CEDRIC//

Vlad I haven't been able to rest all day.

I want to go check on the Islander.

STRAUD//

You want to go check on Kealoha?

I'll save you the time and not restate the obvious.

CEDRIC//

What, that he's far out?

Yeah, I know, I just...

Can't shake the fact that I'm worried.

He's in the middle of nowhere.

Literally.

STRAUD//

I don't like you going out there. Particularly by yourself.

Let's not get too ahead of ourselves because of our victory at Saint Louie.

CEDRIC//

I'll be cautious.

Sebastian's out there.

STRAUD//

Sebastian is a lot older than you are.

CEDRIC//

Age is just a number.

I've proven myself on more than one occasion.

STRAUD//

I don't contest that.

CEDRIC//

We can't afford to lose any of the family.

STRAUD//

Kealoha is valuable.

STRAUD//

But I don't like it.

CEDRIC//

Go with me.

STRAUD//

No.

STRAUD//

Go if you must. But take Kealoha a delivery of suncreme.

He goes through it at an astronomical rate.

CEDRIC//

Where is it?

STRAUD//

Take George Henry's extra store.

I'll have Mandarc take over a replacement.

Or maybe Marscapone can come pick it up.



There is a slight chill in the air at the MARSCAPONE AUXILIARY APARTMENTS. The sound of kibble pouring into a porcelain bowl rings through the first floor.

AVAEL has remembered to feed the cats.

In the side unit, CEDRIC buttons his coat. He owns several of the same garment, each with its characteristic distinctions that set apart the otherwise identical trappings. This one has a few threads loose on the trim around the neck.

CEDRIC nags himself to repair it as soon as he has a free moment.

He’s informed AVAEL of his plans. His last duty is to bid adieu to his reddish cat, TOONCES.


The MAGICADEMY has become a quiet place since the imprisonment of the HEADMISTRESS. GEORGE HENRY moves about the house near soundless, rather skilled at avoiding loose floorboards. SUMMER HOLIDAY lives in one of the parallel apartments, soundproofed and reinforced for the privacy of the inhabitant. KEVIN MARSCAPONE & TZU PRANO are guests. Welcome guests, experienced guests, but guests never-the-less.

CEDRIC opens the front door with a key and slips into the dark-bricked building. He puts an empty duffel bag on the floor and removes his shoes. A familiar voice greets him.

GEORGE HENRY

DAYWALKER.

WELCOME.

YOU’RE LOOKING FOR THE YOUNG MASTER AND HIS GUEST?

CEDRIC

YEP.

GEORGE HENRY

I BELIEVE THEY’RE IN THE LIBRARY.

CEDRIC

OKAY. I’LL GO GET THEM IN A MOMENT.

I NEED YOUR STORE OF SUNCREME.

GEORGE HENRY

… SIR?

CEDRIC

I’M TAKING IT TO MAKOA KEALOHA.

GEORGE HENRY

…THEN I WISH YOU WELL.

MASTER STRAUD’S SUNCREME IS DOWNSTAIRS IN THE SERVER ROOM.

I WILL INFORM THE YOUNG MASTER THAT YOU HAVE ARRIVED.



TZU

IT’S THE FIRST I’VE SEEN OF KEVIN SINCE HE TOOK STRAUD’S CURE.

HE… HE LOOKS GOOD.


TZU PRANO drives her silver rental car carefully through the streets of QUEENS, bound for the airport. CEDRIC sits in the passenger seat. Their luggage has been stowed in the trunk.

TZU

IT’S BEEN A FEW YEARS NOW, RIGHT?

CEDRIC

TWO.

TZU

HE LOOKS HEALTHY. BETTER THAN I’VE EVER SEEN HIM.

CEDRIC

MMM.

TZU

BUT…


She seems to be proding for more information.

TZU

DOESN’T THIS MEAN THAT HE’LL DIE?

CEDRIC

YES.

IT DOES.

TZU

IT…

CEDRIC

WE CAN STILL DIE, TOO.

IT WAS HIS CHOICE.

I THINK HE THOUGHT HIS WEAKNESSES WOULD OVERCOME HIM.

SO HE…

HE CHOSE TO REROLL.

TZU

HEH. FUNNY WAY TO PUT IT.

CEDRIC

HE WASN’T LIKE THE REST OF US. HE ALWAYS FELT HE WAS A DRAIN ON US.

SO HE WANTS TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK.

TZU

I CAN UNDERSTAND THAT.

CEDRIC

HE’S ADJUSTED TO THE CHANGE WELL.

BETTER THAN I DID.

TZU

WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU WASN’T YOUR CHOICE.

CEDRIC

DOESN’T MATTER.


A silence hangs in the car and the noise of the traffic becomes overwhelming.

TZU

I ALWAYS THOUGHT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING THE HEADMISTRESS COULD HAVE DONE.

SHOULD HAVE DONE.

CEDRIC

EH.

SHE’S NOT HALF AS POWERFUL AS SHE WISHES SHE WERE.

TZU

SHE CAN HEAL.

CEDRIC

SHE CAN HEAL THE LIVING; YOUR KIND.

BY THE TIME THEY GOT TO ME, I WAS TOO FAR GONE.


TZU was then a young girl, sheltered from the knowledge of CEDRIC’s fate until far later.

CEDRIC

IT’S OF NO MATTER.

