Avatar Zero
Chapter 1: Avatar Arises
Zuki Village
Somewhere in the earthbender kingdom . . .
The crowd gathered in the center of the village. A woman with short brown hair came up to the back of the group. She was holding a small infant in her arms. The woman looked over the crowd, apparently confused. She paused for a moment, and then leaned over to a man near her.
"What's going on?" she asked him quietly.
"Lady Zazai has some sort of announcement to make," the man whispered.
"What about?" she asked.
"I don't know," he admitted. "I guess we'll find out."
The infant in the woman's arms started to cry softly. The woman rocked her.
"There, there, Tay," she comforted.
In front of the crowd was a round, smooth stage that had been raised from the earth. A middle aged woman with graying brown hair stood on the stage, facing the crowd. Her dull brown eyes showed no emotion. There was a man standing behind her. He was in his twenties and had dark brown hair and dark, squinted eyes. He was holding a large basket in front of him. Behind one of his ears was a stick with a green leaf on one end.
The elderly woman stepped forward slightly.
"People of Zuki Village," she said, "I, Zazai, have great news. News which will affect the entire world."
Zazai then turned and looked at the man behind her.
"Bojin," she said, motioning towards the crowd with her head.
The man, Bojin, stepped forward to Zazai's side. He carefully put the basket down and then took out its contents. It was an infant which was sleeping soundly. Bojin held it in his arms so the crowd could see.
"The baby in my son's arms," Zazai told the people, "is my grandson, born of my late daughter just weeks ago. And this boy . . . is the new Avatar."
The people in the crowd seemed surprised. There were a few gasps among them. The woman in the back of the crowd with the baby seemed especially surprised.
"How do you know this, Lady Zazai?" a man in the front of the crowd asked.
"You knew my daughter and Bojin's sister very well," Zazai said. "You know that she was an earthbender, as was the infant's father. But the boy has shown different attributes." She looked at Bojin. "Behold."
Bojin took the twig behind his ear and put it up to the baby's face. He tickled the infant's nose with the leaf. The baby wrinkled his nose, irritated. He then let out a sneeze. While doing so, however, burst of flames came out of the infant's mouth and nose.
The crowd gasped again in amazement. All except for the woman in the back holding her own baby.
"It's true."
"He is the Avatar."
"How else would he create flames?"
"The Avatar!"
Bojin put the twig back behind his ear, and then held the baby up high. The baby opened his eyes slowly, blinking at the people in front of him.
"What more proof do we need than to see flames from the son of earthbenders?" Zazai asked them. "The new Avatar is before you."
The woman at the back of the crowd frowned. The baby in her arms started to fuss again. She rocked her baby again.
"Come along, Tay," she said, turning away from the stage. "Let's go home."
The woman walked away, trying to comfort her daughter.
No one else noticed her. The crowd was beginning to cheer and praise the infant Bojin was holding.
"What is his name?" a man asked.
"The boy's name is Sukuso," Zazai stated. She looked at the baby again. "And we can expect great things from him."
Fourteen years later . . .
"Tay!" the boy shouted. "Tay! This isn't funny anymore! You win! Come out!"
The boy stepped through the trees, looking around. He had brown hair pulled back into a ponytail that went almost to his shoulders. He had golden eyes that would catch the sunlight and would seem to glow.
"Tay!" he yelled again. "Come on! My grandma's going to kill me if I'm late again!"
The boy continued walking. Behind him, in the trees, a girl with long brown hair was watching him from atop a high branch. She giggled softly and lifted a hand. She pushed it forward towards the boy.
Some of the ground behind the boy lifted up in a mound and moved towards him. It went under his feet, making him lose his balance. He let out a cry and fell backwards.
The girl laughed loudly as the boy laid there for a moment. He groaned, sitting up while rubbing his head.
"Very funny, Tay," he muttered as the girl jumped down from the trees.
"I'm only playing, Sukuso," Tay told him, offering him a hand.
Sukuso took it and hopped up. He then put a hand on his chest.
