7 - The Duel
"I thought you'd never get here," a young woman greets me as I open my eyes. My mother and Lee are nowhere in sight. Instead of the dark space we were in before, I'm in a bright open field, surrounded by lush, green grass. The sun is shining, birds are singing, and I can hear the faint rush of a river nearby. There is something familiar about this place, but I can't put my mind on it.
"Slowpoke," she winks, gesturing for me to join her. I sit, unsure of who she is or why she's here.
She smirks, "You look confused." A mock look of distress over takes her pretty face. "Don't tell me you don't know who I am!"
I study her, trying to place where I may have seen her. She has grey eyes, dark brown hair and is dressed in emerald green. She looks to be about twenty, tall for a woman, yet somehow delicate at the same time. Her cheekbones are high and sharp, giving way to full, dark red lips.
She rolls her eyes when I don't answer right away, "Perhaps this will jog your memory."
I watch transfixed as she transforms before my eyes, morphing into someone I recognize instantly. Someone with jade green eyes and the same dark brown hair, surrounding a younger, but just as beautiful face.
"Naomi?" I breathe, my voice cracking. She nods, leaning over to smother me in a bear hug.
"It's good to see you, little cousin." She pulls back to study me, giving me a little wink. "Or should I say big cousin, look at how grown up and beautiful you are!"
I'm stunned, in all the years since she passed, I've never dreamed of her.
"Now that you know me," her body flickers again, morphing back into the older woman. "I much prefer this form." She winks again, smiling to reveal perfect teeth, "But who wouldn't?"
"What are you doing here?" I ask, still not really believing my eyes.
She cocks her head, raising an eyebrow, a gesture I'd seen countless times on Naomi when she was young. "What, a girl can't visit her favourite cousin?"
"Is this what you would have looked like?" I blurt out, realizing as soon as the words leave my lips that it's not exactly the most sensitive thing I could have said. "I mean…"
"You mean if I wouldn't have gotten sick," she finishes for me, a sad smile on her face.
I nod after a moment, trying to figure out what is different about her appearance. It hits me then, "Your eyes, why are they grey?" I ask. They have changed from jade green back to storm cloud grey.
Naomi blinks slowly, "It's like you said." She smiles at me sadly, "And we can't all be as lucky as you, Ayumi Ogawa."
"What does that mean?" I ask, but she shakes her head, the edges of my dream fading. She walks slowly off into the distance, casting one last sad smile at me as everything fades to black.
"You are the worst!" Dane yells at the top of his lungs. I blink, coming back to reality. My mind has been replaying my dream over and over ever since I woke up. Cami has just buried Dane up to his neck in the ground.
They're in the middle of their rematch, Dane having insisted upon finishing what they started yesterday, Hela having made them wait until after supper. Now we all sit on the front porch watching them spar, except Nori. He left bright and early this morning. It was a bittersweet goodbye for everyone.
"Surrender?" Cami asks, a wide smile on her face.
Dane explodes from the earth with a guttural yell, "Never!" He goes on the offensive, kicking giant chunks of earth at her with speed I've never seen from him before. One thing that Dane has always had going for him is his brute strength. Now combined with his new found speed, Cami is struggling, just barely getting her arms up in time to break through the barrage.
She drops to the ground, swinging her leg out and kicking a small stone into his stomach. Surprisingly he doesn't waver, simply inhaling sharply as he continues kicking rocks at his little sister.
"Easy, Dane," Hela warns as Cami takes a rock to the chest, getting the wind knocked out of her.
"I surrender!" Cami wheezes, trying desperately to refill her lungs with air. It takes a few moments, but she is soon breathing normally. "Nice moves," she concedes, accepting the hand Dane offers her.
"You alright, pipsqueak?" He asks, slinging his arm around her shoulder as they make their way towards us. "Who's next?" He asks jovially, his eyes twinkling. "Ayumi?"
I burst out laughing, "The only way I'd ever spar with you is if you agreed to no bending, that'd give me a fighting chance."
He grins, "No bending it is!"
