Act 7

Fade In:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – The Cliff – Resume

Mira was surrounded by a crackling white ball as lightning continued to streak from the sky and into the Scythe in her hand. She was frozen in a standing position with the weapon held over her head. Her face was contorted in pain as she violently convulsed from the force of the energy passing into her body.

Several feet away, with the others hovering about her, Livia came to. With Katherine kneeling beside her, Livia sat up, blinking groggily, until she saw Mira trapped in the electrical storm connected to the Scythe.

“Mira…” Livia called out.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – The Flat Stone – Same Time

Within the ball of lightning, all sound suddenly disappeared, and all motion slowed. Mira’s convulsions actually stopped. Her body relaxed somewhat, though it remained in place with the Scythe held over her head. Mira breathed in and out several times. Her heavy eyes turned and saw Livia on the ground looking at her.

Just as Livia reached out to Mira, the crackling white ball exploded as the energy that had been gathering around Mira and inside her was released all at once in a series of bright white waves that rippled out from the mountain and over the landscape below.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – The Cliff – Same Time

Everyone on the mountainside was knocked flat by the initial blast, except for Mira, whose upright body was now shaking with a new set of convulsions. Jocasta, James, Lex, and Antonia were blown back into the rocky outcrop behind them.

Livia and Katherine were slammed into a jagged rock jutting up from the cliff’s edge. They hit it hard, and Livia went tumbling over the side. Katherine reached out at the last second and grabbed Livia’s wrist. Squinting against the light-storm, with the wind and rain whipping against her, Katherine held tightly onto Livia’s arm.

As Livia dangled from the cliff, she ventured a look at the demon army below. She saw white waves of energy knock the demons down en masse. As the waves gradually dissipated, the demons got back to their feet; however, they were no longer alone. Interspersed among them were hundreds, perhaps thousands, of new figures dotting the plain. Human figures, female figures, each one carrying her own Scythe.

“Livia!” Katherine yelled to get the slayer’s attention. “Give me your other hand.”

Livia tore her eyes from the scene below and gave Katherine her other hand. The blonde slayer tugged Livia to safety back on the cliff.

“Oh, wow,” Katherine said, staring at the ghostly figures multiplying upon the plain. “Did you see?”

Livia didn’t answer. She pushed Katherine aside to look in Mira’s direction. Katherine turned, and the two slayers watched as the last sparking flickers of the white energy dispersed, and Mira slumped to the ground.

“Mira!!!” Livia screamed and began crawling on her hands and knees toward the stone on which Mira lay.

Fade In:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – The Flat Stone – Seconds Later

Livia found Mira splayed awkwardly across the rock she had been standing on. Her eyes were closed, and she wasn’t moving. The original Scythe lay on the ground next to her.

“Mira?” Livia asked. “C’mon, c’mon…” she called out, her voice rising in panic. She slapped Mira lightly on the cheek, but received no response.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – The Cliff – Same Time

The rest of the group had gotten to their feet beside the outcropping and made their way to the cliff. The rain was beginning to subside, but they still had to shield their eyes against it as they looked over the edge.

“Who are they?” Antonia asked in amazement.

“It’s an army,” Jocasta breathed. “Our army. An army of slayers.”

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – The Flat Stone – Resume

Livia was shaking her head. “No, no, no…” she cried. When she felt Katherine’s hand on her back, she looked up. She grabbed the blonde’s arm. “W-W-We have to do something! We have to help her!”

Katherine reached down and placed two fingers on Mira’s neck. Then she put her hand on Mira’s forehead as if trying to sense the presence of life. After a moment, she removed her hand and turned back to Livia.

“We can’t help her now,” Katherine told her gently, having to swallow hard to force herself to speak past the lump in her throat. “But we can help them.” She looked at Livia intently then tilted her head toward the plain below.

Livia looked down at the battle that was beginning; tears were streaming down her face, mixing with the rain already there. Somehow, Livia’s expression steeled, and the tears stopped. “Yeah,” she nodded. Then she picked up the Scythe and got to her feet.

Before Livia could walk away, Katherine reached out and took hold of the slayer’s arm. “She meant it, Liv. Every word. She said to tell you.”

Livia didn’t look consoled as she headed down the mountain.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – Battle Plain – Same Time

Somewhere in the valley below, a young Chinese girl performed a complex series of somersaults. She had the Scythe in one hand and a katana in the other. When she landed, she thrust the thin sword through the skull of large red demon with a black pattern tattooed across its face. As a demon rushed her from the other side, she did a one-handed swipe through its throat, sending it gurgling to the ground with blood spewing from its neck.

