Pipsiveya - Voiced over, "Did you know that everything comes and goes ?
Lives and places. People and things. Again they come back. And again gone again. We all come and go, but some things remain the same."
A huge cloaked figure walks through, a smaller cloaked on his shoulder with a pumpkin bucket.
Pipsiveya
- From the shoulder, "I'm a queen, okay ? I have things to do. I
don't know why you don't ... my people need our weapons replaced and we
need to refortify a new location and it's also the harvest."
Bus Driver - "You're a child. You need to be a child."
She looks around a moment, then pulls a radio from the bucket.
Pipsiveya - "Jean ? Is everything ..."
Jean D'Arc - On the radio, "Have fun Pip !"
The radio cuts out and she throws it back into the bucket.
Bus Driver - "A child today."
They walk into the decorating marketplace ~
Come Hell or Halloween
('Crazy People' by the Boswell Sisters)
Decorations
are hung, the visitors in their Ren-fest best masquerade, Day of the
Dead parades march through in small gatherings, wine poured on dancers
who spin into the crowds.
The stilt walkers watch over all with
their scopes, some painted some indignant. Ships at the docks are met
with cheers, crates unloaded for celebration.
Inside the shops
the keeps prepare for the night, their various ways, marked with the
passage of Pipsiveya and the Bus Driver as they walk through it all,
last entering a clothier.
An Amazon watches from the rooftop.
________
The
keeper closes her book from watching them within, watching as the
Amazons skitter rooftop to rooftop patrolling and signalling to the
stilt walkers, who keep an eye.
She considers a moment, her attendants waiting. Smiling she rises,
walking through to the courtyard. She breathes the air with her face to
the sun.
('Living Hell' by the Pain Teens)
She
dances clutching the book and spinning joyously, occasionally opening
the book to read a passage with joy as though it were a personal love letter to
her alone.
Closes the book holding it tightly, returns to spinning
dance.
Wind dragons and attendants spin and curl with the wind from the pages,
twisting to gusts with her dance. She opens and reads, closes holding
the book close spinning with a deeply touched smile, filling the field
with fantasy.
________
They exit the costumier, under cloaks Pipsiveya dressed as Wonder Woman
and the bus driver as a bandit with stripey shirt and mask.
Bus Driver - "Now ..." He looks around with suspicion, "... who's got the candy around here ..."
Pipsiveya
- "You know you don't have to keep doing this. We know it wasn't you.
We always knew that. The mourning is passed. You're free."
Bus Driver - Looking around for candy ... "I do. I do have to do this."
Pipsiveya - "Who are you ... ? I mean before. Who were you ?"
Bus Driver - "I was ... I drove a bus. That's all."
Pipsiveya - "And also the only person who refuses to acknowledge my crown."
Bus Driver - "I'm an anarchist."
They pass Apex and Nemesis at an outdoor cafe, Apex holding high his drink.
Apex - "To you."
Nemesis - "To ..."
Lucretia - On comm, "Nemesis !"
They wince their eyes ...
Lucretia - On comm, "Apex !"
Nemesis and Apex - Into comm, "Yes ..."
____
Lucretia
- Looking over the map in her tree, a pulled out to a view of Earth,
The Skullsteroid approaching, "We have a situation."
Andromeda
relaxes in the tub ... deep breaths, splashing the blood from her face
in the water, eyes closed. An elegant bath in Versailles ...
A
small gnome walks into the lavish bath with a tiny stool, a large book
and a squid for a hat. He sets the stool down noisily and sits opening
the book.
She opens her eyes and turns them to the side ...
Andromeda - "No."
Gnome - "Oh Yes !"
Andromeda
- "Fuck ! Just ... Fuck !" She looks around the room from low in the
tub, her robe and gear across from reach. "Fine. Just ... Fine. Read your
stupid gnome tale but know this. I will fucking kill you one day."
Gnome - "Oh No ! You love ..."
Andromeda - "No. Kill you."
Gnome - Furrowing his brow ... "Fine."
