Legend of Korra: A New Age

by StoriesCoffee

This is the story of how an earthbender from Ba Sing Se became the next Avatar and the people she helped along the way. It will include a few characters from the Legend of Korra, but most of them are my own. Follow the new Avatar's story as she battles a new villain and watch her struggle as she tries to adapt to an ever-changing world.

1. Book 1: Earth

Book 1: Earth

10 Years Ago

"Sire, the President just sent a telegram. I'm afraid it's bad news…"

The Earth King was staring out the window, his figure flickering darkly under the light of the dying sun. Beautiful colors were sprayed over the horizon, yet the King of the largest nation in the world looked on in bitterness. Finally, he turned around to his lead guard and took the telegram from his hand. He looked down at it for a moment before immediately throwing it into the fire. He turned his back towards the guard once more.

"These 'New Republicans' have gained control over Republic City," the Earth King hissed. "They've already conducted their elections and they've chosen this up-and-coming politician who calls himself 'Bishop'. He's already asking for reform." The guard stood stalk still in the doorway. He was wearing the traditional garb of an Earth Kingdom general, but he had a large spike through one ear and his hair was donned in a strange-looking Mohawk.

"What are your orders, sir?" he asked respectfully. The Earth King thought for a moment as he continued to gaze out the window. Finally, he turned around and gazed meaningfully at his right-hand man.

"As soon as 'Bishop' claims his presidency we'll have war on our hands," he said clearly. "He'll push non-benders against the benders and then there will be utter chaos. He'll eventually come for Ba Sing Se and the Earth Kingdom…" The guard shook his head in defiance.

"We won't let this place fall," he stated determinedly, his eyes shining proudly. "He can't defeat ALL of us benders…" The Earth King sighed and put a hand on his guard's shoulder.

"He won't have to," he stated. "You've seen the signs…the propaganda about benders. It's been happening for some time now. Non-benders are feeling as if they're being oppressed by the benders, and are not getting equality. I fear that this is just the beginning to a long road ahead of us…" He glanced up at his guard and gave the man a gentle smile.

"I know that you're a firebender, Jonny," he stated. "I don't know how much longer Ba Sing Se can stay safe. I insist that you head out of town. Get out of here while you still have the chance." The guard stiffened a little at this and bowed his head.

"I'm afraid I can't do that, sir," he stated strongly. "I refuse to leave you, or your family, to defend yourselves." His face then went gentle and he did an uncustomary smile towards the King. "Besides, we don't know for sure if this thing is going to go out like you planned. Maybe this'll blow over and this 'Bishop' character will be happy with just having Republic City under his control." The Earth King sighed and nodded his head. Just then, the doors flew open and in ran a young boy and a younger girl. The young boy jumped up on the girl, but she easily dodged his attack by hiding behind the King's legs.

"Ah, no fair Anya!" called the boy, a pout on his lips. "You can't use dad as a shield!" The girl called Anya stuck her tongue out at her older brother.

"Says you!" she called back. The boy gave her a bad look and began chasing after her, however, the father laughed and picked up the dark-haired boy with both hands and lifted him in the air.

"Now Elijah," the King scorned softly. "Be nice to your sister." Anya stuck her tongue out at Elijah once more before letting out a peal of high-pitched laughter and sprinting out of the room, the boy tagging along behind her. The doors creaked open once more to reveal the beautiful Queen with two daughters by her side—one a teenager, and the other growing into adolescence. The Queen gently walked over and kissed her husband on the cheek before nodding in greeting to the general.

"Is everything alright, dear?" she asked, noticing the look in his eyes. The King picked up his expression and gave her a hasty smile.

"Of course, darling," he responded nonchalantly. "I have to talk to you later tonight." He added, glancing sideways at her. The Queen's face went rigid for a moment before she nodded her head. Clearing his throat, the King looked around the room in expectation. "Where's Aiden and Jorah?" he asked, referring to his two eldest children. The Queen rolled her eyes and gestured out the window.

"They both insist on seeing who can swim the fastest. They're down by the creek," she answered, a slight smile on her lips. The King smiled wistfully at this before kissing his wife on the cheek and telling her that he would be with her shortly. She gave him a weary look before leaving him alone once again. The King's face immediately wilted and he looked like he aged several years in the span of two seconds.

"They can't know how bad things are right now," he whispered desperately to Jonny. The guard nodded his head. "I'll tell the Queen about the new regime in Republic City, but nobody can know that she is an earthbender. As are Jorah and Maria." He referred to two of his children, looking out the window. Jonny sat there in stunned silence. He hadn't known that so many of the King's children were benders…before he could say anything, the King turned back and glared at the firebender.

"You also have to promise me that you won't tell a soul of anything I tell you here tonight," he whispered, suddenly mysterious. Jonny bowed his head in respect, baffled that he would even suggest such a thing. "You cannot tell anybody about this," he threatened. "If the unrest in the Earth Kingdom grows then benders everywhere will be facing prosecution…even the King's family." Jonny nodded his head slowly and gave the Earth King a bow.

"Don't worry sir," he said clearly. "Nobody will know..."

The Night of Shattered Glass-5 Years Ago

Five years had passed since that fateful night, and the King's children had all grown up to be intelligent, kind, and strong. Aidan was gearing up to take his rightful place as heir to the throne, Jorah was preparing himself for a great and promising career in sports, Ila was debuting as a potential Duchess, Elijah was studying to go into business, Maria was studying to be a doctor, Avanni was furthering her interest in fashion design, and Anya was focusing on keeping her earthbending a secret—having discovered it a few weeks ago, and believing that she was the only one with this "affliction".

It was a time of celebration for everyone. The New Year had just passed, and the King was hosting a large party in the palace ballroom. Guests of all nature were to arrive in big satomobiles, dressed to the nines. While this would have been an exciting affair for anyone else, the King was nervously pacing his quarters, sipping on a glass of whiskey. Jonny, now looking slightly older and worn, walked in with at a brisk pace. The King sighed a little when he saw his trusted guard.

"Ah, Jonny, it's good of you to be here," he stated, adding: "I know you've been very busy in Republic City…" The guard gave his King a curt nod, understanding what the man was trying to get at.

"Is there something you needed, sir?" he asked, respectfully. The King nodded his head and stopped pacing, his expression one of dire concern.

"Yes, Jonny, I have a very important task for you tonight," started the King, his face gravelly serious. "I don't know what's going to happen tonight, but if something should go wrong I need you to promise that you'll keep Anya safe." Jonny looked a bit baffled by this, raising an eyebrow skeptically.

"Sire, I'm sure nothing will go wrong," he said reassuring the man. "Bishop would never attempt to overthrow you, especially on such a busy holiday." The King waved his reassurance off with a flick of his wrist.

"No Jonny, you have to promise me that if it comes down to it, you'll save Anya first. Nothing can happen to her; it is of the utmost importance," he reiterated. Jonny raised an eyebrow at this, baffled by the King's sudden persistence.

"But why?" he asked, uncharacteristically. The King sighed and took a long drink from his glass before turning to his guard, the frown on his face deepening.

"When Anya was a child I immediately noticed her knack for bending," he started. Jonny was surprised by his candidness about bending. Bishop had just banned in the New Republic, and it was becoming a taboo topic. But the King continued: "Anya was naturally gifted in earthbending…so much so that it seemed unnatural for a child her age. Out of concern, I had some monks from the Air Temples come in the dead of night and test her abilities. After what seemed like hours of waiting, I finally found out…Anya is the Avatar…" Jonny stepped back at this, his eyes widening in shock.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice almost desperate. "Are you positive?" The King sighed and nodded his head in defeat.

"Yes," he stated. "But Anya doesn't know…and she can't know…not yet. The burden alone would kill her. But that's why I need you to promise me that if anything happens tonight, Anya is your priority…over me, the Queen, and even the other children…" Jonny was silent for a moment, his mind going a mile a minute. Finally, he nodded his head solemnly and shook the King's hand.

"I promise, sir."

Three floors about the King's private sitting room was Anya's room, and it was filled with dresses of various colors and shapes, and all of the daughters were gathered around in anticipation. Anya was standing before the dresses with a frown on her face, her eyes a bright grey. Avanni was sitting on the edge of her seat, a big smile on her face. "Well?!" she demanded, thrusting a yellow dress in front of the younger sister. Anya sighed and gave her older sister a disgusted look.

"Avanni, this is ridiculous!" she exclaimed, eyeing the dress. "I would look like the sun!" Ila glanced at her sister with patience only a big sister could muster and gently handed the dress over.

"Just wear the damn thing," she hissed, throwing in a swear word for dramatic effect. Maria giggled and gently nudged Anya towards the privacy patrician.

"Just go put it on!" she squealed cheerfully. Anya rolled her eyes and stuck her tongue out at her sisters before putting on the dress. Giving it a twirl, she danced barefooted around her room for her older sisters as they clapped and giggled in joy. Avanni jumped up and gave a mock bow towards her sisters.

"See! My fashion prowess is uncontested! If I can make Anya look good, then I can make anyone look good!" Anya gave her sister a good-hearted nudge before turning to the mirror and letting her do her make-up for her. Despite being surrounded by her graceful sisters and beautiful jewels and treasures, Anya hated dressing up and being royal. As the youngest, she was never expected to be the sweetest, or the nicest looking, or even the most responsible. Ila was next in line for the throne next to Aidan, Maria was the caring one, and Avanni the fashionable one; leaving her with nothing to live up to. Instead, she spent her days wandering the grounds, or sneaking out of the palace and exploring the city. The guards absolutely hated having to keep track of her because she was always sneaking off. She loved Ba Sing Se. To her, it was more than a home, it was a place worth exploring and figuring out. Anya spent most of her young adolescence coming home late covered in garbage and/or muck.

But tonight was a royal ball, so she had to suck it up and put on a dress. Just as Maria was pulling her hair back in a ponytail, the door opened and in walked the stunning Queen Mother. Their mother was radiant in a silk, white, dress, the crown of jewels sitting gracefully on the top of her smoothed hair. She smiled at her daughters and put a gentle hand on Anya's shoulder. "Well, don't you look nice…and not covered in mud for a change," she teased, her voice soft and feathery. The Queen gently hugged her youngest daughter tightly and looking her up and down. "Oh, you're getting so big…," she whispered, her eyes tearing up a little. Anya pulled out of her mother's arms and gave her a strange look.

"Don't get all teary-eyed on me mother," she teased back, a smirk on her face. The Queen chuckled and looked at her other daughters with a smile.

"You all look beautiful tonight," she cooed proudly. Avanni puffed out her chest in pride, her eyebrows raised.

"Thank you," she said with a smirk. Gesturing for her daughters, the Queen opened the bedroom door and began leading the procession of young women down the long hallway and to the main staircase. Lots of people of significance were waiting for them at the bottom, and as soon as they stood at the top of the stairs, people turned and gazed wonderfully at the beautiful Queen and her daughters. The Queen descended the staircase looking radiant and calm. Ila and Maria were next followed by Avanni, and then Anya. Anya forced a smile on her face and slowly walked down, focusing on not tripping. Finally, she made it to the bottom without incident and breathed a sigh of relief. The music picked up once again and people began floating to the dance floor where they started to swing each other around. Anya was about to head over to the refreshment table, but Elijah grabbed her arm and pulled her out onto the dance floor.

"C'mon Anya," he said, chuckling. "You have to dance at least once. For appearance sake." Anya sighed and waltzed with her brother.

"You hate dancing," she mumbled. Elijah chuckled peevishly at this and shrugged his shoulder.

"Yeah, but we've got all night. So, I thought why not," he stated, swinging her around. Just as he did this, Anya was able to look over his shoulder and see that Maria and Jorah were whispering to themselves in the corner, glancing over at Anya with meaningful looks. Anya rolled her eyes at this and huffed.

"Why are Maria and Jorah acting so weird?" she asked, carefully making sure not to step on he brother's toes. Elijah's face suddenly got serious as he glanced over at his scheming siblings.

"They just have a lot in common..," he mumbled, lying horribly. Anya gave him an exasperated look. Maria and Jorah were about as opposite as you could get. While Maria was gentle and nurturing, Jorah was rough and impatient. Anya got along with both of them really well, but she had never seen the two of them so glued together. Frowning, Anya finished the dance with her brother and immediately walked over to the refreshment table. She looked around at her siblings, noticing how each one seemed preoccupied with other people. Aiden was doing his duty as heir to the throne by talking with all the major business people and head honchos. Ila was dancing with an unknown cousin, Maria and Jorah were still scheming in the corner, Avanni was being asked to dance by several different boys, and Elijah had moved on to hit on several different girls. Just as Anya was taking a sip of her drink, she glanced over and noticed a family face keeping watch from the corner of the room. She walked over with a big smile on her face.

"Jonny!" she exclaimed excitedly, her eyes bright. The guard gave her a respectful bow, but a smirk played on his lips.

"Your Highness…," he mumbled. For some reason, Anya could see something different in his eyes. He was acting normally around her, and he was looking at her in a different light. Frowning, Anya stepped forward.

"Is something wrong?" she asked her old friend. Jonny gave her a fake smile and shook his head unconvincingly.

"Of course not," he stated, his voice harsh. "Why don't you go back onto the dance floor and have fun." Anya gave him a strange look before taking his suggestion. Eyeing Jorah and Maria still whispering in the corner, the young woman stomped over and grabbed Jorah's elbow, pulling him out onto the dance floor.

"C'mon Jorah!" she exclaimed forcefully. "You should at least dance with one of your sisters." Jorah grumbled, but obliged, beginning to waltz with Anya. The young princess looked up at her brother with an annoyed expression.

