NEOMORPH KNIGHTS #2

"Circumstance, Part II"

"We wrote the story!" - Scott and Brian
"I drew the pictures!" - DJ
"I said things! Interesting things!" - George

PAGE 1

PANEL 1: (A nice townhouse in a posh residential area of Seawood City, on a bright, shiny, Super-Terrific day)
	CAPTION: Seawood City...

PANEL 2: (ABBEY's room. Shot of OASH and ABBEY sitting on the bed, crosslegged, facing each other. EMORY is sprawled at the head of the bed. ABBEY's room is very cluttered - notes of paper pinned haphazardly about the wall. Books on the floor. A computer with a stuffed monkey on the monitor. Posters of the Townies.  OASH has the ring in her hand and is staring at it.)
	OASH: So... what do we do?  I mean, sure, he said we're supposed to save the world... but what the hell does that mean?  How do you save the world?  What do you... do?
	ABBEY: I don't know if we should do anything.  At all.  We don't know this Thoth guy whatsoever.
	OASH: Are you saying we can't trust him?

PANEL 3: (Close on ABBEY)
	ABBEY: I'm saying I don't know if we can.  The jury is still out.  I think there's a lot he needs to tell us.  How can we know if he's telling the truth?

PANEL 4: (Shot of EMORY lying on the bed, sort of sneering)
	EMORY: Well... he did give us these rings.  And they... you know... work.  They do stuff, alright.

PANEL 5: (OASH, holding the ring six inches from her face)
	OASH: I don't know.  These rings shouldn't... I mean... it's a ring.  I should be able to just wear this on my finger and make it look cute.  I should be able to... man, propose to Emory with this thing if I want to.

CREDITS
"Good Company"

"We wrote the story!" - Scott and Brian
"I drew the pictures!" - DJ
"I said things! Interesting things!" - George

PAGE 2

PANEL 1: (Shot of ABBEY looking thoughtful)
	ABBEY: Hm... well.  They do work.  Which suggests -

PANEL 2: (EMORY has sprung forward, looking agitated, clutching a pillow)
	EMORY: You are dang right they work!  I mean... geez!  You cannot imagine how weird that was!  

PANEL 3: (OASH and EMORY, still clutching a pillow, are facing each other)
	OASH: Emory, calm down.  We're working on it.
	EMORY: I will not calm down!  This is really weird!  I will not -

PANEL 4: (ABBEY and EMORY)
	ABBEY: Emory, calm down... please?
	EMORY: I, uh... yeah.

PANEL 5: (ABBEY huggling EMORY)
	ABBEY: Emory, don't worry, we'll... figure it out.

PANEL 6: (EMORY sits, his pillow gathered to his stomach; ABBEY and OASH are still sitting across from each other)
	ABBEY: As I was saying.  The rings do work, which suggests that there's a lot we didn't think could happen before... that for all we know, can.  Emory has... ably demonstrated so much.
	EMORY: ...Yeah...

PANEL 7: (EMORY looking concerned)
	EMORY: Forget about this nature of the universe stuff.  What if I don't... wanna be a girl?

PAGE 3

PANEL 1: (OASH and ABBEY)
	OASH: Well, Emory, I think there are bigger things at stake here.
	ABBEY: Waitaminit.  Says who?
	OASH: Thoth.

PANEL 2: (EMORY)
	EMORY: Yeah, we can't tell for sure yet.  I think right now the best thing we can do is meet with -

PANEL 3: (Big blue flash, THOTH go boom)
	EMORY: (off-panel) ...Thoth.
	THOTH: You rang?

PANEL 4: (Close on ABBEY, suddenly in front of THOTH)
	ABBEY: You've got some stuff to explain, "Thoth".
	THOTH: Um...

PANEL 5: (OASH, now standing, pointing at THOTH, profile shot, up close to THOTH, with EMORY in background; THOTH is startled)
	OASH: You come out of the blue last night, give us these messed-up power rings, screw with my good friend's head over there, tell us we've got to save the world, and don't tell us jack about what we're doing!  So now you give us some answers.

PANEL 6: (THOTH appearing conciliatory, raising his hands as if to say "hold up")
	THOTH: I guess I deserve that. I did sort of show up and expect a lot from you. You're absolutely right. If I expect you to save the world...you have to know...

