Chapter 10: Meet Haru

Location: Los Angeles, California

Elsa and Anna been waiting for the bus for at least forty minutes, but it felt for eternity for Elsa. She can't believe that Ricky, her closest friend and her boyfriend, was 'killed' by that b*stard Jeremy Paxton. She wanted to commit suicide just to be with Ricky in the afterlife, but Anna stopped her and scolded her that Ricky doesn't her want her to end her life like that. Anna, on the other end, she is extremely p*ssed off at the school jockey for killing her friend and want to snap his neck to avenge "Ricky's death".

They haven't said a thing since they left Colorado and they want to see Nikki and Susan to comfort them over their loss of Ricky. They saw a mini, white van coming towards their way and stop at the bus stop. They were confused on what's going on, until they saw the window rolling down showing Ricky's neighbor: Ms. Benchy.

"Mrs. Benchy," Anna said, "What are you doing here?"

"I'm on my way to pick up Nikki and Susan until Mr. Richards comes back," Ms. Benchy explain, "What are you two girls doing here?"

Anna and Elsa look at each other and look back at the afro-haired African woman.

"We're going to same place you are," Anna answer.

Ms. Benchy nodded her head in pity; she has known these girls for almost fifteen years ago since they were little kids. She used to babysit Ricky when he was just a little baby and she feels like he's her own son. Mrs. Richards never wanted to have a third child, but luckily her husband got her to change her mind and what she has seen, it seems that she was faking about caring for her son. It makes her sick of thinking Mr. Richards would marry such a woman like her.

"Get in you two," she said blankly.

Elsa and Anna didn't say anything; they open the door and enter in Ms. Benchy's van and they were on their way to Ricky's house.

'Ricky, I hope you are in a better place kid', Ms. Benchy thought.


Location: Two miles from a mining town

Aang, Katara, and Sari waited for Ricky and Sokka to come back with some food. Aang was sleeping underneath a tree, while Katara was sewing up some clothes and Sari grooming Appa's fur. It wasn't long for Momo starts to screech, showing that Ricky and Sokka came back with food. Aang woke up and jump onto his feet and starts to run towards Ricky and Sokka.

"Hey guys, you're back. What you got", Aang asks.

Sokka dumps his bags, showing different kinds of nuts, while Ricky sat down next to Katara and Sari.

"We've got oval nuts, round nuts, and rock-shaped nuts." Sokka explains as he throws the rock-shape nuts towards Momo.

The gang looks at each other and then looks at Sokka with disbelief.

"Okay, seriously what you got", Katara ask unamused.

"I told you, this is breakfast", Sokka complain, "So dig in."

Ricky rolls his eyes as he grabs his bag and opens it, revealing different types of berries.

"Whoa Ricky, where did you get these", Sari asks.

"Well, me and Sokka decided to split up so we can cover new ground. I was about to give up until I found a bush filled with berries, different kinds to be exact." Ricky explains as he grabs each kind of berries, "We've got black berries, raspberries, grape-like berries, and this one I called Red-Spot Berry."

The Red-Spot Berry was a purple color, covered in small, red spots.

"No offense Ricky, but you think that they might be spoiled?" Katara ask.

"That's what I thought, but I tried it and they taste like strawberry and kiwi combined!"

Katara, Aang, and Sari look at each other and then back at Ricky. They grab the Red-Spot Berry and place it in their mouths; they tasted it and then swallow it. Their eyes widen in awe as they grab more of the berries.

"Wow Ricky, you're right. They DO taste like strawberry and kiwi" Katara said in excitement.

"HEY, I work hard on finding those nuts", Sokka complained.

"Come on Sokka" Ricky said, "Just try it, it's not like it's going to kill you."

Ricky throws a blackberry at Sokka and places it inside his mouth. Sokka starts chewing the berry and swallow it. It wasn't long until his eyes widen not in awe, but in fear; he started gagging and grabbing his neck as he starts spazzing out of control. The gang looks at him as he starts coughing hysterically.

"Oh come on Sokka", Ricky says unamused, "It's not that bad."

Sokka doesn't respond, as he still coughing and gagging for air. Everyone watches him in embarrassment as he spasm out of control.

"Does he do this?" Ricky asks.

"Oh, definitely", Katara replies, "Once, he tried eating a frozen berry that we have at the Southern Water Tribe. He starts gagging, saying how it tastes terrible and my family and I look at him like he's insane. And since then, he said he will NEVER try anything that relates to fruits ever again."

