02 The Harvest – Transcript

THE HARVEST

Written by Joss Whedon
Directed by John Kretchner

Buffy Summers – Sarah Michelle Gellar
Xander Harris – Nicholas Brendon
Rupert Giles – Anthony Stewart Head
Willow Rosenberg – Alyson Hannigan
Cordelia Chase – Charisma Carpenter

Mr Flutie – Ken Lerner
Jesse – Eric Balfour
The Master – Mark Metcalf
Angel – David Boreanaz
Luke – Brian Thompson
Darla – Julie Benz
Joyce Summers – Kristine Sutherland
Harmony – Mercedes McNab


TEASER

MAUSOLEUM – INSIDE – NIGHT: Luke bears down on Buffy, ready to bite, he rips open her shirt and jumps back screaming and smoking, he has encountered the cross Angel gave her. Seizing the moment, Buffy knocks Luke flying and runs.

GRAVEYARD – OUTSIDE:Buffy runs through the graveard and reaches the trees, looking back she sees nobody has followed her and hears Willow scream.

Willow: No! Nooo! get off –
Buffy: Hey.

On the ground Willow is struggling with a vampire, she is pinned on the ground, with a kick Buffy sends the vampire flying, looking around she sees Xander being dragged off uncosncious by two other vampires. Buffy stakes one with a branch of a tree and the other runs off.

Willow: Xander?
Buffy: Where’s Jesse?
Willow: I don’t know – they surrounded us.
Xander: That girl grabbed him. Took off.
Buffy: I don’t know.
Buffy: Jesse…


ACT ONE

THE LIBRARY – INSIDE – MORNING: Giles, Xander and Willow are sitting there.

Giles: This world is oder than any of you know, and contrary to popular mythology, it did not begin as a paradise. For utold eons, demons walked the earth: made it their home… their Hell. In timethey lost their purchase on this reality, and the was was made for the mortal animals. For man. What remains of the old ones are vestiges: certain magicks, certain creatures…

Buffy emerges from Giles’ office.

Buffy: And vampires.
Xander: OK, this is where I have a problem, see, because we’re now talking about vampires. We’re having a talk with vampires in it.
Willow: Isn’t that what we saw last night?
Buffy: No, those weren’t vampires. Those were just guys in thundering need of a facial. Or maybe they had rabies – it coulda been rabies. And that guy turning to dust… just a trick of the light. That’s exactly what I said the first time I saw a vampire. I mean, when I was done with the screaming part.
Willow: Oooh… I need to sit down.
Buffy: You are sitting down.
Willow: Oh. Good for me.
Xander: So vampires are demons.
Giles: The books tell that the last demon to leave this reality fed off a human, mixed their blood. He was a human form possessed – infected – by the demon’s soul. He bit another, and another… and so they walk the earth, feeding. Killing some, mixing their blood with others to make more of their kind. Waiting for the animals to die out, and waiting for the old ones to return.

A TUNNEL: Jesse is being dragged through the tunnel by Luke with Darla at his side. They reach the end of the tunnel which opens to the underground church.

THE CHURCH: the three male their way to the floor of the church. The Master emerges.

The Master: Is this for me?
Luke: An offering, Master.
Darla: He’s a good one. His blood is pure.
The Master: You’ve tasted it. I’m your faithful dog. You bring me scraps.
Darla: I didn’t mean –
The Master: I have waited. For three score years I have waited. While you come and go I am stuck here, here in a house of worship. My ascension is almost at hand. Pray that when it comes… I’m in a better mood.
Darla: Master, forgive me. We had more offerings but there was trouble. A girl.
Luke: There was a girl. She fought well, and she knew of our breed. It is possible that she may be…
The Master: A slayer?

