AN: Hi guys! If you've got this far hooray! Because that means you've got a possibility of actually liking this story! Please, do review, because it will make my and your life easier, as I will be FORCED to update. xD I'm not counting on it being an absolute winner, but I do have my hopes and dreams… now, ENJOY!
Chapter 1: Meeting someone new.
It had been three years since the end of the war and Katara (17), Aang (16), Sokka (18), Toph (16) and Zuko (20) were all sitting on top of Appa. They were flying over the earth kingdom, to go to Ba Sing Se to visit Uncle Iroh; as his tea shop was still thriving. They weren't that high in the air, due to Appa being tired from flying all the way from the Fire Nation.
"You wanna' stop, buddy?" Aang asked Appa, Appa let out a groan and descended even more, "I'll take that as a yes." Aang said then turned back to his friends and girlfriend. "Appa needs a break guys," he said, everyone nodded in understanding. Appa landed just outside a small town that was bustling with a market.
"We could get some supplies while we're here?" Sokka said,
"Yeah, let's do that," Katara said getting the money out. She handed some to every person. "Only get what you need." she said giving Aang a look.
"What?" he said "The bison whistle was useful." Katara shook her head at her boyfriend.
"Just get the supplies," she said. Aang pouted at her and when she didn't react he huffed.
"Fine," he said and walked off.
"He's still going to buy something," Toph said, "He was lying." she added.
"Great," Katara sighed.
"Back here in an hour," Sokka said before walking off as well, probably towards the meat.
"You can come with me Toph," Zuko said.
"Sure thing Sparky," Toph said and the two of them walked off.
Sokka had gone off to look at meat (What did I tell you), Aang went off just looking around and Katara was getting the proper supplies. Toph had dragged Zuko halfway across town saying there was a fight on and she wanted to compete.
"Toph are you sure that's smart?" Zuko asked, Toph grinned.
"Sure, I'm the best earth-bender in the world no one can beat me," she replied and carried on pulling him with her. She stopped suddenly and looked at the wall dead ahead of them. "We're here." she said. She bended the wall out of the way and pulled Zuko through, on the other side of the wall it was an arena with noisy and rowdy people watching it. It had a small bar that was empty apart from the bar tender and one costumer.
"Who wishes to compete?" A man asked, who was standing by the side of the entrance and before Zuko could say anything Toph had piped up.
"Both of us," she said, Zuko put a hand to his head.
"What are you doing?" he whispered heatedly.
"We can see if there's any competition," she whispered back. Zuko looked around and his eyes caught a girl that looked about nineteen sitting on the bar stool, she looked to be wearing southern water tribe colours, she had a pair of black leggings on with a dark blue skirt that stopped just above her knees which had a slit down each side that came up to mid-thigh, she look as if she was wearing a fire nation top that showed her stomach (Like Katara's one was) except it was in a light blue with white lining it. She wore dark blue flats with the outfit. She was slim, medium build. She looked to be about 5"7; Zuko himself was 6"1. She had a soft oval shaped face with soft pink lips, a small nose and high cheek bones. Her hair was a light honey colour brown with darker streaks going through it, she had the front parts tied up at the back of her head, then put the rest in a lose pony tail. Zuko couldn't see her eyes as she was looking at her drink which was sitting in front of her with a small frown on her pink lips.
"Whoa, Sparky why the heck has your head rate increased?" Toph asked giving him a punch in the arm.
"Nothing," Zuko told her. He couldn't help but think he had seen her some place before, a distant memory maybe.
"Sure…" she said slowly, she was not believing him one bit. "You spar the champion in about two minutes." she said.
"What? Why me?" Zuko groaned.
"Because that's how it's going to work now, get ready," Zuko sighed but didn't say anything, he took of his top and gave it to Toph, who glared at him.
"Why do I have to hold it?" she asked.
"Because that's how it's going to work," Zuko said back with a grin. Toph huffed. Just then one of the arena managers came over.
"You ready?" he asked, Zuko just nodded. The guy took Zuko down to the arena and shut him in. Zuko stood waiting for his opponent with his head bowed and arms behind his back; he only had his trousers and boots on.
"Girl where are you?" One of them men shouted.
"I'm coming, honestly," A girl's voice said. Zuko heard footsteps then a gate shut, he looked up slightly. And to his surprise, amazement and shock, there was the girl from the bar standing in front of him. She took a stance that Zuko recognised as a water-bending stance.
