It was a wonderful day in the middle ring of Ba Sing Se. In a nice little park just outside of the shopping district. A boy was sitting under a tree, snacking on a few tasty apples and oranges he had swiped from a few stalls when their owners weren’t looking. This child’s name was Zhou Line. Or, what he was known more so as by the guards of the city, ‘Liū Huá Shé’ or ‘Slippery Snake’. Why a shady name for a child? Because the child has to steal to survive. And every time the guards catch him and give pursuit, he either outruns them or outreaches them. Just on cue, however. Some of the guards spotted him and recognized his face from the wanted posters all around the area. They approached him, looking down on him as he ate. He looked over just in time to see them approaching. He popped the last apple he had in his mouth and instantly jumped up, grabbing his hook swords and makes a mad dash.

“Hey, you, stop!”

The chase had begun. Zhou had hold of his hooks swords in each hand, running through the markets after having pulled up his face mask to cover the lower half of his face. The chase was nothing to him, though. This was an everyday occurrence for the boy, it also kept him in shape as well and also provided him with ideas on escape routes. The boy was quick in his movement, leaping and climbing up on stalls and rooftops to avoid his captors. He used his hook blades quite well. He didn’t use them in combat if it could be helped. But, he did use them a lot as an extension of his arms. They helped in latch onto structures and climb them as well, swing through small openings and all around increased his mobility Eventually, he even leaps through a cabbage cart, the hook blades pulling the cart apart by its supports and crumbling.

“Daah, my cabbages!!!”

“Sorry!”

Zhou shouted as he continued his evading of the guards that were chasing him. He leaps onto a roof after hooking his blades into a wall, climbing up it like it was an easy feat. Once he knew he was a good distance between them, he drops down in an alley way and sheaths his hook swords, he lifts both of his arms up in a quick motion and creates a nearly perfect wall of rock to make it look like it was the dead end. Immediately turning on his heel and sprints off to his home.

“Geez, these old men are never going to catch me. The guard needs more workout sessions for their men.”

He said with a light chuckle as he made his way to his home. It was getting to be about that time to call it a day anyways. He had dinner to make back home.Once he made it back home, he removed his bracers and shin guards after placing his hook blades on their rightful place on the wall. The building he lived in used to be a small out of the way merchant shop. Since it was abandoned, however Zhou thought it would make a great place to call home. He has been living in this out of the way building for about three years now. He keeps it as home-like as possible, having furry guests come in and visit him now and again. But most animals usually warm up to him. He offers them nuts and fruits. Since it is only mainly small creatures that come and see him. Luckily they learned to only come and see him when he is home. Maybe since he treated them so nicely, they understood. Eh, animals and their way of thought is never really clear. Why does Zhou live on his own at such a young age? Well, it all started one day when his father just...seemed to vanish without a trace.

He woke up in the morning one day and they were just gone. No signs of a struggle in the house or force of entry. It’s like they simply disappeared. Zhou lived outside the walls of Ba Sing Se away from the big city in a small tight-knit village. He was raised like any other child and discovered his talent for earthbending at a younger age. A gift that was passed down to him from his father. Fang Lin. Zhou doesn’t remember much about his mother, unfortunately. His father told her she went somewhere far far away with her mother and father. Only until later he found out that she had died while giving birth to her son shortly after. He didn’t resent his father for lying to him, though. He knew he was just trying to protect his feelings.

After dinner was cooked and consumed, Zhou washed up and got ready for bed. It was indeed that time to get some shut-eye, and be ready for the day that would come tomorrow. Once he laid his head down and closed his eyes, however, sleep would bring a dream that would...not seem to make sense to him. More like a vision than anything. Images flashed before Zhou in the dream, indicating at least two different paths that were possible an image of the glowing blue stone. An armored hand reaching out to grab him or vanishing into a blinding light. This vision continued to plague Zhou’s mind until he woke up in the morning, sitting up and breathing heavily, sweat dripping down his body...

“That dream...it felt so vivid….”

He looked out his window, seeing storm clouds coming to gather over the city.

“Is it a warning of something to come soon…?”

