Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender. It belongs to its creators Michael Dante DiMartino, Bryan Konietzko and Nickelodeon.
Chapter 2
Ba Sing Se High School, Cafeteria
Taang meet up with Ren and Jade, as planned, during the lunch period. As they sat down, Taang looked down at his lunch which included an unusual sandwich that was definitely not peanut butter or jelly.
"So what is this?" Taang ask his friends.
"What, you never had a hamburger before?" Jade asked wonder how ignorant he'd have to be not to recognize a burger.
"Really, this is a hamburger? I've always wanted to try one." Taang replied, earning a shocked look on the girl's faces.
"You've never had a hamburger before? You said you were from the south not the moon!" Jade said thinking he had to be joking. "This can't possible be the first hamburger you've ever had."
"Well, as an air monk I've been raised a vegetarian and have never seen any kind of edible meat." Taang explained to he's friends.
"Wait if you were raised to be a vegetarian, why are you even considering eating a hamburger?" Asked a confused Ren.
"Even though the monks raised me to be a vegetarian and I understand how it fits into our philosophy of respect for all living things, I can't help but wonder about what it'd be like. We're humans, omnivores, and we're capable of eating plants or animals both of which are living things. Everyone can choose how they continue to survive. In fact when the elder monks told me about me coming here they said I'd have to choose whether I stay a vegetarian and continue following their teachings or completely immerse myself in the modern world's culture including eating meat."
"Sounds like a lot of pressure just to decide what to have for lunch." Ren said recognizing that Taang had become tense since he realized that it was actual meat on his tray."
"I really do want to eat this hamburger, but if I do, do I betray everything that I believe in?" Taang said looking at his hamburger.
"Well, sheem to me dat…" Jade said as she was chewing another bite of her burger and finally swallowing, "unless all they taught you was that eating meat was bad you won't necessarily betray everything they taught you. You're supposed to respect life right? Well since this hippo-cow lost its life to feed and nourish a person, I think it would be disrespectful not to eat it. So either be thankful that you have food to eat or pass that burger over here."
Taang seem to brighten up to Jade's reasoning. "You're right Jade. Thank you for helping me to resolve this personal dilemma." With that Taang bowed his head and clapped his hand together.
"What are you doing?" Jade asked Taang wonder whether he was going to eat he burger or not.
"I'm giving thanks, not only to this hippo-cow but all animals that have died to feed the hungry people of our world." Taang continued his silent prayer and after finishing picked up his burger and took his first bite. He smile at the taste and continued eat as his mind drifted back to his old friends who had encouraged him to try a burger when he got a chance.
1 Month Ago, Southern Air Temple
Out on a grassy field laid Taang looking up at the clouds thinking about what the monks had told him. He had been lost in thought when a shadow was cast over his face and he noticed someone standing over him.
"Hi Taang, is something wrong? I've never seen you so deep in thought." Asked a young girl who was bending over her friend with the hair, from the unshaven part of her head, hanging down to the sides of the boy's face.
"Hi Lynn, I was just thinking about the future."
"You just turned sixteen yesterday, what about the future has you looking so concerned?" Lynn asked as she sat beside Taang.
"Well, the elder monks said that I should leave." Taang said still a little dazed at the thought.
"What! You can't be serious, the elder aren't really forcing you to leave us are they?" Lynn asked in shock of what her friend just told.
"They're not forcing me to leave, but now that I'm sixteen they think that I should try to learn more about the world through experience. They say it's an old tradition for the avatars. When we're sixteen, after mastering our first element we're supposed to travel the world and begin learning under a new master of the next element."
"But you don't need to leave for your training. You already have masters to teach you all of the bending forms. Why would you have to leave the temple?" Lynn said confused as to why the monks would even consider sending Taang away.
"I know, but as the Avatar I'm expect to learn about the people of the world, their cultures, and their problems and how to help them resolve those problems. I can't learn that here, so I have to leave and experience the world the way everyone else experiences it." Taang explained to Lynn.
