Avatar: Repeating Destiny, Trails of the Face Stealer

Prelude

Well here is a new story! I'm going for the Kumi/taang theory in this one, so it's going to be a little weird, but I think I'm going t put some new twists on the theory this time. I hope you all like this one. Oh yeah, this is going to be extreme pre war, the about six years post war, trust me it'll make sense and be well worth the read! Enjoy!

Chapter 1: Reveal

Kuruk opened his heavy eyelids to the sunshine that penetrated the windows of his small room. He lived in the basic water tribe house made of primarily thick ice and many animal skins for carpeting, and sheets and fabrics for linen and other such materials. He got out of bed and stretched his stiff limbs and washed up before walking around the city. He looked in his mirror and admired his shirt less torso, making several poses to show off his muscular build. He then examined his face and the flawless skin and strong bones that made it, "No need to shave, the stubble will look quite attractive." He said happily. He then tousled his short, messy, brown hair before he got dressed in his water tribe clothes and threw a parka, boots, and gloves on before leaving the house. Today was a big day for him; he was finally turning sixteen, and that meant he was of marrying age. So needless to say he wanted to go 'fishing' today to find the perfect 'catch.'

He didn't wake up his parents because they were very busy the night before preparing for his party. He knew how hard they worked to make this day special for him, and he figured they should get some much deserved rest. He spent the morning walking around and helping many of the elders get stuff done in their houses, or play with some kids, solve minor dilemmas and problems and that sort of thing. He was well known to the Water Tribe population and was even famous among the many girls. After strolling on the icy sidewalks, he walked to one of the North Pole's many fountains that had many girls around them.

As he had hoped, he saw several girls sitting around the fountain. When they all saw him, most of them giggled and whispered to each other. "Showtime." He said quietly to himself, popping the collar on his parka and walked forward confidentally. "Hey ladies, how are you all on this lovely morning?"

"Oh, we're all just fine, especially now that you're here, Kuruk." One of them said to him, batting her eyes.

"Thank you Kuan-Yin, and I must say, you're looking absolutely beautiful today." Kuruk replied, gently taking her hand and kissing it lightly.

"Oh you rabbit dog!" she said, blushing.

"But, I think your muscles seem to be rippling from your parka, Kuruk." Said another girl, rubbing against him, stroking his arms.

"You flatter me, Mei!" Kuruk said with a big grin. He quickly water bended a small flower for her, "For you." He said seductively while handing it to her.

"Oh, it's so pretty! Thank you!"

"Of course, my precious panda lily." He kissed her lightly on the cheek. "Actually… you know what?" he asked them all. He jumped to the rim of the fountain, "Let's make this area as intoxicating as you young ladies are!" Using the octopus form he sent tendrils out to whip the ground around him several times, and as the tendril would move away, an ice flower would form where the tendril hit.

The girls watched in awe at Kuruk's water bending prowess and gaped when he finished, looking at the iced flora all around them. They immediately started clapping and complimenting him, Thank the spirits for women! He thought happily to himself during the whole process.

It was then that he heard his mother, "Kuruk! Come here, I have great news!" They all paused to look at his mother.

"Coming, mom!" he yelled happily. "Until next time, ladies…" he finished again in his deepest voice and then ran off to give his mom a hug.

"Did you really think you could run off without giving your father and me a hug, on your birthday!" she said jokingly.

"Hey, I just wanted you two to get some sleep!" he retorted, "I'm taking some of that responsibility you wanted me to take!"

"Well just wait until your water bending practice later, then we'll see what happens!" His mother was getting older which was obvious from the small wrinkles, but not evident with her shiny black hair. He was much shorter than Kuruk but was a stupendous water bending master and was Kuruk's teacher. Together they walked back to their house and when they entered he was surprised to see two of the five water sages in his house.

"Good morning, Kuruk." Said the female one.

"We have some important news for you that your mother and father have already heard." The male one said.

"We have come to inform you that you are the new avatar." The female said, bowing with the male sage. Even his mother bowed and his father who also walked in. Kuruk surveyed them all with not his usual boastful attitude, but fear and anticipation.

"You have to be wrong!" he yelled at them. "I can't be the next avatar!"

"Your superior bending proves otherwise." The male sage said pointedly.

"I'm just a quick learner!" Kuruk continued to yell back. "I'm NOT the avatar!" he yelled angrily, it was then his eyes glowed for a few split seconds and a small rip tide outside knocked over a canoe. Quickly Kuruk ran out into the cool morning air once again to retrieve the few people out of the water and bended the excess off water off of them.

"As you can see," The female sage said after Kuruk finished apologizing to the three men who were going out to hunt and returned inside to his house, "That was a defense mechanism that all avatars have called the avatar state. That will be one of the many things you will need to learn and control on your journey."

Kuruk shook his head frustrated before storming off to his room. His father held up a hand as the sages started to follow, "Relax, he can have a thick head at times. I'll talk to him later about everything." The sages bowed in thanks and left promptly.

Once they were gone and the door was closed, his mother said, "I can't believe our boy is the avatar, I always knew he was special!"

"I know Li-Min." he said with a chuckle. "Let's just hope we can get him to the avatar part!"

Kuruk reclined on his bed. There was so much information that he had to digest, it was just so overwhelming. "How can I be the avatar?" he said quietly to himself. "Sure it's great, but there is so much pressure. How on earth am I supposed to learn all the other elements, and still have time for girls?"

He paced around his room, thoughts still racing. An hour later, his dad knocked on the door, "May I come in?"

"Yeah go ahead." Kuruk opened the door and his father walked in. His father was as tall as Kuruk, and even more muscular. He was aklso aging since his once dark brown hair began to gray in many places. In ways, he was an older version of Kuruk.

"How are you?" he asked, sitting on the edge of the bed with his son.

"What do you think, dad?"

"Just needed a conversation starter." His father shrugged. "You know, being the avatar might not be half bad."

"Really now?"

"Really… do you know how many people would kill to learn all of the elements? Besides you get to travel the world and meet new people. Besides, I'm sure being the avatar would help with the ladies." His father nudged his son in the side.

Kuruk laughed, "I could get used to that part."

"Here, I got something for you…" he left the room and returned with a spear, Kuruk looked at it in awe. It wasn't just any spear; it was his grandfather's famous hunting spear.

"No way!" Kuruk exclaimed happily, taking the spear and examining it closely in his hands.

"That was your grandfather's. He made it after killing a whale tiger with the most fearsome display of water bending ever seen. He fashioned it out of the sharpest incisor he found and made the shaft out of the spine. I'm not sure how he did it, but it's darn near indestructible."

"Its mine now?" Kuruk asked.

"Well not yet, the sages always want a new avatar to leave on their journey with no material possessions. It helps promote the feeling of unity between the nations during the travels. But don't worry; when you finish your training it'll be all yours."

"Thanks so much, dad!" he gave his father a hug before going downstairs to his mother, "I think I'm ready to start this avatar thing." He said to her.

She looked at him with teary eyes, "I'm glad you are." She said before giving him a hug and a kiss.

Later that afternoon, after he had packed some essentials they saw him off at the docks where a boat would take him to the northern earth kingdom where he would practice earth bending.

"I am interested in this new avatar." A voice said from a dark cave in another world. The source of the voice crept around his small domain and plotted in his devilish mind, "Somehow, I feel he will learn his lessons in the direst of ways…"

To be continued…