Book 1: Earth

Chapter 6: A New Team

Shortly after the breakfast incident, the three teens began to freshen up for the day and by noon, if they were going to anywhere at all, they would have been ready. Luke was sitting upside down on the sofa, his feet where dangling off the back and his head was hanging over the seat. He was listening to the morning radio, hoping to hear any news on the Pro-Bending situation.

As Luke patiently listened to the radio, Clive walked out of the kitchen, his stomach grumbled from not getting anything to eat in the past twenty-four hours. He noticed Luke lying there and quickly slid onto the sectional sofa, also eager to hear the news of anything related to Pro-Bending.

"Have you heard anything?" He asked while lounging back placing his feet on the coffee table and putting his hands behind his head.

"Nope," Luke replied nonchalantly, "Well, nothing about Pro-Bending if that's what you were asking," he flipped himself over so he was sitting upright and placed his elbows on his knees and his head in his hands.

"Figures," Clive lay himself back on the couch and sighed loudly, just after that a loud banging sound erupted from behind the front entrance; the voice that was speaking from behind the door was familiar, familiar enough that Luke shot from his seat and dashed towards the knob.

"Emmy?" He asked in surprise as she stepped into the room a large portfolio in his arms, the Professor not far behind.

"What you seem like you're surprised to see me?" She sauntered into the room and looked around. The Professor on the other hand walked in, dropped everything and walked all the way back to his room without a word to anyone.

"Hi Professor," Luke chirped, but he continued to walk not even acknowledging anyone's existence.

"You might not want to talk to him today Luke," Emmy bent down and whispered to him, "He didn't get any sleep last night," She scratched the back of her head, "I tried to get him to take a measly nap, but he insisted he sort out the Pro-Bending and Descole situations, which reminds me!" She shouted the last three words of her conversation with Luke, which resulted in scaring the wits out of him. "Where's Flora?" she question him while turning around with her hands on her hips as the boy tried to regain the hearing in his ear.

"I'm in here," her head popped out of the second door down the right hallway, "Why were you yelling?" She asked the woman.

"Oh get out here," Emmy ordered, completely ignoring her question. Flora just shrugged her shoulders and stepped out from the doorway.

"Alright then," the girl walked down the hallway and around the sofa to sit down.

"Clive!" She shouted.

"Geez you don't have to yell," a voice echoed from seat.

"Oh, there you are," Emmy smiled smugly as she rounded the couch and sat on the coffee table, "Luke, come sit down I some very important news to discuss with all of you."

"What kind of news?" Luke asked as he got his turn to walk around the large sofa and plop down in between Clive, who was now sitting up instead of lounging back, and Flora.

"Well, there are two things, first, Luke," She looked towards him, "You have a conference with the press in a week, the Professor, Inspector Chelmey, Inspector Grosky, and I all agreed it's time to let London know that you're here."

"Fine with me," Luke replied, 'What's next?"

"Second," she paused, "Your Pro-Bending team." Emmy put her hands back onto the coffee table to support herself up, "They are not closing the arena, nor are they stopping the tournament."

"Really?" Clive shot up from his seat, Emmy nodded at him, "Yes!"

"Calm down Clive," she shot him a look as he slowly descended back down onto the sofa, "You still have to pick a team name and sign all the papers."

"Wait how are you going to get enough money to support your team?" Flora asked.

"Oh yes, I forgot," she turned to the girl, "Scotland Yard is sponsoring your team, and you can thank me for that." She smiled brightly.

"But wait, we still have to get a firebender," Luke added.

"Wait, wait, wait," Emmy put her hands up, "Slow down, I thought Flora was going to be on your team?"

"What?" She looked up, "Oh, no I could never do that."

"Why not?" Emmy asked her, partially annoyed.

"I just can't," Flora looked down at the floor embarrassed.

"Well, it's too late to find a firebender now," Emmy explained, "The papers are due in two days, completed with health records, forms, and permission slips." She crossed her arms at the two now teary eyed boys. They snapped their heads in the direction of Flora.

"Please," They cooed in unison.

"Uh," Flora stood up, "You know I can't do anything helpful, why would you want me on your team?"

"Well," Luke stood up, waving his hands for effect, "You can still manipulate fire, can't you, you just can't create it, is that correct?" Flora sucked in air.

"Yes, that's true," she sighed.

