39. Little Mon, Big City (Part 2)

Transcript by Raina Harper

Kyle

Previously on Quest Friends! Hereafter…

[Music plays, ‘Quest Friends! Hereafter Theme’ by Miles Morkri.]

Emily (as Irene)

[Emotional.] I thought that I would have found Boidelrat by now.

Tom (as Mossies)

Sawm?

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee?

Ari (as Mallea)

Lay-um?

Kyle

There’s a map of “big dead city.”

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

[In the cadence of “big dead city”.] Ee-ee-kope.

Kyle (as hustler)

You best be careful there, little one. If you’re not careful, you’re gonna start looking like a sucker.

Ari

Mallea runs to punch him.

Kyle (as Jam)

You guys are performers, too? Why are you going to the Globe?

Hallie

It’s just Willie Shakespeare versus every other playwright who has ever existed.

Emily

He’s already got an unwanted tenant in the phantom of the opera.

[Laughter.]

Ari

Yes.

Kyle (as Jam)

The Black Box, that’s uh… that’s a pretty dangerous place. Only the most dangerous and eligible people go there, like uh… like the Butcher.

Emily (as Booker)

[Fiercely.] Rekoob.

[Music swells and carries into the episode.]

Kyle (as audience)

Butcher! Butcher! Butcher!

Kyle

The crowd calls for… ectoplasm, because reminder, blood for the dead is ectoplasm. But, it doesn’t matter! You don’t bleed ectoplasm or blood, and you don’t want to find out what you bleed because you’re not in Kansas’s Necromon duel anymore?

Hallie

Eh, that worked, yeah.

Ari

Yeah, sure.

Hallie

I’ll allow it.

[Wrestling music begins.]

Kyle (as  hustler)

They’re not in Kansas’s Necromon dueling anymore, Toto! Now, the new competitors, Mush, Sous Chef and Stir Fry, have to face off against the fearsome, the terrifying… Butcher!

Kyle

And yeah, you are in this cage staring down a book with a knife. Or, maybe it’s a spoon. At one point it probably was, but Booker uses it to cut, so functionally a knife.

Tom

The Mossies are hiding behind Pokeyo.

Hallie

Oh, Pokeyo’s hiding behind the Mossies.

Kyle

[Laughs.]

Tom

They’re both hiding behind Mallea?

Hallie

Pokeyo’s had a rough day. They’re both hiding behind Mallea.

Ari

Mallea is protecting, arms crossed, like “ah, yes.”

Hallie

Yay.

Emily

Booker looks this little group up and down, pauses to think, tosses down the knife and does that little cutting motion with his little foot, like “oh, call it off.”

Hallie

Oh god.

[Music ends.]

Hallie

The crowd immediately goes silent.

Kyle (as hustler)

What’s this?

Emily (as Booker)

[Indignant.] Rekoob!

Emily

He holds out his little foot to indicate “too small.”

Hallie

[Laughs.]

Tom (as Mossies)

Sawm?

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee?

[Silly music begins.]

Tom

The Mossies, when the knife got thrown down and the gesture made, all leaned out stacked up like the Scooby Doo gang leaning around a corner.

Tom (as Mossies)

Sawm?

Tom

And then with the “too small” they all just flatten.

Emily

Booker will point at a random person in the crowd and say…

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob!

Emily

…and nod. Then he’ll point at the Mossies, and he’ll shake his head.

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob.

Tom (as Mossies)

[Unhappy.] Sawm!

Emily

He’ll point at another random person in the crowd.

Kyle

The first person when being pointed at by you, a dust cloud was kicked up. They fucking bolted as soon as you pointed.

Emily

He’ll nod and then he’ll point to Pokeyo and shake his head.

Emily (as Booker)

[Dismissive.] Rekoob.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

[Uneasy.] Oh-ee…

Emily

He’ll point to a third person in the crowd with a nod.

Emily (as Booker)

[Emphatically.] Rekoob!

Emily

And then he’ll point at Mallea.

Emily (as Booker)

[Dismissive.] Rekoob.

Ari (as Mallea)

Hmm…

Emily

And shake his head.

Ari

Mallea will narrow his eyes.

Emily

Booker is trying to indicate that he only fights humans.

Hallie

[Laughs.] Okay, well, the god news is… and by good news I mean bad news, actually… Pokeyo assumes that Booker is just, like, “I only fight big worthy opponents.”

Ari

Yeah, that’s what Mallea gets, too.

Hallie

So Pokeyo is gonna give Mallea a look that’s like “hey, you gonna take that?” Pokeyo, who is currently afraid and hiding behind Mallea. “You’re gonna let him talk to you that way?”

[Music ends.]

Ari

That’s all Mallea needed for this.

Hallie

Perfect.

Ari

He will approach Booker. He’s usually on his small size to not intimidate the rest, but now he’ll be like ‘you haven’t seen my final form.’

[Wrestling music begins.]

Kyle

[Laughs.] Yeah, he’s big, he’s huge.

[00:05:00]

Your hat starts to curl up around, reaching outside of the bars. Some of them bulge a little bit as your shoulders press against the cage.

Kyle (as hustler)

This is a fight that’s apparently bigger than the Black Box, but is it big enough for the Butcher?

Ari (as Mallea)

[Big and echoed.] Uh-lay-um!

[Music ends abruptly.]

Emily

Booker will point at a fourth human in the crowd.

Kyle

[Laughs.]

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob!

Ari (as Mallea)

[Angry.] Uh-lay-um!

Ari

I don't know if there’s a way that Mallea can shake the bars of the cage.

Hallie

“Come at me, bro.”

Kyle

Yeah, I’m just gonna let you do that.

Ari

I wanna try and break the bars of this cage. Like, it’s on. The pride has been wounded.

[Laughter.]

Kyle

In the Black Box, it is literally just a black box, so there’s no windows or anything like that for glass to shatter, but we’ll say that…

Tom

I like to imagine the force is blowing over someone’s script that they have been working on for their play. Like, “no, my pages!”

Hallie

Ha! It’s the rat.

Kyle

The rat! The rat, his manuscript! He was gonna show it to Willie Shakespeare!

Hallie

No! He was gonna show it to Willie Shakes!