Elsewhere on the field, a young black woman wearing a long dark leather duster twirled her Scythe like a staff before staking one demon, flipping the weapon, and staking another in rapid succession. She glanced around at the demon-filled plain. “Well, it ain’t the back alleys of the Big Apple, but it’ll do,” she said with a grin as she headed for another demon.

Nearby, a hunched, wolf-like demon growled and sliced another slayer with its razor-sharp claws. The brown-skinned girl cried out and grabbed at her arm and the shredded cloth now hanging limply from it.

“Dat’s me favrit shirt!” she yelled crossly.

A few feet away, a slayer who looked exactly like Livia sliced the head off a horned demon and laughed happily. “Man, I’ve missed this!” She turned to her right. “What about you, B?”

“Definitely doesn’t suck,” said Buffy as she split a demon in two from top to bottom. As two more demons came rushing towards them, she turned to her fellow slayer and said, “Yo, Faith! You ready for some more of our patented ‘synchronized slaying’?”

Faith smiled and said, “You got that right.”

Then, as one, the original Chosen Two went into action.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – Battle Plain – Same Time

Livia practically flew down the mountain, jumping from outcropping to outcropping. Splashes of water jumped up whenever she set down her feet. With an animalistic bellow, she took the last jump and drove the wooden end of the Scythe down into the crown of a troll’s head. She used her weapon as a hinge to swing around and kick two more demons in the face. Then she pulled the Scythe out of the troll and swung diagonally across a fourth demon’s chest before landing lightly on her feet. She screamed again, pure fury.

Meanwhile, Katherine, who had followed right behind Livia, was in the middle of prying a five-pronged battle-axe from the hands of a growling gray demon. It wore red war paint…it might have been blood. She braced her feet up against its muscular chest and grunted under the strain. After about three seconds, it came loose in her hands. She sliced the demon across the chest, and it fell with a wet cry.

“Mine now,” Katherine said simply. She turned to continue the fight.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – The Cliff – Same Time

On the mountainside, Lex pointed upwards. “Is that what I think it is?”

A great red dragon swooped down from the dark clouds, its long, scaly neck darting straight through the fading rain.

“Oh crap, here they come again,” James sighed.

Jocasta focused her eyes on her cousin. “Toni, you up for this one?”

Antonia looked up at the dragon for a long moment, then back at Jocasta. “You betcha.”

“What…what’s going on?” Lex asked, suddenly sounding panicked.

“Sorry baby, gotta fly.” Antonia gave Lex a quick peck on the lips, then turned to the others. “I need a weapon.”

“Here.” James tossed Antonia his laser cutter. She caught it, shoved it in her jacket, and took off on a running start, just as the dragon reached the edge of the cliff.

“Toni!” Lex yelled as he dove out of the path of the dragon’s fiery breath, tackling James out of the way with him. When Lex hopped back to his feet, he found that Antonia was gone. She had disappeared, and the dragon was climbing again. “Where did she go?” he demanded.

Jocasta’s eyes went skyward.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – Sky Above Battle – Dragon’s Back – Same Time

“WOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!”

Antonia’s grin went from ear to ear. She clung to the base of the dragon’s neck, her fingers gripping the edges of scales slick with rain. Wisps of soaked hair clung to her forehead, drops pelted her face, and the dragon was doing its best to shake her off.

But she was still smiling.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – Battle Plain – Same Time

A girl with short red hair jabbed the wooden end of her Scythe into the belly of a demon with a huge, grimacing, well-toothed mouth.

“Vi!”

At the sound of the voice, the red-haired slayer turned to see a girl who looked just like Mira running by.

“Come on!” the brunette called out in a teasing voice. “There’s a whole pack of Vutch demons this way.”

“Save one for me, Ken!” Vi yelled back. She swung her Scythe into another demon as she raced to catch up with Kennedy.

About twenty yards away, a blonde and another brunette were making mincemeat out of a hulking demon. When it crumpled to the ground, the blonde grabbed the point of her fellow slayer’s Scythe and gave it a playful push.

“Try not to lose it this time, Shannie,” the blonde teased.

“I won’t, Rinda,” the brunette sing-songed back.

They smiled at one another then headed for the next set of demons.

Not far from Shannon and Lorinda, another pair of slayers fought the advancing horde. 

“You know this is your fault, right?” Vanessa Calendar asked as she cut down a demon.

Standing at her back was Joyce Harris. “It is not,” she insisted as she too took down an approaching demon. 

“You said…” Calendar swung, cutting another demon down. “And I quote…” Another swing. “…’I’d do anything for one more good fight.’ End quote.” She then turned to face Joyce with an annoyed look on her face. “And hereeeeeeee we are.”

