Deep in a forest in a clearing by a stream was a campsite. Two simple tents had been set up facing a campfire. The owners of the campsite were rather remarkable.
A young woman, slender as a reed with shoulder length black hair and black eyes and the arrow tattoos of an Airbending master was sparing with a young man dressed in Fire Nation red with atypical dark skin, wavy black hair and brown eyes who wielded the scimitar he held like an extension of his arm. The woman thrust out her arms, raising a chest high pillar of rock from the ground and sent an arc of wind at her opponent. Harnessing two elements was of course no strange thing since the young woman was the currant avatar. Avatar Mulan.
Her sparring partner – who was also her best friend Aladdin – was swept off his feet just like she intended. He did not ram into the rock as she was hoping for though. Instead he twisted in midair and pushed off against the rock to launch himself at her. Mulan yelped as he tackled her and suddenly found herself on her knees with him holding her in a headlock and the flat of his blade against her cheek.
"Your dead." Aladdin announced cheerfully, sounding annoyingly smug.
Understandably smug, granted. But still it was annoying. Mulan huffed, ignoring the blush that rose in her cheeks from having his body pressed against hers "Fine, you win. Again. Now will you let me go?" she demanded.
He released her and she groaned, rubbing the back of her neck "How do you always beat me? I'm the Avatar."
"Because I'm awesome." Aladdin grinned, leaning forward with his elbows on the pillar "And it keeps you humble."
Mulan rolled her eyes fondly and walked around him to plop herself down in front of the fire, crossing her legs in front of her.
She closed her eyes as she stretched her arms over her head with a groan before clasping her hands in front of her "So, are you ever going to show me how to use that thing?" she asked referring to the sword and opened one eye to glance at back him.
Aladdin laughed and turned to face her with a toss of his hair, leaning back against the rock "No way! Gotta contribute something to this partnership."
"You do." She turned to him with a fond smile "You are my friend."
Aladdin flushed at that and looked away in embarrassment "Yeah." then he shot her a cheeky grin "But I prefer master swordsmen to hot tag-along."
Laughing, Mulan opened her mouth to respond when a rustle in some nearby bushes drew her attention. And she leaped to her feet as five men entered the clearing. Mulan reached out with her foot for her staff that lay nearby and kicked it up into her hands "Who are you?" she demanded, extending it out in front of her defensively.
The man in the center with a short beard and red turban smirked as he drew a dagger from the inside of his tunic. The fire and moonlight reflected in his eyes, giving him a demonic look "You know I'd think that be obvious. Even for the Avatar." the men behind him laughed like hyena-bats at their leader's attempt at humor.
"Your mistake." Mulan snipped back and thrust her arms up and forward. Out of the corner of her eye she watched Aladdin, scimitar already in hand, leap up onto the pillars that burst from the ground and drop down the other side swinging the blade like a vengeful spirit.
The fire nation man was on the leader like a lightning bolt, the startled man barely able to bloke the stoke that would have taken his head. The bandit leader's face split into a wide grin as the blades crossed with a clang. He did so love a challenge.
Mulan dropped as one of the men came at her with a spear, its wicked blade gleaming. Spinning, she leaped up into the air to land a well placed kick at his head, feeling his nose smash to a pulp beneath her heel. Another of the bandits jumped out of a tree at her with a lit torch. She just sent a burst of air at him so he splatted against the stone pillars. Mulan was barely able to keep herself from rolling her eyes, thoroughly unimpressed. Honestly, what was the guy planning to do? Burn her hair?
She turned as she noticed one of the bandits near the river slide into a familiar stance, a wave raising behind him. Mulan let a grin spread over her face as the large man thrust out his arms and jagged ice shards flew at her. She twirled her staff, deflecting the deadly spears with ease. This was her kinda fight.
"Ah, Thanks kitten!" The bandit leader's voice suddenly broke into her thoughts "You just took care of half the job for us."
Startled, she spun around. And froze, the sight freezing the blood in her veins.
The world dimmed, tunneling around her as Aladdin looked up from the blade of ice impaled in his chest to met her gaze, shock and pain whirling like a storm in his brown eyes. Everything faded to gray except for the blood. The ruby red life blood dripping from the wound remained stark in its clarity.
No, her mind cried out numbly, NO NO NO!
She was barely aware of the heavens opening up or the bandits still surrounding her. There was only Aladdin. Sword falling from his hand, legs buckling as he fell in slow motion. Her muscles burned as she shot across the clearing, barely aware of the air she called to sped her way to his side. She caught him before he could fall upon his own blade, gently laying him on his back. Her hands hovered over him in a daze. His head was turned away from her, his eyes were closed, lips parted. His face still held a hint of pain as if he was only suffering a nightmare. Shakily, she picked up his scimitar from the ground ware it lay and cradled it in her hands. The rain had caused the blood to run down his sides, staining the steel slightly pink and now staining her hands.
Lightning flashed and for a moment Aladdin was staring back at her.
With a howl Mulan broke down, stabbing the sword into the ground as she burst into tears, clinging to the hilt like a life line.