"What have you and Maria been whispering about?" she asked, getting straight to the point. Jorah's face grew grim and he shrugged his shoulders.

"We just talked about the weather," he said peevishly. Anya rolled her eyes at this and stepped on her brother's foot in a frustrated manner.

"Jorah, just tell me!" she exclaimed, stomping her foot a little. As he did this, the floor cracked a little under her foot and she looked up to see Jorah glaring down at her with a knowing look. Clearing her throat, she pulled Jorah a little further down the dance floor, trying to ignore what just happened.

"You need to control yourself," Jorah whispered in her ear. Anya snapped to attention at this, her eyes widening.

"I-I don't know what you're talking about," she lied obviously. Jorah gave her a knowing look before clearing is throat and bending over her ear.

"Things are about to change," he whispered urgently. "Maria overheard father talking about how the war is getting worse and the Earth Kingdom is losing." Anya swallowed a large lump in her throat and forced herself to roll her eyes at her ridiculous brother.

"They won't be able to touch us," she said confidently. "Maria doesn't know what she heard. Nobody has ever been able to take Ba Sing Se and keep it. We'll be fine." Anya wanted to believe this, almost desperately so. But something in Jorah's voice, and something about the atmosphere surrounding the ball, was telling her that he was right; the war was changing, and something was going to happen. Just then the music stopped and everybody applauded for the musicians. Giving her a bow, and a strange look, Jorah left his sister in contemplation in the middle of the dance floor.

For the rest of the night, the young princess could think of nothing else but the war that was upon them. Finally, around midnight, the ball ended, and the children were forced to see everyone out the door and say their good-byes. After, Anya ran upstairs to her room and was about to change when there was a soft knock on her door and in walked her mother. The Queen was still radiating in her white gown, the tiara now gone from her head. "I just wanted to say good-night darling," she said with gentle smile. Anya gave her mother a tight hug and a warm smile. Sitting beside her on the bed, the Queen put a hand on her knee.

"Did you enjoy the dancing?" she asked gently. Anya nodded her head, glancing every once in a while out the window, feeling slightly anxious. The Queen smiled proudly, excited that her most rebellious child was finally beginning to enjoy what normal people enjoyed. "I'm so glad." Anya looked at her mother, wondering if what Jorah had said was true.

"Mother," she started, unsure of how to proceed. "Are we losing the war?" The Queen was a little taken aback by this question, immediately sitting up straight, a frown spreading across her face.

"I-I believe so," she stammered, attempting to reconfigure her expression. She gently took Anya's hand in hers. "Darling, why are you asking such a question?" Anya sighed, looking down at her feet nervously.

"Jorah said something earlier today about us losing the war…," she admitted. The Queen clucked her tongue disapprovingly and tightened her grip on Anya's hand.

"Don't listen to your brother," she whispered reassuringly. "We're perfectly safe up here in the palace. Nobody has managed to capture Ba Sing Se." Anya looked into her mother's eyes and immediately knew she was lying…or at least bending the truth. Something was wrong, and it was making the King and Queen nervous. Putting on a brave face, Anya gave her mother a genuine hug and pretended that her nerves were gone. Patting her on the knee, the Queen stood up and began to make her exit.

"Don't worry, my darling," she cooed as she stepped out of the door. "Nothing will happen to you…" And with that, she blew a kiss and left Anya alone. The young princess sat there staring out the dark window, her thoughts reeling. A sense of curiousity and foreboding crept into her veins. Changing into some worn slacks and a jacket, Anya stuffed her feet into a pair of boots and tucked her hair into a hat, hiding her female form. She threw a pack of some food and water over her shoulder and opened her chamber window. A few years ago she had discovered a low-hanging tree branch which she could use as a sort of ladder down. She nimbly climbed out onto the tree and landed softly on the grass, making sure that the guards patrolling the front doors weren't paying attention. Keeping to the shadows, she darted from tree to tree, until finally making it to the stairs and sliding down the ramparts to the main road. Anya didn't know why, but she felt as if she just had to know what was going on.

Like many times before, Anya carefully made her way through the city darkness, keeping to the shadows. It took her a few hours, but she finally made it to the first ring where the slums sat. Homeless people lined the streets, but she ignored them, making her way to the outer wall. Walking around the outer wall, she made her way to a blind spot where the guards didn't quite make it. Taking a deep breath, Anya got in a defensive stance and closed her eyes with a steadying breath. In one swift movement, she jerked her arms to the side and out popped a stone staircase from the wall. The young princess had practiced this one move for weeks in an attempt to control this earthbending. She pulled herself to the top and looked over the edge. Her stomach jumped up in her throat.

New Republic troops were marching towards the Great Wall, large black flags and large black weapons in their hands. Dust was kicking up behind the procession, making it seem bigger. In the distance, she could see the clouds parting to make room for the zeppelins and fighter plans that were coming closer each passing second. Just as Anya was about to shout, there was a large blast in the distance where the Spirit Portal sat glowing on the horizon. The crashing noise nearly crippled her, and the Spirit Portal suddenly went from glowing white to a disgusting orange-green color. In that same moment a splitting pain shot through Anya's head and she fell to her knees in agony, gripping her skull in her hands.

The Spirit Portal in the distance was ripped from the sky, and it was forced back into the ground. Hundreds of lights lit up the sky, and Anya felt a strange tear trickle down her cheek. The Spirit Portal was destroyed, along with the spirits that had surrounded it. Before she could realize what was happening, there was another loud explosion sound; this one was coming from the palace. In the distance, Anya watched in horror as her home lit up in flame and smoke. Several explosions went off, the glass shattering from the windows. The young princess heard shouts coming from that direction, and she got back up onto her feet. She moved towards it, but was held back by a rough hand. Without evening thinking, just feeling the anxiety and pain, she whipped her hand back, forcing a large pillar of stone to come crashing from the ground and towards the intruder. There was a grunt, and she turned around to see the guard, Jonny, on his butt rubbing his side.

"Jonny!" she whispered, her eyes wide. Groaning, the guard got up and grabbed her arm once again, pulling her towards the stairs.

"C'mon kid, we have to go!" he shouted over the sound of two more explosions coming from the palace. Anya resisted, looking back at her home in desperation.

"But my family!" she shouted, pulling against the guard. He grunted as she kicked up her foot and another pillar barely dodged his shoulder.

"We have to leave!" he shouted over the sound of the war drums sounding in the distance. "You're not safe here!" She struggled with all her might, her face twisted up in rage and pain, tears streaming down her face. The rock underneath Jonny's feet began crumbling, and the ground around them shook so much that the guard began to look around in fear. The wall was shaking, cracks were beginning to run down the side. With a newfound desperation, the guard gripped Anya's arm hard.

"NOW kid!" he shouted, practically picking her up and carrying her towards a satomobile waiting on the street. "We have to get out of here!" Anya struggled with all of her might, swinging her arms and creating bursts of rock to fly out of the ground.

"I have to find my family!" she insisted urgently, tears flooding her eyes. With a sigh, Jonny grabbed her arm, and with a jab of his hand hit her in the soft part below her shoulder. Anya fell to the ground with a grunt, her rocks falling around her. The last thing she saw as she fell unconscious was her house on fire.

…..

Her mother was sitting there on her comfy chair in front of the roaring fire in the family living room. In the background the radio was playing a sooting jazz song while the Queen hummed along. Anya was sitting by her mother's feet, her legs curled up to her chest while she read a book. Everything in this moment was so peaceful, yet Anya crinkled her face up in worry and sadness. She turned and looked up at her mother, her eyes sad. The Queen looked down at the young princess, her humming stopped. Her beautifully soft face suddenly twisting in pain and rage. A trickle of bright red blood suddenly dribbled down from her hairline and her mouth fell open in shock.

Just then Anya woke up with a start, her breathing ragged and sweat running down her forehead. Every sense was on autopilot, and she desperately looked around, her eyes wide. She was sitting in the backseat of a satomobile, a blanket over her lap. In the front seat was Jonny, silently driving. Looking around in sudden realization, Anya could tell that they were in the countryside, the desert sticking out harshly on their left. Fear and sadness crept through her veins and into her stomach. "Where are we?" she asked suddenly, her voice sharp. Jonny glanced back at her in the rearview mirror.

"We're a few miles away from Omashu," he stated. "You were out for a while."

Anya sat there completely dumbfounded, a mixture of emotions running through her. "Why are we going there?" she asked, just trying to comprehend what was going on.

"I've got people there and a safe house," he answered stoically. "You'll be safe there, at least for a while." Anya was silent as the night flew past them, her hair whipping around her head. The memory of the dream was still fresh in her mind and a few tears trickled down her face.

"What about my family?" she asked, her voice cracking. "What's going to happen to them? Are they still alive? Did they escape?" Jonny was silent for a long moment before finally clearing his throat.

"I don't know," he answered truthfully. "But Bishop wouldn't risk killing them, so they're probably being shipped off to different political prisons." Anya closed her eyes and forced down a sob that was sticking in her throat. She couldn't even imagine them in a prison, much less facing execution. The idea made her sick to her stomach. Unable to contain herself, she let out a loud sob and put her head between her knees, forcing herself to take even breaths. Jonny, noticing her state, immediately pulled the car over to the side of the road and let her have a few moments of silence. He looked back at her, concern and worry on his face. Awkwardly patting her on the shoulder, the soldier didn't quite know how to comfort her. Images of her family's faces flew through her mind, and in that moment Anya made a decision: she was going to do everything in her power to find them and bring them together again. She would see her family again safe and sound, and she would go back to Ba Sing Se with them. Taking another deep breath, she calmed her mind and sat back up in her seat.

"Are you okay, Little Bird?" Jonny asked with a worried smile. Anya nodded her head, her face completely calm. Clearing his throat, the guard turned back to the wheel and began continuing his driving towards Omashu. For the remaining journey, Anya watched the landscape go by. The desert was blazing in the heat, and the sun was soaking her skin. A slight breeze blew her hair back, but as they worked their way towards the south there was a slight rise of temperature. The two strange companions did not speak for the rest of the ride, preferring to take their breaks in silence. Finally, after 4 hours of straight driving, with the sun high in the sky, they got to the gates of Omashu.

Anya looked up at the large mountain that was the city. Over the years the previous head of states and Avatars had developed the city. It grew as a metropolis and had many famous sites—such as the great slide that sat in the middle of the city and worked as the old mail system. With a smile Anya remembered the time she had last been there. Her father had been the Ambassador for the King and he had taken the children. Avanni, Ila, and Maria refused to go on the ride, but Anya had laughed at the challenge and went with her brothers. Looking up at the slide now, she could see that it was falling apart from disease and covered in garbage.

"Why is the slide so damaged?" she asked, looking over at the guard. Jonny merely glanced up at the monument before shrugging his shoulders.

"Bishop has been using all of the money towards the war," he stated nonchalantly. Frowning, Anya was pulled forward in the satomobile as the gates opened and they slowly passed the guards with big guns. Jonny merely nodded at them as he drove in, acting as if they were merely a father and daughter going back home from a long journey. Jonny drove them through the city, twisting and turning with the streets. Looking out at the sidewalk, Anya saw dirty people lying down in the middle of the street or surrounding garbage bins lit on fire. Grimacing at the image, she sunk low in her seat and focused on where they were going. They made their way into the farther stretches of the South where the city made way for the countryside. Cliffs and ridges lined the sky, shielding them from the city in the distance. Finally, the satomobile turned the corner and came upon a grassy area with trees surrounding a small cottage next to a babbling river.

Jonny stopped the car and opened the back door for Anya. The princess hesitantly jumped out and looked around as the guard brought her pack and banged on the door three times in a strange rhythm. There was a moment of pause before the door swung open and revealed a rather aggressive-looking woman with large muscles and an eye patch over her left eyes. She frowned down at the princess and folded her arms over her chest. "Is this the girl?" she asked Jonny, her voice sharp and strong. Jonny gave the woman a wry smile and nodded his head.

"Let us in, Scar," he stated, pushing past her. The woman called 'Scar' chuckled at this and let them pass through the door. Jonny walked upstairs with Anya and dropped her stuff off in one of the open bedrooms. He turned to the princess and gave her a sad look. Anya was silent as she looked around at her new home. Finally, she sighed and looked up at her rescuer.

"What happens now?" she asked. "How long am I going to be here for?" Jonny sighed and glanced out the window.

"I don't know, Little Bird," he stated truthfully. "But you're going to stay here with Scar until its safe."

"Why did you save me?" Anya suddenly asked, her eyes desperate. "Who are you? How did you come by a safe house?" She asked these questions quickly and desperately, her eyes wide and innocent. Jonny looked into them and his face went sad, his features softening sympathetically. He put a strong hand on her shoulder and offered her a seat on the bed next to him.

"I'm the leader of a rebellion group in Republic City," he admitted. "We are looking to take Bishop down and get rid of the anti-bending laws that plague this land. Scar is one of my officers and she's here to help you control your earthbending." Anya was silent at this as she looked down at her hands folded in her lap. Of course she had heard of the rebellion, but she never encountered it so up and personal. Before Anya could say anything, there was a buzzing sound emitting from Jonny's pocket. He immediately pulled out a two-way radio and pushed the talk button.

"What's going on Cid?" he asked into the speakerphone.

"Just wanted to know when you were getting back, brother," said a deep voice from the other end. Clearing his throat Jonny answered:

"I'm heading back right now, I'll be back into the city bright and early in the morning."

