Sweat dripped down her face as she squatted in a fighting pose with her arms out. Focusing hard, she concentrated her chi, feeling it go through her body until she finally stepped forward and moved her hands in a circle before the fire came out like a cannon ball destroying her target. Shifting her feet back and her other arm forward, her two fingers came together and pointed in the same direction but instead of a fireball, a tiny spark of lightning came out, “.”

An amused bystander came out of the shadows clapping, “That was cute.”

The girl huffed before grabbing a towel to wipe off her sweat, “Shut up.”

“No it really was. You might be able to give me a little zap.”

“You can’t even make that little bit of lightning.”

The woman leaned on the nearest target taking in her friend who was now practicing her movements, “You are something special Taeyeon, but it takes years to learn lighting bending. Why not focus on your fire bending skills for now? There is still much to learn.”

“If I can master lightning, I can master anything fire.” Taeyeon reasoned before giving it one more shot, but this time it was even more pathetic with just a puff of smoke emerging from her fingers.

This caused the other woman to start rolling on the floor laughing.

“Yah! Yoona shut up!”

“I can’t help it! It was so pitiful.” Taeyeon quickly grabbed her stuff and was ready to leave the training area, but was stopped by Yoona again, “Wait wait. I came here for a reason. I promise.”

Taeyeon folded her arms, “Speak.”

“What are you doing for the Fire festival?”

“Skipping it as much as possible.”

“Why? Come and have fun with the rest of us. It is only once a year and you spend the time training or brooding in your room. Just once can’t you enjoy time with friends and family?”

“What a waste of time. I need to get stronger.”

Yoona once again blocked Taeyeon from leaving, “For what?”

“You know why. Now move.”

Yoona sighed, “I know why, which is why I am going to let you enjoy your youth. You have a lifetime to be the greatest fire bender ever, but your adolescence is only here once. Please…this year have fun with us, your friends?”

Taeyeon looked at her friend up and down for a moment, “I will consider it, but only if my teacher grants me time off.”

“Boo…that old man never lets us have time off! That is why you are his favorite pupil.”

Taeyeon snickered, “Exactly. That should give you my answer to the Fire festival.”

Yoona stood defeated by her friend’s clever tactic, but unbeknownst to the other girl, she had a plan in mind to get her to go, willing or not.

Taeyeon on the other hand was still frustrated with a disappointing training session. She has been attempting to lightning bend for a year now, but the most progress she made thus far was that little spark, “I don’t get it! I am focusing my chi like I was told. It should work.” Smashing a few things off her desk, Taeyeon collapsed on her bed, “I will never be the best if I can’t figure this out.”

A soft knock came on the door.

“Yoona go away!”

Ignoring Taeyeon’s request, an older woman entered the bedroom, “Taeyeon dear.”

Taeyeon quickly got up, “Mother.”

Taeyeon’s mother picked up the stuff that fell onto the floor, “One thing I hate about your father is his temper…I am afraid you have inherited that trait too.”

Taeyeon always wondered why her father married her mother. They were complete opposites. Her father was strong and domineering, but her mother was a pacifist. Such a personality trait was considered weak in the Fire nation, but her mother was still a very powerful bender when the time comes to use her stills, “I still can’t focus my chi enough to make lightning.”

“Lightning is dangerous. If you control it wrong, it will harm the person who made it. I don’t like the idea of you trying that skill until you are ready.”

“But father can do it and so can brother!”

“Yes and they are far more experienced than you. For the next few years you should be learning to control your fire bending skills. In fire bending you control your chi differently, but also in the same way you need to master the feeling of that chi inside you. The more powerful your fire bending becomes, the better you will be at controlling your chi. Do not take for granted the small skills it takes to learn a new and more powerful one. The time will come when you can learn lightning, but right now you are far too young.” Her mother reasoned.

Taeyeon didn’t like the answer but she knew her mother was right, “Okay. I will learn to harness my fire before I attempt lightning again.”

