Book One: Earth

Episode One: First Sighting

Iknik Varrick the Third thought he was god. Well, at least, almost god. I mean, why wouldn't he? After fourteen years of sleepless nights, too many cactus energy juices to count and essentially no social life (unless you consider interacting with the seaweed noodle delivery guy a social life), he had essentially produced a serum that could unlock bending capabilities in non-benders at the age of 35. Something only the Avatar was able to do. But with the Avatar having been missing for about 24 years, Iknik the Third thought he would take it upon himself to give the people what they so desperately wanted, nay, needed. Sure, Varrick Industries had created plenty of technology to help close the skill gap between benders and non-benders but nothing came close to helping non-benders experience just the rush that benders felt manipulating the elements.

Iknik the Third didn't see what the big deal about bending was. Sure, he was a fire bender, but he rarely ever used his bending. Only when the cooling system in the lab was too high or his cup of tea was too cold. It wasn't a necessity and Iknik caught on to that very quickly. In an effort to integrate benders and non-benders even further, bending studies were made into extra-curricular courses that were optional to take. Iknik opted to join science and engineering clubs, in hopes that he could one day take over the family business. While his mother, also a fire bender, did her best to help him train at home it was futile. Fire did not spark (ironically) the same passion in him like chemical equations did. Eventually, his mother stopped trying and Iknik focused on the one thing that made him happy: science.

As soon as Iknik was 18, he began working in his father's lab. Lab associates passed whispers of nepotism but soon those were replaced with exclamations of admiration. Iknik's scientific capacity far surpassed his then work associates. As he continued to excel, Iknik's colleagues became his subordinates and in less than three years, he was the head of his very own laboratory at Varrick industries. With the freedom to research any topic his cold and calculating heart desired, he set his sights on the one thing science had failed to explain: bending.

While the biological intricacies of bending were still mostly a mystery, Iknik was able to develop a concoction that worked to unlock key neurotransmitters (or as the spiritually inclined describe them, chakras) that were linked to bending abilities. Of course, the individual had to have some semblance of bending within their familial background but nonetheless, the serum induced bending in those who could not previously bend before. As Iknik sat at his desk smiling at the translucent liquid, he could not help but become overwhelmed with a sense of pride. This vial in his hand took years of trial and error to create. Yes, sometimes his methods were unorthodox, borderline questionable even but for the sake of science, no, for the sake of the non-bending community he was willing to do what no scientist had done before. And he got results. So who cares how he got here? He was here and that was all that mattered to Iknik.

Yes, at the time, Iknik thought he was god. Yet, it would be that very day that he would be reminded, all too clearly, that he was not god. That Iknik was, in fact, merely mortal.

As Iknik rose from his seat to place the serum back into the cooler, he noticed a strange figure at the door. He had not heard footsteps so he was taken aback by this mysterious, and thoroughly unwelcomed, presence in his precious space. Visiting hours were long over and even if they were not, this lab required a level of security clearance that most civilians did not have. What was that bumbling oaf Jian doing at the guards desk, Iknik wondered to himself. He would have to reprimand Jian in the morning. For now, Iknik needed to deal with this uninvited guest who had yet to introduce herself. However, before he could address her, she began walking around the room silently before uttering,

"Wow, you've really made it, haven't you Iknik?"

Iknik would never have thought his own name would ever surprise him and yet it did as it came from the strange girl. He took a moment to gauge her more thoroughly. Maybe he did know her and she had to come to visit him in the lab, as unlikely as that was for the anti-social Iknik. The girl looked about 5 foot 2 or 3 with long cascading black hair, with blunt bangs across her forehead. Her attire looked earth kingdom but observing her face, she was clearly of fire nation descent. Yet, Iknik could not recognize the golden hazel eyes and thus, he thought it was appropriate to confront her.

"Civilians are not allowed in this lab. Who are you and how did you get in here?" Iknik demanded rather than asked.

"Oh Ikki, it wasn't that hard. I just got on the elevator and walked through that door. A 9 year old could have done it."

