Fire Nation: Perspectives

Chapter 1: Forgotten Family History, Part 1

Of Mai's parents Yumi and Yoshi, her Uncle Takeo, and her Aunt Kei

Mai's maternal grandfather was a general in the army and a good family man. His family was stationed at a new Fire Nation colony, which served as the base of operations in that territory. There was constant battle to maintain control of the region, and for a good many months the Fire Nation was successful. Then, one fateful day, the tides changed and the general was killed on the battlefield. The Earth Kingdom forces retook their land and the colonists were left to fend for themselves. A lucky few were able to make it out with their soldiers as they retreated, but others like Mai's grandmother and her children, Kei, Takeo and Yumi, were not so lucky. They struggled to make it to safe territory, but got stuck in a no-where backwards Earth Kingdom town where fugitives, low-lives and Fire Nation exiles blended in among the poor and forgotten.

With no means of support, the little money they had with them gone, and their mother in failing health, the family suffers. They've gone from a comfortable and prestigious existence to squalor. The eldest daughter, Kei, tries to find a job, but no one will trust anyone with gold eyes. Kei is reduced to begging. As their mother gets worse and the youngest, Yumi, show signs of succumbing to illness, Kei resorts to drastic measures and the only option left to her. She prostitutes herself. She is ashamed and cannot look at her mother when she returns for the first time with food, clothing and precious medicine. Her mother can guess how Kei had obtained the necessities, but she does not judge her. She understands, as Kei does, that it is now a matter of survival. They are still proud people, children of Fire: the superior element. They've been brought low, but at least the children will have a chance. It is only a matter of time before they lose their mother. It is silently agreed between mother and daughter that survival is paramount. Once she passes, it will be up to Kei to take care of the children.

Their mother dies. Kei leaves Yumi and Takeo with neighbors as she continues to support the little family with the only means available to her. A fabricated story about her being a war child is easy for all to believe. It enables her to prosper as she makes plans for a better life for her siblings. All sorts call upon her: men, boys, dregs of society, "honorable" family men, soldiers, merchants, and politicians. Her gold eyes are too tempting to pass up as they provide a means for them to live out their fantasy of having their way with a Fire Nation bitch. She accommodates them readily enough. She will need a lot of money for what she plans.

She keeps Yumi and Takeo hidden until she is ready. When the time comes, disguised, she takes the youngsters to the next Fire Nation colony and puts them in foster care, swearing them to silence. She claims they are orphans, having lost their father, mother and eldest sister to the war. She was charged with finding a home for them and given instructions on how to manage the money for their support and education. Yumi and Takeo are accepted and given a new family name. Still very young and confused as to what has happened since their mother and father are gone, they being to believe they are orphaned and have lost their older sister.

One day Takeo overhears talk of how they came to the home in which they live. He hears rumors about the "girl with the gold eyes" in the next town. He runs away intending to see for himself if this could be their sister. He finds her, discovers what she has been doing and how she has been supporting them. He returns home and tells Yumi. Angered, but powerless to do anything he bides his time. As soon as he is old enough he plans to enlist and demand that Kei stop and take care of Yumi herself.

The day comes when he is of age and he goes to confront her. He tells her that as the oldest male, he is the head of the family and he orders her to stop. She laughsin his face . Her burden and the years have taken a toll on her. In the time they were apart, she made a name for herself. Kei is no more; she died, along with her youth and innocence in that spirit forsaken colony as everyone fled for their lives. She is now the Lady Jade, a madam, with some amount of power herself in the criminal underworld. And though she understands Takeo's position, she is also pragmatic. He may be of age, but he is still a child and thinks like a child. He sees black and white; while she sees the dirty, muddled mire of harsh reality. If she is to dissuade him she must be blunt and cruel. She throws the truth in his face and mocks him. "How is a mere boy going to support the three of us? A soldier's wage? Ha! Will you die on the battlefield like father?"

Takeo's sense of honor, loyalty, right and wrong are keenly developed. He does not understand her refusal. Anger and pride drive him. He declares her dead to him. He returns home only to tell Yumi what had transpired and to pack his things. He leaves, as planned, to enlist. He is assigned a post on a prison ship to guard earth bending prisoners of war. From there, he eventually makes it to the Boiling Rock and works his way up through the ranks.

After Takeo leaves, Yumi goes to her sister. They argue violently. Yumi blames her for Takeo's departure. Their words are heated. Yumi does not understand either. Things escalate into a screaming match. Yumi calls her a whore as she demands to know why it came to this.

Yumi had gotten through were Takeo could not. Kei was shaking as she yelled, "We were starving! Father was dead! Mother was dying! We were dying! I did what had to be done. I did it for you and for Takeo so that you could live. I've hidden you so that you could hold your heads high. That you may never know my shame and never have to share in it. So that you may never be reduced to anything like this. Not you or your children! I did it so that we could survive."

Exhausted and broken, Yumi apologizes. How could she ever repay her sister for her sacrifice?

Kei takes hold of Yumi and shakes her. "Promise me that you will prosper; that everything I've done was not in vain. Promise me!" she screams at the top of her lungs, though she is merely inches away.

