Doctor Mei 2

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Part 2: Departure 

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2 months later…

Monk Gyatso and I were standing in the training grounds; the air was chilly, but I used my chi to raise my body's temperature. Then, I started to stretch for thirty minutes, making my blood flow and alleviating the stiffness in my muscles and sinews.

Today I am supposed to be graduating. I would be considered a master Airbender if I demonstrated mastery of all the techniques. Six months is all I needed to reach mastery, but I decided to experiment with chi and the wind elements to make my own techniques, as airbending lacked firepower.

I developed many techniques that would give me a leg up on other benders. Though I didn't intend to limit myself to only one element, my essence abilities would help me master every one of them.

After stretching sufficiently, I assumed a basic standard circle walking posture, with my spine straight, lower back flat, head held erect, and shoulders relaxed and sunk. The elbows are down, the arms are curved, and the knees are bent. Then my hands moved together in a circular motion, creating a compressed ball of air that I promptly threw in the direction of a wooden mannequin, knocking it away.

I performed another kata by stepping forward and releasing two jets of compressed air from my hands, which converged toward the mannequin once again, knocking it further away from me and inevitably destroying it, turning my target into wooden splinters as I put a lot of chi into it. Jumping into the air, I propelled myself by shooting air blasts from my feet, and when I landed five meters away, I released a powerful, outward-moving air current in all directions around me, blowing away everything within its radius.

I paused for a moment, then shifted into another stance and resumed moving, throwing kicks and punches while gradually increasing my movements and momentum. All my movements create air gusts to miniature tornadoes and cyclones, maintaining the circular theme. I immediately switched from attack to defense as spirits in the form of Lemurs appeared and started throwing a bunch of rotten fruit at me.

Propelling myself toward them, I started to circle them, suddenly changing direction when attacked. I deflected the rotten fruits by throwing up gusts of air close to my body as a shield and redirecting the projectiles at the spirit Lemurs.

I jumped back, doing a back-flip, and breathed in, releasing an air jet from my mouth that sent the spirits careening back into the trees behind the wooden mannequins.

The display of power made my heart sing. I felt unburdened. I love being an airbender! Sending an air ball at the trees, causing their leaves to fall slowly to the ground, it was at this point that I pulled a clump of them toward the middle of the training ground. When I released the ball of leaves, they fell around me, and I moved my arms in a circular motion, my hands in the form of blades as I started slicing the air around me, thanks to my long nails.

Next, I jumped in the air and created an air cocoon around me by spinning with fluid and dynamic movements. The cocoon of air transformed into an air sprout, enabling me to levitate. I stayed like this for another five minutes, demonstrating to Monk Gyatso that I could maintain control of the air sprout for as long as I wished.

Monk Gyatso flew at my level and clapped his hands with a proud smile on his elderly face. “Excellent, Mei. You've mastered all the twenty-nines known airbending techniques.” 

“Thank you, teacher!” I replied joyfully.

The jovial smile of Monk Gyatso disappeared as he looked saddened by something. “It’s such a shame, though. We could have trained you on how to use a glider, but they all rotted.”

*I have been waiting for this!* I've been meaning to show him the culmination of my research with chi and the air element. 

I smirked and said, “But Teacher… I do not need a glider, I can already fly by my own power, look.”

I stopped using the air sprout and let my chi flow as it kept me aloft, denying gravity's pull on my body. The air around me keeps me aloft in a state of buoyancy. Monk Gyatso's eyes widened as he saw me float, and swore, “By the spirits….”

*Nailed it!* I started twirling around in the air, happy to see this dumbfounded expression on my teacher's face.

# # #

The next day

Landing before the lab, I straightened my qipao and pants as the wind had made them frumpy. I will need to have the Home generate more appropriate clothes for me. I want a winged cloak that lets me glide. Something similar to Batman's cape? Yeah, it would be great.

Anyway, today was the day I was going to work on my special project…

I planned to create potions for healing, regeneration, and curing common maladies, as I intended to sail south to Kiyoshi Island and the southern pole to meet the water tribe. Maybe… Should I also free Aang ahead of time? Legend of Korra is fucking horrible anyway, let’s save him and heal him.