"You're serious?" I stare at him. Yes I've trained in self defence, but it's been a significant amount of time since I last practiced. I can't actually remember when it was.
"Let's do it," he offers me his hand, pulling me up off the step. "I'll go easy on you."
I stick my tongue out at him, "Funny." I take my stance, feet apart, good arm raised at the ready. I can remember my Sifu telling me over and over, "Ayumi, you need to learn to turn about at a moment's notice, protect your weak side."
Dane doesn't exploit my lame arm just yet, instead stepping to my good side placing a few well-aimed jabs. Instantly my body reacts, blocking each hit. Huh, I think as Dane repeats the sequence, muscle memory.
I have always been more inclined to take a defensive approach, and lucky for me Dane is a bit of a hothead. He charges again, more aggressively this time, lashing out with a spin kick directed at my head. I bend at the waist, kicking my own foot out up and behind me as I pivot, blocking his leg with my own. I hook my foot around his ankle, vaulting back onto my hand as I leap into a flip, bringing my other foot up to create a vice grip. In the same moment, using all my strength and monopolizing on the element of surprise, I whip my legs up and over, completing the flip and throwing him over me and into the ground.
"Oof," he wheezes, having hit hard. I smile, having landed neatly on my feet, releasing his ankle.
"Nice trick!" Cami hollers, a satisfied smile on her face at having witnessed her retribution. Dane coughs out a bit of dirt, his eyes glinting dangerously.
Again he charges me, his jabs becoming faster and more aggressive, and I am forced to spin and dodge half his attacks. I sidestep a jab at my head, wrapping my good arm around his to hold him in place, swinging my foot up at his face in the same motion. He doesn't see it coming and I am met with a sickening crack as my foot connects with his nose.
"I am so sorry!" I shriek, horrified as he drops to his knees. He groans, blood streaming from his nostrils. A quick glance up at the step reveals our spectators all looking on, stunned expressions plastered on their faces.
A moment later Codo jumps to his feet, shooting his fists in the air. "And we have our champion!"
"Shut up!" Dane hollers, his hands trying to hold the heavy stream of blood but failing miserably. He glances up at me, managing a pained smile, "I surrender!"
I shake my head, "Oh Dane, I'm sorry!" I look up then at the sound of approaching footsteps. Lee is walking towards me, his eyebrows slightly raised at the sight before him.
"Hey," Dane says, nodding at him. "Don't mind me." He stands to his feet, moving to where Hela is gesturing for him to follow, no doubt to do something about his obviously broken nose and the excessive amount of blood streaming down his face.
"Can we talk?" Lee asks then, his eyes fixed on mine. I nod, and he points down the road, "In private?"
"I'll see you guys later," I say to Codo, Cami and Crowe, turning to follow after Lee. "Tell Dane I said sorry again, please!"
"Sure thing!" Cami smiles, looking back and forth between Lee and I. Curiousity is written all over her face.
Lee remains quiet as we walk, hands in his pockets, a rather stormy expression on his face. He shoots a glance at me after we've put a fair distance between us and the house. "Remind me not to make you angry," he jokes awkwardly. "...Again."
"Yeah not your best move," I say, adopting a mock grimace. There is truth in my words and he hears it.
"I'm sorry about yesterday," Lee states suddenly, stopping in the middle of the street. He stares hard at the ground. "It's hard to explain, but just know I'm sorry. I know I can be a little unpredictable."
I cock an eyebrow, unable to resist teasing him gently, "You know normally it's the girl who is all over the place with their emotions."
I'm expecting him to react angrily but he actually chuckles a bit, "Good point, I promise to work on it." I shoot him a look, "And I promise not to run off in the middle of a date again."
"Ok, you're forgiven," I smile. I can tell he's being honest with me.
Lee frowns at this, a look of confusion coming over his face. "Just like that? You're not going to hold a grudge?"
"No, why would I?" I ask, "You gave me a sincere apology, and I'm ready to give you a second chance."
He sighs in relief, "That was much easier than I was expecting."
"Do you want me to rethink my response?" I tease, to which he vehemently shakes his head. Before I can stop myself I blurt out, "Do I get to know what took you away last night?"
