The last thing Mushi ever wanted was to be haunted, and it was partially why he left for Kyoshi Island a few months ago. Currently sitting on its grass, he ignored the natives and their ticking watches, the guttural Satomobile engines passing by, and the wind hitting his face. Yet, Mushi felt neither the peace nor serenity. He only saw her–
She stood atop the empty ocean as her dark hair blew in the wind...
–He squeezed his eyes shut. He tried to shift his focus to anything to block the woman out–
... her Water Tribe outfit, once newly made, was torn in several places…
–A frown cracked his calm façade. "Come on," he whispered, pleadingly. "Not again–"
... and she slowly turned to face him with an expressionless face and a dead stare...
–At last, he slumped his shoulders. He ran a hand through his short dark hair. His grey gaze went up the great statue of the island's namesake, her green dress glowing in the morning sun. "There has to be a better way than this," he said, almost pleading at Avatar Kyoshi's feet. Her accomplishments, firmly embellished into legend, shrouded him like her shadow. If only she could answer him.
A head of brown hair loomed over to do so. "Meditating again, Mushi?"
Mushi whirled at the stranger. "Sifu Niko, don't do that!" he said, a hand on his thumping heart,
Niko smiled. "Well, I wouldn't have to if you noticed. Again. You are too tense, sometimes."
"I'm not tense!" Mushi snapped. Then, he relaxed his shoulders after realizing the irony himself.
Niko held his hands behind his hunched back. "Mushi, you've been at this statue all morning. I don't know what has gotten in your head but stressing over it will do you no good. You need to relax."
"I told you, I–!" Mushi said, but a strike behind his neck cut him off. Struck so suddenly, he never noticed his own thin body shaking like a blown leaf from the built-up tension trailing down his spine.
"Well?" Niko asked a more relaxed Mushi. His hand returned behind his back.
Scooping up his jacket, Mushi followed Niko onto the only paved street. Annoying and endearing, Niko took a personal interest in all his guests. Not hard since Kyoshi Island had less than two thousand people. It all surprised Mushi when he arrived. Not a chute or slide in sight. Only a telephone line, a dozen Satomobiles, and a few rows of modern buildings added to the centuries-old houses.
Niko, the governor of it all, avoided a speeding Satomobile. He mumbled about making "new laws for these junkies." Mushi's previous suggestion for a new road went unnoticed. Niko turned with a flourish of his long green jacket. "So, tell me, why are you at the statue and not with your classmates?"
Mushi met Niko's patient stare with pursed lips. "I don't think it's a big deal. You always said I need to focus more, so I just thought I'd try some techniques you had taught me."
"I know you want to work hard. You have shown that over the past few months, but today is your last day here. You should be with the other students. You may not ever see them again."
Mushi shouldered his jacket to block out Sifu Niko's passing students. Wearing the forest-green gi like Mushi's, each greeted only Sifu Niko. "Maybe. Not sure if they'll ever miss me," Mushi said.
"They will," Niko assured. "You just need to give them a chance to know you first."
Mushi's train of thought stopped, his attention drawn aside. On a nearby cliff stood a girl with soft brown hair tied into a bun. Mushi had seen her at a passing glance over the past few days and now. The way she, right arm raised and right leg forward, raised a boulder from the cliffside itself was mesmerizing that point Mushi didn't hear Niko say his name. The spectators–Mushi's classmates–gave "oohs" and "aahs" at the boulder swirling and splitting into two tinier halves that orbited each other.
Mushi was more interested in the girl herself, her near-perfect form, her expression the epitome of calm he sought to attain. The girl herself could've been from another part of the Earth Confederation–maybe Zaofu. Her outfit was a mix of green and blues, so it wasn't easy to tell.
"You know, you could always talk to her," Niko whispered to him, rather cheekily.
Reality pushed Mushi's lips into a semi-frown. "Thanks, but I don't think I have the time now."
"Always the spoilsport. I swear you're like my wife sometimes." Niko paused, and his face perked up when he reached into his jacket. "Oh, I forgot. I have a farewell gift."
Mushi froze at the present held out to him. A piece of wood, no bigger than Niko's palm, sculpted into a woman. With a strong physique and shoulder-length hair, she proclaimed strength and confidence. "It's... It's well-made, sifu," Mushi said hesitantly to Niko who pushed the token to him.
"Good. I spent hours working on it. It may help you on your way back home. Please take it."
"I'm not sure, sifu," Mushi said and tried to return the token.
Niko pushed the token back. "I insist. Please."
"Sifu, I can't–"
"If you don't take it, I'm going to give it to that girl over there and say how my ungrateful student didn't want it," Niko said with his oh-so innocent smile. The mental manipulation pulled at Mushi's lips before he took the gift. "Stay safe. May Avatar Korra's spirit guide you."
