INT EMERGENCY SHELTER
The messy lunchroom glows under several rows of fluorescent lights. Its size makes Al and Abe lean back as they enter from the second floor balcony. The white tables below are caked with dust.
ABE
(echoing)
At least they got the size of this place down pat. Could easily squeeze Capital City in here.
ALRUND
(whispering)
Not so loud. We don't know if we're alone here, remember?
ABE
(whispering)
Oh, we're definitely not. Those trays on the ground, food that hasn't rotted. Definitely someone here, just not right here.
ALRUND
(whispering)
Look at those tire marks.
A door slides open from the ground floor. The two of them drop quietly to the walkway floor, listening as rubber and old metal squeak across the linoleum. Al leans over to see a busted robot rolling on wagon wheels with a pair of pincers out front. It runs into a wall several times right next to an opening before finally readjusting and moving into a backroom.
Abe and Al make eye contact, she putting her finger up to her lips as the door opens again beneath them.
ROGI (O.S.)
(growling)
This is simply unacceptable!
The two of them catch a glimpse of ROGI (32) as he enters. He is a short, skinny man with pale skin and beauty marks on his face. He is wearing a faded red jumpsuit and flips through a thick file. Following him is a file cabinet with wheels.
ROGI
Give me the other file!
He spins and roughly pops off the metal top of the file box and flicks through the tabs. He yanks out another file and throws the first onto the top. As he turns towards the tables, the small robot deploys skinny arms that reorder the files and closes the top again.
ROGI
(mumbling)
We've lost...that many!?
Rogi slams down to the only swept-aside spot on the table.
ROGI
(growling)
How can I be expected to continue under these conditions?
He spins and shouts loudly enough to make Al and Abe wince.
ROGI
(loudly)
WHERE'S MY FOOD!?
The bot from the back rolls out unevenly with the tray rattling harshly in their two claws. Achingly slow, the bot lowers the tray to the table. The food looks hardly worth the wait with a small box of water and a packet just labeled 'Puffs'.
Rogi frowns at the offering as he quietly waves off the bots. Their squeaks fade as the door slides closed.
ROGI
(grumbling)
I've been tracking you since you arrived, alright? Don't treat me like an idiot, and don't think you're getting any of my extremely limited food.
Abe stands up quickly, pointing back towards the door. As Abe leaps over the side and lands, Al moves through the door, the echo of their landing frightening Rogi, sending up a small cloud of dust, and covering Al's retreat.
ROGI
(coughing)
What...what are you doing!?
ABE
Sup, mister friendly.
ROGI
(growling)
Nothing is 'sup'. Just the usual daily toil. I don't suppose you were sent with supplies?
ABE
'Fraid not.
Rogi rips open his puffs and spills them onto the tray.
ROGI
(sighing)
Of course not, because I love making the daily decision between new parts and human comforts. Fuu-Ki must've finally put a fool in charge that doesn't recognize the need for what I offer.
ABE
Yeah, about Fuu-Ki...
Abe slides off the table.
ABE
How about I tell you a story while you eat, huh?
ROGI
About Fuu-Ki? Please! Did he finally get what was coming to him?
ABE
I guess that depends. Did you like the guy or hate him?
ROGI
(crunching a puff in his fist)
I despise that boiling pustule!
ABE
(happily)
Then this is going to make your day!
MONTAGE START
Abe silently explains what's happened recently with Fuu-Ki using his hands, a flashlight, and shadow puppetry along the wall. He bends some water from a leaky faucet into several more shapes while Rogi slowly eats with widening eyes.
The bending water churns around in an approximation of the battle between Makami and Fuu-Ki, and the final strike against him exaggerates into a massive mushroom cloud explosion.
MONTAGE END
Rogi clutches one of his bots - a small, nightmarish teddy bear - and stares at Abe.
ABE
You okay there, buddy?
Rogi slowly rotates his strung-out eyes to Abe, then starts chuckling. Then laughing, then gut-busting. Abe slides back on the bench as Rogi pounds on the table in revelry. Eventually, he chokes on his own laughs several times and tumbles to the ground to smile into the air.
