3rd Person's POV
Seren helped Himoko up the rest of the way onto the top of the wall of the Second Ring, smiling at her in triumph. This was where they usually left to when they came to discuss things other's ears weren't allowed to hear. The guards that patrolled the walls didn't do so until an hour later, so they had plenty of time to talk and then climb back down.
"Looks to be quite a nice night out again." Stated Seren with a soft pleasing hum as she looked up at the sky, soft fluffy clouds of the sky passing over them.
"Ever since I came to Ba Sing Se, I noticed that it rarely rains here."
"Yeah, it seems like a once in a full moon type of thing. And yet, our crops here never wither or dry out."
"I think it helps when there is so much humidity in the air."
"That's what happens when we live so close to the coast, and beyond that Fire Nation Waters." This sparked a thought in Seren's mind. "Hey, Siren. Would you ever... Like to visit the Fire Nation?" Himoko looked to Seren in surprise, ears perking up in curiosity.
"The Fire Nation?"
"Yeah. Like if the war is deemed over before we are grey and old and unable to travel to far off places. Would you like to visit there?" Himoko was reminded by Seren's words of one of her duties as the other bridge between two worlds. So far, she only had the Air and Water Spirits of the four elements. Yangchen was Air, La was Water.
"I... I don't think it would be a very pleasing visit. I feel like I would melt once I crossed the ocean to there." She heard Seren giggle beside her, muffling her giggle with the back of her hand. "Yeah, it seems very hot there. In school regularly me and my classmates would joke about Fire Benders being born inside of volcanoes."
"To be honest, I feel like Pappy would agree." Himoko said in response, smiling sadly.
"Pappy? Oh yeah your grandfather! How are your folks?" Questioned Seren, but was met with stunned silence when she turned her head and saw Himoko's eyes beginning to water.
"Siren? Are you okay?" She rested her hand on Himoko's shoulder in worry. Himoko blinked, shaking her head and wiped her tears away with her sleeve. "S-Sorry."
"You don't have to apologize for crying, Siren. It's a normal sucky human thing." Seren told her as she slowly rubbed her hand up and down Himoko's arm comfortingly.
"It's not just that... I'm sorry for lying to you." This caused Seren's eyes to widen, surprised.
"What do you mean...? Does it have to deal with why you wanted us to go here to talk?" Himoko nodded, taking a deep breath in before pushing herself off of the ground, standing tall. She looked up at the moon, feeling a small gentle breeze pass through her dark locks.
"...Yes. I wish I would have told you when we first met but- I needed to make sure that I could trust you."
"Siren, what's wrong?" Seren was still confused, not knowing where this was going. And Himoko didn't blame her.
"2 weeks ago, I arrived here in Ba Sing Se from the North Pole. Escorted by ship to land, into the city hidden by the Dai Li." The princess heard Seren's breath hitch.
"My name isn't Siren, I am not visiting my grandparents as the only family I have are far away, one captured by the Fire Nation in Omashu, and the other up in the Northern Water Tribe... I am a traveler though." Himoko looked down at Seren, shakily breathing in and out of her nose and mouth to keep her heart from racing.
"A-Are you a criminal, Si-" Seren stopped saying the alias, now knowing that it wasn't her real name. Himoko shook her head, stopping herself from laughing at the thought of her being one.
"No. Far from it." Himoko reached up to her collarbones, untying her cloak swiftly before pulling it off, revealing more of her clothing, along with the royal crest that was embroidered on the left side of her chest.
"I am Princess Himoko of Omashu, 'Pappy' is King Bumi." Seren stared up at her in stunned silence, not expecting this type of information to be what Si- Princess Himoko wanted to tell her. Seren began to pull things together when they first met, how uneasy Himoko was, how on the whim of telling her name was, 'Siren'. She used to look back at the start of their relationship fondly but now- It was centered around lies of her identity.
The girl wanted to yell and scream at her for lying to her like that, but she couldn't for two reasons- One, Himoko wasn't a regular person anymore, never has been. She would rather not offend a member of the Royal Family and be beheaded for it. Two... Himoko had every reason to keep it from her. Himoko was royalty, and if she was brought here in secret- There was a good reason for why she lied.
But that didn't mean Seren was going to forgive her for lying to her, she still held that right.
"I'm sorry for lying to you, Seren. But I unfortunately had to."
"Why couldn't you just tell me upfront?"
"Tomorrow is the day I am announced that I arrived in the city. The story will be that I came from Omashu along with my people after the city fell."
"O- Omashu has fallen?" Himoko nodded, taking a deep breath. "Yes. It fell weeks ago and was renamed, 'New Ozai' by the Fire Nation. King Bumi is still there as their prisoner. I don't know if he is staying there willingly or if his old age has finally caught up to him."
"I'm sorry to hear that..." Seren frowned, seeing the degected look on Himoko's face.
