Ep 32 – The Creature in the Woods!

SCENE STARTS: (Mirai is finally back in her hotel room. “Proserpina Bops” plays as Mirai tries to stay awake.)

MIRAI: (sighs) It’s about five am at the moment… and I’m supposed to meet Daichi in a few hours… (sighs) Mistakes have been made, but it’s too late now. I won’t be able to fall asleep anyways until I know how this will all resolve!

I mean Jessica was just about ready to kill everyone for getting in her way and then Sam and Terry showed up so it’s also a reunion now, and we still haven’t seen the creature they’ve all been looking for!

(Biggest sigh yet.) I’m exhausted. 

FADE OUT.

NEXT SCENE: (We return to where we left off with the gang in the woods. Cerberus is growling. The jinn still has his flames ready. Everyone’s frazzled.)

TERRY: All right, all right. Everybody step aside, step aside. (To Jessica) I finally see you after all these years and you’re what? Attacking humans now?

JESSICA: Not now, Terry. 

TERRY: This is your fault for starting trouble when you could have just come to us.

SAM: Jessica… It’s– it’s good to see you again.

JESSICA: Sam, please don’t do this. 

SAM: I can’t hear you, but I’m glad to see you at least. Can… can you tell the jinn to stand down? 

JESSICA: (sighs) Jinn… enough.

SFX: (The Jinn puts out his fire. But it doesn’t stop glaring. Muttering “Who are they to tell me what to do…”)

TERRY: Alina’s told us everything you’ve been up to. I can guess why you’re here tonight, but don’t think I won’t have some choice words about your behavior in the park.

JESSICA: Oh please Terry, like you have any real power in this park. 

TERRY: Oh I don’t need any “real power” to take you down.

ALINA: Okayyy (nervous laugh). this is what we’ve been hoping for right? The big reunion! Isn’t this what everyone wanted? Back to the good ole days?

JESSICA: I keep telling you over and over. Things can never be the same again–

SAM: It’s just me. It’s just me, Jess. 

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

JESSICA: (laughs) This wasn’t exactly how I thought this would go…

DOG: This isn’t how any of us thought this would go.

JESSICA: I wish I could see you both.

TERRY: She misses you.

SAM: Jessica, we can do this. Together. The creature is here. And we can finally move on!

DREW: Sooo uh… not to break up this weirdly intense and maybe heartwarming reunion, but can you all please finally explain to us just what this creature is?

DOG: There’s a creature here, that’s like no other. 

TERRY: Hey, martian!

JUN: It’s a modern creature right? We figured that out thanks to Jessica. (TERRY: Oh for the love of… does no one here know how to keep a secret?) But we couldn’t think of one as recent…

JESSICA: That’s because this creature that we’re looking for can only survive here in this park.

ALINA: How does that make any sense?

JESSICA: Because it’s a creature that I created. Or really, only Juni and I really believed in it, so it didn’t have enough power to survive anywhere else in the world. Not like Slen–

DREW:  Nyah! Ookay. Okay,  we get the picture. Thanks.

JUN: Okay, but if that’s the case, why couldn’t you tell us this? Dog?

DOG: I… 

TERRY: I’ll say it. I’m the mean one.

ALINA: You’re not that bad, Terry.

TERRY: We didn’t tell you about the creature because we were scared you would also try to make one yourself.

ALINA: Wow, okay, so you are kinda that bad…

DREW: You were all in on this? You thought we’d just go around and what? Play god ourselves? What kind of ego do you think we have? 

SAM: It’s not about ego, it’s about human curiosity.

TERRY: You’re honestly telling me that if I told you, you could create your own creature, you wouldn’t try?

ALINA: Okay, let me get this straight. There is a creature that you all helped create and the reason why you didn’t want us to know about it is because you thought we would go and do the exact same thing? If that’s the case, why didn’t you just kick us out from the start?

TERRY: Because if we don’t accomplish our goal, it won’t matter anyways. 

DREW: Um, What do you mean it won’t matter?

SAM: This… park is set to close in three months. Soon none of us will be able to enter the park ever again.

DREW: What?! What?! Oh my god…

JUN: The park can close?!

ALINA: Excuse me? But…  Sam! Were you ever going to tell us this? Were you going to tell me this?

SAM: I’m sorry, Alina. But the whole reason the park is closing is because it’s too risky to have humans here! It isn’t like ancient times when we needed mythology to create rules and structure. It’s the opposite, it would create chaos if more people knew about this.

ALINA: You can say all you want about how you’re here to help save the park. But would I have ever seen you again? Once the park closed? Or were you going to just disappear?

SAM: Terry and I will go wherever the new park will be.

