Yin And Yang: Book 1.03

Yin and Yang: Book 1.03

Balance is a key aspect in the world, so why shouldn’t the Avatar have an opposite?

In a world where Raava and Vaatu merge with humans, the Avatar and the Daimon try to keep the peace between the four nations.

Aang and Hua are the current incarnations, but wake up 100 years in the future.

How will these two learn all four elements in one year and defeat the Fire Lord?

Book 1.03: The Southern Air Temple

Water. 

Earth. 

Fire. 

Air. 

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. 

Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the Avatar and Daimon, masters of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed them most, they vanished. 

A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar and Daimon, an airbender named Aang and an earthbender named Hua. 

And although his airbending and her earthbending skills are great they have a lot to learn before they’re ready to save anyone. 

But I believe Aang and Hua can save the world.

A few days had passed since Aang and Hua were broken free from the iceberg, which had been their prison for 100 of years.

Together with the water tribe siblings Katara and Sokka the Avatar and Daimon had begun their journey to master all four elements to end the long war the Fire Nation had started.

The first main goal was to reach the North Pole to find a waterbend master.

However, it didn’t mean they couldn’t make some stops.

Aang and Hua had been gone from the world for so long, anything had changed, they needed to see and learn how to move in this new world.

Also, they had important things to check.

So their first stop was the Southern Air Temple, Aang's birthplace, to look for other airbenders and maybe find out what had happened.

The quartetett one flying bison and a Kyuubi had camped yesterday on this tiny piece of island and were making anything ready for their journey to their destination for today.

Hua had a bad feeling in her stomach, as she helped Katara put their luggage in Appa's saddle.

She remembered with clarity how Gran-Gran, Katara and Sokka's grandma, had told them how no one had seen airbenders for 100 years.

She knew it was nearly impossible to meet up again with old friends and mentors, like Monk Gyatso, they were for sure dead, but Kanna's information and its implication, worried Hua.

Deep down she had a feeling if airbenders were still around, they wouldn’t be open about it and the other possibility…how Aang and her (even if she was only a quarter airbender) were the only airbenders left gave her a bitter taste in her mouth.

Other than Aang who was so sure to find his old home full of living airbenders, Hua had a strong feeling they would only find one thing there.

Death.

The black-haired girl shuddered.

It felt like yesterday as Monk Gyatso explained to her some only Daimon-related quirks.

Her Daimon spirit was born out of chaos and darkness, it meant she had a kind of radar for darker things more than Aang as Avatar, who flourished in order and light.

Destruction, pain, and even death gave her a thrill but also made her feel sick.

When she heard how no airbender had been seen for 100 years, a voice inside her said: they are dead.

Call it instinct or her weird Daimon Darkness-Radar, she knew it was true.

Hua had tried to warn Aang, to not get his hopes up, but sadly he didn’t listen to her.

He was too optimistic.

Typical Avatar.

“Wait 'til you see it, Katara!”, Hua heard Aang talk, returning her from her dark thoughts. “The Air Temple is one of the most beautiful places in the world!”

“Aang, I know you're excited, but it's been a hundred years since you've been home.”, reminds him Katara cautiously.

The waterbender looked at Hua, who gave her a tiny nod. 

Other than her counterpart, Hua didn't get her hopes up.

"That's why I'm so excited!", told Aang giddy.

"It's just that ... a lot can change in all that time."

"Katara is right Aang.", agreed Hua. "I have a really bad feeling about this. You shouldn't get your hopes up."

This made Aang roll his eyes and jump down from Appa's head.

"You and your bad feelings. You need to be more optimistic.", tutted Aang, which angered the Daimon.

She was not a little child!

"It would help you to be more realistic, Mr. Avatar. You can't live with your head in the clouds all the time!"

"I'm an airbender, it's in my nature."

"Yeah, that's your excuse for anything!"

"Children!", got Katara between them. 

She had a tired and annoyed look on her face. 

No wonder, since she and Sokka joined them, she had to stop the Avatar and Daimon regular from arguing.

"Not this early in the morning, please."

"Sorry, Katara.", they chorused together.

How synchronic they could be, when they didn't want to smash heads with each other, would astonish Katara forever.

Since neither Aang nor Hua wanted to give Katara any grief, they decided to drop the matter, for now.

Hua called for Jaiyi, who had been playing with the waves.

While her Kyuubi joined her and Katara on the saddle, Aang got Sokka out of his sleeping back, pretending there was a prickle snake in it.

They were ready now!

***

Serenly Appa was flying through the Patola Mountain range.

It's a great day for flying, musses Hua, as she sits beside Sokka and Katara on Appa's saddle, having Jaiyi in her lap.

Her nine-tails currently getting pats from her and Katara, as Sokka's stomach growls loudly.

The three females look at him in a deadpan.

Really?

He was hungry again?

They had breakfast about an hour and a half ago.

How was this possible?

"Hey, stomach? Be quiet, all right? I'm trying to find us some food.", grips Sokka with one hand his growling stomach and with the other reaches for their food bag.

His tongue out of his mouth full of anticipation, as he starts to go through it. 

He looks surprised for a moment, but quickly turns the bag upside down to pour the contents into his hand. 

Only a few crumbs land on his glove.

"Hey!", the water tribe warrior shouts, pointing an accusing finger in the direction of his companions. " Who ate all of my blubbered seal jerky?!"

"Oh. That was food? I used it to start the campfire last night. Sorry.", tells him Aang happily.

Hua makes a facepalm, Jaiyi just deadpans more and Katara can only shake her head.

Meanwhile Sokka nearly cries and whines about why the flames smelled so good last night.

"The Patola Mountain range! We're almost there!", announces Aang with excitement.

Katara and Hua look at each other, silently agreeing and they crawl towards Aang.

"Aang, we need to talk.", begins Hua.

"About what?"

"About the airbenders."

"What about 'em?"

"Well, we just want you to be prepared for what you might see. The Fire Nation is ruthless.", tells him Katara. Sadly her hand goes to her chocker. "They killed my mother, and they could have done the same to your people."

In compassion the earthbender wraps an arm around Katara's shoulder, giving her a squeeze.

The older girl had told her this a few days ago, when they had bathed in a hot spring together, enjoying some time away from the males. Both had cried together for their dead family and comforted the other.

Still, Hua would always comfort Katara when she needed to, like Katara did with her.

However, this does not have the wished effect on Aang, because he just cheerfully says how the airbender probably escaped and how you can reach only one of the temples with a flying bison and he doubts the Fire Nation had.

So no worries.

For that Hua flicks the back of his head.

"Hey! What was that for?!"

"You are an unsensible brat, you know that?", hisses Hua. "Katara tells you her mother was killed and not even some condolences from you! What a great friend you are."

This makes Aang blush in embarrassment.

"Katara I-"

"Aang, Hua, it's okay, don't start to argue again, alright?"

"But-?"

Suddenly Jaiyi lets out a warning yip, as Appa starts to climb higher and higher the mountain. The only one who isn't screaming in surprise and tightly holding onto the saddle is Aang since he sits on Appa's head and holds the reins tightly.

After a few seconds, they break the cloud and there is it...the Southern Air Temple in its glory.

"Aang, it's amazing!", shouts Katara.

"Ha, I forgot the bumpy ride, but for this visual it's all worth it!", musses Hua, still holding Jaiyi tightly to her chest, as the nine-tails make an agreening sound.

"We're home, buddy! We're home.", says Aang with happy tears in his eyes to Appa.

A while later Appa lands them on one of the landing platforms of the temple and the humans with Jaiyi make their way towards it.

Of course, Aang was in the lead, Hua and Jaiyi behind him, making Katara and Sokka take up the rear.

With only a half ear Hua hears how Sokka wants food and Katara scolds him for it, reminding him how they are the first outsiders at the temple.

Since they touched down, the Daimon feels sick to the stomach. 

It's like she can taste the decay in the air.

Hearing screams of pain and plaids of mercy.

This is a graveyard and nothing more.

How she feels bad to think this about the temple.

Her point is only proven when Aang tells the others where he played airball with his friends, where the bison slept and trails off to admit how everything changed and only weed is remaining.

They quickly approach Aang. 

To lift his spirits Sokka plays with him airball and gets absulty demolished.

At least the Avatar is again in a good mood.

But poor Sokka who landed hard in the snow.

Hua has Jaiyi in her arms, looking at how Aang lets the airball twirl in his hands, wondering when she will be apply to do this, as Katara calls for them.

The younger ones walk towards them, only to see how Katara buries Sokka with snow.

"What's up?", ask Hua confused.

"Uh ... Just a new waterbending move I learned."

"Nice one! But enough practising.", exclaims Aang. "We have a whole temple to see!"

The airbender walks away and Hua follows after a second.