Everyone laughed at Sokka's past as he finally spits out the blackberry and glares at everyone, which they laughed even harder. Then, a giant explosion came out of nowhere, making everyone stop laughing and causing them to fall over.

"What on earth was that?" Aang asks.

"I don't know", Ricky answers, "But I think we should check that out."

"Good idea", Katara replies.

They all got up, except for Sokka, got up and ran towards to the location of the explosion.

"Hey! Shouldn't we run AWAY from the big boom, not TOWARDS it?!" Sokka yelled.

But no one listen to him as they continue to run towards to the location of the explosions. Sokka groans in annoyance as he got up and runs towards them.


It took at least two minutes until they finally made it towards the location. When they finally made it, they were in awe on what they have found: an earthbender. The earthbender was almost his hieght, had brown and rusted yellow color shirt. He had coffee brown, long hair that was had a miniture pony-tail on the top of his hair, along with a green headband. His eyes were golden and his skin was a tan color, similar to a Navajo Indian. He watches the earthbender moving the rock into the air and starts punching the boulder.

"Wow, an earthbender", Sari gasps in awe.

"We should approach him carefully", Sokka warned, "He might be dangerous."

Ricky looks at him in disbelief.

"Right, says the guy who over-reacting everytime he eats a fruit", Ricky said sarcastically which got a lot of 'Ohs'.

"Hey, that thing could've killed me", Sokka hissed.

Ricky rolls his eyes as Katara starts running towards to the earthbender.

"Hi there, my name is Katara", Katara yelled out.

The earthbender gasp in surprise as he drops the boulder and starts running away.

"WAIT", Katara yelled but he was long gone.

Katara sighs in defeat as Ricky walks up to her and placed his hand onto her shoulder.

"All I want to say is hi", she murmmered.

"Don't worry", Ricky said, "We should follow him, maybe there might be a town there."

"Yeah and they might have food there", Aang said.

"Yay, no more nuts", Sari yelled excitedly.

Everyone cheered except for Sokka, since he was pouting how he worked so hard on getting the nuts.

"Oh, I forgot", Katara remembers as she ran towards to Appa. Everyone was waiting for her until she came back with some new clothes and gave it to Ricky. "This is for you; we don't want any attention for the Fire Nation huh?"

Ricky looks at his new clothes and took them and walk away from his friends so he can change. It took a while until he was fully clothed into his new clothes; he was wearing a maroon, long sleeve shirt with a navy vest with silver lining with black, leather pants, and iron boots that they raided a Fire Nation camp (which was abandoned by the way) few weeks later. Everyone was staring at him with awe as he continues walking towards them.

"Well, what do you think?" Ricky asks.

"You look like you fit right in", Aang answers, "Now no one will recognize you except for us."

Ricky nodded as he waves his hands to them to follow him and so they did.


It wasn't long until they found a market; Aang bought a hat to keep his face from being recognized by the Fire Nation, while his friends were looking for some food. While everyone was shopping, Katara notice the same boy they met at the forest, enter inside a small house.

"Wait a minute", Katara said to herself as she walks towards to the small house.

Ricky notices Katara is heading towards a small house, he signal his friends to follow him as they enter the house. Katara opens the door, showing the same boy and a woman.

"Hey, I know you", Katara said as she pointed out towards the boy, "We saw you at the forest, why did you run away?"

The boy turned around to see the same kids he saw earlier this morning.

"Um, you must be mistaken with someone else", the boy lied.

"No, we saw you", Aang replied, "We saw earthbending."

The woman gasp in horror as she quickly ran towards the door and some windows, slamming them shut.

"They saw you do what?!" the woman yelled.

"Mom they're crazy, look at their clothes for crying out loud!" the boy retorted.

They gasp except for Ricky, as they look at their clothing; just then a loud bang came from the door.

"OPEN UP!" a very aggressive male voice yelled.

Sokka peek through the window to see three firebenders standing near the door.

"It's the Fire Nation, QUICK ACT NATURAL!" Sokka yelled.

The woman quickly opens the door, letting the Fire Nation soldiers in. The men look around to see the kids standing weirdly; Sokka eyeballing an apple, Katara stuffing her face with berries, the young boy eye-crossing next to Sokka, Sari pretending to look at some peppers, Aang showing his toothy grin as he stand next to a water barrel, but he fell downward as his hand accidently slip through the barrel. Ricky, however, was the only one who looks normal from the rest of the group; he was just standing there, with a small scroll in his hand, like he was reading it. The men shrug it off as they walk towards the woman.

