Messenger Theatre Company presents Season Two of The Dragoning
Episode Nine: Fiona and Ashley
(The first few notes of the piano sound nice and theatre-y but then they start to deconstruct, a bit like a music box going awry. Strings come in. Men droning. Are they monks?)
EMILY:
Messenger Theatre Company presents
Season Two of The Dragoning
(lots of voices saying The Dragoning. The beat drops. There are some distorted strings or cries in rhythm.)
EMILY:
Episode Nine: Fiona and Ashley
(The music sputters out.)
(Door chime of a yarn shop)
Episode 9
FIONA
Thanks for meeting me here, Brent. I thought you might want to branch out on your yarn textures, too – now that you’re so good at crochet.
Oh yeah. Those are the super expensive ones. That is high end wool right there. You have good taste.
So – listen – the group was really not into the idea of you going public about your dragon girlfriend but the response in the public has been so good, even the naysayers have come around. I don’t think it’s going to do us anything but good.
Really? Why?
Sure – yeah – we all get a lot of kook calls. I’m sure they get them all the time.
What did they offer you?
I guess that’s something.
Where are you leaning?
I mean – I think they’re running scared. They wouldn’t bother trying to shake you down if there weren’t some value in you doing it.
Like, if it weren’t working – if it weren’t having an impact – they would not bother.
No. True. I bet they don’t mind about calls at all. But politicians do. And the ones in office will make the kinds of calls they can’t ignore as easily. I would take the temperature of the politicians in your district and feel out who might be in your corner. We’ll do some research, too.
I mean. We know some dragons in office. They may not be the best advocates for us – and you, though. They have too much to lose and they may not fight as hard as they could for dragons so as not to get outed. Sometimes it’s more important for us allies to do that kind of work.
I mean. Before there is any change, there has to be acceptance. The law follows the culture. No, seriously. A TV show is a great idea. Like – a really great idea. It doesn’t have to be a reality show.
Like, it doesn’t need to be real to make a change. A sitcom about life with a dragon might do just as well.
No. No. This campaign you’re on…it’s really going to help us, in the end, I think. Free one dragon, free them all. I mean the news from Dragon City is so dystopian for a lot of people here. We just hear about death and destruction. It’s so – like – yeah, what we needed was a love story out of Dragon City. Well done. I mean. You sold me. #FreeTheDragon, you know. I’ll buy a bumper sticker.
And previously, I’ve had to be relatively quiet about my support of the dragons.
I’ve had to be. Around here, until now, dragon support has been like…I don’t know. It would get you harassment and attacks. Now, I don’t know…like, I could wear a dragon t-shirt and I might get a thumbs up or an “I like your shirt” where before I’d just get glares and catcalls. That shift has happened so fast. I would never have imagined. It.
No, yeah, I do have a dragon t-shirt. Had it for years, long before the dragons emerged. I just liked dragons – I had no idea some of my best friends would become them. I used to wear that shirt all the time but I’d had to stop. So I’m grateful, you know. If only to put my favorite t-shirt back in rotation.
Yeah, it’s really soft and it hangs well. It’s just a really good shirt. You know how it is.
Yeah – so. We’re here for you if you need anything. And if you have to stop because of pressure from the government, let us know. Like, I say – it’s the politicians we need to appeal to at the moment. And there are allies there, for sure. You’re not alone in this. You don’t have to bear up under that pressure alone. Just…know that.
It probably feels like it’s just for Ashley and maybe you’re wondering if it’s worth it for a single girl/dragon that you don’t even know that well – but you should know it’s our community you’re fighting for, too. She’s not the only dragon here – even if the public only knows about a couple. There are a lot of us. I mean, I gave you some of those numbers. We do have bargaining power.
Yeah. I just thought you should know that. I know if it were me, I’d be tempted by someone offering me the choice between a big dream and possible trouble. Like. No one wants to be on the government’s shit list. I know. But you know – it’s not so bad. I speak from experience.
Oh yeah – well. I’m the public face of the Dragon Support Movement.
I’m a target.
No, it’s fine. We chose me on purpose for that.
We just knew my past was pretty clean and that the attacks would probably bounce off me in way that they might not the others. And I grew up living off the grid so I can always slip back into that life if I have to.
No? Move out into the woods and disappear for a while? It’s not that hard. And it’s kind of nice.
I don’t know. Just you and the wilderness, living close to nature in all its wildness and wonder. If you have a taste for it, it can give you a little sense of security to know you can always choose that way.
