Chapter Text
You’re facing a fork in the road.
A metaphorical one, that is. But no less confusing than a real one with no signs or people around to ask for directions. Life is taking you down a path you’re quite unfamiliar with.
You’re an elite junior member of the Fire Nation Guard, young and enterprising like the peers you’re standing alongside in a militant formation as you await the arrival of the new avatar. You've been doing noticeably well lately and there's talk of a new opportunity on the horizon for you: the chance to be promoted to the royal guard to protect the Fire Lord and his family. You maintain a serious expression that hides your inner turmoil and doubt; you have to maintain a professional facade if you want to create a good image for your nation while the avatar greets Fire Lord Zuko for the first time. And image is highly important for your nation, more than any other, after Zuko’s predecessors instigated the Imperial War nearly two centuries ago-- not to mention how the avatar of the time, Aang, defeated them. As a result, post-war reparations and an allyship with the avatar were primary points of focus during Zuko's and Iroh’s rule.
You’ve caught a quick look at her once before, but only in the photographs from the paper, the title above her picture announcing her discovery in Zaofu. In the photo, she seemed confused more than anything. But who wouldn’t be if they found out they were the avatar in their mid-twenties? You suppress a shudder at the thought. You’re twenty-three. The thought of not just a life-altering, but world-altering event like that two years from now was your personal nightmare.
Maybe that’s why you’re so reluctant to leave, and yet so hesitant to stay.
You’ve spent your whole life here, dedicated to your craft. You’ve mastered firebending. You’ve made friends-- sort of. You have a family here, one whose ancestors form a long lineage of highly honored Fire Nation warriors-- your mother and grandmother, the only ones still living, among them. Of course you were expected to uphold the tradition growing up. You never took issue with that; in fact, you love firebending. You love working hard. You’re proud of what you’ve done here. You can’t leave and throw it all away, especially not when you're about to reap the benefits of your hard work.
You are an only child. If you don’t follow the path set for you by your family, the honored tradition will die with you. You love your family, but you couldn’t bear to see the look on your mother’s face when you tell her you can’t stay here and spend the rest of your life locked up in the royal palace guarding the Fire Lord and his family 24/7. After all, it’s like his beloved predecessor and uncle, Fire Lord Iroh, once wrote: “If you only draw wisdom from one place, it becomes rigid and stale. Understanding others, the other elements and the other nations, will help you become whole.” You remember reading that quote in the library, then closing the memoir you found it in, then absorbing the information. And you knew from that moment on.
You need to see what else is out there. You need to absorb as much as you can. You need a different purpose.
You need to become whole.
But now is not the time to think about that, you remind yourself harshly when the fanfare begins and the acolytes appear from down the street leading to the palace steps. This is a big day for the Fire Nation-- for all nations, really. It is Avatar Kuvira’s first public appearance since the announcement of her existence in the Earth Kingdom, marking one of the first times the world has seen the avatar since Yue’s death twenty-five years before. Her life was rather uneventful compared to Aang’s, but effective and highly regarded as a whole; he spent his life ending an imperialist war, and she spent hers using her power to maintain the peace he had brought. Without an avatar, the world felt… directionless. Any true power that existed without an avatar to put it into balance fell to the acolytes that arose shortly after her death, and the rest of the world twiddled their thumbs or dealt with their own domestic affairs. It was only natural the acolytes would be in charge of guiding the next one coming.
The acolytes, all dressed in gowns and robes colored a deep green in honor of the Earth Kingdom, step aside in clean formation to reveal the world’s next hero-in-training. There stands Kuvira, posture and expression serious. The photo journalists had not done her beauty justice, and you wonder if the photos they’re taking now will be any better. Her hair is even darker in person. Her facial features are sharp and serious. With that expression on her face, she could be just as likely attending a legal hearing. Poor bastard.
She makes her way up the steps and avoids the intense gaze of you and your colleagues along the way. An avatar from Zaofu. She must be the first metalbending avatar-- or the first one known to do it, at least.
When she nears the Fire Lord at the top of the steps she cracks a gentle smile and bows in greeting, offering the Fire Nation salute, right fist placed firmly against an open left palm. You stop staring when your commanding officer (who doubles as your former mentor and triples as a lifelong friend), Sugi, hollers an order and your troop complies, the lot of you turning 90 degrees to your right.