THE LIBRARY – INSIDE:

Xander: And that would be a what?
Giles: As long as there have been vampires, there has been a slayer. One girl in all the world – a chosen one.
Buffy: He loves doing this part.
Giles: All right: the slayer hunts vampires. Buffy is the Slayer, don’t tell anyone. I think that is all the vampire information you need.
Xander: Except for one thing. How do you kill them?
Buffy: You don’t. I do.
Xander: Well, Jesse is my –
Buffy: Jesse’s my responsibility. I let him get taken.
Xander: That’s not true.
Willow: If you hand’t shown up, they would have… taken us too… Does anybody mind if I pass out?
Buffy: Breathe.
Willow: Breathe.
Buffy: Breathe. This big guy. Luke, he talked about an offering to the master, I don’t know who or what, but if they weren’t just feeding, Jesse may still be alive. I’m gonna find him.
Willow: Maybe this is the dumb questions, but shouldn’t we call the police?
Giles: And you think they’d believe us?
Willow: We don’t have to say vampires. We could just say there was… a bad man.
Buffy: They couldn’t handle it if they did show up. They’d only show up with guns.
Giles: You’ve no idea where they took Jesse?
Buffy: I looked around, but… soon as they got clear of the woods they could have just – whoom.
Xander: They can fly?
Buffy: They can drive.
Xander: Oh.
Willow: I don’t remember hearing a car…
Giles: Let’s take an enourmous intuitive leap and say they went underground.
Buffy: Vampires really jam on sewer systems. You can get anywhere in the entire town without catching any rays. But I didn’t see any access around there.
Giles: If we had a diagnostic of the tunnel system, it might indicate a meeting place. I suppose we could go to the building commision.
Buffy: We so don’t have time.
Willow: Uh, guys? There may be another way.

THE CHURCH:

The Master: A slayer? Have you any proof?
Luke: Only that she fought me and yet lives.
The Master: Very nearly proof enough. I can’t remember the last time that happened.
Luke: 1843, in Madrid. He caught me sleeping.
The Master: She mustn’t be allowed to interfere with the Harvest.
Luke: I would never let that happen.
The Master: Don’t worry about it. I believe she’ll come to us. We have something that she wants, if she is a slayer, and this boy lives, she’ll try to save him.
Luke: (turning to Jesse) I thought you were no more than a meal, boy. Congratulations. You’ve just been upgraded to ‘bait’.

THE LIBRARY Willow sits at the computer looking at a map, everyone else is gathered around her.

Willow: That runs under the graveyard.
Xander: I don’t see any access.
Giles: So all the city plans are just open to the public?
Willow: Uh, well, in a way. I sort of stumbled onto them when I accidentally… decrypted the city council’s security system.
Xander: Somebody’s been naughty.
Buffy: There’s nothing her. It’s useless.
Giles: I think you are being a bit hard on yourself.
Buffy: You’re the one that told me that I wasn’t prepared enough. Understatement. I thought I was on top of everything, and then that monster Luke came out of nowhere.
Xander: What?
Buffy: He didn’t come out of nowhere. He came from behind me. I was facing the entrance. He came from behind me and he didn’t follow me out. The access to the tunnels is in the mausoleum. The girl must have doubled back with Jesse after I got out. God, I’m so mentally challenged!
Xander: So, what’s the plan? We saddle up, right?
Buffy: There’s no ‘we’. OK? I’m the slayer, and you’re not.
Xander: I knew you’d throw that in my face.
Buffy: This is deeply dangerous.
Xander: I’m inadequate. That’s fine. I’m less than a man.
Willow: Buffy, I’m not anxious to go into a dark place full of monsters, but I do want to help. I need to.
Giles: then help me. I’ve been researching this Harvest affair, seems to be some sort of pre-ordained massacre. Rivers of blood, Hell on earth. Quite charmless. I am a bit fuzzy, however, on the details and it may be that you can wrest some information from that dread machine. (as they all look at him puzzled). That was a bit British wasn’t it?
Buffy: Welcome to the new world.
Giles: I want you to go on the net.
Willow: Oh! Sure. I can do that.
Buffy: I’m out of here. Jesse’s alive? I’ll bring him back.
Giles: Do I have to tell you to be careful?