Taeyeon’s mother kissed her daughter on the head, “Good girl. I also came to tell you that tomorrow your father is returning and he wants you to go with him to greet guests from another nation.”

“What? Why me? That is what brother helps father with.”

“Your brother needed to stay behind in the capitol for a while. He will be back in a few weeks. Until then, you will be asked to take over most of his responsibilities.”

Taeyeon groaned, “I refuse.”

“If you want to refuse, you should request that from your father.”

Taeyeon felt chills go up her back, “Ah…never mind. If father wants me to help, I will.”

Her mother giggled before getting off the bed, “That is what I thought. Have a good night dear.”

Taeyeon smiled, “Good night mother.” She watched as her mother left before going over to her closet and putting on her favorite red coat. Although the night was getting late, Taeyeon had a lot to think over. Despite her feeling the strongest during the daytime, the cool night air was the perfect way to clear her mind.

Pulling up her window, Taeyeon jumped out and snuck across her lawn before hopping the fence. Once out of her house, she breathed a sigh of relief. She never felt comfortable in her home. There was a lot of responsibility and expectations there, but out on the streets, she can feel normal. No one looks at her with admiration or fear and no one cared who her father was.

Putting her hands in her pocket, Taeyeon walked through the shopping district, allowing herself to get distracted by all the goods and even picked up some sweets to eat while she enjoyed the hustle and bustle of the village. She watched a few performers showing off basic bending skills with a mix of juggling or magic but she knew that wasn’t real bending. It was just for show so she continued her walk until she saw an abandoned school.

Curious, Taeyeon walked over the rubble and into the courtyard, “An old bending school.” After the war, a lot of the bending schools shut down. The fire nation didn’t see the reason to start training as a soldier till after adolescence so some of the schools for the younger students were abandoned. Taeyeon knew the city like the back of her hand, so she wondered why this place never peaked her interest before. Yet it brought back a lot of memories from the first time she tried bending. Her mother used to say that as a baby she had the gift and would sometimes hiccup fire.

Taeyeon laughed as she passed by the courtyard and into the classroom. With all the furniture gone, it was hard to tell this once used to be a school, but the teaching board remained in the front and shadows of desks stained the floors. Sitting down and facing the board, Taeyeon remembered what her mother said, “I must remember the basics.” Thinking back, her teacher was always talking about how to harness their chi. Taeyeon crossed her legs and fisted her hands together as she closed her eyes. To harness her chi, she needed to feel it consume her body, not as a warm hug, but as if you were to combust from the inside out.

Taeyeon sat there in her memories of the first time she felt the chi in the pit of her stomach, letting it expand through her limbs and out through her hands. Eventually Taeyeon could feel the pulsating of her chi through her whole body and she released it as a flame, until it suddenly went out and she was left cold drenched in water, “Yah!”

Quickly Taeyeon got up and looked out the window to see a girl standing there. Seeing how she was dressed, it was clear it was this girl who sprayed water on her, “Hey! What the hell! Who are you? You got me all wet. How dare you!” Doesn’t this girl know who she was?

“What? There was a fire! I put it out.” The girl stood her ground.

“That fire was me!” Taeyeon was still fuming from anger and growing colder from the ice cold water.

“I thought the building was on fire.”

Was the girl laughing at her? How stupid can this tribe woman be? “Silly woman. That was fire bending. I was concentrating my bending skills. Why would I set a building on fire?”

“I don’t know. I have never seen fire bending before.”

Taeyeon climbed out the window and took her jacket off shaking the water off, “What business do you have in this village water tribe?”

“How did you know I was from a water tribe?”

Taeyeon looked the woman up and down taking in the fur on her clothing, “Besides the fact you bend water, your clothes are strange. No one here wears the color blue. Red show strength and our fierce heart while you wear blue…it is a color for the weak.”

