01x05 - The One Left Behind

[bunniefuu]

♪ Tense music playing ♪

Which district are you from?

I live here in the compound.

Captain Karthik found me
three years ago

and trains me in secret.

I don't remember anything
before that.

I don't remember
where I'm from either.

What if the Avatar did come back?

And she...

or he...

wasn't horrible?

What would you do?

♪ Ethereal music playing ♪

Pavi, watch out!

Earth bending and air bending?

-[gasp]
-[heavy breathing]

I saw it with my own eyes.

What did you see?

The Avatar.

♪ Music fades ♪

[insects chirping]

[heavy breathing]

[sighs, gasps]

Datu! [panting]

Sorry for being late... again.

I've been spending
every moment I get

looking into Uki's disappearance.

[sighs] No answers yet,

but you know me,
I'm annoyingly optimistic!

Everything okay?

Do I smell? [sniffs]

I haven't had much time to bathe
since Ellora started...

well, falling apart.

You smell great, okay?

We were just, uh...

planning our shifts.

Hey, you'd tell me
if anything strange

was happening
in the brigade, right?

Of course! Yeah, but honestly,
the Brigade is totally normal.

Boring, even! Ah, so dull.

Just, you know,
punching out storm clouds,

kicking Faceless butts...
not that I kick, I... Psst!

You know, 'cause
I'm with the air, um...

What makes you think
anything strange is going on?

Well, the guards
have been talking.

One saw a bending cadet
bending multiple elements.

Which would mean...

the Avatar has returned.

[forced laughter]

Well, you can't believe
everything you hear!

I mean, you know
Commander Bountan once told me

he saw a dancing lemur man
in the Harshlands!

Heh. Crazy!

This isn't a joke, Jae.

If there's even a chance
the Avatar could be back...

I mean, think of the danger
we'd be in.

Listen, Datu...

Hey, what's this?

Oh, uh, I was just writing
in my, uh...

journal.

Oh?

Writing about me?

[crowd yelling]

What's going on over there?

[yelling continues]

"The Avatar hides amongst us."

[narrator] Fire...

Air...

Water...

Earth.

Long ago, the Avatar,

master of all four elements,

brought forth the Cataclysm.

Out of the devastation,

the world built The Seven Havens.

Now, the Avatar has returned,

but for the first time,
there are two.

Most fear they'll destroy
the world again,

But I believe, they will save it.

♪ Soft music plays ♪

[sipping tea, exhales]

[door crashes open]

[struggling]

Wow, your nose has more hair
than Geet!

[scoffs, grunts]

Commander, we caught them
sneaking out again.

-[cat-monkey grumbles]
-This time, sewer.

A bubble bath
would be appropriate.

We were just going to Agam's
snack shop to grab some baos!

Baos? We were sneaking out
to look for our parents...

Oh, I forgot how lying
works again, didn't I?

[defeated sigh]

How many times
do we have to go over this?

You need to stay hidden.

Maybe next time,
we'll think twice

before stealing the limelight
with our bending.

I'm sorry, Commander.

We've just been cooped up
in the compound

for so long.

The Haven's panic
will die down eventually.

Until then, you should both
focus on mastering the elements.

Use all of this pent-up energy
on your training.

-Yes, sir!
-More training?!

Sir, the Chancellor is here!

-Hey!
-[struggling]

-[door opens]
-Whoa!

[cat-monkeys yell]

Train by organizing
the cleaning supplies. Quietly.

Someone is spreading
this rubbish throughout Ellora.

They claim the Avatar
has returned

and the Bending Brigade
is hiding them

at the Council's behest!

Kayoko, how many rumors

of the Avatar
have we seen come and go?

[sighs] This one's persistent.

I'm going to address the Haven
this morning. Join me.

It'd be good for the people
to hear from both of us.

-Of course.
-Ellora is counting on you.

And so am I.

-Finally!
-I can breathe!

-[relieved sighs]
-[relieved meows]

-[screams]
-[cat-monkey yelps]

Thank you for letting me read
Uki's record, Commander.

Nothing useful yet,
but we'll find her.

I know you will.

