Giving myself something to do after finals woo

*gross sobbing* yes I know it's because of the Legend of Korra craze, I'm a horrible person.

Four nations, four elements. A world where certain people can manipulate these elements and live accordingly. These people are called benders, people who are able to manipulate earth, fire, water, and air. Only one person is able to master all these four elements and that one person is widely known as the Avatar. A being that is constantly reborn to keep peace and balance between the four nations.

But not everyone has the privilege of having these powers. In this modern world people have come to rely more on technology and such. Bending you could say, became less popular.

The sudden advancement only begun when the four nations chanced upon a smaller 5th nation that they had no clue existed before. It was strange, none of them were benders and they all had different coloured hair and eyes. Hair that shone like the sun or flared like fire. It was so strange, so different from the usual black or brown hair that was seen all over the nations. The Avatar, a female air bender, at the time welcomed the strange foreigners and allowed them to come to the main lands to learn about the rest of the world for it appeared they had been isolated all this time. There were slight problems at first with the people claiming them as demons and that there was a reason why they had been isolated on an island. But thanks to the Avatar they were shown that they were not all that different from everyone else and a few were able to become benders as well. Soon they intermingled with the rest of the people and all was well again.

After the death of the Avatar, the people across all the nations decided to celebrate her name for all the peace she brought upon their world during the foreign confusion. In Republic City they built a large statue of her and a grand ballroom at the edge of the capitol side by side. There every five years, people from all the nations came together to meet and celebrate there for the peace and equality they had achieved over the generations. They called it The Banquet of The Dolorosa. Why she was given the name Dolorosa, not many were sure, but that was how she was known. The celebration usually lasted about two weeks in Spring once every five years.

A certain boy from the Northern Water Tribe attended this banquet twice in his young life and had made many acquaintances of sorts from all over the nations. In total there were twenty children that always stayed together during the celebrations and they all got along in a strange way. One of the boys proclaimed them all as friends. Unfortunately the water tribe boy missed his third banquet in the great capitol due to personal matters as did a few others.

And now on with the less boring part of the story.

"You have to be one with the water, move with it, flow with it, bend the stream, it's all in the wrists," a girl with long, fluffy curly brown hair weaved a string of water in front of her, beside her and all around. She danced with the water and it soared over her head before she returned it into the river.

A boy beside her with scruffy darker brown locks and slightly darker skin, held a ball of water between his hands and glared at it before pulling his hands apart and turning the ball into a stream. He lashed and whipped the water around before turning it back into a ball and tossing it into the river unceremoniously.

"Karkat that wasn't elegant at all! I said to bend the water gently and move it calmly not thrash it all around!" the girl scolded.

"Feferi come on you know that's not my style! Elegant is too fucking girly for me," the boy snapped back.

"Being elegant has nothing to do with being girly! That's how water is! It's not furious movements or whatever all the time. You have to make calm movements sometimes too you know. It helps you control it better. You're just too angry," Feferi scolded, "You asked me to teach you because you hated the way Rose taught you and you hate being taught by the elders so deal with it and get it right or I'm sending you back to her. I'm a busy girl you know, I took the time out of my busy schedule to help you and everything."

"Ugh come on this is so fucking dumb! I didn't ask for any teaching! You just dragged me here against my will! Why the hell do I even have to learn it? Bending is going to go obsolete in a few years anyway."

"That's the problem! This amazing power shouldn't go obsolete! Now a days it's really hard to find any benders and that's just so sad when in the past you could see them everywhere. You have a gift and you should cherish it and learn it for future generations. It'd be such a waste if the future didn't have any more benders," a beep came from her pocket, "Oh wait a sec."

Feferi pulled out her phone and saw that she got a text.

"Ugh this is so dumb. You know that your phone can die easily if you accidentally drop it during practice right? There are so many people out there who are saying bending is a hindrance to this modern day full of their technological shit. Well their technology and stuff is pretty cool but I think it's just making everyone lazy."

"Kay that was a pretty hypocritical statement right there Karkat. You can't call other people lazy when you're the one not willing to master bending," Feferi pointed her phone at him, "And for your information, my phone has a water proof case to make sure that never happens."

"Ugh I already know it well enough so why the hell do I have to master it? You, Eridan and Rose are good enough already so why the fuck does it has to be me too?" Karkat put his hands in his pocket and kicked some snow.

