Title: The Meaning Of Shanshu
Author: i_glow_like_cordy
Posted: 06-17-2003
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Disclaimer: The characters in the Angelverse were created by Joss Whedon & David Greenwalt. No infringement is intended, no profit is made.
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FADE IN

WELSEY(VO)
The Ancient Prophecies of the Rabrihm.These have been
lost for centuries, forged by the gods, to lead the warriors
of the people to their fates, their destiny's

CORDELIA(VO)
Shanshu! Shanshu!

WESLEY(VO)
(angry)
Cordelia

CORDELIA(VO)
Sorry Luke Snorecauser. Continue.

WESLEY(VO)
They prophecy's contained within this scroll have all come
to pass, and they contain the most detailed accounts of
a Vampire with a soul. They are Powerful, Important......

INT. ANGEL INVESTIGATION'S

where Cordelia stands, listening to a very angry Wesley.

WESLEY
They're gone?

CORDELIA
Okay, let's not go blaming Cordelia.

WESLEY
Why not?

CORDELIA
I'll get back to you on that. The point is, it's
not my fault that the prophecy is prophe-not.

WESLEY
You lost it.

CORDELIA
(imfatically)
mis-placed, mis-placed.

WESLEY
Cordelia, this prophecy is pivotal to the upcoming
battles, and we no longer have it.

CORDELIA
Is that my fault?
(off his look)
With the exception of the part where it is.
Seriously though, would it kill you to possibly
photocopy the ancient lost prophecies.

WESLEY
Are you saying this is my fault?

CORDELIA
I was kinda going there with this.

WESLEY
Cordelia.

CORDELIA
Okay, Cordelia is baddy bad bad. Does that make
you feel better.

WESLEY
Little bit.

CORDELIA
Now lets focus on getting the prophecy back.

WESLEY
Angel should be back with......

CORDELIA
I know. Do you think it's going to be ackward because
of the whole torturing you thing?

WESLEY
I never felt more part of LA till that moment.

CORDELIA
Right of passage really.
(seeing)
And look who just walked through our passage.

ANGLE ON DOOR -- where ANGEL has just entered with FAITH.

WESLEY
Is she Evil?

CORDELIA
I don't know. Let me use my hyper advanced
Bitch detector.

Cordelia walks over to FAITH and SLAP'S HER

FAITH
Oww!

CORDELIA
(re; bitch detector)
Turns out I am one!

ANGEL
Guy's, that isn't helpful

CORDELIA
I felt that helped. Wesley?

WESLEY
Pivotal, Really!

ANGEL
Okay, look guy's she's been seeking redemption.....

CORDELIA
For a whole Seven Month's. Wow, you're the
best escaped convicted, slayer psycho ever....

ANGEL
(getting angry)
Look, we need her and that's why she's here.
And she's not a psycho.

WESLEY
Ha.
(beat)
Sorry.

CORDELIA
Don't apologise.

ANGEL
Cordelia, can't you at least try forgive her. For me.
Please?

CORDELIA
Angel, you know how much I love you. So this
will mean alot.
(beat;simply)
No.

ANGEL
Cordelia!

CORDELIA
Alright, I suppost it take a lot to forgive someone
(long beat; then)
And one day I hope to be that big a person.

Cordelia walks OS leaving the rest of them in aww.

WESLEY(VO)
I want to be there when you tell her...

CUT TO:

EXT. CORDELIA'S APARTMENT

where Cordelia is fumbling with key's to open the door, pissed.

CORDELIA
That this is so punishment for the losing of the
scrolls.

ANGEL
(new knowledge)
You're the one who lost the scrolls?

Awkward beat as they reach the door.

CORDELIA
(perky, overly-cheerful)
Welcome to your home-away-from-home
Faith.

INT. APARTMENT

Faith looks at the wall, The CAMERA turns to where

Faith stare at "YOU" written across the walls in red.

FAITH
Is that written in blood?

Cordelia views it closer, then realises

CORDELIA
It's my nail polish..
(pissed)
You used my new nail polish? You Bastard.

FAITH
Who are you talking too?

Faith is suddenly grabbed, and thrown across the room.

CORDELIA
(simply)
Him.

Angel enter's to find Faith being thrown into the wall.

