Destiny(AangxOC)

Imprisoned

The scene opens with a view of a forest canopy.The camera pans down to reveal Aang, Zumi and Katara sitting on a natural stone patio. A noisy little stream exits the ground from underneath the stone ledge. Katara is folding her sleeping bag  and Zumi is drawing, while Aang lies back in the exposed roots of an overturned tree. Cut to a view from behind Katara to see Sokka walking up the stream path. He is holding a sack.

Aang: Great, you're back! What's for dinner?

Sokka: We've got a few options. First, round nuts and some kind of oval shaped nuts, and some rock shaped nuts that... might just be rocks. Dig in!

(Sokka throws one of the nuts that might be a rock over his shoulder. It lands near Momo. Aang, Zumi and Katara look at each other then back at Sokka.)

Katara: Seriously, what else ya got?

(Sokka peers with one eye into the bag, hoping to find something else. Cut to Momo, eyeing the nut like object with suspicion. He chitters and picks it up. He taps it on a nearby stone to no effect. The he cocks back and raps it hard on the stone. At that moment, a huge, startling noise disrupts the forest's calm. Cut to a wide shot of the ledge and a clearing to the right where Appa was resting. The group and Appa look up at the noise.)

Sokka: What was that!?

(Cut to Momo looking befuddled over at Sokka. He turns to look back at the nut like object in his hand. He blinks twice to a cute effect. He drops the nut onto the stone and another huge sound echoes through the forest, startling Momo again. He jumps out of the frame. Cut to another wide shot. The three are looking left o.c. to where Aang points.)

Aang: It's coming from over there!

Zumi: Let's go!

(Aang, Zumi and Katara rush off in the direction of the noise, leaving Sokka waving his arms at them.)

Sokka: Shouldn't we run away from huge booms – not toward them?

(Cut to a view of a fallen tree, behind which Aang , Zumi and Katara appear, followed closely by Sokka. The p.o.v then switches to behind them, where we can see that they are looking down a river bed. The river has been reduced to a small stream. A young earthbender is practicing his art in the river bed, and the four watch him move around a huge boulder. Cut back to a close up of the four.)

Katara: An earthbender!
Aang: Let's go meet him!
Sokka: He looks dangerous, so we better approach cautiously.

(Cut instantly to Katara who has clearly ignored her brother's warning by running way out into the river bed to address the young earthbender.)

Katara: Hello there, I'm Katara! What's your name?

(The young earthbender looks over at Katara in surprise, drops his rock and runs back down the river bed. As he runs, he earthbends a load of rock into the riverbed, blocking pursuit.)

Aang: Nice to meet you!
Katara: We just wanted to say "hi".
Aang: Hey, that guy's gotta be running somewhere, maybe we're near a village and I bet that village has a market!
Zumi:(excited): Which means no nuts for dinner! (Aang ,Zumi and Katara run o.c.)
Sokka: Hey! I worked hard to get those nuts! (Momo flies off-screen to join the others, Sokka looks downcast) Yeh, I hate'em too.

(Cut to a few overhead shots of a walled Earth Kingdom village in a steep valley. Cut to Aang, Katara and Sokka in a market. Aang is at a stall trying out a hat.)

Aang: Great hat. I'll trade you some nuts for it.

(Aang turns to Sokka with the hat on and laughs with Zumi beside him tying a green headband to match the earth kingdom clothing she is wearing. Meanwhile, Katara has noticed the young earthbender from the river bed enter a nearby building.)

Katara: Hey!

(Katara runs off-screen in pursuit. Cut to the young earthbender in a long, mostly empty room with an older woman, his mother.)

Haru: Hi, mom.
Mother: Where have you been, Haru? You're late! Get started on your chores.

(Katara opens door and enters, framed in sunlight pouring in behind her.)

Katara: Hey, you're that kid! Why did you run away before?
Haru: Uh, you must have me confused with some other kid.

(Aang, Zumi and Sokka enter.)

Aang: No she doesn't, we saw you earthbending.

(Cut to an exterior shot of the building where the door closes and the windows get shut.)

Mother (hands still on the window she just closed): They saw you doing what?
Haru: They're crazy, mom, I mean, look at how they're dressed!Besides the girl with the headband!

(Katara, Sokka and Aang look at their clothing.)

Mother: You know how dangerous that is! You know what would happen if they caught you earthbending!

(From outside a heavy knock on the door is heard and Sokka quickly parts the window blinds to identify the intruders.)

Soldier (from o.c.): Open up!
Sokka: Fire Nation! Act natural!

(Haru's mother opens the door and a Fire Nation soldier enters. Cut to a view of the others caught freeze-frame in the midst of some very unconvincing "normal" poses. The top of the barrel that Aang is leaning upon shifts and his hand goes into the water up to his shoulder. Cut back to the soldier and Haru's mother.)

Mother: What do you want? I've already paid you this week.
Soldier: The tax just doubled. Wouldn't want an accident, would we?

(The soldier produces a fireball in his hands and smiles. Cut to a wider shot, where everyone takes a step back from the soldier.)

Soldier: Fire is sometimes so hard to control.

(Haru's mother's expression melts from defiance to fear and resignation. Cut to a view of her hands placing a small chest on a table. She opens it to reveal a few miserable coins. She takes most of them out and gives them to the soldier. He dumps the small ones on the ground.)

Soldier: You can keep the copper ones.

(Cut to a long shot of the room, with the soldier exiting in the foreground, the rest clearly visible behind him. They are all unhappy. Haru's mother picks up the copper coins.)

Sokka: Nice guy. How long has the Fire Nation been here?