Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Challenge of A Journey ❯ The Unlikely Traveling Pair ( Chapter 1 )

The Unlikely Traveling Pair

 

“Hóu-Hóu, hurry up!” Whined a young girl of about sixteen, standing on the middle of the road on top of a hill waving a long staff she carried. She stood about 5'4 with an earthly air about her. Her jet-black hair stopped in wild layers just above her shoulders, her emerald eyes flashing with impatience. Her outfit consists of comfortable wear of the same color as her eyes. A short skirt with a pair of black shorts underneath; perfect for easy movement. Her top was a v-neck, silk longevity blouse in two tones, green and brown with black buttons going down her left side. On her arms were green fingerless sleeves with a brown border stopping three inches below her elbow. On her bare ankles were green and brown cuffs hugging them. Around her neck was a black choker with a green Earth symbol pendant.

 

She placed her fists on her hips and tapped her foot on the ground, creating a little cloud of dust around her bare feet and ankles. After a few more minutes, a young woman of about twenty-three reached the girl and glared at her, annoyance flashing in her goldenrod eyes. She was an attractive creature standing at about 5'9 with a fiery air about her. Her dark, wavy hair stopped just passed her shoulders and is a light brown color in the sun's reflection. She wore a red belly oriental tank top with gold embroidery of a dragon and a short, loose fitting red skirt. She had on red and gold bridal fingerless though she was not dressed for the occasion and bracers on her upper arm. She too wore cuffs around her ankles but his time a red and gold and a black choker with a red Fire symbol pendant. On her back was her bow & arrows.

 

“I'm here, I'm here… Zhàn Shì poo.” The woman sneered. They stared at each other for a brief moment and the teen sighed.

 

“Touché Wei, touché.” She muttered continuing down the dirt path.

 

“What are we in such a hurry for anyway, Ying?” Wei asked with a yawn, reluctantly following her younger traveling companion. “Oh, and gimmie back my staff, runt.” She grabbed the staff from her.

 

“I wanna get to Ba Sing Se.” Ying answered, making a face.

 

Wei rolled her eyes. “You know that it will take a month to get there. So why rush?” Ying nodded in agreement.

 

“I guess you're right. It's just that I've heard so many things about the city that I fantasize about the day I get there…”

 

“It is a long journey but we will make it with just the right patience and time.” Wei said.

 

Ying gave an odd look with a snort.

 

“You sound like an old proverb reciting woman from a small village.” She remarked.

Wei stuck her tongue out and gave Ying a playful shove.

 

“Haha, very funny you little imp. Besides, you're the one that's always saying things like that.”

 

The younger girl grinned and skipped down the road only to be interrupted by a loud noise erupting from Wei's belly.

 

`GRRRROOOOOOOWWWWWWLLLLLLLL!'

 

Soon a brief silence followed.

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

“…”

 

“Perhaps we should stop for camp?” Wei suggested.

 

“Good idea.” Ying agreed. They stepped off the road and found a small clearing near sunset, and set up camp.

 

“Look what I got!” Ying exclaimed entering the clearing again, this time with a sac of roots and herbs, and a dead rabbit. Wei clapped happily in surprise, grabbed the dead creature, and immediately began to skin it. Ying made a face.

 

“I still don't get how you can eat that.” She began.

 

“Well excuse me for growing up on meat. At least I didn't kill it this time.” The older woman retorted.

 

“Hey! The only reason why I killed it was to feed your hungry ass!”

 

“If you're so sick of my hungry ass, then why don't you just go?!”

 

Ying remained silent.

 

“Uh huh, that's what I thought.” Wei muttered.

 

Ever since they first met, both females had a difference in what they eat; Wei being the hardcore carnivore and Ying being the full-blown vegetarian (complaining every time Wei killed an animal for dinner).

 

“Sssooooo,” Ying began slyly as she slowly chewed on one of her roots. “Is there by any chance that you can show me the technique-”

 

“No.” Wei said bluntly, not even pausing from eating her meat.

 

“What? Oh c'mon! You said that you would!”

 

“I also said that you are not old enough.”

 

“But you promised!”

 

“Yes, but not now.”

 

“Wei!”

 

“Okay, fine. You know what? I'll teach you.”

 

Ying's face lit up. “Really?”

 

“Yeah!” Wei paused. “When Bison sprout wings and fly!” The teenagers face fell sharply and stamped her barefoot onto the ground. Within a flash, the older woman was deep into the ground with only her head, forearms and legs sticking out.

 

“Ying!” Wei yelled as the Earthbender pointed and laughed. “This is not funny! Let me go now!”

