Corpse Fruit by Layia Bolden
Note:Across pages 1-3 the sheet music for “London Bridge is Falling Down” will be sprawled sporadically in the gutters.
Page 1:
It is midday at Mrs. Renaud’s School for Gifted Children. (An english style estate) In the negative space of the formal garden in Martyr Arabella’s Court, Cherry (a teenage black girl with curly, lowhanging, long pigtails) and Tulimaq (an teenage indigenous boy with a loose braid, both characters are in school uniforms strictly enforced by typical gender norms) are in the heat of battle in the duel that will determine the rank they have for the upcoming semester: A or B.
Juxtaposing this is Nienna (A redhead white teenage girl in a school uniform) passing through a group of Sepers (human avians with vulture wings) picking allia [a fictitious fruit called corpse fruit]. Unnamed Sepers are discussing Nienna’s graduation as she greets them, unafraid and affable. She has a large beaded bracelet that is the focal point as she waves to them. It is cutting back and forth between these scenes.
Panel 1: Borderless, open panel with an establishing shot of the environment as well as Cherry and Tulimaq dueling. Cherry has a wand and Tulimaq has a staff. Three proctors, a mix of genders, are in the background behind them stiffly observing.
Panel 2: First, a bordered panel that sets the secondary environment with Corpse fruit Trees behind them (called Allia to students) with Sepeers (a mix of genders) picking the fruit and talking amongst themselves as Nienna passes, giving her goodbyes to other students.
Seeper 1: Nienna’s graduating (text largely obscured by illegible font)
Seeper 2: Today? (text largely obscured by illegible font)
Nienna: I’ll be sure to visit!
Panel 3: Bordered, close up shot of the corpse fruit [allia] being picked. It is squished a bit causing juice to leak.
Panel 3: Bordered, close up-ish shot of the fruit being dropped into a harvest basket. The Seeper’s fingers are stained with the juice of the fruit.
Panel 4: Borderless, low angle panel with a medium shot of Cherry and Tulimaq with their weapons nearly touching each other’s neck.
Page 2:
Still in juxtaposition between the duel and the fruit harvest, we zoom closer in to follow the one winged Seeper, Tavora (she is dressed in a long black gown, has cropped black hair that is longer on the bottom and big round eyes, medium skin tone). She is caught in a daze/day dream as she picks fruit. In her hazy curiosity, she picks a petal/leaf off the head of the fruit which causes it to wither, ruining the fruit. She observes the petal dying in her hands closely. This is bisected by Cherry and Tulimaq. Tulimaq has purposefully dropped his weapon, forfeiting the game entirely, but Cherry is the only one to notice that this is on purpose.
Panel 1: Bordered, close full shot of Tavora crouching, looking off into the distance. Her one wing raised, but not alert.
Panl 2: Close up shot of the petal/leaf being picked off the corpse fruit/allia.
Panel 3: Close up shot of the fruit withering.
Panel 4: Borderless close up, medium shot of Tulimaq dropping his staff while Cherry’s wand is firmly trained on his throat. She looks surprised, while he is unfazed.(Open to other suggestions)
Panel 5: Wide paneled close up of Tavora looking at the leaf/petal. She is slightly blurred out while the withering petal/leaf is clearly in focus. She is being scolded by someone off screen.
Unknown: If we have any more defective fruit this harvest, the Archmagus will have my head and I will have your last flight feather.
Page 3: The result of the duel is announced between Tulimaq and Cherry, with the latter being the victor. The reveal of the allia [corpse fruit] being visually linked to gore and humans also occurs. The last note in the chorus of London Bridge is Falling Down ends on this page.
Panel 1: Bordered close up of the Unknown person gripping an allia sapling by the stem and ripping it out.
SFX: riiiip
Panel 2: Bordered panel with the root of the allia sapling curling around a decaying eyeball in the foreground with Tavora in the background.
Unknown: Buck up. This is familiar work. Saplings on the right, fruit on the left.
