The Return of the Avatar - Book one: Body

Chapter Twelve - The Avatar Four

After two days at the hospital, Chou was released. Her friends were waiting for her at the Palace. Prince Akai was still at the hospital, and so was her father. Firelord Rina made sure to give all the care needed for both of them. She was taking special care of Chou, as if she was her own daughter. Even Kokoro was being taken care of. He suffered severe injuries from the blast, as he protected Chou. She learned that he had one of his hands scorched and one of his eyes damaged. But the best animal care specialists of the Fire Nation were tending him.

At the palace, Chou, Ling, Bansi and Buniq just waited at their quarters for some good news of the patients. But the news that arrived was not of the patients, but of the group known as The Avatar Four. Even Chou, who lived in relative seclusion from the world, knew who the Avatar Four were: they were a group of four benders, one from each nation, who acted as one avatar, protecting whoever needed their help. Unfortunately, they were treated more as an oddity than an asset.

They had arrived that morning and were announced to Chou only because she was the Avatar and they came looking for her, offering to help catch whoever was responsible for the explosion. The four Air Temple students decided to see the other four benders at the Palace's gardens.

Chou, at first, was shy and cautious, not knowing how to react. The Avatar Four, in the other hand, weren't. They arrived giving somersaults and choreographed bending moves, landing the four of them together almost like a circus act, each bending his own element.

"I'm Lee, the Waterbender!", said the first, dressed in traditional Water Tribe blue robes.

"I'm Raal, the Firebender!", said the second, dressed in traditional Fire Nation red robes.

"I'm Do, the Earthbender!" said the third, dressed in traditional Earth Kingdom green robes.

"I'm Miq, the Airbender!" said the last, dressed in traditional Air Nomad orange robes.

"And together we are the Avatar Four, sworn to protect the world from the forces of evil!" said the four in unison.

"Hi, I'm Chou. And I'm the actual Avatar," said Chou, timidly sporting a smile. "These are my friends, Ling the Soundbender, Buniq, the the Waterbender and Bansi, the Spiritbender. And together we are..." she paused, looking at her friends - who were as clueless as her - for something to say.

"You are the Team Avatar!" said Lee, proudly. "We've been wanting to meet you for a very long time!"

"Team Avatar?" asked Bansi.

"We've been following the news on your journey," continued Lee. "And as soon as we heard about the terrorist attack on you, we rushed here to see if you needed our help."

"We, need your help?" asked Buniq.

"And we will help you as much as possible!" said Lee as the Avatar Four members rejoiced at the apparent confirmation that the Team Avatar acknowledged their assistance.

"We are all recovering and as soon as we're better we're going back to school," said Chou. "I still need to master airbending and earthbending before I can call myself the Avatar."

"But aren't you curious as to who attacked you?"

"It was the Red Lotus," said Bansi.

"It was the Red Lotus!" said Miq almost immediately. "Wait. You already knew?"

"Yes," replied Chou. "The Fire Nation general told us."

"But, do you know why?" asked Do.

"Because they are equalists and see the Avatar as a threat," said Ling.