Book 1: Earth

Chapter 7: The Meeting in the Arena

"Luke," the Professor gripped the boy's shoulder as he exited city hall, "Luke Triton, stop and face me." He sighed and whipped around, he was flushed and angry and he wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone.

"Yes?"

"That was not a wise decision Luke, you and I both know that Descole dangerous and evil and would like nothing more than to take your bending away," the Professor gazed at Luke, his amount of concern was increasing every second he stared at the boy.

"I know, but," he sighed.

"But what?"

"But everyone expects me to take him down and to put an end to this whole Family charade and I just…" he turned slightly to the side, "I just want them to leave me alone."

"Luke," the Professor bent to his level, "If you we uncomfortable with the press conference, you could have just told me so," he smiled warmly, "It could have been postponed." He nodded as Clive and Flora exited the building, Emmy, Colby, Chelmey, Grosky, and another short man with a mustache followed them shutting the door quickly as they advanced down the steps.

"Luke!" Emmy dashed towards them, crashing right in between Clive and Flora, "Honestly what were you thinking?!" She stood in front of him, hands digging into her slender hips.

"Emmy, I've already taken care of it," the Professor placed his hand on her shoulder.

"So you've notified Scotland Yard, prepared a task force and you have the arena already heavily guarded?" She stood there waiting for an answer.

"Ah," the Professor sucked in, "Not yet, but I assure you Emmy, I'll take care of this," he stared in her eyes.

"Ug," she let her backbend backwards slightly, "Alright then, all of you," she pointed to the Professor, Clive, Flora, and Luke, "Meet us at Scotland Yard pronto, we need to discuss this situation," she started the trek down the steps towards her bright yellow moped.

"I'm sorry about her," Grosky whispered slightly to the Professor, "She's still learning," Grosky quietly trudged behind her to his own police car while Colby made his way behind him.

"Yes," Chelmey began from behind them scratching his head, "Still in training," he started down the stairs, "Barton!" the little man with a mustache suddenly picked up his feet.

"Yes sir!" he ran to meet the Inspector at the last police car in the row to get back to the station.

"Erm, Professor," a small voice began behind the three boys.

"Yes Flora," The Professor smiled at her warmly.

"Do I have to go to Scotland Yard too?"

"I would suppose you should, Emmy didn't seem like she was in the best of moods, come along everyone into my car."

…

When the four finally reached the station, police cars had flooded the parking lot, people were running to and fro and Ms. Emmy Altava was standing at the front entrance waiting for the Avatar to arrive.

"Oh my," Flora gasped, the sight of so many police cars and officers scared her. She didn't want to think of that many cars and people in anywhere other than the station.

"Alright, let's get in there," the Professor pulled into a vacant parking spot and everyone began to exit the car. Officers noticed their arrival and tried their best to clear the way. They walked into the center of the parking lot, sauntering in between the people. In the meantime Flora swallowed down the gasp that was going to erupt from her mouth.

"Are you okay?" Clive noticed her worry and stress that was growing in her eyes.

"Oh," she blushed when she heard his concern, "Yes, yes I'm fine," she replied hastily.

"I don't think so," he reached down and gripped her hand, "Any better?" She smiled slightly, her cheeks still red as cherries.

"Yes, a lot better," her grin spread from ear to ear, though she didn't particularly want to show it, "Thank you."

"No problem," he smiled down at her as they continued to walk through the man-made walkway to the front doors of the station. Emmy's hands were still perched on her hips as she crossed her eyebrows.

"Come on, Luke," she directed him into the building; the Professor was not far behind while Clive and Flora just trudged along as the crowd began to disperse.

"Emmy," the Professor warned, "Let's not get carried away here, I think that it's important for him to learn how to take control of a situation."

"Professor," she faced him, "He is only thirteen, which is not the age I would suspect someone to take charge, especially with a dangerous man as Descole." She frowned while holding the door open for Clive and Flora.

"I know Emmy, but it's important for him to learn," the Professor told her. She sighed as she let the door slip out of her fingers and dashed in front of the boy who was now standing in the middle of the station lobby.

"I understand," she replied, "But right now he could use all the help he can get."

…

In another hour or so, Emmy had ushered the four into a back room and was planning their strategies for what Luke could do. Chelmey, Grosky, Barton, and Colby were already inside when they had arrived, concocting plans and ideas for Descole's final takedown.

