Disclaimer: I do not own ATLA and I never will.
Ch 8: Limitations
Back at the camp, Sokka had returned with food over half an hour ago, and was now making his best efforts to light a fire. Meanwhile, Toph and Iroh were 'assisting' him by sitting down to a cup of Jasmine tea and giving the water tribe warrior their moral support.
"Don't give up Sokka; you almost got it that time!" Toph encouraged him joyfully
"Don't give up? That's so easy for you to say! All you've been doing all day is taking walks around the woods and sipping tea with Iroh!
"Wait a minute, tea is a warm drink! But where did you guys get the fire?"
"Oh, like this," chuckled Iroh, taking hold of the clay tea kettle by the handle and holding it over his head. He then took a deep breath and exhaled a thick cloud of steam from his nostrils, heating the bottom of the kettle so it turned a bright red.
"Of course! You're a Firebender! Why, if you could do that, did you allow me to waste more than half an hour of my life rubbing two sticks together!" he cried, infuriated.
"It's just that you looked so dedicated to lighting that fire for us that I thought it would be a crying shame to stop and help you!"
Sokka went frantic after that, pulling the hair on the sides of his wolf's tail while grumbling not so very kind words about the Firebender accompanying him. But since he was really hungry and just wanted to eat as fast as possible, he took a deep breath and turned back to his fire and started to rub the sticks together again.
"Here, let me light you up," Sokka heard a familiar voice say behind him.
"Thank you, finally, someone that's willing to share the camp chores around he…" he broke off after he turned around only to see the person he had least expected to say that.
"Zuko, you're alive! What a nice surprise!" added Sokka faintly.
Zuko looked down at him wearing a cold look on his face. He lifted his right arm and pointed at him with his hand in the shape of a gun.
"It does feel good to be alive doesn't it? I mean the sky is so blue and clear and I'm most certainly not buried twelve feet underground!" he added the last part with a snarl.
Toph didn't know what was going on with him. She was preparing her stance while sitting down in order to trip Zuko, but Iroh elbowed her gently on her ribs, inconspicuously as possible pointing to a wiggling bush.
She closed her eyes, enhancing her sense of touch. It was Katara, and it seemed that she was covering her mouth, trying not to laugh! Iroh elbowed her again and signaled to her that everything was ok. After she better understood what was going on Toph giggle a little with the old man as he made the softest shush sound he could make.
"Zuko, I didn't say anything like that, I swear!"
"Toph, tell me, is he lying?" Zuko yelled, keeping his sight on Sokka.
Much to his chagrin and her amusement, the tiny Earthbender denounced Sokka's lies. "One hundred and ten percent false!"
"Toph, you traitor, how could you sell me out like this!" Sokka hollered.
"Say your prayers, water peasant!"
Zuko pulled the trigger on his made believe hand gun and a jet stream of flames came out of his index finger. Sokka ducked as fast as he could, knowing that he wouldn't escape his punishment.
Though after the shot, still curled up into a ball he looked behind him to see where the fire shot went off to, but he only found that the fire he left unattended was actually lit. Then, a burst of laughter made him jump from where he was kneeling to look at the wiggling bush.
Katara rolled out of it, trying to fight back the laughter, but was more than obviously losing the battle. Then, he heard a wild snort come from Iroh and a few giggles escaping from Toph's mouth.
He was so confused until he caught the look on Zuko's face. At first, it was relaxed, not as cold as before. Then his mouth started to blow up, his forehead sweating from the strain he was putting on his face to keep calm until the need to let it all out was too great.
"Hahaha, I can't believe you haha… actually fell for hahaha….it just like she said you would…hahaha!" blurted out Zuko madly. He was laughing so hard that he had to curl up into a ball putting his arms around his ribs, trying to cushion up the pain of laughing so hard.
"You think that was funny, Firebender? You almost gave me a heart attack!" he yelled while grabbing a tight, menacing grip on the prince's shirt.
