Round 2: A Match Between Prodigies

(A few hours earlier)

Three snow vehicles were driving through the icy tundra on their way to the Southern water tribe compound. In the second vehicle, four people were present. Those four people were the two teenagers, who were going to fight against Kai, and the two Earth kingdom men, who were accompanying them. The two men sat across from them, and the one on the right, with a carefree expression, glanced at the two young Earthbending prodigies. The one on the right was Ganu, the brother, and the one on the left was Tola, the sister. He looked at their faces and saw their annoyed expressions.

He had an idea why they were like this, but he still wanted to ask, "What's with those restless expressions? Ganu? Tola?"

The two teenagers were a bit startled by the sudden question from their teacher. They hurriedly resumed their respected positions and Ganu answered, "N-nothing, Teacher."

"Oh?" The man raised an eyebrow and continued with his questions, "Then why do I sense… hostility emanating from you both, If I may ask?"

Ganu looked at his teacher and saw the same knowing look he would always have when he was right. He then relented, and he began to speak his mind, "It's about what we're about to do, Teacher."

"And what might that be, Ganu?", He asked knowing fully well what Ganu meant. And Ganu knew that, however, he continued to speak his mind," This. The fact that we have to go halfway around the world to go and… fight this, this, nobody from Republic City. With all due respect, Teacher, but, … we have more important things to deal with than to go and test some street rat. Is there even a reason for this, Teacher? Again with all due respect."

The man listened to what his disciple had to say and didn't interrupt him. He knew that Ganu was always someone that spoke his mind no matter what. So, he didn't mind it, but he rather encouraged it. 'One of the many quirks of being a talented Earthbender', he always used to say.

After Ganu was done explaining his reason for his sour presence today, he then spoke, "I completely understand your reasons, Ganu. If I was in your shoes, I'd probably feel the same way too, to be honest. But, … "

He took a slight pause. And seeing his student's curious and somewhat exhausted expression at his antics, he couldn't help but grin. Ganu took notice of this and just sighed, "Teacher."

"Hihihi. As I was saying, yes, there is a reason why I accepted Tenzin's request to bring you and your sister all the way to the South Pole to face this… 'Street rat' as you so kindly have called him."

"…"

There was a momentary silence in the vehicle. And Ganu already figured out that his Teacher wasn't going to spill the beans. He sighed, and then he spoke," Teacher, you're not going to tell us what the reason is, aren't you?"

There was another silence in the air and he replied nonchalantly, "Nope."

Ganu then dropped the matter, since his Teacher was keeping a tight lip on the reason for their journey. He glanced at his sister beside him, who hadn't said a word the entire trip. And he began to think to himself, 'Well, whatever the reason is for all of this is, I personally think that the masters are taking this way too seriously. Whoever this Kai is, he's most likely going to be a massive waste of our time.'

Ganu then glanced outside the snow vehicle and saw that they had already arrived at the White Lotus base, and continued his inner thoughts,

'Besides, he's probably just another nobody, anyway.'

(A few hours later)

"What's the matter? Ya givin' up?"

Ganu snapped out of his thoughts and looked at Kai, who had a mocking smile on his face, and was clearly taunting him. He then glanced at his sister next to him.

"You okay, Tola?", He asked with a concerned tone.

His sister then looked at him, and slowly got back up to her feet. She took a few deep breaths and then nodded her head. Ganu responded with a nod of his own, and they both looked at Kai with fiery gazes. Kai noticed their change in demeanor, and he made himself ready.

"Looks like you guys are finally takin' it seriously, huh?"

Ganu heard his comment and replied with a slight grumble in his voice, "You said you wanted a fight, right? Then a fight you shall receive."

Kai was thoroughly excited at Ganu's reply. He was now going to find out what months, and months of training and sparing had shaped him to be. He couldn't help but smile at this beautiful, and lovely day. This time the fight that was months, and months in the making was truly about to start, and it was going to be hectic.