CORDELIA
10 dollars a bottle!

ANGEL
Cordelia, what's happening to Faith?

CORDELIA
(amazed)
Dennis is kicking her ass(!)

Faith is thrown against the mantle, knocking over a few things.

CORDELIA
Bad Dennis.

ANGEL
Yeah, stop throwing Faith around.

CORDELIA
Oh, I meant the mantle.

ANGEL
Cordelia, can you tell Dennis to stop?

CORDELIA
Okay, Okay.

But she doesn't say anything. Faith is thrown against the wall, then to the floor.

ANGEL
Cordelia?

CORDELIA
(watching happily)
I'm getting to it.

ANGEL
(sternly)
Cordy!

CORDELIA
Fine.
(lowly; pissed)
Ruin all my fun.
(beat)
Dennis. Dennis. Faith is good now.
And I'm extremely flattered that you
would protect me like this, but we kinda
need her.

Faith looks up, she's no longer being attacked. She get's up, rubbing her shoulder.

FAITH
I think that ghost dislocated my shoulder

CORDELIA
(happy about that)
I love you Dennis.
(off Faith's look)
It's for his self-esteem.

Faith walks away as Cordy looks at Angel, mouthing

CORDELIA
(silent; mouthing)
No it's not.

CUT TO:

INT. CORDELIA'S APARTMENT

where Angel is in the process of telling the gang his masterplan.

ANGEL
Then, you and Wesley will make it here to the main
eletrical system, causing a short circuit in the power
grid, causing everyone to become distracted and giving
Faith and me enough time to make it into the room!

CORDELIA
So I'm the shoe?

Long beat; then

ANGEL
No I'm the shoe.

CORDELIA
I wanna be the shoe!

THE CAMERA now pulls back to show that their masterplan is beign plotted out on a Huge Monopoly board that has different Wolfram and Hart places drawn crudely in the middle.

ANGEL
Cordelia!

CORDELIA
Fine, go the shoe, I don't care. It's not like
it's even a prada shoe,

Angel hands Cordelia the shoe, indicating that yes, she can be the shoe. She smiles, kissing him on the cheek.

CORDELIA
I love you.

WESLEY
All it takes is a pair of shoes.

CORDELIA
(oblivious)
What?

WESLEY
Nothing.

CORDELIA
So Faith's the bitch?

FAITH
What?

Cordelia holds the dog up.

CORDELIA
You know, the doggy.

FAITH
Yeah, Wesley will go the bitch!
(picks up 'hat'' Monopoly piece)
And that leaves me the mad hatter.

ANGEL
And here's how it's going to go down.

EXT. WOLFRAM AND HART

We are at the side of the building where Faith is being lead into an open airvent.

ANGEL(VO)
We will make into the premises by entering the
airduct at the side of the building, the system leads
to every major part of Wolfram and Hart,

ANGLE ON the gang indeed crawling through the vent

ANGEL
We will then seperate, Faith and I will make our way down to
where they keep the prophecies.

ANGLE ON The gang, splitting up, going opposite ways

ANGEL(VO)
And wait for the alarms to be turned off. Cordelia and Wesley will then stealthly make their way down to the main power system.

Cordelia and Wesley are above the system, but aren't moving, Cordelia struggles with the vent covering.

CORDELIA
It won't open.

WESLEY
Are you sure?

CORDELIA
(annoyed at question)
Wesley it's stu...

Cordelia whacks the Vent covering hard to emphises her point, only to release it and plummet with it

CORDELIA(OS)
uucccckkkkk!!!!!!!! Oww!

WESLEY
(sircastically)
Stealthy!

Wesley crawls over to check on Cordy.

WELSEY
Cordelia, are you okay?

Welsey looks down to see Cordelia groggily looking up, and that she is currently lying on top of an unconcious guard she has landed on.

CORDELIA
I'm good.
(re; guard)
Bitch went down!

INT. VENT

where Faith and Angel continue to crawl through the vent.

FAITH
Gotta love the quality time here.

ANGEL
I'm sorry Faith, I was hoping to do something
less pro-active.

FAITH
Hey, I'm the pro-active gal, but not in a slutty way.
We got that, clear. What did i think we we're gonna
do, go get an icy to cool down after the chilling
midnight wind.