With a forced smile, Mushi pocketed the gift. He hid the new dents in his palm and his inner conflict after he bore his jacket. No need for Niko to ask what was wrong. After all, he had to get going.
"Ugh, come on. Get going, already!" Mushi had said to the line in front.
Said line extended from the actual docks and down Kyoshi's beach. Everyone was either in rags not washed for days or in clothes anyone could put together. Mushi, among the latter and waiting for an hour, saw the former crowd the massive metal ferry ahead and regretted not leaving sooner.
The regrets stopped when a hint of green and blue walked into his peripheral vision. It was the girl he saw on the cliff, searching the beach for something or someone. A part of Mushi's mind told him to shut up and wait to board the ship. Sifu Niko's words shut that part out.
"Hey there!" Mushi called out. "Are you looking for a spot?"
The girl whirled to Mushi. "Oh, no thank you! I'm just looking for some friends of mine!" the girl replied, her eyes drifting past the lonesome ship. "They were supposed to be here to meet me."
Mushi looked around the docks. "Well, I only see us and the ship. Are you getting on it?"
"Thanks, but I have my own," the girl said, smiling. After finding nothing again, her smile slipped into a frown. She murmured, "If only they could get here on time."
Mushi held back a smile. Maybe it was because of the wait, but he was glad someone else shared his impatience. The feeling turned with the girl to leave. but she whirled back, and Mushi reared from someone slightly shorter than himself.
"I'm sorry but have I seen you before?" the girl asked. Leaning forward, she raised one thinned brown brow. The sun revealed not a single blemish on her oval-shaped face. It shone in her eyes, which were a special green color. Forest? No, maybe fern–
Mushi blinked and mentally cursed himself. "No, I don't think so," he said.
"Really? Because I'm pretty sure I have," the girl said. With a smile, she snapped her fingers. "You were in Chief Niko's chi-blocking class, right?"
"Uh, yeah. I've been here for a few months." Mushi diverted his gaze at anywhere other than those eyes. "Um, how about you? I haven't seen you around often."
"Oh, I only came here four days ago. I was trying to catch up on my Earthbending studies for a bit," the girl said, finally leaning back and thankfully giving some space. Her smile never faded, though.
Mushi tried to mentally blot it out. "You could've gone to Gaoling or Zaofu for that."
The girl shrugged. "Maybe, but I like it here better! It's so nice and quiet, and you don't have to worry about other benders always nosing around in your business!"
"Well, I can get behind that last bit." Mushi chuckled, pushing away the stares of onlookers.
A shadow fell overhead before Mushi could appreciate the strange sound in his throat. A roaring engine drowned screams of officers, shipmates, and passengers old and new at the balloon-shaped airship overhead. Its twin bows almost blotted out the sun. "Where did that–"
The girl, smiling, cut Mushi off. "Oh, don't worry! It's for me!" she said and slammed her feet to throw herself up under a surging mound of sand. Her outfit's blue patterns waved like water on a seashore while she caught the airship's lowering ladder from several feet off the ground.
Watching the girl about to fly off, Mushi cupped his mouth. "Hey! I never got your name!"
As the girl spoke, the roaring airship carried her across the waters from whence she came. Mushi moved with the line, not hearing the girl say her name or seeing her wave from so far away.
The sinking feeling never left Mushi's stomach after he boarded. The ferry, especially its less-than-pleasant restrooms, made it worse that he stood up to leave its no-so open deck. He barely saw the father and his little girl taking his spot amongst the crowd of rags or said duo devouring their bowl. When there were none, he stopped on the railing to take in the ocean. Vast, calm, and salty. Unlike his vision.
Mushi pulled out the gift he felt in his pockets. His eyes swayed between malaise and uncertainty. He had no love for it, but Sifu Niko put in a lot of work. No way Mushi could throw it away.
"My, what a nice piece of work!"
Eyes widened, Mushi grabbed at the gift leaping out of his hands. Once, twice, thrice over the railing before he caught the thing. After securing it, a relieved Mushi turned to the one who surprised him. The wrinkled brow white whiskers met him. "Oh, I apologize. I did not mean to frighten you," an old man said, brow wrinkled and white whiskers moving over light lips.
Mushi pocketed the statuette. "It's no problem. Kinda happens to me a lot, I guess. I didn't know anyone else was here."
"No, no one else. It is why I came here. I never expected company so soon."
"Sorry," Mushi now apologized.
"No, no, quite alright. I was bored anyway! Come, join me! I have some lunch if you want it."
