𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗣𝗧𝗘𝗥 𝗢𝗡𝗘 : 𝗕𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗟𝗘 𝗙𝗢𝗥 𝗛𝗢𝗡𝗢𝗥

"Why are you here?! And why is your weird bird here too?!"

"Now, that's no way to greet your dearest sister."

In traditional Fire Nation armor, Princess Jingyi of the Fire Nation boarded the much smaller ship belonging to her older brother, Zuko. She gave a silent wave to the soldiers who escorted her, letting them silently sail off. The old retired military bird, specifically a raven-eagle named Eza, remained perched on Jing's shoulder, watching under a scarred face.

Strands of long, thick black hair swayed with the icy wind. A gold and red headpiece adorn a part of her hair in a traditional bun, matching the color scheme of her uniform.

She looked Zuko up and down observantly. Her brother wore a similar uniform, though his head remained regularly hairless, except for a single part that grew out to be a long ponytail. His most distinct feature was still the burn on the left side of his face, gifted to him by their father. Though her face remained stoic, she could feel the guilt creep up on her, so she broke eye contact.

"General Iroh," Jingyi acknowledged her other relative instead, who was enjoying a board game and tea. He seemed like he changed little, which pleased her secretly.

"I am no longer a general. Uncle Iroh will do." The man gave a welcoming smile to her. He was the older brother of Ozai, but unlike Jing's father, he showed kindness to her. He was graying with a beard and part of his hair tied up. 

Zuko scowled at the respect the soldiers gave her. It was clear she had worked hard for her position, while he was left for dead on an impossible mission. He repeated, "Why are you here?"

"To find the Avatar of course."

"You have no reason to do so."

"Would it be too much of a stretch to say I just wanted to help a brother out?"

"Yes."

"True. l I think you're a failure and disgrace to the Fire Nation." Jingyi clasped her hands together as she gave the stunned Zuko an unimpressed look. "Is that what you wanted me to say? Truthfully, I don't think you can find the Avatar. Much more skilled people tried and failed, so why would you? You would have to be extremely lucky or..."

"Or what," the 16-year-old demanded impatiently.

"Accept my gracious help," she smirked. She passed by the annoyed boy and knelt by Iroh and casually looked at his game. Her bird hopped onto the table, stumbling due to his limp wing, to greet Iroh. "Unlike you, I've been told I'm lucky. For my white fire and for surviving so long."

"We can't find the Avatar with luck."

"But that's all you have... with me of course," she mused, allowing herself to pour some tea from the teapot her uncle had. Zuko gritted his teeth. "I have more resources, more power, and more experience. Yes, you have trained hard on this little boat and I'm sure you have gotten stronger but the master of the four elements could beat you to a pulp."

At the bottom of his heart, Zuko wanted to accept her help. He knew his chances of finding the Avatar just increased tremendously. But her words stung. He was unlucky and he hated it. He hated her for knowing it.

"C'mon Zuzu, you need me and I want to be here. What would Ursa say?" Her voice went softer as she stared her half-sibling in the eyes. Iroh sipped his tea, Eza now perched on his shoulder, and his eyes went back and forth between the brother and sister.

"Shut up, Jiji..." He sneered in retaliation, making Jingyi's eyes harden. Zuko clenched his fists and continued to glare at her. "You can stay, but don't use her name like that again."

Iroh watched his nephew storm off to the edge of the boat, his ponytail swaying with his agitation. He looked at his niece. "Well, that went well."

She nodded, not noticing his sarcasm. She looked down at her drink. "What tea is this?"

"Jasmine tea! I've made it myself."

"It is very good."

"Thank you! It has many health benefits... I think," he explained. Jingyi simply nodded looking elsewhere, not knowing what else to say. The retired general began playing his game again but continued to talk to his niece. "I've noticed that you've become more talkative since the last I've seen you. That's good! You were always a girl of few words."

"Yes. This is the most I've spoken in a while," she admitted. Her voice was slightly deeper than other girls her age (her friend Mai was the exception), which was useful in scaring people. But she didn't enjoy much human conversation, especially with strangers, and remained quiet unless necessary. "The tea is helping my throat."

"I knew there were health benefits!" Iroh the Tea Expert exclaimed, leaving an awkward silence. He looked at his board game pieces and back to the quiet girl. "So, how do you like the South Pole? It's your first time leaving the Fire Nation, yes?"

