Book Two: Earth
Chapter Five: Avatar Day and the Mysterious One
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It is been said that history remembers its heroes and villains equally so that its lessons can be remembered for all time. But some do not remember those who were there who wrote the accounts of both sides. They are easily forgotten, only recalled by the painting they painted or the poetic work they written. Some think it because they were overshadowed by the greats. But sometimes the historian seeks no praise but is content with the recording the story that is unfold before the world's eyes.
Momo discovers the spider in his mouth and inspects it with great interest. When a flies lands on the web, Momo tries to grab it. As he plunges his hand completely in Sokka's mouth, Sokka opens his eyes immediately in surprise Sokka screaming at the top of his lungs. He shoots up and starts to spit out the remains of the spider and its web.
"What are you doing in my mouth?" Sokka shouted angrily. Momo chatters happily while lying upside down on Sokka's belly, chewing on the fly he "rescued" from the spider's web. "Momo, you need to be a little more sensitive to my boundaries."
The lemur seems to notice something else on his left. He completely ignores Sokka's comment and climbs on his face, where he erects himself and pricks up his ears to determine what it is he heard. He chitters loudly, waking up Katara, who was sleeping on a nearby sawed off tree trunk.
Aang, who is still sleeping soundly on Appa's forearm. He wakes up as the ground begins to shake. Kahchi, sitting atop a rhino, jumps out of the thicket. Katara gasps as two more emerge from the bushes on the other side of the camp.
"Give up! You're completely surrounded!" Kahchi shouted.
"Well if it isn't my old friends the Rough Rhinos. How it going guys?" Dante greeted and quickly firebended at them as they surround the campsite.
"We are not here to be chummy, Dante. Surrender your friends!" Mongke demanded.
"Not a chance in hell." Dante said and Firebended at surrounding Rough Rhinos.
Vachir he fires two flaming arrows toward Sokka, who was trying to crawl away like a caterpillar in his sleeping bag, the arrows pin the back of the sleeping bag to the ground while Sokka crawls out. He moves out of the path of a third arrow just in time.
"Come on! Come on! Come on!" Sokka repeated as he crawled to Appa and climbs aboard where Aang's already waiting for him. Katara makes her way toward Appa. But just before she reaches him, she stops in her tracks and turns around.
Kahchi spins his Guan Dao around and plants it in the sawed of tree trunk Katara was sleeping on a bit earlier. Next to the tree trunk lie some of Team Avatar's supplies.
"My scrolls!"Katara shouted.
"My staff!" Aang said shocked at what he forgot and jumps off Appa's head
"My leg!" Dante exclaimed as he was shot in the leg from behind by one of Vachir's flaming arrows.
Aiming for the Guan Dao blade into the stump, right next to a wooden box, Katara charged at Kahchi with a water whip. She freezes the blade solid to the trunk, giving her the opportunity to grab the box of scrolls. She heads back toward Appa just as Kahchi manages to break his weapon free of the ice.
Ogodei, who is swinging his chains around. He throws them around a tree and pulls it down to impede Aang's progress toward his staff. It has no effect, as Aang just somersaults over the fallen tree.
Yeh-Lu, as he ignites one of the hand grenades hanging on his belt. He throws it at Aang, who has reached his staff by now. The explosive lands right beside him, but the fuse is still burning. Aang swirls his staff around and knocks the explosive out of the way and into the woods. Aang propels himself into the air with airbending while the bomb explodes. He lands on Appa's head. He sees Dante still fight the Rough Rhino's until he lashed out with two fire whips swing around and over his head clearing a path big enough for the rest to escape.
"Yip yip!" Aang said and Appa rises from the ground, leaving the Rough Rhinos behind. Dante grapples on to Appa with demonic Ophion and hangs on as he goes flying into sky. Mongke shoots a fire ball at them as they fly over. Katara and Sokka quickly duck and cover their heads, as the fire ball just misses them. As Sokka sticks his head up again, he notices something on the ground.
"Wait my boomerang!" He shouts after.
"There's no time!" Katara grabs Sokka's arm.
Annoyed he turns to Katara. "Oh, I see, so there's time to get your scrolls and time to get your staff, but no time for my boomerang?" Sokka asks.
"That's correct!" she answers cheerfully.
"Oh." Bowing his head in defeat by this totally honest answer.
Mongke was not happy that they got away. But now the fact the strider known as Dante was now helping them, the hunt has now gotten trickier.
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They reached a small village at the edge of a cliff, surrounded by open, green fields. Appa landed nearby a small, wooden house.
"Sorry about your boomerang, Sokka." Aang tried to comfort Sokka who was sulking at the most favorite tool in his arsenal.
"I feel like I've lost part of my identity." He jumps up and moves Aang's hat slightly so that he can point at Aang's arrow. Imagine if you lost your arrow, or Dante lost his white hair or Katara lost her ... hair loopies." Sokka makes a hair loopies gesture with a somewhat bored look.
He slowly saunters over to the stall, where Katara gives him a loving hug in order to comfort him before she held her hands in front of herself while smiling lovely at Sokka.
"Here's your produce, ponytail guy." The merchant says handing him what they bought.
He picks up the basket full of supplies, looking dejected as a sack crap at the nickname. "I used to be boomerang guy ..." he sighs.
Aang and Katara follow Sokka with looks of sympathy as he walks away. The merchant heads toward Katara, who gives him some money. He was surprised, after inspecting the money to find his customer are indeed once in a blue moon. "Hey, Water Tribe money!" he said.
"I hope that's okay." She said.
He clutches the coin happily. "So long as it's money." The merchant closes his shop, while Katara walks over to Aang, who is trying to console a crying Sokka as the camera pans up to show just the merchant's head. "Have a nice Avatar Day!"
