Today we're wrapping up Act 1! You get 2.5 scenes for the price of one, since the first and third were too short to bother posting alone. Act 2 begins tomorrow!
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Act 1, Scene 4
[Scene opens up to Cera, tied up. She is near a rock wall, a large nest, and other signs that this place is some sort of hideout or lair. Cera is struggling with her bonds.]
Cera: Mmph, Eergh, Augh! [stops for a second, pants, then tries again] Mmmmmph…augh! [gives up] This isn’t working. How else could I get out? [Sees a vine dangling out of the rock wall. She reaches for it, but it’s just out of her reach. While she’s trying, the two raptors come back. Cera stops stretching for the vine, and shrinks back] Get back! [The raptors ignore her and start tidying up the lair. Cera realizes they aren’t attacking her] You’re, you’re not attacking me. What’s going on? Why haven’t you eaten me yet? [A raptor looks at her. She shrinks back] Bad question, don’t answer that. [Raptor goes back to tidying up the nest] You aren’t like any Fast Biters I’ve ever met. What are you doing? You look like you’re tidying up… [moment or realization] …for somebody else… [A third raptor enters, and dumps a large load of branches on the nest.] …somebody biggeró [she breaks off as the raptors suddenly all snap their heads up and look offstage. They start to rush offstage] Wait! Who is it you’re working for? [Raptors exit. Cera watches them go, then continues struggling with her bonds. Blackout.]
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Act 1, Scene 5
[The Mysterious Beyond, the place where Cera was ambushed. It’s a little darker than before, signifying the coming of night. Littlefoot, Petrie, Spike, and Ducky are walking through the Mysterious Beyond.]
Littlefoot: How close are we, Petrie?
[Other than Littlefoot, everyone looks scared, but none more so than Petrie]
Petrie: Y-y-yes, we close. M-me think we almost there. [Jumps for no good reason.]
Littlefoot: Petrie, calm down. Which way now?
Petrie: Th-that way, no, this way, maybe, that way! [pointing wildly]
Littlefoot: Petrie, get a grip! We won’t find Cera if you aren’t able to get a hold of yourself! Now calm down, and think. Which direction?
Petrie: [takes a deep breath] Um, me think, that way!
Littlefoot: We just came from that way.
Petrie: Oh.
Ducky: Petrie…
Littlefoot: Petrie, try and think for a moment. What do you remember happening?
Petrie: Well, um, me and Cera walk this way, like this, and we hear big hissing soundó
[There is a big hissing sound. Group gasps and huddles closer]
Ducky: Did it sound like that?
Petrie: Yes…
[The two raptors jump out, to their left.]
Petrie: It them! Those two!
[The group retreats the other way, but the third raptor appears there. When it seems like all hope was lost, a hand reaches out from the small cave and beckons]
Chomper: Come quickly! This way leads to safety!
[The four quickly dart in. The raptors charge in after them. Once the raptors’ snarls fade off into the distance, Littlefoot sticks his head out of the opening. The four, plus a young blue Tyrannosaurus Rex, tiptoe back out into the open]
Littlefoot: The coast looks clear, thanks for saving us, [he looks at who rescued them] Chomper!
Ducky and Petrie: Chomper! [The two run and hug him]
Ducky: Oh, Chomper, it is so good to see you!
Chomper: It is good to see you too. I’m glad I arrived when I did. Did those Fast Biters hurt you?
Littlefoot: They were about to. [Peers down opening] Where does this lead, anyway?
Chomper: It leads to Big Water, where the family is still living. I just came from there.
Ducky: How are your parents?
Chomper: They’re good. Food’s running a little scarce, but it’s not a problem. I’m sure it’ll fix itself in the end.
Petrie: Why you come?
Chomper: Well, to be honest, I’ve come to warn you guys.
Littlefoot: Warn us?
Ducky: About what?
Chomper: There’s a call to arms going throughout the Mysterious Beyond. Somebody is trying to form a massive group to attack the Great Valley.
Petrie: Attack the Great Valley?
Ducky: Oh no, no no no no, no.
Littlefoot: How big an army can this ësomebody’ build?
Chomper: Well, there is good news there. This particular fellow has a terrible reputation, and most Sharpteeth I’ve met have laughed it off as wishful thinking. But some of the dumber ones might listen to him, so I thought you should know.
Littlefoot: We do. Thank you so much, Chomper.
Ducky: Littlefoot, we need to get back to the Great Valley and fast, we do, we do!
Littlefoot: You’re right, bye, Chomper!
Chomper: Good-bye, good luck! [just before the others leave] Say, where’s Cera?
[Littlefoot and company stop]
Littlefoot: Cera! We can’t leave now, we have to rescue Cera!
Petrie: But what about army that attack Great Valley?
Littlefoot: We need to rescue Cera first. We’re the only ones who can!
Ducky: But we do not even know if Cera can be rescued!
Chomper: Somebody’s kidnapped Cera?
Spike: (yes)
Chomper: Do we know who?
Spike: (no)
Chomper: It might be the same dinosaur.
