Life of Air

Chapter 2

Where We Start

When my family and most of the tribe came out of the tunnels lead by Yuji, they were all but shaking. The news of another airbender in the world brought a new hope to our small society, but it also brought a new fear. We've spent our entire lives underground just to protect a few airbenders and then another one just shows up at the door? Everyone had as many questions as I did but they were a bit less sure of his authenticity, at least until he proved himself with a display of his abilities. Once it was unquestionable that he was an airbender there were cheers and hugs and tears all throughout the tribe. My mother even grabbed me before I could protest and held me tight, mumbling things about not being alone anymore.

"Umm, I'm glad you're all so welcoming," Aang said while rubbing the back of his neck, a small blush showing on his cheeks from the endless admiration he was receiving. "It's been so long since I've seen other airbenders I just don't know what to say."

"You must tell us how you got here!" I said once my mother had let go of me. "I'm sure we're all wondering how your family was able to escape the Fire Nation."

Aang and his friends all exchanged sullen glances. "The thing is…"

Everyone remained quiet as Aang told his tale, finding out he was the Avatar and running from his home, being frozen for 100 years, his adventures with the group he now considers his family and learning to bend all the elements besides fire. He even took us up to date on the state of the world as none of us had had any connections with the outside world. Turns out things are much worse than we ever could have imagined.

"I'm sorry if you've suffered because of my actions, I've been doing everything I can to fix the wrongs of the world and bring balance. I won't stop until everything is the way it's supposed to be."

It was hard to imagine that our fate and the fate of the entire world rested in the hands of this child. How could so much power belong to someone so young? But as the doubts filled my brain I could feel a tug on my subconscious, the same feeling I received when I found out he was an airbender. This young boy was telling the truth, no matter how incredible it seemed, and I was being pulled towards him in a way I'd never felt before this day. This boy, Aang-the Avatar, was going to be a part of my destiny.

"Not to interrupt a beautiful moment or anything," the boy Aang called Sokka said, "but how is it you're all here?"

Aang nodded. "Honestly, I'm curious too."

"Mom," I said, taking my mother's hand and looking into her dark grey eyes. "Will you tell them our story?

My mother took a breath and smiled at our guests. "This tale isn't nearly as great as yours; much less adventure. It was a simple fight for survival and the desire to continue the airbender line." She gestured to me and my brothers. "As you see, we've built our lives around that philosophy. It all started with my great-grandfather, Ingsu, a monk of the Northern Air Temple, and his young daughter Sherimi. When news of the Avatar's disappearance came to the Northern Air Temple Ingsu made a decision, protecting Sherimi was above all else. The Fire Nation came for them, attacking the temple ruthlessly and Ignsu barely made it out alive. After that, he traveled with Sherimi, mostly on foot, until he met with a group of earthbenders who were instructed by the Earth King to find the Avatar and protect him. When he told them of his temple's destruction and what he knew of the Avatar's disappearance they decided to take him and his daughter and protect them.

"For many months Ingsu and Sherimi remained with the earthbenders while they traveled to either pickup family members of the group or for some to stay with their family. It was a choice, no one was forced, as the leader of their group knew this would be a lifelong mission. He made the decision that those willing would all go to the Western Air Temple, which everyone knew had already been destroyed, and they would hide for as long as it took to keep these airbenders safe. The Fire Lord's plan to wipe out the airbenders was common knowledge so they had to do something to combat it."

My mother started to choke up as she told the story, all the pain the Fire Nation had caused our people was simply too much to bear. I laid my hand on her shoulder and she nodded at me, knowing I would take over for her.

"Once they arrived here, the earthbenders carved out tunnels into the cliffside from inside the temple. That's where we've been all this time, still doing what we can to continue the line of airbenders." I laid my hand on my chest. "My mother and I are the last. We've survived this long by hiding, keeping away from a world that was trying to kill us."

By that point Aang and many of his companions had started crying, even some of our tribe were crying. It was an emotional reality our ancestors faced, terrifying and devoid of almost all hope. Not many could handle it. We were lucky to even be here.

"Iyashi," Aang started, meeting my eyes. "I'm so sorry. I will fix this."

