Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar or anything else mentioned in this story including the songs mentioned or these people's pen names, there's just so much in here that I do not own, I will just say now that I own nothing here except the plot and my characters. I ALSO DO NOT OWN TRISTAR!
Also, I have my first Homecoming Game tonight at 7 and so I probly won't be able to post chapter 10 until tomorrow, I'm sorry, but I may not be able to post again until tomorrow since it'll end at 11. I also figured out that I'm gonna miss Avatar tonight for it...we better win. (sniffles) And so I'm gonna have to make the party a little short, but I hope it's still good. This takes place at about, well the party starts at 9, so you do the math. Right now it's the weekend, so I dont feel like it. lol
Ok, the comments to my reviewers will be at the very bottom, but now, the moment that you all have been waiting for... the BIRTHDAY PARTY! By the way, it will be in all bold ink, and the story STORY will be in between the party scenes, also, it's through the POV of me, the author, so I will be using "I" and such. It is a different format, but I think that you are smart enough to get it once you start reading. Also, I'm going to use the first part of the pen names, such as: Firegurl, Lin, dragon (me), etc.Also,I'll try to portray you all as well asI can sinceI've met none of you except Lady Innocence, whomI go to school with. lol Enjoy the party and story! HAPPY BIRTHDAY KABIRA!
The doorbell rang while I was over at the food table, setting up the punch. Just as I finished, the doorbell rang, music playing in the background. "Oh! The first guests! Kabira, the guests are here!"
"Coming!" she yelled down the stairs. "Can you go ahead and get it?"
"Of course, you're the birthday girl after all!" I yelled back up, whileI went to the door and opened it to show Lin standing there. "Hey! Glad you could make it, you're the first one!" She nodded and went on in. I was about to close the door when Rae put her foot in the door and made it stop. "Hi! Party's inside!"
More guests arrived within the next 20 minutes, all on time, and we were soon blaring the music to its maximum. Kabira had come down about 5 minutes after Lin got here, and then the party really started.
By an hour into the party, I called everyone to attention. "Everyone, quiet please!" I yelled with no avail (?).
"Here," Kabby said, and whistled loudly. Everything got quiet, and the music was shut off. "Thanks" I replied, and Kabby took her seat again. "Everybody, come to the center!" I said, and everyone came quietly, and sat down in front of me, and I was in front of the massive TV in my house. "Ok, it's now time for the chapter release and showing!" Everyone cheered, some louder than others. I could hear dogs begin to bark outside. "Ok, OK!" Everyone quieted again, and I put the DVD in. I waited for a few minutes, and everyone began to whisper to themselves.
"Can anyone help here? Ah, Elf, can you help?" She (?) gets up and walks over to where I was, and bent down. She worked on it a few minutes and thenthe screen finally blared, "One Night, brought to you by Tristar, and o-dragon."A male's voice sounded all over the room, and everyone cheered, including me, then the movie began to start. "Chapter 9- Sweet 16" was on the black screen in big, white letters.
"I hope you all enjoy this one! I made it especially for you and Kabira! So here it is, Chapter 9-Sweet 16!" I say to all of you reading this at the moment. "Enjoy!"
I OWN NOTHING!
Chapter 9-Sweet 16
I woke up the next morning leaning against the heavy, metal ship's side in my room with a major crick inmy neck. One leg was stretched all the way out, and the other was half folded underneath me. I looked around my room, still waking up from my fitful night's sleep. Another ordinary day…I thought sullenly, getting up from my awkward position. Then, I froze; remembering what day it was…it was my birthday, again. I groaned, another day with the awful memory of that night, only today, I knew that it would be stronger than before. Stronger than all the days before. It was the 7th anniversary, If you could call it that! I laughed to myself, knowing that I was right. It was more like the painful memory to me that I wasn't perfect, even though I knew that already. I only acted that way to try and forget about my past, live and forget, maybe even try and get over it. I sighed. So far, I was defeated in my own game.
I finally was up, and staggered like a drunk over to the washbasin, and looked into the mirror, like I allowed myself to do this every birthday. Just look at myself.
