Screenplay BtVS - Sleeping Roses Are Red
Marc
broadcast in the Netherlands I have to keep myself occupied - so I roamed
the snowy fields for inspiration and wrote a few pages. A few weeks back I
already posted a "Part I" - in which I made a few mistakes - who said it: if
you need a gun in the final scene, you have to show it in the first scene? I
kinda forgot my gun.
Now this is the whole screenplay, twenty pages long. Of course this is A
vision of BtVS - my vision that is - and the moment that "Sleeping Roses are
Red" should be "aired" is during season IV, after Hush.
Hope you like it
Marc
Screenplay Buffy The Vampire Slayer
Season IV
Title: Sleeping Roses are Red.
FADE IN:
Begin first sequence:
EXT. FLIGHT OVER FORREST, EARLY EVENING
CUT TO:
EXT. FORREST - SAME
[We are in the forrests surrounding Sunnydale, there's music on the
background - electric guitars fading as the voice of Inca-Soldier Véleran
speaks, stronger when Véleran is silence. As the camera comes near we see
Xander & Anya (struggling with the holding hands part) following Willow and
Giles; they walk towards a formation of rocks while Buffy leads the
formation.
A voice speaks:]
VÉLERAN
(off - raspy, dark toned voice)
'You think that, dust as I was, I was impatient to be alive once more - but
haste is the roar of mortals; I stream on a primeval level. Although my body
was porous as old parchment, my seraphsoul walked an odyssey in the other
realm.'
[Giles is reading from a scroll, seems puzzled. The group gathers round hem,
except Willow who seems distracked. The camera follows her when she walks
around - as she approaches the rockformation, an entrance opens - she walks
in without telling the others. At the moment she disappears, the camera
slams into the ground]
CUT TO:
INT. CAVE - EARLY EVENING
[The cave is strangely lit - the light comes from mirrors that hang in the
corridor as we will see later on - dusk glides in it, roots from the trees
above crack trough the ceiling and the ground is covered with death leaves -
as we pan across several dark corners we find Willow bending over a stone
altar/bed where a manshaped figure lies; these are the remains of Véleran -
once a fighter against evil, now a dried out mummy-like skeleton. With her
eyes closed Willow bends and kisses him.]
VÉLERAN
(off - continues)
'Combed with dead, she covered me with life; kissed my brow and my clotted
blood thinned, flowed and my heart jumped - once, twice and then steady. How
long had I been gone? - I could not tell. Was it one year? A thousand? I
didn't care to know; life - weak, fragile like all life is at birth - struck
my veins. Little by little I opened my withered eyes.'
[As Véleran opens his eyes, the cave comes alive - roses grow unnaturaly
upon the ceiling and outfold, even the light seems stronger. Willow still
stands near the stone bed, she has this nervous expression on her face an
breaths fast.]
VÉLERAN:
(off)
'My heart pounded, my nostrils quivered when I smelled the flowers, the
sweet odeur popped up as it had been locked up in a jarr - it's scense was
so powerfull that the leaves of the roses twirled off the helm - a red rain
covered me and the girl with the glow vermilion in her hair.'
(beat)
'I know this girl!'
CUT TO:
Credit Sequence:
- Buffy The Vampire Slayer-
"Sleeping roses are red"
INT. CORRIDOR - EARLY EVENING
[Buffy, Giles, Xander and Anya walking - we track alongside. There are
eye-shaped mirrors placed against the wall, passing the sunlight into the
cave - as the sun sets, this will be moonlight.]
XANDER:
'Well this sure resembles the batcave.'
GILES:
(irritated)
'Don't act like you never been in a cave before.'
XANDER:
'So - considering the past and all - you now I'm walking on tiptoe right?'
ANYA:
'My brave boy.'
XANDER:
'Man!'
CUT TO:
INT. CAVE - SAME
[We see the gang - Buffy leading - entering the cave, the sunlight streaming
in from outside. As the look around - amazed by the growing flowers.
Xander casually glances to the back of the cave, continues to look around.
then stops. Double-take: 'Are my eyes really seeing that!'
Then they all see Willow kissing the mummified body, but Xander's the only
one expressing out loud what we can read on their faces.]
XANDER:
(horrified)
'Yuck!'
[Anya, Buffy, Xander and Giles slowly walk near, look at the red leaves on
the ground, come into a oval shaped spot of light on the floor, again red
leaves, they go through wondering, looking, and finally stand near Willow in
one steady cam shot.]