"It's cold and dreary. No wonder mother left," she stated, looking him in the eye. "I hate it, so I will manage."

Iroh blinked at her. He forgot how blunt and serious she was. He cleared his throat, awkwardly sorting through his game. "Do you want to play? It is called Elemental Solitaire and is very popular throughout the four nations."

She nodded, placing a thoughtful hand on her chin. "Okay, teach me."

Before they could actually begin playing, Eza let out a loud caw that hurt Iroh's ear. A bright beam of blue light shot through the air and illuminated all of the South Pole.

"Finally," Zuko exclaimed, with wide eyes. The light began to fade along with Eza's trilling, as he looked back at his relatives. "Do you realize what this means?"

"We got luck earlier than I thought," Jingyi stated, looking at the sky. "I guess I am lucky."

"Does this mean I won't get to finish my game?" Iroh asked the banished prince with a heavy sigh, slightly rubbing his ear at the sudden noise.

Zuko turned away from them, irritated. "It means my search is about to come to an end."

"Ahh..." Iroh replied absentmindedly, more focused on his game with Jing. Jingyi breathed out a breath of fire to warm herself up as a gust of cold air passed by. She too was more focused on learning the board game and tea.

Zuko pointed in the direction of the light, determined to make them listen. "That light came from an incredibly powerful source. It has to be him. Jingyi, if you aren't taking this seriously, why are you here?!"

"I am taking this seriously. I am also taking this board game seriously."

"It's probably just the celestial lights," Iroh called out, holding his tile. He wasn't very interested in the Avatar and held much doubt. "We've been down this road before, Prince Zuko. I don't want you to get too excited over nothing. Please, sit. Why don't you enjoy a cup of calming jasmine tea?

"I don't need any calming tea!" The boy exploded, finally having enough. "I need to capture the Avatar! Helmsmen, head a course for the light," he ordered, storming off out of sight.

Jingyi hummed considerately. She asked the former general, "Do you think it is truly the Avatar? I should prepare in case so."

"Who knows, but we have time until we reach there," he spoke calmly. "For now, let us begin our game."

"Very well." The corners of Jing's lips lifted, as she hid her almost smile by picking up her teacup. "I will beat you."

ˏˋ°•*⁀

Jingyi lost.

Apparently, fire couldn't beat everything and it left a sour taste in her mouth. She was extremely competitive, even when it came to simple games.

The game's results rang throughout her head as the sun came down. She was standing near her brother, leaning against the rails thinking of recent and future events. If the bright light was the Avatar, she wasn't very optimistic.

"I'm going to bed now. Yep. A man needs his rest," Iroh walked outside yawning to the siblings, specifically the angsty young man. "Prince Zuko, you need some sleep. Even if you're right and the Avatar is alive, you won't find him. It was like Jingyi said. Much more skilled people have tried and failed - Your father, grandfather, and great-grandfather."

"Because their honor didn't hinge on the Avatar's capture. Mine does," Zuko retorted. "This coward's hundred years in hiding are over."

"Your honor will be wounded even more if you lose against the Avatar due to exhaustion," Jingyi spoke up factually.

He glared at her. "You're one to talk. You used to stay up all night training and here you are right beside me."

Her gaze didn't waver as she stared her brother down. "I don't need to train anymore - at least for now. And the last time you saw me, I wasn't even a teenager. My sleeping habits have improved. Isn't that right, Eza?"  Her voice went unnaturally sweet as she talked to her raven-eagle who was falling asleep standing up.

Zuko gave a roll of his eyes while Iroh felt his chest swell in pride. Though it may not seem like it, he could tell she was growing up and maturing. If only she wasn't tainted by expectations and desires.

ˏˋ°•*⁀

The next morning, Zuko insisted that Jingyi practice firebending with her. He was determined to get as strong as possible to capture the Avatar, so finding a strong opponent was like finding a gold mine. He also wanted to use her so his uncle could teach him more techniques.

Iroh, the previous well-respected general, was monitoring the match closely with Jing's 'dumb' bird beside him. They seemed to like each other. (Maybe it was because they're both old?)

"Again!" Iroh ordered, watching as Zuko heaved heavily due to the intensity of Jing's flames. Though the boy wanted to get stronger, it was humiliating to lose against his younger sister.

