SquidgeWorld Archive

[Fade in on a nice suburban street, almost deserted in the late evening. Two teenagers are walking down the street - DAN, a sweet-looking if somewhat nebbishy guy with glasses, unkempt brown hair, and a far-too-stiff collar shirt, and LOLA, a striking beauty with rich brown hair, each strand in place, and bright green eyes, wearing a somewhat provocative dress. Dan has a scared look on his face.]
DAN: Are... are you sure about this, Lola? I mean,,, there - there's got to be a less drastic way than... th-than... (he's stuttering now, wringing his hands nervously.)

LOLA: Relax, Dan. (She pulls a pistol from behind her back and places it carefully in Dan's hands.) Yes, I'm sure. You took me away from Jason. He's not gonna leave you alone unless I go back to him. (pauses artfully.) You don't *want* me to go back to Jase, do you, Dan??

DAN: (Instantly.) No! But... you want to be with me, not him? (Stops dead and turns to face Lola head on.) You *do* want to be with me, don't you Lola??

LOLA: (laughing reassuringly and laying her hand on Dan's arm in an intimate way.) YES, of course! I love you, Dan. (She starts them moving along the sidewalk again.) But... that won't mean anything to Jason. He's crazy jealous. I can't believe I didn't realize that about him sooner.

DAN: We... we could report him to the police for stalking. That would...

LOLA: It wouldn't accomplish anything, Danny, not in time. (She sighs, and Dan's eyes snap magnetically to her boobs.) The police could issue a restraining order, but they can't enforce it until Jason's attacked you, and then it could be too late. (She nods, stepping out into an intersection.) And here we are.

DAN: (surprised.) Already?? (He looks around.)

[Suddenly another figure steps out of the shadows behind a garage. We see more of this 'neighborhood and can realize that it is not what it appears - a ceiling is visible about twenty feet above street level, with some of the smaller houses going that high and no higher, and others appearing to go through the roof. The new arrival is dressed in a dark blue sweater and black jeans, and he has dark chestnut hair and a single earring. He's carrying a heavy aluminum baseball bat. This is JASON.]

JASON: Been waitin' for y'all. (He speaks in a low, dangerous voice, with a southern states accent.)

[Dan looks to Lola. Lola nudges him in the ribs with an elbow, as if to prompt him. Dan swallows nervously and steps a few paces forward to challenge Jason directly, without getting too near to him.]

DAN: Th-this, um, this has to stop, uh, J-jason. Lola left you, she picked me, and you... you're just gonna have to, uh, deal and move on. If you don't... er, well, then I'm just gonna have to protect myself and my girl.

JASON: (Stepping forward, chuckling. Dan takes a step back, then holds his ground nervously.) Defend yourself? Are you joking, geek?? (Jason smiles cruelly - he is tall, well-muscled, and obviously very strong, while Dan could fit the bill for a 110-pound weakling.)

DAN: (grimaces with fear, but sticks to the script.) No. I may not be as strong as you, but this isn't a schoolyard fight, and I've brought something that you can't out-muscle.

JASON: (scoffing.) What, the red sword of War??

DAN: This. (He brings out the pistol, aiming it squarely at Jason's neck.) Now, I want to hear you say that you're not going to come after me any more. Because I'll always have this with me...

JASON: It doesn't matter! (Dan is surprised at the interruption - he really expected Jason to be fazed by this, and Jason isn't.) You don't have the guts to pull the trigger on that thing.

DAN: (Somewhat desperate now.) Give me your word that...

JASON: *No*!! (He moved towards Dan again, swinging the at gently but threateningly into his own palm.) Now, why don't you put that thing away, it's a man's gun, not a toy for a little baby like you. Then, we can get to the poundi--

[A gunshot cuts Jason off, and his neck is suddenly a mass of bloody flesh. Dan, horrified, turns to Lola, dropping the gun.]

DAN: Lola, what do we d-do no- w- ... (He can't continue. Lola's face is suddenly that of a monster - a vampire.)

[Dan looks around, panicked. From a distant street, he catches a faint siren and a shining red light that turns to blue as a police carpet charges along. That decides him - he runs the other way, not looking back.]