"I was travelling with the Avatar. I was up at the Northern Water Tribe when I received orders from my grandfather to journey to Ba Sing Se and to tell no one. It was to keep the Crowned Princess safe- The inevitable new ruler of Omashu if Pappy falls with his city." Himoko messed with the bracelet around her wrist, shifting side to side with a small bounce on her heels nervously.
"We were ambushed before we entered the city. They couldn't announce my arrival a few days afterwards like usual protocol since somehow the Fire Nation caught wind of me entering the city. Tomorrow, I plan on visiting the city, 'for the first time'." Himoko joked as she used air quotes, glad to see Seren smile in amusement. "Tomorrow. As luck would have it, my people from Omashu arrived today, and is set to be settled in tomorrow. Currently they are resting tonight on the outskirts of the city. It became a good cover up story for me. Only the palace guards, the Dai Li Agents, the palace staff, and my cousin and royal advisor know that I am here."
"Please don't tell me that you are going to turn me in-" Himoko hurriedly shakes her head, hearing the panic in her voice as Seren stands up abruptly. "No no no! I would never do that. What is happening in this city is wrong. I plan on making it right during my time here. Being a resident of the palace right now has its perks. But I do have to be careful. Royal Advisor Long Feng already suspects that I am up to something." The princess stated as quick as she could, while projecting her voice to get her point across.
Seren breathed a sigh of relief, rubbing off her face as she stared off at the sun that was in the last minutes of being scene over the horizon. Darkness falling over them.
"I will be visiting Ba Sing Se and all of it's rings tomorrow afternoon. If you see me, you won't be able to approach me. But I am allowed to approach you if needed. The both of us will have to act as if it is our first meeting to not raise any suspicions." Seren nodded, letting out another sigh.
"Let... Let's get going. The patrol will be here soon." Himoko nodded in agreement, following after Seren back down the wall.
---
Night came and Himoko wasn't able to stay in the Second Ring for much longer, and so she left Seren at her home before breaking for the palace.
It felt like a weight was lifted off of her shoulders, feeling airy and lightweight. Now Seren knew who she was, and Himoko was no longer lying to her about that portion of her identity.
Whether or not Seren was able to hear the rumors circulating around about Himoko's bending abilities she had no clue. And Seren made no move to question her about it. The true propaganda most likely has spread across each nation by courtesy of the Fire Nation. Himoko was an Air Nomad.
Descendant anyway- Himoko didn't really like to use that title on her as she never lived like Aang did before her entire nation was wiped out. Sure, she made have grown up in her early years on a Bison Farm, learned what she could from her parents and from Karlie... That wasn't enough.
Hell, she was still a sucky airbender. Through and through.
She sat on her bed in her palace bedroom, bouncing up and down a ball of air, constantly forming and distinguishing, practicing control. It was ever changing, air. So flexible. Without airbenders, people wouldn't have been able to see it unless steam rose or you breathed hot breath on a cold day.
It was invisible. Just like sound. You can't see the waves, you can only feel and hear. "I see that you are practicing." Himoko jumped, the ball of air disappearing as the girl looked over by the window, narrowing her eyes annoyingly at Yangchen.
"Haven't seen you in a while."
"Apologies that I am not at your beck and call at all hours of the day." Yangchen retorted teasingly. Himoko rolled her eyes at her, flopping down on her bed, laying on her stomach.
"What do you need?"
"Just appeared to check up on you, we can not let our Adversary feel depleted."
"Depleted? You mean tired or drained."
"Yes I would guess so. Plus, I learned today that you had an encounter with a spirit." Himoko arched a brow at her in confusion. A spirit?
"A spirit?"
"You didn't notice? Or have you already forgotten?" Himoko blinked, thinking back on the past couple of days, she met with a spirit? 'I have seen a few little ones floating about, but judging by Yangchen's voice she sounds- Concerned.' Himoko was reminded. 'The spirit! The one from the throne room earlier today!'
"You mean the one with the green face?"
"Correct."
"Okay sooo, what's the deal?"
"If you ever see the spirit again, I recommend you to not interact with it."
"Why?? The spirit helped me out." Himoko pulled herself off of the comfy bed.
"The spirit may have helped you out this time around, however that spirit can easily turn on you."
"Soo..??" She furrowed her brows, eyes questioning Yangchen. "Isn't that how all spirits are? Neither good nor evil? In the grey area."
"Usually yes, but there are dark and light spirits as well in order to maintain the balance. This one, is known as, 'Frigg'. Frigg isn't in neither the grey or the light, solely in darkness."
"Then why did they help me today? When I was stumped on what was best for the people?" The Princess questioned, finding herself questioning Yang Chen's knowledge on this spirit named, 'Frigg'.
"Because that is how Frigg has been able to take down the rest of the Adversaries of the past. Each Adversary, before they are even born, are chosen specifically to do their tasks. In the past 500 years, with every cycle or wave of another Adversary, Frigg tricks them into demise."
"Demise?" Yangchen's proceeded to walk around Himoko, the blue aura morphing into more of a physical form as she gently took Himoko's hands in her own. The flesh and blood of Yangchen warming her descendant's hands. "I do not want you to share the same fate as them. As the world needs your help, Spirits and the Alive alike. You are one of the last standing people of your culture, Himoko."
