Chapter 9

Told as Cameron

I rubbed my sore arms with a scowl. My arms and legs were spotted with black and blue bruises causing my mood to be even worse.

God I needed to work out.

Seeing a red mark under one of my sleeves I couldn't help but to frown and pull it back. I almost froze seeing that my arms was completely covered in fades scars… a number of them looked to be burn scars too… Where the hell did these come from?

"Cameron? Are you alright over there?" Olivia called from her place on Appa. She jumped down using her airbending to soften her fall then headed towards me.

"What the hell is this?"

I pulled up the side of my shirt to see how many scars there really were and was greeted with the sight of many dotting my stomach and twisted onto my back. What was going on!?
"These… weren't there in our dimension…" She mused and looked closer at the lines that weaved around my body. This was just lovely.

We stood there in silence for a minute and I dropped my shirt as we both heard footsteps running towards us. I immediately relaxed seeing that it was just Charlie. Olivia and I quickly gestured her to join us and each hunched over each other in a circle.

"I think that we're getting written into the actual storyline...I mean I know that we talked about this before but I think that we are actually getting our own backstories and everything… there's no random explanation for these random scars." Olivia stated in a hushed tone gesturing towards me and then holding out one of her arms that had a long thin scar running down from her elbow to wrist.

Oh thank god I wasn't the only one who had to deal with this.

The other two examined themselves trying to figure out if they had any more scars while I just stood there not wanting to see any more. For some reason I had the feeling that mine weren't caused by rough play as a child.

"Does this mean that we are being written out of our dimension..?" Charlie asked hesitantly and as much as I wanted to say no… I knew that I couldn't.

Each day it seemed like I was losing some of my memories.. I couldn't remember what was going to happen next in this...series if I still even wanted to call it that. I couldn't even remember my family's faces. It killed me a bit inside to think about that.

We all stood there for a somber moment before Aang jumped towards us and grabbed onto my hand, pulling me towards a sign that Sokka and Katara had found.

"It's the fire nation festival! There's jugglers, benders, and magicians! This'll be a great way for us both to work on our firebending!" He exclaimed pointing at the sign. I examined the board for a moment with a frown. Though I was improving a lot on my firebending thanks to muscle memory, it was clear that I couldn't teach Aang anything yet.

"You might want to rethink that. Look at this." Sokka had to kill the mood pointing out a wanted sign for Aang. Well of course he was wanted. He was the avatar after all.

"You really want to walk in a fire nation town? Where they're all fired up with their fire?" Sokka exclaimed and I scowled at him giving him the stink eye. Sure my nation wasn't the nicest but that didn't mean that we were all bad… right?

Olivia placed a hand on my arm to hold me back from smacking him and I turned my scowl to her.

"Oh come on! I'm sick of him ranting about how evil we are!" I pouted and Charlie jumped.

"Well I mean your nation did kill all the airbenders… and killed a lot of the northern waterbenders… Personally I can see why they are against you." She laughed.

I elbowed her in the side with a grumble knowing that I had no argument to make back. She did have a point there…

Olivia (being the voice of reason), Katara, Aang, and Sokka argued for a moment about actually going while I examined the board with Aang's wanted poster on it. Something in the bottom right corner caught my eye.

The Blue Spirit

The poster said with a rough drawing of a masked man on it. I stared at it for a moment, something again tugging in the back of my mind. Why did that seem so familiar?

"Cameron come on! We're going to see some of your people!" Charlie grabbed my arm and started to tug me away. Quickly I snatched the poster then shoved it into one of my pockets ignoring the questioning look that I got.

One day I would figure out where I had seen this before.

I watched amazed seeing all of the masked people. Fireworks filled the air lighting up the sky. Quickly we all found masks to blend in and though I wanted to wander around… I knew that i couldn't do that.

"Flaming fire flakes! Best in town!"

Sokka being Sokka grabbed a packet of them throwing money at the man then shoved them all in his mouth. Wanting a bit of my culture I took a bag from the vendor with a small bow then tried a few.

Apparently Sokka wasn't accustomed to spicy foods though because he jumped up and down shrieking that they were spicy. Oh what a baby. Katara and I made fun of him before wandering around the festival even more.

Of course everything got ruined when Aang jumped onto the stage to 'protect' Katara though it was obvious that it was all just a trick. A man saved us by throwing smoke bombs and such when firenation guards started to chase us through an area.

Appa soon showed up and we all quickly jumped on top of him with mystery man in tow. While Aang and Sokka talked to him I watched him with narrowed eyes. Could he be the one who taught me more about firebending?

"I serve a man… a myth really Jeong Jeong the deserter. He was a firenation general...or admiral.." He muttered trying to collect his thoughts as we sat around a fire that I was happy to make. From Chey's mutterings I knew that he wasn't going to be my teacher… he was too ditzy for that.

"You mean there's a firebender out here who's not with the firelord? That's great! He can teach me!" Aang exclaimed getting to his feet.

Immediately I followed with a large grin. A mad firebender as a teacher… yeah I was for that!

"We need to go see him! I need a teacher and Aang needs a teacher- don't argue about this Sokka.. You know its true!" I grinned almost bouncing on my heels at the prospect.

"You guys aren't going to be learning from some insane guy!" Sokka yelled back yet I didn't let my determination fall. I knew that this was something that I needed to do.

"Well too bad! I need an insane teacher and Aang needs a teacher in general! This is the perfect opportunity!"

Sokka was about to protest yet again when Katara quickly intervened.

A bunch of guys jumped out of no where and escorted to us to a clearing near the water. It was obvious that Chey was in deep crap with this Jeong Jeong guy.

