I was finally brave enough to post my fanfiction!! Yay!
This is basically canon stuff with a little tweaking. You'll see as you read. I've tired my very very hardest to keep everyone in character.
(Disclaimer) I do not own Avatar or any of it's characters.
I do own these characters:
Avaa
Hotaru
Souh
Kaiya
Isano
Read and Review please. (Yeah, I know there are typos, sorry. I'm a fast typer.)
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A Woman's Company
Avaa rode Suri across the mesa. It was about time to set up camp, but she wanted to cover more ground. Suri snorted and Avaa rubbed her neck.
"Easy, I see a house up ahead, we'll stay there," she told the ostrich-horse. The house looked abandonded, but it would provide shelter for the night. Avaa ran her fingers through her ebony black hair and sighed. She was aching all over, luckily, the house wasn't that far. "Hey, Suri what you say we run the rest of the way?" Suri snorted again and flipped her head backward in reply. "Good girl. Hyea!" Suri brust into a run and Avaa held on tightly, but grinned. She loved the feel of wind in her hair and the whistle in her ears. She was brought back to Earth when she saw two figures standing near the edge of the cliff. Her grin disappeared and she pulled the reins. Suri huffed impaiently at her.
"Shh!" Avaa hissed, even though they were out of earshot. She clicked her tongue softly and Suri walked foreword. Avaa lead her to a cluster of trees only a few yards from the figures.
Avaa dismounted, tied Suri to a tree, and ventured to the edge of the small grove. The figures were a short, fat old man, and a boy about Avaa's age. The boy looked at the man and Avaa saw a burn on his face. She frowned, Another one suffers from the Fire Nation. Oddly enough, the boy seemed familar. Then, the man spoke.
"There is energy all around us. The energy is both yin and yang; postive energy and negative energy," What on Earth are they talking about? Avaa thought. The next sentence made the color drain from her face." Only a select few firebenders can separate these energies. This creates an imbalance. The energy wants to restore balance and in a moment the positive and negative energy comes crashing back together," Firebenders! But why are they dressed like that? Avaa became more intestested and watched intently. The old man continued,"You provide release and guidence, creating lighting." Avaa's eyes widened. Her father had told her about the firebenders who could make lighting. He couldn't do it himself, only the most powerful firebenders could create such a thing.
The old man held out and the boy stepped back.Then man swung his arms in a circle and then jabbed his right hand into the air. Lightning erupted from his fingers, and as quickly as it had come, it vanished. Avaa could hear Suri snorting and getting anixous, but paid her no mind. She was too busy watching the strangers.
"I'm ready to try it!" The boy said.
"Remember, once you separate the energy, you do not command it. You are simply its humble guide." The old man said to him," Breathe first." The boy did as he was told, made the same circluar motions, and stabbed his hand into the air, like the man did. But, instead of lighting coming from his finger tips, a firey explotion threw him backward. Avaa jumped backward, not only from the explotion, but the boy was right at her feet! Suri sqwaked and pulled on her reins.The boy heard Suri and looked up, straight at Avaa. In the few seconds no one reacted Avaa realized where she had seen him before. He was Prince Zuko! She had seen his wanted posters, which ment the old man was General Iroh. Avaa cried out instintively when he lunged at her. She ran back to Suri but Prince Zuko caught her wrist.
"How much did you see?" He asked her. He showed no hostility, but she knew he was prepared to fight if necissary. Avaa masked her fear and stared back into the golden eyes.
"I know who you are, Prince Zuko," Avaa said. Prince Zuko narrowed his eyes and frowned at her. His already warm hand heated even more, and Avaa fought a grimace of pain. "I won't turn you in, or fight you. I'm a friend," His expression lightened into confusion.
"What are you talking about?" he asked. His grip losened.
"You're wanted by the Fire Nation for treason, you can't be all bad," she replied. General Iroh now stood behind the Prince. "And I'm half Fire Nation. I hold nothing against you,"
"But, we're part of the royal family. Ozai is my father," Prince Zuko said. Avaa shrugged.
"The first thing I said applies there. You're wanted men," General Iroh placed a hand on Prince Zuko's shoulder and he let go of her wrist.
"If we have a friend, we should not try to convince her to be otherwise," he said,"What's your name?"
"Avaa," she replied."Do you mind if I stay here for the night? This is probibly the only shelter for miles."
"Of course you can stay here," General Iroh said. Avaa smiled and bowed in thanks. He turned to Prince Zuko. " Zuko, we need to get back to training." Prince Zuko nodded and they walked back to the ledge. Avaa let out of sigh and walked to Suri.
"You know you could have gotten me killed!" Avaa hissed at the ostirch-horse. She untied her and lead her to the other ostrich-horse. Avaa could tell it was male, when he took a sudden interest in Suri. "Do get too attached, we probibly won't see these guys again," Avaa whispered when Suri responded to the male's snorts. Avaa turned to the firebenders and watched Zuko try to make lightning, but fail misrably.
