1. The Begining

Hey everyone! This story is actually based off a RP that me and my friends did together. I thought we had a good thing going on, but then it died… I was sad… so I decided to make my own version. Now to disclaim the credit:

Avatar: The Last Airbender and all related characters and such are copyright to Nikelodeon (erm… that is correct… right? Well… in any case it's not mine… so yeah…)

Zephyr is copyright my friend Xascher (who is completely **brilliant** BTW!)

I'll do more as the other characters come in. So… you may now enjoy!

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The Begining

Long white hair flew behind her from the blast of air. Fighting against the intense wind she performed the motions to direct the stream of wind back at her attacker. She charged forward, her redirected wind propelling her faster.

The bald monk facing her was surprised by the sudden charge, and only just managed to nimbly step aside as she ran past. She was expecting him to dodge; the monk she was facing was a master air-bender after all. So with a small smirk plastered to her face and a mischievous gleam to her blue-silver eyes, Mei placed a bracing foot to the ground and turned mid-step toward the retreating monk.

His grey eyes widened further as she grabbed his outstretched hand and attempted to flip him over her shoulder. But he was a master air-bender, he grabbed her hand with his free one and directed the wind to sweep her feet from her.

The sparring session ended with her on the floor face-down with an old monk sitting lightly on top of her, restraining her hands.

Her white hair was a mess and fell into her eyes, creating a rather comical look as she attempted to see through it by crossing her eyes, "I was so close!" she said, before blowing her hair out of her face with a puff of air.

"You were very close, MeiLin. It is very much apparent why you have been chosen as a successor to the Northern Air Temple," the monk replied, lithely rising from her back and turning to help her up.

"That's still a long way off, Monk Frianzo, I'm nowhere near the level of the monks at any Temple," Mei replied.

"You only lack in experience, young MeiLin," Frianzo smiled at her, "now, off you go. I know your social visits to our temple are for more reasons than to play with us old monks," the other presiding monks nodded, and Mei smiled.

They watched her run off, "I don't know what she sees in that boy," one said.

"Now, Monk Kaatra, we must not let the prejudices of the world affect our decisions in the temple," Frianzo said.

"But you know the Fire Nation has become more violate as of the last few years," Kaatra replied.

"We all know that, Monk Kaatra, but the boy has been here since he was young."

"The Fire Nation could be keeping contact with him, using him to spy on the temple."

The other monks sighed, they'd heard this argument many times before, but the Fire Nation was becoming more war-like and there were rumors going around that there were attacks on the outreaches of both the Earth Kingdom and the Water Tribes in the north and south.

-

Mei knocked on the door, excited to finally see her best friend again.

The door creaked open and a tired, "what'd'you want?" echoed out.

"Well… I wanted to see my best friend," Mei said, a grin lighting her face, "but if you're too tired I could come back again some other time."

"Mei!" the door flew open and a golden-eyed, naturally spiked ebony-haired teen stood in rumpled robes.

"Zephyr!" she hugged him, "I haven't seen you in forever!"

"Three months and twelve days!" Zephyr replied, hugging her back, "what have you been doing?"

"Going around to the temples, visiting monks, teaching classes."

"That's right, you were named a successor monk in the Northern Air temple weren't you?" Zephyr grinned and let her go.

Mei sighed, "yes, it's really annoying actually."

"What?"

"No one treats me the same, all the other students at the Temple won't hang out with me anymore, and all I do when I visit the other temples is spar with the monks or teach the younger kids."

"Don't worry, you won't have to do that here," Zephyr said, "I know all the hidden passages!"

Mei raised her eyebrow at him, "hidden passages?"

"You know… the ones I make myself."

Mei laughed, "oh. Those ones. Like the one you have for your window."

Zephyr sheepishly scratched the back of his head and looked toward the blackened hole in the side of the window, "that one was an accident!"

Mei laughed harder, "oh yeah! And the other ones were on purpose right?"

Zephyr smiled, he always was able to cheer up Mei when she was down, "Well, let's head out to the stables, I haven't seen Yang in a long time, either," the tall boy walked away leaving a still-giggling Mei to follow after him.

They reached the bison stables via a window and some bending to soften the fall from 50 feet in the air.

