We Are Not So Different, You And I

Fire

Kei couldn't believe what she was being told. This must all just be a dream, she thought. Some terrible dream…Ito wasn't going off to war. He was only sixteen, like her. He wasn't leaving in two days. It's all just a dream.

Can't she see I don't want to go? thought Ito. This is hard for me to. He continued talking, saying how he would be helping her and their families, how he could truly help the Fire Nation rise to power. She just cried, asking, no, pleading for him not to go. But how could he not? He had already volunteered.

Water

Massa was unsure how to tell his younger brother he was leaving. It would only be for a little while, and he would be helping the tribe. But Tykka wouldn't see that. He would just see his big brother leaving to fight terrible monsters that spout fire. Massa took a deep breath, and said what had been plaguing him since he volunteered to fight.

Tykka felt so alone. How could Massa just leave him like this? Who would teach him to hunt? To fish? To make a canoe? Dad was already gone. Now he had no one. He would have to protect Mom alone. Massa was only sixteen. How could he fight? This must all be a dream…

Fire

Ito held Kei close. "I'll be home before you know it," he said. "Don't worry!" Kei just squeezed him. Ito felt so guilty. "I love you Kei. I'll be home soon. I promise." She looked up at him. "I know you will be. But I just want you home alive, not as a body killed by those barbarians."

Kei had known Ito since they were small children. It was so hard to imagine him as a soldier. But there he was, in armor, leaving on a ship to the Northern Water Tribe. It was so hard to believe. He came up to her, and held her face in his hand. "Goodbye Kei. I love you. So much." Tears came to her eyes. "Goodbye Ito." There were tears in his eyes too. "I love you too." He kissed her.

Water

At the ship Tykka looked up at Massa, wide eyed. He was in warrior grab, and Tykka had never seen him this way. He seemed so much bigger now. So much older. He didn't want him to go. He needed someone to be at home with him. Tykka didn't feel like he could protect Mom or the tribe alone.

Massa knelt down by Tykka. "Tykka, I'll be home soon…" Tykka started to cry. "You'll come home alright. You'll come home all burned up from those monsters!"

Massa hugged his little brother. "No I won't. You'll see. And I'll always be in your heart. Tykka, take care of everyone ok? You have the strength, I know you do." Tykka squeezed Massa tight. "Goodbye big brother." Massa hugged back. "Goodbye little brother."

Both

All the soldiers were ready to fight. They could cut the tension with a knife. There's always that silence before a battle, not knowing what the enemy is capable of. Your mind imagines heartless monsters that want nothing more than bloodshed, and you get scared. You think of the people you care about most, and the last time you saw them. Some people feel regret for not saying things, others wish they could see them right now. Some people ask their friends to look after family, others just remember good times and tell the stories. And then you remember why you fight. To protect ones we love. So Ito remembered Kei, and Massa remembered Tykka and his mother. And then they remembered why they fought, and stepped onto the battlefield.

As they all fought, they could now see the enemy's eyes. It was like looking into a mirror. They could all see they fought for the same things. And they all shared the same thoughts: I guess we're not so different, you and I. We both just want to protect the ones we love. After all, we're all just fighting for the greater good, right? To finally stop this war by defeating each other. That's the greater good I suppose…

Isn't it?