The Earth Kingdom was the largest nation in the whole world. Its cities were great but none were as impressive as the capital of Ba Sing Se. Ba Sing Se was a metropolis with all walks of life coming and going from the markets. Almost any item or food could be found there including fish and crab from the deep of the ocean. Ba Sing Se itself was not on the ocean but received their seafood from the largest fishing community on the Earth Kingdom's east coast; the village by the name of Ammon.

Ammon was a three days walk from the capital and was a very prosperous town. Houses scattered the hills around the towns square which was directly across from the docks. The people who lived here were a kind and hospitable bunch. Here a few Earth and Fire Benders lived, however the majority of the community were non benders who made their living from the wealth of the sea.


Chapter 3: The First Earth Bender

The night was cold. The weather would soon be turning. A single bison flew low along the ocean's surface with seven passengers aboard. Suteru was steering his bison, Fugi, with expert skill, dogging and weaving between the large ocean swells. The group he was transporting was silent; no words were allowed. The Monk could feel the tension from his passengers behind him, but knew their response was appropriate. Fugi as well seemed to understand the graveness of the night and silently followed Suteru's lead.

As they reached their destination the women's anticipation grew. Suteru slowed Fugi down and scanned the dark shoreline looking for the best location to beach. To his left he could see lights and what appeared to be fishing vessels moored up for the night. After a few minutes he nudged his bison onward; veering slightly to the right. As they drew even closer the Air Benders could hear the water braking on the shore and with only the faint light from the stars, Suteru found a small cove with high cliff walls surrounding it. Fugi flew up and over the breaking waves and softly landed on the sand.

The six women slid off the bison's back while keeping a wary eye on the ridgeline above them. The cove was so small it just barely accommodated Fugi's great size.

"I will return for you here at this location tomorrow night," Suteru whispered to Sister Zhibde.

"Understood, have a safe trip back," she replied.

He nodded in acknowledgement and departed immediately with Fugi out to sea. Leaving them behind was difficult but those chosen were intelligent, capable and not entirely left defenseless. They had been ordered that under no circumstances were they to engage in Air Bending in front of outsiders even if it cost them their lives. No one could know Air Benders survived. Instead of using the wind all of the women were given walking sticks as a means of defense. Air Benders were already accustomed to using their gliders as a tool for Air Bending, however if one of their staffs were discovered to be a glider trouble would likely follow. So the six Air Benders took with them thick walking sticks that had been made on the island to be their only weapon.

The tall and slender Air Benders turned toward the cliff and began to scale the ridge by taking large ten foot leaps from rock to rock. Like mountain goat-cats they made quick work in reaching the top. They then silently moved through the trees, heading south to the fishing village. It would be another three hours before the community would begin to awaken; however it gave the six pairs of watchful eyes a chance to familiarize themselves with the land as well as the layout of the town.

By dawn the group had a plan of action. Their first task was to find a tailor and purchase new clothing suitable for their surroundings. Two of them would then buy two dozen bolts of fabric along with needles and thread and then hull their purchases back to the cove to hide it amongst the rocks and return to the village to go to the next shop. Likewise, the remaining four women were to split up in two's after their wardrobe change and shop for their items on the list. All in all their task was not complicated however the double-winged-butterflies that occupied their stomachs would most likely stay with them for the duration of their stay.

"Yoru," Kokoro called to her partner as she set her bundle of fabric down on the rocks in the cove.

"Yes, what is it?" the young woman of eighteen asked.

"I can't be sure, but it seems the tide might rise up and submerge this cove in a few hours time," the slightly older Air Bender remarked.

The two watched the tide and looked around them and along the ridge in search evidence of tidal lines. After a bit, neither could come to a solid conclusion.

"Yoru, we don't have time for this. You stay here and watch our belongings while I return to the village," Kokoro decided.

"You can't go alone," Yoru answered slightly panicked inside.

"Look, you must stay here and guard our belongings. It is far more important that we do not change our pick up point than for us to split up. Our people are relying on us to get them what they need to survive and that responsibility far outweighs the value of our own safety. If the water grows near you can bend it back with a wall of air, and besides…" Kokoro added with a sure smile, "I'm the strongest and fastest amongst us six so don't worry."

"Well, I suppose-"

"Good, tell the others… I'm off." And with those words Kokoro turned and scaled the rock face and disappeared.

Sure enough, as the day wore on the water did rise. Yoru kept their stash dry as the women came and went. Zhibde didn't like the news of Kokoro going out alone but she had her own list to finish and therefore had to trust in her sister and refrain from the distraction of worry.

Evening was approaching and Kokoro had one final trip to make. She rounded a stable of ostrich-horses and discovered the black smith's shop she was headed for. The wide double doors were open so she took a step inside. In the corner of the room the smithies fire was beginning to die and no one seemed to be around. 'It seems I may have been too late,' she thought as she walked around the work shop.