ROGI
(dying laughter)
I'm fantastic! Name's Rogi, you glorious news bearer!
ABE
Call me Abe.
Rogi sits up with one of the puffs held out.
ROGI
Want one?
CUT TO:
INT ADACHI'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Kin is surrounded by papers while Zura is frantically typing on a very large computer. Adachi is asleep with smudged make-up on his face making him look like a clown and the word 'FIRST' on his forehead in lipstick.
KIN
Did you really have to draw on him?
ZURA
C'mon, it's slumber party rule number one: Never be the first to fall asleep.
KIN
And I'd prefer if you'd type out notes into a typewriter.
ZURA
Trust me, Mama Kin, this is wayyyy better. This thing saves the documents you type to change or add to them later. Plus, it has a program that adds numbers for you.
Kin lowers her glasses in interest.
KIN
Tell me more.
Adachi rouses, wiping one hand across his face to make the situation much worse. Zura snaps her eyes to the screen to stifle a laugh while Kin orders some papers on her lap.
ADACHI
(grumbling)
Thanks for letting me sleep. Age becomes more demanding as it goes.
KIN
We've been quite productive.
ADACHI
What have you found out about the international laws?
KIN
Well, many of them were written in the name of the Avatar. In a situation like this, Makami would technically have complete autonomy to redirect resources and people from any nation.
ZURA
So Makami can tell the entire Earth Kingdom to get on a boat and they have to listen?
ADACHI
That already happened. Her flying spirit is ferrying around a few thousand people right now.
He struggles off the chair to his feet.
ADACHI
The world has fewer leaders now than ever, so they will be all-too happy to lay everything at Makami's feet.
ZURA
S'that a bad thing?
ADACHI
(grunting)
We must be able to take care of ourselves as well, not just follow directions.
KIN
Even from a capable world leader, one of the few that hasn't fallen into ruin?
ADACHI
(sighing)
It's not that I don't believe in Makami. It's that I believe in other people too. She can't be the only one that stands up for what's right.
KIN
So, what will you do with the other leaders?
Adachi faces the door with a smile as Baki enters with Kota and a bundle of drinks. She and Kota freeze, Kota unable to hold back her immediate laughter.
KOTA
(gasping)
I-I can't...breathe!
BAKI
(sympathetically)
Oh, Adachi...
ADACHI
What?
He turns to see himself in the window's reflection while Kota dramatically falls backwards, still laughing.
Baki comes forward with a rag as Adachi looks at his hands, also smeared with cosmetics.
BAKI
You fell asleep first at a slumber party, I see.
ADACHI
(confused)
How did I not feel this?
BAKI
Zura is a legendary terror at neighborhood slumber parties.
Zura leans backwards with a smile.
ZURA
Undefeated!
KIN
Splash your face with some water, Adachi.
He looks to her.
KIN
If you want to be as respected as the Avatar, then it's time to step through the pain like she does.
ADACHI
Right. Zura, print me a copy of that law. I'm...going to go wash-up.
KIN
(to Zura)
That machine can print too?
ZURA
Gather 'round to see the future.
As Adachi comes close to the coffee, another white and blue portal opens with the blue hands reaching for the coffee in the carrier. They slap the coffee out of the air, splashing it across Adachi's face.
MYSTERIOUS VOICE (O.S.)
(echoing)
KOTA!
Just like that, the hands slip back in and the portal is gone. Adachi is left with coffee dripping from his face, smearing the make-up to awful lengths.
ZURA
Again with that voice?
KOTA
It called for me...?
BAKI
(to Adachi)
I have some towels.
ADACHI
I think...I just better change at this point.
CUT TO:
INT EMERGENCY SHELTER ENGINE ROOM
The door swings open into the dark, rumbling room, but the machinery we see stands covered in cobwebs. Rogi is leading Abe into the room, both of them in good spirits.
ROGI
(jubilant)
This is the best I've ever felt at this depth! And you think Fuu-Ki suffered a lot, right?
