Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA or any of it's characters. The only thing I own is my OC.
The Six Rules:
Rule Number One: Alec won't warn the Gaang about things in advance or solve their problems for them, with a few rare exceptions.
Rule Number Two: Only Alec has the right to tell people his true origins, and he will mostly limit this to group members. He will tell new group members his secret as soon as they join the Gaang.
Rule Number Three: There are some changes Alec wants to make, and he will use his knowledge of the future to make those changes.
Rule Number Four: Sometimes, to make a change, Alec will act in a way that doesn't make sense. If that's necessary, he'll tell the Gaang "I need you to absolutely trust me." After he says that, the Gaang has to either do whatever he asks or leave him to do what he needs to do.
Rule Number Five: After a change happens, Alec will tell the Gaang what happened in the original story, in the interest of transparency.
Rule Number Six: If a major change happens that Alec doesn't expect, the Gaang will have a meeting ASAP. In this meeting, Alec will break Rule One and tell them all relevant information that will help them figure out how to respond to the change.
Chapter 15:
Destiny
Alec POV
It had been a day since the battle for the Northern Air Temple. We were flying north across the ocean. I kept thinking about the battles that lay ahead for us. I'd already decided to make a change when we got to the Northern Water Tribe. I wanted to persuade Pakku to teach Katara as soon as we got there. Granted, Katara only missed out on two days of training before he got over his sexism, but every little bit of training could help.
Even more questions ran through my head. What should I do about the battle itself? How does my own destiny fit into all this? In the end, I decided to find out what my destiny was, then decide what to do with the battle. How much time did I have? I knew Zhao killed the Moon Spirit on the night of a full moon.
"Hey, does anybody remember when the last full moon was?" I asked suddenly.
"Last night, why?" Katara answered.
"I'll tell you later." I said evasively. So I had about a month, give or take a few days. I frowned. I needed to figure this out.
"Alec, what's wrong? You've been grumpy recently." Katara inquired.
I took a deep breath. "I have to be honest, I really don't like the Northern Water Tribe. The only place I dislike more is the Fire Nation."
My siblings and Aang looked at me in shock. "Why?" Sokka asked, looking slightly alarmed. "I thought you liked us?"
"I like the Southern Water Tribe, not the Northern Water Tribe." I clarified. "Two of their customs really bother me." I confessed.
"What do you mean?" Katara asked. "What customs?"
"The Northern Water Tribe is extremely sexist." I said while narrowing my eyes. "They're even worse than Sokka was before he met Suki."
"Hey!" Sokka yelled indignantly.
"You have to admit, you were pretty bad." I pointed out.
"Anyway," Katara interjected before the conversation could go off the rails, "How bad is it up there?"
"They practice arranged marriages up there." I said. "Parents arrange marriages for their children. The man can say no, but the woman has no choice."
Aang's eyes widened in horror. For someone who's primary element was the element of freedom, the idea of taking away someone's will was antithetical to everything he believed in. Sokka turned pale. Katara's fist tightened.
"Your necklace is actually a betrothal necklace from the Northern Water Tribe." I explained. "Gran Gran was originally from the North Pole, but she fled to the South Pole to escape a marriage she didn't want."
Katara's hand moved up to her necklace and her eyes widened. "She did love the man," I clarified, "But she hated the customs of the Northern Water Tribe and didn't want to spend the rest of her life as a second-class citizen."
"You seem to really hate that custom." Sokka said. "I do, too, but why do you hate it?"
"Normally, I respect different cultural beliefs, even if I don't practice them." I said, looking at Aang. "I don't make fun of Aang for not eating meat, even though I eat meat. This, however, is so wrong that I can't respect it. You see, where I come from, if someone forced someone else to marry them against their will, they'd be arrested for kidnapping and rape."
Sokka nodded grimly. "I think I get it."
"Wait, you said there are two customs you disagree with. What's the other one?" Aang inquired.
"That's the one we have to deal with." I said with a frown. "Female waterbenders are only allowed to learn healing up north. Only male waterbenders are allowed to learn combat."
"WHAT?!" Katara screamed, outraged.
"Don't get me wrong, healing is extremely important." I said to her. "I wouldn't be alive right now if you didn't have the gift for it. But we're being constantly pursued by the Fire Nation, so every one of us needs to be able to fight them."
Sokka raised an eyebrow. "How are we going to convince them to train Katara?"
I gave my sister a reassuring smile. "I have three methods." I listed them off on my fingers. "First, I'll try to convince them with logic. If that fails, I'll offer them a deal that they would be idiots to refuse. If that doesn't work, I know one thing that will."
Sokka frowned. "Why don't you just do that one first?"
"I'm curious how stupid and stubborn they are." I admitted. "Also, if I openly state the logical reasons why that waterbending custom is wrong, it might change a few people's minds."
Katara raised an eyebrow. "How far do you think you'll have to go?"
I shrugged. "It depends on if they're like Sokka, or if they're like Makapu Village." I answered.
Sokka looked confused. "What do you mean by that?"
I turned to him and smiled. "If they're like you, logic and reason will work. You had a stupid belief about girls, until Suki beat you. Then you learned from your mistakes, apologized, and got her to train you. That's the kind of person everyone should be." He looked touched by that.
I frowned and continued. "If they're like Makapu Village, I'll need to use my last resort. Those idiots ignored an erupting volcano until Aang and Katara changed the clouds, and even after that, they still said that Aunt Wu was right, because the village wasn't destroyed by the volcano."
