Chapter 55 - Yue

"Let's say I could heal you, would you want to be healed?", I inquired.

"Of course she would!", her father shouted, "Why wouldn't she!?"

"Sir...she has spent her entire life as an invalid. She has no friends, acquaintances, or marriage potential effectively she only has her family. If she is healed...", I hinted.

"I will have to stumble my way through becoming a normal functioning member of society. It will be even worse for me because I will become a viable way to curry your favor.", she laughed dryly.

The fact I noticed that, and her father didn't just went to show how far out of touch he was. It seemed she knew all too well what her situation would be if she were to be healed. Staying an invalid meant she would waste her life away watching the world go by through a window, but being healed meant she would get swept into the Northern Water Tribe's politics. She'd have men coming to her simply to get her father's attention, something that would only break her mentally.

Her father took his job seriously, and felt that he did love his daughter quite a lot. It was obvious he cared because he brought me here thinking I could help her. That said, he was pushing this decision on her without even consulting her. He believed that what she wanted was to be healed, it never occurred to him that she was petrified of being healed.

"Yue...I...would never do that!", he refuted, "I want you to be happy. You could chose any man you wanted, I wouldn't fight you on it unless he was truly a bad man."

Looking at him with sadness, I could tell she was hurting. Her father wasn't seeing things from her perspective, he was just forcing what he thought was happiness on her. Turning to me, she asked me a question.

"Avatar Mael, would it be possible to accompany you on your journey? As you pointed out, my life has been relegated to just this wheelchair for many years.", she stated, "I would like to see the whole world, and see many new things I couldn't before."

"No problems here, what do you think?", I asked looking at her father.

What I wanted him to say, and what I think she wanted him to say, was no. I had known him less than an hour, no sane parent would just let his child go with a complete stranger. Even if I was the Avatar, there was no way that should have been possible. Unfortunately though, his expression brightened as he shook my hand vigorously.

"Of course, I think it would be a wonderful way for to grow as a person.", he said with a smile.

'This guy...', I thought, 'I know what he is thinking, having his daughter travel with me means there is a chance we will become an item. Marrying the Avatar is a big deal, and I am almost certain that is why he is letting her go.'

Saying I would see about healing her, he ducked out of the room to return to his duties. Letting out a sigh, I walked over to her and helped her lay on her stomach. Pulling back her clothing so I could see her back, I applied Ark to my hands and started to massage her back. Feeling the damage to her body start to heal gradually, I kept it up to make it seem like I was putting a good amount of effort into it.

"I am sorry for pulling you into this.", she apologized, "My hope was that he would say no, and say he couldn't trust you with me. Instead...he just showed me that he is a politician before being my father. It's no wonder he doesn't visit my mother's grave...he doesn't care about either of us."

Hearing her start to choke up, I felt bad for her. She had been coped up in this home for so long watching everyone else have happiness and fun around her while she rotted away here. Most people would have been bitter, angry, and jealous that they were stripped of that but...all she wanted was her father to see her as his daughter.

"Don't apologize, we don't get to pick our parents. Some people get lucky and have great parents...others...we get the bad ones.", I said rubbing her back.

Glancing back at me, she must have seen something in my eyes. Though our family experiences were different, both of us had longed to have a normally family at one point but never got it. Giving me a weak smile, she let out a sigh and let me heal her.

---An Hour Later---

Telling her I was done, I pulled her clothing back into place. Starting to push herself up off the bed, I could see she was surprised she had the strength to do so. Feeling her legs follow her instructions, she went to get off her bed and almost fell. Catching her, I told her to take things slowly as she wouldn't just start walking normally immediately. It would take time for her to learn to walk and run normally.

"I...I know.", she said with a beaming smile, "Can you help me to the bathroom?"

Doing as she asked, I helped her there and let her see herself. Gone were the sores, scars, and boils...she looked similar to the Yue I remember from the show, just much skinnier. Touching her face, I saw her turn a bit pale with fright.

"Why...why did you give me such a face..?", she sniffled, "I...I don't deserve such a nice face."

"That is the face you were always supposed to have. I didn't give you a new face.", I told her.

"I...I look like my mother...", she choked up as reality sunk in, "She...she really was my mother, I am not a monster anymore!"

Falling to her knees, she started crying violently. I was sure that she had been called that by many people in the city in passing. The sudden change to her face was probably a lot for her to take all at once. Kneeling down to comfort, she buried her face in my coat and asked me why she had to suffer for all these years.

"Why was God so cruel to me!? What did I do to deserve all of it!!", she cried.

"You didn't do anything.", I assured her patting her back.

I remembered feeling the same way growing up. What did I do to deserve being abandoned by my parents? Even though I knew that we did nothing later on, it still popped up in my head sometimes.

"You didn't do anything, but now you have the choice to decide your life moving forward.", I said giving her a tight hug, "We have to be better than those that raised us. You can't let the person your father is define who you are, otherwise you will never move past the pain."

