Avatar: A New Hope

Kota looked down. "I am not staying," he said.

"I've trained just as hard as you have. You've taught me everything you know. And I'm a better waterbender than you are."

To prove his point, Kota melted the snow around him, solidified it into an ice pedestal, and stepped on top of it, now taller than his older brother. He looked down.
"There is no reason to stay here. I'm going with you, brother. I don't care what Hakoda says."

 

"You are too young for this, Kota. You believe you are better, but you still have much to learn. There is a technique I have been holding back to teach you due to its dark intentions. Stay, Kota."

At sunset, Hakoda went over the plans with Kai. The Benders were to be sent to Ba Sing Se by order of the king and had to abandon the previously given time. Kai went to the tents where Kota was sound asleep. Kai wrote a not stating:

We have been ordered to leave for Ba Sing Se immediately. I will send a message to you once we arrive and are settled. Stay here and protect everyone, Kota.
​

Kai boarded the ship with the other waterenders and Hakoda. The trip would only take a few hours. Half way during the journey, Kai went outside to take a breather. Kai saw black smoke coming from the direction of Ba Sing Se. Trouble had brewed. Kai ran to go alert Master Hakoda.

 

Kota looked at the ship that had left. He never went to sleep. He had been thinking of this, practiced it, for months, but was still unsure of whether he was going to be able to do it- the ship was much further out than he would have liked.

"Come on, Kota, you can do this..."

Unable to stand teasing himself like this any longer, Kota jumped into the water and bended it to move him faster. He had to stay underwater for as long as possible, he didn't want to be seen. He reached the ship after about twenty minutes. This was the hard part. He had to sneak on it without being seen. Freezing would be too loud and noticeable, and he wasn't sure if the other option was feasible...

He concentrated as hard as he could, and pushed a small wave, just small enough to be natural even if it hit the back of the ship, and fell on. He immediately slipped inside a nearby barrel, and went to sleep. Nobody seemed to have noticed him.

 

Kai went to go see Master Hakoda, While he went, he believed to have seen something, or someone, sneak into a barrel. This would need to be dealt with later. Kai moved forward to Hakoda's chambers.

"Hakoda, Please excuse me, but there seems to be a crisis happening in Ba Sing Se. We may be needed sooner than expected." Kai exclaimed

Hakoda opened the door and looked out toward the horizon. He told Kai to alarm the others who are sleeping and order them to awake. They would need to waterbend the sea to grant the boat greater speed. Kai did so and all the benders awoke to help. The journey would be cut into an hour. This drained much of the energy within the entire crew. All pushed through though.

They arrived at the Earth Kingdom. They needed all the strength that could be used to maneuver the rivers in order to hastily make their way there. The smoke cleared, however, the seige had appeared to be over. After pain staking time and effort, They arrived outside of the city walls. Many civilians were on the outskirts, coughing heavily. Many were wounded as well.

Hakoda ordered most of the waterbenders who could heal to mend the wounds of the victims. The other were to set up camp. Hakoda walked straight up to Kai. "Yes Master Hakoda?" Kai said. Hakoda told Kai to visit the Earth King. Kai was given two invitation slips. "Why two? Am I to bring one more member of the tribe? Why won't you go?" Kai asked. Hakoda nodded stating he needed to be here and that he trusted my decisions. Kai needed to find a partner, though, he had no friends from the tribe.

 

Kota had slept too long. He woke up and got out of the bus, and looked for his brother. He found him, standing, looking confused with two slips. He walked up to him. He decided not to say anything, figuring he should assess his brother's shock first.

 

Kai stood confused on what he would do. He noticed his brother. Rage consumed Kai's emotions.

"K...Kota! What are you doing here! I told you to stay at the village! What will the elders and children now do if the fire nation attacks them!?" Kai yelled. He saw the innocence within his brother's eyes. "I cant believe this right now. But, what's done is done. Wit for me while I consult Master Hakoda of what to do." Kai said softly.

Kai had told Hakoda that Kota had stowed away. Hakoda stated to Kai that Kai himself had to find something Kota could do. Kai traveled back to Kota. Kai asked, "I have two passes to visit the Earth King. Care to join me, Kota?"

