Darth Masq, Sith Lord of Philosophy (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif){kind=small} masqthephlsphr) wrote in ![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/community.gif){kind=small} orlon_window,@ 2004-09-20 00:35:00 |
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| Current mood: |  predatory |
Training Day, Part 1 (air date Oct 20, 2004)
| Training Day Part 1 (September 19, 2004) Written by: Masquerade |
| Teaser |
EXT. NIGHT CLUB - NIGHT - STOCK - ESTABLISHING
People lined up at the door showing ID's to get in. When the club doors open, the music pours out and it's LOUD.
INT. NIGHT CLUB - NIGHT
Dimly lit. Colored strobes flashing. A funky unrecognizable house-techno-hip-hop tune is playing. The dance floor is PACKED.
We start with a LONG OVERHEAD CRANE SHOT of the dance floor - bouncing heads. Slowly we PULL IN until we focus on one lone dancer.
It's FAITH. Squeezed into the crowd, she is in her own world, eyes closed, arms up and bent at the elbows, hair flying, hips gyrating. She's wearing tight black jeans and a crimson-red tank top that shows off her ample cleavage.
As the music crescendos, she spins across the floor. She's grinning, grooving, her body shamelessly brushing against and eyes brazenly grazing over the sweat-sheened bodies of the men around her. Then one CUTE HUNKY GUY in particular catches her attention.
Faith halts in front of him and does a nasty little shake-and-shimmy just for him. He smiles in eager embarrassment. Faith dances her way up to him and runs her hands over his shoulders and chest. Cute Hunky Guy puts his hands firmly on her waist. Faith grins, writhing in his arms.
Suddenly, we see something flashing on Faith's belt. Faith doesn't notice it. She's all eyes for Cute Hunky Guy. Cute Hunky Guy pulls her up closer to himself.
Then he leans in near her ear.
You're flashing.
Faith gives him a sexy smirk. Shakes her hair back off her shoulders.
Yeah?
CUTE HUNKY GUY
Your beeper's going off.
Faith stares at him a moment, disoriented, then glances down at her waist.
Sure enough.
She unlatches her beeper, looks at the phone number on the display, and scowls. Then she gives Cute Hunky Guy another grin.
Excuse me a sec.
Faith leaves, squeezing her way past the other dancers. Cute Hunky Guy watches her go.
No problem.
INT. THE ENTRANCE TO THE NIGHT CLUB BACK HALLWAY - NIGHT
The camera slowly makes it way down the dim-lit back hallway, past men and women lined up together for the two toilet stalls, then past a newspaper rack, then a CIGARETTE MACHINE.
It stops at the end of the hall, where a PUBLIC PHONE hangs in the tight little space between the cigarette machine and the fire exit. There is graffiti on the wall with phone numbers and advice about who to call for a good time.
Faith is ignoring all that. She has one hand clutching the cigarette machine. The other is gripping the receiver. She is not happy.
(shouting over the music)
You paged me because Michelle and
Stephanie are fighting?
Faith paces a little. She rolls her eyes.
They're Slayers. Slayers fight
sometimes.
(she shrugs to no one)
It works off the tension.
Let them slug it out.
She stops her pacing. Now she's just annoyed.
(with hand gestures to match)
Jesus. Fine. Whatever.
I'll be there in half an hour.
She hangs up. Turns. Stares at the cigarette machine longingly. Runs her hand through her hair with exasperation.
Christ, when did I become
the grown-up?
BLACK OUT.
The theme song plays as we see images of
 |
 |
 |
CONNOR REILLY walking to classes, killing a vampire
Vincent Kartheiser
FAITH THE VAMPIRE SLAYER, fighting in a TRAINING ROOM with Connor
and REPORTER AIDEN WALSH, pulling his CAMERA away from his face.
Sean Maher
Indigo
Randall Slavin
EXT. OFFICE BUILDING - DAY - ESTABLISHING
It's older, off-white, circa 40's, 50's. Four floors of leased office space.