Kyle

His manuscript!

Hallie

He was gonna be a chef and a playwright!

Tom

The rat just throws down the rest of the pages on the ground and stomps off.

Kyle

The rat’s manuscript flies off and next to him van Gogh is holding an oil painting of a window, and the glass in the painting of the window shatters by the force of Mallea’s shockwave.

Ari

God bless.

Kyle (as hustler)

Oh-ho, ho-ho, ho-ho!

Ari (as Mallea)

[Angry.] Uh-lay-um!

Kyle (as hustler)

There goes my other big toe. Ah-ha-ha… ow!

Ari (as Mallea)

Uh-lay-um!

Tom

The Mossies are just bouncing in the background.

Tom (as Mossies)

Sawm! Sawm. Sawm.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kope!

Ari (as Mallea)

Uh-lay-um! Uh-lay-um.

Ari

Come on, punk. Are you gonna refuse? Are you going to deem me not worthy?

Emily

So, here’s my question.

Kyle

Yeah?

Emily

Booker’s a book. Can Booker write?

Kyle

His pages are blank.

Emily

Yeah.

Kyle

Well, let’s think about this.

[Elevator music begins.]

Booker’s pages are blank, however when one is added to him blue light appears in his eye and he shows a memory of something he recorded. There’s no saying he can’t graffiti his pages, but I assume it’s gonna be strange.

Tom

I was gonna say, I feel like it’s weird if Booker writes on himself, but I like the idea of Booker writing on other things.

Kyle

He pulls out a smaller book.

Tom

I was just thinking he takes out a marker and just starts permanent markering on the ground.

Emily

I was just picturing him having written a very clumsy little contract for his cage fighting. Like, “I am allowed to stab people with a knife.”

Tom

Sign this death warrant.

Kyle

Yeah, it’s just a picture of you stabbing people with a knife. There is an image of you with a flintlock revolver, but that one did get vetoed by the Black Box.

Emily

I want in his contract to be, like, even if it’s just pictures, all these other species with X’s next to them and then just humans with a checkmark.

Kyle (as hustler)

And he gives them the contract paperwork!

Tom

Some of the Mossies nibble on the contract, but the others are going to roll into Booker and try to pantomime Boidelrat, just by stretching out their mouth. “Bah!” This is what Boidelrat does. “Bah!”

Emily

Booker will look at them, just a long look… and then he’ll tip his little head to the side and he’ll put a little crumpled up piece of paper on his head to symbolize “trash?”

[Music ends.]

Tom (as Mossies)

[Affirmative.] Sawm! Sawm!

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob!

Tom

The Mossies will bounce up and down and then look from side to side, like “can’t find them anywhere.”

Emily

Booker will toss the contract into the face of the street hustler.

Kyle (as hustler)

Ow! I’m right here for some reason. I always thought I was in like a different space, but apparently I’m in the middle of this arena!

Hallie

[Laughs.] “Getting a real close-up look!”

Emily

Maybe Booker can just throw really far, Kyle. You don’t know.

Kyle

[Still in hustler voice.] I highly doubt that, but okay~

Hallie

What if it was a paper airplane?

Tom

I just assumed that because it’s a black box it was a small space, and so it did not actually have to fly very far to hit him in the face.

[00:10:00]

Kyle

[Still in hustler voice.] That one. That’s what’s happening. Thank you. Thank you, thank you, sir. So!

Emily

In any case.

Hallie

I think we should spend more time arguing about where this man is in relation to us.

Kyle

[Laughs.]

Tom

I’m not clear if this black box is a diamond or a pyramid.

Ari

As we are puzzling over the layout of this cage match, Mallea has been puzzling over what Booker was trying to say over the little diagram, because Mallea still wants blood but now he’s confused as to where to punch, because apparently this book thing doesn’t want blood.

Hallie

Mallea’s all fired up.

Ari

Yeah, it’s all fired up. I want to punch something.

Kyle

[Still in hustler voice.] Please don’t punch me!

Tom

Don’t tempt us, ragtime hustler!

Hallie

[Laughs.]

Ari

I feel like if the street hustler is there and Booker is throwing the contract there, Mallea might pile on this—

Hallie

[Laughing.] Just hit… Just hit him.

Ari

Trying to grab the contract. “Curse this piece of paper that’s so confusing.”

Hallie

We want the hustler within reach of Mallea. It’s important.

Tom

We’re gonna make this guy into a Spider-Man villain.

Kyle

Roll me a Fierce. We’re gonna give this a difficulty of 3.

Ari

[Rolls.] I rolled a 9.

Hallie

[Cackles.]

Kyle

You flatten him.

Ari (as Mallea)

Uh-lay-um! Uh, uh-lay-um!

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-eeee!

Tom (as Mossies)

Awm!

Ari

He’s holding his little arms on top, like “I did it, I won, I turned him to mush.”

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kooope!

Tom (as Mossies)

Sawm!

Kyle

Meanwhile, he literally curls up and the piece of paper which was stuck to him flutters down. Some of you don’t see him for a second until he turns around, because:

Kyle (as hustler)

It appears that, in addition to losing my wife and my money and two of my toes, I have now lost my third dimension.

[Laughter.]

Emily

Booker will jerk his head towards the door, grab his knife on the way out, and expect the other Necromon to follow him.

Tom (as Mossies)

Sawm? Sawm.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kope!

Tom

The Mossies are gonna roll around Mallea in circles and then follow Booker.

Ari

Now that Mallea’s thirst for blood has been quenched, he will follow the Mossies and Booker.

Hallie

As Pokeyo goes out, they extend their little hands for a high-five to Mallea.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-eeee!

Ari

Oh! Mallea will high-five too!

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-eeee!

Ari

We’ll hug.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

[Shrieks.]

Ari

He will hug but really gently.

Hallie

Okay.

Kyle

Aww.

Ari

And then Mallea will shrink to his small size to be the size of everybody else.

Hallie

Good, good, good.

[Whooshing sound signaling a scene change.]

Kyle (as pedestrian)

[Singing.] Oh~! OH~! Well, we’re gonna make it on Broadway, and by Broadway I mean the Globe Theater! Da-da! No, I will make it! No, I will make it!

Hallie

[Laughs.]

