Omashu. One of the largest cities in the Earth Kingdom. Everyone has heard the original tale from long ago of how the two lovers from families Oma and Shu came together despite their disputes and differences. That's why this city was founded. Truly a heartwarming tale, no matter who tells it or how it's worded. Yet there is one story that I find tugs at my strings a slight bit more- even though it's bound to become lost to time.
This story too begins in Omashu, where the streets stay busy both day and night. It's a place of quick business that grants wishes through riches while ignoring the poor on your left and right. Merchants, they arrive from far and from wide- two days from the docks if they were brought with the tide. To spend and to sell before repeating again. To not sleep due to greed 'til their cold, bitter end.
And as for the tourists, they always leave broke. Either their face or their bank- well, sometimes it's both. Because the streets of Omashu are not kind to the stingy. For not everyone here reflects the kind history. See, even back then, thieves hid in the shadows. Among them, Three Urchins. Three heads for the gallows.
One came from some 'crats, another from scholars. The third was alone- aside from the others. But all banded together to rip coin from the greedy. To strip swindlers of value like they did to the needy. And though many more joined this crew in due time, history tells about three who started to climb.
From the dust and the dirt with guts and with grit, each fought themselves out of the rat race and split. Left the walls of Omashu for various reasons. And not one would return for many'a seasons. The daughter of scholars built an empire of knowledge- one her parents would envy and eclipsed any college. The son of aristos lived among many wealthy. From Ba Sing to Shi Ban, his influence grew plenty. As for the poor boy who grew up with nothing in hand, he now had much less. Much less than you could understand.
Decades passed by and each Urchin lived on. The daughter of scholars sought to right many wrongs. The aristo, a fool, returned to live among scum. Neither were happy with who they'd become. But the man who had nothing put it all on the line. Regained all that he wished- each Urchin beside him.
They returned to the dust and the dirt- with guts and with grit- each Urchin found themselves back in the rat race they split. For better or worse, they all hid in the shadows. Together, Three Urchins. Three heads for the gallows.
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Tales, Scripts, and Accounts
FanfictionA non-chronological collection of ATLA-accurate lore that tells the history of Neilu and Shi Ban Dao. Both are long lost to time by the Era of Aang, but what each brought the Four Nations will always remain significant to history. These sections are...
