buffy9x06
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.
[
bottom
]
TEASER
FADE IN:
1 INT. CIRCLE – GRAND LIBRARY. DAY. 1
A huge, fierce looking PORTAL, a black window into the abyss,
storm winds howling and trails of white lightning streaking
away from it towards us.
A large wooden desk is dragged into view, its legs scraping
across the floor of the spacious, wood-panelled room we're
inside, the winds rushing into the vortex sucking the
unfortunate desk away.
With a final CRACK of splintering wood, the body of the desk
is ripped away from the legs, hurtling down into the vortex
and disappearing into the blackness beyond, the papers and
books on its surface scattering into the abyss and vanishing
from view.
WILLOW (O.S.)
Um, okay, Tattles, that was a great
idea, in theory, but why don't we
try something a little different?
WILLOW is stood watching the portal with little TATTLES next
to her, the brown-haired girl pouting as she studies the
storm before her.
WILLOW (cont'd)
So, you said this started going all
'Beyond The Black Hole' after I
left just now?
TATTLES
Yup. You'd gone back to your
friends, and then there was this
big noise, like 'cerr-rak!' and
then next thing, big stormy
whirlpool, right there, where the
books on animals used to be.
WILLOW
And so since then, you've been-
TALEDRAW (O.S.)
Throwing things into it to see
where they go.
Willow looks down – TALEDRAW has joined them, his notebook
open as he squats on the library floor to start sketching the
vortex.
WILLOW
Uh, right… so, what happened?
Tattles shrugs, and Taledraw ignores her and carries on
drawing. An increasingly exasperated Willow rubs her hands
through her hair as she tries to focus.
WILLOW (cont'd)
Alright, Willow, look at the facts,
let's get CSI on this thing. There
was a black cloud that was full of
bad mojo, now there's a big hole
leading to gosh knows where. Right.
Possible causes. Gateway between
dimensions?
TATTLES
Could be. We see a lot of them.
WILLOW
Is the fabric of wherever this
place is springing a leak?
TATTLES
No, Trinkets'd be running around
shouting if there was anything
wrong.
(beat)
Do we get a present if we work out
what it is before you do?
WILLOW
Um, that depends. Maybe I'll make
up a pop quiz for you guys or
something, you know, to keep you on
your-
FLASH! There's an instant of white glare and Willow drops to
her knees, clutching the side of her head in pain.
She stands, eyes jet black and face straining with exertion,
as we cut to:
2 EXT. HELL DIMENSION. NIGHT. 2
A rocky outcrop, darkness and stars all round but the distant
flicker of flames from a river of cooling lava running
beneath us. Howls of distant creatures blow across to us as a
large HAND reaches into frame.
Reaching one finger out, its gnarled fingernail like a
dagger, it SLICES a straight line through the air, and like a
flap of skin the night sky falls away, revealing what looks
like a graveyard on the other side of the 'window.'
We pull back but can't make out the figure doing the slicing,
only seeing that it is something tall, shrouded in black as
it reaches up, carefully pulling at the tear in the sky,
opening it enough to step through.
With one last glance around at the twisted landscape behind
him, the figure steps forward, disappearing through the hole
in the air.
3 INT. CIRCLE – GRAND LIBRARY. DAY. 3
Willow's head snaps back as we cut back to her, and she reels
backwards, falling to the floor as Tattles jumps back out of
the way. Taledraw looks up for a beat, then goes back to his
drawing.
TATTLES
Teach? Are you okay?
WILLOW
I'm… I'm not sure…
TATTLES
What did you see?
WILLOW
Something… something old and
powerful, and it was making a path…
a doorway between two worlds, so it
could get to…
Willow's face drops as she realises where the demon she saw
was heading for.
WILLOW (cont'd)
Oh no… I've got to tell Buffy,
right now! Uh, guys, why don't you,
uh, watch this until I get back,
and, uh, don't throw anything else
into it!
Willow dashes out of frame, leaving Tattles and Taledraw to
peer quizzically at the portal.
After a few beats, Tattles turns to Taledraw and nudges him
to get his attention.
TATTLES
Do you think she saw it?