On the outside wall near the front door is a small marquee with the names of the current tenants, including -
1. Adaptive Technology Services, Inc.
2. Silver Lake Fitness Training
3. Harvey Personnel Temps
4. Market Research Associates
INT. OFFICE BUILDING - A SECOND FLOOR OFFICE
This, we soon discover, is FAITH'S OFFICE. COMMAND CENTRAL of the SLAYER COUNCIL HEADQUARTERS OF NORTH AMERICA, be they ever so humble.
Faith's office is sparse and utilitarian - pretty much a desk and a padded office chair, some creaky wooden chairs for visitors, and a single tall metal bookshelf with a few scattered volumes on it. The walls are empty. Faith tries very hard not to live here.
But SHE IS HERE today, seated at her desk, talking on the PHONE. She looks like a weary, harassed office worker.
...November tenth.
Faith jots that down on her wrinkled, much graffitied desk-blotter.
Then she leans forward.
O.K.
Who? I can't--
(she sighs)
All right.
O.K.--when?
Hello?
After a moment, Faith hangs up. She stares at the phone. Grouchy.
A FIGURE appears in the doorway.
Who was that?
FAITH
(still staring at the phone, scowling)
My arch-nemesis.
The young woman strolls into the room. She's African-American, and dressed casually in a T-shirt and jeans. Her name is RONA.
Buffy again, huh?
Faith looks up. As she does, she slumps back in her chair.
Friggin' control freak.
She doesn't trust me to run things.
RONA
What is it this time?
FAITH
A delegation from the Slayer Council
is gonna be here in three weeks.
RONA
To do what?
FAITH
I don't know. What do "delegations" do?
RONA
Delegate?
FAITH
I don't have a clue.
Her fingers drum on the desktop.
...She might have been giving me the details,
I'm not sure. The connection was crappy.
Honestly, though? I think she was
trying to freak me out.
Faith sits up and leans forward. Enough of that topic.
So are the girls all here yet?
RONA
(chuckling)
Of course not.
FAITH
(glancing at her watch)
Well, we start in half an hour, regardless.
Whoever's late can clean up the training room.
RONA
(grinning)
You like this power thing, don't you?
FAITH
(nodding)
It's kind of a rush.
Just then, a new FIGURE appears in the doorway. Rona turns to see who it is, and the look on her face is dubious.
But Faith breaks into a big-ass grin.
Wee-ell. Superboy!
CUT TO - CONNOR, standing with his hands in his jacket pockets.
(embarrassed)
Hey.
I hope you don't mind me stopping by.
I called you, but--
FAITH
(getting out of her chair)
I know, I didn't call you back.
Sorry.
Faith comes around the desk.
Rona, this is Connor.
CONNOR
(waving)
Hi.
FAITH
Rona's sort of my second-in-command.
RONA
(looking at her)
Sort of?
FAITH
Well, you know this place is thrown
together with spit and Kleenex.
It's not like anything's official.
(she gestures at Connor)
Connor's the guy I was telling you about.
The one I met out on patrol a couple
weeks ago.
Rona gives Connor a skeptical once-over.
(to Connor)
So what's up?
CONNOR
I've been thinking about your offer.
(he glances at Rona)
Back in the diner?
Faith sits down on the corner of her desk. She looks much more comfortable like this.
You said you weren't interested.
CONNOR
Yeah, um--I just...I've had some
trouble lately.
FAITH
"Trouble"?
CONNOR
(glancing down briefly)
Vampires.
A couple weeks ago, I got jumped in an alley.
I killed one, the other got away.
Now I guess there's a group of them out
there that don't like me. I think the one I
killed was their leader.
FAITH
(chuckling)
Funny, that. You never know if that's
gonna make them happy or extra-homicidal.
RONA
(interested)
Sounds like they're a sect...or a cult.
Or maybe a family or something.
CONNOR
(shrugging)
I guess.
RONA
(to Faith)
Which means they probably have a
central nest.
Now Rona has FAITH'S ATTENTION.
(thoughtful)
Oh, right, what you were talking
about the other day.
