EXT BA-SING-SE ROYALTY ROW AND WATER PARK - MORNING
Looking down over a waterpark just next to a sign that points to "Ba-Sing-Swim" ahead and "Sovereign Ambassador Residences" to the right. Three large slides are being utilized to great fun by two children and a large man, all screaming in joy.
CUT TO:
EXT FIRE NATION AMBASSADOR QUARTERS - MORNING
Adachi glares out his open window, looking rough and restless with a steaming cup beneath his nose. He has a five-o-clock shadow with his hair mussed on one side.
LARGE MAN (O.S.)
(shouting)
THIS IS AMAZING!
A splash of water slashes across the open window, turning his stone face sour. He slams the shutters closed in a huff.
INT FIRE NATION AMBASSADOR QUARTERS - CONTINUOUS
Adachi boils the water off his face as Voso comes in through the front door, looking suspiciously happy with a wide smile. He's turned back and waving out the door as it closes.
VOSO
Yes, yes, I'll meet you at the frozen river tube ride.
The door closes, and his mood instantly drops with a sigh.
ADACHI
(grumbling)
You've been gone all night making friends?
VOSO
Hm? No, of course - well...kind of.
ADACHI
(grumbling louder)
Kind of? I've been up all night waiting for you, son!
VOSO
Waiting for me? Why didn't you sleep?
ADACHI
(snickering)
Heh, sleep? On these?
He reaches down and lifts one of the pillows by one corner. The seam rips open with uneven rocks tumbling out alongside knots of metal that clang to the ground.
ADACHI
(grouchily)
All-the-while, a waterpark is right next to our quarters, filled with yokels! It's all just psychological warfare, meant to unnerve the enemy. It's what I've trained for my whole life - they won't catch me so off-guard!
VOSO
Or...the President just loves fun?
ADACHI
That's a façade you've fallen for.
A yellow innertube driven by a skinny young man bashes through the shutters and slams into the table. The unexpected driver in trunks looks around sheepishly. Adachi's face twitches as his hand holding the cup shakes.
Voso bends water beneath the tube, sending the boy screaming back out the window, his scream changing pitch to one of terror as soon as he's outside.
VOSO
Either way. You have to keep your wits, grandpa.
ADACHI
I've been trained to withstand worse than this clownish ribbon-cutter can throw at me.
Adachi smiles tiredly before sucking in his stomach and straightening his back. He and Voso share a nod.
ADACHI
But if you could find me a java-licious bar...?
VOSO
Yes, sir!
CUT TO:
EXT. SOUTHERN METROPOLIS DOCKS - MORNING
The morning sun sparkles across the broken glaciers and deeply blue water as the view pans up. Passing the tall, defensible docks, the metropolis shines as a built-up combination of ice, packed snow, and sparse stone. The Water Tribe emblem is large and embedded into one of the tallest towers near the top of the icy ridge in the back.
Boats of all sizes slowly enter and leave. Panning close now, Sigrid's ship is being emptied of the eponymous animals. Moving up onto the wooden planks, Makami and the gang slink with hoods covering their heads.
Makami looks over to the left to see a group of armored soldiers re-freezing some of the ice around the docks.
SHII (O.S.)
Makami?
She turns to see the others waiting for her.
SHII
Stay close. This place is a maze of stairs and alleys.
MAKAMI
Really?
SHII
Oh yes.
EXT. METROPOLIS BACK ALLEYS - CONTINUOUS
The four walk slowly up a stretch of stairs and packed snow. More soldiers are interspersed, re-freezing the ground around the walking citizens.
SHII
This place housed no more than a few dozen people eighty years ago. Now, the ground can barely hold the weight of the people and skyscrapers.
KOTA
Should probably keep the big buildings on solid ground, huh Ami?
MAKAMI
Well, the glacier should be able to hold all this and more. Something else must be weakening the ice.
TOYO
Save it, spectators.
Toyo and the others stop at the top of one of the staircases looking down at a massive, round metal platform that descends into a glass tube. In the tube are several spouts of water with small vessels balanced on top. They watch as groups of people climb into the vessels to slowly descend at a controlled speed.
