INT EARTH KINGDOM LIVING ROOM - EARLY AFTERNOON
Pictured on the screen of a blurry, 80's television is the Communication Leader for the Earth Kingdom, PI-RAN (35). The man is buttoned up tightly in a dark green suit reminiscent of the traditional Earth Kingdom garb. He has small, oval glasses that rest on his tight face, his bald head quite glaringly shiny.
On the banner beneath him on the screen reads "Pi-Ran to Pi-Run for President?"
UMA (O.S.)
(through television)
In a very animated display, Earth Kingdom Communication Director Pi-Ran stacked cans before proceeding to knock them down, proclaiming Avatar Makami's mistreatment of the Earth Kingdom's trust as "unacceptable". Very harsh.
The view changes to a file photo of Makami in high school, holding up a large science fair trophy with a gap in her front teeth. The colorful-yet-serious radio DJ-turned-newscaster UMA (22) - woman, Indian descent, with hair like a life-size germ particle - reads with tiny, rectangular glasses.
UMA
(through television)
Meanwhile, Avatar Makami's compound was totes turned to dust last week, and no one's been able to confirm the status of her own stack of cans.
CUT TO:
EXT TELEVISION STOREFRONT - MIDDAY
The glare of a store window doesn't hide the reflections of Zura and Baki as they watch.
BAKI
Aw, she was so cute and small back then.
ZURA
I think they edited her tooth gap to be smaller.
BAKI
Oh stop it. Keep your face down or you'll get recognized and mobbed.
ZURA
You're kidding, right?
The two walk away from the window, both wearing very large hats that hide their identity. Zura has her hand up against the side of her face while Baki places large black sunglasses on her face.
ZURA
Shouldn't you be afraid or something for her?
BAKI
I am on the inside. Can't break down, now can we?
ZURA
You've just seemed...different.
BAKI
I feel it - the vest of life!
ZURA
You mean...zest?
BAKI
Yes, smarty-mouth. I'm ready to take the world by storm is the point! I had a brush with fear and death, then conquered both.
ZURA
I heard you fell asleep.
BAKI
Yes, and saved everyone.
A lone reporter recognizes them, producing a microphone with a camera person holding up a comically large camera on her shoulder.
REPORTER
(quickly)
Ladies, do you know where the Avatar is?
BAKI
(frustrated)
Ugh, all of these cameras! Who can get a moment's peace?
Baki drags Zura away with the reporter walking fast to keep up.
REPORTER
(quickly)
Zura, Zura, if you could say anything to your sister, what would it be?
Zura pauses just before a corner and turns back.
ZURA
You still owe five gold pieces for that shirt you set on fire.
Baki pulls Zura around the corner and away at last.
CUT TO:
INT CRESCENT MOON CATACOMBS
The entire island shakes as Makami does hand-stand push ups. Every time she moves down, pillars slam to the ground from the ceiling. Every time she comes back up, more pillars shoot up. The power on display is great and terribly noisy.
ALRUND (O.S.)
That's enough.
Makami lets herself fall into a seated position as Alrund comes over, bringing a bottle of water. Shii wanders out in his sleeping clothes, throwing a pillow towards Makami that smacks against her head.
MAKAMI
(muffled)
Sorry, Master.
He wanders back into his room while Alrund sits and Makami puts the pillow on her lap.
MAKAMI
(panting)
How was that?
ALRUND
Good. You've learned a lot in just a week.
MAKAMI
Yes, this all seems very, extremely familiar. It's almost...almost like I...
ALRUND
Like you what?
MAKAMI
(sarcastically)
Like I've done this before in a thousand past lives and have re-gifted all of these moves to myself.
ALRUND
Is that how being an Avatar works?
MAKAMI
It very rarely 'works' at all, I've found.
She takes a drink of water.
MAKAMI
Sorry, but you seem really familiar to me.
ALRUND
Hm.
MAKAMI
Have we met before?
ALRUND
No, I just met you last week.
MAKAMI
Well, that just makes what you did getting me to the airport even more impressive.
Alrund shrugs uncomfortably.
ALRUND
I was ordered to protect you, and I can't fail.
Makami stands up.
MAKAMI
Then you're in good company here. Are you a hugger?
ALRUND
Not really.
MAKAMI
(disappointed)
Oh...hand hug?
Makami wiggles her hand back and forth until Alrund brings her hand forward.