 

“Oh, I cannot do that my friend, unless you agree to change your mind.” Ying grinned, standing before her friend. Wei glared at her and flicked her fingers, sending of a shower of sparks at the girl. Ying reeled back with a yelp.

 

“Like I said, I will teach you when Bison sprout wings and fly.” There was a small roar from a distance and both females looked up to see a white spec flying overhead. As soon as it disappeared among the treetops, Ying looked back down with a devilish grin.

 

“Deal!” She snickered, Wei rolled her eyes with a sigh. With a wave of her hand, she released Wei back onto the surface and turned the direction where the creature flew.

 

“Where do you think you're going?” The older woman asked.

 

“To see whether that was a flying bison or not.” Ying stated marching on ahead.

 

“Oh c'mon you-hey! Wait up!” Wei quickly extinguished their campfire, grabbed her staff and quickly caught up with the teenager.

 

“How nice of you to join-” Wack! “Ouch! What the heck was that for?!” She rubbed the spot the staff hit her.

 

“For being a insolent brat and trapping me underground.” Wei said nonchalantly. The younger female glared at the Firebender and blew a raspberry. Wei made a face and mimicked her action. Soon both females were engaged in a battle of grimaces and raspberries - until Wei stopped.

 

“Ha! I wo-” Wei slapped a hand over Ying's mouth and pressed a finger over her own mouth, motioning the girl to be silent, and pointed through a break in the leaves to a small clearing. Ying gave a questioning look, followed the pointed finger, and raised her eyebrows.

 

In the center of the clearing, were two males and two females surrounding a fire. Behind them - a giant bison. Both the Earthbender and Firebender ran their eyes over the upside down blue arrow on both the bison's and the boy's foreheads.

 

“No…it can't be….” Ying began in a low voice.

 

“It's…the Avatar…” Wei said in awe.

 

“He has hair.”

 

“You could barely see the arrow on his head.”

 

“He's so young and- oh hello there.” Ying looked down at a big-eared Lemur, looking curiously up at her and Wei. Ying bent down with open arms and the small creature jumped into them and perched on her shoulder. The girl gave a silent giggle as she stood back up.

 

“Its really cute.” She whispered as the creature cooed at her complement. Wei sighed with a smile.

 

“Yes it is, oh how I-wished-we-had-one-” Ying gave a hopeful look, but Wei just shot her down.

 

“No.”

 

“Aw, you're no fun.” The earth bender pouted. Both females stiffened as they heard the Avatar speak.

 

“Hey, has anyone seen Momo?” He said looking around for the lemur.

 

“I don't know, I saw him go over there.” Said an older looking girl pointing at the hidden girls' direction. The boy, Aang stood up and head over just before where the girls were standing. Before he could say anything, Momo jumped from Ying's shoulder and into Aang's arms.

 

 

“Oh there you are little guy, where have you been?” The boy smiled. Momo pointed to the area he jumped from. Aang squinted and looked down at the lemur. “Is there something there?” He strained his ears as he heard rustling in the bushes and frantic whispering.

 

“What should we do? He's right there!” Murmured a voice.

 

“Shut up, he can hear us!” Responded the other.

 

“Who is there?” Aang said loudly, taking a defensive stance. “Come out now!”

 

“Oh - the jig is up.” Wei's voice drifted out. She stepped out, standing before the Avatar while leaning on her staff. Ying joined her side with a faint smile. The other male quickly stood and held a defensive stance while pulling out a weapon.

 

“Who are you?” He demanded.

 

“We are just travelers on our way to Ba Sing Se.” Ying said.

 

“How do we know you're not lying?”

 

“They're not.” Said a blind twelve-year-old girl, standing up to face them. “That girl is telling the truth.” The boy placed his weapon away, but he was still defensive.

 

“Well, we were just heading back from Ba Sing Se ourselves.” Said the other girl quietly. “I'm Katara.” She smiled. “This is Toph,” She pointed to the blind earth bender. “This is my brother Sokka-,” She pointed to the glaring teen. “-And this is...” She hesitated, “Kouzon.”

 

Ying looked confused. “I thought the Avatar's name was Aang.” The four teens stared at her. “What?”

 

“I think there is a reason for the change in his name.” Wei said with soft understanding.

 

“But, how can you tell?” Sokka asked suspiciously.

 

“We have seen so many wanted posters, it kinda stuck.” Ying said with a shrug. “Oh, I'm Ying and this is my big sister, Wei.”

 

“Really? You two don't seem related.” Toph said.

 

“Oh, well I kinda adopted her a few years back.” Wei nodded. “She's an Earthbender and I'm a Firebender.” There was an immediate reaction from Sokka.