XANDER:
'Why kiss a mummy?'
ANYA:
'Same why the princess kissed the frog?'
BUFFY:
'Kissing a mummy is *not* the same as kissing a frog.'
GILES:
(pushes up his glasses)
'No no, mummy - according to the scroll his bodyfluids drenched, - he dried
out.'
[The camera turns down and slowly shows us the dusty man shaped figure on
the stone table, as the camera comes up, we see Buffy - grouched.]
BUFFY:
'For a sleeping beauty he looks like the grim reaper!'
WILLOW:
(measured as if she just wakes up)
'What?'
[Suddenly the skeleton Véleran rises - reaching his hand slowly toward
Willows cheeck. Buffy reacts fast and takes hold of the hand.]
BUFFY:
'Not so fast - o yuck! - his skin feels like burned paper!'
[The hideous face of Véleran looks at her, then he opens his mouth, his
teeth sink into the hand that holds him. As he drinks her blood, Buffy slams
him a few times on the head - then for the first time we see the strength of
Véleran as he throws her to the other side of the cave.
In a few seconds we see his face become more human: a young, hansom fella,
with long black, native-style hair. Becoming younger is obviously a
consequence of the blood drinking.
As soon as Buffy is thrown, the others back away.]
BUFFY:
(getting up)
'Oké - that grim reaper was just a wild guess. Delete answer A - I go for
the D of Demon.'
[We see Giles raising his finger as if he want to say something, Buffy
ignores him. As Véleran stands up, she takes fighterposition, blood drippes
from her wounded hand on the floor.]
VÉLERAN
(his fingers gestured to Willow)
'Juanna!'
(beat)
'How pale you look?'
BUFFY:
'Mistaken identity, that's Willow.'
GILES:
'Buffy.'
XANDER
'You go tell him girl.'
GILES
'Don't.'
[Buffy, ignoring Giles, rushes towards Véleran, but as he sees her coming,
he rises his hand. Vélerans obviously has magical powers, the roots of the
old oaks that cracked the ceiling, grow and grasp Buffy. As the others come
into action, the roots also grasp them - within seconds the gang (except
Willow) is trapped.]
XANDER
(struggling against the roots)
'Oh common, Beanstake Willie!'
(pause)
'And who's idea was it again to check this place out? - Buffy?'
BUFFY:
(also struggling)
'Hey! It was not me! It was Giles!'
GILES:
(looking wondered to the roots)
'No, not me.'
ANYA:
'It was Willow.'
[They all look to Willow who seems not to care her friends are trapped.]
BUFFY
(whispers)
'What's wrong with her.'
XANDER:
'She plays the damsel in distress part and then Buffy for the rescue?'
GILES
'I'm afraid not.'
[as they all look to him.]
GILES
'I've been meaning to tell you.'
CUT TO:
[start of second story-line]
INT. CORRIDOR OF WILLOW'S AND BUFFY'S DORM - EVENING
[We see Tara - holding a few spell books and she's clearly nervous, knocking
on Willows door. No answer, as she wants to leave, Spike appears and he's
uptight.]
SPIKE:
'What! The witch not home?'
TARA
[As if she feels this one is not to be trusted, she stays silent.]
SPIKE:
'And who the bloody hell are you?'
TARA:
'I am, I am..'
SPIKE:
'Going to sing that Etheridge song for me, are you? - If the witch and her
friends come in, don't mention me, - I'll find them myself!'
[He walks away - a male student walks by, his arms loaded with books and
paper.]
SPIKE:
'BOO'
[As the student drops everything, Spike moans, grasps his head in agony and
walks on - blaspheming. Tara doesn't move 'till Spike has left the building.
]
CUT TO:
INT. CAVE - CONTINUE PREF. SCENE - SAME
XANDER:
'Well - and are you going to fill us in on the afraid part?'
GILES:
'I read the notes - well - a bit - sort of glanced at them.'
[Giles silences as Véleran comes near. For the first time we have a good
view: he's wearing a black mantle, is armoured with a sword - he takes the
scroll that Giles dropped when he was grabbed by the roots, we also see a
sword covered with leaves.]
VÉLERAN:
'Where did you get this?'
[He asks it in a way you don't know wetter he wants know or is being
rhetoric about it.]
XANDER:
'It was a gift from Santa Spike - Anya keep in mind when it's season greetin
' time: no postcard for Spike!'
