Second first chapter (and the prologue before this) were written by my awesome friend Kami!
Chapter 1
Phoenix snapped her fingers idly watching the flame ignite and extinguish in a state of restlessness, a touch of sadness in her bright hazel eyes. Her sixteenth birthday and she was going to spend it on the front lines fighting a war she barely believed in. She thought back to last time she had seen her father. "Promise me," he said as he left for battle, "you won't forget that this fight is not about superiority of force but the will to win. If anything happens to me, remember the loyalty to your nations."
"I promise," she whispered. Her reminiscing was abruptly halted as she looked up. She gazed in awe at the size of the rival army. They had told her they would outnumber them three to one. Cleary they had miscalculated or worse, someone had leaked information. Stretching, she stood on the back of her Komodo Rhino to get a better look. Phoenix squinted into the distance and noticed something odd. A girl with a veil showing only ardent green eyes her was at the forefront of the opposing militia. Her ice blue kimono and silver flower-shaped hairpin made it clear she was Northern Water Tribe. And though she couldn't see her mouth, Phoenix sensed an arrogant smile was hidden. "Who does she think she is?" Phoenix thought to herself annoyed. She broke through the ranks and rode into the center of the battlefield facing the enemy.
"Go back to your homes and villages now and you may leave in peace," She said addressing them all. "Or stay and be defeated. So commands the avatar."
"She lies," the emerald-eyed girl said advancing forward. "Because I," she announced removing her veil, "am the avatar." To two girls stared at each other in a state of shock and awe. Phoenix blinked in disbelief. It was as if she were in a dream, staring back her was her double. With the exception of eye color they were identical; the same tan skin, heart-shaped face and flowing coffee colored hair.
"Who are you?" Phoenix murmured still in shock.
"My name is Zyra, daughter of the great healer Jazmin of the Northern Water tribe and the avatar. Who are you?"
"I'm Phoenix, daughter of General Juro of the Southern Raiders and I am the avatar."
"You must be mistaken or misinformed."
"I don't know who you are or why you have my face, but I do know who I am and that's the avatar."
"Prove it. I challenge you to a benders' duel. We'll see which one of us is the real avatar."
"You asked for it." Without hesitation Phoenix hands ignited and in a display of disciplined movements sent flames in all directions. Zyra leapt into the air and touched back down with an earth cracking stomp. The miniature earthquake had just enough force to knock Phoenix off her feet and give Zyra time to run. She sprinted to a creek bringing up the water until she was standing atop her own wave. With a smirk on her face and fury in her gaze she moved at full force gliding atop the liquid toward her foe. Phoenix stood and planted her feet firmly on the ground. She stood firm watching the water race toward her and just before Zyra was ready to strike she focused a spiral of flame directly into the wave's base and sent Zyra tumbling in a display of water and steam. "Give up yet princess?" Phoenix said with a conceited smirk.
Zyra's face flushed with anger and with a flick of the wrist she was up again and this time she was surrounded by thick water tentacles. With a quick slash Phoenix was thrown to the ground. The two battled back and forth as their respective armies watched on. They stuck blows one after the other neither one willing to admit they were evenly matched. Finally exhausted, they both fell and slipped out of consciousness.
00
"Quick Deja, they're waking up," Amethyst said smiling. Zyra looked at the blonde-haired blue eyed girl with a bewildered look on her face.
"Ame, what happened? Who's Deja?" Zyra said as she rubbed her eyes groggily. "This," she said as an air nomad girl with auburn hair and brown eyes approached, "is Deja. She's been traveling with your twin over there. We sort of bonded over the whole 'look I have a crazy avatar friend too' thing. And for what happened, well…your little temper tantrums ended up in a perfect tie and you both passed out so we brought you to this cave for the night. Vu even helped us gather some sticks for the fire."
"What on Earth is a Vu?"
"This," she said holding up a gray ball of fur with a large striped bushy tail and proportionally huge ears, "is Vu. He's Deja's pet lemurat. Now hurry and get up. There's someone here to see you."
"Master Zai!" Zyra said leaping up to hug the thin grey bearded guru. "You're here."
