The Agony in the Garden
The team at Studio Poutine have just finished watching
_Maria-sama ga miteru_; however, not being so foolish
as to risk their hard-won jobs with an attempt at yet
another yuri epic so soon in their careers they have
decided to instead a short scenario, of which they
might actually have a hope in hell of finishing a
complete draft.
Does the world need another Sei Sato fic? Of course it
does. There is, however, a quite intentional lack of
hentai and/or Yoko Mizuno.
Work on a new version of the Studio Poutine website
(based off the MSU servers which I can no longer
access) is still very preliminary. This fic has been
sent to the shoujoai.com fanfic archive to avoid
ff.net script format Nazis and Canadian income tax.
Comments welcome.
Paul Corrigan
---
[Opening shot is of a hand pushing a book, front cover
up, into the centre of an immaculate desk. The title
is _The Forest of Thorns._]
Woman: [old] I take it this is the book you mean?
Another woman: [young; ever-so-slightly triumphant]
Yes, Mother Superior. So you'll agree, then--
[Shot of the old woman, namely Mother Superior, a nun
of about sixty, dressed in old-fashioned habit,
sitting behind her desk, looking stern.]
Mother Superior: That not only is Sei Suga--or rather
Sei Sato--guilty of engaging in employment outside
Lillian Academy...
[Shot, from behind Mother Superior's back, of Sei
Sato, standing in front of Mother Superior's desk,
looking mortified, and a lay female teacher of about
thirty, at Sei's left, failing miserably to mask her
enthusiasm in playing prosecutor.]
Teacher: [crescendo] ...but also did so in such a way
calculated to bring Lillian Academy into disrepute,
which, might I add, seems to be Miss Sato's apparent
vocation in life. I am afraid it is my duty to
recommend Miss Sato for expulsion.
Sei: [as demurely as she can muster; pleading] Please,
Mother Superior. You must believe me. I am not the
author of the book. I had never even heard of it
before this morning when another student...
Teacher: [to Sei, with obvious contempt] Oh, for God's
sake, girl. You even used the character of your real name
for your nom de plume! How stupid do you--
Mother Superior: Quiet!
[Teacher and Sei fall silent, look at Mother
Superior.]
[Cut back to Mother Superior. She is looking
questioningly, not left (towards Sei), but left
(towards Teacher).]
Mother Superior: Miss Sonoda. Have you actually read
this book yet?
[Close up of Teacher's face, at first surprised, then
defensive.]
Teacher: Well, I--
Mother Superior: Perhaps you should. Maybe you'd
understand your students better.
[Close up of Mother Superior's face, bearing a clearly
irritated expression.]
Mother Superior: Not to mention it'd have saved you
the trouble of embarrassing Miss Sato in front of the
whole school _and_ wasting my time with wild and
groundless accusations. [looks left, towards Sei] I
believe you, child.
[Cut back to Teacher and Sei. Sei's mortification has
turned to surprise; Teacher's triumph to incredulity.]
Teacher: But, Mother--
Mother Superior: Sei Sato could not have written this
book. The details are not the details of her case as I
understood them. And the school is not Lillian...
Teacher: [interrupting] Fine! Artistic license! She
changed a few details so she could deny she was the
author! Not to mention indulge her teenage fantasies!
That's no reason to...
[Close up of Mother Superior's face.]
Mother Superior: [starting to lose patience with
Teacher] Please, Miss Sonoda, let me finish!...
[Shot back to Teacher and Sei. Teacher is chastened,
Sei is all attention.]
Mother Superior: [calmly] It is not the Lillian you know.
It is Lillian as it was when I was a student here myself,
in the late 1950s. How it brought me back. There are small
things in the book nobody could know unless they were
there at the time.
[Close up of Teacher's face.]
Mother Superior: Things one wouldn't have found even
in the archives of the Lillian newspaper. Yes, I
thought of that too. Actually, I meant to ask you,
Miss Sonoda. Shouldn't you keep those girls on a
tighter leash? You're supposed to be their adviser.
Teacher: [scowling] Yes, Mother Superior!
[Close up of Mother Superior's face.]
