::The Last Avatar::

Gamer Edition

BOOK TWO
TITAN

2.1

Are We There Yet?

"Are we there yet?" she asked for the umpteenth time. Both her human companions sighed at Rue's unrelenting and repetitive questioning, she'd been asking the same thing since they'd started out again that morning. Tera was snoozing peacefully in the hot sun near the foot of the litter Rue was laying on, ignoring everyone else quite pointedly.

"No, we aren't, and we won't be arriving for some time yet, so please, please, Rue, stop asking," Angeal asked her. Rue grumbled a little, but remained silent, the boys were there to help her after all. It wouldn't be a good idea to piss them off too much after all.

"Fine, whatever, can you at least tell me where you're taking me?" her dramatic side was starting to show with all the boredom she was dealing with. There was only so much one could do when unable to move it, not to mention it was stupidly hot, and Rue wasn't handling either well.

"Private Robin and myself are escorting you to Cosmo Canyon for your own safety. I'll see you settled in and then return to Midgar, while Private Robin remains behind with you," the explanation made Rue frown at Angeal.

"Why is Rhys staying behind with me and why does it sound like you won't be sticking around for very long?" she asked him suspiciously. Her eyes thinned as she eyed the buff teenager beside her, there was something different about him, something that hadn't been there before the incident in the Science Department.

"Private Robin is remaining at your side because we cannot, and you have a nasty habit of getting into trouble. As for my swift departure, well, the longer I'm gone the more suspicious it is, which means more people will be looking into it, and I have a student waiting for some teaching back at base," the distracted smile on his face said it all. Rue grinned back, it seemed that her off-hand comment about Zack had done it's job all those weeks ago, though the pang of guilt for helping to put the poor guy on his destined path made her falter a little. With any luck Rue would be able to stop all that shit from going down before it did, not that she had any idea of how to do so yet. That would take some serious thinking and was definitely for another day.

"A student? Well I guess I better not keep you too long then, wouldn't want the puppy to destroy too much in your absence," Angeal frowned at her slightly.

"How did you know I call him a puppy?" he asked. The frown was deepening by the second and Rue had to smile at him, because who wouldn't think of Zack as a puppy?

"It's that energetic cadet, right? The exhausting looking one?" Angeal nodded a the question. "Well then how could I not liken him to a puppy?" Rue's grin broadened. The chuckle she got in response was a relief, Rue wasn't sure how she would have gone if he had argued with her logic.

"Fair enough, His name is Zack, I kept an eye on him like you suggested and found that despite his promise he was failing his classes, I thought he could use a different approach. After a few private lessons I decided to be his mentor, I should have an email from the Director any day now confirming it all," he looked happy. Rue wished Angeal could remain this happy, but she knew better, shit was going to happen and there wasn't much she could do about it. Maybe Rue would be able to help pull the three of them back from the edge, if she was lucky, but when was Rue ever lucky? It was a hope, for a better future. Something that seemed so far away and impossible at this point. "-ue? Rue, are you alright?" Angeal's voice brought her back to the present. Blinking Rue turned back to her friend and smiled softly.

"Sorry, I was thinking. I'm glad things are looking up for you though, being a mentor will be good for you I think, have some fun with it," Angeal smiled back at her. He looked a little worried though, and Rue knew better than to think for a moment that she could stop Angeal from doing so. He was a worrier, it was what he did.

"Is it the pain? I got some pain killers from the doctors before we left if you need them," he offered. Rue shook her head, she didn't need the meds, hated them in fact and would avoid using them if she could.

'You need to Water Heal yourself, or use that weird ball-thing that feels wrong, we need some mobility Rue,' Korra reminded her of the facts. Rue grimaced, Materia was out, not with the Mako still in her system, she had little doubt it would only make her worse. As for Water Healing, well, Rue didn't exactly know that skill, nor did she understand how it worked exactly.

"I'm fine, well, no, not fine, but," Rue took a deep breath. "It could be worse, was worse, yesterday, better now, I just-I was thinking about the future is all," she finished lamely. The smile Rue received was warm and, strangely, fond. She raised an eyebrow at him in silent askance and Angeal shook his head, the smile still on his face.

