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extra.

Word Count: 3,557 words

EXTRA. 初め

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Long before the Avatar were the days when spirit and humans wander the same world, the lion turtles were the only place humans felt protected, at least from the spirits that roam freely on the wild. Spirits loathed humans, as do humans do to them and just like human philosophy and curiosity is- if you don't do stupid things, you won't end up in tragedy. Humans hunt for them, for food, from fear, it was the same story over and over again.

There were people in power, there were those who barely could trudge on. The world is the way it is and most of them accept it.

"No yet anyways."

And there was Wan, who wanted power, but not for the same reasons an admiral would, the real reason was still unknown to others but what they didn't know is that it was the start of a cycle from person to person and remain balance within the worlds.

He got his powers from the Lion Turtle who houses them at their back, on their shell and bestow the gift of fire to hunt for their people. Their guardian was considerate and knew the humans had to survive on food, whereas they didn't need anything to keep on living, they were in a constant battle with time. And all knows time is all winning.

When Wan volunteered to go with the hunters to snatch some food for the city, but mainly for him and the people waiting for him in their home, his skills in acting were put to the test, blatantly lying of how he didn't have the urge to go on. And with great pride, he was able to, coming back without bringing back the power he borrowed, stole, from the guardian of the city. That is, before he stumbled upon a girl younger than him, alone outside the city.

That was the last time he saw her, after encountering her at least.

The girl didn't have a life on top of the lion turtle's shell, inside the walls of each city, she was also disregarded by spirits. Every time that hunters from a city had went out in search of food, they would kick her to a ball.

There was no day when she wasn't starving, the ground looked great to eat with the amount left of her sanity, probably if she rolled it to a ball, place them in sticks to add more flavor to it. Stones looked like balls of cooked wheat to her now and the sound of food was pleasant to the ears.

She was born from a pauper's grave, at least that's what the hunters spat on her, the mere thought of her was not worthy enough to even pass through anyone's mind. She doesn't know anything of her, not a name nor when she was born.

After his banishment from the city and the guardian allowing him to keep the power to protect himself in the wild, he met her again. This time she was wandering around the path he saw her again, she looked tired, hungrier, red eyes just given up on life, but he didn't want to believe so.

He approached her cautiously and introduced himself, "I'm Wan."

The girl nodded and bowed to him in a sign of introducing herself as well, "I don't know what my name is, Wan, I apologize."

That was an odd detail to him but he continued to talk, "How about the day you were born?"

She shook her head, "They told me I was born of a pauper's grave and my ability to speak and comprehend was only from the pity of a God."

"Well, today is a summer day." Wan thought of a name for the small girl, "We'll call you Natsuko."

"Nice to meet you, Natsuko." he outstretched his hand as a sign of greeting, he assured her, and gripped hers within his, red orbs looking to yellow ones. She shook his hand and he smiled brightly.