Me: So are you guys ready?

All: YES!

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BOOK 3: FIRE

CHAPTER 2: THE HEADBAND

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Aang: The headband?

Me: yes.

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(ends 1:19)

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

(The episode opens with the camera panning up the outer slope of the Fire Nation capital city volcano. It pans up to the crater wherein lies the royal city, and pauses. Cut to the Fire Lord's palace. Cut to Zuko's bedroom. The prince is tossing and turning, unable to sleep. He rises from bed and dons a hooded cloak. Slipping by an unguarded path over the crater's rim, he makes his way to a prison tower embedded in the slope of another, nearby volcano. As he stands in the prison courtyard, looking upward, a guard spots him.)

Who's there?

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Sokka: zuko.

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(Without a word, Zuko turns and leaves.

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Sokka: why did you leave?

Zuko: cause I kina nervous.

Sokka: why?

Zuko: just was okay.

Sokka: okay...

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[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Cut to the Fire Nation outer islands, daytime. A mysterious cloud is scudding rapidly over the water. As it lights on one of the islands, voices emanate from it.)

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Sokka: oh right this day.

Aang: oh this is what they meant by headband.

Me: yup.

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I think I see a cave below.

Shhush... keep quiet! (The cloud disperses with a blast of airbending to reveal the kids, riding Appa. Sokka dismounts and begins a furtive reconnaissance.) Great job with the cloud camo, but next time, let's disguise ourselves as the kind of cloud who knows how to keep its mouth shut.

(sarcastically) Yeah, we wouldn't want a bird to hear us chatting up there and turn us in.

Hey! We're in enemy territory. Those are enemy birds.

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They all laugh.

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(He points upward to four of the enemy, perched on a rock just behind him. One hops down onto his head and squawks plaintively. The kids laugh. Sokka is unamused.

They walk toward the cave, Sokka lurking behind. Of a sudden, he leaps over their heads to ward off some [entirely imaginary] threat. Peering suspiciously about, he dashes into the cave, followed by the rest of the gaang.)

Suki: what was the point of that.

Sokka: just making sure you know.

Suki: okay?

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Well, this is it. This is how we'll be living until the invasion begins. Hiding in cave after cave...after cave...after cave... (His head drops further to his chest with each repetition of the word.)

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Suki: or blend in.

Katara: exactly.

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Sokka, we don't need to become cave people. What we need is some new clothes.

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Suki: defiantly. Those clothes are recked.

Katara: yeah

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Yeah, blending in is better than hiding out. If we get Fire Nation disguises, we'll be just as safe as we would be hiding in a cave.

Plus...they have real food out there. Does anyone wanna sit in the dirt and eat cave-hoppers? (She punches the cave wall and several hoppers hop out. Momo catches one and begins chowing down. The kids appear revolted.)

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All: ew

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(to Momo) Looks like we got out voted, sport. (To the kids) Let's get some new clothes.

(The scene shifts to a nearby Fire Nation laundry. Several items of clothing are hung on lines outdoors, suspended over steam vents. The kids, hiding in some rocks close by, survey the scene.)

I don't know about this. These clothes belong to somebody.

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Suki: it for survival and the worlds fate. It's okay.

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I call the silk robe! (She leaps from the rocks, runs to her prize and snatches it from the line.)

But if it's essential to our survival...then I call the suit!

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Suki: exactly.

Zuko: you changed your mind quickly.

Aang: I mean among the four of them I am the most detectable and I needed to be secret.

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(Plunder ensues. The laundry's lone attendant, stealing a nap in the doorway, is oblivious.

Cut to a secluded beach nearby. The kids are trying on their new duds. A shot of Aang from behind, tying the belt from his suit around his forehead to conceal his arrow. He turns around.)

Ta-dah! Normal kid.

Suki: nice.

Zuko: That's a school uniform and that's supposed to be a belt.

Aang: I know that....but not at the time.

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Hmm...I should probably wear shoes, but then I won't be able to see as well. Sorry shoes! (Sitting down, she brings her knee up to her chest, pulling on the shoe's upper and popping out the sole with her foot, which propels it into Sokka's face.)

