7 days. Writer's block is showing no signs of loosening its grip on MilkFish. The restaurant's busy and the boys are beginning to crack under pressure. Adam, grab another wing drop! We have another 80 walking in. So fucking annoying... Grab another wing drop. What do you want? Do you need help? I can grab the wing drops if you want. My station's pretty slow. Yeah, no thanks. I remember what happened the last time you helped. Adam, I don't want us to fight anymore. We gotta bury the machete.
Do you want Salmonella? No. Then move it. On your back. Sixty more wings! Grab another drop, make it fast, because we're running 40 minute ticket times. Oh lay off! The only reason we're behind is because you sent everyone home early. Cost of labor. It was slow. Cost of labor? Don't give me that shit! We always get a rush at 10 o'clock and you know it! Oh well, nothing we can do about it now. We just have to make do. Meaning we're forced to because of your bad decision, right?
Can you complain after we've cleared the rail? You're just slowing us down! No, what's slowing us down is not having any workers! What do you want me to do about that Adam? It's already too late! You're right. You're right, it is too late! And now we're fucked because you always go off and make decisions for everybody else. Just like with the Battle of the Bands. You're really gonna throw that in my face because I asked you to grab a wing drop? You know it's not about that Kai.
I just don't like how comfortable you're getting acting like you're in charge of me. Guys, what's going on? Nothing! We were just about to drop it. Oh, like hell we were! Tell him, Zoe. Tell him how it's bullshit. We're gonna lose our powers in a week. For no good reason. I... I don't... What does having the powers matter on its own? The value of the powers is that we can do something with them as the ONLY Chosen Ones. That's how you justify it?
You were the one that said maybe we can all be the chosen ones before Ezra kept pushing you. Admit it. This is more about your petty grudge against him than anything else. Also I lied, your haircut is mid! I don't want to hear that from you! You look like a homeless person. Guys, stop it. You know what? Ezra's right. You are a hafoo! That just means I'm half Japanese, you idiot. He uses that as a slur! Well, whatever. I didn't know that.
I know you didn't, but you said it anyway because you're stupid! Stop! Hmph. The rest of the night is filled with tension, all the way up until everybody is doing their closing duties. Zoe follows Adam to the dumpster as he's taking out the trash, hoping that he's not in too sour of a mood to hear her out. Adam? What's up, Zoe? Oh great. Now I gotta pick all this up too. I am in such a sour mood right now. Don't you think you should make up with Kai? No. He's an asshole.
You can't stay mad at each other forever. Well, it hasn't even been forever yet, so I don't know why you're saying that. You only have a week to come up with the rest of our song. I don't care anymore. You don't care? I already see how this is going to play out. I'm not putting myself under any sort of pressure I didn't ask for. What about us? This isn't on me! Kai was the one who put us into this situation. You can't give up now, Adam. We're... I'm depending on you.
It's not going to make a difference whether I try or not. No, you make a difference, Adam. You just need to trust yourself. You're not listening. Going along with whatever Kai forces me to do isn't trusting myself. It's trusting him. I don't trust him. I don't trust him at all! He's selfish and reckless, and he's dragging us down with him over some petty rivalry! Well fuck that. I'd rather fail than do whatever he tells me to! I'm not... I'm not stupid. I can make my own choices.
And this is my choice. Zoe then catches Kai alone in the office, counting the money drawer. She decides to see if she can get through to him instead. Oh my god... Hey Kai. Hey Zoe, do you think you miscounted someone's change? I counted the drawer five times to be sure, and we're short an even twenty. Oh, did you check underneath the plastic part? Sometimes money slips under there by accident. Oh, thank god... Found the twenty. The drawer's good.
Nice. Yeah, that's something I knew about too, but it didn't cross my mind for some reason. Uh, yeah. So, uh, you got a moment to talk? Sure, what's on your mind? I'm worried about Adam. He's really upset. Yeah, I know. It's frustrating how he's just now acting like this when we are so close to the Battle of the Bands. Nothing has changed that he didn't already know about three weeks ago. Maybe. But I think the pressure is getting to him. He told me that he wants to give up.
That's just like him. Always giving up the moment things get hard. What should we do? I say let him quit if he wants to. We can just carry on without him if he wants to be this way. What? Really? I've been thinking it over. And we can make it work even if he's not here. You're a singer too. And most people don't really hear the bass player anyways. Actually, maybe I could do an electric bass line. Then I could help you write the lyrics and- Kai?!
If he wants to give up, then there's nothing we can do. We can't afford to slow down. We have to keep moving forward no matter what. It's nothing personal. We're supposed to do this together! We still can. You guys just need to stop fighting! He's the one picking a fight with me! And for what? It's not like I can go back in time and make a different decision. If Adam wants to sulk around and feel sorry for himself, then he can do it alone.
