[OPEN — quick bustle] [DEW-MATRON— female insectoid contralto; matronly, maternal, uncanny, raspy, warm, amused, guiding. (clap-click)]: So good, two-finds, your-selves, so quick, thinks best, if one, to other...sticks, Trust made, must take, new-kin, own-sake Haste make, hive-friends; Kha's-whinds, quick change. Down now, be-fore, Lork-huff, heaves strange. [ASHIMASI- female young mezzo; intuitive, excited, anticipatory, bright (alight)]: We'll follow! Your path, down right? Says well? Still new, try will. Moss-eee, osh-eee, says yee? [MASIASHI— male baritone; inquisitive, bright, wry, measured. (bowing wit)]: Seems our arc, keeps on down its course then. Still suits to dive depths, sooner or later, Our moment of rest, lead on, and I'll follow, sight what way's best. [INTERLUDE — calm/surreal set change; lava tube → vast cavern] [Hand-pan taps; marimba ostinato; distant hum. Scaffold is wheeled; mushrooms rise. Elytra drift past, naming creatures as they pass, establishing the rhyme-game.] [ELYTRA CHORUS:— mixed whispers/clicks; insectoid, uncanny, sharp, mono-syllabic rhyme leader. pointing, mono-syllables]: Moth-mamm, soft-pelt — “puff-beet.” Wing-shrew, dusk-fur — “mute-fleet.” Nose-bat, glow-gnat — “sweep-sweet.” [Clicks around the audience aisles.] [DESCENT PATTER — Ashimasi & Masiashi stay Mer-like] [ASHIMASI- female young mezzo; intuitive, excited, anticipatory, bright (soft delight)]: Glowing hollow opens up here what a sight to see; each down shelf a step, seems not too steep. [MASIASHI— male baritone; inquisitive, bright, wry, measured. (cataloguing)]: Steam spew fissures, fungal tassels… caution the air shift before each drop. [AT THE FLOOR — the narrow passage appears] [DEW-MATRON— female insectoid contralto; matronly, maternal, uncanny, raspy, warm, amused, guiding. [lighting thorax lamps]]: Pause once air here light shuns. Take these—mush-make lamp-likes. Mind hush tween stone seep speaks. Flame keep, not light, un less...end seeks. [Hands two glowing lanterns to the twins.] [MASIASHI— male baritone; inquisitive, bright, wry, measured. (peering)]: Ohm'nus, seems that, Dew-speak, Path knows, truth keeps? [Masiashi tires of the cadence] What lies ahead exactly? Best you simply tell us, no? [ASHIMASI- female young mezzo; intuitive, excited, anticipatory, bright (glimmering, half-laugh)]: How odd, knows this, path takes This is, shelf of— [leans in] shall we! [CALL-AND-FINISH GAME — Ashimasi “catches” last words] [ELYTRA CHORUS— mixed whispers/clicks; insectoid, uncanny, sharp, mono-syllabic rhyme leader. (tease)]: Left bend—low bend—then steam-vent— [ASHIMASI- female young mezzo; intuitive, excited, anticipatory, bright (with them)]: …spent. [ELYTRA CHORUS— mixed whispers/clicks; insectoid, uncanny, sharp, mono-syllabic rhyme leader.]: Stone lip—small dip—mind step— [ASHIMASI- female young mezzo; intuitive, excited, anticipatory, bright (with them)]: …kept. [MASIASHI— male baritone; inquisitive, bright, wry, measured. (smiling despite himself)]: Well, that is something, actually... Wait up, I'll play, beat keep. [Doesn't keep beat long] Ay, what's that ahead? [Points to what looks like ruins] [NAME REVEAL CUE] [DEW-MATRON— female insectoid contralto; matronly, maternal, uncanny, raspy, warm, amused, guiding. (relents, amused)]: Ah sees, through place, pass we, Old name… mist shape, lost scene. [Beat; soft bell.] [DEW-MATRON— female insectoid contralto; matronly, maternal, uncanny, raspy, warm, amused, guiding. (clearly)]: Eee-hee-nee-pah-leet. [CHORUS I — Elytra lead the “See…Eat” frame; twins keep their voices, only join on the title] [ELYTRA CHORUS— mixed whispers/clicks; insectoid, uncanny, sharp, mono-syllabic rhyme leader. (bouncy, mono-syllables)]: See—Eee-hee-nee-pah-leet! See seat—keep feet—no cheat—no eat— [ASHIMASI & MASIASHI (together, only the title)]: Eee-hee-nee-pah-leet? [WINDING ON — uncanny “finds” appear] [They pass a “dig” cordoned with string and tags.]
