Chapter 2

After returning to the Academy, school let out with its annoying two tone bell. I weaved my way through the streets of Republic City, dodging Satomobiles when I needed to and avoiding the pickpockets.

I still heard Korra's voice echoing in my mind, ordering me to avenge her. But why though?

The metalbender blimps patrolled the air, dark gray bodies stark against the sunlit blue sky. The presence of metal nagged at my mind, a constant pressure behind my eyes. I pinched the bridge of my nose, hoping that the pain would go away. I knew the only way for it to go away would be to bend, which would involve fighting. Sighing, I turned the last corner to my apartment I shared with my family.

Four boys leaned against the alley walls, grinning dangerously. Oh no, some of the Triads. They were such pains in the butt.

"Hey Tiana, got any cash on ya?" one of them asked. I recognized him from school; he still wore his Academy jacket, the piping marking him as a waterbender.

"Not for you," I answered, passing them.

A hand dug their fingers into the bones of my shoulder, making me grit my teeth. My fingers of my left hand crept under my sleeve, touching the cold metal whip wrapped around my arm.

I turned slowly, feeling the hidden whips wrapped around my arms starting to slacken. Looked like I would be bending today.

I threw out an arm, my onyx whip snapping out and wrapping around the waterbender's wrist, his hand holding a floating orb of water. I yanked and he cried out, slumping against the alley wall when he slammed into it. The other three rushed me, their mischievous grins turning into angry snarls. Sinking down into my knees, I threw out a hand. Pillars of earth shot from the pavement, hitting one of them under the chin, knocking them out. The other two darted to the side, fire licking up their hands. My whips snapped out, heading towards them with the grace of a snake. My left whip slammed into one of the boys, sending him flying into the wall along with his fallen comrade.

The other grabbed my whip and wrapped it around his wrist. He pulled, yanking me towards him. I felt my feet lift off the ground, the toes of my shoes dragging along the pavement as I flew towards the remaining thug. I managed just in time to stick my foot up in a kick to knock him down.

All the thugs groaned in pain as they lay down on the pavement.

"You Triads really need to wise up. Don't mug someone that can bend. Especially not me," I said, putting my hands on my waist. The careful braid had unwound, letting my white-silver hair tumble down in waves. Sighing, I willed my whips to wrap around my forearms and headed for home.

When I opened the door, my parents were in the living room, reclining in the ornate chairs. Dad had a bowl of noodles on his lap, some wrapped around his chopsticks. Mom was reading a book, aimlessly twirling a bookmark between her fingers. They gave me disapproving looks. They knew I used bending to fend those guys off.

At least I didn't have that headache anymore.

"Tiana, you know how we feel about you bending," Mom scolded, straightening in her already ruler straight posture.

"But, we have to say, you did very well, facing those thugs. Very entertaining indeed," Dad added, slurping more noodles.

I bowed slightly, muttering thanks under my breath. They didn't say they were worried about me or they were going to help me if I was at real risk when I was cornered. They wouldn't. They taught me to defend myself, without needing to bend. If I couldn't fight back, then that was a failure on my part.

Sighing, I trudged to my room, the one I shared with my twin sister, Yena. I found her lying on her bed, making a single ember float around. The water that had filled a flower vase shot up into the air and swallowed the ember, slithering back into the vase when I directed it.

"You shouldn't use fire in here. You could burn the place down," I said, face-planting into my mattress.

"Well, according to Mom and Dad, we shouldn't even be bending in the first place. Thank God that Amon is dead," she answered.

I nodded. If he was, Mom and Dad would have brought the both of us to him so he could take away our bending.

I wondered what would happen if they found out what I was, what Yena was.

They say that twins share a soul. I didn't really believe it until the Big Thing happened.

We were born from two non-bending parents. We were both earthbenders. Yena could firebend. I could waterbend.

Somehow, we were both the Avatar.

And that was supposed to be impossible. There could only be one Avatar at a time.

But it seemed that the impossible was possible.

But the question was who was the real Avatar? Who would be the true master of all four elements?