All You Politicians Do Is Lie

Setting: Dark abstract space (Narrator) / House of Parliament – Battle Council

Narrator: What would you do, if you lived in a world where nobody could lie? (Parts of the shaded out scenes are being shown on screen, characters are mostly unrecognizable.)

Shadowed Mysterious Man #1: Nobody is allowed to leave this room now!

Narrator: Would the world be a better place? (People seem to be in a chaos. A device on a wall where the results of voting of the Members of Parliament are present shows current date and time: 4th April 2012, 7:57 am.)

Shadowed Mysterious Man #2: Unbreakable Wall! (Glass-looking impenetrable walls are created, preventing anybody to escape or enter the Battle Council.)

Narrator: Or would it be a much worse place filled with the most twisted desires of people spoken out loud? (A man is seen hiding another man behind his back, as if he was protecting him. Shadowed Mysterious Man #1 takes steps towards them.)

Shadowed Mysterious Man #3: Stop this...! We can talk this through!

Narrator: This world is full of lies. And the worst liars of all run this country. The politicians.

Shadowed Mysterious Man #1: Toxic... Rain.

Narrator: But do you know what is even worse? (A SMM#3 takes the man he protected, a young boy, to the ground and covers him with his body. He says something as if he was in a pain as purple stains are covering half of his head from a profile, creating evaporating steam. A liquid poison.) That the ordinary people... chose this willingly... themselves.

Shadowed Mysterious Man #3: (screaming in despair) Shinuo, you must live!!!

Setting: Shinuo’s bedroom

Shinuo: (Shinuo quickly opens his eyes in his bedroom. Heavy breathing. Sweaty.) Wha-... Where am I? ... What happened? A nightmare? (Looks at the clock, 8:05 am, 4th April 20...) Damn, I gotta go to work! My dad is gonna be so pissed at me agai- ...huh? Did I fall asleep with my working suit on? (Shinuo hears somebody from the kitchen, doing the dishes. The dishes make a lot of noise.) Sorry Mom, gotta run or else I'm gonna be late! See you later!

A woman in the kitchen: (Is wearing headphones while doing the dishes.) Huh? Did I hear something?

Setting: Outside of Shinuo’s house

Shinuo: Wait, didn't I cut the grass the other day? How come it is so tall again... Nevermind, gotta hurry!

Setting: Starts running through the streets

Shinuo: (in his mind, as if narrating) My name is Shirogami Shinuo, I am 18 years old and I am a politician! But not just any politician. A Dynamism Politician! In this world, we live in a democratic society where politicians get supernatural powers called Dynamism through the votes of people in the Elections. The more percent a political party gets in the Elections, the more powerful abilities they manifest from the will of people. There is no other way to gain a Dynamism, unless you are somebody, in our country’s case a politician, who gets to be elected.

(A billboard with a slogan “We want a responsible change!” of a political party no. 5 called Psychic Minds is seen.)

Shinuo Shirogami: Hmm, must be a new political party, just starting out. How nice! (continuing the ‘narration’ in his mind) This is my second year of being elected in a Parliament, although our party is in the opposition. Politicians and civilians alike always say I am not cut out for this profession because I am too honest. But it’s the politicians who are just too dishonest and use their powers for their personal gain. There are political parties who don’t understand democracy. My goal is to…

(Shinuo spots an old lady trying to cross the road but a truck is not slowing down as she steps on the crosswalk. She notices she won’t be able to dodge it in time.)

Shinuo Shirogami: Quake… Accelerator! (Shinuo creates orange wave cracks around his legs, destroying the ground below him and the pressure makes him almost fly at a high speed in a direction of the old granny) Gotcha! (He grabs her midair and brings her over to the other side.)

The old lady: Oh, thank you, young man! You saved me. You are my hero!

Shinuo Shirogami: Hehe, I am no hero, granny… I am a politician! Here to serve the people!

The old lady: Oh? You are really sweet. I hope you become someone as strong as our Prime Minister!

Shinuo Shirogami: Naah, wanting to become someone as important for generally no reason is cliché! I don’t need any positions like that. But don’t forget to vote for me!!

