Post by Teяa253 on Sept 23, 2008 10:40:26 GMT 1
the 6th installment of my series...
there is some Shizar evidence here, but that's for another time... the next two chapters will show the last two characters I wish to reveal, and then comes the other characters, and the story will finally be under way.
CHAPTER 6: WELCOME TO THE AVATAR GUARD
Lehran was roused early that next morning to find that Koara was already ready to go.
“About time you’re up,” she said, “come, we’re wasting time.”
“What are you talking about,” Lehran asked, “and why are you suddenly so cranky? I thought you were the nice old woman of the Water Tribe.”
“Heh,” Koara cackled, “you can’t take a joke, can you now, Serenes?”
“I... Lehran stammered, “I’m sorry.”
“Typical Serenes spirit,” Koara laughed, “Lehran, you’re just like the rest of your family, even that legendary avatar, Avatar Kai Serenes II.”
“Ah,” Lehran sighed, “Avatar Kai Serenes II; those were the days of perfection. Those who knew her loved her, those who didn’t still exalted her, and those who hated her also feared her.”
“Indeed,” said Koara, “and those were also the days of the legendary Fire Lady, Lady Sanaki Li Chan.”
“I heard that she had a lot of descendants,” said Lehran, as the two of them headed out the door. The sun was not even up yet.
“Aye,” said Koara, “she did. A lot of them were blind also.”
“A lot,” Lehran exclaimed,
“Well, considering the scarcity of blind people,” said Koara, “aye, there were a considerable amount of them. I also heard that one of her descendants was the world’s most powerful firebender—the avatar’s teacher; member of the Avatar Guard.”
“So,” said Lehran as the two of them purchased tickets for an early monorail train to Ba Sing Se, “if the 4 most powerful benders and the avatar are on our side, how come we’re losing the war?”
“Because The Avatar Guard knows better,” Koara replied, “what’s really happening is that they’re gathering in secret.” By now she had lowered her voice to a whisper, despite them being the only ones in their compartment. Koara continued telling Lehran about them as the train rumbled on, making its way towards Ba Sing Se.
“They are training,” she continued, “always training—even The Four Benders and the avatar. They also have a legendary weapons master who is the tactician of the group. He too trains, despite being a master in all forms of weaponry that he lays his hands upon.”
“So,” said Lehran, “do you know who the avatar is?”
“Here,” said Koara, seemingly changing the subject, “I have a little alertness training for you to do with me; come”
Lehran, not being a man who argued, did so obediently. Koara took him to the roof of the train car. It was moving rather fast.
“From here on out,” she said, “there are things like mail posts and bridges that this thing will pass by. That means we’re almost there. What I want you to do are dodge them with me.”
“This is dangerous,” Lehran exclaimed,
“And yet all four of The Four Benders did this as children on a regular basis. The airbender would usually win by cheating.”
“What about Altina?” Lehran asked,
“Altina’s a Serenes, no doubt,” Koara chuckled, “she’s a heavier sleeper than you are. Besides, you’ve strapped her in nice and tight. She’s probably really nice and snug right now dreaming of waterbending.”
“What,” said Lehran,
“she’s definitely an eager waterbender,” Koara replied, “she woke up crying last night as all babies will, and I comforted her using a little waterbending do tickle her little belly. She giggled herself to sleep. I assure you Lehran that she is happy. Now, here comes the first bridge. Get ready to jump it.”
Lehran was nervous, but he trusted the old woman.
“What about you,” he said, but Koara had already run ahead and flipped clean over it. If Lehran had not jumped a second later he and Altina would have been smashed clean off the train. Luckily he was able to use waterbending like Koara had done to propel himself over. When he landed though, he was a bit shaken. Koara just laughed,
“Wasn’t that fun,” she cackled, putting her arm around Lehran,
“Dangerous,” said Lehran, “but I must admit, it made me feel alive.”
“Good, good,” said Koara, “and now you and I are going to be dodging said obstacles until one of us drops, we make it to the station, or we get to the front car. Are you in for the challenge?
Poor Lehran was certainly awake for the day, for he could not say no, as Koara said this would help him become useful for the Avatar Guard.
“So what did that do,” he said wearily as they slipped back into their compartment before the train stopped. Little Altina had not even stirred.
“It put you in the face of something that could have killed you,” Koara replied, “you do realize that you would have most likely died if you had failed to avoid those obstacles, do you not?”
