Ridge, archer and mercanary

Ba Sing Se

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"Ohh comon babe, ya know I love ya..." Ridge said drunkenly, as he twirled around in his seat. "Wee! Woohoo! See? I can be fun..." he said, and then he turned his head back.

A woman with half her shirt torn down angrily held it up as she stormed out of the building.

"Look pal, you need to leave. You're bad for business," the owner of the bar said.

"Ah go stuff a sock in it," he said, as he took another swig. Someone bumped into him, and then tried to go past. Ridge grabbed her arm, and twirled her around. She jerked to get free.

"Agh! Help! HELP!"

"Let her go you creep!" the owner yelled, but Ridge reached her arm up and showed his money. He knelt in close to her and breathed the words: "I don't like people who steal from me, little girl."

"I'm not little! And you're Fire Nation! Why should I care what you like?!" she yelled and she tried to get free.

"Fire Nation? Fire Nation? I ain't no darn Fire Nation!" he yelled.

"Don't try to hide it, buddy, we know those tattoos. You're a Yu Yan archer. We serve your kind out of fear, not respect or likeness," said the owner.

"Yu Yan? No way, man. Not anymore. I quit. Walked off."

"You liar! Now LET GO! OR ELSE!" she yelled as she produced a knife. Ridge let her swing down in a stabbing motion, and he grabbed her other arm and twisted her around. He grabbed her by the neck and held her there.

"I ain't lying, girly. I don't like the Fire Nation. I don't like nobody...I'm just...me..."

"What are you talking about?"

"I don't like no side...I don't like the bloody Fire Nation, I don't like the squirmin' Earth Kingdom, an' dem' waterpushing pansies up north and down south can just go jump off a cliff...when you're like me...you just don't care anymore..."

"How could you be so heartless?" she demanded from him.

"I just...seen so much dang destruction...so much pointless destruction...it was us a' course, not them...but once you start hating people, it getsh hard to NOT hate them..."

"So you just kill anyone now? What does that solve?"

"Nothin'...but I ain't the one looking to change nothin'...I don't care...but Khuzo does...Khuzo...that guy cares..."

"Why don't you try to be like this Khuzo guy, huh? He sounds like a nice guy!" she yelled, and then she bit his arm. He didn't move.

"That don't work, girly...I don't feel when I'm drunk...I like bein' drunk...now get outta here, before I dropkick you right here..."

The girl was released, but she stayed her ground. She couldn't be any taller than 5 feet, probably less than that. She wore typical Earth Kingdom garb. A usual lower class peasant. Ridge looked at her.

"What do you want, girly?" he asked miserably.

"If you hate everything so much, why do you keep going?" she asked. Even the owner seemed interested in this.

"I dunno...I dun care..." he said as he paid his tab. He got up and stumbled out. A Fire Nation soldier suddenly spotted the girl.

"Hey, it's that thief from earlier! Get her!" he yelled, and two others came by. The first one shot a rather large, impressive fire blast at her, but Ridge grabbed his hand at the last second, and turned the blast away. It destroyed a part of the building instead. The soldier looked down in amazement. A severely drunk man had just accurately hopped twelve feet across open terrain, grabbed and accurately pulled it away in time. Ridge then grabbed and knocked the man out. His friends looked down at their leader, motionless on the ground. They then looked at each other. The dust cloud they brought up around them as they fled caused some onlookers to start coughing. Ridge just looked bored.

"Now get outta her, girly..." he mumbled as he walked away. She began to follow him.

"That...that was incredible! How did you do that?!" she yelled enthusiastically. Ridge looked down at her. He could tell quite clearly, despite his intoxication, that she was happy for the first time in a long time.

"Practiche...lots...and lots...a' practiche..." he mumbled as he walked on. She continued to follow him.

"Wait up! What's your name? How good are you with that bow?"

He grabbed her by the arms and looked at her.

"So good an elite group of bending assassins were going to hire me into their group as an equal, where I would murder people for whatever reason I pleashed."

She stood there and stared at him for a minute.

"No seriously? You're like a usual archer, right?"

"...Yea...We'll go wit' dat'..."

He started walking again. She kept in pursuit.

"Hey, what's your name?"

"I don't like names...just call me what everyone else calls me..."

"And that is?"

"Well you can call me Ridge or Ridgeback. Either works well..."

"Ridge, huh? Ridgeback sounds way cooler."

"Yeah...I think sho too..."

As they walked along, she kept asking questions. He answered them as best as a drunk man could.

"Hey, do you think you can help me with something?" she asked.

He looked up at the sky. A few hours of night were still left.

"Eh...sure..." he said and he let her lead him through alleyways and dark spots of town. Eventually, they came to a culdesac of sorts that was made up of huts that clearly belonged to those in the poverty.

"This is our hut," she said as she led him inside. He expected worried or angry parents, but instead he just saw kids.

"What...what ish thish?"

"Oh great, Sari brought a drunk home for help," one kid said.

"Hey you little buttmonger, I oughta pin you to the wall. I'm nots a drunk..."

"Oh wow, you convinced me. What is he going to do, Sari? Maybe fall over himself infront of those soldiers and make them laugh their way out of the area?"

"Soldiers? Where? I'll give em somethin' to laugh 'bout...laughin' at me..."

"They haven't laughed at you yet, genius," he said.

The girl suddenly interuppted again.

"Can you help us get rid of these punks who keep on taking our food? They come every night and take everyone's stuff, then leave. They call it "Protection money"."

