Posted at

Green parts of the script are done (so delineated because I don't delineate pages or panels in my scripts and I want to show you the progress somehow).

Page assignments and progress:
Cover - Unassigned
Pages 1-? - Unassigned

Script:

The Broken #7: Developing a Sense of Self Part 2: Meddling, Chapter 2: Squads
By Ave Messer

Characters:
SPLIT: Link to bio. Doesn't have her costume
PROTEAN: Link to bio. Doesn't have his costume
DOCTOR ALEXANDER: Contact me for information on her
SMASH and CRASH: Link to bio
CAMERON ASHTON: Link to bio
OBLIVIOUS: Link to bio
CHIP CHEETAH: Link to bio
SURAVI: Link to bio
UNISON: Link to bio
KID MISCHIEF: Link to bio
KID OLYMPUS: Link to bio
SCOTCH BONNET: Link to bio
BEOWULF: Link to bio



(Open on SPLIT's room, where she is sitting on her bed, reading. There is a knock on the door)

PROTEAN: (On the other side of the door) It's me, Amber.

SPLIT: (A little antsy, opens the door) Hey. How's it going?

PROTEAN: (Yawns as he enters the room) Good. You?

SPLIT: Mhm. (Shifts her weight from one leg to the other)

PROTEAN: I don't know how much you heard yesterday, but George said something about a crush…

SPLIT: (Blushes and looks down) It's… um… yeah, I heard that.

PROTEAN: (Takes SPLIT's hands in his and she looks into his eyes. We now see they are baggy and tired, like he stayed up a long time) I just wanted to say… it's okay. I… don't mind.

SPLIT: (Looking down) Thank you. (Looks at his hands around hers. They stand there for a little bit, in silence)

PROTEAN: (Straightening up) I have to go and study. I just wanted to tell you that, though. (SPLIT looks into his eyes and nods. He lets go and heads to the door. Turns and looks at her again) You still wanna see the ISC match together?

SPLIT: Sure.

PROTEAN: See you then. (Walks out the door. SPLIT closes the door behind him, but presses herself against it to listen to him leave. PROTEAN is muttering) Stupid, stupid. Why couldn't you tell her? (Keeps berating himself, but it fades away as he walks out of earshot of SPLIT. She lingers at the door a while longer)

(Cut to the Battledome. It is the ISC match described in Pride High #6. If you have not read it, please ask for the scenes pertinent to the story. SPLIT and PROTEAN are in the stands together)

DOCTOR ALEXANDER: (Over the loudspeaker) THE ARGONAUTS! (On the holographic screen, the Argonauts are shown, being named off)

SPLIT: (Pointing to SMASH and CRASH) Hey wait, aren't those the twins that picked on me?

PROTEAN: (Shakes his head, bewildered) Amber, you really need to pay more attention. The Argonauts are the most popular kids in school. Especially Kid Olympus.

SPLIT: (Still looking at the screen) Smash and Crash. Isn't that a little silly?

DOCTOR ALEXANDER: PRIDE HIGH!

SPLIT: Yeah! Go Pride High! (She is almost completely drowned out by CAMERON ASHTON's cheer)

PROTEAN: (Looking at CAMERON ASHTON) Wow. That's odd.

SPLIT: Huh?

PROTEAN: (Turning to SPLIT) Cameron Ashton, showing emotion. (Split looks bewildered) I've just never seen it.

SPLIT: Who's Cameron Ashton?

PROTEAN: You know, Amber, (Points to OBLIVIOUS amongst the Argonauts) if he wasn't called Oblivious, I would think it would be perfect for your codename.

SPLIT: Ha ha. (Looks out at the battle. CHIP CHEETAH pounces on CRASH's back) Hey, get him, cat-boy! (SURAVI blasts CRASH and SPLIT cheers. When UNISON piles on CRASH, she clenches her fists in anticipation. Then CRASH and SMASH switch places) What? Hey, that's cheating!

PROTEAN: (Out of the side of his mouth, still watching the match) How else do you think they're so good at wrestling?