Mother Superior: See that you do.
[Wide shot of Mother Superior's office. Like most
rooms in Lillian Academy, the furnishings are sparse
and simple, much more so than one would expect for
such a prestigious and wealthy school. The room is
practically bare, save for Mother Superior's desk, a
bookshelf on the right wall, and some framed pictures
on the left wall. Slight pan from left to right.]
Mother Superior: [summing up] My conclusion is the
author is most probably an alumna of Lillian Academy
who graduated a long time ago. I think there is more
than reasonable doubt that Sei Sato wrote the book,
and given that, I see no good reason to pursue this
matter further. So if there's nothing else, then,
I'd better let you go, Miss Sonoda. I'm sure your
students are waiting. Miss Sato--
[Shot of Sei standing in front of the desk, a relieved
expression on her face. She bows politely.]
Sei: Yes. I'll be on my way back to class, Mother...
Mother Superior: Actually, don't go quite yet. I
wanted to speak to you some more.
[Camera pans to Teacher.]
Mother Superior: Alone. Unless there was something
you'd forgotten, Miss Sonoda?
[Close up of Teacher's face.]
Teacher: [snapping to attention, scowling] No, Mother
Superior! Please excuse me!
[Close up of Mother Superior's face, as she watches
Teacher go. Beat.]
[Shot from Mother Superior's left of desk, Mother
Superior seated at camera right, Sei standing at
camera left, looking over her shoulder, watching
Teacher go.]
[SFX: Loud slam as Teacher leaves room. Sei cringes
visibly. Mother Superior does not move. Beat. Sei
turns back to face Mother Superior.]
Sei: Is there something else I can do for you, Mother
Superior?
Mother Superior: I've been meaning to ask you about
Shimako Todo. How are you two getting along?
[Close up of Sei's face, a bit surprised at the
question.]
Sei: Oh. Fine. [smiles] Actually, very well, thank
you. I couldn't hope for a better successor. The
Student Council will be in fine hands--
[Shot, from across desk, of Mother Superior. She
sighs, she might put her hands to her temples as she
appears to think a moment. Beat.]
Mother Superior: Let me put it another way...[looks
up] How was she chosen to be on the Student Council?
[Close up of Sei's face. She hesitates a moment; her
mask of decorum slipping for a split second.]
Sei: Um...she was invited by the others to help out at
the Rose Mansion. I had no soeur, and they were
understaffed...we got on very well, so I asked her to
be Rose gigantea en bouton--to take over after I
graduated...she'd long ago proven she had what it
took, so I didn't see...
Mother Superior: And how was she recommended to you?
The Council I mean?
[Beat.]
[Close up of Mother Superior's impassive face.]
Mother Superior: Well?
[Close up of Sei, looking increasingly nervous,
clearly not liking the direction this is going, her
mask of decorum continuing to disintegrate. Her
hesitations become longer; she might even begin to
stammer slightly.]
Sei: She...she came up in conversation.
Mother Superior: How?
Sei: At the beginning of Easter term...I ran into her
by chance...I was by the cherry trees, and--and I
guess she was just looking around campus and--well,
she ran into me, it was more like--and I guess she got
scared and ran away when I looked up at her. And
afterwards I mentioned it to the others--
Mother Superior: On the Council?
Sei: Yes, Mother Superior--just casually, you know? I
don't even remember why--and I think it was Eriko said
something like, "Oh dear, you've stolen a first-year's
heart already? Shame on you!" [starting to get
agitated] And started laughing at me. I told her to
stop, and I was pretty angry too, because I didn't
find it funny. At all. So I guess they thought it'd be
good for a laugh--
[Cut back to Mother Superior.]
Mother Superior: To offer her up to you on a silver
platter?
[Cut back to Sei's face, now looking as if she's about
to cry.]
Sei: I don't know...ask them...!
Mother Superior: You did make her your soeur, though,
am I right?
Sei: Yes...but...[beginning to plead again] Mother
Superior, I know what you're thinking, and it's not--
[Close up of Mother Superior's face]
Mother Superior: Well, then, you'd better tell me what
it is.