Anya raised an eyebrow at this and looked at her guard curiously. "You're leaving?" she asked, concerned. Jonny sighed and put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

"I'm sorry, Little Bird," he said softly. "But I have to get back to the rebellion."

"Well, can't I come with you?" she asked desperately. Jonny shook his head and gave her a reassuring smile.

"No, it's not safe enough yet for you to come to Republic City. But don't worry, I'll be back soon. Meanwhile, you listen to Scar and begin your earthbending training." With a sigh, Anya nodded her head and followed him back down to the small living room where the muscular Scar was waiting. He walked up to the woman and gave her a short nod.

"I have to leave for Republic City," he stated. "I trust you two will get along. Anya is an excellent student and she's excited to start learning from you." Jonny gave Anya a small wink before quickly making his exit. Anya stood in front of the strong woman, her arm tucked behind her. Clearing her throat, she was about to say something but the woman put a hand up to stop her.

"Get something to eat from the fridge then meet me in the back," she stated and turned and walked out of the back door. With a sigh, Anya went into the kitchen and made herself a sandwhich before strolling out the back door. The backyard was basically a fortified ditch with a large field in the middle and big piles of boulders and pillars around the edge. Scar was standing in the middle, waiting with her arms crossed and a bad look on her face. Anya finished her sandwich and walked over with a raised eyebrow.

"Okay, so what's fir-" Before she could finish she was tripped up by a sudden jolt of rock underneath her. She looked up to protest, but a rock was flying straight at her. Without thinking, Anya clapped her hands together and broke the rock before it hit her face. She then grunted as she pulled herself out of the trap around her foot.

"What the hell?!" she exclaimed, glaring at Scar. "How dare you attack me! I'm the King's daughter!" Scar scoffed at this and shook her head.

"You're not the princess here," she stated harshly. "Here people will try to hurt you, and in order to survive you need to be able to think on your feet." Her features softened and she looked Anya in the eyes.

"I know things are confusing right now," she whispered gently. "But if you want to find your family then you need to toughen up. Earthbending is important, and if you can control it then it won't control you." Anya looked at her feet, then with a large amount of restraint and determination, Anya looked back up at Scar and nodded her head. Smiling, Scar backed up a few paces and got down in a defense position, Anya followed suit. With a sudden movement, Scar brought up her hands and let loose a barrage of flying rocks.

Today (5 Years Later)

Maria's POV

Everything was dark. The men who had raided the palace had taken her forcefully from her room and into a van waiting outside the city. As soon as the shackles were clamped around her wrists and ankles one of the men had tied a black bag around her head, making sure she couldn't see anything. She tried to shout and scream, but to no avail. The van was moving had a fast pace down the cobbled streets of the city, and she could hear people screaming around her. Just then, she heard another person's voice rip through the silence of the vehicle.

"Maria?" the voice asked lightly.

"Avanni?" Maria responded, feeling a sense of relief wash over her. "Thank god! Are you alright? Where are the others?"

Maria heard her sister sniffle a little, her voice was shaky. "I'm fine…I don't know where the others are…I saw them take Jorah and Aiden into a different van. Did you see mom and dad?" Maria swallowed a lump down her throat and tried to keep her voice even.

"No…it was too chaotic…do you know where Ila or Elijah is?" she asked. Avanni stifled another sob and cleared her throat.

"I thought I saw Elijah and Ila leave from the ballroom window…" Before she could say anything else, Maria made a shushing sound to indicate to be quiet around the guards. Making sure that she wasn't overheard by the guards, she cleared her throat and lowered her voice.

"What about Anya?" she asked.

"I don't know…I didn't see her…"

"Maybe she got out…" But before Maria could speculate any further, the vehicle suddenly swerved to a stop and the guards began filing out. She heard the doors swing open and a pair of rough hands grabbed her arms and tied them tightly behind her back. They then pulled her forward a few steps. She heard the sound of a large gate swing open, and she was pushed forward into a doorway and down a long hallway. Just then the guard pulling her along stopped and there was a pinging noise. Another door slid open and the guard roughly cut the ropes binding her hands together and pushed Maria into the room. She fell to the ground and immediately took off her mask. She watched as a mask-covered Avanni was shoved down the hallway. She stood up and was about to run out of the cell, but the guard quickly slammed the door shut. She plowed into the door and began banging away.

"Avanni!" she screamed. There was some muffled shouts and cries from her sister.

"Maria!" she shouted. Maria cried out at she continuously kicked the door. Out of breath, she stepped back and gritted her teeth. With immense concentration, she focused all of her attention on the door. Without hesitation, she shot her fingers into the steel, denting the metal slightly. She pulled in opposite directions, but there was nothing…Groaning, she stepped back. The metal was too pure, she wasn't able to bend the rock in the infrastructure. Just then, she heard a throaty laugh from behind the door.

"Go ahead and bend all you want little girl. That whole cell is made with the most pure platinum that money can buy…nobody can escape…"

Maria felt a sob escape her throat as she leaned against the back wall and slid onto her butt. She pulled her knees up to her chest and placed her head in her lap, taking a few steadying breaths. Maria let the tears spill out of her eyes and gra?e her cheeks. There was no escape…how was she ever going to get out of this terrible place?

Anya's POV

"Come on, Anya! You're going to get yourself killed!"

The young woman giggled as she stood at the edge of the cliff over-looking the growing city of Omashu. The wind was whipping her hair back as she stood on her very tippy-toes at the very edge, her eyes shut tight as she opened her arms wide feeling the air blow past her. Her two friends were away from the ledge and trying to encourage to her come back. Finally, Anya opened her eyes and sighed before carefully stepping back away from the edge. She turned back to Bolt and May with a playful expression on her face. The sun was beginning to sink below the hori?on, throwing shadows and colors across the city. "Are you ready for another lesson?" Bolt asked, a peevish look crossing his face. May was silently standing behind him, a smirk on her face. Anya nodded her head and pulled up a handkerchief over the bottom half of her face. Together, the three of them snuck off into the heart of the city.

In the past two years, Anya has taken careful lessons from Scar on the art of earthbending while at the same time she had been discovering the streets and alleys of Omashu. A few weeks after moving in to the house on the outskirts, Scar had left for Republic City on some errands and had left the young woman alone. With nothing else to do, she ventured off around the city, discovering the streets and back alleys. She quickly found all of the ins-and-outs of the city, but while she was venturing through the darkness she met Bolt and May-two orphans who were struggling to survive on their own. Anya met them while May was trying to steal from her purse. After that, she chased the girl down the alley to their small abandoned house on the corner. There, she met Bolt who greeted her pleasantly enough and offered to give her stealing lessons for her silence. For the next few weeks she was a quick learner, picking rich peoples' pockets and stealing from ladies' purses. Bolt was a constant joker with an easy grin and quick mind. He HATED people with money (a reason why she kept her heritage a secret), but he was gentle with the poor and unfortunate souls. A type of Robin Hood, he gave most of the money he stole to the poor of Omashu. He took care of his younger sister who was a sweet, extremely quiet thing. Her silent nature allowed her to slip in and out of people's pockets and into deluxe apartments.

Anya was a fast learner; and after looking around Omashu she was more than happy to give away her earnings to the greater good. Even though she had lived in the palace and ate the fanciest cakes and leanest meat. She had been pampered and served everything on a silver platter…but she had always felt like there had been something missing in her heart…and then she found it in Omashu. The first time she stole was like a rush of excitement and giddiness in one fell swoop…and then when she gave the money to a single mother with 2 kids living on the streets she felt something shift in her heart…she felt a heart-warming moment wash over her and that's when she reali?ed how much she loved helping others. That's when she decided that she would forgo her 'princess' title and work on her charity tactics. For the rest of her time spent at Omashu she learned every form of earthbending, and when Scar was away she dressed all in black and went out hunting for fat purses and wallets.

That's what she did this evening as the sun began to sink below the hori?on. She followed Bolt and May through a few alleys before hopping up to the rooftops from a low-hanging ladder. The three of them ga?ed out over the city, looking for anyone who could be easily conned. Just then, Bolt pointed down to a couple on the street. May smiled and Anya followed their leads off the side of the building and into the darkness of the alley. They were mere shadows as the light of the sun was dying on the hori?on. They acted quickly and moved fast as the couple continued to walk down the street with their backs turned to the oncoming thieves. Anya went first, sneaking up behind them and delicately opening the woman's purse and sneaking out a few bills. Bolt and May quickly followed, quickly taking off watches and arm bands. Just as the woman's bracelet fell off she turned around, but in the next second the three muskateers were gone, tucked away in the next alley.

The rest of the night wore on like this. The three of them would get the jump on some unexpecting rich people then disappear into a hidey hole. Towards the end of the night, they sat down and began counting out their loot. Anya was sitting on a random cardboard box, the money and diamonds stretched across her lap. She looked up at the two siblings and grinned. "Quite a load tonight!" she exclaimed happily. May nodded her head while Bolt whistled under his breath.

"This'll feed a lot of families this week," he murmured in agreement. They counted out the rest and divided equally into several amounts. They then wrapped the money and jewelry in baskets and began the delivery process. This took a few more hours as they scoured the poorer area of the city and dropped the baskets off at family doorstops. Afterwards they watched the sun set in the hori?on from the top of the mail carrier at the very top of the city. A few blocks away sat the Ambassador's house, and Anya couldn't help but ga?e at it, remembering a time long ago when she would have been staying in the palace instead of in a cabin on the outskirts of the city. With a sigh, Anya stood up and pushed a hand through her hair. In the distance, she could see the tall trees that were covering the small lake near which the cabin sat. In a few hours Scar would be home, and she wasn't quite aware of Anya's after hours activities. So, with a sigh, she bade her friends goodbye before jumping down and making her way back home.

As she walked through the back door there was a rumble under her feet and she jumped just as rock shot out from the floor. Anya had heard, and felt, it coming so she merely stepped out of the way. She immediately got down in a defensive move and was about to attack back when she saw a familiar figure leaning against the wall. Anya bit her bottom lip, already feeling the guilt rush through her. The silence reined between her and Scar for a few moments. Scar just stood there, her eyes digging deep into Anya's face. She shifted uncomfortably and broke the silence with a huff of impatience. "Well, let me hear it…," she urged, waiting for the lecture. The muscular woman sighed and shook her head as she took a few steps forward.

"You know how dangerous it is to be in the city…," she warned. Anya rolled her eyes and huffed again, walking into the kitchen out of irritation and grab a water bottle. Scar followed her in and leaned against the counter. "I know that it's frustrating, Anya, but if anyone was to find out who you are…"

"No one will find out," Anya insisted, her anger rising. "It's been five YEARS, Scar! No one is looking for me anymore. They probably just think I'm dead…" Anya felt a lump catch in her throat and she suddenly felt a wave of emotion she's been pushing down come up. Scar's eyes softened and she put a strong hand on her shoulder.

"I know it's hard," she whispered. "You've been dealt a heavy blow, and it's going to take a long time to recover. But staying hidden and safe is the only way that you'll be able to search for your family." Anya sighed and shook her head as she sat down at the bar stool; Scar sat next to her and put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"I know what you've been up to every night…stealing with those two other kids…," she started. Anya wasn't surprised. Scar was a pretty crafty person…The young woman just shook her head and shrugged her shoulders.

"I saw how bad it is in the city…when we were leaving Ba Sing Se I saw a lot of that there, and I couldn't do anything about it. Now I've had a chance to do something about it," she said desperately trying to explain herself. Scar just nodded her head in understanding.

"I know, I know," she muttered in a low voice. "But your earthbending training is complete and Jonny is coming to take you to Ba Sing Se to join the rest of the Rebellion." Anya sat there, letting that sentence sit in. The air was suddenly thick and Anya felt a pit drop in her stomach. Her eyes were wide as she searched Scar desperately, knowing that the truth.

"What do you mean?" she asked softly. Scar gave her a sad smile and nodded her head.

"Congratulations, kid," she said softly. "I have nothing else to teach you, Anya. I've already talked to Jonny and we both agree that it's time you move on to Republic City."

Anya was silent for a moment, crossed between sad and excited. She opened her arms in a large gesture. "I can't just leave my friends and this city," she said desperately. "Omashu needs me…"

Scar shook her head and gave her a sad look. "I thought you wanted to find your family…"

And there it was. In a split second Anya knew that she had to leave, even if it meant abandoning Omashu and her new friends for a little while. The city would stand on its own, especially with Bolt and May looking out for it. Anya nodded her head in acceptance. "When do we leave?" she asked. Scar smiled and stood up to head to bed.

"Tomorrow night," she answered. "Jonny is meeting us at the Great Divide. Get your stuff packed and say good-bye."

With that, she left and shut the door to her room. Sighing, Anya went to her own room and began packing away her few clothes and shoes before going back outside and sneaking back into the city. The streets were dark as she passed the tall skyscrapers and run down shops. The street lamps were on, and they cast creepy shadows as she passed underneath them. She made her way through the different levels of the city and found herself near the Ambassador's palace. She carefully climbed the back of the wall and perched herself onto the roof. She looked out over the dark city, the lights of windows peeking out from the darkness. There was a slight bree?e in the air and Anya couldn't help but smile at the beauty of Omashu. In the two years she had spent in the city she had fallen in love with the lights and sounds. She loved the fact that she was now basically on her own, and she loved helping people. She heard a slight tap noise behind her and she turned around to see Bolt and May standing there. Anya smiled and walked over to them silently, trying to find the words. But it was Bolt who spoke first.

"You're leaving," he stated. Anya looked up at him with wide eyes and then slowly nodded her head.

