Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Page #5

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EXT. PEKING STREET - NIGHT

The two fly over houses and bounce off of rooftops,

displaying amazing floating skills.

INT. ABANDONED MONASTERY - NIGHT

The figure bounces into an old monastery. Li is already

there.

LI:

Had enough flying? You've got

potential. You've studied the

Wudan Manual but you don't

understand it. You need a real

master.

The figure doesn't respond, but we sense the pride in her

eyes.

FIGURE:

Do you think you are a real master?

LI:

Like most things, I am nothing.

It's the same for this sword. All

of it is simply a state of mind.

FIGURE:

Stop talking like a monk! Just

fight!

LI:

Then tell me where Jade Fox is.

FIGURE:

On guard!

LI:

Real sharpness comes without effort.

EXT. MONASTERY - NIGHT

The figure leaps into the garden, but again, Li is ahead of

her.

The figure attacks Li, who uses his agility to evade her.

Frustrated, the figure intensifies her attack.

The figure, losing composure, attacks wildly. Li gets even

more elusive, using a branch to repel her.

LI:

No growth without assistant. No

action without reaction. No desire

without restraint. Now give

yourself up and find yourself again.

There is a lesson for you.

Li now holds the stick to her mask, gently raising it

slightly.

FIGURE:

Go ahead.

LI:

Why should I? You need practice.

I can teach you to fight with the

Green Destiny, but first you must

learn to hold it in stillness.

FIGURE:

Why do you want to teach me?

LI:

I've always wanted a disciple

worthy of Wudan's secrets.

FIGURE:

And if I use them to kill you?

LI:

That's a risk I'm willing to take.

Deep down, you're good. Even Jade

Fox couldn't corrupt you.

The figure's eyes cloud with tears.

FIGURE:

Wudan is a whorehouse! Keep your

lessons!

The figure swirls and takes off, leaving a rueful Li standing

alone in the monastery.

INT. JEN'S ROOM - NIGHT

Jen slips in through the window. She pulls off her mask, as

she spots the Governess/Fox sitting and sewing.

FOX:

You're home late... or should I say

early?

JEN:

Why are you still here? You killed

a policeman. You should leave!

You'll bring ruin on my whole family.

FOX:

They wouldn't have found me if you

hadn't stolen the sword. Like a

little girl, you thought stealing

would be fun? You, too, are

responsible for that death. Come

with me. You don't want to waste

your life as the wife of some

bureaucrat. Denied your talent...

As a master and disciple we will

rule.

JEN:

I'll never live as a thief!

FOX:

You're already a thief.

JEN:

That was just for fun. How can I

leave? Where would I go?

FOX:

Wherever we want. We'll get rid of

anyone in our way. Even your father.

JEN:

Shut up!

FOX:

It's the Giang Hu fighter

lifestyle... kill or be killed.

Exciting, isn't it?

JEN:

I owe you nothing.

FOX:

Yes, you do! You are still my

disciple.

Jen lunges at the Governess, and the two exchange a few

blows. Jen presses her finger against one of the Governess's

pressure points, disabling her. Jen pushes her across the

room.

JEN:

You think you've been teaching me

all these years from the manual?

You couldn't even decipher the

symbols!

FOX:

I studied the diagrams. But you

hid the details!

JEN:

You wouldn't have understood, even

if I had tried to explain. You

know... you've gone as far as you

can go. I hid my skills so as not

to hurt you.

FOX:

If I hadn't seen you fight with Li

Mu Bai, I'd still be ignorant of

all you've hidden from me.

JEN:

Master... I started learning from

you in secret when I was 10. You

enchanted me with the world of

Giang Hu. But once I realized I

could surpass you, I became so

frightened! Everything fell apart.

I had no one to guide me, no one to

learn from.

FOX:

Believe me, I've a lesson or two

left to teach you!

Fox exits.

EXT. GOVERNOR YU'S GATE - DAY

The Governess leaves, a small sack over her back.

EXT. TE'S COURTYARD - DAY

Li practices fluently with Green Destiny in hand, beautifully

at ease with the weapon. He spins around to find Yu standing

in the doorway.

YU:

The sword is back... are you happy?

Li smiles.

LI:

I admit, getting it back makes me

realize how much I'd missed it.

YU:

But it's not your sword anymore.

You gave it to Sir Te.

LI:

True. But I must borrow it for one

last mission. Jade Fox must die at

its edge. Did you know what you

were hiding when you covered for

that girl?

YU:

My job was to get the sword back,

without embarassing anyone. I

wasn't about to ruin her life, or

her father's.

LI:

You did your job well. But, this

girl... I saw her last night.

YU:

I knew she would intrigue you.

LI:

She needs direction... and training.

YU:

She's an aristocrat's daughter.

She's not one of us. In any case,

it will all be over soon. You'll

kill Fox, and she'll marry.

LI:

That's not for her. She should

come to Wudan and become a disciple.

YU:

But Wudan does not accept women.

LI:

For her, they might make an

exception. If not, I'm afraid

she'll become a poisoned dragon.

YU:

It's not our affair. Even if Wudan

accepts her, her husband might

object.

LI:

I thought by giving away the sword,

I could escape the Giang Hu world.

But the cycle of bloodshed continues.

YU:

I wish there were something more I

could do to help you.

LI:

Just be patient with me, Shu Lien.

INT. JEN'S ROOM - NIGHT

Jen is asleep. A noise awakens her.

Lo opens the window and sneaks in -- right into the point of

Jen's waiting sword.

Jen's sword drops to the ground.

JEN:

Lo?

LO:

Jen!

Lo grabs her by the wrist.

JEN:

You shouldn't have come.

LO:

With all the traffic on your

rooftop these days... it took me a

while to get in here. I can't wait

any longer. I was wrong to let you

go. Come back with me. You'll be

happy in the desert. You'll be

free there.

Jen turns back to him and rests herself briefly in his arms

again.

JEN:

You've been looking for me all this

time?

FLASHBACK:
FOUR YEARS EARLIER

INT./EXT. CARRIAGE/MONGOLIAN DESERT - DAY

Jen holds up a comb, with daylight shining through it. Jen

admires the piece, her most prized possession.

Madam Yu sits opposite her.

MADAM YU:

Jen... stop playing with it.

Jen looks out over the desert, as the wind picks up and the

sky darkens.

JEN:

I won't break it.

EXT. CARRIAGE/MONGOLIAN DESERT - DAY

Lo and a group of armed bandits descend on the caravan.

GUARD A:

It's Dark Cloud! Dark Cloud is

coming!

His warning is useless. From Jen's pov, we see the guards

slaughtered in a hail of arrows and swords.

MADAM YU:

Lower the shade, don't let them see

you!

DARK CLOUD (LO)

Don't touch the women!

Though unharmed, Madam Yu immediately faints. Lo approaches

the carriage and grabs the comb from Jen's hand.

She bolts from the carriage, and, once outside, bends down

and grabs a lance from the body of a dead guard, whose horse

flails beside him.

She looks up to see the gang of bandits already making their

escape on horseback.

LO:

Let's go!

EXT. DESERT - DAY

Jen and Lo ride across the desert floor at breakneck speed.

LO:

Come get your comb.

She tries to jab him with the lance, but he grabs it and

flings her off her horse.

LO:

Hurry back to your mother.

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