Between Friends Transcript (Novelization)

« Back to "1.02 Between Friends"

[TEASER]

[Narrator: “Previously-- on ‘Young Hercules’.”

Strife: “I’m Strife. I’m bad.” Ares: “Destroy a mortal son of Zeus.” Strife: “You mean Hercules.” H: “What’s your name?” Strife-as-NG: “Ny-- Nysus Gaius.” Strife-as-NG: “He used to tell me about this place-- near the academy? In a cave-- up on the mountain.” H: “What cave?” Strife-as-NG’s Voice: “They've got a chalice there-- made by Zeus himself.” Ares’ Voice: “Is my dear brother hooked?” Strife’s Voice: “Like a little fish, Uncle-- waiting for Hera to fry.”

Narrator: “Now, on ‘Young Hercules’.”]

---

Custodian: [Screams]

I: “Ooh! [Yells]

---

I: “A little help here!”

---

Ja: “Look before you leap, Iolaus.”

---

Ja: “You’re welcome!”

I: “I was gonna say thanks!”

Ja: “Let’s break his fall.”

I: “Go!”

I: “OK. Uh-- this way.”

Ja: “Uh, no, it’s this way!”

I: “No, it’s this way!”

Ja: “It’s this way!”

I: “I”m telling you; it’s this way!”

H: “Over here!”

I and Ja: “That way.”

Ja: “I told you it was that way.”

I: [Incomprehensible-- “Look out.”]

H: “Perfect.”

---

[ACT I]

Cheiron: “These’ll take the stiffness out of that shoulder. You were lucky, Hercules. But the warrior that depends on luck is a fool.”

H: “I understand that this won’t change anything, but-- the last thing that I want to do is bring harm to this academy.”

Cheiron: “Selfish desires often mask themselves as good intentions.”

H: “Uh-- I thought I knew what I was getting into. Now, I’m not so sure.”

---

Strife [Dressed as NG]: “Your little bro is tougher than I thought. He’s one bad dude. Takes after his daddy. Chip off the old Zeus. You know-- ”

Ares [Interrupting]: “Don’t speak. Don’t-- don’t speak. We’ll soften him up where’s he’s weakest-- his pathetic mortal feelings.”

Strife [Dressed as NG]: [Makes growling sound]

---

I: “You know-- ”

Fiducius [Fid]: “You are the only one.”

I: “I was gonna pay.”

Fid: “Get the money by the end of the week, or you’re out of here.”

I: “Uh, fine! Fine.”

Ja: “What’d Fiducius want?”

I: “What’s a dinar-counter like him always want? The academy fees.”

Ja: “Iolaus-- if you’re a little short-- ”

I: “Ah, nah, nah. I’ve-- I got it covered. So, are we gonna practice, or what?”

Strife-as-NG: “Practice what? Oh.”

I: “OK. [Chuckles] Now remember-- what old four-legs says: ‘Balance-- ’

Strife-as-NG: “Ah! Ooh.”

I: “I’m sorry-- ‘-- is the key.’ Don’t think about where you’re stepping. Just feel the pole. It’s nothing. I’ve seen Herc do it blindfolded.”

Strife-as-NG: “Oh, really? Everybody’s sayin’ he’s always showing off! I’ll betcha that’s why he got you involved in that bird thing! Stealing Hera’s chalice-- ”

I: “Hera? Ah!”

Strife-as-NG: “Gotcha! Score one for Nysus! I can’t believe-- Hercules didn’t tell you the chalice belonged to Hera. She can be so nasty.”

Ja: “I guess he forgot to mention it.”

I: “Yeah, right-- like Hera could just slip anyone’s mind.”

Strife-as-NG: “Think fast! Uh-- nice move, Iolaus.”

I: “Yeah.”

Strife-as-NG: “Didn’t see that one comin’.”

I: “Ah, you were doin’ OK-- for a second.”

H: “Hey, Iolaus-- finally find someone who hasn’t seen all your, uh-- special moves, huh? Iolaus? What’s your problem?”

I: “Me? W-- well I-- I don’t have a problem. I’m not the one keeping secrets from my friends.”

H: “What’re ya talkin’ about?”

