[INTRO MUSIC PLAYING MIXED WITH ECHO’S THEME]
ECHO: This episode has a content warning for alcohol. It’s time to put your headphones on, sit back and enjoy the divine drama of season 2 episode 8: Truth Flows with Wine. Welcome to Echobox.
[ECHO’S THEME PLAYING TO END]
SCENE 1 – ECHOBOX SEGMENT
ECHO: Listeners, it happened. Narcissus finally got what was coming for him. Yes, you heard that right: the man who just tried to overtake Zeus as the king of celebrity status and Hollywood just got his ass handed to him. And I couldn’t be happier!
ECHO: I saw some confusion floating around about why I’m not supporting Narcissus. After all, we’re all after the same thing: taking down the Olympians. Shouldn’t the enemy of thine enemy be thine friend? Sure… except when the enemy of your enemy is just as shitty as your original enemy. Does that make sense? If you have ever had the pleasure of meeting Narcissus, you know exactly what I mean.
ECHO: He’s a pretty face. A sweet talker. But if you weren’t around for earlier episodes, maybe you don’t know he also steals songs. He sleeps with songwriters and then writes his own name over the lyrics with their lipstick. He fucks around producers, too, but Zeus put a stop to that. He’s been onto him for a while—even before Narcissus started running his mouth.
ECHO: And now, it’s over. He’s finished. Canceled on Twitter and everything. The first shoe to drop were the sponsors. All of them backed out. Big ones like Nike, Monster, and Pepsi slowly pulled out over the course of a couple of days. And then the rest—Duolingo, Papermate, Starbucks, even the fucking Girl Scouts—all pulled out on Thursday. And if you weren’t suspicious already, there’s only one person in all of Hollywood who can cut those sponsorship strings that quickly. Hades, you’re usually at the top of my shit list, but not today. Honestly, I’m almost impressed. Almost, because well… you left your fingerprints everywhere with this one, but I also think that might be intentional. The Olympians cut off pretty boy in five days. Poor, poor Narcissus.
ECHO: Also, thank you to all listeners who tagged me in a specific couple tweets AKA the second shoe to drop. Looks like you can’t hide everything behind a marketing and publicity team. Narcissus, White Boy #1, caught with his pants down with some racial slurs written in now-deleted tweets from 8 years ago. I’m not surprised. He probably thinks he can get out of anything with that little blue check mark.
ECHO: It feels good to take someone like Narcissus down; give him… a taste of his own medicine. I should be happy. I am happy. I just… sometimes… I do still think about Hera. I want to knock the Olympians down and all, but I think it’s also important not to ruin their mental and physical health. So while I’m obviously not a fan of Narcissus or his work, let us all focus our efforts on bigger and better things. We got bigger fish to fry. And Narcissus is suffering enough right now. Anything more might be cruel. Hmph. And you all say I’m a monster. Who knows… maybe this is me turning over a new leaf.
[SCENE TRANSITION MUSIC PLAYING]
SCENE 2 – INT. ALEX’S LIVING ROOM
[APARTMENT AMBIENCE]
[DOOR OPENING]
PAT: Hey everyone, sorry we’re late.
ACHILLES: Someone lost track of time in the liquor store.
PAT: Choosing wine that fits the vibe of wine night is half the battle. Tonight’s battle just happened to take longer than usual.
ACHILLES: Yeah… Because choosing wine is SUCH a fucking battle.
ALEX: God does give his toughest battles to his strongest warriors.
PAT: Shut up and uncork the bottle.
ALEX: Hmm.
[WINE BOTTLE POPPING OPEN]
[POURING WINE]
DAPHNE: Did everyone hear the new Echobox episode? It was just posted, like, a couple hours ago. Why have a wine night when we can have a Narcissus is officially OVER PARTY!
[WINE BOOTLE PUT ON TABLE]
DAPHNE: CHEERS TO ALEX!
PAT AND ACHILLES (hesitant): Cheers?
[GLASSES CLINKING]
[DRINKING WINE]
DAPHNE: He’s finally gotten what he deserved!
ALEX: Oh boy.
DAPHNE: Oh my God, I am so happy to like have finally found people to talk to about the podcast. No one ever wants to talk to me about it. Blah, blah, Olympians are listening. Blah, blah, don’t feed into the rumor mill.