"He cares about you, you know that, right?" the question blindsided Rue. She stared at him, feeling her face going red slowly as the words sank in, until she finally huffed lightly and looked away before turning back to him a little more composed.

"Which one?" she asked eventually. Trying to keep things light, rather than letting Angeal make things all serious and crap. By the not-joking look on his face it wasn't working.

"I think you know who," it was his turn to raise a brow. The blush she'd fought hard to get rid of flared up again at his words and not for the last time did Rue curse her teenage body. Damn hormones, why do you keep making me blush like a fucking school-girl!? She also hated that Angeal was right, she did know exactly who he was talking about, but it wasn't going to happen, he was doomed and that was that. The only thing in any of their futures was death and that was something Rue did not need to deal with on top of everything else.

"It doesn't matter, he's out of my league anyway," Rue turned away with these words. She wasn't sure who she was trying to convince, Angeal, or herself.

It was nearly sunset when the truck finally lurched to a stop, the heat had thankfully died down to a manageable level and, while still in pain, the nap Rue had had earlier had helped a little. Her mind was clearer, which was wonderful in itself and, as such, she was more awake.

"So, are we there yet?" she asked again. The shit-eating grin on her face only made Angeal sigh and swipe half-heartedly across his hand across Rue's head.

"Yes, brat, we're there," he huffed at her. She watched as Angeal climbed down from the back of the truck and heard Rhys get out of the front drivers seat. Her mouth twitched at the use of Genesis' nickname for her, the Goddess only knew how often the red head had called her that. Frequently. Stupid Pyro-Lunatic.

"Good, can I get out of this hunk of metal then? I think my butts gone numb," Rue complained. She shifted on the pallet she was on and winced as she slowly forced herself into a sitting position.

"Rue! No, lay back down, you aren't healed enough," Angeal moved to get back into the back. The stubborn glare he received for his trouble halted him in his tracks however, and Angeal sighed and shook his head at her. It seemed that he knew better than to argue with Rue when she was like this. Finally some sense.

"Sir! It's the locals," Rhys called out. Angeal grimaced and motioned for her to stay put, before disappearing around the truck to wherever Rhys was. Rue snorted and slowly started to pull herself up onto shaky legs. Tera was immediately by her side, helping Rue balance herself after months of remaining horizontal. The pain in her legs wasn't nearly as bad as the burning sensation on her back and shoulders, and Rue found herself gritting her teeth as she shuffled slowly towards the back of the truck bed. Getting over the edge would be the next big problem she would have to deal with. Wonderful.

'If you knew how to Metal Bend you could totally made a slide or something,' someone unfamiliar commented from her peanut gallery. Rue just rolled her eyes at the words.

"If I knew how to Metal Bend I could do a whole lot more than just made a fucking slide," Rue grumbled as she shuffled over to the edge. She wasn't looking forward to having to have to climb over and then down, that would undoubtedly be painful as fuck. She just hoped it didn't make her throw up.

"-ra isn't welcome here, turn back," she caught the end of someone unknown talking outside. Angeal's reply was an indistinct rumble and Rhys' additional words were just as bad. Growling as whoever was watching the boundaries of the Canyon once again demanded that they leave Rue carefully hoisted herself out of the truck. It was painful and made her head spin from the stress it put her still-healing body through, but Rue shook her head free of it and braced a hand against the side of the truck as she shuffled around it with Tera close at hand.

"Please, we don't mean any harm, my friend needs a place to rest and heal from her injuries, I thought-" Angeal was attempting to reason with the two men standing in the middle of the road.

"Angeal," she called softly. Eyes wide, both Angeal and Rhys turned to Rue in surprise, it seemed neither thought she would be able to get out of the truck without some help. Rue focused on the men from Cosmo, they were watching her warily, and she didn't blame them after stopping a SOLDIER First short with a single word. "I would like to request a word with Bugenhagen, if you don't mind," she asked them politely. They frowned at her and shared a look, before one of them took off without a word, hopefully to get the old stargazer.