"Sokka, let him go! It wasn't his idea, it was mine!" argued his sister who was still wiping the tears from her eyes.
She walked over to Zuko and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Now you really are part of the family!"
Sokka was in shock seeing as how his sister was actually touching that good for nothing Firebender. "What do you mean he's part of the family, he's Fire nation!"
"Sure he is," continued Katara, "and he just played a prank on you, just like everyone else standing here did. I say that he's now an official member of our gang!"
"And what gives you the right to make that call? He's not part of our gang, he's just a temporary aid to us, and then when we're done with the Fire Lord, we can all go back into being good, old enemies!" Sokka crossed his arms over his chest and straightened his shoulders, jutting his chin towards the Prince. "Plus, everyone here knows that I'm the leader!"
Katara rolled her eyes. "You're the leader! That's strange--I always thought that Aang was—although it's not like being Avatar is important or anything…"
"Yeah sure, but everyone here knows that I'm the oldest!"
"Well, judging by the aching of my bones and my white hair, I'd beg to differ with that, War Chief Sokka!" chuckled Iroh while helping himself to more tea.
"Also, if you would actually try to get to know our new gang members, you would have learned that Zuko is actually one year older than you!"
"Well, they don't count, they're Fire nation!" Sokka's arms were now waving frantically. "They don't have a vote in the matter!"
"Well then, we're back to Aang being the leader, and he already accepted them both as Sifus, so I guess they are part of the gang now!" she said calmly with a hint of triumph in her voice.
Knowing he was beat, Sokka accepted defeat and went off into the woods, snarling and grumbling more hateful words towards the Fire nation.
"Don't mind him… he's a Neanderthal that's afraid of change, that's all."
"No, it's ok… I don't think it's wise to force him to do something that he doesn't want to. I mean, he can't stay angry forever. I know I couldn't."
She smiled at him, admiring his good will and patience, but the moment was cut short when a certain angry Avatar stormed right in screaming to his new sifu.
"Sifu Iroh, I can't stand it any more! I mean, I already learned the basics from Jeon Jeon about the breathing and stuff, but you got me there for almost two days straight doing nothing but breathing, and my legs are sore from that stupid stance!"
"You want to stop breathing!" Iroh and Zuko asked in unison.
"Why does everyone keep asking me that!"
"Oh, thank God, Zuko you're finally up, if anyone understands me about these things it has to be you. I'm already bored out of my wits here, please teach me something!"
Zuko stood there while the young Avatar was already clinging his both arms around Zuko's waist, looking up at him with a sad, wide-eyed, puppy face complete with tears barely hanging on his eyelids.
Unfazed, Zuko removed the Avatar's hands and turned to Iroh. "Uncle, tell me how has the Avatar been doing since you started training him?"
"Well, his stance is a little sloppy and his breathing is still too forced, but worst of all is that he still hasn't learned restraint!"
"Ok then Aang, you will be given a chance to prove yourself, if you can pass a simple test of restraint." He walked over to where Sokka had left the food. Sokka had collected fish from the river and, for later, enough apples for everybody.
He grabbed one of them and took a hold of Toph's hand, "Will you do me favor Toph, just stand right here, like this." He set the apple on top of her head and took a few steps back.
"Aang, if you can light the stem that's sticking out of the apple without hurting Toph, then you can move on to the basic sets!"
Aang couldn't believe what his new Sifu had just asked of him. This was supposedly the moment that he was waiting for, to prove himself ready, but the stakes were so high. Doubt was beginning to cloud his mind; he lowered his head and turned around walking in the direction he came from.
"I'm not ready. If anyone needs me, I'll be breathing over there."
"Wise decision, Aang; you passed your first test as a Firebender! To see and acknowledge your limitations is the first component needed in becoming a Firebending sifu. After practicing your breathing, come look for me in two hours, and then we'll start working on the basic sets."
"Wahoo!" The Airbender jumped and spun in his native element. "Thank you Zuko, um, I mean Sifu Zuko," he quickly added with a formal bow.
