"yes,This canyon is actually the great city of Ba Sing Sa," Toph mocked . Katara and Toph laughed at the joke as Sokka continued sulking.Aang also didn't laugh his mind was on his lost friend, Appa. Katara wanted to get his mind off of appa.
"So Aang are you thirsty?" She asked holding up a container of water. "I'm fine!" He said and nudged away. "It was just a question"
Katara pointed out. Suddenly Toph stopped and everyoned turned to the young,yet talented, earthbender.
"What's wrong?" Sokka asked, "Is it Fire nation"
"No," Toph replied and twisted her foot to make sure," There's only one." Her eyes widened and raised a shield to block a falling boulder. Aang jumped up on a higher ledge to find the person but anoth-
er boulder was hurled at him. He sent a wave of air which cut through the boulder like a hot knife through butter. More boulders were flung at the travlers. Toph Raised another shield to protect Sokka.Katara was doing well on her own destroying boulders with her water whip.
"Who ever is doing thi must be a powerful bender,"Toph said.
Aang was still makeing his way up the cliff which was more difficult with the falling rocks. Eventually he made it to the top of the Cliff and came face to face with the attacker. It was a girl with long brown hair and dressed in completely green. Aang rose his staff to attack.
"Who are you?" Aang demanded, "Why are you attacking us?" "wait I know who you are!" The girl exclaimed, "You're Aang ,the avatar"
"Um...thanks," Aang said confused. "Hi! I'm JoJo but my posters call me 'Jojo the kissing bandit'," The female theif announced.
Toph and the others appeared on a pillar of stone which toph had made. "What's going on?" Sokka asked.
"It seems she's a thief trying to rob us," Aang said as he tried to put the pieces together. "Oh no," Jojo said, "I'm a gentle woman theif. I steal from the fire nation and give to the poor"
"So you're a good guy..err girl," Katara stated.
"Yes but what are you guys doing out here in the desert?"Jojo asked and lowwered the pillar Toph had created.
"We're heading to Ba Sing Sa," Sokka explained, "We have val-
uable information on stopping the fire nation." The Robin Hood like person invited the group to her camp.
After a few minutes the sun had almost completely set and saw a few rocks around a fire. "Why did you leave the fire burning?" Sokka asked and then realized that someone was there. He stood up and was dress in all red.
"Watch out it's fire nation!" He yelled and threw his boomerang at the intruder. It flew by and hit him in the back of the head. He turned and was about to yell till he was hit again by the boomerang and fell over.
Jojo rushed over and helped him up. "It's okey he's with me"
She explained. "Oh...sorry," Sokka said. The travlers walked to the fire and sat down.
"Hi my name is Ryu," He said holding out his hand.
"Mines Aang," The avatar said and extended his hand.
"You're Aang,the avatar, the last airbender," Ryu said in excitement, "What are you doing here?" Aang and his group then explain-
ed there story about the library, the eclipse and Ba Sing Sa. "Wow,"Ryu said, "Then we will help you"
"Why?" Toph asked. "Don't you see it?" The fire nation child said, "It's always been Air,water,earth, and fire.If you take one out the chain is broken the avatar can't continue"
Aang's eye widen as he realized this idea. If he died the avater will only go through the other elements then stop. "This is stupid," Katara said.
"No he's right," Aang defended, "It may sound unbelieveable but it's true"
Jojo stood and said," Then we're heading to Ba Sing Sa"
Everyone else joined in with a loud yeah. After a few hours of planning,mapping, and calculating only Aang and RYu was awake. Aang seemed to know him but couldn't put his finger on it. He wore all red,
had firery red and oreange hair, and blue eyes.
"Hey," He finally said,"This may sound weird but I think I've seen you before.like"
"Like in a forgotten dream," Ryu said, "It's nothing we should go to bed.We leave at dawn." He turns and lays down and soon falls asleep. Aang,however, stayed awake with things on his mind. Appa,The avatar, the world all were his responsibility and he's failing.
"You do recognize him," A voice says. He turns around and sees Jojo. "You should know him," Sha said," He's the great-grandson of avatar Roku"
"What?" Aang said shocked. "Yes he's also the best fire bender in the world whcih rivals that of the fire lord"
Aang looks down and is silent, "Thank you...for everything"
Aang said. Jojo laid down and fell asleep, yet Aang stayed up and gazed at the stars. Eventually the young avatar fell fast asleep and a vision came to him.
Aang sat on a mountain and Avatar Roku stood next to him and said, "Aang, your encounter with my grandson is no accident but fate"
"What do you mean?"Aang asked, "I know I can learn firebending from him"
"Not just that but the two of you will return balance to the air nomads," Roku explained. Aang awoke covered with cold water. He looked up and saw Ryu with a bucket, his spikey hair blowing in the wind.
"Get up!" he orderd, "We have work to do before we must leave"
After a few minutes they were a safe distance from the others."It's my Swore duty to teach you Fire bending," He explained and began to walk around Aang,"There are three types of fire bending: long range,short range, and flame manipulation"
"Which will we learn next?"Aang asked hoping to jump right into things unlike Jeong Jeong. Ryu Looked at him and said, "The easiest.