"What can I do though?", she asked me.

Placing my thumb on her forehead and my other thumb on her chest, I mimicked what the Lion Turtles did in the series and granted her the ability to Waterbend. Sure it wasn't necessary, but I could use it as a scapegoat in the future if I so chose too.

"I feel weird...what did you do?", she questioned.

"I granted you the ability to use Waterbending.", I told her.

"That's possible!?", she gasped.

"Yes, but also realize that it will take some time to train to be a Master Waterbender.", I reminded her.

Excited to have something to work towards, it seemed to help lift her spirits. Giving her a smile as I helped her up, I spent an hour helping her learn to balance herself before leaving her to exercise her body. Tracking down where our residence was, I walked inside to see the three of them playing cards.

"So where did the Chief take you?", Azula asked with interest.

"To see his daughter.", I told her.

"The sickly one?", Ty Lee inquired.

"You knew?", I replied.

"Everyone in the city knows of her.", Katara said with a concerned, "They say she is some kind of monster."

Telling them that she had several severe medical conditions, I used Waterbending to heal her completely. Saying she would be joining us, I could see Azula and Katara's expressions sour. Explaining that if we didn't take her she was going to a political pawn for her father, Azula was onboard almost immediately.

"You are giving in just like that?", Katara questioned.

"Yes...until you have been in that position, you wouldn't understand the feeling.", Azula told her as she looked at the floor, "No matter how hard you work, no matter how much you try...you aren't able to make your own life decisions. They are made for you...you lose your sense of self, and become a puppet and slave to the people over you."

Looking at Azula in shock, I could tell Katara was taken aback by that answer. Katara never knew the old Azula, the one that was effectively the puppet of her father Ozai. She had managed to break free of his influence for the most part, but she still had some abandonment issues. If I stayed away to long, she'd slowly have a mental breakdown which is why I learned to make Body Doubles.

"Alright then ladies, let's get something going because I am starving!", I chuckled as I walked into the kitchen to start cooking.

---Orario, 3rd Person POV---

Currently having a girls night Loki, Freya, Aqua, and Ishtar along with many other Goddesses were enjoying themselves in the Goddess exclusive bath house. Many Goddesses were in attendance as word had gotten around that someone had managed to make Ishtar and Freya to be friendly with each other. Their rivalry was so well known that when people heard they were acting like friends, many smaller Familias thought a bloodbath wouldn't be to far behind.

"It's pretty funny watchin some of the Familias scurry away when we walk down the street.", Loki snickered with a grin.

"Hehe, yeah it is!", Aqua chuckled, "It's nice to have my debt gone too!"

"How's that budget going?", Loki inquired.

"It...it is going okay.", Aqua sniffled.

With the budget Mael gave her, she had to moderate her drinking to not squander her allowance. She lived comfortably, had a roof over head, and had become a lot more social since joining Mael's harem. Freya and Ishtar didn't give her too much crap anymore...unless she asked for it, so she took that as a blessing. She had yet to tell Hestia and Ristarte, but they seemed to understand what was going on.

"Well well well, I never thought the four of you would end up being chummy.", Aphrodite said entering the bath, "Whose the man or woman that managed to broker peace with you lot?"

"Piss off.", Loki spat with angry lot, "He don't need a bimbo like you!"

"Are you forgetting who you are sitting with?", she sniped glancing at Ishtar.

"I hope you know that your body count still out does mine by a factor of two.", Ishtar mocked her, "Not only that, I kept mine to only a few mortals and the rest are Gods. You on the other hand will spread your legs for anyone. I bet if the One Eyed Dragon showed up, you'd try to fuck him too."

Hearing several other Goddess start laughing at that, Aphrodite twitched in anger. She hated Ishtar even more than Freya because unlike Freya, Ishtar had no problem speaking her mind in public. Freya kept her insults behind closed doors, something that Aphrodite respected to a degree.

"So the four of you are sharing a man then...", Aphrodite said looking to Aqua, "Spill it, who is it?"

"Why would I tell you!?", Aqua shouted getting out of the water.

"Upset that I might take him?", she prodded, "I mean you are an idiot, I am sure you are nothing more than a plaything to him."

"Actually, we all are more like his playthings in the bedroom.", Freya stated rising from her spot, "Let me make this clear..."

Grabbing Aphrodite by the hair, she pulled her close to her face.

"Do not even think of laying a finger on him. If you do, there will be a nowhere you can hide from me.", Freya threatened her, "I will run you out of Orario..."

Everyone in the room froze when they heard her threat. Verbally threatening someone in public was very out of character for Freya which meant the man was incredibly important in her eyes.

"Yah, you'll my Familia will chase you out too!", Loki shouted.

"Agreed.", Ishtar backed them up.

Looking at them in shock, Aphrodite was in disbelief they would protect each other so closely. Seeing this display only made her want the man even more than before. If he was as good as they suggested, she wanted him in her collection.