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A Dragon Adventure (2019)
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(music plays) I'm nervous, Tinkertoes! King Bedwyr has never asked to see us personally before now... do you think we did something wrong? If we did, I can't imagine what it would've been, Cai! Unless he's taken exception to the hopscotch grid you drew with chalk outside the Wee Kingdom castle! But, it's a chalk drawing on rock! The rain will wash it right off! Even the mountain's morning dew will cause it to fade! Besides, no one even knows I drew it, they all think it was you! Me?! But, I've never graffitied anything in my life! I'm a flying creature! I don't even play hopscotch! I wouldn't even know how, if I wanted to! Oh, that's regrettable, Tinkertoes! How about you let me teach you? Uh-uh! No can do! Not if it's going to get me in hot water with the king! Now, we don't know that that's what his issue is! It may be something else entirely! Like you sleeping in the kingdom's only peach tree during the day! Your sleeping weight broke all the branches, and now the tree won't grow fruit! (gasps) Really? I didn't mean for that to happen! I just hang upside down and get a nice snooze in every morning! I guess I'm getting bigger... I'm not the teeny fairy-bat I once was! The kingdom may want restitution! King Bedwyr may order you to plant a new tree! I can do that! Oh, I feel terrible if that's what's happened! Just terrible! One thing's for certain - we won't know what this is all about, until we answer King Bedwyr's call and go to the castle to hear what he has to say! Are you sure he wants to see us both? That's what Gurgle said! And Gurgle knows everything that goes on around here! Yes, Gurgle knows too much, if you ask me! What kinda wee dragon has such an inside track on the kingdom, without being an official member of the King's Wee Court? He doesn't like to wake up to an alarm! Remember what happened when the king gifted him a rooster? How could I forget? He set it free, and that thing ended up cock-a-doodle-doo'ing outside everyone's window except Gurgle's! Right! I didn't get a full night's sleep for a week! And I had to find a tree outside our Wee Kingdom's walls if I wanted to get any rest at all! It was horrible! See? We can't blame King Bedwyr for not inviting Gurgle to join the Wee Court! We wouldn't want him around full-time either! That said, he's detail-oriented, timely, and expedient! And don't forget a little untrustworthy! Remember when he ate all the cinnamon powder puffs from the bakery storefront, and blamed it on Big Boba? Aye...sugar craving does strange things to wee dragons, Tinkertoes! You don't have to tell me! I'd fly loops for a box of Napoleons right now! Heavens! You could never face the king with that strong a sugar rush! Maybe one Napoleon... but a whole box? Madness! Well, c'mon, Cai! Let's get it over with! My nerves can't take much more of this anticipation! I agree... (sighs) ...here we go. (music plays) Welcome once again to my castle, Wees! Thank you for coming at once! I'm happy to see you! You are? We're...we're not...in trouble? Trouble?! Goodness, no! Far from it! I called you here to ask a favor of you! (both) A favor? Yes! I have a very important invitation I'd like to extend, to one of our most tentative allies in this land - nay, our most tentative ally, by far! Oh? Who is it, King Bedwyr? Ooh, let me guess! Marlo the Mongoose! Ooh, I know! Badgum the Badger! No, no! Shaka the Sugar Glider! Shaka! Of course! Ha ha ha! Excellent picks, all, you two! But I'm afraid none are correct! No? I can't think of any other tentative wee friends! Who could it be? Yeah, who would we possibly send an invite to, who might not accept? Emrick the Wizard! You mean Emrick... the evil wizard? That's exactly who I mean! But, he's no ally...he's our sworn enemy! Are we inviting him to turn himself in? No! Not at all! I wish to invite Emrick to share in our upcoming Wee Thanksgiving feast! The Wee Thanksgiving feast?! And Emrick?! King Bedwyr, you can't be serious! Do you really see our whole Wee Kingdom gathered together in celebration of our land... alongside Emrick the Evil Wizard?! Now, now, Cai! Cavalierly calling that old man an evil wizard certainly won't mend fences or rebuild moat bridges! How about Emrick the Psychotic Sage? Can we call him a psychotic sage? No, Tinkertoes! You may not refer to Emrick as a psychotic anything! But, he's totally nuts! Bonkers! Cuckoo for Dragon's Fire Puffs! To be sure, he's done despicable deeds in the past! But, that's neither here nor there! Well, if it's all the same to you, King Bedwyr, I'd rather Emrick be there, and not here! Me, too! I can't think of anything less appealing than inviting Emrick to our annual Wee Thanksgiving celebration! I'm sorry you feel this way, wees... because I plan to extend an olive branch to that cantankerous old coot, welcoming him to join us in feast and fun, as an honest peace offering, from us to him! Wow...I don't even know what to say! Say you'll accept! And stand with our kingdom, in letting bygones be bygones! What say you, wees?! What'd I tell you, Big Gurt? The early wee catches the worm! Yeah, but you didn't tell me we had to get up before sunrise to do it, Boil! Talk about early! Look at it this way - that worm was thrilled with the new garden we planted for him outside the kingdom walls so he won't bore holes in all the fruit and veggies in our garden anymore! Which means more to eat for us! That's right, big guy! Uh...Big Gurt... my name's Big Gurt. Yes, I know, Gurt. Big guy's just a figure of speech...y'know, like buddy, or pal! Oh...right! I knew that! Hey, I see Gurgle up ahead! If I didn't know better, I'd say he wants something! On second thought, it's Gurgle! He definitely wants something! Psssht! He's probably just looking to spread more gossip! I swear, no wee flaps their jaws as much as Gurgle does! You have a point! C'mon, let's see what he wants! Boil! Big Gurt! I've been looking everywhere for ya! How