Garasu no Kamen Synopses

Tankoubon 39

The rotten bridge.

Maya is crossing the rotten bridge, the only way to the sacred Valley of Red Plum Trees. Ayumi didn't stop her. Suddendly Maya screams: the rotten wood gave way and the girl is hanging on the rope at the side of bridge... Ayumi immediately runs to her and saves her. Maya sincerely smiles at her, and thanks her! She has to go inform Tsukikage and her friends that they can't go to the valley! Ayumi is ashamed of herself. What was she going to do? She has always hated mean actors, she has always been honest... She has never played any tricks to obtain a role! What a shame! If it hadn't been for Maya, this would have never happened... Ayumi doesn't want to lose to Maya that way: she will not leave for Tokyo! She has to fight for "Kurenai Tennyo", and to win at any cost!

Many visitors arrive at the birthplace of "Kurenai Tennyo".

The Valley of Red Plum Trees will not be reachable for a few days: the bridge has to be repaired.
In the meantime, the actors will keep rehearsing.
Ayumi asks Tsukikage to help her to understand "Kurenai Tennyo". The sensei reminds her what she did to interpret fire, wind, water and ground: Ayumi's "Kurenai Tennyo" is an invisible energy which moves everything and gives life to everything with her rhythm.
In the meantime, Maya is walking in the woods, thinking of her "Kurenai Tennyo". She thinks of her fire, wind, water and ground and she realizes that "Kurenai Tennyo" for her is love: it's her love which gives life to everything and moves everything... Love? What kind of love is Kurenai Tennyo's love? In that moment, Maya sees Masumi in the woods... And there are Onodera, Kei Akame and Shiori with him... The girl hides... Shiori is so beautiful that she is ashamed of herself... They are walking to the Red Plum Trees Valley: she has to tell them that they cannot cross the bridge! Anyway, a passer-by warns them about that, and they about-face. Maya feels so sad...
Hayami san... What is this melancholy which takes me... He's near me, and I cannot talk to him... I feel cold inside...
Suddendly, Maya thinks about the Crimson Goddess: she was invisible, and she was in love with a man! how much she suffered! This is... Kurenai Tennyo's love!

Masumi Hayami feels relieved: they haven't gone to the sacred Valley of Red Plum Trees.
I didn't want to disturb the peace of that beautiful valley! I used to think that before my father asked me... I want to protect it... I have to avoid that common people come here... It's funny how a common man like me thinks things like that...
Then, they will go visit an other Kurenai Tennyo, Chigusa Tsukikage...

Maya starts playing in the woods, as if she were a spirit of the mountains... She swings from lianas and she falls on... Sakurakoji! Some time later, Kuronuma shows up... He lives in a hut in the woods, fishing and hunting... Being in contact with nature, he understands better and better "Kurenai Tennyo"! And he occasionally watched Maya's and Ayumi's performance in the last days...
He asks Sakurakoji to go live with him... He presuades him that it will help him to understand Isshin... But Sakurakoji is also needed to help him cutting the wood, fishing, etc.!

At the old mountain temple, Masumi, Shiori, Onodera and Kei Akame visit Chigusa Tsukikage. Masumi gives her a present from her father. Tsukikage doesn't want to accept: she saved a wounded man in a old cabin, not Eisuke Hayami. Masumi Hayami smiles: he knew she would say that! Then, if she didn't save Eisuke Hayami, she can accept a present from an old man with a broken heart... Chigusa laughs a lot: this time, Masumi Hayami has had the better of her!
In that moment, Sakurakoji and Kuronuma and the fatigued and dirty Ayumi and Maya arrive at the old temple... Three couple of rivals are facing: besides Maya and Ayumi, there are Sakurakoji and Kei Akame, and then Onodera and Kuronuma!
Chigusa Tsukikage announces them that in a week, when the bridge is repaired, they will see her "Kurenai Tennyo"! But before her performance, Maya and Ayumi will show them a sample of their Crimson Goddesses!

Before going away, Masumi, arm-in-arm with Shiori, talks to Maya: he teases her as usual, joking about her appearance, way far from the beauty of a goddess... Unexpectedly, Maya doesn't say a word... She blushes and she starts crying... Masumi is very upset. Sakurakoji embraces Maya and cheers her up... Masumi can't believe it... He doesn't understand what happened... Later, in his car, he is speechless... Shiori tells him that Maya and Sakurakoji are a well-matched couple...
When Eisuke Hayami is informed that Chigusa Tsukikage will perform "Kurenai Tennyo" in a week, he is very excited! He will watch her at any cost!!!