"Need I remind you that I am the Avatar, destined to control all four elements?" he asked.
"Remind me?" she mocked. "When will you let me forget?"
He pouted for a moment, then recovered.
"I just mean that once I master earthbending, I'll repay you for these tricks of yours one hundred fold," he said.
Tay put a finger on his nose.
"Like I have to worry about that," she said. "You've been training with Master Soshi for how long now? I haven't seen you bend anything even once."
Sukuso folded his arms firmly.
"I'm just a late bloomer," he said. "You'll see."
"Maybe," Tay shrugged. "But I'm not the one who should be worried. I'm not the one who's going to be late for class."
Sukuso jerked. He darted off through the trees.
"Grandma's gonna kill me!" he cringed as he ran.
Tay stood there alone, smiling and giggling. She waited for a moment, then followed him.
Sukuso ran as fast as he could into the village. The villagers were walking around, going about their business. A few of them noticed Sukuso as he ran by.
"It's the Avatar!" a man yelled. "Hello, Sukuso!"
"Hi!" Sukuso returned breathlessly.
"Sukuso!" another shouted. "Hey!"
Sukuso just lifted an arm as he ran in response.
Then Sukuso approached Bojin, who was standing near a hut holding a sack. He was examining a potato with a stick still behind his ear. There was a table in front of him with an elderly woman standing behind it. Baskets of various vegetables surrounded them. Bojin glanced up at Sukuso as he ran by.
"Hi Uncle Bojin!" Sukuso said.
"You're going to be late!" Bojin yelled after him.
"I'm not late yet!" he shouted.
Bojin watched him as he ran. He sighed.
"That boy is really going to get it one of these days," he said to himself.
Bojin then turned his attention back to the woman behind the table.
"How much for these?" he asked, holding up the potato.
The woman smiled.
"Take it as a gift for the Avatar," she stated.
"Oh, no, I couldn't," Bojin objected waving his free hand. "Not again."
"Please, please," the woman said, "I insist. Take as many as you like. It's the least I can do for the boy who will save the world."
"But it's really no trouble . . . " Bojin began.
"If it's no trouble," the woman smiled, "then you should go ahead and take them."
Bojin sighed again.
"You're not going to let me pay for them, are you," he observed.
She grinned and shook her head.
"Nope," she said.
Sukuso pushed through the cloth covered doorway and hurried inside. Zazai was standing in front of him, looking angry. Zazai's hair had gone completely gray, and many wrinkles had appeared all over her face over the last fourteen years. Next to her was an elderly man with white hair and dark brown eyes. He looked almost as annoyed as Zazai did.
"Sukuso," Zazai scolded. "You're late. Again!"
"I'm sorry," Sukuso panted. "Tay and I . . . "
"You shouldn't be playing when you should be training!" Zazai snapped. "Master Soshi is holding these special lessons just for you, and you dishonor him by coming late."
"But I . . . " Sukuso began.
Soshi stepped in front of Zazai, looking down at Sukuso.
"I think what Lady Zazai is trying to say," he said calmly, "is that the Avatar holds great responsibilities to this world. Mastering all elements is only a part of it. You, Sukuso, are a glimmer of hope in these times of war. You are a beacon to these people when they need it most."
Sukuso looked up at his master, waiting for him to continue. Soshi looked at him angrily.
"But a light that shines late will only aid those who wait in the darkness," Soshi spat.
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry," Sukuso said, rubbing the back of his head. "It won't happen again."
Zazai started to walk by them.
"See that it doesn't," she muttered.
Sukuso watched her as she walked by him. She didn't even glance at him as she went outside. Sukuso frowned.
"Come," Soshi ordered. "We have work to do."
Soshi headed towards a doorway in the back of the room. Sukuso slowly followed him.
"No, no, no!" Soshi yelled. "You're relying too much on your legs. You need more strength in your arms."
"I am!" Sukuso defended.
"You are what?" Soshi asked.
"Putting strength in my arms!" Sukuso said.
"I don't see strength!" Soshi snapped. "I see only you flexing your arms. I want to see strength!"