Panel 3: Bordered panel of the Unknown person tossing the newly plucked sapling into a harvest basket with dozens of others.
Panel 4: Large, borderless panel that is the focal point of the page. Cherry stands on the left while Tulimaq stands on the right with the results of the duel displayed in a pseudo-magic tech hologram. The music notes are transparently littering the background. Cherry is doubled over clutching her waist. She looks devastated or almost hurt while Tulimaq is fairly stoic, gripping his arm. Wedged between them is text.
SFX: Duel Results
Superior: Alva Cherise
Subaltern: Tulimaq C.
Alva Cherise Advances B to A
Panel 5: Thin barely bordered panel of an extreme close up of Cherry and Tulimaq’s eyes. They are both looking at each other but Cherry’s eyes look more dreaded/worried. The final note of London Bridge is Falling Down is between their eyes,
Page 4:
The primary focus is on just Tulimaq and Cherry’s storyline from here on out. The post-duel protocol is interrupted by another staff member (dressed more like a maid than a mage) talking to the proctor. The post-duel protocol formalities are cut short and the group that gathered to watch the duel (including Cherry and Tulimaq) begin to disperse. Cherry is intent on confronting Tulimaq about his “unsportsmanlike” move in the duel.
Panel 1: Bordered panel, medium shot of a a maid-esqe person is whispering to the proctor in the middle.
SFX: whisper
Panel 2: Extreme close up of the nose and mouth of the third proctor speaking.
Proctor 3: I see.
Panel 3: Small, bordered, parallelogram shaped panel of a shoulders up shot [change to proper shot name later] Cherry turning her head to look at Tulimaq.
Panel 4: Small, bordered, parallelogram shaped panel complimentary to panel 3 of a similar shot of Tulimaq, except he is looking straight on, unfazed.
Gutter’s in the diagonal space between Panel 3 and 4:
Proctor 3: Alva and Mack, please exchange your ties for your respective new rank ones. Grab your new class schedules as well. Understood?
Panel 5: Bordered, slight parallelogram, medium shot of Tulimaq is walking away with his staff from the dueling site, observing some blood on his hand or mouth. Cherry looks shocked at his sudden departure.
Panel 6: Bordered, slight parallelogram that connects to Panel 7. Higher medium shot of Tulimaq and Cherry from the back. Cherry is in the full ground with her face largely obscured. Tulimaq is in the background with his head turned to a side profile to look back at her.
Cherry: H-Hey. Wait.
Panel 7: Bordered, slight parallelogram that connects to Panel 6. Same shot profile, just with only Tulimaq. He turns his head to look away from Cherry wordlessly.
SFX: fwip
Panel 8: Bordered, long rectangular panel of Cherry and Tulimaq. Cherry is in the background, full bodied and calling out to Tulimaq. Tulimaq is in the foreground with a close up of him clutching his head in annoyance.
Cherry: Hey! I’m talking to you.
SFX: groan
Page 5:
Tulimaq and Cherry are walking throughout Mrs. Renaud’s School for Gifted Children. Cherry is hellbent on getting “Mack” to talk to her while he is trying his best to ignore her and move on.
Panel 1: bordered rectangular panel of just the hedges and their dialogue above it.
Cherry: Mack–
Tulimaq: Tulimaq.
Cherry: Noted.
Panel 2: Bordered vertical panel of a 2 point perspective medium shot of the two of them walking down the hedges. In the background other students are barely seen trying to mull about the property. Cherry (background) is talking casually while Tulimaq (foreground) looks nearly exasperated.
Cherry: Tulimaq, why did you lose on purpose?
Tulimaq: What?
Cherry: We’ll be forced to re-duel. Or worse, you’ll get us kicked out.
