ACT 2
[fade in]
MELINDA'S APARTMENT - EVENING
MELINDA
Okay, here it is. As I was translating the scroll
I accidently dropped it after a mouse ran
over my foot and it broke apart revealing
another scroll hidden behind
the original one.
Janis sits forward with a puzzled look on her face.
JANIS
Let me get this straight. Are you telling me
there's a hidden scroll?
MELINDA
Yes Ma'am.
Janis jumps to her feet.
JANIS
(domineering voice)
What's the story about? Who's in it?
Where is the scroll now? What are you
waiting for? ANSWER ME!
Melinda tries to respond to each question but can't get a word in edge wise.
MELINDA
Janis... calm down. Just wait
here and I'll be right back.
Melinda goes into the bedroom while Janis starts to pace the floor. Shortly after,
she comes back with her brief case. Melinda opens it, brings the scroll out and carefully unrolls it.
MELINDA
Let me read it to you.
Janis sits back down on the couch and begins to calm down.
MELINDA
(cont'd)
The name of the story is "Legend of the Falls."
It begins with Xena and Gabrielle walking down
an old dirt road...
[fade to]
DIRT ROAD - GREECE - ANCIENT TIMES
GABRIELLE
Xena, you've been very quiet all
morning. Is there anything wrong?
XENA
No, it's just that I have this feeling
something strange is going to happen.
GABRIELLE
Hmmm. That sounds like
the story of our lives.
XENA
(laughing)
You got that right sister.
Xena and Gabrielle continue down the road in silence for a while.
GABRIELLE
Let's play a game. That will
get your mind on other things.
XENA
Gabrielle, I'm really not in the mood.
Gabrielle turns to Xena and starts to dance around with her hands up, in a sparring motion.
GABRIELLE
(taunting)
What's the matter? Does the warrior
princess think she has met her match?
(beat)
Come on... I have someone you'll never guess.
Xena, appearing annoyed, submits to Gabrielle's request.
XENA
Is this person living or dead?
GABRIELLE
Living.
XENA
Is it Minya?
Gabrielle's jaw drops as she looks up at Xena.
GABRIELLE
I don't believe it. How did you
do that with only one clue?
XENA
(confident tone)
I have many skills.
As Xena and Gabrielle continue down the road, the terrain changes to a more confined space with heavy brush. Part of a large rock face protrudes from the foliage. They slow to a stop when they hear a scream in the distance. The scream is coming from above, but the dense foliage prevents them from seeing anything.
GABRIELLE
Xena, what is that?
XENA
(raised voice)
Look out Gabrielle!
Xena dives across the road, sweeping Gabrielle out of the way.
As they both tumble to the side of the road, the body of a man falls out of the foliage and hits the ground hard. Xena runs over, kneels down next to him and rolls him over. Seeing his identity, she becomes annoyed.
XENA
JOXER!
What are you doing here?
JOXER
Oh, Hi Xena... Hi Gabby.
What's up?
GABRIELLE
Hmph! Obviously not you.
Xena pulls Joxer to his feet while Gabrielle retrieves his helmet.
JOXER
I'm glad you guys are here. I was in Athens last
week at the flea market and I got a good price
on a writing scroll, so I bought it for you Gabrielle.
GABRIELLE
Joxer, you shouldn't be spending your money on me.
JOXER
I know, but I couldn't resist such a good deal.
(beat)
You've trained me well.
Joxer reaches underneathe his breast plate and pulls out the scroll.
JOXER
A strange thing happened when I unrolled it.
I held the scroll up to the light, checking for flaws
and when I did, I saw the outline of a map. I'm
following it to see where it leads.
Gabrielle snatches the scroll from Joxer's hand.
GABRIELLE
Let me see that.
She takes the parchment and holds it up to the sun. Detecting the faint appearence of a map, Gabrielle traces it with her finger. At the top, she can faintly read the words "Falls of Oceanus."
JOXER
And who is this dude O-C-E-A-N-U-S anyway?
GABRIELLE
He was a Titan. The god of the waters and the
ruler of the unending stream encircling the world.
Legend says that the Falls of Oceanus are the
origin of all rivers and they posess great powers
of physical and mental rejuvenation.
Joxer listens intensely to Gabrielle talk, totaly caught up in her story and his unspoken affection for her.
JOXER
Well, I guess the scroll was definitely
worth the two dinars I paid for it.
Gabrielle looks around for Xena but doesn't see her.
GABRIELLE
Xena?
(beat)
Now where did she go?
Gabrielle scans the landscape again then looks back at the scroll.
GABRIELLE
(cont'd)
According to the map, this is
where we go up.
JOXER
Been there...Done that.
XENA
Gabrielle, up here.
Gabrielle and Joxer both look up and see Xena ready for an ascent up the great vine. She reaches down and pulls Gabrielle up first, then Joxer.
The route they are taking is a massive combination of vines, intertwined and attached to the rock face.
XENA
Let's go.
[cut to]
ON THE VINE - JUST BEFORE DUSK
GABRIELLE
How much longer to the top?
XENA
Can't say for sure, but it's going to be dark
soon so let's make camp on that ledge.
Xena points to a rock protrusion just above them.
XENA
(cont'd)
I'll go find some firewood
while you and Joxer set up the camp.
Just after dark, the campsite finished and they all sit down to eat. With a meal of bread and cheese in their stomaches, Xena, Gabrielle and Joxer bed down around the fire. Joxer falls asleep immediately, but Xena and Gabrielle take a few minutes to star gaze before slumber overtakes them also.
GABRIELLE
(sleepy)
Nite Xena.
XENA
Goodnight Gabrielle.
[cut to]
CAMPSITE - NEXT MORNING
Xena and Gabrielle wake to a sunrise like they have never seen before. The light bathes them in a spray of color that spans the complete spectrum of the rainbow.
GABRIELLE
Have you ever seen anything so beautiful?
XENA
Gabrielle, three years ago I wouldn't
have even bothered to look.
(beat)
Thanks for making me take time to smell the roses.
A smile comes over Gabrielle's face, which out shines the sunrise, at the thought that her kind and gentle spirit has such an influence on her hero.
GABRIELLE
My pleasure.
A few more moments of the spectacular view and then Xena and Gabrielle refocus on their journey.
XENA
Wake Joxer while I go check to see what's ahead.
GABRIELLE
I'll tend to breakfast first.
Xena starts to climb upward while Gabrielle begins food preparations. When breakfast is ready, Gabrielle gives Joxer a wake up call.
GABRIELLE
Joxer... Joxer, wake up.
He doesn't move a muscle.
GABRIELLE
(yelling)
J.O.X.E.R!
Joxer wakes up and jumps to is feet. Not remembering where he is, he begins to stagger around. A look of fear comes over Gabrielle's face as she watches Joxer getting closer to the edge.
GABRIELLE
(screaming)
JOXER, STOP!
END OF ACT 2
[cut to commercial]
[fade out]
ACT 3