The squid stares shaking it's head in disapproval.
~ terrible animation ~
('Laydown' by Prince)
The Skullsteroid flies through space ...
Daphne - Slamming the boney controls, "God damn it Skullsteroid, fly faster ! We're going to be late to the party again !"
Cassandra waves her arms roaring.
Daphne - "We are not going to that same space ship dealer again ..." __
Salesman voice - "Already dead !" ______
At NASA (live action) ~
On the comm - "Huston ..."
NASA - "Major, we are in Florida. Over."
On the comm - "Thanks. We still have a problem."
NASA - ... "Waiting ..."
On comm - A sigh. "Over." __
On
the space station the commander watches the Skullsteroid approach on
the monitor,
his view then distracted by the walking stick spinning slowly past the
window.
('Hoover Music' by Public Enemy)
Kurukulla
rides her chopper down the freeway, weaving through at thrice the
speed, sweet calm behind an iron mask, hair in the wind.
Behind
her a black SUV weaves and bobs dramatically side to side (suspension
over jacked for off-road for exaggerated weight sway ... think keystone
cops to a rhythm).
Agents in black hanging and flailing out all the
windows, jogging trackers on their arms, dark glasses and earpieces,
shooting their guns in all directions.
She rides ...
An agent pops out of the SUV sun roof with a grenade launcher firing into explosion. __
Nocturne walks down an average city street broody eyes side to side.
Behind her as she passes agents slide into view from odd directions talking into radios. __
Kurukulla
rides through the exploding cars around her as the agents fire wildly
to clear their path. Three black helicopter geared for war, stealth
painted approach from above. __
Mariposa Liddell walks through the city park, into the deeper paths, the
agents behind popping into view as she passes, she smiles. __
Kurukulla rides through the destruction without notice, bopping her head to the music. __
Nocturne looks into the city alley and sees Mariposa pass down the way
leaving greenery and park overgrowing behind her, agents following. __
Mariposa walks the wooded path, they commando roll from bush to bush talking on the radio between each move.
__
Nocturne smiles. __
Kurukulla rides ... helicopters launch ... __
The agents follow Mariposa into the marketplace, looking very lost, radios cut.
Cloaked and costumed, the others turn to them and stare.
(after the list)
Mariposa - Into her radio, watching them unseen, "They're in." ______________
Lucretia - Watching the Skullsteroid on the display in her tree, "Gijo. Activate the grid." __
A woman in a massive gunner chair flips the switch. __
Around
the Earth a gridwork structure de-cloaks into view, cannons turning to
the
Skullsteroid. At the core of the gunnnery, the largest. In
the seat, unconcerned with lack of oxygen sits a woman named Gijo.
Along the latices ships are docked,
appearing as glistening seeds, being prepped.
Apex walks the hall among pilots to an inside dock before his own. ______
(Cartoon) Inside the Skullsteroid ~
Loud music and candy wrappers everywhere, Daphne chants "! Faster Faster Faster !" Cassandra roars as they bang on the boney controls ... ______
Andromeda - Splashing the water, "What The Hell are you even talking about !"
Gnome - After a cold stare, "Just say the name, bitch."
Pure rage.
The door kicks open behind him.
Asherah - "! Rumpelstiltskin !"
She
fires the blunderbuss as he spins off his stool swinging it, defecting
Goremouse stuck nose into the wall. Continuing through another spin he
flings the stool at her, knocking her back in deflection.
Catching the
stool in the bounce back, he skitter hobbles past her out the door.
Andromeda dives for her clothes and weapons while Asherah pulls Goremouse from the wall with a squeak, they meet at the door.
Andromeda - A look over, "Death ?"
Asherah - The same rage in her eyes, "Death."
The gnomes shadow hobbles down the hall as they turn to chase. ______________
Pipsiveya,
from the shoulder notices the strange men in black,
huddled and trying to work their radios. The bus driver keeps his head
down as a stilt walker walks over the agents laughing.
Pipsiveya - "What are they supposed to be ?"
