Fur Union

By Ram Noureddine

1. CHARACTERS

Calvin

Carl

Caroline

Charles

Dean of Students

Jean

John

Laura

Monica

Rabbit

Rufus

Serena

Tiffany

EXT. UNIVERSITY GARDEN. DAY. 

WIDE

Jean and her boyfriend Calvin sit on their special bench in the university's garden where they first fell in love. It is a busy college day and students are rushing to their classes in different buildings. A few moments later, the Dean of Students sends an email to all the university students. Jean takes her phone out and reads the email.

POV JEAN

DEAN OF STUDENTS -  At the request of one particular ecology student, the university will implement bunnies into the garden due to their extreme cuteness, so I am told. Thank you, and may the fluffiness of these little fur creatures guide you in your studies.

OTS

JEAN LOOKS AT CALVIN WITH A JOYFUL AND EVIL FACE. CALVIN SMIRKS.

CALVIN -  A historical day! Our campus will finally change for the better.

JEAN -  My plan has begun at long last! You're with me till the end?

CALVIN -  Till my last breath, my love.

JEAN -  Even if this might break us?

CALVIN -  I will do everything that I can to not let that happen.

JEAN -  There's a side of us that we might need to change.

CALVIN -  We might not need to. Let's make sure nobody sees us first.

FADE TO:

EXT. CALVIN AND JEAN'S SPECIAL BENCH. DAY.

MS

The couple wait till no passing student appears, they stand up on the bench facing each other, hold each other's right hand and chant a calm spiritual song each in their own language: he sings it in Arabic, she sings it in English. After finishing the song, they transform into their favorite animal. Fur begins at their hands and spreads until their bodies are fully covered. She transforms into a grey bunny, and he transforms into a white kitten. Their dialect changes to authoritarian. They begin to chat as Prince Bise, Guardian of the Garden and Princess Bunny, Heir of the Bunny Clan. She hops on the arm rest of the bench. He hops on the back of the bench. 

WIDE

CALVIN (ANIMAL FORM) -  Meow meow meow meow. Princess Bunny, I will allow your presence on our grounds but your species might disrupt the prosperity of my people.

JEAN (ANIMAL FORM) -  I speak for the soil and the seed; listen. Nibble nibble. Prince Bise, I must recall that is you who agreed on this decision.

CALVIN (ANIMAL FORM) -  Meow. I know princess, but I came to a realization, I have acted on pure instinct. I love you but I’m also afraid that our love will upset your father Rabbit Rufus. His battles are written in manuscripts you can find here! At our very own library! I fear his ghost might haunt me and us... For the rest of our lives! 

RABBIT RUFUS'S VOICE -  You are right child... You know our laws and yet you insert doubt into them. You are making me very... Very... Angry with you...

JEAN (ANIMAL FORM) -  Nibble Nibble Nibble. Not to worry Prince Bise, our love is far greater than any species. I will excuse the remark that you have just made. Undoubtedly, we will prevail, together!

CUT TO:

EXT. UNIVERSITY GARDEN RIGHT SIDE. DAY.

STATIC

Princess Bunny hops over to the right side of the garden; her little crown stays in place and Prince Bise walks with his crown over to the left side of the garden and speaks to his fellow cats.

CALVIN (ANIMAL FORM) -  Meow meow meow meow meow meow. My good people, I have some news I would like to share with you. Please gather around. The many cats of LAU come closer to their prince. Some descend from the trees, some wake up on the benches, some leave the hands of the humans.

CHARLES -  Meow. What’s going on your highness?

He removes his knight helmet he stole from a student in Fine Arts and places it on the ground. He realises he left his sword somewhere but proceeds to remain professional. 

JOHN -  I was spying on this beautiful girl, she had the most exotic tail I have ever seen…

TIFFANY -  Is this another planning for our outreach and feline engagement? Our friends behind the gate really do need our help!

CALVIN (ANIMAL FORM) -  Meow meow! Listen. I have made contact with Princess Bunny of the Bunny Clan. She shall join the garden community…

SERENA -  Preposterous! How can a bunny live among us? We don’t even eat the same food!