The other girl huffed irritated at Taeyeon, “Blue is not weak and neither are we.” Holding up her hands, she beckoned water over and quickly turned it to ice, “water is not only calming and fluid.”

Taeyeon had never seen water bending with ice before. She found it very interesting but she needed to hold her ground. Fire still melted ice after all, “Impressive. However, fire can still melt that ice.” With the snap of her fingers, Taeyeon created a flame in her hands, but the water woman quickly put it out. “Yah! Why did you do that!”

“If your fire was so strong, why did my weak water put it out.” The woman started laughing. Taeyeon wasn’t going to be looked down upon by a water tribe woman so she quickly circled her hands ready to create a bigger blaze, but a tall young man jumped between them.

“Stop!”

Taeyeon looked at the man. She knew he was a soldier of the water tribe even with civilian clothes on.

The water woman knew him too, “Minho…”

“Back away fire bender!” The man said in his fighting pose.

Although the man was threating her with a fight, Taeyeon thought this whole situation was rather funny, “I see you have a protector with you.”

“Minho! Stand down.”

The man didn’t move, “I will not. My orders are to protect you.”

Taeyeon had enough of this. She was out for a nice walk, but was in no mood to fight who she assumed were her guests for tomorrow night. Throwing her shoulders, “No need to be so defensive. I was leaving.” It was strange for water benders to be in her village so she knew this girl was someone special, “Water bender, I am sure we will meet again.” Not looking back, Taeyeon left the man and woman and decided to go back home and rest for the night.

نارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنا

The next day, Taeyeon put on her best clothes and stood tall greeting her father as he returned to the village. She bowed and kept silent as her mother did most of the talking.

“My lord, how was your trip the Fire nation?”

The man huffed, “My brother is still as incompetent as ever. He thinks that we should remain at peace with the Earth nation when we can see they are building an army! Why should we stand by waiting for their attack? Peace treaties have been broken before. I can’t believe my father let someone so weak of heart rule the whole nation.”

Taeyeon stood to the side watching her father pace the room.

“Did you offer your guidance?”

“Did I? Of course I did! I nearly gave him the whole history of the Fire nation but he is stubborn and will not let us expand the military so I left Jiwoong there. That boy will make moves to become the next general.” Turning around he spotted his other child, “Taeyeon come here.”

Obedient, Taeyeon came forward, “Yes father.”

The man stood tall above her, “I expect you by my side while your brother is gone.”

Taeyeon bowed her head, “Yes father.”

The man grunted as he turned to sit in his chair, “The Northern Water tribe has come to exchange goods and I am expecting it is a good-will visit. However, water people have always been weak, claiming harmony amongst the nations is best, but past wars have shown them to be a strong ally of the Earth nation. Taeyeon I want you to keep an eye on them to make sure they are not planning something during the Fire festival.”

“Yes father.”

“Find whatever you can about them Taeyeon. For the Fire nation to be strong, we need to know how to take down all our enemies.”

“Yes father.” Taeyeon bowed one last time before turning to her mother. She could tell that her mother was not happy with her father’s plans, but Taeyeon knew better than to say anything back to the man, so she left.

Once she left the main room, Taeyeon was nearly tackled by Yoona, “I see he is back.”

Taeyeon shook off her friend, “How did you get in here? Security should be tight.”

“I am part royalty. As a distant cousin…I think.”

Taeyeon laughed, “Everyone knows you made that up.”

“Says who?”

“Says me, who actually knows the royal lineage.” Taeyeon walked around her home until they reached the courtyard, “You shouldn’t be here though.”

Yoona shuffled her feet, “I know about the banquet. The kitchen was very busy when I tried to steal some food today.”

Taeyeon rolled her eyes, “I don’t even know why we are friends. You are no better than a common thief.”

“You like me because as kids you had no friends and everyone was afraid of you, but me. My guts of steal means we are friends for life.” Yoona stood proudly walking around the courtyard.

“Your guts of steal nickname came after the school at the bad fruit and you were the only one that didn’t throw up.”

