Book 1: Fire

Unlike the last time, no one sought out for the avatar even though they knew the avatar had been reborn. Strangely enough not even the avatar's own parents wanted anything to do with it. They said, "The avatar only brings trouble!" and so the avatar grew up in the Earth Kingdom's Orphanage after she was cast outside of the village she was born in. That's right the avatar is a she and her name is Riu. The avatar is me, but no one knows this but my parents who've decided to forget they ever had a daughter.

At age 18 the orphanage kicked me out and I was left with a journey. I know something bad is happening even in this time of peace...something bad always happens when everyone is in the state of peace. So first I have to learn fire first, then air and then water. "I'm pretty sure I don't have to go in order...or do I? Oh well." I always follow my own rules and I live by only one rule, "Whatever happens, happens."

I opened up the map that I got from a shop. Back in the orphanage I made a list of places I wanted to visit. "Let's see first is... a Water Tribe!" I folded the map back up, "Maybe someone there can teach me Waterbending!" Much like the avatars before me I also had an animal friend. Mine was a badgermole.

I found him when he was a baby and kept him ever since. Now he's big and loves to dig. So I'll just dig my way to the water tribe. "No that's not going to work..." Baggermoles don't like the sun...plus there's the water I'm going to have to cross. This is so frustrating!" The ground and me started to lift up and shake. I stomped my foot down hard and suddenly got an idea, " I'll just earthbend my way there, but which one should I visit the north or south."

"I would say south it's closer, I was going there myself." A young man said as he walked across the path towards me. "What? Who are you?"I asked. "I'm Tetsuya. I heard you say something about earth bending?"His pale skin and green eyes and weak body proved to me enough he wasn't a bender.

"Yeah, I'm an earth bender. Cool huh." He looked pretty fascinated and asked if I wanted to accompany him. "Sure why not, but how are we getting there?" A few minutes later I was standing on a steamboat it wasn't big rather small like a canoe. "22 years later and vehicles and boats haven't changed..." I sighed. "Well you know since the Sato company got shut down no one has actually moved to the next level of machines." Tetsuya spoke. "So how long will it take us to get there?"I asked and before I got my answer I started to feel a bit cold. "Wow! We're already there or at least close to it! This is the fastest steamboat I've ever been on!" I exclaimed. "Well thanks, I built it myself...but I'd rather heal people."Mumbled Tetsuya. Of course I didn't hear at the time or understood what he meant before it was too late.

A little bit before we entered the city, but before we said out goodbyes Tetsuya asked a question. "Hey what's your name and why did you want to come to this cold bitter place?" I looked at him then at the sky. It was big, wide and blue and then I spoke, "Oh I'm sorry I forgot my manners, I'm Riu. I came here hoping someone will train me." "What kind of training?" "Waterbending." I replied. Tetsuya gave a quick glance and then a panicked look, "But I thought you said you were a-Don't tell me you're you're...the..."He stopped speaking, started shaking. "Great you gonna hate me too?"I frowned.

"The avatar...You are sooo awesome!"Tetsuya grinned, "What do you mean, 'hate you'? Who would hate the avatar!" "Let's talk about this somewhere else." I quickly said. Inside a nice cozy inn wasn't so bad, not that the southern water tribe really had inns, more like guest houses.

I ordered some tea and Tetsuya ordered some too, we sat down and I started a long story. Which took up to two hours and after the story we stayed the night at the "inn". When I woke up Tetsuya was gone. I found a note on the table besides me it read, "Dear Riu, I had to go I'm sorry I didn't tell you before I'm a waterbender, but I can't train you...I mostly heal people more than fight. It would be a great thing to help the avatar, but I'm not cut out for it."

That's all it said, "Hang on what's this...?" Out of the letter slipped a leaf. Most people would throw it away, but I decided this was a key item into finding Tetsuya. So I asked the locals. Sadly not one knew where it was from. So when it became dusk I headed back to the so called inn. Someone who wasn't there before was sitting at a table.

"So you want to know where that leaf came from?" He turned around and showed his face he had black hair. "That's a leaf from the Banyan-grove tree." I hurried up and sat down to the chair next to him and listened what he had to say. He was fairly young and smelled of smoke, but it didn't look like he smoked. "So this Foggy Swamp will you take me? My ride left..."I asked hoping for a reply.