ANYA
'Check.'
GILES:
(Gives Xander his librarian-eye)
'Xander - don't act like he's giving you the third degree!
(He looks friendly towards Véleran.)
GILES:
'It was found in Guadalajara.'
XANDER:
'You tell the madman Marathon Man!'
GILES:
'O - shut up. This is not a madman - this is Véleran.'
BUFFY
(as Giles stays silence, her voice sounds like she invented the wheel)
'Yeah - that explains everything!'
GILES:
(frowning)
'According to the scroll - he and his army battled against the hell mouth
some fifteen hundred years ago.'
XANDER
'Let me guess - got on the wrong track?'
VÉLERAN
'I'm standing in front of you - you must be bold or very stupid?'
XANDER
(nods to Buffy)
'She's superwoman - me? I run for coffee.'
VÉLERAN
(as he gets near Buffy)
'Yes - powerful blood runs through her veins.'
(beat)
'The priests told me about your kind. You were expected a long time ago -
but you never came. Whole armies were butchered - cause the Chosen One was.
late.'
BUFFY
'I'm sure the slayer was needed somewhere else, like say: Europe - but I'm
here now - and if you don't let everyone out, your gonna find out the hard
way about my powers.'
[Véleran smiles - as if he knows something Buffy doesn't know.]
CUT TO:
INT. BACK OF CAVE - SAME
[We see Willow, who seems to awake again - slowly she rises and toddles
towards the gang, clearly she's not feeling well.]
WILLOW
'Guys! - I have these really strange visions! Guys? I don't think I should
have them, - I crumble.'
[Suddenly - as she sees the gang trapped - Willow freezes.]
WILLOW
'O - never mind. I'm still in vision-land.'
[Véleran has turned, smiles soft.]
VÉLERAN
'Juanna.'
WILLOW
'Stop calling me that - I'm not Juanna.'
VÉLERAN
'But you are! You are! - Your skin is whiter, your hear is red - but that's
the same smile, and in those eyes I can see your ancient soul, - the soul
that once listened to the name of Juanna.'
WILLOW
'But, but - I'm Willow now.'
VÉLERAN:
'You are her reincarnation!
WILLOW
'No - no - I'm not in the reincarnation-thing.'
(beat)
VÉLERAN
'You are my princess.'
WILLOW
(her eyebrows frowned surprised)
'A Princess? -- Me? No, Not me. I'm no princess, I am, I am a nerd.'
VÉLERAN
'I do not understand the concept of "a nerd"?'
WILLOW
'Oh, that's easy. - That's the girl who never becomes prom-queen.'
VÉLERAN
'Then fools surround you!'
BUFFY
'For a dead guy he sure knows how to talk smooth.'
[Véleran walks towards Willow, leads her to the back of the cave, they sit
down on the stone table- we track alongside. The whole time they have this
awkward first-date like silence]
VÉLERAN
'So - eh - your name is Willow - like the sobbing tree?'
[Willow nods]
VÉLERAN
'Why do you shed tears?'
WILLOW
'I don't, well, not always.'
VÉLERAN
(looks carefully)
'You cried recently.'
WILLOW
(she's thinking of Oz)
'Well - it's hard to go to sleep at night. I, I, - just don't fall asleep.'
VÉLERAN
'I know.'
WILLOW
'No you don't.'
(pause)
VÉLERAN
'I know.'
(We can see he truly understands what she's going through)
VÉLERAN
'And I don't have to tell you - you know it yourself.'
(Willow frowns; her eyes wide-open.)
CUT TO:
INT. FRONT OF CAVE - SAME
BUFFY
(she can't see clearly what's going on in the back of the cave.)
'Will?'
XANDER
(calling)
'Will? No time for a lover-to-lover chitchat Will!'
(beat)
[Giles, Anya, Buffy and Xander look to each other, baffled, uncertain and
not knowing what's going to happen. ]
CUT TO:
GILES APARTMENT - EVENING
[As the camera pans through the room, we see paper flying 'round as Spike
throws paper, books, anything he can find on the floor. It's obvious he is
looking for the scroll.]
SPIKE
(as he averted his eyes from the room)
'Bloody hell! - There's going to be a delta of free blood and I'm NOT
missing the party!'
[He leaves the apartment.]
CUT TO:
INT. FRONT OF CAVE - LATER
[Xander, Buffy, Giles and Anya look bored to each other]
XANDER:
(to Giles)
'Maybe you can fill us in. It's not like we're going anywhere soon: what's
going on.'