[Magical halloween music plays.]

Kyle

Littered like fucking dandelions, there are a bunch of singers, vocalists, singing while looking into sheet music walking back and forth in the Faire Theatre District, all of them determined to make their way on Old Broadway. That’s what it’s called now.

Hallie

[Amused.] Old Broadway.

Ari

Bloodway.

Kyle

[Chuckles.] Bloodway.

Tom

I appreciate Ari.

Kyle

There are a bunch of small theaters, but no one’s going into any of the small theaters. You’ll see them open up. It will be a one-man show yet somehow the one man isn’t there because they’re not attending their own performances, because what everyone cares about is the giant theater in the center of this district, held up by a giant statue of Willie Shakespeare in the pose of Atlas. He holds up his masterpiece, the Globe Theater, a literal giant bronze theater in the center of the Faire Theatre District.

Hallie

Beautiful.

Kyle

In the center of the Globe Theater, a bunch of people are sitting on wooden benches, and from each of their perspectives the stage is up and forward, but from an outsider point of view we would see that they actually… the globe, the way it’s positioned, it literally encirculates the entire stage. You’ve heard about theater in the round. What about theater in the globe? It’s theater in the round but in all three dimensions.

Hallie

[Smiling.] I hate it.

Kyle

None of you are on the stage, but we can see a group of four Necromon down near the lobby area.

[00:15:00]

[Music ends.]

Hallie

Pokeyo wants to grab a playbill. This is Pokeyo’s new favorite thing. Pokeyo is just completely taken in by the circles and the dimensions and the colors and the music.

Tom

While this is happening, the Mossies look away for a moment, and when they turn back to face the rest of the group, each of them is wearing a white half mask, Phantom of the Opera style. They do not acknowledge this, they’re just like:

Tom (as Mossies)

[Casual.] Sawm…

Emily

Interestingly, Booker will start nodding aggressively.

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob! Rekoob!

Emily

And he’ll point to your masks.

Tom (as Mossies)

Sawm?

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoooob.

Emily

And he puffs himself up to look scary.

Tom (as Mossies)

Awm…?

Tom

The Mossies shrink and take off the masks.

Emily (as Booker)

[Sounding spooky.] Rekoob~! Rekoooob~!

Ari (as Mallea)

Uh-lay-um…?

Emily

He says like a little Booker ghost.

Kyle

Well, phantom. They’re different.

Hallie

They’re different!

Kyle

I swear to god, Ron-12 and Ron-13 had this conversation like three times in the Arc 1 finale.

Hallie

I’m sure that they did.

Kyle

They are not the same.

Hallie

I was busy during the Arc 1 finale.

Emily

Booker will continue to lead them down towards the depths of the opera house.

Ari (as Mallea)

[Trying to be spooky too.] Uh-lay-um~

Ari

Mallea will grow a little bit, not full size but a little bit, to be equal in the threatening-ness. If there is Phantom of the Opera vibes and Irene for some reason likes that kind of thing, Mallea would point that out or do something.

Emily

Yeah, Irene likes historical, dark, like… She gets a little scared sometimes, but she likes historical horror, gothic stuff. She probably likes Phantom of the Opera.

Kyle

Let’s be honest. She considers herself misunderstood and misguided, she literally became a phantom, and don’t tell me Irene wouldn’t want to sweep a beautiful young singer off of her feet.

Ari

It’s true.

Emily

[Silly, deflecting.] Okay, but we don’t need to talk about it!

Ari

Mallea would mime the Phantom of the Opera. Da-da-da! As they’re going down.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

[Squeaks.]

Kyle

It’s funny. You go to mime it, and as you finish there’s a big “BWOM” as you stand on a giant room-sized organ.

[Sinister ambience begins.]

Ari

Oh! Yes!

Hallie

Beautiful. I fucking love it.

Ari

At first Mallea would think that it was him and just be like…

Ari (as Mallea)

[Smug and proud.] Uh, hmm… lay-um.

Ari

…and then just look around like “oh no.”

Tom

Is there a face on this organ? Is there a face? Are we in the Beast’s castle?

Ari

Is it the Tim Curry piano?

Hallie

Is it the Beauty and the Beast organ?

Tom

The Beauty and the Beast Christmas Special?

Hallie

Is it that piano?

Kyle

There is a giant face, and it speaks like Tim Curry.

Hallie

[Laughs.]

Ari

Oh my god, fucking Forte is here.

Kyle

But, I’m gonna say you don’t notice that because you’re so small. We all see this face, and it’s still, and as you move across we see its eyes kind of track you.

Hallie

[Shivers.]

Kyle

You’re all so small that you don’t notice this.

Ari

Oh god.

Hallie

Pokeyo would like to ask Booker some questions.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee… Oh-ee-kope?

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob. Rekoob?

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kope!

[All the Necromon have an animated discussion.]

Hallie

Pokeyo whips out their little map that they had earlier.

Tom

The Mossies huddle close to Booker and look over at the map.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee? Oh-ee?

[Silly ambling music begins.]

Hallie

Pokeyo is dramatically gesturing to all of them and then does a big gesture at the big empty cavernous dark opera hall.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kope?

Ari (as Mallea)

Uh-lay-um… hmm.

Emily

So, remind me what is on this map.

Hallie

Um… I don't remember.

[Laughter.]

Kyle

It was basically a block or two, and there seemed to be some sort of directions of something moving somewhere. In a town, that wouldn’t be enough information. In a city, that wouldn’t be enough information. We’re in like a continent’s worth of people in a city. No idea what fucking street this is.

Emily

So I don't know what it is?

Kyle

Probably not.

[00:20:00]

Emily (as Booker)

[Uncertain.] Rekoob. Rekoob…

Emily

He shakes his head a little bit, like “what are you showing me?”

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

[A little frustrated.] Oh-ee, oh-ee… oh-ee!

Hallie

Pokeyo just shakes the map a little bit more in front of Booker.

Emily

[Laughs.]

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob!

Emily

He shakes his head again and gestures towards the little map.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

[Disappointed and exhausted.] Oh-ee-kope, oh-ee. Ee-kope… Ugh, kope!

Hallie

Pokeyo throws the map to the ground in frustration.

