To the person who reviewed my story, known as Guest: Yes, I know that the Avatar needs an animal companion as their spirit guide, but unfortunately there are no dragons in my story. But I do plan on giving Meria an animal companion sooner or later. If you have an account on here, please inbox me and if you want, you can help me with choosing what animal I should give to Meria.

Happy reading!


We arrived at Ba Sing Se in three days, and it was the longest, hottest three days of my life. In Ba Sing Se we significantly cooler, but not cold. There was a nice breeze coming in, which made all three of us feel so much better. That afternoon, we ate at some restaurant called The Kettle. All through the while, Cabel and Bruce wouldn't look at each other, so their gaze was set on me. I wondered why they disliked each other so much. So, I started a short conversation, and made them talk. It was getting too awkward to just sit there and stare at each other while we waited for our food to come.

"After we eat," I said. "We're going to find the center of this city, and we'll find the next clue that leads to my parents."

"Sounds good," Bruce said.

Cabel looked at Bruce, then at me, then back to Bruce, and glared at him.

"Can you stop looking at me?"

Cabel looked down and played his thumbs. They looked so angry.

"What's up with the both of you?" I asked. "Ever since you two met you seem to hate each other and it's bothering me because we can't have a simple conversation here."

"Uh, we just don't get along well," Bruce answered.

"Is there a reason? I feel like the Fire Lord's ball wasn't the first time you met."

"No," Cabel said. "It wasn't the first time we've met."

"Then, tell me. Because this awkwardness is killing me and how are we supposed to be a team if neither of you can look at each other in your eyes?"

Bruce stroked his chin and Cabel crossed his arms over his chest. "You tell her," Cabel said.

"I'd rather you do that," Bruce said.

"Tell me what?" I asked.

"Fine," Cabel added. "I'll tell her. Bruce and I . . " he cleared his throat and sighed. "We're brothers."

Brothers? How can that be? "Brothers?" I asked. "How?"

"Remember when my father betrayed my sister's mother, and had me?" Bruce asked. "The woman whom my father slept with is Cabel's mother. He's my older brother."

"I was three years old when Bruce was born," Cabel added. "He should've never been born."

"Cabel!" I exclaimed. "What happened in the past is in the past."

"Trust me," Bruce said. "I'm not happy about my father's mistake, either. This might sound dark, but I don't want to be here. Because, what's the point? I can't choose who I want to be with." He was looking at me now. Cabel didn't notice. "I can't choose what or who I want to be. My father hates me already as it is. He thinks I'm a mistake. He adores my sister, but hates me. And as for Cabel, everyone loves him. I really am a mistake."

My heart sank. I never knew he felt that way about himself. "Don't say that, Bruce," I said.

"It's the truth," he said with a fake laugh. "I'm not going to lie to myself. I know I'm a mistake and I just have to put up with it until the day I die."

Cabel wouldn't say anything, and neither would the rest of us.


We went out to the 'center of the Earth Kingdom', which was a library, and searched for clues. I almost gave up. Until I saw a copy of Wonders of the World, and when I opened it up, a picture of another city in the earth kingdom fell out of it. I recognized that city. It was a tourist city, fairly new - only two hundred years old - by the name of Ju Lee Kin. It was the type of city that had amusement parks and water parks, zoos by the dozen and plenty other things to do.

On our walk to nowhere in particular in Ba Sing Se, we ended up in a hotel of three stories, and we each rented a small one-bed hotel room. When I entered mine, it smelled like fresh jasmine and it filled me with delight. The room wasn't big, but it also wasn't small. The plus side? A balcony. I've always adored rooms with balconies. After I unpacked my things, I stepped out onto the balcony and looked up. The sun was starting to set and the sky looked amazing.

"You like the view?"

I almost jumped out of my own skin.

Bruce laughed. "I'm sorry. Didn't mean to scare you."

"It's fine. And yeah, I'm loving the view."

After a while, he said, "I am, too." But he wasn't looking at the sky. He was looking at me. I turned my head to look at the people underneath us and tried to stop myself from blushing. Then it hit me that this wasn't the eighteen year old Bruce that once had my heart. This is now the twenty-eight year old married Bruce, and I knew my limits to this friendship. I also knew that this journey would either bring us together or bring us apart, and that's what scared me the most. I had no idea if Bruce still had feelings for me. I'd like to think he does, but he's been married for four years. He's had to fall in love with Yuki sooner or later, and I doubt he's had space in his heart for me. Especially since I've been gone for ten years.

"Meria?" Bruce called. I turned my head. "Would you like to walk with me?"

I stood up straighter, holding my breath. "Sure. I'd love to." He smiled and walked back inside, and I let go of my breath. That took a lot of guts to say. But I did. A few moments later, I heard a knock on my front door. It was Bruce. I stepped out of my room in my mid-shin high combat boots with the sides folded down, an over-sized dark-red shirt and black shorts that no one could see because my shirt was too long. Bruce was wearing dark-red sleeping pants and a black tank top. He chuckled.

"I guess we're matching," I said, looking at our clothing.

"We're rocking our Fire Nation colors," He added with a laugh. "But, anyways, want to walk with me to the market?" I said yes, and we strolled through the dark market place. There was an indoor and outdoor market. We had bought some goodies and maps to use for whenever we decide to get back on the road, and so we decided to take a walk around the outdoor market. It was quite small, only about ten booths. They sold only a few items such as: clothing, jewelry, and outdoor decorations. I grabbed one of the silky red scarves and draped it over my head.

