This is my first Avatar Fan Fiction. As you can tell this might mean it sucks, or not, I don't know.

In case you can't tell by my lack of money, I do not own ATLA or anyone there in... except Hikoi Nikusa, the main lass and protagonist in this narrative. Please rate/review/give constructive criticism, and enjoy. Oh and possible spoiler warning depending on if you have or have not been watching the new season. This story takes place before, during, and after The Headband episode of this season.

Fire

Fire is passion.

The fire of passion, both hate and love.

The flames of passion surround me.

The flame engulfs me.

I succumb to the flame.

And I fall while the world burns.

The surreal, ethereal world is inflamed.

As my reality collides with my fantasy I awake. My head is wet from a cold sweat. It was weeks ago that the Fire Nation had captured my village. I was a fire bender, but didn't tell them so, I was against their philosophy.

My name is Hikoi Nikusa, I am a maiden of the village of Yasuragi, originally located in the Earth Kingdom, but is now encapsulated by a Fire Nation colony, almost mocking its former shape. The name is the same but the message is gone, Yasuragi means peace, but none find it here.

My oddly orange red hair is ruffled in short quick bursts, so that it appears my head is ablaze. My eyes are a deep blue, showing my inner peace, which only disguises my outer turmoil.

I was woken in the night by a group of soldiers, and was told that I was going to join a group of other children in being sent to a city back in the Fire Nation to be learned. I didn't object to the change, that is all life is.

Led by armed guards by the light of a few firebenders, I along with other students to be walked to a boat out by the river. Our village was designed around the river, and leaving through it was an insult to anyone born here, it brings us everything, leaving through it is symbolic of dying, going back to the source.

I knew that I was going to be reeducated when I got there. Beaten maybe, until I believed what they told me, or at least say I did.

We were shoved in, forced into dark rooms, cramped and cold, I couldn't do any bending here, they would see, and I hate them too much for them to use me. And so, dark, cold, and cramped, we left for shores afar, I only hoped that this wasn't going to be the end of my freedom.

-- Three weeks later --

We have finally arrived in the city, but there is still no rest for us. Led like cattle to the slaughter we trudged along accordingly. The heat of the sun felt good on my skin, which had paled in captivity. I don't see why they would mistreat us and expect us to then follow their lead.

The people around us seemed to think us below them, and looked toward us with such a demeanor. Ironic that such hate to outsiders is found here, where we become identical to them anyway. Life is change I guess.

We arrived in a small building and were handed several pieces of scrolls and some paint and brushes. Upon examination the scrolls appeared to be a test, possibly to best place us. I took up my brush and went to work.

After the exam we went into a back room, where we were given our school uniform, and told to put them on immediately. Despite the humiliation of doing this in such a fashion we complied. After being dressed we left for the school.

I however had some complaints about my attire. It was too snug, I was big for my age I guess, or these garments weren't meant for someone fifteen. I saw that some of the other girls had the same or similar problems, so we, during a break, which was more for the guards than us, switched until the most of us had fitting outfits. Mine was much looser now, but a uniform just wasn't me.

We entered the school and took our seats in classes we were directed into. The teacher had a cold aura around her. Her spirit was obviously previously broken.

'Snap'

Her ruler hit the table. I knew that this wasn't going to be much fun.

After a few days I had learned the Fire Nation oath, some basic history and other tidbits of knowledge, most of it bias and untrue, but I wasn't going to argue. The other students were not a bother to me, and I ignored them. We were all going to be put into foster homes and I didn't even need that. I am self reliant.

Every test they put before me I passed. My new family didn't love me, and I felt nothing for them. Anyone who attempted to reach out to me was ignored violently. I was no one, and became just a chair in the class.

However one day something interesting happened.

I was sitting in class like the days before when this young boy was brought into class, apparently trying to play hookie. He also for a strange reason had his belt wrapped around his forehead. I picked up on words like colonies and some other keywords but no whole sentences.

"Just slob is fine, or, uh... Kuzon" I caught the last bit of his conversation.

Kuzon he calls himself. I could tell that he had to make that up, I can pick up on such small things. He's lying directly to the Fire Nation, he has something to hide... this could be fun.

He walked back and took a seat near me. Something about him seamed off, but I couldn't quite place it.

"Hey, Kuzon, you said you're from the colonies, right? I'm from one of them too. Don't worry, you'll get over the manners thing, it gets easy with practice," I said with a mock ignorant school girl mindset.

"I'm sure I'll get it," he replied assure of himself and oblivious of my tone.

"Is that talking in my room?" The teacher queried angrily.