The Flying Bison all bellowed in greeting, making the two teens smile as they found Mei's bison Yang.

Yang was the average Flying Bison, off-white with the grey arrow marks in his fur. He was lying in the corner of his stall, resting from the long journey from the Northern Air Temple. When Mei and Zephyr walked into his door-less stall he perked up.

"Hey boy!" Zephyr laughed as Yang licked up the entire length of his body and knocked him to the ground, "It's good to see you too!"

After Yang decided Zephyr was sufficiently 'loved' he went back to his corner to sleep some more.

Zephyr wiped the slobber off his face, "as much as I know this means he likes me, you think he could do it less… ew…"

Mei chuckled at her friend's predicament, "it's your fault for not coming to visit more often."

Zephyr sighed, "Mei… you know the monks won't let me have a bison."

The atmosphere darkened as Mei thought about the restrictions put on the fire-bender, "well they should! You were raised with the monks' teachings just as much as any of us were. They should let you leave the temple grounds sometimes, too."

"We know they should," Zephyr agreed as they walked out of the stables and back to the temple grounds, "but I know you've heard the rumors about the Fire Nation going around right now. No one's said anything but they've all started to treat me differently, they think that I'm a spy for the Fire Nation."

Mei blinked, "Are you kidding?"

"No…" his eyebrows rose questioningly.

"With all the restrictions they put on you how could they think you sneak out?"

Zephyr laughed, "I know! But sometimes logic fails in situations like these. You studied the same history I did; remember the Earth Kingdom rebellions 150 years ago?"

"Yeah, both sides started attacking their own believing them to be spies for the opposing factions," she replied quickly with a dismissing hand, "but this is different!"

"Is it?" Zephyr asked in a whisper, stopping by a window and looking out to watch the younger kids play a game of air-tag on their gliders.

Mei was quiet; she walked up to where he was standing and wrapped her arms around him. He was a good few inches taller than her so she had to pull his ear down to the level of her mouth.

"YES!" she yelled, startling him out of his solemn mood.

"Mei! What was that for!?" he stumbled away from his smirking friend.

"Zephyr, you were raised as an Air-bender, by the teachings of the monks. They have no reason to conclude that you have any connection to what the Fire Nation may or may not be doing."

He glared at her, but couldn't hold his face for long when she burst out laughing.

"Don't think about it too hard, fire-boy, you might hurt yourself," she managed to say before jumping out the window to escape his fake-wrath.

"Mei! Get back here!" he called out, playfully shaking his fist at her.

She stuck her tongue out, "no!"

Zephyr grinned and followed her out the window, using his fire-bending to stabilize his landings and flights to the different rock formations around the temple as he followed Mei.

-

"Then we have agreed?" Monk Kaatra said more as a statement than a question.

Three voices replied in affirmation, one in hesitation.

"Monk Frianzo, we have heard your concerns, they are no longer an issue in this matter."

"But still, he is one of our own, he was raised alongside the other boys in this temple and should be treated as such," the monk said calmly, "but if you all agree this is the best thing for the temple, then I will be the one to tell him."

"Very well."

"We will see the boy gone from the temple by the end of the week."

Frianzo sighed, "of course."

-

Zephyr eagerly answered the knock at his door, expecting it to be Mei again, "Monk Frianzo!"

"Hello young Zephyr," the monk greeted.

"Come in."

"Thank you. Zephyr," Frianzo paused as he entered the room and stood by the bed, "I have come to speak with you about a very important matter."

Zephyr nodded for him to continue.

"The other monks and I have had many long and hard debates about you."

"I know," Zephyr sighed.

"I know you know," Frianzo smiled sadly, "and I'm sorry our debates have caused you stress. But we came to a decision yesterday," he stopped, this was harder than he expected it to be, "we have decided that it would be best… if you left the temple."

"You mean… I can go out now?" Zephyr was hesitant to be excited at the prospect of being able to leave the grounds; there was something in Frianzo's voice.

"Yes, but… but you would not be coming back."

The world seemed to spin in his eyes and he fell back against the wall, sliding until he hit the floor in a defeated position, "I knew there was a catch… there's always a catch."