"So, from what you know, what do you think they're like?" Aang asked.
I scowled. "Makapu."
The next day, we were still flying north over the ocean. Don't ask how we used the bathroom, it's better if you don't know. Appa flew low, his toes lightly skimming the water. Aang reclined on Appa's head. My siblings and I lounged about lazily in the saddle. Sokka decided to speak.
"I'm not one to complain," He complained, "But can't Appa fly any higher?"
Aang turned and faced Sokka with an irritated expression. "I have an idea!" He pointed at Sokka. "Why don't we all get on your back and you could fly us to the North Pole?!"
Sokka gave him a look. "I'd love to." He snarked. He pointed to his back and shook his rear end. "Climb on everyone, Sokka's ready for takeoff."
Momo jumped on Sokka's back. Katara put up her hands in a placating gesture. "Look, we're all just a little tired and cranky because we've been flying for two days straight."
"And for what?" Sokka asked rhetorically, fully annoyed. "We can't even find the Northern Water Tribe. There's nothing up here."
Knowing Sokka's talent for tempting fate, I grabbed the edge of the saddle as tightly as I could. That turned out to be a wise decision. The water in front of Appa suddenly shot up and solidified into ice spikes. Aang screamed in fright and yanked the reins to avoid the obstacle. We all screamed as we held on desperately. We felt a bump as Appa collided into something, making him lose his balance. We spiraled out of control towards the water, screaming all the while. Appa eventually splashed down into the water. Thankfully, he didn't sink. The water around him suddenly froze, trapping him in place. Six Water Tribe boats appeared from behind icebergs and sailed towards us, carrying eight men each, except for the last one, which carried nine men. The boats had no sails, relying entirely on waterbending to move. I noticed that everyone on each boat was a man.
"No surprise there." I thought bitterly.
Katara looked around. Sokka reached for his boomerang. "They're waterbenders!" My sister exclaimed happily. "We found the Water Tribe!"
One of the men from the boat with nine people stepped onto Appa's iceberg. He wore similar armor to the sets Sokka and I had, but it was freshly polished, like it had never seen battle before. He wore no helmet, and looked about my age, maybe a little older. He had lighter skin than Sokka, but still darker than me. He had black hair, and a square jaw, set in a frown. I suppose some girls might find him handsome, but the vibe he gave off screamed 'douchebag'.
He stepped up to Appa and looked up at us. "Who are you?" He asked harshly.
Aang jumped down to look him in the eye. "My name's Aang. I'm the Avatar, and these are my friends Katara, Sokka, and Alec."
I heard excited whispers and murmurs coming from the boats.
The warrior didn't let his frown leave his face. "Which one of you is the firebender?"
I blinked. Oh, right. Bato said he would give the Northern Water Tribe a heads-up that I was coming. I climbed out of the saddle and walked over. "That's me." I answered politely. "My name is Alec. I guess the Southern Water Tribe told you we were coming."
He nodded. Suddenly, he grabbed me by the wrists and wrestled me to the ground. What the fuck was going on?! "You're under arrest. I'm taking you prisoner. We'll figure out what to do with you later."
"Hey, let him go!" Aang yelled. I saw Sokka draw his boomerang, while Aang and Katara took stances. "Guys, stand down!" I yelled from underneath the warrior. "We can't win when it's 49 against 4! I'll go with them and sort this out."
My companions glanced at each other, before they nodded and stood down. The warrior roughly manhandled me onto his boat. Then he tied my hands behind my back and we took off.
I didn't like being tied up. Granted, I could've burned myself free, but I figured it was best to not be hostile. The thing that sucked was that the warrior who 'captured' me wouldn't shut up.
"The first firebender captured in years, and I did it!" He muttered in glee. I rolled my eyes, but I was nervous. His delusions of grandeur were giving me serious Jet vibes. I wasn't a fan.
The warrior seemed familiar, somehow. Was this guy some minor character that I forgot existed? Before I could ponder the answer, I saw the Northern Water Tribe. A massive wall of ice, with the symbol of the Northern Water Tribe carved into it.
"Wow." I whispered. Even though I despised the Northern Water Tribe's customs, it really was a beautiful place.
The warrior smacked me upside the head. "Silence, prisoner. Enjoy the view. You won't be seeing the outside for a long time."
Even though I was sure Aang and my siblings could clear this up, I was still worried. Did the Chief order this? Did Bato tell them not to trust me? What was going on here?
The waterbenders opened up a hole in the wall and we sailed through. Before I could appreciate the sights, the warrior put a bag over my head and knocked me out with a blow to the head.
I woke up on my side, in what appeared to be a cell of some kind. The cell was made mostly of ice, but the bars and the door were made of metal. My head hurt slightly. My hands were still bound, and I was cold. I quickly burned away the ropes binding my hands and sat up. I started using breath of fire to warm back up.
"Hey, stop that!" A voice ordered.
I looked through the cell bars and saw a guy taking a waterbending stance. He looked to be in his teens. It wasn't the warrior that brought me here. This guy had brown hair and dark skin, unlike the lieutenant.
I glared at him. "I'm not trying to break out. It's cold. I'm using my firebending to keep my body warm."
The guard narrowed his eyes. "If you try to break out, I'll attack. I'm warning you."
I nodded. This guy didn't seem like a bad person, he was just doing his job. "I won't do anything. How long have I been here? What happened to the guy that brought me here?"
