The Firebender

Chapter 16: Broken Bonds?

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 30, 1245

I am counting this as part two of my journal entry because I'm writing it on the same day and page, just a few hours later.

We've been sitting on this rock for so long, I think I've lost count, and my legs are numb from sitting in this position so long. We have to keep still so we don't make too much noise, that'll blow our whole cover.

It's pitch black outside, but thankfully Steven has decided to show off on his firebending skills and make me a small flame that isn't noticeable to anyone below us. Oh, Ruby's giving us the signal, I have to go. But don't worry; I will keep you informed on any updates once this is all over.

Connie silently closed her book and narrowed her eyes, trying her best to adjust to the darkness once the tiny flame was gone. "…good luck," She whispered, watching the firebender and the waterbender begin to climb out of the saddle.

"Come back dude, don't leave me alone with Pearl and these nerds," Amethyst tried to joke carelessly, but the swordsmen could hear the nervousness in her voice.

Pearl sighed, too worried about her friend's safety to yell at the earthbender. "What she means is—be careful," She whispered softly.

"Don't worry," Sapphire said lowly. "We'll be right back," Without another word she climbed the full length down and quietly landed on the rocky ground below, patiently waiting for the firebender to join her.

Ruby made sure the waterbender couldn't hear her as she gave her last words. "Remember, leave in fifteen minutes if we're not back, and even if Sapphire and even Peridot return without me I still want you to get away to safety,"

"But—" Connie began, only to be interrupted by the Avatar himself.

Steven nodded in the darkness. "We understand,"

Ruby jumped down beside Sapphire without another word. Connie crawled to the edge of the saddle along with the others, and they squinted their eyes in the dark to watch their friends even though they knew it was impossible.

Connie worried her lip and prayed to Rose Quartz that she bring her friends back in one piece.

The loud sound of various hands clapping together filled the Firelord's meeting room. Several congressmen sat across from each other at the long rectangular table in the Fire Nation palace. Yellow Diamond, the Queen of the nation, rested comfortably on her throne. Her eldest daughter, and heir to the kingdom, Jasper sat on her knees to the right with a bored expression on her face.

"I don't mean to draw all of this attention on you, Peridot," Yellow Diamond began when the clapping had come to an end, causing the inventor to jump and look up. "I know you like to keep to yourself but I just want to acknowledge the great work you have been doing on our security systems. And I am proud to announce that she will find a way to get those much wanted lasers we've been hoping for,"

Peridot winced, fiddling with her thumbs nervously from her seat in the first chair at the table. "I-it's not that simple—"

"The power that we will have with those lasers," Yellow Diamond talked over the young teen and rose from her throne, standing in all her glory. "We will be able to take over anything, or anyone, who stands in our way," Peridot swallowed, clumsily folding her papers together. "I don't want to overwhelm you all so for now our meeting is adjourned, we will pick up next week and hear back from Peridot about the progress she will be making," Her cold eyes fell on the nervous girl who clumsily jumped out of her seat as the congressmen began to take their leave.

"Stay for a minute," Peridot cursed under her breath and dropped her hand off the door knob as the Queen called out to her. "…I would like to have a word." She turned around, took a calming breath, and slowly walked past the other congressmen and war leaders.

Jasper stood from her spot when her mouth whispered something to her and jumped down the stairs. Her devious orange eyes looked the mechanic over briefly but didn't speak a word as she too, took her leave.

Peridot dropped to one knee and bowed her head before her Queen. "…you wanted to speak with me, your Majesty?" She asked the practiced words that Ruby had taught her many years ago before she began living in the palace.

"How are the lasers coming around?" She got right to the point, not impressed at all by Peridot's practiced phrase. "You seemed a little, worried,"

The mechanic didn't want to look up, she could literally feel the hard glare being thrown at her. "…I don't even know if it's possible, your majesty. Our technology isn't very advanced and—"

"Peridot," The stern tone caused her to look up, she gulped. "When that coward told me about your excellent skills, I allowed you to stay in my palace in order for you to create amazing things. I thought you would be able to go above and beyond, but to be honest," Yellow Diamonds eyes narrowed down at the young teen, she shivered in the spot where she knelled before her Queen. "…if you can't get this done, then I really don't see what your purpose is,"

The young teen froze in her spot. Ruby's words from all those years ago echoed in her head; as long as she was there she wouldn't let anything happen to her.