My essence ability was already feeding me ideas on how to do so; a Phoenix Rebirth Elixir would give him his lifespan back and fix his meridians while making him tougher. The thing is, the kid will need to stay indoors for a week because his body is being rebuilt, and the process is mildly painful.

Well, whatever, a bit of pain can help toughen a kid. Let’s prepare the Elixir!

Alchemy was a strange practice; it demanded a lot of knowledge about plants, tools, the human and animal body, geography, and geology… basically all the natural sciences.

Alchemy was all about taking the good parts of the ingredients and combining them into certain concoctions with different effects.

After gathering my tools and lighting a fire underneath my cauldron, I summoned a vial of ancient phoenix blood, a 1000-year Holy Red Lotus, and a 10,000-year Yang flower. The vial of blood, a glowing Lotus flower, and a plant resembling a bell flower but engulfed in flames, appeared on the table. Hmm, I should cultivate those in my garden, to make it look pretty…

The Alchemy cauldron the Home gave me was sizzling with a fire underneath it. I didn't concern myself with how much time passed as I started cooking.

I grabbed the ingredients one by one with my chi, and they flew inside the cauldron. The phoenix blood flowed into the cauldron, swirling like a whirlpool. Then, I added the two plants slowly. Their forms slowly dissolved as yang fire added to the fire under the furnace. It suddenly got warmer in the lab; the fumes were siphoned by the extractor hood on the ceiling. 

I infused my chi into the blood and essence of the Lotus and Yang flower, combining them in a manner guided by my knowledge to create this potion. This was a potent Elixir, and I realized that if I failed, my lab might explode. Phoenix blood on its own is a potent Panacea; it can heal and cure illnesses, but what I wanted to do to Aang was a rebirth, to regenerate his body, meridians, soul, and spirit, basically.

The Ancient Phoenix Blood healed the physical body, while the 1000-year Holy Red Lotus was a sacred plant that nourished the soul, and a 10,000-year Yang flower boosted the spirit energy. There was also symbolism involved: rebirth, cleansing, fire, spirituality. Also, there was a 10% chance that Aang might turn into a girl if the potion were only 80% effective. This Elixir had a version that allowed to genderbend people.

I was doing my utmost to make sure that this Elixir became perfect.

The ingredients were now thoroughly combined when a pillar of fire surged, and the lid of the Cauldron opened. A ball of swirling and glowing liquid floated in the air thanks to my chi. Energy bending was really chatty, allowing you to use abilities like telekinesis, a crucial and essential ability for an Immortal Alchemist like myself.

Upon checking the time, I realized it had taken me three days to complete the Elixir.

A case filled with three bottles appeared next to me, and I thanked the Home; it was the perfect assistant. The bottles were enchanted with some kind of preservation formation on the cork; I don't know how I knew that.

The ball of Elixir was divided into three, and each ball flew into a different bottle with telekinesis. When I closed them, I looked at each with relief; the Elixir was perfect, I observed as it glowed with the inner luminescence of the liquid, and it was warm to the touch. 

With a deep exhalation, I positioned it within the stasis cabinet and secured the door; I may not experience physical fatigue, yet I find myself mentally exhausted. That is why I was thankful when I saw a fainting couch appear next to the worktable; after I said “thank you” to the Home, I walked to the couch and made myself comfortable.

Having been officially designated as a master Airbender by Monk Gyatso, particularly following the discovery of an innovative method of flight, I am now poised to embark on journeys aimed at assisting those in need. This world is in dire need of support, particularly amidst 149 years of continuous warfare. The situation must be exceptionally precarious if no remedial action is taken; rather than pursuing conquest, the Fire Nation ought to focus on consolidating its new colonies. Regrettably, Firelord Ozai appears incapable of recognizing the fallacies of his approach.

I was aware of my impending departure; however, I was reluctant to leave my Master unattended… I formed a bond with the venerable ghost monk rather swiftly. Maybe it’s possible to resurrect Master Gyatso? But would he want to? Gyatso was all about preserving the balance of this world; it will be difficult to convince him to do so…

A myriad of ideas on how to resurrect someone came to my mind, and I thought about how in Terraria, the resurrection potion was so easy to use… when my essence showed me exactly how to make it. I sat up and saw the needed ingredients, and decided to create the potion. Then I would ask my Master if he wants to join me on my journey!

