When Ikari did fall asleep, she wasn't surprised to see the same mountain side as before. The world was a dull tan color, it felt sleepy and there was no sun. Ikari heard water in the distance, the sound tickled her ears and she knew the faster she found it the sooner she'd be awake and could move on from this dream until the next night. Something different happens this time, instead of walking into a random direction something pulled on her sleeve. It was strange to feel something like this because despite being far above the ground there was no wind, Ikari turns and looks to see a fox pulling on her.
"Hey! What are you-" The fox won't stop pulling her in the opposite direction she was facing, forcing her to walk with it.
"Okay okay, hold on" Ikari didn't question much, she grew up in a cushy rich family, so the thought this fox could be leading her to her death had never occurred to her. It also helped that she was dreaming, Eventually the fox brought her to the same streams she had seen before. Instead of her usual spot at the bottom of said streams she stood at the top, despite the sound of water before each pool which looks like it should flow into the next is completely bone dry.
"Dreams are weird" Ikari mumbles softly while petting the fox gently before turning around and jumping when she sees the familiar man. Usually Ikari would smell him before seeing him, but something about him was different this time, instead of stalking her in the shadows until he decided to yell running at her full speed. At this moment he was meditating, multiple arms all folded in his lap, many heads protruding from his neck but only the middle had his long white beard; he resembled the Hindu god of creation Brahma.
Ikari couldn't even process the man before his multiple heads fold into one giving him the human appearance she's used to, The man smiles at her before picking up a drink and sipping from it.
"Who are you?" Ikari finds her voice eventually finding that when the man isn't running at her he's not nearly as frightening. The man puts his drink down and smiles at her, it's once again more inviting then the screaming she's used to.
"My name is Guru Pathik, take some juice." Ikari silently refuses before, even in her dreams, she remembers her parent's teachings about politeness to her elders. She bows the Pathik who lets out a high pitched and creaky laugh,
"Ah you're too much, you do not remember me at all but you do know me already. What do you call yourself this time?" Ikari is confused by his wording, this man in excentric to say the least.
"Uh Ikari, why do I keep having this dream?" She asks and Pathik laughs again, while he stands slowly.
"Fascinating, you've been to the spirit world many times but still question it." fear strikes through Ikari as she watches the man smile again, all of the creases in his face are accentuated by his actions showing how impossibly old he is. She feels her heart leap into her chest and almost throws up from the shock placing her hand on her stomach as anxiety courses through her.
"Are you saying I'm dead? Have I been dead this whole time?" Pathik walks closer to Ikari holding out his hand and letting a long wooden staff appear out of nowhere.
"Of course not, if you were dead I'd have to find you all over again hoho!" the Guru laughs again before walking over to the streams,
"You poor thing… your chakras are all blocked up." He taps the bottom of the top empty pool letting out a soft hum.
"I'm sorry.. My what?" Ikari stands next to the man looking down at the pools, six all gunked up and empty. Not much about the spirit world was discussed in Ikari's house, they weren't the family you would call "enlightened" so she wasn't exactly an expert on the topic.
"Your chakras, it's interesting you don't remember talking about them with me before, but you've manifested them to look the same." Ikari felt lightheaded by his words, she had manifested chakras,
"The spirit world is responding to you, making your chakras look like something familiar." Pathik laughs again before turning to face her, the staff in his hand dissipating from his hand.
"We've never talked before though, unless you count the times you've run at me screaming…" Ikari argues and the Guru smiles at her, his face looks like a roadmap of time itself with all the lines going through it.
"We talked many years ago in your past life, I helped you with your chakras then too although that was nothing compared to this. This is a mess." He looks back at the dry pools,
"My past life, what do you mean my past life?" It was strange that he was answering so many of her questions but at the same time raising so much more.
"It's almost time, we must both wake up. It was so good to see an old friend again. I hope Aang's playful nature has not left you in the last two cycles, or his love for onion and banana juice." Guru Pathik smiles once again. It was a strange thing to bring up but Ikari was a smart girl, top of her respective class like the rest of her siblings. Perhaps it was the dream state that slowed her ability to put the pieces together any quicker.