MAKAMI
(relieved)
My orbitofrontal cortex thanks you.
ALRUND
I...what?
ABE (O.S.)
Yo!
The two of them turn to see Abe meandering in with a toasted bagel and a newspaper.
ABE
You're gonna love this.
Coming closer, the main headline reads 'Avatar Steals From Sister' with a sub header of 'Is Avatar Makami Broke?'.
MAKAMI
You've gotta be kidding me...!
ALRUND
(to Abe)
Where'd you get a toasted bagel?
ABE
Cafeteria.
Makami uses her earth bending to remove the ink from the page and splatter it across the wall - the created message reads "Murder The Sisters" backwards.
MAKAMI
(angrily)
I'm gonna burn her whole wardrobe and make a currency out of the ashes.
ABE
Hey, I just thought it was funny. No need to get worked up.
MAKAMI
(angrily)
It's the principle of the matter - I'm in here so they can write anything they want about me out there.
ALRUND
You're safest in here.
MAKAMI
Not from slander and bitter little sisters, I'm not! I'm going out there.
ABE
But we have everything we need here!
ALRUND
Is that mouse cream?
Abe hugs the bagel closely with a protective look.
CUT TO:
EXT CRESCENT MOON ISLAND ELEVATOR SHAFT - DAY
A pair of fire sages try to throw rocks into Toyo's hat while he sleeps on a stool. One of them makes it and celebrates quietly, but not lacking in energy.
The buzz of the elevator rouses Toyo and sends the sages back to their posts.
MAKAMI (O.S.)
(echoing)
I don't care, I'm not going to-
The elevator car arrives with Makami in front, quick to unlatch the gate.
MAKAMI
-let everyone in the world forget about Marchom's Sharp Edge Theory.
She emerges first with Abe finishing their bagel and coming out next.
ABE
(mouth filled)
No one even knows what that is, Ami.
As Abe clears, Alrund smiles widely over her own toasted bagel sandwich.
Meanwhile, Makami pushes through the two sages trying to hold her back.
MAKAMI
It means people are creating conspiracy theories about where I am and what I'm doing because they don't see me doing anything.
She slows at Toyo as he stands in her way, his hat turned over and the rocks clattering out.
MAKAMI
I'm taking the plane.
TOYO
Can't, no fuel.
MAKAMI
Shii and I will bend air through the engines.
TOYO
Engines need repair.
MAKAMI
We'll put up a sail and use it as a boat.
TOYO
That wouldn't be very efficient, now would it?
MAKAMI
(growling)
Darn you, knowing my weakness...
TOYO
Ami, if you go out there, you're going to run into a fight.
ABE
(mumbling)
She's aching for one now.
TOYO
Yeah, but think about it - what's the best case scenario if you get into one? If you win, you're making a weak nation even weaker. If you lose, Chui-Phun is going to make you dance in the streets for coppers.
MAKAMI
That's why I'm not going to fight. I'm just going to go about my usual rounds.
TOYO
You're lying.
MAKAMI
Then, I revert to my previous stance of 'you can't stop me'.
She pushes past Toyo.
TOYO
It's not that simple, Ami.
She comes to the top of the hill to have her shoulders slumped by the sight. The airplane is mangled and torn into what looks like a modern art garden.
Toyo walks up next to her.
TOYO
I know I can't stop you from leaving, but I can stop you from bringing your friends. That, effectively, does the same thing. Unless you want us to die of loneliness here by ourselves.
MAKAMI
Why are you doing this?
TOYO
(seriously)
I saw the car you drove up in. Voso told me about the attack, and that's just the beginning. The Earth Kingdom is attacking in full force, but they can't attack what they can't find.
He waves his hand around.
TOYO
Train, relax, go for a swim, meditate-
She socks him in the shoulder hard enough to push him over.
TOYO (O.S.)
(grunting)
Punch me...if you must.
MAKAMI
(growling)
With gusto. This island has no natural resources, Elder Short-Sight. When someone comes to bring food, we'll all be ready to make like an object dropped from any given height!
Alrund and Abe look perplexed. The sages look equally so.
MAKAMI
(angrily)
Bounce! We'll bounce! ARG!
She walks off while Alrund finishes her sandwich and Toyo pops back up, his face covered in the ash of the ground.
ABE
Toyo, how come you didn't bounce when you fell?
