Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Ainoko ❯ Chapter One ( Chapter 1 )

I'm going to say this now. I'm not an Avatar expert. Half the stuff in this chapter are made up out of my own imagination. Any truth is pure coincidence. Anything written in first person not surrounded by quotations is thought and will be separated from third person stuffs.

Somebody told me Zuko's sister's real name was Zula. My very reliable sources tell me it's Azula, so I'm sticking with that.

The Siege on the North Part 2 was like the greatest episode ever. I loved it so much (even though I only saw like half of it.) I really need to catch up on all the episodes. I've seen parts of them but not whole ones.

Chapter Warning: Grown up Avatars, fire/water mixes, gossiping maids, and time skips.

Fire Water

Chapter One(Fifteen Years Later)

Kyoui gazed into the bucket of water at her feet.

Show me something,

she thought,

Show me something.

“Kyoui!” came the dreadful shout of Kiama, her `superior.' “Pay more attention to your work!”

She waited for Kiama to turn her back and stuck out he tongue.

(If wisdom came with age, maturity did not.)

Kyoui picked up the brush she was supposed to be scrubbing with and placed it in the water. Lazily, she scratched the surface of the floors and avoided passing guards.

The outside of the Fire Lord's palace was an obstruction of nature with huge grey walls and desolate and dreary windows. Stacks of smoke rose up around it, and guards were in nearly ever corrider. Inside, it was much brighter. And thanks to her it would be cleaner.

After an hour of pretending to scrub, Tempri was working beside her, and they began their chores.

“Have you heard the news?” Tempri whispered beneath Kiama's reproachful gaze.

“I haven't much time for news,” Tempri whispered back.

“A boy named Shia Li started an earth-bending army. Soldiers massacred hundreds of villagers to find him.”

Tales of bloodshed were old news. “There aren't even a hundred villages left. And for one to start an `earth-bending army' one would need earth-benders. There are barely enough `benders' left to start an army of anything. Someone spread a rumor, and the soldiers would kill an innocent boy to make sure they stood unopposed.” She cast a quick and cautious look over her shoulder. Kiama was looking away. “Okay, watch this.”

She placed her finger like a pendulum over the bucket of water

(Show me something.)

and twirled it slowly. The water began to stir, making waves like a small ocean. She twirled a bit faster, and a whirlpool began to spin about.

(Show me something.)

The whirlpool grew in size until it filled the entire bucket. A sliver of water began to snake its way into the air.

(Show me something.)

Tempri placed a hand over her mouth. Her eyes were wide. Suddenly, there was a wild clamor behind them, and Kyoui jumped, knocking the bucket over.

Guards were running wildly about. Some were running towards, other away, though which was towards and which away was uncertain. There was shouting, and a thunderous cry filled with grief and rage, so much so, Kyoui felt her heart thud a bit faster.

“What's going on?” Tempri asked Kiama.

“Nothing,” she answered, “We should clear out. The floors can wait.”

Kyoui was frozen to the spot. Who had made that monstrous sound?

“Come along,” Kiama snapped sharply, grabbing her arm and yanking her away.

Kyoui glanced down at the spilled water as she was dragged away.

Show me something.

It never did.

°°°

“Come,” Kiama said at dinnertime, “You've been summoned.”

“Summoned where?” she asked, but Kiama gave no answer as she forced her along.

“Who is summoning me?” Kyoui pressed.

“Who do you think?” was the response before she was shoved through the carved wooden double doors and in to the most magnificent room she'd ever seen.

A long, crimson couch rested on a platform covered with gold pillows. He walls were glittering and golden, and paintings of great victories adorned them.

And suddenly, the Fire Lord was standing in front of her.

Kyoui stuttered and stumbled before dropping into a bow.

“It's alright,” the Fire Lord said, “We have no need for formalities.”

She was wearing a lightweight armor which she pulled off, revealing a white shirt and red long pants.

“Why-why have you summoned me here?”

She looked at her, her eyes gleaming with a secret. “I need your help with something. But I will come to that in a moment. First, how well have you mastered fire-bending?”

“Oh… oh…” Kyoui had not expected that. The truth was, she preferred water to fire, but she had a natural ability for both. “I never, um, get the chance to practice or learn.”

“Alright then. I will teach you.”

“Wh-what?” This was even more unexpected.

“Your name, Kyoui, do you know what it means? Don't look at me like that. Yes, I know your name. I know it quite well.”

“I- My name is `miracle.'”

“Correct. Do you know why you were named that?”

She shook her head.

“You were pulled out of the body of a dead woman. Or maybe you forced yourself out. I was never clear on the details. Anyway, I have no idea who your parents were. We found your mother already dead with no one else around. Yes, `we.' I found you. I named you. And that is why you are here right now instead of cleaning the dinner plates.

“I was a child prodigy by the age of five. I mastered fire-bending by the age ten. By the time my brother was exiled, I was making up tricks of my own.”

She paused for a moment, and Kyoui spoke.

“I hadn't realize you had a brother.”

“I did. He was an idiot and a traitor. My father appointed me to kill him. It wasn't a year until after he died that I managed it.

“But the day I did kill him, I found you. You, I can tell, are destined for great things. You have power within you. I can feel it. There is so much I can teach you. I can teach you things only I know.