Shinuo Shirogami: (continues to run to the Parliament; ‘narration’ goes on) We politicians fight in the Parliament, a.k.a. National Council, among ourselves, wanting to prove our points. I am using my Quake Dynamism that I got in the last Elections 2011. I was not so active throughout my career but that is gonna change soon! I finally know what I need to do in order to have a big impact on this society!

(Another billboard saying “We don’t want another Modern Catastrophe!” is seen, Shinuo misses it.)

Shinuo Shirogami: (starts slowing down) Damn, I still feel so dizzy, was it because of that scarily realistic dream? Did I not get enough sleep? Aaargghhh I even forgot my keys! Welp, Mom is gonna be home in the evening so I will not be locked out. (Stops and looks a different way with a suspicious "Huh?" as he hears something loud in the background)

Setting: Parliament – Psychic Minds’ office

(An older bald dark-skin man, Shigeru Guinn, that is introduced as a Leader of the Psychic Minds political party watches the news in his office where the reporter says a new protest against the Government is happening in the City Center on the Square. A white-haired Rebel Issei , a Member of Parliament (MP) of Psychic Minds and the party's 3rd Ring, and Akari Fujiwara, a short purple-haired Member of Parliament of Psychic Minds are in the office with him.)

Shigeru Guinn: Rebel, Akari, I want you two to head over there and stop the protest. We can't let the- (interrupted)

Rebel Issei: Yeah, yeah, we know. We need to stop any demonstrations because our public image is at stake. No sweat, leave it to us, dickhead~.

Akari Fujiwara: Rebel!!! (angry)

Shigeru Guinn: Rebel, (calm) you are trying too hard to provoke me all the time just to start a fight. But I am telling you, I am not going to fight you as long as you are in my party. That is my iron rule. But anyways, you know very well it is not just our public image of trustworthy politicians that we try to protect.

Akari Fujiwara: We need to honor the Constitution, right? The Legendary Hero has created it and one of the rules we must follow is to always stop any restlessness in this country before it goes ugly!

Shigeru Guinn: Very well, Akari. Diligent as always.

Rebel Issei: Alright, alright, maybe I get to fight somebody there! Heheh.

Shigeru Guinn: You know that us, Politicians, cannot fight regular citizens of the Unravel Republic.

Rebel Issei: Then… will YOU fight me, in order to stop me~?

Shigeru Guinn: You just can't live without a conflict, can you… Get the hell out of here already…

Rebel Issei: Heheheh. (Walking away)

Shigeru Guinn: Hey, Akari, Rebel! (Stops them) Take Melanie with you as well. I heard she is full of energy since early morning.

Setting: Parliament halls

(Akari and Rebel are walking down the halls of the Royal Arena, when a man named Kazuma Koito, a 2nd Ring of Ice Demons party and a Minister of Economy stops them.)

Kazuma Koito: Hey shitheads, go calm down your Diamond girl. She is fighting Rock Drums' MPs again.

Rebel Issei: Who did you call a shithead, you shithead?

Kazuma Koito: You, obviously. Or do you have so much shit in your brain you cannot hear intelligent words properly through it?

Rebel Issei: Akari, (pissed off) go ahead without me, I'm gonna teach this little smart-face a lesson. (Intimidating aura from Rebel's deep purple eyes. Kazuma is obviously frightened but doesn't want to show it.)

Kazuma Koito: Tsk.

Akari Fujiwara: Come on, macho, (grabs Rebel by ear) we don't have time for this.

Setting: Parliament – Battle Council

(They thought there was a fight, but they hear nothing but a weird silence in the Battle Council. When they enter, they find out Melanie Hoseki - a beautiful green-haired Member of Parliament from Psychic Minds with a pony tail - is brutally beating another Member of Parliament on the ground, slamming his face with bare fists.)

Akari Fujiwara: Oh my god! (Shocked) That’s a guy from Grass Blades party! Why the hell are you beating our colleague from the opposition?!

Melanie Hoseki: (Pissed off) Take this! And this! This is what you get for thinking you could have your own opinion!!

Akari Fujiwara: Eh… what…?

Melanie Hoseki: This gentleman thought it is okay for an author to change the lore of the vampires and just make them shine in a sunlight! DIS-GUS-TING!

