Chapter 3: Enter Darlo

Bull Spider Tavern, Bumi City…

"So, are you saying you don't find her attractive?" Jieshi, an Earth Kingdom thug, said opening the last game with a three of clubs and a three of diamonds. He and the strange haired Darlo, a Fire Nation born citizen, were the last two players. All the money was on the table for the final game. Everyone present was watching, hovering over the table and watching the two competitors. Jieshi was known as a tough player, but Darlo was putting on a show, finishing first in every game.

They were sitting at the one of the two money corners, the spots in the front corners of the building, where all gambling went on. They were great spots in case the authorities decided to make a bust. They were blocked by an outcropping wall and would block view from just inside the door, and the windows running along both sides of the building allowed for quick escapes.

"No, I'm saying I don't want anything to do with a woman that randomly pulls fish out of her clothes. I mean, what, does she carry fish around all the time, just waiting for an opportunity to attract penguins? She was pretty, but if I hooked up with her and she gets mad, what's she gonna do? Smack me with a mackerel?" Darlo said, playing a four of hearts and four of spades. Card games were all the rage now. Pai Sho remained the most common game, but it wasn't great for gambling, unintelligent people don't grasp Pai Sho's finer points. Card games like kamikaze were easier.

"More like smack you with a water whip, you know she was a master Waterbender, right? That's one lady I wouldn't want mad at me."

Darlo snorted, learning back in his chair. "Master shmaster, I'd wear her out like I'm about to wear all you out." Without leaning forward, He threw over two aces, club and a spade. A high play on low cards.

Jieshi stopped smiling. He stared at Darlo, trying to read him. Darlo's smug expression never wavered and he met Jieshi's stare. Darlo had nine cards left. If Jieshi passed on this play, Darlo could have a straight run that he couldn't match, and allow Darlo to get rid of all his cards. However, Jieshi could beat the two aces with his two deuces, which were wild, one of them being the heart, the highest suit in the game. The only thing could beat his two deuces, was a rare move of four straight sets of two of a kind, as in two fives, two sixes, two sevens, and two eights. It was called "bombing" and was only allowed to be played if deuces were on the table. If Darlo had one of those, he'd automatically win at this point. However, on the other hand, Jieshi had a normal straight run from seven all the way to king. If he plays his deuces and Darlo can't beat it, he can empty his hand and win.

Darlo's voice broke into Jeishi's thoughts. "The game isn't called 'Stare really hard at your opponent', you know." Darlo faked a yawn. "I'd really like to take all your money before I die of old age." That would be quite the feat, indeed for Darlo, who just made seventeen last month, but certainly didn't look it. He had a small frame and he was very thin through the shoulders.

Jieshi smiled, deciding against falling back on his special move. "Nice bluff, but I've played this game long before you were born youngin'." He laid the two deuces out, deliberately curling the cards with his fingers so they snapped as they hit the table.

"Got 'im now," someone said nudging Jieshi with his elbow.

Darlo looked annoyed and he shook his head as he sank forward, slightly to the left. "Damn."

"What's wrong, flamer? Giving up already?" Jieshi said confidently folding his arms.

"No, it's just-" He slapped down a special kind of bomb, called the Death Bomb, two aces, two kings, two queens, and two jacks. The rarest bomb there was. "-I was hoping you wouldn't have those deuces, because now it only makes you look bad!" The crowd erupted.

Jieshi slapped the table with his remaining cards, rising out his seat so fast the chair toppled over. "You…!" His clinched fist trembling. Darlo put his feet up on the table, a smirk on his face, and held his arms out, palms up. The "Want to throw down?" pose all too familiar to the few present that knew Darlo best. Jieshi, maybe thinking better of fighting someone known for being good at just that, turned and walked away. "Flamer trash," he muttered under his breathe.

"Flamer" was an epithet used for Firebenders. All the elements had one or two derogatory names, a byproduct of people not enjoying the company of foreigners.