The sages giggle while Toyo looks on sourly.
CUT TO:
INT FIRE NATION DELEGATION QUARTERS - MIDDAY
Voso taps a pencil against unrolled pages on his desk with a ray of sunshine across the floor behind him. The happy sounds of waterpark patrons squeal in from the closed shutters.
A knock on the door surprises him.
FUU-KI (O.S.)
(echoing)
Fear not. Answer the door.
Voso obeys, seeing three rugged people dressed in palace guard outfits. They push their way in without revealing their faces.
VOSO
And they are?
FUU-KI (O.S.)
(echoing)
Your spirit friends will be helpful in their own right, but these three will be available for more physical jobs.
He closes the door and turns to them as they sneer around the space. Their hoods down, they are revealed to be Yasuhiro, Kozan - the former fire sages - and a mysterious third person. JU-FEN (25) is a beautiful woman partially hidden behind a spread fan that is patterned after peacock feathers.
VOSO
No, I trust my spirits to do the job. I don't need these added hands.
FUU-KI (O.S.)
(echoing)
You can trust these three. Their loyalty is unquestioned. Use them as tools, Sui-Ki, to keep your hands free of scars.
Voso huffs while the three eye him carefully.
VOSO
Well, start introducing yourselves.
Yasuhiro, head still off the top of the frame, extends one lanky arm to Voso with a card in his long fingers.
VOSO
(reading)
We cannot speak. I am Yasuhiro, next is Ju-Fen-
Yasuhiro grunts while holding a finger up. He signals for Ju-Fen and Kozan to switch. Once they do, he gives the sign for a-okay.
VOSO
(reading)
Yasuhiro, Ju-Fen, and Kozan.
(grunting)
Firstly, your Earth Kingdom officer's uniforms are out of date by roughly a lifetime. Secondly, you two need make-up to cover those old burn scars. Lastly, this...
(flicks the card)
Won't work for me. Someone better start talking.
Now from behind the three, we see their jaws open wide and Voso's face turning pale.
VOSO
(quietly)
Nothing but teeth...
He shakes his head as they close their mouths.
VOSO
Right, okay, sign language?
The three look at each other.
YASUHIRO
(signing)
Do you speak sign language?
VOSO
I'll start learning what that means super soon. For now, just listen.
He walks past them to the table of unfurled papers. They are of mapped cities in the Earth Kingdom.
VOSO
The scientists we're looking for are spread out across the continent. The good news is over half of them have confirmed sightings from over the past week. You two will head south...
Kozan snatches the list and locations, ripping it into thirds and splitting them amongst the three. They turn towards the door.
VOSO
Wait!
All three half-turn back.
VOSO
No killing, understood?
They nod and disappear out the door, Yasuhiro ducking to avoid the top beam.
Voso leans back against the table as his spirit friends transform from pillows and cookies to greet him.
VOSO
(mumbling)
Yeah, it's safe.
He leans down with a smile towards the gathered crew.
VOSO
Don't worry - you'll all be able to help too.
He holds up another, much smaller scroll that one takes quickly. The large centipede-like spirit unrolls it as the others gather round, looking uncharacteristically serious. Voso watches and giggles.
CUT TO:
EXT CRESCENT MOON BEACH
Makami is sat upon the black sands of the beach watching the waves come and go. Her eyes are focused out into the distance. One of her hands is drawing a mathematical formula in the sand.
MAKAMI
(grunting)
No...
She crosses out the failed calculation just before the waves erase it. Standing, she nearly trips from the shifting sandbar beneath her feet being eaten by the tide.
MAKAMI
Whoa, undertow. Wait...
She watches the waves as they recede, moving to the very edge of the sand bar. She locks upon odd churning a few hundred yards into the ocean.
Suddenly, her eyes widen - dark spirits are leaping like barracudas with mouths full of horrific piranha teeth.
MAKAMI
(quietly)
No, no, not here.
The waves come back in force over the beach. Before she can catch her balance, Makami crashes through the fragile ground and into the water with a splash.
EXT. BENEATH THE OCEAN - CONTINUOUS
Makami tries to swim upwards, but the undertow is bringing her down further and further into the darkness.
Her struggle pauses as she looks into the background at the relatively thin pillar of coral and sediment at the base of the island. She looks up to see the beachline above her, bringing her hand down vertically to eye-ball a measurement.