Rebel Issei: Okay girlie, that is enough. Now don't be a little bitch and get those cute hands off of this poor soul.

Melanie Hoseki: Rebel! But…but…!

Rebel Issei: I know, I know. I promise I will let you kick his sorry ass later, but come now. We have a job.

Melanie Hoseki: A JOOOOOOOOOOOB?! <3 Yayyy!

Setting: City Center - Square

(A protest is ongoing. A random protester guy gives a speech and a whole lot of people are listening and supporting the protest with their loud cheers.)

A random protester: Today we’re remembering a tragic incident. The one that was a Catalyst for the Modern Catastrophe. But we do not talk about that here. We talk about the catastrophe that is our lives! (crowd cheering) The Prime Minister needs to step down just like he promised in 2014! We are the people! We give them the power through our votes! Thus, we should have also the option to get rid of them if they don't serve us, the citizens of Unravelia! (loud cheers from the crowd)

(A politician with a not amused face is seen watching the protest on TV in an office. There are documents and other logos in his office showing "Ice Demons". Only his mouth is visible, everything else is shadowed out.)

A random protester: We are still waiting for a highway that would connect the East and the West but all we get are just excuses! Our minimum wage is so pitiful, whereas they get royal salaries each month!! Where is the fairness in that?! (cheers from the crowd)

Crowd: Nowhere!! - We are just crawling bugs to them! - We want a change! (There are many banners that the people brought. Some of them say things like "Haruka Protects The Thieves", "Be More Transparent", or "We don't want you, Mirai Haruka!".)

A random protester: Our hospitals are in a desolate state! We pay social and health contributions our whole lives and we need to pay for any medicine or doctor appointments anyways! (cheers from the crowed)

(A silhouette of a person from behind approaches the speaker's desk. Rebel, Akari and Melanie arrive at the scene and watch it from afar to assess the situation.)

A random protester: But I am not the one who should talk about this. I have no right to do so. There is somebody else who you should listen to. (The silhouette person is revealed to be a young, red-haired boy, who is given the microphone.)

Sekai Owari: (serious) My name is Owari Sekai.

A random guy in a crowd: 'Owari Sekai'? What is this? 2012?

Sekai Owari: I am 19 years old.

Random girls in a crowd: (lustful) Oh hello there~! - He looks like a snacc! - Yeah, quite handsome! - That long red hair and that cool tattoo under his eye…

Sekai Owari: (sad) Me and my girlfriend... lost our parents at a young age due to illness. The doctors said the treatment was possible, but it was very expensive. And of course we didn't have enough money for that. So they gradually got worse and worse... until they died 12 years ago. (Sekai starts having teary eyes and his voice is shaking a little bit.) But I am not blaming the doctors. Not even the state the hospitals are in. I am blaming the politicians. They DID have a power to stop the illness of our parents! And they still possess such powers today! (crowd cheering)

Crowd: Yeah! That's right!!

Sekai Owari: After all, they possess the supernatural abilities called Dynamism! They could have prevented many deaths and sadness! But no. They choose to ignore us, the ordinary people and our problems. (The crowd goes silent and they listen to those words, realizing how right Sekai is. Some of the people start to tear up themselves.)

There was a girl, who was full of life, always laughing. But a tragedy has left her disabled, unable to walk. I invite you, Dynamism Politicians, come to me! Come save this girl! Heal this girl!!! Why do you choose to run away like cowards?!

Akari Fujiwara: … (silent, depressed look)

Sekai Owari: (angry but teary) You cannot heal the girl? Why not? And if not, then come to this stage and tell us. Tell all these people why you can't heal her, even when you know damn well that you possess not only cool fighting abilities, but also the healing and recovery abilities!

Rebel Issei: (Moved but determined) Okay, we have heard enough. Let's go take him with us.

Melanie Hoseki: (worried) But I do feel sorry for this boy…

Sekai Owari: The President of the Lands of Infernalia is a true hero. He isn't afraid to help his people. He uses his politicians' abilities to directly help the citizens of the Infernalia! So why can't our politicians do the same?! (still having tears in the eyes)

(The crowd goes crazy even more than before with their cheers, chanting and shouting. A strange Green Energy starts to surround them. Rebel notices this.)