"Avatar Day?" Aang suddenly became interested.
"You guys are going to the festival, right?" Merchant asked.
They all look at each other for a moment, trying to figure out what to do. Aang Dante and Katara smile at each other, while tears still run over Sokka's face.
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In Chin Village festive season was in the air along with green lanterns hanging over the street. The shot tilts down. Aang, Katara, and Sokka are standing in the middle of the busy street, looking around in interest.
"There's a holiday for the Avatar. Who knew?" Aang said excited.
They turn around as a large effigy of Avatar Kyoshi rolls by. "Look! They made a giant Kyoshi float!"
They run to emerge from a side street to see another. "And here comes Avatar Roku!" Sokka points out as it rolls past.
The Main Square that is jam packed with people. The giant float of Kyoshi and Roku are being pulled to the middle.
"Having a huge festival in your honor is great, but frankly, it's just nice to be appreciated." Aang says.
"And it's nice to appreciate their deep-fried festival food!" He takes a huge bite out of the food-item he is holding.
"Well your past lives have saved the world on more than one occasion. You deserve it little bro." Dante ran after them with a spring in his heel.
"Aang, look!" Katara pointed at giant float of Aang coming down the street.
"That's the biggest me I've ever seen!" said Aang impressed out of his shoes.
"They got your likeness down, little bro, you away seem to be grinning like a idiot." Dante commented before seeing two pretty girls walk past causing him to raise an eyebrow with interest. "Excuse me but I'm going to enjoy my new favorite holiday a little more. Hey ladies!" he says and runs after them.
Aang's float pulls up besides that of the other two Avatars on the main square.
"Now a torch, that's a nice prop. It's bright, dangerous ..." Sokka sniffs the air as the man went past. "Smells manly. But I'm not sure I could carry it off."
He couldn't and he knew it.
Katara points at the runner. "Hey, what's that guy doing?"
With a loud scream, the runner jumps through the effigy of Kyoshi, causing it to catch fire. The fire spreads rapidly over the whole effigy.
"Down with the Avatar!" as the whole town chanted as they watch as Kyoshi's effigy is consumed by the flames.
The runner sets fire to the Roku effigy next. Aang, Katara, Sokka and Dante, who was hanging the two pretty girls, are in utterly shocked by the turn of events. Sokka's mouth falls open and food drips out.
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In another town atop a hill more trouble was brewing. Two people are walking down the quiet street; a shadowy figure quickly passes them by on the roof. The Blue Spirit lands in front of the two people and unsheathes his dual dao swords as he jumps at the man carrying two baskets, suspended on a long pole. He swiftly cuts the baskets off in one fluid motion. The terrified man cowers back, as the Blue Spirit moves in to collect his prize. He hangs the baskets over his shoulders and heads for the woman, who is carrying a large piece of fruit on her head. The Blue Spirit snatches the fruit off her head and disappears as swiftly as he had come. The man and woman are left in confusion as to what just happened.
The Blue Spirit is made his way through the thicket. He placed his mask placed in a hollow part at the base of a tree. Unmasked for the moment Zuko peeks around the trunk and sees Iroh sitting in a carven. He looks up when Zuko drops the barrels of food at his feet. "Where did you get these?" Iroh wondered.
"What does it matter where they came from?" Zuko answered angrily while walking away.
Iroh was deep in thought while he took a bite. "Mmmm ... mmmm!" he moans in delight as he took a bite out of one of the cupcakes Zuko brought and found the jam inside to be a very divine flavor. He wonders why everything tastes better when they are stolen.
::
The effigies of the Avatars continue to burn in Chin Village as the chants continue. The mayor signals to the torch-bearer, who is now on the roof, to throw his torch. The torch-bearer grins as he takes aim and throws his torch with a grunt right into the right eye of Aang's float. The crowd cheers in approval, while Aang looks at his own effigy burn with a look of pain on his face, closing his own right eye.
Dante finally returns and stares at the blazing display before him. "Look at me being wrong." Dante said to Aang.
Katara runs to the front and uses her waterbending to extinguish the flames with water from two large pots nearby.
"That party pooper's ruining Avatar Day!" shouted a villager.
Aang looks angrily at the villager. He airbends himself to the top of his own float and lands on the left shoulder of his still smoking effigy.
"That party pooper's my friend!" Aang took off his hat and throws it away to reveal his arrow in his shiny bald head.
The village mayor by the name of Tong was shocked to at who was before him. "It's the Avatar himself!" he shouts.
"It's going to kill us with its awesome Avatar powers!" a village says while wetting his pants in fear.
"No, I'm not, I ..." Aang raises his hand. Several villagers run for cover in fear. The villager that spoke earlier throws himself into the audience. Aang looks at his hand and quickly hides it behind his back.
Crawling back on his feet Tong waves them away with a gesture of his hand. "I suggest you leave! You're not welcome here, Avatar!"
"Why not? Aang helps people." says Katara.
Aang jumps down to confirm it. "It's true! I'm on your side."
"I find that hard to swallow, considering what you did to us in your past life! It was Avatar Kyoshi; she murdered our glorious leader, Chin the Great." Tong explained.
Aang was utterly shocked "You think that I ... murdered someone?" he asked.
"Well you do have one of those faces, always smiling and being polite. It makes people trust you more." Dante commented.
"Not helping." Katara said over her shoulder.
"We used to be a great society before you killed our leader. Now look at us!" said a lisping slurring hideous old man.
"Holy crap!" Dante exclaimed getting frightened by what he saw.
Katara places her arms on Aang's shoulders and starts to defend him. "Aang would never do something like that. No Avatar would." Shaking her head in disapproval before pointing an accusing finger at the villagers. "And it's not fair for you all to question his honor!"