She spins her arms and hips, whirling around to the dark spirits that have locked onto her. From her mouth comes pure cold that spreads outwards and up, creating a solid wall of ice.
Once that's done, a tattered hand rests on her shoulder belonging to the spirit of Kyoshi. Makami loses much of her air in surprise, but Kyoshi's haggard spirit simply goes with the current, never losing eye contact with Makami.
Sparing one last glance to the wall of ice, Makami swims quickly after Kyoshi, catching the current into unknown depths.
CUT TO:
INT CABBAGE CORP STENOPOOL - EARLY AFTERNOON
A line of hopeful applicants runs all along the wall from the stairwell to Kin's former office. Zura squeezes her way past one of many, eyeing them as she turns the corner to her workspace.
ZURA
Part the sea, comin' through!
She pushes through the door.
INT KIN'S OLD OFFICE - CONTINUOUS
The same man that fired Kin now sits behind the desk interviewing one of the many applicants. In her usual seat is another small woman with the disheveled look of an intern. Zura freezes.
CORPORATE MAN
(angrily)
How dare you barge in during an interview - what's the meaning of this!?
ZURA
I work here.
CORPORATE MAN
(angrily)
Not anymore you don't. You're fired!
Zura looks around for a moment, then shrugs. Meanwhile the intern is whispering into the man's ear. He stands just as Zura is turned to leave.
CORPORATE MAN
(stuttering)
Wa-wa-wait there, Miss Ayame.
(to the interviewee)
You can go now, we'll call you.
The small high school grad slinks out of the office in a suit that's a few sizes too large.
CORPORATE MAN
Please, accept my sincerest apologies, Miss Ayame. I get stuck in one mode and...well, you understand. Please, have a seat.
ZURA
So, I'm not fired?
CORPORATE MAN
Not as such, no, but I'd love to instead offer you this...
He clicks a pen before scribbling a note upon one of Kin's old diplomas. He slides it across the table to Zura.
CORPORATE MAN
We'd like for you to take over for your former boss. You'll receive a substantial raise of this amount.
ZURA
(slowly)
Kin's old job?
CORPORATE MAN
Uh, yes, I believe that was her name.
ZURA
You're sitting in her old chair.
CORPORATE MAN
(chuckling)
Well, it could be your chair if you accept our generous offer.
Zura shrugs with a smile.
ZURA
Sure, sounds good to me.
CORPORATE MAN
Wonderful! My intern will be by later with the official paperwork.
(chuckling)
I must say, having a relative of the Avatar in the company will be a wonderful boon.
She pauses with her pen on the page.
ZURA
You know she's my sister?
CORPORATE MAN
Yes! I saw your interview the other day and how you held her accountable for her actions. We need that type of leadership here.
(whispering)
Someone that can stand up to the Avatar if need be.
Zura smiles and tilts her head.
ZURA
Yeah, no problems there. I know how to get under her skin.
CUT TO:
INT FIRE SAGE TEMPLE
The darkness of the chamber allows only for the sound of dripping water. Makami breaks the surface, gasping for air and splashing her way to a shallow pool.
MAKAMI (O.S.)
(grunting)
Where does this...?
Makami appears with a handful of fire emerging from the flooded ground. All around are remnants of melted clay and volcanic rock mixed together. In the foreground is a broken Fire Nation emblem.
MAKAMI
(echoing)
Whoa, ruins.
She dives beneath a fallen boulder, swimming quickly through the small tunnel. Just on the other side, she surfaces immediately to a pair of stairs before a destroyed door with intricate piping and broken heads of dragons.
Makami is able to stand at last, pulling the water from her clothes with a quick bend.
MAKAMI
(mumbling)
I recognize this place...
She sloshes forward into the room.
INT ROKU'S SOLSTICE CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
She is in, looking down at the calendar painted into the drowned floor and the life swimming overtop. The golden sheen of the past is far degraded and covered in most places by soot.
MAKAMI
(mumbling)
Roku was here for years. This is where he first dropped into the Avatar St-
She gasps as her spirit separates from her body. The area around her transforms back to its height of form and function, everything rolling back like time itself suddenly reversed. The fiery red glow of a single beam of sun refracts from a ruby far above.
MAKAMI
(echoing)
Hello?
ROKU (O.S.)
(younger)
Be calm, breathe, fuel the fire...