SCHOOL GROUNDS: Buffy heads toward the open gate.

Flutie: And where do we think we’re going?
Buffy: We? I? Me>
Flutie: We’re not leaving school grounds, are we?
Buffy: No! No. I’m just… admiring the fence. This is quality fencework.
Flutie: Because if we were leaving school grounds on our second day at a new school after getting kicked out of our old school for delinquent behaviour – do you see where I’m going with this?
Buffy: Mr Giles!
Flutie: What?
Buffy: He asked me to get a book for him. Fron the store, ’cause I have a free period and I’m a big reader, did it mention that on my transcripts?
Flutie: Mr Giles.
Buffy: Ask him.

Mr Flutie shuts and locks the gate.

Flutie: Well, maybve that’s how they do things in Britain, they’ve got that royal family and all kinds of problems, but here at Sunnydale nobody leaves campus while school’s in session. Are we clear?
Buffy: We’re clear.
Flutie: That’s the Buffy Summers I want in my school. The sensible girl, with her feet on the ground.

Mr Flutie leaves and Buffy makes a back flip over the fence.

SCHOOL HALL – INSIDE: Willow and Xander enter from the Library.

Willow: Murder, death, disaster – what else?
Xander: Paranormal, unexplained – you got natural disasters?
Willow: (nods) Earthquake, flood…
Xander: Rain of toads.
Willow: Right.
Xander: Rain of toads! Do you think they’re really gonn have anything like that in the paper?
Willow: I’ll put it on the computer search. If it’s in there it’ll turn up. Anything that’ll lead us to vampires.
Xander: And I meanwhile, will help by standing around like an idiot.
Willow: Not like an idiot. Just standing. Buffy doesn’t want you getting hurt. I don’t want you getting hurt.
Xander: This is just too much. I mean, yesterday my life was like. ‘Oh no. Pop Quiz.’ Today – rain of toads.
Willow: I know. And everyone else thinks it’s just a normal day.
Xander: Nobody knows. It’s like we got this big secret.
Willow: We do. That what secret is: when you know something other guys don’t.
Xander: Right. Well, maybe you should get to class.
Willow: You mean ‘we’. ‘We’ should get to class.
Xander: Yeah.
Willow: Buffy’ll be OK. Whatever’s down there, I think she can handle it.
Xander: Yeah, I do too.
Willow: So do I.

Neither of them look or sound very convinced.

GRAVEYARD: Buffy enters and makes her way to the mausoleum

MAUSOLEUM – INSIDE: Buffy makes her way through and reaches an iron door. Tries it, it’s locked.

Buffy: I don’t suppose you’ve got a key on you?

Angel steps from the shadows.

Angel: They really don’t like me dropping in.
Buffy: Why not?
Angel: They really don’t like me.
Buffy: How could that possibly be?
Angel: I knew you’d figure out this entryway sooner or later. Actually, I though it was gonna be a little sooner.
Buffy: Sorry you had to wait. Oh, OK, if you’re gonna be popping up with this cryptic wise man act on a regular basis, can you at least tell me your name?
Angel: Angel.
Buffy: Angel. It’s a pretty name.
Angel: Don’t go down there.
Buffy: Deal with my going?
Angel: You shouldn’t be putting yourself at risk Tonight is the Harvest, unless you can prevent it, the Master walks.
Buffy: If this Harvest thing is such a suckfest, why don’t you stop it?
Angel: Because I’m afraid.

Buffy kicks the door open.

Angel: They’ll be expecting you.
Buffy: I’ve got a friend down there – or potential friend. Do you know what it’s like to have a friend? (Angel says nothing) That wasn’t supposed to be a stumper.
Angel: When you get to the tunnels, head east, toward the school. That’s where you’re likely to find them.
Buffy: Gonna wish me luck?

