Beyond the Limit of Life
Day 3: Transcend
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The play had been horrid. The over-the-top actors and actresses, the gaudy clothes, the overly painted faces with powder were a tad too much. That wasn't to say she didn't enjoy some parts of it; such as when Sokka or Toph were made fun of or when Zuko was portrayed as an angry child. Yet, some scenes, like the one with Jet in Ba Sing Se or Zuko in the Catacombs…those made her want to crawl under a rock and re-evaluate her actions. In all, it was an interesting experience, yet not one that she would ever want to re-live.
So later that night, when she believed everyone had gone to bed, she'd gone down to the beach and laid on one of the flat rocks, summoning a bit of salt water from the soothing ocean. Now this, this, was her idea of fun. The mere idea of relaxation and peace made her melt. She took care of the group all the time, and moments to herself were rare. Whether it was mending clothing or washing laundry or cleaning cookware or making and gathering food, she was always kept busy.
She loved it, nonetheless. Yet, the play had brought back some regrets and she wanted to vent. By waterbending and clearing her head, she could do just that.
The moon was bright in the sky, its glow bathing the beach in its light. The clusters of trees surrounding her kept her out of sight of the house, and for that she was glad. She liked being alone, sometimes. It helped her think, without Aang's lectures of forgiveness and goodness or Sokka's side comments. In some ways, Aang was naïve, thinking that everyone could be saved in the name of peace and it worried her, because people like Zhao or Yon Rha or Azula would never change. It worried her that he would get hurt trying.
And then her most recent encounter with him made her feel bad. He'd said he'd wanted to with her, and she'd said she was confused, but in reality, she wasn't. She knew she didn't feel the same. But she didn't want to hurt his young heart and taint it with heartbreak. She knew telling him the truth would hurt his performance in the battle with Ozai, so she'd placated him. And after he'd win, she'd be with him, because the hero always got the girl and it was her duty to be with him.
She bent the sliver of water in her hands, turning into various things- like Momo, a moon peach, a palm leaf, a coconut. She'd been so focused that when she heard the slightest of movement near her, the tiniest of shifts, she'd spilled the water on herself, soaking her clothing, and whipped around. It was only Zuko.
"It's not nice to sneak up on people, you know," she told him conversationally.
"I'm sorry, I didn't intend to. I was coming to look for you," he replied, coming to sit next to her, yawning.
She pulled the water from her clothes and tossed it into the ocean. "Why would you do that?" He certainly hadn't needed to.
"I heard you leave and after you didn't return, I got worried." He looked over at the ocean, gazing. She stared at him, head tilted.
"Well, thanks, but I'm fine."
He looked at her. "Do you want me to go?"
"No, not at all, you just seemed tired!"
He smiled a rare smile, radiant and glowing. She couldn't help but smile back. "What are you doing out here, anyway?"
"Gathering energy. Not all of us get out energy from the sun like some people," she laughed.
He blushed slightly, eyes twinkling. The bathe of the light and his smile made him look mildly his age. She felt odd. Sort of happy, sort of embarrassed.
"I have an idea," he said, getting up, "I want to show you something. Come with me?"
"Sure!" she grinned. She was up for anything, especially with the moon giving her bouts of adrenaline.
The jumped off of the rock onto the sandy beach and he took her hand, pulling her along so that she was jogging. They turned a corner and followed the tree line along the beach. She was getting a bit impatient.
"Are we almost there?" she called, excitement in her voice.
"Yes," he called back, nodding enthusiastically.
They turned another corner and stopped. She nearly slammed into him. He tugged her along, this time walking leisurely. It was slightly hidden but if you looked just a bit, it was there.
The small cabin glowed, the golden paint on its walls making it surreal. There were a few wooden steps that led up to the cabin and creaked when she stepped on them. Zuko opened the front door. Inside, the walls were a soft lavender and the carpet was a soft green, mimicking the color of the trees outside. The old wood was peeling; making her glad she had shoes. Canvases lined the walls, some empty and some filled with the color of life. Some were portraits, others were landscapes, and some were abstract.
"My mother used to paint," Zuko explained," she'd take Azula and I here when Ozai was busy. She loved it and some of these canvases were ours."
"It's beautiful," she breathed.
She turned and smiled at him, giving his hand a squeeze.
She felt this weird, mushy, gooey feeling inside of her, like warm honey or cup of perfectly warm tea. And it felt strong enough to transcend lifetimes.