A/N: After my little teary eyes over Zaheer and P'li's reunion in the Spirit World, let's start Kuvira's new adventures…before the genocide of the Air nomads! Where will she appear in the world before Aang disappeared to flee from his new duties? What will she do first? Well, that one's easy to answer. She hasn't eaten or drunk for at least twenty-four hours…
Raise the curtain!
X
Chapter 2
Kuvira jumped outside the water and grabbed the first solid thing in her reach. Which happened to be a metal bar. From the ladder to the deck of a war ship.
She climbed and observed the deck to make sure it was safe. After all, she wasn't exactly welcome in most of the world after her violent conquest and the destruction of Republic City…
She was surprised by the sight before her eyes. Fire nation soldiers! And not from her era! They were wearing old fashioned, spiky shouldered uniforms. Their ship was leaving a trail of smoke in the air. This was at least seventy years into the past!
The metalbender decided to avoid being seen. At that time, the Fire Nation was not particularly fond of the other nations. She used her bending to move around the ship and created an entrance into the hold and closed it behind her. She found some rations that she stole to survive.
After drinking and eating to her content, she closed the wooden box with the rations and hid herself near the bow, far from the entrance to the hold, so that she could easily hide outside if someone came to fetch something or inspect the hold.
X
After a few days aboard, the ship finally landed. Kuvira created an exit at the opposite of the bridge to the docks. She dove into the sea and swam to the beach, far enough not to be suspected to have come from this ship. Exhausted, she let herself fall on the beach and took a short nap.
After waking up, she felt her clothes dry thanks to the sun. Her face had caught a sunburn, but nothing to be too wary of. She moved from the beach, sneaked into a dirty street and torn her uniform to appear like a beggar with a torn cloth around her chest and torn shorts. She changed her metal protections into cheap-looking jewels, something a beggar could have found in the dumpster to look less miserable.
She got out of the alley and looked for street kids. The kind of people easy to scare and who have a good amount of intel available for the ones who could get it out of them, one way or another. She found a group of kids who looked exactly the kind she needed. She approached them without showing any threat.
"Hey kids! Could you tell me something in exchange for one of my jewels?"
"Bah! These look cheap! We won't get anythin' outta it!"
"And what about an exchange of intel? You tell me when and where I am and I tell you something you don't know."
"What could you know of interest if you don't even know where you are? You came as a stowaway, right?"
"Yes. But I know things from where I come that you could exchange for money."
"Hmm…let's start with when. What kinda answer do you want?"
"Tell me a recent world event so that I can situate when we are."
"Wow, did you…escape from jail or something like that?"
"Not from jail, but I was…in a remote place."
"Something recent…the Fire Nation is tryin' ta make this place a colony. Under Firelord Sozin's order, accordin' ta the soldiers. I bet they're just tryin' ta use the old man's name ta steal from the Earth Kingdoms!"
"Firelord...Sozin?"
"Hey, that man's been Firelord for like sixty years already! Everyone knows he's the Firelord! Where do you come from to ignore that?"
"Are the Air nomads alive?"
"What's with this question? Of course they're alive. Seems like the next Avatar is supposed to be one too, but no one knows who it is."
"Okay, so we're in the Earth Kingdoms, no one knows who the Avatar is yet and Sozin has started colonizing the Earth Kingdoms. How long has Avatar Roku been dead for?"
"Hmm…around ten years, I think? Now, you tell us something worth our intel, beautiful!"
"Sozin has planned to kill all the Air nomads during the comet that will pass close to our planet something like two years from now and start a global war, thanks to the power increase the comet will give firebenders. You should prepare yourselves, the times will only get worse. Also, I came here to fix the events. My name is Kuvira. If you hear about me in the next months or years, you'll know I didn't lie."
"Hmm, seems like a half truth ta me, but okay."
"If you had to avoid a global war and get rid of a conquest-driven lord, would you rather build an army or make a secret organization and eliminate select targets to affect the events without an all out war?"
"Hehe, a secret organization sounds cool, but if one side is ready for a global war, select targets won't stop the war, they will just fuel the fire, I suppose. Ask a general or somethin', we're just street kids, not military leaders."
