Sleeping Birdie
by Nefertanya dragongurl Ahhotep

Sleeping Birdie: Biyomon
Prince Dragon: WarGreymon
Demon Queen: Lady Devimon
3 Good Sennyo: Tentomon, Gatomon, Palmon
Good Emperor: Tai
Good Empress: Sora
Advisor/Narrator: Ken
Dragon's Dad: RedGreymon :)
Guards: Bakemon
Wise Man: Gennai
Errant Errand Boy: Hawkmon
Musicians: Gecko + Otamon
Queen of Light: Kari

*Matt(grudgingly)- "That was really good, LadyDevimon."*

*LadyDevimon grants him a casual glance before continuing to preen. "Of course it was. I *am* a virus digimon, after all. I nearly destroyed all of you once upon a time."*

*Gatomon- "As I recall, it was *you* who lost. And to *me*!. Now, get out of my dressing room!"*

*LadyDevimon- "Are we looking for a rematch? You do realize I only *let* you win that day."*

*Gatomon- "*Let* me win? Why you two-toned witch!! Gatomon! digivolve to...Angewomon!"*

*LadyDevimon(throwing makeup brush into the wall as she leaps up)- "well, then let's have at it blondie!"*

*Matt(staring between his knees, where the brush now resides)- "Umm, ladies, can't we all just get along?"*

*LadyDevimon + Angewomon- "NO!"*

*The door is slammed ferociously, trapping the terrified teen inside. Tai chuckles by the stage entrance, cringing every so often at a muffled crash or scream*

*Tai- "Getting excited?"*

*Agumon(hesitantly)- "I guess. What if I mess up my lines? Or trip up and fall on Biyomon?"*

*Tai- "The way this play is going, I wouldn't worry about it." (The sound of glass shattering emphasizes his statement, and both boys look over to see a disheveled Matt panting heavily against the dressing room door)*

*Matt- "Those girls are completely whacked outta thier gourds!!!*

*Mimi(oblivious)- "Places! Places everybody! Matt! Look what you've done to your clothes! Honestly, don't you have any pride to show in yourself?"*

*Matt- "Hey, it's not my fault! LadyDevimon and Gatomon-"*

*The door opens and the pair in question step out innocently, the very picture of perfection*

*Gatomon- "LadyDevimon and Gatomon did what?"*

*Matt- "Uhh...."*

*LadyDevimon- Don't you think you should start the play? People will begin to wonder why the paid to see an empty stage."*

*Gatomon- "Really."*

*The pair walks off to their places, leaving an open-mouthed Matt, a confused Mimi, and Tai in complete hysterics*

**Act 3, Scene 1: In The Corners Of My Mind....**

*The stage is filled with statues of the characters from the last scene, but they are now nearly covered in kudzu vines. Cobwebs and birds' nests are in the corners. The spotlight suddenly focuses on the Advisor statue, and Ken straightens up, much to the surprise of the audience*

Ken- "It would seem that the Demon Queen had finally gotten her way. Although the Princess was merely asleep, no one in the land even remembered what the castle was for. All save for one, the errand boy who'd caused the grief. But each time he told the story to a paying gent, he'd embellish it a bit more until even *he* couldn't separate the facts from the fictions *background scene of Hawkmon gesticulating wildly, a bunch of townspeople watching and throwing the occasional coin*

Ken- "But there was still a glimmer of light for the Royal family. The caravan that had passed by that day was in fact the entourage of King RedGreymon and his son, Prince Dragon. Though the young prince did not remember what had been in the castle, nor why he was headed there, he knew there was something inside that was very important to his future>"

*Tai- "Well, this is it! Break a leg!"*

*Agumon(a bit unenthusiastically)- "Here goes nothing. Agumon! digivolve to...."*

*The stage is now of a different castle. King RedGreymon is staring out the window, counting the stars, when his son walks in*

WarGrey- "Father. I wish to speak with you, if you are not too busy."

RedGrey- "I am never too busy for you, son. What troubles you?"

WarGrey(after a slight pause)- "The castle to the North."

RedGrey(rolling his eyes)- "Not *again*. There is nothing there, boy!"

WarGrey- "I know what I have been told. And yet my heart screams to me night after night that this is not true. I can't help it Father! I must know."

RedGrey(hangs his head in defeat)- "<sigh>. You are my son, and the Crown Prince of the Fire Kingdom....but, if you feel this strongly....I cannot resist. Go forth, boy. Slake the thirst of your curiosity, if you feel it will put your troubled heart at ease."

WarGrey(thankfully)- "It will, Father. Thank you. I will leave at once, so that I may return that much sooner."

RedGrey- "Make haste, but be careful. While it has been ages since the Demon Queen has been heard from, she may not like you snooping around there."

WarGrey(surprised, turns around)- "Father! Are you trying to tell me you do not believe the castle is what it seems either!"

RedGrey(softly)- "I only know I have a memory missing. What it was or who it was remains a mystery to me. Perhaps when your quest ends, you will find it for me."

WarGrey- 'I will, Father. Farewell."

Ken- "And so Prince Dragon left for the mysterious castle of the North. He brought no retainers, nor even told any soul of his journey-"

*Gomamon(sourly)- "No squire. What's the fun in that?"*

Ken- "-to reduce the chance of the Dark Queen interfering."

*As he walks, the scenery changes behind him, becoming wilder and more unkempt, till he finally reaches the castle. Or rather, almost bypasses the castle, as it is so covered in foliage it's become hardly noticable*

WarGrey- "Hm. Looks like the gardener needs to have a talking-to."

