The Firebender

Chapter 10: Truce

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 15, 1245

Steven is still upset with me even three days after the incident, he's even giving Pearl the cold shoulder. Once she found out that Ruby basically saved our lives she has stopped trying to find any false claims about her, I can see why; she has nothing to hide. She's told us about her past, well I've eavesdropped and heard it, and she truly seems to be on our side.

Maybe we were just being stupid and should just accept that she's in our group. Steven already hates me and Ruby hasn't said anything about us getting the heavy end of Steven's wrath. She hasn't even rubbed it in our faces, even after all the mean things we said about her and accused her of. Maybe people can change.

Maybe, Ruby isn't so bad?

Connie slowly closed her journal and slid it underneath her bed just before she jumped out of bed. Her soft brown eyes glanced to the open window where Ruby and Steven were training in the courtyard, Sapphire was watching from the concrete steps across from them.

Steven had finally opened his firebending chakra and was quickly learning how to control the flames around him. His weren't as strong as Ruby's just yet, but it seemed promising.

"Still banned from training sessions?"

Connie jumped at the voice, turning around to see Amethyst leaning against the doorway; she nodded. "…it would seem so," She turned her back to the earthbender and busied herself with making her bed, anything to get away from the prying eyes.

"Steve is really holding a grudge on you and P, huh," Amethyst said more to herself than the teenager. "How is Pearl taking all of this?"

Connie shrugged, slipping her shoes on hurriedly. "She spends more time in the kitchen lately; I think she's trying to make up with Steven by helping out more. She even gave Lion a bath yesterday,"

"Steven isn't the one you two need to be making up with," Amethyst said, watching Connie grab her space sword and walk past her through the door. "…and I think you know that,"

"…yeah," Connie mumbled before she left the room and a very disappointed Amethyst behind.

Ruby blocked a fire blast before kicking one right back to Steven. "Your form is sloppy,"

"Form," Steven moved right to avoid the blast before he sent another one with his fist. "Has nothing," He threw another one when Ruby easily dodged the first attack. "To do with skill," He grinned.

Ruby slapped the blasts away with her hand, frowning. "Look kid, just because you finally opened you chakra doesn't mean you're the best firebender in the world." She placed her hands on her hips. "Your form is terrible which is causing your flames to come out too short—"

"So," Steven shrugged, wiping the sweat from his brow. "They're still strong—"

"They're slow," Ruby quipped back, growing aggravated. "It takes you five seconds to shoot them, I could be on you in two," She waved her hand lazily. "I'm done for today—"

Steven threw his hands up happily. "Yes, now I can explore the land with Amethyst—"

"I said I'm done, not you," Ruby frowned, not caring one bit when Steven's shoulders sagged. "I want five sets of thirty fire blasts to be completed by sun down; do your marks on the wall by the dining room so I can tell if you really completed them," She looked up at the slowly setting sun, she smirked.

"Better hurry before sun set or you don't get dinner,"

Steven sighed, jogging in the direction of the dining hall. "I thought things were supposed to get easier once I opened my chakra."

Sapphire stood from her spot on the step and slowly walked down to where the firebender had fallen on the floor Indian style. She plucked a towel from her pouch and offered it to the shorter girl.

Ruby grinned, taking the offering. "Thanks Sapph," She wiped her sweaty face clean with the fabric, drying her unruly curls that had also grown damp.

"You were pretty hard on him," Sapphire said as she sat beside the firebender, trying not to flush at the heat that was emitting from her.

Ruby frowned, leaning her face on her palm. "He's getting too confident, I needed to knock him down a few notches," She looked to the ground. "Sorry if that upsets you…"

"It doesn't," Sapphire replied softly, looking out to the forest. "Steven grew a little full of himself when I was teaching him waterbending,"

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "How did you handle it?"

"I battled against him," Sapphire smiled at the memory. "He thought he could take me on after five days of training but after I threw him miles into the lake, he learned his lesson."

Ruby laughed, eyes sparkling with excitement. "I can't believe you did something like that, I'd never expect it from you. You're so calm, I find myself getting upset with Steven whenever he does something wrong. I'm not cut out for this teaching stuff,"

"Well, regardless of what you think," Sapphire slowly rose to her feet, giving her friend a soft smile. "I believe you're doing a wonderful job, excuse me as I help Pearl prepare dinner,"

Ruby flushed, nodding as she jumped to her feet. "R-right, I'm going to walk around the forest to clear my head. I'll see you later,"

Sapphire waved before they each went their separate ways.

Connie let out a warrior cry as her sword collided into the tree she was using as a dummy. Her sword left a deep scratch in the bark of the tree before she jumped back several feet, landing on her tippy toes as dust from the dirt surrounded her.

She observed the multiple marks her sword left on the bark. They appeared to look like slashes but much larger and deeper, she hummed.