"Zephyr… I am sorry…" Frianzo moved to place a hand on the boy's shoulder, "I am so sorry."

"I know," Zephyr's amber eyes were dull as he slid them shut and fought against the tears that threatened to fall. He was going to lose the only place he'd ever called home. Suddenly the restrictions placed on him didn't seem so harsh.

"When MeiLin leaves, you will go with her."

-

"Come on Zephyr," Mei held out a hand to help him onto Yang. The tall boy grabbed it and climbed onto the Flying Bison.

"Ah… Miss MeiLin," a wise monk, not one of the head monks of course but a respected one none-the-less, named Gyatso stepped forward, "a word please."

Mei easily slid off the bison and the monk pulled her aside. They spoke quickly and quietly away from the crowds.

"Do not worry, Miss MeiLin, I will do all I can to dissuade the prejudices against your friend. We are taught to respect all life, young Zephyr falls into that category I do believe," he smiled and placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Thank you Monk Gyatso."

"No need for thanks, Miss MeiLin, it is simply our nature as monks of the Air Temples… or at least it should be."

Mei smiled at the monk, "you are wise, Monk Gyatso, if only they all could see your wisdom."

Gyatso smiled back at her, "we will see. Now go, your friend is waiting."

Mei nodded. She turned to leave, but paused and pulled Gyatso into a warm hug, "thank you."

He was startled but returned her hug, "You're welcome."

Mei then ran and jumped onto Yang with lifted spirits. With a simple, "yip yip," they were off.

Zephyr sat at the back of the large saddle, staring at the large temple set above the clouds.

Mei didn't want to spoil his memory of what could be his last glimpse of the temple so she remained quiet until the tall building disappeared behind the clouds.

"What do I do now, Mei?" he asked quietly, resting his head on the saddle behind her.

She looked back at him, almost tearing up at the pain present in his expression. She set the reins down and jumped into the saddle beside him.

"You'll be able to go back, Zephyr," she told him.

"Stop trying to make me feel better," he said bluntly, losing his temper a bit, "I've just lost the only home I've ever known! No amount of pretty words could ever make that pain go away, Mei!"

She held fast as his glare bore into her own calm gaze, "I know that, but the _right_ words can give hope in even the most dire of situations."

"What could possibly make this situation better?" he huffed wearily, turning away.

"The teachings the monks live by say to respect all life. Monk Gyatso pulled me aside to talk just before we left with his word to try and dissuade the other monks of their rash decision to send you away. And with me in the position I'm in, I can surely have some sway in the decision."

"That doesn't give me any hope," he replied broodingly, staring off into the darkening sky.

"But it at least gives me some," Mei replied in a light tone, playfully ruffling his ebony hair, "and sometimes a little hope is all that is needed."

Zephyr made a noise halfway between a grunt and a hum, Mei smiled before turning to look at the sky. The sun was just reaching the horizon in the west signaling the end of the day.

Mei unbuckled the pack attached to the back of the saddle and pulled out a couple blankets, it was cold at night when you're up that high, and handed two to Zephyr.

"Thanks."

She re-buckled the pack back to the saddle and turned to lay her own blankets out.

Yes. It was the end of the day, and the end of one life. But in the nature of the sun, one ending is the start of another beginning.

Little did the two friends know they would be starting out on a journey that would take them across all the nations, and lead them to become some of the deciding figures of the outcome of the whole history of the world.

-

And so begins their journey! Okay. Seriously now, I need to know if this is even worth continuing, so leave a review, if I don't get positive feedback I'll just scrap it. But if you guys like it, then I'll keep going. I don't have anything else written out at the moment, but I have all the RP chats from my friends and it won't be too hard to get it into story format.

So leave a review telling me to go on or not!


	2. Proven Rumors

Thanks to everyone who reviewed and favorited the last chapter. I got some good responses so I decided to keep going. This is really fun to write... hehe, I totally procrastinated my college english paper to write it... and then paid for it by having to say up into the wee hours of the morning to get if finished.

Okay... so just a random bit of info. All these people in the story turn out to be someone important to the people in the Avatar-verse that we know... see if you can figure it out. :D

Enjoy the next instalment of The Story Behind the Story.

