The Nature of Duality
Foreword:Another little oneshot that came to me while procrastinating over my ongoing stories. Some of these ideas may be reused in said stories. Anyways this is just a hort little piece from Katara Point of View about the 'Nature of Duality' aka Ying and Yang. I don't like to get involved in shipping wars, but I do come across alot of the 'opposites attract' arguement for either one side or the other, and I just thought I had to put my own take on it in words, so please don't be offended if my views disagree with yours.
As always I'm a Kataanger all the way, so if that's not something you can read don't criticize me on it. Respect the show, and no matter what ship you sail, respect what the creators went with.
Set later the night the Gaang arrives at Ember Island (the end of the 'Southern Raiders' episode). What was Katara thinking, what led to the events of 'The Ember Island Players' and beyond?
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar, Don't do drugs, you get the message kiddies XD
Yin and Yang is a funny thing. Dark and light, good an evil, opposites, balance, harmony. Everyone says opposites attract, yet if Water is Fire's opposite why does the ocean dance with the moon? They are yin and yang, but shouldn't it be the sun? Why is it the moon? I was gazing out at the expanse of the ocean where it met the horizon, as the sun slowly sank below the surface of the waves, on the jetty by Zuko's Ember Island mansion. Slipping my bare feet into the water I continued to watch the waves stretching endlessly into the distance, as night claimed the world.
Looking over my shoulder I heard a disturbance, but relaxed as I only saw Zuko.
"Pretty night" he said kind of lamely, while stifling a yawn.
"Go to bed" I ordered smirking. "As you once told me 'you rise with sun'"
"Yeah, you should too"
"I rise with them moon" I answered, still mimicking his speech from the North Pole. Back when we were on opposite sides.
"I don't get the appeal of staring at the moon" he said blandly "I mean it's just… grey"
Like Aang's eyes my mind instantly supplied, along with an accompanying image of said eyes. Smiling to myself at the thought I answered Zuko "Sadly, you never will."
With that he went indoors, not before being yelled at by Sokka for calling the moon 'unappealing'. "The moon will come down and whoop your sorry butt!" his shout could be heard for miles around.
Giggling slightly in the aftermath, I must have missed the sounds of Aang's approach, for he was suddenly beside me. "Hey" he said.
"Hey" I said back, my eyes instantly drawn to his grey ones in the light of the moon. They seemed to glow in the pale light of the sky. "Aren't you tired?"
"I guess I just wanted to watch the moon rise" he answered, with the slightest hint of his childish smile.
"You know I sent Zuko to bed." I gave him a stern look.
"Well it's not gonna work on me" he grinned, "besides I'm a light sleeper, and Sokka is snoring louder than a Hippocow" I giggled at the all too true statement. "Don't know how Zuko and the others can even try to sleep through it."
"I know, I've had to live with that all my life."
"I feel sorry for all of your life in that case" he teased.
"Not possibly more than me" I said ruefully, with a hint of sadness, as memories surfaced along with tears.
"No, I guess not" he said, an odd note colouring his voice. He stretched an arm out awkwardly, and seeming to debate with himself, before wrapping it around me. For once I sought out the comfort of his arms. Normally I was the strong one, the ever bearing waves, crashing resolutely against even the most stubborn shores. The one who would fold him into my arms. But tonight he was the gentle wind on my face that dried my tears, as he had been more and more so lately. Especially lately.
I couldn't help but think of my little 'quest' with Zuko, where we had ventured off together to find my mother's killer. Frankly it was nothing like my journeys with Aang. Zuko had stirred and boiled my anger over, much like his own, and I had done terrible things bloodbended which I swore never to do again.
And then there was Aang. He was there when we returned, guiding my footsteps in time, in balance. Before we'd left he'd counselled forgiveness, words that had never left my head. When I had been determined to take Appa no matter what and seek my revenge he had let me. Knowing this was something I needed to do. He knew. I couldn't help a slight smile, although for some unknown reasons I tried to fight it. It was much like when he'd needed to see the Southern Air Temple, his beloved Gyatso, despite my attempt to explain it to him.
It was a slow and creeping realization, that had overtaken me over the course of this year, no sudden inspiration or insight took me, and yet now I know. I know that we are two sides to the same coin. Tui and La, Push and Pull, circling each other, connected. He balanced me, brought harmony to my discord, peace to my inner conflict, and I to him. When I was serious, he was comical, when I was stubborn he was carefree, when I was compassionate he was in need. When I sought to help others he was supportive. When I disagreed with him he was understanding. With the weight of the world bearing down on us, he made me light hearted. In him I saw a little bit of myself, thejourney we'd experienced together and the journey yet to come. We are twofold, a perfect duality, because despite similarities between us, what's more was that he was everything I wasn't. And I had realized I was grateful, more than I had ever felt for anyone before. I was afraid I was beginning to feel that grateful was not all, not enough.
Maybe the sun and the ocean have more in common than people care to think. Both are nessecary for life, yes, yet each was as passionate and powerful and unforgiving as the other. Flames would burn just as readily as waves would drown. And then they were completely un-alike, neither could support the other, Water would extinguish fire, or fire would evaporate water. It was a contest as to which was hotter or colder - there could be no balance.
Earth could shelter fire, and maybe that's why our planet orbited the sun, to give life to the earth. Just as the ocean and the moon danced around each other. Moving the waves, and in turn moving the wind. Because Yin and Yang is a funny thing. It is wet and dry, the wind and the waves, Life and Death, opposites. Yet they are also a part of one another, sharing strengths, the soothing balm of water, and the soft caress of air. Freedom. Harmony. I remembered how I felt alone with Zuko, hunting, the feeling of power he had given me, the will for revenge. And I was afraid then, more than anything, that some part of me had liked it.
"What you thinking about?" Aang's soft voice pulled me back from the brink again.
"Nothing important really." I smiled at him, and at once he grinned widely back, my sombre mood lifting. I could barely contain a giggle. Ying and Yang is a funny thing.
As always, now you've read, please Review! Feel free to share your thoughts on any of the ships, Just please be respectful to others. Merci.
~Benign vieweR~