Bus Driver - "Scary men."
Pipsiveya - "That's a dumb costume. Should we tell them ?"
Bus Driver - "Nah. Let it ride."
They walk into the crowds of revelers and celebration, the setting sun.
The seed ships launch from the grid, Apex at lead. He adjusts his view to examine the asteroid (it looks normal).
Apex - "We've got it ... it ... seems to be accelerating. Possibly on a course arc."
__
Nemesis stands in the field directing the soldiers as they prepare gear to port.
Lucretia - On comm, "Nemesis. Grav-cores and systems injection. It's altering course. Kill it.
__
Lucretia walks to the edge of her tree plateau, looking over the field as Nemesis order the requisites.
__
Apex turns as the gear from the field ports behind him, configuring with
the engines. He checks the cargo bay scanner, observing as the drop
ships port in. __
Cartoon ~
Daphne
and Cassandra dance with disco lights in the candy wrappers ... a booty
bump from Cassandra sends Daphne laughing into the controls. Her
eyeball stops inches over a button which says 'Go Faster'.
She stares forming a wide smile, her finger pushes the button ...
('Too Funky in Here' by James Brown, live version specific)
They slam into the back wall.
Then covered in candy wrappers.
Outside
the Skullsteroid's eyes open, it's jaws grins and starts snapping as a
fiery trail forms behind (looking vaguely like hair). __
Tank like treads mounted over the tires of Kurukulla's chopper roll
over the tire spikes, her front wheel wedges between the blocking police
cars and she kicks them apart with her feet as she passes.
The
pursuing SUV launches a grenade from the sunroof to part them in
pursuit, helicopters launching to miss as she casually turns the off
ramp. __
Andromeda and Asherah chase the gnome down the
hall, he turns and flings the squid, landing it on Asherah's face with a
grip. She tears it off and throws it down, Goremouse running down the
arm flung into a tackle.
They roll then separate with a stare, Goremouse growls, the squid hisses ... __
Cartoon ~
They cheer and roll around in the wrappers against the far wall. __
Tanks
line the freeway in front of Kurukulla, blocking her path. Soldiers
ready guns, helicopters hovering over, preparing to launch, agents still
behind.
Kurukulla - To herself, "Now what do they want ... ?"
She increases speed and leans forward, reaching for the saddlebags and pulling them over her shoulders. __
Goremouse
stabs the squid repeatedly with her tail held rigid as
it tries to strangle her. Hissing and growling, they hear a cat meow
...
They stop, turn to look ... __
Andromeda and
Asherah chase the gnome to the end of the hall, he jumps for a doorknob
before it's sliced off by Andromeda's thrown knife.
He catches it and flings it fast. Ducking it, it glides painfully off her back shoulder-blade.
Stretching her shoulder round she glares, "Ooo."
He growls showing sharp heavy fingernails. __
Goremouse and squids are chased in terror down the halls by a feral looking black cat. __
One
squad of seed ships fires drop pods on the Skullsteroid, sending a shock through.
Another squad deploys drops creating a mass.
Flipping on, they warp
the starlight behind, altering the Skullsteroid's course then returning
as it passes, followed by the injection seeds departing the asteroid. __
The front of Kurukulla's bike hits a tank hard, sending it into a spin over, Kurukulla sailing over in a curled ball.
A
three point hero landing (oh yeah ...) shakes the earth, while two
massive cannons one her back extend, bike crashing behind her.
__
In Venus' shop Kurukulla stares at the cannons on the wall ...
Kurukulla - Staring almost sad, "... what do you want ..."
Venus - Her mouth, "What have you got ?"
... a mushroom cloud on the freeway ...
(end of song)
Apex watches the course arc on monitor, seeing it corrected with the original safety course plotted, last pods returning
They slam from the wall to the ground, disco lights go out as the systems groan and bang off.
Daphne - "Fuck !"
Cassandra roars.
Outside the now quiet Skullsteroid they walk in space suits over the scalp, showing the space bird hidden on back.
