Chapter 2: The New Republic City
The three days flew by rather fast, the story picks up with Riku, Roku, Barra and their parents on the dock saying goodbye to each other. "Be careful, Roku make sure you all eat, watch out for your brother and Barra don't look for trouble we'll miss you both and we love you if at any time you want to return home sooner know there's always a place for you here home." said Kiara tearfully hugging her sons. "Basically, all your mom just said and know that i trust you so follow your instinct and always do what you know is right and above all be safe got it." said Terra resting his hand on his sons shoulders "I put a kinetic phone, money and a few meals in your bag don't talk to strangers don't accept strange food and if you're in danger just run ok" said Joy Yin Barra's mom "Mom, I'm an earth bending master I can take care of myself ok." replied Barra picking up the bag she packed for him. "I believe in you son your best is way beyond I know you guys can fix this ok." encouragingly said Barra's father Sid. "Boat's ready, let's hit the sea!" shouted old man Kraig from his boat and blowing the boat whistle "Don't forget to feed Kang remember twice a day and she really likes Pig bear meat." shouted Riku as they boarded the boat and waved their parents goodbye. As they walked on the boat they couldn't help but notice an attractive young lady with short black hair, blue eyes and dressed in blue water tribe wear. To which Roku reacted by walking up to her and saying "Hi, my name is R-"he was loudly interrupted by old man Kraig yelling "Hey, None of that!" and running to come in between them both and watching Roku with one eye wide open squinting the other and shaking his until Roku backed off and continued "This is my granddaughter Kaiya and i was your age once don't forget i lived it you guppies, I'm the big fish got it." commented old man Kraig further warning Roku and the others. "We're taking off so you might want to settle down and one of you might want to cool down." continued Kraig walking off to captain's room with his granddaughter close behind. They were off to Republic City.
A few hours into their journey as Riku was looking over the boat's edge he noticed a dark figure moving under the water and rushing towards the boat "Something's coming!" shouted Riku to alert everyone but before he could finish speaking a Large dark Manta Ray spirit erupted out of the water stretched it's long tail and wrapped it around Riku and attempted to dive back into the water Riku with it but was stopped by a huge wave of water that threw it sideways and into the water it let go of Riku and he almost flew into the water but he held onto the side of the boat as his brother and Barra rushed to help him onboard as the manta ray spirit recoiled to try again Kaiya rushed down to the deck of the boat and bent a huge water tentacle and stung it with it sending it flying backwards meanwhile Roku and Barra having helped Riku back on board were shocked to notice a large dark scaly hand grab onto the other side of the boat and a huge Gator -man spirit rose out of the water with one pull and landed on the boat and caused it to shake roared at the three young men and began to rush them when two metal ropes wrapped around it's abdomen and tossed it over board into the water following the metal ropes recoil they came to the realization together "Old Man Kraig you metal bend!" shouted Riku, Roku and Barra. "Yeah, what of it." replied Kraig keeping on guard for spirits "A little help please !" shouted Kaiya bending a huge whirlpool around the boat to repel their attackers "We're earth benders and there's no earth to bend!" shouted Roku in response to Kaiya. The Manta Ray Spirit jumped from beyond the parameters of the whirlpool and to the left of the boat Kaiya stopped the whirlpool jumped to face the manta ray spirit and began to spirit bend raising to coils of water to circle around the manta ray spirit and the water began to glow gold as she began to purify the spirit aware of this the man-gator spirit tried to attack Kaiya but was stopped by her grandfather bending of a piece of the boat into a metal ball and smacking it in the head and bending it back and hitting it off the boat."Cleanse complete!" shouted Kaiya as the Manta ray Spirit turned into what appeared as a significantly less intimidating form somewhat similar to a huge moving plush manta toy. "Here comes the second one!" shouted Roku pointing the opposite direction as the man-gator rose out of the water before Kaiya could response the Manta ray spirit tackled it and to everyone's surprise said "Now's your chance young lady" as the man-gator spirit fell back Kaiya trapped it in a frozen pillar of ice then began the purification process on it and was successful. As it returned to its normal state Kaiya melted the ice of it said "What is this, what happened it then snarled and dove into the sea never to return again. The group was back on their way later that night as they sat down to dinner. Old man Kraig brought out a pot of what would by the smell was hot sewage. "I hope y'all are ready for my legendary bull-frog stew." said Kraig placing the pot in-between the youngsters. "Nah, our parents packed us food you can have some if you want old man Kraig." said Riku handing Kraig and Kaiya wrapped meal his mother had prepared. "Thank goodness." they both said under their breath simultaneously "Old man Kraig, can you tell us how you can metal bend?" asked Riku which was met with a swift blow to his side from his older brother "You don't have to say anything if you don't want to Mr. Kraig." said Roku covering his brothers question and staring him down. "I don't mind telling this story, you see about sixty years ago I was born in Republic City me my brother and two sisters and i grew up there." started Kraig taking few bites of his meal in-between words.
"Why'd you leave ?" asked Riku another question met with another swift jab from his brother "Let me finish why don't yuh, see I was searching for my purpose in this world and i was at a loss until I witnessed Avatar Korra in action she was taking on equalist and that inspired me see you don't have to be the Avatar to make a difference in the world a lesson i learned by watching the Avatar and her friends and then i heard she defeated Amon and then I decided to join the police force and I thought I had found my calling." continued Kraig taking the biggest piece of his meal. "Cut to some years later the Avatar defeated the Red Lotus and the Earth Empire I was patrolling the streets of republic City when a thug water bender attempted to rob this sweet young lady and of course i stopped him and that's the part of the story that concerns Kaiya's grandma Jade, yuh see after saving her I offered to take her on a date and for a while she hesitated until she came to my place of work and asked me out and the rest you know." as Kraig continued Kaiya looked at Roku blushing and Roku looked back at her.
"Yuh, see I married Jade and after our first kid was born the late nights and criminals began to weigh on her so one morning after a night shift she gave an ultimatum yuh, see she couldn't stand the waiting for me to come home every day and hoping i was fine so she wanted a comfortable safe life without the worrying and fear and so I agreed for the sake of my family we migrated to the newly formed village of Roark to live out our lives in peace I became a fisherman using by metal bending to catch fish for the village and that's how I live in Roark village and I'm a metal bender." finished Kraig eating the last of his meal.
"No way, you not only saw the avatar but you worked with her to, that's amazing, could you teach me how to metal bend?" said Riku with an amazed look on his face. "Nah, never had a knack for teaching kid maybe you'll find someone in Republic city to teach you huh." It took roughly three days to reach and they could see the City near as "Land ho!" shouted Barra as he was the first to see Republic City. "Can we go a lot faster huh, old man Kraig." asked Riku looking at the Republic City sky line and the glowing beam of light from the Spirit Portal in the center.
"Alright youngsters hold on to somethen ." replied Kraig increasing the ships acceleration. "We're here Republic City!" shouted Riku as he rushed on to the docks bags in hand attracting all the attention of the civilians present. "Kaiya and I will stay here while you three go about your business." said old man Kraig grabbing ahold of his granddaughter in a side hug. "No, Grandpa I'm going with them." replied Kaiya wiggling out of his hug and dashing of behind the boys as they walked towards Republic City.