Avatar: The Last Airbender: Yin and Yang

By Mdalia and RebLaw

Chapter 4

Aang ran as fast as he could, he hoped it was just a bad dream. It was weird enough that Katara was all mean, and that he was tied up and gagged- that Zhao was the one who set him free really made him sure it was an odd opposite day sort of a dream.

The boy wasn't able to run too far before he realized that not only did he not know what direction to go, he did not have anyplace to go. So he did what any 12 year old with the weight of the world on his shoulders would do in such a situation, he picked a direction that wasn't leading back to where he was and started walking in it.

After what he figured was an eternity, which was actually closer to an hour, Aang saw in the distance a village of the water tribe. His spirits lifted instantly. He started to run towards, almost skipping with joy along the way.

"Hey!" Aang yelled happily as a greeting as his feet carried him into the middle of the village.

The tribes people took one look at the boy with the blue arrow on his forehead and most of them briskly walked away. It really made no sense to him. Not even the children gave him a smile as their parents whisked them away.

"But...," Aang started to try to explain. "I just want to know where I am..."

No one replied to the avatar of peace. Frustrated with this almost surreal situation, Aang sat himself down in the town square and decided not to move until someone, anyone, told him where he was.

After about a half hour his patience paid off in a way. Two of the guards of the town were patrolling, and talking. Aang was able to overhear bits and pieces of their conversation.

"What's that avatar doing here!" the taller guard complained, unaware that Aang could overhear. "Doesn't he have anyone else to terrorize? We're only a small village!"

"Yeah," the shorter guard agreed. "It makes me nervous. I mean, why is he here? I hope he doesn't have any plans for this village. We're a peace-loving people, after all."

"His war-mongering influence shouldn't be able to take here," the taller guard said staunchly. "He's wasting his time."

"I'm not here to make war," Aang said plainly looking the guards in the eye.

"Sure you aren't," the taller guard said sarcastically mocking Aang. "And what next? The fire nation is coming to attack us all!"

"This world really is an opposite world," Aang mused out loud.

"Whatever, just leave, please," the shorter guard said, egged on by his fellow guard.

"Ok," Aang said quietly, getting up and walking out of town.

If Aang had turned around, he would've seen the two guards with their jaws hitting the ground in amazement.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Aang walked out of the water tribe village. He felt bad, no one liked him here. Apparently they all thought the avatar was mean and evil. Maybe that odd Katara was right and he was really in another world. Or maybe these people had met one of his previous incarnations who was evil, he wondered if that were possible. He didn't want to think about something that horrible, so he started running.

Aang wasn't looking where he was going very well, he ran into an old acquaintance. Pretty hard too, knocking both himself and the strong man down.

"Admiral Zhao?" Aang asked, putting aside his feelings to see if he could get any information out of a man he believed to be an enemy.

"Admiral? No, I'm just Zhao," Zhao said as he picked himself up and smiled at the boy. It never hurt to smile.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Katara and Sokka weren't going to take this one lying down. Well, they were for the time being, as they observed the fire nation ship that was steaming away to return to the Fire Nation with Aang a prisoner in its hull.

They followed the ship on Appa the flying buffalo. The two tried to plot and plan how to rescue Aang from his captors, but the prospect of facing many skilled fire benders seemed almost too daunting of a task.

- - - - - - - - - - -

Aang, the avatar of war pouted. This fire nation wasn't the fire nation he knew. He was used to a bunch of peace loving passivists, not a militant monarchy. This wasn't very much fun.

He was locked up against a wall, he didn't have any wiggle room to speak of. He momentarily wondered how he'd be able to get out of this one, as if it would be much of a challenge. In all fairness it probably would be a challenge if he played fair.

"Hey guard," Aang called out to one of the two guards who were posted to watch him that night. "My wrist hurts, can you give me more slack or something?"

"Sheesh," Zuko muttered, he was watching the guards watch Aang. There was no way with the end so close in site that the young prince of the fire nation would not oversee every detail to ensure success. "I thought the avatar was supposed to be all powerful, not a whiny brat."

The guard unlocked Aang's cell, and went to adjust the chain binding the avatar's arm.

Aang face turned lobster red. He frowned and wrinkled his nose. "Yeah, well, your face is ugly!"

"Foolish Child," Zuko cursed underneath his breath. He didn't really want to have a name calling contest with a child, it was beneath him.

The guard started to loosen the chains of Aang's left arm, unfortunately he wasn't expecting the boy to use the slack to start airbending. Aang's attack pushed the guard down, and with another motion of the child's hand he brought the guards keys into his hand.

Zuko ordered the other guard to close and lock the cell, as Aang unlocked the shackles that held him.

"When he tries to leave, I want you to tackle him,"Zuko ordered the guard quietly. "I'd rather not use my fire bending on a child, its could kill him too easily." Which was true, except that previously when he had attempted the avatar was able to easily stave off the attacks. But that was more than a guard needed to know.