GILES:
(looking bored to the roots that hold him)
'Well - you see - I don't know, exact that is. He needs, what the scroll
phrased as "lifewater".'
XANDER
'Lifewater?'
GILES
(stuttering)
'Well you see.'
ANYA
(excited as an eager schoolgirl)
'Blood. He needs blood.'
XANDER
'No blood. - That the sticky stuff! He needs water -'
(He looks to Giles)
XANDER
'- said it yourself - and I learned with biology that a body exists eighty
percent out of water.'
ANYA
'Wasn't it closer to ninety?'
XANDER
'Who cares?'
GILES
(holding foot)
'Blood! - It has that extra element - you know. vampires!'
BUFFY
(who only hears the last word)
'You say vampire? Vampires I can handle.'
[Giles looks at her. Then sighs.]
CUT TO:
INT. BACK OF CAVE - LATER
[Willow and Véleran sit on the stone table - Willow legs tangling. After a
beat she looks at him.]
WILLOW
'What happened to me when I was Juanna?'
VÉLERAN
'My memory preserved everything - you've seemed to have forgotten.'
(pause)
WILLOW
'Deep in the vaults of my soul is something that tells me I know you - even
that I can trust you - but I don't recall your face or the house we lived
in.'
VÉLERAN
'Do you want to remember the hellish screaming that surrounded the temple?
(Willow hesitates, unsure what he means.)
VÉLERAN
'I understand. It's okay - 'cause I'll tell you everything you want to know,
but I also have to tell you about the bad part.'
(Beat as she makes up her mind)
WILLOW
'Tell me.'
(A beat. At first Véleran says nothing.)
VÉLERAN
'You were perfect for me as I was perfect for you. Vulnerable and strong -
we had the strength, the dare and the love to be together forever. Fourteen
months of a feeling nobody else could possibly understand. - But there's
always something that disturbs true happiness, isn't there? The prophets
were not clear when the Chosen One would come. They just knew that one day
she would. The priests decided that an army should be send to the hell mouth
in case it would open. - They choose my army, my men. We said goodbye and we
took off to the north. Our love was so strong that each night you appeared
in my dream as I appeared in yours - we were bounded in mind, in heart, in
soul.
But one night, you told me what they done to you; when night settled over
Teotihuacán, the envying priests led you to the peak of the temple where
they allowed you to look upon the stars before they cut your throat and
threw you down the stairs in the serpents beak.'
WILLOW
'I died?'
VÉLERAN
'You were murdered out of envy. - When you died, I tried a while to be the
same man - in pure rage I crusified demon after demon. And then, finally, it
was sorrow that wounded me, it felt I was tresspassing time. There was a vow
I took, so I could not take my own life, but as I fought without strength of
mind, a speer hit me in the stomach. I came here and slept for a more than a
thousand years.'
(pause)
WILLOW
'I don't get it.'
VÉLERAN
'What?'
WILLOW
'Why where the priest envying me?'
VÉLERAN
'You had magical supremacy, you had light and powers that reached beyond the
realm.'
(beat)
'You still have those powers.'
WILLOW
'Why? You said you would tell me everything - your not telling me everything
are you?'
VÉLERAN:
'I..'
(silences)
CUT TO:
EXT. CAMPUS
[We see Spike coming out of the bushes - carefully looking around for
Initiative-soldiers. As he thinks he's save, he starts to walk and bumps
into Tara.]
SPIKE
'You again!'
[Tara says nothing.]
SPIKE
'Start talking girl - what've they done with my scroll? I bet you now more
about it - it was a present from Dru - I want it back.'
TARA
(nervous)
'I don't know what your talking about.'
[Tara hangs back as Spike examines her. He studies her in silence, circling
her.]
SPIKE
'Then why do we keep meeting each other?'
TARA:
'I'm trying to find Willow.'
SPIKE
'Yeah. Exactly. Me too.'
[Tara stands motionless, staring to the ground, fearful - more and more she
senses what Spike really is.]
SPIKE
(as in a poor overacted way want-to-get-to-know-you chitchat)
'We've never really met. Have we?'
(pause)
'You got to understand that I am a friend. How about you. Are you a
Slayerette?'
(Tara shakes 'no'.)
SPIKE
'You're not in the band. But your Willow's friend?'
TARA
'Yeah - Willow. Willow's nice.'