Angel says nothing so Buffy heads off down the tunnel.

Angel: (quietly) Good luck


ACT TWO

TUNNELS: Buffy climbs down a ladder, starting fown a tunnel she hears a noise and turns around to find that Xander has followed her.

Buffy: Xander! What are you doing here?
Xander: Something stupid. I followed you.
Buffy: Well you –
Xander: I couldn’t just sit around not doing anything.
Buffy: I understand. Now go away.
Xander: No.
Buffy: Xander, you’re going to have to.
Xander: Jesse’s my bud, OK? If I can help him, that’s what I gotta do. Besides, It’s this or chem class. OK, so: crosses, garlic, stake through the heart.
Buffy: That’ll get it done.
Xander: Cool. Of course, I don’t actually have any of those things.

Buffy hands him a cross.

Buffy: Good thinking.
Xander: Well, the part of my brain that would tell me to bring that stuff is still busy telling me not to come down here. I have this, though.

He produces a flashlight and turns it on

Buffy: Turn that off!
Xander: OK, OK. So what else?
Buffy: What else what?
Xander: For vampire slayage.
Buffy: Fire, beheading, sunlight, holy water… the usual.
Xander: You’ve done some beheading in your time?
Buffy: Oh, yeah. There was this time, I was pinned down by this guy that played left tackle for the varsity, well he used to before he was a vampire, anyway he’s got a really, really thick neck and I’ll I’ve got is a little Exacto knife – You’re not loving this story.
Xander: No actually, I find it oddly comforting.

THE LIBRARY – INSIDE: Giles is consulting his books.

Giles: ‘For they will gather and be gathered. From the vessel pours life. Pours life – ‘On the night of the crescent moon, the first past the solstice, it will come. ‘Of course. That’s tonight.

COMPUTER CLASS: Everyone is working on a prgram, Cordelia and friend Harmony are struggling. Willow is searching the net.

Cordelia: No! It’s supposed to find the syntax and match it. Or, wait…
Harmony: Are we going to The Bronze tonight?
Cordelia: No, we’re going to the other cool place in Sunnydale. Of course we’re going to The Bronze! Friday night, no cover. But you should have been there last night ‘cos I ran into Buffy and could she be any weirder? She attacked do you believe it?
Harmony: I think we did this part wrong.
Cordelia: Why do we have to devise these programs? Isn’t that what nerds are for? What’d she do?
Harmony: (looking over at Willow) Uh, she’s doing something else.
Cordelia: OK, and then ‘Pattern Run’, right? Or ‘Go To End.’ That’s it.
Harmony: Maybe-
Cordelia: So anyway, I came out of the bathroom and she comes running at me, screaming with a tick, ‘I’m gonna kill you! I’m gonna kill you!’ I swear.
Guy: Who?
Cordelia: Buffy.
Harmony: The new girl.
Guy: What’s her deal?
Cordelia: She’s crazed!
Harmony: Did you hear about her old school? Booted.
Cordelia: Well, I exhibit no surprise.
Guy: Why was she kicked out?
Cordelia: Because she’s a psycho-loony.
Willow: She’s not a psycho. You don’t even know her.
Cordelia: Excuse me? Who gave you permission to exist? Do I horn in on your private discussions? No. Why? Becuase you’re boring.
Harmony: OK. I think the program’s done.
Cordelia: Finally, the nightmare ends. OK so how do we save it?
Willow: ‘Deliver’.
Cordelia: Deliver – where is that – oh!

Cordelia hits the delete key.

TUNNELS

Buffy: They’re close.
Xander: How can you tell?
Buffy: No more rats.

They head into a small side chamber to find Jesse lying face down.

Xander: Jesse!
Buffy: Oh, no…

Jesse jumps up.

Xander: Jesse!
Jesse: Xander?
Xander: Jesse, man, are you OK?
Jesse: I am not OK on an epic scale. We gotta get out of here!

