Chapter Text
Black and white. Sky and Sea. In Wakatoshi’s mind, life seemed to live in undeniable truths, in ultimates as dichotomous and clear as fire and water, as earth and air. In a fast-paced world that paused for no man, even for a sheltered prince born into riches and security, there was a constant peace in knowing that certain things would always and forever remain in perpetual motion. The sky would always be blue. Fire would always be warm. His mother and father would always love him.
As he grew into a young boy, Wakatoshi learned the importance of these values. Life was an unpredictable tide, and people, as it turned out, had many different faces. It was not uncommon to see fellow nobles act in thinly veiled politeness, only for their noses to scrunch up in disgust once the person turns their back. Even his father would sigh in relief and “let loose” in the Palace, away from the public eye at last.
But his mother, Fire Empress Haia, there was no mask adorning her features. There was no secret disgust or relief in her private moments. Despite being a ruler and a politician, her words held no lie, her eyes—no underlying contempt. She was vocal in her commands, in her public dealings, in her private life, and in her general way of being. She was transparent, but not naïve—in fact, her cunning and intelligence surpassed most, if not all. Not to mention her excellent firebending. Poor doodles and scribbles in his notebooks were often of his mother and father’s forms during firebending, ones that he hoped to recreate, if not surpass.
That was another truth Wakatoshi lived by—His mother held no fault in his eyes, and she always knew best.
“Look at them,” He remembered his mother saying one day. A young Wakatoshi glanced at scene out front, where a group of Earthbending rebels were escorted into a ship, soon to sail into a newly built prison rig out in sea. “Bull-headed stubbornness without intellect can lead to disastrous consequences, Wakatoshi.” As he watched a resisting prisoner stumble back by a fire blast, he’s inclined to agree. When he glanced up, he expected her eyes to be on the scene unfolding. He’s surprised to see them staring right back at him. “It’s a shame—they don’t know when to quit. Not even when half their land belongs to us.” She smiled. “But perhaps it’s meant to be. Benders are nothing more than the elements they represent.”
When he cocked a brow at her, she exhaled out a laugh. A sour look crossed her face once she looked down, and as Wakatoshi peered below, he saw her robes dirtied by the soil. She muttered, he almost couldn’t hear it, “Dense and unmovable, your grandfather used to say.” She squished the soil underneath her slippers, which would look strangely childish if not for the cold look on her face. Wakatoshi deemed it wiser not to say anything else.
He would always listen to his mother. Why wouldn’t he?
The dinner table, a polished slate of marble, was cold under his fingertips. Almost as if it was a block of ice. Somehow, the chill seemed to seep into his skin and blood, up into the core of his bones. The weather certainly didn’t help. Every inhale brought frost into his heated lungs and escaped with the heat of a regular summer day. As if to compensate for the storm.
Ushijima was now older, standing tall at fifteen years old. As the years passed, the diametrical forces he aligned his life by seemed to become sillier and sillier. But as the seasons pass yet always appear again, old habits never seemed to die. Sometimes, they simply become a part of you.
But when the clouds gather and rain terror, the sky isn’t always so blue. When fire took form of lightning and painted the sky in uncontrollable streaks of striking white, it wasn’t always so warm. And when Wakatoshi heard those words escaped his mother’s lips, he began to realize that he may have been wrong about her, too.
“Your father...committed an unforgivable crime against the Fire Nation,” She simply said. When she rose from her seat, he was secure in the certainty that she wouldn’t hurt him—a colder part of his mind chimed in, saying she wouldn’t dare harm her only progeny capable of seizing the throne. Mere feet away from him, her eyes bored into his skull, but he wasn’t afraid. Yet somehow through her words, his heart had the ability to cease all function and escape through his heated exhales. “It’s best that you forget about him for the time being, and finish eating your dinner. It’s getting cold.”
Her tone was uncharacteristically soft, a sharp contrast from her steel eyes. He knew her request was non-negotiable. As she finished speaking, however, his appetite disappeared completely. He instantly knew it was idiotic, borderline shameful to even contemplate questioning his Mother and disobey the rules that his 6-year old self laid out in such an organized manner. But the sky was gray and fire was cold. Up was down, black was white and Wakatoshi felt like fire was about to burst out of his eyes. He blinked in surprise when he felt moisture escape instead.
“Why?” He asked as she turned her back to return to her seat. She spun her head around to stare at him, only mildly surprised.
He could spend a lifetime thinking of possible responses his mother would give, but none of them came even close to her actual words. “Hm, your father didn’t tell you?” There was no sympathy in her words. She suddenly smiled, leaning toward one side of her face. “I was wrong to doubt you, dear. It seems as if we are both in the same boat, after all.”
Memories from past days poured over his mind in an instant. All he could recall was his father’s sudden exhaustion in certain periods, his tired smiles gracing his features. Sincere greetings and endearments but no plans, no words, no nothing. “Tell me what?” Wakatoshi tried to keep the urgency away from his voice.
Haia was silent for a moment, staring into his eyes. “...You’re too easy to read, Wakatoshi.”
From sheer intimidation, Wakatoshi took a step back. In front of him was his mother, but she looked different. Acted colder. Gone was the fire that escaped the tip of her tongue in every word. Her eyes that brimmed with pride at him whenever he successfully negotiated affairs, when he finally mastered a firebending move, were now chilling. He gripped at his sweater.
“Watching this is getting pitiful,” she sighed, walking back to her seat and ushering the remaining servants away, all of whom bowed before beginning their swift exit. “But as the Crown Prince, your concerns do not lie in the dealings and intentions of our low-life prisoners. And knowing your bias, unintentional or otherwise, toward your father, I forbid you from meeting him.”