"Why can't I do it?!" Zuko said after many tries," Instead of lightning, it keeps exploding in my face! Like everthing always does!" Avaa frowned at the last sentence. She didn't know much about Zuko, except that he was wanted by the Fire Nation.
"I was afraid this might happen," General Iroh said," You will not be able to master lightning until you have dealt with the turmoil inside you," Zuko turned to him, enraged and fustrated.
"What turmoil?!" He shouted. Avaa rolled her eyes and snorted. What turmoil?
"Zuko, you must let go of your feelings of shame if you want to your anger to go away," Iroh replied.
"But I don't feel any shame at all! I'm as proud as ever!" Obivously. Avaa thought.
"Prince Zuko, pride is not the object of shame, but its source. True humility is the only anidote to shame,"
"Well... my life has been nothing but humbling lately." Zuko said sadly. Iroh looked to the side, to think, then turned back to Zuko.
"I have another idea. I will teach you a firebending move even Azula doesn't know, because I made it up myself!" Iroh said. He is a master. Avaa thought. Zuko smiled at his uncle. Iroh smiled back and picked up a stray stick and Zuko sat cross-legged infront of him. Avaa stayed put,away from them, but Iroh motioned for her to join them. Zuko turned around to face her. Iroh approved of her coming, but she didn't know about Zuko. Avaa gave him a questioning look and moved her eyes from the ground at her feet to them. Zuko nodded and Avaa walked to them and sat at Zuko's left. Avaa gave him a small rather shy smile, but his attention was on his uncle. Avaa followed his example and turned to the general. He drew the firebending symbol with the stick.
"Fire is the element of power. The people of the Fire Nation have desire and will, and the energy and drive to achive what they want," Iroh drew the earthbending symbol next," Earth is the element of substance. The people of the Earth Kingdom are diverse and strong. They are persistent and enduring," The airbending symbol,"Air is the element of freedom. the Air Nomads detached themselves from worldly conerns and found peace and freedom. Also, they apparently had pretty good senses of humor!" Iroh smiled widely at them, but Zuko remained expressionless and Avaa had no idea what he ment. Iroh's smile faded and he drew the waterbending symbol,"Water is the element of change. The people of the Water Tribe are capable of adapting to many things. They have a deep sense of community and love that holds them together through anything." Zuko stared at the symbols in the dirt.
"Why are telling me these things?" He asked. Avaa wondered this too. More importantly to her, why did she have to hear it?
"It is important to draw wisdom from many different places. If we take it from only one place, it becomes rigid and stale," Iroh replied. He drew lines sparating the symbols,"Understanding the others, the other elements, and the other nations will help you become whole,"
"Hm," Avaa said and nodded. Iroh smiled at her.
"All this four element talk is sounding like Avatar stuff," Zuko said.
"It is the combination of all four elements in one person that makes the Avatar so powerful," Iroh poked the stick at Zuko's chest,"But, it can make you more powerful too. you see the techinque I am about to teach you is one I learned studying the waterbenders," Zuko looked intruiged, and Avaa looked confused, but interested. A waterbending, firebending move? This I have to see.
Zuko stood up and Avaa moved away again. She felt a little jealous that she couldn't bend, but watched to maybe incorpate the move into her sword fighting. The pair pacticed waterebending moves to get themselves flowing correctly.
"Waterbenders deal with the flow of energy. A waterbender lets their defense become their offense, turning their opponent's energy against them. I learned a way to do this with lightning,"
"You can teach me to redirect lightning?" Zuko asked ,excitedly. Iroh nodded.
"If you let the energy in your own body flow, the lightning will folow it," Iroh pointed with his right hand at an angle in the air and pointed at with his other hand,"You must create a pathway from your fingertips up your arm to your shoulder and down your stomach," he moved his left hand from his arm, to his shoudler,and down to his stomach, "The stomach is the source of energy in your body. It is called the sea of chi. Only in my case it is more like a vast ocean," Iroh said, laughing. Avaa giggled, but Zuko said nothing,"You direct it up again and out the other arm," Iroh pointed into the distance with his left arm," The stomach detour is critical. You must not let the pass through your heart," He pointed at Zuko's chest," or the damage could be deadly. You may wish to try a phyiscal motion to get a feel for the pathway's flow. Like this," Iroh pointed to the left with both arms, Zuko did the same, and moved his right arm and pointed it in the other direction. Zuko followed with the same movement.
"Now are you focusing your energy? Can you feel you chi flowing in, down, up, and out?" Iroh asked Zuko.
"I think so," he replied. Zuko continued the motions Iroh showed him. Iroh waved his amrs in a wave motion.
"Come on. You've got to feel the flow," Iroh said. Avaa smiled, she liked General Iroh. He seemed nice.