He yelled at her, arms raised. "Is that all you got?!"

Iroh gave a scolding yell, "No taunting!"

She remained unfazed. While Zuko wholeheartedly expressed his anger, Jing preferred to let it build up. The final strike is more satisfying when doing so. But her half-brother wasn't worth the effort, in her humble opinion.

She remained calm, breath steady and face still. She made sure to not use many unnecessary movements. She sent a burst of flames at his torso. Zuko lept in the air using his fire, sending a kick of flames back at her. She easily avoided the fire, responding with a spiral of fire. Their nonstop exchange of attacks bothered the banished prince. Zuko gritted his teeth in annoyance as he was pushed back again - He wasn't used to this type of training with his soldiers. Just as he held his arms back, planning to retaliate, his uncle's voice stopped him.

"Ahh. No! Power and firebending come from the breath, not the muscles. The breath becomes energy in the body. The energy extends pass your limbs and becomes fire!" Iroh shot a burst of fire in the teen's direction to demonstrate. He told Zuko, "Get it right this time."

Zuko looked at Jingyi to see her reaction. She shrugged, "He's right. You don't see me breathing like a dehydrated mutt and flailing my arms when fighting."

"Enough," he scowled, walking away from her and towards Iroh. "I've been drilling this sequence all day with Jing. Teach me the next set. I'm more than ready."

"No! You're impatient. You have yet to master your basics. You have to do what Jingyi did - Drill it again!" Iroh sat down on a bench, ignoring his nephew's growing anger.

Jingyi was intrigued by the bickering relatives. She thought they got along, but it appears she was wrong. She was also surprised at how behind he was on his training. He was a little slower compared to his sisters, but still...

It appears that she wasn't the only one upset about his lack of skill and training. Jingyi walked a good distance away, knowing what was about to happen. Zuko sent a blazing blast of fire that knocked over one of the soldiers who was witnessing the fight.

"The sages tell us that the Avatar is the last Airbender. He must be over a hundred years old by now," Zuko stated, furiously. "He's had a century to master the 4 elements. I'll need more than basic firebending to defeat him. You will teach me the advanced set!"

"Very well. But first, I must finish my roast duck," the old man replied, picking up a bowl and happily eating in front of the impatient boy.

Jing walked from behind Zuko, eying the meal, much to her brother's annoyance. "I want some too."

ˏˋ°•*⁀

"Holy spirits..."

Many years ago, the previous Firelord - Sozin - massacred all the Air Nomads. No Airbenders have existed since then. The only Airbender that could ever exist nowadays would be the Avatar. But after decades of waiting, people's hope and expectations dwindled.

So Jingyi watching an actual Airbender later that day made her take a moment to process everything. She was standing by her brother, squinting into a telescope in awe.

"The Last Airbender... Quite agile for his old age," Zuko expressed, equally amazed, watching from his own telescope.

Both siblings had rushed outside to investigate the sound of a flare, but instead spotted two figures - one dressed in bright yellow and the other dressed in blue. They couldn't see the Avatar's face, but they could tell from the yellow person's airbending that he was the one that Zuko's been searching for.

Zuko yelled at his soldiers, "Wake my uncle! Tell him we found the Avatar!"

"As well as his hiding place," Jing added. She leaned near him and pointed to a small depressingly cold village nearby.

Zuko nodded earnestly, pleased with how well everything was going for him. He couldn't believe it - He found the Avatar. He had a chance to go back home. Determination and hope seared through him... until Jingyi opened her mouth.

"This feels too easy. He is supposed to be a master of hiding, yet he is practically leading us straight to him."

"Perhaps he's growing senile," Zuko shrugged. He looked down at Jing, who was still staring straight at the village in doubt. "You said I would find the Avatar with you. Why are you surprised?"

"I thought this trip was going to be like a vacation. I didn't expect to actually achieve something with you. Father will be pleased," she said, almost smiling at the idea.

Zuko's eye twitched. "Enough. We have an Avatar to catch."

As her brother stormed off to get ready, Jing sighed as she followed. Going into the room she was staying in, her handmaidens fussed over her while preparing her uniform. Assisting the young teenager, they put on her armor - such as a chest plate, sharp shoulder pieces, and an obnoxiously heavy helmet. Her gaze drifted to her set of weapons, lingering on her bow gifted to her by the Yuyan Archers, before picking up a simple katana instead.