Yoona laughed at the memory, “good times.”

Taeyeon rolled her eyes, “Hey Yoona, can I ask you something?”

“Me?” Yoona turned her full attention to Taeyeon, “I am surprised someone as great as you needs my advice.”

“Yes yes even I have thoughts that are hard to decipher.”

Yoona smiled in triumph, “What is bothering you these days?”

“I am worried about father.”

“Your father? Are we talking about the right man? He is the fiercest in the country.”

“Yes I know but I think he is not sound of mind. He talks of war after every visit to the Fire nation. Today he claimed that the Earth nation was building up their army. I find this all hard to believe. Why would the other nations want war when we have been at peace for decades?”

“I am sure he has is reasons Taeyeon.”

“I was ordered today to watch over the visiting Water tribe during the fire festival.”

“Oh? Well that sounds boring. Ditch that and come have fun with me instead.”

Taeyeon laughed, “I would never defy father, but I don’t think they pose a threat and neither do the Earth nation.”

Yoona shrugged, “if you are too afraid to stand up to your father, what does your opinion matter? He will do what he thinks is right and you will stand to the side like always.”

Taeyeon felt the frustration and rage in herself ready to explode so she kicked up and shot out flames, hitting a statue in the yard.

Yoona stood back as she watched Taeyeon destroy every statue in the courtyard in a blind rage, “Taeyeon when you act like your father, nothing gets done.”

When Taeyeon was finished with her outburst, the woman collapsed onto her knees surrounded by flames and destroyed stone, “I need to be more like him.”

Yoona shook her head, “No. You shouldn’t let that fear consume you. Although you might see your mother as weak, she is much stronger than your father. When I see her in you, I see a much stronger woman.”

Taeyeon wiped the sweat from her brow, “I am nothing like her.”

Yoona laughed, “You are more like her than you know.”

نارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنارنا

That night, Taeyeon dressed in her best clothes had her hair pulled back and a small flame crown placed in her bun. She stood tall next to her father who also took the time to put on his royal clothing for the guests.

They waited until the guards came in announcing, “I present the Chief of the Northern Water tribe Jung and his daughter Sooyeon along with guests.”

Taeyeon watched as the chief entered. She noticed their signature blue clothing lined with the finest fur. She laughed a little wondering if that attire would be too warm to wear. Then she turned her attention to the young woman beside him. She also wore the traditional water tribe clothing, causing Taeyeon to smirk, “So you are the princess.”

The water tribe woman was amazed at the home of a Fire nation royalty. She knew they liked the color red, but to lavash your whole home in that color seemed egocentric. She walked in next to her father, trying to remain composed next to his side, act like the princess she is, but when her eyes went upon the Fire nation village leader, she noticed a familiar girl next to him.

Flash backs to the night before, she remembered that woman drenched in water.

The Fire nation village leader stood, “Welcome. Congratulations on a safe voyage here. I hope you find our nation to be quite hospitable. Let me introduce my daughter, Taeyeon. I would have liked you to meet my eldest son, but he had to stay back at the Fire nation.”

Chief Jung laughed, “No worries. Your daughter looks to be the same age as my own. This is Sooyeon, she is my eldest child. Please be kind to her as this is the first time she left the water tribe.”

The Fire nation leader stepped down with his daughter to inspect the future leader of the tribe, “My daughter too has never left the fire nation. I hope you two will get to know each other better and learn the ways of another nation.”

Sooyeon bowed, “Yes sir. It is an honor meeting both of you.”

The man inspected the girl for a second before clapping his hands once and smiling, “Good. Now shall we go eat? You might find the food here to be a little spicy.” The Fire leader started guiding his gests to the dinning area, leaving Sooyeon and Taeyeon alone for a second.

“I told you we would meet again water tribe.” Taeyeon whispered in passing before following her father.

Sooyeon smirked as she watched the retreating woman, “this will be an interesting trip.”