I saw someone that wasn't who everyone thought they saw, someone who wasn't perfect, someone who had lost all that was dear to them twice. I looked down at my watery reflection. I wasn't perfect, and everyone thought that I was, but I wasn't. Every one thought that I was so brave, and strong…
But I only allowed myself 5 minutes every birthday to do this, and my time was up, so I went over to my now filled dresser, and pulled out the outfit that I would wear for my Sweet Sixteen. I pulled out the blue and green skirt, and white top without knowing it. I looked at it for a minute, then decided subconsciously, I'm not going to let one day, 7 years ago, ruin my birthday today. I'm going to make this one the best yet. One that my father can be proud of…Forget about your father! I yelled at myself in my head, and then I put my clothes on in a flurry, and combed out my hair, then washed my face. My hair was doing well today, so I let it down, and hang around my shoulders. I put on my sandals next, and ran out the door, ready to face the day.
I went to the galley first, where I found Iroh and Ji planning the next course for the Avatar. "Hello!" I cried, bustling into the room. The two men felt the change in energy very quickly. "Why, good morning Kabby! How did you sleep?" Iroh asked, surprised at my energy, and liveliness. To tell you the truth, I was surprised about it myself.
"Ahhh! Some days youare good days, or nights in this case," I laughed, " and some days you have bad. But that's all there is in life isn't it?" I looked from one man to the other, mischievously.
Iroh chuckled, smiling. Ji thought for a second. "Hmmm, is there a special day that we should know about here?" He half-smiled, almost knowingly. He was a father as well.
I thought about this for a moment. They might as well know… "Well, you don't need to know it, but my birthday's today." The cook had set down a plate in front of me, and I bit into my biscuit knowingly.
"Aha! I knew it!" Ji is sure in a happy mood today. He really needs to lighten up every once in a while, and today is that day! I smiled, jokingly, and Iroh clapped me on the back.
"We need to throw a celebration! You said that you were 15 earlier right? So that means that you're 16 today! Sweet Sixteen." He sighed like a father would, a father that was proud of you. "Ji, any ideas for tonight?"
"Nah! You don't need to do anything for me!" I said.
"Ah, but we do." He looked into my eyes, and I caved in.
"Oh, all right! You spoiled old man." I mumbled under my breath. He heard me and smiled.
"Well, I'll see you two later, I have to go find Zukie." I got up, and walked off saying under my breath, "Stupid old men…" I heard them chuckle behind me…
I was walking down the hallway, walking in no particular direction, singing some random song that was stuck in my head, and slapping my hands on my legs and clapping my hands to the beat. The song ended, and I finally looked up. I was at the bottom of the ship, where the rhino's were kept.
There were soldiers all around, caring for the animals, and I walked up to one that no one was looking after, and started petting him, and crooning to him. He seemed to like it. They may look mean, but they're really not. I thought to myself.
I soon left the rhino, much to his displeasure, and kept on.
This time I was singing a song that I actually recognized, Here With Me by Dido. I was strange, yes, but things couldn't get much stranger in my life, and on this boat. Disfigured rhinos. at that moment I chose to be random, and the thought caused me to fall against the wall in a fit of laughter, right as Zuko turned the corner. He gave me a strange look; one eyebrow raised, so I decided to trick him and so I stood straight up immediately, my arm and hand in a saluting gesture, and said, "Sorry sir. Just had a fit of laughter over the disfigured rhino's downstairs." I choked, again, and started laughing hysterically again, while Zuko was getting extremely irritated, especially when a trio of guards chose to come down that hallway at the exact same time asI said this and burst into a fit of laughter themselves.
They soon saw Zuko standing there though, and said, "Oh, sorry, sir. We'll get right back to work." They saluted the teen, and scurried off like mice. By this time Zuko was fuming with such an intensity, that I thought that at first he'd burn down the ship. Then I remembered. It's made of metal, dummy! My expression must've shown through with this comment to myself, because next instant the enraged Prince was dragging me down the long hallways by my arm.
"Hey, watch it buddy! Not all people wear armor you know!" He almost burned me with this comment. I could feel his hand getting hotter and hotter all the time, then I said, "Whoa, cool down there, Sunny!" I laughed at myself again, and Zuko asked, "Why on Earth are you laughing at yourself? You're so weird!"
"Thank you! I'll take that as a compliment!" I said. I had learned a long time ago that if you said, "thank you" when someone called you weird, or stupid, they'd leave you alone, so that's exactly what I did.