ABE
I'm pretty sure he's still suffering.
ROGI
(jubilant)
Oh, that's fantastic!
They leave the doorway open where Alrund slides into the room. She moves through, knocking down the cobwebs as she squeezes between the machines.
ROGI (O.S.)
(quickly)
Do you know if there were any cameras present? Or any really good landscape artists that captured his agony?
Rogi and Abe walk by, freezing Al in place as they do.
ABE
I don't think so.
ROGI
Ah, oh well - can't have it all.
They move by, but Al is surprised back into place as several robots follow them, looking far more refined and militant. After they pass, Al grabs pipes and pulls herself up into a crawlspace. She moves along, looking down through the grate as Abe follows closely behind Rogi through a tunnel of tubes.
ROGI
(excitedly)
And that blithering oaf, Kouichi?! Or, excuse me, Onion-Ki - please tell me he's out?
ABE
He tried to fight Fuu-Ki, and he didn't make it.
ROGI
(excitedly)
Oh, my list of people to hate just keeps getting shorter!
INT WAR ROOM - CONTINUOUS
All three of them move into the large room with Al gently pushing out a grate to see the room. Rogi and Abe walk in through another doorway, seeing the glowing table and televisions hastily wired into the closed-circuit camera system on-board.
Behind that setup, the pipes converge into a large group of horizontal barrels with open hatches on the ends. Beneath the large construct of catwalks are dormant robots by the dozens - the same that had been attacking the group this whole time.
ROGI
(quickly)
So, you must be here to free me, right? If you don't have supplies, then-
ABE
We, um, current leadership actually thought this place was empty. There's a pretty bad disaster coming our way and we were hoping to use this for a shelter.
ROGI
(mood dampening)
Oh. But you'd still want me to leave here, right?
ABE
Well, if that's what you want, sure. I think the robots...wait.
Abe comes closer to the dormant frontline. Rogi follows behind with a prideful smile.
ROGI
You like good craftsmanship, huh? Can't blame you. This is the newest model - Capture Bot Eleven-O-Four. I call'em the CapEb1e4s.
One of them begins to spark and fall over.
ROGI
Obviously, not glowing examples of cutting-edge robotics like they used to be.
He walks over to a table of documents, pulling out a pair of pictures that bring a tender look to Rogi's face.
ROGI
When my parents were brought here from Future Corp, Fuu-Ki treated them like royalty. Any parts, any updates - anything they needed was here in a day tops. All they had to do was-
ABE
Keep it secret?
ROGI
That's right.
ABE
Yeah, that was a clause in all of Fuu-Ki's contracts, I think.
ROGI
But now - look at that one.
He's pointing towards a hobbling homunculus of a machine made out of vending machine graphics and uneven treads with a blow dryer for a wheel frame.
ROGI
That's how low I'm forced to go: scrounging the dormitories for anything metal. Ever since I took over, he punished me for thinking I was punishing him for punishing my punishment of him, but I want to make great things! He was only ever punishing his own punishment for the sake of punishments!
ABE
Okay, okay, back up. Fuu-Ki was the one sending these robots after us?
ROGI
Wait, you've fought these before?
Al jumps from girder to girder above, moving closer behind and above Rogi.
ABE
Uh, yeah, few times. Like when they kidnapped my friends, tried to kidnap more of my friends, tried to destroy all of my friends at once.
ROGI
(confused)
Huh, I thought Kouichi only used them to help that dolt Toyo over and over again?
ABE
No, Toyo was hardly ever involved.
ROGI
Well, that's not what the beeps said.
ABE
The beeps?
Rogi juts a finger over his shoulder at a robot inlaid into a chair with one of the chair arms permanently embedded with a morse code hammer. It slams down a few times quickly.
MORSE MACHINE
(subtitle)
There is only peace in death.
ABE
Uh-huh, and what do those beeps tell you?
ROGI
It's morse from Kouichi, usually. Toyo broke this, Toyo broke that, Toyo needs help believing in himself again - seriously, the guy's a loser.
Al's jaw tightens from above.