"Thanks for the advice. I was just trying to get someone else's point of view. Personally, I'd rather unify the Earth Kingdoms and destroy the Fire Nation's army and re-educate them, but someone made me swear to act differently from now on. I'm kinda lost…"
"Told ya, go find someone who knows about war. But this intel's actually worth somethin'. Good luck in yer quest, Miss Kuvira!"
"Thanks, bye."
The woman left the kids and decided to prepare for a trip to the closest big city. She would need a map first.
X
After a week of travel, slowed down by the need to hunt or pick up her food and stay close to a water source, Kuvira reached Omashu, the nearest big city. She entered as a simple visitor. She didn't know yet how she was going to approach her role, so she wanted to stay undercover until she would find the way she would go with.
She walked through the streets of Omashu, noticing the poverty but also the fact that, compared with Ba Sing Se, there seemed to be less misery and less disdain for the poor. She looked up and saw the mail delivery system, consisting of stone ramps traveled by stone wagons propelled by earthbenders. And that's when she witnessed it.
A kid was sliding down the ramp inside the wagon and yelling excitedly. She jumped on a small house to have a better view and witnessed a second kid doing the same. And that was him. A shaved kid with an arrow tattooed on his head as well as his hands.
Without thinking too much, Kuvira jumped onto the next wagon and followed them. She jumped out of it onto a roof they had landed on.
"Hey kids, do you want to see something funny?"
Both turned to look at her expectantly.
"Come with me and I'll show you some earthbending."
"But I can already earthbend!" replied Bumi, the snotty kid with wild hair.
"And I bet I can defeat you in a fight. Let's do this, if you win, you can ask me anything that doesn't require money, because I'm quite broke. If I win, I get to train you two in earthbending."
"But I'm an airbender!" objected Aang. "How could I earthbend?"
"Watch us, then I will prove you that you can earthbend too."
"But…I'm not the Avatar, how is that possible?"
"It doesn't cost you anything to try!" cheered Bumi.
"Hmm… I'm not convinced."
"Just come along and you will see by yourself," said Kuvira in a more serious tone. "I am Kuvira and I am probably the best earthbender in the whole world right now. If I cannot teach you earthbending, then it means no one can."
"Okay, where are we going?"
"Do you guys have a secret base or something?"
"Sure! I know a place where no one will bother us!" answered Bumi happily.
"Then lead the way," encouraged Kuvira.
X
They ended up in an underground room after following a lot of branching tunnels.
"Are you sure this is the right place?" asked the woman.
"Come on, I was born in Omashu, I know the whole city inside out!" replied Bumi.
"You really have a good sense of direction!" complimented Aang.
"Alright, the lesson starts…now!"
Kuvira started to earthbend against Bumi, decomposing the motions and showing the results while attacking him. He defended quickly.
"Hey! Are you tryin' to kill me or what?"
"If I was, you would both be dead by now. Watch my motions and copy them. You are hard as a rock, you are unmovable, you punch the rock and the rock breaks. You kick the ground and the ground jumps."
"Aang! Do it too!" encouraged Bumi.
"Okay…I'll try, but you know, the Air nomads don't punch or kick, they don't fight, we're supposed to avoid violence, not to cause it."
"Tell that to Firelord Sozin, Aang," replied Kuvira, spitting the name as if it was cursed.
"What does that mean?"
"You travel a lot, don't you? You must have noticed how the Firelord has put an emphasis on advancing his military. The only reason for him to build weapons is to go to war. He has been colonizing the Earth Kingdoms for decades now. Sozin puts strength over everything else, and he sees the Air nomads as cowards because they avoid conflict and are pacifist."
"My friend Kuzon didn't tell me anything about that though," said Aang in disbelief.
"Maybe I should bring you to a colony of the Fire Nation and on a Fire Nation war ship, you could witness their militarization and domination-inclined tendencies. Or tell Fire Nation soldiers that you're an Air nomad and watch their reaction. I will prove you that the world is changing and for the worse. For now, remember. You are the rock, you are unmovable, and what you punch breaks, what you kick is sent flying. Try your best."
Aang was still doubtful of Kuvira's words, but he tried his best to earthbend. Bumi however was taking earthbending seriously and showed great talent already.
X
"Alright kids, let's go find something to eat! I'm hungry and you two must be ready to eat a whole restaurant after this training!"