"What happened to them? What was their demise?" Yangchen sighed sadly, closing her eyes, "During my time on this earth, as the Air Avatar, I had an Adversary of my own to help me. He was there for me to help guide me when I needed him the most, when I couldn't find answers that I seeked from my past lives. He may have been one the oldest Adversaries to live despite all of Frigg's tricks and lies- But he still fell victim to him. Even the strongest may be able to evade Frigg, but in the end they will never evade demise from him." Himoko shakes her head before staring into Yangchen's eyes, the monotone grey almost mirroring her own if it weren't for Himoko's swirls of light blue hidden beneath the greys.
"Tell me, what did Frigg do to them-" She stopped herself, gulping down a breath of air shaking in realization. 'Their demise... Frigg brought them demise... Something they couldn't escape.' Her thoughts went into a dark place, her imaginations running wild- But, they could be real and true, coming to fruition from the past.
"...Frigg killed them all, didn't he?" She saw Yangchen wince in pain from her memories of the Adversary's fate from her time.
"Before they died at the hands of the spirit, they tortured them, heart, mind, spirit, and soul. It didn't matter what they managed to accomplish, how many spirits aided them, how much good or bad was in them. It didn't matter to Frigg, and it never will. So please-"
"Wow you can say please-"
"Now is not the time to be a smart horse bear, Himoko."
"Sorry, couldn't stop myself." Himoko about screamed when Yangchen rolled her eyes at her. My goodness! So she can get annoyed!
"Stay clear of Frigg, no matter what. If they ever approach you, call upon either me or La and we shall aid you."
"How am I supposed to call you? I simply can't just send a letter to the Spirit World." Himoko quipped with a crossing of her arms. Yangchen folds her arms behind her back, leaning her tall stature down to become eye level with the Adversary.
"With your mind. Like you did with La to save Princess Karlinesai."
"I don't know how I did it then! I-I thought she was going to die, and out of desperation I just suddenly felt this surge of energy entering my body and transferring into hers. I d-dont know-"
"You called for help. For anyone to help you. La was able to answer and aid you. The more spirits you gather at your arsenal, the better percentage rate it becomes for when you need help. You must find an Earth Spirit to aid you. Anyone will do, as long as they commit to the cause and enjoy your presence like La did with you."
"Does that mean you actually like me, Yangchen? Oh boy, you got me blushing over here..." Himoko trailed off with a smirk, watching Yangchen's cheeks flush pink and turn around. The flesh and blood of her figure morphing back into that of a spirit.
"Also since when were you able to do that?"
"You are apart of the bridge, Himoko. Spirits are able to materialize in any form they want when in your presence."
"Is that the same way with Aang?"
"Not exactly, as Aang is able to journey to the Spirit World whenever he wants and return safely return safely. Spirits aren't able to materialize when they accompany him. He is the other part of the bridge."
"So.. While he can leave and come back, he is the entryway, while I am the exit?'
"May not be the exact correct terms, but to my understanding. Correct." Himoko looked to the right, seeing the sun had finally set, the clear sky with the night stars literring across the expanses of the top of the world.
"I'm on one side while he rest on the other... Has there ever been a time where the Avatar lived and there was no Adversary?"
"Yes indeed. Many times. Remember there have been many cycles for the Avatar and few and far between for the Adversaries."
"How could I remember when you never mentioned that?" Yangchen blinked at her, "Oh, I didnt?"
"Nope!"
"Then I apologize for my incompetence. Before the first Adversary was selected, it was the Avatars sole job to be the bridge between both worlds. It weighed so heavily the more the spirit reincarnated, that eventually they couldn't handle it. And so, the Adversary was selected to take ahold of some of that burden." Nodding along to her explanation, she took a deep breath in, running her fingers through her hair, pulling at the knots that had formed on her journey back to the palace. She headed over to the vanity, sitting down on the plush cushioned chair and grabbed a brush, beginning to brush her way through the locks of dark hair, not caring if she was pulling on her hair too harshly.
"In a way, I am basically a second Avatar? Like, I was able to called upon La to use water and heal Karlie."
"You aren't. The Avatar is very special in that regard. Avatar Aang has what it is called the, 'Avatar Spirit'. That can be reborn everytime the body in the soul inhabits passes away, while maintaining all of the past lives memories and can seek guidance from them. One day, I will go more into detail on the the difference between you two. For now, I believe you should get some rest, you have a long day tomorrow."
"I sure do, I will have to wear the face of a Princess for the majority of the day and be all dolled up to not seem as threatening to the masses."
"Before I leave, I will let you know that your message is currently being delivered to Avatar Aang. It won't be too long now before he hears the message." Himoko smiled in relief, releasing a intake of breath. "That's good. I hope that he won't be too angry with me..."
To Be continued
Total Word Count: 3,139
Total Pages: 8.9