKAEL running. The camera pans out to show that
MIKAEL is running towards AIDEN. He's almost there. Even
though the view is no longer focused on MIKAEL, his
breathing is hard, and we hear it.
AIDEN's still smiling, but it's regretful. As the sun dips
below the water, the yellow light begins to engulf AIDEN.
CUT to MIKAEL. We see his face.
MIKAEL
No!
MIKAEL reaches out to AIDEN, just as he takes a step
backwards. He's no longer smiling, but his expression is not
unkind.
AIDEN
Sorry.
MIKAEL
Stop it! Stop! I didn't mean--
AIDEN
Keep--
MIKAEL
Just shut up and stay!
AIDEN
--Smiling...Okay?
MIKAEL
AIDENNNNNNNN!
AIDEN
I...
He's gone now, though the light is still there. He's
speaking hesitantly, as if he's uncertain if he wants to say
these words or not. MIKAEL has reached the spot where AIDEN
had been standing a moment before, and kneels there, hands
digging into the dirt, head bent. AIDEN changes his mind,
and begins saying something else, only for MIKAEL to scream,
head raised, and his screams block him out.
AIDEN
Just sm--
MIKAEL
Nghhhhaaaaaaaaanghhhhh! (The sort
of scream that's filled with rage,
anger, and grief.)
SCENE 2: OPENING AND A DREAM OF BETRAYAL
CUT to the opening sequence. A song like Seishun Amigo would
suit it well, in terms of rhythm and lyrics (youth and
friendship and believing that they could do everything - but
having that dream shattered once they moved to a big city).
This can be dealt with later, but should have an overall
darker mood, with several "happy" scenes inserted/forming
the framework.
As the OP fades out into black: Black screen. Slowly, we
hear the sounds of battle as if we are nearing it. Grunts,
clash of steel, clash of flesh, screams. Explosions.
The images hit suddenly as if opening eyes. A head goes
flying. The black-uniformed body topples to reveal a
white-uniformed soldier (TIAN), who appears little older
than a boy, having just swung a bloodied sword hard. He lets
it drop a little, wipes the back of his hand against his
mouth - and stumbles forward in surprise as he's stabbed
from behind. A burst of wind just misses his limp body, and
the person it was meant for desperately ducks as it catches
his arm, leaving behind a bloody tear. The mage (YUN) who
cast it mutters a curse and prepares to cast another - but
is interrupted when the soldier who was guarding him is
killed and he hastily draws a sword, blocking with one hand.
With the other, he instead casts a bolt, piercing his
opponent. ZOOM to his face. He slowly looks up, lets the
other soldier fall; and it resembles the childish looking
white-uniformed one who was stabbed in the back - only he's
livid, and tears run down his face, washing away blood that
had just splashed onto his cheeks.
CUT to: MIKAEL. His face is impassive. His hair stands out -
white. It's not particularly long, but it's not short
either; it covers his ears, falls over the back of his neck.
He blinks - his eyes are a pale amber, almost golden. ZOOM
out: He wears the black uniform, though he has an extra cape
draped over one shoulder, denoting his higher rank. His
swords are strapped to his left side - two of them. His
right hand rests on the hilt of one, his left hangs by his
side. He's not watching the battle, although it's still
ongoing - we see the impasse of black and white, pawns on a
chessboard with few pieces remaining but the Kings. No, he's
staring at something far away, in the distance, across the
battle field, and it is:
AIDEN. A figure seated on the branch of a tree, leaning
languidly against the trunk. Through the foliage: his right
foot is tucked under him so that his left arm rests on his
knee. His left leg dangles under him, and the right hand he
has placed against the bark of the trunk acts as support.
CUT to: his face. In the shadows of the branches, it's
ominous. Dark of skin and with a mop of black hair - hair
falling over one eye, the rest tied back and hangs down to
mid back - he smiles. Even though this is still AIDEN, this
smile is different, almost evil, and he runs his tongue
across his upper lip. He sees MIKAEL as well.
A scream. CUT quickly between MIKAEL's light amber (near
gold in the lighting) eyes and AIDEN's dark (brown yet
obsidian black) eyes. They both burst out - AIDEN first from
the branches, MIKAEL simply leaps from the slope that he
stands on. AIDEN lands lightly, and runs, dispatching a few
black-clad soldiers, before he leaps again, to be met by
MIKAEL halfway through the air.
Their swords clash - MIKAEL's two and AIDEN's one. [Copious
amounts of special effects and video editing goes here.]
Both their eyes show determination keen as their blades.
They fly apart - AIDEN throws a wind below him and keeps
himself aloft, MIKAEL does the same with an explosion. They
clash a few more times, their fight fairly even, climbing
and dipping in the sky. And then - he almost blocks it.
AIDEN's eyes open wide, his expression surprised, as
MIKAEL's sword (one of them) slips past his. AIDEN arcs
backwards, and unable to stop himself, falls, falls,
falls...
