INT NANDAKA'S CHAMBER - SPIRIT WORLD
The nine-faced beholder before Makami and Voso bathes them in yellow light from inside the horrendous be-tentacled chamber. The unconscious bodies of ten human scientists lay behind them.
NANDAKA
(feminine echoing)
Come Raava, shed your human vessel so that I may see your glow again.
Makami holds up her hand and Raava slowly appears from the palm.
NANDAKA
Ahhh, so very warm. Your goodness has been sorely missed, Raava. Vatuu was right about your strength. It's never been so intoxicating.
RAAVA
(echoing)
Vatuu is already here? Tell me what you know of him.
NANDAKA
Vatuu has already passed beyond the veil and taken position at the behest of Ananta Shesha.
There is a palpable pause as Nandaku's face rotates, this time stopping on one of a fierce dragon that radiates light blue light.
NANDAKA
(child echoing)
There is only you and I left on this side, and we must do everything we can to keep it that way.
Makami and Voso share a look of concern and confusion.
CUT TO:
EXT BA-SING-SE OUTER WALL HIGHWAY - MIDDAY
The car filled with Abe, Shii, Alrund, and Toyo rumbles along the highway with the top down. By down, it looks as though Toyo just ripped the car's top off completely with his bending, giving them an unnatural convertible.
ABE
(shouting)
And the thirteenth cool thing about this car are these little balloons that pop out if you smash up the front!
SHII
(shouting)
Just the front?
ABE
(shouting)
Where else would you wreck your car?
Abe slows as they come up to the main highway entrance into Ba-Sing-Se. There is a security checkpoint waving them down from further down the road.
Alrund leans forward from the backseat, glaring out the front window nervously. Abe is behind the wheel.
ABE
Look at this.
SHII
War-time security is in full force.
TOYO
Would Makami even take a car? She seems more like...a flying-swimming-tunneling thing-a-majig user-
ALRUND
(sternly)
And known allies of the Avatar are going to just drive up to a security checkpoint?
The car slows further as Abe looks over to Shii in the passenger seat.
ABE
What do we do?
SHII
We can't exactly turn around on a one-way highway.
ALRUND
Move, I'll drive.
ABE
No way! This is my second chance to take care of a car, and I'm not letting this wheel out of my hands!
ALRUND
(loudly)
Then turn towards the barrier!
Abe obeys as Alrund leans out the window, punching her hands forward to remove the barrier, forming it down into a ramp.
ALRUND
(loudly)
Take the ramp!
ABE
(yelling)
Hang on!
EXT BASE OF THE BA-SING-SE WALL - CONTINUOUS
The car rumbles along, kicking up the dust surrounding the loose highway struts. Alrund holds tight to the window frame.
ABE
(shouting)
Where to? Through the wall?
ALRUND
(shouting)
No, under it! Into the catacombs! Toyo, I need your help!
She climbs out to the side, sidling up to the hood of the car. The mirrors snap off from rocketing boulders next to her head.
As Toyo climbs to the other side, a pillar of rock juts up in front of them, avoided just barely by Abe. They adjust the one remaining mirror to see behind them.
ABE
(shouting)
We've got soldiers incoming!
Sure enough, the exterior guards ride mounds of dirt with heavy platinum plating around the base like roving tanks.
ALRUND
(shouting)
Toyo - NOW!
They both rip their arms down at the elbow, drilling an instant ramp beneath the ground a few hundred yards from the imposing wall. Abe hits the ramp as earthen harpoons pierce into the ground all around them.
INT EARTH TUNNEL - CONTINUOUS
The car continues through a very bumpy ride with Toyo and Alrund on either side, swinging their arms to keep the earth flowing overhead to seal behind them.
SHII
(shouting)
How long until we hit the base of the wall?
ALRUND
(shouting)
Not long - LIKE RIGHT NOW!
She blasts her hands forward, turning the entire scene to dust.
