YUKI’S CHAPTER Book 1: Souls, Chapter 5: Fate Of The Flame

Many people at school thought I was weird for some years. They thought that me being popular would mean that I have to pay attention to everyone's problems, sit at the most crowded lunch tables, even decide who gets to hang out with me and who doesn't.

But really, I don't like any of those things. (And you better not tell anyone!) I actually love to read. And draw. But everybody just overlooks that and just instantly assume that I'm the popular girl, and Sei was the only one who was allowed to be herself. She slouched at the first possible opportunity, and had her elbows on the table. She's stolen every single one of my past boyfriends, and 3 of them weren't even on purpose! And most of all that angered me, SHE was Mom's favorite, no doubt. She invited a 14 year old into TOP SECRET GANG! If that's not picking favorites, I don't know what is. But the moment she gave me the locket, I was kinda suspicious about whether she was doing this to help me or to get me in deeper trouble. But then I had a hunch. "Sei, your not really working with Mom, are you? That's why you we're smiling at dinner, because you knew that you were planning-!"

Sei's hands flew up and she said "Don't say it so loud! I have no idea what you're talking about!" My eyes widened and I went back to my bags, trying to process it all. I lowered her voice to a whisper with, saying "I won't say a word, I promise. But you have to at least swear to me that the reason you're going behind Mom's back is a good one..." She sighed and nodded her head. "I promise you, you can trust me on this at least."

She held up a piece of paper that looked like a map. "Mom told me I was supposed to give you this, she said it was because it would send you somewhere 'safe' for the time being. But when I looked over at the map, I realized it was a fake map of the Fire Nation..." I looked down at the ground, trying not to cry. *She really wants me gone that bad, huh? "*But don't worry! I grabbed you a new one, but it's a little risky...." I shrugged my shoulders and shook my head. "I'm not going anywhere until you tell me where I'm headed. I still don't know which words are lies or the truth, so I need to know details, Sei."

She sighed. "Its a map through a temple. I just thought that it would be the quickest way that would lead you to...y'know, the Avatar-" I gasped. "Wait, the Avatar is alive?! Where have they been this whole time!?" Sei shook her head and shrugged. "Kept in the dark about what's going on apparently. You need to tell her what our mom is planning! She says she wants to wait a 3 more months underground before she gives the Red Lotus the signal..."

"The signal to what? Why haven't you told me about any of this before!?" She stepped back. "She says she wants to signal... The assassination of the Avatar, once and for all. She said it was because Zaheer failed his mission, and that it was our 'destiny' to do what's right. I didn't tell you because I didn't know everything until now!"

"Where are they? The Avatar?" I asked. Sei sighed. "At the spirit portal. I think she's trying to figure out how to get her spiritual connection back, but thats just a hunch!" I thought for a moment, eyeing the map in my hands. "Its a she? What's her name?" I wasnt sure how that was important, but I didn't want to get caught screaming "AVATAR!!!!" over and over in public. "Her name is Yuki."

Wait.....Haven't I heard that name before? My jaw dropped. "Yuki?! My classmate from the 5th grade is the...You know what!?" Sei shrugged. "Who would've thought. She did always seem like a nice girl though." She added. If I was gonna go, now would be a a REALLY good time. "But what about you? You could come with me! You don't have to take mom's abuse, lets run, now! While we still have the chance?" I asked. I couldn't imagine what her life would be like, all alone with Mom, doing nothing but her dirty work and no one around to comfort or take care of her...I couldn't just leave without seeing if she was sure. But Sei shook her head. "In other cases, I totally would. But who would be there to keep everything in line, and make she doesn't try to KILL you? My duty is to stay here and watch over that crazy woman! Now you go do YOURS, and find the avatar. She'll be forever grateful, I know it."

Sei had insisted I go through the back door, because it makes less noise. It's a good thing she came to me with the map, otherwise I wouldn’t have known where to start. The Temple of Shino whas the one I had to go through to reach Republic City and it's Spirit Portal, like a bridge. I had my locket/stop watch thingy in one hand, map in the other, and my bag of belongings on my back (duh). I wondered what Yuki looks like now, and Toka and Po. I still kinda wanted to know who Toka liked, though it was already kinda obvious. I don't know why people thought I had a crush on him just 'cause I complimented his shoes! The boy had style! Though I'm not entirely sure where I was right then, I was hearing noises and around me the darker it gets. Of course I pull out my fire for light, and to keep bugs away (You never know what diseases they could be carrying, if any at all).

I heard a crunch on the ground as I took a step forward. *Must be a branch,* I thought. But....A single branch on a trail of gravel? The last few trees were way behind me anyway. I ignored it and kept moving. Or at least I tried to. The crunches and snaps were getting louder! I knelt to the ground, inspecting the trail. "Aagh!" I cried, tumbling backwards. Not sticks. BONES. "Where did bones come from?!" I got up and brushed myself off, looking up at the road ahead of me. I still had a long way to go.

I thought back to when Yuki was in school with me, hoping it would settle my racing heart. I never knew why she did only half year of school, and then dropped out to become self-taught. Wasn't her mom going to homeschool her? Then again, I hadn't seen them since we moved back to Viahto City, so that could a play a part in why I knew so little. Who would've thought that Yuki, the girl who held a funeral for each fly she killed, would turn out to be the most powerful being in the Four Nations? But what got me confused is how many years its been since there was last a single major problem that the Avatar had to go and fix. Was the world really ok, and if not, how long would it be silent before we got too comfortable?

I shook that thought put of my head and kept my steady pace. Whatever it was, Yuki would be able to take care of it, right?

Wait, had she even been trained? Or mastered any elements? And did she have a 'team avatar' or whatever it was? It was most likely Toka and Po so far, but I'd have to see for myself when I got there. More snaps and crunches interrupted my thoughts. But this time wasn't just bones. It was wood. And I was smack dab in the middle of a fragile rope bridge. Ah. So that's what having your head in the clouds was like.

I wanted to call for help, but who within 50 miles was gonna hear me? "Woa- Ahh!" The rope was snapping! I seriously gotta get off this bridge unless plunging into an endless pit sounds comfy. *Ok, just calm down, and don’t move too fast.*

How was I supposed to do that?

**TO BE CONTINUED…**