I couldn't just make up an African country that didn't sound really silly. . .

Last time. . .

We Now Continue.

CUT TO:

INT, Mamoru's Bedroom

Mamoru rises out of bed, peacefully. A rarity these days. He looks. . . dissappointed, somehow.

CUT TO:

INT, Mamoru's Condo, Hallway

We follow Mamoru, now in his usual sharp attire, as he walks toward the kitchen. As he goes down the hall, he passes by a large window, revealing a small but professional RECORDING STUDIO, complete with a PIANO, HUNDREDS OF RECORDS, MIXING STUDIO, the works. Now we know how the "Chiba family" makes their money.

BANDANA(V.O.)

Guess what? I have a son!

CUT TO:

INT, Kitchen

We see BANDANA talking, solemnly, into a phone down another hallway. MAMORU observes from a distance, in the kitchen.

BANDANA

(into phone)

Yeah. . . didn't see that one coming, did you? Mamo-- that's his name, Mamoru--

(sighs)

-- well, he was in a car wreck, and--

MAMORU takes a look around the kitchen-- it's a mess. There are dirty dishes and pieces of garbage everywhere. He starts to pick up some of the garbage. He's sullen-- this isn't what he wanted to do with his morning.

BANDANA

(into phone)

. . . well, it's a long story, but. . . I adopted him!

(pause)

Listen, there's something I really--

(Pause-- we can barely hear a voice from the other end now)

Hello? . . . Shingo?

MAMORU stops and turns toward BANDANA.

BANDANA

(into phone)

Shingo! Hi!

(pause)

No. . . no, Shingo, please--

(pause-- then crying)

Don't do this, please! I need to--

We hear a click. Bandana, looking as if she's been punched in the stomach, slowly hangs up the phone and walks off, without noticing Mamoru. Not having any idea what to do, Mamoru goes back to picking up the pieces.

CUT TO:

INT, Living Room

Mamour sits down on the couch, and takes a look at his watch.

MAMORU

(whispering)

Dammit!

Mamoru starts putting on his socks when--

HINO(O.S.)

Who was that?

MAMORU turns around, shocked to see TAKASHI HINO, cabinet minister and father to his girldfriend, standing in his living room, smoking a cigarette.

HINO

(gesturing to hallway)

On the phone. Who was she talking to?

HINO slumps onto the couch.

MAMORU

Oh, that, I. . . I wouldn't, uh. . .wait, what are you doing here?

HINO turns on the TV.

HINO

Hell, you wouldn't know, would you.

MAMORU

Why you're here, or --?

HINO

(looking at Mamoru's socks, changing the subject)

School's cancelled today.

(sarcastic)

In light of the tragedy.

HINO flips through channels. Most of the channels are playing footage of Tokyo Big Sight.

HINO

Christ. You just can't escape it.

Suddenly, the channel flipping stops. We see a shot of a crystal shard-- one that bears resemblance to the crystal we saw in the CRYSTAL CHAMBER.

REACTION SHOT of Mamoru-- he recognizes that shard from his dreams. (Just go with it)

HINO

(to BANDANA)

Good morning, sunshine!

MAMORU turns to see BANDANA standing in the hallway. Her forced smile can hardly conceal her fuming rage.

BANDANA

Good morning, Mamo-kun.

(to Hino)

Minister.

HINO

"Minister?"

Hino points to Mamoru, who's torn between the TV screen and the soap opera unfolding before his eyes.

HINO

(sarcastically)

Oh. . . I get it. THIS why you asked me to leave at six in the damn morning.

BANDANA, about to explode, turns and walks back down the hall.

HINO

(yelling down the hall)

You called me!

(beat, then raises the remote)

Jeeze!

Hino is about to change the channel, just another image of the crystal shard comes onto the screen. Mamoru, as if snapping out of a trance, stops him.

MAMORU

Wait!

HINO

(indignant)

What?

MAMORU fixates on the screen, as if it holds the meaning of life itself. Hino looks back and fourth between Hino and the screen.

HINO

You recognize it?

(beat)

Mamoru?

At that moment, we hear a J-poppy tune being played on a piano in the background.

HINO

I guess Rei must've told you about it, huh?

(beat)

That. . . is the Imperial Silver Crystal.

Mamoru snaps his head toward Hino.

HINO

(looking back into the hall)

Incredible. She leaves the door to her sound-proofed studio wide open while she plays the piano. THAT, Mamoru, is a lesson in feminine subtlety.

MAMORU

Wait-- THAT'S the Imperial Silver Crystal?

HINO

Oh, yeah. One of the national treasures of Sierra Lione. Imperial-- . . . or Imperium. No-one seems to be quite sure what it's called.

MAMORU

You said. . . Rei told me?

HINO

Didn't she?

(beat)

Well, that's where you're going on Friday night. You, me, Rei, and some of Japan's most powerful men, will be the honoured guests as "Princess Diamond" herself--

(quieter, sarcastic)

--that's what all the lefty do-gooders call her--

(loud again)

-- presents the Imperial Silver Crystal to a group of Japanese researchers.

MAMORU looks at the TV again. Suddenly, things are starting to make sense. Then--

REI

Dad?

Mamoru turns to find REI standing in the living room, shocked to find her father at Mamoru's place. We then turn to Hino. He's shocked to find her there too. For a moment, he loses his sense of smug composure.

REI

What are you doing here, Dad?

Hino's shocked appearance doesn't last. He turns to MAMORU.

HINO

Well. . . You're up to your eyes in Hinos today, aren't you?

(pause)

Wait--

(turns to REI)

How did YOU get in here, anyway?

CUT TO:

INT, Hallway Outside Mamoru's Condo

MAMORU and REI in the hallway.

MAMORU

You could've buzzed, Rei.

REI slams the door shut, still disgusted at what she saw.

MAMORU

So what's going on?

REI

I need a witness.

REI starts down the hallway.

MAMORU

Wait, what?

REI stops and turns around.

REI

I need someone to follow me, to see everything that I do and everything that I see, and tell me that I'm NOT completely insane.

MAMORU

(sarcastically)

Oh, sure. This is all incredibly sane.

REI continues on her way.

MAMORU

Rei, I can't just--

MAMORU glances back toward the door, and thinks twice about whether he really wants to stay in the same apartment as BANADA and HINO this morning.

MAMORU

(sighs)

Jesus, wait up.