He thinks I'm doing all this for a petty reason because he doesn't know what it means to me. He doesn't know what it's like to be mocked and laughed at by someone your entire life! ...What do you think? I... I don't know. We can talk about it more tomorrow. Just...think about what I said. If we really need to, we can still do this without him. Four days. Zoe's been shutting herself inside her apartment. This humidity is curling my feathers. I didn't know you cared about your looks.
Caring about my looks has always served me well. Trust me. I pull tail. What?! I don't want to know that! No. What you want to know is if the other two are still fighting. Have you seen or talked to them in the last three days? No. Not even at work? I called in. Why? I'm sick. Fake! Fake cough! I think I have a fever. You're perfectly fine. Nope. This is COVID. No, it's not- -I have the 'Roni, Sarap! You know that I do. Stop messing around.
This situation is not something that we can afford to take lightly. What do you want me to do? You need to do your duty as a Chosen One. All three of you do. I placed the fate of the universe in your hands, and you've done nothing but goof off or whine about it this entire time! Get your shit together and get over yourself! What are you doing? Hey! Wait! Zoe! What? My bed's in there. That's fine. You don't need to sleep, remember? Why don't you meditate out on the couch?
And so she decides to let herself sleep, hoping that it will alleviate some of the worry and pressure that has been weighing on her mind. When she opens her eyes, she's seated at the back of an empty bus. A familiar sense of loneliness washes over her as she looks out the windows and sees nothing but a black void. I never got on this bus. I've always been on this bus. I can't bring myself to leave. I think it's a part of me. But I see other people get off all the time.
Sometimes it takes minutes. Sometimes it takes years. But sometimes all it takes is one difference of opinion. I know. Yeah, I know. Then why did you let them in? I don't know. You knew how this would end. Why did you let them lead you along like that? I don't know. Yes, you do. Because I'm selfish. You knew that you could never be enough for anyone, and yet here you are, stumbling through the same situation. How drawl. I just thought- That time would stand still just for you?
The emptiness outside of the bus is replaced with a crimson glow. She never noticed until now, but Kai and Adam are seated in the row ahead of her. Guys? Looks like my stop is coming up. Yep, mine too. You guys don't have to go. What if you stay for just a little bit longer? For what, so we can just sit here being bored to death? Not really my style. If you really wanted us to stay, then you should have done more. Instead you decided to hide away in your apartment like a coward.
I just- I- You never know what to say, do you? I think I understand why now. You don't really think for yourself. You don't have a single original thought inside of your head. That's not true! It's painfully obvious that who you are is completely dependent on the people around you. It's honestly kind of sad how you latch onto my sense of humor like it's your own. It's like you don't even have your own personality. Not only that, but you're so hesitant to try and do anything with your life.
When I told you that you could sell your art, my heart sank when I saw your reaction. I knew right then and there that you're never going to try and sell your paintings. You're never going to amount to anything. That's not true! That's not true at all! Do you have anything else to say besides that's not true? You're kind of just proving our point. That there's really nothing to you. You're just an empty shell of a person. I don't understand what's happening. This isn't real. Or...I don't know.
Finally. Her mouth becomes dry, and she can feel her heart pounding in her ears. She knows that if she lets them leave, it will be the last time she ever sees them. Wait! She tries to walk towards them, but the bus gets longer and longer, making them impossible to reach. They just keep moving forward, not even turning back to look at her. Don't ignore me! She picks up her pace, desperate to stop them from leaving. But it's no use.
Just before she closes in, the bus shakes violently and her vision cuts out. Once it returns, she is seated all the way at the back of the bus again. No! Stop! Please don't go! I'll change! I promise I'll do better! I'll be whatever you want me to be! Her efforts aren't enough. She sees them going through the door. Please! I'll do whatever you want! Please! Don't go! I'm not going to let you go! I'm not going to let you go! I'm not going to let you go! Don't go!
Oh, Zoe. You're just going to give up, aren't you? You've barely even put any effort in. God, you're annoying. Can't you do anything except mirror the people around you? I can't respect somebody that has the personality of a piece of cardboard. Is the spoiled brat crying because she didn't get what she wanted for once in her life? Why don't you ask Dad for a new set of friends? I bet he'll bend over backwards to get that for you too. You always were his... ...spoiled little favorite.
This is exactly why you shouldn't have stepped out when I told you to. One by one, the bus windows start to shift as though they were television screens, until Sarap's face suddenly appears on all of them. Zoe! This isn't real! Wake up! Her surroundings melt away until she's floating gently through space. Suddenly, she travels at light speed until she approaches the Earth, burning through its atmosphere, and then falling through her house and into her bed.