RONA
(enthusiastically)
Yeah. A daytime raid on a vamp nest.
Meg, Julie, Michelle, and Tushka--
They're all ready for a major
field test.
CONNOR
Um--
FAITH
Sounds like a plan to me.
RONA
(to Connor)
So who are these guys, anyway?
What do you know about them?
CONNOR
(awkward)
Um....
"These guys" are after me.
Faith raises her eyebrows. All business.
You and a lot of other people.
(off his perturbed expression)
Connor, this is what we do.
Slay the bad guys.
"Help the helpless."
CONNOR
(defensively)
I'm not "helpless."
I can protect myself.
RONA
(amused)
Yeah? Then why are you here?
Connor says nothing to that. He slowly turns his attention back to Faith.
(calmly)
Rona, I offered to talk to him about
his fighting technique.
(to Connor)
Which we can do.
But dude--look, no offense, but you've
only been fighting since April.
You can't come in here and tell me a whole
nest of vampires is after you and expect
me to just train you up. If I was gonna go
after these vamps, it'd be a full raiding party
with only my most experienced girls.
Connor crosses his arms, gazing at Faith with a defensive wrinkle to his brow.
Trust me, I've seen crap like this before
and it never goes like you expect it to.
RONA
She's right.
CONNOR
(coolly)
I have experience.
Rona turns on him.
(scoffing)
You think so, huh?
CONNOR
(not even blinking)
I could take you.
Rona laughs.
Prove it!
FAITH
(leaping off the desk)
Whoa. Guys. Cool out.
Rona turns towards Faith.
Oh, c'mon!
(she jabs a thumb at Connor)
If he wants to play Slayer,
(she looks back to him)
let him take on a Slayer.
(to Connor)
We have a training room down the hall.
Lots of nice, soft mats on the floor for
when you fall on your ass.
She nods towards the door. Connor glances down the hallway. Then he turns back and sees Rona's challenging expression. There's a struggle in his face--reluctance and indignity. Finally he frowns, then turns and starts down the hall.
Connor!
But he's gone.
(low, in warning)
Rona....
RONA
You said this guy's got supernatural
strength and he knows how to fight.
(she holds out her hands)
So I can't hurt him.
(she grins)
Much.
With that, she turns and starts down the hallway after Connor -
who has just arrived at the TRAINING ROOM DOOR, following the murmur of voices.
INT. THE TRAINING ROOM - DAY
A large room with a MIRROR that spans the far wall from floor to ceiling. Along the other walls are TRAINING EQUIPMENT--weight machines, heavy punching bags, padded sparring platforms. The exterior wall also has four windows, each with white blinds that are down and shut. Most of the floor is covered with LARGE BLUE MATS.
And about TWENTY TEENAGED GIRLS, standing and sitting around the room, staring at Connor curiously.
(waving lamely)
Uh--hi.
Before anyone can do anything else, Rona pushes past Connor and walks out onto the mats, one hand on her hip, the other dangling coolly.
O.K., guys.
We're gonna start today's session out with a
little demonstration.
(she nods at Connor)
What do you say?
Connor looks around at all the uncertain but curious female faces.
Uh....
He's sort of stuck.
CONNOR
(lifting his chin, smiling a tiny confident smile)
O.K.
Slowly, Connor unzips his jacket, shrugs it off, and lets it drop to the side of the mat. He stands there uncertainly.
The girls watch, curious. Rona glances around at them.
Oh.
This is Connor.
At that, she raises her arms at the elbows and bends her legs at the knees. She beckons Connor forward with come-hither fingers. She's ready. Bring it on.
Connor eyes her for a moment, then saunters towards her a few steps. Suddenly, he veers to the side so that he's walking around her. Circling. His eyes grow INTENT, like a hunter sizing up his prey.
The girls lean in to each other and murmur.
FAITH appears in the doorway. She's all ready to say something, but the sight on the mat shuts her up. She folds her arms and leans against the door frame, looking curious and expectant.