But Ruby wasn't here anymore, she wasn't safe.

"…I understand," Peridot spoke, bowing once more before she rose at her full height. "I will work on it right away, your majesty,"

Yellow Diamond, always hard to impress, merely waved her hand lazily without looking at her. "You are dismissed,"

Peridot nodded and eagerly walked out of the meeting room, she shoved the large palace doors open just as quickly as she shut them. A heavy sigh escaped her mouth as she pressed her back against the gold doors, eyes shut as she tried to slow her rapidly beating heart.

"What has you so shaken up?" Jasper's husky question was answered with a loud squeal as the mechanic fell to the floor, she raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

Peridot looked up at the larger girl who was wearing her casual royal garments. A nice silk orange long sleeved shirts, gray baggy pants and those pointy stupid shoes Peridot hated that were mandatory at meetings. Her long wild hair was pulled behind her shoulders by a gold hair-band that matched the bracelet on her right hand.

"Don't scare me like that, Jasper!" She yelled at the princess who was lazily leaning on the opposite wall. "Why are you still here? Don't you and Lazuli have a date or something?" She got back up, not dusting herself off due to years of being used to the dirt.

Jasper frowned, muscular arms crossed over her chest. "That's none of your business, and my mother told me to make sure that you got back to your room safely,"

Peridot swallowed. "That really isn't necessary—"

"She insists," Jasper smirked, leading the way to the shorter girls' room without another word.

Peridot, not having much of a choice, followed.

"Okay, we're past the motion sensors," Ruby mumbled as they leaned against a large tree that was in range of one of the blind spots. "Peridot wasn't able to tell me much in the letter, because of the soldiers reading through them, so I have to assume that all the blind spots have been compromised."

Sapphire looked at the figure standing beside her in the dark, so close that their shoulders were brushing. "Then how are we going to get to the backyard?"

The backyard was the same place where Ruby had spent her entire childhood with her sister, Lapis, father and Peridot; that's where they would be meeting the mechanic. It was the hardest place to get to but it was the one place she knew her mother would never go, Yellow Diamond only goes there when she is entertaining guests but her mother hates having company around at night.

That used to be the place where Ruby would get all her training in after her father's passing.

"I know the guards pretty well to know that they're either dozing off or taking a break to gather some snacks from the kitchen," Ruby smiled softly, folding the map up and shoving it into her pocket. "When I was younger I would sneak into the yard to train and I would easily sneak by them,"

Sapphire blushed when a slightly larger hand pulled her away from the tree and led her towards the open dirt road. "…won't your mother know it's your favorite spot and if she's suspicious of Peridot that will be the first place she would look?" She mumbled, trying to not think about the hand still held within hers.

It was probably so they wouldn't lose each other in the dark.

Ruby scoffed. "My mother doesn't give a damn about me, I'd be surprised if she even remembered my name," She lowered her voice. "…she's probably forgotten all about me by now,"

"When you told us that story about you and Peridot," Sapphire began uncertainly. "When you were younger you defended her and called her your mother, you've been calling her Yellow Diamond around the rest of us ever since you got here. D-do you not see her as—"

The firebender sighed. "It's complicated, okay? You know, when your parent's do something you're upset with them but you always get over it because you're family and that's what happens. But with my family, we just keep throwing punches even when you're already down,"

"I've forgiven her for a lot of things when I was younger because no matter what, she was still my mother and I wanted to think she loved me." Ruby mumbled, keeping her eyes straight. "I think I get that from my father, no matter what Yellow Diamond did to him he always forgave her; he loved her so much and she didn't even go to his funeral," She snarled, earning a soft caress on the top of her hand by Sapphire's thumb.

She continued. "…after that I just stopped giving her excuses." Ruby let out a heavy sigh. "I grew closer with Jasper but our relationship fell apart when I beat her in that stupid duel, I didn't even want to fight. But Jasper said she'd never forgive me if I forfeited and made it seem like I gave her the win,"

"Your mother chose you after that," Sapphire said softly. "I know she wanted you to do awful things but didn't it feel good to have her favoring you like that?"