*Using his armored splints, he begins to hack through the shrubbery till he reaches a wooden door. As he brushes off more vines, it collapses into a pile of firewood*

*Sora(smacks Tai good)- "Dammit, Tai! I told you those doors weren't nailed together good enough!*

*Tai(rubbing the lump on his head)- "Hey, c'mon, there weren't enough nails left! Besides, now it looks like it really *has* been a while since the door's been opened!"*

*The Prince shrugs and carefully steps over the rubble. And immediately gasps in shock at what lies before him*

WarGrey(stunned, horrified)- "What witchcraft...! This can only be the work of the Dark Queen!"

*Around him are the statues of the last inhabitants of the castle. Caught in the act, petrified for eternity. Guards stand at attention while servants draw water, carry baskets, or help passengers into coaches. Baskets full of food have been eaten or spoiled away, and all the statues are stained by water, time and bird droppings. And here as well, the foliage runs rampant, weeds and grasses pushing up through the once immaculate cobblestone walkways.*

WarGrey- "I wonder what this castle's lord did to deserve such a fate...?"

Ken- "Not all of the guests had made it out before the Demon Queen had cast her spell, and they too were frozen in time. Among them was the King's lost memory.

She was once a consort to the King, and he was deeply fond of her until her heart was stolen from him by a prominent Pharaoh. But the Prince knew nothing of this, so he merely pitied the trapped souls as he made his way inside. Pulling open a door-"

*Tai- "See? That one didn't fall apart!"*

*Joe- "That's because Cody and I built it!"*

Ken- "He entered the Great Hall, and met his destiny."

**Act 3, Scene 1: Prophecies, Schmophecies....**

*The scene is now the Great Hall's interior. Again, disrepair and decay are evident. The Prince gazes in amazement at the still apparent beauty. Then he notices one statue very different from all the others. It is of a young woman, and while it appears to be made of the same material as the others, it has not been tarnished in any way. In fact, even the tile around her is like the day it was laid.*

WarGrey- "What matter of creation is this that time itself will not touch it?"

Kari(spoken offstage)- "One that is forever cursed, yet blessed."

WarGrey- "You-you speak?! Then you all are really under a spell!"

Kari- "Yes. One by my own hand, I fear."

WarGrey- "But...you shine like the light itself. You could not possibly have a dark soul. Why do you speak such things?"

Kari- " Because they are true. Will you listen?"

WarGrey- "Yes, if it will ease your soul."

Kari- "That's so kind. The birds always get bored and fly away."

WarGrey(sweatdropping, unsure of what to say)- "Er...I see..."

Kari- "This is the palace of the Emperor."

WarGrey- "But this land knows no Emperor! It is a feudal land run by many kings."

Kari- "It may be now, but ages ago, before I inflicted this curse, this realm *was* the Emperor of which I speak."

WarGrey- "Are you *sure* of this?"

Kari(giggling)- "I should think so. He was my brother."

WarGrey(again, sweatdropping)- "Oh...sorry..."

Kari- "Mm-hmm. Anyways, the Emperor and his wife wished for a child, but it seemed like it was not meant to be. The Advisor summoned three sennyo to bless the couple. Nine months later, they had a daughter."

WarGrey- "And the sennyo wanted her in repayment?"

Kari- "No, they wanted a party.(smiling at the Prince's confusion) The royal blessing, you see. It was to be attended by the sennyo, the Wise Man, and the Dark Demon Queen."

WarGrey- "The Dark Demon-!"

Kari- "The Demon Queen was to be invited so she would not curse the child out of spite. Unfortunately, the invitation meant for her ended up in my hands, and I came in her place."

WarGrey- "I take it she did not take kindly to that?"

Kari(wistfully)- "No. She appeared and cursed the newborn with death 'upon the appointed day'. I was the vessel of the Light, and had the power within me to alter the curse, but not lift it."

WarGrey- "So the daughter is alive?"

Kari- "Yes."

WarGrey- "Where is she? What form did the curse finally take?"

Kari- "You will find out soon."

WarGrey(petulant)- 'But why can't you tell me now?!"

Kari- "May I continue?"

WarGrey- "Uh, sure."

Kari- "Her death was to come in a simple spinning wheel, and my brother ordered every wheel destroyed as insurance."

WarGrey- "Prudent. (realizes something) Wait! I remember I always wondered why the womenfolk I saw spun wool by hand in our kingdom, and seemed to fear touching their wheels! Could this tale you weave be ingrained in my peoples' memory?"

Kari- "Yes, I believe so. The hoarding of a wheel was extremely punishable. But...I was selfish. I hated the thought of my grandmother's beautiful wheel burned forever, so I convinced my husband to smuggle it away. And so, I gave the Demon Queen's curse the tool it needed to operate. Now I stand here, feet from my love, watching my family and friends eventually decay to dust while I stand as the day I was cursed. *She is tearful by the end of her story*

WarGrey(moved to righteous indignation)- "Then I will free you from your shame! What can I do?"

Kari- "Find the Princess. You will know when you see her."

WarGrey- "Then I must begin my search. Wish me luck."

Kari- "Good luck, brave one!"

*The Prince strides by her with determination towards the back of the Hall*

Kari- "One last thing! What is the name of our hero?"

WarGrey(turning back to look at the statute)- "I am Prince Dragon, from the Kingdom of Fire!"

*He leaps up a stairwell and offstage*

Kari(in a whisper of wonder)- "Prince Dragon?! Could it be...!"

Go On!

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