For a long time there have been four nations were built off the elements. Those elements were Air, water, earth, and fire. A special being known as the avatar could combine these elements and free the world. But this isn't the avatar's story. This is Rosh's, so let's shift focus.
'Well, I'm not sure if this is what you wanted. I don't know the best way to start. I guess I can begin by introducing myself. Name's Rosh, I was second in command of the 31st Company a few years ago. I worked for a guy named Macai; he had a crazy Princess girlfriend with blue fire.' Show Azula.
'That was my homie, make no mistake but I got kinda tired of living under his shadow. It was time I told my own story. Year after year, I took on different jobs. None of them gave me any real fulfillment. So, I decided to get stationed somewhere. I signed up for duty at a town called Ural.' Display large city with palm trees and tall yellow-green grass.
'Now being a soldier isn't what it used to be. Since this is peace time, being stationed is more or less being a glorified police officer. I sit around and bunch a couple of criminals every now and then. Now Ural wasn't like any city, it once belonged to the Earth Kingdom. Then it was taken by the Fire Nation and now it belongs to the Earth Kingdom but still has a Fire Nation embassy.'
'You see lands like this, always come with some type of controversy. It reminds me of how Zuko and the Earth King almost got into a war over topics like this for. Tensions cooled down since then. Now I don't have a team, and I honestly don't know what life is all about. Most people remember of heard about me when I was 15-19 and I'm 25.'
'Make it make sense.' Pan to Rosh. Rosh has broad shoulders, light brown hair, gold eyes, and a moderate frame. Rosh sits in the local city hall. A brown-haired secretary sits across him. Rosh is in Ural, a city with tall yellow-green grass, short trees, and palm trees.
Ural's climate is a mix of costal and semi-arid. Rosh: "I just got commissioned in this city on patrol duty, but I still get bored, what could I do to help Ural out?"
The secretary moves a book, "Have you looked at the local bounties?"
Rosh scratches his head, "Right." 'That was when I decided to pick up the local bounty papers. There I read about this guy named Ivo, they called em Ivo the Runner.'
'I went all the way to the Southwestern Mantoban Dunes. They are essentially a desert that is outside of a town called Mantoba which isn't that far away from Ural.' Rosh scans his environment and shakes his shoes clean of sand.
Rosh notices a red scarf laying on the ground. He steps on it and notices it move after the fact. Rosh kicks the scarf, "What the heck?" The clothing article suddenly sinks in the sand.
Rosh looks around and sees nothing, "What in the..." A man with black gelled hair, a medium nose, thin lips, tan skin, a thin build, and pointy eyebrows emerges. It is Ivo and he aims a crossbow at Rosh's back.
Rosh turns to see him face to face, "So this is what it comes to. Your move?"
Ivo rapidly bolts two arrows at the firebender. Rosh rolls right and Ivo readjusts his aim. The firebender turns his left foot over and kicks a flame at his opponent. Ivo descends into the ground and the flame bursts in the air.
Rosh pouts, "Ugh! You no good..." Ivo rises again a few feet left of Rosh and about eight inches out. Ivo wastes no time and shoots an arrow at the firebending captain. Rosh leaps over the shot and kicks a blaze of red and orange flames at his opponent.
A loud spout of sand turns to glass, yet Ivo is nowhere to be found as Rosh lands. Rosh disappointedly shakes his head, "Come out!! Come on out! We can't do this forever."
Ivo emerges a few feet right of Rosh's location, "Why can't we?"
Rosh hurls a fireball back at Ivo who disappears into the earth again, "Because I said SO!!" Again, Ivo rises but this time Rosh times him and flicks a fireball into his left elbow.
Ivo falls, "Ahhh!!"
Rosh stands over his opponent, "So we can do this the easy way or the hard way." Ivo tries to wiggle free, but Rosh pounds the man in his face, knocking him out. Rosh: "Fine, I'll just drag you."
'That's how my story began. It was that moment I decided to stay in Ural. Something about the place felt so magical and destined. But if I wanted to feel comfortable, I needed a crew and a family. That was going to be my next task.'
'One day I was briskly walking outside, looking for assignments. I saw this young guy standing around, he looked like he needed a purpose.' Rosh notices Holku, a local cleaner at The Big Ox. The Big Ox is a popular diner on the Eastern side of town.
Rosh sits down and grabs a menu. He waits for a waitress to arrive and pays close attention to the young man sweeping in the back. Rosh: "Can I ask the owner a question?"
Waitress: "Would it be a question I'm not capable of answering."
Rosh: "Now that's awfully nosy of you to ask, isn't it?" The waitress ignores his comment and alerts the owner. A short and stubby man arrives in a white button up shirt.
Rosh: "Name's Rosh, what's yours?"
Owner: "Deno. Call me Deno."
