Life of Air

Chapter 3

New Found Faith

"Are you sure it's safe? That boy was a firebender! And the Avatar's companions didn't seem to trust him." Mihana, an elder of the tribe, asked me while squeezing my hands. There was so much fear in her eyes. She had been living underground her entire life and feared everything that had to do with the outside world. I wondered what it would be like for her to leave the tunnels for good, to actually rejoin the world, and if others in the tribe would have as much trouble.

I gave her the most reassuring smile I could. "Don't worry, Avatar Aang is here and he won't let anything happen to us. Just get some rest."

The sentiment was just about the same all over the tribe, most everyone didn't trust the firebender who had followed Aang and his friends. Some didn't even trust our guests, saying we would no longer be safe now that our home had been found. My father instructed me to speak with anyone who held reservations regarding our guests and their prisoner, told me to keep everyone calm to the best of my ability. I could still hear his voice in my head telling me how important I am to the tribe, that they look to me for answers and safety. Not like that was too much to ask of his 15-year-old daughter.

To be fair my older brothers were also given the same task, though they weren't airbenders they were still considered important in the tribe. While we took care of the tribe our parents were speaking in private about who knows what. My best guess would be it regarded what they planned to do from here on out. Things had changed the moment Aang landed here, it gave our people hope for the future as well as fear of the outside world. I silently wondered if they considered the thought of moving our tribe to the surface and what that would do to the people who only knew what it was like to live underground.

Once we had gone to everyone, my brothers and I met back in our family's living area and waited for our parents to come back from their room. Yuji fixed us all tea and we sat around our table to enjoy it.

"So…" Yen started, obviously trying to fill the silence. "Any ideas on what they're talking about?"

Ginko grunted. "Isn't it obvious? They're trying to decide if we're leaving the tunnels or not."

Yen gave our brother a shove. "I know that, I mean what do you think they're going to decide on?"

"Mom will want to bring us to the surface now that it's safe, Dad won't want to risk it." Yuji said, the epitome of calm. "It just comes down to who will hold on the longest."

"Dad's stubborn." Tanro commented.

"But so is Mom." Yen retaliated.

"What about you, Iyashi? What do you think they'll do?" Yuji asked me, turning the attention of all of my brothers on me.

I fidgeted slightly, looking down at my hands under the table. Instead of giving them an answer I stood and grabbed my glider and shoulder bag. "Tell Mom and Dad that I went into the temple."

Tanro jumped up. "Iyashi, you can't go by yourself."

"The Avatar is here, Tanro," I said, giving him a weak smile. "Don't worry, I'm sure he won't let anything happen to me. If they want me back down here Dad can just come get me himself and you can tell him I said that."

Tanro sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. "Right, I'm sure that'll go over well."

"If you need anything or anything happens have an earthbender up there come get us." Ginko said, smiling at me.

"Be careful, please." Yuji said next.

I nodded. "Of course. Thanks guys."

I knew my role as the airbending daughter of the tribe, I'm supposed to be the future of our tribe and my people. Just like my mother, I was supposed to know what is best and know what to do. I'm the future, so I must direct our future. Even my brothers, all older than me, looked to me for answers that I couldn't give them. It was different with them than with the other members of the tribe, I'm their baby sister and they're very protective, but I'm still that destined leader everyone has decided I am. No one considered I would be anything else.

Though it made me feel ashamed to even compare our situations, I wondered if this is what Aang felt like. As the Avatar I knew people must have always expected things from him, expected greatness and leadership. He seemed like a natural in the role from what I'd seen, but he's also had time to get comfortable in the role he was forced into since he awoke from the ice. He must have felt like this at some point, unsure of his decisions and uncomfortable on the pedestal of a leader. At least, though I hated to admit it, part of me hopes he felt that way so I wouldn't feel so alone.

I knocked my knuckles against the entrance to the temple and waited, not long after the earth moved away. The young earthbender, Toph, told us that if we needed to come in and out to just tap on the door and she'd hear us. It was a shock to see someone who was blind to have such abilities, but it was unmistakable how powerful she was. Once I entered the temple the earth moved back into place behind me.

