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-Act Ten-
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[SETTING : Outdoors, the streets of LA. Dark clouds bog the city. There is a flash of lighting in the sky, and shortly after, a growly roll of thunder. ]
[Cut: People hurrying along on the sidewalks, as it begins to rain.
Cut : The asphalt as cars rush by, the rain pelting them.
Cut : Broader overview, from high up. The rain is coming down steady. Another jagged bolt dances across the sky followed by a great boom.
Cut : A few cars rushing by a building-it is the Hyperion. ]
[Smash-cut to; Angel, leaping down the stairs, Fred carefully following in his wake. ]
Angel [calling] : Wesley! Gunn! [pauses, darts off into the hall a moment. ]
Angel [OS] : Cordelia? Guys, are you here?
[As Fred reaches the bottom of the staircase and is gazing about, Angel re-appears. ]
Angel [quickly] : They must of left already.
Fred : Were?
Angel : Griffith park-that's were they're trying to nest.
Fred : Oh.
Angel [going up to the weapon's cabinet] : We have to hurry. They're rushing into what's probably an impossible fight.
Fred : Well how-how will we get there? I-
Angel [frustrated] : I can't find that, that thing. This bag I had for all the stakes. I don't know how we're gonna transport him.
Fred : They took your, car-right?
Angel [looks to her] : Oh. Yeah- [curses under breath] We'll have to get a taxi. [starts heading quickly back up the stairs]
Fred [laughing nervously, calling after him] : Oh, ok, good-that's, that won't. . . draw any attention to us, will it?
Angel [at top of stairs, looking thoughtful] : No. . . . no, it won't, because we'll have a good story.
[Scene Change; The INTERIOR of a Taxi-Cab, as Angel guides first Fred, who has a large black cloth bag she slides in first, and than Angel gets in and shuts the door. The bag is wriggling and writhing and Fred pulls the tie apart so it can open and the gryphant inside sticks it's head out, making all sorts of angry noises. The cabdriver has been watching carefully and now Angel looks at him with a 'Why are you staring at us?' expression. ]
Driver : What the. . . .
Angel : Hi, uh-Griffith Park, we're in a hurry.
[Fred gets out her sandwich and feeds a bit of it to the gryphant, shushing it. ]
Fred [quiet, soothing] : Shh, I know, I was rather rude to you. It's all right, you remember what I explained? This is for a good cause. [it yells again and the driver winces, looks to Angel with an incredulous look. ]
Angel : Hey! We have a rare, sick amazon parrot here, and if it's not released back into it's habitat, it'll. . . [falters] Uhm. . .
Fred [to the driver] : The eventual decay of it's natural-borne behavior patterns will break down to a point beyond repair and will lapse into a state of unconsciousness, and shall remain that way until braindeath occurs-so unless you want to be responsible for the extinction of one of the most rarest species on the planet, I'd suggest you get that gearstick of yours in. . . gear. Mm-hmm?
[The driver gawks a moment at her. ]
Driver [nodding obediently] : Whatever you say, little lady.
[Cut to an above shot of the street as their cab accelerates and rushes off into the rainy streets. ]
[Scene Change; GRIFFITH PARK, broad over-view. Cut in a little closer. Watching from above we see the loyal little band of three, all ducked low behind their metal shields, yelling directions at each other and trying to keep a huge army of gryphants at bay, swinging desperately with their sticks and swords. Several birds are tormenting them from the skies as well, although it appears obvious that it's harder for them to maneuver the skies with the heavy rain. ]
[Cut close to our crew-Wesley is on his knees, sinking into the mud, as wicked bird's talons make a fingernails-on-a-chalkboard type of noise along his shield, and he swings blindly at it with the sword, trying to spear it in the chest. Shot of Gunn, swinging the hefty stick of his very aggressively, giving it his full gusto. Shot of Cordelia, also trying to kill with the sword, looking very discouraged by now as her shield is loudly banged upon. ]
Cordelia [shouting over the rain, angry gryphants and weapon's clanging] : Wesley!
