EXT SPIRIT HAVEN CITY SQUARE - SPIRIT WORLD
Toyo pushes his way through the very densely-packed town center, his clipboard in the hands of a few able women signing their names.
TOYO
Great, head up the hill over there to receive your assignments.
He takes his clipboard back with a smile.
TOYO
(loudly)
The Republic City Security Force is looking for volunteers! Sign-up here!
CIVILIAN 1 (O.S.)
(angrily)
I said, get away from me!
Toyo looks towards the commotion to see a towering group of rough riders staring down at a smaller, but no less intense, man. He really tries to push the larger man to absolutely no affect.
CIVILIAN 1
(exerting)
You...can't just take...what you want!
LARGE MAN 1
Actually, I can.
The larger man swats the smaller one away, skipping him through the crowd before taking a jug of water from the smaller man's shaking family.
From the crowd comes the GANG LEADER (25) towering over everyone else with shoulders full of metal debris from the roads of Republic City, and his face painted to look like an octagonal sign with the word 'SLOW' across his forehead.
GANG LEADER
(loudly)
Many thanks for inviting us in to take over the place, little cowards. All of you need to remember one little thing: The army is outside the city, and the police are too busy to care about us! So, when me or my boys ask you very nicely for whatever's on your backs...
He lifts an entire trailer above his head.
GANG LEADER
(loudly)
Hand it over!
He tosses the cart towards the crowd, freezing several beneath its shadow in fear. Before it crashes them into the ground, Toyo jolts out two fists to snatch the metal. The laughing Gang Leader rolls his shoulders with his eyes closed, unaware that the cart is now flying back towards him.
It smacks against his chest, nearly knocking him off his feet. He grunts and recovers, looking around shocked as the crowd compresses further towards the sidelines.
GANG LEADER
(surprised)
Who...?
TOYO
Aren't times hard enough without the blockhead brigade?
GANG LEADER
(growling)
You really want your life to be even harder for the next few months, pal?
Toyo eyes the other large, half-nude men putting on metal finger gloves. He flips to his opposite shoulder to see more large men and women slapping metal to their long legs. Toyo holds his ground calmly.
GANG LEADER
(growling)
Or you lookin' to end it all right now?
TOYO
No, I still got a ways to go. How about you?
He chortles one more time, flicking his eyes to the group with metal hands.
They try to rush forward, but Toyo clenches one fist, bringing their metal knuckles straight to the ground. They grunt and yank like gorillas to no avail.
The leader looks at the others, shocked to see them trying to crawl on their bellies with their legs also locked to the ground.
GANG LEADER
(growling)
YOU!
The man charges forward, swinging several times at Toyo, who dodges in place. An ax fist from the leader comes barreling down upon Toyo, but the metal from his shoulders slides down his arms, across his face, and around his ankles. All of them clamp at once to bumble him to the ground.
Toyo sweeps his fists into a crossing movement, bringing the metal legs and fists against the opposite group's heads to knock them all unconscious.
As he relaxes, the crowd around him applaud softly while a kid brings him his clipboard.
TOYO
(to kid)
Thanks.
He swipes at some sand kicked up in front of his face, but seizes when he feels a sharp blade in his back. From the crowd steps Inca with a plastered smile.
INCA
(through her teeth)
Well, haven't you made yourself a big ol' mistake?
Toyo half-smiles, knowing he's caught.
CUT TO:
INT ADACHI'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Adachi is by the window in his sparse office, pulling down the shade on the radioactive rain outside. On the other side of his small desk is a full room - Makami, Alrund, Abe, Kin, and Kota - all looking for places to sit amongst the stacks of boxes.
ADACHI
Sorry about the mess. Interim governments don't receive the same treatment as the elected kind.
KOTA
Love the personality you've sucked out of the room, Pawpa.
ADACHI
(grunting)
Better than the personality that was here before.
MAKAMI
If these boxes are yours, I can help you put everything up?
ADACHI
No, no, uh, my stuff isn't here yet. In transit, you could say.
KOTA
(pointing)
That's his.
