Marcus rolled a piece of grass between his fingers and scrunched his toes in the sand. He hated Ember Island and all that was on it. He wanted to go back home and smell the candy from the shops instead of the mucky smell of the beach and the undesirables that come with it. He missed the view of the palace from his roof top and the fireworks that often came during the summer time. Summer was almost over, and he was now out of school forever. What he was going to do with his life, he didn't know, but he just wanted to be back in the capitol. He considered joining the fire sages, but the Avatar still hadn't been found, even after 17 years after the tragic early death of the Earth Avatar. No Avatar has lived long enough to master the elements since Kora, and there hadn't been a sign of the fire Avatar. Marcus thought that the Fire Avatar was killed as a child in the raids that had been happening, and that they should be looking in the Air tribes, but they continued to search for the Avatar in the fire nation.

"Marcus, hurry up, or we'll miss the fairy!" His brother cried. Marcus stood up, and burnt the leaf to a crisp, and ran onto the fairy, brushing the sand off of him as he went. He was more than happy to be leaving for home, but he was afraid, for he knew that once he made it home, he would need to look for a job. His fire bending was above par, but he could never out due his three brothers.

"Marius, what are you doing?" Marcus called, hopping onto the fairy, and taking a seat. Marius was the middle child in their overly large family. The only ones younger than him were Salium, Troillio, Rache, Vantina, and Rollie. Marcus was just older than Marius, but had his older twin brothers, Grollen and Bruno, and his older brother Hansel, and oldest sister Marlio. Marcus had so many siblings, and felt so crowded, yet so alone. The only one who he ever felt close to was Marius, because he was more of a brother than someone who was just related.

After several hours on the ocean, Marcus could see the sight of the capitol in the distance, and woke up Marius. He then went up to the top deck and blew the horn to wake up the rest of his siblings, who had all come with him to the island. Marius had finished school with Marcus, and they now had an apartment in the city, just around the corner from the palace, where his parents worked. Marcus's parents were senators om the Fire Nation council, and advised the Fire Lord, who was one of the five heads of power in the world. Marcus had often dreamed of living in the North or South pole, and marry one of the elegant water benders, but he hadn't seen a water bender since he lived in the world capitol as a child.

The fairy finally docked, and Marcus bid farewell to his siblings, and told them to send love to his parents, or nieces and nephews, and him and Marius walked on foot to their apartment in the city.

"Shouldn't you be stopping by the fire sages?" Marius asked, as he lugged his bag over his shoulder.

"I don't know. Maybe I'll just teach with you at the fire academy, until I know what I'm going to do?" Marcus said, looking at the ground.

"You know how much testing you have to do to teach at the National Fire Academy? Do you just expect for them to love you and give you a job?" Marius asked. Marius had short, dark hair that had a part to one side, and a great big flip in the middle. Marius had never been very good with women, but they did always liked the way he looked. Marcus was always worried that he was too plain looking, with his matted, curly hair, and plain eyes, and spotted freckles. Marius still had his freckles, but they were even and small, while Marcus' were random and all over his forehead and neck as well as other parts of his face and body. Marcus was also always so insecure about his large ears that stuck out of his messy hair, and his small hands that he liked to hide in his pockets. He looked over at his younger brother, who was nearly taller than him, and far more muscular. He looked at his brother's white, broad, shoulders that shimmered in the sun under his tank top and then at his own darker ones, that slumped to his sides with no muscle at all.

"I just thought that maybe at the Fire Academy," Marcus began, but Marius cut him off.

"That maybe you could have a chance at a social life? Yeah, I know. I don't understand this whole thing with you. I get the whole wanting a girl thing, because I'm right there with you, man. At least you've ever had a girlfriend. And you losing Marina was the best thing that could have happened to you. But, to get into the Academy to work is not an easy thing to do. They give you test after test after test, because they want to lock you in for life. I had to have a special test to even see if I was a real fire bender, for God's sake! They tested me in an Avatar simulator! I mean, I get that one, because you can't accidently hire the Avatar or something, but for God's sake, it's ridiculous. I barely passed and I honestly don't know anyone who can bend anything better than me. I mean, yes you're an amazing bender, and you could certainly teach there, but I don't know if you'll do alright on all of the tests."

"I can take care of it myself. I'm your older brother, remember? Besides, if a morron like you can teach there, I certainly can. And don't bring up Marina. It was only a few weeks ago, you know. I'm going tomorrow to take that damn test. End of discussion." With that, Marcus opened his apartment door, and took the stairs two at a time to head up to bed.

Marius went with him to the Academy the next morning to watch him take the test. Marcus took his time getting ready, but Marius was showered and ready to go by sunrise, as always. Marcus wore his usual training clothes, so that he wouldn't catch fire or anything, but Marius wore his tight, dark pants, and a silk red and yellow cloak tied around his middle. Again, Marcus was reminded how nice looking his brother was.

There was silence all the way to the Academy and into the doors, except one quiet, "You don't have to do this," from Marius, and a strict, "It's what I've decided," from Marcus, and that was the end of it.

Marcus walked into a dark room after signing in, and Marius went into the stands behind glass, along with many students. The entire school is invited whenever a person takes the test to teach, as to see if they are worthy of teaching them. Marius sat as close to the front as he could and fiddled with his keys in his pocket.

