My training went on for two weeks with no crazy major injuries or setbacks. I did stub my toe pretty badly, though. Stupid rocks.

Then came the day Aetia and Tula left. After a lot of hugging on Tula's part, and a quick but firm hug on Aetia's part, they left.

And so I began fire and water.

Fire came first.

"Okay." Saza said. "We're gonna start slow. I mean, first year slow." I sighed. She frowned. "That's where all the control comes from. And that is what you need." She looked pointedly at my scarred hands. I sighed again.

"Fine."

And so we started.

"Since Tula told me your really good at meditation, and since we don't have a lot of time today, I'm going to skip the breathing exercises. I want to try out with the first moved I learned: the candle!" She laughed, and then went stick-straight, her hands pointed upwards above her head. A small flame grew from her fingertips, and steadily increased in size. Saza's face was shadowed, even though it was bright out. Her hair was blowing a bit, the heat making some swirly patterns in the air around her.

She looked unbelievably cool.

She thrust her hands apart, and the fire went out. Looking at me, she gestured for me to imitate her.

I did. Taking a deep breath, (and then three more,) I made a small flame. It grew bigger, just like Saza's. Wow. Wow. It was under control! Five seconds… six…seven…eight…nin-

"Ow! Ow, ow, ow!" I yelled, ripping my hands apart, lest they sear together. "Ow-ow-ow!"

I doubled over and gingerly kept them against my stomach. Saza ran over, gasping.

"I am so sorry! I am so, so sorry! I-"

"Saza," I gasped. "It's my fault. Really." I straightened up- slowly.

"Do you want me to get some water?" she asked, her voice high-pitched.

I nodded. She darted off to the small basket and rooted around, finally withdrawing a pouch. "Here it is!" she shouted, and charged over to me. If my hands weren't throbbing, I'd laugh.

She unscrewed the cap and I lifted some water out, cringing at how I had to move my hands. On the bright side, once the water surrounded them- even without the healing thing happening yet- they felt ten times better.

Saza watched as the water began to glow, and a small smile broke out on her face. "Good thing Ritu was able to teach you that," she said.

I laughed. "Good thing I was able to learn it," I said. I took the water away and let it fall to the ground. I don't care if there wouldn't be any burned skin in it; I wasn't going to put it back in the pouch to be drunk.

Saza sighed and tossed the empty container back towards the basket. "I really am sorry. Maybe we should try breathing first…" she muttered.

I nodded. "I don't get it, though. Why can't I bend fire? I mean, for Pete's sake, look at how air and water are! I nailed air, and I can heal! Which is advanced water! Earth took some time, but I'm getting that, even!" I fell back to the ground, crossing my legs. "Stupid fire," I mumbled.

Saza sat next to me. "Maybe it's a chi thing?"

I looked at her. "What?"

"Maybe it's a chi thing," she said, and stood up. "I mean, what if there's some chi tangled up in you somewhere?"

I began to smile. "That'd be nice," I said, "but I doubt it. I think it's just me."

She pursed her lips and began to pace. "I don't think it's you," she said.

"I'll bet it is." I sighed. "Is there anything that you do? Like, any secret thing that you think I know already because I have the basics down?"

She bit her lip and looked up at the sky. "Umm… do you know about drawing breath from your stomach?"

I nodded.

"Feeling the chi move through you?"

I nodded.

"Are you angry?"

"You have to be angry?"

"No. I'm just spewing. Sorry. Do you imagine controlling it?"

"No," I said. "I imagine it getting away from me."

She spun to face me. "Well, that's it!" she cried.

"Saza."

"Yeah?"

"I was being sarcastic. Of course I imagine controlling it. It just…" I spread my hands. "Doesn't work."

She glared, then went back to pacing.

"Um, do you-" She froze. "Oh. My. Gosh."

"What?"

"Shh. I'm thinking."

"About?"

"Shh!"

She was silent for a minute or two. Then: "Hey, Rea, do you think…" she was silent for a second. "Do you think it could be chi… but not tangled up, just too much? And, because your natural element is fire, it just supplies too much energy to it?"

I was silent, but I scrunched up my face.

"Really. Do you think?"

"I'm not sure that's even possible," I said.

"Well, it is." She said. "I've done a lot of reading of chi. It is." She crossed her arms. "It's possible for a person to have an oversupply of chi... It's rare, but possible. So maybe you do? And, like I said, with your natural element being fire…" she drifted off and raised her eyebrows.

"Well, maybe," I said slowly, "But still. What are the odds?"

She groaned. "It doesn't matter what the odds are if it's possible!" she shouted. "Here, I'll leave for today, and tomorrow I'll bring my books. We can see what's going on." I nodded and she turned and darted away.

"You forgot the basket!" I called, but she didn't respond. I took a breath and laid back. It really would be nice if this was a chi problem.