Chapter 4 – The Bending Alliance
Fan-fiction based on Nickelodeon's Avatar: The Last Airbender and other connected comics and series. Enjoy, and don't forget to let me know what you think in the comments!
Chapter 1 - The Boy in the Apartment
Chapter 2 - The Avatar Returns
Chapter 3 - Re-emergence
The North Woods are a more secluded, arboreal part of New York’s famous Central Park, at the North end of the park. It’s a favorite for hikers and nature lovers, and although it’s located in the heart of Manhattan, gives those in it the sense of being totally away from the big city. Wildlife roam freely, trees are left to grow –or fall –on their own, and the landscape is only touched if a fallen trunk obstructs the trail or poses a danger to visitors. It was one of Steve’s favorite places in the city. He had spent many, many hours just sitting at the ravine in the center of the woods.
Chris parked the Porsche in a lot on 8th avenue, and they both slipped into the park. Although it was now almost 11pm, there was still a good smattering of people milling around –the park was never empty until it was closed by 1am. Occasionally, they would walk past a uniformed cop on patrol.
As they walked in silence, Steve’s thoughts went to his mother. The building’s security must have called her by this time. What would she make of the wreck in the apartment, and the fact that he was gone without his cellphone or anything else? She would probably be out of her mind with worry –for all she knew he might’ve been kidnapped or killed.
Still, Steve felt relieved. What would’ve happened if she had been home when the ninjas attacked? At least, this way she was safe. Thank goodness for her late office hours, today of all days!
But even as he thought it, he realized with a pang that there could be another explanation for her late night. The ninjas had known his apartment –it wasn’t a stretch to assume they knew Laurel, her workplace and her normal route home, too. Would they leave her alone? What if they had already gotten to her? Or what if, since he, the avatar, had slipped their fingers, they went for his mother instead? Had he left his mother to die?
Soon, they were at the Glen Span Arch, a bridge/archway that borders the ravine. Steve could hear the sound of the ravine’s mini waterfall, amplified in the cool night’s air. They had been walking for over 30 minutes.
“This way,” Chris said, moving off the trail.
Steve followed uncertainly. “Are we close yet?”
“Almost there,” Chris replied cheerily.
Steve said nothing. Unlike the Great North Woods that spanned several countries and states, both in the US and Canada, the north woods of Central Park wasn’t very large. And it was strictly guarded –no matter how much pull the McGregors had, Steve couldn’t see how a whole organization could camp here unnoticed. But he couldn’t complain. At least, he was safe from the ninjas.
Suddenly, two black clad figures dropped from the trees directly in front of them, blocking their path. Steve gasped and took a hurried step back, but two more had materialized behind them. They were surrounded by ninjas.
Chris raised his palms and took a step towards those in front. “It’s all right guys,” he said. Then he gestured towards Steve. “I have the Avatar.”
Steve felt a stab of fear. His eyes widened. What was Chris doing? Had he led him here to deliver him to the very same people they were running from? Had it all been a charade?
Chris turned to face Steve himself. The ninjas began to close in, tightening the circle around Steve. His breath quickened as he looked from one to the other and analyzed the space between them. He couldn’t see a way out –they had him cold.
Then, at a signal he did not see, they stopped. And then, one by one, they untied their dark cloth masks and let them fall. Steve saw that two of them were boys not much older than he and Chris. Another, a blonde girl with a disapproving frown was definitely younger. The last one was a much older black man with a full beard and lined face. Steve straightened in surprise. Behind them, Chris was grinning widely.
The man stepped forward. “Avatar Steve,” he said in a deep African accent. “I am Segun Oladunjoye. It’s a great honor to meet you.”
Steve looked warily at each face. “This… this is the bending alliance? I don’t understand.”
Segun nodded gravely. “I understand that you have been attacked by ninjas very much like us. All your questions will be answered once you get inside and meet the director.”
Steve glanced around. “Inside where?”
Segun smiled and nodded to the other ninjas. The boys moved together towards an inconspicuous rock. The girl hesitated. “Sir? The security check?”
Segun shook his head and turned his smile to her. “That won’t be necessary,” he said. “It’s him.”
She nodded and moved to stand beside Chris. Segun took his place in between the boys. “You might want to step back a bit, Avatar,” he called over his shoulder. “Things are about to get a bit rocky.”
In one swift movement, he thrust his palms forward, widened his legs and bent his knees. The boys by his side made similar movements. Then, as one, the three raised their right feet and brought them down on the ground hard. There was deep thud that rumbled through the ground. Steve watched mesmerized as they continued. Segun thrust his palms downward, while the boys raised theirs upward, then the three folded their right palms into fists and tuned away from each other, forming an outward facing semicircle. They pushed the fists forward slowly, as though it was pushing through an invisible obstacle in the air. As they did, the ground in front of the rock opened up and the rock itself rose, revealing a short staircase and a passageway lighted with candles.
Steve heard Chris chuckling behind him and realized his mouth had fallen open.
Segun walked up to him and gestured grandly. “Welcome," he said, "to the Bending Alliance.”