"Than just take control of any attacks that the opponents throw at us!" Luke cried, "Please Flora, we really need a firebender," he put his hands together and stuck out his bottom lip.

"Ugh," Flora slumped into her seat, "Fine." She sighed once more.

"Yes!" Clive and Luke hollered together, giving each other high fives.

"Shh…!" Emmy gave both of them the infamous evil eye, "The Professor is probably just trying to sleep!" She whispered in a loud tone.

"Sorry," both boys whimpered as they sat back down.

"As I was going to say," Emmy straightened her posture, "Now you have to decide on a team name… and I really think you should change it because…" She pulled out a sheet from her portfolio that had been lying on the table.

"Why should we change it?" Clive asked casually, "I think it's great."

"The Fearsome Threesome?" Emmy read off the sheet, Luke and Flora immediately started laughing.

"What's so funny? Fisheye, Lockjaw, and I all agreed and we couldn't do the Handsome Threesome, because well…" He slouched back and ran his fingers through his hair, "Only one of us is devilishly handsome."

"Who was that?" Flora inquired, "Fisheye or Lockjaw?" Emmy was now laughing with the two children. Clutching her stomach for the pain of the laughter was too intense.

"Nice one Flora," She held up her hand for a high five and the girl quickly reacted.

"Hey, hey," Clive straightened up, "That was a little harsh, don't you think?"

"I was only joking Clive," Flora wiped the tears from her eyes.

"Yeah you better have been," he scowled.

"Okay, okay you two," Emmy straightened herself up and placed the paper back down as Flora and Luke finished their laughing fits, "Try to think of ideas for a name."

"Well," Clive paused to place his finger on his chin, "We could call it after an animal of some sort." He suggested.

"The Scotland Yard Whale-Manatees!" Luke shouted.

"The whale what?" Clive stared at him with a questionable look on his face.

"The Whale-Manatees!" He yelled again, everyone still stared at him with puzzled concerns, "Oh," he sighed, "My friend Arianna back in Misthallery has one." He crossed his arms.

"Yeah, okay," Emmy scratched the back of her head, "Any other suggestions?"

"How about the Mice?" Luke asked.

"No, no, no," Flora stood up, "I am not going to be on a team named after a dinner ruining rodent." She stomped her foot and stood her ground.

"Ug," Luke slumped back onto the couch, "No one likes my ideas."

"Well, you can't blame them," Clive mumbled.

"Hey!" Luke turned to him, fury raging in his eyes.

"Geez you guys!" Emmy placed her hands on their chests and pushed them away from each other, "Can you go a minute without fighting, you act like you're siblings for goodness sake!"

"Sorry," they both responded with their heads hanging low.

"Now," Emmy stood up and began to pace, "Since you have…" she looked towards Luke, "the Avatar on your team, why don't you just create some fun word play, like… The Fluke Luke or… The Fight-in Tritons."

"Really Emmy?" Luke asked on the verge of laughing, "The Fight-in Tritons? They aren't even related to me!" He gestured to Clive and Flora shaking their heads in embarrassment.

"Hey, I just got the ball rolling! I can't think of everything!" She stuck out her bottom lip, "Anyone else got any ideas?"

"How about Team Avatar?" Flora suggested, "It signals we have Luke on our team, it's simple and sort of threatening." Everyone looked at her, wide-eyed and quite interested, "We could be known as, Team Avatar of Scotland Yard."

"I like it," Clive said lounging back.

"As do I," Emmy agreed, while smiling warmly at Flora, "Luke?" She turned to him.

"Let the tournament begin."

…

By the next few days Scotland Yard had gotten a Team Avatar a better, cleaner practice room inside the arena, a list of dates and times for Pro-Bending matches, and even a uniform. Everyone on the team was excited, even Flora who found the whole experience exhilarating and fascinating.

"Wow," Flora stepped out of the arena's bathroom with her navy blue uniform with a red belt tied around her waist. A boxy navy colored helmet fit around her head as she spun around on the sole of her shoe, "This is absolutely amazing! I can't believe I am going to be in the arena!"

"Ha ha," Emmy stood next to her, "I thought you weren't looking forward to it in the first place?" She wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

"I wasn't," Flora explained, "But I'm trying to look at the upside of things instead of the down, so far, I've been as happy as I can be!" She giggled slightly before creating a small flame in her hands, "It's too bad I won't be of much help though." She sighed and let her hands fall. Emmy didn't know what to say to Flora, having never experienced the type of problem she was facing all Emmy could do was tell her that the boys appreciated her on the team, even if they didn't.