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Proven Rumors

Mei woke slowly, relaxed by the soothing movements of Yang underneath her.

The sun was just coming up over the horizon and Zephyr was already up and watching it. It was one of his traditions. Because his bending was tied with the sun he rose and slept with it and always woke to watch the sunrise from the roof of the air temple.

Mei frowned, reminded suddenly of the terrible events that had taken place the night before. She had to stay positive though, "Good morning, Zephyr!"

He grunted in reply, this morning's grunt was less disheartened than the one last night, so Mei knew he was going to be okay. He would take some time to heal, but she had given him some hope last night. She had been worried about that.

"How'd you sleep?"

He didn't answer for a moment, "not terrible, but not so good either."

"I understand," she said comfortingly as she re-packed the blankets. Looking over the side of the saddle she spotted ground, "somewhere over the southeastern coast of the Earth Kingdom," she muttered, "it's a good as spot as any to land," she hopped over the front of the saddle and landed on Yang's head, "let's find a village boy, and stop there for a while."

Yang made a tired noise of approval, Mei smiled, "you slacker! You flew twice this fast to get to the Southern Temple and for twice as long! You're not that tired!" Yang made another grunting noise, sounding almost indignant, Mei giggled.

They flew for only a few more minutes before Yang started descending. When he landed in an open field he immediately plopped onto his belly. This elicited a laugh from Mei and a slight smile from Zephyr.

"There's a small village just through the trees over there," Mei pointed to the northwest, "I've got money so we can go and get something to eat and then continue on."

"Okay," Zephyr looked about to say something else before he paused, "hey, Mei?"

"Yeah?" she asked as she jumped off her bison.

He copied the action and landed next to her, "where did they tell you to take me? I mean… if I'm banished from the Air Temples… where am I supposed to go?"

Mei paused in her walk, looking up at her tall friend she sighed, "well, you're not banned from all the temples just yet. Word hasn't gotten around quite as fast as we can. At any rate they said that a small village somewhere in the Earth Kingdom would be good."

"You mean like this one?" he asked begrudgingly, staring through the trees at the still-sleepy Earth Kingdom village.

"No!" Mei protested, "I'm not going to just leave you somewhere, no matter what the monks told me! You're my best friend!"

"Mei. If you don't show up at one of the temples sometime they'll start to worry."

"So let them worry. I can't just leave a defenseless little fire-bender like you out alone in the big bad world."

"Hey! I'm not that defenseless!" he countered, "I can fire-bend as you just pointed out!"

Mei raised an eyebrow, "yeah… a fire-bender trained in the ways of the air-nomads is _real_ dangerous."

"Just because my bending is a little unstable and has a tendency to blow up in my face-"

"-literally," Mei added with a smirk, "and on the walls and other people-"

"Shut up!" Zephyr couldn't help but grin as she dodged his mock-shove, "it's your dumb air-bending moves that don't work for fire-bending that's the problem!"

"Oh yeah!" she replied laughing, "that's all my fault now, is it?"

"Yes!" while they had been talking they had been moving toward the village, several early-risers heard their playful banter, and tried to find the source of the noise.

When they spotted two strangers dressed in Air Nomad clothing they shied away from them.

Mei was the first to notice the tense atmosphere and quickly stopped laughing, "Something's not right."

Zephyr looked around, "what is it? What's wrong?"

Mei narrowed her silver-blue eyes at a man who had spotted them and hastily closed the shutter he'd been spying from, "people are usually much friendlier to traveling Air Nomads, can't you feel the fear in the air?"

Zephyr shook his head, "no. I've never been out of the temple, remember? But now that you mention it…" he looked around as well and started to see the subtle indications of a village living in fear.

There were no children playing in the streets, shops and vending carts were boarded up and in disrepair, very few people roamed the streets, and when anyone caught sight of the two friends they quickly walked in the other direction.

"I wonder what's going on…" Mei looked around the village with a critical eye, "well, only one way to find out."

With Zephyr following her lead she walked up to a house and knocked politely on the door. It was a few moments before anyone answered.

The door opened only partially, "yes, hello?"

"Hello, I was wondering if you could help me?" Mei asked kindly, trying not to scare away the kind-looking woman at the door.

