The GAang and the Fire Nation School

Chapter 7: The Next Level

Answer to Last Chapter's Quote: "Ok, I'll try." "No! Don't try, do!" - Star Wars

Anyone else see The Beach? I liked in many ways. 1. We got to learn more about the antagonists' past lives. 2. The action with the Combustion Man was different and intense. 3. The humor reminded me of the humor from animes that are based off school students (seriously, there are LOTS of those ones). But I really did wish Mai and Zuko were done. Hey, I do ship Kataang, but those 2 just don't seem to fit. Alright, the next episode is called The Avatar and the Fire Lord and concentrates on when Avatar Roku was young and was friends with the evil Fire Lord Sozin and how the war started (or something similar). I just wonder how the episode will run, since in the YTV preview, it seemed like Roku was narrarating to someone (and not the audience). Hmm...well, sorry for the wait for this chapter! Being a freshman in High School can be busy work.

I do NOT own Avatar: The Last Airbender, and on an unrelated note, people are floping for Flopsy! Sorry, couldn't help it...


Back at the village...

Today these guys had a break from their parents. They were light on chores today and finished at noon. But the village was quiet like it was before Kuzon arrived from the Colonies. Sitting on the stone street or leaning on a wall, Otin, Moto, and Feri were bored. They were in normal red, maroon, white, and black colored clothes rather than their uniform since they needed to be washed. It was usually Kuzon that came up with new games for them to play, but since he's nowhere to be seen, they had to go back to playing their old "mainland" games.

"How about Hide and Explode? That's always fun," suggested Feri.

"We've played that already," replied Otin, sighing afterwards.

They just remained like that for who-knows-how-long. Then, another friend appeared by herself.

"Hey guys," said On Ji, waving to them.

"Hey..." they all replied at once, sounding half asleep.

"Where's Kuzon? I thought he always had free time."

"Us too, but apparently not now," replied Moto. "Without him around, things are back to the way they were, and I never realized how repetitive it was."

On Ji stayed with them for awhile, also looking like she was thinking of something to do. Only after 10 seconds, she had an idea. It was clear that it would be fun since it was awesome, or "flamin'," the last time they had it.

"Why don't we have another party tomorrow?" suggested On Ji, looking at the other guys.

"That sounds great!" replied Otin, looking excited now. "But how're we gonna throw one like Kuzon did?"

"Simple. Last time, all he had was lots of space, the Flamios playing, and light mixed with fresh air. We can do that plus extra stuff that he didn't have before. We can treat it as a thank you party to him for bringing some good changes into this town."

"Ok, but 1 problem," started Feri. "How're we gonna find the Flamios like Kuzon did? I don't know where they're at!"

"Who do you think is making all the loud music at night?" asked On Ji, giving him an annoyed look. She always thought Feri was a weird kid, and he still seems to be slow and dumb at times. "They say they wish to travel the world, but they're always playing every night, so it'll be easy. Especially since they love doing what they do."

"Alright then," said Moto, getting up from the ground. "I'll tell everyone from the school to come, except the big kids who tried to beat up Kuzon and that other guy."

"I'll tell the Flamios about it," said On Ji.

"I'm gonna find a good place for the party," said Otin.

"And I'll get some food and drinks," said Feri. "It pays off working for an old guy who sometimes overpays you without noticing."

"Ok. I'll also get my friends to help out," said On Ji. "This party's gonna be a blast!"


Back to the GAang...

Things were turning out really good. Kuzon knows now how to create and manipulate fire, it looked like he wouldn't be doing those breathing excersises anytime soon again, and he no longer had to worry about mastering it before the Day of Black Sun at this rate. By the way Gramps said how Kuzon was learning, he would master it very quickly. But now there was no time to take a break, he must hurry now and train as much as he can before the time comes.

Gramps was whispering to Keiji of what they were going to teach him next. Gramps often looked like he chuckled and smiled as if he wasn't going to teach him stuff related to firebending. After he stopped his most recent chuckle, he looked back at Kuzon and had a serious face again.

"Ok, now," started Gramps, closing his eyes, "this test is what I call the 'Cooler Manipulation Test'. What's going to happen is that you're still going to bend fire, but..."

Gramps looked to Keiji. He seemed to have a half of a smile on as he moved hsi hands up from his waist to his chest, gathering chi.

"You're going to bend it away from you in defense. Keiji here will fire at you and you will stand your ground. When standing your ground, do what you did with the fireball my relative gave you during your fight. I don't know exactly how you did it, but you'll have to do it again."

"So I'm going to have to bend the fire away from me before it hits me?" asked Kuzon, taking an Earthbender-like stance.

"Correct. And if you evade the fire rather than bending it away, Keiji will strike even harder and faster. We'll let you know when we want to increase the velocity of the fire."

"Got it Sifu Gramps!"

"Okay stop calling me that."

"Sorry."

Ready and willing, Kuzon was ready to bend the fire like last time. But how was it exactly? Last time, he did split the fire doing what Keiji told him to do. But last time it was an inmobile and small fireball. This time, it's going to be an incoming blast and he had limited time to do it in. Ok, remain calm and focus on the fire when it comes.

"Ready?" asked Gramps.

