A
Allycat
Guest
This script is part of the VirtualSlayer.tk virtual continuations project, which features Angel s6, Buffy s8, and Buffy s9. The following script can also be found on our website, where you can also find general info about our shows as well as previous episodes. I'm certain this new installment will satisfy the need for new episodes; I hope it might even be able to top the well-received Season 9-opener.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer 9.02 "Twist of Fate"
Written by mistymidnight
TEASER
INT. DAWN'S ROOM - EARLY MORNING
CAMERA ON: Buffy, standing at the door of Dawn's bedroom,
looking confused.
BUFFY
Dawn?
CAMERA ON: Dawn's bed. It's empty, and the covers are neat.
It looks like no one has slept in it at all lately.
CUT TO: Buffy's face. Over her shoulder, we see a figure
approaching.
DAWN
Buffy?
Buffy whirls around, startled.
BUFFY
Oh, it's you.
DAWN
Yeah.
BUFFY
I was coming to wake you up.
Dawn holds up a mug of something, presumably coffee.
DAWN
I'm fully awake, thank you very
much.
BUFFY
Dawn, you have school today. I
can't just have you staying up all
night. You got in late enough last
night anyway.
DAWN
I didn't want to sleep with...
well, you know, our guest.
She stresses the word guest, sounding bitter.
BUFFY
I guess I can understand that. I
didn't really sleep that well,
either. And when I woke up...
DAWN
You were expecting to be turned
into a frog?
BUFFY
Rat, actually, but yeah.
Another figure approaches behind Buffy.
AMY
Uh, hi.
Buffy is startled.
BUFFY
Would people please stop sneaking
up on me?
Amy looks uncomfortable.
AMY
I was just wondering if you could
tell me how to work the shower.
DAWN
(Quickly, and in an
unfriendly tone)
I've already claimed dibs on it. I
have to get to school.
Dawn exits, giving Amy a cold stare as she walks by.
AMY
Feel the love in this room.
BUFFY
Let me tell you something about
love, Amy. You've done nothing to
deserve it. If memory serves, you
took my best friend away from me,
from herself, even.
AMY
(Angrily, though still
uncomfortable.)
Willow took herself away from
herself. I just happened to be
there.
Both women stare at each other, Buffy glaring steadily, Amy's
glare faltering. After a minute, Amy looks away, uneasy.
AMY (CONT'D)
I'm sorry alright... could you just
tell me where the towels are.
Buffy brushes past her, still glaring, saying coldly:
BUFFY
Find them yourself.
FADE TO BLACK.
OPENING CREDITS (click to watch)
Michelle Trachtenberg
Iyari Là¬mon
Nicholas Brendon
Alyson Hanningan
Carly Pope
Lindsay Lohan
and Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
Guest starring: Elisabeth Anne Allen
ACT I
FADE TO:
EXT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL - DAY
CAMERA ON: Front of high school
LUX (O.S.)
So she just showed up in your
living room?
CUT TO:
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL COURTYARD - DAY
CAMERA ON: Dawn, Lux, and Kara, walking through the
courtyard. The camera pans along with them as they walk.
DAWN
Well, Buffy kinda let her in.
LUX
And she knew what she was capable
of?
DAWN
Yeah. I'm not quite clear on that
either.
KARA
Spell?
Dawn and Lux both look at her, confused.
KARA (CONT'D)
I mean, did she cast a spell on
her?
DAWN
Maybe. I don't think so. She claims
she's Good Witch Amy now.
LUX
What's her word worth? She's
tricked you all before.
DAWN
Yeah, I know. So I'm not especially
ready to believe her.
KARA
Good call.
A bell rings.
KARA (CONT'D)
I gotta get going. My art class is
all the way over on the other side
of the building. Later!
Dawn and Lux wave goodbye before setting off for their own
class.
CUT TO:
INT. SUMMERS LIVING ROOM - DAY
CAMERA ON: Willow, Kennedy, Xander, and Amy, sitting in
awkward silence.
AMY
So, uh, thanks for coming-
KENNEDY
Cut to the chase. We're missing
class for this.
Xander clears his throat.
KENNEDY (CONT'D)
And work.
AMY
Sorry.
WILLOW
Get to the point.
AMY
Up in my room, in the trunk with my
stuff-
KENNEDY
Trunk? Making yourself awfully cozy
here, aren't you?
WILLOW
Ken-
KENNEDY
You know what? Trunks are for
people who are actually welcome in
other people's homes. You're not
welcome here.
WILLOW
Ken, let her finish.
Kennedy sits back in her wheelchair and crosses her arms.
AMY
Well, in the trunk, there's a box.
It's called Loki's Box, and it's
got a really powerful magical tool
locked inside.
WILLOW
And this magical tool would be...?
AMY
It's called the Seraph.
Willow is obviously surprised.
XANDER
Okay, I'm in the dark here. What's
this whole Seraph-in-a-box thing,
and why are you wasting our time
with it?
AMY
The Seraph is a powerful magic
artifact that stores magical
energy; it's a practically
perpetual energy-source. Someone
attempted to steal it. The almost
caught the thief and managed to
chase him away, but he had put the
Seraph in this box. No one has been
able to open it yet. There's
writing all over the box,
hieroglyphs or something. We're not
quite sure what they are,
instructions, whatever.
XANDER
We?
AMY
The Coven.
WILLOW
Ah, Amy's singing the good-witch
tune again.
AMY
They sent me. Call them right now.
Go ahead.
WILLOW
Is this where you say, "I won't be
offended in the least"?
AMY
No, because that would be lying.
WILLOW
Oh, and you've never lied before,
Amy.
AMY
That isn't me anymore. I don't lie.
I don't cast spells for my own
gain.
WILLOW
What, been reading up on your
Wicca, Amy? "Do what you will, but
harm none" and the Threefold Law?
Took you long enough.
AMY
Listen, I didn't come for a
lecture. I came to ask for your
help.
XANDER
What, so we can open up this box
for you while you sit back and play
the good girl routine? What then,
Amy? Planning on taking the Seraph
for yourself?
AMY
I wouldn't do that, I swear.
WILLOW
You've turned one of my best
friends into a rat, and you made
the entire female population go
psycho on my other best friend.
Give me three good reasons to trust
you, Amy.
AMY
I've changed.
WILLOW
That's one. And not a very good
one.
AMY
Listen, I don't want that Seraph.
If I really wanted it, don't you
think I cast a spell to make you
figure out how to open the box? I
could be working the mojo on you
right now. I could torture you
until you opened that box. But I'm
not.
WILLOW
And why is that?
AMY
Because, honestly, I'm afraid of
what will happen when we figure it
out.
There's a pause as everyone considers this.
AMY (CONT'D)
The Seraph will either be a great
force of good or the darkest of
black magics, depending on whose
hands it falls into. It's nearly
been stolen before, and, once it's
out of the box, it can be stolen
again. And I don't really look
forward to one of those apocalypses
that so often find you people. You
think it's easy for me? You think I
wanted to come here? I know I'm not
welcome. You don't have to keep
reminding me.
WILLOW
I don't really care about the sob
story, Amy. Get the box.
Amy gives her an unreadable look and silently leaves the
room.
XANDER
So, the Coven can't open this box,
so they dump the responsibility on
us? How very kind of them.
WILLOW
Xander...
XANDER
I'm just saying...
KENNEDY
Well, what are we going to do? She
could be lying.
