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- Back - Episode 148: " Metamorphoses " - Season 8, Episode 4 Powers to Be: #Disclaimer# I do not own the characters in this story, nor do I own any rights to the television show "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" and "Angel the Series". They were created by Joss Whedon and belong to him, Mutant Enemy, Sandollar Television, Kuzui Enterprises, 20th Century Fox Television, WB and UPN Television Networks. ~~~~~~~~~~ Prologue ~~~~~~~~~~ GILES VOICEOVER: Previously on Buffy the Vampire Slayer... (Season 4) OZ's ROOM DAY (Next Scene) AERIAL SHOT OF NEW YORK, DAY: (Next Scene) BUFFY'S BEDROOM, NIGHT. TEASER: (Buffy is sitting in her living room with Dawn. Dawn sitting at Buffy’s Vanity eating a bagel while Buffy is lying down on her bed. Buffy looks out her window. It's dark. Xander is reading the paper on the other side of the room.) DAWN: Buffy, did you buy any bologna? I’m gonna need something for lunch tomorrow. BUFFY: Yeah, lunch meats all neatly arranged on the top shelf. DAWN: Yum. I’ll top the leftover pizza. BUFFY: Good to know you’re investing in that future heart attack. DAWN: What can I say? I’m a forward planner. BUFFY: One of these days there’s going to be a Dawnie junk food intervention. DAWN: (waving her bagel in a heroic speech making way) But not this day! BUFFY: And I’m definitely imposing a Lord of the Rings DVD ban. DAWN: Blame Andrew. XANDER: (without looking up from his paper) That’s pretty much a maxim for life. DAWN: Be-yotch! XANDER: That’s man-be-yotch to you missy. BUFFY: Well, you excited for your first day? DAWN: (not too enthusiastic) Peachy keen with a side of pep. BUFFY: I’m sensing sarcastic with a side of snide. DAWN: Buffy, it’s school. Do you get all “knock my socks off” when you get a new dentist? BUFFY: If he was a really cute dentist. DAWN: While dentists come in cute flavour, watchers do NOT. I’m doubting many of the geriatrics Giles hired will rate 10 on the Babe-O-Meter. BUFFY: You’re going to school to learn, not ogle hotties. (beat)
That almost sounded DAWN: Getting close. One day you’ll be able to lie like a grown up. BUFFY: Careful. I can already ground like one. DAWN: (cheeky) Again with the almost convincing authority. Arrivaderci! BUFFY: Where are you going? DAWN: Just gonna hang out with Bobbie for a while. BUFFY: Just don’t be out too late alright? You have classes tomorrow. DAWN: Yup. BUFFY: And plus it’s a full moon. All the crazies are out tonight. XANDER: And the werewolves.(beat) And the prostitutes. BUFFY: (sharply) Xander. XANDER: Sorry, (looks up at Dawn) You will not run into any prostitutes Dawn. DAWN: But I’ll take my wallet just in case. DAWN exits leaving BUFFY and XANDER visibly flatfooted without a witty response. XANDER: Maybe the monks really made her out of Margaret Cho. CUT TO SHOT OF NIGHT SKY CUT TO EXT. NIGHT CLUB (We're looking at the outside of a large nightclub. The double doors of the exit open, and we hear upbeat techno music from the inside, as a couple walk out. They're dressed in 70s clothes, including some awful 70s jewellery. The man has his arm around the woman, and she’s chewing gum.) WOMAN: You gotta stop bringing me to these god-awful clubs Harvey. I mean, what is techno anyway? (The couple walks down the street from the club. It's deserted) HARVEY: Sorry honey. (Shrugs) Guess when disco died, so did music. (The woman swings around in front of him, grabs his jacket and pulls him in close for a kiss.) WOMAN: (smiling) But then, the 70s had to end some time. (The pair morph, revealing vampire faces) HARVEY: You always give me Saturday Night Fever, Juliet. (They kiss once again, then pull apart, back in human face again. We see a young, fashionably dressed couple walking towards them down the street, from the club. Juliet grins) YOUNG GIRL: Take me somewhere nice. I’m not ready to stop the party yet. YOUNG MAN: Do you want to go to my place? Camera pans back to the vampires, who are holding each other close, but looking at the young human couple. They both vamp out. HARVEY: Ah. Fresh blood. JULIET: Keeps us Stayin’ Alive. The two vampire walk up to the couple. They keep getting closer. YOUNG MAN: You got a problem? JULIET: No. (looks at the young girl) But you might. (Stayin’ Alive by the Bee Gees beings playing.) Well, you can tell by the way I use my walk, Juliet grabs the girl by the hair and throws her to the ground. JULIET: I’m hungry. Music loud and women warm. Harvey begins to attack the young man. He puts both of his hands on the man shoulders and pushes him to the back of wall. And now it's all right - it's O.K. - As the young woman screams, Juliet sinks her teeth into the woman, you can see a stream of blood drip down her shoulder and her eyes begin to show her death. Whether you're a brother or whether you're a mother, Harvey on the other side is biting into the young man, and he’s screaming as well. Louder than the young woman. He’s crying out for help. Suddenly, Harvey is pulled back and the young man drops to the ground dead. The camera reveals a wolf, who rips through Harvey’s throat, decapitating him, and turning him into a pile of dust. Feel the city breakin' and everybody shakin' He turns around to show Juliet, who has already killed the young woman. The wolf pounces on Juliet. The camera focuses on the nearby wall, where we can see the shadow of the wolf ripping the vampire limb from limb. Ah, ha, ha, ha, Stayin' Alive. When we hear the familiar sound of dust, we cut to a shot of the dust rising and the wolf walking towards the camera. It stops, and its outline begins to morph into human form. It’s Oz. The camera is still on his face. Oz looks down. The camera cuts to his feet. His clothes are ripped to shreds, lying around his ankles. OZ: (thinks for a second) Elasticated pants. (beat) Need elasticated pants. WOLF HOWLS: OPENING CREDITS Staring. Guest Starring: With Very Special Guest Star: -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- CoinOperated Boy Sponsored Links: This advertizement is not displayed for registered users.
