Episode 8: To Omashu

In the morning, the six strangers fly on Koshu towards Omashu. They land in a clearing in a nearby forest as instructed by Zhuan, who meets them in a golden carriage. Ko flies away as the team dons their disguises. Rishi, Ishiko, Tomomi, and Satomi pose as guards, Kit poses as the Ostrich horse coachman, Jax poses as the announcer. As they approach the gates of Omashu, Zhuan instructs Kit to drive towards the royal entrance, passing the commoners' carriage on the bridge. 
As they approach, they are met by the Omashu Guard, elite peacekeepers of the city who use Crystalbending with Jennamite they embed on their armor. Zhuan gives Jax instructions on how to announce their arrival and Zhuan, but Jax goes off script and says a speech about Zhuan that make the guards suspicious. Zhuan hands the guards his passport, and Jax announces that Zhuan of the Beifong family has arrived. The guards let them in and escort them to their living quarters on the west side of town. 
In their hotel, they are met by Mang Tomas, who Zhuan introduces as their spy from the Repolyo Crime Family. Mang Tomas explains that Don Malakas has had a rough time not being able to produce a male heir with his wife, Donya Maganda. Malakas has resorted to cheating on her with the Omashu Queen, using "business trips" to the palace to cover up their affair. Donya Maganda suspects this to be the case but has become too shriveled and lonely to confront her husband. Meanwhile, Don Malakas continues to be a public figure beloved by the masses in Omashu and throughout the Earth Kingdom, as his supply of cabbages feeds the Earth Kingdom army. However, the Repolyo Crime family's estate has grown by their supply of "Omashroom," dangerous narcotic fungi that can cause relaxation and hallucination in users. They are using their cabbage business as a front to distribute the drug around the Earth Kingdom, making many people addicted and creating more demand. 
The group decides that the best way to steal the ring is by convincing the Donya to help them by swapping out the ring for a decoy that Tomomi will forge. They would convince Maganda by showing her proof of her husband's infidelity by sneaking her into the palace to witness the affair in the act. Mang Tomas explains that the best way would be for Ishiko and Rishi to pose as Omashu Guard escorts to the Donya on the morning of Cabbage Day, so that they can escort her back to the Repolyo Compound alone to convince her to help. 
Meanwhile, Satomi and Tomomi would pose as apprentices to a local blacksmith, using a cover that Zhuan has planned for them. Jax and Kit would pose as Zhuan's bodyguards and escort him to the palace to scope the area. 
However, before he can finish explaining, Aoshi excitedly leaps out of Tomomi's sleeve and scares Mang Tomas off the premises. Zhuan returns from a short trip to meet the Don, giving Tomomi a sketch of the ring so she can replicate it. 
That evening, the group prepares to split up and begin their heist to steal the ring off Don Malakas' finger.