OMAKE - NAMES

[The scene: A plain classroom. A whiteboard is up the front, with a few markers and pointers by it]

[SD Gem and SD Kami (fortunately wearing her bodysuit and trenchcoat) enter from the left and right respectively]

Gem: Hello there.

Kami: HI EVERYONE! [Waves]

Gem: [Sighs] we're here today to explain some of the names bantered back and forth in "Second Nature."

Kami: They might have gotten a bit confusing for all you out there.

Gem: So are we ready to begin?

Kami: Wait up!

[SD Kami vanishes off-screen for a second, and reappears wearing a carefully unbuttoned white blouse, a far-too-short black skirt and glasses, with her hair tied in a bun]

Gem: Er... what's with the outfit?

Kami: I'm a schoolteacher!

Gem: I never would have guessed.

Kami: Don't you have a matching one?

Gem: I'm not going there.

Kami: So why are you holding us up.

Gem: I'm...? Never mind.

Kami: Anyway, to begin. We started by tossing around a few first names to get a feel for Gem's new identity.

Gem: It's just a phony name.

Kami: I like to think of it as your softer, huggable side.

Gem: You're freaking me out again.

Kami: Hmmph! Anyone, the first one I tossed her was Sakari.

[The whiteboard pops up "Sakari: At one's best"]

Kami: I thought it was quite a compliment to my little Gem.

Gem: [Muttered] I'm just wondering when she thought I was at my best.

Kami: [Sweetly] I could tell them.

Gem: [Quickly] Anyway, then she suggested Yuki.

[The whiteboard pops up "Yuki: Snow"]

Gem: Which is kind of a pretty name and all, but it really doesn't suit me.

[Kami vanishes off-screen and returns in a pale blue kimono - once again, with the front wide open]

Kami: Although you must admit it is *very* Japanese.

Gem: [Eyes Kami cautiously] Riiight...

Kami: I also suggested Teruko-

["Teru: To Shine" appears on the whiteboard]

Kami: But it's a bit of an awkward name.

Gem: At this rate, I wonder why she didn't call me "amazing."

[Kami pokes out her tongue at Gem]

Gem: She then suggested Yoko-

["Yoko: Beside, with" appears on the whiteboard]

Kami: But it's a bit of a common name.

Gem: Say, just what did you mean with that name anyway? "Beside" someone in particular?

Kami: Ooh, nobody.

Gem: Sure you didn't.

Kami: I could have if you want.

[Dead silence]

Gem: Anyway, we finally hit on a winner.

Kami: I came up with Aoi.

["Aoi: Blue, green" appears on the whiteboard]

Gem: I like it actually. Read it right, and it suits my eyes.

Kami: [Wags finger] Don't forget, it's got a number of other meanings.

["Aoi: Pale, unripe, inexperienced" appears on the whiteboard.]

Gem: [Stares at whiteboard] And just what did you mean by that?

Kami: [Sweetly] Well you're inexperienced in some ways.

Gem: I bet you'd be glad to help with that.

Kami: Oh yes, please!

[She jumps on Gem, hugging her, until Gem can fight her off with the poker]

Gem: DON'T DO THAT!

Kami: Aww, why not?

Gem: We're in the middle of a presentation here, you know.

Kami: Phooey.

[Kami dashes off and returns in her normal outfit]

Gem: Anyway, Kami hit the jackpot with the last name "Hari" straight away.

["Hari: Crystal, glass" appears on the whiteboard.]

Gem: She was obviously thinking of combining it with Aoi, getting Green crystal; a pretty neat description of my *amazing* eyes.

Kami: [Wags finger] Not entirely.

["Aoi Hari: Inexperienced and fragile" appears on the whiteboard with "Rough translation" beneath it.]

Gem: [Stares at whiteboard] You're kidding me.

Kami: It makes you sound so sweet.

Gem: [Sighs] Well your name has a few odd meanings too.

Kami: Eh? Me?

Gem: [Grins] Heh, heh.

["Kami: Spirit, white, hair, delicious" appears on the whiteboard]

Kami: [Stares at whiteboard] You're kidding!?

Gem: And that's a *male* spirit.

Kami: Well, I am a bit butch.

Gem: You? Butch?

Kami: How about delicious? Does that suit me? You'd know.

Gem: *Anyway* we had a few other suggestions that got canned for time reasons.

Kami: I actually wanted to go with Aki-

["Aki: Autumn" appears on the whiteboard.]

Kami: But Gem thought it was kind of boring.

Gem: Although I certainly could have gone with Akki.

["Akki: Evil spirit, demon, devil" appears on the whiteboard]

Kami: I dunno...

Gem: Are you kidding? I'm so evil, that my name should have been Akki Saikou!

["Saikou: Highest, supreme, the most" appears on the whiteboard, with "Akki Saikou: Supreme Devil" beneath it.]

[Gem vanishes in a puff of smoke and reappears wearing a scanty leather outfit with horns, bat wings and a barbed tail]

Gem: HOHOHOHOHO!!!

Kami: [Wags finger] Well how about Akki Saikouchou instead?

[The whiteboard prints up "Saikouchou: Climax" followed by "Akki Saikouchou: Evil Climax"]

Gem: Eh? No fair!

[SD Zenshou peers in from the left. Kami goes all starry-eyed]

Zenshou: While you're at it...

Gem: Yes boss?

[Zenshou walks in]

Zenshou: I was wondering if you could have a go at my name.

Gem: Sure.

Zenshou: Nice outfit, by the way.

Gem: Yikes!

[Gem vanishes in a puff of smoke again and reappears in her regular outfit.]

Gem: Well, Zenshou can be taken to mean "destroyed" or "burned down," whereas Shinju can mean "pearl." So in whole...

["Zenshou Shinju: Shattered Pearl" appears on the whiteboard]

Zenshou: Precisely.

Gem: Nuh-uh. It's got a few more meanings, too.

[The whiteboard writes up "Zenshou: Pervious existence, precedent, prior chapter" followed by "Shinju: Belief, acceptance (of truths)"]

Zenshou: Wow. So it works on two levels.

Gem: Like my name, I'm told.

Kami: WAAAI!

[Kami leaps across the room and grabs Zenshou]

Kami: It's so deep! She's so adorable! I want to hug her and kiss her and hold her!

Gem: Get off my boss!

[Gem beats Kami off with the poker, and Zenshou flees in panic.]

Gem: Boss, wait!

[Kami leaps at Gem again, who panics and flees. Kami lands in a heap, then sits up and cries adorably]

[SD Raven enters from the right]

Raven: Um... what's going on here?

Kami: Wow!

[Kami leaps on Raven, who panics and screams for help. Fade out.]


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