Screenplay Flavor Lychee Black

“FLAVOR: LYCHEE BLACK” A MANGA SCREENPLAY Fade-in… INT. The Library- DAY (Cue FLCL’s “Stalker Goes to Babylon) The camera blurs, then slowly focuses to reveal a long row of books. Through the walkway we catch a glimpse of GARO, a young man around 20 years old reading through his Asian Studies books. His eyes suddenly lifts from the pages for a second, and shifts to the right. Sure enough, two ninjas appear out of nowhere, katanas drawn. Garo kicks a chair into the face of the guy on the left and parries the sword to his right, spinning around to knock the guy to the ground. The three of them begin a ballet of death: Flashing blades, aerial maneuvers, the whole Yojimbo package. They slice, dice, parry and kick. Garo clearly is gaining the upper hand, he drops one of the ninjas and forces the other into a stack of books, twisting through the air, he slices a perfect strike on the other guy’s head, the ninja crumbles. Garo lets out a sigh. GARO: Shitheads. The camera only shows the fast shuffling of someone’s feet, a startled Garo looks back, only to have his face get caught by a flying knee, he stumbles back into stack. Glancing up he sees his opponent. VIOLENT RHAPSODY, a man in his early 20s, smirked at him. Clad in black, he looked like a reaper only darker. VIOLENT RHAPSODY (VP): I’m disappointed, thought Blade Clan’s ace is supposed to be much better than this. GARO (smiles):… VP: Name’s Violent Rhapsody. VP for short. GARO (chuckles): It’s been a while since I have to get serious. VP: Serious? Haha, you take me too lightly ninja. GARO: Are we gonna fight or what? VP: Sure, let me just warm upIn that instant he was no longer there, his knee already flying up to Garo’s face, Garo blocks it, spins around into a lightning fast crescent kick to the guy’s face. VP: Nice move, should have pulled that out sooner. Garo, silent now, simply moves in with his bokken for a straight men strike, his swing missed. Looking down he found Rhapsody spinning with a sword towards his stomach, he barely brings his bokken down to block it as VP pushes it forward and slams him into a book case. Fighting back now, Garo pushes him back, they struggle and *thwack*.

VP: What the? He glances down to see a butterfly knife sticking out of his chest. Sighing, he falls down dead, mouth open in disbelief. GARO (smiles): Dumbass. When I make up my mind to kill you, there’s nothing left for you to do but die. He reaches down to get his sword when suddenly Violent Rhaspody’s dead hand shoots out and grabs him, he stares at it in horror as Rhaspody’s eyes suddenly open! He struggles as a thundering drumming starts in his ears, louder and louder! BEEP

BEEP BEEP

BEEP

--INT. The Dorm Room- MORNING The alarm clock blinks 7:00, a hand shoots out from off the screen and slams on the snooze button, a heavy sigh comes from over at the bed. The camera lifts up reveal Garo, with sleepy eyes starring blankly up at the ceiling, rubbing his forehead with one hand as if to shake off another night of inadequate rest. GARO (VO): Name’s Garo, college student. Garo gets up and sits on the bed, looking down at the bottom of his bed. A camera cut reveals that a tattered hooded sweater lying on the ground, on top of which is a wooden bokken, worn-out and blood-stained. GARO (VO): That is, college student by day. At night it’s a different story. He gets up and begins a Taijutsu form to wake himself up GARO (VO): Even in my dreams I can’t escape rests. It’s been two years since my fight freshmen year. you know work is getting to starts appearing in your

them. A ninja never really with Rhapsody during my you if someone you killed sleep.