"Rue?" a hand on her shoulder brought her attention back to Angeal. He was looking down at her worriedly and Rue huffed at him, patting his hand reassuringly.

"I'm fine, tired and dizzy, but fine, once Bugenhagen gets down here it'll all be okay," she told him. I hope. The last thought remained unsaid. Rue was banking on the old man having heard of the Avatar like Godo had, if he hadn't she wasn't sure how this was going to go. On the other hand, he was a decent judge of character, so maybe it would turn out okay either way.

'Maybe you could show them all your Water Bending, that usually gets peoples attention,' Korra suggested. Rue snorted, it wasn't like the other Avatar was wrong, people did tend to take more notice when she did weird shit like that.

"You've met this Bugenhagen?" Rhys asked her with a frown. Rue shook her head as she glanced around the area, the red stone cliffs that were specific to the area loomed around them, casting deep shadows across the dusty ground around them.

"No, but I've heard of him and know about his beliefs about the Planet, he's a reasonable man, by all accounts," Rue shrugged. Angeal eyed her thoughtfully, seeming thinking hard about something before he spoke his thoughts aloud.

"Been here, but without feet?" he asked quietly. Rue grinned at him and tilted her head to the side as she looked up at him, her tired amusement plain in her eyes.

"Maybe," was all she said. She watched as Angeal rubbed the bridge of his nose as he tried to figure out how Rue had actually been to these places without anyone knowing about it, she had little doubt that her comments about screens had only confused him further.

"Alright, fine, I don't even want to think about that," he admitted with another sigh. When she wobbled, Angeal's grip on her shoulder tightened as he steadied her and she smiled at him with as much warmth as she could currently muster.

"Oh ho ho, who do we have here?" the group turned at the sound of an elderly mans' voice. Rue was relieved to see Bugenhagen heading their way so quickly, she had wondered how long it would take, but it seemed they'd made him curious. What did raise her brow, however, was the red coated wolf-lion padding along at his side. A quick glance down at Tera made her slide her fingers into the Coeurl's fur, holding on with a tight grip. The last thing she needed was to upset Nanaki on their first meeting.

"Mr Bugenhagen, I presume?" Angeal stepped forward. He was defensive, probably thinking that Nanaki was like Tera in nature, rather than the sentient and highly intelligent being he really was.

"Indeed, ho ho ho, and who might you all be?" the old man asked. Rue smiled as she studied him from her place behind Angeal, dark blue robe, beard and sunglasses all the while sitting on a floating ball-thing. Yep. This was Bugenhagen. He reminds me a little of Gyatso in some ways. It was at this thought that Rue felt Aang and Roku in particular take notice of what was happening around her. Thankfully she repressed the want to roll her eyes at the pair, it wasn't like the dude actually was Gyatso, unless they were doing 'everyone reincarnates'. Rue frowned slightly, isn't that something that was hinted at during Bugen's explanation of the way the Lifestream works. Or something to that effect. This was something to be thought more on later she decided. Perhaps she would even ask the old man if he allowed her to stay.

"I am SOLDIER First Class Angeal Hewley, this is Private Robin and-" Angeal was attempting to introduce Rue when she elbowed her way past him. If they were going to get into the damn Canyon Rue was going to have to handle this herself. She hobbled over to Bugenhagen and put a fist to her left palm and bowed to the old man.

"Greetings Master Bugenhagen of Cosmo Canyon, I am Avatar Rue, I apologise for having to come unannounced like this, but I'm afraid I am in need somewhere to heal and train in Earth Bending," Rue straightened and motioned to her friends behind her. "My companions thought this would be the safest place for me to stay for a time, I did not have a say in this as I was unconscious for two months after an incident with Hojo. However I would be deeply appreciative if you would grant us entrance to the Canyon," Rue finished with a hopeful and tired smile. Bugenhagen didn't say anything for a moment before chuckling heartily and leaning closer, sliding his glasses down his nose a little to look at her without the tint in his way.

