Battle of Imagination: Part Two

Setting: Inside the city. Everywhere, Neopets are moving about, minding their own business and talking in small groups. Stalls can be seen with items of every type for sale. Lima is making his way through the city towards the castle, but stops when he realizes he needs something to eat.

Lima: (Glancing at his stomach.) Why didn't I eat something before I left? (Looking around for something to eat, he spots a desert Poogle vender with fried chicken.)

(He makes his way towards the vender, who in turn notices Lima making his approach. The vender is uneasy, seeing Lima has a sword.)

Vender: You've taken everything else, back for the chicken as well?!

Lima: (Confused.) What are you talking about? I just want some chicken.

Vender: Exactly! (Grabbing the chicken away from Lima.) You rob my Neopoints and now you want the chicken! You thieves have no decency!

Lima: (Removing a bag of Neopoints.) I was going to pay good points for that piece there, (He points to a large well cooked piece of chicken.) but if you have a grudge against me, I'll move along.

(The vender finally believes Lima and lets go of the chicken.)

Vender: Sorry, you'll have to forgive me, you see, I was robbed this morning. They took everything from me! Even my cookbooks! I can't make any more chicken without them.

Lima: (Curious.) What'd these thieves look like exactly?

Vender: Kyriis! Every last one of them! I didn't expect it at first, since I'd only been mugged the day before. (He begins to think aloud.) You'd think they'd have a rule against hitting the same guy two times in the same week.

Lima: I've had a run in with these Kyriis before. (Suddenly, he's hit with an idea.) I think I can help you out, but I'll need some of that chicken.

Vender: Oh? What you going to do with it? Use it as a weapon? (He hands Lima some of the chicken.)

Lima: (Takes the chicken and begins to eat it.) Nope, just needed to fill my stomach. But don't worry; I'll get your books back. (He begins to walk away.)

Vender: (Stopping him.) If it isn't much trouble, do you think you could get some of my cooking equipment back?

Lima: I'll try, but no guarantees. (He starts off again.)

Vender: (Once more stops Lima.) And my Neopoints? See if they have a bag with my name on it. Or just pick one at random, whatever's easier.

Lima: (Becoming aggravated.) Sir, I'll never be able to start this investigation if you will not let me go.

Vender: (Nodding quickly.) Sorry, very sorry. I won't stop you again. (He feigns interest in some Neopets that are walking by.)

Lima: Thank you, good day. I'll return shortly if I find anything.

(With that, Lima makes his way off towards the castle. He knows exactly who the Kyrii bandits are and knows exactly where to find them. Blackout.)

Act 2 - Scene 3 - Fortune's Story, The Results

Setting: Inside the castle. The room is the meeting place where the King greets any visitors and discusses anything of importance with his advisors. Lima has made his way into the castle undetected until now. The King himself is asleep in his chair and unguarded. Almost too easy for Lima.

(Lima makes his way onstage into the meeting room. Checking to make sure he wasn't followed, he silently removes his sword and approaches the sleeping king. The King himself was a Techo by the name of Hazel.)

Lima: Well, King, seems you've let your guard down.

Hazel: (Half asleep.) No Queeny… I don't want to go to town today… it's poor there.

Lima: (In a deep sarcastic voice.) Your majesty! The Prince of the Dung is here!

Hazel: (His eyes open and he shifts about in his chair.) Send him in! Send him… in? (He notices Lima and his eyes widen even more.) YOU!

Lima: (Bows.) Yes it's me. (With a smile.) Bet you never thought you'd see me again.

Hazel: Well, in my day, when someone was banished they stayed banished! (To himself.) What's this desert coming to!

Lima: What's it coming to?! You of all people should know! (Pointing.) You sent those Kyrii thugs after me, didn't you?

Hazel: (Feigning disinterest.) I don't know what you're talking about.

Lima: (Becoming angry.) Don't know what I'm talking about!? You order them around! I used to be one of them! (Points to self.) I of all people should know how they act.

Hazel: Well, this must come as a shock to you, then! I didn't order them after you. Not I, nor anyone else. They acted on their own.

(Lima backs away, surprised. He knew when the King was lying, and he wasn't at this moment.)

Lima: Then that means…

Hazel: I know what that means! I'm losing my authority. (Sighing.) This is what I get for hiring bandits as guards.

Lima: (Looking at the ground as he thinks.) Amor! I should have known.

Hazel: What are you talking about? Why are you even back here? I banished you from the castle for your crimes. (Pointing towards the door.) You should leave. Now!

Lima: Amor set me up! Don't you see? He wanted to overthrow you, and he needed to get rid of me! Think about it, Hazel, we used to be the best of friends. (He brings his hands out in front of himself, but when Hazel doesn't pay him any attention, allows his arms to drop to his sides.)