come, Gurgle? Yeah, what's going on? Are you spreading a new rumor? Spreading a rumor? What do you wee blokes take me for? A gossiper? Well... (both) Yes! Hey, I can't help it if I'm on the front lines of breaking news round here! Some wee's gotta sound the trumpet! You play trumpet? So do I! We should get together sometime and jam! I think he means figuratively, Gurt. Oh...another one of those figures of speech? Yep. Dang! I gotta get the hang of those! Listen, the king's looking for you two! King Bedwyr? Is there another king I don't know about? Wait, wait! This is another figure of speech, isn't it?! Not this time, Big Gurt! King Bedwyr asks that you wees report to his castle court at once! Oh, no! Only bad wees get called to the castle in-person! Not necessarily, Gurt! Sometimes, the king just wants to make an announcement, - or issue an order! - An order! What could King Bedwyr possibly order us to do? Didn't he order you to do community service last month? Keep your voice down, Gurgle! I don't want every wee finding out about that! Like the sight of you picking up litter in the kingdom streets, while wearing that bright yellow vest went unnoticed. Ha! Yeah, that vest was as big as a tent! Hey, that's what they gave me! Besides, the last wee that was sentenced to community service and didn't wear an official kingdom vest got plucked right out of the town square by a giant traptalericon, remember? Yep! Teemu the Turtle! It mistook him for a Wee Widget Wobbler and snapped him right up! We never saw Teemu again! Who knows what became of him! Oh, I do! That traptalericon got spooked over the Waldengreen Woods and dropped him! He used the tree cover to get away! Now, he directs air traffic out in the Kingdom of Willow Wisps! He does?! Why doesn't he come home? He tried - but he's a turtle! He walked for a year-and-a-half, and only made it thirty feet! He finally said heck with it, and got himself a job! He now has ten little turtles of his own! Wow! Ten children! I didn't say they were his children! He manages a staff of ten turtles! Those Willow Wisps fly fast and furious out there! Teemu needs all the help he can get! Sounds like it! They pay him well, though! He drives a new catapult car and everything! Gnarly! Now I'm curious, Gurt! Let's go see what King Bedwyr wants! Okay! Hopefully, he doesn't have a yellow vest waiting for me! If he does, let's at least hope it's the right size! Pfft! Boil! Big Gurt! Thank you both for coming on such short notice! Anytime we're summoned to the castle is an honor, King Bedwyr! Except that time you put me in a bright yellow vest and made me clean up the kingdom! That was a shame! Well, it was either that or thirty days in the wee dungeon, Big Gurt! Given your age, I thought it best to mete out constructive punishment! Lo and behold, you haven't found yourself in trouble since! That is true, Gurt! If I may ask, Big Gurt, what exactly did you do to deserve kingdom community service? Oh, uh...I, um... He put on a fake mustache made of woolly wombat fur, told the school cafeteria chefs he was from the nutrition inspector's office, and that they needed to prepare all the desserts on the menu, so he could sample them for kingdom testing and grading. Uh...hehe... Wow! That's pretty elaborate for a wee dragon! How'd you get caught? Uh, well... He left a trail of cupcake crumbs leading right back to his den. Oh. A detail that proved to be his undoing. Clearly! I did what I said I was gonna do, though! I tasted and graded everything they gave me! And you had a bellyache for a week! Rigors of the profession, Boil! Rigors of the profession! (all laugh) Youthful and foolhardy schemes aside, I knew that once Little Gurt - as he was known back then - matured and settled down, he'd make a fine dragon in our Wee Kingdom one day! And, dare I say, that day's arrived! So...I'm not being punished for something? Have you done something wrong? Umm... Go no further! I don't wish to know! Whew! Boil. Big Gurt. The reason I've brought you here today, is because our kingdom needs your help! Oh! I still have that woolly wombat mustache, if you-- Shh! Not a good idea, Gurt. Oh...right. At first, I thought this task would be ideal for Cai and Tinkertoes! But, after Cai explained her understandable fears, we decided to approach you two wees! I'm not sure how comfortable I am with it... and Tinkertoes has never been on a grown-up mission! Sounds good! We're in! But, you don't even know what it is yet! Psssht! Details, schmetails! If a thing needs doing, and it needs doing right, call Big Gurt and Boil! Wee Dragons extraordinaire! Do you two remember that ornery, old Emrick the Wizard? Do we?! We'll never forget! Oh...this is an Emrick thing? I just remembered I'm going out of town this week. Out of town? You've never ventured out of eyeshot of the kingdom's gates! Could you just play along, Boil? I don't want to fight with that old wizard again! Oh, you won't be fighting, wees! You'll be inviting Emrick to our Wee Thanksgiving dinner! Inviting? Emrick? Are we talking about the same wizard? We are, indeed! I know you two wees share a grudging respect with that old troublemaker...and as one of my first decrees as king, I'd like to bury the hatchet with him once and for all! But, Emrick's a trickster! A charlatan! He's conniving! Devious! I'm aware, Big Gurt, I'm aware... I've spoken with Emrick in my dreams, and he assures me he also wishes to forge a truce! In your dreams?! But that's his dark magic, king! He's luring you! Yeah! No way we can trust him! Nonsense! If an enemy says he wishes to find peace, it is my duty as Wee King to make every effort to oblige - not only for the good of Wee Dragons, but for all creatures everywhere! It's settled then! You'll leave on the morrow! I thank you, wees! And your kingdom thanks you! Hiya, Durwyn! Who goes there?! Who dares disturb Durwyn's slumber?! Blister the Wee! A wee?! Any wee fool enough to trespass in my lair is a wee appetizer! I-I'm aware of that! I have news I thought you might be i-interested to