Two-thousand One-hundred and Twelve :D

we came in?
Shade: Huh? Dark, you say something?
Dark: ..yeah, uh.. this looks familiar.
Shade: That's prolly 'cause the scripts are getting terribly bent now, so everything's all weird.
Dark: Still...
Dalek1: SO, GREEN ONE. ARE YOU READY?
Shadow: I'm as ready as I'll ever be.
Dalek2: VERY WELL. WE WILL NOW ATTEMPT TO TELEPORT YOU TO WHERE THE CHAOS DRIVE IS KNOWN TO BE LOCATED.
[ZHSOOOOOOOM!!!]

Last time, on DCA...
Mephiles got his demon-pants scared off in a hospital while hunting down Shadow's fifth chaos drive.
Now Shadow still has four drives, and he needs three more in order to face the Veteran's Committee.
..oh yeah. That's another thing. The Committee kinda lost contact with the Darks, so they're relying on the Daleks to help them out now.
Where is the next chaos drive, you ask?
In New York City.


Dark Chao Adventures
Season Seven: The End?
Episode Seventy-Five: Epic Quest in A Flat Minor ACT I: Two-thousand One-hundred and Twelve

[cut to a grassy field, sunny day]
[Shadow wakes up]
Shadow: Where in the world..?
Chapter 1: The Great Plains
[Shadow is all alone]
Shadow: DARK? SHADE? RED?
[silence]
[he starts heading in a random direction]
[after half an hour of walking, he stumbles upon a ranch]
Shadow: Well, I'll be damned.
[he checks inside and finds it to be deserted, except for one lone horse]
Shadow: ....I'm sure no one will mind.
[he mounts the horse (not like that, you gross person) and rides it out of the ranch]
Shadow: Semper fidelis, horsey. Let's call you "Muse." Good a name as any.
Muse: Neiiigggh.
Shadow: *sigh* ..so. Which way should we go?
Muse: ......
Shadow: That's what I thought. Looks like I'm on my own. Uh.. kay, how 'bout this way? East, I think.
[Shadow rides Muse off to the East]
[they ride for a couple of hours, stopping every now and again to take a rest]
[eventually, they encounter a lake]
Muse: NEIIGGGHHH! :D
Shadow: Whoaa, Muse. *dismounts* Help yourself to the water, but don't kill me in the process.
[Shadow drinks some of the water, himself, then takes a look around]
Shadow: HELLO? Is there anyone there?
?: Ho, traveler!
Shadow: What? Yes, hello! Who said that?
?: I did! Behind you.
[Shadow turns and sees a tall, cloaked figure standing directly behind him]
[Shadow exclaims and falls over]
Shadow: Which cloaked figure are you, again?
?: I might be Levity Nite.. or I might be JOE.. or I may even be the Tour Guide.
[he holds out a hand]
?: But you can only find out.
[Shadow looks with suspicion at the figure for several seconds before finally taking its hand]
[the figure pulls Shadow up; he lets go]
Shadow: You're not the Tour Guide; I can gather that much.
?: I may even be a new character, for all you know. Or I could be Shade Junior.
Shadow: I know this, stranger, but I'd greatly appreciate if you'd just confide to me your identity.
?: No can do, Green One. I'm the gatekeeper around these parts, and my identity is my challenge.
Shadow: "Gatekeeper," you say? Care to elaborate?
?: You'll have to ask someone else for that. For now, focus on my name.
Shadow: Well, you're not JOE, 'cause you're more of a trickster than a malevolent being.
?: That would be correct.
Shadow: I don't know Shade Junior well enough to form a conclusion regarding him, but Levity... he's also not a trickster.
?: Mhm, I'm not Levity, nor JOE.
Shadow: ....but wait. You weren't here when I first got here. You only appeared after I looked out into the lake...
?: Mhmm..?
Shadow: And even then, I heard your voice before I saw your cloak. ....I think I have a good idea.
?: Take your guess, Green One.
Shadow: You, cloaked Gatekeeper, are a figment of my imagination.
?: Haha... you're awfully close. Literally speaking, I am a figment, but technically--
Shadow: OH. You're a projection of my imagination!
