A/N: So, chapter 2 up ! I like this story, so I'm going to keep going, R&R, and enjoy !
Aang got up slowly. He looked around. The tree was still there, at least. But he wasn't at the boarding school anymore. There was lush foliage everywhere, as if the gardener decided to go on strike-for a century or two. A path led to where the boarding school was supposed to be, but where the boarding school was supposed to be, was a large castle, with many little houses and buildings surrounding it. A large wall encompassed the kingdom, for lack of a better word.
Aang's first response is that he was dreaming. After pinching himself, hitting himself, and smashing his head against the side of the tree, he was forced to come to the conclusion that he was awake. After a little bit of panicking, OK, a LOT of panicking, Aang tried to see the bright side of waking up in a whole new world.
Well, his life on Earth hadn't been too good. Maybe he would have better luck in this life.
He started walking in the direction of the castle. He heard firecrackers going on, and what sounded like people celebrating. It seemed like a good place to start.
Terran ran through the variety of dancers and performers. They were all warming up, getting ready for the parade that was about to take place. Terran groaned. He didn't have a lot of time, and if he didn't hurry the parade would be missing someone very important...
"Hey, looking for me?" Toph asked from behind him.
Terran jumped and whirled to face the smiling princess. "Toph!" He said, "The parade's going to start, where have you been?"
"I thought I would get some earthbending practice in," she said casually. She wore a long, billowing white dress. "Do I look OK?"
"Y-yeah," said Terran nervously, "Just go get to the float, the parade's starting in a few minutes." He ran towards the plaza to make sure everything was ready.
"You're going to be with me during the parade, right?" Toph asked him.
"Wouldn't miss it!" He shouted back after her.
Aang liked this place so far. "Welcome to the Kingdom of Gaoling!" A cheerful looking jester had said. Everyone was friendly, and there was a lot of games and parties. Must be some kind of holiday, Aang had thought. Something that bothered him, though, was that people had asked him to perform for them. Aang had to hastily make some excuse to escape every time. He did look out of place; he wore jeans and a black jacket, and people here didn't exactly wear that. This place had a more medieval feel to it.
Aang walked into an equipment store. "Welcome, laddie," an old man said happily, "How can I help you today?"
"Uh, I need new clothes, please," Aang said nervously.
The man let out a hearty laugh. "Well, no question of that, laddie, but don't worry, we'll find something for you."
After about half an hour, Aang had been outfitted with the "modern style": a yellow shirt with a red cloak over it, yellow pants, a red belt, and light brown shoes. The old man even threw in a staff. Aang paid for it with his old clothes, who fascinated the man for some reason. Aang decided he didn't want to know.
Something that troubled Aang while he was changing was that he noticed he had blue tattoos all over his arms and legs. He had no idea how they got there; but then, he didn't know much of anything anymore.
Aang walked out onto the sidewalk when he saw people cheering. Dancers and jugglers were performing out on the plaza. As they did tricks and somersaults, a float came into view. Everyone kneeled in respect as trumpets sounded. Aang followed their lead and kneeled as someone announced, "Princess Toph Bei Fong!"
Everyone clapped and cheered as the float passed by. Aang craned his neck and stood on tiptoe to see the Princess.
She was about his age, he noticed. She was also very pretty. She waved and smiled, but Aang saw something in her eyes. Sadness, maybe? The throne she was sitting on was silver, and the float shined proudly through the plaza. The only thing out of place seemed to be the young boy sitting on the back of the float, armed with a sword, and looking quite bored with the proceedings. The float went on down the path.
Aang looked up at into the sky. This place, Gaoling, seemed like a good home...he came out of his reverie as he saw a man jump onto a rooftop. The man's big hat covered his face, and he wore a long green robe, with an insignia Aang didn't recognize. The man ran from rooftop to rooftop, and a few more dressed exactly like him appeared as well. They unsheathed small daggers.
They began running across the rooftops in the direction of the float.
A cold feeling passed through Aang. He looked around as saw that no one noticed the men approaching the Princess. Whatever they wanted, it couldn't be good. And though he didn't know anything about the Princess, he wasn't going to let her get hurt.
