A/N: Ehm… ehm… Sorry for the three week wait everybody. But in my defense, since my previous chapters have been about 2000 words and it takes a week to update them, this chapter is 6000 and it took three weeks to update it! So it kind of evens out, ne?
Alright, about the reviews… I meant 30 reviews like, in all, Chapter 1 and 2 combined, the whole enchilada. So sorry about the misunderstandings… A special thanks to Nice Guy 13 for helping me realize that I looked like I was asking for 30 reviews for the chapter, when I was just asking for 30 in all.
For all of you who are saying that I shouldn't have a 'ransom for reviews' or whatever, I just want to make sure that you guys are reviewing because it makes me feel appreciated. But I won't have a requirement for this chapter, but please review anyways! And on to the story!
Disclaimer: I do not own the Avatar or Naruto
Chapter 3
Sakura lay on her stomach, eyes wide and sparkling as she watched Zuko trying to fire bend. Everyone else was getting bored after ten minutes of his fails, but Sakura couldn't stop watching him. Sure, barely any fire was coming out of his hands, and sure he was getting cranky, but the fact that even a little bit of smoke was coming out of his hands and feet without any chakra was amazing to her.
When a small flame, the size of her fist (which wasn't that big) came out of his foot, she couldn't help gasping.
Zuko glanced at her. For some reason, looking at the lovely strands of pink framing her angelic face and shining eyes, Zuko couldn't get annoyed with her. If anything, her amazement was the only fuel that kept him working hard to fire bend correctly. Otherwise without her, he probably would have given up an hour ago. After ten minutes of no progress, Sokka left. Katara left half an hour later. Toph shortly joined her and Aang left once Katara started serving lunch. Only Sakura stayed on her belly, watching him with her emerald eyes. Unfortunately, those emerald eyes, which were so easily amazed by every little movement he made, were egging him on to try to accomplish more, which would only frustrate him when he couldn't figure out how to.
"Ugh! I just can't do it!" Zuko shouted in aggravation finally, landing on his butt. Sakura was by his side in a flash, checking his forehead and inspecting his pupils.
"Huh, no fever… eyes aren't dilated… Oh. You're just frustrated," she blinked at this obvious recognition. Zuko couldn't find enough heart to back hand her with a snippy comment. He couldn't even think straight when her intoxicating and natural perfume of cherry blossom petals invaded his senses. Slowly, just meditating and breathing in that sweet scent started to calm him down.
"I need help with my fire bending," Zuko muttered, "but I don't know what's wrong with it in the first place."
Sakura felt touched he was opening up to her. Sitting next to him with her foot nudging his, she responded, "Maybe it has something to do with the Avatar. You did mention that fire bending was at its' strongest when you had a drive, a motivation. You were motivated to capture the Avatar and restore your honor. But perhaps since you have already restored your honor on your own and you are helping the Avatar, that fuel is gone."
Zuko thought over this carefully. Staring at Sakura's pretty face with his gold eyes, he remarked, "So what you're saying is that I need another drive?"
Sakura nodded. "Yes, but perhaps you should ask the others as well. Since I'm not from this world, I don't know the ways of the bending."
"I thought your answer was pretty accurate," Zuko shrugged, "but since you do know best, I'll ask them at dinner." Pulling himself up, he offered a hand to Sakura who accepted it gracefully. Walking side by side, pale hands brushed.
Sakura let her eyes drift to an empty field.
"Zuko," she said abruptly and Zuko stopped with her, "do you mind if I train for a little while? You don't have to hang around, but I figure I need to practice so I don't get out of shape."
Zuko nodded, following her to the field and setting himself on a nearby boulder. Now it was his time for his gold eyes to sparkle and shimmer as he watched her amazing and nearly impossible movements.
(WARNING: There is a little, teeny bit of gore, very un graphic however, so if you get nauseas easily, then don't read. Otherwise, it's very simple and not that bad anyways. But I figured you deserved a warning. Continuing the story …NOW!)