Fir manipulation"
He holds up a twig and sets one end on fire and hands it to Aang."Make the fire larger but note spread. With this you gain a great defensive skill." Aang focused only on the flame for almost a full minute till it Burst out like an explosion but not quite. Unfortuneatly Ryu was in the way and almost got toast. "Well thanks for almost roast-
ing my eyebrows," He said Sarcasticly, "Firebending comes from the breath and focus too much and you get burnt and too little you wont even make a spark"
Hours later and the sun began to rise and the two benders decided to end it for to day.They began walking towards the others to begin their journey to Ba Sing Sa. "So Did grandpa tell you the same thing?" Ryu asked. Aang looked at him,little suprised.
"How did you know I saw avatar Roku?" He asked,"Did he appear to you"
"No," he replied, "But I did see someone last night, an airbender like you."
Ryu stood on a mountain wondering where he was then realized
a woman was next to him. "Who are you?" Ryu asked.
"I am Yangchen the avatar," she answered, "and we must discuss
your destiny"
"I know I gotta help Aang learn firebending," He said and took
a good look of her. She was obviously an airbender because of the
tatoos and trade mark orange robes.
"You fail to see the bigger picture," Yangchen said," you two
will restore balance to the airbenders." "How?" He asked, "I'm a
fifteen year old firebender? How will I help them"
"It will be revealed in time," She said mystically and vanished
in a cloud of mist.
"so that mus mean that our destinies are intertwined somehow"
Aang said tring to be profound. They both let out a loud laugh,
"What's so funny?" Katarra asked as the two return to camp.
"oh it's nothing," Ryu said. "You guys are weird Jojo said.
After they packed up camp they headed to Ba Sing Sa.Even though
the troop of people had gained two people it seemed they were in the
same spot as yesterday.
"It's soo-" Sokka started.
"I swear if you say hot I will cave your skull in with a boulder
and feed you to Badger Moles!" Jojo yelled. "okey I won't," Sokka said
looking a little worried. Toph stopped everyone and stepped forward.
"Not again," She said and water came from all directions and
trapt the travlers. Their hands and feet were trapt so they couldn't
use their bending.a waterbender of about twenty appeared.
"What do we got here?" he said to himself as he walked towards
them, "well,well,well I got a good catch." He looks them over, "I have
water tribe kids, earth kingdom brats, a fire nation loser, and..ahh
the avatar,"He said, "A pleasure to meet you. I am Kinto"
"What do you want?" Katara asked. He walked over and stared the
waterbender in the eye.
"Don't take it personally," He explained, "I'm only loonking
out for myself." Meanwhile Ryu was heating his hands, slowly evapor-
ating the water. Kinto then walked over to Aang and said, "And here I
thought the only airbender around here was Malu"
Aangs eyes got wider, 'another airbender but how,' he thought.
Sploosh! Ryu and Sokka were free from the waterbender's trap. "Ha Ha!
didn't see that coming!" Sokka gloated. Kinto only gave a smile and
started to wave his arms in a circular motion infront of his stomach.
Sokka's face turned greenish and he ran off.
"I see," Ryu figured out, "You bend the water in his stomach to
make him sick. Those moves are band by the nourthern tribe, southern
tribe, and even bogey swamp"
"well here's another!" He shouted and created daggers out of
ice. Ryu followed with fire daggers which reminded everyone of Zuko.
They dueled like gladiators in an arena, ready to kill. To most it
would seem that Ryu Was in trouble ,but he had things right were he
wanted them.
Kinto charged at Ryu, yet Ryu fell to his back and kicked him
behind him a burst of fire followed. Kinto stood up holding his arm.
"I know when I'm beat," He said, "But I'll be back and next
time you'll be the one losing." He splashed some water on the ground
which he turned to steam. This puzzled him cause he would need to
manipulate heat to create steam with his water.
"What did he mean by Malu," Aang asked as he walked towards Ryu
desperatly wanting answers.
"Merely an Earth Kingdom myth nothing to get worked up about"
Ryu explained, "We should keep going if we want to get to Ba Sing Sa"
"We should atleast look into it," Aang argued.
"Fine you want a story you'll get one," Ryu responded a little
annoyed at the avatar, "A hundred years ago in the air temple there was
Afiko the betrayer. He despised the fact that you were the avatar and
not him, so he told the fire nation the location of the temples.He was
executed five years later in the fire nation for being a traitor, but
that's not important.Malu survived because her parents hid her in a
cave as they went to fight.As you know they didn't make it. Ten years
later she starts fighting the fire nation and earned the title of
Malue the ghost witch"
"What happened to her,"Toph asked.
"with the help of waterbenders she froze herself in those
mountains,"Ryu explained and pointed to a mountain range, "Waiting for
the return of the avatar"
"we have to check it out," Aang stated.
"But it will take days to get across," Sokka protested.
"Not with Jojo's and Ryu's patened moutain leap," Jojo said
with a sinister grin.