"We're leaving tomorrow for Republic City," she answered. She shook her head, feeling a large lump form in her throat. "I'm sorry." Bolt shook his head and put his hand up to stop her from continuing.

"You need to find your family, Anya," he responded. He stepped up and pulled Anya into a friendly hug with May stuck in the middle. They stood like that for a full minute before Bolt stepped back.

"I'm sorry," Anya whispered. "I don't want to leave you here by yourselves."

Bolt shook his head and punched her lightly on the arm. "We were doing this long before you got here," he responded not unkindly. "We'll be okay here." May nodded her head silently in agreement. She walked forward and gently gripped Anya's hand in hers. Anya smiled sadly, and together the three of them watched the sun begin to creep into the hori?on.

Anya said her goodbyes to Bolt and May, and she arrived back home in the early hours of the morning with Scar standing there waiting to leave. The satomobile was revved and ready to go. Scar jumped into the driver's seat and Anya looked around at the cabin. The lights were out now and everything was quite in the morning, and Anya couldn't help but feel a little sad at the departure of the city she had called home for 5 years. She sighed as she turned around and got into the satomobile. The vehicle peeled out of the driveway and Anya found herself heading towards the great Republic City.

Liu's POV, Republic City

"You have to go, Liu."

"I would rather not, Ryuu."

"You're the only one who's even remotely related to the Swamp Tribe. You're the only one they've worked with and were willing to give supplies, Liu."

"I think somebody else should give it a shot, Ryuu."

"We need you to do this. You don't have a choice, Liu."

"Bite me, Ryuu."

The two earthbenders had been stuck in this conversation loop for over an hour, and Liu was on her breaking point. She knew that she was the only person the Swamp Tribe would communicate with, but she hated going to that place. Liu was distantly related to them on her mother's side, however, every time she went they would forget that she's not a waterbender, but an earthbender, and she would have to explain herself all over again. She had spent her whole childhood there, getting to know the plants and wildlife, but every time she went back she felt as if a piece of her stayed there. Despite Bishop's attempts at eradicating the world of spiritual energy, the forest still remained as a landmark for the Spirits. When she was a girl she had loved running among the spirits, conversing and getting to know them, however she soon discovered that not all spirits are the kindest of creatures. Liu wasn't exactly thrilled about the idea of going back. But right now the Rebellion was facing a pretty dry season and they were in desperate need of medical herbs that are only found in the swamp. So, Ryuu was right; Scar really didn't have a choice. With a sigh she consented with this face.

"Alright, I'll go," she stated with a huff. Ryuu gave her a smile and told her to be at the warehouse the next day in the morning because Corey was giving her a ride in the smaller airplane. With her new mission now planted, Liu went home already feeling exhausted for her journey the next day.

Dev's POV, Republic City

He was in the dojo, training, when Ryuu interrupted him with some good news. "You've got a mission, kid," he stated solemnly. Dev held down his grin and nodded for the Commander to continue. Clearing his throat Ryuu pulled out a piece of paper and read it off: "Jonny is still away on his mission, but he says that you are to sneak into the Agni Kai's and find out what the Triad are planning." Dev felt his mouth fall open as he processed this information. He had left the gang in a bad way, burning most of his bridges. How was Jonny expecting him to do this? He looked up at Ryuu with a helpless expression. Ryuu's face turned down in apology as he folded the note back up.

"I know it's a lot, kid," he stated. "But lately we've been hearing a lot of rumors on the streets about something going down between the gangs and Bishop. Obviously Jonny's worried or he wouldn't ask this of you." Dev clenched his jaw as he realized that he really didn't have a choice. He had to do this mission for the Rebellion. So, with a sigh he bowed his head in agreement. The Commander clapped him on his shoulder for a moment before informing him that he could leave as soon as he felt ready. He left the young earthbender to his thoughts in the now-quiet dojo. Many things ran through his head as he thought of his work back then and how he's changed over the time he spent with the Rebellion...and now he was going back. What if that life pushed him back to being bad? What was he going to tell Lena? This thought superceded all other concerns. Lena was the one who hated the fact that he was from a gang. She was the one who had morphed him into what he was today. What would she do if she found out he was going back? With a sigh, Dev rubbed his eyes before grabbing his bags and walked out of the training center. He found himself wandering the streets of the Underground until, spotting the healing tent a few paces away, he quickly made his way over and pushed past the flap to step straight into a large cloth circle with a few tables set up and a large, sparkling pool of water sitting at the end. David was sitting in the pool of water, his eyes closed in an unspoken relief and he let the warm water flood over him. Dakari was standing over him, her hands outstretched as she moved the water over him, her hands glowing with healing power. She smiled as Dev walked in and stopped the healing process. The firebender soaking in the water gave her an irritated look, to which she raised her eyebrow. "Don't look at me like that!" she exclaimed, waving her hands wildly. "It was a simple charlie horse! It's not like you got your leg chopped off!" She shook her head before walking over to Dev with a wide grin on her face. Dakari was the head healer in the Underground, but her origins were pretty strange and unknown. Despite her beautiful natural looks, she was a bit of a strange cookie. However, she was nice to Dev whenever he came by, so he was never really repelled by her presence.

"Hey, I bet you're here for Lena, aren't you?" she asked with a teasing smile. Dev felt himself blush a little but forced down a swallow.

"Uh, yeah...is she here?" he asked, scratching the back of his neck nervously. Dakari smiled and gestured towards the back of the tent where there was another room filled with herbs and medicine. Dev thanked her before pushing past the second curtain and coming upon a large, cloth room filled with different healing herbs and treatments. The room smelled strange, but oddly satisfying. The young earthbender looked around the large shelves to see the beautiful Lena standing there, her long hair tied back in a ponytail and her back hunched over a table, dealing out small pills. She looked up as she heard the door swing open and turned to see Dev standing there. He felt his heart skip a beat as she smiled at him, her eyes wide with happiness.

"Hey stranger," she teased, walking over to him. Dev cleared his throat a little.

"Hey, sorry I haven't been to see you in a while," he stated. The past few days he had been working hard at the dojo, training to get another mission. She shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly.

"I just thought Jonny put you on another mission," she said, her eyes shining. Dev felt himself blush as he cleared his throat once again. He remembered the day he had first seen the beautiful waterbender...Dev smiled just thinking about that time in his life.

He smiled, thinking about the day they met. He had just joined the rebellion and was still learning the ropes. At the time he had just gotten out of the Agni Kai gang, and his attitude was still fully engaged. Jonny had found him lying on the street with his belly bleeding after a long sought-out battle between his gang and their rivals the Red Monsoons. He had taken a blow from a large dark-skinned man with an eye-patch. Jonny had found him and had dragged him down to the sewers where Jack, the doctor, fixed him up. When he came around the Captain was waiting for him in a chair, looking calm and wise.

"Where the hell am I?" he had demanded angrily, sitting up quickly. Jonny had raised an eyebrow and folded his arms across his chest.

"I found you dying in the street," he had said, his voice dark and mysterious. "Welcome to the rebellion, kid."

Dev remembered being angry and hostile to the old firebender. He had stood up and was about to pull out his ivy when Jonny grabbed his arm and forced him back onto the bed. "Hold it. You're not well enough to be walking around. You suffered a pretty deep knife wound." Dev had struggled a bit, but he was too weak to fight off the rebellion Captain. Instead, he folded his arms across his chest and sat there looking like a ten-year old having a tantrum.

"So this is the rebellion?" he had asked, looking unimpressed. Jonny had merely smiled and chuckled knowingly.

"Just part of it," he answered stoically. Just then the door had opened and in walked Lena. She was wearing a doctor's apron and holding a small basin of water. Dev raised an eyebrow, checking the young waterbender out a little. Jonny had stood up and gave Lena a gentle squee?e on the shoulder.

"Delinquent, this is one of our healers. Lena, meet the delinquent," he had said with a soft smile. Dev had given him a bad look.

"It's Dev," he had retorted with a mean look. Jonny had merely smiled and left Dev alone with Lena. She ignored his stare and placed the water basin on the side board. She had then bended some water around her hands, and they had begun to glow. Turning to him, she had looked upon him with a very cold expression.

"Lift up your shirt please," she had stated, her voice hard. At this point in his life, Dev had been a snarky arrogant bastard who got with any girl he had wanted. And this rebel girl had looked pretty good in his eyes…He had given her a smirk and carefully undressed his torso. His wound had been sown up, and he was now being healed by this beautiful waterbender. She had placed her hands delicately on his wound, and in the next second he had suddenly felt a wave of relief. After a few more moments of that, she let go and dumped the water back into the basin.

"Well, aren't you gonna kiss it all better?" he had asked. In one turn Lena had whipped around and struck him with a sharp water whip move. He flinched and held his cheek that was now bleeding slightly, Lena's face contorted in frustration and anger.

"I don't care who you are or what you've done," she had said angrily. "But the rebellion means something to me…it means a lot to a lot of people." And with that she had stormed out of the room in a huff of anger. Later that day Dev had enrolled in the rebellion.

So after a few months of playing it cool and being a good guy, Dev had finally won Lena's trust and friendship. Now, they were coming close to being something...more. He cleared his throat, aware of the seconds that ticked by. He cleared his throat once more before making a daring move by taking Lena's hands in his. She looked up at him with, wide, blue eyes. Dev was careful whenever he touched Lena. He was afraid she would reject his advances and push him away. So, he treated her like a timid antalope-deer, weary of scaring her away. But right now he was just afraid of how she was going to react to his news. He cleared his throat and shuffled his feet a little.

"Well, I did just get a mission from Jonny...," he started. She urged him on with wide eyes, so he continued. "I have to sneak back into the Agni Kai's and find out what's going on between the gangs. It might take me awhile, so I don't know when I'll be back." Lena's expression dropped immediately as she ga?ed at the young earthbender. There was a tense moment of silence as the two stared at each other, each one wanting to say something. Finally, Lena sighed and pushed back her hair, her eyes watering slightly.

"Do you have to go?" she whispered. Dev nodded his head silently. As much as he wanted to stay and be with Lena, he knew that he had to go figure out what's going on with the gangs. She saw him nod his head which made her bite her lip, forcing herself to remain calm. She sniffed a little before nodding her head in acceptance.

"Then I guess this is it," she whispered softly. Dev nodded his head once again, completely lost for words. He looked at his feet, but when he looked up again Lena was standing a bit closer. Suddenly, she flew forward and wrapped her arms tightly around Dev's middle. The young earthbender stood there, shocked at the sudden contact. He tenderly wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. They stood like that for a few moments, enjoying the physical contact. Finally, Dev slowly let go and ga?ed at the young healer with a newfound determination. Now that he knew Lena was okay, he was determined to get done with the mission and get back home. Giving the waterbender one last smile, he promised he would be back before too long.

Anya's POV, Divide City

Back many years ago, the Great Divide had been nothing more than a large canyon that was placed after the treacherous Serpant's Pass. However, Avatar Korra and her friends had transformed the dangerous pass into a safe highway that went straight through the Divide City. Right now, they were a few miles away, but Scar was already stopping the car near the edge of a canyon on the outskirts of the earth city. Trees shrouded the area, it looked like the last green area before the redness of the Divide. Anya raised an eyebrow as Scar jumped out and began to walk through the trees without any explanation. The young woman followed the muscular earthbender without hesitation. "I thought we were going into the city," she voice out loud. Scar cut through the underbrush without looking back.

"The rebellion isn't exactly welcome in a lot of cities, kid," she responded knowingly. Just then, the two of them broke through the trees and made it into a large clearing where there sat a large warehouse shrouded by trees and underbrush. Scar and Anya made their way to the building where Scar typed in a passcode for the door and the large side opened with a whooshing sound. The large door revealed a small plane, two satomobiles, a four-wheeler, and some spare equipment in the back. Scar flipped on some lights and began digging around. Anya walked around slowly and examined everything. Just as she was walking around the building, surveying the area, she heard a twig snap behind her. She spun around, her hands up defensively, however, a familiar face peaked out from the bushes. A sense of relief flooded Anya's stomach as she lowered her hands.

"Jonny?!" she exclaimed in relief. Jonny smiled peevishly and pushed out of the trees.

"How's it going, kid?" he asked with a smile. Anya sighed and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "You scared me half to death!" she responded in mock anger. Jonny chuckled and gave her a light hug.

"It's been a while," he admitted. He wrapped an arm around her shoulder and together they began walking towards the warehouse. "How have you been, Anya?" The young woman shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, thinking back on the last 5 months and what had gone on.

"I'm just ready to get to Republic City so that we can start tracking down the men who took my family," she stated, already feeling the adrenaline pumping through her veins. She looked up at Jonny to see him hesitate, his face suddenly going stone still. She stopped in her tracks and looked him straight in the eye. "What?" she demanded, feeling a pit drop in her stomach. Jonny sighed and pushed a hand through his hair.

"I'm sorry, Little Bird, but when we get to the city we-" just then there was another twig snap from behind and the two of them turned around to hear a loud shout come from the bushes. Just then, Anya could feel and hear several people shouting and running towards the two of them. She looked around to see that they were surrounded by 7 soldiers wearing black uniforms and masks. Jonny faced off on one side with Anya right at his back. Her hands were raised defensively as she narrowed her eyes at the attackers. Just then, two of the men ran forward to attack. Anya dodged the first swipe and came back with a punch into the gut. The man crumpled and the young woman swung over his bent back and kicked up her foot which forced a large pillar of rock to burst from the ground and hit the second man square in the chest. She turned around to see Jonny surrounded by five masked men. She quickly ran over just as Jonny did a major firebending move by creating a firewheel and letting it spin around them all. Anya kicked one of the men down to the ground, but didn't turn in time to see the fire coming straight towards her.