He looked back at me with an aggravated glance, and then continued to drag me. I had to almost jog to keep up with him, stumbling a few times, and laughing hysterically the entire time. After awhile, I recognized where we were headed; we were headed down to the galley. Zuko must've known that his uncle was still down there; otherwise he would've headed to the helm.
"Wait…wha-" I asked, but was dragged through the doorway like the blanket of a two year old. Plus, my shoes kept trying to fall off for no apparent reason.
Iroh was still talking to Ji, still plotting out the course from the maps that Zuko had given them earlier,and only looked up when we entered the room and got close enough for him to tell without looking up that it was indeed us. He raised a hand to motion to Ji to hold on a minute while he sorted the "girl's fight" out.
"Zuko?" he asked very curious.
"Uncle! She is crazy! We need to get rid of her as soon as possible." He paused for a moment then went on, "At the next port-of-call we will dispose of her! And that's an order!"
Iroh looked very confused at this point. "Zuko, that is absurd, and preposterous! She is our guest here. Do you have any evidence that she is crazy?" The two men squabbled back and forth like a tennis game, and Iwas standing behind Zuko while Iroh was turned around in his seat to face his very aggravated nephew. My arms were crossed, and I was beginning to feel like they'd forgotten I was standing there. Obviously Zuko had and my theory proved correct with his next comment.
"Yes, I do! She was laughing for no reason, practically falling down in the middle of the hallway," he was yelling at this point, but no flames had shown up yet. "And, she called the rhino's "disfigured"! Now tell me that that isn't being crazy!" he fumed, emitting a very large amount of steambecause he could tell that hisuncle wasn'tbelieving him.
"Uhh, you do know that I'm standing here, right?" I asked, leaning forward a little to see his reaction. He froze in his spot, and his uncle had to hold down a laugh, so I knew that he had indeed forgotten that I was there. My theory was right.
"Well, she has a right to act a little crazy today, it's her 16th Birthday!" Iroh said a little shocked.
Zuko looked afraid all of a sudden, he relaxed a little, but then again he tensed up more than was allowed for a human being. "No, Uncle, no…" but he was cut off by Iroh who kept talking as if he hadn't said anything.
"And to celebrate, we are going to have a Music Night, which you will attend." He said sternly looking Zuko directly into his eyes. As the bratty Prince groaned, I cheered, and Ji chuckled a little.
That night, I had changed into an outfit that Iroh had bought for me, along with every other article of my clothing, which was a metallic silver, with lighter metallic silver roses all over it, and in my hair, there was a silver ribbon hanging lightly from my trademark ponytail. I may be in this world, and living here, but I still have to wear my ponytail, just like Zuko did.
I was admiring myself, something that I rarely did, my sleeves hanging down about 2 feet from my wrists. "Look at me now, Dad. Your baby's all grown up." I whispered to myself, the words barely escaping my lips, and I barely heard it out loud, but in my head, I was screaming it.
Someone knocked at my door, and I quickly wiped a tear that had fallen down my cheek, and hurried to the door, trying to look OK.
"Ready my dear?" Iroh asked, holding his hand out, and looking his bestyet. He was wearing a skirt-like thing, just like all the Major's did in the army here when it was a special occasion,but he was wearing his usual armor up top.
"One minute, Iroh." He had finally accepted me calling him this, and so he let it fly.
I had decided that I was going to sing earlier in the day, it was now about 8 o'clock, and so you couldn't have singing without music. I grabbed my ipod, which amazingly hadn't run out of battery yet, and tucked it into the folds of my outfit. "Ready!" I said, coming back to the door, and taking Iroh's hand. Helead me down to the galley, where Music Night was going to be held.
When we got there, the doors opened, and I was lead to a "throne" in the middle of the room, and almost all the crewmembers were circled around me sitting on some kind of cushion or another. I smiled the sweetest smile I could the entire time. I was finally 16.
Iroh got up on the little "stage", actually, it was more like a lip with a step there, and exclaimed, "Let Music Night, and the very special celebration of Miss Kabira Senghore's 16th, begin." He held out a hand to me as he said this, and the entire crowd burst with applause. The only one who didn't applaud was Zukie, who was sitting in a corner, his arms crossed and mumbling to himself. My smile flickered for a minute, but it regained as Ji, the first performer, climbed up on stage and began singing.
