FIGHTGIRL, SPOOKYMAN, PLANET CITY, GOSH scenes 8-12

10 Sep, 2024

INT. GREENY GREEN AIRPORT - LATER

• Fightgirl steps awkwardly along sticky shoe tip-toes.

• Passes free-flowing litter. Greeny green tiles everywhere...

• Small ramps/stairs, mostly empty stores, bubble corners, snake hallways, not-so-tall walls, flat ceiling attaches with speakers, A/C vents, pipes, transformers, cameras, etc.

• In one storefront, a sturdy makeshift house: a collection of recycled materials assembled by a "HOUSELESS" PERSON currently arguing with two COPS.

"HOUSELESS" PERSON
I live here for three years! I bother no one!

COP 1
Ok, you can't stay here. Get out.

"HOUSELESS" PERSON
But everywhere I go is here! i go somewhere, people say "you can't stay here!"

FIGHTGIRL
(strolls up smiling n stuf)
Problem, officers?

COP 2
Uh, no!

• Cop 2 shoves Fightgirl, sending her flying down the hall.

INT. AIRPORT - CAR CHURCH - CONTINUOUS

• Her feet clip some chairs outside, spinning her upside-down, inside, and slamming into an automobile door.

• Gently floats to the floor, catches her breath, stands.

• A large neon sign above says "CAR CHURCH."

• An old tourist gift shop / small museum / cultish recreation of 20th / 21st century suburbia. Still in business!

INT. AIRPORT - CAR CHURCH - GAS STATION - MOMENTS LATER

• Fightgirl stands "outside" by some pumps: a recreation of an old Earth gas station. She looks around, bored, looks down at her Dudeman comic, looks up, sighs; exhaustion, stress.

• SPOOKYMAN steps out from behind a nearby pump: skull face paint and a skeleton jumpsuit. Holding a knife.

SPOOKYMAN
Boo.

FIGHTGIRL
Spookyman? I've seen you on T.V.!
(...)
So is this one of those old-school gas station robberies?

SPOOKYMAN
No. Real one, real life.

• Fightgirl looks around. They're alone. He gestures his knife upward, signaling to put her hands up -- she does.

• He saunters around. A routine / thorough frisk.

FIGHTGIRL
You wouldn't stab me, right? 'Cause like, I just got here.

• He looks up, smiles, then points (with the knife, ofc) at the comic book rolled up in her fist.

SPOOKYMAN
Manifesto?

FIGHTGIRL
Wha.. This?
(waves it flippantly)
It's just a Dudeman comic.

• He gasps and snatches it before she can react.

FIGHTGIRL
Dude!

• He unrolls it carefully and inspects the front cover.

SPOOKYMAN
Number 44!?

FIGHTGIRL
Yeah - I mean - you can find it in any bookstore on Mars. That one happens to be mine, though, so.

SPOOKYMAN
No Pan-print prints this for 100 years.. and here you are.

FIGHTGIRL
Here I am. Give it back?

SPOOKYMAN
(brandishes knife)
Easy, now.

• She smacks the inside of his wrist, sending the knife flying across Car Chuch. They watch, then look at each other.

SPOOKYMAN
Idiot!

FIGHTGIRL
I'm calling the cops.

• Spookyman shuts his eyes. When he reopens them, they are a deep black. And the world around the gas station fades away.

EXT. GAS STATION - SPOOKY ILLUSION - CONTINUOUS

• What was Car Church now appears to be a random, side-of-the-road gas station in the ol' Rockies.

• A sudden and heavy wall o' ash rushes through the deep valley beside the road. Her breath speeds up. Spooky smiles.

SPOOKYMAN
No copsss. Only you and only me.
(stops smiling)
You're supposed to float. Why aren't you floating away?

FIGHTGIRL
Sticky shoes. There's two cops outside Car Church

• Spookyman looks around wildly.

SPOOKYMAN
They never come here!

FIGHTGIRL
And? Thhhhey're here.. like-

SPOOKYMAN
Who else? Who else? Who else?

• A speaker pierces through the illusion: a trumpet leitmotif.

FIGHTGIRL
Oh, no freaking way.

• Spookyman sprints down the road.

FIGHTGIRL
(chases after)
Hey! I want my thing back!

• Spookyman turns around, looks past Fightgirl, yelps, keeps sprinting. She turns around ---- DUDEMAN:

7 feet tall, dense as rocks, 20 feet a stride, gaining, gaining, exuding testosterone and body hair.

Fightgirl faces forward, eyebrows scrunched, panting:

FIGHTGIRL
There's a lot to say about that, but

• Dudeman snatches her, pulls her up to his level. Eye contact: a several hundred year old muscleman sobbing.

DUDEMAN
You rotten villains. It never ends.

FIGHTGIRL
What? I'm literally not a villain! I'm like you!

• He picks her up - both hands - tosses her battering-ram style like a missile into Spookyman's lumbar.

• The whole illusion jerks forward in whiplash // then crashes.

INT. AIRPORT - CAR CHURCH - DISPLAY ROOM - CONTINUOUS

• Spooky and Fightgirl crash into a rusty 1980s Toyota Corolla.

• A GREEN TILE ROBOT zooms up dressed in a fine suit.

GREEN TILE ROBOT
Ah, it seems your impact left a most unfortunate dent! Our records indicate these holy gasoline movers contained a primitive security system in the form of.. a horn. I shall demonstrate:

FIGHTGIRL
(catching her breath)
PLEASE DON'T.