Sakura decided that she didn't want to keep Zuko waiting around all day, so she would only practice the most important ones to her. The first warm up was tree climbing. Remembering the fond days with Team 7, she summoned the chakra to her feet and ran up an old oak tree. Zuko let out his own gasp when she actually walked up the tree and disappeared from view. About five minutes later, she came flying down, only to land gracefully on her two feet. She practiced her aim for about five minutes, using senbon needles and kunais to pin falling leaves to tree trunks. Next, grabbing a scroll from her sash, she summoned an axe, three katanas, and a metal fan just for the summoning practice and put all away but the katana. Pricking her finger on the edge, she deemed it worthy and dug it into her arm.
Zuko felt nauseas. He wanted to shout out for her to stop, but he knew, if this was her practice, then so let it be. Still, he had to cover his eyes every now and again.
Sakura dug the katana into her arm, then pulled it up so it basically cut her arm in half. She bent it down, however, so Zuko wouldn't see both halves hanging limply. Sakura couldn't help herself from blushing at the thought that Zuko cared about her, but he didn't want to interrupt her training. It was so sweet and considerate.
Switching from hand sign to hand sign, Sakura called out, "Zuko! It's alright to look now."
Zuko trusted her, and opened his eyes. Now it was a truly miraculous sight, watching the green glowing hand heal the injured arm. He could see the cells growing again, bones forming and readjusting itself, and lastly the final coat of skin over her arm. Once Sakura wiped the blood off of her arm, Zuko took it in his hands, inspecting the forearm carefully. It didn't even have a scratch on it.
"Sick," he breathed. Sakura grinned at him. Leading him once more to a lake, she washed off her arm and the cloth she used to clean her arm.
"There's just too much blood on the towel," Sakura frowned, holding up the blood red cloth for emphasis.
Zuko rolled his eyes, "I wonder why."
Sakura splashed him. Zuko's eye twitched.
Forming quick hand signs, a spark of fire burst out of her fingers, and she caught the towel on fire. Once it had reduced to ash, she dropped it in the lake.
"Alright!" she chirped, "Ready to…" SPLASH
Zuko threw a large rock into the water, causing it to fly in every direction and soak Sakura's head. She turned at him, green eyes narrowed with a malicious smirk on her face. Before Zuko could react, she grabbed his wrist and pulled them both into the water. Crashing into the water, Sakura was laughing joyfully in the water. Popping her head out, Zuko was spluttering water out of his mouth, but even he was laughing loudly too.
"See, you don't mess with me," Sakura giggled, splashing him for good measures.
Zuko smirked, splashing her back before clambering out of the water.
"I admit," he said as he helped her out, "pulling a fire bender into water was a good idea. But, you do realize you soaked yourself as well." Giving her his own attracted smirk, he dried off his clothes with his limited fire bending and remarked, "But unlike me, you can't dry yourself off."
Sakura frowned, looking at her dripping kimono.
"I was having too much fun to be cautious," Sakura frowned.
Zuko laughed. He started walking away and Sakura hurried to follow him.
…
…
…
Sakura lounged in her room while Zuko explained to the others why his fire bending wasn't working. She hummed softly as she discarded her kimono, now walking around with her bandages bonded around her chest and her usual simple shorts. She needed to find more outfits. The only good part was Zuko had assured her that she was wearing a fire bending outfit worn by priestesses and such.
Sighing, she flopped down on her bed, curling into the old sheets. They smelled good.
Eyes drifting closed… Sakura woke up the next morning as the rising sun came up. Stretching, she climbed out of bed and pulled her kimono back on. Exiting the room with bare feet tip toeing across the wood panels, she was surprised to see Aang and Zuko loading Appa for an adventure, Sakura guessed.
While Aang strapped a glider to his back and Zuko grabbed a bag, Sakura swung herself up into Appa's saddle, peering over the ledge curiously.
"Where are you guys going?"
The two boys screamed and jumped, ready to attack when they saw Sakura looking at them with unmasked curiosity.
"Last night," Aang started. "When you ditched me so I had to tell everyone by myself," Zuko pouted in the backgrounds. "When Zuko explained to us that he couldn't fire bend," Aang continued, "Toph made the suggestion that we should go find the origins of Fire bending. For example, Toph had learned her earth bending from Badger Moles. The only problem was that the origin of Fire bending were the dragons, but they are now extinct. So Zuko and I are on our way to the ruins of the Sun Warrior's civilization, warriors that used to train from the Dragons themselves so we think that we could learn something from their ruins!" Aang summarized all of this in one breath, thanks to his air bending, and Sakura's head was cocked to the side.
