Table of Contents

1A- This is The Life!

1B- The Vagabond

2- A Moment in Destiny

3- Aboard the Ferry

4- Stranded!

5- A Circle of Guilt

6- The Farewell

Bonus Chapters

7A- The History Begins

7B- A Tale of Twilight

8- Fight!

9- Meeting Again

10- Migration Canyon

11- Gathering Darkness

12- Coming Home

Chapter 1 Part 1: This Is The Life!

LIVING AT the palace in the Fire Nation capital city was relaxing and mostly quiet, except whenever Prince Zuko would throw a tantrum. But, of course, Ty Lee did not exactly live there. She had been an honorable guest many times, but she had an extravagant house elsewhere which was her family manse. And yet again she found herself at Azula's side listening to strategies put forth from the generals about how to conquer the world, or something like that. She found these sessions extremely boring, and preferred rather to exercise or buy a rare trinket instead. She had no option at this time, though, but to just sit there and do nothing! She wasn't really the tactician-type, and was technically Azula's bodyguard, right-hand (wo) man, and longtime friend. No matter how irritable and calculating Azula was, Ty Lee knew it was only because the enemy constantly got in the way of their efforts. But she also knew that it was no match for the Fire Nation, the strongest of the Four Domains.

Ty Lee was always a bright character. She was cheerful usually, and of course optimistic, sincere, and willing. She had spent many years learning acrobatics, martial arts, medicine, and even studied anatomy to pinpoint weak spots in the human body. She had joined a circus around a year ago, and became one of the act's star attractions. But when Azula called her for aid, she immediately quit and joined the cause. Time and again she proved extremely effective in battle, as her martial arts skill had reached mastery level, and she even began to improvise, use combination moves, and use her anatomy studies to knock out opponents. Even when paired with one of the Avatar (a small twelve-year old Airbender)'s friends, she managed twice to neutralize him. She wasn't a firebender (one who masters and controls the element of fire and bends it to one's own will) or a swordswoman, but excelled in hand-to-hand fighting. She also considered herself very beautiful and she never avoided flirting with boys, except if they were all-around jerks. All this made her a unique and invaluable part of Azula's fighting force, and an irreplaceable friend.

As she was sitting there bored out of her mind, the generals began to discuss with one another, allowing Azula some time to talk to Ty Lee. She seemed quite jaded as well and a slight tinge of irritation appeared on her determined face.

"Hey Lee, don't be looking forward to a vacation anytime soon," Azula said plainly.

"Why not?" asked Ty Lee.

"It appears that someone's been interfering with our overseas trade routes. And it's up to us to stop them."

"Why don't they send a troopship to do the job?" asked Ty Lee more inquisitively than complaining."

"It's because they've already severely damaged three troopships. They've been in dry dock for weeks, but they still aren't in sailing shape. Commando raids have only resulted in more casualties. That's why the elite must go. You, I and Mai are going to investigate, along with an Imperial Guard squad."

"Ooh! Sounds like fun!" Ty Lee said elatedly, "When do we leave?"

"We leave tomorrow morning," uttered Azula, smirking.

Chapter 1 Part 2: The Vagabond

TENZO WAS the best, but that was not adequate enough. He had to be just and honorable, not just powerful among mercenaries and resistance, to competently lead a crack team of guerillas into the Fire Nation's heart. But at present, he had no force, and he was very lost. He imagined himself to be near the capital of the Fire Nation, but he had been nothing but stuck in the countryside for nearly a week, and his supplies were growing dangerously low. The only sign of civilization in sight ahead of him was the ominous, imposing building in the distance. It had very high towers and was extremely well fortified, by the looks of it. Then, Tenzo got the break he was waiting for. A farm! He was absolutely sure he could stand on the doorstep and beg for food, but the Fire Nation people were a proud folk, and he knew also that he would receive none. He could however, ascertain his location by asking directions. He approached the house, but seeing an old man in the fields, Tenzo called out to him, "Sir! That castle up ahead! Whose does it belong to?"

The man turned and said, "That's Lord Sho's residence!"

"So then, is this near the Imperial City?" Tenzo asked.

"Yes, it's some twenty miles away!"

"Where's the nearest village?"

"Keep going down that road! There's a marketplace three miles ahead!"

Tenzo bowed and cried, "Thank you, sir!"

The old farmer simply turned back and tended to his planting. Tenzo started down the road again and angrily muttered, "Fire Nation goats! No respect, not in any one of them!". Then he stopped and immediately realized, "Wait a minute! That Lord Sho! He's after my head! I've got to go off the road again if I want to get around unseen."

After some time, in what seemed like an eternity under the scorching heat of the sun, he finally arrived at the marketplace in which the farmer spoke of. It wasn't the busiest place he had seen in his travels, but there was some commotion in the crowd. As Tenzo approached, he heard what he thought was a magistrate making an announcement:

"Attention everyone! Pirate crews have attacked our trade routes and have damaged Imperial ships! I have been informed that some of their rabbles have come ashore, and may be in this area. There is a reward for any captured pirates that will be disclosed at any official's residence, and I can assure you, it is more than any one of you will make in a lifetime!"

Tenzo thought to himself, 'It's good to hear that those pirates are at work again. I was afraid they had lost their nerve." He, after all, was against the Fire Nation as well, and was on common terms with anyone, no matter how dishonorable, who would attack at will, or maybe if they were paid the right amount…

Tenzo stocked up on food and firewood there, and moved on as soon as he could. There was no point in staying too long any place where his face could be remembered, for a wanted sign bearing his countenance on it could materialize there anytime in the future. Thus, he planned to head for a more indirect route into the capitol city, through the backcountry of the Fire Nation, slipping unnoticed past any forts or outposts that he might encounter on the way. When he would arrive there, he could make contact with one of his allies and friends' operatives, where he would be given information on their activities. Going to and from important places from seemingly unimportant ones was just another way to lower suspicions on enemy trackers or bounty hunters. Also, it was one way for different resistance armies to coordinate plans to make common goals. Tenzo wanted to barter some men off of his friend to conduct operations of his own, but that certain friend had troubles of his own, so he couldn't know for sure whether or not his proposal would be accepted. If not, he would have to leave a lone wolf again, something he had gotten used to for around a year. This proposal had to be accepted in order for Tenzo to once again become a threat, let alone an annoyance, to the Fire Nation. He would have to find out when after arriving at the capitol, which was the following morning.