The sound of your troop’s clanking armor fills the air while you take ceremonial formation. The silence rings in all of your ears a moment later. As you stare at the back of an armored colleague in front of you, the Fire Lord begins to speak, with perfect timing as the sun sets behind the palace and creates a golden evening setting.
“Good evening,” Zuko begins, voice trembling with age but ringing with experience and authority. “As you all know, we, the proud people of the Fire Nation, have gathered here tonight to offer our official greeting to the world’s next avatar. Kuvira, please step forward.”
As she obliges Zuko’s request, you crane your neck subtly to get a better look while maintaining formation. When you can get a good view of the ceremony, you notice your old classmate (and rival) from the Firebending Academy standing to Avatar Kuvira’s left, chest puffed in pride. Hijiri. You suppress an eye roll at the smug sight. Why could he possibly be up there, of all the royal guards? Noted excellence in toe-picking?
You must not have been the only one who noticed his presence just now, because someone else a few soldiers down mumbles, “What a chump.” A few of your peers snicker at that and you allow a smirk.
“Hijiri, please step forward,” Zuko repeats to him. Hijiri steps forward, now aligned with Kuvira at the front of the stone platform they stand on.
“As the leader of this great nation, it is my honor to assist Kuvira as she begins her journey towards becoming a fully realized avatar and a master of the elements. We all know the cycle’s pattern; earth, fire, air, and water. Fire is the first element she will learn to control that exists outside of her natural realm of experience. We, as firebenders, are all aware of the many qualities fire possesses. It is delicate and easy to stifle.” He steps forward and summons a flame with one hand before closing his palm, flame disappearing just as quickly as it appeared. “But it can quickly turn, become a catalyst of death and destruction.”
Kuvira stands looking silently ahead with a stern expression, dark brows furrowed and hands folded behind her back.
“Fire bending is an art that requires strength and dedication on top of patience and grace. If you respect the art, your discipline will be rewarded. But if you use it to brutalize and dominate the innocent, you, in turn, will face a fate equally cruel in nature. That is why selecting a firebending master is one of the most important decisions an avatar will make in their life. One’s relationship with their firebending master will define their relationship with firebending as a whole.”
Where is he going with this?
“For this reason I have invited the avatar here not only to formally welcome her to the Fire Nation, but to provide her with the opportunity to choose a firebending master among the most elite warriors of our Royal Guard.”
You can tell where this is going. Who said Hijiri was elite? Your nose crinkles in disgust. He was nothing but an arrogant idiot with a charming and attractive exterior, propelled up the military ladder by a silver spoon all throughout his life. Surely Zuko knew. Maybe he’s just relieved to send that blockhead away.
“Hijiri has the honor of being chosen to teach Avatar Kuvira firebending,” Zuko continues, and a couple of people near you start mumbling under their breath, sounding disgruntled, either out of personal jealousy or disdain for Hijiri-- or both. You’re not concerned; you’re either getting the hell out of here or taking his place in the guard soon enough. The decision between the two is what makes your skin crawl.
_________
“Y/n!”
You’re out of guard rotation for the next two hours at the after party following the ceremony. You can tell instantly by the way she hollers your name that your old friend has had a drink or two.
“Sugi,” you greet halfheartedly, not wanting to talk to your drunk companion. She’s a capable woman-- one of the most capable people you knew, in fact-- but she parties rarely, and she parties hard. You muster the energy your job has drained from you to talk to her, but your heart leaps into your throat when you see she’s got her arm around the avatar’s shoulder; she’s shorter, though, so Kuvira’s leaning down and practically in a head lock looking unbothered but rather confused. You recall having seen Sugi speaking with her earlier when the sun was still out, and shockingly, the avatar was listening intently; that is, when you didn’t exchange weird, long glances with her.
“I abso-posively HAD to introduct you to my favorite student-- oh, b-but don’t tell anyone I said that,” she drawls to Kuvira as she approaches you. “Let’s--” she pauses to hiccup-- “keep that between jus’ you en’ me because y/n doesnknow.”
Oh, spirits above. This could be the one chance you have in your life to have a good impression on the avatar, and Sugi’s minutes away from either throwing up or passing out on her.
“Here, why don’t I--” you lunge forward to hold Sugi up yourself, hoisting her arm around your shoulder instead.
“Hey, buddy,” she giggles. You smell the alcohol on her breath. “You’re thbest student I ever had, did I tell you that? But you cannNNOOT--” she erupts, pointing at you at an attempt to show conviction, but her finger sways, “--tell y/n.”