CLOSE-UP on Rona as she tracks Connor's circle. His predatory expression is unnerving her a bit, but she doesn't back down for a second. Her posture is tense, alert.
Suddenly, Connor LUNGES TOWARDS her, then STOPS. Rona stumbles back a few steps, her fists lashing out.
The girls giggle nervously.
Connor smiles and relaxes his posture. Then he starts walking in a slow, wide circle again. Rona's arms drop down beside her hips. She's got her cool back. She tracks Connor with unimpressed attitude.
(taunting)
What are you afraid of?
Connor says nothing.
You afraid to hurt a girl?
(a condescending smile)
...Or are you afraid of getting hurt?
Connor steps towards her again, but he's taking his time. Rona resumes her semi-crouched position.
I think they're both afraid.
The voice behind Connor makes him turn his head.
Rona closes the gap between them and hurls an awkward jab at his face. Connor's face SNAPS with the force of it. He staggers back. But luckily for his ego, he stays on his feet.
The girls cheer and jeer.
Connor slowly turns back around, rubbing a sore jaw. He inhales deeply, eyeing Rona. She's a Slayer, all right. And she's smirking at him. She holds her hands up in a mocking "Did I do that?" shrug.
Connor shifts his weight back and forth a little, deliberating.
Rona sighs impatiently.
(under her breath)
Screw this.
She LAUNCHES HERSELF at him and hits him again, this time in the gut. On reflex, Connor SLAMS BACK, punching her in the face.
Oh!
Rona's hand clamps on her cheek. She backs off a step, her eyes an uncertain turmoil. The boy really does have some power.
C'mon Rona!
C'mon!
Connor tenses. Rona steps in again, fists raised, her expression nervous. With a grunt, she takes aim at him, pummeling whatever her fists hit.
Connor pushes her away with both hands, then hauls back and DECKS her across the face. His eyes widen with concern as she stumbles backwards.
But Rona recovers quickly. The two of them eye each other for a few beats.
Finally, Faith pushes herself up from the wall restlessly. The VOICE OF THE WOMAN IN CHARGE draws the attention of the girls.
All right guys.
You're pulling your punches.
If you're gonna fight, let's see what you got.
When they hear what she has to say, the girls look back expectantly at the CENTER RING.
Rona eyes Connor with carefully controlled irritation. Now she's embarrassed herself in front of the boss. It's time to put this jerk down.
She dances towards him slowly, then with lightening-fast strokes, punches him HARD in the larynx and then the forehead. Connor's head snaps back. His feet clamber for balance. He throws his weight forward to keep from falling and grabs reflexively for his throat. Then he stops in his tracks, coughing spastically, slightly bent over. He looks up at her. There's venom in his eyes now.
(enthusiastic)
Yeah....
C'mon.
Connor's lip curls. The look in his eyes is feral. He skips towards her and delivers a round-house kick to her face that KNOCKS her square in the jaw. Rona stumbles but manages to stay on her feet.
The girls are up on their knees and feet now, avid, shouting. Here's a fight worth watching! Faith observes from the doorway with restrained concern.
With a tinge of fear in her eyes, Rona charges Connor and grabs his head. She viciously BUTTS his forehead with her own. The girls wince and cringe. Connor staggers back again. His face is showing signs of the struggle now--a red mark on his forehead, another on his Adam's apple. His eyes look disoriented.
Rona grins.
(gasping)
You ready to stop now, boy?
'Cause we can keep going 'til you're on the floor.
Connor smiles grimly. He charges her and gives her a back-handed elbow to the face. Rona responds with a knee to the gut. There's a drop of blood under one of her nostrils.
The girls are murmuring again, anxiously.
Faith steps forward.
O.K., guys, let's cool off a bit. Step back.
But neither of them is listening. Rona wipes her nose on the back of her hand and lunges at Connor, determined to "knock him on his ass" the old-fashioned way--with brute-force weight. Connor bends his knees, grabs her, and HEAVES her over his shoulder.
The girls giggle. Rona rolls into a somersault and is back up on her feet in a second. She turns. The girls cheer. Connor eyes her, crouching, waiting.