Tom

The rat just smiles from somewhere high above.

[Laughter.]

Hallie

In the background, glistening through the dark.

Kyle

The rat doesn’t smile… yet.

[Music ends.]

But, it’s gonna smile in a second, because you suddenly hear a deep sonorous booming.

Ari

Oh boy.

Kyle (as ???)

Darlings, if you get any more forte, you’re gonna let everyone know about us down here, and we can’t have that, can we?

[Laughter.]

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee?

[Threatening chase music begins.]

Kyle

BWOM! BWOM! From both sides, the organs start to blast sound and you can see that they’re blasting air down into a void in front of the piano.

Emily

I stab it!

Ari

I punch it!

Kyle

Okay… roll me Fierce. It’s gonna be a difficulty 10. It’s a big ass piano.

Ari

[Rolls.] I rolled a 9 plus 2, 11.

Kyle

God damn it. God damn it!

Emily

[Rolls. Delighted.] I rolled a 9 plus 2!

Ari

Oh my god! Teamwork!

Kyle

What the fuck do you do to this piano? What do you do to Tim Curry piano?

Ari

I guess as air is coming from the things, Mallea interprets this as an attack, like a roar, so Mallea just goes and, like the cage, tries to push the thing where the air comes out.

Kyle (as organ)

Darling! Darling! No need to get all in me like that. Alright? This relationship is crescendo-ing rather quickly, wouldn’t you say?

Hallie

[Scoffs.]

Emily

Booker stabs it again and again.

[Laughter.]

Ari

Yeah, Mallea starts punching it as well. He grows menacingly.

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob! Rekoob!

Kyle (as organ)

[Shouts in pain.] Oh! Oh! Attack! Attack! I’m being attacked!

Kyle

You start to hear some wailing and moaning as voices start rushing towards the fucking… the keyboard, the sexy Tim Curry organ…

Hallie

[Fighting laughter.] The keyboard. The Tim Curry keyboard.

Kyle

…who you are now having a sexual fight with.

Emily

You made it sexual. We were not sexual.

Kyle (as organ)

I’m a sexy Tim Curry piano. I don't know what you expect of me, darling. Alright?

Emily

Booker stabs harder!

Kyle (as organ)

Ah! Ah! I’m wailing but not in the way that I want to. Please, come save me, other wailers!

Ari

I think Tom has been killed.

Hallie

Slick.

Tom

[Chuckling into his hands.] What’s going on?

Ari

I want to tear the keys out in a slow sexy way.

Hallie

A slow sexy way!

Tom

[Smiling.] Is it possible to X-Card the entire session? What have we done? How did we get to this point?

[Frantic silly music begins.]

I think the Mossies are gonna automatically break from this. This is too much for them.

Kyle

Yeah? So, a break is when essentially you get so stressed you just stop acting as a team member. What is the Mossies’ break?

Tom

Panic! The Mossies are so distressed by the chaos, this is scary and weird, that they are scattering and just rolling around screaming.

Emily

Aww.

Ari

Oh no.

Hallie

I want to find the organ’s eyes so that I can have a conversation with it.

Kyle

Yeah, the organ has a face up top.

Hallie

Okay, sick. I will find the face.

Emily

You better go quick before Booker finds the eyes and goes for them.

Hallie

I’ve been reinvigorated. Maybe this organ understands my map. So, I pick it up off where I threw it and I show this map once more to an NPC.

Kyle

So, Mallea is punching, Booker is stabbing, Pokeyo has run up and is like “oh-ee-kope, oh-ee-kope, oh-ee-kope.”

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kope!

Hallie

[Laughs.] Yeah, exactly.

Kyle

And the Mossies are just rolling around. I’m just gonna say, for the sake of us not being here any longer, for all of our sakes, one of the Mossies gets caught where one of the organ things was and flies off where it was being shot.

Tom

[Concerned.] Oh!

[Music ends.]

Ari

No! One of the Mossies got separated from the rest. What happens then?

[00:25:00]

Hallie

No! We have to follow the Mossie!

Emily

Booker won’t notice until a second one goes, I feel like.

Tom

Acceptable.

Emily

You have to be missing more than one other party member before he’ll stop stabbing.

Hallie

Okay. Pokeyo notices that the Mossies have flown away.

[Heroic inspiring music begins.]

Then, I would like the moment that happens to Rabbit in Pooh’s Grand Adventure to happen where the map goes one way but the friends are going the other way, and it’s like “oh my god, map or friends. What do I choose?” Pokeyo has undergone character growth, so the map is now gone and Pokeyo is chasing after the Mossie.

Kyle

Roll Quick. We’re gonna say standard to catch it as it’s falling, so a 6, and an 8 to catch it before it falls off.

Hallie

Okay. Okay. Here’s my 10. I’m rolling my 10.

[Rolls.] And I got a 10.

Kyle

Oh my god!

Hallie

I got a 10!

Kyle

How do you catch the Mossie before it falls down? We’re gonna be here forever.

Tom (as Mossie)

Saaaaawm~!

Hallie

[Laughs.] I shoot one of my little cactus pokies out but not in a harmful way, in a really useful way, because I’m a cactus, and then I catch the Mossie with my cute little grappling hook I just made up.

Emily

You swing your little chef’s hat out and catch it in the chef’s hat.

Hallie

Or that! I would like to do the better suggestion Emily just had which is use my chef’s hat, and I catch the little Mossie and the map at the same time.

Kyle

Oh-ho! You catch both of them, you’re picking up the Mossies, Mallea and Booker are still just going to town.

Ari

Correct.

Kyle

But the wailing is getting louder, the semi-melodic (ascending wails).

[Music ends.]

Emily

Booker will keep his knife up but look up and turn around.

Kyle

Alright Booker, I want you to roll me Quick.

Emily

I have 2 Quick.

[Rolls.] Ooh, I’m gonna roll this one more time.

Kyle

Uh-huh…?

Hallie

[Chuckles.]

Kyle

Uh-huh?

Emily

Well, I rolled a 9, and I was worried because I hadn’t used this die before that it was just gonna keep rolling nines, but it didn’t.

Kyle

So you rolled a 9?

Emily

Yeah.

