### Act 2, Scene 2: What you think is what you get

- Backdrop: Empty
- Props: Meadow (CJ), Tree (Fin), Dancing Pole (Zefiro), Jell-O (Pan), Fire Extinguisher (CJ), Huge Frying Pan (Fin, CJ)
- Special FX: Finlay Flashbacks (Fin, owolf), Bridge pieces (Xan)
- Puppets: Finlay (Lynard), Lori (Eisfuchs), Mika (Tani), Lionel (Tigerseye), Bird (owolf), Monster (Pan, Fairlight), Eggs (Fairlight, Pan), Big Egg (Zefiro), Erotic Mikas (Fairlight), Erotic dancers (Fin)
- Setting: empty space, bridge pillars on the playrail
- Music: Poets of the Fall - Where do we Draw the Line
- PreRec: Lionel

##### FINLAY INTRO

"Finding your way through the dream world is not easy, as everything around you constantly shifts and changes, and shadow creatures on the prowl for unsuspecting dreamers may lurk behind every corner. The shadow creatures have a remarkable sense for orientation, which helps them finding their way back to the portal they came from. Unfortunately, I am not blessed with such evolutionary wonders. But during the endless years trapped inside this world, I took great care to learn about my enemies as much as I could. And I discovered, that they leave behind a trace. It's a form of energy that makes your whiskers tingle just ever so slightly. It's invisible and faint, and if you didn't know what you're looking for you would dismiss it as a figment of your imagination.

My new friends obviously didn't know what they were getting themselves into, or otherwise the thought of entering the world of the shadow creatures wouldn't even have crossed their minds. Maybe I should have warned them. Maybe I should have told them what Lord Tarrion and his tribe did to me when they took me prisoner many years ago.

But I didn't. I was too afraid it might have changed their minds. They were young and naive. But maybe I could use that to my advantage. My new friends had lit a spark of hope inside me. Maybe not all was lost after all? Maybe they would find a way back to reality, out of this neverending nightmare? Maybe there was a chance that I could go back to my real life, and my family!

So I kept my mouth shut, praying to whatever gods might exist, that I wasn't leading them into their own demise. Instead I gathered all my courage, and left the safe haven that I had dreamed up for me for the first time in years, guiding my new friends through the twisted world of dreams, hoping that my senses would not betray me, and that I could indeed find the right way to the end of the dream world."

##### MAIN DIALOGUE

06 - Abstract Drones

Finlay, Lori, Mika and Lionel come in from Section A

Finlay: "So, here we are. From here on, you are on your own."

Mika: "Wait a minute! The only thing I can see ahead of us is empty space! Didn't you say you'd take us to the world of eternal shadows, where the vampires live?"

Finlay: "No. I said I could help you trace the shadow creatures to the end of the dream world. And here we are. The end of the dream world. Beyond this point, nothing exists yet."

Lori: "Nothing? You mean, like in space?"

Finlay: "No. It's so empty, it's not even space. It is true and brilliant nothing. It's a void, unfilled by any dream or thought. In fact, the amount of dreams that happen at the same time is not endless. It all ends precisely here. At least for now."

Mika: "What? You never mentioned that the dream world and the shadow world are separated by an impenetrable void of … nothing! How are we supposed to get across?"

Finlay: "Well, it seems you'll have to come up with something."

Mika: "Very funny. You said you've been in their world once … for heavens sake, tell us how to get there and stop making fun of us!"

Finlay: "I'm not making fun of you. You must come up with something."

Mika: "I don't get it. Lionel, let's go. I knew from the beginning that we shouldn't have trusted this lunatic."

Lori: "Aaah! Wait! Of course! He is right!"

Mika: "What?"

Lori: "There is nothing here! So we must come up with something!"

Lori walks a few steps to the edge of the bridge.

Lori: "This world consists of the thoughts and memories. So, let's see. How might the way to the other world look like? I'll close my eyes now, and think of it … the way … to the other world … it must lead … here …"

0601 - Bridge Sound 1

First Segment lights up

0602 - Bridge Sound 2

Second Segment lights up

Lionel, Mika: "Ooooooh!"

0603 - Bridge Sound 3
06 - (STOP)
07 - Sunny Meadow (Happy music, Birds chirping.)
0604 - Happy Morning Music

Third segment lights up … and so on, as far as Lori walks

Lori (happy): "It's so easy … whatever you think of will just appear … la lala lala lala …"

A green meadow appears in the background. Trees and flowers bloom.

further segments of the bridge light up

A cute little bird flies and lands ahead of Lori, pecking at some seeds.