06-27-2004, 04:25 PM #2 Posts: n/a -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACT I WILLOW: You think you’re so bad. You think you’re the big scary in the underworld. Well think again. You haven’t even begun to imagine what I could do to you (She blinks.) You’re at a loss. You don’t want to mess with forces you are unable to handle. The camera reveals that Willow is in HER OFFICE standing over a young student. The STUDENT has turned all of his skin completely blue. WILLOW: OK, we'll just confiscate these for the moment. This is why we wait TILL class to play warlock. BUFFY peeks into office, sees BLUE STUDENT BUFFY: Hey Will, kind of early for -- [notices BLUE STUDENT] Oops. WILLOW: Buffy, we REALLY have to ban EVERY J.K. Rowling book from this campus. BUFFY: Oh right. (beat) Oo, I know! CUT TO: BUFFY enters GILES office. CUT TO INT. SCHOOL (Shot of a hallway, full of girls and boys of school age, but some girls who are older. Some of the girls are carrying weapons as well as their school bags. Everyone looks nervous but excited.) GILES: (over the intercom). Good morning boys and girls. SOUND of SHARP BLOW. GILES: Oww! (more pompous) Ladies and gentlemen. (You can barely hear his voice over the loud chatter of all the students.) GILES: (over the intercom) Um...I just have a few small announcements for you today. (Sighs) Congratulations to all that managed to make it here for the first day of term. I’m sure our numbers will increase as we locate the remaining slayers. CUT TO INT. MAIN OFFICE (Giles is standing by the intercom, pressing the all call button down and looking visibly uncomfortable. BUFFY scribbles a note while GILES continues announcements. GILES: (trying to find something suitable to say) Classes start promptly at 9:00. Don’t be late. Remember, this is not just a school. You have a mission. BUFFY hands GILES the note. GILES VO: Oh, and yes, all copies of Harry Potter MUST be handed over to your first period -- Buffy, what the h--- The loud speaker screeches drowning out some irritated exchange. GILES: So...let's all save the world! (Giles releases the all call button and grimaces at what he just said). Bloody hell! BUFFY: Are you TRYING to empty the classrooms before Christmas break? GILES: [holds up BUFFY's note] Evidently YOU must be. ANDREW: Yah. (While staring at the computer screen.) Maybe you should do the announcements in, like, in some demon language and have it be a daily assignment for all of the watchers to translate it? That'd be cool! BUFFY: And that way they'll drop out even earlier, which will make our lives way easier... (Giles looks wistful) GILES: Mmm, my housemaster always used to say the school would be so much easier to run if it wasn't for all the pupils getting in the way. Used to make us do cross country runs when we misspelled our Proto Tawaric prep. BUFFY: I’m beginning to have fond thoughts about Snyder. GILES: Then I’ll leave you to wander memory lane. I have some paperwork to do. I’ll be in my office. Don’t come in, unless it’s important. ANDREW: Child misbehaving important or school attacked by demons important? GILES: (thinks) Apocalyptic hell-on-earth important. BUFFY: See you soon then. (Giles mutters as he walks across the room, and goes into his office.) ANDREW: Is he okay Buffy? I haven’t seen him that stressed out since – ever really. BUFFY: Oh, he’s just having High School blues. Last time he worked in a school it didn’t work out so well. ANDREW: I hope he’s not that uptight all year. I might have to find a new office. (Buffy ignores him, and continues reading – then looks up) BUFFY: Andrew, speaking of demon languages, when does your class start? ANDREW: Not until third period. I think some of the watchers hired are taking first and second period. They frighten me. They're old and really English. One of them patted me on the... BUFFY: (butting in) Anyway, Kennedy's got the younger slayer gals in some training until 11. Which gives me some more plan-y time. ANDREW: Is that because she's a better fighter? Or are you just slacking? BUFFY: (pissed) Andrew, the day you get to lecture me about pulling my weight is the day Giles enjoys a night out at an ecstasy rave. ANDREW: (looks scared). I’m sorry. BUFFY: (sighs) You’re probably right. Slacker me. Maybe I should go see how Kennedy is running her class. ANDREW: Want to one-up her? BUFFY: Does that make me shallow? CUT TO. INT HALLWAYS (We see kids running into classes, then the camera focuses on Dawn who is scurrying down the hallway with an armful of books. She ducks into an open classroom door, and the camera follows her. She scans the classroom looking for an empty seat and spots one over by two girls.) (STUDENT ONE has long dark hair in pigtails and is wearing glasses and what looks to be a uniform.) GIRL ONE: Uhm, I think that seat's occupied. DAWN: What? By who? (STUDENT TWO is short, even sitting down and looks like she is only twelve.) STUDENT TWO: Not really. It's just you look like you belong over there with the in-crowd. GIRL ONE: Which we're not. As was made clear throughout orientation week. DAWN: You think I belong with the 902-wannabes? STUDENT TWO: Queen 902-wannabe coming in low and fast. DAWN: See? Too late to back out now. SNOTTY STUDENT TWO to SS ONE: Oh look, the huddled masses have found someone who'll slum with them. SS ONE: I call that public spirited. Hello, Lizardbreath. Oh, and Thembelina, didn't see you standing in your seat. STUDENT ONE: It's Elizabeth. STUDENT TWO ignores the diss. SNOTTY STUDENT ONE [to DAWN]: Didn't see you during orientation, so the mistake is understandable. You're sitting on the wrong side of the tracks. DAWN: There's this weird new thing, it's called 'making up your own mind'. I think it'll catch on. SNOTTY STUDENT ONE: Like herpes? DAWN: Or manners. SNOTTY STUDENT ONE: Not bad. Pity, I was going to give you a social maguffin on this, but now . . . Oh, I'm Frost. We won't be on a first name basis. DAWN: I'm crushed. FROST: You think you won't be? DAWN [bursts out laughing, drawing attention from IN-CROWD and others] Puh-lease, by you? FROST looks icy-death at DAWN. FROST: So long, Whatever-You-Are. DAWN [under her breath, sing-song]: Wouldncha just love to know? ELIZABETH: You're awesome. STUDENT TWO: Or insane. DAWN: Nah. I've handled lots worse, trust me. (A little old man who no one even noticed before suddenly stands up from the desk in front of the class.) MR. WILSON: Seats,, class, seats if you please. [more bustle, then he continues, more autoritatively] Seats immediately. [class quiets] My name is Theodore Wilson. I retired as a Watcher after thirty years' service around the time most of you were eating crayons. I was thought by many to be the leading expert in Vampires. It is not a pleasant field of expertise by any means. This course is, as my illegible scrawl indicates, Vampires, History and Habits. DAWN looks attentive, SAMANTHA yawns audibly. WILSON: And for those used to lying abed mornings, I suggest availing yourself of coffee privileges before arriving in my classroom. MR WILSON: Until quite recently, we had only oral tradition concerning the ancestors of our present-day vampires, the Turok-Han. That's R-O-K-H-A-N. But we are fortunate, if that is the word for it, to be able to share the discovery of Buffy Summers made in the months prior to . . . well, the beginning of the current order. SAMANTHA: The Turok-Han are just a myth, so why are we going to waste our time studying them? MR. WILSON: And you are? SAMANTHA: (proudly) Samantha Frost. MR. WILSON: Oh yes. The Travers girl. I suppose you think that Neanderthal man is a myth as well. SAMANTHA: Well there aren't any walking around, are there? MR. WILSON: Neanderthals? Well, that depends on your definition. But Turok-Han . . . why believe a mere decrepit retiree when we have an eye-witness sitting among you here. The STUDENTS look around, surprised. DAWN looks down, trying to be invisible. MR WILSON: Yes, a young lady who has not only seen the Turok-Han but has engaged them in combat. Without Slayer powers. SAMANTHA: Oh really. The STUDENTS chatter, some making similar disbelieving noises, others curious. MR WILSON: I think I see the young lady in question. Yes, please stand up. And introduce yourself. DAWN looks apologetically at BETHY and SARA and stands. BTEHY and SARA gape. WILSON: (continuing) Would you enlighten us regarding the means were effective and which were ineffective in your battle with the Turok-Han? DAWN: Uhm, I’m Dawn Summers. (The camera pans across the students who are all looking at her in amazement) DAWN: And, uhm, I'm not really sure that ALL ubverva . . . Turok-Han are really equal. But, sunlight works, but if it's not daytime, beheading them is the best way. Holy Water just irritates them, and staking them, well, you can, but you're more likely to snap your stake than penetrate their ribs. Oh, and there was an amulet . . . but that's not relevant . . . MR. WILSON: So when you were in the battle of Sunnydale (Looking at Samantha) how many did you personally destroy? DAWN: Uhm . . . five. Three with sunlight, but that was a trap. WILSON: And the other two? Please, Miss Summers, don't be modest. DAWN: Two. Beheaded. But I had lots of practice with swords and . . . WILSON: Well, given, your family ties, one would hope so. Please resume your seat, and thank you. SARA [quietly to DAWN]: Family ties? WILSON: Now, Miss Frost, do you have further contributions, or do I have your consent to continue the lesson? SAMANTHA: (Quietly with her head down.) No Mr. Wilson. (Mr. Wilson turns and starts back on his lecture writing on the black board.) BETHY: Battle of Sunnydale? SARA: Summers as in BUFFY Summers? I didn't even know she had a sister. BETHY: You sure you want to hang with us? SARA: You're the Slayer's sister after all. DAWN: You're a Slayer. BETHY: Yeah, Sara. DAWN: [to BETHY] And Watchers are pretty cool. BETHY: Sure. As if I'll ever be cool. SARA: We're getting hairy eyeball from Wilson. But I think he liked your smack down of Frost-queen. The camera is on Andrew is leaning on a lectern, in a pose of authority. His jacket is cool-tailored but tweed. Behind him is a PowerPoint presentation – the first slide says “Demon Languages: an introduction” - and next to him is a desk with a laptop. He has a little device in his hand to change the slides. He inhales, clearly feeling very magisterial. ANDREW: M’farr! Halakshanor batanawe. Broor d’abyan mokk l’arr! He pauses dramatically. The camera pans to the students, watching him with baffled expressions. Then it pans back to Andrew who, with a flourish, clicks to the next slide of the presentation. It says: “Translation: “Can I buy a single ticket to the Halakshanor dimension please”. CUT TO BUFFY: Who has just finished taking attendance. BUFFY: Well. Everyone showed up for first day. That's better than in my high school. When on the first day, someone usually got killed. The SLAYERS look at each other appalled as BUFFY'S joke goes flat. BUFFY: But then I was the only Slayer in my high school . . . Well. So, everyone's here. CUT TO: ANDREW ANDREW: But you aren't going to be asking demons for directions to the train station, or, I hope, to the very clearly marked restrooms on our campus. The STUDENTS chuckle appreciatively at the light touch on bathroom humor. ANDREW: Why, then, speak demon languages, unless you intend to summon one? No aspiring Voldemorts in class, I hope? MORE CHUCKLES. ANDREW: But this is real life, of course, not a commercially successful fantasy, the sort on which I was raised, just the way you were. Here, the first step is to distinguish between reality and fantasy. CUT TO: BUFFY: Slayers. What are they? I mean, we. You. What are Slayers? Where did the Slayer power come from? Who are the most famous Slayers in history? Not that there are any really famous ones, because secrecy was the main thing . . . Most famous, I mean, to the Watcher's Council. Which doesn't exist any more. And most famous to vampires and demons. STIRRING noises, sounds of notes being folded and passed. One SLAYER is fishing a mirror from her purse. CUT TO: ANDREW: The key to fighting demons is knowledge. Not raw power. Buffy Summers, the most powerful of all Slayers and the one we're all indebted to for saving the world more than any other, needed more than the guidance of her Watcher. Without the, well,[makes quote marks with his fingers] intimate familiarity with the demon world through a well-established network of informants and confidantes and, yes, even close friends among demons and ex-demons -- MURMURS among the STUDENTS -- ANDREW (continuing): -- Without such knowledge, we could never have won the Battle of Sunnydale, where Absolute Evil unveiled its true face, and was defeated . . . And not by the combined power of the Slayers. STUDENT: Excuse me, Mr. Wells? ANDREW: Yes . . . René, isn't it? RENÉ: Yes sir. What do you mean, "Not by the combined power of the Slayers"? ANDREW: Oh, you have to excuse me. I misspoke. Things will become clear . . . in time. CUT TO: BUFFY: But in the 19th century, the Slayer would have dealt with different dress and a place for women in society which was beginning to change. [BUFFY is clearly reading from WILLOW-style notes by this point.] It's thought that an early 19th century Slayer, who dressed as a male to fight, was in fact the inspiration for the career of French novelist George Sand. [Perplexed, to herself] A transvestite Slayer inspires some French guy to write novels? [BUFFY examines the back of the index card, baffled] SLAYER: Excuse me . . . Buff . . . I mean, Ms. Summers? BUFFY: That's all right, you can call me Buffy. Or maybe you should stay with Ms. Summers. Uhm, whatever you're comfortable with? SLAYER: This is interesting, but shouldn't we know more than how Slayers dressed? BUFFY: Well, yes. Obviously this is just an introduction lecture, and, well, first day, not all that different from first days in other high schools, except no one's been ki . . . I mean, much informations -- information, sorry, I was in Europe for a year and that's plural, which does make more sense than -- SLAYER TWO: What about the dreams? SLAYER THREE: Yes. I've got a real problem with the dreams. Why do we get them? SLAYER TWO: I can't get