Panel 5: Open, borderless panel making up about half the page. The background is bleeding into the gutters of the previous panels. It is an environment shot of any place of Mrs. Renaud’s as long as it’s inching closer to the “meeting” location. Tulimaq is still leading the charge and is further ahead than cherry. You can see their full bodies in the middleground (environment background) while passing students are in the foreground in extreme close ups. Everybody but Tulimaq and Cherry are walking in the opposite direction.
Tulimaq: Alva–
Chery: Cherry.
Tulimaq: Right. There’s nothing for us to talk about. I lost.
Cherry: I don’t understand? You gave up.
Panel 6: Under renovation. Might need to extend/break up to better pace impact. (General scene is Alva chasing after Tulimaq to try and get him to speak to her. I might add an additional panel or two to slow down the chase scene and make the final panel seem less out of the blue.
Current is a medium panel that is of a side profile of Tulimaq running away from Cherry, looking back shocked, while Chery looks determined.
Temp Dialogue:
Tulimaq: Leave me alone.
Cherry: But I don’t get it?! I can help– we can figure it out together!
Tulimaq: I don’t want your help.
Page 6: A visual gag to add some levity to the circumstances seem so far. Tulimaq and Cherry are loosely matching the spirited away chase meme. Tulimaq in this case is Chihiro (foreground), while Cherry is No Face (background). Tulimaq is the most emotive he's been, looking shocked. Cherry looks confused or determined (not sure yet).
Emanata:Manga-style action lines are on the edges of the page being pulled inward.
Page 7: Tulimaq has run far enough that he is finally treading on the outskirts of school by the large waterfall. On this page, it cuts between Tulimaq hiding from Cherry and the discovery of the faculty meeting place.
Panel one: Bordered, thin rectangular panel (horizontal)showing just the chest up. Long columns (maybe caryatids but you see the backs of them)bisect the panel sporadically. Tulimaq is speeding by and gets an idea.
Emanata: Discovery lines.
Panel 2: Identical panel to the first, with Tulimaq ducked behind one of the columns looking relieved.
SFX: Phew!
Emanata:comical steam/smoke cloud exiting the mouth
Panel 3-4: Close up rectangular panels, side by side, that focus on Tulimaq’s eyes. 3, is of Tulimaq looking up and noticing something. 4, is of his eyes widening in fear.
Panel 5: Medium Borderless panel shot through the other side of columns is a circle of faculty including seepers, the principal, various proctored, and the archmagus (Kaylen’s Skeletal Guy). Tavora is flying into the scene, her last flight feather a golden color while she’s in flight.
SFX: Fwip (near tavora’s wings)
Panel 6: Similar shot to 1 and 2 of Tulimaq looking to the side while Cherry noisily speeds by.
Emanata: speed action lines whoosing behind her.
Cheery: He–
Page 8:
Tulimaq has to catch Cherry before she is noticed by the faculty. The scene is primarily focused on Tulimaq and Cherry but it is broken up by Tavora noticing something is awry.
Panel 1: Bordered rectangular panel, medium wide-ish shot of Tulimaq and Cherry from behind with Tulimaq reaching out for Cherry who is still in a full sprint.
Panel 2: Square, bordered panel with a close up of a hand (Tulimaq’s) yanking Cherry backwards. Her eyes are wide.
Emanata/SFX: yank (rough/jagged script)
Panel 3: Long, bordered Rectangular panel (similar to panel 1 and 2 on page 7).Tulimaq pulls Cherry behind a column and is covering her mouth so she doesn’t make noise. Tulimaq’s bubble is a dotted line.
SFX: Muffled “mpfs” etc
Tulimaq: Quiet. Look.
Panel 4: Borderless, open panel of Tavora nodding to acknowledge something off screen/page, but her eyes are trained on the columns in the direction of Tulimaq and Cherry.
Page 9: On prominent display is Tavora revealing that she has swallowed the bracelet Nienna was wearing (implying her death).
Panels 1-6: A series of ethereal, borderless panels depicting moment by moment, Tavora reaching into her mouth and pulling out Nienna’s bracelet. It is wet, and squelching.
