The Puppet Show
In every generation there is a Chosen One. She alone will stand
against
the vampires, the demons and the forces of darkness. She is the
Slayer.
Backstage in the
stretching exercises. The camera shows her from the demon's
point of
view as he observes her from low to the floor.
Demon: (exhales) I will be whole. I will be new. (exhales)
The camera moves through the backstage area. A number of
students are
practicing their acts. Among them are Lisa playing her tuba and
Marc
rehearsing his magic act. The camera eventually reaches Morgan
and his
dummy, Sid. Morgan rubs his temples a moment and then looks
around. Cut
to the stage. Cordelia is singing "The Greatest Love of
All" off key.
Cordelia: Learning to love yourself is the greatest love of all.
I
decided long ago...
Cut to Giles in the seats. He does *not* want to be there.
Cordelia: ...never to walk in anyone's shadow. (cut to Cordelia)
If I
fail, if I succeed, at least...
Giles: (interrupts) Thank you, Cordelia. Tha-that's going to be
lovely.
Cordelia: But I didn't do the part with the sparklers!
Giles: Um, w-we'll, um... save that for the dress rehearsal.
(anxious
to get rid of her) Uh, Lisa! Please!
Cordelia: Uhhh!
She puts the microphone back on its stand and leaves the stage
as Lisa
sets up with her tuba. Cut back to Giles as Lisa begins her
solo. He
rubs his eyes. Buffy,
Buffy: (draws a breath) If it isn't the great producer!
They go into the seats and sit around Giles.
Xander: Had to see this to believe it.
Giles: Oh. You three.
Buffy: The school talent show. How ever did you finagle such a
primo
assignment?
Giles: Our new Führer, Mr. Snyder.
Giles: Mm. He thought it would behoove me to have more contact
with the
students. I did try to explain that my vocational choice of
librarian
was a deliberate attempt to (draws a breath) minimize said contact,
but,
uh, he would have none of it.
Buffy: Giles, unto every generation is born one who must run the
annual
talentless show. You cannot escape your destiny.
Giles: If you had any shred of decency, you would have
participated, or
at least, um, helped.
Buffy: Nah! I think I'll take on your traditional role... and
watch!
Xander: And mock!
They all laugh.
Buffy: O-kay. I think maybe we better leave our Mr. Giles to
this
business he calls a show.
The three of them get up and start back up the aisle. Principal
Snyder
is waiting there for them.
Buffy: Principal Snyder!
Snyder: So. We think school events are stupid, and we think
authority
figures are to be made fun of.
Buffy: No! No, we don't. W-unless you do.
Snyder: And we think our afternoon classes are optional. All
three of
you left campus yesterday.
Buffy: Yeah, but we were fighting a demon...
Snyder: Fighting?
Buffy: Not fighting.
Xander: No, we, uh, left to *avoid* fighting.
Snyder: Real anti-social types. You need to integrate into this
school,
people. (crosses his arms) I think I just found three eager new
participants for the talent show.
Buffy: What?
Xander: No!
Willow: Please?
Snyder: I've been watching you three. Always getting into one
scrape or
another.
Buffy: Well, we're really, really sorry, but about the talent
show,
pleeease, you can't make us...
Snyder: (interrupts) My predecessor, Mr. Flutie, may have gone
in for
all that touchy-feely relating nonsense, but he was eaten.
You're in
*my* world now. And Sunnydale has touched and felt for the last
time.
He starts past them down toward the stage.
Xander: Can I just mention, that detention is a time-honored
form of
punishment?
Buffy nods vigorously in agreement.
Snyder: I know the three of you will come up with a wonderful
act for
the school to watch. And mock. And laugh. At.
He continues down to the stage. Xander can't believe this. He
points up
with both index fingers and sits down in a seat.
Xander: No!
Buffy spaces out and moans. She goes back into Giles' row, sits
next to
him and looks to him for sympathy. He has none to give, and
tries to
hide a smirk. The tuba solo is over.
frown on her face.
Giles: (to Lisa) Thank you!
The next act sets up. It's Morgan with his dummy, Sid.
Buffy: Ewww, dummy!
Xander: (sees a mime and jumps in his seat) Dyow! Mime!
Buffy: Uuuhhh. They give me the wig. Ever since I was little.
Buffy: I saw a dummy. It gave me the wig. There really wasn't a
story
there.
Morgan: (on stage) Hi. I'm Morgan. (moves the dummy's head) And
I'm
Sid!
He is an awful ventriloquist, and Giles winces. Buffy raises her
eyebrows and stares in disbelief.
Morgan: (as Sid) Hey Morgan, would you like to tell some jokes?
(as
himself) Would I! (as Sid) As a matter of fact, it is! It's also
a wood
nose, and a wood mouth!
Buffy looks at Giles. He takes off his glasses.
Morgan: (as Sid) I didn't sleep at all last night.
Sid: Alright, time out. Let's stop this before someone gets
hurt. (to
Morgan) Kid, you are the worst. Even I can see your lips move.
Buffy starts to giggle. Giles looks up again and puts his
glasses back
on, intrigued now that he sees he may have at least one good
act.
Morgan: C'mon, Sid. You're spoiling my act. I worked on these
jokes for
weeks.
Sid: You call those jokes? My jockey shorts are made out of
better
material.
A few students have gathered at the edge of the stage to watch
Morgan's
act and laugh.
Sid: And they're edible!
More laughs from the students. Buffy,
too.
Giles: There, you see? I'm sure you three can come up with
something...
equally exciting.
Sid smiles.
Cut to the girls' locker room. Emily is changing back into her
regular
clothes. She puts her ballet outfit and shoes into her locker
and closes
it. She hears a noise.
Emily: Is anybody there?
She walks to the end of the row of lockers and peeks around the
corner.
Emily: Hello?
She walks around to the next row of lockers. No one's there. The
demon
exhales as it watches her from low to the floor.