Here it comes! [grunts]

[screaming and struggling]

[yelping]

Good, Nisha!
Your breath is your energy!

Now let that power out!

-Ha!
-[grunts]

[screaming in fear]

Oh, Pavi,
if you can't fight back,

at least stand your ground!

-[whooshes]
-[screams]

I'm standing underground!

[grunts] Aiya!

[grunts]

Very good, Nisha!
You are improving!

-Pavi, you are...
-[rumbles]

[coughs]

There.

[panicked struggling
and breathing]

[sighs]

Enough bending. When I get back,

flaming sword fights!

[squeals]

Finally!

[grunts]

Nisha, did you hear
what Jae said earlier?

Karthik has records
on all the benders.

Maybe yours has a clue
to our past!

Karthik's already told me
everything.

He found me
on the streets of Ellora.

But how did you get there?

There's gotta be more
to the story.

Nah, Karthik would've told me.

I trust my Commander. Ha!

Well, what's the harm
in checking?

And technically,
we're not leaving the Brigade

so we can't get in trouble.

Mmm, fine, but only to prove
I'm right about Karthik.

-[giggles]
-So how are we gonna get past...

Who's ready for round two? Hehe.

[grunting]

-[chuckles]
-No, no, no, no, no.

[yells]

[grunts]

[grunts]

-What are you doing?
-[grunts]

Yeah, what are you doing?

I don't know. Improvising?

Argh!

Woo-hoo! Rock maze!

[grunting, giggling]

Huh?!

[yells]

Sorry, Hamka!

-[giggling]
-Argh! I hate children!

-Look out, look out.
-Stay away from them!

-Don't make eye contact.
-Don't trust the Brigade.

-Yeah, don't trust them at all.
-No more secrets!

-[whispering continues]
-Don't tell them anything.

Morning, Elloran elder!
N-need help?

[blows raspberry]

"The Avatar is hiding
within the Brigade,

posing as a young earth bender."

They're pretty darn close!

Whoa.

[sniffs, licks]

[smacks lip]

Hmm. Sweet, with a smoky finish.

Maybe a hint of... pineapple?

-♪ Tense music plays
-Wait, blue ink?

We should split up.

I'm going to...
check for clues elsewhere.

Good idea, detective buddy!

I'll go interrogate
that old woman.

The elderly have the most
to hide.

[licks]

Datu...

Watery curry again?!

We deserve better meals with all
the nonstop work we're doing.

My shoulders are k*lling me!

Don't get me wrong,
I love being in the Brigade,

but the fact
that half of Ellora thinks

we're hiding
the world's greatest enemy

is definitely
bringing down morale.

First, the storms,

now we have to worry about
being kidnapped by the Faceless.

Poor Uki.

I miss her awful singing already.

Yuck! You know,
we're probably gonna get

into big trouble for all this.

Aren't you as curious as I am?

In Karthik's office
could be the key

to knowing what happened
to Mom and Dad!

It would be nice to know
where we came from.

Maybe they've been searching
for us for years!

They'll be so happy
when we find them.

[grunting]

[both gasp]

sh**t, what are we gonna do?

-[deep breath]
-Huh?

-Ah? Huh?
-[grunts]

[groaning]

[bowl clinks, thuds]

Food fight!

-[groans]
-[all clamor]

[giggling]

Stop! Stop!

Think of the rations!

[gobbling]




Ha! Woo! Ten points!



-[panting]
-Come on!

Coast is clear.

[relieved sighs]

[giggling]

Ha! Bleh!

[knock on door]

Datu, it's Jae.

[door creaks]

Aww. [exhales]

My sweet slob.

You are keeping a diary!
[chuckles]

Oh, I really shouldn't.

Ah-choo!

-[knuckles crack]
-[sighs]

"The Council
and the Bending Brigade

are liars and traitors to Ellora

and must be exposed
by any means necessary..."

♪ Tense music plays ♪

Oh, Datu.

[distant horn blowing]

Kayoko's address.

My people of Ellora,

I know you are scared.

Please believe me.

These rumors
about the Avatar's return

are just that: Rumors.