Lori: "Oh look! The way is really beautiful! It's got flowers and trees, and cute little birds! Hello little birdy!"

Lori walks over to the bird, which crawks, and pecks her on the head.

0605 - Crawk 1!

Lori (angry): "Hey! What! OUCH! Why did you do that!"

bird crawks and pecks Lori again

0606 - Crawk 2!

Lori: "OUCH! OUCH! Stop it! Go away! Go away, you MONSTER!"

Lionel, Mika: "Noooooooooo!"

Lori turns around to Lional and Mika.

Lori: "What?"

0607 - Monster Sound

A giant monster appears behind Lori.

Lionel, Mika: "Aaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Monster opens its giant mouth with millions of teeth in it, and threatens to eat Lori, who is completely oblivious to what is happening behind her.

Mika: "Lori! There is a monster behind you!"

Lori: "Mika! Don't you think this is scary enough as it is? Do you think it's funny to scare me even more?"

Lionel (wide eyed, stuttering, staring at the monster): "Uhm, Mika, I think she's right. We really should … not make her believe there is a monster when IN REALITY THERE IS NO MONSTER! I REPEAT: NO MONSTER AT ALL! Did you hear me, Lori, there is no monster! We're really sorry! It was just a bad joke."

0607 (STOP)
0608 - Monster Shrugs and disappears ROARS!

Monster shrugs and disappears

Lionel and Mika sigh in relief.

Lori turns around, and continues walking across the bridge.

Lori: "Mrrmpf. Okay. Very funny. Just don't do this again, alright? I absolutely HATE monsters."

0609 - Monster ROARS!
07 (STOP)
06 - Abstract Drones

Monster reappears

Lori: "Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Lori runs back to the others. The monster disappears, the bridge segments go dark again, and the backdrop disappears.

Lori hides behind Mika and whines.

Mika: "It's okay, Lori … calm down. Everything is back to normal!"

Lori: "I'm sorry! I really didn't want to …"

Mika: "Don't even think of it. And I mean it: Don't even THINK of it, okay? It's always the same. If you want something done, you've got to do it yourself."

Mika turns towards Lionel

Mika: "And Lionel .. whatever happens. Don't say a word, okay?"

Lionel nods.

Lionel (affirmative): "Hmm-Hmm."

Mika growls and walks across the bridge. Some segments light up as she walks across.

0601 - Bridge Sound 1

First segment lights up

0602 - Bridge Sound 2

Second segment lights up

0603 - Bridge Sound 3

Third segment lights up … and so on, as far as Mika walks

An egg appears, and bounces by.

0610 - Bouncy 1

Mika: "Huh? What was that?"

A second egg appears, and bounces by.

0611 - Bouncy 2

Mika: "What the hell … ?"

More and more eggs appear, all bouncing around Mika.

0612 - Bouncy 3

0612 (cont.) Eggs: "We're not hardboiled! We're not hardboiled! Soft and runny! We're not hardboiled! He won't like us! … "

Mika: "No! Nononono! You are hardboiled! Now leave me alone!"

Eggs jump around on Mika, taunting her.

Mika struggles against the eggs.

A giant frying pan appears from below, lifting Mika up.

Small Eggs Disappear

0612 (STOP) (fade)
0613 - Woosh & Sizzle

Mika: "What is this? What the hell? Aaaaaah! It's hot! Ouch! Ouch! Aaaaah!"

Two hands holding a giant egg come up from below, crack the egg open at the rim of the fryin pan

0614 - *tock* *tock* *tock* Crack

One hand holds Mika.

The other hand pours the egg's contents over Mika.

0615 - Splurt

Mika spits and coughs and complains

One hand still holds Mika.

The other hand puts one egg half over Mika's head like a hat.

0616 - FUMP

The first hand lets go of mika, showing the "THUMBS UP" sign.

Mika: "Aaaaaaah!"

0613 (STOP) (fade)

Mika struggles and drags herself out of the pan, escaping back to the head of the bridge. The eggs, the pan, and the hands disappears. Only the half egg on Mika's head remains, like a helmet.

Mika gasps for air. The other stare.

Mika: "Not a word!"

Lional (dismissive): "Hmm-Hmm."

Mika shakes of the egg from her head.