Under the wooden pavilion…

The spectators were watching this battle that was about to commence with high expectations, and also with some quiet concern. Tenzin was positive that he would be strong enough to protect the people here. And with two other powerful Earthbenders beside him, he was optimistic that they would be safe. For now, at least.

"Hehehehe."

Tenzin heard a peal of laughter next to him, and it was the one with the carefree expression. He raised a brow, and bushy eyebrow, and asked with a hint of curiosity, "May I ask why you are laughing? Master Ran?"

The one with the gleeful look, whose name was Ran, turned his head to Tenzin and said, "Oh, It's nothing, Master Tenzin. Looks like this match between prodigies is about to finally begin."

Back on the stage…

The defeated siblings were preparing their revenge, and Kai, like always was eagerly waiting for what they were going to bring to the table. The siblings stood next to each other with the same fiery gaze in their eyes, as they glared at their opponent or their enemy.

Ganu glanced at his sister, Tola, who had a different expression than her usual non-expressive one. He had never seen her like this before, except when they were younger. He then said to her, "You ready, sister?"

Ganu expected her usual silence and then a nod after it, but what he didn't expect was an answer from her.

"Yes."

Although it was a soft answer, it was still an answer nonetheless. He was genuinely surprised when she finally spoke. Even Ganu couldn't help but smile, which went unnoticed by Kai. He then turned his attention toward their main opponent, who was waiting patiently for them.

"Then, Let's show him what we're capable of."

Ganu then made the first move. He hurriedly stomped his foot on the ground and lifted his arms up, and a large rock three times his size rose up from the ground. Then following up was Tola, who did a flawless back kick at the large piece of earth in front of her, and it flew through the air on its way to Kai with speed.

But, Kai didn't just stand around to let it get closer to him, Instead, he chose to run directly to it. As he got closer to it, Kai then launched himself into the air, and narrowly avoided it. As for the boulder, it continued flying through the air and was on its way to the wooden pavilion. Tenzin immediately took action and jumped in front of the speeding boulder. The wind started to circulate around him, and Tenzin did a series of movements with his hands, and the massive rock started to go up and crash behind the wooden pavilion.

He then looked back at the stage with disbelief as the three highly talented Earthbenders started to go at each other. Kai, who was on the more aggressive side, came up with a plan not just to fight both of them at the same time. But, he wanted to try to separate one of them even for a moment and focus his attacks on the other, and so on. While the other side knew they had the numbers, and wanted to overpower Kai as much as possible. But, they had to make sure they would not lose sight of one another, and if they did, Kai would then take advantage of their miscommunication and capitalize on it.

Tenzin was lost in thought as he looked at the raging battle in front of him, and a voice brought him out of it, "Uh, Master Tenzin!".

Tenzin looked back at the pavilion and knew that it was Master Ran who had called out to him. And he continued, "Don't you think that it might be a good idea to simply go to a much safer place, hmm? Not for us, of course, but, um, for the three gentlemen here who are shaking in their boots."

Ran then pointed to the three Lotus members on his left, who were literally shaking in their boots. Tenzin then used his bending to make him float over to the three Lotus members, and gently carry them away. But, the other two wanted to stay there to enjoy the first-class seats.

Back to the fight, Kai was holding his own against two massively talented Earthbenders. For every attack the two siblings had on him, Kai would always have a counter-attack at the ready for them. But, still, the fight between them was very fierce and evenly matched. Right now, the stage that they were fighting on was starting to strain because of the powerful strikes they were creating. The two siblings were working together like a well-oiled machine, and Kai was like a literal one-man army.

And, as of now, their battle was starting to get the attention of the whole Southern water tribe compound. More and more sentries were starting to gather and were spectating the fight between the three Earthbenders. It would sometimes be boring for days on end, and the only action that they would see was seeing the Avatar training with other benders, but that was about it. So, seeing this never before seen epic battle between two unknown, but powerful benders was definitely better.

