Chapter 1: New Bending Style

Hey everyone I'm back with a new story. I've always loved The Last Airbender series, but I could never figure out what kind of character I should create but I finally figured it out and created my own new type of bender. This takes place near the beginning of Book 1: Water. I hope you like what I have planned. Please Review and Enjoy.

Water

Earth

Fire

Air

Long ago, the 4 nations lived together in harmony, but everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Using the power of Sozin's comet, Fire Lord Sozin wiped the Air Nation out in hopes of destroying the Avatar, but the Avatar escaped, but for 100 years there was no sign of him and the Fire Nation used this chance to basically take over the world.

4 Nations, 4 Elements for the Avatar to master, that's what it's always been…or so people thought.

We find ourselves in a small Earth Kingdom village, where on the outskirts a small hut was near the river.

Inside it was pitch black except for a small beam of light.

"Ugh I hate the afternoon." A male voice groans as a shadow walks out.

From it a teenage boy with medium black hair, brown eyes walked out with red and black clothes stepped out and strapped to his back was a round metal shield but no design or logo was on it. This was Ren.

"Man so bright out." Ren said putting his hand over his eyes looking out at the day. Taking a deep breath Ren picked up a basket and waked into town.

Looking to the ground he saw his shadow walking alongside him causing him to smile.

"Oh good, that means it's that time of day." Ren smiles.

Little did Ren know another group was nearby.

In a small clearing, a large shadow descended down before landing revealing it to be a large Sky Bison.

"Good job Appa, I don't think anyone saw us." A voice said.

Climbing off we see a bald boy with arrows on his head jump off, this was Aang.

"I saw a town a few miles down the row. We can stock up supplies there." Aang said as a girl with brown hair in hair loops and water tribe clothes and a boy with brown hair in a little ponytail and water tribe clothes as well. These were Katara and Sokka.

"Let's just get what we need and get out. We have a lot of ground to cover." Sokka said.

"Calm down Sokka, we're fine." Katara said when Momo flew in and landed on Aang's shoulder before they headed towards the town.

At the market, Ren held out some copper pieces and filled his basket with fruits and veggies.

"Thank you for your business." The merchant said.

"Have a good day." Ren said when he turned around and bumped into Aang knocking his groceries out of his hand.

"Oh sorry about that." Aang said bending down to help him.

"Hey accidents happen." Ren said as Aang handed him an apple and Ren noticed his tattoos. "Whoa cool."

"Thanks, I'm Aang." He said handing Ren the fruit.

"Ren." He said as Sokka and Katara walked over.

"Hey I'm Katara and this is Sokka." She said when Momo landed on his shoulder.

"And that's Momo." Aang smiles.

"Hi." Ren said.

"Do you live here? We can't find camping supplies anywhere." Katara asks.

"Yeah it's that shop right over there." Ren points a few booths over.

"Thanks Ren." Katara said as he led them away.

As he did, none of them noticed a few figures walk over to the booth.

"Hi, can I help you gentleman?" The guy asks when suddenly they all heard a smashing noise followed by a scream.

Turning around they saw a group of thieves aim their weapons at him and destroy his veggies.

"My veggies!" He screamed.

"Your worthless weeds are the least of your problems. You owe us money." The leader said.

"Please, I just need more time. Sales are down." He begs as a sword was inches from his neck.

"What do you intend to give us in exchange?" The thug asks.

"That poor man." Aang said.

"We gotta do something." Sokka said.

"Hey!" Ren said walking over. "Do you guys mind? I buy from him every week and I really don't want to find a new shop."

"Mind your own business kid." The leader said.

"Ren what are you doing?" Sokka asks.

"Don't worry I got this." Ren said putting his basket down.

"Deal with him." The leader said as one thug with a club charged towards Ren.

At the last second Ren dodges the attack by rolling out of the way. Reaching behind his back he grabs his shield and put it on his arm before the club came down on him.

"Hang on!" Aang said grabbing his staff and swings a blade of air knocking the thug away from him.

"Whoa was that airbending?" Ren asks surprised. "Are you who I think you are?"

"Yep." Aang nods.

As the thug recovered from the attack the entire gang looked to Aang and moved in.

"Aang look out!" Ren said tossing a rock into the air causing everyone to look up before it came down hitting no one.

"Ha! What was that?" The leader mocks trying to move forward but couldn't. "Hey why can't I move?"

"I can't move either!" Another thug said.

"Me too!" They all said.

"What the?" Sokka asks as Ren smirks.

"You guys fell right into my trap." Ren said moving his hands. "You were so focused on the sky you didn't pay attention to the ground. Go ahead, I'll let you." Ren said bending his head down and all of them looked to see they were all under a giant shadow.

