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Chasseurs de dragons (Dragon Hunters) (2008)
Tim Bowman
I do not fear you, ugly thing. My heart is pure as a fresh water spring. The Silver Knight Gothic was standing, facing the terrible skeleton dragon. That stared at him, with his big, ugly empty eyes. With my silver daggers I shall lop off your head. Jus ... Justice will be done only when you are dead. The terrible skeleton dragon stumbled and staggered and collapsed with an agonizing groan, that sent shivers down the spine. The frail King emerged from his hiding place to congratulate the noble Silver Knight Gothic. Enough you little pest. Clean everything up. But my lord Gildas, I am playing the "Silver Knight Gothic." Your uncle, the good lord Arnold, awaits us for supper. Still no sign of them, my good lord? Nothing, Gildas, nothing at all. I can no longer see, but I am absolutely certain my faithful knights will never return. With all due respect, my lord, you have allowed dispair to overcome you ... Do you want me to dance a Jig? Come, come now mi'lord ... Where are those days of yore when my castle did shine in all its glory? Where are my men, my guards, my five players? Alas they have all fled, my good lord. I may be blind, Gildas, but I am nobodys fool. It is quite clear that no one wishes to remain in this fortress. Who would want to live here, in fear of the World Gobbler. Speaking of which, it is night time to send your niece to a safe haven. To the convent of the crooked tooth Sisters. Ahh Gildas, if only I'dve had a nephew ... I could have taught him the basic principles of Dragon hunting. Oh, yes, please Uncle, that would be so darn neat. It's not that I would rather have you be a boy, my little girl, but the fact is you are not one. Hunting just isn't suitable for little girls. It's Granion of Bismuth, my uncle. Granion ... You're alive! And the World Gobbler, have you seen him, have you slain him? Cease your stupid groaning! I'll take you late. Now where are my other loyal knights? With all due respect, my lord, our faithful Granion is but a pile of ashes. - The Smoldering Knights ... - Another sign, my lord. Raise the Drawbridge, lower the Portcullis. - We've got to get a bigger Knight. - You, go pack your bags, you're going to the crooked tooth ... Lock all the doors, and bring me my battleaxe and sword. Gildas! We've got to get the Silver Knight Gothic. The tail Lian-chu, the tail. Teach him a lesson. You hear me? Go on! Hit him in the tail! Go! Go! On your feet. Keep your guard up. And don't let him barf on you. Victory. Okay, fun's over guys. Let's see, here we go; Article 3, clause 2: states Upon receipt of the slain Momularis, Fat John of Wickashire shall pay the measly sum of 24 Guinneas to the valerous dragon hunters. I do not see any hunters. All I see is a bevy of clowns. Walking disaster. Look what your bonehead there did to my cabbage patch with his goofball antics. Fat John of Wickashire, look at me. Isn't that your x there at the bottom of the contract? Enough said river rat, you're gettin' diddly squat. Do you want to get my muscle bulging buddy all riled up, is that what you want? Move out of my fields. And take the clown with you. Oooh, the mutt wants his doggy food huh? Dear me. Great, I just tore my tights. What's the matter Gwizdo, are you mad? You think, that for once you could take your job seriously? It is always the same old circus, Lian-chu. All you do is clown around for the peanut gallery. But I don't do it on purpose. And it's a blimey good thing too ... Why, praytell, do you think these hicks never pay? Because they've got no money? No! They rip us off because you're not credible. What does credible mean? - I do not know ... Take Hector here for example. Hector, with his big fangs and all that fur, well, he's credible. And that's why the hicks are scared of him. You get it? You don't get it ... Look, a dragon hunter who's credible makes the whole earth shake when he walks. Right? Like ... Boom, Boom ... And if he has to, he smacks his debtors a couple of times. Fork over the money! Get the picture? Hitting customers, that's being credible? Another example ... Do you think it's credible a dragon hunter who likes to knit? But I tore a hole in my ... You got Mandular boogers on the brain or what? You knucklehead, knitting is something old ladies do. It was my mother