"Okay Miss Kuvira! But you don't have money, if I remember correctly, or do you?" asked Aang.
She pulled out the pockets of her stolen pants and nothing fell out of them.
"Then follow me you two! I will introduce you to High Monk Gyatso! He loves food and would never refuse to give a meal to someone in need!"
The ex-conqueror and the street kid followed the young airbending master after Bumi had led the way outside of the underground tunnels.
They met an old man with a mustache falling down to his chin on both sides. He had the same shaved head with an arrow tattoo as Aang and the same orange and yellow clothes, but he was wearing a pendant with a wooden piece ornamented with three spirals symbolizing air.
"Ah, you're finally here, Aang!" welcomed the old man with a smile. "I was wondering when you would come back from your meeting with your young friend. And who is this charming lady?"
"Gyatso, this is my friend Bumi and this woman is the best earthbender in the world! Her name is Kuvira! She has been teaching us earthbending, but I didn't manage to move a single stone…well, that was to be expected, I'm an airbender, but it would be great to be able to earthbend too…"
"Glad to meet you, High Monk Gyatso," greeted Kuvira.
"The best earthbender in the world? How come I never heard about you?"
"I think I could exchange some information for a good meal," she suggested.
"Of course! Air nomads never leave a guest famished! You look like you have barely eaten for the last week!"
"Indeed, I came aboard a Fire Nation war ship and came here as fast as I could to report what I have discovered about the Fire Nation."
"Why did you come to me before the Queen of Omashu, then?" asked Gyatso.
"Because I crossed paths with these kids and I could not simply let this opportunity slip by. I did not know how to approach things, but now I think that I can share some information with you and avoid a disaster."
"Then let us eat together and we will discuss about it when the children are asleep."
"Alright."
X
After the kids had eaten like little ogres, they went to sleep in Aang's room in the hotel that the queen had paid for the High Monk and his apprentice for the duration of their stay. Kuvira and Gyatso went back to the living room and took a seat to talk about serious matters.
"What do you know about the situation with the Fire Nation?" asked Kuvira.
"They are militarizing like they are preparing for war," answered Gyatso. "I heard Firelord Sozin is not fond of Air nomads, he finds us lazy and coward because we are nomads and despise violence."
"Well, from what I have gathered, it goes much further than this. The Fire Nation has learned about a comet that will pass close to our planet in about two years. This comet will strengthen firebending for a whole day as it passes by. They want to use it to start a global war."
"What? And what evidence do you have?"
"Sozin could have saved Avatar Roku after he got poisoned when they tried to stop the volcano from destroying the whole region. Instead, he left him to die and reported that he could not do anything to save him. And now the Fire Nation is expanding its' territory, shows a hostile behaviour towards the pacifist Air nomads in which the next Avatar is supposed to be born ten years ago… It seems a little too big to wave it off. I bet you already know about the tension with the Fire Nation."
"Hmm…there is no proof about Firelord Sozin letting Avatar Roku die. But everything else is indeed worrying and we have noticed the change in ten years. The colonies in the Earth Kingdoms seem to become outposts of the Fire Nation's military. Their heavy militarization is also a sign that they want to start a war. I agree that we cannot ignore these elements…"
"Listen, High Monk. What does a war leader fear the most, if not the Avatar stopping them? The Earth Kingdoms are split and don't trust each other. The Water tribes are far from each other and the Southern Water tribe is weak and isolated, very close to the Fire Nation's territory. The Air nomads are pacifist and far from each other, they are easy targets."
"But the Air temples are high up in the sky, no one can access them without a flying bison…"
"Technology will help the Fire Nation reach these heights. They can climb when you do not expect them and slaughter everyone before you get a chance to escape, especially if they do it during the passing of the comet, when their bending will be strengthened. They want to get rid of the Avatar and they are ready to do everything to make sure he cannot interfere with their plans."
"If you tried to teach earthbending to Aang, does it mean that you think he is the Avatar?"
"I do not think he is. I know it. And I want to change the future so that your people does not suffer a genocide. I come from far into the future, High Monk Gyatso. I am Kuvira, the best metalbender of my time, a hundred seventy five years from now.