MAKAMI
What is that?
SHII
(heaving)
Ah, uh, the Meridian Railway.
TOYO
It allows for travel between the North and South Poles in only a few hours using water bending. It's even faster than flight.
MAKAMI
(excitedly)
That's such a coincidence! I built a pneumatic tube travel system at university using warm air and a sudden burst of cold but...
She slows down as Toyo and Shii have moved on and Kota looks completely spaced with crossed arms.
MAKAMI
(forced)
It...exploded from excess...pressure.
KOTA
I was listening, Ami.
MAKAMI
And understanding?
Kota slowly shrugs with a guilty smile.
MAKAMI
(grumbling)
Thanks anyways...
KOTA
(loudly)
Hey, Sage Twins, what's the plan here exactly?
TOYO
We need to find a water bending master. Discretely.
SHII
I know where we can look first.
TOYO
Hm, might it be at a local bar?
SHII
You can find much wisdom behind an oak bar top. And anyways, do you have a better idea?
TOYO
Why yes, I do. This way all.
CUT TO:
EXT PRESIDENTIAL GARDENS - MORNING
Adachi and Voso walk down a lush pathway, clad in their red Fire nation guis. They pass several people in swim suits with Adachi rubbing at the bridge of his nose.
ADACHI
(mumbling)
This trip will be the death of me.
VOSO
Please, grandfather. We'll meet with the ambassador from the Water Nation and you'll see that there's no grand conspiracy to break your sanity.
ADACHI
(grunting)
Hmph.
Two children bisect them, smacking a wet towel across Adachi's face. Voso hands him the long end of his tied sash, which Adachi refuses.
ADACHI
Just tell me what you found out last night.
VOSO
(quietly)
Out here?
ADACHI
The Earth Kingdom isn't the same web of secrets and espionage that you've read about. Why do you think we have to put up with other tortures?
VOSO
The...um, madam was speaking to an air bender named Paya. It sounded like the nomads are going to try to twist an advantage for the Earth Kingdom.
ADACHI
The Air Nomads have been nothing but gentle breezes since that fool Meelo took over. Master Paya is the fighter - a greedy one at that. He's had his acolytes knocking on every embassy door for years, looking for any international problem to mitigate.
Adachi peers over his shoulder at his own guards, several paces behind.
ADACHI
(lowly)
It wouldn't surprise me if they were stoking these flames to keep their stocks high.
VOSO
I also...may have gotten caught.
Adachi stops on the spot and spins around with pure rage, but Voso has his hands up immediately.
VOSO
(quickly)
But I talked my way out of it, grandfather, I swear. Now...
Voso steps forward, disarming Adachi.
VOSO
(quietly)
Now, I think I can get even more information from them.
ADACHI
(quietly)
You have an agent now?
VOSO
(nodding)
Yes, as long as they think they're in control, I really am.
ADACHI
(mumbling)
This is already getting complicated.
He gently grabs the younger man's arm and pulls him out of the way of more running children.
ADACHI
Perhaps it's time to send you back. I could do it quietly.
VOSO
No, sir, you can't. Inca has the Nomads, you need me to help tip the scales back. Please.
Adachi tugs Voso closer by the collar.
ADACHI
(quietly)
New rules for having your own agent - never, ever, under any circumstances give them up. Not to me, not to anyone.
VOSO
Got it.
ADACHI
And...
The old war dog runs into a hitch in his throat as if the situation has suddenly become real for him. He recovers quickly.
ADACHI
(quickly)
And be careful, son. If you need an out, I can get you out.
VOSO
(determined)
No, I can do this. I want to help you.
Both of them stand straight and tug their uniforms. Voso turns like a good soldier and walks up the stairs to the Water Nation's abode. Adachi is the one that knocks.
ADACHI
(loudly)
Councilor Khonsu - it's Comandante Adachi of the Fire Nation. I believe we have a meeting scheduled-
The door suddenly swings open. Two shadowy hands pull them both inside before the door slams behind them.