JUN: Hence why you’ve given up. Isn’t it? We all thought it was strange that you didn’t think you were ever see my brother again. 

DOG: Well, there is a second part to Terry’s statement… and the real reason why we’re all here.

JESSICA: If we can get rid of it, the park will remain. 

TERRY: So we’ll kill the thing. Tonight.

DOG: It’s the only way to make things right.

JUN: Dog, you’re willing to kill a creature?

DOG: Ah, well… it’ll… It’ll be a group effort?

DREW: Right.. Um, that brings up a question I’ve had for a while now. How do you kill a creature?

SAM: Um… You know, like, how the heroes did it back in the day. We just slay it. With a sword?

ALINA: Sam… you took us to see fairies who gave us flower crowns the other day. You don’t “slay” things. 

SAM: Well, I…

TERRY: But it has to be done. It’s either that or tons of creatures will be misplaced.

JESSICA: It’s fine. It’s my mistake. It’s my mess. I’ll kill the creature.

ALINA: (scoffs) Jessica. we told you this wasn’t the way…

JESSICA: I will do whatever it takes.

CREATURE: Jessica?

MUSIC: (“Playful Peril” starts playing.)

ALINA: Um, whose voice was that? 

CREATURE: Jessica! Oh, Jessica! You’ve returned, you’ve finally returned. I’ve been good and been waiting for you all this time. 

JUN: Wait, Is that a plush?

DREW: Oh, It looks so worn out…

JESSICA: (astonished) You’re here. You’re actually here.

ALINA: I thought this was supposed to be a giant animal…

JINN: It’s on your right, two o’clock.

TERRY: Jessica… you know what to do.

CREATURE: You were gone for so long, but I’ve been doing exactly what I was born to do before you left!

JESSICA: (shocked and a little concerned) Before I left? What… have you been doing?

CREATURE: Beating up the mean people! Taking them down so that they’d never bother you again. I’m your protector after all.

SFX: (We hear groaning on the side. The fairies that had just left are hurt on the floor.)

ALINA: Oh… my god. Drew, look. Aren’t those the fairies from before?

DREW: Oh my god, I-I thought they were able to escape…

SAM: We need to save them. 

TERRY: Jessica, can you do it?

JESSICA: You hurt those creatures? Because of me?

JUN: Wait… if they’ve been doing this since Jessica was last here… how many creatures has it hurt? 

TERRY: Shoot, this was worse than I thought. 

JESSICA: Jinny… You know what to–

CREATURE: Who’s that? Why are they next to you? Come here, I’ll protect you.

JESSICA: I…

JINN: It’s fine, I know the plan.

SFX: (The jinn goes to attack the creature. Flame sounds and everything.)

CREATURE: How dare you start a fight when Jessica is so near! I’ll save you.

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

TERRY: (Calls out) Jessica, get over here.

SFX: (The plush transforms into a bigger beast with brute strength and starts to fight against the jinn.)

JUN: Oh and there’s the giant animal we were looking for. It can grow.

ALINA: So it has transformation abilities…

JINN: Come on! Let’s do this.

DREW: Okay, okay, this is a little more intense than I asked for. Seems like it has super strength as well. Great!

SFX: (Flame ball goes slinging past them.)

ALINA: Whoa, that was close!

SAM: (Calls out) Alina, stay focused. It’s dangerous.

SFX: (The creature gets hit by one of the flames.)

ALINA: Are we… sure this is what we want to do?

SAM: What do you mean?

ALINA: Sam.. this isn’t like you. You take care of creatures. You help wash turtles’ backs. You.. You bring cornbread to Yumboes. You don’t participate in murder.

SAM: But.. what about the other creatures whose homes would disappear? I can’t let them down either…

DOG: You guys, we already decided…

DREW: There has to be another way though, right? There always is another way. 

JUN: Yes! And if the answer is violence, then you know it isn’t the right answer.

ALINA: And Jessica, what about you? You may not be able to see them, but you know they’re fighting out there for you right? You’re friends. These creatures, who are willing to do anything for you, are beating each other silly out there.

SFX: (The Jinn and the creature continue fighting.)

JESSICA: I-I mean…

DREW: Isn’t this what you do? Beat up creatures to assert your authority? Why are you emotional now?

DOG: Drew—

ALINA: No, Drew’s right. Someone has to say it. You see it, don’t you? That your way is wrong. And now is the time to step up and actually fix your mistakes. You need to do what your heart says is correct.

JUN: And we can help! We can help all of you. I mean you guys said it, there’s three more months and we can do this! Together.

SFX: (The fae coughs badly in the background.)

