Chapter 1

Should You Go First

Chapter 1: The Tale of Gall

Some say, people tell tales, not because they're true, but because they're simply easy to listen to. Some also say, that tales can fill minds with silly presumptions, making the strong weak. Weak with irrational dreams and hopes.

But what if that's what makes us strong? What if those tales are what gives us the drive to keep going? The drive of believing that we can achieve anything?

Yet, there is a more important question at hand. I invite you, dear Reader, to look inside your thoughts and ponder this for just a moment. All tales had to come from somewhere! But where?

In all truth, all tales hold a little history in them, no matter how extravagant they are. For instance; have you ever heard of The Tale of the Scandalous Monk? That story, in it's name, is very scandalous. Again, some say that people tell tales not because they're true, but only because they're easy to listen to. But in fact, this is no tall tale. This, dear Reader, is history itself! Yes, the monk is what makes the story so unbelievable, scandalous, if I may. But the story is true, as it will remain forever.

Would you like to hear it? It is very entertaining, I assure you, Reader, that you won't be disappointed.

This is the story of The Scandalous Monk.

There once was a monk named Gall, who resided in the Eastern Air Temples, back in the time of peace. He had a wife named Lihua. Unlike Gall, who was a very unorthodox monk who had always been different straight from the beginning, Lihua was a very timid and kind woman. But before they were married, they were friends.

If I may interject for a moment, I must tell you that we are now entering a tale, within a tale! Please, give yourself a moment to take this new information in.

Lihua was also residing in the Eastern Air Temples, but in a separate Temple with the other female Air Nomads. To pass the time, Lihua was said to often tend to the young Bison, making their coarse fur shine in her spare time. Gall on the other hand... Gall would dedicate his time and energy into proving to the Elder Monks that he was the best Airbender in all of time. In each of Gall's attempts to try to strike the elders with awe, Gall would fail epically. Pushing his reputation further and further down the deep hole that it was already in.

On a day that was going particularly wrong for the young Monk Gall, he sat stumped upon a tall pillar with his hand on chin, thinking of new ways to try to amaze the elders. It was then, that Lihua had noticed his perch from below.

Naturally curious of the young monk's choice of actions, Lihua called to Gall. "Excuse me, but what are you doing up there?"

Startled, Gall looked down to the young nun, a smile creeping to his face. Gall airbended his way down to her, bowing extravagantly after his feet touched the ground.

"Why, meditating of course!" Gall lied, a habit that had formed over many years of trying to cover up his failed attempts of you-know-what. Truth be told, Gall was a mediocre Airbender at best. Skills only strong enough to fly on his glider or to perhaps knock an opponent down. "What might a beautiful nun such as yourself be doing at an hour such as this?" Gall continued, using his sheer cunning abilities to get on the nun's good side. It's not that Lihua was not beautiful, in fact, Lihua was actually rather good looking. But being from another part of the Eastern Air Temples, Lihua did not know of Gall's reputation.

A delicate blush danced across Lihua's cheeks. "I was brushing the Sky Bisons out, and now I'm going to drop off the shed fur so that blankets can be made." the young nun explained, motioning to the wicker basket in her hands. Gall nodded.

"May I accompany you?" Gall asked, taking the basket from her hands, not giving her time to answer. They walked together, talking casually. Getting to know each other.

Thus, our real story begins.

Over the years, Gall and Lihua had developed a budding romance. Rumor spread, and tensions rose. But most important of all, the Elder Monks were troubled. Knowing no good could come from Gall and a young, naive nun.

Still, they eventually became a couple and they hung on to their relationship through all the hard times of the taunting from the other young monks. And eventually, they were wed. Shortly after the wedding, Gall and Lihua left to explore the world on their Sky Bison. After all, they were Air Nomads.

Throughout their travels, Gall used his cunning to trick many people to give them food and money to get by, gaining him many enemies. Lihua reminding him of his foolish actions everyday, also reminding him that they could return to the Eastern Air Temples anytime, and after a few days of petty quarreling, Gall had reluctantly agreed to return to the Temples, but only because Lihua was bearing his first child.

So they returned, but only to be greeted with the stench of death and the muted cries of the fallen monks and nuns. Needless to say, they quickly returned the way they had come, but not before they were sighted by the enemy. Even so, they had escaped, but not without the loss of their Sky Bisons.

It is said in the next part of this story, that the young couple had no other choice than to retreat to Ba Sing Se on their gliders. After they had arrived, the war was announced, and Gall and Lihua had decided to live out the rest of their days in Ba Sing Se. As non-benders.