 

Kato looked up at his brother, unable to believe what was being said. He thought he was going to be scolded, sent straight home immediately. He supposed the situation was too serious for that. He decided not to question it.

"Yes..." said Kota. "Just...just what is going on here?"

He immediately wish he hadn't said that so weakly, so childishly.

 

The princess's mind wandered through memory after memory of Roku. Even in her sleep she was tired. They had started off as fond memories, but then slowly faded to her life after he was gone. The months she spent locked up; first in a cell, then in her room. Images of all the dead bodies mixed in, making it hard for her to decipher what parts were real anymore. The faces, all the lifeless faces that stared at her, begging for her to change her mind. She felt like she was drowning. The piles of burned victims surrounded her, their arms pulling her under. There was no light and she didn't know if it was from the thick smoke or the cell. All she could hear was screams and all she could see was bodies and smoke. She had never had nightmares like this before. The were always about her mother or about Roku leaving. Adena never really knew if they were actually dreams or not, since she would wake up and find them both gone. It was like they never existed to begin with. Nobody spoke of them and all of the pictures seemed to have disappeared. People looked at her like she made them up. They were all in her head and they only time she saw them was when she was asleep, but they weren't.

These dreams were different. Blending reality with insanity, impossible to decipher between the two. No! I'm sorry! The bodies didn't move, the screams were coming from their mouths even though they didn't move. The smell of charred flesh burned her nose and smoke filled her longs. I'm sorry! If I could take it back I would. There's nothing I can do now. She started coughing and the bodies piled above her head. No. I'm sorry...

 

Kai had been asked what had happened. Not even he knew. All Kai had to go by were the conversations from the wounded citizens. Kai saw the fear that was in Kota's eyes. Maybe he remembered the pain we endured as children. He needed to be settle about the matter.

Kai said, "according to the citizens, The fire nation had attacked the city. It seems to be over now. Let us go in to the city, shall we."

They walked to the gate and showed the slips that granted them permission. The guards were more hesitant then expected. A larger event must have occurred he though. They entered the city and a large section had been destroyed by Fire Nation troops. We needed to rush to the King to see if he had become in danger.

 

Roku felt Adena shake in his arms. There they were the on the floor of the Earth Kingdom palace. He could tell she was having a bad nightmare, which he probably caused. When she needed him the most he wasn’t there. Roku took a deep breath and whispered to her. “Adena I wasn’t there for you when you needed me but I’m here nowâ€. Roku stopped for a moment “I know you still hate me for leaving but I needed to go on that last missionâ€. “I never stopped thinking of you no matter where I wentâ€. Roku looked at her she was cover in blood and ash, but still she was a beautiful girl.†“What should I do Princess you and the Fire Nation hates me, and who knows what the Earth King has planned for us.†Roku hated not knowing what would come next. “I will stay with you Princess until you wake up it’s the east I can do.â€

 

Kota and Kai arrived at the palace. The stairs were charred with ash. Both rushed to the palace enterence and were told to hault.

"No one may enter without permission. Besides, we need physical proof that you two were summoned if that is the case." the guard stated.

"We have passes to be taken. We have them right here sir. We are of the Southern Water Tribe sent by Hakoda to speak with the king." Kai replied.

"Very well young men, I'll escort you to him." The guard took Kai and Kota to the entrance of the king's throne room. "He has a 'meeting' occurring at the moment. Once this is over, you may enter his room."

Kota and Kai stayed put until they were called for by the king.

 

King Tasuki stood there for a moment watching the two Firebenders, then groaned and rolled his eyes at the melodramatic scene.

"I've had quite enough of this." he said assertively while motioning his arms to disassemble Adena's restraints, then reconstructing them into handcuffs behind her back. "Guards, I require the three of you to see to it that the Princess makes her way to Ba Sing Se Prison with no detours or distractions. Be sure to take the most populated route so my people can see for themselves what great victory their King has brought them."

The three Royal Guards in the room exchanged hesitant glances, then grabbed Adena and rushed her out of the palace into the smokey, burning wasteland that was now of the center of Ba Sing Se.

