EPISODE 2 - GO WITH THE FLOW: Part 2
A stern reminder. A strange cat.
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continued from last time…
THE CLOTHED BEAST
(in a voice that sounds like it has not been used in some time, and was horrible to hear when it was brand new. It is loud. There is almost no inflection to it. It is as if snarls were put through google translate to english)
We have not seen one of you Orderlies for some time. Have you come to parlay? It cannot be a coincidence that you have come during the Season of Tribute.
TRIFOO
(calmly– in the same tone of voice he was using with TALL GIRL before)
I am not here voluntarily. I was pursued here. I will be gone in the morning.
THE CLOTHED BEAST
[Utters a rancid laugh that evolves into a nightmarish howl, the rest of the beasts join in. It’s almost deafening. When it’s over, THE CLOTHED BEAST is glaring at TRIFOO. Many of the beasts around the perimeter are looking at TALL GIRL and licking their chops.]
YOU TRY MY PATIENCE, HOODED ONE. IF YOU HAVE NOTHING TO GIVE, WE SHALL TAKE.
[As if this was the cue, a particularly large beast leaps towards CHIFFON]
[CHIFFON flinches for a nanosecond then steels herself and assumes a basic guard stance, both hands up]
[TRIFOO picks up a stone from his pile with supernatural speed, and sends it spinning towards the beast, still in midair—
There is the sound of shattering pottery as the rock obliterates all the beast’s bared teeth.
The beast’s head snaps right due to the momentum of the rock, and it crashes to the ground, unconscious. EXTREME CLOSE UP/SLOW MOTION of a single canine tooth, glittering in the firelight as it falls, spinning. We follow its path until it embeds itself into the earth, sharp point down, right in front of THE CLOTHED BEAST.
It is silent for a beat, then the fallen beast’s body begins to decay, all its sores growing larger and larger until they consume its entire body and eventually all that’s left is a quivering pile of rancid flesh and bile.]
[CUT TO- Close up of TRIFOO’s face, his whole face is in shadow, his left eye glows red]
TRIFOO
(still quietly)
It seems your clan has forgotten mine. I do not forget. I know of your tribe’s pact with the Canine Wraith of Hell’s Garden— and its conditions.
Let. us. pass. in peace.
SCENE 3
[Camera looking upward toward THE CLOTHED BEAST with the canine of the slain beast in the foreground, THE CLOTHED BEAST is looking wide eyed at the tooth, his pupils contract in disbelief.]
[THE CLOTHED BEAST kneels immediately, removing his ratty top hat and holding it to his chest in deference. The rest of the beasts around the fire follow suit immediately and with fervor. There is tangible fear-laden respect in their posture.]
THE CLOTHED BEAST
(in a low growl)
Apologies, lord. What you accuse us of is true. It has been so long since we’ve seen such as you. Do us the honor of telling us your title.
TRIFOO
That would serve neither of us well, I think. You can call me… (looks up in thought)
SMASH TO BLACK – TITLE CARD – HEADER: TRIFOO SUBHEADER: THE WANDERING MAGE
[CUT TO– TRIFOO and TALL GIRL walking along the forest path, to their left, a cliffside overlooking a densely forested valley with a river flowing through it, the sun is rising ahead of them, over the river, sending dazzling pink ripples and reflections to dance across the river surface.]
[TRIFOO is holding a gross top hat]
TALL GIRL
I can’t believe you actually kept his hat. Shit’s nasty.
TRIFOO
(smirking, light chuckle)
It’s rare in this era for someone like me to be given a gift of such high sentimental value. It was my honor to accept.
TALL GIRL
(wrinkles her nose in disgust for a moment glancing at the top hat, then, sincerely)
You saved my life twice in one night. I owe you.
TRIFOO
Be careful to whom you indenture yourself.
TALL GIRL
Not sure that’s a verb, man.
TRIFOO
Is that so? Hm… Language changes surprisingly fast.
TALL GIRL
(small laugh)
I can’t tell if you’re crazy or just eccentric– (shrugs) I guess the two go hand in hand. I’m Chiffon, by the way.
[TRIFOO takes a smoke out of his puff, lights it]
[Zoom out over the valley, a raven flies in from the corner of the screen TRIFOO’S face reflected in the eye— it’s the raven from the lake, or one just like it. It’s camera lens eye widens and tightens as it focuses on TRIFOO and CHIFFON]
[Zoom in on the eye, and then it transitions to a digital display screen as we zoom out revealing…]
‘I.T.’ -
[A Hulking sentinel-like figure sitting in an ornate armchair. No mouth visible. No eyes visible behind its large circular glasses. Its long ponytail ends in a claw-like shape and is slowly stroking a jet black cat that sleeps on its lap. The room is lavishly furnished. The architecture implies that it is inside of a castle. There is a bay of screens in front of I.T.]
[CLOSE UP of I.T. – The reflection of the screen plays across the lenses of its glasses.]
[A phone rings, although no phone is visible. I.T.’s claw stops stroking the cat and presses lightly on its pink nose. The nose clicks inward like a button and a small landline extrudes from the torso of the sleeping cat. It does not wake up. I.T.’s ponytail picks up the phone and holds it to its featureless head]
(Barely audible voice from the phone)
I.T.
(voice monotone)
Yes ma’am. I have just confirmed his location.
(Barely audible response from the phone)
I.T.
Affirmative. I will end it here. I’ve placed an agent in the town he’s headed to. By the time he faces me and mine, he’ll be exhausted.
[I.T. hangs up the phone]
[The cat’s ears perk up as the phone is replaced, it looks up at I.T.]
I.T.
(to the cat)
We have work to do. Let us prepare for Brother Triangulus.