"What do you want?" the woman hissed, "I already paid you this week."

"Well guess what, it has been double", the man said with a sinister grin on his face, "We don't want any 'wild fires' here do we?"

The woman didn't argue as she and the men walk towards the counter and grab the money. She gave them the money as the tax collector tosses away the copper coins away.

"Keep those coppers", the tax collector said, "They're useless anyways."

And with that, the tax collector and his men walk away and slammed the door shut.

"Wow, nice man", Sokka sarcastically said, "How long have they been here?"

"Five years", the woman sigh, "Fire Lord Ozai's using our mining town to fuel their ships and been taxing us ever since."

"They're nothing but thugs! Thieves! I can't stand when no one's decides to fight back!" the boy says angrily.

"HARU!" the woman yelled, "Don't say those things, they'll hear you."

"But its true mom", Haru argued, "We can't just sit here and do nothing."

"I don't care, just don't say those things!" his mom yelled.

"But Haru is an earthbender", Katara says curiously, "He could help."

The mom shook her head in denial.

"Earthbending is prohibited here; ever since the Fire Nation came here, they strictly forbid earthbending to use here and those who use it will be sent to prison far off to sea."

Ricky notices the mom starting to cry; he knows how he feels and it reminds him the Berlin Wall of the Cold War and the Ghetto in WWII in world history class. He was never a fan of tyranny nor communism and the Fire Nation remind him of the Nazis and the Communism combined and it makes him sick.

"It's the Ghetto all over again", he murmur to himself.

Aang looks at Ricky with confusion.

"What was that?"

Ricky snapped back to reality and look at his friend.

"Nothing", he lied.

Aang didn't believe him but decides not to ask, but for some reason it seems that Ricky knows how Haru's mom feels.


Ricky and his friends followed Haru towards an old barn to spend for the night. Katara and Haru decided to take a walk for a while, leaving Ricky, Aang, Sokka, and Sari with Appa and Momo. Ricky lay on Appa's tail and stared at the ceiling. He can't get the feeling that he should do something, but was too scared to do anything. He hates himself for not standing up for Haru and his mother; it reminds him when he was bullied by Jeremy and his thugs and was protected by Anna and Johnny. He missed them so much, including Elsa, who was the only one who he loved so much. It hurts every time he looks at Katara's face and it reminds of him of her.

He hasn't told anything about his personal life, nor his world for a long time towards his new friends. He begins to close his eyes until Appa's tail began to shake him off and fell to the ground. Aang came up to Ricky and pulled him off from the ground.

"You okay Ricky?" Aang asks.

"Yeah I'm fine", Ricky says as he wipes the dust off of his new clothes.

Aang smiled at him as he walks towards to Appa, leaving Ricky, Sokka, and Sari alone. Ricky starts walking towards to the barn door and opens it.

"Hey, where are you going?" Sokka asks suspiciously.

Ricky turns around to see Sokka staring at him.

"I'm just going outside to get some fresh air", he replied.


Ricky walked outside and closes the door. He took a deep breath and starts walking towards to the small forest. He hasn't gotten time to himself in awhile and he felt that he needed it; he still upset that he'll never get to see his friends again. But her can't blame his new friends for him being homesick; he blames mostly himself for not doing anything about the school bully, Jeremy Paxton, and he could stay with his old friends. But the thing is that if he did it, he'll never get to meet Aang, Katara, Sokka, Sari, and Konna. He doesn't know what to think, but that's when he starts to bump into Haru and Katara.

"Oh my gosh, I'm so sorry", Ricky apologize as he got up, "I wasn't paying any attention and—"

"It's alright", Katara replied, "It's just an accident, right Haru?"

"Yeah", Haru answered.

Ricky sigh in relief as he rubbed the back of his head.

"So, what did you guys talk about", Ricky asks.

Katara just shrugs.

"Just about what happened today. Oh and I told Haru about you."

Ricky looks at Haru with worriedness to his face.

"It's okay Ricky", Katara assured to him with her hand on his shoulder, "I told him that you're with us."

Ricky nods his head, but was still worried about if he and Haru were alone. But his thoughts were interrupt by a screaming coming from behind.

"THE MINE!" Haru yelled.

