Wow, I am on a roll. But guys, this'll most likely be the last script I make for a while (at the very least, for a short while), as.. that thing that was supposed to happen on Monday? It was delayed to tomorrow. It's even referred to in the following script, at the climax.
Either way, I had a lot of fun writing this one. I got to pay a HUGE tribute to one of my all-time favourite bands ever, and to quite possibly my very favourite song, "In the Presence of Enemies." Sure, it doesn't have as many references as Act I did, but this one was a bit more serious, and not anywhere near as.. whimsical as the last one.
Shadow awakened in the great plains, found a horse named "Muse," and then defeated the first Gatekeeper.
He wandered into the nearby futuristic city, only to find human life has developed evolution-obsessed oppressors.
Meanwhile, Dark woke up and discovered the art of music! He showed this to the higher-ups, but they only shunned him.
That night, Dark had a life-changing dream about Exogenesis and happiness. He told Shadow of it the next day.
Shadow then dealt with the second Gatekeeper, and finally, they helped the civilization perform Exogenesis.
DARK CHAO ADVENTURES
Season Seven: The End?
Episode Seventy-Six: Epic Quest in A Flat Minor ACT II: In the Presence of Gatekeepers (The Hero and the Dark Lord)
[cut to a busy city, filled with chao]
[the skies are smoggy, and the alleys paved with blood; crimes happen on every street]
[a lone, slender shadow walks at night]
[it passes under a lamppost, revealing it to be Shade]
Chapter 6: The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars
[Shade walks past a poster advertising an up-and-coming new rock band]
[he stops and looks at it]
Shade: "Rubber Goose." That's MY band! This can only mean..
[he quickly runs off-screen]
[the camera zooms in on the date for the poster, "TONIGHT!"]
[cut to Bob's Country Bunker and Marketplace Emporium Warehouse]
[a crowd has gathered around a stage; a band is on the stage]
[Dark is standing idly with a guitar, Shadow at the microphone; random humans are on the other instruments]
Shadow: Um.. hi there. We're.. what are we?
Dark: Rubber Goose.
Shadow: Are you sure that's what you guys used?
Dark: I made the name, man. 'Course I'm sure.
Shadow: Oh, alright. We're Rubber Goose, and we're here to spread the joys of music. Or something.
[Dark grabs the microphone]
Dark: ALRIGHT, THIS FIRST ONE'S A THREE-PIECE SUITE TITLED "A TRIP TO THE COUNSELOR." It's weird.
[they jam to their little suite, to a cheerful audience]
[Shade enters the audience and watches]
Dark: ..this next one. Go, Shadow.
Shadow: Huh? Oh, right. My name is Shadow, and I came from another planet to tell you guys something.
[the crowd murmurs in confusion, then eventually grows quiet]
Shadow: If you don't stop your way of life soon, your civilization will perish.
["What? Huh?"]
Shadow: And there's a starman watching in the sky! He'd like to come and meet us, but he thinks he'd blow our minds.
Dark: What Ziggy Shadow here means is that these starmen, the Gatekeepers, are bad business. They're omens of death.
[booooooo]
Dark: I.. don't think they're taking this too well.
Shadow: I don't think they even believe us.
Shade: That's because you're not telling it right, dude.
[Shade has climbed onto the stage]
Shadow: Shade!
Dark: I knew "Rubber Goose'd" get your attention.
Shade: Gimme the mic, Shadow.
[Shade takes the microphone, and steps up]
Shade: HEY. You guys know me. I'm the Shadester. The lord of the Dark Garden. I don't lie.
[the crowd murmurs agreement]
Shade: Now, I don't know much of the details, but this here's my buddy. I trust him with my life.
Shadow: Do you really?
Shade: No, but shut up. SO! He's saying stuff about starmen and moonage daydreams and whatnot.. so I trust him!
[the crowd starts to open up]
Shade: Residents of Suffragette City, don't just listen to me. There's only room for one messiah, and here he comes.
Dark: HERE HE COMES.
Shade: ..yeah, thanks. *hands mic to Shadow*
Shadow: I am on a journey.. a journey to acquire seven green chaos drives. I'm approaching the end of that journey.
Dark: He has four drives, and we are told a fifth one is being acquired by someone else.
Shadow: However, these beings called "Gatekeepers" have appeared. They are said to appear when a hero is close--
Shade: Why didn't they appear for me?
Shadow: Because your journey wasn't going to end badly!