WILLOW
I'll check with the Coven.
KENNEDY
Which one? There's more than one
coven in a world of six billion
people.
WILLOW
All have different names, hun.
There's only one THE Coven. I'll
check with them. Nobody help Amy
with anything until I give you the
all-clear.
Willow stands and exits. Amy enters holding a box. It is a
rich mahogany wood, with glyphs carved into its surface.
AMY
This is Loki's Box.
XANDER
And the Seraph's in there?
AMY
Duh.
XANDER
Watch it.
Amy sets the box down on the floor.
AMY
Any thoughts?
XANDER
None I'm willing to share with you.
Amy cocks her head, narrowing her eyes. Willow re-enters.
WILLOW
All clear.
Amy turns to Xander.
AMY (POINTEDLY)
Any thoughts?
XANDER
Still not in a sharing mood. See,
being in your presence seems to do
that to me.
WILLOW
(Examining the Box)
Looks Sumerian to me. I'll have
Dawn take a look at it after
school.
AMY
Dawn?
WILLOW
She's gotten pretty good at reading
ancient languages.
AMY
(Surprised)
Well, good for her.
Willow nods. Kennedy looks from Amy to Willow to Xander, then
sighs.
KENNEDY
(Muttering to herself)
Yeah, good for her.
FADE TO BLACK.
ACT II
FADE TO:
INT. EDMONSVILLE HOSPITAL - DAY
Buffy, talking to a young female NURSE as they walk leisurely
down the hallway.
BUFFY
-so then she says, "If I knew how
to swim I'd come over there and
teach you a lesson!"
Blank look from the nurse.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
Get it? 'Sea of wheat'? She's
talking about swimming in-
The nurse continues to stare blankly.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
Oh, forget it.
The nurse nods and walks off.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
(To herself)
No one appreciates a good dumb
blonde joke anymore. 'Course, maybe
I'm not the right person to be
telling them"¦
She looks down the hall after the nurse.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
(To the nurse)
Y'know, for people who work in a
mental hospital, there sure isn't a
lot going on up here.
(She taps her head)
You know what I mean?
The nurse simply ignores her. Buffy sighs.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
(Weakly, to herself)
Laughter is the best medicine?
She sighs again and sets off down the hallway, when she is
interrupted:
LOUDSPEAKER
Buffy Summers to room 412, please,
Buffy Summers to room 412.
Buffy stops while she listens to the loudspeaker, then sets
off at a faster pace, on the way to room 412.
CUT TO:
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
CAMERA ON: A MAN, lying in bed, muttering to himself. A
DOCTOR stands at the foot of the bed, listening.
MAN
...can't stop me. Can't stop her.
Have to stop them. Can't stop her.
DOCTOR
Mr. Waltham, please.
MAN
...she will go. You can't stop it.
You and your big signs. Zoom!
She'll go. She'll go right past
you. You can't stop it.
ZOOM OUT. We see Buffy, standing near the doctor.
BUFFY
How long has he been like this?
DOCTOR
Since I came in to check on him,
about (checks watch) ten minutes
ago. I can't make heads or tails of
it.
Buffy lowers her voice and says
BUFFY
You can't make heads or tails of
it? Why are you even trying? It's
just crazy talk, as far as I can
tell.
DOCTOR
I'd think that, too, but he's
sticking to one subject, this
person that will 'go'. When I hear
babbling, it's mostly just that:
babbling. But he's been on the same
subject for a while now. I think
he's trying to communicate with us.
BUFFY
And you called me down here
because...?
DOCTOR
He mentioned your name.
BUFFY
My name? How does he know my name?
Suddenly, the man turns and says, quite clearly and
apparently sanely, to Buffy:
MAN
You have to save her. She's inside.
She's in trouble.
Buffy walks closer and kneels down by the man's bed.
BUFFY
Who? Who's in trouble?
MAN
Girl. Don't know her name. She was
taken to the house.
BUFFY
What house? Where?
MAN
The house with crooked teeth and
the half-closed eyes.
BUFFY
(To herself)
And here comes the cryptic.
MAN
It smells pretty there. It smells
like roses and death.
BUFFY
Just tell me where to go.
MAN
They're going to kill her at
midnight. If she dies, we all die.
BUFFY
But where is she?
MAN
Follow the sun. At sunset, follow
the sun to the house.
CAMERA ON: Buffy, looking confused.
WILLOW (V.O.)
That's exactly what he said?
CUT TO:
INT. SUMMERS LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON
The Scoobies are sitting in various spots in the living room.
Willow has a laptop on her lap. Dawn is sitting in a corner,
squinting at the writing on Loki's Box. She holds an open
book in her other hand, glancing at it frequently while Kara
and Lux look on.
BUFFY
Yeah, it was way with the cryptic.
WILLOW
So he told you to follow the sun at
sunset?
BUFFY
Yeah. I figure that this puts us
somewhere on the west side of town.
WILLOW
Right, the sun sets in the west.
What else did he say?
BUFFY
That is smells like death and
roses.
WILLOW
Graveyard, maybe?
BUFFY
No, he mentioned something else:
'the house with crooked teeth and
half-closed eyes'.
WILLOW
Crooked teeth, huh?
XANDER
From that use of imagery, I'm
guessing abandoned house?
BUFFY
I'd have to go with that, too. So,
we've got death, roses, crooked
teeth, and half-closed eyes.
WILLOW
Teeth... hellmouth?
BUFFY
None in Edmonsville, remember? I'm
living hellmouth-free these days.
WILLOW
There could be an undiscovered-
BUFFY
Doubt it. Nothing evil in this town
has gravitated toward any one
place, except when it's gravitating
towards us.
XANDER
And then it's in a strictly "I'd
like to kill you" capacity and not
a "drawn by the mouth of hell"
capacity.
BUFFY
Uh, right. So, crooked teeth. What
characteristic of a house looks
like crooked teeth?
WILLOW
Roof shingles?
BUFFY
No.
There's silence as everyone sits and thinks. Suddenly Buffy
realises that Amy is not around.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
Where's Amy?
XANDER
Getting some shut-eye. Can't say it
makes me unhappy. I don't know how
much more of her I could stand-
BUFFY
That's it!
Everyone in the room-Dawn, Lux, Kara, Kennedy, Willow and
Xander-look at her.
XANDER
What's it?
BUFFY
Shut eye!
LUX
Not following.
BUFFY
The guys said 'half-closed eyes'...
'shut eye'... got it?
No one gets it.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
The half-closed eyes are shutters!
Picture an old, dilapidated house.
Some of the shutters are open...
WILLOW
Oh, I see!
BUFFY
Now we just have to find the
crooked teeth. What could they be?
All I can think is gravestones.
WILLOW
Hmmm... cemetery. Gravestones,
crypts, walls...
Kennedy speaks up for the first time.
KENNEDY
Fences.
Buffy looks at Willow and smiles slowly.
BUFFY
Crooked fences...
Willow smiles as well.
WILLOW
Crooked teeth!
BUFFY
So we're looking for a house with
shutters and a crooked fence on the
west side of town.
DAWN
It's a West Side Story.
Everyone stares at her.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Okay, bad pun.
KARA
Rose Manor.
Willow, who was just getting ready to do something on the
laptop, stops and looks up.
WILLOW
What?
