Meeting Pinocchio and Jiminy Cricket/Splatter Phoenix's Manipulation on Kairi's Group

*(Kayley's group continued their trek on the Yellow Brick Road, singing softly)*

Kayley's group: **Follow the Yellow Brick Road**

**Follow the Yellow Brick….**

*(They suddenly noticed a forked crossroad in the middle of a cornfield, but with a confusing sign. They began to ponder which way is Emerald City)*

Kayley: I wonder which road leads to Emerald City?

Kayley's group except Kayley: I don’t know.

Applejack: That is a weird confusing signpost.

*(Suddenly, they heard a boy and a man’s voice call out to them)*

Man: (Voice-over) Pardon us.

Boy: (Voice-over) That way is a nice way.

*(They turned to the source of the voice, only to see a wooden puppet boy just hanging on a wooden pole like a scarecrow pointing to his right. He has short black hair, blue eyes, and wearing a yellow hat with a blue band and red feather sticking out, a black sleeveless vest, a light yellow short-sleeved shirt underneath a pair of red overalls with a blue lining on each side with yellow stars on them, white gloves, and brown strap-on clog-like shoes. Kayley, Garrett, and Rika got a little suspicious)*

Rika: Who said that?

*(Patch, Renamon, Spike, and Ember noticed the puppet gently wave a hello to them, and they tried to point it out to Kayley's group)*

Patch: Hey, guys!

Renamon: That puppet moved!

Ember: Waved hello to us!

Spike: Maybe *he's* talking to us.

Kayley: What are you talking about?

*(She, Garrett, and Rika shrugged while the Mane Eight's group got suspicious)*

Kayley: That’s nonsense.

Garrett: Puppets don’t talk unless….

Twilight Sparkle: Actually, the brain can be fooled by what the eye perceives.

Rika: What're you talking about, Twilight?

*(Suddenly, the puppet and the man’s voice spoke up again while Kayley's group, except Patch, Renamon, Spike, and Ember, didn’t notice the puppet moving)*

Puppet: It’s pleasant down that way, as well.

Man: (Voice-over) That’s right.

*(The puppet points to his left. Kayley's Kansas group looked again and got confused while the Mane Eight's group, Patch, and Renamon got suspicious)*

Garrett: Odd….

Kayley: Didn’t he point the other way?

Rika: Yeah. This is so confusing.

Comet Tail: More than confusing, Rika.

Patch, Renamon, Spike, and Ember: We're telling you...!

*(Suddenly, they heard the man’s voice speak up while the puppet moved and spoke as well)*

Man: (Voice-over) Sorry, just trying to help.

Puppet: Many people take different paths.

*(Finally seeing the puppet move and talk, Kayley's group walked a little closer in amazement as Patch, Renamon, Spike, and Ember gave smug looks that mean "I told you so." Even the Mane Eight's group agreed with the four)*

Mane Eight's group: See?

Party Favor: Some inanimate objects in Oz can come to life.

Kayley: (To Party Favor) I'll be darned. *(To the puppet)* So you *were* trying to help us, huh?

Fluttershy: Out of kindness?

Renamon: Were you really?

*(The puppet nodded. Then he looked down at his shoulder)*

Puppet: Wow, Jiminy. They catch on fast, don’t they?

*(Then the man’s voice spoke up, revealed to come from a small male figure. He is a male light green cricket dressed in formal black, white, blue, red, and yellow clothing and carrying a red umbrella. He is Jiminy Cricket)*

Jiminy: Indeed, Pinocchio.

Patch: Who are you talking to, little puppet boy?

*(Deciding to come out, Jiminy jumped off Pinocchio's shoulder and floated down to the group with his umbrella and landed on Kayley’s hands)*

Jiminy: Cricket’s the name. Jiminy Cricket.

Kayley: This is awkward, but nice to meet you.

*(They walked towards Pinocchio some more)*

Rika: And can you think of which way to go from here?

Pinocchio: That’s the problem. I can’t think. In fact, I don’t have a brain. Only made of wood, knock on wood.

*(He gently taps his knuckles to his head to show the wood example)*

Garrett: But how can you talk if you don’t have a brain?

Renamon: How's that possible?

Spike: Even I'm confused.

Pinocchio: I don’t know.

Jiminy: I don’t know either.