Everyone leans over to see a small bag, slumping in the corner, clearly just a statue from his collection.
MAKAMI
Then, where are these going?
ADACHI
To you, Makami.
She nods her head emptily.
MAKAMI
(softly)
Yeah, duh, of course.
KIN
I'm sorry, but the bunker - did Zuko finish it?
ADACHI
Yes and no. The actual bunker was finished, but funding was redirected before the pathway down to the thing could be built.
ABE
But we know where this massive home-away-from-home is, right? Between all the bending power here, making a pathway down to it would be simple.
ADACHI
We do, but we need to bring it to the surface in order to cycle the air, and part of the pathway down was a way to bring it to the surface. The notes are unclear if that part was finished. Someone would have to go to the bottom of Whin-Ton Bay to find out.
KOTA
That's, what, a couple hundred meters?
The two look at one another, Makami with squinting eyes while Kin smiles lightly with pride.
ALRUND
So, we grab some diving suits and go down there to check. Makami and I can-
ABE
Wait, wait, wait, I think not! I'll head down and scope it out.
MAKAMI
I could...
ABE
(agitated)
You have other things to do, Ami.
She jumps off her box.
MAKAMI
Yeah, I guess.
She is moving towards the door.
MAKAMI
I'll go organize your secretary's desk.
After the door closes, Abe swings in closer to the group.
ABE
(quietly)
Okay, what is wrong with her? She's been trying to organize like a robot, and kicking anyone trying to stop her.
KOTA
(quietly)
Two guesses, Abe - world-ending gloom isn't just coming from the clouds.
ALRUND
(quietly)
Let's just focus on checking that bunker. Abe and I will go down to check out the bunker. Adachi, can you walk us through what we're looking for?
Kota and Kin both make for the door.
CUT TO:
INT OFFICIAL'S BUILDING HALLWAY - NIGHT
Makami sits behind the desk, sliding everything around the felt top.
MAKAMI
(quietly)
This goes allllll the way over here. Here's your new home - whoops, turn that this way.
Kota and Kin hit the hallway, immediately looking towards Makami.
MAKAMI
(quietly)
Pencil at ninety-degree angle for maximum writing efficiency.
KOTA
Girlfriend, talk to me. Last time I saw you like this was when our neighborhood dog-owls met a long-hauler truck tire.
MAKAMI
No idea what you're talking about. Just needed to fix this atrocious organizational nightmare.
KOTA
You remember what cheered us up last time?
MAKAMI
Spicy ice pops...
KOTA
Well, I'll go see if they have some in the cafeteria here.
She walks down the hallway, leaving Kin to awkwardly stand, eyeing the desk.
KIN
(squeaking)
Those should be facing the person.
MAKAMI
What?
KIN
(clearing throat)
The writing utensils in that receptacle. They would be most efficient facing the secretary.
Makami quickly moves the pens and pencils into place.
MAKAMI
Yes. I agree.
KIN
An efficient decision.
MAKAMI
Indeed.
She is gently tugging on the green felt to straighten it, but it rips in her hands. She holds up the corner to catch Kin's attention.
KIN
Where's the tape?
CUT TO:
INT SECURITY BASE - SPIRIT WORLD
Just outside the boundaries of Spirit City, Inca sits next to Toyo with platinum handcuffs linking them together. Across from them at a shoddy table is Mako, reading over a file lazily. Around them all is a very sparse setup with empty crates and a small detention cell.
MAKO
(looking up from his report)
So, this is a dangerous criminal wanted in connection with someone named Fuu-Ki that got us into this entire world-ending mess in the first place?
INCA
That's the long and the short of it.
TOYO
In my defense-
Sand grips around his wrist tightly.
TOYO
(in pain)
Ow, ow, ow, ow!
MAKO
(loudly)
Let him speak.
The sand releases much to Toyo's relief.
TOYO
Look, what's important here is that this woman is Inca, who is also a wanted criminal-
She grabs under Toyo's collar while he pulls back his fist. They bicker back and forth as Mako rubs his temples. Eventually, he unleashes a small zap of lightning into the metal table that runs through both of their hands.