SPIKE
(getting sick by the thought of niceness)
'Yes - well - did she tell you where she went?'
TARA
'No - no.'
SPIKE
'And you haven't heard her talking about a scroll?'
TARA
'No - she only said something about the woods.'
SPIKE
'Of course she said that - I remember now.'
[not - of course]
'Maybe she's there you know. In those dark and cold woods. Why don't we try
to find her. together.'
TARA
'No - no I can't. I need to go to bed. It's. late.'
SPIKE
'Being the prodigy girl - I won't bite you.'
TARA
(taking off)
'I - I have to go.'
SPIKE
'I can't bite you. Maybe if you let me.'
[he watches her leaving; she's not running, but walking rapidly, crosses the
campus.]
'A well.'
[He disappears in opposite direction, trying to locate Buffy in the woods
surrounding Sunnydale.]
CUT TO:
INT. BACK OF CAVE - LATER
WILLOW
'Why don't you tell me the truth - you said you'd tell me the truth.'
VÉLERAN
'I did.'
WILLOW
'Everything. No - not everything.'
[suddenly - she knows everything, she remembers. She tells it as in a stream
of consciousness].
'I crystallized the plan - didn't I? Yes - I did this. I cast the spell out
of.. out of selfishness. I wanted loved you, I wanted you, I could not let
you go so I made sure you would wait for me, forever. That's . awful. What
have I done?'
VÉLERAN
'It's okay.'
WILLOW
'No it's not. You thought I'd forgotten it - but I remember, - somehow. It
means that I was Juanna - I was a terrible woman and that you have every
right. - How could you ever forgave me?'
VÉLERAN
'I don't know how, and it was never a question of forgiveness. I wanted it
too you know. It was our decision, - but, somehow it went wrong and your
soul came back in these other women and you didn't remember.'
WILLOW
(she swallows as she realises what she is about to say)
'There's only one way I can set things right - you must take my life.'
CUT TO:
INT. CAVE - ENTRANCE
[Spike walks in the corridor, the camera follows him. He walks in the cave
and gives a surprise look as he sees Buffy tangled up in roots.]
SPIKE
(smiling)
'I'm not missing the party after all.'
GILES
'Spike. How'd you find us?'
SPIKE
'Don't Spike-me! You took my scroll.'
BUFFY
'There's not going to be a party.'
SPIKE
'Why am I not surprised hearing that out of your mouth?'
[as he looks around]
SPIKE
'It took me all night to get here and it's a shame that I can't stay long -
dawn's coming you know! Now where's the bar?'
GILES
'You are a fool - I thought you were smarter.'
SPIKE
'I am smart - I found you and this cave.'
GILES
'Yes - this cave! You do know that it is Vélarans cave?'
SPIKE
'Véleran?'
(beat)
'Why does that name sound familiar to me?'
GILES
'How well have you read the scroll?'
SPIKE
'Thoroughly! - Well, only the interesting delta of blood part. - Say -
Véleran wasn't he this anti-demon chap a few hundred years ago?'
XANDER
'That's him!'
SPIKE
(shrugged)
'He's dead.'
GILES
'In point of fact - he's not. And guess why he wants blood?'
SPIKE
'To life a long and prosperous live?'
BUFFY
'You're in for door number two!'
GILES
'Now here is a harder question - what do you think his job will be?'
SPIKE
'Bloody hell - so if I'm helping you out, then actually I'm helping myself -
right?'
GILES
'Exactly.'
[Spike can't deny it makes sense. There's a sword lying on the floor we've
seen when Véleran picked up the scroll. He looks at it.]
SPIKE
'Bad day for the bad guys!'
[Spike sets them free, then hands the sword to Buffy.]
SPIKE
'Well - considering dawn's upcoming - this is the part where I leave. for
now'
BUFFY
'Chicken.'
SPIKE
(as a blasphemed word)
'Buffy!'
[Spike takes off]
- end of second story line -
CUT TO:
INT. BACK OF CAVE - SAME
BUFFY
(off)
'What you doing to her!'
[Véleran turns towards Buffy.
Buffy, halfway the cave, has the sword, dead-aimed at Véleran.]
WILLOW
[She touches his hand as he want to grasp his sword.]
'No! Buffy no! It's okay. Don't hurt him. Véleran - it's fine. It's okay.
She's not going to hurt you. We're still together.'
BUFFY
(sword raised)
'What are you doing Will?'
