Ep 25 – Don’t Be Mean to Elephants

SCENE STARTS: (Mirai is still in the library doing some research. She’s flipping pages of a book while talking.) 

MIRAI: I still can’t believe there are creatures on the streets that can be so creepy… I mean, to deal with not only unwanted cat calls but also dolphin calls is a lot, when all you want is to run some errands! I’m just so mad!

Oh, wait. I think this is the section I’m looking for… You know, I’m so used to going to my own school’s library, and I’ve been so busy listening to these files that I forgot things are arranged differently wherever you go… It’s taking me forever to even find a book that’s related to what I’m looking for. My Japanese is good enough, but when there’s more kanji than hiragana, my eyes get so sleepy… 

Why did I think reading history books would be a good idea?!

FADE OUT.

NEXT SCENE: (Alina and the gang are at the cafe. “Proserpina Bops” plays in the background.)

DREW: All right, play it cool Alina. Listen, I don’t know how Dog is feeling, but we’ve got to just let her talk when she wants to, not the other way around, okay?

ALINA: Ughhh, yes, I know, I know! Just… pinch me if I sound like I’m being rude.

DREW: All right, but don’t blame me if you get a bruise…

JUN: Oh, hey guys! Sorry for the wait. 

DOG: Hi, everyone.

ALINA: Hey Dog! 

DREW: Hi Dog.

ALINA: You won’t believe the day we had with Terry a few days ago.

JUN: What? Terry willingly met with you guys?

DREW: Yeah… No… It was more like we dragged them around. But they did show up at the coffee shop unknowingly. Though I do wonder if they’ll ever go back now…

ALINA: Oh you know, Terry also had some interesting information about Jessica.

DOG: Like what?

DREW: Let’s head to the park and we can catch you guys up!

FADE OUT.

NEXT SCENE: (They go to the park. It’s daytime, they’re on a leisure walk. The lion dogs are with them.)

ALINA: So like, we actually didn’t get a chance to talk much about Jessica last time because we were all pissed off about some Encantado, but did you know? About the fairy incident? Terry brought it up.

DOG: Yes, there was a situation back then… I’m sure Drew will know what this means, but basically Jessica was spirited away.

DREW: Dang, like the fairies took her?!

ALINA: Whoa, isn’t that what you’ve always wanted?

DREW: Yeah, but… you don’t have to bring it up…

DOG: It certainly does seem like a dream; a literal fairy tale, but fairies, just like mermaids, are a little different than what the stories would have you believe… It makes you wonder why they’re so skewed…

JUN: How long was she gone for?

DOG: Well for us it was at most a couple of hours, but I think for her it was more like a few months… She doesn’t like to talk about it. Though clearly, she has a strong hatred for them now…

ALINA: How does that even happen? I mean, I assume she was familiar with the park by then right?

JESSICA: Well that’s an easy answer. 

ALINA: (gasp) Ooh, she heard me say that…

JESSICA: I was tricked. Fooled. Bamboozled. Like in all the nursery rhymes. 

ALINA: (gasp) Oh, she heard me…

DOG: Jessica! You sure have gotten good at sneaking up on us. 

JESSICA: Of course, it comes with the territory of having a jinn. (pause) You know, I realized recently that we never really got a chance to catch up, like I said we would… Now tell me, has anything changed recently? I’ve been out of the loop for a while. 

ALINA: Anything recent? Uh, oh boy well, there’s been this whole thing where I kinda got Sam angry with me? Uh, for good reasons, and… I’ve apologized so…

JUN: And don’t forget about the aswangs!

DREW: She was there for that! I think you mean don’t forget what the Vetala said about the woods—

DOG: Actually, uh, we’ve been wondering how you and your jinn work together. The gang has never seen one before right?

ALINA: Oh yeah! Um but, we were talking about the park…

JESSICA: We can discuss another time. I’m always available for gossip. You know I have wondered how all of you have survived in the park. The Lion Dogs are cute, but you have no source of… offense. Now what questions do you have for me?

DREW: How did you even find a Jinn to work with you? 

JESSICA: Well, honestly it was all by chance meeting Jinny. Sometimes, that’s all you need.

JUN: Jinny? 

SFX: (A poof of smoke appears and the Jinn arrives.)

ALINA: (gasp) Oh my gosh, an actual jinn!

JUN: Ah! I can see him!

JESSICA: Jinny, say hi. 

JINN: We are wasting valuable time here—

JESSICA: Now, now, Jinny, I think Dog is right. A break would be nice. We’ve barely made any progress anyhow. I doubt we’d learn much today. 

ALINA: Do you… like being called Jinny? You’re kinda frowning a lot.

JINN: Please refer to me as the Jinn.

