ACT THREE

FADE IN:

EXT. Temple – day

Gabrielle reacts, clutching her sais tighter and unconsciously readying herself for a fight.

gabrielle

(strongly)

Who are you?

xena

(smirking)

Come now, Gabrielle.

Is that any way to greet your soulmate?

Radiating dark, sensual energy, Xena takes another casual step forward.  Gabrielle tenses, but stands her ground.

gabrielle

You’re not my soulmate.

Xena’s eyebrow quirks, and her smirk turns into a leer.

xena

Sure I am.

(beat)

And I can prove it to you.

Xena takes another step, clearly stalking her intended prey.

gabrielle

Stay back!

xena

(seductively)

You don’t wanna hurt me, Gabrielle.

You can’t…hurt me.

gabrielle

I will if you don’t stay where you are.

Xena produces a mock frown, and slows to a stop.

gabrielle

(Cont'd)
Thank you.

xena

Always the courteous one, aren’t you, Gabrielle?

gabrielle

I’ll ask you again.  Who are you?

After a moment, Xena brazenly gazes at Gabrielle, from head to toe and back again.  She licks her lips.

xena

Your body speaks a truth your tongue denies, Gabrielle.

Gabrielle refuses to be baited.

xena

(Cont'd)
(darkly)

All right, I can see it’s gonna take a little

convincing for you to see things my way.

(beat, as she considers)

Who else would know about that delicious

little birthmark on the inside of your left thigh,

or how you purr when I....

gabrielle

ENOUGH!

Xena laughs.

xena

Enough?  Oh no, I don’t think so.

She resumes her forward motion; long, easy, confident strides.

xena

(Cont'd)
I don’t think...

Another step closer.

xena

(Cont'd)
... it will ever…

The distance between them is closed.  Xena places a fingertip on the point of each sai, and easily moves them out of the way of her advance.

xena

(Cont'd)
... be enough.

Supremely confident, Xena releases her light grip on the sais and reaches for Gabrielle’s waist, pulling the smaller woman tight against her and covering her lips in an primal, lustful kiss.

Stunned, Gabrielle’s body responds before her mind can catch up, pulled in by the overbearing sexuality of this woman she realizes is, in fact, her soulmate. The kiss goes on for a long, passionate moment, before Xena finally pulls away, her eyes half-lidded and as dark as the smile she sports.

xena

(Cont'd)
(purring)

Proof enough?

Or should we take this dance a little further?

Gabrielle blinks, and swallows hard, trying to regain control of her rebellious body.

gabrielle

(hoarsely)

How?

xena

The brainless dishrag you share the furs with had it right.

There’s a power here.  I can smell it on the wind.

(beat)

Like blood on a battlefield.

gabrielle

What kind of power?

Xena grins.

xena

Destiny.

Gabrielle

I’m afraid I don’t understand.

Xena

Oh, but I think you do, Gabrielle.

(beat)

That so-called “good side” of me that you so cherish

has been burned away, leaving me free to fulfill my destiny.

gabrielle

And that destiny is?

Xena’s eyes darken.

xena

False innocence doesn’t become you.

Gabrielle remains silent, standing her ground.

xena

(Cont’d)

I’ll need an army, of course.  Your Amazons should fill the

bill nicely, at least for now.  They’re decent fighters, and

they know how to work together as a group, which is more

than I can say for most start-up armies I’ve commanded.

Gabrielle is stunned.

gabrielle

There is no way in Tartarus that the Amazons are going

to follow you on some quest for world domination, Xena.

xena

(grinning)

Oh, they won’t be following me, Gabrielle.

You’re their Queen, after all.

gabrielle

(whispering)

You’re crazy.

Xena cups Gabrielle’s cheek and brushes her thumb against Gabrielle’s lips.

xena

Am I really?

gabrielle

Don’t do this, Xena.

xena

Admit it, Gabrielle.

Power intoxicates you.

And why shouldn’t it?

(beat)

It’s glorious.

gabrielle

You’re wrong.

xena

You might be able to fool yourself, Gabrielle.

But you could never fool me.

(beat)

You didn’t even wait for my corpse to cool

before accepting the Queen’s mask, did you?

gabrielle

(heatedly)

That’s not true!

xena

Isn’t it?  You ignored my dying wish

to have my body taken to Amphipolis.

gabrielle

The Amazons needed me.

You know that.

xena

So you’ve said, yes.

But given the choice, you snapped up that

mask with barely a second thought.

(beat)

Admit it, Gabrielle. You love power.

I can feel it burning within you.