[Shot of Sei in front of the desk. She composes
herself, appears to be collecting spiritual fortitude
to go on.]
Sei: You really want to know, huh?
Mother Superior: If I didn't I wouldn't have asked.
Sei: After a while, when they saw I wasn't taking the
bait, Sachiko Ogasawara ups and decides she'll take
Shimako for herself. And I wouldn't let her. Because
God help me I didn't want her anywhere around the
likes of that stuck-up...
[Close up of Sei's fist suddenly clenching.]
Sei: Do you have any idea what they're like on the
Student Council? God, I'd love to wring their
necks...Innocent Little kids come in all excited to be
here and bored, frustrated little hothouse flowers
lying in wait to play games with their minds 'til they
can't think straight...pretending to be in love with
them just for kicks...
Mother Superior: Innocent?
Sei: Yes! Why? You think I shouldn't protect Shimako
from that kind of b--
Mother Superior: Innocent. Pure of heart. Not to
mention a child of deep faith. Has she told you about
her family?
Sei: What?...Yes!...What's that got to do with...
[Close up of Mother Superior's face as she looks Sei
in the eye.]
Mother Superior: Miss Sato, I think I've heard this
before.
[Cut back to Sei, her expression frozen. Beat.]
Mother Superior: You were jealous, am I right?
[Shot of Mother Superior at her desk, her expression
deadly serious.]
Mother Superior: Miss Sato, please listen.
[Wide shot of office; slow pan across room. Her next
two speeches are quiet but impassioned, enough so to
suggest it is all she can do not to plead.]
Mother Superior: I have been teaching here for over
thirty years, and been principal for ten. You're
right, this is a hothouse. Or the garden of Dr.
Rappaccini. A place where poisonous flowers blossom
where God never intended them to. There is only so
much control I have over that. Every couple of years
or so I see a new version of the drama you starred in
with Shiori Kubo. It has never ended well, and has
never gotten any easier to watch. The longer I have to
wait for the next performance, the better. For the
love of our Lord, no matter what you do, do not give
way to that sin or lead Shimako Todo into it. You were
very lucky, very lucky indeed. That sin has led better
and stronger girls than you to suicide--
[Close up of Sei's face. She suddenly starts to
giggle.]
Mother Superior: Excuse me Miss Sato, is something
funny? Because I don't think--
Sei: That's it then, huh?
Mother Superior: What is?
[Close up of Sei's face, as she fights back derisive
laughter.]
Sei: Okay. I get my heart torn in two by a girl and
I'm the bad guy huh? And I can't go within ten yards
of a girl for the rest of my life in case I send us
both to hell. Is that what you're trying to tell me?
[Close up of Mother Superior's face in profile,
impassive.]
Mother Superior: [calmly] Going within ten yards of a
girl is one thing. Fixating on her is quite another.
We've discussed this before. You should have a large
circle of...
[Slow pan of Sei's face as she rants at Mother
Superior.]
Sei: [crescendo, increasingly hysterical] Yeah, yeah,
I know. "If your eye causes you to sin," blah, blah,
blah. Fine. I'm game. Tell me what part of my brain
made me fall in love with Shiori, I'll have it
removed. Get me a nice little frontal lobotomy. How's
that?
[Shot of Mother Superior in profile, sitting
impassive, unnaturally calm, in her chair as Sei
raves.]
Sei: Then I won't be able to ruin the reputation of
anyone else's precious little maiden.
[Close up of Sei's face, her face a parody of sudden
enlightenment.]
Sei: Or--yeah! I know! I'll have myself fixed! That's
it! You have this problem all the time, huh? So tell
me, what's the name of the vet you usually send them--
[Mother Superior rises like a shot from her chair.]
[SFX: Loud slap.]
[Long, slow pan from Mother Superior's left of Mother
Superior and Sei standing at their respective sides of
the desk, just catching the follow through from Mother
Superior's slapping Sei--hard--in the face. Long
beat.]
[Close up of Mother Superior's face, a mask of anger.]
Mother Superior: Don't talk ROT, girl!
