Disclaimer: I don't own any names referenced in the story from ATLA or LOK.

Hello! I am releasing chapter 1 and 2 at the same time as to give you guys much more depth to all the characters and this world. The other chapters will probably be delivered individually now. In most cases, every few chapters will try and convey and single story within a larger narrative. So enjoy!

The Avatar Part 2

...

"The plan was set in motion, 'sir'," 347 threw several scrapped pieces of equipment on to the table. "And it failed spectacularly. This cannot go on, 'sir'."
"The plan did not fail. Those who were tasked to accomplish it were incompetent, to say the least." Picking up the pieces, He attempted to interconnect them, as if they were once a singular piece. "Find J4, tell him that we've found some possible leads that could push the entire objective further into motion." Before He could reach the door 347 grabbed him, his grip cold and unnerving.
"You think this is really something he would like to hear? You've already wasted so much of his time and resources. You''ll disappear as soon as you walk down the wrong alley."
"Well before I disappear, get the message to him. Even you can understand that, no?"

As quickly as they engaged in conversation, they separated to accomplish their own tasks. Both stood on a knife's edge, with one fatal failure to finally cut the string.

…

In the early moments of the morning, Sudhir arrived at the Western Metal Institution. Along with other qualified benders, he awaited the Gravity Transport Unit that would take them to the Sanctuary of Avatars. There were no familiar faces in the crowd, all of them appeared to be in their early and mid-twenties. Almost everyone glanced over at his direction when he arrived, surprised or impressed that a boy his age was a Gravity Bender. He took a few steps back, grip tightening on the pass, as he opted to wait slightly apart from the crowd until he heard a familiar voice.

"You realize that this is a really, really bad plan right?" Taku wore a formal uniform. On it was a medal that showcased his proficiency with Gravity Bending. His pass hanged around his neck and he brought with him a small green notebook. "If you get caught, you and Mei are not gonna be the only ones in trouble. I'm probably gonna get dragged into this! Somehow!" Sudhir noticed that some of the crowd were looking at them, more specifically, at Taku.
"I'm sure it'll be fine, besides, it was Mei's idea so nag at her."
"I already have, the entire night and this morning!" Taku had both his hands on his face and shook his head. With a sigh, he relaxed and decided to change topics. "Alright, since you're here already there's nothing I can do about it. Just follow my lead when the guy checking the passes asks questions alright?"
"Sure, of course, speaking of which. When is the GTU getting here?"
"It'll be here soon from what I've heard. Although once it gets here the travel there is gonna be pretty long."
"How so? It's a pretty quiet day today. How long would it take to get there, like an hour?"
"Well considering it's on the East side of the city and located inside the second wall it would take..." Taku stopped to think for a moment. "About six hours, give or take"
"Six hours?! Wouldn't it be really late at night when we get back?"
"I mean what choice do we really have? It's only open for a day so we got to make the most of it."

The sounds of the Gravity Transport Unit arriving put their discussion to an end. Taku and Sudhir boarded, along with most of the crowd that stood with them. The journey to the Sanctuary was quiet and filled with anticipation. By the time they had arrived, it was already noon. The Sanctuary looked more alive than either of them had ever seen. Usually, its entrances would be sealed, today all of them were open with two guards, wearing advanced GC gear, next to each of them. People lined up one by one to have their passes checked. Most were allowed entry, others were rejected, usually because of their backgrounds or small inconsistencies in the pass. The guards did not seem to push further when they were rejected, but Sudhir knew that because he was so young that if he was caught they would be immediately reported and probably sent back to wherever they came from. Eventually, it was Taku and Sudhir's turn to present their passes to the guards. Sudhir went first and awaited the guard's response with bated breath.

"So... Mihei Zenfong?" The guard asked with confusion. "Did I say that right?"
"Well, uh." Sudhir tensed up, he couldn't think of a single excuse.
"Actually sir, our parents thought he was a girl when he was born. So they chose a girl's name by accident. It was unfortunate."
"Oh... indeed that is." The guard had trouble containing his amusement. "Well, welcome to the Sanctuary sir, and I'm sorry for... your name."
"Oh don't be sorry! I like the name actually. It's very manly to be named something so feminine." Shoved forward by Taku, Sudhir waited on the other side of the entrance for him.

"Taku Zenfong?"
"Yes, sir."
"It says here you learned Gravity Bending four years ago and passed Advance class only months ago. Is this really true? You don't seem that old." The guard gazed at Taku with suspicion.
"Yes, that is all true sir." The people behind him muttered to each other and to themselves, yet Taku was unfazed. He could feel their stares go right through him.
"Where you from, boy?"
"Western Ba Sing Sae, sir"
"I guess Western Ba Sing Sae is full of prodigies? What does someone as 'brilliant' as you want with the Sanctuary of Avatars?"
"To learn about their history, sir."
"Well I hope you find what you're looking for boy, and you better hold on tight to your pass. Anyone stealing identities is in for a major offence."

"I understand sir, thank you." Taku continued on his way, strangers staring at him the entire time.