"We can't send the boy in there unarmed!" Grosky exclaimed.

"He is the Avatar, Grosky," Chelmey, began, "He can waterbend to perfection and has already begun his earthbending training."

"But he hasn't mastered a thing," the other inspector shot back.
"Listen up!" Emmy put an end to their bickering, "It's nearly eleven o'clock, we have to get something down before we have to send Luke in there."

"I suppose," Grosky stroked his chin.

"Why don't we just let Luke figure out his own plan," Barton suggested.

"Barton!" Chelmey whizzed his head around, "I told you to keep quiet!"

"Very sorry sir," he shrunk down to the floor.

"I don't think that's a bad idea," Emmy stood up straight and faced Luke who had been sitting next to her almost the whole time, half asleep.

"Whoa, what?" Luke raised his head. "What is the plan?" he yawned.

"Never mind," Emmy slumped back into her chair, "He can't even pay attention, let alone fight a man on the most wanted list."

"Well, we have to figure something out," Chelmey scratched his head.

"Why don't you just surround the arena?" Flora's timid voice squeaked from the very back of the room where she and Clive had been standing.

"Because…" He stopped unable to find a good excuse to shoot the idea down.

"I suppose that it isn't a bad idea…" Grosky smiled warmly at Flora, who just tried to remain as unnoticeable as possible.

"I could call for help if I need you," Luke yawned once more before letting his head fall face down into his arms.

"With what?" Emmy asked him. Luke thought back to everything he owned… the scroll! He could just surround the arena with mist! The forces would notice the fog on the big skylight on top of the building and come to his rescue.

"I could just… haha," he laughed at his own quirkiness, "I could just mist-ify the place, haha," he chuckled again, the officers started to understand.

"Do you really think that would work Luke?" Emmy asked him.

"It could," he scratched his chin, "What other option do we have?"

…

In the next few minutes, about twenty police cars followed Inspector Grosky and Emmy to the arena, Luke sitting in the back seat. It was dark and had a spooky looking appearance without all the buzz and lights of a regular Pro-Bending match. And for the first time, Luke began to feel a large amount of nervousness wash over him and butterflies clouded his stomach. He wanted to vomit.

"You okay Luke?" Emmy asked as the car stopped in front of the arena.

"Oh, um," he stuttered, "Yes I'm fine." He lied as he exited the car, Grosky rounding the corner, right behind him.

"I sure hope so son," He placed one of his hands on the boy's shoulder.

"I am," he reassured, "I am." Grosky nodded and shoved him off towards Emmy who was now heading to the very front door of the arena. BY this time almost all the police cars were surrounding the arena, which included the Professor's Laytonmobile with him, Clive, and Flora inside.

"Luke," Emmy bent down slightly to his height, and placed a delicate hand on his shoulder. He could feel her trembling, "Please, be as careful as could ever be, don't make any stupid decisions or… or,"

"Don't worry Emmy," he smiled lightly as her, "I'll be fine." He lied once more. She sighed and straightened herself up.

"Promise?"

"I- I promise," Luke turned around before the woman had a chance to speak. He didn't want to lie to anyone else that night.

When he entered the building, it was as dark as it was outside. None of the lights were turned on, the full moon wasn't in a good position, and it was as quiet and as ominous as Arianna's house. Not to offend her of course. He then made his way towards the main stadium, where the sky roof brought light into the area. The moon was bright and offered him some comfort, considering that it was a waterbenders' "best friend." The Luke picked up his pace, running down the steps towards the railing where he jumped quickly off into the water below. He had to kill time somehow, how was a little waterbending going to hurt?

After plunging deep into the pool he spun his arms in circular motions. A tornado spun around him as he swam to the surface and rose quite a bit of distance over the main Pro-Bending area. Soon after that he let the tornado drop a bit before landing feet first on the field and wiping his hands clean on his shorts. Luke looked around, searching for any sigh of a person. As far as he knew, there was no one there.

"Um," he sighed, "I guess Descole is a no-show," he shrugged and began to turn around as two chains secured themselves around his ankles and yanked him to the floor, "Ah!" He quickly forced as much water as he could from the pool onto the chains and froze it in effort to break them. His efforts were fruitless, considering two more gripped his wrists and pulled his forward, "Ug!" He cried, trying to pull away.