“So what makes it different from dodging other things?” Lehran asked,
“It means you are willing to stare death in the face without backing down,” Koara replied, “and to be in The Avatar Guard, you’ll need to learn how to do that. I think you’ll do fine.”
“You really do,” Lehran exclaimed,
“If you can do all of that and still carry a sleeping child,” said Koara, “then aye, you’ll be perfectly fine.”
“So,” said Lehran, “where do we go from here? I don’t think I’ve ever been properly through this city.”
“There are few who have,” said Koara, “but come, follow me. We are first going to make a stop the Bender’s Tavern. If The Avatar Guard is anywhere, it’ll be here. Alzar and Shinon are the most likely candidates for us to find here.”
They went inside the tavern. It seemed like a place that would go wild if one person was provoked, so Koara and Lehran just stood there waiting. Koara was looking around for a certain group of people. Sure enough, she found two figures—a firebender and a waterbender—sitting at the booth.
The firebender was an elegant woman who looked like she had come from a high-class family. However, she was barefoot. The waterbender beside her looked like a close friend of hers, and unlike her, he seemed sober. He, however, looked like he was from a very low class family. The expensive drink in his hand indicated that the firebender probably shared money with him.
“That’s them alright,” Koara whispered, “Alzar, Maiden of Fire, and Shinon, Lord of the Water”
Lehran stared in awe and wonder. However, Alzar’s ears perked up right as Koara has said her name. She spun around in her chair so that she was facing them. Lehran noticed that her eyes appeared glazed—like they had less color than a normal firebender’s. Nonetheless, she approached Koara, her eyes seemingly fixed on her.
“You” she said, “you said my name, didn’t you?”
“Aye,” said Koara, “and you, my fair firebending friend, need your good friend Shinon to take you home right now before you start a brawl.”
“Alzar,” said a voice, “Shinon,” apparently there were Order members here too, and they seemed drunk as well. In fact, it seemed that Alzar and Shinon were by themselves.
“Would ya like some help, Shinon,” Koara asked,
“Nah,” he said, “Alzar won’t even need me.”
“We’ll see about that, won’t we, lady?”
“Funny you should say that,” said Alzar, forming fists. She suddenly reached back behind her and pulled out an elaborate sword.
“Hey,” the bartender shouted from behind her, “no weaponry in my bar. Either put it down, lady, or step out.”
“Fine,” she said, handing it to Shinon, “hold this.
The next events were rather confusing. Alzar swung a roundhouse kick towards the nearest man, but her intercepted Alzar’s foot and held it there. Luckily the greatest firebender in the world was not about to be deterred by something that small, so the instant her foot was caught, she launched herself into the air with her other foot, hitting the man in the face. However, he kept a tight grasp on Alzar’s left foot, so when he went down so did Alzar.
To the disappointment of the men, Alzar was wearing a pair of pants underneath her robe, which had flown up when she hit the ground. However, Alzar was not on the ground long. She jumped onto her hands, sending a spinning kick towards two more offenders. As she was about to return to her feet, they were both suddenly grabbed.
“Gotcha now, little lady,” he chuckled and he yanked Alzar upward and slammed her onto the table.
“Get your filthy hands away from my feet,” she snapped, for although she was barefoot, her feet were well kept. They were actually pretty large for a woman as well.
Naturally, the man did not comply, so he was answered with flames appearing from her feet. The man recoiled, and Alzar used this as an opportunity to dash for the door. She punched, kicked, and threw lightning at anyone who got between her and the door, and told Shinon to lead the way to the Avatar Guard’s base while losing their enemies in the meantime.
“You two,” said Shinon in his cold voice, “help me make a wall of ice between those buildings,”
Shinon’s voice may have been cold, but it was more of a cold voice that didn’t speak very much; rather than a hostile one. The three of them (Alzar was a firebender) formed a huge wall of ice between two buildings, and they took off, Shinon leading them to the Avatar Guard’s base. They knew Koara would not just pick up a random stranger, and this man Lehran looked friendly enough.
Within a few minutes they were inside the headquarters of the Avatar Guard’s base. It was impossible to pass by unless a person could demonstrate a powerful enough bending move on the door. So far the only people able to open it were the avatar and The Four Benders. Upon entering, Koara turn to Lehran, who was carrying a now very excited Altina on his back,
“Lehran,” she said, “Welcome to The Avatar Guard.”
