A/N: Just a heads up this story does include gay characters if that's not your cup of tea then maybe don't read. Also, all the characters are original but the world is in no way mine all rights go to Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Chapter 1: The Treaty of Waves

(Tenchi)

I blinked at the question. I had to take a moment to understand what my father just asked. I looked at the grass around us brushing in the wind like paintbrushes dancing in the water. I gave him a level stair with my muddy brown eyes. I readjusted the glass windows on my face. I looked around as if someone was going to help me before looking back at my dad. He was everything I wouldn't be. He had broad shoulders, rugged facial hair, and strong legs. He was clearly getting impatient I don't know what he expected from a five-year-old.

"Why do I have to go?" I whined in my high timbre.

"Because your brother is being punished." My father tried to reason.

"Well if I have to go then it's like we're both being punished. Mamoru is the one who cares about all the military stuff."

"I'm not going to meet the General's son without bringing one of my own." He had that look in his eyes. The one that said you're not getting out of this young man. I let out a deep irritated sigh. After giving in, not that I had much choice, we packed and that night headed from the capital of Ba Sing Se to the Fire Nation. It was a long journey but the time was cut by the airship. We arrived in the capital after days of travel. Soon we finally landed, and I saw the Fire Nation for the first time. I immediately noticed the heat. It was summertime the hottest season in the Nation and it was sweltering. The palace was huge the walls were daunting. Two smaller pagodas seem to bow to the largest one in the middle. The peaks reflected the sunlight with their golden shine. The building seemed to gloat the nation's wealth and power. I wasn't surprised in my studies I learned that the inhabitants of the Fire Nation were a proud people. The Earth Kingdom was no different. I saw no use in being so flashy. The Fire Nation screamed flashy. The bright red colors of the palace walls burned my eyes. My father ushered me inside. Some lady greeted us. She has long black hair tied back in a ponytail. She spoke to my dad but I tuned her out to take in the inside of the palace. Even the walls were red. Don't these people get tired of red? I noticed fancy pottery sitting regally on top of stone platforms. I felt my dad grab my shoulder and he pushed me with him. He stopped at a door and opened it. The room was very lavish. It had a bed with a blue theme. The curtains were a deep violet natural light filled the room in the auburn orange of sunset.

"You'll sleep here Tenchi," my dad explained.

"All by myself!" I was taken aback this room was huge for someone so small but my father just gave me a stern look. "Thank you," I said to the hostess who stood in the doorway bowing down. She gave a little laugh and gave me a small curtsy.

"Get some rest, I've got some business to take care of. I'll get you in the morning." My father said while ruffling my dark brown hair. He left and I was left to myself in a new place. I was tired to explore so I just decided to went to bed.

The next morning my father woke me and rushed me to get dressed. I did so and we went to a dining hall after eating we entered a room that looked like it was for war meetings. The table in the center had a map of the world on it. A man walked in he had black hair tied into a topknot. He also had golden eyes. He looked strong and sturdy like my father. He had a grin on his face.

"General Roshan." My dad said.

"Bai drop the formalities." The man said to my dad. He hugged my father then he looked down at me. "Oh you must be Tenchi," he said.

"Where's your son?" My dad questioned.

"Training, come on I'll take you to meet my son." He said to me. I didn't really care about meeting Roshan's son, but when you're five you're not allowed to have any choice on such things. We entered an outside courtyard. A boy around my age was shooting flames out of his fist. He had dark hair like his father.

"Tenchi this is Houjin," Roshan said pestering to his son. Houjin bowed to me and I followed in suit. "Since you're out here Roshan why don't you and Tenchi spar." I looking at my dad ready for him to say I wasn't the son who fights.

"Yes why not Tenchi is an earthbender after all." My dad was a traitor. Soon enough I was standing opposite of Houjin his amber eyes looked ready to kill. "Remember Tenchi wide stance," my dad said from the side. I took my stance. I could earth bend but I was no fighter. I studied physics and science not how to take down my opponent. Houjin ran towards me. He took one step and looked like he was about to punch the air in front of me. Having some sense I quickly put up a rock wall. I saw flames dancing on either side of my rock shield. I watched as he ran around I was quickly knocked back as he kicked the back of my knee. I quickly scrabbled to my feet and ran to the other end of the courtyard.

"Stop running," I finally heard his voice. I quickly made a rock ball and throw it at him Houjin quickly dodged stepping out of the way. He then shot fire again. It was so quick that I just put my hands up. I watched as a rock wall formed in front of me. I realized my dad had made it.

"Nice attempt Tenchi," My dad laughed out.

"Do you actually know how to fight?" Houjin asked me arching an eyebrow.

"No," I admitted.

"You're the son of a general you should learn how to fight."