She has a feeling about what Katara and Sokka found and wants them to see, Hua tastes and feels it in the air, but maybe, just for a few minutes more, she can lie to herself.

Even if it was for a short time, the Southern Air Temple had been her home, it's already breaking her heart to see it so empty.

Hah, she is such a hypocrite!

Telling Aang he needs to face the truth when she is here trying to ignore it.

Jaiyi licks her cheek, trying to lift her spirits. In thanks, she gives her a kiss on the head.

For a few more minutes she will be just a girl, who returns home, then she will face the truth, she promises herself.

They reach the courtyard where Monk  Gyatso statue stands. 

"Hey guys!", Aang calls back to the water tribe siblings. "I want you to meet somebody!"

"Who's that?", asked Sokka.

"Monk Gyatso.", answers Hua, a tear slipping down her eye. "When I was brought to the Southern Air Temple he became my guardian. He was already Aang teacher and mentor, so I was his charge also."

"He was also the greatest airbender in the world and taught me anything I know.", adds Aang.

Together Aang and Hua bow before the monk both loved like a father/grandfather, remembering times long ago…

***

Hua is swinging all alone on a swing in a beautiful courtyard of the Southern Air Temple. She can see some bison calves eating grass and a few flying lemurs are sitting on the tree, where the swing is tied.

Her heart is heavy, but she refuses to cry.

“Of course, you are here.”, she hears the gentle voice of Monk Gyatso behind. “You want to tell what happened, Hua?”

She turns her head to the monk, stopping her swinging.

“Aang is an idiot and nothing more. I can’t believe he is supposed to be my other half.”, she grumbles.

Monk Gyatso frowns, stepping beside her. 

He pats her gently on the head.

It helps a little to feel better.

“Talk with me Hua, what happened?”

“I don't even remember anymore, we always are at each other throats for stupid things.", she admits quietly. "The Avatar and the Daimon are supposed to be a team, but Aang and I hate each other guts. It makes me feel like a failure. I'm more and more sure that the monks and the earth priests were wrong about us."

"Now, Hua, the only thing that they did wrong was telling you both your destiny and making you meet now and not at sixteen. But we can't concern ourselves with what was. We must act on what is.", Gyatso tells her calmy.

"I try, but I'm not really good at this. Will I be ever ready? Can Aang and I become friends or are we doomed to hate each other?"

"Your questions will be answered when you're old enough to enter the air temple sanctuary. Inside, you will meet someone who will guide you on your journey. Normally you would be brought to an Earth Temple Sanctuary, but the elders and our priests had to mix up anything.", was the last thing the monk huffed irritated.

A little smile forms on Hua's lips.

"I hope you are right because if not, I will bury Aang alive."

This makes both of them laugh.

"Give it time, little flower.", reassured her Gyatso. "You both were always friends in any of your lifetimes. You will find a common ground."

"Well, if you say so."

"Now, how about a hug? I can see that you need one.", smiles Gyatso grandfatherly at her.

The young girl grins and falls in the comforting embrace of the monk, who was more like a grandfather, than a teacher to her.

***

Aang and Hua are still bowing before the statue of their shared guardian, as Katara puts a hand on each of their shoulder. On the floor between them is Jaiyi, who snuggles the Avatar and Daimon to her best abilities.

"You must miss him.", says Katara in understanding to her two friends.

They confirm and start walking.

"Where are you going?"

"The air temple sanctuary.", begins Aang and Hua ends the sentence with:  "There's someone we are ready to meet."

Aang and Hua enter the hallway, Jaiyi following after them. 

Katara looks questioningly at Sokka, who just shrugs. 

They both start walking after the Avatar and Diamon.

The round symbol of intertwined air currents, the national symbol of the Air Nomads is largely embedded in the floor, surrounded by two square shapes that form some sort of sun together.

The quartet and nine-tailed fox have reached the entrance of the air temple sanctuary. 

The door supports a combination of metal-coloured pipes and three, blue, rolled-up, pipes that are similar looking and arranged like the symbol for airbending. 

The large wooden door is framed by the branches of an old tree standing on the left of it and the hallway is illuminated by sunlight that falls through little, round windows.

"But Aang, Hua no one could have survived in there for a hundred years.", protested Katara sceptically.

"It's not impossible. We survived in the iceberg for that long.", reminds Aang.

"Good point."

"Whoever is in there, will help us to become a fully realized Daimon and Avatar.", explains Hua.

Eagerly Sokka steps forward, with a hungry look in his eyes.

"And whoever's in there might have a medley of delicious cured meats!"

Full of anticipation and longing, Sokka charges at the door, but it will not budge and he simply smacks into it, head first. 

Hua, Katara and Jaiyi try not to laugh, but tiny giggles escape them.

The water tribe warrior quickly turns around and puts his back on it, trying to push the giant door open. 

When the door does not move, he sighs, slides down to the floor, disappointed, and rests against it.

"I don't suppose you have a key?", he ask towards Aang and Hua.

"The key, Sokka, is airbending.", simply states Aang.

Aang gets in position as he takes a deep breath. 

He spreads his arms and thrusts them forward, sending an air current into both of the tubes on the door. 

The air follows the path of the right air current as it travels through the pipe. The wind makes one of the blue curled tubes turn around. 

When it does, the tube changes colors to purple and the wind blows out like a horn. 

The process is repeated for the other two blue tubes as well. 

When the three blue tubes have turned and become purple, the door unlocks and it slowly starts to open.

Light penetrates the dark room. 

The doors sway open.

"Hello?", calls Aang into the room. Slowly stepping in. "Anyone home?"

The others follow behind him.

Inside the room there are a large amount of statues of people, lined up in a circular pattern.

It's always two statues beside each other, nearly every one of them holds hands, but there are a few who just stand beside each other.

"Statues? That's it? Where's the meat?", groans Sokka in disappointment.

"Who are all these people?", wonders Katara.

Aang and Hua look pensive at the statues around them.

"I'm not sure. But it feels like I know them somehow. ", states Aang.

The Dsimon nods.

"I have the same feeling, hey look!", she points at a female statue. "This one is an earthbender."

"That one's beside the earthbender is an airbender.", says Aang.

"And this one's a waterbender, who holds hands with a firebender. Never thought I would see that.", musses Katara before she realizes. "They're lined up in a pattern: air and earth, water and fire, earth and air, and fire and water!"

"These are the Avatar and Daimon Cycles!", shout Aang and Hua together.

"Of course. They're Avatars and Daimons. All these people are your past lives, Aang and Hua."

"Wow! There are so many!", exclaims Aang.

"They go till the highest point of the room!", notes Hua. "I wonder why some hold hands and others not."

Katara lets out a hum, then snaps her fingers.

"I bet the ones who are holding hands were couples and the ones who don't were friends."

"Huh...makes sense.", mumbled Aang, looking like he bite into a lemon. 

He feels deep down that Katara is right.

He so does not like this!

Hua is right behind him making a yucky sound, stating: "I can't believe we were that often a couple! I can see maybe ten or so who were only friends."

However, both start to follow along the circle, looking at the statues.

Meanwhile Sokka of course doesn't believe this reincarnation bullshit and Katara has to make clear how every Avatar and Daimon after they die gets reincarnation in the next nation in their cycle.

Transfixed the Avatar and Diamon stand before the last two statues in the room.

A male Fire Nation Avatar holding hands with a female Water Tribe Daimon.

It's strange, but Hua has a feeling the beautiful aged elderly lady statue is calling for her.

Like she had met an old, dear friend, the presence is calm and comforting.

She hears the whisper of crashing waves, the soft and cold touch of snow ...

"Aang! Hua! Snap out of it!"

Abruptly Hua and Aang get shaken from their daze by a worried Katara.

"Huh?", both chorused intelligently.

"Who are they?", wants Katara to know.

"That's Avatar Roku, the Avatar before me."

"And she is Daimon Lixue, my predecessor."

Sokka joins them jokily stating: "Aang was a firebender? No wonder I didn't trust you when we first met."

"I think I heard about Lixue.", mubles Katara. "Just I can't remember all about her."

"She was from the Southern Water Tribe, no wonder you heard about her.", explains Hua.

"You were one of our tribesmen? Really?", say Sokka in disbelief. "Way to return back home and lead firebenders to us."

"Sokka!"

"What Katara?!"

"You know what I mean! Don't play dumb!"

Her brother just gave Katara a big grin. 

The waterbender huffs, before she notices something.

"There's no writing. How do you know their names?"

Automatically the current Avatar and Daimon look at each other and shrug their shoulders.

"We just know.", they chorus.

"You two just couldn't get any weirder.", bemoans Sokka with crossed arms.

All this Avatar/Daimon mumbo-jumbo was so not his thing. 