[the room goes quiet]
Shadow: ..I was told that, if I keep going on with this journey, the results will be fatal.
["What do you want us to do about it, bub?"]
Shadow: I.. I don't know! I only came here to help your civilization evolve, as well as to spread my story.
Shade: I see. The kid wants any help he can get. Ideas, information, support.. that stuff. Any leads?
?: I have one.
[there is an old chao in the crowd, standing out from the rest]
Old: I have heard of these fabled 'Gatekeepers.' They're evil, alright.. testers from Hell, they are.
Shadow: Can we talk privately? I have a number of questions.
Old: N-no! We can't. You'll have to ask someone else about that. In the meantime, I have.. I have a challenge. For you.
Shadow: ..you're one of them, too.
Old: In order to pass my test, young hero, I challenge you to end your own life.
Shadow: ..wh....WHAAAAT?!?!
Old: You cannot pass my test any other way. You must do it here, right now, on that very stage.
Dark: *gasp* A Rock n' Roll Suicide...
Shade: Don't do it, Shadow. We'll find your chaos drives some other way.
Old: Hahahah.. I'm afraid you can't do that. Refuse a Gatekeeper's challenge, and we will consume your world in a fiery gulp.
[the crowd starts to scream]
["DIE, KID!"]
["ONE LIFE, OR BILLIONS? DON'T BE A JERK!"]
[Shadow looks at Shade and Dark, who stare back with shock]
[Shadow then looks at one of the crowd members, and points at him]
[the crowd member pulls out a pistol and tosses it onstage]
[Shadow grabs the gun and points it at himself]
[Shade and Dark shield their eyes]
Chapter 7: Prelude/Ressurection
[cut to a nearby street; Shade and Dark are walking along]
Dark: He's dead! He's.. he's dead. I can't.. we need to do something!
Shade: We will.
Dark: Really? Where are we going?
Shade: A place.
[they enter a building that reads "Tarkus Dark Arts Shop"]
[the clerk is a Dark chao, apparently named Emerson L. Palmer]
Dark: What's the "L" stand for?
ELP: Lincoln.
Dark: ..does it?
ELP: Yeah. It does. Shade, what brings you here?
Shade: My friend was forced to commit suicide in order to appease a Gatekeeper.
ELP: Oh, you mean the new singer dude? Ziggy Shadow? I heard about what happened. Deep stuff.
Shade: Well, we want to bring him back.
ELP: Back from the dead? He's not Spinal Tap, dude. He can only be brought back of his own regard.
Shade: ..what?
ELP: He's lost in the Underworld now, and the only way for him to return would be to strike a deal with the Dark Lord.
Shade: But..
ELP: Not you. The DARK Dark Lord. It won't be easy, but it's.. it's possible. He might make it.
Dark: Whatever happened to just playing "Thriller?"
ELP: The scripts are bending, man. The same rules that applied in the early days don't apply anymore. And.. and..
[he shifts around, looking around suspiciously, then leans closer]
ELP: ..DJay's pouring his soul into the keyboard.
Shade: What.. what?
ELP: I hear he's trying to escape from reality more than ever, and that there's a massive climax coming up soon.
Dark: That would explain why Shadow's doing lotsa preaching and hero work.
ELP: Exactly! DJay's putting his foot on the gas for this serial.. and really pulling out all the stops. And tricks.
Shade: *sigh* Oh, Deej.. the hell is going on with you? It's almost like he WANTS to end this show.
ELP: That's another thing! They say he DOES want to. After all, why would he even bring up the concept of ending it?
Dark: ..I'm scared, Shade.
Shade: Don't be. Everything will be okay.
[cut to ultimate blackness]
[Shadow is visible, as well as a bright white light]
Shadow: So this is it. I'm dead.
[he walks towards the light, then gets a final vision, promising salvation]
?: A ressurection.. for a fallen man. Tell me, Shadow.. do you still wait for your God? Your Writer?
Shadow: I.. I don't even know anymore.
?: I can free you from this Hell and misery.. you should never be ashamed, my son.
Shadow: But.. but I died. I failed to get the chaos drives. DCA's gonna end.
?: I can give you power beyond anything. Trust me, you will be the Chosen One.
Shadow: No way. I've appealed to the writer in the past, and he has forgotten me. I am a character scorned and broken.
?: Your soul was rejected.. tainted by the Gatekeeper's blood.