*Who's this certain friend of his? I think this friend would prefer if I didn't reveal his (or her) identity…

Chapter 2: A Moment in Destiny

AFTER THE war meeting, Ty Lee decided to traipse about the city and visit her favorite shops. But after finding that nothing was new much to her disappointment, she made her way back to Azula's residence. The day was getting very hot, and some shade and cool refreshments sounded just plain better than dying in the sweltering heat. There, she could be pampered to her heart's delight and enjoy a chat with Azula. Mai, her other acquaintance and fellow member of Azula's trio, however, was not always the most fun person to initiate a conversation with. She was, well… different- from most people, in the way that gloominess and pessimism dominated her thoughts. This contradicted Ty Lee's happy-go-lucky personality quite staunchly. But usually Zuko, the prince, would talk with her. 'They always seem kind of together nowadays,' she thought to herself, 'their personalities definitely match, too.'

When Ty Lee had arrived, she saw a crowd shouting something about a criminal and how he deserved to be flogged and put in prison. Curious about whom exactly it was that would receive capital punishment, she decided to go over there and listen in some more.

Tenzo was furious, plain and simple. Not only did he not get the men he asked for, but also got thrown out, and stuck in the middle of a crowd, in a market with wanted signs, including those of him, abound. It did not take long before the citizens had him bound and presented before some guards in front of the Imperial residence, no less. The punishment for resisting the Fire Nation inside the nation was either one of two outcomes: death, or eternal imprisonment. His activities of resistance were little known by the public in the past, but came to light after a robbery of an arsenal in the Fire Nation Army. That, however, was a false accusation. In addition, the Army's pride was at stake, so he simply had to take the blame.

After a couple moments, the crowd muttering and waiting, a party from the residence came out, a girl followed by an armed escort. She seemed rather straightforward, but Tenzo detected a hidden reservoir of thought and anger buried inside her.

"What is it?" the girl asked nonchalantly.

"This man is wanted!" said a woman.

"He robbed the Imperial arsenal!" screamed a man.

"Arrest him!" said another man.

An officer came from the crowd and presented Tenzo's wanted poster to her. She turned to the officer.

"So, this is the one who calls himself Tenzo. But his real name is yet to be found out…" she smirked. She looked at Tenzo and studied him for a moment. He said nothing and kept his head bowed.

"No last words? Or are you just mute? Nevertheless, I like a prisoner who knows his time has come. Surely you do."

Tenzo grunted. He was making his own plans about his demise, and they didn't involve getting beheaded or rotting in prison. He noticed that the citizens, in their rushed attempts to tie him up, did not bind his legs. It presented an opportunity for him to escape… if only he could get his sword, his main way of fighting, and a treasure passed down from generation to generation of his ancestry. It was carried by one of the officers present. All he had to do was retrieve it…

Ty Lee was fascinated beyond words. Why exactly would somebody bring a criminal here to Azula's place? This was a fun spectacle to look at. When Azula herself came out, Ty Lee's interest increased even more. She heard her say something, but couldn't tell what, and then the multitude started to yell. Something must have set the guy off, because he started to fight the crowd's grip after Azula started talking about going quietly. Azula laughed and said, "I've had enough entertainment for one day. Take him away." The throng bowed, and that's when the guy made his move. All of a sudden he bolted, kicking an officer as his feet were free of rope. With one of his bound hands, he grabbed his weapon out of the officer's grasp, what looked like a long, curved sword in a lacquered sheath. He jumped impressively out of the crowd and started down the road. The other officer cried, "After him!" and the guards ran down the road, chasing after the fugitive. Azula, amidst all the confusion but barely caught off guard, saw Ty Lee standing there watching on and said, "If you want to join the fun, be my guest. But don't kill him. I've got questions to ask him when this is over." She smirked and said, "Okay?"

"All right!" said Ty Lee animatedly, "Just leave it to me!"

She waved and ran in the same direction the man left, hopped onto a rooftop, and continued running.

Tenzo managed to get his ropes loose enough to draw his sword and cut himself free. With the new addition of the use of his arms, he jumped onto a rooftop and hid from the passing crowd.

"Ah hah! I've found you!" called an unfamiliar voice from behind, some a great distance behind. He turned around and saw a strangely dressed girl standing on a faraway rooftop. He had seen her before, at the residence standing near the princess when he was being humiliated. He caught his breath, stood up, and looked up at her for a few moments. He put his sword into his belt, tied it firm, and made a run for it. She immediately jumped rooftops after him, gaining. His adrenaline was pumping, and he knew he was losing momentum. He had to find some way to lose her, but here on rooftops, it was no easy task. To make things worse, he was losing rooftops to trek across, and he could spot a plaza up ahead. The roads to either side were too wide up ahead to jump across, and he couldn't leap down and gain time by doing it. He would have to confront her, and he preferred a wide-open space to do it.

When Tenzo came to the last rooftop at the plaza, he jumped down and ran to the center. By this time, the girl had nearly caught up to him and entered the plaza seconds after he did. She took a flying kick at him, and Tenzo dodged out of the way. Once she landed, she thrust her hands out, taking a martial arts stance. Tenzo drew his sword, but after a moment, stuck the blade into the ground.

"Ah, are you giving up?" she coyly asked. To Tenzo, it looked like she had hardly broken a sweat doing any of this, and what was more annoying was her happy-go-lucky demeanor. He, however, was practically drenched with sweat, and very impatient.

"No," he said, "I think I'd like a fair fight!"

"Aw, isn't that sweet!" she said, "Don't worry, it'll be over soon."

"For you, maybe!" he shouted and charged her. She back-flipped out of the way multiple times and upon landing on her feet crouched and performed a low horizontal kick. Tenzo jumped and tried to make a punch at her. She caught his fist and used her other hand to strike at him with her fore and middle fingers. He caught hers with his first two fingers of his other hand just as she was about to hit a spot near his armpit. They broke free of each others' grips and Tenzo jumped at her, trying to land a kick at her from above. She back-flipped again, out of the way of his hit and tried to strike again with the two fingers at a place under his ribs. He once again caught her hand in his fingers and tried to perform a high kick, but she broke his hold and slid out of the way. The two stood there, catching their breaths and looking at each other.