?: The fugitive's power grows in strength, and the Veteran's Committee have an agenda of their own. Be wary.
Shadow: The fugitive. The Tour Guide, right?
?: *nods* You are not the only one after the chaos drives, Green One... but you must be the one to get seven first.
Shadow: What? Who else is after them? Mephiles? The Veteran's Committee?
?: Good luck, Shadow. Follow the lake.
[the figure vanishes]
Shadow: ...from the sounds of it, I've got a time limit.
[Shadow quickly gets some more water then mounts Muse]
Muse: Neigggh?
Shadow: C'mon, Muse. Let's go around this lake; there's sure to be a river of sorts.
[surely enough, there is; they follow it Eastward]
Chapter 2: Overture/The Temples of Syrinx/Discovery
[the river leads Shadow and Muse to a magnificent city, with spires rising up beyond the clouds]
[he rides Muse in and stops at a random building]
Shadow: Okay, Muse. *dismounts, ties to a post* I hope I can legally do this.
[Shadow then enters the building]
[the camera shows a sign on the front of the building: "And the meek shall inherit the Earth..."]
[inside, robed men stand, staring at him, quietly and ominously]
[Shadow slowly steps toward the center of the room; as soon as he reaches the middle, a man speaks up]
Man: State your name.
Shadow: Uh.. I'm Shadow... Ryder.
[the men discuss this amongst themselves]
Man: How did you get here?
Shadow: I rode here. Horseback.
Man2: So that is your horse out front.
Shadow: Yeah.. sorry, was I not supposed to put him there?
Man: No. Horses are regression and have been banned. It is being taken away as we speak.
Shadow: Regr.. dude, it's my horse! I need it for transport! Just who do you think you are?
Man: ENOUGH. We are the priests of the Temples of Syrinx. Our great computers fill the hallowed halls.
Man2: All the gifts of life are held within our walls.
Shadow: Well.. where am I? What year is this?
Man3: This is the twelfth year of the twenty-second century. You are in our city. You must abide to our rules.
Shadow: Um.. do you happen to know where any chaos drives are?
Man: All chaos drives were taken by the Elder Race. They left this planet long ago.. for they were but regressions.
Shadow: Sure, we need to evolve, but that doesn't mean other things are "regressions" that must be stopped!
Man2: You dare question the views of the Brotherhood of Man? Begone, A-Life creature.. guards!
[two other robed men grab Shadow and take him away]
[the screen fades to black]
[fade-in in a cave nearby]
[Dark is sleeping]
[a waterdrop falls onto his face; this wakes him up]
Dark: What? ..hm. Cave. Cave? Cave.
[he looks around and sees an odd device nearby]
Dark: *gasp*
[he runs up to it and grasps it]
Dark: What can this strange device be?
[he feels it]
Dark: When I touch it, it gives forth sound...
[he runs his hands up and down the strings]
Dark: It's got wires that vibrate and give music...
[he puts it on with the strap]
Dark: What can this thing be that I found?
[he begins playing some notes]
Dark: See how it sings like a sad heart.. and joyously screams out its pain.
[he eventually progresses into chords]
Dark: Sounds that build high like a mountain, or notes that fall.. gently.. like rain.
[he plays on for a while, experimenting with various rhythms and riffs]
Dark: I can't wait to share this new wonder. The people will all see its light.
[he takes off the device and just looks at it, proudly]
Dark: Let them all make their own music... the priests praise my name on this night!
[Dark then rushes out of the cave, and into one of the temples]
Dark: I REQUEST AN AUDIENCE WITH THE PRIESTS.
Man: Very well. Proceed.
Chapter 3: Presentation/Oracle/Soliloquy/Grand Finale
Dark: I know it's most unusual to come before you so.. but I've found an ancient miracle; I thought that you should know!
[Dark puts on the device, now obviously a guitar, and plays a riff or two]
Dark: Listen to my music, and hear what it can do. There's something here as strong as life; I know that it will reach you!
[the sound of Dark's guitar is suddenly drowned out by the booming voice of the head priest]
Man: YES, we know.. it's nothing new. Just a waste of time. We have no need for ancient ways; the world is doing fine.