LOLA: Man, I *love* corrupting teenagers. (She goes over to Jason's body and drinks some of the blood from his neck. The sirens fade away, going elsewhere.)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

INTERIOR, BUFFY'S ROOM, MORNING.

[BUFFY Summers, a pretty teenager with light brown hair, is still sleeping. She is dreaming, and her dreams are strange - cruel, menacing vampires, horrifying creatures, glittering gemstones. She also sees the faces of remarkable people - a skeleton in a black hooded cloak, his bony hands stretched out toward her. A gorgeous woman in her elder twenties, wearing a simple yellow dress that complements her blonde hair, stretching out what looks like a string between her hands. A brief glimpse of a somewhat older man in blue...]

[And a handsome man with a disturbingly intense look in his dark brown eyes, wearing an impeccable black suit with flame-red detailing. He looks straight at Buffy, in her dream, and smiles confidently. Buffy wakes with a start, sitting up in bed.]

MOM: (calling from another room.) Buffy??

BUFFY: Uh, yeah, mom. I'm up.

MOM: Breakfast is ready. C'mon, you don't wanna be late for your first day of school here.

[Buffy swings her feet off the edge of the bed, idly fingering the short sleeve of her nightgown with two fingers.]

BUFFY: (Sardonically, to herself.) No, wouldn't want that.

INTERIOR, SUMMERS KITCHEN, MORNING.

[Buffy smiles somewhat forcedly and takes the last bite of a muffin, nodding at her mother, and sipping at her orange-grapefruit juice. She's wearing a stylish light blue scoop-neck top and a blue and white print skirt, with platform sandals. JOYCE Summers is a still-handsome woman in her mid-forties, and she's eating somewhat nervously herself, pecking at a slice of toast and ignoring her coffee. The kitchen in the Summers apartment is quite small, considering that it also must serve as dining room - the dining table dominates whatever space the refrigetator and stove do not. Wide open doorways lead into the living room in one direction, and into the hall facing the closed door to Joyce's bedroom in another.]

JOYCE: So, you're sure you can get to school okay by yourself? (sips at the coffee, and adds a little more sugar to it.)

BUFFY: (nodding with a small smile.) Yeah, I think so, Mom. It's just down the elevator, across the street, around the block, and up another elevator, right.

JOYCE: (Completely missing her daughter's sarcasm.) We were so *lucky* to find a place close to the school. (She smiles brightly.)

BUFFY: (Looking around the apartment, what there is of it.) Yeah. Lucky. (She finishes most of the juice and stands up.) Well, I'd better head off now.

JOYCE: Oh!! Before you go? (Buffy turns back to face her.) Wish me luck on my first day with... Miz Kaftan. (Her expression betrays her nervousness.)

BUFFY: (Quickly wipes a slightly frustrated expression off her face and puts a reassuring smile in her face.) You don't *need* luck, Mom. You're gonna blow Luna Kaftan away.

JOYCE: (chuckles slightly.) *Don't* I wish. (She lets Buffy leave without further interruption.)

[Buffy picks up a small, stylish backpack off of the sofa as she passes through the living room, draping it over one shoulder. She walks quickly through the small entry hall and out of the apartment. The hallway of the high-rise apartment building is filled with tight knots of people of all ages, from kids of ten or so to professionals in their fifties, all talking amongst themselves as they head to school or their jobs. Buffy looks for any friendly teenagers of her own age group, but doesn't see any. So she walks to the elevators alone, and can't help listening to bits of various conversations.]

BUSINESSMAN: No, it was Simmons who dropped the ball on the Cupid's heart love spell account. But he managed to blame it on me, the asshole. All I'm saying is, April fools' day, he'd better watch out. I've got my eye on an incontinence curse they just stocked at Mamy's. I wonder how he'd like being caught with his pants *up*...

TEENAGE GIRL: ...and he told me to tell her that... Ahh, no, I'm getting it all wrong. It's Sarah who likes Vince and Liam likes Sarah's sister Barbara. So I said to Liam...

[Buffy passes a carpet port, where commuters can be seen leaving the building directly on flying magic rugs. She shakes her head, wishing her family could afford something like that. Finally, the elevators can be seen up ahead. A teenaged guy closes the doors on one elevator car just as another boy is arriving.]

