Season 1, Episode 3

INT. ADOPTION AGENCY – NIGHT (Prologue)

Shiro & Mayla are at an adoption agency with the basket. At the desk is TAMIYA IDELES – 50-years-old, has been working for the agency for 26 years.

TAMIYA: And you say you have no idea where her parents are?

SHIRO: She won’t speak… but I’m pretty sure her parents are no longer here.

TAMIYA: Was that basket the only thing with her?

SHIRO: A note was attached to the handle.

TAMIYA: What did it say?

SHIRO: I don’t know. The rain ruined it.

Ms. Ideles is not convinced. She has seen it all and does not believe a word of it.

TAMIYA: Mr. Tulsen, I cannot permit any action right now without some bases in which to go by. For all I know, you could have kidnapped this girl and silenced her. As for why, I don’t need to know.

In Mayla’s basket, the white egg is cracking unusually. Mayla is concerned by how the egg is cracking. Shiro & Tamiya can’t help but gaze at what is transpiring.

INT. TULSEN FLAT – EVENING

Mi & Ni are playing a game of cards. Mi is losing badly while Ni has her normal confidence on her.

At the end of the table, Kobai is reading, Xena is out and watching, and Calif is drawing.

Mi is struggling for a win.

NI: Willing to call it?

Mi knows Ni is taunting her but is trying to ignore her.

Ni starts whistling in fake impatience.

Mi is getting more agitated.

Ni yawns in boredom.

Mi is really getting more agitated.

Ni plays with her cards.

Mi can’t hold it in anymore. Mi explodes.

MI: THAT’S IT! Do you want to settle this somewhere else!?

NI: Are you saying you can’t handle a simple game?

MI: Says someone who is a sore loser!

Ni is offended and holds a stare-down with Mi.

NI: Oh, THAT IS IT, you know? What to go?

MI: Oh, you know this is going end with you down in the ground!

KOBAI: Will you two be quiet!

Mi, Ni, & Kobai go at each other. Xena explodes into a ball of fur.

Calif is annoyed with the bickering going on. She stands on the chair and smiles. A glowing aura of light covers Calif.

Mi, Ni, Kobai, & Xena feel a sudden flow of happiness.

NI (bliss): I’m sorry for teasing you…

MI: (bliss) It’s okay…

Xena comes out of her ball smiling from ear to ear.

Shiro is reading a cosmetology magazine. Mayla brings Shiro some tea.

SHIRO: You made tea?

MAYLA (sits down): I wanted to try something new.

Shiro tries the tea.

SHIRO: Not bad.

Mayla sees Shiro’s magazine.

MAYLA: A new article for work?

SHIRO: You-know-who is coming this week and I need to be on my A-Game.

MAYLA: How does looking at a magazine help?

SHIRO: Well… I can’t practice right now and keeping up with latest trends is helpful. They might ask for a style that was just recently made or something original.

MAYLA: Do you want to practice on my hair?

SHIRO: I appreciate the thought, Mayla, but you know your hair is very different.

Shiro & Mayla look over at the table.

Mi, Ni, Kobai, & Xena are in a blissful group hug.

SHIRO (O.S.): Maybe I should use Mi as a test subject.

Back to Mayla & Shiro.

MAYLA: Isn’t it about time for ours?

SHIRO: Fair point. Calif’s is looking more frizzy than normal-

CUT TO

Calif doing her signature Belly Snacking: in chibi form, chew on a snack without using her hands while lying on her belly. She is not supposed to do it, but she does it anyways because she is self-aware of her cuteness.

SHIRO: Calif! How many times I’ve I told you not to do that?

Calif continues about her snack.

Shiro gets up and heads for his room.

SHIRO: If I come back and you are still like that, I will use you as a guinea pig.

Calif shutters at the thought. She gets straight up and finishes her snack with her hands.

SHIRO: I know why you do that, Calif, and it’s not going to last forever.

Calif pouts it off.

SHIRO (to Mi): Hey Mi, do you mind letting me test out a new hair style on you?

MI (bliss): Sure thing, Dad…

KOBAI (bliss): I don’t mind either…

Xena nods in agreement.

NI (bliss): So fluffy…

Shiro heads for his room.

Mayla walks to the back of the room.

MAYLA: I’ll get the broom.

INT. TULSEN FLAT – MORNING

Shiro is on the couch drinking a cup of orange juice.

Mayla walks in still waking up.

Shiro checks his watch. He’s waiting for something.

MI (O.S.): AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

Mi & Kobai, carrying a shocked Xena, storm in & stare at Shiro.

MI: Dad!

SHIRO: Mi, you know Mr. Ruthers does not like to be disturbed this early in the morning.