The guard did something I didn't expect. He rolled his eyes and snorted. "That guy? He practically skipped out of here on his way back to report to the Chief that he captured a firebender." He shook his head. "I swear, that idiot will do anything to advance his career. You've been here for about an hour."
I laughed. "Yeah, I got that vibe from him, too." I stopped laughing. "So, what's your name? Mine's Alec."
He nodded. "My name's Poduk. You seem like a decent guy. It's hard to believe that you attacked the lieutenant."
My eyes went wide. "Wait. What are you talking about?" I asked urgently.
"That's what he said happened." Poduk explained. "He said when he found you guys and your bison, you attacked him and he defeated you in single combat."
I blinked. Then I got pissed. "That fucking liar!" I screamed, steam literally coming out of my ears. Firebenders looked a bit cartoony when they got angry. "Aang explained who we were, the lieutenant asked which one of us was the firebender, I stepped forward to introduce myself and he attacked me! I surrendered to keep my friend and family safe! He outnumbered us 49 to 4!"
Poduk's eyes went wide. "Are you telling the truth?"
I nodded. "I'm with the Avatar, and I'm trying to help him find a waterbending master. Why would I attack the Northern Water Tribe? Lieutenant Fuckface's story makes no sense." I explained.
He laughed. "Lieutenant Fuckface? That's one I've never heard before."
I raised an eyebrow in amusement. "I guess you hate the guy, too?"
He nodded. "Yeah, Hahn's family used their political connections to force me to stop courting Princess Yue. They would have cut off my family from any career prospects. Hahn's the Tribe's prize warrior. As long as he keeps up his family's image, he gets whatever he wants."
My eyes went wide. Of course! That's who the lieutenant was. Hahn! The most forgettable side character ever! I quickly recovered and put on a normal face. "I'm sorry to hear that. Do you think Yue loved you?"
He nodded. "She told me she did, right before we were forced to break up." He replied sadly. "I even made her a betrothal necklace." He fetched something out of his pocket that resembled Katara's necklace. "I still carry it with me."
I winced. I wasn't a fan of these arranged marriages, but it sounded like Yue and Poduk would've been happy together. If only I could do something. This could take the love triangle out of the equation. A thought occurred to me.
"So, if Hahn were to be disgraced, publicly in front of the Chief, his family wouldn't support him?" I asked.
He nodded. "Yeah, why?"
A mischievous smile formed on my face. "Poduk, I have a proposal for you." I said. "Can you get me in front of the Chief, Hahn, Yue, the Avatar, and my siblings? I have an idea that could help us both out."
Poduk looked thoughtful, then he nodded. "I think I can do that. Prisoners are allowed to plead their case to the Chief."
I nodded. "Thank you. If you want to bind me with ropes or anything, you can go ahead."
He gave me a blank look. "Why would anyone tie up a firebender with rope? Wouldn't they just burn through?"
I snorted. "Congratulations, you're smarter than Hahn."
Poduk didn't tie me up or freeze my hands. He led me down an ice hallway to a large chamber. In the center of the chamber on a large ice throne sat a man. He looked to be about fifty years old, with black hair and wrinkles on his face. He wore the standard blue and white furs of the Water Tribe. Around his neck, he wore an elaborate necklace with the moon and ocean symbol of the Northern Water Tribe in the center. Several older men sat on ice benches behind him. Some kind of council of elders, I suspected.
"Chief Arnook." I thought. "Leader of the Northern Water Tribe, and first prize winner for 'worst matchmaker in history'."
I looked to his left. Lieutenant Fuckface sat with a smug look on his face. I looked to Arnook's right. There sat a beautiful teenage girl, with white hair in a style I couldn't possibly describe. I noticed her eyes following Poduk, filled with longing and sadness. I guess Poduk wasn't lying. She did love him.
"Princess Yue." I thought. "I won't let you die this time."
Poduk spoke. "Chief Arnook, this prisoner wishes to plead his case."
Arnook nodded. "I am curious to hear why a firebender attacked my future son-in-law."
I took a deep breath. "Actually, Chief Arnook, that's not what happened."
He raised an eyebrow. "Are you implying that Lieutenant Hahn's report was inaccurate?"
I looked the Chief in the eye. "No, Chief Arnook. I'm stating that Lieutenant Hahn's report was a complete lie."
Arnook's eyebrows shot up. Princess Yue's eyes went wide. The elders sitting behind Chief Arnook began muttering among themselves. Hahn scowled. "You question my honor?"
I smirked. Hahn gave me a perfect opportunity to quote 'Game of Thrones', and I wasn't about to pass it up. "I'm not questioning your honor, Lieutenant Hahn. I'm denying its existence."
Hahn stood up abruptly. "How dare you…"
"Alec!" A voice behind me shouted, interrupting Hahn. I turned around and saw Aang, Katara, and Sokka running towards me. Katara wrapped me in a hug. "We just got here! What happened to you?"
I returned the hug. "I got thrown in jail by this idiot." I threw my thumb over my shoulder at Hahn. Katara shot him a glare. Sokka drew his boomerang. Aang pointed his staff at Hahn, almost daring him to move.
Arnook stood up. "Who are you people?" He demanded.
Aang stepped forward. "My name is Aang. I'm the Avatar. These are my friends, Sokka, Katara, and Alec. We barged in because he," He pointed at Hahn, "Attacked and arrested our friend as soon as he identified himself. We want to know why."