"A shadow?" Katara asks when Ren moved his arms and suddenly whips shot out of the shadows and struck all the thugs.

"Is he bending the shadows?" Sokka gasps.

"Incredible." Aang said blown away.

"Are you guys just gonna sit there looking pretty or are you gonna help me?" Ren asks.

Snapping out of it, Katara reached for her water pouch, Aang grabbed his glider and Sokka grabbed his boomerang.

Making a blade of air, Aang hits all the thugs knocking them free from Ren's shadows.

As one thug grabbed a spear he ran towards Katara but she fired Ice at his feet freezing him before Sokka threw his boomerang knocking him to the ground.

Raising his shield, Ren blocks the leaders sword strikes with ease before swinging his shield smacking him in the face.

"Kinda weird using a shield like a weapon." Sokka pointed out.

"It's not a weapon, it's for protection." Ren said.

As Aang was facing the thug with the club he bobbed and weaved to avoid being smashed to pieces.

Jumping out of the way Aang dodges the club but the thug rams into him knocking Aang to the ground.

Looking up Aang saw the thug about to bring his club down on top of him.

"I'm gonna smash you like an egg." He said when shadows wrapped around his arm stopping him.

Aang looks to see Ren stopped him with his shadows. Using this opening Aang blasted the thug sending him smashing into the others.

"Now get out." Ren said moving his arms and all of them were thrown to an opening allowing Aang and Katara to blast them with air and water sending them flying.

"Not bad." Ren said walking back and picking up his basket.

"Hey uh what was that? That thing you were using?" Sokka asks.

"Shadowbending." Ren said getting their attention.

"How did you learn to fight with your shadow?" Katara asks interested.

"Not just mine, I can use any shadows that are nearby. Mine, yours, even those thugs back there." Ren said.

"Amazing, a new bending element." Aang said blown away.

"Aang I bet if you learned that you could help a lot of people." Katara suggests.

"Yeah, Ren you gotta teach me how to do that." Aang said hopeful.

"No." Ren said surprising them.

"No?" Aang said confused.

"No what?" Katara asks.

"No teaching. I went through a lot to learn this bending. I don't feel like sharing it with anyone." Ren said.

"But he's the Avatar. He needs to learn to master all the elements." Sokka said.

"Yeah I know, water, fire, earth and air, but it never said anything about shadows." Ren said.

"But Ren imagine how much your shadows would help me." Aang said.

"The Fire Nation would never see it coming." Sokka said.

"Not my problem." Ren said.

"The Fire Nation is attacking everyone and you don't care?" Katara asks.

"I've fought the Fire Nation once and once was enough for me. Now leave me alone. I'm not gonna share my shadowbending with a guy who was barely strong enough to beat that thug." Ren said walking away.

"Not strong enough." Aang said a little hurt by that.

"Whoa, what's with that guy?" Sokka asks as Momo turns his head curious.

"Maybe he just needs a little time. We were just attacked." Katara said.

"Maybe." Aang said.

Walking up the path, Ren made his way towards his home when he heard a stick snap behind him.

Reaching to his back Ren turns around and throws his shield causing Aang to duck as it slammed into a tree.

"Who throws a shield?!" Aang gasps.

"I do." Ren said as he waved his hand and a shadow pulled the shield out and threw it back to Ren before he put it on his back. "I'm not gonna teach you."

"Okay that was pretty cool." Sokka admits causing Aang and Katara to glare at him. "What?"

"Why don't we try something else?" Katara asks.

As Ren made his way to the top of the hill to his hut he suddenly heard a loud noise.

Looking up he saw Aang, Appa and Momo fly in from above.

"Whoa." Ren said surprised as they landed nearby.

"Pretty cool huh? If you teach me Shadowbending I'll teach you how to fly Appa." Aang offers.

Narrowing his eyes, Ren bends Aang's shadow trying Aang up with it.

"Leave me alone." Ren said walking past him but Aang just hopped after him.

"Teach me." Aang said.

"No." Ren said before Aang fell to the ground.

Walking over Sokka cut Aang free.

"Aang maybe we should give up on this guy. He's not gonna budge." Sokka said.

"Sokka, I need to learn this Shadowbending." Aang said.

"Maybe if we tried one on one." Katara suggests.

As the sun was setting at Ren's hut, he was inside making his dinner when he waved his hand and his shadow lifted the pot so he could put the veggies inside.

"Hey what's cooking? Smells good." Aang said appearing behind him.

"Do you mind? This is my dinner." Ren glares.

"Cool, mind if I join you?" Aang asks when suddenly his shadow wrapped around his leg and Aang was thrown out landing in front of Katara and Sokka.

"Guess he's not very social." Aang groans.

