ACT FOUR

FADE IN

XENA:
     Eve!! (dismounting Argo, just inside what's left of Elem) Gabrielle!!

No response.

XENA:
     Eve! Gabr--

A black-haired man steps into Xena's line of sight.

IBU:
     You know, Xena, that is getting rather annoying.

Xena runs toward Ibu, drawing her sword. She reaches him and levels it at his neck.

XENA:
     Where are they?

IBU:
     For a ningen, you're very persistent.

XENA (flatly):
     We're full of surprises. Where are they?

IBU:
     But Xena, we haven't even been introduced. I'm sure you'd like to know who I am.

XENA:
     Actually, I really don't care.

IBU:
     My name is Ibu. And I'm going to kill you.

XENA:
     I've been dead before.

IBU (glances at the sword against his neck):
     Are you going to kill me or are you too concerned that you won't find your friends without little old me?

XENA:
     Hadn't crossed my mind.

Xena presses hard on her sword, cutting Ibu's throat open. He falls to the ground. Xena frowns, her brow wrinkling, confused as to why that was so easy. As though to make sure he's dead, Xena chops off his head, then begins calling her companions.

XENA:
     Gabrielle? Eve!?

A muffled sound emanates from within the burial mound that Gabrielle and Eve had erected earlier. Xena frantically begins pulling away the stones and wooden pillars. She reaches in and clasps a hand. She pulls hard and Eve climbs roughly out of the burial mound.

EVE:
     Mother!

XENA:
     Eve! (she hugs her daughter, stroking her hair and making sure she's okay, then they break apart) Where's Gabrielle?

GABRIELLE (as if on cue):
     Xena!

Xena turns to see Gabrielle running towards her, sais drawn.

GABRIELLE:
     Xena, he's not--

Gabrielle is cut off as a powerful arm seizes her around the neck. Looking to the owner of the arm, Xena sees a relatively handsome "man" with a scar over his left eye, white fox ears and a tail.

XENA:
     Ibu!

IBU:
     You should really know that kitsune have more than one form. Or weren't you told, by Enma, lord of all things incompetent? (Gabrielle struggles against his grasp) She's a fiery thing, isn't she? Did she come that way or did you teach her?

XENA (growling):
     She came that way.

IBU:
     Then I'm not at all surprised you picked her.

Ibu forcefully grabs Gabrielle's wrist and kisses her suddenly. Gabrielle struggles but Ibu only draws the kiss out longer. When he pulls away, he licks his lips seductively.

IBU:
     She tastes good too. I'd almost be willing to let you all live freely, if I could keep her.

XENA (draws her sword):
     Forget it.

IBU:
     I said almost. She's not that good.

Gabrielle takes the opportunity to kick Ibu in the shin and nearly stab him with her sai but he catches her wrist.

IBU:
     No, no, no. I can't let you go.

Xena pulls her chakram off her hip, preparing to throw it.

IBU:
     You wouldn't throw that. Not when I could just lift your friend in the way. I don't think you'd kill her.

XENA:
     Care to bet on that?

IBU:
     Love to. How about the stakes are....Gabrielle's life?

GABRIELLE:
     I'd sooner die than let you kill more innocents.

IBU:
     No one is innocent.

Xena throws her chakram. Ibu smirks and moves Gabrielle to act as his human shield. At the last second, Gabrielle lifts her sais and deflects the chakram.

XENA (angrily):
     Gabrielle!

IBU (smirking superiorly):
     What was that about giving your life?

XENA:
     Now, Gabrielle!

Gabrielle elbows Ibu in the stomach and breaks free of his hold. Xena flips between Gabrielle and Ibu, standing in front of her protectively. Gabrielle deftly throws Eve a sai.

IBU:
     Intelligent move. She'll be a hard target for me if she has a weapon in her hand.

XENA:
     I have a weapon in my hand. And right now, it's pointed straight at your heart.

IBU:
     How non-threatening. I can move faster than you could possibly swing that sword.

XENA:
     Prove it.

Xena begins attacking him with the sword, which he evades with ease. Behind their battle, the chakram, after bouncing around the remains of the village, is heading straight towards Eve. With a dark look, Eve lifts the sai, and deflects the chakram. Its new course sends it straight into Ibu's back. As it hits, blood spurts from Ibu's mouth.

IBU:
     How...?

GABRIELLE:
     Dying is only a last resort.

Xena finishes Ibu's death by chopping off his head. His body falls to ground with a sickening thud. Xena pulls her chakram out from Ibu's back, wiping it on his robes. Within seconds, a shimmering white, nine-tailed fox leaps from the blood. It gives a laugh-like bark, before darting away.

XENA:
     Get it!

Swirls of blindingly white light appear in front of Ibu. From the white light steps Enma. He grabs the fox by the scruff of the neck. The fox bites at Enma but Enma, being a god, is unaffected by the bites.

ENMA:
     That will do, Xena. In this weakened form, Ibu will be an easy target in the demon world.

EVE:
     You're going to leave him to be slaughtered?

ENMA:
     Don't you think the families of those he killed deserve retribution?

EVE:
     Vengeance isn't the way.

ENMA:
     Maybe not here but in the Makai, that's all there is. It wouldn't be your concern anyway. Xena, your debt is paid in full. I shall not bother you again.

XENA:
     Good.

Enma vanishes with Ibu, in the same white swirls of light he always uses.

EVE:
     Is it right? To just let justice act in the form of vengeance?

GABRIELLE:
     He didn't feel remorse, Eve. He did it for fun.

Xena clenches her jaw.

EVE:
     He wasn't the only one.

XENA:
     Come on girls. Let's get going.

Xena whistles and Argo comes running up. She mounts, looks down at Gabrielle and Eve and clicks her tongue, Argo starting to walk. Gabrielle and Eve look at each other and then follow Xena as they head out of the town as we:

FADE OUT

THE END

[Gabrielle began to wonder just what exactly she tasted like during the production of this motion picture.]

Xena: Warrior Princess Shipper Seasons Season 7 Episode 2 Sly Fox Story By: Maureen Written By: Maureen Collage By: Aurora Images Gathered By: Aurora Cast Xena Lucy Lawless Gabrielle Renee O'Connor Eve Adrienne Wilkinson Ibu Imatarou Kaori Enma Musa Shido Woman Ellen Carmichael Baby Eva Prat Original Airdate October 6, 2001 Gabrielle began to wonder just what exactly she tasted like during the production of this motion picture. DEDICATED TO KEVIN SMITH All characters and storylines that have appeared in the syndicated series Xena: Warrior Princess are a copyright and trademark of Universal and Renaissance Pictures. No infringement was intended during the writing of this script. All original characters and storylines are a copyright of the respective authors and of the Shipper Seasons. No script may be reproduced on a website elsewhere without the author's consent. © Shipper Seasons www.shipperseasons.com

This script is provided by GDev Resources.