who taught me. Look, I'm sorry, I did'nt really mean what I said about knitting If you want a more credible friend, why don't you go look for one? Do not be ridiculous, I could never find a better friend than you. - You're just saying that so I won't be angry. - Stop it. Who do you want me to hire as a partner? Fat John of Wickashire? No way, we're a real team, me and you. Yeah, Hector. The three of us. Say Gwizdo, you think we'll have our little farm someday? Of course we will, you'll see. A quiet little house on the water. And we'll have chickens, cows, pigs ... And we can have sheep. For the wool. Yeah, right, and you'll knit me a shawl and wollen underwear for the winter. What? - Electric Dragons. - This might make some quick cash. Lian-chu, wait for me! Whoa! Silver Knight Gothic. Uhm, no, it's me ... Lian-chu. You just saved my life, my ... Lordy leapin lizards, two grilled jimbobs for the price of one. Well, when I say price, it's just my way of talking, k? Now we got two jimbob dragons, night terror ... Got the money on you, kid? - Umm, no. - Figures. But of course your daddys got money, right? Where are your parents? They're dead, mister. Ahh, What misfortune ... Once again we work for peanuts! What you been doing in the woods at night, without a Guinea in your pocket? Uuh I'm looking for a noble knights for my uncle, who is very, very rich. Wait a minute, very, very rich? You are real knights, aren't you, my lord? The knight Lian-chu was hiding behind the village gates. The sun was up, bloodthirsty dragons were attacking from all sides, The Knight Lian-chu was alone, you see? - Alone against all odds. - And then? And then, Knight Lian-chu grabs onto a roof by the tips of his teeth. - By his teeth? - Yeah! And he leaps above the horde holloring ... And after that, after that, my lord? After that, Knight Lian-chu jumps into the crowd, A smack here - and a whack there. Wham bam thank you ma'am, he ducks, a sword in each hand. And he sends them all flying with a kick to the butt, a real massacre. -Wow - They took about a whole weekto clear the village. Whoa, that's ... unreal. Almost as fabulous as Silver Knight Gothic. - Eh, What? Competition? - Silver Knight Gothic. The hero of legends. He also slaps around dragons. With strength, courage and generous spirit. Oh yeah? Well, its kind of like that, except for the generous part. One shouldn't believe everything you read in fairy tales, right kid? You see, were more of a ... Wandering Knights. In any case, Uncle Arnold is going to be happy to see you. Real big. I'm going to have to be darn credible now. My lords and ladies ... How ya doin? Put a smile and open up your bulging purses. Sir Gwizdo and Knight Lian-chu, the greatest dragon hunters of ... Who dares to disturb me during my CLISTER. With all due respect my lord, it is two miserable louts and your niece. - Not at all. - Zo. They are wandering knights, uncle. They just saved my life. Go to your room, you little runaway. Uncle ... Tomorrow it's off to the crooked tooth.. You, what feats have you done? besides putting up with my niece? Eh, us? well, uh, The noble knight Lian-chu is famous in many a land, and his fearless feats have inspired so many before him - that the ... - Spare me the folklore. Warrior, take a step forward. He's got muscles ... and, uh, raw power! Yes, the attributes of a true warrior. Your Highness, if you please, they are but ... Shut up, Gildas. Lets roll son, I have a mission for you. Every twenty seasons, the most terrifying dragon alive wakes up, and leaves his lair at the far end of the world. When he comes, he devours entire regions, burns villages by the hundreds ... swallows fortresses whole, before returning to his lair, leaving only ashes behind. Gildas! I have inscribed on this calendar all of the signs of his awakening. Look, the Crenelations collapse. The smoldering Knights. The red cloud. the bridges sailing away. The sinking villages. And talking animals. When all of these signs have appeared, my boy, He will have returned ... the Devourer of Life. The World Gobbler. I have seen him son. I once lifted my sword before him. And the mere sight of his fiery gaze drove my own eyes back into my skull. Since then, all I can see is a dead grey landscape a terrible place where there is no life, and no joy. What is that little tree there, next to the dragon? That is for scale