Lee frowns, as if searching for the right words and not being able to find them.
"I know I saw something," I inform him, watching as he squirms uncomfortably under my gaze. "At first I thought I was hallucinating."
"I don't know what to tell you," he says eventually, avoiding my eyes.
I glance around the quiet street, spotting a few people staring at us from where they loiter on their front steps, obviously eavesdropping. "Why don't we go for tea?" I suggest pointedly. "We don't have to have this conversation right now."
He offers me his elbow in response, and I loop my good arm through it, letting him lead me. We walk in silence, and I ponder his earlier words. What kind of situation did he come from that he expected me to hold a grudge? To make him grovel for an apology. He so obviously was expecting it to be a difficult resolution. All I wanted was an apology, and now I have it.
Lee smiles down at me then, "This is nice," he observes.
"Did you miss me?" I tease, nudging him with my shoulder. He has brightened considerably since I dropped the issue. His emotions really are all over the place.
"Meh…" he jokes, shrugging his shoulders in a noncommittal gesture.
"Very funny," I stick my tongue out at him as we reach the Tea House.
Lee opens the door like a gentleman, bowing deeply as I enter. "Lady Ayumi."
The most bizarre sensation occurs at his words. It is as if I am experiencing a memory, as if him referring to me as "Lady Ayumi" is somehow familiar to me. I can't help but think that it sounds right.
I shake off the feeling a split second later, nodding at him, "Lord Lee," I say with a smile. It doesn't sound right, but I'm not about to tell him that.
We head to an empty table in the middle of the room, sitting quietly across from each other. His hand gently resting on mine.
"If it isn't my favourite couple," Mushi grins widely as he walks towards us, his eyes sparkling. He pours us both a cup of jasmine, "The world seems a better place, with the two of you together."
Lee's face is turning pink at his uncle's words, "Thanks for the tea," he clears his throat pointedly.
"He is so sweet," I smile as Mushi moves on, humming a cheerful tune. "And so not subtle."
Lee rolls his eyes, "I think he's more happy we've made good than we are."
"And what exactly are we?" I ask hesitantly, taking a small sip.
"Well-" Lee begins, stopping short when the door slams open behind us, capturing our attention.
My jaw drops as my ghost, the young man with wild hair and dual hooked blades steps into the Tea House. There is a malevolent glint in his eyes. I look over at Lee to make sure he's seeing him and I'm not going crazy. The stunned expression on his face tells me he sees it too.
"I'm tired of waiting, these two are firebenders!" The young man yells, whipping out his two hooked blades, gesturing to Lee and Mushi. If my jaw could drop any lower it would be on the floor.
"You'll have to defend yourselves, then everyone will know." He steps towards us, blades at the ready. There is a brazen look in his narrow eyes. "Go ahead, show them what you can do," he taunts.
Without hesitation Lee leaps up, ripping twin swords from where they hang at the waist of a nearby soldier. "You want a show, I'll give you a show."
"No!" I flinch, wanting to go to him, to stop him. I feel Mushi's hand on my wrist then, holding me back with an iron grip. He has materialized at my side, seemingly out of nowhere.
Lee kicks a table at his challenger, who cuts through it with ease, running at him. Taking a few steps back, Lee leaps onto a table, taking the high ground for a moment. Again the mystery man cuts through it with his blades, forcing Lee back onto the ground. They begin to cross blades, meeting each other blow for blow.
They run at each other then, the attacker tackling Lee out a window and onto the street.
"Lee!" I yell, wrenching out of Mushi's grip and running out after him. My heart slamming in my chest. They are on their feet, circling each other by the time I reach them.
Again they cross blades, each trying to overpower the other but to no avail. They are evenly matched. The still, night air is filled with the scraping sound of metal on metal.
"Bet you wish he'd help you out with a little fire blast right now!" The young man taunts, casting a glance back at where Mushi now stands beside me. His expression stormy.
