Chapter 2 : Reality check

Ok first of all being born sucks ass. The pressure from all sides and coming out of a small fleshy hole is painful but nothing compared to the cold when you finally are out and about with all those new sensitive nerves. Like holy shit, I first thought I was born in an open field of the northern water tribe territory or some shit. Not gonna lie I cried like a little bitch but hey if there is one time I can cry like that it was then.

I did try to make out my parents' faces or overhear something, but babies can't see diddle much less hear shit, so that's that. My second discovery was that being a baby is boring besides occasional outbursts of energy you sleep, shit, and eat.

Well besides that when I was awake I did do something and that is I discovered my bending. Wasn't that hard. It's a new sense like a blind person suddenly was able to see. although I can attribute that to my reincarnation as when you can feel a sensation akin to a third arm when you never had one (not counting the one below) it is pretty apparent.

Anyway, with having nothing to do besides staring at the ceiling I had to find ways to entertain myself to not go stupid not go crazy I starter training my seismic sense, and thankfully beside the blanket underneath me I had all the access to earth I needed. I wonder if it's something earth nation does or the orphanage is just poor, further investigation is needed.

...

It turns out it was both, earth kingdom citizens do put babies on the ground to better connect them to the earth or something and we are poor, I mean not starving poor but the orphanage is owned by this sweet old lady we call Nana and she runs the place by small sum she gets from the government and donations of people.

Oh, I'm 3 years old now by the way. Moving for the win! Too bad I can't go out much because we live near the slums, therefore, Nana doesn't allow us, you know thugs, criminals, and drugs. A good thing too, not the first time someone gets kidnaped. Mainly if the criminal suspects you're a bender they take you young to create loyal dogs.

When I first chose Omashu amongst other things I thought that because of Bumi the city would be cleaner. But after his death, the city's expansion and a few decades of the ugliest creatures called humans taking over the city is like all others. Not that it matters much to me, with my seismic sense I can warn others if somebody is coming.

On the topic of bending my talent is showing big time. Most people start learning how to bend young but not at 2. By now I can lift small rocks and throw them around, of course, I do it all in secret. But I'm still a kid, after all, only so much I can do. My seismic sense is now 30 meters around me although I still haven't figured out how to filter information. My main running theory is that my brain still hasn't developed enough to take it all in or just needs to get used to a whole new sense.

...

It has been 3 years and what 3 years it's been. First of all, some wannabe thugs started to harass Nana for 'protection' money. Well, I had some choice 'words' to them if you call the stone pillar right in the family jewels 'talking'. Anyway, after secretly teaching them a lesson the fools thought master earth bender was protecting the orphanage. Really! The sort of precision you need to hit 6 moving targets at the same time right in the target was really impressive. Good thing they didn't see me.

When I hit 5 years, I was finally allowed to wander close to the orphanage, which gave me a chance to practice my bending on some thugs and the 'mysterious' earth bender master started making donations to the orphanage. What a coincidence hmmm…

Then just a week before my 6th birthday I had to kill for the first time.

*Flashback start*

I was doing my usual patrol around the block acting all innocent like to not arouse any suspicion when out of the corner of my eyes I caught four thugs surrounding a teenage girl who is clearly uncomfortable saying the usual 'let us show what a real man looks like' or ' let us show you a fun time' sometimes I wonder if there is a guide book to being a nuisance, at least try to spice things up.

I went around the corner so nobody could see me. I used seismic sense to locate my targets, got into the required stance, and stomped my foot.

"Eekkk!" The first guy shrieked like a girl

"Ahhhh!" The second guy let out a blood-curdling scream.

"Khheeu!" The third guy only managed to wheeze like all air in his lungs got forced out before falling over.

"Fuck! It's the Omashu nutcracker! Run!" Shouted the last guy who just by luck moved just in the right moment.

I know, the what now!? Well, when you crush the quarter of street thugs balls and make them sing for you tend to get a nickname.

"Damn! He's getting away!" I cursed as the last guy was running away.

I contemplated whether to give chase as he is heading to the slums, the only region I never go to because of big criminal traffic there. I was able to do what I do because I never actually pissed anyone important or a bender.

"Fuck it! It's just the edge of slums anyway." I said as I gave chase.

The guy was a slippery rat I can say that much. Tho I really should ramp up my seismic sense as running and monitoring him is still hard. It seems that the more you use this skill the easier it becomes but for now I have to concentrate to do it.

While chasing the perv I noticed a bit too late that he led me to a dark alleyway and before I could retreat the wall behind me got closed off by an earth bender.

'Shit! It was a setup!' I think as I hide behind a nearby dumpster

"I did as you said, boss! And he fell for it. You need to get revenge for the boy's boss." The rat-faced bastard said to a burly man emerging from the shadows.

"Ohh you don't worry about that. Now come out from behind the dumpster I know you're hiding there!" The now identified organizer demands.

"C'mon boys we can talk this out like civilized people can't we?" I walk out with a dejected look on my face trying to get out scot-free.

"Boss, he's just a kid!" Rat bastard exclaims.

"I can see that, you moron!" Boss shouts at his minion.

"Well I see two noble misters with hearts of gold are resolved to stay that way, so I'm going to leave you to your legit and legal business," I say to them with the best smile I can muster and turn away to leave.