A few performers and a couple "'round 'o drinks" later, I asked Iroh if I could go next. He nodded, clambered up onto the makeshift stage once again, and said with his arms open wide, "Miss Kabby would like to perform for you all now." All the soldier's heads followed my body up onto the stage, like waiting dogs, and sat impatiently in their seats while I got my ipod ready. They obviously hadn't expected the birthday girl to sing; just to sit back and watch and listen.
I pulled my ipod out and set it to the right stage on the menu, which included the fact that I was going to be the singer, and no one else, and I set it down, turning the volume all the way up, and waited for my cue in the music…
Well I won't back down
No I won't back down
You can stand me up at the gates of hell
But I won't back down
No I'll stand my ground, won't be turned around
And I'll keep this world from draggin me down
Gonna stand my ground
…and I won't back down
(I won't back down…)
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
(and I won't back down…)
hey I will stand my ground
and I won't back down
Well I know what's right, I got just one life
In a world that keeps on pushin me around
But I'll stand my ground
…and I won't back down…
(I won't back down…)
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
(and I wont back down…)
hey I will stand my ground
(I won't back down)
and I won't back down…
(I won't back down…)
Hey baby, there ain't no easy way out
(I won't back down)
hey I won't back down
(and I won't back down)
hey baby, there isn't no easy way out
(and I won't back down)
hey I will stand my ground
(and I won't back down)
and I won't back down
(I won't back down)
No, I won't back down…
I finished, and the entire room burst into applause, even Zuko clapped a little, but when he saw me looking at him, he stopped and sentme a glare. I sang another song then, Mariah Carey's We Belong Together, and then I took a break and let someone else have the stage.
Soon, Iroh was back up around 11, drunk just like every one else, but me, and said one last song would be sang and then the night would be over, and once he said this, all the drunkards turned to face me. I thought for a moment for the right song for the occasion before making my way up to the stage once again. I set my ipod up again so that I would be the only singer, and waited for my cue…
I'm so tired of being here
Suppressed by all my childish fears
And if you have to leave
I wish that you would just leave
'Cause your presence still lingers here
And it won't leave me alone
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
CHORUS:
When you cried I'd wipe away all of your tears
When you'd scream I'd fight away all of your fears
I held your hand through all of these years
But you still have
All of me
You used to captivate me
By your resonating life
Now I'm bound by the life you left behind
Your face it haunts
My once pleasant dreams
Your voice it chased away
All the sanity in me
These wounds won't seem to heal
This pain is just too real
There's just too much that time cannot erase
Chorus
I've tried so hard to tell myself that you're gone
But though you're still with me
I've been alone all along
Chorus
I finished to a stunned silence. I looked around the room for some kind of expression, but all were emotionless. I bowed, grabbed my ipod, and made my way slowly to the deck. Once I turned the corner, the drunkards burst into applause, and I smiled to myself. This wasn't only my 16th, but it was also the night of the drunkards. I laughed as I brought myself above deck, passing a soldier on guard that bowed his head to me, and I bowed back.
I made my way to the railing slowly, and looked outat thesea, the light breeze passing over my body, engulfing it to the fullest extent possible, and I closed my eyes peacefully, breathing in and out deeply, drinking in the fresh and cool night air. I could hear the playful rhythm of the waves calmly splashing and hitting the side of the boat. I relaxed, and was just breathing in and out when my thoughts began to wander…
All of a sudden, from behind the darkness of my eyelids, I heard a young girl cry out, "Daddy!" and two blazing carheadlights appeared in my mind making me shield my eyes, but instead, I opened them like I'd just awoken from a nightmare…then again, that night, this night was. I "woke up" tohear myselfbreathing heavily, my adrenalin rushing as if I'd just been scared to death.
I began to slowly calm down, and realized that I was clutching the railing, my knuckles white, and I was shaking a little. I looked out at the ocean at nothing in particular, the stars shining brightly up ahead of the boat, and thenI heard a drunken voice behind me. I got scared again and whipped around with such momentum that my ponytail swung in my face, then I relaxed as I saw that it was only Iroh.
I clutched a stitch in my chest. "Iroh, you scared me!" I breathed.
"Are you all right my dear?" his eyes were out of focus, but I could tell that he was still right in the mind.
