CONTEXT: The following is a short scene from AGENTS OF TECHNO CITY, an idea for a 2D animated anime-inspired series I’ve been writing for the past year. This excerpt sees secret-esk AGENT MACKORY NICKI and frenemy AGENT EMIL IRONCLAD attempting to go out and buy rations for their agent squad named the PHOENIX’S WINGS.
However, Nicki, Ironclad along with their fellow agents are all on the run from the criminal/terrorist organization and rival agency F.O.P.A.S., meaning it’s probably best that they don’t stand out. The pair are extra alert this time, seeing that their last grocery shopping incident wasn’t the most successful…
EXT. TECHNO CITY SIDEWALK – DAY
MacKory and Emil both walk down a bustling sidewalk against almost everyone else. MacKory once again has his hood up and Emil keeps his head down.
MacKory eventually bumps into a man, and both of them end up tripping.
MACKORY
(Frantically)
Oh, so sorry–
Shot of the man, CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER. He wears JEANS, a dark light blue SWEATER, and an unbuttoned orange FISHERMAN’S JACKET. His hair is fairly short, dark tan, and parted in the middle. He also has grizzled sideburns the same color as his hair and a stubble along with dark tan mustache.
Captain Swashbuckler’s eyes suddenly shine with excitement when he notices MacKory. He gasps.
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
MacKory!?
MacKory’s eyes sparkle in disbelief.
MACKORY
H–
Captain Swashbuckler puts his finger over MacKory’s lips and aggressively shushes him.
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
No, no, no, no! Ever since I moved to the boardwalk dock, I be goin’ by Captain Swashbuckler!
MacKory’s jaw drops in shock.
MACKORY
Captain Swashbuckler? Okay, that’s really going to need some getting used to.
Emil stands farther down the sidewalk looking annoyed.
EMIL
I’m sorry, who’s this?
MACKORY
Well, he’s…
TILT UP TO:
A FLASHBACK.
EXT. MACKORY’S CHILDHOOD HOME – DAY
A young MacKory and HIS PARENTS unload BOXES from a moving truck. The OPEN HOUSE SIGN on the front lawn has a SOLD STICKER over it.
A slightly younger Captain Swashbuckler comes out from his NEXT DOOR HOUSE, shakes the hands of MacKory’s parents, and offers MacKory a GLASS OF MACKORY a GLASS OF LEMONADE.
MacKory takes the glass and gulps it down.
CUT TO:
INT. CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER’S NEXT DOOR HOUSE – LIVING ROOM – EVENING
Captain Swashbuckler puts a VHS TAPE of a generic ACTION MOVIE into a VCR.
Full shot of a young MacKory, who is sitting on a couch. We see the movie in the reflection of his sparkling eyes. Captain Swashbuckler leans on the back of the couch, calmly enjoying it behind MacKory.
BACK TO:
INT. MACKORY’S CHILDHOOD HOME – KITCHEN – NIGHT
MacKory’s parents are dressed in fairly nice clothes, implying that they are going somewhere such as on a date. MACKORY’S FATHER points at a BOX OF COOKIES, and then at MacKory. He shakes his head and puts them in a high up CABINET.
No more than five seconds after MacKory’s parents leave the back door, Captain Swashbuckler takes the cookie box back out of the cabinet and tosses it to MacKory.
MacKory begins to eat the cookies in delight.
CUT TO:
EXT. CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER’S NEXT DOOR HOUSE – DOORSTEP – DAY
Captain Swashbuckler answers the door to a slightly older MacKory, who looks to be in middle school now. He is holding up a paper with the heading “MY CHARACTER ANALYSIS ESSAY.”
INT. CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER’S NEXT DOOR HOUSE – EVENING
MacKory sits at a desk that is lit by a single DESK LAMP. Captain Swashbuckler stands over him, pointing at the paper and giving many inaudible suggestions
Cut to an overhead closeup shot of a TABLE. MACKOY’S ESSAY is slid into frame, with the note “A- Essay is well written but certainly something to behold” written at the top.