"Avatar Luke," A tall man with a cape and a mask, flew up from the pool on a rope that he had unnoticed that had been hanging there for the entire time. Chi-Blockers flew up from behind him, gripping onto the chains.

"Let me go!" the boy cried. Three or four Chi-Blockers ran up to Luke and punching him on his sides and shoulders. He was unable to move.

"No," Descole replied forcefully, "I think that you need an attitude adjustment," he walked forward, his hand moving towards Luke's now sweaty face.

"NO!"

"Now, now," the man gripped his chin, "I don't think you are a worthy opponent, to fight against me young avatar," he paused, "You have yet to master three of the four elements, which in my opinion is very slow," the man cackled, "So I will wait for you, I will wait until you are a worthy opponent," without another word Descole took his hand and jabbed Luke in the base of his neck… sending him to the floor.

…

"Luke! Luke wake up! Luke!" He saw a woman with light hair and petite glasses with a lab coat, she was blurry and she was fading.

"Claire?" He asked blankly.

"Luke, it's Emmy," She ran towards him, and lifted him off the arena floor. The Professor was not far behind her.

"Emmy," he choked, his vision faded in and out.

"Luke did he take your bending away?" He sat up drunkly and raised the pool around him to their level.

"No, no I'm alright," She sighed and relaxed herself. Suddenly tears brimmed in Luke's eyes, "I was so terrified!" He threw himself at her, crying into her chest.

"It's alright, you're alright," she awkwardly patted his head as the Professor quickly sat down next to them.

"He could have taken my bending away!" Luke mumbled into her coat.

"Luke," the Professor held his shoulder, "You know the Avatar never makes a scene in public," he tried to sooth the boy.

"I'm sorry Professor," he raised his weary head, "But I'm not the Avatar yet!" He sobbed into Emmy's chest once more, praying for the awful nightmare to disappear from his memory.

…

The next morning Luke was in his bedroom, asleep as Emmy and the Professor quietly discussed the actions of the night before in the kitchen at the breakfast nook. Clive and Flora were in the main living room trying to listen to the radio without hearing about the previous events. Every now and then Flora would cast worried glances in Clive's direction.

"Professor, we have to do something," Emmy sipped her coffee, "Descole really could have taken his bending away and what would we have done if he had?"

"Emmy, to be truthful, I wouldn't know," he tapped his fingers on the table, "Gosh, Avatar Claire, please bring him strength." He mumbled before drinking a bit of his tea.

"You know he called me Claire last night," Emmy began, "When I was running towards him, he called me Claire." She paused, "Do you think she's trying to connect with him?" The Professor was silent for a moment.

"I wouldn't know," he rubbed his eyes, "I would guess she could have been, she is his past life,"

"I know, but has he had any spiritual connections yet? Any that you know of? Had Clark or Brenda said anything like that to you?"

"As far as I know, he hasn't connected with the spirit world or his past lives once. They never mentioned anything," he rubbed his face once more, "It's just so hard on him. He has the weight of the whole world on his shoulders and he still has to master three more elements and he had to pro-bend… I just don't know how he'll do it all." He put his tea back onto the table and stood up.

"Professor," Emmy stood up and followed right behind him, "What about the war?" Flora and Clive's heads craned towards the wavering door where they had been listening to their conversation almost the entire time.

"I don't know," he paused, "We will have to get them all out of here, somewhere he can train without any distractions or dangers."

"Like where? You know that I'll take them there as soon as possible, all three of them."

"I was thinking the Northern Water Tribe," he paused to turn around, "An old student of mine lives up there, she told me if I ever needed anything that she would help me with it."

"Why don't you give her a call," Emmy suggested, "I mean we don't have to leave until it starts, and who knows," she smiled, "It might not start at all."

"Thank you Emmy," he placed a hand on her shoulder, "You make me feel so much better about this whole situation."

"It's no problem Professor," she smiled.

Hey hey hey! I am sooooooo sorry for not updating sooner, honestly I've been very busy with school and homework. (God high school is so stressful!) And I'm also sorry about the shortness of this chapter, it's the shortest one I've done so far and it's kind of making me mad that I couldn't make it longer. Ah well ;) Thank you! All of you who have been reviewing and all that! It really means a ton, like seriously. A whole ton. Peace out girl scout!- Lil