"I'll take you on one condition...Tell me who you are." It may sound easy just to blurt out who I am, but I'm the avatar and a lot of people don't want me around anymore. "I'm...Riu. I'm am from the Earth Kingdom's Orphanage and I'm the avatar." He grinned and said, "Okay as soon as we grab you little friend you're coming back with me." "What! Hey I didn't agree to that!" I yelled. He stood up and walked out and was gone before I could tell where he went.

I decided to get some rest and than figure things out in the morning. When I woke up...I wasn't in a bed. On a boat in the middle of the ocean and that guy was back. "What...? Hey did you kidnap me!"I shouted. "No, I just grabbed you and put you on the boat so we can get there faster and all without your permission. Thought it would be easier that way." He said. "Yeah cause that's not kidnapping at all." I said under my breath.

We stopped at an island, but it didn't look like a swamp. "Hey why are we here? What about the swam-"He cut me off and said, "You are staying here. I'll find you're friend."He started up the boat but before he could leave and I grabbed his arm, "Why here? Why couldn't I just stay at the southern water tribe?"I questioned. "This is where you were born. I'll come back with your friend and than we can train, but for now you can train with them." He jerks his arm off my grip and points behind me. I turn around to see a bunch of girls dressed up in weird outfits.

I turn back around to ask the stranger a question, but he's already gone.

"Now lady Riu, you must come with us." Suddenly I am taken without my will and dressed up in the outfit they're wearing. "Um excuse me, where am I?" "Sheesh she was born here and doesn't remember us." I heard some of them whispering and then a girl popped out amongst them. She was only 18, just like me...but she appeared to be the leader.

"You Avatar Riu are on Kyoshi Island." However she was shorter than me making her look 14 or something. "The Earth Avatar before you created this island and formed the Kyoshi warriors." She pointed at the statue in the middle of town, "That is her." After she was done explaining everything they started training me on not only better earth bending moves,but also fighting skills. Meanwhile in Foggy Swamp...

"Hmm let's see Banyan-grove is in the middle of the swamp, better get there quick." As the young man quickly tried to get through the treacherous swamp.

After some time had passed the man made it through. "I'm seeking a waterbender you met the avatar! Come out!"He shouted but no one made a noise except for the elbow leech which was sucking on the man's elbow. As soon as he noticed it he quickly threw it off and got on dry land. "I won't hesitate to burn this place to get to you!"

The man's hands started to form fireballs. "Alright, please don't burn this place I'll come with you!" Tetsuya came out from the tree of which he had been hiding from. "Okay good and come back with me and we will head to Kyoshi Island." He said as he grabbed Tetsuya. Back on Kyoshi Island Riu was taking a break from training.

"This armor sure is very heavy and these fans are too." I sighed. "Don't worry avatar." The leader appeared before me, "I'm sure you will live up to the avatar title." Nightfall came and I was allowed to sleep, the training was strict here. When I woke up I was on a familiar scene. The ground.

"What the? What happened to the bed I was sleeping on!" I gasped and not as shocked as I thought I would be when looked up and saw the Kyoshi leader. "This feels familiar..."I mumbled. "Training's over, you passed!" The leader rejoiced. I admit I had a puzzled expression on my face.

"Wait...what?"I thought. "What do yo-" I was cutoff yet again by a stranger. "We're back." The stranger man said. "Hey you! You never told me your name or why you..." I looked behind the stranger to see Tetsuya.

He waved at me then the stranger spoke up,"Ahem. My name is Ming-tun.I'm a firebender and I'm here to train you in the ways of firebending. I'm guess this guy's your water bending trainer then right?" He looked at Tetsuya. "Yeah sure." After chilling down and having a nice break we packed up and boarded Ming-tun's much bigger steamboat.

"I don't mean to ask so many questions, but where are we going?"I asked. "To Republic City to find your Airbending teacher." Ming-tun said. "There are only four air benders in the world!" I thought and somehow Tetsuya thought exactly like me, but he said it out loud. "Even so you need to train in all four elements if you want to stop what's coming." "What's coming do you know!"I jump up from my seat and start staring at Ming-tun, of course I don't get an reply back.

We've been on this boat for 40 days, my firebending training has been going well, but my waterbending sucks. Tetsuya thinks it's him, but I know it's me. Republic city was formed by Avatar Aang and kept peace by the avatar before me. They both did things that are a notable historic event. What was my big Avatar purpose in life? Did I even have one...?

"Well we're here! Avatar Riu, welcome to Republic City." Ming-tun said as a boarded his boat.