# # #

(Monk Gyatso)

2 days later…

Gyatso floated on top of the tower of the temple, looking over the grounds, which seemed somehow more alive and vibrant because of the chi in the air. A phenomenon caused by Mei as she released Chi all the time passively; she was also spirit catnip, attracting them and drawing them near. He hoped that the dark spirits wouldn’t try anything against her if they ever noticed her.

It was dangerous to think about how his new student would have to brave the dangers of the world, and he had no idea how much the world had changed under the rule of the Fire Nation. After the genocide, there was a brief presence of Fire Nation soldiers, but he ran them out by doing ghostly tricks on them. It had been a lot of fun for him to prank his killers. He laughed for a moment before a forlorn expression settled on his face.

He was sad to see her prepare to leave. Little Mei was his best student; she was a joy to teach, absorbing everything he was willing to show her. From that, Mei experimented and came up with new techniques all the time. How he wished that she’d been born in his time… maybe things would be completely different. If everyone knew how to fly, how many Airbenders would have survived?

This was one of the reasons he lingered in the living world; he had many regrets, thinking that if he had been more proactive, he could have saved more of his people.

A gentle breeze was wafting, and Gyatso sensed the warm aura of his student behind him. "A copper for your thoughts, Master."

When he turned behind him, he saw Mei floating in the sky in a warm yellow wool dress. “Little Mei. You're finally out.”

The young lady offered him a bright smile as she responded, "Indeed, I was preparing some medicine. I created a robust stock for my journey."

Sometimes he forgot that she wasn't just an Airbender, but an accomplished physician and alchemist. Gyatso had seen her work, although he was not an expert; Mei appeared to possess considerable skill. At the very least, she would be capable of earning a livelihood upon discovering civilization. 

“When are you leaving?” He asked her with a genial smile on his face.

She raised her hands and showed two fingers. “In two days, there’s something I need to do before leaving the Southern Air Temple.”

Gyatso was curious about what she wanted to do. Not that he tried to pry into her secrets; Gyatso was aware that little Mei was keeping things close to her chest. He floated closer to her and asked, “I see, I’m sad to see you go; when you go out there, could you do me a favor?”

She slightly bowed her head. “Anything, master.”

Gyatso smiled at her. He liked how polite she was; Mei was raised right. Finally, he said, “I have a student still out there named Aang, he is the Avatar, and he somehow survived the Air Nomad purge. I want you to find him and bring him here to see him one last time.”

He waited for Mei’s reaction to Aang being the Avatar, but he was disappointed to see her frown a bit. It’s strange, didn’t she know about the Avatar? It was strange. Young Mei acquiesced and stated, “I can do that, Master. But I can do you one better! Why not accompany me, and together we may search for him?”

The Ghostly monk looked at the girl’s smile; she looked at him full of hope. It crushed his heart to have to tell her that he can’t. “I wish I could do that. Unfortunately, I can't, Little Mei. I am bound to this land.”

He had tried many times to leave over the first years of his ghosthood, but each time he tried to float over the ocean it was like he was bait being reeled in by a fisher’s pole. Mei sighed, her face twisted in a sad expression, but then it suddenly became brighter. “I expected something like that. But, Master… what if you could?”

Gyatso looked at Mei more pointedly; the girl looked as if she had something she was scheming. “Is there something you wish to tell me, Mei?”

The Monk hadn’t missed that cunning glint in his student’s eyes; he was used to young people thinking they could hide things from him. He had raised too many young children to adulthood. As her expression shifted on her face, showing a plethora of emotions, Mei seemed to have decided as she spoke, and the atmosphere between them grew heavier. “Master, maybe it's time to tell you who I really am. I do not originate from this star.”

Star? Does she mean this world? “Oh… but you aren't a spirit or something similar.” Gyatsi checked, though the overwhelming chi that Mei exuded pointed at the fact that she wasn’t a normal human being. Nature seemed to gather around her; birds and other animals often came to her, listening to her.

It was tragic that she was a meat-eater, but fortunately, her home seemed already stocked with it, and she didn't hunt the animals on this island.

