Secret Avatar

Capture

Rosa was walking around her little Earth Kingdom town when she realized it was getting late. Walking back to the little cottage that she and her mother shared, she heard crashes and some screaming coming from the center of the village!

Just as she walked up to investigate, one of her mother’s friends ran past her yelling, “The Fire Nation is here!”
But I thought all of the trouble with the Fire Nation was over when the Avatar defeated Fire Lord Osai. Apparently there were some loose ends. Rosa thought in despair as she raced toward the center of her village.

By the time she got there, she could see fifty or so huge Firebenders storming her village. Rosa’s fellow Earthbenders were trying to stop them, but there were too many. Still, they did not give up without a fight.

Then Rosa saw the Firebenders bringing out huge nets to capture the Earthbenders, so she yelled out, “Retreat, they are trying to capture us. Retreat!”

The Earthbenders then saw the nets too and decided to retreat into the town. Rosa gathered them into a group and formatted a plan; they would each work in pairs, one luring the enemy into a trap, the other springing it. The plan worked perfectly until there were only around twenty soldiers left. They realized what was happening, so they stayed in tight formation to keep from being captured.

Then Rosa had yet another idea. She addressed the Earthbenders, “You will continue trying to capture them one by one, and I will try to capture their leading officer, for what is an army without its leader? Now, let’s do this!”

A big cheer went up from the listening Earthbenders. They ventured out onto the battlefield with more courage and enthusiasm than ever before.

Rosa then went to the makeshift prison that they had set up, (underground of course), to house the Fire Nation soldiers. She went into the cell of each one of the prisoners, but none of them would cooperate long enough for her to find out who was leading the invasion.
After a few days, she had questioned every prisoner they had. Then, one of her best friends, Layla, told her that they had successfully captured another soldier.

“But there’s something else you need to know, Rosa,” explained Layla. “I don’t think that this is a regular soldier. He seems nervous, like he knows what we are looking for. Do you want me to bring him to you?”

“Yes. It would be great if you would bring him to me, thanks.”

A little while later, one of Rosa’s other best friends, Morkai, brought the new prisoner to a holding cell for questioning. “W-what do you want with me,“ stuttered the man. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I know you didn’t do anything wrong. I took you here because I need something you have.”

“Where am I? The last thing I remember is that the Earthbenders were trying to capture us, and most of our troops were gone. We were trying not to get caught, and it was working. I was just standing in the middle of the battle, when all of a sudden I was surrounded by Earthbenders! I tried to yell to the rest of our troops, but they were too far away. The Earthbenders surrounded my hands with little spheres of earth, and brought them down to the ground. Then they gagged, and blindfolded me.  I think they moved me underground. I couldn’t see, but I could still hear. Maybe, I’m still not sure, but I think that they Earthbended a hole in the ground and hit me with a sleeping dart. The next thing I knew, I was in a wagon heading towards this room. When I tried to make conversation with the guards that took me, they wouldn’t answer. That is why I was so nervous when you talked to me.”

“I am sorry that you got such a cold reception when my soldiers brought you here, and that they didn’t explain to you what is going on.”

“Wait... your soldiers? Do you mean to say you’re captain of this operation?”

“Yes, I am. Why?”

“Well, why would you order your troops to capture me? Its not like I hurt anyone or anything.”

“I didn’t order them to capture you. They decided to do that on their own.”

“But why would they do that?”

“I do not know the reason they captured you. I do have a suspicion, though.”

“And what is that?” the prisoner asked impatiently.

“Well, You were taken to the place we made to hold the Fire Nation soldiers. You probably didn’t get a warm reception because my people are still angry at the Fire Nation for invading our home all those years ago while the Avatar was away.

“Do you mean to say that I am a prisoner now?”

“Yes, you are. You don’t have to be enemies with me, though. We could be friends.”

“I don’t understand. How could we be friends? I’m a Firebender, doesn’t that mean that I am your enemy?”

“Not necessarily. Only if you threaten or hurt the people that are close to me makes you my enemy.”

“I did hurt them. I thought I was doing the right thing but now I realize that what I did was not right at all. Is there anything that I could do to make it up to you? I will do anything.”

“Actually, there is something that you could do for me. I need some information. Who is your commanding officer, and where is his tent?”

“I will tell you what I know, but you have to promise me that you won’t do anything terrible to him, like killing him or anything. Promise?”

“Yes, I promise,” answered Rosa impatiently.

“Alright, his name is Commander Hue and his tent is in the center of the circle of Fire Nation tents. What will you do to him once you find him?”

“I will hold him captive, like you. He will be treated fairly, if he cooperates. Maybe I might bring him with me when I go join the Avatar, to put in the prison that I will make in a secret location.”