"Hmm....yeah...I can do that..." he said. His intoxicated brain was starting to recover from a few hours of abuse. "Where are 'dey...I mean "they"...at now?"

"They'll be here soon. They come early every morning..."

Suddenly a massive whistle blew out and a large group of soldiers flowed into the circle in the center of the huts.

"Morning, everybody..." said a tall soldier with two large swords at his hips, "Where's our money?"

"Ain't gonna be no money...but there will be blood..." Ridge said very clearly. Once he got off booze, he always bounced back pretty quickly.

"Ooh, those little kiddies think one guy can help huh? Well..." he said as he suddenly pulled out his swords and swung at their hut. Fire seeped forth and destroyed it. Thankfully, it was empty.

"That's their leader! He can use both swords and firebending!"

"Yeah...some can do that..." Ridge said calmly as he picked up a small rock.

"What's that for?" asked the leader.

"Oh, this? Well, I'm going to kill you with this."

"Uh-huh. Go back to the bar, boy," he said as he readied his swords.

"Your form is wrong...and your feet aren't aligned properly...usually happens...when you spend most of your time using firebending. You can't have both mastered, you know...swords and firebending...never works..."

"Why you little," he said as he readied his swords again. "I'll show you!" he yelled as he ran forth. "I don't need no firebending to kill you!"

Ridge held back the rock and then tossed it with full force. It soared through the air, and hit the man in the head. He fell back, dead.

"You moron...you shouldn't have been taunted into rushing me. You abandoned your greater strength to prove yourself to a man who knew you had nothing to prove."

A few of the men rushed at Ridge, but as the first came in, Ridge moved one step to the side and then grabbed the man's spear. He snapped it's head off and then grabbed the pole. He snapped it again and again and again and then handed it back to the man.

"Here," he said, as he turned to deal with the other one, who ran at him blindly with a polearm.

He brought up his leg and kicked the end of the polearm off.

"Bad technique..." he mumbled, as he grabbed a warhammer from the last one that was bigger than Sari, and then took it by the handle. He snapped it off and then flung the massive head back at him. The man's insides were crushed by the force of it. The other men had already left in fear.

"Ugh...how lame..."

The kids, the people around him and everyone in the entire small hut town looked stunned. Ridge just dusted himself off. The sun was starting to come out.

"I gotta go...but you really inspired me to try to like people again, girly. You too, buttmonger."

"What did I do," the boy asked.

"...I don't know."

"...You're weird."

"That I am. Now I gotta get back to my friend. Glad I could help, girly. Now don't ever bother me again."

As the townspeople looked on, Ridge walked slowly back to the inn to meet up with Khuzo.

Maximus: Non-bender, hand-to-hand specialist, and sharpshooter.

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"Am I really going to die like this?"

Maximus was slowly being consumed by the blizzard as he layed in the snow helpless. His limbs were frozen stiff from walking in the chilly weather of the arctics and he was unable to help himself up.

"I still haven't repayed my debt to society...I can't die like this....I can't..." He slowly closed his eyes as he became unconcious.

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Flashback
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"All soldiers are to prepare to invade the small Water Tribe village near the shore! We need to get the ports near it under our control!"

Soldiers scurried across the encampment as Lt. Maximus was shouting orders to his troops. As each soldier was ready, they would all line up in lines five deep. Maximus walked back and forth as he inspected each and every one of his soldiers.

"We have won countless battles before, so this shouldn't be any different. Your orders are to leave the civilians alone unless they pose as a threat! Understood?!?"

The soldiers shouted "Yes sir!" in unision.

"Good...Let's move out!" ordered Maximus as he took the lead and joined the other soldiers in the front lines. His troops all marched in unison like robots as they were stomping their way to the unsuspecting village. Tips of buildings rose over the horizon and soon, the whole village came into view. He stood there and watched the small villagers moving about like worker ants. He took a deep breath and then stuck his arm out into the air as he screamed "Commence the invasion!" Soldiers charged right past him and started to make their way to the village. Maximus saw the fear in the villagers' hearts as he looked down upon them. As soon as the last soldier passed him, he slowly made his way down the hill of snow and watched as fire blew through the air and brightened up the night sky.

Maximus entered the village through its broken gates and watched as each soldier was doing their own things. Some soldiers were ganging up on the elderly to take their precious belongings, while others were forcing themselves upon the woman of the village. It looked like total and utter chaos. He was disgusted and ashamed to have lead such troops. It was his first time joining his troops in comabt, but it would be his last. Admist the chaos and despair, one thing stood out. It was a little girl holding her stuffed animal right in the middle of the disturbances. He slowly approached the little girl and put his hand on her head.

"Everything will be okay." he said as he smiled.

"Where's my mommy? I want my mom..." He looked down and saw a blade shoved right through her throat. She stared at him with wide eyes as blood was pouring out. Maximus watched in horror as her innocent blood covered his body.

"I guess I missed one of them! Sorry, sir! That blood should come right out!" He scratched his head as he stared at the lieutenant. "Uh....sir? Are you okay?" he asked.

Maximus grabbed the soldier's throat and slowly made his way back onto his feet.

"Do you realize what you have just done?!?!?"

"Soiled your shirt?"

"YOU FOOL! YOUR STUPIDITY KNOWS NO BOUNDS!" He tightened his grip and watched as the soldier was groping for air in his hand. Everyone grew silent as they watched the soldier dangle helplessly in Maximus' hand. As soon as the groveling and groping stopped, he dropped the corpse and slowly kneeled down to pick up the little girl's body. He stood up and started to walk out of the village. Maximus made his way to a nearby graveyard that was just outside of the village and dug up a hole. He gently placed the body into the hole and buried her up.

