Chapter Text
BOOK I
CHAPTER I: Awaken Avatar
Midoriya…
The first thing Midoriya heard was his name when he regained consciousness. Where was he again? Oh right, the Avatar’s Temple in Ba Sing Se. There he stood, at the very top of the staircase, ready to present himself to the world as a fully trained avatar.
Avatar Midoriya...can you hear?
Of course he can hear. He heard it before he saw it. The explosion that erupted into the onlooking crowd. Their raviging screams and debris scattering the area. The smoke and dust that filled the air before his very eyes.
Midoriya--
They were everywhere. He couldn’t get a good look at the perpetrators in the havoc. He ran into the crowd, ready to fight but so were they. The shadowy figures moved about but so did the people who were scattering and screaming. It was hard to determine who was the foe. But they knew and surrounded him--who are they? Suddenly, he could feel something tight around his neck. He’s losing air.
Don’t struggle--
The muscles in his body loosen as he loses more air. He can’t move! Dark spots form in his vision as he gasps for air. Then, the shadowy figures are no more and before he knew it--his body went cold.
Follow my voice--
~
Midoriya gasped for air as he awoke. His chest was tight and the stale cold air pricked the back of his throat. As his vision came into focus, he noticed the room was pretty dark with few lanterns lit casting shadows in every direction. Shadows...he remembers those figure shadows from the attack. But his thoughts became distracted when he realized he was stripped to his underwear surrounded by people he didn’t know.
“Avatar...Midoriya?” Someone approached him. Midoriya looked up slowly to see another teenager no older than him. His hair was straight, half white and half red which he considered an anomaly if it wasn’t for his own green hair. It was tied into a bun and his skin was pale except for a long scar along the left side of his face. “Go tell the chief the avatar has woken up!” He commanded the woman beside him to which she scurried away.
Avatar? That’s right, Midoriya was the avatar. Master of all four elements and the bridge between the human and spirit world. But why was he here? He looked down to the floor, searching his mind for more clues about the situation. However, the more he thought about it, the more exhausted he felt. Perhaps on the Earth kingdom? No, he was definitely attacked. Did someone want him out of the way? Or worse--
“Can you stand?” The teen distracted. Oh, his body ached but he could stand. He was freezing on the ground, too. He reached his hand out to him and Midoriya took it. The answers would come, but first he needed clothes.
~
As if his last memory wasn’t confusing enough, somehow the avatar was transported to the Northern Watertribe. But according to his memory, he was last in Ba Sing Se which was an astonishing trip away. Had he been unconscious the whole trip?
Once Midoriya was able to walk, he was escorted to the main palace. The walk was so agonizing that he wished this was asleep for this one, too. He was only given a fur blanket and boots as they moved cautiously out of a healing hut. The outdoors were practically blinding him thanks to the heavy pearl white blanket of snow and sun. But the freezing temperatures still crawled its way up his legs.
“Please cover your hair as well. We need to transport you as inconspicuously as possible.” Instructed the teen.
“Wait. I need answers--” God his throat was so dry. His voice sounded more like screech. “And who are you? W-where am I going?”
“I told you, you’re in the Northern Watertribe.”
“And you?”
He sighed, “I am the prince of the water tribe, Shoto Todoroki. We can do formal introductions later, for now just follow me before you get sick.”
He was right. Despite being wrapped from head to toe, the Northern winter weather snuck its way past the thick furs. Midoriya hated the cold and desperately needed pants. They walked through a web of canals throughout the area. The pair climbed up a set of stairs that led to a long bridge that entered the grand palace. On each side of the entry there were totem poles resembling snow creatures. The palace stood as high as the glacier cliffs beside it. The palace was always a marvel to him because it was made completely out of wood and ice yet stood hundreds of feet tall in the air just meeting the giant glacier behind it at the top.
“It’s been so long since I was last here.”
Todoroki responded, “You’ve been here for quite some time actually.”
Midoriya wanted to pry but he knew the prince wouldn’t answer. He had practically ignored him the whole trip. Once they entered the palace, a servant maid escorted the avatar to his room. There were guards stationed throughout the white and blue lit hall surrounding his room which made him a bit uneasy.
And as if the discomfort couldn’t get worse, his room was more grand than he anticipated. The ceilings were as high as can be with a sparkling chandelier in the middle. Underneath it was a wide bed covered in white furs and blue blankets with the royal watermark symbol. Each wall bore the royal flag with gold borders down the middle. Behind the bed were some luxurious seats and a warm fireplace. But there were no windows. Were they protecting him?
The servant laid out a fresh outfit for him. A long blue and brown parka with thick brown boots and layered under garments. Perfect! The avatar thanked the servant and escorted her out so he could get dressed. Once dressed, he walked over to the fireplace which was low lit. The room was warm but he preferred it warmer. He could light it more with his firebending so he bent closely to wood and took a deep breath. He blew on the wood but nothing came out but air!
“What the--?” He blew again. Maybe he wasn’t doing it right or he wasn’t warm enough? So he blew again, again, and again until his lungs could give no more.
He stood quickly and took a step back. His mind suddenly went into a panic! He felt off all of a sudden and he stood in a wide stance. Focusing on his energy and punching the air but no fire came out! He straightened his back and tried to move the air but nothing happened.