In one swift movement Lee hooks his sword through the young man's blade, pinning it to the ground, "You're the one who needs help!" He says triumphantly, swinging his other sword in a wide arc. With impressive agility his target bends backwards at the waist, under the sword, the long piece of grass in his mouth getting neatly trimmed in half.
He scoots back and leaps onto a crate, addressing the crowd, "You see that! The Fire Nation is trying to silence me! It'll never happen."
With that he charges at Lee, more ferociously than before. He is a whirlwind of blades but Lee meets every blow. Not making any progress, the young man steps back then, his eyes lighting on me. Before I can move, he grabs my lame arm, wrenching me against him with one of his blades to my throat.
"Show everyone you're a firebender, or she gets it," he tells Lee ominously.
I can feel the blade scraping against my skin, not drawing blood, yet. "He's not a firebender!" I yell, "Let me go!"
"Shut up!" He yells at me, digging his blade a little deeper, waiting for Lee to act. I bite my lip to distract from the pain.
"Drop your weapons!" A deep voice bellows before Lee can speak, making us all turn and stare. The blade rubs just a tab too deep into my throat, making the tiniest cut.
Dai Li agents have arrived, their deep green robes standing out amongst the crowd.
"Arrest them!" My captor yells, pushing me away from him and gesturing to Lee and Mushi. "They're firebenders!"
I land on my knees, shaking. Lee is at my side in an instant, pulling me up and wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
"This young man wrecked my tea shop, and assaulted my employees!" Pao yells, waving his arms in distress. He points at me, "And assaulted one of my most valued customers!"
"It's true sir, we saw the whole thing. This crazy kid attacked the finest tea maker in the city." A soldier pipes up, I recognize him as the man whose swords Lee grabbed.
"Ohh that's very sweet," says Mushi, blushing.
Having heard enough, one of the Dai Li earthbends rock handcuffs in one swift movement to arrest the man. Overpowering him easily.
As they drag him away he yells, "They're Fire Nation! You have to believe me!" He yanks and writhes, trying to escape but to no avail.
Lee's face is stony, he is neither confirming or denying the accusation. He stares after the young man until the Dai Li throw him in a carriage and take him away.
"Are you ok?" He asks me, pulling back to stare down at me. His face a mix of anger and concern. I don't respond, the reality of what just happened hitting me.
"I'm going to take her to the house," he tells Mushi, his Uncle nodding in agreement. My eyes are smarting with tears at this point, and I'm shaking again. Lee hands the swords back to their rightful owner, thanking him. Without another word he scoops me up in his arms and starts walking. I have no semblance of how long it takes to get to Lee and Mushi's home, I'm tired and scared, resting my head against his chest.
He carries me in and sets me down on a bed, moving to light a candle. A few moments later he returns, sitting down beside me.
"You're ok, Ayumi," he tells me, pulling me into a hug.
"I was so scared!" I return the hug with my good arm. I can't help it, I begin to cry. All of my pent up emotions are released. Lee says nothing, holding me and letting me cry.
I pull back and stare at him, "You were so brave!"
"It was nothing." He kisses my forehead then, "I'm just glad you're ok."
"Where did you learn to fight like that?" I ask, suddenly curious.
"That's a long story," he sighs, smiling at me sadly.
"All this time I thought he was haunting me, he was really haunting you."
"You've seen him before?" Lee asks, his eyes widening.
I nod, "Outside the Tea House a few times, and when my house burned down."
He doesn't say anything, just stares at me, his face unreadable.
"I'm ok, and you're ok, everything is going to be ok." I tell him, trying to rid myself the fear hovering over me. "Can I stay awhile?"
He nods, laying back on the bed, holding his arm up for me to lay beside him. I don't question it, curling up in the groove next to him. He emanates warmth and comfort, circling his other arm around me.
My fear begins to slowly subside, and I close my eyes, sighing in contentment as he plays with my hair, now loose from its bun.
I open my eyes and I am lying alone on the floor, cold. Lee is nowhere in sight and neither is my mother. Only empty darkness.
"Lee?" I call, wondering what happened to him, "Lee where are you?"