"I'm sorry I don't have a tombstone for you...but...."

He took off his helmet and his tunic and placed it right above her grave. "I hope this will cover for it." He sat their with his eyes closed praying. The other soldiers were still going about their own business inside of the village and he turned back to look.

"Brutes....The lot of you!...But I guess....I guess I am the same....People don't deserve this kind of treatment...."

He turned around and walked up to the top of the hill where he had stood proud just moments ago. He looked to the north and saw his Fire Nation encampment, and then looked to the south and saw the Water Tribe village in flames. He shook his head and decided to walk east in hopes of losing himself and starting over.

"I know I can never take back all of the things I've done to those people, but I can start doing things to make it better..."

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End of Flashback
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The blizzard had just stopped and all that was left exposed was his left arm and half of his face. In the distance, a faint whistling could be heard. There was the sihlouette of a person in the horizion and it grew bigger as it got closer.

"Mommy will be angry if I don't get home soon..."

A little girl was walking across the snowy arctics with her wooden sled and then tripped over Maximus' buried body. "Ow!" she yelped as she rubbed her bottom. She look at the thing she had tripped over and then saw the arm and face.

"Hey, mister! Are you okay?!?!?"

She started to poke Maximus' face and then started to dig him up. As soon as she had finished, she grabbed him by the collar and started to pull as hard as she could, but couldn't get him to budge.

"Geez, mister! You sure are heavy!"

She closed her eyes and then stuck out her palms face down. The snow underneath him started to melt and then she lifted the body with the water and then gently put him onto her sled. She walked over to the handle and then started to pull. It was moving slowly, but moving none the less.

"As soon as we get home, my mommy will make you feel all~ better! She makes the best soups!"

She kept on pulling and then rested when the Northern Water Tribe's city came into view.

"Home sweet home! We're almost there, mister, so don't die on me!"

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A little short, but it's to introduce the character to this RPG...

Damm the finale was asome, Ive been gone to long now ill have to dredge up my back posts to catch evryone up.

Norrin Falk/Yuki
Fire bender/Earthbender

"Sir!"
"Yes?" Norrin asked as he turned to the soldier. The soldier responded"The scouts report the transport is nearing."
"Good" Spoke Norrin "Toro go get Chi-lan and report back to me."
"Yes sir" responded Toro.
Toro ran off to the small cabin in the town of Monotokan.
Norrin's stay hear had been plesent but it was time to leave and head for the hill overlooking the the dirt road the transport would be taking just outside the town. He had looking foward to this ambush al day, and not becouse he hadnt seen any action in a month and he was dieing to crush some fire nation skulls but becouse the man that killed his father was in that transport, well this imformation was semi trustworthy, but norrin was giving up his chance to be in a big attack on the fire nation for this semi trustworthy chance.

"Sir!""Toro reporting for duty""Chi-lan reporting for duty""Good then lets head out shall we"siad Norrin
The three resistance fighters headed to the hill top. As they arrived they could see the transport in the distance.
"Damn we did'nt move fast enougth, we wont be able to take our positones we will have to strike from hear."Spoke Norrin.
"let see what we got, Two caridges, Two captians on some horned creture i dont recognize along with four soldiers on foot."Reported Toro."Well lets go"spoke Norrin
The three descended down the the hill upon the transport now just below them.
I hope this works.Thought Norrin.

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"Its a ambush!"
An arrow wized by Norrin's ear just missing him.Toro moved like lighting to the first captian nocking him of his mount with a flying kick, the beast charged off away from the fray. Chi-lan knocked back on to his butt the personel guard that came out of the first carigde with a large piece of earth that jutted out of the ground. Norrin pulled out the noble in the carigde and througth him hard on to the ground. This is not the man he came for. He turned to the second caridge and suddenly ethry thing slowed down with one swift motion a spear had impaled toro right througth the chest, Chi-lan screamed as she crushed a soldier with a fairly large boulder, but Norrin felt good. He front flipped over the Guard now out of the carigde holding his spear with one hand Toro still on it , but the man in the carigde exited throgth the other side.

Norrin ran after the man now runing down a slope on the other side of the road, nocking a soldier down. It was fairly steep and Norrin did'nt feel good about this. "Stop!' he yelled but the man only ran faster so Norrin shot a stream of fire at him but it was weak and mostly burnt out before missing the man, he did not look back he did not slow down only ran faster. Norrin was loosing him he so throuth a small knive but it simply cut the mans cloak, he looked back.

Norrin only saw his face once before when he was a kid but this was him, the man that killed his father. If i dont stop him now i migth ne.... thought norrin as his foot cought a tree root and he fell hard rolling down the slope untill he flew of the slope and landed on a road just below, mabe two feet under but it still hurt like hell. Norrin lay there for a few minutes then leaped to his feet ignoring the pain now shooting througth his body and quickly looked around. Gone, he lost him.

"Why!!" norrin siad out loud. He just stood there panting in pain. He waved to a elderly couple passing looking at him weirdly. They had passed and a few minutes had gone buy before the large guard that had impaled Toro slowly jumped down of the slope holding Chi-lan buy the coller kicking and punching him futely. "Norrin" he spoke. "Dozer" Norrin awnoledged as dozer droped Chi-lan she got to her feet and backed away.
"What the heck is going on!?"she asked.
Norrin responded "Toro was a spy for the fire nation""Dozer here is a spy for us. He tossed Chi-lan a rolled up piece of parch ment that he took out of his pouch. She read it to her self, then looked up "These are orders to Toro to kill you" she siad as she looked at Norrin. "Yah I now" Norrin responded. " "The rest of the transport is ether dead or onconsish" spoke dozer.
"Good"responded norrin "Then lets head back up"
"I dont know if we can" chi-lan said.
"This is the same road we can use it to go around the slope and back to ambush site" spoke Dozer " The turn is just ahead."
"Shall we" siad Norrin as they started to walk. "So he got away" spoke dozer. "yah" siad norrin. "Who was he?" asked Chi-lan.
"The man that killed my father."