Honestly, I think you’re a little too into people to be able to handle the solitude. But I do know of a couple communities that fly under the radar. They might be right up your street.
Sure, I could take you there tomorrow if things got squirrely for you here.
No. I would. You’ve done so much for the movement already.
But listen, no, I’d rather you were here, making change the way you already are.
But just, as you roll along, if the government pressure gets too hot and you need to make an escape, you just let me know and we’re off. I’ll fetch you. And Ashley, if we can get her out.
I don’t know about the communities. I was there before the dragons manifested so I don’t know how that’s landed there. In my experience, they’re accepting of just about everyone so I imagine they’d be okay with her. You may just need to keep your distance, or she will – but that shouldn’t be too difficult. If there’s anyone who knows how to leave a person alone it’s the folks who’ve chosen to live off the grid. You say you don’t want to talk, they’ll nod and walk away. Most of them.
If I have to take you there, I’ll point out the ones that might be triggers for Ashley and you’ll just keep ‘em at a distance.
No, well, I’ve thought about it for a member of our community. I’ve got a lot of exit plans in case we end up with a Dragoning here and it doesn’t go well.
I can’t say whether the Dragoning in Dragon City went well or not. I mean – it went the only way it could have gone, you know? It was the first and nobody knew what was happening, not even the dragons.
It started here just a little bit later so our dragons knew what was happening and took quick steps to gain a little bit of control and anonymity.
Yeah – the smoothies were key.
Well – we have someone among us who suspected that this berry that’s been used in peace ceremonies for generations might quiet a dragon’s need to manifest.
Nah, it’s nothing magic, I don’t think. It’s just a bit like smoking a whole lot of weed, I suspect, so that the things that might fill you with the kind of rage or annoyance or whatever, just sort of cease to matter. It’s just like, getting a really big distance on someone or something.
Well, you know how it is from a plane – how the world below just looks tiny and inconsequential. You know there are problems down there but what do they have to with you?
Yeah, there are a lot of dragons who self medicate with weed, it’s true. The problem is that it’s hard to not seem stoned all the time. And if you’re a lawyer or whatever, you need to still be quick on the draw – you can’t be wading through the day like you’re at Woodstock.
Yeah – the berry just seems to target the rage response more than anything. I think of it as a perspective provider.
I hear you – I have mixed feelings about dampening the rage responses, too. Sometimes it’s called for. But how do you decide?
It’s very political. Of course.
Yep. You guessed it. There are deep divisions in the community on this topic for sure.
Most people drink the smoothies, really. It’s just – no one wants to be the dragon on the news who slaughtered the whole footie team or whatever. It’s just safer at the moment.
What an interesting perspective! Yeah – maybe we’ve been approaching this backwards. Certainly I like the idea of others having to worry about their safety instead of us. But look at what’s happened so far. The first public sighting of a dragon led to her imprisonment. It doesn’t feel very empowering, you know. These girls let loose just a little bit and the consequences could be catastrophic.
Yeah. No one’s afraid but us right now. It’s – a sort of funny contradiction. Here these ladies are – the most dangerous creatures on the planet - and they walk around afraid of discovery.
Starving? Oh, from the lack of fear.
Huh. Yeah. They probably are.
That’s true. Everyone did seem a bit more…peaceful after they spent some time with you. Thank you for feeding the dragons!
We’re lucky we found you.
No you did not. A bar? Get out of here. People actually still meet in bars? And what was she doing in a bar without one of our smoothies?
Control how?
Just like – regular control control? Wow. That’s risky. You’re lucky you’re alive to tell the tale.
What do you mean? What’s the other half of it?
Oh. No. You can’t say, I know. But I’d wager she almost got you? Am I close?
Fear, huh? That explains why you give off so much of it, I guess.
No. It’s good. It’s so good. I mean like you say, our dragons are starving. I hadn’t thought of it like that.
I mean we’ve just been trying to keep the peace. That’s all. Peace and control. But maybe that’s not all it’s cracked up to be. Maybe we release the dragons.
I mean your one single dragon in lock up stops being so dang significant to the authorities if the streets are full of them. Am I right?
No. No. It’s something to think about, for sure. Something to think about.
We’ve all got something to think about I guess.
Those are your yarns of choice? Nice. Some of my favorites. That green is so soft, too. Let’s go up front and ask her which hooks you need.
*
(Dragon roars)
(Sound of street traffic and a door opening.)