hear, Durwyn! Unless it's a new recipe for wee stew, don't bother! No, i-it's not wee stew! I thought not! Unlucky for you! Little wee, prepare to meet your maker! First, let me say my piece! Then, you may do with me as you see fit... unless you're really hungry for wee stew...I mean, I'd prefer not to-- Out with it! King Bedwyr has sent a wee team to Emrick's castle! Hmm...Bedwyr is attacking Emrick?! For no reason?! N-No, Durwyn, not attacking... - he's offering a truce! - A truce?! He wants peace! Peace?! That's what I said! Interesting, isn't it? That's one word to describe it! So, what does this mean for my exile? I was cast out! Forgotten! I've been banished for ages, through no fault of my own! I-I know, right? You're the first dragon I thought of, as soon as I heard the news! Yes, I breathed fire in the kingdom's populated area! And yes, I accidentally burned down Maribel's hut! But, I could hardly be blamed! My mind wasn't my own! I was under a savage spell, cast by that mad old warlock himself! Y-You don't have to explain yourself to me, Durwyn! I was your biggest champion! I argued for days over you being sent away! What about Durwyn's wee piggyback rides, I said! What about the fireworks straight from his belly on the 4th of Wee-ly! I proposed a stern warning with forgiveness...but no wee would listen! They wanted punishment! They wanted banishment, is what they wanted! And they got it! All because you fell under the spell of a powerful wizard with a chip on his shoulder! Mmm, yes...powerful, indeed! I miss the unbridled power that was bestowed unto me by that old man! The strength! The speed! The fire breathing fury! Believe it or not, Durwyn...so do I! What's your deal, wee? Are you mad? Mad? Nah! The wees don't take me seriously! They just think I'm a goof! They may have a point! What are you getting at?! Oh...I-I, uh...I want to offer you vengeance, Durwyn! Vengeance?! I want to help you get back at King Bedwyr for casting you out, when all you did was get your mind taken over by a magic spell! That's true! I could've reduced the Wee Kingdom to ash anytime I wanted to! But, all my life I was a docile dragon! Yeah, well...NO MORE! That's easy for you to say, runt! You're not banished from your kingdom! I, on the other foot, am prevented from returning by hybrid magic! I may not flap a wing inside the kingdom's walls, without being shrunk to wee size! I'd rather stay here, forever alone, than forfeit my dragon might! All I have left is my fearsome reputation, you know?! Well, Durwyn, my friend... what if I told you there was a way around that little detail? Maybe Cai and Tinkertoes can talk some sense into King Bedwyr before we get to the castle, and he'll call this whole thing off! Yeah, maybe...or maybe this whole thing is a trap with a lot of players and moving parts, and it's too late to turn it around! If that's the case, Boil...what do we do? There's nothing we can do until we know what's going on! 'Til then, we'll keep our eyes and ears open, and hope for the best! (gulps) Welcome back, girls! I trust that Boil and Big Gurt are flying high in the sky, en route to Emrick's remote castle in the mountains! I can't wait to receive his reply! Why, I'm practically on pins and needles! So are we! In the meantime, all we can do is wait! How are you feeling, King Bedwyr? I feel fantastic, Cai! Thank you for asking! No problem! A happy king makes a happy kingdom! Yes, indeed! I like that saying! May I use it as my slogan, during our re-election campaign? If you decide to run again, sure! If I decide? I've already decided, Cai! And once the Wee Kingdom breaks bread with our former enemy, Emrick the Wizard, I'll be the most popular king to ever sit upon the wee throne! The champion of prosperity! The bringer of joy! The keeper of peace! Some wee's letting the crown go to his head. (giggles) Eh? What's that? Did I miss something? No, King Bedwyr. I sneezed, is all. Seasonal allergies. Ah! Try some garlic! Natural remedies are the most effective! Will do, king! Thanks for the tip! Or locally-sourced honey! Our wee Beatrice sells jars in town at a fair price! - Okay! - Or bone broth! See Scully in our soup kitchen for that! Yummy! Anything wees need, wees have, right here in our own kingdom, girls! There's no need for any wee to ever venture forth into the wild and endanger themselves, or their loved ones, ever again! And as soon as we join forces with Emrick - transforming an old enemy into a new friend - our Wee Kingdom shall prosper forever! That sounds...fun? So, King Bedwyr... have you had any more of those dreams lately? I can't believe we're doing this, Big Gurt! Sometimes, I have to pinch myself to make sure it's real! What if it's not? What if we're in a dream, inside a spell, in another dimension? You just blew my mind a little! Yeah, mine too! But, what if? If that's the case, there's nothing we can do about it anyway! We have no choice but to take everything we see and hear at face value! And be decisive and committed in everything we do! Like inviting Emrick to our Wee Thanksgiving celebration! Yeah...like that. It sounds weird! I can't get used to it! I can't wrap my head around it! What is it, King Bedwyr? Are Boil and Big Gurt okay? I've no idea! But our wee scouts have reported that the mighty Durwyn is heading toward our kingdom at a rate of speed akin to wartime! (both) Durwyn? I thought that big mean dragon was banished forever! I thought he was dead! Yes, well, I'm afraid neither holds true! Durwyn is very much alive, and any magic spell banishment has certain loopholes... he's obviously found one! Are we prepared to face the mighty Durwyn, king? Can we assemble wee troops in time to be ready for him? No...I'm afraid not, Cai! He's caught us short handed, short-winged, flat-footed, resting on our laurels! Oh, no! What will we do, king?! Don't worry, Tinkertoes! I'll handle it! But, Durwyn was banished in the first place, so no wee would ever have to handle it again! I'm aware of that! King Bedwyr, we can't just wait for Durwyn to