Emily: Hello?
She continues down the row toward the showers. The demon comes
up behind
her. Emily turns and screams. Fade to black.
Demon: I will be flesh!
Opening credits roll. Buffy's theme plays.
~~~~~~~~~~ Part 1 ~~~~~~~~~~
The talent show tryouts.
Marc: I reach into the hat, and out... comes...
He lifts the hat and looks around frantically.
Marc: Has anybody seen a rabbit?
He begins to search along the floor. The camera follows Elliot
as he
juggles and walks past Marc toward Lisa, then it follows her for
a few
steps. The camera pulls back to Xander,
dramatic scene. Xander poses with his right arm in the air to
begin his
line.
Xander: I can't do this!
Buffy: Xander, come on.
Xander: I, I can't! I have my pride! Okay, I don't have a lot of
my
pride, but I have enough so that I can't do this!
He goes over to the steps at the side of the stage to sit.
follows him.
show, because it doesn't require an actual talent. (sits above
him)
Xander: But we have talent. We can do stuff. Buffy, uh...
Buffy: (also sitting now) What am I gonna do? Slay vampires on
stage?
Xander:
Buffy: You play?
Buffy: Well, that's cool. You can accompany us and we can
*attempt* to
sing.
Xander: Whatever happened to corporal punishment?
Sid whistles at the girls. Xander, Buffy and
Morgan.
Sid: Mm, mm, mm. Look at the goodies!
Morgan looks embarrassed.
that voice?
Morgan: It's kind of an imitation of my dad.
Buffy: Sounds real!
Sid: It is real. I'm the one with the talent here. The kid's
dead
weight. (to
own, honey?
Xander: Uh, hey!
Sid: You know what they say: once you go wood, nothin's as good!
Buffy: Okay, Morgan. We get the joke. Horny dummy, ha, ha, it's
very
funny, but you might wanna consider getting some new schtick.
Unless you
want your prop ending up as a Duraflame log.
Morgan and Sid exchange a look.
Cut to a view of the seats from above. Principal Snyder and
Giles come
in through the doors at the back of the auditorium. The camera
slowly
pans down to them as they walk down the aisle.
Snyder: Kids today need discipline. That's an unpopular word
these
days, 'discipline'. I know Principal Flutie would have said,
'Kids need
understanding. Kids are human beings.' That's the kind of
woolly-headed,
liberal thinking that leads to being eaten.
Giles: I, I think perhaps it was a little more complex than, um...
Snyder: This place has quite a reputation. Suicide, missing
persons,
spontaneous cheerleader combustion... You can't put up with
that. You've
gotta keep an eye on the bad element.
They reach the stage and stop. The camera has closed in on them.
Snyder
nods up towards the stage.
Snyder: Like those three.
Cut to Buffy,
Snyder.
Snyder: Kids. I don't like them. From now on you're gonna see a
very
different Sunnydale High. Tight ship, clean, orderly, (faces
Giles) and
quiet.
Cut to the girls' locker room. A girl screams loudly when she
discovers
Emily's body.
Cut to later as the paramedics prepare the body for transport.
Giles
comes out of the locker room into the hall. He ducks under the
yellow
police tape and goes over to the team.
Giles: (clears his throat) It was Emily.
Xander: Oh, man! I hate this school.
Giles: Uh, it must have happened just after, uh, dress
rehearsals.
There was a cross-country meet at Melville. She, she, she never
showed
up for it.
Buffy: Vampire?
Giles: Um, I think not.
Buffy: Giles, share! What happened?
Giles: (exhales) Her heart was removed.
Buffy: Does that mean anything to you? Besides (shudders)
ooooooo?
Giles: Uh... (exhales) There are various demons which, which
feed off
human hearts, but...
They look back and see the knife being put into an evidence bag.
Buffy: But demons have claws. And teeth.
Xander: They got no use for a big old knife.
Giles: Which more than likely makes our murderer...
Buffy: Human.
Xander: Did I mention that I *hate* this school?
Willow: So Emily was killed by a regular human person.
Giles: The evidence certainly points that way.
Buffy: No, wait. I-I'm not buying, you guys. Remember the
Hellmouth?
Mystical activity is totally rife here. This to me says demon.
Giles: I'd like to think you're right. A demon is a creature of
evil,
pure and very simple. A person driven to kill is, is, um, it's
more
complex.
Willow: The creep factor is also heightened. It could be anyone.
It
could be me! (gets looks from them all) It's not, though.
Giles: Uh, demon or no, we have some investigating to do. I
suggest we
start with your... your talent show compatriots. One of them may
have
been the last to see her alive.
Cut to the band room. Buffy is interviewing Lisa.
Lisa: I didn't know her too well. There's that whole dancer/band
rivalry, y'know?
Buffy: I've heard about that.
Lisa: But I did speak to her a little the day that... yesterday.
Buffy: How did she seem?
Cut to outside, where Giles is interviewing Marc as he shuffles
a deck
of cards.
Marc: She was happy. I guess. She was psyched to be doing the
show. She
was a really good dancer. Here, pick a card.
Giles: Uh, um... (reaches for a card)
Marc: No, wai-wai-wai-wait. Not that one. Pick this one.
Giles: (takes the card) Do you remember the last time you saw
her?
Marc: She was talkin' to someone.
Giles: Who?
Cut to a classroom. Willow and Elliot come in.
Elliot: That smart guy. The one with the dummy. What's his name?
Willow: Morgan?
Elliot: Yeah, that's it. He was actin' kinda strange.
Willow: Strange how?
Cut outside to cheerleader practice. Xander is talking to
Cordelia.
Cordelia: It's just such a tragedy for me. Emma was, like, my
best
friend.
Xander: Emily.
Cut to the band room.
Lisa: Well, Morgan's just strange. He's always rubbing his head
a lot
and moaning. Especially the other day.