“No, no!” He looked around the room, and it was beginning to spin. Why couldn’t he summon air or fire? He held the ice wall and tried to melt it but it didn’t move. He pulled his hand back and pressed on it harder. Yet it didn’t budge. Suddenly the world came crashing down on him, his thoughts racing as fast as his heart. His mind had gone blank and he screamed in terror.
~
“What is the meaning of this?!” Growled the chief. He was a burly man with red hair and a red beard. He sat forward on the throne gawking at the nurse who stood beside Midoriya. “You cannot bend?!”
Hearing it out loud stung harder than his realization. Midoriya could do nothing but stare at the floor in shame. First he was attacked and now his bending was gone, this had to be some kind of mistake. Todoroki was standing next to the nurse looking aloof. The chief tapped his foot angrily and leaned further forward in his throne.
“Explain this to me further.” He commanded.
The nurse answered, “It seems that the avatar is just having a slower recovery from his comatose state.”
“We are known to have the best healers in the entire world, yet you cannot bring it back any faster?”
Todoroki responded, “You’ve had most of our best healers working on him, even me. If he didn’t have his bending when he woke up, it's not our fault.”
“Shoto!” He snapped.
Todoroki kept quiet after his father’s bark.
The nurse continued, “There is nothing we can do further for him, chief. Todoroki is our best healer, besides his mother. He even woke the avatar up!” No way, this teenaged prince was the one that healed him out of his coma? Midoriya made a mental note later to thank him. “Please, I’m sure with time and rest he’ll recover his powers. Perhaps he just needs to wake it within himself.”
“We need the avatar as soon as possible.” The chief sighed. They spoke as if he wasn’t in the room. “There is a lot going on and it is utmost important that he returns to his duties.”
“What do you mean by that?” Midoriya inquired. “What’s going on? How long have I been asleep?”
There was a long silence with only the sound of the rushing waterfall behind the throne. The chief leaned back, his grand white and gold furs over his shoulders slumped to the side of his blue parka. He leaned on one shoulder and put his hand on his head.
“Avatar Midoriya, you have been in a coma for two years.”
“T-two--!?”
“Yes, two years. The world is not entirely in jeopardy but it's having issues without its avatar. Although, I shan't explain anything further until you’ve fully recuperated your strength.”
“But, sir--”
“Chief Todoroki to you.”
“Chief Todoroki,” he corrected dryly. “Two years is a long time. Where are my parents? What sort of issues--”
“In due time, we will answer them.” He growled. “But you need to recuperate. You’re under our protection until you do so. No questions asked.”
Prince Todoroki cleared his throat, “If that’s all chief, I will take my leave.”
“Wait a moment.” The chief raised his hand to stop him and Todoroki froze mid turn. “You, Shoto, will help the avatar recover his bending.”
“Me!?” He turned back.
“Is anyone else here named that?”
“Chief, I have more important things to--”
“Nothing is more important than recovering the avatar. I will not argue with you about this. See to it!”
The prince glared at the avatar menacingly which made Midoriya face the floor again. With a huff, the prince stormed out of the throne room leaving Midoriya and the nurse behind.
~
This day couldn’t get any worse. First the avatar is trapped in the Northern water tribe palace, next the prince hates him, and finally he loses his bending. Midoriya never felt so useless in his life. All this time, he was told he would do great things and that it was an honor to be around him. Now everyone was arguing about what to do with him. The fact that he lost his bending had to be due to the attack. Before then he was fine, but afterwards--? His mind grew heavy and dark. Every time he thought about the moment he was attacked, it grew blurrier and hurt his head more. What had they done to him? Who had done this to him? And would a “slow recovery” be the only way that it would return? It had to be more than that. It’s unnatural to take bending away. None of the ancient texts said so.
Now that he thought about it, his body felt heavier than usual without his powers. He wasn’t sure if it was the laden stress weighing him down or his lack of powers--and he wouldn’t know until he returned. For now, he just walked aimlessly around the palace searching for the angry prince. The palace was beautiful on the inside too. Despite it being made of ice, it was warm. The were decorative carvings along the baseboards and crown molding resembled water waves and different fish. The floor was almost shining like a diamond from icle patterns and the hallways were long and thin making it feel endless. It definitely felt endless until he saw a person with red streaked hair pass by.
“Prince!” Midoriya called out chasing around the corner. The prince stopped near a balcony overlooking the courtyard and turned to Midoriya. “Ah, I’m so glad I caught up with you.”
“Avatar Midoriya.” He said coldly.
“I wanted to thank you,” Midoriya smiled. “Thanks to your healing I was able to wake up. You must be a powerful water bender.”
“Most of my family are.” He sighed. “Is there anything else you need?”
“Well, I was wondering--”
“If it's to help your recovery, I have to decline.”
“What?”
“I am busy. I’ve already told the chief that.”
“Then perhaps I can help you with your errands?”
“Absolutely not.” The prince declined and turned away.
“Please wait, how am I supposed to get my bending back?”
“I’m not sure.” He responded, walking away. “Wait it out? I don’t know! Just don’t bother me.”
Midoriya frowned sourly and folded his arms. What the hell was his problem?