TOKI TOKI — SEASON 2, EPISODE 3

“City Beneath the Leaves”

COLD OPEN

EXT. FORBIDDEN GROVE — EARLY MORNING

A thick fog clings low to the ground. The bamboo is twisted in impossible formations, almost woven together like the ribs of a giant creature. The wind whistles eerily through hollow trunks.

The group—Toki, TokiToki, Ranger Liu, and Maya—stand at its entrance.

Toki clutches his staff tightly. It glows faintly, flickering uncertainly.

Ranger Liu
(quiet, reverent)
This is as far as any ranger has ever been allowed to come.

Maya scans the air.

Maya
Energy readings are off the charts.
Like… the forest is layered on top of itself.

Toki steps forward, sniffing.
A soft, ancient hum echoes through the grove—like an old song.

TokiToki places her hand on his arm.

TokiToki
Whatever’s in there… we’ll face it together.

Toki nods bravely.

They take their first step into the grove.

The screen distorts slightly—as if reality ripples around them.

CUT TO TITLE CARD:
“CITY BENEATH THE LEAVES”

ACT I

SCENE 1 — ENTERING THE GROVE

EXT. FORBIDDEN GROVE – CONTINUOUS

Inside the grove, time seems strange. Leaves fall upward. Wind blows silently. Bamboo creaks in a slow, rhythmic pulse.

The group walks carefully.

Maya
(excited whisper)
I think we’re inside a… localized dimensional fold.
This is wild.

TokiToki
…English, Maya.

Maya
The forest is folding space.
Like origami.
But with physics.

TokiToki nods slowly.

TokiToki
…Still not English.

Maya sighs.

Maya
It’s a magic maze.

TokiToki
OH!
Why didn’t you just say that?!

Ranger Liu scans the path ahead with a lantern.

Ranger Liu
This place… it feels old.
Older than any human record.

Suddenly, Toki stops.
His eyes glow faintly.

A voice echoes in the air—deep, calm, ancient.

Elder Shan (V.O.)
Guardian… you have returned.

TokiToki gasps, spinning around.

SCENE 2 — THE SPIRIT OF ELDER SHAN

A BAMBOO ARCHWAY AHEAD

A shimmering outline appears:
ELDER SHAN, the ancient panda spirit, majestic and serene.

He stands like a great statue made of mist and moonlight.

Toki bows instinctively.

TokiToki follows, looking unsure but respectful.

Elder Shan
The forest has cried out.
And the Guardian answered.

He turns to TokiToki.

Elder Shan
And you… little flame…
You carry the echo of destiny.

TokiToki blushes—both honored and confused.

TokiToki
Um… hi.
We’re kind of new to all this destiny stuff.

Elder Shan smiles warmly.

Elder Shan
Come.
There is much you must see.

He steps backward—
And the bamboo behind him twists open like a giant door.

A staircase descends into glowing mist.

Toki’s staff pulses as if urging him downward.

SCENE 3 — THE DESCENT

INT. ANCIENT SPIRAL STAIRCASE

The group descends slowly.

Symbols carved into the walls glow faintly—spirals, bamboo leaves, guardian sigils.

Maya runs her hands along the carvings.

Maya
These markings…
They’re thousands of years old.
This predates our earliest forestry records.

Ranger Liu frowns.

Ranger Liu
How could an entire civilization exist beneath our feet… unnoticed?

TokiToki skips a step then looks embarrassed when everyone stares.

TokiToki
Sorry.
I’m excited.

Toki pats her head reassuringly.

At the bottom, light begins to spill into the chamber.

ACT II

SCENE 4 — REVEALING THE CITY

INT. BAMBÚ-SHIN — THE ANCIENT PANDA CAPITAL

The staircase opens into a massive cavern city.

Sunlight filters through cracks in the ceiling, hitting reflective pools that illuminate the ruins.

Emerald architecture made of carved bamboo-like stone towers upward.
Glowing vines twist along ancient spires.
Giant panda statues stand guard.

TokiToki’s jaw drops.

TokiToki
This… this is a whole city!

Toki steps onto the platform, overwhelmed.

Memories flicker around him—
Phantom pandas walking, training, living.

Elder Shan (V.O.)
Bambú-Shin.
Home of the Panda Guardians.

Toki brushes his paw against a stone railing—
A flash vision hits him.

FLASHBACK VISION:

Panda warriors twirling staff weapons.
Human children training alongside them.
A great council chamber.
A looming shadow approaching…

Toki gasps and stumbles.

TokiToki catches him.

TokiToki
Toki—what did you see?

Toki mimics staff movements—both human and panda.

Maya’s eyes widen.

Maya
Wait.
Were humans… part of the Guardian order?

Elder Shan (V.O.)
Yes.

The spirit materializes fully.

Eelder Shan
The strongest Guardians fought in pairs.
Panda and human.

