INT. WATER NATION AMBASSADOR QUARTERS
Adachi is pushed against a column with a strung-out, exhausted water bender putting one finger up to his lips. The water bender is COUNCILOR KHONSU (45), his Eskimo-toned skin almost pale with massive purple bags under his blue eyes. His black ponytail is horrendously out of sorts, full bunches tumbling down his shoulder.
KHONSU
(nervously)
Shhhhh, sh, sh, sh. Are you with them?
VOSO
Let him go!
Khonsu's eyes flicker just for a moment to Voso, who has a firm brow and shaking hands held up.
VOSO
(shaking)
That is the military commander of the Fire Nation - you...you will show him respect!
KHONSU
Is the little narc telling the truth? Are you the Lion of the West?
ADACHI
(calmly)
I am. And you are Khonsu of the Northern Water Tribe-
KHONSU
(loudly)
Metropolis - we're a metropolis too!
The crazed bender backs off, pulling up his frayed, burnt robe. From Adachi's hand glows a shrinking magma blade. Voso sighs his arms down as well.
KHONSU
(manically)
Just because we've lost a few people in the last few years doesn't change the size of the city, alright?!
ADACHI
(dryly)
Noted. Councilor, I've come to ask you about your time here in the city. You've been here over a year, correct?
KHONSU
(through his teeth)
One-year, seventeen-days, twelve-minutes.
VOSO
Wow that's-
KHONSU
Four-months, six-days, fifty-three minutes since I've had any official word from the homeland - but who's counting!?
Khonsu has both pointers up with his eyes dancing across the bannisters.
KHONSU
(quietly)
Sh! Do you hear them?
He takes off, bounding into the rafters.
KHONSU
Ever since I've been here, that bratty President has hidden pins in my seats, eaten my lunch, and had her lackeys hide these!
A small white plastic device crashes to the floor at Voso's feet.
KHONSU (O.S.)
(loudly)
Dehumidifiers - high and low, I find them! Do you know what they do to your skin!?
Khonsu leans down from the ceiling, showing a close-up of his face to Voso. He has dry skin all along his cheeks, and his lips are severely cracked.
KHONSU
(desperately)
They even stole my chapstick!
The angle zooms in on the hideousness of his cracked lips drawing non-specific terrified screams.
Back out now, Adachi comes forward while the disheveled man continues to hang.
ADACHI
How do you know it was the President?
KHONSU
(bitterly)
Oh, that walking servant of chaos and pain has been trying to make me laugh ever since I got here!
Khonsu acrobatically spins down to the ground.
KHONSU
That's how they want to break you, you see? And she has her little Prankster Crew running around like the days of the Dai-Lee!
Adachi locks eyes with Voso as Khonsu looks back and forth between them.
KHONSU
You have to keep your eyes open and your head on a swivel. Everyone's a suspect!
Voso and Adachi let Khonsu's words sink in with grim looks.
CUT TO:
INT. AYAME RESIDENCE LIVING ROOM - MORNING
The living room is clean with no one to be seen. There is the faint sound of crayons against paper from behind the high-backed couch. Against the far wall is a family picture of Makami, Baki, and Zura making goofy faces from behind fluffy cotton candy.
A knock at the door brings Zura's eponymous feet into view with multiple crayons stuck between every toe. The googly eyes are present as well to complete the picture.
ZURA (O.S.)
(high-pitched voice)
Will you get the door, you lazy rock-toad?
ZURA (O.S.)
(in lower voice)
Don't you even start with me! You know I have a bum leg!
ZURA (O.S.)
(high-pitched, angry voice)
YOU DON'T HAVE ANY LEGS!
Zura quickly spins upright with a sneer while another impatient knock resounds.
ZURA
(grunting)
Enough you two, I'll answer the door!
BAKI (O.S.)
(shouting)
Zura, can you get the door!
ZURA
(mumbling)
Irresponsible household...
Zura slides open the wood door to reveal Sages Yasuhiro and Kozan, smiling down to the girl. Zura rolls her eyes immediately.
ZURA
(sighing)
Oh, great, more old men with stories. Makami isn't even here.
BAKI (O.S.)
Who is it, fire bun?
KOZAN
(clearing throat)
I am Sage Kozan and this is-
Baki flies down the stairs with her curlers half out and a line of red lipstick smeared across her cheek. A cloud of dust kicks-up in her wake.
