Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Industrialize ❯ Freedom Fighters ( Chapter 1 )

There is this absolutely amazing picture that I will post a link to on my profile. It inspired me to write fanfiction, especially since I'd been wanting to do a modern-Avatar thing for a while. I started one, but I decided it sucked from the beginning, so here I am giving it a second try.

I gotta warn you, this is kind of a futuristic version of Avatar. If you're against pulling them into the modern times (and normally I am, but that's only for “OMG they go to high school and stuffs” fics), I'd suggest turning away now.

Also, title not promised to be the final version. I just can't seem to think up the perfect one yet.

 

Industrialize

Chapter One: Freedom Fighters

 

Somewhere, off in the distance, a clock chimed eight times.

 

As if signaling something important, a hush fell over the normally busy streets. Lanterns flickered to life as the sun finally descending beneath the horizon, and the lamplight fell wickedly over the tough concrete. No one would be out but soldiers; no one would be stupid enough to be out.

 

Katara, apparently, was stupid enough.

 

She hummed to herself and wished she hadn't taken that extra few minutes at the library. Was a measly term paper more important than getting home before dark? Now she would probably be jailed because her house was five feet away and she took five minutes to leave. No one would really notice the young girl dodging the lamplight as if it would give off an alarm to her presence, or they wouldn't have, if she hadn't been wearing bright blue. In the grim streets, she would be the thing that stood out.

 

Sure enough, out of the corner of her eyes, she saw soldiers approach. She remembered reading a long time ago, they wore heavy chest plates and skull-like masks, but now they were dressed in red uniforms and helmets, boots thudding against the ground.

 

Katara walked a little bit faster.

 

Someone grabbed her arm, and she twisted around, ready to attack whoever had a hold of her. A soldier leered down at her, and her eyes went wide.

 

“It's after curfew,” he grinned. “Too bad for a girl like you.”

 

Her eyes narrowed, but she kept calm. “I was just getting home. I'm only a block away.”

 

“I'll walk you there then,” the soldier said. “Don't want you to get into any trouble.”

 

“Of course not,” she murmured. “Would you mind, please, letting go of me?”

 

The soldier complied. She turned around to start walking, very much aware at how close the soldier was keeping. She was more than ready to make a run for it, but he would chase her and probably catch up, and then things could get much worse.

 

Still… if she cut through a yard or two, she might be able to reach her home before he reached her. She could see her usual escape route when she was in a hurry between two hedges and someone's pool. A glance to the soldier told her he wouldn't be expecting it.

 

Katara turned and ran.

 

“Hey!” the soldier called, but she was already through the hedges.

 

This better work, she thought to herself, swinging over the gate. She could hear more than one man running behind her, and she held her breath as she stared down the fork in the alleyway. Right led home.

 

Katara went left.

 

The soldiers were not far behind her now. They were trained for this running thing. Katara didn't do it often enough. Still, her after school activity involved swimming, so she managed to keep a few yards ahead.

 

Suddenly, she tripped.

 

Her cheek slammed against the concrete, and somewhere, a bone made a noise it should not make. She screamed in pain, slowly attempting to stand up. The dead end was only ten feet away at best, but she didn't know she could make it before the soldiers caught up.

 

A shadow fell over Katara, and she dared to look up. There was someone between herself and the soldiers now, someone wielding a large club who looked ready to fight.

 

“Sokka!” she exclaimed, recognizing her brother's form.

 

The boy grinned at her. “Now would be a good time to run.”

 

Katara wasn't going to argue.

 

She managed to make her way to the end of the alleyway and gave a long whistle. Another shadow had joined her brother's, and she smiled as she recognized Toph's stance.

 

Someone dropped down beside her. “Hiya, Katara!” Aang said.

 

Katara smiled at him, grabbing onto his hand as he pulled her up along side the building. “About time! I thought I was going to get killed.”

 

The young boy laughed. “Sokka was following you the entire time. I was afraid he was going to ruin it.”

 

“I could've handled myself,” she scoffed. She sat down on the ground, rubbing the side of her face. “Except I think I busted my knee.”

 

Aang took a long glance at the two teenagers who were standing down the oncoming guards. She sighed. “I'll be fine. Go join `em.”

 

Two seconds later, Aang was scaling the wall, standing in line with his friends. Katara got ready to sit back and enjoy the fight.

 

---

 

Toph steadied her footing, a wide smile stretching over her face. Even in the dark she wore sunglasses she'd painted dark green, but it wasn't like she needed to see. Beside her Sokka held out his dark blue cricket bat, something he'd found exceptionally well for hitting things, especially human skulls. Aang had nothing to fight with, but he was awfully good with it.

 

“How's Katara?” Sokka asked quietly, being the big brother he was.

 

“She'll be fine,” Aang answered. “Might need a few bandages.”

 

“Too bad,” Toph said. “Now it's just going to be work.”

 

The soldiers stopped, staring at the trio. They were no longer amused.

 

“Move out of the way or we'll arrest you all,” the one in the front said.

 

Sokka brandished his bat. “See, that's not gonna work for us. Especially after what you were going to do with my sister.”

 

The solider nodded, and two more flanked him, reaching out to the grab them. Instantly, Toph and Aang hit them hard, and they crumpled back. Sokka cracked his bat against the first soldier's neck, and he shouted, falling to the ground.

 

“This is too easy,” Toph said loudly. “Give me a real challenge.”

 

The two remaining soldiers smiled as they held out their fists. The trio stood confused, until the realization came a moment too late. They could barely dodge the flames as they spiraled forward. Sokka knocked Toph down, who cried out in protest; Aang flattened himself against the wall, eyes widening at the two soldiers.

 

They were benders.

 

Notes:

I was going to keep it going, but I couldn't find a good stopping point after that.

There's an explanation in the next chapter as to why this is so amazing.

I wasn't going to add in Aang in the first chapter. I was going to do something else with him. But this is much easier, and I don't think I could do the other thing so well.

I'm kind of proud of this. But with all the other stories I've got swimming around, I don't think I can get too attached.

Oh, and as to the finale:

KAHGJAHUGHAKJAT!!!