Hi and welcome to Avatar: A New Element. Just to give you a heads up, this does have some mature content in it so it's rated M just to be safe. And it's a bit violent here and there. However, this story is about Legion, my OC. This is the first and only time I'll say this, as I feel I don't have to state it in every chapter I post. I don't own A:TLA. But if I did, Katara wouldn't be so...Meh. I'm just not her biggest fan. And Zuko, well he'd be ending up with Legion if I owned the show. Sadly I don't and thus this fic a was born. Read, rate, flame, do whatever you want. If you have any questions, feel free to ask them in the comment box below at the end of every chapter, or you can always PM me. I'll tell you now that this was written mainly because I wanted to. It's for myself. Don't like it? Leave. Love it? Awesome!
Book One: Water
Chapter One: Life
When I was born, I was blind, and yet I was not. My blindness was very different, however. In light, such as during the day, or even in streams of moonlight or candlelight, I could not see. But in shadows, dark rooms, during the new moon, and so on, I could see just as well as any other baby could. Other than that, I was like any other baby; I cried, I hungered, I yearned for attention, I ate, slept, pooped and peed. I played, I grabbed at new things even if I couldn't see them or I could. As I grew, life got more complicated in the eyes of well...Everyone. By the time it was time for me to start walking, I had already begun to run and skip. By the time it was time for me to start reading, I was already writing. To an every day person, I was a prodigy; the genius daughter born to an earth bender family of little importance anywhere besides my home village a few days' walk from Omashu. Other than dealing with my odd blindness and the fact that I don't look like an Earth bender's child, life was easy. That is until I learned I could do amazing things. Dangerous things. Scary things.
Despite the fact that I was only five, I was very smart. Just as I've always been. The only thing I wasn't good at, at that time, was directions. To this day I am admittingly directionally challenged. That day that I discovered my ability, I had wandered off of my family's farm, angry. Moments before my dad and I had finished training- he was trying to teach me to Earthbend since both he and Mother could do it. But the training was futile. I hadn't been able to even lift a pebble, and this upset my dad. He lashed out at me, asking me why I couldn't be like my little brother, whom turned out to be a bending prodigy- at a year old he was bending the earth to his will, however his intellect rose at normal levels. I've never been one for liking being compared to my brother whom is two years younger than I. And I had lashed out myself- I get my temper from daddy dearest- telling him that he needs to get over himself and accept that not everyone can be a bender like the rest of the family.
In my lack of directional abilities, I had wandered my way into a set of caves, and I was given sight. I remember smiling at being able to see the dank tunnels that I aimlessly wandered through, not really caring to admit that I was lost as per usual. However, for whatever reason, a rock had been moved around, disturbing the hot tempered wolfbats that decided to take their anger out on the one who woke them up: me. With howling screeches, they came down on me in a flurry of wings, and I screamed, throwing my arms over my head and face for protection. When I heard the sound of their bodies hitting something very solid, I had opened my eyes that had been clenched tight in hopes that I actually did manage to earth bend. But that wasn't the case. The orb around me was much too smooth to be made of earth. It wasn't made of air, as it wasn't moving around like I imagined an orb of air to be like I've read in stories about the extinct airbenders. I reached out to touch it, wondering if somehow it was water; it wasn't. And obviously it wasn't fire...So what could it possibly be? My brows furrow, and like the at the orb disappears.
When I tried to make it again, imagining the dome that had come to my rescue, I look around for any clues as to what the dome that reappears upon my calling could be. A yelp that turned out to be a small scream escapes me as I realize...The shadows...They're moving to my will, collecting to make that dome. My brows furrow further, and I clench a hand, imagining that the shadows turn into a ball around said fist. To my amazement and surprise, they complied. My heart had beat with a wild wonder as to just how I'm doing this. Is this a dream? Did I go to pout in my room and fall asleep without realizing it? Did I fall and hit my head? Another yelp came from me when I pinched myself, and I had realized that I wasn't sleeping. This was happening for real. How or why, I don't know.
After a while, I had actually managed to find my way back into the dreaded light that took my sight away; something I've grown used to over my five years of life. I blinked though as I almost...sensed all sorts of things around me. Little animals I supposed. I tilted my head; I had never been able to sense things around me before I entered those dank caves. Being pulled towards a cool spot that turned out to be some shade, I had realized that indeed there were animals skittering this way and that, just as my senses told me. My eyes widened, and from that day on, I honed this new skill of mine.