BAKI
(quickly)
Another Sage? Do you know where Makami is? What did those other Sages do with her?
YASUHIRO
(surprised)
Other Sages-?
KOZAN
(cheerfully)
My apologies for the confusion our predecessors may have caused. They were surely in a rush for the Avatar's own safety. We have just conferred with them, and they asked us to send along a message.
He turns to Yasuhiro.
KOZAN
Yasuhiro?
YASUHIRO
Hm? Oh - OH! Yes, the message was simply that she's...doin' fine.
There is a slow moment where Kozan's wide, elderly smile creaks back to Baki and Zura. Baki shows relief while Zura has suspicious eyebrows.
BAKI
(sighing)
Ah, thank Ichiro for that. Is there anything else?
KOZAN
No, but we will pass along any information as we-
The door slams in their face.
BAKI
(grumbling)
I am sick of Sages and Avatar talk.
She points to Zura from the stairs.
BAKI
(loudly)
You'd better grow up to be a rock farmer!
The phone rings as Baki throws her hands up, moving up the stairs.
BAKI
(moaning)
Get that, please!
Zura already has the phone up.
ZURA
Yes, this is the house of grumpy mothers?
KIN (O.S.)
(over the phone)
Where is Makami this morning, hm? Sick again with some mysterious illness?
ZURA
(nervously)
Uh, I can get her - who may I say is calling?
CUT TO:
INT. CABBAGE CORP STENOPOOL, KIN'S OFFICE - MORNING
Kin swirls a pair of metallic zen balls in her hands from behind her desk with the large receiver against her face. On her largest desk are a zen garden, a bamboo fountain, and a mountain of stress balls.
Kin herself looks irate - like the stress-relieving devices all around her have gone to waste.
KIN
(angrily)
Who is call - I'M HER BOSS!
CUT TO:
INT. AYAME RESIDENCE LIVING ROOM
Zura looks around, trying to think of a plan on the fly.
KIN (O.S.)
(over the phone)
And I'll drop Sozen's Comet on her head if she doesn't CALL ME BACK!
ZURA
(quickly)
No, wait! Here she is now...
Zura pulls the receiver away from her head for a second before pinching her nose and bringing it back.
ZURA
(through pinched nose)
Hello, Misses Boss Lady. It is I - Makami. I have contracted several broken bones after a tragic cereal accident.
KIN (O.S.)
(over the phone)
A cereal accident?
ZURA
(quickly, pinched nose)
No, I was going through a tunnel. I said a serious accident.
CUT TO:
INT. CABBAGE CORP STENOPOOL
Kin chokes one of her stress balls very tightly. Sand leaks from between her fingers. Even so, her face has a toothy, manic smile.
KIN
(strained)
Well, of course we will be happy to treat you special from all the other employees because of your cereal. Think nothing of it. You can work from home in luxurious comfort.
Her fist releases, dropping the husk of the toy to the ground. The sand has compressed enough to be a chunk of glass that clatters against her desk.
KIN
You can expect the delivery by the end of the day.
CUT TO:
INT. AYAME RESIDENCE LIVING ROOM
Zura hangs up the phone with some confusion. Baki is coming down the stairs in the background with her hair, make-up and outfit fully in place.
BAKI
Who was that?
ZURA
A mean comet lady.
BAKI
Okay then - can you-
Baki's bare foot steps on one of the googly eyes for Zura's feet people, and she hops on one foot in pain.
BAKI
(in pain)
ZURA AYAME!
She plucks the eye out from her toe, holding it up to Zura like a tiny weapon.
BAKI
(quickly)
Can you please, just for once, pick up after yourself as yourself!? I'm late for my night job, and I'm fresh out of patience for this little act of pretend.
Zura takes the eye, looking at it sadly as Baki immediately moves to her shoes.
CUT TO:
EXT. SOUTHERN WATER METROPOLIS - AFTERNOON
Makami and Kota crane their necks upwards to see a sign that reads "Welcome to Rubber World". The sign's letters are, themselves, made of black, raw rubber jutting out of blue ice. Shii and Toyo are far enough behind to have their own conversation.
TOYO
(softly)
I take it you remember our deal?
SHII
(softly)
Yes, the glory and the leadership of the budding Avatar is yours, as are the hardships of knowing what to do next, I might add.
TOYO
(softly)
And yet, you attempted to take lead earlier, did you not?
SHII
(harsh whisper)
Don't be unreasonable, Toyo. We will have to work together to guide her.
