AtLA - The Difficult Choice

[EPISODE: AVATAR AANG]
[SCENE REPLACED: MAI AND ZUKO IN THE DRESSING ROOM]

EXT. A FIRE NATION AIRSHIP PASSING OVERHEAD AGAINST A BLUE SKY. - DAY
Zoom from below on PRINCE ZUKO, gripping the railing with both hands and looking tense.

CUT TO:
EXT. THE BOILING ROCK, VIEWED FROM ABOVE.
FIRE NATION SOLDIERS on the outer edge of the cliffs are struggling to reel in the cut cables of the trolley system, which dangle into the water below.

CUT TO:
PRINCE ZUKO in closeup against blue sky, still in his landing AIRSHIP, looking confused and dismayed.

CUT TO:
INT. A CORRIDOR IN THE PRISON BLOCKS. - MOMENTS LATER
A dismayed-looking NEW WARDEN (not MAI's uncle) trots along the corridor, trying to keep up with a rapidly striding PRINCE ZUKO.

PRINCE ZUKO
(angrily)
What is the meaning of this?

ZUKO's shouting is evidently a little much--he flinches and briefly touches his chest, where the lightning struck him, but the WARDEN is too nervous to notice.

WARDEN
Your majesty, it was completely unexpected!  We tried to stop her-

PRINCE ZUKO
(stops and turns to glare)
I didn't come here to tell you to stop her.  I came to tell you to let her go.

The WARDEN looks startled, then embarrassed.  He gestures weakly to the DOOR behind him, which is standing open.

WARDEN
Then...I suppose that message is meant for you.

CLOSEUP ON:
PRINCE ZUKO's look of anger fading, turning vulnerable and pained.  He walks past the WARDEN and into the dark cell, unfurnished and reminiscent of the one where he and MAI last met.  A battered-looking SCRAP OF PAPER lies in the middle of the patch of light cast by the doorway; his shadow covers it, and he picks it up, skimming it.

MAI
(voiceover)
Zuko.  If you're reading this, I'm already gone.

SLOW ZOOM IN on ZUKO's face as the voiceover continues, fading into SLOW ZOOM OUT on MAI's face in FLASHBACK as she leans in close over the parchment in the dark cell, writing with a very second-hand brush.  Her hair is loose down her back and she is wearing a red PRISON UNIFORM.

MAI
(voiceover)
That's karma, I guess.

MAI pauses in her writing, smiles very slightly, and continues.  After a few words, as the following voiceover plays:

MAI
(voiceover)
I want you to know, I do love you.  You know, I always just went with the flow, but you taught me that sometimes, you have to make the difficult choice.  Thank you for that.

CUT TO: MAI, with her back pressed against her CELL DOOR.  She raps three times on the BARS.  Somewhere nearby, three rapping noises ECHO back at her, and on the third rap, the back of a PRISON GUARD slams hard against the other side of the window, then crumples.  The LOCK turns with an audible creak, and TY LEE pushes the door open, smiling brightly with a finger to her lips.  TY LEE is also in a PRISON UNIFORM, with her hair pulled into a loose braid at the nape of her neck.  She gestures with her chin at the open hallway; MAI nods resolutely, stoops to pull a DAGGER from the prone GUARD's belt (there are visible KISS MARKS on his cheeks), and runs stealthily out into the hallway with TY LEE on her heels.

MAI
(voice over)
This was a choice I had to make.  I'm sorry.  I can't keep waiting my whole life for you to put me first, or even second.  I have to do that myself.

EXT. THE BOILING ROCK, THE TROLLEY PLATFORM - NIGHT
MAI and TY LEE run across the platform, the two of them clearly a well- honed fighting machine.  TY LEE swarms up behind a SENTRY and kicks his HELMET askew, landing a swift strike to his neck from behind, and he crumples soundlessly.  At the same time, MAI rushes the other SENTRY as he turns, sweeping his feet from under him a split second after TY LEE has finished her attack and sending him over the railing with a cry.  The GIRLS run onward towards the TROLLEY CABLES, as GUARDS begin to boil out of the PRISON DOORS and converge on them.

MAI
(voiceover)
There are some things I need to do, and now I know I have a friend who would give her life for mine.  
(pause for the moment of silence as the CABLE swings down)
  Don't ask me why.  She was always pretty sappy.

CUT TO: MAI, unknotting her BELT as she runs, then passing one END to TY LEE, who leaps nimbly ahead of her onto the nearest TROLLEY CABLE and begins to run lightfootedly along it.  MAI stumbles a few times, but is keeping up, obviously trying very hard not to look down.

CUT TO: The GUARDS, busily cutting the CABLE, which SNAPS and begins to run rapidly off the SPOOL.

CUT TO: TY LEE and MAI, who stumble abruptly as the rope begins to lose tension.  TY LEE's face sets, and she grabs MAI's HAND as they both pour on the speed, racing along the CABLE as it ravels out from under them until finally they both LEAP ahead into space, grabbing it with both hands.