ANGEL
Yeah......but if we get this prophecy back, maybe
we could go get an icy.

FAITH
Did you not hear the sircasm?

ANGEL
Faith, do you know what shan-shu is?

FAITH
I think i got food poisoning from that once.

ANGEL
No, it's a prophecy.

FAITH
Is that the holy grail we're after now?

ANGEL
No, this is kinda like the sequel. Their was a
prophecy awhile back, the Shanshu prophecy, that
states that the Vampire with a soul would Shanshu.

FAITH
(gameshow-host)
And the definition of Shanshu is?

ANGEL
....become human.

FAITH
(still going with it)
Is the right ans....what?

At this point, Faith also falls through the vent landing hard on the ground.

ANGEL
Faith, are you okay?

FAITH
Yeah, i think so.
(beat)
What kind of Idiot falls through a ventialation shaft.

CUT TO:

INT. ELECTRICAL SHAFT

where Cordelia is rubbing her head.

CORDELIA
I'm an Idiot.

WESLEY
But an incredibly humourus idiot.

CORDELIA
Okay, what do we do now?

WESLEY
Look for the main electrical grid, then dismantle it.

CORDELIA
You mean......

Cordelia flips on the lights which show that the whole room is filled with power consoles, they're not in the room. They are the room.

CORDELIA
This main electircal grid.

WESLEY
Yes.

CORDELIA
(embarresed)
We'll i guess.........technically you did.......because its....one.

WESLEY
Let's get to work.

CORDELIA
(claiming it)
I'm supervisor.

WESLEY
Damn it.

Cordelia sits in a swizzle chair and we'll, swizzles. Wesley gets to work.

CORDELIA
Do you think they have a Marie Claire magazine.

WESLEY
Cordelia, it's an evil Lawfirm where the most diabolical
of forces plot their evil.....

Wesley is interrupted by the sound of Cordelia laughing.

CORDELIA
.....who told her she could pull off that hair..

Cordelia sits laughing at her Marie Claire magazine. Wesley looks confused, how did she get? Never mind. He gets back to work.

CUT TO:

INT. PROPHECY ROOM

where Angel and Faith have entered.

FAITH
So they've spent Millions on security for this room and neglected
to think about the ventalation.

ANGEL
They may be diabolical, but they ain't that bright.

FAITH
We'll count it as one for the good guys. Now lets just
get this prophecy 'cause technically i stole Ten grand
from this lawfirm.

ANGEL
At least you'll be able to afford a good lawyer.

FAITH
Okay, I'm an ancient prophecy.

ANGEL
Interesting.

Faith hits him playfully.

FAITH
Where would i be?

ANGEL
Vault?

FAITH
Way to obvious.

ANGEL
Yeah.......I knew that it.......why wouldn't it be in the vault?

FAITH
What?

ANGEL
I think the vaults a good bet.

FAITH
It's too obvious.

ANGEL
But maybe is so obvious that they knew we would know it
wasn't in the vault, and so to trick us, they did actually put
it in the vault.

FAITH
No. It's just not in the vault.

ANGEL
O-kay.

FAITH
Where are you going?

ANGEL
To try the vault.

Angel indeed makes his way to the vault. Faith figures 'screw it, let him'. and continues to check other places in the room. Faith notices something weird. She starts to run her hand along the wall.

ANGLE ANGEL who is currently trying to rip the door off the vault.

Faith feels a weak part in the wall, punches through and indeed, their is the prophecy.

INTERCUT WITH:

INT. ELECTRICAL ROOM

Wesley is finishing up, while Cordy continues to 'supervise'

CORDELIA
(surprised)
Minnie Drivers still alive?

Cordelia elbow hits a button at the same time as

INT. PROPHECY ROOM

Angel rips open the vault.

ANGEL
It's empty? Faith, it's......

He turns around to see Faith twirling the prophecy in her hand.

ANGEL
Empty.

And the alarms go off. Everywhere. Loud. Both set's of our gang look worried.

INT. ELECTRICAL ROOM

CORDELIA
You mean these buttons actually do something?
I though they we're just for show.