Darlo's ears were sharp. "This 'flamer trash' just beat you at your own game and took all your money. Enjoy the light feeling in your pockets, as you walk back to your boss," he retorted, gathering the money and sliding it off the table into a pouch. The small group dispersed and Darlo's little clique moved in to sit down. There was Qin, a lanky 18 year old from the southern Fire Nation colonies; Zhi, Qin's 16 year old brother not as tall but still lanky; and Akeno, an overweight, homeland Fire Nation born 17 year old who was more commonly known as "Damn it, Akeno" to Darlo and the others.

Zhi reached over and patted Darlo on the side of the shoulder. "Man, that was the best hand I've ever seen anyone get. All four aces and a Death Bomb? You're one lucky guy."

"Luck is just skill you can't control, Zhi," Darlo said bending over. He reached under the table, and produced a small handful of cards, all jacks and higher. "Unless, of course, you can control it. Then it's not luck anymore."

"Whoa! You cheated!" Akeno yelped, jumping in his seat.

"Damn it, Akeno!" Qin grated, jabbing Akeno in the belly with his elbow. "Keep your voice down!"

Some of the roughest people in the Earth Kingdom came to the Bull Spider to get drunk, make unsanctioned bets on the now sanctioned Earth Rumbles and other sporting events, sell stolen goods, or whatever the hot illegal activity was that week. There was a true "honor among thieves" and cheating was not taken well, unless the cheater was a lackey of a well respected crime lord, then they tend to get away with whatever they choose. Normally, a bunch of teenagers weren't allowed in the tavern, but Darlo had connections which allowed him to be there unadulterated.

Darlo smirked. "It's cool. No one will do anything to me."

"What do you mean?" Zhi asked.

"Because these aren't my cards. You know I never cheat. I'd quit doing whatever it is I'm doing if I can't win the legit way. Ol' boy Jieshi was the one cheating."

Qin, who was sitting where Jieshi was moments ago, looked under the table. "Oh, there's a small slot under these tables. So, the entire time he was slipping cards into his hand. But, how did you reach it from your side of the table?"

Darlo propped his feet up on the table. Darlo wasn't tall, by any stretch of the imagination; however his body got what height it had from his legs. The same could be said about Darlo's weight as well. His thigh and calf muscles were well toned and thick. Darlo made it a point to wear clothes that showed off his body, so he wore a red vest with gold trim and black pants that stopped just past his knees. Around his ankles and just above his elbows were gold bands. The appearance of being ready for an official Agni Kai, an intentional one. He was also wearing soft, heelless shoes. "You know what I always say, 'These feet of mine are my bread and butter, never let me down once.' Why should this be any different?" Seeing the puzzled look on all their faces, Darlo sighed and put his feet back down. "I did it when I was leaning back. I slipped out of one of my shoes, and took the cards down with my toes."

"That's amazing, man, but how'd you know it was down there?"

"Everyone in here knows Jieshi cheats like it's going out of styles, they just were afraid of his boss, so they never call him out. I watched his hands carefully while keeping my eyes fixed on his face. Not something I recommend doing-" Darlo paused for the few chuckles to pass. "-I noticed he sometimes puts one hand on his lap while getting his cards dealt, and then brings the other one out to collect. The switch is real swift and hard to pick up. He never does it if he sees someone spying on him. I figured he had something under the table, so when I leaned back I felt around and found the cards then grabbed as many as I could between my big toe and whatever the one next to it is called. When I leaned forward and said 'damn', I reached down, took the cards out, realized it was six, replaced the ones in my hand with his, and hey-ho-what-do-you know noticed I happened to have a Death Bomb right in my hand."

Darlo's clique as astounded by Darlo's explanation, and apparently the people at the table weren't the only ones listening in. Two men, most likely pirates, Darlo thought, nodded their approval and raised their mugs, and went back to emptying their drinks.

Cheating was unacceptable, but cheating a cheater was.