Wesley [looking over his shoulder to check on her, shouting back] : What?
Cordelia : I'm glad. . . [winces as her whole body jerks from the impact of the shield] I'm kinda glad I'm going to die fighting with you guys. I always pictured myself going out all heroically, the three of us.
Wesley : Cordelia! We're not- [jabs with the sword but probably missed] -going to die! I think we're making progress, they're tiring!
Gunn [panting from fighting so hard, nearly out of breath] : Yes, Wes. . . they are. But we'll tire first.
[Wesley looks over to Gunn, looking concerned. All three appear so battle-worn, as gryphant attack and rain pelt them from all sides. . . . ]
Cordelia : It's ok, Wesley. What matters is that we're fighting the good fight. Right, Gunn?
Gunn [stabs forcefully with the sword-we hear an animalistic cry of pain] : Right. No way to retreat this time, gonna take down as many as we can with us.
[Wesley opens his mouth to speak, but a gryphant suddenly pounces from above, catching him off-guard, and drags him into the air in it's talons. ]
Cordelia : Wesley!
[Cut; Distant shot of the cab screeching to a halt in front of the park, Angel getting out, opening the door and rushing Fred out. Cut to them running along the soaked lawn, rain pouring down on them, both holding the black bag between the two. Close-up as they run. ]
Fred : How will we find them?
Angel [stops running a moment, sniffs the air] : Dammit. . . the rain, keeps me from picking up their scent-
[We hear some distant demon-calls, and the black bag jumps and bounces, the gryphant answering the cries from within. Angel and Fred look at each other a short moment. ]
Angel : That's how.
[Scene Cut; A huge brown gryphant has Wesley, and the two adversaries are tangling on the muddy lawn. Cordelia and Gunn are screaming, doing their best to get at the demon, but the other gryphants keep getting in their way-they're beating them down with the shields, desperately trying to rescue their friend, any sense of order or plan completely lost, recklessly forgetting their own lives are so very mortal as well as Wesley's. He isn't fairing that well at all-is underneath the gryphant and slipping in the mud, with only his longsword left to attempt at defending himself. The bird gives a gruff call as the blade slips painfully across it's hide. ]
[Cut to; Angel and Fred, reaching the top of a hill overlooking the scene. Angel gapes, with a look of shock and horror. Fred freezes up. ]
Fred : Wh-what if, what if-oh, what if it doesn't work, Angel-
Angel : It has to work.
Fred : But-
Angel [turning to her] : It will work, Fred. You know I have faith in you.
[She swallows nervously, but picks up the bag and they start running again. ]
[Cut to; Wesley and the alpha male griffin-the bird has pinned the human down now, sword long lost, and has one forefoot wrapped tightly around his neck, as his head sinks into the mud. The gryphant has it's face shoved into his, growling, looks about ready to bite his head off. Wesley is coughing from the mud, still making weak attempts at a struggle, and Cordelia's screaming is even more shrill than the demon's. ]
Cordelia : Wesley! Let him GO, you- [bangs a demon in the face with the shield and it shoves her back with a kick of it's forefoot, causing her to fall painfully back, shield smacking her as she does. ]
Gunn [looking furious as he tries to shake a demon loose, held back by multiple monsters] : Get the HELL off me! Wesley! Hang in there-
[We hear a clear, undaunted voice rise above the rest of the clamor. ]
Fred [OS] : STOP!
[Everything comes to a standstill. Hold that shot for several beats. ]
[Shot of Winifred, cloth bag in hand, Angel standing behind her. The rain is still pouring down, she is well soaked by now, like everyone else. Untieing the knot on the bag, the white gryphant pokes it's head out and looks out with caution and curiosity at the scene before him.