PANEL 7: (Extreme closeup. A band of light stretches across THOTH's eyes horizontally. Dramatic shot.)
	THOTH: ...the whole story. 

PAGE 4

PANEL 1: (A large crowd of people. Egyptian gods and humans living side by side)
	CAPTION: Thousands of years ago, there were the Neteru. We were often thought to be gods, most especially by the Egyptians, by whom we were worshipped. We were strong, numerous, and peopled the Earth along with ancient Man.

PANEL 2: (A temple of sorts, with priestesses attending to the Rings, which sit glowing on a jeweled altar.)
	CAPTION: We lived together in peace, and your rings maintained it.

PANEL 3: (The BEAR, wearing the robes of the day, looking nefarious, devious, and whatnot.)
	CAPTION: One day, though, a rebellious young Neter whom we will only refer to as 'the Bear' sought power, found that the harmony of this earth was his only obstacle...

PANEL 4: (A wraith-like BEAR huddled over the horizon, cackling, as a city burns beneath him)
	CAPTION: ...and so, he sought to destroy it.

PANEL 5: (Two armies meeting in the field of battle, armies of both Men and Neteru)
	CAPTION: He gathered to himself armies of Men, Gods, and their beasts. The Great King Ausar commissioned an army of his own. 

PANEL 6: (Scene is of a massacre; worms eye view of a dark soldier of the Bear is standing over a fallen soldier of Ausar, bladed staff ready to strike a killing blow)
	CAPTION: We fought; we fought well, but not well enough. We couldn't overcome the Bear. 

PAGE 5

PANEL 1: (A battlefield littered with bodies)
	CAPTION: Millions fell. 

PANEL 2: (King AUSAR and THOTH sitting over maps and charts, looking thoughtful)
	CAPTION: King Ausar and myself devised a plan. We could not use the rings ourselves; however, humans could. 

PANEL 3: (Three Warrioresses in neomorph costumes, bearing the rings. They should look vaguely semitic.)
	CAPTION: So we took three noble women who survived that first battle, and granted them the rings, which, being of a feminine nature, were not suited for men.

PANEL 4: (The ancient Neomorphs battling with the Bear)
	CAPTION: While those three held off the Bear...

PANEL 5: (AUSAR holding a scepter crowned with a radiant ankh, looking curiously at it)
	CAPTION: ...Ausar forged a scepter crowned with an Ankh, within which rested the enduring hopes of a threatened world. 

PANEL 6: (The Ancient Neomorphs lie slain)
	CAPTION: But those three warriors, being mortal, fell to the might of the Bear, while severely weakening him. 

PAGE 6

PANEL 1: (AUSAR stands before the BEAR, who is dwarfing him; however, the BEAR is haggard, tired. AUSAR wields the Ankh)
	CAPTION: Ausar alone stood before the Bear. He raised his staff...

PANEL 2: (The BEAR has collapsed; AUSAR stands alone.)
	CAPTION: ...and the Bear fell. And that was it. 

PANEL 3: (Back in ABBEY's room, THOTH is sitting backwards on a swivel chair, as ABBEY, OASH, and EMORY listen, enraptured)
	THOTH: Ausar and I devised a prison for him. He has escaped. The hopes of humanity, it seems, have diminished. 
	EMORY: Whoa. It's all...in my head. It's like I was there.
	ABBEY: Like a memory.
	OASH: Trippy.

PANEL 4: (THOTH clapping his hands together)
	THOTH: So, now you see why we need you. Trust me now?

PANEL 5: (OASH nods, and answers for all of them)
	OASH: Yeah...I think we do. I think, yeah. 

PANEL 6: (THOTH shoots upright, looking at his wrist as though there were a watch there, which there isnt.)
	THOTH: Excellent! Now that that has been taken care of, I really must be getting to Majorca. I've an appointment there I simply cannot miss. Play around with your rings, if you wish. Neomorph Change and all that. Toodles!

PANEL 7: (Poof! Little puff of smoke where THOTH stood in the last panel)
	SOUND EFFECT: Poof!

PAGE 7

PANEL 1: (EMORY in foreground, puzzled, looking over at ABBEY, who has stood up)
	EMORY: Majorca? In Spain? 
	ABBEY: He must be kidding.