Faith has gone back to watching again. Her expression is pensive curiosity.
Rona charges Connor again. Connor stumbles back. Then he throws his weight back on one foot and KICKS HER HARD in the chest.
Rona HURTLES BACK through the air. The girls scramble and duck.
Rona hits the wall, first ass, then shoulders, then head. *Crack*
(flinching)
Oh!
Rona falls to the floor.
BLACK OUT.
INT. THE TRAINING ROOM - DAY
Rona is on the wood laminate floor, back slumped against the wall, legs stretched out in front of her. All we get from her for a second is a soft groan of pain. Her mouth hangs open as she rides it out.
Finally, her lips very distinctively and silently say,
Fuck.
Connor rushes forward.
Rona stares up. The look in her eyes says, back off, man. Connor stops. His expression is uncertain, apologetic.
Faith pushes past him and kneels at Rona's side.
You O.K.?
Rona sits up, wincing and groaning.
(irritably)
I'm fine.
She lets Faith help her to her feet. She scowls at Connor. Connor forces a weak smile.
C'mon, Rona, you're not going to let him
get away with that!
Connor's eyes dart over the crowd, trying to pick out who spoke.
(eyes still on Connor)
Not after my tailbone recovers.
Faith shakes her head.
I think we've had enough
entertainment for today.
The girls groan with disappointment.
The honor of the Slayers is at stake!
ANOTHER GIRL
Yeah, who is this guy, anyway?
FAITH
You can ask him that yourself while you warm up.
Faith searches the crowd for someone. She spots her. A girl with short blonde hair.
Julie?
She nods JULIE to the front of the room, then claps her hands, loud.
C'mon! Weapons training in ten minutes!
Faith heads towards the back door.
Rona, help me?
Rona follows, snatching one more backward glance at Connor.
(to Connor)
She just saved your ass.
Connor watches her go with a wrinkled brow. Then he turns back around.
Suddenly, it's just him and the Slayers.
O.K., guys, pick a spot to stretch out!
They're milling around Connor. Closing in on him.
Connor's POV - GIRLS. Cute, female, in a variety of sizes and colors. A RED-HEAD, A LATINA, AN ASIAN GIRL, A BRUNETTE GIRL.... Connor eyes them all warily.
Then the red-head, MICHELLE, walks up to him and looks him in the eye like a challenge.
O.K., how'd you do that?
Fight her like that?
LATINA (THERESA)
Are you a Slayer?
Connor backs off a step, only to find more girls BEHIND HIM as well.
He shrugs, grinning shyly.
He's not a Slayer. He's a guy.
MICHELLE
(looking at Misha)
Oh, you know for a fact that every
Slayer's been a girl.
A MOUSY-BROWN-HAIRED GIRL steps forward - SANDY.
Yes. The Watchers kept records.
MICHELLE
(eyes back on Connor)
I think he's a vampire.
THERESA
(rolling her eyes)
He's not a vampire.
Michelle walks over to one of the windows. She fingers the cord on the blinds and eyes Connor. Connor shrugs.
She TUGS THE CORD. The blinds SNAP UP. Sunlight falls over Connor, bathing him in light.
INT. HALLWAY OUTSIDE THE TRAINING ROOM - DAY
Faith has a set of keys. She unlocks a CLOSET DOOR at the near end of the hall.
RONA exits the training room. Sees Faith. Stalks over to her.
O.K., who is that guy?
Faith opens the closet door.
I don't know.
ANGLE on the open closet door. It's an ordinary closet, but hanging inside of it are extraordinary things--swords, knives, spears, axes, crossbows, quarterstaffs, throwing stars, slings, clubs, darts, and up on the top shelf -
Faith brings down a giant plastic tub and sets it on the floor. She snaps the lid off.
STAKES. A LOT OF THEM.
(concerned)
Well, don't you wanna know?
I mean, why's he so strong, anyway?
Faith starts grabbing stakes. She gives them to Rona.
He says he doesn't know.