[Cut to full length shot of Sei, nursing her cheek.
All her energy seems to have been drained; she might
put a hand on the desk to support herself.]
Mother Superior: You still think of yourself as the
romantic heroine, eh? You think nobody suffered in all
that business but you? You think Miss Kubo didn't
suffer as much as you did on your account? What, upset
she left you in the lurch? She probably saved both
your lives! What were you planning to do at that train
station Miss Mizuno found you at anyway? Run off into
the sunset? Or jump in front of the tracks? Because
God knows I've had that happen.
Sei: [quietly] Excuse me, Mother Superior.
[Cut back to Mother Superior, as she sits back down.]
Mother Superior: If you want to be treated as an
adult, you should start acting like one. Please take a
chair and sit. You're making me nervous standing over
me like that.
[Close up of Sei's face.]
Sei: Yes, Mother Superior.
[Slow pan over close up of Mother Superior's face. She
sighs deeply.]
Mother Superior: Suppose I banned the system of soeurs
tomorrow--Lord knows better women than I have tried,
for all the good it ever did. It just grew back
thicker, if anything. Can you really tell me it would
have stopped you and Miss Kubo?
[Shot from Mother Superior's perspective of Sei
sitting in a swivel chair in front of the desk.]
Sei: I never asked Shiori to be my soeur, Mother
Superior.
[Camera close-up on a framed picture of an idealized,
rather kitschy Crucifixion, with Our Lady and Saint
John standing at the base of the cross, of the sort
that used to appear in Catholic bibles and on dressers
and mantelpieces in Catholic homes before Vatican II.
Slow pan out as the dialogue continues, revealing,
perhaps, a picture of a idealized female saint--it
might be St. Marguerite Bourgeoys converting the
Indians of Canada--on the left, and a photo of Pope
John Paul II on the right.]
Mother Superior: Yes, you're right. Wealth leads to
idleness. Idleness to iniquity. In the days when the
New Testament was being written Rome was the richest
empire anyone had ever known...
Sei: [a hint of sarcasm] What, they threw Christians
to the lions just because they were bored?
Mother Superior: For example. And crucified our Lord.
People went to executions because it was something to
do. To be entertained. They still do. I'm told in
Afghanistan the Taliban used to execute people in
sports stadiums. In Iran hangings are family
entertainment. Supposedly people bring their children.
To watch people being tortured like a cat tortures a
mouse.
[Shot of Mother Superior across table, looking back
towards Sei.]
Mother Superior: "Father, forgive them. They do not
know what they are doing."
[Shot of Sei in her chair.]
Mother Superior: Because they didn't. Nothing could
get them to realize what they were doing, until the
Temple in Jerusalem fell, and then Rome itself. And
then it was too late.
[Sei looks down, no longer daring to look Mother
Superior in the eye.]
Mother Superior: If he could forgive those who
tortured him to death, he can expect no less of us. Am
I wrong?
Sei: No, Mother Superior.
[Cut back to Mother Superior; she has turned back to
the picture of the Crucifixion, looking thoughtful.]
Mother Superior: Sometimes I run into people in the
street, handing out pamphlets about the Revelation.
[Cut back to Sei sitting across from Mother Superior.]
Mother Superior: Telling everybody it's a book of
prophecy, as if that were news, when anybody with a
bit of learning should _know_ it's a book of
prophecy. Do you know why?
Sei: No, Mother Superior.
[Cut to Mother Superior.]
Mother Superior: Because it all came to pass. Every
word.
[Close up on Mother Superior's pensive face. Slow
camera pan from left to right.]
Mother Superior: Babylon fell--that is Rome--and the
Church ruled Europe for a thousand years. But most of
the rest of the world was left untouched. When Rome
fell we Japanese were still little more than savages.
I sometimes think man was let off so lightly because
not everyone had had a chance to hear the good news.
But now, when men have heard his name and still defy
him--when our Lord returns, their fate will make the
pool of fire seem like a paradise--
[Cut back to Sei.]
Sei: [interrupting; exasperated] Fine, whatever, but
what the heck that's got to do with me and Shimako?