DOG: Oh no, the Aos Si… We really do need to get them back to the Other World.

ALINA: Then end this fight and let’s go.

DREW: Come on, I’ll help. I think I know enough about fairies to navigate. Unless someone else wants to do it?

TERRY: Cerberus, help the Jinn. Until we figure this out.

SFX: Cerberus goes and helps the Jinn. Basically sits on the creature and it struggles to break free. Jinn catches their breath.

JUN: Dog? Please? Let’s not fight anymore.

DOG: But… will we actually succeed?

ALINA: We have so far. We can do this. Sam, are you with us?

SAM: The fairies need our help first and foremost. Cerberus!

TERRY: Hold on. We’ve been searching for the creature for years now. And we’ve just found it. Do you actually think we can come up with a plan and then find it again all within three months? It’s not going to happen.

SAM: Alina is right. It’s not just us anymore Terry. There is a team here and we can figure something out together.

TERRY: And what about your last team? The one you already gave up on?

SAM: I’m willing to make it work again if they are. Jessica, what about you?

JESSICA: Do you really believe there’s another way? 

SAM: I don’t know, but I’m willing to try if you are…

ALINA: Sam… did you hear Jessica just now? 

JESSICA: (astonished) I saw him too, just for a second. 

TERRY: How is that possible…

JUN: Maybe there really is another way! This means we have to try now!

SAM: Once Cerberus gets up, we have to go. 

DOG: And while that’s happening, the Jinn and the Lion Dogs can hold back the creature while we escape. 

ALINA: Oh yes, let’s do this. As a team! 

TERRY: There’s no time to lose if we’re doing this.

JUN: Okay, okay. D.O, G, go help out the Jinn! (Throws ball)

SFX: (All dogs join the fight as the gang gets ready to run.)

SAM: Cerberus, now!

ALINA: Are you going to be okay Jessica? Going back to where the fairies are? You’re… not gonna beat them up right?

JESSICA: Let’s just hope it doesn’t take us too long to find the path back…

DREW: Come on, uh, let’s go before it’s too late.

JESSICA (calling out): Jinn! Please. I’ll leave everything to you. Find me when you’re done!

JINN: Always have to do everything on my own… 

CREATURE: Jessica? Jes– Jessica wait! J-Jessica! No, you can’t! No! No, let go of me! Stop! 

JESSICA: Please, let’s go. Now. 

ALINA: Come on gang, to the Other World… 

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

SFX: (The creature continues to whine and fight as the gang leaves behind to go to the Other World.) 

CREATURE: Jessica, wait! Please, you have to let me go now! Jessica!

FADE OUT.

NEXT SCENE: (We return back to Mirai. It’s early morning now.) 

MIRAI: Wait, that can’t be the end of the clip, that can’t!

SFX: (Knock on the door.)

MIRAI: Ugh who can that be?

DAICHI: Hello? Mirai? It’s Daichi. You said we should meet up again today.

SFX: (Mirai goes and opens the door.)

MIRAI: (yawn) Why are you here so early?

DAICHI: What do you mean? It’s like 8am. It’s not that early… Why do you look like you haven’t slept?

MIRAI: …It’s a long story. Come on, I’ll wash my face and I’ll tell you.

DAICHI: Okay… Oh also, I got us breakfast for our trip to the park.

MIRAI: Breakfast? Why would you do that when the hotel has free… (Suddenly wide awake) This hotel is owned by Tanuki. Tanuki.. Who can turn leaves into whatever they want?! Have I been eating leaves the entire time… I was here?!

DAICHI: Oh boy… I’ll just uh, wait outside.

MIRAI: Oohh where is that Tanuki, I want a refund!

SFX: (Mirai angrily stomps off.)

FADE OUT.

CREDITS: Residents of Proserpina Park is a production written and produced by Angela Yih. Directed by Angela Yih. The voice of Mirai is Vida Shi. The voice of Terry is Molly. The voice of Jessica is Jess Syratt. The voice of Sam is G3. The voice of the Jinn is Ahmad “AJ” Joudeh. The voice of Alina is Angela Yih. 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 the Aos Si are Cameron Gergett and Dylan Smith. And the voice of the Creature is Nick Fiore.

Dialogue editing by Angela Yih. Sound Design by Rebecca Liu. Mixed and mastered by Angela Yih. 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: (After the battle. The jinn is left alone, catching his breath as he finally escaped the creature. He takes a moment to enjoy the silence he hasn’t had recently.)

JINN
(sigh) Now what… Oof! Stop it, get off of me!

SFX: (The silence is immediately broken as the two lion dogs run up to him, begging to play as he tries his best to stop them from licking him.)

END.