Close-up of him; he chirups and looks up to Fred as if expecting something from her. ]
Fred [looks down to him] : Seraph-it's ok. Come on out. . . we need your help now. You understand? It's time. It's time to tell them.
[It steps out of the bag and looks about some more, makes a few soft noises, and looks back to her. ]
Fred [trying to encourage it] : Go ahead. Ok? Please? Go tell them what we talked about. It's for the best of both of us.
[The small demon hesitates, looking from Fred to the sprawled-out group of gryphants. ]
Fred [clicks with her tongue at him] : GO, Seraph! You're their savior! You know they demand it!
[It jumps into the air and glides over. Everyone watches as it flies effortlessly over their heads and lands right in front of the alpha-male. The gryphants start to all chatter at once at the young animal. It calls back at them a few times, and they quiet down- 'Seraph' settles his attention back on the great brown beast, who now gives a call in it's gruff voice, not sounding pleased. The halo-crew are watching as quietly and motionlessly as everyone else, Wesley breathing heavy but still alive under the gryphant's grip. Cut to a high-shot; the little white bird, facing the great brown leonine creature, makes quite a picture of contrast. They trade calls a few more times, but the alpha-male isn't pleased with the tiny messenger. ]
[We see Fred carefully approaching step-by-step. ]
Angel [whispering harshly after her] : Fred! Don't get any closer, he could-
Fred [shushes him] : It's ok, I'm gonna be careful.
[The brown bird and the white one look up-and then everyone does-as Fred steps up, behind her white messiah. ]
Fred : It's, it's the way things are supposed to be, you know.
[The alpha growls warningly at her and clenches it's grip on Wesley a little. The white one hisses at him as a reply. ]
[She looks to Seraph, speaks assuringly to him. ]
Fred : This has just been a misunderstanding. We've both been hurt. [looks to the alpha] Now don't be foolish and ignore his advice.
[It glares at her but looks back to the white gryphant. The two seem to hold a conversation, and then the great bird looks down at Wesley, making a sound of great distaste. It hisses in his face and releases his hold, settling down on it's haunches to sit like a loin, eyeing Wesley expectedly.
Slowly, very cautiously, Wesley gets up, and backs off a few paces. The brown bird gives a sharp call which causes Wesley to jump a bit in surprise. He backs off until he has re-joined Cordelia and Gunn. Then the alpha looks back to Seraph. Seraph gives his approval, calls some more, makes a gesture to the sky. The alpha hisses indignantly, the group picking up on this hostility, the small one's protests drowned out by the group's displeasure. ]
Fred [protesting as well] : Hear him out!
[They glare at her, but Seraph speaks up again, and the group's attention is back on him. ]
Fred [very softly, as if speaking along with the gryphant] : We wing'ed belong 'twixt were the trees meet the skies. . . . and time has not leaked away. . . but remains hanging in space. . . a When were those have not forgotten the Order. . . and respect remains for the Beasts. . .
[The group starts to stir-the alpha-male finally seems convinced by the small one's chattering. They give little attention to the humans, although the brown beast acknowledges Wesley before it nods to it's comrades, and they begin to beat their mighty wings, preparing to take off, presumably. ]
[A nod to the white gryphant by the creature, and it takes into the air with ease once more, spinning upwards into the sky, having no trouble navigating through the rains. Soon thereafter, the alpha takes off after him, and the whole group of mighty birds start taking to the wing. The humans all watch in awe and exhaustion as the flock of creatures gain altitude and then move off, away from the city, in the direction of the mountains. . . with the tiny, white gryphant leading them. ]
[The weary halo-crew approach Angel and Fred, all watching the animals leaving. Fred is watching intensely, and looks saddened. ]
[Angel puts a hand on her shoulder gently. The rain is slowing down, to a drizzle. ]
Angel [whispers] : You did it. Why do you look so sad?
Fred : Oh. . . I know I did, and that's good n' all. Guess I'm just going to miss him.