Book 1 Realizing.

Chapter 2. Me?

Terri-ann had told Mako to meet her at her house over the phone. She carried Zaiko to her house making sure no one saw (is that kidnapping?) and laid him on a couch, then sat down on a chair to the left of him. Terri-ann didn't know what the heck was going on. Her mind was still in a torn mess but Zaiko on the other hand…

. . .

Zaiko was floating in the air above the spot he had collapsed on. He looked down and saw Terri-ann carrying his body toward the house next to the one where he had collapsed.

"Am I dead?" Zaiko asked himself. He turned, startled by the sound of an old man chuckling. He had caramel skin and dark brown eyes. His hair was a flowing black waterfall that swept down to his shoulders. He wore green sweatpants and a green sweatshirt. On the sleeves was the golden insignia of the Earth Kingdom. How he knew that he didn't know. The nations and lands all went by new names now.

"Who the heck are you?" Zaiko demanded of the old man.

This only caused the old man to chuckle again. "All questions will be answered in time my boy."

Then suddenly the whole scene changed. Zaiko was now standing in a vast field that stretched on as far as the eye could see.

"So now to answer your question," said the old man appearing behind him. "I am the one you should be most familiar with. I am the one who is closest to you."

Zaiko backed away utterly confused. "You're talking nonsense old man."

The old man chuckled again. "No my boy, I am Avatar Zuma."

Zaiko backed away again, though this time in utter disbelief. "You're not going to say what I think you're going to say, are you?"

Instead of chuckling, the old man smiled warmly. "Yes my boy, you are the next Avatar."

The old man's smile became serious. "But never mind the formalities, there is something I need to tell you."

"There is no way you could be Avatar Zuma," Zaiko said, still not trusting the old man. "He was born 113 years ago."

The scene then changed again. This time right in the middle of a bright clear sky.

"Yes, and within that lifetime. I battled a corporation." Zuma informed Zaiko.

"It started as a small group. Then spread throughout the world." .

"They evolved faster than I could expect. Then it was only me against them." Zuma continued.

"Now it seems they have complete control of the world and no one seems to notice."

"Their name, G.U. O. or Guided Under One. They have completely brainwashed the minds of society. They have kept you in a box shrouded in an illusion, but only until they are ready. Only until you know who you really are.

Zaiko closed his eyes and rubbed his temples. "You don't really believe I will be able to stomach all this, do you? ``And what do you mean about boxes and illusions?"

Zuma smiled. "No, he answered , completely ignoring his second question. "Just follow your heart." He paused. Then looking at Zaiko straight into the eyes he said." I think it's about time you start mastering the other elements. His tone was low but deadly serious. He turned away and started to fade. " but beware They have eyes everywhere."

And with that. Avatar Zuma disappeared.

. . .

Zaiko then woke up, laying on the couch in Terri-ann's living room. A glass of lemonade was sitting on a table next to him, ice cubes were dancing around inside, making Zaiko's thoughts more clear. His eyes then drifted over to Terri-ann who was still watching him. Her legs were crossed as she sat on the chair.

"Oh good you're awake" she said cozily "so try my lemonade" Zaiko smiled he was happy to see that even after everything that happened she was still holding together. He took a sip from the glass and let out a sigh of relief. He looked around the house and saw a staircase leading upstairs along with noticing the kitchen behind terri-ann. Upon further inspection, Zaiko could easily see that whoever her parents were, were big on keeping clean. The floor was spotless, the walls looked freshly washed and the house gave the aroma of lemon

"I like your parents' style. They keep things neat," Zaiko told her, smirking. He sat up quickly which left him with a huge head rush causing him to hold his head. He shook it off and looked out the window behind the couch. He saw adults out on their porches watching their kids play and cars driving by like normal. Then the words of Avatar Zuma rang throughout his head.

"They have eyes everywhere…. Be careful. '' Zaiko pulled himself out of his head. Did someone see it? He mumbled to himself. Then there was a sudden knock at the door. Zaiko's mental guard rose immediately.

Terri-ann noticed and waved for him to relax. "It's probably your brother" she told him sweetly "come in."

Mako rushed through the door breathing hard looking around frantically until his eyes finally found his brother. Mako was worried sick the last thing he wanted was for something to happen to Zaiko and he wasn't around.

"Oh man" Mako paused, "Are you ok?"

His tone of voice was low and it sounded like he wanted to cry. Seeing Mako's deep concern also helped Zaiko's mood a little more.

"Yeah man I'm fine," Zaiko answered. "Just a lot on my mind..."

Terri-ann leaned forward in her seat, eyes becoming dead serious. "That's what we're here for," she told him. Almost sounding like his older sister.

Zaiko sighed, he really didn't know where to start, but he told them everything. Him being the avatar, his meeting with Avatar Zuma, about G.W.O and how he was supposed to stop them. When he finished his story he grabbed his lemonade and took a long ⁸needed sip.

Mako and terri-ann didn't say anything for a couple of seconds but mako broke the silence

"So what, do we just stop going to school?" Mako asked. Zaiko thought about it. He honestly didn't know but after the fight he had today something told him they would be fine…for now. Mako took out his phone and checked the time.

