AVATAR: Murder by Moonlight.

Part 8

     SCENE TWENTY-EIGHT: EXTERIOR. FROZEN TUNDRA. NIGHT.

(We see AANG's limp body buried under 7 feet of snow. He is unconscious and appears to be dreaming.)

AANG (dazedly in his head): Where am I? What time is it? I need to get back home before Monk Gyatso gets worried. But it's so cold... Wait, no, it's actually getting warmer now. It feels kinda nice. Maybe I'll just lay here and rest for a while. Yes... rest.

(AANG has a POV dream of himself in an empty void, watching a Woman running away from him.)

Wait, who's that girl? Have I met her before? (Reaches hand out) I can't explain why, but I don't want her to leave.

(The camera shifts around to show AANG's naked torso against the white backdrop as he reaches his hand out to the familiar woman.)

I wonder... has this happened before? (Clenches fist) No... Not again...

(Cut back to the tundra where we see AANG going into the avatar state and bursting out of the snow.)

AANG (shouting): I won't let it happen again!

(Snow flies in every direction as a gust of wind emanates from AANG's body.

???: So, you're still alive, huh?

(AANG looks over to the right and sees a broken and dying cultist half-buried in snow.)

Well, no matter, the plan has already succeeded.

AANG: Well, it clearly didn't if I'm still alive.

DYING CULTIST (laughing): The plan wasn't to kill you. We just needed to slow you down until everything was in place.

AANG (anxiously): Wait, how long was I asleep for?

DYING CULTIST: About fifty minutes.

AANG (panicking): Fifty minutes?

DYING CULTIST (shrugging): An hour, maybe.

(AANG completely loses his cool and punches the ground at his feet, sending snow flying in every direction with a strong blast of air. He marches over to the cultist and grabs him by the collar.)

AANG: What's their plan? What have they done to my friends?

(The cultist's eyes begin fluttering as his strength leaves him. AANG gets up in his face.)

Where's Katara?!

(The man's head rolls back, and he gives up the ghost. AANG's hands tremble for a moment before letting go of the collar. The man's body falls to the ground and goes limp. AANG just stands there looking distressed. Suddenly, we hear a loud stomping and snuffling sound, and AANG turns his head to look at something offscreen. BIG MAO bounds into shot and plants himself in front of AANG. AANG sighs.)

Listen, I really don't have time for a round two, so if you could just-

(BIG MAO gets to his knees, bows, and holds out his hands to reveal AANG's staff and cape. AANG looks at them blankly for a moment and then looks up at BIG MAO with bemusement.)

You're not such a bad monkey after all, are you, Big Mao?

(AANG takes his cape and begins drying it by holding a little flame beneath the fabric.)

AANG (looking up at the ape): I'm going to need you to do one more favor for me, Big Mao.

(BIG MAO nods like a soldier awaiting orders. AANG grabs his staff and looks up at the great ape.)