DREW: Right… absolutely, Mister the Jinn, sir. Let’s go back to that, right? You said you found a jinn by chance? How is that even possible?

MUSIC: (“False Alarm” plays.)

JESSICA: I had wandered back into the park, but I knew it’d be dangerous if I didn’t find a creature to work with immediately. It was just luck that I found a bottle by the stream with a talisman that I recognized on it. Jinny and I have been together since. 

ALINA: Wow… you make it sound so easy… 

JESSICA: Honestly, the only way to survive this park is by studying and preparing for any scenario. This was luck, yes, but I was prepared to make an alliance with a strong creature no matter what.

DOG: Jessica, the point of the park isn’t to be the strongest one out there. Believe it or not, there is a harmonious understanding at work.

JESSICA: That’s because you aren’t human! You’re not the one that gets bullied and harassed by every other creature here. 

ALINA: Well, that does kinda sound like our own experience…

JESSICA: See?

DOG: I understand that you haven’t had the best of times here, but you have a jinn now, you don’t need to act like you’re trapped. 

JESSICA: No, you don’t understand. They will never learn until you show them you mean business. Come on, you wanted to see how I survive in the park? I’ll show you.  

DREW: (whisper) Hey guys, I have a really bad feeling about this…

FADE OUT.

NEXT SCENE: (They all walk to a place in a seemingly empty field.) 

JESSICA: Is there anything in the fields today? Tell me. 

DOG: Jessica, I don’t think the point of today was to bother the creatures—

JESSICA: Jinny, is there a creature there?

JINN: (sighs) Yes, there’s the Airavata grazing in the field at your 2 o’clock. 

SFX: (Suddenly the gang notices a giant creature grazing on some trees.)

ALINA: Holy moly is that an elephant!?

JESSICA: An elephant? Oh, that’s perfect.

JUN: What’s an Airavata besides a giant white elephant?

DREW: Uh that’s clearly not just a white elephant. Can’t you see? It’s got three heads!

ALINA: Wait what?! Oh my god. 

SFX: (Drew and Jun count the heads to confirm.) 

JESSICA: Extra appendages… definitely a creature from Hindu mythology. 

DOG: Well, in Hindu mythology, it is believed that all the gods have their own personal animal that helps them travel. Airavata was Indra’s personal vehicle.

SFX: (A car turns on in a really windy area and drives off…)

JUN: And Indra is the god of…

DOG: Oh you know, the heavens, the sky, the gods. So suffice it to say, Airavata is a very important creature that we should absolutely leave alone. 

DREW: Yup, sounds– yup. Uh huh.

ALINA: Yeah, that sounds like a very important creature…

DREW: But then what’s the reason for the multiple heads? 

SFX: (The road trip ends at an ocean.) 

DOG: Well, these creatures are mythical and all-powerful, and what better way to literally show that than by giving them extra limbs and body parts, more than you would typically see on a human or animal? They are literally extra-ordinary. The Airavata especially so. 

There are different accounts of how they were created. It is said that they were born from one of the shells that contained the Garuda, one of the most famous demigods in Hindu mythology. Another account says that the Airavata was created from the churning of the Ocean of Milk.

ALINA: The Ocean of Milk? Last time I checked, the Indian Ocean was still made of water.

JUN: Well, uh, salt water.

ALINA: You know what I mean!

DREW: Nerd.

JUN: Shut up!

DOG: Ahem, The Ocean of Milk is not the Indian Ocean, it is in fact one of the seven oceans that is part of the Hindu cosmology. Long story short, it contained multiple treasures; including the immortal nectar, Amrita and of course, Airavata, all of which were given to the gods. We can discuss more about that— Jessica, Jessica wait!

SFX: (The show returns to the park atmosphere.)

JESSICA: Wait? But it sounds like the perfect creature to assert our dominance over, doesn’t it?

JUN: What?

DREW: Huh?

ALINA: Wait, dominance?! Are you going to fight a freaking elephant?!

DOG: Jessica, this is considered to be the King of Elephants and as I said, the vessel for the god of the sky. You cannot be displaying this level of disrespect—

MUSIC: (“To Punch a Pachyderm” plays.)

JESSICA: I deserve as much respect as they do!

DREW: Okayy, um, let’s hmm, maybe– Hey, uh, remember back in elementary school when we all learned, you know that, sharing is caring and respect is earned not demanded?

JESSICA: They also told us knowledge is power and to never back away from any challenge!

DREW: Oh my god, what elementary school did you go to?

JUN: Um, I think that like, when they said that, they were referring to, like, learning to read and doing long division, you know, not starting fights with an immortal being just for fun, but I don’t know, that’s just kinda my opinion?

JESSICA: JINN! You know what to do!

JINN: This is what I have to deal with?