[DRINKING WINE]
DAPHNE (disbelieving): What? Are you seriously telling me that NONE of you listen to Echobox?
[GULPING WINE]
DAPHNE: Come on, Achilles… I know that you know Echobox. ‘Cause you were in it!
ACHILLES: I was?
[POURING WINE]
[WINE BOTTLE SET ON TABLE]
DAPHNE: You HAVE to tell me who Echo is! Is it someone we know? Someone in Olympus Records?
ACHILLES: Sorry, girlie, but I’m SWORN to secrecy.
DAPHNE: Okay… Achilles.
[GULPING WINE]
DAPHNE: Pat! Do you listen? Have you met Echo?
[POURING WINE]
[WINE BOTTLE SET ON TABLE]
PAT: Oh… Umm… Yeah? I mean no. No. Definitely not. Never, never heard of her. Them.
[CLEARING THROAT]
PAT: Never…Yeah…
[GULPING WINE]
ACHILLES (murmur): Subtle.
DAPHNE: But Alex, if you haven’t heard the most recent episode, we should listen to it together! Tonight!
[DRINKING WINE]
ALEX: I listened. It was a really good episode.
ACHILLES: Really?
ALEX (slowly): Do you not think so?
[POURING WINE]
ACHILLES: It was okay.
[WINE BOTTLE SET ON TABLE]
DAPHNE: I thought it was SO GOOD! Like connecting all the sponsors dropping out to Hades! It has to be someone inside Olympus Records!
ALEX (angry): Just okay?
[GULPING WINE]
PAT: Daphne, how’s the job hunt going?
DAPHNE: What didn’t you like about it?
ALEX: Yeah, what didn’t you like about it?
PAT: Oh boy.
ACHILLES: It’s just a little mean right? Like, who is Echo to say who the internet–
[POURING WINE]
ACHILLES: –should shit on that day? I just think–
[WINE BOTTLE SET ON TABLE]
ACHILLES: — Echo needs to realize she can’t control everything.
ALEX: That’s funny, Achilles, because… well… weren’t YOU a guest in Echobox?
ACHILLES: It wasn’t my best career choice.
[CELLPHONE BUZZING]
[ANSWERING BEEP]
ALEX: Hello?
[ARTEMIS’ VOICE OVER THE PHONE]
ARTEMIS: Hey, Alex! It’s me.
ALEX: Oh, hey…
DAPHNE: Who is it?
ALEX: Ssshhhh….
[CHAIR MOVING]
[FOOTSTEPS, ALEX WALKING TO THE KITCHEN]
[REFRIGERATOR HUMMING]
ALEX: So… What’s up?
ARTEMIS: I just wanted to check in with you! Um, make sure you were alright.
ALEX: Oh! Yeah. I’m fine. That’s it?
ARTEMIS: Yeah… Sorry. I thought you might be like in a crisis which is why I called.
ALEX: Please don’t tell me you’re calling to tell me that Eurydice is now wandering drunk around the city and any second now I’m going to get a call from your Dad to go find and wrangle her.
ARTEMIS: Wrangle? I didn’t know wrangling was part of the job description.
ALEX: What other word do you use to describe tracking and rescuing your brother from hotshots and coke lines?
ARTEMIS: Fair… but no. It’s about… Narcissus.
ALEX: Oh God. You knew?
ARTEMIS: No, no… but, Hermes let it slip about the… “history”…
ALEX: /I’m going to kill him/
ARTEMIS: /and I just wanted to make sure you were alright.
ALEX: Really?
ARTEMIS: Yeah. I was going to text, but then I thought that might be a little insensitive? Or, like, not as nice? Or too casual? I’m sorry I, like, don’t even know what I’m saying. Or why I’m still talking. I’m supposed to be listening. To you.
ALEX: No, it’s okay. Go on.
ARTEMIS: I’m calling to make sure you’re alright. Basically… I might have over complicated it in my head a bit.
ALEX: I’m okay. I appreciate you calling, though. I’m, like, soooo heartbroken.
ARTEMIS: I can tell.
[FOOTSTEPS, DAPHNE COMING IN]
ALEX (sarcastic): Yeah, I’m just so depressed especially with, you know, the history.
