Decision Making and Leave Taking

As the king finished speaking Delta stood up and walked to one of the windows in the room. Ilia looked at him and wondered what was going through his mind. She knew that with these revelations he would want to take a course of action that would give him answers, but the questions that he had weren't easily answered.

Then Delta spoke, "So what would you have me do?"

Chung looked at him a little surprised, "I would have thought that obvious."

Delta looked back at him and the Chung stood up, putting his cup down, "Delta only you know what you are looking for. I know that you've considered yourself to be a part of my family since you were old enough to understand what family was. But now is the time for you to find out what the world is like. You need to see for yourself what people outside of your village are like. Get out and explore. Find what you are seeking and maybe, just maybe, you might find what you're looking for."

The king finished speaking, rose, and started to leave the room. Delta looked at him and asked, "And what have I been looking for?"

Chung looked at him and replied, "Only you know the answer to that."

Chung departed, leaving Delta and Ilia alone. Ilia looked at him and saw a look that she was all too familiar with. She got up from her chair, walked over to him and gave him a hug. He returned the hug.

"Delta I don't know what your plans are. But I want you to know that…" Delta put a hand up and stopped her from finishing.

"Don't say what I think you're going to say. I know that I need I need to find out more about my past. That's where my path is going to go," he started to choke up; "Right now I need to be free of personal attachments. I don't think of you as an attachment but as it stands I need to be free of anything that would hold me back from doing what needs to be done."

Ilia nodded and started tried to smile but couldn't, "Well wherever you go or whatever you do I wish you the very best."

"And I you, I wish things could be normal like you, but they aren't normal and I need to know why," Ilia nodded again and walked away, leaving Delta alone.

So this is what it's going to be like I may as well get a move on, Delta thought.

As he left the room Chung called out, "Delta, hold up for a minute."

Delta paused as the king walked towards him. Chung gestured towards the living room and Delta followed him.

"What else do you have to say?" Delta asked but the king hushed him.

Delta found this very strange.

The king walked closer to him and speaking in a low voice told him, "Delta there are certain things that are going on in the Earth Kingdom that you should know about."

"Like what?"

"There has been a break down in law and order outside of Omashu and Taku. I don't know what's been going on but I think that it may have something to do with the Avatar's absence."

Delta nodded knowingly and asked, "So why don't you send more soldiers out to deal with these problems?"

"These problems are too far widespread for my soldiers to handle. I know I shouldn't ask because of what you plan on doing, but it would be a big help to me and all of the people of the Earth Kingdom if they saw someone stand up to these murderers."

"How big of a problem is this exactly?" Delta wanted to know what he might be getting into if he accepted.

"The roads between cities and villages are being attacked by roving bands of men. I don't know the exact numbers but I do know that it's happened more than a few times between Omashu and Taku. The villages in between all have to rely on their men for protection and it's very tough for them to keep these guys from coming back. I know a village in the south was completely destroyed in a recent attack. From reports there seems to be no survivors from that village."

Delta started to see where the king was going with this, "So you need someone who you can trust to keep an eye on the roads, gather information about these bands, and possibly kill those who resist either your authority or those who choose to cause others harm?"

The king nodded, "I know my soldiers are good and loyal men but I would like a new pair of eyes, specifically yours, to see what you might be able to do for the kingdom."

Delta looked down at the ground then back up, "Well if I were to accept, I wouldn't be doing this just for you, I'd be doing it for those who can't protect themselves."

Chung nodded, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Delta looked out the window and saw that the sun was coming up, "Let me think about this and I'll let you know my decision."

Chung nodded in agreement.

Delta left the house and let his eyes adjust to the sunlight that was shining through the clouds. Then he started the walk home. Hard to believe that took all night, he thought, I'm as hungry as a Moose Lion. He walked into the kitchen and saw food laid out for him. He ate but savored each bite. When he was done he walked up to his room took off most of his clothes and the got into his bed and slept. While he slept he had a weird dream. In it there were four people standing outside an enormous stadium. To Delta's left there was an Air Nomad with a staff at his side. To his right were two other people. One was a large man who had black hair and a slight beard. He looked just a few years older than Delta and he didn't have any shoes or boots on. He had the look of a powerful earthbender about him. Next to him was a boy. If Delta had to guess he'd say that the boy was a year or two younger than himself. He had a strange collection of clothes on him to which made Delta wonder if he was a wanderer. Just then the Nomad spoke to him. "What you are seeking is not going to be answered immediately. But if you go through what awaits you in the arena, you might find out what that is."

Delta woke with a start and sat up in his bed and wondered what the dream meant. Just because it's a dream doesn't mean that it's real or that it's going to happen does it? Delta didn't know how these things worked and he wasn't going to waste time worrying about it. He looked out his window and saw that the sun was already past noon. Then he remembered what the king had told him and he sat down on the mat next to his bed and meditated. He didn't know what he was looking for, but knew that if the king's soldiers couldn't handle problems like murderers and thieves, then he might be able to help them out. Delta thought for a very long time on this and made his decision.

