Kiki

## Character

The younger brother of the twins, Kiki is curious and full of energy, though he can come across as sheeky at times. He can fly through the sky using a star on his back.

## Story

Kiki has the lead role in the play "Hansel and Gretel", alongside with his sister Lala.

**[Act I] Twins of the Dark Woods**

Once upon a time, in a faraway land... There was a poor family living in the deep, dark woods. A pair of twins, a brother and sister, lived together with their father and mother.

The boy's name was Hansel, and the girl's Gretel.

As their father was a poor woodcutter, they didn't have much to eat. One year, a great famine spread throughout the land, and they barely had enough to eat every day.

When they didn't know where the next meal would come from, the parents decided to take action.

"Oh honey, what should we do?"

"I just don't know. How can we feed the children, when we don't even have enough to feed ourselves?"

They both took a deep breath, and began to think. And then the mother said,

"We'll just have to leave our children out in the dark woods..."

"Don't be ridiculous!"

The father wouldn't have any of it, but he didn't know what else to do. At this rate, if nothing was done, all four of them would starve. Thus, the father made a painful decision.

"It's no use. Tomorrow when I leave for work, I'll take the children into the woods..."

Hansel overheard his parents' discussion, but Gretel was lying next to him fast asleep, and knew nothing of it.

"It'll be all right, Gretel. I'll think of something, I promise."

**[Act II] A Trail of Breadcrumbs**

The next morning, the woodcutter took Hansel and Gretel deep into the dark woods. Gretel, who knew nothing, was enjoying her time, but Hansel paid close attention to their trail as they walked.

Soon, they came to a clearing where their father often stopped to cut wood.

"Listen up, you two. I need to go deeper into the woods to do some cutting. I'll come back in the evening to take you home. Be good, and wait here."

The father said this as he started for the deeper woods, leaving the children alone. Although Hansel knew his father would never return, he still hoped that, just maybe, he would come back for them.

The twins held hands and waited patiently for their father's return, but as night fell and the moon began to rise, there was still no sign of him.

"Hansel? Why hasn't Father come back yet?"

"He must've forgotten about us, and gone home alone. But don't worry, I made a trail this morning when we came."

Hansel had dropped a trail of breadcrumbs as they left the house. He had hoped they could follow the breadcrumbs to find their way home again, but there were none in sight. The birds of the forest had come and ate every last crumb.

"All the breadcrumbs have been eaten..."

"So does that mean we can't go home?"

Gretel asked, as she looked at Hansel's sullen face. She too was filled with sorrow now. They were abandoned in the dark woods. But then suddenly, a large white bird flew overhead. It seemed to be asking the children to follow it.

"Let's chase it!"

"Okay!"

**[Act III] The Candy Cottage**

The children followed the white bird back to the clearing. Except this time, there was a peculiar little cottage.

"Look, Gretel! That house is made of candy!"

"Wow! Let's go inside!"

This candy cottage before them wasn't in the clearing when they were waiting there earlier. As they approached the cottage made of chocolate, gingerbread, white sugar, and cream, its sweet aroma further tempted their empty stomachs.

The children went inside, and greeting them was a kind, old woman with a feast of delicacies laid out before her.

"My, what a sweet pair of children. And you must be starving. Please, enjoy to your heart's content. "

"Thank you, ma'am!"

At the old woman's offer, the children ate and ate. They had never tasted anything so delicious before, and it made them beam with joy. The old woman smiled too. After the children had their fill, the old woman fastened a heavy lock to the door. She then trapped Gretel in a large birdcage, and grabbed Hansel by the hand.

"Quit your blubbering, boy. You'll work for me now! Put some water in this pot, and we'll make some tasty food. Then we'll feed it to the girl to fatten her up for supper!"

Hansel was terrified upon hearing this. The old woman was a witch, and she was going to eat Gretel. The thought of preparing Gretel for supper brought Hansel to tears, but he knew what would happen to him if he refused, so he did as the witch said. Cooking was something he'd never done, so he was slow and clumsy as he worked, and soon the witch became impatient with Hansel.

"Oh, let me do that, you fool! Go and see if the oven
is hot enough, "

The witch ordered Hansel. The witch intended to throw Hansel inside once the oven was hot enough, to bake him too with the bread. Hansel knew this right away.

"Um, how do I check the oven?"

"Can't you do anything right, you stupid child? Hmph! Let me show you," said the witch.

She opened the oven, and bent down to peek inside. Just then, Hansel pushed the witch from behind, shoved her in, and closed her tight in the oven. He then ran to Gretel, and freed her from the birdcage. The children were overjoyed at what they found. The witch had stored up many treasures. They took as much as they could carry, and fled from the cottage.

**[Act IV] Guidance from the White Bird**

Though they escaped from the cottage, the children didn't know how to get home. As Hansel and Gretel stood wondering what to do, the white bird from before returned. It guided them through the dark woods until they found their home.

Hansel and Gretel's parents deeply regretted leaving their children out in the woods, and were overjoyed to see their faces again. Even more, they were shocked at all the treasures Hansel and Gretel returned with.

The family was now able to buy loads of food; and they lived happily ever after.

The End.