She spins to see Roku in his younger self seated atop the platform in the center of the room, rested down into a meditative state. The beam of red light passes over his face.
ROKU
(younger)
Be calm, breathe, fuel the fire...
MAKAMI
(echoing)
Roku...this is one of your memories.
She turns away bitterly.
MAKAMI
(shouting)
Let me out, brain! TAKE ME BACK TO MY BODY!
As her spirit returns, she falls down from the center circle, splashing into the shallow water. The ripple around her calms with small wild life leaving her be all around. Forneus appears and uses its tail to help her stand back up.
MAKAMI
Thanks, Forneus. I just...I feel flippin' lost.
She crawls up to the podium again, letting the water sit on her clothes and skin this time.
MAKAMI
(mumbling)
What am I supposed to be doing? Why did she lead me here? Or was Roku trying to tell me something...? Do I even have time to find out with those creatures breathing down my neck?
She sees a few beams of sunlight coming from above, highlighting through the water the signal of a new moon. She pulls her legs into a meditative pose and closes her eyes.
MAKAMI
(sighing)
Be calm, breathe, fuel the fire... Be calm, breathe, fuel the fire... Be calm...breathe...fuel the fire.
Her eyes open to a welcome white and blue glow.
MAKAMI
(smiling)
Raava!
Raava, much smaller than last we saw it, hovers close.
RAAVA
(echoing)
Makami. We are in grave danger.
She leans back with wide eyes.
CUT TO:
INT UNDERGROUND TRAINING AREA
Toyo, seemingly alone, has his shirt off - but oddly not his tall hat - while practicing. He has a small-but-fit frame that flings with great speed compared to normal earth benders. His material of choice is a simple metallic airplane that he drives through various spoons and forks set up around the cave.
As they fall with a satisfying "ting", he rotates and kicks in the air, impressively keeping his hat firmly in place. From the background walks Alrund with arms crossed and eyes careful.
Toyo's big finale morphs the plane into a marble that rolls along his shoulders and arms before he slams his hands together, exploding the ball into spikes that knock down the remaining utensils.
ALRUND
How many tiny tots do you impress with those light-footed tactics?
Toyo spins around, his hat falling to cover one of his eyes.
TOYO
I know that voice anywhere - Voso's driver, right? The one that gets him lunch and honks when told?
ALRUND
(chuckling)
You have a lot of bark for a Twinkle-Toe.
TOYO
Metal bending isn't all 'boom and bluster' like your simple bending. You're teaching Makami her alphabet while I'm out here...
He flicks his hat back into place.
TOYO
Writing beautiful poetry.
She lets her arms drop, casually grabbing up some loose dirt into a big letter F. The letter slaps against Toyo's leg hard enough to make him wince.
ALRUND
Well, here's me grading your poetry.
He tries to remove the letter from his pants but he can't. She cocks an eyebrow.
ALRUND
You can toss around big metal game, but earth is too much for you?
TOYO
(quickly)
If you're good at something, never, ever, ever practice anything else. Climb the glass ceiling and crash ladders.
ALRUND
Yes, why walk when you can run everywhere?
TOYO
(grunting against the rock)
See, you get it...got it!
The rock pops off in two chunks, but the vast majority of the letter remains. Alrund giggles at the sight.
TOYO
(sighing)
Does the hat bring no respect?
ALRUND
(tittering)
I didn't know such a simple trick would stifle you so much.
A snap of her fingers disengages the rock from the cloth as she comes forward with a hand out.
ALRUND
The name's Al - not 'Voso's Driver'.
He chuckles once, snatching her hand with a plastered grin.
TOYO
I know who you are, Alrund, former Vizier of the Earth Kingdom.
Her eyes sharpen immediately as rock starts to rise. He slithers metal down his arm at the same time.
SHII (O.S.)
Achoo!
They both turn to Shii, who shuffles forward, sniffling. He is hunched over with a sleeping cap and a pair of pillows tied around his head. His eyes can barely be called open as he carries a glass of warm milk.
SHII
(grumbling)
Don't mind me.
ALRUND
No, of course not. We were just...
She turns to see the hand tightly gripped in her own is made of metal and attached to no one. At some point, Toyo slipped away undetected.
ALRUND
Practicing.
SHII
(mumbling)
Can't hear, must sleep.
He moves into a side cavern while Alrund backs away from the center of the room, searching in all directions.