He got up from his mat and found his clothes. He put them on and then walked downstairs and outside. It was harvest time so people were outside of the village getting the crops ready before they went bad. Delta walked back to ilia's house and the two guards admitted him inside. Delta walked in and saw the king was back in the living room.

The king looked up and Delta said, "I have made my decision."

The king stood.

"I will help you and the Earth Kingdom with this problem."

Chung looked more relieved than anything, "Thank you Delta. I know it won't be easy but neither is protecting or providing for your family. I know that there are a few cities and villages that are allied with me, if I were to help you out I could tell them to give you whatever you need for this task."

Delta shook his head, "If I'm to help these people they need to see that I won't depend on them because they were told to help me. I'd rather show them how to stand up for themselves and then make that choice themselves."

Chung looked surprised and Delta's insight but nodded in agreement, "Remember that you don't have to accept but I am glad that you chose to."

Delta nodded and then asked, "Sire with your permission there is something else that I would like to do when I'm doing all of this."

Chung looked at him and asked "What is it?"

"With your permission I would like to recruit people who have been turned from doing things that they would normally do, and instead have chosen to do irrational things. I would like to recruit anyone who may have stolen or worse and give them another chance to prove that they are better than that."

The king sighed and sat down. He wondered why Delta would ask such a thing. He looked up at him and saw some of the answer in his eyes, "Alright I will give you the opportunity to recruit those who you feel deserve another chance, but if they should slip once don't hesitate to kill them. Otherwise you'll have to keep coming to their defense."

Delta nodded and said, "I know that it wouldn't seem like a good idea, but if I can recruit these kinds of people, then others will be able to find their courage and be able to act if they have to."

The king nodded, "Very well. Do what you must."

Delta bowed and thanked him.

"So where are you off to now?" Delta asked.

"I'm thinking that it's time for us to head back to Omashu, but I won't be going straight home. I have a few things I need to attend to before I head back."

Delta nodded and then extended his hand and Chung shook it, "I wish you the very best with this as well as finding out about your past."

Delta nodded and bowed before he left the house. He then went to the fields where his family was gathering crops. He found his mother and told her what he was planning on doing after that day. She dropped her basket and hugged him and started crying into his shoulder.

Delta hugged her closer and then told her, "Let Zhong and Lian know will you? I'm going to find Shang and tell him myself."

Chun nodded and wiped the tears away from her face. Delta left and walked towards the arena where he thought he might find Shang practicing; he was right and saw that Shang was practicing with Chan. Delta gave a short whistle and both of them turned towards him. They walked towards him and he told them of his plans. For a minute they looked a little stunned and then they started asking questions.

Delta stopped them, "I know it isn't a popular idea but then not many ideas are popular."

"Like when you had me walk through an entire swamp to get an animal while you practically ran on the trees in the swamp?" Shang asked.

"Or when you challenged me to an eating contest after which I threw up?" Chan asked.

"Well I was hoping you wouldn't be pointing fingers at someone when I said bad ideas but yes those are excellent examples," Delta replied, "All I'm saying is that I need to do this. If I don't do it then I may never find out more about my past and we know that I could never live with myself if I didn't try to find out more about my origins."

After he finished speaking Shang asked, "Have you told father of your plans yet?"

"No I haven't mainly because I have something that I want to talk to him about before I head out," Delta said.

With a nod to the both of them Delta turned and walked out of the arena, he then started the walk back towards his home. When he got in he was surprised to see Shen inside. He had expected him to be outside helping with the farming.

Shen turned towards him, "So I imagine you have a few questions for me before you leave."

Delta nodded not asking how Shen found out about his plans, "Did you know whose son I was when you found me?"

Shen shook his head, "When Chun and I found you we had no idea how you wound up on that shore. We took you in because we wouldn't live with our selves knowing we let an innocent baby die."

Delta started pacing the room, "And after I revealed my waterbending ability you still couldn't guess?"

Shen sat down, "I was as surprised as anyone except maybe Ilia when you bent the water in the stadium."

Delta stopped walking around when Shen mentioned Ilia's name.

"How did you find out that she knew of my ability?" Delta's voice little more than a whisper.

"We had our suspicions about it but you just confirmed it for me."

Delta still looked confused, "Who else has been having these suspicions?"

"Well your other siblings have been talking about it ever since the trials, but Lian was the one who thought of the connection."

Delta nodded knowing Lian could be a little inquisitive after a revelation like this, "How did she put it together?" Delta asked.

"We were walking home from the trials and just before we got to the house Lian asked Ilia if she knew anything about your ability. Ilia didn't respond immediately and that made Lian suspect something. After the two of you left she brought it up with us again and told us what she thought. We all thought there might be some truth to it but I told them that until one of you let us know the truth, then it would be idle speculation."

Delta sat down. He decided he wasn't going to keep the truth hidden anymore what with his own family asking questions.