SFX: (The Jinn throws a warning shot, causing the Airavata to stir. The Lion Dogs start barking, sensing the tension.)

ALINA: Woah! Okay! You do not need to attack an innocent creature to prove how strong you are! 

JESSICA: You will learn pretty quickly that you really do!

DREW: Um, Alina, I don’t think that she’s going to listen to us, we need to help Airavata!

ALINA: Right! You and Jun try and get Airavata out of here! Do whatever you can, even if you have to scare them off.

DREW: All right, Come on Jun, let’s go! 

SFX: (The two of them run off. Drew and Jun try to coax the Airavata away from Jessica to the side. The Airavata is annoyed and confused at their attempts.)

JESSICA: Why are you trying to stop me? You said you wanted to see this! You said you wanted to learn how to survive!

DOG: But this isn’t the way! Don’t you remember what we did together just a few years ago? We had fun! We helped creatures! You loved Cerberus like they were your own dog and they’re a hellhound!

JESSICA: Well things changed! Jinny, go!

ALINA: D.O, G, keep the Jinn away from Airavata, please! 

SFX: (The Jinn tries to push pass to get to Airavata but the lion dogs stop him. A mini fight ensues until we hear an elephant trumpet loudly, signaling the end.) 

ALINA: You guys! Watch out!

SFX: (Airavata finally leaves the field, nearly knocking Drew and Jun out of the way.) 

DREW: Ow… You’re welcome…

JUN: That solves my chiropractor needs for this month…

JESSICA: What? What happened?

JINN: They scared it off…

JESSICA: It’s gone?! No! Why would you let it leave?!

ALINA: You need to calm down… there’s no need to show this kind of aggression toward any creature. 

DOG: Yes, Jessica please, let’s just talk this over— We can be like before. Like with Sam, and Terry!

JESSICA: Stop trying to help me! I don’t need your help. I don’t need anything from you. You don’t understand! 

DOG: I can if you just– if you just tell me! Please, aren’t we friends?

JESSICA: Friends? You can’t be serious. Do not get in my way, ever, again! 

SFX: (Jessica storms off. Drew and Jun rejoin the group.)

DREW: Well, now we know why everyone said not to trust her.

MUSIC: (“Park in Twilight” Piano theme plays.)

ALINA: But… What was that? What on earth happened to her for her to act this way? Dog? Is it really because of the fairies? 

DOG: I-I don’t know. This isn’t the Jessica I know…

FADE OUT.

NEXT SCENE: (Mirai is still in the library.)

MIRAI: Geez, this was a stressful listen… Elephants are so smart and cute, why would anyone ever want to hurt them!? 

I always thought being taken away by fairies was a good thing, but it’s clear Jessica has way more issues than we all thought… And she has that crazy strong jinn as well. They better stay away from her from now on! If she upsets Dog again, I’ll fly back to Jersey right now to fight her myself!

FADE OUT.

CREDITS: Residents of Proserpina Park is a production written and produced by Angela Yeh. Directed by Angela Yeh. The voice of Mirai is Vida Shi. The voice of Alina is Angela Yeh. The voice of Drew is Ashley Dawson. The voice of Jun is Ben Pollizi. The voice of Dog is Sara Roncero-Menendez. The voice of Jessica is Jess Syratt. And the voice of the Jinn is Ahmad “AJ” Joudeh. 

Dialogue editing by Angela Yeh. Sound Design by Rebecca Liu. Mixed and mastered by Angela Yeh. Script edited by Sara Roncero-Menendez. Original music by Hoa Pham. Season 3 cover art by Molly James. Series Logo by Macy Tang. For more information about the show, please go to our website residentsofproserpinapark.com 

AFTER CREDIT SCENE: (Jun and Dog return home after a long day.)

JUN: Oof, finally home. I gotta change out of these muddy clothes before Mom comes back… you know, being in front of an elephant was way scarier than it looks at the zoo. Maybe we should add a mouse on the list of things we need to carry at all times? (Pause) Dog? 

SFX: (Jun sees Dog lying on the ground in the corner.)

JUN: Hey Dog, uh, do you want to talk about today?

DOG: (sniffles) No…

JUN: Okay, uh, do you want to eat whipped cream and watch that baking show?

DOG: …Sure, that sounds fun.

SFX: Jun goes to the fridge to fetch whipped cream.

JUN: (Excited, talking quickly) Okay, uh, just where did I put that damn whipped cream in this fridge? Uh. Oh, okay. Um so um, how about we just, you know, hang out by ourselves for a little bit? You know, Dog and Jun, like old times! Uh w-we can play video games, argue over alien conspiracy theories online, and ooh we haven’t been to the beach yet this year. Or… (pause) We can just stay inside? 

DOG: Thank you, Jun.

FADE OUT.