BOY: (Annoyed.) Death off! Thanks a lot, loser!!

MUFFLED REPLY: (from inside the elevator as it descends.) Yeah, well Mars to you, crybaby!!

[Cut to Scott Parke high, a typical 1980's era single-building secondary school. It has somehow been transplanted, foundations and all, to the top of a multi-level building tower. Buffy steps out of the elevator, which has deposited her and a crowd of other students at the far end of a grassy field from the school building. Behind her, a sturdy railing guards the fifteen-story dropoff.]

BUFFY: Hmm... (looks around again, not sure for what, then shrugs and heads over to the nearest school doors, following a large pack of teenagers.)

[A teenaged boy is watching her go, from where he leans carelessly against the railing. He is tall and on the slim side, with a funny face and dark hair. This is JESSE. He's wearing a medieval-style tunic of dark blue crushed velvet, and his loose-fitting slacks are an even darker navy blue. He nods to himself with a mix of surprise, appreciation, and satisfaction.]

JESSE: New girl!

INTERIOR, PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE, DAY.

[Buffy sits nervously, facing her new Principal. He is Doctor LEWIS, an academic type, about fifty years old, in a gray suit jacket, with small glasses sitting high up on his nose.]

LEWIS: Ah, um yes. The new transfer student. Miss Buffy Summers, from Hemery High in San Pacifica, California. Didja ever meet any movie stars, Miss Summers?

BUFFY: Umm... Well, Jason Priestly came into the yogurt store once.

LEWIS: Jason who? I once met Marlon Brando. Shook his hand not a mile from this spot. (Shakes his head and looks at Buffy.) What brings you to Kilvarough? Your, your family, I mean.

BUFFY: Oh, it's just me and my mom. She got a job here - curator of the Kaftan gallery.

LEWIS: Oh! (His eyes widen slightly.) Well, I wish her the best of success, for Senator Kaftan's sake. She's one of Kilvarough's most admired citizens. (Pauses.) Except by the Satanist lunatics who keep trying to kill her, despite the rumors that Death is in love with her and will never take her soul before her time. (He shakes back to the subject at hand, something he must do often.) Um, your transcript looks... (Peers at the paper in front of him on the desk, frowns, then peers at it over his dirty glasses, smiles, and last his face falls again.) My, um, Miss Summers, there are a lot of fights and disciplinary problems here on your record.

BUFFY: (stifles a groan.) Yes, I know, sir. I'll try to set a better example here at Scott Parke.

LEWIS: Well, see that you set a better example here at Scott Parke. (Doesn't even realize that he's repeated what Buffy just said.) We don't tolerate hooligans here. (Shakes his head again.) Well, I guess that's it for the official business. Welcome to Kilvarough, Miss Summers. And may I take this opportunity to wish you luck on your academic career at Scott Park.

BUFFY: Um, thanks. (She gathers her things, nods farewell to Lewis, opens the door, and steps out of his office. Immediately, some nameless junior clips her as he hurries elsewhere, knocking Buffy off her balance sending her backpack off her shoulder onto the floor, its contents spilling out.)

[Another girl walking down that hallway notices the tragedy, and heads over to help. She's strikingly beautiful, dressed all-american in a denim skirt and preppy dark blue sleeveless sweater, setting off her long dark hair and hazel eyes. This is Cordelia or CORDY Chase, and she smiles sympathetically as she picks up two of Buffy's notebooks and a pencil case.]

CORDY: Lend a hand? (She hands the items to Buffy, who stuffs them quickly into the pack.)

BUFFY: Thanks. (She smiles quickly at this stranger, and sets to picking up more mess.)

CORDY: Are you new here? I haven't seen you around. I'm Cordy, by the way. Chase. And you? (Buffy picks up the last spilled item, a short, sturdy wooden stake.) What's *that* for??

[With a horrified expression on her face Buffy stashes the stake in the backpack pocket, and stands up.]

BUFFY: Um... bye. (Blushing furiously, she heads back down the hall. Cordy watches her go, then shrugs to herself.)

INTERIOR, CLASSROOM, DAY.