Strange metal tools hung from the walls as well as few of the items that she sought. Suddenly she heard a small blast and spun around to see a tall muscular man fire bending to kick up the dying flames.

Kokoro's heart leaped from her chest! The man before her was a Fire Bender and although her mind told her he was nothing to fear, her heart would not slow down and her grip on her walking stick tightened.

The Black Smith turned and could easily see that he had startled his costumer. Clearly she hadn't seen him enter the room.

"My apologies for startling you," he said with a warm smile. "My name is Kinzoku, how can I be of service?" he asked while wiping the soot off his hands with a nearby rag.

Kokoro's startled expression melted away into a smile. The man before her had clearly been a black smith all his life. His arms looked powerful, his hands were calloused and dirt and ash seemed to be imbedded into his very skin. Not to mention the leather apron he wore looked old and well used.

"Good evening to you," she greeted with a slight bow. "My name is Kokoro and I would very much like to purchase several of your axes and saws from you as well as various shovels, hammers and nails if you have any." She knew her order was a bit odd coming from a woman, but she had to get them none the less.

"Well now, that's quite an order!" Kinzoku exclaimed a bit boisterously. "Let me see here…" he began to go into a smaller room off to the side, "… nails and hammers…" he mentioned out loud as he collected the items off his shelves. "Let's see… here's a few spades."

Kokoro watched him return into the room with a handful of items.

Kinzoku placed the items on one of his work benches and then turned to the items mounted on the wall. "Okay now, Miss Kokoro, which of these saws are you interested in? Just point to the ones you want and I'll get them down for you."

Kinzoku smiled as he watched the woman before him approach albeit a bit cautiously. She was nearly as tall as he was if not his equal, which he had never seen in a woman before. Her eyes were an enchanting gray that reminded him of a morning mist. He mentally shook his head as he realized that she was pointing to the saw closest to him.

"Ah yes, this is a good one," he replied as he lifted it off its hook.

It wasn't long before he had gathered everything she had asked for and to say that he was surprised on the sheer number of the tools was an understatement. Kinzoku then wrapped up the items as requested. He laid all the items onto a large piece of burlap cloth and then folded it around the large order. It was tied at either end with rope and looked very bulky.

Kinzoku watched in amazement as the fair woman before him lift the heavy load and gracefully swing it over her shoulder and across her back like a quiver. She then took her pouch of gold from her waist and set it on his blackened tabletop.

"I'll give you the whole bag in payment if you could add in two full sized plows as well," Kokoro added, to her merchant's amazement.

Kinzoku's eyebrows furrowed in thought as he grabbed the pouch of gold. As he opened it his eyes lit up at the amount. It was more than he was expecting, but then he looked back to his lovely guest. "Now I have two plows I can sell you but how in the world are you going to carry the two of them? Do you have a wagon nearby I can load them in for you?" he asked with concern; she smiled.

"No, but you can leave that worry to me." Kokoro answered confidently. In truth she had no choice but to make it work herself… her partner wasn't with her.

"All right," he said shaking his head as he moved toward the front of the store. Off to the right he pulled back a sheet which was covering three plows. He lifted two of them up, one at a time, and set them down in between the open doors.

"That will do," Kokoro said almost as a sigh. It was going to be a long walk back.

Kinzoku watched as Kokoro took her staff and walked up to the plows. She then fed her thick walking stick in between the wooden cross supports of the plows frame so that a plow was at either end of the staff. Kinzoku just about had a heart attack as he realized that she intended to carry both of them on her shoulders.

"Kokoro stop, you can't carry both of those plows on your shoulders along with all that metal strapped to your back! You'll injure yourself." He stated as pure fact while gently taking her staff from her.

"I appreciate your concern, but I have places to be and must carry it all on my own," she informed strongly.

Kinzoku could see an unwavering stubbornness in those eyes he was beginning to love and made a snap decision. "Fine," he said. He turned towards his fire with an outstretched hand and extinguished the flames. He then tossed his apron aside. He then grabbed the two plows and hefted them a few feet from the doors into the road then turned and closed the barn doors behind him.

Kokoro stood there with her arms crossed; the rope from her satchel was already digging into her shoulder.

"What are you doing?" she asked, although she could already tell what he was planning.

Kinzoku ignored her and fed her staff through the plows' frames. In one quick motion he hefted the load onto his shoulders and then turned to Kokoro.

"Alright, where are we going," he asked with a smile.

Kokoro continued to stand there. She clearly had to refuse his offer to help but the gold flint in his eyes and the way he smiled was sure charming.

"You can't."

"And why not?" he countered; she hesitated. "If you think that I'm about to allow a lovely woman such as yourself hull such a heavy load while I stand around with less pressing work to do you are mistaken. Now I'm sure with this type of load you can't be going far so please allow me to be a gentleman and assist you by carrying this for you."