Cut outside.
Marc: He seemed kinda paranoid... Lookin' around at everyone...
Cut to the classroom.
Elliot: And I think I saw him arguing... with his dummy.
Cut outside.
Cordelia: All I can think is, it coulda been me!
Xander: We can dream.
Cut to the auditorium. Buffy comes in through the front side
door. She
looks around and walks over to the stage. She sees Sid on a
stool,
facing the curtain.
Sid: (to Morgan offstage) Right now you and me gotta be on the
lookout.
Figure out who's gonna be next.
Morgan: (comes on stage) How are we supposed to... (sees Buffy)
Oh, hi.
Buffy: Hello.
Morgan: I was just working on throwing my voice. (walks upstage)
Buffy: Uh, Morgan, did you notice anything weird going on around
here
yesterday?
Morgan: (gathers Sid up) Weird? What d'you mean? (goes down the
steps
from the stage)
Buffy: With Emily. Did she say anything to you, was she arguing
with
anyone?
Morgan: (goes over to Sid's case) No. She was dancing. (opens
the case)
Sid and I were talking.
Buffy: Talking.
Morgan: Rehearsing.
Buffy: So, you didn't notice anything weird at...
He holds his hand to his forehead in pain and sits down.
Morgan: Ohhh!
Buffy: Morgan, are you okay?
Sid: Look, sweetheart! He answered your question. Now leave him
alone!
Morgan's pain has subsided, and he looks up at Buffy.
Buffy: Okay, Morgan, how 'bout talking to me yourself now?
Sid: He said all he's gonna say.
Morgan looks nervously between Buffy and Sid. He gets up.
Morgan: It's okay, Sid. We're done. (puts Sid in his case)
Buffy: I'm sorry. Look, I didn't mean to make you mad.
Morgan: No! I'm... (quietly) It's him! (indicates Sid) He's...
(closes
the case) We have to go. (grabs the case and leaves)
Buffy: (taken aback) Cute couple.
Cut to the library. Willow, Buffy and Xander come in.
Xander: Okay, next time we split up someone else is on Cordy
detail.
Five more minutes with her and we woulda had another organ
donor.
Willow: I think I had a bit more luck. Everyone I talked to
seemed to
point their fingers at the same person.
They all come into Giles' office.
Buffy: Morgan?
Willow: Morgan.
Xander: We have a winner!
Giles: I fear I was led to the same conclusion.
Xander: Well, what do we do? We don't slay him, right? We wanna
bring
him to justice.
Willow: We could set up a complex sting operation where we get
him to
confess!
Xander: Uh, I should wear a wire!
Buffy: Whoa, hey, you guys, all we know is that Morgan is a
grade A
large weirdo. That doesn't lead directly to murderer.
Xander: Guy talks to his puppet!
Willow: And for his puppet.
Buffy: Well, yeah, but what about the whole 'it's a demon'
theory?
Giles: I'm looking into that, but, uh, my investigation is
somewhat...
hampered by our life in the theater.
Buffy: Uh, priority check, Giles? (weighs the two with her
hands)
Talent show, murder.
Xander: Yeah, we can't do the talent show, it's unthinkable. I'm
not
able to think it!
Giles: Principal Snyder is watching us all very closely. Now, if
he
chooses, he can make all our lives extremely difficult. A Slayer
cannot
afford that! We will find this murderer, but in the meantime...
the show
must go on.
Buffy: This is so unfair.
Giles: Buffy, you, uh, watch Morgan. Check his locker, see if
there's
anything there.
Willow: Like a heart?
Giles: Or something.
Buffy: Alright.
Willow: I'll pull up his locker number. (goes to the PC)
Xander: Can I still wear a wire?
Cut to the hall after school. Buffy quietly comes through the
doors from
the stairwell, looking around to see if anyone's there. She
passes a
door. It opens, but Buffy doesn't see it, only hears the sound.
Cut to a
shot of her through the door from low to the floor. She twists
around to
look behind her toward the sound, but doesn't realize it was the
door
that's now ajar. She goes back to looking for Morgan's locker
and finds
it. She starts to work the combination.
Buffy: Okay... Two to the left, three to the right...
She looks in both directions again, and then slams her palm into
the
lock. When she takes her hand away there's a clean hole. She
reaches in
with her fingers and undoes the latch. She looks around in the
locker,
and is about to take Sid's case out when Principal Snyder grabs
her hand
from behind, startling her.
Buffy: Principal Snyder!
Snyder: What are you doing?
Buffy: Uh, looking for something.
Snyder: School hours are over. You, therefore, should be gone.
Buffy: And I'm going any minute now. (laughs nervously)
Snyder: There are things I will not tolerate: students loitering
on
campus after school, horrible murders with hearts being removed.
And
also smoking.
Buffy: Well, I don't do any of those things. Not... ever.
Snyder: (suspicious) There's something going on with you. I'll
figure
it out sooner or later. (Buffy smiles) Do you need something
here?
Buffy: Oh! (looks into the locker) Yeah! Right! Um, a friend
wanted me
to get something... out of his case!
She pulls the case partially out of the locker, opens it and is
surprised to find it empty. She quickly closes it and looks at
Snyder.
Buffy: He must've taken it and just forgotten to tell me.
Snyder: Mm-hmm.
Morgan and Sid see what's going on from behind the door.
Snyder: Get along home now. It's late.
He turns and heads down the hall. Buffy watches him go.
Cut to the stage. Sid is in the chair. Morgan paces.
Morgan: No, I can't do it!
Sid: It's the only way.
Morgan: I don't want...
Sid: She's the one.
Morgan: But...
Sid: You saw what she did, how strong she is.
Morgan: I know, but...
Sid: She's the last! Just this one more, and I'll be free.
Morgan: I won't.
Sid: I will!
Cut to Buffy's room at home. Her mom knocks on the door and
comes in.