Ruby smiled weakly. "I won't lie, it felt amazing…but I couldn't help but think that if she could, she would do the same thing she did to my father and do it to me. Yellow Diamond is incapable of loving anyone but herself and once she's taken all that she can from you, she tosses you away. Once I figured that out, I stopped caring about how she saw me,"

Sapphire huffed. "B-but you had it all, riches a—"

"It doesn't matter," Ruby chuckled, stopping to look at the girl by summoning a very light flame in her free hand. "I got to meet Steven, Amethyst and Connie and Pearl may have taken a while but I wouldn't trade my friendship with them for anything. And I got to meet you, you're amazing Sapphire," She finished softly.

The waterbender blushed as she looked into the bright red eyes that shinned brightly under the dim flame.

Ruby grinned. "You've been such a good friend to me and our friendship will only grow stronger,"

"…" Sapphire's eyes fell to the flame, her heavy sighed caused the light to die out. "Come on, we shouldn't just stand here like this," She mumbled, pulling the girl along with her in the direction they had previously been going in.

Ruby gaped, as if she were about to say something before closing her mouth. "…okay?"

Peridot clenched her fists together nervously. "I thought you were taking me back to my room?"

"I wouldn't want to miss seeing my little sister again," Jasper announced, tossing the rest of the bread into the lake for the ducks to feast on; she stood back up and faced the shocked mechanic. "My mother figured that you would leave sooner or later but relax, she doesn't know that it's tonight,"

The younger teen frowned. "Y-you're letting me go?"

"She doesn't have much use for you anymore, you've proven to be incompetent in everything except this stupid security system," Jasper folded her arms. "We all know the only reason it worked was because Ruby designed most of it,"

A light flame shinned just above the fence in the courtyard, it was the signal; it was time to go.

"What do you want from me?" Peridot ground out.

Jasper snatched her by the shirt collar, dragging her towards the flame she saw her glance at. "I want you to lead me to my sister, I have a few words for her," She threatened, literally carrying the smaller girl by the neck as she easily tossed her over the fence.

When she heard the heavy thud on the other side, Jasper stealthily jumped over.

Ruby and Sapphire jumped back and began to gather their elements at the large thump.

"Hold your fire," Peridot squealed when she saw the fierce flame and threatening water whip. "It's just me, the great and loveable Peridot!" She waved her hands wildly and helped herself up.

Sapphire dropped her weapon and raised an eyebrow. "…she sure is full of herself," She whispered, already predicting many fights to come in the future with the presence of the newcomer. "Are you okay?" She asked louder.

"Yeah," Ruby smiled, remembering how happy she was to see her friend. "You weren't followed were you—" Another thump sounded to their left, she frowned. "Jasper…"

She hadn't seen her sister in four years.

The last time she saw her was at silent family dinners, right after she had beaten her in the duel. Jasper hadn't spoken to her much but the constant glare on her face answered her questions. Her sister hadn't changed much physically, her muscles were still defined, hair was wilder than ever and her eyes were just as fierce. The only difference had to be her sudden spike in height and the defined slimness of her face and cheekbones.

She looked just like their father.

Peridot swallowed, running to hide herself behind the other two benders. "I didn't know she would follow me here and it didn't even matter, she already knew that you were planning to sneak me out,"

"You're not taking her," Sapphire snarled with an anger that Ruby had never witnessed before. "Not without going through me," She stepped in front of the firebender protectively.

Jasper raised an eyebrow, and glanced to the slightly shocked Ruby before crossing her arms. "I don't care what you two do right now but in a few minutes those guards are going to wake up and I can't promise you that it'll be easier to get out of here. So," She took a step forward, smirking harder when Sapphire stood her ground. "I suggest you two leave while you can,"

"I have to speak with my sister for a second,"

Sapphire bit back. "Say it in front of us—"

"It's a family matter," Jasper spoke coldly. "…if I were you I'd take my offer before I make a scene and wake the whole palace up,"

Ruby grabbed a hold of Sapphire's hand, surprised when the waterbender pulled it away as if it burned; Sapphire turned to face her. "…I'm going to go back with Peridot, I don't want to leave you alone but I know you're going to tell me to leave anyway,"

"Thank you," Ruby smiled gratefully.