He liked a scientific explanation for the world.

The quartet and Jaiyi startle and stare with big eyes in front of them when they hear something. 

They turn around. 

A blue light on the floor comes in through the door. A long-eared shadow of another being that is approaching moves over it. 

Hua hides with Jaiyi behind the statue of Lixue, as the others scatter to a hiding place.

She sees Sokka, who is holding his club ready for everything

The shadow is creeping closer. 

"Firebender.", whisper Sokka. "Nobody makes a sound."

"You're making a sound!", grumbles Katara irritated.

For that, all shush her, even Jaiyi!

The shadow has reached the bases of the statues and reveals a small figure standing in the doorway; it chitters.

Eh, what?

Confused Hua and Jaiyi look around their statue, like Aang and Katara, while Sokka has still his club raised, but doesn't use it.

Before them sits a flying lemur.

The animal moves his large ear and blinks at them.

"Lemur!", shouts Aang excitedly.

"Dinner!", shouts Sokka hungrily.

"Don't listen to him. You're going to be my new pet."

"Not if I get him first!"

Sokka stretches his hand while he excitedly lunges himself at the animal from behind the statue. 

Aang runs up at the lemur as well. 

The lemur arcs his back in fright, his ears, hair and tail standing upright as the snatching hands of the boys draw closer. It startles, quickly turns around and makes a break for it. 

The water tribe boy misses the animal and falls down, while Aang nimbly avoids tripping as well by using Sokka's head as a stepping stone. Quickly Sokka gets up and runs behind Aang and the lemur as they exit the sanctuary.

Now only the girls and the kyuubi remain.

Katara and Hua find each other eyes.

"Boys.", they both exclaim tired, as Jaiyi makes an agreeing sound.

"I'm not running after them.", makes Katara clear and steps to Hua and Jaiyi.

"Me neither. Shall we look around more, maybe we find something interesting."

"Sure."

So the girls and Jaiyi look around the room and the statues. 

Only a few minutes pass, and as the girls and Jaiyi stand again before Avatar Roku and Daimon Lixue Roku's eyes begin to shine!

"What the?!", shouts Hua surprised.

They look around the room and see how all Avatar statues light up.

"Spirits, this isn't good!"

"Hua, we need to find Aang!"

Immediately Hua lets Jaiyi down and the floor and commands: "Girl, find Aang, fast!"

The kyuubi doesn't need to be told and follow Aang's smell.

Behind her Hua and Katara follow her through the whole temple, as they see a large tornado.

"That must be Aang!", yells the Daimon.

Soon they reach the tornado that Aang has become and Sokka who is holding on to a rock.

"What happened?", yells Katra over the wind, trying to not get blown away.

"He found out firebenders killed Gyatso!", explains Sokka.

"Oh no! It's his Avatar Spirit. He must have triggered it! I'm going to try and calm him down!"

However, she can't even make a step forward as Hua's hand stops her.

"Hua, what?!"

Whatever Katara wants to say, she forgets it the moment she looks back at Hua.

The Daimon's eyes are shining in a burning orange as she speaks with a thousand voices: "Stay down. It's too dangerous. I will calm my other half."

So Hua has entered Daimon State, it was maybe better if she talked to Aang. 

Sokka thinks the same and grips his sister and Jaiyi, holding them protective to his side.

"Well, do it! Before he blows us off the mountain!"

From the Daimon comes only a nod, as she makes her way over to the enraged Avatar.

With ease, she bends away the currents and flying debris.

When she reaches finally Aang she takes his hands in hers.

The Avatar looks full of anger and pain to the Daimon.

"My Yin, don't lose yourself in the pain. I know how you feel. I loved Gyatso and the other airbenders too. They became my family far from home. Your pain is mine. You are not alone. You have me, I will always be by your side!"

"Always, my Yang?", asks the Avatar also with a thousand voices in one.

"Till the last star in the universe dies out. This is our eternal promise."

"I remember."

"We have a family. Katara and Sokka are our family. The loved ones we lost, get reborn in new loved ones."

Finally, the winds calm down and the Avatar descends back to Earth. The two half embrace each other tight and kneel down on the ground.

Slowly their eyes return back to normal, however, they don't let go of each other.

Right now, only their other half can understand their pain and anguish.

The water tribe siblings and Jaiyi join them.

Katara embraces the two young children like a loving mother, while Jaiyi licks their cheeks and Sokka puts each a hand on their shoulder.

"You both are not alone, me and Sokka are your family now.", reassured Katara.

"Katara and I aren't going to let anything happen to you two. Promise.", swerves Sokka.

"I'm sorry.", sniffles Aang.

"It's okay. Don't worry.", mumbles Hua back, rubbing his back in comfort.

"It wasn't your fault.", adds Katara.

"But you girls were right. And if the firebenders found this temple, that means they found the other ones, too. I really am the last airbender."

"Don't forget me.", reminds him Hua gently. "I'm just a quarter airbender, but it still counts."

A little wet laugh escapes Aang and he buries his head deeper into the Daimon shoulder.

For now, the storm was over.

***

They, Aang and Hua, are back again in the sanctuary, looking one last time at Avatar Roku and Daimon Lixue.

Katara joins them, saying: "Everything's packed. Are you two ready to go?"

"How are Roku and Lixue supposed to help us if we can't talk to them?", wonders Aang.

"No idea.", admins Hua, picking up Jaiyi, and cuddling her to her chest.

"Maybe you'll find a way.", stays Katara optimistic.

They glance at each other when they hear something behind them. 

Turning around they see the flying lemur standing on its back legs in the middle of the doorway. 

The animal reaches Sokka's feet and drops the load he is carrying: a variety of fruits. 

The lemur quickly dashes away as Sokka sits down and starts to stuff his face with the fruit, taking large bites of two different pieces of fruit. 

Amused Hua, Jaiyi, Aang and Katara smile at Sokka.

"Looks like you made a new friend Sokka!", tell him Aang smiling.

"Can't talk! Must eat!"

The flying lemur climbs onto Aang and hides behind his head, his tail curled around Aang's neck. 

Seems like someone wants to go with them.

The group makes their way back to Appa, with their new lemur friend.

Aang has a hand on Appa, while the lemur is sitting on his arm, as they look back at the Southern Air Temple in the distance.

"You, me and Appa; we're all that's left of this place. We have to stick together.", tells them Aang, before he turns to the others. "Katara, Sokka, Hua and Jaiyi say hello to the newest member of our family."

"What are you going to name him?", asked Katara curious.

Sokka is about to take another bite of the peach he is eating when the lemur jumps to him, stealing the fruit and returning to Aang.

He starts to nibble it with gusto.

Well, this gives Aang an idea for a name.

"Momo!"

Sokka still stands there, mouth open and hand in front of his mouth, ready to take a bite, however, he has no peach anymore. 

The others start to laugh upon seeing Sokka's expression.

After that, they mount Appa and fly away from the Southern Air Temple.

Dusk is settling as Aang looks with Momo at how his old home become tinier and tinier.

In silence, Hua with Jaiyi joins them.

The girl pats his shoulder, giving him a little smile, which he returns.

And so the Avatar and Daimon look together at how the Southern Air Temple vanishes behind clouds.

A silent sentinel of a chapter in their lives.

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Back from Hiatus

It seems like I got my inspiration back and I'm here with a new story.

It's an Avatar the Last Airbender one, which will feature the beauty that is Zutara, personal growth for everyone and a badass OC.

So give Yin and Yang a chance ^^

Comments are my lifeblood, I need moooorrrrrrreeeee :D

Yin and Yang: Book 1.11

Balance is a key aspect in the world, so why shouldn’t the Avatar have an opposite?

In a world where Raava and Vaatu merge with humans, the Avatar and the Daimon try to keep the peace between the four nations.

Aang and Hua are the current incarnations, but wake up 100 years in the future.

How will these two learn all four elements in one year and defeat the Fire Lord?

This is an episode I really struggled with since I hate it.

I think most of the fandom isn’t a fan of it XD

I just wanted to get it over, so there you have it now :D

Enjoy it!

Also another chapter The Storm and we will reach The Blue Spirit…

I wonder what will happen ;D

Book 1.11: The Great Divide

Water. 

Earth. 

Fire. 

Air. 

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. 

Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. 

Only the Avatar and Daimon, masters of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed them most, they vanished. 

A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar and Daimon, an airbender named Aang and an earthbender named Hua. 

And although his airbending and her earthbending skills are great they have a lot to learn before they’re ready to save anyone. 

But I believe Aang and Hua can save the world.

Concentrate Hua performed the steps to bend water into their pots as Jaiyi caught the fish in the river.

Already a nice pile of fish the ninetails had gathered.

Going into the bending end pose, the Daimon smiled happily.