sleep. BUFFY: Uhm, sleep, well, your, your stamina should make the lack of sleep -- SLAYER THREE: But I wake up not knowing what year it is sometimes . . . OTHER SLAYERS: Yeah, the dreams, etc. etc. BUFFY looks mildly panicked, and we CUT TO: ANDREW: Evil things, as an old comrade-in-arms told me in the heat of battle, have plans. You should know the tongues of demons -- I mean, languages of demons, not tongues literally -- to be able to forecast their plans. Again, forget Gandalf and his warning that studying the arts of the Enemy is perilous. You need to keep your friends close -- and I'm sure every film buff can finish that quotation for me . . . CUT TO: SLAYERS in a hubbub, dissatisfied. BUFFY's really lost the thread, and is talking just to SLAYER ONE. BUFFY: It's . . . it's not a clean line. You can't -- Would everyone quiet down? Sandy -- SLAYER ONE: Mandy -- BUFFY: Mandy is asking a question. OK, that's IT! BUFFY slams her hand on the lectern, which of course shatters, scattering her cards, books, pictures. The SLAYERS are instantly silent and shocked. BUFFY looks shocked for a moment at her own reaction. Then from BUFFY's POV we see a STAKE under some of the papers. BUFFY reaches down into the pile. She carefully pulls out MR. POINTY and holds it up to the class. BUFFY: I want you all to see this. Mandy, here. Pass it around. And quiet everyone. Quiet because this . . . this is the weapon of a Slayer. She was fast, she was smart, she was prepared. But she still ... her throat was cut. By a vampire. An insane vampire who . . . is still on this earth. MANDY drops MR. POINTY. BUFFY: (quietly) Pick it up, Mandy. MANDY does, and quickly passes it to the next girl. BUFFY: The Slayer's name was Kendra. She . . . entrusted this to me. All she knew, from the time she was a child, was training to be what you are now. (beat as BUFFY starts to take inspiration) If you don't remember anything from this first class, remember HER name. MANDY: How did you know her if -- BUFFY: I'm not going to go into all that now. She had . . . Kendra had a strong heart. She was devoted. And she's . . . at rest. BUFFY has their attention now. BUFFY: Look at the grain of this stake. She polished it. She . . . made it hers. It was her one possession. And . . . [almost inaudibly] she made me her friend. BUFFY is talking tightly now, trying not to choke up. BUFFY: (continuing) It's different now. When the First Slayer came, she was in a desert. Alone. There are . . . BUFFY closes her eyes as we hold, hold, hold the beat and hear the voiceless music from her "Restless" dream fade in, carrying her into a near-trance. She continues, as if speaking from the dream: BUFFY: There are trees in the desert now. A whole forest of Slayers. BUFFY opens her eyes and looks on the class calmly, and then BUFFY: These writings . . . most of the writings about the Slayers were destroyed. My friends and I spent the last year going around the world trying to find more. And trying to find all of you. We do need these things -- we need to know more. We need you to help us find out more. But you're not going to find . . . yourselves, or me, in these notes, or in some library. MANDY: (quietly, respectfully) And the dreams, Ms. Summers? BUFFY: I don't know, Mandy. Help each other. Don't get into cliques. For starters. SLAYER TWO: Someone -- not in this section, though -- said I was . . . shouldn't be a Slayer because they woke me up. . . crying. BUFFY: You'll get used to them. But she's . . . foolish. The one thing being a Slayer does -- you really can't enjoy horror flicks the way you did once. SLAYER THREE: Isn't that the truth? SLAYER TWO: Pinhead doesn't scare me anymore, for one thing. SLAYER ONE [good-naturedly] Oh, c'mon, Pinhead scared you...? BUFFY takes a desk and sits down among the SLAYERS, as conversation begins. CUT TO: ANDREW: Start slow with the reading. Expertise and precision are more important than instant progress. A little learning is a dangerous thing. Drink deep, or not. ANDREW pauses, letting his last words sink in. The STUDENTS applaud. DISSOLVE TO: CUT TO INT. GYM (Kennedy is standing in front of a large group of young slayers. They are all standing still, at attention.) KENNEDY: All right, listen up. I’m Kennedy. I’ve never taught, so don’t expect me to be some she-Giles, or she-Buffy (pauses, realizes her mistake in that statement). I’ll tell you what I want, when I want, how I want. Other than that, you don’t get an explanation. As of now, you’re out of class. The kids sigh in relief, some in shock, some in complete happiness. KENNEDY: Did I tell you to get out of attention? This isn’t a classroom ladies. This is a war zone. (Buffy silently creeps into the back behind Kennedy, and listens to her speech.) KENNEDY: My name is Kennedy. That’s all you need to know about me. Buffy is the one who shares her feelings. Feelings get in the way of your slaying. You think being happy and wondering what the boy next to you is thinking of you will help hen your trying to stake a vampire? GIRL: No— KENNEDY walks up to the girl. KENNEDY: Do you think my question was open for debate? GIRL: No… KENNEDY: 5 laps. Now. The girl begins to run. KENNEDY: I will not allow ignorance, interruptions, insolence, or any other “I” word I might find annoying. (Buffy can't help laughing a little.) KENNEDY: Ok, let’s start with something simple. Stretching. Ok, so take your right arm, and stretch it behind your back and… SLAYER1: Stretching? We’re slayers, not ballerinas. (Buffy steps forward) BUFFY: You ever tried kicking in heels without warming up? Total hamstring pain.
BUFFY: I'd pay a lot closer attention to your instructor if I were you. She's the softie. I'm the toughie. KENNEDY [respectfully, official-voice]: Ms. Summers. BUFFY [apologetic]: Excuse me. Didn't mean to interrupt. Just poking my stake in. KENNEDY: They're all yours if you want to take the session. BUFFY: Nah. [speaks for the SLAYERS' ears] I don't want 'em so scared they run away. You're doing great. As they say, TTFN. BUFFY shares a knowing comrades-in-arms look with KENNEDY: BUFFY acknowledging the mistakes both have made, and their mutual right to lead, by referring to CHLOE. The SLAYERS of course are oblivious to this. KENNEDY: Right. The basics: Slayers, stretch, one, stretch TWO --!! CUT TO: EXT. A SCHOOL, FRANCE A dark-haired girl of about 18 is sitting alone on a wall in the school yard. Other teenagers are chattering excitedly. She’s glaring moodily at her shoes. She’s getting the odd curious, disapproving glance from the others. She gets up and walks through the yard to the gates and down the road, scuffing her shoes as she goes. She stops suddenly, seeing someone off camera. O.S MALE VOICE: C’est difficile, etre different n’est pas Marie? SUBTITLES: It’s hard