"All I understood was you guys are going on an adventure to fire bend and I want to come!" Sakura chirped happily. She dashed into the house to find her boots and dashed back in less than five seconds with her outfit prepared, scrolls around her waist, long boots fastened tightly, but pink locks out of her terra twist with the cherry blossom missing but her ninja head plate being used as a headband to keep her bangs out of her eyes.
"Should we?" Zuko asked Aang. Aang shrugged, "No harm."
And so, this is how Sakura lazily leaned against Zuko, Zuko was blushed a cherry red, and Aang directed them to the ruins of the Sun Warrior's civilization.
After a few hours of riding on the bison, which Sakura never grew tired of, they finally came to a large area with pyramids, pillars, and wild life growing everywhere. It strongly resembled the old ruins of the Aztecs.
"Wow," Aang gasped. "Oooh," Sakura sang. Zuko let his eyebrows quirk.
Appa came to a halt and Aang jumped off of the bison, Zuko helping Sakura down.
"Thanks Zuko," Sakura giggled, letting her fingers dance across his shoulders. Zuko kept his head down so she couldn't see his blazing cheeks.
Walking through a path with tall walls, Sakura inspected each brick and tile and little speck of dirt as Zuko started talking: "Even though these buildings are ancient, there is something fairly familiar about it. I can tell the fire siege's temples are somehow descendents from these."
"Alright, we've learned something about architecture," Aang said playfully, "now let's see if we can learn something about fire bending!" Enthusiastically striding Aang barely noticed Sakura when she let out a protest of "Watch out!"
Aang's bald head turned towards her and Sakura palm faced herself when he tripped over the black cord she had been trying to warn him about. Aang triggered a booby trap, tripping over empty tile with spikes sticking out of the dirt instead. (Watch the episode if you have questions). Sakura squealed in delight when Aang used his air bending to do a flip in mid air and land on the other side successfully.
"Oh great!" Aang groaned, "Even the past is trying to kill me!"
Zuko ignored him while Sakura let out a small giggle. "This booby trap must be centuries old… yet it still works perfectly," he commented while inspecting the black cord. Dropping it, he stepped back a few steps before performing a wall run to get to the other side successfully. (Once again, watch the episode if you have questions. But if any of you have an idea how to explain it better, then please message me or leave it in a review and with your permission, I would love to replace my description with your own!)
Sakura calmly walked over the ledge, gracefully jumping from point to point until she reached the other side in record timing. Zuko and Aang had anime eyes when watching Sakura jump from point to point. The tips of those rocks should have pierced the skin if you even pricked your finger on it.
"Are you sure we should be here?" Aang asked worriedly once Sakura successfully made it to the other side, holding her feet up to show 'See? No boo-boos!'
"If it'll help your fire bending, yeah," Sakura shrugged, "Besides, the only reason the Sun Civilization would have booby traps, would be if they had something to protect." She winked at the Avatar and continued up the long train of steps.
After about thirty minutes of Aang and Sakura playing iSpy and Zuko avoiding the temptation to rip out all of his hair from their childish game ("You're fifteen, aren't you?" Zuko asked exasperated about half way up. Sakura winked at him, "Why? Want to make sure I'm of dating age?" Zuko growled and stormed up the next three sets of stairs). Aang was starting to pant and Zuko was trudging up the stairs, trying to show that he wasn't affected by the heat and exercise at all. Only Sakura was having an easy time up, claiming "I'm a ninja, remember?"
About fifteen minutes later, they finally made it to the top where a large picture of a man controlling fire connected to dragons on either side of him was sculpted onto a fifty foot wall. After a few minutes of looking at it, it could be debatable whether the man was controlling the fire the dragons were blowing, or whether he was being burned in a prism of fire.
"Well this looks promising," Aang smiled through his sweat, "but I'm not sure this tells us about the original source of fire bending."
Zuko paused, "Well they look pretty angry to me."
"I thought the Dragons were friends with the Sun Warriors," Aang commented curiously.
"Odd way of showing it," Zuko snorted. Sakura realized then that Aang saw the man controlling the fire, and Zuko saw the man being burned by it. 'Must be a reason why…' Sakura frowned to herself. 'Maybe because Aang is an optimist and Zuko is pretty pessimistic,' Inner drawled.