"What about our Nomadic Treks throughout the world? We've met many people on our journeys. Isn't that enough? Lynn tried to reason with Taang
"No it's not enough. I need to live the way most people live in order to understand them better." Taang began to explain. "During our travels we meet plenty of people but we don't live among them. We stay separate in our camps learning hardly anything about them except how hard farmers work in their fields or how small stores support small towns. We don't know what they really go through in their daily lives. They don't meditate or follow the old traditions and most places face violence and cruelty and despair. As the Avatar I'm need to understand the suffering in the world in I'm ever going to help the people of the world."
Lynn looked at Taang and saw the pressure and determination on his face. "Taang, I know you're the Avatar and you take it seriously, but you only have the Avatar Spirit. What can you do to change the world without the Avatar's power? You use to wonder if it was even true or if you can live up to the title. Do you really think you can go out there and change the world?"
"I know I can't truly live up to my duties as the Avatar." Taang said remembering the doubts he uses to have. "But I have accepted that I am the Avatar and I want to try to make a difference, even if it's just a small one. We've continued the traditions of teaching the old ways in order to prepare the Avatar when he returns and restores the bending powers. I believe I should go one step farther and try to help even without powers."
Lynn looked at Taang and understood that he wasn't leaving because he was being told to go, but because he honestly thought he'd be able to help people. Taang's kind nature and desire to help whenever he could was what she had admired about him. "If you really go, I know you be able to help many of those poor souls out in the world. Is there anything else about your future that has been on your mind?"
Taang's eyes turned toward his friend then cast them away as he spoke rather nervously, "Um… yeah actually. As Avatar the monks told me that I'm not expected to follow their teachings as closely all the other monks. So I've actually been thinking about doing something that I've consider before but never expected to actually do."
Lynn was surprised at how nervous he was acting. The two of them had never had any problems talking to each other before and found her mind conceiving thoughts of romantic gestures and confessions that she knew would take hours of mediation to completely cast out of her head as she had done in the past. Knowing that simply asking him what he was talking about would quickly resolve this she asked, "Really? What have you considered doing?"
Taang pause for a moment, embarrassed about what he was about to say he, and spoke up, "I've been think about trying to eat meat like most people."
"EWW, you can't be serious!" Lynn exclaimed so surprised that this was weighing Taang mind had completely forgotten about the possibilities that had crossed her mind moments before. "I know most people eat meat, but would you really want to eat the flesh of an animal?"
"It's just something I've thought about before." Taang spoke, "I know people don't need meat to live on, but I can't seem to stop wondering if I should at least try it once in my life before completely giving up meat."
"Sound sensible enough to me." Said a female voice that drew Taang and Lynn's attention behind them where they saw girl in red robes stand with a couple of boys standing beside her in blue and green robes respectively. "If Taang wants to eat meat, let him. The whole vegetarianism for everyone in the Air Nation never made much sense to me."
"Hi Ming, thank for the support. Good you guys too Chin, Sangok." Taang said greeting he newly arrived friends.
The three teens were member of the Union of Elements. They were raised in a Union base that was hidden not far from the Air Temple. They also trained with Taang as they studied their respective bending art forms. Ming and Chin were born and raised as members of the Union coming from a lineage that went as far back as the Unions founding. Where as Sangok, was adopted by the Union, after the monk found him living on the streets during one of their Treks across the world. The Union discovered that both of Sangok's parents descended from families of gifted waterbenders.
"I agreed with Ming, Taang. I suggest trying out "The Whopper" at a Burger King when you get the chance. It looks really tasty." Said Chin in his green robes. "Or we can take you into town and eat at the Dairy Kreme. That's where we go when we're allowed to travel to town."
"Or you can try the "Golden" for some fried chicken." Sangok suggested, "It's really good, specially the tenders."
"Umm, it, it sound good guys. But I think I'm going to wait until I begin my new journey next month." Taang told his friends.
"That fine, we still have a month to spend with you." Ming said as she sat next to Taang on the opposite side of Lynn while Chin and Sangok join them forming a circle. "So let stop talking about food and talk about something more important. Where are you going to go and when will you be able to come back?"
