Four Elements

Quite a few things become self explanatory in this chapter.

Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar or any of the characters, if I did I wouldn't be broke.

Chapter 5: Shoukaki

When the dust cleared, what everyone saw was the metal staff Usui had brought with him in front of Toph with the top area blackened a bit.

"Like I said before," Usui said. "You never know."

"How did you know that would work?" Katara asked.

"This was actually a training method I developed after Roku had been a little careless," Usui explained. "Most of the time, when he was training, there was never a decent waterbender around him when he used lightning, so there were too many risks if there was a person approaching or a stray animal came fourth."

"Waterbending for lightning training?" Katara asked, interrupting Usui.

"Water can redirect a lightning currents, as long as the bender isn't touching the water they could lead the lightning straight to the ground," Usui continued. "I had thought of the training method shortly after a thunderstorm, during which I noticed a sword protuding from the ground seemed to be attracting the vast majority of the lightning, rather than the trees around it, which were vastly taller. After I commisioned a blacksmith to make a metal staff, I stuck it in the ground during one of Roku's lightning training sessions and Roku decided to humor me. Needless to say, he was surprised that the staff not only remained intact, but looked to be in better condition that if it were to be hit by a small flame. It doesn't matter how much power the lightning has behind it, a bolt of lightning is an instant current, so heating the metal wasn't possible. The staff stayed intact during every training session."

"Ingenius," Sokka said in complete amazement. "Although you did create a method that allow Firebenders to master lightning quickly."

"Would you have rather had lives sacrificed, or meaningless destruction?" Usui asked rhetorically.

"Point taken," Sokka responded.

"We should probably see if Toph is alright," Katara said.

Everyone else nodded. When they reached her they noticed Zuko was checking to see if Toph had any burns, much to her objection.

"I said I'm fine Princess," Toph stated.

"Too much pride isn't a good thing," Zuko responded. "That was my first time releasing a successful lightning bolt anywhere, so excuse me if I'm a little concerned for an ally's well-being. I don't know how powerful it was, so we'd better be glad this staff intercepted it."

"Thanks," Toph stated.

"Why are you thanking me?" Zuko asked. "That lightning bolt could have killed you."

"You showed me a warrior's form of respect," Toph answered. "You didn't hold back because of my being a girl, blind or an ally."

"You deserve it," Zuko admitted. "You've probably been oppressed as a human simply for being a girl, and being blind most likely made it worse. Your blindness, however, seems to have allowed you to master earthbending better than almost every earthbender I've seen. Where did you learn your earthbending?" he asked curiously.

"It was taught to me by the original earthbenders, the badger moles," Toph answered. "I wandered from home when I was younger, I ended up in a massive cavern. I was alone until the badger moles came along. We played for a bit, they were earthbending and I felt the earth moving along. I only did it through instinct, but after that I just kept earthbending on my own, it wasn't until much later that I found out what earthbending was."

"That certainly is an interesting bit of information," Usui stated. "That's actually very similar to the circumstances in which I learned bending, I learned from Shoukaki. He currently lives near the shore of Kiyoshi Island. You've probably met him at one point in time, he's not someone you forget very easily."

"But I don't remember meeting anyone by that name on Kiyoshi Island," Aang responded while thinking. "Although we were rushed to leaving the island."

"My apologies," Zuko stated.

"No problem, your helping me escape made up for quite a bit," Aang then continued. "If Shoukaki is as memorable as you say I don't think we would have missed him."

"Are you sure?" Usui asked with a grin that everyone seriously thought looked eerily similar to Toph's. "I hope you aren't thinking that he's human."

"Well you did mention that you learned like Toph did," Sokka said. "There must have been some badger moles living on Kiyoshi Island."

"Actually there are none," Usui responded. "Shoukaki is an Unagi."

"How could you have met an Unagi in the Earth Kingdom, let alone being taught earthbending from an aquatic creature?" Sokka asked.

"And once again you're being narrow-minded," Usui responded. "When did I ever say that I was from the Earth Kingdom?"

That comment shut Sokka up.

Usui started removing his beige cloak, "Not once have I ever said that I was from the Earth Kingdom, just because I can earthbend you assume I was born in the Earth Kingdom. I'm certain that Aang wouldn't like to be stereotyped as someone from the the Water Tribes just because he can waterbend."

"But that's not the same thing," Sokka argued. "Aang's the Avatar, he's suppose to be able to waterbend."

"Are you so sure that it's not the same?" Usui asked as he finished removing his cloak to reveal a blue attire that appeared to be faded and worn with age. He moved his hands and the water from Katara's gourd flowed out and acted through Usui's movement, "Perhaps it's safe to say that the legend of the Avatar that you know of is incomplete."

Usui's waterbending surprised everyone but Ursa, Zhao, Iroh and Kuei.

"So there are two Avatar's?" Katara asked slightly hopeful but mostly confused.

"Actually there are four," Iroh answered. "The legend itself never specified how many Avatars there were for each generation, with an Avatar to master four elements it makes sense for there to be one born in each element."

"How are you aware of this Uncle?" Zuko asked.

"Because I was told by one," Iroh stated. "Her name was Nitu, and she was the Avatar of Earth."

"She was my earthbending teacher," a tear slid from Usui's eye as showed them a lonely smile in reminiscence, "and my wife."

"You were married?" Aang asked with confusion and hope in his voice.

Usui just laughed as he saw all the emotions running across Aang's face, "Well, of course, how else could my two granddaughters become your teachers if I wasn't. I don't give into carnal pleasures without being completely commited to the one I'm with. And you may want to keep control of your facial expressions, You never know when an enemy can use it against you."

The looks of surprise on everyone but Iroh's and Ursa's faces were priceless.