RONA
And you believe him?
Faith stops. Looks Rona in the eye.
I don't know what to believe.
Which is exactly why he's here.
If there's someone running around
L.A. who can fight like him,
I want to keep an eye on them.
RONA
(grudging)
Yeah, well, I hear that.
Then the concern returns to her face.
Didn't you say he'd only been fighting
since April?
Faith resumes collecting stakes.
That's what he told me.
RONA
(taking stakes)
Yeah, well, I'm thinking he
"told you" a lot of stuff.
Doesn't make it true.
FAITH
No it doesn't.
RONA
The guy creeps me out.
Faith finishes handing her the stakes. She snaps the lid back on the tub and stands up.
Don't you think part of that is the fact
that he managed to drop you before
you dropped him?
She picks up the carton off the floor and turns towards the closet.
Admit it. It bugs you.
You've just gotten used to the idea
that there's not a guy alive who can
take you.
Faith puts the tub back on the top shelf.
(incensed)
He didn't "take" me.
Faith turns back around, smirking.
(eyes narrowing)
But it's not just that.
How do we know he really is
just a "guy"?
FAITH
I guess we don't.
For now.
Faith shuts the closet door and locks it. Then she holds out her hands to take back some of the stakes.
You know that roll you did after he
flipped you?
RONA
(grinning and dumping stakes into Faith's hands)
Hah! That was cool.
FAITH
We're gonna show the newbies how to do
that today--and the other moves we've
been practicing--
She raises a stake in one hand and grins.
--with one hand occupied.
It's Rona's turn to smirk.
I'm not even going to touch that one.
FAITH
And the other girls? The ones you're
thinking of sending on that raid?
They should be able to do all of it
right the first time, or they aren't going.
RONA
What about--what's his name?
FAITH
Connor?
I just want to see how he does.
Rona nods.
INT. TRAINING ROOM - DAY
Connor is still standing with the girls around him, although the conversation has shifted.
Did you know she used to be in prison?
...For murder?
She gives him a scandalized look.
Broke out.
Connor's expression is puzzled, thoughtful.
The Slayer Council fixed her record
with magic.
Or computers.
(puzzled)
Or they did magic on computers,
I'm not sure.
CUT TO the DOOR OF THE TRAINING ROOM. Rona and Faith return, each with TWO HANDFULS OF STAKES.
Hey, guys, you're supposed to be
warming up!
JULIE
They won't stop talking to Slayer-boy.
CONNOR
It's Connor.
MISHA
(quite pleased with herself and the others)
We're calling him "Slayer-boy."
FAITH
Hey, Connor.
He looks. She tosses a stake at him.
Ever use a stake?
Connor catches it easily.
(to all the girls)
Move it. Now.
She waves Connor to the back of the room.
C'mon you guys.
The girls all file into positions on the mats. Julie sits down on the floor and starts stretching out one leg. The girls slowly follow suit.
Connor walks over to Faith, stake in hand.
Once or twice.
I killed that vampire a few weeks ago.
FAITH
Are you up for some training?
Connor looks at Faith, then around at the girls.
With them?
FAITH
Yeah, with them.
Connor shrugs.
O.K.
INT. TRAINING ROOM - DAY
[Cue up some not-too-lame pop song as we FADE INTO a MONTAGE OF IMAGES:]
Slayers standing, bending, stretching, warming up. Connor joins them, looking a bit uncomfortable.
Slayers one by one accepting stakes from Rona and Faith.
Slayers practicing over-hand punches, stakes in hand. Between his own practice punches, Connor watches them, the DETERMINATION on their faces.
Slayers (and Connor) doing spin-kicks, clutching stakes. Faith's girls are pretty good. Oooh, except SANDY, who loses her balance.
Rona demonstrating a fall-and-roll, a stake in her hand.
Slayers (and Connor) falling into a roll, sans stake. Most do this pretty well.
Slayers (and Connor) falling into a roll, clutching their stakes. A couple drop their stakes rather than accidentally impale themselves.
