Room Of Plastic Flowers

Lifehouse in: Once Upon A Time…

Rick: Man…it’s eight in the morning and we’re stilling working on this song!
Bryce: Jason! Get in here!
Jason: *calling from other room* Just five more minutes!
Rick: Don’t make me come in there, Mister!

Stomping is heard from the hallway and Jason comes in the room. He falls down in the couch. He folds his arms over his chest and mumbles to himself.

Jason: *mumbling* Big meanies…never let me have any fun…
Bryce: Jason, I hate to say this…but I think you’re addicted.
Jason: What? No I’m not.
Rick: It’s getting scary. I’m starting to think you like that computer more than me.
Jason: Well…
Rick: Hey!
Bryce: …And on that note, let’s finish this song!
Jason: Oh, it’s no use…I can’t concentrate. My eyes hurt from looking at that screen for so long. My mind is warped from the sights and sounds of that lovely piece of machinery.
Rick: Damn you Macintosh!!!

Just then, Jude walked in with an elderly woman.

Jude: Um, guys, I hate to interrupt, but I’d like you to meet my grandma, Liz.
Guys: Hello.
Jude: She wanted to come down and see what it’s like when a band records an album.
Bryce: Uh…well, Jude, that might be difficult. Jason’s having a bit of trouble focusing…
Jason: *rocking back and forth* Click…click…click…
Jude: Why is he making that noise?
Bryce: He finally got a computer.
Jude: Wow…
Bryce: Indeed.
Jude: Well, you guys can keep my grandma busy while I finish up some things.
Rick: No problem, Jude.
Jude: Thanks.

Jude left the room and his grandma, Liz took a seat next to Jason who had finally stopped with the rocking and clicking.

Bryce: So you’re Jude’s grandma…
Grandma: Yes I am…pretty old, right? *laughs*
Rick: Oh no, I wouldn’t say old…
Grandma: Oh stop with that nonsense! I’m old and I love it! The young are dull and naïve.
Jason: *starts rocking again* I agree with you.
Grandma: What’s the matter with him?
Rick: New computer.
Grandma: You mean he just got one? Geez…I never go anywhere without mine.
Bryce: We’re trying to calm him down so we can get back to work. Got any ideas?
Grandma: Well, I know when my Jude was ever upset I would read him a story and he would feel better.
Rick: No offense, but we’re grown men…and well…we’re too old to listen to some bedtime story.
Grandma: Do you want your friend to stop rocking or what?
Rick: I guess we can try.

So Grandma told Jason to lie down on the other side of the couch and Bryce and Rick sat on the floor by her. She began to tell the story.

Once upon a time, in a far away kingdom called Los Angeles, there lived a knight, Sir Wade, a wizard, Brylin, and a court jester, Ricky.

Rick: *interrupting* Hold on, why do I have to be the short guy who wears funny cloths?

All stare at Rick.

Rick: Fine…go ahead.

The knight, wizard, and jester were good friends even though they came from very different backgrounds. But their families and friends forbid them to be seen with one another. The royal family told the knight that the jester was beneath them, and the wizards were magic happy. The wizard and jester’s families told them the knights were stuck-up. But this did not stop them. They each had a love for music and decided to form a band called, “Lifecastle.” They would practice in the dungeons at night and try out their new tunes for the prisoners.

Sir Wade: Thanks! You guys are a great audience!
Prisoner: Yay!
Ricky: I think some of them are dead…
Brylin: That’s alright. It’s good practice for us. Hey, my cousin is getting married this weekend in the town square! Maybe she’ll let us play for them!
Sir Wade: Are you crazy?! If anyone knows we’re in a band together it will be the noose for all three of us!
Brylin: You’re right…I hate that we can’t openly be friends…

The next day was like any normal day…the knight rescued a damsel in-distress and had a feast at the castle. The wizard went to magic school to learn how to turn a donkey into a five-star chef. The jester was brought out to entertain the royalty at the feast. Going on with they’re normal lives was hard, but they did it. Little did they know that a prisoner who had seen their show in the dungeon, and even bought a t-shirt, had ratted them out to one of the castle guards. This could only mean trouble. That night at their dungeon concert, guards enter during Ricky’s drum solo and took them to the king.

King: Sir Wade! How could you do this?
Head Wizard: I’m disappoint in you, Brylin…
Head Jester: *hits Ricky on the head with a wooden mallet*
Ricky: Ow!
Sir Wade: I’m sorry, my king, but these are my friends and I don’t understand why we can’t have a band together.
Brylin: We make awesome music together!
Head Wizard: Brylin, you could make instruments play awesome music all by yourself!
Brylin: True…
King: All three of you knew your place, but I’m afraid we have no choice but to banish you to the land of South Dakota!
Guys: NOOOO!!!

The three men traveled a far distance to reach the ragged roads of South Dakota. Their weather was getting colder and less sunny, and the word “dude” was being erased from their vocabulary. It was a sign of hard times ahead for the trio.

Ricky: Well…at least we can start anew, and we can play together.
Sir Wade: That’s true. I just hope people in this land are more accepting.

The men decided to stop in a village for the night for sleep and to eat something that resembled food. During the night, they were disturbed by the sound of villagers screaming.

Brylin: What’s going on?
Villager: It’s the Tone-deaf dragon! He lives on that mountain overlooking our village. He has been tormenting us for years because he hates the music we make.
Brylin: Really? So what you’re saying is you need someone to take care of this Tone-deaf dragon.
Villager: It would be appreciated. And the winners get a record deal with the town’s record label.
Brylin: That’s perfect! We’ll do it!

Brylin went to go wake up his friends and tell them the good news.

Brylin: Guys! Get up! If we kill a dragon we get a record deal!
Sir Wade: Come again?
Ricky: We have to kill a dragon? Are you crazy?
Brylin: This is just any dragon this is the Tone-deaf dragon!
Sir Wade: So…?
Brylin: He hates music. So I had this crazy idea that since we can play instruments we can kill him with the melodic sounds and watch his body explode into little pieces and wash his guts off our cloths as we sit in a recording studio making music and becoming really famous all over the world and shoving it in Los Angeles kingdom’s face.
Sir Wade: Alright.

And so the three fearless men made their way up the mountain until they came upon the cave where the dragon slept.

Ricky: *whispering* Ok…now what’s your plan?
Brylin: Who said I had a plan?

Before they could ponder what to do next, the dragon awoke from her slumber and looked quite upset to see she had uninvited guests.

Sir Wade: Quick get out your instruments!

Sir Wade pulled out his electric guitar sword, Brylin had his bass staff, and Ricky his drums. The played and they played while the dragon grabbed her ears in pain. She laid down and was still.

Ricky: Guys, stop!
Sir Wade: What is it?
Ricky: I have an idea!

The men traveled back towards the village. They were greeted with sounds of joy and praise. As promised, the village record label signed them and Lifecastle played their first show in the center of the village. During the show, a sound of wings could be heard above them. The dragon swoop down and blew fire on the stage.

Ricky: I told you my idea was great! Now we have pyrotechnics!!!

And so Lifecastle and the dragon lived happily ever after.

Grandma: Well what did we think?
Rick: I have to say I really liked that story.
Bryce: And I calmed Jason down.
Jason: Zzzzzzzzzzz…
Grandma: I’m so glad. Now let’s go mess around on his computer until he wakes up!
Bryce/Rick: Let’s!