The Kids In The Old Mansion

Chapter Two

PART ONE - KAI

Okay, first off, just so you know me, my name's Kai.

Well, my problems started right when I was born. My mom died that night, but only as she told my dad she wanted me to be named Kai, after her old boyfriend. Screwed up, I know.

That's probably why my dad hated me. As long as I can remember, he was always drunk. He beat me when I wasn't cleaning or working at a local cabbage stand, or doing any of the other jobs I had. That's why I ran away when I was seven.

I lived on the streets for a while, still working. I stole what I needed here and there, until a week or two after I ran my dad called the cops on me. One of my friends, a girl named Shi, told me I had to run. So I did, to neighboring towns. I learned to steal what I could, when I could, and to never stay in one place too long.

Eventually, I ended up in Republic City. I was thirteen when I arrived, and had become a wanted criminal in all sorts of places. But stealing was all I knew.

One night, I broke into this place selling fancy jewlery. This weird guy, who had lots of scars but a kind face, showed up. He worked there. What I thought was weird was, why wouldn't he be more tough-looking? He had scars. He'd been though shit. But he was nice.

He asked what I was doing. I said, "Robbing you. Now put your hands up!" but he didn't. I was a scared kid. I didn't want to face a guy twice my size. So I ran.

The next night, I went to the same place. The same thing happened. On the third night, he grabbed my hand before I could run. He asked what my name was, I said, "Non Ya Buisness!" and tried to break free. But he had a strong grip.

He told me that stealing wasn't my only option, that I could ask for help. But I didn't believe in that. And I told him so, and what he said back to me has stuck with me for a while. "There's a place for kids like you." I told him I wasn't going to an orphanage, and he said that's not what he meant.

"We're all like this, at one point or another. Alone. With nowhere to go and nobody to run to. But there's an old mansion, three miles south of the city. Whenever you need to, run. Go there. People there will cover you. Always."

And I kicked him in the groin and ran again.

A few years later, I was fifteen. I ran into a store where the owner called the cops without me knowing, and when they showed up I jumped out a window in the back. I was on the south side of town, and they were coming after me.. I heard one say into his mike that they had no idea who I was.

I ran the three miles, and found the mansion. I ran right in and upstairs, and the muscular guy stepped out. He asked what I was doing, barging in at midnight, and explained that I was going to wake the others up. So I told him, just as the cops knocked on the door.

He took my hand and led me downstairs. He talked to the cops, lying about me not being right in the head and asking me to be excused, saying my name was Li the ninth and he was my father, Li the eighth.

In the morning, I met the guy, Bumi, his sister and brother Kya and Tenzin, and a few other kids, Toph, Mako and Bolin, and Mai. Ever since, I've been here.

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PART TWO - TOPH

My name is Toph. But you two may as well call me Blind Bandit, everyone else does.

My mom died when I was a baby, too. My dad ran, leaving me on the doorstep of a neighbor's house. Jackass. I hate him.

The neighbor raised me till I was ten. She was an Earthbender, and taught me all she knew. Which wasn't much. I learned more from Badgermoles that lived in nearby caves. They're blind like me. And they taught me to 'see' through vibrations in the earth. I can do it with wood, too, and concrete, but those are fuzzy-ish. I can't 'see' in loose stuff like sand or loose dirt, though.