CUT TO: A wide shot from above of the expanse of the boiling lake, as the distant falling CABLE swings to rest against the CLIFFs.

CUT TO: MAI and TY LEE, dangling from the CABLE, with their toes a few dozen inches above the steaming WATER.  They look at each other, obviously relieved, and TY LEE begins to laugh.  The GIRLS begin to climb the CABLE, hand over hand.

MAI
(voiceover)
I know you're going to get all "where did I go wrong?" about this, so just...don't, okay?  You did what you had to do.  Think of it this way:  I would have hated being Fire Lady.

CUT TO: A brief shot of the GUARDs clamoring wildly at the winch, as the other TROLLEY begins to slowly inch towards the PRISON from the far shore.  It will clearly not make it before the girls have climbed up and escaped.

FADE TO:
EXT. OMASHU - DAY
CLOSEUP on MAI, dressed in Earth Kingdom plainclothes with her hair pulled up in two buns, gazing up at something with a flicker of sadness that quickly smooths out into the usual blank expression.  A HAND comes to rest on her shoulder; ZOOM OUT slightly to include TY LEE in the frame, also dressed as an Earth Kingdom peasant.  She gives MAI an encouraging smile--MAI maybe quirks her mouth just a little, but seems to feel better.

CUT TO: A framing shot, from behind, of the two GIRLS looking up at the total wreckage of MAI's PARENTS' PALACE, smoldering slightly as the rebuilding of OMASHU goes on all around it, citizens shouldering tools or stacks of boards.

MAI
(voiceover)
We're thinking of trying bounty hunting.  It definitely won't be boring.

CUT TO: A full-length shot of the GIRLS turning to go, TY LEE's hand still on MAI's shoulder.  As they walk away into the bustle of OMASHU, MAI looks once over her shoulder, in a slow ZOOM IN, her hair blowing gently with a look of serene acceptance on her face.

MAI
(voiceover)
Take care of yourself.  Mai.

CUT TO:
INT. PRINCE ZUKO'S CHAMBERS, TWO DAYS LATER - DAY
CLOSEUP on PRINCE ZUKO, sitting on his bed and rereading the LETTER.  He is half dressed for his coronation, although his shirt is still not on and the bandaging around his chest is visible.

CUT TO a wide shot, including the rest of the room.  ZUKO swallows and sets the LETTER aside on a WRITING DESK.  SHIFT FOCUS to the doorway in the wall behind him, where KATARA is leaning, dressed in formal WATER TRIBE ROBES.

KATARA
(gently)
You're not very good at this whole dramatic prison rescue thing, are you.

PRINCE ZUKO
(flinches, then ducks his head, more sadness than anger in the words but with a clear subtext of 'leave me alone')
I have to get ready.

CUT TO a CLOSEUP on KATARA, who bites her lip, then pushes off the doorway and walks out of the frame, into the room.

CUT TO the bed.  KATARA walks up, hesitates, then sits next to ZUKO and nudges him gently with one shoulder.

KATARA
(looking at his hands folded in his lap, not his face)
She meant a lot to you, didn't she.

PRINCE ZUKO
(thinking out loud)
She was the only good thing left from my childhood, except for Uncle.  She cared about me, and I couldn't even save her!

ZUKO thumps his hands on his knees; he's clearly had a few days to get used to the situation, but is still unhappy about it.  KATARA looks at him with sympathy and affection.  BRIEF CUT to the scar on his chest, disappearing into his bandages, then back to KATARA, who reaches to take one of his hands.  ZUKO looks up, startled.

KATARA
(smiling, a little shy)
Well...for what it's worth, you did save me.

ZUKO stares at her for a moment, then, slowly, his face relaxes into a smile, too.  They've both turned slightly towards each other; CUT TO a framed shot of them sitting on the bed, holding hands and smiling shyly at each other.  Somewhere OUTSIDE, a peal of FESTIVAL BELLS tolls, followed by DISTANT CHEERING CORONATION CROWDS, and the moment ends with BOTH of them abruptly letting go and looking away from each other, turning very pink in the face.

PRINCE ZUKO
(standing and walking to the window, to look out at the masses gathering below)
It's almost time.

He looks a little apprehensive.  The CHEERING CROWDS are louder now.

KATARA
(comes up behind him, with his robe in her hands)
Here.  Let me help.

Carefully, she helps him on with it.  BRIEF CLOSEUP on her hands folding the bright fabric over the scarring and bandages, then CUT BACK to a half-length profile shot of her holding it closed while he ties his own belt.  They smile at each other one more time, framed in the light from the WINDOW behind them, and KATARA reaches up to brush the backs of her fingers across his SCAR, in an obvious parallel to the scene in [THE CROSSROADS OF DESTINY].

KATARA
C'mon.  You've got a crown to put on.

They turn away from the WINDOW and towards the camera, shoulder to shoulder.  CUT TO a shot from behind of them walking out of the room, with her arm around his waist on the pretext of keeping him steady.  The CURTAIN falls closed behind them.

[END SCENE]