Four Elements
Now this is merely a pilot chapter to see how well this fic could be, one good review is all I need. I'm not sure myself whether or not Avatar is an anime but if it isn't it's closest animated thing on television without being one.
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or any of the characters, if I did I wouldn't be broke.
Prologue: The Mysterious Usui
In the Earth Kingdom capital of Ba Sing Se, three nomad-looking people were walking down the market, searching each stand to see what would be best for their's and their companion's food for the time being.
The one who appeared to be leading the trio was in the middle when it came to height and from the way he carried himself, it seemed as if he had been through battle more times than he probably would have liked to.
"Tell me again why I'm accompanying you two," the tallest said impatiently.
"Because first off, I still don't completely trust you," the one leading answered. "Your actions at the North Pole still make me wonder if I should have saved you, you're out here so I can keep an eye on you," he paused. After a few seconds he said, "Besides having three people helps not only against pick-pockets, also a triangle formation if we were attacked by a number of people. And finally if it were just the two of us," he said, indicating the shortest one, "we'd be attacked by thieves thinking they were fighting helpless old men, we'd be forced to defend ourselves, and, as a result, draw attention, which is the last thing we need."
"That still doesn't explain why you don't bring the senile old king instead of him," the tallest said pointing to the shortest of the group with a tad less impatience.
"Although the 'senile old king', as you put it, is powerful, he is too easy to recognize in a place like this," the leading one said. "I'm not known by many earth benders, or by many at all. Only the soldiers and five individuals living here as civilians currently would recognize you, and that's only if they had left the city and battled you and/or were searching for you in specific. And the monk has been here before, but that was over a hundred years ago, very few are alive to recognize him," he finished and looked at the variety of food.
The final companion, who was indeed the shortest, but only by about an inch and a half or so, was looking at the ground while crouching down.(I'll be knowing each of them as leader, tall and short until their names are mentioned, and for those who think they know who each is, change the names in your head)
"You know you really shouldn't be crouching like that at your age," leader said. "What's got you so interested that you risk your bones?" he asked half-jokingly
"There is an indentation in the ground," short responded and examined it further. After a few second he said, "Hmmm, this looks like a footprint, and a familiar one at that."
"You don't say," leader responded.
"It looks like the footprint of that flying animal the Avatar always rides," tall said after glancing at it.
"He's right," short said, "this it definitely the footprint of a sky bison, seems to be fully grown as well."
"I had a feeling that one of his friends had literally been taken from him," leader said. "He's most likely underground, it's best not to do this now, let's finish gathering the supplies and come back with our allies later tonight if possible," he finished and started walking to where they were staying currently. His two companions followed.
After a few minutes of walking tall got impatient again and asked leader something that was on his mind, "I've been wanting to know, how exactly were you so sure that the Avatar was coming here?"
"My reincarnation is traveling with him and I know a few of the things that she knows," leader answered. "There are three altogether in that group, making a total of four people and a lemur currently," he finished.
He nodded and then asked, "Also, why did you help those warriors against the Fire Lord's daughter? They seemed to be holding their own against Azula and her group."
"It's better to have someone on your side who can hold their own against advanced fighting and fire bending then let them die right then and there," leader answered. "Besides, they were fighting a losing battle, they need more training and battle experience before being able to fight evenly against, let alone defeat, Azula, Mai and Ty Lee," he finished.
After a few more minutes and some bumping with a few people due to crowded streets, the three of them were in an alleyway, leader looked to see if anyone was around. After a few checks he tapped his foot and the three of them descended through the earth bending that leader was using. When they were deep enough leader closed the gap made through their descension and made sure it was thick and stable enough to keep from arousing suspicion from anyone who wasn't aware of it.
After leader had finished closing the gap, tall held out his hand and a flame ignited in it. With this tall lead the way through the downward passage the three were taking, during which leader was complimenting tall on his improvement on control.
A few more minutes passed as they made it to a huge chamber filled with people, mostly ones without hair and arrow tattoos on their heads and hands. Tall stopped his fire because the chamber itself was well lit.
"Well Usui, did you get anything more than food?" an old and insane sounding voice asked.
Leader or now Usui responded by lowering the hood of his cloak revealing a man who looked increasingly aged with shoulder-length grey hair and deep blue eyes, "Indeed I have Bumi. Sorry again for having to divert you from your initial plan at Omashu. Of course once they found out you could still bend, your plan was kind of ruined."
"Well enough of the apologies," the Omashu king said. "What did you learn?"
"It appears that the young Avatar, Aang is currently in the city," Usui informed the group.
"Anything else?" a man with white mop-like hair and a pointed beard asked.
"Yes Jeong Jeong," Usui said, "the Fire Nation fugitives of the royal family, the prince, Zuko and the Dragon of the West, Iroh are also here as well as some led by a boy who believes his group to be freedom fighters. I slipped Iroh and the freedom fighter's leader, Jet, a message to meet at certain area. Iroh no doubt is aware of the message right when I gave it to him, Jet will most likely be aware in a few hours, if that long." Usui paused and let what he told them sink in, after a few second more he continued, "Finally, you are most likely aware that the citizens of the city are not aware of the war due to the king's Grand Secretariat, Long Feng's usage of the Dai Li and his own ability of hypnosis. But due to some evidence the three of us have found as well as something else I've picked from Long Feng's pocket, I believe that we need to take action by speaking with the king of treason against the Avatar."
"And what incriminating evidence did you take to suggest we take such extreme measures," short said, surprised by Usui's words.
Usui reached into his cloak a pulled out a small object, "Do you know what this is Gyatso?" he asked holding the object in front of Gyatso's face.
Gyatso took the object and studied it only to drop it in even more surprise, "This is a sky bison summoning whistle. Why would Long Feng have one?"
Usui picked up the whistle and said, "To lure Appa to him, we'll have to show some more incriminating evidence to the king when we tell him. There's one other thing."
"And what is that?" Bumi asked curiously.
"Aang's group has information on the date of the next solar eclipse, though it did cost them," Usui said regretfully.
"And what did it cost them?" the Omashu king asked.
"Appa was captured by a group of desert earth benders when they were gathering the information," Usui said. "Under normal circumstances Appa would have gone with them, but due to an incident of betrayal of trust thanks initially to a certain someone at the great spirit library, and the fact that Aang's group was forced to do the same, his earth bending teacher had to keep the library from going into the Spirit World long enough for the group to escape from the library. The fact that Aang's teacher is blind is one problem, the other was that she couldn't hold the library up and save Appa at the same time. Because she is blind, earth bending is perfect for her in that she can find others through the vibrations in the earth, but she really can't feel vibrations in a desert," he finished.
"Given the circumstances, I suppose we'll have to tell the king about this treason, but first we'll need to find Appa, that will be evidence enough," Gyatso said.
"It wouldn't hurt if we also had an influential person to help sway the king," Jeong Jeong said looking towards Bumi.
"I understand," Bumi responded, "but we'll need to figure out where Appa is without anyone catching on."
"We'll have to let Aang and the group know about us, about me," Usui said. He closed his eyes, "And about themselves."
End of Chapter
This is only a pilot chapter to see if I should continue, I've brought in the fire master, Jeong Jeong, who was suppose to teach Aang at one point, in the group as well as the King of Omashu, Earth Bending Master, and long time friend of Aang, Bumi. These and many more are apart of a group led by Usui. Read and Review if you want to find out more. My motto for fics is that only one good review is necessary for me to continue.