dear Knight. Go to his kingdom, enter his lair, far off in the west, beyond the end of the world ... and strike him while he sleeps. Before its too late. Yeah, yeah, yeah ... but no. It is a cruel blow, but uh look at that, were all booked up. Strike him dead and the world will be saved. Lian-chu, say goodbye, were disturbing the man. My health and sight will return. And I will cover you in gold. Dear client, if you can make room for his head in your museum of horrors. But first let me show you our standard contract. Special little advance for travel expenses. And since were among noble knights ... A large purse of gold should do the trick nicely. Modern methods, why not? Gildas! Yah, just put an X there, here, here and there. Roll, roll, roll. The red cloud, my lord. Saddle up my good brave Knights. Keep heading west my lords, until the end of the world. Yes, for sure, for sure, old man. Of course Gildas. Say hi to the misses will ya? Yes, yes, Ha, ha ha! Yes! Yes! Who who who! Where you going? Coiff a cold one buddy, is not every day that we get to rip off a blind of geezer. That's not the way to the end of the world. Lian-chu, don't you understand, who cares about their end of the world? We are rich. You know what this is? - An advance? - This is our little farm, buddy. The one of our comfy little dreams, with sheep everywhere? Now let's get out of here, while the beasties are busy. I am coming with you, my lords. What? Zo, you can't be serious. Sure I am. My uncle told me I had to come with you to the end of the world. Oh really? Weren't you punished? No. .. And what he also said was that I should learn the rudiments of the trade. No, no, no and no. You go home, explain to Uncle Arnold that, Lord Gwizdo does not take on apprentices. He also said that if you don't want to take me, he would ... He would ... what? He would spank your bare bottom in public. My bare bottom? In public? For crying out loud, and he's spitting fire besides! No, what I meant was he was doing it with his mouth, Hector. I don't see what's so funny. Wow! You sure messed up that big red dragon good, Sir Lian-chu. That was so unreal, I am so fabulously impressed. I've got to ... find my flail. Your funny sword? Wait for me, Sir Lian-chu, I'm going to find it for you. Okay, Sir Lian-chu's groupy, your backstage chatter is very close to driving me bonkers. Tough luck for the public spanking. ... so fabulously ... Zo. You grab your bag and you get lost. You go home now. We Don't travel well with little kids. Strange, but I have this funny feeling that some real doo doo is gonna start flying. And Sir Knight Lian-chu was on the western bridge, with a big red dragon ... who's breathing fire, and said to him, in his big, deep voice: b I am not scared of you, Big Red, one move from you and you are dead. / b / i/b Who is the man of a thousand teeth The terror of dragons far and near Who is the man of the day It is him, of course, Silver Knight Gothic. How did you become a real Knight, Lian-chu? Did you go to knight school? Wow this is really unreal taking me with you. I mean, really unreal! Are there girl knights? Cause me, I want to be a girl knight. And that time you were hanging from the tips of your teeth ... How'd you do that? And your funny sword there, is it a magic sword? Umm, uh, I don't really know know. The Silver Knight Gothic, he's modest too. He always says: b The modesty is the sign of great knights like me. / b / i/b He's my favorite fairy tale hero. I would love to meet him one day. And become his best friend, and his future girl knight ... unreal. But you can't in real life. Uh huh bummer. I can't take it. I'm gonna hang myself. They're only blisters. Put some herbs on 'em. I'm not talking about my blisters, I am talking about princess blabber mouth. A fire, a fire, let's make a big fire! In any case, did you see how credible I am with her? Yeah But the idea of being credible, Lian-Chu was take Uncle Arnold's money and run. Not to play the knights and dragons, till the end of the world. The best friend of Lian-Chu always went to get wood for the fire along with the funny blue dog who talks. Say there sir, am I mistaken or is your dog is a bit weird? So, are you going to tell her that we are not real knights? Yeah, right, and that we ripped off uncle fish eyes ... and then she goes and spills the beans. No buddy, we're in deep doo doo