Defiance

An Avatar: the Last Airbender Fanfiction

By: Elizabeth Roten

Introduction

Water, Earth, Fire, and Air. The four elements humans can control. Humans are born with the ability to bend one to their will. This gift must be trained and instructed by masters to be of any use. All of the elemental gifts are common with the exception of one, Air, because of their near extinction hundreds of years ago. Some believe one element should rule the others for reasons of many. It is modern times in the Avatar World. This is the story of a girl fighting for herself.

Chapter 1

"Rue, can you please try to be happy? New town, new school, new friends… Aren't you excited?"

I rolled my eyes at him.

"Dad, we got kicked out of Ba Sing Se, do you really think they are going to accept your ideas in some other town?"

"Just don't tell anyone alright? I'm going to keep up communication with them." Dad rebuked.

Once again I rolled my eyes. They then turned towards the window to gaze out at the snowy landscape. Dad left me alone with my thoughts. By the way, I am Rue McKenzie; thirteen years old, five foot, black hair, blue eyes, "Rich Kid", straight A student, oh yeah, and an untrained waterbender. I am forbidden to do anything involving waterbending by my father. You see, when my mom was pregnant all he wished for was a male earthbender, just like him. When he got me and lost my mom in childbirth, he was infuriated; even more so when he found me in the tub five years later with a ball of water floating above my fingertips. Dad hates all elements other than earth. He believes the Earth Kingdom should take over the other nations like the Fire Nation tried to a couple hundred years ago. He believes we could make huge technological advances doing it and the world would be in the right hands. I disagree. All the nations are equal and in balance. We are just fine as we are. Too bad I have no say in the matter. To Dad, I am a disgrace of a daughter because of what I was born as and because I replace my mother. We got run out of our first class home because of his ideals. Tomorrow, I start school. Big Whoop.

*****

I slip on ice as I run to the bus the next morning. Some kids laugh, others shoot looks that say "I know how you feel". I walk up the steps and immediately search for an empty seat. A single empty one waits for me smack dad in the middle of the bus. I take it quickly. The ride to school consisted of two more stops and a ten minute drive. I go to the front office and get my schedule and map. I ended up late to my first class; I'm not good at maps. When I walked in class hadn't started and all around the classroom kids were bending. One boy was making steam come out of his ears, another was twirling pebbles in the air, but the one that interested me most was a girl with earbuds in turning the water in her Aquafina bottle to ice and back again using only her meditating breath. Her eyes were closed in deep concentration as I watched. I ripped myself away from the amazing feat to go to the teacher's desk.

"Oh, what time is it?" she asked startled as she noticed me. "You must be Rue. She said as she looked at her watch. "I'm Ms. Parham."

"Nice to meet you." I said quietly hoping not to draw attention.

"Here is your locker number and combination. Go ahead and put your things away." Ms. Parham instructed, standing from her chair. When I returned form the hall, the class was working quietly on the warm-up written on the board. Ms. Parham nodded forward to a seat in a group of four desks. I sat down quietly and began the warm-up.

"You done?" asked a tall, skinny, red haired girl next to me a few minutes later.

"Yup, um, I'm Rue McKenzie."I answered flashing a smile.

"Cool, I'm Tracie, future earthbending instructor." She told me proudly.

"Awesome. I can waterbend, but I am not trained."

"Hey, maybe Luna can help you." Tracie said motioning to the girl who had been turning the water to ice earlier. She looked up at me from her book and gave Tracie a smirk.

"Totally untrained?" she asked.

"Yeah…"I replied.

"I don't think I can help you, but maybe my mom or dad."

"Luna is in training for the Olympic trial in a few months." Tracie explained, "Both her parents are master waterbenders and run a school in town. Do you have funds?"

"Dad won't support me. Unless I get a really well-paying job, nope." I said solemnly.

"Come on, Luna. Teach her." A boy who had been silent before pleaded. "Oh, sorry," he said noticing my surprised expression. "I'm Jack."

"Rue, nice to meet you." I said smiling. Jack had raven black hair and rare amber eyes. I wondered if he was related to fire nation royalty; each blood member of the royal family possessed this feature. Jack returned my smile, his eyes lingering on my face.

"Alright, who do you have for fifth period?"Luna asked.

"Umm," I mumbled as I fumbled for my schedule, "Ms. Barlow.

"Awesome, we can talk then." Luna finished as Ms. Parham pulled down a screen over the board and turned on a projector suspended from the ceiling.

*****

Classes passed quickly and fifth period was soon upon me. This was the period that eh school gave us a break to go outside. For a moment I was worried about the January snow and ice, but as Tracie and the gang led me outside I saw that the earthbenders of the school made earthen teepees with a hole in the op where the smoke from the fire, lit by firebenders, could escape. These dirt tents are actually really warm, I thought as I stepped in and Tracie bent a door closed behind me.

"So, do you want to learn how to waterbend, properly anyway?"Luna asked me.

"Yes, but how? I have no money to pay for lessons." I answered.

"Here is the deal," Luna began, "I will teach you if you work for my family school. Nothing big, just odd jobs. Each hour of instruction costs one hour work and you can practice on the front or back ice as long as you want for free as long as there is not a class on it, rarely are there two both ice full. You can also use the little instructor matt in the office room. Just don't break anything." She smiled. I went silent.

"What is wrong?" Tracie asked. "This is a big deal, knowing how to control your element will help you the rest of your life. You know career and junk."

I was torn. What would happen if I told them about Dad?

"I don't know if my Dad will let me…" I said uneasily.

"Why not?" Jack demanded. "This is an amazing opportunity!"

I sighed.

"Don't tell anyone okay? But, my dad is one of those people who want the Earth Kingdom to take over. My mom, who was an earthbender, died birthing me."

"I'm so sorry." Tracie murmured.

"It is okay. So I am a double disgrace to him. I 'm not allowed to do anything related to waterbending. I think Dad just wants my gift to dissolve in my blood and never show itself."I finished.

"Too bad for your dad, I'm teaching you."Luna said. My last statement obviously struck a nerve.

"But how do I get away? And where do I practice outside of the school?"

"Tell him you are staying after school to catch up with us and walk to the studio with me instead. You can do your homework and such there. We close at eight and mom can drop you off at home when she goes to get dinner." Luna said deviously.

"It's perfect!" Jack said, "And Tracie and I can help you during break once the weather warms up, even if we aren't waterbenders." They all looked at me with smiles. I smiled back.

"You know… I think I can do this…" I grinned.

"Awesome!" Luna said "Now just tell your dad the cover-up tonight and we can start tomorrow!"

Just then the bell rang to end break. Tracie destroyed the teepee walls and Luna bent water and snow onto the fire. We all went back inside to end the school day with two more periods.

*****

That night I told Dad the cover up story.

"Good, I don't want you falling behind. Dinner at eight thirty, don't be late." He growled from a phone call with some person who agreed with is beliefs. I smiled and took a bottle of water into my room. I tried to bend it and almost spilled it all. The next day, school couldn't have passed slower. Finally we were released and I followed Luna to her parent's waterbending school.