I walked through the temple until I reached our guests and their camp. It was getting darker and it seemed everyone was enjoying a small dinner they had prepare for themselves. Katara was at the fire and cooking pot, stirring it's contents with her bending. She glanced up at me and glared for a moment before returning her attention to her task. I knew it was going to take some time for her to warm up to me after I blocked her attack and defended their enemy. I hoped the others wouldn't be as harsh on me.

"Lady Twinkle Toes has graced us with her presence." Toph sounded to the rest of the group. The others looked up in my direction, most either smiling or nodding politely. Internally, I breathed a sigh of relief. Seems I'm not hated throughout the entire group.

"That's the best you can do, Toph?" Sokka said, laughing. "You're losing your touch."

The earthbender shrugged. "It's the best I can do on short notice, we'll see what I come up with later. Let's get to know the girl first. That's polite, isn't it?"

Sokka just shook his head and laughed. His attention then turned to me. "Since you're here, want to take a shift at watching the prisoner so I can get some food and rest? Considering keeping him here was your idea anyway."

"Actually," I said, feigning a superior attitude, "keeping him as a prisoner was his idea, I only suggested giving him a chance and his was the option you all chose."

"Right." Sokka said. "Either way, still willing to give me a hand?"

I walked over to him and the firebender. "I don't see why not."

"Careful, Sokka," Katara said from the other side of the room without looking up from the fire. "She may just release him so he can capture Aang."

I frowned and looked at my feet. Sokka put a hand on my shoulder and spoke quietly. "Don't worry, Iyashi. Aang trusts your judgment which means I do too."

I gave him a weak smile then a thought came to mind. "Where is Aang?"

"Off somewhere meditating or connecting to the spirits and junk." Sokka answered with a nonchalant attitude. "Avatar stuff."

I giggled. "Spirits and junk? Is that how you see the duties of the Avatar?"

He shrugged. "I've seen a lot of things since I met Aang, after a while I've just gotten used to all the crazy spirit stuff that happens when he's involved."

"You must have seen him do such amazing things. I can't even begin to imagine what he's capable of." I said with a dreamy expression.

"Yeah well," Sokka started with a stretch, "stick around us long enough and I bet you'll get to see what he can do. Now I'm gonna get some food and some rest, wake me up if you need something."

I nodded with a smile. "Don't worry, just enjoy yourself."

The firebender remained silent when I sat down in front of him but watched me with an intensity I wasn't used to. I chose to ignore him and pull my sketch paper and charcoal from my bag. I had been working on a new tattoo for Tanro, that man loves his tattoos so much that I've already designed eight for him including a full sleeve. This time he became inspired by the flying bison that brought everyone here and asked if I could draw him. There were other artists in the tribe, those who actually gave members their tattoos, but Tanro was always very specific that he wanted me to design his tattoos.

"You're an airbender, right?"

I looked up at the firebender and nodded. "I am."

"My family killed your people... I heard the story of how you got here. So then... why did you defend me?" He asked, continuing to stare.

I smiled down at my drawing and continued to sketch with my charcoal. "When you said you misunderstood your destiny, I guess it just struck a chord with me. Something inside me said you weren't lying and I try to follow my instincts." My gaze lifted to his. "You said you heard the story of my people, so you know we've been here for a very long time. Until today... I believed I was destined to stay here and do just as my mother did. But here we are! The Avatar has come to bring us hope! And a firebender has come to teach the Avatar. Who would have ever thought something like that would happen all in one day?" I laughed a little.

He smiled then for the first time, it was small but true. "What do you believe your destiny is now?"

"I don't know!" I exclaimed with excitement and continued to laugh. "Isn't that wonderful? I don't know what the future holds but I know that there is more to it than I ever imagined."

He chuckled. "You're lucky, you know, to be so content with an unknowable destiny."

"And what about you?" I asked. "You know your destiny now, are you content?"

"I'm tied up and being guarded by a surviving airbender teamed up with the Avatar." He shook his head with a sort of chuckle. "I never would have guessed my destiny would lead me here... but I think I'm going in the right direction, that's all I need to know."