“But know this, my dear, Takashi has proved himself to be a traitor. He has committed treason and attempted to leave the premises of the Palace in complete secrecy. That is all I’m willing to divulge.” She said noncommittedly. “Now, if you do not wish to eat, you are excused.”
Wakatoshi felt his breath hitch as he took a seat back down. He wasn’t even aware he was standing to begin with.
His mother and father would always love him.
That still had to be true…right?
For a moment, Tooru is completely silent. Only pursing his lips, eyes half-lidded, as he rolls the nut over his fingers. From his peripheral, he could spot the uneasy glances that the trio are sharing with one another. It almost makes him want to laugh. But his smile dims as he recalls a memory.
Then, he finally starts to speak.
“When I was younger...Tobio-chan used to be such a demanding baby...” He murmurs, still rolling the acorn over his palm.
He hears Tsukki scoff, “Huh, seems like the roles switched as you both grew up.
“Hush! I’m not done telling the story!” Oikawa looks up and says in a chastising tone. “Anyway, he would always tug me by the sleeve and beg me to tell him more stories about the ocean guardians—spirits who ruled the seas, who kept us safe and brought us steady supplies of fish as long as we kept the waters clean.”
“Is there a point to this story?—”
“Gah, Tsukki-chan, have patience!” Tooru loses his low narrating voice in exchange for petty whines, slapping the other boy on the shoulder before continuing. “I meant, if there are spirits in charge of the seas, wouldn’t there be spirits for the forests as well?”
“You mean...Hei Bai?” Yamaguchi says slowly, pondering over the information. “That’s certainly plausible. But it doesn’t explain the people’s disappearances, or the sudden rampages every sunset.”
“I think it does.” Oikawa glances over to Hinata, who perks up at his gaze. “Hei Bai’s black and white, which ties into that statue you saw in the forest. I threw this at you just yesterday when you were being all mopey and sad about the burnt forest—"
“Hey!”
“And it seems as if we need to do the same thing with Hei Bai. That explains this acorn...” He tosses the nut up and down as he continues, “And since it’s the winter solstice, we’ll just have to wait and see what exactly those beaver moles—”
“Badger moles—”
“—meant by bringing you there,” everyone’s eyes follow Tooru’s hand as he points out the window, “Because there is no doubt that that Temple and Avatar Ukai’s statue has something to do with it.”
“Are you sure this is gonna work?”
Says Hinata as lolls his head over to look at Oikawa, tone questioning, if not a bit gripey. Sitting on the roof, he swings his legs over the edge of the Temple. “Why do you guys get to be the ones to fight Hei Bai? I wanna get in some of that action, too!”
Tsukki turns back with a smirk. “Are you sure that’s the only reason you wanna be out here by the time the sun sets, loverboy?”
“When you’re done dealing with whatever the spirit’s in that Temple, then you can rescue your boy toy with us, Shrimpy.” Oikawa rolls over the acorn in his hands, all before tossing it immediately towards the Firebender and hitting him square on the forehead.
“OW!” He shouts, glaring as he rubs the abused area, “What was that, for?”
“Surprised you could feel that, with how thick your skull is.”
“Shut up, you sign pole!”
“Relax, Hinata,” Yamaguchi finally steps in, looking a little more worn for wear. “We aren’t going to fight him. We’re gonna distract him long enough for you to finish whatever you need to do in the Temple.”
“Which by the way, stop sitting on it! You might be blocking something important!”
Hinata sticks his tongue, a contrast to him obeying Oikawa’s instructions and sticking a landing on the grass. “How am I even gonna get in? Didn’t you say it was locked, Oikawa-san?”
“It is, which is why we’re outside trying to figure out how to open it.” Tooru looks up to the sky with a frown. “We don’t have much time. Once the sun sets, Hei Bai will arrive.”
Everyone stands around in deep ponder, which doesn’t last long as Hinata immediately exclaims, “What if I burn down the door?”
“Burn down the whole village, why don’t you,” Tsukki deadpans. “This building isn’t made of wood like the rest of this place, it won’t work.”
“We’ll keep it in the ‘maybe’ then,” Hinata affirms as he crosses his arms. Beside him, Tsukki takes off his glasses and pinches the bridge of his nose. “How about you, Oikawa-san? Maybe you could make a key with your Waterbending or something!”
“That’s not how Waterbending works!” Oikawa says admonishingly. “Are you really trying to ask the guy who came from igloos to know how locks and keys work?”
Hinata opens his mouth in retort, but nothing escapes his mouth. “...Fair enough,” He mumbles. “But how do we open the door, then?”
“I think we might know something about that...” Yamaguchi takes a few steps up the Temple as he carefully eyes its exterior. “If you truly saw Avatar Ukai’s statue inside this Temple, then it must be some sort of Avatar Temple, like the ones in the Air mountains,” He explains. “Other than a key, there are usually other unorthodox ways to open it, like using the correct bending.”
“Well, it’s a real shame then we don’t have an Earthbender,” Oikawa grumbles. “Any other way, Freckles?”
Yamaguchi smiles guiltily. “Well, it’s the winter solstice. Opening this door might have something to do with spirits.”
Tooru silently mulls over his words, looking up and down the Temple. In an instant, his eyes light up. “Or maybe...” He says. “It has to do with weird perfect holes on top its exterior.” His eyes point near the roof, where a perfect circle is carved through. He grins. He always wondered what that thing was doing up there.
"The sun is starting to set..." Tsukki says lowly, snapping his fingers not too long after, "The sunlight's gonna filter in, which might activate the doors."
Tooru snaps his fingers. “That must be it!”
Millions of miles away, the sun hits the horizon from their perspective, and the sky blushes a dark hue. As predicted, rays of light lower down into the earth, leaving vague shadows and casting the world in a faint glow. It slowly travels down the patterned roof of the Temple, reaching its walls, and soon enough, filtering into the hole.
