Sound Waves (Avatar: The Last Airbender) Book 2

Chapter 11 - Identity

3rd Person's POV

Seren helped Himoko up the rest of the way onto the top of the wall of the Second Ring, smiling at her in triumph. This was where they usually left to when they came to discuss things other's ears weren't allowed to hear. The guards that patrolled the walls didn't do so until an hour later, so they had plenty of time to talk and then climb back down.

"Looks to be quite a nice night out again." Stated Seren with a soft pleasing hum as she looked up at the sky, soft fluffy clouds of the sky passing over them.

"Ever since I came to Ba Sing Se, I noticed that it rarely rains here."

"Yeah, it seems like a once in a full moon type of thing. And yet, our crops here never wither or dry out."

"I think it helps when there is so much humidity in the air."

"That's what happens when we live so close to the coast, and beyond that Fire Nation Waters." This sparked a thought in Seren's mind. "Hey, Siren. Would you ever... Like to visit the Fire Nation?" Himoko looked to Seren in surprise, ears perking up in curiosity.

"The Fire Nation?"

"Yeah. Like if the war is deemed over before we are grey and old and unable to travel to far off places. Would you like to visit there?" Himoko was reminded by Seren's words of one of her duties as the other bridge between two worlds. So far, she only had the Air and Water Spirits of the four elements. Yangchen was Air, La was Water.

"I... I don't think it would be a very pleasing visit. I feel like I would melt once I crossed the ocean to there." She heard Seren giggle beside her, muffling her giggle with the back of her hand. "Yeah, it seems very hot there. In school regularly me and my classmates would joke about Fire Benders being born inside of volcanoes."

"To be honest, I feel like Pappy would agree." Himoko said in response, smiling sadly.

"Pappy? Oh yeah your grandfather! How are your folks?" Questioned Seren, but was met with stunned silence when she turned her head and saw Himoko's eyes beginning to water.

"Siren? Are you okay?" She rested her hand on Himoko's shoulder in worry. Himoko blinked, shaking her head and wiped her tears away with her sleeve. "S-Sorry."

"You don't have to apologize for crying, Siren. It's a normal sucky human thing." Seren told her as she slowly rubbed her hand up and down Himoko's arm comfortingly.

"It's not just that... I'm sorry for lying to you." This caused Seren's eyes to widen, surprised.

"What do you mean...? Does it have to deal with why you wanted us to go here to talk?" Himoko nodded, taking a deep breath in before pushing herself off of the ground, standing tall. She looked up at the moon, feeling a small gentle breeze pass through her dark locks.

"...Yes. I wish I would have told you when we first met but- I needed to make sure that I could trust you."

"Siren, what's wrong?" Seren was still confused, not knowing where this was going. And Himoko didn't blame her.

"2 weeks ago, I arrived here in Ba Sing Se from the North Pole. Escorted by ship to land, into the city hidden by the Dai Li." The princess heard Seren's breath hitch.

"My name isn't Siren, I am not visiting my grandparents as the only family I have are far away, one captured by the Fire Nation in Omashu, and the other up in the Northern Water Tribe... I am a traveler though." Himoko looked down at Seren, shakily breathing in and out of her nose and mouth to keep her heart from racing.

"A-Are you a criminal, Si-" Seren stopped saying the alias, now knowing that it wasn't her real name. Himoko shook her head, stopping herself from laughing at the thought of her being one.