arrive! We have to do something! Whether he comes in peace or not, we have to be ready! That's why I'm ordering you two to vacate my castle at once! Vacate? And leave you here? Alone? Unarmed? I have all I need, Tinkertoes! I know Durwyn well! But you precious wees must run far away! Find the most remote land you can reach, and hide there! Run and hide? But, what about you? What about the Wee Kingdom? I took a solemn oath to honor and defend the Wee Kingdom to my last breath, and I shall! But, kings are overthrown all the time! If you're left unguarded and taken from us-- Enough, Tinkertoes! I'm the Wee King! If the throne is to fall, I will gladly fall with it! (both) Gladly? Well, not gladly, but--you get the idea! There's no time to delay! Away with you both! But...how will we know when it's safe to return? Or not? I suppose if things go poorly, and our kingdom falls under siege, you'll see the black smoke filling the sky for miles around! I never want to see that! Never, ever! I don't even want to think about it! But we must! Welcome to my world! Running a kingdom ain't easy! Come, I'll send you two out through the tunnels! When you reach the countryside, run, fly, hitch a ride on a traptalericon if you have to! Just get yourselves far away and wait! I'll signal when all is well! What will the signal be? I've no clue! (music plays) When we get there, all we have to do is keep it simple! It's important to listen very closely to Emrick, to everything he says, no matter how offhand it seems! Even if he's nice to us? Even if he's a singing, dancing, jolly old wizard? Even if he's sweet as pie? Especially if he's sweet as pie! Emrick has a knack for running his mouth too much! He gives most of his schemes away with his crazy braggadocio! Braggadocio...is that a pie? What? No, it's not a pie! It means, like, arrogance! Oh...'cause it sounds like a pie! Maybe you're just hungry. I am! You wanna stop and have some pie?! Where? We're in the middle of nowhere, Gurt! This is Mubblegunk country! There is no pie! They don't eat pie in Mubblegunk country? No! Haven't you heard? They don't have anything modern here! They're like cave wees! They grunt communication! Scratch messages on rocks! Oh, wow! I had no idea! Well, now you know! There's no reason to ever spend time in these remote parts! We're just too sophisticated for them! We're real lucky to be born wee dragons! That we are, Gurt! That we are! Hey, if they don't know about pie, I bet some wee dragon could make a fortune by opening a bakery down here! Maybe! Let's stay focused on the mission, Gurt! Right, right! You ever think of opening a bakery, Boil? No! No, I haven't! I'm not big on pastries! You're not?! But, they're scrumptious! (music plays) Greetings, oh, powerful Wee King! Your reputation for ruling with a fair and balanced claw precedes you! Compliments on your quaint and cozy kingdom! Durwyn! You've returned! Oh, you remember me! Excellent! It will make this transition much easier! Transition? What transition? If you want my kingdom, Durwyn, you'll have to pry it from my cold claws! I was hoping you'd say that, Bedwyr! I've been looking forward to this day for a long, long time! Well, I'm sorry to disappoint you! I'm afraid it's going to be quite a letdown! I'm not going anywhere! No?! Then prepare to fall with your castle, wee! Better listen to him, king! He's not fooling around! Nor am I! Bedwyr, it makes no difference to me if I assume your crown peacefully, or reduce this whole kingdom to ash! This land will fall under my rule, one way or another! Blister, why?! How could you do this to your own wees? Your homeland? I'm tired of being overlooked, king! Me and Gurgle both! We're worthy of prominent positions in the king's court! But, what are we? Messengers! Gophers! Lackeys! No more! It's time for a change! And a real monarch on the throne! Just how do you intend to win over the Wee Dragons? They remember you! They despise you! They'll never follow you! That's no way to address the new king! Mind your tongue, wee! Loyal subjects concern me not! The Wee Kingdom, as you know it, is finished, Bedwyr! It's long been a joke! Like a cheap dollhouse in the backyard of a sprawling estate, relying on leftovers from the kitchen to survive! In MY kingdom, the rules will be rewritten! In MY kingdom, the wee image will be overhauled! In MY kingdom, only the strong survive! And the funny! What?! The funny! Every wee needs a good laugh now and then, and I got lotsa good jokes! I've always wanted to entertain in the king's court... y'know, warm-up the crowds before the king's address! Fine, Blister! Whatever will shut you up--I mean...make you happy! Ha! See? How difficult was that, Bedwyr? Throw a wee a bone once in a while, and they could fashion a scepter! But keep the scraps for yourself, all you'll receive is scorn! Stop this madness, Blister! It's not too late! On the contrary, king! It's far too late! The mighty Durwyn is back! And I'm back to stay! There's only room for one king on the throne, Bedwyr! And you're looking at him! That's strange. This mirror makes me look like a mighty dragon, and an ugly one at that! That's funny. I mean...button your maw, Bedwyr. Now is your chance to fill me in on the fine details and inner workings of your day, Bedwyr! Every kingdom marches to the beat of its own drum, and I do wish to make this as seamless a transition as possible! Many wees won't even know they have a new ruler, until the monthly king's address! (laughs) And what if I tell you everything, Durwyn? What then? Then, you can begin serving your sentence without delay! My sentence? Yes, Bedwyr! You see, where I once was, you soon shall be! (maniacal laugh) Well, well! Look who we have here! Two Wee Dragons, far from home! What brings you to me, wees? What makes you roam? I'm glad you asked, Emrick! We have an offer for you! An offer? For little old me? Make me your pitch, wees, and then we'll see! Did he always rhyme like this? I don't think so. He might be going senile! He sure looks old! Emrick, under orders