"Anya, watch out!" Jonny shouted. The young earthbender turned, her face lighting up from the bla?e of the fire and had just enough time to put her arms up in front of her face. She felt the heat of the fire, but it didn't hurt, or burn, her. Instead, she watched as the flames merely cascaded around her arms and past her body. She watched in wonder as the fire disappeared before her eyes as she lowered her arms. Anya couldn't help but stand there in shock as Jonny finished off the last of the men and tied them up. He walked over, a strange look spread across his face. Anya just stood there, her mouth open.

"Did…I just…make the fire disappear?" she asked softly. Jonny gripped her shoulders and tried to look in her eyes. "How…how is that possible?"

"Anya, listen to me-" Jonny started, but Anya looked up into his eyes, and in that second she knew. She finally understood why Jonny had saved her from the attackers at the palace, and why he had kept her hidden away all of these years in hard training. The reason why she wasn't burned was because she had bended the fire away from her body. She was a firebender…and an earthbender…suddenly, she felt like her whole world had fallen before her eyes, and she was suddenly suspended in space. Everything was collapsing around her, including any hope in finding her family. Tears welled up in her eyes as she looked up at her old body guard.

"How long have you known?" she whispered in a sad voice. She pulled away from Jonny's grasp.

"Anya, listen to me-"

"How long have you known?" she demanded, her voice louder this time. Jonny sighed and looked at his feet.

"Your father told me 10 years ago when the Council created the bending laws," he answered softly. Anya's eyes opened wide and she stood there, silent as the grave, tears still spilling from her eyes. She stepped forward dangerously.

"You've known for 10 years…you AND my father…and nobody told me!" She held her face in her hands, this statement resonating with her. Jonny gripped her shoulders and squee?ed them tightly.

"Your father didn't want the fact getting out," he tried explaining. "If anyone had known, you could've been taken and thrown in prison, or worse."

"No, it was better to wait until people showed up at the palace and captured my family!" she retorted angrily. She sighed, her emotions ebbing away into acceptance. She looked up at Jonny, her eyes still watering slightly.

"So…this is real…," she whispered. Jonny smiled sadly and nodded his head.

"You're the Avatar," Jonny finished. They stood there together in silence while Anya processed this new information.

"Are you sure?" she asked desperately. "Maybe it's a mistake…"

"You're the Avatar," he confirmed. Anya closed her eyes tightly and hung her head for a moment before looking up at Jonny with big eyes.

"You're not taking me to Republic City to help me look for my family, are you?"

Jonny shook his head and let go of Anya's shoulders. "We'll find your family Anya," he responded. "But it's going to take some time. Right now we just need to get back to Republic City and get everything sorted."

Anya just shook her head in disbelief. "I'm the Avatar…," she whispered in complete shock. Jonny smiled and nodded his head in agreement.

"You're the Avatar. And pretty soon I'll be starting your firebending training."

"Have you told anyone else?" she asked, concern flitting across her face.

Jonny shook his head and pulled out his radio. "No, and we're going to keep it quiet. I don't want anyone in the rebellion to know just yet; not until you've had some more training in different forms of bending." Anya raised an eyebrow at this.

"You don't trust your own people?" she asked. Jonny smiled and shook his head.

"I just don't want it getting out just yet," he responded. He flipped on his radio and waited through a moment of silence. Finally, a voice responded:

"Yo, brother, how's the Great Divide?" the voice was a husky, low, mail tone with a edge of smoothness and relaxation.

"Racked with Equalists," Jonny answered. The man from the radio gave a low whistle.

"That's sucks, brother," the man responded. Jonny rolled his eyes and cleared his throat.

"Well we're fine, but I would feel more comfortable if you could send some extras our way," he said in a very commanding voice. Anya raised an eyebrow at this, but didn't question him as there was a moment of silence from the other end of the radio. Finally, the voice was back on.

"It looks like Micah, Kay, and Vikon are actually stationed in Divide City right now, so they'll be able to get to you in a few minutes," the voice answered.

"Is the pylon fixed?" Jonny asked.

"Yep, it's all good to go. I'll let Micah know that you require some assistance. They should be there in an hour."

"Alright, thanks Cid. Over-and-out." Jonny clicked the radio off and turned to his young protégé.

"I've got some friends coming, so we should be good to go in a few hours," he stated. Anya just nodded her head silently and looked around the area. This was going to be her life now. She couldn't fight it anymore…she was officially an illegal bender, and worse, she was basically now the poster child for everything bending-the Avatar. She pushed her hand through her hair in an exhausted manner and crossed her arms over her chest.

"So, what happens now?" she asked with a sigh. Jonny smiled and nodded towards the warehouse.

"We'll go back to Scar and get some supplies before the others get here," he answered. He then wrapped an arm around Anya's shoulders and together they walked back to the warehouse. While they walked through the underbrush, Anya looked up at Jonny with a sudden determined expression.

"I'm not letting my family go, Jonny," she said sternly, her eyes burning. "I don't care if I have to look for them myself, I WILL find them." Jonny noted the seriousness of her ga?e and nodded his head in confirmation.

"Don't worry, after a little more training we'll be able to find them soon."

Liu's POV, The Swamp

It merely took her and Corey three days to get to the swamp via small plane. Corey put the plane down a few leagues outside of the criss-crossing trees, the depths sinking into darkness. He whistled under his breath as Liu stood in front of the forest. "I hate going in there," he murmured, giving Liu a small wink. Liu sighed and ga?ed deep into the branches. She hated going in there too. Hiking the pack up onto her shoulders, she turned and gave Corey a small wave.

"I'll see you in a few weeks!" she called. Corey saluted her as she walked straight into the trees. As she got through the underbrush, she heard the sound of the plane taking off and she watched it leave, disappearing over the tree canopy. With a sigh, Liu looked forward and began climbing over the large tree roots. She made her way through the swamp, using her compass as guidance. The trees were thick around her, and every time a twig snapped she would immediately feel as if eyes were watching her and turn to see nothing there. She moved quickly and decisively, swinging through the branches and vines. After walking, for what seemed like hours, she stopped to get a bite to eat. Just as she was sitting down to the food, she heard a twig snapped. She immediately jumped up to her feet and turned around to see a familiar figure stepping out from the bushes. Liu's jaw dropped as she ga?ed upon a glowing stranger with flowing dark hair and big grey eyes. The girl was obviously a lot younger than her, but for some reason Liu felt that she was full of wisedom. She stood there staring down the earthbender with her grey eyes and flowing hair. Liu didn't recogni?e the girl, but there was something familiar about her...

"Everything's about to change," she stated clearly, her voice echoing slightly. "You need to be ready." Liu squinted her eyes at the young woman and noticed how she glowed unnaturally. She wasn't real. Shaking her head, Liu cleared her throat and stepped forward.

"Who are you?" she voiced, finally getting over the initial shock. The girl's eyes twinkled as she refused to answer, her mouth turning upwards in a teasing grin.

"Everything's about to change," she repeated. "You need to be ready." Liu looked at the girl desperately, noticing how she was beginning to disappear around her edges.

"Wait!" she shouted desperately. "I don't know what that means! Who are you?!" The girl gave Liu one last smirk before disappearing into the bushes. Without hesitating, the earthbender sprinted after the disappearing girl, pushing past leaves and branches. The leaves whipped past her face, scratching her cheeks slightly. She continued to run through the trees, tripping over branches. Until finally she came upon a large swampy pound area surrounded by willows and vines. The girl was standing in the middle of the clearing, her back turned to the earthbender. Feeling a strange pull towards the girl, Liu sprinted towards her just to see the girl disappear and in her place a skinny man without a shirt. He turned as Liu called out, and he immediately jerked up his arm, a wave of water slicing defensively between him and Liu. The earthbender skidded to a halt, splashing water everywhere as she responded by jerking her arm up and out come a defensive slide of rock from the ground. The sudden bending cause Liu to lose her balance and fall onto her butt in the swamp water. She groaned as a voice echoed:

"Well, howdy cous'!"

She looked up to see a familiar face staring down at her with wide eyes. Sighing, Liu helped herself up and attempted to clean the swamp off her front, but to no avail. The man who had suddenly appeared out of the clearing was skinny and wild-looking, his dark hair splayed out in strange spikes around his head. He wasn't wearing a shirt, but a wrap covered his bottom half along with tall, snakeskin boots. His smile was dopey as he gazed upon his long-lost, extremely distant, relative. "How're you doing, Jo?" she asked him, eyeing the swamp dirt covering his...everything...He shrugged his shoulders and gestured towards the trees behind him.

"I was out looking for some possum-chicken for supper when I was tackled by you," he stated. He raised an eyebrow in a confused manner. "Why were you runnin'?" Liu sighed as she looked around her, feeling like the girl was still there. A shiver tingled down her spine, but she shook it off.

"I thought I saw somebody...," she muttered to herself. Jo raised his eyebrow, but he let it go with another nonchalant shrug. He took a hold of his cousin's arm and tugged her towards the back of the clearing.

"Well, whatever it was, it's gone now," he said cheerfully. "C'mon, the rest of our kin is waiting for us back at the camp ground." Liu let the skinny swamp man drag her back into the trees out of the clearing, but as the vines covered her vision, she swore that she saw the girl still standing there.

Dev's POV, Republic City

He was standing on the docks, a dark handkerchief covered half of his face while a hood covered the rest. The moon shone overhead, lighting their dark path around the loading bay. Two other people were sneaking around with him, the footsteps silent next to his. The group came upon a large storage unit, number 238, and quietly readied themselves. A ways away some guards were patroling the area, but they didn't realize that at the moment three people were already making their way into one of the units. The two others stood on the side of the unit while the earthbender readied himself in front. They nodded towards the boy, and in one swift motion he jerked his arm upward and the ground underneath the unit burst, throwing it high into the air. It flew a few feet before hitting the ground in a metallic crunch, the door now busted open.

"C'mon let's move!" hissed the man on the right. The crash had echoed around the bay and in the distance Dev could see the flashlights of the guards moving hurridly towards them. Dev was quick on his feet as he raided the unit and came out with an armful of equipment. The other two ran in front of him, dodging the lights as they filtered in through the passages between units. Just as they were reaching the edge of the docks a light shined on them as a guard stepped in their path.

"Halt!" he called officially, his face shadowed by the clash of light and darkness. The three slid into stops in front of the man. Dev watched as one of his companions pulled out a large knife from his belt and lit in on fire with his bending. The guard stepped back in surprise but did not back down. The firebender's eyes were cruel as he suddenly rushed forward and made a swipe with the fire knife. The guard dodged, but hit the unit on the right pretty hard, making him slide to the ground. The firebender advanced menacingly, pulling out his knife and raising it above his head. Just as he was about to bring it swinging down upon the guard, Dev stepped up and grabbed his arm, holding it in place. The firebender whipped around angrily, his eyes blazing into Dev's.

"Let's just get out of here," Dev said clearly. The firebender stared menacingly at the boy for a minute before stepping back and sheathing his weapon. The gangsters ran as fast as they could, rushing past the units and back into the city. Sirens were going off around them, but they managed to dodge the police by hiding out in darkened alleys and sticking to the rooftops. At the break of dawn they finally came upon their hideout in the bad part of the city. The stopped outside a small, run-down casino building and knocked twice on the door. The eye slot opened just as the door itself swung open to reveal a smokey room with seedy characters milling about. Illegal liquor sat for anyone to see on open tables, along with illegal gambling surrounded by people from all walks of life. Even though the Council had made such things illegal a few years ago, it was still strong in the city. Dev pulled off his handkerchief and hood and followed the other two to the back of the building where even worse illegal things happened. The small group entered into a small door where a guard stood watching them carefully. Upon entering, Dev was greeted by the stench of cigars and alcohol. Sitting behind a desk with a rotund man with a large scar over one eye and multiple rings decorated his fingers. He gestured for the three to walk forward and deposite their stolen goods on his desk. Each one did so, silently, and without making eye contact. Dev was last, and he merely glanced up at the mobster before staring at his feet. The three stood in a line in front of the desk, each one looking down respectfully. Finally the Don spoke:

"Good work getting these to me, boys," he said, his voice deep and slow. His eyes were bright as he surveyed them all standing there. Folding his hands together and gestured for the other two to leave. "Dev, stay here," he commanded, stopping the boy from going. The firebender glared at Dev as he brushed past; he wouldn't forget that Dev had stopped him from slaying the guard. Dev stood in front of the Don's desk alone, the guard behind him blocking the exit.

"You've gotten back into the swing of things pretty well, I see," he stated, his eyes shining knowingly. Dev looked at the Don and shrugged his shoulders.

"It's like being back home," he said, clearing his throat. The Don smiled at this and slowly stood up. He walked out in front of his desk and stood a few feet away from the earthbender.

"I know that you lost your way with the Rebellion, but I hope that you now know where your allegiance lies..."

Dev didn't even blink. He didn't even stutter, but just bowed respectfully. "Of course, Don," he said loyally. He looked up and stared into the mobster's eyes, refusing to look away or blink. He would not betray his secret. "It's good to be back with my family." The Don stared at the earthbender for a moment of contemplative silence. Finally he smiled and chuckled lightly as he clapped the earthbender on the shoulder.

"This is where you belong...my dear nephew..."