ASHLEY
You did it. You actually did it. Unreal. I am the luckiest dragon in the land. In all the land.
Ha. As far as they know I’m the only dragon in the land!
No. Sure, except for those other two they know about.
I can’t wait to see the country.
No sure. Yes. We do have to be under constant surveillance. Sure. Yes. That’s not ideal. For sure. But I’m Free! I can touch you! I can hug you! This is the best in the whole world.
Thank you. The dragon is free.
Well, the girl is. And the dragon may be underground for some time.
I’ll have to – um…get a smoothie asap.
I’ve missed – um – smoothies so much. I should probably have them lined up in the fridge.
No, really? You already got me some? That’s so sweet.
Oh! I’ll have to thank them. Who would have thought a knitting group would be so thoughtful!
What do you mean? Why would they slow down on drinking their smoothies?
Ohhhh. Yeah. To be…yeah. Free to just drink whatever you like. You have to take a little break from smoothies to know how they feel.
I mean. Right. Right.
Sorry. Had to hug you again. I can’t believe how much I have wanted to do that. I mean – the absence of touch. It’s – rough.
Those guys in there behaved like dragons were contagious. Like if they touched me, they’d turn dragon – or burst into flames.
I mean. I suppose if one of them touched me they might have burst into flames, true. Maybe not spontaneous combustion flames but flames, none the less.
Sorry. I’m a hugging monster now. No more dragon – I am now a hugging monster. Watch out!
She strikes again!
And again!
Oh, you don’t even want to know what will happen to you when the hugging monster gets you alone in a private space.
Oh, the destruction is going to be severe. You better believe it.
And she strikes again!
I can’t believe you got me out! I mean. You did it!
No – the hashtag did not get me out you did.
Oh. With the hashtag. Who knew that publicity would be the answer?
Sure. Yeah the publicity people would, for sure know.
Or at least they’d hope, I guess. They hoped publicity could save me – and it did! The dragon is free! Ish! Free-ish is better than no amount of free, that is all I can say for sure. To be even just a tiny bit free is better than no amount of free.
Argh! Here comes the hug monster!
No, no. I haven’t seen any of the shows I bet you were amazing. I mean – the results speak for themselves. You were amazing.
No really. I am so very lucky to have you. And grateful.
Good thing I didn’t eat you, huh? Boy would I be in trouble now if I’d done that!
No, no. My self control is OUT OF SIGHT now. My practice in there was so good, man. So good. I’m not even worried about the guys with the fire extinguisher and cattle prods who will be following us everywhere from now on. They will have no reason to use any of their tools.
Yeah, they’re behind us to the left.
God, don’t look at them! Goodness gracious. We’re going to have to work on your self-control as well, it would seem.
Well, they’re probably not much to look at. I haven’t looked at them myself.
Oh – uh – I
Yeah (sniff)
Guys like that are very distinctive.
Might be tasty on the inside but that’s a lot of gear to chew through and most dragons wouldn’t bother with all that.
Oh no – they’re very torchable. Very very torchable.
Oh, probably they do have fireproof gear. It’s not likely to save them, though.
No, they tried that back home – but – it’s a little bit ugly. I don’t really like to think about it. Let’s talk about something nicer! Is our friend from the Silver Pitcher still here? How is he doing?
I’d like to get a drink with him sometime, if it doesn’t compromise his position.
I imagine it might be risky. And not everybody can handle Smokey and the Bandit back there.
No. I have no idea what the references either. It’s something my brother used to call any shady looking characters back in the day.
I mean – have you ever seen a more likely Smokey and the Bandit than those two?
I mean, you saw them, I didn’t. But I can imagine.
Let’s get on out of here.
This hug monster needs to get all her hugs out on you, stat. Let Smokey and the Bandit roll how they may.
(Dragon Roar)
*
(Dragoning theme credit music begins. Strings. Bells. It’s a little creepy but also fun. Like mischievous creatures sneaking around after midnight.)
EMILY:
The Dragoning is produced by Messenger Theatre Company and written by Emily Rainbow Davis
The Dragoning Theme was composed by Scott Ethier
Sound design by Matt Powell
This episode featured Mischa Ipp as Fiona and Emily Hartford as Ashley.
Messenger Theatre Company is a not-for-profit organization and we are entirely reliant on your support.
Thank you in advance for making our next episode possible.
Stay safe out there everyone. And watch out for dragons.
(Music resolves.)