Chapter 3 edited! FINALLY!
Chapter 3
A Secret Dance Party!
It was the morning; time to send these invitations I made last night!
I walked into school and spotted On Ji.
"Hey!"
"Hi," she said back, smiling. "Sorry about Hide; he sometimes gets like that…"
"It's okay!" I said, smiling back. Wow she is so pretty.
"So, um, what's up?"
"Oh!" I exclaimed, escaping from my trance. "Uh," I grinned as I took the invitation out of my bag. "I have an invite for you; read what's inside but don't repeat it. It's a secret! Oh and give this to your boyfriend!" I got another invitation out and handed it to her.
"Thanks, Kuzon!" She hugged me and read the note. "A dance party? But nobody knows how to dance but you."
"I'll teach all of you at the party. You guys need to know how."
"That's awesome! I'll definitely come!" Her smile widened.
"Cool!" I turned around and walked to history class.
I gave my invitations to everyone at school and by the end of the day, it wasn't so secret.
Line Break.
"Hey you guys! I'm back from school and I'm ready to set up!" I yelled, putting my bag down on the floor, rushing to them.
Katara took control. "Okay I'll make a water fountain. Aang, you keep a lookout for the people. Toph, make a stage for the band. And Momo, go collect fruit!"
"What about me?" Sokka asked, stroking his fake beard – which was still attached to his face...
"Uh… go… help Momo find refreshments!"
We all went our separate ways: Toph to the middle of the cave, Katara to a small corner in it, Sokka to follow Momo, and me to the hill above the cave.
I sighed, gazing out at where the people would come.
I waited.
And waited.
And waited…
By the time the sun went down, I got worried that nobody was going to come until I heard gravel moving around on the ground. A large group of kids were traveling to the cave laughing and yelling.
I abruptly got up and airbended down to the cave.
"You guys! Stop bending they're here!" I yelled hastily.
Sokka and Momo had returned and were setting up the refreshments on a table Toph had made.
Sokka freaked out. "We have to hide Appa! We can't blow our cover."
I frowned at my big, furry pet. "Sorry buddy," I told Appa. I pushed him a little and he grunted. "I know: you got fancier feet than anybody and six of 'em!"
I turned around happily, putting my hands to my hips and admiring our setup of the cave.
When the big group of people walked in, I looked around for On Ji.
I spotted her and waved. She saw me and smiled. Everyone stood in the dimly lit cave with dull expressions on their faces. Like that minion of Azula's… what was her name? Oh yeah, Mai.
Then I realized that I needed to have an introduction.
The band got set up and started adjusting their instruments.
"Ladies and gentlemen: THE FLAMIOS!" I yelled joyfully.
The band started playing, and I immediately felt the urge to tap my foot. Good, this should get them going! I hope On Ji is enjoying the party so far. I looked over my shoulder and saw her at the table with the food, biting into an apple, talking to Katara with her friends.
Aw man, I thought, she isn't paying any attention to me. I wonder what they're talking about. What if they're talking about that one time when I cried? Or that time when I dressed like a Kyoshi warrior? Oh wait, that was Sokka…
I let it rub off. The band played loudly, and I made sure everyone was having fun.
I looked around seeing that everyone was staring at me, confused.
Shoji popped his head out of the crowd. "Now what do we do?"
"This is when you start dancing," I said, casually.
One kid looked nervously around. "I don't think my parents want me dancing in a cave."
"YEAH! What if someone finds out?" Another kid said.
I scratched my head. "Oh boy… Listen guys: dancing isn't something you think about. It's a form of self-expression that no one can ever take away from you."
Shoji came forward. "Maybe it was different in the colonies, Kuzon, but we don't do that here."
"Sure you do!" I exclaimed. "You have for generations! And it just so happens that I know several classic fire nation dances!" I gestured towards myself.
I got on the dance floor. "100 years ago, this was known as the phoenix flight!" I said squatting with my arms and hands imitating bird wings.
There were murmurs of oooos and ahhs in the audience.
I hopped up. "And, this was the cumulapent strife!"
I did it, and then jumped over at these girls who giggled.
I flipped backwards and bowed.
Everyone cheered.
After that I walked over to Katara and Toph. "Was I good?"
"Good?" Katara asked. "You were great!"
"Did On Ji see me?" I asked eagerly.
"Who's On Ji?" Toph asked.
"Oh! She's this girl." I said.
"Ooooh, looks like twinkle-toes has a crush on someone!" She said mostly to Katara, laughing.
Katara looked at me in the eyes. "Oh, really? That's great!"
"Well, I dunno," I blushed. I saw On Ji and her friends giggling over at another table and decided to go over there.
"I'll see you guys later!" I said, already walking towards her.
"Hi, Kuzon!"
"Hi."
"So…"
"I wanted to know if you wanted me to teach you more dance moves."
"I'd love to!"
"Okay!" I tucked and rolled and jumped up. "That's called the agitated hog monkey!"
The music changed.
On Ji blushed as I put my hand out.
She took it and we ran off to dance.
"This is how they do it in the ballrooms of Ba Sing Se!"
I did a swinging motion back and forth with my arms, keeping my hands like blades.
On Ji copied.
We smiled at each other as we danced and others joined in eventually.
I saw Katara giving me a condescending look. What's wrong? Did I do something?
On Ji noticed my discomfort.
"You okay?"
"Yeah," I said hesitantly. "Um, could you excuse me for a moment?"
"Sure." She looked a little let down, but I couldn't risk Katara getting angry; it's not a pretty sight…
I knew why she was looking at me like that. It was because she felt left out. I had to make her feel less excluded. It's not a party until everyone's happy.
I put my hand out, "Take my hand."
"I don't know, Aang," Katara nervously fooled with her hair.
"Come on!"
"Well… okay!"
The music changed to what sounded like a Fire Nation classic ballroom dance. Dance through the Fire? I think that's what it was called a hundred years ago.
We danced and danced doing leaps in the air and twirls across the dance floor.
I wiped sweat off my forehead, and we both bowed.
On Ji walked over to me in excitement. "Wow Kuzon! That was amazing! Maybe you can teach me that someday," She batted her eyelashes.
"There they are! Get them!" A familiar voice yelled.
On Ji's boyfriend, Hide! I thought. How'd he find us?
Oh yeah I invited him…
The headmaster and guards followed into the cave looking at millions of kids, me in front.
"Uh oh!" I screamed, as if I wasn't conspicuous enough.
I ran past everyone noticing them put bands like mine around their heads.
They were my friends! They were helping me.
Once we got to the back of the cave I stopped.
"Thanks!" I said to Shoji.
He smiled, and simultaneously, I earthbended the back of the cave to block it from the rest of the cave.
Sokka, Katara, Toph and I took off on Appa. Before I knew it, we were up in the air, leaving the Fire nation town.
Toph smiled. "I think you really taught those kids something."
I smiled modestly back.
"Yeah, it was pretty amazing, Aang," Katara said as she kissed my cheek.
I blushed, and then thought back on On Ji. I looked down by the cave which was now only a distant light in the dark.
I'd never see her again…
"Flamio, hotman! Flamio!" Sokka said, enthusiastically.
"They're really gone… Aren't they?"
Sokka shrugged. "They're fire nation… Besides, who knows, maybe you'll see them again."
I wasn't really talking about everyone. It was On Ji; although, I didn't say that, of course.