The elders muttered furiously among themselves. Arnook and Yue glared at Hahn, who gulped. I was starting to enjoy this. Chief Arnook turned back to the Avatar. "Avatar Aang, are you saying that Alec did not attack Hahn first?"
Aang nodded. "Yeah, in fact, Alec told us not to attack him, and didn't fight back."
"That guy totally attacked Alec first!" Sokka added.
Arnook looked royally pissed. "Hahn, why did you attack him?" He asked in a dangerous tone. Hahn didn't respond. He just stood there, afraid.
"Chief Arnook, if I may." I said. He nodded, giving me permission to speak. "After he captured me, Hahn wouldn't stop muttering about being the first person in years to capture a firebender."
"I can confirm this." Poduk added. "He kept saying that the glory was all his after he put Alec in the cell."
Arnook glared at Hahn like one might at a piece of shit that you just stepped in. "Hahn," He said lowly, "Need I remind you about the letter we received from Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe?"
Katara perked up. "Wait, Dad sent a letter?"
"Can we see it?!" Sokka asked excitedly.
Arnook took a scroll from his robe and tossed it to Sokka. My brother unraveled it and began reading to himself. Aang, Katara, and I read the scroll over his shoulder.
"Chief Arnook,
This is Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe. I would like to inform you that my children, Sokka and Katara, found the Avatar and are on their way to the Northern Water Tribe to find a waterbending master. I would also like to inform you that they are accompanied by a firebender named Alec, who Sokka and Katara adopted into the family. My lieutenant, Bato, informed me that Alec completed the ice-dodging rite of passage. I have never met Alec myself, but I trust my son and daughter, as well as Bato. Please treat Alec as if he were one of my children.
Sincerely,
Chief Hakoda."
I smiled evilly. This was perfect. "So, let me get this straight," I turned to Arnook with a serious expression, "You received a letter from Chief Hakoda telling you to treat me as if I was his son, and Hahn attacked me? Is it normal for the Northern Water Tribe to attack the South?"
The elders muttered louder. Arnook turned pale. Before he could respond, I spoke again. "Chief Arnook, if I may have a few minutes to consult with my family and friends to figure out the best way to respond to this insult."
Arnook nodded, his face still pale. I motioned for my family and Aang to gather around in a huddle. "Alec, what are you doing?" Katara whispered seriously.
"Hahn's engaged to Chief Arnook's daughter, Princess Yue, so he's gonna be the next Chief if they get married." I whispered back. "Yue doesn't want to marry him. In fact, she's in love with that guy." I motioned my head in Poduk's direction. "Poduk got me a meeting with Arnook. It's thanks to him I'm not freezing in a cell. I want to return the favor. I have an idea, so just follow my lead."
I broke the huddle. "Chief Arnook, we have a bit of a problem, here."
Arnook's face went back to normal. He raised an eyebrow. "And that is?"
"You see, if Hahn were just a regular soldier, we would simply demand an apology and move on." I said, desperately trying to keep a grin off my face. "However, Poduk informed me that Hahn is engaged to your daughter, Princess Yue, meaning that he would be the next Chief, correct?"
Yue looked down, sad that she was set to marry Lieutenant Fuckface. Poduk looked at her with longing. Arnook nodded. "That is correct."
I gave him a serious look. "Well, because of Hahn's position, his actions would be seen by the Southern Water Tribe as the actions of the Northern Water Tribe as a whole, not just the actions of a rogue soldier." I turned to Sokka. "Brother, you know Chief Hakoda better than anyone here. What would he do if he learned that the Northern Water Tribe's future Chief falsely imprisoned one of his children to advance his own career?"
Sokka made an elaborate show of stroking his chin in thought. "Dad would, at minimum, cut off all ties to the Northern Water Tribe."
"Or, he'd declare war." Katara added. I knew Hakoda wasn't a warmonger, and the South didn't stand a chance against the North right now, but we were trying to be convincing. Arnook paled. Hahn's teeth began chattering. I was enjoying this way more than I should.
I turned to Aang. "Aang, you completed the ice-dodging rite of passage, making you an honorary member of the Southern Water Tribe. If we sever all ties with the Northern Water Tribe, will you stand with us?"
Aang nodded. "I will." He said firmly. "And, if I sever ties, the spirits will probably sever ties, too." I smirked. I hadn't even thought of that part. Aang was the bridge, after all.
The elders whispered furiously among themselves. Arnook turned green. I'd tormented him enough. It was time to give him an out. I stroked my chin thoughtfully. "Of course, if Hahn weren't going to be the next Chief, we wouldn't hold the Northern Water Tribe responsible for his actions." I offered.
Yue's head shot up. She looked at Poduk, and then at me, with hope in her eyes. Poduk turned towards me with a similar expression on his face. Arnook stood still for several long seconds. Finally, he nodded and turned to his daughter. "Princess Yue, please return Hahn's betrothal necklace." He said. "Your engagement to him is over."
I could swear the biggest smile in history flashed across Yue's face for half a second, before she put on a somber mask. She removed a necklace from around her neck. She stood up and walked over to Hahn, dropping it at his feet, before turning on her heel and returning to her seat. Hahn got on his knees. "Chief Arnook, please! Give me another chance!" He begged.
"Silence!" Arnook commanded. "Your actions nearly made an enemy of the Avatar! You're under house arrest until further notice. Get out of my sight!"
Hahn gulped and walked quickly out of the palace. I smirked. I walked over to Poduk. "Go get her." I whispered.