Sudhir was sitting on a bench while Taku was interrogated. He did not hear the whole conversation but the expressions of the guard and the people in the line was unnerving. Taku looked around the Sanctuary as he approached Sudhir, his eyes filled with intrigue and wonderment.
"So, should we look for maybe someone who knows their way around the place?" Taku had already brought out his pen and opened his notebook.
"I mean, I guess we should. What did they want with you?"
"They just needed me to clarify some stuff, no big deal." Sudhir looked over Taku's shoulder only to meet the gaze of the guard they passed. Shrivelling back down he cleared his throat.
"Yeah sure, I'll take your word on that" He quickly walked toward a random direction into the Sanctuary to try and look for a guide, pulling Taku along with him.

The Sanctuary was grand. Tapestries, weapons and literature from a time long gone. The pillars shined with several colors that melded together beautifully and the carvings depicted the four elements; Fire, Air, Water and Earth. The marble floor and ceiling were filled with murals of Avatars in battle or in training. There were not only Gravity Benders inside, there were also Nano, Psionic and Energy benders from across the world just to come see the Sanctuary. They were both in awe of everything they came across. Having found a crowd of people to follow, they simply listened to the guide ahead of them.
"The Sanctuary of Avatars was built 800 years ago in honor of the last Avatar who could bend all the elements. The Avatars that followed could unfortunately only bend the element they were most connected with at their time until eventually, the Avatar disappeared entirely. Scientists believe this could be due to a natural irrelevance of the Avatar, as almost every person had access to the new modern forms of bending we see today. There are others who believe that the spiritual connection of the Avatar had weakened until eventually he could no longer bend the elements and thus became a non-bender. The latter theory, however, holds no proof or value and therefore only remains to be a belief by a few select people. Whatever the cause was, the world no longer needs an Avatar as all four nations progress their respective technologies. Any questions before we move further?"

A girl, who was about Taku and Sudhir's age, raised her hand. "Miss, there are some that believe in the theory that the Avatar has been hidden from the world because of the large military power a nation would hold if they were to 'possess' the Avatar. Because the four original nations have long been disbanded, theoretically a modern nation could hold the power of the Avatar for more than a single generation and thus become a threat indefinitely. Would this be in any way a plausible theory?"She wore a golden blue dress. Not too luxurious, but, also elegantly demanded attention. All eyes had turned to the guide and the girl, listening intently.
"Excuse me miss, may I ask your name?"
"I am Nukka, miss, a Nano Bender from the Machine Federation. I came to visit the Sanctuary to see the rich history. The theories you explained intrigued me and I was wondering if mine held any value."
"Well Nukka, everybody has their own theory about how the Avatar disappeared. There are no right or wrong answers. Anyway, we'll get back to the tour, shall we?"

The guide quickly continued moving along and the crowd followed. Taku pushed ahead and through the crowd, with Sudhir right behind him. They trailed right behind Nukka for a few moments as they passed more relics and artifacts. When the guide had stopped to speak once again, Taku tapped the blonde girl's shoulder to grab her attention.
"Who would even want to hide the Avatar?" Taku kept low, trying not to grab attention.
"Who knows, I only heard of the theory. I'm not a big fan of looking further into it anyway."

"You've come pretty far from the east side of the world. Was the Sanctuary that important to you?"

"It was just coincidence that it was open when I got here. Besides, I only go to Jiye City for study purposes and I do live here in Ba Sing Sae. I'm on vacation right now."

"You said you were from the Machine Federation."
"It just makes me seem cooler. I don't think anyone would be impressed if I said I was from the Second Wall of Eastern Ba Sing Sae."
"You seem roughly our age, when did you learn how to Nano Bend?" Sudhir finally managed to interject in the middle of their conversation.
"A month ago. Even though I can barely control any Nano Machines, people treat me like I'm some kind of genius because I'm a Modern Bender. I assume you guys became benders this year as well?" She looked at the two of them and they looked at each other for a moment.

"Yeah... I passed this year, kinda." Sudhir muttered under his breath "It's complicated."

"I'm pretty sure we're the only ones at our age in here." Taku had been looking around the entire time they've been wandering, seeing if there were anyone that was a similar age to them. Unfortunately, as far as he was concerned, the only other people here were older, guards, or guides. "Would you mind if we stuck together? Just until the tour is over or if we take our leave?"
"I don't see why not. So, where are you guys from?"
"Taku and I are from Western Ba Sing Sae, inside the First Wall. It took us about six hours to get here but it's been pretty worth it so far."

The guide stopped once again and brought attention to herself. Behind her was large Jade and Silver doors, above them was a sign that said "Statues of the Avatars". Taku, who had been taking notes the entire time, closed his notebook and hid it away. Behind the large doors was a statue of every Avatar that was said to have ever existed. Both Nakku and Sudhir were analyzing the doors from top to bottom. They were in perfect condition, clearly repaired and cleaned every day to the finest detail. The carvings on the doors represented a lion-turtle on the left and the four elements in the other. The crowd gathered closer together, putting away whatever they used to take photos. The doors were pulled open and a blue glow illuminated the room. Inside was enormous. The most recent Avatar was at the center of the room and the following statues were lined in a spiral until it ascended upwards, so high that they could not see the ceiling. Certain Avatars glowed different colors, some also grew brighter than the rest while others did not glow at all.