Soon enough, the keyhole glows, and the doors swing open in front of them. Behind them, a low growl emanates through the empty town.
Barely a blink, and time has passed like nothing. Wakatoshi’s working harder. Even more so than he usually does. He doesn’t often notice it, and other than the letters from Satori piling up his desk and the constant thrum ringing in his ears and biceps, there aren’t much indicators. Though, when he starts collapsing into bed the moment he reaches his quarters and barely stomaching last night’s dinner, he figures that reconsidering his altered routine would benefit him.
His mother looms over him, in the meantime. While in the past it was a comforting presence, now, there is nothing more suffocating. Like fire, eating away the oxygen in a closed glass space, only for it to be sealed before air can enter once more. There is no denying that the axis of their relationship has shifted, if ever so slightly, yet it points to a direction that could only snowball into disaster if Wakatoshi resists heeding caution.
So, he becomes patient. Normal. It takes a month, maybe two, before the feelings are squashed down into a manageable size, but that is another lesson he’s learned from his mother. After all, she only wants to see him succeed.
“Do not dwell in the past...”
Wakatoshi sits listless in the comfort of his bedroom. It’s as hot as ever, yet his head feels full of water. He murmurs these words to himself, advice his mother had given to him many years ago as a child, having just broken one of his favorite dolls. He rubs his face, even though he feels wide awake.
“There is only managing the present, and preparing for the future.”
He talks during dinner again, much to her surprise. He starts letting Tendou visit in their usual spot, who graciously doesn’t say anything out of place, as if his visits never ceased at all. He even lets himself be dragged through the town, wearing more of his friend's gifted garments, letting his mind wander for the first time in a long, long month.
As he and Tendou visit a chocolatier, licking melting candy off their fingers under the heat of the capital, he almost forgets why he was so upset.
...
3 months has passed since then.
The maids undergo cleaning in his absence, though he has requested that his desk remain untouched. As he sets his bag full of treats down on his chair, he examines the abandoned plane of wood, feeling the dust collect under his fingertips. With a heavy sigh, he sits down and ruffles through his belongings.
If he isn't training, he's studying. Multiple books, scrolls, and brushes haunt the exterior of the desk in a manner very unlike him. He gathers the ink and writing utensils into a bundle and places them in one of the drawers, his scrolls going in another. His books find their places in the cabinets above, which have been dusted while he was away. Finally, there are the letters and packages.
He doesn't get much letters. Some are from scholars, some from sons of generals, some even from upper-class admirers. The rest and the majority of which belong to Tendou, and a few other acquaintances that Satori has introduced him to. He patiently sorts through them, placing each one in piles that he'll either keep (from Satori) or throw away (anything else). Aside from letters, there’s a lone package sitting prettily on the side, and he reaches for it as he puts away the last of the sorted letters.
Satori always sends his presents in the same brown packaging, same stark black ink indicating sender and address, and the same, red string. All of which, he presumes, Tendou steals away from his mother in order to package. He gets one occasionally—some are strange everyday items, like shoe padding or fans, others are more extravagant purchases, inks, silks, precious metals and the like. Once a year, he receives something homemade, like the purple sweater that lies neatly in his cabinet drawers. He muses through his previous gifts a bit more as he unboxes the wrapping, revealing a little mason jar of tiny bits of what he learns to be bread crumbs, and a note.
The note reads as follows:
Hello! ＼( ⌒ ▽ ⌒) The maids tell me that you haven’t been visiting the private garden lately. ∑(O_O;) Here’s some incentive. Those poor turtle ducks ( ﾉД`) See you soon, Toshi-kun!
- Satori ( ﾉ´ з `) ノ
He’s never really sure how to make of Satori’s inane scribbles. How he got the information from the maids is beyond him, either. Face brightened, he stashes the card along with the rest and makes his way to the pond, jar in hand.
He’s almost forgotten why he hasn’t been to the garden. When he steps outside unto the stone paths, warm air hitting his face, he wishes he did forget.
Wakatoshi sighs. He’ll have to apologize to Tendou when he tells him he “accidentally” broke the jar.
Before Hinata could react to the sound behind them, a hand pushes him in and the doors slam shut.
“Guh—!” The hand pushes the air out of his lungs along with his body as he lurches forward, immediately overcome by shadow soon after. “H-Hey!” He turns back to stare at the doors angrily, who stay silent in rude reply.
It takes him a full second to remember where he is, and he quickly darts his face forward.
“Avatar Ukai...” He breathes out, lifting himself up and dusting the dirt off his watertribe garments. It’s exactly how it looked in his dream last night. A life-sized, stone statue of the man who came before him, with amber gems in place of his eyes. Surrounding him are pillars much like the ones outside, gold accents and emerald green surround the perimeter. Shouyou walks closer to the centerpiece, silently waiting for something to happen.
...
Nothing happens.
“Helloo? Avatar Ukai?” Hinata calls out, leaning over the statue and staring in close scrutiny. After about five seconds of the same unmoving figure, Shouyou frowns. “This is where the badger moles lead me, won’t you say something? Anything?”
With no reply to his requests, Hinata takes a step back to analyze the statue further. Ukai Ikkei. The Earth Avatar before him. He scrunches up his nose. It’s...strange, he thinks. How he feels like he’s seen this face before, how he knows his name...and yet, they’ve never met. It’s impossible.
He dismisses the thoughts from his head and looks at its appearance. The life-sized Avatar Ukai is sat on a pillar, sitting crossed-legged, and looking to be meditating. From these notes, Hinata snaps his fingers. “That’s it!” He exclaims out loud. “I have to meditate!”