"You're a water-bender then?" Zuko said the girl looked at him. Zuko finally got to see her eyes; they were a bright green, with determination in them.
"Maybe," she said giving him a killer smile. "Did you know I've never been beaten?" she asked.
"No," Zuko said taking his stance.
"Quit chatting girl, get on with it," someone shouted. The girl made the mistake of looking at the crowd; Zuko shot a fire ball at her. She turned her head and did a couple of flips back before it hit her, she did a quick water-bending move and the flame disappeared.
"You are a water-bender," Zuko shouted as an Ice dagger shot at him, he put up a fire wall and they melted.
"If you want to believe that," she shouted. As he kicked at her, she did a flip over him and hit his side. She sent a wave at him, then used the water in the air, and it hit him full on. Zuko stood up soaking wet with a glare on his face. He shot a huge ball of flames at her, her eyes widened, she moved quickly and did an air-bending move, and the fire suddenly disappeared.
"You bended the air," Zuko gasped. The girl grinned at him and the air came out from under him and he fell onto his back on the floor. She walked over to him and knelt down next to him.
"I win," she whispered. Zuko sighed and nodded.
"I surrender honourably," he said, the girl nodded and gave him a hand up.
"Leila," she said, Zuko's eyebrows shot up.
"What?" he asked confused.
"My name. Leila, yours?" she asked. Zuko hesitated.
"Lee," Leila chuckled.
"No it's not," she said quietly, "It's Fire Lord Zuko," she said grinning at the expression on his face.
"How-" Zuko started, Leila put a hand up.
"How did I know?" she finished for him. He nodded. "I've seen your picture and sorry, but the way you fight and your scar kind of gave you away, don't worry I won't tell," she said before he asked her not to. "Plenty down here would see you dead," she added as she walked out the arena "Come get a drink with me, your friend can come too," Zuko hadn't noticed Toph had appeared by his side.
"She can bend air," Toph said, Zuko nodded. "We have to tell twinkle toes," she said and gave Zuko his shirt.
"She knows who I am and she invited us to get a drink with her," Zuko told Toph.
"I dunno…" Toph said, unsure.
"It can't hurt, besides we're both master benders," Zuko said.
"Ok, let's go Sparky," Toph said and walked in the direction of the bar, "Sup," Toph said as she sat down on a stool next to Leila.
"Hello Lady Toph Bei Fong, the blind bandit," Leila said calmly not looking up from her drink.
"HOW DID YOU KNOW THAT?" Toph shouted.
"I just know these things sometimes," Leila said. "It's annoying sometimes, Zuko's coming over, and super I'll get the drinks," she said and turned to the bar tender. "Lu, three kingdom ices please?" she asked, "Lu," gave her a look.
"You're not allowed at the bar you know that," he said.
"Aw come on Lu please," Leila begged. Lu sighed.
"This once, but if Kiazi finds out you know what he'll do to you," Lu warned.
"What does he mean by that?" Zuko asked.
"Nothing," Leila said quickly.
"Don't lie," Toph said, Leila sighed.
"I'm imprisoned here," Leila said "After every fight we move, I don't want to be here, if I could leave I would."
"Why can't you leave?" Toph asked.
"You know the guy by the entrance," Leila asked, both nodded. "That's Kiazi. My father made a deal with Kiazi they would fight and if my father won Kiazi was supposed to leave our nation and never return. But if he lost Kiazi could have anything he wanted. My father lost, Kiazi could have anything and he chose me. I was only fourteen; I've been here ever since, five, nearly six years."
"Where are they?" Sokka asked pacing in front of Katara and Aang.
"We don't know," Katara said with her arms crossed.
"Let's go find them then," Aang suggested. Sokka looked deep in thought for a moment before he nodded.
"Good idea," he said.
"They went in this direction," Katara said and she led them to the wall.
"There's something on the other side," Aang said, he bended the wall out of the way and the three of them walked through.
"Time to go Sparky," Toph said suddenly.
"Oh, must you?" Leila asked sadly.
"Our friends are here," Toph explained Leila looked over at the entrance where Katara, Aang and Sokka came through.
"I'll bring them over," Leila said before she got up and did a couple of flips over to them.
Katara, Aang and Sokka were amazed when a woman looking in between Zuko and Sokka's age flipped over to them.
