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

Chapter 15: We All Have Secrets

Ippei woke up in water. His hair was wet and his clothes were soaked through. The water sloshed in his shoes as he stood and looked around. All around him he could see the dark ebb and flow of the waves stretching to the horizon. The sky was dark and there were neither stars nor the moon he could see. Where was he? He sloshed around taking giant steps to move through the two-foot deep liquid.

Then, he saw his reflection. Was it a mirror? He walked closer to it to inspect it. There he was. His blue eyes pierced the darkness and stared back at him. The scar on his chin matched his. But, something wasn't right. He touched his hand to the mirror but instead of feeling glass he felt the warm touch of a person. With a shock, he looked up into his reflection's eyes and fell back into the chilly water. Slowly, he regained his footing and put both hands up. The Ippei in the mirror matched his movement and stared at him. Then, something happened. The reflection grew blurry and the image rippled like a pond whose surface had been hit by a stone. The blue eyes were replaced with gray, the scar disappeared, and the image took a new shape.

Ippei looked with near horror as his reflection morphed into that of the Avatar. The Avatar matched his gaze and he could feel the warm touch of the metal bender. Ippei grew hot with anger and tried to strike the Avatar but he couldn't move. The Avatar had reached through and gripped his wrists with the strength of ten men. Ippei struggled to free himself. He screamed in frustration as the water raised to cover his mouth silencing his screams.

Renko woke up in cold sweat. He sat up gasping for air, his heart raced as he tried to grip his surroundings. Purple walls, purple ceiling, purple floors. Yep, he was in the Hotel Zoso. Shakily, he stepped out of bed. With each step to the bathroom, his legs shook. When he made it to the bathroom he looked into the mirror. Good, he thought to himself. I see me and no one else in my reflection. The dream of the blue-eyed boy grabbing him would haunt him for a while. He reached forward and was grateful to feel the cool touch of glass. He stood there for a moment longer before he walked back out and stood at the window. The sun had set but it wasn't too late. He looked down at the fire pit near the pool and could see Pāru, Tiulo, and Ahmad sitting around it. Ahmad would occasionally toss apples behind him for Lhasa to catch and eat.

When Renko walked down to meet them, Ahmad was the first one to speak.

"How was your nap?"

"Uh," Renko said. "How long was I out?"

"A couple of hours."

"Oh," Renko look a little embarrassed. "I'm sorry I kept you guys waiting."

"Don't be," Pāru chimed in. "If we're going to Ba Seng Sei, we needed the time to get supplies."

"And I gave Tiulo a flying lesson on Lhasa," Ahmad nudged Tiulo with his elbow.

"Yeah..." Tiulo slowing said. "I think I passed out for a minute though."

Lhasa grunted loudly. Tiulo wondered if that was her way of saying "yes"

"Right Ba Seng Sei," Renko said. "I know it's a long ways away. You guys don't have to come."

"No, but why wouldn't we?" Tiulo said. "We're a team."

"And I agree with you," Pāru said to Renko. "The Dark Hand surprised me today. I don't like surprises. Renko, if you think the Dark Hand is planning something in the walled city, as an Air Bender, I can't let people get hurt. I can't let them surprise me again."

"I know they are," Renko sat down with everyone else. He brought down the map that the Misty Palms Police Station gave him. On it, several cities were circled including Ba Seng Sei.

"The police department gave me this after they arrested the mayor. There's been a lot of chatter on the police radio lines about suspected terrorist activity in the Earth States. After dealing with them in Zaofu, and the Fire Nation Capital, I think it would make sense for them to attack the biggest city in the world."

"Hmmmm, the spiritual presence of Ba Seng Sei isn't very strong," Tiulo said. "Are you sure they would attack there?"

"Yes."

"Well, in that case, I can try connecting with the spirits here and they can warn whatever spirits are in the city."

"And," Renko said. "A couple more things, my grandparents and uncles live there. I can't let them anything happen to them."

"And the second thing?" Ahmad asked.

"I have the feeling that I'm supposed to go to Ba Seng Sei. Like, something is pulling me there and I can't quite explain it."

"That's your Avatar spirit," Tiulo knowingly said. "It's pulling you in the direction you need to go. For better or worse."

The four of them sat around the fire for a couple of hours more talking and planning. Ba Seng Sei was about a two days trip away and they would need to cross the desert. Whatever they needed they had to get it that next morning. All the while, Renko couldn't shake his weird feeling. Tiulo said it was his Avatar spirit, and, maybe it was. Still, after the memory and the dream, he couldn't help but worry it was something worse. Ahmad nudged him and gave him a look. Renko had been staring in the fire and didn't notice that Pāru and Tiulo had already gone to bed.

"Sorry, what did I miss?" Renko asked.

"Nothing..." Ahmad said. "Are you okay? You never told me what you saw in the memory."

"Yeah, I guess not."

"I guess we'll talk about it later?"

"Yeah."

They sat in silence for a little bit and stared at the fire.

"I'm sorry I've been distant after what happened today," Renko said.

"You have a lot going on," Ahmad said. "I get it."

"Still. We are a team and I need to be more open."

"Renko," Ahmad looked into his eyes. "You aren't the only one who needs to be more open. I think when the time is right everything will be revealed."

"You're right."

The two sat back and stared into the fire.