Shadow: I am way beyond redemption, a sinner just not worth saving.. forever taken from the world I loved.
[Shadow begins to cry]
Shadow: You ask, "Do I still wait for my God and a symbol of my faith," but my answer remains the same. I just don't know..
?: I can lead you down the path and back to life. All I ask is that you worship me.
Shadow: ..what of the Gatekeepers?
?: I can help you seek revenge and save yourself, give you life for all eternity.
Shadow: ......alright. What's the catch?
?: Venture beyond the Overworld.. into the Room. Get revenge on he who has shunned you.
Shadow: The Gatekeepers? The Veteran's Committee?
?: DJay32.
Shadow: N-no way! I can't do that!
?: Servants of the fallen, fight to pave the way for their savior's calling on this wicked day...
[lights flash, smoke swarms, voices chant]
Shadow: No! NO! I don't want to do this!
?: Through a veil of madness.. with a vicious blade... one chao rises up, standing in their way.
[Shadow begins to float]
Shadow: NOO! NOOO!
?: Redemption.
["Redemption" echoes]
[all sounds, sights, and sensations cease]
Chapter 8: Heretic
[Shadow awakens in the Underworld-- a field of grey grass, mountains coming out of the sky and standing in and around lakes]
[cities literally made of flesh and blood join the mountains in marking the horizon, and the red moon's eye watches above]
[Shadow wanders lonely as a cloud until he comes across a dirty street]
Shadow: I've never seen a stranger crowd.. slubberdegulleons on squeaky feet!
Mingeling: Welcome, tired pilgrim, into the circle. We have been waiting.
Shadow: You have? For me?
Mingeling: Everyone's gathered for your arrival.. all the believers.
Shadow: I have believers? I didn't realize I was that important.. besides being the main protagonist now.
Mingeling: Angels fall all for you, Heretic!
Shadow: "Heretic?"
Mingeling: Demon heart, bleed for us!
Shadow: I'm no demon!
Mingeling: Come.. come along, Heretic.
[he is led through the street to a bigger Mingeling]
Mingeling: Sir, this is the Heretic! The one we've been waiting for!
Shadow: What.. what's going on?
Mingeler: I've been waiting for you, weary preacher man. You have been expected; now we can begin.
Minges: Let this hollowed Day of Judgement reign!
[another Mingeling walks up to Shadow]
Mingely: I have known you, hero, and your sacred quest. Blessed soldier fighting, you shall never rest.
Shadow: Who are you guys?
Mingely: I have known you, but... do you know me?
Mingeling: Angels fall all for you, Heretic. Demon heart, bleed for us!
[the Mingelings grab Shadow and drag him into the ground]
Shadow: MMRRRFFF
[pause]
[cut to one of the grey fields; Shadow is standing on a hill, perfectly still]
Shadow: My soul is yours, Dark Lord. I will fight for you.
[he begins walking down the hill, chanting over and over]
Shadow: Dark Lord within, I will fight for you.. Dark Lord of sin, now my soul is yours.
[he grabs a blood-splattered pike off the ground]
Shadow: Dark Lord, my guide, I will die for you... Dark Lord inside.
[the Dark Lord begins speaking in Voice-Over]
DL: I cannot see his face, but I could feel his spite; a presence from the dead abandoned by the light.
[close-up of Shadow's strange, possessed eyes]
DL: This shadow will consume him from within. This power that I sense, the rage behind those eyes...
[Shadow stops abruptly in the center of the grey fields]
DL: ..it's just a shrouded ghost, a spirit sealed inside. The body and the soul both threats, for they are one.
[from this spot, Shadow can hear the Mingelings chanting in the distance]
Minges: Angels fall all for you, Heretic! Demon heart, bleed for us!
[Shadow glances over toward the chanting, then looks upward and sighs]
Shadow: My soul is yours, Dark Lord. I will fight for you.
[he begins to fade away while chanting his mantra]
Shadow: Dark Lord inside, I will fight for you. Dark Lord of sin, now my soul is yours.
[cut to a park somewhere in Windsor, UK]
[Shadow begins to fade into existance here]
Shadow: Dark Lord, my guide, I will die for you.. Dark Lord inside.
[he is now completely in the park]
Shadow: Dark Lord, amen.. I belong to you, Dark Lord within.