Man2: Another toy that helped destroy the Elder Race of Man. Forget about your silly whim. It doesn't fit the plan.
Dark: I can't believe you're saying.. these things just can't be true. Our world could use this beauty!
[Dark stops playing, and steps forward]
Dark: Just think of what we might do.
Man: Don't annoy us further.
Man2: We have our work to do. Just think about the average; what use have they for you?
[Dark bursts out an epic guitar solo in retaliation, and the priests dismiss him]
[two robed guards go up to Dark; one takes his guitar and destroys it; the other kicks him out of the Temple]
[Dark wanders home through silent streets, then falls into a fitful sleep]
[before drifting off, Dark mumbles]
Dark: Escape to realms beyond the night.. dream, can't you show me the light?
[whrrrrrrrrrrrrcuttoBLAcK]
[Dark stands atop a spiral stair]
[an oracle confronts him there]
[the oracle leads Dark on lightyears away, through astral nights, galactic days]
[Dark sees the works of gifted hands that grace the strange and wondrous land]
[the hand of man arises with hungry mind and open eyes]
Oracle: They left our planets long ago.. the Elder Race still learn and grow. Their power grows with purpose strong.
Dark: Will they claim the home where they belong? Will they tear the Temples down? Can we change?
[it all fades away as Dark wakes up]
Dark: The sleep is still in my eyes, the dream still in my head...
[Dark heaves a sigh and sadly smiles while he lies awhile in bed]
Dark: I wish that it might come to pass.. not fade, like all my dreams.
[he closes his eyes]
Dark: Just think of what my life might be in a world like I have seen! I don't think I can carry on this cold and empty life.
[Dark gets out of bed and leaves his home]
[as he heads towards the caves at the edge of town, a blues-y guitar solo plays out in his head]
[he enters the caves]
Dark: My spirits are low in the depths of despair.
[he takes a dagger]
Dark: My lifeblood... spills over--
Shadow: DARK!!!
[Dark looks at the corner of the cave; Shadow is there, chained to the wall]
Dark: Sh..Shadow? Is that you?
Shadow: Dark, they locked me up here; could you help me?
Dark: Of course!
[Dark uses the dagger to slice through the chains, setting Shadow free]
Shadow: Thank you. What were you doing in here?
[Dark looks at the dagger]
Dark: ....nothing. Listen, I had a dream.. a dream of a world beyond this one.
Shadow: What do you mean?
Dark: A.. another world. Another opportunity for our civilization to learn and grow.
Shadow: But Dark, this isn't your civilization. These guys aren't our responsibility.
Dark: But.. we can't just leave them here to die off. Evolution, Shadow! We must help them evolve.
Shadow: You're starting to sound like the Veteran's Committee.
Dark: Well.. they're smart guys. I think they're right in trying what they are, but just.. it's not good for us.
Shadow: ....did you have anything in mind? For helping these guys?
Dark: I have a vague idea.
Chapter 4: Exogenesis Symphony (Overture/Cross-Pollination/Redemption)
[Dark enters a Temple]
Dark: I have one question for the Priests.
Man: Very well. Ask it.
Dark: What is your opinion on space travel?
Man2: .."space travel." I.. suppose it doesn't hurt.
Man3: I dunno, I mean.. does it?
Man1: Of course it does. It is regression at its finest, and we condemn it. Get out.
Shadow: Now hold up a second.
[Shadow is standing at the entrance, dramatically]
Shadow: I get it now, mister Head Priest.
[Shadow begins stepping forward]
Shadow: You're a Gatekeeper, aren't you? I'm still not quite sure what you Gatekeepers actually are, but.. you are one.
Man1: Hmph. You will have to ask someone else on that one. But well done. I am a Gatekeeper, yes.
Shadow: And your challenge is regression, particularly the debate on whether or not space travel is an act of it.
Man1: Of course it is. It would end our civilization as we know it.
Shadow: Not if only a select few, or even half of us go.
Man1: What good would it do? None. You'll die in the stars.
Shadow: I'm afraid you've stolen my overture, Head Priest. We will only spread our code to the stars, and if we die, we die.