PANEL 2: (OASH and ABBEY)
	OASH: Well, I guess we can trust him now.  So... let's put these rings to some use.
	ABBEY: Um.  My mom is downstairs.  I don't think she'd respond well to -
	SOUND EFFECT: Knock knock knock!

PANEL 3: (ABBEY's mom with a huge smile standing in doorway, door flung wide open)
	MRS. ROTH: Abbey, honey?  I need to run to the bank.  I shouldn't be more than an hour.  Just put your laundry in front of the machine.  Oh, and I left some rice cakes and peanut butter downstairs by the TV, in case you kids are hungry.

PANEL 4: (Sound effect, door closing)
	ABBEY: (off-panel) Yeah, mom.
	OASH: (also off-panel) Well, guess that takes care of your mom being downstairs...

PANEL 5: (ABBEY, looking at her ring, with EMORY off to the side, looking uncertain)
	ABBEY: So... shall we?
	EMORY: I really don't want to...

PANEL 6: (OASH, also holding her ring)
	OASH: Just do it, Emory...

PAGE 8

PANEL 1: (Half-page panel, a busy cafe in Majorca. The BEAR is sitting at a table, sipping a cup of coffee, just as THOTH, now in a nice suit, hands in pockets, walks up)
	CAPTION: Majorca...
	BEAR: You're late. I knew you'd get here eventually.
	THOTH: I had no choice. How long have you been here?
	BEAR: About...six months. I expected you in three.
	THOTH: There were difficulties, to be sure. We had immense trouble tracking you.
	BEAR: That was the idea, my friend. Sit, sit.
	THOTH: You no longer have the right to call me 'friend.'

PANEL 2: (The BEAR, looking up, feigning a hurt look)
	BEAR: What? Are our childhood romps all forgotten? The mischevious pranks on Ptah, Aten, and Set? For nothing?

PANEL 3: (THOTH, now sitting, angry, but controlled)
	THOTH: We cannot forgive you for what you did.

PANEL 4: (The BEAR, biting his lip, eyes closed)
	BEAR: Thoth, you hurt me, you know that?

PANEL 5: (profile shot - the BEAR and THOTH staring each other down. THOTH looking firm)
	THOTH: I would kill you right now if I could.
	BEAR: As I would you. I wouldn't have it any other way.

PANEL 6: (The BEAR is sipping a cup of coffee, looking over at THOTH, who is off-panel)
	THOTH: I've been sent to give you one last shot. Just one more chance to come back. To surrender. Otherwise, we will, I swear it, take you the hard way.
	BEAR: Surely you jest! You cannot touch me, Thoth. And you know it. 

PANEL 7: (THOTH, standing up, having trouble holding back his rage)
	THOTH: You're absolutely right. But I will. I will be able to. Mark that, sir, and know that someday, we'll come for you again.

PAGE 9

PANEL 1-5: (OASH and ABBEY, alternating, one per panel, in various dramatic poses, OASH's being more aggressive than ABBEY's. Instead of a background, there are crazy anime action lines.)

PANEL 6: (EMILY, standing in front of the closet, clutching her elbows, looking really, really uncomfortable.)

PANEL 7: (OASH, looking over her shoulder, mid-pose)
	OASH: Emory... whassamatta?

PAGE 10

PANEL 1: (EMILY shooting an angry look at OASH [who is off-panel], still clutching her elbows uncertainly)
	EMILY: What do you think is the matter?...look at me!

PANEL 2: (ABBEY and EMILY, ABBEY's hand on EMILY's shoulder - there's a closeness there, but now a distance, too.)
	ABBEY: I know how--alright, so maybe I don't know, but I empathize.  It's tough, but we've got to keep at it.  You know what's at stake now.  The world.  Humanity.
	EMILY: I know, but, Abbey...

PANEL 3: (EMILY, looking down a bit, eyes closed.)
	EMILY: This is insane...I know I shouldn't care, I know I should be ready to take on this sacrifice. But I don't know if I can.

PANEL 4: (OASH is sitting on the bed, legs together, her hands clutching the edge of the mattress. She's looking slightly to the side, toward an off-panel EMILY.)
	OASH: The best you can do right now, I think, is run with it. Try to have fun. 

PANEL 5: (EMILY makes a nervous half-pose thing - something sailor moon-esque, but shakily so)
	EMILY: Um... here we go. How's thi-

PANEL 6: (OASH has thrown her whole body back and in laughter, while ABBEY claps with a big stupid smile)
	ABBEY: Yeah, you got it! Mostrocking!