"I see your game," Tenzo said, "You use your opponents' weaknesses to your advantage by targeting pressure points. And that makes those parts of the body numb. Pretty clever."

"Hey, you saw my style! Not bad!" she said, "I'm excited, this is going to be fun!"

"What are you babbling about?" said Tenzo, "It doesn't matter. It ends here."

"If you can manage to hit me!" she laughed and began her fighting stance again. The two ran at each other and started to fight again, both trying to land hits and dodging gracefully each time. Their footwork seemed to coordinate perfectly, and the girl seemed to retain her cheery nature, despite the violence.

"Wow! This is amazing!" she said happily as Tenzo tried to swipe at her with open, flat palms, "Do you think this will ever end?"

Tenzo wasn't sure that it would end at this rate. He judged that both of them must be near equal in martial ability, and a fight like this would depend on one's energy levels. The girl seemed to have much stamina in reserve, and he felt up to fight for some time. Then, he was caught off guard. The girl hit a pressure point in his armpit, and his left arm went completely numb. The girl chuckled and said, "I hit a nerve, so that's not going to move for a couple hours!"

"Is that the way you're going to play?" said Tenzo, "Very well, how about this?"

He wrapped the numb arm around her outstretched arm and hit her in the exact same pressure point, using the precise same style. Her left arm dropped and became numb, much to her shock and disbelief.

"Wait- how'd you do that? Nobody else knows my moves!" she gasped.

Tenzo smirked and said proudly, "It doesn't matter whether I know it or not."

"W-what do you mean?" she said seriously.

Tenzo noticed her change in behavior from that of zeal to panic.

"It's a secret," he said, "But I can say that anything you dish out, I can throw back at you!"

"Huh?" she paused, "I don't know what you mean, but oh well…" she smiled again.

"You're going to wish you hadn't picked a fight with me," said Tenzo, switching to a different stance.

Ty Lee wasn't sure what that boy was talking about. She was still a little concerned about what he meant about the 'secret' and how she would regret fighting with him. She had mostly shrugged it off and resumed her spunky mindset again. The boy let go of her arm and backed away, and assumed the fighting stance that she just used.

"No fair! Copycat!" she said.

"You're getting close!" the boy said.

"Hmph!" Ty Lee scowled and charged forward. She began a cartwheel to kick him, but the boy smoothly ducked out of the way and horizontally low-kicked the same way she did. She jumped with her hands to avoid it and flipped, landing upright.

"Impressive," the boy said, "Try this, now!"

He immediately rushed forward and used both hands to use the pressure point hitting technique that she also used. She bent over backwards when he tried to hit her other arm to disable it, touching the ground with her hands. She then handstood with her one functioning arm and jumped back upright, smiling all the way. The boy looked at her with astonishment and frustration and then calmed down. He seemed to be losing energy, and his breathing was hard. It was then she made up her mind to hit his neck, which would cause him to pass out. She resumed her stance and spun forward, using her right hand as a steering wheel and her numb left arm as a counterweight. As she was about to strike, he ducked down and yelled, "Don't judge an opponent by how much stamina he's lost!" and hit her foot, tripping her. "Waaah!" she yelped as she hit the ground. As she lay there panting, the boy bent down to her, used her own technique to hit her legs as a means to avoid pursuit, and smiled, "Well, I must be going, now." He gave a two-finger salute as he crouched over her and got up. Ty Lee cutely frowned and said, "You jerk!"

Chapter 3: Aboard the Ferry

SINCE THE squabble in the capitol city, Tenzo had to retreat to the wilderness again to avoid unwanted attention. He would have to travel sometime in the future to a different part of the Fire Nation and stay there for a while. He was thinking of joining the pirates that were raiding the coast, but he wanted to stay a land-dweller to hone his skills some more, especially after his fight with that expert martial artist. He was the one that lost after all. Despite beating her, he lost because he lost his patience and his self-control. Even in a tough situation, it was no excuse to lose his mind. Tenzo once again headed down a country road to a coastal town, where he would wander outside. Living in the countryside was a must for an outlaw like Tenzo, but he preferred to dwell outside of towns so he could resupply anytime.

But still, Tenzo was very frustrated that such a good martial artist like that girl he encountered could even challenge him in skill. He steeled himself to study and practice enough to surpass her. They were very equal in ability, as he noticed, and he considered himself very lucky to have beaten her. If not, the match could have gone on until they were both tuckered out and they would have wasted so much time, that he would have been powerless to get arrested yet again.

And so Tenzo began his long journey to the south and hid when he could. It took many days to reach the eastern coast after traveling south inland. When he finally arrived in the nearest town, a place called Gulls' Cape, he immediately saw the large fishing market that was in town, and how busy it was. He decided to taste the local dishes and take the next ferry ride to Sea Urchin Island, a long island just around the cape. There, he could take Shen's Bridge, a large bridge that connected the island to the mainland, to get to the far south. Rumor had it that a pirate hideout was supposed to be concealed somewhere on the island. But if he wanted to join their cause, Tenzo would have to locate them.

If Tenzo wished to take the ferry, the ride was free except the fact that he would have to show identification. Of course, this meant he couldn't just walk on to the boat, and since he was a foreigner, he may be caught without some Fire Nation attire. Tenzo had the (forged) identification, but he had no clothes that were customary in the Fire Nation. He would have to get some before the boat left.

After lunch, Tenzo wandered about the town looking for a shop to buy an outfit to wear. He spotted one near the harbor and bought a humble-looking outfit with what little money he had, probably one a townsperson or laborer would wear. He wrapped his sword with his original clothes and put them in a straw mat after changing, slung it over his back and tied it to him with some rope. This way, he wouldn't lose it, and he would avoid detection.

An hour or so later, he was on board the ferry with the coast clear, or so he thought.

Ty Lee was ecstatic to be going on another adventure. She and everyone were going to find the pirate base rumored to be on Sea Urchin Island and lay waste to it, effectively destroying an important command center for the pirates. The sea-goers had become so strong and threatening to the Fire Nation that they were starting to raid coastal towns and make beachheads. What used to be minor skirmishes had turned into full-scale invasions up and down the coast. These bandits were both rich and poor men who came from all around the world, but most of them were from Kyoshi Island, a small group of islands off the Earth Kingdom's southern coast.