Ja: “He means, ‘Why didn’t you tell us the chalice in the cave belonged to Hera?’”

H: “I didn’t think she’d miss some stupid old cup, OK? That’s why.”

I: “Well-- maybe we’d have tried to stop you, maybe not-- but you should ‘a told us.”

H: “You’re right. I’m sorry.”

Cheiron’s Voice: “Pair drills!”

Cheiron: “Pick a partner. Warriors must learn to fight back-to-back-- depend on your comrade as he depends on you.”

H: “Listen, let’s talk about this later, OK? Partners?”

I: “Well, I’m not sure I can trust you.”

---

Voices: “That guy from-- ” “What a rules freak.”

Kora: “Kitchen’s closing. Anything else?”

I: “Uh-- how about a-- slow walk in the moonlight-- you-- me-- the stars?”

Kora: “Alone, Iolaus-- with you?”

I: “Uh, uh-- sure.”

Kora: “OK. Sneak into the academy barn-- crawl into the hayloft. Close your eyes-- and dream on.”

I: “I don’t get it! What is her problem?”

Ja: “She has good taste.”

I: “Uh-- so, what’s my share?”

Ja: “Ah, don’t worry about it. I got it.”

I: “Ah, thank you, Jason. I owe you one. Huh?”

Strife-as-NG: “Nice guy.”

I: “Mmm.”

Strife-as-NG: “I betcha he had everything he could want-- big-time money-- family. He can’t know what it’s like to struggle to get by like-- well, like you and me.”

Kora: “And there-- that’s alone-- ”

Strife-as-NG: “And a-- girl like Kora-- is only impressed by one thing-- money. Check how she looks at Jason.”

I: “Ah-- they’re just talkin’.”

Strife-as-NG: “I may be outta line here, but, uh-- if you were a girl-- who would you go with-- the future king of Corinth-- or-- a guy like you? See ya back at the academy.”

I: “Mmm.”

---

Ja: “Where’s the old Iolaus smile, huh?”

I: “Why would you care?”

Ja: “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I: “All my life, I’ve had to fight for everything-- you know? And you-- you’ve-- just had it handed to you.”

Ja: “What’s your problem? You think I’ve had it easy?”

I: “No, no-- I bet attending those royal banquets is-- really tough. Ah, great! My money pouch is gone!”

Ja: “Maybe I’ll see you back at the academy.”

Strife: “Hmm.”

---

Kora: “Leonidas! That better not be my new Thessalian platters.”

Leonidas [Leo]: “Sorry.”

Kora: “Oh-- how hard can it be to carry dishes?”

I: “Hmm-- you’re not much-- but you’re all I got.”

---

[ACT II]

Fid: “Well, Iolaus-- I didn’t expect to see you today. What’s your excuse this time?”

I: “Uh, there’s no excuse. I’ve come to pay my academy fees.”

Ja’s Voice [?]: “What’d he say?”

Tarsus [Tar]: “Cheiron!”

Cheiron: “Constable Tarsus.”

Tar: “This-- is official business, Cheiron. Two of your cadets were seen leaving Kora’s inn last night-- about the time it was robbed.”

Cheiron: “We have nothing to hide. Truth is our greatest weapon.”

Ja: “Iolaus and I were the last ones to leave the inn. I’m Jason of Corinth.”

Tar: “The young prince-- I-I’ve heard about you. Well then-- if you and your friend left the inn together-- then someone else must be the thief.”

I’s Voice: “Uh-- ”

I: “W-w-well-- I went back to the inn, to get my money pouch. I, uh-- I dropped it at our table.”

Tar: “And helped yourself to some coins to put in it!”

I: “Oh-- no, no-- I saw the money on the counter-- but I didn’t take it. I don’t have any money.”

Fid: “You had enough to pay your fees.”

I: “I borrowed that money from Nysus.”

Strife-as-NG: “Wh-wh-- from me? I-- Iolaus-- you know I don’t have that kind of money.”

I: “Nysus, come on-- this is no time to joke around. I’m on probation here! They’ll bury me!”

Strife-as-NG: “I’d love to help you out, but-- I don’t know what to say.”