Littlefoot: You think?
Chomper: Maybe.
Littlefoot: How would that help us?
Chomper: I know how to get to his meeting place. He left directions for anyone who wanted to come.
[This whole time, lights had been slowly dimming. SFX: Starry sky panorama]
Littlefoot: All right, let’s go!
Chomper: Great! Follow me!
Ducky: Wait, Littlefoot! It is, uh, very dark right now.
Petrie: Ducky right! It nighttime!
Ducky: It is too dangerous to go now, it is, it is.
Littlefoot: Oh, come on, do you want to rescue Cera or not?
[Petrie, Ducky, and Spike still look frightened]
Chomper: Littlefoot, Ducky’s right. It’s a bad idea to go hiking in the dark. We should rest until daylight.
Littlefoot: Butó
[A weird sound is heard. All except Chomper start]
Littlefoot: [reluctantly] I suppose you’re right.
[The group lies down to go to sleep. It is hard because loud noises keep scaring them]
Ducky: Littlefoot, I am scared.
Littlefoot: Don’t worry, it’s just noises.
Petrie: Me scared too.
Chomper: Don’t worry, guys, if anything comes this way, I’ll smell it before it reaches us.
Littlefoot: That’s right, there’s nothing to worry about.
[Ducky and Petrie relax a little]
Ducky: [giggles] Chomper, we were once taking care of you, but now you are taking care of us!
Petrie: Me remember those days.
Chomper: Yeah, me too. I couldn’t have asked for a better group to take care of me while I was first growing up.
Littlefoot: I remember how you thought I was your dad.
Chomper: Actually, I didn’t.
Littlefoot: What?
Chomper: [quickly] Don’t worry, I liked and respected you the best, but I had always thought of you as more of a friendly uncle. My parents, I thought, were Ducky and Petrie.
Ducky & Petrie: What!?!
Chomper: Well, you were the first two I ever saw when I hatched.
Ducky: [giggles] Don’t be silly, me and Petrie could not be parents, on no no no. He is a flyer, and I am a swimmer.
Petrie: …True, we couldn’t be parents. But we still could be together.
Ducky: [laughs] Oh, no no no. [rolls over giggling. Petrie looks crestfallen]
[Another weird noise. Spike groans. Ducky stops laughing, and looks around. Music starts.]
Littlefoot: Speaking of parents, I sure wish mine were here right now.
Ducky: Me too. [yet another loud noise. She is frightened] I am still scared.
Spike: (me too) [Ducky and Spike huddle closer]
Song: “Always There”
Ducky: WHEN THE SUN WENT DOWN
AND EVERYONE WAS SLEEPING
IF I HEARD A SOUND,
LIKE THINGS AROUND ME CREEPING
SHE WOULD WRAP HER TAIL AROUND ME,
AND TELL ME, “DON’T BE SCARED,”
AND I NEVER WAS AFRAID, BECAUSE
SHE’S ALWAYS THERE
Chomper: WHEN THE WAVES WOULD CRASH
AND STORMS WOULD CROSS THE SEA
AS THE SKY-FIRE FLASHED
SHE BLOCKED THE RAIN FROM ME
SHE SCARED THE RAINSTORMS FAR AWAY
TO RETURN, THEY WOULDN’T DARE
AND EVEN IF THEY DID, WHO CARES?
SHE’S ALWAYS THERE.
All: ALWAYS THERE
SOMEONE YOU CAN COUNT ON
TO COMFORT YOU
ALWAYS THERE
Chomper: LIKE A GREEN GREEN ISLAND
All: YOU CAN COME HOME TO.
Littlefoot: I REMEMBER NOW
LIKE IT WAS YESTERDAY
SHE WOULD HOLD ME CLOSE
AND THEN I’D HEAR HER SAY
“YOU KNOW I’LL NEVER LEAVE YOU
YOU CAN FIND ME ANYWHERE,
IN THE MORNING LIGHT, THE EVENING STAR,
[SFX: Comet flies across the panorama]
I’M ALWAYS THERE.
All: ALWAYS THERE
SOMEONE YOU CAN COUNT ON
TO COMFORT YOU
ALWAYS THERE
Littlefoot, Ducky, andPetrie: LIKE A GREEN GREEN VALLEY
All: YOU CAN COME HOME TO.
[Group starts falling asleep. Littlefoot looks up at the sky.]
Littlefoot: ALWAYS THERE. [Falls asleep. Blackout.]
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Act 1 closer
[Stage remains dark.]
Petrie: [singing] WHENEVER ME SCARED,
WHICH IS AN AWFUL LOTó
Littlefoot: Petrie.
Petrie: Yes?
Littlefoot: The song’s over. Go to sleep.
Petrie: But what about my part?
Littlefoot: You don’t get one.
Petrie: Butó
Chomper: What’s going on?
Littlefoot: Good night, Petrie.
[pause, then]
Petrie: Me have mom too, you knowó
All: Petrie!
Ducky: Petrie, please be quiet and go to sleep.
[pause, then]
Petrie: Okay, Ducky. [Curtain falls.]