He pauses, thinking back to his dream. GARO (VO): Sigh, I can’t complain, everybody’s got their problems, mine just involve around scaling rooftops and clandestine assassinations. I guess I’m just a little tired of this ninja life, afterall- I’ve been doing this ever since grade school… Garo finishes his form. We follow Garo into the kitchen, where he opens a box of cereal and gets a milk carton to prepare breakfast. Sunlight pour in from the window. He sits down to eat looking sleepy still. The camera zooms out

EXT. CORNELLSCAPE, cue “City Life” by Stroke 9 GARO (VO): Another day. Nothing ever changes around here, everything always remains the same. FADE IN TITLE OF THE MOVIE, FOLLOWED BY CREDITS INT. The Bubble Tea Shop- AFTERNOON Cut to the bubble tea counter. We hear the sound of the door opening, A Sammi Cheng music video is being played on both of the TVs in the little wooden shop. Japanese calligraphy is scribbled on the cloth draped near the kitchen. MARIKA, an attractive girl with a pair of cute and witty eyes is working at the cash register. Garo is in line, looking at the girl attentively. MARIKA (Smiles): Hey Garo, what would you like? GARO: Yeah, lychee black please. MARIKA: Hehe, you always get that. With tapioca? Garo: Yep. MARIKA: That’ll be three twenty four please. GARO: Oh, I have a CTAS membership card. MARIKA: Oh yea. Two ninety two please. GARO (Scratches his head): Uh, thanks MARIKA (Hands the order to the people working the back): So how’s it been? Do you like the professor for our 203 class? She’s from Taiwan right? GARO (smiles): Yeah, but she’s so boring in class I make it my daily nap session. MARIKA: Hehe, yeah I noticed from the back of room. GARO (Reddens): Hehe… MARIKA (Looks behind him): Ooo, people are coming in, here’s your number, just kick back here for a bit and watch some music videos. I’m gonna be off my shift soon so wait for me? GARO: Yeah sure. Garo takes his receipt and grabs a seat in the corner of the teashop, grabbing a magazine off the shelf. Cue Jay Chou’s “Simple Love” as he sneaks glances at Marika working at the counter. Laughing along with the customers, she’s looking cute as usual, Different cuts of the girl. The camera pans to Garo’s left and— The music gets ripped out of the record player

-reveals a man in a business suit with an impassive look on his face, the BUSINESSMAN’S appearance contrasts sharply with easy going atmosphere of the bubble teashop. GARO (Rolls his eyes): Not you again. Can’t a guy have his boba in peace? BUSINESSMAN (Stern): Pearl Milk Tea as a beverage lowers one’s immune system, not the best choice for a ninja. GARO: Yeah yeah, compared to the stuff that could kill me every night lychee black tea is like a multivitamin plus. BUSINESSMAN: There is no time for small talk. You’ve got a mission tonight. GARO: What else is new. BUSINESSMAN (Nods): Crimson Dragon. U-Jin Clan. GARO (Now more interested): Shit, the new guy who started making a name for himself last year? I heard he wasted two of our best chounins? BUSINESSMAN: He’s meeting Mitsubishi operatives here for some Ying Chi, negative chakra transaction. GARO (a hint of sarcasm): Here at Cornell? BUSINESSMAN: Where else could you find worse karma? GARO: True… The businessman puts a cigarette into his mouth and is about to light his lighter when Marika shouts off screen, “Hey you can’t smoke in here!” He looks apologetic and mumbles “sorry” and puts the cigarettes back into his pocket. BUSINESSMAN: Our sources place him at the club just down the block from here. GARO: That’s practically in my own backyard. I go to that club sometimes, lousy parties, but some good DJs though. MARIKA (Offscreen): Garo, 183. GARO (Gets up to get it): Thanks! BUSINESSMAN: Be there tonight after 9, you know how bad it would be if this stuff gets out on to the market. GARO: Yeah yeah, what else is new? Last semester it was neosamurais were plotting world domination, and the semester before that there were kung fu assassins were trying to take out the Zero Gravity Team down on the West Coast, I need a break yo. BUSINESSMAN (chuckles dryly): Such is the life of the Blade Clan ninja.