Hazel: (Becoming uneasy.)You're not making sense, Lima. Who else had the know-how, the time and the access to the royal vault? (His voice starts to rise in tone.) We caught you at the scene of the crime for crying out loud!

Lima: Amor told me someone was breaking in! I went there to stop thieves, not steal anything.

Hazel: You have no proof. Amor is your only piece of evidence and he's clean. He was with me at the time of the break in, (Points.) and unlike you, had a story that made sense. You're trying to tell me Amor is an evil mastermind?! I don't believe it.

(At that moment, Amor (A heavily armored red Scorchio) enters the room followed by the Bandit Chief and two Kyrii bandits. Once they see Lima they draw their swords and begin to fan out.)

Amor: My lord, it seems you're in need of our help.

Hazel: It's about time, what were you waiting for? He could have killed me!

(Amor glances at the Bandit Chief and then back at the King. Hazel's eye widen as he realizes what's happened. Lima draws his own sword and the Kyrii bandits quickly rush in. Blackout.)

Act 2 - Scene 4 - Fortune's Story, The Escape

Setting: The castle's prison. Lima and Hazel find themselves in separate cells and without any weapons. The battle beforehand ended quickly as Lima was easily outnumbered and the King did little to assist Lima.

(Studying his surroundings, Lima finally settles on believing there's no possible way to escape.)

Lima: (To Hazel.) Thanks for the help back there.

(Hazel's busy counting marks on a nearby wall.)

Hazel: Can you believe someone was down here for… 200, no wait, didn't even notice the scratches on the floor! 300, 350, 400 days! And Valrigard thought he had it rough over there in Meridell. (Laughs to himself.)

Lima: (Not paying much attention.) Valrigard never stayed long in prison because he'd always escape.

Hazel: Oh…

Lima: What are we going to do? We can't stay down here while Amor's up there saying who-knows-what to who-knows-who! (Standing up.)

Hazel: You made sure yourself these cells were escape-proof.

Lima: (Sits down.) You have a point…

(After a few minutes of doing nothing, the door to the jail opens and a Kyrii bandit walks in, followed by the Bandit Chief.)

Bandit Chief: (Laughing to himself.) Well, what have we here? A has-been king and the famous Lima! You're not so tough now, are you mate?

1st Bandit: Yea! Bet you'd like to get a piece of us now? Wouldn't cha!? Heh heh.

(Lima stands up and begins to inspect the cell.)

Lima: You guys are clueless, aren't you?

Bandit Chief: (Confused.) Clueless? Last time I checked, you were the one in the jail cell!

Lima: (He has an idea and acts quickly.) Don't you guys know anything? I was the one that built these cells, (Pause.) before I was banished that is.

1st Bandit: (Not caring in what Lima says.) So what? Not like you built a secret switch or something in them, just in case for something like this.

(Everyone looks at one another and Hazel stands up.)

Hazel: (To the bandit.) You know about the secret switch, right? Lima built every cell with one, just in case he ever locked himself in accidentally.

Bandit Chief: (Angry.) I knew it! I knew this was a bad idea to keep you down here! We could have easily done this by locking you in one of the bedrooms. (Points upwards and then at the cell.) Open the cell!

(The Kyrii bandit looks confused but quickly does as he is told, opening Lima's cell first. At this, the Bandit Chief draws Lima's sword, which he was now using as his own. The sword bursts into a brilliant red haze.)

Bandit Chief: Don't try anything funny, mate. I've been trying this sword out, and I know every trick with it as if it were my own dagger.

Lima: (Walking out of the cell, guarded by the Kyrii.) So you know how to increase the heat of the fire? From red to blue, and blue to white?

Bandit Chief: (Feigning as if he did.) Well, duh. What do you think? I'm some rubbish swordsman? (At that, he begins to look for a switch to change the fire.)

(Lima acts quickly and elbows the Kyrii guarding him. As the Kyrii falls backwards from the blow, Lima grabs his dagger and attacks the Bandit Chief. The Chief, caught off guard, and with the sword facing the wrong way, takes too long to react. Lima stabs for the Chief's sword arm, but the Chief withdraws from reach. Smiling, the Chief twirls the sword from hand to hand, and Lima in turn shows off just as well as he begins to spin the dagger on his finger. The Chief is fed up and rushes Lima. Before the Chief can hit his mark, Lima swings the door of his cell into the Chief and the fight is over.)

Lima: (To Hazel.) Let's go, hurry! (Removing the bandit's keys he unlocks the King.)

Hazel: (With his arm out.) Lead the way.

(The two make their way out of the jail, but not before locking the two bandits in separate cells. Blackout.)

To be continued...