Joyce: Hi, hon. How's it, uh, going with the talent show?
Buffy: It'll be over soon.
Joyce: (lets out a laugh) It can't be that bad! I, for one, am
looking
forward to seeing your act.
Buffy: Seeing? I-in the sense of actually attending?
Joyce: Of course!
Buffy: Uh-uh! No, Mom, y-y-you can't! And, I mean, if I know
you're
out there watching, I'll freeze up, stage fright.
Joyce: But I wanna support what you're doing!
Buffy: Look, Mom, if you really love me, and wanna show your
support,
you'll stay away. Far away.
Joyce: Honey, is there, uh... Is there something bothering you?
I-I
mean, besides your fabulous debut.
Buffy: Nothing. There's just a lot going on right now.
Joyce: Well. Get some sleep. You'll feel better in the morning.
Buffy: Good plan.
Joyce leaves the room and closes the door behind her. Buffy gets
into
bed. The camera follows her hand as she reaches over to turn off
her
lamp in front of the window. When it goes out Sid is there
looking in.
~~~~~~~~~~ Part 2 ~~~~~~~~~~
Buffy's room. She's sleeping. She wakes to the sound of quick,
light
footsteps and sits up. More footsteps. She sees something go
under her
bed and leans over the edge to look underneath. Nothing. She
comes back
up and sees Sid there, screams, and knocks him off of the bed.
Sid runs
away. Buffy quickly gets out of bed as her mother rushes into
the room
and turns on the light.
Joyce: Honey, what is it?
Buffy: (comes over to her mom, frightened) In the bed, in the
covers
there's something!
Joyce: Where?
They go to the bed to investigate.
Buffy: There's something there.
Joyce grabs the covers and goes through them.
Joyce: Well, well, there, there's nothing there now. Are, are
you sure
you didn't have a nightmare?
Buffy: No! There's some... There is... (exhales and puts her
hands on
her head) Yeah... You're probably right. (exhales and drops her
hands)
I'm sorry I got you up.
Joyce: Don't worry about it. I was dreaming about bills. (kisses
Buffy's forehead) Sweetheart, you shouldn't (points) go to sleep
with
the window open.
She touches her daughter's cheek, then leaves the room. Buffy
looks at
her window.
Buffy: (confused) I didn't.
Cut to Sunnydale High School.
Marc: And my lovely assistant steps into the box...
Cut to the stage in the auditorium. Marc's assistant steps into
the box.
He closes the door and turns it around.
Marc: And... behold!
He opens the box, but his assistant is still there.
Marc: You were supposed to leave!
Xander and Willow are in the seats watching and laughing. Marc
closes
the door to the box and butts his head against it. Giles comes
out from
backstage with Cordelia close behind.
Cordelia: I don't understand why I... why I have to follow Brett
and
his stupid band.
Giles: Because we have to clear their equipment before the
finale. I
told you.
Cordelia: But the mood! It'll be all wrong! (gets in front of
him and
stops him) My song is about dignity and human feelings and
personal...
hygiene or something. Anyway, it's sappy, and no one is gonna be
feeling
sappy after all that Rock and Roll.
Giles doesn't want to hear it. He gives Cordelia a look like
something's
wrong.
Cordelia: Uhhh, what?
Giles: Oh! I'm sorry. Um, your hair, uh...
Cordelia: There's something wrong with my hair? (pulls it behind
her
ears)
Giles remains silent, but continues to stare.
Cordelia: Ohmigod! (quickly leaves)
Giles: (to himself) Xander was right. It worked like a charm.
He sees Buffy come down the aisle and goes over to her.
Giles: Hello. You look a bit worse for, uh...
Buffy heads into the seats to Willow and Xander. Giles follows.
Giles: What exactly are you the worse for?
Buffy: Where's Morgan? (sits)
Giles: Uh, I, I... haven't seen him.
Xander: Did he do something to you?
Buffy: No, it was his... Sid, the dummy.
She suddenly has Giles' full attention.
Buffy: Okay, everyone look at me like I'm in a bunny suit,
'cause
that's how stupid I feel saying this... I think Sid was in my
room last
night.
Willow: With Morgan?
Buffy: No. He was alone. And alive.
Xander: Did you see him?
Buffy: Well, I saw something. I-it ran across my floor, under my
bed
and then it attacked me.
Giles: Attacked you? How?
Buffy: It was like it pounced on my face.
Xander: Like a cat.
Buffy: Yeah, exactly! But when I turned the lights on it was
already
gone. I-I think it went out my window.
Xander: Like a cat.
Buffy: Yeah! No! It was Sid, the dummy.
Giles: Or possibly the nightmare of somebody who had... dummies
on her
mind.
Willow: You did say they creep you out.
Buffy: Excuse me? Can I have a *little* support here, please?
I'm not
just some crazy person, I'm the Slayer.
Xander: The dummy Slayer? (gets a look from Buffy) There's
nothing
funny about that.
Willow: Well, on the side of the 'Morgan's just crazy' theory
there is,
(sees Morgan go by carrying Sid) well, Morgan.
Morgan opens Sid's case.
Buffy: I'd like to see Morgan without his better half for a few
minutes. Bet he could tell me something.
Morgan sits down with Sid on his lap.
Giles: Oh, uh, i-if it's any consolation, I... I may have found
a
possible demon culprit. (holds up a book) The-there's a
reference in
here to a brotherhood of seven demons who take, uh, the form of
young
humans. Every seven years these demons need human organs, a-a-a
brain
and a heart, to maintain their humanity. Otherwise they, they,
they
revert back to their original form, which is, uh, uh, slightly
less
appealing.
He hands Xander the book open to a sketch of one of the demons.
Willow: So Morgan could still be the guy, only demon Morgan
instead of
crazy Morgan.
Morgan fusses with Sid's shoes.