GARO (Looks at Marika): Yeah…but sometimes…sometimes, don’t you wonder what it’s like to be not a ninja? He turns back and the Businessman is gone, he looks at where he put down his cup of bubble tea, the cup’s empty with a note on it, “Thanks, be there after 9”. GARO: Shieet… Marika (Off Screen): Friend of Yours? GARO: Hardly. EXT. – Collegetown- AFTERNOON A far shot from below the hill as we see two figures emerge from the shop, Garo and Marika walk side by side down the hill as we listen in on the conversation MARIKA: Don’t you get sick of lychee black all the time? GARO: I dunno, I’ve grown used to the taste of it. Kinda bitter at first, but so sweet afterwards, I like it. MARIKA: Hehe, sounds deep. GARO: Wha- I wasn’t trying to say anything like that, just the tasteMARIKA (smiles): I know, so whacha gonna do later? GARO: Uh, I gotta take care of something. MARIKA: Schoolwork? GARO (Grins): Something like that. MARIKA: Hehe, kay, well, here’s my apartment. GARO: kay, I guess I’ll see you tomorrow? MARIKA: Yep, laters! GARO: Bye! Marika disappears into the doorway, as Garo turns to walk away, he takes a deep breathe and sighs. GARO (VO): Nothing ever changes around here, everything always remains the same. There’s no time or place for girls in the life of a ninja. INT. – Dorm Room- AFTERNOON The door opens as Garo steps through, revealing a living room that a mess. We follow the camera track to see FRANKIE, a 20 something student, just waking up on the sofa, a homemade bowl (w/ a bubble cup of course) laid in front of him with obvious lingering traces weed. Radiohead is being played in the background…

was med tea of

FRANKIE: Garo! Just the man I’m looking for, I just got the new shipment today yo, haha, that was some hit I just had, you gotta try it, straight outta El Paso, red crystals sprinkled all over this shit… GARO: ... maybe some other time Frankie. FRANKIE: Why? Something wrong? GARO: Nah, just tired. FRANKIE: Haha, you can’t fool me man, I know when something’s bugging you. Is it that bubble tea girl? GARO (Blushes): What bubble tea girl? FRANKIE (chuckles): Come on man, I’ve seen the way you look at her. GARO: Whatever, not like anything’s gonna change. FRANKIE: Psst, well obviously. That’s life dude. GARO: Tru. FRANKIE: So maybe instead of hanging around for life to change. You gotta do something… GARO (Puzzled): What do you mean? FRANKIE: It’s like this right? We view the world through our own eyes, so in some sense, to change the world, all we gotta do, is just change our perspective? GARO: Spoken like a true pothead. You are too high dude. FRANKIE: Haha, nah hear me out man. I’m serious. You ever seen Battle Royale? GARO: Yeah… FRANKIE: Despite the plethora of amazing hot Japanese chicks in it, my favorite character was that dorky computer guy. GARO: Why? FRANKIE: Because man, he actually tried to do something instead of wandering around like the other fucks on the island. GARO: But he died a fiery death that left him in pieces. FRANKIE: True, but at least he died trying, he managed to change the world for HIM, and in someways, that’s all we can do. GARO:… FRANKIE: I guess what I’m saying is that, all day long I hear you complaining about how boring life is around here, but I don’t see you

doing shit about it. Sometimes if you try something, then life’ll work itself out. GARO (scratches head): You think so? FRANKIE: I’m serious man, come on, how about a hit of this other shit from Wisconsin then? Not that pharmaceutical BS they use at clubs. GARO: Haha, Kay. They both sit down at the couch, Frankie swallows his and soon passes out, Garo spits his pill back out and looks down at Frankie. GARO: Thanks man. He throws a blanket on Frankie and leaves. EXT. –The Chariot- NIGHT Cue AFI “Silver and Cold” It is dark outside, but collegetown stands out with its iridescent lights. Outside the club under the street light, a lone figure stood waiting clad in dark. It’s Garo. He watches the Celica up ahead intendly. EXT. –The Cascadilla Parking Lot- NIGHT A car pulls up in the parking lot next to the Celica, a Mitsubishi Galant, 2 figures emerge from it, it’s two MITSUBISHI OPERATIVES. One of them carrying a briefcase. Garo smiles, shifts the shinai-case on his back a bit, and heads towards them. MITSUBISHI OPERATIVE 1: Who the fuck are you? GARO: No need to introduce myself to the dead. The two operatives come in, Garo doesn’t even bat an eye, in a short fight the two ninjas are lying down on the ground. Garo smiles and goes to get the briefcase. The camera only shows the fast yet familiar shuffling of someone’s feet, Garo’s eyes widen in shock, as he spins around to deflect a flying knee. The figure twists away, landing in a crouched position on the ground. He looks up, pulls down his hood and once again we are confronted with the dark visage of Violent Rhapsody. VP: Now that’s more like it ace. GARO: You are…dead. VP (laughs evilly): Perhaps. Garo: You…you changed your name to Crimson Dragon. VP: It’s hard for a ninja who failed to start anew with an old name. Garo: Tru.