"Flora, they're probably just happy with having a team in the first place, I promise they won't be mad at you if you can't defend yourself in the arena. It's not your fault."

"No," she pushed away from her, "It is."

"What?" Emmy slowly followed her, "Flora, what happened?"

"I'll tell you when I'm ready," she announced, "And, I'm just not ready to tell anyone why I can't firebend like I used to." Emmy reached one of her hands out to place it on Flora's shoulder.

"You used to-"

"Ta-da!" Luke ran out of the bathroom and opened his arms, "I look so awesome!" Clive came trudging after him; both of the boys were wearing the same navy blue uniform as Flora, except in the boy's fit instead of the girl's. They also had the helmets and the belts, but each belt representing the color of the natural bending they can perform.

"Wow," Flora's face morphed back into its usual perky self, "You look amazing!" She ran up to both of them, a skip in her step, as if her conversation with Emmy had never happened.

"I know," Clive slicked back his hair and put on his best smolder face.

"Oh shut it lover boy," Emmy walked into the circle they had formed, "Now," she draped her arms over Clive and Flora's shoulders and they quickly followed her lead, creating a team circle, "You have your first match in one week precisely, and it's against Don Paolo's Masters of Disguise."

"Wait a second, who is Don Paolo?" Luke asked.

"He's a master of disguise, like it says in his team name, but he also is a fantastic mechanic. Though I've never liked him because he's tried to nearly kill the Professor dozens of times, but strangely enough his plans always fail to impress anyone but the Professor himself." Emmy laughed a little before continuing with her speech, "He has a team made up of two boys and a girl, like you guys."

"So, we're evenly matched?" Luke asked.

"So to speak," Emmy told them," The girl is an earthbender, I can't quite remember her name, but the boy's names are Hazel and Max… I believe." She pondered her thoughts for a moment before speaking again, "As I was saying, they are a tough team to beat, but I believe in all three of you, put your hands in!" The woman stood up and threw her right hand in the middle of everyone. Clive and Flora hesitantly followed while Luke on the other hand slapped his down on top of Emmy's.

"One, two, three," She lowered her hand slightly, "Team Avatar!" They all shouted together. The shout was soon replaced with a light laugh as the team headed back towards the bathroom to change out of their new uniforms.

…

"Luke!" The Professor stood at the door, his coat was buttoned up to his chin and a scarf was basically cutting off the blood flow to his head.

"I'm coming!" The boy shouted from his room, rummaging through his bags, which were still unpacked to find his coat.

"What are you doing?" The Professor started walking towards Luke's door; irritation was clearly a main factor in his attitude.

"Looking for my coat!" He cried. The man suddenly relaxed and started laughing, "Come out here and you'll find it."

"What?" the young boy whipped his door open, and stared at the Professor, "Where is it? Did Clive hide it somewhere?" Luke started to make his way to the floor looking under the sofa for his missing coat.

"No, no, no Luke," the Professor laughed once more before pulling the child to his feet, "It's right where you left it." He directed Luke's eyes to the coat rack, his jacket sitting there.

"Oh," he sighed.

"It hasn't moved since the Family rally, now come one the press is waiting for your arrival, as are Clive and Flora in the car, come on now," the Professor opened the door as Luke quickly put his coat on and zipped it up while running out the door.

The weather was getting much chillier as winter was just about upon them, and though the car had been running, Flora was shivering in the back seat, while Clive tried turning as many dials as possible in the front to make it the slightest bit warmer. Luke quickly ran around the car, in the street and opened the left hand door before sliding inside next to the firebender, as the Professor opened the driver's door from the sidewalk.

"Flora, why don't you heat us up a bit?" Luke asked while the Professor started driving.

"I already t-told you, I c-can't do much," she caught he chills easily, which is a bit uncommon for a firebender, even of her lost skill.

"Please Flora, just make it warmer in here," Clive begged her.

"Uh," she sighed as Luke gazed at her with large eyes, "Fine," she pulled her hand out from under her thigh where she had tried to warm it and the fire began to blaze from her hand. The car soon was filled with the heat and everyone became a comfortable temperature.

