The former life of P'li

A/N: Written for Probending circuit forum's final round. Prompts: P'li (character), happiness (emotion) and jungle(word). Word count:


The music reached its peak just as the girl was lifted into the air. After her there were following two other girls. All of them were lifted into the air by there earthbending teacher and each of them made a small spin while in the air. From a small space infront of the stage there were people all standing to watch the three girls perform. Everyone was excited to see them, they were legendary and the most famous dancing group in the whole fire nation. "Ladies and Gentlemen this was the performence of the fantastic dancing cat owls. Now a big applause for our three amazing dancers: Hadoka our earthbender, P'li our firebender and Karana our waterbender." announced the earthbending teacher, while each girl stepped forward when her name called and made a small bow.

When all the people had left the teacher of the group came over to congratulate them. "Fantastic girls, you were amauing. If we continue on like this we will be famous in all the nations really soon." "Really? In all the nations?" asked P'li with a glinter of ambition in her eyes. She was an ambitous girl, as soon as she heard that she could be sucessful in something, she wantec it, no matter the price. It was a bad characteristic, but the people around her like her dancing companions got used to it by now.

"Yep, in the whole world, theat is if you three train enough and hard. Our next stop will be a small town in the earth nation. It's not big but we need all our energy and skills to win their hearts like we did with th efire nation. Remember we came so far I don't want any failures." with that words said he and the three girls climbed into a satomoblie and drove off to the harbour.

They arrived in the earth nation a few days later and as predicted by their teacher they conquerwd the hearts of the people in storm. Everyone loved them as much, if even not more than in the fire nation. Their dancing routine became very famous in the earth nation. People from all sort of stands came to wathch, from the poorest people, living on the street ,for whom the entry was free, to the richest of the rich, who even invited them to come to their houses to perform.

All to soon their tour through the earth kingdom was over and they went up north to the northern watertribe. Just as soon as in the earthkingdom they had the heart of the people in the watertribe. They danced and danced nearly every night. They even danced infront of the king of the northern watrtribe.

When they were in the southernwater tribe, they did the same as in the northern tribe and they had the same sucess as there. One night the teacher took P'li on walk. He wnted to discuss something in privat wirh her: " P'li I have thought about something. Since you are the most talented dancer in the group, I thought, that you should dance in the front from now on an Hadoka and Karana should dance in the back. I already talked to them and they agreed. So what do you say?" P'li nooded, if her friends agreed with the teacher ideas then she would do it. It would surley help her improve her talent and maybe some talent scout would see her and make a real dancing star out of her.

In the following weeks, as they travelled through the earth kingdom again, 'P'li dannced alway in the front and her two friends danced in the background. Now the people began to love her even more,especially the rich ones. P'li clearly loved standing in the new spot light that was only reserved for her. She wanted to have anyone who danced like in the front like her. The front was reserved only for her.

That's what she thought at least until Karana and Hadoka spoke to her about her behavior towards them. At the beginning of her lead dancing she was still normal, but as time went on she grew more and more selfish and she even was very rude to her team mates sometimes. "What to you P'li? You used to be our friend, but now you'r acting like a big diva who thinks that she is something better than we. " said Hadoka. "Yes, you used to be so friendly, especially to us what happened? " questioned Karana. " What, I'm acting like a diva? No way. I think you two are so jealous that I have become more important than you that you'r making up stories to bring me down. But let me tell you something it won't work." she snapped back. Then a she walked away she added "You know if you can't be happy for your best friend, then we friends anymore."

She walke dfor a while, thinking about her fight with her friends, no former friends, those who even feel happy for her sucess worthy to be her friends. ' can't belive them. I thought they were my friends. I thought they would support me. But now I see, they are just a bunch of back stabbing idiots.' she thought, her fists clenched at her side. "Hey P'li!" said a familiar voice next to her. She jumped slightly, being scared of the sudden appearence of her teacher."Sorry I didn't want to scare you. Look I heared your fight earlier. It's horrible that they won't accept your hard work. Listen I to offer you something. Forget Hadoka and Karana, you are going to make a solo career. You'll be the best solo dancer in the world!" he beamed excitedly. "I don't know. Let me think about it , okay?" replied P'li. Her trainer nodded her okay and then left with the explanation of giving her room to think and that she tell him her decicion soon.

Now alone, P'li thought about what her friends had said. Had she really changed that much? A solo career was perfect but was it worth destroying her friendships. With a final sigh she made up her mind. Slowly she walked back to the small tent she slept in. She took out a pwncil and a paper and wrote a note adressed to her trainer that she return and she would give up dancing. Walking out of the tent and away into the cold night she thought'Sometimes, it's just better to quit while you're ahead.'