The History of Renko: Book 2 Voyager (Avatar, BoyxBoy)

Chapter 12: An Unwelcomed Vacation

Renko sat in a jail cell with metal cuffs on his wrists. The stout two-story police building only had a couple of cells on the second floor and a few officers guarded them. As uncomfortable as the cuffs were on Renko's wrists, he did enjoy the air conditioning. The desert heat outside had gotten unbearable. The officer who stood guard on Renko tried hard not to look back on him in awe. He was young, with brown eyes but had a weak jaw. The blue suit he wore was simple, suggesting that he wasn't highly ranked, and wore a black cap with the city seal.

"You know," Renko said to the officer. "This is my second time being in handcuffs. I could snap these in two like a tree branch."

"B-b-but," the officer stuttered. "You're not going to right? I-I-I don't want a fight."

"Well," Renko replied. "I mean, eventually, I will have to break out. Or, you could let me out."

"I was told to keep you here until someone posted your bail," the officer said. "I could get demoted."

"Hmmm, well, I guess we're both going to just sit here."

The two sat in silence for a little bit until the officer spoke again.

"What are you doing in the Misty Palms anyway?"

"Well," Renko said. "Let me take you back two days ago...."

Two days ago,

Renko meditated in a quiet part of the temple. He was away from the young air benders just starting their training and away from their questions. They weren't annoying, just, a lot to deal with. He breathed in and out and felt the breeze blow around him. Air was the element of freedom and he tried to free his spirit. However, he kept losing his focus. He chose instead to watch the sun as it neared the horizon. The blazing ball of fire nearly filled his vision. Someone walked up behind him.

"Renko?"

Behind him stood Ahmad. He was fully dressed in the standard air nomad wingsuit with a blue eight-pointed star on his right breast. With a smile, he reached out a hand to help Renko up.

"I, uh, like your outfit."

Ahmad was talking about the forest green button up shirt that Renko was wearing. It was long and went down to his knees where he wore slim fitted white pants. His shirt was thin enough that Ahmad could see the outline of his chest. Ahmad tried not to blush. Again.

"Thanks," Renko said. "I figured, since I never learned how to fly, I didn't need the wingsuit."

"Well, you look really good," Ahmad said. He held out his hand. In it, was a blue eight-pointed star. "I thought the four of us could have something to wear together, since, we're a team. I already gave one to Pāru and Tiulo."

"I love it," Renko took the star and placed it on his right breast to match Ahmad. "Let's fly."

"Then," Renko said to the officer. "We met Lhasa, Ahmad's sky bison."

"I've never met a sky bison," the officer said. "I'll see them flying high in the sky every once in a while but they don't often come to the desert."

"They can be pretty terrifying at first," Renko nodded his head as he spoke. "But, after you get to know them, they're very friendly."

"And then what happened?"

The sun had nearly set as Renko, Tiulo, Pāru, and Ahmad flew south-east towards the Si Wong Desert, right at the heart of the Earth States. Pāru wore her air nomad wingsuit while Tiulo diverged from his usual long robes to a simple blue button up shirt that matched Renko's. His knuckles were white as he gripped the saddle they all sat on. Ahmad sat at the "driver's seat" piloting his sky bison.