"Let a warrior try. I bet I can have him talking in no time." Sokka said.

Inside, Ren put his pot on the fire before sitting down. Letting out a sigh he reached for the wall where his shield was but it wasn't there.

"Wow, cool shield." Ren turns to see Sokka holding it in his hands examining it.

"Hey give me that." Ren said swping it out of his hand.

"That must be a really strong metal to be able to take all those attacks from earlier." Sokka said.

"It is." Ren growls.

"Any chance I can see how strong it is?" Sokka asks.

"Sure just stand up first." Ren said.

"Sweet, what next?" Sokka asks when Ren threw his shield which smashes into Sokka before his shadow caught it and pulled it back to him while Sokka landed next to Aang and Katara.

"Okay you're next Katara." Sokka groans.

Taking a deep breath. Katara walks in to see Ren eating his dinner.

"Hey uh listen I was wondering if—" Before Katara could finish Ren pointed to the door causing her to sigh. "No need for the shadows or shield, I'll show myself out."

As Ren looks over, he sees Aang, Katara and Sokka setting up camp nearby.

Sitting around a fire, Aang, Sokka, and Katara were tired of trying to convince Ren to join them.

"He is really stubborn." Katara said.

"Seriously, that shield hit me pretty hard." Sokka groans rubbing his chest.

"Ren's good no doubt about that." Aang said when they heard footsteps.

Looking over they saw Ren walk over with some fruits causing all their stomachs to growl.

"Here." Ren said handing them the fruit.

"Really? We can have these?" Katara asks as Sokka and Aang grabbed some.

"Thanks a lot." Sokka said taking a big bite.

"After you've all eaten, hit the road." Ren said.

"What?" Aang said.

"Don't ever come to my home again." Ren said.

"Ren." Aang said before looking down at the fire. "Look I get it, if I was a strong Avatar and could bend all the elements, I probably wouldn't need to Shadowbend. I'm not strong yet." Aang admits.

"Aang." Katara said worried as Aang stood up.

"But Ren, you are. You are strong and you can help me stop the Fire Nation." Aang said.

"My answer is no." Ren said.

"Please! I need to learn how to Shadowbend! That skill could help me save the entire world!" Aang said.

"Just give it up." Ren said.

"I am just gonna keep asking until you say yes! I'll drag you with me all the way to the North Pole if I have to!" Aang said.

"Why are you willing to go so far to get the help of someone like me?" Ren asks.

"Because you aren't like everyone else. Ren, you and I are very different from other benders. I can learn all 4 Elements and you have an Element that no one has ever seen before. I don't care how long it takes I will make you see that I am worthy of learning Shadowbending." Aang said.

Sokka and Katara look to Ren as he absorbed when Aang just said.

Looking to his shield, Ren paused remembering a shadowy figure giving it to him.

"Use it well Ren. A Shield is not a weapon to attack, but to protect." A female voice said before Ren looks up to see Aang was willing to go so far to be able to protect everyone.

"You're not very strong for an Avatar. You know that, right?" Ren asks.

"I know, but even so you and your shadows will not stop me." Aang said determined.

"Then take me with you." Ren said surprising everyone. "And prove it to me. No matter the struggle, no matter the enemy, no matter the time or place. Can you force me to take you seriously?" Ren smiles.

"Ren, you just watch." Aang nods.

"Well then Avatar." Ren held out his fist causing Aang to smile as he fist-bumped him sealing it.

Soon Ren was loading his bag onto Appa before sitting on Appa's back as he, Aang, Katara and Sokka took off into the air.

"So Ren what other cool things can you do with shadows?" Sokka asks.

"Lots of things." Ren said.

"Can you show me something?" Sokka asks.

"Sure." Ren smirks as Sokka's shadow wrapped itself around his mouth so he couldn't talk causing Sokka to release muffled screams as he tried to break free. "Aww much better." Ren sighs laying back.

"Where have you been my entire life?" Katara giggles.

"Ren, I think you are gonna be a great member of our team." Aang smiles as Momo flew in and landed next to him.

"We'll see. It's a long way from the North Pole, better make it count." Ren smirks.

"Maybe we can even find something for you to put on that shield. Ooh like something fun." Aang suggests.

"Don't push it, Aang. I just got on the bison don't make me jump off and walk home." Ren said as Sokka muffled screams telling him to undo it.

"Alright but can you let Sokka talk?" Aang asks.

"But I like him better this way." Ren said before sighing and undoing it so Sokka could gasp.

"Is this gonna be a regular thing with you?" Sokka asks.

"Oh don't be a baby, you could still breathe." Ren said.

Aang shook his head smiling, he may not have gotten a teacher but he at least had an interesting new traveling companion.