Anya's POV, Republic City – The Underground

She could see the large city in the distance. It was surrounded by mountains and lush green grass. The tall skyscrapers towered over her, even from this far distance, and for a second Anya couldn't help but feel slightly at home. While it was missing Ba Sing Se's large walls, it was similar to the fact that it held thousands of people and was filled with shops and businesses. They didn't enter the city, and instead found themselves tucked away in the mountains next to a large warehouse that was just like the one in Divide City. They stopped to find that there was already somebody rooting through the planes and equipment in the building. As soon as the satomobile stopped Micah jumped out of the car and rushed over to the man bent over the engine of the plane.

"Cid!" he shouted. The stark-blonde haired man turned around and peered at the group of them, goggles hung over his face and there was a slight grease mark streaked across his cheek. He flicked his nose and gave a toothey grin at the group.

"Well I was wondering when you would get back to the city," he said, his voice rough and low. Anya immediately recogni?ed it as the voice from the radio. The one called Cid grabbed Micah and put him in a friendly choke hold, and Anya could immediately see the similarities between their goofy grins and stark-blonde hair; they were brothers. Jonny walked over to them with a smile on his face, and Anya watched (slightly confused) as Cid made a small, respectful, bow.

"General," he said. Anya raised an eyebrow at this, but remained silent. Jonny bowed back and gestured towards the plane that he had just been working on.

"How's she looking?" he asked. Cid shrugged his shoulders and rubbed his cheek still covered in grease.

"So far so good," he responded, patting it lovingly. "I think she just needed some fine tuning on the oil rig." Jonny nodded his head in approval and Cid peered around him until his ga?e fell on Anya. He raised an eyebrow, but his stare wasn't unkind.

"You must be the new girl," he said. Anya blushed slightly, but stepped forward and met his eyes.

"I'm Anya," she confirmed. He gave her the up-down look, but said nothing. Instead, he addressed Jonny.

"You better hurry up and get Underground," he warned the firebender. "You've got some people waiting for you to talk about what's been happening since your absence." Jonny nodded his head grimly and ushered everyone back into the car, leaving Cid at the warehouse with his plane. The rest of the group climbed back into the car and sped quickly away from the warehouse. Anya raised an eyebrow, feeling a little confused.

"So…how do we get into this..Underground?" she asked Micah. The blonde boy smiled and pointed downwards.

"It's a complex sewer system with hundreds of tunnels and entry ways throughout the city," he answered. A few minutes they were out of the mountain area and came upon a small clearing full of rough brush and wild flowers. Jonny stopped the car suddenly and everyone jumped out, Anya followed suit albeit hesitantly. A small shed was hiding under some trees in which Scar and Jonny stashed the satomobile. Meanwhile, Kay walked over to a random manhole and picked up the cover revealing a dirty ladder leading into darkness. With a wink at Anya, Kay jumped down into the darkness, followed by Scar and Micah. Before Anya could follow, Jonny pulled her aside and gave her a knowing look.

"I know you firebended back there when the enforcers attacked," he stated. Anya sighed and shuffled her feet nervously.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled. "Before it didn't even seem to be real, but ever since I protected myself against your firewheel, I haven't been able to stop it; or control it." Jonny nodded his head and squee?ed her shoulders sympathetically.

"Don't worry," he reassured her. "I'll start your training as soon as possible." Anya nodded her head and then followed Jonny down into the sewers. The tunnels were dark as they walked through them, only Jonny holding up a ball of fire lit their path. Soon, however, lanterns began appearing, and as they went further into the system of tunnels, Anya found herself seeing more and more lights up ahead. Just when she was about to ask Jonny when they were going to get there, they stopped at the end of the path and found themselves at the edge of an underground shanty city. Anya stood there with her mouth hanging open in wonder. There were two levels with walkboards and actual buildings. Anya could see food stands nearby and people walking past as if this was just a normal, casual, day. Jonny lead them all through the makeshift streets and to the entrance of the large building at the opposite end of the makeshift city. Jonny opened the flap door to reveal a large committee room with a large oak table and a do?en maps with special markets. Three people were at the end of the table: two women-dressed in formal-looking robes, and the other a strange leafy green get-up-and one man wearing a metal uniform. They all turned as Jonny entered and bowed respectfully. Micah tapped Jonny on the shoulder and gave him a guilty look.

"Hey, I have to get back to the Control Box," he said nervously. "Tasha might need my help since Cid's working on the planes." Jonny nodded his head in approval and waved a dismissal. Before leaving Micah stopped and gave Anya an awkward wave good-bye.

"I'm sure we'll see each other again…," he mumbled. Anya gave him a genuine smile and nodded her head as the blonde boy ran out of the room. She then faced the rest of them. Scar excused herself, saying that she was too tired. She gave Anya a friendly squee?e before exiting the building. Kay followed suit, saying that she had 'carted around children enough for one day' and left in a flurry of red and black. That left Anya alone with Jonny and the three strangers with hardened ga?es. Jonny cleared his throat and beckoned the young woman forward.

"Anya, these are two of my Commanders-Liu and Jinora-and this is my Major, Ryuu."

Anya smiled bashfully and gave them all a respectful bow. "Hello," she fumbled. They were all looking at her with great interest, making her shift her feet uncomfortably. Ryuu raised an eyebrow.

"So, you're the Earth King's daughter, huh?" he asked. Anya merely nodded her head, feeling a prickly emotion at the sound of her father being used in a negative connotation. Ryuu smiled and nudged Jonny lightly on the arm. "Jonny here has been telling us what a great earthbender you are," he said cheerfully. "We're glad to have you here on board with the cause." Anya smiled. Jinora, the one with the airbending tattoos gave the young woman a very kind, and gentle, look.

"It's very nice to meet you, Anya," she said, her voice sounding flighty and peaceful. "I'm so sorry about your family…I'm sure you'll find them." Jinora seemed genuinely sad about this, and Anya felt grateful towards the airbender. Just then the double doors burst open and in walked a muscular, dark-skinned, waterbender woman.

"Ah, and there's our final commander!" Jonny said. "Anya, this is Commander Makki."

Anya was looking thoughtful at the middle-aged waterbender. For some reason she seemed so familiar…those bright blue eyes…that determined expression…suddenly a wave of memories and emotion washed through the young Avatar. Suddenly she was playing with a baby girl in the backyard, watching her first learn how to waterbend, laughing at the cute clumsiness of the child. Anya was suddenly pulled back to reality.

"You're Avatar Korra's daughter…," she whispered. Makki folded her arms across her chest and raised an eyebrow.

"Do I know you?" she asked boldly. Anya suddenly felt a rush of panic wash through her; no one was supposed to know that she is the Avatar…gulping she shrugged her shoulders and gave the waterbending woman and innocent smile. Jonny looked at Anya knowingly and cleared his throat.

"Makki, this is Anya," he introduced. "She's the Earth King's daughter." Makki nodded her head, suddenly interested in the young woman.

"Oh that's right," she said. "Jonny said you were a skilled earthbender." Anya shrugged her shoulders nonchalantly, trying not to scream to the world that she was the Avatar…and in a way connected to Makki. However, the look on Jonny's face told her to stay silent. Jonny cleared his throat and garnered everyone's attention.

"Anya has been training with Scar and is now officially a Master earthbender," he announced, a slight amount of pride in his voice. Everyone remained silent, however, there was a shift in attitude in the room. Suddenly, Anya was more interesting and dangerous then what she had previously appeared. She shuffled her feet nervously and cleared her throat. "Anya, I need to talk with the other officials here," Jonny stated. "I've made arrangements for you to stay with Jinora and her daughter Leah." Anya raised an eyebrow at this, glancing at the master airbender who was looking at her with serenity and peacefulness.

"How come I'm not staying with Scar?" she asked looking at the ext where Scar had disappeared minutes ago.

"She lives in a one bedroom apartment," Jonny answered with a smile. "Besides, you've lived with her long enough. Jinora has agreed to give you a bed and three meals a day." Anya smiled at the airbender and bowed her head in gratitude. Jinora smiled and just then the entrance door flew open with ashort blast of wind. Standing in the doorway was a young woman wearing an airbender getup and slight attitude on her face. Jinora gestured to the young girl who walked forward and eyed Anya up and down with cheerfulness.

"Anya, this is my daughter Leah. Leah, darling, can you show Anya the way to her new home please," Jinora said with an airy voice. Just then, Anya jerked back as her mind flashed back to a faint memory-like dream. She was laughing with a young airbender girl on Airbender Island. The girl had two buns in her hair and was talking at the speed of light.

"Jinora, slow down! I can barely understand what you're saying!" she exclaimed cheerfully. However, it wasn't Anya's voice. Her voice was suddenly slightly deeper, and when she glanced down she reali?ed that she wasn't looking at her own body; this one was hardened with muscle and darker in skin tone. The young girl giggled at Anya, her eyes beautifully rounded and grey as she jumped up and down excited. Anya felt herself be ripped back into her own body from the dream-like state. She shook her head and looked up to see everyone staring at her curiously. Jonny was the only one who looked like he understood what just happened.

"You're Aang's granddaughter," she said, looking up at Jinora with wonder in her eyes. "And you were friends with Korra…" Jinora raised an eyebrow at this and looked down at the young woman with curiousity and interest.

"Yes…," she murmured. "How did you know that?"

Jonny suddenly cleared his throat and gestured towards the door. "Leah, why don't you go show Anya around the Underground? She could use something to eat," he said hastily. The young airbender smiled and nodded her head. Jonny gave Anya a meaningful look. "I'll see you later, Little Bird." Anya nodded her head solemnly and then followed the young airbender out of the conference room.

Liu's POV, The Swamp

She was led back to the large campground of the Swamp People by her distant relation. Fires were scattered around the trees, marking where the houses and cabins were while gators and other assorted critters walked about nonchalantly, barely noticing the humans among them. Jo led her through the small village; people smiled toothey grins as she passed, getting back to their usual dinner of grubs and bugs. Liu shivered a little before following her cousin into a large cabin with a large green tarp sewn with a large symbol to distinguish it from the other huts. The door swung open and she was greeted with a strong scent of herbs and spices. A crafted stone firepit sat in the middle of the room with pillows surrounding it. On one of the pillows was a man who sat extremely still and rigid, white hair sat in spikes on his head while a large scar covered his left eye. At the two approaching people he looked up and stopped his meditation. With a smile that broke apart his sever looking fascade, he quickly stood up and brought Liu into a bear-tight hug. "The earthbending relative is back!" he shouted excitedly. Liu winced a little at the strength of his arms, but patted him on the back anyway. He took a step back and gestured towards the cushions where they both took a seat. Jo excused himself and left the two alone.

"It's good to see you again, Luther," Liu said kindly. The Swamp Chief smiled and nodded his head.

"I knew you would be visiting us soon, dear cousin," he said, his voice low. "I saw an image of you in the flames a few days ago, and I just knew you would be here soon."

"I saw something while I was looking for your camp," Liu admitted, trying to think about the girl that she saw. The old man's eyes twinkled and he nodded for her to continue. "It was a girl I'd never met before with long dark hair and grey eyes. She kept saying 'everything is going to change'. What does it mean?" The Chief pulled out a bowl of old bones and ceremoniously threw one into the fire. It cracked a little, and he hummed in thought. The smoke from the fire rose to the ceiling, filling the cabin with hot air and ash. Finally, it calmed and the Chief closed his eyes.

"The swamp is filled with a deeper magic then any of us could understand," he stated, his voice in a bare whisper. "You say you've never met this girl. Then that means you will meet her eventually. And when you meet her, she will bring about an incredibly chance in your life that will set the course of the world onto a different path." Liu stared into the fire, the girl's face dancing before her eyes. Could it really be true? Who was this girl? And why is she so important to Liu? Shaking her head, Liu pushed that thought into the back of her mind and sat up straight on her cushion.

"Putting that...magic...aside, I have a request from the Rebellion for you." She pulled out a envelope from Jonny and slid it over to the Chief. Luther quietly opened it and read it slowly before throwing it into the fire.

"It would seem the Rebellion needs more medicine and herbs...," he said, trailing off ambiguously. Liu bit her bottom lip. She hated asking people for money and help, but the Rebellion was in desperate need of supplies. So, she bowed her head respectfully.

"Please, Chief," she begged humbly. "Bishop will do anything to take the Swamp. The Rebellion is in desperate need of supplies in order to take him down. Will you help us again?" The Chief sat there in silence before finally smiling and nodding his head.

"For you, dear cousin, anything."

Dev's POV, Republic City

"I know you're not who you say you are."

Dev looked up from his lunch to stare into the eyes of the firebender from the shipping yard. His fists were clenched as he towered over the earthbender. Dev rolled his eyes and swallowed the last bit of burrito. He ignored the boy, but the jerk was persistent. He leaned in over the table, his golden eyes narrowed dangerously. "I saw you coming out of the sewers," he hissed. Dev raised an eyebrow and shrugged his shoulder nonchalantly.

"I was with the Rebellion before," he answered. "That's nothing new."

"Yes, but I saw you climb out of there last night."

Dev suppressed his shocked expression, instead replacing it with an air of coolness. Last night he had reported back to the Rebellion per Jonny's request, and came back around 4am. "You must be mistaken," he hissed, standing up and grabbing his paper bag lunch. "I was nowhere near the sewers last night." He turned to walk away, however, the man quickly gripped his arm, pulling him back. His eyes lit up in triumph and his smile was viciously cruel.

"I know you're still working with Jonny," he whispered. "And I'm going to tell the Don. And then you're ass is going to be grass." Dev looked straight into the firebender's eyes and clenches his jaw, putting every ounce of menace into his voice.

"You would accuse the Don's own nephew without any proof?" he hissed, refusing to blink. The firebender's smile grew larger, distorting his features terribly.