"Well put Zuko, you almost sound like a true master yourself!" his uncle added with a hearty laugh.
"Toph, wanna' come with? I could really use the company."
Toph stomped the ground, sending a wave to knock Aang over followed by a humph and she was soon gone from the campsite.
Katara and Zuko couldn't help but feel a bit guilty for having caused that while Aang was rubbing his back after the fall.
"What's gotten in to her?" he asked himself after getting up and making his way his training ground.
"Katara, can you take care of Toph, while I go accompany Aang while he trains?"
She quickly nodded and ran of into the direction where Toph went into to better explain the situation, while Zuko chased after Aang.
"Aang, wait up!" he yelled across the clearing.
Aang turned. "Zuko, you're going to accompany me?"
"Well of course I am, you're my student, and I have to personally make sure that you're not slacking off in the woods!"
"Great, maybe later you can show me how you made that blue fire after the two hours, right?"
"Yeah, right," he hesitated to answer. He couldn't believe that he was back to lying again, though he knew that he would have to get used to it if he really did want to save the world.
"Toph wait up!" Katara cried out of breathe from running all over the woods searching for the young earth bender.
Toph stopped walking and turned around to meet her friend. "What you want now, Sugar Queen?"
"You shouldn't have done that to Aang, he did nothing to deserve that."
"Oh really, since when is breaking someone's trust not wrong?"
She hesitated to answer the furious Earthbender. "The truth is that Aang… he never told anyone about the two of you. The truth is that I sort of saw you two together just before you guys got sick!"
"You spied on us!" Toph stomped the ground, bringing a column of earth up beneath her feet so that her head was level with the Waterbender's.
Katara held up her hands defensively. "I didn't spy on you! I was sort of in the wrong place at the wrong time! Come on; let's go back, maybe Aang's still training with Zuko and you'll get the chance to apologize."
The temperamental Earthbender frowned. "Well, I guess I can let you off with a warning, but if more people find out then I'll break you limb from limb!"
"I don't even know what's your problem with people knowing, I mean if Sokka knew about you two, he'd make fun for a while, thinking that it's nice and all, but he'd leave you guys alone in the next hour, but if he ever knew about Zuko and me, he'd go berserk!"
"Well yeah, he's still hurt about the Fire nation killing your mom… that's not going to be something easy to forget, but if you ever find the courage to tell him, I bet he'd eventually accept it. I mean, he's your family and only wants what's best for you, and if that is being with Prince Short Temper then he'll accept him."
"When did you get to be so wise?"
Toph tapped her foot, making the land level again. "I guess hanging out with Uncle Iroh helps me get different perspective of things."
"Come on, there's still time to go check on Aang's training!"
Toph nodded as they both went running back to where the Avatar and Fire prince were training. Meanwhile….
Aang and Zuko practiced breathing in the traditional stance.
"Now, can you feel the sun beaming down on your skin, can you feel its heat, its energy?" asked Zuko with his eyes closed breathing in unison with Aang.
Zuko stood and grabbed Aang's arm, lifting him up. "Try to redirect the energy coming from the sun and to send it through your fist. Remember that the strength in Firebending comes from the breath and not the muscles, so try to make the motion of your punch flow as smoothly and quickly as possible. First, take a deep breathe and gyah!" Zuko sent a fireball hurtling towards the sky. "Now you try."
Imitating his master, Aang took a deep breath and fiercely sent a fireball into the sky.
"I can't believe it, did I actually make that!"
As if officiating the Avatar into his new role, Zuko said, "Yes Aang, and a job well done, you can now create fire… use its awesome power wisely," as he gave a bow.
"Next lesson will be learning how to control the flow of fire, but for now class is now officially over since the sun is setting and I'm starving!"
Aang grinned and pumped his fist in the air. "Yeah, me too, lets go!"
As they made their way to the camp, Zuko couldn't help but feel relieved that the boy had forgotten about his promise, but he wondered how long he could hold up like this.