Genzo and Tsukikage are talking about Maya and Ayumi. Genzo is sorry for Ayumi: in the last performance, Maya's "Kurenai Tennyo" was so impressive!
But Tsukikage doesn't agree... Ayumi is better than Maya at the moment...
The sensei calls the girl: they have to walk as the Crimson Goddess with some little round bells around their ankles. The sound and the rhythm make it clear to anyone that Ayumi is absolutely the best. Ayumi asks the sensei to let her and Maya walk along the river as "Kurenai Tennyo". Tuskikage accepts: once again, Ayumi's grace and sense of rhythm are outstanding. Maya is very sad and ashamed of herself... She runs away in tears! Ayumi is now more self-confident than ever! This is Maya's weak point! Maya understands the heart and feelings of characters better than her, but without technique, she can't express what she feels!
Anyway, the two rivals are determined to do their best not to lose to each other.
They rehearse hard to understand their goddesses, they spend their days in the woods, by the lake, observing the beauty of nature. Day by day, they get closer and closer to their own goddesses.

A sample of Maya's and Ayumi's performances.

The brige has been repaired!
Many people are entering the sacred Valley of Red Plum Trees to see Maya and Ayumi giving a sample of their "Kurenai Tennyo" and to see the original "Kurenai Tennyo" by Chigusa Tsukikage. Among them are Masumi, Shiori, Kuronuma, Sakurakoji, the Tsukikage and Unicorn Company, the president of the National Drama Association, and Eisuke Hayami, who can hardly walk: Masumi takes him on his back! The performance is held next to the thousand-year plum tree: between it and the place where the audience sits a river runs.
Ayumi's goddess is simply perfect: she dances like a butterfly, her voice is incredibly divine... She is a real goddess, light, fine, and mysterious. The audience is amazed.
Maya is a little worried... It's her turn now... After such a wonderful goddess! But... Masumi Hayami is watching her... This encourages her a lot!
Maya's Crimson Goddess is very different from Ayumi's. She shows up from behind the tree, emitting a powerful sound. Then she looks at the lake in front of the tree... Her voice resonates around, and the vibrations make the water surface move... When all the lines have been recited, the gooddess disappears behind the tree. It is a very striking interpetation!
The president of the National Drama Association is very pleased. It is not so clear who is the best between Maya and Ayumi. He can't wait to see the demonstrative show in Tokyo!

After the show, Masumi talks to Maya. He congratulates with her, but Maya is distrustful as usual: his words don't seem sincere... Hayami laughs: he means what he said, she did a good interpretation! He wants to see the play soon! Maya has to tell him something before he goes away:
Hayami san! Please wait a little more. I think I haven't perfected my interpretation yet. I don't know what I have to do yet to express my heart... Even if my performance is not as wonderful as Ayumi's... I'm doing my best... For the show, I'll be surely ready... And I will perform a "Kurenai Tennyo" wich will please you... I'll do it, for you!
Masumi is upset. In that moment, Sakurakoji arrives and interrupts their conversation (!). He congratulates with Maya, and the girl is very happy for what he says... Masumi turns and observes them while walking away. He is disappointed: why Maya accepted Sakurakoji's compliments? Did his words look more sincere than his? Maya sneezes and Sakurakoji gives her his pullover... Sayaka and other guys make fool of them: are they performing the roles of two in love? They blush... Masumi is terribly jealous...

The performance of "Kurenai Tennyo" is going to start. Chigusa Tsukikage doesn't feel good at all. She prays Ichiren Ozaki to give her the strenght to perform, probably for the last time... There is some blood on her towel...

Eisuke Hayami is very excited. The president of the National Drama Association asks Masumi if he knows that his father was in love with Chigusa Tsukikage. Masumi knew it very well:
He loved her more than anyone else. He loved her deeply, until it hurts...
While saying those words, Masumi keeps looking at Sakurakoji and Maya. They are sitting next to each other, on a rock. Maya is wearing his pullover. Both are blushing...
Shiori notices Masumi's dreadful look...

The performance of Chigusa Tsukikage is about to start!

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Attention!

Original story by Suzue Miuchi. Synopses by Francesca.
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