AUDIENCE: ZUKO

[retellers]

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[retellers]

Oh. [ they look a little sheepish ] We can if you want to?

[ THEY'RE GOING FOR HIS ARM AGAIN ]

[cuedoves]

No! Stop! Just leave us here, this is fine!!

[retellers]

Okay, okay.

[ they sit down on the edge ]

So, what did you want to talk about?

[cuedoves]

Uh... well, I was wondering if you were... alrightish.. after last week.

I also wanted to know what you knew about yourself and the other leaders.

[retellers]

What, that? I'm fine. Totally. Sorry we missed the knives but, you know, it was. A long week.

[ maybe they can teleport out of this conversation ]

We don't know each other or ourselves that well. Memory stuff, obviously. I could tell you my favorite color?

[cuedoves]

Yeah, well. I don't think anyone was expecting Kano to keep plucking them up like candy.

[ so he's not gonna bucky out about it..... ]

I guess that's a start. But has spending time with them helped... any of you remember anything?

[retellers]

Not as far as I know. But that's fine. We'll get them back eventually!

[ also they seem very relieved zuko isn't buckying at them ]

[cuedoves]

[ can you believe the 16 y/o zuko is less explosive than the old man ]

You're pretty optimistic.

[retellers]

What else am I gonna do, wallow and complain? I chose this. [ they sound amused tho ] I'll get them back because the other option isn't acceptable.

[cuedoves]

... I probably would, if I were you.

[ just being honest. ]

Hey. What happens if you take off your mask?

[retellers]

Uh... people can see my face?

[ what a weird question? ]

[cuedoves]

I mean... do you get in trouble?

[ go to fucking bed ]

[retellers]

Oh. Yeah, probably.

[ "probably"? but they look out at the horizon ]

It's sort of like the team rule for you guys, I think. Maybe we could tell one or two people we really trust.

[cuedoves]

It's not like.. restricted to your own team, or anything? How about with the other leaders? Does that count, or do you get a pass because you're all masked?

[retellers]

It's probably better to keep it to our own team. [ at the question about the other leaders they frown ] I don't know. I guess I've never felt like doing it, so I never thought about it?

[cuedoves]

I always thought you guys were kind of.... I don't know, maybe not buddy buddy, but you're all kind of working the same job, so maybe.. more open with each other?

[retellers]

Mmmm. About job things, maybe. Not about personal stuff.

[cuedoves]

Isn't it easier to trust them than us?

[retellers]

I don't know. We at least know something about you guys. We don't know anything about ourselves or each other. [ there's a beat ] That makes it sound like I don't trust any of them, ugh. I don't know! Taking off the mask feels like something we shouldn't do.

[cuedoves]

No, I get it. If I were you, I'd have a hard time trusting anybody.

[ trust no one not even yourself ]

[retellers]

Do you? [ a beat ] Have a hard time trusting anybody?

[cuedoves]

Kind of? There was a time where I would only really rely on myself..... I'm not that person anymore, but it took me time and experience to grow.

But this is all... [ vague gestures ] Life and death, all the time. Makes it hard.

[retellers]

It wasn't meant to be life and death, though. [ they peer at him ] But I'm glad you're not trying to go at it alone here. You're right. It's tough.

[cuedoves]

It ended up that way, though. And it keeps getting worse.

[ rubs the back of his head. ]

I'm trying. I don't... I guess it's hard to know how seriously people are taking the competition parts of this.

[retellers]

Well... I want to win, but not at the cost of other people's lives. I think most people here are like that.

[ they grimace ]

Or at least I hope so. You guys have already had a lot more deaths than what's acceptable.