INT GLOWING CATACOMB CHAMBER - CONTINUOUS
The creeping crystal all around emanates a light green glow with a pile of animals sleeping peacefully amongst one another. From above, there is an explosion that scatters them, the headlights coming through the cloud of dust.
The car breaks through, sending Shii and Abe into a hugging-and-screaming fit. Toyo and Alrund shoot fists forward in-sync to create a ramp that roughly catches them.
Abe wrestles with the wheel, barely keeping them on course, and knocking Alrund's footing away. She catches on Abe's door handle, swinging open the door.
ABE
(shouting)
Shii - get her quick!
The old man carelessly climbs over Abe's lap, reaching down.
ABE
(panicking)
Like, really quickly!
They are coming to a very narrow passage at the end of the ramp. Shii glances to it, his eyes widening before curling his body and arms up, using a gust of air to fling Alrund up into the air - too far, missing the car's backseat.
SHII
(shouting)
TOYO!
Toyo spares a hand, grabbing hers and falling back into the backseat just before the narrow passage takes off Abe's door.
Everyone looks shaken, letting their eyes calmly move to Abe for their reaction. Their eye twitches as their foot speeds forward.
ABE
(shouting)
This would've never happened in the beautiful car I bought!
CUT TO:
INT NANDAKA'S CHAMBER - SPIRIT WORLD
Makami steps forward with Raava still out and Voso clearly trying to process.
MAKAMI
You said that you wanted to end humanity - are you working for Ananta Shesha?
NANDAKA
(childish echo)
Ananta Shesha has slumbered since the very beginning of your age, human.
A blue wavelength with two vertices appears in the air above them, thrumming with a constant, dependable light.
NANDAKA
(childish echoing)
Each epoch happens across a predictable pattern - creation, growth, harmony, decay, and destruction. Raava and Vatuu are the representations of growth, decay, and harmony. When Raava's power is greater, there is growth. When Vatuu has assumed control, there is decay.
MAKAMI
And harmony?
NANDAKA
Harmony has not been seen since Raava took a human as a vessel.
Makami looks at Raava for a moment in confusion.
MAKAMI
But...but Raava became attached to humanity to prevent decay. Many spirits have tried to destroy everything over thousands of years.
Nandaka's face moves to that of a fish, the light changing to a fiery red.
NANDAKA
(warbled echo of a man and a woman)
Thus, there is a desire for power. Decay is a natural part of the cycle for all life. Now, all has grown out of control. Without harmony, there has been nothing to cull the consumption of energy in both worlds, and all is unbalanced.
VOSO
Hold on a second...
He steps close to the wavelength, tracing it with his finger.
VOSO
This all sounds practiced, like there were epochs before us?
NANDAKA
There have been many.
VOSO
Oh, okay...heavy, but you're chastising Raava for being a part of the Avatar. Is ours the first epoch where that has happened?
NANDAKA
Yes.
Voso and Makami look to Raava, who turns to face them.
RAAVA
(echoing)
I...don't remember that. All I remember is of these people and this line of Avatars.
NANDAKA
That is by design. Only I. The Great Creator, and Ananta Shesha know the true breadth of time.
MAKAMI
And what exactly are you?
The face moves to one of half a man and half a lion, the light turning purple.
NANDAKA
(female child echoing)
I am Nandaka - true knowledge unsheathed. I am that which observes and preserves all knowledge from one epoch to another.
MAKAMI
And you, Mister Knowledge of All, are saying this is happening now because of the Avatar defending life?
NANDAKA
That is an over-simplification. What is natural will always happen, even if delayed or weakened. There is no fault to assign.
RAAVA
(echoing)
But my choice has accelerated the build-up of energy and the end of this epoch. Makami, I...
MAKAMI
Don't say it, Raava. You did the right thing.
Makami looks up to Nandaka.
MAKAMI
And besides, you seem like you have a plan to stop this from happening?
VOSO
Yeah, but why?
Makami looks sideways at Voso.
VOSO
After all that talk about the natural order and inescapable order, why put your neck out?