Xena’s hand tightens on Gabrielle’s jaw.

xena

(Cont'd)
Admit it.

Gabrielle grasps Xena’s wrist and squeezes tightly.

gabrielle

No.

Smirking, Xena loosens her grip, and takes a short step away.

xena

You have fire, Gabrielle.

It’s one of the things I enjoy most about you.

(pause, as she takes another lingering look up and down Gabrielle’s body)

Among…other assets.

(beat)

I’m offering you the chance to rule

the world with me, Gabrielle.

gabrielle

Over my dead body.

xena

It just might come to that.

gabrielle

Then do it now, or I’ll spend every single

waking moment trying to stop you.

Xena laughs.

xena

You can try.

(beat)

But we both know who’d win.

(beat)

Join me, Gabrielle.

I’ll give you riches you’ve never dreamed of.

gabrielle

I don’t want riches, Xena.

I want you. All of you.

Darkness and light.

xena

I’m sorry, Gabrielle.

That’s one wish I’ll never grant.

gabrielle

It’s the only wish I want granted.

Xena smiles, and Gabrielle wonders if there’s a bit of sadness in it.

xena

Go back to your simpering little do-gooder, Gabrielle.

I’ll be back with your Amazons.

I think you’ll have changed your mind by then.

gabrielle

The Amazons won’t follow you, Xena.

xena

Oh, I think they will.

(beat)

Because if they don’t…

(beat)

... I’ll just kill ‘em all.

Putting her fingers up to her lips, Xena gives a piercing whistle, and Argo prances forward.  Xena leaps on her back, and, with a final smile, is gone into the woods.

gabrielle

XENA!!!!

cut to:

int. inn - day

Gabrielle bursts through the doors and into the tavern.  The diners all look up, staring at the disheveled wild woman who has just entered.

gabrielle

Spiros!!

Spiros comes out from the kitchen.

spiros

What in Tartarus is going…Gabrielle!

What’s wrong? Are you all right?

You look as if you’ve seen a ghost!

gabrielle

Spiros, I need Xena. Right now.

Where is she?

spiros

She’s in your room, Gabrielle. What....

His voice trails off as Gabrielle pushes past him and runs up the stairs.  Spiros quickly follows.

cut to:

int. sleeping room - day

Xena stands as the door opens and Gabrielle enters.  Seeing the shattered look in Xena’s eyes, she comes to a stop less than a foot away.

gabrielle

(with certainty)

You know.

xena

Yes.  It all came together when the mob attacked.

(beat)

Did you find her?

gabrielle

Yes, and we have to do something about it.

Right now.

(beat)

Xena, she’s going to try to force the

Amazons to join her.  We need to stop her.

xena

And we will.  But first we need to find out how this

happened in the first place, and how to reverse it.

gabrielle

Xena, we don’t have time!

She’s on her way to the Amazons right now!

She said if they don’t join up with her, she’ll....

xena

... Kill them all.  I know.

Standing behind the two, Spiros politely clears his throat.

spiros

Perhaps I might be of some help?

If you’d care to tell me what’s going on, that is.

Gabrielle rounds on Spiros in frustration, then forces herself to relax, realizing that he is just trying to help them.  She puts a hand up to her head for a moment to calm her emotions, then releases a pent-up breath.

gabrielle

Do you know anything about the

temple in the woods north of here?

Spiros frowns as he considers.

spiros

It was a temple to Athena, at one time. She fell out

of favor here maybe ten or so years back. Other

cults have worshipped there every now and then.

None of them ever last for very long. Why do you ask?

gabrielle

We were there yesterday, looking around.

Xena went inside, and the temple collapsed.

spiros

Good gods!  Are you all right?

xena

In a manner of speaking.

spiros

I’m afraid I don’t understand.

gabrielle

That makes three of us.

(beat)

Something happened when the temple collapsed,

and we didn’t know what it was until today.

Spiros looks at Gabrielle expectantly.

gabrielle

(Cont'd)
Somehow, Xena was… split... into two separate people.

One, all good. The other, all evil.

Sprios looks at Xena and takes an involuntary step back.

xena

(dryly)

I’m the good one.

spiros

(sheepishly)

Of course. Of course.

(beat)

How did this happen?

xena

That’s what we’re trying to find out.

gabrielle

Please, Spiros, can you tell us anything

else about that temple?  Anything at all?

spiros

(pondering)

Well…I’ve heard rumors about a group of men,

townsfolk mostly, who go out there a couple times

a month.  Pretty secretive bunch, though.  No one

really talks about what they do there.

gabrielle

Do you know any of them?