ROGI
I mean, why would Fuu-Ki ever have hired such a bumbler to take over the world?
ABE
Rogi, why are you lying to me, buddy?
ROGI
What? I'm not lying. Toyo's a-
ABE
(sternly)
None of them used their names this much, Rogi. If you don't know the codenames, then you've just entered the sus zone. What are you trying to hide from me?
Rogi nervously backs-up with his hands sliding behind his back.
ROGI
(nervously)
You are a nervous one, huh? No wonder they sent you here to-
Al shoots her earth rods to handcuff Rogi.
ROGI
(surprised)
What!?
She falls to the ground, pulling him back to her by the wrists.
ROGI
Ow, ow, ow, ow!
ALRUND
(sternly)
What's the matter? I thought you wanted to hear more good news?
ROGI
(in pain)
Who are you?
ALRUND
(sharply)
I'm your personal diary, and you're going to tell me the truth.
She wrenches back again.
ALRUND
Now!
ROGI
(groaning)
Toyo's my brother!
Abe and Al look at one another in surprise.
CUT TO:
EXT BASE OF THE GREAT TREE - NIGHT
Makami hops onto the closest large root, looking up to the blue energy rising into the clouds from the massive canopy above her. The leaf boat with Bread the swamp bender waits just next to her as she glances to the conspicuously empty guard stations and tumbled-over fence.
MAKAMI
What happened to the guards here?
BREAD
Cleared out, Ma'am. Tree went a little loco, started swatting dem guards like horse-flea-squitos.
MAKAMI
They were hurt?
BREAD
S'nothin' serious, Ma'am. Me and my kin got'em outta here quick-like. Once we's was outta range, this green meany just gave up. You want I should stay until you get up there safely?
MAKAMI
No, Bread. I think it wants me to be here. You go back to your family - and hey, if you want, we have evacuation shelters you can use. You and your family-
BREAD
Are peas in a pod right here, Ma'am. You'n that tree can handle any ol' thing that comes our way, or my name ain't Breadward T. Crustinfork the Third.
With that, he is off, moving his arms to row the leaf boat away. Makami turns, seeing the vines and roots impossibly thick in overlaps and knots all along her way up.
She manages only a single step forward before Raava swirls out from her body, hovering between her and the tree.
RAAVA
(echoing)
Makami, why did you leave another spirit in the land of the Avatars?
MAKAMI
Not a good time, Raava.
RAAVA
(echoing)
He cannot stay. The borders of the Apoth are being tested by Ananta Shesha's servants.
MAKAMI
Let me pass.
RAAVA
(echoing)
The other Avatars have their own families to protect. They cannot also protect him.
Makami moves through Raava, turning the spirit to glower over her as she begins to climb the roots.
RAAVA
(echoing)
You're ignoring me, now? When both worlds are crumbling at the seams? And to even consider closing the portals borders on irresponsible.
Makami simply continues to grunt her way up the wall. The roots are slimy and loose, adding to Makami's frustration.
RAAVA
(echoing)
I have been sat in the quiet contempt for too long - you must allow me to take charge, Makami. We must stop searching for the spirit in this tree and begin to consolidate with the other Avatars.
MAKAMI
(grunting)
No.
Makami rolls her way onto a landing, not stopping to face Raava as she moves towards another wall of roots.
RAAVA
(echoing louder)
Makami!
She rocks in place for a moment, her head down.
MAKAMI
(quietly seething)
I hear you, Raava. I hear what you want, and you know what?
Her fist starts shaking at her side.
MAKAMI
(voice breaking)
You want me to abandon Voso? Fine.
From her body starts flowing the same dark energy seen long ago - the corruption within the Avatar line re-emerged.
MAKAMI
(angrily)
You want to rule over me? Give me orders!?
RAAVA
(echoing)
Makami?
MAKAMI
(growling)
Because my judgement is so compromised, right Raava? You've been doubting me this entire time, thinking I'm going to get us all assimilated.
She swings around to Raava with sharp eyes, but Raava is angled only towards the darkness slinking up their connection.