His bright-eyed demeanor is suddenly squashed in an unpleasant realization. “Oh, right,” He grumbles. “I have to meditate.” He could almost hear Tsukki’s taunting voice as Yamaguchi stifles a laugh in the background. He exhales hotly through his nose at the sheer thought. “I’ll show that beanpole!” He says, determined.
Wasting no time at all, he sits in front of the statue and breathes in slow, steady breaths. He closes his eyes, failing to recognize the sunlight finally drifting downwards. The afternoon heat stains his cheeks in sweat as the sunlight drifts further, reaching the amber gems encased in Ukai’s eyes. After five minutes, he feels about ready to give up, when he feels a cold essence wash over him. As his eyes are closed, he’s unable to detect the smoke filling the room.
Suddenly, he feels a breeze brush up against his bare face. He can’t resist it. Eyes still sealed shut, he grins and asks loudly, “Oh spirits! Is it working?? Are you there, Avatar Ukai?”
The howls of the wind enter his ears, and for a moment, he believes it to be the universe’s reply. Well, that is until a gruff “...Yes...” rings through the suddenly open atmosphere.
“No way! I can’t believe it!” He’s practically shaking from excitement at this point. “My meditating is finally working!”
For some reason, he imagines Kageyama’s deadpan face as the voice replies. “...Reach out your hand, Shouyou—”
“Oh spirits, you know my name?!—”
“Concentrate. Reach out your hand.” Ukai demands.
Without any hesitation at all, Hinata sticks out his hand, only to gasp excitedly when he feels something soft brush up against his arm. He makes a noise very much like him. “What is that? Is that a spirit force?”
“...No!” Ukai exclaims, and something slender instantly smacks him on the head.
“What the—OW!” He shouts, finally opening his eyes with a glare.
His vision is somewhat blurred from being closed so long (four minutes, but no one is counting). When it finally clears, he is met with the same amber on the statue, now reflected on an aged man with gray hair and a stocky build. He notices that he’s holding a twig with stray leaves still attached. They’re stood atop a tall mountain, cool air whipping at his face and making his face slightly tacky.
“Before you ask, no, your meditating didn’t work, whatever that was,” A gruff voice accompanies the stern-looking face. He sounds...fond. If Hinata squints, he could spot the faintest smile in the upturned corners of his mouth. “What took ya’ so long, kid?”
The Fire Nation is known to have impeccable work ethic, Wakatoshi thinks as he walks through the newly-swept halls. On Mondays and Tuesdays, different generals and management teams enter the throne room and present a weekly status report. Reports on economy, trade, livelihood...war...and every other necessary detail a country must oversee. On these days, Fire Lord Haia might even request (command) that he joins in on these discussions. Wakatoshi rarely sees his mother on these periods, though the meetings tend to feather out at the end of Tuesday.
If no special event occurs on Wednesday, Haia rests, if only for a moment. The maids and servants are especially busy these days, because if she is not being tended to, then she is getting prepared for an event, as is he (and his father). It is a day often reserved for speeches, or communicating with the public in some manner.
Thursdays and Fridays are always put aside for generals, lieutenants, commanders...Wakatoshi recalls these meetings as he passes by the chamber where takes place. Discussions on tactical advantage, warfare, weaponry, and the state of the colonies below them. Empress Haia is especially busy during these times.
The weekends are often seen as sacred days for rest in the Fire Nation. Soldiers come home to visit their family, and many rest and prepare diligently for the week to follow. Fire Lord Haia takes the opportunity to conduct missing business, but if nothing is left to tend to, then she rests once more, often on the last day.
Today is that last day—Sunday. Wakatoshi recalls this briefly as he stares up the throne room, where his mother is in her lonesome, reading through a book and sipping tea, he guesses. His pocket suddenly feels heavy, but he pays it no mind as he cordially knocks before entering the premise.
He bows, and closes the door behind him. Haia barely looks up, but she waves him forward anyway. “Dear,” She greets in a firm, yet distracted tone. Her eyes are locked on a scroll. He assumes it to be documents. “Go on, child, state your business and leave your mother be.”
Wakatoshi takes a moment to breath, putting his hand to his pockets. He feels his handkerchief briefly and feels a bit of reprieve. “I want to see my father.”
As expected, her calm, stoic face twists into a searing glare. “Spirits, Wakatoshi, haven’t we talked about this before—” Her words stop—never trail—as she finally looks up from her reading. Her eyes widen marginally.
*****
The throne room is often kept in the highest degree of cleanliness. The throne has been waxed and scrubbed for more than two times this week, and Wakatoshi could almost see his reflection in the panes of glass. He could even make out the sharp knife that lies underneath his jugular vein, the cutting edge of the paring knife—gifted by Satori—held against his throat. His chin is high up as he looks towards his mother, knife in hand as resoluteness crystallized in his eyes.
“Let me see him again,” He says. “You’ve lost one member of the family, and this petty decision to keep me from him might make you lose another.”
“...You aren’t ready,” She simply states. Her eyes drift downward to the knife and she smiles. “Oh please, Wakatoshi, stop this ridiculous game.
His eyes harden as he brings the knife closer, resisting the urge to flinch as it grazes his skin. Knife in hand, he briefly remembers his father teaching him how to deseed fruits in their spare time. They would bring an assortment to the cherry tree, and he would fling the seed over to the pond. Ash bananas cut with a paring knife require a soft and steady hand as the cutting edge would trail over the seeds. Oh, with his memory on his mind, recalling how to use this paring knife just seems so easy—
“Stop.” She demands, resolve cracking as the knife edges along his throat. “Stop!” She yells, her voice cracking slightly in anger. Wakatoshi notices her hands crackle, steam escaping the sides as they clutch the sides of the throne. “Stop this at once!” She seethes, fire brimming in her eyes and tongue.