Rebel Issei: (Rebel notices the Green Energy) What is going on? This is…! (confused but slowly realizes what it is)

Sekai Owari: I am going to tell you why. Because this country, Unravelia, lacks TRUE leaders!

(The Green Energy from the crowd starts to transfer to Sekai but neither the people nor Sekai notice it, only the Dynamism Politicians - Rebel, Akari and Melanie - see it. Melanie prepares to rush on the stage to punch Sekai and take him away. She runs towards to stage, almost reaching the speaker's desk.)

Sekai Owari: This country does NOT have any real HEROE- (A wave-like pressure comes from Sekai's left which he barely manages to notice.)

Shinuo: (serious) Earthquake… STOMP! (Shinuo comes from the left with a speedy kick attack, his leg is surrounded by an orange lightning-like cracks. Melanie jumps back upon seeing it. Sekai spits out some saliva, is hit to his ribs, his eyes turn white and he falls hard to the ground.) I do feel sorry for you, buddy, but enough of your nonsense.

Akari Fujiwara: (Shocked) Rebel… h-he… not only can he use a Dynamism, he just used it on a civilian on top of that!!

Rebel Issei: No way… (shocked even more)

Melanie Hoseki: (pissed off) Who the heck are you?! And how can you have a Dynamism?! I have never seen you in the Parliament or at the Government Office!

Shinuo: Huh? And who the heck are YOU? My name Is Shinuo Shirogami and I am a Dynamism Politician from the Flying Lizard party!

Crowd: (mutters) Did he say Shirogami? - Did he say Flying Lizards? - Impossible! - But he does have a Dynamism! - Maybe just a Member of a Parliament we haven't had a chance to see anywhere yet?

Akari Fujiwara: What do you mean Flying Lizards? That political party does not exist anymore! And we don't have a politician named Shinuo Shirogami!

Rebel Issei: (Recovered from the shock) No, Akari. You and Melanie are too young to know this. But 10 years ago, there was a fresh novice in the Parliament. A politician who won the hearts of people with his honesty, just like his Father. The son of the Legendary Fighter, Kuroko Shirogami.

Akari Fujiwara: WHAT?!!!

Crowd: WHAT?!!!

Melanie Hoseki: Who? (completely oblivious)

Shinuo Shirogami: What do you mean by 10 years ago? I started my carreer as a Dynamism Politician just last year.

(Sekai stands up, surrounded by the Green Energy that now turned into a blue mist.)

Rebel Issei: We can chat later. Right now, we still have a problem. I have a funny feeling about this. We need to- (interrupted)

Shinuo Shirogami: Yeah, take these protesters out and hand them over to the police.

Sekai Owari: (inner monologue) I feel so weird. And I feel cold. And that kick hurt as hell. Dirty swine. (Shinuo and Rebel run towards Sekai, preparing to fight him up-close barehanded.)

Sekai Owari: Stay away from me… you filthy…. POLITICIANS!!!!!!! (gradually making his voice louder, Sekai shoots them both to the ground with Icicle Spears)

Akari Fujiwara: Rebel!

Melanie Hoseki: What the hell was that?!

Sekai Owari: Woah. How did I do this? Is this why I felt so cold? And why do I feel so hot all of a sudden?

Rebel Issei: (standing up) Okay team, we don't know what is going on, but we are against a citizen...with a Dynamism.

Akari Fujiwara: (panicking) But I thought that Dynamism abilities are manifested only during Elections through the votes from people! Why is there this Shinuo guy who has a Dynamism even tho he was not chosen during 2021 Elections and this Sekai guy who all of a sudden manifested a Dynamism on a protest?

Shinuo Shirogami: Yeah, this protest thingy is news for me, too.

Rebel Issei: I don't know but that is not important right now. We need to focus.

Melanie Hoseki: You know that I am all about fighting but we cannot attack civilians! We will lose our mandates and be arrested!

Shinuo Shirogami: Really?!

Akari Fujiwara: (angry) And why are you surprised?! Didn't you say you were a Dynamism Politician, too? How can you not know that?

Shinuo Shirogami: I never really cared much about formalities… heheh

Rebel Issei: The situation has drastically changed. This is an unprecedented situation, we are against a Dynamism protester and we have all this crowd and journalists who can testify that we didn't just attack a random citizen for no reason. We need to stop Owari Sekai.