MAKAMI
(yelling)
Then do it! Take all my responsibility from me!
VAATU (O.S.)
(deep echoing)
Yes, human.
From the dark coil emerges an ancient, dark spirit thought long gone - VAATU (ageless). It rises and glows from a black canvas with red markings. As soon as he rises, Raava assumes her full height to match the stand-off. Makami's eyes are locked on the entwined tails that coil into her stomach.
RAAVA
(surprised)
Vaatu!? How? Nandaka said you were gone to Ananta Shesha.
VAATU
(echoing)
I saw that old fool, but I would never join with Ananta Shesha.
The glowering newcomer angles towards Makami, who's going pale.
VAATU
(echoing)
Not when I have an opportunity to take it all for myself...
RAAVA
(echoing)
Vaatu, don't do this!
Makami holds her head, moaning in pain for a moment. In a split second, Vaatu shoots his way towards her body to steal her away from Raava, but she shoots just as fast.
Their collision in the air crackles energy around them into a ball while Makami tosses her head back and her eyes into a blank grey. She begins to float in the energy as Raava and Vaatu clash, the air becoming more and more volatile.
The ball of energy keeps rising higher and higher into the sky, leaving the world with no Avatar when it needs one most.
CUT TO:
INT RUSTED KNOT BAR - SPIRIT WORLD
Toyo, with one arm in a sling, has a drink to his lips at the bar while others are raucously celebrating behind him. He sloshes it all down, burping up an orange cloud.
As he waves the cloud away, the bar tender comes over to slide him another one.
BAR TENDER
Compliments of the woman at the end of the bar.
He walks away as Toyo leans over, seeing Inca raising her own drink to him. He smiles and nods back with a small salute before she works her way through the crowd to the stool next to him.
INCA
You are an extremely easy man to find.
TOYO
Gotta say, I'm not used to being followed quite so much. I will not miss it when this is all over.
INCA
That's too doom-and-gloomy for a bar. Look around - do you think these people are thinking about what terrible things are about to come to pass?
TOYO
They don't know what we know.
He downs the rest of his drink and grunts to his feet.
TOYO
I should be back at work.
INCA
Hey, will you slow down there, heart of a champion? You need to rest.
TOYO
I'm fine.
Inca stands up, turning to the bar flys.
INCA
(loudly)
Hey, who here can buy a hero a drink!?
The crowd roars, pushing Toyo back into his seat with uons flying at him. Inca picks one of the golds out of her drink.
TOYO
(annoyed)
Why are you making them pelt me with money?
INCA
Modern problems call for modern solutions.
TOYO
(annoyed)
We still need to sure up the west side by the-
INCA
You know what I thought about when I was in prison, eating lobster and caviar every night?
TOYO
How great the Fire Nation seafood businesses must be thriving?
INCA
More-so about how I'd take my revenge on myself for what I'd done.
TOYO
You didn't feel hurt? Hatred towards Voso or your sister?
INCA
Those were seeds, my friend. The real tree is how much I hated what I'd done. Do you believe in seers? Ability to see the future?
TOYO
I think that's a quick way to never leave the state of self-loathing.
INCA
Yeah, I do too. In fact, I made my whole empire off of my ability to do it - blinders on either side of my head. I didn't see how I pushed my sister into darker and darker acts. How close my country truly was to causing a disaster.
TOYO
You were manipulated. You both were.
INCA
No, I made my sister's life worse for years and couldn't own up to it until Makami's little sister showed me how happy she was despite it all.
Still facing forward, Toyo's eyes move sideways to Inca.
INCA
She was glowing on the inside, past the crusty earth she'd covered her heart with thanks to years of me and he-who-sucks-eggs. While I was away, you stepped up and did the exact opposite as me - you undid years of my painting her soul black. And yeah, then you messed that up.
TOYO
(quietly)
I'll say.
INCA
But, if you scrub your spirit too hard, you'll lose that pretty-boy shine that at least one person loved about you. Redemption, my friend, takes many, many different shapes and time frames.
TOYO
Is that why you sent me the drink?