"The Monks said that best place to learn about most people is in the city of Ba Sing Se." Taang told his friends. "It's the biggest city in the world with a population to match. They're having me enroll into a school so that I can socialize with people my own age and get to know how their lives are different from ours."
"So you're going to a real high school?" Sangok asked. "I wonder if I'll be anything like Lee's Stream or Fire Island Dreams."
"Those are just TV shows Sangok, I doubt real high schools are anything like that." Chin reasoned. "Besides even if that's what public schools were like what do you think would happen? You think Taang surfing in the heart of the Earth Kingdom? Or maybe you think he's going to be seduced by some hot teacher."
"I'm just saying it's going to be different than what we're used too." Sangok argued. "Not like I believe it's gonna be exactly like it is on TV."
While Chin and Sangok argued over this silly matter Taang wonder what they thought the modern world would be like. Taang couldn't help but envy his friends a little for living in the Union base. There they had modern conveniences like satellite television and radio, computer and video games. Though they only had limited use after their daily studies and training were completed. Even though Taang traveled the world every few years he also envied he's friends monthly trips to a town near the mountain were they lived. Using their allowances they went to restaurants, movies, and convenience stores. They even shared a P.O. Box at the local post office where they received subscriptions to magazines covering computers, video games, comics, celebrities and even fashion for Ming.
"That's enough you two!" Ming yelled at Chin and Sangok. "I'm sure that you'll have a great time in Ba Sing Se, but don't forget to write to us. I'm gonna miss you Taang, so I hope that you'll visit us during your school vacation."
"I'm going to miss all of you guys too. I don't know when I'll come back but I'll definitely see you guys again. I'll come back or maybe you guys will be able to see me."
"Of course will meet again Taang," Lynn spoke up, "we're too close to never see each other again."
"Speaking of which," Ming said, "you brought it with you right Sangok?"
"Brought what?"
"What you do mean "what", did you bring…" Ming as impatient as she often was, grabbed Sangok's robe, reached her hand in, obviously searching for something hidden on him.
Taang and Lynn waited thinking that they had snuck in another magazine to show them more about the world and its celebrities and technologies. They were surprised to see that Ming did not pull out another magazine, that they were prohibited from bring to the Air Temple, but rather a device that would get them all into even more trouble if they were caught with it.
"I know what you gonna say but we only got one month to spend with Taang and I won't miss this chance." Ming flipped the device open revealing that it was a relatively old Polaroid camera. "We need to get a picture of us with you Taang, so smile you two." Ming said as she quickly took a picture of Taang and Lynn. The photo slide out and Ming handed it to Lynn as the picture of a surprised Taang and Lynn sitting together quickly developed.
"Now come with me guys. Let's get a group photo for Taang to take with us." Ming ordered as she stood up and walked over to a nearby rock where she began positioning the camera and gave directions to the other where to stand for the picture. As they finally got into position Ming set the camera's self-timer and hurried into position next to Taang arm-in-arm and signaled every one to smile just in time for the photo. They then took turns having their pictures taken with Taang to keep for themselves. Ming's photo became fairly risqué as she slightly leaned against Taang, purposely pulled on the edge of her robes, as though it were a hot day. Had Taang been paying attention to Ming's little tease he would have had a view most boys his age do nothing but dream of. Ming was as happy with her pose in the picture as much as she was with Taang's innocent smile as he ignored the view of her chest that only he could have seen if he'd only cast his eyes down for even a moment.
After tucking the photos and the camera into their robes for safekeeping, they spent the rest of the afternoon talking the way they always did whenever they had some free time. At twilight Ming, Chin and Sangok left and returned to the Union base before it got too dark traverse the mountain trail.
As Taang prepared for bed he pulled out the picture of he and his friends and looked at is thinking about how lucky he was. He didn't want to risk losing it so he began think of a place he could hide it until he left for Ba Sing Se.
"That's a nice picture to have there Taang" said an old man standing behind Taang in orange and yellow robes.
"Monk Tashi, where did you come from?" Taang turn around to face his mentor.