“Will you give me what I want?” Wakatoshi asks, withdrawing the knife slightly.
*****
She is silent for a moment, breathing through her chest. “If you truly wish to stick your nose in business that is none of your concern, I am much happy to offer that to you.” Her hands stop clutching the throne, and they rest on the sides instead. Her composure is regained, but Wakatoshi knows she has conceded. “You are approaching the age where you are ready to rule. I have prepared for this day in great detail.” She says stiffly.
Wakatoshi listens, but it is somewhat difficult what with the blood thrumming in his ears over his little stunt. The words ‘travel’, ‘crew’, and ‘eighteen’ are noted duly in his mind, and it doesn’t take long to figure out what she wants him to do. He’s surprised to see that she’s sending him away, however.
He narrows his eyes. What is she trying to do?
“If your journeys are a success, then yes, I will happily give you the location to your father.” It seems as if she is finished speaking, but after a moment of silence, she continues. “However...” She stands from her throne and gracefully makes her way over to the table. “Word has spread.” She takes the teapot and brings over her cup. “About the Avatar.”
Wakatoshi falters as his eyebrows rise. “The...Avatar?”
She hums. “The Avatar could be the difference between our success and failure, Wakatoshi.” She turns to look at him, smiling. Her eyes are devoid, reminding Wakatoshi of a stormy night. “If you—and only you manage to capture it...then I’ll even consider letting your father go.”
For the first time in his life, Wakatoshi doesn’t think twice before he says yes.
When he meets Tendou the day after, talking about the newly given tasks assigned to him, he kindly doesn’t question the bandage stuck on the side of his throat.
Tooru didn’t think through this plan thoroughly enough. His mind was preoccupied, hands too busy shoving Hinata inside and shutting the doors immediately after. It was only after the resounding slam! of the swing doors did he realize his grave mistake.
Paling at his realization, he slowly turns around and away from the Temple, only to be met with a scathing, giant monster, just by the town’s entrance, looking right at them.
“Great thinking genius,” Kei seethes with haunches raised, eyes locked straight forward. His expression is lively, unreadable—Oikawa would laugh if it were appropriate at the time. “Luring the spirit with the loudest sound imaginable in this decrepit village—”
“Shut up! I’m trying my best!” He snaps back. “We need to figure out what the monster’s gonna do!”
Before either of the pair could reply, Hei Bai reels back with his arms raised only to immediately slam them unto the ground, the dirt and bedrock cracking under his resolve. He howls—a loud, deafening screech that has the trio covering their ears at the mere sound. There is a temporary reprieve once he stops, but it doesn’t last long. He opens his mouth once more, but instead of noise, a large blue beam escapes his mouth and leaves a fiery scorch right unto the nearest building.
“Holy shit,” Oikawa breathes. “That explains the burnt debris from yesterday.”
“There’s no way we’ll be able to take him. There’s absolutely no way—” Yamaguchi frantically stammers. “Especially not with the winter solstice in full swing. He’s more powerful than ever!”
“...And now, he’s looking right at us.” Tsukishima’s eyes look like they’re ready to pop out of his glasses. He looks more composed, albeit a little cross-eyed when he twists to glance at Oikawa. “What’s the plan?”
“Well, fighting’s not gonna work, why don’t we try negotiating?” says Tooru. He pats down his pockets with some recollected confidence, but it quickly shatters as he turns more paler than before.
Tadashi quickly takes notice. “What? What is it?” He urges.
“The acorn.” Oikawa looks absolutely aghast. “I don’t have it with me.”
“What?” Tsukki snaps. “You mean to tell me that our only bargaining chip is an damned acorn, and you threw it at the one idiot who isn’t with us right now?!”
“Have a little more composure, Glasses, sheesh!” He taunts back, yet their panicked expressions almost mirror one another. “Look at Freckles, he’s doing much better than you!”
“I really am not...” Yamaguchi murmurs, though its sound is lost at the screaming match that commences. Not a second passes before his eyes widen back into size. “Tsukki! Watch out!” He yells as he pulls the Airbender out of reach of Hei Bai’s many arms. The sheer force of his pull has them all toppling over to the side, and they’re left to bear witness at the immovable being that is Hei Bai.
“That’s it!” Tooru brightens at his realization, quickly turning to the other two. “He’s trying to take one of us then burn down the village, if we’re not quick enough—”
“Watch out!”
“AH!” Oikawa quickly dodges the swing of Hei Bai’s arm, which hits the Temple’s pillar instead, cracking its shiny exterior slightly. “We need to get far away from the Temple! If Hei Bai fires up the beam again, he might aim for the Temple instead!”
“Then what are we waiting for?” Tsukki grabs the staff behind him and extends its wings. Tadashi takes notice and quickly does the same. “You run away, we’ll keep him distracted!”
“You better!” Oikawa groans, bending over and dashing under Hei Bai’s outstretched arm. “No way am I being spirit food tonight!”
“Wow...” Shouyou mumbles, looking a little starstruck. “It’s really you! Avatar Ukai!” He proceeds to fumble over his words, saying gibberish after the other, but after a second he turns back to Ukai with a frown. “What do you mean my meditating didn’t work?”
He narrows his eyes at him. “If it did, we would have talked ages ago.” He crosses his arms, highlighting the lack of sleeves so typical of traditional Earthbending attire. “If only you were as good at meditating as you were playing with fire, then we wouldn’t be having this problem right now.”
“...You really think I’m good at Firebending?” He grins, glancing up at Ukai. All of a sudden, he gasps. “No wait, don’t tell me...” He yells and points towards him. “Are you gonna teach me Earthbending?!”
“...You and I both know that’s impossible,” Ukai sighs for a moment, then laughs. “It’s nice to see a braindead brute as an Avatar, for once. At least I know you won’t grow to be some cocky brat when you get older.”