TokiToki freezes.

TokiToki
Pairs…?
Like me and Toki?

Elder Shan nods.

Elder Shan
Your bond is no accident.

SCENE 5 — THE MURAL OF DESTINY

Elder Shan leads them to a massive stone mural.

It depicts:

A giant panda wielding an enchanted bamboo staff.
Beside it—a small human child wearing a hood.

A red hood.

TokiToki gasps, touching her hoodie.

TokiToki
That’s…
That’s my hoodie.

Maya examines the mural carefully.

Maya
This wasn’t painted recently.
This predates your family by centuries.

Ranger Liu looks stunned.

Ranger Liu
TokiToki…
Your mother made that hood for you when you were born.

TokiToki’s eyes well up.

TokiToki
So… was I meant to be part of this?
Even before I met Toki?

Elder Shan places a paw of mist on her shoulder.

Elder Shan
Destiny does not choose lightly.
You and Toki were always meant to find each other.

Toki holds her hand gently.

SCENE 6 — THE SEALED CHAMBER

Elder Shan motions them toward a large sealed door with glowing bamboo roots.

Elder Shan
Within lies the truth of your lineage…
and the location of what you seek.

He gestures toward Toki’s staff, which glows weakly.

Elder Shan
But beware—
the corruption in the forest has already seeped into the depths.

TokiToki steps forward to open the seal.

Ranger Liu grabs her shoulder.

Ranger Liu
Wait.
If there’s danger—

Toki places a gentle paw on Liu’s arm, reassuring him.

Toki
(soft, confident growl)

Ranger Liu
(sighs)
Alright.
But stay close.

TokiToki presses her hand against the door.

The roots respond to her touch—
They unwind like snakes, unlocking the ancient seal.

The door creaks open.

A dark corridor lies beyond, pulsating with corrupted energy.

Elder Shan fades slightly.

Elder Shan
This is where I must leave you.
Beyond this point… only the chosen may walk.

He bows.

Toki bows deeply in return.

TokiToki waves sadly.

TokiToki
Thank you… Elder Shan.

The spirit fades into mist.

The team steels themselves.

They step into the darkness.

ACT III

SCENE 7 — THE CHAMBER OF TRUTH

INT. INNER SANCTUM — CONTINUOUS

The chamber is circular, lined with glowing roots and cracked stone pillars.
In the center stands a pedestal—and above it, floating—

A SECOND STAFF FRAGMENT

Shining brightly, untouched by Shen.

Its energy pulses warm and steady.

Toki gasps—
His staff flickers in response, resonating.

Maya
There it is…
The second piece of the Living Cane.

Toki reaches forward—

Suddenly—

A corrupted guardian statue animates, cracks glowing red.
Its eyes ignite with twisted spirit energy.

It slams its stone paw into the floor.

Ranger Liu
Everybody back!

Toki steps forward instead.

He grips his unstable staff and prepares to fight.

SCENE 8 — THE GUARDIAN TEST

The corrupted statue charges, swinging massive stone limbs.

Toki blocks, but his weakened staff buckles.

TokiToki leaps onto a pillar.

TokiToki
Toki! Aim for the joints—
That’s where the cracks are spreading!

Toki dodges a sweeping attack, spinning behind the statue.
He strikes a crack—
Stone splinters.

The statue roars.

Maya throws a flaring beacon to distract it.
Ranger Liu pushes TokiToki out of the path of falling debris.

The statue corners Toki.

The staff flickers—
Threatening to fail completely.

Toki looks at TokiToki.
She nods confidently.

TokiToki
You can do this.
We’ll do it together!

Toki’s eyes harden.
The staff flickers—once—then glows steady for a brief moment.

Toki strikes the statue’s core.

BOOM—

The statue cracks apart, collapsing into dust.

Silence.

SCENE 9 — THE SECOND FRAGMENT AWAKENS

Toki approaches the floating fragment.

It glows brighter as he reaches toward it.

TokiToki stands beside him.

As Toki touches the fragment—

The chamber erupts with green light.

Roots swirl upward, wrapping the two fragments together—

Merging.

The staff glows intensely—

Then pulses with a new, deeper light.

Toki lifts the staff.

It’s stronger.
More ancient.
More awake.

TokiToki stares in awe.

TokiToki
Toki…
Your staff just leveled up!

Maya laughs.

Maya
Not exactly how I’d put it, but… yes.

Ranger Liu smiles proudly.

SCENE 10 — THE WARNING

As they exit the chamber, Elder Shan’s voice echoes distantly.

Elder Shan (V.O.)
Guardian… human flame…
The reforging is only the beginning.

The chamber trembles.

Elder Shan (V.O.)
For the forest has awakened—
And so has your enemy.

Toki and TokiToki exchange a fearful glance.

The screen fades to black on Toki’s glowing staff.