"Karkat there aren't many benders left so the more the better alright," Feferi pulled her phone back and examined the message, "Oh Eridan says I have to go back."

"Perfect, off you go then princess. We wouldn't want you getting yet scolded again."

Feferi frowned at her phone and grabbed Karkat's hood as he turned to leave, "Wait right there mister, Eridan says the council wants to see you."

"What the fuck? I didn't do anything this time! And I already saw them for that pot incident last week."

"I dunno, we'll just have to go and find out won't we," Feferi put her phone away and dragged the unwilling Karkat towards the main house.

Rose and Eridan were waiting for the two at the front doors of the council's court.

"Hello you two, was practice today successful?" Rose asked with a smile. She was one of the descendant of the foreigners but had some water tribe genes in her from one of the races having a mixed marriage so her hair was a somewhat dark blonde with piercing rose coloured eyes.

"As successful as ever with him attacking the practice area as usual," Feferi greeted Rose with a hug.

"Kar."

"Eridan."

The two boys quickly greeted each other with glares. Eridan wore think rimmed glasses and always had on his trade make stripped scarf and blue cape. He was one of the councilmen's sons and was infatuated with the princess for who knows how long now.

The four filed inside and kneeled respectfully onto the four cushions in the middle of the court with the council sitting in elevated benches around them. Sometimes the council house was used as an actual court room or as Karkat liked to call it, 'the place where he is sentenced to do menial town chores as punishment for causing problems and making ruckuses'.

"Karkat, you turned sixteen last month did you not?" one of the older councilmen asked.

"Yeah," Karkat replied quickly with crossed arms.

"We should have told you this on your birthday but we had to make sure before we told you."

"Tell me what?" Karkat looked at them in confusion.

"You are the Avatar."

The room went silent for exactly one minute before Karkat fell over laughing.

"Oh my god, okay these three put you up to it didn't they. Oh man I actually have to admit. That was a good one. God wow very funny guys you win all the awards. Here look I'll even clap for you because it was that good," Karkat began clapping until one of the councilmen interrupted.

"This is not a joke Karkat Vantas."

Karkat froze and looked at the other three. They were all surprised as he was, Eridan looked like he couldn't believe it at all like him, "Alright this has to be a joke seriously it can't be me. My water bending isn't even that great and you all know it, so how can I be the Avatar? Where's your fucking proof?"

"The toys you have chosen as a child are the same as the ones that each Avatar choses when they are young. You even earth bended as a child once when you were throwing a temper tantrum."

"Uh no that was water bending. The thing that flew when I stomped was a lump of ice," Karkat retorted.

"No, it was solid rock that was covered by a thin layer of ice and even a block of ice does not fly upward if you stomp on the ground when you are a purely a water bender."

"We could always prove to you that you are the Avatar," another one of the councilmen spoke.

"Oh yeah how?" Karkat would love to know.

"You haven't had a match with Eridan for a while now I believe?" Eridan's distinguished father spoke up.

"So what of it?" Karkat was getting annoyed now.

"Let's all go outside and have a match between you and Eridan. After a match with him you will see that you are the Avatar."

"How the fuck is fighting with this douchebag going to show me that I'm the Avatar?"

"Hey what the hell Kar!"

"Just come outside and you will see."

Karkat stood in the middle of the large ice arena that was surrounded by a stream of water and waited. Rose and Feferi were sitting on benches at the side along with a few others who were walking by and saw something going on so they decided to stay and watch. The councilmen were on the other side talking to Eridan before the proud boy took off his cape, walked forward and took a ready stance.

The idea was really stupid to Karkat but he wasn't complaining too much of they were allowing him to fight Eridan for the heck of it. Bending matches provided good exercise for the boy, but other than that he hated learning the technical side of it.

One of the councilmen called the match to start and Eridan started with two water whips. Karkat brought up a shield of ice and waited for the water to hit before shattering the shields and sending the broken shards at Eridan. The boy dodged a few pieces but turned the rest into water and whipped it back.

Karkat's bending wasn't as great as Eridan's but he was still able to put up a good fight. He was concentrated on the match until he heard gossiping on the sidelines.

Him the Avatar? No way.

But he's always so angry.

Leave the world to that guy and we're all dead.

The councilmen must have made a mistake.

I feel sorry for his father, that lone man having to raise such an unruly child.

His water bending is so furious, how can he learn any of the other elements?

Actually it's a real wonder how he was born a water bender.