Mushi tried not to gag at the bowl of brown-and-orange sludge. "Uh, thank you, but I'm okay."
Shrugging, the old man ate his lunch. "I believe you are from Kyoshi Island, correct?" he asked.
"I was staying there for a bit. I'm more from… the mainland…" Mushi trailed off when the goop dripped from the old man's fingers. Looking away, Mushi noted the makeshift clothing: brown boots with sand on it, a blue Water Tribe sash, a red Fire Nation undershirt, and a tattered Air Nomad robe held together by patches of brown. "So, where are you from?" Mushi asked.
"Nowhere in particular," the old man said after he wiped his mouth. "I'm a traveler, you see. I've been around to the poles, the Fire Nation, and even a bit of Republic City."
A long slurp of the bowl gave Mushi pause. "Well, when was the last time you've been home?"
The old man's mucky lips thinned in thought. "Hmm, fifteen, twenty years? Or was it longer? I find it difficult to keep track of time these days. Sadly, the present has been taking up more of my time."
"What do you mean?"
The old man's blue eyes stared past Mushi, who looked himself. He realized too many sat on that deck he left, to the point everyone pushed each other. Even the guards had trouble moving. Mushi felt each face below become a sea of misery, pained with hunger. It was worse than when he was on their way to Kyoshi Island. And to think he worried about Sifu Niko's gift in all of this.
The old man spoke with great familiarity. "Most are farmers. All from nearby islands. The great drought has destroyed their crops. They have little to support themselves and their families. I hear some may head for the Si Wong Desert."
Mushi whirled back. "The desert? Don't they have anywhere else to go?"
"I'm afraid not. Most cities are already filled with refugees. Not even Zaofu can take them in."
"Omashu might. There's still some land left and–" Mushi began, only to stop at the sound of a cry.
Instinct forced Mushi down the stairs, ignored the few he bumped into. Passing by the dozens of the deprive on the open deck, Mushi heard words of "crazy man," "he needs to let it go," and so on. A second later, Mushi found three figures spread out and hunched over the crowd. Though just as dirty, they were strong enough to demand food from everyone else. A few smart ones gave up their bowls.
Among the rest were the father and daughter who took Mushi's spot. "Please! Spare some for my girl–!" the father begged on his knees, but the leg he pulled at kicked away, the girl running to him.
Mushi rushed in to grab the culprit's wrist. "Hey! That doesn't belong to you!" he said.
A young woman glared back with sunken eyes and skin clinging to her cheekbones. "Let go!"
"Give that food back and I might!" Mushi yanked at the brown twig of skin poking out of a raggedy dress. The woman was strong to bully the others, but the bowl she held fell into Mushi's hand.
"Get away from her!" Mushi heard from the other two, followed by a flying pebble.
Mushi backed, stopped only by the crowd backing away to give room. As taught by Sifu Niko, he held two fists at the woman and her siblings. All were draped in putrid green clothes and glaring with eyes as dark as their unkempt hair. Mushi knew he couldn't face all three, especially with the rings of pebbles on each of their left wrists. He did have the spilled bowl.
With the bowl did Mushi catch two pebbles from the eldest, a mustached man. Mushi threw them and the orange sludge at the trio, rushing quickly. The bowl deflected another pebble fired from the woman. Her sister, a slightly taller woman, punched two more Mushi ducked under with a "Woah!"
For the brother charging at him, Mushi threw the bowl and jabbed at a swatting elbow. Punches to the larger man's right side forced him to his worrying sisters. Mushi caught the older sister's fist in one hand, his other grabbing her shoulder to hit the nerve. The astonished crowd drowned her slight "hrk!" and emboldened Mushi to turn to the last one, the instigator he confronted first.
She threw a rock at him. Right in his nose. Before Mushi knew it, the rock circled to hit behind his head. Another pebble killed his glare at the woman and her spiraling arms. Then, a third, and a fourth struck. Each followed the woman's movements to attack their target.
The four rocks felt like eight. Mushi fell on one knee, and through his raised arms, he glared at the woman–the Earthbender. The victorious glint in her eyes irritated Mushi. It, and the woman, were blown away into the other siblings. What was that? Wind? Four figures dressed in United Republic uniforms marched onto the scene and into Mushi's thoughts.
The crowd's whispers hid the words from a man of authority, as well as from the pleading father whom Mushi tried to rescue. The man's expression said the father's story was nothing new. The crowd's voices faded for the man's order to ring clear. "We've got more thieves. Kick 'em off at the next stop."
"No!" cried the brother of the trio. "We can't get enough food–!"
"You shoulda thought of that before you started stealing." The uniformed man looked over to his colleagues, now pulling out cuffs. "Alright, put 'em on."