Giles: It's said that these demons are, are, are preternaturally
strong, and, and, and... Morgan is, is... Well, he seems to be
getting
weaker every day.
Morgan puts his hand on his head. Buffy observes him.
Cut to history class. Mrs. Jackson lectures as she walks around
the
room.
Mrs. Jackson: It was as a result of this that President Monroe
put
forth the eponymous, meaning named after one's self, Monroe
Doctrine,
which in one sense established the U.S. as a local peacekeeper.
She walks behind Buffy, who is intently watching Sid. Sid turns
his head
back to look at her and lowers his brows. Buffy is creeped out
and looks
down at her desk. A moment later she looks back up at him. Sid
just
stares back. Cordelia notices and leans over to comment.
Cordelia: Looks like someone digs you. That's adorable. You and
the
dummy could tour in the freak show!
She smiles smugly as she leans back into her chair. Buffy says
nothing.
She just looks back at Sid, then down at her desk again.
Mrs. Jackson: Okay, who can tell me how Spain responded to this
policy?
Sid is whispering to Morgan. Mrs. Jackson notices.
Mrs. Jackson: Morgan? Morgan?
Morgan: (looks at Sid, then up) What?
Sid: Morgan has other things on his mind.
The students laugh. Mrs. Jackson approaches Morgan.
Mrs. Jackson: Give me your puppet.
Morgan: I'll put him away.
Mrs. Jackson: (takes Sid) You'll get it back after school.
She opens a cupboard, puts Sid in and closes it.
Mrs. Jackson: Okay, then. In the first part of the nineteenth
century...
Sid: (from inside the cupboard) I'm still watchin' you.
Buffy looks at the cupboard.
Mrs. Jackson: Morgan, that is enough!
Xander and Buffy look at Morgan. He looks back at Buffy, then at
Mrs.
Jackson.
Cut to after school. Morgan comes back into the classroom to
retrieve
Sid.
Morgan: Mrs. Jackson.
Mrs. Jackson: Morgan.
Morgan: You said you'd give me...
Mrs. Jackson: Oh, of course.
She gets up and goes over to the cupboard. Morgan follows her
expectantly. Before she gets Sid out she stops and faces Morgan.
Mrs. Jackson: Y'know, I wanted to ask you, is everything okay?
At home,
here at school?
Morgan: Yeah, it's great.
Mrs. Jackson: I feel like you've become... a little detached.
Morgan: Mm! (rubs his head in pain)
Mrs. Jackson: You're one of the brightest kids I've seen in a
long
time, but lately it seems like you're not all there.
Morgan has both his hands on his head now, rubbing.
Mrs. Jackson: Try not to let other things get in the way.
Morgan: (takes his hands down) Okay! Can I get Sid now?
Mrs. Jackson: Sure.
She goes over to the cupboard and opens it, but Sid is gone. She
turns
back to Morgan.
Mrs. Jackson: It's gone!
Morgan: Gone? Whadaya mean, gone? Where could he have gone?
Mrs. Jackson: I put it right here.
Morgan: He knew to wait for me. He knew I'd be back.
Mrs. Jackson: What do you mean 'he'?
Morgan: What did you do with him? Where is he?
Cut to the library. Xander has Sid and is playing with him.
Buffy,
Willow and Giles come in. Willow and Giles have their arms full
of
costumes. Buffy sees Xander holding Sid.
Buffy: Where did you get that?
Xander: Oh, I, uh, took it out of Mrs. Jackson's cupboard. I
thought
you said you wanted to be able to speak to Morgan alone, and
uh... well,
Morgan's alone, and, uh... Sid's with me.
Buffy stares at Sid uncomfortably.
Xander: (manipulating Sid) Hi, Buffy! Hi, Willow! Would you like
to
hear some off-color jokes?
Buffy: I really don't think you should be doing that.
Xander: What? C'mon... (as Sid) I'm not real!
Buffy: (wigged) Xander, quit it!
She turns and walks a few steps away. She stops and looks back
when she
hears Xander pounding Sid's head into the table.
Xander: He's... not... real! (picks Sid back up) I think our
demonstration proves that, uh, Sid (knocks on Sid's head several
times)
is wood. Now, why don't you go and find Morgan and prove he's...
whatever he is?
Giles: I imagine he's looking for his puppet.
Buffy: I'll go find Morgan. (starts to leave, but stops and
gives
Xander a look) You watch the dummy.
Xander: (as Sid) Bye-bye, now. I'm completely inanimate.
Buffy gives Xander another look and goes out the door.
Xander: (as Sid) Redrum! Redruuum!
Willow: What do we do with him?
Xander: Eh, I'll keep him company.
Giles: Willow, we have some hunting of our own to do.
Willow: Once again I'm banished to the demon section of the card
catalog.
Xander looks at Sid and goes over to the table with him. Giles
and
Willow go up into the stacks.
Giles: You concentrate on re-animation theory. I'll peck about
in organ
harvesting. Unless, of course, you prefer...
Willow: That's okay, you can have the organs.
Xander puts Sid in the chair at the end of the table.
Xander: So, I guess it's just... you and me, huh? (turns Sid's
head
away and pats him) That looks more comfortable.
He leaves Sid there, and the camera closes in on him.
Buffy: Morgan?
Cut to the auditorium. Buffy walks along the front and then up
the
stairs to the stage.
Buffy: Morgan?
Cut backstage. Buffy draws a curtain aside, but no one's there.
She
takes the steps down to the makeup area and tries a door. It's
locked.
She hears another door close and turns toward the sound. A gust
blows
through another curtain. Slowly she walks toward it. She quickly
turns
her head when she senses something behind her, and sees
Principal Snyder
at the top of the steps to the stage.
Buffy: Principal Snyder!
Snyder: Looking for something?
Buffy: Have you seen Morgan Shay?
Snyder: (comes down the steps) You know, with everything that's
been
going on recently, I'm not sure how safe it is for a girl like
yourself
to be here... alone.