WILLOW
'Trust me Buffy. Trust me. It's going to be fine.'
(to Véleran.)
'It's going to be okay.'
VÉLERAN
(angry)
'Have I not suffered enough! Was I not a man? A soldier of good! Was I not
without questions - I did what was neccesarry, I stood in the mouth of Hell
and closed it. And what did that bring me; destruction, waiting in the slime
of darkness with it's monstrous shapes, were nothing can be found; no joy,
no hope, no love. Just the torture of immortality! The ancient force is
within her -'
[He points toward Buffy, who hasn't put her sword down, but also not
death-aimed.]
' - Unwilled, unwanted - but she does her job a day at a time untill someone
stronger kills her or, in the end, she gets tired and simply chooses to roll
over to the solace of death!'
WILLOW
(with big eyes, we can she Véleran spooked her)
'She won't,'
(an awkward beat)
'Not Buffy.'
(A cautious silence - Véleran looks at her, close up his eyes.)
CUT TO:
EXT: FOREST A THOUSAND YEARS AGO - FLASHBACK
[Véleran - looking sick and tired - as a soldier, fighting in anger, killing
a Demon - we can hear the war that's surrounding him; people scream, demons
roar, clinging sound of swords drum through the woods. Véleran punches and
mauled another demon as he is attacked by two more; the first strike he puts
of, then as a demon with a lance attacks he raises his sword, and we can
read in his brown eyes that he has given up.]
CUT BACK TO:
(c/u Véleran.)
VÉLERAN
'I have. - I used to look up to the stars through the vapor of my breath,
these thousands of polished lights in the clear night sky - and then I knew
I could never return to you; then I gave up.'
[Véleran silenced. Willow nods slowly, dreaded and sits in silence. Tenderly
Véleran puts his hand out to her cheeck, does not quite touch it like she
does not quite move away.]
VÉLERAN
'But I knew - one day, we would be together as you promised.'
(beat)
WILLOW
'I know what I did. But we were bound in love - not hate - hate was our
enemy, what took us apart! Hate is no part of us. If you have to drink
blood, drink mine.'
VÉLERAN
'No! - You don't know how it feels to be in de flow of darkness, how the
raven's beak cuts your skin for his own pleasure. If I drank you, I'd would
banish you from myself - I would be alive, but with no life at all. Nothing
would change.'
WILLOW
'I'm sorry - I'm so sorry I let this happen to you - to. us.'
VÉLERAN
(one last attempt)
'All I need is lifewater.'
BUFFY
(off)
'I will put this sword in you if you try!'
WILLOW
(never takes her eyes of Véleran as she speaks to Buffy)
'Buffy don't do nothing, don't say a thing. Besides - if he wants your
blood, he'll take your blood. In this cave he's stronger then you - his hous
e, his rules. But he won't take your blood. You can't have their blood and
you know why, don't you. Because I won't help you with that. If I approved
that, I would become the priest that killed me.'
VÉLERAN
'After al this time I too have a right to live again.'
WILLOW
'Not a lot of people live again. Don't say that. You will have a life - it's
prophesied. But not yet - the thing you want you can't have. Everybody has
things they can't get - Buffy, and me, - the feeling you'll once will have
it, is called hope. I have hope. - So hope - I know it's much to ask - but
not too much.'
(beat)
'Not too much.'
[There's a long pause, then he looks op.]
VÉLERAN
'No - no not too much.'
[Véleran wraps his arms around her. After a moment she wraps her arms around
him. Two lonely souls, being lovers together.]
WILLOW
'Promise me you'll try to hope. You must try real hard.'
VÉLERAN
'I won't promise. But I will try.'
WILLOW
'That's good.'
[they let go]
WILLOW
(to Buffy)
'We can leave now.'
BUFFY
'That's certainly a good idea.'
- Begin final sequence -
CUT TO:
EXT. FORREST - EARLY MORNING
[With lowered heads the Scooby-gang leaves the cave, right on time to see
first sunlight.]
XANDER
'Good morning Sunnydale.'
[Buffy looks at Willow, who looks back to the cave.]
BUFFY
'Who were you in there?'
WILLOW
'I was like this real powerful witch who lived with no other thought than to
love and be loved by him.'
BUFFY
'Wow - Annabel Lee. Sad poem.'
(Willow nods, 'yes'.)
XANDER
(stands still, wondering why Buffy is here)
'Why don't you go back.'
