Fire and Ice

Emotions that Betray

Heya, everyone! Happy New Year for everyone celebrating it! ... That's all I really have to say, so...  ON WITH THE STORY!!!! So tired...

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A grand feast was held that night. It was indeed a joyous celebration as many of the shrine maidens and keeps bustled around and joked with each other. Everyone in the shrine bore a cheerful smile, even Rin, who stood solemnly next to his twin's seated form as she conversed with Brisa and Ira.

Rin watched his sister closely. It was true that he found happiness in seeing her with the other Phoenix Sisters, where she belonged, but something seemed off. He couldn't figure what it was all he knew was it wasn't good. That's when Klare's smile caught his attention. That what was off.

She was smiling, but it wasn't the gleeful smile she used to have. No. This one was different. Rin's smile dropped slightly as he narrowed his eyes to focus more on the chilly blue orbs that matched his own, only in color. When he realized what Klare was hiding behind that smile, he gently placed a hand on her shoulder, catching the attention of all three females.

"Pardon my intrusion, but may I have a word with you three?" His smile finally vanished as they nodded and went into an empty room. Once in the quiet area, Rin looked at Klare with irritation. "Drop the act already." He snapped and Klare did just that. The snowy haired girl's face effortlessly become void of emotion with her eyes being the only indicator that she that she still had any.

"You... really loved that brat, huh?" Rin's voice was venomous as he started at Klare with eyes of scrutiny. Klare glared at him in response. Hearing this, Ira and Brisa gained looks odd shock.

"Is he speaking the truth, Chilam? Have you really.. fallen in love?" Ira was awestruck as she stared at the young girl. Klare didn't respond, she didn't even glance at either of the Sisters. Her cold gaze remained locked on Rin and only Rin. "You should answer her." Rin scowled, his glare matched Klare's in intensity.

Suddenly, Klare seemed uncertain. She broke her stare away from Rin and instead looked to the ground. "I-I don't know." Brisa rose a brow to the teen before her. "Be honest with us, how do you really feel right now. Being here, I mean."

It was silent as they waited for the girl's answer. "I... I don't... I don't know. I guess I should be happy? I'm back here and no one has treated me at all like they did before I left, but I'm still not satisfied. I don't understand. I feel... empty, like something is missing. There's a hole where my heart is supposed to be and it hurts. It hurts so much, and I don't know why." Brisa and Ira share a glance before smiling softly and hugging Klare.

"It's really happened. You've done it. I can't believe you finally found your jūki." Ira practically teared up with joy as she smiled proudly. "Her jūki?" Rin questioned, looking at Brisa for an answer. Brisa, catching his confusion, nodded. "Jūki, her invaluable person. I'm sure you've read our parchments. Each phoenix has one, but only some have actually met theirs. Of all of us, there is none who can love more than the one said to have a frozen heart. However, before they can truly love, they must meet one of two people. Their jūki or their child are the only ones who can thaw such a heart. One's jūki can ease the everlasting struggle that we are put through everyday. For a lineage like that of the Chilam, a Jūki may calm the tormented phoenix within." "It's said that once we meet our special person, our lives are forever linked to theirs no matter what happens. Even if they love another, we're still connected. They say that our life will last for as long as that person lives once we are connected, meaning that their death is ours as well. Not moment before, nor a moment after." Ira added, tightening her embrace.

Klare turned, returning Ira's hug. Brisa looked upon them, a thought suddenly dawning on her. She faced Rin with a serious expression. "I'm led to believe that you've met this boy. Who is he?" Rin sighed. "The banished prince of the fire nation, Zuko." The women gasped as tears welled up in Klare's eyes at the mention of his name.

Ira rubbed a hand soothingly on the poor girl's back. "It'll be okay, dear. It's not like you sealed your existence to him. I mean, none of us do that until we get married." Her attempt to soothe the girl proved to only make her sob even harder. Ira's and Brisa's eyes widen with panic. "No... Please tell me you didn't... Oh Phoenix, you did."

Rin tilted his head in confusion again. "I don't think I've read anywhere about any seal." "That's because it's in a scroll that only us three are allowed to read. It's a lesson that's pretty much drilled into our minds from our first lessons. We can only tell you the basics, since we're sworn by our very blood to never reveal any detailed contents." Ira sighed as she glanced at the boy. Brisa shifted her weight too one side and folded her arms. "So basically, our first kiss binds us in an unspoken seal. We're not supposed to do it until our weddings because..." Brisa looked at Klare worriedly. "if we have a child of someone other than the one with the seal, well... Let's just say that the last sight we see is a new born. ... Barely enough time to give a name." "So are you saying that my one and only twin sister is going to die when she bares the next ice phoenix if it's not with that oblivious fool of a banished prince?! You've got to be kidding me! That's it! She's doomed! There's no way in hell they'll even meet again, much less become lovers!" Rin began pacing around the room.

With an irritated sigh, Brisa rolled her eyes before suddenly popping up next to Klare with an excited smile. "So? What was it like? Was it just like the scroll said? Did you see the vision flash before your eyes?" Klare looked over at Brisa's childish excitement, which momentarily managed to draw her mind away from what they had just been talking about. A bittersweet smile tugged at her lips as she moved away from Ira to fully face Brisa, nodding add she did so. Brisa's eyes sparkled as she clasped Klare's hands within her own. "What did you see? Come on, you can tell me." Brisa urged, earning a slightly embarrassed blush to light up Klare's pale cheeks.

"I-I saw a yin-yang symbol, but it wasn't like a normal one. No, it was definitely not normal. Instead of white, it had a light blue...  The stranger part though was that within the black portion was a light blue phoenix and in the light blue portion was a black dragon. It was so strange, but it looked familiar somehow." The teen appeared to go into deep thought, failing to notice the grin on Brisa's face growing bigger by the second. "I think I know exactly why it's familiar!" The grey haired female cheered as she released Klare's hands and bolted out of the room, only to return a minute later holding a silver and gold lined box.

"Is that-?" Rin started in shock just to be interrupted by Brisa's cheerful response. "It is indeed. The precious family heirloom of the Great Ice Phoenix. Our legends say that one day, in the time of a great Avatar, a phoenix stronger than many of those before her will have to face the hardest trials and choices between her heart and her mind. If the one she chooses are ones that rein true, the phoenixes and the lands shall prosper in peace for many years to come. If that peace is granted, she will have already found her jūki and thus the heirloom shall be bestowed upon them both."

Klare's eyes widen as she stares at the box which she had never gotten the chance to have a glimpse of the contents. "I remember that legend. Didn't it say that the phoenix in the black represents the darkness of the night by which it feels. As for the dragon in the blue represents the light of the day from which it resides?" Ira chuckles a bit, shaking her head. "That's just the tip of the mountain, Chilam. See, each half is supposed to remind the other of just how much they mean to each other. The phoenix is given to the male to remind him of how in the darkest of times, the love of his phoenix will light his way. As for the dragon, it's given to the female, which is always an ice phoenix, to remind her of how her beloved will always bring her back into the light even if it means that he'll fall into darkness. The story of the original holders of them is such a sweet, romantic tale." Ira began to smile dreamily at the thought. Brisa gasped. "Now that I think about it, wasn't that nearly fifty hundred years ago?" "Huh? Now that you mention it, I think it was." Both of the older women's eyes widened as far as they possibly could.

"All of this could only mean one thing. The-" A sudden energy-filled wind interrupted them as all of them recognized the energy that they had once known if only in stories that they read or were rolled. Klare absentmindedly whispered the thought that had come to everyone in the shrine.

"The Avatar has returned."