"Let's tell her what we all think of the Avatar's "honor"!" A villager shouted.He turns around to shake his rear at Aang and blows a raspberry; the villagers cheer in approval.
"Well fuck you all! He still has his honor regardless." Dante said giving the finger.
Aang decided to settle this once and for all. "Give me a chance to clear my name!"
"The only way to prove your innocence is to stand trial." Tong said.
"I'll gladly stand trial!" Aang answered with boundless confidence.
"You'll have to follow all our rules. That includes paying bail." Tong added.
"No problem." Aang replied thinking it was all simple.
His confident look quickly disappears as he is cuffed with his hands and head stuck in a wooden panel and thrown behind bars. Katara holds her hand before her eyes in shame while Sokka and Dante leans against the prison bars. His arms are crossed and he looks annoyed at Aang.
"That's what they all say." Dante said to Aang.
"How was I supposed to know they wouldn't take Water Tribe money?" Aangapologetically replied back.
"So some people don't like you, big deal! There's a whole nation of firebenders who hate you. Now let's bust you out of here!"
"I can't." Aang said.
Sokka disagreed. "Sure you can! A little *blows air*swish-swish-swish! Airbending slice! And we're on our way!"
Katara looks ashamed for her brother. "I think what "Master Swish" is trying to say is that you're supposed to be out saving the world. You can't do that locked up in here."
"I can't do that with people thinking I'm a murderer either. I need you guys to help prove my innocence." Aang said.
"How're we gonna to do that? The crime happened over three hundred years ago." Sokka asked.
Aang suddenly hatched a cunning plan. "That's okay, Sokka. For some reason, I thought you were an expert detective."
"Well, I guess I could be classified as such." Said contently.
Aang winked at Dante who decided to play along. "REALLY? You are a great detective?" Dante asked with sarcasm masked by fake amazement.
Katara aided Aang by playing Sokka's ego. "Yeah! Back home, he was famous for solving the mystery of the missing seal jerky."
Sokka began to brag on his past triumph. "Everyone wanted to blame it on the polar leopard, but I figured out it was Old Man Jarko wearing polar leopard boots!" Dante looked at Katara who held her hand to her brow, annoyed by Sokka's monologue. He then turned to Aang who is making fun of Sokka, and then back to Katara who holds her hand to her mouth to refrain herself from bursting out in laughter. "See, a real eight hundred-pound polar leopard would have left much deeper tracks." "Okay, I guess I am pretty good."
Dante rolled his eyes thinking that anything is possible.
Sokka pretends to ponder about the question. Katara stares at him, trying to figure out what he is doing. "Fine! But I'm going to need some new props." In no time Sokka is wearing a hat with a monocle. "I'm ready." Katara looks surprised at his new outfit and giggles. Sokka extends his monocle to investigate her. "What?" he asked.
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Elsewhere in the Earth Kingdom a wagon being pulled by an ostrich horse through the forest. An Earth Kingdom soldier sits in the front, holding the reins a wealthy man inside playing with his chest full of gold pieces. He is thrown to the front when the cart suddenly stops. The man looks around in fear, quickly closing and locking the chest with the precious metal. His scared eyes shift from side to side to as he hears rumbling noises outside. He clutches the chest protectively. The cold sweat is dripping down his face. He sighs in relieve as the noise died down, but he swiftly cowers back in fear as two swords pierce the top of the cart. A fist comes crashing down through the ceiling. When the aghast man looks up, he sees that it were the blades of the Blue Spirit that wrecked his cart. He anxiously holds up his treasury toward the Blue Spirit, while trying to stay away from him as far as possible. The Blue Spirit snatches it out of his hands and disappears, leaving the e shocked man alone in his chart and the unconscious soldier on the ground.
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Back at Chin Village mayor tong took the other three members of team Avatar to the crime scene at the edge of the tall cliff.
"This is the crime scene." Explains Tong Sokka began to inquisitively inspect it. He moves on to investigate the walls of the shrine, while the mayor is standing at the edge of the cliff, pointing down at something. "This is the footprint of the killer, Kyoshi. It was at sunset, 370 years ago today, that she emerged from the temple, and struck down Chin the Great. After that tragic day, we built this statue to immortalize our great leader. Feel free to appreciate it."
Sokka quickly squats beside the footprint to take a closer look at it. They all look up at a statue of Chin the Great, who has a raised left hand in triumph.
The mayor leaves the three alone to investigate things further. Sokka moves in to examine the statue from every possible angle, while Katara and Dante looks curiously at him. Sokka is investigating the base of the statue, when something catches his attention. He looks through his magnifying monocle in order to take a better look at the right foot of the statue. His eyes widen as he makes a discovery. He swiftly runs over to the shrine that is facing the statue and examines the stone it is made of.
"This temple and this statue were cut from the same stone." He runs back over to the statue." And we know that the statue was built after Chin died.
Katara excitedly drew her conclusions. "So if they were built at the same time, that means–"
Sokka interrupts her before she can reach a conclusion. "Shhh! I wanna solve it! That means Kyoshi never set foot in this temple!" He declared pointing at the temple.
Dante shrugged and decided to applaud for Sokka by do a small amount of Airbending that will create the illusion of an entire crowd clapping. Katara looked at Dante briefly, he rarely did airbending because it usually wasn't his style.
"That's a big hole in the mayor's story, but it's not enough to prove Aang's innocence." Katara said disappointedly.
You're right." Sokka confirmed blowing soap bubbles with his dragon shaped pipe, while thinking about their next course of action. "We need to go to Kyoshi Island."