TALEDRAW
She saw this.
Taledraw shows Tattles his drawing – and she pales, visibly
shaking.
TATTLES
(scared)
Oh, no… him…
Taledraw nods sagely and goes back to his sketch as Tattles
pouts and bites her lip, staring back into the whirling black
hole in the wall.
BLACK OUT:
END OF TEASER
ACT ONE
FADE IN:
4 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - BUFFY'S OFFICE. DAY. 4
BUFFY is at her desk, talking to a client, an acne-ridden
teenager called LYLE. She tries to look sympathetic, but her
eyes keep spreading to the nasty outbreak of spots he's
suffering with.
LYLE
So then, my mom tells me, 'Lyle,
your father and I just feel like
we're wasting all this therapy
money on you, because all you ever
seem to do when you come home is
talk about your therapi-'
Lyle pauses, and Buffy realises she was staring at his spots.
She shakes her head and tries to focus.
LYLE (cont'd)
(looks at his feet)
It's okay. I know I don't look too
good at the moment. Maybe that's
why I can't talk to my mom and dad,
you know? They just seem to look
straight through me all the time…
Willow, looking somewhat out of breath, opens the door to the
office, which is several feet behind Lyle so he doesn't
notice.
She waves a hello to Buffy before noticing Lyle, and a look
of worry crosses her face as she realises she's interrupted a
session.
LYLE (cont'd)
… maybe they're disappointed with
the way I look, like they wanted a
son who carried on the family
looks, without all… these things to
worry about…
Buffy nods her head towards her client, and with a nod,
Willow closes the door again, just as Lyle looks up.
Buffy is still staring off towards where Willow was standing,
and double takes when she sees Lyle looking at her.
BUFFY
Sorry, Lyle, I saw, uh, something
outside the window. What did you
just say?
Lyle smiles as though a major revelation has just hit.
LYLE
That's it! You're absolutely right,
Miss Summers, nobody's going to pay
any attention to me if I spend all
my time worrying about how I look…
I've got to take action!
Lyle stands, and Buffy leans back, a little alarmed.
LYLE (cont'd)
No more hiding in the background,
I'm going to take the world on and
make them listen to me!
He grabs Buffy's hand and shakes it vigorously.
LYLE (cont'd)
Thank you so much, Miss Summers,
you've shown me the way to go!
Lyle leaves the office, and as the door closes Willow pops
back inside. Buffy looks baffled.
BUFFY
Alright, what just happened?
WILLOW
I think you just helped that guy.
BUFFY
I did?
WILLOW
Hey, go with what works, that's
what Xander always says. 'Course,
he's usually talking about power
tools, but I think it's an
interchangeable metaphor...
Buffy raises an eyebrow - Willow is clearly off colour, and
she motions for her to take a seat, which Willow does,
flopping down into the chair and taking a deep breath.
BUFFY
What are you doing here?
Willow looks up, that familiar look of concern on her face.
WILLOW
I saw something today, Buffy,
something pretty nasty. I had a
vision while I was in the Library,
and I-
BUFFY
Library? Are we talking a normal
people's library, or...
WILLOW
Yeah, up in the Circle. Remember
that 'problem' we mentioned that
I've been trying to find out about?
Well, I saw this big old demon
cutting itself a path out of this
hell dimension it was stuck in,
stepping through into a world that
looked a heck of a lot like ours.
BUFFY
Are you sure it was ours?
WILLOW
Well, at first, no, then I realised
that not many other dimensions have
cemeteries with signs that say
'Welcome to Cleveland Central
Crematorium' over them.
Buffy's alert now - she's already standing and heading for
her jacket hanging up by the door.
BUFFY
Okay, we'll call Giles on the way,
then we can meet back at mine and-
She pauses, one arm half into her jacket.
WILLOW
What is it?
BUFFY
I can't leave yet, I've got another
client showing up any minute, and I
think Mr. Kane's already getting
suspicious about me ducking out of
so many sessions.
WILLOW
No problem, I'll be Damage
Limitation Girl and get the gang
together. You stay, be all
professional and stuff.
BUFFY
Thanks, Will.