SPLIT: (Looking at PROTEAN, thinking) Didn't know we had a wrestling team. (Looks back at the match to see SURAVI start taking KID MISCHIEF into the air. Speaking) Wow, that's a good strategy. (One of the twins is taken out. She cheers. KID OLYPUS shoots into the air and rams KID MISCHIEF. She gasps, but is immediately happy as she sees KID OLYMPUS go down. Cheers through the rest of the match, happy. Cut to her and PROTEAN leaving the stadium)

PROTEAN: That was fun.

SPLIT: Makes you wonder why we didn't go to the first one.

PROTEAN: Uh, George went to cheer against Umoja last week.

SPLIT: He did? Hm. I thought I slept through that.

PROTEAN: How is it that he's more on top of what you do than you are with him?

SPLIT: (Bites her lip) I don't know. He's probably just more observant. (They walk a little ways further before PROTEAN speaks)

PROTEAN: Have you ever wanted to join a squad?

SPLIT: Eh, not really. It's not exactly like I'm built for it. (Lifts her arm to show how skinny it is) I'm just skin and bone. And besides, my powers might not be allowed.

PROTEAN: But you know Tai Chi. That has to come in handy.

SPLIT: It's not really offensive. Besides, everybody's full. Why were you asking, anyways?

PROTEAN: Well, it's just that… I kind of want to join a squad and… if I did, it would be nice to have you on it with me, somebody I trust.

SPLIT: But they're full.

PROTEAN: I know, I know. I was just thinking out loud. (Stops walking) Wait. We could make our own.

SPLIT: (Whipping her head to look at him as she stops in front of him) Huh?

PROTEAN: It couldn't be for this year, but we could try and get some people together for next year. But we need a theme…

SPLIT: I don't know anybody, Vince. I only know you. You know that.

PROTEAN: (Obviously not really listening) Theme, theme, theme… High IQs? No, too close to the Masterminds. Don't want to be copycats.

SPLIT: Why are you suddenly thinking about this?

GEORGE: (From the reflection in the handrail of nearby stairs) Adrian, come over here.

SPLIT: (Walks over, PROTEAN still muttering to himself, not noticing her leave) What?

GEORGE: Grant has been pressuring him for a while now to join the ISC, ever since he figured out that he hadn't joined a squad. It's been eating Vince for some time.

SPLIT: How do you know this?

GEORGE: I pay attention. There's not much else to do while you're in control.

SPLIT: (Smiling) Thanks.

GEORGE: I have to be ready in case you ever get involved with him, anyways. (SPLIT looks confused) I'm your brother, I'm supposed to look after you, especially where you can't.

SPLIT: You really do know more about this.

GEORGE: You want me to talk to him?

SPLIT: Sure. (Closes her eyes and George takes control. Amber watches her body walk back to PROTEAN. George says) Vince, think realistically. Adrian won't be one to jump into something like this.

PROTEAN: (Looking at SPLIT with disdain) I don't want to talk to you, George.

SPLIT: Listen, man, he needs to be eased into things like this. He will only work with a group of people he trusts. Gather a group of friends and let him mingle. He'll turn around, and if nothing else, he'll have more friends. He needs them, you know.

PROTEAN: Why do you care?

SPLIT: Whiny thoughts in his head. "I don't know anybody. Vince is my only friend. Waah." I hear them all. It drives me crazy.

PROTEAN: But what would you suggest? She isn't all that social with others.

SPLIT: How about a… (Face twists in disgust) oh, I can't believe I'll suggest this… support group for other people like him?

PROTEAN: (Expression brightens) That could work. I could try and find other transgender people at the school. Let's see, there's Gravita, Stallion-

SPLIT: Yeah, yeah. I don't need the details, myself. (Points his thumbs towards the throng of people exiting the stadium) I'm gonna leave. (PROTEAN acknowledges and begins to mutter to himself. SPLIT begins to walk away) I think he knows you like him. (Darts off)

PROTEAN: (Looks up) Huh?