The music fades as Faith walks over to demonstrate the next move on Connor.
The next thing we're going to
practice is the choke-hold.
She stands behind Connor and wraps a slim, toned arm around his neck. Her right hand clings loosely to this throat. Connor stiffens slightly.
I want you to try both doing a
choke-hold and breaking out of a
chokehold with your weapon in one hand.
She holds up her stake in her left hand as a visual aid. Connor turns his head to look at it, which brings his face very close to Faith's. His gaze slides over her pretty features and their intent, authoritative expression.
Now unless you're using the weapon
to choke a demon, you want to have
your weapon in your free hand.
Connor's eyes drop away.
So you might have to switch in mid-battle.
You should consider, and practice,
which hand you want to use for the chokehold
and which hand you want to use for the weapon.
SANDY
(raising her hand timidly)
If we're staking vampires, why do we have
them in a choke-hold to begin with?
They don't breath.
FAITH
(raising her stake again)
We're starting with stakes 'cause they're easy.
But you never know what kind of weapon you'll have--
a sword, an ax.
Her hand tightens on Connor's neck.
And you never know what kind of
demon you might be fighting.
Plenty of demons breath.
CONNOR
(coughing)
Plenty of humans too.
The girls giggle. Faith grins with embarrassment and loosens her grip.
(to Connor, softly)
Sorry.
(then to the girls, her voice raised
authoritatively again)
Same rules apply as the last time.
Don't kill each other; but don't make
it easy on your partner, either.
The Slayers pair off and begin practicing choke-holds. Faith watches them for a moment. One girl in a choke-hold almost pokes another in the eye with the non-pointy end of stake while trying a back-handed punch.
Finally Faith returns to partner with Connor. She pulls him into a choke-hold.
O.K., I got you.
What are you going to do?
Connor smiles, then raises his stake in his right hand.
Probably stab you in the hand with
this stake.
FAITH
Just as long as you don't stab yourself
in the neck in the process.
With lightening-fast speed, Connor switches his stake into his left hand and brings it around to his side where Faith's hand is clutching his hip.
(with a grunt)
I meant your other hand.
He taps the back of Faith's hand with his stake.
Faith jerks away from him on reflex, letting go of him with both hands.
Ow.
Connor turns his head, his face etched with concern.
Did I--
Faith shakes her hand.
It just pinched.
Connor whirls around and points the stake at her heart.
You're dead.
FAITH
(blinking)
And you have a puncture wound in your hip.
CONNOR
(shrugging)
Better one there than in my neck.
Faith nods and smiles wryly.
O.K., switch.
Connor walks behind Faith and grabs her in a light chokehold with his right hand. His left holds the stake. Before he can do anything with his stake, though, Faith throws her head back hard against his face. Connor staggers back, losing his grip. The next thing he knows, he's head over heels. Faith flips him over flat on his back. HARD.
Connor grunts as the wind is knocked out of him.
The girls stop what they're doing and break out into cheers.
Yeah!
Woo-hoo!
All right, Faith!
Connor lies there for a few beats, struggling not to show any pain on his face.
Finally, he winces, then twitches. He's trying to move but can't--at least not very well. His head rises, then falls back on the mat.
A moment ticks by. Then one by one, the girls drift over to him.
Finally, Faith steps over, too.
You all right?
CONNOR
(grunting in pain)
I think I fell wrong.
CUT TO FAITH FROM CONNOR'S POV, looking down at him with cautious concern.
Then she glances up and around at the girls, who are looking on uncertainly.
All right. Um....
(she kneels down by Connor)
Where does it hurt?
CONNOR
(wincing)
Mostly...in my ego.
FAITH
(confused)
What?
With a grunt, Connor pushes himself up to sitting. Then he looks at her and smirks.
But I'm over it now.
Faith sighs with aggravation and stands up. Connor grins up at her from the floor.
I had you going there for a second.
FAITH
(trying not to smirk)
No you didn't.
Connor hops to his feet. Grinning big.
Oh, I totally did.
BLACK OUT.
Part 2 (click here)