"Hello," Leila said, "Come with me," she looked at Kiazi who glared at her. The three followed her over to Toph and Zuko.
"SO this is where you two hid away," Sokka said looking around, "What is this place?" he asked.
"A fighting arena, where people come and try to beat the champion," Zuko explained.
"So it's kind of like where we found Toph?" Aang said. Leila nodded.
"Yep, except the champion is kept here and isn't allowed to leave," she said bitterly.
"You know the champion then?" Katara asked. Leila nodded.
"Yeah, I know 'em," she said. Toph suddenly got a grin on her face.
"Sugar Queen why don't you have a go?" She asked. Katara looked surprised for a moment before she nodded.
"Sure."
"I'll go sign you in," Zuko said and walked off.
"Good Luck," Toph said, "Zuko lost to them," She told them.
"HE WHAT?" Sokka, Aang and Katara shouted.
"He lost," Toph repeated.
"Yep, your signed in, someone will be over in a minute to take you do to the arena," Zuko explained ask he reappeared.
"You'll be fine," Leila said.
"Sorry, who are you?" Sokka asked,
"Leila," Leila said bowing to him southern water tribe style. Sokka bowed back surprise written all over his face.
"You're from the southern water tribe?" Aang asked. Leila shook her head.
"No, I'm earth kingdom," she said.
"Can you bend?" Katara asked excitedly. Leila smiled at her.
"Ah, you'll see," she said just as Kiazi came over.
"Time for the match," he said to Katara, he glared at Leila. Both girls nodded. Leila smiled at Katara.
"Good Luck," she said.
"Thanks, who's the champion?" Katara asked.
"You'll see," Leila said before she disappeared. Like Zuko, Katara was taken down to the arena and two huge buckets of water were placed in the arena.
At least I'll be able to bend, Katara thought. She got into a stance waiting for the opponent to show themselves. Suddenly something or someone landed in front of her. Katara took a step back and got a better look, it was Leila.
"You're the champion," She gasped, Leila nodded meekly.
"Sadly," she replied. Katara shot a water wave at her; Leila put her hands out and stopped it with a gust of wind. Katara looked up towards Aang who shook his head and looked at Leila. Katara looked back at Leila who was doing a complex move. Katara sent some ice daggers at her. Leila quickly made an ice wall that stopped them.
"You are a bender," Katara gasped.
"Why does everyone say that?" Leila sighed before she finished her complex move and knocked Katara to the ground. Leila went over to her. "Stay down and let me win unless you want to be stuck here forever," she whispered.
"What?" Katara asked surprised.
"If you win I get to leave but you have to stay, I'd rather stay here than let someone else," Leila explained solemnly. Katara nodded.
"YOU WIN," she shouted, the crowd cheered. Leila helped Katara up and they went back to the group. The first thing that happened when they got back to them, Sokka and Aang practically jumped on Leila.
"You can air-bend!" Aang said.
"Yes," Leila said.
"But you can water bend as well," Sokka said. Leila shrugged.
"I've always been able to, ever since I was a little girl, I could knock people over with a breath and when I got angry the water would become violent," She said. "I wish I could I'd leave and go back home, I miss my family," she sighed.
"You could come with us and we'll take you home," Katara said.
"What? Really, you don't mind?" she asked, the gang shook their heads. "Thank you, but how are we going to get me out of here?" She asked.
"Start a fire," Sokka said everyone looked over a Zuko who shrugged.
"Sure," He said, he quickly shot fire ball at some drapes. Everyone started to run out.
"Where's that girl? I want to make sure she doesn't escape!" They heard Kiazi shout. Leila gasped and ran towards the door; Kiazi however saw her and grabbed her.
"LET ME GO!" She shouted and struggled. She got one arm lose and elbowed him in the face. She saw the others by the door and she ran towards them. "BYE!" she shouted over the roar of the flames. She laughed and the six of them ran out of the arena. They ran through the town until they got to Appa in the out skirts.
"That's the Avatar's bison," she stated, she looked at each of them she then realised that she had made friends with the Avatar. She bowed to Aang.
"It's an honour to meet you," she said, Aang bowed back.
"You too, get on Appa. We'll be safe on him," he said, the two air benders jumped up on Appa whilst the others clambered on. Aang took the reins "Yip yip!" he said and Appa took off.