For seven whole years, I kept my ability a secret from my family, playing the odd girl out in being un able to bend anything at all, let alone earth, and also being the weird blind person that doesn't look like an Earth Kingdomer. I had learned many many things in those seven years of growing up. Let me give you a run down.
The element I can control, is one I prefer to call Darkness instead of just Shadows. Darkness, is an element with limitless possibilities. It is an element that can be used like water, in that it can become solid or stay in an almost liquid-esque state. As that's how the darkness is when it's not solidified; it is almost like water in that it ripples and changes shape, but it's not wet. Like fire, it reacts wildly to one's emotions, but unlike fire in that way it only feeds off of bad emotions like anger, grief, envy, and so on. Like air, it is weightless unless condensed however it is visible no matter what. And like earth, it is everywhere, even if not seen right away but more so than even earth. Not only that, but I've discovered that because darkness is everywhere, it is in living beings as well. Shadows made by the organs in our bodies is a good example. But also, it lays in everyone's hearts, and depending on the person, it is either big or small. Because darkness can be fed by negative emotions, those with a good heart and soul have little puddles darkness; where on the contrary those with an evil heart and soul have massive pools of darkness. These pools or puddles can shrink and grow depending on the emotions of the person. If a kind hearted person is angry or sad, the puddle will get bigger. However, if an evil hearted person is happy or delighted, the pool does not get smaller, it gets bigger due to the happiness most likely being due to malicious intent. But if said evil person is suddenly coming to terms with themselves. and they realize what they've done and for whatever reason decide to become good, the darkness in their hearts will slowly shrink. It's because of this darkness in everyone's hearts, that I can track people, and tell where each and every living thing is. In essence, it's like a blind earth bender listening with their feet in order to see. I, for whatever reason, have an ocean of darkness laying within me; I'm not evil I assure you. But I am sadistic and love to fight...That's besides the point. With this ocean of darkness within me...Ahh I'll leave that for later.
Because of the shadows created by the organs in our bodies, I can take control of that darkness, and control the body like a puppet. Which honestly I love to do, as it gives me a lot of an advantage. I haven't found someone who can fight off my hold on their darkness once I've got a firm grip, which is interesting to say the least. I've found that I can travel through the shadows, as in become one with them literally, and travel at quick speeds. Over long distances, I have to have been at my destination personally once before in order to get from point A to point B.
You remember when I said about having an ocean of darkness witin me? I've recently discovered something very interesting to say the least. I can't say why really, as I don't know how my darkness does it, but I can heal instantly. Cut me open, and I'll heal, no scar left behind. Cut off a finger- which has happened on accident while training in secret, and it'll come back almost right away. It's amazing really. Though I still don't know why I can't fix my eyes; an issue that's annoying more than anything. Still, it's helpful. Unfortunately...I can't heal others for whatever reason. I've tried. Like one time I found a hurt turtleduck and tried to use my darkness to heal it...It killed it instead. I don't know why, but I do remember having blood on my hands, and everywhere in a small range. When I had created a shadow over myself with my darkness...i realized that my darkness blew up the poor thing. I was depressed for a week and a half.
Over those seven years of secretly training, I had become more distant towards my father, and he towards me. Most of the time, over those years, he could be found training my dearest little brother in everything he knows. It doesn't help that brother dearest looks exactly as an Earth Kingdom child should: eyes that are a shade or tint of green, brown hair of a tint or shade, and skin that's a peach color kind of if not a bit tan due to working on the farm like the rest of us. Although he's only two years younger than I, he's a tall boy, and already the muscles of hard training are starting to set in. He's going to be a bit burly when he's older I think. I know what he looks like due to seeing him in a shadow with me. Mother and I, despite her not really being able to defend me, got along well. However she could tell that I was not happy there. On my thirteenth birthday, I ran away from home. I was tired as being treated as a freak my father and brother, and yet loved by a mother who couldn't really do anything to change their minds about me. Thus, on a night of the new moon, I fled. I dissolved into the shadows and ran away. For a little while I stayed in Omashu, just wanting to raise some money by working at a flower shop. But after about a year of working there and not really being liked because of how I look, I left. I jouried my way through the Earth Kingdom for about another year until I came upon Jet and his Freedom Fighters whom had taken it upon themselves to help me save the village I was in from Fire Nation soldiers. At first, due to my appearance, I wasn't well liked which is a given. However, after a year of being with them, I feel as though I've been accepted into the group as I am treated as anyone else is.