There was a buzz over the microphone, and Marius shifted in his seat. There was a muffled sound over the microphone that Marius couldn't quite hear, but he knew that the first test was to see if you could really Fire bend, and then how well you can, and then moral skills, and then the Avatar test.

Marcus dropped to the ground as they called out orders for what him to do. With each move, he had amazing precision, and with each blaze of fire, Marius held his breath. After a while, there was a short muffling over the microphone, and the fire stopped. There were some questions asked, and Marcus answered them, but Marius didn't hear anything. He assumed it went well, because a little green light lit up. He breathed a sigh of relief because all of the hard stuff was over.

"Now for the final portion," Marius barely heard from the Microphone, now. A table was brought in, with four boxes on it, and he knew it was the Avatar test.

Marius smiled, and began to walk down the steps out of the bleachers. Marcus put his hand over the first box, and fire blazed out of it, and Marius smiled again at his brother. It was all over now, he thought.

Marcus carelessly put his hand over the next box and looked over at Marius with a smile, but Marius' smile had faded. Water had shot out of the box and went all over the stadium. Silence filled the room, and Marius starred into the eyes on Marcus, who starred back, in terror. Marcus looked back at his hands and the water now on the floor around him. A shaky voice came over the microphone.

"Mr. Rotsenworth, please put your hand over box number 3." Marcus gulped and put his hand over the third box, and air came blowing out of it, and he removed his hand immediately, and tried to breathe normally. He put his hand over the last box, and rocks and other particles of dirt and earth came out of it. Marcus fell to the floor, but nothing happened. Marius ran over to his brother, and picked him up and held him by the shoulders.

"What's going on?" Marius said, shaking his brother slightly.

"I-," Marcus mumbled. "I think that I failed the Avatar test. I think that," but he couldn't say it. He looked up into his brothers eyes, and tried to stop shaking.

"How could you be the Avatar and we not know it?" Marius said a little too loudly.

The doors opened at the far end of the arena, and a group of people in long robes came forward. They grabbed Marcus by both arms and started to pull him very quickly out of the arena. Marius tried to go after him, but several large men in cloaks held him back. As he watched his brother being dragged away, he could no longer take it. Fire came blazing out of his fists and mouth as he screamed for them to release his most important brother. One of the men let go, and Marius burst through the door, with his brother, before they were locked behind him.

The room was bright and empty; accept for the cloaked men and a small old woman. Marius ran over to Marcus who was now shaking on the floor. "What the hell is going on?" Marius screamed. Marcus was still silent.

"Calm down, Mr. Rotsenworth. We've been waiting for your brother for some time." The old woman said. "Well, we didn't exactly know it would be your brother, but we have been waiting for him for a while."

"What are you talking about?" Marius yelled, his fingers tangled in his brother's curls.

"Please, calm down. My husband was never calm, and that's what killed him in the end. Ever since his death, I've been looking for the next Avatar, in every way possible. And finally, we have found you." The older woman smiled, and walked over to Marcus who was still on the floor. She helped him up and held his hand. Marius starred, frightened, but Marcus stayed quiet and clam, and stopped shaking. He looked into the eyes of the older woman, and she smiled at him. She wasn't too old, just old enough to be a parent, maybe barely a grandparent.

"How can you be sure?" Marcus said.

"Avatars have the memories of the Avatars before them. My husband is in you, somewhere. Maybe if I just," she began. The older woman reached out and touched his face, and immediately, Marcus' eyes went wide and the started to glow. He lifted off the ground briefly, and then slowly descended back to the earth. He wobbled for a moment, and then started to fall, but Marius caught him and brought him back to his feet.

"What the hell was that?! I thought that only the Avatar could do that!" Marius yelled.

"I think," Marcus began. He looked over at his little brother with a stale face. "I am the Avatar."

There was silence for a long time, and Marcus looked at his brother with a determined face. After a long while, Marius nodded, and they turned to the older woman.

"What am I to do now?" Marcus said. Marius looked at his brother in amazement. He had never before seen him be so calm and responsible, let alone in a situation like this.

"You need to start mastering the four elements. Fire is obviously no problem, so we have to start on the next element right away. You're behind, Mr. Rotsenworth. You need to head to Ba-Sing-Sae." The woman said.

"What's in Ba-Sing-Sae?" Marius asked.

"The world's greatest Earth Bender. I recommend the fire sages go with you, but that is up to you. They are here to serve you, Avatar." The woman said.

The fire sages bowed to him, and Marcus starred, lost, at the men on the floor around him.

"Thanks, but I'd rather just go with my brother." Marcus said, trying to now ignore the bowing around him.

"Very well, but I'm warning you, once the world knows who you are, there is going to be a lot more of this," she gestured to the men still bowing around him.

"I'll be able to handle it." Marcus said, seeming strong now.

"Here's where you'll find her. She's young, but she's the best there's ever been. But, she is a piece of work. Don't take no for an answer, because she won't want to help you. She doesn't really like to help anyone, actually." The woman said. She smiled, and handed him an address on a piece of paper. "Good luck, Avatar. When you're done with her, I'll know, and I'll see you again." The fire sages took another bow and then left with the woman.

"So what do we do now?" Marius asked.

"I guess we go to Ba-Sing-Sae." Marcus smiled.