GREEN TILE ROBOT
Ok... I guess.

SPOOKYMAN
Hear that?

• Fightgirl perks her ears: a hissing noise.

GREEN TILE ROBOT
I shall investigate.

• Suddenly over the silver hood, Dudeman missile kicks the robot across the display room into the control booth.

• An audible CRASH, then a visible BLAST of flood lights. Out of the lights come REPORTERS and CAMERA OPS.

FIGHTGIRL
So everyone just gets tossed aroudd here, oorrr what?

• Spookyman nods apologetically.

• Flash photographers begin to document their conversation.

SPOOKYMAN
The visions, the ash. You were not scared?

FIGHTGIRL
A little! But I'm familiar with your work. Low-key a fan, the macabre-ness of it all. Want my comic, though. S'all I got!

• Spookyman looks down at his lap then scrunches brow. Dudeman bonks Spooky's head with the rolled up comic book.

DUDEMAN
Contraband.

FIGHTGIRL
I love you.

DUDEMAN AND SPOOKYMAN
Huh?

• Running inside with a huff and a puff:

COP 1 AND 2
(pointing laser guns)
FREEZE! DITTO!

• Spookyman raises his arms with a sigh.

• Dudeman nudges Fightgirl's ribs.

FIGHTGIRL
What did I do!? I just got here!

• WHAT LOOKS TO BE SPOOKYMAN'S KNIFE FLIES ACROSS THE ROOM AND LODGES INTO DUDEMAN'S CHEST. HE COLLAPSES. (NOT GOOD!)

SPOOKYMAN
My knife! The one you smacked out of my hand!

FIGHTGIRL
..Why did you actually say that out loud. Be for real. Also: DUDEMAN!!

• Cop 2 dives to Dudeman's side. Quickly checks pulse...

COP 2
HE'S DEAD! DUDEMAN'S DEAD! WHAT, UH

• The crowd gasps. Photos fire in quicker succession. Out of the crowd comes a FIELD REPORTER.

FIELD REPORTER
Hi! Spookyman, long time no see. And who might you be?

FIGHTGIRL
Uhh-

FIELD REPORTER
Sorry, right- introductions: I'm.. well, I report for PCN, that is Planet City News, the station seen and heard round the solar system. Actually we're live right now to a few billion people.
(points to camera in crowd)
What's your name?

FIGHTGIRL
Fatgirl. Wait, shit! It's-

FIELD REPORTER
Oh! Sorry about the language, folks. Villains can be uncouth. When did you move here?

FIGHTGIRL
Like, ten minutes ago. But I'm not a villain!

FIELD REPORTER
Right.
(looks at Dudeman's corpse)
Well, from what I can gather, in the midst of whatever petty theivery you two were up to, it seems your inner bickering led to the death of this world's guiding force for the last several hundred years. Manslaughter, folks! Irrevocable pain onto our culture!

FIGHTGIRL
Me and Spookyman are NOT partners!

SPOOKYMAN
We are! Fatgirl and Spookyman!

• Fightgirl tackles Spookyman and throttles his neck.

• The cops tackle them.

COP 1
Stop resisting!

FIGHTGIRL
I'm limp, but ok.

COP 1
Shut up!

• He punches the back of her head: nose slams on to floor. Blood floats out. He grabs his handcuffs.

COP 1
Got him?

COP 2
Cuffed, sir!

• Cop 1 cinches handcuffs tight around Fightgirl's wrists, then sits her up against the car next to Spookyman.

FIGHTGIRL
I hate you.

SPOOKYMAN
Who?

FIELD REPORTER
So I think right now we're all doing a great job ignoring our dead idol; PTSD over TSD, I say. May I ask you a few more questions?

• Fightgirl shrugs defeatedly.

FIELD REPORTER
You're clearly an Earthling-

FIGHTGIRL
Venusian.

FIELD REPORTER
Whatever. When did you move here?

FIGHTGIRL
Ten minutes ago. You already asked-

FIELD REPORTER
Wow. What's your favorite color?

FIGHTGIRL
Oh, shut the fuck up!

COP 1
Ok, on your feet.

FIELD REPORTER
Oop, language! Sorry, folks,

• The cops stand Fightgirl and Spookyman up.

REPORTER IN THE CROWD (OFF CAMERA)
Where ya taking them, officers!?

COP 1
Straight to Villain Prison.

SPOOKYMAN
Again?

FIGHTGIRL
This is so stupid.

COP 2
You're stupid.

• The cops escort them away.

FIELD REPORTER
See you later, Spookyman! Well, folks, there you have it: Fatgirl, our newest and worst villain.

• Fightgirl looks back at Dudeman's corpse. Tears well.

SPOOKYMAN
Hear that?

• Having left the crowd again and the volume of their gossip, Fightgirl can once again hear that hissing noise.

FIGHTGIRL
Yeah, I do...

• She scans the room and trakcs the noise down to a nearby car. A deflating tire with a knife lodged in it.

• She corn dogs him.

SPOOKYMAN
Ow!

FIGHTGIRL
Look. Is that your knife?

• The look on his face says enough.

• They turn back around and see Dudeman still laying on the floor, supposed knife and all - except he's blinking.

• Before they have a chance to react in any meaningful way, the cops hit them over the head. Out cold.