Crowned (Scene Two Part Two)

A tale of the misfortunes of the first co-presidents in an unnamed country, the money loving corporate princess that took over after them, her teddy bear, and a boy named Jack. (Work in progress)

INT. Government Corporation, afternoon

A long spiral staircase lies in front of Paprika�s feet. She begins to titter stiff legged down the stairs. After several steps Paprika stumbles and begins to tumble down the stairs. During her fall she passes by several red suits of armor, along with several Government Corporation workers who pay Paprika no attention. One pair of employees does notice the stumbling bear, however.

MALE EMPLOYEE
(Notices Paprika rolling down the stairs, but keep walking)
A teddy bear? That sure is strange. Its been ages since the last time I�ve seen one.

Paprika rolls on by them. The camera stays focused on her but the works voices can still be heard.

FEMALE EMPLOYEE
Well we are a bit odd to be playing with toys. I�ll be fifty-seven next week, and besides�toys are horrible wastes of time.

MALE EMPLOYEE
(Voice growing fainter)
����������������Agreed. My motto has always been, �All work and no play, pays the bills
����������������and keeps the executioner at bay.�

The bear keeps rolling on and passes by more employees and suits of armor until she runs into an old man lying down upon the stairs. Paprika is thrown on to her back and the old man is startled by the sudden awakening. The camera points up, revealing just how far Paprika has fallen. Then the camera refocuses upon the old man. He�s wearing a blue Fauntleroy suit and matching blue hat. His hair is long and rolled.

YOUNG BOY (old man)
(Wide eyed and excited, sitting Indian style)
����������������Wow whee! A ted-dey bear! I haven�t seen one in ages.

PAPRIKA
(Still lying down, looking upwards)
Child, what business do you have in Government Corporation? This is no place for children.

The �child� rises to his feet and picks up Paprika, then sets her gently back down on to her feet. He then goes back to the Indian style sitting position.


YOUNG BOY (old man)
(After a moment he relaxes and plays with his hat)
����������������That wasn�t very polite Missus Bear.

PAPRIKA
(Pointing her paw at the �boy�)
����������������You!? How could you tell that I�m a lady?

YOUNG BOY (old man)
(Shrugging)
����������������I dunno, just a lucky guess I suppose.

PAPRIKA
(Looking back up the stairs)
����������������Kid, do you have a name.

YOUNG BOY (oldman)
����������������Yep, but I asked you first Miss.

PAPRIKA
(Sighs)
Very well, I�m Paprika. I work as a Private Investigator for the president of Government Corp., Courtney Lowell.

YOUNG BOY (old man)
����������������Oooh, strange name. The names James, but you can call me James.

PAPRIKA
����������������And your last name James?

JAMES
����������������Not sure�I think that I lost it somewhere or another.

PAPRIKA
(Startled)
A human without a last name? That is certainly is different, but I guess that means the two of us have something in common, but you didn�t answer my earlier question. What business do you have here? Government Corporation has harsh polices in place aimed at keeping out youngsters such as yourself.

JAMES
(Scratches head)
Hmmm�I�m not really sure. I walked by the building on my way to school, and felt like going in. I wandered around for a while, until I got lost and then I came here and decided to take a nap.
PAPRIKA
(Ushers James to stand up)
����������������Very well come with me James.

JAMES
(Springing up)
����������������Okey dokey.

James stands up with his hand on his hat to keep it from falling. He glances down at Paprika who is ushering him to move forward. The two move down the stairs with Paprika in back and James out in front. James is carefree, while Paprika is stern.

After only a few steps, an arched wooden door comes into view. Two guards stand on both sides of it. The guard on the right side of the door is dressed in a full suit of red plate armor and carries a large halberd. The other guard is dressed the same, except curly red clown hair protrudes from his helmet and a red clown nose is also visible under his helmet. This guard carries a rubber scimitar in a sheath.

Paprika and James approach the guards. The �normal� guard on the right sticks his halberd out at Paprika and James, the clown guard tries to point the rubber scimitar at them, but trips on his feet and falls on to the toy sword. His helmet falls off revealing a full head of long curly red hair, a white face with lipstick on, and a bright red nose. The guard scrambles to pick himself up, forgetting to put his helmet back on. He decides to sheath the rubber scimitar this time.

PAPRIKA
(Standing behind James, out of sight)
����������������Greetings Jack�Bozo�

JACK
(Lowering his halberd)
����������������Ah, is that you Paprika? Got another lame duck case I assume?

Paprika remains silent. Bozo feels around his head for his helmet only to realize that it isn�t there. He panics and jumps around trying to find it. Bozo soon gives up and James helps the confused clown out by reaching down and handing it to him.

JACK
(Glancing at Bozo as he puts
his helmet on the wrong way)
����������������Thanks for that Sonny�my friend here is a little touched in the head.

PAPRIKA
(Still standing behind James)
Yep, it was assigned just now by Miss Lowell. Very important business.