MAKO
Now...
Toyo and Inca release from the lightning, falling back into their chairs.
MAKO
I would be very happy to arrest you both, but the end of the world has priority.
INCA
I'm here on behalf of the Avatar.
MAKO
You and about thirty other people waiting for her to come claim them. I need talented benders, and if you two are looking for some redemption, well, I'll use that too.
SMASH CUT TO:
EXT SPIRIT HAVEN CITY OUTSKIRTS - SPIRIT WORLD
A bundle of metal girders and a bag of sand fall into Toyo's and Inca's arms, much to their surprise. Mako signs a document. In the background, the metal shield is nearing completion, lacking only some points of reinforcement.
MAKO
Now, get to work.
TOYO
On what? I thought I was recruiting people?
MAKO
And you did such a great job there, I thought some manual labor might do you and your new partner very well.
Mako holds up the keys to their handcuffs, shaking them tauntingly.
INCA
(insulted)
How did you get those from me?
MAKO
Old tricks. Hop to it.
He walks away while Toyo and Inca jockey their wrists back and forth for position, nearly dropping their armfuls.
TOYO
Don't drop the stuff.
INCA
Why not?
TOYO
Because we can still help these people.
INCA
(agitated)
Did you hit your head several times recently? Do you really think that-?
TOYO
(loudly)
These pants have enough pockets? Yes, of course they do!
He jerks her to the pathway beneath the tall overhang.
TOYO
(quietly)
Stop poking holes in this - what else are we going to do?
INCA
(harsh whisper)
Oh, I don't know, something useful?
TOYO
Like what? Hunting me?
INCA
I just so happened to find you here. My original goal was to check out those vines. Al called me and asked if I could find anything out about them.
TOYO
Well? Did you?
INCA
How could I when you were throwing your weight around as soon as I arrived?
TOYO
Defending innocents.
INCA
Really? Because it stunk of you trying to earn back that smug smile of yours. Or trying to get clocked in the jaw.
They stop at a spray-painted X on the ground where they both start bending at once, their handcuffed wrists making that very difficult.
CUT TO:
INT OFFICIAL'S BUILDING HALLWAY - NIGHT
Kin is eye-level with the desk, now clean and straight across the board. She has a protractor and a level, eyeing them closely. She moves positions several times, finalizing their masterpiece by flicking away a single hair on the desk. Makami waits behind her with bated breath.
Finally, she folds the tools up into a pocket-sized bundle and nods gently.
KIN
I do believe we've achieved complete efficiency.
MAKAMI
Really? Man, that's a relief.
KIN
(quietly)
I've never seen anything like it. This is the greatest thing I've ever been a part of.
MAKAMI
(eyebrow cocked)
Bit of a straight-line kind of life, huh?
KIN
What makes you say that?
MAKAMI
Nothing. Anyways, thanks for your help. This was very therapeutic.
Makami is barely turned away before she's frozen by Kin's eyes and volume.
KIN
(loudly)
Why do you have a problem with your mother and I?!
She slides her hip to the wall with crossed arms.
MAKAMI
(slowly)
I...don't. Not anymore, I mean.
KIN
(whispering)
Oh.
She fidgets for a moment while Makami tries to stand again.
KIN
(quickly)
That does not track with your recent actions - not that I have any issue with your freedom of will or Avatar business. You are a very intimidating figure, so I'd really appreciate it if you could just tell me what your problem was with us and what I did to correct it.
Snot begins pouring down Kin's red face, much to Makami's chagrin.
KIN
(horrified)
Oh no!
She spins, digging for a tissue while Makami shakes her head.
KIN
(stuffy)
I apologize - I'm a nervous snotter.
MAKAMI
No worries, I...get it?
Kin rips a large blow into a tissue before turning back around.
KIN
I am calm now.
MAKAMI
Good. To answer your, uh, demand, I never had a problem with you two. I had an...expectation of who my mother would end up with that I needed to readjust.
KIN
A man?