Willow gets up and heads back for the door, pausing as she
opens it to call back over to Buffy.
WILLOW
Hey, didn't I hear somebody mention
Jackson's name as I was on the way
in? Are you, like, counselling him
now or something?
BUFFY
Huh? Oh, no, he's seeing someone
else on this floor. I figured it
was kinda unethical for me to see
him, what with everything that
happened.
WILLOW
(almost disappointed)
Oh, okay. Well, you know, gotta
scoot. Have fun.
Willow heads back outside, and as Buffy settles back down at
her desk, we cut to:
5 INT. SUMMERS RESIDENCE - FRONT ROOM. DAY. 5
GILES walks out of the kitchen and into the front room,
reading a copy of 'Fortean Times' magazine as he munches on a
sandwich. He doesn't notice Willow walk quietly into the room
behind him.
WILLOW
Hey, Giles.
Giles YELPS in surprise and jumps a mile, smashing his
sandwich plate on the floor. He turns round and places a hand
on his chest to steady his beating heart.
GILES
Willow! My word… how long have you
been standing there?
WILLOW
Uh, about two seconds?
GILES
Is everything alright?
WILLOW
Oh, yeah, it was, but then I had
this vision, and it seemed kinda
bad, so here I am.
(beat)
And I am, of course, making a huge,
huge understatement when I say
'kinda' bad here.
GILES
(sits down)
A vision? What did you see?
WILLOW
The usual, big ugly demon tearing
its way into our world, although
the vision cut out all the ensuing
death, mayhem and murder parts.
Which is good, because I never like
those all that much.
GILES
Have you informed Buffy?
WILLOW
Yeah, I popped in on the way over.
GILES
Well, that's a start at least. I
trust Buffy will be back from work
as soon as she can?
WILLOW
She said she had an important
client so I left her to it. Didn't
want to get her kicked out of work,
you know.
GILES
Good. In the meantime, I'll call
Marie back from her shopping trip
and then you'd better describe what
you saw to us as clearly as
possible, so we can start to build
up a picture of what we're dealing
with, so to speak.
Giles retrieves a note pad and pencil from the pile next to
his research texts stacked up in the kitchen.
6 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - CHERIE'S OFFICE. DAY. 6
CHERIE HEWISON watches Jackson carefully. He's looking around
the room, scratching the back of his head as though searching
for the right words. She's a thirtysomething counsellor, long
blonde hair and a disarming smile.
JACKSON
You see, the thing is…
(beat; sighs)
I don't know what I'm supposed to
say.
CHERIE
Me either. That's why I get the
desk and you get the chair.
JACKSON
I mean, I'm supposed to be here to
talk through my 'unprofessional'
attitude recently, why I've been
acting so weirdly about the cases
we've been getting. And from what
I've told you already, you know by
now it's because of what I know
about the world now. I never
realised how it'd open my eyes - I
spent most of this year around
Buffy and her friends, seeing the
world they way they do, and now I'm
back with… well, normal people
again, I can't help but be amazed
at how they just ignore so many
things, like they don't want what
they can't explain to be true…
Jackson pauses - he realises he's possibly saying a bit more
than he ought to. Cherie waits a beat before leaning forward
to talk to him.
CHERIE
This Buffy Summers girl, her world
seems extraordinary to you, doesn't
it? Like there's things going on
there that just don't exist in the
real world?
JACKSON
(bitter laugh)
You have no idea.
CHERIE
Well, I'd like to get an idea,
Jackson, that's the only way we're
going to get anywhere. You were
sent to me because your fellow
officers and superiors have
expressed concern about your recent
actions, that you've been erratic,
moody and unpredictable, and here
we are, our first session, and I
can already pinpoint the cause of
your altered state, as it were.
JACKSON
(bitterly)
Welcome to my world.
CHERIE
Do you think reconciling your
differences with Buffy would help
you regain your old professional
attitude?
JACKSON
I'd like to think so, but deep
down... I'm not so sure. I think
there were things said and done by
both of us that kinda burned the
bridges. And then set fire to the
forests so there wouldn't be any
wood to make any more bridges after
that.