of our king, we'd like to officially invite you to attend our Wee Kingdom Thanksgiving celebration! Tee-hee! Tee-hee! You traversed mountain and sea! All for a personal invite to me? That's right! King Bedwyr mentioned that he communicated with you in his dreams, and that you'd be receptive to our visit! Expected is one thing, receptive another! Tell me, who's this wee lad? Is he your brother? This is my best friend, Big Gurt! Big Gurt, you say! A name like none else! Tell me, have you come in support, all this way to my house? Uh...I go where my buddy, Boil, goes! And our king asked us to deliver this message to you, in person! The king asked, so his orders you followed! His word is your law, his will to be followed! Yeah...something like that. Do you always talk like this? Like what, naive wee? Like a sing-songing sage? Like a witty wise wordsmith, in spite of my age? More like a wizardy rapper in a big pointy hat! Playing fancy word games, while your message falls flat! - Buh! - Gurt! What? He's talking gibberish! We invited him like we were told, now what do you say we go scout locations for that bakery we talked about? A wee bakery, yes! Sweet crepes on a dish! I can make it come true! I can grant you that wish! You can? Don't fall for it, Gurt! It's a ploy! It is? Yes! You really think old Emrick would grant us anything out of the kindness of his heart? I can and I will, wee! Some dreams you may keep... or shall I make them real, behind eyelids as you sleep? See?! He's working magic on us, Gurt! Just like he's been doing to King Bedwyr! King Bedwyr! Tee-hee! So noble and brave! One day a ruler, the next day a slave! What? What's that supposed to mean? It means I have eyes and ears in the dark! And my magic intentions always hit their mark! Well, we are the wees! And we don't take no guff! So stop with your rhyming, or else we'll get rough! Gurt-- Is that so, dim-lit wee? You dare challenge me?! I have barbs you won't see and reach you can't flee! Is that what you've been practicing on our king, Emrick? By coming to him at night, in his dreams? Convincing him you care about peace, when we all know you only want war? Oh, but you've got me all wrong! I want your land to prosper, grow steadfast and strong! I've heard enough of this wizard's garbage! Let's go, Boil! All we're doing is entertaining him! But, the real entertainment is in your king's sanctum! Where an foe older than I now rules your Wee Kingdom! I'm worried, Tinkertoes! About King Bedwyr? King Bedwyr, and everything else! I wonder how Boil and Big Gurt are faring at Emrick's castle! I wonder what will become of our Wee Kingdom, if the mighty Durwyn has returned! I wonder what to do next! I wonder how we can help! I wonder where we can run... or where we can hide! In a perfect world, we wouldn't have to run or hide anywhere! All this craziness would blow over, and we could go back home...where we belong! Yes, but it's not a perfect world, Tink! It's a big, complicated, convoluted, messy, tricky world out there! And we're just two little wees, trying to make sense of it all! You make being wee sound like a bad thing, Cai! I'm proud of our wee heritage! Proud to call the Wee Kingdom my home! Proud to be a tiny green hybrid creature who most folks aren't sure how to categorize. I wouldn't change any of it for the world! You've always had a good head on your shoulders, Tink! I don't have shoulders. You know what I mean. Yeah, imagine the internal conflict I've had to live with. Sometimes I want to sleep hanging upside down. Sometimes I want to curl into a tight little ball. Sometimes I want to drink milk. Sometimes I want to drink... What, Tinkertoes? You want to drink what? Ah, never mind. Ok. Hey, I think I know a safe place! And someone who might be able to help us! Really?! Who? A dear old friend! We haven't talked in ages, but he's one of the good ones, and I don't know where else to turn! We need an ally! He could be our best hope! If you think we can trust him, let's give it a shot! It's a bit of a trek to get there. How are your wings holding up? Tired, but not too tired to save the Wee Kingdom, if they can. That's all I needed to hear, follow me. This way! Away we go! To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow, Creeps in this petty pace from day to day. To the last syllable of recorded time. And all our yesterdays have lighted fools. The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle! Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player. That struts and frets his hour upon the stage. And then is heard no more: it is a tale told by an idiot, full of sound and fury, Signifying nothing. (clapping) Huh? Who goes there?! Durwyn, is that you? Returned to blight me and revel in my woe? Not Durwyn! It's me, king! (slithering sound) Your old foe, Syd! Remember me? Remember? I'll never forget! You slimed the castle's drawbridges in the early morning mist! Ha ha ha! That was so much fun! Fun? You sent dozens of Wee Dragons slipping and sliding into the castle moat! Some of them couldn't swim! We're lucky to have not lost lives! Yeah, well...you can't win 'em all! What in tarnation do you want, Syd? Or are you simply here to wallow in my misfortune? Here to wallow, mostly! But you banished me here, Bedwyr, so surely you knew I'd slide up sooner or later, hmm? Aye...indeed. Here we are, King--or, should I say, Prisoner Bedwyr! Your new home sweet home! The very spot you banished your kingdom's wrongdoers to, for so long! Funny, how things work out, hmm? Syd-- That'll be Mister Syd to you! I always knew we'd meet again, Bedwyr! Secrets never stay buried, no matter how hard to try to keep 'em down! Now, the mighty Durwyn rules your land, and you get to see how the other half live! Durwyn will never succeed! He already has! (laughs) You can't trust him, Syd! He'll use you, take advantage of your loyalty, and discard you once he has what he wants! That's funny! Sounds familiar! The more things change, the more they stay the same, huh? Yes! And that holds true for Wee