"Hey um, Zaiko, its 4:45 we got out at 3:00 we need to get home before mom hops on the crazy bus" Zaiko got up slowly and weakly walked to the door, putting his arm over makos shoulder they both thanked terri-ann before the two of them made their exit. After the door closed her smile quickly faded. She stood letting her hair fall over her eyes, as she made her way up the staircase. She opened the door to her room. a queen size bed sat by the windows on the far side of the room. On a small table stand next to it, pictures of a tall man with caramel skin and green eyes sat beside a mirror. She walked up and grabbed the pictures. Her hands began to shake as tears formed in her eyes. She blinked them away and wiped her eyes. A small bowl of water sat in the middle of the stand. She waved her hand over it, making the water twisted and turned. She thought about zaiko and mako and what they did today. "If only they knew," she muttered to herself.

. . .

The travel home was rather fast thanks to Mako who had learned to control the air currents around him granting him short terms of flight. Which was said to be an extremely hard technique of airbending thought to have been forgotten. He made it back to their house in 5 minutes with Zaiko landing on the front yard.

"Aye Zaiko, are you feeling a little better?" Mako asked. Zaiko stretched and yawned, "Yeah, just a little tired now," Zaiko replied. They walked up to the porch and just as they got to the door their mother opened it with an intense look on her face. She gazed at Mako first then her gaze drifted to Zaiko. Her eyes softened and she turned around.

"I'm not gonna yell at you but I need to know what happened and I want the truth" their mother stated before leaving the doorway. Mako and Zaiko locked eyes and came to a silent agreement. [fine can't get out of this one]. Zaiko walked in first. Entering the living room to the right of Zaiko was a rose red colored 3 seater couch. On the arms on each side was the word family. In front of the couch on the wall to the right of him was a forty five inch tv for whoever liked to sit and watch TV and a spiral staircase going upstairs to the right side of the couch. Their mom stopped in the middle of the room just as Mako closed the door.

"Now" she said, gently "what happened?"

Zaiko sighed as much as he didn't want to admit he had a fight on the first day of school. The gentle look in her eyes told him she would understand. So he told her everything, at least about the fight .The only thing he didn't tell her about was G.W.O and him being the avatar. After explaining their mother was silent.

She glanced up towards the top of the staircase and sighed

"Well your dad's home and he would like to speak with you, Zaiko" she told him. Zaiko looked at the top of the staircase and his expression became mixed.

"I wonder what he wants to tell me," Zaiko muttered as he started up the staircase. "Hope I'm not getting yelled at…

. . .

Zaiko stood in front of the door thinking hard to himself for a while before he knocked on the door softly. He stood there for like seven seconds before hearing his dad's voice on the other side tell him to come in. Zaiko opened the door and a huge wave of heat blasted Zaiko right in his face causing him to step back.

"I know you like the room heated but dude," Zaiko thought he then completely entered the room shutting the door behind him. The room lighting was a dark red color to it with a window in the back of the room on the left side of the bed. The bed was covered in an all white bedspread with a black and red checker decorated cover. His dad was sitting at the foot of the bed looking at something in his lap. He turned to Zaiko and smirked. Zaiko resembled his dad. They both had oreo cream colored skin, short brown hair, sky blue eyes and were about 5'7 in height. His dad was wearing a black shirt with a red dragon made of flames on it. Along with that he had silver cross studs in his ears and had on blue true religion pants. "So I heard you had a fight young man" Zaiko's dad said sternly. Zaiko just stood there with a blank look on his face. Zaiko had inherited his firebending from his dad of course and he also hammered the ways of firebending in him...the hard way. His dad stood up slowly and walked towards zaiko. When Zaiko was a boy as punishment he would have to take fireballs straight to the chest. "Oh man, I hope this doesn't hurt," Zaiko thought. His dad got within arms reach and raised his hands.

"Well…..here it comes," Zaiko thought, closing his eyes preparing for the impact. He felt his dad's hand rest on his shoulder. He opened his eyes to see a huge grin on his father's face.

"So did you win?" his father asked. Zaiko was lost for words, he just stood there blankly waiting for something to explain to him what just happened. His dad noticed the look on his face and laughed gently. "You thought you were in trouble, huh" his dad smirked. Zaiko continued to look at him with confusion. "Oh just come here" his dad said, motioning him to come to where he was a second ago. Zaiko followed his father to the foot of the bed and saw 3 objects on the floor. Before Zaiko could even figure out what they were his dad threw another sheet over them and smiled immensely

"I've been thinking Zaiko," his father started "It's been so long since we sparred, don't ya think?" Zaiko shook his head

"This is too much today" Zaiko thought "Dad we just did, like two weeks ago" Zaiko informed him. A fire sparkled in his father's eyes.

"And even that is too long." he answered. "Since today is Friday, you and your brother are in for a surprise tomorrow."

Zaiko took two steps back "I don't like the sound of this," he sighed

"Well my son, see you in the morning, sleep well." his dad said, still smiling.