The Next Generation
Chapter 4: Duties and Drama
That day, after class, Rei met Lu Ten and Yue in the south wing.
"Lu Ten," Yue said when Rei arrived. "This is Rei. He's an Earth bender…. He's new and I told him that he could come to the library with us…. Is that okay with you?"
"Hurry," Kaya said, coming up to them, shoving the three toward the library, glancing over her shoulder. Haku was not far behind her. Kaya rushed them into the library.
"Rei, this is my cousin Kaya and our friend Haku, whom I'm sure you've met…."
"Yeah, he's a great earth bender," Rei smiled. "You have a lot of talent, kid."
"Thanks…." Haku smiled a bit.
"I'm the Avatar's daughter!" Kaya said proudly. "I'm the best air bender here."
"Aren't there only two air benders?" Lu Ten asked with a smirk.
"Shut up, Lu Ten! I'm better than Lee!" Kaya said, crossing her arms.
"Yeah," Rei said. "This whole school is full of kids with famous parents…."
"Of course it is! So whose kid are you?"
"No one's. My dad used to be famous in the Earth Nation, but not for long, and then he just had a small fortune, which he used most of to send me here."
"Kaya!" Yue hit her lightly. Kaya just smirked.
"Well, it is. And he thinks he can chill with the Fearsome Foursome? Comprised of the Avatar's daughter, the fire prince, the Blind Bandit's son, and the Water Tribe Ambassador's daughter? I don't think so."
"I agree with Kaya," Lu Ten crossed his arms.
"Don't listen to them." Yue said to Rei. "They're just teasing…." Aki poked his head out of Yue's bag and jumped up onto the table.
"Oh, what's that?" Rei asked, reaching for Aki. Lu Ten quickly snatched Aki up, stroking his soft fur, glaring at Rei.
"You can't just go around touching people's pets," Lu Ten said. Everyone just kind of stared at him for a moment. Lu Ten blushed a little, gently putting Aki back into Yue's bag.
"That's Aki," Yue said. "He's my rabbit-fox. There's no rule that says he can't be here…. But that doesn't mean he is. So I keep him hidden."
"Hey, Kaya, Yue!" Rin and Bera ran up to them. "There's a dorm meeting tonight. You have to be there, or you will get detention…."
"Aw, man…." Kaya sighed. "I hate structure!"
"We know," Haku smirked.
"Oh," Rin turned to the boys. "Lee wanted me to tell you guys that you're having a dorm meeting, too."
"We'll be there," Lu Ten sighed.
"Rei," Bera said, turning to him. "Could you show me how you did that one move? Haku, you come, too, I'm sure you could improve on it!"
"Yeah, sure," Haku stood up. Rei looked from Bera to Yue, then back to Bera, then back to Yue.
"I'll see you at dinner, then?" Rei smiled at Yue. She blushed a little, nodding. Rei left with the Rin, Bera, and Haku.
"Hm…." Lu Ten glared after him.
"What?" Kaya smirked.
"There's something odd about him that I just don't like…."
"You just need to give him a chance, Lu Ten," Yue said. "Get to know him. You weren't too accepting of Haku at first."
"But Haku wasn't suspicious…."
Yue smiled slightly, shaking her head and getting up to find a book.
"I know why you don't like Rei," Kaya smirked. Lu Ten sent her a confused look.
"It's because he likes Yue."
"What? He does? I didn't notice…."
"Liar! You so did. That's why you don't like him. And he's so sweet to her, it seems. You better be careful if you want her. Because if you don't make a move soon, he probably will." Kaya smirked and got up, joining Yue at a bookshelf.
"Lu Ten thinks Rei likes you," Kaya said, smirking.
"Oh, really?" Yue blushed. "Well, he is nice…. And he's really sweet and kind of cute…."
"Hm, maybe you like Rei, too?"
"I never said that…." Yue blushed more, putting a book back on the shelf. Kaya laughed, shaking her head a little. Then she smiled a sneaky smile.
"I just got a brilliant idea…." Kaya rubbed her hands together.
"Kaya, it doesn't involve me, does it?" Yue's eyes got wide.
"Sweet, innocent little Yue, of course it doesn't involve you!" Kaya rushed back over to Lu Ten.
"Okay, fire boy, here's the deal," Kaya said seriously. Lu Ten gave her a suspicious look. "I will keep Yue from getting with Rei long enough for you to tell her how you feel."
"What's in it for you?" Lu Ten crossed his arms.
"Seeing my cousin and best friend happy! Isn't that enough?"
"For you, it should be, but no, it isn't. While you do want us to be happy, you also like to manipulate people."