"Moutain leap?" Katara Quizeled. Jojo then hurled the ground
beneath them into the air heading towards the mountain.They flew over
the peaks like they were only piles of dirt.
"I could use your help,Aang," Ryu said and Aang nodded in
agreement," Just follow my lead." As the slab of rock neared the earth
Aang and Ryu slowed it's decent with their bending. Aang with his air
and Ryu with his fire.They landed with a large thud.
"Let's never do that again," Toph said and fell from fright.
three days had past and they had covered nearly all the mountains in
the range.Aang flew down and join the others who had recently met up
after splitting up and searching.
"Can we go now?"Sokka asked.
"I think Ryu was right,"Jojo preached,"it's just a story"
"One last mountain," Aang said," The one we haven't check." He
pointed at the largest of the mountains in the range Everyone seemed
scepticle but something told Ryu to believe in him.
"Okey one last mountain," Ryu said.
"Okey you both are crazy," Katara said pointing at the two
benders.
"We have to," Ryu explained, "I don't know what but something
tells me to go"
"Fine as long as we don't fly through the air again," Toph
said.
"I've been wondering something," Katara said as the group marched
up the mountain, "If people say she's in this why didn't look for her"
"They did," Jojo said," But after years of searching everyone
just stopped." The squad finally reached a cave and went to investigate
it.It was dark,cold and wet but Aang didn't care.This could change the
world forever and he knew it.
"This place looks huge it would take us hours to sear-," He
said but was cut short when hit something. It was a large sphere of ice
which reminded Aang of his freezing.Ryu walked up to it and placed his
hand on the ice.
'She's...kinda cute' Ryu thought then turned to everyone.
"Standback," Ryu asked. Everyone did as he said.He set his hands on
fire and started to melt the ice.
"Why is this so slow?" Jojo asked.
"Because if I go too fast she'll go into shock and may die,"Ryu
explained.After a few short minutes she was finally free and fell,
uncontiously in Ryu's arm.
"I don't believe it," Katara said. Malu slowly opened her eyes
and gazed at the fire bender,
"Ah!Fire nation," She yelled and blew a gust of wind at him.He
flew through the air and hit Sokka. They Both hit the wall of the cave
and land hardly on the floor.
"That was Painful," Sokka said in a high pitched voice.The two
slowly got up and Malu reaied for another strike.
"Hold on!"Aang halted. Malu watched dumbfounded and slowly
walked to him.She placed her hand on his face and said, "It's really is
you." Jojo detected a hint of jealousy in Katara's face.
"What happened?" Malu asked, "Where did you go." Aang lowered
his head in shame.
"I tried to run away from my problem,"Aang explained, "and was
stuck in a iceburg for a hundred years"
"A hundread years?" She said in thought.
"But I'm not running anymore," Aang said,"And together we're
going to stop the fire nation"
"Oh how touching," A familiar voice said behind them. Everyone
turned their attention to the front of the cave.There stood Kinto,Azula
,Mei,and Ty Lee.
"And it seems that we didn't just catch two airbenders but an
old friend as well," Azula said walking to Ryu.
"We are no longer friends!" Ryu Snarled at Azula and the turned
his attention to Kinto, "And you! you little evil"
"Hey I'm not evil I just watch out for myself,"Kinto explained.
With Ryu distractted ,Azula took her chance and threw flames at him.Ryu
reactted fast and lept into the air and turned in mid air returning a
large amount of flames.Azula didn't have the same response.All she
could do was block her eyes.When she opened her eyes, she saw Ryu give-
ing her a kick. Soon everyone joined the battle.
They fought as if that was all they had.No past, no present,no
future, nothing. They were too busy fighting to realize that the
ground had slowly started to shake. Ty Lee and Mei were fighting Jojo
and Malu. Ryu worried about his friends moved to their aid. The cave
shook more violently.
"I'm outa here!"Kinto said and fled.
"Coward," Mei said and turned her attention back to the fight
but Aang had already prepared an air burst which sent the three girls
flying out of the cave.
The cave continue to shake and then a boulder finally fell that
trapt Ryu,Jojo,and Malu in the back of the cave.Aang and his friends
rushed to help.
"Toph we can smash the boulder together," Jojo said. Both of
the powerful benders tried their hardest to destroy it but to no avail.
Malu took a closer look.
"There's a large deposit of Iron in the rock,"Malu explained,
"you can't smash it.
"Then what do we do?" Sokka asked.
"There's another way out," Malu assured, "We'll go out that way
and meet you later"
"We can't leave you guys," Aang protested.
"You have to," Ryu said, "Knowing Azula she will be after you.
Like Malu said we'll meet you at Ba Sing Sa"
"He's right," Katara said, "We have to go"
Aang tightened his fist and agreed. After They knew aang and
his friends left, they turned and went on their way.
After a few minutes of wandering they finally reached
the out side world.They coverd their eyes from the bright sun. They all
lowwered their arms and looked at the beautiful scenery of the mountain
s and knew their journey had really begun.