Little Mei started telling her tale. “I am from a world called Earth, it is much bigger than this one, and to save a cute kitten, I sacrificed my life when it was about to die…”

Mei proceeded to tell him what she went through. She saved an animal about to be killed by being run over by some kind of cart that can move without a beast of burden, and she died. She continued the story like this until she told him about the kitten she saved, which was in reality a deity's avatar. 

Gyatso could scarcely believe what he heard. “Then you're telling me that this cat goddess rewarded you by sending you here and rewarding you with a new life, new abilities, and you became an Immortal?”

Mei nodded and crossed her arms. “Yes. That's the gist of it.”

The monk thought about the peculiarities he had noticed about her. The way she spoke in imagery that he couldn't understand sometimes, her abundance of chi, her supernatural-like learning speed, and how strong she has become. 

After a thoughtful pause, he said, “I believe you. It explains so much about you. Your learning speed, your resilience, and stamina; you're the strongest Airbender that I've come across.”

She bowed with a smile on her lips. “Only because of your excellent teachings, Master.”

Gyatso laughed. This girl knew how to flatter; besides Aang, he was the only one who could teach her. But he indeed was one of the most competent Airbender Masters produced by the Air Nomads; he was a friend of Avatar Roku and developed many new techniques used by the airbenders. His peers had chosen him to raise Aang after all.

“What do you have in mind, Mei? Can I leave this place?” He asked if his student had a solution. 

With hesitation, she replied, “Yes, I can… I can resurrect you, Master. I created a potion that will do it. The problem is that it will only get you back to before you died, and give you your original lifespan and remaining years.”

After this declaration, Gyatso looked at her first with doubt, but then he started thinking about how she had suddenly appeared on the island; there were no boats that came to deposit her here. Then he remembered the moment he saw her create that pill, which made her able to see him; the fire and the chi swirling around her were truly magical to witness.

Mei was also looking at me seriously, with an unwavering gaze full of earnestness. *If what she says is true, can I consciously go back to life? Won't the balance of the world be disturbed? But then again, what do I know? Apparently, Gods exist and other worlds as well; I realize that I am still ignorant about everything.*

This was another humbling experience, realizing that he knew nothing. A younger man would scream and rage against his beliefs being challenged. In many of the cases he has encountered, there is confusion and fear that a lack of knowledge may be misconstrued as a lack of intelligence, but becoming a ghost has expanded his mind as he came into contact with the spirit world and its denizens.

Gyatso focused on what little Mei had told him; he was going back to life, yes. But he will get back his original lifespan; he was in his seventies when he died. The aches and reality of being elderly will come back to him if he accepts Mei’s offer.

The girl looked at him and showed, for once, a hint of fear. “Master, I wish for you to come with me. I don't know this world like you do. And I want to know more about being an Air Nomad, albeit on my own terms.  I like meat.”

Mei's situation made it hard to say no; she was a stranger to this world, and she had latched onto him and his offer of training for the sake of stability. He could see it now; by offering her structure and something to focus on, he had alleviated her feelings of being out of her depth. However, with the prospect of leaving the Southern Air Temple, she was afraid of what she could find outside. Gyatso wanted to help her but also keep to his principles and ideologies. 

He replied to offer her some wisdom. “Not every Air Nomad was a vegetarian, you know. It was a matter of preferences, and many of my people were not as pacific as you think.”

She laughed and clapped her hands. “See, I need you, Master. I know nothing about this world's culture and of our people!”

He sighed as he felt that Mei was slowly convincing him. “Mhmm, you might be right. Can you let me think about your offer a bit more?”

She smirked at him as if it was a done deal, bowed her head, and said, “Very well, I can do that, Master.”

Mei waved at him and floated down toward the ground. If he accepted her offer, he would also be able to fly like she did, he hoped…

Gyatso returned his gaze to the sky and mumbled, “The world is bigger than I thought…”

# # #

After one day of deliberation, Gyatso decided that he couldn't leave his student alone in a world that she wasn't ready for. He decided to look for his student and found her as she was retrieving an Air Nomad flag from one of the towers of the temple, she landed gracefully next to the well and seems to be in the process of washing and cleaning the old flag When she was done cleaning the flag, she started drying it with her bending; he was pleasantly surprised to see that Mei could regulate the temperature of the air she manipulated, a clear sign that she also has access to Firebending.