~16 years later~

(Houjin)

The sea air made me regret the decision for a ship. We had a job to do so I wasn't complaining. The ship cut through the roaring waves. We were close to Omashu. The Treaty of Waves was to be signed today ending the war between the Fire Nation and the Northern Water Tribe. Water and fire didn't mix but even I felt the war was a poor decision. We suffered a defeat but both sides really lost. For 15 years war raged on. Now we finally come to terms and decided to meet in the capital of Omashu. I was representing the crown so I wore my formal robes. The ship's port was finally insight. We decided that the Earth Kingdom was the best way to avoid any attacks that could extend the war. From what I could tell the leading general wanted this war over and done with as badly as I did. We docked and I stepped onto the land. I walked to the meeting place. We entered the small hall that was set up for us. I looked to my guards who were following me.

"Hang back this shouldn't take long," I announced. They nodded and I entered the small meeting room alone. A man was sitting in the room with long dark hair tied back into a high ponytail. The sides of this head were shaved. He had tanned skin and looked more like a Southern Water Tribesman. He wore the colors of royal blue. He wasn't royalty clearly a warrior like me. He had white bands on his arms. He had deep blue eyes. I sat down too and he pulled out the document.

"Let's get this over with." I nodded and slide the document to myself. I read everything over making sure others had changed. I signed my name and he did his. Now that was left was a glitzy meeting from both royal parties but the real peace was now.

"Thank you for your compliance," I said with a bow.

"Same for you." He said just as he did we heard a rumble. At first, I suspected a trap but he looked shocked as well. We both got up and left the room. In the courtyard, there were creatures with black snouts, grey bodies, and sharp claws. They looked like wolf anteaters which were not a species in this realm. One leaped right through the wall and towards me. I sent fire its way. I pulled out my sword. I stabbed another one. Then a long tongue wrapped around my waist and pulled my back. The owner jumped on my chest and went to claw me. A spear ran through its chest leaving purple blood on my red tunic. I looked at my savior. It was the man from before.

"Thanks," I said. I then watched as both Water Tribe man and Fire Nation soldiers were ripped apart. Then the ceiling started to fall. More and more of the monsters appeared. "We need to get out of here." We bother turned and ran out of the collapsing room. Once outside I saw they were all over the city. I stabbed another one. A water whip from my new companion grabbed one around the leg and sent it flying back. I put two fingers in my mouth and made a whistling noise. As we retreated further back fighting our way through it didn't take long for a familiar form to roll through a group of the spirit monsters. The beast unrolled revealing Sayuri my Tigerdillo. She ran over to me and I got on her. "Come with me," I said to the waterbender. He grabbed my outstretched hand and got on behind me. I clicked once and Sayuri ran at full speed. I shot fire at the monsters who came from above. Sayuri climbed a hill from there where we could see the whole city under attach then suddenly they all seemed to stop. All the spirit monsters faded away.

"What the hell was all that?" I questioned looking at the city which had been torn apart.

"I don't know but whatever it is it's not good. We need to get to the docks. I directed Sayuri to the docks. There I saw what remained of both sides. We both hopped off Sayuri and went to our respected parties.

"What's the damage?" I asked the first man I approached.

"Some dead many with injuries." I thought for a moment looking on the horizon.

"This was no incident creatures don't just spring up from the spirit world. Especially between the avatar's reincarnations. Somehow we have greatly angered the spirits. We need to find out why?"

"What do you suggest we do General?"

"You take the injured back to the Capital. Tell the Fire Lord that the treaty was signed and that I am going to investigate this."

"He won't be happy."

"I'm sure he'll appreciate me for keeping our allies in the Earth Kingdom in mind."

"Very well sir," he said and they marched back on the ship. I watched the boat crew work swiftly before pulling out of the dock. I turned and ran into someone. I looked up to the Water Tribe man.

"Can I help you?"

"I'm going with you to investigate. Whatever this is must be bigger than one Nation wouldn't you say?" He looked serious about it.

"Alright, then I'm Houjin," I said offering my hand to him.

"Kai," he said shaking my hand. I didn't like that Kai was taller than me.

"I think we should investigate the area," I said.

"No need to you want answers there is only one place to go."

"Where is that exactly?"

"The Library," Kai said.

"You can't be serious. Are you talking about the spirit library."

"Wanna know about spirits go ask a spirit."

"Well, we can't just waltz right in. We need something to trade. Give knowledge to get knowledge."

"Then we'll get some ancient knowledge no problem."

"That's a terrible plan."