Dragons, too! The wee spirit will never submit to the mighty Durwyn! His coup is doomed to fail! You should know that! What I know is that an exiled creature will say anything to not be abandoned! But, it's too late for pleas, Bedwyr! You've made your bed... now Bed-wyr in it! What? You like that? Clever, hmm? You made the bed... now we're in it, Bedwyr! Ah...very witty. Will you perform in the new king's court? Perform? I never considered it! Maybe I will! Doesn't hurt to ask! I notice Durwyn left you here. Didn't take you with him. You think that was an accident? Of course, it was! I'm small! It's dark! Things were hectic! The rush of freedom! The crackle of vengeance! Things happen...get overlooked. And you think he'll come back for you? Absolutely! I have no doubts! For centuries, I was Durwyn's sole companion! We shared stories! We shared dreams! We scratched thousands of tic-tac-toe games on these cave walls! Who won? He did, mostly...he has those big claws, y'know. It takes me longer to scratch into things, since I'm gelatinous and all...lotsa times, he'd be asleep by the time I made my x... but that's neither here, nor there! What matters now is the claw's on the other foot! Get comfy, Bedwyr! You're gonna be here for a long, long time! (laughs) Now, if you'll excuse me, I'm gnawing on a head of old lettuce! Stay on your side of the cave and don't disturb me. It's the last of our food for a while. Don't worry, Syd. I'll just pretend you aren't there. Good! (sighs) Don't listen to this old fool, Boil! He's talking gibberish! The Wee Kingdom is forever! Forever and ever and ever, and a day? Alas, your precious Wee Kingdom has indeed gone away! Shut up, you big jerk! Remember what I said, Gurt! - Let him talk! - Oh...right! Go ahead, wizard! Hit us with another rhyme! I'll hit you with more than you ever asked for, until you're stunned on the floor, searching for the door! Emrick, the beef between you and us wees has been ongoing for so long, none of us can even remember how it started! We don't even have anything against you, but you attack us every time we encounter you, without fail! Can't we just call a truce? Like you teased in King Bedwyr's dreams, but for real! We can co-exist! I know we can! Ha! Sharing space with a wee is no life for me! Gaining the upper hand is where I forever stand! Okay, have it your way. But please, just tell us...what's going on back in our kingdom? Alright, wee! I'll share my sight, so you see! My senses, they ring! Bedwyr's throne has no king! There he goes, bad-mouthing Bedwyr again! What happened to our king, you mystic freak?! Gurt! A dragon of might, means, and proportion has toppled your ruler, through forceful extortion! A dragon? You mean a wee dragon? A wee times a million now circles your sun! With the sound of a gurgle, your king was undone! The sound of gurgle? Gurgle! He's talking about Gurgle the wee! Oh! Did Gurgle betray our King Bedwyr?! Hehehe! A sharp-witted wee before me I see! While another plays the game, and Gurgle's his name! Gurt, we need to get home right away! The Wee Kingdom needs us! Alas, like a bee, the truth sometimes stings! While that beast warms your throne for the king of all kings! Who's the king of all kings? Upon me your eyes gaze, you see old, you see crazy! But I'll soon rule your land, just as fresh as a daisy! Nice rhymes, Emrick! Keep working on your material - maybe you can perform at the Wee Thanksgiving celebration! The invitation still stands! I'll be there, Wee Boil, on that you can count! Until then, keep your heads, for the pressures will mount! (maniacal laugh) I'm telling you, that Emrick's loonier than a hundred spotted wee loons! No, Gurt! That old wizard acts crazy, but he knows exactly what he's doing! He told us a lot of valuable information! If not for Emrick, we'd never know there was trouble back home! That's what worries me! If not for Emrick, we wouldn't be flying home so fast... who's to say we're not flying right into a trap? That's a risk we'll have to take. We can't chance leaving the Wee Kingdom in danger! What do we do when we get there? We'll be careful...get the lay of the land...find out what's going on. What if there's big trouble? We'll handle it! We're Wee Dragons! We were born for trouble! I like to think I was born for dessert! Speaking of...about that bakery! Way to make yourself known, Durwyn! You sure know how to make an entrance! Now that all the wees know there's a new king in town, we can start laying down new rules! Indeed, Blister! But first, my eyes are heavy and my wings are tired! (yawns) Well, I guess you did circle the town quite a bit, letting every wee know what's up! Yes...and now, I feel like a nap! A nap? I didn't take you for the napping kind, Durwyn. Mighty dragon Durwyn, maw like a steel trap! Lay your head down on your pillow and nap! Vivid dreams you shall have, and sights you shall see! Let the wees plan, and come plot with me! (giggles) What's that supposed to mean?! U-Uh, nothing! I just always pictured you flying, or raging, or warring, or breathing fire, that's all! Mighty stuff! Yes, well, I do all those things! And I also take mighty naps! Is that a problem?! N-No, King Durwyn! No problem at all! Good! Watch over my new land as I slumber! If any wees behave suspiciously, wake me at once! Otherwise, do not disturb my deep sleep! I-I won't bother you! You have my word! As you were! Even fearsome rulers need their rest! I-I agree! Rest in peace! What?! Are you threatening me, wee?! No! I-I don't mean to- You'd better not! Rest in power! That's what I mean! Rest in power! Hmmm...I plan to! Now be quiet, while I find a comfortable bed! There's no telling what inane remark might spill out of your miniature maw next! If I don't lie down at once, I may drop right here on these bricks! (yawns) Yes, Dur-- Shhh! Ye-- It's not far now! We're almost there! Almost where? To my old friend's turf! It's been a while, but I still remember the way! You've been here before? It figures I'd come here now, while our kingdom's being overthrown and our friends are in an evil wizard's mountain castle. That's not distracting at all. Let's just enjoy all this fruit and make some new friends, right? Hey, remember we're here to help save our kingdom and everyone in it. We need to trust that they'll stay strong while we're gone. And don't forget - they're wees. The strongest dragons around! Except for Durwyn. Oh, yeah. Except for that. Mmmm...how relaxing...how rejuvenating... and what a stark and vivid dream this is... the sights, the smells, the sounds, the details... the shining stars in the sky, the cracks in the stone wall, the warm glow of the candle... What?! What mad sorcery is this?! Not mad, mighty dragon! Things aren't always as they seem! The mind holds chambers inside chambers, like a dream within a dream! Emrick! You crazy old wizard! I knew I couldn't possibly be so weary! You've enveloped me in a spell! Oh, dear! What a pity! 