INCA
Are you kidding? I thought you were a mirror of me. So really, you owe me a drink.
TOYO
(chuckling)
People used to listen to you, huh?
INCA
(smiling)
I paid very well.
They clink their glasses together before a drink between friends.
INCA
So, you slept with a stuffed animal until you were twenty-five, huh?
Toyo smashes the glass in his hand, slowly turning towards her with horrified eyes and red cheeks.
INCA
What? I told you, we shared memories.
TOYO
(growling)
You don't share her secrecy!
INCA
Oh, absolutely not, ha-ha!
CUT TO:
INT ADACHI'S OFFICE - NIGHT
Adachi is sitting, looking glumly across his long table with nametags at each place. The names are of the world leaders, and the room is completely empty other than him.
His door opens with his secretary coming in. He looks up with knowing eyes.
SECRETARY
Sir, Akna cancelled as well. That makes all of them.
ADACHI
(quietly)
Thank you. Any word from the Avatar?
SECRETARY
No, sir, not yet.
He nods slowly with a plastered smile.
ADACHI
(quietly)
You can go.
She gently closes the door, leaving him to his table. He leans forward on his elbows as the balcony doors blow open behind him. The curtains come forward, turning into hands that wrap around Adachi's shoulders and mouth. They yank him to the balcony and turn him upside down where his eyes are looking directly into a puddle.
In the puddle, the purple seeps into an outline of Meelo's face - or Fuu-Ki as he is better known. The face fills with more and more detail except for the eyes, which remain blank white above a malicious smile.
FUU-KI
(echoing)
Hello, Adachi. You're being recruited, my old friend.
The green of Fuu-Ki slaps to Adachi's struggling face and body, even as he uses fire to struggle himself free. The curtains burn away completely as he is on all fours, panting for a moment as he looks up with blank eyes.
CUT TO:
EXT THE APOTH
Voso has a death grip on one of the stone sandal loops sewn into the massive statue of Yangchen. Attempting to yank him away is Yangchen herself while Wan and a few other Avatars watch from the background at various levels of giggling.
VOSO
(loudly)
Are you crazy? I can't leave!
YANGCHEN
(struggling)
You...will leave!
VOSO
(loudly)
What did I do?
His fingers finally slip, his body flopping to Yangchen's shoulder like a raging toddler. Wan and the others wave handkerchiefs as she stomps away.
VOSO
(nervously)
If this is about what I did at the edge of the platform, I was curious if spirits could...go!
YANGCHEN
(sternly)
You've been piercing into the human world, giving away our position.
VOSO
(nervously)
I've had to! I needed to talk to Makami!
YANGCHEN
No, you very much don't.
She holds him out at arms length over the edge of the Apoth's central platform.
YANGCHEN
(quickly)
You're a scared spirit that doesn't realize his time has passed, and that Makami doesn't want to see you.
VOSO
(struggling)
Then why would she save me?
YANGCHEN
Farewell, spirit.
Voso's eyes widen in the brief moment between Yangchen's released fingers and the fall. As it always does, the fall came next, bringing him down past the platform with his hands grasping at nothing.
He passes through the pearlescent clouds, trying to swim just to find something solid. As he passes through grey clouds into a dying landscape, his spirit begins to stretch towards the eyes of Ananta Shesha in the background.
VOSO
(panicking)
No, no, no! This can't be the end!
He closes his eyes, reaching towards nothing in the air.
VOSO
(quickly)
Focus, focus, focus!
A white root pierces quickly through the sky and bolts towards his hand. He opens his eyes and grabs it quickly, immediately soaking into it and back out of the reach of Ananta Shesha.
In the background, the eyes blink with the galaxies of all in the pupils. Then, a horrendous slithering noise runs across several of the openings at once, bouncing off the glimmering black scales until this decimated part of Spirit World is silent.
From the silence comes shuffling noises. Ashes fall from rising forms - black and necrotic limbs attached. These creatures are the malformed, enslaved army of Ananta Shesha, and their numbers rise enough to take over the last vestibules of Spirit World.