82 Years After the Genocide of the Air Nomads.
The Northern Water Tribe
Today, the capital of the Northern Water Tribe was alive with celebration. People rejoiced and raised toasts in honor of the birth of a son to the respected Chief of the Tribe, Arnuk. Many had feared the child might not survive, as in the eighth month of pregnancy, Chief Arnuk's wife, June, had struggled to maintain her own chi to nurture the fetus. However, waterbending healers from the Healing Hall had taken turns by her bedside, continuously channeling gentle healing water bender to sustain both mother and child.
Rumors began to spread throughout the city that the Chief's son would possess an extraordinary gift in waterbending, given his insatiable hunger for chieven before birth.
Inside the palace, silence reigned, and those present spoke only in whispers, moving as quietly as possible. The long-awaited son of the city's rulers had finally fallen asleep, and no one wanted to risk waking him.
At that mont, while the protagonist—already nad Yuki—lay dreaming his first dreams, June held him tenderly and spoke to her husband.
"Heh-heh-heh, I told you it would definitely be a son, my heir!" Arnuk boasted, gazing proudly at his child.
"Hush, you'll wake him," June scolded gently. "And who was it who spent all nine months dreaming of a little princess to spoil for the rest of his life?" she teased.
"I don't recall that," Arnuk replied, slightly embarrassed. "But tell , what shall we na him? With such an unusual appearance, he'll surely be surrounded by female attention," he added, a hint of envy in his voice.
June fell silent for a few minutes, studying her firstborn as if searching for the answer in his features. With a tuft of white hair and fluffy eyelashes, he looked like a little angel, and she couldn't resist the urge to smother him with kisses. She adored his violet eyes, which seed to glow with an otherworldly light.
"Let's na him Yuki," she said after a mont's thought. "Ahh, I'm already falling asleep," she added, ending her sentence with a yawn.
"Of course, rest, my dear," Arnuk said, concern in his voice. "Today was your most exhausting day. I'll ask a few people to stay near the room in case you need anything. I'll co back later—even on my son's birthday, duty calls," he said, tucking her into bed and kissing her forehead.
"I know your duties," June murmured, her eyes already closed. "Just don't drink too much," she added as Arnuk left the room.
He pretended not to hear and quietly continued on his way, thinking to himself that he couldn't pass up celebrating his son's birth. He'd make it up to his wife with gifts later.
*
The Protagonist, the Naless Spirit, Friend of Wong, or Now Yuki
When I entered the world, I was overwheld by a cacophony of sounds, a barrage of slls, and a complete lack of balance. My suffering mind likened it to riding the most extre rollercoaster imaginable, multiplied by a hundred. With my first breath, I let out a wail—my lungs burned, my eyes were assaulted by a jumble of colors, and there was a constant background noise. But it was all exhilarating; the important thing was that I was alive, whole, and ready to take on the world.
As soon as sothing touched my face, I instinctively opened my mouth and began to suckle, surprising even myself with such a reflex. As I fed, I felt soone gently rocking , and the love and care emanating from the body holding were indescribable. I felt safer than I ever had before. It was clear—this was my mother. Our bond ford naturally, and I truly felt like her child, though with the baggage of a past life. After eating my fill—and even spitting up, which I proudly called a sign of excellent cuisine—I began to drift into sleep. After all, I'd been through a lot: the spirit world, a race against ti, a battle for my mind, and now birth. I deserved to rest.
For the next few months, I felt like a king. Food was brought to , soone cleaned up after , and no one scolded . Even soiling myself wasn't a problem—if I could control it, I'd use a potty, but for now, it was beyond my abilities. So I ignored it, especially since it wasn't my fault.
Gradually, I began to make out the silhouettes around and hear sounds more clearly. I also realized I was always hungry. When my mother's milk ran out and I still wasn't full, another woman fed the next day, and so it continued, even though my mother still nursed .
I hadn't noticed before, but being an infant, with all its limitations, felt far more comfortable than my spirit form. It was as if a constant pressure had lifted. I attributed this to finally belonging in the world. It was like being a beta tester with a free trial—now I'd bought the full license and could enjoy so much more.
Often, rough hands would pick up. This unpleasant person would hug , his beard prickling my skin. These were the only masculine hands I felt, so I assud they belonged to my father.
The first few months were spent catching up on sleep from my entire past life. Every adult has dread of returning to their childhood, when they could nap without worry. Now, I cursed myself for not appreciating those quiet hours. In university and at work, six hours of sleep felt like a luxury.