"True. So I'll do that for you if you can get your dad and uncle to let someone into the school."
"Wow, that's it? Sure. Who?" Lu Ten leaned forward, actually interested.
"Ginto." Kaya smiled. Lu Ten sighed, leaning back in his chair.
"I should have known…. Kaya, this is a school for benders. Ginto is not a bender."
"I know. That's why I need you to ask them…. If they let him, then no one can dispute it! Do it for Yue…."
"For Yue…. Alright. No guarantees, but I'll see what I can do."
"Thanks! You're the best!" Kaya wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him on the cheek. He glared at her a little bit. She just smirked and pranced off. Yue returned to the table and smiled at Lu Ten, opening her book. Lu Ten smiled slightly, then returned his attention to the book before him.
"I hate structure…." Kaya muttered to Yue as they sat in the common room, listening to their dorm leader, a young woman named Chan, talk about the privilege of attending the school.
"I know," Yue said, smiling a bit.
"So…. You really like Rei?"
"I never said that, Kaya…."
"He asked Haku and Bera about you."
"Why would he do that?"
"Because he likes you, Yue." Kaya smirked. Aki leapt up onto Yue's lap, and she stroked him thoughtfully.
"So," Chan said. "Now that that has been said, it is the responsibility of each and every student to keep this school as beautiful as when you first came. And that starts with the dorm. So, each of you will have to sign up for a dorm keeping duty."
"Ew, physical labor…." Kaya grimaced.
"It won't kill you," Yue said with a small smile. Chan was passing around a paper with a list of duties, and the girls were to write down their name by the duty they wanted.
"Why'd we have to sit in the back?" Kaya asked. "We'll get stuck with the hardest stuff!"
"You wanted to sit here," Yue said as Bera handed her the paper.
"Hm, laundry…. That seems pretty easy. I'll take that one." Yue jotted her name next to Laundry. Kaya grabbed the list.
"All that's left is sweeping and polishing…." Kaya glanced at Rin, who was sitting on her other side.
"Sweeping!" Kaya said, quickly jotting her name down.
"Aw, polishing?" Rin sighed, putting her name next to the word. "That's the most boring and hardest one!"
"That's why I didn't take it!" Kaya smirked. "Sorry, Rin, but maybe you can use your bending to speed it up a little…."
"Is that what you were planning?" Rin smiled.
"Of course!" Kaya smirked.
The boys had signed up for dorm keeping duties as well. The duties were to be done on Saturdays, so that Sunday was the free day.
After the dorm meetings, the students convened for dinner. To Lu Ten's dismay, Rei decided to join Yue, Kaya, Haku, and Lu Ten for dinner, sitting at their table, on Yue's left, while Lu Ten was on her right.
"So what did you guys sign up for?" Kaya asked.
"I chose chimney sweeping!" Haku said.
"Why?" Yue asked.
"Because most of the residue is made of coal, thus, earth, thus, I can bend it out!"
"I got stuck with sweeping…." Lu Ten muttered.
"Me, too!" Kaya said. "But I can use my air bending! So good luck with that!"
"What about you, Rei?" Yue asked.
"I chose laundry. It was that or sweeping."
"I'm doing laundry, too…."
Lu Ten glared at Rei. "Why would you choose laundry over sweeping anyway?"
"I don't know." Rei shrugged, a slight smirk on his face. "It seemed easier than sweeping…."
Lu Ten glared down at his plate, muttering very slightly to himself. Yue slid some food into her bag for Aki to nibble on.
"Kaya!" Lu Ten ran up to her as everyone else was returning to their dorms.
"I thought you said that you would keep Rei away from Yue."
"I didn't know he was going to pick the same job as her. I know she picked laundry because it's water based, and she can use her bending. That's why I picked sweeping, and why Haku picked chimney sweep. I would never think that Rei would have chosen laundry."
"Yeah, you're right…." Lu Ten wandered back to his dorm common room, where a few people were still in there, mingling slightly. One of them was Rei.
"Hey," Lu Ten said, approaching him, glaring.
"Hi, what's up?" Rei said.
"We need to talk."
"I'm listening." Rei smirked.
"Not here," Lu Ten headed for the door. Rei sighed and followed him. It was dark, but Lu Ten led him into the courtyard.
"You need to stay away from Yue," Lu Ten said.
"Oh, and why is that? Is she your girlfriend?"
"Well…. No…."
"Then why?"
"Because, I don't trust you."
"I think I'll leave that decision up to Yue." Rei smirked and turned. Lu Ten glared, clenching his fists, then he sent a ball of fire toward Rei.