Sukuso grunted. He was standing on a stone pedestal in a large, open room. Below him were rocks and dirt. Near him, Soshi was also standing on a pedestal, but his was a little higher.
"A tiny bit better," Soshi commented. "Relax your right leg a little."
Sukuso was holding his left arm straight forward with his left leg out in front of him as well. His right arm was slightly behind him, bent at the elbow with his hand below his shoulder.
Sukuso grunted again, more frustrated.
"Why do I feel so awkward?!" he complained.
"Because you're doing it wrong!" Soshi snapped. "Bend your knee a little more."
Sukuso bent his right knee more as instructed. Soshi nodded.
"Good," he nodded. "Now, move your right hand forward and your left arm back. And this time . . . " Soshi let out a sigh. ". . . try to bend something."
Sukuso hesitated. Then he pushed his right hand forward while stepping his right leg in front of his left.
But other than Sukuso, nothing moved.
Sukuso stood there, blinking blankly. Soshi sighed again.
"How many times must we go through this?" Soshi asked. "We've been practicing for years and I haven't seen you move as much as a pebble. You must feel the earth to move it!"
"How can I feel it when it's down there?" Sukuso asked, pointing at the ground.
"I meant you have to feel its presence," he said.
"It's dirt!" Sukuso retorted. "It's hard to get away from. How can I not feel it?"
Soshi groaned, annoyed. Behind him was the entrance to the room. An old woman with white hair walked inside, looking at Soshi.
"Soshi," she said, "it's getting late. Dinner is ready."
Soshi sighed again and looked at her.
"Coming Nama," he said.
Nama turned to leave as Soshi looked back at Sukuso. Soshi lifted his hands and then pushed them down. The two pedestals lowered back into the earth below.
"Sukuso," he asked, "do you believe you are the Avatar?"
Sukuso stared at him, surprised at the question.
"I guess so," he said.
"You guess," he repeated.
"That's what everyone's told me since I can remember," Sukuso said.
"But guessing isn't knowing," he pointed out. "I think the problem you are having with bending is that you don't believe that you really are the Avatar. If you do not believe in the power, it only makes sense that you wouldn't be able to use it."
Sukuso thought about that.
"The Avatar must learn to control all four elements," Soshi continued. "But before you can do that, you have to allow yourself to."
"Allow myself?" Sukuso asked.
"Think about it," Soshi said, turning towards the door, "and I will see you tomorrow."
Soshi headed towards the door. Sukuso hesitated before following him.
Sukuso walked through the now empty village thoughtfully. The sun was going down and everyone was inside their small huts enjoying dinner and their family's company. Sukuso came to a hut near the edge of town and pushed the cloth door aside.
"I'm home, Uncle Bojin," he said.
Bojin was kneeling in front of fire. A pot was hanging above it. Bojin was stirring the contents slowly. He looked up at Sukuso and smiled.
"Welcome home, Sukuso," he said. "How was training?"
"Don't ask," Sukuso puffed. He went over to a cot on the left side of the room and plopped down onto it. He hid his face in his pillow.
"Still no bending," Bojin observed sadly. His smile then returned. "That's all right. You'll get it sooner or later. Maybe after learning to bend so many times in your past lives, you decided to take a break for a while."
Bojin went back to stirring the pot in silence. Sukuso laid there for a moment, and then lifted his head and looked around their hut. He noticed a few baskets near the door filled with fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
"More gifts from the villagers?" he asked, sitting up.
"Yes," Bojin puffed. "All for the Avatar. I was flattered the first few times, but now these gifts are becoming annoying."
"Why?" Sukuso asked.
"I would like to think that we are independent," Bojin explained, "and that we are living off of our own labors. But it's hard to live off oneself when everyone else provides provisions."
"Even if I wasn't the Avatar," Sukuso pointed out, "Grandma's the leader of the village. You still wouldn't be the only provider."
"Then I would like to think that we would and could be independent even if you weren't the Avatar and if my mother wasn't the leader of the village," Bojin said, determined.