Zuko turned away and Sakura contemplated Inner's words before following him. Because she was distracted, she didn't realize something was eating away at Zuko. Luckily Aang did.
"Zuko, something happened to the Dragons in the last hundred years," Aang paused, "something you're not telling me."
Zuko spared him a glance before walking forward again. "My grandfather Sozin happened." The trio began walking across a bridge to another pyramid before Zuko started talking again, "It was him who started the tradition of dragon hunting. He claimed that if a fire bender were to kill a Dragon, it would increase their skills to the level of legendary and they would be granted the title of 'Dragon'. The dragons went extinct after …my Uncle killed the last one."
"I thought your Uncle was good," Aang frowned.
"It was the past," Zuko snapped. Aang flinched. Giving him an apologetic glance, Zuko cast the ground a downward look before replying "Family tradition I guess."
Sakura jogged up to his side, placing a hand on his shoulder which he took into his. Rubbing circles into his fist, he relished in the moment before she let go and he started leading again.
The scenery changed once more to a large kingdom hidden behind gates, the door a large gold circle with different engravings carved into it. Aang rushed to it, pulling at it and pushing, even using air bending to try to push it open, but each attempt was met with failure. Zuko scratched the back of his head contemplating. He paused. The back of his head was hotter than usual, meaning that there was a bright and hot light his black hair was soaking up. Turning, he noticed the large gold tower behind him, reflecting light onto a tablet in the stone floor.
"It's a celestial calendar," he thought aloud, "Just like the Fire Sage's have in their temples." He glanced at the gates again to find a large red gem above the center of the gate. "I bet," he observed, "that when the sunlight hits that stone just right, then it'll open."
"Monkey feathers!" Aang cussed. Sakura felt her lips quirk up into a smile. 'Monkey feathers? So gotta try that out if I ever get home.'
"We can't wait that long," Aang continued, throwing his hands up in the air to emphasize his point.
Zuko spared him a glance before looking around and golden eyes finally settling on the metal ninja plate used as a headband.
"Toss me your headband, will you?" Zuko asked and Sakura untied it with no hesitation, throwing it in his direction. Zuko caught it in an outstretched hand, bending down and reflecting the light from the golden tower so it aligned with the light on the tile to form a perfect circle.
"No we can't," Zuko felt the ghost of a smile cross his lips, "but we can speed time up." Adjusting Sakura's ninja plate, he moved the circular light from the tower to slowly climb up the wall of the gate, climbing around the arch to finally land on the red gem above the center. Once he held it there for three seconds, the gate slid open.
"Sweet," Sakura breathed. Zuko smirked at her. Straightening up, he motioned Sakura to turn around. Blushing, Sakura lifted her hair so Zuko could tie the ninja band back around her hair. Sakura couldn't help but smile giddily as his usually nimble fingers tried to tie the ribbon successfully, but in the end it was clumsy and not very good. Sakura loved it though.
"Alright guys," Aang said irritably, "Stop flirting so we can learn how to fire bend already."
Sakura and Zuko blushed heavily and followed him into the new room, but Aang realized that neither one of them denied anything.
'Hey, she might actually be melting that cold heart of his,' Aang thought to himself in a sing-song matter, 'Wait till I tell Katara! We can tease them all the time… Payback is sweeeet.'
Giggling to himself, he rubbed his hands together with a drugged look in his eyes and his tongue rolling out in giddiness.
"Weeeird," Sakura and Zuko murmured to each other.
He looked around, taking in the large statues of Sun Warriors doing complex…dance moves arranged in a small circle on either side of the entry, until they met in the middle of the back.
"Not as weird as this," Zuko replied as he inspected the statues carefully. They didn't look like they had any real meaning to themselves besides for decoration. Maybe this was the training room and they were inspirational? He and Sakura inspected and pondered ideas while Aang finally broke out of his plans for revenge and observed the statues himself.
Aang stood in front of one of the statues. Its leg was held up in a crane stance and its arms were extended outwards with its wrists flicked up.
"Ooh," Aang's eyes were glossy. He duplicated the movement, eyes narrowed with concentration in case this was a fire bending stance.
Before he knew what was happening, the statue was getting bigger…and bigger! Until it stopped growing. Aang looked down. Oh. The floor below him had sunk, the statue wasn't growing.
