Ba Sing Se; the greatest city in all of the Earth Kingdom, arguably in the entire world, and home of the Earth King Kuei. The city is famous for its reputation as the 'impenetrable city' and its beautiful architecture. It is also where this story begins, in the Upper Ring of the great city. We begin with a 15 year old boy named Umikei, shopping in the markets for groceries. He had lived in the Upper Ring with his father for all of his life and knew little of the life outside of Ba Sing Se. The Upper Ring was protected by a group of elite earthbenders called the Dai Li; Umikei never really felt comfortable around them. There was something about them, something… wrong. His father was an Earth Kingdom military General, and a respected earthbending master. Umikei was expected to live up to his father's legacy, but there was one problem: he wasn't an earthbender; in fact, he wasn't a bender at all! Umikei was horribly ashamed of his lack of bending, and was always picked on by the other kids because of it. His father had tried everything he had learnt to unlock any form of earthbending, but it simply wasn't there!

Umikei was buying fruit and vegetables from a stall near a large lake when he heard some voices behind him:

"Oh, hey guys! Look: it's Umikei!" one voice said. Umikei sighed and turned around. Standing there were the four earthbending students who picked on him the most. They knew he was defenceless if they used earthbending, and used that to their advantage. Umikei stayed silent, and just continued his shopping, keeping an eye of them just in case.

"So he's ignoring us now? How mature! Well, maybe I can get his attention." One boy said, bending a large pebble at Umikei. He gracefully dodged it, and continued shopping. That was the one odd thing about Umikei: unlike the earthbenders and the Earth Kingdom in general, who were slow and steady in their fighting, he was much more graceful and agile. His balance and fluidity was his greatest weapon and possibly his only real skill. The boys were a little ticked off by his obliviousness, but kept up their 'assault' all the same.

"Umikei thinks he's being clever, huh? Maybe we should knock that out of him."

"Maybe I should knock you guys out first!" Umikei turned around and saw a welcome sight. It was his childhood friend Ila, an accomplished warrior and an amazing person to have in a fight. Ila became a warrior while Umikei was forced to just, exist.

"Maybe you guys should back off from my friend; before I make you." The boys looked uncomfortable, but weren't going to yield to a girl.

"Oh, Ila. We're just having a bit of fun! Besides, it's only Umikei. He's just a disappointment, and a failure. I bet his parents don't even-"

"ENOUGH!" Umikei screamed. The boys fell silent. It wasn't out of fear of Umikei, but of the lake nearby. It was almost always still, but was now rippling heavily.

"It's OK, Umikei, just calm down!"

"No! Ever since I was old enough to speak you've bullied me, and I'm sick of it!" The lake was now rising and falling, following the movement of Umikei's hands!

"Umi, just stop!" Ila shouted, getting a bit worried.

"They need to be taught a lesson!" Umikei shouted again. Suddenly, as if on instinct, he raised a large amount of water from the lake and bought it crashing down on the boys. He then bought he hands back, and froze the water. The boys were trapped up to their necks, and totally immobilised. Ila just stared in awe; Umikei, the Earth Kingdom boy she'd known for years, had just waterbent in front of her eyes!

Umikei stared at the boys; at the destruction he had just caused. Stepping back, he ran to his home in the Upper Ring as quickly as his legs would carry him. He reached his home quickly and slammed the door shut, scared of what might happen if people found out. Umikei wasn't thinking straight; waterbending was welcomed in Ba Sing Se, and he'd most likely be welcomed! He ran to his bedroom and lay on his bed silently, pondering what he should do with this. He controlled the lake, controlled the water. He was a waterbender, no doubt about it, but the question was: what now? Was he going to just forget about it? No, he couldn't. He just couldn't! He'd spent his whole life in the shadow of his peers because he couldn't bend, but now he could, so he had to use this power! Umikei stepped off his bed slowly, careful to check if anyone was home. Noticing the house was empty, he stepped out to his back garden, where a small pond was situated. He stared at the water, not knowing what he was supposed to do. At the lake it was instinct and anger that let him waterbend, but now that he was thinking about it he had no idea was to do! He thought back to when waterbenders were last in town. They were masters, but he saw them practicing some simple movements whilst training. The simplest was just a bit of manipulation, pushing and pulling the water in turn. Umikei took a steady stance, not strong and low like earthbending, graceful and calm instead. It came easy, and it felt right. He looked back at the water, and began to push his arms back and forth, remaining calm and elegant as he went along. At first, he felt nothing but then, there was something there; just a little feeling, like a bubble deep in his body. As he continued to motion, and concentrated on the pond, the feeling grew until it was more than just a bubble. It became like a river, flowing through his body and connecting his chi; slowly, but surely, the water began to move; flowing forwards and backwards. Umikei laughed and continued to move the water. Feeling a burst of confidence, he motioned upwards and lifted some water out from the pond. He pulled it towards himself and held it there. The large ball of water rippled and moved in his grasp. Gracefully moving his arms, Umikei moved the water around his body, behind him, in front of him and around him, before accidentally dropping it. It seems he has a lot to learn still.