Jack laughs heartily. The sound is muffled by his helmet and echoes throughout the stairwell. After he finishes, Bozo breaks out into sporadic laughter. Bozo stops after Jack glares at him.

JACK
From what I hear, all the jobs the president gives you could be completed by a blind, autistic, rock, and faster too.

Paprika walks between James� legs, stares at the floor for a moment, and pulls out a revolver aimed upon Jack.

JACK
����������������Okay, okay, you can pass. And a nice day to you too, sheesh.

Paprika hurls the gun at Bozo, hitting him in the temple, knocking him out. James shrugs to Jack, tips his hat and follows her.

On the other side is a long hallway with no doors. The floor is covered by a long red rug with gold embroidery and covered in elaborate designs. Underneath the rug are red and blue marble tiles. There are no windows and the yellow painted walls are covered with inverted prints of various famous pieces of art. The ceiling is just a large mirror.

JAMES
(While walking)
Why do you think he called me Sonny? That isn�t my name�at least I don�t think that it is?

PAPRIKA
(Walking
����������������I hate the guards in this s**t hole.

JAMES
(Stops)
Or maybe Sonny is my last name? Yeah there can�t be any other reason. James Sonny�it doesn�t fit exactly but I think I like it.

PAPRIKA
(Doesn�t notice that James has fallen behind)
I mean how those b******s can treat a fellow officer of Government Corporation with such disrespect. Don�t you agree James?

After a moment she stops at the halfway point through the hallway.

PAPRIKA
(Without looking back)
����������������Are you even listening? Damned kids of today�
JAMES
(Running to catch up with her)
����������������No, not really. Are you listening to me?

PAPRIKA
(Turns around just as James catches up Paprika)
����������������No, not really.

JAMES
(Walking side by side again with Paprika)
����������������Why did Jack treat you like that?

PAPRIKA
(Bitter)
Its because of my gender. Sexism runs rampant in these hallways even though the company is run by a woman.

JAMES
(Unconvinced that that is the actual reason)
����������������Oh�that must be tough.

PAPRIKA
����������������Those jerks can go blow a dick.

JAMES
(Stops again)
����������������Blow a what??

PAPRIKA
(Stops as well)
����������������Er, don�t worry about it.

The two continue walking through the hallway. At the end of the hallway they see a bookcase.

JAMES
Oh, I�ve seen this before. If you pull out the right book, it�ll trigger the door to open.

PAPRIKA
����������������Actually you just pull the rope above your head�

James looks up and sees the rope Paprika was referring to. He tugs it gently and the book case explodes. James and Paprika are knocked on to their backs. When the two rise they see a large hole created from the explosion. Debris and books are strewn all about. One book is on fire. Paprika and James walk cautiously through the minefield of debris and through the large hole.

On the other side they find a small, completely white square room with no furniture or doors. The room has a high ceiling. The pair walk into the center of the room and gaze all around it, except for up.

VOICE
(Feminine)
����������������Up here dearies.

They look up to see a plump office lady sitting at a reception desk upside down on the ceiling. She�s wearing thick spectacles with white frames and a plain white suit.

RECEPTIONIST
What can I help you two with on this fine, fine day? Checking out I have to assume?

PAPRIKA
(Confused)
����������������No, I mean yes, yes we�re checking out.

The receptionist shifts through a stack of papers and drops one down to Paprika. It flutters slowly to her and lands into her paw. A pen falls in her other paw.

RECEPTIONIST
����������������Fill that out and drop it back down to me.

The camera zooms on the paper. All it says is �Name __________________.� Paprika looks at the paper dumbfounded. After a moment she shakes her head and signs the paper with �Paprika and James� in very sloppy handwriting.

JAMES
(Kneels down and nudges Paprika)
You forgot my last name�you know Sonny?

PAPRIKA
(Sighs)
����������������Oh yes, yes of course.

Paprika scribbles Sonny next to James. James stands back up and dusts himself off.

PAPRIKA
(Looking upwards at the Receptionist)
����������������Uhm Miss?

RECEPTIONIST
����������������Yes?

PAPRIKA
����������������Now what?

RECEPTIONIST
����������������Oh silly I already told you that. Drop it back down to me.

Paprika looks up at James. He shrugs and she lets go of the pen and paper. The items fall and float back to the Receptionist.

RECEPTIONIST
(Looking over the paper)
����������������Very well, your names please?

Paprika and James look at each other and shrug simultaneously.

PAPRIKA
(Looking up)
����������������Paprika�

JAMES
(Looking at his feet)
����������������James Sonny.

RECEPTIONIST
����������������Ah, good good. Everything checks out, you may procede.

FADE OUT

Author's Note

I wrote Crowned for the 2008 ScriptFrenzy in April, but was unable to reach the 100 page mark by a long shot. I've continued to write on it when the mood strikes me in the pants. I haven't written (or read) a screenplay before, so professional this is not.