The Firebender

Chapter 7: A Spark

Water, Earth, Fire, Air

Long ago the four nations lived together in harmony. Then everything changed when the Fire Nation attacked. Only the avatar master of all four elements could stop them but when the world needed him most, he vanished. A hundred years passed and my cousin and I discovered the new avatar. An airbender named, Steven. And although his airbending skills are great, he has a lot to learn before he's ready to save anyone. But I believe Steven can save the world.

August 9, 1245

Today Ruby is still teaching Steven how to get stronger, it's ridiculous. She's been acting like she knows what she's talking about but Steven still hasn't even firebended yet. She's all talk. I can't believe my cousin is into someone like her. She's short tempered, impulsive, and arrogant. Sapphire is totally enthralled by her flaws, she has the biggest crush on her but Ruby is too dense to notice it! Sapphire is too good for her, way out of her league and she barely gives her the time of day.

I bet they'll never even get together, they're too different.

Connie shut her journal with a strong force before sliding it under her sleeping bag as usual. It was early in the afternoon and Steven was probably waiting outside for her, she would be joining their workouts today along with Sapphire. Ruby had somehow agreed to help Sapphire cook dinner in exchange for the waterbender joining their firebending lessons.

Connie scoffed. "…there is no way I'm eating anything that firenation scum cooks for us,"

"Connie, Connie!" Steven's cheerful voice wiped the frown off her face, she smiled. "Are you done writing in your journal yet? It's time to train; I need to get buff before the real firebending training can begin,"

The swordsmen's smile dropped slightly, she walked out of her room and followed the slightly taller boy into the hall. When had he gotten taller than her? Maybe it happened when she started noticing the deepening of his voice or the slight masculine strain of the muscles on his arms when he airbended. Or was it the night when he saved her from a near death experience when they were facing Jasper and as a reward she kissed him without thinking.

They still haven't talked about that.

Connie scratched the back of her neck, a soft blush on her face. "Sorry to make you wait," She mumbled sheepishly.

"Don't worry about it," Steven replied with a grin, the sun reflecting off his dark brown eyes as they stepped outside. "But seriously, what do you write about in that book? I hope it isn't too personal to ask, I'm just curious,"

The older girl nodded. "I just write about our journey so I can have a story to tell when I get back home,"

Steven smiled. "Cool," He fiddled with his fingers, looking at the floor. "So uhm, I guess that means after our journey you will probably go back home?"

Connie hummed. "I never really thought about it but maybe, I miss my family," She quickly looked at him. "B-but if you want me around I could—"

"No, no," He held his hands up. "I understand, I'll probably try and rebuild my nation with Pearl after all of this is finished. But you better make sure to visit me," He joked, smiling half heartedly.

"…of course," Connie whispered, holding back what she truly wanted to say.

Ruby flopped down onto the hard floor in Sapphire's bedroom, she sighed. "I just feel like I'm not making any progress with him. He hasn't even shown any signs of firebending and the others are starting to think I'm a joke, do you see the way Connie glares at me before writing into her journal! Or am I just seeing things?"

Sapphire chuckled nervously, snapping her necklace back on her neck. "I'm sure she doesn't hate you, just you're nation and what you stand for," She closed her eyes. "…that didn't come out right,"

"It came out perfectly," Ruby huffed. "I don't know how to gain their trust, Connie and Pearl I mean. I try being nice and helpful but I just manage to screw things up,"

Sapphire stood beside her before sitting down at her level, she patted her shoulder in a comforting way. "…Ruby,"

"It's true," The firebender huffed, standing up abruptly as she began to pace. "I tried helping Pearl wash Lion but I accidentally splashed water in her face and when I tried to light the fire with Connie I nearly burned her eyebrows off! I just get so nervous; I want them to like me. How am I going to manage living here for the rest of this war if half the team hates me?"

Sapphire stared at her and watched steam sizzle from broad shoulders, she giggled. Ruby whipped around at the noise, she sent the waterbender a sharp glare but it only caused Sapphire to laugh harder.

Ruby crossed her arms. "What's so funny?"

Sapphire held onto her side. "I-it's just really funny, I'm sorry. You're emotions are just fueled with your bending, look, you're burning the floor," She pointed to the dark burnt marks made by the shorter girl.

Ruby tried to be angry but it seemed impossible with the way Sapphire was laughing, she sighed. "Yeah well…I bet you're no better when you're angry." She begrudgedely sat back down beside the older girl.

Sapphire flushed. "I actually almost froze the dinner this one time when I was really mad, it was so embarrassing,"

"I can't imagine you getting so heated," Ruby muttered, leaning her cheek against her hand. "You just seem so cool and collected, I wish I could be like that sometimes—I'm just a firecracker. I snap at anything," She motioned to the ground.