TOYO
(softly)
If you had truly cared to guide her, you'd have created a storm those crybaby pirates could never have escaped from. But you didn't.
SHII
(softly)
I can't.
TOYO
(softly)
Then stay in the shadows as a trusting face only. Be the motivational poster she glances at every now and then, mkay?
MAKAMI
(loudly)
Oh, how did they even build that!?
Makami runs over to a massive slide with a gentle incline made of rubber. Children periodically bounce all the way down to a large "Rubber Pool" where dozens of families swim amongst chunks like a dark soup. Toyo and Shii close in as Makami closes one eye and angles her hand to the same angle as the slide.
MAKAMI
(quickly)
Must be about sixteen degrees with separate rubber cushions to prevent energy transference, but how do they prevent erosion and friction?
TOYO
I can, surprisingly, answer that.
SLIDE CUT TO:
INT. WATERPARK UNDERBELLY - AFTERNOON
Two feet slide along an ice platform, heels coming together and then swinging back out to opposite sides like a dancer.
We can see his face at last - the bending master NABENDU (24). He has spiked black hair with full blue spikes that rise from his youthful forehead. He is very skinny with a white-and-grey furred vest and several black ring tattoos around his forearms. Around him is an icy cavern with small jets of water shooting up through sagging rubber seams.
From the background comes Toyo with his arms wide. Nabendu looks back with a charming smirk.
TOYO
He is the Basilisk of the South!
NABENDU
(in a light, unimposing voice)
The Tin Prince himself.
Toyo hugs Nabendu from behind as his hands continue to work, the two of them smiling. Makami leads the other three down the stairs in the background.
TOYO
How are you, Nabendu?
NABENDU
Busy, Toyo. Always busy.
Nabendu bumps Toyo away with his hips playfully while continuing to pull and push the water.
NABENDU
So don't distract me while I'm working.
TOYO
Take a break, then! I've got someone you simply need to meet.
NABENDU
No can do, compadre.
TOYO
I'll buy you some food from the Rubber Room...?
Nanebdu's growling stomach seems to say "Feed me." He and Toyo look at one another for another moment. Finally, Nabendu relents.
CUT TO:
EXT. RUBBER WORLD FOOD COURT
All of them are seated at a long table made of hard, blue rubber. They all pull various steaming morsels from a light green platter. Toyo and Nabendu sit together with Makami at the head of the table, watching the newcomer studiously.
TOYO
(jovially)
And then, Nabendu threw a snowball so far, it smacked against a soldier across the border.
NABENDU
Allegedly.
TOYO
(jovially)
We all ran, and the diplomats from our village had to talk everyone down off the cliff.
MAKAMI
You grew up together?
TOYO
We were two of a kind. A pair of battlers ready to push back fruit-stealers and cootie-havers.
NABENDU
(snickering)
Hardly. I was hard-working. He was the mellow vibe.
TOYO
I made it my business to keep spirits up.
SHII
(sarcastically)
I wonder where that ambition ran off to hide?
A glob of sticky meat slaps against Shii's face from somewhere off table. He doesn't turn as Kota spits her drink out through her nose in laughter.
KOTA
(nose stuffed)
Ow, ow - oh, so worth it.
TOYO
Ah, joy finds a way.
NABENDU
Yeah, well, joy has twelve minutes until my lunch is over, so can you get to your introductions?
TOYO
Of course, spoil sport.
Toyo throws out his hands to Makami.
TOYO
Nabendu, meet Avatar Makami.
MAKAMI
(politely)
An honor to meet you, Master.
NABENDU
(to Toyo)
You're crazy, right? Or is she?
TOYO
Nabendu-
NABENDU
This is tragically weak of you, Toyo.
Nabendu stands up from the table with Toyo hot on his trail.
TOYO
(softly)
How often does an Avatar come along asking for help? You're going to turn her away for minimum wage?
NABENDU
An Avatar to what, exactly? We're all going to be blown up in another war soon. What good will the Avatar be then?
Toyo's grip slips off of Nabendu's arm.
NABENDU
(softly)
I want to live my life free of the war while there's still a little time left.
TOYO
(softly)
She can stop the war.
NABENDU
(softly)
Do you believe that? That she actually can?
The sage gives no response before Nabendu walks away into the foreground. In doing so, Makami watches with wide, sad eyes.
She storms off with Toyo looking after her.