Kokoro couldn't hold back a small laugh. She had quickly grown to like this Fire Bender. Hatred for their people as a whole never had entered her heart despite the crushing sadness that her people had felt for the past three weeks.

"Yes okay, you can carry it for me, BUT only half way," she offered as a compromise.

"Well I guess I'll have to live with that."

The two of them made their way across town laughing and enjoying each other's company as the sun began its descent, however in no time at all they had reached the outskirts of the village. Kinzoku stopped and turned once he realized Kokoro had stopped walking beside him.

"Oh, I'm afraid that I don't like that expression of yours," Kinzoku joked, but he couldn't help become serious. "This is where we part ways isn't it" he said.

"Yes," she answered directly.

"And I get the feeling that I'm not going to see you again, am I?"

"No, I'm afraid not."

The two of them just stood there for a moment, Kokoro was looking away but Kinzoku was studying her face. He could tell she was speaking the truth so in the very least he didn't want to forget her. In the brief amount of time they had spent together she had made a lasting impression on him. She was like no woman he'd ever met although he couldn't explain why.

"Thank you," she said as she finally turned to face him. "I appreciate all you have done."

Kinzoku didn't like it but without further request, he lifted the load off his shoulders and carefully placed it onto hers. Once she was sure that she had her balance she lifted her head and found herself inches away from his. The two stared into each other's eyes for a moment, both surprised over the new feelings they felt.

Kinzoku then kissed her softly on her cheek and turned and walked away… back to the village that was his home. He didn't look back.

Kokoro stood a bit stunned. She couldn't quite grasp what had happened, but the heavy weight that had been placed on her was a quick reminder that she had a job to do. So with careful steps she made her way through the trees. She'd think about him later.

She was almost to the cove now; it had been slow going. She could only imagine the worry that she was causing her sisters when all of a sudden she heard something beyond the trees on her left.

The sun had just gone down and it was becoming difficult to see far off. She was about to take another step when she heard it again. Someone was in the forest with her. As quietly as she could she lowered the plows and the tools on her back to the ground. She then took her staff and headed deeper into the wood.

Within a few steps she was able to pick up heavy breathing and just as she was ready to leap out of the brush to confront the man she knew was there she heard a baby cry.

The cry was unexpected to say the least, but the Air Bender wasn't about to let her guard down. She got her answer behind the next tree.

A woman was lying on the ground with a baby in her arms. Her dress was dirty and tattered from the trees and brush and her breathing was ragged; clearly she had been running.

Kokoro took a step forward and kneeled down beside her. The stricken woman flinched then turned an eye up to see the unexpected face of a woman.

"S-save my baby," she gasped, "Please… save my son."

The woman looked to be dying most likely from some form of marital abuse or something of that nature; Kokoro was positive she'd never know for sure.

"What is your name," Kokoro asked. She could tell there was nothing she could do to save her now.

"Kim Ishi" she whispered. "Please…"

Kokoro nodded and gently took the squirming bundle from her arms.

A tear ran down Kim's bruised cheek, as she exhaled her last breath with a smile.

Kokoro then stood. She couldn't believe the day she was having; it was all too much to be real. Looking down, the woman was in fact dead. She didn't want to leave her like that but she had no choice. After looking around a bit to ensure they were in fact alone, she turned to walk back to her load.

"How in the world am I going to explain you?" She spoke to the infant. His little brown eyes just looked back at hers.

"Well, at least you are bound up pretty well."

The infant didn't know it but that fact alone was Kokoro's saving grace. She undid a few of his wraps and tied the ends together to make a sling. She then returned the tools to her back then took the infant, slipping the sling around her neck and hung him in front of her chest. At last, with special care, she bent down and lifted her staff up and over her head and across her shoulders, balancing the weight of the plows. The overwhelming weight on her was bruising her, but she continued forward.

The stars were out as she reached the cove. Zhibde was waiting for her at the top.

"Oh Ko, you don't know how happy I am to see you have made it back safely," Zhibde whispered.

"Sorry… for the delay," she replied as she set the plows down while breathing hard. "I had a few… unplanned distractions along the way." She then brought her warm little bundle closer to her leader.

"A baby?"

"I'll explain once we've returned," Kokoro reassured as she pushed back a stray piece of hair in her face.

"Yes, of course," Zhibde answered although it was a mystery. 'It seems our Island will have its first Earth Bender' she mused.

The group helped bring the plows down to the now dry sand in preparation of Suteru's arrival. The girls stood in wonder over the little boy in their friends' arms however, within an hour's time Fugi landed with six unmanned bison behind him, all who were waiting to be loaded up with supplies. Once that was accomplished the group departed, and as they flew out and over the sea Kokoro finally allowed herself to turn to look back behind her and at the fading lights of the village of Ammon… a place she'd never see again.