"Hey Kar, eyes up front. Pay attention!" Eridan called to him as he sent icicles at the distracted boy.

"Why don't you," after shielding with a wall of ice, Karkat twirled around it and got into formation for a large water whip.

"All just," the whip moved across his body but the water collapsed to the ground halfway when his right hand turned into a fist in anger.

"SHUT UP!" from his fist a burst of fire flew towards Eridan. Karkat gasped and pulled his hand back but it was too late, the fire already left him. Eridan was so surprised that he didn't have time to even counter with any water moves so he dodged to his side.

His pant leg caught on fire and Rose quickly subdued it with a bit of bending.

Karkat just stared ahead and fell to his knees in shock. Everyone in the audience began to chatter among themselves in surprise and a few left to go tell the rest of the town.

The councilmen just smiled to themselves, "Pack your bags mister Vantas. You leave for the fire nation the day after tomorrow."

The men began to walk away. Karkat didn't know why but he quickly ran ahead and stood before the gentlemen.

"Wait! Day after tomorrow? That soon? But I haven't even mastered water bending yet!" why he was trying to convince him to let him stay, he wasn't sure. There was no point in denying he was the Avatar after that little show. Everything just seemed too sudden for the boy.

"Yes that is true but it is probably better that you know the basics of the other elements before you get to mastering them. We think this method of teaching you is better suited for your style and personality, hopefully. Rose will accompany you on your travels so that you stay in practice," they explained.

Rose was a water bending genius as well as a scholar. She was about a year older than him but was already proclaimed a master. Her interest lies in history as well as fortune telling. She as well as the princess also had healing capabilities. But because Rose was such a genius, it was rumoured that she was secretly learning the forbidden blood bending to further her knowledge. She also liked to play the psychiatrist in the village. In a way, he guessed, she would be a good bodyguard too.

Karkat looked down in frustration. Why was this happening to him?

"We would have sent you off tomorrow or right away but we know your attachment here so we will give you a day to say good-bye. It's not like you will be gone forever, just for quite a while. It is important for the Avatar to know all the elements as soon as possible. It is your duty," and with that. The elders left.

Karkat just stood there utterly confused as the crowd from earlier finally dispersed. Rose, Feferi and Eridan cautiously approached the boy once everyone else was gone.

"Jeez Kar you totally ruined my pants. Look at this! The ends are all burnt!" Eridan complained to see if he could get Karkat to snap out of it.

"Fuck you Eridan! You have shitloads of pants! Don't go complaining to be about you menial as hell outfit crisis to me. Especially not at a time like this!" Karkat furiously snapped. Eridan took a step back.

"Are you upset?" Rose asked.

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOO," Karkat drawled out sarcastically, "I'm fucking ecstatic!"

"Why are you upset?" Rose began.

"Why? WHY! Uh HELLO! I suddenly get called out of the blue and told that I'm some important world needing person. I am ordered to leave almost right away to start my training because it's my duty. A fucking duty that I never asked for. Me! The person that thinks bending will go obsolete in the future has to go travel around the world and master all the elements! No signs, no warnings no anything! Just 'hi you're the Avatar now get the fuck out of here and go do the job that was predetermined for you as soon as you were fucking born'."

"But Karkat you get to travel the world! I've always dreamed of travelling but I can't because of the stupid princess deal," Feferi inputted, "This is amazing, you have so many gifts that you can explore and learn!"

"I never asked for this!"

"And neither did any of the other Avatars yet they did what they had to. Learn the four elements, learn about the lands and keep the peace," Rose explained, "Karkat this will be a very good opportunity for you. You will get to travel and visit all the lands, you can learn how different society is compared to our town here. Mastering the elements can also improve how you see the world, yourself, others and help with your little temper problem."

"Is it a good opportunity for me or for you Miss Forced to come along and watch me like a fucking babysitter. I bet you're the only one excited to go so you can learn more ways to annoy the shit out of me."

"You will also be missing your high school lectures."

"Don't try to make it sound better Lalonde cause it won't work. Nothing will make this sound better."

"I think we should leave him alone," Eridan whispered to the girls.

Feferi sighed, "I guess you're right. You should really think this through okay Karkat?"

"Not like I have a fucking choice anyways," the young Avatar turned and left with his back slouched and hands in his pockets.

"Don't worry. He will come around," Rose watched the grumpy boy leave with a knowing smile.