I forced a half smile, still shaking a little. "I…I'm fine, I just need some rest, that's all. Goodnight." I made my way over to him, and leaned down a little to hug him. I could smell the liquor on his breath. Then, I left him on the deck once again, and made my way down to my room.
When I got there, I changed into my night outfit, and collapsed onto my bed, exhausted and still shaky.
"Ok! You may have thought that the party was over, but it's still on! Yes, it… Wait, FireGurl! Don't… ah, never mind!" I said, throwing my hands up.
"Come on, dragon! Have some fun!" Kabby said jumping up and down on the couch, hitting Khazia with a pillow, and Khazia hit her back with such a force that it practically knocked the party girl off the couch. I finally went off…and grabbed a pillow and started knocking Kabby and Khazia with it, joining in the fun.
All of a sudden, the music blared, louder, if possible, and we all started singing with it because it was Green Day playing Boulevard of Broken Dreams. I began yelling the lyrics along with everyone else. Then, the doorbell rang, and I opened it to a very angry Mrs. Johnson from next door.
"Oops," I whispered, and everyone became deadly quiet, lowering the volume on the music as well, watching the front door. Feathers were slowly making their way down to the floor, and the place looked a mess.
"What's all the noise?" Mrs. Johnson yelled, she's very hard of hearing, and she could actually hear us! Bad sign.
"We're having a Sweet 16 party, Mrs. Johnson!" I yelled at her, and she said back, "Ok, well have a good time! Have fun ya'll!" She waved to everyone inside. I closed the door behind her departure, and turned to face the guests. Some looked like they were totally confused, and others, like Rae, Lady,and Kabby, looked like they were about to burst out laughing.
I began laughing so hard that I doubled over, and so did everyone else. We all started laughing at the same time. Someone started the music up again, and we started partying again, with even more people jumping on the couch, and more pillow fights. And again, there were some who were dancing in the middle of the floor, and others standing by the stereo, banging their heads to the music.
"Ok, next chapter is coming up soon, so stay tuned. I'll probably get it up later, but I promise it will be today, hopefully, because I do have Homecoming Game tonight, but I will try my hardest!" I said between laughs. "But right now, are the reviews to which I promised I'd show at the end, and again, Kabby will help me…if she can…" I eyed where she was engaged in a conversation with Lin, and she looked up atme and told Lin to wait a moment, and then came over to me.
"Sure I can, dragon! Just say the word!" She said.
"Ok, Kabby's words will be underlined, and mine will be the regular bold. So, on with the reviews!"
Rae- Welcome aboard the ship! I'm glad that you like it so far and that you reviewed when you did, otherwise you wouldn't be here right now, so that's very good. About the "Half-Avatar" chapter, I actually couldn't think of a title for that chapter, and Half-Avatar made since to me since she could bend two elements, so that's how that got there. Thanks for letting me call you Rae, because it is annoying having to type out the super long pen names, so thanks. I hope you have enjoyed the party so far! (That was from both of us here!)
Elf of rohan- Yes, there is a party, and it's for Kabby. I've been raving about this all week to all my friends, and they'll be all like, "Who?" I laugh at their clueless ness. Lol And I'm sorry, but I cannot tell you what she'll be safe from yet, because that will happen later, I hope, and if not, I'll just tell you all later. Can you remind me about it in about 5 chapters if I haven't said anything yet? Thanks, and I love cliffhangers, that's why I write them! lol
FireGurl107- Don't worry you're invited, and it's gonna rock, even though it's still only the beginning, I know things others don't, because I'm the author…hehehe. I actually had to make the dream sad, because it shows the part of her that most people don't see, and they really don't! plus, it took me forever, and I really like it, so I'm glad that you do too. And Zukie really does need to lighten up, I mean I was walking down the hall once, and I wasn't standing up straight, and he actually placed his hand on my back after he stopped me and forced me to straighten up! I couldn't believe it! But you wouldn't know about it because SOMEONE didn't print it! That's only because I didn't have time! No, you just didn't want to! (sigh) Anyway, thanks for reviewing!
