Chapter 1: Incapable

I still remember of the first time that I've entered in the spiritual world. I was young, and was looking for ways to escape of my harsh reality, and the spirits helped me with it.

"Look, look! A human, again..."

"Oh c'mon, with all those lights shining before, it could be someone more exciting, but is just a little girl.

The reactions were the most diverse, a glance, or a happy greeting, it didn't matter, because I was finally in a place where I could feel in peace. Of course, this didn't last for long, in a couple of minutes, there I was, crouched inside of my own closet, wishing that all of that wasn't a dream, and that the monster didn't find me.

All in vain.

[CRACK]

A hand pierced through the closet door, grabbing me by the collar. Tears ran down my face, while I remained paralyzed.

"You know that you can't hide from me! You're a deception to all of our family! Why aren't you able to bend, like your brothers!? Unacceptable!" The woman ranted words of hate, while holding me high. Then, she threw me against the wall.

Blood. Our vital fluid that maintain all of us alive. I don't know how much of it I already lost since everything started.

"Tomorrow you'll see Master Kiao again, e I hope that you come home firebendig." The woman said, leaving the room. "If you cannot, consider yourself nothing more than a simple kid abandoned in those dark streets.

[SLAM]

Finally, she's gone.

However, she came back, when I returned from the unsuccessful training with Master Kiao.

"I want you out of this house before dawn. If you don't go, I will take you out by force."

Those were the last words that I heard from my own mother, I never saw her again after this. I've spent most of my childhood living on the streets, but one day, I found an airbender.

"Hey! Give back my money!" He uttered these words while forming some kind of air wall, surrounding me. So, the airbender took his money back, and asked:

"Why do you steal, little girl?

"To survive." I answered.

"Where are your parents?"

"I don't have any." I murmured.

The airbender widened his eyes. He then crouched, and put his hands on my shoulders, saying:

"I can feel a very powerful spiritual energy coming from you. Have you already entered in the spiritual world?" He asked, surprised.

I lowered my head, and said, embarrassed:

"Y-yes... I went there, unintentionally."

The man stood up and turned his back against me, saying:

"You have a Strong connection with the spirits, and you will need help to develop it further" He sighed. "if you want, you can come with me to the nearest Air Temple, there, I'll teach you how to contact the spirits, and the spiritual world."

My eyes lit up. Just thinking I could get into that incredible world, and when I wanted! My answer at the time was instantaneous, after all for an abandoned kid, anything was better than live on the streets.

And from that day onward, I started to travel with Master Nazai, an extremely skillful and wise airbender. During our travels, I learned about the spiritual world, and about the culture of the Nomads of the Air. I learned a little about happiness.

Ten years passed, and today, I'm proficient in the spiritual arts. I've never felt so connected spiritually with the world like today.

"Let's go."

I sat on the meditation chamber, and then, I've entered in the spiritual world.

"Beautiful as Always. Oh, hello, Junji!"

"How're you today, Yuuki?"

Junji was the first spirit to guide me through the spiritual world, and it was with him that I've formed a bond. His appearance was like of a flying mushroom, kind strange, at least for my standards, but that have never affected our connection.

"I'm very nice, Junji! You know, today I was thinking of something..."

"Let me try to guess! Jump on the fluffy grass again! I love this!"

Yes, jump on the fluffy grass is awesome! No, wait, this is not what I want to say to him!

"No! I was thinking about what happened with the Avatar. You know, it's been twenty years since Avatar Shoushiro, of the Earth Republic, died. So I thought that someone here in the spiritual world could know about it."

Junji started to float around me, thinking.

"Hm... Now that you talked about it, it's been a while since I saw the Avatar in these parts."

"You noticed it just now!?" I exclaimed.

"It's because for me, twenty years is like a flash. Besides, you took all my time lately!" He stopped to float around me. "Well, I guess we could talk with the old man."

"Old man?"