"So you found out, huh?"

Umikei spun around and saw his father standing in the doorway. He looked solemn, and leant against the doorway sadly.

"Yeah! Dad, I'm a waterbender! Aren't you proud?" Umikei asked. His father sighed and stepped down towards Umikei.

"Umikei, there's something I've got to tell you. Something I've put off for too long." Umikei was led to the bench by his house's pond, and sat down next to his father.

"Umikei. You weren't born in the Earth Kingdom." He said sadly.

"Wh-what? What do you mean?!"

"I came back from a shift on guard 15 years ago. It was pretty late at night, and I found something on my doorstep. A baby wrapped in sheets; it was you." Umikei looked back at the pond as a slight tear left his eye.

"I'm not your son?"

"No, you're not." Umikei's father put an arm around him "I'm sorry Umi."

"Wh-where did I come from, then?"

"I found you wrapped in Northern Water Tribe sheets, with this scroll." He pulled out a large waterbending scroll. It looked expensive and detailed complex and graceful moves.

"I'm from the Northern Water Tribe?" Umikei said to himself. After a while in silence, Umikei stood up.

"I have to go back. I have to go home" he said loudly

A day had passed and Umikei was packed and ready to leave for the North Pole. He had enough supplies for a week, and more than enough money for extra. His father had made him a large water skin which he filled with the water from his pond. As Umikei left home, his father said goodbye:

"Remember to light a fire when you camp, alright? And stay away from Fire Nation troops and towns, OK?"

"Dad, I'll be alright!" Umikei said for the hundredth time. They hugged one last time as Umikei left home for good. Umikei slowly walked to the monorail station in the Upper Ring. The large building was usually a picture of beauty, but it was suddenly a picture of melancholy instead. Umikei had never left Ba Sing Se before, but now he was suddenly leaving the Earth Kingdom altogether! Umikei sat down and waited for the monorail patiently, all the while making plans and promises. He had to travel west, and find a port that would take him north to the Water Tribe. He didn't know how long it would take to reach a port, but he was sure he'd get there eventually; and hopefully without meeting the Fire Nation along the way. As Umikei contemplated this, and loud voice spoke out:

"Last train to the Outer Wall! All aboard for the Outer Wall!" Umikei took a deep breath and boarded the carriage, sitting down with a bump. As the train travelled along the track, Umikei watched the landscape fly by quickly. A tear left his eye as his city slowly disappeared, but was interrupted:

"You didn't think you could leave without me, did you?" Umikei turned around and saw Ila, standing there with a full bag packed and her sword in hand.

"Ila!" Umikei cried, jumping up and hugging her "What are you doing here?!"

"I couldn't let you leave Ba Sing Se on your own, could I? You can barely defend yourself, and with the Fire Nation about-"

"I'm a waterbender now, I can look after myself." Umikei said defiantly

"You've been one for a couple of days, hardly a master. You need me Umi, and I'm coming whether you like it or not" Umikei paused, and then replied:

"I wouldn't have it any other way"

The monorail stopped at the Outer Wall of the grand city and Umikei and Ila got off at the station. The security was very tight and they had a job getting out of the city, but eventually they did. Umikei had never seen the outside of the city, but Ila had already been outside and was therefore unfazed by the landscape that Umikei admired so greatly.

"I-It's so… big!" Umikei said in awe

"It's the Earth Kingdom, what did you expect?" Ila answered nonchalantly

"How on earth are we going to get to the North Pole from here?"

"By walking of course!" Ila cried, punching Umikei on the shoulder "Come on Umi, we've got some walking to do." The two friends settled their packs and began walking, making their way west to the Northern Ports.