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"Surrender now or pay the piper!"
"Ha thats laugthable"Responded Norrin.
"Piper?"says Chi-lan "Realy" Just then she made the wall calapse while Norrin roled out of the way. Norin quickly attacked the captian with fire punches in rapid sucesion finishing hime of with a fire nee to the face. As the captian slumped to the ground Chi-lan bended the boulder behind the soldiers to explode like a giant frag. Norrin fliped over to the only soldier Still standing after the explosoin and speedly nocked him down grabbing him by the throut "Were is Marsh?." The soldier responded "Who?"

"General Krosan Marsh!" Yelled Norrin "I Dont kno.." the soldier choked. Norrin appied pressure, "Ok...mabe camp leaders...kno.." Norrin let go the soldier gasped for air. "Camp leaders?" "We own that camp now we killed them al" the soldier began but as norrin wrapped his hands back aroud the soldiers neck they were bothe interupted when a rock spike spit the soldiers head in two, brians spilt out. Norrin let go stood up and turned to Chi-lan "Thats what im talking about."

As they headed towards the camp on foot Chi-lan explained to Norrin that here mentor had been at the camp teaching young teens about the ways of bending, life and nature. "Always tought us not to manipulate the earth but to let it assist us in our endevers." Explaind Ch-lan. "Sounds kinda like my master only he wasnt so....deep." They could see the the outskirts of a fishing village not far from camp.
"Lets see whos there."

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"It looks emty"
"No theres atleast 3 people in there" Spoke Norrin
"What do you mean?" asked Chi-lan, Norrin responded "A few of my.....coluges, some in the the resitance ohers with the earth nation army some loners but all devoted to the couse."
"The couse?" responded Chi-lan, Norrin said simply "Later" "Lets go."
They both headed towards the largest shack there were only four shacks one mostly destroyed. They headed inside shutting the door. "Welcome" spoke Dozer no longer in the fake fire nation armor. "Chi-lan hand me the pack" Norrin said.
Chi-lan handed it to him. People in this folder contains battle plans for the last three monthes however only one is still usefull to us look it over later fo now lets turn our attention towards the camp." "The camp is still controlled by the fire nation with at least twenty or thirty soldiers still there they will proubly head out with in the month but we cant wait that long." spoke the tallest man completly covered in robes as he pointed at a map on a large dusty table.

"Alright Jovan thank you for that, Markele would you take something for me just north of hear?" asked Norrin
"Yes I could do that im headed out of hear anyways to Shagbulll, i can take my beast to there."said Markele, Norrin responded "Im gonna need you to leave the beast there for our ally." "Understood" spoke Markele, Norrin took out some paper and pencils from the table and jotted somthing down then handed it to Merkele. "I must be going" said Jovan.
Both Jovan and Markele left. Norrin said " Minka i understand that your dad is sick and if you want to attend to him we will be fine without you." Minka nodded then left.

"Ok so its me, Norrin, Dozer and Chi-lan is it?" asked the last other man in the shack. "Yes" she responded, "Alright evry one gear up, Sakoo Ill need to talk to you." Orderd Norrin. Sakoo and Norrin went over to the corner. "Are you sure you found the right person?" asked Norrin. "Yes its her, but are you sure she can help us?" said Sakoo. "If we can help her, yes she can help us she will be a powerfull allie" Said Norrin.
"In more ways then one."

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As the they approached they could see several fire nation soldiers, about ten standing about or patrolling. Some standing in front of newly perched tents or the cabin that had been used as the council room for the resistance camp but probably housed whoever controlled the camp now. They used a large rock formation on the south western side of the camp as cover. Sakoo moved with Chi-lan behind the nearest tent it being empty and them being the smallest. Dozer and Norrin took targets and got ready to attack.

Just then Sakoo made his move sneaking up behind the nearest soldier and snapped his neck, then snuck behind the next tent cut a hole in it and killed the person inside without being caught. He then moved to the next guard and stabbed him in the neck. This one was in the open and alerted the other guards witch had a nasty surprise in Dozer catching two soldiers with a wave of fire and Norrin grabbing a soldiers sword arm and flipping him over face first into the ground, and throwing over Norrin shoulder the soldier that rushed him. Then some more soldiers came around a smaller cabin the the east joining the three remaining guards, unfortunately the seven were caught by the rock formation exploding with shrapnel catching them all. The large cabin doors opened and six men came out one a lieutenant and one a captain they got out before the ground collapsed underneath it and the cabin came down on the other four men. Norrin looked over at Chi-lan who had been sitting on the ground meditating, her eyes were now open and she said "I will take credit for the rock but that wasn't me."

A women jumped out of a small cluster of trees that hadn't been burnt down just as two trucks pulled up, she bended a huge sand wave that knocked them both over one spilling weapons the other soldiers that got up dazed but still able to fight. She then waved her hands and the sand blew up creating a sand tornado. Norrin and Dozer ran up, Dozer let forth a burst of fire with relative ease however Norrin closed his eyes breathed deep opened his eyes remembering every thing his master told him leting go his breath expecting fire from his hands but it came from his mouth. His and Dozers fire combined with the womens sand creating a fire sand tornado that collapsed when all three stopped. All ten to fifteen soldiers fell dead or too injured to do anything. Some shards of glass fell also. Norrin turned to the women "Welcome princess."