"Who's to say I don't have proof?" he whispered. He pushed past Dev and shot him a backwards triumphant glance.

"Pretty soon you'll no longer be the Don's golden boy. Enjoy your limbs while you can." And with that he jaunted away. Dev stood there, feeling his stomach suddenly give out to a bottomless pit. Did that gangster really have proof of his traitorous actions? He was the Don's nephew (which is why he got the second chance), but even family had its limits. Swallowing loudly, he shivered once before making his way back to his room to contemplate his next actions.

Anya's POV, Republic City – The Underground

"And that's the tea shop owned by Carla," Leah announced pointing to the large building in the center of the square. Anya smiled and nodded her head, glad to be getting a tour. Just by looking around, the young Avatar was surprised by how many people were living down here in the sewers. The tiny airbender lead her through the city, pointing out different shops and stores along the way. Soon, they came upon the home area where makeshift houses were built into the walls. Finally, Leah stopped in front of a medium si?ed house with fabric and soft wool for walls and large, open areas. "This is where we live," she said, opening the door to the inside.

The inside was simple, yet beautiful. It had everything that an airbender could want: plates of vegetarian dishes, open spaces, and a meditation corner. It was quaint in its own way. Leah lead her up the stairs into the second room on the right. It was tiny with a small bed and wooden wardrobe. "This will be your room," she announced. She then jumped onto the bed and gave Anya a curious look. "So…you're an earthbender?" she asked skeptically. Anya smiled and nodded her head as she set her pack down on the mattress.

"Yep," she answered simply. Leah hummed to herself, but let the subject drop with a shrug of her shoulders. She bounded down the stairs with a woosh of air rushing behind her, leaving Anya alone with her thoughts. Anya looked out over out the window. She pushed her hair out of her face and felt a certain determination fill her heart. This was the next step in finding her family. And she knew that somehow, someway, she would find them all…

A few hours later she found herself wandering the streets as she waited for Jonny to get out of his meeting. She wasn't an idiot; she knew that they talked about her as soon as she left the conference room, but Anya didn't care. The only thing she cared about was finding her family and making sure they were safe and sound. So, she wandered around the Underground rebellion and found herself on the outskirts. As she turned around the corner, she came upon a small building with large wires and cables running through it. Just as she got a few feet closer there was a loud barking sound and her feet rumbled underneath her as a dark figure got bigger and bigger. The animal rammed right into her, knocking her down onto her butt. She covered her face with her arms as a large, sticky, tongue wiped her cheeks and face.

"Ambrose, down!" shouted a familiar voice. The large horse-dog was pulled off of Anya, and she looked up to see Micah holding out a hand to help her up. She smiled and blushed as he pulled her to her feet. The blonde boy nervous shuffled his feet and hastily pet the large animal.

"Sorry about Ambrose," he mumbled. Anya shrugged her shoulders and gave the horse-dog a friendly pat. Ambrose barked cheerfully and gave her another lick before sitting obediently.

"It's no big deal," Anya answered with a smile and a shrug of her shoulders. She nodded to the building that was lit up with electricity. "What's with the lighthouse?" she asked. Micah ushered her forward excitedly and opened the door. The inside was also filled with wires, but in the middle of the chaos was a large desk topped with radio monitors. Sitting in front of them was a blonde-haired girl wearing a large clanky headset. She turned around in the seat and raised an eyebrow at the sight of Anya.

"This is the Control Box," Micah explained. "It's basically the way the rebellion is able to communicate. We all have radios and walkies that allow us to speak over a long distance. Jonny sends people out on missions around the four nations, and we needed a way to get in contact with each other. Cid takes care of most of the communication waves, but he can't do everything, which is where Tasha and I come in." Anya smiled and bowed to the young blonde woman. She merely raised an eyebrow in skepticism.

"That's right," she said sharply. "You're the Earth King's daughter who is supposedly a gifted earthbender." Anya blushed a little, having heard this now a few times. She merely shrugged her shoulders and Micah gave Tasha a nasty look. The young blonde woman rolled her eyes and turned back to her work. Micah lead Anya back outside the building where Ambrose was busy chasing his tail.

"I'm sorry about my cousin," Micah said apologetically. He shuffled his feet nervously and then looked back up at Anya.

"So…you're the Earth King's daughter…," he started.

"Wow, the only thing people seem to want to talk to me about is my father," Anya mumbled. This got her thinking about how people would react if they found out she was the Avatar. Maybe Jonny was right: maybe it was better if she kept her Avatar status on the down low until the whole the-earth king- is- my-father-thing died down a little. Micah immediately shook his head and blushed furiously.

"No! I'm sorry…that was stupid of me to bring up…"

"No, it's okay," Anya said sadly. She held her arms tightly around herself. "It's just…I haven't seen my family since the Equalists took over the Earth Palace two years ago. I've been training with Scar in Omashu since and the only thing I care about now is finding my family…making sure that they're still…alive…"

Micah's look softened and he glanced down at his feet. "My parents were killed by two Equalist soldiers," he stated softly. "Cid's my only family left…if he went missing, I would do everything I could to find him again." Anya smiled, grateful that he sympathy?ed with her. They sat there in a comfortable silence for a moment before there was a shout from behind. Anya turned to see that Jonny was standing there waiting patiently for Anya to be finished speaking to Micah. Micah excused himself and went back into the Control Box as Anya addressed the old firebender. He smiled as she walked over to him.

"I see you're meeting the locals," he stated. Anya nodded her head, and together they began walking back into the Underground.

"What did you talk to those people about?" she asked, already knowing the answer. Jonny shrugged his shoulders and evaded the question.

"Just some tactical things about where to put people around the nations," he answered vaguely. Anya gave him a look, but let the subject be dropped. They walked in silence for a few moments longer, entering the sewer city.

"Nobody seems happy that I'm here," Anya said suddenly. "Maybe it would be best to tell everyone that I'm the Avatar; that THAT was the reason why you saved me…" Jonny stopped in his tracks and looked at Anya very carefully.

"Because you're the Avatar isn't the reason why I saved you," he said suddenly. "I saved you because EVERY life is valuable. And because you were in need of rescuing." Anya smiled in gratitude, thankful that Jonny didn't just see her as a pawn in the war against the Equalists. Jonny's smile slowly turned into a frown, however, and he cleared his throat.

"Look, my Commanders want to see that you are up to speed on your earthbending…they want proof that you know what you're doing," he stated. Anya stepped back at this, feeling a sense of foreboding in the air.

"Why?" she demanded angrily. "I have to prove myself to be in your little rebellion?"

"It's not like that," Jonny insisted. He folded his arms across his chest determinedly. "I ask a lot of people who come into the rebellion to prove themselves first. This way I know that they are committed to the cause and won't get themselves, or anyone else, hurt. My Commanders are just asking that I forgo any favoritism towards you and treat you like anyone else who wants to join." Anya sighed and pushed her long hair out of her face. She knew that Jonny was only being fair. She needed to prove herself just like anybody else. So, she looked up at the wisened firebender and nodded her head solemnly. Jonny smiled and put an arm around her shoulders as he steered her through the city.

"We're going to head towards the training dojo then," he said. "You'll have to face another earthbender. You don't have to win, Little Bird, you just have to hold your own." Anya gulped at the thought as they walked down a set of stairs and straight into a large brick building built in the middle of the city.

Liu's POV, The Swamp

After they had agree upon an amount of supplies, the Swamp people had thrown her a grand feast in which they performed complicated waterbending formations and showed her how to catch chicken-possum. Afterwards, she slept in an open cabin under the stars. That next morning, Luther helped her pack up a large backpack full of rate medicines and herbs. Hitching it up onto her shoulders, she walked with the Chief to the edge of his territory where he gave her a low bow. "I hope the herbs help," he stated.

"They will. Thank you so much, Chief Luther," she said, bowing graciously. He gave her a smile then gestured towards the trees.

"If you continue to head West, you should get out of the trees in less than a few hourss," he directed. He then walked up and gave her another tight hug before stepping back into the shadows.

"Good luck, dear cousin! Remember, you're always back here!" he called out before vanishing completely. Liu waved good-bye before turning and greeting the swamp. The medcine weighed her down a bit, but she was able to get through a few miles before stopping for a break. The villagers had packed her a few snacks, but most of them were in bug form so Liu just sat and took a long swig from her canteen of water. Liu closed her eyes for a few moments, letting the heat and humidty of the swamp rock her into a light nap. A twig snapped nearby, and Liu's eyes fluttered open, only for her to jump to her feet in surprise. The raven-haired girl from before was standing there once more, but her hands were covered in flames and her eyes were a blazing white. Before Liu could say anything, water sprung up from the swamp and surrounded the girl in a bubble of greenish water. The ground underneath Liu's feet shook, and the wind suddenly picked up around her. The girl looked peaceful encased in water and flame, yet her face was twisted in rage and anger, her long locks brushing across her face. Just then Liu gasped as her eyes flew open. Her heart was pounding as she quickly looked at her surroundings. The swamp around her was buzzing with life, but it was like the girl was never there. It had been a dream. Sighing with relief, Liu packed up belongings back up and put out the fire before heading Northeast. She was tired of the swamp and the visions it insisted on giving her. So, she trudged through the swamp water and slimey trees, determined to put as much distance between her and that magical place.

Finally, Liu broke through the underbrush, coming to a sudden clearing where a broken down-looking plane was sitting there with Corey waiting for her. Waving, Liu trudged the few feet distance. Just as the plane was about to take off, she glanced back to see the vision of the girl with blazing white eyes vanish into the shadows and vines. "How was your trip?" Corey shouted over the roar of the engine. Liu watched as the plane quickly ascended into the sky and leveled out among the clouds. Staring down at the darkness of the swamp, the earthbender couldn't help but feel a shiver escape her.

"Strange...very strange..."

Corey smiled at this and tilted the plane back towards the Southwest, the sun on the right side of them. "Well, you've missed a lot..."

Dev's POV, Republic City

"I always knew you would be back, dear nephew."

Dev stood at attention in front of the Don of the Agni Kai's. His dear uncle. Swallowing any amount of fear, Dev gave the dangerous man a tentative smile and nod. "It's good to be back home," he stated, trying to sound grateful. The Don smiled and closed his eyes for a moment before slowly standing up and walking around his desk to stand in front of the boy. He narrowed his eyes at the young earthbender, their blackness analyzing him. Dev clenched his jaw, determined to show no emotion as he glared back. There was a tense silence in the room, until finally the Don spoke again, his voice quiet and deadly.

"I want you to know that I have nothing against Jonny's noble cause," he said, his voice casual. "As you know, I hire benders all the time." He slowly walked around the earthbender and paused between his two large guards standing next to the exit. Dev was beginning to feel a sense of dread in the pit of his stomach. "However, our grand leader, Bishop has given the Triad certain...amenities...for our loyalty. We can keep doing our work if we do everything in our power to shut down the Rebellion." Dev narrowed his eyes a bit, his muscles clenching into fists. The Don smiled knowingly and opened the door. "I know you've been giving Jonny information about us. We have a witness." His fascade was suddenly gone, and in its place was an angry man with a crunched up face and darts for eyes. "You may have been my sister's bastard son, but you've outstayed your welcome. I don't have mercy for spies. Boys, make sure he doesn't see the light of day." Dev clenched his teeth together and got down in a defensive position. As the door opened, he caught a glimpse of the firebender from before, his smug face smiling triumphantly. The Don slammed the door shut behind him and the guards advanced forward with their hands raised.

"Let me go and neither of you have to get hurt," Dev threatened with a hiss. The guards looked at each other before breaking out in amused grins.

"Don't worry kid," said the one on the right. "We'll make sure it's quick." He pulled out a rope from his belt while the other pulled out a few hand daggers. There was a pregnant pause before finally the one on the left chucked two straight at Dev's face. He kicked the ground and a block of earth blocked the knives. He then kicked it forward and the guard was squished up against the wall. Flying on instinct, Dev ducked under the remaining guard's swipe and sidestepped his counter-strike. Dev ducked and dodged, getting ready for the perfect moment to strike back. Finally, with his back up against the door, Dev pushed his arms out and a boulder flew into the man's stomach, making him crash through the door. Without wasting another minute, Dev flew out of the broken door and down the hallway, pushing his legs faster than ever before. He rounded the corner with a skid, and immediately came to a halt. Standing there was a row of angry-looking gangsters with a variety of weapons. The Don was standing in front of them with the firebender at his right-hand side. The Don chuckled darkly, his eyes glinting.

"I knew you would escape," he said as if proud of his nephew. "Our family doesn't quit, even when the odds are against us." Dev gritted his teeth and got ready for a fight.

"I'm nothing like you," he retorted angrily. The Don chuckled at this and shook his head.

"Of course you're like me," he hissed back. "Do you think you're dear, sweet, mother would ever have done the things you've done? No, you're more like me than you realize. My sister was always weak; caring for the sick and needy. You're a survivalist. You always have been; You always will be. Don't deny it."

"I'm nothing like you," Dev repeated. He then kicked his foot and thrust his arms sideways. The wall broke in on the line of gangsters just as they began to advance forward. There was a loud boom as the rock crumbled between him and the others, separating them. There were a few choked coughs and groans of people who had been hit by the flying debris. Dev turned around and was about to run when a voice stopped him.

"If you leave now, you'll never find out about what happened to your father!" the Don shouted, his voice coughing and ragged. Dev clenched his fists and closed his eyes. When he was young his father had left in the middle of the day, never to return. His mother never talked about him, and when she died Dev was left alone on the street to care for himself. Of course, he had tried to find him, but to no avail. And he wasn't about to find out now. Without another word, the young earthbender left the injured mobsters and sprinted off down the hallway...