VP (Chuckles drily): For the past two years I had to be on the run, escaping my own clan members who are trying to get rid of me. Can you imagine? To make sure that nobody noticed it was me. I did this… He pulls down his shade, his face is horribly cut. Garo: Yea? You look better. VP (Snarls): but it’s OK, for I’ve been fucking training, day come day, just to prepare for our meeting again… Garo: Still talkative as ever huh. VP lunges forward with his sword and they fight, it was a breathtaking sight to view two jounins in combat, VP has obviously gotten much better, but is he good enough to best Garo? As the two battle it out, Garo’s is still getting the better of him. Garo: Not bad. VP: Fuck you. A wounded VP flees, and Garo gives chase around collegetown. Cue The Pillow’s “Beautiful Morning with You” While his taijutsu was not up to par, VP’s ninjutsu was hiding him well. We see different cuts of Garo running through the campus, until a hint of sunlight is seen on the horizon. Garo finally stops, and sighs. INT. –The Classroom- DAY The Camera shows a close up of Garo’s face. He’s sound asleep as the professor drones on and on about Asian Studies stuff, she takes notice of the sleeping Garo, frowns and throws a chalk lightly in his way. Without even opening his eyes, Garo’s hand shoots up and snatches it in mid-air. He opens his eyes and looks at the chalk. Garo: Hmm. The Professor frowns some more and goes on with the lecture. The clocktower rings out, there’s a shuffling of bookbags as students try to pack their stuff. PROFESSOR: Hold up everybody. Remember to read the book on Southeast Asia trade history! The students ignore her and all of them file out as fast as they can. Marika pulls up next to Garo. MARIKA: Sleeping again huh? GARO: Hehe, I didn’t get much rest last night. MARIKA: Aww, that much schoolwork? GARO: Yeah, couldn’t get past this one problem.

MARIKA: Aww, well, go back and take a nap or something. GARO: Hehe, I will. MARIKA: Kay, I gotta run to my advisor’s office, I’m gonna try taking Cantonese instead of Mandarin this year. GARO: Uh, why? You’ve taken Mandarin for like the past 2 years. MARIKA: Yeah but it gets boring, I figured I’d try something new. Can’t just sit around doing nothing. Garo: Oh…hehe. MARIKA: Going then, talk to ya later! Garo: Yeah, laters. As Marika walks away we see Garo close his eyes, his eyebrows tied up in a knot as he thought back to his talk with Frankie. A faint music starts playing in the background. Cue Good Charlotte’s “Don’t Tell Me” GARO: Uh…Marika? Marika turns. MARIKA: Yeah? GARO: Um…hehe, do you wanna, maybe like catch a movie or something tonight? MARIKA (pauses for a second): Yeah sure. GARO (In disbelief): Really? I mean, cool. MARIKA (Smiles): When do you wanna go? GARO: Well, how about that new movie Kill Bill 2? It’s playing at 6:30 at Cornell Cinema. MARIKA: Great, I’ll meet you at the clocktower at 6 then? GARO: Uh, yeah, sure! MARIKA: Hehe, see ya there then! She turns and walks away, the camera turns to Garo, awestruck in the crowd, the camera does a zoom in, dolly out effect a la Hitchcock and “Don’t Tell Me” hits the drums and gets blasted in the background. INT. – Dorm Room- AFTERNOON The door opens and Garo runs into the room, the music still pounding in the background, happy as hell.