"Thank you," Clive turned around and smiled at her as continued to feed the fire.

"You're, you're welcome," she blushed.

"Yeah, thanks," Luke grinned a toothy smile and then looked out the window of the automobile. They were heading into a wealthier part of the city, fancy boutiques and shops lined the road, and a huge building sat up in front of them, "Professor," Luke stared at the building, "What's that?"

"It's City Hall where we are holding your conference, it will be inside, not as planned, but I still think the press will get plenty questions out of you," he replied as he pulled up the building and everyone exited the car, "It will be broadcasted on live radio."

"Alrighty then," the boy sighed as he stood on the sidewalk, gazing up at City Hall.

The four started their trek up the steps, probably one hundred of them, forced the group to push to their limits, either that or they would fall over. Once they reached the front entrance of the building, two Scotland Yard officers identified each one of them before ushering them into the structure. Following their entrance, another set of officers escorted them to the conference room, where they made their grand appearance in front of hundreds of reporters from all over the city.

"Welcoming Avatar Luke, and his Pro-Bending team!" A short, busty man with turquoise chest hair flooding out of his jacket neckline, he had a mustache a full head of hair to match.

"Good morning Inspector Grosky," the Professor greeted as the teenagers slowly made their way behind him.

"You to Layton," the man smiled before creating a pathway with another officer whom Luke recognized from his waterbending exam, Inspector Chelmey. They separated the four from the cameras and hands coming from outside their bodies. Far away from them sat Emmy Altava on the platform, along with Officer Colby. All three of the teenagers winced at seeing him; hopefully he wasn't angry for them deceiving him those few days ago.

"Make room! Make room!" Grosky shouted at the press, "He's just a mere child, make room for him, he's the Avatar! For goodness sake!" Eventually Grosky and Chelmey successfully escorted Luke to the platform and the podium. Clive, Flora, and the Professor all sat down in between Emmy and Colby before Luke began to except questions from the many reporters lining the stage.

"Erm, yes," Luke pointed to a tall man farther in the back.

"Avatar Luke, why did you wait so long to take your final waterbending exam?"

"Oh, that's easy," he smiled before continuing with his answer, "I wasn't ready to take it."

"Oh, over here!" hundreds of voices echoed, overwhelming the boy.

"You," Luke pointed to a smaller man in the front.

"Every source I talked to, said that you were ready for years on end!" The man exclaimed, "How come you waited." They talked to Arianna and Crow? Even Chief Jakes?

"Um, erm," he stuttered, "Same answer," Luke stood his ground as he spoke in to the microphone, "I wasn't mentally prepared."

"Luke, over here!" they shouted at him.

"You," he pointed to an older man slumped up against the wall.

"Yes, Avatar Luke," the man stood up straighter, "How do you consider taking down Descole?"

"Um," Luke looked forward, "I believe that…" he tried to think of an answer, "We can formulate a plan to take him down for good." He knew that's not what the man wanted for an answer, but it was all he could think of. The entire Descole situation was overwhelming him.

"Yes, you right there," Luke eyed a woman with a large notepad in her hand.

"As we heard earlier from Ms. Altava, you attended a Family rally in the past week, what did you take from your experience?" The whole room fell silent while waiting for the Avatar to answer her question.

"I," Luke looked down at the microphone he had been speaking to, he picked it up and held it to his mouth, "I witnessed Descole take people's bending away, right before my eyes and I am prepared to stop him, he needs to go down." The boy paused for a moment, and no one spoke, "And I hope to eventually do that. Um, yes," he pointed to a small old lady in the front.

"How do propose you eventually do that?" She asked, desperately trying to get some answers out of him.

"Now," Luke finally broke down from all the constant Descole questions, "Meet me at the arena tonight Descole, at midnight, no Chi-Blockers, no Scotland Yard officers, just you and me. I would like to see if your man enough to show up." Luke slapped the microphone back down on the podium and walked down the platform, prepared to take this criminal down.

Hey! I'm happy with most of this chapter, just the ending I kind of smacked together last minute, but I wanted to have something posted! How do you think it's going to go down? I think it will be very interesting… Anyway! Again, like I did for Catching Picarats, what story would you like me to write next? How Life Is, Close, But No Cigar, or Tales of Old London and Beyond? Please let me know! Thanks! Peace out girl scout! -Lil