"Wait, you can't be serious i'm not the-" Ikari wakes with a start, her youngest brother is staring down at her, his tongue is sticking out playfully.
"Zeto, what are you doing?" Ikari asks softly while sitting up, she still feels tired despite sleeping the entire night.
"You usually talk in your sleep, but you were really still this time. Will you help my hair?" The young boy hands her a tie for his hair which hangs down to his shoulders, obviously unbrushed. Ikari sighs before getting out of bed and grabbing a brush off her dresser.
"Sit." She tells her brother pointing to the chair in front of a desk on the other side of the room. The boy does as he's told, folding his hands in his lap and smiling up at his sister.
Ikari had not dreamt of the strange mountain side, or the Guru for a few days. Lai had spent every day before and after school training in various ways; she seemed to become more and more antsy the closer the weekend got, Ikari often heard her outside during the night. When the weekend finally came, the family piled into the back of an expensive car. A Sleek black SUV with four rows, Ikari often didn't understand why they wouldn't just buy a limo. Of course a limo would force more face to face family time, instead the family sat. Driver in the front with Ikari's father next to him, Her mother sat behind the passenger seat, Oldest son Zoa next to her, Lai behind then, and so on until the backseat with Ikari in the middle on the hump.
The Palace was larger than Ikari that the tv or her imagination could have ever prepared her for, the palace could fit her family's entire mansion into only the courtyard. Ikari's parents led the family through the front yard of the palace, they walked in a line like children in an elementary school not a toe out of step wearing their best clothes. Ikari's father wore his armor, as he did often to formal events after his retirement. The rest of the family wore similar formal clothes, with multiple layers and shoulder pads despite the hot weather. Ikari found it strange to see her many siblings out of their school uniforms, but that was completely overshadowed by how itchy her own clothes were and how much her scalp hurt from almost an hour of her mother doing her hair in a tight bun on the top of her head. Of course Ikari could barely pay attention to how uncomfortable she was between how completely star striking the royal palace and family was, as well as the weird dream she suddenly wasn't having anymore after coming to an earth shattering revelation. She knew it wasn't real, her subconscious was only voicing her deepest desires.
The Royal Fire Nation Family met Ikari's family at the front door, they bow first in unison of course, and the royals bow back. After pleasantries are exchanged the Firelord smiles at Ikari's father.
"Zoa! It's been too long dear friend" the men hug tightly and laugh to each other while walking father into the house, The fire lord's wife smiles at the rest of them before placing a gentle hand on the shoulder of the older boy standing next to her.
"It has been a while Amayo, we haven't gotten together since the boys were young. You remember Zukon." The young prince bows. He was handsome enough to make Ikari blush even though she was in the back and probably the last girl he'd look at, a strong jaw and serious face with downturned lips but kind eyes. Ikaari shook her head to steady her thoughts once again,
"Of course I do, he and Zoa used to play together as babies." Ikari's mother smiles, bowing back to the boy.
"Of course you remember my oldest-" She's cut off when her husband reappears in the doorway.
"Zoa! Son, come here and discuss things with me and Reezon! Of course… you call him sir." Zoa nods and bows to the rest of the royal family following his father into the Palace.
"Of course, uh this is my youngest Jukon." The Fire Lord's wife continues the conversation, Jukon was a lanky child with knobby knees and elbows sporting an untamed hairstyle.
"Zukon and Jukon what an adorable theme, just darling." Ikari's mother comments as the rest of the family is welcomed into the Palace, they all walk through the Foyer and are funneled into a hall until they enter a fancy looking room with lavish couches, plush chairs, a fireplace and windows as tall as the ceiling, as well as flowers everywhere.
"So introduce me to the rest of your beautiful family," Ikari's mother smiles at the invitation, deciding to go youngest to oldest for a change, she brings Ikari's younger brother forward placing her hands on his shoulders.
"My youngest Szeto, and then we have…" She moves to Ikari who feels herself shrink at the gentle touch of her mother, it's a foreign sensation to her.