Tar: “There’s one way to find out who’s telling the truth. Search their rooms!”

---

Tar: “Is this your pouch?!”

I: “Well, yeah, it’s mine-- but it was empty when I put it in there.”

Tar: “Take him away!”

I: “What? Chei-Cheiron!”

Cheiron: “Be patient. Let justice run its course.”

I: “Look-- Hercules!”

H: “Iolaus!”

Cheiron: “Wait.”

H: “Cheiron-- listen, I’ve known Iolaus my whole life. He’s a lot of things, but a liar he’s not.”

Cheiron: “Then both of you must work to find the truth.”

Strife-as-NG: [Giggles]

---

Man’s Voice: “Lights out, cadets!”

Ja’s Voice: “Shh-- quiet, Hercules. You’ll wake everybody up. Did you put the money back?”

H: “Yeah. Thanks for the loan, Jason. I hid it at Kora’s and when she finds it, she’ll just think that she misplaced it.”

Ja: “Right, right-- they can’t convict Iolaus if no money’s missing.”

H: “Yeah.”

---

Strife [Dressed as NG]: “Too, too clever. He’s got a mind like his dear old dad. He wouldn’t hide it in an obvious place-- oh, no! All right, ya little half-god-- where didja [sic] hide it? I’m losing my patience!”

H: “The money’s not here, Nysus.”

Strife-as-NG: “Ohhh.”

H: “Why’d you frame Iolaus? Why did you send me to the Phoenix Cave to get the chalice?! Jason’ll be here any minute with the constable, so you better confess now!”

Strife-as-NG: “Confess? [Laughing] Boring! Life should have a little-- mystery, don’t you think? Uh-uh-uh-- don’t touch.”

---

H: “Who are you? You’re a god, aren’t you?”

Strife [Dressed as NG]: “Ah, well-- that’s the story of my life-- aah-- nobody knows me. But Zeus’s big bouncing baby boy is gonna put me in the big leagues. I destroy Hercules-- and everybody’ll know the name of-- ”

Strife [Morphing into usual appearance: “Strife!”

[Fight]

Strife: “Oh, you’re gettin’ higher-- OK. How’s the weather up there?! OKay-ay. Whoo-hoo! Oh, extreme. How ‘bout we set a few ground rules? First one to touch the ground-- loses. Can’t say I’m not fair.” [Laughs]

I: “Come on! That all you got?! Ya fight worse than you dress. If you wanna be a real god, you have to do better than that.”

Strife: “Hee-hee! Whoo!”

Ja: “Tarsus!”

H: “Strife? Uh! Ow!”

Strife: “That’s too bad, Hercules. You know, you really shouldn’t mess with _real_ gods. [Sing-songy] Somebody might get hur-urt.”

I: “Hercules! Relative of yours?”

H: “Yeah-- I think so. Listen, um-- I’m sorry about getting you guys in-- ta all this mess.”

I: “Mess? What mess?”

Ja: “We don’t mind being chased by giant birds. We just wanna know why.”

H: “OK. It’s a deal.”

Kora: “What’s going on?! Hey! Who’s gonna pay for this?!”

Ja: “Well-- _we_ didn’t make the mess.”

I: “But-- if ya need a hand-- ”

Ja: “-- I’d be happy to help ya.”

I: “Oh-- well, I can probably do it, Jas. It’s OK. I don’t mind.”

Ja [Interrupting: “I-- I just offered.”

I: “Yeah-- I know. I know, but-- you know, you probably got things to do.”

Ja: “No, I don’t. I offered first.”

I: “No, really, I don’t mind.”

Ja: “I could probably help carry the heavy things. I offered first.”

I: “Oh, really?”

Ja: “Did you hear me?”

---

Ja: “Think about it, Hercules. You thumped a god.”

H: “Ah-- it wasn’t a very big god.”

Ja: “I bet all of Olympus knows about it by morning.”

H: “You think so?”

Ja: “Yeah-- guarantee it. So what are you gonna do with Hera’s chalice?”

H: “Zeus and Hera’s chalice.”

Ja: “OK-- Zeus and Hera’s chalice.”

H [Sighs]: “I’m takin’ it to my dad.”