"Now die princess!" shouted the captain as he rushed her but Sakoo stoped him they dueled with swords for a short time until Sakoo caught him with a spinning slash across the chest, he fell to the ground bleeding out. The luetenent caught N with a knife he threw, it struck his left shoulder. Then he rushed him but Norrin jumped up and laid the man out with a back spinning roundhouse. Norrin spoke angry"And that my friend is why you don't mess with us."

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The five talked, the women explained her name was Yuki and basicly told them her whole life story which Dozer and Sakoo left in the middle of not having time for that. "Well Yuki as i just told you im Norrin but i didn't tell you who the others were the two that left were Sakoo and Dozer."said Norrin" The lady meditating is Chi-lan an earth bender like your self" he continued."I see, so are you gonna tell me about this princess business?" Yuki asked. Norrin took a minute walking slightly towards the tornado wreckage took a look then spoke "Well its just that, your a princess well you should be, unfortunately you were severed from your family and lineage im assuming, how i don't know that would be were you come in but i don't really want to know." "Why not?" she asked. "Well you being restored to your throne helps me and my couse thats all i care about." Norrin spoke. Yuki responded "How do you even know all this?" Norrin approached Chi-lan who was standing up with Yuki following him "I have a document that explains your sitch and witch rayale lineage you belong to and all that crap its at my base of operations." He aswered.

After hesitantly agreeing to come with Norrin and Chi-lan the three of them set of on horseback. They travelled for days not much happened a travler there a dumb-ass fire nation soldier here all and all pretty boring until they reach the Loja falls. "theirs a town on the other side but it will take five days to go around but about two and a half to go over." Norrin spoke over the falls "The only glitch is theirs a encampment of people called the Grota, not exactly cool with outsiders.""so what do we do Chi-lan asked?" You will take Yuki and go aound stop by Jak's to get the latest news on our efforts, im going over ive with the Grota before they know me, butt i may be here longer then i like, possibly a week." Aswered Norrin. "A week?"responded Chi-lan?" "I know its not exactly smart for a Sargent to take a week off butt ive got stuff to take care of." "See you on the other side!" he siad as he began his ride up the slope.

Chi-lan and Yuki were about an our out from the falls when they came across what looked like a broken wagon, fairly large, with about three men working on it. they rode up "Can we be of some assistance?"

This is the concept art for my character done by DUhfel, Avatarsensation. She's a really cool girl.

I hope you guys get a better idea now.

Also, my skilz have returned, so expect the rest of that story soon.

Name: Ryan Gaia, Male

Age: 24

Height: 6 foot NOTHING

Status: Earthbender, Kyoshi Warrior

Speciality: 360 Degree Spike Launcher

Book 1 Chapter 1: A Man's Crime Becomes His Punishment

Character: Ryan Gaia (Orion)

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-Dream Vision-Scene At: The Gorge Outside of Ba Sing Se

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The smell of mooselion cooking, I laughed in the field as my mother sways me through the air gently through her Earthbending. Throwing me and catching me, the sun was setting and father was almost done cooking. "Time to come in!" he yelled. My mother had been blind her entire life yet she said she could "see" with her feet, and until the time I was five I had thought her eyes were down there. "Go get your brother, Orion" my mother said. I ran out to the fields where he was training earlier, he was in the Earth Kingdom's army, but he wasn't there. I had this odd feeling of un-comfort. It felt like I was turning in slow motion as a wave of dust showered and blinded me. I turned my head back to where the wave came from and started running. I was running towards my own house. I saw my mom thrown into the air and then nothing. I had been surrounded by Earthbending and dug into the Earth. I knew I was underground because it got real cold and it felt like I had sunk into the ground. There was a silent jabbing at the ground above me, but it wasn't a jab of want it was a jab of pain. Through Earthbending I am allowed to feel one's emotions. I helped the jabbing hand reach me and it pulled me out from the Earth. It was my brother. He lay there nearly breathless with cuts and blood everywhere. His eyes were unfocused and full of fear and regret. "Orion, Orion," he called "I couldn't save them, I couldn't do it, I'm sorry......." "Sousasu, please, don't leave m...." "But you can my little brother, take this!" he screamed with every ounce of energy in his body as he placed his index and middle finger of his right hand on my head "Aaaaaaaaaaaahhhhh" and then nothing. I saw my mother, she wasn't dead because she was coming to me, my father as well, but they were pail. One moment it was like I could see through them. Then Sousasu hazed inbetween them and they started to speak in unison "Orion, we could not be saved, we do not have closure, take our power and seek closure."