Poduk walked up to Arnook and kneeled. "Chief Arnook, I would like to resume my previous courtship with Princess Yue, if I may." Yue looked up at her father with pleading eyes. Arnook looked uncertain.
"Chief Arnook," I said, "I haven't known Poduk for a full day, but he treated me with respect, even though I was a prisoner. Because of his actions, the Northern Water Tribe avoided a diplomatic incident with the Avatar."
Chief Arnook nodded. "Very well. Poduk, I give you my permission. Treat my daughter with the dignity and respect she deserves."
Poduk stood up and walked over to Yue. Both of them had massive smiles on their faces. Poduk offered Yue his hand, and the two of them left the palace, arm in arm.
Arnook turned to us. "I suppose I should welcome you officially to the Northern Water Tribe. I wish that the circumstances could have been more pleasant."
I waved it off. "No problem. I've had worse welcomes."
Arnook nodded. "Still, we must throw a feast to welcome the Avatar and his…"
A loud squeal from outside the palace interrupted Arnook. Sokka, Katara, and Aang turned around and took stances. "What was that?" Sokka wondered.
I smirked. "That, dear brother, is the sound of a sixteen-year-old girl who just received a proposal from the love of her life."
That night, Chief Arnook threw us a massive feast in the palace courtyard. The place was full of people, sitting at ice tables. Everything in the place was made of ice, except the plates and the utensils. Massive ice totems decorated the courtyard, and a massive fountain sat on the opposite end. Chief Arnook had us sit at the head table. Aang sat to his left, with Momo in his lap. Katara sat next to Aang. Sokka was on Katara's left, and I sat next to Sokka. There were two empty seats to my left. Over on the side, a group of men set a gigantic tray of seaweed in front of Appa, who roared happily and chowed down. Four men placed a huge crab inside a steaming pool in the center of the courtyard.
Chief Arnook stood and spread his arms. "Tonight, we celebrate the arrival of our brothers and sister from the Southern Tribe." He announced. "And they have brought with them someone very special, someone whom many of us believed disappeared from the world until now." He indicated Aang with his hands. "The Avatar." The crowd applauded and cheered. Aang gave a polite wave.
"We also celebrate my daughter's sixteenth birthday, and her engagement to Poduk." He moved to the side, revealing Yue, arm in arm with Poduk.
"Thank you, father." Yue said. "May the great Ocean and Moon Spirits watch over us during these troubled times."
Arnook indicated three figures standing by the fountain. "Now, Master Pakku and his students will perform."
The figures began bending significant blobs of water, captivating Aang and Katara. I focused on the central figure. He was an old man, but he clearly hadn't slowed down with age. He had significant baldness, but what was left of his gray hair was quite long.
"Master Pakku." I thought. "Currently the strongest sane waterbender."
Yue sat down next to me, and Poduk sat to her left. "Thank you." She whispered to me.
"No problem." I responded. "I was just trying to get back at Hahn."
"If there's anything I can do to repay you, please ask." She said.
I shook my head. "That won't be necessary. Just think of it as a birthday present from the Southern Water Tribe."
She laughed lightly. I looked at her new fiance. "So, Poduk, how did your family react to this?" I inquired.
"They're happy for us. Asking them and the Chief for permission was more of a formality. But my dad said he never thought he'd thank a firebender for anything." He replied with a grin.
I laughed. "I get that a lot." I got back to eating. I had to make my move and secure Aang and Katara's teacher. Master Pakku sat at the other end of the head table. When I finished eating, I turned to face the Chief.
"If I may speak, Chief Arnook." I said seriously. "There's something I need to say to everyone."
He looked at me, then nodded. "You have the floor, young man."
I stood up and walked to the center of the room. "I'm going to inform you of something, and then make two requests." I began. "We have a serious problem. The Fire Nation most likely knows that Aang is here, and they'll probably send a large force to either capture him or take him out."
The other guests whispered. Aang, Katara, and Sokka looked pale. They knew when I said
'most likely' or 'probably', I meant 'definitely'. Poduk and Yue looked worried. Pakku kept his face neutral. Arnook's eyes narrowed. "Why would they know the Avatar is here?"
"Simple logic." I answered plainly. "There's only one waterbender left in the whole Southern Water Tribe, and she's sitting right there." I pointed at Katara. "The Fire Nation knows that Aang's a twelve-year-old kid that's only mastered airbending. Water is the next element in the Avatar Cycle. They've been trying to catch us since we left the South Pole, so they know we've been traveling north. There's only one place Aang could find a waterbending master, and that's here."
Arnook was shocked by this statement. "There are no waterbenders left in the Southern Tribe? What happened to them?"
"The Fire Nation raided the Southern Water Tribe for decades, and captured every waterbender they could find." I looked down with sadness. "The last raid was almost six years ago, during which the woman who would've been my adopted mother was killed." I said softly. Sokka and Katara bowed their heads, remembering their loss. Yue and Poduk looked surprised by this.
Arnook's face fell. "Be honest with me," He said in a voice riddled with guilt, "How bad are things in the Southern Water Tribe?"
I took a deep breath. This wouldn't be easy for them to hear, but it needed to be said. "The Southern Water Tribe is a shadow of its former self." I said sadly, remembering the sorry state that the Tribe was in when I arrived. "The capital city is a tiny village of tents with only one igloo, and the tribe is just a group of scattered villages."
Arnook looked like someone had ripped out his heart. He must have felt like he failed his sister Tribe. "I had no idea it was so bad." He said. "So, what are your requests?"
