Book 1

Air

Chapter 1

"Republic City"

"Beautiful place isn't it Coconut?" The water tribe girl asked, affectionately scratching the flying lemur's chin whose head was currently popping out of the girl's furry oversized blue parka.

"Er Ei Ei " Coconut chirped back in agreement shifting her head side to side as the girl walked further and further into the busily crowded district.

The scenery was amazing. She noted gleefully, stopping every once in a while trying to take everything in-the people, the smells, the colours, the culture-everything. It was all so new to her. Never once in her life has she seen so much people in one area, nor smelt so many different aromas of food that seemed to linger in the air. Even the clothes she saw people wearing were exhilarating. They looked so unique and modern unlike those back in the South Pole. It was a breathtaking experience.

"So this is Republic City, huh?" Yuimi softly murmured to herself gently petting Coco's head. This place will be our new home.

After walking for quite a while through many shops and talking to various vendors. Yuimi and Coconut stopped to take a brief moment of rest and sat on the sidewalk beside them.

"I'm hungry, let's go grab a bite to eat, ey Coco?"

"Ei Ei Ei Er "

"What?! What do you mean we just can't eat?!"

"Er Er Er Ei"

"Oh yeah, I forgot that we don't have any money left."

"Ei Ei…"

"Hmmpf, fine call me the idiot, but when I get those peaches don't expect me to share them with you!"

"Ei Ei Rrr"

"Are you sure?"

"Ei…"

"Apology accepted." Yuimi laughed, reaching the sullen lemur, into a hug ruffling the fur on its head teasingly. "It was a joke Coco, you know I'd share those peaches with you they're your favourite!" Coco rolled her eyes in return and crawled up to sit on her head.

Yuimi ignored the looks of those around who stared at her in a mixture of both strangely amused and bewildered. She walked through the streets again along with Coco on her head, this time determinedly in self assured strides. It was time for her to find a job.

Hours after hours and shops after shops, Yuimi still couldn't find work; she frowned faintly as she played with Coco's large ears absentmindedly sitting on the park grass. "I am strong and hardworking-oh not to mention incredibly intelligent!" She told herself confidently.

Coconut choked on the leaves that she was eating at Yuimi's last words.

"Rrrrrr Ri Ri Ii Eiee…"

"Okay fine, I'm not incredibly intelligent, but I'm still smart."

"Rrr.."

"What do you mean sure?"

"….."

"Well-well nobody cares about your opinion!"

"Eiii Rii Rii Riii?"

"Okaymaybe I do, but ugghhh!" The water tribe girl groaned throwing her hands in the air in exasperation and continued speaking out loud "Why won't they hire me?!"Huh?!" She questioned herself, once again paying no attention to the stares and gazes people shot towards her.

If someone needed labour work to be done, then she was the one. She told one of the workers at a fishing dock. Carrying cargo and help fish is easy stuff compared to what she was used to doing back at home. After all her main chore at home was to hunt and find food for her family. And besides Kui; her older brother would always go out hunting with her for game to occasionally pass the time. Instead of being impressed, the man laughed at her and told her to get lost. Apparently helping catch fish and carry goods was a "man's" job.

"What a jerk." she scowled at the memory. Coco bobbed her head up and down in agreement.

"Ei Ei Rr Rrrrr" Coco gestured at Yuimi pointing to her wallet that was now half filled with money. To which Yuimi held back a smirk and spoke solemnly to the animal.

"Your right, I shouldn't be angry, he should be-because you stole his money!" She pointed a finger at the small furry creature that didn't bother to look the slightest bit guilty. "-And that is something that I usually don't approve of." Yuimi crossed her arms against her chest and stared into the lemur's eyes and to Coco's credit stared right back. "But for this one time I'll let it slide, for two reasons." Yuimi held up one finger as the fuzzy animal rolled her eyes and resisted a snort. "Number one; it was too late till I noticed you stole his money and put it in my pocket without me knowing." Then she raised another finger, still feigning seriousness while she bit back a laugh as she observed Coco impatiently tapping her foot on the grass, waving her tail in the air in irritation. "And number two; he was being such a jerk!" She finally told exploding with laughter and giggles. The creature stared for a few moments in astonishment and then sighed palming its face in humiliation; Yuimi was the strangest human she has ever meet.

Said girl pretended that she didn't see the lemur's actions and continued conversing. "Only if they'll give me a chance…" The water tribe girl went back to being serious rubbing her temples in distress as she spoke. "Why won't they hire me?" she sighed asking for the second time. Coconut titled her head back and forth in a gesture of uncertainty.

"Is it cause I look weird?" Yuimi questioned the lemur, tugging at her hair and pointing a finger to her face. She thought she was average looking for a water tribe girl. She like most other girls in her tribe have: chocolate brown skin, the soft blue eyes, and dark brown hair. The only distinction was that unlike other young teenagers and older women in her tribe, she was the only one who did not bother to stylize her hair. On the contrary, Yuimi preferred to keep up her brown locks in a loose pony tail to trail to the end of her back. Coco gave her a skeptical look.

"Maybe it's the clothes I'm wearing." She thought as she yanked and pulled at her parka and boots in uncertainty. Coco sighed for the umpteenth time that day and growled softly. The airborne mammal grabbed Yuimi's cheeks and pinched them hard, scolding her in high pitched squeals.

"Eri Ri Ei Rrrrrrrr!"

"Don't tell me to get a grip!"

" Reri Rer Ri Ri Eii!"

"Wha-I am not acting like a baby!"

"Ei Rir."

"No. .Not."

"Eii."

"NO!"

"Eii."

"Eii Eii Ri Rrrrr."

"…Hmmp." Yuimi muttered begrudgingly; Coconut had a point-not that she was going to admit it…well not to her anyways. Something like arguing with a lemur was childish especially if that person happened to be a 19 year old girl.