"Of course I am my child," Master Zai said patting her head, "It is a very important day."
"Yo Dude Master," Phoenix said suppressing a yawn, "How do you know this chick?"
"Simple," he said grinning, "I trained her."
"You trained her?" The two girls shouted in unison both utterly confused.
"Look, here Dude Master-," Phoenix started before Zyra interjected.
"Why do you call him that? It's so disrespectful."
"Yeah, whatever, so Dude Master what gives? You owe us some sort of explanation."
"Of course, of course," the guru said stroking his beard, "I shall tell you everything… but first tea."
"But-"
"No buts, tea. Zyra, you know how I like it. Hurry now, the faster you work the sooner things will come clear."
With grumbling, (mainly on the part of Phoenix) tea was brewed and poured and poured as everyone gathered around the fire to hear Master Zai's tale. "It was a long time ago, long before you were born when benders from all over the four nations came to my village to learn. I and my colleagues had taken a particular interest in two pupils. One was a lovely young lady named Jazmin who was by far the most gifted healer I had ever seen. Before she came to us she went from kingdom to kingdom curing the sick and the wounded, from people to animals, to plants she had a gift with them all. The other was a strapping young lad by the name of Juro with a fiery spirit and if I do say so," he said pausing to glance at Phoenix, "a certain lack of discipline. But when he focused he could bend lightning like no one his age had done in almost a thousand years.
"I suppose it was my fault, suggesting that they train together with me atop the summits. That much time with each other and something was bound to happen. Eventually the fell in love and went back to her home in the North Pole. But then the raids began. The hostilities between not only the nations but the couple, grew more and more with each passing month until finally they decided to separate. Jazmin came to me that day in tears telling me of her twin girls, asking me to train them and keep them safe. So I traveled back and forth to mark your progress and assist in your training as I gave my word I would. One day when you," he said gently placing a hand on Zyra's shoulder, "were about eight years old your mother left you in my care while she healed those wounded in the war. A year passed and she visited a few times dedicated to her cause, so sure she was doing the right thing. But when she didn't return I sent out a messenger to make sure she was in good health but…her camp had been raided in the night. No one knew what had happened. She was among the missing. That was when I sent word for Juro to inform him of the tragic news only to find that he had joined the war as well. He would later become one of the youngest most successful generals the Southern Raiders had ever seen."
"So, when you went on your 'journeys'," Zyra said in disbelief, "you were training her."
"Exactly, but I didn't anticipate raising you. I never took myself for much of a father."
"You're a great father. You've been so good to me and taught me so much."
"Thank you my child. Your mother would be so proud. And now the two of you are finally together. I have for you now a quest, travel together to find teachers to complete your training. Once you become fully realized, come together and bring peace to the world. Fulfill your duties as the avatars."
"Wait, you want me to travel with little miss attitude over there?" Phoenix interjected. "I don't think so. Deja and I can do this on our own."
"I'll do my best by her side," Zyra promised ignoring her newly discovered sister.
"See that you do," the guru said with a smile. "And Phoenix, do try to stay out of trouble. Maybe you can teach this one to lighten up a little."
"Hey!"
"See what I mean? Now I have to leave you. Begin your journey to the Earth kingdom. You'll find a master in New Omashu."
"Goodbye master," Zyra said hugging the old man, "I'll miss you." And with a few final farewells, he left the cave and disappeared into the night.
00
"Rise and shine evil twin," Zyra said the next morning using her bending to splash water on the sleeping girl's face. "We're burning daylight. I have some dried fruits and jerkies in my bag so we can eat on the way. Deja, Amethyst, Vu," she called out, "are you packed? I finally got the Spark Empress to get up. Ouch!" Zyra yelped rubbing her back end. Phoenix casually blew the smoke from her fingers satisfied with her aim and stretched.
"What makes you think I'm going anywhere with you?" she said annoyed.
"Well," Zyra mused, "you could always stay here in the cave. Do you see those tracks?"
"Yeah, so?"
"Wolfbats, I'm sure they'd love your company."
"Okay," Deja said pushing Phoenix toward the cave entrance, "let's go."
"I'd rather take my chances with the Wolfbats…"