Buffy: Well, I was just leaving. And I know how to take care of
myself.
They stare at each other a moment.
Snyder: Alright, then.
He goes back up the stairs and leaves.
Cut to the library. Xander looks over at Sid in his chair, then
turns
back to his homework. Cut to the stacks.
Willow: (to Giles) Look what I found in the section on toys and
magic:
(reads) 'On rare occasions inanimate objects of human quality,
such as
dolls and mannequins, already mystically possessed of
consciousness,
have acted upon their desire to become human by harvesting
organs.'
Giles: Emily's heart.
Willow: Morgan's dummy.
Giles: Mm.
Cut to Xander. He gets up to get a reference book. When he gets
back to
the table Sid is gone, but Xander doesn't notice. He slams the
book on
the table, sits down again and begins to read. After a moment he
glances
at Sid's chair and jumps up frightened when he sees it empty.
Xander: Whoa!
He climbs onto the table. Giles and Willow come running out of
the
stacks.
Giles: What is it?
Xander: He's gone! (indicates the chair) Sid's gone!
Giles: What? Oh!
Willow: Uhhh!
They're both frightened and look around themselves.
Cut backstage. Buffy continues to look around. She hears some
creaking.
Buffy: Morgan?
She backtracks a bit and goes toward the noise. She pushes some
clothes
on a rack aside, but sees nothing. She continues and eventually
stumbles
on something. She looks down and sees Morgan's body lying there.
Buffy: (whispers) Morgan! (slowly backs away) Demon's got
himself a
brain.
She keeps backing through a bead curtain and hears a snapping
noise
above. She looks up and sees a wrought iron chandelier falling
on her.
~~~~~~~~~~ Part 3 ~~~~~~~~~~
Backstage. Buffy is unconscious under the chandelier. She wakes
and
moans. Her vision is a bit blurred. She hears quick little footsteps
and
immediately becomes alert. She sees Sid run across the catwalk
above
her. She tries to lift the chandelier off of herself, but it's
very
heavy. Sid has come down now, and Buffy sees him in the shadows.
Buffy: Who's ever out there, I'm gonna hurt you! Badly! If
you'll just
gimme a minute...
She tries lifting again, but to no avail. She looks back to
where she
saw Sid and sees his knife poised above her. She turns her head
just in
time to avoid being stabbed in the face. Sid lifts the knife and
tries
again, but misses. Buffy flails out with her left arm and knocks
him
away. She tries lifting again, and this time she shifts the
chandelier
enough to get out from underneath it. Sid attacks her from behind
as she
slides out, but she knocks him away and into a wall. His knife
goes
sliding across the floor. Buffy gets out and jumps over on top
of Sid,
pinning him against the wall with her arm.
Sid: You win. Now you can take your heart and your brain and
move on.
Buffy: I'm sure they would have made great trophies for your
case.
Sid: That woulda been justice.
Buffy: Yeah, except for one thing: you lost, and now you'll
never be
human.
Sid: Yeah, well, neither will you.
They are both confused.
Buffy and Sid: What?
Cut to the library. Giles and Xander stare at Sid in wide-eyed
and open-
mouthed amazement. Willow and Buffy just stare and listen.
Sid: This is what I do. I hunt demons. Yeah, you wouldn't know
it to
look at me. Let's just say there was me, there was a really mean
demon,
there was a curse, and the next thing I know I'm not me anymore.
I'm
sitting on some guy's knee, with his hand up my shirt.
Willow: And ever since then you've been a living dummy?
Sid: The kid here was right all along. I shoulda picked you to
team up
with. But I didn't because...
Buffy: Because you thought *I* was the demon.
Sid: Who can blame me for thinking? Look at you! You're strong,
athletic, limber... (goes off into his own world) nubile...
(shakes his
head) I'm back! In any case, now that this demon's got the heart
and
brain, he gets to keep the human form he's in for another seven
years.
The tea kettle is whistling. Giles gets up to tend to it.
Giles: I must say, it's a welcome change to have someone else
explain
all these things.
Sid: There were seven of these guys. I've killed six. If I can
get the
last one, the curse will be lifted and I'll be free. I'm sure
it's
someone in that stupid talent show.
Buffy: Yeah, but now that demon has what he wants. He'll be
moving on.
Sid: So, once we know who's missing from the show...
Buffy: We'll know who our demon is!
Giles: (remembering) The show!
Buffy: What?
Giles: It's gonna start! I'm supposed to be there!
Buffy: (to Willow) Okay, um, start pulling everyone's addresses
in the
talent show. I-if they're not there, maybe we can catch them at
home.
Sid: (to Giles) And you, get 'em all on stage, form the power
circle.
Then we can see who's a no-show.
Giles: Um, uh, the what?
Sid: The power circle. You get everyone together, you get 'em,
you
know, revved up.
Giles: Right. (still confused, but goes)
Sid: How'd *he* ever get that gig?
Cut backstage.
Giles: Fifteen minutes to curtain, everyone! Uh, fifteen
minutes!
He turns to go back out. Cordelia chases him down.
Cordelia: I, I can't go out there. All those people staring at
me and
judging me like I'm some kind of... Buffy! What if I mess up?
Giles: Cordelia, there, uh, there-there's, uh, uh, an adage, uh,
that,
uh, if you're feeling nervous then, uh, you should imagine the
entire
audience are in their underwear.
Cordelia: Eww! Even Mrs. Franklin? Uhhh!
Giles: Perhaps not.
Cordelia: Yeah.
Giles: (to everyone) Um, alright, um, we'll assemble on the
stage in
five minutes for the, um, uh, power thing.
Cut to the catwalk. Sid and Buffy are sitting and waiting to see
who's
missing from the circle.
Sid: So, what's your deal, kid? I don't figure you for a demon
hunter.
Buffy: I'm a Vampire Slayer.