Joyce’s eyes widened, and she pushed Calendar aside. She gutted a charging demon, almost casually. It fell to the ground, and Joyce turned to face her friend, not missing a beat.  

“This is sooo not what I had in mind, okay?” Joyce replied in defense. 

Nearby, a blonde girl was fighting several pale, mottled demons. One of them swung its claws and raked her across the face, creating several wide, bloody gashes. Instead of screaming in pain, though, the girl just grinned wickedly. As the demon watched, her lacerations healed and closed until it was as if they had never been there.

“Who…what…are you?” the demon growled through shark-like teeth.

“I’m Brianna, and I’m a slayer,” the girl replied. Then she chopped off the demon’s head.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – Battle Plain – Same Time

Katherine was swinging her stolen axe wildly against a half dozen demons. She looked on in surprise when the demons suddenly stopped and backed away.

When she turned to see what was behind her, she was hit by a powerful blue fist. The tremendous force of the blow sent her flying rapidly into the air.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – The Cliff – Same Time

James was smiling down at the battle. “I think it’s wor—”

He was cut off when something slammed into him, sending them both tumbling across the ground. It was Katherine. She groaned and rolled over onto her back. James didn’t move at all.

“You hide behind the spirits of your dead,” said an ominous voice. “You tear like paper when I lay a hand to you.”

While Lex went to check on Katherine and James, Jocasta spun around and saw Illyria cresting the small plateau they were standing on.

“I grow weary of your insolence,” Illyria said.

Jocasta hesitated, biting her lip.

Illyria stalked forward. “Your fear shows unusual wisdom. A rat is wise to fear a lion. Yet that matters little when the rat is dead.”

“Jo,” Katherine managed to say through gritted teeth. She had Jocasta’s attention. “Time to be the big gun.” She gave Jocasta a smile, which the redhead returned.

Jocasta whipped back to Illyria just as the God-King took a swing at her face. There was a brief flash of light, and Illyria found her fist deflected back wildly. Jocasta stood untouched, her shield still rippling where Illyria had struck it.

“More magic,” Illyria growled. “You lack the strength to face me, so you rely on jester’s tricks.”

“You’re wrong.” Jocasta’s voice was unnaturally deep. “I am strong. I am the magic.” Her feet began to rise off the ground. Her hair went white, black, red, and white again. The sprinkling rain swirled around her in an airborne whirlpool.

“Jo?” Lex sounded concerned. Illyria’s expression did not change.

When Jocasta’s form settled, she had her normal red hair. Her eyes glowed with pure energy, and her entire body was surrounded by a bright halo of an outline. She swooped forward and snatched Illyria off the ground. She then shot up into the air like a rocket, her glow showing brightly against the storm clouds.

“Jo!” Lex called again.

Katherine was now in a sitting position, starting to recover. “That’s my girl,” she breathed.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – Sky Above Battle – Seconds Later

Jocasta and Illyria broke the upper surface of the clouds. They found the sun shining brightly, the sky bright blue. Their faces were inches apart.

When Illyria spoke, her voice was softer than usual. “After all of these millennia…I find I can still be surprised.”

Jocasta smiled beneath her incandescent eyes. “Nice, isn’t it?” she asked. Then she pressed a glowing palm against Illyria’s chest, causing the God-King to jerk in reaction.

Illyria grabbed uselessly at Jocasta’s arms as the redhead began draining the energy of the Anomalous Zone from her. As Illyria stared into Jocasta’s eyes, the blue tint of her demonic features began to fade.

“No!” she croaked urgently, but Jocasta didn’t stop.

Soon Illyria’s features were swapped out by those of Dr. Burkle. She went back and forth between Burkle and Illyria before finally settling on Dr. Burkle for a moment.

Dr. Burkle tugged herself close to Jocasta’s face and said, “Do it. Do it now. Please.”

Jocasta didn’t hesitate. She pulled back her hand, released her grip, and let the woman drop.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – Sky To Battle Plain – Continuous

Burkle fell down through the clouds, reverting to the God-King, then back again several times. Those below on the mountaintop and on the plain watched as her small form fell for what seemed like hours, lit by a thin beam of sunlight from the hole she’d made in the clouds. She fell at the foot of the mountain, at the edge of the battle below. The thump she made was thunderous, even at the cliff.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – Battle Plain – Moments Later

Katherine rushed down the side of the mountain. When she reached the bottom a few minutes later, she found a large crater with a diminutive female form lying motionless at its center. Katherine scrambled forward and knelt next to the figure. She took the figure’s right hand in hers.

“Dr. Burkle?” she asked.