The Council will always protect
the people of Ellora.

We have looked
into these accusations

and have found
not one scrap of evidence.

Check the Brigade!
They're hiding the Demon!

-What aren't you telling us?!
-[crowd yelling]

-Datu!
-Jae?

-What are you...
-[yells]

-[gasps]
-[grunts]

-[gasps]
-[both gasp]

-No!
-No, no, no, no, no!

Molin! This wasn't the plan!

[whooshing]

Take it easy, big guy.

You're all liars!

I saw the Avatar
with my own two eyes!

I've spread the news,
hoping our leaders

would finally tell the truth.

But it will have to come out
by force!

Where is the Avatar?!

Ugh, Mudpies!

Your name isn't here!

That's because there's nothing
to write down!

Karthik told me
the whole story and...

he would never keep
anything from me.

[slides]

Or would he?

Hmm...

[slides]

-[gasps] Mmm...
-[slides]

-[slides]
-Mm, mmm...

[squeaks, clanks]

[loud gasp]

Secret door?!

-[crowd clamoring]
-You don't wanna do this.

Just let me go and we can talk...

Zip it, Chancellor!

This isn't what we all wanted,
I swear.

We just want the truth.

-♪ Tense music plays
-[clamoring continues]

Molin, right?

Your cousin Binh is an air bender
in the Brigade?

I know things in Ellora
have been scary,

but what will hurting
the Chancellor solve?

I swear, I saw the Avatar.

She was a young girl!

A-about ten,

with dark hair,
and-and she had...

[muffled breathing]

-[gasps]
-[grunts]

[heavy breathing]

Are you okay?

Took you long enough.

Timing has never been
on our side.

[clanks]

My fellow citizens,

I will personally investigate
these accusations.

And if true,
I will severely punish

whoever is hiding the Avatar.

The dark days of the Destroyer
have long passed.

Now is the age of wind and sand.

Together, we stand strong.

For the survival of Ellora!

[crowd cheers]
For the survival of Ellora!

Datu, I...

[sighs]

I found this.

You read that?!

I... I was just venting!

I didn't mean any of it, and...

[sighs] Something's going on
in Ellora, Jae.

I don't know what it is,
but... I'm scared.

It's gonna be okay. I promise.

[giggles]

Look at this weird lantern,
Nisha!

Whoa. Is this a map
of the Old World?

Oh, hey, a nice backscratcher!

[snickering] Oh, yeah!

Karthik never told me
about this place.

Hmm...

[metal clanks]

-Hmm?
-[static]

-[screams]
-Akasha to Ellora!

Report immediately!

-You are shirking your duties!
-Oops.

Ooh!

♪ Tense musical stinger ♪

My family...

We've been waiting for you.

[gasps]

Karthik didn't find me in Ellora.

I was in the Harshlands,

wearing this bracelet.

[gasps]

Nisha, look!

Same, same!

Does that mean
Karthik lied to me?

-[door opens]
-[Karthik] I'm happy to share

-the Bender records.
-[panicked grunts]

Anything to prove the Avatar
isn't hiding in our ranks.

♪ Tense music playing

Maybe no one will notice?

[awkward chuckle]

Here's every bender
that's been within our ranks

-for the past 50 years.
-Thank you.

Hopefully, this will put
the people at ease.

[soft groan]

[exhales] I'm not used
to losing my footing.

It's the shock. Just sit down.

Let me bring you
something warm to drink.

[grunts] Don't coddle me.

You don't have to be
the Chancellor with me.

Mmm! Mm-mm-mm! [giggles]

"We have the Avatar.

She's a young girl
here in Ellora.

If you want to know more,
send this rattle-raven

back with a message."

The Avatar? Just one?

Send it back?

Well, why wouldn't he keep it?

They're the best pets!

Sorry, continue.

[clears throat]

How are you holding up?

The Brigade, I mean.

Honestly?
We're at a breaking point.

We need more Benders.
What if we contacted...

You know the law.

No communication
with the other Havens

unless it's decreed
by the Council.

[gasps]

Karthik, what is this?

[both whisper] The radio!

Have you already contacted
the other Havens?