Both Cordy and Wes turn around to find.....A LARGE, PISSED OFF DEMON right in front of them.

WESLEY
Cordelia, What's the plan.

There is nothing but silence for a few seconds, then.

CORDELIA
That was it, what do you think?

CUT TO:

INT. VENTILATION SHAFT

where Angel and Faith are already making their get away, prophecy in hand.

CUT TO:

INT. ELECTRICAL ROOM

The demon is approaching them.

WESLEY
Cordelia, no sudden movements. I will take care of this,
if you just remain......

Cordelia grabs her swizzle chair (in a sudden movement) and rams it into the demon. Then starts spinning it, round and round, faster and faster.

CORDELIA
I now have a plan.

WESLEY
What is it?

CORDELIA
The big, scaredy run away.

With that, Cordelia gives the chair one last hard push, and then makes a runner for the ventalation shaft.

CUT TO:

EXT. WOLFRAM AND HART

where all our gang have emerged. The hide in the alley, across from Wolfram and Hart, where they can see everyone in Wolfram and Hart are up-in-arms.

CORDELIA
I think they noticed.

FAITH
Now, I ain't played monopoly in a while, but
on what street was this part of our plan.

CORDELIA/ANGEL
Our bad!
(beat)
You're bad?
(beat; sircastically)
Way to go!

WESLEY
The point is, we got the prophecy. It should be nothing
but blue sky's from now on.

WHIPEOUT TO:

INT. ANGEL INVESTIGATION'S

where no-one is happy. Cordelia is in definant-mode, calm, not believing.

ANGEL
It's a prophecy Cordy

CORDELIA
Your point being?

WESLEY
The Translation of the Rabrihm indicates
The Shanshu prophecy will not come to pass due
to the rise of the Three acolytes bred for the apocolypse.

ANGEL
And the only way for that to happen....would be
if he kills me.

WESLEY
.............I've translated the text thourghly......how
can you not be worried Cordy.

CORDELIA
Two syllabi Shan-shu, Shan-shu

WESLEY
This prophecy is clear. The Vampire, with a soul
will defend on the greatest battlefield known to man.

CORDELIA
(aha!)
Yes but you are forgetting about the other prophecy?

WESELY
Other?

ANGEL
What other Prophecy?

Cordelia walks over to the desk, grabs a pencil and pad and scribbles down. She holds it up for them to read. It reads.

"Cordelia says We will kick it's ass"

Angel can't help but smirk, any worry he was feeling is automatically lifted.

FAITH
Okay so if.....
(indicates Wesley)
Encycolpedia Britania over there is
done condemning Angel to death

WESLEY
I never.....

CORDELIA
I think he just wants him out of the way.....

WESLEY
What?

FAITH
Yeah, take over the buisness. Angel gone,

ANGEL
I thought you we're better than that Wes.

Angel walks out of the office.

FAITH
Yeah.

Faith exits. Cordy points at Wes.

CORDELIA
Shame.

Wesley lower's his head as Cordelia exits.

INT. LOBBY

CORDELIA
The Three acolytes bred for the apocolypse.
What the hell are they?

FAITH
Yeah, i thought the apocolypse was all about
the horses.

ANGEL
Horses?

CORDELIA
Eat salt, go neigh.

ANGEL
No, the acolytes would be bred. Bred.

FAITH
So the cause of the apocolypse is a bunch of animals.

ANGEL
Like....

CORDELIA
An angry puppy?

WELSEY
Like Wolf, Ram....

ANGEL
and Hart!

Everyone is really quiet, letting this sink in, then

CORDELIA
Wow, they really thought out their name.

CUT TO:

EXT. LOBBY

where Faith, Cordy and Wesley look into Angel's office, where Angel sits, reading the prophecy.

FAITH
Why don't we burn the damn thing down.

WESLEY
It wouldn't do much good. LA is just one branch.
Wolfram and Hart expand much larger than that.

FAITH
Global?

CORDELIA
Dimensional. They're kinda like Mc Donalds.
An evil McDonalds, where the food would rot your
insides out, and be forged in the darkest, creepiest......
(considers)
.......They're kinda like McDonalds.

FAITH
So what do we do? To help him?

WESLEY
There's nothing we can do.....