If Gyatso didn’t know that Aang was still alive, he would have thought that she was the avatar; he had raised Aang and knew what to look for when someone had access to multiple bending disciplines.

Was being an immortal giving her access to all sorts of elements? Gyatso wanted to know. But that wasn’t what was important right now; he gently lowered his ghostly body next to Mei. “I’m here, Little Mei.”

She turned to him as she was still using circular movements to dry the flag, a demure expression etched on her face. “Ah, master. I’m glad you’re here.”

The air blew slowly, making the flag billow as it was attached to a clothesline. Gyatso inquired with a curious tone, “What are you doing, my student?”

Mei replied with a proud tone in her voice. “I’m going to take this flag and put it on top of the mast of my ship. Everyone will know that the Airbenders are back, and like you taught me, I will start helping people again, like the Air Nomad did.”

Gyatso was pleased that his student was embracing the Air Nomads' culture, and he was pleased that she had landed on this island first. He couldn’t imagine what would have happened if she had landed somewhere like… in the Fire Nation. The ghost monk frowned as he repeated in his mind what Mei had just told him. “Wait, hold on. You have a ship?”

Mei frowned as if she didn’t know how to answer that question. “Yes, a recent development, the Home just provided one for me. Don’t ask me how… I really need to learn how that place works.”

Not only does it give Mei food and shelter, but it also gives the young Airbender vehicles she can use to move around. “What a strange place you have there.”

The girl placed a wick of hair behind her left ear and said, “Tell me about it.” She then stared at Gyatso in a meaningful manner. “So, master… have you reached a decision?”

Gyatso nodded. “Yes, and I decided that I will take your offer and accompany you.”

Mei’s expression turned joyful, and she began jumping up and down. “YES!”

The monk laughed, despite being a just-born immortal, Mei acted just like the teenage girl she looked like. It felt good to teach again and to have someone to talk to. “Then how are we going to do this, my student?”

Mei smiled at him. “Easy, I just need to find your remains and get a backpack ready.”

Gyatso frowned, not knowing what his student had in mind.“What for?”

“You'll have to see, Master.”

He chuckled. The girl was being playful. In the end, Gyatso led Mei to the Altar of Remembrance in the lower levels of the temple. The cheerful atmosphere of earlier popped like a soap bubble when Mei saw the corpses of Gyatso's killers. 

Mei understood the implications of what happened here. Gyatso finds himself saying, “They came while it was day and when the comet came. They killed everyone, young, adults, elderly… babies. They truly wanted to eradicate us.”

The girl's eyes started glowing with power when they landed on the ghost monk's remains. It reminded Gyatso of the avatar's state in a way.

“Calm yourself, Mei. Breath. Center yourself.” Gyatso told Mei as she began breathing in and out.

She closed her eyes for a second, and when she reopened them, they were their usual green. “So, this is how it's going to be outside the temple, Master? The Fire Nation will hunt us down?”

Gyatso looked saddened at how stormy Mei's expression still was and replied, “They will. Once out there, we're going to need to be careful. But don't you have that small spirit world? You can use it to hide us.”

Her eyes blinked at him, and she smiled briefly before her face became neutral. “You're right. Master… I don't think that I can be a pacifist; if someone starts a fight with us, I will finish it.” 

He laughed nervously. The girl was intense right now. And it's not that he anticipated Mei would enjoy that aspect of being an airbender.

A smirk appeared on her face. “Technically, we're at war with the Fire Nation, right?”

Gyatso didn't like that smirk. “Mei, I'm afraid of what's brewing in your head right now.”

She shrugged. “Just asymmetric warfare, but first, we need to know what has happened since you died. Speaking of that…”

She turned to his remains and then placed the backpack containing the potion. Gyatso was stumped and expected something to happen, and… one moment, he looked at Mei five meters from his remains, and the next he was looking really close-up at his student’s face.

Gyatso raised his hands and saw flesh, and he began breathing. He was alive once again.