"Do you think this looks good on me?" I asked playfully at Bruce. He turned around and looked at me.

"I love the color. It brings out your eyes," he answered. The glimmer in his eyes made my stomach knot up and turn into a habitat for restless, fluttering butterflies. I felt my cheeks flush, and - to ease up the atmosphere - I draped the same scarf over Bruce's head.

"I think this looks better on you. Your eyes really do pop, ya know?" Before I could even think of what I was going to say, I added in hushed tone, "Your kids are going to have beautiful eyes." I said nothing else, and neither did he. Bruce just looked at me with the faintest smile on his face. I cleared my throat and turned around, putting the scarf back on a hook where the rest of the scarves were. I wanted to punch myself in the face for saying something so stupid. "Have you and Yuki tried for a baby?" Yet again, another stupid question that slipped from the tip of my tongue.

"No," Bruce answered. "We have done the baby-making, but we haven't actually made one." He scratched the back of his neck. "Once, Yuki told me she was pregnant, and it was true. She was going to have twins. But somewhere along the way, she had a miscarriage and we haven't tried for another."

"A miscarriage?" I asked, stupefied. "Oh, my God, Bruce . . . I'm so sorry."

"I was mourning for about a month. She really wanted those babies. I did, too. I want kids of my own, but I wasn't ready and neither was she. I stopped mourning when I realized that maybe, just maybe, that miscarriage was for the better. What if the babies would've made it through the pregnancy and were born with a defect that would stop them from doing simple things like walking and moving? What if those babies would've taken Yuki's life and their own when in labor? I like to think that those babies are with the Spirits, happy and full of love and joy. They're in a better place."

"That's a very pleasant way of thinking of a miscarriage," I said. "I can't imagine the emotional pain the both of you went through."

"It's fine. I'm still upset about it, and it happened two years ago." He cleared his throat. "Anyways, let's lighten this depressing conversation. How about you? Have you had any . . . uh . . . romantic encounters in the past ten years?"

I laughed. "Not really. Well . . there was this one guy who was infatuated with me. And I gave him a chance. This was last year. He was one of the youngest Air Nomads in the Northern Air Temple. He was a very nice guy. A total gentleman. We were dating for about six months, and then I . . " I let out a breath and crossed my arms, slowing down my walking pace. "I left to the Earth Kingdom to speak to the Earth King. A week later I got a phone call from Walt, the father of my boyfriend at the time. His name was Rolan, by the way. Rolan was very sick. And I couldn't leave until a treaty with the Earth Kingdom was signed. That took two days because of some speech I had to do. At the crack of light on the third day, I went to the Northern Air Temple to see Rolan. As soon as I got there, I tried to heal him with water. God, he was so sick." I felt like crying, because I remembered Rolan as if I'd seen him yesterday. "There was nothing I could do. The bacteria had eaten up his stomach and rotten his liver. I sang to him until he died in my arms." My voice was cracking and I gritted my teeth. "His father resigned from the Central Monks and live the rest of his days at home. Rolan was his only child. Three months later, Walt died. They said it was due to a heart attack."

Bruce had his lips parted, but looked confused. "I don't know what to say other than I'm sorry for your loss."

"We've both been through some heart breaking things, huh?"

"Yes, we have. And I'm guessing, after what happened with Rolan, you haven't been with anyone else?"

"Of course not," I said, looking at a silver pendant shaped like a tear drop. "I didn't want to go through the pain of losing someone else." I carefully planned my next words. "That's why I came home to my family, and to you. But I had no idea that you were married. So, I guess, in a way, I lost you, too."

"I've been here for you since the day I laid eyes on you, Meria."

"You know I mean, though. I can't look at you as just a friend when I've in love with you for God knows how long. It's easier for you because you're married. You have a beautiful young lady that you love and who loves you back and one day you two are going to have a family and grow old together and rule the Fire Nation. And as for me? Yeah, sure, I'll find someone to marry and have a family with. But whenever I see you on TV or hear you on the radio, it only brings back memories and makes it hurt that much more. Our lives will never be intertwined. I'm the Avatar and you're soon to be a king of a great nation."

"Would you believe me if I told you I didn't love Yuki?" He asked. I looked at him. "We were forced to marry each other. Sure, I fell in love with her once. But we have nothing in common. There is no chemistry between and, honestly, I couldn't imagine being anywhere else than right here." I shook my head and looked at the ground. "I'm not happy with Yuki, but there's nothing I can do to leave her. My father is getting worse by the day and my sister is in another part of the Fire Nation. I have to do this for my people."

"I know you're being forced," I added. "But what I'm trying to say is . . . I do love you. I've loved you for a long time, but I don't think we can ever work out. You have a nation to ten to, and I . . well, I'm not sure what I'll do other than protect the world from what ever will happen in the future."

Bruce sighed, and wouldn't make eye contact until he said, "I'll always love you." And kissed my forehead. "What do you say we get back to our rooms before it gets too late?"

I chuckled a little bit. "Too late?" I paid for the tear drop pendant and put it in my boot. "The Avatar has no curfew."


I'm so sorry I hadn't updated in a while! I promise there will be big things happening in this story!

Before I forget: Readers can now Private Message me if they have any ideas on what they want in this story, or any new characters or places, etc. If you want your ideas in the story, Private Message me ASAP and I'll leave you credit in the end of the chapter(s) your character, place, etc. will be in!

Happy reading!

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