Turns out, my uncle wasn't kidding. So far we had visited pretty much every town and village marked on the map whilst on our way to Ba Sing Se, but so far no one had wanted to come join us. "I did warn you. People have their own lives." I said as we all sat around the map once more. "And Korra? Kidnapping people isn't exactly a great idea, though that little snail-sloth does need a good kick in the…"
"Thank you Kanna." Tenzin cut me off before I could finish, looking visibly dejected. "Well, I guess we should just go to Ba Sing Se and try our luck there."
"I don't know what to do. I just thought more people would be excited about coming with us." Korra also looked totally crestfallen as she sighed.
"Well, maybe you gotta do more to get them excited. You need to add a little razzle dazzle." Bumi suggested, which actually wasn't a bad idea, Bolin instantly jumping on board.
"Yeah, razzle dazzle! We could put on some sort of air bending street performance."
"I was going to say we could cover Tenzin's robe in sequins, but that's even better." Giggling at my funny uncle, I then rolled my head back to look at Tenzin, who didn't seem as eager. It was probably the sequins that did it, though he always seems to have that frown on him.
"It sounds ridiculous, but it might work." Sighing and giving in, Tenzin accepted that it was worth a try.
"I'm willing to try anything at this point." Bolin was pumped for the job, eagerly beginning to arrange everything according to the plan he'd already thought up in his head. It didn't take much for everybody to be given their role and it was a simple enough performance, so when we landed in the next town Bolin quickly set himself up with a megaphone and a ridiculous looking moustache which I couldn't help but tug.
"How'd you fix that thing on? You look great Bolin but still, don't you think this is a bit much?" I asked him as I pulled, making him yelp in pain before he quickly swatted me away.
"With glue, so stop pulling!" Wow, that's going to hurt pulling it off later. Clearing his throat, I moved off in order to go get Oogie ready, listening as Bolin called to the townspeople through this megaphone. "Come one, come all and witness the amazing air benders! An air bending show that will leave you breathless…with wind! First up, the tattooed master himself. You know him as the son of Avatar Aang. He shaves every hair on his head, every single day. It's the one, the only guy with an arrow pointing to his nose…Tenzin!" Loving the introduction, I watched for a moment as my uncle turned and rotated his arms to form an air ring around him which he could step onto and zoomed all around the square.
The audience all clapped in appreciation as Tenzin hopped off his air ring and presented himself to the gathering crowd. "Now, now, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, please be quiet." Bolin instructed, putting on a great show and really selling it to the crowd. "I have some serious news. We've heard that an escaped fire bending convict has been spotted near here. Now, I don't want to panic anyone, but if you see a fire bender with a red scarf..." Mako had merged himself into the crowd already and someone quickly spotted him, pointing him out and yelling.
"I see him. He's right there!" Mako didn't share the same flare for performance as his brother, being all awkward and embarrassed as he was, his line was flat and he put zero effort in, which was a disappointment.
"I am the escaped convict, and you will all reap my fire." Bending a small flame from his fist, the crowd whispered fearfully as Bolin jumped up and continued his show.
"Oh, no, who will help us?"
"I will!" Korra gave it her all as she stepped forwards, making me laugh as she faced Mako. "With my air bending skills!" Air bending a cyclone Korra pulled Mako up into the air, making him yell at the unexpected twist as he got tossed up and down repeatedly.
"Whoa! Hey! Let me go! This is not what we rehearsed! Korra!" Looks like Korra was having way too much fun teasing Korra and maybe even taking this as an opportunity to get her own back a little in the most gentlest way Korra could manage. Knowing my turn was next, I quickly jumped up on Oogie and got him into the air, flying him over the crowd before performing a loop.
"With the power of air bending, even this beast can float like a feather!" Bolin continued, showing off all the best aspects of air bending before Bumi performed some basic forms. "Look what can be done in only a few short weeks of practice." Jinora then flew overhead on her glider, weaving around Oogie and me before she landed elegantly on a column, causing the crowd to awe in amazement as Bolin reassured them. "No, no, don't worry, folks, she might be young, but she is in full control." Now for the final trick, I had Oogie take me high up into the air before I rubbed his head, getting up and leaning over to judge the position. "And now ladies and gentleman, for the final act, a trust exercise! Please turn your eyes to the sky, where our brave stuntwoman is about to plunge in a complete freefall!" The crowds all gasped in horror as I lifted my arms, preparing to jump. "With no air bending of her own, observe as our air bending masters save her from certain doom, behold!"