[DRAWER OPENING]
[CUTLERY MOVING AROUND]
ARTEMIS: You’re making me regret calling.
[ALEX GIGGLING]
DAPHNE: Pst. PST!
ALEX: What?
DAPHNE: Who’s calling you? Is it a boy?
[ARTEMIS BEING UNINTELLIGIBLE ON THE PHONE]
ALEX: Shhh! What was that?
DAPHNE: Come on… you never introduce me to any of your boy-toys.
ALEX (gritted teeth): It’s a work call.
DAPHNE: Hm…Since when do you ever giggle on a work call?
DAPHNE: Come on.
[ALEX AND DAPHNE FIGHTING OVER THE PHONE]
ARTEMIS: Alex? Are you still there?
DAPHNE: Hello! Daph here!
ALEX: Daphne!
DAPHNE: Alex can’t come to the phone right now. Who’s this?
ARTEMIS: Oh, hey Daphne.
DAPHNE: You didn’t tell me it was Artemis.
ALEX: Give me the phone back!
DAPHNE: Grow another two inches and you can take it back. You know–
ALEX: Daphne!
DAPHNE: –we’re going wine night at our place and we totally have
ALEX: Don’t do that!
DAPHNE: –an extra glass if you want to come! Achilles and Pat are here, too. I’m sure they’d love to see you.
[ARTEMIS BEING UNINTELLIGIBLE ON THE PHONE]
ALEX: Oh my God. I’m going to kill you. Like straight-up murder you. Mom’s gonna be so sad an-!
DAPHNE: Awesome. See you then!
[CALL ENDED BEEP]
DAPHNE: Ta-da. Here’s your precious phone.
ALEX: Why the FUCK did you DO THAT?
DAPHNE: Duh, Echo says the Hunters are popping off. Don’t know if you realize but I am unemployed, and unsigned. Why fight my way inside Olympus Records when I can just invite Artemis of the Hunters to wine night?
ALEX: I am not drunk enough for this.
DAPHNE: Come on. Aren’t you two, like, friends or whatever? I was so excited… I thought it was your secret boyfriend #2.
[SCENE TRANSITION MUSIC PLAYING]
SCENE 3 – EXT. JUST OUTSIDE THE BUILDING
[DISTANT TRAFFIC]
[CAR PULLING UP]
[CAR DOOR OPENING AND CLOSING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
ALEX: You drove here?
ARTEMIS: Yeah. Is that surprising?
ALEX: I just thought all of Zeus’ kids had their own personal chauffeurs and shit.
ARTEMIS: No, I’ve always preferred to drive myself. One nasty accident with my Dad and I decided I always wanted to drive myself evre since.
ALEX: Oh, I’m sorry. I didn’t know.
ARTEMIS: It’s okay. You didn’t know. And besides, it’s a harmless assumption.
[FOOTSTEPS]
ARTEMIS: Thank you for inviting me by the way.
ALEX: Thank Daphne. Wine nights are usually Pat, Achilles and I but Daphne, of course, weaseled her way in and the rest is history.
ARTEMIS: If I knew it was such an exclusive event, I would have brought a different dress.
ALEX: Oh shut up. Get in. I hope you’re thirsty.
[DOOR OPENING]
[FOOTSTEPS]
[DOOR CLOSING]
DAPHNE (simultaneously): Artemis!
PAT (simultaneously): Oh, hey!
ACHILLES: Nice for you to finally drop by.
ARTEMIS: Hey! Pat, will you rate my bottle?
[WINE GLASS MOVING]
PAT: Solid, seven point five out of ten.
ARTEMIS: I’ll take it.
[WINE BOTTLE SET ON TABLE]
DAPHNE: Here! Come sit next to me!
ARTEMIS: Okay.
[FOOSTEPS]
[SITTING ON CHAIR]
DAPHNE: We were just talking about Echobox.
PAT: Not this again.
DAPHNE: What do you think? Have you listened to it?
ARTEMIS: Well, yeah. Didn’t they do a whole episode on me?
ACHILLES: They do an episode on anyone who’s anyone.
[POURING WINE]
ARTEMIS: I liked my episode at least. I know I could have been–
[WINE BOTTLE SET ON TABLE]
ARTEMIS: –less fortunate.