Time to see if these people would listen to reason. "First, we want Master Pakku to train both Aang and Katara."
Pakku frowned. "I will train the Avatar, but not your sister. It is forbidden for women to learn waterbending, except for healing."
The only reason Katara didn't scream in rage was because I prepared her ahead of time. Still, several large cracks appeared around her on the ice table. Aang gripped her arm to calm her down.
"Katara needs to learn everything she can about waterbending." I said. "Everything she learns improves our chances of successfully ending this century-long war."
"I must preserve the traditions of my tribe." Pakku said, his expression unchanging.
"Your traditions are putting you at a disadvantage." I argued. "The Northern Water Tribe is the only place that forbids women from learning everything about bending. The Fire Nation even has female soldiers in their army. You're outnumbered, and you're cutting your number of potential benders in half."
Pakku said nothing. I sighed heavily. "Fine, I'm willing to make a deal."
Pakku's eyes narrowed. "What kind of deal?"
"I have a complete set of firebending scrolls in my possession." I stated. "If you agree to teach Aang and Katara, I will allow you to copy the scrolls, and analyze the techniques for weaknesses. That could help you fight the Fire Nation."
Pakku looked tempted, but still shook his head. "No. Our traditions are too important."
5 percent of me admired Pakku's commitment. The other 95 percent wanted to find a wall and slam my head against it. I pinched the bridge of my nose. "Just to be clear, you're turning down an explicit military advantage because of tradition?"
"Our traditions have preserved the tribe's happiness for years." Pakku replied.
"Your traditions have made you miserable." I retorted. "And I can prove it." I turned to my sister. "Katara, could you come over here, please?"
Katara stood up and walked over to me, a quizzical expression on her face. We walked over to Pakku. "Katara, show him your necklace." I said. She gave me a look. "Humor me." I said.
She shrugged and removed her necklace, holding it up in front of Pakku. "Look familiar?" I asked.
The old man's eyes widened. "That's my necklace." He whispered. "I made it sixty years ago for the love of my life, Kanna."
Sokka and Katara did a double-take. "Gran Gran was supposed to marry you?!" Katara exclaimed.
Pakku nodded. "I carved this necklace for your grandmother when we got engaged." He looked sad at the memory. "I thought we would have a long, happy life together. I loved her."
"But she wouldn't let your tribe's stupid customs run her life." Katara said. "That's why she left."
"If you hadn't insisted on following the tribes customs, Sokka, Katara, and I could've be your grandkids." I added.
Pakku looked down for several seconds. Finally, he spoke. "Very well, I will train both the Avatar and Katara. It's the least I can do for Kanna."
I smiled. Katara's eyes gleamed. "Thank you! You won't regret it!"
Great, one request down, one to go. Chief Arnook spoke. "Alec, what is your second request?"
I turned back to the Chief. "I would like to visit the Spirit Oasis with Aang and my siblings, tonight."
He nodded. "Princess Yue and Poduk will be happy to escort you there after dinner."
"Thanks." I replied. "I've been waiting a while to see that place."
"One more thing." Chief Arnook said. "You four have experience fighting the Fire Nation, correct?"
"More than I would like." I admitted.
"Would you be willing to speak with us tomorrow and tell us what you know?" He requested. "Every bit of information could help."
I looked at my siblings and Aang. We all nodded.
After dinner finished, Poduk and Yue led us to a small, round, wooden door in the palace. "I'm surprised you've heard of this place." Poduk commented.
"I heard about it in a story." I answered.
"If you don't mind me asking, why do you want to visit?" Yue inquired.
"Well, one of my past lives told me that Alec needs to cross over into the Spirit World to discover his destiny." Aang piped up.
"A past life told you?" Yue repeated slowly. I chuckled. Aang wasn't the best at explaining things in a believable way.
"Aang can communicate with the spirits of the previous Avatars." I explained. Yue nodded.
"So, is that a door to the Spirit World?" Sokka asked.
Yue laughed. "No, Alec needs to get there on his own. This is the most spiritual place in the North Pole."
She opened the door, and we walked inside, revealing a small verdant oasis lying ahead, with a waterfall behind it. Two wooden bridges connected the oasis to the icy path to the door. Aang and Katara gasped in amazement. Sokka let out a small "Wow." I had to admit, the Spirit Oasis was beautiful.
We made our way to the grassy island. Aang rolled around on the ground. "I never thought I'd miss grass this much!"
I took off my heavy coat, as did everyone else. "It's so warm here." Katara noted. "How's that possible?"
"It's the center of all spiritual energy in our land." Poduk explained.
"He's right." Aang commented. "I can feel…something here."
I walked over to a small pond. The pond was empty except for two koi fish. One was white, with a black spot, and the other was black, with a white spot. If I didn't know their significance, I never would have guessed it, based on their appearance. I notice movement by my right foot. I looked down and saw Momo sticking his hand in the pond, trying to grab the fish.
I panicked. "Momo, no!" I shouted, grabbing the lemur and pulling him away from the pond. I held him up by the scruff of his neck and looked him in the eye. "Don't. Touch. The. Koi. Fish." I said slowly. Momo's ears drooped, and he slinked off.
"So, how does Alec get into the Spirit World?" Sokka asked.
"Meditation." I answered, moving to a position in front of the grass. I sat down in the lotus position and began breathing the same way I did during my firebending practice. I stared at the fish, swimming in a circle. They began putting me in a trance. I felt peaceful and calm…
"What's he doing?" Poduk whispered, shattering my sense of calm.