Monk Tashi smiled at Taang, "I have been here waiting for you to return. I wished to speak with you about your journey and see how you are dealing with the thought of leaving. However, I see that you are handling the situation quite well as you look at that picture without remorse but with joy. It seems that you friends have already helped you deal with any feelings of uncertainty I expected you to have."
"Yeah, after talking to them, it felt like a weight was lifted off my shoulders hearing their encouragements for my journey." Taang took another look at his photo then held it out to Monk Tashi. "I suppose you'll want to confiscate this."
"No, I wouldn't want to take away such a gift." Tashi said pushing the photo away. "Be sure not to leave it behind when we leave for Ba Sing Se."
"Did you say "we"? You mean you're going with me?" Taang happily said knowing that he would not be traveling alone.
"Of course, you didn't think we'd send you away by yourself? I will go with you as your guardian along with one of your bending masters to continue your training. I understand that Fire Sage Shoji is quite adept to living in the world as it is."
"Thank you Monk Tashi." Taang said as he hugged his mentor. "I'm feeling even better now that you'll be joining me on this journey."
"I'm glad to hear that, now you should be getting to bed now. There is still a month before we leave, so you still need to be up nice and early for chores and morning mediate." Tashi declared as walked over to the door.
"Okay Monk Tashi" Taang said with a bow bidding Tashi a good night as he left the room. Taang then put his picture in a drawer went to bed thinking of the unknown future that he would face in a month's time.
Ba Sing Se High School, Cafeteria, Present
'The future is turning into a better present than I had hoped' Tang thought as he finished his burger, glad that he had tried it. He had two new friends and found the classes he had been to so far to be quite enjoyable. P.E. has been especially fun having played basketball for the first time which had been more exciting than Chin and Sangok had described.
"That was delicious." Taang mentioned to the girls. "Jade thanks for convincing me to try an actual hamburger."
"Sure, no problem Taang just be glad you started on "Hamburger Thursday". Jade said, "If you had come any other day we might have had Salisbury steak or worst yet "mystery meat". You'd have ended up a devout vegetarian for the rest of you life."
"I am glad thank you." Taang commented drink more of the provided chocolate milk.
"HEY KAI, I WANT TO HAVE A WORD WITH YOU!" Yelled a very large boy from across who was making his way to Kai who sat eating his lunch, ignoring his fellow student.
"Uh oh, looks like Kohei is on the war path." Jade whispered to her friends, "And it looks like Kai's about to be trampled."
"No, Kohei not really going to pick a fight with Kai is he? I thought Kohei always waited until after school before beating people up." Ren said with concern for Kai's wellbeing.
"Not this time from the looks of it." Jade said, "Looks like he's in a really bad mood today."
"They don't really intend to fight do they?" Taang asked his friends surprised at how Jade took the situation so casually.
"I'd say Kohei's out for blood. He makes Kai look a girl scout by comparison." Jade explained, "But he's usually more discreet than picking a fight the middle of a crowded lunch room. Dark alleys and deserted basketball courts are more his style if the rumors are true."
"Who the hell do you think you are attacking my little brother?" Kohei yelled at Kai for all the lunchroom to see and hear. "Did you really think you were going to get away with it?"
"I got to stop this." Taang declared as he stood up only to feel himself being pulled back down into his seat.
"Are you crazy?" Jade said squeezing Taang's arm tightly. "You think you can stop that monster! In case his size isn't scary enough you should know that everyone calls him "Koh the Face-Stealer."
"Like the legend?" Taang asked curious how he earn such a nickname.
"Yeah, he may not actually steal faces, but he leaves people so bloody it looks like he actually tried to tear their faces off." Jade warned.
"Maybe Kai can win though." Ren said hopefully, "They're both undefeated, maybe Kai has a chance of winning."
"Don't kid yourself Ren;" Jade told her friend, "Kai doesn't have a prayer against Koh. His winning streak is as good as over."
"You don't know Kai doesn't have a chance." Ren argued, "If anyone can beat Kohei its Kai.
"And if one of us here is dreaming it's you!" Jade proclaimed to her friend.