GARO: Frankie! I gotta tell ya manThe music stops and Garo stood, mouth open in shock as he surveys the room, the sofa where Frankie’s always passed out high is empty, and in the middle of the desk was a note with a giant hunting knife stuck through it. A close up of the page reveals the following: VP (VO): How bout it now ace, you didn’t think I’d let you off that easy right? If you want to see your friend alive again, come to the bridge by Bebe Lake at 6, no swords. GARO: …six. The look on his face said it all, sadness and despair overcomes him as he sits down and grabs a fistful of his hair with his face. Cue “Love and Mercy” by Brian Wilson/Oasis “Sad Song” Cut to Garo holding a phone in the room. *RING* *RING* MARIKA: Hi, this is Marika speaking, I’m not home right now, please leave a message after the beep… *BEEP* GARO: Uh, hi Marika, it’s Garo. I’m just calling to let you know that I’ll be running a little late tonight, I’m really sorry, but something came up, I’ll be there though kay? He hangs up the phone. GARO (sighs):… EXT. –The Bridge- AFTERNOON Cue Bombfunk MC’s “Freestyler” A far away shot of the bridge, we see a figure emerge from the woods, facing him was Violent Rhapsody, unmoving in the wind. The sun was scorching the sky like orange juice and a gorgeous waterfall pours into the lake right below the bridge. Interpersed cuts of various looks on both of them, eyes, fists… VP: So you did show up after all. GARO: Where’s Frankie? VP: See that tree over there? Garo squints and sees Frankie being tied up in a tree not far away. VP: He’s OK. GARO: I did as you are told, now let him go.

VP: Don’t worry, after I kill you, I’ll leave him be, there are certain things even ninjas don’t do. GARO (snickers): You’ve said you wanted kill me a lot of times before, what makes you think it’d be easy this time. VP: Because, well, see for yourself. Garo turns around, and is surprised to see 3 ninjas already there, standing in a perfect V formation, he grimaces, there are few ninjas in the world who could catch him off guard. GARO: Who are the three stooges? VP: You might have heard about them, the Onizuka Dojo. GARO(whistles): 3 jounins, you flatter me. VP: Just to make sure. Cue Flamenco music A battle of ninjas is something straight out of a Jackie Chan movie, as Garo weaved in and out of the flashing blades. Barehanded, he entered the melee with an expertise in Chin Na that would put Steven Seagal to shame. From no sword, he caught one, two, and finally all three swords into his palm. GARO: Is that the best the Onizuka Dojo could do? The three ninjas, furious, attacked him all at once, caught into the sudden tidal wave, Garo stumbled back dazed, taking a moment to gather himself, he rushes forward, and slices three times. Two of the Ninja falls, but the last one escapes and judo tosses him onto the ground. Garo, not hesitating, spins into a starkick to get behind him, and suplexes him onto the ground below. Getting up slowly, we can see that he’s exhausted, but his eyes were determined as he looked at VP. Rhapsody slows draws his sword. VP (Smiles): Tired? GARO:… They fight, Rhapsody is definitely gaining the upper hand as a tired Garo just struggles to hold on. In the middle of this fierce battle, the Clocktower rings out, a close up of the time reveals that it’s 6:10PM. Marika (VO): I meet you at the clocktower at 6 then? Garo pauses for a split second, Rhapsody, seeing the opportunity, twists his sword onto Garo’s, sticking to it like glue. GARO: Shit!