 

“Firebender?!” The boy gripped the hilt of his knife. “Aang, get away from her!”

“Sokka!” Katara snapped, but Ying did not pay any attention to his actions. Instead, she ran over to Appa and squealed.

 

“Oh he's so cute!” She exclaimed. Appa responded with a friendly lick to her face and she giggled as she hugged his nose. The group stared over the two.

 

“Well, at least we know they aren't enemies.” Toph said raising an eyebrow.

 

“Yeah, so Sokka stop being a jerk.” Katara crossed her arms sternly.

 

“But Katara - ”

 

“That's alright, I get that a lot.” Wei interrupted with a sigh. “Fire benders are conniving bastards - Trust me, I know.” She added bitterly. Ying gently placed a hand on her friend's shoulder with a small smile.

 

“You don't seem to be like most Firebenders we've met before.” Katara began. “In fact, it's almost as if you hate other Firebenders.”

 

“It's not like I hate them, it's just I've had a really bad past with them involved.” Wei's face grew hard at the emphasized word.

 

“Now calm yourself, Wei.” Ying started. “Where are you guys heading to?”

 

“If we told you, we're going to have to kill you.”

 

“Sokka!” Katara snapped. “Don't say that! I am sorry about that - we really prefer not to say anything about that.”

 

“Has something happened n Ba Sing Se?” Wei dared to ask. An intense silence followed her question.

 

“The Fire Nation has infiltrated Ba Sing Se.” Toph said grimly. Wei stared hard at Toph, tortured disbelief etched on her face.

 

“You cannot be serious.” She began her voice dangerously low.

 

“That is impossible!” Ying said her throat clenching.

 

“It's not, Azula is now in complete control of the city.” Aang said in deep bitterness.

 

Wei clenched her jaw, her body completely livid as she glared into the fire.

 

`Don't lose your temper, calm down before you lose control.' She closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

 

“You must really have something against the Fire Nation.” Toph observed, feeling little tremors radiating from the firebender's body.

 

“She hates everything that has to do with them.” Ying said quietly. “Especially the royal family.”

 

“Lord Ozai.” Katara hissed, clenching her fist at the thought of the Fire Nation's ruler and his children.

 

“I guess you're not such a bad guy, huh?” Sokka asked. Wei shook her head.

 

“Not all firebenders are so bad, but…” She did not finish.

 

“So what is going to happen now? The Fire Nation is in control of everything now, and it is only a matter of time before the entire world is under complete control.” Ying sighed.

 

“If only there is something we can do to bring them down.” Wei muttered.

 

“You know we can't, Wei, it is impossible - ”

 

“Impossible for what Ying? They have left a trail of destruction in their treacherous wake, and someone has to stop them!”

 

“We are.” Aang said, staring hard into the fire.

 

“Aang - ” Katara began.

 

“No, Katara, they have to know.” The Airbender said sternly. “We're going to invade the Fire Nation capital and bring down Ozai and his family.”

 

Wei grinned. “Whatever the purpose, I'm in.” She looked over at Ying, and the Earthbender nodded.

 

“I don't know.” Sokka said suspiciously. “You could be spies for the Fire Nation.”

 

“What?” Wei snarled, both her and Ying glaring at the teen.

 

“I am an Earthbender!”

 

“It doesn't matter, you could be secretly be working for them!”

 

Ying marched over to Sokka and stopped just inches from the taller warrior, eyes narrowed in poisonous daggers. “Tell me, you big headed ignoramus, that someone like me would dare to work for the very same Nation that wiped out my entire home, leaving me alone?.! For that, you are nothing more than an overconfident child who thinks he is so tough with little toys for weapons and can't even distinguish the true difference between enemies and allies.” Ying snarled.

 

“Ying stop it. He's not even worth it.” Wei glared at the Waterbender's older sibling. Ying turned around and stormed away.

 

Sokka stared after her, his mouth wide open with pure shock. He immediately snapped out of his trance and looked over at his sister - who was looking at him with crossed arms and a disapproving look.

 

“When are you going to keep that big mouth of yours shut?” Katara sighed.

 

“Hey! My mouth is not big, okay? It's just unusually…”

 

“Shut up…ignoramus.” Toph sniggered. Sokka glared.

 

“Alright, alright, everyone is exhausted and we all need some rest.” The Waterbender began. “We will talk more about our plans tomorrow.”

 

“Fine.” Sokka rolled his eyes and crawled into his tent.

 

“Good night you guys.” Aang said. “We've got a full day ahead of us.”