A Dance with Darkness/Script

This is the script of "A Dance with Darkness", the second episode of the second season of the Infinity Crab Saga.

A video of this episode can be found at A Dance with Darkness/Video.

## Act One

### SCENE ONE

*(Flip’s final words are heard. Lights up on Bad Boy Will and Good Guy Graham, kneeling and exhausted, after their battle against the Baroness. The two stand up, then look at each other. They make eye contact, and their anger heats. Good Guy Graham softens. He extends his hand to Bad Boy Will, who begrudgingly shakes it. The two walk away from the camera together, a new partnership. Steve enters.)*

**Steve:** *(tiptoeing over the canarage, trying not to get blood on his shoes)* Oh gosh, oh geez! *(He shouts)* Baroness? Baroness! *(He realizes the depth of the situation.)* Oh no. They are not going to like this...

*(Blackout.)*

### SCENE TWO

*(Open on Zoom call, where Potentia, Arguta, and Quies are argue.)*

**Potentia, Arguta, and Quies:** *ad lib. arguing about who will be the next leader of the council*

*(Steve enters.)*

**Steve:** *(unafraid)* Pardon me; I do not mean to intrude, but unfortunately the Baroness has died on the field of battle and is no longer with us.

**Potentia:** What?

**Arguta:** What happened?

**Steve:** She turned into dust after being defeated by Good Guy Graham, Bad Boy Will, the Scale, and—

**Quies:** Shut up, Steve.

**Potentia:** Yeah, Steve.

**Arguta:** *(to the council)* This has thrown a wrench in our plans.

**Quies:** *(to Steve)* Where did they go?

**Steve:** Well, after the Scale killed the Baroness, he died too—

**Arguta:** He’s dead?

**Quies:** For some reason that gives me pain to hear.

**Potentia:** He got what he deserved.

**Steve:** —and Good Guy Graham and Bad Boy Will left shortly after.

**Arguta:** You let them leave?

**Quies:** They were injured; you just let them walk away?!

**Potentia:** Goddammit, STEVE!

**Arguta:** Wait, how did Totus die?

**Steve:** Well, Gray killed him, and was then released from his crystal.

*(awkward, tense silence)*

**Potentia:** STEVE!

**Arguta:** Lead with that next time!

**Quies:** *(to the council)* It seems that everything we were planning will have to be changed.

**Potentia:** Do we have any more options?

**Arguta:** One, but you’re not going to like it.

**Quies:** We have no choice.

**Arguta:** The ancient texts speak of an artifact that can capture a balance user’s power.

**Potentia:** It’s too dangerous. Gray could find it.

**Quies:** We can’t let that happen.

**Arguta:** We have no more cards to play. The Baroness is dead. The Swordsman is missing. Good Guy Graham and Bad Boy Will are too untrustworthy to wield their powers. We must stop them.

**Quies:** But who could even claim it? The balance will only let one of its chosen claim its artifacts.

**Arguta:** They will.

**Potentia:** We can’t reveal ourselves. How can we convince them?

*(beat. All look toward Steve, who is taking notes.)*

**Quies:** Steve, we have another mission for you.

**Arguta:** Find the Infinity Crab.

***BLACKOUT.***

## Act Two

### SCENE ONE

*(Good Guy Graham and Bad Boy Will are at a corkboard, with several red strings connecting disparate pieces of ICS lore. Steve enters.)*

**Steve:** Good evening, gentlemen.

*(Good Guy Graham and Bad Boy Will leap back in surprise, ready for combat.)*

**Steve:** I have heard that your friend, Flip, has died. I have heard that you are looking for vengeance. I am here to help.

*(Good Guy Graham lowers his guard, he is intrigued.)*

**Steve:** I have information that can lead you to a powerful artifact, the Infinity Crab. It could contain Gray, much like the artifact he was trapped in before.

*(Bad Boy Will lowers his guard, but turns his back to him)*

**Steve:** I know it’s not easy to trust me, but there is a reason I am here.

*(Steve approaches the corkboard. He retrieves a business card and tacks it to the board, then connects a string between himself and the Council. Bad Boy Will turns around, now interested. Blackout.)*

### SCENE TWO

*(Lights up on The Boogie Man, signing autographs for two very enthusiastic fans.)*

**Fans:** *ad lib. excited to meet the Boogie Man*

**Boogie Man:** Sorry, ladies. I have to close up; you have to get out of here.

*(Fans exit, leaving Boogie Man alone. The Boogie Man begins to clean up the stage. Danse Macabre plays. Gray appears.)*

**Boogie Man:** Sorry, man, we just closed. You’ll have to come back tomorrow.

**Gray:** *(Gray’s voice is distorted and echoing. It comes from all directions.)* You don’t recognize me? After all I’ve done for you...