Daphne - Brooding, "That was going be the best entrance ever. Boom !"
Cassandra roars her disappointment as they enter the bird's open mouth.
('Pleasures of the Flesh' by Pain Teens)
The paper the cartoon is drawn on starts burning at the edges as the space bird dives into steep re-entry ______
Uncloaked, Eve approaches the huddled agents, they stare frozen. __
A shadow across the hall ~
Andromeda and Asherah kick the hell out of a gnome. __
The page burns to a bird in the true night sky in re-entry, sonic booms, singing feathers. __
Eve
reaches into her side bag and fills her hands with a paint.
She reaches
for the sunglasses of the agent in front. He recoils a moment, then
calms staring with wide eyes as she removes them, gently beginning to
paint his face. __
A shadow in the hall ~
Asherah grabs the stool out his hands and starts beating him with it as his arms and legs flail. __
One by one Eve paints their faces as she removes glasses and earpieces,
some start to loosen their ties and removing jackets, dropping them. __
A city below, the bird struggles to control descent. Pulling up enough it spreads its wings to control. __
She
gives them cloaks, they begin putting them on as she puts on hers.
When they're indistinguishable Eve is gone among their number.
They
look for her, then around as all the rest ignore them in their
celebration. Lost in a passing crowd of parading celebrants as the
shadow of a massive bird passes over from above with a gust of wind, the clear street but spiraling dust.
(end of song)
The grid fades away with the landing of the last ships.
______________________________________
Andromeda and Asherah stare at the gnome's book, Andromeda holding a spear with the gnome's head on it.
Goremouse
and squid walk up behind, Goremouse wearing large cat paws, the squid
with a cat-head hat and a tail pulled over one arm.
Goremouse - "We're a cat."
They look at the squid.
Squid - "Evil spell !"
They nod, "Mm hm, mm hm ..." and look back to the book.
Andromeda - "You should take it. I got a dragon last time."
A giant dragon eye slams against the window. A rumbling coo ...
Andromeda looks at the eye with a concerned grimace.
Asherah - Looks at her and smiles, "Thank you."
Andromeda - Still watching the eye looking back, "Yeah ... she ... just keeps growing ..." Nodding with concern.
Asherah
- Putting her hand on her shoulder, "Good luck with that."
She scoops
up Goremouse and the book. Walking down the hall it explodes into
destruction before her, swirling into a violent vortex swallowing the
palace wing and the earth past as she walks through.
Brick by
brick and bit by bit, it reconstructs with her departure while Andromeda watches
until gone, all calm. She glances down, the squid glances up. She
winces her eyes. ______________
The keeper lays staring at the night sky, holding the book close. The
air swirls with her creations dancing, a slight gust of wind moves her
hair.
A light in the distant sea ...
She
opens the book and breathes across the page, a wind tumbles out across
the water. In a moment it returns igniting an image in the book, she
stares.
A view across the sea to the Eden (airship), Nautilus,
and Arena approach with white flags and decks lit and decorated for
celebration, a massive black singed bird flapping over.
Morgan spots her with her scope from the Eden's deck and waves.
Miranda splashes from the water and lands behind her.
Miranda - "Do you mind ?"
The keeper smiles back at her and waves to Morgan. She runs for the beach, swirling creation in tow like balloons.
('Good Day' by Nappy Roots)
Pipsiveya
and the bus driver knock on marketplace doors collecting candy, a
filled sack over his shoulder. They walk past a kiss between Nemesis
and Apex at the cafe and disappear into the crowd again.
As the parties go and through the credits.
! The End !
~ after credit ~
Gathered suits around a table in the dark, world map behind, lit with motion surrounded by muted active monitors.
A Zippo sound, lighting the room.
Doe - Voice unseen, "Wanna talk about the weather ?"
A flick burning inhale while the startled heads turn from the map to look.
Doe - "We could fix that for you."
Darkness but the map and monitors with the closing sound, Nocturne's form seen in front of the map, her grin lit.