"…I burnt your floor without thinking about the consequences," She sighed. "And I can't even train a twelve year old to bend fire,"

Sapphire's heart nearly cracked, she hated seeing such a high spirited person so low. "Steven will make progress in time, don't worry. He didn't learn how to waterbend until after a few weeks," She blushed softly. "And…I like your outbursts; I like how you say what's on your mind. I usual don't have the courage to tell people how I really feel,"

She smiled at the firebender softly. "I really respect you for that," She bumped her shoulder playfully before standing up. "Just don't burn my floor anymore, okay?"

Ruby chuckled. "I'll try not to," She scratched the back of her neck. "And thanks, for being the only person here who doesn't think I'm a complete failure,"

"You're anything but," Sapphire helped the other girl to her feet. "Come on; let's get this training over with,"

Ruby grinned. "You're a good friend, you know that?"

"Yeah, a good friend," Sapphire said stiffly. "…welcome to the friend zone, population, Sapphire." She whispered to herself.

Connie collapsed onto the dirt covered ground with a huffed. "This. Is. Stupid."

"I know it's hard but you have to keep pushing," Steven said as he dropped to sit beside her, he wiped the sweat off his brow. "Do your arms feel like noodles too?"

"I can't even feel my arms," She huffed, looking over to Ruby and Sapphire who were still jogging ahead of them. "How do they manage to go on? We've been running for hours,"

Steven also looked at the older mentors, he grinned. "I know, they're so amazing. Ruby says your whole body has to be in-tune with all of its functions in order to unlock your aura,"

"How will jogging until our legs fall off help unlock it?" Connie frowned.

Steven shrugged. "I don't know but Sapphire agreed with her, she said she does the same thing for waterbending and that's why she's able to keep up with her,"

"It all sounds crazy to me," Connie concluded. "…Ruby just has her eating out of her hands,"

The airbender, with much effort, stood on shaking legs. "I believe in her and I trust her as a teacher. If I ever want to become as great of a bender as Ruby and Sapphire then I'll have to work hard to catch up with them," He held his hand out to the girl resting on her stomach.

"Let's work hard to surpass them, together."

Connie couldn't stop the soft blush that spread to her face as she allowed the younger boy to help her up. "I still think she's crazy but, if you're sure she's the one to teach you—"

"I am." He declared.

"Then I'll respect it," But it didn't mean she would have to like it. "Let's get this stupid jog over with; it might take us a while to catch up with them though,"

Steven shrugged. "We have time."

"You're pretty fast," Ruby said with a smirk, hands on hips as she fought to catch her breath. "I was sure that I was going to leave you behind with the kids,"

Sapphire leaned against a tree, she was breathless but not as much as Ruby. "Running is important to waterbender's as well, I think all benders have to stay fit in order to maintain that balance. Amethyst doesn't seem to care about it though," She laughed softly.

"Yeah, but she's super strong somehow," Ruby commented, squatting down to sit on a rock across from the waterbender. "I almost lost in a weight lifting contest with her yesterday, she may be lazy but she can bench,"

Sapphire hummed, smirking lazily. "See, not everyone hates you. Amethyst seems to be your friend and Steven adores the ground you walk on; he thinks you're so cool,"

Ruby blushed softly but brushed it off. "…he does?"

"Yeah, he's always talking about how cool you look during battles," Sapphire nodded. "Not all of us hate you Ruby, as soon as you realize that the sooner the others realize how great of a person you are,"

Ruby smiled. "Three,"

"Huh?" Sapphire frown, confused.

"I have three, friends that is," Ruby said a little bit louder. "Amethyst, Steven and you. Don't tell them this but you're my favorite,"

Sapphire would have blushed if not for the strong use of the word friend, so she just rolled her eyes. "Such a smooth talker; should we wait for the kids to show up or do you want to get the dinner started? We're cooking whatever you want tonight so you better start coming up with something, first impressions are everything,"

Ruby nodded, taking her suggestion to heart. "…I think the kids can take care of themselves, let's get that dinner started."

"Sounds good," Sapphire smiled.

Every pair of eyes were drawn to the large pot in the middle of the bonfire that was dangling over the fire. Ruby fixed a plate for everyone before silently handing the bowls over to each of her teammates. She sat back in her seat beside Sapphire immediately after, shifting in her spot nervously.

Pearl was the first to speak; she pushed the food away and crossed her arms. "I'm not eating this."

Connie nodded from beside the skinny girl.

Amethyst sighed. "Ah come on guys, what. Do you really think she has the balls to poison us?"

"She's firenation scum," Connie said. "She has no limits to cruelty," She mumbled.

Sapphire glared at her cousin. "Connie,"

"It's fine Sapph," Ruby muttered, looking down into her bowl of dumplings. "They don't have to eat it if they don't—"

"No, I'm sick of you guys treating her like a criminal. Wither you like it or not, she's a part of our team and we're all going to have to learn to get along," Sapphire used her chopsticks to grab one dumpling. "Part of being a team is trust, and I trust her. I'll taste it,"

"Same here," Amethyst said with a shrug. "I'll eat anything once,"

Ruby smiled thankfully at the earthbender.

Connie and Pearl stared intently at Sapphire and Amethyst as they took a soft bite into their dumplings. Sapphire swallowed with a soft hum and Amethyst stuck three more into her mouth.