Qin shook his head. "So, that means you were bluffing."

Darlo gave a half-shouldered shrug. "Those aces were all I had, the rest was junk. I really was hoping he didn't have those deuces. If I didn't get that Death Bomb, he would've smashed me with that straight."

"Way to live dangerously," Zhi replied.

"It's what I do. Everyone is clear on the plan, right?" They nodded. "Good, good. Won't be too hard anyway."

They sat in relative silence for the next several minutes. Darlo hated waiting, but it was necessary.

"Say Darlo," Qin began, "did you mean what you said earlier?"

"About what?"

"About beating Katara of the Water Tribe in a fight?"

"Akeno, I always mean what I say about a fight."

"But…but how? I mean she beat Azula during the com-"

Darlo scoffed, jerking his head to get his hair out of his face. "Beat her? I read that book. She lucked out because a drain was right there. It was clever, but she was one split second from having an extra hole in her head. Not to mention, Azula was having a mental breakdown. If Azula was on top of her game, Katara wouldn't have lived seven more years only to get killed by some dude with a hammer. If I had to fight Katara, I'd just get right in her face. The girl has the hand-to-hand skills of an armless, blind person. Shoot, all Spitters have zero hand-to-hand skills to begin with, so she wouldn't know what to do against someone like me. I'm telling you, I'd knock those hair loopies out of her head."

They all shared a good laugh, which Akeno promptly ruined, in classic fashion.

"Yeah, I like hair loopies." The silence that followed was all too familiar when associated with Akeno.

Darlo sighed, shaking his head. "Damn it, Ake-"

The door was kicked open and a man brandishing a large dao stomped in. He scanned the room then shouted, "Where's Darlo?" Collectively, without even hesitating, everyone pointed to the money corner.

When he rounded the corner, he only found Akeno, Qin, and Zhi laughing and joking, seemingly oblivious to him. "Where is he?" he demanded.

"Where is who?" Zhi asked coyly.

The man cursed and slammed his hilt on the table, cracking it, then turned and headed for the door. He was met by another man, his sword sheathed.

"He's not in there."

"The boss didn't think he'd be," said the other.

Around the back of the tavern…

I knew he'd run back crying to his master, idiots are so predictable, Darlo thought as he peered around the corner and watched two of Zhang Yu's thugs split up. Darlo waited a few seconds, and then jogged up the alley, perpendicular to where the two thugs split off from.

Zhang Yu was Jieshi's employer, a peddler in all kinds of stolen goods. The kind of person common people wished didn't exist and made authorities turn a blind eye with a well timed "donation." No doubt they were after the money he won, Darlo disrespecting Zhang Yu's henchmen was indirectly disrespecting Zhang Yu. It might be enough to draw the guy out into the open. Which was exactly what Darlo wanted. There was something Darlo had to do. More specifically, something he had to get.

He could've gone to Zhang Yu, but why hunt for something when you can lure it too you and deal with it on your own terms? And dealing with him around the guys would only get them hurt. Darlo was making sure to keep an eye on his surroundings as he went past. He was still in the back allies. Trash, stray animals, and the occasional beggar aligned the backs of businesses and shops. A couple hundred feet ahead was the market. He could see the people milling about. Damn, I didn't lose them did I?

A brief glint of yellow light caught Darlo's eye. There you are!

The ground heaved up in front of him! A wall twice his height now blocked his path. Behind him a second wall sprouted, hemming him in. Darlo had at least two ways to get over either, three if he went at them at the right speed and angle. But his aim wasn't to escape. At least not yet.

From both sides of the alley, just in front of the Earthbended wall, Zhang Yu and Jieshi stepped out. Neither was happy. Zhang Yu was unarmed and wore no shoes, while Jieshi had a long sword called a jian. Zhang Yu is an Earthbender.

"You know, when I envisioned my mourning, being woken up to the sounds of whining wasn't part of my plan. I have a business to run, so I'll ge frank, I take it you're Darlo?"