“We have many things to speak about, but we don’t have much time.” Ukai pauses for a moment, looking over the setting sun. It casts a shimmering splash of orange over the rest of the mountain range. “You’re a born Firebender, kid. I assume you know about the Great Comet.
The mountains are known for the low temperatures, Hinata thinks for a fleeting moment. Almost on par with the opposite poles, a chilly storm, or the deep, blue ocean. That dark, salty, cold and lonely abyss...which is why it’s a welcome change to feel the warmness of the sun on his bare face for once.
Hinata smiles at the mention, eyes shining with fascination. “I do. Fire Lord Sozin talked about it a few times...but I only ever listened to my mother about it.” At the quip, Ukai chuckles—rough and hearty. “She told me it can give Firebenders heightened bending. I’ve always wanted to experience it myself!”
“Indeed.” Ukai nods with a slight grin. “Only once every hundred years do Firebenders experience the kind of power the Great Comet could harness. In fact, Sozin successfully utilized the Comet to his advantage in order to advance his campaign of war. It was a key to their victory.”
“I see,” Hinata marvels over the other’s words. “Why are you bringing it up, Ukai-sama?”
“...Ukai-san is fine, kid,” He sighs. “That comet came to be known to future generations as Sozin’s Comet. It came not long after you were wiped into sea.”
“...I see.”
“Sozin’s Comet is foretold to arrive once more. If it does, it will grant the current Empress immense fire power, and could end the war in one fell swoop. Kid...” Ukai bows his head for a moment. When it rises, his eyes are as solid as the rocks that withstand the sea,
“Sozin’s Comet is said to return by the end of summer.”
“...Oh.”
A moment passes by in uncomfortable silence. Ukai turns his head slightly to stare at the boy, brows upturned in unspoken question. They cock up even higher when he notices the expression on the boy’s face. Confusion, loss, desperation...even anger...are nowhere to be seen.
Nothing else, except pure, unbridled relief.
“Oh geez, you scared me, Ukai-san.” Hinata clutches at his beating heart and lets out a sigh. “I thought you were going to say something terrible, like the comet was going to come tomorrow, or something.”
“With the way you’re reacting, it might as well,” Ukai scolds.
Shouyou chuckles, rubbing his the back of his neck. “I’m a Firebender, of course I’m excited to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!” Shouyou jumps up and down, as if he’s excited by the prospect. Ukai narrows his eyes at the Firebender—no, wait, he is excited. His feet slow down, and apprehension shows itself in small bursts. “I am kinda worried how I’ll be able to deal with learning all the elements.”
Ukai tilts his head. “Is that all you’re upset about?”
Hinata thinks for a moment, but shrugs his shoulders in reply.
“...I hope you remember your unique situation when you come back to me,” The man sighs. “But we don’t have much time. I’ve seen what you’ve done with your friends. Their skills are fine,” He turns to him with a blunt gaze. “However, you suck.”
“Hey!”
“But perhaps that is my fault...” He sighs, turning back his head to the sky. With the white glow entering his peripheral, Hinata’s eyes trail toward the sky as well. His eyes widen—the skies and clouds are being engulfed by a white blur, steadily approaching them both. “We do not have much time left in this state. It took years of training to learn the elements. But you.” He glances back at him. “You must gain mastery in order to end the war, otherwise, Fire Lord Haia will end it for you.”
“But that’s—” Impossible, Hinata thinks, but he swallows it down and says something else instead. “You really think I’ll be able to do it?”
Ukai is silent for a moment. “Citizens of the Fire Nation, I learned, possess a will as bright and wily as fire itself.” He turns to him, and to Hinata’s surprise, a small grin is pointed towards him. “And you, Shouyou, surpass that will by tenfold. If you truly believe you can do it, then you will master the elements by summer’s end.”
“The sunlight is disappearing,” Ukai says. “Go on, help your friends, protect the town and my Temple,” He narrows his eyes. “and take your meditating seriously—”
“I am!—”
“I will see you soon,” He says as the world around them slowly crumbles into a snow white abyss. “By the way kid,” At the call, Hinata turns to look at him one final time. “Check your pockets after you leave this place.”
When Hinata blinks his eyes open, he finds himself encased in darkness once more. Save for the carved hole atop the Temple, not much light can get in. Yet, the room manages to be somewhat illuminated in a dull yellowish glow, all by the one beam of moonlight traveling through the circle.
Stuck in this strange, ethereal state, mind buzzing from the events unfolded prior, Hinata is filled with a strange, light feeling. It feels...like peace.
He hears the growls outside, and it is immediately shattered.
“Guys!” Hinata shouts. His ears are somewhat blocked from the experience, yet he’s able to recognize the urgency in his voice. He spins his leg, heel on the floor, in a circle that leaves a faint trail of fire that carries him up and dashes him towards the door.
The sun had just set once he slams the entrance open, with the moon up high ready to greet him—along with a gliding Yamaguchi, a Tsukki perched up the roof in attack position, and an Oikawa stuck between one of many giant fists, all with a giant black and white monster in the middle—
All looking unhappy to see him.
“What took you so long!?” Oikawa snaps from above, squirming all the while. Hinata’s glad to be stuck on the ground, as he feels he wouldn’t be able to survive the elder’s piercing eyes on his forehead. “The sunset ended decades ago!”
Hinata chuckles guiltily. He must’ve been out for a few minutes before waking up.
“Don’t tell me you fell asleep!” Tsukki groans, somehow reading his mind. He dispels a gust of wind towards the beast’s eyes, momentarily stunning him. “Your meditating is garbage!”
“I know...” Hinata murmurs. “But hey!”
“Don’t just stand there!” Oikawa yells once more. “Do something!”