"He's meditating." Katara replied.
"Is there any way we could help?" Yue inquired.
"You could be quiet." I snarked. "I can hear every word you're saying."
That shut them up. I started breathing again, watching the two fish circle each other. Slowly, the fish seemed to change from fish into the symbol of yin and yang. Before I knew it, the world disappeared around me.
I woke up in what looked like a garden with a large pond. It looked a lot like the garden in the Fire Nation palace that I remembered from the show. However, instead of normal turtle ducks, the pond was full of small spirits. Dragonfly bunnies hovered playfully above the pond. Dragon birds rested on the lily pads, and a few dragon eels swam in the water.
"Ah, you're here." I heard a familiar voice say behind me.
I spun around and saw a man two women, all a little bit taller than me. They appeared to be human, but I knew that meant nothing in the Spirit World. Hei Bai could turn from 'friendly panda' to 'eldritch horror' at the drop of a hat, after all.
The man appeared to be Water Tribe, but instead of blue, his furs were black. He looked like he was in his mid-twenties. He had long, black hair that seemed to absorb the light from around him. He looked a little bit like an older, darker version of Poduk. He was holding hands with the woman immediately to his left.
The woman holding his hand looked extremely familiar. She seemed to be in her mid-twenties, with a beautiful face, Water Tribe skin tones, white hair, and blue eyes. She wore flowing, white robes. It couldn't be…
"Princess Yue?" I asked. The woman gave a chuckle and shook her head.
"Not quite." She answered. "I gave Yue life, but I am not her. I am Tui, the Moon Spirit. This is my husband, La, the Ocean Spirit."
I bowed politely. "It's an honor to meet you both." I said. I could tell by her voice that Tui wasn't the one who greeted me. Tui's voice was airy and formal. The voice that greeted me was a mezzo-soprano with seductive undertones.
I turned to face the other woman. She had black hair, fair skin, and golden eyes. Her face bore a strong resemblance to Ursa, Zuko's mom. She had ruby lips and smokey eye shadow. She wore red robes that looked similar to what a Fire Nation noblewoman would wear, with a few key differences. The lower portion was slit up each leg, up to her mid-thigh. The top portion of the robe retained the long, flowing sleeves of a Fire Nation dress, but the torso was cut in a deep v-neck, exposing a lot of her perfect cleavage. Tui had an elegant beauty, but this woman was drop-dead sexy.
She noticed my gaze linger and smirked. "My eyes are up here."
I snapped out of it and bowed. "I'm sorry." I apologized quickly.
She laughed. "It's fine. After all, I'm the one who made you a teenage boy again. I know how hard it is for them to keep from staring."
Tui gave an amused eye roll. "It wouldn't happen so much if you dressed differently." She pointed out.
The other woman scoffed. "And cover this up?" She indicated her perfect body. "Never!"
I looked up at the black-haired woman, making sure to maintain eye contact. "I thought I recognized your voice. I heard you talk to me back in the South Pole. Are you the one who brought me here?"
She gave me a warm smile and nodded. "I am. Allow me to introduce myself. I am Lady Ài, the Love Spirit. I brought you here. I made you fifteen again. I also gave you your firebending."
I had so many questions that I couldn't grab onto just one. "Why?" I asked.
"Several reasons, which I will explain." She answered. "I brought you here to be my champion and accomplish four tasks for me."
I was intrigued. "Why me specifically? Why not just choose someone already here?"
"One reason was your knowledge of this world and its story." She explained. "That gives you an advantage."
She had a point. "Okay, but why make me younger?"
"So that you could better identify with Aang and his group." She explained. "There is another reason, though, which I will explain later."
"Why did you make me a bender? And why firebending?" I asked.
"I made you a bender to help you along with your journey." She replied. "As for why I made you a firebender, fire is the element that I identify with the most."
I tilted my head in slight confusion. "What do you mean?"
"Fire represents energy and life, even though the Fire Nation currently fuels it with anger and rage." She said. "However, fire is also linked to other emotions, like passion…desire…lust." She said with a low voice. "Emotions that I identify with." My throat briefly went dry. I shook it off.
"I guess that makes sense." I said with a nod. "So, you mentioned that there are four tasks you wanted me to do?"
She nodded. "Yes, I do. Your first task has to do with Tui. I want you to prevent her death." She instructed.
"Please." Tui added with an enthusiastic nod.
I turned towards the Moon Spirit. "I was already planning on doing that." I said. "But, I'm wondering about something. In the original story, you were only dead for a few minutes before Yue brought you back to life, so why does it matter that much?"
Tui looked at me with fear in her eyes. "Yue didn't bring me back to life. She took my place." She explained. "I still ended up separated from my husband. I don't want to lose him, so I asked Lady Ài for help."
I nodded. "I won't let you die this time. You have my word." I said firmly.
She gave me a warm smile. "Thank you!"
"There is a condition." La said, his voice a smooth baritone. "Do not kill Zhao. We need him alive to bring him into the Spirit World for punishment. If you can incapacitate him, I will work with the Avatar to destroy his army and fleet."
I nodded. "Okay. We'll figure out a plan when I get out. I might need to break the rules to get it done."
Tui turned to face the Love Spirit. "Thank you for helping us, old friend." She and La disappeared in a flash of light.
Lady Ài shook her head with a smile. "Those two are so cute together, even if they're a little clingy." She mused.