Then it hit him like a truck of bricks. Brown eyes searching the other dance moves running in a circle on either side until they met in the middle, Aang latched himself against Zuko's arm in a flash.
"Zuko! Dance with me!"
Sakura paused. Zuko cringed. Aang continued to pull.
"What?" Sakura questioned, cocking her head to the side. Was it normal in this world for men to dance with men? Sure it was okay for girls to dance with other girls, but men and men? Her eye twitched.
"No, it is not normal," Zuko snarled as if reading her thoughts.
"No, not like that!" Aang stepped away quickly, flushed with embarrassment, "But look at the statues! Just follow the stances of the statues!"
After much convincing, and a pleading and puppy dog eyes from Sakura, Zuko slouched in front of the statue, very reluctantly lifting his leg and arms.
"Stop being a baby," Aang shouted at him as they synchronized to duplicate the second statue. Zuko muttered curses under his breath, until his eyes widened to see the stones underneath his foot sink.
"See," Aang said smugly, "it isn't just dance moves." Sakura was awed by the grace and stances of this form, now being applied in real life. It looked strong, powerful, but graceful at the same time. It was nothing like the ruthless killing with a few dirty tricks the ninjas used. "These statues are giving us a lesson; it's teaching us the Sun Warrior Fire Bending."
The two finally came to an end, arms extended over their heads, in a collapsing stance and fists almost pressed against each other. They looked at each other and then at Sakura who shrugged in reply.
"Just wait there. Maybe it takes three seconds like it did out… side." In the middle of Sakura's advice, a pedestal rose from the middle of the room with a large gold egg reflecting the sunlight.
"Shiny," Sakura squealed, racing up to Zuko's side as he extended his arms to grab it.
"Uh, is that a good idea?" Sakura asked, the gold shell of the egg reflecting in her eyes to make them sparkle and shimmer.
"Sakura's right Zuko," Aang insisted, "We don't know what it is or what it does. Should we really be taking it?"
"It's an ancient and mystical gem," Zuko replied, fingers brushing the top, "Why shouldn't we take it?"
"Don't you remember the spikes?" Aang asked exasperated, "I'm actually afraid of mystical, shining jewels sitting on pedestals!"
His exasperated expression took up an irritated one as his eyebrow twitched. Zuko had reached out and placed his large hand on the egg. To further irritate the air bender, he picked it up boldly, eyes frowning.
"It feels … almost alive," he observed. When nothing out of the ordinary happened, he cast his gaze sideways before placing the egg back on the pedestal. Right as he was about to place it down, a greenish glob rose from the stand like a water fountain, spraying Zuko all the way to the ceiling of the room and slamming him against criss crossed bars. The door they had entered through closed and the substance started to pour out.
"Ouch," he whimpered, "I can't get out! It's like… some type of glue!"
"What did I tell you?" Aang screamed as he bended air to push the glue away from hitting Sakura. With his staff, he yelled out a battle cry and shot all the air he could control at Zuko to try to break the ick. Zuko let out another groan when all that happened was he was flipped so he was face first against the bars.
"That helped," he said sarcastically.
"Once again," Aang grunted, "Whose fault is it for PICKING UP THE EGG?" He pointed an accusing finger at Zuko, momentarily dropping his guard.
"Watch out," Sakura yelled, clamping her arms around his waist to tackle him out of the glob's way. Dropping him on top of a large statue, she leaped from stone wall to wall like a monkey, before leaping high in the air to grasp one of the metal bars in her hands. Using raw strength, she clamped down on it, crimpling it into a thin and wrinkled metal bar.
"Nice!" Zuko praised and Sakura felt herself blush at the smirk he was directing at her.
"Stop flirting and break him out of there!" Aang shouted. He was standing on his tip toes at the highest statue before he had to jump up to avoid being hit by the muddy liquid. He grasped the bars with his hands and feet braced against it, but he soon cried out "I can't move! Sakura help!" Sakura moaned in pain when Aang had jumped up and clamped the bar, he accidentally shoving her stomach against the sticky bars which caused her to stick before the muddy liquid rushed up and trapped her permanently in between Zuko and Aang. Sakura spat out of the openings of the bars, screaming, "I can't help either! You slammed me into the bars!"
They were pressed against the bar as the greenish brown slime compressed them against the bars, some of it oozing out around them. Finally, it stopped.