"STOP IGNORING ME YOU SON OF…" Kohei screamed as he grabbed Kai by the back of his shirt and literally pulled him out of seat. Kai quickly swung his arm into Kohei's arm forcing him to let go. They immediately entered a stare down as Kai refused to let himself be scared by the muscle-bound student that stood well over a foot taller than him.
"Looks like this rumbles about to start." Jade said then notice a student, with a blue line on his head, walking toward the two fighters. Jade quickly looked at the empty seat next to her then back to the Taang who continued toward what Jade figured to be his doom.
'I can't believe this day.' Kai thought as he continued to look Kohei directly in the eye. 'I can't seem to go two days without someone messing with me. At least this time I won't feel guilty about it. If anyone deserves a beating it's Koh and I refuse to back down!'
"So, you ready to fight you little punk?" Kohei said glad to see Kai finally paying attention. "Time to teach you a lesson, no one messes with me or my family."
"Excuse?" said a voice that the two miscreants did not recognize. "Do the two of you really need to resort to violence?
Kohei and Kai looked to the side a saw bald student with a blue arrow on his forehead. Kohei, who'd never seen a sight like Taang could not believe someone would purposely stick their nose into his business. He had only hoped that Kai, a well known tough guy, would stand and take his beating like a man. I could only imagine that this skinny kid standing a head shorter than Kai must have some sort of death wish.
"Why don't you just stay out of this runt?" Koh said as he placed his large hand upon Taang's head and with a flick of his wrist pushed Taang away, nearly causing him to stumble.
Not to be deterred Taang regained his balance and tried again. "Please Kohei, I'm sure that we can resolve the issues the two of you have if we just try to sit and talk about it." Taang then gestured to a few empty seats hoping that they would choose to sit down and talk.
"Well I'm sure that I'm not going to warn you again!" Kohei exclaimed as he pull back and throw a punch at Taang's face.
However, Taang quickly reacted and deflected the attack by striking his wrist against Kohei's. As Kohei's fist sailed pass his face, made a few quick steps and positioned himself directly behind Kohei and rested his finger tips on his attacker's spine.
Kohei was momentarily shock to find that he had missed his target only to notice that something was touching him. Turning his head back he saw Taang standing behind and presided to throw another punch at him. The results were the same as Taang avoid the punch and recapture Kohei back. Time and time again Kohei attacked Taang with punches, kicks, back-kicks, and even roundhouses that Taang easily ducked under before repositioning himself behind Kohei with ease.
Kohei found himself to be exhausted more form frustration that from fatigue as the small boy provide untouchable. The only thing more annoying than the boy's constant dodging was the boy's constant pleas of "Stop this fighting" or "I just want us to talk things through". But Kohei ignored him and continued his fruitless attacks until, in a moment of clarity, he figured out how to take away his opponents advantage. Kohei began maneuvering himself closer to the nearest wall where after another fail punch he took a few quick steps backwards and slammed against the wall forcing Taang to give up his position behind Kohei. Kohei took the opening he made and grabbed Taang by the collar held him in place.
"Alright you little twerp," Kohei said as he please a fist back, "no more games. It's time for the slaughter."
"What is going one here!" shouted Vice-Principal Chao who arrived just in time to witness Kohei grab Taang. "Kohei Oni you release Mr. Kyoufuu this instant. I don't know what's happened, but you are well aware that I do not allow fighting in my school. Now do as I said and let go of Mr. Kyoufuu."
Kohei stood there considering his situation and finally released Taang. Kohei had hoped to quickly take care of the small fry and finished his business with Kai before any teachers got involved leaving the only witnesses to be a couple of bloody kids and a crowd of classmates too scared to admit seeing anything.
"Are you alright son?" Vice-Principal Chao asked Taang with surprising concern. "You not hurt are you? Do you need to see the nurse?"
"No, I'm fine sir." Taang replied to the Vice-Principal who he had met that morning be receiving his schedule and being directed to his homeroom. "There's no need to be concerned about me."
"We have high expectations for you Mr. Kyoufuu. Considering the very impressive score you earned on our entrance exam we expect you will be a model student that will inspire some of our… less gifted students." Chao then noticed one such student standing nearby.