Darlo was eyeing Jieshi's sword. The way he held it, how he balanced it in his hands. His grip is terrible. Probably uses it one handed. He suppressed a smirk. "I am."

"Now, imagine my reaction, when I hear one of my men has been disrespected? If he's disrespected and other people see it, then I'm disrespected. I simply can't have that."

"Don't blame me, he's a terrible cheater."

Jieshi stuck his finger at Darlo. "Shut your mouth, you crazy haired punk!"

Darlo's hair was thick, black hair packed into thick, long strands and tied at the base of his head into a ponytail. A few strands weren't long enough to tie back, and they hung over his face. His unique hairstyle was something he was proud of. Darlo could take insults about his dark skin. He could take insults about his body. But, one thing Darlo didn't take was insulting his hair.

He was planning on getting what he had to get from Zhang Yu and leaving Jieshi alone, relatively speaking, but now he would make sure Jieshi was also spitting up teeth.

Zhang Yu gestured for Jieshi to back down. "So, let's just give us the money, and forget this all ever happened. It's the best I can offer."

Darlo put his hand to his chin, leaning against the wall behind him, pretending to think. He waited a lot longer than he needed, trying to egg the two men off. He waited until Zhang Yu said anything before cutting him off, "To tell the truth, you can have to money." Darlo reached behind him, untied the pouch of money, and threw it on the ground. "I just wanted to get you out here."

Zhang Yu frowned. "What are you talking about?"

Darlo shrugged. "You'll understand after you wake up dazed with a massive toothache."

That made him made Zhang Yu mad, though Darlo didn't think Zhang Yu got the implication. "You're out of your mind. Jieshi cut this little flamer in half."

"With pleasure."

"If you think what's about to happen to you as pleasure, then that makes you a masochist."

Jieshi charged in, swinging the sword laterally, trying quite literally to fulfill his order.

Darlo was already moving, stepping away from the wall, towards Jieshi!

He pivoted on his right foot and snapped his left leg up and around, blocking the swing; pinning Jieshi's arm to the wall.

He twisted his foot against Jieshi's wrist, grinding it against the wall. Jieshi cried out has he let go if the sword.

Jieshi cried out again when Darlo took his foot off Jieshi's arm the same leg's knee into his face. Drops of blood flew from Jieshi's nose and mouth as he toppled over. Jieshi's sword hit the ground with a loud clank.

Darlo heard the sound of shifting stones and Zhang Yu grunt.

Acting on pure reflex, Darlo kicked off the wall, just as a large stone came flying. It smashed into the wall where Darlo's head once was, and broke through! Darlo twisted, somersaulting to the ground. He landed on both feet and dashed straight at Zhang Yu!

Zhang Yu punched!

The wave of stone pillars didn't make it halfway out of the ground before Darlo made it to Zhang Yu, cutting the twelve feet of space to nothing in two steps!

Darlo toe kicked Zhang Yu in the stomach with the full force of his momentum, doubling him over!

"It's on the right side of the jaw." Darlo jumped back, whirling around and delivering a heel kick to Zhang Yu's face.

Like Jieshi before him, Zhang Yu was on the ground. From the moment Jieshi first attacked until Zhang Yu was defeated, ten seconds had passed.

The glint of gold on the ground assured Darlo that he hit his mark. Zhang Yu's gold tooth had came out. Seeing the small piece of gold lying on the ground made all the effort he put getting it seem insignificant. He picked it up. "All this for his tooth? Hardly seems worth it."

Zhang Yu groaned. He was tougher than Darlo thought.

"What's going on here?" came a shout from the direction of the market as footsteps echoed through the alley. One of those steps was Darlo's.

Darlo, at half run, rounded the first corner. He looked back over his shoulder, catching a glimpse the wall Zhang Yu Earthbended up being pulled back down-

Darlo ran straight into a statue. It didn't give an inch to his impact as he spun off it and fell to the ground. "Ow! What the…?" He looked up.