“Nice work, Jaiyi.”, she praised her kyuubi. “I think this is enough fish for us.”

Jaiyi yipped in agreement and stepped out of the water. She shook herself free from the water, making her fur fluffy.

Hua cooed at her, giving Jaiyi a nice rub between the ears, which the ninetails enjoyed.

Then the Kyuubi turned into her riding form, as Hua took the pots and fish and then mounted her.

Together they raced back to their camp.

“Hey guys, we are back!”, Hua called out to her friends.

Only Sokka and Katara were angrily staring at each other.

Confused Hua slide down from Jaiyi.

What was going on?

That’s when Aang with Momo joined up with them.

“Okay, I got the grub if you guys got the-”, the Avatar didn’t even finish his sentence as he stared bamboozled at siblings turning away from each other in anger with their arms folded and the unfinished campsite. “Hey, where's the campfire? And what happened to the tent?”

“Beats me, I just turned up now.”, answers Hua with a shrug.

“Why don't you guys ask Miss Know-It-All, Queen of the Twigs.”, growled Sokka angrily.

“Oh yeah? Well, you're Mister Lazy Bum, King of the Tents!”, hissed Katara and threw a twig at Sokka's head.

Pissed he turned to his sister.

The Avatar and the Daimon looked at each other out of the corners of their eyes.

“You wanna take this.”, began Hua, waving at their friends. “Or shall I?”

“Nah, I got it.”, told her Aang before he turned the word to Katara and Sokka. “Okay, listen, guys, harsh words won't solve problems, action will. Why don't you just switch jobs?”

After a moment the siblings agreed.

“You see that? Settling feuds and making peace, all in a day's work for the Avatar.”

Notable Hua coughed.

“And of course, the Daimon would have solved the problem without breaking a sweat too.”

This earned Aang a smile from Hua, which he returned.

It was nice how they were friends now.

Of course, they butted heads sometimes, but it was so much better than a few weeks ago.

Hearing suddenly how Momo, Jaiyi and Appa made noise, Aang turned his head to see the three animals fighting over a watermelon. Momo continuously tries to fly away with it, Jaiyi has bitten down on it, while Appa pins it down. 

The Avatar takes the melon and uses airbending to slice it. Momo and Jaiyi seem to be complaining about how they got the much smaller halves and Appa got the bigger half.

“Come on, Momo and Jaiyi, that's fair. Appa's got five stomachs.”

Appa eats his half of the melon.

Amused Hua shakes her head and proclaims how she will start cooking the fish.

***

The next day Team Avatar-Daimon stands before one of the wonders of nature in their world.

“There it is, guys, The Great Divide.”, presents Aang his friends the biggest canyon in the world.

Hua makes a long Wow sound, while Katara states how she could stare at it forever.

Of course, Sokka has to ruin the magical moment.

“Okay, I've seen enough.”

“How can you not be fascinated Sokka? This is the largest canyon in the entire world.”, wondered Katara.

“Then I'm sure we'll be able to see it very clearly from the air while we fly away.”

Suddenly Sokka gets roughly shown away by a young man in fine white clothing.

“If you're looking for the canyon guide, I was here first!”

This pans Katara's interest.

“Ooh, canyon guide? Sounds informative.”

“Believe me, he's more than a tour guide, he's an earthbender.”, explains the finely dressed young man, totally not seeing how Sokka was mocking him behind his back. Hua has to bite down on her fist to not laugh out loud. “And the only way in and out of the canyon is with his help, and he's taking my tribe across next.”

“Calm down, we know you're next.”, muttered Sokka done with this guy.

The fine-dressed young man heard him anyway.

“You wouldn't be so calm if the Fire Nation destroyed your home and forced you to flee! My whole tribe has to walk thousands of miles to the capital city of Ba Sing Se.”

“You're a refugee!”, exclaimed Katara.

“Huh, tell me something I don't know.”

A large group of poorly dressed people was walking toward them.

Katara asks if this is the tribe of the young man, to which he reacts with disgust.

That’s the Zhang tribe, a bunch of low-life thieves. They've been the enemies of his tribe for a hundred years.

“Hey, Zhangs!”, calls out the young man to them. “I'm saving a spot for my tribe so don't even think about stealing it!”

A chubby woman in a bear pelt with two little buns on her head answers him: “Where are the rest of the Gan Jin? Still tidying up their campsite?”

“Yes, but they sent me ahead of them to hold a spot.”

“I didn't know the canyon guide took reservations.”

“Ha, of course, you didn't! That's the ignorance I'd expect from a messy Zhang. So unorganized and ill-prepared for a journey.”

The Zhang tribe members yell out in protest behind them. Katara, Hua and Aang look at each other worriedly but turn around to see a large pile of rocks being levitated up and thrown away. 

The canyon guide stands behind where the rocks used to be.

“Sorry about the wait, youngsters.”, greets them the Canyon Guide. “Who's ready to cross this here canyon?”

Helpful Katara points at the Gan Jin scout and the Zhang, telling him one of them is it.

The Gan Jin scout races over to the Guide demanding: “I was here first, my party's on their way.”

“I can't guide people who aren't here.”, makes the Guide clear.

Hearing this the Zhang filed past the four kids and the fuming Gan Jin scout.

“Guess you guys will have to make the trip tomorrow.”, mocks the Zhang woman in the bear pelt.

The scout's eyes twitch in anger, however, he sees a group of finely dressed people arrive.

His tribe!

“Wait, here they come!”

This angers the Zhang woman, who was the leader, telling the Guide he can’t consider taking the Gan Jin, also they have sick people!

The Guide was lost for words.

A Gan Jin tribesman with a long elegant beard, the leader steps to them.

“We've got old people who are weary from travelling.”

“Sick people get priority over old people.”, tells the Zhang leader.

“Maybe you Zhangs wouldn't have so many sick people if you weren't such slobs.”

“If you Gan Jins weren't so clean, you wouldn't live to be so old.”

Now all members of the two tribes shout insults at each other.

“Well Aang and Hua ready to put your peace-making skills to the test?”, asked Katara her friends over the loud voices.

“I don't know, a fight over chores is one thing, but these people have been feuding for a hundred years.”, says Aang truthful.

“We don’t have a choice.”, reminds Hua. “First it is our job and second these two tribes seem ready to slaughter each other and making people slaughter each other goes against anything we stand for.”

After a short moment, Aang nods.

Hua was right.

“Everybody listen up!”, shouts Katara and points to Aang and Hua. “These are the Avatar and Daimon, and if you give them a chance, I'm sure they can come up with a compromise that will make everyone happy.”

Expectant the two tribes looked at Aang and Hua.

Both twelve-year-olds started to sweat a bit.

Well, they have to get this over with.

So they mumble to each other what they could do.

“Uh, you could share the earthbender and travel together?”, shares Aang their first idea.

It crashes and burns faster than a cheap firework. 

No Zhang and none Gan Jin want that.

Annoyed Hua bends herself up in a high earth pillar and shouts: “Alright, alright! Here's the deal, you're all going down together and Appa, our bison, here will fly your sick and elderly across! Jaiyi, our ninetails, will protect them if something dares to attack. Can you live with that?!”

After a moment the two leaders nod.

So the sick and elderly get on on Appa with Jaiyi as their guard.

“Sorry, Appa, you'll have to do this on your own.”, said Aang to him, while Hua whispered to Jaiyi: “You make sure that they don’t kill each other alright?”

Her ninetails yip in agreement.

This was the main reason why Hua let Jaiyi travel with Appa and the sick and old. 

She had a feeling the two tribes would start a fight if someone didn’t have an eye on them.

“Aang, Hua, this feuding tribe stuff is serious business. Are you sure it's a good idea to get involved in this?”, asks Sokka.

The Avatar grinned broadly.”To tell you the truth, I'm not sure. But when have I ever been?”

“This was the best we came up with in the short time, hopeful it won’t bite us in the behind.”, added Hua.

“He's the Avatar, and she is the Daimon Sokka, making peace between people is their job.”, reminds Katara.

“Their job is gonna make us cross this whole thing on foot, isn't it?”, bemoans Sokka his destiny.

Why him?

Why always him?

He never asked for all this!

They hear then how the Guide tells them that no food is allowed in the canyon since it lures in dangerous predators.

This makes both tribes whine like babies.

The Guide mocks them telling them how they can’t stay a day without food like babies. They better eat now or throw it into the garbage, because they would move in ten minutes.

So the Zhang eat like hungry wolfs and the Gan Jin like some sort of royalty with chopsticks and all.

Team Avatar-Daimon eats also what they have, then with a yip yip from Aang Appa flow away.

After ten minutes the big group makes their way down the canyon, the Guide with Aang and Hua at the forefront.

The tour guide earthbends to form a bridge in a gap in the path.