Katara walks closer, looking at his pipe. "Where did you get that?" she asked.
"It's mine! And if you break it I'm going to burn you balls off. Agreed?" Dante threatened with a molten fist of Eryx brought close to Sokka's face.
"Understood." Sokka agrees simply. Though there was dark spot forming on his pants.
The prison in which Aang is being held was quiet. An elephant rat sniffles his way over to an acorn. He picks it up and jumps away. Aang, still cuffed, leans dispirited against the wall of the prison. A low voice emerges from the shadows at the other side of the prison.
"You got a bald head. Some nice tattoos."
Aang looks up in wonder to see who is talking. Switch to Aang's angle of view. A man was standing in the shadows. The man emerges from the shadows. He has a strong build, earrings in both ears, and his body has a large snake tattoo that covers the top of his chest and down his right arm. He suddenly charges Aang, letting out a load growl. He is stopped in his tracks by the chains around his neck. Aang slides down the wall in fear.
Aang then see another tall, slender young man with pale skin and dark green eyes. He has chin-length, natural black hair with long bangs swept to left, which sometimes obscures his eye. Wears a long, open sleeveless leather coat with the sides tied together by strings, inside pockets, and a sewn-in, corset-like vest in the front. He also wears black pants with a silver chain made up of skulls on the right side of his belt and a fingerless glove on his right hand. V sports many accessories, including a tooth pendant around his neck, silver ring on his left middle finger, and a spiked bracelet that crisscross around his left wrist. Walks toward to Aang with a silver cane and wore black sandals on his feet. He too had his torso and arms covered tattoos that were of a more impressive design.
"What's your name?"Aang asked smiling nervously.
"I have no name; I am but two days old... Just kidding. You can call me "V."" the man introduced.
"You're going to fit in real well around here."the man balls his fist.
The blue feathered avian creature landed on V's awaiting arm. "So want are you in for, kid?" Griffon asked.
Aang smiles awkwardly as he prepares for the worst.
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Kyoshi Island
A man in the watchtower signals the approach of Appa by ringing a bell. Appa's shadow passes over Oyaji's house. Oyaji looks up to see a familiar sight. Two laughing, little children pass him on their way to greet Appa and his riders. Appa lands right in front of the large, wooden statue of Kyoshi which is completely rebuilt. When Appa touches the ground, everyone in the village has gathered around to greet them.
Dante looked at all the happy faces below. The last time he was here he was helping Zuko capture Aang. He wondered how the people would receive him after all this time.
They are all clapping as man makes it to the front. He sees Appa and all he can do is squeal and form at the mouth. He gestures toward Appa in wonder, before letting out a load squeal and starts to foam before fainting. Some of the villagers look at him while doing his thing, feeling awkwardly.
"What hell is wrong with people these days?" Dante muttered to Katara.
Koko, who was standing in the front with her hands, raised high, notices that something is off.
"Where's Aangy?" Koko angrily stamping her foot on the ground.
"He couldn't be here, Koko." Katara gently breaks the news to Koko.
"I wanted to see Aangy ..." Koko nagged silently.
The villagers sigh in disappointment. The foaming mouth guy woozily stands up again, staggering a bit. He looks from left to right, wipes the foam of his face and pulls his tunic over his head, before subtly sneaking away. The rest of the villagers do the same with the exception of Oyaji.
"Oyaji! Aang is in jail. The town of Chin says he murdered their leader in a past life." Katara explained.
"They say it was Kyoshi." Sokka added.
Oyaji was shocked to hear this news. "Kyoshi? That's crazy talk! I'll take you to her shrine. Maybe something there will help you clear her name."
The Foursome is walking up a gentle slope. "So, uh ... what's Suki up to? Is she around?" asked with feigned casualness.
"Actually, she and the other warriors left to fight in the war. You kids had a big impact on Suki. She said you inspired her and she wanted to help change the world." Oyaji informed them.
"Oh, well ... that's great." Sokka said in disappointment.
They walk under a large paifang gate toward a temple at the top of a hill. Oyaji lead them inside where they got their fill of Kyoshi's relics.
"This temple was converted into a shrine to Kyoshi. The clerics tell us these relics are still connected to her spirit. That's her kimono."
"She had exquisite taste." Katara approved.
"Please don't touch!" Oyaji pleaded.
Katara quickly lets go of the robe. The possibility that her clothes could turn to dust in an instant remind Katara to be careful.
Sokka picks up one of the fans and waves it back and forth. "These fans ... They were her weapons, no?" he asked with bad inspector accent.
"Also refrain from touching the fans." Oyaji reminded sternly. Human oils can affect old relics badly.
Katara squats beside a really big pair of brown boots. "These were her boots? Her feet must have been enormous!" he commented. Momo peeks out one of them. Katara looks surprised to see him there.
"The biggest of any Avatar." Oyaji said proudly.
"I'll second that." Dante commented. From his personal experience Avatar Kyoshi feet weren't the only thing that was BIG on her. Katara glanced at him due to his claim of being a lover of Kyoshi.
Katara realized something big just then. "Wait a minute ... big feet? Little footprint? There's no way–"
Sokka clears his throat to cut her off. "Special outfit? Hat and pipe? These things mean anything to you?"
"You're right. I'm sorry. Please." Katara sarcastically bows slightly in a mocking gesture.
"Aha! There's no way Kyoshi could have made that footprint. And therefore there is nothing linking her to the crime scene.
"Brilliant, Sokka." Katara rolled her eyes.
Dante walks past Sokka to the painting of village with Kyoshi in the foreground. "So tell me, Holmes, who on the Earth Kingdom's green earth murdered Chin the Great?" he asked which it was the million gold question.