Sid: (surprised) You?! You're the Slayer? (Buffy nods) Damn! I
knew a
Slayer in the 30's. Korean chick. Very hot. We're talking
*muscle* tone.
Man, we had some times. (gets a look from Buffy) Hey, that was
pre-
dummy, alright? Now, I was a guy!
Buffy: So, you kill the demon and the curse is lifted, right?
Sid: That's the drill.
Buffy: You don't actually turn into a prince, do you? I-I mean,
your
body...
Sid: Is dust and bones. When I say free...
Buffy: You mean dead.
Sid: Don't get sniffly on me, sis. I've lived a lot longer than
most
demon hunters. Or Slayers, for that matter.
Buffy looks down, depressed about her lot in life.
Sid: (puts his hand on her knee) Of course, if you want to
snuggle up
and comfort me...
Buffy: (takes his hand off of her knee) So, that horny dummy
thing
really *isn't* an act, is it?
Sid: Nope!
Buffy: Yuk!
Sid and Buffy look down onto the stage.
Giles: I-is everybody here?
The talent gathers on the stage.
Sid: Okay, here comes our line-up.
Giles: Quickly, everyone! Uh... um, power circle.
The students arrange themselves in a circle and hold hands. Sid
and
Buffy scan the group for any missing members. Giles looks around
as
well. The camera follows his gaze.
Giles: Well, that's that, then. Um, everybody, uh, get ready!
Some of the students don't get it, but the circle breaks up
quickly as
they scramble to get ready. Giles scratches his head, confused.
Buffy
bends down and slips underneath the catwalk railing.
Buffy: (to Sid) Hold on.
She drops to the stage below. Sid watches her fall. She lands
squarely
on her feet and goes over to Giles.
Giles: No one's missing.
Buffy: So the demon isn't in the show.
Giles: It seems not. Uh, tell the others. Look, it's nearly
curtain. I
must get the show rolling.
Buffy: Right.
Giles: Right.
She looks for Sid up on the catwalk, but he's gone.
Buffy: Sid?
Cut to Principal Snyder nosing around backstage. Giles sees him,
and
Snyder faces him. Giles isn't sure why he's there. Snyder puts
his fist
into his palm and walks away. Giles follows him.
Cut to Buffy, still looking for Sid.
Buffy: Sid?
She stops next to a workbench. Something drips onto her arm from
above.
She shakes it off and looks up. She reaches up to a shelf to see
what's
dripping, and Morgan's brain falls down and into her hands. She
lets out
a startled yelp and drops the brain. It jiggles when it hits the
floor.
~~~~~~~~~~ Part 4 ~~~~~~~~~~
The library. Willow is at the PC. Buffy walks up to her staring
at her
hands.
Buffy: I'm never gonna stop washing my hands.
Xander: So, the dummy tells us that he's a demon hunter. And we're,
like, fine, la la la la. He takes off, and now there's a brain.
Does
anybody else feel like they've been Keyser Soze'd?
Buffy: Sid's on the level, I'm sure of it. But why would the
demon have
rejected the brain? I-I mean, I thought Morgan was the smartest
kid in
school.
Willow: He was, look at his grades: all A's. He was even taking
college
classes. Wait a second.
Buffy: What?
Willow: All these sick days.
Xander: He was off for, like, half the year!
Buffy: Check the school nurse's file.
Willow: (types) Look at this! 'In case of emergency, contact Dr.
Dale
Leggett, California Institute of Neurosurgery, Cancer Ward.'
Xander: Brain cancer?
Willow: That's why he had all the headaches.
Buffy: This means that whatever's out there still needs a
healthy,
intelligent brain.
Xander: In other words, I'm safe! (smiles)
Buffy: And it's gonna be looking for the smartest person around.
She and Xander look at Willow. She looks back and forth between
them.
Willow: What?
Cut backstage. Giles is helping Marc set up, and has a pair of
weights
in his hands.
Giles: Yes, if you, you calibrated the units of weight then you
could
calculate the, uh, specific maximum velocity achieved before the
point
of impact.
Marc: Gee, Mr. Giles, you're really... smart! Could you do me a
favor?
Cut to the library.
Willow: What could a demon possibly want from me?
Xander: What's the square root of 841?
Willow: 29. Oh, yeah.
Buffy: Don't worry, Willow. As long as you're with us there's
absolutely no way that demon is gonna get what he wants.
Cut backstage. Marc tests his guillotine on a honeydew melon.
Giles
picks up a half melon.
Giles: Oh, my!
Marc: Pretty cool, huh?
Giles: Are you sure there's no one else who could help you out?
Marc: My assistant got sick. You won't have to say anything.
I'll, I'll
show you. Lie down.
Giles: (inspects the guillotine) Uh, uh, how, how exactly does
it work?
Marc pulls the blade back up by its rope and ties it down.
Marc: A good magician never tells his secrets.
He sees his hand and arm begin to revert to demon form, and
shakes his
sleeve to get it to cover up better.
Marc: C'mon. We haven't got much time.
Cut to the library. Buffy is pacing nervously.
Buffy: This is ridiculous. We can't just sit here and wait for
him to
come to us. We have to figure out who we're dealing with.
Xander: I still vote dummy.
Buffy: No. Okay, so we ruled out all the people in the talent
show...
Willow: That's because they were all there. But that's before we
found
the brain.
Buffy: Right. So it probably *is* one of them. And, and Giles
doesn't
know! He's with them all right now!
Xander: Uch! Giles can handle himself. I mean, he *is* really...
(clicks in his mind) smart!
Cut to the hall outside the library. Buffy slams the door open
and runs
out and down the hall.
Buffy: GILES!
Xander and Willow are hot on her trail.
Cut backstage. Giles is strapped down to the guillotine bench.
Giles: Sh-sh-shouldn't it be aimed at my neck?