Mushi stood up, thinking he had won in some way. His thought stopped after a pebble hit one of the men with the cuffs. They, Mushi, the Earthbending trio, and everyone else turned to someone further in the crowd of bystanders. "Hey! Let my family go!" shouted a twig of a kid, no older than eight.
Another smaller child joined him. "Yeah! Let them-ack!" He started coughing with the other boy.
The young woman, whom Mushi first confronted, rushed over to them. "What are you two doing here? You're supposed to be resting!" she said whilst checking on the kids with her older siblings.
"We were-ack!" said the older boy between coughs.
The officer, eying the two coughing kids, asked, "They related to you?"
"Yes, they're our little brothers," said the eldest brother of the trio, or rather, the group of five. "They were like this since this morning. We've been trying to feed them, but they can't eat, and…"
Mushi understood them, even when the crowd's murmurs drown it away again. They weren't malicious. They were desperate and frustrated, which was more obvious now than before. Could he blame them for doing what they did?
"I…" Mushi began to say something but stopped. What could he even say? 'Hey, I know we just fought, but I can help?' No, that wouldn't do. He didn't know how he could help, to begin with.
Bowl in hand, the old man stepped past Mushi. "Here, take mine. There is more than enough."
The three older siblings took it without question. Like the two children, the man in the uniform frowned. "I dunno if that's going to help. I've seen this sickness before, and food can't help it."
"That should not be a problem. I added a little something to help with that. If I am right, and I believe I am, it will help build their immune systems," the old man assured. Mushi caught the glance on him. "Perhaps, we should go," the old man said. "They had a busy day and need their rest."
Mushi glanced at the young boys, slowly but surely eating their meal. Their older siblings sat around them, slightly relieved. Hiding a frown, Mushi joined the old man at the railing.
The hushes and whispers rang after him in the following hours. Mushi himself stayed silent, and his prayers for a quick end came true after the ferry arrived. "All departures, please leave the ferry in an orderly fashion!" a crew member shouted.
"Is this your stop?" the old man asked after looking from the small city in the distance.
"Yeah," Mushi answered, pulling up his jacket collar. After everything that happened, his tone was as solemn as it could be. His eyes found the five siblings in the crowd, too busy with each other to notice Mushi. Their faces were relieved as color returned the face of their two youngest members.
"It seems like they are better," said the old man, adding to Mushi's obvious guilt. "I understand it is difficult. Yet, things would be worse if you had not stepped in. You did good, even if no one knows."
"You did what you thought was right. That is what matters." The old man paused to smile. "However, a little caution can go a long way."
"I'll try to remember that for next…" Mushi's hands grazed against something wooden in his pockets. After a long moment, Mushi drew out Sifu Niko's gift. "Here, maybe you should have this."
"Are you sure?" the old man asked after staring at the object now in his hands.
"Why not?" Mushi shrugged, walked past the old man, and turned to address him. "I think you'll need it more than I do. You'll need all the help you can get."
After eying the idol, the old man smiled at Mushi. "Thank you for the gift. I shall treasure it," he said and waved a free hand. "Have a safe journey."
Waving back, Mushi left for the ramp to leave the ship and walk past another line of refugees waiting to get onboard. The smell faded, and so did the line, the further Mushi trailed down the bridle path. Left with the grove of tree overhead and grass below leading to his new destination, Mushi stopped to look at something on the path: a tiny pebble.
After making sure he was alone, Mushi mimicked the movements of the siblings he fought. He focused on the stone, wanting it to float as it would for an Earthbender. He clenched his fists, widened his feet, hummed–anything to move the stone. Feeling a bead of sweat, Mushi opened one eye.
The stone was still.
"Should've thought so," Mushi mumbled angrily and kicked the stone away.
Hands in his pockets and shoulders slumped, he walked off without noticing the figure in the distance.
Chin City was like Kyoshi Island in many ways, only larger. Once a village on the cliff, new streets and buildings transformed it into a small city by the Earth Confederation's southern coast. Mushi heard about numbers of refugees passing by, and he saw them crowd the streets. Many of them were dressed in clothes from places like the Southern Isles to the South Pole.
"Hey, watch it!" spat one man who bumped Mushi's shoulder. Mushi ignored him. He had to look for someone, and he doubted a wandering bum would know.
After asking around for directions, Mushi came at last to a certain street within Chin City. The rumors supposedly came from this narrow street of gray blocky buildings and dark doors. Approaching one, Mushi breathed before giving a slight knock. A man in his thirties peaked out and asked "H-hello?"
Mushi waved. "Uh, hi. I'm new here, and I was wondering if you can help me find somebody."