"So, my lady," I said respectfully, "What are my other tasks?"
"Your second task is to help three specific couples get together and stay together." She said.
I raised an eyebrow. "One of the reasons you brought me here was for shipping?" I asked incredulously.
She smirked. "Yes." She replied shamelessly.
I shrugged. Spirits had weird priorities. "Okay, who are the couples?"
"Aang and Katara, Sokka and Suki, and Zuko and Mai." She said.
I narrowed my eyes. "All of those couples got together on their own. Why do you need me?"
"They took too long for my tastes." She replied simply. "Especially Aang and Katara. Aang doesn't like to confront things directly, and Katara is afraid that she'll lose him."
"So, I'll just have to get them together sooner then?" I asked.
She nodded. "Yes, but I wouldn't tell them about this task if I were you. They might avoid getting together if you tell them to. Or worse, get together out of a sense of duty instead of genuine love."
I thought about it. The problem with Zuko and Mai was that they were both currently my enemy. I already had a few ideas to get Zuko on my side, but I had no idea how to get Mai. I would have to worry about that later. The other problem with those two was they ended up breaking up because of communication and trust issues. I would have to get them to trust each other more.
"Oh yeah, get a stoic goth to open up." I thought sarcastically. "Easy."
Sokka and Suki should be easy enough. All I had to do was get them in a room together and get out of the way.
Aang and Katara would require a more delicate touch. A few minor changes to certain events in the plot would speed things up nicely.
"So, what are the other two tasks?" I inquired
"Your third task is to help Zuko find his mother." She said.
I raised an eyebrow. "I'm surprised you care about that."
"Love comes in many forms," She answered, "Including the love a mother has for her children."
I shrugged. "That should be easy. I read 'The Search'. We just have to pop over to Hira'a, pay a visit to the Mother of Faces, and we're done."
She shook her head. "Unfortunately, that's not the case."
I raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?" I asked.
"When I pulled you into this world, there was a slight ripple." She explained. "This ripple altered the events surrounding Zuko's mother. Everything up to and including her disappearance is still the same, but what happened afterwards is completely different. I know she's alive and healthy, but I don't know exactly where she is. You'll need to work together with Zuko and your friends to find her."
I frowned. Finding someone in the world would be like looking for a needle in a haystack. It wouldn't be easy. Then again, Zuko and the Gaang managed to find her in the comics, while dragging along a hallucinating Azula.
"I wouldn't tell your friends about that task right now either." She warned. "They probably won't be so inclined to help Zuko right now."
I nodded. "Okay, I'll do it. What's my last task?"
She smiled warmly. "That's the main reason why I brought you here. Your fourth task is to find your soulmate."
I was confused. "What do you mean, my soulmate?"
"I mean your true love, the one you're destined to be with for the rest of your life." She said with a smile.
I was still confused. "Wouldn't my soulmate be in my world?"
She shook her head sadly. "Normally they would, but on rare occasions soulmates are born into different worlds, and even different generations. Aang and Katara were born almost a hundred years apart. They just got lucky that circumstances allowed them to find each other."
Suddenly something made sense. "Is that why you made me fifteen?"
Her smile turned warm. "Yes." She said. "Your soulmate is a lovely young woman, about a year younger than you are now. She's a kind, pure soul. I was devastated that her soulmate wasn't in this world where he should be. I scoured all the worlds looking for him. I had almost given up when I found you."
I was shocked by this. "So, you know who she is?" I prompted.
"Yes, but I'm not telling you. You'll have to figure that out on your own." She replied.
"So, that's what being on the receiving end feels like." I said with a grimace. "Not fun. Can I at least have another hint besides her age?" I asked.
"I'll give you one more hint." She said. "She's a nonbender."
If I wasn't afraid of pissing off a spirit, I would've facepalmed. The world was huge. A nonbender about a year younger than me? There were probably millions of people who fit those criteria in Ba Sing Se alone.
"My lady," I began respectfully. "The world is a big place, and I don't know where to start looking."
She waved a hand, dismissively. "You will learn who she is when the time is right." She said cryptically. "Just continue your journey with the Avatar and your family."
I bowed. "Thank you, Lady Ài. Do you have any other advice for me?"
She nodded. "Yes, two things, actually. First, don't be afraid to take risks. Second, the eyes are the windows to the soul."
I stared blankly at her for a few seconds. What the hell did that last one mean? I just gave up. "Could you send me back now?" I asked. "I have some things to plan for."
"Goodbye, champion."
"Goodbye, my lady."
I disappeared in a flash of light.
AN: Yes, the Love Spirit sent Alec to the world for shipping purposes. No, I apologize for nothing. As for the rest of the chapter, I created Poduk because I always hated the Sokka-Yue-Hahn love triangle, because Sokka already had a (in my opinion, at least) better love interest. I wasn't gonna kill off Yue, she deserved better. So, I created Poduk.
Before anybody says that Hahn was "too stupid", if you remember the show, Hahn is that stupid. He couldn't remember Zhao's name, insisted on wearing the out-of-date uniforms, and called his attack instead of trying to catch him off-guard.
Alec broke the rules here because he figured an extra two days of training for both Aang and Katara could make a difference.
Why did I change the story surrounding Ursa? It seemed so strange that a mom who was willing to kill to keep her children safe would willingly forget said children.
Finally, Alec didn't call a Rule Six here because the situation was resolved before he could call a meeting.
Next time: The entire Siege of the North.
