"Stop struggling!"
"Never!"
"Skoochy, this is out of control."
"Yeah so says you!"
"I'm your mother, therefore I have the authority to know when you need a haircut!"
"Yeah, but it's my hair!"
"Skoochy, It's a mess."
"I don't care!"
"I care, and you are getting a haircut right now."
Lin grabs the struggling the twelve-year-old by the wrist and puts him in a chair by the sink. The boy immediately hops out and runs to his room, slamming the door. Lin follows him and leans on the door, feeling a large slab of earth barring the doorway.
"Oh you didn't."
"I'm not letting you cut my hair!"
"Skoochy, you know this is not going to keep me out!"
"Fight me!"
Lin rolls her eyes at the vagabond's challenge. The boy was as stubborn as a slab of iron. She leans against the door, wondering what to do. Lin isn't too good at this mothering thing yet. Her mother had been so good at getting Lin to do things, so why was this so hard? She glances down the hallway, catching sight of her mother's old metalbending police uniform in it's display case. Next to the helmet and headband are the rolls of metal cable that were used to replace the ones at the uniform's hips, should they be damaged. Suddenly, Lin has an idea. It may not be to the standards of normal moms, but Lin Beifong is not a normal mom.
"Skoochy, I'm warning you. Surrender peacefully or I'm coming in!"
"You'll never catch me, coppa!"
Lin rolls her eyes again but grins deviously. She bends the slab down and busts the door open. Skoochy stands nervously by the wall, armed with a pillow.
At the sight of his mother in the doorway, armed with Toph's cable belt, Skoochy turns and throws open his window. Lin sends two wires hurtling at him but he blocks them with the pillow and jumps out. Lin yells loudly and follows him, concerned because the fall is multiple stories.
As she leans out the window, she catches her son standing in the courtyard, totally unharmed. He sticks his tongue out at her and starts walking towards the exit.
But Lin hasn't finished with him yet. She dives out the window also, swinging out on the cables. Skoochy screams and starts running as she hits the ground right behind him. But she catches the vagabond in her arms and while he struggles, mummifies him in cables. She laughs as the boy lies on his stomach, trying to inch away like a butterpillar. Lin just picks him up and throws her son over her shoulder.
"Are you ready for that haircut now?"
"I demand to see my lawyer!"
"I'm your lawyer, and your judge. You're getting a haircut."
They hit the stairs, Lin nods casually to the curious neighbors who have opened their doors to find out what all the fuss is about.
Back in the apartment, Lin steps back to admire her handiwork. Skoochy looks rather dashing with short hair, less like a street rat and more like a gentleman. She releases the wires and immediately the boy rushes to the mirror. He gapes at his reflection.
"MOM! What did you do!? It's all gone!"
"Don't be such a drama queen, you're not bald."
On the contrary, Lin had decided to be generous and not give him the buzz cut she would've preferred.
"Besides, you look rather stylish I think."
Lin busies herself in cleaning up while Skoochy huffs and runs his fingers through his hair, trying desperately to make it messier.
"I look like a short Mako."
"Is that a bad thing? You know, Mako is very popular with the girls."
Skoochy retches dramatically.
"Mom, why did you have to say that?"
"I'm just telling you what I know."
The boy groans exasperatedly and returns to messing with his hair. No matter how hard he tries, it won't tangle or hang loosely around his face. He sighs.
"It doesn't matter anymore, Jinora said she likes my long hair."
Lin stops and looks at her son, eyebrows shooting up. Skoochy turns red and backs away from the mirror. He hugs the Police Chief distractedly.
"Uh, thanks for the haircut, Mom. Bye!"
As the kid speeds off to his room, he can hear Lin laughing hysterically from the kitchen.