BUFFY:
'Why go back?'
XANDER
'Well duh - to destroy the cave of the Latin lover who will arise one day.'
(An awkward beat.)
XANDER:
'Hench: you do realize that if he arises, and he will; that he needs blood.
human blood!'
WILLOW
(soft voice)
'Yes,'
(pause)
'Yes. But we won't destroy him nor the cave.'
[We can see Xander is distressed.]
XANDER
'What? Why not? Is that the darkside within you speaking.'
WILLOW
[looks again back to the cave as if she's saying goodbye]
'Don't we all have one?'
[A light rain starts, at the horizon thunder roars.]
CUT TO:
INT. CAVE
[As a gentle breeze blows through the ruins, the roseleafs flock in a ray of
sun from the mirror at the entrance; the stone doors close. The world of
Véleran comes to a rest.]
CUT TO:
EXT. FORREST - SAME
[We pan up from the group (while Véleran speaks). Willow spreads her arms,
wind blows back her hair; the rain falls on her face which glows in the
sunset, Buffy smiles and Anya & Xander have no problems holding eachother
while Giles glaze at them and smiles. The camera slides away from the gang,
towards a nearby tree where a mockingbird sings a morning song.]
VÉLERAN
(off)
'The strength of the youth in the sickness of this demonic world, is that
they can find themselves over and over again. For me there's only time,
rippling like the ocean, passing by, lifeless yet not death, I become part
of that immoveable universe, and neither the angels in heaven above nor the
demons down under can ever dissever our souls as I flood in time like that
little mockingbird is carried on the golden beam of early sunlight.'
[The camera follows the bird that flies over the Scooby-gang into the sun.]
FADE TO:
Credits
END OF THIS EPISODE
P@rick
[Sleeping Roses Are Red]
I will be reading this soon. And I will be replying (probably). Ain't
got 'nuff time right now. OTOH, I already read the first stage didn't I?
Or did you make considerable adjustments.
Bye, Patrick
Mattia Valente
Ditto...perhaps this will inspire me to get started on that second part
of the abe story thingy (oh, and eventually I'll get to the quiz..just
got back from Italy, and pathetically my newsserver didn't even keep the
messages from Tuesday onwards...grrr..anyway, lots of stuff I would've
replied too, but it's pretty much been said, so I'll shut up for a
while. Not too long ;o)
Mattia
ReplyMeister[tm]
george van hal
<snip>
> and pathetically my newsserver didn't even keep the
> messages from Tuesday onwards...grrr..anyway, lots of stuff I would've
> replied too, but it's pretty much been said, so I'll shut up for a
> while. Not too long ;o)
:-0!!!
No Flood of Valente[tm] mkII? I'm shocked! :-p
Mazzel,
George
--
"Een goedgeplaatste smiley. Kleine moeite, groot plezier :-)"
Mattia Valente
> Mattia Valente wrote:
> > and pathetically my newsserver didn't even keep the
> > messages from Tuesday onwards...grrr..anyway, lots of stuff I would've
> > replied too, but it's pretty much been said, so I'll shut up for a
> > while. Not too long ;o)
>
> :-0!!!
What? What?!?!
> No Flood of Valente[tm] mkII? I'm shocked! :-p
Oh, that!
Err...no. Not really. Consider the fact that there hasn't been much
controvertial stuff making the rounds in the last 4 days. Most of the
discussion stuff about The Witch (I think it was..) and the AH Photo
thingy P@rick posted (M2 post is all I could really add to that..) had
bits I could comment on, but I'd be repeating what others already said.
Not really a useful thing to do.
Mattia
ReplyMeister[tm]
P@rick
[Sleeping Roses Are Red]
I finally got around to reading this. And I have to say, impressive
work. And a lot of work it seems.
A daring approach to let the story play in the same setting most of the
time. I'd be interested to see how they visualize it.
One question for the writer, since I actually have the chance to ask him
directly: how much of Willow does Juanna make up? I mean, is Willow a
reincarnation of Juanna living in modern times, is Willow channelling
Juanna, is Juanna inside Willow's body? How do you picture that?
Judging from your work, it's good to have you on the abe fanfic writers
team!
Bye, Patrick
Marc
"P@rick" <P.J.Mee...@students.fss.VampWillow.uu.nl> schreef in bericht
news:93las9$rv7$1...@news.surfnet.nl...