"No ma'am" the class answered in unison, even Kuzon.

After the bell I tried to get him but he was intercepted by some of the other students so I let him be. Maybe I was just making something out of nothing.

I went back to my foster home and into my room. I decided to skip dinner, I wasn't hungry, as much as in thought. I could swear that he was something special in hiding. But my mind raced to see if it could pin point it to a name. It failed, and with that failure I went off to bed.

The following morning I dressed and went back to school, and was ready to recite the Fire Nation oath, but Kuzon was unable... whether it be by mishap or ignorance. If ignorance than it's nothing special, but if it was a mishap then he does have something to hide. What is the origin of his scar anyway. The scar that makes him wear his headband to hide it.

Wait, pop quiz? The idiot this is terrible I hate quizzes. My thoughts of confusion over this Kuzon caused me to miss the first question and part of Kuzon's reasons for being stared at now. I looked up and figured he said something that contradicted the teacher. Which anyone would know is a stupid idea. This Kuzon is obviously not who he says he is... that or he's an idiot. But my idea has more adventure, which means change, and change is life. So until proven otherwise I'll assume he's lying about his past. Which means he doesn't have a scar, which means... nothing.

I sigh to myself, what is with this guy that has got me so confused? I can't think straight around... wait... no that can't be right, that's preposterous, such a thought would be against my normal flow... but change is life. No, can't be. He's just an object of the bizarre.

Sadly I was unable to follow my attempts at understanding him through out the day, he had a way of getting into enough trouble without my trying to exploit him.

That evening, despite my tendencies to be distant I heard about a secret dance at a cave somewhere, under the guidance of Kuzon. I went there in my uniform as was suspected and just fit into the crowd as well I could.

I arrived just in time for some important dance between Kuzon and another girl who doesn't go to the school, but immediately after its ending a group of the school leaders and other city guards entered the cave demanding the halt of the festivities. Immediately they attempted to weed out Kuzon, but due to a quite simple and yet ingenious plan he was able to run to the back of the... wait.

No.

Earthbending?

Impossible, all earthbenders are forbidden in this town.

I walk to where I saw the rock move, and it was really where it wasn't before. The rock looked unnatural as well. This was definitely the work of an earthbender. Could Kuzon be an earthbender? That would explain his demeanor.

I ran up to the wall and while everyone was busy distracting the Headmaster and his attendants I burst a hole in the stone using a concentrated burst of fire. It was a rough attack bearing that I haven't practiced in a long while.

I circumnavigated the cave until I exited at another end of it. There was no one in site.

What was an earthbender doing here? Stories claim that the Earth Kingdom has fallen, and if they're true than this would mean he's obviously attempting to do something big being this far from home and so close to the capitol... okay there is no way that Kuzon could be thinking of something that big, especially alone.

I sighed and look up at the moon, and saw something I didn't expect. Something was up there. Something big. I ran down the side of the hills at my end of the cave and ran off chasing it from below. I knew I was deserting safety, but this was too much to ignore.

It's course never swayed, I noticed that it was following a river, so even if I lose sight I can still catch back up, as long as they don't change course, and stop sooner or later.

After a good long while, least a couple hours, I was worn out. The river water was apparently clean, but I boiled it before I drank, just keeping a constant flame over it. Better safe than sorry. Being alone in the middle of nowhere just gave me an idea. This is a perfect place to practice my bending.

I stood in the middle of the river and calmed myself, centering my chi. I was going to attempt to not burn myself or even warm the water while I did this.

Starting with slow motions, I created a singular ball of heat and flam in each hand. With this start I went on into more complicated motions. All my bending was self taught so I assume I was doing something wrong all the time, and therefore always attempted to make sure that the end was exactly as intended, so I would know what worked and what didn't.

Tonight after my original training regiment I started working on a new technique, creating a flame of small size but incredible strength. I started by making a generic ball of fire, and tried to diminish its size. I was sadly unable and with that I flung it down into the river, burning a fish that had just jumped out to catch a night's meal. Now it's my meal.

With the fish in my stomach I continued along the river. However, as I continued the water became murky, not with mud, but with some sludge. Grossed out beyond belief I jumped out and wiped it all off me. I didn't like getting slime on me at all.

It was during my wiping that I saw something startling. There was this giant, furry, thing. I've never seen the like. Riding on top of it were Kuzon and some other people who I don't recognize. Was this animal the thing I saw in the sky?

'Crunch'

Uh oh, stepped on a branch.

All their heads perked up and looked over directly at me. Not good.

"Who is that?" I heard one of them ask.