CORDELIA
Are you condemning him again?

WESLEY
What I?

Cordelia walks away, Faith follows, then

FAITH(OS)
(to Wesley)
Shame!

INT. ANGEL'S OFFICE

All Three enter the office, Angel looks down at the prophecy, sullen. Wesley is the first to speak, trying to be gentle.

WESLEY
Angel, we know this must be......a difficult time for you.
....that you must be dealing with alot of.....We want you to
know that we are all here for you and we accept that you are
going to need time, we are willing to give you that.......with sensitivity
and understanding.

CORDELIA
Yeah. Screw that. What the hell is the matter
with you?

WESLEY
It's called Tact Cordelia.

CORDELIA
I refuse to acknowledge the meaning of that word.
(beat)
boo, freaking hoo. I'm going to die. Hello? You're
already dead. And so this stupid piece of paper say's
that you ain't gonna Shan-shu. I say it otta Shan-shut-up.

This is really having an affect on Angel.

CORDELIA
Obviously if you're gonna sit their and feel bad about yourself.
Great Plan, you already did that for a hundred years and
accomplished diddly.
(beat)
Wake the hell up.

She slaps Angel, alittle to hard.

ANGEL
Oww.

CORDELIA
Too Much?

ANGEL
Kinda.

CORDELIA
Good. Now get up, put on you're homo-erotic coat and go
do something about it.

Angel gets up and puts on his coat, ready to fight the world. He exits the room

CORDELIA
(to herself)
Cordelia's a genius.

CUT TO:

INT. ROAD

where Angel and the gang are loaded into the car, and are now surprisingly being chased by Wolfram and Hart vans

CORDELIA
Why are they after us?
(beat)
Oh, we stole their prophecy! Not something they
can let go?

FAITH
That pedal Angel, push down and it makes
it go
(beat)
Won't matter, we'd need a maniac driver
driving to lose these guy's

ANGEL
Cordy, take the wheel.

They switch as Angel starts making his way to the back of the car. Cordelia loses control alittle and....

WESLEY
Cordy, you hit the mailbox.

The Mailbox slam's into a VANS WINDSHIELD, causing the car to lose control and spin around, blocking the road and stopping the cars from chasing them.

WESLEY
But I see you meant to do that.

CORDELIA
Uhh.....Yeah, sure.

Another van comes up closer, Angel dives at it, jumping onto it.

FAITH
Manly.

Angel enter the van, to see Lilah in the back of it, on her phone.

INT. VAN

LILAH
I know I'm in the middle of a highspeed chase, but does that mean
I can't expect you to deliver my meal?

The phone goes dead.

LILAH
Stupid China Palace.

ANGEL
Lilah?

LILAH
Crap.

EXT. ROAD

All the vans that we're chasing them turn and go back the other way. Instructed to do so by Lilah, who's van also slows down.

The gang pile into it.

ANGEL
Listen carefully, I'm in a really not good mood.
See I just uncovered an ancient prophecy that
says I'm going to die. So, unless you tell me everything
you know......let's just say because you can't get
your meal delivered.....doesn't mean I can't get mine.

Lilah picks up on the seriousness of this threat.

LILAH
What do you want to know?

ANGEL
The Rabrihm prophecy, says I'm going to die.

LILAH
I know, it's being at the top of my favourite reading
list for weeks.

ANGEL
Tell me everything I need to know.

LILAH
No.

Angel actually bites into Lilah, drawing alittle blood, then pulling back.

LILAH
(re;bite, weakly)
Couldn't you have just sent me an e-mail?
(beat)
The prophecy......says that Wolfram and Hart is going to take
away your Shanshu and it's true. The balls in our court.

CORDELIA
Wait a minute, the greatest battlefield known to man.....
.......is a courtroom.

LILAH
Kinda........the supernatural one.

ANGEL
My Shanshu. What happens to it.

LILAH
(playing)
I'm alittle foggy, the blood loss.

ANGEL
Answer me.

LILAH
Let's just say.........they don't hand out Shanshu's to
the most evil Vampire ever recorded in history.

ANGEL
Angelus?

LILAH
No........Angel.

THE CAMERA pulls away from this sentiment, up to the sky, away from the world and

FADE TO BLACK.