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-Wakes up with sudden rush-Scene At: Dragon of the Wests' Sauna

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(Heavy Breathing) That was twenty years ago. That was the day I lost my family. I was 7. I leaned forward and wiped my forehead clean from the sweat. I get in the shower and my day begins. My entire life I had been seeking out the person who destroyed my family and ended my freedom. I searched the entire world. I knew his name too. It was the Earthbender that had once been honorable to work for the Daihlee after the end of the war against the fire nation. But none of it matters. He has been long gone. Untraceable and impossible to find, like trying to out fly an Airbender. I got up and walked out of the store, no one was at the frontdesk so I left the money on the counter and walked outside. Dawn already. I continued towards the inner ring of the city. By the time I was halfway there, although I didn't know where I was going, people were starting to get up and by the time I was there the streets of Ba Sing Se were ablaze by people. I greeted an old friend as I entered the door, my Godfather, Zuko, my Godmother, Mae, and their son Firelord Iroh. "Orion! My gosh you look horrible. Shop's not open for another twenty minutes but come in come in." said my Godmother as she combed my hair and straightened the top of my wardrobe. I greeted them all with a low bow and a compassionate hug. "Well I see the little Iroh is starting to shape like the Iroh I am in search of." They all laughed except for their son who glanced down at his belly. "Uncle's in the back room preparing tea. You should stay and chat a little after you finish talking with him" said Zuko. "I just might do that" I replied and with the flick of my hand I slid the door into the wall and entered the backroom. "Ahh Ryan, what brings my second youngest of nephews to this side of town? I believe your Go-" "Yes Iroh I have seen them. I really wanted to talk to you though." "Straightforward, interruptive, and young as ever I see, what is it that you request from me?" he asked. "Information" "What kind?" "The kind that involves my families destruction" "Ahh, so you know then? He was a member of the White Lotus group until we exiled him for his radical ideals. He created an establishment called the Black Rose society and killed off the people who revealed the monster he was. Your parents, Orion." There was a cold silence of confusion between me and him. "You didn't tell me this before, Iroh. This is important. I needed to know this. I could've caught him, and enlightened my families closure. How come you didn't tell me this before????" I screamed at him. Zuko and Firelord Iroh rushed in and said "Is everything alright?" and Uncle replied "Yes Zuko, in fact this young man here is about to embark on the same change that you went through. He has just learned the truth and now has to decide which road he wants to take: revenge and hate or forgiveness and tranquility." "That's an easy choice" I mumbled as I walked out of the room. I was about a block away from the Jade Dragon when Zuko ran out of the door and yelled out "Wait!" I turned quickly to see what the commotion was about. He ran up to me and spoke "If you wish to face the honorable Kamome to a bout then you need to learn the way of the Kyoshi." "The way of the Kyoshi? I thought that was just a technique used for hand to hand not bender to bender." "Well when combined with Earthbending, rock, stone, and possibly metal, become your hands. I shall show you the way to Kyoshi Island, and from there you must go on your own." "Thank you Zuko, you've been like a distant father all these years and I never have gotten a chance to thank you and Mae." "Well now is not the time to be all thankful. Mae will kill me if I'm away for too long. So let's get going. I have a ship off the coast we can take you to Kyoshi Island and drop you off."

Book 1 Chapter 2: In Search of Sokka

Character: Ryan Gaia (Orion)

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-Fire Nation Zeppelin-

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"So Zuko, who do you know well enough to teach me Kyoshi style fighting?" "Well Orion I was the Firelord to bring unity back to the land so technically I know everyone" he smiled and continued, "But if you must know you are going to train with some old buddies of mine, Sokka and Sukki. Sukki is very conservative if she doesn't know you so your best bet is to try to find Sokka." "But fath-, I mean Zuko, can't you help me find them, you know what they look like and-" "NO! Didn't you hear Uncle? He said you are to embark on the same journey through your soul that everyone must take someday. You must do this alone. When you arrive at the port go around looking for a guy about 38-39ish with a ponytail, who is very wise, noble, and skilled." A forceful nudge indicated that the ship has landed. I grabbed my messenger bag and threw it over my shoulder and walked out onto the pier. "Only you can bring their closure Orion" he was serious now "Please do not steer off the road of true greatness as I did for a point in my life. Continue on your journey with our love in your heart Ryan, now go!" he smiled once more as the ships hatch began to slowly close. I looked around, it was a medium size town but dwarfed before Ba Sing Se so it should be easy to find Master Sokka.