here. He sure is weird. But what do we do now? Ditch her in the woods. There is no crying, no fuss, no explanations ... Yeah, it's a sure fire method. And with a little luck she'll be gobbled up by wild beasts. Are you sure? You bet I am. That World Gobbler and his of the little tree? Not for me. Tonight we'll wait till she falls asleep, and zip, we're out of here. Whose is this? It's Gwizdo's. That's so funny, sir ... I'm really sorry, but knitting is for grannies. No, it's not. It certainly is. She is absolutely right. Knitting is for old ladies. The truth is my mother taught me and knitting relaxes me ... especially after a long hard day. So scram, scat, and go play with good old fido. You really have a super ton of scars, sir. Say, those are hunting wounds, right? Do they hurt? Me too. I've got some. That one was a wild squirrel when I was playing in the trees. And rhat was a duck that was fabulously angry one day. We used to have tons of ducks before my parents died of Cholera. And then my uncle brought me to his fortress. Don't you ever get tired? Sure, but I always need a bed time story to get me to sleep. A bed time story? Oh yes, just a short one. Please, sir. You mean just one short story and you go to sleep? Hey hey, no problem then, but it's one story and then bedie bye, right? Then you fall asleep, okay? Let's do it. Silver Knight Gothic. And brave Silver Knight Gothic wrenched the terrifying creature out of the shadows, His shiny scales were dripping blood from the children he had just devoured ... and whose terrifying screams still echoed in the bone chilling wind of the labarynth. The fat slimy creature growled ... revealing his sharp, crooked, yellow fangs he moved away from the oozing wall. The Silver Knight Gothic stared him straight in the eye and said, with a voice that did not waiver: I am not afraid of you, dreadful thing for my heart is pure as a fresh water spring. With my silver daggers I shall lop off your head ... and justice will be done only when you are dead. And the Silver Knight Gothic threw his silver daggers that sparkle like diamonds and the monster died a terrible agony. Well, I never ... It's no wonder this girl is a live wire. Kids should not be reading this stuff. Hey, she is fast asleep, Lian-Chu, This is our chance, lets go. Hey, Lian-Chu, are you asleep? Come on, Lian-Chu, Get up. Can you hear me? Lian-Chu, wake up. Hurry will ya', yah, look at me. Get up, get up, come on, come on Lian-Chu. Hey buddy, wake up. Can you hear me? Have a bad sleep? Tonight if you start snoring again, I'm chopping of your nose. I was faking. What? You did that? But that is immoral. One doesn't abandon children in the woods ... Of course you do. Our little farm Lian-Chu It's right there. And you because of some little girl who thinks .. She will get lost. I'm ready. Me, what I really like is a bulgarian omelette, are the little pieces of mushrooms inside ... Mmm, unreal ... so I ate the little pieces of mushrooms and then Gildas he tries to make me eat the eggs. How bout' you, do you like eggs, sir Lian-Chu? To be honest, eggs, well I think they smell like stinky ... Yeah, well ... We are lost, too old buddy. Okay, let's be honest, it's surely not that way. On the other hand if we take the little side bridge there, we reach the pretty little field of daisies where we were yesterday. But sir Gwizdo, isn't it that way to the end of the world? Okay, so it's fabulously unreal that were taking you with us on our little adventure, Why don't you bug off and let us work. And besides, no kid's gonna teach me my geography, ok? Lensflair. It's sir Lensflair, one of my uncle's best knights. Anatole, are you okay? back off you loony critters, leave me in peace. What? But your'e not animals, are you? No, its me, Zo. Zo? Don't you recognize me? He's stark raving mad. He wasn't like that before. Zo! I do not fear you, ugly thing. My heart is pure as a fresh water spring. Over there, don't you see a knight? Quiet, do as I say, go home. But, my lord, the World Gobbler? Forget the World Gobbler, kid. ... Are you spilling the beans again you old chatterbox? No, no I'm not spilling the beans ... Hey! That's sir Gwizdo and the great knight, Lian-Chu. And they are gonna make kindling out of the World Gobbler. What? But your mad ... Yes, you are. You are mad ... Aren't you? ... Answer me, I know they are ... Your