Thank you guys for liking my first chapter! A big shout-out to Guest13: your review made my day :D. For some reason, I don't know how to respond to guest comments, so I'll answer your questions here. In answer to your first question, I pronounce Maia's name "My-uh", but frankly it can be pronounced however you want. In answer to the second question: yes there is a war on, however this is several years before the first episode of A:TLA. (and I'm glad you like apple pie too b^-^d)

Anyway, enjoy this next chapter :) !

"Huo!" Maia's voice called out in a harsh whisper.

The small boy creaked his eyes open and groaned. The sun shone in through his open window, where he saw the shadow of Maia's head on his floor. Looking up he met the gaze of his best friend and nearly smiled but everything came back to him and he looked away, hiding his face from her. He turned over, pulling his blankets around him. "Go away," he told her.

"No. I won't," she replied. Crawling through the window, she tumbled to the ground and a second later plopped herself down upon her best friend, although he still didn't look at her. "I've come to teach you."

"Teach me what?" Huo asked, opening one eye to state at her.

"How to use your bending, of course!" she exclaimed and Huo hastily shushed her. He didn't want his parents to hear.

"But I thought—you were scared of me." He sat up, and stared at his hands. The hands that could produce the dreaded element of fire at will.

"I was shocked. Not scared. Do you realise how amazing this is?"

"There's nothing amazing about being able to fire bend." Huo whispered, scared to speak of his power out loud.

Maia shook her head adamantly. "It's bending. It's a gift!"

"But fire benders are evil! Haven't you seen the destruction of their war against us? It's only a matter of time before they find our village and take us all captive. That's what my father says."

Maia crossed her arms and huffed. Huo sheepishly met her gaze and her glare told him that it was taking every ounce of friendship she had to keep herself from slapping him. "Make a fire," she told him, her voice more curious than demanding.

Huo cast a nervous glance towards his bedroom door, scared that his parents were going to jump in at any moment and take him away to do whatever the Earth Kingdom did with fire benders. He had never seen war first hand, but like any child in the kingdom, he knew what the reality was. Firebending was evil.

He exhaled after a few seconds, assured himself his parents weren't going to find out, and produced a small fire that hovered over the palm of his hand.

Maia looked at it almost like it was a cute little animal, not a vehicle for mass destruction. "Look at it. Does it look dangerous?" she asked him.

"Yes," Huo whispered, staring at the flame as it licked at the air, trying to grow bigger, but he wouldn't let it. He didn't know how he controlled it, but so long as he took in slow, even breaths and held his hand still, it seemed to remain at the same size.

"But are you dangerous?"

Huo lifted his eyes from the flame to Maia's face. The small golden flame was reflected in her verdant eyes as she stared earnestly at him.

"I-I don't think so."

Maia smiled knowingly back at him. She curiously reached out to touch the flame but drew back her finger because of the heat. She raised her eyes to Huo and spoke. "My father says that bending is a gift some of us are given. It doesn't matter if you're good or evil, because it can be used for both. Most fire benders use theirs for evil, but that doesn't mean you can't. You can be the first good fire bender."

Huo smiled, and he extinguished the flame. Maia was right. She was incredibly insightful and persuasive, and she never failed to turn his mood around. He didn't feel like an evil person, and he had no intentions of becoming evil, so why should he let fire bending change that? "My mother always said you were wise for a nine year old."

Maia blushed. "I don't know that much…"

"Then how are you going to teach me fire bending?" Huo smirked, a glint in his eye.

Maia returned his glance, her face lighting up with mischievous intent. "My father has a few bending scrolls he's been collecting over the years. I'll see if I can find anything useful."

There was a rap at Huo's door. "Huo? Are you awake? It's time for breakfast." He heard his mother's voice beckon.

Maia stood up and slipped out of the window, waving as she disappeared into the garden on her way back home.

"Coming mother!" Huo responded, throwing off his covers, and headed off towards breakfast.