a/n: Okay, important background info:

I'm going to pretend years here are based on the time since the first harmonic convergence, because that, to me, is the start of human history in the avatarverse. Also, this current society has a very collective mindset. Meaning, they like to be followers of the social order rather than deviants. There is heavy preference towards mathematics, science, and business, and engineering, and slight shunning towards art and literature.

All in all, the majority is a bit close-minded, but it's not a bad place to live. Almost everyone works hard, health services are very good, and there is little to no domestic abuse. Also, note that Cewong has very good parents. She isn't in a Zuko situation where she needs to be a certain way in order for her parents to love her; her parents are already very responsible and caring.

Oh, and nothing belongs to me. Enjoy.


"Since the year 10,000, Amon has been bringing about a new world order of equality for all. Ever since the beginning of human history, bending has been a mar, the root of all war and strife and social differences. By clever work and diligence, Amon was able to disband and reform a government corrupted by bending in our own city, Republic City. Afterwards, he was able to bring the Equalists out of - Yes, Cewong?" sighed the teacher irritably, breaking off from his lecture at Cewong's raised hand. He cocked an eyebrow at her, as if it was ridiculously inconvenient to answer a question.

"Sir, I don't understand something," said Cewong uncertainly, "Did the people living in Republic City at the time understand the drawbacks of bending?"

"No, Cewong, they resisted his reforms fiercely at first, but after a while, he was able to show them the truth."

"Then why would they resist?" asked Cewong in response, prompting a lot of odd stares from the rest of the class.

"Most benders at the time had an unhealthy addiction to the elements. It gave them a false sense of power and well-being, much like opium does for many people today." explained the teacher, in a similar tone of voice as one would use on a small child.

"Then why wasn't it outlawed earlier?"

"There were no means for nonbenders. Following industrialization, there was technology. I'm sure we've all heard of the innovative Hiroshi Sato, founder of Future Industries." prompted the teacher, glancing around the rest of the classroom, "Now, are there any other questions?" he asked pointedly, "We have much material to cover today."

"One more thing." asked Cewong, ignoring the teacher's passive aggression, and the hisses of her classmates, "Why isn't there any information about the legend of the Avatar?"

The room turned dead silent and the teacher stared at her incredulously.

"There is absolutely no reason to publish anything romanticizing the perverse sickness of bending." he stated, "Some things are best left buried."

Then, he turned back to the board self-righteously and continued his lecture.


Cewong stared vacantly at the board, feeling more and more confused about all of this.

She had always been curious about the avatar, but she had never managed to obtain any detailed information until she found those scrolls in the cave. Of course, there still wasn't any guarantee that the information was accurate, but everything written in it was logical. She should think that with all the time and advancements of the human race, that there would also be advancements in culture and the accuracy of history and mythology...but no such luck.

The society she lived in, although technologically advance, put little value in culture, literature, or performing arts. Even with a cyberweb connecting all the information of the entire world together, Cewong could never find any dependable source for things that she was interested in. What was truth and what was lies? One could never tell.

There were barely any literary or ancient historical scholars in her time; almost everybody was concerned with the subjects of science and mathematics, business, law, or medicine. Pragmatic subjects. Normal subjects. and in her modern society, certain norms must be followed in order to procure a steady income, a relatively comfortable life, and so far, Cewong has trouble conforming to all of them.

Even though she was somewhat competent with all of her STEM classes, what she truly yearned for was literature, poetry, novels, even history and mythology! She loved nature and culture and art and dancing and music! She couldn't possibly satisfied with such a Spartan education.

There was no food for the spirit anywhere; each individual just lived their own rushed lives, learning more and more about the technicalities of their world, but knowing next to nothing about themselves. It saddened Cewong that nobody really seemed to care about anything.

She sighed and rested her head on her desk for a moment, not noticing that the bell had rung.

"Cewong!" barked her teacher, "Wake up!"

"Oh! Sorry sir." she said, hastily packing up upon noticing her teacher's irritated expression, "Erm, I didn't fall asleep. I promise I remembered everything."

