Amazon High - Page 3
Amazon High
Friends In Low Places
page 3
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
INT GYMNASIUM
Xena and Morine stand in a fighting ring. All of the Amazon students gather to watch. The Amazon elders sit together to watch. Ariadne acts as spokesperson for the elders.
ARIADNE
Students of the Amazon High Academy of War, know that these two - Morine and Xena - will meet in ceremonial combat to settle their dispute. Learn from them. They are fierce warriors. Xena and Morine, this contest will end when one of you is knocked unconscious, or yields to the other. The only rule is survival. Are the combatants ready?
Morine smiles at Xena.
MORINE
You're going to die.
XENA
Maybe. But I'll take you with me.
ARIADNE
Let the battle begin.
Both Morine and Xena have chobo sticks (seen in X:WP #10 - "Hooves and Harlots"). They circle each other warily.
MORINE
I'll kill you.
XENA
No.
They exchange blows. Xena rushes into the attack, catching Morine off guard. Xena gets in a few good hits before Morine recovers.
MORINE
You little...
XENA
Anger clouds judgement, Morine.
Morine goes on the offensive, driving Xena back. Xena thrusts forward, but morine flips over her. Morine kicks xena in the back.
MORINE
Give up, Xena.
XENA
No.
Morine launches into a complex attack that bewilders xena. xena does her best to defend, but she is knocked backwards. morine finishes off with a leg sweep. Xena goes down. Morine presses her weapons against xena's throat.
MORINE
Give!
Xena silently refuses to acknowledge defeat.
Morine turns her back on xena and raises her weapons in the air in triumph. Xena rolls to her feet and lunges at morine. morine senses the attack coming and she whirls to face it. xena's fist plants itself firmly in morine's face. Morine staggers backward, unused to the "scrapper" -type fighting.
XENA
I never give up.
In the audience, megaera turns to larissa.
MEGAERA
Never turn your back on your enemy.
Larissa nods in agreement.
The amazon elders whisper to each other. Their admiration of the two combatants skill is obvious.
Xena presses her attack and drives morine to the floor. Xena jumps down on morine. Morine throws her off and jumps to her feet. Morine grabs her weapon. Xena grabs her weapon. Xena swings with all her might. Morine blocks. Xena's weapon breaks in two.
MORINE
I have you now, Xena.
Morine attacks viciously, raining blows down upon xena. Xena can't block them.
Larissa and megaera stand in shock.
LARISSA
Stop it! You're killing her!
Xena lies bruised and beaten on the ground. Morine turns her back and walks away. Xena twitches and reaches out for her broken weapon. It is sharply pointed. She closes her fist around it.
Xena pulls herself to her feet. Everyone in the audience stands in horror. Xena hurls the sharpened stake at morine's back.
The stake flies directly toward morine. At the last second, morine whirls and catches the stake just an inch from her chest.
Xena drops to her knees in astonishment.
MORINE
Never, never do that to me again.
XENA
How...how'd you do that?
MORINE
Outsiders can never learn the Amazon ways.
Morine walks out. Larissa and megaera run out to xena. They support her as she sags in exhaustion.
MEGAERA
Come on, Xena, we'll get you cleaned up.
LARISSA
You fought very bravely, Xena. I'm proud of you.
XENA
I lost.
MEGAERA
There's always someone better.
XENA
I'll learn. I'll beat her.
MEGAERA
Sure. But first you have to get cleaned up.
CUT TO:
INT COURTYARD
Larissa and megaera nurse xena's wounds.
XENA
I almost had her.
LARISSA
Shh. You need to rest.
XENA
No, I can beat her next time.
Thestius enters the courtyard. He looks around, then walks toward xena's group. Everyone else in the courtyard stops and stares at thestius. He obviously enjoys the attention.
THESTIUS
Don't worry, ladies, there's plenty of me to go around.
LARISSA
Thestius, they let you out?
THESTIUS
They certainly did. I just turned on the charm, and, boom, I was out of there.
MEGAERA
Why didn't you go back to Cheiron?
THESTIUS
Uh, I can't. That's the catch. I have to stay here.
Thestius looks around at all of the amazons.
THESTIUS
Not that it's a bad thing.
XENA
What do you want?
THESTIUS
Want? I just thought I'd grace you with a little of my company.
Larissa is quite smitten with thestius.
LARISSA
Really?
THESTIUS
Well, yes.
MEGAERA
Xena, what do you think about the battle partners?
THESTIUS
What are battle partners?
XENA
Battle partners are training partners as you learn to fight. You do everything together.
THESTIUS
Oh, like Hercules and Iolaus at Cheiron's academy.
All the girls look confused.
XENA
Sure. Whatever. Anyway, the Elders, the Amazons in charge, are going to post a list of battle partners pretty soon.
MEGAERA
I hope I get paired with you, Xena. I can learn a lot from you.
On the other side of the courtyard, morine, lyra, and the rest of the group, look narrowly at xena.
LYRA
You beat her good.
MORINE
She almost had me.
LYRA
Never. You had her the whole time.
MORINE
Look.
A messenger speaks with xena.
MORINE
Can you hear what they're saying?
Xena gets up and follows the messenger.
MORINE
She's probably going to be kicked out for throwing that stake at me. Serves her right. Only Amazons deserve to be here.
The messenger comes back, and speaks to morine.
MESSENGER
Excuse me, Morine, the Chieftess would like to see you, immediately.
MORINE
Me? What for?
MESSENGER
I cannot say.
MORINE
She probably wants to congratulate me on my win.
LYRA
I'm sure that's it.
MORINE
If you see Xena, tell her I'm sorry she got kicked out.
Morine laughs as she follows the messenger.
FADE OUT:
END ACT TWO