[Buffy is sitting behind a desk that is quite obviously clear of any books. All the other students have textbooks on their desks. A TEACHER is lecturing.]

TEACHER: It's estimated that about twenty-five million people died in that four-year span. But how did the Black Plague come to Europe? The Anchorage Institute of History has made some intriguing observations with sophisticated chronovision spells, scrying into the past. What did they find? (A pause.) Jonathan??

[JONATHAN, a nerdy short kid in the front row, jumps as his name is called, and scrambles to find the right place in the textbook.] Umm... the trade party from Asia?

TEACHER: (Smiles with a mixture of pleasure and good-natured tolerance.) Yes, very good, Jonathan! (Buffy has started to look around her at this point, realizing that finding a textbook that she could look in herself would be a very good thing, especially if the teacher decides to call on her.) The bubonic plague first developed in China, and spread along the trade routes to the west. As you can read for yourself starting on page four fifty two, there is even evidence of a key event at Samarkand in Transoxiana...

[A girl to Buffy's left nudges her desk closer, and slides a textbook over so that Buffy can see it too. Buffy smiles briefly at her rescuer, WILLOW Rosenberg, before turning her attention to the page. Willow is a pretty girl, wearing a full-length purple cloak with a cowl and hood that obscures all but the slightest glimpse of her eye-catching red hair. The outfit is very different from Buffy's and those of most of the other students, (though a few, here and there, are dressed somewhat similarly,) but somehow the unique clothes seem to lend her mystique and glamour.]

WILLOW: (whispering.) You're welcome.

TEACHER: (continuing to lecture.) The infected man, hired to continue along with the merchant party towards Turkey to carry a package. But was he really sent there to carry the plague, on purpose?? The 'dark gentleman' who paid his passage seemed to come from nowhere and vanish as soon as the arrangements had been made. Was he a wizard?? Or even an Incarnation??? We don't have enough information to do more than theorize. Also unusual are the 'gaps' left in the plague's progress across Europe... What's one region that was left untouched by the Black death, Lysette??

INTERIOR, SCHOOL CORRIDOR, DAY.

[A bell rings, and the students quickly leave the history classroom, (and all the other classrooms,) in twos and threes. Buffy and Willow pass through the doorway side by side, as it happens - Willow levitating her books behind her as she goes.

BUFFY: Thanks for the loan, back there.

WILLOW: (Acting very 'cool' and somewhat superior.) My good deed for the day. So... you're new here? I've never seen you around.

BUFFY: (Smiling somewhat gamely.) Yeah, that's me, the new kid. (Recites the list of circumstances with a little resignation.) From San Pacifica, my mom got a job with Senator Kaftan so...

WILLOW: (Turning around to stare at Buffy with some shock.) *Luna* Kaftan? The Magician's daughter??

BUFFY: Umm... yeah, Senator Luna Kaftan. I'm sorry, I don't really know who her father is...

WILLOW: (Shaking her head in an almost-fury.) Not is. WAS. Cedric Kaftan the second, known all his life as either 'Junior' Kaftan or 'The Magician' Kaftan. One of the greatest enchanters this world has ever seen!! (Shrugs her shoulders matter-of-factly.) He's my idol.

BUFFY: (Looks back at Willow's books, still floating serenely behind her.) I see.

WILLOW: (Continuing on excitedly.) And even Miz Luna Kaftan... I'd just *love* to meet her, too! Next best thing to being able to shake her father's hand, which, you know... can't, since he's been dead for about as long as I've been alive...

BUFFY: (getting a word in edgewise.) Is... does Luna do magic too?

WILLOW: No, not anymore. Well, I don't really know - she may do some white here and there. Wouldn't know, myself. But they say she was developing into quite an Adept until she almost died herself, back in 'eighty. Both father and daughter had been big into the black magic back then, Daddy got into it because white magic wasn't flexible enough... got too much of it, and now his soul's burning in hell. But at least he saved his daughter from Old scrotch... that must give him a bit of peace at least. And Luna, she wised up then, got off the black, which she had been dabbling in because her father was - and she doesn't do much magic at all as far as anyone can tell...

[Buffy is blinking in surprise - she doesn't understand all this and certainly isn't sure whether to believe it. Willow's haugty tone has degenerated into gossipy gabbiness.]