"Who?" the man said, his eyes scouring for any onlookers from the streets. If Mushi had looked, he would've noticed a certain figure in a blue cloak nearby.
"Well, do you know anyone called Shroud–" The man slammed the door before the unknowing Mushi could finish. "Hey! Hey, I wasn't done!" Mushi called, knocking on the door. Silence answered him, much to his chagrin. "Okay, I'll try elsewhere."
A minute later, he knocked on the next house. When an elderly woman answered, Mushi began again. "Hi. I'm from out of town, and I'm looking for someone named Shroud–"
Again, the door slammed shut in Mushi's face. His eyes narrowed on the door, and after knocking on it a few times, he went to the next one.
"Excuse me, do you know a woman called Shro–"
And the next.
"–I just need some help looking for–"
And the next.
"Do you–"
And the next.
"–know anything–"
And the next.
"DoyouknowShroud–"
And the next.
"Oh, come on!" Mushi cried out, too frustrated to count how many doors he knocked on or notice any onlookers as he stomped down the street. This place wouldn't help but there were others. He'd look through the entire city if he had to!
He'd do that if not for the figure in his peripheral vision. Mushi turtled, seeing the figure trail from a distance. The fine blue cloak stood out in an otherwise crowd of dulled colors. Was the man trying to be seen? Mushi learned the answer was "yes" when the man matched his powered stomps.
Mushi sped up his walk some more. Another glance said he failed to lose his pursuer. He sped up again by two steps, but the man was still following. After a few minutes, the irritated Mushi threw caution to the wind. Bumping into the odd person or two in his run, he turned left to enter another street, looking over his shoulder to see if his 'stalker' was behind him.
A gentle breeze from ahead made Mushi turn around. In front was the figure landing in front. Mushi tried to stop himself from crashing. He did, only by a tiny jerk that forced him to fall sideways. "Ugh…"
The shadow of the blue cloak fell on Mushi, and the fair face looked down from atop it. "I'm sorry about that," the man had said and extended his arm. "Do you need a hand?"
Mushi didn't accept it. He instead pushed himself onto his feet, dusting off his pants and jackets. "I'm fine, thanks," Mushi grumbled, looking at this stranger who looked taller and probably in his mid-twenties. "Mind explaining why you've been following me?"
The man's head tilted to show the blue tip of an arrow tattoo sticking out of his short dark curls. "I was just curious. You were so loud about your… predicament that I thought I could lend a hand."
Part of Mushi wanted to run for help. The other, knowing he had already failed in that regard, forced down any sudden impending fear of doom. "And just who are you, exactly?"
The man's smile inflamed Mushi's irritation. "Just a traveling Airbender. I came at the same time as you did, actually."
Mushi quickly formed the puzzle with the pieces of his recent memories. "Wait, it was you wasn't it? You were on the boat when I… Wait, have you been following me the entire time?"
"Yes, and yes," the 'Airbender' said, then added, "And yes and no on the last one. I just happened to come this way when I saw you asking around."
"And what is an Airbender doing so far from Republic City?" Mushi asked, receiving a shrug.
"The wind blows. I merely follow it to those in need–" The Airbender stopped at a rumble from Mushi's stomach. "–and I think you might need it. When was the last time you ate?"
"Since Kyoshi," Mushi admitted. No way was he going to use the ferry's restrooms.
"We'll fix that. Come on." When Mushi didn't follow, the Airbender said assuredly, "Don't worry, I know this city a bit. I'll take you to one of the nicer restaurants. And I'm buying."
The words "I'm buying," though true, weren't much when the "nice restaurant" was a tiny open shop in a tiny street corner, with tiny tables and tiny seats. Still, Mushi settled for plain old water. He didn't drink it–probably too dirty–but it was a nice cover.
His friend slurped a string of unfried dough and asked, "So, what do you think?"
"It's… something," Mushi said over the other customers. Honestly, there was little room. Little room to sit, to rest his arms, or to have some privacy. Mushi had to hold onto his cup to keep it from spilling. "Why did you even choose this place? It's a little loud, don't you think?"
The shrugging Airbender leaned in his seat. "What makes you think you'll find the Shroud here?"
"Sssh! Do you want someone to hear us?"
"Well?"
After a moment, Mushi caved in and kept his voice as low as possible. The guy did buy him lunch, even if it was cheap. "While I was on Kyoshi Island, I heard… rumors from some refugees about…" He paused to look over his shoulder. "… about a woman who can give people bending."
"Ah, I see. And you hope to find her," the Airbender said aloud. "You want her to give you bending. I'm not sure you're getting the help you want, though."