"My youngest girl, Ikari." Before she can move along the Fire lady interrupts keeping her eyes completely off Ikari,
"Is she the one who…?" Ikari's mother nods and the Fire lady finally smiles down at the young girl,
"Aren't you just… so pretty" The pity dripping from her words causes Ikari to flush with shame before her mother moves on, she can't believe The royal family KNEW she couldn't bend.
"Amula, Daro, and finally Lai." Ikari's mother pushes her oldest daughter toward the Fire lady, who smiles at the girl,
"You're tall huh?" she asks and Lai blushes and bows, it is true that Lai was exceptionally tall although her muscles were hidden under her fancy long sleeved dress.
"Why don't the four of us talk and… Jukon can take everyone else to the garden and the children can play." The Fire lady offers while motioning for her son and Lai to sit down,
"Sounds wonderful! Run along children." Ikari's mother dismisses them and they all bow to the Fire Lady on their way out.
Jukon escorts them through the house, a maze of twisting halls and wide rooms, the entire time the boy is bouncing and talking.
"My mother says i'll be handsome like my brother when i'm older, my father says i'll be strong like him too, this way." He takes a sharp turn and the four of them follow.
"The maids say my brother is handsome too, lots of girls talk to him at school, he says he's waiting for the right one though, do you think that will be your sister?" It is unclear who exactly he's talking to, while he's rambling he takes a particularly sharp turn no one was ready for and as a result Ikari's older brother Daro smacks head first into a wall. When they finally reach the garden, it's large and beautiful. Built in the center of the palace, there are many trees and even a pond filled with small Turtle Ducks. Ikari was always afraid of animals since she was young, everything in her house was predictable, most animals were not. She steered clear of the pond as Prince Jukon ran into the garden before turning and calling to them again,
"We have enough people! We should play a game! Lets pick teams." Amula's brows furrow at his request.
"What do you mean? There's five of us." She points out and Jukon laughs running over to a large tree near a fountain on the other side of the garden before yelling again even as they all followed him.
"It's perfect! We need someone who can't bend to be the target!" Ikari knew that meant her, she started to walk backwards when Amula grabbed her arm,
"Ikari, he's the prince you know what mother would say." Amula was always the responsible one, she spent almost every waking hour with her nose in a book despite also being a straight A student. She took after their mother, but had their father's signature glare. Ikari sighs knowing that she had to keep her family's name clean and make a good impression.
"I swear to… Fine! What am I supposed to do?" Ikari asks once the group makes it to the prince, he looks excited and takes her shoulders moving her to the fountain.
"We're gunna play a game my cousin's taught me, you stand here reaaaaally still and balance this on your head." Jukon takes out a small Lychee nut on her head.
"Usually this is an apple, but they arent in season and I'm good enough to use this." The prince steps back a few steps as Ikari's siblings watch closely,
"Then when you knock it off her head, you get a point for your team!" Jukon smiles triumphantly.
"Ok so why does the nonbender have to be the one with the nut?" Ikari asks her older brother Daro answering for the prince,
"I assume we have to use only our bending." Daro reassembled his mother, with high cheekbones and thick silky hair coming straight from her, he loved music, and played many instruments in his school's band.
"Oh! You assume do you? How great!" Ikari huffs and the prince lights up at Daro's assumption.
"Actually we usually throw rocks! But that's a much better idea! Thank you Daro!" He jumps happily as Ikari slowly turns to glare at her brother.
"Oh yeah Daro, thanks you're a big help." she huffs while Daro shrugs back at her, Amula hesitates for a moment.
"I don't know if that's better or worse than rocks…" Szeto cuts in jumping in the air excitedly himself.
"It's SO MUCH BETTER! I call Jukon's team!" he runs over to the prince, Ikari gets uneasy watching him run excitedly afraid he'll fall.
"So you do it like this?" Szeto asks before balling his fist and stepping into a simple kizami-zuki Jab, letting out a blast of fire from his fist. The world moved in slow motion, Ikari saw the fire coming but could not move. She was completely frozen as the fire crept closer, she could feel the heat on her skin as she closed her eyes and waited for the impact.
To Be Continued. . .
Onion and Banana Juice
½ Banana's
1 cup Milk
2 scoops vanilla ice cream
½ cup chopped onions (optional, not recommended)