SFX: Gulp, Shlurp
Panels 7-8: Bisected panel of Tulimaq and Cherry looking horrified and Tavora’s spit drops down the center of the panels.
Panel 9: Borderless panel making up the final section of the page. The droplet of spit from the previous panels culminates in a single wet splash of blood and spit.
Faculty Unknown: Good Tavora. Good.
Faculty Cont’d: Five students left to graduate then this semester, yes? What are their profiles?
Page 10:
Stuck in the moment, A full page splash of Nienna like her happy visage is captured in a shattered mirror.
Cherry: Is that… Nienna’s bracelet?
Page 11:
The aforementioned remaining student profiles that qualify for “graduation” are displayed on the screen like scattered polaroids overlaid over Tulimaq and Cherry who are stunned and afraid. They read:
Oberon “Obie”
Age: 15
Implement: Scepter
Specialty Illusory: Magick
Rank: B Subalterned to C
(He is a young, thin boy with a tapered afro)
Yumei “Mae”
Age: 13
Implement: Gauntlets
Specialty Illusory: Offensive Elemental Magick, Potion Making
Rank: C Subalterned to D
(She is a girl with middle part bangs and a bow on the back of her head.)
Marjan
Age: 11
Implement: Necklace
Specialty Illusory: Healing, Potion Making
Rank: B Subalterned to C
(She is a young, kind looking girl with a hijab)
Tulimaq “Mack”
Age: 17
Implement: Staff
Specialty Illusory: Reconstruction Magick
Rank: B Subalterned to C today by Alva Cherise
Page 12:
Tulimaq is beginning to spiral into despair, realizing that graduation is a grim fate.
Panel 1-4: moment to moment abstract panels of Tulimaq grabbing his clothes and having a panic attack while Cherry calls out his name.
Cherry: Tulimaq? Tulimaq?
Panel 5: Large borderless pane of Cherry hugging Tulimaq while he limply slumps into her crying.
Tulimaq: Am I… am I gonna–
Cherry: No. We can fix this.
Cherry Cont’d:C’mere.
Tulimaq: How?
Cherry:I-I’ll make a plan.
Page 13: Cherry and Tulimaq devise a plan to work together against the authority betting against them.
Panel 1: Aggrieved, Tulimaq still crying, leans back rubbing his face.
Tulimaq: Alright.
Tulimaq Cont’d: What’s your grand plan?
Panel 2: Cherry puts her hand to her lip and ponders seriously while Tulimaq gapes at her astonished.
Cherry: (in small text) Hmmm… I haven’t gotten that far yet.
Tulimaq: You have no idea? After all that?
Panel 3: Large, sparkly panel of Cherry outstretching her hand smiling brightly. There are tons of shoujo sparkles and bubbles behind her.
Cherry: I’ve got it!
Cherry Cont’d: If they’re going to kill us…
Cherry Cont’d: (cloud bubble) we’ll kill them first!
Cherry Cont’d: We just have to find those other students and get them in on it.
Page 14: Tulimaq and Cherry agree to make an alliance but not without prying eyes.
Panel 1-3: Rectangular panels that get smaller and smaller feature Cherry and outstretched her hand to Tulimaq in offering. He is hesitant but his hand enters frame in panel 2 and takes hers in panel 3, finally agreeing. Panel 3 also has shoujo bubbles and sparkles.
Tulimaq:What then? How will we do it?
Cherry: I’m not sure yet… but–
Tulimaq: Yeah, yeah. We’ll figure it out.
Cherry & Tulimaq: Together.
Panel 4-5: Tavorah seems distracted. It is a close up of her face with panel 4 looking off in the direction of the pillars where Tulimaq and Cherry are and panel 5 refocusing on the meeting she’s attending.
Faculty Unknown: Tavora?
Faculty Unknown: Cont’d: Find something interesting?
Tavora: No. Nothing… (text largely obscured by illegible font)