This is chapter 7 (obviously) of the Chronicles of Ryu. I'd appreciate it if you'd reviewed, favorited, and/or followed, as it is feedback for me! It shows me that you like the story and like the direction of it (especially reviews!).


Ryu woke up in a cold sweat, breathing erratically.

When Ryu got downstairs, he tried to be as unrecognizable as possible. He wore a shirt with a scarf tied around to his nose, his two stuffed duffel bags on either shoulder and a hat. He wondered what to do with his key, as he planned to return. Ryu walked outside the back and took ten paces to the left, three forward, and four to the right. He stomped his foot on the ground, and a piece of earth came up. He threw the key into the hole and place the earth back into the ground in a way where no one would know that it was lifted.

As he walked through the streets of Omashu, he saw the shops just opening for the day. Taking his normal route for what may be the final time was bittersweet. Seeing this for the final time to see other things mildly excited him, but leaving Omashu was something he never planned. While walking past the Old Lady's shop, he noticed something peculiar. The shop wasn't opening up like all the other shops. Did the Old Lady not want the morning rush of customers?

'Maybe she's crazier than I thought…' Ryu said to himself. He continued to walk the path slowly to school.

On his way, someone tapped him on his shoulder behind him. He turned around to see a man in enforcement attire, with a badge on his chest.

"You shouldn't be here this early, kid. Where are you going?" The man asked.

Ryu pulled down his hat and his scarf so that the man could hear him, but not get a good look at him. "

I'm going to school." Ryu said shortly.

"At this time of the morning in suspicious clothing? I don't buy it, son." The man said back.

"I...I-I have a project to assemble at school, These are all of the parts." Ryu lied.

The man looked at him for a good few seconds. "You shouldn't be out here at this time of the morning, you look like bad news to me, kid. Don't let me catch you again out here, got it?" The man said.

"I promise to you sir, it won't happen again." He continued walking on the route.


"Where is he?" The man in a blue and white outfit and blue hat said.

"I don't know, we told him that he is to be here for sunrise." Headmaster Ho said as the sun rose above the mountains, creating the very orange skies that Omashu was known for.

"Maybe he skipped town, I told you he was a delinquent." Principal Yau said.

"Yau, enough of your remarks. He is a fine young boy. The White Lotus should do well to protect him." Principal Haruntin said.

"That's our job, sir, but we can't do that if he isn't here." Another man in a blue and white outfit said.

"Should we have the Authorities search the city?" Headmaster Ho asked.

Just then, the door to the roof of the school opened. Ryu emerged, and saw the view of the mountains, but couldn't help but see what was right in front of him. The biggest airship that he had ever seen lie in front of him. Eight propellers kept it afloat as a walkway led up to it, overshadowing a large part of the surrounding area.

"So the delinquent finally decided to show up," Yau said.

Ryu ignored him as the two men in uniform approached him. "Please, let us take your bags, Avatar Ryu." One man said as Ryu handed the bags to them.

"Wow...What kind of airship is that?" Ryu asked.

"It is a fully loaded future industries airship, sir." The other responded.

He walked over to Headmaster Ho and shook his hand. "Avatar Ryu, you have been chosen by a spirit to not only continue a cycle that has existed for 10,000 years, but to bring peace and balance to the world. I know you will fulfill this duty."

"Thank you, Headmaster," Ryu responded. "It is my honor," Headmaster replied.

"Sir, it's time to board the airship." The uniformed man said to him, and he followed them to the walkway, and walked up the inclined walkway slowly, careful not to slip.

When he was about to board the airship, he realized that the door to the roof flew open. "Wait!" Someone yelled, and Ryu stopped to turn around.

Ryu turned around to see Yin emerge from the door with a duffel bag of his own.

"Ah, Yin, my boy! What are you doing here?" Yau asked him as he approached him.

He gave him a hug and said, "This boy would've made a fine Avatar, not that hoodlum!"

"Hey," Yin interrupted, "That 'hoodlum' just so happens to be my best friend!" He said, and walked up to the airship and stepped up the walkway, and looked at Ryu for a few seconds.

He then surprised Ryu by suddenly hugging him.

"I thought you would hate me," Ryu said.

"I can't hate you, I saw what you meant. And I'm so, so sorry." Yin said back.

"The only thing that I can ask is for you to forgive me." He said.

Ryu pulled away and nodded. "What's the bag for?" Ryu asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I told you, you need a waterbending teacher." He said.

"Sir, we must leave now." The man in the uniform said.

Ryu walked up to the man and talked in a low voice. "Can I bring another?" He whispered.

Instead of asking, the man took Yin's bag, and they both boarded the airship.

They took in the beauty of the airship, as the interior looked fit for a king. They both immediately went to the windows and waved at those on the roof, who started to fade away as they took off. Soon, the entire city was in an eye's view, and they saw the isolated city of Omashu.

"I never realized we were so...cut off," Yin said as he saw the only way to leave or enter Omashu.

A bridge made of earth that led to a metal door guarded by soldiers; the same way Ryu thought it looked eight years ago. The entire city seemed small to Ryu until now, when he was able to see it all. A vast city on top of the mountain, but maintained a boring, beige color. The very complex where he lived seemed so insignificant now as the airship flew away, leaving Omashu nothing but a shadow in the fog.

They went to go sit on one of the white couches and hold a real conversation for the first time in a long time. Ryu told him all about what happened with the Principals, and Yin laughed. Yin told him about the rumors that started forming about Ryu after he left. About how some guessed right about him being the Avatar.

"So...Did you know that you were the Avatar before that?" Yin asked.

"No, I only thought I could earthbend. That was the first time I firebended." Ryu Replied.

He told Yin about his strange dreams and meditations. Yin looked confused.

"So the old Fire Nation man told you that he was you?" Yin asked.

"Uh-huh," Ryu responded.

"So, what do you think that means?" Yin asked.

"Now that I think about it, I know what he meant," Ryu responded,

"They're my past lives." "How do you know this?" Yin asked.

"I-I just sort of...know...The same thing happened in the meeting room with the Principles and I was able to name two of my past lives," Ryu said. "I...Also splashed Yau…"

Yin started to laugh until he started to realize that Ryu was serious.

"You what?" He asked.

"I...sort of...splashed Yau with waterbending. He was furious."

Yin started laughing uncontrollably and fell on the floor.