~ The Firebending Masters ~

Ryuu POV

"Come on!" The Duke dragged me by my hand, "It's so cool!"

Haru and Teo laughed calmly as we hurried along the corridors, deeper and deeper into the Air Temple. Zuko was training with Aang on the balcony, Katara was healing Toph's feet and Sokka was out gathering up food. Haru, who despite being 16 somehow had amazing facial hair, and I had been left to watch The Duke and Teo - to make sure they didn't blow stuff up.

"Slow down," I pulled against the excitable eight year old. He laughed and stopped at an impressively towering doorway. Inside, was row apon row of statues. I gaped in amazement as the other nodded simply. The statues stretched in lines like a choir further into the cliff. The Duke led me up to one, laughing at his moustache.

They all sat on some sort of plinth: many different styles and many different positions. Some wooden and painted; others stone and shrouded in dusty moth eaten clothes. All had the same thing in common - Airbenders. Haru pointed at one and commented it looked like him. Teo laughed at one with crossed eyes.

At the very end stood the by far oldest one. A Male Airbender with Crystals for eyes and tattoos. He looked to be permanently in the Avatar state - the first Airbending and second Avatar. Surrounding him in concentric circles were other Airbender statues with crystal eyes. All the Air Avatars throughout history... except Aang.

"This is.. amazing..." I breathed. Haru smirked and checked behind the oldest statue, he pulled out a small wooden box and gasped. The Duke leapt up and down eagerly. Teo lowered his goggles in case it was booby trapped. Haru swung the lid open and chuckled. Inside was a tiny statue with many arms - each holding an element.

"Neat!" Teo grinned. Haru dusted it off - shiny golden metal with ruby eyes. The Duke sighed, he wanted a weapon of some sort. Teo glanced back to the mouth of the chamber and smirked. He told Haru replace the statue in its box and stand back. He did so.

Confused, I followed the boy geniuses directions as he counted back from ten. The Duke jumped up and down eagerly, clapping his hands. On one, sunlight gushed through the doorway and hit the oldest statue. It started humming and reflecting the light with its eyes - lighting up every other statue in the room.

"Wow... just wow."

The boys laughed as the evening sunlight slowly passed on. Katara's voice echoed through the corridors calling out for dinner. The Duke grabbed my hand again and zipped away, Haru and Teo in hot pursuit.

...

We sat around the campfire, waiting for dinner to be served. I sat next to Haru, who was cracking up at his own joke. I was laughing nearly as much as he was when Zuko clenched his fists and stepped into the fire light. He took a couple of deep breaths before staring at the fire dejectedly. Haru stifled his laugh; as did I. Zuko's manner looked serious.

"Listen everybody, I've got some pretty bad news. I've lost my stuff..."

Everyone instantly looked at me and then back at Zuko. I raised my hands and shook them:

"No! It's not what you think!"

I tried to defend myself from thier stares. Toph was having to restrain a laugh at the misunderstanding of 'stuff'. I was blushing all over when Zuko interrupted - he was blushing too. He stuttered at theirs scandalous gazes.

"Not that! I'm talking about my firebending! It's gone."

He remained staring at the fire when Katara burst out laughing. She wiped an imaginary tear from her eye and snorted laughter a bit more quietly. Zuko and I snarled at the Waterbender as she pointed at my boyfriend (still sounds wierd).

"I'm sorry. I'm just laughing at the irony. You know, how it would've been nice for us if you lost your firebending a long time ago."

Zuko threw his hands up angrily, "Well, it's not lost! It's just ... weaker for some reason."

Katara seethed with anger as she raised a bowl to her lips. The campfire receded away from her in fear, dimming and dipping. I bit my finger to stop myself from doing anything. The Waterbender scowled.

"Maybe you're not as good as you think you are."

Haru shook his head when I went to say anything. Toph smiled sarcastically and laughed quietly. Zuko crossed his arms furiously while his jaw tightened - a sign he wanted to punch something. I glanced over at him and knitted my brow. He stared back at the fire.

"I bet it's because I changed sides."

Katara scoffed, "That's ridiculous!"

Aang didn't believe this either, he shrugged and suggested, "Maybe your firebending comes from rage and you just don't have enough anger to fuel it the way you used to."

"No," I interrupted as Sokka started jabbing Zuko's head, "Bending isn't through Rage. If it was, than I could Bend..."

Zuko swatted Sokka away and nodded at the statement. Toph joined in, "You're gonna need to learn to draw your firebending from a different source. I recommend the original source."

Sokka clapped his hands - his dislike for my boyfriend was evident as he excitedly asked if Zuko was going to have to jump into a volcano. I facepalmed and huffed. Zuko rolled his eyes. Toph started telling us how she learnt to Earthbend - from Badgermoles. Everyone was in stunned silence when Aang piped up about Flying Bison.

"Well, this doesn't help me. The original firebenders were the dragons, and they're extinct."

I huffed, "There must be at least one left. Don't they live for hundreds of years? Avatar Roku had one. We could find-"

"Fang's dead - long dead, "Aang sighed. My plan thwarted, Zuko snapped his fingers and pointed at me as an idea lit up his eyes.

