So...I wrote part of this some time ago when I posted the 7th chapter. I had an idea for chapter 9 and wrote it before this chapter, so I'm not sure if you guys wanted Lily's POV in here or not. Man, writing in different perspectives is hard. I wanted to write my sarcastic comments so badly! Lily's POV is especially hard to convey. Please review!

And sorry that this took a bit longer than usual, but I got so hyped up by the Book 4 trailer and episode 1. Toph coming back and everything that it was hard to concentrate on my own fanfiction. I can't believe book 4 has the setting at 3 years later?! There seems to be so much action, I don't think that Makorra, or any romance can be packed in. Korra seems emotionally broken down, I hope she gets back to her normal self soon. Hopefully we see Toph the next episode, since like at the end of episode 1 we see Korra's back eye. Also, Korra had a black eye, meeting Toph. So yeah.

HW is increasing so I don't get to type as much. Sorry for taking so long to update. XD


Book 1:Wondering

Chapter 8: Discussions

Cheryl's POV:

For some reason, I didn't have any nightmares last night. Just felt...protected, safe,secure. I woke up with an arm around my shoulders. I looked to left, it was a sleeping Branyt. Was he trying to protect me or something? I carefully put his arm off of me and sat up.

I looked around. The adults were already up. Jinora was getting the sky bison ride ready. The Air acolytes were packing things up. Bolin was practicing his earth bending. Katara was making soup in the nearby camp fire. She gave me a smile.

"Did you get some rest?" I nodded a yes.

"For the first time, I didn't get any nightmares. It was just this... protected feeling." She nodded.

"You know, Branyt was making sure you didn't catch a cold. It was so sweet of him." I looked back at him, even when he got older, he was still being protective of friends. I placed my blanket on him in gratitude. I went back to staring at Katara making soup.

"What can I do to help?"

"Not much, Cheryl. We're leaving after we eat. Why don't you just enjoy the scenery around us until it's breakfast time?"

"Ok."

Lily's POV: [A/N- There you go folks! :)]

When I woke up, I found Cheryl staring into space. I quietly got out of my sleeping bag and sneaked up behind her. I then playfully pounced on her back. We both ended up on the ground laughing.

"Lily!" She groaned from the sudden fall. I giggled. It was fun surprising others.

"What are you doing up so early? I thought you sleeping like the others."

"Well, I thought the same." I replied with a grin. I then found myself following Cheryl into the deep green forest.

I then heard the sound of water, and we ran to the sound. It was a small stream. There were even stepping stones to cross the river. I took off my shoes and placed them into the cool water, it only went up a few inches below my knee. Cheryl grinned and did the same. We splashed each other with water resulting in getting drenched.

"Hey, Cheryl."

"Yeah?" She replied as she tried to dry her hair.

"Do you like your life?" Her face scrunched up in confusion.

"Why do you ask that?"

"I mean isn't it hard having the burden of the world on you?" Her eyes seemed to sadden, but then turned all perky. I wondered if I was bringing out turmoil, I hoped not.

"But you like being around us right?" I said quickly to change the mood. She gave me a gentle smile.

"Yeah." I stared deeply into the stream.

"You know, I haven't really had this kind of fun in quite some time. Sean is serious most of the time, and even though I do have a couple of true friends in Royal Academy, some people just want to be friends with the fire lord's daughter." I specifically quoted around fire lord's daughter. She gave me a hug, which was sudden. Then gave me a pat on the head.

"Well, I like you just the way you are. Playful, hyper, Lily." I smiled at the comment, the only time I remembered hearing similar words were when Mom hanged out with me near the pond.

"Hmmmm, We should probably get back." She said after looking at how high the sun had risen.

"Awwwwww. But we were just starting to get to know each other!" I pouted. She sighed and she gently pulled me up to standing position. It was mysterious on how she had great strength, yet her touch was gentle. She created a flame in her palm to light up the way back to camp. I clutched to her right arm, but she didn't seem to mind.

"You know, I like you as an older sister." She gave me a puzzled look.

"Isn't Akina the older sister type?"

"Nah, she's more like a mom in my opinion. But just because I like you as an older sister doesn't mean I want you with my older brother. He's too grumpy for you. You should be with Branyt, he's nicer and you look cute with him."

"Cute?"

"Well, you two look good togeth-" Cheryl covers my mouth before letting me finish. I turned to my right, looks like we reached camp. Wow. That was fast.

"Where were you two?" my brother asked.

"And why are you drenched?" Akina asked.

"We played by a nearby river." I replied cheerfully. Katara chuckled. Akina simply shook her head back and fourth.

"Come on, you two. Lets get you dried up." Akina gestured to one end of the camp site and water bent the liquid out of our clothing and hair.

"Shouldn't you be training, Avatar Cheryl?" My brother had a stern face on. Way to be a downer. He just had to focus on 'work' only.

"Well, I didn't have anyone ready to teach me firebending when I woke up." I was surprised to hear her voice in such gentle tone. It was natural, but wasn't said mockingly. If it was me, I would have been pissed off. How does she keep her cool? My brother shrugged.

"It's called waking others." I see Akina give him a death glare. He instantly backs down in the argument and walks away. I see Cheryl hiding back a grin, it was nice to see her loosen up. Back during training she seemed so tense.

"Think you can get your brother to teach me fire bending later in the Southern Water Tribe?" She turns to ask me.

"Sure." I hear jogging footsteps behind us, and see Branyt running towards Cheryl.

"Where have you been?!" He shouts worriedly. Cheryl lets out a bug sigh.

"You know I like going on my own."

"But you could have been kidnapped!"

"I had Lily."

"Still, you shouldn't go off." I hurried off to Katara who had breakfast ready.

"Shouldn't you stop their fighting?" She asked me as I sat down to eat.