KARA
You said it smelled like death and
roses, right? Rose manor. It's been
abandoned for years. The town was
starting to restore it, but one of
the workers died on the job. The
city kind of deserted working on it
after that. One too many lawsuits,
I guess.
WILLOW
Sounds like we've got our house.
BUFFY
It all fits-death, roses, eyes,
teeth, west.
She stands up.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
I just wish I could confirm it.
WILLOW
You can't?
BUFFY
Right after the man told me about
the house and the girl, he started
convulsing. When I was leaving,
they were putting him on all kinds
of tranquilizers and stuff. He kept
yelling, "Go to her! Go to her!"
DAWN
That's uber-freaky.
BUFFY
It's sad.
DAWN
I stand by my assessment.
BUFFY
No, I mean, I feel bad for him.
I've never seen family in there to
visit him-
DAWN
Gee, I don't know, maybe 'cause
he's a scary psychopath?!
Buffy ignores her.
BUFFY
-and no one at the hospital seems
to pay attention to him.
DAWN
Once again, the 'psychopath' angle
springs to mind.
BUFFY
Not everyone in a mental hospital
is, well, mental.
DAWN
No, but I think someone in this
house is.
She glares pointedly at Buffy.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Look, Buffy, a raving lunatic at
your work starts spewing out random
imagery, and you go and connect it
to a spooky old shack outside town.
KARA
It's more of a mansion, actually,
no a shack-
Dawn glares at her.
KARA (CONT'D)
I'll be quiet now.
DAWN
I'm just saying, this might be a
big waste of time. And, hello?
Big honkin' mystery sitting right
here in the living room-
BUFFY
Okay. I see your point, Dawn. But
what if he's right? What if I go
and there's a girl and I save her?
Huh? But what if I ignore him? This
girl's life may really be in
danger. I have to go to her.
DAWN
Why?
BUFFY
I'm the Slayer.
Dawn is perfectly serious.
DAWN
Not anymore.
There is a pause as everyone, especially Buffy, absorbs this.
Finally, Buffy speaks:
BUFFY
Fine, I'm a Slayer. But it's still
my job. I have to help her.
She grabs a sweater and leaves. Dawn sighs and holds her
forehead in her hands before shaking her head and going back
to squinting at the box.
FADE TO:
EXT. STREET - SUNSET
Buffy, walking down the street. The sun is setting. She
glances at it, then begins walking toward the west.
FADE TO:
EXT. GATES OF MANSION - EARLY EVENING
We see the mansion through the menacing crooked gates.
ZOOM OUT:
We see Buffy, looking through the gates at the mansion. She
sighs, pushes the gate open, and begins walking up the drive
to the house.
FADE TO:
Buffy, climbing the last steps onto the front porch. She
reaches the front door, pauses, takes a deep breath, and
says:
BUFFY
Here goes nothing.
She pushes the door open.
FADE TO BLACK.
ACT III
FADE TO:
INT. SUMMERS LIVING ROOM - EVENING
The Scoobies are doing their research. Suddenly Dawn says:
DAWN
This is useless!
XANDER
Come again?
DAWN
This isn't Sumerian!
WILLOW
It isn't?
DAWN
No, parts of it are made to look
Sumerian, but that's just to
confuse people, I think. See?
She gestures to the box.
DAWN (CONT'D)
All Sumerian-looking around here,
but look over here.
She points to a spot on the box.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Not Sumerian at all! It's something
completely different and I have no
idea what it is and my brain is
dead so I want some caffeine, okay?
WILLOW
I don't know why I didn't think of
it before.
KENNEDY
Think of what?
WILLOW
Oh! Major duh on me. Loki is the
Norse god of mischief.
Why would a box named after a Norse
mythological figure be writing in
Sumerian?
XANDER
Just a thought-interracial
marriage?
Willow gives him a look.
WILLOW
I guess the whole "Amy-the-good
witch" thing threw me off my game.
We should be looking stuff about
Norse mythology! Anything about
it... the history, the language,
the culture...
DAWN
To the library?
WILLOW
To the library.
KARA
Which is closed.
LUX
I have an idea.
CUT TO:
INT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - EVENING
CAMERA ON: Dawn, Lux, and Kara, walking down the hallway.
DAWN
Okay, so you're sure everything's
unlocked.
LUX
Not remotely sure. But we can hope.
KARA
It's just lucky that the basketball
team's practicing in the gym
tonight, or we'd be totally
breaking-and-entering.
DAWN
For once, I'm glad all the coaches
here are such slave-drivers. Makes
me feel bad for the sports teams.
Night practice on the first day of
school?
LUX
That's the price you pay for being
state champs. Now, let's go.
They make their way down the halls toward the school library.
CUT TO:
INT. ROSE MANOR FRONT HALL - EVENING
We're in the front hall of a mansion that's seen far better
days, but is still beautiful. The layout of the hall is that
of a stereotypical old mansion: big curving staircase, second
story overlooking the hall, big chandelier hanging from the
ceiling.
CUT TO:
Buffy, cautiously making her way down the hallway of the old,
deserted house.
BUFFY
Hello? Is anybody here?
The camera angle changes, so we're seeing Buffy from between
the poles of the banister on the big curvy staircase. She's
obviously being watched by someone-or something.
CUT TO:
Buffy, still walking. Suddenly, an arrow zips past her face,
barely missing her, and lodges itself in the wall beside her.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
I guess anybody's here.
CUT TO:
INT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY - EVENING
CAMERA ON: The door to the library. Through the shades on the
windows of the door, we can see the silhouettes of three
people. Then we hear muffle dialogue:
LUX
I didn't know it would be locked!
KARA
Just punch out the window and
unlock it from inside or something.
DAWN
Okay, I am so not breaking into the
library on my first day of school.
There's some muffled sounds, then a loud thump.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Lux, we're not breaking the
freaking window!
LUX
Got a better plan?
There's silence for a moment, then the door opens, revealing
Dawn kneeling on the ground, bobby pin in hand.
DAWN
Some things are just classics.
Kara looks pointedly at Lux.
KARA
Wow, that was a better plan.
LUX
Shut up.
They walk into the library and Kara flips on the light
switch. The lights come on brightly.
KARA
Come on, guys, close the door!
Someone will see the light!
DAWN
Like who?
KARA
I don't know, a janitor or
something.
DAWN
Oh, the janitor's probably already
been down this corridor. I bet
cleans it right after everybody
leaves.
LUX
How do you figure?
DAWN
Just a theory.
Suddenly, the lights go out. Dawn kind of screams. Kara
laughs.
KARA
Chicken!
DAWN
Kara Turn the lights back on right
now! That's not funny!
LUX
Uh, guys?
She points to the library doors. Through the shades on the
door windows, we quickly see the shadow of a girl, running
down the hallway, screaming, "Help!"
DAWN
Looks like duty calls.
FADE TO BLACK.
ACT IV
FADE TO:
INT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH HALLWAY - EVENING
CAMERA ON: Dawn, Lux, and Kara looking down the hallway,
which is empty.
KARA
Where'd she go?
CAMERA ON: Door marked 'basement access'. It's half-open (or
half closed, depending on your outlook on life.)
DAWN
Look's like we're going down.
CUT TO:
INT. ROSE MANOR FRONT HALL - EVENING
CAMERA ON: Buffy, running from the arrows. She runs into what
might have once been a sitting room...
INT. ROSE MANOR SITTING ROOM - EVENING
...and dives behind a coffee table.