CUT TO:
EXT. CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER’S NEXT DOOR HOUSE – SIDEWALK – NIGHT
MacKory, who now seems to be somewhere in high school, walks down the sidewalk in front of Captain Swashbuckler’s house. He notices Captain Swashbuckler on the roof, trying to light up a REINDEER DECORATION.
EXT. CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER’S NEXT DOOR HOUSE – ROOF – NIGHT
Captain Swashbuckler attempts to connect to ELECTRICAL CHORDS to turn on the reindeer. He eventually does, but shocks himself in the process and falls off the roof.
EXT. CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER’S NEXT DOOR HOUSE – NIGHT
Reaction shot of MacKory. His eyes go cartoonishly wide and white concern.
Cut to a shot of the house. Captain Swashbuckler sticks his arm up into frame and gives a thumbs up.
CUT TO:
EXT. MACKORY’S CHILDHOOD HOME – DAY
MacKory’s parents sit on the FRONT STEPS of their house, crying and waving goodbye. They now also have a YOUNGER CHILD who looks to be around SEVEN OR EIGHT YEARS OLD with them. MacKory walks down the front path to a SMALL CAR packed with LUGGAGE.
MacKory looks to his left to see that Captain Swashbuckler is packing a RUN DOWN TEAL VAN. There is also an open house sign outside of his house that has a “SOLD” sticker over it.
MacKory runs over to him and gives him a fairly long goodbye hug. He then gets into his car.
EXT. MACKORY’S STREET – DAY
Shot of MacKory’s car as it drives into the distance.
TILT DOWN BACK TO:
EXT. TECHNO CITY SIDEWALK – DAY
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
Uh huh, yup, that be about forty five percent of m’lore! I ended up moving to, like, a D tier shack on the boardwalk dock and gave the three fourths of my bank account to charity.
MACKORY
(Stunned)
Well, that’s one way to live your life…I guess. Okay, I kind of have to go now, so–
Captain Swashbuckler grabs MacKory’s arm as he begins to walk away.
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
Oh c’mon, we’ve reunited after forever and your first response be to walk away? Let me catch up! Like, what you be doin’ right now?
MACKORY
Just going to the store.
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
Really? Well ya passed the food market, so you be sure about that?
MacKory turns away. His eyes become white circles as a cartoonish drop of sweat appears on the right side of his
MACKORY
Oh, uh…we’re not going to the food market…
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
Wait, why you not?
He notices Emil and quickly goes up to him.
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
Hey, who be this?
Captain Swashbuckler CLOSELY OBSERVES Emil’s BLACK LEATHER JACKET and EYEPATCH. He even lifts up the eyepatch, revealing Emil’s SCARRED EYE. He then turns back to MacKory
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
A gang member?
He gasps and goes back over to MacKory.
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
(With clenched teeth)
Say, you be not doin’ –
MACKORY
No, no, I’m clean! He’s just a friend.
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
Ooh, okay, so sorry. I be likin’ yer eyepatch by the way.
He once again observes Emil’s eyepatch, this time from a distance.
EMIL
(Frustrated)
Thanks…
Unseen by Captain Swashbuckler, Emil glares at MacKory aggressively.
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER (CON’T)
(To MacKory)
So, why you be not not goin’ to the food market?
MACKORY
(Chuckles)
Oh, it’s, uh…complicated.
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
Well I be havin’ all day, MacKory, so take your time.
MACKORY
Okay, well…y-you see, the thing is– long story short, I got kicked out.
Captain Swashbuckler suddenly runs up to MacKory’s face and pulls him close.
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
(Excitedly)
Ooh, ya got kicked out!?
MACKORY
Uh huh, yeah, for something that was totally out of my control.
MacKory pulls himself away from Captain Swashbuckler and begins to walk away.
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
You sure there be not another reason?
MACKORY
(Nervously)
Uh…no.
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
You be positive?
MacKory stops in his tracks.
MACKORY
Well, I am trying to avoid those F.O.P.A.S. guys who–
Captain Swashbuckler dashes rapidly towards MacKory, grabs his sweatshirt’s hood, and begins to drag him.
CAPTAIN SWASHBUCKLER
If you be tryin’ to avoid F.O.P.A.S., then I know just the place!
END OF EXCERPT