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Sokka: ouch.

They all chuckle.

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( She stands up and evaluates her new customized footwear.) Finally, a stylish shoe for the blind earthbender.

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Suki: perfect.

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(partially visible in the right side of the screen, from behind) How do I look?

(Cut to a full frontal shot of Katara, presumably from Aang's p.o.v. The camera slowly pans upward from toe to top to reveal a ravishing Fire Nation beauty... with one false note. Aang, smitten, blushes, and then suddenly realizes the problem.)

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Suki: hehehe he blushing.

Aang blushes in embarrassment.

Katara blushes seeing this again.

Sokka: Oogies

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[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Uh...your mom's necklace.

(chagrined) Oh...oh, yeah. I guess it's pretty obviously water tribe, isn't it?

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Zuko: yup.

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(Relunctantly, she removes it.

The scene changes to the bazaar of a nearby town, where Katara buys some new, more fire-themed neckware. Cut to an alley, where she puts it on and Toph and Sokka try on their own new accessories - a new headband for Toph and a topknot clasp for Sokka. For his part, Aang smoothes down Momo's ears and tucks him beneath his coat.)

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Suki: Looking good everyone.

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I used to visit my friend Kuzon here a hundred years ago. So everyone just follow my lead and stay cool. Or as they say in the Fire Nation - "Stay flamin'"!

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Zuko: no one says that.

Aang: anymore. But it will have comeback I know it will.

Zuko: I don't think so.

Aang: just wait.

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(He saunters out, the kids following. A man is eating a meat shish kebab on the sidewalk. Aang waves to him as they walk by.)

Greetings, my good Hotman!

(surprised) Uh, hi. I guess?

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Zuko: see know one understands.

Aang: Trust me zuko. It will have a comeback.

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(Aang's lingo is perhaps a little out of date. Sokka leads the way to a butcher's shop.)

Oh, we're going to a meat place?

Come on, Aang. Every one here eats meat...even the meat!

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Zuko: true. We should have more vegetarian options.

Aang: that would be great.

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(He indicates a nearby cow-hippo, greedily scavenging a pile of fly-blown fish.)

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All: ew?

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(unconvinced) You guys go ahead. I'll just get some lettuce out of the garbage.

(They enter. Aang turns around and begins dispensing affable greetings to his new countrymen.)

Hotman. Hotman. Hotman. Hotman. Hotman.

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Zuko: hotman?

Aang: yes.

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(Three imposing, official-looking figures approach him.)

It's over, we caught you.

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Suki: oh no.

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Who me?

They all chuckle.

Sokka: hahaha the faces.

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It couldn't be more obvious that you don't belong here. (Aang cringes, expecting the worst.) Next time you play hooky, you might want to take off your school uniform.

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Suki: ah I see.

Sokka: so that's how.

Aang: yup.

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Heh, heh. Uh!

(He is seized by the collar and pulled towards the camera.

Cut to the exterior of the Fire Nation school, dominated by a large statue of Ozai. Cut to an interior classroom. The door opens and Aang is thrust in. He and his new classmates stare at each other in mutual astonishment.)

Oh! Is this a new mind ready for molding?

That's right. (He knocks himself on the head to indicate its lack of contents.) Let the molding begin.

(The truant officers turn to leave.)

: Wait a minute. (The officers stop and turn around.) You're not from the Fire Nation!

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Suki: oh no.

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(Suspenseful moment as Ms. Kwan approaches Aang with a critical eye.) Clearly you're from the colonies.

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Suki: thank the spirits.

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(relieved) Yeah, the colonies. Of course. The Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom.

Your etiquette is terrible. In the homeland, we bow to our elders. Like so.

(She bows her head, making a fist with her right hand, holding her left hand open and pointed upward so that the palm is perpendicular to her body, and bringing the two hands together so that the proximal phalanx of her infolded right index finger just touches the base of her left palm, again perpendicularly. The effect is of a small, stylized flame.)

Sorry ma'am.