Meeting them a little ways out from camp, Katara and Toph were waiting, holding a stick with two raw fishes to give to the boys.
"Toph, I did it! I can make fire now, look!" He took the stick and gave it to Zuko, who understood and held it high in the air.
Aang moved back a few feet and began to control his breathing. When he finally felt that he was ready he snapped out his arm in a fierce punch that, surely enough, shot a fireball into the sky and cooked the fish medium-well in an instant.
"See!" he said proudly of his work, and went back to grab Toph's and his meal, taking it to her.
"Aang, we need to talk." Toph told him when she grabbed her fish. The two 'secret' lovers went to sit around the campfire, where Toph apologized for how she acted towards him.
Zuko and Katara began to amble towards camp. "I guess your talk with her went well."
"Yeah, and I can see that your training with Aang really bore fruits."
"I'm impressed…he's a really fast learner, but I only push him so much so that he'll learn the determination of a Firebending master and be strong enough to end this war."
"Did he ask you to give a demonstration of the Blue Spirit's power?"
"Yeah, but he forgot to ask me later since he was so hungry."
Katara's forehead wrinkled as she worriedly frowned. "But one day he'll find out, then what? How are you going to explain to him that Avatar Roku already knows that he alone will fail? How will everyone react when they find out the only chance of survival that Roku gave us to use against the Fire Lord was almost lost when you fought against your sister?"
Zuko looked Katara in the eyes. "Katara, you're the best Waterbender I've ever known and you're teaching Aang Waterbending. Aang himself is already and Airbending master and Toph's teaching him an Earthbending style that is incomparable! So by the time when everyone does find out about the Blue Spirit's powers, Aang will have already mastered Firebending and be more than ready to save the world. And, if I train him well, then the Blue Spirit might just be more than willing to make a comeback!"
"I can't believe this! You should probably be the most worried one around here and yet you're perfectly calm! Since when are you so damn optimistic?"
"Since I found a better reason for living." He said adding a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Now come on, everyone's eating without us and I'm starving," he said handing her cooked fish.
Getting back to the camp proper, the two lovers found Iroh and Sokka eating together while playing Pai Sho. Aang and Toph sat together in a far corner on one of the logs finishing their meals while Toph tried to apologize to Aang.
"What kept you two? I was just teaching Sokka here the fine art of playing Pai Sho," he said, adding a chuckle.
"Yeah, where were you two anyways?" Sokka gave a curious, sidelong glance at the pair.
"Nothing, kept us, just that um…" Now it was Zuko's turn to play the fool, as he continued to stutter. He was out of lies for the day.
"He was helping me find my necklace, it dropped back there a minute ago, and since it was getting dark I asked Zuko to help me by giving me some light, him being a Firebender and all!" Katara rushed out.
Zuko really loved her then: she was always quick on her feet, and best of all Sokka was buying it.
"Is that true Firebender?"
"Sokka, how can you even question him like that? He saved your life!"
Sokka was going to say something, but he was quickly broken off by Zuko. "Yup, pretty much that was everything that happened!"
Sokka blinked. "Well, I'm glad that he's being a great help to you." And with that, Sokka returned his attention to the Pai Sho game, in which, sneakily enough, Iroh had switched a couple of pieces while Sokka's head turned to Zuko.
"Well young Sokka, I think that it's my turn now, and according to the rules of the game, I think you lose!"
"What, no! How much do I owe you now?"
"Well let's see, one, four, carry the seven…I'd say everything you got on your back!"
"What, some how my warrior instincts are telling me that you cheated!"
"Nonsense child, the difference between you and me is that I have the weight of experience on my side, and a whole lot to spare in fact!" he laughed at his joke while patting his stomach.
"But, I must admit that you are seriously improving! I bet that if you play me again you'll surely win!"
Falling for the former General's wiles once more, Sokka puffed out his chest. "Yeah, I am getting good at this game aren't I, I mean last time you only made five moves, now you had to make ten!"