Man1: I can't forgive you, and I can't forget. If you breach the outer sphere, you'll reach the edge of all our fears.
Shadow: Yeah, all our fears are in here, on this planet. The outer sphere is the edge.. and space is where it all ends.
Man1: Including your very lives!
Shadow: Then so be it! If we die, we die. You'll be nice and safe down here.
Man1: But what do you hope to accomplish?
Shadow: Let's start over again. Why can't we start it over again?
Man1: Our civilization is fine the way it is.
Shadow: Your world is dying, Head Priest.. because of your restrictive culture. Your way of life is a regression.
Man1: .....
Shadow: Just let us start it over again. And we'll be good. This time, we'll get it--
Man1: Nothing is wrong with us!
[Dark steps up]
Dark: We'll get it right. It's our last chance to forgive ourselves.
[the Head Priest grins and chuckles]
Man1: We are counting on you, Green One. You must rescue us all.
[he disappears]
[the other Priests just stand in confusion]
Shadow: ..we're getting out of here, Dark.
[they turn and leave]
Man2: Wait!
[they stop]
Man2: You wanted to know about Gatekeepers.
[Shadow turns around]
Shadow: You know what they are?
Man2: As a matter of fact, I do. You are undergoing an epic journey, correct?
Shadow: Quite the, yes.
Man2: Well, your journey is reaching its end.
Shadow: Oh yeah, we're going for the sixth chaos drive, aren't we? We're awfully close to completing our quest.
Man2: BUT. Being in the presence of Gatekeepers is worse than being in the presence of enemies. They are omens...
Shadow: Omens, you say? What could they be trying to tell me?
Man2: On one hand, they are showing you the way to go.. but the mere fact of their presence speaks volumes.
[the Priest gets a grim look on his face]
Man2: I fear, if you continue with your present journey, the result will be fatal.
[cut to Shadow and Dark leaving the Temple in solemn silence]
[voice-over conversation!]
Shadow: If we're going to perform Exogenesis, we should probably find the means to invent space travel first.
Dark: How will we find the next chaos drive, anyway?
Shadow: That will require time travel, and the location of New York City. We'll probably want to find Shade and Red, too.
Dark: Maybe we could find an alien species that knows how to time travel?
Shadow: Either way, we'll have to do a LOT of thinking.
[as the voice-overs speak, a montage of gathering people up, building spaceships, and.. that stuff plays]
Chapter 5: Knights of Cydonia
[Shadow and Dark finally gather everyone, and they go to the plains outside the city]
Dark: Shadow, I found out where we are.
Shadow: Great, and where are we, then?
Dark: Earth, 2112 AD. Somewhere in Canada.
Shadow: Huh. Neat to know.
Dark: Oh, and I found this horse.
Shadow: MUSE! *hugs*
Dark: Oh, it's yours? I was hoping I could have it.
Shadow: You can be my wingman, Dark. We'll be the Knights of Cydonia!
Dark: No one's gonna take us now! The time has come to make things right!
Shadow: Okay, shut up, it's time to perform Exogenesis.
[they gather hundreds of people into their spaceship.. thing, and fly off into the stars]
Dark: ..should we have really brought Muse with us?
Shadow: SHUT UP HE'S MY HORSE AND I LOVE HIM
[they fly for a couple months, and already find another planet]
Shadow: What? That can't be right. We shouldn't even have reached the moon yet!
Dark: Hey, don't question it, or it might disappear! You know how these things work!
[they fly towards the planet]
Shadow: ...Dark, what if Exogenesis doesn't work?
Dark: What do you mean?
Shadow: What if everything just repeats itself? What if the planet dies?
Dark: Then.. the future people will just do Exogenesis, themselves.
Shadow: But you can only do it so many times. In the end, everything runs out.
Dark: Well, then... I guess we really WILL have to just get it right this time.
Shadow: ..*sigh* Sorry about worrying so much. I guess I'm just.. unsure of what to do next. How will we get to New York?
Dark: Don't worry, Shadow. We'll figure it out. I'm sure we will.
[Shadow looks out the window at the approaching planet]
Shadow: ...I hope so.
END ACT I