"That's one of the girls from the academy," Kuzon replied.

"I told you that that was a too dangerous!" yelled another voice.

"But it was because of that danger that we have this river," responded another.

I just stood there while they conversed amongst themselves... what else could I do really?

"Everyone just relax, she's from the colonies, maybe she isn't as loyal?" Kuzon questioned.

"Erhm, I am standing right here. You could ask me," I chirped. Their heads turned away from each other and back to me.

"And in case you would like to know, I hate the Fire Nation, after what they did to me and my village."

It was after I said that that I saw that Kuzon was not wearing his headband. On his forehead was a blue tattoo.

"What's that on your forehead Kuzon?"

As I said that they looked at Kuzon and gasped.

"Aang, she saw your arrow thing!" The guy exclaimed.

Kuzon then covered his forehead... wait Aang? He was lying! I knew it!

"I don't really think we can trust her, can we? She did follow us all this way from the city" concluded the guy.

"Well let's make this short" Suddenly a girl jumped out from atop the creature. She was shorter than me, and her eye's look transparent, I could guess she was blind. She stomped the ground and a chunk of rock launched up at me. My instincts took over and I created a shield of fire around me deflecting the stone.

"She's a firebender? I knew this was a bad idea you going to that school!" the guy jumped out along with Aang and another girl.

I probably shouldn't have used that ability.

The blind girl started to launch boulder after boulder at me, the other girl started waterbending, the guy just came at me with some sort of sword, and that Aang was using... holy... he's using airbending! They're all dead, how could he? No matter, now was the time for me to fight for my life.

I accelerated my normal motions for my bending and went into a defensive mode. I have never fought against anyone, let alone four opponents. I extended my fire like a whip from my hand and from the other bursting anything that got too close. However, I made a mistake. The waterbender had a mass supply of water and the earthbender a lot of land. I couldn't win in this fight, I just wasn't ready. I was frantically attempting to move away from their assaults, when I accidentally blasted my left arm with fire, igniting it.

This not only surprised me, but them as well. I started screaming in pain. My mind was unable to focus on the fire, I couldn't put it out. My screams got louder and more shrill. Something was happening.

My hair started to stand on end, and then starting waving in an imaginary breeze. The color even changed into a less dark orange. My uniform was flame retardant and not burning but my skin was still ablaze as I screamed. The waterbender lashed some water onto my arm, but it vaporized before it could extinguish the flames. I was in intolerable pain.

The river.

I stopped screaming having now remembered the river. I ran over there and dove in, the water boiled but the flame went out, my hair darkened and returned to normal, my pain stopped.

They all just looked at me stupefied by what just occurred. I attempted to stand back up but the chill of the water increased and froze around me, my arms still submerged.

"Who are you?" The waterbender asked. She probably guessed I wasn't much a threat if I burnt myself whilst fighting them.

"I should ask you the same, you did, after all, attack me first, I didn't even want to fight," I replied.

I couldn't look at them because of the position I was frozen. But I could tell what they were doing. They were unsure about who I was, and whether I was to be trusted. But in the down time, least we weren't fighting anymore.

"Let me start, my name is Aang." stated Aang, who I once thought of as Kuzon, "And these are my friends Toph, Katara, and Sokka."

The ice melted and I turned to see them all. Aang, Sokka, Toph, Katara.

"Okay who's who?"

"I'm Katara, that there is Toph," started the waterbender, pointing at the blind earthbender who looked like she didn't trust me, "And that is my brother Sokka."

I looked over at Sokka. Now that I could get a good glimpse of him he looked kind of cute.

"Hey, how you doing?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Been better," I smirked. What a mood change. First we're fighting and now this...

Well there you have it, my very first ever never before read by anyone above the age of 0 ATLA Fan Fic. But wait, before you point out anything overly negative let me say these things first.

A) I do not know whether Fire Nation school uniforms are flame retardant or not, after watching Headband and seeing how they were not destroyed I assume they could take some heat.

B) I am aware that NO ONE in the ATLA universe has the hair color of Hikoi, and that all hair colors present are variations of brown, unless the color is gray/white. This anomaly will be explained later.

C) I am aware that Hikoi is using a unusual style of firebending, but keep in mind she is self taught which would mean she would have different form than normal.

D) I am aware that not much skin is exposed around the arm of a person wearing Fire Nation school uniform, but enough is present for her to hurt herself.

E) I am also aware of the needed temperature for such a flame to be not easily put out by a waterbender attack, this will also be explained later.

Okay I think that covered it basically, any critique you could give me would be nice, as long as it is constructive. Thank you for reading.