The Magi: Memories

Part 6

Bruce vs Puppet Master

(Bruce walks through a dark passage and into a torch lit room. He stops to take a look around. He’s standing in a velvet carpeted theatre lobby with torches lining the wall. A sign says ‘Oscar's Live String Quartet! Back by Popular Demand!’ He steps all the way into the lobby)

Bruce: (whistle) Fancy…

(A well dressed but deranged looking man is standing by one of the entrances. He tosses Bruce a coin)

Oscar: Come see the show. I’m sure you will be entertained.

(Oscar exits. Bruce shrugs and approaches the ticket booth. He puts the coin on the ledge and slides it under the glass)

Bruce: One please.

(a wooden hand takes the coin and pushes out a ticket. Bruce looks up to its face. The puppet tilts its head and opens its mouth. Bruce smiles, pulls out his sword, rams it through the hole, and skewers the puppet. He whistles as he walks through the doors into the second small room where the ticket takers are standing. After giving the first the ticket, he lops the head off the second. The first opens the door for Bruce; who in turn grabs it and slams the puppet into the wall, busting it into pieces. As Bruce walks through the door, the second puppet’s head rolls up to him and bumps into his leg)

Bruce: Get back in there and do your job. (punts the head back into the room)

(Bruce walks into the theatre and looks around; almost every seat is filled. As he starts to walk up, every head turns and looks at him for a moment. Their attention quickly returns to the stage)

Bruce: Creepy… (spots an open seat and sits down) So, what exactly are we watching? (looks to his neighbor)

(The puppet turns his head to look at Bruce, opens its mouth, and looks back to the stage)

Bruce: I see… (pulls off the puppets head and uses its shoulders as an armrest)

(Oscar comes out from behind the stage curtain as torches light)

Oscar: Ladies, gentlemen, (looks at Bruce) and esteemed guests. Back by popular demand: The Quartet. (claps as he backs offstage)

(the curtain is pulled back to show the performers. They are all huge puppets that look semi-human. They all have some sort of extra body part to help with their instrument. The one who plays the stringed instrument [probably a harp or cello or something] has spider like legs coming out of his back to pull extra strings etc. They place some very nice music as Bruce sits and enjoys)

Oscar: (from a balcony) And now for the main attraction!

(Bruce looks up to the balcony for a moment. The big puppet playing the flute turns as it shoots darts into the audience. Along Bruce’s row, each puppet gets a dart lodged in the head)

Bruce: (dives out of the way) Woah! (runs through the aisles) Why can’t I just see a show without being attacked?

(The other puppets continue playing as Bruce runs up to the stage. The flutist shoots several as Bruce runs at him, but they ricochet. Bruce cuts the flute in half)

Bruce: Is that all you’ve got?

(puppet drops its flute and punches Bruce in the face, so he buries his sword in it)

Bruce: (looks to Oscar) I thought only little girls play with dolls!

(One or two of the remaining puppets attack next etc.)

Oscar: (clapping) Bravo. No one has ever defeated the quartet.

Bruce: Who were they fighting, small children?

Oscar: Touché…

Bruce: Oh yeah, I’m coming for you now. (begins walking)

Oscar: Don’t bother. I shall meet you down there.

Bruce: Make it snappy, I’ve been here too long already.

Oscar: As you wish.

(Oscar seems to be sitting in a chair, but he rises without standing. He is, in fact, sitting on a huge wooden dragon. The dragon takes up the majority of the balcony. Oscar rubs its head)

Bruce: Oh hell, not again… (takes off running) I attract these people like flies!

Oscar: Don’t bother running.

(the dragon jumps from the balcony and lands in front of Bruce, who skids and runs the other direction. It jumps in front again, landing on the stage busting floorboards)

Bruce: Wait, why am I running? It’s made of wood. (gets into a stance)

(the dragon hits him with its face, sending him sprawling. He gets up and puts his sword back)

Bruce: Ok, time to run again… (runs again, flash)

Kain:(echoed memory) You’re a royal knight, aren’t you? You can’t run from your past forever.

(flashback to the dragon from the beginning landing on his sword)

Oscar: (laughs) You can’t run forever. (laughs more)

Bruce: (stops) Who said I was running? (turns around)

Oscar: It’s good to see you facing your death like a man.

(Oscar raises his hand and the dragon jumps. Bruce spins his (master sword style). The tip of the sword runs along the ground as the runes on the blade begin to light. As it rises, earth rises with it, creating an spiral of dirt/rock. It creates a semi-cone as he brings the sword above his head. Bruce is now inside the big sharp cone, which is about a foot above his head. The dragon lands on top of it, the tip penetrates the dragon’s body. It sinks down, splintering. Bruce looks up in awe as blood trickles down the cone. Bruce steps out, looks at Oscar’s impaled body, then looks down to his sword)

Bruce: Damn I love this sword. (walks out the theatre exit)

End

Bruce Wins