"His name was, Iron...? No, Ito, I think...? Ilho...?"

"The great General Iroh lives in the spiritual world!?" I've became surprised and anxious when I heard what Junji said.

"Yeah! That's the name! He spends all of his time drinking tea, it's not hard to find him if you know where to look."

"Then let's go, Junji!" I started to run, however, Junji stayed immobile.

Ele então chegou bem perto de mim, agarrou minhas bochechas com suas asinhas, e perguntou:

He approached me, grabbed my cheeks with his fluffy wings, and asked:

"Why do you want to know about the Avatar?"

"Nazai told me that the chaos and the wars fell onto the world again when Avatar Soushiro died. And I have noticed that the number of spirits that came back from Earth increased. They're scared, you know? If this goes on, all the efforts to maintain both worlds in harmony will have been in vain, right!?" Those were my most sincere feelings regarding that situation that was sweeping the world.

Junji let me go.

"Oh, okay! I'll take you to the old man, after all, you never let me down, hehe!"

Junji started to fly ahead of me, leading the way to the supposed General Iroh. He didn't stop talking at least for a second, and it was because of this that I loved him so much. As we walked, Junji asked me another question:

"How do you know the old man? You know, that Iron.

"His name is Iroh, not Iron, Junji" I rectified. "and everyone in the Fire Nation knows him."

"Wait, you're from the Fire Nation!? Why you didn't tell me before!?" Junji ranted while flying uncontrollably.

"But that was the first question that you've made when I first entered in the spiritual world..."

He stopped for a moment, and only after some time he dare to answer:

"Oh, it's true... you should use Fire Nation's clothes, so I won't confuse you for an Air Nomad anymore."

"But I live on the Air Temple with Nazai, so I'm technically an Air Nomad?"

"Argh! Stop confusing me!"

The silence fell, but soon became laughter.

"Junji, you're the best."

"Yeah, I know."

We walked for a couple more minutes until finally reaching a giant tree.

"The old man is there. I'll wait you here."

"Okay, Junji, it won't take long."

I entered in a fissure that took me to the inside of the tree. Inside it, was a table with a teapot, two tea cups, and a Paichou board. No sign of General Ir-

"Hello, Yuuki."

A voice coming from behind me took me by surprise. I decided to turn around, and for my surprise, it was General Iroh.

"General Iroh!"

"Don't call me General anymore, you can call me Iroh" He said while shook his fingers. "Would you like a cup of tea, or maybe a match on the paichou?"

"I'll accept the tea, however, I don't know how to play paichou, hehe..."

Iroh poured tea into the cups, and made me a gesture, inciting me to sit on a chair.

"So, little Yuuki, what brings you to my humble tree?" He asked while drinking his tea.

"I came to ask why the Avatar is still missing. The last time that it took this long to an Avatar reappear, was on Avatar Aang cycle. The world is starting to fall into chaos again, and even the spirits are troubled."

Iroh looked at me, surprised. Then, he rested the teacup on the table.

"How is that she didn't returned yet?"

"She? The Avatar is now a woman?"

"Yes. It's strange that you don't know about it, after all, you're the Avatar..."

Suddenly, a noise came from the door, it was Junji.

"Yuuki is the Avatar!? Yuuki, why did you never said that to me!?" Junji entered into his crazy mode, flying and breaking anything that he saw on his way while making a fuss.

"I-I cant be... I can't be the Avatar, mr. Iroh." I said while lowering my head. Tears running down my face.

"Why not, liitle Yuuki?"

"Yeah, why not, Yuuki?"

Junji and Iroh asked, both were confused by my affirmation.

"I... can't bend! I... have failed when I tried to firebend, and even Nazai tried to teach me the airbending. All in vain!"

I stood up and left Iroh's treehouse.

"Well, old man, I guess you missed for the first time. How can a nonbender be the Avatar?"

"There are things in this universe that are only poorly explained. Let's give time to time, because only him will resolve this in the end."