EXT TRAIN TRACKS - DAWN
Rumbling through a canyon are the wayward members of Makami's crew. Toyo propels them forward atop the tracks in a loosely-made metal mine cart. Shii holds onto his hat with one hand while swirling a thruster out the back, and in the middle - simply surviving the onslaught of sand and dust, is Kota.
KOTA
(shouting)
I guess we owe you for saving us from the metal prison, Toyo.
TOYO
(shouting)
It was a complete accident, but I'll take the favor! I don't even know how the heck you two got there yet!
KOTA
We still don't know either - not who captured us or why.
SHII
(shouting)
Whomever it was must've known that we were traveling with Makami. We have to hurry before the negotiations start!
Toyo yanks them forward harshly.
TOYO
(shouting)
Hold on!
CUT TO:
INT. PRIVATE ABODE - EARLY MORNING
Master Paya wrings a napkin in his hands while looking out at the passing scenery.
A large man walks through the foreground, drawing Paya's eyes.
GRAND MASTER MEELO (O.S.)
(eating)
What has you worried, Paya?
Sitting opposite Paya is Grand Master Meelo. He is a large, elderly man with a smile on his face and a delicious pastry in hand flaking across his honorable robes.
GRAND MASTER MEELO
Have a pastry to calm your soul.
PAYA
No thank you, Master. I am anxious to have this over with.
MEELO
(eating)
I can see - your spirit has a core of red.
PAYA
And what does that color mean, Master?
MEELO
That you are dwelling on your anxiety and angry that you have been called to this meeting at all.
The croissant crunches with his next bite.
PAYA
I...our way of life is on the line today, Master. How can I find inner peace when I must focus on these worldly affairs?
MEELO
(eating)
By realizing that what you have done will be enough for your people. You shall be greeted as the hero of these negotiations, not me. Remember your place in the universe, my boy.
PAYA
Yes, Master, I will.
MEELO
You know, I did see some jelly tarts on the cart in the promenade...
Paya looks to his master before sliding up and off-screen to the door.
PAYA (O.S.)
(loudly)
Wait, hold the cart, please!
Meelo smiles out the window while wiping away the flakes of pastry from his bulbous stomach.
CUT TO:
EXT. BA-SING-SE TRAIN STATION - EARLY MORNING
The doors to Makami's metallic train open. She and Abe carry several bags around their shoulders and arms, waddling out onto the platform.
ABE
And you checked the bathrooms?
MAKAMI
Yes, all of them. Shii and Kota aren't on the train.
ABE
(grunting)
But their stuff sure is!
He sets down his load.
ABE
Did they go back for Toyo?
MAKAMI
I don't...hm?
Both of them notice that people, while taking second glances to Makami, run away to leave the platform mostly, eerily empty.
The platform begins to rumble beneath their feet.
ABE
What's that?
Suddenly up from the staircases on either side of the platform, are waves of reporters, cameras, fans, and Earth Kingdom police. The speed with which everyone surrounds Makami is as comical as it is chaotic.
REPORTER 1
(shouting)
We are here with Avatar Makami, who has just arrived in Ba-Sing-Se!
CUT TO:
EXT. CAPITAL CITY FLAME-O SHOPMAN PARKING LOT - DAY
People plod through a gravel parking lot with grocery bags in arm, angling their heads up to see the live feed of Makami looking incredibly confused.
REPORTER 1 (O.S.)
Avatar Makami, where have you been for so long, and what brings you to Ba-Sing-Se?
Passing through the scene now are Baki and Zura with their necks craned and confused smiles on their faces.
MAKAMI
(echoing)
Uh, well, that's classified Avatar business.
Abe leans into the shot.
ABE
Super classified.
ZURA
(to Baki)
Ooo, who's that guy? Makami's dating, Mom.
BAKI
(scoffing)
She's got more sense than to date a boy like that. I bet he has tattoos! C'mon, Zura.
Zura lingers, her eyes locked with Abe's image, being shoved out of the frame by mysterious hands on the live feed, reflecting in her large eyes.
CUT TO:
EXT. WATERPARK - MORNING
Immediately, Voso's agitation has forehead veins popping. Around him, people gawk at the off-screen monitors.
GUEST 1
Oh man, the Avatar has a cute boyfriend! I like her now.
GUEST 2
I bet he's a water bender.
GUEST 3
So what if he is? He's a dish.
VOSO
(loudly)
I bet the Avatar totally isn't dating that jerk because he smells like beach-feet all the time!
He storms away to leave everyone in a stupor.
CUT TO:
EXT. BA-SING-SE STREETS - DAY
The large mass of people moves with the circle of policemen protecting the Avatar. She and Abe move across a stone bridge with the cameras' lights brightly shinning upon them.
REPORTER 2
Avatar, what would you say to the young women out there that see you as a role model?
MAKAMI
To...keep shooting for the stars?
The girls in the crowd cheer gleefully.
As Makami passes, a cloaked person with a covered face rises from one of the rooftops and follows her from the high vantage.
REPORTER 3 (O.S.)
And the boys?
MAKAMI (O.S.)
Uh, go win the big game...?
The boys in the crowd send out a ferocious roar.
Another split in the crowd forms as Inca and Alrund come to meet Makami. Inca is sprinting with a huge smile.
INCA
(quickly)
Avatar Makami - the Earth Kingdom is honored to greet you into our open, fantastically-free nation. Ba-Sing-Se would like to pay you tribute with free passes to our honorary waterpark in the hope that you will bless our kingdom with your protection.
MAKAMI
Oh, well, thank-hey!
Inca yanks Makami back through the path of police into an elevator car, Abe is washed up in the collapsing pocket. The last we see of him is his arm descending into the humanity like the Terminator. The doors ding their closing warning as the crowd cheers for more of Makami.