being different, isn’t it Marie? MARIE: Quoi…comment est-ce que tu... SUBTITLES: What? How do you… O.S MALE VOICE: Tu est Une Tueuse, Marie. Moi, je suis ton Gardien SUBTITLES: You’re a slayer, Marie. Me, I’m your watcher. MARIE: (stepping forward) Tu est fou! SUBTITLES: You’re mad! O.S MALE VOICE: Bof, les reves ne te trouble pas alors? SUBTITLES: So you’re not having the dreams then? The camera switches from Marie’s shocked face to reveal the “watcher”. It’s Ethan Rayne. END ACT I CoinOperated Boy 06-27-2004, 04:26 PM #3 Posts: n/a -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACT II (Claudia and Giles are sitting at Giles's desk. The bell rings and Giles starts stacking papers, making ready to leave) GILES: Thanks for the help. Honestly, I never knew schools generated so much paper. I thought they only used computers nowadays. CLAUDIA: Not quite. I think you've been judging your ideas on the American school system from episodes of the Jetsons. GILES: Yes, thank-you, I have worked at a school here before. I'm not entirely stuck up an ivory tower. CLAUDIA: I wouldn't dream of calling you stuck up Mr. Giles. GILES: No, because then we'd find ourselves in Pot and Kettle checkmate, wouldn't we? But, thank you. I don't think Buffy would have tolerated quite so much admin work. CLAUDIA: No. I think it's best you keep her in blissful ignorance of such real evil. (There is a brief moment of camaraderie between them. But then Claudia freezes slightly again.) CLAUDIA: (sniffs) Perhaps as her Watcher you should have prepared her for all aspects of the job? (Giles stands, and takes off his glasses and cleans them on his suit jacket) GILES: Yes, how remiss of me. Perhaps I should have told her to put all of those apocalypses on hold and pay more attention to the true evils of paper pushing. (Claudia gives him a cool smile.) GILES: Now if you will excuse me. (Giles steps out of his office and Buffy is sitting at her desk in the outer office) GILES: Have you mapped the patrol routes for tonight yet? BUFFY: I'm getting on it. (Buffy isn't getting on it. Buffy is reading a Vanity Fair) GILES: You've really mastered selective hearing. BUFFY: In one ear and out the other, saving valuable brain space for the important things. Like, oh my God Prince William is visiting New York next week! Remind me to rescue him from monsters. GILES: Isn't he a tad young for you? BUFFY: What is this? Make Buffy feel like a crone week...and what are you staring at Giles? (Giles is staring at the door. The camera reveals he's looking at Oz. His hair is blonde, close cut. OZ: Loud alarm system you got there. BUFFY: (smiles) Oz. Wait, how did you --- ? Oh, right—doggie ears. OZ: The doggiest. BUFFY: (Flustered.) You dyed your hair again. OZ: Yeah, I do that sometimes. GILES: What are you doing here? CLAUDIA: Charming! BUFFY: So, what's new? What've you been doing all this time? (Oz shrugs) OZ: Travelled some. Hung out with monks. Learned Kung-Fu. OZ: Oh, and I jammed with Pink Floyd a bunch of times. GILES: You bastard! (Ashamed of himself) sorry.... OZ: (nods to Giles) But, Buffy, I have something for you. It’s in my van. BUFFY: You shouldn’t have! (off Oz’s look) Oh. GILES: Dangerous? OZ: Sort of very. BUFFY: Could you bring on the nouns for me? What are we talking here? Magical gem? Mystical weapon? Cos, my scythe would look good as part of a set. OZ: It’s a box. BUFFY: With anything in it? OZ: (shrugs) It’s got a Pandora thing going on. Opening it, not good. All I know is it’s very old, very dangerous. BUFFY: You better bring it to the house. OZ: Ten ok? BUFFY: Fine by me. Night off patrol. Me and Willow were going to… OZ: Willow’s in town? BUFFY: Closer. Next door. Shot of Oz’ Face. CUT TO INT. Willow’s Classroom OZ is standing at the doorway. The classroom's empty and Willow's collecting up her papers. She stops as she sees him, her arms full of paper. A moment of shock-freeze, then a warm smile. WILLOW: Hey OZ: That's my line. (beat) Hey. WILLOW puts down her papers carefully. WILLOW: I think we hug now? They walk towards each other, a little hesitant. But the hug that follows is warm. They separate. WILLOW: (looking at his hair) So I'm the only one flying the red flag now huh? OZ: Uh huh. The martyr dead are kinda pissed at me. (he looks around the classroom) Nice. WILLOW: Only the best from the military industrial complex. You should see the computer labs. Want a tour later? OZ: Sure. (looking at her with a steady Oz stare) It’s good to see you happy. (Willow smiles awkwardly.) WILLOW: So...What're you doing in town? OZ: Buffy bound actually. Mystical box, protect-worthy interior. WILLOW: Magic box? Then you've come to the right shop. (beat) Not the magic shop. That's... OZ: Buried under a ton of rubble? WILLOW: I see you're up to speed. OZ: Getting there. But...what's new with you? I guess Tara is ... WILLOW gives a tiny flinch and her mouth goes tight. WILLOW: She's…dead. OZ: Oh. I'm sorry. WILLOW: She's ...at peace. OZ: No doubt. Are -- not to pry -- but are you? WILLOW: I'm ...in a place. OZ [concerned]: With someone? WILLOW: 'Fraid so. OZ: That wasn’t a come-on. WILLOW: I know it wasn’t. There's a moment's silence. WILLOW: (continuing) I can talk about it without, you know...it was three years ago. A lot's happened since then. OZ: Time is strange. Keeps happening. WILLOW: Those wacky calendars. (bat) This is...less awkward than I thought it would be. OZ: You've thought about me? WILLOW: Of course I do. Do you think, about --- OZ: Yeah. Not in that 'Say Anything' writing-endless-songs-of-pain way. WILLOW: Which would be un-Oz. OZ: Extremely. WILLOW reaches out her hand, gently. OZ takes it. WILLOW: So, how's wolfie? OZ: Learning to heel actually. WILLOW lets go of OZ's hand with a little squeeze. WILLOW: It's good to see you. OZ: How about that tour? They turn towards the door and leave. CUT TO EXT. Willow’s Classroom JANITOR picks up his BROOM and TRASH CAN, exits. CUT TO HALLWAY JANITOR hurries down CORRIDOR, goes into MAINTENANCE CORRIDOR, ditches the CAN and BROOM and rushes towards EXIT. JANITOR flings open the EXIT door, steps outside, and recoils, involuntarily vamps out. BECK [JANITOR]: Sir Thomas is going to filet my -- CUT TO: Main Room in the Apartment Willow and Kennedy are sitting on couches talking to each other. Xander is staring out the window. XANDER: He’s coming. WILLOW: Oz? XANDER: Seeing to van-age. KENNEDY: What’s Oz like? WILLOW: He's a musician, but, but not a groupie-collector. My height, red hair -- well, blond now, but when he lets the dye wash out -- laid-back intense. Super-brainy and doesn't let it show. Oh, he has really nice sensitive hands. KENNEDY: Oh. That Oz. WILLOW: "That Oz" ? Who did you think? KENNEDY: I guess the name didn't really stick. XANDER: Well, Oz likes to