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-Kyoshi Island-

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I stared around, it was not bright outside for it was almost nightfall yet I squinted my eyes in hope to see a guy carrying a sign around his neck that said my name on it. No such person existed. So I began to walk into town when I passed this weapon and armory shop, a hotel, a hospital, and a few homes before reaching the center, and witnessing the beautiful sight of Avatar Kyoshi, apparently she had been repainted. I asked door to door if they knew where the Kyoshi warriors stayed. I asked all the citizens, then went to the motel, unfortunately they stay at the same palace. Then I went to the hospital but they could not release patient information. Every regular citizen I questioned did not know or did not want to disclose the location of the palace. Finally I thought it would be wise to go into the armory, seeing how they are warriors, they must need weapons. I stepped in and a bell rang as the door opened. Generic classic, the bell, I thought. "Hello!" "Hi." I replied, my voice cracked from where I was dehydrated and coughed a pathetic sounding cough. "Would you like some water with that cough? Huh, huh? Get it? Wine with that cheese, water with that cough?" "Yeah sure, real gut buster." He stopped laughing immediately, squinted at me and began talking once more, "We just got a new shipment from the great sword master Sokka today if you ar-" "You know Sokka? Where can I find him? It's urgent I need to speak to him!" "Seeing how it is urgent I suppose that I could lead you to the temple. This way sir." He was only in his young 30's by my guess yet he moved as slow as any old person would. I began to get agitated as his speed seemed to be getting slower. I always kept him in front of me, I didn't know if he was a crook or not. Then he just stopped all together. "Sir am I walking to slow for you?" he questioned, "No" I lied. I must be patient. Since the moment he squinted at me through the earth he gave a very slight notation that he knew why I had come before I had even stated my case. This man for certain was the Sokka I was looking for. He kept walking until we reached the top of a short stone stairway, glanced back, and disappeared. I ran up to the top which looked like a square sparring ring. "SO THIS IS IT? SOKKA? I KNOW WHO YOU ARE AND YOU KNOW WHY I'VE COME. I NEED YOU AND SUKKI'S TUTORIALAGE ON THE WAY OF KYOSHI!" Then a body rushed from the air and immediately I jumped back, but he was incredibly quick and was behind me with chains before I could dodge. He cuffed all of my limbs and drove the steaks into the ground. I am a decent Earthbender but I could not free myself of these chains. I couldn't get into the stance to do any Earthbending. He landed in front of me and stated "I know who you are Orion and this is a test. You have 1 day to free yourself from these chains or I will not have you trained by any Kyoshi." I struggled trying to get loose from the chains and then the biggest clich?? occurred to me. "Can you please free me from the chains?" Sokka looked so pleased he smiled big and said "No. Like a warrior who cannot bend, you must look deep within yourself to draw out power. Instead of letting you power flow through you become peace at mind and control which area your chi is released from." "Got it, no problem!" After a few hours at work with it another clich?? appeared- easier said than done. Time was running out, it was almost night fall, I didn't have access to any of my limbs to bend so what else moved that I could use to bend with? I knew what I had to do. I breathed in slowly then out in then out. Sokka awoke from his zen state of meditation and stood up. He looked in awe and I could feel his hope about to unravel and explode. Finally I lifted my head and looked him dead in the eye and took the deepest breath that I had ever taken and widened my eyelids as far as they would go. The ground began to shake and I created sink holes in order to loosen the steaks. "Very good, very good Orion now just come this-" "I don't think so. Where are you going Master Sokka?" and I preformed the same method of widening my eyes again and sunk him into the ground exposing the nothing but his head and closed it around his throat. "You try now" and I smiled at him as he had at me in the store. He looked down took a deep breath and jumped right out of the ground. He seemed to be spinning incredibly fast. "What was that????" I asked and my astounding wonderment could not be contained. "That my apprentice is you new ultimate technique, the 360 Degree Whirlwind move. But seeing how you're an Earthbender, we'll add a little zazz to it. Enclose yourself in rock. Now make spikes all around your rock sphere. Uh huh uh huh. Now spin the rock as fast as you can around you." I took a deep breath and it felt like the rock should have been going at blinding speeds around me as pushed as hard as I could but it was barely rotating. I could tell this was going to be a long day as I crumbled the sphere and saw the light of dawn once again.

Book 1 Chapter 3: Glistening Eyes of Beauty

Character: Ryan Gaia (Orion)

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-Sparring Square- 3 weeks later

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"Yaaah!!!! Aaaaah!!!!!!!" The clings and echoes of our cries caused birds to temporarily leave their nest and fly into the sky. "You have come a long way from your skills as a warrior. You still have only two flaws. One you can't keep your focus separate from your wants. Two you still haven't mastered your individual ultimate technique. You can get you sphere up to speed but you have no aim. Separate your focus from your wants and you'll find the dead on accuracy that you need." He sounded wise but I learned from my training with him that he was a little carefree and yet somehow stern. For three straight weeks I had camped out on that sparring square with Sokka learning all I could. A day passed. Two days passed. Four days passed and training went on. On the last day of week three of my training, Sokka approached me and said "There is a festival at the shrine and I have-" "I thought it was a palace..." I sneered out an interruption, yet he continued calmly "Whatever you call it there is a festival there and I have invited you. We'll make our way there now so you can get cleaned up and get ready for the ceremonies tonight. Sound good?" "Sure, what is this festival for?" "We are going to celebrate the day the Phoenix King fell at the hands of my good friend Aang. You should know him." "I've heard about him but never met him or studied him or anything....." "Your very strange for who you are." We stood there in silence because he knows I hated people telling me who I am. I am who I choose to be. I broke the silence with a sharp remark "May we leave now, I need a long shower, to relax my muscles" "and get rid of the stank" he lively jolted back. We both laughed.

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-Kyoshi Temple/Shrine/Palace/Place Where They Practice Kung Fu-

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I soaked in the water of a tub that was to small for me so my legs were scrunched up. After nearly 4 weeks of non-stop training my body was sore and smelled like a dieing animal. I got very ugly faces when Master Sokka and I walked in the palace. I finally got out and put a robe on and then proceeded to get dressed. I raised my hand and rose the Earth out of the ground forcing 4 girls wearing the Kyoshi make up in my closet peering at me while I soaked. I squinted at them and they squinted at me for a while. "Are you going to leave? I have to get dressed." I said coldly. "Sorry we don't get to see men in this place often, in fact Sokka and now you are the only two males in history to be trained in the Kyoshi manner. I looked at the girl whose was second from the left. She had rare eyes. Eyes that were grey, blue, green, and a fiery outerlaying. "Greystone. You, you have greystone eyes. They are the most beautiful eyes that I have ever seen." Even with all the make-up on I could see her blush. "Would you care to be my date at the festival tonight?" I asked impulsively. "I'm sorry but I already have a date. Maybe we could hang out at the main party though?" she looked at me back in my eyes and she stuttered "You have......too?" "Yes." I said as I returned back to my cold and unyielding personality. "Have a nice day and I bended the door open for them to leave. They basically had to drag girl second to the left and I felt that feeling of hesitation and curiosity through her feet.

