Freeman's Odyssey
Chapter: 52
Bending Insanity
After the incidents of Omashu and the swamp in which Gordon had been to the mysterious swamp before, but never encountered the swamp benders before or alligators that look like a fish with whiskers. They are now in a camp fire and eating bugs big ones too, Gordon doesn't mind eating it. Sokka on the other hand seems not to like bugs all that much, while Aang and Katara are pondering on what they witnessed in the swamp regarding their visions of the past and future.
"So can you tell me about this bending you keep mentioning," said Gordon
"The basic elements are Earth, water, fire and air," said Aang "I was born in an air temple about over 100 years ago, then I found out I was the Avatar who will bring balance to the world."
"Great job," said Gordon
"Aang never wanted to be the Avatar," said Katara "So he ran away and was caught in a storm that had him in cased in ice for about a 100 years until he was accidentally freed by my water bending, from there we had an adventure here and there, being chased by the prince of the fire nation. Only the avatar can bring balance to the world and master of all four elements. I'll show you water."
Katara demonstrates her water bending ability as Gordon made mental notes about this as this could be some form of telekinetic ability that this dimension has as it seems to be natural.
"Impressive," said Gordon "So using these abilities are a form of martial arts, regardless of what element you use,"
"Correct," said Katara "I am the only bender from the southern water tribe, the other water benders were wiped out and my mother was killed by the fire nation." She sighed a bit.
"I can do air," said Aang "Watch this,"
Aang demonstrates by doing an air-bending ability as Gordon noticed it is an odd ability to do, he wondered if there were more of them.
"Now that's cool," said Gordon "Are there any more of you, like wind benders"
"No," said Aang "The fire nation wiped out all the air benders and I don't know any wind benders."
"Ah," nodded Gordon "So are there any rare abilities in bending."
All of them shrugged their shoulders
"Well what is your story," said Katara
"It better not be boring," said Sokka
"Well you know my named already," said Gordon "But I will get to the point."
He started explain about himself as he is or was a native of Seattle, Washington life in which he always had it's ups and downs since he got a job to join Black Mesa research facility, as he told them he was an orphan with no parents in which the only thing that people found on him at when he was found on the door step of an orphanage is his name and nothing more.
Gordon explained that he was already regarded as the quiet type and willing to adapt to any situation until he was in his teens as the orphanage at first put money away for him to go to college considering how smart Gordon is who is willing to learn and grow upon in life.
His childhood heroes were Albert Einstein, Stephen Hawking, and Richard Feynman because books were his friends in which that is all he had. He told them about an exhibited an early interest in theoretical physics, especially quantum mechanics and the theory of relativity. After observing a series of teleportation experiments conducted by the Institute for Experimental Physics at the University of Innsbruck, the transmission of matter became Gordon's obsession.
He told them he had no known dependents. As he explained he graduated from MIT with a Ph.D. degree in Theoretical Physics. His doctoral thesis on the teleportation of matter through extremely dense elements was titled Observation of Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen Entanglement on Supraquantum Structures by Induction through Nonlinear Transuranic Crystal of Extremely Long Wavelength (ELW) Pulse from Mode-Locked Source Array.
He told them he took up residence in Black Mesa however his job in general in regards was nothing more than a joke like manual labor, despite his qualifications. Consisting of little more than pressing a button and pushing a cart as he found that to be a little embarrassing at times, but it paid well and Gordon often wondered if he would be doing this utter nonsense for the rest of his life. At time he spent in Black Mesa he only said a few words and kept his mouth shut most of the time, he considered himself a little anti-social being an orphan and all.
An inter-dimensional rift in space time happened and his world changed forever, as he told them in detail in which he became something he would never thought in becoming. A hero, he never dreamed he was one. In which he explained he survived all the challenges and got the respect of a few people for his acts of bravery. Then he wound up in another dimension called Xen and doing battle against an alien warlord named Nihilanth
He told them to never mind about the name, as he told them he killed the alien warlord and then he was confront by a being he despises the most, the G-man. The people noticed in the room how angry he got with that name. He was given a choice to live or die in a form of a deal. Gordon did not want to do either, then all of sudden the choice was made but not by him. No it was the G-man himself. Gordon explained in detain It wasn't until two decades later he had learned the G-man put him in a place far from time, space, thought and even Earth itself.