"Uh, not really, maybe a little more--"

"FIRE!!"

Keiji punched his right arm forward immediately and out came a fireball. Kuzon's 1st instinct told him to create a boulder as a shield, but he told himself no. His 2nd instinct said to bend air at it, but he told himself no. His instincts made him react to slow and the fireball was too close now. Trying to shield himself with hsi arms across his chest and head in an X-shape, he took the blow. He was forced off of his feet and flew back about a foot. Not much, but that was because Keiji was being easy and that Kuzon was defending himself.

"Kuzon!" yelled Amaya, who looked like she was going to run out there any second. Gramps noticed this and started to talk to her.

"Don't worry, this is what we all go through in firebending. This is what helps build strength and confidence."

Amaya just gave a little nod and watched Kuzon get up. Grunting as he came up, Kuzon rubbed his head while looking at Keiji and Gramps.

"Sorry, I guess I hesitated," apologized Kuzon.

"Hey, we're all human in some way, right?" replied Gramps, leaning on his cane in front of him. "And humans make mistakes. But making mistakes is what makes us smarter and stronger. Again!"

Kuzon wasn't ready at all, but Keiji listened and punched another fireball at the student with his left arm. Quickly getting into position, Kuzon tried to begin his concentration of bending the fire, but he wasn't fast enough. The fire did manage to move off-course as Kuzon moved his arms to the right like if he was waterbending, but it still got him in the shoulder and knocked him down. Gramps looked down a bit and closed his eyes in disappointment. Amaya from the side saw Gramps like this and thought, if he just acted like he was going to be patient, why is he now looking like Aang's been training for years? Gramps was indeed odd, but no one goes from being very patient to easily disappointed.

"You need to act quickly to do your thing," said Gramps to Kuzon. "On the battlefield, your enemy isn't going to wait for you to be ready. He's going to unleash all he can on you!"

"Ow...got it..."

Trying to get ready as fast he can, Kuzon shook his head quickly to try and rub off the dizziness he was starting to get. As soon as he opened his eyes again after he shook his head, another fireball was punched by Keiji from his right arm. This time, I'll do it. Breathing into the nose, he put his hands together, palms connecting as if he were going to pray. With the fireball now close enough, he breathed out and split his hands away from left to right. The fireball was split in half and the 2 halves past Kuzon's left and right side by several feet. The fire was extinguished in midair as it got weaker.

"Arlight, now we're making some progress!" exclaimed Gramps, looking like his old and happy self again. His smile showed all the wrinkles on his face completely. "Keiji, you're now going to fire at him with 2 fireballs at once. Let us see how long you can maintain your streak Kuzon!"


Somewhere on a desolate island...

The teenagers the bartender told him about weren't the ones he was looking for. After looking at the teens for 2 seconds, he left, leaving their door broken open and split in half. He had to kick the door down since they were too busy chatting and yelling to hear his 1st knock, so they got what they deserved, to him anyway. The teenagers were left in shock from his sudden action and didn't move. When he returned from the inn rooms on the 2nd level, the bartender told him he had to leave since he heard him break down the door. He didn't reply and simply walked out.

That was a few hours ago. Now he was on another desloate island. He was hoping to find at least an encampment of some kind to spy on, but the island seemed to big and covered in trees, craters made by volcanoes, and lakes that their wouldn't be any big base here. He sent his personal raven eagle to fly around and see if he can intercept any messages and burn them to a crisp. He didn't care who won this war, he just cared that if he'll be continued to get paid by doing what he does best.

After waiting for 10 minutes, his pet returned his a scroll in its talons. He opened it up and resd it: Nothing going on here. Recomend a different location to patrol. No action or excitment at all. No--. The scroll just burned to ash in his hands. Nothing but soldiers complaining, he thought. The scroll burnt from the air around it that was as hot as fire. He's able to super-heat the air that's in sight of his third eye and cause tremendous damage to anything in range. It wasn't all fun though, exploding anything he didn't like, he lost his right arm and right leg in an accident while learning to control his unique power. To replace his lost arm and leg, he had to get metal implants from the nation's best men. He thought the new implants were going to ruin him, but it only made him stronger.

Putting the raven eagle back in its large cage, he took out a map of the entire Fire Nation. Only 3 main islands left to explore, he thought. One island was home to a legendary swordsman, another island was polluted and had a weapons factory, and the 3rd one...

A school for kids that accepts all loyal ones...he's there...

Rolling back up the map, he looked at the horizon leading north-east. He was confident that this is where the Avatar must be. If he isn't there, he'll have to head back west and see if he can catch up to them. With his few things ready to go, he proceeded to the beach and prepared to head to the island with the known school. You'll fall to me Avatar. I'll make sure of it...


I hope this chapter didn't seem like a filler. I do dislike them, but as a writer, you sometimes need to do certain things to explain other things to say the word "things" a couple of times. I know, I don't know what I just said either. The quote for this chapter from Gramps isn't from anything, just one I made up, so you don't have to guess hard on this one. If you can though, you can pretend you're getting a high five from me!

Oh, and can you let me know if I should keep doing those line things before saying the setting? Thanks.

Thanks for reading, please review, and hope you enjoyed! TMT