WILLOW: ...Of course, those pictures she paints, the Aural portraits, definitely aren't 'of the mundane...' if you ask me, she has more than a bit of magic right there. And even if she didn't, Luna's such a incredible figure, regardless. Mentioned in prophecies before she was even born, destined to stop the Dark Lord from taking over the earth. And she consorts with the Incarnations. Literally, when it comes to Thanatos. They've been steady ever since her father died. Can you imagine that?? Shacked up with Death!!! (she starts giggling hysterically.)

[Buffy jumps and looks around slightly - she's just been following Willow since they got out of history class, and isn't exactly sure how to get back to her locker or to her next classroom. Willow is heading towards another group of fancy-dressed people hanging out betwen some lockers and a corridor intersection.]

WILLOW: (Her giggles die away into a broad grin.) Speaking of consorts... (She pounces into the arms of a velvet-clad figure and kisses him fiercely on the lips. After a few second, she breaks off, and turns within his embrace to face Buffy again.) This is Jesse - he's my devotee and we, (a gesture makes it clear that she's referring to the whole group,) are the children of the Arcane.) Get me an intro with Luna Kaftan and you can vow with us.

JESSE: She knows Lady Kaftan?! Metaphysic!!

BUFFY: Um, not really...

WILLOW: (Aside to Jesse and a few of the other 'Children.') Her mom works for Kaf.

[Another student sorcerer, MICHAEL, breaks in.]

MICHAEL: Hey, Willow, see if she can get you a face-to-face with Lachesis too. (Bursts into laughter.)

JESSE: Oh, if only you could, right? (Nods sympathetically at Buffy.)

BUFFY: (Sounding somewhat dubious on purpose.) Lachesis??

JESSE: The Incarnation of Fate? The central Aspect??

BUFFY: (Still sounding doubtful.) Incarnations??

WILLOW: Well duh!! The Incarnations just *rock*, don't they??

BUFFY: (in a whisper only she can hear.) You'd be surprised.

JESSE: What was that, Buffy?

BUFFY: (Jumps slightly.) Uh, never mind. This is my mom's first day at her new job, it'd be way jumping the gun to even ask *her* about introducing her boss to friends, you know what I mean.

JESSE: Yeah, I get that. Still, you seem cool, it'd be great to have you in. Got any talent??

BUFFY: Talent?? You mean, like singing or dancing or...

JESSE: (Shakes his head.) No. Talent with magic. (He waves his fingers, and a eerie light appears, floating above the palm of his hand.)

BUFFY: (Her face falls.) No... nothing like that I can show you... (Her attention strays to a couple walking down the corridor - the pretty girl who helped her with her books earlier, Cordy, and a tall, slightly handsome guy with short dark curly hair who looks a little like Jesse - XANDER.)

WILLOW: (Notices who Buffy is looking at.) Heh heh heh. Hey, check this out. (She whispers a few unheard words and gestures emphatically. Suddenly a dark cloud envelops Cordy and Xander and disappears. They fall to the floor, books and bags scattering everywhere.)

CORDY: No, no!! Eww - get it *off* of me!!!

XANDER: Stay back. Stay back!! Help! Mommyy!!

[Jesse, Willow, and all the 'children' laugh. Buffy isn't impressed, and she hurries forward to help the stricken couple. As she approaches, a faint glowing over their eyes wink out.]

CORDY: (recognizing Buffy from before.) Hey, you again! (She smiles faintly as Buffy helps her up.)

XANDER: Huh?? (Looks around, and sees the laughing Arcane kids.) Oh, great, fell for another phobia spell. Roll over and die now, please??

BUFFY: (Helps him up too.) Oh, hey. It wasn't so bad.

XANDER: I called for my mommy, didn't I?

BUFFY: (Makes a sorry face.) Um, yeah.

WILLOW: (to Buffy.) Spell-spoiler!!

[Buffy glares unrepentantly at Willow. Cordy and Xander step up behind her, and the Arcane kids group behind Willow in a tense lineup. After holding the tableau for a few secnnds, Buffy turns to go, and Xander and Cordy share a glance and head off in the same direction.]