Sokka pondered that question by blowing bubbles out of the dragon pipe.
::
Back in prison of Chin Village. Aang is sitting in a circle with V and three other inmates. Aang discovered that V sometimes visits inmates in place around the world to help rehabilitate them so they can be released back into society. He does this by give them some lesson's in art and literature. Aang explained who he is and why he was here they listened with great interest. Aang to them about his friends and especially Katara which they each have an opinion on that.
"This girl you're talking about? She'll come around. You just gotta hang in there." said the first scary prisoner.
Aang removes his head and hands out of the wooden panel to feel comfortable since it was too big for someone of his size. "You think so?" he asked hopefully.
"Sure." second scary prisoner said.
"Yeah." Third scary prisoner agreed.
"You're a catch." The sensitive ruffian said.
He rests his head on the board. "I don't know ..." Aang says doubtfully.
"Hey! You're smart, handsome, and funny. Not to mention you're the Avatar." The first scary prisoner says.
"But keep in mind, Aang, that if she isn't the one there are others in the world. "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet.'." V quoted Shakespeare.
Aang smiling sincerely as he now has confidence for the future. "You guys are great."
"Don't be afraid to tell her how you feel. Said the sensitive ruffian as he dries his tears and sniffs.
::
Meanwhile on Kyoshi Island Oyaji brings Sokka's and Katara's attention to a painting that depicts Kyoshi and some of the villagers."This piece is called "The Birth of Kyoshi". It was painted at sunrise on this day this island was founded. Why, it was today in fact, three hundred and seventy years ago."
Sokka spins around in shock, spitting out some of the bubbles he swallowed. Very surprised as he grabs Oyaji by his collar. "Three hundred and seventy years? Wait, are you sure it was today?"
"Oh, seeing how it's Kyoshi Day, yes, I'm sure." Oyaji pulls himself free from Sokka's grasp and throws him back a little.
Sokka stares at the painting again. "This ceremony didn't take place at sunrise. It took place at sunset.Look at the shadows."
"They point east. So the sun must have been in the west." Katara confirms.
"So what?" Oyaji asks wondering what point he was getting at.
Sokka shoves Katara out of the way. "If Kyoshi was in the ceremony at sunset, she couldn't have been in Chin committing the crime. She has an alibi!"
Katara grabs the pipe out of his hand and slams him hard on the head with it causing him to fall down. Dante takes the pipe from Katara and puts it back into his tunic.
::
The trio returned to Chin Village at night. Dante, Sokka and Katara confront the mayor with their findings, while Aang listens intently at the bars. "Honorable Mayor, we've prepared a solid defense for the Avatar. We did an investigation and found some very strong evidence."
"Evidence? Hmph! That's not how our court system works." Mayor tong dismissed their claim.
"Then how can I prove my innocence?" Aang asked.
"Simple. I say what happened, then you say what happened, and then I decide who's right. That's why we call it justice. Because it's "just us."."
The mayor exits the room, laughing maniacally, leaving Sokka, Katara and Aang standing there with their mouths wide open in shock.
"You want to know why I have problem with authority figures. Well … THERE IT IS!" Dante grumped.
"Care for a second opinion?" said someone who walked out of the shadows. Dante recognized his face as soon as he saw it.
"V?" Dante couldn't believe his younger brother was here.
"Nice to see you too, brother." V greeted.
"You two are brothers?" Katara asked.
Dante sighed as he introduced Team Avatar to V. "Everyone this is my brother: V. V this is Katara, Sokka and Aang the Avatar."
"We met while you guy were gone. He is offering his services as my lawyer." Aang informed the rest.
"I find that hard to believe considering that the mayor is confident that we can't beat system." Sokka said doubtfully.
"He's a fool then."If the fool would persist in his folly he would become wise." You don't have to beat the system with something else; you just have to beat system at its own game.
"Fight fire with fire." Dante agrees.
"So you have a plan as Aang's lawyer?" Katara asked.
"Yes. Everything goes according to plan if you present you case good enough to persuade the court of your innocence. Even if you're guilty."
"But Kyoshi is innocent." Katara said with confidence.
V tapped his silver can and lean over looking her dead in the eye, then at Sokka and Dante before returning his haunting gaze at Katara.
"What if she isn't?" V lean back and walked a few steps to the wall before turning around facing them. "We can't leave anything to chance. Forget what you been taught about the criminal justice system. I'm going to teach you law 101. Or as I like to call it: How to get away with murder."
Aang gulped nervously as what it may entail.
::
Morning came and court was taken place at the statue of Chin and the temple on the edge of the cliff. Every villager has gathered in the amphitheater. Dante, V, Katara and Sokka sat in the front as the trial began with the honorable Mayor Tong presiding over the court.
"Everyone loved Chin the Great because he was so great. Then the Avatar showed up and killed him, and that's how it happened."
Tong He walks away with a giant smile on his face.
"The accused will now present its argument." The guard beside Aang said in a monotone voice.
Sokka raises his hand before his mouth to say some quiet, encouraging words. "You can do it, Aang. Just remember the evidence."
Still tied up and unsure Aang decided to give it a shot. Under the brief teaching V Aang couldn't not fail in give his defense in court. But there was one problem – Aang never gave a defense in court. So it may actually turn out … unpredictable.
"Right ... evidence. Ladies and gentlemen ... I'm about to tell you what really happened. And I will prove it with facts. Fact number one … Uhhh."
Aang blanks out But Sokka bring his back. "The footprint!"
"Oh, yeah. You see ... I have very large feet. Furthermore ... your temple matches your statue. But ... I was in a painting at sunset. So, there you have it, I'm not guilty."