Iroh laughed heartily. "Yes, that's the spirit, one more game and off to bed!"
Of course Sokka didn't win a single game after that. Actually, he began losing faster and faster. He practically lost everything in his bag including his precious boomerang. It was either that or everything that he was wearing and, well, it was a pretty cold night so you can imagine what he did.
"That'll teach him to not be such a jerk to my nephew!" Iroh thought and went off to sleep keeping close to him his earnings.
Later that night however Zuko couldn't sleep. He gazed at the stars while playing Katara's words over and over in his head. His bravado crumbling in solitude, he reflected on how badly they did shake him up, but he couldn't show Katara his weakness. She would catch it, and then it would spread to everyone else and no one would be willing to fight.
He rolled over trying to push out those lingering words in his mind, but he couldn't. He got himself out of his sleeping bag and tip-toed his way to one of the logs and sat there staring into the dying campfire, now just a glowing pile of cinders. He placed some logs on top of the luminescent ashes and aimed like he did earlier to light the fire, but before he could pull the trigger the fire instantly came back to life.
"Couldn't sleep, Prince Zuko?" he recognized the voice and turned around to meet him, but by the time he turned, Iroh was already sitting right next to him.
"No, I couldn't," he answered gloomily.
"Maybe you want to tell me what happened between you and Miss Katara?" Iroh elbowed his nephew trying to rouse a smile, but Zuko didn't take much notice into it.
"Nothing happened, Uncle, you probably wouldn't understand. You're probably go into a tantrum if I tell you so it's best if I keep it to myself."
"Well, unless it's something like you got Miss Katara pregnant without marrying her, then you can shoot away."
Zuko took a deep breathe then told him the same story he told Katara, about his vision when he was asleep for three days. After he finished he waited for his Uncle to say to him some words of wisdom like he usually did, but Iroh didn't know any that had to do with the fate of the world.
Iroh's normally steadfast resolve wavered. "Why didn't you say something in the first place?"
"You promised me you weren't going to panic!"
"Of course, but that was until I knew that not even the past Avatar has faith in his own reincarnation to finish the job alone, and that the only weapon he gave us has almost been wasted on one insignificant demon spawn child!"
For once, the tables turned and Zuko found himself soothing the old man. "Ok, Uncle you need to calm down, do you want the others to find out? If the Avatar himself finds out and decides to run away, then who is going to fight my father and restore peace to this world…nobody, that's who!"
"Well, this is some fine pickle we've gotten ourselves into! So how's your Firebending?"
"That hasn't been a problem; I think the three day sleep I took helped me recharge my strengths for training again with the Avatar."
"Zuko, you may have already learned yourself that the Avatar is a fast learner, and pretty soon he will pass you, and then everyone will get suspicious to what happened to the power we saw when you beat Azula!"
"Then what are we going to do?"
"Weare going to resume your training. When the Avatar trains you will train with him, and when he is sleeping you'll be training even harder. Then you will be able to be an efficient vessel for the Spirit's power!"
"But doesn't that go against the first lesson of being a Firebender, to know your limitations and respect them?"
"Well really, with the training I have in mind, you won't go against your limitations, but broaden them if you will."
"So, when do we begin?"
Iroh stood up and began walking to the place where Aang and Zuko had trained during the day and looked back at his nephew appraisingly. "Now would be good."
Hello Yellow Jell-O. So what did you guys think of that. Please give your most honest opinions in your reviews they really help out.
Well first off I would like to take the time to inform everyone that I am considering changing the formatting of the previous chapters so that people will get more breaks between lines and not get confused or lost or any of those things that just happen with Nile river long paragraphs. That's pretty much all I have to say about that so I'll leave you now to your writing of excellent reviews for this chappie.
I hope I was able to bend some light onto that matter and if you got the pun that I left for you guys in this rant here's a cookie and probably a chibi light golem with a glass of milk for ya! Well I'm off and keep up the good reviews!