He asked himself as he stood up and washed the sweat from his body. He gets dressed and grabs his weapons and bag, packing his father’s earthbending scrolls and all the items he needed the most.

“I think...it’s time I find myself a new home…”

He said to himself as he tied his bag over his shoulder. He leaves behind a few fruits and snacks for the animal friends that would visit in the middle of the floor.

“Sorry guys, but I need to move on. It was fun.”

He said before jumping out his window, beginning his journey elsewhere. He pulls his hood over his mask and put his face mask on. Once he made his way to the lower ring by sneaking past the guards, he noticed it was oddly quiet. No one was out...at all today. Then he heard it. The sound of many footsteps heading his way. They were the footsteps of guards coming to surround him. He could feel it through the ground. Once they got to him and surrounded him, the captain came forward shouting out commands.

“Remove the mask and drop your weapons son. We don’t want to have to hurt a kid…”

“For what? For stealing a few pieces of food each day so I can survive? I don’t have any family to provide for me so I do what I have to do.”

The captain actually took pity on the boy, but he had a job to do.

“I know son. Your father used to be one of our brightest guards. But we haven’t seen him since his disappearance.If you come with us, we can see about helping you.”

Zhou slowly reaches behind him and draws his hook swords.

“Help me how? By throwing me in jail? Trying me as an adult in court? No thanks. I will take my chances on the outside of Ba Sing Se.”

The captain shakes his head.

“Look around you, boy. You are surrounded by guards. Where are you going to go?”

Zhou smiled under his hood, gripping his swords and going into a stance that surprised the captain, his eyes widening.

“I know that stance. That is your father’s….”

He suddenly steps back, as do all the guards.

“He is going to use the ‘Sand Snake’ technique! Get back all of you!”

But it was too late. Zhou stomps his foot on the ground and is immediately lifted off the ground slightly and begins to ride the ground on a flat thick rock. Hook swords held out as he starts to grab the guards by the ankles and trip them as he rides his way through. His objective was the main gate that leads outside of the lower wall. After that, he was free of this place. Finally, his goal was within his sight. Once he would get to the wall, he’d ride upon a stone platform and make his way down the other side of the wall. He sheaths his blades and continues riding to his freedom, only to have a massive wall start to go up in front of him. He comes to a complete stop before colliding into it. The Dai li making their appearance finally.

“End of the road kid…”

One of them said as he threw one of their signature stone hands at him. Zhou quickly deflected it and shattered it.

“My father’s scrolls have taught me all about your cheap tricks. Long Fang needs to train his troops better…”

“And just like your father, you are nothing but a nuisance. Stand down, Zhou Lin. Don’t make yourself an enemy of the state...like your father did.”

It finally hit him.

“You...are the one who took my father didn’t you..? You people specialize in quick and silent kidnapping. It had to be you!”

“Your father made his own choice, Zhou. And it ended in his demise…”

Zhou was about to go into a rage when he noticed something falling towards him from the sky. Upon closer inspection, it was that strange fine blue crystal he had seen in his dream, and it was headed straight for him. He grins to the agents.

“You won’t get the chance to take me. You may have killed my father, but you aren’t getting me!” He said as he stomped the ground again, this time a large rock pillar shoots him off the ground and into the air. He grabs the glowing crystal and clutches it tight to his chest.

“I don’t know what you do or what you are. But please..take me away from this place, even this world. Get me out of here!

“As you wish, warrior of stone and earth.”

Said the crystal in a soothing warm female voice. And just like that, in a blinding light, he was gone.

--Ponyville, Sweet Apple Acres,Midnight--

The blinding light appears once more this time spitting him out into a field of trees. And not just any trees. Apple trees. He smiles lightly to himself, happy to be away from the bigcity.

“Whatever you are...thank you..”

There was no response, but that was okay, he was still grateful. He stands up and grabs one of the apples off the tree with one of his hook swords, catching it as it falls and takes a big bite out of it.

“Aaah, sweet freedom…”

He said as he makes himself a rock shelter in the opening he landed in, making it his home...for now. Little did he know though, this world had plans for the young earthbender. And he was going to get involved in things he never thought would involve him.

Author's Note

Here you go everyone, prologue complete.