The company had stopped in Gulls' Cape early in the morning to wait for the ferry that would transport them to the island. They had all disguised themselves as peasants so as not to attract attention, and so they could enter the base in the guise of new recruits so they could neutralize it from the inside.

Around the middle of the afternoon, the ferry had arrived to pick passengers up for another trip. The group proceeded on board and settled in for a long ride. As the boat shoved off, Ty Lee mused at the souvenirs she got from the town; a couple jade figurines and a good-luck charm. She had a collection of charms and figurines at home, and she meant to add these new pieces to her tiny set. As for the boy who beat her at the capitol, she really didn't pay heed of him, except for the fact that he was good. She found out later from Azula that his name was Tenzo, though it was probably an alias. Other than that, she barely was affected by the battle. Her numb arm and legs had all but healed hours after the tussle. Ty Lee had no belief in grudges and rarely got mad at anyone, but she did take mistakes to heart. It was something that made her an exceptional fighter: the gift of the learning warrior.

Two or three hours passed in the voyage when grey clouds started to gather. Ty Lee saw rain and lightning in the distance, and it was approaching fast. She hoped it wouldn't be anything serious, or they would have to seek a shelter and be delayed for many hours, even possibly a day. If that was to be so, the mission would have been all for naught. All those hours of planning would have been for nothing. Planning was never one of Ty Lee's fortes, but she could appreciate a good idea. So there better not be any rain, she thought, or we'll be mad! Presently, most of the people on board were also noticing the weather approaching and were growing concerned. Some were verbally addressing the issue with the boat pilot. He said there was simply nothing he could do. Town was too far off to get there in time, and they had a better chance to beat the rain to Sea Urchin Island than to head back at this point. There was only a few people who seemed to remain calm; a few off-duty soldiers and a peasant in the back with a hat covering his face. He seemed to be sleeping to Ty Lee, but she changed her mind when he got up to calm some of the passengers. His voice seemed young, and it sounded familiar. One of the passengers was getting unruly with him and said, "Why don't you guide the boat and solve the problem if you're so smart?" and with that, he knocked the peasant's hat off. That's when she realized who he was; it was the same guy from the city!

Ty Lee approached him and said, "It's you! I knew it!"

Surprised, Tenzo turned around and said, "What? You again, of all places!" By this time, the rain had nearly overtaken the boat and the wind and waves were causing it to thrash about wildly.

"How come you're here?" asked Ty Lee.

"That's none of your business," replied the martial artist.

Ty Lee was about to shout out to the rest of the company when suddenly Tenzo rushed toward her and covered her mouth with his hand and held her back with his other. He pinned her arms so that she could do nothing to resist him.

"Sorry, but I don't want you to destroy the boat having your friends fight me. You'd just end up dead."

Ty Lee tried to scream through Tenzo's hands, but it was useless and her words came out as muffled nothings. Azula turned to them at the same time and saw the situation and she angrily said, "Who are you? What do you think you're doing?"

Tenzo, who was behind Ty Lee, said, "I'm nobody. But I have something to settle with this girl here! Don't come near, or I'll cut her, and trust me, I know where it hurts the most!"

The people gasped, and once again, Ty Lee tried to scream but failed. Azula smirked and said, "Well then… try this!"

A huge lightning bolt filled the sky, and the Princess used it to bend it and draw it to her control. The boat lurched, and a loud cracking sound was heard. All of a sudden, the boat split in two. The front side was thrown by a wave and it capsized while the back end was tossed to the side and all of its occupants were hurled out. Ty Lee felt Tenzo let go of her, and she desperately tried to swim to the surface. She broke the surface many times, but was submerged as soon as she emerged. She felt a jagged piece of wood tear against her waist and it cut her, almost causing her to sink into the water. The pain was immense and unbearable, and she could feel blood rushing out of her. She felt another larger piece and she immediately clung to it as it broke the surface. She had ingested so much seawater and lost so much blood that she was barely conscious as she floated on the driftwood. She desperately tried to maintain consciousness and to muster all the power she could to paddle to shore, but to no avail. She could feel herself slowly slipping away out of all feeling. She feverishly attempted to move her body, but it had given up movement long ago, and the things around her were starting to fade into black nothingness. She passed out as thunder rung out and the rain beat down on her.

Chapter 4: Stranded!

TY LEE WOKE up what seemed to be days later to see the sun shining brightly in her eyes. She squinted and tried to lift herself up, but an excruciating pain pierced her side. She looked to either side of her; there was nothing in sight- just sand and ocean. She looked helplessly at the sea. There was no evidence of the accident, except for the small quantity of wood that had washed ashore, including the makeshift raft that she had clung to. However, she did not lie atop it. She saw it some distance off half-buried in the sand. Nobody was in sight; no signs of civilization were visible anywhere. She was worried for everybody else, especially Azula, but they didn't wash ashore with her. That's when she remembered; that the boat had split in two between Azula and her. The bow had capsized and floated off, but Ty Lee couldn't remember if anybody had clambered onto it.

In desperation, Ty Lee cried out, "Is anybody there! Help me!" Nobody answered.

"Please! Hello! Is anyone out there!" she yelled again. Again there was silence. Suddenly, she heard footsteps approaching in the sand. "You're awake, finally," said a voice from a ways off, "took you a while to come to." She saw a figure crouch over her, but it was silhouetted by the sun overhead so it was hard to tell who exactly it was. His voice sounded awfully familiar, though. She strained her eyes to see who it was, but the results didn't make her any happier. It was Tenzo.

"Y-you? How?" she said unbelievingly.

"Fate," he said. She tried to sit up to give him a whack in the kisser, but the throbbing pain in her waist hit her again and she gasped agonizingly.

"Careful," said Tenzo, "That cut you got is deep. You also have bruises and scratches all over. Your right leg and left arm are paralyzed and weak from cuts as well. You're in no condition to move."

Ty Lee groaned and relaxed again, but by no means content or feeling any better. She said, "Where am I?"

"A beach," said Tenzo.

"I know, but where?" she replied wryly.