Kyle

You brush past as a zombie that you don’t recognize but we would recognize as Samuel Beckett, playwright of Waiting for Godot.

Hallie

[Laughs.] What?!

Ari

What?

Hallie

What? Samuel Beckett? That wasn’t on my bingo card.

Kyle

He lunges for you out of fucking nowhere.

[Organ music begins.]

As he does that, you see around you dozens of eyes all staring at you, some unique but  most of them playwrights, and the wailing…

Hallie

[Losing her shit, unintelligible through laughter.]

Kyle

…turns into singing.

fantoms of the Opera (singing)

DESPAIR

YOU’VE FALLEN DOWN TO NOWHERE

PREPARE

FOR YOU ARE HIDDEN BEYOND PRAYER

WHERE SOULS DESPAIR

Like the sheep singing up above

We came to town with tales to tell

But dear Willy he cast us down

The deepest well

Faire Theatre was not fair at all

Til our mistress heard our call

Unknown Unseen Mistunderstood

Now you’ve found us now you should

DESPAIR

FOR DOWN HERE HOPE IS MIGHTY RARE

BEWARE

THE FANTOMS OF THE OPERA  DARE

TO SPARE NO SCARE

OooooooooOOOOOOOOOOO! [Slap] Ow!

Kyle

Welcome to the announcement break, and I’m gonna stop singing because you’ve heard way too much singing from me already. Welcome to the announcement break.

Today I have just one thing to ask of you, and that is to check out our newsletter. Not only do we have monthly newsletter posts from me, but every single month we have a new recipe in a series called America’s Quest Kitchen.

A little bit of backstory: For the past year or so, we have been blessed to have an intern namedMaya Essien who has been just lovely to work with. For example, we’ve been working together on a bonus episode which you’ll hear… eventually,

[00:30:00]

but the other big thing is that Maya and Hallie have been working together on making recipes inspired by Quest Friends.

So far they’ve only done stuff from Season 1, so Hallie has done Putza on the Ritz, olives in honor of Sera Brackleberry, and then the rat from Elee’s hat, while Maya has been making their way through the cookies from the Cookie Crew. They’re really fun posts, they’re written in very funny, approachable ways, and with the exception of the rat from the hat they’re actually pretty good. So, check out Maya and Hallie’s work at questfriends.substack.com or check the description below.

That’s all I got for you this week. We got one more adventure with these little mon in Little Mon, Big City, Part 3. But, if you want additional short stories, podcasts, or video outtakes, you can check them out at Patreon.com/QuestFriends. I’ll see you there.

[Silly music carries out of the announcements.]

Kyle

So, for those of you who couldn’t understand the lyrics, the long and the short of it is that these are the fantoms of the Opera, spelled with a forte symbol to avoid copyright. The fantoms are Necropolis’s downtrodden and forgotten with 95% of their membership being comprised of every playwright who isn’t William Shakespeare.

Emily

Am I familiar with these people?

Kyle

One of them sneers at you. Hallie, give me a playwright.

Hallie

Like a dead one?

Kyle

Yeah, like a dead one. I don’t want to kill a living playwright.

[Music ends.]

Hallie

[Laughs.] Um… Christopher Marlowe.

Kyle

Christopher Marlowe stares at you, Booker.

Kyle (as Christopher Marlowe)

We told you not to come back, Butcher.

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob, rekoob. Rekoob!

Emily

Booker pulls out his knife again and then mimes slicing his throat.

Kyle

Everyone’s like, hush, no-no-no, no… I’m not, I’m not afraid, I’m not… uh, uh…

They look a little afraid, but they’re a little ready to fight. How are you all gonna respond?

Emily

I mean, I will stab this man.

Ari

Mallea is always ready to fight is the thing.

Hallie

I’m hugging the Mossies and showing them my map.

Tom

The Mossies are so happy and they’re gonna roll protectively in front of Pokeyo.

Several

Awww.

Emily

That’s so brave.

Ari

Mallea will stand protectively in front of the Mossies and Pokeyo.

Emily

Booker is no longer paying attention to them.

Tom

Booker is a solo fighter.

Kyle

They all look hushed and they’re kind of ebbing and flowing, ready to fight, ready to fight. Are they gonna go, are they gonna not?

[Tense musical sting.]

And then we hear a:

Kyle (as Boidelrat)

Tarledoib! Tarledoib, Tarledoib!

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

[Perking up.] Oh-ee-kope?

Kyle (as Boidelrat)

[Excited.] Tarledoib!

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kope!

[Jovial silly music begins.]

Kyle

From behind the masses of playwrights a mossy trash Boidelrat pops out.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

[Relieved.] Oh-ee-kope!

Hallie

Pokeyo’s almost crying.

Tom (as Mossies)

Awm~

Hallie

Pokeyo’s gonna run and hug the Boidelrat.

Tom

The Mossies are just gonna be bouncing around in a circle around Boidelrat.

Ari

Mallea will also…

Ari (as Mallea)

[Shouting.] Uh-lay-um!

Ari

…and go and hug.

Kyle

Boidelrat is barking loudly in your ear and also wiggling herself really hard before slipping out of the group.

Kyle (as Boidelrat)

Tarledoib! Tarledoib!

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kope?

Ari (as Mallea)

Uh-lay-um, uh-lay-um.

Tom (as Mossies)

Sawm?

Kyle (as Boidelrat)

Tarledoib?

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

[Emotional.] Oh-ee-kope! Oh-ee-kope-kope-kope.

Hallie

Once more, Pokeyo’s map… “Do you know what we’ve been doing, young lady?”

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kope?

Kyle (as Boidelrat)

Tarledoib!

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kope!

Kyle

Boidelrat is gonna go to snatch the map out of your hands…

Hallie

Agh!

Kyle

…and then scampers further down past the keyboard, looking back at all of you as she does.

Hallie

Tail wagging.

Kyle

Yeah, doing the dog thing where she looks behind to make sure you’re coming.

Tom

Gotta follow.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

[Drained and confused.] Oh… Oh-ee-kope? Oh-ee…

Tom

The Mossies are rolling.

Hallie

Pokeyo’s waving politely at all the playwrights.

Emily

I think maybe Booker turns to leave.

Ari

No, wait!