(A fight breaks out. Shinuo shows his Quake Dynamism, Melanie fights Sekai's Ice with her Fire, Rebel is really efficient with his movements. Sekai is building Ice Walls around him so that they don't reach him. He tries to escape but they keep shooting his plans down. Melanie attacks Shinuo as well.)

Shinuo Shirogami: Why are you attacking me?! I am on your side, guys!

Melanie Hoseki: You have a Dynamism and you are NOT a part of the Goverment, or the National Council. So you are no different from this protester!

Sekai Owari: Damn you, people!! I don't want to actually hurt you! Stop coming after me! (Melanie melts all of his Ice attacks with her Fire and continues a barrage of Fire Ball attacks to shoot down his Icicle Spears. Shinuo tries to close the gap and punch him with his Earthquake Fist.) Just stop it, please! (Sekai's last Icicle Spear grazes Shinuo's left cheek but then Sekai's Ice Dynamism stops working all of a sudden and Melanie's Fire Ball therefore accidentally hits Sekai's t-shirt, burning it up. Shinuo Dyna-punches Sekai but the attack has more force because he expected his Ice to get in the way. He hits his chest and a "ground shaking crack" hits Sekai's neck, giving him a seriously looking injury. Dyna Politicians manage to subdue him and Melanie grabs Shinuo, too.)

Rebel Issei: (to Shinuo) You need to go with us, too. We don't know what is going on but I think I might have a hunch. Melanie, release him, he has no reason to resist.

(While they capture Sekai, a suspicious character with sunglasses watches from the crowd.)

Setting: On a way somewhere through park

Sekai Owari: Why... Why did it come to this...? Hands off of me you filthy politicians!! You never help people! You just think of yourselves, you are corrupted and you always lie!! This system is wrong! Democracy my ass!! (Inner monologue) I feel angry and sad but my tears are gone, how? Did they freeze because of that ice power?

Rebel Issei: Listen here, you little shit. All you have been doing is whining and crying like a bitch. Wanna do something about it?

Sekai Owari: And what am I supposed to do, huh??? (helplessly angry)

Shinuo Shirogami: (poker face) Enter the game. Become a Dynamism Politician.

Sekai Owari: W-what…?

Shinuo Shirogami: You are never going to change anything by yourself. And unfortunately, the way the Election System works now... it's not going to be helpful either. That is why I entered the politics. To change that. My dream is to change this whole democratic system of Elections.

Rebel Issei: (smirks) Oh did I hear this somewhere before…

Sekai Owari: No. I am never going to become something that I hate from the bottom of my heart.

Rebel Issei: (Wind rising, focus on his lips) I had decided to create a new political party. (full body shot) The one who will purge the politics from the corruption. The one who will be an opposition even within a coallition. The one that will accept only those with pure, untainted hearts. The people like you.. or Shinuo.

Akari Fujiwara: Heheheh. (laughs playfully)

Melanie Hoseki: (shocked) Akari, did you know about his plans?!

Akari Fujiwara: Wellllll, nooo… (obviously lying)

Rebel Issei: Akari, Melanie, Sekai, Shinuo! Let's form a political party! The five of us together!

Akari Fujiwara: Yeah!!!

Melanie Hoseki: Count me in!

Sekai Owari: Fuck off.

Shinuo Shirogami: But wait, I am still in Flying Lizards with my dad, I can't- (interrupted)

Rebel Issei: Let’s talk in our office when we get back. And Sekai, I have a proposition for you. You should be aware that we are taking you to the police station where they will arrest you. And you will be sent to the Quarantine Prison because you possess a Dynamism now. That means, you will be kneeling all day, with your hands and legs tied behind your back, eyes will be covered and you will be getting food only once a day through a small hole by a guard. You will not be able to go pee or poo. Only once a week they will clean your room, if you can call that a room.

Akari Fujiwara: Ewww… (shivers)

Rebel Issei: No internet, no TV, no phone, no human contact. That is a fate that awaits a Dynamism Politician who gets arrested and you will be judged as such.