"I don't have any idea," he looked around, "but probably way south of Sea Urchin Island. There aren't any villages around for miles, it looks like."

"Oh no…" said Ty Lee, "What's going to happen?"

"I can't say," said Tenzo, "but I'm definitely not letting you escape to tell anyone about my whereabouts."

"I will! You'll see," said Ty Lee frowningly. She gave a scowl at him. He seemed to pay no heed to it.

"I dressed your wounds with what I had. I found some medicinal herbs nearby and mixed them, and I have some extra in case you start bleeding again."

"Oh…" she said quietly.

"It's a little bit why you're still in pain, but it's necessary. Here, drink this. I made it myself." Tenzo held up a small bowl of a green liquid to her mouth. She hesitated to drink it and held her head back.

"Oh, don't worry," he said plainly, "I wouldn't stoop to poisoning you while you're helpless. Just drink it! It's alright." She nodded and held her head up and drank the substance. It tasted extremely bitter, and she cringed at its tang.

"Ohhh…" she groaned.

"Stop it," he replied, "It's supposed to be very good for you."

"Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"Why indeed," he stated and paused, "All right, we'll wait for a bit and then start moving. Okay?"

"Where are we going?" said Ty Lee nervously, thinking about exactly what fate would await her.

"I don't know yet," he said, "I have to find out where we are first. Then maybe the southern coast. I have no idea of where to go."

"I'm NOT going anywhere like that with you!" she said adamantly.

"You don't have any choice in the matter," said Tenzo, "You already know too much about me; it may put me in danger to let you go."

"I don't know anything about you!" she exclaimed, "You're not taking me anywhere! Augh, I swear, I hate you!"

"Do you want me to leave you here? You wouldn't be able to go anywhere, and you certainly won't get any better."

"What? You're such a jerk! I never should have trusted you!"

"Okay, suit yourself," said Tenzo, walking away.

"Huh? Wait, you can't leave! You're just going to leave me here? I c-can't move!" Tenzo stopped and stayed there for a few moments, and he turned around.

"I should never have helped you! It would have better off if you had not made it! You annoying brat!"

"What?" she glared at him, "Annoying? Brat?" This time, she was really set off. "And why did you help me?"

"Frankly, I myself don't know now! Right now I'm wondering why I did it!"

"Ugh… this is hopeless! I'm trapped, and that's not good enough! I have to be stuck with this guy!"

"It wasn't your choice!" said Tenzo, "It was unpreventable on your part, so you'll just have to make due with your situation!" Ty Lee realized that he was right, no matter how unpleasant it was. Fate landed her here for some reason, and she would have to try to get home somehow. She honestly knew nothing about Tenzo except his name and abilities, if only a few. But she would have to communicate that to Tenzo somehow. Right now, he didn't have the trust to listen to her, though. After she paused and calmed herself, she said, "All right… I'll have to go with you. I can't heal by myself…"

"A wise choice. Right… I'll have to carry you, though, because you can't move at all. Is that alright?"

"Um," she replied, "all right."

"Well, that is until you heal enough to walk on your own, of course. Can't carry you all the time."

"How long will that be?" she asked.

"Should be a week, maybe two," he said, "the medicine will heal you faster, too, and because it's my medicine, there might not be any scars. You just hope for the best." Ty Lee despaired over the wounds and their mending time. She wouldn't be ready for any fights, and she would become weaker by not being able to exercise daily.

"Don't think this changes our relationship," said Tenzo, "When you get better, I'm still going to beat you."

"Whatever," retorted Ty Lee, "why would I be happy about this? And there's NO way I'm losing again."

Things simmered down a bit after that, and they had some breakfast. Once they had finished, Tenzo got up and said, "I'm going to have to carry you until lunchtime. You think you'll be fine?"

"Maybe," said Ty Lee.

"I'll take that as a yes," he replied and picked her up. He had to hold her at his front, to avoid tearing the wound in Ty Lee's waist more. Despite his slim appearance, he was actually quite strong, and he carried her for some distance before he said something again. It was more like a comment to himself rather than a statement directed at her, because he said, "What are the odds that I'm stuck alone with my worst enemy?"

She heard this, obviously, and yelled, "What? I'm your worst enemy?" She considered this a heavy offense to her. No boy had ever said that, or even didn't flirt with her, except maybe Zuko.

"That's right," he said plainly, "What, you're so perfect you have no enemies?"

"I never said that, but I definitely do now!" she said heatedly, "and I am perfect! What's wrong, you jealous?"

"Why would I be? 'Perfect' people are always the people who get their way all the time!"

Ty Lee never considered herself perfect (but she knew she was cute, of course); it was an anger-fueled statement. She recalled all the occurrences of her past and knew right away that she was far from perfect. She quieted down and didn't say anything more to that. She saw Tenzo smirk.

A couple of hours of silence later, they stopped for lunch and they were on their way as soon as they had finished.

Chapter 5: A Circle of Guilt

AS THEY journeyed along, Tenzo noticed that the girl he fought and helped seemed to be rather unsettled and anguished.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"None of your business," she said.

"Oh… excuse me," he replied. Tenzo honestly felt a little ashamed for acting up back on the beach. Overreacting was something he did a lot and something he wanted to change. Of course, she was an enemy, but he shouldn't have had that outburst back there. He knew respecting an opponent, not hating them, was a key to winning a war. That philosophy sort of applied to this situation. He would have taken back what he said had she not overreacted and become all fussy. Right now, he had mixed feelings toward the person who would be his rival in ability. He both wanted to apologize because he was ashamed of his impulsivity, and didn't want to because she was just plain opposite of him! He decided to give her a couple hours to cool down and then they would talk.

By the time he felt ready to speak with her, it was already dinnertime. The sun was setting, and they stopped to make camp in a grove of trees. Tenzo lit a campfire and made some soup and medicine for the girl, and she drank it eagerly. No thank-yous were heard, and Tenzo, unsurprised, begun, "So, uh… hah, I never found out what your name was."

She scowled and said, "It's Ty Lee, okay?"

"Oh… Ty Lee. That's a… nice name."

"Thanks," she said bluntly.

"Hey… er… I wanted to say that I… I'm sorry for acting up earlier." She looked up at this and said, "Huh?"