*(They enter the cornfield towards Pinocchio)*

Kayley: But I guess we can say, how do you do?

Pinocchio: Not feeling great at all.

Jiminy: Pinocchio’s right, he’s been stuck up there since he was created.

Patch: How sad.

Spike and Mane Eight: Very sad.

Ember and Stallion Eight: (Feeling sorry) Having a lack of a brain?

Kayley: Sorry to hear that.

Rika: No wonder you feel uncomfortable.

Garrett: And Jiminy, can’t he get down?

Jiminy: Not by himself. I tried to get him down but….

*(Kayley, with Jiminy on her shoulder, and her group went up to the pole)*

Rarity: Then we’ll get you down.

Kayley and Garrett: That's right.

Pinocchio: Aw, thanks, uh….

Kayley: Kayley Kingsleigh.

Garrett: And I’m her boyfriend, Garrett Smith.

Rika: And I’m Rika Nonaka, their friend and neighbor.

Patch: Patch, Kayley's pet dog called a Dalmatian.

Renamon: Renamon, Rika's Digimon partner.

*(Pinocchio and Jiminy looked at the Mane Eight's group)*

Pinocchio and Jiminy: And you?

*(A few seconds later, the Mane Eight's group already introduced themselves)*

Pinocchio: Nice names. Really.

Kayley's group: (Flattered) Well....

Pinocchio: (Changing the subject) Anyway, I may not be smart, but maybe there’s a stick you can pull to free me.

*(Noticing the stick, Kayley nods)*

Kayley: Okay.

*(She pulls it and to their surprise, Pinocchio fell off the pole, freed at last)*

Kayley's group: Are you hurt?

Pinocchio: Nope!

Rainbow Dash: Then how does it feel to be free now?

Ember: Isn't it great?

Jiminy: What do you think?

Pinocchio: Great!

*(He twirled in excitement while laughing a bit)*

Pinocchio: (Laughing a bit) It’s good to be free!

*(He fell down suddenly, concerning Jiminy and Kayley's group. Even Fluttershy screamed a bit in concern)*

Pinocchio: Did I scare you?

Kayley's group: No, not scared.

Jiminy: We just got worried you hurt yourself.

Pinocchio: So you weren’t scared?

Kayley's group and Jiminy: Nope.

Fluttershy: I, for one, just screamed in concern.

Pinocchio: (Disappointed) That stinks.

*(Suddenly, a Murkrow flew up to Pinocchio. He tried to shoo it away, but to no avail)*

Pinocchio: Shoo! Get out of here!

*(But the Murkrow cawed at him a bit and flew off)*

Pinocchio: (Sadly) See, I can’t even scare away a Murkrow like a scarecrow. All they do is just laugh at my face and eat the corn. All because I don’t have a brain.

Jiminy: Yeah. And I always stick up for him.

Rika: As his conscience?

Jiminy: Yep.

Braeburn: It's normal for most people to have a good conscience.

Jiminy: (Agreeing) And I always say this advice to him, “Always let your conscience be your guide.”

Pinocchio: And I accept that advice.

Garrett: Then what would you do if you had a brain?

Pinocchio: Do?

*(Kayley's group nods. Glad that they asked him, Pinocchio then began singing as they leave the cornfield)*

Pinocchio: **I could while away the hours**

Jiminy: (Agreeing) That’s right.

Pinocchio: **Conferring with the flowers**

**Consulting with the rain**

**In my head, I’d be scratching**

**While my thoughts are busy hatching**

**If I only had a brain**

*(He suddenly stumbled and fell onto the Yellow Brick Road when Kayley helped him up)*

Pinocchio: **I’d unravel every riddle**

**For any individle**

**In trouble or in pain**

Kayley, Rika, Spike, and Mane Eight: **With the thoughts you’d be thinkin’**

Garrett, Patch, Renamon, Ember, and Stallion Eight: **You could be another Lincoln**

Kayley's group: **If you only had a brain**

Pinocchio: **Oh, I could tell you why**

**The ocean’s near the shore**

**I could think of things**

**I never thunk before**

**And then I’d sit**

**And think some more**

Jiminy: Yes, sir!