"Cewong, I need to speak with you." said her teacher ominously, "I can write you a pass to your next class."

"Uh, Okay." said Cewong, tapping her fingers against the desk anxiously as the rest of the students exited the room, talking and laughing with each other. Her eyes followed them enviously.

I used to be like that.

"I understand you have very, unconventional interests, but I ask that you please keep them to yourself during class." said her teacher sternly, breaking her out of her thoughts, "It would not do to distract the rest of the class."

"Sorry sir." said Cewong, scuffling her feet around awkwardly.

"Also, I will have to report this to your parents."

"What!? I mean...that won't be necessary, sir."

Her teacher raised a skeptical eyebrow and said, "I'm sorry, but this school does not condone your current interests. This is not the first time you have broken the school's policies, whether intentionally or unintentionally."

Cewong nodded with a hint of petulance.

"Now off to your next class." snapped the teacher, whipping out a late pass.

Cewong nodded once more before hastily exiting the room, grumbling under her breath.

How lovely. She would get a report of errant behavior delivered back to her parents, the day after she promised them that she would try harder. And she was trying to be better person and a better citizen! It was just hard not to let curiosity get the better of her!

Huffing irritably, Cewong sprinted to her biology class, hastily shoved the note onto her teacher's desk, and slumped into a seat in the very back corner of the room, while trying to ignore all the odd stares from the rest of the students.

The healer, the teacher of their biology and anatomy class, paused a moment and looked at her with a raised eyebrow before continuing to explain the properties of the Qi points.

Cewong quietly huffed again and took out her tablet, halfheartedly forcing mind to focus on the enrapturing subject of anatomy.


Afterwards, Cewong had a lunch period and she weaved through the throngs of bustling student headed to the cafeteria, even though she wasn't hungry.

Maybe I should just go to the library and take a nap...

NO! She couldn't. She promised her parents and herself that she would try to leave that dreaming foolishness behind.

After giving herself a mental shake, Cewong peered into the cafeteria, and upon noticing the long lunch line, she decided to go to the bathroom first.

Cewong walked into the girls lavatory and stood in front of the sink to wash her hands.

Then, she glanced into the mirror...and gasped. Her heart skipped a beat as she saw a reflection that was not her own! The girl in the mirror had an ethereal nature to it, eyes glowing blue and hair billowing in all directions like it was surrounded by rabid winds, like the people of her dreams.

Cewong's stumbled backwards in fear, but the moment she blinked, it was gone, and her own, plain reflection stared back, muddy grey eyes and short, mousy brown hair. Ordinary. Powerless.

Great. Now my freakish dreams are turning into hallucinations.

She sighed and ran a bony hand through her hair. Maybe her parents were right to sign her up for therapy. She was now in a constant state of desolate confusion. If she had therapy, she had the feeling that she would still feel desolate, but perhaps the confusion would be gone. Perhaps she would be able to establish a goal, even if it wouldn't fill the emptiness inside.

She exited the bathroom, wondering why she always felt empty. Surely it wasn't normal...

Cewong was so caught up in her own thoughts that she didn't notice a group of four giggling girls lurking around the corner.

"Hey, Cewong." said the ringleader of the posse of girls with faux sweetness as she flicked glossy, curled hair out of a heavily made up face.

Cewong snapped her head around and immediately grew wary. She lifted a cautious hand slightly in greeting, hoping that they would get the message and leave.

No such luck.

"So, I heard that you asked about the, Avatar in history class." laughed one of the girls, "Spirits, retard, don't you know the avatar's not real?"

"Why are you so interested anyways? Do you want to bender?" sneered the tallest of the group haughtily, looking down her nose as if flaunting her height towards Cewong.

"I bet you were one of the ones who had to have bending removal." hissed the fourth girl, "Freak."

Cewong glared up at them and tried to barge past, into the cafeteria, but the four girls formed a wall.

"Don't you have class?" asked Cewong pointedly, backing away from them with caution.

"We can't possibly miss more of the lecture than you do, right?" said the ringleader nastily, "You only ever ask stupid questions and draw and write useless stuff."

