A/N ok so heres chapter two. I have no idea what people think but thats ok. This will probably go into The Fortuneteller but it could also get too long and i'll save the fortuneteller till next chap. I do not own A:TLA I'm afraid :-( but still here is mine little story. When talking about the Spirits I will try and stay with knowledge i have found / know but for the benefit of the story i will add spirits and change a few things.
Chapter Two
"I'm the daughter of a Spirit!"
I didn't mean to yell it like that. Any Fire Nation solider nearby would have heard it. Back to dying by fire.
"What?" The Avatar couldn't be it, I could tell by his face.
"I'm the daughter of a Spirit, my father... is Rang" I had become breathless, panicked that I couldn't convince this boy about who I was. "He, is ... was a Shepard Spirit. Please." I stopped to catch my breath, it's funny I have never been out of breath before. Neither have I been this stressed. Death by panic attack... was that even possible. "You have to believe me." He just stood there looking at me. I must have looked mad shouting out that I was a half-Spirit since they don't exist.
"Is that even possible? I suppose that explains your hair and tattoo's." Oh shit. I guess I'll have to tell him the story. The whole story. "How? Who? How?" He looked at me expecting answers.
"It's a long story... one not to be said next to a Fire Nation fortress." Now he knows who I am, I'd much rather not die by fire. I heard a gasp from the boy.
"Katara!" Katara? Oh lovely he has friends. "Can you walk?" I stood up, clutching my side.
"With pain but yes." He the sprouted that he needed frogs. Again with the frogs. I picked up my robe and covered my arms and hair.
We found the frogs, and had started following a pathway to some ruins. The pain in my side had reduced to a numb irritation reminding my that I was still hurt. Part of being half-Spirit, my body heals quicker. Still, that didn't stop illness, or infection. I just had the pain less. Would be better if I was a full Spirit, then I wouldn't need to heal so quickly. I wouldn't need to heal at all. The boy, Aang as he told me to call him, skipped ahead, but remembered that I was behind and skipped right back. I couldn't believe he was the Avatar, but I suppose from the 12-year-olds that I've... known, he was acting quiet normal. Theo and I weren't like this.
"Pardon." Aang called. Huh I must have said that out loud.
"Nothing," I called back. "Are we there yet?" I asked, impatient to stop and rest.
"Almost." I swear he muttered 'I think" under his breath. We continued climbing in silence. I observed how he moved with the air. I guess he was an air-bender. I envied him, his freedom to follow the wind. I haven't had the privilege to understand this freedom.
We got to the ruins and I found out why Aang wanted those frogs. His friends had colds like I've only seen a few times. Yet the power of these front bewildered me. One minuet they looked like death, the next they were spitting out the frogs, complaining to Aang that he took too long. I cleared my throat, getting their attention. So the Air-bender is with Water Tribe siblings.
"Hi..." I started but was rudely interrupted by the Water Tribe boy.
"HA! A Fire Nation spy" He charged for me, I stepped out of his way and he ran into the wall.
"Sokka she's not a Fire Nation spy" Aang yelled "She saved me." He went on explaining this grand rescue mission that had a few exaggerations. When he mentioned my hair, I pulled my hood down to prove it. Sokka and Katara (the Water Tribe girl) seemed astonished by my unusual hair, but then seem to believe the rest of the story. Aang finished to me begging to come along with him and about me yelling that I was daughter of the spirit Rang.
"And we brought frogs to you guys." Aang finished with a great big smile that seemed to cover his small face.
"So your a daughter of a Spirit? I didn't even know that was possible." Katara said. We were on Appa, a flying bison, flying over the clouds. Sokka and Aang looked towards me. I guess it was time to give them some answers.
"Technically it's not possible. Not many Spirits fall in love with humans, and even then having children is forbidden. They all die. Apart from us... er me." I didn't want them to know everything... I've just got them to trust me, if I start talking about him, I'll have to talk about my past. Something they are not ready for yet. "For some reason I survived. My mum was the human and died at my birth." They seemed to forget that I said us rather than me.
"So what are the tattoo's for?" Aang asked. Sokka and Katara looked confused. I took off my robe and showed them my tattoo's as Aang called them. There are 6 in total, one on each wrist, one of each elbow and one on each shoulder, all black and in the shape of a complicated and painful looking tree branch. They seemed to squeeze my arms, yet I felt no pain from them.
"They're more like chains." I explained "They keep my bending and Spirit form from me. That's why having Spirit children is forbidden, we have the same power as the Avatar, the ability to bend all elements. I have... had a Spirit form, what it was I don't know, I never got to find out. It was taken away from me before I could try." I was about to continue when Sokka exclaimed.