"I… I don't know…"

"I only was wondering if you could tell me about what's going on here, why is everyone hiding?"

The woman stared at Mei and Zephyr for a long time, particularly Zephyr, eyeing his hair and eyes finally landing to his clothes, but eventually she opened the door a little wider, "quickly, come in."

The two friends did just that.

"I'm sorry for the suspicion," she said, inviting them to sit at the table as she set out some bread.

"No problem," Mei replied, "with the way this village is I would think you have a good reason?"

The woman nodded, "yes, but first my name is Lei. I am wondering what two Air Nomads are doing passing through the village."

"I'm MeiLin and this is my friend Zephyr. We're headed up to the Northern Air Temple from the South and were just stopping for food. But it appears there is something bigger going on here. Perhaps we may be able to help?"

Lei looked back at the door, as if expecting someone to come bursting in at any moment, "I was hoping you could, that's the reason I took the chance of inviting you in."

Mei and Zephyr shared a look.

"Even the Air Nomads must have heard rumors of the Fire Nation starting a war with the other nations, correct?"

Zephyr's golden eyes darkened, "yes, that's part of the reason for our travels," Mei could sense his anger and placed a comforting hand on his arm before looking back to Lei.

"Well they're not rumors," she looked at them seriously, "the Fire Nation _does_ intend to start a war with the other's. But only small villages like this know it. They are watching us, using our village as a post, leaving soldiers in encampments just outside the visible range through the trees. But the worst part is that they're attacking anyone who dares protest… especially benders."

"So that's why no one was out when we came."

"And you're entirely lucky you came when you did!" Lei said seriously, "you came right from the direction they usually camp! But they switch out battalions every few weeks, leaving only guards on the travelled roads in and out of the city, stopping anyone who dare try to send word out of their presence."

"How long does the switching last? Maybe we can get out word to Ba Sing Sei before they arrive so someone can stop them," Mei speculated.

"There is only a few hours between battalions," Lei warned, "and they can see far into the sky from their clearing, so if you came on flying bison, as you Air Nomads travel, you'd have to get away without them seeing you."

Mei suddenly froze, "Lei," she whispered, her voice with a barely controlled tremble, "how long ago did they leave this time?"

"A few hours! That's why I said you were lucky."

"And they always camp in a clearing, in the direction we came from?"

"Not always, but most of the time," Lei replied, not sure where the conversation was heading.

Zephyr suddenly caught on, "Yang!" he stood, heading toward the door, Mei grabbed his arm.

"Thank you for letting us know about the situation, Lei," she said also standing, "we'll get word to the capital. We'll stop at Omashu on our way up, it's closer and they can send help faster."

"Thank you," Lei watched them leave.

"We'll get you help, I promise," Zephyr said, as Mei nodded.

As soon as they were out the door they were running back to where they had left Yang. When they reached the edge of the village they heard a large roar, a Flying Bison only sounded like that if they were in trouble, and smaller shouts from men.

Mei's eyes narrowed and the wind, seemingly without her conscious thought, picked up from behind her and gave her an extra burst of speed.

"Mei!" Zephyr called as she sped ahead, "You can't take them all alone!"

She either didn't hear him or chose to ignore him, Zephyr ran faster.

-

Mei was livid when she arrived at the clearing. Caravans bearing the Fire Nation symbol were stopped along the edge with no warriors around to be seen. But casting her eyes to the other end of the clearing she saw her beloved Yang backed up against the tree-line, bellowing at the advancing Fire Nation soldiers.

Jumping high into the air she landed between her bison and the fire-benders, "I suggest you leave now," she said calmly, though her mind was far from it.

The soldiers hesitated; they hadn't expected the owner of the bison to return any time soon obviously.

"And if we don't?" one asked, his uniform was slightly more decorated than the rest, Mei assumed he was a leader of some sort.

"Then you have to deal with me," she replied.

"Well, we can't just let you leave to tell anyone that we're here, can we?" the man asked, a hint of malice threaded into his words, he gave a signal to his men to attack and twenty men advanced with fire balls ready in their hands.

Before they got two paces a whirlwind ripped through the clearing, scattering them, and air was sucked away from their hands, dissipating their fire.

