"Kai, do you even know where we're going?" Kei panted as he was pulled along.
He cursed under his breath as he was already getting winded, and Shimomura was only getting closer and closer, not really caring that they were entering the city now. What kept him going was mostly Kai like a steam engine and keeping up the fast pace and the sounds of ice shards whooshing past them. One flew a mere few inches from Kei's head.
"What's there to figure out? It's that huge island over there!" Kai pointed straight ahead to the huge lake they were running to.
"I can see that. But how exactly are we going to cross that lake to get there? A boat? She's a water bender. She'll catch us in an instant."
"Well, I guess we'll have to find a way to lose her."
Kei tutted, not sure how they could even pull that off if not through some kind of miracle. He could tell they were already starting to attract attention, which could work in their favor. He was aware that not many approved of the Fire Lord's decisions in the Fire Nation. He wondered what Shimomura's next move would even be once she caught them. It's not like she could just drag them off. They were in a public street filled with people. People would question it, and the local police as well.
"Kai, I have an idea. Let's stop right here. What is she going to do? Drag me away right here? There are too many people around."
"You sure? I don't think she's stopping," Kai panted, glancing back.
His eyes lit up when he saw a gigantic air bison sitting by the dock to the lake.
"Do what you think is best, but I think I've found our ticket to the island."
As they started to reach the shore and the bison, Kai slowed and let Kei pull him to a stop. As he expected, the moment he turned to face her, he was smacked in the face by an ice shard, making him fall to the ground. He hissed at the sharp stinging sensation across his cheek.
"Kei!" Kai protectively knelt down to shield him from any further attacks, prepared for anything.
"End of the line, Nagai," she said lowly, readying for another attack to brush Kai off.
Kai shut his eyes, preparing himself for what she had in store. After a few seconds of nothing, he slowly opened his eyes and turned around. His eyes went wide when he saw her fallen on the ground glaring up at a person with a staff in their hands.
"I'm not sure what your business is here, but I don't appreciate violence happening around my bison. I suggest you leave before the authorities show up," he said, his voice calm and placid.
Shimomura seemed rather dazed herself, not expecting to be knocked to the ground so quickly.
"You just gonna glare at me all day?"
She glanced over to Kei and Kai before slowly getting back on her feet, cursing under her breath as she turned and walked away, running once she was out of sight. She may not be able to get them now, but they were at least in a known location.
"I'm not even going to ask why you two were being chased by a water bender. Is it a love triangle or did you both stand her up?" he asked as he turned around and walked over to the bison.
With a motion of his hand, the bags he was carrying were whisked into the air on a stream of air and into the saddle on top of the bison, going about his usual business.
"Woah! You're an air bender!" Kai beamed as he helped Kei up onto his feet. "I'm Kai, and this is my friend Kei Nagai. We're visiting Republic City from the Fire Nation."
"I'm Takeshi Kotobuki. You both have made quite an entrance." He glanced to the two of them then the street as he saw distinctive blue and red lights approaching. "Seems you've attracted some attention."
"I know this is asking a lot, but could you help us? We were actually making our way to your island over there. We can discuss it more once we're in a safe place, but let's just say there's some not so good people after my friend, Kei."
"You'll have to give me more than that. Why should I help two strangers that are causing more trouble than I want right now?" he sighed, crossing his arms as he leaned against the bison. His light blue arrow tattoo was distinct against his forehead as a bit of sunlight from a small break in the clouds shone down on them.
"I'm the avatar," Kei said simply. "I think it's known that the next avatar would be born as a fire bender. They're after me because it was found out that I am the avatar. They're more limited now that we've reached Republic City, but Tosaki has other connections he can use. So, please, take us with you to the island. I'll have to learn air bending eventually."
Takeshi's face didn't change much though his eyes did widen a bit. He had heard the master talking about the next avatar, though it was hard to believe that this pipsqueak was it.
"Alright, but I'm going to have the master test you to make sure you really are the avatar. There's a specific test that us air benders use."
He suddenly launched them up and into the saddle with a rush of air followed by himself. Kei and Kai groaned as they untangled their limbs, though the bison taking off only made that harder. Takeshi sat at the front of the saddle nonchalantly and slipped a cigarette out.
"Wow! This is amazing!" Kai chirped, leaning over the edge of the saddle with a wide grin.
Tears pricked at the corners of his eyes as the cool wind whipped past his face. Takeshi wore an amused look when he heard him, taking a long drag of the cigarette.
"I didn't know air nomads were allowed to smoke," Kei commented, coughing whenever the smoke blew in his face.
"These are modern times. There isn't much we can't do. Maybe the Fire Lord needs to catch up with the times too," Takeshi chuckled and purposefully blew the smoke in his direction with air bending.
By the time they landed, Kei was coughing and ready to get on solid ground again as he immediately hopped off, though he wasn't prepared for the drop and ended up falling on his face.
"I would've air bended you down, you know," Takeshi said simply as he floated down gracefully and helped Kai down. "This way."
Kai helped Kei up who wore a glare directed at Takeshi as he led them through the main temple.