'Tis a crying shame! A spell, dark magic, or witchcraft - what's in a name? Release me at once, old man! Or suffer the consequences! And what consequences would those be? What could you do that I'd not foresee? You've mistaken me, wizard! Times have changed! I'm not the imprisoned beast with clipped wings you knew, I'm the King of the Wees! King of Wees, or bees, or trees - any of these! Why rule the land when you can also have the seas? You riddling old coot! I don't understand a thing you say! Lucky for you, I'm not really here! Here, there, no matter where! The will to power is in your stare! Now the wees have fallen, your flames have fanned! But immortality's in my hand! Ha! Immortality?! Go back to selling snake oil in Movember, wizard! Leave us kings to our kingly pursuits! Kingly is right, Durwyn! To me you'll come round! I'll control them with magic, while you wear the crown! Why would I share my land with the likes of a madman?! After I alone clawed tooth and nail to return from exile and conquer my conquerors?! Because, mighty dragon, your word is now law! But Bedwyr's dethronement is not all that I saw! Eh?! Explain yourself without the games, seer! I've no patience for trickery, even in sleep! Very well, I'll lay bare all the perils I see! You have might, but you can't keep wees down without me! Out with it, Emrick! Or you'll find out fire burns just as hot in your dreams! Hehehe! I like your style, Durwyn! Those wees, they are cunning! They speak to our ears! But their actions prove otherwise, so exploit their fears! To stamp out their light, take all that they own! Turn their hopeful wee whisper into a mournful moan! Give it to me in layman's terms, Emrick! The Wee Dragons will eventually rise up! They are small, but have strength in their numbers, wise up! Close their shops and burn their crops, is a start! Join forces with me, and break their wee hearts! You have a way with words, you know that?! It's the magic mustache - it converts every thoughts into poetry. I wish my tendrils would do that! Then let's team up! I'll transform you into a silver-tendrilled devil! Sweet! Where do we begin?! With a new king in his kingdom, and a wizard on high! Wake up, mighty dragon, for the wee end is nigh! What a nap! I needed that, Blister! What a relief! You're a bear when you're tired! A bear?! I've never resembled such a puny beast in all my centuries! Tell me, how is our former king, Bedwyr, faring? He's almost completely lost hope! Great! Before my reign is over, I'll make that Wee Dragon beg to return to his old kingdom! And I may even let him, just to see the look on his wee face! Because, much like my own experience, it won't resemble the place he left at all! No? What are your planning, King Durwyn? How will you transform this drab, boring kingdom into the empire of excitement and pillar of pizzazz we know it can be! We? Er, um...you. I mean you. That's right, you did! And I'll tell you, Pee Wee! First, I'm going to close the town's shops! Yeah! What will you put in their place?! Nothing! Er...nothing? Nothing! I'm going to put an end to wee industry! No more blacksmithing! No more woodworking! No more baked goods! No more performances in the park! In fact, no congregating! Wee citizens will stay indoors, unless called upon to appear! Oh...that sounds-- Amazing, I know! I was gonna say-- Tremendous, yes! No need to reiterate what we already know, Blister! That only leads to more wee talking, and heaven knows I've heard enough! As your new king, I'll create work farms, hard labor camps, and sweatshops for you wees to occupy yourselves in! Wees will work from morning to night! Productivity will rise to heights never before seen! What about me, King Durwyn? What about you, Gurgle? What's my place in the king's court? Will I be your consigliere? My what?! You know, your advisor! Your confidante! Your right wing man! You'll be my nothing and you'll like it, how's that?! Uhh...t-that's not really w-what I had in mind. I don't care what you had in mind, wee! Your mind is of little consequence to me - and littler consequence to you! It's no longer your place to think! You're here to obey! Um, but...but, I brought you in...I brought you back! The least I deserve is a spot in your king's court! My king's court?! Durwyn flies alone, wee! Always has, always will! Oh, so we won't be working on new laws together? No, you ushered in a mighty dragon who answers to no one, especially not a wee dragon. And you have the audacity to think you're in a partnership? Fool! - But...you said... - Bap! Bap! - What about- - Bap! Bap! Doh, left out again! What do I gotta go to get some respect around here? Look at it down there, Boil. Wee Kingdom is practically a ghost town. Where'd every wee go? Hopefully they're just inside and not...you know. Know what? You know, not... Not outside? Come on, Gurt. Think. I'm trying. I'm trying! I skipped breakfast, lunch, and now it's almost dinnertime. I'm delirious. I need calories. Well, we'd grab a snack but all the shops looks closed. That's crazy. How's a kingdom supposed to survive without business? Without citizens working together? Maybe