I shook my head and gave him a soft smile. "You're here now, you're what we've been hoping for and waiting for all this time. Thank you for finding us."

To my surprise Aang rushed up and hugged me which I was happy to return, my mother quickly wrapped her arms around us both and quietly thanked the Avatar for coming here.

"I don't want to ruin the mushy moment or anything," the young earthbender named Toph said, "but we have company."

We all looked to the edge of the temple to see a teenage boy in red with a large burn on his face. Instantly the Avatar's group took a defensive stance in front of us all, Aang rushing in front of his friends and pointing his staff at the boy. My parents and many of the benders also took action, moving to a protective stance in front of everyone else in the tribe.

"Hello, Zuko here." The boy said with a nervous wave of his hand.

I raised an eyebrow at him and glanced at those still on edge around me. After everything I've been through today he seemed harmless. I mean we have the Avatar here with us, who could possibly touch us now? My family didn't seem to share my sentiments as their stances never faltered in the slightest.

"I didn't want to interrupt anything so I thought I'd just wait until you were done." He said, still obviously nervous. The Avatar's sky bison stood up and roared at the boy then licked up his side, covering his hair and face in slobber. He tried to wipe it away, getting as much as he could, then stepped forward to better address us. "You must be surprised to see me here."

"Not really," Sokka said, "considering you followed us all over the world."

"Avatar, who is this you've lead here?" My father spoke up, his stern voice displaying barely any emotion.

Aang glanced at my father for only a moment, refusing to take his eyes from the boy, Zuko I believe he called himself. "You need to take everyone back into the temple, it isn't safe here with him."

Though my father was stubborn he took Aang's warning and lead the tribe back into the temple where they would be safe. My mother grabbed my arm and tried to take me as well, but I pulled away from her. I wasn't going to leave while everything happened without me. She seemed shocked that I was outright defying her at a time like this, but instead of making a scene she quietly told Tanro and Ginko to protect me and lead the remaining members of the tribe into the temple. My brothers followed her orders just as always and each took up the spaces next to me, practically standing in front of me.

"Umm… what I wanted to tell you was that… I've changed and I'm good now." He stumbled over his words like even he didn't believe what he was saying. "And I think it's time I joined your group, oh, and I can teach firebending," he looked directly at Aang, "to you. You see-"

"You wanna what now?" Toph interrupted him.

"How could you possibly think that any of us would trust you after everything you've done?" Katara asked, venom drenching each word. It surprised me a bit, she seemed completely different from my first impression of her. "I mean how stupid do you think we are?"

"Yeah," Sokka joined in, "all you've ever done is hunt us down and try to capture Aang. Why would you do anything different now?"

"I've done some good things!" Zuko defended. "I could have stolen your bison in Ba Sing Se but I set him free. Isn't that worth something?"

At that comment Appa licked his side again, covering him in more slobber. I noticed then that Aang's shoulders seemed to relax slightly, most likely because of how Appa was behaving around this boy.

"Appa does seem to like him," Toph pointed out.

"He probably just covered himself in honey so Appa would lick him, I'm not buying it." Sokka declared sternly.

"I can understand why you wouldn't trust me," Zuko said, his tone softening. "I know I've made mistakes, I misunderstood my destiny and never had the chance to-"

His words caught my attention but he didn't have a chance to continue as Sokka cut him off. "Mistakes? You mean like when you attacked our village?"

"Or when you stole my mother's necklace and used it to hunt us down and capture us?" Katara yelled, the venom ever present.

"Look, I admit I've done some horrible things. I was wrong to try to capture you and I'm sorry I attacked the Water Tribe and I know I shouldn't have sent that Fire Nation assassin after you, I'm gonna try to make up-"

"You sent Combustion Man after us?" Sokka yelled.

Zuko looked away in shame. "Well, that's not his name but-"

"Oh sorry, didn't mean to insult your friend," Sokka said sarcastically.

"He's not my friend!" Zuko defended, passion finally coming out in what he was saying. "I'm trying to explain-"

"That guy locked me and Katara in jail and tried to blow us all up!" Toph yelled over him.