I ACCEPT WHAT I AM, AS MUCH AS ONE CAN.

TZU

I JUST…

DIDN’T KNOW THE PROFESSOR…


TZU pauses, searching for the right words.

CEDRIC

HAD THE CURE?

YEAH.

OLD MAN’S GOT A FEW TRICKS UP HIS SLEEVE.

BUT I’M GOOD.

INCANTATIONS WERE NEVER MY STRONG SUIT.



The car is silent a while.

TZU

THERE ARE A FEW THINGS I DON’T UNDERSTAND THOUGH.

KEVIN’S FATHER, VINCENT.

IS HE RESURRECTED OR IS HE ALSO TRAPPED IN THE WINTRANET?

CEDRIC

THE WINTRANET IS STRAUD’S INVENTION.

IT’S NEITHER ENTIRELY TECHNOLOGICAL NOR ENTIRELY TELEPATHIC.

WHEN YOU SEND A MESSAGE, IT’S ROUTED THROUGH HIS TELEPATHY.

BUT TRANSLATED. BUFFERED.

TZU

THAT’S A LOT OF TRUST TO HAVE IN ONE MAN.

CEDRIC

AVAEL AND I COULD FUNCTION AS A BACKUP SOMEDAY, MAYBE WITH THE HELP OF KEV AND VINCE, USING THE ALL-SEEING DREAM TO SEND SENSE-DATA.

BUT THAT’S IN ALPHA AT THIS POINT.

TZU

I DON’T THINK I UNDERSTAND HOW THIS ALL COULD WORK.

IS…

VINCENT…?

CEDRIC

THE OLD MAN AND VINCE HAVE BEEN FRIENDS A LONG TIME.

WHEREVER HIS SOUL RESTS, HE’S STILL TELEPATHICALLY BOUND TO THIS PLANE THROUGH KEV AND VLAD.

TZU

AND THEY’RE ABLE TO HAVE EXTRAPLANAR INFORMATION TRANSFER?

I THOUGHT THAT WAS IMPOSSIBLE.

CEDRIC

ELYSION IS NOT JUST ANY OLD PLANE.

BUT I’D SUGGEST THAT YOU ASK VINCE YOURSELF.



The two get to the airport and drive into the rental car drop-off.

CEDRIC, TZU exit the car. In her hand is the paperwork for the car; she sorts through it preparing to part ways with the vehicle.

CEDRIC pops open the trunk and throws the duffel over his shoulder. The jars, each wrapped in a protective cylinder of cardboard, clack against each other harmlessly.

TZU comes around to the back of the car to retreive her own luggage. She looks at CEDRIC, seeming to raise an eyebrow at the sight of him.

TZU

THEY’RE REALLY GOING TO LOOK THE OTHER WAY ABOUT A BAG FULL OF SUNSCREEN?

CEDRIC

I’M HIGHLY ALLERGIC. ALBINO, EVEN.


But TZU isn’t buying it.

TZU

I… UH… SUPPOSE.

CEDRIC

VLAD HAS HIS CONNECTIONS. I TRUST HIM.

OUR TICKETS AREN’T ASSOCIATED. I GUESS THIS IS WHERE WE PART WAYS.

SEE YOU ON THE OTHER SIDE.


CEDRIC makes a step away and prepares to turn around, break eye contact with TZU. But she sees his motion and raises her own, taking two steps toward his trajectory.

TZU

I CAN’T LET YOU DO THIS.

CEDRIC

WHAT?

TZU

IT MAKES MORE SENSE IF I WERE TO TAKE IT.

I’M A DOCTOR.

CEDRIC

WELL.

IT’S NOT THE ONLY REASON I’M GOING. I HAD –

TZU

A DREAM?

CEDRIC

A PREMONITION.

TZU

YOUR BRAIN MAKING IMAGERY WHILE IT PROCESSES WHAT YOU’VE THOUGHT, CONSCIOUS AND NOT, DURING THE DAY.

HOW DO YOU KNOW IT’S MAGICAL?

CEDRIC

IT’S NOT MAGICAL.

IT’S –

TZU

DIVINE?

IT’S BULLSHIT.

CEDRIC

YOUR BRAIN –

TZU

ISN’T LIKE YOURS?

PROVE IT.


The anger rises between the two, heated and frustrated.

CEDRIC

IT WAS A PARTICULARLY VIVID DREAM THIS TIME.

TZU

SO WHAT?

WE’VE ALL BEEN THERE.

CEDRIC

(carefully) I WAS GOING TO CHECK ON MAKOA IN PERSON.

TZU

LET SEBASTIAN AND ME.

CEDRIC

THAT WASN’T THE PLAN.

TZU

THE PLAN IS STUPID. RISKY.

CEDRIC

VLAD HAS CONNECTIONS. HE CAN CHANGE COMPUTER RECORDS.

TZU

AND WHAT IF HE MISSES SOMETHING?

CALL KEVIN AND HAVE HIM PICK YOU UP.

YOU.

ARE STAYING HERE.

BESIDES.

WHAT HAPPENED THE LAST TIME YOU AND YOUR FRIENDS LEFT THE CITY?


TZU reaches up and grabs the bag from CEDRIC’s grip. He relents.

The glass jars clack inside.

TZU

THAT’S WHAT I THOUGHT.