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-The Main Outside Lobby-

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I walked up to Master Sokka bowing and taking a seat off to the side with the crowd as the fireworks went off. An announcer lady screamed out of nowhere "And presenting head of the Kysohi forces, only daughter of Legendary Sukki and Master Sokka, Suta-Shutaru!!!!" I clapped as she took a seat by my current Master and began a conversation with her father. "Finally it is with my great honor to present the current Avatar: Avatar Aang and his beautiful wife Katara!!!!!!! I stare everywhere and the crowd is going insane. I smile and he looks straight at me in the eyes and I look back at him. They took a seat next to Sokka. Music started to play and music was served, different little festivities were happening at different corners of the palace. As I walked around getting my way back at Sokka's side requesting permission to train I am aggravated by the fact that half the people here are people I asked for directions. I finally make it up to the booth and they are laughing about something clumsy that Sokka had done and heard Sokka say "Zuko couldn't make it tonight because he is with his son celebrating in the fire nation, but he will stop by tomorrow to be picking up a certain item that he requested from the shop. So how are you and my little sister doing?" As soon as I heard that last comment I nearly fell to the floor, Master Sokka, clumsy, lazy, yet skilled and witty was brother in-law to the Avatar???? Man. That's a big surprise. As I approached, Suta-Shutaru gazed into my eyes as she was getting up as well. I recognized her immediately. She was second to the left. She smiled and bowed in respect. So the daughter of my Master was one of the perverts in my bedroom? That's just creepy but in a good way. I'll ask to dance with her after I request it from Sokka. "Ahh, this is him. The one I was telling you about. He shows great promise if he'd learn to loosen up a bit." They laughed and I nodded Sokka to the side. "Do you mind if I dance with your daughter sir?" I asked casually. He squinted at me like he was about to hit me. Then he spoke "If it's ok with him then it's ok with me." I walked towards her and so was her date. He was a massive guy with his friends tagging along with their dates that I recognized as the other girls. He said "Who's this guy Shutaru?" "He's just a friend Argo." "A friend huh? What's your business here friend?" He looked at me long and hard and then I cracked back "I wanted to dance with Shutaru." Not the right thing to say. "That's it "friend" your going down. I challenge you to a duel winner gets the rest of the night with Shutaru." I realized instantly that no music was playing, everyone is staring at me and walking muscle bulge over here. "Let's make this a little more interesting. Your friends are also Earthbenders, correct Argo? All of you against Orion, if you win you get to marry Shutaru, if you lose you never speak to her again. Sound ok?" proclaimed Sokka. I immediately rushed to Sokka's side "You planned this you piece of work you......You don't like him and you knew he would challenge me to a duel....grrr." "You can do it Orion, just go a little easy on them will you?" As I walked away I heard him say to Aang "This'll prove it watch him." The crowd separated as my five opponents started chucking rocks at me. I easily dodged them not yet revealing that I am also an Earthbender. Finally I dove to the right, grabbed some ground, and chucked it at the chin of the guy on the far right. We started an amazing duel of Earthbending, however about 10 minutes into the duel they finally circled me and lifted rocks. "This is it, "friend" your dead." I turned around in what appeared to be slow motion and nodded for the ok from Sokka, he nodded back. With the utmost strain and confidence I created a sphere of rotating rocks and lifted them off of the ground. While hovering I danced on the rocks and created spikes. I didn't want to have to do this but with my pin point accuracy I got to injure them so they will give up and if that didn't work I knew what they fear. I spun faster and faster in the air, creating the Earth 15 feet below me start to swirl. Then I flexed my eyes to create a sink whole down to their waists. I was suddenly knocked on the ground by Sokka. "No, they are not worth it Orion, but focus like this is what you need, releasing the spike at accuracy would make you a master at this technique and we'll finish that tomorrow morning before you head out." "Head out, Sokka?" "Yes you are finished with everything that we can teach you here, tomorrow is your day of destiny. Sokka shouted "THE WINNER IS ORION!" Argo and his group started to complain how they were about to make a come back. "No, you would have been dead if Sokka hadn't stepped in." Surprisingly the Avatar spoke out. "Orion won this match right after you challenged him. He, like his mother, can see into your feeling and emotions. Including your fears. Orion show the audience what you were planning next." I swirled up the ground and made the Sea Urchin that lived in the bay outside and a scream of shock was let out by the crowd, not because of the beast, but because of the sheer size at which I had conjured it. Even the Avatar seemed semi impressed. I re-bended the figure back into the ground and left. I went back to my room. My mind was racing. How did the Avatar know my mother? How come she never wanted me to know? Do I not just remember? I took off the cloak on top to reveal that I was wearing a very nice dress garb. "You didn't have to do that for me you know." Whispered a voice in a dark corner. "That was very stupid and ignorant for you to do that," I looked down, one of the few girls that I felt for probably now hated me, "but very sweet. We only met today yet you would fight just for one night with me." I smiled and conversed back "I was planning longer than that but according to Master Sokka I am leaving tomorrow to continue my journey." I sat there and described what has happened to me and what I'm doing. "That's a very sad story and my heart mourns for you and your family. Are you doing this all alone?" I nodded with a yes. "I'll be glad to go with you if you'd like." "What about your duties as a Kyoshi leader?" "Right now our mission was to train you so carrying on as your master to make sure you don't lose your muster is part of the job." I gave an ignorant laugh "Hmm, sure, you're sure you just don't want to spy on me in the tub again?" Once again, not right thing to say. She retorted immediately and headed for the door, but I grabbed her hand and said "I would love to have your company on my journey." I had never met this girl, or her father, yet I felt the closest bond with her. I had dated plenty of girls in Ba Sing Se, but she was something else.