CALVIN (ANIMAL FORM) -  Meow! Ladies and Gentlemen please calm down.

SERENA -  Don’t we have other important things on our paws?

JOHN -  I know I have… gggrrr... meow meow...

CHARLES -  Your majesty, we are well aware of your love towards Princess Bunny. Although, I must say that things are happening too fast. We believe that love has overcome your rational judgment.

CALVIN (ANIMAL FORM) -  Citizens of the garden! I am here to inform you that Princess Bunny’s clan will make their entrance today at sunset. I expect a warm welcome from my people.

SERENA -  Preposterous! Your highness, don’t you know that bunnies come in huge packs? Give them two or three days here and they will outnumber us by a mile and we’ll be out of business!

Serena takes out her sword but it is actually John's forgotten sword. She makes a stage combat demonstration and the crowd are distracted for a moment. They cheer. John notices the sword. He becomes anxious as to why she has it but tries to remain professional.

JOHN -  Begging your pardon Prince Bise but since when are you interested in girls with short tails? I mean we have beautiful girls here with long tails and are more than happy to marry the prince of our clan. By the way, where’s the rest?

CUT TO:

EXT. CAMPUS BENCHES. DAY.

PRINCESS BUNNY HOPS AROUND AND ON THE BENCHES OF THE GARDEN. AT TIMES, SHE STOPS TO EAT SOME GRASS THEN CONTINUES HOPPING SLOWLY TO THE BIG TREE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GARDEN. A FEW CATS SPOT HER. THEY ARE CONFUSED.

FULL

MONICA -  What’s a bunny doing in our territory? We’re not aware that bunnies here are allowed. What’s the meaning of this?

LAURA -  Hold on, I’ll go check the news on that student’s phone, she’s bound to check her email at 2 p.m. before her class... She always does.

CUT TO:

EXT. UNIVERSITY GARDEN. DAY.

TRACK

LAURA GOES TO HER USUAL HUMAN WHO SHE SITS ON. SHE CLIMBS TO HER BAG AND SHE SEES HER PHONE. SHE BEGINS TO READ THE OPENED EMAIL, GETS UPDATED AND GOES BACK TO HER FRIEND.

MONICA -  Well captain poopy pants, what do we have?

LAURA -  It seems that the dean of students has requested that bunnies should be implemented to the garden, because of their, cuteness… Monica hits Laura on her head with her right paw.

MONICA -  What sorcery is this you speak of? We are no longer cute to students now? They keep petting us and petting us then they leave us for their class! Aren’t we being taken advantage of? Isn’t our cuteness enough for their satisfaction?! Laura places her left paw on the back of Monica in an attempt to calm her down.

LAURA -  Don’t be upset, I’m sure that when the time comes, some students will get allergic to them and then the university will be forced to take them out. Remember what happened to Charlie?

MONICA -  Of course I do. It was tragic. He took one for the team. He was a wise cat.

FADE TO:

EXT. CENTER OF THE GARDEN. DAY. 

TRACK

FOUR MEN PLACE BIG CAGES FILLED WITH BUNNIES ON THE GROUND. THEY OPEN THE CAGES AND THE BUNNIES QUICKLY GO TO THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE GARDEN. THE MEN ARE CONFUSED BY THE TRAJECTORY OF THE BUNNIES BUT TAKE NO INITIATIVE TO FIND OUT WHY.

CUT TO:

EXT. THE CAMPUS' BIGGEST TREE. DAY.

THE BUNNIES RALLY WITH THE PRINCESS NEXT TO THE BIGGEST TREE AND PLEDGE ALLEGIANCE TO THEIR FLAG: THE BLUE AND ORANGE FLAG WITH A CARROT AT THE CENTER. AFTERWARDS, THEY DISCUSS COMMON GROUNDS WITH THE PRINCESS.

WIDE

CAROLINE -  Nibble nibble, Princess Bunny, we have travelled long and hard to reach this point. How is that we are easily introduced into this environment? We might disrupt this wonderful ecosystem if the humans haven’t calculated and analyzed our natural input.