Mi, Kobai, & Xena all sport new hair styles. Mi has her hair trimmed back up to her neck, still thick but less messy. Kobai sports a curled-up style that hides her horns. Xena has braids throughout her body mixed with spots that have nothing.

MI (points to hair): What is this?

SHIRO: Your winter coat final shedding.

MI: Everyone is going to laugh at me! I could be mistaken for Ni.

KOBAI: At least they will mistake you for someone better. I have a bush on my head. I don’t even know how this is possible.

NI: And my hair is still normal.

MI: When did you get up?

NI: I have been behind you two since we got up. Is my hair still too long?

KOBAI (raising out Xena): You had a perfectly good subject right here and what did you do?

SHIRO: Sorry, Xena. The same thing happened.

XENA: It’s okay. I know you were only trying.

Shiro grabs Xena.

SHIRO: I’ll just have to try something else next time. (to everyone) Anyway, you all were due for one, (to Mi) Especially you, missy. If you don’t raise your grades soon, then your hair will be a volunteer for my training for the next year. Understood?

Mi is not awake enough to argue so she agrees.

NI: Did you cut mine at all?

SHIRO: Just a little trim in the back. Yours doesn’t grow as fast.

NI: Maybe my hair knows it’s on the head of an athlete.

Mi & Kobai go over to the table.

KOBAI: Tell that to your laundry.

Shiro puts Xena down and grabs his bag. Xena takes Shiro’s cup to the sink.

SHIRO: I’m heading out. I need to check something at work.

MAYLA (holding cookware): What about breakfast?

SHIRO (heading out the door): I had a quick one. (opens door) I’ll see you all later.

The girls tell Shiro by in their own way.

Mi grumbles on the table.

MI: “Volunteered my hair for experiments for the next year?” Who does he think he is?

XENA: Our dad?

Mi looks at Xena realizing who answered.

MI (to Kobai): Think this is abusive parenting?

KOBAI: Only if you listen and behave.

Mi groans at the displeasing answer. Calif walks in and crawls onto a chair.

NI: Hey, Mayla, can you adjust the size of your hair?

MAYLA: I tried to shorten it once, (beat) But it just ended up blowing up all over the place…

MI: That sounds nice.

Mayla continues to make breakfast while disappointed in herself.

INT. HAIR SALON – DAY

The salon is not open yet.

Shiro discusses hair styles with some of his colleagues; Peter, MAKI – a young, sassy cosmetologist who has been working there for two years yet acts like she owns the place – and CASSANDRA – a older employee who has been doing hair since Shiro could talk & still can pull of a ponytail.

SHIRO (looking at magazine): This style seems out of date, don’t you think?

PETER: Old stuff is coming back.

CASSANDRA: Expect fashion. You don’t see girls frizzing up their hair. Girls are fashion. If it ain’t on most of them, then it ain’t back.

MAKI: This is boring, Shiro. Why are you looking at magazines? They age out the moment they are printed.

CASSANDRA: Simple, sweetheart. He’s a fancy barber. Peanuts are too high for his pay grade.

Shiro takes his magazine and places it on a waiting table with other magazines.

Shiro goes back to his station to get ready but something outside catches his attention.

Outside, a high-class car, about as expensive as a Ferrari but classier, rolls up into the dumpster, known as the parking lot, in front of the salon.

Out steps a woman who looks like she is out-of-place as her nice clothes clash with the ghetto surrounding her.

Shiro recognizes who it is and feels under pressure just from her standing outside the salon.

Lashanda comes behind the check in counter.

LASHANDA: Yo, Shiro, what are you looking at?

Lashanda looks out the window.

LASHANDA (beat): SHARA.

The entire salon gasp in disbelief.

SHARA – bigtime hip-hop artist, born in the area, only visits this hair salon to get a full haircut out of respect of her hometown, her skin like chocolate & her hair flowing like black silk – has arrived two days earlier than expected.

Lashanda frantically grabs her keys & unlocks the door.

Shara walks in.

SHARA: Lashanda, baby, how are ya doing?

LASHANDA: Shara. You’re early. I thought you were coming in on Thursday.

SHARA: I thought so too, then my manager tells me I have to do some last-minute crap and was, like, “Girl, you need to blow steam before ya throw him out a window.” So I decide to get my hair done and see my mom. (spots Shiro) I take it you’re going to be doing my hair today, Shi-Shi?

Shiro takes a second to answer. He turns for the stations.

SHIRO: Give me five minutes to get everything ready.

Shiro walks off.

SHARA: A’right, sugar, take all the time ya need. (to Lashanda) Is he still single?

LASHANDA: What happened to last man you was with?

SHARA: We broke up. I’m just tired of all these men who go after me because I’m famous.