"The Avatar, well, I can't very well say no to a legend, now can I?" he asked with a kind smile behind his white beard. Rue closed her eyes in relief, he had heard of her after all. Bugenhagen turned to the men who had barred their entrance and waved at them to let the truck past before turning back to the new comers. "Avatar Rue, you and your friends are welcome in Cosmo Canyon, though I should warn your SOLDIER friend that any violence towards our people will not be looked on kindly," Rue nodded in understanding. The request was reasonable and she was relieved that it was Angeal who had been chosen to take this trip with her instead of one of the other two. They would have probably made things more difficult.

"Of course," agreed Angeal from behind Rue. She glanced down at Nanaki and smiled, nodding at him politely before Angeal guided her gently back to the truck. Nanaki himself seemed surprised to have been acknowledged, but followed Bugenhagen back the way they had come, ahead of the truck to let the others residing within the Canyon without scaring the crap out of anyone by opening his mouth. Angeal didn't say anything more as he helped Rue get back into the back, lifting her carefully over the edge, but the look in his eye made her know that he was getting ready to ask about that greeting.

"Out with it," she demanded once they were both settled in the back and Rhys had started the engine.

"I wasn't-" he started with a smile. Hands up in surrender, but Rue didn't buy it, he had that look in his eye.

"Yes you were, you know you were, so, just, out with it," she pointed at him. Her finger waving about as she spoke.

"Okay, okay, I-I was just wondering where that all came from, and what it means when you say your the 'Avatar'?" the furrow between Angeal's brows only grew the more he spoke. Rue sighed and leaned back gingerly against the side of the truck, if she lay back down they would never get her back up again, as she tried to figure out what to tell Angeal that would make sense.

"Right, that, well-um-it's kinda complicated, but basically it's a title for a very-um-powerful being? Someone who's job it is to keep the peace and other things?" she explained as vaguely as possible. Of course that meant she ended those explanations with a question. Rue couldn't help it, she wasn't sure what would be safe to tell the SOLDIER, despite him being a friend, he still worked for Shinra. The less he knew the less he could tell others and Rue hated herself for thinking that, but if Shinra discovered the extent of her abilities before she was properly trained everything could turn into a shit-show for her.

"What?" apparently she was too vague. With a sigh and a hand through her hair Rue tried to figure out what else to add.

"It's an old legend, I guess, and something you're born into," Rue tried again. When the frown on Angeal's face didn't shift she sighed again and, shifted in her seat. "Look, don't worry about it, okay? It's not important," Rue tried to wave the subject away. Angeal's frowned deepened, but he didn't say any more on the subject for the rest of the short trip into the Canyon. This only made Rue more on edge, mainly because she had no idea what the jar-head across from her was thinking.

AN: Second chapter of Book Two. Done.

Okay, this chapter was weird, it went places I didn't expect it to go at all. So they've made it to Cosmo, which is great, of course now Rue is going to have some explaining to do. Or rather more explaining to do. Because I think we can all agree Angeal is not going to just let this go, he'll want some actual answers. Whether or not she is capable of of giving those answers is a totally different bag of cats.

Next chapter will be more Nanaki and Bugen, and talking about Rue's plans for her time in Cosmo. Such as her Earth Bending training and healing from her injuries, not to mention coming to terms with her Blood Bending.

The Blood Bending in particular will be a thing the Rue deals with over the course of Book Two, I've had a few people comment over Rue's negativity concerning it and I would like to assure you guys that this is something that will be looked at. I think I mentioned this in another AN, but as we've never had a Blood Bending Avatar and the stigmata attached to it in the series, I felt that it would be something interesting to explore. Rue will eventually discover more positive sides to this skill as the story moves forward, we just have to wait for her to get over that initial knee-jerk reaction of revulsion. I'm just trying to keep things as realistic as I can when writing about this particular situation, it's delicate and I want to handle it properly.

So, now, with that said, I would like to thank everyone for the reviews, faves and alerts, they make me so happy!

Until next time,

RLK