“I’m here.” And indeed it was Dr. Burkle. She was no longer blue and no longer dressed in Illyria’s leathery bodysuit; instead, she was clad in the same human clothes she had been wearing when she had first arrived in the Anomalous Zone. Her hair and eyes and skin had returned to their normal color, but her face was bloodied, and her legs were bent at strange angles.

Seeing their God-King’s demise, the surviving demons fled with the spirits of long-passed slayers doggedly pursuing them.

“You’re okay,” Katherine reassured the fallen woman.

Dr. Burkle tried to shake her head and winced. “I’m so sorry,” she rasped. “For everything.” 

“No, no, no,” Katherine insisted. “It wasn’t you. It was Illyria.”

“In the end, at least…I was human,” Dr. Burkle said. Her eyes fluttered slightly.

“Stay with me now,” Katherine ordered, caressing the woman’s forehead.

“That was always…her flaw. She…underestimated us. Always…a bad idea.”

Then Dr. Burkle’s head rolled slightly to one side, and the sight went out of her eyes. Katherine removed her hand. When Katherine leaned back, she felt a tingle in her skin. She looked to her right and saw Jocasta levitating gently to the ground.

Jocasta hurried over. She looked down at Dr. Burkle and frowned, but she quickly shook it off.

“Katie, I need your help,” she said.

Then she knelt on the other side of Dr. Burkle, across from Katherine. She took Katherine’s left hand in her own right hand and placed them together on Dr. Burkle’s chest. Then she placed her own left palm down on the ground; Katherine did the same with her right.

As Jocasta began a long, winding chant, the two witches began to glow. Suddenly, Jocasta’s eyes and hair went white as waves of power rolled out of her and into the ground.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – The Battle Plain – Moments Later

Inhaling with huge gasps, both Jocasta and Katherine straightened up from Dr. Burkle and then fell away from her, eventually rolling over onto their backs. After catching their breath, they sat up and looked at one another. They smiled and then turned their eyes to the battle plain. Gradually, they saw the bizarre landscape begin to change.

“Ooooohhhh….nooooooo!!!!” came a screaming voice from the air.

Katherine and Jocasta looked up in alarm and saw a headless red dragon crash to the ground about fifty feet from them. Their eyes grew even wider when they saw a blonde woman tumble off the dragon’s body and roll towards them.

“Toni!” Jocasta cried out as they immediately rushed over. They found Antonia lying on her back, covered in sticky dragon blood.

“Ugh,” the pilot groaned as she struggled to sit up. “Jo?” she asked, turning to her best friend. She tried to look her in the eyes, but was finding it difficult to focus. “Make a mental note for me.”

“Okay,” Jocasta replied.

“Note to self,” Antonia recited, shakily holding up her index finger. “Don’t cut the head off the thing that’s keeping you in the air.”

Jocasta nodded and said, “Got it. Duly noted.”

Then Antonia let herself flop back against the ground.

Cut To:

Ext.

Anomalous Zone – The Flat Stone – Same Time

When Livia had seen the God-King fall and the demon army begin to flee from the ghostly army of slayers, she had rushed back up the mountain to the cliff. After cresting the ridge, she rushed over to where Mira still lay upon the flat stone.

As she jumped onto the smooth rock, she stopped in place, then let the Scythe leave her hand and clatter to the hard surface. With a catch in her breath, she dropped to her knees beside the fallen slayer. Gently she tugged Mira’s lifeless body into her arms and pulled her close, resting the slayer’s head on her shoulder.

“It wasn’t supposed to be like this…” Livia whispered, caressing the back of Mira’s head.

It was then that Livia let the sobs come. Her body shook with the force of them, and she buried her face against Mira’s neck. She spoke to Mira in heaving breaths, but her words weren’t discernible amidst the choking sobs.

Through her tears, Livia couldn’t see the landscape around her change, but change it did. Slowly, the scene transformed from a craggy mountaintop into a flat, open field, and it was a bright, sunny morning.

The other members of the mission team looked around in awe as the Anomalous Zone and its inhabitants simply vanished away. Their smiles of relief and wonder fell, however, when they saw Livia crying over Mira’s body. They drew closer but kept a respectful distance, their own grief showing in their faces.

Surprisingly, though, when the last tendril of the Zone dissipated, Mira drew in a sudden breath.

“Oh my god, oh my god…” Livia blurted, pulling Mira off her shoulder and laying her back onto the ground. The others came running then.

Mira was gasping for air but otherwise not moving. It was as if she lacked the strength for even the smallest movements of her limbs. Tears were streaming down her cheeks as she said, “It’s gone…”

Livia glanced around and then smiled down at Mira in amazement. “Yeah, it is…thanks to you and Jo…”

Mira closed her eyes and shook her head. Livia frowned, realizing that Mira had meant something else entirely. When Mira reached out to her with a barely lifted hand, and Livia pulled her into a hug once again.