NANDAKA
Because...
The face rotates once around completely before finally landing upon the first one again.
NANDAKA
(deep echoing)
There is a natural end to all. To destroy this epoch before its time would ripple throughout all of those to come. Every upcoming epoch would have uneven windows to exist - the known would turn to unknown. That is why I hope to prevent Ananta Shesha from awakening. Will you help me, Raava?
Raava rescinds down to Makami and Voso's level, looking defeated already.
RAAVA
(echoing)
My choice has led to this. I am sorry that it must happen during your time, Makami.
MAKAMI
(softly)
Doing what's right doesn't stop the consequences, Raava. I stand behind what you did.
VOSO
Me too.
He puts his hand on Makami's appreciative shoulder.
MAKAMI
So, let's all work to finish the job, huh?
VOSO
Yeah, let's keep...Ana Cheese asleep.
Makami gives him a look that he returns playfully.
RAAVA
(echoing)
Very well. Thank you both.
Raava turns back to Nandaka's glowering face.
RAAVA
(echoing)
What must we do?
CUT TO:
INT CATACOMBS ELEVATOR SHAFT
The car rises up the elevator on a metal sheet with Abe still in the driver's seat. Everyone else stands outside the car, Shii loosening his back while Toyo works to bend them up the metal shaft.
Alrund walks towards Toyo.
ALRUND
Hey, thank you for the snatch.
TOYO
Oh, not at all, m'lady. You seem quite capable for a driver.
ALRUND
(quietly)
Can it, alright? I know you know who I am. Do they?
Toyo shakes his sweaty head.
ALRUND
Well, I'll tell them. Just to remove any further mental jousting.
(whispering)
And for what it's worth, you seem pretty capable for a sage. Do a lot of quick-reflex training sessions between bake sales, do they?
TOYO
(chortling)
I guess I was the same way when I thought I was cornered. Makami didn't trust me, and I wanted to lash out and find some sort of power over someone. The difference here is that Makami...all of us trust you. You don't have to worry about being found out here.
She looks genuinely touched for the first time, but clearly isn't used to the concept.
ALRUND
You...well, thank...you?
TOYO
Not another word of it needed.
SHII
If I may inquire...
She turns back as Shii addresses them and Abe at once.
SHII
What, precisely, is our aim once we're inside?
ALRUND
This shaft takes us to the old science wing. From there, it's a short sneak into the palace where we need to apprehend Pi-Ran and bring him to the drop-off.
ABE
Okay, once and for all, how do you know all this stuff?
TOYO
She used to work in the palace as security, but left whenever the old regime went a little nuts. Right?
ALRUND
(totally convincingly)
Right - absolutely all on my resume.
ABE
Alright, then how do we know where the guy'll be?
ALRUND
That we don't know. My guess would be the main meeting chamber or the bed chamber.
SHII
Are you sure? There are so many tunnels, couldn't he be down any one of them?
ALRUND
Chui-Phun hasn't made a public appearance in weeks. He's clearly running the country right now, so he needs to be available front and center.
TOYO
Then we split up to check.
The teeth catch at the top, allowing Toyo to relax his shoulders.
TOYO
(panting)
Shii?
SHII
(clearing throat)
Ah, no, I should go...with Abe because of this terrible cough.
Abe toots the horn twice.
ABE
(to Shii)
Once around the halls, gentle sir?
SHII
(coughing)
Anywhere...dry.
ALRUND
You two take the main meeting chamber.
The engine revs hard before the wheels screech them out of the lift. Alrund lets Toyo catch his breath.
TOYO
We should move.
ALRUND
Still not trusted by them, hm?
TOYO
(smiles bitterly)
More resented. I think it's the hat, which I don't even have anymore. Or, perhaps, it's the way I treat them. They trust me, but their respect is a longer race.
ALRUND
Then, let's hope Pi-Ran is in his chambers to earn that respect.
He smiles as they both run off into the basement of the Earth Kingdom.