Mushi shrugged the best he could. "Well… it doesn't hurt to try."
"I guess it's a bit nosy of me to ask, but why are you looking for her?"
"It is. And I have my own reasons," Mushi said as he looked down to his cup. Her face was in it.
Mushi's eyes snapped shut. When he looked again, he stared at his water's empty reflection. "So," Mushi asked the Airbender, "why are you looking for Shroud?"
"Just to see if she's real or not. I have a few friends back home who may be interested to meet her, you see, and I came on their behalf. And don't worry, I don't mean any harm to her or you…" The Airbender paused to take a sip of his own drink. "I hope it's not much to ask for your name."
"It's Mushi," answered the young man. Why was he asked this question only now?
"Well, Mushi. Looks like you might get your wish sooner than later."
Blinking first, Mushi's eyes followed the Airbender's stare. Three individuals in the shop, two girls and one boy dressed in the same sandy brown and grassy green clothes. And all of them were looking at Mushi and his airbending friend. Mushi barely met the trio's gaze before they left the shop. Most of their words were hidden but he clearly saw one girl mouth the word "Shroud."
"Give me a second," Mushi said, leaving his drink behind.
Mushi sucked his stomach in to cut through the thick crowd of customers, almost coughing from the smell. The trio had entered the road a couple minutes before Mushi did, and he found them waiting by the corner. It was too obvious when one of them grabbed Mushi. "Come on, this way!" said the girl pulling Mushi into a nearby alley, where two more awaited him.
Sifu Niko's lessons kicked in. Mushi's left hand grabbed the wrist reaching out to him and twisted it. Before he yanked the girl, he stopped in time to see a flickering flame rise from her other hand. Not to mention, the boy by her raised a rock as big as his fist to pummel Mushi.
The other girl cut in, her hands held out. "Whoa, whoa, whoa! Hey, we don't mean any harm!" she said, her voice wavy like her frazzled hair.
Staring into the first girl's scared face, Mushi let go. "Sorry about that. Been on edge recently…"
"No problem," said the firebending girl, who couldn't have been older than Mushi. She swung her hand to put out the fire, and the boy lowered his rock back into the ground.
The other girl sighed in relief. "Sorry 'bout that. We overheard your little problem."
"I noticed," Mushi said, cautiously eying the trio. "So, do you know Shr-"
"Don't say her name," said the firebending girl. Her eyes darted around. "The authorities are looking all over her. After what she's done for us, she deserves her secrecy."
The loyalty surprised Mushi. "I guess she's done a lot for you, huh?"
"What do you think?" the boy grunted once and again after the other girl slapped his shoulder.
The firebending girl ignored her friends to address Mushi. "We were like you once. We had no idea what to do with ourselves. Then, she came a few months ago, and… well…"
"We can do this!" the other girl proclaimed. Her palm extended at Mushi, and a whoosh of air shot out of it. "Pretty neat, huh?"
"Yeah," an amazed Mushi agreed and patted down his hair. "Do you think she can do the same for me? Do you know how to contact her?"
"Well, she usually contacts us. She's not someone who would blurt out her secret, you know?"
"Unlike some people," the boy mumbled and received another slap to his shoulder.
Mushi rose an eyebrow. "Then, how do you get anything–?"
"Don't worry about that," the firebending girl said. She drew a slip of paper from her pocket. "Meet us here later tonight. We can take care of the rest."
Taking the slip, Mushi pocketed it and his excitement to watch his new 'friends' leave. "See ya!" said the other girl, waving. Then, she and her posse were gone.
"Well, how did it go?" Mushi heard from behind.
He whirled to see his Airbender friend silently dropping into the alleyway, with a slight brush of air under said friend. "Since when…?" Mushi stopped to ask, "How much did you hear?"
"Not much. So?"
Mushi's hand went over his pocket. "I got something. At least, I think do, so I just–" He stopped and stared at his companion. "You knew they'd be there, didn't you?"
The Airbender shrugged again. "I guessed. A few friends of mine told me about places like these. They said the food here was decent since tons of people gather around here."
Mushi suppressed the swelling anger. "You want to come along, don't you?"
"That's why I started following you around. Now come on. We still need to finish our food."
Mushi eyed the Airbender for a bit. This guy could easily rat the Shroud and anyone related to the authorities, but he had not pushed anything yet. Was that just Air Nomad philosophy? Knowing he wouldn't find the answer by simply standing, Mushi chased after his companion.
Nightfall's quick arrival didn't stop Mushi's growing impatience. When he wasn't pacing around the same shop, Mushi scoured for the address on the note. Said note crinkled in his fingers. It took time, especially when he didn't have help.