"Okay…" Sakura took in deep breaths, "at least we have air."
"And someone could come by," Aang added optimistically.
Hours past. Night fell. And Sakura fell asleep.
When she woke up, Aang and Zuko were glaring daggers at each other through her.
"You just had to pick up the golden rock," Aang said sarcastically.
Zuko glared at him, mouth pulled in a frown as he protested, "At least I made something happen! If it weren't for me, we never would have made it past the courtyard!"
"HEEEEELP!" Aang cried.
"Who are you yelling for?" Zuko snapped angrily, "No one has been here for centuries!"
"So what do YOU think we should do?" Aang demanded.
"I'd say we stop screaming in Sakura's ears, before she goes DEAF!" Sakura yelled.
The two boys paused.
"We could talk about our place in the universe," Zuko offered.
Sakura huffed.
…
…
…
"And so what am I supposed to do? I mean, Katara and I kissed at the invasion and we've gone through so much together, but I'm not sure about her feelings for me!" Aang cried, sniffling slightly.
"It sounds like she likes you too," Sakura said smartly, "but obviously, Katara is passionate about defeating the Fire Lord, of doing anything in her power to bring justice to the world. You can't say that she doesn't care about you, just because now isn't the right time."
"Sakura, you're so smart!" Aang wailed.
"Who is there?" a deep masculine voice demanded. Gold, chocolate, and emerald eyes darted to this newcomer. He had face painting, with red over his eyes, a bit of a stomach, and a large feathered hat.
"Pretty," Sakura cooed.
…
…
…
The scene changed so Sakura, Aang, and Zuko were sitting in the middle of the supposed deceased Sun Warrior civilization, with large animals resembling dogs licking up the goop off of them with long and thin tongues. It was gross, Sakura whispered to the other boys, but much better than being sticky.
"For trying to take our Sacred Sun Stone, you will be severely punished!" the Chief of the Sun Warriors growled, banging his Sacred Staff against the ground three times. Sakura couldn't take her eyes off of the feathers of his hat.
"Pretty," she whispered again. Zuko elbowed her.
"We didn't mean harm," Zuko answered respectfully, "We need your help to learn the rules of true fire bending."
Another clan member stepped forward, one with a high ponytail and face paint, frowning and claiming, "Do not listen to them! Obviously they are thieves, trying to steal our Sacred Belongings!" He held the golden egg in his arms, cradling it like a baby.
Aang smiled smugly, bending his head down for all to get a good look at the blue arrow running down his head, "I don't usually play this card, but I'm … The Avatar."
Sakura winced. The Warriors didn't look too impressed by that.
Aang sensed it too for he added in, "Just hear us out."
He glanced at Zuko. Sighing, the scarred teen introduced himself, "My name is Zuko, crowned prince of the Fire Nation, or at least I used to be."
Pausing, everyone looked at Sakura. Sakura waved awkwardly, saying, "Sakura Haruno. …no title really."
Satisfied, the chief of the Sun Warriors moved their heavy glances to Zuko.
"I know my people have disordered the ways of fire bending by fueling it of fire and rage, but I want to learn it your way. The right way. I was surprised when we found that this civilization was still alive, and I am humbled to be in your presence. So please, teach us. Teach us the true art of fire bending," Zuko said, kneeling and bowing before the Sun Warriors. Aang joined him. For good measures, Sakura duplicated these movements.
Heads snapped towards the chief now.
He stroked his beard thoughtfully, before his eyes narrowed and took up a leader expression. "If you want to learn the ways of the sun," he finally announced, "Then you must learn from the Fire Bending Masters, Ran and Shao.
"When you present yourselves to them, they will examine you. They will read your hearts, your souls, and your ancestry." He was focusing his hard stare on each of the trio for each item he listed. Aang flinched under the heavy and intimidating stare of hearts, Sakura kept a cool face under souls, but Zuko was grimacing and looked like he was about to cry when the Chief mentioned his 'past history'. In a pathetic and sad way, it was kind of hilarious.
Continuing, the Chief said in his strong voice, "If they deem you worthy, they'll teach you. If they don't, you will be destroyed on the spot."
Aang and Zuko exchanged shocked grimaces. Sakura softly sighed in relief. She was glad she wasn't a fire bender.
