“The Villain Saga” – Episode 7, Part 1

(Table of contents) (See previous)

FADE IN.

INT. UPPER FLOORS OF EREWHON PRISON – AFTERNOON

RAVEN and WIDOW are both sent back into their cells, RAVEN holding another pie plate. A few days have passed since the last episode.

The guards who brought them up head back to the elevators. The two prisoners stay silent, listening by the doors as the elevator descends.

Once it’s gone:

RAVEN

Finally, they got chocolate this time!

WIDOW wipes some crumbs off her black suit–most of the characters are still wearing their signature outfits, with jackets or name tags or some other identifier over them. After all, no point in looking recognizable if you can’t ever escape.

WIDOW

I think I’m going to get…hypoglycemia, was it? Those things have so much sugar.

RAVEN finishes the pie plate and tosses it to the side of his bed. A fairly respectable pile of tins has formed there.

WIDOW

How many more do you need?

RAVEN

This…looks like enough.

(He smiles, pushing the pile over and scattering the tins across the floor.)

We just have to wait until nightfall.

CUT TO CRAWFISH, back in the lunchroom with BARD and HARE at the table. HARE is once again decimating a stack of carrot muffins, although BARD has barely touched his tray.

CRAWFISH

That spider thief hasn’t been here for a while, has she?

HARE

It’s “Black Widow”.

(con’t)

She’s been getting into more trouble than usual lately.

BARD

“Usual”?

HARE

She, uh, let’s just say several guards had to take sick leave for the first week she was here. They were still working out the security.

CRAWFISH

(To BARD)

Seems they got it worked out by the time you got here, that big safe ye’re locked in!

BINARY BARD scoffs.

BARD

What do they think I’m going to do?

HARE

(In the middle of taking a bite in his muffin–or, one of his muffins)

…you brought advanced space technology to a medieval village. I wouldn’t put you in a cardboard box either.

BARD

Ha! So you do admit I’m the superior inventor!

HARE scowls.

HARE

I-I never said that! I think you cheated anyway!

CRAWFISH

No need for your heads to fill this entire room…although, what DID you both make?

HARE

A device around the cranium that affects electromagnetic activity in the brain to–

CRAWFISH

I understood NONE of that.

HARE

Mind control device.

(con’t)

I made people find as many carrots as possible to fuel my rocket ship, where I would release said technology onto the full globe!

CRAWFISH looks across at HARE, at the pile of muffins.

CRAWFISH

You have…great ambitions for a simple plan.

BARD

It began long ago, when I was a mere child. I began to learn how to harness the power of electricity–

CRAWFISH

What is with you both and book-length talks?

(con’t)

I looked for treasure. I wanted treasure. I may have taken a few souls for said treasure. I got treasure.

HARE

Wait-wait.

(He turns to BARD)

So. ZERO electricity whatsoever? How?

BARD pauses.

BARD

It wasn’t entirely me…

MOREAU and DIRECTOR D are both outside the lunch room, starting to doze off. Their heads both pop up, intrigued by this new information.

HARE

Ha! I knew you cheated.

BARD

I come from a long lineage of geniuses…most of the technology brought to Arturus during my time was all my work, but we’ve surpassed the royalty in our skill for decades…

FADE OUT from the lunchroom.

FADE IN back to RAVEN and WIDOW’S cells. RAVEN is doing something strange with the pie plates, which are all laid out separately on the floor.

RAVEN

I’ve noticed most of the guards up here change to the night shift at 7, although I think on lower floors they change a half hour later–probably a way to prevent too much of a gap. I don’t know if it’s possible to buy some time–

(He turns to the wall between him and WIDOW. She’s making no noise at all.)

Are you listening?

WIDOW jolts awake. She was just sitting and working on the plan, but fell asleep in the middle of RAVEN’S explanation.

WIDOW

I was. Of course I was!

A bit doubtful, RAVEN gets back to his work.

RAVEN

If what I’m planning works–and it will–they might not report that we’re missing for a while, and we might be able to hide it out between shift swaps.

(con’t)

…Do you know how to fly a helicopter?

WIDOW

I can figure it out.