"But that's only five. And why were they taken from you? Your being very vague." Katara lightly pushed her brother.
"Sokka don't be rude."
"I don't have a good past. I haven't even met my father. The other Spirits gave me a choice, right my own wrongs right there right then. I didn't. They took it all away and told me to find the Avatar, that I needed to change my ways and he could help. I don't if I'll ever get my bending back, or my Spirit form, but a part of me doesn't want it all back. I would rather be a good person than a powerful one, right now I am neither. I know my father, if he ever believed in me, wants me to good. If not then Avatar Roku does."
"You've met Avatar Roku?"
"Yes he was the one who gave me my choice on behalf of the rest of the Spirits. I refused him. There's not a day that goes by that I don't regret that decision. If I had accepted then then this war maybe closer to ending and I could have taught you bending... and you could have taught me Air-bending." And maybe Theo wouldn't have suffered. Maybe Theo would be with me now and we be fighting as a unit.
"So you don't know how to get your bending back?" Katara asked. I only shook my head.
"Three years I've looked for you. I was unable to leave the Earth Kingdom to look through the Water Tribe. It was even harder because I am sort of wanted by the Fire Nation and Earth Kingdom. Most believe me dead but one look at my hair and they'll know its me. That's why I wear the robe, to hide. Now I have found you, I'm going to help you as best as I can. And maybe just maybe you can help me. But you must understand, all of you." I looked to each person, looking right into their eyes. "When I do tell you about my past, you mustn't judge me too much. And if you do judge my past self rather than who I am now. That's all I ask." All three looked skeptical. Katara was the first to nod. Aang followed and said
"I'm sure we can do that." We all looked at Sokka waiting for his answer. He looked like he would toss me over the edge. I did not want to die by hitting the ground too hard.
"Ok fine you can stay. As team leader.."
"Sokka you are not team leader!" The siblings started a fight about being a leader.
"They do this a lot?" I asked Aang.
"Yip."
They explained that we were on the way to the Northern Water Tribe to find a water-bending master for Aang and Katara. They told me about how they have to do it before Sozin's comet, that we have until next summer to get Aang Avatar ready. Or we all die. Great, death by fire. Or at least by angry Fire Nation people. They talked about the adventures they had already had. After that it was just idle chat, learning about each others likes and dislikes. I didn't mention it to them, but there was quiet a lot I didn't know about myself. Some stuff I made up on the spot. There was so much to life that I haven't experienced yet. Maybe experiencing these things will help me change. Fun seemed to be the one thing I've missed out on. Whenever the three friends said anything they always seemed to say the word fun. I know what it means and what it is, but never have really done it.
We spent a couple of days flying North, and the nights camping out. They never asked anymore about who I was, but I knew I would have to tell them at some point. We would end up bumping into someone who knew me, or end up getting captured. I defiantly do not want to die because we got caught.
"What are you thinking about?" Katara asked pulling me away from my thoughts. We have been traveling for three days together and this is our third night with me in the group. I must have been staring at the stars too long. They are so beautiful.
"Death." My simple answer surprised her. "I've been so close to death so many times, that thinking about it doesn't scare me. It comes naturally to me to think about it. In any situation, I automatically think of how I would die."
"And it doesn't scare you?"
"I guess that's the Spirit in me, I'm not immortal but I think I am."
"That's dangerous thinking" Katara commented, concern from this girl was new to me but it was nice.
"I know... but its how I work. To be honest, it has kept me going my whole life." I smiled towards her and she returned one to me. I liked Katara. Something inside me sensed that she was a powerful bender, the same feeling was for Aang. I couldn't wait to see them both in action. But there was something else. A warm feeling towards her, a feeling that I've only felt with two other people. I wasn't used to this warm feeling, yet it felt... happy and safe. I could trust Katara. With time I feel that this warm feeling will spread. Is the Avatar helping me even though he doesn't know it?
"Well I'll see you in the morning." Katara yawned and turned over. I, on the other hand, carried on staring at the stars. Yes, this is where I'm meant to be. Right here, doing good. If only I had realised this before Theo was taken. Ah we wouldn't be in this mess had I listened.
I watch the stars... waiting for a sign... anything to give me hope that someone was rooting for me. I wish someone would root for me. Even if they weren't, I have friends, I have hope. I'll find a way Theo.
A/N so i didn't reveal all- her story will stretch through book 1 and some of book 2 (well thats the plan :-P) let me know what you think.