CUT TO:
BUFFY'S P.O.V.
From under the coffee table, we see two feet approaching.
Buffy rummages through her weapons bag, which is half under
her from when she dove under the table. Suddenly, the feet
disappear from her view. Moments later, a hand grabs her
ankle and begins dragging her out from under the table. She
uses her other foot to kick the person's face, making him
release her. She uses her momentum to swing herself up into a
standing position, and she pulls a stake out of her bag. Sure
enough, she's looking at a vampire. But only one. They
exchange a few blows and she stakes him without too much
trouble.
BUFFY
No girl in peril here. Unless you
count me. But that's former.
She stops and realization dawns.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
That bastard set me up!
She looks around. Everything is quiet.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
Although, as far as set-ups go,
that was an easy one.
She glances around.
Well, let's have a look, just to be
safe.
She holds up her stake and carefully makes her way into the
next room.
CUT TO:
INT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH BASEMENT - EVENING
CAMERA ON: Dawn, Lux, and Kara, heading down the stairs. At
the bottom, Kara discovers a light switch and flips it on.
They venture a little further into the basement.
LUX
Why do I have a bad feeling about
this?
The lights go out.
LUX (CONT'D)
Well, there's that.
DAWN
Kara, cut it out. That's not funny
this time. Not that it was funny
the first time, either-
KARA
Uh, Dawn?
From the direction of her voice, we can tell she's right next
to Dawn.
KARA (CONT'D)
That wasn't m-
There's suddenly a thud, and Kara's voice stops.
DAWN
Kara?
We hear the sound of a punch landing.
Dawn screams.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Lux! Look out! There's something
down here!
Another punching sound.
LUX
Yeah, I kinda figured it out when
it PUNCHED ME!!
DAWN
Where's Kara? Is she okay?
LUX
I don't know! I can't see anymore
than you can!
Kara groans.
KARA
Why is it always me?
DAWN
Sorry, Kare.
KARA
Where is it?
DAWN
I don't know! Flip on the light!
There's the sound of someone walking blindly around, then the
sound of a light switch being flipped on and off.
LUX
It's not just the light switch. The
power must be out!
DAWN
Okay, don't panic. Lux, can you try
and find the fuse box?
No answer.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Lux?!
Nothing.
KARA
Where is she?
DAWN
I don't know, but we have to get
out of this basement!
KARA
Agreed. But I don't even know where
we are!
DAWN
That makes two of us.
KARA
Well, what else down here makes
light? Anything?
DAWN
The boiler?
KARA
That would be in the boiler room,
not the basement.
DAWN
Well, we have to do some-
KARA
Dawn?
There's a dull thud.
KARA (CONT'D)
Oh, no.
We hear her start walking. Suddenly, she connects with
something.
KARA (CONT'D)
Holy crap. What is this?
From the sound of things, she's flailing her arms around
wildly, trying to connect a solid punch with the creature's
body. And, once again, from the sound of things, none are
connecting.
KARA (CONT'D)
It's right here! I can feel it! I'm
hitting it! Why won't-?
Dawn groans.
KARA (CONT'D)
Dawn, I can't hit it!
DAWN
What?
KARA
This thing, I can feel it, but none
of my punches are actually hitting
it!
DAWN
Shadow demon!
KARA
What?
DAWN
It must be a shadow demon! Kara, we
just have to get upstairs!
KARA
Okay, is it like, a basement shadow
demon?
DAWN
No, but the moon's out tonight! We
have to get into some natural
light!
KARA
Where are the stairs?
DAWN
I think they're that way.
A beat.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Okay, you can't see me. But just
try to remember!
KARA
Okay, I think I'm headed-
A thud (again!)
KARA AND DAWN
Ow!
KARA
Hey! It's you!
DAWN
It's me. Now we have to find Lux. I
think she's by the-
The noise of a small commotion and someone hitting the floor.
KARA
Ow! Oh, found Lux!
DAWN
By tripping over her?
KARA
Hey, whatever works. I've got her.
DAWN
Me too.
KARA
Okay, one, two, three, up!
There are sounds of the girls straining under LUX's weight.
Not like LUX weighs a heck of a lot, just that she's kinda
heavy when she's just lying there unconscious. The girls make
their way up the stairs and into the hallway. (Yay! They're
visible again!)
INT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - EVENING (CONT'D)
DAWN
Okay, now let's get outside!
They set off as fast as they can go, what with the added
weight of Lux and everything.
Down the hall, we see a large, shadow-y mass floating out the
basement door.
CUT TO:
EXT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT - EVENING
CAMERA ON: Dawn and Kara, supporting a now semi-conscious
Lux. They run into the lot and stand in a spot where the moon
is just beginning to illuminate the ground. The big stupid
SHADOW THING follows them, and as the moonlight hits its
body, it sort of melts/dissolves, until it is just a puddle
on the ground-a puddle that is rapidly evaporating (Whew! Say
that five times fast!).
DAWN
Let's get home.
FADE TO:
INT. SUMMERS KITCHEN - EVENING
CAMERA ON: Willow, bandaging a small cut on Lux's forehead.
WILLOW
You might have a mild concussion.
If you start getting dizzy-
LUX
-er. Dizzy-er.
WILLOW
Right. If you start getting
dizzier, you might wanna head to
the hospital.
LUX
Okay.
CAMERA ON: Xander, also in the kitchen.
XANDER
So both Buffy and you guys got set
up. Wonder who has it in for us
this time.
BUFFY
I don't know, but I for one can
safely say that this night was a
waste. We didn't find out anything
new, we haven't opened this box,
and now, to top it off, my patients
are out to get me. What else can
possibly go wrong?
FADE TO:
EXT. EDMONSVILLE STREET - NIGHT
CAMERA ON: A black-cloaked figure, Masiya, standing in front
of ROSE MANOR. Though we can only see it from behind, we can
tell that the figure has a menacing air about it, and we hear
it talking. As the camera angle changes, we see that Masiya
is talking to the man from the hospital.
MASIYA
...We didn't kill her.
The man is visibly worried.
MAN
No, sir, but--
MASIYA
Calm down.
Masiya pauses and sighs.
MASIYA (CONT'D)
It was not a waste. I have seen my
enemy in combat.
MAN
Yes, sir.
MASIYA
You got her here. You did as you
promised.
The man gathers his courage.
MAN
Will you do as you promised then...
use your powers to relieve me of my
pain.
MASIYA
Of course.
The man looks at Masiya in anticipation. Suddenly and
swiftly, Masiya punches the man real hard and even punches a
hole through the man's stomach. He retreats his arm and the
man drops to the ground, dead. We pan around to see Masiya
from the front. He has razor sharp teeth and a menacing
looking paintings on his face.
MASIYA (CONT'D)
Not the kind of relief you were
hoping for, but just the type that
serves your kind right.
FADE TO BLACK.
END OF EPISODE.
For an archive of the other episodes in this project visit our website at www.virtualslayer.tk
If you've read the story, by all means reply and let us know what you thought of it. Constructive criticism is much appreciated. We do not however take to bashing. If you feel an absolutely inescapable urge to bash, I suggest you do so with your head into a brick wall.
Finally, I hope you enjoyed it. Next week: Angel 6.03 Family First - Spike is faced with his new responsibilities when in the heat of a battle against a demon clan, a bystander is killed accidentally. Meanwhile, Angel sees a familiar face return and aim for Connor.