Ikki? What nonsense! He had never seen this girl in his life and she was calling him by a nickname he hadn't been called in years?

"My name is Iknik and you will refer to me as such. Now answer my questions."

"But Ikki is so much cuter."

"I don't care! Now tell me who you are."

"Ikki, you're so rude! You haven't even offered me tea yet. Is that any way to treat a treasured guest?

"That's it, you clearly do not wish to cooperate. I am calling the guards and maybe their metal bending will get some answers out of you."

Iknik pressed the intercom button and ordered Jian to come immediately with backup. The girl hadn't done anything but who knows her capabilities if she was able to slip into this heavily guarded facility unnoticed. After a lack of response from Jian, Iknik repeated his command impatiently. Nothing but silence rang from the intercom.

"The guards are gone, Ikki."

"What did you do to them?"

"I told them to go home of course. I wouldn't want them to be here for what is going to happen."

Iknik's heart began to race. Such a simple statement would not cause his guards to flee. The girl must have done something to ensure that they would. Something bad. Iknik began backing away slowly closer to his desk, in order to reach his panic button which would have connected him immediately to the local police station.

"Don't bother, I've cut off the connections and camera feeds. Although I will say it never ceases to amaze me how far you will go to get others to do your bending for you."

Iknik stopped moving. This girl clearly knew him although he could not say the same. His heart began to pound harder due to the anxiety.

"What do you want from me? Why are you here?"

"Ikki! Can't an old friend stop by to say hi?"

"I don't know you! Whoever you think I am, I'm not so please just take what you want and leave."

"You think I'm here to rob you? Ha! I mean, I guess, it would make sense to rob the man who took everything from me."

"How many times do I need to tell you? I don't know who you are!"

"I suppose I am hard to recognize now that I've grown up a bit. But how could I forget you, Ikki? It's hard to forget the man who changed your life forever."

Iknik became desperate. He began searching her features, her body for any sign of someone he knew, he wronged. But there was nothing. He hadn't come into contact with Fire nationers that often since he had moved to Ba Sing Se to conduct his research. And the girl could not have been more than 15 or 16 so there was no way they went to school together. Iknik, unsurprisingly, was unpopular with women growing up and only managed to 'do the deed' a couple of times in his life. So this girl could not possibly be his illegitimate daughter. Nothing was making sense. Iknik racked his brain for this girl's identity but could not for the life of him place her.

"Is this it? Your ultimate scientific discovery?" the girl stated, holding his precious vial in between her thumb and forefinger. "Thought it'd be cooler to look at considering what you had to do to make it."

Iknik was enraged. Not only had his personal space been infiltrated and violated, now she was holding his prized possession and mocking it? He had had enough. Although his knowledge in bending was less than basic, it was time he fought back against this intruder. Even if it would cost him his life, he would fight to protect the one amazing thing his life had produced. As Iknik moved to assume his fighting stance, he saw the girl chuckling.

"Looks like you can use your firebending for more than just making tea. Although, you are 1000 years too late to be challenging me to an agni kai, Ikki."

Tired of this meaningless verbal back and forth, Iknik charged forward swinging his arms wildly with no direction. The girl with arms behind her back swooped downwards away from his weak embers, giggling.

"Oh, dear. That's what I'm up against? This will be quicker than I thought. Want to see real fire bending?"

The girl took a deep breath before breathing out a swirl of red and blue flames. As Iknik crossed his arms in front of him to protect him from the blow, the girl quickly ran towards him and unleashed an even greater stream of fire from her hands, knocking him to the ground. Iknik shakily began to rise, ready to restart his feeble attempt at bending again when he heard the distinctive twang of metal. Suddenly, he became pinned to the wall by metal straps on his arms and legs. Iknik began to look around frantically for the metal bender accomplice the intruder had brought. But he only saw the girl. Slowly, Iknik came to a sickening realization.

His voice shaking, Iknik said,"I am going to ask you one last time. Who are you?"

The girl smiled walking towards Iknik.

"My name is Jun and I am the Avatar."