Sapphire gave a weak grin. "…just hurry back, you can't leave me with them,"

"I won't," Ruby snickered, glancing at her other friend. "Get her out of her safely and she'll lead you to the others,"

Peridot nodded, nervously looking at Jasper. "Okay, just hurry up."

Ruby gave them each a soft smile before they each headed back the way they had come. When their figures had completely disappeared in the darkness she turned back around to face her older sister, she was smirking.

"…what?"

"You've gotten so much taller since the last time I've seen you, you're still short but not as much as before," Jasper shrugged, leaning against the fence. "And I didn't know why before but now I do; I see why you left now,"

"What are you talking about?" Ruby huffed, easily falling back into their sisterly banter even after all those lost years.

Jasper smirked. "You have the most obvious crush on that waterbender, what's her name?"

"It's Sapphire and I don't have a crush on her," Ruby huffed as if it were the craziest thought in the world. "We're just really close friends,"

Her older sister laughed. "You look at her the same way you looked at Lapis when you were younger but a thousand times stronger. But you must have done something to make her upset, when you grabbed her hand she pulled away; what did you do?"

"I didn't do anything and we're not even involved that way, I don't," Ruby began, pausing. "…it's not like that," She said weaker than before, looking up angrily. "And even if it was why would you care about my relationship, last time I checked you hated me. You got what you wanted okay, you're next in line for Firelord, what else do you want from me?"

Jasper uncrossed her arms and looked away. "I didn't hate you, I guess I was just jealous about mom favoring you like that and I knew how much you wanted all of it. You wanted her love, you got that, and you even got dads love—"

"He loved you—" Ruby began.

"But not as much as he loved you," Jasper sighed. "I knew you'd make a great ruler, you still will, but I still won't give up. Not when I've come so far,"

Ruby clenched her fists. "…is there a point to all of this?"

"Come back,"

Ruby's face dropped and her fists fell loose. "What?"

"I want my sister back, it's so lonely here without you. Even though I'm all she has, mom hasn't changed, she still barely looks at me. Even after all I've done for her; killing off the airbenders, searching for the Avatar and so many more terrible things that I can't even speak of." Jasper looked her sister in the eyes. "Ruby, the things I've done to my soul—my heart, if I could take it out and look at it, I bet it would be black as coal…"

"The only time I feel remotely good about myself is whenever I'm with Lapis or thinking about how close you and I used to be before I got all power crazy,"

Ruby folded her arms, protecting herself emotionally. "Jasper, even if mom wanted me to come back, nothing would change. You and I would still be fighting for the title as Queen one day, I know you too well." She began. "It could only work if I was willing to let you walk all over me and we both know that's not going to happen again,"

"It wouldn't," Jasper literally begged, Ruby could see just how bloodshot her eyes were. "I've had so much time to think in these last four years without you, and I've realized that I was wrong. I messed up, and I'd be willing to change if you—"

"I don't want to kill anyone," Ruby announced, placing it all on the table. "I want to stop looking for the Avatar and leave him alone, he's here to help and right now you are the bad guys." She scoffed. "I don't know why I'm telling you all of this, I know nothing is going to change; mom probably doesn't even—"

Jasper interrupted her. "She misses you, she's just too stubborn to admit it. Our family dinners are quiet and I always catch her looking at your empty chair or running her finger across a picture of you in the family hall,"

"I thought she would have gotten rid of my pictures by now," Ruby joked, earning a laugh from her older sister. "…I've missed you too but I can't come back, I'm really becoming my own person with them. And of course I know what this means,"

Ruby took a step back. "…the next time we see each other won't be on good circumstances,"

"She'll forgive you, she told everyone that you're a traitor but she can easily spin the truth," Jasper tried again. "Just bring the Avatar to her an—"

Ruby shook her head with a dark laugh. "You really haven't changed…" She took another step back. "I really did miss you, before all the craziness happened we were pretty close and I felt like I could trust you with anything. I still kind of feel like that but—I made a promise to my friends,"

Jasper frowned. "But I'm your sister, we're family,"

"They've shown me how a real family should be, and they've taken me in as their own," Ruby smiled softly. "It took a while for them to trust me because Yellow Diamonds name follows me everywhere I go but somehow they all saw past that."