Through hysterical tears, Yumi repeatedly promises.

"Now go home. Forget this visit. Takeo is strong and determined. I've no doubt he will survive. I have to plan for you now. Go home and rest."

In due time, Kei has made a match for Yumi. Yoshi Nakayama, an aspiring politician, eldest son in his family, has come to start over in the Fire Nation colonies. He first wife died early in their marriage. His younger brothers were matched and married, but no one would offer Yoshi their daughter. It was thought that Yoshi would be alone for the rest of his days. When the offer of a bride, a young one at that, was presented to him, he eagerly took it. Indeed she was young and very pretty. Perhaps she would give him the son he craved.

Yumi objected. She wanted to marry for love. "Love does not matter," her sister told her. "Love will not put food on the table, clothing on your back, nor a roof above your head." Yoshi was well off and would take care of her. She should be happy that without a dowry, without a strong family name, that she was being married at all. Yumi was reminded of her promise to Kei and resigned herself to the fact that she was indeed lucky that her sister had done everything in her power to see that she would be well taken care of. She married Yoshi.

Yumi and Takeo resumed limited communication. He did not attend the wedding, but eventually made the time to meet his brother-in-law. Takeo did not think much of his brother-in-law, but accepted that he was a decent enough man even though he was a politician.

Shy and nervous from the start, Yumi did what she could to be the dutiful wife, but no child came. Slowly, Yoshi worked his way back to the Fire Nation and brought Yumi for the first time to their home land. Everything was new and different. Possibilities lay everywhere. The past was left behind in the colonies and soon forgotten. In time she conceived. Grateful as she was for her good fortune, she prayed to Agni for a son. Her world shattered when she gave birth to a girl. Scared that Yoshi would reject her and their daughter, she thought of Kei and all she sacrificed. She then prepared herself for her husband to arrive. The midwife returned with him in tow. His face fell. Thoughts raced though his mind: 'What was wrong? Yumi was not happy. Was she mad? What of the baby? Was the baby sick? Did the baby survive?'

He sat by his wife on the bed's edge and asked to see his child. Her fears returned, but she held their daughter out to him. He beamed and cooed at their little girl. Behind them the midwife was suggesting names.

Yumi tearfully asked, "Husband, are you pleased?"

"Yes, woman, I am pleased."

"She is not the son you hoped for."

"For so long I thought I'd never have a child. You have given me a beautiful daughter. So, yes woman, I am most pleased."

They named her Mai and all was right in their world, until the day Yoshi was summoned to the palace by Azulon himself.

Mai's life changed drastically and literally overnight. The little family's status had improved vastly. They were to move to the capital, inside the caldera, no less. A new home; new servants; but no friends. Her parents were replaced by a nanny. She grew lonely each day. If she spoke out, she was removed from the room. Everything she did was corrected. She was kept on a short leash and her freedom was taken from her. She grew quiet and still. When she was quiet and still no one told her what a disappointment she was. She saw her parents from time to time. They no longer seemed happy. Her mother grew worse as time went on. She was more critical and grew overly concerned with appearances. Her father had all but disappeared. When he was home, he shut himself behind his office doors.

Mai never learned, even to her dying day, the terror her mother lived in. Each function was a new opportunity for her to slip. "Tell us about your family." "What did your father do?" "And your mother?" "Where did you say you grew up?" "A brother, really?" "And what does he do?"

As Yoshi's position advanced, Yumi's terror grew. The stress left her exhausted and irritable. She barely acknowledged Mai and easily grew impatient when she was around. As for Mai, she kept things to herself. She was living a nightmare. She was either forgotten or criticized. Her only solace was her uncle who came to visit from time to time. He was a man of action and open warfare. He did not fit in with his sister's new echelon. He would have easily cut her off it were not for Mai. He had never married. Had no children of his own. He did not want any. But something about little Mai tugged at his heartstrings. Perhaps it was her strength. Perhaps it was because, unlike everyone else, she was not afraid of him. She was dying for affection and acceptance. He longed to give it to her. He longed to protect her. She was his princess. He would be the one she could turn to. He would never let her down.

Mai fell into a routine. She did as she was told and wasn't bothered further. She was able to meld into the scenery and be alone with her thoughts. She studied everything and everyone around her. She learned how to read people. Though the more she learned, the more shallow and insignificant they seemed. She grew bored. She found that boredom was an easy mask to wear and that soon enough people would leave her alone. She also found that nothing was denied her so long as she behaved.

Just as things started falling into place, they got worse. As part of the nobility and with a daughter around the Princess' age, they could not avoid direct contact with the royal family.

Yumi cried, then steeled herself for what was to come. Composed, she went to Mai's room and found her daughter being readied by the maids.

"Mai? Today we are going to the palace. You are going to meet her royal highness the Princess Azula. You will show her the proper respect due her. Remember, should she like you, you will be friends. Stay in the Princess' good graces. Don't do anything to jeopardize us. Keep the Princess happy. Your father has worked hard to get as far as he did. This is important to his career. Do not bring dishonor to us. Now, smile for me. Cannot you smile?"