**Boogie Man:** *(intimidated)* Have we met?

**Gray:** Oh, we’ve met, although I was not yet in this body. We made a deal. I’ve come to collect your debt.

**Boogie Man:** *(realizes who Gray is, terrified)* No, no, no, no, no. I’m too relevant to die! I swear I’ll pay you back. I said I would. I just don’t have it on me.

**Gray:** Shhhhhh. I know. You will, right now.

**Boogie Man:** Whaddya mean, man?

**Gray:** I need you to find some friends for me.

**Boogie Man:** I can’t do that! I have a set tomorrow, I need to keep making my music.

**Gray:** Your music? *(a threat)* Do I need to remind you who your powers came from?

**Boogie Man:** *(frustrated)* Fine, man. *(defeated)* What do you need?

**Gray:** There are two people causing me trouble. I need to know where they are.

**Boogie Man:** Why can’t you just find them yourself?

**Gray:** There are many forces at play. I can’t let the Council find me. Not before I have ascended.

**Boogie Man:** Can you at least give me a name? Who am I looking for?

**Gray:** Good Guy Graham and Bad Boy Will.

*(Gray disappears.)*

**Boogie Man:** Oh shiiii—

***BLACKOUT.***

## ACT THREE

*(Good Guy Graham, Bad Boy Will, and Steve are walking.)*

**Steve:** *(he has been monologuing the whole walk)* Of course, many are afraid to disturb the Infinity Crab. According to legend, the origins of the Balance itself can be traced back to it. It has been centuries since anyone has touched it. Unless you believe the rumors, that is.

*(They stop walking.)*

**Steve:** Ah, here we are: a Temple of the Balance. According to legend, the Infinity Crab is inside. Only those chosen by the Balance can open it.

*(They open it, and begin to enter. The Boogie Man enters.)*

**Boogie Man:** You may have been chosen by the Balance, but I was chosen by *(record scratch)* the RHYTHM!!!

**Steve:** Oh my God! It is the boogie man!

**Boogie Man:** Hit it!

*(A Boogie song plays and the Boogie Man begins to sing. Good Guy Graham and Bad Boy Will are compelled to perform a dance routine.)*

**Boogie Man:** *(singing)* BABY KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME AND LISTEN TO WHAT I SAY.

YOU DON’T HAVE TO FEEL ANY FEAR, JUST DANCE THE NIGHT AWAY.

YOU JUST GOTTA FEEL THE JIVE. AND JUST TRY TO SURVIVE.

YOUR FREE WILL MAY BE GONE, BUT, HEY, YOU REALLY LOVE THIS SONG!

BABY, CAN’T YOU FEEL THE FUNK IT TRAVELS UP YOUR SPINE?

FROM NOW ON YOU’LL ALWAYS AND FOREVER BE MINE.

EVEN THOUGH IT MAY BE WRONG, LISTEN TO MY SIREN SONG.

YOU GOTTA FEEL THE BEAT, SO DANCE WITH ME FOR ETERNITY!

I’LL HOLD YOU IN MY ARMS.

I’LL KEEP YOU SAFE FROM HARM.

THERE’S NOTHING TO FEAR WHILE I AM STANDING HERE.

THERE’S NO SIGN OF HERE AND NOW

WITHIN THESE WALLS OF SOUND

THERE’S NO ENDING TO THE SONG.

TAKE IT FROM THE TOP AND SING ALONG!

BABY KEEP YOUR EYES ON ME AND LISTEN TO—

*(Steve punches the Boogie Man hard in the face. The Boogie Man falls to the ground, stunned, if not dead. The music stops.)*

**Steve:** It is a shame. I loved their music.

*(Good Guy Graham and Bad Boy Will enter the temple. Bad Boy Will picks up the Infinity Crab and they exit the temple.)*

**Steve:** Excellent work. Now, allow me to bring you back to my employers. They will give you further instruction.

*(Steve leads Good Guy Graham and Bad Boy Will offstage.)*

*{Animation} (Gray appears outside the temple. He investigates the Boogie Man’s body.)*

**Gray:** They got away. *(muttering)* Of course. *(beat. A recognition)* I know this place. Where am I? How did they find this? This is where they... *(he remembers)* Where is it? Where is it?! *(echoes)* No no no no no! They don’t even realize what they’ve stolen; what it can do. I will find them. I will hunt them down, until there’s nowhere left for them to hide. I will not go back!

***BLACKOUT.***