[Cut back to Mother Superior. She gives Sei a
withering look, the sort reserved for particularly
dull students.]
Mother Superior: Another Catholic education wasted.
[Cut back to Sei, scowling.]
Mother Superior: Must I spell everything out?
[Shot from the ceiling of Mother Superior pushing her
copy of _Forest of Thorns_ towards Sei.]
Mother Superior: You said you hadn't read it?
Sei: Yes...I mean no...I mean, you're right. I
haven't.
Mother Superior: You ought to. Her story could be
yours. What happened to you and Miss Kubo happened
even in my time.
Sei: So...do you know who wrote the book?
Mother Superior: I have a fairly good idea who it
might be. Yes.
[Shot of Sei, now hanging on Mother Superior's words.
Beat.]
[Shot of Mother Superior, who was looking towards Sei
just then, looking away once more to camera left,
suddenly looking very sad and old.]
[Close up of Mother Superior's face, as she lets out a
deep sigh.]
Mother Superior: A girl I knew at Lillian. When I was
a student here.
[Close up profile of Sei's face as her eyes widen in
sudden comprehension. Her breath catches.]
[Long beat.]
Sei: What was her name...? Tell me!
[Close up of Mother Superior's face. She looks back at
Sei.]
Mother Superior: Miss Sato. Our Lord did not ask the
woman caught in adultery the name of the one she had
sinned with.
[Cut back to Sei. She breaks eye contact, looking
rather ashamed.]
Mother Superior: I'll tell you this much. The ending's
not how I remember it.
[Sei looks up.]
Sei: Huh?
[Wide shot of the office, with Mother Superior and Sei
siting across from each other.]
Sei: How did it end then?
Mother Superior: The girl who led her into sin didn't
die. Though it wasn't for want of trying.
Sei: What happened then?
[Close up of profile of Mother Superior's face, her
eyes shut.]
Mother Superior: She was saved by nothing less than
divine providence. With all hope lost the family had
even already arranged for the death notice in the next
morning's paper. By some oversight nobody got around to
asking the paper to print a correction. Not that it
mattered. Her parents saw to it the two never saw each
other again.
[Close of up Sei's profile as she drinks in Mother
Superior's words.]
Mother Superior: Maybe it wasn't an oversight after
all.
Sei: "Has anybody condemned you?"
[Cut to Mother Superior's profile. She looks up at
Sei.]
Mother Superior: Pardon?
Sei: That's what Jesus asked the woman caught in
adultery. She said, "No one, Lord." So he answered...
[Cut to Sei's profile.]
Sei: "Neither do I condemn you. Go and sin no more."
[Cut to Mother Superior's profile. She smiles sadly,
shuts her eyes again.]
Mother Superior: There's hope for you yet.
[Cut to Sei's profile; she has a bittersweet smile of
her own.]
Mother Superior: Miss Sato.
Sei: [snapping to attention] Yes, Mother Superior?
[Cut to Mother Superior's profile; she has come back
to herself, now every inch the school principal.]
Mother Superior: Miss Sato. You've learned the hard
way how easily one can damn oneself and the ones one
loves. How painfully the story can end. God in his
wisdom has given you a chance to rewrite it. For his
sake, don't waste it.
[Shot from Mother Superior's perspective of Sei
sitting across from her at the desk. Beat.]
Sei: [solemnly] Mother Superior...when I gave Shimako
Todo my rosary...I told her I wanted a sister. Not a
"soeur." Believe me...if, God forbid, you ever see
Shimako Todo in your office...it will be in spite of
everything I could possibly have done to prevent it. I
promise you that.
[Shot of Mother Superior's end of the table. She
nods.]
Mother Superior: Good. I'm glad.
[Beat.]
Sei: Was there anything else, Mother Superior?
Mother Superior: Hm?
[Cut back to Sei seated at her end of the desk.]
Mother Superior: No. Nothing comes to mind. I've kept
you here far too long. I should let you go back to
class.
[Sei makes as if to rise, then seems to remember
something.]
Sei: Mother Superior...what should I tell them?
[Cut to Mother Superior at her desk.]