Delta looked up, "It was a few weeks ago when Ilia found out that I could waterbend." Shen sat down and listened to Delta's tale, "Chan and I had just gotten back from a longer hunt than was usual. He had been injured in the encounter and ilia wanted to know how. I was busy working on a complicated form with the water. Bending is a whole different style from the fighting techniques that you've shown me so I had to practice a lot of different forms in order to find the ones that worked. Anyways I was bending the water and then wondered if I could turn the water into ice."

Shen marveled at these revelations. He knew that Delta was a gifted fighter, but he didn't know that he had progressed that far with his bending.

"Ilia must have snuck up behind me and watched me bend for a while because when I whipped the water around and turned it into ice she was taken completely by surprise. The water turned into ice and pinned her against a tree. 'What was that for,' she screamed at me trying to get free from the ice," Delta smiled at the memory, "It was rather funny to be honest anyways I said 'you shouldn't sneak up on a bender. You won't know what might happen.' 'Thanks for the tip now can you get me down from here it isn't a very comfortable spot to be in.' I grinned at her and with a quick motion turned the ice into water and made sure she didn't fall immediately to the ground. She got up and punched me in the arm. 'You're welcome,' I said. 'How did you do that?' she asked. 'I would have thought that was obvious. I'm a waterbender.' It took her a long time to register what I had just said and then she asked 'How long have you known?' 'Only a few weeks to be honest' I answered," Delta got up and walked over to the window and looked out.

He saw his family coming up the road with the produce from the day, "It was after this that I asked her to keep my ability a secret for me until I chose to reveal it."

Shen got up and walked over to Delta and put a hand on his shoulder, "Well now I know the story I'll be sure to tell the others."

Delta looked at him and thanked him.

Shen nodded and asked, "So when do you plan to leave?"

Delta walked over to where his room was and looked back at Shen, "I was thinking sometime tomorrow not really sure yet."

And with that he went into his room. Shen shook his head and then heard the door open and his family came in. Lian walked over and asked, "Has he left yet?"

Shen shook his head and pointed towards Delta's room.

Shen looked back at Lian and said, "If I were you I'd give him some time to be alone. He needs to be able to think things over clearly without any distractions."

Lian nodded although she wanted to say something.

Later that night she walked down to Delta's room and knocked on it. It swung open and she saw that it was empty. She saw that Delta's robe, sword, bow and quiver were gone along with his hunting knife.

She ran to her parents' room, "He's gone!"

Shen and Chun looked up at here and then they realized who she was talking about. They raced down stairs to where Delta slept saw that he was indeed gone.

"What's going on?" Shang was right behind them with Zhong on his heels. Shen looked at him and told him. They all ran outside and started calling his name. Shen then looked at the gates of the village. He whistled and gathered everyone in his family.

He looked around to each of them and said, "We all knew this was going to happen, we just didn't know when, he chose to leave us like this to show us that he has to let go of all he's known." As Shen was speaking he heard voices in the distance and then saw people running from house to house.

"Guess it didn't go the way Delta wanted it to." Zhong said.

Shen looked at his family and said, "Well I guess we'll get to say goodbye after all."

They nodded and walked towards the east gate.

Delta had planned it all out perfectly. He was going to leave in the middle of the night and no one would be aware of it until the morning. And yet somehow someone was able to figure out his plan before he even got to the gate.

"Going somewhere?"

The voice startled Delta and he whirled around and saw Chan standing next to a building.

"What are you doing here?" Delta asked.

"Well I've been doing some thinking and I've decided that I want to help you on your journey."

Delta shook his head, "You know that I don't want you to feel like you owe me anything."

Chan nodded, "I know that but I'm not doing this to get even. I'm doing this because you're my friend."

With this logic Delta wondered what Chan was really playing at, but right then doors started opening all along the street and people flooded outside.

Delta looked at Chan, "Okay who did you tell?"

Chan smirked at him as more and more people came outside. Delta saw everyone from Kang to the king come outside to see them off. He saw the blacksmith as well as the carpenter of the village and their families. Then he saw his family. They pushed their way through the crowd to get to the front. Delta walked up to them and Lian hugged him.

"Thought you could leave without letting us know about it?"

Delta hugged her back, "Well it would have gone according to plan but someone decided he wanted to ruin that plan."

As he was talking Chan's family came out they saw Chan already to go and hugged him. Then Delta turned from his family and looked at Ilia. They didn't say anything but knew what the other was thinking. Delta nodded to her and she nodded back. He nodded to Chan and they started walking towards the gate when a cry came from the crowd.

They turned and saw one of Chan's brothers run towards them, "Delta, Chan don't go," he cried.

Delta knelt down, "I wish I didn't have to but it's a fact of life."

When the child's eyes started tearing up Delta said, "Hey I got something for you." He pulled out a small version of his ocarina.

"When you're sad or missing your brother or me, play this instrument and that way we'll always be with you."

The child smiled when he heard the sound the instrument made. Delta stood back up and waved to everyone assembled. He looked at the crowd and wondered if he'd ever see them again. He smiled and waved, gave Chan another nod and they started their journey.