Jesse indicates that he is chained to the wall.

Xander: It’s cool. Buffy’s a superhero!
Buffy: Hold on.

Buffy smashes the lock on the chain.

Giles: Yes.
Xander: Do you think anybody heard that?
Jesse: They knew you were gonna come. They said that I – I was the bait…
Xander: Oh, great, now you tell us.

Buffy leads them back through the tunnel and stops, shadows move at the other end.

Giles: Then why are you here?
Buffy: Oops.
Jesse: Oh, no, no…
Buffy: Do you know another way out?
Jesse: I don’t, uh, maybe?
Xander: Come on.

They head off in the other direction and come to a junction and pause.

Jesse: Wait, wait. They brought me through here! There should be a way up. I hope.

They come to a room with no exit, the vampires close in behind.

Buffy: I don’t think this is the way out.
Xander: We can’t fight our way back through those things.. what do we do?
Jesse: I’ve got an idea.

Jesse morphs into vamp face.

Jesse: You can die.


ACT THREE

THE SUBTERRANEAN ROOM

Xander: Jesse.. Man, I’m sorry…
Jesse: Sorry? I feel good, Xander. I feel strong.

Buffy grabs the door and tries to close it.

Jesse: I’m connected, man. To everything. I can hear the worms in the earth.
Xander: Well, that’s a plus.
Jesse: I know what the Master wants. I’ll serve his purpose. That means you die. And I feed.
Buffy: Xander! The cross!

Xander holds it up and Jesse stops in his tracks. Buffy continues to struggle with the door.

Xander: Jesse. ma, we’re buds. Can’t you remember.
Jesse: You’re like a shadow to me now.
Xander: Then get out of my face.

Holding the cross, Xander backs Jesse towards the door, Buffy hurls him out knocking the approaching vampires sprawling.

Buffy: Help me!

Together they manage to slam the door shut.

Buffy: We need to get out of here.
Xander: There is no out of here.

Looking around Xander spies an air vent.

Xander: Up there.

Buffy climbs up and pulls away the metal sheet revealing a hole big enough to climb through. A vampire jumps out of the vent at them, and Buffy stakes him.

Buffy: Go!

Xander gets through the vent and Buffy pulls herself up after him just as the vampires outside manage to break through the door. The two of them crawl through the dark, vampires at their heels. They find an opening and climb through into the daylight, as Xander pulls Buffy out a vampire grabs her ankle.

Buffy: Xander. Pull!

He pulls her out and they collapse on the street.

THE CHURCH: The master rises from his chair and looks at the vampires standing before him.

The Master: She escaped. She walks free when I should be drinking her heart’s blood right now. Careless.
Vampire: Master, we had her trapped.
The Master: Oh, are you going to make excused? You are all weak. It’s been too long sicne you have faced a slayer. It’s no matter to me. She’ll not stop the Harvest. It just means there will be someone worth killing when I reach the surface. Is Luke ready?
Vampire: He waits.
The Master: It’s time. Bring him to me. And Colin, you failed me. Tell me you’re sorry.
Vampire: I’m sorry –
The Master: There that wasn’t so bad was it? Oh, hold on –

The Master jabs his finger into the vampire’s eye.

The Master: – you’ve got something in your eye.

LIBRARY – INSIDE: Giles is still pouring over his books as Willlow walks in.

Giles: Buffy?
Willow: It’s just me. So there’s no word?
Giles: Not as yet. No.
Willow: I’m sure they’re – great.
Giles: Did you find anything of interest?
Willow: I think maybe. I searched through the old newspapers around the time of that big earthquake back in ’37. And for several months before there was a rash of murders.
Giles: Great. I mean not great in a good way… Go on.
Willow: Well, they sound like the kind you were looking for. Throats, blood.
Giles: It’s all coming together. I rather wish it weren’t.

CHURCH: The Master, Luke, Darla and other vampires are there, there is chanting again. Luke kneels before the Master who holds out his hand to him. Taking it, Luke kisses it and then drinks from it.