"A hundred year war is going to start soon, the Air nomads will be decimated in fifteen years total until they become but a myth. Then the Southern Water tribe will be slowly weakened, their waterbenders will be captured one by one until none of them remain but a child whose mother will have to sacrifice herself to save. The Earth Kingdoms will be the last rampart to the domination of the Fire Nation. Aang, who is supposed to learn his identity in two years, will flee during a storm and fall into the ocean with Appa, his flying bison, and be saved by the Avatar state.
"He will get out of it a century later by the motherless last waterbender of the Southern Water tribe and her brother. They will flee the Firelord's exiled son who will try to regain his honor by capturing the disappeared Avatar. In the end, he will join the Avatar and teach him firebending right before the comet's second passing, and Aang will fight Firelord Ozai at his peak and remove his bending thanks to a lion turtle teaching him the forgotten ability of energybending.
"The best earthbenders of that era will be Bumi, Aang's friend, who will become the king of Omashu, and a member of Aang's group who is blind and will learn earthbending by imitating the badgermoles, the first earthbenders. She will be captured and put into a metal cage, which will force her to learn metalbending. Later, she will teach metalbending and found a police made of metalbenders. Her daughter will flee the city to avoid prison and will found her own city. I grew up as an orphan in that city, and she took me under her wing. She taught me metalbending and I was…an ungrateful woman to her.
"After causing trouble and ending up in the Spirit World because of a weapon I have encouraged to build, which the Avatar saved me from, I got lost in there. A previous enemy who placed freedom above everything led me to an exit and made me swear not to repeat my errors before I got through a portal to this world…
"I discovered that I had been sent back into the past when I saw the Fire soldiers' uniforms, clearly from another time. Then I tried to find out when I was and traveled as fast as possible to the nearest city to start raising either an army or an organization to prevent this timeline to witness the same tragedies as mine. I just happened to cross paths with these two, helped them a bit and wanted to eat together, but I do not have any money, so Aang suggested we come eat here, and here we are."
"Yahoo! This was the best story I ever heard of! You should become a storyteller, you would earn enough to live a life without problems!"
"…I guess it was a little too much to believe…"
"But how do you know the name of Aang's bison?"
"Because it was recorded in History books, told in every story involving Avatar Aang and my mentor was the daughter of Aang's friend, who had flown on Appa's back. As a blind earthbender, she felt completely lost on his back. She couldn't use her seismic sense…"
"Hmm…as strange and unbelievable as your story sounds, you know things that no one else knows in the Earth Kingdoms outside of the queen of Omashu, the King of Ba Sing Se and probably Bumi as Aang's friend. I will consider your story…"
"Listen, old man. I have respect for you but I have two years to prevent the genocide of your people and Aang going missing for a whole century. I do not have the time to let you think about it for several years. I want to train Aang in earthbending alongside Bumi, form them in metalbending and push Bumi to teach metalbending to his future people. While I leave Bumi here to reinforce the Kingdom of Omashu, I will travel with Aang and you if you want and we will find him masters of each element so that he can defend himself and avoid being killed.
"I know that I will alter the timeline, but it is exactly what I came here for. And if you refuse to help me, then I will just do it without your agreement. I have lead an army and conquered the entire Earth Kingdoms. I can do it once more if it is the only way to stop the Fire Nation supremacists from enslaving my ancestors in this timeline too and if I can kill the tyrant in the egg, I will not hesitate. But I would prefer to use other means until there is no choice anymore.
"My question is, will you, High Monk Gyatso, listen to me and help me and save your people, or will I have to rely on myself to do it and find other allies who will not think as fondly of Aang and see him as a weapon rather than a child?"
X
A/N: Cliffhanger! What will be Gyatso's answer? How will the timeline change? How will the world change according to the influence of Kuvira's actions?
I'm trying to make the story as realistic as possible. When Kuvira tells her unbelievable story, she includes information that she isn't supposed to know about like Appa's name, the age at which Aang will be told that he's the Avatar, Sozin's treason of Avatar Roku…
When I'm developing my characters or put them in front of a choice, rather than deciding for them, I try to put myself in their boots and think like them, how would THEY act in this situation?
I hope this story gathers interest. As usual, don't hesitate to suggest ideas in the comments. Enjoy!
Write you next time!