Closing eyes and praying I don't throw up my breakfast, I turned around in order to fall backwards, arms still spread as I let myself fall from Oogie's head. He growled with worry but stayed put as we'd practiced, though his natural instinct was to keep his rider from falling. I plummeted downwards and several people screamed, watching as I rapidly descended before all at once I felt like I'd landed on an air cushion, Tenzin, Korra, Jinora and Bumi wrapping the air underneath me to slow my fall then support me as I bobbed up and down before I began to do some tricks, laughing at the fun sensation of somersaulting before with a final flair, I landed safely on my feet then spread my arms for a final, roaring applause.
"Ladies and gentlemen, if you or anyone you know is an air bender, please send them our way. Master Tenzin and Avatar Korra would love to teach them all they know!" Bolin finished as we all waved. I whistled to call Oogie back and he landed, moaning worriedly and started to rub his head against me.
"Okay big guy I know, you hated it just as much as I did, but you were great!" I praised him, rubbing his head as he snuffled at me. The crowd started to walk away, seeing that the show was over but then a kid around Jinora's age ran up to us all with a cute smile and bright green eyes.
"Hey. Hello. If you're looking for air benders, you just found one." He informed us before performing a few air bending strikes he'd managed to get the hang of. "I want to join you guys." Alright! The air bending show was clearly the way to go, we finally got one!
"Get outta town!"
"We got our first recruit." Korra smiled to Tenzin as we all looked down to the kid. "Just to be totally clear, we're going to be heading to Ba Sing Se, then the Northern Air Temple to live as nomads and rebuild the Air Nation. All that sound good to you?" She asked the kid who repeated without much care about it, making me frown and purse my lips, looking across at Mako who had folded hid arms, also looking at the kid suspiciously, the two of us sharing a look with each other.
"Yeah, Ba Sing Se, rebuild the temple, Air Nomad whaddyado-I'm in. Let's go right now."
"This is going to be so great!" Bolin literally jumped in the air to celebrate. "You are gonna love it…uh…real quick, what's your name?"
"Kai." He answered before looking at Tenzin. "So when do we hit the road?"
"Hang on a second, Kai. Where are your parents? We can't have you come with us without their permission." Kai then looked down at his feet, his entire body posture changing with sadness as he told us about his parents.
"My parents are...gone."
"You're an orphan?" Bolin immediately looked sad by the news, sympathising with the kid who nodded.
"It happened about a year ago. My hometown was raided by outlaws, but my parents fought back against them. I was so scared, but they told me not to worry. They would protect me, and they did. My parents saved me and the entire village, but they died in the fight. Mom and pop meant everything to me. They were my whole life." Yeah…that's a real cute story kid. Now try putting some truth into it. Bolin was already crying, too soft hearted to think that Kai would lie about something like that. "Ever since then, I've been on my own and on the run. Those same outlaws are still after me."
"Well, you don't have to be on the run anymore. Right, guys? Tell him." Tenzin bowed his head with a sombre expression, assuring Kai that he was going to be alright now.
"I'm so sorry about your parents. I know we could never replace them, but we're here for you." Are you guys kidding me?! You actually believe a load of crap like that?! Looking around desperately, I breathed a silent side of relief to see Mako looking sceptical at the very least.
"We'll keep you safe. Come on." Although I wanted to say something about the kid lying, I knew Tenzin will probably want to believe the best in him since he's the first air bender actually willing to come along with us. Should I say something? Nah, I'm probably just overthinking it.
"When you board this airship, you're gonna leave your old life behind and start a new path. That's some big brother advice. Just think of me as your big brother." Bolin invited and Kai grinned at him brightly, fully eager to leave, however before we could all board, the sound of motorcycle engines made me stop and look around as Mako looked out the window, the both of us watching as five motorcycles pulled up alongside one another and their riders started to get off.
"Guys, I think we got trouble." One of the men took off his helmet and goggles before addressing us and I blinked as he pointed at Kai.
"Release the boy or we'll take him by force." With a hand signal, the other four riders all bended rocks from the ground, taking a threatening stance as I just froze on the causeway, the first one in their line of fire.
"The outlaws, they're after me! L-let's get out of here!" Outlaws? These guys don't look like outlaws, actually they look like some kind of officials.
"We're not running from anyone." Always up for a fight, Korra stepped back outside and brushed past me, touching my shoulder with her hand so I followed after her, alighting the ship once more. "If you want Kai, you'll have to go through me!" With an initial attack with air bending, the earth benders responded by launching their rocks at us. Uncapping my grandmother's water pouch, I bent the water inside before lashing out with a water whip, hitting the first rock and using it to knock the others aside to give Korra an opening, and within a few seconds Korra had them all pinned. "Your days of harassing an innocent boy are over. You outlaws are going to prison!"