mad, mad, I know you are mad. I'm mad, I'm mad ... everybody's mad! Mad, mad ... I am so mad that I'm mad about being mad. Sir Lian-Chu, do you often have nightmares? Me too, often. The same one. With the skeleton dragon, enormous, and I scream and scream but nothing comes out of my mouth. And the Skeleton Dragon carries off everyone in sight. Sir Lian-Chu ... something around here smells bad. And besides, my stomach is in knots, my hands are sweaty, and my legs are shaking. And cold sweat's running down my neck. Is that normal? - Sir Lian-Chu, I think .. I want to ... go back home. - Shhh .... The end of the world. Where did that village come from? Scary ghost town, or stinky forest? Scary ghost town. What's the problem? The big tree. Yeah, what about it? Those leaves are really strange. Good riddance stinky leaves. It's the crazy bats from the bridge! Open up. Sir Gwizdo, open the door ... Whoa! not the ears, not the ears! Good move with the barrel, kid. Yes .. go find your own. Quit bothering the sheep! I'll bury you alive, you ugly beast! b Hey bats foo on you, Sir Lian-Chu is too strong for you. / b / i/b b Hey bats foo on you, Sir Lian-Chu is too strong for you. / b / i/b Sir Gwizdo he left me all alone with the disgusting bats. I called for help, and he didn't budge. I knocked on the door, but he didn't even open it. And to think we could be relaxing on our little farm. We have been talking about our little farm for eons, right? Even since Mother Hubbards little orphan paradise. Hey, do you remember when we were kids? When I taught you how to hide cookies in your underpants, so the other kids wouldn't steal them. And you gave a wedgie to the big guy with lice every time he took my cookies! When the World Gobbler is dead, we can have our little farm. Oh, right ... the great knight Lian-Chu is going to say to the World Gobbler: b I do not fear you ugly thing. / b / i/b And poof, the World Gobbler is dead, and we're all happy as pigs. Stop. I'm not finished. And then nature blossoms and everything is green, and are little white bunnies flying all over the place. Stop! We're all gonna die! Because of some little girl that dreams of knights, but life's is not a fairy tale. In real life, knights, they always die. I don't want you die, Lian-Chu! So why don't you step off the village, if you don't want to come? Oh, so that's the way it is, huh? Well that's exactly what I'm gonna do. Farewell and good riddance, Knight Lian-Chu. Move. Why is sir Gwizdo leaving? Because he says we are all going to die. Oh that's a crock of poop. Maybe he is right, after all. No, he is not right. You are the strongest, stronger than Silver Knight Gothic. Gwizdo says that life isn't a fairy tale. What does sir Gwizdo know anyway? And Besides, who is that Gwizdo? Lord Pain in the Butt? Sir Old Fart? Mr. Blister foot? He was my one friend. What are you doing here? Hello, Sir Gwizdo. So the rats jumping the ship, is he? What's this circus all about? - You're Abandoning your friends. - Lord McChicken. Wait a sec', what do you ladies want? to me feel guilty, is that it? Scaredy pants. Scaredy pants? Yeah, and so what? You think I look like the hero of this fairy tale? And Lian-Chu, what's gonna happen to him? He won't listen to me. Sir I'm shaking like a leaf .. Sir I'm sh-sh-shaking like a leaf. It's all Zos fault. - and the lie. - Sir rip off artist. Shut up! I didn't choose to be small and poor ... Do not forget ugly and mean. Exactly, ugly and mean! Now get out of here, scram just scram, bats, ahh ... I do not believe in heroism ... and "happily ever after."! and animals that talk! ... Animals that talk. Gwizdo. Zo. Lian-Chu. Sir Lian-Chu. Sir Lian-Chu. Weird things are happening underneath the village. Just wait for me here. Tell me honestly kid, what do I have at the end of my arms? Hands? Wrong! Hello, there little Zo. Lian-Chu, Sir Gwizdo is doing weird things with his hands. Like knight Lensflair. We've got to get a bigger village. Come on now, quit fooling around sir Gwizdo. It's not funny. Hello little kiddies. Would you like a story? Yes, yes, tell us a story. The story about the naive little girl who mistook two lowly rogues for noble knights ... No. .. We've already heard that one ... Then another one, another one! Another please, please ... And the one about the nice hunter devoured by the World Gobbler? Because of some little girl