> Marc wrote:
>
> [Sleeping Roses Are Red]
>
>
> I finally got around to reading this. And I have to say, impressive
> work. And a lot of work it seems.
Yes a lot of work indeed - you should see how many words and scenes I
cutted! - but a lot of fun to do!
> A daring approach to let the story play in the same setting most of the
> time. I'd be interested to see how they visualize it.
I think it adds up the tension - the effect is claustrofobic and creepier
(ofcourse, properly visualised)
> One question for the writer, since I actually have the chance to ask him
> directly: how much of Willow does Juanna make up? I mean, is Willow a
> reincarnation of Juanna living in modern times, is Willow channelling
> Juanna, is Juanna inside Willow's body? How do you picture that?
I thought a long time about this reincarnation or in what matter Juanna and
Willow are the same person -- they're not... not even in 1500 years! Juanna
is a small part of Willow's soul... a strong part - maybe even the part
where she gets her Wicca-powers from - and you know that although Juanna and
Véleran where lovers, she was (at least) a selfish person; a spell to make
sure she and Véleran would be together forever (like many lover's hope) went
wrong somehow -I didn't elaborate on the "how that happened" - it had
nothing to do with the BtVS-ep, but the fact that Véleran needs blood (a
lot, and a lot of blood is * not* a pretty sight) for his reincarnation says
enough - I think - about the kind of spell she made; remember, Juanna was
supposed to lay beside him!)
The theory I had in mind was that every time we (read; Willow) reincarnated,
we become a full en new personality, but we have these splinters from our
old personality, small parts that we carry with us and in a way - builds a
new personality - it's a cumulative effect.
In the end Xander points out that Buffy should destroy the cave, but Willow
says 'no' - Why she said it? I'm not sure - maybe she learned something
about herself, that she not per definition 'good', that she has dark sides
within her. I think it makes her more real.
There was another storyline I included - but then I took it away 'cause it
didn't really added something to this story, it beheld the question: in what
part of the world did the Slayer live? Véleran and his army are send because
there was no slayer at the time in that part of the world (no planes yet!)
and the hell mouth could open. How many (innocent) people died because a
Slayer can only be at one place at a time? Makes you think huh!
One last add-up: Véleran is a warrior and he gave up, he got tired of the
fighting, he wanted to be with Juanna even though he knew she died - he
could still go on, but he just. dropped his sword. Maybe that's what he
tries to tell Buffy, a warning perhaps, - one day, you'll just be so tired.
And that's when Willow is truly terrified.
> Judging from your work, it's good to have you on the abe fanfic writers
team!
that's a nice compliment - thank you
Marc
P@rick
> There was another storyline I included - but then I took it away
'cause
> it didn't really added something to this story, it beheld the
question: in
> what part of the world did the Slayer live? Véleran and his army are
> send because there was no slayer at the time in that part of the world
> (no planes yet!) and the hell mouth could open. How many (innocent)
> people died because a Slayer can only be at one place at a time? Makes
> you think huh!
The quickest way for a Slayer to transport across continents is to die
and be called somewhere else. Where she re-appears is dependent on
chance. Or not, since we don't know how much influence the MFFG have in
this process.
In the beginning the Slayer probably was just randomly slaying demons
(and perhaps humans, we don't know that yet) until the Watchers came
into existence. I think the Slayer was sort of an unguided projectile
before a Watcher came and gave her guidance, tell her where she was
needed most. Later, when the ships began to sail the ocean, she was able
to transport herself around the world. Very slow at first, but
increasingly faster as ways of transportation became faster. But the
fact remains that the Slayer can only be at one place at a time.
There may have been early attempts to open the Hellmouth, but maybe not
that many. It could be that its location has been unknown for a long
time. Or maybe the Hellmouth can only be attempted to open under very
specific circumstances. That's why I dislike 'Doomed' so much, where the
Hellmouth concept is misused. If it was that easy to open it, someone
would have done that a long time ago. The Old ones didn't leave earth
for nothing. The time for their return has got to be right.
> One last add-up: Véleran is a warrior and he gave up, he got tired of
the
> fighting, he wanted to be with Juanna even though he knew she died -
he
> could still go on, but he just. dropped his sword. Maybe that's what
he
> tries to tell Buffy, a warning perhaps, - one day, you'll just be so
tired.
> And that's when Willow is truly terrified.
This could happen in the end. Then Buffy will probably die quickly, and
a new (fresh) Slayer will be called.
Bye, Patrick