"Here," he answers woodenly, and I turn to where he stands beside me. His clothes are smoking.
"Lee are you ok? What happened to you?"
He says nothing, the smoke growing thicker. I watch in horror as his face flickers, as if it is going to disappear. Suddenly he explodes, morphing into a dragon right before my eyes.
"No!" I scream, scrabbling backwards, "Lee!"
The dragon roars in response, scorching me in white hot flames.
Naomi's voice echoes around me, "Don't let it all be for not."
"Ayumi!" Lee is yelling as I bolt upright in the bed, a strangled scream tearing from my lips. "It's ok, you were just having a bad dream."
I meet his amber eyes, blinking profusely, trying to clear my head. "I thought it was real."
"What happened?" He asks, sitting up and wrapping his arm around my shoulders.
I hesitate, not sure how much I should tell him. I certainly don't want him to how many dreams I've been having about him. I feel I need to be honest though, at least a bit. I am keeping enough from him.
"You turned into a dragon, and you burned me," I say simply. I can still feel the searing pain in my mind. It felt so real. "How long was I asleep?"
"A few minutes," he says, an odd look on his face. "I was a dragon?" He clarifies.
I nod, "But it's only a dream." He pulls his arm back and I flinch. Is he closing up again so quickly?
"Is it ever just a dream?" He asks cryptically, sullenly, as if he already has his answer.
"That guy was crazy," I try to reassure him, certain his mind is stuck on it.
"I don't ever want to hurt you." He fixes his eyes on me then, his gaze searching mine, before hanging his head in apparent exhaustion or defeat.
I touch his face with my good hand, ignoring his flinch. "You won't." I tap his chin up with my fingertips. "It was only a dream, you-"
He leans forward suddenly, kissing me, obviously done talking. His arm encircles my waist, and I let out a tiny squeak as he pulls me onto his lap, his kisses becoming more aggressive. I slide my good hand into his hair, returning his kisses, feeling my pulse quicken as one of his hands encircles my upper thigh, the other tangling in my hair.
A soft cough sends us leaping apart, our faces burning red as we realize Mushi has just stepped into the room.
I slide off Lee's lap, trying to avoid the knowing smile on Mushi's face.
"I should have knocked," he says brightly, looking back and forth between us with glee. "Now I know for the future." He moves off to the kitchen chuckling to himself.
I clear my throat, "Well that was mortifying." Lee nods as I glance around the room, taking in my surroundings for the first time. The room is empty apart from the two beds and a small wooden desk.
My gaze is immediately drawn to an object on the desk. I stand, unable to identify what it is from where I sit. It rests alone, a sheathed dagger.
Curious, I pick it up, appreciating the weight in my palm. The sheath is mostly black, with two small gold designs, one on each side. Lee comes to stand behind me, reaching around me and helping me remove the sheath. The hilt is black, joined to the blade by a pearl circled in gold.
"Never give up without a fight," I quietly read the inscription aloud, again faced with a familiar sensation. "Where did you get this?"
"My Uncle, he traded for it at a flea market," he answers, reaching for the dagger. My hand tightens around the hilt instinctively, not wanting to let it go, I feel oddly protective.
"I should go home," I blurt out, begrudgingly handing the dagger over, yet unable to take my eyes off if it.
As we walk I find my mind is stuck on the attack, the dagger and Naomi's odd message in my dream tonight. Don't let what all be for not? I think.
"Everything ok?" Lee shoots a glance at me from the corner of his eye. "You seem a bit preoccupied."
"Just tired," I lie smoothly, not wanting to burden him with the details. At any rate I'd end up interrogating him about what drew him away from me last night.
"I hear you," he says, stopping a few houses away from my temporary home. Drawing me in he kisses me, arms wrapping gently around my waist. "Just so no one awkwardly interrupts us again," he explains as he pulls away.
"Smart move," I smile, bidding him goodnight. He waits until I've reached the front door before starting his walk home, ensuring I'm safe.
"Don't let it all be for not." Naomi's words echo in my head yet again as I settle into my bed a few minutes later. Yet another mystery.