RAVEN

Well I’m glad we have an expert here.

WIDOW

Your brilliant plan uses tins from the cafeteria!

RAVEN

Yes, and I am also a professional!

A guard walks past their doors. RAVEN and WIDOW both freeze, and they don’t talk for a while as RAVEN continues with his project.

CUT TO the lunchroom again. BARD’S expression has changed significantly from usual, becoming serious, a bit melancholic. He’s as lost in thought as usual, but on something else besides dreams of power…

BARD

I was born to a peasant family, the Le Fays. We all had noble blood, but the kingdom, and that tyrant Richard on the throne, had long forgotten it.

Behind the window, MOREAU turns to DIRECTOR D.

MOREAU

Do you think he’s serious?

DIRECTOR D.

I doubt it. He’s not the only guy here saying he’s royalty from the Kingdom of Arturus.

CUT TO a flashback of SIR REBRAL during one of their psychology meetings, a superpowered villain yet to be introduced.

REBRAL

Thee group me in with these peasants, but I assureth thee mine own royal wrath shall beest hath felt upon this landeth one day!

(Con’t)

I am not merely “Sir Rebral”, but a king! Anon, boweth first bef’re thee speaketh!

Across the desk, MOREAU and DIRECTOR D. just stare with jaws slack.

CUT TO the lunchroom, present.

DIRECTOR D.

But in this guy’s defense…

(Con’t)

…he’s actually from Arcturus.

HARE whips his head around. He must have caught some of their speaking above the general noise of the lunchroom.

HARE

Hey, shut for a second.

(Con’t)

They’re watching us again. I think they’ve been doing it every day.

CRAWFISH

(Taking a bite of his…food?)

They must have some reason that’s too “good” for us to know.

BINARY BARD looks toward the window, staring at the two. He’s stopped speaking, and MOREAU and D realize they’re going to have to try to learn more about his past another time.

They need to get the four’s trust, or else none of this will work.

CUT TO:

INT. EREWHON PRISON – EVENING

Night is falling. There’s a shred of red on the horizon as the last of the sun dips down, and a couple prisoners are outside in the courtyard for exercise. WIDOW is there, just in a corner and glaring at everyone so they know to stay away from her.

DR. HARE whistles. She ignores him. He whistles again. She ignores him some more. He finally gives up and just walks to her.

DR. HARE

Do you need your ears cleaned or something?

WIDOW

You’re supposed to exercise out here.

DR. HARE

Funny.

(Con’t)

Are you joining in with your cousin and the James Bond guy for their plan?

WIDOW

What plan?

HARE

The whole god powers destroy world but live to take over it something something thing.

WIDOW

Huh, I thought you’d be more interested in it.

(Con’t)

I’m not.

HARE

I mean I am, I just have my suspicions—wait, you’re not?

WIDOW

I’m here for thievery, not mass world control.

HARE

None of that appeals to you? Really?

WIDOW pauses. She gazes out at the sun through the wire fence.

WIDOW

If I was to rule the world, I’d want to be liked at least.

HARE

You’re not exactly doing the best job trying to convince people to like you.

WIDOW shoots him a burning glare. HARE flinches.

HARE

Changing the subject…

(Con’t)

Would you say they’re trustworthy, at all? Like, do you think this whole plan is even legit?

WIDOW scoffs.

WIDOW

I don’t know her accomplice well, but my cousin isn’t trustworthy.

(Con’t)

But…

(Con’t)

She isn’t the same with others as she is with me. She always wants to make a fool of me, but with everyone else she does want to look nice. I do think they need you for this, and it is real.

She glances over her shoulder, then leans towards HARE with a lower voice.

WIDOW

If you’re going to take my advice at all…something is wrong here. Not just with them, but with the other “doctor” as well. I wouldn’t join in on this and stay.

(Con’t)

Leave while you can.

She turns away, heading back to the building as the courtyard time comes to an end. HARE remains in the same place for a while, processing her words.

HARE

Huh…

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Gonna have to start getting my ducks in a row for Season 2 soon! My current roadmap for the series is four seasons, each with ten episodes (and split into two parts a piece).

Castori honorem ~ Smart Bubbles