be under-the-radar. WILLOW [to KENNEDY, not noticing XANDER's comment]: I talked about Oz. I told you a lot of Oz stories. KENNEDY: Guess they didn't seem that big a deal. He sounds nice enough. XANDER [trying to pave over]: You really have to have the Oz-high definition version. He doesn't really come through in description. WILLOW: [a bit wounded] They were a big deal to me. He was ...important. Xander remembers. XANDER: Yes, from when I had stereo-scopic sight even. KENNEDY: It'll be good to meet him. See how the stories match. WILLOW [to herself]: If you remember any ... (Buffy from the other room, you can hear shes upset) BUFFY: Well I'm sorry but that's just not good enough. You can’t expect to get full salary and only work half the load as the rest of the faculty. BUFFY walks into the main room now, still arguing on the cordless. BUFFY: (Pause, trying to reason with the occupant on the other line) Listen I know that "Enchantments and Such" is just booming with business, but you need to prioritize. What's more important to you, this job or your new business? (Pause, then very angry) WHAT? There is no way! (Pause, trying to reason with him) Listen. I really want you to work on my teaching staff, but if I can't rely on you to be there for all your classes, with the "sick, death in the family, wedding and early trip to Mexico" exception, I can't have you working for me. (Pause) You can’t quit. You’re fired! (she slams the door down) XANDER: (to Kennedy/Willow) And you thought you two had problems. WILLOW: Who was on the phone Buffy? BUFFY: One of the watchers. He thought his business was more important than teaching a bunch of watchers to be. He was a smart man too. KENNEDY: Obviously not smart enough to stick around. XANDER: Just hope Long Island school for slayers doesn’t turn out like Sunnydale. His head probably would have been chopped off by second period. BUFFY: Guys this is serious. I can’t afford to lose teachers like this. DAWN, GILES, CLAUDIA and ANDREW walk into the door suddenly. ANDREW: We’re back. DAWN: And we brought company. OZ follows the group. XANDER: (stands up, initiates the greeting) Are we still too manly too hug? OZ: Well you do live with a bunch of women. They both smile and hugs follow. KENNEDY: Nice to meet you too. OZ: (confused) I’ll assume likewise. KENNEDY: I’m Kennedy. OZ: (realization) Oh. Kennedy. Wil—it’s nice to meet you too. BUFFY: Well, let’s get down to business. What have you brought for us Oz? OZ: A box. Very dangerous. XANDER: How dangerous? CUT TO INT. Warehouse (The moon is out - a proper full moon. Sir Thomas is standing in front of the door. BECK, Sir Thomas’ lackey is also there.) BECK: The Wolf made it. He's at the school. Was . . . at the school. SIT THOMAS scowls, and is ready to smack BECK again. BECK [hurriedly] He's meeting them at 10 o'clock!! SIR THOMAS: Good. Bring Sampson. It takes two. BECK: That twit? The one who loses brain matter whenever he sneezes? SIR THOMAS: Sampson doesn't try to pinch pennies. He's dim but he obeys INSTRUCTIONS. And mine were to GO NOW. BECK does a double take, and EXITS. CHARLES: [emerging from the shadows] What’s the use of this box anyway? It's been sealed shut by -- sealed shut and hasn't been opened since... SIR THOMAS: Are you feeling squeamish, Charles? CHARLES: Never! SIR THOMAS turns on CHARLES, walks up to him, looks him diretly in the eye. SIR THOMAS: Because you sound -- and smell -- a bit alarmed. You question. CHARLES: I obey. SIR THOMAS [raising eyebrow]: Still? CHARLES: Absolutely. SIR THOMAS: Good. Then I may toss a pleasant aperitif your way when we open the box. CHARLES: Perhaps a taste of werewolf? SIR THOMAS: Your tastes are so pedestrian, Charles. Your palate is probably too coarse for ... Slayer blood. CHARLES: Sir Thomas, we have a choie of Slayers if it's Slayer blood that opens it. SIR THOMAS: Not any garden-variety Slayer, Charles. The blood of Slayer who has been thrice-born. That narrows the choices considerably. CHARLES: Why thrice-born? SIR THOMAS: To be honest, Charles, I don't give a plague-rat's tail "why". That's what it REQUIRES. CHARLES: Aren't you -- interested? SIR THOMAS: In opening the box. Not in metaphysics. In fact, my instructor in metaphysics was one of my very first meals. (He smiles, nastily) SIR THOMAS: We steal the box. They’ll never know what’s coming. END ACT II CoinOperated Boy 06-27-2004, 04:27 PM #4 Posts: n/a -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACT III INT. The Main Office in the Apartement CLAUDIA: Aren’t big dangerous things supposed to have ominous names? I mean “the box”. Doesn’t exactly strike fear in my heart. OZ: The name's Chinese, tough to pronounce. CLAUDIA: (sly smile) I'm sure I'll get my lips around it... BUFFY: Chinese? Then my vote goes with "the box". DAWN: What exactly is it? OZ: I’m not sure. I was in Tibet, in the summer. Went to see these monks. XANDER: How come? OZ: Wolf thing. Monks said they'd been guarding this box, but in a time where an apocalypse was as common as a glass of water, they said it needed to be protected. They sensed something happen, power coming from the West, and they knew someone here was powerful enough to protect it. WILLOW: Oh! (Oz turns to Willow) OZ: I'm guessing that was you? The spell? (He looks worried) Powerful stuff. Monks said it...took from them. (Willow gulps slightly. Buffy looks uncomfortable) BUFFY: Didn't they tell you anything more about the box? What's in it? Who might want it? How we protect it? OZ: (shrugs) Monks in Tibet. They've got this whole Zen thing going. Never big on the technical details. They said to bring it here, to The Witch. Though, the most powerful witch I knew was a bit caged. BUFFY: Actually, completely not funny story...Amy isn’t a rat anymore. OZ: Well, I agree about the not being funny part. WILLOW: It gets even not funnier. I tried to end the world. All black hair, vein-y. It wasn’t my best moment. OZ: Well, always thought you looked cute in black. (Kennedy clenches her fists slightly. Uncomfortable laughter) OZ: Anyhow, I figured you guys would point me to the witch. WILLOW: Well, your witch-hunt is over. KENNEDY: (trying to sound businesslike) Do we know what the box is for? OZ: Not being opened. Ever. The monk guys were kinda strict about that. BUFFY: So, where is this Pandora box then? OZ: Yeah, it’s in my van. ANDREW: (tutting) You just left it there? Foolish, very foolish. Who knows what thief may be out there in the night? OZ: (raises an eyebrow at Andrew) I locked it. BUFFY: The box? OZ: Pretty much pre-locked. Locked the van. Couldn’t carry it myself. It took 5 people just to get it in there. It’s gonna be slayer strength. CUT TO EXT. Apartment Building SAMPSON [lifting]: Get the other side. BECK: Are you kidding? SAMPSON: We have