Buffy the Vampire Slayer 9.02 "Twist of Fate"
Written by mistymidnight
TEASER
INT. DAWN'S ROOM - EARLY MORNING
CAMERA ON: Buffy, standing at the door of Dawn's bedroom,
looking confused.
BUFFY
Dawn?
CAMERA ON: Dawn's bed. It's empty, and the covers are neat.
It looks like no one has slept in it at all lately.
CUT TO: Buffy's face. Over her shoulder, we see a figure
approaching.
DAWN
Buffy?
Buffy whirls around, startled.
BUFFY
Oh, it's you.
DAWN
Yeah.
BUFFY
I was coming to wake you up.
Dawn holds up a mug of something, presumably coffee.
DAWN
I'm fully awake, thank you very
much.
BUFFY
Dawn, you have school today. I
can't just have you staying up all
night. You got in late enough last
night anyway.
DAWN
I didn't want to sleep with...
well, you know, our guest.
She stresses the word guest, sounding bitter.
BUFFY
I guess I can understand that. I
didn't really sleep that well,
either. And when I woke up...
DAWN
You were expecting to be turned
into a frog?
BUFFY
Rat, actually, but yeah.
Another figure approaches behind Buffy.
AMY
Uh, hi.
Buffy is startled.
BUFFY
Would people please stop sneaking
up on me?
Amy looks uncomfortable.
AMY
I was just wondering if you could
tell me how to work the shower.
DAWN
(Quickly, and in an
unfriendly tone)
I've already claimed dibs on it. I
have to get to school.
Dawn exits, giving Amy a cold stare as she walks by.
AMY
Feel the love in this room.
BUFFY
Let me tell you something about
love, Amy. You've done nothing to
deserve it. If memory serves, you
took my best friend away from me,
from herself, even.
AMY
(Angrily, though still
uncomfortable.)
Willow took herself away from
herself. I just happened to be
there.
Both women stare at each other, Buffy glaring steadily, Amy's
glare faltering. After a minute, Amy looks away, uneasy.
AMY (CONT'D)
I'm sorry alright... could you just
tell me where the towels are.
Buffy brushes past her, still glaring, saying coldly:
BUFFY
Find them yourself.
FADE TO BLACK.
OPENING CREDITS (click to watch)
Michelle Trachtenberg
Iyari Là¬mon
Nicholas Brendon
Alyson Hanningan
Carly Pope
Lindsay Lohan
and Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy Summers
Guest starring: Elisabeth Anne Allen
ACT I
FADE TO:
EXT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL - DAY
CAMERA ON: Front of high school
LUX (O.S.)
So she just showed up in your
living room?
CUT TO:
EXT. HIGH SCHOOL COURTYARD - DAY
CAMERA ON: Dawn, Lux, and Kara, walking through the
courtyard. The camera pans along with them as they walk.
DAWN
Well, Buffy kinda let her in.
LUX
And she knew what she was capable
of?
DAWN
Yeah. I'm not quite clear on that
either.
KARA
Spell?
Dawn and Lux both look at her, confused.
KARA (CONT'D)
I mean, did she cast a spell on
her?
DAWN
Maybe. I don't think so. She claims
she's Good Witch Amy now.
LUX
What's her word worth? She's
tricked you all before.
DAWN
Yeah, I know. So I'm not especially
ready to believe her.
KARA
Good call.
A bell rings.
KARA (CONT'D)
I gotta get going. My art class is
all the way over on the other side
of the building. Later!
Dawn and Lux wave goodbye before setting off for their own
class.
CUT TO:
INT. SUMMERS LIVING ROOM - DAY
CAMERA ON: Willow, Kennedy, Xander, and Amy, sitting in
awkward silence.
AMY
So, uh, thanks for coming-
KENNEDY
Cut to the chase. We're missing
class for this.
Xander clears his throat.
KENNEDY (CONT'D)
And work.
AMY
Sorry.
WILLOW
Get to the point.
AMY
Up in my room, in the trunk with my
stuff-
KENNEDY
Trunk? Making yourself awfully cozy
here, aren't you?
WILLOW
Ken-
KENNEDY
You know what? Trunks are for
people who are actually welcome in
other people's homes. You're not
welcome here.
WILLOW
Ken, let her finish.
Kennedy sits back in her wheelchair and crosses her arms.
AMY
Well, in the trunk, there's a box.
It's called Loki's Box, and it's
got a really powerful magical tool
locked inside.
WILLOW
And this magical tool would be...?
AMY
It's called the Seraph.
Willow is obviously surprised.
XANDER
Okay, I'm in the dark here. What's
this whole Seraph-in-a-box thing,
and why are you wasting our time
with it?
AMY
The Seraph is a powerful magic
artifact that stores magical
energy; it's a practically
perpetual energy-source. Someone
attempted to steal it. The almost
caught the thief and managed to
chase him away, but he had put the
Seraph in this box. No one has been
able to open it yet. There's
writing all over the box,
hieroglyphs or something. We're not
quite sure what they are,
instructions, whatever.
XANDER
We?
AMY
The Coven.
WILLOW
Ah, Amy's singing the good-witch
tune again.
AMY
They sent me. Call them right now.
Go ahead.
WILLOW
Is this where you say, "I won't be
offended in the least"?
AMY
No, because that would be lying.
WILLOW
Oh, and you've never lied before,
Amy.
AMY
That isn't me anymore. I don't lie.
I don't cast spells for my own
gain.
WILLOW
What, been reading up on your
Wicca, Amy? "Do what you will, but
harm none" and the Threefold Law?
Took you long enough.
AMY
Listen, I didn't come for a
lecture. I came to ask for your
help.
XANDER
What, so we can open up this box
for you while you sit back and play
the good girl routine? What then,
Amy? Planning on taking the Seraph
for yourself?
AMY
I wouldn't do that, I swear.
WILLOW
You've turned one of my best
friends into a rat, and you made
the entire female population go
psycho on my other best friend.
Give me three good reasons to trust
you, Amy.
AMY
I've changed.
WILLOW
That's one. And not a very good
one.
AMY
Listen, I don't want that Seraph.
If I really wanted it, don't you
think I cast a spell to make you
figure out how to open the box? I
could be working the mojo on you
right now. I could torture you
until you opened that box. But I'm
not.
WILLOW
And why is that?
AMY
Because, honestly, I'm afraid of
what will happen when we figure it
out.
There's a pause as everyone considers this.
AMY (CONT'D)
The Seraph will either be a great
force of good or the darkest of
black magics, depending on whose
hands it falls into. It's nearly
been stolen before, and, once it's
out of the box, it can be stolen
again. And I don't really look
forward to one of those apocalypses
that so often find you people. You
think it's easy for me? You think I
wanted to come here? I know I'm not
welcome. You don't have to keep
reminding me.
WILLOW
I don't really care about the sob
story, Amy. Get the box.
Amy gives her an unreadable look and silently leaves the
room.
XANDER
So, the Coven can't open this box,
so they dump the responsibility on
us? How very kind of them.
WILLOW
Xander...
XANDER
I'm just saying...
KENNEDY
Well, what are we going to do? She
could be lying.
WILLOW
I'll check with the Coven.
KENNEDY
Which one? There's more than one
coven in a world of six billion
people.
WILLOW
All have different names, hun.
There's only one THE Coven. I'll
check with them. Nobody help Amy
with anything until I give you the
all-clear.
