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

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