"The first people to learn from the dragons were the ancient Sun Warriors!"

I raised my brow and Aang gaze me a puzzled look, "Who?"

"Didn't thier culture die thousands of years ago? Like the Terra clans?"

Zuko nodded but had the idea that poking around the ruins might help. Couldn't hurt.

"So, what?" Sokka laughed, " Maybe you'll pick up some super old Sun Warrior energy just by standing where they stood a thousand years ago?"

Everyone gazed up at Zuko, who shrugged and met eyes with me. He talked to everyone while maintaining the gaze, before breaking it off and gesturing at Aang.

"More or less. Either I find a new way to firebend, or the Avatar has to find a new teacher..."

...

"Don't die, "I smirked at Zuko, "And please, for the love of Spirits, don't steal anything!"

He clutched both of my hands to my chest and nodded once, indicating he wasn't making any promises. I chuckled as he drew me into a hug and kissed my cheek. He pulled back while still holding my hands, walking backwards until he just touched my fingertips.

"See you later," he hopped onto Appa. Aang smiled and waved at everyone before the pair set off on the life changing field trip. I shook my head as they disappeared into the night. Knowing Zuko, he would probably do something stupid while on the trip. I laughed to myself at what it was going to be as The Duke bid me goodnight.

Haru and Teo went after him, yawning and stretching. Katara pointed at her eyes then to me and back at her eyes as she, Sokka and Toph went off to where they were sleeping. The halls were creepy without anyone. Lonely and haunted by the souls of Airbenders long dead. Thinking of that made me walk faster, then break into a run.

I slipped beneath the bed covers, ramming myself into the corner of the bed. It was definitely creepy here, without company or firelight. Moonlight illuminated the manuscripts stacked in the shelves, yet too dark to make out anything else.

Instead of praying to Kyoshi for the safety of Zuko, I decided that Yangchen would be appropriate, seen as she was born here. It didn't do much to calm me about Zuko. Or the spooky room.

"Stay safe, you idiot ..."

...

A day passed by, they hadn't returned. The boys took me exploring the temple to forget about worrying, but it always was nagging at the back of my head. Haru was great company, Teo too. The Duke could be annoying - like a little brother. Great fun to be around.

"Look!" Teo called us over, "Haru, can you get us a bridge?"

He pointed over to yet another section of the temple that was separated be a wide gap. Haru laughed and Earthbent us a bridge across the canyon. We pushed the heavy wooden doors open, to be greeted with clouds of billowing dust and cobwebs. The Duke hid behind me, sheltering from the gust.

Inside wasn't much: an old workshop by the looks of it. Unfinished Bison saddles sat thrown in one corner, with an half-completed statue of Avatar Yangchen. Under a bunch of tools, I found an old family painting of a two men and an adopted daughter. I wondered who they were.

Putting it back, we left the workshop to go back to the main temple, in times to see Appa landing in the piller hall. Zuko, when he saw me, waved and gestured for the lot of us to sit down. His clothes looked dirtied and a clump of unidentifiable substance was sitting in the back of his hair. Aang faired slightly better.

"Hey, everyone, " Aang beamed, "Wanna see what we learned? With this technique the dragons showed us, Zuko and I will be unstoppable."

He and Zuko gave a full demonstration of the technique, before turning to seek our approval. Sokka picked a bit of meat from his teeth and flicked it away - vaguely interested. Only vaguely. Everyone clapped as the two bowed respectfully.

It was certainly an effective fighting strategy: combining low kicks, high punches or hits, and double punches with both fists. The fire blasts would be almost certainly deadly in combat. How, I ponderd, had dragons taught people that? Amazing to think that they had...

"Yeah, that's a great dance you two learned there," Sokka back-handedly complimented.

Zuko gasped, angered, "It's not a dance. It's a firebending form."

Sokka danced his fingers in the air, commenting sarcastically, "We'll just tap-dance our way to victory over the Fire Lord."

Zuko walked towards the Water boy, frustration clear in his voice. He turned up his lip.

"It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old!"

Katara drawled, sarcasm and disdain for Zuko ringing loudly as she asked for the forms name. Zuko dropped his arms and sighed in defeat. He screwed his eyes and cringed in embarrassment.

"The Dancing Dragon."

I clapped my hands over my mouth to hide the on coming giggle. Zuko pouted as he walked over to me and Aang to Katara. He put his hands on his hips and raised his brow. I dropped my hands onto his shoulders - still snorting with laughter.

"Well, what do you think?" He moved his hands around my waist. I slid my arms onto his shoulders and smiled teasingly.

"You, Princess, are the most excellent dancer."

Zuko leaned foward whispering, "Oh, how dare you," before kissing me gently on the lips. At this, everyone - and I mean everyone - made similtanious fake vomiting noises.


I know it's a way away yet but I'm still stuck on this: How should I take the mic of Ryuu in Ember Island? Seen as you, dear readers, have bothered to read this far (or have skipped a few chapters, either or), mabye you could help. If so, then please say so.

Lastly, thanks for reading!