**The Sun Dragon, also known as the Golden Dragoness.**
Only a few days had passed since her birth, but her size already rivaled that of an ordinary dog. Basking in the sunlight streaming through the window, she felt her chi filling with strength and energy. In contrast, at night, she felt weaker.
"Aine, stay here for a bit? I'll be right back," her father said, his mouth moving in a way that still produced sounds she couldn't understand. She looked at him questioningly, then settled into a more comfortable position, admiring her beautiful, sunlit scales. *"Why is my father naked?"* she sometimes wondered. *Do all firebenders lose their magnificent scales as they age?*
Seeing her father leave, she quickly followed. No, she wasn't afraid to stay alone—it wasn't like that! She was just... worried about her father! Yes! Perhaps she didn't even realize that the enclosed basement where she was born would stay in her mind for a long time.
"So, you decided to come with me after all?" she caught up to her confusing but still beloved parent.
"She's grown so much already!" exclaimed another bald firebender, slightly resembling her father.
"Why did our ancestors kill such beautiful creatures?" they gazed at her body in awe. She enjoyed the attention. Let everyone keep envying her stunning appearance!
Tilting her snout and smoothing her movements, she continued to bask in the admiration. Exhaling a bit of fire, she felt the excitement around her rise again. She was rightfully proud of it—after all, everyone else had plain, ordinary flames. Only her father had stronger fire, but it still wasn't as beautiful as hers!
The next day, they headed not toward the large structure where many non-benders walked, but toward the vast water. The closer they got to the port, the more she felt something distantly familiar.
"Meet your... distant relative, most likely very distant," her father said as usual, while in her mind, seeing another firebender—though a waterbender—triggered a change. The so-called blood memory came to Aine a bit late.
In the next second, the young dragoness's mind flashed with compressed scenes, more like trailers, featuring her true parents and other direct ancestors. Countless techniques and abilities their lineage possessed became instantly clear and accessible to her. Of course, she still had to master them, but the experience of several generations was already recorded in her mind—this should greatly ease her future development.
"Are you okay?" Seeing her slight stupor, a... human gently patted her head. *"If not for him, I would have become a fossil long ago,"* she knew from her parents' memories that her chances of being born were less than one percent. And it was thanks to him that she could now bask in the sunshine. *"Yes, he deserves to be my father!"* she decided, calmly accepting her parent's affection.
Looking at the water, she saw a young waterbender still standing in a respectful pose. Ignoring the curious onlookers, she continued talking to the other bender. Though their conversation resembled more of a dialogue between a ruler and a subordinate.
*"There are so few of us left..."* Aine sighed to herself. Ogonek... and yet, what strange names her father gives them! He has two more sisters—perhaps they're the ones she senses from the north. According to him, he hasn't met other firebenders, but she clearly feels two more kin not far from here.
"Alright, you can chat more tomorrow," her father, Van, clapped his hands. "Let's go home, beauty. Your favorite Komodo rhino meat is waiting for you!" Her tummy involuntarily let out a little growl. "I'll bring something for you too in a few days," he patted Ogonek on the snout.
*"The food's already waiting!"* she began tugging at his pants, pulling him home.
"Alright, alright, I'm coming!" Van laughed.
---
**Yuki. The Moment of Vatu's Energy "Entering" Yakone.**
I jolted awake, breathing quickly and heavily. It felt like someone or something had shoved me hard.
"What's wrong? Why'd you wake up?" Kaya asked sleepily, as I'd accidentally woken her.
"I don't know," I replied, taking another deep breath. "Go back to sleep," I kissed Kaya on the forehead, covering her with the blanket.
*"Stupid Vatu and his stupid fragment!"* I began cursing him in my mind. He had to fly north, and now I can't tell if he's here or somewhere else... And the conversation with Tui and La's spirits didn't add any optimism. Thankfully, it seems everything has calmed down, and they don't sense any immediate danger. But that didn't stop me from tripling my vigilance.
Over the next couple of weeks, I checked my surroundings and those in power in various ways. Seeing nothing related to dark energy, I relaxed slightly, redirecting my chi elsewhere. But I didn't forget who I was dealing with, so I remained cautious.
"Chief, there's some trouble with the firebenders," one of my assistants entered the office.
*"I can say with absolute certainty what happened..."* I rubbed my temples wearily.
Upon arriving at the firebenders' training base—the equivalent of the Yu Yan Archers—my thoughts were confirmed. I quickened my pace toward the healing wing.
"I knew it would be you, Korak!" I exclaimed, seeing a man I'd known since childhood. With his insufferable and rebellious nature, he'd caused no end of trouble for his respected father, a master of waterbending. It's worth noting that firebenders are strictly forbidden from experimenting. We only try to implement their ideas when a chi expert—that is, me—is present.