Pinocchio: **I would not be just a nuffin’**

**My head all full of woodin’**

**My heart all full of pain**

**I would dance and be merry**

**Life would be a ding-a-derry**

**If I only had a brain**

*(He danced around, entertaining Kayley's group, much to their interest. Suddenly, after bouncing around the fences, he resumed singing)*

Pinocchio: **Gosh, it would be awful treason**

**To reason out the reason**

**For things that can’t explain**

**Then perhaps I deserve ya**

**And be even worthier-ya**

**If I only had a brain**

*(He tripped and fell down on the Yellow Brick Road. Kayley's group sat next to him after helping him recover and sit up)*

Rainbow Dash: That was cool!

Garrett: I'll say!

Kayley: I mean, if any scarecrow or puppet could do that in Kansas, the crows would be scared to pieces.

Pinocchio: They would?

*(Kayley's Kansas group nodded)*

Pinocchio: What is Kansas?

Jiminy: Is it a place you came from?

Kayley's group: Yes.

Rika: Topeka, Kansas. And we want to get back there so badly.

Garrett: Which is why we’re traveling down the Yellow Brick Road to Emerald City.

Renamon: And ask the Wizard of Oz himself to help us.

Jiminy: You’re going to see the Wizard of Oz himself?

Kayley's group: Yeah.

Twilight Sparkle: Even my group and I are going with them to learn how to cast magic the right way eventually.

Comet Tail: With Spike and Ember learning how to fly and breath fire eventually.

Spike and Ember: That's right.

Pinocchio and Jiminy: (Amazed) Really?

*(Kayley's group nods)*

Pinocchio: Do you think this Wizard will give me a brain?

Jiminy: And make me a good conscience?

Rika: Not sure.

Pinkie Pie: All we hear is good rumors about him.

Pokey Pierce: And when we meet him in Emerald City, we'll see.

Garrett: But even if he didn’t, you’d be no worser than you are now.

Pinocchio: I guess that’s true.

Kayley: But maybe you can’t come with.

Jiminy: Why not?

Kayley: Because we got two evil witches and their group angry at us and we don’t want either of you to get in trouble.

Pinocchio: Two evil witches and their group?

Kayley: Yeah.

Patch: Arukenimon, Splatter Phoenix, Mummymon, and Makuramon.

Caramel: And they're mean ones.

Applejack: Let alone nasty ones.

Renamon: From our last encounter.

Jiminy: Well, I’m not afraid of those witches and their group!

Pinocchio: Me neither. I’m not afraid of anything.

*(He became nervous a little)*

Pinocchio: Well, except fire, that is.

Jiminy: He don’t want to be firewood.

Kayley: We don’t blame you for that.

Sunset Shimmer: One can't be safe than sorry.

Pinocchio: But I’d rather face that to get me a brain and help Jiminy become a conscience!

Jiminy: Look, Pinocchio and I won’t be any trouble at all because he can’t think.

Pinocchio: So, please, won’t you take us with you?

*(A short pause, then Kayley's group gave in with smiles)*

Kayley, Spike, and Mane Eight: Aw, how can we refuse?

Garrett, Rika, and Renamon: Of course we will.

Ember and Stallion Eight: You can come with us.

*(They stand up)*

Pinocchio: Hurray! We’re off to see the Wizard!

Jiminy: And even if you trip, we’ll help you out!

*(They suddenly looked at the confusing sign and decided which path to take)*

Jiminy: I say we go straight!

Kayley: I agree.

Garrett: Got my vote.

*(The others agreed, too)*

Kayley's group: To Oz?

Pinocchio and Jiminy: To Oz!

*(Then they began singing as they go straight, away from the cornfield)*

Kayley’s group: **We’re off to see the Wizard**

**The Wonderful Wizard of Oz**

**We’ll find he is a whiz of a wiz**

**If ever a wiz there was**

**If ever, oh ever, a wiz there was**

**The Wizard of Oz is one**

**Because, because, because, because**

**Because, because**

**Because of the wonderful things**

**He does**

**We’re off to see the Wizard**

**The Wonderful Wizard of Oz**

*(Back at the tower, Kairi's group was reading a book with Mushu's group when they heard Splatter Phoenix call out to Kairi's group)*

Splatter Phoenix: (Voice-over) Kairi's group! I’m home!

*(Kairi's group got excited and turned to Mushu's group)*

Kairi: (Excitedly) Okay!