The G-man stated the right man in the wrong place can make all the difference in the world it wouldn't be an understatement it is a fact as Gordon found himself in the middle of the occupation by an inter-dimensional alien empire known as the Combine. They in fact conquered the Earth in seven hours thanks in part to a traitor named Dr. Wallace Breen, that name alone made his blood boil. Then he went to explain uprisings, creatures and other things as well in which began as Gordon helped in many ways often doing battle against combine forces until finally driven out of his dimension.
Then finally he explained after the death of a friend of his, his other friends went off to the artic in finding a ship owned by Black Mesa had survived and after discovering technology like the Hazardous Environmental Suit that was on board the Borealis Finally told them he went on several adventures in other dimensions. Gordon finally cleared his throat. Aang, Katara and Sokka looked on as they just blinked at him.
"That has to be the most crazy tale I have ever heard," said Sokka
"It's insane an alien empire bent on conquering other dimension," said Katara
"Glad they are not here," said Aang "We wouldn't be able to stand a chance,"
"I found no influence or activity," said Gordon "Now let's go find Aang an Earth bending teacher,"
Earth Kingdom town of Gaoling
In a shop in Gaoling, Sokka is contemplating purchasing an expensive and flashy bag, but his indecisiveness begins to bore Aang and Katara, in spite of their attempts to be supportive. They head off and, while Sokka finally makes his purchase, are approached by a man handing out flyers for a local earth bending academy. Katara convinces Aang to check it out, since he needs to find someone to teach him the element.
"Seriously Sokka," said Gordon "That bag doesn't even match your blue and momo seems to like it as a sleeping bag,"
"Ugh," said Sokka "Now I regret buying this,"
At Master Yu's Earth bending Academy, Aang uses the flyer's coupon to receive a "free" lesson; however, he is merely clobbered by boulders. Master Yu attempts to sell him a year's worth of lessons, but Aang does not believe Yu to be a superior teacher.
"Just keep looking," said Gordon "It's only a matter of time,"
"I know I know," said Aang
As they depart, they overhear two young men discussing Earth Rumble VI, an underground earth bending tournament. Intrigued, Aang asks them where it is located. They sarcastically tell him, "It's on the island of None'ya ... None'ya business!" and the two walk away laughing. Claiming she will use her "womanly charm" on the pair, Katara follows them around the corner and forces the information out of them by freezing them to the wall. Gordon looked at what Katara did and chuckled
Earth Rumble VI
It is held inside a jagged mountain, the arena illuminated by a ceiling of glowing crystals. The do they find seats in the front row area, left vacant due to the threat of haphazardly launched boulders. From the center of the ring, the game's host, Xin Fu, explains the rules: each contestant must knock his opponent out of the ring with earth bending to advance.
"In certain dimensions," said Gordon "There are certain sports devoted to fighting but without bending and all, as there are a lot of injuries that occur, few deaths as well"
"Why do they do that?" asked Katara
"Fame, money, recognition," said Gordon "Even idiots like your brother enjoy it,"
In the first round, one contender, The Boulder, battles The Hippo and defeats him. Aang is largely unimpressed with The Boulder Sokka, on the other hand, has become The Boulder's newest fan. After defeating all the challengers, Gordon watched on as well in which at one point seeing Sokka drooling over this as Gordon just slapped him upside the head to calm him down as Katara giggled a bit
"Bumi said I need a teacher who listens to the earth; he's just listening to his big muscles," said Aang
"Aang," said Gordon "He is just a show off, this rumble champion must be the real master at Earth Bending,"
"Yeah you could be right," nodded the Avatar
The Boulder has a chance to take on the Earth Rumble champion, the Blind Bandit. In which the final match is now and this Blind Bandit is a teenage girl. There is trash talking followed by a match and it was done as this Blind Bandit had won, of course a challenge was made and Aang, after a minor match Aang won and is declared the winner of the rumble tournament however the blind bandit left afterwards.