Khazia- Don't worry, I'm always confussled as well, (and that is a word…in my dictionary) the dream I cannot bring into the light yet, Kabby will have to tell you later about that in the real story, just like elf of rohan's question, so sorry about that, but you'll have to wait awhile for that answer. I LOVE calling Zuko his little nicknames, it's so fun to make him upset, which you kindly demonstrated in your story, The Trouble With Zuko when you made him walk home in the rain. Hehehe wow! The birthday girl talks! (Kabby gives me a glare) anyway, here's chapter 9 and 10, hope you enjoy the party!
Lin13- Thanks, it was a little hard to do that, but I eventually managed it! lol And I want to kill the people at Nick (which I do not own!) as well. Hope your enjoying the party! (Both Kabira and I said this)
Elenea Galad- Thanks for reviewing, even if you didn't have much to say, I appreciate it. I hope you're enjoying the party! (Kabby and I both said this)
Starchic- Thanks, I actually didn't mean to make it dark and creepy, but sometimes words differ from how you write them and how your reviewers interpret them. I'm glad you liked the last chapter, and I hope you enjoy the party (Kabby and I say at the same time yet again). Lol
SeethingxShadows- Yours will be a little different,each chapter will have a space in between and italisized (sp?)chapter will be in front of the comment, and I'll try to make this short, since this is already long. Lol
lol, I liked the part how the raccoons come in through the kitty doors, even though it must not be very good for your aunt. I had to have Kabby have a relationship with an animal…go figure…so my first thought was a raccoon (I like different kinds of animals than normal people, like skunks) so I wrote that. Also, thanks for your comment, I'll try to keep that in mind when I write more characters: keep them realistic. She actually wasn't meant to be perfect, just a normal girl…cough-yea right-cough. Lol
Don't worry you didn't miss anything, I actually mention it for the first time next chapter, at the very end just to tick ya'll off, then I'm not gonna mention it again for awhile, see how long you guys can go with suspension…yes, I'm evil, I've been told that several times. Singing is soothing for me too, so I wrote it in.
Storms can defiantly hit lakes, one actually hit me while I was on a lake this past summer, so I know this for a fact. Cadee is afraid of the water for the same reason I am: you can't see what's down there.
Thanks for looking that up for me, I was being lazy that day, just like I am being with the ipod- I don't want to look for it, so since it's fiction, I'm making it up as I go, lol.
Yes, thank you for pointing that out for me. Originally it was going to be purple, then I thought about it and decided blue, and then I guess that my mind thought I was still on for the purple belt, so I'm just going to make it purple…EVERYONE GOT THAT? JUST GONNA MAKE IT PURPLE! Thank you. Massively drunk…I like that, thanks for the info. And your reviews aren't crap, I love constructive critism, although I have never been able to master it myself, lol.
"Prince Ponytail" is one of my fav nicknames so far, lol.
To me, the day starts at about 11, or 11:30, like you, or just whenever Avatar starts, lol, but these days, I never know when it will be on, and prison cough-school-cough is getting me up at 5:15 for my sis's stupid bus. Mine doesn't even come for 15 or 20 min after hers! So, I get to sit in the dark with only a streetlight for company waiting for the thing, although, today there was a plus side, I got to see 2 armadillos cross the street, in an urban neighborhood! Wow… anyway, my lips are sealed, and I don't really know how you win at the game, but she did it, lol. And she can water bend and fire bend. Yea, Kila and I will have to get together sometime, that'd be very cool….
I do try to get everyone OC, but some are very hard…(looks over at Zukie) and some are easy, but Aang is a hard one, for me. And apparently, the ipod has some kind of long-lasting life in this world, but when we get back to the real world, which we will eventually, she's gonna have to get a new one. MY LIPS ARE SEALED FOR WHY.
Thanks for reviewing, taking the time out, and doing it for each chapter, I really appreciate it. Hope you enjoy the party! (Kabira and I both say this)
"Ok, reviews and comments are over, and I'll get to posting Chapter 10 ASAP, but Homecoming game is tonight until 11 as well, but hopefully next chapter will be short, which I know it will be, and Iwill try to post it today, but i cannot promise anything, even if I have to at 11:59 pm, lol I promise I wont take that long, but do not give up hope! See you next chapter!" I said.
"Hope you all liked this one!" Says Kabira, and then she walked away to finish her conversation with Lin again.
"Oh, and this one is about 13 PAGES! LONGEST YET! RECORD SET TODAY!" I said with enthusiasm.