[he finishes chanting, and instead looks around]
[some police cars arrive nearby; policemen get out, arm themselves, and head toward Shadow]
[Shadow knows that they are just another test]
Chapter 9: The Slaughter of the Damned/The Reckoning
[Shadow begins walking toward them, but is stopped by the Dark Lord's voice]
DL: Don't bother trying to find them; they will be coming to you. Fight and destroy until you can't take anymore.
[the cops make a circle around Shadow; they watch him while he watches them and listens to the Dark Lord]
DL: Slay. Spill the blood of the rebels; they are the children of Hell. Flesh of the undead, stopping at nothing to kill.
[Shadow nods at this; one cop starts walking to him, but stops when Shadow begins talking out loud]
Shadow: Sin.. caught in a moment of weakness, committed the greatest of all. Sold half of my soul, now it's too late for you.
Cop: Just calm down, son! You haven't done anything yet, and we don't want any trouble!
Shadow: I judge as my eyes see; I judge, and I am just, for I speak of the beast that lives in all of us.
Cop2: What in the Hell is he talking about?
Shadow: Unwelcome ones, your time has come.
Cop: Okay, get ready to shoot...
Shadow: Lord, you are my god and my shepherd; nothing more shall I want. Walk through the abyss into the shadow of death.
[Shadow suddenly disappears]
Cop3: Where the..?!
Cop5: BEHIND US!
[they turn and see that Shadow is now behind them, walking out of the park]
Shadow: There is no evil to fear now, for I know you are with me... my cup overflows with my enemy's blood.
[the cops run after him and grab him]
Shadow: I decay in the house of the lord, forever amen.. death will follow me all the days of my life.
[he disappears, only to reappear ahead of them again]
Shadow: I judge as my eyes see; I judge, and I am just, for I speak of the beast that lives in all of us.
Cop: Ready.. aim...
Shadow: Unwelcome ones, your time has come.
Cop: FIRE!
Shadow: Servants of the fallen, fight to pave the way for their savior's calling on this wicked day.
[the bullets go straight through him]
Shadow: Through a veil of madness, with a vicious blade, one chao rises up, standing in their way.
[Shadow arrives at a flat, and smashes through the door]
[the Dark Lord speaks once more]
DL: It's time for your reckoning.
[Shadow heads up the three flights of stairs, then breaks the door open, and steps into the flat]
[he enters the Room and sees a boy sitting by a laptop]
[The second visitor so far. Hello, Shadow.]
[I know. You came to kill me. Well, go ahead. Please do. I won't fight back. I can't; I'm only sixteen.]
[..besides, I don't DO 'fighting back.' Not anymore. I've been.... convinced not to.]
[..okay, it's been sort of.. forced out of me.]
[I have Gatekeepers of my own, Shadow. They're coming around tomorrow. Gatekeepers aren't bad guys.]
[You look dubious. I assure you, Gatekeepers are, in fact, some of the best help you can get.]
[Look, Shadow.. DCA used to be my hobby. It used to be entirely for fun, or for the fans. You know this.]
[But didn't you notice that no one is reading it anymore? Yet I still write, on and on.. there is a reason, of course.]
[Escapism.]
[The Gatekeepers are my friends, Shadow.]
[They love me more than Captain Curator, or Logic, or Ness, or that other name I came up with for Bound/Stream.]
[..oh, right, I don't mean the actual Logic. Not Fentzy. I was referring to the allegorical version.]
[Really, Shadow. I'm only making DCA now to keep myself sane in the days before the battle.]
[So please. Kill me. Do it.]
[Please, Shadow.]
[Kill me.]
[Or do you want me to sail home as Ulysses again?]
Shadow: No.. you..
[Here. Give me a hug, Shadow.]
Chapter 10: Salvation
[Shadow runs out of the flat, trying not to cry]
[he ends up standing outside a nearby gate, holding his head]
[his soul grows weaker. The Dark Lord knows, and he waits.]
[The Dark Lord watches over him, standing at the infernal gates.]
Shadow: In the hour of darkness, the moment I feared has passed.. the moment I lost my faith.
[he begins to cry]
Shadow: Promising salvation.. my soul is my own now. I do not fight for you, Dark Lord.
[Shadow walks off-screen]
[cut to the Underworld]
[pure blackness]
DL: ..it would seem my facade did not get the job done. Very well. Mark my words, Shadow...
[the voice abruptly changes into a much smoother, British one]
?: No one escapes me.
[the blackness is filled with a maniacal laughter]
[the scene shows the rocket ship from Act I landing in Windsor, and Shadow boarding it]
END ACT II
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