*Inside the lower ring of Ba Sing Se Market 7:29 AM*
*18 years after Avatar Korra’s death*
*The Present*
“Sorry kid,” the merchant said, “if you don’t have any money, you don’t get to buy any food.”
“Please sir,” Blade-Yin requested, “you haven’t sold anything at all today, and I’m just asking for you to spare one cabbage.”
“Look kid,” he replied, “my family has been in the cabbage business a long time, tracing back as far as my great-grandfather, and through my whole family history you’ll see that we’ve never had much luck keeping our cabbages from being destroyed, much less selling them. If you wanna work to eat then you can, but I’m not about to just give you anything for free.”
“Fine, guess this is going down the hard way.”
“What in the world are you talk- “
Blade-Yin shot a pillar of earth beneath the cart sending twenty cabbages flying in the air. Blade-Yin swiftly caught one and began running.
“SOMEBODY GET THAT KID!”
Blade-Yin sprinted toward the outer wall of Ba Sing Se, dodging the cabbage merchant’s line of sight.
“Alright,” he said to himself, “just gotta get outta this city and I’m home free- “
“HELPPPP!” a voice cried.
Blade-Yin turned his sight to an empty alley and spotted a gang of three men attacking a young girl who looked to be around eighteen years old.
“SOMEBODY HELP ME!” the voice cried again.
“Hang on,” Blade-Yin shouted, “I’m coming!”
Blade-Yin rushed to the girl’s aid and put himself between her and her attackers. With one uppercut, he sent the pavement they were standing on in the air, throwing the three men out of sight.
“You alright?” he asked the girl.
“I’m fine, but I had those guys handled.”
“But I heard you screaming after they robbed you.”
“No, you heard them screaming after I lit their pants on fire because they attempted to rob me.”
“Fire?” he asked curiously. “No way, you’re a firebender!” he said chuckling.
“Yep, and I assume you’re an earthbender?”
“Was it the fact that I manipulated the gravel we are standing on that gave it away?” he answered with a small laugh. “Ya know, I can’t remember very well, but I think my best friend was a firebender.”
“I’m Izima,” the girl said. “Wanna tell me who you are?”
“Wish I could.”
“What do you mean?”
“All I know is that I my parents sent me away to train under an earthbending teacher, then I went to sleep one day or something, and then woke up in the middle of this city, roamed around the lower ring for a month looking for food that would last, and now I’m here. And my master is nowhere to found.”
“Sounds like an interesting month you’ve had,” she replied sarcastically. “I think I can help you.”
“Help me what?”
“Help fill in the gaps that you’re missing. An average, homeless earthbender can’t metalbend as flawlessly and effortlessly as you did.”
“What metal? I just threw some rock, what’s so special?”
“The pavement all over Ba Sing Se is made up of ninety percent metal, and the exterior is covered in gravel to make it look nicer.”
“Since when?”
Izima raised an eyebrow in shock, “Since the past eight years dude, where have you been?”
His expression suddenly became serious. “What do you mean eight years?”
“I mean the sidewalk has been designed like this for the past eight-“
“WHAT DO YOU MEAN EIGHT YEARS!” he shouted, suddenly drawing the attention of everyone in the market around him.
“That’s the guy!” the cabbage merchant shouted.
“Oh great,” Blade-Yin said.
“What’s wrong with this guy?” Izima asked. “He looks like a harmless old guy.”
“Yeah, but he’s trying to get me arrested,” he replied calmly but somewhat sternly.
“What for?”
“I stole a cabbage, now are you coming with me? Or am I on my own?”
“That’s sweet,” she responded with a sarcastic grin, “do I get an invite to…WAIT. You stole a cabbage?” she responded a bit dumbfounded. “It’s so stupid what the Dai Li will chase you for nowadays.”
“What do you mean Dai Li?”
“I mean those guys in the green uniforms chasing you.”
Izima pointed toward the center of the market to a group of five Dai Li soldiers running straight for Blade-Yin.
“WHAT?!” the pitch in Blade-Yin’s voice rose. “Alright,” he spoke as they both ran to the outer wall, “this wall is pretty thick, there is no way I can earth bend through it, and they definitely won’t let me out. So I think our best bet is for me to-“
“Or I could shoot a lightning bolt and blow up the southern section of this wall to pieces.”
With one quick motion Izima struck the wall and blew a hole open ready for their escape.
“Alright,” Blade-Yin said, now impressed, “that was cool.” He chuckled as they both made their exit out of Ba Sing Se, and successfully evaded the Dai Li.
“Ya know,” he spoke slightly out of breath as they continued running, “you mentioned something about the past eight years, I’m a little confused. What did you mean?”
“Exactly what I said. The streets have been that way for the past eight years.” Izima paused, now genuinely concerned about Blade-Yin’s mental state. “How much do you know?”
“Not much. I know I’m an earthbender, I know Wu abolished the monarchy in the Earth Kingdom and helped establish more independent nations, and I also know that the White Lotus had announced they were gonna search for the avatar, but were unsucc-“
“What,” she responded quietly, but in much shock. Izima stopped dead in her tracks, trying to collect her thoughts.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, coming to a halt as well.
“The White Lotus,” she responded, her face now pale, “The White Lotus fell 5 years ago.”
Blade-Yin froze, he felt like he had been paralyzed. He started shaking.
“Look,” she spoke, still in shock, “I don’t know what you’ve gone through, but I want to help. Try to calm down. I know it must be scary not remembering-“
“That’s just the thing,” he responded. “I do remember something.”
“What?”
“The White Lotus’ leadership was actually passed down to someone else, about 3 years before it fell, assuming that you have your date right.”
“Who was leading the White Lotus before it fell?” she asked.
“My mother.”
To be continued…
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