Title: twokinds rewrite Credit: written by Author: Thomas Fischbach Credit: adapted by Author: Nathan Lindsay Copyright: troublesome EXT. FOREST CLEARING **Birds chirping.** Sun shining. A MAN, 24, blue hair, blue triangle on his left cheek, lies in the grass. His eyes are closed. He wears a white shirt with blue stripes, traveling pants and boots. On the grass next to him lies a pack, a scabbard, and a shortsword. A VOICE emanates seemingly from within his mind. EPHEMURAL Awake. His eyes open. He stares up at the blue sky. It's all he sees. TRACE (V.O.) Blue. He stirs. He flops over to one side, disoriented. The forest and clearing is revealed to him. TRACE (V.O.) Green. Trees. Grass. Flowers. Yellow. He struggles to sit up. He seems to instinctually know how to control himself, but not consciously. His expression is dazed and confused. He looks down at his hands, which he twitches. TRACE (V.O.) Hands. Fingers. He gets up. He finds his balance easier this time. He looks around at the peaceful clearing, noticing his equipment and noting objects as they enter his view. TRACE (V.O.) Bushes. Green. Pack, sword. Mine. He picks up the two of them. He's even more confused. TRACE Mine? His voice startles him. He feels at his throat. He vocalizes again, slower. TRACE Mine, my... voice? TRACE (V.O.) Speech. Language. Communication. He closes his eyes and feels his head. TRACE Who... am I? FEMALE VOICE HELP! He's frightened by the screaming. He whirls around, looking for its source, instinctually, albeit haphazardly, waving his sword in the air. His pack swings from his hand. FEMALE VOICE HELP! HELP! TRACE Help? Help. He slings his pack onto his back. He dashes in the direction of the mysterious communicator. FEMALE VOICE HELP! HELP! TRACE ^ Help. Help. CUT TO: In the forest, A MAN wearing nondescript clothing and weilding a falchion, sadistically shoves a TIGER LADY to the ground. She's an anthropromorphic humanoid creature, long brown hair, orange fur, black stripes, wearing a blue shirt, brown pants. She cowers, terrified, tears in her eyes, as the falchion points at her face. The man looms above her. MAN Here kitty, kitty. Shouldn't you know better than to stray this far into human lands? The tiger whimpers. The man laughs. MAN I think I'll sell your head first. Then your hide, I could charge a fortune! TIGER No! Trace appears from behind the man, rustling through the bushes. He's covered in twigs and small scratches. He haphazardly runs toward the two of them. TRACE Hey! Leave her alone! The man turns around. His face falls at the sight of the blue-haired fellow. MAN Grand Templar! TRACE (V.O.) Templar... MAN My apologies, Master Templar. I did see it first, but the Keidran's all yours. Bye Trace. [[the man, who is Ephemural in disguise, wouldn't have much reason to explain to him more. But she does want to set Trace on a path of hurting Flora, so she does call her vicious to try to plant a seed. However, the staged "saving" has endeared Trace to Flora, and soon Flora will return the favor by helping him understand.]] TRACE Bye... He doesn't seem to remember what it means. The man turns his back on the others. MAN Though you may want to dispatch her quickly. She seems a vicious one. He laughs, quickly disappearing behind a tree. Trace just stands there, sword still raised. He looks down at her, pointing his sword. TRACE Vicious? The tiger stares innocently at him, apprehensive at his sword, which he lowers. TRACE Sorry. You alright? He seems suprised at his own words again. The tiger stares, not answering. She stands, takes one slow step, and tackles him. TIGER Nya! Trace shouts in suprise. But it was just a hug. She purrs. TRACE (V.O.) Hug. Thanks? ... Purring. TRACE Cat? Tiger. She takes a step back, tilting her head. TRACE Can you speak? [[speak english, immediately!]] She chuckles. TIGER Of course, don't you know anything? TRACE I... No. I don't suppose I do. TIGER Mrr? TRACE I woke... only a few minutes ago. I don't know anything, I don't know where I am or who I am or what I'm doing or how I'm even speaking right now or how to stop speaking or what to do next. He takes a deep breath, stressed. TIGER You *don't* know anything? Trace shakes his head. TRACE Nothing. Not even my own name. Though I think that guy called me the Grand Templar. Templar... TIGER *You're* the Grand Templar? TRACE Your guess is as good as mine! TIGER You seem nicer than I thought he'd be. I mean, you saved me. TRACE Thanks? I don't even know what a Templar is. TIGER That's a type of human. The worst type, really. TRACE Oh. I'm sorry. Why is that? TIGER They control everything. They kill and sell my kind into slavery. All because they have magic. TRACE Magic? TIGER Yes, magic. You know, making things float and blasting people and stuff. TRACE I can make things float? Like this? He holds his sword up. She laughs. TIGER Mrehehe! No, silly. That's not magic. TRACE Oh. He finally sheathes his sword, putting his hands up to his head. TRACE This is going to take a lot of time. It's like everything is still there, but I can't make myself remember anything. TIGER Well, maybe I can help you remember. Say, I could help you find your way to the next town or city. I'm pretty sure there's one nearby. Plus, I owe you one for saving me from that human. TRACE Thanks! ... Where do we start? TIGER Mrehe! Probably that trail there. Check your pack, you probably have a map in there. Even if you don't remember packing one. Trace kneels to search his pack. TRACE Seems trivial to me. I could do without remembering why I'm here if I could just figure out *who* I am. Found it! He holds it up. TRACE I know this is a map, but I don't know what a map is or what it does. TIGER It shows you where you are so you know the way. TRACE Ah. He drops the map on the ground uncerimoniously and points at it. TRACE Show me the way, map! She giggles her feline giggle again. Trace grins sheepishly. TIGER I'll help you. CUT TO: Wide of the Tiger and Trace kneeling to examine the unfolded map. The man who threatened her before comes into view, watching them from afar in a tree. He transforms, revealing a figure with long, gray hair, shrouded by a mask with glowing yellow eyes. EPHEMURAL Yes, good. Taking his memories was a stroke of genius. My greatest enemy has become my greatest asset. What better way to protect the girl than with the human himself? Now I just wait... CUT TO: Map of the local area. Large forest shows a trail going towards the town of **Pinewood**. The tiger's finger points at it. TIGER There! I think it's not too far, we just have to follow the trail that way. TRACE It looks like it's only a couple hours' walk. Though I guess we will have to make a stop before we hit it. She grins at him. TIGER You don't seem to be having any trouble with the map now. TRACE That's the thing. I seem to instinctually *know*. Just not *remember*. TIGER Well, if you can remember how to walk, we'd better get going. They stand, Trace folds the map. TIGER My name is- TRACE Flora. FLORA Wha- how did you know? TRACE I... I don't know. Flora looks at him, troubled. FLORA I guess we'll find out. And we'll find out your name. The two of them begin walking.