[DRINKING WINE]
ALEX: What do you mean?
ARTEMIS: Like what Echo says about Hermes, or Apollo! They don’t know what’s really happening behind the scenes. I mean, obviously they know some things but not everything.
[GULPING WINE]
ARTEMIS: Not the important things–
[POURING WINE]
[WINE BOTTLE SET ON TABLE]
ARTEMIS: –that really matter.
ACHILLES: Wait, now I’ve lost you, too.
ARTEMIS: Come on guys. Don’t you think Echobox is just feeding into toxic news cycles? Just like Buzzfeed and TMZ. I mean, sometimes I think they’re really out here trying to uplift people and voices, and I even sent them a message once, but other times… it’s, it’s like all Echo can see is the “Olympian”–
[POURING WINE]
ARTEMIS: –name and nothing else.
[WINE BOTTLE SET ON TABLE]
ACHILLES: That’s just a long-winded way of saying you think Echo is a BITCH.
ARTEMIS: Okay. Echo IS a bitch.
[GULPING WINE]
[ACHILLES LAUGHING HARD]
ACHILLES: Oh, fuck. You really said it.
ARTEMIS: You asked me to!
[ARTEMIS LAUGHING]
[ACHILLES LAUGHING EVEN HARDER]
ACHILLES: No, I didn’t say shit!
[BOTH LAUGHING]
[POURING WINE]
[WINE BOTTLE SET ON TABLE]
DAPHNE: Are you okay, Alex?
ALEX: Yeah. I’m fine.
[SCENE TRANSITION DRONE MUSIC PLAYING]
SCENE 4 – INT. ALEX’S LIVING ROOM
[LIGHT TRAFFIC]
DAPHNE: Bye guys! Thanks for coming.
[DOOR CLOSING]
DAPHNE: Is there anything you want to tell me…?
ALEX: Like… what?
DAPHNE: Come on. About… Echo?
[PIERCING SOUND]
ALEX: A- About Echo?
DAPHNE: I know you’re hiding something.
DAPHNE: You like GIRLS!
[ALEX CHUCKLING]
ALEX: Oh my God.
DAPHNE: It’s nothing to be embarrassed about! I’m, like, an ally!
ALEX: Yes, that is my deepest, darkest secret. I’m gay.
DAPHNE: Oh, so you like… only women? I’m an ally for gay people, too, don’t worry.
ALEX: No, I’m bisexual.
DAPHNE: Oh… that kinda makes more sense.
ALEX: How… did that relate to Echo?
DAPHNE: Because you sound like you’re in love with her. It’s so obvious, like, come on. You, you’re both made for each other in the same way you both shit on Hollywood, your favourite colour is both purple, your hair, her logo, I think you both like cats/
ALEX: /I’m going to bed/
[FOOTSTEPS, ALEX WALKING AWAY]
[OUTRO MUSIC PLAYING]
DAPHNE: /you’re ready to fight anyone on the street/
ALEX: /Narcissus, come on!/
[NARCISSUS MEOWING]
[DAPHNE’S VOICE FADING IN THE BACKGROUND]
DAPHNE: /But no, I have so many other reasons…
ALEX: Bye, Daphne!
DAPHNE: It’s so obvious!
This episode stars, in order of appearance, Isabella Sales as Alex/Echo, Theo Wampuszyc as Patroclus, Emma K. Blaskelee as Achilles, Tal Minear as Daphne and Juliana Guttierez Arango as Artemis. It was written by Isabella Sales and Corienne Swanson and produced by Corienne Swanson. The Echobox theme song was made by Meg McKellar. Dialogue cut by Marianna Marcon and audio and sound design by Georgia Triantafyllopoulou Meg Mckellar. Logo design by Lucas Eduardo Bueno andwebsite by Andy Cerdan.
You can find the episode transcript at our website at echoboxpod.com.
Echobox is created out of love for storytelling and provided at no profit to us but we deeply appreciate the hard work our cast and crew put into the show. If you want to help us pay them for their work, support us on our patreon at patreon dot.com/echoboxpod.
If you liked the episode, don’t forget to share with a friend and spread the word of Echo. It really helps us grow!
Thank you for listening. See you next time we open the Echobox!
[OUTRO MUSIC FADING OUT]