He pushed and shoved past the crowd. He had to warn her..."Princess!" he yelled. The men were closing in, getting ready to jump on the float...Aang gritted his teeth and pushed past the front of the crowd, and jumped onto the float.
His first reaction was surprise; the float was high, how did he make that jump? He pointed his staff at her, and she looked at him with defiance in her eyes. "Princess, you have to get out of here, you're in danger!" He said quickly.
The boy who had been sitting on the float got in between Aang and the Princess, and pointed his sword at Aang. "Put down your weapon, kid, nice and easy," Terran said angrily.
"No, you don't understand-" Aang said, as five of the men in green dropped down onto the float. Aang looked around, and whirled his staff.
Terran looked around at his surroundings. "The Dai Li?!" Damn, there's too many of them..."Princess, get out of here, I'll hold them off!" Terran said.
"Terran!" Toph said, as the two remaining men dropped behind her, and manacles shot out from their robes and held Toph to her throne. She struggled against the chains, but to no avail. Terran ran towards her, but was hit by a boulder. He went flying but managed to grab onto the edge of the moving float. Aang ran to where Terran was and helped him up.
"So you're on my side now?" Terran asked.
"I was never NOT on your side." Aang replied as he whacked a Dai Li away with his staff. He could hear people on the sidewalk yelling in horror. "So who are these Dai Li?"
"They're supposed to be the cultural protectors of our kingdom," Terran said as he flipped into the air and slashed at a Dai Li. "They're led by Long Feng, and they aren't the friendliest group of people. I don't understand why they would do this, though..."
Aang rolled to dodge a boulder and kicked a Dai Li off the float. "So, what's with the rock throwing? Magic?"
Terran stopped pummeling a Dai Li and asked incredulously, "They're earthbenders. Didn't you know? Earthbenders in Gaoling are a dime a dozen."
Aang blinked. "Uh, what's an earthbender?"
Terran threw the Dai Li he was holding and looked at Aang in shock. "You've never heard of benders? You know, earthbenders, firebenders, waterbenders, airbenders?"
Aang shrugged and shook his head as he ducked a blow from the last Dai Li. Terran grabbed the Dai Li and knocked him out. "You are one strange kid, you know that?" Terran asked Aang.
"You should talk," Aang muttered as he helped Terran free Toph. Toph glanced at Aang and Terran and said, "Thanks, you guys, I freaked out there, I don't know why I didn't start earthbending right away."
"No worries," Terran replied, "That's what I'm here for." He turned to face Aang. "You, though...how did you know the Dai Li were going to attack?"
"I-" Aang was suddenly grabbed from behind by two tall soldiers. "Whoa, whoa, back off!" Terran yelled at them.
"This boy attacked the Princess, and the penalty is death," a soldier said, confused.
"Leave him alone! He helped me!" Toph said angrily.
"Yes, Princess!" the soldiers let go of Aang and kneeled in front of her.
Terran looked at them all. "You guys get here way too late, and try to arrest one of the few people that actually helped the Princess? The Dai Li are probably getting away. Go be soldiers while you still have jobs!"
Half the soldiers bowed and hastily ran off. The other half stayed to escort Terran, Toph, and their new friend Aang to the palace.
Sunset. A Dai Li stealthily made his way to his commander's house. Long Feng was waiting for him. He didn't look happy.
"Sir, our mission did not go as planned. Our attempt to assassinate the Princess Bei Fong failed." Why did I have to be the one to report this...? The Dai Li asked himself.
Long Feng crushed a pillar in anger. "And the Dai Li are being held responsible?"
"The Princess and her bodyguard are going to speak to the King and Queen now." The Dai Li replied.
Long Feng cursed under his breath. The Dai Li shifted uneasily, and said, "Sir, maybe we shouldn't go forward with the plan? The Princess is a problem-"
"A problem that will be destroyed, along with any that stand in our way!" Long Feng said angrily. "We go forward with our plan, but we do it tonight. Gaoling will wake up under the rule of the Dai Li."
The Dai Li nodded, and disappeared among the rooftops.
A/N: Who knows what Long Feng is planning? And what will this mean for Aang and his friends? Chapter 3 coming soon