My bliss didn't last. One day, I realized I didn't know my gender. I have nothing against won—in fact, I adore them—but after living as a man for so long, it was unsettling. My parents noticed my mood and tried to cheer up. I spent a week trying to feel sothing between my legs, but eventually gave up, exhausted. It wasn't the end of the world; I'd figure it out. And why stress when I'd likely turn out to be a boy?
After a month, I decided to check my energy, at least a little. Diving deep within myself, I saw my sources, now more alive, and felt my spirit rging with my physical body every second. Van Shi Tong's records warned against using bending until synchronization was complete. I intended to follow this advice carefully. Full fusion could take three to five years—a small price to pay for regaining my bending. You grow accustod to the good things quickly.
My senses were still calibrating. Recently, I'd managed to take in my room's interior: it was austere, though better than I'd expected. The room was large, dominated by shades of blue, with patches of icy walls. The Northern Water Tribe—that was good. If I was pre-canon, I had ti to prepare for future events. Judging by the show, this tribe held its own against the Fire Nation, unlike the Southern Tribe, which isolated itself after a devastating war, leaving its brethren to fend for themselves.
I condemned but understood. In those tis, aiding an ally ant weakening your own defenses. Leaders prioritized their citizens, which wasn't a bad judgnt.
Each day, I grew more attuned to my body, even managing to see my parents. My mother was a beautiful woman with dark skin and long black hair. My father looked slightly older, with long black hair and a beard. I recognized him as a well-known figure: Arnuk, was that you?
Now it made sense—all those trials had led to this reward. I was the son of the Water Tribe Chief, far better than I'd hoped. It would bring both advantages and great responsibilities. I was like the son of a president: my achievents would be his, my failures a blow to him.
No matter—with my future abilities, I wouldn't be an ordinary citizen. My waterbending would surpass others, propelling up the ladder. I felt like a donor in a ga, paying for the best gear and perks to rise to the top.
"Ha-ha-ha-ha," the baby on the bed tried to laugh nacingly and triumphantly, only to attract trouble.
Seeing his adorable laughter, the nanny and mother couldn't resist smothering him with kisses and hugs—or, as Yuki saw it, torture.
I'm too irresistible. Every action prompts kisses and hugs. I've tried acting calm and serious, but it only makes them more affectionate. I won't give up so easily.
*
Today, I was dressed warmly, and it seed we were going for a walk. Leaving the room, we entered a long corridor, passing more doors and rooms. Was this a house or a palace?
Everyone we t had dark skin and a variety of eye colors—like mismatched Eskimos with Slavic, European, and even Indian features. In a word: beautiful!
The city was stunning in daylight. The icy buildings reflected the light, giving it a fantastical feel. The canals reminded of Venice. It was far more impressive than the show's depiction. Despite the large population, there was no crowding. Why walk when you could travel by boat through the canals? The architecture was well-planned, built with care and convenience for all.
Entering a building, I saw girls and won hurrying through the large hall. Peeking into a room, I watched a sixteen-year-old girl heal a man's injured leg with glowing water—waterbending healing. It was a useful skill; I'd have to learn it.
The passing won often glanced at . A few even looked like they wanted to take from my mother and cuddle . But my mother held her head high, as if saying, "Look at my irresistible son and envy more."
In a room, my mother spoke to a lively elderly woman before we sat on a couch. Undressing , the woman ran healing water over my body. It tickled, but I endured it bravely. Seeing my efforts, they giggled and cooed at .
They didn't find anything wrong, or they wouldn't be laughing at my expense. Leaving the building, I saw it—a mirror! Pulling my mother toward it, I studied my face intently. Argh, why are babies so cute?! I couldn't even tell if I was a boy or girl. But I did notice my unusual appearance: snow-white hair, athyst eyes. It was enough to fuel narcissism or enjoynt. Now the reactions of those around made sense—even I wanted to cuddle myself.
Recently, I started crawling, so my parents brought rugs into the room. Now, my favorite activity was building muscle by crawling around and listening to adult conversations, trying to understand individual words.
I'd thought this new life would co with a full social package, but I still had to learn the language. In the spirit world, it wasn't an issue—those scrolls were more energy than actual words.
It's amazing to sleep whenever I want, for as long as I want. In my past life, the sound of an alarm only brought dread, no matter how often I changed the ringtone.
I wonder if Yui will be born. If I think about it, she should—my father looks much younger than in the show, so there's still a chance. Though my arrival has already altered events. In the show, Princess Yui was 16, so even if we were born the sa year, I have plenty of ti to prepare. If I was born earlier, even better—I might even travel and open a few chakras. Plans are good, but we know what happens to them. I'll have to act as the situation demands.
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