Metanoia || Avatar: The Last Airbender

𝐢𝐢. 𝐝𝐨𝐮𝐛𝐭

▽

❝ There is nothing more dreadful than the habit of doubt. Doubt separates people. It is a poison that disintegrates friendships and breaks up pleasant relations. It is a thorn that irritates and hurts; it is a sword that kills. ❞

Gautama Buddha

▽

THE AVATAR WAS HIDING IN THE SOUTHERN WATER TRIBE'S VILLAGE, according to Zuko. It was due to this that he'd ordered the soldiers aboard his ship to make haste for the village, where there was no dock. Their only choice was to improvise by cutting straight through the packed ice with their iron-plated hull.

Shia heard a crunch as their ship bit down into the ice, and the hiss of steam as the ramp lowered so they could descend into the village. At her side was her weapon of choice – a guandao. It was popular but difficult to wield, and even more so to master. A polearm as long as she was tall, with a curved blade at the end. A notch cut into the blade served as a slot to catch the blades wielded by her opponents, and a red tassel dangled from the projecting section of metal. Most of her fellow soldiers much preferred normal spears to use in conjunction with their firebending... but, then again, Shia was a nonbender. 

As soon as they were stable, Zuko stormed down the deck. He was imposing enough for his own soldiers – thanks to his permanent scowl and his untameable temper – but now that he was clad in armour, Shia felt something about him seemed all the more intimidating. She pitied the villagers (though Zuko probably wouldn't terrorize them too much).

Only one soldier greeted them on the shore. A boy with his face painted grey, black and white, with a club in hand. Behind him was a small crowd of women and children, their eyes wide with fear, clutching onto one another for reassurance. Shia found herself wondering if one among them was related to her. Was her father from here?

There were two Water Tribes, as far as she knew; North, and South. Which was she from?

Shia came to a halt behind Zuko, with the rest of her team of soldiers stationed behind her. The soldier boy suddenly released a somewhat fierce battle cry before charging straight at Zuko with his club, confirming Shia's suspicion that he was a non-bender. She felt a bit disappointed but still watched on as Zuko deflected the attack and kicked the club away, sending its wielder soaring into a pile of snow spectacularly.

The soldiers behind them, at Shia's gesture, partitioned into two groups of three on either side of the Fire Prince. Shia stood at the front of the spear-wielding group. She surveyed the people before them curiously from beneath her helmet, wondering to herself whether these women and children had any amongst them who could manipulate water. Had all of the benders left for battle?

By the time she'd refocused on the situation, Zuko was standing in front of an elderly woman who seemed to be a village elder. Beside the woman was a girl, perhaps just a few years younger than Shia, who glared at Zuko fiercely.

"Where are you hiding him?"

No reply.

Clearly enraged by their lack of response, Zuko lunged forward and tore the elderly woman out of the girl's clutch. With one hand grasping the woman's fur-lined attire, Zuko continued to interrogate the crowd – this time with a hostage to act as an incentive.

"He'd be about this age," Zuko shook the woman a few times, "master of all elements?"

The crowd maintained their silence. Zuko seemed to relent and shoved the poor woman back to her granddaughter, who managed to steady her, before glaring at Zuko furiously. He wasn't the sort to outright attack vulnerable people, so Shia wasn't too worried about the woman in the first place. No – he'd just intimidate them until they let up.