Jasper nodded weakly and also took a step back. "…I guess I can't change your mind, and that means we're back to being enemies."

"Back?" Ruby laughed softly. "Jasper, we've never stopped,"

She didn't know if they ever could.

"…I know," Jasper smiled lightly, crossing her arms behind her back. "I'm not happy about your choice but I'm proud of who you're becoming, father would be proud and I know mother is too but has a hard time showing it. She isn't happy about you leaving but she respects you having your own mind and living on your own,"

"I won't give up," Ruby declared. "I will become the Firelord and I will bring peace to all four nations again, but this time with the Avatar on my side,"

"You dream too big sis," Jasper shook her head. "But still, no matter what happens tomorrow just remember I love you and we'll always be sisters."

Ruby nodded. "I love you too, loser,"

"Whatever," Jasper chuckled. "Just get out of here, the guards should be waking up really soon and I can't promise to cash in my good sister card if that happens,"

"Right," Ruby turned around and mumbled over her shoulder. "I'll see you,"

Jasper waved weakly, watching her sister once again walk out of her life. "See you on the battlefield,"

Pearl swallowed, speaking out in the silence. "It's been fifteen minutes guys, she told us—"

"I don't care what she told us, we're not leaving her," Sapphire snapped, in a very out of character way. "Jasper didn't seem like she wanted to hurt her, she just wanted to talk,"

Peridot nodded from beside the only person she thought was sane. "I'm not going anywhere with you clods until I know Ruby is safe, I owe her that much,"

Amethyst rolled her eyes. "I thought once you got on our side that you would stop calling us that,"

"I speak the truth," Peridot growled.

Connie perked up. "Did you guys hear—"

"You're on our turf now," Pearl snapped. "And as long as you're with us, you're going to respect—"

Peridot quirked an eyebrow. "I'm not going to respect anyone of you traitors until I make sure my bestfriend is—"

"She's right there!" Connie whisper shouted, holding out a hand and grinning when another larger one took the offer. "I got you Ruby,"

Sapphire grabbed the firebenders other hand and helped pull her into the saddle. "We got her, let's get out of here Steven,"

"Yes Sifu Sapphire," The Avatar grinned, whipping the reins on Lion and gripping tightly when he took off abruptly.

The force of Lion soaring into the sky caused them all to get knocked towards the walls in the saddle. Somehow Ruby found herself halfway on top of Sapphire; it was similar to the same way they had first met in the market when the firebender was on the run.

"Hey," Ruby flushed, suddenly thinking back to what Jasper had accused her of.

You have the most obvious crush on that waterbender…

Sapphire unconsciously licked her lips, admiring the other girls' darkened cheeks. "…you came back; I knew you wouldn't leave me alone with them,"

"Of course I came back, you're my—" Ruby paused, swallowing thickly as her heart sped up and her arms grew shaky; Sapphire's bangs had been knocked to the side so her wonderfully bright blue eyes had become visible. "…you're so beautiful," She whispered impulsively.

Sapphire's eyes widened.

Ruby cursed under her breath and quickly got off the waterbender and moved over to give her room. "I'm so sorry, I didn't—"

"It's fine," Sapphire said calmly, fixing her bangs and looking around; luckily it was still pretty dark out and the others seemed too busy apologizing to Peridot. "…your face is so red," She laughed softly, hesitantly placing her left hand on top of the other girl's right one.

Just a few minutes ago, she was so settled on finding a way to move on. It was scary just how easy Ruby could change her mind; how she could make her so unsure and yet so confident that she was making the right decision.

Ruby, face hotter than ever, leaned in closer so their shoulders were touching. "…I can't stop it,"

"Neither can I," Sapphire whispered.

I know, finally some progress in their relationship. All it took was her sister to snap some sense into her.

Anyway, I hope you guys liked this as much as I liked writing it. Please review and tell me what you think about it. Next chapter might not be as long, this sort of just happened. Next time they'll be getting some stuff ready for the crazy battle that's about to happen.

See you next time.