Hello everyone:)! This is 1D5 and Blackrabbit. We're doing a collaboration chapter at Blackrabbit's house. So we can finally get this chapter done together instead of over Skype, so this one should be extra good:)We apologize for the long wait, but we needed to be together to write this. We will try to make this story more detailed from now on for all the perfectionists out there. As of right now, we will be making an official schedule. We will update every Monday from now on. Enjoy the chapter! ( oh, and we don't own ANYTHING!)

Toph's pov

Toph and Riley walked in the subway tunnels for what seemed like miles.

Riley turned to Toph."Sorry I didn't bring a flashlight, I wasn't really expecting to be walking through here today."

"It doesn't really affect me." She replied, pushing past him.

"Oh." Riley ran to catch up. He stopped suddenly. "We get out here." He pushed aside some old panels to reveal the fresh air outside.

"Come on." He reached for Toph's hand, and pulled her out. As Toph exited the tunnel, she realized they were pretty far away from the city. And who knew how far away from her friends. Riley kept walking, leaving Toph to follow as she quickly shook away any bad thoughts about what might have happened to her friends. As they walked, Riley told Toph about his Grandma and where they lived.

"Its a cottage, not really big, but its big enough for the two of us. We should be there in a minute, its by the abandoned subway tunnels, just outside the outskirts of the city."

Toph nodded, and soon they approached a small house. Riley started running towards it.

"Grandma? Grandma I'm back!

An elderly woman opened the front door. "Riley, honey, where have you been?

"I went into the city Grandma, and I found someone who would like to speak with you, maybe you could help her."

He leaned close to whisper in his grandma's ear. "She's a bender like you."

Her eyes widened and she quickly ushered them inside, bolting the door behind them. Then she turned to Toph.

"Hello dear, you may call me Ms. Elaine."

Toph smiled as they shook hands. "I'm Toph."

Ms. Elaine smiled. "Why don't we sit down, and you can explain it from the beginning."

Toph followed her into a sitting room with Riley close behind. As they sat down, Elaine gestured for Toph to start. Toph explained how she got there and how her friends and her got separated. She also told them she believed her friends were in the city from were she just came from.

"Where exactly are all the benders?" She asked Riley's Grandmother.

Ms. Elaine gave her a sad smile, unaware that Toph couldn't see it. "Well my dear, its a long story, really."

Toph gave her a blank stare. "I have time."

"Alright then. So, you know about the four Nations I'm guessing?"

Toph nodded. "Yeah, I'm from the Earth Kingdom."

Ms. Elaine continued. "My ancestor's came from the Northern Water tribe. Anyways, do you know about Republic City?"

Toph shook her head.

"Well, after Firelord Zuko was initiated, the four Nations were once again in harmony, and they blended together to create Republic City."

Toph had to interrupt there. "Woah, woah, woah, Zuko became Firelord? Does that mean we won the war? Just wait until I tell the others! They'll be so relieved!"

"But you can't!" Elaine exclaimed. "Since you're from the past, if you share the future with the others, it could mess up the timeline! I'm taking a risk telling you right now."

"Oh."

"Now let me continue, ten years after Republic city was built, it was invaded by an army of non-benders of unknown origins, as these people took over, the Nations crumbled and were turned into the Nations of China and Japan. The benders were blamed for the mass destruction of the 100 years war, and were declared to dangerous to live, and an execution order was given."

Toph gasped. "Execution order?"

Ms. Elaine nodded gravely. "The benders fled in order to escape this fate, to distant lands, one of these lands being the not yet formed America. Unfortunately, the revolutionists', as they called themselves, influence had spread all over the world. Around the 1600s, benders were persecuted as witches and warlocks. More went into hiding, benders were practically forgotten, except by the Revolutionist's who are funded by the government to still hunt down benders in secret."

As Ms. Elaine finished her tale, Toph sat in shock. "So, how do you know all this happened if it was a thousand years ago?"

"My family passed down the history of the world, all the way down to me, and I to Riley, and now, to you."

Ms. Elaine glanced out the window, it was already pitch black outside. She stood up and stretched. "Its getting late, I'm going to bed, Toph, if you have no where to go, you're welcome to stay here for the night."

"Thank you."

"So, are you alright?" Riley asked Toph after his Grandma left.

"I'm still trying to take it all in."

"Oh."

Toph turned to Riley. "Riley, you never mentioned where your parents are."

Toph heard Riley shift in his seat."They're gone. My mother was a water bender like my Grandma, and the Revolutionist's found out. They killed my mother for being a bender and my Father for harboring her. I was six years old, and at my Grandmothers at the time."

"I'm so sorry Riley."

Toph heard Riley sniff. "Its alright. Come on, you can have my bed, I'll sleep on the couch."

"No way, I'll sleep on the couch."

Riley laughed,"you're a strange one Toph." He opened the door to his room. "Well, goodnight."

"Goodnight."

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Zuko's pov

Zuko paced back and forth. The policemen had thrown him into a cramped cell two hours ago.

"There's got to be away out of here," He said to himself. "Maybe I can melt the bars."

Gripping the bars, Zuko summoned all his power into his palms and fingertips. Slowly, the bars heated up, taking on a reddish glow.

"Stop that!" A voice hissed. Startled, Zuko released his grip on the bars.

"Who said that?"

Zuko smushed his face against the bars, trying to see out. In the cell across from him, a boy about Zuko's age was leaning against his cell wall. He had spikey black hair, and piercing gray eyes. Zuko could see the tips of a tattoo peeking out of the collar of his tight, black shirt.

Zuko spoke to him. "Who-?"

"Shhhhh!" The boy held a finger to his lips. Suddenly, a guard made his way down the hallway of cells, making sure everything was in order. After he left, the boy spoke to him.

"What do you think you were doing! You know what will happen if they catch you using your bending!" He said the last part like a statement Zuko should know.

"Who are you." Zuko demanded.

The boy smirked. "I'm Grey, do you have a name, Scarface?"

Zuko clenched his fists. "Zuko."

Grey nodded. "So, what are you in here for?"

Zuko scowled. "That's non of your business, what I want to know is, why can't I use my bending?"

Grey gave him a weird look. "Have you been living under a rock for the past thousand years? Benders like us get killed."

"Like us? You're a bender too?"

Grey swirled his left pointer finger over his right hand. suddenly, a small tornado formed in his palm.

"Yup. I'm an airbender."

"An airbender? I've only met one other airbender before."

"One? There are a lot of us, well, there were a lot of us, until the Revolutionist's that is."

"Revolutionists?"

Grey scoffed. "I'll make a deal with you, you help me,help us, escape from prison, and I'll tell you everything you need to know."

Zuko contemplated this. He did need to escape, and find his way around this strange city. Maybe Grey could even help him find his friends!

Zuko looked up. "Alright, what's the plan?"

Grey grinned a bit evilly. "You know how air makes fire stronger?"

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Zuko's pov

Using his fire bending, Zuko melted the lock on his prison cell door, busting it wide open. He stepped out, and crossed over to Grey's cell to repeat the process.

"Ready?" Grey asked, summoning an airball.

"Ready." Zuko confirmed, making a ball of his own out of fire. Combining their elements, Zuko and Grey fired a huge blast into the concrete wall, creating a hole big enough for them to climb through. Alarms sounded off.

"Lets get out of here!" Grey yelled, scrambling through the still smoking hole. Zuko followed quickly behind, and they were off, running through a now dark city, street lamps lighting up their way.

"Where are we going?" Zuko called.

"Some where safe, just follow me." Was Grey's reply.

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