He closed his eyes, giving up on defending himself. Once he looked up he only looked to Aang. "Why aren't you saying anything? You once said you thought we could be friends. You know I have good in me."

Aang looked at the boy, his expression a mix of emotions. He turned his gaze at each of his friends until lastly, he looked at me. There was so much in that look that it almost overwhelmed me. He was looking for something, an answer, truth, a friend, I wasn't entirely sure. We've barely just met and already we seemed connected in ways neither of us really understood but still, I felt out of place voicing my thoughts.

Aang sighed, turning away from me and back to the boy. "We can't trust you after everything you've done. We'll never let you join us."

His choice surprised me, but I felt it wasn't my place to speak, no matter how much I wanted to. The pain in Zuko's face was obvious, Aang's refusal must have hit him rather hard. I felt bad for him, surprising considering I didn't even know him. Plus, from what everyone has said he isn't exactly a stand-up citizen. Still, something about what he was trying to say made me want to listen to him.

"If you don't get out of here we won't hold back." Katara warned him, pulling water from her pouch.

He took a few more steps towards us, practically pleading. "I'm trying to explain that I'm not that person anymore."

Sokka pointed his weapon at him. "Either you leave, or we attack."

After a long look at the entire group, he chose to get down on his knees with his head bowed and his hands out. "If you won't accept me as a friend maybe you'll accept me as a prisoner."

I watched, as though in slow motion, as Katara swung her water back and shot it out to hit the boy on his knees. Something in me jump started and I pushed past my brothers, preparing a blast of air in my hands then released it at Katara's attack, deflecting the water from hitting Zuko. This created a chain reaction, Katara turning her bending on me and my brothers pulling up earth to protect me while Aang stood between them trying to keep the peace.

None of this caught my attention, however, as my eyes locked with Zuko's for the first time. It was as though the world around us had disappeared. "Your destiny," I spoke up, my words directed to Zuko, not even caring if anyone else was paying attention to me. "You said you misunderstood it. What did you think your destiny was before?"

"I thought… I needed to capture the Avatar and deliver him to my father, he was then supposed to return my honor to me." Zuko answered. "I now know that he couldn't have given me my honor, that only I can bring upon my own honor by doing what's right."

"And what now? Do you know what your destiny is now?"

He nodded. "I do. I know I'm meant to help the Avatar bring peace and balance to the world. I need to right the wrongs of my family. I need to build a better future for the world."

I smiled slightly. "I understand, truly." I then looked at Aang who had been looking between the two of us as we spoke. "Avatar Aang, if I may, I believe you should give this boy a chance to write his own destiny, a destiny he has chosen for himself."

Aang looked at Zuko then shook his head at me, his eyes showing so much fear and concern. "Iyashi, I can't just forget what he's done."

I nodded. "True, but at least give him a chance to prove himself. He's already offered himself as a prisoner. He's made no attempt to harm us, he's even sat on his knees with his head bowed as your friend attempted to attack him." I sighed and looked at Zuko. "As an airbender, I was raised to believe in humanity even as it tried to destroy me. I can't imagine losing my belief in the good of the world and its people."

Aang sighed and looked at Sokka. "Tie him up, we'll keep an eye on him just to make sure he doesn't hurt anyone. I don't know where we'll go from there, but we'll cross that bridge when we get there."

Sokka shook his head and pulled a rope from his bag. "If you think it's for the best, I'll trust you buddy."

"Now," Aang said addressing my brothers and Katara, "you all need to put down your weapons, we're not each other's enemies."

Katara put her water back into her pouch first and my brothers followed suit in disarming themselves. Katara glared at me for a moment, as though she meant to put fear in my heart, then stormed off. Tanro laid a hand on my shoulder and gave me an approving smile. "Grandmother would have been proud."

I smiled and looked up into the wide-open sky. "I hope she is."

A/N - I've been working on this for a while and I've had a few chapter written out already. Since this is a rewrite, I thought it would be a good idea to put out a little more than the first chapter upon releasing this to the world. So here ya go, chapter two, which also gives you a good idea of where Iyashi comes from. If anyone has any questions I'm more than willing to answer. Let me know what you think!