As time passed, Lihua bore Gall a daughter, naming her Pao. Gall and Lihua hid the terrible truth from their beloved daughter, but in fear that she would find out and that they would be discovered, they hid her and her airbending abilities from the outside world. It wasn't until Pao had turned thirteen that her parents had allowed her to reveal itself. For the small family, it seemed as if everything where finally getting better, despite their troubling past. Almost.

Gall's scandalous behavior continued cause disruption between Lihua, Pao, and himself. Eventually, Gall's actions had caused so much uproar, that he had an angry mob after his head. Disgusted and displeased, Lihua left Gall, taking Pao with her, and fled for Omashu. Leaving Gall to face his thoughtless actions alone.

Over the years, Lihua trained Pao in the ways of the Air Nomads, also helping her in her airbending. Lihua even told her about the tragedy of the Air Nomads. They never heard from monk Gall again. Eventually, guilt began to consume Lihua, filling her body and mind with regret and downheartedness, which eventually took her life. Pao grew into a strong and respectful Air Nomad woman, and eventually married a non-bender as her mother once instructed her to. In order to keep the airbending trait going. In fact, Pao was able to pass on her airbending trait to her newborn son. But her husband Niko found out of his son's abilities, and much to Pao's disapproval, tried to have her arrested.

Tried? You ask? Reader, I invite you to bear with the story and read just a little bit more, and you shall find out why Niko tried.

Niko had felt very betrayed by his wife's lies, and he ended up acting out of rage. When the king heard of his claim, the king had claimed Niko's claim a lie. Arresting him for causing such a commotion in Omashu.

This is where the story begins to end, Reader. Some say that after Pao's son, Paiko, had grown up and wed, the trait had died out after his wife bore him an earthbender and after a second try, a non-bender. Paiko had become angry with his wife when she bore him an earthbender, and accused her of having an affair. The word "airbender" became a thing of the past, and because of this, Paiko had claimed himself as a failure to his family. Filling himself with anger, sending him to an early grave. Just like his grandmother named Lihua.

This, Reader, is the end of this tale. Did you enjoy it? Or did you mostly wonder why I had took the time to tell you it? Because in fact, there is a reason why I told you this tale. This is not just history-

"This is my history..." I whispered, looking away from the tattered scroll and at my mother. Mom nodded in approval, giving me a small smile. "Does Dad know?" I asked, setting down the scroll.

Mom shook her head. "It's a dark family secret. None of the past spouses except Niko knew." she explained.

"So its like, only direct family knows?" I asked, Mom nodded again and took the scroll. She rolled it out even further to reveal a family chart.
"Wow..." I breathed.

"You're absolutely right Daiyu. After Gall was left in Ba Sing Se, the secret was left with Linua, who passed it down to Pao." she explained, moving her finger down the line of my ancestors. " Then when Pao's son was born, she passed it down to him, but when Paiko had no children who were Airbenders, he had kept the secret to himself."

"If that's so, then how do we know what we know now?" I questioned with great interest.

Mom's finger kept moving down the line of the direct family. "He didn't want to take the secret to his grave, so your Great-Grandfather Paiko made this chart."

"Why didn't he want to take the secret to his grave? I mean, if the trait's gone, it's gone. Right?" I asked.

"That's what has been told, but you see Daiyu, Paiko still had hope that the trait would somehow reappear in his future families to come." she explained, waiting for my approval before continuing. "But alas, his son An was an Earthbender, and was killed in a Fire Nation raid. That left his daughter, a non-bender, to carry on the dormant gene."

"Okay," I said, the suspense was killing me. What was gonna happen next?

"Baiyo, Paiko's daughter, had her own daughter. A non-bender." she said, pointing to her own name on the chart. "...And then I had you." she said, mystery lingering at the end of her sentence. Then she began to re-roll the antique scroll. I felt like my heart stuttered and then restarted again. Was that it?! It was like reading a good book, and then finding that the ending pages of it had been torn out, leaving the reader in suspense forever.

"Is that it?! Seriously!" I yelled, gripping the fabric of my training pants.

Mom looked up at me seriously. "I've been watching you for signs, just as my mother did with me..." she said. Despite her seriousness, she was putting me in suspense on purpose.

"...Uh huh?" I questioned, not getting her point, but getting annoyed instead.

Mom put a hand on my shoulder. "You're different Daiyu."

I stared at her, confused.

"The way you walk, the way you move in general, is different than the other kids. When you cough, sneeze, sigh. The signs are all there."

I stared at her again, but wide-eyed this time.

"The dormant gene has awakened."

End of Chapter 1