# TP2 - S3 - Sequences
TP/S Leon seeks out the ‘enforcer’, the emotional, theatrical and violent Princess, in a crumbling theatre. He discovers Hamelin, unconscious, strung up and bleeding as part of a disturbing set in front of a small audience and he fears for his life. The tableau shifts from murder to casual live interview. Princess relates her desire to be absorbed by Keres - an ancient Greek bringer of death, but her restraint allows her to rejoice in her body and training. She likens it to his draw to The Abstract and the Jade Rhino who takes the souls of deep divers. Leon and Princess reach forge a deal - Princess gets to cut Leon’s throat if he ever is taken by Jade Rhino, in exchange for freeing Hamelin and attending a meeting with Suunto in the morning.
Sequence One
Leon arrives at Princess’s ‘creative workspace’, a crumbling Theatre. He enters and finds himself unwittingly on stage, as part of her performance art, with a small audience watching. He is directed to sit in a single lounge chair, a steaming teacup in his hand, in a shaft of light by the audience. A twitching hand appears from above and blood drips on the coffee table. Leon realises that he may have unwittingly walked into a trap - a streamed, public display of her anger. Leon must find a way to survive the meeting with Princess in order to get her to work with him again.
CDQ -
Will Leon survive his encounter with Princess and manage to convince her to work with him again?
Sequence Two
A technologically modified rat pokes from the sleeve of the person suspended and Leon realises it must be Hamelin, a member of the team. Leon considers his return may pushed her over the edge. He stands to help Hamelin, but is slapped and falls back into the chair. He sees Princess on the edge of the shadow of light, her treasured Karambit knife illuminated in her hand. He knows she is doing it to generate fear, and it is working. He is helpless against her. He must find a way to help Hamelin and find a way to make peace with Princess.
Ms. Penumbra Sequence One
Ms. Penumbra is angry. She is close to getting what she wants from ImpCorp. She fears they know what they must never know, when Rakin, a former friend and member of the inner circle of the Executive arrives. They talk of old and changing times and her former lover Emmit, who died before the creation of the ImpVerse. He reveals the Executive have voted to ‘transition’ her to the ImpVerse due to her health condition. It confirms her fear. She claims it must be a smear campaign and she will find out where it came from. She claims she already has a plan to transition after her intricate plan to install an accommodating Pope who would endorse the ImpVerse as a realm of Heaven, in two years. Two billion Catholics are at stake. Rakin says he will speak to the Executive to see what he can arrange, but it will not be two years. She realises she must enact her plan involving Suunto’s team, now, and find the security leak and exert subtle pressure on The Executive to ensure she has enough time.
Sequence Three
Princess squats before the coffee table, dressed in a mishmash of culturally significant clothing and religious iconography with a jade rhino, an Abstract Junkie symbol, painted on one cheek. Princess starts her performance, talking of the Jade Rhino to the audience, how it ravages The Abstract, ripping the souls from those who venture too deep, like Leon. She tells Leon, through violent metaphorical and theatrical statements, that she was hurt by his leaving, not his failure and the only way to make it right is to cut his throat. Leon realises that he is in significant danger and must find a way to free himself and Hamelin, who may already be dead.
Sequence Four
The staging shifts to be reminiscent of a talk show. Princess interviews Leon, bringing in her own experiences of being tempted by The Keres (an ancient Greek death spirit) to commit uncontrolled, endless violence. Instead she celebrates the fluidity of violence, honed by ancient combat methods. They talk of the lure of falling into something greater, the Jade Rhino and Leon’s need to beg for forgiveness. She reveals the times she has held a knife to his throat as he dived, wanting to set him free. Leon realises how close he has come to death. She proposes that if the Jade Rhino ever takes his soul, that she be the one to cut his throat and sever the link to The Real. Leon considers the unlikely scenario, and agrees, but only if she frees Hamelin and agrees to go to a meeting with Suunto the next morning. Princess agrees, even if Keres wants to kill him now.
CDQ Answer
Yes. Leon survives and Princess agrees to work with him again.
Character Arc
Leon moves from hesitant and anticipating pain — to — uneasy but relieved that both he and Hamelin are alive and that Princess will work with him again.
Moral Dilemma
Leon is unsure if he should agree to sacrifice his body in the future, and all hope of returning to The Real, if he is ever taken by The Jade Rhino. He is torn between working with the deeply unhinged Princess again, who seems to be getting and his desire to access ImpCorp. He knows she is integral to the team and his success.
Created:
Tags: #template #sequence
Links: Chasing The Rhino Masterlist