Hallie

Wait. Like “leave” leave? No! Wait. Absolutely not.

Emily

I just feel like he’s waiting for you to ask him to come with you because he wants to be like that edgy grizzled character that shows up to, you know…

[Over-dramatic tragic music plays.]

He’s got a little shadow over his little eyestalks as he turns with his knife and slowly begins to walk away.

Tom

When Booker didn’t follow, one of the Mossies rolls back and is just gumming on the cover of the book.

Tom (as Mossie)

Sawm?

[00:35:00]

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob?

Tom (as Mossie)

Sawm.

Emily

Gently edges away to get his cover out of their mouth.

Tom

They will just stare sadly with no eyes.

Emily (as Booker)

[Reluctant and huffy.] Rekoob.

Emily

“If you insist.” And he scuttles up after the rest.

Tom (as Mossies)

[Pleased.] Sawm.

Emily

Because like, he was half peeking back with one of his little eyestalks, waiting to see if somebody was gonna ask him to come with.

[Music ends.]

Kyle

The playwright you were fighting with glares at you as you walk in, just does a, like, “I’m watching you.”

Emily

Booker lets the tip of the knife, like the top part not the sharp part, drag along with just that horrifying sound as he scuttles, staring back at that playwright as he walks.

[Ghostly music plays.]

Kyle

Alright. You make your way further down. It’s kind of like a mix between a cave, a war bunker and a Guitar Center. There’s just a lot of different instruments. It’s one guy just playing his guitar, and he looks around at these empty seats.

Kyle (as guitar guy)

[Grinning.] Come on, girls, you don’t need to be so shy and look invisible. I know you’re here.

Ari

Oh god.

Kyle

And he keeps playing confidently to himself.

Ari

I hate this.

Kyle

You see a forlorn skeleton lounging by a piano, coolly and sadly playing it with only one hand because he doesn’t have a second hand.

Ari

Oh!

Tom

[As a groan.] No…

Kyle

You make your way further down as Boidelrat shakes her little butt and keeps moving on.

Kyle (as Boidelrat)

Tarledoib! Tarledoib!

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kope?

Tom (as Mossies)

Sawm.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kope?

Kyle (as Boidelrat)

Tarledoib, Tarledoib.

Ari (as Mallea)

Lay-um.

Kyle (as Boidelrat)

Tarle… Tarledoib! Tarledoib.

Kyle

She boops each of you with her nose and then she motions to… we’ll say it’s a crashed grand piano. You know how in cartoons you’ll have the giant piano crash? It’s like that but big enough to be a room in the center of this little underground space.

Tom (as Mossies)

Sawm…?

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

[Intrigued.] Oh-ee…?

Hallie

I look for a face on this piano.

Kyle

[Chuckles.] You do not find one.

Hallie

Thank god.

Kyle

I’m not gonna make you roll. You do not find a face.

Hallie

[Laughing.] Thank god.

Kyle

There is no face on this piano.

Ari

I’m glad Tim Curry isn’t here.

Kyle

The door is one of the keys which opens like a flap. Do all of you enter?

[Music ends.]

Hallie

Oh yeah.

Ari

Yes.

Hallie

We’re in it.

Kyle (as Ruse)

It is a risky plan there, Ronda. I certainly wish the Bandits and I could help you…

Kyle (as Ronda)

But you’re busy. I know, you got the whole Titenic thing tonight. But hey-hey-hey, you know, I got the Squad.

Kyle (as Ruse)

Ronda, you have two people.

Kyle (as Ronda)

Well yeah, but you know, one of them is pretty experienced. The other one, well… she’s—

Kyle (as Ruse)

Inexperienced.

Kyle (as Ronda)

She’s got gumption!

Kyle (as Lucas)

Why are you talking about me like I’m not here?

[Heist music begins.]

Kyle

You walk into a space. It is a tiny… it looks like the inside of a piano, so there are little strings going across the ceiling with lights dangling from them.

Hallie

Adorable.

Kyle

It’s a tiny little war room, and you see three people planning. The first one is a tall narrow woman wearing a coat and flipping a two-sided coin. You wouldn’t recognize her because you haven’t met her yet, but this is Ruse of the Pack Back Bandits who is about to try to steal from the Titenic like four episodes ago but like in 30 minutes in this time.

Hallie

[Chuckles.]

Kyle

Next to her, looking at this little plan, is a phantom who looks like she’s in her 30s with a round face and curly hair and half of a Phantom of the Opera mask. As Boidelrat goes up and places her little piece of paper on this much, much larger map, a large finger just gently puts it in its proper place as Lucas Bang says to Boidelrat:

Kyle (as Lucas)

Oh, uh… you were gone for a little bit there.

[Music ends.]

Emily

Can I stab him?

Hallie

Qua?

Tom

Yes.

Hallie

I didn’t sign up for this.

Tom

Go with Hilda’s blessing.

Hallie

I signed up to…

[Stammers.] What?!

Kyle

[Smirking.] Roll me a standard difficulty Fierce.

Hallie

Que?

Emily

[Rolls.] Seven.

Kyle

Where do you wanna stab him?

Emily

I mean, I’m small. I’ll stab him in the leg.

Kyle (as Lucas)

AHH!

Kyle

You stab him in the leg. [Laughs.]

Kyle (as Lucas)

What was that?! What was that?

Emily (as Booker)

[Angry.] Rekoob.

Kyle

You feel as the tall narrow woman picks you up.

Emily

I kick my little legs and I wave my little knife.

Kyle

This woman’s voice changes as… I’ll just say out of character, Ruse stops fronting and it switches to Dober.

Kyle (as Dober)

Oh, you gotta keep yourself careful. You gotta keep yourself careful there, darling. You could hurt somebody.

Emily (as Booker)

[Emphatic.] Rekoob, rekoob!

Emily

He says, meaning “that is the point.”

Kyle (as Lucas)

[Stammers.] What’s he doing back here?

Kyle

Ronda stares at you.

Kyle (as Ronda)

Stabbing is not very nice there, Butcher.

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob?

Kyle (as Ronda)

This is—

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob!

Kyle (as Ronda)

This is—!

Emily (as Booker)

[Forceful.] Rekoob!