The Master: My blood is your blood.
Luke: My body is your instrument.
The Master: On this most hallowed night, was are as one. Luke is the vessel. Every soul he takes will feed me and their souls will grant me the strength to free myself. Tonight I shall woalk the earth and the stars themselves will hide.

THE LIBRARY – INSIDE: Buffy and Xander enter.

Willow: Did you find Jesse?
Xander: Yeah.
Willow: Was he dead?
Buffy: Worse. I’m sorry Willow. We were too late. And they were waiting for us.
Willow: At least you two are OK.
Xander: I don’t like vampires. I’m gonna take a stand and say they’re not good.
Buffy: So, Giles, you got anything that can make this day any worse?
Giles: How about the end of the world?
Buffy: I knew I could count on you.
Giles: This is what we know. Some sixty years ago a very old, very powerful vampire came to this shore, and not just to feed.
Buffy: He came ’cause this town is a mystical whoosit?
Giles: Yes. The Spanish who first settled here called it Boca Del Inferno – roughly translated: Hellmouth. A sort of portal between this reality and the next. This vampire hoped to open it.
Buffy: Bring the demons back.
Xander: End of the world.
Willow: But he blew it. Or, I mean, there was an earthquake that swallowed half the town. And him too.
Giles: Opening dimesional portals is a tricky business. Odds are he got himself stuck. Rather like a cork in a bottle.
Xander: And this harvest thing is to get him out?
Giles: It comes once in a century, on this night. A Master can draw power from one of his minions while it feeds. Enough power to break free, and open the portal. The minion is called the Vessel, and he bears this symbol.
Buffy: So, I dust anyone sporting that symbol and no Harvest?
Giles: Simply put, yes.
Buffy: Any idea where this little get together is being held.
Giles: Well, there are a number of possibilities -.
Xander: They’re going to The Bronze.
Willow: Are you sure?
Xander: Come on, all those tasty young morsels all over the place. Anyway, that’s where Jesse’s gonna be, trust me.
Giles: We should get there. The sun will be down before long.
Buffy: I gotta make a stop. Won’t take long.
Giles: What for?
Buffy: Supplies.

BUFFY’S BEDROOM – INSIDE: Buffy starts going through her closet when Joyce enters.

Joyce: You going out?
Buffy: I have to.
Joyce: I didn’t hear you come in last night.
Buffy: I was really quiet.
Joyce: It’s happening again isn’t it? I got a call from your principal. Says you missed some classes today.
Buffy: I was running an errand.
Joyce: We haven’t finished unpacking and I’m getting calls from your principal.
Buffy: Mom, I promise, it’s not gonna be like before. But I have to go.
Joyce: No.
Buffy: Mom-
Joyce: The tapes all say I should get used to saying it. No.
Buffy: This is really, really important.
Joyce: I know. If you don’t go our it’ll be the end of the world. Everything is life or death when you’re a sixteen year old girl.
Buffy: Look, I don’t have time to talk about it –
Joyce: You have all the time in the world. You’re not going anywhere. Now, if you wanna stay up here and sulk, I won’t hold it against you. But if you want to come down, I’ll make us some dinner.

Joyce leaves, Buffy reaches into her trunk and packs some supplies then leaves by the window.

THE BRONZE – INSIDE – NIGHT: Cordelia and co are on the balcony.

Cordelia: Senior boys are the only way to go. The boys in our grade? Forget about it. They’re children, you know. Like Jesse – did you see him last night? Following me around like a little puppy dog. You just want to put him to sleep. But senior boys have mystery, they have – what’s the word I’m looking for? Vars. I’m just not the type to settle, you know? It’s like when I go shopping, I have to have the most expensive thing, not because it’s expensive, but because it costs more –
Cordette: I know-
Cordelia: Hello! Miss Motormouth – can I get a sentence finished. Oh! I love this song.

