Here's chapter eighteen. Plot moving along. Zuko's going to be in it more, as will the gAang. I'll be gone for spring break, but i'll be writing on paper so i'll be able to put it on the computer, when I get back on thursday. Not that anyone reads it by the comments i get. REVIEW por favor (please).
"This is better than the Fire Palace," chuckled Azula who had been watching the scene unfold. Ty Lee swung down, hanging by her knees from a nearby tree. Mai stepped out silently from the shadows.
"Lets get this over with Azula," Mai stated, with her monotone voice.
"Aw, I don't know. This all seems very entertaining. And I love being entertained!" argued a chipper Ty Lee.
Azula turned to the two girls. "For once, I agree with Ty Lee. If we can beat my brother down emotionally, then we will have even more control of him. Let his heart be broken. And lets watch him get accepted into the group. And when he finally gets comfortable, then we shall attack.
The pink friend clapped her hand and giggled, "oh Azula, you are so cruel, but so funny!"
Mai said nothing, but looked up at the treetops and sighed.
Dinner was tense. Katara watched as Ashayna got up and sat on the opposite side from Samuel, who looked crestfallen.
"Katara, can you ask Samuel to pass the salt."
"Sokka can you ask Ashayna to pass the meat, she's hogging it…"
"Aang, can you tell Ashayna that she doesn't need to be eating a third helping."
"Toph can you tell Samuel that he's an asshole!"
The conversation had escalated throughout the dinner until the last statement by Ashayna made her stand up and storm out of the cave. Aang stood up, "I guess I'll go talk to her," he said, knowing that it was best he do it, he being her pupil and all.
When Aang found his fire bending teacher, She was sitting, her knees to her chest, and her bare toes in the water. Ashayna seemed to be chucking small pebbles into the water, and as the Avatar neared, the girl's shoulder sagged and her hand dropped back to her side.
"Love is annoying Aang, do not pull yourself into it," Ashayna said simply as the Avatar sat down beside her.
He thought guiltily about Katara and quickly nodded to the statement. Love could be annoying and difficult, but he was not going to give it up again, like he did in the cave of crystals. "I'm guessing this has something to do with Sam," he noted wearily. Aang knew Shay could get very steamed up and angry, and he did not want to have to suffer the results of her anger.
"Sam told me Zuko didn't matter, and then he kissed me. It messed up everything," Shay muttered, not really wanting to talk about it, but knowing she had to in order to get out of her awful mood.
"But that's good isn't it? You're loved."
"No, its bad if I don't want it. Sam's been my best friend and I don't want him anything more," Shay argued.
"But maybe there is supposed to be something more, and you just haven't noticed it yet," rebutted Aang, who was beginning to feel that he was defending his own position for his love for Katara.
"But I don't want Sam, not now, maybe not ever, and now our relationship is screwed up because we're going to feel all awkward around each other," Ashayna was on the brink of tears as she took of her necklace hastily and thrusted it out to Aang, who took it in his hand.
They sat in silence, the Avatar trying to make his presence enough to calm the girl down, but as he had realized today, she was a boiling pot of emotion, which bubbled over now and then. With a little attention, the bubbling would go down and she would be ok.
"You don't need love, I hope you know," Shay turned to the Avatar, her brown eyes sparkling. She had been crying, but most hints of it had been gone, it only shown in her eyes, which were a lighter color of brown. The avatar watched her, waiting for her to go on with her lecture. She did.
"Passion is difficult to handle. As is rage. Rage and passion come from the same place, therefore love can be almost as bad as hatred; there are only a few, small differences. That is what makes love so difficult, determining between hatred and love. It's like fire bending. People are taught to think of their worst memory, or to use their anger and hatred to power their fire bending. But the strongest fire bending comes form those who can use their passion and love to fuel their bending."
"What do you use, Ashayna?" Aang asked.
She turned to the smaller boy and smiled, her first big smile since the Avatar had met her, "love of course," she said, now realizing why she was picked to teach the young Avatar.
Zuko had come to his senses, or so he had thought. He paced up and down the river. The Avatar was easily accessible from where he was. Ashayna obviously didn't want to come home, so he might as well just nab the little brat of an air bender. Then Ashayna would have to come home, but not that it mattered much to Zuko anymore. The exiled prince strapped up his shoes, ran his hand through his hair, his scowl in place, and started his way back towards the camp.
Back to the old mindset.
Back to his old ways
He wasn't sure if he preferred this, but
He'd have the Avatar finally.
And maybe then things would be ok again.