Namine: (Excitedly) This is it!

Xion: (Excitedly) We're gonna ask her!

Mushu's group: Okay.

Lollie: We’ll go hide now.

Mushu: Be totally discreet.

*(Cri-Kee chirps a bit in agreement. Mushu's group then ran into their hiding spot in Kairi’s bed. Kairi then activated an elevator at the window for Splatter Phoenix and she comes up, looking nice to her and her group)*

Kairi's group: Welcome home, Mother!

Splatter Phoenix: Thank you.

*(She goes up to a mirror with Kairi's group)*

Aqua: Okay, Mother. My sisters and I got to tell….

*(Splatter Phoenix cuts her off)*

Splatter Phoenix: Look at this, girls. I can see a beautiful grown young woman standing in front of me.

*(Kairi's group smiled, thinking she’s talking about any of them, until….)*

Splatter Phoenix: Oh, yes. I see you too, dears.

*(Kairi's group got disappointed)*

Splatter Phoenix: (Chuckles a bit) Just joking around. Don’t be serious all the time.

*(She chuckles a bit again. Kairi's group chuckled a little, and then tried to speak up again as Splatter Phoenix inspects her face in front of the mirror)*

Olette: Anyway, my sisters and I want….

*(Splatter Phoenix interrupted her again)*

Splatter Phoenix: Kairi, can you and your sisters do me a favor and get rid of my ugly wrinkles, please?

Kairi's group: (Realizing, then agreeing) Oh! Okay.

*(They took off their own amulets and held them out and Splatter Phoenix held her hand over them and Kairi's group then sang their healing incantation together rapidly)*

Kairi's group: (Rapidly) **Flower-gleam-and-glow**

**Let-your-power-shine**

**Make-the-clock-reverse**

**Bring-back-what-once-was-mine**

*(Splatter Phoenix got surprised)*

Splatter Phoenix: Whoa, girls, slow down!

Kairi's group: (Rapidly ignoring her) **Heal-what-has-been-hurt**

**Change-the-Fates’-design**

**Save-what-has-been-lost**

**Bring-back-what-once-was-mine**

**What-once-was-mine**

*(After Kairi's group finished, Splatter Phoenix briefly glowed, and was a little younger female duck again)*

Splatter Phoenix: Well, thanks.

*(She lets Kairi's group take back their own amulets)*

Kairi's group: (Putting their own amulets back on) You’re welcome.

Xion: Now, let me and my sisters tell you something, please.

Splatter Phoenix: And what’s that?

Xion: Our shared birthday’s tomorrow.

Aqua: And we're really excited about it.

Splatter Phoenix: Yeah, so?

Kairi: (Mumbling a little) Well, I know birthdays, let alone shared birthdays, come once a year, but….

*(Splatter Phoenix rolled her eyes)*

Splatter Phoenix: Kairi, I hate it when you and/or any of your sisters mumble. It's annoying.

Kairi: Sorry.

*(She and her group then worked up their courage as Splatter Phoenix poured herself a glass of water)*

Kairi: What my sisters and I want for our shared birthday this year….

Splatter Phoenix: Yes?

*(She began sipping her water and Kairi's group finally says it)*

Kairi's group: We want to see the floating lights coming from Emerald City.

*(Splatter Phoenix coughs a bit in surprise and spits some water out upon hearing that)*

Namine: You okay?

*(Recovering and composing herself, Splatter Phoenix turned to Kairi's group in pretend confusion, and on pretend confusion, she knew Kairi's group was talking about the floating lanterns in Emerald City that were lit up every year on their shared birthday after they were taken as babies, or toddlers for Kairi, Namine, and Aqua's case, by Splatter Phoenix, but unfortunately for Kairi's group, they don’t know it, much to Splatter Phoenix’s relief)*

Splatter Phoenix: Why would you see floating lights? They’re just stars.

Aqua: Not just any stars in the night sky.

*(She pulls back the curtain and revealed her and Kairi's group's painting of them on a grassy field watching the lights in the night sky, much to Splatter Phoenix’s calm surprise and secret shock)*

Kairi: My sisters and I watched those special kind of lights appear in the night sky from this window every night on our shared birthday at Emerald City.

Olette: And we have a feeling they must mean something for us.