PANEL 7: (Wide angle shot, bottom of the page, showing all three girls going into the cover's Charlie's Angels pose)

PAGE 11

PANEL 1: (The NAVIGATOR, fiddling with a yellow rose as he walks down a busy street, downtown Seawood.  There appear to be venders with their stands in the background, off to the sides, vaguely drawn.)

PANEL 2: (Side shot of the NAVIGATOR walking down the street, in front of a window with Bistro written on it in red lettering [it's a friggin' restaurant].  A few people passing idly between him and the building.  The NAVIGATOR is staring down at the rose.)

PANEL 3: (Same angle, different shot, door of the Bistro restaurant.  The BEAR is standing in the doorway.  The NAVIGATOR has turned his head slightly, and is looking at the BEAR.)
	BEAR:  I have need of you.
	NAVIGATOR: I am at your service, my lord.

PANEL 4: (They are now walking together. The NAVIGATOR has one hand slipped casually into his pocket; the other is still idly twirling the rose.  The BEAR is gesturing with one hand for emphasis as he talks.)
	BEAR: Ausar and company have found me. This is...regrettable. You know I am not yet at full power. You also know the solution: more lives. 
	NAVIGATOR: Indeed, my lord. What do you have in mind?

PANEL 5: (The BEAR, looking thoughtful, closeup.)
	BEAR: I think...I will leave that to you. You have excellent taste; I need something to serve as a distraction while I make my selection.

PANEL 6: (NAVIGATOR has a wry grin)
	NAVIGATOR: A poodle, then?

PANEL 7: (The BEAR patting the NAVIGATOR on the back, laughing, as they continue down the street)
	BEAR: That's what I like about you. You never lost your sense of humor. 

PAGE 12

PANEL 1: (Similar shot from an angle.  The BEAR has disappeared, and there's a little ball of light in the place where the BEAR was; he has obviously teleported away.  The NAVIGATOR is already a little ahead of the BEAR, er, the ball of light, and does not look back at it.)
	NAVIGATOR: (whisper) I know just the girl...

PANEL 2: (Distance shot. The NAVIGATOR has stopped at a small ice cream stand. He is apparantly ordering a cone. The street is mildly busy, people walking by, and the like. Saturday, early afternoon level of clogging.)
	NAVIGATOR: Vanilla. Sprinkles. 

PANEL 3: (Profile shot: the NAVIGATOR is standing on the curb, slowly licking the ice cream off the cone. He looks very relaxed, casual, not at all uncomfortable in that heavy black suit. He genuinely appears to be enjoying himself, which is correct.)

PANEL 4: (Same shot. I'm just going to copy and paste panel 3 onto panel 4 on photoshop, adding a large flash of light. Don't worry about this panel outside of leaving enough room for it.)

PANEL 5: (Front shot this time. The NAVIGATOR is still eating a now-diminished ice-cream cone. Standing next to him, now, is the WEAPON, a tall, attractive woman, obviously an athlete. She is wearing a shiny leather jacket, sunglasses, shiny red pants, and a black top. Spaghetti straps. Hair: medium length and black with a few cherry red streaks [I think she really digs this whole red and black thing] and bangs like Quistis' from Final Fantasy 8.)
	WEAPON: Yes?

PANEL 6: (The two are still standing together, similar shot to above, but now, the WEAPON is getting increasingly irritated as the NAVIGATOR continues to do nothing more than eat his ice cream.)

PANEL 7: (Close up face shot on a very irritated WEAPON. She looks very, very pissed off.)
	WEAPON: Did you need something?
	NAV (Off-panel): In a minute.
	WEAPON: Because, ya know, I coulda sworn I was just summoned here...

PAGE 13

PANEL 1: (Face shot on NAVIGATOR shoving the cone into his mouth, cheeks all puffy...)
	NAV: Alright then.  Yes, yes, calm down, Weapon, I did call you...

PANEL 2: (Profile of WEAPON and NAVIGATOR at slight angle towards the WEAPON.)
	WEAPON: Now why on earth did you wake me up?
	NAV: *sigh* Obviously, because I was told to. The Bear, of course.