"I do not want to have to hurt you."

"I'm afraid it's us who's going to have to hurt you little air-bender," one of the soldiers said.

"I'm 18 thank you!" she replied as she dodged fire balls and deflected them with blasts of air.

"Mei!" Mei turned at the sound of her name.

"Zephyr!" she yelled, suddenly fearful for her friend, "No!"

Zephyr ran into the clearing, ready to fight in an air-bending stance.

"Oh look! Another little air-bender!"

While their attention was drawn to Zephyr Mei took the opportunity to launch herself up into the saddle of her bison and grab her staff. While the jumped down she called out: "Yang! Yip yip!"

The bison took flight, and Mei joined the fighting, disabling any Fire Nation soldier who dared even threaten to turn and fire on her bison.

"Zephyr! Quick!" she called out, reaching his side and snapping the glider open, "Let's get out of here!"

They ran in a direction that was relatively clear of soldiers and Mei propelled the glider into the air, Zephyr grabbed onto the back of it as they took off. They had practiced flying like this since they were young and had a lot of experience balancing together, so it was relatively easy to get the glider to turn in the direction where Yang and taken off too.

"Mei!" Zephyr yelled over the wind in their ears, "Left…. Now!" She called a wind from the right to push them over just as a fire ball flew past, "Right!" a gust from the left pushed them back out of the way from another one.

When they finally were out of fire-shot they had nearly caught up to Yang, "Yang!" Mei called to him. The bison recognized her voice and slowed down a bit so they could land in the saddle.

Mei closed her orange glider, a brand new gift from the monks of the Southern Air Temple, luckily it hadn't been damaged.

"Yang, are you okay?" Mei asked, landing lightly on the bison's head, he gave a moan of affirmation. Mei only found one spot of singed fur on him and it was only his fur, she patted his head, "you did good boy."

Leaping back into the saddle she looked Zephyr over, "What about you Zephyr?"

"Oh," he joked, "less important than Yang now, am I?"

"Quiet," she smiled lightly, "he's our only ride, you on the other hand can't fly without help," she picked at his arms, looking for any burnt spots, "and stabilizing a glider with two people on it is harder than it looks. I'm a bit worn out here."

"Yeah… sorry," Zephyr replied.

"It's not your fault," Mei winced lightly as she moved her arm back to her side.

It was only then that Zephyr noticed the burnt clothing and skin on her upper arm, "Mei! When did that happen!?" he sat her down forcefully and grabbed the first aid kit from the pack at the back of the saddle.

"When we were flying just now," she replied, "I didn't quite get us far enough left. Luckily it didn't hit the glider, or we wouldn't have been able to keep flying. I figured better my arm than the glider."

"Mei… sometimes I wonder about your priorities," Zephyr sighed, gently taking her arm in his hands, "sleeve off," she helped him pull up the sleeve on her arm so he could properly dress the burn.

He put some healing salve on the burn and wrapped it in bandages, gently replacing her sleeve, "Thanks Zephyr."

"No problem," he replied, she hugged him before ruffling his hair affectionately, "how long to Omashu?" he asked.

"Only a few hours," she replied, "but once we're there we need to get an audience with the king, that could take days…" Mei rubbed her brow, "he's a nice enough guy, but he does everything by the book to a T. I hope he can make an exception just this once."

"I'm sure he will," Zephyr sounded optimistic, Mei grinned at him.

They passed the time resting in comfortable silence; Zephyr actually forced Mei to get some sleep to help her arm heal even though she insisted she wasn't tired.

As the tall, mountain-like city approached Zephyr stared in wonder, having never seen the city and not ever quite grasped the scale of any of the drawings he'd seen.

"It's amazing, Mei!"

"Just wait till you see the mail delivery system," she laughed, "I think you'll like it."

Yang slowly descended as they reached the outer limits of the city. A sense of urgency now filled the air.

They needed to see the king, and fast.

A war was coming.

* * *

Well there you go! Leave a review for mistakes, things that could be better, what you liked, any suggestions for the story. as long as the reviews keep coming I'll keep writing. :D

Another character is coming in to join the group next chapter! Stay tuned!


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