His sword flies up into the air, drawing a beautiful arc against a setting sun Close-up of Rhasphody’s face, which twists into a thin sneer, he continues spinning, bringing his sword in a violent twirl into Garo’s neck. Garo grimaces, a look of resignation in his eyes. Death, after all, is a normal part of Ninja life. *Swish* Something flashes across the screen. The camera pans to see a ninja star implanted into the ground. Cut back to Rhasphody, we see a look of surprise on his face and we zoom back to reveal his bokken sliced right at the tip, the other half was too short to hit Garo, and it just missed his neck by inches. The camera pans down and we can see the bokken tip still spinning on the ground. In a flash, Garo catches his bokken midair and cuts forward. Catching Rhasphody right in the chest, he screams, only to get kneed in the face as Garo rotates into a 540, ending the fight right there. Mid-shot of the frozen moment. Garo crouched down, a sword in hand driven into the ground. Rhasphody’s body lies not far away. Against an orange setting sun, it looks almost too perfect. Garo stands up and brings his sword in a swift swing and puts it back into the case. He walks up to the Ninja Star and pick it up, it has a funky design, a strange Chinese character written on it that strangely resembles 4 letters: A, I, Y, and A. Garo looks at it puzzled and looks around to find nobody there. GARO: Phew…thanks, I guess, whoever you are. Garo runs to where Frankie was. GARO: What the? Frankie was gone, the ropes cut, a post id note is stuck on the tree and Garo picks it up to read it. GARO: Frankie is safe. I put him back in your apartment. Garo scratches his head in bewilderment. INT. – Dorm Room- AFTERNOON Garo runs in, Frankie is lying in his usual place on the sofa, Garo goes up to wake him up. GARO (worried): Dude, are you OK? FRANKIE (wakes up): Huh what? GARO: Haha, you are alright!

FRANKIE: No shit. What the fuck’s the matter with you? I took a hit this afternoon and didn’t wake up since. Had some crazy-ass dreams though, I was fighting some ninjas or some shit. GARO: Haha. FRANKIE: Shit man, what time is it already? I must have passed out for hours. GARO: 6:30. Uh, I gotta go dude! Garo runs out the door. FRANKIE: What the fuck is up with him today? I hope he didn’t steal one of my pills or something. EXT. –The Clock Tower- NIGHTFALL Garo shows up at the clocktower, and desperately looks around. Marika is no where to be found, Garo glances up at the clocktower. It’s 6:37 already, he’s so late… Garo (Sighs): Sorry Marika… He turns around to leave but sees a girl running up the slopes, the camera shows a midshot of a girl out of breath looking at him. It’s Marika! A faint music starts in the background… Cue FLCL’s “Bran New Love Song” MARIKA: Hey Garo. I’m so sorry! A friend needed help with schoolwork and it took me longer than I thought it would. GARO: It’s OK! I just got here too. MARIKA (eyes wide): Really? GARO (embarrassed): Yea They both start laughing. GARO: Um, yeah I guess we are too late for the movie huh. MARIKA: Yea… (Pauses), but we could still go rent a video or something. GARO: You want to? MARIKA (smiles): Yeah. Just let me see if I brought my friend’s rental card. As she brings out her purse the camera zooms in on a side of her purse for a second and we see the same pattern that was on the shuriken, the same strange Chinese character. Garo of course is oblivious to this, and just stares blankly at the girl. Marika: Yep, It’s here.

GARO (smiles): Cool, we can watch it at my place, Frankie just brought up his PS2… They walk off into the distance, chatting. The camera zooms out to reveal a far shot of Ho Plaza as the couple walks through it. INT. The Bubble Tea Shop- NIGHT It’s the same setting, people sipping bubble tea and chilling around. The door opens and Garo and Marika walks through. A BUBBLE TEA GIRL looks up. MARIKA: Hehe, Can’t go wrong with Shaolin soccer. GARO: Hehe, yeah it was pretty good. BUBBLE TEA GIRL: Hi guys. MARIKA: Hey. BUBBLE TEA: What can I get for you guys? MARIKA: I’ll take a taro blizzard. BUBBLE TEA GIRL: Alright, you’ll be 203, and for you Garo? Lychee black as usual? GARO: …Um He looks at Marika. GARO (smiles): Actually…I think I’ll try what she’s having. -BLACK SCREENCue Dragon Ash’s “Grateful Days” ROLL CREDITS -THE END-