“If you do this, will you take me with you when you go make the new prison, to keep him company and prevent him from doing anything stupid?”

“Are you sure? It will probably be way higher security there, but if you really want to come, you can.”

“Thank you! I won’t let you down! I know that it will be higher security, but I want to come anyway.”

“I won’t leave without you if you really want to come. Now, I have to go get him before we can leave. I will leave you here if you want, so that when I bring him here, you can see him.”

Rosa then left the prisoner there and headed towards the tent of the commanding officer, Hue. When she arrived at the outskirts of the enemy camp, she remembered she had forgotten to get the clothing from a Fire Nation prisoner so she could blend into the crowd and sneak into the enemy’s camp unnoticed.

So Rosa went back to the prison hold and changed into the clothes of a girl Firebender. Then, she snuck into the Fire Nation camp. It all went very smoothly. She soon was outside the Commander’s tent, but before she could get up the courage to go inside and confront the man, she heard voices coming from inside. There was another man in there with Hue! Rosa decided that she would wait until nighttime, and then she would gag him, so he couldn’t talk, entrap his hands, and sneak him out of the camp unnoticed. The hard part would be getting out, but she decided she would cross that bridge when she got there.

Hours came and went, and Rosa was relieved when dusk finally fell. She waited until the sounds of snoring could be heard from inside. Rosa dared to take a step inside the Commander’s tent, and was relieved to discover that the occupant was fast asleep. Making sure that she didn’t make a sound, Rosa crept around the tables and chairs, to where Hue was sleeping soundly.
But when she entrapped his hands in a layer of earth, he woke up! Making sure that she quickly gaged Hue so he didn’t make a sound, Rosa trapped him in a wheelbarrow and rolled him away from the enemy’s camp. The problem was, however, that somehow Hue got the gag off and started yelling up a storm. Rosa placed the gag over his mouth again, tighter than before, but not before the guards of the Fire Nation camp heard their Commander’s yelling.

“Who goes there?” called a gruff guard’s voice. “Trespassers!”

I have to get out of here, fast! But how? Oh no, they can see me! I’d better put up something as a cover, or I’m done for. Rosa Earthbended a cover of dust, just in time, too. The Fire Nation troops, (what were left of them), were almost upon her. Quickly, Rosa pushed as hard as she could at the wheelbarrow that held Hue in it, and finally arrived back in the Earthbenders’ prison hold. Only when she arrived in the hallway of the room where she had left the other prisoner, did she uncover Hue and take off the gag.

Once Commander Hue took in his surroundings, he realized that he had handcuffs on. “Who are you, and what is it that was so important that you had to get me out of bed at this early hour of the morning?”

“Is your name Hue?”

“Yes, but you still haven’t answered my question, and shouldn’t you know your commanding officer’s name? Who are you anyhow?”

“I wanted to clarify who you are because I am the leader of the Earthbenders’ troops. I disguised myself as Fire Nation so I could bring you here.”

“Why would you go through all that trouble to get me to come here, and what’s so special about this place, anyway?”
I need something that you can give me. Make our lives all the more easier and come into this room.”

“No. I won’t leave until you tell me what is going on.”

“Fine. If you want to make things difficult for me, I’ll call the guards.”

“Ugh,” grumbled Hue. “I guess I have no choice. May I ask you something, though?”

“Sure. What is it?” asked Rosa.

“Well, if this is an underground meeting room, why would there be guards?”

“This isn’t an underground meeting room. It is a prison for the Fire Nation troops that we capture. Like you, we have to have somewhere to keep the war prisoners. That is why we made this place. Do you have anything that you want to ask me?”

“Who are you?”

“My name is Rosa and I will be your warden for as long as you stay in my prison. You will be treated fairly, and with respect as long as you cooperate. No one in the prison can get in or out unless they are an Earthbender or they are escorted by an Earthbender guard.

Also, it is like an underground labyrinth, and only the guards have the key to getting out.”

“O-okay. So, I’ll be stuck in here forever? I’ll never see my family again? I wish I could have said goodbye to my children and my beautiful wife. Couldn’t I just go see them on holidays? I would have you escort me. Please?” asked Hue in a sad yet hopeful tone

“I know. I wish you could see them too. Its just that, well, we wouldn’t know if you were leading us into a trap. Sorry, I want to trust you, but it would be risky for me to take any of my soldiers to the Fire Nation. Well, I guess that I can take you outside the prison sometimes. Maybe not to the Fire Nation, but you would be able to get some fresh air. If there comes a time when I can trust you more, we might be able to work something out about your family. Okay?”

“Yeah,” replied a deflated Hue.

“Let’s go into the room, Hue. Will you come with me through here?”

“I guess.” The twosome ventured into the room together.