ORDERS. BECK: Yeah, but we also have wheels right here. SAMPSON: With no key. BECK: Not a problem. BECK fiddles with the ignition. SAMPSON: You were a thief? BECK: No. But I ate -- well, after torturing -- one last week. Got some useful information along the way. CUT TO INT. Buffy’s Room (Oz hears his van turning on and sits up, shocked.) OZ: The van. (Oz runs out the room, followed by the gang.) CUT TO EXT. Apartment BECK: Get in! Unless you think that Sampson tag is for real. SAMPSON: Huh? BECK: Get IN, idiot! SAMPSON climbs slowly in. BECK: They really have to change the name of these chicks from Slayers to Slackers. (The camera shows the gang at the front steps of Buffy’s apartment.) DAWN: He’s getting away! WILLOW: He got the box. BUFFY: We need to catch them. WILLOW: I could do a locator spell. KENNEDY: Might take too much time. OZ: Well, I can follow their scent. ANDREW: (thrilled) That is so cool! OZ: Do you have wheels? BUFFY: We can fit 7. Dawn, stay here with Andrew okay? DAWN: Call me if you need anything. ANDREW: Why can’t I go? (Dawn grabs Andrew’s arms and marches him up the stairs.) DAWN: Because you'll just get in the way. Or killed. Or both. GILES: I’ll go get the van. (Giles and Claudia run off to the van.) OZ: Their scent's going cold. I gotta start moving. Catch up with me. (Oz morphs into the wolf and starts running down the road. The gang is in shock.) KENNEDY: What! BUFFY: Ok. New. (Willow stares after OZ for a moment. Then she smiles) GILES: Getinthebackofthevan! (he smirks) BUFFY: Huh? CLAUDIA: Don't mind him. Withnail here still hasn't got over the 70s (Glare from Giles) GILES: Withnail was shot in the 80s. Now shut up and drive. XANDER: Follow that wolf! CUT TO INT. Warehouse (Sir Thomas is seen standing in the middle of a platform. There is a group of vampires standing below him.) SIR THOMAS: (impatient) Punctuality. Schedule. These are vital parts of any successful seizure of power. VAMPIRE#1: They'll be here soon my lord! SIR THOMAS: If Beck remembered to set his sun-dial. {beat} Laugh, toady. TOADY VAMP begins to fake laugh. SIR THOMAS: [wearily waves him off]: Forget it. SAMPSON plodding burrts through the door. SAMPSON: Sir. We have the box! SIR THOMAS: WHERE!? SAMPSON: Oh. The van. SIR THOMAS: Then fetch. SAMPSON: I think we need -- SIR THOMAS snaps his fingers and gestures toward the door. SIR THOMAS: You heard him, GO!! A group of VAMPS run out. BECK runs in. BECK: We've got it! BECK struts up toward SIR THOMAS. SIR THOMAS: "We"? SIR THOMAS kicks him back down the steps. SIR THOMAS: THEY have the box. YOU -- SIR THOMAS picks up a small crossbow intending to dust BECK. CHARLES: Possibly premature my lord. SIR THOMAS: Long overdue -- oh bugger. CUT TO EXT. Street (The gang is seen driving down the road, Oz is out of sight.) KENNEDY: (impressed) Boy’s fast. CLAUDIA: I hope we can track him. (The camera rushes past the buildings and much farther ahead we see Oz running down the road. He passes a couple streets, makes a few turns and stops suddenly. He looks at the warehouse, and stops. His van is parked up, he bounds over to the door. We cut to a moment later, and see a human hand open it up and reach inside, rummaging around. Oz pulls out a sorry looking pair of tracksuit pants and puts them on) OZ: All right pants. It’s just you and me now. CUT BACK TO SCOOBY VAN GILES: There he is. He’s just up the road a bit. XANDER: He's....topless. CLAUDIA: And rather yummy! (Buffy glances towards Willow) (The van pulls up to Oz, and all get out.) BUFFY: This is the place? OZ: Yeah. BUFFY: All right, put on your game faces guys. Though, it's our first year with no vamps on the team. XANDER: I'm game! CUT TO INT. Warehouse CHARLES: We have what we need, my lord. Discipline can be reserved. SIR THOMAS: Beck! BECK: Yes, Sir Thomas! SIR THOMAS: Guard the door! BECK: I obey, lord! BECK opens the door. CHARLES: Guard, not -- BECK dusts as a thrown stake goes through him. SIR THOMAS: Incompetence is its own reward. BUFFY: I can't disagree with that. SIR THOMAS and CHARLES turn to see BUFFY by the box. KENNEDY and CLAUDIA approach through the door. BUFFY: You medieval types, always grabby with the boxes. SIR THOMAS: Marauding, collecting, -- the old habits are the hard ones to let go of. BUFFY: How about we collect you in an ash tray? WILLOW: Do we really need the repartee, Buffy? XANDER: (confused) Are we gonna keep-answering questions with questions? SIR THOMAS [generally]: Why don't you all just take seats and continue to bait each other? The box is here. SIR THOMAS approaches BUFFY, who prepares to take him out. SIR THOMAS: And so, my twice-dead Slayer, are you. Third time's the charm, they say. KENNEDY: Right, because we’ve never been threatened by a vampire before. SIR THOMAS: The lowest form of wit young lady. I think he dies for your rudeness. THREE VAMPS grab BUFFY A couple vampires grab Buffy by the arms and PUSH her against the wall. Sir Thomas jumps down a level as he sees Claudia and the gang going towards the vamps. Sir Thomas grabs Xander by the throat. SIR THOMAS: Ah-ah, now. Stop, or I snap Young Master Weakest Link here. WILLOW: You're wrong, he's not our -- SIR THOMAS: This isn't the time to save his manly dignity, girl. And no spells! That incense-and-sulfur-ozone smell is a dead giveaway, and so will the boy if you die. WILLOW: Yeah, well -- that sentence was ungrammatical! SIR THOMAS and gets ready to bite Xander’s neck. XANDER shuts his eyes, pulls out HEFTY but portable WIRE CUTTERS and smashes SIR THOMAS in the gut. XANDER: Weakest Link? Well, Weakest Link just -- SIR THOMAS jumps forward into Claudia, and knocks her onto the ground. XANDER [exasperated]: Let me finish the pun! CLAUDIA kicks behind her, and sends SIR THOMAS flying over her shoulder. CLAUDIA: Maybe next time! SIR THOMAS gets up quickly and starts running up some stairs with Claudia following. SIR THOMAS [calling out]: Are all the vampires here ASLEEP?!! HELP, idiots! (From out of a doorway, five more vampires come running out of a room and go for the gang.) GILES: Need assistance? BUFFY: (knocks over the two vamps who are holding onto her) I’m good. (she looks over to Claudia) Claudia, go help the others. (Buffy runs up the stairs and Claudia runs back down. On the next level, Sir Thomas goes in for multiple punches, but Buffy ducks and blocks every one of them. Buffy spins around and kicks Sir Thomas, sending him flying across. Xander climbs up the stairs to go aid Buffy.) BUFFY: Xander! Stake! CUT TO Willow and Giles (Willow and Giles run around to the other side of the room, where they see Charlie chanting in the corner.) WILLOW: You got a stake? GILES: (pulls out a pair from his pocket) Two. WILLOW: Why do you have two? (Clears her head) Sorry. Irrelevant. Let’s get him. (Giles and Willow charge.) CUT TO Claudia and Kennedy (Two vamps come running towards Kennedy, but Claudia sneaks up behind one, and grabs him by the collar. Claudia whips him around her back and throws him into a metal beam. Kennedy fends off the other two vampires, and Claudia takes out the one near the beam. Claudia wears a primal smirk, clearly in her element.) KENNEDY: Ak! CLAUDIA: Are you alright? (Kennedy throws punches and kicks to fend the two off.) KENNEDY: As rain. (Claudia uppercuts the vampire, and swipes out a stake from her pocket, and passes it to Kennedy. The two vampires have her surrounded.) CUT TO Oz (The other two vampires go for Oz who is directly under the layer of
