Thicker Than Water

They say that your family, your blood, is thicker than water; runs deeper and farther in your veins than the very essence of your soul. Through the miles of sinew and bone that bond is attached to the very essence of your being. Irrevocable. Inescapable. It melds with your skin, invades your thoughts, and with every breath that you claim for your own you release some semblance of who you were before, until you can't discriminate from one another anymore. On the cold winter nights in Republic City we'd sit with our backs against the harsh metal of the skyscrapers and look out into the dismal skyline, staring so long that the city lights shined brighter than stars. As we were there, our breath mingling in short wisps up to the night sky, I liked to think I could understand that connection so many people thought was important. All the countless miles of city streets twisting around the crumbling buildings and terrified people that we'd come to accept as a part of ourselves.

To say that the city was nothing but rock and stone would be the greatest lie one could tell. It was more than that, and it thrived with a life that can only be described as alive. That's why we did what we did; suffered through the pain and fought with the goodness that we had. We wanted to save that city, so full of life and wonder.

So we took back Republic City, and we helped give it back the strength it once had before. We fought for justice, and justice was what was gained. But such peace comes with cost, no matter what form. For each of us, we all lost something in those days, some part of us left behind. For me, I lost something that can never be replaced.

I have my body, my mind, and my will. I can walk and smile and still use my bending. But all actions are empty without something to inspire them. I didn't lose myself, no. It was far more painful.

I lost my heart in Republic City.

"Look I don't care how many times you try to convince me I am not going to go skinny dipping in the harbor with you." Ume protested with rather wildly flailing arms.

"But it's the perfect plan!" Jetta huffed, upset at the denial.

"Oh yes, let's review this plan," Ume said sarcastically, pulling a crumpled piece of paper from Jetta's hand. "Step One: Remove clothing."

"Check."

"Step Two: Jump into freezing harbor."

"Yes, Exactly."

"Step Three: Swim into super secret harbor base using the fisheries access point in the west warehouse, Pier 07."

"Clearly the work of a mastermind right there."

"Step Four: Destroy Amon and cripple all remaining anti- bending opposition." Ume finished.

Jetta clapped her hands together, "Precisely!"

"YOU EXPECT ME TO DEFEAT THE ULTIMATE FORCES OF DARK AND EVIL BUCK NAKED?!"

Jetta shrugged, "Well if he tries to take your bending away you'd be able to create a pretty good diversion. Two of them actually."

Ume froze, mouth agape, unable to even muster a rebuttal. She stood there leaned against the counter silently, coming to the conclusion for the seventh time that week that her newfound Earthbending friend was both crazy and slightly delusional. Not only was the idea a bad idea, but the idea of the idea was really just a bad idea.

"What?" Jetta questioned.

"I'm not exactly sure what's going on, but it's going to end with someone in this room crying of laughter or of fatal injury." A voice suddenly arose from behind the two, accompanied with the subtle sound of a crinkling brown paper bag. The bell on the large wooden door chimed cheerfully, followed by a loud thud as the door closed shut behind a tall, lean girl. She set down a set of six grocer's bags, all stuffed with a myriad of colorful vegetables. She stood up wiping her hands off on her bright gold apron and turned to face the situation at hand.

"Hey, Kiki's finally back!"

"It's Kili," she said slightly furrowing one eyebrow.

"I know, and you'll continue to remind me of that for the rest of eternity." Jetta turned her eyes to the bags on the floor. "Why didn't you ask us for help, we could have gone with and saved you form the delivery service."

Ume blinked, finally finding her voice again, "Well I WAS going to accompany her but SOMEBODY wanted to have a, ehem, 'super special top secret L.E.A.F meeting to discuss unimagineabley good planning'."

"And it still is!" Jetta smiled.

"Can you guys have this argument later? Help me put this up. I don't want to keep the lunch rush waiting. Unless one of you feels compelled to be the dishmonger for the next week?"

Instilled with new ferocity, Jetta and Ume sprang to life, shoving each other out of the way and running to the supplies. Kili, amazed that the two could be so. . . so. . . weird, grabbed a fresh washcloth from the sink basin, shaking her head in disbelief, and threw it over her shoulder to start cleaning the shop counters, prepping them for the day's sales.

Guess who's back.

Back again.

L.E.A.F is back.

Tell a friend.

(I am the real Slim Shady)