Amazon High - Page 4

Amazon High

Friends In Low Places

page 4

ACT THREE

FADE IN:

INT CHIEFTESS' OFFICE

Xena stands before the chieftess, hesione. Morine enters the room.

MORINE

Chieftess Hesione, I thank you for inviting me here- What's she doing here?

HESIONE

I need to speak with you both.

MORINE

I have nothing to say to her.

XENA

Nor I her.

HESIONE

You both fight very well. Morine, your skill in the Amazon style is matched by none. Xena, your fighting style is a bit...unorthodox. You are both to be praised for your abilities. However, we cannot have you two always at each other's throats.

XENA

Are you kicking me out of Amazon High?

HESIONE

Far from it. You two are to be paired off as training partners.

XENA

What?

MORINE

No. I will not be partners with this...peasant.

A voice from behind them, hippolyta, surprises both girls.

HIPPOLYTA (O.S.)

You will do as you are told.

Hippolyta moves beside hesione.

MORINE

Princess Hippolyta, forgive me. I was only-

HIPPOLYTA

You are Amazon royalty, Morine. I will not have you looking down on other Amazons.

MORINE

But she's not-

HIPPOLYTA

If she is here, you will treat her as an Amazon.

HESIONE

Xena, what have you to say?

XENA

I want to learn to fight.

HIPPOLYTA

Already, you fight well. What more do you want?

XENA

I want to learn to catch arrows, like she did.

HESIONE

That skill is a difficult one, Xena. Do you have the dedication?

XENA

I'll do it.

HIPPOLYTA

The two of you have superior abilities, compared to the rest of the students. I expect that both of you could ascend the ranks to become captains, or even generals, in the Amazon army. You must learn to control the fires raging within. Only then will you be able to see each other for what you truly are.

Xena and morine grudgingly look at each other.

HESIONE

So, do you accept your calling as training partners?

XENA

Yes.

Morine defiantly looks hippolyta in the eye.

HIPPOLYTA

I could kick you out now, Morine. The only chance you will ever have for leadership is to become better than your superiors. That won't happen out there.

MORINE

I'll do it. I won't like it, though.

HESIONE

I didn't expect that you would. Get to class, both of you.

CUT TO:

INT GYMNASIUM

Ariadne and an asian woman, solymaia, stand before the class. xena sits with her friends, and morine sits with hers.

ARIADNE

Amazons, this is Solymaia. She will instruct you in battle trust.

SOLYMAIA

Battle trust is the relationship you have with the person who is guarding your back. You have to trust them completely. They hold your life in their hands.

Megaera leans over to xena and whispers.

MEGAERA

I heard you got paired with Morine.

XENA

Yeah.

MEGAERA

I can get her for you.

Xena looks interested.

MEGAERA

When we do the back to back fighting, I'll fight with you. I swing, you duck, and I hit her in the head. Easy.

XENA

I don't know.

MEGAERA

Come on, Xena. She deserves it.

XENA

I know she does, but-

MEGAERA

Good.

SOLYMAIA

Amazons, pair off!

Everyone gets with their partner. Megaera is partnered with lyra. Larissa is partnered with thestius. Xena and morine stand back to back.

SOLYMAIA

Begin sparring.

Xena and megaera spar. Xena and megaera shuffle back and forth, each anticipating each other's moves.

MEGAERA

(To xena)

By the gods, you're good.

XENA

I can be better.

Solymaia watches xena and megaera closely. She sees what is going on.

MEGAERA

Ready?

Megaera nods. She swings high. Xena ducks. The blow whistles toward morine's head. Morine senses the coming blow. She turns slightly. She winces in anticipation of the blow.

At the last instant, xena throws her weapon up, deflecting the blow.

XENA

No.

Megaera drops her weapon, stunned. Morine turns to face xena.

MORINE

How dare you?

XENA

I didn't let it hit you.

Morine punches xena. Xena goes down.

MORINE

Where is the honor in that? Hitting me in the back.

XENA

My honor is in here. I couldn't do it.

MORINE

You are a coward.

XENA

You've done nothing but treat me like dirt since I got here. I know I'm not an Amazon, but I'm just as good as you.

MORINE

You will never be as good as me. No outsider has ever matched skills with an Amazon. No one.

Xena gets up slowly. Tears fill her eyes. She rushes from the room.

MEGAERA

Xena.

MORINE

Let her go. She realizes the truth now. No outsiders will ever be good enough.

A chakram whistles through the air. It knocks morine's weapon from her hand. Solymaia catches the chakram.

SOLYMAIA

Are you so certain, Morine? Look at me. I am not an Amazon by birth.

MORINE

Yeah, but you...

SOLYMAIA

I what? I was captured when Amazons invaded the lands of the east. I was a prisoner until I proved myself to them.

MORINE

But that's different.

SOLYMAIA

It is no different. If you ever expect to be a fair ruler, you must let others challenge you. You cannot honorably defend your postion if you do not allow challenges.

MORINE

But Xena isn't even an Amazon.

SOLYMAIA

Are you afraid of her?

MORINE

No. I am better than her.

SOLYMAIA

How much better? Are you afraid to let her challenge you?

MORINE

Yes! I hate her. She hurt me. No one has hurt me before.

SOLYMAIA

And is that a good thing? You will be better the next time you fight Xena.

The entire class has stopped sparring. They all listen to solymaia.

SOLYMAIA

Everyone listen. When you fight an enemy that is weaker, you do not improve. Only by pushing yourself do you become better. Remember that, Morine.

Morine stalks off.

SOLYMAIA

The rest of you, get back to your exercises.

CUT TO:

INT BARRACKS

Xena lies on her bed. She reads a scroll. It is a letter from home, written by her brother, lyceus.

LYCEUS (V.O.)

Xena, we miss you. Toris is a big bully. He's trying to get the kids to follow him, just like they followed you. He picks on me a lot. I don't like it. Mother misses you, too. She cries every night. I wish you were here, Xena. You could teach Toris a lesson. Also, fishing just isn't the same without you. Come back soon, even if you're only visiting. Your brother, Lyceus.

Megaera and larissa enter. They look for xena. Xena quickly wipes tears from her eyes.

LARISSA

Xena, are you okay?

MEGAERA

It was wrong for Morine to do that.

XENA

No, she was right. I can't be as good as her.

MEGAERA

No. You are as good as her.

LARISSA

What have you got there?

XENA

It's a letter from home. From my brother, Lyceus.

MEGAERA

What does it say?

XENA

They miss me. I miss them, too. I thought I could just walk away from them and start my own life. I was wrong again.

MEGAERA

No, you just made a mistake. We all do. It's part of life.

XENA

I'm not supposed to make mistakes. I'm the one that always got the right answers. I was always the best.

LARISSA

Sometimes you have to face your mistakes. Try to learn from them.

XENA

I can't stay here. I can't be an Amazon. Morine's right.

MEGAERA

If you leave, she wins.

XENA

I don't care.

Xena gets up to leave.

LARISSA

Where are you going?

XENA

It doesn't matter.

Xena exits.

Megaera and Larissa look at each other worriedly.

FADE OUT:

END ACT THREE

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