Willow stands and exits. Amy enters holding a box. It is a
rich mahogany wood, with glyphs carved into its surface.
AMY
This is Loki's Box.
XANDER
And the Seraph's in there?
AMY
Duh.
XANDER
Watch it.
Amy sets the box down on the floor.
AMY
Any thoughts?
XANDER
None I'm willing to share with you.
Amy cocks her head, narrowing her eyes. Willow re-enters.
WILLOW
All clear.
Amy turns to Xander.
AMY (POINTEDLY)
Any thoughts?
XANDER
Still not in a sharing mood. See,
being in your presence seems to do
that to me.
WILLOW
(Examining the Box)
Looks Sumerian to me. I'll have
Dawn take a look at it after
school.
AMY
Dawn?
WILLOW
She's gotten pretty good at reading
ancient languages.
AMY
(Surprised)
Well, good for her.
Willow nods. Kennedy looks from Amy to Willow to Xander, then
sighs.
KENNEDY
(Muttering to herself)
Yeah, good for her.
FADE TO BLACK.
ACT II
FADE TO:
INT. EDMONSVILLE HOSPITAL - DAY
Buffy, talking to a young female NURSE as they walk leisurely
down the hallway.
BUFFY
-so then she says, "If I knew how
to swim I'd come over there and
teach you a lesson!"
Blank look from the nurse.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
Get it? 'Sea of wheat'? She's
talking about swimming in-
The nurse continues to stare blankly.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
Oh, forget it.
The nurse nods and walks off.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
(To herself)
No one appreciates a good dumb
blonde joke anymore. 'Course, maybe
I'm not the right person to be
telling them"¦
She looks down the hall after the nurse.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
(To the nurse)
Y'know, for people who work in a
mental hospital, there sure isn't a
lot going on up here.
(She taps her head)
You know what I mean?
The nurse simply ignores her. Buffy sighs.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
(Weakly, to herself)
Laughter is the best medicine?
She sighs again and sets off down the hallway, when she is
interrupted:
LOUDSPEAKER
Buffy Summers to room 412, please,
Buffy Summers to room 412.
Buffy stops while she listens to the loudspeaker, then sets
off at a faster pace, on the way to room 412.
CUT TO:
INT. HOSPITAL ROOM - DAY
CAMERA ON: A MAN, lying in bed, muttering to himself. A
DOCTOR stands at the foot of the bed, listening.
MAN
...can't stop me. Can't stop her.
Have to stop them. Can't stop her.
DOCTOR
Mr. Waltham, please.
MAN
...she will go. You can't stop it.
You and your big signs. Zoom!
She'll go. She'll go right past
you. You can't stop it.
ZOOM OUT. We see Buffy, standing near the doctor.
BUFFY
How long has he been like this?
DOCTOR
Since I came in to check on him,
about (checks watch) ten minutes
ago. I can't make heads or tails of
it.
Buffy lowers her voice and says
BUFFY
You can't make heads or tails of
it? Why are you even trying? It's
just crazy talk, as far as I can
tell.
DOCTOR
I'd think that, too, but he's
sticking to one subject, this
person that will 'go'. When I hear
babbling, it's mostly just that:
babbling. But he's been on the same
subject for a while now. I think
he's trying to communicate with us.
BUFFY
And you called me down here
because...?
DOCTOR
He mentioned your name.
BUFFY
My name? How does he know my name?
Suddenly, the man turns and says, quite clearly and
apparently sanely, to Buffy:
MAN
You have to save her. She's inside.
She's in trouble.
Buffy walks closer and kneels down by the man's bed.
BUFFY
Who? Who's in trouble?
MAN
Girl. Don't know her name. She was
taken to the house.
BUFFY
What house? Where?
MAN
The house with crooked teeth and
the half-closed eyes.
BUFFY
(To herself)
And here comes the cryptic.
MAN
It smells pretty there. It smells
like roses and death.
BUFFY
Just tell me where to go.
MAN
They're going to kill her at
midnight. If she dies, we all die.
BUFFY
But where is she?
MAN
Follow the sun. At sunset, follow
the sun to the house.
CAMERA ON: Buffy, looking confused.
WILLOW (V.O.)
That's exactly what he said?
CUT TO:
INT. SUMMERS LIVING ROOM - AFTERNOON
The Scoobies are sitting in various spots in the living room.
Willow has a laptop on her lap. Dawn is sitting in a corner,
squinting at the writing on Loki's Box. She holds an open
book in her other hand, glancing at it frequently while Kara
and Lux look on.
BUFFY
Yeah, it was way with the cryptic.
WILLOW
So he told you to follow the sun at
sunset?
BUFFY
Yeah. I figure that this puts us
somewhere on the west side of town.
WILLOW
Right, the sun sets in the west.
What else did he say?
BUFFY
That is smells like death and
roses.
WILLOW
Graveyard, maybe?
BUFFY
No, he mentioned something else:
'the house with crooked teeth and
half-closed eyes'.
WILLOW
Crooked teeth, huh?
XANDER
From that use of imagery, I'm
guessing abandoned house?
BUFFY
I'd have to go with that, too. So,
we've got death, roses, crooked
teeth, and half-closed eyes.
WILLOW
Teeth... hellmouth?
BUFFY
None in Edmonsville, remember? I'm
living hellmouth-free these days.
WILLOW
There could be an undiscovered-
BUFFY
Doubt it. Nothing evil in this town
has gravitated toward any one
place, except when it's gravitating
towards us.
XANDER
And then it's in a strictly "I'd
like to kill you" capacity and not
a "drawn by the mouth of hell"
capacity.
BUFFY
Uh, right. So, crooked teeth. What
characteristic of a house looks
like crooked teeth?
WILLOW
Roof shingles?
BUFFY
No.
There's silence as everyone sits and thinks. Suddenly Buffy
realises that Amy is not around.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
Where's Amy?
XANDER
Getting some shut-eye. Can't say it
makes me unhappy. I don't know how
much more of her I could stand-
BUFFY
That's it!
Everyone in the room-Dawn, Lux, Kara, Kennedy, Willow and
Xander-look at her.
XANDER
What's it?
BUFFY
Shut eye!
LUX
Not following.
BUFFY
The guys said 'half-closed eyes'...
'shut eye'... got it?
No one gets it.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
The half-closed eyes are shutters!
Picture an old, dilapidated house.
Some of the shutters are open...
WILLOW
Oh, I see!
BUFFY
Now we just have to find the
crooked teeth. What could they be?
All I can think is gravestones.
WILLOW
Hmmm... cemetery. Gravestones,
crypts, walls...
Kennedy speaks up for the first time.
KENNEDY
Fences.
Buffy looks at Willow and smiles slowly.
BUFFY
Crooked fences...
Willow smiles as well.
WILLOW
Crooked teeth!
BUFFY
So we're looking for a house with
shutters and a crooked fence on the
west side of town.
DAWN
It's a West Side Story.
Everyone stares at her.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Okay, bad pun.
KARA
Rose Manor.
Willow, who was just getting ready to do something on the
laptop, stops and looks up.
WILLOW
What?
KARA
You said it smelled like death and
roses, right? Rose manor. It's been
abandoned for years. The town was
starting to restore it, but one of
the workers died on the job. The
city kind of deserted working on it
after that. One too many lawsuits,
I guess.
WILLOW
Sounds like we've got our house.
