Avatar: The Last Airbender: Yin and Yang

Chapter 2

by Mdalia and RebLaw

"Yes Uncle," Zuko said formally. His Uncle Iroh had summoned him. As usual the young prince found his only familial ally playing a board game with one of the officers of the ship.

"I have good news and some bad news young nephew," The old bearded man said. His voice was warm and friendly, like the uncle who played Santa Claus at Christmas time.

"Yes?" Zuko asked, attempting to prompt the old man.

"Bad news first, it never gets better the longer you sit on it," Iroh said. "I am in need of a new cushion. My back is stiff and sore to the extent where its causing me to lose in Pai Gow. We will go to San Hei to procure one."

"Alright Uncle," Zuko said, hoping that the good news was at least relevant to something other than that silly game his uncle adored. "What is the good news?"

"The good news it that there is a report of a spotting of the avatar," Iroh said, making a move that judging by the expression of his opponent was dramatic. "He was seen in San Hei reporting a theft of some sort."

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It wasn't very bright when he woke up. He was in a building or a tent of some sort. A quick test indicated that he was bound and gagged. Aang was very confused. He was just going with Katara to see something she found about the Air Benders, and now he was bound and gagged and in doors. What had happened?

He decided to see how far he could move, to see if perhaps he could escape, rolling if nothing else. Unfortunately, he discovered he was not only tied up but tied to something. Something hard and heavy, and generally unmovable.

"Well, well, looks who's finally awake," a familiar voice said almost with a malevolent glee. "If it isn't the Avatar of peace. Welcome to our humble dwelling."

"Mamamra?" Aang asked his mouth gagged with cotton cloth.

"Close enough," the voice replied. "I am Katara, but not the one you know. I am Katara from the world of the Avatar of War."

"Ma Mamamar Mm Mmmr?" Aang asked, knowing that the sounds he made where particularly discernible.

"The air monks never told you about the avatar of war and the avatar of peace before they died did they," Katara asked with mock sympathy dripping from her voice.

"Mmm Maamaammmm!" Aang said. He wasn't sure why he bothered, but Katara, no 'other Katara' seemed to at least be able to guess what he said.

"I'm sorry," other Katara said with a harsh sarcastic tone, mockingly sweet. "I'm afraid I can't let you go. That would upset the Avatar's plans, the Avatar of War's plans that is. We need to keep you tied up where you can't ruin them."

Aang made some more attempts to talk, none of them coming out particularly coherent.

Other Katara left, after throwing some meat and a bowl of water at Aang. The boy tried to explain, "But I don't eat meat." But other Katara ignored it. She had somewhere to go something to do.

Other Katara grabbed her brother, other Sokka, and went with him to the meeting place. They always met him there, it was where they first met him accidentally not that long ago.

"Fe," Katara said, recognizing the old man. Fe was old, almost passed middle age, but not quite. Despite his age Fe had the body of a young warrior, Sokka hoped he would retain his physique that well.

"Well, little water-bender," Fe greeted other Katara. "Tell me, how goes the plan?"

"It goes as well as can be expected," other Katara said with a prideful smile. "The inhabitants of the world of the Avatar of Peace are fools, the Sokka from that world is even stupider than the Sokka of this world."

"H-hey," Sokka meekly protested.

"And they have accepted our Aang for their own?" Fe asked hopefully.

Katara smirked. "Well, he isn't back yet. The Avatar of peace is here, bound and gagged in a place where no one will find him but us. We have enough salted meat and water to keep him alive for a long time."

"Excellent," Fe assessed. "We shall meet again in two sun cycles."

"Yes sir," Katara said. She liked Fe's leadership, he knew what he was talking about. He was even the one who told them about the other world and how to go between the two.

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Iroh spent most of the day trying to find the perfect cushion. Zuko spent most of the day nagging the old man to get down to business.

Finally Iroh found one to his suiting. Zuko breathed a sigh of relief, but that sense of relief was very short lived.

"What do you mean you won't sell it to me!" Iroh demanded.

"Didn't you see the sign outside!" the angry shop keeper said. "No fire-benders welcome! You're lucky I let you even look at my merchandise!"

"Why not?" Iroh spat. "I'm the brother of the Lord of the Fire Nation, I just want to buy this one cushion. What did I ever do to you?"

"Then you should have the class to follow rules," the shop keeper retorted, holding his ground. "Please leave now or I will call the guards."

Iroh decided to change his tune. He slipped the shop keeper as much money as he sees in a week. "Come now, can't we make a business deal?"

The shopkeeper looked Iroh in the eye, pausing to consider the deal, and looked around to make sure no one was watching. "Alright, but don't let anyone know..."

"Gotcha," Iroh said almost cheerfully.

"Why do all of the shops have these 'no fire-benders' signs?" Zuko asked his uncle, after they had left the shop. "I don't like it."

Iroh frowned, "I don't know, it bothers me too. I was almost unable to buy this cushion because of it."

Zuko, realizing that his uncle probably wasn't going to do anything about it, sent a couple of his crew men, wearing more neutral clothing, to ask around about it.

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"I think we should wait Aang," Katara said firmly. "You don't look too well, your complexion is pale."

"But," Aang protested. "If we leave now we'll get there sooner!"

"No," Katara said in a stern voice. "It's too late in the day as well. Why don't you take a nap?"

"Awww," Aang groaned. "Fine. But you're not fun."

"Sorry," Katara said. She did feel bad about disappointing Aang, but he had been acting odd. She could remember how loopy her brother got when he caught that flu, she hoped Aang wasn't coming down with it.

Aang, realizing that he was not going to win this argument meandered off, away from the campsite. Momo started following him until he shooed it away.

Back at the camp site:

"I think you might be right," Katara said to her brother Sokka. "He is acting rather odd. Normally he's much better natured."

"I told you so," Sokka said plainly. "We should keep an eye on him."

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The next morning:

"Come on!" Aang said demandingly. "Let's get going!"

Aang had already packed everything he could and was already sitting on Appa when Sokka and his sister awoke.

"Geez," Sokka griped. "I know you're a morning person, but give the rest of us a chance to wake up first."

Katara got up, groggily, and much to the irritation of Aang did her normal morning routine, refusing to skip washing her face or breakfast or anything.

When the siblings were finally ready to go, Aang couldn't get Appa to go. He tried "Yip! Yip!" he tried doing variations of his normal routine, but the giant woolly bison would not budge.

"Here," Sokka said finally, climbing to where Aang was sitting, taking the ropes from him. "Let me do it."

"Ok, uh, thanks," Aang said nervously. He figured judging by Sokka's expression that the Avatar of peace normally didn't have this much trouble getting his bison to go.