LASHANDA: Don’t worry, girl. They all learn. They all learn eventually.

Shiro preps his station: scissors are laid out in order of use, razor clips in order of size, brushes sorted by size & type, hairdryer, water bottle, & brush on his hip.

Shara comes to the chair.

Shara sits; Shiro watches her every movement, seeing what she has in mind.

Shiro puts the sheet on Shara.

SHIRO: What would you like?

SHARA: What is the fastest haircut you have ever given?

Shiro is intrigued.

SHIRO: That’s a vague question, but for someone like you, I cut off a foot of hair in 26 seconds, though that was just a shortening.

SHARA: Really… I heard you have a deal with yourself. Any haircut I want within a minute or it’s free.

Shiro sees the challenge.

SHARA (CONT’D): I’m going for a frizzy look for my next album, but my hair won’t work right. It keeps laying down.

Shiro knows where Shara is going.

SHARA (CONT’D): SO, I thought I should thin it out, making it easier to stand with less weight. (to Shiro) Am I wrong?

Shiro stares at his client who also stares back with a cheekier expression. The two seem like destined enemies.

Shiro flings out two pairs of scissors.

SHIRO: Let’s get started.

Shiro begins the haircut. His hands are moving so fast they blur each other out. He is snipping about 10 times a second with both hands.

Shiro lays down one pair and grabs a razor. The two tools dance in his hands as he shears away at Shara’s harden wall of hair.

Shara has closed her eyes, confident in her hair’s challenging nature.

SNIP SNIP SNIP

Shiro cuts a barrage on his opponent.

The entire salon cannot help but be fixated on the match at hand.

Shiro has gone back to using two scissors.

SNIP SNIP SNIP SNIP SNIP SNIP SNIP

The scissors continue to eradicate the defenses ahead of them.

Shiro puts the scissors in holster and reaches for his hair dryer. He aims the device precisely beneath.

Shiro grabs his water bottle and aims it over the path of the dryer.

The dryer is set to maximum heat.

Shiro sprays the bottle. A stream of mist flows out the nozzle.

WHOOSH The hair dryer blast a focused stream of steam into Shara’s hair. Shiro continues the stream.

50 seconds have passed. Shiro stops his dryer.

Shara opens her eyes. Her hair is now frizzy and bigger than she anticipated.

The salon waits in agony to hear what the client thinks.

Shara feels her hair.

SHIRO: How is this?

Shara feels her hair to the full extend.

Shara faces Shiro.

SHARA: Are you overdue for a bonus? How about one from me?

Shara pulls put her purse and pays Shiro directly. Shiro shows no expression at how much she is tipping him.

SHARA: Not enough?

SHIRO: No. That’s fine. (takes the money) I hope this was amusing enough for you.

SHARA (getting up): Shiro, baby, you know I like to give you a hard time.

SHIRO (cleans station): And I would prefer that you ask for a reasonable haircut like everyone else.

SHARA: Now where’s the fun in that? (beat) If you want, you could consider settle for being my personal hairdresser. I can get you in touch with other big names if my career tanks.

SHIRO: We’ve been through this already: I’m not leaving here soon.

SHARA: Then I’m not going to stop bringing in ridiculous request.

LASHANDA: Okay, you two, this isn’t a park or the back of the school. Shara, we need to open, so if you’re done-

SHARA: Lesh you just don’t know when to have fun. But I did promise my mom I’d be there before 9. Might as well pay up. (to Shiro) See you next time, Shi-Shi.

Shara leaves.

Shiro is relieved. Peter walks over.

SHIRO: That girl…

PETER: “Do you take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife, in sick and in health…“

SHIRO (overlaps): Are you going to do that every time as well?

PETER: You know how it goes. It’s always you. You’re the one who always cuts her hair, she complains if anyone else does it, and didn’t you two go to high school together?

SHIRO: She grew up here. I moved here because of college.

PETER: But you did meet her then, right?

SHIRO: Peter, you are the last one I want trying to play Cupid on me in more than two ways.

Peter looks at Shiro in disdain.

PETER: That was low.

CASSANDRA: How about you two get ready for today?

Peter heads back to his station. Shiro cleans up his work.

MAKI: How many styles have you given her?

Shiro recollects on his past works on Shara.

FLASHBACK MONTAGE

- Shara with a bowl cut

- Shara with curly hair

- Shara half bald

- Shara with a giant braid

END MONTAGUE

SHIRO: I don’t even bother to keep track any more.

Shiro goes about his work. Maki still wants to pry more out.

MAKI: Is it because you’re already a father and she might have to take on a burden? Oh, you are such a man.

SHIRO: Maki, get to work, will you?