"Impressive,"

Connie turned around, sword raised as if she were expecting a foe; she frowned. "Oh, it just you,"

"Yeah," Ruby scratched the back of her neck nervously. "What are you doing out here, training all by yourself?"

Connie dropped her guard, placing her sword into its protector. "We're about to face war soon and I haven't picked up my weapon in weeks, I was becoming a little rusty so I come out her every night to practice."

"Well, practicing alone is boring," Ruby grinned, getting into a low fighting stance. "Let's have a duel,"

Connie blinked, putting her lips together tightly. "…I'm not a bender,"

"Oh," Ruby stood up, scratching the back of her neck as she looked around. "…then I'll use a sword!" She pointed to the metal weapon that Connie had for back up around her back. "I can borrow that one,"

"This is stupid," Connie said, but tossed the bender the silver sword anyway; marveling at how easily Ruby grasped it. "Do you even know how to use a sword?" She drew her space sword, walking towards the bender.

Ruby grinned. "I guess you'll have to find out," She stuck her tongue out teasingly.

Connie glared at the shorter girl as they circled each other in the deserted forest. Connie knew this was a bad idea, she had much more experience with a weapon than Ruby; a bender, who has never had to rely on such weapons. But she was frustrated with herself and everything that had happened in the last few days and she needed to let her frustration out somewhere.

And if Ruby was offering, then she'd make the bender her punching bag.

"Your stance is sloppy!" Connie shouted, swinging her sword forward and clashing it with Ruby's; effectively pushing her backwards. "And you're leaving too many sensitive spots open!" She aimed for the benders stomach.

Ruby surprised her by blocking the attack with ease, one hand behind her back as she continue to place steady hits; making Connie stumble backwards. "That was mean,"

Ruby used her strength to shove Connie back even further, leaving her disoriented for a short minute. Connie jumped back, avoiding an attack from Ruby before she jumped back into the flow.

There were no more words given as the duo continued their duel. The sound of swords clashing filled the forest, causing the smaller animals to flee and the fish to scatter. Sweat dripped down Connie's brow as she tried to keep up with Ruby's hard hitters that weren't fast but made Connie lose a couple of feet if hit the right way.

One particular hit managed to shove Connie against a tree, making her slump down slightly with the bend of her knees. Ruby swung her sword fiercely, tossing Connie's sword out of her hand before Ruby pointed her weapon to the teen's throat; eyes lit with fire as she stared down at the younger girl.

Connie moved her chin away, closing her eyes as she waited for the blunt hit that never came.

"You weren't aware of your surroundings," Ruby mumbled, throwing her sword to the ground and picking up Connie's before handing it to her. "That was your down fall. Other than that, your attacks were amazing and your stance was far better than mine," She grinned.

Connie ignored the offered hand and rose to her feet, putting her swords away before facing the bender. "…where did you learn how to use a sword? I thought the daughter of Yellow Diamond had one goal and one goal only; become the best firebender there is,"

"I hate to break it to you but, I was sort of a late bloomer," Ruby admitted, smiling softly. "I didn't learn how to unlock my chakra until I was six and I didn't master it until I turned thirteen,"

Connie hummed. "You must have been such a disappointment," She closed her eyes, cursing to herself for saying such a thing. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean—"

"Oh, I was a huge disappointment!" Ruby surprised her when she answered, chucking as if it were funny. "Jasper mastered firebending when she was ten and has always bested me. For a long time my mother hated me for thinking I would never be able to bend, she didn't say it to my face of course; but I somehow always knew,"

Connie listened, watching the bender gather her thoughts before she went on.

"My dad was okay with it and didn't care if I was a bender or not; he still loved me," Ruby smiled. "So he taught me how to weld a sword just in case I wasn't a bender. Even when my chakra was release he didn't look at me any differently,"

"He sounds like a good man," Connie admitted. "How did someone like him end up with a fierce leader like Yellow Diamond?"

Ruby scratched the back of her neck. "From what my father told me, she wasn't always a jerk. But you know, power does things; it brings out the worst in people sometimes,"

"…who was your father? His name isn't in the history books I had back home,"

Connie noticed a certain gleam in Ruby's eye before it disappeared, the firebender shrugged. "Don't worry about that, it's getting dark and Steven should be finished with his reps. Let's go get some food,"

"About that," Connie said before the older girl could leave. "I'm really sorry for the way Pearl and I have been acting. I just, have a lot of anger from what the firebenders did to my tribe. But I have to realize that it wasn't you personally and I have to understand that not all firebenders are bad,"

Ruby smiled. "It's fine, Connie."

"I can't say I trust you fully but I can at least call a truce," Connie held out her hand, smiling softly. "What do you say?"

"…truce," Ruby shook her hand, grinning. "But next time we battle, I won't go easy on you,"

Connie huffed. "That was you going easy?" She scratched the back of her neck. "Geez, you have to teach me how you used a single hand like that though,"

Ruby grinned. "And you have to teach me how you left marks that deep on the bark,"