Mika: "Lionel, your turn."

Lionel: "I don't know … maybe right now is not the right moment to cross this … I mean … maybe we can just wait another minute … or two …"

Lori: "Lionel? What's wrong with you?"

Lionel: "It's just that, my thoughts … er … I mean …"

Mika: "Oh come on, don't be such a coward! You're the most rational person amongst us. What could possibly go wrong?"

Lionel (sigh): "Oh my god. Okay. I'll go. And I'll try to keep my thoughts … at bay."

Mika: "Lionel, don't worry!"

Mika rubs Lionels cheek

Lionel (in a low voice): "Don't do that!"

0601 - Bridge Sound 1

First segment lights up

0602 - Bridge Sound 2

Second segment lights up

0603 - Bridge Sound 3
06 (STOP)
0617 - Striptease Music

Third segment lights up … and so on, as far as Lionel walks

In the background, a copy of Mika shows up in some kind of erotic setting, dancing, or purring seducingly.

Mika: "What the … oh well. I guess I can live with this."

Lionel walks further, segments light up.

A second copy of Mika joins the first one, doing naughty things.

Mika (shocked): "Uh … uhm … well … okay, I guess I could live with that, too …"

Lionel walks further, more segments light up.

Mika makes noises of non-belief and enrage during what happens next

0618 - Striptease Music growing more and more dissonant

More and more people join the erotic phantasy in the background, turning into a full-blown orgy. Just when a giant, wobbly piece of strawberry jello pudding appears …

0619 - Wogga-Wogga

Mika has enough.

Mika: "Okay, now its enough! LIONEL! STOP! STOOOPP!"

Mika whistles

0620 - Whistle

Lionel turns around

Lionel: "What?"

A fire extinguisher (fog machine) shows up right in front of Lionels face, and sprays him.

0621 - Wooooooooooooosh!
0619 (STOP)
0618 (STOP)
0617 (STOP)
06 - Abstract Drones

Lionel: "Aaaaaaaaaaaaah!"

Background images disappear.

Lionel coughs, and walks back to the head of the bridge

Lionel (angry): "This is ridiculous! How are we supposed to come up with a path to the shadow world if we don't know where it is, how it looks or how far it is away … it is completely impossible to imagine something you don't know anything about. Finlay! You've been there before. If there is anyone who can dream up a path to the shadow world that will actually GET us there, then it's you!"

Finlay: "I'm sorry, but I swore to never go back the shadow world again. Here in the dream world, I'm safe. I've got my home, I've got my lights, nothing can happen to me here. But over there, we'd all be defenseless, alone in the open! Sorry. I'm not going to risk my life, and with it my chance to ever get back to the real world!"

Mika (angry): "Hah! The real world! What is real? The only way to tell if your experience is real or a dream is to wake up. As long as you can't wake up, what difference does it make? You are here. We are here. And right now, this is as fucking real as it gets! And if you've been asleep for 20 years, what do you expect to find when you wake up?"

Finlay: "Well, I … I … I've got family! And they …"

06 (STOP)
0622 - Where do we draw the line? (← leicht verzoegern)

Mika (angry): "Oh, yes? Do you really think the real world hasn't been moving on in all those years? Even IF you're going to wake up again one day, it will no longer be the world you left behind 20 years ago! And it will not be the family you left behind either. Maybe you thought you were bluffing when you told Lord Tarrion that you had nothing to lose! But let's face it: It is the truth! Instead of actually living your life, you've been hiding in your dark hole, doing nothing, waiting for a miracle that would turn everything back to normal! But you know what? It won't happen! Not unless you finally take your fate into your own hands!"

Mika lowers her voice

Mika: "Finlay, you've got to face the truth: Your old life is gone, and it's not going to come back! You have to let go! This is your life, here and now! And we need your help! Please! Help us!"

Finlay looks at Mika, then at Lionel, then at Lori

Finlay sighs deeply, and walks across the bridge slowly. The segments light up one by one, as he completely crosses the bridge.

Hold up first Picture: Wedding

0623 - Church Bells Disintegrate

First Picture Disintegrates

Hold up second Picture: Children

0624 - Child Laughter Disintegrates

Second Picture Disintegrates

Hold up third Picture: Celebration

0625 - Applause Disintegrates

Third Picture Disintegrates

Everyone follows him wordlessly over the bridge and leaves the stage. The bridge disappears after the last one.

Lights Out

Close Curtain