"But they are fighting like a couple. I don't want to ruin the moment." Katara chuckled. And placed her hand on my right shoulder.

"The time for that will be decided for the future, but for now we need to eat!" She said heartily. I blinked twice and tilted my head out of confusion. She then called everyone else over. We had a pretty good soup for breakfast and after that we had to take off again. It was weird how the times felt so good, yet there was the feeling that something worse was around the corner...

3 days later... [A/N: I know, time gaps are bad.]

Akina's POV:

It had been 3-4 days since we left Republic City. Along the pit stops to the Southern Water Tribe, Lily got Sean to teach Cheryl some firebending. She had to learn the elements fast, like Aang, except this time we couldn't plan things out. Who knew if the Red Lotus suddenly appeared and took her away from her? A chill went up my spine thinking about it.

I looked at Cheryl, her face seemed relaxed, but I knew better than anyone that her acting skills were superber and she was only covering up her fear for the sake of others.

"Alright guys, we're about the reach the capital city of the Southern Water Tribe." said Jinora as she looked into the horizon. We could see a strip of land, and slowly it got bigger.

As we flew by the docks, I noted the architecture. The temples and building were beautifully carved and everything was in an orderly pattern. The crystal blue sea helped to further the beauty of the surroundings. As we landed, I noticed an old man with a red scarf older then Bolin approach our bison. He had a neutral face, but his eyes expressed sadness. Irwin is also there, looks like he beat us to the Tribe. We all slide down the bison, and greeted Irwin.

"

Mako!" Bolin shouted happily and gives the old man a hug. The man chuckles before returning it. So this is Mako, Bolin had told us about his older brother on the trip here. And Bolin's claims were true, he did seem wise. Mako gestures to Katara and Jinora.

"Nice to see you again, Master Katara and Jinora." They both nod. Katara then gently pushes Cheryl forward. Cheryl gives a scared look to Katara, but Katara simply nods. Cheryl extends her hand and talks in a hesitant yet cheerful manner.

"Hello, I'm Cheryl. Nice to meet you Mako." His eyes widen, but he still shakes her hand politely. Mako looked to Irwin, and Irwin nodded back. He sighed.

"Nice to meet you too, Cheryl."

"Dad!" We heard two young voices scream joyfully, and we peeked behind them. It was a 5 year old girl and a 5 year old boy. Irwin picks up the boy and tickles him. The girl stands beside his grandfather.

"Is that the Avatar, Gramps?" She asks curiously. The girl points to Cheryl.

"Yup." Mako replies without any emotion. The girl rushes to Cheryl.

"Bend for me!" Cheryl scratches her head.

"Ummm...ok" Cheryl creates a flame in her right hand and a tiny air tornado in her left. I notice Mako studying Cheryl's behavior. I wonder if he is comparing Avatar Korra to Cheryl.

"Cool!" The boy said from her father's arms and squirms to get out of his dad's grip in order to get a better view.

"This is Ivy, and this is Alex. Their my children. Ivy is a firebender, while Alex is a waterbender." Irwin said as he lets Alex down to the ground. Alex frowns when he realizes that Cheryl had already stopped bending the two elements.

"Play with us! Play with us!" Ivy jumps up and down, then pulls Cheryl away to some new kid adventure. She gives us a hopeless grin before being out of sight due to twins.

Meanwhile, Jinora introduces the rest of us to Mako.

Cheryl's POV:

Playing with the twins were fun, but soon it was dinner time and the two seemed exhausted from their sudden play day with me. We got to know our rooms before entering the dinning area.

In dinner time we discussed what was going on so far, the adults knew that the Red Lotus had threaten innocent people before to get to Korra. Who knows what are they going to target next? I sighed, the title Avatar held so much. So many people already expect greatness from me, just like my past lives.

I picked at my food, and began thinking about the future. They had tried to kill Korra through poison. Wouldn't history repeat itself though? Was I going to end up depressed? In a wheelchair? I slapped my face to get back to reality. Nothing happened yet, Cheryl. Stay calm. I began to focus on the conversation.

Midway through it though, I spaced out. I didn't really see the point of formulating a plan to protect me, when eventually I am going to face them. Them... a new view suddenly appears. More like a flashback, I see Korra and the gang in this airship in the mountains.

"The world has been out of balance for far too long; it needs the Air Nation back again. I can't let Zaheer destroy it and everyone we love. Help me save the airbenders, then you can worry about saving me." I hear Korra say before returning to reality.

"Cheryl? Were you listening?" I hear Mako say. I shake my head to focus on the real conversion.

"Huh? I'm sorry, what? I wasn't really listening." He sighs. And lets Irwin take over in the talk.

"Cheryl, as the Avatar, you need to understand the current situation. So pay attention."

"What's the point anyway? If I am bound to meet the Red Lotus, shouldn't I meet with them before they threaten others?" I stand up.

"You're not ready yet. You only mastered Earth and know some firebending." Branyt said to intervene with my argument.

"But even if I do get stronger, won't the Red Lotus get more supporters too? And we need to take action before they kidnap others like what they did to the Air Nation." I notice my voice was shaking and rising in tone.

"Cheryl! The Avatar needs to keep balance in the world, if the Red Lotus succeeds in doing that, there won't be any peace." Irwin's voice ripples through the room and grabs everyone's attention. Thus, stopping them from eating. I bury my face into my hands, and then uncover them.

"I'm sorry." I whisper, but it seemed to be loud enough for everyone to hear; I rush out of the dinning hall in up the stairs and into my bedroom.


Sorry that this one was shorter. I did the next chapter before this one, so I didn't know that chapter 8 was going to be this short. Updates will take longer cause of school work, but I will try my best to get it online as fast as possible. Please review!