After about half-an-hour of practicing, Iroh stopped in the middle of the techinque.
"Excellent! You've got it!" He told Zuko proudly. Zuko put his hands togther and bowed slightly to Iroh. Avaa smiled at Zuko's success.
"Great!" Zuko said,"I'm ready to try it with real lightning!" Iroh gave Zuko a questioning look.
"What are you crazy? Lightning is very dangerous!" he said.
"I thought that was the point," Zuko said,"You teaching me how to protect myself from it,"
"But I'm not going to shoot lightning at you!" Iroh said waving his arms defensivly,"If you are lucky you wil never have to use this techinque at all." Zuko looked into the distance at the dark clouds. Lightning flashed and thunder rumbled.
"Well, if you won't help me I'll find my own lightning," Avaa, who had been day dreaming, looked up at Zuko. He got his ostrich-horse and rode off.
"Prince Zuko, wait!" Avaa called, but he was gone. Avaa rounded on Iroh,"Why didn't you stop him? He could get himself killed!" she snapped.
"Zuko isn't the person who can be talked out of things," he replied. Avaa frowned at Zuko, slowly disappearing into the distance. "He'll be back," Iroh asured her,"Let's go have some tea," Avaa gave one last glance at the storm, and followed Iroh back to the run-down house.
The house wasn't as run-down as Avaa had thought. True, that it was missing most of the front wall, but it had a roof and three other walls. It would make a pretty good shelter for the night. Iroh picked up a teapot sitting on a small fire, and poured tea into two cups.
Iroh handed Avaa a clay cup, steaming with freashly made tea. She blew the steam away and took a sip. The tea still burnt her tongue.
"I hope you like jasmine," Iroh said.
"Are you kidding? It's my favorite!" Avaa told him. He grinned as he took his own cup.
"It's good to have something in common with someone," he said,"Jasmine is my favorite too," Avaa smiled and sipped her tea again. This time she could taste the tea.
"What exactly are you two wanted for? I mean I know it's treason, but what did you do?" Iroh's smile turned somber, and he set down his cup.
"I'm afraid, that it's my fault that Zuko is wanted. He never did anything,"Iroh said,"You see, Admiral Zaho attacked the Northern Water Tribe earlier this year. To make sure that he won, he captured the moon spirit, creating a luner eclispe. And the waterbenders couldn't bend," he paused," When he wouldn't realse the moon spirit, I attacked him," Avaa nodded. So, he was good. "A few weeks ago, Zuko's sister, Princess Azula, came and told us that Fire Lord Ozai wanted us home. I didn't believe it for one second. Zuko, however, did. The next day as we boarded Azula's ship, a solider let it slip that we were to be prisoners. We escaped, but now we're fugitives." Avaa nodded again, taking everything in.
"Well, your secret is safe with me," she said,"I don't meet very many people on my travels anyway. Even if I did let it slip, I wouldn't be able to tell anyone where you are,"
"You're not staying with us?" Iroh asked, sounding rather disappointed.
"Did you want me to?" Avaa asked ,surprised. Iroh shrugged.
"It's been quite awhile since we've had the pleasure of a woman's company," Avaa smiled.
"Well, it's been awhile since I've had any company," she said,"I'd be happy to travel with you two," Iroh smiled brightly again.
"Excellent," he said,"And how did you come about traveling on your own?"
"Well, it all starts with my family's orgins," Avaa said," Like I said, I'm half Fire Nation. My father was from a Fire Nation colony and my mother lived in an Earth Kingdom village not far from it. My father had an arranged marriage with a Fire Nation woman and together they had my half-brother,Hotaru. My father's first wife died of illness when Hotaru was about nine. My parents met a month afterward and soon feel in love, got married and obviously had me," Avaa paused to make sure Iroh was following. He nodded for to continue,"When I was seven he decided to raid the village with the help of his soldier friends. He killed both of my both of parents, but not before my mother smuggled me to the river near my village so I could escape. I made my way to a village downriver and a old herbalist took me in and raised me 'til I was thirteen. Hotaru had found me, so I fled north and joined a group of kids called The Freedom Fighters. It was there I learned how to fight with a sword and became the leader's girlfriend," she added, blushing a little," I had managed to keep the fact that I was half Fire Nation from them for two years, but then they found a little Fire Nation girl and was torturing her. I couldn't stand it anymore and told them," Avaa looked at the ground sadly remembering the girl's terrified face," Of course they immedently ran me out and I traveled south again and pretty much wandered around until today," She finished. Iroh nodded, as she had done and then spoke.
"I'm sorry about your family," he said.
"Thank you," she said quietly. "Let's change the subject,"
"Of course," Iroh replied,"What shall we talk about?"
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Yeah I know this wasn't the best place to leave off, but I'm proud of it.
And the story gets a lot more interesting soon, I promise. This was the introduction if you will.
Let me know what you think!