SCENE 3: AWAKENING
MIKAEL wakes with a start. He's been dreaming. Sweat
plasters pale hair to pale skin. He's delicate looking,
pretty almost. He's wearing plain flannel pyjamas. He sits
up slowly, and rubs his face with both hands. He glances
about him.
His room is sparse. He's sleeping in the lower bunk. A desk
with two chairs is pushed up against the wall, half messy,
and half bare but for a stack of notebooks in one corner. He
swings his feet off the bed and is headed towards the desk,
when a noise comes from the upper bunk.
He goes to the upper bunk and glancing up, sees AIDEN roll
over, one hand dropping limply over the edge. AIDEN blinks
once, groans, and rolls back over, burying his head into the
blankets. MIKAEL watches him for a moment, and turns away,
shrugging mentally.
MIKAEL
I'm going.
AIDEN
Nghn.
SCENE 4: SAWADA INSULTS MIKAEL. THE END.
MIKAEL shuts the door carefully behind him. The hallway is
one of a dormitory, with plain wooden doors on either side,
each one indistinguishable from another except for a brass
number plate. He's dressed smartly in a blue uniform that
almost resembles a school uniform with its high collar and
button down style. However, the fit and insignias, as well
as a braid pinned from chest to shoulder give it away as a
uniform for something not so peaceful as pure academics.
It's early, and few doors are open, and fewer still students
are about. It has the respectable hushed silence of a
well-off academy, which is what it is. The Honin Academy of
Fine Military Arts, or simply, the Academy. MIKAEL glances
about him - his glances reveal nothing of the matter, and he
begins walking.
He walks with his eyes downcast, ducking his head when he
passes by people. More often than not, the conversation
quiets as he goes past and they watch him with curious eyes.
The moment he's not even a meter away, chatter picks up
again in whispers clearly directed to MIKAEL. The words are
indistinct, but they wonder about his ancestry and family,
and if he really had belonged to a -**- before he'd come
here. Some whisper about how he's one of the top students
and favoured by several Professors as well as the Director.
He hurries on, head bent, an irritated "I can hear you
dammit" written on his face when -
SAWADA
I heard that von Wolken hasn't been
sleeping in lately. Is he bored
with you already?
SAWADA FUMA, tall, handsome, and rich. His family has high
connections, and so it's no surprise that he's head of the
student body at the Academy - signified by the double braid
and extra pin on his collar. He's always surrounded by a few
admiring fellow students, and they (KEMPF and HOLYN among
others) laugh callously at SAWADA's words. MIKAEL's stopped,
but he tries to push past SAWADA again, but is stopped by
one of the sidekicks, HOLYN.
HOLYN
Don't be rude.
KEMPF
Ha! You expected manners from a--
SAWADA
Now now, let's not call names, hm?
The teachers don't like it when we
do that, right, Mikael?
MIKAEL
...
SAWADA
So tell me. Which way is it,
Mikael? Do you prefer it when--
AIDEN
Mikael prefers it when you shut up,
Fuma.
AIDEN walks over and drapes an arm around MIKAEL's
shoulders. He's dressed now too, only his collar isn't done
to the top button. He pats MIKAEL, but doesn't remove his
arm. Instead, he looks at SAWADA, mildly amused but mostly
bored.
SAWADA
I'd prefer Sawada, von Wolken, and
I suggest it to be your preference
too, unless you fancy things
happening to your little whore.
MIKAEL
(Quietly but audibly) Fuck you.
SAWADA
Oh? So you show your true colours,
huh?
AIDEN
Language, Mikael.
KEMPF
(laughing) I'll give you a guilder
if you pay us a visit tonight.
HOLYN
I bet he'd come for free.
MIKAEL looks ready to do bloody murder. AIDEN tightens the
hand on MIKAEL's shoulder. He murmurs something into
MIKAEL's ear, and steps away.
SAWADA
I didn't hear you last night;
losing your touch, von Wolken?
Couldn't make him scream?
MIKAEL
...
SAWADA
Or is it the other way around? Hm?
AIDEN
Yeah? I heard you screamed like a
girl at last year's mock exams. Was
it you in your room the other day,
or did you bribe some ugly duckling
from the slums?
AIDEN pulls MIKAEL away, and past SAWADA who's quickly
colouring. MIKAEL looks furious still, AIDEN looks mildly
bored. MIKAEL hisses a word, twists his fingers - behind him
-
SIDEKICK 1
Shit!
- an explosion takes place mere inches from injuring anyone.
AIDEN
Mikael, please don't burn anything.
MIKAEL
They deserved it.
AIDEN sighs, but his lips twitch in amusement. He snorts
derisively and tilts his head slightly as he considers this.
He grins and agrees.
AIDEN
The little fuckers.
MIKAEL
(Monotone) Language.
AIDEN laughs.
AIDEN
Alright, I get it. Let's go to
class, yeah?
MIKAEL pulls away from AIDEN, and walks faster as if to
distance himself.
MIKAEL
Hnh.