The large ship slowly began to crash into the Southern Water Tribe's small village. Jingyi stepped down the walkway beside her brother, poised and steady. It was evident that the two siblings as well as the other Fire Nation soldiers struck fear into the small village's hearts. This didn't surprise Jing.

Jingyi couldn't fathom that her mother came from a village possibly similar to this. It was cold, weak, and poor. The people were pathetic, and Jing's ancestors were just like them.

Conducting a quick evaluation, she quickly concluded that nobody was a threat. The village was mostly filled with a handful of people - young children, elderly, and working mothers. She could see no true soldiers, so unless the Avatar showed, she doubted there will be a fight.

Actually, one Water Tribe member wanted to have a fight.

A boy, possibly around Jing's age, with grey face paint and a club in his hand - He charged straight at them yelling and making eye contact with the girl in armor.

Jingyi's amber eyes met his blue eyes. Just as he ran onto the ship's walkway, she uttered the first words of her's to meet his ears: "You are a fool."

The next thing the boy knew, he was getting harshly kicked into a pile of snow headfirst. Jingyi stared blankly at the frantic boy who was trying to get out of the snow, while Zuko continued to march straight towards the village people. She stared at the struggling boy for a few seconds, before averting her gaze and following after her brother.

"Where are you hiding him?" Zuko demanded. He was standing in front of the crowd, assessing them. His guards lingered behind him, while Jing observed silently. At the village's silence, her brother grabbed an old woman, harshly shaking the woman's hood.  A girl, slightly younger than Jing, gasped as the woman was taken from her. "He'd be about this age, master of all elements."

Zuko was met with a tense silence and scared expressions. He threw the old woman back into the crowd, and she was caught by the young girl Jing took note of before.

Noticing Zuko wasn't making any progress, Jingyi spoke up instead, directing attention to her. "We know this was the Avatar's hiding place. Tell us where he is and we'll be gone faster than we arrived. Don't tell us and your soldiers won't have a home to return to. Your choice."

"Please," the Water Tribe girl begged. Her voice didn't match the hardened glare she had and her shaking figure of barely contained anger. Stepping forward, with the old woman still clinging onto her, she cried out to Jing, "We don't have who you're looking for! Please, leave!"

Jingyi opened her mouth to respond, but her brother's angry voice interrupted her.  "I know you're hiding him!"

Just as Zuko was planning on attacking, the persistent yell of the boy from before emerged. Jingyi slightly turned, noticing the Water Tribe boy run towards her with his club in his hand. Swiftly, she dodged out of his way, making him tumble in the snow. Zuko countered the attack on his sister with a blast of fire. The boy scattered away from the flames, suddenly throwing a metal boomerang toward Zuko which he easily avoided.

"SOKKA!" The Water Tribe girl from earlier yelled with worry etched on her face.

Sokka - So that was his name.

"Control your pathetic excuse of a soldier," Jingyi snapped towards the girl. This Sokka stood no chance against two trained Fire Nation soldiers, but wouldn't give up. What was the point of fighting a battle where you were destined to lose?

"I'm not a soldier, I'm a warrior!" Sokka responded definitely. He couldn't lose, especially to a girl. He was on one knee, staring down Jingyi's amber eyes. In his right arm was a long spear, that a child from his village had given him after saying, 'show no fear.' He wasted no time charging. This time he aimed at the more powerful sibling, who was also the one who surprised him the most - Princess Jingyi.

Zuko and Jingyi shared a knowing look. In all honesty, Jingyi didn't consider the peasant worth her attention, even as the sharp spear pointed at her. Instead, she quickly ducked under the spear, grabbing onto her own blade. Sokka felt a hard jab to his stomach, as he almost lost his footing. He looked up, and barely had time to react as Jingyi's katana swung toward him. He jerked his head back, feeling the warmth from the heated-up metal. If he had reacted a second too late, his head would've been decapitated. And as Sokka stared death in the face, his first thought was: I guess I can lose to a girl.

Jingyi planned to kick the staggering boy down like a mutt. He looked like he was about to faint from his near-death experience. Zuko was still pissed, however. He took Sokka's weapon, which he was using to balance himself, and broke it in half. He then took part of the disregarded weapon, and continuously bonked the so-called warrior till he finally fell down.

