Chapter 9: The Final Battle and The New King
Sephiroth: {Confused} Duke...? {back in form} Duke Fleed! I'm a little surprised to see you, {giving the gangs above him an angry look} alive...
{On the word "alive," Anna, Kano and Yamazaki gulp audibly and slink into the shadows.}
Duke: {As Kitana looks on with some maids} Give me one good reason why I shouldn't rip you apart.
Sephiroth: {Backing into a wall, apologetic} Oh, Duke, you must understand. The pressures of ruling a kingdom...
Duke: ...Are no longer yours. Step down, Sephiroth.
Sephiroth: Oh, oh, ye - Well, I would, heh, naturally, heh - however, there is one little problem. You see them? {pointing to the horde of mavericks on the balcony above} They think I'M king.
{Usagi appears with the rest of the sailor guardians.}
Usagi: Well, we don't. Duke Fleed is the rightful king.
Duke: The choice is yours, Sephiroth. Either step down or fight.
Sephiroth: Oh, must it all end in violence? I'd hate to be responsible for the death of a family member. Wouldn't you agree, Duke?
Duke: That's not gonna work, Sephiroth. I've put it behind me.
Sephiroth: Eh, but what about your faithful subjects? Have they put it behind them?
Usagi: Duke, what is he talking about?
Sephiroth: {Delighted} Ahh, so you haven't told them your little secret. Well, Duke Fleed, now's your chance to tell them. Tell them who is responsible for Auron's death!
{Sephiroth's last line causes the female maidens to start. All are concentrating on Duke.}
Duke: {Steeling himself, then taking a step forward} I am.
{Kitana approaches her son.}
Kitana: {With much grief} It's not true. Tell me it's not true.
Duke: {Regretfully} It's true.
Sephiroth: You see! He admits it! Murderer!
{Lightning crashes behind Sephiroth's head to punctuate the line.}
Duke: No. It was an accident.
{Sephiroth walks around and around Duke as he accuses him; very nicely done animated rotation.}
Sephiroth: If it weren't for you, Auron would still be alive. It's your fault he's dead; do you deny it?
Duke: No.
Sephiroth: {Severely} Then... you're... guilty.
Duke: No. I'm not a murderer.
Sephiroth: Oh, Duke, you're in trouble again. But this time, Daddy isn't here to save you. And now EVERYONE.. KNOWS... WHY!
{Sephiroth has been backing Duke up the length of Moon Castle. After his last sentence, Duke slips over the edge and is clinging to the ledge by his hands. Lightning strikes below, igniting a fire.}
Usagi: Duke Fleed!
{Sephiroth sits back and pretends to think.}
Sephiroth: Now this looks familiar. Hmm. Where have I seen this before? Let me think. Hmmm... hmmm. Oh yes, I remember. This is just the way your father looked before he died.
{Sephiroth grabs Duke with his nails as he did Auron. He whispers into Duke's ear.}
Sephiroth: And here's MY little secret: I killed Auron.
{Duke has a quick memory flash back to that fateful instant. His voice blends with his younger voice in the scream of when his father died. In one giant leap he lunges up and pins Sephiroth on his back. Sephiroth is caught completely by surprise and is understandably very nervous and shaken.}
Duke: NoooooOOOO! ...Murderer!
Sephiroth: No, Duke, please.
Duke: Tell them the truth.
Sephiroth: Truth? But truth is in the eye of the behold - llgkkk!
{Duke starts to choke Sephiroth.}
Sephiroth: All right. All right. {quietly, venomously} I did it.
Duke: So they can hear you.
Sephiroth: {Grudgingly, but clear} I killed Auron!
{Usagi starts towards Sephiroth, the mavericks attack Duke in a wall of sword. The female guardians join in. We see Joey and Sonic come in. Sonic is charging with super speed attack. Mavericks are flying everywhere.}
Joey: Heeeyyyy-yaaaaah!
Sonic: 'Scuse me. Pardon me. Comin' through. Hot stuff. Whoo!
{Bowling strike sound effect as mavericks fly. Wakka kick a maverick off Duke. Camera switch to him; with a battle scream, he joins the fray. As a bit of comic relief, Wakka is fighting in kung-fu "B-movie" style, complete with cheesy sound effects.}
Wakka: {As he hits various mavericks} WwwA! Hozah! Hazoww! Yaa! Yah! hhyEEOOWww!
{Camera switch to Sonic running from Anna. He runs into the dungeon. Tails spots him. Sonic runs into his cage for safety from the mavericks.}
Tails: Let me out! Let me out!
Sonic: Let me in! Let me in! {To the mavericks, pleading} ... Ple-he-hease don't kill me.
{Joey appears at the dungeon's entrance.}
Joey: Leave him alone!
Kano: Hey, who said the madman?
Joey: Are you talking to me?
Sonic: Uh oh. They called him a madman.
Joey: Are you talking to me?!
Sonic: Shouldn't 'a done that.
Joey: ARE YOU TALKING TO ME?!