"Stop right there!" Shouts boss man.

*Sigh* I sigh stopping.

"C'mon guys it was all just harmless fun. Can't you let me get away with this? I will stop. I promise." I back at him and try to negotiate although I know it's pointless.

"Not how it works kid. Now listen to me very carefully because you have been causing quite a lot of trouble. For everything that you stole from our boys, you will have to repay tenfold-"

"Not gonna happen! You don't even know what I stole. How can you make it tenfold? Find some other sucker!" I retorted.

"This is not your choice anymore kid, we know your face. No running away now. Listen I can see potential in you, all those nobodys you took out, fuck them. Look, after you repay the debt you owe us you can make a lot of money with that talent of yours and you can only go so far by learning to bend by yourself. So will you work with us the easy way or the hard way?" Boss says after reasoning a little, clearly seeing my talent at such a young age.

"But boss you can't let him get away with what he did to us!" Rat guy says still hung up on revenge.

"Shut up! One bender is worth a hundred you worthless bastards! This is the proof. Tell me how long has he been doing this?"

"But bos-"

"Tell me!"

"Almost three years." Minion replies dejectedly.

"And there you have it. Now come with me and tell me your name. I have few jobs in mind for you" The man demands me.

"No!"

"What did you say?" Boss asks with a raised eyebrow.

"I said no! I am not going to become your minion you dickhead!" I say while already doing my signature move.

I watch almost in slow motion as my foot impacts the ground and sends pillars to a place where no sun shines. The minion doesn't get so lucky this time but his boss dodges quite effortlessly showing fighting experience.

"Aghh!" The rat fellow falls over.

"Now you're done, kid it seems we're doing this the hard way," Boss says, getting into official earth bending stance and throwing a huge rock my way. completely not caring about his comrade already passed out on the ground.

I evade the attack coming towards me by sidestepping only to roll back to dodge the earth dome from enclosing me.

I sense him running up to the dome separating us getting ready to jump over.

'hehe.. moron! What kind of earth bender removes himself from the earth.' I think as I throw the rock he previously created.

Just as he jumps over the dome the rock hits him straight in the nose at high speed leaving a satisfying crunch sound as he falls over blood all over his face.

"Aghhh!"

Not letting him get up I create a head-sized rock and throw it in an arc on his chest knocking the air out of his lungs.

Just for good measure I walk over and kick my first real opponent in the head to knock him out.

"Now let's see if you have anything worthwhile," I say, kneeling over searching for his pouch.

"Jackpot! 10k, just my lucky day." I celebrate my winnings.

"You can stop pretending to be unconscious by the way," I say to my rat friend as he opens his eyes glaring at me while holding his crotch.

"You think you've won this don't you!" He spitefully says.

"I mean I'm the one with the balls still intact," I replied smugly.

"Think again punk! Now that we know your face it is only a matter of time before we get revenge on you!" He squeaks in a high-pitched voice hatefully.

I frown as he continues.

"Judging by your cheap clothes, age, and the area you frequent we can narrow it down even further."

My face darkens as I listen.

"You either have a poor family or are an orphan."

As he continues while slowly getting up on his knees I clench my fists.

"Now that I think about it, there is that one orphanage… What was the name of its owner?"

The perp smiles viciously as he sees my face pale while I feel the rage building up inside me.

"Nana! That's right! The bitch has been getting more donations than usual. Maybe I and the boys should pay her and the brats a visi-"

He is cut off by an earth spike that goes straight through his skull.

"Just had to get all smart all of a sudden didn't you." I exhale while slightly trembling and looking at the bloody corpse.

"You did make a good point though. No witnesses needed."

I turn over to the earth bender and try to do the same spike attack only to fail and fall over exhausted. The last attack was fueled more by my emotions than any technique, not that I had any, to begin with now that I think about it.

I slowly walk over to the boss and take the rock still on his chest, crudely morph it into a spike and drive it into his head straight through the eye with all the strength my little 6-year-old body can exert.

With the last of my strength, I bend myself, exit out of the alleyway, and silently leave without looking back.

*Flashback end*

I got the reality check I needed. I mean since I got to this world I treated it like a game, but now I realize that I'm doing the same thing that I did on earth. Take everything for granted. If I don't become an unstoppable force by the start of the story then I might as well be comic relief or an extra.

Now that I had time to think about everything, killing was easy, nominally so and I didn't even feel that bad afterward. Should I? Quick mastery probably played a big part, now that I think about it.

That earth bender was right about one thing. While I'm talented I can only do so much without a master. No really, even Toph had someone to learn from, those being badgermoles. I can't recreate 10 thousand fucking years of progress in bending in my lifetime scratch that I can but it doesn't mean I want to or have time to. So now I need a teacher and a good one at that, bending isn't about just its base element anymore.

I wonder if that metal bending city accepts recruits. Probably not the best choice as Zaofu kinda minds its own business so at best life of a guard. No thank you! Metal bending police force? Nah… the life of a public servant is a life of compromises and trying to appease everyone. I'm good. Pro-bending? The sport itself encompasses only a small part of the art of bending. Wait! Toph that mad genius settled down in Foggy Swamp if I remember correctly!

"Haha! Now I'm sure with my high talent and 'amazing' personality that I've got this in the bag!"