"Well now then Mr. Hinote," Chao said looking toward Kai, "I don't suppose you expect me to believe you here by chance and have nothing to do with this?"
Kai stood there knowing what to expect. 'I can't believe how this day's going. I don't know what's worse, basically being saved by the new kid, or being punished for fight never got to be in.'
Briefly turned back to Kohei, Chao said, "Mr. Oni, I expect to see you in detention for the next week."
"What, but Mr. Chao," Koh tried to protest but was interrupted.
"No excuses Mr. Oni and I also expect you in my office this afternoon where we shall discuss you behavior with you mother."
With that, Koh shut mouth and walked knowing his mom was only hours away from ruining his plans for the day and possibly for the rest of the month.
Turning back to Kai, Chao said with a slight grin, "Of course this isn't the first incidence of fighting that you've been involved with, is it Mr. Hinote? What exactly was your involvement here? Did you intend to join Mr. Oni in harm our newest student? Were perhaps jealous of his potential and convinced Mr. Oni to help discourage his future academic achievements from overshadowing yourself?"
"That's not the case at all Vice-Principal Chao." Said Professor Wong who had been waiting quietly knowing that Kai was about to get the short end of the stick.
"Ah, Mr. Wong I was wondering why you hadn't showed up yet. I suppose you're here to convince me not to expel Mr. Hinote or even not to suspend him for his involvement in the near assault of our new student."
"There's no need convince you since Mr. Hinote was not involve in Mr. Oni's actions toward Mr. Kyoufuu." Wong said gaining Chao's attention. "It seems that that Mr. Oni had chosen to confront Mr. Hinote on a personal matter and tried to instigate a fight with him. Before such an altercation could begin, Mr. Kyoufuu here attempted to defuse the situation and prevent any such violence. Mr. Oni then chose to turn his anger toward young Taang."
"Really," Chao said with a cynical tone in his voice. "You expect me to believe this miscreant is completely innocent in yet another fight that tarnishes our school's other wise perfect reputation?"
"You don't need to take my word for it, ladies." Wong then turned Chao's attention to Ren and Jade who had been waiting by his side.
"It true sir," Ren said, "Kai didn't do anything. It was Kohei who tried to start a fight, but Kai ignored him until Kohei actually pulled out of his seat."
"Yeah and that's when this idiot went and tried to stop a fight and nearly got himself killed in one." Jade said point to Taang identifying the idiot she was talking about.
"So we have two witnesses that say that Kai took no violent actions toward either Mr. Oni or Taang." Wong explained to Chao to ensure he understood the situation.
"Well then, it seems Mr. Hinote you dodged the proverbial bullet and managed NOT to cause trouble. I seem you owe Mr. Kyoufuu a debt of gratitude for helping you to do so." Chao then looked Taang, "Mr. Kyoufuu, I pleased that you've taken interest in the well being of you fellow classmates. But in the future please take more care in your own well being and call a teacher when you see trouble brew." Chao then walk off without another word.
"Well then, now that this situation has been resolve I believe I'll be patrolling around for any other trouble before the period end and my next class begins." Wong said as he turned to survey area for signs of any mischievous student, but stopped and said one more thing before leaving. "Oh and Kai, Vice-Principal Chao was right about one thing concerning you. You owe Taang a "thank you" for helping you stay out of trouble, as well as to Ren and Jade."
Kai looked at Professor Wong walking away. Again he'd saved him from expulsion, leaving him to wonder if not being kicked out of this school was really a good thing. Kai looked at Taang, who sent him a pleasant smile, and immediately turned away left.
'I didn't need help from some new kid.' Kai thought bitter at the idea of actually thanking someone for making it look like he could fight his own battles. 'What was that idiot thinking involve in my business?' Kai walked off to his locker to prepare for his next class.
A/N
Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter out. My "writing energy" has been pretty low since the prologue. It's just getting harder and harder to get myself into a writing mood. But I haven't giving up just yet people.
Please R&R, and please vote on the poll on my profile page. It should be a question of what you think about the risqué humor I put in hoping to spice things up.