“Nice bending!”, complimentes Aang, while Hua studied the move carefully.

She can’t wait to try it too!

“The job's much more than bending, kid. Folks want information.”, explains the Guide and then turns to the big group. “Many of you are probably wondering how canyons are formed. Experts tell us this canyon was most likely carved into the ground by earth spirits who were angry at local farmers for not offering them a proper sacrifice.”

Katara and Sokka look up in fear as an avalanche of rocks comes falling toward them, and the canyon guide earthbends it away from them.

“He he he, guess the spirits are still angry! Hope you all brought sacrifices.”

No one found this funny.

After a few minutes, they reached the canyon floor.

The guide stands in front of the two tribes and the kids beside a huge boulder.

“Okay, everyone stands clear of the wall.”, warns the Guide before he throws the boulder and destroys the bridge he had made earlier.

Aang wonders why he did this.

It’s Hua who answers him: “Think about it Aang. These tribes are fleeing from the Fire Nation. Like this, they can’t follow us.”

“The little lady is right.”, confirmed the Guide. “We'll be safe now.”

Out of nowhere, he is picked up by a huge animal. Aang blows away the dust to reveal a canyon crawler.

“We gotta help him!”, shouts Sokka throwing his boomerang at the crawler, which drops the canyon guide and comes after him instead. “Okay, now we gotta help me!”

Katara comes to his aid and does a water whip on the crawler, but she is quickly thrown aside.

The Hua runs up to the crawler and bends a platform under it. She throws it with the crawler as far away as she can.

It’s only a little point in the distance now.

“What was that?”, asks Aang the Guide.

The poor man lay on the ground, beside him Katara and Hua, who check for injuries.

“Canyon crawler. And there's sure to be more!”

“Your arms, they're broken!”, tells him Katara worried.

“Without my arms, I got no bending. In other words-”

“Calm down Mister Guide.”, replied Hua calmly. “I’m an earthbender. I can get us out of the Canyon. Just explain the moves to me and we will be out in no time.”

The Guide, who was ready to freak out, calmed down.

“Oh thank the Spirits.”

“I thought the whole point of ditching our food was so we wouldn't have to deal with things like canyon crawlers.”, thought Sokka out loud.

With Hua, they had still a way out, but it didn’t mean that the crawler wouldn’t attack them again.

“It's the Zhangs!”, accused the Gan Jin leader. “They took food down here even after the canyon guide told them not to.”

“What?”, screeched the Zhang leader offended. “If there's anyone who can't go without food for a day, it's you pampered Gan Jins!”

“I hope you're happy. We could get attacked by this canyon crawler again, without warning!”

“Why don't you thank yourself, food hider?”

The Avatar calls in between: “Look, sticking together is the only way to-”

“I'm not walking another step with the likes of them!”, shouts the Zhang leader.

“Now there's something we can agree on.”, murmurs the Gan Jin leader.

“Any ideas?”, ask Aang Hua.

“They are not gonna work together that’s clear.”, states the Daimon. “I have a solution.”

“By all means, Hua, tell us. I’m starting to get a headache.”, he mumbles the last part to her.

Friendly she pats his shoulder before she bends herself on a huge stone pillar so anybody can hear her.

“Alright, Zhang’s and Gan Jins since you are incapable of cooperating we will split up, till we reach the end of the canyon. Gan Jins on this side and Zhangs on that side. Is this alright with you?”

The two leaders nod at each other and start walking. Hua jumps down to Aang, Sokka and Katara.

“Sokka, you go with the Zhangs and Katara, you go with the Gan Jins. See if you can find out why they hate each other so much. Aang and I will stay with the canyon guide. If we choose a side I fear the tribes will kill each other in seconds.”

All nod in agreement with Hua's plan.

***

Nightfalls over the canyon.

In the distance, the Avatar and Daimon can see the two camps of the tribes.

Hua was petting Momo, while Aang mused out loud: “Sure would be nice to be sitting around one of those campfires, telling stories and laughing. It's okay Momo and Hua, we'll be out of here soon enough, and then we can eat our weight in leechi nuts!”

Momo jumps out of Hua's arms and up. He snatches a bug out of the air, he eats part of it before offering the rest to two kids.

Hua makes a face.

“Thanks, Momo, I’m still not desperate enough for bugs.”

“Nah, I'll wait for the leechi nuts.”, says Aang.

The Guide, with both his arms and a leg bandage, limps towards the little campfire Hua and Aang made.

It was practical how good Hua had become in firebending.

“Lonely isn't it, being impartial?”, the Guide musses.

The Daimon nods, as the Avatar says for them: “We wish we could help these people get along, but it just seems impossible.”

“At least tomorrow they won’t be our problem anymore.”, adds Hua dry.

Aang tutts at her, while the Guide laughs.

“Get some rest, kids, you will need it.”

With this, the Guide lays down and not even a few seconds later he has fallen asleep.

Astonished Aang and Hua stare at him.

“Wow, I wish I could sleep like this.”, confesses Hua.

Momo chirps and makes himself comfy on Hua's lap. She starts to pet the lemur.

“I hope Appa and Jaiyi are okay.”, muttered Aang.

“Yeah, I hope Jaiyi didn’t need to kill someone of the Zhnag or the Gan Jin.”

“You are joking, Jaiyi wouldn’t do it.”

“Meh.”

It’s still between the two, only Momo's purr interrupts the silence.

“So.”, begins Aang arkweird. “You wanna talk?”

Hua shrugs her shoulder.

“Sure, we can talk a bit. We don’t have much time to talk only we two when we train in airbending and earthbending.”

This makes Aang groan and Hua hits him friendly on the shoulder.

“You will get earthbending. Don’t forget, be the rock!”

“That’s simple for you to say.”, whines Aang. “After you learned firebending it seems like you got airbending.”

“Did you forget, last time, I threw myself against a stone wall?”

“Oh, right.”

Again it is still between them.

“So… your favourite food?”, asks now Hua.

This makes Aang smile.

“We are really doing this friendship thing, heh?”

“Mah, don’t get me wrong, sometimes I still wanna bury you, but it’s stupid to act like I hate you still when we grow out of it.”

In agreement, Aang nods.

“I rather have us be friends too.”

This makes Hua smile before she frowns.

“Why didn’t you like me before?”, wondered Hua. “I hated your guts because after being told how Avatar and Daimon end up mostly together, I felt like I couldn’t choose anymore over my life. Also, you are an airhead.”

A short snort comes from Aang before he answers: “My reasons were similar. When I looked at you I was reminded how I was the Avatar and how the world expected us to fall in love like we did it a thousand and more times. I felt trapped too. Also, you can be really stubborn.”

Now Hua snorts.

“It seems so silly now. Like we are the only ones left of time of peace. We understand each other like no one can understand us.”

“I agree. Also, we are the Avatar and Daimon, our job is the restore peace and keep it then. Working together is better than fighting each other.”

“Aang, let’s make a promise.”, began Hua with a smile. “We will never fall in love with each other but be best friends like Kyoshi and Tian Kuo.”

“I promise!”

He holds his hand out to her and she shakes it.

“I promised too.”

Both ignored the voices inside them who cried out in outrage.

“Also my favourite food is Egg custard tart.”, told Aang.

“Nice! I love Mochi’s. In the Lower Ring where I lived in Ba Sing Se, there was this little bakery owned by an old lady we kids only called Granny. Granny sometimes gave us free mochi’s.”

“Aww, that’s so sweet. What was it like in the Lower Rings? I met your family after you had moved to the Upper Rings.”

So Hua told him about her hard childhood consisting of working, going hungry for days, never having fitting clothes and sometimes not being sure to survive the next day.

But she told also how her parents loved her and Bai so deeply and would always make sure they got what they needed.

When it really wasn't possible, her parents seemed to suffer more than them.

She had heard one time how her mother had said to her father what a failure they were since they couldn’t provide for their children and Hua had to work already.

“I never blamed my parents. It’s difficult to raise in ranks in Ba Sing Se.”, explained Hua. “I know they did anything for us. I wonder if Ba Sing Se is still the same?”

“I’m sure after we have learned waterbending at the North Pole, we can go to Ba Sing Se. I’m sure Bumi has nothing against it if we visit it for a few days.”

“Heh, I can’t wait to learn more crazy moves from Bumi!”

They two giggled quietly and then signed.

“I wish Kuzon was still alive.”, said Aang sadly. “I miss him and he could teach us firebending  .”

“I miss Kuzon too. I love Katara and Sokka, but the hole of our old friends in my chest hurts sometimes when I think about it.”

“This makes two of us.”

“Okay, now tell me some things about Airnomad culture I don’t know!”

And Aang just did this.

