'So, where are you two really from?'

Aether glanced at Lumine. She bit her lip and gave a small nod. But before he could speak, Venti continued, 'I mean, I know there were some nomads that weren't at any of the temples and thus could have escaped, but I... I didn't dare hope.'

Aether couldn't bare to lie to this kid. 'Well, actually...' With a reassuring nod from Lumine, he explained, 'We haven't been exactly straight with you. You see...'

Lumine chimed in, 'This probably sounds ridiculous, but we're not from here. Aether and me, we travel from world to world. In each world we discover new powers and... it seems here we're water- and airbenders.'

'Suuure. I mean, I know we've all had to lie our entire lives, but that's a little outlandish,' Venti said.

'We're a little outlandish,' retorted Aether.

'I mean, I know you have weird clothes and are clueless, but there are plenty of songs about people like that. Take "The Swampbender Encounter", for instance. Boy, they're weird, but they don't claim to be from another world.'

Lumine sighed. 'Please, we're telling the truth. Think about, we have absolutely nothing. No money, no real plan, nothing. I don't have water for bending and Aether can barely move a leaf with his airbending.'

'I very much—'

'Sure, sure.'

They couldn't see Venti's reaction from the saddle. Aether tried to read the silence, but he couldn't tell what Venti was thinking. So, both nervous and hopeful, he awaited the airbenders response.

After a long pause, the bard said, 'I'm not sure I believe you, but... it is true, your airbending is dodgy.'

'Aether himself is dodgy.'

'Shut up.'

'Since we may well be the two last airbenders—though rumour has it there may be others—it is my sworn duty to teach you. What do you say?'

'You? Teach me?'

Aether had to admit he was rather taken aback. Venti seemed like a pretty odd boy and not exactly the most reliable teacher. He came across as the sort of person that would come up with the weirdest methods, most likely also featuring music. Then again, it couldn't be as bad as sleeping in a bed of toads. He shuddered at the memory.

'What about me?' huffed Lumine. 'Doesn't a waterbender deserve to learn too?'

'I can only teach Aether, sorry,' said Venti.

'That's fine by me,' said Aether.

Lumine started daggers at him. 'Well, it isn't by me. Where can I find a teacher?'

'That would be in the Northern Water Tribe.'

'Then what's the problem? Let's go there.'

Venti shuddered. 'No, thank you. It's freezing there. I'd rather stay in Ba Sing Se for a while. There's always plenty a new song there and a bard can make quite a comfortable living.'

'Well... If the Northern Water Tribe's so cold, I bet they don't get many bards there. I'm sure they'd treat you with the utmost generosity. There'd also be plenty of songs for you to add to your repetoire. And I'm sure Aether and I could find a way of making sure you were adequately recompensed... with alcohol.'

Aether chuckled when Venti sat up a little straighter. Deciding to back up his sister, he added, 'Besides, it'll be much easier to work on airbending if the kid is distracted.'

'Hey—-'

'Fine,' exasperated Venti, 'but we're still going to stop in Ba Sing Se for a couple of days, understood?'

'Completely,' said Lumine. 'Just keep it at a couple of days.'

* * *

That evening, Aether's training began. They landed in the mountains to ensure they were safe from being spotted. Venti certainly was insistent nobody discovered that there were still a few airbenders out there.

They headed away from the camp, where Lumine was attempting to lure a little water out of Venti's waterskin, even though they'd suggested she tried to find them dinner. Of course she refused, Lumine had never taken well to being ordered around. Aether couldn't be bothered to launch into an argument with her about duties, too excited by the prospect of his first training session.

'Sit, my disciple.'

Aether raised an eyebrow but obeyed. He wondered whether Venti just fancied a sit down or whether this was going to be how training started. If he was really unlucky, Venti was about to force him to sing or something of the sort.

'Now, unlike other types of bending, airbending isn't just about controlling air. Airbending is just as much about spirituality as an actual act.'