They head towards the dancefloor. Jesse walks in and makes straight for Cordelia.

Cordelia: What do you want?

He leads her onto the dancefloor, saying nothing.

Cordelia: Hey! Hello, caveman-brain! What do you think you’re doing?
Jesse: Shut up.
Cordelia: Well, just one dance.

THE BRONZE – OUTSIDE: The bouncer is counting his money when a group of vampires, Darla up front, confront him.

Bouncer: I need ID. Hey! Nobody gets inside until I get some sorta-
Luke: Get inside.

They all go inside.


ACT FOUR

THE BRONZE – INSIDE: The vampires lock the door, turn out the lights and spread out. Luke gets onto the stage.

Luke: Ladies and Gentlemen, there’s no cause for alarm. Actually, there is cause for a alarm. It just won’t do any good.
Cordelia: I thought there wasn’t any band tonight.

She looks at Jesse who’s face has morphed into vamp mode.

Luke: This is a glorious night. It’s also the last one any of you shall ever see. Bring me the first.

The bouncer is brought on to the stage.

Bouncer What do you guys want, man, you want money? Man, what’s wrong with your faces.
Luke: Watch me people! Their fear is like an elxir. It’s almost like blood.

he drinks from the Bouncer while in the church the Master stands, power coursing through him.

Luke: Next!

THE BRONZE – OUTSIDE: Buffy and the scoobies run to the front door.

Buffy: It’s locked.
Giles: We’re too late.
Buffy: Well, I didn’t know I was honna get grounded!
Xander: Can you break it down?
Buffy: Not this thing. You guys try the back entrance. I’ll find my own way.
Giles: Right. Come on.
Buffy: Wait, guys!

She gives them her bag

Buffy: Here, you get the exit cleared, the people out. That’s all. Don’t go Wild Bunch on me.
Giles: See you inside then.

BEHIND THE BRONZE – OUTSIDE: That door is locked too.

Willow: No joy.
Xander: We’ve got to get in there before Jesse does something stupider than usual.
Giles: You listen to me. Jesse is dead. You have to remember that when you see him. You’re not looking at your friend, you’re looking at the thing that killed him.

THE CHURCH – INSIDE: With each drink Luke takes the Master becomes more powerful.

The Master: Almost free. Give me more!

THE BRONZE – INSIDE: Darla approaches Jesse who is holding Cordelia.

Jesse: This one’s mine.
Darla: They’re all for the Master.
Jesse: I don’t get one?

Buffy enters from an upstairs window and looks down at the stage.

Luke: I feel the Master’s strength growing. I feel him rising. Every soul brings him closer. I need another.
Buffy: The vessel –
Luke: Tonight is his ascension. Tonight will be history at its end. Yours is a glorious sacrifice. Degradation most holy. What, no volunteers?

Darla brings him Cordelia.

Darla: Here’s a pretty one.
Cordelia: Nooooo-

Buffy interups by throwing a vampire onto the stage.

Buffy: Oh, I’m sorry, were you in the middle of something?
Luke: You!
Buffy: You didn’t think I’d miss this, did you?
Luke: I hoped you’d come.
Buffy: Be right down.

Buffy jumps down from the balcony.

Buffy: OK, vessel-boy. You want blood?
Luke: I want yours. Only yours.
Buffy: Works for me.

They fight. Meanwhile Giles and the others have found their way in and begin helping the kids out.

Giles: Hurry.
Xander: Come on. Let’s go. Come on.
Giles: Hurry up, the door, come on. This way.

As they herd people out a vampire grabs Xander from behind. Buffy notices, grabs a cymbal and throws it at the vampire, decapitating it.

Xander: Heads up.

Cordelia, having managed to get away from Luke, is now being dragged off by Jesse again. He throws her to the ground and goes in for the kill but she struggles.

Jesse: Hold still. You’re not making this easy.

Xander appears begind Jesse, stake in hand.