Aang quickly ends his exposition with a big smile. He looks at the unimpressed crowd, Dante had a blank wide-eyed expression while his dragon pipe while hanged by the grip of his lips.
"What the hell's bathroom was that?" Dante asked V.
V sighed. "Usually people just say 'not guilty.'"
Sokka and Katara, both with big smiles on their faces, but their eyes reveal that they are fake. Sokka gives Aang a "thumbs up" gesture. Momo sits on Katara's lap, looking very confused.
"He's dead." Sokka mumbles to Katara.
::
Back at Zuko's and Iroh's hideout in the forest Iroh inspects a new tea set.
He picks up a big, gold-colored teapot. It was truly beautiful. "Looks like you did some serious shopping. But where did you get the money?" Iroh asked.
Zuko lazily rests against a tree trunk. "Do you like your new teapot?" Zuko asked avoiding the other question.
"To be honest with you, the best tea tastes delicious whether it comes in a porcelain pot or a tin cup." Iroh walks over to Zuko and squats down beside him. "I know we've had some difficult times lately. We've had to struggle just to get by. But it's nothing to be ashamed of. There is a simple honor in poverty." Iroh Places a hand on Zuko's shoulder who closes his eyes as if he was holding something back.
"There's no honor for me without the Avatar." Zuko stated.
Iroh sighs. "Zuko ... Even if you did capture the Avatar, I'm not so sure it would solve our problems. Not now." Iroh's words were iron clad as his generosity. They were in the middle of the Earth Kingdom, who would mostly kill them on sight if they were discovered. And they are running from the Fire Nation who would capture them first before they ask questions later.
"Then there is no hope at all." Zuko said turning away from his uncle.
Zuko wants to stand up and leave the cave, but Iroh grabs him by the shoulders and sits him down. "No, Zuko! You must never give in to despair. Allow yourself to slip down that road and you surrender to your lowest instincts. In the darkest times, hope is something you give yourself. That is the meaning of inner strength."
Zuko turns to face his uncle, who looks back at him with a sad look upon his face. Zuko pulls free from Iroh's grasp and heads out into the forest. He needed time to think before he can go anywhere.
::
Meanwhile back in Chin Village all hell was about to break loose.
"Mayor Tong, I'd like for the court to hear one last testimony." Katara announced to mayor.
"I've already told you, it's just me and the accused. You can't call any witnesses!" Tong reminded her.
"This isn't just any witness. I'm going to call ... Avatar Kyoshi herself!"
The villagers murmur among themselves while someone exits the temple. The guard escorts Aang in Kyoshi costume, to the front.
As Katara sits back down, Sokka and Dante leaned toward her, pointing at Aang.
"What the hell are you doing?" they whispered.
"Well, she is Aang's past life. Maybe wearing her stuff will trigger something." Katara answered hopefully.
"Whatever saves him from the chopping block." Dante gave up and just the supernatural runs its course.
Sokka plays with his magnifying glass on his hat. "I do believe in the power of stuff." He said.
"This is a mockery of Chin Law!" Tong objected.
"Please! If you could just wait one more second, I'm sure Kyoshi will be here!" Pleaded Katara.
Aang who is standing in the middle of the square, hiding his face behind one of Kyoshi's fans. He peeks over the fan. "Hey, everybody! Avatar Kyoshi here." Aang says in a higher pitch. Rapidly blinks his eyes.
"The whole thing just went from sad to bonkers in a few seconds flat." Dante said to V.
Tong walks over to Aang. This is ridiculous! For the murder of Chin the Great, this court finds the Avatar–"
Aang looks down in defeat, but is suddenly engulfed in a tornado of earth. Tong holds on to his hat to prevent it from being blown away. The sky darkens and when the tornado dies down, Aang is gone and the spirit of Kyoshi has taken his place.
"One this terrible day, like the sound of a rushing wind, Kyoshi returns to the earth. And with her two feet, taketh possession." V states as Dante watched awe of seeing Kyoshi again.
Avatar Kyoshi gave her testimony, as she did Dante remembers that defining day.
"I killed Chin the Conqueror. A horrible tyrant, Chin was expanding his army to all corners of the continent."
Chin was mighty that he conqueror the all Earth kingdom states, principalities and tribes save for Ba Sing Se. He was now master of all under heaven in the Earth Kingdom. But he had on last enemy to face: the Avatar. She lead an army in defiance was waiting for them. Kyoshi and Dante stood beside her as the Chin arrived. Chin's army stood by the shores of the sea, ready to attack when given the order.
"When they came to the neck of the peninsula where we lived, he demanded our immediate surrender." Kyoshi calmly walks toward him to face his challenge. "I warned him that I would not sit passively while he took our home. But he did not back down."
Dante's pony tail flowed in the breeze as he reached behind and grabbed the hilt of Rebellion, but Kyoshi placed her hand on his shoulder, letting him know that she would handle this alone. Kyoshi walked over until stand face to face with Chin. Kyoshi is around a foot bigger than him. Chin takes a fighting stance, but Kyoshi is unimpressed. She grabs one of her fans and points it at him. A powerful gust of wind washes over the surprised Chin and strips him of all his clothes, except for his underwear. His defiance reminded her old earthbending proverb: As powerful as the wind blows the mountains will not bow.
Earthbenders push themselves to outlast the enemy, to withstand all the aggression without retreat. They believe that if the enemy could not match their endurance, and then a battle could be won without having even commenced.
"On that day, we split from the mainland."
Avatar Kyoshi as her eyes glow for a second, signaling the Avatar State. She jumps up and stretches one of her fans to the left as she lands. A powerful fissure rips through the earth and explodes at the edge of the cliff. She repeats that move to the right now with the same effect. Kyoshi calmly closes her fans and slams them into the ground, causing the whole peninsula to shake. Chin still stands in his earthbending stance.