“Wait, wait, wait, you are telling me your people were fine with same-sex relationships and even support transgender and non-binary people?!”, whisper-shouted Hua. “How did I never notice it?!”

This made Aang laugh.

“I think you were more occupied to hate my guts than to learn.”

“Touche Avatar.”

They talked about a lot of random things till they got so tired they fell asleep.

In their sleep, they rolled over facing each other and cuddling.

Both children felt closer than ever and felt how their relationship changed again.

It becomes a deeper friendship.

Maybe falling in love with each other would be a promise they couldn’t hold, which one Daimon Lixue in the Spirit World took bets from her follow Daimons and Avatars at when Aang and Hua would realise they were made for each other.

Roku just shook amused his head at his wife.

Oh, how he loved this little gambling side of her.

***

Morning came and they would soon reach the other side of the canyon.

Aang and Hua meet up with Katara and Sokka, to see if they found out something.

“Katara, Sokka, will these people cooperate long enough to get out of the canyon?”, asks Aang.

“I don't think so, Aang, the Zhangs really wronged the Gan Jins. They ambushed Jin Wei and stole the sacred orb.”, explains Katara.

Erm, what?

“What are you talking about?”, wondered Hua.

“Yeah Katara, what are you talking about?”, agreed Sokka. “Wei Jin didn't steal the orb, he was returning it to their village gate and was wrongfully punished by the Gan Jin.”

“Not punished enough if you ask me.”

The Avatar and Daimon find each other eyes, both totally lost about what was going on.

“You know what, we can talk about this later.”, decides Hua and makes her way over to the canyon wall. “I have to earthbend us a way out of here now.”

The Guide was already waiting for her to give her the first instruction.

So she doesn’t get why suddenly the Zhangs and Gan Jin’s beginning to fight again.

Aang tells them how harsh words won't solve problems, action will!

This was the wrong thing to say because both leaders drew their swords to combat each other.

“You know, I take it back. Harsh words aren't so bad!”,

yells Aang.

The two leaders ignore him as they begin to fight. They are evenly matched and continue until Aang blows them apart with a strong gust of air. The two tribes go flying backwards, revealing a large amount of hidden food.

“Is that ... food? Everyone smuggled food down here? Unbelievable! You guys put our lives in danger because you couldn't go without a snack for a day? You're all awful!”, scolds Aang, while Hua makes a facepalm in the background. She fully heartily agrees with Aang and can’t take this stupidity anymore. Suddenly Aang whippers: “So hungry. Is that an egg custard in that tart?”

That’s when everyone notes how the canyon crawlers are back!

First, they fight them, but Aang notes how the canyon crawlers eat the food backs and shows anyone how to capture this the creepy animals.

Zhang and Gan Jin work together and all ride on the backs of the Canyon Crawler out of the Canyon.

As soon as all the people have made it up the cliff, Aang throws the bag, which he used to lure the crawler upwards, and back down, and the crawlers follow.

“I never thought a Gan Jin could get his hands dirty like that.”, compliments the Zhang leader.

“And I never knew you Zhangs were so reliable in a pinch.”, compliments the Gan Jin leader back.

“Perhaps we're not so different after all.”

They both smile at each other and Aang and Hua sigh in relief.

“Too bad we can't rewrite history. You thieves stole our sacred orb from Jin Wei!”, accused the Gan Jin leader, drawing his sword.

The Zhang leader draws her sword too. “You tyrants unjustly imprisoned Wei Jin for twenty long years!”

Again Hua facepalm and feels a headache forming, that’s when she remembers something.

“Wait a second did you say Jin Wei? Wei Jin? I know those guys!”

“Yes, yes, we're all aware of the story.”, says the Gan Jin leader annoyed.

“No you don’t understand, I might not look like it but I’m 112 years old, I was there when it happened.”, begins Hua. “There seems to be a lot of confusion about what happened. First of all, Jin Wei and Wei Jin weren't enemies. They were brothers, twins in fact, and they were eight; and most importantly, they were just playing a game! The sacred orb from the legend, that was the ball! And the eastern and western gates were the goalposts. Jin Wei had the ball and was running toward the goal when he fell and fumbled it. Wei Jin didn't steal the ball, he picked it up and started running it toward the other goal, but he stepped out of bounds, so the official put him in the penalty box. Not for twenty long years but for two short minutes. There was no stealing and no putting anyone in imprisonment, it was just a game.”

“You're saying the sacred orb was actually a sacred ball?”, asks the Zhnag leader in astonishment.

“No, just a normal ball.”

“What about our tribe's redemption ritual?” wondered the Gan Jin leader.

“It was the name of the game: Redemption. As soon as you got the ball from one end to the other, everyone would yell "Redemption"!”

The tribe leaders look at each other sceptically.

“Don't get me wrong, Wei Jin was kind of a slob and Jin Wei was a little stuffy, that much is true. But they respected each other's differences enough to share the same playing field.”, ends Hua.

Finally, it seems the two tribes will get along with each other since both leaders bow before the other and wish to begin a new future together.

Soon Appa lands with the rest of the Zhnag, Gan Jin and Jaiyi and Hua cuddles her kyuubi to her heart's content, while the Gan Jin leader thanks her and Aang for their help.

He stumbles backwards when he sees how Aang is covered in Appa's saliva.

The two tribes start to make their way to Ba Sing Se together as one and are followed by the canyon guide, who has enough of his job.

“That's some luck you knew Jin Wei and Wei Jin.”, tells Sokka Hua.

This makes Hua and Aang laugh.

“You could call it luck.”, begins the Avatar

“Or clever lying!”, ends Hua.

Sokka was in disbelief.

“Yesterday night, me and Aang brainstormed a few ideas on how to get the tribes to work together. We decided that we had to be a bit… manipulative.”, grinned Hua with a little wink to her friends.

“You did not!”, gasped Katara shocked and then smiled in devilish admiration. “That is so wrong.”

Shrugging her shoulders Hua just states: “Maybe, let’s just hope it won’t bite us in the behind later.”

“Nah, don’t worry.”, reassured Aang. “Now where is that custard tart? I'm starving!”

This made his friends laugh heartfully.

Previous

Next

Yin and Yang: Index

Balance is a key aspect in the world, so why shouldn’t the Avatar have an opposite?

In a world where Raava and Vaatu merge with humans, the Avatar and the Daimon try to keep the peace between the four nations.

Aang and Hua are the current incarnations, but wake up 100 years in the future.

How will these two learn all four elements in one year and defeat the Fire Lord?

Gallery

Prologue

Book 1.01

Book 1.02

Book 1.03

Book 1.04

Book 1.05

Book 1.06

Book 1.07

Book 1.08

Book 1.09

Book 1.10

Book 1.11

Book 1.12

Book 1.13

Book 1.14

Book 1.15

Book 1.16

Book 1.17

Book 1.18

Yin and Yang: Prologue

Balance is a key aspect in the world, so why shouldn’t the Avatar have an opposite?

In a world where Raava and Vaatu merge with humans, the Avatar and the Daimon try to keep the peace between the four nations.

Aang and Hua are the current incarnations, but wake up 100 years in the future.

How will these two learn all four elements in one year and defeat the Fire Lord?

Prologue

In the beginning, they were two spirits.

One of light and order.

The other of darkness and chaos.

Raava and Vaatu.

Looked into eternal combat.

Never a winner, only a short victory over the other.

No one, not even themselves, could imagine to exist in harmony together.

Then one day two humans touched the spirit's very essence.

A young man named Wan earned Raava's trust and loyalty, while a young woman named Qi saw more than evil in Vaatu, showing him kindness and compassion.

The Spirits fused with their chosen human, creating the first Avatar and Daimon.

Wan and Qi worked all their life to restore balance in the world.

They were Yin and Yang personified. 

When one pulled, the other pushed.

When one walked, the other followed.

When one lost their way, the other found them.

It was so simple to fall in love with each other.

The love born between Wan and Qi changed also the ancient spirits in them.

Something which seemed so impossible had come true.

No longer enemies, but allies, even friends.

In every lifetime after Wan and Qi, the Avatar and the Daimon were always the opposite of each other and often also lovers.

Each Avatar and Daimon together tried to bring balance between the Four Nations and the Spirit World.

It was their eternal quest, but they didn’t have to walk this way alone.

Because their other half would always be with them…

Frowning Aang looked at his mentor and guardian Monk Gyatso.

“What is it Aang?”, the elder man asked his young charge. “I know you aren’t happy with being the Avatar, but I hoped that you would feel better to know that there is another one like you. Someone who will understand you.”

Aang just frowned deeper, crossing his arms.

“I don’t like that I already have a supposed Soul Mate…It seems like I don’t have any control anymore over my life…It sucks being the Avatar.”

Gyatso tutted him gently, rubbing affectionately his bald head with the blue arrow.