Makami barely notices that her bags have been taken by a bellboy as she regains her bearings.
INCA
You came through the public train? How? Why? Ugh, you ruined my whole entrance plan!
Abe, now crowd surfing, hops over the police line and rolls into the elevator just before the doors close. Makami helps him up, noting his shivering, hugged torso. Inca straightens herself and regains her smile.
ABE
(shaking)
I...saw...the things those people did to each other...
INCA
(quickly)
Avatar Makami, I would ask that you be more careful how often and where you are seen in public. I'd hate to order you locked in your quarters.
MAKAMI
I meant no offense-
ABE
(back to his senses)
Hey, so, you got anything respectful to say in all that posturing, Prez?
She pushes Abe back and bows lightly to Inca.
MAKAMI
I and my party will be more mindful of our actions during our stay.
CUT TO:
EXT BA-SING-SE TRAIN STATION - DAY
Toyo and Shii, working together well for once, have the car barely holding to the tracks and approaching the station quickly. Kota watches, her pointing finger wagging with panic.
KOTA
(loudly)
Back of train! Don't hit back of train!
TOYO
(loudly)
I think we're going off-the-rails!
SHII
(loudly)
What? No, just use the brakes!
TOYO
I didn't make any!
Kota adjusts her goggles while Shii just tosses his hat into the wind.
CUT TO:
EXT LOWER MAINTENANCE AREA
The elevator doors split open.
INCA
See that you do, please. I look forward to forgetting all about this unpleasantness.
From off-screen comes the metal screeching cart carrying Kota, Shii, and Toyo. It crashes through the roof of a nearby building, causing the front door to the building to burst open and spill inflated innertubes across the courtyard.
KOTA (O.S.)
(shouting)
We made it, Ami!
Makami smiles back to Inca, who is frozen in rage.
MAKAMI
Heh, so, when is the big meeting?
ALRUND
Soon, Avatar. In the meantime you and your-
An innertube comes blasting out of the doors with a hole in its side.
ALRUND
...you and your party may enjoy the waterpark and other facilities.
INCA
(grumbling)
Get me away from her, Alrund.
ALRUND
This way...
The guards escort Inca and Alrund away while Abe and Makami move to the open door.
INT. INNERTUBE WAREHOUSE - CONTINUOUS
All along the floor are filled tubes of green and yellow. The wall shows several more awaiting patches, and in the middle of it all is the metal cart embedded into the floor. Kota is helping Shii up and smiling to Makami.
MAKAMI
Are you guys alright?
She hugs Kota.
SHII
(coughing)
Yes, yes, we're fine.
KOTA
We're okay, Ami.
Toyo stands, his face covered in the rubber of several dead tubes.
KOTA
We did need help, and Toyo was the one to offered.
TOYO
(muffled)
Is that Makami?
He quickly pulls the material away, but one of the rubber ends slaps him in the face.
TOYO
Makami, hey, yes, I saved these two trusted members of Team Avatar.
SHII
We were kidnapped from the train.
KOTA
More of those stupid robots, then brought all the way back to some hole in the ground. Great room service though.
MAKAMI
Hold on, let me get this straight: You two were taken by robots - the same robots that Toyo defeated the first time we met him - and he just so happens to show up to save the day - again?
Their faces all slowly turn to him as his audible gulp echoes in the room.
TOYO
(squeaking)
Yes?
She turns to walk out.
MAKAMI
I don't buy it.
TOYO
No wait!
He slips and gets tangled in innertubes as she walks out.
TOYO
(to Kota)
Please, get her to understand. I-I had nothing to do with any of what happened!
SHII
We believe you.
KOTA
Look, just stay out of sight and we'll talk to her some more.
TOYO
Th-thank you!
Abe is first out with Makami, Shii and Kota behind. Toyo closes the door after they leave, content with hiding away for now.
SHII
I didn't know you cared so much about him being on the team.
KOTA
I don't - I just always pay my debts.
CUT TO:
EXT. BA-SING-SWIM WATERPARK - DAY
Walking past the opening to the waterpark, Makami gazes towards it, her feet moving on as her head stays still. She straightens again just as Abe and Shii catch up to her.
ABE
Oh, look at that, another waterpark.
SHII
President Inca's finest.
Kota comes in from the left.
KOTA
(sarcastically)
Yeah, they really went all out for the Fire Nation's waterpark.
SMASH CUT TO:
EXT. FIRE NATION WATERPARK - DAY
The waterpark looks truly sad by comparison with animals chewing at the aluminum gate. In the foreground is a weak stream of water spraying next to a flame torch. The dusty, ashy fog leans in the wind. The water drifts over the torch and bursts into flames, scaring an armadillo-spider on the ground.
SMASH CUT TO:
EXT. BA-SING-SWIM WATERPARK
Makami smiles and hands Shii her bag.
MAKAMI
Well, I'm going inside. Anyone else?
All three walk away with Kota lagging slightly.
KOTA
No, me and Shii need to sleep.
ABE
I've had enough of waterparks for this lifetime.
KOTA
You okay by yourself?
MAKAMI
Yeah, hey...
Makami leans closer.
MAKAMI
Your grandfather is here, right? And-
KOTA
(groaning)
Oh, I'm too tired for this! Go have your fun in puddles, and you can gross me out later, okay?
She smiles as Kota walks away.
Makami pushes through the park with her hood up to hide her face. Children rush around her, splashing into a huge wave pool controlled by a group of earth benders slamming the ground.
She passes another group of children watching a water bender create a snow cone and adding flavors before moving off-screen. Following her through the shot is the hooded, shady figure.
Now behind the figure, a knife extends from their wrist, glinting in the light as they approach Makami's back.