RIO / MOM Go get your rock and let ’ s try again . See if you can even skip it all the way to your dad . I doubt he ’ s caught any fish on that side of the river . Just in case he ’ s still trying , let ’ s try and scare the fish away !
( The memory ends . KAIA looks at the rock in her hand , takes a beat and hands it to RIO , who sticks her arm through the ring and takes the rock . She moves the ring over her body and places it back on the ground . She resumes her pose as a river , the rock in one hand . ZEPHYR keeps his ring up . KAIA holds out the kite string toward him / her .)
KAIA Zephyr , you have always been my breath of fresh air . You taught me that even though life can toss me this way and that , there will always be someone to catch me when I stumble . To comfort me … when my world falls apart .
( KAIA hands the string to ZEPHYR , who sticks his / her arm through the ring and grabs the string . ZEPHYR moves the ring over his / her body and places it back on the ground . She resumes her pose as the wind , the string in one hand . KAIA kneels down , clutches the empty shoebox against her chest while downstage center , heavy with sadness .)
ZEPHYR Should we say something ? I feel like we should say something right now .
But she can ’ t hear us .
I ’ m not so sure that ’ s true anymore .
RIO
ARBOR
ZEPHYR You ’ re right . Something ’ s different this time .
She ’ s different . ( pause ) Marco ? ( pause )
RIO
KAIA ( unphased ) I want you all to know that even though I ’ m leaving my shoebox behind , I ’ m going to find some way to keep you with me . Forever . You ’ re a part of me , you know ? My family looks different now , but this backyard … this tree … this river … this breeze … this is still my home . You are still my family . But I guess it ’ s time to grow a new life somewhere else .
I ’ m not ready to say goodbye .
RIO ( tearing up )
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