who dreamed of noble knights! Yeah, yeah, that one really stinks. And one of the two red bats that strangled the little girl? Oh yes, oh yes, that's the one, Ha ha ha ha! Zo. Zo. Zo! I can't feel my legs ... Your legs are just fine, you had a bad fall, that's all. You were right Gwizdo. Life isn't a fairy tale. But you know, It doesn't matter if you're not really. You're still my favorite heroes. Lian-Chu, he's even stronger than Silver Knight Gothic, and that's no fairy tale. All you have to do is believe. But Lian-Chu needs you in order to succeed. Promise me you'll carry through 'til the end, Gwizdo ... and my death won't have been in vain. It's a promise Zo. We're gonna make kindling out of the World Gobbler. Really? I swear we will. Oh, thank you, Gwizdo! But, you ... You're not hurt? Nope. I just fell down there. You, but that ... that's immoral. Do you realize what a fright you gave us? You were really scared? Of course I was! That means that love me. Okay, partys over guys. We got us a World Gobbler to slay. What's that giant tree? b It's for scale sir. / b / i/b That noise, what is it? Is that an earthquake? No, it was snoring. We have to find it. Take cover! Monster bat? My nightmare ... That's the skeleton dragon of my nightmares. Lian-Chu come back! Lian-Chu run! Help, Lian-Chu! I'm sorry Gwizdo, we are all going to die! Zo look at me, we gotta believe, isn't that what you said? So hang on, hang on, hang on. I believe, I believe, I believe. I believe, I believe ... Lian-Chu! Lian-Chu! Leave them alone! I do not fear you, ugly thing. My heart is pure as a fresh water spring. Get up Lian-Chu! Go for it, Lian-Chu! Everything is reall pretty now. Now over there will be the barn ... Oh, and there the chicken coops. What do you mean? Our little farm old buddy. With sheep for your wool. And there the mill, for bread, a big mill. And over there your sheep barn, and when I say sheep barn .. I mean a real sheep barn. And here, our house. With your bed room, my bed room ... and Zos bed room. A big room with a view of the flying bunny rabbits, whenever she comes to see us during the holidays, right? Yes! So we gonna go pick up Uncle Arnies cash? We certainly deserve it. Where are my noble knights? But, but my great and wealthy Lord, we're here ... You? Yeah, Lian-Chu and Gwizdo, ya know, dragon hunters. All right look, isn't that your X at the bottom of this parchment? Allright, enough of this, I don't see any hunters. What I see are two coarse and lowly rogues... With all due respect, my Lord, I do believe I did warn you ... But Uncle, it's really true, Lian-Chu killed the World Gobbler. that is why you were cured and nature has blossomed, and there are little bunnies everywhere. And you little runaway, your tall tales will get you nowhere. They are not tall tales, the Lian-Chu is a hero. Get out of my sight insolent girl. Your eyes are even more inside out than before. Off to the convent, little pest. So much the better. Because I would rather go to the crooked tooth convent than live with a bitter, heartless, ugly old fart who doesn't even love me. Zo get back here immediately. Zos right! Your really a looser, and besides, your mean to little girls ... you don't know Zo, she is kind, she's courageous, and she's intelligent, she deserves so much better than a dishonest, self centered, meiserly old uncle, and with all due respect I have for the boogers in my nose I would like to know what Lord Arnold, The Butt Wipe, has to say about that! Ow, ooh. I tell ya kings are not respectable people. It was when you called him Arnold the Butt Wipe, that he really got mad. Hey, hey, just a sec there Mr. coward, you could have done something. Why, you did a great job on your own. A great job, are you pulling my leg? If it wasn't for you, Zo would have gotten spanked on her bare bottom. You know, you're right. You think that we'll see Zo again someday? Forget about her buddy. Look at us, nothing has changed, we're still two course and lowly rouges just good for getting our butts kicked by royalty. Hey, wait up for me, noble knights. Zo, what are you doing here? The old crooked tooth isn't my style. I'm gonna go live on the little farm with you guys. What little farm? You know, the one you dream of, with a big mill and the barn and sheep, for wool. Zo, I love you. THE END |
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