~Azula~
there is some Shizar evidence here, but that's for another time... the next two chapters will show the last two characters I wish to reveal, and then comes the other characters, and the story will finally be under way.
CHAPTER 6: WELCOME TO THE AVATAR GUARD
Lehran was roused early that next morning to find that Koara was already ready to go.
“About time you’re up,” she said, “come, we’re wasting time.”
“What are you talking about,” Lehran asked, “and why are you suddenly so cranky? I thought you were the nice old woman of the Water Tribe.”
“Heh,” Koara cackled, “you can’t take a joke, can you now, Serenes?”
“I... Lehran stammered, “I’m sorry.”
“Typical Serenes spirit,” Koara laughed, “Lehran, you’re just like the rest of your family, even that legendary avatar, Avatar Kai Serenes II.”
“Ah,” Lehran sighed, “Avatar Kai Serenes II; those were the days of perfection. Those who knew her loved her, those who didn’t still exalted her, and those who hated her also feared her.”
“Indeed,” said Koara, “and those were also the days of the legendary Fire Lady, Lady Sanaki Li Chan.”
“I heard that she had a lot of descendants,” said Lehran, as the two of them headed out the door. The sun was not even up yet.
“Aye,” said Koara, “she did. A lot of them were blind also.”
“A lot,” Lehran exclaimed,
“Well, considering the scarcity of blind people,” said Koara, “aye, there were a considerable amount of them. I also heard that one of her descendants was the world’s most powerful firebender—the avatar’s teacher; member of the Avatar Guard.”
“So,” said Lehran as the two of them purchased tickets for an early monorail train to Ba Sing Se, “if the 4 most powerful benders and the avatar are on our side, how come we’re losing the war?”
“Because The Avatar Guard knows better,” Koara replied, “what’s really happening is that they’re gathering in secret.” By now she had lowered her voice to a whisper, despite them being the only ones in their compartment. Koara continued telling Lehran about them as the train rumbled on, making its way towards Ba Sing Se.
“They are training,” she continued, “always training—even The Four Benders and the avatar. They also have a legendary weapons master who is the tactician of the group. He too trains, despite being a master in all forms of weaponry that he lays his hands upon.”
“So,” said Lehran, “do you know who the avatar is?”
“Here,” said Koara, seemingly changing the subject, “I have a little alertness training for you to do with me; come”
Lehran, not being a man who argued, did so obediently. Koara took him to the roof of the train car. It was moving rather fast.
“From here on out,” she said, “there are things like mail posts and bridges that this thing will pass by. That means we’re almost there. What I want you to do are dodge them with me.”
“This is dangerous,” Lehran exclaimed,
“And yet all four of The Four Benders did this as children on a regular basis. The airbender would usually win by cheating.”
“What about Altina?” Lehran asked,
“Altina’s a Serenes, no doubt,” Koara chuckled, “she’s a heavier sleeper than you are. Besides, you’ve strapped her in nice and tight. She’s probably really nice and snug right now dreaming of waterbending.”
“What,” said Lehran,
“she’s definitely an eager waterbender,” Koara replied, “she woke up crying last night as all babies will, and I comforted her using a little waterbending do tickle her little belly. She giggled herself to sleep. I assure you Lehran that she is happy. Now, here comes the first bridge. Get ready to jump it.”
Lehran was nervous, but he trusted the old woman.
“What about you,” he said, but Koara had already run ahead and flipped clean over it. If Lehran had not jumped a second later he and Altina would have been smashed clean off the train. Luckily he was able to use waterbending like Koara had done to propel himself over. When he landed though, he was a bit shaken. Koara just laughed,
“Wasn’t that fun,” she cackled, putting her arm around Lehran,
“Dangerous,” said Lehran, “but I must admit, it made me feel alive.”
“Good, good,” said Koara, “and now you and I are going to be dodging said obstacles until one of us drops, we make it to the station, or we get to the front car. Are you in for the challenge?
Poor Lehran was certainly awake for the day, for he could not say no, as Koara said this would help him become useful for the Avatar Guard.
“So what did that do,” he said wearily as they slipped back into their compartment before the train stopped. Little Altina had not even stirred.
“It put you in the face of something that could have killed you,” Koara replied, “you do realize that you would have most likely died if you had failed to avoid those obstacles, do you not?”