"At least I'm curious about things." retorted Cewong, "At least I'm not a vapid sycophant. If you even know what those words mean."

"Oh yeah? I bet you can't even prove the quadratic equation." jeered 'vapid sycophant' #3.

"I bet the only reason you can prove it is because you memorize and cheat." snapped Cewong, who was now backed against the lockers.

The girls all ignored Cewong's jibe and opted to stare at her bag in great interest instead.

"What do you even write in that ratty little notebook anyways?" asked the ringleader with glossy curls.

"None of your business!" muttered Cewong, putting her hands over her bag protectively.

"I think it is." said another girl, gleefully making a grab for her bag.

"Let go, brainless bimbo!"

"WHAT DID YOU CALL ME!?" screeched the girl, tugging viciously on the bag.

Meanwhile, the poor bag, which was not designed to be used for tug of war, tore open at the seams, allowing all of its contents to spill across the floor of the hallway.

Cewong's heart stopped when she saw her second notebook, that she kept even more carefully concealed from her parents, skidding across the floor, into the hands of the cruel girls surrounding her.

"Give it back!" cried Cewong angrily, punching the girl in a series of Qi blocks.

The girl collapsed dramatically onto the floor, crying hideously loud and clutching her sides...right as a teacher emerged from a nearby classroom. Cewong backed away in dread, putting her hand in the air and cursing her luck.

"What in the spirits name is going on!?" demanded the teacher, hurrying into the hallway to help the lying, bullying weasle sna...

Okay. Calm down Cewong. Just tell the truth, you were not in the wrong. You were only defending-

She was about the open her mouth, but the other girl beat her to it.

"Sir, we were only helping her pick up her books after her bags ripped," sniffled glossy curls girl, "But I asked her what her notebook was and she just got so defensive!"

"That's NOT what happened, you-"

"Cewong, please speak in a civil voice."

Cewong crossed her arms and nearly burst from the unfairness of it all. "I'm saying-"

"Sir, I think she's hiding something." interrupted the other girl innocently, "She's been acting very odd lately, and all of her friends are worried."

"You aren't my friends!" snapped Cewong.

"Stop it. Of course we are!" cried he tall girl, shedding her former aloofness more easily than if was a mask.

"Girls." sighed the teacher with a hint of exasperation.

They quieted down immediately.

"Cewong," he continued, "I understand that this...journal of yours is a private possession, but due to these suspicions, we will have to examine it."

"But-"

"Do not worry. If it is safe, no information will be given to other sources." said the teacher, slipping the notebook into his sleeve.

"I-"

"Now shoo! I have a class, and you all have classes." said the teacher, turning his back on them as he strode back into his room.

Cewong stared numbly at the retreating teacher. Watching the teacher walk away with her notebook was even worse than when her parents found it the first time. This time, it wouldn't just be destroyed; it would be given to public investigation and her reputation would be ruined more than it already was. Cewong exhaled, trying to suppress the heavy stone of dread settling in her chest.

I am royally screwed.

"Bye bye, bitch." hissed curly haired ringleader, rubbing her sides pointedly. Before Cewong could say a word, the bratty little posse of four strutted off, leaving her standing in the middle of the hallway like an idiot, surrounded by a ripped bag and scattered papers.

Logically, Cewong should have been angry, but she was getting so tired about everything that she couldn't bring herself to care. She was in such emotional turmoil between the dread of her biggest secret being publicized, and her confusion about the truth and history of her world, and the unadulterated certainty that something was wrong with her.

Stop it. Stop it wimp.

She scolded herself roughly. She screwed up so many times. Her parents must be so ashamed of her.

Why does it have to be like this?

Cewong wished that she had been born a little more ordinary. Perhaps then, she would be a better fit for her perfect, ordinary life.

Sighing for what felt like the millionth time that day, Cewong began the tedious process of picking up all her scattered books.

I can't wait for this day to end.


a/n: The Notebook (yeah, not quite...)

Okay! This chapter is dedicated to all the followers: Dragonchampion, Ms.K216, gillian808, and someonesomewhere18

You are awesome!

And thanks for reading!