Could you bring one back here so we could talk to them?

spiros

(doubtfully)

I don’t know, Gabrielle.

As I said, they’re a pretty secretive bunch.

gabrielle

We need any help you can give, Spiros.

Xena’s good half is here, but her evil half....

Spiros pales to the color of fresh cream.

spiros

I’ll be right back.

He departs quickly, leaving Xena and Gabrielle alone.

Turning away from the door, Gabrielle sees Xena standing in the middle of the room, the shattered look back in her eyes.

gabrielle

Xena?  What’s wrong?

Xena drops her gaze to the ground for a moment, before meeting Gabrielle’s eyes again.

xena

Did she....

(beat)

Did I hurt you?

Her own heart breaking, Gabrielle grasps Xena’s hand and holds it up to her cheek, nuzzling against it.

gabrielle

Oh, Xena, no.

She didn’t hurt me.

Not at all.

Xena looks down at Gabrielle for a long moment. Gabrielle gives Xena her most convincing smile.

gabrielle

(Cont'd)
(whispering)

I’m fine.  Promise.

Both women stiffen as they catch the sound of two pairs of heavy boots tramping up the stairs.  They turn as one to face the door just as it opens, admitting Spiros and a tall, hawk-faced stranger trailing slightly behind.

spiros

Xena, Gabrielle, this is Leanthos.

Gabrielle smiles.  Xena nods.

Leanthos

Why did you bring me here, Spiros?

I have nothing to say to that butcher, or her protector.

Xena’s face hardens.  Gabrielle steps unconsciously in front of the stranger, partially blocking his view of Xena.

gabrielle

Leanthos, we need your help.

leanthos

Forget it.  I saw what that monster did.

The only help I’ll give is a good hanging rope.

gabrielle

Tell us about the temple.

Leanthos freezes, and stares down at Gabrielle.

leanthos

I don’t know what you’re talking about.

Gabrielle looks to Spiros, who nods.  She takes a step forward.

gabrielle

I know about that temple in the woods, Leanthos.

And I know you’re a part of the worship there.

I need to know what goes on there.

Drawing himself up to his considerable, full height, Leanthos sneers.

leanthos

And I need to get back to my lunch.

It’s getting cold.

He can no more begin to turn before he finds himself falling to his knees, paralyzed.

gabrielle

I don’t have time to argue with you.

You have thirty seconds to tell us

what you know about that temple.

Leanthos struggles against the effects of the pinch, to no avail.  Finally, he calms.

gabrielle

(Cont'd)
Your time is running out.

leanthos

(straining)

A-alchemy!

gabrielle

Excuse me?

xena

Alchemy.  It’s a charlatan’s science

of turning metal into gold.

gabrielle

What does that have to do with....?

leanthos

Turn… bad… into good.  Strip away…

base… instinct… Purity… peace....

spiros

By the gods.

gabrielle

(angrily)

How many people have

you tried this on, Leanthos?

leanthos

None!  Never! …please....

xena

(softly)

Gabrielle....

Gabrielle turns on Xena, but Xena’s expression softens her anger.  She turns back, releasing the pinch on Leanthos.  He collapses to the floor, gasping for breath.

Gabrielle gives him a moment, then crouches down and pulls him partway up with a firm grip to his upper arm.

gabrielle

Why?

Leanthos is clearly shaken, but his experience with the pinch has loosened his tongue somewhat.

leanthos

To achieve a higher state of being.

To cast off our animal instincts so that

we can live in peace and harmony.

gabrielle

There’s a problem with your logic, Leanthos.

Leanthos looks at her, eyebrows raised.

gabrielle

(Cont'd)
Those “animal instincts” you want

to cast off don’t just go away.

(beat)

They stick around.

(beat)

And without a person’s goodness to hold

those instincts in check, the potential

for destruction is enormous!

leanthos

(crestfallenly)

I know.  We’ve tried it on animals.

(beat)

It was horrible.

Gabrielle tightens her grip on Leanthos’ arm.  He squirms uncomfortably, but doesn’t attempt to break her hold.

gabrielle

Do you have any idea what you’ve done?

Leanthos looks away from Gabrielle’s burning gaze, acutely uncomfortable.

xena

Have you ever tried to reverse the process?

Leanthos eyes Xena with some relief.

leanthos

Yes.

(beat)

None survived.

The shock of rejoining drove them all mad.

Gabrielle goes white.

Xena approaches from behind and lays a hand on Gabrielle’s shoulder. Gabrielle turns her head, and the two women share a long look.

fade out.

END OF ACT THREE

ACT FOUR