Mira was too weak to even return the embrace. She just nuzzled against Livia’s neck. “Stay with me,” she pleaded in a sad whisper.

Livia pressed her closer. “Forever if you want.”

Mustering the last bit of energy she had, Mira pulled her arms around Livia for one small squeeze. “I want,” she said.

Fade Out.

Fade In:

Int.

Rescue Transport – Passenger Area – Later That Morning

James sat near the front, entertaining the two EMTs with his tales of the mission. Earlier in the flight, he and the rest of the team had been informed that Finola, Cooper, and Anya had been safely retrieved by a separate rescue transport.

Nearby, Jocasta and Katherine sat wrapped in each other’s arms; Lex and Antonia were doing the same. Both couples were sleeping, too tired to stay awake any longer.

In the back, far from the others, Livia and Mira were also snuggled up together. Mira had stubbornly refused to be placed on a gurney and was now leaning wearily against Livia’s shoulder. Livia had both arms wrapped around her. They hadn’t said much to each other, but they hadn’t gotten out of physical contact except when it was absolutely necessary.

As Mira stared forward, anguish was in her eyes, and unwanted tears leaked from them. When Livia felt the wet drops on her arm, she rested her cheek against Mira’s head.

“Wanna talk about it?” she asked gently.

Mira didn’t speak. She merely shook her head.

“Okay,” Livia assured her. “You don’t have to if you don’t want to.”

Mira remained silent, but tears continued to roll down her face. She closed her eyes and frowned. When she opened her eyes, she spoke, in a choked voice that was barely audible.

“I didn’t think it would hurt so much,” she whispered hoarsely.

“Dying?” Livia asked.

Mira shook her head then shrugged. “Well, the dying part did hurt. A lot.” She grew quiet for a while before saying, “I meant…losing my powers.” She sniffled and wiped her face. “It’s like a part of me’s been ripped away, and I’m hollow and bleeding inside.”

Suddenly, Mira moved out of Livia’s grasp and turned to face her.

“Is that what it felt like for you?” she asked. “When Tyrell pulled his nanobot sneak attack?”

Livia’s face creased in remembered pain, and she nodded. “Yeah.”

“I’m sorry I wasn’t more supportive then,” Mira said a bit frantically. “I didn’t know…I couldn’t have…no one could…not unless they—”

“It’s okay,” Livia quickly told her, reaching up to cup Mira’s cheek. “You don’t need to be worrying about me right now. Just let me worry about you.”

New tears filled Mira’s eyes as she said with conviction, “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Livia replied just as intently.

“Do you?” Mira forced herself to ask. “It was a slayer you fell in love with. And now…” She dropped her gaze to the floor.

Livia lifted Mira’s chin and looked into her eyes. “It was you I fell in love with, not your slayerness. If all I wanted was a slayer, I could have my pick, ya know.”

That got a small smile out of Mira. She glanced away, chuckling, then looked back at Livia.

“’Sides, my slayer days are numbered anyway,” Livia said. “Won’t be that long before I’m where you are now.”

“But you have your magic to fall back on,” Mira noted.

“So do you. You just gotta get to it,” Livia said optimistically. “Unblock it or whatever.” Her face fell when she saw that Mira’s expression didn’t brighten. “Right?” she asked worriedly.

Mira sadly shook her head. At that, Livia took Mira’s face in both hands and kissed her earnestly; then she pulled her back into her arms.

Mira reached around Livia and returned the embrace. After taking in a hiccupy breath, she whispered, “Don’t let me go. I don’t think I can do this without you.”

“You won’t have to,” Livia promised.

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Council Chambers – Same Time

“It is the Council’s very survival that is at stake here,” Travers announced, ending his speech with the words he had spoken to Giles the previous evening. “I therefore urge you to vote in favor of the Slayer Service Bill. Thank you.”

Sebastian barely heard the clamorous applause that followed Morgan’s speech. The chairman stared off into space, thinking intently, twisting a data crystal in his fingers. He had to be nudged out of his reverie by Veronica.

He cleared his throat and nodded to her. Then he stood up and made his way to the podium. He looked back at Veronica, met her eyes, and then quite deliberately slid the crystal into his pocket, apparently intending not to use to the recording of Morgan’s high-handed ranting the night before. As Veronica’s expression grew worried, Sebastian turned back to the podium and addressed his fellow councilors.