PANEL 3: (Face-shot: The WEAPON looking a bit startled. She was unaware that the Bear had escaped)
	WEAPON: But he's back in -
	NAV (off-panel): Not anymore.
	WEAPON: He got out?

PANEL 4: (The NAVIGATOR is looking almost triumphant as he explains.)
	NAV: Indeed. He's been out for six months. Unforunately, Ausar seems to have also found out.

PANEL 5: (The WEAPON looks thoughtful, as she comprehends the gravity of this new situation. The NAVIGATOR stands across from her, again toying with the red rose.)
	WEAPON: So then....Thoth is out looking?
	NAVIGATOR: Thoth is not looking, actually. Thoth has found. 
	
PANEL 6: (The WEAPON has a large, ecstatic, evil grin.)
	WEAPON: Which means I need to deal with him. 
	NAVIGATOR (off-panel): Right.
	WEAPON: I like this. I've been waiting eons to get back at him. 

PANEL 7: (Silhouette of the two of them parting, walking in opposite directions.)

PAGE 14

PANEL 1: (A grim and gritty rooftop, where THOTH and HATHOR are having a meeting. HATHOR is an attractive woman wearing a brown jacket and low cut jeans, her hair up in a ponytail. Both of them are wearing sunglasses. They are standing near each other, THOTH at a slight angle, his back beginning to face us. The wind is blowing.)
	HATHOR: There was a male?
	THOTH: Yes. I was quite surprised by it myself, I have to say. When I gave him the ring -
	HATHOR: You what?

PANEL 2: (similar show, but now closeup. HATHOR is running a hand over her head.)
	THOTH: What? I gave him the ring. Don't look at me like that, Hathor. Ausar told me to give them the rings. They were the only ones I could choose.
	HATHOR: Right, right. Poor guy; how'd he take it? He must have been panicking.
	THOTH: You don't know the half of it.

PANEL 3: (THOTH, eyes closed, laughing a little bit. Face shot.)
	THOTH: I smoothed things over. A little twist calmed him right down. Emory'll be fine for now, and when it wears off, he should be over it.

PANEL 4: (HATHOR is biting her lower lip, looking very concerned; profile shot.)
	HATHOR: Right, right. But this isn't....isn't the way it was supposed to go. Not at all. This...Emory...is an unaccounted variable. What will Auser -

PANEL 5: (THOTH is looking up into the sky, irritated beyond all belief at the mention of Auser. It has started to rain.)
	THOTH: GAAAH! Don't mention Auser's restrictions, Auser's rules! This is the same Auser...

PANEL 6: (THOTH's head is down, but his eyes are looking up. The rain has gotten harder.)
	THOTH: Hathor, I...

PANEL 7: (HATHOR is holding her jacket closed at the neck; its getting cold. Her face has fallen.)
	HATHOR: Thoth, you know we can't. It could make things difficult.

PAGE 15

PANEL 1: (Bird's eye view of HATHOR and THOTH on the rooftop; the wind has picked up considerably.)
	HATHOR: I..
	THOTH: Yeah, I know. Catch you later.

PANEL 2: (Same shot, minus HATHOR)

PANEL 3: (THOTH is looking down again. In the distance, there is a female shadow standing on another rooftop.)

PANEL 4: (HALF PAGE SPREAD - THOTH is looking up in shock at a pouncing WEAPON, weaponless but energized. She is in a kicking position, her elbow in the air, a knife in hand, with action lines all about)

PAGE 16

PANEL 1: (THOTH, crouching, a few feet away, has done a backflip to avoid the attack of the WEAPON, who is on the edge of the frame)
	THOTH: You!

PANEL 2: (Close up on the WEAPON's face, a darkly-satisfied grin on her face.)
	WEAPON: The first of many, an army you will not live to see!

PANEL 3: (Time-lapse of the WEAPON running, diving, rolling, and coming out into a pounce on THOTH, who fails to escape.)
	THOTH: Ugh!

PANEL 4: (Profile of THOTH struggling to get the WEAPON off of him, as she struggles to bring the knife to his neck.)
	THOTH: You..cannot..possibly think you will beat us...
	WEAPON: Not alone...

PANEL 5: (THOTH manages to kick her off, and she goes flying away.)

PANEL 6: (THOTH runs and jumps to another rooftop, with the WEAPON in close pursuit.)
	CAPTION: To be continued...