Sonic: Now they're in for it.
Joey: They CALL me... MIIISTER WHEELER! AAAAAHHH!
{Joey charges and drives the gangs off.}
Sonic: Take that! And that! {etc.}
Kano: Ow ow ow ow ow ow ow ...
Joey: Take that! And that! {etc.} You yellow belly...
Tails: Take that, you stupid... {etc.}
{They start the Arsenio Hall "Ooh, ooh" chant. The scene switches to Duke chasing Sephiroth up to the high point of castle. Sephiroth runs up to the edge and sees the sheer drop. Duke leaps up to confront him at the cliff-like edge. Sephiroth is very apprehensive, seeing he is cornered and at Duke's mercy.}
Duke: {Quietly, severely} Murderer.
Sephiroth: Duke Fleed, Duke Fleed. Please. Please have mercy. I beg you.
Duke: You don't deserve to live.
Sephiroth: But, Duke, I am... ah... {unsure of his tactic} family. It's the mavericks {regaining composure} who are the real enemy. It was their fault - it was their idea!
{Anna, Kano and Yamazaki are in the background. They overhear and back away growling at Sephiroth's betrayal.}
Duke: Why should I believe you? Everything you ever told me was a lie.
Sephiroth: What are you going to do? You wouldn't kill your own Uncle...?
{ingratiating grin}
Duke: No, Sephiroth. I'm not like you.
Sephiroth: {Greatly relieved} Oh, Duke, thank you. You are truly noble. I'll make it up to you, I promise. How can I, ah, prove myself to you? Tell me; I mean, anything.
Duke: {Gravely, with deep anger} Run. Run away, Sephiroth. And never return.
Sephiroth: Yes. Of course. As you wish... {looking down and seeing a pile of hot coals} ...your Majesty! {Sephiroth swipes the coals into Duke's face.}
Duke: {With a cry of surprise and pain.} ARGH! Ah! Ungh!
{Duke hands the coals away as Sephiroth leaps and attacks.}
{There is a fight in slow motion. Both Sephiroth and Duke land heavy blows. Duke gets knocked on his back. Sephiroth leaps through the flames at him. Duke gathers courage and uses Sephiroth's momentum in a "judo throw" similar to Usagi's fighting tactics to send him flying over the edge. Sephiroth tumbles to the bottom. He weakly gets up. He sees Kano, Anna and Yamazaki approaching and smiles. Yamazaki has a very angry look on his face.}
Sephiroth: Ahh, my friends.
Anna: Frie-he-hends? I thought he said we were the enemy!
Kano: Yeah, that's what I heard.
Kano and Anna: Ryuji?
Yamazaki: {Laughs evilly}
Sephiroth: {Very nervous} No. L-L-L-Le-Le-Le-Le-Let me explain. No. You don't understand. No! I didn't mean for... No, No! Look, I m sorry I called you... No! NOO!
{The camera moves away and we can only see the shadows as the horde of mavericks closes on and devours Sephiroth. Rain opens up and douses the fire. Duke comes down and greets his mother and Usagi. Wakka motions for Duke to ascend Moon Castle as king. Duke starts up and pauses to hug Wakka as his father did.}
Wakka: It is time.
{Very majestically, he ascends through the rain. Music is strong. Through a hole in the clouds we can see a patch of stars. One bright star shines out briefly.}
Auron: Remember . . .
{Duke's expression gains confidence and strength. He yells at phrase.}
Duke: DUKE FLEEEEEEEEED!
{The maidens cheer out in joy. Time switch to the Moonlight Kingdom in full bloom again. Cue "Busa" theme:}
BS: Busa le lizwe [Rule this land]
Busa le lizwe [Rule this land]
Busa le lizwe [Rule this land]
Bus-busa ngo xolo [Rule, rule with peace]
{Obscured verse}
MS: Se-fi-le
Baba ti-tabo
Maye babo
Busa lomhlaba [Rule this land]
BS: {Obscured verse}
MS: He!
Se-fi-le
Busa Duke! Busa Duke! [Rule Duke! Rule Duke!]
Ubuse ngo xolo [You must rule with peace]
Ubuse ngo thando [You must rule with love]
Ubuse ngo xolo [You must rule with peace]
Ubuse ngo thando [You must rule with love]
Ubuse ngo xolo [Rule with peace]
{Duke, Sonic, Joey, and Usagi are on Moon Castle. Tails flies up to the point. Sonic, of course, is shaking his arms in the classic victory sign. All the groups of herds are there and making noise as in the presentation of Duke.}
BS: Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
Ingonyama nengw' enamabala
MS: (ngw' enamabala-wa)
Full Chorus:
Till we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the Circle
The Circle of Life
Circle of... Liiife
{Wakka appears, holding Elise, a new birth-born. He lifts her to present her to the crowd. Bass drum hit and black out to title in red lettering as in the beginning. The Circle is completed.}
{BOOM}
THE END!
That's all, folks! Please review and thank you for reading! See you the next story!