"These people are the most important historical figures in history, the ones that kept balance in our world until we progressed to longer need them. Their statues show their appearances at their primes. The lights represent how much influence an avatar had during their lifetime. The brighter they glow the more renown they were during their time."
Sudhir noticed the most recent statue, Avatar Mau, had a very dim glow. The statue almost appeared to be dying. Taku, however, saw something up in the third row of Avatars. A statue was glowing with enormous light and was the reason the room was so brightly lit. The presence of the statue was also felt among the crowd. The bright aura brought a calming feeling but also an intimidating power.

"Which Avatar was that one?" Taku pointed.

"That is Avatar Aang. He is one of the most renown Avatars in history, responsible for ending the Great War of Unification. He was the first Avatar to create a city where all four nations resided. He is the most responsible person for the world we live in today."

Taku climbed the steps to get closer to the statue, its aura becoming more prominent as he continued to climb. Sudhir, not wanting to fall behind, followed right behind him. The guide's words of warning fell on deaf ears as they both made it to the third row of Avatars. Taku could barely see anymore. As if staring at the sun, the radiant glow of the statue was blinding, it threatened to push Taku off the ledge. He stood there, analyzing it with a clenched fist. The Avatar appeared to only be the same age as him, yet he still felt disdain towards it. His stare looked like it would cut the statue and make it bleed. Concerned for his friend, Sudhir reached out for him.

"Hey, are you alright Taku?"
"It was you. You brought Natural Benders to extinction. Were you happy then? Are you happy with what you've done now?" He muttered to himself. Eyes concentrated only on the statue before him. Sudhir's voice brought him back to reality.
"Yo, Taku. You there man? You're acting like the statue killed your parents or something."
"Ah, no... It's nothing. I was just venting. Hey, after this visit, I have to tell you something."
"Please get down from there! You are not supposed to be within 10 feet of any of the Statues!" The guide had been yelling at them the entire time they were climbing. Only now did they hear her pleas.

The tour lasted another thirty minutes, explaining the history of Ba Sing Sae and the Earth Kingdom. It's city limits growing larger and larger until eventually it's third wall was built. Its history of Kings, Queens, Leaders and Conquerors. From a Kingdom to a Nation and back again to a Kingdom once again. It's territory that stretched further than the walls, the corrupt officials that governed it for 200 years. The commotion eventually died down with the sun, the group left the Sanctuary and they saw it sealed once again. The journey back to Western Ba Sing Sae would be long and they needed a place to stay.

"It was a pleasure to meet you Nukka, but I'm afraid we'll be parting ways here. Sudhir follow me, lets-"
"Didn't you need a place to stay? You guys don't look like you will be leaving today."
"It's alright, we wouldn't want to trouble you anymore."
"Who said it was any trouble? Our home is not far from here and we do have a guest room. If you don't mind bunking, staying for a night won't hurt anyone"
"You have no obligation to help us out, you know. You won't gain anything from helping us, really."
"Who says I won't? It's not like I'm asking for money. You can take it or leave it I guess."
"Well I'm taking it. Come on Taku, there's no harm in accepting charity. We don't always have to find our own way."

With some reluctance from Taku, they followed Nukka to her home. Unlike the Zenfong residence, the Baishen had a small garden that was filled with small puddles and lillies. Koi fish swam in and out of fountains, the water was pristine and almost transparent. The front home had sliding paper screens that separated the rooms. The floor was made of a mixture of wood and marble that glowed aquamarine when stepped on at night. The hallways were cool, snow white cloth lined the borders of each door. Their guest room was humble. The shelves and cabinets were kept inside the floor or within the walls, small paper lamps rotated around the corners the room with a single bed and an extra mattress brought by Nukka's father. The entire house was dimmed as the moon began to reach its peak in the sky, it was a full moon. As Sudhir prepared to go to sleep on the mattress, Taku shook his attention.

"What is it now?"
"When we were looking at the Statue, I told you I needed to tell you something"
"Can we do that tomorrow when we're not exhausted?"
"This is important. Next week, I'll be leaving to travel to the outer areas of Ba Sing Sae. I'm not coming back"
"Wait what, why? Does Mei know about this?"
"No, and you won't tell her either. My travel there will determine the fate of the Metal Kingdom, you understand me?"
"What's so important about going to the poorest part of the Nation? Surely the three of us have better things to do when summer is rolling around the corner."
"I have to find someone there, people say that earth benders hind among them. I need to try."
"Who even knows if they even exist, why do you want to go there so badly. It's not like any of us can become Natural Earth Benders, that stopped happening four hundred and fifty years ago."
"I think I will be able to"
"And what makes you think that? Being a prodigy at Gravity Bending doesn't mean you can be a Natural Bender."
"I think I'll be able to, because I think I'm the Avatar."

End of Arc: The Avatar.

Thanks for reading Chapter 1.2, please let me know if you have some feedback and some criticism as I would love to read about it!