“So what makes it different from dodging other things?” Lehran asked,
“It means you are willing to stare death in the face without backing down,” Koara replied, “and to be in The Avatar Guard, you’ll need to learn how to do that. I think you’ll do fine.”
“You really do,” Lehran exclaimed,
“If you can do all of that and still carry a sleeping child,” said Koara, “then aye, you’ll be perfectly fine.”
“So,” said Lehran, “where do we go from here? I don’t think I’ve ever been properly through this city.”
“There are few who have,” said Koara, “but come, follow me. We are first going to make a stop the Bender’s Tavern. If The Avatar Guard is anywhere, it’ll be here. Alzar and Shinon are the most likely candidates for us to find here.”
They went inside the tavern. It seemed like a place that would go wild if one person was provoked, so Koara and Lehran just stood there waiting. Koara was looking around for a certain group of people. Sure enough, she found two figures—a firebender and a waterbender—sitting at the booth.
The firebender was an elegant woman who looked like she had come from a high-class family. However, she was barefoot. The waterbender beside her looked like a close friend of hers, and unlike her, he seemed sober. He, however, looked like he was from a very low class family. The expensive drink in his hand indicated that the firebender probably shared money with him.
“That’s them alright,” Koara whispered, “Alzar, Maiden of Fire, and Shinon, Lord of the Water”
Lehran stared in awe and wonder. However, Alzar’s ears perked up right as Koara has said her name. She spun around in her chair so that she was facing them. Lehran noticed that her eyes appeared glazed—like they had less color than a normal firebender’s. Nonetheless, she approached Koara, her eyes seemingly fixed on her.
“You” she said, “you said my name, didn’t you?”
“Aye,” said Koara, “and you, my fair firebending friend, need your good friend Shinon to take you home right now before you start a brawl.”
“Alzar,” said a voice, “Shinon,” apparently there were Order members here too, and they seemed drunk as well. In fact, it seemed that Alzar and Shinon were by themselves.
“Would ya like some help, Shinon,” Koara asked,
“Nah,” he said, “Alzar won’t even need me.”
“We’ll see about that, won’t we, lady?”
“Funny you should say that,” said Alzar, forming fists. She suddenly reached back behind her and pulled out an elaborate sword.
“Hey,” the bartender shouted from behind her, “no weaponry in my bar. Either put it down, lady, or step out.”
“Fine,” she said, handing it to Shinon, “hold this.
The next events were rather confusing. Alzar swung a roundhouse kick towards the nearest man, but her intercepted Alzar’s foot and held it there. Luckily the greatest firebender in the world was not about to be deterred by something that small, so the instant her foot was caught, she launched herself into the air with her other foot, hitting the man in the face. However, he kept a tight grasp on Alzar’s left foot, so when he went down so did Alzar.
To the disappointment of the men, Alzar was wearing a pair of pants underneath her robe, which had flown up when she hit the ground. However, Alzar was not on the ground long. She jumped onto her hands, sending a spinning kick towards two more offenders. As she was about to return to her feet, they were both suddenly grabbed.
“Gotcha now, little lady,” he chuckled and he yanked Alzar upward and slammed her onto the table.
“Get your filthy hands away from my feet,” she snapped, for although she was barefoot, her feet were well kept. They were actually pretty large for a woman as well.
Naturally, the man did not comply, so he was answered with flames appearing from her feet. The man recoiled, and Alzar used this as an opportunity to dash for the door. She punched, kicked, and threw lightning at anyone who got between her and the door, and told Shinon to lead the way to the Avatar Guard’s base while losing their enemies in the meantime.
“You two,” said Shinon in his cold voice, “help me make a wall of ice between those buildings,”
Shinon’s voice may have been cold, but it was more of a cold voice that didn’t speak very much; rather than a hostile one. The three of them (Alzar was a firebender) formed a huge wall of ice between two buildings, and they took off, Shinon leading them to the Avatar Guard’s base. They knew Koara would not just pick up a random stranger, and this man Lehran looked friendly enough.
Within a few minutes they were inside the headquarters of the Avatar Guard’s base. It was impossible to pass by unless a person could demonstrate a powerful enough bending move on the door. So far the only people able to open it were the avatar and The Four Benders. Upon entering, Koara turn to Lehran, who was carrying a now very excited Altina on his back,
“Lehran,” she said, “Welcome to The Avatar Guard.”
~Azula~