"Don't worry we can find some we just need to ask around," Kai said walking on into the city. I quickly followed him. I just hoped this would be a short mission. We headed back into town. People were looking around as shocked as we had been. We found the Omashu Library soon enough. It wasn't much the Capital Ba Sing Se held much more Earth Kingdom knowledge, but it was our best bet on finding something we could trade. The building had sandstone walls and peaks of green clay. The Earth Kingdom coin symbol was engraved into the building. Kai walked up to the headdesk. A woman with short brown hair worked the desk. She looked at us up and down.

"How may I help you?"

"We are looking for ancient knowledge known to few that we can sell to a spirit," I said and she just sighed.

"Aren't we all." She said in a monotone voice. "We have history, bending, and cooking aisle. There's also a small section on poetry." After her words which sounded very rehearsed she left her desk.

"Guess we better start looking," Kai said as we walked down the aisle of books. He took one side I took another. "So Houjin, did you fight in the war?"

"Only the last five years of it."

"I fought for seven years in that war. It helped me master my water bending, but the war always seemed pointless to me." I could see a great loss in his ocean eyes.

"What do your people say about how it started?"

"Well, I heard it started from small infighting. There were disputes when the Fire Nation would come to our port. One soldier disrespected our Chiefdom. He was attacked and ended up killed in the bickering. It turned out that Fire Nation Soldier was a high-status general which your Fire Lord saw as a sign of disrespect and the war started."

"Funny they told us it was because Water Tribe Soldiers slaughtered a whole boat of our soldiers in an ambush. That story never sat right with me."

"You're very level-headed."

"The Northern Water Tribe had too much gain from our trades to randomly just ambush us."

"You're not wrong since the war our economy has taken a major hit. We can finally start rebuilding now that the war has ended." We went back to looking for books. I wasn't finding anything of use. Kai didn't seem to be having much luck either.

"Excuse me," I looked over and saw a boy younger than me he had green eyes and a shaved head. "I heard you were looking for information. I know where you can find some top-secret information."

"Where might that be?"

"We have pirates around here they steal a bunch of precious stuff including books and artifacts."

"Where can we find these pirates?"

"Funny I can't seem to remember?" The boy said holding out his hand and I rolled my orange eyes. I dropped two silver pieces in his hand. He smiled and looked them over before continuing. "They should be at The Badger it's a tavern in the city."

Kai and I went looking for this tavern hoping to get something from the pirates. The tavern was stone and had a wooden sign that read "The Badger" in yellow letters. We entered and saw people sitting and drinking from cups and socializing. In the back corner, I noticed the pirates I could tell from their clothes and hats. One man wore a big white hat with a colorful feather. I approached them and he looked at Kai and me.

"What are Fire Nation and Water Tribe nobility doing here?" He asked before drinking from his cup.

"We heard you collect rare items we're interested in seeing what you got," I explained and he smiled.

"Well then let's go to the ship I'm sure I can sell you something for the right price." We followed them to their ship. It was docked on the port. The ship had grey sails and a black flag with a golden triangle on it the symbol of pirates. We walked inside the ship it was packed full with random things in the bottom cabinet. We looked around I saw golden heirlooms and exotic jewels. I was looking at the shining gems when I heard someone clear their throat. I looked over to see Kai had something. In his hands was a scroll. It had the documentation of the past royal family's ancestry in the Earth Kingdom. Something that only the Earth Kingdom throne should have. Kai looked at me and I nodded.

"That's a fine selection. Took me forever to get my hands on that I'll give it to you for a thousand gold pieces." The pirate said golding out a hand.

"You shouldn't have this in the first place you would have to steal from a royal Earth Kingdom ship," I said and he looked displeased.

"If you can't pay for it then I suggest you leave this ship."

"We'll be taking the scroll," Kai said putting it in his bag. The Captain pulled out his sword. I got mine and blocked his attack. I kicked him down and we ran out of the cabin. We were soon surrounded by pirates. The ran towards us. Kai brought a strong wave onto the ship and swept a few of them away. As I watched I heard footsteps behind me. I turned and barely dodged an attack from the Captain. I stumbled back but regained my footing. I punched fire at him. He smacked it down with his fireball. I ran with my sword but a stream of water knocked him off the ship before I could. I looked to see Kai standing behind me.

"I had him."

"We're on a boat and I'm a master waterbender." He said with a chuckle. He had a point. Once we were on land I called Sayuri and she took us to an inn. Kai and I needed to come up with a plan. "So we will have to cross the Si Wong Desert to get to the Library. It can be treacherous there are sandbenders who run rebel camps they don't like trespassers. So we'll have to be careful."

"You won't have much luck bending there," I said and Kai nodded.

"I'll bring some water supplies but I'll rely on your bending."

"Let's get some rest then we'll need it."

A/N: Thanks to those who read to the end. I will try and post chapters at least once a week. Until next time bye :)