"I was being childish back there, and I'm really sorry for that. Can you accept my apology?" She looked down and thought for a moment and gave a small nod.

"Wow, thanks. That was a lot easier than I thought it would be," he said, "So, um, you probably don't know who I am, do you?"

"You're Tenzo, right?" said Ty Lee.

"Yeah… see, that's not my real name. I can't tell you right now, but when this war's over I can say it again."

"Huh? Tenzo's not your real name? Then what is it?" she said less inquiringly and more plainly.

"I told you, it's a secret!" he said, "don't be so curious!"

"Come on. You can't really think I would know who you are! You're obviously not Fire Nation."

"Heh… that's right," said Tenzo. Ty Lee looked at the fire with a glazed expression.

"Ty Lee?"

"Hmph." she didn't look at him.

"So what's your story? I mean, why do you do what you do? You work for the Fire Nation, but how'd you get there?"

"I don't work for the Fire Nation, silly," said Ty Lee, "I'm just friends with Azula, and I'm just helping out."

"Okay, well just asking," said Tenzo.

After a couple moments of silence, Ty Lee still staring at the fire, said, "So what's your story?"

"Well… now that's a long story," said Tenzo, smiling and looking up at the evening sky.

"We kind of have a lot of time," she said.

"You're right," he said, "Okay, where do I begin?"

"Where are you from?" she asked.

"Okay… I'm from an island called Kyoshi. I was the son of a wealthy merchant-warrior family who traced their wealth back generations of ancestors."

"Wait… you're really a rich noble?"

"Sorta… I'm rich, but merchants aren't nobles in Kyoshi Island."

"Oh…" she said, "…go on!"

"Well, I trained in the Kyoshi Warrior hall and learned the way of fighting with a sword and martial arts. I couldn't Earthbend like many of the other kids, but they said I was so skilled in martial arts that I got introduced to the secret fighting styles of the Kyoshi Warriors by the grand master, Master Daiko. I was the only man to complete the training regimen, and the only person of my generation to learn the secret styles."

"What are the secret styles?" said Ty Lee.

"It comprises of three philosophies. First, the Monkey. You are trained to observe and mimic what is shown to you with perfect accuracy. This isn't just a fighting art, you use it to obey your teachers' instructions, follow in your predecessor's footsteps, and honor your family. Second, the Dragon. Plan and organize your attack plan. Don't be impulsive. Also observe what an opponent does and predict what he or she may do. Third and lastly is the Tiger. You must adhere to the six principles of war- benevolence, honesty, compassion, loyalty, honor, and courage. Strive to rise above the common man by becoming something uncommon. Do not let an enemy get the false conception that you follow the crowd. You aren't obvious. You are strong, and it should be apparent in a fight."

"Whoa! Sounds fun!" exclaimed Ty Lee, "That would be way cool to be in something like that."

A little irked by this, he continued, "Anyway, that's the premise. I was the only one to graduate from the program in my class."

"Was it tough?" she said.

"Very," said Tenzo, "it took me ten years to complete."

"What did you do after that?" said Ty Lee, a little more curious.

"Oh, I played rich with my family, but I wanted to travel and see the rest of the world. I knew not many people weren't as fortunate as me, and I wanted to see how they lived."

"Oh…" she nodded.

"I got permission from my parents, and my grandfather was sent to escort me on my travels. I went all over; I went to the North Pole and visited the Water Tribe there, and then I went to Omashu in the Earth Kingdom, and then Ba Sing Se. I learned martial arts from masters in all those places. But when we ventured into the western Earth Kingdom, we were beginning to hear of Fire Nation raids. We knew that the war had been fought for nearly a hundred years, so we paid little heed of it. It would be a mistake we would later regret. We stopped in a village to spend the night before heading for the coast to see where Avatar Kyoshi separated the island from the mainland. When we woke up, we saw Fire Nation troops flooding into the village. We tried to hide, but they found us and captured us. Of course we told them that we were from a neutral island, but they didn't seem interested in listening to us. I managed to escape, but my grandfather was still trapped. He insisted that I leave with my life and the other villagers before I was found out, and no matter how much I objected, he said to leave him be. I fled and witnessed the slaughter of the village. It was horrible; nobody knew bending, let alone how to defend themselves; they never had a chance! It was a day later that I saw my grandfather among those who were impaled at the village gate. I was only twelve years old. I couldn't believe my eyes; I cursed the Fire Nation that day and vowed to make them pay. I would find the person responsible for his death and put him to justice."

"Don't you think revenge is wrong?" said Ty Lee.

"What do you mean?" said Tenzo, the feelings from that day coming back to him and swirling in his mind, "Of course it's right! That is justice! It is the only thing that can come in such a world as this! The Fire Nation will pay!"

"But revenge isn't for your grandfather!" she pleaded, "It's only for you to try and make yourself feel better! It's selfish!"

Taken back, Tenzo gasped and said, "N-no! You don't understand… you never lost someone you love!"

"No, but that doesn't change what I said!" she said. Tenzo, a wave of guilt rushing over him, said, "I could have stopped it. Instead I ran away like a coward! I'll never run away like that again. I swear… I will avenge my grandfather's death. I will restore my honor. My honor!"

Ty Lee seemed to grow a little nervous and said, "It's not what your grandfather would have wanted, I'm sure! He would have wanted you to move on!"

"How would you know? You're not my grandfather! You can't even begin to understand what I went through!" said Tenzo. Suddenly, he felt extremely ashamed for yelling at her and taking the words to heart, he looked down and after a while said, "…That's why I'm here today. I've been gone for five years now. I don't want to be rich, I don't want to be like the others, and I want to help defeat the Fire Nation. That is the right thing."

"…So why did you help me? I'm an enemy, aren't I?" she said.

"…Actually, I didn't tell you everything about that," said Tenzo, "When I was flung overboard during the storm, I had to let go of you to go up. I floated to the surface and tried to stay afloat. When I had a chance to cling on to something, I saw somebody floating a ways off on a board. I swam over to give the person a hand, and I saw that it was you."

"Me?" she said, "Why me?"