Cherie stares thoughtfully at Jackson, who shuffles in his
seat, clearly not enjoying the way this is going. Cherie
glances up at the clock on the wall.
JACKSON (cont'd)
Is that it?
CHERIE
(smiles)
When the state pays for your
sessions, they tend to feel shorter
than most. We can pick this up
again next time.
JACKSON
Sounds like a plan.
Jackson stands, shakes Cherie's hand and makes his way out of
the office.
7 INT. CHARLESTON & SMITHE - CORRIDOR. DAY. 7
Jackson leaves Cherie's office and bumps straight into Buffy,
who is pulling on her jacket and hurrying off. They take a
moment to compose themselves, managing awkward nods.
JACKSON
Got somewhere you need to be?
BUFFY
Huh? Oh, no, I just…
(beat; sighs)
Yeah, Willow came by earlier, said
there was something bad coming into
town, we're gonna go check it out.
JACKSON
Oh. Right. Need a hand?
BUFFY
Jackson…
JACKSON
(quickly)
No, okay, I get it. Still too soon.
That's cool. All part of the
process.
BUFFY
It's not that, it's just-
JACKSON
Buffy, it's okay. Really.
Jackson gets up and walks out, pausing in the doorway.
JACKSON (cont'd)
(cold)
I'll see you next week, Miss
Summers.
He leaves and closes the door. Buffy sighs, rubbing her eyes
with one hand. It's been a long day.
8 EXT. ABANDONED RAILWAY STATION. DAY. 8
Buffy and Willow walk down the platform of an empty railway
station, a disused part of the Cleveland mainline. The
waiting area windows and doors are boarded up, and the place
is filthy with litter.
Buffy tries to weave through the rubbish as Willow, minus her
cloak, scans the tracks and surrounding buildings.
BUFFY
Why are we here, Will? I thought
you said you saw this thing over by
the cemetery?
WILLOW
I did, but it's moved since then,
and the trail lead here. I think
it's looking for something.
BUFFY
All it's going to find round here
are old newspapers and- oh good,
rats.
Buffy raises one foot to let a fat brown rat waddle past,
grimacing as she does so.
BUFFY (cont'd)
You know, I don't think it matters
how many demons, monsters and
whatever else I see, one single rat
and it's still gross out city.
WILLOW
Yeah, I guess we don't scare that
easily any-
WHUMP! The girls YELL out in alarm as a large, full waste bin
topples over next to them, spilling its contents on the
floor. Buffy spots something moving in the shadows on the
other side of the bins and darts off after it.
9 INT. STATION - TERMINAL BUILDING. DAY. 9
Buffy runs into frame inside the dimly lit old main terminal
of the station, which is as dusty and dirty as the platform
outside.
She hears footsteps coming from a set of steps leading down
further into the station and heads after them.
10 INT. STATION - BASEMENT. DAY. 10
Buffy creeps down into the basement - light filters in from
the terminal, but she can't see far in the gloom.
She takes a few cautious steps forward, into the open plan
floor which has three corridors branching off from it, before
stopping, hands on hips.
BUFFY
Alright, listen. I know you're down
here, and I've had a real long day,
so can we skip the creeping through
the darkness bit and get straight
to the big entrance?
(beat)
Well?
Footsteps echo out again - something is heading towards her,
beyond a set of double swing doors ahead of us.
Buffy tenses up.
BUFFY (cont'd)
Good. Nice to have some cooperation
for once. Now then, let's start
with-
As the music builds, we shift down into slow motion as the
doors swing open, and the CARETAKER strides out from the
shadows - it's the demon we saw earlier, eyes and lips sewn
shut, standing almost seven feet tall, thinly built but
obviously powerful, its confident strides bringing it up
towards Buffy.
Buffy's eyes widen as she takes in the demon for the first
time, picking up on it's thick, sinewy black skin which seems
to double as some kind of body armour. Her fists are already
up defensively.
BUFFY (cont'd)
Okay… Giant demonic undertaker. No
problem…
Her words can't hide her nerves as the huge demon strides up
to a few feet away from her, then stands and looks down at
her quizzically.