JEAN (ANIMAL FORM) -  Nibble, fear not, I will personally take care of this issue as I’m currently studying ecology and learning more and more about our kinds. I will persuade the humans to enforce an all carrot week as a welcoming celebration.

THE CROWD CHEERS WITH JOY. BUT ONE TROUBLED BUNNY STANDS UP AND SPEAKS HIS MIND.

CARL -  Nibble Nibble Nibble, princess we are intruding on the cat clan. I know that you and Prince Bise are planning to get married soon but what will your father Rabbit Rufus say? I’m sure he agrees on the marriage but I’m pretty sure he will be furious to know that he’ll be surrounded by humans.

JEAN (ANIMAL FORM) -  If you may, my father is my concern and not yours. I do appreciate your thoughts and it will be taken into consideration but let us keep to what’s important right now, which is the emergence of the two clans! Go on, start to make friends with the fluffy cats. The Bunny Clan does not hop instead they sit and nibble quietly. 

Rabbits murmur.

JEAN (ANIMAL FORM) (CONT’D) -  What’s wrong my friends? We do not rush change. 

CARL -  Nibble, princess, what if they think of us as evolved rodents and they start to attack us? Perhaps they see us as big mice and they want to eat us? What if they think we use genetically modified chemicals to grow bigger and larger?

CAROLINE -  I’ve heard that there’s a lab on campus. They are teaching students how to dissect animals! Oh the horror…

JEAN (ANIMAL FORM) -  Nibble Nibble, people please! I will never let anything happen to you. I decide for my people. You are all under my supervision and that’s that. Please do not worry. Do not forget I have human powers too so no one and I mean no one will dare touch.

MONTAGE

The bunnies think this through and one at a time begin to hop towards the intersection of the garden. They witness their first human students. They shiver and start nibbling each other. The students are amazed by the new animals in the garden so some attempt to grab them. Some bunnies run with fear but there is one bunny too sacred to hop away as she almost fell subject to the hands of the humans if it weren’t for the quick intervention of Prince Bise. Prince Bise attacks the hands of the humans and backs them away from the bunnies. Everyone was astonished. Princess Bunny sees this heroic attack and fells in love with Prince Bise more and more. The couple meet at the intersection of the garden, no more humans are walking by, they begin to communicate.

CALVIN (ANIMAL FORM) -  Meow, I had to take actions, it wasn’t right to leave them helpless.

JEAN (ANIMAL FORM) -  Nibble, I know but I couldn’t return to my original form with all the humans around. But it seems that you have earned my clan’s trust.

CALVIN (ANIMAL FORM) -  What makes you say that?

JEAN (ANIMAL FORM) -  There’s a bunny behind you nibbling you right now!

CALVIN (ANIMAL FORM) -  What on earth are you doing man?

CARL -  Nibble, nibble, nibble, nibble. Thank you Prince Bise for saving us. We’re sorry we’ve ever doubted in the cats potential to defend us.

CALVIN (ANIMAL FORM) -  It’s alright, we fall sometimes in prejudgement’s illusion. Now get off me!

Prince Bise and Princess Bunny return to their original form.

CALVIN -  I’ll see you tomorrow then honey?

JEAN -  Yes you will, because the battle has just begun. We will have to deal with my father once he’s introduced in the garden. I don’t want to go through this alone.

CALVIN -  You don’t have to Princess Bunny of the Bunny Clan. Hopefully, he’ll come to his senses and accept to live with the humans. They’re actually not that bad, well most of the time…

JEAN -  Yeah I know the trash they leave on the ground is ridiculous. Do they do that in their homes? Don’t they know they shouldn’t throw trash on the ground? What are they pigs?

CALVIN -  Now now honey, let’s leave that for another time, let’s get some rest, we have an exam early tomorrow with professor Winterbottom.

JEAN -  Yup, I haven’t forgotten about that. See you tomorrow!

CALVIN -  See you! The couple go their separate ways. They leave the bunnies hoping around happily with their new home and the cats are playing with them.

FADE TO BLACK:

By Ram Noureddine