…
…
…
The Sun Civilization dragged them across bridges and past temples and up stairs to finally lead them to a small gazebo with a large fire that continued to lick and spit without faltering. It seemed almost mystical.
"If you are going to see the masters," the Chief announced while the trio and Warriors were gathered around the flame, "Then you must bring them a piece of the Eternal Flame. This fire is the very first one that was given to man by the dragons. It has been going for thousands upon thousands of years.
"You will each take a piece of it to the masters, to show your commitment to the Sacred Art of Fire Bending."
"Um… Mr. Sun Chief, Sir, uh… yeah… I'm not a fire bender yet," Aang admitted awkwardly.
"Then you better become one and fast," he snipped.
Sakura raised her hand. "I was here just for the adventure. May I sit and watch instead?"
"Yes," he snapped.
"Cool," Sakura remarked casually, plopping down on the tiled floors and watching the Chief bend fire out of the flame. Sakura resisted the urge to squeal when he distributed it into two halves, giving a small flame to Zuko and a small flame to Aang. They balanced it carefully, Zuko's spitting and trying to break free from its hold and Aang's withering as if an unknown force was pressing down on it from all sides.
"This activity practices Sun Warrior's philosophy. Fire bending takes concentration and to maintain a constant heat. Not provide enough energy and the fire will go out. Make it too big and you will lose control," the Chief advised.
Aang shifted his fire back and forth. "It feels… like a little heartbeat. Like it's pumping in my hand. Eh… like a life is literally in my hands."
"Fire bending is life, not just destruction," the Chief said, "Now, your instructions are simple. Walk up the mountain while maintaining your fire. If you can make it to the top and present it to the masters, they will judge you then and there."
While Zuko and Aang started their way over boulders and through wild life, the Chief led Sakura and the others through a hidden tunnel. It led them uphill and about twenty minutes in, Sakura finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel. She blinked at the sudden light and looked around. They were now standing on a circular stage on top of the mountain with large drums bordering the stage. Large stairs led from the stage to a large bridge that connected two humongous caves together.
"So, what now?" Sakura asked one of the Sun Warriors.
"We wait," he said as he assumed position. The Warriors gathered around the borders, the Chief posing in the middle with his arms crossed. Sakura settled herself on one of the drums, legs crossed, one arm leaning back and the other extended so she could examine her nails.
Sakura was about to doze off when she heard twigs snapping and the slight pant of the two boys. The duo came into view. Zuko glanced around anxiously before his gaze landed on hers. His lips slightly quirked with affection and Sakura looked away embarrassed.
The Sun Chief cleared his voice loudly and Zuko snapped his attention back to the Chief.
"Right," Zuko laughed awkwardly.
"Before you meet the Fire Bending Masters, I must warn you," the Chief said formally, "Facing the Masters will be very dangerous." Directing his focus on Zuko, he confronted him with "Your ancestors are directly responsible for the dragons' disappearance. The masters will not be happy to see you." Turning to Aang, he continued, "Even though you are the Avatar, it is also your fault for disappearing. It disrupted the balance of the world."
Aang gulped audibly.
The Chief moved to take some fire from Aang and Zuko, passing it onto another Warrior. This one looped the fire into a circle before passing it on to the next. It continued until each Warrior positioned in the circle was bending a fire circle. Sakura was kicked off the drum as another unnamed Warrior started beating on it. Said pinkette noticed her two companions whispering to each other before Zuko nudged Aang forward with his foot. Sakura winced. It looked like that small gesture almost extinguished Aang's small flame.
Said boys trudged up the stairs as soon as the Warriors began beating their drums. Every step Aang and Zuko took made Sakura's stomach lurch. She was nervous for both of them. She knew that the Avatar and a Mastered Fire Bender could take on two Master Fire Benders, especially if she was there to help, but Sakura would have preferred if they could go without a fight. Aang and Zuko finally made it up the stairs.
"Present your fire!"
The distant figures of Zuko and Aang stood back to back, in a low stance with their backs hunched over and palms extended over their heads to present their flames.
"Sound for the Masters!"
A loud and echoed sound of an obnoxious instrument sounded, and instantly everyone could hear the entrances of the two caves Aang and Zuko were facing start to crumble as something pounded on the mountains.