[00:40:00]

Kyle (as Ronda)

This is a reformative space where the lost and misguided can find their ways back, and we don’t allow stabbing.

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob, rekoob!

Kyle (as Boidelrat)

Tarledoib! Tarledoib!

Kyle

Boidelrat starts munching on Ronda’s arm trying to mimic what you did with the leg.

Hallie

Pokeyo is staring very sternly at Lucas Bang, the man who did the crime that Irene was put on trial for.

Ari

Yeah, same.

Hallie

And, as well as Pokeyo can, crossing their little arms and staring a very, very, very threatening glare.

Tom

Mossies will also puff up and try to look tough for this.

Ari

Mallea will grow a little bit more.

Emily

No mercy for someone who made Hilda sad.

Hallie

And Irene.

Emily

And Irene, but Booker doesn’t really care about Irene. [Laughs.]

Hallie

[Laughs.] Booker doesn’t really give a shit.

Kyle

Lucas just stares at all of you. He is still flesh and blood, but he is pale as a ghost.

Hallie

Fucking good.

Kyle (as Lucas)

Well uh… hi there again.

Ari (as Mallea)

Lay-um?

Emily (as Booker)

[Grumpy.] Rekoob.

Tom (as Mossies)

Sawm.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

[Irritated.] Oh-ee-kope.

Kyle (as Lucas)

I feel like we kinda got off on the wrong foot last time.

[The Necromon make various sounds of indignation.]

Kyle

He looks at Ronda.

Kyle (as Lucas)

May I be excused?

Hallie

[Laughs.]

Tom

The Mossies are gonna try to roll over to a door and see if they can lock it.

[Laughter.]

Kyle

I’m gonna just let that happen.

Kyle (as Lucas)

Uh… alright then.

Kyle

He just nervously backs up into a corner as far as he can.

Hallie

Pokeyo looks at Boidelrat expectantly and then points at Lucas.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kope?

Kyle (as Boidelrat)

Tarledoib! Tarledoib!

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee-kope?

[They go back and forth a few times.]

Kyle

Boidelrat pats the bigger piece of paper.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee… kope-kope!

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoob?

Ari (as Mallea)

Lay-um.

Kyle (as Boidelrat)

[As if trying to convince them.] Tarledoib. Tarledoib. Tarle…

Kyle

She looks back at Ronda and says:

Kyle (as Boidelrat)

Tarledoib! Tarledoib!

Kyle (as Ronda)

I mean, um…

Kyle

Dober, who is still holding onto Booker, is just like:

Kyle (as Dober)

You’re the Mistress of the fantoms. It’s your call.

Kyle (as Ronda)

Well, I have my reservations.

Kyle

You notice that Ronda can’t glare, but she’s doing the closest she can.

Hallie

Good for her. We support that.

Kyle (as Ronda)

If they were able to beat Eddie, then I guess…

Kyle

She kind of rolls her eyes at Lucas Bang.

[Investigation music begins.]

Kyle (as Ronda)

…we could use all the help we can get.

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee?

Kyle

You go up and you take a look at this bigger map. I’m gonna let each of you actually ask me a question about the map.

Hallie

Is it as good as my map? That’s not my real question. Don’t take it that way.

Kyle

Your map is literally part of the map. Part of the map was torn out, and that was the part.

Hallie

I helped!

Kyle

Yeah, you finished the map.

Hallie

I helped. I did it. Yay. Okay, is there an X marks the spot circled part on the map?

Kyle

There are multiple. Specifically, we’re gonna see there are three X’s and they seem to mark the beginning of the route, the end of a route, and then somewhere in the middle of this route.

Hallie

Mm-hmm.

Tom

Are there any detours along the map?

Kyle

There are some detours, but you see that a lot of them are marked as blocked off by a little drawing, because Boidelrat made a lot of this map.

Hallie

Aww. Good for her.

Kyle

So, some of it is text but some of it is drawings. You can see one is a drawing of Lucas Bang, you can see there’s a Pirouribbit—a frog in a tutu which is one of Lucas Bang’s Necromon which is blocked somewhere else, a Wardlet… so each of those detours seems to be blocked off by Lucas or one of his Necromon.

Emily

Are there hazards marked?

Kyle

See, you saying it makes me want to make one.

Hallie

[Chuckles.]

Emily

You don’t need to make one.

Kyle

There seems to be a lot of planning to make sure that the environment doesn’t get in your way, but there is a big casting call going on.

Hallie

Ha!

Kyle

You know when you’re running away in The Fugitive or something and they do the parade chase? It’s like that. The route that this thing is being driven through goes right through the middle of a giant… we’re gonna make it an audition parade.

Hallie

[Amused.] An audition parade.

Kyle

It’s a giant audition parade.

Hallie

What a concept. I am so happy with the concept of an audition parade.

Tom

What a time to be alive.

Kyle

Alright.

[Music ends.]

Ari

Uh… I don't know.

Kyle

In that case, I will answer one of the questions I would have had with this map.

Ari

Yeah.

Hallie

Yes. Yes-yes. Yes-yes.

Kyle

What the fuck is this map for?

Tom

Oh.

Hallie

Okay, well I thought that was too obvious to ask!

Ari

I thought I had missed that somewhere.

Hallie

I thought…

Tom

To be honest, I also thought I just didn’t hear it.

[00:45:00]

Hallie

No. I thought you would be mad at me for asking the obvious question.

[Ghostly credits music begins.]

Kyle

You see there are a bunch of words, and you don’t know what those words say, but underneath it you do see in Boidelrat speak, and you’re getting a little better at hearing her writing…

Hallie

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

Kyle

…the text just says: Operation Free Papa.

[Music swells and carries out to the bloopers.]

Hallie (as Pokeyo)

Oh-ee?

Tom (as Mossies)

[Drawn out, growing louder.] Saaawm?

Hallie

Papa!

Kyle

Papa!

Tom

Try to break Rasputin out?

Hallie

Yeah, we’re gonna jailbreak Rasputin. Jailbreak Rasputin!

--

[A dog starts barking.]

Ari

Hang on.

Kyle

[Chuckles.] That’s fine.

[Ari’s dog whines and yips.]

Hallie

She’s whining!