"You don't know when to give up, do you?" The princess approached the two boys, looking down at Sokka who was rubbing his sore head. Almost on cue, the silver glint of a boomerang flashed in the air, making Jing quickly duck. It hit Zuko instead. The scarred boy's hands lit on fire preparing to end his life, while Jingyi glowered. "Enough of this child's play. I want the Avatar."

Suddenly, Jing heard Zuko make a staggering cry and pathetically fall down. She temporarily closed her eyes at the secondhand embarrassment her brother was facing. She looked around at the culprit responsible for Zuko's misery.

An arrow-headed boy - no older than 12 - was riding on a penguin and was being treated like a hero to the small village. He seemed extremely cheerful despite the situation and his bright clothes matched his personality. Jingyi's eyes narrowed at the familiar color scheme, but it didn't make sense. The Avatar was over 100 years old... right?  

"Hey, Katara. Hey, Sokka," he greeted with a smile.

The warrior - or Sokka - grumbled in the snow, still suffering from his loss. "Hi, Aang. Thanks for coming."

"Aang... the Air Nomad," Jingyi whispered in realization as her eyes flickered around his outfit. It was him that Zuko and she saw earlier. But the Air Nomads went extinct, besides the Avatar. So how a 12-year-old was one of the strongest benders and biggest threats to the Fire Nation in the world baffled her. And he was hiding in the South Pole - home of Jingyi's mother - all this time. The mere thought enranged her.

Multiple Firebenders, including Zuko, began to get in fighting stances by her and circle around the boy. The Airbender lifted up his wooden and then pushed the staff down, spraying snow at all the Fire Nation soldiers. Jingyi and Zuko crossed their arms, blocking the snow. Misty steam appeared around Jingyi, as she tried to control her emotions.

"Looking for me?"

"You're the Airbender," Zuko stated in disbelief. "You're the Avatar?"

"No way!" Sokka exclaimed loudly, but he gulped when Jing turned to glare at him murderously. Beside him, the village girl - Katara - was also gasping in surprise at the revelation.

Zuko began to circle the Avatar, almost muttering to himself bitterly, "I've spent years preparing for the encounter - training, meditating. You're just a child!"

Aang frowned, tilting his head - which made him look more childlike. "Well, you're just a teenager."

His reply only angered Zuko even more, and Jingyi's next words only encouraged his anger. She was despising the South Pole with each passing second. And Zuko's flair for dramatics causing this to take so long was making her want to speed things up. "Hurry up, Zuko. Don't tell me you've gotten even softer. Get him before I do your job instead."

Immediately, he began launching blasts of fire at the child. The Airbender twirled his staff, dodging the fire desperately. The fire's embers hit the villagers, however, making them cry out. The boy looked in horror at seeing their scared faces. Jingyi smirked, seeing that Aang knew what would happen to him if he continued. He stopped in his tracks, holding his staff up. "If I go with you, will you promise to leave everyone alone?"

Jingyi had to stop herself from rolling her eyes. Meanwhile, Zuko nodded at his request, letting soldiers step in and escort him on board the ship.

"No, Aang, don't do this!" Katara pleaded.

"Don't worry Katara. It'll be ok," Aang reassured her with a smile that held hidden sadness. "Take care of Appa for me until I get back."

"I wouldn't be so sure of that." Jingyi walked behind the boy, whispering in his ear, almost hauntingly. "You won't be home for a very long time."

The boy's head drooped down, as he was forced on board. The loss was evident, especially with the princess's words. Aang tried to put a brave face on for Katara, who had tears flowing down her face. Her brother - Sokka - was a bit more conflicted. He pitied the kid, but he also just wanted his family to be safe. It was understandable.

The princess would've been somewhat more sympathetic towards the kids if the Avatar wasn't the enemy. Even as she looked back at the tear-stained eyes of the Southern Water Tribe, she felt no remorse. The Fire Nation was who she was - who her real family was, not Water Tribe like her mother. And she was going to get honor - for her brother and for herself - no matter how many battles it would take.

"Zuko," Jing approached her half-brother's side, placing a hand on his shoulder. "You're going home."

[Published : September 10, 2022]
THANKS FOR READING!