Kyoshi made a large crack in the earth. With a series of wide arm movements, she bends the lava up from underneath the landmass to sever it completely. As the wall of lava dies down again, chunks of rock fall to the ground. Kyoshi spins around and creates a powerful gale right beside Chin, blowing part of his army away and making the rest run away in fear. The island is was blown away from the mainland. Chin holds on to his hat as he watches the island go. He screams in anger while the rocks under him start to cave and he plummets to his death in the waters below.
Once island was safe a great peace came to it inhabitants like never before. Dante walked the cliff overlooking the sea. There he found Kyoshi sitting on rock. She turned to his as he seated beside her. They kissed before fell onto the grass in a loving embrace and fiery passion. He stayed near her until the end of her days.
"I created Kyoshi Island so my people could be safe from invaders."
With her final testimony Kyoshi closes her eyes and is engulfed by the sand tornado once more. Tong kneels to the ground and covers his head. While the sandstorm keeps spinning around Kyoshi, the darkness is lifted. Sokka holds Katara protectively in his arms while she clings on to Momo. When the tornado disappears, Aang is standing there once again, swaying from side to side. Katara catches him right before he collapses.
"So, what just happened?" Aang asked confused on being out of it.
"Uhhh ... you kind of confessed. Sorry." Katara informs him.
Tong gets up and brushes himself off. "And I find you ... Guilty! Bring out the Wheel of Punishment!"
The villagers break out into cheers as they hear the sentence. Momo looks around, before covering up his eyes with his tail.
::
Back in their hideout Zuko returns to find Iroh looks over the supplies.
"Uncle ... I thought a lot about what you said."
"You did? Good, good."Iroh's sad expression clears up as he hears Zuko talk.
"It's helped me realize something. We no longer have anything to gain by traveling together. I need to find my own way." Iroh's brightened expression quickly disappears again.
Iroh bows his head in sorrow. Zuko looks at his uncle for a moment before grabbing his backpack and walking away.
"Wait!" Iroh calls after him.
Iroh hands Zuko the reins of the ostrich horse. Zuko mounts it, looks at his uncle one last time and heads off, leaving a broken Iroh. Even Iroh had to do the same a long time ago.
::
Back in Chin Village hell was just a mere two steps away.
"The accused will now spin the Wheel of Punishment to determine his sentence." The guard replied.
Aang turns to looks at Sokka and Katara who are giving him glances of sympathy. "I said I would face justice, so I will." He gives a good spin on the wheel.
"Come on, torture machine! Eaten by bears! Razor pit!" the Villagers shouted.
"Community service! Please stop on community service!" Katara pleaded.
Sokka and Katara look very worried as the wheel starts to slow down. It passes by "strangled by a platypus bear" and "eaten by sharks." Aang anxiously awaits his punishment. The wheel comes to a halt.
"Looks like it's "boiled in oil."." The guard announces.
The villagers cheer loudly, while Aang looks scared and Katara and Sokka who are just absolutely shocked.
Dante shook his head. These peaceful people were as bloodthirsty as Chin himself. To condemn a kid to boiled in hot oil alive.
"This is crazy." Dante said as he was about to see his friend get executed in a very messy manner.
"Aang is blameless in his generation before of his heart. And if he's is to pay the debt that has been long overdue. He will pay it with an unyielding heart." V answered him.
"Is that's suppose to me feel better." Dante asked causing V to shrug.
Suddenly a lit bomb bounces into the scene and detonates into the temple. The blast makes the whole amphitheater shake. Sokka and Katara raise their arms to protect their faces from the blast.
We've come to claim this village for the Fire Lord! Now show me your leader so I may ... "Kahchi swings his Guan Dao back and forth, slicing through the statue of Chin the Great. While it crumbles down, Mongke continues with a grin. "Dethrone him!"
"That's him over there!" the villager point toward the mayor. Tong freaks and runs behind the wheel.
"You, Avatar, do something!" Tong pleaded.
"Gee, I'd love to help, but I'm supposed to be boiled in oil." Aang replies apathetically.
The mayor tips the wheel one slot further. It now rests on a picture of a sweeping man. "There, community service! Now serve our community and get rid of those rhinos!"
Aang smiles as he rushes forward and jumps out of his Kyoshi costume to face Kahchi, who readies his weapon. A he charges Aang, Aang opens his fans. He quickly spins out of the rhino's path and uses his airbending to lift Kahchi out of his saddle and blows him off the cliff with another gust.
Kahchi's rhino still proceeds toward the mayor, who peeping over the wheel and quickly hides behind it as he sees the rhino coming toward him. He squeaks in fear when the rhino's horns embedded themselves into the wheel, missing the mayor's vital part by inches.
Aang turns to face Mongke who does not look pleased with the defeat of Kahchi.
"Rough Rhinos, to the town!" Mongke ordered.
Vachir shoots three burning arrows at the down setting fire to the roof of a nearby building. Mongke uses his firebending to burn down another house. Lit arrows keep raining down on the rooftops. Yeh-Lu rides by a hay wagon and drops some lit bombs in it. The wagon explodes, destroying the house next to it. Ogodei rides past another house and pulls down its support beams with his chains.
He saw Katara and throws them at her who easily deflects them with a water whip. The chains wind themselves around Ogodei. She hits the rhino on the rear with another whip of her water and the animal dashes away with Ogodei on it.