Kyle

Jesus Christ, Eponine.

Hallie

Eponine, what is the matter?

Emily

It’s big feelings time.

[Eponine continues to bark.]

Hallie

Eponine!

Emily

It’s big feelings time for Eponine.

Tom

Eponine has never once been given attention in her entire life.

Emily

She has things to say.

Ari

[Arriving back at her desk.] She shall stay outside if we’re going to bark.

Kyle

We’re just talking about how it’s big feelings time for Eponine.

[Giggling.]

Emily

It’s so cute.

Ari

Yeah, it’s because she heard Scott and got scared.

Emily

Aww.

Hallie

Aww, oh no.

Tom

Aww, poor baby.

Ari

It’s fine. Now she’s outside.

--

Kyle

This is Flat Stanley. This was the origin of Flat Stanley.

Hallie

[Fighting laughter.] Flat Stanley! What?!

Ari

What the fuck is Flat Stanley?

Kyle

It’s a children’s book from the USA.

Ari

[Amused.] From the USA.

Emily

I did not have that children’s book.

Hallie

[Delighted.] I’ve never heard of Flat Stanley. What?

Kyle

I’ll send you Flat Stanley.

Hallie

Did you accidentally Homestuck again? What?

Kyle

It’s a little boy. He’s flat. You can mail him because he’s flat.

Hallie

Here he is, you can mail him.

Emily

This feels very Little Midwest Boy.

Ari

Listeners, if any of you have heard of Flat Stanley, please…

Hallie

Mail him to your friends.

Tom

[Pained.] I remember Flat Stanley.

Kyle

The book recounts the adventures of Stanley Lambchop after he is squished flat by a bulletin board while sleeping.

Tom

[Amused.] Stanley Lambchop.

Kyle

He is otherwise uninjured.

Emily

[Laughing.] What?

Hallie

I’m gonna mail everybody a Flat Stanley card this Christmas.

Kyle

Anyways, the ragtime hustler is flat now. He has lost his third dimension.

Tom

He’s become Flat Stanley in our rogue’s gallery.

Hallie

[Squeaking.] Okay!

Kyle

[Laughs.]

--

Emily

Can I carve a little book into the Willie statue?

Kyle

It’s a bit of a walk, but yeah, when you get there I will let you. I’ll just let you do that.

Emily

I mean, if it’s not on the way, I’m not gonna go out of my way. I can do it later when I come back to fight some actual humans.

Kyle

We’ll just say there are a bunch of tiny Willie Shakespeares holding the globe and they’re all facing in the direction of the Globe, so you know how to get to the theater based on what direction the Willies are facing. I did not like that sentence in retrospect, but you get what I mean.

Hallie

[Chuckles.]

Tom

It’s too late.

Hallie

It’s too fucking late for everything in this episode.

Emily

We’re just surrounded by willies: big willies, small willies.

--

Kyle (as actor)

To be, or not to be… or three be, or not three be… or four be, or not four be… in this Kaleidoscope Hamlet!

Hallie

[Laughs.] What? What?! What did that mean?

Emily (as Booker)

Rekoooob!

Emily

Booker says, because he can’t say “boo.”

Hallie

[Squeaking.] What does that mean?!

--

Kyle

This is the point where I’d have an NPC pop in, like just a random worker here, and say hey, just wanted to let you know, don’t really bring those masks around here with the phantom problem going around. It’s really sensitive on William’s part. But, because Ariel hasn’t gone into any of their jobs, that employee NPC does not exist and instead everything I said is just placed in a placard.

Ari

Oh no!

Hallie

That’s genuinely hilarious.

Ari

Because they are just too busy doing other things now.

Emily

[Amused groan.] That’s so upsetting.

Hallie

And so…

Ari

No… That’s so sad. Quique would be sad at that, at his kid not doing the jobs that they like.

[00:50:00]

Emily

Booker doesn’t care.

Kyle

[Laughs.]

Ari

Well, I mean, Mallea doesn’t care either.

Emily

He has the energy of those signs that businesses were putting up for a while like “we had to raise our prices.”

Kyle

Oh my god, because no one’s in here to work. We had to raise our prices because Ariel won’t come into work.

Ari

No!

Tom

Ugh…

Hallie

So this theater just wrote, like, “hey, we got a ghost.”

Kyle

Well, phantom.

Hallie

There’s a phantom problem. Phantom, yes, because ghosts are… yes.

Kyle

Yeah, phantom problem. No, they’re different.

Hallie

They’re different!

Kyle

Phantoms can turn invisible but are fully flesh and blood, like fully corporeal.

Hallie

Yeah.

Kyle

Ghosts can’t turn invisible, but they can go incorporeal.

Hallie

[Laughs.] Okay. I’m writing this down.

Kyle

I swear to god, Ron-12 and Ron-13 had this conversation like three times in the Arc 1 finale.

Hallie

I’m sure that they did.

Kyle

They are not the same.

Hallie

I was busy during the Arc 1 finale.

--

Hallie

I don’t think this helps anyone, but what if I cast Wizard Digits, light telekinesis with limited mind control. Can I play the piano using that ability?

Ari

Oh!

Hallie

Does that help us? Is that anything?

Kyle

These are giant keys. These are keys the size of you, like probably twice the size.

Hallie

Oh, then it’s not light telekinesis, it’s big telekinesis.

Kyle

No, it’s big telekinesis. It would just make it sexier, and I don’t want that to happen.

Hallie

[Laughs.] I don’t really want that to happen.

Emily

Don’t you, though? Because it wasn’t sexy until you started saying he did everything sexily.

Kyle

I gave you a difficulty 8 and difficulty 10. I expected him to be gone as of like ten minutes ago. Then you fucking punched him in his organ.

[Laughter.]

Emily

I mean, I guess we did start talking about how many Willies were around.

Kyle

[Laughs.]

Emily

Booker is also confused about where this organ came from. Like, how long has it been there? Did he just walk over it last time and not realize? Is this new?

Hallie

He was sleeping.

Tom

One of the playwrights offended an enchantress.

Kyle

Fortissimo guards this place. That’s his name, it’s Fortissimo, because he’s Forte but more. Anyways.

Hallie

[Giggles.]

Tom

[Groans.]