Anya's POV, Republic City – The Underground

They entered the building and Anya was surprised to see a large stadium broken into four different rings based on the four elements. People were surrounding the earth one, so that's where Jonny pushed her. Anya recogni?ed the Commanders sitting on the benches nearest the ring, their faces in different expressions. With a nervous gulp, she moved forward into the ring with Jonny at her back. He squee?ed her shoulder and looked her straight in the eyes.

"It looks like you'll be facing off with Ryuu," he stated. Anya looked over her shoulder to see Jonny's second-in-command stretching his limbs on the opposite end of the arena. Jonny saw the anxious look she had on her face and he gently squee?ed her shoulders in a reassuring manner. "Don't worry, Ryuu will go easy on you." He backed up and stood on the outer side of the arena, leaving Anya to face the Major alone. The Major did not give Anya a friendly smile, or any hint of mercy. Instead, he got down in a defensive position as the growing crowd of onlookers began to hush their voices in excitement. Anya took a deep breath and faced off with the middle-aged earthbender.

"Are you prepared?" Ryuu asked. Anya took another deep breath and nodded her head, trying to remember everything that Scar had taught her. Without a second warning, Ryuu attacked. Three boulders burst from the ground and with a wave of his hand were hurled towards Anya. For the young Avatar it was as if time had slowed down. All of her nerves vanished, and she was left with the comfortable feeling of knowing what her body was capable of doing. She easily dodged the three boulders, acting light on her feet, and in the next second ushered three pillars of rock from the ground with a jab of her right hand. Ryuu was forced upward, but he agilly flipped once in the air and landed back onto the ground. He didn't waste any time, however, in attacking back. As he flipped in the air, he sent several rock disks flying towards Anya. She dodged them gracefully once again, the third one barely missing her left shoulder. She ducked, hitting the ground and kicked up some dirt into the air, creating a dense fog. This gave her some cover as she got back onto her feet and stabled herself.

Anya carefully began making tiny circles as she made her way through the fog. Taking a deep breath, she calmed her nerves and closed her eyes; she wasn't using them anyway. As she made quiet footsteps, she listened to the vibrations her feet made, and opened up her second hearing. In the second month of her stay in Omashu, Scar had taught Anya how to listen to the ground and how to open up her senses and let earthbending be her guide. So, this is what Anya did. Her feet made small vibrations, however, Ryuu's were a lot louder as he walked through the dust and rock. The sound of his heel smashing into the ground forced Anya to turn to the side, and just as she did she felt the air shimmer in front of her face as sharp rock ?oomed past her. She then fought back by stamping her foot and pushing her left hand outward. Rocks burst quickly from the ground and shot straight into the dust. Anya heard the satisfying sound of an oof and thud. Smiling, Anya stood up straight, took a deep breath, and pushed her arms up and then back down. The fog disappeared, leaving Anya standing there looking down at the hunched over figure of Ryuu. He was holding his stomach and looking up at her with ama?ement. Anya was about to back down, however, the Major suddenly pulled a fast one and jerked his arm upward. Anya was prepared for it

She saw it coming at her in slow motion, feeling the movement with her earthbending as well as physically seeing it. Anya calmly stepped to the side and turned her body just as sharp rocks flew past her face. The young Avatar heard the crowd of onlooks gasp, but she didn't pay them any attention. Instead she thrusted her hand downward towards the ground and out sprung a large pillar of rock that collided into Ryuu and sent him flying into the air. He landed back on his side of the arena with a loud thud and a harsh crunch. Groaning, he stood up, his breathing heavy and his eyes determined. Suddenly, with a huge grunt, he pulled up three massive boulders and held them menacingly towards Anya.

Just then, the young woman felt a nagging memory at the back of her mind. In it, a young waterbending woman with a familiar face was defending a crowd of people against men in uniforms. The men in uniforms were oppressing people with large boulders, hoisting the citi?ens up into the air. The waterbending woman hopped up, lifted her arms, and brought them down, lowering all three boulders in one fell swoop. Anya was suddenly jerked back into reality, confused for a split second on what just happened. However, she didn't question it, and followed this move step-by-step. She jumped, swinging her arms, bringing them over her head, and pushing them down. She could feel the control that Ryuu had over the boulders, but her earthbending was too strong for him. Ryuu gasped as Anya pushed his boulders back down into the ground. He stood up, his mouth gaping open; the crowd was silent as well as they watched the young girl trap the old Major in a rock formation, pushing his limbs too far apart to bend. Anya then pushed him back against the far wall, forcing him to admit defeat.

"Still think I'm just a fragile princess?" she asked harshly, her arms still raised. Ryuu looked up at her, his eyes wide in shock and humiliation. He bowed his head in defeat and humility. Anya stood up straight, and with a deep breath brought down her hands and released Ryuu from his earth binds. He leaned over his knees, nearly breathless, but then straightened up and gave Anya a respectful bow.

"I'm sorry I doubted you," he said sincerely. "You are truly a gifted earthbender, and we are lucky to have you on our side." Anya smiled and bowed in return. Just then a hand gripped her shoulder and she turned to see Jonny looking at her with pride spread across his face.

"I've never seen anyone best Ryuu like that," he said with a genuine smile. "Looks like you're one of us now."

Anya smiled and watched as the crowd began to thin, each person giving her a once-over before leaving, curious and slightly afraid of her power. She looked back up at Jonny with excitement and anxiety. "I'm officially part of the rebellion?" she asked nervously. Jonny smiled and squee?ed her shoulder.

"Welcome to the Underground, Master Earthbender."

Dev's POV, Republic City – The Underground

He made it back to the Underground with a few scratches and bumps from his earthbending. As he slid down the ladder, he first made his way to the Council's tent where Ryuu was taking Jonny's place at the head of the table. He glanced up as Dev entered, and ushered him over. "What happened?" he asked seriously. "You weren't supposed to be back for another two days." Dev sighed and hid the pain he was feeling as the scratches and cuts on his face stiffened.

"The Don found me out," he confessed. Ryuu sighed and put a reassuring hand on the earthbender's shoulder. "Well, you did what you could."

"I found out that the gangs are doing what Bishop says because he's letting them conduct business around all four nations. There's no chance of them turning on him and helping us," he stated. Ryuu closed his eyes for a moment, digesting this, before nodding his head.

"I guess we kind of expected that," he admitted. He gestured towards Dev's face. "You should get to the healing tent. Get Dakari to give you a once-over then hit the sack." Dev nodded and paused for a moment as he looked around the make-shift center.

"Where's Jonny?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. The fearless leader was never usually gone for very long from the tent.

"There's a new girl, and he's taking her to the dojo to be tested," he stated, gathering up his things. "I'm supposed to be meeting them there in a few minutes." Dev nodded his head, too exhausted to be curious about the new person, and headed towards the healing tent a few yards away. He pushed back the tent flaps and was hit by the smell of rubbing salts and a variety of herbs. Just as he entered, he was attacked by a body wrapping around his torso. He recognized the warmth and strength of Lena, her arms squeezing him tightly.

"Thank god you're back!" she whispered in his ear. "I was really worried about you." Dev blushed a little at this and carefully unwrapped her arms and held her hands, looking into her beautifully deep blue eyes.

"I'm fine. Just a little beat up," he said nonchalantly, feeling his heart soar in his chest at her worry over him. Lena gave him a once-over before gently touching his bruised and cut face.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she asked, looking deeply into his eyes. Lena always knew when there was something wrong with him...even on the inside. Suppressing his mixed feelings about what had happened at the Agni Kai's, Dev walked over to Dakari who was silently watching from the corner, and sat down on the healing table.

"Nothing a little healing can't cure," he said with a teasing smile. Dakari rolled her eyes and placed her hands on his cheeks.

"Don't be such a baby," she scolded jokingly. "It's not like you almost died..."

Liu's POV, The Swamp

They arrived on the outskirts of Republic City in a few hours. She jumped out of the plane and walked through the clearing towards the Underground, leaving Corey to examine the aircraft. Sliding down into the tunnels, she made her way to the Council tent where Jonny and Ryuu were in deep discussion. She pushed open the tent flaps just as Jonny hissed at Ryuu: "She's important, Ryuu, end of discussion." Raising her eyebrows, Liu walked forward and slammed the backpack full of medicine and herbs down on the table in front of them with a triumphant smile.

"You ladies bickering again?" she teased. Both men quickly fixed their expressions and turned to her with forced smiles. Jonny opened the back and gave a low whistle.

"Wow! Nicely done, Commander," he said with a smile. Liu shrugged her shoulders like it was no big deal then folded her arms over her chest.

"What's going on?" she questioned. "You two look like you're about to jump out of your skins." Ryuu sighed and shot Jonny a bad look before responding.

"Jonny has decided to bring a new member into our ranks," he stated angrily. Liu's eyebrows shot up higher at this. The Rebellion didn't get very many new people, especially since Jonny's qualifications were so high.

"Who?" she asked. Ryuu's expression grew darker as he glared at the Rebellion leader.

"The Earth King's daughter."

Liu's jaw dropped a little at this, and she stared at her leader in shock. Of course, the Commanders had all known that Jonny had saved the youngest royal and had stashed her away at a safe house in Omashu, but he hadn't said anything about taking her in as a soldier. "What, why?" she asked suddenly. Jonny gave them both harsh looks and folded his arms over his chest.

"Because, Anya is an exceptional earthbender who, I think, deserves to be included," he stated, ending the discussion with a sharp tone of voice. Liu was about to ask another question when Ryuu brushed past his mentor, and leader, and opened the tent flap.

"We'll see about that," he hissed before storming away. Jonny sighed and shook his head sadly before turning to Liu.

"Take this medicine to Dakari and then come to the dojo. Ryuu insists on testing the girl in the ring before letting her into the Rebellion," he commanded. Without speaking, Liu nodded her head and grabbed the pack before quickly heading out into the sewer streets. She was startled to see Jonny so worked up about this girl. Jonny was usually the harsh one, forcing anyone who joins the Rebellion to go through a series of tests before allowing into the sewers. Looking back in her mind, Liu couldn't even remember what the royal family looks like, let alone their names. Anya...something about it seemed familiar. She dropped the back full of herbs at the healing tent where Dev was sitting there, his face full of cuts and bruises. Dakari gave Liu a small smile before hungrily turning towards the bag. Leaving the healer to her job, Liu wove her way through the small sewer city to the dojo where the rest of the Commanders, and a lot of onlookers, were waiting on the bleachers. Liu slid into the seat next to Makki and gave the severe-looking waterbender a curious glance.

"So, why is this girl so important?" she asked. Makki shrugged her shoulders silently, and before Liu could ask another question, figures walked onto the mat. Liu recognized Ryuu in his training outfit with his angry expression, and she turned to see a dark-haired girl walk onto the mat. Liu felt her face grow white and her stomach drop. That was the girl from the vision in the swamp...Liu watched as she moved easily around Ryuu, earthbending fluidly. Her eyes were closed, but Liu knew that they were grey and wise. The fight went on for a few minutes before, finally, the girl came out on top, trapping Ryuu against the wall with earthbending. She was breathing raggedly, and her body shivered from the physical exhaustion of the fight, but her eyes were full of triumphant and light. The memory of the vision came back to Liu swiftly, encompassing her mind of the image of the girl surrounded by all elements, her eyes blazing white and her face twisted in rage. It hit Liu like a rock wall. She watched as Jonny and the rest of the Commanders swarmed the girl with cheers and hushed comments of surprise. The girl looked up at the Rebellion leader with triumph and smiles. The leader was returning her gaze with pride. Suddenly, Liu knew why Jonnny had gone through all that trouble to bring the girl to the Underground.

The Earth King's daughter is the Avatar...

Bishop's POV, Republic City

The grand Council room was empty except for the large chair at the very end in which a single man in a dark suit and mask sat quietly and thoughtfully. Just then, the doors burst open and in marched two guards half-carrying, half-dragging, a skinnier soldier up to the man in the chair. The man in the chair didn't pay them much mind, but remained silent. The two soldiers saluted the man in the chair.

"Bishop, sir, this man says that he saw something you might want to hear about," the soldier on the right said. The man called Bishop merely nodded for the man to speak. The skinnier soldiers gulped, his knees quaking comically.

"Sir…I-I-my troop tried to stop the Rebellion leader and some of his men in Divide City, but we were stopped by an incredibly talented earthbender," he stated shakily.

Bishop put his fingertips together as he stared at the man through his harsh mask. "I know this," he said, his voice deep and menacing. "Why are you explaining your faults to me?"

The man cleared his throat, his cheeks flushed from embarassement. "That young girl not only was an earthbender, but she also was able to control fire." This statement hung in the air for a moment as Bishop sat in his large, golden chair still processing the words, finally he spoke.

"Are you sure?" he asked, his voice a mere whisper. The man nodded vigorously.

"Yes sir, the other patrolmen witnessed the same thing," he reassured the man. Bishop stood up in his chair and turned his back to the soldiers, his hand on his chin in deep thought. Finally, after a few moments, he turned around and addressed the three soldiers.

"If this is true then we will have to prepare ourselves," he said, almost more to himself. "Get Hunter and tell him to track this girl down immediately. Also, get Jorda and tell him that it's time we reinforced our troops in the Fire Capitol…I want to make sure the Fire Lord is still bowing to our every command." The three soldiers bowed, and exited in a hurry. Bishop was left standing there, one arm behind his back and the other scratching his chin in thought.

"If the Avatar is back, then it's time to move my plans ahead of schedule…"