"So, how do you think'll win?", Asked a sentry of his friend, who was observing the match from afar, along with others.

"I got the two siblings. You?"

"I got the boy."

"Oh, come one. It's two against one. He'll definitely lose this round."

The two friends were constantly going back and forth with each other, but another one shut them up, "Hey! You two knock it off and focus on the match. It's not over yet."

The bickering between the two ended but was still going on silently. And as for the others? they were just enjoying the spectacle in front of them.

Currently, Kai was trapped between a rock and a hard place. Tola had him sinking into the ground coupled with more restraint, and it seems that the siblings were setting him up with a finishing move. But, they had to move quickly. So, they stood on the opposite side of kai, who was sinking faster into the ground along with a thick mount engulfing him. They both took their stands, and they send large streams of rock pillars with the sole purpose of crushing him.

"Looks like the kid's done.", Said a sentry among the crowds watching. Some agreed with the man's comment.

Kai saw the stream of gigantic rock columns heading straight for him with the intent of crushing him like a bug. And Kai, like the adrenaline junky that he is smiled at the life-and-death situation he had found himself in. Tenzin, who was back under the wooden pavilion, wanted to step in and stop this match that was going too far in his eyes. But, was held back by Master Ran, and he said,

"No, Tenzin! You'll only destroy the progress that they have built up! Let them fight. I'm pretty sure that boy has he way of getting out of his... current predicament."

Tenzin wanted to ignore what Master Ran had said, but something stopped him. Back on the stage, Kai was still caught like a rat in a trap, and the rock pillars were getting closer to reaching their goal. He closed his eyes, and it seemed that he was waiting for the inevitable. But, they would have to try harder than that.

Kai then began to heavily focus on something. His head was shaking, and veins were popping out of his face, as sweat was dropping from his head. He started groaning like he was in pain and gritted his teeth, and then he jutted his head upwards with a yell,

"Nnnggaahhh!!"

And out of the ground, two massive Earth walls seemingly erected by themselves and blocked the oncoming streams of gigantic rock pillars that were headed for him! But, Kai didn't stop there. He focused heavily again. and then turned his head again with a grunt, and the ground was starting to rotate like a whirlpool, instantly swallowing him up.

The siblings were shocked at what just transpired a few moments ago, and they immediately made their way toward Kai. But, there wasn't anyone there. He was gone. He couldn't escape out of there by himself? Tola had made sure that he was unable to earthbend just for a couple of seconds to finish this. So, how did he make it out of there?

These were the thoughts that swirled in their minds. But, Master Ran, and Master Shen, who has seen it, knew what Kai had done. Remote Earthbending. If an Earthbender was suspended from the ground or was temporarily incapable of Earthbending. Then an Earthbender could focus his energies, and bend the earth out of physical reach out of sheer concentration. And the only recorded benders who were able to do that were king Bumi, and of course, the Avatar.

[Correct me if I'm wrong]

From the other side of the stage, Kai appeared from out of the ground. He instantly went down on one knee and then on both. His shirt was torn, leaving some of his upper body bare. He started to breathe heavily like he was trying to find air. Furthermore, he felt like a migraine was beginning to take place, and that he was about to faint at any moment.

And if that couldn't get any worse, the siblings who hadn't been able to get the upper hand on the fight, finally capitalized on the opportunity. Without giving Kai room to breathe, they instantly went on the attack, by sending streams of rock columns straight at him. Kai tried to raise up a shield to protect him, but it was too weak. In an instant, the shield exploded as it couldn't withstand the impact of their attacks.

*BOOM!"

Kai was sent flying out off the stage and crashed on the ground. As he lay on the ground, practically gasping for air, a weary smile appeared on his face. He then saw the two siblings walk up to the edge of the stage looking down at him.

"Hehehe. Oh, how the tables have turned."