"They're just being nice," Sukuso pointed out.
"I know," Bojin said. "I guess I want to believe I'm taking care of you by myself and it would be nice to do so without these donations. Taking the place of a father isn't very fulfilling without putting food on the table myself."
Sukuso smiled.
"Well," he said, "I think you're doing just fine how it is."
Bojin smiled again and rubbed the back of his head.
"Oh, please," he stated bashfully, "do go on."
Sukuso laughed softly. Bojin joined him.
Sukuso drank down the last of the soup and sighed.
"That was great," he said.
"I try," Bojin managed with his mouthful.
They were both sitting on the cot. Sukuso put his empty bowl on his lap while Bojin continued to see how much soup his mouth would hold. Sukuso leaned back and looked out a small opening ceiling above them. The stars had come out and the moon was full.
"Uncle Bojin," Sukuso asked, "what was my mother like?"
Bojin coughed a little and swallowed. He lowered the bowl and looked at him.
"Chiso?" he asked. "Why?"
"I dunno," he admitted. "Just wonderin'."
"I've told you just about everything," he reminded him.
"I know," he said. "I just like to hear it every once in a while."
Bojin paused, thinking.
"Well," he said, "Chiso was a natural earthbender. I can't imagine what she would have been like without bending. Whenever she was sad, she would just practice earthbending, and soon she was smiling again. I can't really say why it was so important to her, where I'm not a bender. But your mother . . . she was herself when she was moving the earth around her."
Sukuso listened intently. Bojin took a few more bites and then continued.
"When she wasn't bending," he explained, "she was giving. She was always making sure everyone in the village had what they needed to get by. If she found out someone needed something, she wouldn't rest until they got it. Chiso seemed to help everyone be happy."
Bojin ate some more of his soup silently. Sukuso looked at him.
"And what about my father?" he asked.
Bojin frowned and looked at him.
"You know I only met him briefly," he said. "I never got to know him very well."
"Just tell me what you know," he said.
Bojin paused again, eating some soup. He swallowed and looked at the wall across from them.
"Your father . . . " he said, "Uku was his name. He was also very skilled at bending. He was kind of arrogant and it was easy to get on his bad side. But when Chiso was around . . . you could see his eyes go soft. With her there . . . he just sort of . . . melted."
They sat there in silence for a moment. Sukuso curled up a little and frowned.
"So they were both benders," he said, "and I'm supposed to be the Avatar. So why can't I bend?"
"Some things just take time, Sukuso," Bojin assured him. "You'll get the hang of it."
"But everyone is depending on me right now," Sukuso said. "This war with the firebenders has been going on forever. I need to learn how to bend."
"Don't be so quick to put the world on your shoulders," Bojin scolded. "You are still only a boy. Everyone can manage to stand on their own two feet for a little while longer."
Sukuso looked at his uncle.
"Uncle Bojin," he said, "do you really think that I'm the Avatar?"
Bojin looked surprised. He looked at him.
"Do you think that you're not?" he asked.
"I don't know," Sukuso admitted, looking away again. "I don't really know what I think. I just know that I'm an Avatar that can't seem to bend."
Bojin hesitated, and then took the stick from behind his ear. He fiddled with it for a moment.
"Let's pretend for a moment that you weren't the Avatar," he said carefully. "That would mean it would have to be someone else." Bojin looked at him again. "But out of everyone I know, I can't think of anyone who should be the Avatar instead of you."
Bojin smiled softly and placed a hand on his nephews head.
"There is a great power inside of you," he told him. "You are just taking a little longer to find it."
Sukuso smiled at him.
"Thanks, Uncle Bojin," he said.
Bojin smiled broadly.
"That's what I'm here for," he beamed.
Bojin gulped down the last bit of soup and then took Sukuso's bowl.
"Time for sleep, my little Avatar," he said, standing up.
Sukuso got under his blanket while Bojin poured water onto the fire. Sukuso laid down and looked back up at the stars through his ceiling. He soon fell asleep, dreaming of bending and Tay there to watch him.