“Oh my young pupil, it may be true that nearly all Avatars and Daimons were a couple, but there were a few who were just friends and completely happy with other people. You can decide if you like young Daimon Hua this way. Meet her and become her friend, more the Elders doesn’t want from you.”

The young Avatar nearly snorted at this. 

Yeah, right.

If it would go after the Elders he and the Daimon would be wed now.

At twelve years!

His childhood couldn’t end sooner for the Air Nomad elders.

He felt like crying.

He just wanted to play with his friends and goof off with Gyatso.

Was that too much?

Why did he have to be the Avatar?

“So her name is Hua, huh?”, he mumbled loudly enough, so his mentor could hear him. “Flower for an Earth Kingdom girl seems fitting. She is an Earthbender right?”

“Right, the Daimon Cyle is the opposite of the Avatar’s. Together you two will learn the four elements to become a fully realized Avatar and Daimon.”

The boy signed loudly and slouched down in his seat.

“I don’t think I will like someone who is my opposite, I mean, she probably doesn’t like to make jokes or play pranks.”

“Don’t be so sure Aang.”, said Gyatso amused. “You know opposites attract, but having things in common is good too. Just give her a chance, alright?”

***

In the Lower Ring of Ba Sing Se, the newly informed Daimon Hua hugs her mother, father and little brother tightly.

She wants to cry, to scream, to beg.

She wants to stay home.

She doesn’t want to be the Daimon.

All her life she and her family had struggled to make a living in Ba Sing Se.

Hua had used her Earthbending from a young age in any way to earn money for her family.

And now she would be stripped from them, brought before the Avatar of this era, and expected to work with him (even to fall in love with him!) and also to learn all the elements and somehow bring balance and peace to this world.

No, she doesn’t want to, but she knows it’s good for her family.

If in Ba Sing Se the Daimon or Avatar is born and comes from the Lower Rings their family then gets raised into the Upper Rings and becomes a noble family.

Something an Earth King some hundred years ago decided to make the city look good in the eyes of the other nations.

No peasant from Ba Sing Se should be a Daimon or Avatar. 

Yes, her family wouldn’t be anymore, hungry, cold or sick. They would be getting taken care of.

Only Hua had to pay with her freedom, with the power to decide her own faith.

It was unfair.

Why her?

She only ever wished for a simple good life.

She wasn’t greedy.

So why her?

Why her?

She kisses her brother's forehead, promising him to write as much as she can.

Somehow deep down Hua feels like this is the last time she will be with her family…

Water. 

Earth. 

Fire. 

Air. 

My grandmother used to tell me stories about the old days: a time of peace when the Avatar and the Daimon kept the balance between the Water Tribes, Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation and Air Nomads. 

But that all changed when the Fire Nation attacked. 

Only the Avatar and the Daimon mastered all four elements; only they could stop the ruthless firebenders. 

But when the world needed them most, they vanished. 

A hundred years have passed, and the Fire Nation is nearing victory in the war. 

Two years ago, my father and the men of my tribe journeyed to the Earth Kingdom to help fight against the Fire Nation, leaving me and my brother to look after our tribe. 

Some people believe that the Avatar was never reborn into the Air Nomads and that the Daimon was never reborn into the Earth Kingdom and the cycles are broken, but I haven't lost hope.

I still believe that, somehow, the Avatar and the Daimon will return to save the world.

Next

Yin and Yang: Book 1.13

Balance is a key aspect in the world, so why shouldn’t the Avatar have an opposite?

In a world where Raava and Vaatu merge with humans, the Avatar and the Daimon try to keep the peace between the four nations.

Aang and Hua are the current incarnations, but wake up 100 years in the future.

How will these two learn all four elements in one year and defeat the Fire Lord?

Book 1.13: The Blue Spirit

Water. 

Earth. 

Fire. 

Air. 

Long ago, the four nations lived together in harmony. 

Then, everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. 

Only the Avatar and Daimon, masters of all four elements, could stop them, but when the world needed them most, they vanished. 

A hundred years passed, and my brother and I discovered the new Avatar and Daimon, an airbender named Aang and an earthbender named Hua. 

And although his airbending and her earthbending skills are great they have a lot to learn before they’re ready to save anyone. 

But I believe Aang and Hua can save the world.

***

A pot with vegetable soup was sitting on the fire pit Hua made.

The Daimon stirred the soup and tasted it.

“Mmh, a bit more salt.”, she mumbled to herself.

She added the spice, as Katara called out to her: “How is the soup going, Hua?”

“Nearly done, Katara, how is our patient?”

Together they looked at poor sick Sokka. He was lying against Appa, coughing and sweaty, huddled in his sleeping bag. 

Thank the spirits they had found this old ruin to make camp or Sokka would suffer more.

At least here they were safe from the weather and it was cosy warm.

Katara pressed a wet rag onto Sokka's forehead.

“This should bring your fever down.”, she cooed at her brother.

Hua put the soup in a bowl and joined them.

“Here Sokka, something to eat. It will help you too.”

But the older boy was so delirious from his fever that he just said: “You know what I love about Appa the most? His sense of humour.”

“That's nice. I'll tell him.”, said Katara a bit amused.

Appa growls.

Sokka laughs. “Classic Appa.”

“Come Sokka, eat a bit of the soup.”, pleaded Hua and raised the spoon towards his mouth. “It will help.”

“I want meat soupy.”, he whined like a child.

The Daimon signed so Katara shovelled the soup down her brother's throat. 

At least he eats it like that.

That’s when Aang returns from his little scavenger trip.

“How's Sokka doing?”

“Not so good.”, tells Hua with crossed arms.

“Being out in that storm really did a number on him.”, adds Katara, shovelling the last bit of soup down his throat.

The sick Sokka gulps down his soup but starts sniffing pitifully.

“I couldn't find any ginger root for the tea, but I found a map.”, explained Aang, putting said map on the floor. “There's an herbalist institute on top of that mountain. We could probably find a cure for Sokka there.”

“Aang, he's in no condition for travel. Sokka just needs more rest. I'm sure he'll be better by tomorrow.”, says Katara, however suddenly she starts coughing too.

This alarms Hua and Aang.

“Not you, too!”, they shout together.

“Relax, it was just a little cough. I'm fi-”

She coughs again, this time with greater force, and lightly groans after.

“It’s like how Sokka started yesterday.”, reminds Hua. “Now look at him, he thinks he is an earthbender like me.”

“Take that, you rock!”

“See?!”, waves Hua to Sokka as flails his arms as if he is hitting something.

“A few more hours and you'll be talking nonsense, too. I'm going to go find some medicine.”, decides Aang. He grabs his glider and begins to head out just as a flash of lightning strikes. “Uh, maybe it's safer if I go on foot.”

The black-haired girl steps towards him and holds him by the shoulder.

“Wait a second Aang.”

“Mmh?”

Hua gives him a big hug, which makes both blush, as she whispers in his ear: “I take care of Sokka and Katara, you be careful. You will be all alone, the last we need is you getting captured by Prince Zuko or somebody else.”

Aang hugs her back, nodding.

“I promise.”

They let go of each other and with a last smile, Aang runs out of the ruin.

The girl signs, wondering why her stomach feels all flattery before she turns to the water tribe siblings.

“Don’t worry guys, I will take care of you.”, she promises.

From her friends came only pitiful groans.

A sweatdrop runs down Hua's forehead.

Well, better start caring for them.

So Hua helps Katara into her sleeping back and feeds her then with the soup.

Then she rotatory wipes away the sweat on her friends faces and entertains Sokka's hallucinations.

This goes on for a while, with wiping their face and giving them food and entertaining them, till Hua notes they are out of water.

“So thirsty.”, croaks Sokka.

“I know Sokka.”, coos Hua at him. “I will take a quick trip to the river and fill our water skins, okay?”

“Be careful”, coughs Katara, even sick she still worries for her.

“I promise, maybe Aang will be back then. He is taking his sweet time.”, grumbles Hua a bit.

She really hoped he was just taking his time and not something terrible happened to him.

With a sign, she slugs the water skins to herself, gets out of the ruin and earthbends an avalanche under her with it she surfes down to the river.

As she reaches the river and starts to fill the first water skin, she feels eyes on her.

Fast she twirles around and creates a whole of ice between her and the unknown danger.

“An arrow?”, she mumbles stupified.

More arrows struck the wall before two more landed in the same spot and sliced the arrows that came before it. 

The ice cracks and another set of arrows pin the green sleeves of her kimono top to a fallen tree in the water.

Before she can react a net is launched at her.

Scary Hua looks into the face of the archer who captures her.

Who are this?

And what are they gonna do to her?

***

As it turns out they cart her into a Fire Nation fortress and lock her up in a cell.

