Tengukuri...Copyrighted in the US 2023 Page #7

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MASON:

Don’t say sh*t, loser. Okay? Just take care of my babies, okay man? Promise me. F***in promise me, bro!

His tears are uncontrollable now. Lee is beyond surprised, and growing shaky himself. Far over Mason’s shoulder we see a figure, all in black, with a red Tengu mask, crossing the street.

LEE:

Mason…

MASON:

Lee! Are you hearing me man!?

LEE:

Mason, look, I’m sorry but your dad said the exact same thing to me right before he passed. Okay?

Mason breaks into tears even deeper.

LEE:

And I told him what I’m gonna tell you…I promise Mason, I promise. I’m not perfect. But I try, I just…I promise.

Mason takes a deep breath and it is hard to tell if he is angry, or just drunk. The two spend a few moments on the phone in silence. Mason is gathering himself.

MASON:

Ok well (long pause) take care of my niece Lee. Meg could kick your ass, in case you didn’t know. Sorry I’ve been such a dick. Be good man.

Mason hangs up and we are now looking at Lee in bed, holding Meghan’s phone. She is awake on the other side of the bed.

MEGHAN:

What did he say?

LEE:

Umm… I think he just apologized for being a dick, and gave me some sort of blessing.

Meghan looks scared. She is questioning absolutely everything in this moment. The moment fades directly up out of their house. We see Mikki laying in bed fast asleep. The view zooms up into the sky, until the screen goes black.

16 - INT. - A COMMERCIAL AIRLINE - DAY

We see Mason fidgeting in an airline seat from behind. It is unclear if anyone is next to him. A flight attendant is headed toward him.

FLIGHT ATTENDANT

Can I get you anything to drink sir?

Mason puts his finger over his lips to suggest a ‘shhh,’ and somewhat mouths:

MASON:

No ma’am, I’m fine, thank you very much.

He smiles charmingly. The flight attendant moves along. He pulls out his phone and reads it as if sacred text to him. We see the last conversation with Meghan, in text:

MEGHAN:

“Take care of my daughter. And don’t ever say the word cock around her again. Please. I love you Mason.”

MASON:

“I love you Meg. Tell Wonder Bread I said thank you.”

Mason smiles deeply. The shot pulls back slightly so that we can see Mikki has fallen asleep on his shoulder. They are on their way to Japan. “FIND MY WAY (Onihone Remix).”

17 - INT. - A COMMERCIAL AIRLINE - NIGHT

Mason and Mikki are sitting in their seats. Both awake. Mason is looking through a book about the geography of Japan. Mikki is watching a movie with headphones on. She is also snacking. She takes the earphones out of her ear.

MIKKI:

What’s Japan really like?

MASON:

Different (chuckles). It’s very different than what you’re used to. The people are wonderful, the food’s unique. The language is the hardest part.

MIKKI:

But don’t you speak Japanese? I mean, you do…

MASON:

My Japanese sucks (chuckles) it’s really limited. Things will get harder the further we get out of the cities, but like I said, the people are so polite and dutiful that they’ll get us where we need to go, and make sure we’re fed along the way. I still think I’m gonna offend everyone, but that’s just me, I’m used to offending people.

MIKKI:

What was it like last time you were there?

MASON:

Oh geez…

Mason seems very reluctant to explain. He closes his book, removes glasses and shifts in his seat. She is eager to hear.

MASON:

So…last time I was there I was working on a story. It was about some men that your grandpa had worked with that were making claims about where their martial arts came from, how long they had been training, and stuff like that. Grandpa started to doubt that any of it at all was true. So he called me - he knew I was a dog with a bone for this kind of stuff. So I came, I did what I do, I dig and report, and found out that he was right.

Mikki seems confused

MIKKI:

That doesn’t sound so bad. I’ve heard you and mom talk about it like something really bad happened.

MASON:

Ya, well sweetheart, it turned out pretty bad. I was telling the truth, you know, but the truth destroyed these men’s honor, which is a really big deal there. Honor is like the thing that is trustworthy in a person, it speaks of who you are not only with other people, but with yourself. When honor is damaged there, there becomes no place for you…anywhere. These men were disgraced and really looked down upon after this, probably even by their own families. I told the truth, but I don’t know if I would do it again.

MIKKI:

What happened to them?

MASON:

Their schools were shut down, students had to start over elsewhere. But what I did wasn’t seen as honorable either. I was like a tattle tale, you know? And grandpa got the same cold shoulder after that too. He had a second life there almost. After that, he had to leave. I ruined everything. He always said that I did the right thing, that their reactions weren’t my fault, but nothing was really the same after that. And as a writer, I don’t know, I could never really appreciate what I’d done there.

MIKKI:

And Delilah came with you?

Mason smiles thinking about her.

MASON:

Ya. She was just a puppy. That was a total pain in the butt.

Mason sits back a bit and remembers.

MIKKI:

She stayed with Peter & Kelly?

MASON:

Ya, I cleared out the apartment so she is staying with them. She loves Dickey, and he’s so good with her.

MIKKI:

Wait, what do you mean “cleared out the apartment?”

Mason chuckles but is obviously uncomfortable.

MASON:

I mean home is now right here, with you, wherever we are at the moment. I mean, I put my stuff in storage and won’t be going back to that place. Time for change I guess. Either I create something from this trip or I’ll be going back and gettin a real job.

There is silence for a moment.

MIKKI:

Are you scared?

MASON:

Ya. A little. I get scared honey. I try not to lie about that. Grandpa always taught me that we can get up from anything, somehow. He would say, “Mason, if you fall seven times, just get up eight.” Fear is something we can pretend isn’t there, but we are just Kabuki…actors, fakes, pretending. Or, we can just walk it out and let it shake the stalk and make us stronger.

MIKKI:

I miss Papa. You miss him a lot huh?

MASON:

I miss him every second. I have so much to tell him every day, but he isn’t there any more. I’ve learned to tell him anyway. But yeah, I miss him so bad. He was a king, my dad.

Mason is close to tears, the mood is slightly somber.

MASON:

No more sad stuff. What are you watching?

MIKKI:

Oh, uh, Storks.

MASON:

Oh that’s funny, I like that one.

MIKKI:

Ya.

MASON:

We should probably get some more sleep soon. If we can.

MIKKI:

I don’t know if I can sleep, I’m too excited.

MASON:

Ya me too. Try though. But whatever. You’re on vacation kiddo. Party it up. I’m gonna get back to these maps.

MIKKI:

Where are we going again?

MASON:

Tengukuri Village.

MIKKI:

To see ninjas?

Mason laughs a bit, but then seems more serious, more analytical.

MASON:

Well, I was recently told a story by this old man, that for some reason approached me and your mom while we were out with some friends. He said he knew who I was, and that if I wanted a good story, I would go Tengukuri Village. If I remember right - and it is a bit fuzzy - he said there was this village at the edge of a forest, trapped in time, that had been training locals in the old ways of ninjitsu for centuries. Now how could I pass that up, right?

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