CONTROL > ATLA

CH. 4: THE SOUTHERN AIR TEMPLE

"Yeah, you're right," Aang grinned.

"So, uh, this Air Ball game, how do you play?" Sokka asked, and Aang and I exchanged a glance before breaking out into grins.

"THIS IS NOT EASY! YOU LIED TO ME!" Sokka yelled at me while trying to balance on the poles while I just stood there.

"Oops. Did I mention you have to be an Air Bender?"

"Ani!"

I stopped teasing Sokka when I heard a whisper in the wind, and I took a glance around, but saw no one.

"Tenzei?" I whispered.

"You alright, Anisha?" Katara asked.

But, I didn't respond.

"Ani!"

"Anisha?"

I floated off of the poles and started towards the voice, running as my heart quickened it's pace when I recognized it.

"Anisha! Where are you going?!"

I knew where I was going, yet I didn't. I was in a trance, running down to the side of the mountain and hopping off, letting the wind envelope me as I carefully Air Bended my way to a hole on the side.

It's Tenzei!

I know his voice!

I know he's here!

"Tenzei?!" I called out into the cave, pushing myself inside with the wind and looking around frantically.

"Ani! Look over here!"

"Tenzei?! Where are you?!" I felt tears welling up in my eyes. I could hear his voice, I could feel him somewhere inside of the cave - our cave.

"I'm over here, silly!"

I saw a light flicker inside the slender hall, a place we would go in secret when we didn't want to train and where we could easily block up, and I took the air from the inside of it to shove forth all of the rocks that blocked my way.

"Tenzei! I can't believe that-!"

My eyes widened at the sight before me.

Pieces of Fire Navy armor lay on the ground, broken spears and the inside smelt like charred remains. Bloody footprints led into this secret part of the cave, but they weren't from Fire Navy soldiers. They were small, like how a fifteen year old boys foot would be like. And at the end of the bloody footprints lay a body with a spear through it, and the body wore Air Bender clothing. . .

Tenzei. . .?

I dropped to my knees.

Katara was right.

No one survived the Fire Nation attacks, not even the Air Benders were safe from them.

Not even Tenzei. . .

Not even the other kids. . .

I collapsed into tears. I remembered the day Tenzei discovered this cave, saying everything we could do here and how to fix it up. I remembered flying here with him, the Monks always getting angry at us when we'd stay out past curfew. Even when Tenzei took me here past curfew with reddened cheeks, and he wouldn't answer me when I asked him what we were doing. . .and then he kissed me.

"The Fire Nation is going to pay!"

My Avatar state activated, my eyes becoming enveloped in the white light that also covered my Air Bender markings. I felt so much hatred. The Fire Nation has spent a hundred years trampling over others, forcing fear into millions of innocent people, even going as far as enslaving them and murdering them. I'm not a hateful person and I didn't like the way it made me feel, but how else could you murder children and think it was for the greater good?

"Anisha! Stop!"

I could hear Sokka behind me, but I let his voice fade into the background as my anger kept building and building, giving me more reasons to destroy the Fire Nation with no mercy whatsoever. To march down there and put just as much fear in them just as the people they've put down.

"Think of Aang! What example is this setting for him?!"

A-Aang?

"Would he want to see his sister like this?!"

"They killed kids! I can't let them get away with this!" I yelled.

"And we won't! It's not right, and they're monsters! But right now you wouldn't stand a chance against them," I remembered how quickly I defeated Zuko. I had him on the ground within seconds as I extinguished the flames in his hands with my Air Bending, the wind so quick that it wouldn't even give fire a chance to light again.

But. . .I can't do that to the entire Nation.

And I let myself surrender.

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Fun Fact: Lady Anisha of the Fire Nation was acknowledged as royalty more than Mai, since the Fire Nation was encouraged by the fact that she could put an end to Ozai.