BUFFY
It all fits-death, roses, eyes,
teeth, west.
She stands up.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
I just wish I could confirm it.
WILLOW
You can't?
BUFFY
Right after the man told me about
the house and the girl, he started
convulsing. When I was leaving,
they were putting him on all kinds
of tranquilizers and stuff. He kept
yelling, "Go to her! Go to her!"
DAWN
That's uber-freaky.
BUFFY
It's sad.
DAWN
I stand by my assessment.
BUFFY
No, I mean, I feel bad for him.
I've never seen family in there to
visit him-
DAWN
Gee, I don't know, maybe 'cause
he's a scary psychopath?!
Buffy ignores her.
BUFFY
-and no one at the hospital seems
to pay attention to him.
DAWN
Once again, the 'psychopath' angle
springs to mind.
BUFFY
Not everyone in a mental hospital
is, well, mental.
DAWN
No, but I think someone in this
house is.
She glares pointedly at Buffy.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Look, Buffy, a raving lunatic at
your work starts spewing out random
imagery, and you go and connect it
to a spooky old shack outside town.
KARA
It's more of a mansion, actually,
no a shack-
Dawn glares at her.
KARA (CONT'D)
I'll be quiet now.
DAWN
I'm just saying, this might be a
big waste of time. And, hello?
Big honkin' mystery sitting right
here in the living room-
BUFFY
Okay. I see your point, Dawn. But
what if he's right? What if I go
and there's a girl and I save her?
Huh? But what if I ignore him? This
girl's life may really be in
danger. I have to go to her.
DAWN
Why?
BUFFY
I'm the Slayer.
Dawn is perfectly serious.
DAWN
Not anymore.
There is a pause as everyone, especially Buffy, absorbs this.
Finally, Buffy speaks:
BUFFY
Fine, I'm a Slayer. But it's still
my job. I have to help her.
She grabs a sweater and leaves. Dawn sighs and holds her
forehead in her hands before shaking her head and going back
to squinting at the box.
FADE TO:
EXT. STREET - SUNSET
Buffy, walking down the street. The sun is setting. She
glances at it, then begins walking toward the west.
FADE TO:
EXT. GATES OF MANSION - EARLY EVENING
We see the mansion through the menacing crooked gates.
ZOOM OUT:
We see Buffy, looking through the gates at the mansion. She
sighs, pushes the gate open, and begins walking up the drive
to the house.
FADE TO:
Buffy, climbing the last steps onto the front porch. She
reaches the front door, pauses, takes a deep breath, and
says:
BUFFY
Here goes nothing.
She pushes the door open.
FADE TO BLACK.
ACT III
FADE TO:
INT. SUMMERS LIVING ROOM - EVENING
The Scoobies are doing their research. Suddenly Dawn says:
DAWN
This is useless!
XANDER
Come again?
DAWN
This isn't Sumerian!
WILLOW
It isn't?
DAWN
No, parts of it are made to look
Sumerian, but that's just to
confuse people, I think. See?
She gestures to the box.
DAWN (CONT'D)
All Sumerian-looking around here,
but look over here.
She points to a spot on the box.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Not Sumerian at all! It's something
completely different and I have no
idea what it is and my brain is
dead so I want some caffeine, okay?
WILLOW
I don't know why I didn't think of
it before.
KENNEDY
Think of what?
WILLOW
Oh! Major duh on me. Loki is the
Norse god of mischief.
Why would a box named after a Norse
mythological figure be writing in
Sumerian?
XANDER
Just a thought-interracial
marriage?
Willow gives him a look.
WILLOW
I guess the whole "Amy-the-good
witch" thing threw me off my game.
We should be looking stuff about
Norse mythology! Anything about
it... the history, the language,
the culture...
DAWN
To the library?
WILLOW
To the library.
KARA
Which is closed.
LUX
I have an idea.
CUT TO:
INT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - EVENING
CAMERA ON: Dawn, Lux, and Kara, walking down the hallway.
DAWN
Okay, so you're sure everything's
unlocked.
LUX
Not remotely sure. But we can hope.
KARA
It's just lucky that the basketball
team's practicing in the gym
tonight, or we'd be totally
breaking-and-entering.
DAWN
For once, I'm glad all the coaches
here are such slave-drivers. Makes
me feel bad for the sports teams.
Night practice on the first day of
school?
LUX
That's the price you pay for being
state champs. Now, let's go.
They make their way down the halls toward the school library.
CUT TO:
INT. ROSE MANOR FRONT HALL - EVENING
We're in the front hall of a mansion that's seen far better
days, but is still beautiful. The layout of the hall is that
of a stereotypical old mansion: big curving staircase, second
story overlooking the hall, big chandelier hanging from the
ceiling.
CUT TO:
Buffy, cautiously making her way down the hallway of the old,
deserted house.
BUFFY
Hello? Is anybody here?
The camera angle changes, so we're seeing Buffy from between
the poles of the banister on the big curvy staircase. She's
obviously being watched by someone-or something.
CUT TO:
Buffy, still walking. Suddenly, an arrow zips past her face,
barely missing her, and lodges itself in the wall beside her.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
I guess anybody's here.
CUT TO:
INT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL LIBRARY - EVENING
CAMERA ON: The door to the library. Through the shades on the
windows of the door, we can see the silhouettes of three
people. Then we hear muffle dialogue:
LUX
I didn't know it would be locked!
KARA
Just punch out the window and
unlock it from inside or something.
DAWN
Okay, I am so not breaking into the
library on my first day of school.
There's some muffled sounds, then a loud thump.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Lux, we're not breaking the
freaking window!
LUX
Got a better plan?
There's silence for a moment, then the door opens, revealing
Dawn kneeling on the ground, bobby pin in hand.
DAWN
Some things are just classics.
Kara looks pointedly at Lux.
KARA
Wow, that was a better plan.
LUX
Shut up.
They walk into the library and Kara flips on the light
switch. The lights come on brightly.
KARA
Come on, guys, close the door!
Someone will see the light!
DAWN
Like who?
KARA
I don't know, a janitor or
something.
DAWN
Oh, the janitor's probably already
been down this corridor. I bet
cleans it right after everybody
leaves.
LUX
How do you figure?
DAWN
Just a theory.
Suddenly, the lights go out. Dawn kind of screams. Kara
laughs.
KARA
Chicken!
DAWN
Kara Turn the lights back on right
now! That's not funny!
LUX
Uh, guys?
She points to the library doors. Through the shades on the
door windows, we quickly see the shadow of a girl, running
down the hallway, screaming, "Help!"
DAWN
Looks like duty calls.
FADE TO BLACK.
ACT IV
FADE TO:
INT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH HALLWAY - EVENING
CAMERA ON: Dawn, Lux, and Kara looking down the hallway,
which is empty.
KARA
Where'd she go?
CAMERA ON: Door marked 'basement access'. It's half-open (or
half closed, depending on your outlook on life.)
DAWN
Look's like we're going down.
CUT TO:
INT. ROSE MANOR FRONT HALL - EVENING
CAMERA ON: Buffy, running from the arrows. She runs into what
might have once been a sitting room...
INT. ROSE MANOR SITTING ROOM - EVENING
...and dives behind a coffee table.
CUT TO:
BUFFY'S P.O.V.
From under the coffee table, we see two feet approaching.