"Chief, please help me!" he began pleading, pointing to his arms, which now just hung limply. Well, look who's asking now! Before, every word out of his mouth was the familiar "Yuki." "I promise I'll never break the rules again!"
"Let me take a look," I approached him, directing chi into his hands. *"Good! Nothing irreparable has happened!"* He'd just overstrained the channels in his arms—everything should return to normal in a week. But the lesson needs reinforcing...
"Korak," I looked at him seriously. "I don't know if I can heal your hands... Come to the Healing Huts tomorrow. I'll ask Mistress Yugoda to examine you too. Don't use chi under any circumstances!" I reminded him sternly. "Maybe there's still a chance, but we need more time to figure it out."
"Okay, okay, thanks, Chief!" Korak thanked me enthusiastically, though tears were already welling up in his eyes. Yeah, he was the one who bragged to the whole city about joining the firebenders' corps.
*"Two or three days of marinating, and then the Chief will find some super-rare herbs to help him recover..."* If I say nothing serious happened, he probably won't grasp the real danger of his experiments with chi.
Leaving the base, I slightly altered my appearance and donned a headpiece that concealed my hair. One last touch—a second later, my white eyebrows turned black.
*"Now it's time for an inspection!"* I love inspecting various facilities under different disguises. Today, the honor fell to the underground greenhouses, which currently feed the entire tribe.
As I approached the elevator, the guards' postures tensed instantly. Everyone in the city knows—if you see an unfamiliar face, it's definitely an inspector from the Chief.
"Good day, gentlemen," I smiled brightly, pulling out my pass, signed by myself. "I am an inspector from our Great and Peerless Chief Yuki!" I didn't hesitate to praise myself. As far as I know, no one really likes inspectors, since they—that is, I—are terribly meticulous, and they all love to glorify the Chief in every word or sentence.
The plants cultivated here have increased cold resistance but almost no protection against viruses—they're too easily infected. As they say, there's always a balance; if you gain something in one area, you lose it in another. So, personal hygiene is a top priority here. All staff working their shifts must undergo mandatory disinfection and see a healer.
After enjoying some entertainment at others' expense, I headed home. Having already reversed my appearance changes, I walked toward the Palace when something interesting caught my attention...
"Did you find anything suspicious about the death?" I asked on the go, hurrying to the Healing Huts. There, the body of a student who died during a training expedition outside the city was waiting. My inner circle had been ordered to notify me of any situations involving deaths, crimes, or other events that smelled particularly foul.
"Everything looks natural—blood clots broke loose."
*"But any abnormalities or illnesses are recorded and treated when a child enters school..."* Of course, there's a chance they formed over a few years, but... that's highly unlikely.
Already in the morgue, I personally examined the body. I found nothing suspicious, but the situation itself raised many questions.
"Is there anything else to add?" I asked the guard who had accompanied the class.
"His classmate tried to help him—I think his name is Yakone. But he's just starting his waterbending path and couldn't do anything."
*"Yakone?"* My mind immediately flashed with memories of Avatar Korra's adventures. Was this the same Yakone who would later become a criminal kingpin, a dangerous offender, and someone who held the city of Republic City in fear?
I wasn't going to judge someone based on their name alone, but I had every right to take some steps to ease my mind. After gathering the necessary information, I decided to take a look at this Yakone.
"A very talented boy," I muttered, seeing the teenager whose features resembled those of the adult Yakone from the series. Even now, I could see that in a few years, we'd have a new strong master. *"Seems like everything's fine with him..."* Maybe, through my actions, I've changed his destiny, and now he won't go down the wrong path...
"Keep me informed about Yakone's actions," I still told my assistants. I'm not one to trust first impressions, and my life experience says the same.
I only made it home late at night. I forced myself to listen to what the teachers said about Yakone. A remarkably diligent child, and very knowledgeable too. There were some unspoken things in the teachers' words, but it's unlikely anything serious, so I didn't dig deeper.
That day, another significant event occurred, involuntarily pushing other thoughts from my mind.
"I want to feel our child too," I gently touched Kaya's flat belly. Even at this early stage, I could sense some miraculous processes unfolding.
"I've already started thinking of names!" Kaya said happily, tenderly stroking my hair.
"You can take time off work during the pregnancy," I said, holding the future mother in my arms. "Have you told everyone else?"
"Mhm," Kaya nodded. "I think your mom's already started sewing clothes," she said with a chuckle.
The romantic and loving atmosphere continued for several more days, during which I was fully devoted to caring for Kaya. Intimate moments weren't absent, though they'd lost some intensity but gained in sensuality. I think in the coming months, Kaya's back entrance is in for some exciting times...