Hua was bound at her legs and arms with chains, barely able to move. 

Angrily she struggles against the chains.

Oh, whoever did this to her will pay?!

Her cell door opens and Commander Zhao enters with a smug look on his stupid face.

She growls at him.

“Feisty aren’t we?”, he musses and stands before her. “So this is the great Daimon. One of the two masters of all the elements. I don't know how you've managed to elude the Fire Nation for a hundred years, but your little game of hide and seek is over.”

“I will show you who is feisty!”, she growls back. “Untie me and I will make you pay for implying that I hide from cowards like you!”

“Uhh, no. Tell me, how is it to find yourself in a world where all your loved ones are dead?”

Anraged Hua shows him her teeth. How she wants to bite this asshole!

“Don't worry, you won't be killed. See, if you die you will just be reborn and the Fire Nation would have to start searching all over again. Even if you would be reborn in the Fire Nation. We simply don’t have time for this. So I'll keep you alive, but just barely.”

The arrogant asshole turns his back on her to step out of the cell, as Hua takes a deep breath and spits a fire stream after him.

Sadly he can bend it away.

“Nice little trick, who taught you this?”

“I learned it myself!”

Strangely Zhao laughs and the next words make Hua shiver all over. “You are indeed a feist one, the Avatar just attacked me with an airblast, but you…you were going for the kill.”

“Avatar…”, she repeats shocked. “You have Aang?!”

“We caught him before you. Sadly you won’t be seeing him, who knows what you two would do together.”

With a last arrogant smirk Zhao leaves, leaving a panicked Hua behind.

Oh no.

Oh no!

OH NO!

This was so bad you needed a new word for bad!

The Fire Nation had both of them.

Oh spirits!

Angry tears fall from Hua’s green eyes as she tries to free herself.

She needs to get out and find Aang!

How long she tries to free herself she can’t tell, only how out of nowhere she hears battle sounds.

Surprised she looks up and that’s when Aang steps into the room!

“Aang!”

“Hua!”

He runs up to her and hugs her the best he can.

“Did they hurt you?”, he asked worried, taking her face in his hands.

“No, No. Did you get hurt?”, she asked back, looking him up and down.

“No, I’m fine too.”

Both signs relieved, then Aang steps away, Hua misses his hands on her face, and a tall man in all black with a blue spirit mask steps towards her.

“Aang, who is this?!”, she asked scared.

“A friend. He released me.”, he explains. “He will do the same for you. Don’t get scared of his swords.”

Hua does haven’t the time as Blue (she will call him this in her head) takes out Duo-Swords and frees her from her bindings.

She thanked her saviour with a bow, and then she and Aang embraced each other again, happy the other was okay and that they were together again.

The Daimon can’t explain since when she craved so much Aang touch, she just knows she felt safe and happy in his arms.

“Yeah, you are right, we should go.”, says Aang to Blue, who had pointed at the cell door.

The Avatar and Daimon take each other hand and follow Blue through the fortress.

They managed to reach the innermost wall of the fortress, scaling it on a rope as they got spotted!

A soldier appears at the top of the wall they are climbing. He cuts the rope and the trio falls down the wall.

Thankful Aang airbends them to a soft landing. 

When the dust clears, the Blue Spirit unsheathes his swords and they run.

A wild prison breaks take place, where they have to fight and climb up the walls of the fortress.

Thanks that Hua was an earthbender, she just smashed holes into the walls, where they could escape.

They are nearing the last wall, however, four firebenders unleash their flame on them, but Aang and Hua put the masked man behind them and he airbends and she firebends the flames away.

“Hold your fire!”, commands Zhao. “The Avatar and Daimon must be captured alive!”

The Blue Spirit instantly comes up behind the two children and crosses his swords in front of their throats, surprising Aang and Hua.

A stand-off takes place, in which Zhao gives in and commands to open the gates.

The gate is opened and the Blue Spirit backs out with his captives, swords still at their throats.

The Blue Spirit continues backing away from the fortress. Zhao now looks on from the top of the main gate.

Then all happens fast.

Hua recognizes the archers who capture her and tries to warn Blue and Aang.

“Get down!”

Blue takes the swords from their troats and wants like them to drop down to the floor, but the arrow hits him in the shoulder!

With a pained groan, their silent ally falls down on the floor.

“No!”. scream Hua and Aang together.

Aang creates a huge dusty cloud as Hua checks for Blue.

“This is bad Aang.”, she tells him. “The arrow pierced his whole shoulder, if we don’t help him, he will bleed to death.”

“Alright, let’s take him with us!”

Hua grips Blue's arms and Aang his legs, together they airbend away from the scene.

***

Luck was on their side and they reached their campsite with Blue without any more problems.

Hua and Aang put Blue on Hua's sleeping back, as Katara called out to them: “Aang, Hua, where were you, who is this?”

She coughs pititful.

“Ah, I forgot the frogs, I will be back soon, okay!”, proclaims Aang and races out.

Hua deadpan after him.

“Sure, I will try alone to save the life of our saviour.”

She signs at gets to work.

As she collected the things she needed, she explained to Katara what happened. 

Thankful her best friend was lucid enough to understand, other than Sokka who said Blue was a Demon and here to eat his heart.

Sitting beside Blue, Hua checks their supplies. Bandages and some salves. Thankful she had one full water skin before she got captured so she could clean his wound.

Careful with her knife she opened his black shirt up where the arrow had gone through and checked it.

Okay, it seemed no bone was hit, this was good and the arrow had gone through nicely.

Alright, she could do it.

First, she slowly cleaned the wounds in front and in the back with water and put the antiinfection salve on it.

Then she cut the rest of the arrow with her knife away.

Only the little bit who looked out of his back remained.

Now she needed to carefully slip it out and pray he didn’t bleed to death.

Taking a deep breath she pulled the arrow out.

Blue screamed in pain.

Katara gasped.

Sokka shrieked about how the demon hoards would come for them.

And a blood fountain gushes out from Blue wounds.

OH NO!

Shit, shit, shit!

Hua let out some really creative curses, which made Katara even more gasp, as she tried to stop the bleeding with the bandages.

They get soaked in seconds.

She tries with water to wash it out and then bandaids over.

It bleeds and bleeds and bleeds!

“Oh come on please!”, she cried, holding her wet hand on the wound. “Stop please.”

Then something unexpected happened.

Her hand and the water started to glow blue and like a miracle closed the wound!

Unellegant Hua's chin meets the floor.

What happened?

What had she done?!

Whatever it was, it had probably saved Blue life.

***

“So let me get this straight you get captured by Zhao, Blue Mask over there saves you and you manage to get him wounded and then you bring him here without knowing who he is?!”

“Sokka, he saved mine and Aang's lives he can’t be bad.”

“I don’t trust masked vigilante! They always have something to hide.”

“What done is, is done. I’m with Hua and Aang. He can’t be that bad if he saved them.”

“Katara, you are too trusting.”

Zuko woke up to loud voices squabbling over him. 

He blinked behind his mask the black dots away and turned his head.

There were the Avatar and Daimon together with the two teens of the watertribe and their three animals.

The humans were sitting around a fire, eating something which looked and smelled like soup, which made him notice how hungry he was himself.

What should he do now?

His prizes were before him, but also a bison, a kyuubi, a waterbender and a guy with a club.

He couldn’t just snatch them up.

Also, his shoulder still hurt.

No, he had to analyse the sitation before he did something stupid.

“Ah, I think our guest woke up.”, said the water tribe girl and walked over to him. With a friendly smile, she kneeled beside him, offering him a bowl of soup. “I don’t know who you are, but you saved Aang and Hua. This makes you in my eyes a friend.”

The water tribe boy groaned behind her.

Zuko just said nothing.

He wasn’t used to people who treated him nicely, well besides his uncle.

So he better stay still.

“Not a talker are ya?”, giggled the girl. She put the bowl and a spoon beside him. “You have your reason to hide your face, so no one will look when you eat. Enjoy it.”

“I still think this is stupid.”, grumbled the water tribe boy.

“Sokka, people have a right to their privacy.”, scolded the water tribe girl.

With that, she stood up and joined her friends again.

Incredibly they really turned their backs on him and talked just with each other, even if he could see how the water tribe boy fought with turning around.

Slowly Zuko got an idea.

If they already trusted him for saving the Avatar and Daimon…maybe if he stayed a few days with them, and played their ally, they would leave him eventually alone with the two youngest and he could take them to his ship and then the Fire Nation.

Yes!

He could play a few days being nice, he just hoped his uncle wouldn’t worry so much.

Maybe he could send him a message?

Whatever one thing after another.

He ate the soup, which was after years on the sea with a cook with a bad temper, really tasty and enjoyable.

Soon, he would get his honour back.

He just had to be patient.

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