Aether suppressed a groan. On his travels, he'd encountered several devout followers of various religions. Many were disgusted by the reveal that he was a strict atheist, but was it really such a great surprise? When one travelled from world to world, each with their own faiths, and sometimes even met gods, there seemed little point in worshipping any.

'Are we about to meditate?'

'I'm impressed! Yes, we are. Have you any prior experience?'

'Unfortunately.' He tried to brush the memory away.

'Now, now, that attitude is going to get you nowhere,' lectured Venti. He sat down himself, shifting so that one leg was before the other. He balled his fists and then pressed his knuckles together. After closing his eyes, he eventually opened one slightly. 'What are you waiting for?'

'Quite what is the point?'

'I thought you said you'd done this before? Freedom of spirit! Let your spirit wander!'

Secretly, Aether was still rather dubious, but he decided it best not to question his teacher. At least, not yet. He copied Venti's position, feeling a slight resistance from pressing his fists into one another. With a deep breath, he closed his eyes.

'Let your breath guide you...'

Inhale. Exhale. Aether tried to focus on breathing and, uh, freedom, but found his mind quickly wandering. Memories of past journeys flickered before his mind's eye. Usually it had been rather straight forward to use any powers a world granted him, but something about here was different. Maybe it was a sign that they shouldn't be in this world? He doubted it, it seemed that the entire universe opened up to Aether and Lumine. He didn't quite understand how or why. He supposed...

Dang it. His mind had wandered. Then again, wasn't that maybe the point? He frowned. Usually meditation meant thinking nothing whatsoever, yet Venti had told him to free his spirit or something like that. What did it mean? He puzzled over it. Why couldn't they have just started with the controlling air aspect, that would have been so much more intuitive, not to mention more beneficial. If they encountered more fire people, he'd be little good if all he could do was show off his lacking meditation skills. Maybe that was Venti's plan, after all, the bard wanted to hide their air magic. Quite what had happened to the air humans?

'You don't look free to me.'

'I'm trying,' grumbled Aether.

This time he tried to clear his mind a little more. He focused on his breath, how the air passed through the different parts of his body. It passed through his chest, settling in his belly, before somersaulting out. Like... air. God, his mind was not good at this meditation rubbish.

'Hey guys, I managed to splash Dvalin with bending!'

Aether immediately opened his eyes and died of laughter when he saw the pathetic patch of wet fur, about the size of an apple. 'Amazing. Astonishing. Truly incredible.'

'Says the one who can't even breath without looking constipated,' snapped Lumine.

'Listen here...!'

Venti stood up and sighed. As he disappeared into the distance, Aether just about made out his muttering.

'Maybe we should go straight to the North Pole.'

Once the bard had disappeared, his flying bison following him, Lumine blushed a little. She dropped on the ground next to him.

'Thanks for ruining my first lesson.'

'You looked like you needed saving.'

Aether let out a deep sigh. 'You're probably right. If Venti's just going to make me meditate, I'm not sure whether this is going to go well.'

Lumine pursed her lips in thought, then said, 'Aether, I've been thinking... In most worlds we've visited, we've possessed the same powers. So, why are they different this time? Unless...'

'Unless we can both bend air and water,' Aether completed the thought.

'Or... maybe even all elements. We know there's fire and earth too, maybe others.'

Aether nodded thoughtfully. According to Venti's reaction, people could only bend one type of element, but such laws regularly didn't apply to the siblings. Many a time had they broken the laws of worlds, earning them the status of anomalies. This world may well be the same.

If their next destination was Ba Sing Se, the capital of the Earth Kingdom, maybe it was worth looking for an earthbender. Perhaps a new ability would unfold itself.

* * *

A/N: Sorry for the long wait, I got over my regular writer's block and have been pretty stressed with school. Fortunately, I'm getting close to finishing my pre-scientific paper and only have test in January, so it shouldn't be as bad. Then again... geography D:

I hope everyone's doing well and take care!