Marc: No. No, this way your scalp gets sliced off and your
brains
just... come pouring out.
He slides the head restraint down onto Giles' forehead. He
reaches over
and locks it down with a padlock.
Giles: What exactly is the trick?
Marc: Trick? (pulls the chest restraint tighter)
Giles: Marc?
Marc goes over to the block where the rope holding the
guillotine blade
is tied down. He grabs his hatchet and takes a swing at the
rope. Giles
is terrified. Marc takes another swing. The rope is half cut
now.
Giles: M-Marc?
A third swing, and the rope is almost cut through. The blade
slips a
bit. Giles looks up at it in terror. Another swing, and the rope
hangs
by a thread. Marc raises the hatchet for the final cut. Buffy
lunges at
him and tackles him to the floor. She leg sweeps Marc, kicking
his legs
out from under him as he tries to get up. She stands up and
adopts a
fighting stance. As Marc tries to get up again, she throws an
inverted
crescent kick to his face, and he goes down again. Marc growls
as he
starts to get up, and Buffy sees that the skin on his face is
beginning
to turn back into its demon state.
Buffy: Ewww!
Marc takes advantage of her distraction and jumps up and punches
her,
then follows up with a backhand fist to her face. She spins
around and
falls to the floor. The rope stretches and snaps, and the blade
begins
to fall. Giles yells out and clamps his eyes shut. At the last
instant
Xander grabs the rope from midair and stops the blade. Giles
hears it
stop and opens his eyes. He sees it go back up as Xander pulls
on the
rope. Buffy gets up, but is punched by the demon and falls
again. Willow
goes to Giles and begins to undo the restraints.
Willow: Where are the keys?
Giles: Marc's got it!
Xander: Willow!
He kicks the hatchet over to her. She picks it up and begins to
hack at
the lock.
Giles: Hurry!
Buffy gets up again and runs over to Marc. She grabs him and
falls
backward, pulling him down with her and flipping him over onto
his back.
She flips up to her feet and turns to face him in a front
stance. When
he gets up she punches him in the face and kicks him in the
stomach with
a hopping front snap kick. He staggers backward and stumbles
into his
disappearing-act box, and the door closes on him. Willow keeps
hacking
at the lock on the guillotine.
Buffy: How do you lock this thing?
That wouldn't have made any difference because Marc just punches
through
the box and reaches for her. She quickly backs away as he kicks
and
shoves his way out of the box. He has completely reverted to his
demon
form now. He comes at her, grabs her by the neck, and lifts her
from the
floor.
Giles: (yells) What's happening?
Willow keeps hacking. The demon slams Buffy up against a wall
with his
hand around her throat. He pulls her away and slams her into the
wall
again. Xander can only watch as he holds on to the rope. Willow
gets the
lock to break and quickly pulls it off. She and Giles push the
head
restraint up, and he gets out as fast as he can. He reaches down
to undo
the restraint at his feet. Sid finally shows up, jumps onto the
demon's
back and begins stabbing with his knife.
Sid: I found you!
The demon ignores Sid and continues slamming Buffy into the
wall. Giles
gets himself loose. Sid has forced the demon to let go of Buffy
and has
jumped off. She hits the demon in the face with an open hand
punch
followed by a backhand punch. Giles gets off of the bench as
Buffy does
a full spinning side kick to the demon's gut, making him stagger
back
onto the bench and land with his neck in the guillotine.
Buffy: (to Xander) Let go!
Xander lets go, and the blade falls, chopping off the demon's
head. Its
body slumps lifeless on the bench. Willow cringes at the sight.
They all
stare at what's left of the demon.
Giles: Uh... I must say, all of you... Your t-timing is
impeccable.
Sid: And now for the big finish.
He has positioned himself over the demon's chest with his knife.
Buffy: What are you doing?
Sid: It's not enough. He'll come back. You have to get the
heart. Then
all of this'll be over.
She holds out her hand for the knife.
Buffy: Let me.
Sid: I got it. Thanks.
He wields back with the knife and plunges it into the demon's
heart. He
pulls back to do it again, but his aim was true the first time,
and he
just slumps over onto the demon with the knife still in his hands,
now a
lifeless puppet. Buffy looks at Sid sadly and lets out a deep
breath.
Giles takes off his glasses. Buffy gently lifts Sid from the
demon and
holds him in her arms. She starts to walk off stage.
Buffy: (to Sid) It's over.
She stops as the curtain is drawn and looks out at the audience.
Giles
puts his glasses back on and stares out as well. Willow is still
holding
the hatchet as she stands there looking out at the audience with
a
nervous look on her face. Buffy and Xander look out, too.
Principal
Snyder doesn't understand what he is seeing.
Snyder: I don't get it. What is it? Avant-garde?
~~~~~~~~~~ Epilogue ~~~~~~~~~~
The stage. Xander, Willow and Buffy are doing their act.
Willow: (stiff with fear) Oh, ruler of my country, Oedipus, you
see our
company around the Altar, and I, the priest of Zeus!
Xander: (nervous) Ha, ha! They prophesize that I should kill my
father.
But he is dead. (kneels down and gestures like he's grabbing a
handful
of dirt) And hidden deep in the soil. But surely I must fear my
mother's
bed.
Buffy: (bored) (walks around Willow to Xander) Oh, Oedipus,
Oedipus,
unhappy Oedipus, (briefly puts her hand on his head) that is all
I can
call you, (goes back to her place) and all that I ever shall
call you.bg
(faces away from the audience)
Xander: (gets back up) Darkness! And horror of darkness.
Unfolding,
restless, visitant, sped by an ill wind in haste.
eyes at Xander's fumbling of his lines.
Xander: Madness, and... Madness a-and stabbing pain, and, a-and,
uh...
oh... oh... memory of, uh, i-ill deeds I have done.
Buffy nudges
line and runs from the stage. Xander and Buffy step together to
fill the
gap left between them.