"Um…Korra?" I began as I poked one of the earth benders, noticing he had a badge on him and they were all wearing uniform. "I don't think these guys are outlaws." She blinked at me as the leader spluttered, recovering from where Korra had knocked him down.
"Outlaws? Innocent boy? I'm a sheriff and these are my deputies." Oh boy, we screwed up big time. "And this kid is a thief. Whatever he told you is a lie. We've been chasing him for months." Turning around I glared at Kai who was trying to sneak off but Mako smartly collared him, hoisting up to keep him from escaping as Korra demanded to know where he was.
"Right here." Walking towards us with Kai's bag in the other hand, Mako brought him over. "I found him slipping away."
"I was going to the bathroom!"
"With your sack of gold?" Dropping the bag down a whole pile of gold and jewels spilled out, making both mine and Korra's faces drop as we stared at it. Damn, this kid is a pretty good thief, I'll give him that. Look at that hoard!
"I told you, I found that on the road!"
"Yeah, like there's ever going to be a pile of money and jewels just sitting there conveniently to be picked up." I drawled sarcastically as I walked on over to him, placing my hands on my hips and leaning over him. "If you're going to lie kid, at least make it believable. Same with your parent sob story. Way too dramatic and not enough emotion. Terrible choice for a lie."
"The truth is, he's the outlaw." The sheriff informed us as he and his deputies all dusted themselves off. "He spent his entire life as an orphan until he got adopted by a real nice family about six months ago, and how did he repay them? By taking their entire life savings. We've been after him ever since." That was even worse than the parent sob story. What a nasty little kid.
"Is that true?" Turning some real simpering eyes up at Korra, he tried to appeal to her soft side.
"The person who stole that stuff was the old me. Once I got air bending, I changed. I don't know how to explain it, but I feel like air bending chose me for a reason. Like I'm a new person. I'm sorry!" The deputies started to drag him away but he continued pleading. "Please! You have to listen to me!" one of the other deputies picked up the gold as I wilted slightly, sad to see our first and only willing air bender volunteer being taken away, Bolin looking after him with worry.
"Are you taking him back to the orphanage?"
"No. He's headed to jail." I looked at Korra who seemed to be deliberating on what to do.
"We don't exactly have any other air benders coming to us in droves Korra, Kai might be one of the very few we can persuade to come with us." I reasoned with her quietly. "We can't let this opportunity pass us by."
"You're right." She agreed before calling after the sheriff. "Wait! You guys got the family's life savings back. Now let us take Kai."
"Do you really want our first new member of the Air Nation to be a liar and a thief?" Tenzin questioned her but she just smiled at him confidently.
"He just needs some guidance, Tenzin, and who better to give it to him than us?" Getting impatient, the sheriff yelled back to us if we wanted the kid or not. Scratching his beard thoughtfully, Tenzin finally agreed.
"Yes. You can release the boy into our custody." Relieved to be let go, Kai rushed back on over and even gave Korra a hug, thanking her for giving him a second chance to which she warned him not to make her regret it. I have a feeling that we probably would, seeing as Kai hadn't exactly proven himself to be a model citizen we were hoping for as our first air bender recruit. Bolin was more than happy to welcome Kai on board, however Mako and I weren't convinced, and he let it be known as he grabbed Kai's head and turned him around.
"I just want you to know, I'm going to be watching you, kid. I know exactly what you're all about because I've been there before. You don't have me fooled."
"Whoa, hey, lighten up. I'm turning over a new leaf. Making a change. Don't you worry about me." Kai drawled mischievously so I sent Mako a look.
"He's totally lying isn't he?"
"Yep."
"Great." Turning around I saw Kai and Jinora interact, my little cousin blushing as she introduced herself to the admittedly very ragged and dashing young Kai.
"Hi, I'm Jinora. If you need any help with air bending I could show you what I know."
"Thanks. That's real nice of you." Oh no, no that is definitely not going to happen. Storming up the causeway I pointedly picked Kai up under his arms, making him kick and yelp at the sudden change in height. "Hey what gives?! Let go!" I put him down behind me and put my hand on Jinora's back, ushering her into the ship as her dad called for her so that first, we could get going and second, I could keep Jinora away from Kai.
"Jinora, that boy is a very good example of a very bad type of person. Don't be getting mixed up with him, okay? I have a feeling he won't be staying with us long."
"You don't know that, maybe it's true he wants to change." Jinora said to me hopefully but I just arched an eyebrow with a deadpan face as I held her shoulders.
"Uh…no. Trust me. That's not going to happen." Lowering her head with disappointment, I rubbed her head to comfort her, promising that we'd find more air benders and to keep her chin up as we took off, new air bender willing in tow. For now.