“As you’ve all heard and seen here in this very room this morning,” he began, his voice surprisingly soft, “the world was saved today…”

Cut To:

Series of Shots — Flashbacks

— Satellite images showing the Anomalous Zone shrinking

— A family huddling behind a stone wall among ancient ruins as demons attack

— The demons suddenly fading away

— The family rising from their hiding place as the ancient ruins transform into an ordinary city block

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Council Chambers – Resume

“Saved by a group of our very own people,” Sebastian said proudly. “Some were Chosen,” he noted. “As slayers and witches and watchers…”

Cut To:

Series of Shots – Flashbacks

— Livia furiously shooting down pterodactyls with the ship’s blasters

— Katherine deflecting an attacking dragon with a magic shield then punching it in the head

— Mira swinging the Scythe at Illyria

— Finola battling the rhino-beast outside the bio-pod

— Jocasta letting magical energy pour from her into the ground

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Council Chambers – Resume

Sebastian tilted his head. “Some were not…”

Cut To:

Series of Shots – Flashbacks

— Captain Applegate fighting the ship’s controls as he crash-lands the Council transport

— Anya and Cooper helping defend the base camp against the rhino-demons

— James felling the tree that smashed down on Illyria

— Lex diving out of the way of dragon fire and tackling James to safety at the same time

— Antonia tumbling off a dead dragon’s back

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Council Chambers – Resume

“But what these people all have in common is that they chose to serve this Council, they chose to fight on the side of good, they chose to risk their lives to save ours. Chosen or not, they made the choice.”

Sebastian then took a deep breath and said, “Some of them paid a heavy price for that choice…”

Cut To:

Series of Shots – Flashbacks

— Captain Applegate smiling as he speaks to Livia and Mira

— Applegate screaming as he is snatched up by a dragon

— Applegate’s bloody torso lying on the ground

— Mira’s body convulsing inside the ball of lightning as the slayer power passes from the Scythe and into her and then out again

— Mira crying on the ground, saying “It’s gone…”

Cut To:

Int.

Watchers Council – Council Chambers – Resume

“My question is this…” Sebastian said. “Have we learned nothing from history? In the twentieth century the United States was involved in a conflict in Asia. They were trying to stop the spread of political ideals they felt were a threat to democracy. Thousands lost their lives, and not having the manpower to sustain the operation, the U.S. government did exactly what Mr. Travers is suggesting. They called anyone they felt was fit for service, like it or not. And if people didn’t answer the call, they were punished with incarceration. Some fled the country, and many more young men, and their peers, revolted against the idea. As a result, the society was literally fractured into two worlds – the ‘establishment’ and the ‘counter-culture’. The age of innocence was lost in America, and many felt the country as a whole might never recover. But the war ended, the draft was dissolved, and the country did manage to mend itself, although things were really never quite the same again – some things for the better, others for the worse… The point is I don’t want to see this Council fall apart because of an ill-advised program…because I don’t think it will come back together.”

Sebastian cleared his throat. “Now, prior to Col. Rosenberg’s departure, she told me I shouldn’t feel responsible for the direction the Council has taken – for the imbalance of power that has occurred in the last generation. She said it belonged at the feet of Elizabeth Giles, my great-grandmother, and her father, Rupert Giles, our modern founder. Many of the programs, resources, and procedures we have today were the result of Elizabeth’s work…but not today’s policies.”

Sebastian held up a data crystal, and Veronica smiled. 

“In my hand is a recording I made earlier today with Mr. Travers. I won’t recount the entire episode – you’ll be able to download it prior to your vote – but he mentioned being a loyalist. Now, being a loyalist myself, I wondered how on earth we could both have the same ideal, yet be so far apart on this issue, and on many issues, truth be told. So I did some research. Besides, that’s what watchers do after all, isn’t it?”

Sebastian paused as a light trickle of laughter filled the hall. 

“I uncovered something interesting that applies to everyone here,” he continued. “I know my grandfather, Nathan, Elizabeth Giles’s son, never served in the Council. What I didn’t know, and I learned after looking into my great-grandmother’s diaries, is the fact he was chosen.”

A murmur of voices filled the hall, and Veronica continued to watch with a growing smile. 

“The woman who helped create much of what we enjoy today gave him the choice. I believe that’s the least we can do for our slayers. They’re not tools, ladies and gentlemen. They’re not pieces on a chess board we can move around as we see fit. And I’m sure every slayer risking her life for our cause wants to make absolutely sure that her sister-in-arms, the one standing beside her in battle, feels the same. If we fill these ranks with people who do not wish to be here, we’re undermining the strength of the slayer division AND the Council. THAT is why Elizabeth Giles never forced her son into service, and this is exactly the reason why this bill should never see the light of day. My great-grandmother was an intelligent woman. In fact…” Sebastian trailed off for a moment and smiled. “She’s much smarter than Col. Rosenberg gave her credit for… because I did a bit more digging and I uncovered some executive orders that will be of interest to all our divisions, but in particular to our newly reinstated coven and our slayer division.”