Mother Superior: [looking up at Sei] Who?
Sei: Shimako Todo and Yumi Fukuzawa. Should I tell
them?
Mother Superior: [after a moment's hesitation] About
what exactly?
[Cut to Sei, halfway risen from her seat.]
Sei: Shiori.
[Cut to Mother Superior. She appears to be thinking
about the best answer. Beat.]
Mother Superior: [finally] Are you sure that's
something you should tell people lightly?
Sei: It's no secret around here, Mother Superior.
[Close up of Sei's face, a wry smile on her lips.]
Sei: Actually, for all I know they've already heard
something or other about it. Just as well I give them
the facts, right?
[Cut to Mother Superior.]
Mother Superior: Yes, you're right...yes, you
definitely should tell Miss Todo. For both your sakes.
But Miss Fukuzawa...she is on the Student Council,
yes, but I don't see...
[Cut to Yumi standing in the corridor. Sei has kept
her waiting much longer than she'd expected, and her
worry is obvious; she might be fiddling with her
uniform, checking her watch, etc. to occupy the
camera. She is a respectable distance from the office
door, and while we continue to hear (in voiceover)
Sei's conversation with Mother Superior, Yumi
apparently cannot.]
Sei: You have no idea. She was really worried about
me. She was worried enough about the book...
Mother Superior: She thought you were the author too?
Sei: Yes--she was so worried about me she came with me
to the door of your office. She's the sort that
would...she's a real sweetheart...
Mother Superior: You're fond of her too.
Sei: Yes, Mother Superior. Everyone is. She's not
hard to like. [beat] I have many friends now. That's
what you wanted, right?
Mother Superior: It seems she's taken a shine to you
too.
[Cut back to the inside of the office, where Mother
Superior is still sitting at her desk.]
Mother Superior: Is she as fond of Sachiko Ogasawara
as she is of you?
[Close up of Sei's face, suddenly looking concerned.
Long beat.]
Sei: I wouldn't know. [beat; firmly] Mother Superior,
you won't see Yumi Fukuzawa in here either. Not on my
account anyway.
Mother Superior: Good. I am glad.
[Cut back to Mother Superior at her desk. Beat.]
Mother Superior: Miss Sato...this is your last year.
You'll be out of this hothouse soon enough. Keep the faith.
[Close up of Sei's face as she nods.]
Sei: If you'll excuse me, then...
[Close up of Mother Superior's face from front, as she
watches Sei head for the door.]
[Shot from Mother Superior's chair of Sei, walking to
the door, bowing low, then turning and leaving,
shutting the door firmly behind her.]
[Shot of Mother Superior at her desk, hands folded,
watching Sei go. Long beat. Slight pan out.]
[Shot from above of Mother Superior's hands opening
her centre desk drawer, pulling something out.]
[Close-up of Mother Superior's hands, holding what
appears to be a very well-thumbed rosary. She rubs the
beads as she begins to pray, her hands starting to
shake as she goes.]
Mother Superior: The five sorrowful mysteries. First
sorrowful mystery. The agony in the garden. Our father
who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name; thy kingdom
come; thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven...
[Shot from Mother Superior's perspective of the
pictures on the wall to her left (crucifixion centre,
Pope right, St. Marguerite left), as if Mother
Superior is trying to reflect on Christ's suffering.]
Mother Superior: [voice increasingly shaky] Give us
this day our daily bread, and forgive us our
trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against
us, and lead us not into temptation...
[Camera goes out of focus.]
Mother Superior: But deliver us from evil...
[Wide shot of other Superior at her desk, turned to
look at the Crucifixion. Long beat. Mother Superior
suddenly raises her arm, as if to throw something.]
[Close up of the Crucifixion. Something is hurled at
it fast enough that the camera cannot quite catch it,
cracking the glass in the frame. Off screen Mother
Superior begins to sob. Beat.]
[Close up on Mother Superior, her face buried in her
hands, weeping bitterly.]
Mother Superior: [barely audible] Seiko...
[Close up on the rosary beads, scattered on the floor
where they fell.]
[Fade to black. End.]
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