Sokka comes down a stair between two members of the Rough Rhinos. He adjusts his monocle so it would reflect the sunlight right into the eyes of Vachir. The archer turns and blindly shoots a burning arrow at Sokka. The arrow pierces his hat and embeds itself in the saddlebag of Yeh-Lu that is filled with bombs. Sokka smiles and ducks for cover. Yeh-Lu notices what is going on and tosses the saddlebag away, but it is too late. The force of the blast smacks him and his rhino into a nearby wall. As Sokka covers his head to protect himself against the flying debris, Yeh-Lu's helmet rolls by. Another bag lands right beside Sokka, his boomerang is sticking out of it.
"Boomerang! You do always come back!" Sokka exclaims.
Sokka notices that Vachir is aiming at him. He quickly weighs his options and throws his dragon-shaped pipe at the archer. The pipe slides over the burning arrow and extinguishes the fire. While Vachir looks surprised at his extinguished arrow, V sends his familiar Griffon to attack Vachir face while Katara sneaks up behind him and cuts his saddle cord with her waterbending. Vachir slides down, but his foot is still stuck in his saddle, so he is dragged away by his rhino when Katara whips it on its rear.
Switch to Aang who is having a standoff with Mongke in an alley. Mongke uses his firebending to increase his speed as he charges Aang. Aang jumps over him and is forced to raise an air shield to protect himself from Mongke's fire blast. He loses his fans and headdress as he slides down. Aang creates an air scooter and they charge each other again. He avoids Mongke's fire blast by quickly riding under the rhino's belly and emerges behind Mongke. He directs a powerful gale at the colonel, but he slides to the side to evade it. They charge at each other a third time, this time with Aang on foot again. When Mongke fires a powerful blast that consumes the whole alley, Aang jumps up and propels himself right through the blast using airbending, feet first. He crashes right into Mongke, sending him flying through a wooden fence.
Mongke opened his eyes to see the Dark Hunter standing over. Dante then knelt down and grabbed him by collar.
"Bad boys, bad boys. What cha going to do when they come for you?" Dante asked mockingly before he knocked him out with a good punch to the face.
Later that night, fireworks go off in the village. The people of Chin had a new holiday to celebrate about.
"From now on, we'll celebrate a new Avatar Day in honor of the day Avatar Aang saved us from the Rough Rhino Invasion." Tong declared to the villagers. Behind him was Katara, Aang, and Sokka, each holding a bowl and grinning happily.
The four were grateful to accept a new member to Team Avatar, V and his assort 'pets' that would pop from time to time. V declared that the road to the Fire Lord will be paved by the wisdom he offers to Aang. Enjoying the party the furious five looked at the snack in their bowl.
"What is this?" Sokka asked.
"That's our new festival food! Un-fried dough. May we eat it and be reminded of how on this day the Avatar was not boiled in oil." Tong said proudly.
"This stuff looks like they did get BOILED in hot oil." Dante commented.
V adds with a quote.
Chin Village was a weird place indeed. Found by a tyrant and lived their lives without know the whole story. They accepted a new and fairer system of law that day. One that would help the accused have a decent chance of winning their case the court without problem. The only legal way to get away with any crime, including murder, is to go to court and beat them at their own game.
"One thought, fills immensity." So it is written, so it shall be done." V said and drop the dough dookie in his mouth.
"It's a dough and a cookie – DOOKIE! HAHAHA!" Griffon sat on V's shoulder laughed himself silly and stuck his head into the bowl to stuff his face.
The villagers cheer, but the gang gives each other some uncertain looks. They each pick up a dough cookie as it droops in their fingers.
"Happy Avatar Day, everyone!" Katara smiles.
She chews it down and looks down at her bowl, confused of what to make of it Aang also sticks a cookie in his mouth, although half of it is still dangling out of his mouth. Dante chews his cookie mush while tapping his foot trying to process the food in his mouth and his brain.Aang slurps the rest of his cookie inside his mouth like a squid.
"This is by far the worst town we've ever been to." Sokka said skeptically Sokka finally eats his and stares skeptically again at the next cookie.
With the help of Appa Dante returned to Kyoshi Island to return the clothing and fans to the shrine. He stood looking at her kimono before he turned to leave.
"Dante?"
Dante stopped and turned around to see the spirit of Kyoshi without her battle gear and warpaint standing at the top of the steps in her normal everyday robes.
"Thanks for helping Aang. Kyoshi." Dante thanked.
Kyoshi smiled. "No problem. Anything for a friend."
The two walked along a moonlight path in the woods. They stopped at a small road side shrine.
"I believe it is time." Kyoshi said.
Dante walked over to the stone and place his hand on the stone to channel his chi into the stone. Hidden symbols began to glow red as the stone rose from the ground to reveal a hollow compartment underneath. He reached inside through the spider webs and pulled out a cloth and unwrapped it find a katana. A katana he made with his own two hands on Kyoshi Island.
"Old, but a work of art." Kyoshi commented.
Dante slowly removed the scabbard revealing the sharp blade, which cast a red glow on his face, it greeted its master. For it has the same courage of it master. Dante and Kyoshi returned to the shine and sat on the steps and enjoy the full moon in nocturnal serenity while it lasted.
Some say there are no such thing is innocence, only various degrees of guilt. But sometimes a man can be guilty of innocence in a court of law when he heart, his mind and actions prove it. Avatar indeed proved to be an example of that today.
::
If you guys have stuck around this far then you ALL GET A RUBBER COOKIE!
I wondered how V would be in the DmC Devil May Cry. So I made him in this the youngest brother of Dante and Vergil.
Think of Vergil, Dante and V Sparda like the Axel, Sue and Brick Heck from the show The Middle. Vergil and Axel seek greatness. Dante and Sue are enduring and V and Brick read books.
Review or Rant! I need some amount of feedback.
Invader Zim: Do it or I will send you to a realm of PUUURRRE DOOKIE!