"Man, this is great!" Amethyst said through a mouth full. "Does all the food in the firenation taste like this?"

Sapphire took another bite but smaller than the earthbenders large ones. "Who taught you how to cook like this?"

Pearl also took a bite, she scoffed. "It is good but she probably got the recipe from a slave servant who took care of her when she was young before her family killed her off when she got too old,"

Ruby flinched at the dark comment. "…no, my father taught me how to make it. It's pretty much a family recipe," She smiled softly at the mention of her father.

Connie refused to eat. "Is your father a general who sends troops out to steal people from their families like your mother?" She accused, ignoring Sapphire's sharp glare.

"No, my father died when I was younger actually, thanks for bringing it up," Ruby said tight lipped before standing up. "I'm glad you guys liked the food, I'm going to head to bed, goodnight,"

Guilt washed over Connie as the firebender stalked away into the darkness. If Steven were here he'd probably be shocked. He thinks she's the nicest person in the world, what would he say if he heard what she just said to Ruby.

Pearl sighed. "I know you don't trust her, I don't either, but you shouldn't have said that."

"How was I supposed to know?" Connie said weakly. "She's never mentioned it before,"

"Why would she," Sapphire said. "You should go and apologize,"

Amethyst smirked. "Yeah, what would Steven say if he saw his sweet little Connie yelling at his poor defenseless firebending teacher?"

"Alright, I'm going," Connie huffed.

Ruby looked up at the soft knock on her door, she sighed. "Hey Steven,"

The younger boy walked inside, looking down at the girl who was lying in her bed. "I thought you would be eating with the others by now, why are you just sitting in here?" He asked, resting on the hard floor in front of Ruby.

She shrugged. "I was pretty tired so I just came back here to rest a while. Are you just now finishing your jog?" She frowned.

"Kind of," He sighed. "I told Connie to go ahead, I didn't want to slow her down an—"

"I'm sorry," Ruby interrupted.

Steven frowned. "For wha—"

Ruby sat up, rubbing her temples in frustration. "I'm not good at this teaching thing, I'm sorry. You have such high hopes for me and I feel like I'm wasting your time, you haven't even firebended yet! I'm a terrible teacher," Then again she never had a good teacher herself.

Steven remained silent as he waited for her to finish.

"You remind me of myself when I was your age," Ruby muttered. "I would try so hard to get stronger, but my mother never took notice,"

Eight year old Ruby ran on stubby legs into her mother's meditating room. The large golden marble doors were shoved open as she slide inside, shouting with joy.

"Mommy, I learned how to shoot fire from my feet! Watch this," Ruby jumped up, filled with a childlike energy, as soft bursts of fire shot from the soles of her feet.

Yellow Diamond raised an unimpressed eyebrow as the flames fell short after only a few seconds. Ruby landed on her back, looking up at her mother from the floor; soft curls falling all over her face.

She grinned. "That was cool, huh?"

"Ruby, I told you not to bother me unless you had something impressing to show me," Her mother said, voice cold and distant.

Ruby's grin fell as she struggled to get up. "B-but, I've been practicing that for weeks and I finally nailed it!" She shouted, fists clenched and eyes a firey red.

Her mother leaned her head on her hand, bored. "Yes, but Jasper learned how to do it days ago and she can actually fly in the air while you are only able to make short sparks. Since Jasper is already past this I told her to work on making her flames blue, maybe you should just let your father train you for a while," She said, waving her hand lazily.

"Come back only if you have something impressive," She dismissed.

Ruby dropped her head; her shoulders fell as she slowly walked outside of the room. "Yes ma'm,"

No matter what she did, Jasper always seemed to surpass her in it.

Ruby sighed. "My mother was always like that, nothing I did seem to make her proud. But my dad, man, he loved anything I had to show him," She smiled. "He and my friends were the only reasons why I kept practicing,"

Steven gave her a soft smile. "You're mom is wrong, Ruby. You're an amazing bender and I don't care what it looks like now; I know you are going to be the one to make me into an amazing firebender. It just has to take some time,"

Ruby nodded. "…I promise to do everything in my power to help you get there, Steven."

"And I promise to work hard and make you proud," Steven grinned. "One day I'm going to beat you on our daily jogs,"

Ruby snickered. "Oh really~"

Connie slowly moved away from the door as the playful banter between Ruby and Steven began. She sighed. She thought that Ruby would have been close with her mother; it never occurred to her that Yellow Diamond was still Yellow Diamond with her children.

Connie had to deal with the firelord terrorizing her family once but Ruby actually had to live with her for seventeen years.

"I didn't know she had it so bad," Connie whispered to herself.

Who knew she could have so much in common with a firenation scum.

The world was a crazy place.

I got a review today, someone said they have been checking this for weeks and I felt so bad. So sorry for not updating and I promise to try and write more. I just didn't expect people to like this that much but I have to appreciate those who do read and I'll keep updating for the few who like this story.

I'll write more and I hope to see you soon.