"Well, I suppose you reminded me of what my dad had taught me. My sister too. She would always get lost when I was back on Kyoshi, and she would sometimes wonder all the way to the other side of the island. When I would find her, she would be huddled under a tree or by a boulder crying. My dad always told me that to be a truly successful man, then you should love unconditionally, even toward those who would hate you. I had no reason not to aid you. I was done with ignoring people's suffering after that day in the village. I wanted to help you."

"Ah…" she said. She felt tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"You were unconscious. I kept swimming with you on the board, struggling with the current as much as I could, until I saw a beach in the distance. It took me about an hour or so to get there. I immediately saw that you were wounded at that time. You were still bleeding a lot. I knew how to make all kinds of medicine… so I cobbled together some herbs and bandaged you up." She paused a little while and after some consideration, she lightly said, "Thank you for saving me."

"Mm," he nodded and sighed.

"And… I'm sorry for getting mad at you too." It was difficult for Ty Lee to say this, but she felt better once she had said it.

"No, you had every right to get mad. I was a jerk. Forgive me."

"What's your story?" he asked.

"Well, I was raised in a house with six twin sisters. My dad was a noble, and we all got pampered a lot and… well it was… uncomfortable. All my sisters did the same thing, and I felt like I just was going someone else's path… I wanted to be my own person. Not part of a set of dolls. It was unbearable! I felt like I was getting all the leftovers from the attention that all my other sisters got. Everything was just about them, there was never any time for my family to be with me… When I was old enough, I ran away and joined the circus. I thought that I could have my own little slice of life and find happiness there. It was fun and I had a wonderful time there, but somehow I still wasn't happy. I wanted to find out what that thing could be that could possibly make me happy, and I thought that I could find it there."

"You wanted to be real," Tenzo ventured.

"Uh-huh," said Ty Lee.

"Like me… Perhaps we aren't so different after all," he thought, and after a minute or so said, "I see… What happened then?"

"Then Azula came and asked me to help her."

"What did you do?"

"Well I thought about it a bit, and destiny was calling me… I had a feeling it would be worthwhile going with her. She was my friend, too, so I couldn't let her down."

"Pretty crazy friend, from what I saw," said Tenzo, "But that's good that you found your destiny calling."

"Oh don't get mad at her… she sometimes gets fussy at times, but that's the way she's always been," Ty Lee plead for her friend.

"I don't know… something tells me you'll have to make a difficult decision in the future- one between her and your life. Only time will tell."

"Nah, I don't think so!" she said.

"Anyways, you said that you hadn't found happiness while being at the circus. Do you think you've found it yet?"

"I'm not sure…" She pondered for a while, but she eventually had to admit to herself that she hadn't found it yet. Even after all this time serving her good friend, happiness had still eluded her, and she had been growing more and more desperate after each passing day. She thought that she would have found it, but wherever she had looked, nothing was there, and even worse, even more heartache. She confessed, "I guess I haven't."

"Hmm. It's never that simple, is it?" he remarked, "Life, I mean."

"Yeah, I feel the same way," Ty Lee smiled. It was definitely a relief to be on common terms. Ty Lee felt like she understood Tenzo's plight and that he understood her more. She thought that things were beginning to look up, if only a little.

"I really do hope that you find that happiness you're searching for, Ty Lee," Tenzo said and yawned.

She smiled lightly, looked down a bit and said, "Thank you, Tenzo…" For a moment there, Ty Lee seemed to be smiling not like her usual cute and spunky self, but she actually seemed to be acting more serious, vulnerable, and touched. It was a whole new side of Ty Lee that he had never seen before, one that was the real girl at the heart of all that tactlessness. He smiled and was about to say something more to her when suddenly she yawned very loudly and collapsed onto the straw-pillow, moaning with tiredness. So much for the serious Ty Lee.

The two then said their good-nights and turned in.

Chapter 6: The Farewell

THE NEXT day they were off, and by midday they had a village in sight. They stopped in town and eagerly had lunch there. At the eatery they stopped at, they sat and chatted some more.

"Oh yeah, there was some bad news that I forgot to tell you yesterday," said Tenzo.

"Bad news? Whaddya mean?"

"Uh, well… it's just that your martial arts style… I have it in my collection now."

"Your… collection? What's that?"

"Well, like I said, I can copy a person's moves. They're locked in my memory now. I can't really get your style out of my mind, like the other entire one's I've copied."

"So that's how you do it! You're a copier!"

"Yep," Tenzo said, puzzled. He was absolutely dumbfounded that she still hadn't figured that out until now. This girl was in a league of her own, that was for sure!

"Can I tell you something?" she said, interrupting his train of thought.

"What's that?"

"Well, about you. I really don't know anything about you or what you've done or anything like that."

"Ha… I kind of knew that by the way you looked at me the first time we met. The look of a stranger."

"Yeah, well… could you mind not taking me wherever you're going?"

"You mean you don't want to go to the capitol?"

"Huh? I thought you didn't want to go back there!"

"What are you talking about? I was going to drop you off, but if you don't want to be…"

"Oh, really! No, no! Stick to your plan!"

"Good," said Tenzo, "I can't tell you where I'm headed after that; I'm sure you'll understand."

"Uh-huh…" Ty Lee said straightforwardly and nodded.

The two finished eating and started to journey along again. After Tenzo learned of their whereabouts, they set to finding a fast way to get to the capitol. They hitchhiked on wagons and walked, and a few hours passed before a major, literal roadblock stood in the way. They were on the coast once again and almost halfway to the capitol, when they stopped in a village known as the Market of Gatherers. It was near the ocean, and a calm breeze was in the air. Everything was quiet as they approached the town.

"That's odd," said Tenzo, "we would have heard some commotion by now."

"Maybe there's a town meeting or something," suggested Ty Lee.

"Could be," he replied, "let's be cautious, though."

Nobody was in the village; it was completely abandoned. Tenzo looked around and said, "There's only one explanation for something like this in a Fire Nation village." Suddenly, many doors around the village flung open and a multitude of men with swords, spears, and bows ran out, completely surrounded them, and thrust their weapons out at them.

"Pirates!" shouted Ty Lee, "They're everywhere!"

"We've got to get out of here!" he muttered. He set Ty Lee down and drew his sword.

"Gonna face us with your little sword, little man?" said one of the horde. Tenzo readied himself and said, "Ty Lee, I need you to try and walk now."

"I don't think I can," she said with a nervous expression on her face.