She gathers her thoughts and looks around her room. The first thing she notices is that the bedroom window is open. Then she feels a small, damp weight. Her eyes trow down to see Sarap nestled on her stomach, with his eyes closed, his feathers soaking wet. Sarap? Sarap can't hear her. He's still in the place that he pulled Zoe out from. He stands in the center of the aisle, his eyes fixed upon Doctor Medicine, who is lounging in the back seat. Why are you here? Why do you think?
You want the same thing as us, don't you? Can't you tell? Then don't interfere. Well, if you did your job, I wouldn't have to do it for you. I get it. You think they will be the ones, don't you? The doctor smiles, and before he can get an answer, Sarap awakens to being dried off by a towel. You're awake! You had me worried! Unhand me! Come back! You're soaking wet! I can do it myself. What? You saved me, didn't you? Oh, please. You make it sound so... Oh, no! Did you catch a cold?
You had to go through the window because I locked the door. Shut up about it. I'm fine. Thank you. I... Well, it was nothing. He notices her eyes trail off to the floor, unfocused, as if some unspoken sorrow had weighed them down. They don't think those things, you know. Hmm. I can read minds, remember? I can tell you with absolute certainty that Kai and Adam don't feel that way about you. Tears well up in her eyes, and she smiles. Thank you. She wraps her arms tightly around Sarap.
It's clear that it's a bit awkward for him, but he rests one wing on her shoulder to offer some small bit of comfort. I don't want to give up on them. I want to make things right, and I will. But tonight, I think I want to write the rest of our song. I just need you to tell me what we're missing. What can I do to break through? The problem is you're getting in your own way. You're all pretending to be something you are not.
If you want to have any hope of winning, you need to let a little bit of the truth shine through. The truth? Yes. The wants and needs you're most embarrassed of, the deepest, darkest fears you bury down, for fear of them becoming true if they're spoken aloud. That's the truth you need. My deepest fear. With those words, it all began to make sense.
Zoe spent that entire night working, scratching out lines on paper until they felt just right, humming her melodies to herself while strumming the song's chords on her guitar. Before she knew it, the sun was peeking over the horizon, but she continued to work until eventually the song was complete. Okay, we've just been sitting here. What did you want to tell me? Uh, give me like one, maybe two more minutes? Okay. Hi, Kai. Aw, what?! What is he doing here? Don't worry about it! Come sit down.
Next to him? I'd rather not. I have something really important to tell you, so sit down! You guys can play nice with each other for five minutes. Ugh. Okay, good. This is a good start. Tell Kai that the only reason I'm doing this is for you, Zoe. Adam... Tell Adam that I can actually hear him, so there's really no point in even saying it that way. You guys are so petty. Hmph. And Adam, you're kind of annoying sometimes. Wait, what? Not everything has to be a joke.
Sometimes I can't tell if you're even taking me seriously, and I...I really want you to take me serious. Oh. Kai, sometimes you act like a nagging mother. It's kind of lame. Huh...? You wanted to know what I thought. Here it is. I don't like that you signed the contract when I told you I liked having my powers. It makes me feel like you don't think what I want matters. I didn't realize I made you feel that way. Kai, Adam can be a bit too carefree, but he makes me laugh.
I don't want to lose that, and neither do you. Isn't that why you were texting me all day about how worried you were after he burned his foot? You were that worried? He was basically panicking. Bro, it was just my foot. He was reading online how third-degree burns can be life-threatening, and he started to spiral. He was linking me all sorts of articles asking me what I thought. It was only a second-degree burn. Well, we didn't know at the time.
Adam, I know Kai can be a bit stubborn, but without him, we'd have no structure. You care about him too. The main reason you're upset is because you want Kai to respect you. Don't you care what he thinks because you have so much respect for him? Is that true? Adam! It's just embarrassing. But, yes. I do respect you, Adam, and I do think that what you want matters, Zoe. I'm sorry if I made either of you feel otherwise. It's just that... No...there's no way around it. I got us into a huge mess.
But there's no time to dwell on it now, and there can't be any quitting either. I think we can still win because... because I believe in both of you! Also, I wrote all the lyrics and came up with a melody. Sarap says it sounds really good too. Anyway, that's what I wanted to tell you. Oh my god, I did it! I was so nervous. Hahaha. So, what do you guys think? Why don't you show us what you came up with, and we can start from there. Sounds good to me. Man, you really tore into us, Zoe.
I didn't know she had it in her. Right? It's kind of nice. Yeah, I agree. She smiles, realizing that speaking her mind wasn't the end of the world after all. And maybe, just maybe, she'll do it again someday. They finish their song with two days to spare.