Xander: Jesse, man – don’t make me do it.
Jesse: Buddy –

Back on the stage, Luke has a hold of Buffy.

Luke: I’ve always wanted to kill a slayer –

Switch to the rear exit where people are still rushing out.

Giles: Come on. We’re gonna have to open up the front as well.

Xander takes a step back as Jesse rises to face him.

Xander: Jesse, I know there’s still a part of you in there.
Jesse: OK. Let’s deal with this. Jesse was an excrutiating loser who couldn’t get a date with anyone in the sighted community. Look at me, I’m a new man.

They struggle and Xander holds the stake to Jesse’s chest.

Jesse: Oh right. Put me out of my misery. You don’t have the g-

A fleeing woman crashes into them, pushing Jesse onto the stake and he’s dust. Meanwhile Darla has Giles pinned to the ground.

Willow: Get off him!

Darla turns and Willow throws holy water in her face. She runs off screaming. On the stage, Luke still holds Buffy in his arms.

Luke: Master, taste of this and be free.

Buffy, who previously appeared limp in Luke’s hands, back headbutts him, knocking him back and freeing herself.

Buffy: How’d it taste?

Looking around for a weapon, Buffy grabs the cymbal stand and looks at Luke. Behind him is a window painted black.

Luke: You forget. Metal can’t hurt me.
Buffy: There’s something you forgot about too. Sunrise.

She hurls the stand through the window and the light pours in, Luke covers his face, screaming, and then stops. Buffy comes from behind and stakes him.

Buffy: It’s in about nine hours moron.

THE CHURCH – INSIDE: The Master stumbles forward, the energy sapping out of him.

The Master: Noooooooo.

THE BRONZE – INSIDE: Luke falls to the floor and turns to dust. Buffy looks up at the remaining vampires, who hesitate, and then run for their lives.

THE BRONZE – OUTSIDE: Vampires are running out, Angel stands by the door.

Angel: She did it. I’ll be damned.

THE BRONZE – INSIDE: The group meet in the middle of the dancefloor.

Giles: I take it it’s over.
Willow: Did we win?
Buffy: Well, we averted the apocolypse. You gotta give us points for that.
Xander: One thing’s for sure. Nothing is ever going to be the same.

SUNNYDALE HIGH SCHOOL FOUNTAIN QUAD – DAY: Kids are milling about in the sunshine. Cordelia is walking by with her friends.

Cordelia: Well, I heard it was rival gangs, you know, fighting for turf. But all I can tell you is they were an ugly way of looking. And Buffy like knew them, which is too weird. I mean, I don’t remember that much, but I’m telling you it was a freak show.
Cordette: Oh, I wish I’d been there.

Nearby, Buffy and the gang are walking.

Buffy: Well, what exactly where you expecting?
Xander: I don’t know. Something. I mean, the dead rose. We should’ve at least had an assembly.
Giles: People have a tendancy to rationalise what they can, and forget what they can’t.
Buffy: Believe me, I’ve seen it happen.
Willow: Well, I’ll never forget it. None of it.
Giles: Good. Next time you’ll be prepared.
Xander: Next time?
Willow: Next time is why?
Giles: We may have prevented the Master from freeing hismelf and opening the mouth of Hell. Not to say he’s gonna stop trying.
Willow: More vampires?
Giles: Not just vampires. The next threat we face may be something quite differnt.
Buffy: I can hardly wait.
Giles: We’re at the centre of a mystical convergence here. We may in fact stand between the earth and its total destruction.
Buffy: Well, I gotta look on the bright side. maybe I can still get kicked out of school.
Xander: Oh yeah, that’s a plan. ‘Cause I lot of school’s aren’t on Hellmouths.
Willow: Maybe you could blow something up. They’re really strict about that.
Buffy: I was thinking of a more subtle approach. You know, like excessive not studying.
Giles: The earth is doomed.

THE END.


Author: Cider

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