Post #2527432 in Avatar: The New Legend, a roleplay on RPG

Aonani

Aonani was awake early in the morning. He couldn’t stand sleeping in when he had plans. His head began coming up with crazy ideas as to what he could possibly miss. Today, he was heading down to the town to compete in what was going to be a championship, at least for a little bit. He wondered if there would be any new benders there to go against.

As Nani walked to the washroom, he ran his hands through his red hair that was pulled back at the moment. He really wasn’t nervous about competing, he was excited. There were always ideas to get from people and recently, there haven’t been many. The city was what he saw everyday unless he traveled and though he traveled often, sometimes with his father, sometimes alone.

Nani splashed water on his face and untied his hair as he looked in the mirror. The light yellow tips of his hair made him consider how he was going to put it up for the competition. Maybe he wouldn’t put it up. It would probably get dirty, but hey, he could always put it up after the first round.

He was in the championship. After a week of bending and competing, Nani had made it to the championship and was facing some earthbender from the colonies. Maybe the guy knew his cousin, Nani hoped he didn’t.

Nani left the washroom, changing into what he would wear throughout the palace halls. He would strip the outer, armor layer right before he left, stowing it into a closet, then slip on a cloak and go down to town. It was a simple enough plan that usually almost always worked except on holidays, which he didn’t bother leaving the palace during anymore.

As Nani crept down the hall, trying his best to avoid his butler, Nani saw the family portrait and paused. His father, mother, and he were all sitting, he was a tiny baby. Nani smiled slightly as he ducked his head and kept walking.

Nani took off his armor, leaving a note for his father with one of the servants before taking off anything that might show him to be someone other than a regular citizen, grabbed his cloak, and took off towards the wall that he would climb to head to town.

It wasn’t that his father was super strict; it was his butler who also took it upon his older self to act like a nanny to a seventeen year old prince who knew how to not get hurt. As Nani walked, he took his hood down. For some reason, not everyone knew who he was. It wasn’t like the prince was famous to the people; they just didn’t see his face enough to recognize him on the streets. People at the fighting place didn’t even know his full name, everyone just called him Nani.

Nani took out the roll of bandages he kept in his bag for whenever he competed. Normally, he wouldn’t cover it up, but the burn on his shoulder was something that he hated, and it gave him away. Everyone had heard of the prince that had uncovered his cousin’s murderous intent and added that he had gotten injured in the process though the scar was older than that fiasco. People liked to stretch stories and even if Nani wanted to get rid of them, nobody would believe him without an explanation, and even then people were reluctant.

Nani smiled out at the nearby lake. The arena was right next to one of the many in the capital city. He paused at the market which was opening only then. He spotted a food stall and approached, paying for an apple and taking a bite. He then saw some kids nearby as they broke out a ball and passed it to each other with their feet. Nani, having plenty of time before the championship, stole the ball, joining the game in an instant as the children recognize Nani and play with him. The youngest, a little boy named Hiroki, was really good at the game and always talked or waved as Nani passed.

Nearly a half hour later Nani heads to the arena. He made his way back to the rooms for fighters and took his place in a room that was set up for him. It was small, but because of his constant coming and acts, the owner of the fighting place gave him a room, that and seeing the scar and understanding.

Nani changed, staring at the scar that just barely reached over his shoulder. He sighed softly before beginning to wrap it up. This wasn’t like those the pro-bending tournaments that were held in capital city, but a small tournament like what the old earth bending general lady or whatever fought in. Her name was Toph Beifong and she was said to have worked with one of the avatars.

Nani looked at the time and smiled, he was always on time to fights, and it probably would drive his father insane if he knew that considering he was late to even his birthday celebration. He still didn't know how that worked itself out...

Nani paused in his wrapping. He wondered if there really was an avatar. They were always told there was though everyone thought it was a legend because there was peace and who would need an avatar at a time of peace?

Nani shook his head. He knew better than to think like that. His father believed in the avatar, dead or alive, yet Nani wasn’t sure.

Taking a deep breath, Nani finishes the wraps and begins to shakeout his arms. He needed to get warmed up, get ready. He was excited, that was for sure, but he didn’t know how it would go. There were simple rules, a lot like tournament play, but there weren’t teams. It was individual against individual.

Nani heard his name called and stepped from the small room into the light. Cheers erupted from the crowd that had gathered for the midday tournament championship. Nani waved at people as he walked out, winking at the kids that he had played with earlier who had seats high up in the stands. He wasn’t sure if they saw it until Hiroki waved back.

Nani looks at his opponent and furrows his brow. Why was he facing this guy? He looked to be Nani’s age, but definitely not used to losing.

”Nani, that’s a rather feminine name isn’t it?” Nani smiled at the guys attempt to unsettle or embarrass him. Not the first time his name was called girly.

Nani shakes his head as he pushes off the shoulder thing he wore, just as a traditional thing. He was told it belonged to some relative. ”Nah, my dad gave me that name and let me tell you, he is definitely in a better position that you are my friend,” Nani says with another wink as he walks forward.

The guy looked somewhat unsettled, his blonde hair in his eyes. Nani reached up and pulled his hair back, tying it up to avoid the mistake he saw coming.

The crowd was cheering at what Nani said though they had no clue what Nani’s dad did. Ruling a fire nation could be considered a pretty good job to most people.

The bell rang and the other fellow sprang forward. Nani shook his head inwardly as he lost his smile and ducked under the coming wave of fire. Nani lit his hands and sent a wave at the fellow who did went over the wave with a smile that made Nani think the fight wasn’t fair. How was he going to make this guy not feel bad?

Nani loved the fighting here. The cool floor was nice and he enjoyed the feel against his bare feet. The other guy wasn’t wearing a shirt either like the tournament suggests though his upper body was covered in tattoos.

Nani dodged another attack before rolling to avoid yet another, coming up on one knee to fire back at the man. He gets a roar of approval as he stands by doing a flip which allowed him to fire at the fellow sending him back a few steps. The rest of the fight went by quickly with the other guy on the ground.

Nani, declared the winner, waves at the crowd and nods at the other fellow as he walks back to his room. The tournament owner approaches the man with a small bag and hands it to him, the guy staring at the back of Nani’s head as he walks to the room. It was only half of Nani's earnings. Nani needed the other half for something, that he couldn't quite remember at the moment.

He didn’t really feel like changing and moved to slip on his vest and boots. Grabbing the undershirt, he threw it over his arm as he walked out of the room and headed back towards the palace. It was hot out and he certainly didn’t want to wear the long sleeves he had brought.

A second later, Nani remembered he was supposed to pick up flowers. He would lay them down at his old masters and mothers grave which were both on palace grounds. Changing course, Nani began the other way, smiling as he realized that was why he only wanted half his earnings for the day. He didn't want the fire nation accountant to wonder why money was being spent in town often, so he used his own.

Snippet #2527432

located in The World of Avatar the Last Airbender, a part of Avatar: The New Legend, one of the many universes on RPG.

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