MAKI: Avoiding the question-

OFF-SCREEN A water pipe burst. Peter is hit. Shiro rushes over to help.

EXT. ARRATO MIDDLE – DAY

Break for 6th graders.

Mi & Kobai sit outside where no one else is near a dumpster. Mi looks like she is about to erupt.

Mi jumps to her feet in anger and catches fire. She takes her anger out on the dumpster.

KOBAI: Be glad you’re getting compliments. I can only conjecture what Harold will incite on my new style.

MI: I am going to kill Dad when we get home.

KOBAI: Please don’t. You might actually.

Kobai notices that Mi’s hair has grown a few inches back.

KOBAI: I think your hair just grew back.

Mi calms down and feels her hair. It has grown.

MI: Maybe I just need to get angry and it will grow back.

KOBAI: Please wait until we get home. You don’t want everybody to ask, and, quite frankly, you don’t want to attract the Preps about your sudden hair change.

MI (gets up): Then I just won’t go-

Kobai telekinetically holds Mi down.

MI: Not cool, sis.

KOBAI: If I have to go the entire day with a new look, then so will you.

Mi grumbles at the thought.

INT. HAIR SALON – EVENING

End of the day for the place. Shiro packs up his tools. Maki scrolls through her phone. Cassandra drags bags of hair to a dumpster. Peter is depressed in a chair.

Lashanda has cleaned up the counter.

LASHANDA: Anybody up for a night out?

PETER (relieved): You are too kind…

LASHANDA: Shiro?

SHIRO: Have I ever gone with you guys?

MAKI (fake cough): Tramp.

LASHANDA: Cassandra, you want to see who can keep their head up the longest?

CASSANDRA: I promised my kids that if I went dry, they would let me see the young ones. I’m not letting that happen.

PETER (getting up from chair): Truly an admiral grandmother…

SHIRO: Peter, wait until you’ve had a few before you get poetic.

Maki & Peter head for the front.

LASHANDA: I’ll leave you two to lock up. (heads out) Goodnight.

Lashanda, Peter, & Maki leave the salon. Shiro & Cassandra continue cleaning up.

EXT. STREET – EVENING

Shiro & Cassandra head home. Shiro massages & stretches his hands.

CASSANDRA: Hands stressed out?

SHIRO: You think? I might as well get them amputated & replaced with robotic ones. (beat) How many grandkids do you have?

CASSANDRA: Three. The oldest is six and one more is expected.

SHIRO: Well congratulations. You and your husband must be overjoyed.

CASSANDRA: Dave is not as thrilled. He can’t take our only grandson out to hunt or fish. He’s the youngest.

SHIRO: Sometimes I wish I had boys.

CASSANDRA: You adopted, right? How many was is?

SHIRO: Seven.

CASSANDRA: Seven? That’s sort of a big jump for a bachelor like you.

SHIRO: It was a package deal. Besides, I’ve grown use to it.

CASSANDRA: Being a parent does take time. I wouldn’t trade in my three for anything.

Cassandra stops in front of an apartment.

CASSANDRA (CONT’D): See you tomorrow, Shiro.

SHIRO: I have the day off. See you after then.

Shiro continues on his way. Cassandra enters the building.

INT. TUSLEN FLAT – EVENING

Shiro enters the flat.

MI: Well hello, father.

Shiro sees Mi waiting in front of the door with longer hair than this morning. The other girls are in the living room.

SHIRO: Mi, did your hair grow back?

MI (cackles): If you think that your tricks could work on me, then think again. I have bested you.

Mi set herself on fire. Her hair grows back. Everyone, except Kobai, is amazed.

MI: What do you think, father? If you believe you have power over me, then think again. My hair will no longer be a pawn to your games. (intensifies) IT SHALL FOREVER BE AN UNCAGED ANIMAL READY TO POUNCE.

Mi manically laughs. Shiro just stares at her. He glances over to the living room, then back to Mi.

SHIRO: I don’t think your sisters will agree.

Mi turns to see-

The flat drowns in Mi’s hair. Mayla & Xena are entangled in it. Ni tries to fight it. Kobai reads on the ceiling. Calif has gone missing.

Mi is shocked by what she has done.

MAYLA: Mi, stop it!

XENA: It’s too much!

Mi is now mortified by what she has done.

An ominous Shiro lurks over Mi.

SHIRO: MiiiiiiiiIIIIIIII…

Mi creaks back around.

Shiro excretes a dark energy from within.

SHIRO (menacing): What was that about no power over you?

Mi is mortified by the presence her father is giving her.

Shiro has his scissors out.

EXT. TULSEN FLAT – EVENING

Camera pans up to sky as Mi shrieks in fear.

FADE OUT