The bandit leader threw out his hands as he turned to his men with a grin before bringing them together to rub his palms greedily "Right men, grab everything you can carry." he blinked in confusion as his men did not respond, staring past him faces pale with horror. He turned to see the stooped figure across the clearing had straightened, slowly raising to her feet. He snorted and rolled his eyes "Oh, come on!" he exclaimed throwing up his arms in frustration "Are you scared of a little girl?!"
The other worldly echo sound of many voices came from the young woman's lips, cold rage dripping from her tongue as she spoke three simple words: "You should be."
Then she opened her eyes.
A wave of energy shot out from her, knocking the startled bandits off their feet. She turned on them, the light of the Avatar State burning from her eyes.
The bandit's leader merely shot her a cocky grin and leaped up into the air, shooting a fireball from his feet.
She brushed it aside as if it was no more then an irritating fly.
Eyes widening in shock, the bandit leader swallowed thickly, suddenly afraid.
"This is your day of reckoning!" the Avatar screamed as the fire light reflected off her face, the rage and glow making the slight slip of a girl look as fearsome as a dragon.
Panicking, the bandits bolted as the ground shook, lava bursting from the ground beneath their feet under the command of the cold faced young woman.
Suddenly the world seemed to shift.
Mulan blinked in shock to suddenly find herself bathed in purple light, surrounded by a heavenly blue that gleamed with what appeared to be stars. It was unnaturally silent and she felt like a blanket had settled over her, forcing a sense of peace into her bones. Her eyes widened as she recognized the figure standing across from her, made up of varying shades of blue, hair dancing as if caught in the wind and with an almost harsh expression on his face
"Aladdin?" she breathed, her voice echoing slightly as she reached for him. He faded away before her hand had even left her side. She bowed her head as tears welled up in her eyes and spilled over her cheeks beyond her control.
She was distracted from her grief as she felt another presence appear before her, powerful and equally as familiar. She looked up, registering Avatar Miguel's pale bearded visage before dropping her eyes to the side, unable to hold his gaze.
A tender smile softened the spirit's face and he gave a small shake of his head "You have quite the temper, Avatar Mulan." he remarked mildly, a note of rebuke in his voice.
"They killed Aladdin!" she exploded "I had to do something! The Avatar is supposed to uphold justice!"
"And for justice you'd burn down an entire forest?" he countered with a mild gesture, tone as smooth as ice. Mulan drew back at that, thrown off kilter as if he had just pulled a rug out from under her feet.
"I understand your rage. Your grief. Your greatest challenge was always finding balance within yourself." As Avatar Miguel spoke one of the stars over his shoulder grew until it clearly displayed the image of Mulan and Aladdin, gazing at each other with bright smiles on their faces "Aladdin brought you that balance." he said and the image dissolved into two coi, one black with a white spot and the other white with a black spot circling each other "The only way you can honor his memory is by bringing peace to the world. Anger and sorrow have there place but if you loose yourself to them they will only bring about chaos. Let the pain heal."
"How?" Mulan whispered, staring with rapt attention at the fish who had settled into the black and white Yin Yang symbol.
"The first step is forgiveness. Most importantly you must forgive yourself. That will also be the most difficult."
The air swirled about them, forming the symbols for the four nations and the sign of the Avatar. Mulan felt the peace settle more comfortably into her bones at the sight, along with a sense of purpose. She bowed lowly, clasping her hands before her "Thank you for your advice, Avatar Miguel. I will do my best to follow it."
Avatar Miguel smiled as he nodded slowly "That is all anyone can ask." he returned, eyes twinkling with good humor.
Mulan straightened and returned his smile, finally meeting his gaze.
The blond and bearded Avatar's gaze shone with affection as the star-scape faded from view. Her eyes widened in horror at the devastation that was revealed to her sight. The ground was cracked and the lava had cooled looking like black burn scars on the earth, still hissing and steaming in the rain that had slowed to a drizzle. The trees that had been green and healthy just minutes ago were now barren, black and twisted with embers still glowing in their roots.
She turned and was surprise to find Aladdin's sword still embedded in the ground, looking remarkably untouched. His body was of course no where to be found, most likely burned to ash. She felt a sad smile tug at her lips at the thought. It was oddly appropriate. A traditional fire nation burial for a very untraditional man.
Mulan turned her attention back to the sword. Reaching out she let her fingers glide over its surface and was surprise to find it cool to the touch. She could take it, carry that bit of Aladdin with her. Or she could leave it. Like a headstone to mark his passing.
Both were very tempting.
A cool breeze swept through the trees as she considered her options, brow furrowed and head bowed in thought. It circled her, kicking up little clouds of ash and ruffling her hair. Until at last she raised her eyes, decision made.
Leaving the forest wasn't the most comfortable journey since all of their supplies were burned in the fire. But thankfully she had always kept their money inside her tunic which meant that when she stumbled into a small Earth Kingdom Town a week later smelling like a forest fire she was able to buy everything she needed. Even a horse.
Some time later after traveling for a long time, the days and scenery blurring together, she paused while crossing a bridge. There, a ways down the river and partially obscured by a tree, was a statue of Avatar Miguel. Tall, noble and proud. An amused smile spread across her face as she remembered standing before a similar statue on the other side of the world, laughing as they took turns mocking the long dead Avatar and being forced to flee from the unimpressed local guard.
With a flick of her rains she moved on, heart full and ready for the future.