Buffy rummages through her weapons bag, which is half under
her from when she dove under the table. Suddenly, the feet
disappear from her view. Moments later, a hand grabs her
ankle and begins dragging her out from under the table. She
uses her other foot to kick the person's face, making him
release her. She uses her momentum to swing herself up into a
standing position, and she pulls a stake out of her bag. Sure
enough, she's looking at a vampire. But only one. They
exchange a few blows and she stakes him without too much
trouble.
BUFFY
No girl in peril here. Unless you
count me. But that's former.
She stops and realization dawns.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
That bastard set me up!
She looks around. Everything is quiet.
BUFFY (CONT'D)
Although, as far as set-ups go,
that was an easy one.
She glances around.
Well, let's have a look, just to be
safe.
She holds up her stake and carefully makes her way into the
next room.
CUT TO:
INT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH BASEMENT - EVENING
CAMERA ON: Dawn, Lux, and Kara, heading down the stairs. At
the bottom, Kara discovers a light switch and flips it on.
They venture a little further into the basement.
LUX
Why do I have a bad feeling about
this?
The lights go out.
LUX (CONT'D)
Well, there's that.
DAWN
Kara, cut it out. That's not funny
this time. Not that it was funny
the first time, either-
KARA
Uh, Dawn?
From the direction of her voice, we can tell she's right next
to Dawn.
KARA (CONT'D)
That wasn't m-
There's suddenly a thud, and Kara's voice stops.
DAWN
Kara?
We hear the sound of a punch landing.
Dawn screams.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Lux! Look out! There's something
down here!
Another punching sound.
LUX
Yeah, I kinda figured it out when
it PUNCHED ME!!
DAWN
Where's Kara? Is she okay?
LUX
I don't know! I can't see anymore
than you can!
Kara groans.
KARA
Why is it always me?
DAWN
Sorry, Kare.
KARA
Where is it?
DAWN
I don't know! Flip on the light!
There's the sound of someone walking blindly around, then the
sound of a light switch being flipped on and off.
LUX
It's not just the light switch. The
power must be out!
DAWN
Okay, don't panic. Lux, can you try
and find the fuse box?
No answer.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Lux?!
Nothing.
KARA
Where is she?
DAWN
I don't know, but we have to get
out of this basement!
KARA
Agreed. But I don't even know where
we are!
DAWN
That makes two of us.
KARA
Well, what else down here makes
light? Anything?
DAWN
The boiler?
KARA
That would be in the boiler room,
not the basement.
DAWN
Well, we have to do some-
KARA
Dawn?
There's a dull thud.
KARA (CONT'D)
Oh, no.
We hear her start walking. Suddenly, she connects with
something.
KARA (CONT'D)
Holy crap. What is this?
From the sound of things, she's flailing her arms around
wildly, trying to connect a solid punch with the creature's
body. And, once again, from the sound of things, none are
connecting.
KARA (CONT'D)
It's right here! I can feel it! I'm
hitting it! Why won't-?
Dawn groans.
KARA (CONT'D)
Dawn, I can't hit it!
DAWN
What?
KARA
This thing, I can feel it, but none
of my punches are actually hitting
it!
DAWN
Shadow demon!
KARA
What?
DAWN
It must be a shadow demon! Kara, we
just have to get upstairs!
KARA
Okay, is it like, a basement shadow
demon?
DAWN
No, but the moon's out tonight! We
have to get into some natural
light!
KARA
Where are the stairs?
DAWN
I think they're that way.
A beat.
DAWN (CONT'D)
Okay, you can't see me. But just
try to remember!
KARA
Okay, I think I'm headed-
A thud (again!)
KARA AND DAWN
Ow!
KARA
Hey! It's you!
DAWN
It's me. Now we have to find Lux. I
think she's by the-
The noise of a small commotion and someone hitting the floor.
KARA
Ow! Oh, found Lux!
DAWN
By tripping over her?
KARA
Hey, whatever works. I've got her.
DAWN
Me too.
KARA
Okay, one, two, three, up!
There are sounds of the girls straining under LUX's weight.
Not like LUX weighs a heck of a lot, just that she's kinda
heavy when she's just lying there unconscious. The girls make
their way up the stairs and into the hallway. (Yay! They're
visible again!)
INT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL HALLWAY - EVENING (CONT'D)
DAWN
Okay, now let's get outside!
They set off as fast as they can go, what with the added
weight of Lux and everything.
Down the hall, we see a large, shadow-y mass floating out the
basement door.
CUT TO:
EXT. EDMONSVILLE HIGH SCHOOL PARKING LOT - EVENING
CAMERA ON: Dawn and Kara, supporting a now semi-conscious
Lux. They run into the lot and stand in a spot where the moon
is just beginning to illuminate the ground. The big stupid
SHADOW THING follows them, and as the moonlight hits its
body, it sort of melts/dissolves, until it is just a puddle
on the ground-a puddle that is rapidly evaporating (Whew! Say
that five times fast!).
DAWN
Let's get home.
FADE TO:
INT. SUMMERS KITCHEN - EVENING
CAMERA ON: Willow, bandaging a small cut on Lux's forehead.
WILLOW
You might have a mild concussion.
If you start getting dizzy-
LUX
-er. Dizzy-er.
WILLOW
Right. If you start getting
dizzier, you might wanna head to
the hospital.
LUX
Okay.
CAMERA ON: Xander, also in the kitchen.
XANDER
So both Buffy and you guys got set
up. Wonder who has it in for us
this time.
BUFFY
I don't know, but I for one can
safely say that this night was a
waste. We didn't find out anything
new, we haven't opened this box,
and now, to top it off, my patients
are out to get me. What else can
possibly go wrong?
FADE TO:
EXT. EDMONSVILLE STREET - NIGHT
CAMERA ON: A black-cloaked figure, Masiya, standing in front
of ROSE MANOR. Though we can only see it from behind, we can
tell that the figure has a menacing air about it, and we hear
it talking. As the camera angle changes, we see that Masiya
is talking to the man from the hospital.
MASIYA
...We didn't kill her.
The man is visibly worried.
MAN
No, sir, but--
MASIYA
Calm down.
Masiya pauses and sighs.
MASIYA (CONT'D)
It was not a waste. I have seen my
enemy in combat.
MAN
Yes, sir.
MASIYA
You got her here. You did as you
promised.
The man gathers his courage.
MAN
Will you do as you promised then...
use your powers to relieve me of my
pain.
MASIYA
Of course.
The man looks at Masiya in anticipation. Suddenly and
swiftly, Masiya punches the man real hard and even punches a
hole through the man's stomach. He retreats his arm and the
man drops to the ground, dead. We pan around to see Masiya
from the front. He has razor sharp teeth and a menacing
looking paintings on his face.
MASIYA (CONT'D)
Not the kind of relief you were
hoping for, but just the type that
serves your kind right.
FADE TO BLACK.
END OF EPISODE.
For an archive of the other episodes in this project visit our website at www.virtualslayer.tk
If you've read the story, by all means reply and let us know what you thought of it. Constructive criticism is much appreciated. We do not however take to bashing. If you feel an absolutely inescapable urge to bash, I suggest you do so with your head into a brick wall.
Finally, I hope you enjoyed it. Next week: Angel 6.03 Family First - Spike is faced with his new responsibilities when in the heat of a battle against a demon clan, a bystander is killed accidentally. Meanwhile, Angel sees a familiar face return and aim for Connor.