Xion: And that’s why we want to ask of you.

Namine: Will you take us to Emerald City so we can see what they are up close?

Aqua: We're old enough to go outside the tower now.

Kairi: Tomorrow, Namine and I are gonna be 16.

Xion: Me and Olette are gonna be 15.

Aqua: And I'm gonna be 20.

Namine and Olette: Yeah.

*(Splatter Phoenix just scoffs a little with a smile and went over to the window)*

Splatter Phoenix: You want to go outside? Why, girls….

*(She begins to sing as she closed the window)*

Splatter Phoenix: **Look at you**

**As fragile as flowers**

**Still five little saplings**

**Just five sprouts**

**You know why**

**We stay up in this tower**

Kairi, Namine, and Xion: We know.

Aqua and Olette: But….

*(Splatter Phoenix cuts them off)*

Splatter Phoenix: **That’s right**

**To keep you safe and sound, dears**

**Guess I always knew**

**This day was coming**

*(She pretends to be dramatic)*

Splatter Phoenix: **Knew that soon**

**You’d want to leave the nest**

**Soon, but not yet**

Kairi's group: But….

*(Splatter Phoenix shushed them)*

Splatter Phoenix: **Trust me, pets**

**Mother knows best**

*(She closed the sunroof, making the room dark as she continued to sing and Kairi lit up the room with a candle)*

Splatter Phoenix: **Mother knows best**

**Listen to your mother**

**It’s a scary world out there**

**Mother knows best**

**One way or another**

**Something will go wrong**

**I swear**

*(She began showing examples with both shadow puppetry and her black paint magic art)*

Splatter Phoenix: **Ruffians, thugs**

**Poison Ivy, quicksand**

**Cannibals and snakes**

**The plague**

Kairi's group: (Shocked) No!

Splatter Phoenix: Yes!

Kairi's group: But…!

*(Splatter Phoenix showed more examples)*

Splatter Phoenix: **Also large bugs**

**Men with pointy teeth and**

**Stop, no more**

**You’ll just upset me**

**Mother’s right here**

**Mother will protect you**

**Darlings, here’s what I suggest**

**Skip the drama**

**Stay with Mama**

**Mother knows best**

*(She then lectured them some more through song)*

Splatter Phoenix: **Mother knows best**

**Take it from your mumsy**

**On your own**

**You won’t survive**

**Sloppy, underdressed**

**Immature, clumsy**

**Please, they’ll eat you up alive**

**Gullible, naïve**

**Positively grubby**

**Ditzy and a bit, well, hmm, vague**

**Plus, I believe**

**Getting kind of chubby**

**I’m just saying**

**‘Cause I wuv you**

**Mother understands**

**Mother’s here to help you**

**All I have**

**Is one request**

*(Kairi's group, now scared straight from the lectures, ran up to her and hugged her in fear as Splatter Phoenix hugged them back)*

Splatter Phoenix: Kairi, girls?

Kairi's group: Yes?

Splatter Phoenix: Don’t ever ask to leave this tower again.

Kairi's group: (Sadly) Yes, Mother.

*(They hugged some more)*

Splatter Phoenix: I love you very much, my dears.

Kairi's group: We love you more.

Splatter Phoenix: I love you most.

*(She kisses them after the hug ended and went to the window elevator)*

Splatter Phoenix: **Don’t forget it**

**You’ll regret it**

**Mother knows best**

*(Then with that as the song is over, Kairi then lets Splatter Phoenix down by activating the elevator)*

Splatter Phoenix: Gotta run out again. See you when I come back home.

Kairi's group: Okay.

*(After Splatter Phoenix is gone, Kairi's group sighed in disappointment as Xion opened the sunroof again)*

Kairi, Namine, and Xion: We’ll be right here.

Aqua and Olette: Like we always were.

*(Mushu's group, who saw the whole thing, got concerned for Kairi's group)*

***Coming up: Kayley’s group arrives in a forest and befriends a certain rusted-copper-armored robot who dreams of wanting a heart. Also, Sora's group finally discovers the tower and upon going in and learning of Kairi's group’s dream of going to see the lanterns while the two groups befriend each other after a misunderstanding, they decide to take the girls out of the tower to see them with a promise to protect them and help prove that Kairi's group might be the lost Princesses of Oz.***