Sebastian cleared his throat and looked down at his monitor. 

“Section Three of Article Eight states, and I quote, ‘The Council from this day forth will have three voices of equal value – the watchers division, the slayer division, and the coven division – regardless of membership numbers.” This charter was created by Rupert Giles, Willow Rosenberg, and Rowena Allister, and—”

“Mr. Giles,” Travers sighed as he stood up. “You cannot filibuster this bill. If you have a point—”

“I do,” Sebastian told him. “But this is important information to know in advance.”

“Amendments were passed in 2108 that override this article and—”

“Not entirely true,” Giles said firmly. “Which is the point I’ll make once you sit down. You’ve had your time to speak. All I ask that you allow me the same courtesy.”

Begrudgingly, Travers took his seat. 

“Now, where was I?” Sebastian continued. “Oh, yes. As Mr. Travers pointed out, bills were passed to supersede this rule – rules which, one, violate the Watchers Charter and, two, have gone totally unnoticed. How have they managed to be undetected? Because an executive order was erased from the electronic record – one which I located in my great-grandmother’s diaries.” Again more murmurs filled the crowd as Sebastian added, “I never had access to these writings until I was given clearance to Willowgram and her information.”

“Again, Mr. Giles,” Travers said. “What is the point?”

“You are a loyalist. So it would behoove you to sit and listen,” he said, trying to hold his anger before continuing. “Elizabeth Giles added an executive order that was never recanted by her successor, therefore making it permanent. It says, and again I quote, ‘No legislation from this day forward may be passed that will negate Section Three or ANY of its Articles!’ What that means is everyone – every watcher who’s picked up a book, every slayer who’s picked up a stake, and every witch who’s cast a spell – has a vote with majority ruling in that division!” 

The room erupted into a mountain of noise and chatter. Velika’s hand shot to her mouth in surprise, and tears filled her eyes. 

“He’s really going to do it now, isn’t he?” Velika asked Veronica, who was seated next to her. 

Veronica put her arm around Velika and nodded with a smile before giving her a pat on the shoulder. 

“This is outrageous!” Travers’ voice boomed over the din, making many of the people fall silent and look in his direction. 

“Now, being a loyalist,” Sebastian said with a growing grin, “like you claim, this should be fantastic news. Every division will have an equal voice in the policies of the Council, and the Council itself can be restored to the vision of its founders. So, we’ll finally see…are you a man of your word, or are you all talk?”

Travers physically shook as his jaw tightened. “This is not over,” he growled.

“For once, I agree,” Sebastian said. “In fact, all of this is just beginning. We have so much to prepare before a formal vote can take place – on this or any other measure. So again, going to Article Nine in Section Three… I, as the Council chairperson, can delay any voting procedure for at least 24 hours if I feel the proper communications for such a vote are not in place. We have thousands of voices that need to be linked into their division so that proper accounting can take place. So, yes, I assure you, Mr. Travers, this is not over…not by a long shot.”

“I won’t stand for this,” Travers said. 

“You don’t have a choice. Look it up,” Sebastian told him before turning to the rest of the assembly. “Before we close today and begin putting our new voting system in place, I would like you all to consider something. We sent a team out who managed to save the world in the last 24 hours…Do you think those same people would be so willing to serve if Morgan’s bill were passed? Would they see the mission of this organization as something deserving of their time, their gifts, their very lives?” He paused and let his question sink in. “I think not,” he replied, answering his own question. He leaned against the podium and said, “You see…it’s not enough for the Watchers Council to survive as Mr. Travers says…it has to be worthy of surviving. Don’t taint our sacred calling by passing a bill that demeans and diminishes those who share that calling…Meeting adjourned until tomorrow. Thank you.” He then banged his gavel. 

The room again broke into groups, each talking among themselves, but one young man came over to Sebastian.

“Mr. Giles?” he said, getting his attention. “Does that mean I’ll have a vote too? This is actually my last day as a page. I just got promoted to a fully fledged watcher.”

Sebastian looked at the identification tag around his neck for a moment. “Yes, Daniel,” he answered. 

“A-and my newly assigned slayer too? Does she get to vote?” he asked. 

“Everyone gets a voice here, yes,” Sebastian answered him. 

The young man began to beam with a smile from ear-to-ear as he nodded happily. “Can I go tell her?”

“Certainly,” Sebastian replied. 

Still smiling, the young man scurried off. Sebastian then turned to see Veronica and Velika directly behind him. Both of them wore proud grins. 