(Aang attempts the salute, but reverses hands and meets his right palm with his entire left fist, instead of just the index finger. Ms. Kwan taps his fist with her ferrule, obviously disapproving. Aang looks around for help. A girl in the front row [On Ji] catches his eye and demonstrates the proper technique. Aang smiles, reverses hands, and lowers his fist.)

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Katara: 😑😑😑

Sokka: that girl looks familar. What do you think toph?

Everyone but sokka: ................

Sokka: what?

Toph: hello? I was blind.

Sokka: oh right, sorry.

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(tapping his head with her ferrule) And we don't wear head coverings indoors.

: Um, I have a scar. It's really embarrassing.

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Zuko: 😃

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Very well. What is your name? Or should we just call you, "Mannerless Colony Slob"?

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Suki: that's mean.

Aang: no it's actually fine.

Suki: really?

Aang: yup.

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(chuckling) Just "Slob" is fine. (This doesn't go over well. He tries a different tack.) Or, uh... Kuzon.

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Suki: that's your fire nation friend's name right?

Aang: yup.

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(He turns to face the class with a friendly smile.

Cut to a shot of a bell ringing, signaling school's out. Kids stream out the doors. Aang walks toward the camera, pulling open his jacket and whispering to Momo.)

We made it through the day, Momo. And...it was pretty fun!

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Toph: can't believe you think school is fun.

Aang: learning can be fun.

Toph: yeah but that type of school is not fun.

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(from behind him) Don't let the headmaster catch you with that monkey.

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Sokka: how does she know?

Suki: it's that girl from before.

aang: yup.

katara: 😑😑😑

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(concealing Momo and turning around with an innocent grin on his face) What monkey?

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Zuko: wow great acting.

Sokka: really I thought it was bad-

Zuko: I was being sarcastic.

Sokka: oh right.

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Don't worry, I'm not a tattletale. My name's On Ji. I like your headband, by the way.

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Katara:🙄🙄🙄

Sokka: onji. onji? I have seen her before but where?

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(Aang smiles, meditating a reply, when he is suddenly jostled from behind by a tall Fire Nation boy [Hide], who walks past him to stand by On Ji.)

(contemptuously) On Ji, you don't have to baby-sit the new kid.

(amiably)Wow. (He bows, Fire Nation style.) You must be one of those popular kids I've been hearing about.

That's right. Now listen, friend...I know you're from the colonies, so I'll say this slowly. (He enunciates carefully, getting in Aang's face as he does so.) On Ji...is...my...girlfriend. Don't forget it.

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Katara: oh she has a boyfriend but not a good one.

Aang: hide isn't the best but I believe he can improve.

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(He pokes Aang in the chest. Momo stirs and complains beneath Aang's jacket. Aang smoothes him down and grins sheepishly at Hide's suspicious glare. Hide points at his eyes and then at Aang to indicate that he'll be keeping an eye on him. He turns and walks away with his arm around On Ji.)

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Suki: well she doesn't look so happy.

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It was nice meeting you.

(approaching Aang) I don't believe it. He didn't beat you up. Not even a little.

(modestly) I guess I'm just lucky.

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Zuko: for now.

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We were on our way to play hide-and-explode. You wanna come?

I'd love to!

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Suki: hide and explode? Isn't hide and seek.

Sokka: it is.

TopH: I would like to play that game.

Sokka: I don't want to play that game with you.

Toph: why not?

Sokka: because-

Toph: you don't need to explain I know why. hehehe

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(Cut to the exterior of the cave, night. Aang slides down the roof of the cave to its entrance and walks in. The kids are seated around a fire.)

Where have you been? We've been worried sick!

(covered in burn marks) I got invited to play with some kids after school.

(standing up, flummoxed) After what?

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Zuko: school.

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(happily) I enrolled in a Fire Nation school, and I'm going back tomorrow.

Enrolled in what?!

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Zuko: school.

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(He keels over.

(starts 1:19)

[There should be a GIF or video here. Update the app now to see it.]

Cut to the prison tower. An interior shot of feet walking down a corridor. The guard from the beginning of the episode hears the footsteps and spins around, leveling his spear. He recognizes the hooded figure.)

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Sokka: oh now we are back here.