“You’ve told me this at least three times before. And you were sober for two of them. Also, no one else cares.”
You see Kuvira smirk at your remark out of the corner of your eye.
Sugi laughs harder now, pressing a fist on your chest. “Guess the bag’s outta the cat. You’re hilar--hilo--h-- you’re funny,” the warrior manages. “Kuvira shoulda picked you to teach’er. Get a--” she hiccups again, “--clue, Vira. Clue-vira. I me--Kuvira.”
Great. You’ve been made an ass of before you can even introduce yourself. Might as well attempt a good impression before Sugi makes things worse. You turn your focus to the avatar, offering an apologetic smile with a nervous laugh.
“I am so sorry,” you offer. “She doesn’t get like this often. A night off is rare for the commanding officers.”
“No need to apologize,” she reassures you gently. “I met her before she downed all those fire whiskeys. She spoke very highly of you, uh… y/n?”
Your gaze softens before you can mask it. Sugi was the only person in the entire troop who understood what you were feeling without you having to say it; she was probably the only person you would genuinely miss besides your family... if you left. If you were being honest, she was family; despite having mentored you in firebending, she was only three and half years older, and never underestimated you growing up. If anything, she was like an older sister.
You would die before you told her that, probably. It was the kind of love that was better off unspoken.
“Ohhh, yeah. She and fire whiskey have a long history together,” you remark, and Kuvira chuckles. “And-- yes, I’m y/n. It’s an honor to meet you, Avatar Kuvira.” You manage a pathetic Fire Nation salute, unable to do it properly with Sugi’s head resting on your chest.
“Why’s your heartbeat so fast?” Sugi blurts out into your armor. You’re too busy glaring at her to notice how Kuvira reacted, or if she even heard that. I’m going to kill you later, you try to send to her telepathically.
“So I hear you’re an achieved firebender here,” Kuvira continues, hands clasped formally behind her back. If she did hear Sugi’s remark, she definitely ignored it to help you save face, and you were grateful. “Are you to take Hijiri’s place in the guard?”
Ugh. A question about your future. Fortunately, you have no emotional attachment to this person, so you can lie without facing any consequences for it later. “Well… yeah, that’s the buzz around town,” you answer, suppressing the urge to wince at your awkward answer.
She pays it no mind and offers a smile, equally formal to her pose. “Congratulations. The Fire Lord will be in good hands, should you accept the opportunity.”
“Right,” you answer, beginning to zone out now that the future is on your mind. “It’s… it’s a great one, no question.” A pause of silence follows. “So… Hijiri, huh?”
Her expression shifts subtly, but she’s virtually impossible to read; while her gaze is emerald, her eyes are dark. She doesn’t seem angry so much as troubled, or maybe thoughtful. You’ve noticed that the whole time talking to her, she consistently seems... unsettled, somehow. But she’s gentle and controlled. You can tell she’s careful and calculated in everything she does, from fighting to speaking to sleeping. “He’s… frustrating, to put it gently,” she responds. “I’m sure he’s a great firebender and teacher.”
“Wait, you haven’t had a lesson yet?”
Kuvira seems to have relaxed a bit now, hands resting gently at her sides. “I’m not meant to begin my formal training just yet,” she explains. “The acolytes in the Earth Kingdom division have a set schedule for me, and it doesn’t include combat training or bending at the moment.”
Huh, weird. Most avatars before her had few resources and were forced to wing it as a result, and they seemed to do so pretty successfully. Was she okay with having so little control? You answered that question by wishing you had someone to tell you what to do.
“Well,” you begin, “Hijiri isn’t th--”
Before you can complain about your stupid rival, an acolyte approaches and hollers, “Kuvira!” You entertain the idea that he was eavesdropping and swooped in before the conversation could turn sour on Hijiri or the acolytes. “Let me introduce you to the financial giants who’ve just arrived-- the gentlemen and his daughter from Future Industries may pave the way for a great endorsement some day soon…” his voice fades as he pulls the avatar away before you can even muster a goodbye. Regardless, her eyes are glued to you as she’s pulled away. Has that poor woman spent this whole party being dragged every which way by different people clamoring for her attention? She raises a hand to wave goodbye, looking just as flustered as you feel.
“Earth benders are reaaaal hotties,” Sugi mumbles, reminding you of her presence and unwittingly alerting you to the drool she’s gotten on your armor. “Don’tcha think?”