Sakura was standing next to the Chief and his servant to watch Aang and Zuko more closely. She had enhanced vision because of her skills of a ninja and currently she was wincing with pain. Aang, the naïve and innocent and oblivious little boy had dropped his hands. DROPPED HIS HANDS. The fire disappeared quickly after. If that wasn't bad enough, when he noticed that his fire was gone, he started begging Zuko for some of his fire. Aang tackled the taller boy, making Zuko lose his fire as well.
Sakura slapped her forehead and the others grimaced.
The Konoha ninja could almost hear Zuko shouting at Aang in aggravation, arms flailing and body tense. Aang was cowering and shouting back. It wasn't until the two caves finally collapsed and opened and the music changed into an upbeat tune was when Aang and Zuko found enough sense to bow in the same position only without fire in their palms this time.
The next scene was marvelous. Sakura had started to squeal in delight when a red and blue dragon emerged from each cave, circling the two boys. It reminded Sakura of a predator enclosing on its prey, but Sakura couldn't feel any killing intent radiating off of the dragons.
Sakura actually started giggling when Zuko and Aang started performing the same moves as they did in the Temple, if she recalled the 'Dance of the Dragon'. It was truly magnificent, watching Zuko and Aang perform these graceful but powerful moves in harmony with the dragons which moved with fluency and precision.
The dance came to an end, but instead of the dragons about to hit each other head on, they circled the boys again, although this time trapping them in a flame of different colors, ranging from yellow to orange to red to blue to green and even to purple. Sakura herself was awed by it and the Warriors bowed down to this glorious sight. One of the Warriors even pushed her down to the ground as well.
The dragons finished and retreated back into their caves. Zuko and Aang were revealed after the dust settled to be sitting back to back and still looking at the air where the multi colored flames used to be. They got up and slowly marched down the stairs again.
"Zuko! Are you okay?" Sakura questioned, running up to him to meet him halfway down and inspecting him for burns.
Aang waved. "HELLO? What about me?" the bald boy screamed, pushing Sakura in vain. Sakura blinked.
"Um… Aang! Oh my goodness gracious are you okay?" she cried sarcastically, cradling Aang's head in her arms, "My poor baby!"
Aang blushed. Pushing Sakura away, he hid behind Zuko. "Go back to cuddling Zuko," Aang shyly said. Sakura laughed, taking Zuko's wrist and dragging him down the stairs. Once they made it down the stairs, the Chief approached them, a small smile playing on his lips.
"It was amazing," Zuko commented, "all of those different colored fires… It was radiating life, teaching me so much. Sakura was right when she said my drive was gone, and now I have found a new motivation. I want to accomplish my destiny and restore balance to the world again." As if to prove his point, Zuko punched and kicked three times in a row, each time a large burst of fire shooting out of his fists and feet.
Aang nodded, "Up there… I've realized that fire is not destructive, but energy… and life." He kicked out and fire grazed Sakura's forehead.
"Although I've still got to work on my control," Aang sweat dropped as Sakura cut off the singed pieces of her hair.
"Well, you do know that now that you are aware of our civilization, dragons, and teachings, we must imprison you for a lifetime," the Sun Chief said casually. Sakura raised her hand. "Including me?" she asked with big eyes.
"Yes," the Chief confirmed, "including you."
The three kids screamed, ready to bolt before the Chief let out deep chuckles, "Haha, I am only kidding."
The three kids sighed.
"But seriously, don't tell anyone."
…
…
…
Sakura watched the finishing move of Zuko and Aang's fire bending routine. This time, however, fire was bursting from their fists and feet, making the show more fantastic and magical. But when Aang and Zuko waited for replies, Sakura was the only one clapping.
"Great job guys! Now they'll just tap-dance their way to victory over the Fire Lord," Sokka joked.
"What are you talking about?" Zuko asked aggravated, "This is a sacred form from the supposedly wiped out Sun Civilization!"
"Oh yeah," Katara asked sarcastically, "Then what's it called?"
Zuko felt his cheeks burn, "The … Dancing Dragons."
The group started laughing while Zuko frowned. Sakura drifted over to him, brushing her hand against his while whispering, "If it makes any difference… I thought you looked amazing."
She left for her room then and Aang, Katara and Sokka were left questioning why Zuko had a goofy grin on his face for the rest of the night.