“OK! OK...give me a moment.” Hinata twists his head to quickly note his surroundings as he pats down his body down for anything he could use. When he feels a slight spiky object protrude from his pocket, he blinks in sudden remembrance.
Check your pockets after you leave this place.
Hinata scrambles for the object, squinting to get a better look at it once it reaches his palms. It’s...
“An acorn?” He scoffs. “Again?”
“HINATA SHOUYOU!”
His blood freezes. That was Yamaguchi this time. Mind put immediately under duress, his eyes widen in realization.
“Ohh...” He murmurs to himself, taking bold steps towards the monster perched in the middle of the town.
Memories rush through his mind. The statue. The forest. The acorns. Oikawa-san’s words.
I threw this at you just yesterday when you were being all mopey and sad about the burnt forest—”
“Hey!”
Stood tall and head situated upwards, Hinata shouts. “Hey! Hei Bai!”
“And it seems as if we need to do the same thing with Hei Bai.”
In an instant, he jumps, flurry of air and fire trailing after him, to the nearest rooftop, which so happens to be the one Tsukki is stood on.
spirits tend to become much stronger during the winter solstice
Hinata takes a deep breath, ignoring the yelling of his friends all around him, and stares intently at Hei Bai. In immediate result, a rush of energy pulses through him. He sees it travel through Hei Bai as well, in the outline of a panda.
He takes another deep breath, but this time, he speaks out loud.
“Uh...” He squawks unimpressively, much to the disdain of the three surrounding him. He shrinks in even further as Hei Bai turns to look at him. “You’re the spirit of the forest, aren’t you?”
“Don’t be a coward!” Tsukki whispers heatedly. Either way, it pushes Hinata to speak further.
“I was upset too...when I found out they burned down the forest.” Hei Bai tilts his head at him. At that, Shouyou extends out his arm and unravels his hand, the acorn situated atop his palm. “But look!” He exclaims with a toothy grin. “That guy you’re holding said these are a sign of life. It gave me hope that the forest is going to grow back one day.”
Shouyou continues to smile. In the face of the spirit standing right in front of him, he almost sees it mirrored back. Slowly, he places Oikawa back on the ground, and with the same hand, takes the acorn. A rustling sound behind him indicates that Yamaguchi is stood behind them.
Acorn in hand, the spirit shrinks slightly, now morphing into a giant fluffy creature—a giant panda. He turns around and leisurely walks back to the forest.
“Holy spirits...” Oikawa murmured, hair tussled and clothes rearranged from the struggle. “You actually managed to do it, Chibi-chan.”
“Great words of wisdom there, dummy,” Tsukki snorts. "That ‘uh’ in the beginning was truly profound.
“Hey!”
“But the rest of the speech was not bad,” Kei says, looking at him with narrowed eyes. “Looks like that visit to Avatar Ukai did you some good.”
Shouyou gulps. “Uh, about that—"
“Hey, look!” Yamaguchi shouts, pointing at Hei Bai once more. A flurry of bamboo grows from where Hei Bai stood, just by the entrance of the forest. From within, people stumble forward through the thick plantation, looking delirious and confused. Hinata leaps through the roofs to get a closer look, squinting for a hint of blue. Meanwhile, Oikawa and the Airbenders check on the villagers.
It takes a minute, but the bamboo thicket rustles and a familiar, blue-eyed boy trips his way to through the foliage.
“Bakegeyama!” Shouyou screams, alerting the three just behind him. In classic Hinata fashion, Shouyou jumps from the roof and unto Kageyama shoulders, latching on like a baby sloth.
“Gah!” The Waterbender shouts with a prominent glare. “Get off me, dumbass!”
“Man, it’s really you!” Hinata ignores his words, but Yamaguchi pries him off anyway. Hanging off his arms, Shouyou grins. “So much happened while you were gone! I met a badger mole last night!”
Tadashi makes a wry face as he places the Firebender down. “With everything that happened today, that seems like the least of your notable news.” He pats himself down and looks to Kageyama with a smile. “It’s nice to see you safe. How was the spirit world?”
Tobio tilts his head like an overgrown puppy, looking somewhat dazed. “Spirit world? Was that where I was?”
“No, don’t tell me...” Shouyou leans over to Kageyama. “Did you see a badger mole, too?”
“Lay off him, midget.” Tsukki grabs his head and drags him away, much to Hinata’s disdain. “The idiot still needs to adjust, especially to you.”
“Excuse you, I am a delight to be around!”
As the two squabble, Kageyama turns to the one at his left, who’s looking slightly aloof. In an instant, he nods. “Oikawa-san.”
“Tobio-chan,” Tooru greets, crossing his arms as he steps further. He smirks. “So, how you feeling from your little trip?”
Kageyama blinks, seemingly adjusting to the environment, before staring blankly at Oikawa. “...I’m really hungry,” He states, an almost desperate look adorning his face.
Oikawa scoffs and crosses his arms, “What? No food in the spirit world?”
“Dunno, mostly slept,” He yawns back.
“Good to have you back, baby cousin,” Oikawa taunts. “Not that we were eager to have you back, anyways.”
“He’s lying,” Tsukki immediately chimes. “He’s been in a fussy mood ever since you were kidnapped—”
“Shut up, Glasses!” Oikawa hisses. He turns back to look at Kageyama, whose back is turned towards him while Yamaguchi tugs him to the inn for food. “By the way...”
Kageyama turns back to look at him, eyebrows raised.
Oikawa simply smiles, and for once it isn’t a smug grin. “Happy birthday, Tobio-chan.”
Tobio’s eyes turn blue and round, quickly glancing towards the trio when he hears a bellowed screech escape one of them.
“UWAH Kageyama! You didn’t tell me it was your birthday!”