“Which brings me to my next point. You will accept these lessons, and you will pay for them. Your payment shall be simple: The Avatar, as I assume you know, is kept within the palace walls. Lately, he has become more… raucous. I thin if we have one person care for him instead of five guards, it might settle him down. You will be that person.”

The grieving cry. She shivered.

“I will summon you tomorrow evening, but in the morning, come to the kitchen to collect the Avatar's breakfast.”

There was no way she could refuse. Kyoui nodded, bowed, and left.

°°°

It was well past midnight and Kyoui was still awake. There was so much she didn't know about herself. For fifteen years she'd been waiting for something exciting to happen, but now that it was, she was worried.

She stared out her window, into the rain.

Show me something.

Rain danced around, trickling like a shower of teardrops. They tittered against the glass and seemed to laugh at her.

Show me something.

What do you want to see?

Anything.

What?

She had no answer to that question.

°°°

Aang stretched against his restraints. He was no longer the childish boy he had been. Now he was twenty-something (eight, he guessed, plus a hundred) and thin, but he blamed the latter on the lack of food.

For the past few days he'd been having visions. Or maybe dreams. He wasn't sure. All he knew: one person was haunting him. Katara.

He wondered if she was still alive.

Footsteps beyond t he doorway. He sighed. How many guards would he get this time? Ten? Thirty?

The door opened, and he caught a fleeting conversation.

“…But how long do I stay? I don't understand-!”

The doorway slammed shut.

A young girl now stood before him, looking at the door with a hopeless face. With a groan of frustration she turned to face him, her eyes closed in silent thought.

Aang started. This girl was an exact replica of Katara, only a little leaner, her face a little tighter, and, he realized as she opened her eyes, they were golden.

“Katara,” he whispered, despite himself.

“No,” she said, moving towards him, a bowl in her hands, “Kyoui.”

Katara would be about thirty anyway. This girl looked fifteen.

“So you're the Avatar, are you?” she set the bowl down at his feet and knelt beside him, “I don't get what the big deal is. You look pretty harmless to me.”

He tried to move his arms to grave the bowl.

She frowned. “Why'd you call me Katara?”

He slid the bowl over with his foot. She sighed and picked it up, holding it up for him.

“You won't be speaking then? Alright. I'll speak. How long has it been since you've had a civil conversation? Can you not move your hands?”

The last part was in frustration. He'd been trying to eat with little success.

“I'm not feeding you. Maybe I can just loosen your hand a bit.”

She stood and stared at his restraints

“I suppose it'd be too much if I just let you free. Not that you could get past all those guards. You were trying to get free yesterday. I heard you.”

She tugged at the restraint a bit and it came forward. With another tug, Aang could pick up the bowl and hold it to his face.

“There. Now, will you tell me who this Katara person is?”

He gave her an unreadable look and she made an indignant noise.

“Fine. Don't talk.”

She picked up the glass of water she'd brought in with her and rotated her hand over it. He looked up in interest.

What was she doing?

A long strand of water peeked out over the glass and slithered around her fingers. She stared at it dully and let it work its way around her fingers before releasing it back into the cup.

“You're a-!”

His revelation was shattered as the door opened. Kyoui stood up and handed him the glass.

The door slammed shut behind her, leaving Aang alone.

He stared into the cup of water. There was something about this girl. He hoped to see her again.

°°°

Kyoui was sitting cross-legged on a pillow, three candles placed in front of her.

“The first lesson,” Azula said, “is self-control. It's not enough to just throw fire around. You have to be able to conjure it, control it, and extinguish it.”

She stared at the three candles, took a deep breath, and thrust out her fingers. Kyoui's skin prickled as the air around her grew hotter and the candles ignited. Azula steepled her hands. The flame on the candles grew immensely then fell, leaving nothing but smoke.

“There. Once you master that, we can move on. Try and light the candles. Bring out the fire within you.”

Kyoui closed her eyes. Every person had each of the four elements within them; that was how one lived. But certain clans managed to master certain elements, thus dividing them. She was one of the Fire Nation, but her element seemed to be water. Still, there was fire within her. She could feel it as she searched within herself. It was a beast, raising its head and roaring. No, it was a snake, deadly and silent, ready to strike out. Slowly it uncoiled and slithered through her, settling in her fingers.

She thrust her hands forward as Azula had done, and heard the satisfied hiss of flame.

“Good. Try and make it grow.”

This was harder. The snake inside her slithered through, searching for something. It clenched around her heart and dug inside. She felt anger flare up within herself; anger and frustration. Her eyes opened and she the flames of the candles licking the ceiling.

“Calm yourself. Draw it back in.”

She tried. The snake inside her squirmed around her heart, and the flames grew higher.

Control. I control you. Listen to me.

The snake reared its head back and bared its fangs.

Stop. Go away.

Its grip loosened. The flames lessened.

“Your frustration is feeding it. Calm.”

Calm. Water.

The snake slipped further.

The ocean. I can see the ocean.

The flames were little now.

Water beats fire.

The candles went out.

“Good,” Azula said, but she was frowning. “We'll practice again tomorrow. You may leave.”

Kyoui nodded and turned to go. The Fire Lord threw out her arm and the candles ignited again.

Show me something.

Kyoui left before they could answer.

Author(ess) Notes:

Not quite as long as last time, but still good. I always think you should be able to scry with your element. She'll be doing that a lot.

I liked the idea of her animal being a snake. I like snakes.

Review, if you wouldn't mind. Might make the monkeys go away.