Buffy. CUT TO Buffy and Sir Thomas (Xander runs up to Sir Thomas and jumps on his back, distracting him, until Sir Thomas flips him over. Xander is on the ground, but passes Buffy the stake.) (Buffy flips upward, and attacks Sir Thomas once more.) CUT TO Willow and Giles (Charlie turns around and notices the two. When he sees them he pulls out a sword. Willow and Giles hesitate.) CHARLIE: You don’t think I’m prepared to use this? Well let me tell you something, you’re not getting out of here alive. (From the top level, Xander is looking down at them.) XANDER: Oh yeah, well you know what? (The three look up at him.) XANDER: You're not getting out of here un-dead! (Xander throws a stake down to Willow who stops it in mid air with a wave of her hand. Charlie looks at it confused and then Willow slams it into Charlie with a wave of her hand turning him to dust.) CUT TO Claudia and Kennedy (Kennedy stakes one of them, but the other jumps on her back and takes a small bite in her neck. Kennedy screams. Claudia quickly kicks and stakes the vamp near the beam, and runs over to help Kennedy. She stakes the vamp in the back, but Kennedy falls to the ground.) CLAUDIA: Oh this is not good. END ACT III CoinOperated Boy 06-27-2004, 04:28 PM #5 Posts: n/a -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ACT IV CUT TO Buffy (Buffy continues to fight Sir Thomas.) CLAUDIA: Buffy!! (Buffy looks up, broken from thought and looks down and sees Claudia. When she turns around, Sir Thomas is nowhere to be seen. The box is gone too.) GILES: Where is he? BUFFY: He ran away. (She runs down the stairs) GILES: Posh coward! BUFFY: And he got the box. (The gang is all huddled around Kennedy lying on the ground.) WILLOW: We need to get her some help. BUFFY: Oh my god. (Her face changes from anxious to nervous) How bad is it? GILES: It’s not deep. Still, we need to get her home. CLAUDIA: But what about that vamp? BUFFY: Later. CUT TO School (Next Day) (They are in the Main Office, Buffy is standing in her office, and Oz is standing in there too.) BUFFY: You’re room is all set. We set up the new class, and we’ve already got about 16 kids who were interested. OZ: That’s great. (Giles steps into the main office.) GILES: So, ready for your first teacherly ordeal? Meditation 101? OZ: I’m strangely excited. BUFFY: Go get meditate-y! Good to have you on the team. OZ: Yeah. Glad to be here. CUT TO EXT Roof of Building (It was that night. Willow and Kennedy are standing near the edge. Kennedy has a bandage on her neck.) (It was that night. Willow and Kennedy are standing near the edge. Kennedy has a bandage on her neck.) WILLOW: How’s your neck doing? (beat) Wait, where's your bandage? LENORE pads from between KENNEDY's legs. KENNEDY: Mysticat's special energy therapy. Way better than a bandage. Kind of sexy too. WILLOW half-smiles, but she's uncomfortable. WILLOW: (curious, almost anticipating unhappiness) How are you otherwise? KENNEDY: Royally pissed with myself for the rookie pooch-screw. Not a fatal one. Always look on the bright side. WILLOW: Let me see, WILLOW touches the wound. WILLOW: I kind of feel responsible. KENNEDY: (confused) What? Why? WILLOW: Oz . . . coming in like that. It had to throw you. KENNEDY: What? Life and death face-to-face with vamps, and I'm worrying about my girlfriend's exes? WILLOW: Maybe not right at that moment. But ex-boyfriend is ...different. And there are only two exes. KENNEDY: Three. Counting Xander. You had the thing with him, right? I see him every day. WILLOW: Oh. Yeah. KENNEDY: Now whose memory's bad? WILLOW: But ... you weren't even ...curious. KENNEDY: Curiosity killed the cat. No offense, Lenore. WILLOW: Maybe that's why they haven't taken over the world... KENNEDY and WILLOW laugh. WILLOW: (continuing_ -- But sometimes ...you don't seem curious. About me. My life. KENNEDY: Why? Because I don't ask for explanations? WILLOW: Xander said there's a lot of me to explain. KENNEDY: Not to me there isn't. (beat) I love listening to your explanations about things. You're so ...in LOVE with the way everything works. WILLOW: The geek lives on. KENNEDY [emphatic] No! It makes you -- It makes you beautiful. WILLOW: [gulping] Run that by me again --? KENNEDY: My turn for a story then. The day Giles brought us to the house. Everyone was stressed out, ragged. You too. But then Giles took you aside to talk about -- I had no idea what -- you were so intense, and Giles was LISTENING. Not telling -- listening. I nearly dropped on the floor -- hearing you. Seeing you. WILLOW: You ...never told me before. KENNEDY: And I thought, "How do I get someone that smart and that gorgeous to notice me?" So I came up with the lame-o excuses why you had to let me share a bed. WILLOW: Sorta floored me. KENNEDY: I nearly fainted when you didn't tell me to go to hell. Or at least make me sleep downstairs. (beat) So ... You don't have to explain you. 'Kay? It's not because I don't care. You don't have to justify anything. Not Oz. Not world-destroying. Not Xander's Snoopy-dance, which I'm dying to see. WILLOW smiles, knowingly. CUT TO INT. UNKNOWN ROOM ETHAN is standing on a platform in front of a group of girls. The French girl, Marie, is in the front row, looking nervous but excited. ETHAN: I'm the sole survivor of an ancient mystical council. The Watcher's Council. In the past, there was one slayer every generation, and each slayer was protected and taught by her watcher. But one girl changed all that. She wanted more. More power, more everything. So she used magic to make herself an army. She destroyed the council. This girl, Buffy Summers, and her people, cannot be let to go unchecked. She has friends in high, dark places. She did this to you. I can protect you from their eyes, so long as you stay close to me. But protecting you...I can't do that forever. You have to do it for yourselves. Only you can stop these people. You have the power. Are you ready to use it? Are you ready...to be strong? A murmur spreads through the group of girls, turning to a cheering roar. THE END (titles etc)
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