BUFFY (cont'd)
What? You waiting for me to make a
snappy comeback? Well, I kinda
noticed that you can't speak, so
that tends to take all the fun out
of-
The Caretaker just keeps on walking, past Buffy and out of
the basement. She turns, surprised, and blinks.
BUFFY (cont'd)
Hey!
11 INT. STATION - TERMINAL. DAY. 11
The Caretaker is heading up the steps and back into the
station proper, not giving Buffy a second glance as she
dashes up the steps after hum.
She gets close enough to reach out and lay a hand on his arm,
but without breaking stride, he swings one arm round and
SWATS her away, and Buffy is sent hurtling through the air to
crash in a heap several feet away.
Dazed, she tries to stand as the Caretaker disappears off
screen, but fails, slumping unconscious to the floor, and
from that, the scene FADES TO BLACK.
12 INT. STATION - TERMINAL. LATER. 12
We FADE UP to see Willow kneeling down by Buffy, trying to
wake her up. Buffy groans and pushes herself upright.
WILLOW
(concerned)
Buffy, are you alright?
I went looking for you, but then I
got kinda lost, and… never mind.
What happened? Did you see the bad
guy?
BUFFY
Yep. Wasn't an amazingly successful
encounter, hence the whole 'heap on
the floor' thing.
Willow helps Buffy up, dusting her clothes down. Buffy holds
the side of her sore head and winces.
WILLOW
Did you get into a fight with it?
BUFFY
Less of a fight, more of an insect
repellent. He put the smackdown on
me without even blinking.
(beat)
Not that he can blink, of course…
WILLOW
Let's get you back home, maybe
Giles turned something up by now.
Did you get a good look at him at
least?
BUFFY
Oh, yeah. Real good.
The two girls start to head back out of the station.
BLACK OUT:
END OF ACT ONE
ACT TWO
FADE IN:
13 INT. TAMMAZEL'S BAR. NIGHT. 13
A moderately sized downtown bar, frequented largely by a
variety of species of demon, the centrepiece being the
blueskinned TAMMAZEL standing behind the bar, dishtowel slung
over one shoulder.
The bar doors SLAM open as Buffy heads inside. The clientele
noticeably shuffle away from her, and Tammazel rolls her eyes
as Buffy hops up onto a bar stool.
TAMMAZEL
Now what? What, you thought nailing
my hand to my bar last week wasn't
'bad' enough for you?
BUFFY
New bad guy in town. Figured you'd
know something about it, seeing as
you're a bad guy too.
TAMMAZEL
Bad girl, if we're going to be so
gender specific, and no, I don't
know of anything new in town. So
are you going to turn around and
march your blonde little fleshy
body out of my bar and stop scaring
my customers, or am I going to have
to call my security demons over?
And believe me, they keep this
place very secure.
Buffy quickly reaches across the counter and grabs Tammazel
by one of her horns, pulling the protesting demon down to her
eye level, still sitting calmly.
BUFFY
Let me try this again, because you
obviously didn't hear me the first
time: New bad guy in town, so start
talking.
TAMMAZEL
Ow, ow! Okay, okay!
Buffy releases the horn and Tammazel stands, rubbing it and
wincing. Buffy scowls at her, impatient.
BUFFY
Now, Tammazel!
TAMMAZEL
(scowls)
Nobody knows much about it, seems
like it wandered in here from one
of the many wonderful Hell
dimensions out there.
BUFFY
What does it want?
TAMMAZEL
Beats me. All I can tell you is
that it's powerful, got a lot of my
regulars pretty spooked.
BUFFY
Yeah, I get the powerful part. Got
the bruises to show for it.
TAMMAZEL
You've seen it?
BUFFY
Briefly, yeah. I'm trying to find
out some more about what I'm
dealing with for the next time I
see it.
TAMMAZEL
The next time you see it, here's
some free advice - run.
Buffy gets up and walks out of the bar. There is an audible
sigh of relief from the assembled demons, and Tammazel gets
back to cleaning some glasses.
TAMMAZEL (cont'd)
(mutters)
Just don't expect to get very far…
[
top
| next
]
Script created with Final Draft by Final Draft, Inc.