Sekai Owari: N-no…

Rebel Issei: But I can make it so that all of this gets swept from the table. Of course, only if you accept to become a member of my political party, hehe.

Sekai Owari: You bastard... I have a girlfriend that I need to take care of, I cannot end up like this!

Shinuo Shirogami: Well you must have known what happens when you go to make a speech on a protest. That automatically makes you a co-organizer.

Rebel Issei: So what, Tomato Head? Do we have a deal?

Sekai Owari: (inner monologue) Ame...(back to normal) Okay. I accept. (inner monologue) Once my powers come back to me, I am gonna run for it!

Rebel Issei: Excellent! That makes it 5 of us! Hihihih

Akari Fujiwara: Sorry, gotta make a phone call!

Shinuo Shirogami: Are you counting me?! I can’t! I already am in a political party, I told you! I am with Flying Lizards!

Rebel Issei: Hate to break it to you. But once I explain everything to you, you will see, that you have no other choice…

Setting: In front of a police station

Sekai Owari: The police? Why are we here?

Police Officer: You will come with me, Owari Sekai.

Sekai Owari: W-wait, what? But… Hey! You jerk, why—

Setting: Inside of a dark room

(Rebel and the others enter a dark room. There they find a blindfolded and tied up Sekai, kneeling, with his hands behind his back.)

Rebel Issei: Hey, Tomato Head! How are you?

Sekai Owari: (angry) I have been here for an hour, why did you do this to me?! Why are you leaving me here in this inhuman Quarantine?!

Rebel Issei: (playful) You know, I talked to the officers. They will let you go out of this cage but only if I take care of you and take full responsibility for you. And how can I do that if I don't have you in my political party, hmm~?

Sekai Owari: Seriously man. Fuck you. I have no strength left to be even angry with you.

Rebel Issei: Right back at you. But what about your girlfriend? Is she not gonna ever see you because you are so stubborn?

Sekai Owari: ... (silent, looking helpless)

Rebel Issei: Thought so.

Sekai Owari: If I become a Dynamism Politician, do I get a Political Immunity?

Rebel Issei: Well of course~.

Sekai Owari: Will I automatically be included on your roster in the next elections so that I have a way to provide for my girlfriend and support her better?

Rebel Issei: (slides a contract paper on the table to Sekai) That depends on you. The political party is already created. I leave a member form in front of you, I just need your signature.

Sekai Owari: (yelling) ...aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaargh!!! OKAY DAMMIT! From today, I am gonna hate the person in the mirror because I will see another filthy politician!! (Melanie unties his hands and slides him a pen, grabs his hand so that he knows where on the paper he needs to sign it, since he is still blindfolded.)

(After signing, Melanie frees his eyes, the room lights up, Sekai sees Rebel, Melanie, Akari, Shinuo and the police officer. The room looks like a normal interrogation room like at any police station.)

Setting: Interrogation room

Sekai Owari: What is going on? (confused)

Shinuo Shirogami: You really are scary, Mr. Rebel. (smirk)

Melanie Hoseki: (bursts laughing) Did you seriously think you were at the Quarantine Prison already? Without a trial? Hahahahah.

Sekai Owari: (inner monologue) That's right! I was taken to a police station!! I am so stupid! (outloud) But I accepted your offer! How did you know I was not honest?

Akari Fujiwara: (proud) Hehe, Lie Detector. My Dynamism. I can detect any lies around me. Of course, it is not 100% accurate. And I need to focus on the person if I want to uncover the lie.

Sekai Owari: You bastards. You tricked me. I was playing right into your hands. So that's why the phone call. It was your secret signal for Rebel, right? And I guess that you had this police station prepared from the beginning, didn't you, Rebel? … Damn! This is why I hate you all so much! All you politicians ever do is LIE!

Rebel Issei: (playfully) Oh? Whatever you mean, little Sekai…? (pause)

(Badass intimidating Rebel towering over Sekai, with smirking Melanie and smiling Akari next to him, while Shinuo is laughing behind them leaning against the wall.)

Rebel Issei: (after pause) POLITICIANS NEVER LIE!

CHAPTER 1: END

Author’s Ending Note: Next time… Shinuo and the devastating truth behind the disappearance of Flying Lizards!