The three ran towards to the mine to see an old man being crushed by a giant boulder. The three tried to lift the boulder but to no avail.

"I don't think we can push it", Ricky says as he struggles to lift the boulder.

"Haru, you have to do it", Katara yells.

"WHAT?! I can't" Haru yelled.

"Look, no one is watching and it's the only option we have left", Katara argued, "Now DO IT!"

Haru sighed in defeat as he punches the boulder into tiny rubble, freeing the old man. The old man got up and starts running away from the mine.

"You did it Haru", Katara cheered.

Haru blush in Katara's compliment as Ricky patted him on the back.

"You were awesome back there", Ricky says admirably.

"Thanks guys", Haru reply, "We should head back, it's getting dark."

Katara and Ricky nodded their heads and walk towards the barn.


"…And then Haru hit the boulder into tiny little pebbles to free the old man", Ricky explains to Aang, Sari, and Sokka about what happen.

"Wow that was amazing", Aang says in awe.

Sokka stands up and starts stretching his arms and legs.

"Well then, we need to sleep; we need to leave at dawn." Sokka says blankly.

"Oh come on Sokka", Katara whines, "Can't we just sleep in for ONE night?"

"HECK NO!" Sokka yelled, "This town is crawling with Fire Nation and it won't be long for them to find us! And if we stay here any longer, we'll be eating fireballs first thing in the morning."

"Better than those boring nuts", Katara smirk.

"Would you like Blueberry fireballs or the original orange fireball?" Ricky jokes in his British accent.

The gang laughs at Ricky's joke, except for Sokka, who is furious at Katara and Ricky.

"GOOD NIGHT!" Sokka say angrily.


Haru couldn't sleep, because he was thinking about the weird boy Katara talk about. What was his name, Ricky? He shrug about the name and was wondering if everything that Katara said about him was true.


Flashback

"See this necklace", Katara asks as she holds her Water Tribe necklace.

Haru look at it for a minute.

"It's beautiful", Haru answered.

"It was given to my before the Fire Nation raided our village when I was a little kid." Katara explained.

"It's not enough huh?" Haru asked.

Katara hung her head in sadness.

"No."

They were quiet for a few minutes until Haru's mind begins to wonder about the strange kid with them.

"Hey, who was that kid with you", Haru asked.

Katara looked at him and then she remembers who he's talking about.

"Oh, you mean Ricky? He's um… not from this place." Katara said uncomfortable.

Haru raised his eyebrow in confusion.

"You see… we found him along with Aang and we have no idea where he came from, until he saved us from the Fire Nation." Katara explained, "What's funny is that he can bend BLUE fire."

Haru's eyes widen in shock.

"HE'S A FIREBENDER?!" he screamed.

Katara laughed nervously.

"You can say that, but trust me when I said 'that he saved me and my brother and Aang'. He's not like the rest of the Fire Nation; he's smart, kind, funny, brave, and has the most amazing smile I have ever seen."

She starts to gaze out to space with a goofy smile on her face. Haru didn't realize that she likes-likes him.

"Seems you like this Ricky huh?" Haru ask

Katara started to blush furiously red and began to stutter.

"W-W-WHAT, NO!"

Haru laughed his head off as he saw Katara's reaction.

End of Flashback


He start's to smile until he heard a knock on the door. He wonders who could be up at this night. He starts to get up from his bed and starts to walk towards to the door. He opens it and he saw the old man he saved from the mine and a couple of Fire Nation soldiers behind him.

"THAT'S HIM", the old man points accusingly, "THAT'S THE EARTHBENDER!"

The soldiers pushed the old man away and grab him away from his home.


Ricky slept in, despite Sokka's plans to wake him up; he tried poking him with a stick, screaming into his ear, heck he even tried to lick him in the cheek, but that ended him with a bloody nose and a black eye. Aang and Sari laugh at Sokka's failing attempt to wake Ricky up. Not knowing that Ricky was smiling behind his friends about Sokka's failures. Suddenly, the barn door was slammed open, making everyone, including Ricky, jump out of their skins to see Katara crying.

"HARU'S GONE!"


Author's Note: Hey guys, sorry for not posting anything lately since the stupid PARCC testing had to do, TWICE! But don't worry, I'll be back, and I notice my last chapter of Pokémon: Battle of the Gods, didn't get as much reviews but I'm not complaining. Also please add in more OC's for this story. LeoPrime is out, PEACE!