It was cold.
The kind that just climbed right into your body and seeped down into your very core; and made you forget what it even felt like to be warm.
Face down in the snow her movements were stiff as she struggled to adjust to the sudden change in temperature and get on her feet. She couldn't remember ever feeling like this before, nothing had ever been this painful as her bare feet burned something fierce with each step. Her skin was numb but highly sensitive at the same time, the tiniest pressure sending shockwaves through her whole body.
No one had told her the human world would hurt this damn much. She knew she'd be mortal but nobody bothered to mention the pain that came with mortality.
Given the amount of pain she was in, it was no wonder she didn't realize there was a battle going on right beneath her until it was too late and she was caught in an avalanche, barreling towards the cold metal floor of a ship. Strangely, that hurt less than the cold did, it ached but she couldn't say that really hurt, even though she probably just fell over twenty feet.
"Who are you!" A scarred teenager demanded his flames licking at his fists. Her eyes went wide with wonder as she righted herself, eyes fixed on the fire. Elemental Bending wasn't possible in the spirit world, she'd read countless scrolls and books on the subject, and wondered if it was possible for a spirit to bend but she'd never seen someone command an element so thoroughly. The fact that it was firing past her head barely even registered.
"What?" She asked her focus snapping back to the boy controlling the fire.
"Are you with the Avatar?" He growled out, glaring at her, but she was lost in thought once more.
"Avatar?" It hit her like a ton of bricks. She was early. Days earlier, she shouldn't even be here right now. Something must have happened for her to be standing her right now. Somehow the Avatar must have pulled her into this realm, it was the only thing that made sense.
"Answer me!" He yelled, again but her patience was running thin.
"Stop shouting." She growled out her power flaring in response to his. Still he moved close enough grab her but an older man caught his wrist.
"Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to be a spirit would you?" He stepped between her and the boy, shattering the tense atmosphere
"I suppose I would be, I come from the spirit world after all."
"I see, so then the avatar entering the avatar state must have knocked you into this world." He looked to her for conformation, but it was like he was looking through her but also seeing her all at the same time. It was an odd sensation to say the least.
"That's what I believe, or perhaps he meant to help and accidentally picked up on my longing to come to this world. I was planning on coming here during the solstice so it's been rather convenient. Even if you crashing into a cliff and knocking me off of it was rather rude of you." She reasoned, feeling quite a bit warmer as the crew of the ship rushed around them to try and melt the snow and what looked like frozen people.
"We didn't crash!" The teenager yelled from behind the old man, "The Avatar caused an avalanche!"
"Well then I suppose he was the rude one. Drags me into this world, and proceeds to knock me off a cliff. So much for being the bridge between the worlds." She corrected, grumbling a bit. This wasn't at all how she pictured getting to the human world was going to go.
"If you do not mind me asking, why did you want to come here to this world?" He asked chuckling as he gently guided them into the ship's tower where it was much warmer.
"It's my mother." She wrung her hands and took a deep breath before continuing, this was why she was here after all, "She disappeared. I searched the Spirit World for her, even asked the Spirit of Knowledge, but he couldn't help me - not that he's particularly helpful mind you. But eventually I came to the conclusion that if she wasn't in the Spirit World there was only one other place she could be. I can't imagine how though, travel between the worlds on this level is rare even for spirits."
"On what level?" The teenager asked. She felt herself smirk playfully as she grabbed his hand and smiled cutely at him, even added a little giggle, for kicks. As excepted, he blushed bright red and stammered uselessly, completely unsure of how to react.
"This level. I have a physical form." She teased; enjoying the minor discomfort her act was causing him.
"Hm… I see." The man nodded before realizing something, "It seems I've forgotten my manners in my old age, I am Iroh and the boy whose hand you're holding is my nephew Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation."
"Ah, it's nice to meet you both," She let go of Zuko's hand, drawing herself to her full height, "I am Kaira."
"Not like spirit of something?" Zuko asked, just to irate her in retaliation.
"We have names you know! Human!" She fired back, spitting human out as if it was an insult – in some places it is. Practically growling, fire formed around his fists.
"Peace, Prince Zuko." Iroh calmed his nephew before turning to the spirit, "I am wondering if you would like to travel with us. I believe it would serve both parties."
"WHAT!" Zuko yelled, but both them ignored him.
"I'm curious, what's your reasoning?"
"You don't seem to know much about this world." He gestured to her improper clothing, "And we're traveling the world in search of the Avatar." He chose his words carefully, but Kaira saw through it.
"You mean to harm him." It was a statement, not an accusation.
"I must capture him to regain my honor." Zuko proclaimed and Kaira nodded in understanding even if she was a little hazy on how the topics connected.
"Would that present a problem? You are a spirit after all."
"Hm… No, not really. While the Avatar acts like a bridge, he isn't inherently welcome in the Spirit World. There are those that would wish him harm as well as those who wish to protect. Being a spirit does nothing to impact my feelings on the avatar and considering it's his fault I was knocked off a cliff and onto this ship. I'm not particularly happy with him at the moment. In short, I just don't care about your plans regarding the Avatar. However, I'm still unclear about how that makes you good travel companions."
"The Avatar, must master all four elements, he will need a teacher and that will no doubt take him and consequently us all over the world."
"Clever. But how does this arrangement help you? I won't aid in your fight. Don't expect me to interfere unless my safety is directly threatened."
"No, no of course not. Traveling with spirits is said to bring good luck!" Iroh smiled widely at her and she couldn't help but get the impression he was lying. Sure some spirits brought luck, that was well known but that certainly wasn't her. Kaira wasn't what his motives were, in getting her to travel with them but it certainly wasn't because she supposedly brought luck. Still, traveling with them would be beneficial to her. Looking at her dress and bare feet, Kaira felt she had practically no choice in the matter. It was clear that she wasn't as prepared as she thought she was.
"Fine, I'll be your good luck charm." If nothing else, it would an interesting journey.
AN: Hope everyone like that chapter, I'm pretty happy with it. Now I want to just say a quick warning, I'm dyslexic and I have the most trouble with vowels that being said Kaira and Kiara look the same to me so I'm probably going to mess that up, it's pretty much inevitable. I did try and change her name but nothing quite fit like Kaira. So Kaira it is.