"Try," he commanded, "you should have healed enough by now." Ty Lee moved her head in the affirmative, and managed to get up. She assumed a fighting stance and stood back-to-back from Tenzo. She felt pangs of hurt in her waist, but she felt she could hold her own in this fight. Tenzo charged forward and sent a group of pirates running back with wild cuts in every direction. She followed him, defending herself as the pirates headed towards her. They seemed to be brave at first, but when faced with skilled masters like the duo, they turned out to be easily frightened. They had intended to rob the travelers, but they got more than what they had bargained for. Some put up a fight, and clashed with Tenzo and Ty Lee. One swung at Ty Lee with his straight sword, but Ty Lee ducked and tripped him. As a pirate slashed at Tenzo with his spear, he blocked it and punched him in the stomach. Another tried to club him in the back, but Tenzo turned around immediately after immolating the previous villain and sliced the bludgeon in two. They were fighting their way through the company and were outside after defeating at least a dozen of the pirates. They gave chase to the running travelers and were shooting flaming arrows. They kept fleeing as they dodged the missiles, never looking back.

The two sat down a while later to catch their breaths. Ty Lee suddenly felt a bolt of pain surge down her spine and she collapsed.

"What's wrong, Lee?" he cried.

"Can't move…" she gasped in anguish. The cut was acting up again; this time the bleeding had commenced again in force. He got her some water and more herbs for medicine and told her to put them in the wounds and bandage herself up again. She did so and the pain was immense putting the ground leaves onto the cut.

"I hope that works… that's from a plant I found nearby. It has medicinal qualities as well. It's supposed to heal deep wounds without scarring."

She had to administer the substance every day from then on, and had to be carried to prevent further injury. A week passed before familiar places started to be in sight for Ty Lee. Tenzo passed the castle he saw on his previous journey to the capitol and stopped in the tiny farmers' market for the night. After two weeks, the wound had healed enough for her to walk on her own again. The two then walked side by side on the road, swapping stories as they made their way to the capitol. Once the city was in sight, the two faced each other, broke off the chit-chat, and paused for a long moment.

"Well, that's your place," said Tenzo.

"Yeah…" Ty Lee replied. It seemed like years since she had seen her home, and she was both glad and apprehensive about returning to it. The boy who was once her enemy had made the journey worthwhile and they had come to respect each other during their conversation.

"I'd like to say something," she said distantly.

"Go ahead," he listened.

"Um… Th-thank you a bunch for taking me home and rescuing me and everything… you really made a difference, and I'm really happy."

"Well… you're welcome," said Tenzo, "I hope we'll meet again in the future."

"Me too!" she said. They bowed to each other and said farewell. Ty Lee started down the road and looked back at him once she had walked a bit down the road. She smiled at him and waved goodbye. He smiled and started walking the opposite direction, and Ty Lee turned back around.

Huh. She felt happy. And that was just from meeting a random boy who she wouldn't have talked to, even if she was looking. "How odd was it that we met," she said to herself, "but then again… I'm glad that we did."

Author's note:

I began this story last year with the intent of making a captivating action-style fan fiction of Avatar: The Last Airbender, while incorporating several personal elements as well. It was partly for fun, and partly for an English summer project. But in the end I think it was successful for the most part and I'm very happy with how it turned out. What continues to amaze me to this day was that it read very well with little editing, however that may be my personal bias. My motivation at the time was a hardcore fan-ship of Avatar and a knack for making original characters out of the blue. I also wanted to incorporate a degree of wit and a clever writing style. Maybe it was a bit too educated, but it's my sincere hope that you can understand it well enough. Unlike my previous fan fiction, a story based on the anime .hack/SIGN, this story involved a lot of action and thriller elements that required a lot of new writing techniques, and at first it was admittedly a challenge to me! It was a good thing that I got the hang of it, and I look forward to the opportunities to use it next. Something else that was new was that during my last book, the protagonist was an intellectual, reflective guy that was very analytical. While Tenzo is somewhat like this, he's more of a cognitive, meat-and-potatoes kind of guy that is both smart and strong physically; really a jack-of-all-trades. Also I really wanted to involve Ty Lee because she is just awesome (laughs). I really like the character because she seems really down-to-earth in the later half in the series when she starts to reveal her own motivations for fighting, and her decision to leave her home and join the circus and later Princess Azula, yet most of the time she retains a very spunky, cheery nature which I just adore and envy. We also learn a lot about her personality and history, and her ever-changing place in the world. Not only did I want to create a character that would oppose her personality, but also equal it somehow, in a funny way. I also wanted a character, who could serve as an enemy at first, then a rival, and eventually a mutual friend. But overall, I remember really wanting a character who could even challenge her incredible skills in a one-on-one martial arts brawl. Since I love samurai and swords, I loved the idea of making a tough samurai-like guy running around in the story with a katana-like sword, and on top of that, a resistance fighter from Kyoshi Island, which the original creators described as an island somewhat like Japan. I also based the pirates from Kyoshi because they're Japanese-like as well, because I based them off the historical Wakou Japanese pirates who invaded China and Taiwan from the thirteenth century on. The whole story really revolves around Tenzo and Ty Lee, and they're really two main characters written about equally. It's from here that I wish to add more bonus chapters, to see where the story might lead, and to have some more fun with the characters, especially because I have some new ideas. Who knows? Maybe Tenzo and Ty Lee will meet again and pursue a friendship. Or, maybe they will become rivals again. Perhaps they may even develop romantic feelings for each other. Or all three? (Sweats a little) Anyways, I hope I represented Ty Lee's character well and that people can sympathize with the characters. I also hope that this story is captivating enough to gain and hold people's interests. To the people who have supported me in writing this story and to the people who have read it, I am extremely grateful.

Sincerely,

Ben Smith

July 2009

2010 Postscript- I also wanted to write about Ty Lee because she does not have a very active role in Avatar compared to many of the other minor characters, nor does she have much character development. I wanted to give her a much deeper backstory, develop and grow her awesome personality more, and also wanted to give her a good happy ending, so perhaps the bonus chapters will be something you'll want to pay attention to if you're a Ty Lee fan like me. Oh, and perhaps Ty Lee will beat Tenzo sometime? They're that evenly matched.