Avatar: The Last Airbender: Yin and Yang
By Mdalia and RebLaw
Chapter 5
The avatar had escaped. Zuko cursed himself and his foolishness. The guard, who hadn't been able to tackle Aang, stayed face down on the ground, knowing as soon as he showed signs of life, the prince would make his displeasure known.
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Meanwhile, the Avatar of war was enjoying his freedom on his way to the North Pole. He was on his way to meet with the Sokka and Katara of his world, unfortunately he had to use the Sokka and Katara of the world of the Avatar of peace to get there. Appa didn't like this Aang, unfortunately he couldn't communicate effectively why.
Katara and Sokka felt ill at ease, much like Appa. Aang had always been spontaneous and sporadic, they almost went into shock when Aang said he wanted to go right to the north pole- normally he wanted to stop in a million and one "fun" places along the way.
The trio made good time, landing at the North pole the very next day. Aang ran off as soon as Appa stopped flying, ignoring the calls of Katara and Sokka, who just wanted to know where he was going.
"You know," Sokka said. "I'd say this clinches it, it's not the same Aang we used to know."
Katara raised her eyebrows, "You have a point. I wonder who he was and why he looked so much like Aang."
"We should track him to find out," Sokka said plainly. "His trail is easy to follow."
Unfortunately, Sokka and Katara were unable to catch up to Aang – the Avatar of war-- before the fire nation, who was also trailing the avatar caught up to them. Katara was able to hold off the guards for a bit with her water bending, but ultimately, when surrounded by trained soldiers neither her bending, nor Sokka's warrior training enough.
Zuko, Iroh and the guards who were not left behind to guard Sokka and Katara or man the ship continued following the avatar's trail. Fortunately the trail was well obvious and was not easily hidden by the snow drifting along the arctic tundra.
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Aang, the avatar of war, made his way back to his home world. The two worlds were different sides of the same coin, after all. But there were only certain places you could cross over, only four in total, one for each nation. Aang found the Katara and Sokka of his world waiting for him impatiently.
The first words out of Aang's mouth were that he thought he was being followed, by the fire nation. Sokka and Katara immediately took him to Fe, who always had a plan for everything.
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"The Fire Nation of the other world is chasing you?" Fe asked the Avatar of War. "They're aggressive and war-mongers?"
The Avatar of War, Aang, nodded quietly. Fe didn't seem very happy about it.
"That's great!" Fe said suddenly smiling widely. "I am looking forward of the challenge of sending them back where they came from with their tails between their legs!"
Fe started doing stretches warm ups for the upcoming fights. He was physically in excellent shape, not even considering his age. Without his gray hair, gray beard and wrinkles to give it away he could easily be mistaken for a young man at his peak.
"Um," Aang said. "You know there was a general who looked an awful lot like you. Except he was fat and weak."
"What!" Fe asked, practically in shock that the 'him' of the other world was fat and out of shape. "You must've let going between the worlds get to you boy."
Aang smirked, "Going between the two worlds isn't any harder than walking down a road, you of all people know that."
"Don't tell anyone about the man who looked like me from the other world," Fe said almost asking. The avatar of war's eyes were wondering bored. Fe smiled when he realized that the boy didn't have the attention span to ruin him.
"I don't think that other you is a fighter," Aang said uninterestedly, mostly to try to get a reaction out of Fe. "He was flabby, and seemed too easy going. I don't think he'll want to fight you, he'll probably just run away."
Fe thought for a moment, stroking his beard idly. Then an idea hit. "The Prince of the Fire Nation from the other world wanted to kidnap you?" Fe asked Aang. "And the one who looked like me seemed to be loyal to him and helped him?"
Aang, the Avatar of War caught on quick. "You want to use me as bait don't you?"
Fe smiled and praised the Avatar, "Smart boy! That's why I put up with you!"
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"We need to move faster," Prince Zuko said angrily. The avatar's trail was beginning to become faint due to the drifting of the snow. Zuko had just caught the boy, only to have him escape. The prince was still angry with himself over it, he couldn't lose the trail, he couldn't fail to recapture the avatar.
"Slow down Prince Zuko," Iroh sad, struggling to keep up with the young man. It seemed to Iroh that every year he just got older and older, slower and slower, he needed to watch himself or he'd become an old man already.
"If we slow down we may lose the trail," Zuko replied to his uncle's objections. This wasn't much easier for him, despite his youth and strength.
The guardsmen weren't liking this. The snow was deep and the wind was picking up, the trail back to the ship was fading just like the avatar's trail, going back probably wasn't an option anymore. They were uneasy about this whole trip, they didn't like going to a land of ice and wind, fire didn't ever do that well in these areas.
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By the time Prince Zuko and company made it to the camp where the avatar's track lead, they were worn out, soaking wet, and probably about to contract hypothermia. Fortunately, they did find the avatar, albeit the avatar of war, unfortunately he was tied up and guarded by an impressive figure.
"The avatar!" Prince Zuko said, surprised that his objective was already captured. He was weary of the captor though, the man looked like an experienced soldier, skilled to have survived in such a dangerous profession for so many years.
"You want him?" The man asked, picking Aang, the avatar of war, up as if he were lighter than a sack of flour. The boy was not really being held hostage, but was playing a park in a hoax for the man, Fe.
"Yes," Zuko said boldly. "I am the prince of the Fire Nation, hand him over to me and you will be rewarded."
"I'll do so, but only for a fight," The figure said in a boisterous voice.
"Deal," Zuko said impulsively. Iroh, his uncle, was about to offer consul to the boy, suggesting he negotiate the terms of the fight, but it was too late.
"I chose to fight Iroh," the figure said, pointing to the pudgey old man who always accompanied the prince.
"You want to fight me?" Iroh said very confused. He didn't have any grievances with anyone he knew of, at least not anyone who would fit the description of the man who stood before him."Who are you?"
"I am known as Fe," Fe said, trying to sound dark and menacing, rather convincingly.
Iroh's eyes widened when he heard that name. "Y-you've got to be mocking me."
"Uncle?" Zuko asked, wanting to know if his uncle was going to fulfill the stranger's request, hoping he would.
"First off -- to fight me here and now, why, even a child with a sharp stick could fight someone who's soaked, cold, tired and hungry as I am," Iroh said bluntly. "Secondly, I am not a fighting man these days, my nephew would be much better suite to the challenge. I submit a request that you fight him in my stead."
"We can duel tomorrow," Fe said. Iroh had a point, he looked like he was able to collapse just from the strain of standing. "Your second request is denied. I have no interest in the adolescent."
Zuko was vaguely offended by that, but ignored it. They set up tents and ate a dinner provided by the man who called himself Fe, when they were sure Fe wasn't around Zuko asked Iroh where he knew Fe from.
"I've never met a Fe," Iroh said truthfully. "It was a name in my childhood I admired greatly though, I used to wish it were my name. That is why hearing someone claim it as his name surprised me."
"I keep thinking I've heard 'Fe' elsewhere," Zuko pondered. "That's right, that's what the Avatar called you, after we captured him."
"That's what was bothering me about it," Iroh admitted. "Well tomorrow I'll fight this 'Fe' we can get the Avatar and maybe figure things out, but for now, our bellies are full and we should sleep."
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It was going to be an Agni-kai style battle. Iroh and Fe both understood, during the pre-duel warm up that they were going to be doing battle against a master. To make matters worse for Iroh, Fe had much more physical strength going for him.