"Don't you have anything more important to do?" Mushi asked his companion.
"Don't worry. I'm just tagging along. I'll be out of your way, soon enough," said the Airbender. The words didn't sway Mushi's suspicions, but part of him thought little of it.
Mushi's shoulders rolled to get the stiffness out, and his steps matched his heartbeat. The other end of Chin City was no different than where he had been, save for warehouses instead of actual buildings. Given how small it all was, Mushi figured the place would turn out to be some old abandoned factory. Abandoned was true, as he stepped out the bare street and past the torn wire gate.
He walked from one warehouse to the next, looking for the right number. His feet stopped, and he tried not smile when he compared the number in front to his slip. This was it. He was here at last.
"Well, are you going in?" the Airbender asked.
"I'm going. I'm going." Mushi was about to when he stopped and said, "You better stay here. You might cause some problems if you show up, no offense."
"None taken."
Mushi kept a last glance on the Airbender to make sure he didn't escape to anywhere else. He hadn't as Mushi entered the warehouse. Coughing from the old musty air, he waved it away and called out to the empty and dark warehouse. "Hello? Anybody there?" No response. "Hello–"
Looking around, he stopped coming face-to-face with a familiar earthbending teenager. "About time you got here," he said gruffly.
"Not my fault the handwriting isn't that good." Mushi showed the slip for proof. The other teen took it, muttered about someone "having air in her head," and turned. "So where are your friends?"
"They're waiting. Come on."
The other teen led Mushi further into the warehouse. In a minute, Mushi found three other figures waiting in the center of the warehouse. Mushi recognized the two girls from the alley. Not the tiny, dark cloaked figure approaching him.
Under the hood was the pale face of a girl no older than thirteen. "Is this him?" the girl asked the three nodding teens. She then looked to Mushi. "I have heard of you wish to bend. Is that true?"
"Wait, you're–" Mushi stopped, taken aback by how young the Shroud was. He cleared his throat. "Yes… yes, I am."
The Shroud's emerald eyes pierced into Mushi. "Why?"
"Because…" Mushi paused to swallow some saliva. "Because I need to prove myself. I… I've been trying so long but nothing else has been working. I can't go back a failure."
Mushi almost stepped back from the Shroud's intense gaze. "Many others have felt similarly to you. Remember, you are not alone," she said softly and wisely, so unlike the child she was. "However, the power you will receive is a mighty one. Are you ready to accept this gift and its responsibility?"
Mushi breathed and looked Shroud in the eye. "I have been ready my whole life."
"Then kneel." Mushi did so on knees shaking with anticipation, and the Shroud said, "You must relax. You will feel no pain as long as you let me in."
A couple breaths later, Mushi did so. The Shroud's hands, each small enough to fit into an adult's, touched his forehead and heart. Mushi heard of the technique from old stories of Avatar Aang. He had seen it through Aang's successor. Now, Mushi let go of his defenses to let the Shroud in, and–
White flashed across Mushi's vision. Through the haze, the Shroud yanked herself away, her eyes wide with shock. Everyone else was the same. A woman stepped from the side, drawing out a glinting green dagger. A crash from above drew everyone to the Airbender falling from above.
The white glow filled Mushi's eyes before he saw the Airbender twist like the tornado he was about to summon.
A radio buzzed Mushi awake, and he sat up on a stiff bed mattress. The stench of sewage clogged any clarity when he saw light outside the prison bars. "Hey," Mushi heard and looked to the airbender sitting across from him. "I was wondering when you'd get up. You were out for a while."
Dread rose slightly when Mushi eyed his new dwelling. "Where are we?"
"Jail," said the airbender who stood up in his red and orange Air Nomad outfit. No cloak.
Mushi held his hand against a spiking headache. "Ugh... what happened?"
"I was wondering if you could tell me."
"How can I know? I don't..." Mushi said, but his headache showed him everything–
Among the bodies blown away, the airheaded girl rushed the Airbender who sidestepped her air slice and flung her aside.
–Mushi's groan rose into a gasp. It couldn't be–
Dodging a boulder, the Airbender trampolined off the stone-faced boy's stomach and out a window. Of the figure he chased after, energy trailed from the tinier one.
"–Oh no," Mushi said, already guessing what had happened next–
Mushi's body moved to the exit. His unsuspecting fists knocked out the girl there, extinguishing her flaming palms before they could fire at the Airbender. Her body going thud drew all eyes on Mushi.
"–Oh, no, no, no–"
The entity lurking within ignored the moon's calm gaze and forced him to rush the tiny figure. She drew a knife, glowing green like the other one the Airbender kept on himself. Mushi punched and jabbed between every other bob and weave.