"Did you really think that I wouldn't have descendants?" Usui asked rhetorically. "What is with the world and thinking things like this?"

"I honestly have no clue," Iroh answered.

Usui tapped his foot twice, "My time in this plane of existence is nearly done. I have two weeks at most, then my spirit will finish transferring to my next incarnation."

"You mean we'll have to find you again!?" Sokka said, slightly annoyed. "We still have no clue where the other two are."

"Tell me something," Usui said. "Do you believe in coincidence?"

"I'm not sure," Sokka admitted, "and why is this relevant anyway?"

"Because coincidence is just another most people would prefer to use over destiny," Usui answered. "Do you believe it to be coincidence that you two just happen to find Aang trapped in that iceburg, or that Zuko had found you the very same day? Was it coincidence that you are all here to this day?" Usui's word confused nearly everyone there. "Then how about a demonstration," he then walke over to Toph and reached his hand out. "May I please take your hand?"

Toph just shrugged and pulled her hand up.

Usui simply took ahold of her and, at that moment, Toph became more surprised and scared than any other time in her life. When she tried to pull away Usui simply kept a firm grip on her hand.

"Toph, what's wrong?" Katara asked. "You're acting like you're scared."

"This is the first time she's ever been able to see anything without relying on earthbending," Usui answered for her while keeping his eyes on her. "Being born blind, she's never actually seen anything in the nearly thirteen years she's been alive."

"How do you know my age?" Toph asked and was surprised the see the girl she was seeing moving her mouth to the exactly the same words she was saying. "What am I seeing?"

"There's a saying that you should look through other people's eyes," Usui said while looking at everyone else. "You are seeing yourself."

"What do you mean?" Katara asked.

Usui looked in her direction.

"I believe he is saying that Toph is seeing through his eyes," Iroh answered.

Usui looked at Iroh.

"But how is that possible?" Sokka asked.

Usui looked at Sokka while answering "Direct skin contact. It's the closest thing a spirit within two bodies will get until the body of one finally passes on."

"So you're saying..." Aang started as Usui looked in his direction.

"That Toph is your next incarnation," Zuko finished.

"Yes," Usui answered. "I've been aware of the majority of her progress for some time. I doubt Lao didn't know of her destiny, even if she's blind. The day I die will probably be the day you will be able to see the world unhindered. Your Avatar spirit will not awaken until you awaken it within the temple of the Avatar of Earth."

"Okay, so we have two," Sokka said. "Unless the Avatar of Water and the Avatar of Fire just happen to be standing in this arena we'll still need to find them."

Usui, Iroh and Ursa were mentally laughing at the irony of his words.

Toph just asked Usui, "Why are you laughing?"

'I'm laughing in my mind,' Usui explained mentally. 'The physical contact allows a mental connection as well.' Usui then looked around to see the looks on Ursa's and Iroh's faces, 'And apparently they see the humor in his words as well. If you don't want anyone to hear you the speak mentally.'

'I'm still wondering why you think what Sokka said was funny,' Toph stated mentally.

'That is for a later date,' Usui thought as everyone was looking at them. "With this physical contact Toph can hear my thoughts as well. I was laughing mentally."

Just then part of the ground created a slanted openning and the people who were living underground walked in wearing hooded cloaks.

"Bumi!" Aang said excitedly as he ran to hug him.

"You may want to hold all of your excitement in," Bumi said as he hugged back. "Because there is someone I know you'll want to see again."

Aang pulled back, "And who is that? You're the only one I knew from over a century that's still alive."

"Are you sure about that Aang?" a voice from behind Aang stated.

Aang's eyes started to tear up as he recognized that voice instantly. He turned around as the figure standing behing lowered his hood to reveal the only father figure Aang had ever had in his life, Monk Gyatso.

He then ran and tackled Gyatso to the ground in a huge hug. "How?" was Aang's only question.

"The same as Roku," Usui explained as he looked over in there direction, allowing Toph to see them as well. "It was my duty as well as Jufeng's and Nitu to make sure that balance remained possible. Although I didn't enjoy lives being lost, which nearly included the three of us, it was a pain and guilt we had to endure. It was actually Jufeng that saved Gyatso from dieing. Now I believe we should get back to the palace to continue this discussion. Besides, I think Azula would want to see her mother as well."

"You never said that Azula was in Ba Sing Se," Ursa reprimanded.

"Unfortunately, due to her own lack of knowledge of events she still remains loyal to Ozai," Usui responded. "She is far too intelligent and unpredictable to let free so she's been in a holding cell since I met her."

"May I request some time with her out of her cell?" she asked.

Usui smiled, "It doesn't bother me, but I'm not the one you need to ask."

Ursa turned to Kuei, "Will you allow it?"

"I don't see why not," the king responded. "As long as you have some form of defense."

"I was planning on having Zuko alongside me anyway," Ursa admitted. She turned to her son, "As long as it's okay with you."

Zuko smiled, "I have no problem with it."

Kuei then stated, "Well then let's get back to the palace. Dai Li, please fix up the arena."

The members there nodded.

Kuei turned to Bumi, "King Bumi, would you please?"

"No problem," Bumi then raised his hands and a dome engulfed everyone except the Dai Li members and sunk into the ground, their destination, the Ba Sing Se palace.

End of Chapter

Translations:

Japanese:

Usui: Rain Water

Shoukaki: Fire Extinguisher

Chinese:

Nitu: Soil

Jufeng: Hurricane

Stuff revealed and a few translation of names. I left quite a few distinct hints, including his stunt when Azula attacked him in Chapter 2. He didn't bend any water to extinguish the flames so the only logical explanation is he forced the fire to die down through his own firebending. My idea if an Avatar from each nation in each generation is the reason why I called this story Four Elements. And finally my idea with Usui's staff is easy for a person to figure out if they know basic physics.