It wasn't a statue. At least, Darlo didn't think it was a statue. If it was, it was expertly painted and inexplicably dressed in real clothing. The only things stopping him from knowing it was a living person, was that it seemed ten feet tall, and hadn't moved since Darlo bumped into it. The man-statue was staring straight at Darlo, a disturbing almost emotionless stare from green eyes, shaded under a gasa. A gasa with a section of it missing.

"Who did this to you?" The question from the alley snapped Darlo out of his momentary stupor. He climbed to his feet, noticing the man-statue was in fact all man, as he followed Darlo's moments with his eyes. Darlo also saw the man's heavily bandaged right arm. Not wanting to hang around, Darlo broke into a run again, this time not turning to look behind him.

Tao's Pawn Shop…

Tao's Pawn Shop was just a front. The woman was really a fence/bootlegger for stolen goods. At one point in her life, Zhang Yu was her husband. He got the stolen weapons and she sold them. For reasons Darlo didn't care to know, the relationship soured. Tao believed that Zhang Yu's infamous gold tooth was rightfully hers, seeing as she was the one who bought it for him. Zhang Yu's mouth jewelry had come to identify him in the criminal underground. Darlo figured the move was really about Tao trying to spite Zhang Yu and damage his image. Either way, if it gave him another connection, it was another step closer to finding that "big break to mega fame" Darlo was striving for.

Darlo went inside, stepping through the isles of stuff Darlo knew was all stolen, handed her the tooth, and gave a quick account of how he got it. She picked it up, examined it, then said, "Yep, the genuine article." She plopped a small pouch of money on the counter. "Thank you, come back soon. I may have more work for you." Tao's no frills, all business demeanor was probably why she and Zhang Yu never worked out, Darlo figured. Not even an ounce of remorse about her ex's busted chops…

Darlo opened the sack and gave the money a quick count. "Is this it? I had more money when I won the card game!"

Tao who had turned and was feather dusting some swords and other weapons behind the counter said, without turning, "And where that money now?"

Darlo started to answer, then caught himself. "I…I…" he groaned. "I left it on the ground."

"That was a dumb thing to do. Now leave, the cops will be here soon. And bribing cops is harder when suspect is standing six feet away."

Darlo pursed his lips then sighed. "See you around, Tao."

Bumi City Grand Train station…

Darlo's clique had gathered at the predetermined spot just by the station. Darlo knew he'd have to leave town for a while. Zhang Yu wasn't one of the main crime lords of the city, but he commanded enough respect to have a lot of people looking for Darlo. Something Darlo didn't feel in the mood to deal with, so they would catch a cross-country tram to Ba Sing Se.

"So, what happened to the money from the game?" Qin asked after they took their seats.

Hands locked behind his head, Darlo gave a nonchalant shrug. "Must have fallen off after I kicked Zhang Yu's face in." The guys respected Darlo too much for him to admit to doing something as stupid giving the money away like that.

Akeno, who was busy wolfing down fire flakes, asked between bites, "When will we be back?"

"Isn't the Avatar being revealed two weeks or so from now? I'd say then would be a perfect time. Lots of people will be in town, and they'll have stopped looking for me by then. Not to mention we can check out the whole event in person. Should be interesting."

"Why are they revealing the Water Tribe Avatar in the Earth Kingdom anyway?" Akeno sometimes asked smart questions.

"It's because of that museum to all the Avatars. There's one in each nation, but this one will be finished before the others, so they're supposed to bring him or her down here to make it official."

"If it's a girl, I hope she's hot."

Everyone paused.

Akeno had that look he had when he says something dumb. "What?"

Darlo, staring narrowed eyed, said in a dark voice, "Who are you and what have you done with the real Akeno?" His face broke into a smile. "Because you're right. I hope she's hot too!"

Next chapter…

Chapter 4: The Revealing