“I wasn’t here to tell you anything! Stop screaming, idiot!”
“That’s kinda incredible, Kageyama-kun! Your birthday aligns exactly with the winter solstice.”
“Huh, makes sense that this hothead is a born monster after all.”
“HAHH!? What are you talking about, dummy?”
“Tsk tsk, Kageyama, don’t you know it’s rude to talk back to your elders?” Tsukki chides as Hinata and Yamaguchi clutch their stomachs in belly-aching laughter. Kageyama seethes in his signature glare as he flings strings of water at the verbal offenders.
Meanwhile, Tooru watches with an exasperated grin, watching them wrap arms around their shoulders as they stumble back to the villagers for food. They’ve offered to lend them assistance for however long they need, but Oikawa knows that they’ll have to leave soon.
Before the four of them are out of earshot completely, Oikawa holds his hands to his mouth and shouts, “Shrimpy-chan!” He nods slightly as Hinata turns with a questioning stare.
He sighs as walks closer to the Firebender. “We need to talk.”
“Well, I’ll catch you two around!” Tendou grins, both in genuine pleasure, and in amusement seeing the twins’ faces contort into poorly-veiled shock. He turns his back once he’s gotten a good look and strides away from the accommodation area, whistling a random tune.
He laughs to himself and sighs, feeling the tension leave his shoulders. Talking to those two has eased his stress, even if only momentarily. Atsumu is right—his brother’s tea works miracles on the body, it seems.
His footsteps ring through the echoey halls, but it ceases once he catches sight of something white and small from his peripheral view. He turns, squinting his eyes to get a better look, before he hears more words coming out the accommodation area.
“Oh, damn, Tendou-san is weird, and scary.” He hears Atsumu say.
He snorts and sounds back, “I can still hear you, you know!”
Once he gets a good kick out of the frantic, whispered noises that invade the air, he turns his eyes to the object once more. Lips pursed, he kneels over and picks it up, eyes widening once he does.
Despite being inside the interior with no windows, the artificial lights are bright and pattern themselves throughout the metal hallway, barely leaving any corner darkened. Even if it weren’t as bright, he could still tell it was a handkerchief. Its design, he guesses, would not be as flattering as compared to the sunlight, but Tendou still picks up on the subtle floral engravings and stitches that align with the handkerchief, all colored a nice lilac. Its lack of creases and stain suggests the owner takes especially good care of it. But he scoffs at himself. There’s no need to analyze such a piece of cloth so intently, not when he was the one who gifted it himself.
Lost in thought, it doesn’t take long before he finds himself in the doorway of the owner of such a beautiful yet hardy fabric.
“Prince Ushi!” He calls out in a sing-song voice, knocking on the door. It clangs against his knuckles. “I think you dropped something!”
He expects it to take a minute or so before Wakatoshi opens the door, most likely preoccupied with something else, so he’s shocked to see the door open so quickly.
“Ah, Tendou-kun,” He says, sounding a little out of breath. He spots the handkerchief laid out on Satori’s palm and he hums. “You found it. I have been wondering where this has gone.”
Tendou laughs in a manner very much like him—friendly and unrestrained. “I’m a little hurt, Wakatoshi-sama! I didn’t expect that you would just leave a precious gift like this lying around anywhere!”
Ushijima’s brows crease in concern. “I apologize, Tendou. I truly didn’t mean to lose this, and I especially didn’t mean to upset you.”
“Oh please, I wasn’t actually angry!” Tendou says, casually leaning on the door frame. He smiles. “Don’t mean to pry, but you seemed as if you were in a bit of a hurry!”
Satori anticipates a bit of confusion from his choice of words, maybe even expecting that the Prince wouldn’t understand his reference at all. So it shocks him to see the Prince’s eyes widen—barely, but the act betrays shock anyway. Before he could blink twice, however, it quickly returns to his normal stoic self.
“Don’t mean to pry? You are not a stranger to me, Satori.” At the sound of his given name, Tendou almost has to bite his lips from letting out a joking coo. “If you wish to talk, we can do so when the situation clears.”
Right. The storm. Eita-san. He has yet to find that slippery dippery captain.
Outwardly, he grins and raises a brow. “I didn’t mean those words literally, Toshi-kun! Doesn’t this remind you of something?”
Ushijima falters—or at least he does so in a manner very much like him, which is comprised of standing still and blinking slowly. Satori wonders whether he’ll even remember at all and prepares to cut his losses, when the Prince’s eyes shimmer in sudden realization.
“Are you not worried...for getting into trouble?” His words tumble out awkwardly, but Satori smiles in gracious support anyway.
“Some things are worth the thrill, you know.”
Wakatoshi’s eyes narrow, if only for a second. “Stalking on royalty and learning their secrets is your idea for a thrill?”
Satori swallows, though his face is stuck on a perpetual smirk. “The journey isn’t the thrill. Meeting interesting people are, though.”
“You’d be the first to regard me in such manner.”
“Then most people are dumb.” Tendou winks, feeling reprieve as Wakatoshi smiles lightly at him. He turns his heel and bids his adieu with a wave of his hand. “Or they’re too afraid to ask.”
As he finally turns the corner, he lets out a breath he didn’t know he was holding. “So he knew...” He mumbles to himself, hands in pockets as he roams the halls. Many things are for certain, if their strange conversation has any indication. In fact, he was quite lucky. He knew that Wakatoshi often lived his life in ultimates—a simple white lie to him is no different to the pain of a betrayal ten times over. But there is one thing he doesn’t know.
“Why didn’t he stop me from...” His thoughts trail over, seemingly echoing back in the metal halls. However, at the sight of gray hair and a stern expression, his mind stores it in the back of his mind for later. “Yo-hoo, Semi, come back here!”