"You said your name was Zuko, right?" I asked and bowed my head. "I'm Iyashi."

Zuko bowed his head in return. "It's good to meet you, Iyashi."

For the rest of the night Zuko and I talked about different things, he told me stories of his travels all over the world and how he had been trying to capture Aang. Though he seemed uncomfortable with sharing too many details of his past actions, he wasn't bothered with telling me what it was like in the many places he had been. I loved the stories, it was like he was bringing the world here for me to experience.

"By the end of it all I had ended up paralyzed by the creature, laying in the dirt just waiting for it to wear off. It wasn't exactly a successful day." Zuko finished, telling me of one of his attempts at capturing Aang.

My eyes had gotten big and I leaned closer to him with interest. "What an amazing creature! What was it called?"

"It was a shirshu."

I turned the page on my sketchbook. "Tell me again what it looked like, describe it to me so I can draw it."

At my request Zuko described the incredible creature in as much detail as he could, giving approval of certain parts of my drawing while constructively criticizing others until I had created something he thought was pretty close to accurate. I wrote the name of the creature on the bottom of the page and showed him.

"Now if I ever get the chance to see one I'll know what it is." I said happily.

He nodded with a small grin. "You're quite an artist. You did well, especially for never having seen it."

I shrugged and smiled at my drawing. "Art has always been something like bending for me, like it was a part of me. There are better artists here in the tribe and I take advice from them often so I can improve as much as possible."

"Playing arts and crafts again, Iyashi?"

I turned to see Tanro walking up to us with a bowl of food, probably what was served for dinner. I gave him a smile and opened my mouth to introduce him to Zuko. "Tanro, come say hello to Zuko." When I looked back at Zuko I noticed a bit of unease surrounding him. My eldest brother was a rather intimidating looking person and I wondered if he seemed even more so towering over us as we sat on the ground.

Tanro bobbed his head in a gesture to the prince. "Hey there, how's it going?" It was obvious he was trying to feel him out before offering more than general politeness.

Zuko shrugged. "Could be better."

My brother laughed at that and I knew he must have decided Zuko wasn't that bad. "Yeah I'd bet." His attention then turned to me and he handed me the bowl he was holding. "I figured you weren't coming back home for dinner, so I decided to bring you some."

I took the bowl gratefully. "Thank you, Tanro. I was getting hungry."

"Yeah no problem little one, just be careful out here." He gave a salute as he turned away from us. "I'll see you in the morning sis, goodnight."

"Goodnight!" I yelled at his retreating form. Once he left I started to dig into the seasoned rice and veggies. While chewing my food I glanced up at Zuko and noticed him staring at me, suddenly realizing how rude I had been. "Oh goodness, I'm sorry. You probably haven't eaten, huh?" I scooped up some rice in my chopsticks and pointed it towards him. "Here, have some."

He glanced at the food and then eyed me. "Are you sure?"

I nodded, "Of course!"

With that he relaxed and opened his mouth, allowing me to move the rice past his lips. This continued until the food was all gone, giving him a bite in between each of mine.

"Thank you, Iyashi. You've been nothing but kind to me this entire time." Zuko commented. "I don't know if I deserve it though, with all I've done."

"If your intentions are pure then you will come to deserve it." I offered with a kind smile. "I have faith in that."

A/N - As I have quite a few chapters written up ahead of time, I've decided that I'm going to post the next chapter one week after the last or when I write a new chapter. As for now, I've written another chapter. :) I'm not going to say how many chapters I have pre-written, but it's enough that I know if I get in a rut with writing I'll have plenty of chapters to keep updating every week while I take some time to get back to writing.

I'd like to say I huge thank you to the first reviewer, LilyRoseCarson, reading your review meant the world to me and really helped me write the chapter I just finished. Due to finishing that chapter I'm not posting this one for everyone to enjoy. I hope it is enjoyed! Consider this chapter for you LilyRoseCarson, and please enjoy!

Let me know what you think!