that's the point, Gurt. Maybe our Wee Kingdom is no more. Oh no! What if getting us to go to Emrick's castle was all part of some sinister trick played to perfection by forces who want to destroy our Wee Kingdom? Look! Down there! It's Blister! And he's talking to-- The mighty Durwyn! Oh, this is bad! This is real bad! But, I thought Durwyn was banished forever! So did I! Magic works in mysterious ways, Gurt! This is the alliance Emrick talked about! Obviously! How could Blister betray us like this? His own dragons! And is Gurgle involved, too? If they're all in cahoots, what in the world can any wee do to stop them?! I don't know, Gurt... I just don't know. I can't believe I've found myself in this predicament! What a mess! I just hope my beloved wees are safe and sound, as I speak. Dreams! How could I be so foolish as to fall for such obvious sorcery? Such blatant wizardry! It's practically Dark Magic 101! I knew I should've finished wee college, I knew it! But...I'm a Wee Dragon. The young ones don't realize it yet, but we're not without magical powers of our own I haven't used mine in a while...in a long while... I'm rusty, for sure, but... Hear me, oh, wise Sage...it's your old friend, Bedwyr... and my situation is dire... the Wee Dragon Kingdom is under attack, and the Wee Dragons are in grave danger... can you hear me, oh, Sage? Times have grown dark. Can you light the path for us? Hello, Bedwyr! Sage?! It's good to hear your voice again, my friend! The feeling is mutual, compadre! I am sorry to hear of your troubles! Tell me...what is the source of your problems? A wayward wee has betrayed us! An exiled dragon has invaded us! And an evil wizard maligns us! My goodness! You've got your work cut out for you! Aye! That, I do, Sage! Hold those thoughts, while I feel what you feel. Uh...okay. Hmmmm... Emrick the Wizard! Yes! Yes, that's him! Durwyn, the mighty dragon! Yes! Yes! And...and...gag...gag... Gurgle! His name's Gurgle, Sage! (retches) (clears throat) Sorry...I'm having sprouts for dinner...one went down the wrong way. Oh, be careful. Drink some water. Oh, I am. My roots guzzle gallons constantly. Whew. Okay, good. The key to saving the Wee Kingdom lies in the Shiitake Islands. The Shiitake Islands? In the south Wee Sea? But I'm imprisoned! Prison is in the mind, Bedwyr... or, in dendrology terms, free your trunk and your roots will follow. Oh, I see. I think... Your closest companions on the Shiitake will unlock the antidote that can dispel the magic that plagues you! But...I don't know a wee soul in the Shiitake Islands! Howdy, stranger! Moldspot! Is that you?! In the fungus! How are ya, sweetheart? Well...I've been better, Moldy! Oh yeah? you having heatstroke like your little friend here? Nothing a few of those pineapples wouldn't fix, pal. (laughs) I'll bet. You're a strange-looking fruit bat. I'm Moldspot. Who might you be? Fruit bat? I'm Tinkertoes, but I haven't got long to live. Cai, please. The pineapples. In a minute, Tink, just breathe. I need to talk to my friend real quick. Shoot, wee. The Wee Kingdom's been invaded by a mighty dragon with a grudge against our kind. Our king's in danger and we think an evil wizard has his bony fingers in this mess, too. Whoah, that's a gnarly situation, girl. Tell me about it! Can you help us? Sure! Sounds like dark magic! And I have just the antidote for dark magic! You do?! I sure do! You've come to the right place, wees! Welcome to the Shiitake Islands! Guys! Guys! I need to talk to you! Oh, lookey who we have here! Yeah...if it isn't two-faced Gurgle himself! Yeah! How's Blister?! And Durwyn?! Oh...guys, I'm so, so sorry! I've made a terrible mistake! I'll say! You sold us out, Gurgle! Big time! You betrayed the best friends you ever had! I didn't mean to! I got confused! That's easy to say, now that we've figured out your little scheme! What's the matter? Did your friends turn on you, like you turned on us? I'm sorry, Boil! I wish I could take it back! Only you can't! It's too late! You broke the first rule of Wee Dragonhood! I did? Yes, you did! Us wees are supposed to stick together! Through thick or thin! Sickness or health! Good times or bad! Feast or famine! Hey... is anyone else hungry? I could eat! Me, too! I haven't eaten all day! I'm starving! Let's go back to my place! We're eating in, what with all the trouble around here! Mom's got some yummy ramen noodles on the stove! Okay! Gurt, are we gonna believe this jerk? He's betrayed us at every turn! Helped overthrow our king! Turned our land over to a mighty dragon! And we're just gonna let bygones be bygones, and eat ramen noodles together? I'm really hungry, Boil! And I'd like a chance to explain! I just listened to what Blister was telling me, and...and I can fix things! I promise! Yummy ramen noodles, Boil! I know you must be hungry, too...not as hungry as me, but probably close! Okay, fine! But one wrong move, Gurgle, and you're in big wee trouble! If you think the mighty Durwyn's tough, you ain't seen nothing yet! That's right! This isn't over! Not by a long shot! We're gonna find our king and return our Wee Kingdom to normal - no matter how long it takes, or how tough the going gets! When the going gets tough, the wees get going! That's a figure of speech! Yes, it is, Gurt! Yes, it is! How 'bout this... when the going gets tough, the wees get tougher! I like that, too! Sure, why not? I'll tell you guys, we sure are tough little wees when we have to be. You got that right, Gurt. We got quite a great adventure ahead, wees, if we are to defeat Durwyn! We're just getting started! Are you with us, Gurgle? I'm with you, wees! I'm with you, wees! All for wee! (both) And wee for all! What fun it is, toying with this Wee Kingdom! All of these twerps, like puppets on a string! Attached to my formidable claws. I say jump and they jump! I say sit, and they sit! And none dare rise up against the mighty Durwyn... (laughs) Or else! (maniacal laugh) (music plays) (music continues) (music fades) |
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