“I could kiss you,” Velika told him. “Oh, what the hell!” The Slayer Division Chair rushed over and forcefully planted a firm kiss on his lips before pulling him into a hug. 

“Thank god you don’t have your powers,” Giles said as he gently extracted himself from the bear hug. “I’d be crushed.”

Velika slapped his arm and took both his hands in hers. “I know how most of the slayers will vote. If Jo, Katie, and the coven vote with us, then…”

“The bill will die. Two to One,” Sebastian told her. 

Velika looked like she was on the verge of joyful tears again. “Thank you. A thousand times thank you,” she said, squeezing his hands. “I guess I’d better go play politics and sweet talk the coven, huh?”

“It won’t take much, I’m sure.” Sebastian smiled and watched her slip away. Then he turned to Veronica. 

She closed the distance between them with a smile on her face too. “You lived up to your family name today, Seb. It’s about damn time,” she teased. 

Sebastian just looked at her for a long moment and then put his hands on either side of her cheeks and pulled her closer until their lips met. Veronica pulled back, concerned. 

“Seb?” she said, looking around to see if anyone noticed the kiss. 

“Don’t worry,” he told her as he pulled her closer again. “I did a lot of research, and I found other orders that make this perfectly acceptable,” he added before beginning to kiss her again. 

This time she relaxed and fell into the embrace.  

Fade Out.

Fade In:

Int.

Jocasta and Katherine’s Apartment – Later That Night

Jocasta and Katherine were cleaned up and rested from their mission in the Anomalous Zone. They were on the sofa in the living room, watching the late night news feeds and enjoying a quiet dinner together.

“Giles gave a pretty awesome speech, huh?” Jocasta said as she hit the pause button, freezing Sebastian’s recorded image on the screen.

Katherine smiled widely and said, “Travers’ bill is gonna get landslided.” She set down her plate and turned to face Jocasta. The redhead did the same and waited for Katherine to speak. “You know why Giles is so good at what he does?” the blonde asked.

Jocasta gave her girlfriend a puzzled look. “Genetics?”

Katherine shook her head. She reached over and placed her hand over Jocasta’s heart.

“Because he works from here,” Katherine explained. “Like you.”

“Out of love?” Jocasta asked.

Katherine smiled and nodded. “That’s the power of love… it’s greater than time, greater than death… it can even save the world.”

Jocasta reached over for her wine glass and raised it for a toast. Katherine picked hers up and raised it as well.

“To love,” Jocasta said.

Cut To:

Series of Shots

— Cooper and Finola, flopping onto their backs in the bed after another sweaty bout of lovemaking

— Finola leaning up on her elbow and affectionately touching Cooper’s face

— Anya repeatedly complaining to James about Cooper and Finola’s sexual antics in the face of impending doom in the Anomalous Zone

— James finally silencing Anya with a big kiss

— Anya smiling in surprise then grinning wickedly before throwing an even more surprised James to the floor

— Lex and Antonia in their apartment playing strip poker, with Antonia about half-clothed and Lex wearing only his boxers

— Antonia smirking as she lays down a hearts flush to beat Lex’s three of a kind

— Lex flamboyantly removing his boxers, stripper-style, before scooping his squealing wife up in his arms and racing to the bedroom with her

— Veronica asleep on an office sofa, reading glasses still on her face.

— Sebastian walking over with two cups of coffee that he rests down between two computers and piles of papers. 

— Veronica jittering slightly as Sebastian removes her glasses. He kisses her on the forehead and covers her with a blanket before picking up one of the computers and sitting in a chair. 

— Before Sebastian starts to type, he looks at the exhausted Veronica with great affection. 

— Mira sleeping in Livia’s bed with Livia lying propped up beside her, watching over her

— Mira frowning in her sleep and Livia leaning over to kiss her forehead

— Mira awakening to find Livia’s concerned eyes meeting hers

— Mira’s face creasing into a heartfelt smile as she pulls Livia down for a kiss

Cut To:

Int.

Jocasta and Katherine’s Apartment – Night

“To love,” Katherine said, repeating Jocasta’s toast.

The two clinked their wine glasses together and took a sip. Then they put their glasses aside and moved into each other’s arms, kissing warmly.

Fade Out

 

Special Guest Starring:

Bianca Lawson as Kendra, Sarah Michelle Gellar as Buffy, Eliza Dushku as Faith, Felicia Day as Vi, Iyari Limon as Kennedy, Steffani Brass as Shannon, Rachel Hurd-Wood as Lorinda, Maggie Grace as Brianna, Gabrielle Christian as Joyce Harris, and Deanna Casaluce as Vanessa Calendar

 

End of World’s End

Series Finale of Watchers: Restoration