𝐆𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐓𝐡𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡 𝐅𝐢𝐫𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 [ᴢᴜᴋᴏ]

Chapter 0

Prologue

I am Jasmine, Sokka's younger sister and Katara's twin. Sokka is one year older than us and tomorrow is Katara's and my 16th birthday. That's not good. Really. Well, Katara is kind of excited, what I do not understand at all.

There is this kind of tradition in our tribe where girls, when they turn 16, must be prepared for their life in marriage. The so-called 'pre-adult-years'. Then, after these wonderful three years, when the girls are 19 years old, they have to marry and do what a housewife does, for the rest of their lives. Pretty exciting, right? No.

Since the beginning, I've been different, be it from my tribe or my family. Sometimes I even think I was adopted or found. We are nothing alike. While Katara and Sokka have olive-toned skin, ice-blue eyes, and brown hair, I have pale skin, dark, almost black, eyes and raven black hair. Honestly, I think I could be from the Fire-Nation, but I don't say that out loud. Not only my appearance differs from the others but also my personality. Katara is a more kind-hearted, caring, and motherly person while I am a more sarcastic, and cold person. Showing emotions is not so my thing, I rather put on a 'I am tough and strong don't mess with me' mask, except around Sokka and Katara, with them I am a bit more relaxed. Well, most of the time I have a blank expression on my face, so the emotion thing is settled.

One of my problems is that I say what's on my mind and I really don't care and think before I talk. Katara always warns me about thinking before talking because she thinks it's disrespectful to speak up whenever and to whoever I want. No one said a thing about me disrespecting anyone, until now, but I'm sure that big mouth of mine is going to get me in a lot of trouble one day.

The most problematic thing is me being able to bend fire and water. Nobody knows that and I'd like to keep it this way, not even Katara and she knows my entire life. I like to keep my bending as my own little secret. I haven't told anyone the fire part because literally no one likes the Fire-Nation and me being able to bend fire wouldn't be best news. Yeah, the water part is also secret but that's because I want Katara to feel special, she deserves having something that only she has. So, Katara is the only water bender in the whole south pole.

I discovered my bending when I was six years old; on the morning, our mother died. Fate surely loves me. Just before our tribe was attacked mom and I were in our tent. I was painting something when mom accidentally spilled her glass of water. My instincts kicked in and little me stopped the water from spilling on the ground. The water was stopped in the air for a few seconds before it spilled all over the ground and my painting. I was so shocked that I wasn't even sad about my painting. Mom had a small smile on her face, and she looked proud. And because fate really loves me, the moment didn't last long. Before mom or I could react to my sudden water bending ability, we heard people shouting, "We're under attack", "Fire-Nation". Then all hell broke loose.

Mother told me to hide under the bed and as soon as I crawled under it a Fire-Soldier entered the tent. "Where is the water bender?" he asked and looked around for any hint. I froze when the man locked eyes with me and an evil grin started to play on his lips, "And who are you? Maybe a little water bender?" the question sounded more like a statement. He stepped forward, probably to get to me, but mom interrupted, "Wait", she shouted and threw her hands up to stop the man from coming nearer. "If I tell you, will you let her go?" mom asked him, and the man nodded briefly as a reply. Then Katara entered because she was looking for us. Unfortunately, she only found mom and a Fire-Soldier, she didn't see me under the bed. The man turned to look at her and looked ready to kill because he needed the information as soon as possible and he didn't want to spend more time here than necessary. And Katara was an unnecessary interruption at that moment. Mom wanted us all save so she sent Katara away. As soon as my twin left the tent the man turned to mom again, "the information. Now." he demanded. Mom turned to look at me, "I love you all. Please forgive me." she whispered and turned back to face the man, "I am the water bender." she announced stretching her arms out, ready to be taken as prisoner. Well, life had other plans...