Rosh: "Got it, Deno I see you have a young man right there. How old is he?"
Deno: "He's seventeen."
Rosh: "That's old enough to start adventuring don't you think? I got out when I was just fifteen."
Deno: "Depends on who's asking?"
Rosh shows his badge, "I'm repping the Fire Nation Enforcement Agency."
Deno: "That badge doesn't mean all that much here. Fire Nation officers only have jurisdiction over Fire Nation embassy grounds, joint legal matters, or the enforcement of the rights of Fire Nation citizens within Ural."
Rosh: "I see you've studied that, but join matters is a broad category I'm sure you know. I'm sure people shop here of Fire Nation origin. I bet you don't turn a good profit down on the basis of nationality."
Deno scowls, "You're pushing it."
Rosh adds, "Maybe I am. But let me talk to him." Deno signals for the cleaner to come.
Deno: "Holku, this is Rosh, a Fire Nation officer." Holku has wavy brown hair, light green eyes, fair skin, a lanky frame, and big lips.
Holku smirks, "What's up man."
Rosh gives Holku a thumbs up, "What are you good at Holku?"
Holku: "What aren't I good at is a better question. I know how to use maps, binoculars, compasses, I'm basically an expert navigator. I can show you where just about everything is in Ural and the nearby places."
Rosh looks at Deno, "I can use him and I'll make sure the Fire Nation gives him a salary."
Deno: "I thought you only fire Fire Nation citizens."
Rosh: "It hires non-citizens acting on behalf of national interests. I read that policy too."
Deno: "Well, I don't approve, I need the help around here."
Holku replies, "Too bad, I'm going. I could use more fulfilling work. It gets stale in this old diner anyway."
Deno shrugs, "Curses."
Rosh: "Don't worry, I'll let him come back if he wants to pick up any quick shifts. Work can be slow at the moment, but I think it will pick up once I get accustomed to this city."
Rosh and Holku exit the diner. Holku: "So what's next?"
Rosh: "I need to find at least a couple more teammates for this squad to feel complete. Do you know anywhere I could look Mr. Navigator?"
Holku: "I forgot to list one of my talents, I'm a good cook. So that's another person you don't need. As for the place, maybe check the local city market. A lot of people gather there every Saturday."
Rosh: "The local market? I'm looking for a policing team and you're talking about a place where people shop."
Holku: "Hey you'd be surprised, believe me." A couple of days later, the duo arrives at the local market. Scores of people rush and buy different items. Produce, meats, grains, cards, jewelry, clothes, paintings, watches, clocks, and furniture are all sold at this event.
A young woman organizes jewelry for her grandmother, Ikie. Her grandmother has long dark grey hair. She appears to be around twenty-three. Rosh stands beside her, "Hey, I was looking to..."
Young woman: "Waste my time."
Rosh: "How rude, do you think men don't buy jewelry?"
Young woman: "Did I say that?"
Rosh: "What brings you here, at this event."
Young woman: "I've gone and helped out every year since I was twelve. I haven't gone as often in the last three or so years, but it still is a treasure to come back. Especially since my grandmother can't keep this up like she used to."
Rosh: "Does your mother or any of her daughters help out?"
Young woman: "Sometimes, but this isn't really their thing. When grandma goes, this goes."
Rosh asks, "What's your name?"
The young woman answers, "Lika." Lika has mint green eyes, golden yellow skin, brown hair, and a petite frame.
Rosh: "Are you capable of bending." Lika raises her hands and engulfs Rosh's body in sand before waving her hands and thickening it. An uncomfortable Rosh responds, "Point taken." Rosh performs a small fire repulse and blasts the particles off his body.
Lika: "You could have asked, and I would have removed it."
Rosh: "I rather show off and I didn't ask for a live demonstration." Lika smirks. Rosh: "What do you do for a living?"
Lika: "Laundry service."
Rosh: "Are you interested in a new line of work?"
Lika shrugs, "Why not?"
Rosh points at a teenager running with a loaf of zucchini bread, "That's my friend Holku. He's the youngest one in our crew. Since you're the middle child, you could sort of wedge him along the right path."
Lika: "Sure, what's our first mission as a team?" Rosh's eyes widen.
'That's when I realized I was ready for my next big step as a captain with a brand-new group and purpose.' Rosh rubs his head, "I haven't figure that out yet but don't worry, I will update you soon. I'm going to talk with the folks in City Hall about where we are most needed. But you never listed all of your skills."
Lika: "Jewlery making, earthbending, and I'm incredibly creative. I can make a lot of useful tools."
Rosh: "That will work, we have such a talented team. Holku here is a navigator.
Holku nods, "Yeah, I find stuff."
'So, I had everything I needed to get started and I just knew I had the finest team in all Ural. It was only a matter of time before we had our big break.'