"Put a shroud of mist around the island. We may get unwelcome company," he told an air bender passing by.
While Kei focused on what was ahead, Kai glanced around in amazement at the new architecture of the temple, entirely foreign to him who had lived in the Fire Nation all his life. Takeshi held a hand out to them, signaling them to wait there once they reached a large courtyard. He bowed to the air bender who sat cross legged in the middle of the stone garden.
"Master, I have brought someone here who claims to be the current avatar. I'm not sure if I believe it, but he is from the Fire Nation," he said as he sat with him.
The master glanced up to Kei and Kai and signed to Takeshi "which one is claiming this?"
"The dark haired one with the perpetual scowl on his face."
He motioned for Kei to step forward. Kei reluctantly did so, giving a little bow, though he wasn't quite sure what the proper respects here were. With the Fire Lord, unless told to do so, you weren't allowed to look at him. This seemed much more casual and relaxed than in the throne room at the palace, but Kei still proceeded with caution and sat on the large flat stone in front of the two.
"The master is mute. I'll interpret the sign language for you," Takeshi said as the other set out a set of strange objects in front of Kei.
Kei recognized them as toys that children in the Fire Nation often played with, especially near the palace.
"What are these for?"
"It's how we determine if someone is the avatar. Among air nomads, it would be toys we're familiar with. Since you're from the Fire Nation, it's toys from there, specifically the palace area," Takeshi said simply. "You simply pick which ever one speaks to you."
"Besides Kotobuki telling you the bit he knows about me, how do you know I came from the royal city?" Kei asked to the master.
He moved his hands elegantly as he signed his answer.
"He is in touch with the Spirit World. He was told of your coming, so he already knows a lot about you. He knows you're the avatar, but this is simply to make sure."
Kei took a deep breath before glancing down to the toys. He fondly remembered playing with the one on the right with Eri when they were little. That was before she was bed ridden. It brought a small smile to his face as he reached out and touched that one. The master nodded and soon put the items away.
"Hmm, seems you were telling the truth. So, can you bend anything else besides fire yet?" Takeshi asked, loosely interpreting what the master was asking.
"I earth bended only once, and that was entirely on accident. It was a life or death situation, and that's how I got found out. That's all though. I know nothing when it comes to air or water bending. I was hoping..maybe I could start learning air bending here..if you'll have me. I know I haven't done much to prove myself yet, but Kai and I have been on the run since a few days ago, and we're tired. We'd greatly appreciate if we could take shelter here for tonight and discuss plans tomorrow. I know I can't stay a secret from the world forever, and Republic City is the best place for me to do that. However, it'll be harder for people to believe me if I can't at least successfully bend one or two other elements. I'm open to any training." Kei bowed lowly, trying to sound as sincere as possible.
Honestly, right now, he could care less about all this avatar stuff. He didn't choose to be the avatar, but that couldn't be helped now. What mattered most now was him and Kai having a safe place to stay for the night. His heart pounded as he waited for an answer, not daring to look up.
"He says you and your friend can stay here for now. There is much work to be done with you, but for now, rest is needed." He turned to the master and bowed. "Yes, I'll show them to a guest room."
Kei was in the process of sitting up when Takeshi pulled him up by the back of his shirt.
"Come on, I'll show you guys to a guest room."
"Alright, alright. I can walk on my own!" Kei straightened his shirt, grumbling to himself as he followed after Takeshi joined by Kai.
He breathed a sigh of relief once they were brought to a room with two beds overlooking the misty lake outside. The lights from Republic City could barely be made out through the fog, coming through as shrouded orbs of distant light. Quite the opposite to Kei, Kai ran over to his bed and jumped onto it.
"Wow! Hard to believe we're in an actual air nomad temple. Do you think they'll agree to teach you air bending?" he asked, beginning to strip off his clothes until he was just in a tank top and some boxers.
Kei peered over and quickly looked somewhere else when he saw what he was doing with a hint of blush on his cheeks.
"Well, I am the avatar I suppose. I don't think they'd outright deny me, unless they deem me unteachable, which could possibly happen," he sighed as he did the same as Kai but quickly hid himself under the covers. "Why me? I mean..out of everyone else in the Fire Nation, why did it have to be me?"
"Well..fate, I guess? It's just how things worked out, Kei. We'll just have to roll with it. I think we're doing a pretty good job so far. I mean, we made it this far to our goal of Republic City. I'm sure there are a lot of people that are just waiting for the next avatar to appear."
"And what if I don't want to appear as the 'avatar?' This is all just so inconvenient and annoying."
"Let's just get some sleep for now, Kei. We'll figure out more in the morning. I did promise you I'd take you shopping to get some new clothes after all. As long as we stay in public places, we'll be fine," Kai said, trying his best to reassure him.
"You did promise that, didn't you?" he chuckled and pulled the covers over himself more.
Kai did the same, glancing over at Kei before turning off the lamp by their beds.
"Goodnight, Kei. Sleep well."
Kei watched as Kai's eyes slowly went shut and the steady rise and fall of his chest as the other quickly drifted off to sleep.
"Goodnight, Kai," he whispered.