MAKAMI
My father. I thought the two of them would reconcile eventually, that love and time were cyclical. I wanted...I wanted my family to be whole again at a time when I felt very down on the future. I needed that once-in-a-lifetime shot, but that's my problem.
She rocks away from the wall.
MAKAMI
What I was left with after that unresolved childhood trauma went back into its box was the fact that you aren't good enough for my mom - or so I thought. You two balance and counter-balance. She flies planes for fun, you sort laundry.
KIN
(softly)
By size and color.
MAKAMI
Exactly.
KIN
So, you believe that I've changed?
MAKAMI
Evidence defines discovery. You came through for me, and Zura loves you. As the carrot farmer said to the radish salesman, you and I have no beef.
Kin chuckles quickly and stops suddenly, clearing her throat.
KIN
Well...thank you. Your approval, though unnecessary, is a weight off my shoulders. I didn't realize how much of myself was missing before I met your mother.
MAKAMI
Yeah, funny how that works, huh?
KIN
What's that?
MAKAMI
How much we can truly discover only after looking at our opposite.
KIN
I suppose so, yes. Even Zura has inspired me to let go of my career obsession to just...live for a few months.
MAKAMI
You'd only ever been at Cabbage Corp, right?
KIN
Before the publishers, yes. Now I've been fired three times in eighteen months.
(giggling)
Look at me - I'm just like a college grad again!
MAKAMI
(smiling bitterly)
How did you deal with it the first time?
KIN
Being a college grad?
MAKAMI
No, I mean, you were at a job you loved. It satisfied you as a life pursuit. Then...what did you do after they took it away?
Kin looks surprised for a second, devolving into a contemplative stare into the ground.
KIN
When I heard the news, I...
She quietly moves to the desk, and tips over the pen container, causing Makami to gasp.
Kin looks back to her.
KIN
Then, I...
Makami pounces over to protect the desk from further harm.
MAKAMI
Please, the desk doesn't deserve this. I-I get it, you hurt something you love.
KIN
I didn't hurt something I loved. I just took back the energy and time I had poured into it. Or...at least knocking it over made me feel like I could take it all back.
Makami relaxes back, her eyes travelling to the green felt. She pounces to it, ripping it asunder and burning it in her hands. Kin isn't sure how to react, giving only a stiff thumbs up.
KIN
Burning energy gains it back, right?
MAKAMI
(roaring)
I love that theory.
KOTA (O.S.)
Yo.
They turn to Kota, who approaches with the treats on a silver platter and her nose in the air like a butler.
KOTA
(butler voice)
Your treats, madames.
She sniffs, curling her lip.
KOTA
(disgusted)
What smells like burnt garbage?
MAKAMI
Therapy. Wrap up a few of those into a napkin for me, would you?
KOTA
No, I came up to grab you, actually. You have to see the spread in the cafeteria. C'mon.
Abe, Adachi, and Alrund come out of the room, sniffing the air as well as Kota drags Makami away.
ABE
(quietly)
Smells like someone burnt leaves and rotten food...
ALRUND
(quietly)
I'm gonna heave...
Makami blasts air down the hall to open the windows, much to everyone's satisfaction. Kota drags her down the hall, but she's still facing the group.
ABE
(relieved)
Ah, much better.
MAKAMI
So glad I could make your lives easier. Do we have a plan?
ALRUND
We're ready.
ADACHI
I'll need help organizing a way to get our people into the bunkers.
MAKAMI
Take Kin and Kota.
KIN
(surprised)
Me?
MAKAMI
(loudly)
These two won't let you down.
Kota is chomping down on some treats while nodding her head.
MAKAMI
(fading away)
Everyone, stay strong and focused, alright? I know this is a lot, and that I need to keep my head on straight so we can all pull through this-
She and Kota disappear around a corner, making Makami's speech even harder to hear.
MAKAMI (O.S.)
(echoing)
But I do believe that we can stop this. Keep yourselves safe until I figure out how!
Everyone nods awkwardly as Kin takes too large a bite of her treat, coughing up a chunk of dough that slides into the middle of the group on the floor.
KIN
(coughing)
So-sorry...wrong pipe.