[laughs] That thing?

It's just a broken relic
from the Old World.

You know I collect antiques.

[Kayoko] Let's just see.

-[click]
-[boing]

-Oh!
-[clatters]

See?

Just a hunk of scrap.

[loud sigh] I'm sorry.

Now I'm the one being paranoid.

We stopped a radical
this morning.

We all deserve a half day.

Maybe you're right.
[light chuckle]

Thank you again, Karthik.
For everything.

[door opens]

[door closes]

-[relieved sigh]
-[door rumbles]

-[loud thud]
-[yelps]

[awkward laughter]

Karthik! You found us!

Now you gotta hide!

Do you realize how close
you were to being discovered?!

-How many times do I have to...
-You lied to me!

W-W-What are you talking about?

You never told me you found me
in the Harshlands!

With this bracelet!

Yeah, and someone tipped you off!

Who was it?!
Some crummy bounty hunter?

What did they do to our parents?

Tell us now or I'll...

burn these pajamas! Hmph!

Mm-hmm...

Two stand-offs in one day.

Winds guide me.

[deep sigh] No bounty hunters.

Your parents contacted me.

Three years ago,
I received that message.

When I responded, I was directed

to a pickup site
in the Eastern outskirts.

It said the Avatar
would be wearing that bracelet.

But on my way to the site,

I got caught
in a sudden sandstorm.

When I finally made it
to the pickup spot,

there was nothing but sand.

Then, I spotted something
strange out in the Harshlands.

That's when I found you.

♪ Ethereal music playing ♪

We've been waiting for you.

So these are both
from Mom and Dad.

Nisha, I think he's telling
the truth.

What about Pavi? Why didn't
our parents tell you about her?

I truly don't know.

I was as surprised to learn
about her existence as you.

You should have told me!

Oh, Nisha.

Ever since I met you,

you've wanted to belong
somewhere.

I just wanted to protect you
from the notion

that your parents...

didn't think you belonged
with them.

I am so sorry.

Do you know what happened
to our parents?

I never met them.

Maybe they died in the storm.

Or maybe they're still out there.

[loud panting]

You!

[giggling]

Apologies, Commander Karthik,

we tried to watch them,

but they caused some... turmoil.

We lost 75 rations of curry
in the battle.

Should I put them
on clean-up duty?

[nervous giggles]

I think they've been
through enough for one day.

-[frustrated grunts]
-[footsteps dashing away]

[sighs]

Uh, excuse me, Commander.

I-I was just taking
some time to...

reflect.

It's alright, Jae. [sighs]

It's definitely been
an ice cream kind of day.

C-Commander Karthik,

today, with Molin...

Why not calm his fears

rather than silence him by force?

Molin was revealing
the girls' identity.

You must remember
your primary mission

as a member of the White Lotus.

With respect, sir,
before I met Pavi,

I was scared of the Avatar
like the rest of the Haven.

I changed.

Shouldn't we give everyone
in Ellora the same chance?

You saw what happens
when one man knew

just part of the truth.

Imagine him
a thousand times over.

I warned you from the beginning.

Joining the White Lotus
wouldn't be easy.

Someday, to protect those girls,

you'll need to make
difficult decisions,

like I have.

♪ Soft music plays ♪

I'll know the right ones to make.

I hope so.

[yelling]

Did our parents think
I couldn't be the Avatar

because of my leg?

If they thought that,
then good riddance!

Who needs stupid parents
like them?

-Ahh!
-[loud blast]

I'm...

I'm glad they gave me up.

Mom and Dad wanted you
to have it.

Maybe Karthik was right.

Maybe it was better
not knowing the truth.

No matter what we discover,

we'll face it together.

You're stuck with me, sis.

I'm like roach-mites.

And I'm not going anywhere!

[tickling and laughing]

Twin-promise.

You're so gross.

♪ Soft music playing ♪

-[clicky rotation]
-[static noises]

Akasha to Ellora.
Are you there?

Akasha, this is Ellora.

Tell the others.

Word of the Avatar's return

is spreading.

♪ Tense music plays ♪

♪ music ends ♪

♪♪