The moment Chey came back from his meeting with Jeong Jeong I knew that he was going to say no to Aang.

"He wants to talk to you…" Chey collapsed on the ground across from Aang and it took me a moment to realize that he was talking to me.

Nodding I climbed to my feet ignoring everyone's confused looks. Butterflies erupted from within me knowing that I was gigin to be meeting with the perfect firebending teacher.

Walking into the hut I was greeted with the sight of a white haired old man sitting in the middle of a circle of burning candles facing away whilst meditating. There was silence between the two of us and after a moment I sat down across from him and pulled my legs into a criss cross just like his.

"You don't remember me do you?" He sighed shaking his head. I sat there frozen. How did he know that.. "I only saw you once or twice but the way you came into camp- you no longer are the same"

I stared at his back as he spoke. How did I know him…

"Firebending is destruction. Most of those who wield it can only cause harm to those they are close to. Your father is the key example to that." His voice tightened as he spoke.

My mind flashed towards one of my earlier dreams… Admiral Zhao. Oh for gods sake don't tell me that he was my father..

"He never learned discipline nor how to really summon the fire. He got it from his anger and that is his weakness. I don't know what you are doing with the Avatar but I hope for his sake and yours that you remember Iroh's lessons more than Zhao's." Jeong Jeong raved his voice raising as he spoke.

Aang entered the room and with a frustrated sigh I knew that this was when I had to leave. I suppose I did get answers though they weren't the ones that I was looking for.

"What did he say to you?" Olivia asked when I got back to where the group was laying and I ignored them rolling onto my side so that I wasn't facing them.

Though I had my suspicions that Zhao was my father I was praying to the spirits that he wasn't. This was just my luck.

"Widen your stance!" Jeong Jeong screamed at Aang the next day. "Wider!"

My eyebrow twitched as I tried to concentrate.

"Now straighten your legs! Good.. Good. Now concentrate!" Jeong Jeong started to walk towards me to give me instructions yet Aang just had to call towards him again.

"Wait! Concentrate on what?"

The two yelled at each other for a moment while I felt the heat soaking into my skin. Taking a deep breath I kept my eyes closed to try and focus even more. This was broken yet again upon hearing Katara and Sokka giggling at Aang.

"You're stance is good but you need to do it with your eyes open! You are not mediating." Jeong Jeong exclaimed in my face and I nodded making the adjustment that he had asked for.

"I am going to take Aang up to focus on his breathing. You work on your breathing- I know that Iroh taught you that."

Around mid-noon I broke out of my trance and could feel the chi running through my veins. From the looks of what Aang was doing I was just in time too.

He was playing with a ball of fire. Flinging it from one hand to another and ignoring Katara's protests. Something was wrong with his fire though.

"What are you doing?" I demanded shoving Katara back away from Aang.

He completely ignored me though tossing the fire around even more. "I wonder how that juggler did it!"

The fire grew from his hands and circled around him. That of course meant that it was coming straight towards Katara and I. Jeong Jeong's words echoed through my head. It can only cause harm to those they are close to.

He wasn't centered enough to be able to understand and control his fire…

Katara's scream echoed through the air and I put my hands up in a blocking motion. I was able to redirect his flames away from us yet that didn't stop it from burning the palms of my hands causing me to stumble back into Katara and both of us to fall.

"Katara! Cameron! I'm so sorry!"

I tried to climb to my feet only to hiss at the pressure that I put on my hands. Trying to shake out the pain I knew that it wasn't going to happen.

"Aang! What did you do?!" Sokka rushed over with OJ and Cameron in tow bending down towards Katara who was only just barely burned luckily.

"It was an accident I swear-"

Katara being frightened and a bit hurt ran off causing me to follow immediately. There was no way I would leave her alone herself.

Gasping for air I collapsed next to her yet didn't say a word as she placed her blistered hands in the water with a hiss. We were both quiet as we watched her hands glow and the blisters disappear.

With a small grin she took my hands and did the same causing the pain to cease. Okay having a friend with cool healing crap powers could be useful later on.

"You have healing abilities." We both spun around to see Jeong Jeong standing there behind us. I scooted over letting him take the place between us. "Sometimes the great waterbenders have this ability. I've always wished I were blessed like you… free from this burning curse."

I didn't have to question what he meant. From even just seeing Aang hurt Katara I knew that firebending wasn't something to be playful with. It harmed people and was wild and untamed.

The two talked about the difference about fire and waterbending and while I listened I looked into the water at my own reflection. Though my body was the same it was hard to tell who I was in my own opinion.

Back in our normal dimension things were easier. There wasn't as much fighting or running. While it was fun here at some points… it was also hard to comprehend.

"Go get your friends and flee!" I jumped to my feet as fire burst around us and Jeong Jeong bended it away. Katara was shoved towards the camp and while I wished to follow, Jeong Jeong and I were soon surrounded by flames.

I turned to see people coming towards us from all directions.

"My daughter… Of course you are with my old master. Both of you are fools." I watched as a man with some beard emerged from the flames and it clicked that he was my father. It was one thing to accept it. It was another to actually face him.

Part of me knew wanted to know why he was a complete douche to me yet I knew that there wasn't enough time. He growled at the both of us as Jeong Jeong argued with him and I jumped in seeing that Aang who just showed up needed help.

"Let's see if you remember my lessons!" Zhao yelled shooting flames at both Aang and I- his anger getting to the better of him. Both Aang and I hopped around the ships, Aang taunting Zhao while I deflected the majority of his blows.

I was ashamed to think that this man was my father… did he really raise me?