Gaoling
Finding a blind girl isn't easy but the students of the Earth bending academy may know and what stroke of luck the two students who made fun of Aang told them as Katara intimidated them a bit as Gordon just chuckled at this a bit. Then they got directions in a form of a rich family in town and the world. The Beifongs, so off they went, until finally they found the place and sneaked in, but before they could go any further Earth bending propelled them forward into the bushes.
"What are you doing here, Twinkle toes?" asked Toph
"Well, I..." said Aang in a nervous sort of way
"Don't answer to Twinkle toes, it's not manly!" said Sokka
"You're the one whose bag matches his belt." said Katara
"Well if he is going to have a nick name," said Gordon "It would be best to call her Princess melon-head,"
Sokka chuckled, Aang snickered, and Katara smiled a bit,
"What?" said Toph as she stands at Gordon looking annoyed at him "My head is not shaped like a melon,"
"No, but your hair is," Gordon
"How did you find me?" asked Toph
"Well, a crazy king told me I had to find an earth bender who listens to the earth." said Aang "And then I had a vision in a magic swamp and... "Cutting Aang off
"What Aang is trying to say is, he's the Avatar, and if he doesn't master earth bending soon he won't be able to defeat the Fire Lord." said Katara
"It wasn't hard to find you;" said Gordon "Richest family in town must have trained a powerful Earth bender like you. Impressive for a melon head,"
"Whatever," growled Toph "It's not my problem,"
They tried to explain even more.
"Guards, guards," said Toph
Afterwards they left, only to return later in formal and respectable manner. Dinner was rather interesting as Toph looked annoyed and Aang made himself into a total goofball with his antics. Until it was decided to head off to bed only to discover Aang and Toph were kidnapped by those bender wrestlers bent on revenge for learning the truth.
Later
It was discovered by Toph's father and an Earth bending master that she is the best of them all and of course Toph did defeat all of them fairly easy in which now she had some explaining to do. Gordon did witness this and it was impressive display of Earth bending.
"Dad, I know it's hard for you to see me this way, but the obedient little helpless blind girl that you think I am just isn't me. I love fighting. I love being an earth bender." said Toph "And I'm really, really good at it. I know I've kept my life secret from you, but you were keeping me secret from the whole world. You were doing it to protect me. But I'm twelve years old and I've never had a real friend. So now that you see who I really am, I hope it doesn't change the way you feel about me."
"Of course it doesn't change the way I feel about you, Toph. It's made me realize something." said Lao
"It has?" she asked
"Yes. I've let you have far too much freedom." said Lao "From now on; you will be cared for and guarded 24 hours a day."
"But dad!" said Toph who protested at this
"We are doing this for your own good, Toph," said Toph's mother
"I would have to disagree," said Gordon
"This doesn't concern you," said Lao "Its family business,"
"I'm making it my business," said Gordon "I know you are doing what is right for your daughter, but keeping her isolated and alone won't help. She is the best regardless if she is blind or not, a disadvantage can be an advantage, overcoming the odds is what she did and you have witnessed. I know all about overcoming the odds, more ways than you can imagine." He pointed "Out there is a whole world waiting for her to experience and learn,"
"Get out," said Lao "You have no right to dictate our family,"
Gordon almost got nose to nose with Lao as the man looked scared.
"Make me," said Gordon "Your daughter has a future for herself, but I am beginning to think she isn't the blind person in the room. But you two are, snobby, uptight and selfish,"
"Stop," said Toph "Just go, you made your point."
Gordon walked away with the others as Toph looked back for a moment
"Thank you," she smiled
"No problem," said Gordon
That very night all of them are ready to go until Toph showed up as she took the belt back from Aang, then fist hitting Gordon in the shoulder as there was a slight ouch sound from her as they fly off to somewhere else.
Chapter: 53
Information Library