"As for you...hmm..." the King then said, scratching his head curiously as he thought of how to deal with Roku.

He snapped his fingers and smiled, then with a quick tug of his arms forced the ground beneath Roku to spring upwards, launching him straight out the doorway of his throne room into the den where the others were.

"Yes, that'll do nicely."

 

The king requested we enter. Kai told Kota to let him do the talking. They both bowed and Kai said loudly, "Your heinous, We come from the Southern Water Tribe and are here under behalf Hakoda. We were sent to see it you are alright and to give you the knowledge that we will help aid in this war. I am Kai and this is my younger brother Kota. We are both water benders. Please, how may we aid you Earth King Tasuki?"

Both waited for a response.

 

King Tasuki reluctantly answered the door exhausted from the long, nearly catastrophic day. As he slowly swung it open, two young boys appeared then bowed and introduced themselves. Small clouds of smoke and ash entered the palace along with them.

"Your heinous, we come from the Southern Water Tribe and are here on behalf of Hakoda." the elder one said proudly. "We were sent to see it you are alright and provide you with the knowledge that we will help aid in this war. I am Kai and this is my younger brother Kota."
He gestured to the smaller boy, who couldn't possibly be any older than thirteen.
"We are both water benders. Please, how may we aid you, Earth King Tasuki?"

Tasuki carefully observed the two Waterbenders, taking note of each and every characteristic they possessed. They were dark-skinned with long hair, both rather thin and innocent-looking. The King closed his eyes slowly and buried his face in his hand as though he were becoming overwhelmed with stress.
"Children." he muttered. "I requested men...soldiers! And they send me...children, to fight off a blood-thirsty, merciless army. What has the world come to?"

 

Kai heard what the King had said softly and started to throw a rage, "I am not a child. I have more skill in me then many of the waterbenders you see these days. I could demonstrate, but I cannot in front of my brother. This technique is too wicked for his eyes to witness. Let it be known that he will not fight."

Kai looked at Kota with anger to make himself clear that Kota would not participate. Kai was furious at this gesture and carried on.

"Our parents were killed by Firebenders while we young. My goal is to seek revenge on the Fire Nation anyway possible. Let me ask you one more time Earth King. What must I do to help!" He said with a dark tone.

 

The princess was carried out of the palace before the waterbenders entered the throne room. She was paraded through the streets in front of the survivors. People everywhere stared at her limp body in awe. The citizens had an array of emotions at the sight of her; screams, pointing, gasps, and attempts to attack her. The visions were still harming her on the inside, while townsfolk tried to harm her on the outside. They were barely being stopped by the guards as they carried her into the prison. She was tossed onto a cot in a cell with a full door. The only opening being a slot in the door for food. Adena was left in the dark of the cell once the door shut.

 

Liao walked the city smelling the burnt house. She continued to walk around the town helping put out the fire that were still on some house. She put out 4 house and realized she was out of water and exaushted. Liao looked around and started to get light-headed, she kneel down to get a hold of her self. Liao stood up and slowly walked abck to the palace, "Wow never thought i would ever be this tired again, gotta try and break this point so it doesn't happen." She though to herself. "GOD WHY CAN"T I BE STRONGER, AAAAAHHHHHHHHH....." She screamed wondering why she could protect everyone, she reach the palace doors, she nodded at the gaurds and went in.

 

Roku watched as they lifted the princess from his arms and took her away. Ok he thought time to pull myself together. Before he knew it he was launched in the air by the Earth King's bending and landed in a den. Somehow he managed to land on his feet. . “Just today alone had my ex-girlfriend almost kill me, fireballs shot at me and the Earth King hold me at knife point and then bend me into the air”. Roku said “I’m ready for today to be over." Roku laughed and then realized he was not alone “oh hello.”

 

Kota had to object.

"Your highness," He said. "My brother is worried about me, but he is wrong. I can fight. I have been training for years, and I am a better waterbender than he is. I will do whatever I have to to help in this war."

Kota could feel his brother's furious eyes on him, but he didn't care.