–Mushi held his aching forehead tighter. Surely, there couldn't be anything more–
An arching current from the Airbender and Mushi's sliding kick sent their opponents back into each other. However, the air girl and the earth boy stepped into view. Mushi, facing the former, barely saw the hooded figures disappear behind warehouses. Not long afterwards, when the blaring vehicles arrived, did Mushi finally clock out from a well-placed air current of the girl he faced.
–Mushi immediately looked to his cellmate."Uh, this might seem like a dumb question but..." He paused to swallow. "I didn't do anything... weird while I was out, did I?"
"Nope. I didn't see a thing. Certainly, no glowing Avatar eyes or the like." The Airbender chuckled at Mushi's pale face. "Don't worry. You don't have anything to worry about from me."
"I really find that unlikely," Mushi spat.
The Airbender's smile faltered. He went to the bars and called out, "Excuse me, guard?" After a woman in a green uniform came over, the Airbender asked, "Do you mind going through my things?"
"Gonna have to do better." The guard yawned, bored. "I ain't letting you out for some trinket–"
"Oh, I think you might be interested. It's just a small tile, about this size." The Airbender held up a circle he made with his index finger and thumb.
"Do you really think I would look for that?"
"Well, do you have anything else better to do?" The guard left, muttering "hooligans shouldn't have rights" or something like it. The Airbender told Mushi, "Wait about ten seconds and she'll be back."
Ten seconds later, the guard rushed to unlock the cell. "I'm sorry, sir. I had no idea you–!"
"It's no problem," the Airbender said over the creaking bars before he stepped out. He paused to glance at Mushi. "By the way, he's with me."
"Understood, sir. So sorry about the inconvenience, sir."
"It's okay. Do you mind getting our things?"
While guard scurried away again, Mushi wobbled out of his cell. The police station he found himself in was stuffy and cramped. Two desks in front and two cells in the back, big enough for maybe five people. "Does this happen often?" Mushi said.
The Airbender shrugged. "More so with my older brother. He tends to get into a lot of trouble."
Before Mushi could answer, the guard returned with his jacket and the Airbender's cloak. She also pulled out a slip, saying, "Oh, and somebody dropped this by the station. Said it was for you two."
Taking the slip, the Airbender met Mushi's perplexed stare. "We can look at it later. Come on."
Hands in his pockets, Mushi followed across the dirty tiles. "I guess I owe you one. Sorry."
The Airbender waved it aside. "Don't worry. I guess it's no surprise. Still, your situation is..."
"Unusual? Believe me, I know." Mushi leaned in closer. "So, any word on those other guys?"
"At other stations, if I'm right, but we should see what this is about, first," the Airbender whispered back, holding up the paper. Mushi wanted to look, but the guard returned.
"Ah, sir! You almost forgot this!" she said and held out a Pai Sho tile. A lotus tile, to be precise.
Memories of figures in blue and white robes flooded Mushi's mind when he spotted it. They faded when he looked to the man taking the tile. "Who...?" Mushi asked.
"Sorry. I didn't introduce myself." The man held out a hand. "I'm Rohan. Nice to meet you."
Special thanks goes to the following:
1) pikachucutie17 - One of the first people I had reached out in 2018, back when my story was mostly notes and rough drafts. You may be seeing her quite often throughout this fanfic, and with good reason. Her kind words, her edits and critiques, and so on have helped me to move on with the story, even when I wanted to give up very early on.
2) Tack (from the Original Trilogy forums) - I reached out to him after seeing his own fan-made adaptation of Avatar: The Last Airbender (in screenplay form). I know I haven't reached out to him that much after my initial quesitons (sorry Tack, if you're reading this), but I really want to thank him. His advice helped me to condense my writing in the long run (believe me, this chapter was 10K words in the first draft!).
3) author_fiona13 (from Wattpad) - Another author I met on Wattpad. Her enthusiasm in my story helped me to push forward and even publish it on Wattpad. I haven't talked with her since sometime after putting up the first chapter, but I hope she is doing alright.
4) SapphireAlena - This is someone I hadn't thought of. I had mentioned I first uploaded this fanfic on Wattpad, and I asked SapphireAlena (well-known for her SW fanfic, The Jedi Reborn) to look over in exchange for looking over a few chapters in her story. She gave a lot of much needed feedback for a preview of this story I posted, and it all helped me to reformat/edit the chapter into what you see today (although, each chapters is being split into multiple parts on Wattpad to accommodate for the format).
Each and one of them helped to provide this chapter, and I couldn't have done it without their support and feedback. If anyone is missing, I will try to re-edit the above list in order to show their names. Thanks!
Raika out.
