The Firebender

Chapter 20: Reunited

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.

September 13, 1245

It's official, Lapis Lazuli is in the building. Or should I say, camp? It doesn't matter, just know that I found her at the market place in the firenation central and after we exchanged hello's I led her back to Ruby. It was risky but I did it because, after everything that Ruby has told us, Lapis is a pretty good friend and they have a lot of history together.

It was a little weird at first, bringing her to the secret camp filled of the people who she's about to go to war with soon, but after bringing Peridot I don't think anything could compare. Except maybe bringing Yellow Diamond herself (I just got some crazy chills) but we know that won't happen.

Lapis didn't really talk to anyone besides Ruby and I, which is understandable. I guess they wouldn't want to become best friends with her and then have to beat her up in a battle, or even worse. So it's better if we don't get too attached to the idea of her hanging around.

When we got to the camp they were shocked but once Ruby explained how she would only be here for a day they understood. Pearl didn't speak to her, Steven gave her a welcoming smile, Amethyst waved lazily, Peridot rolled her eyes but gave her a hug none the less and Sapphire…I haven't really seen her since the arrival. She kind of vanished when we returned.

With Ruby spending all of her time with Lapis I guess she's bored and must be spending her time practicing her waterbending. Maybe she's a little jealous? But that's crazy, Lapis is with Jasper and Ruby would be too oblivious to notice Lapis fancying her; she doesn't even know that Sapphire likes her!

It doesn't matter, but I should get going. This new sword isn't going to test itself out.

Connie closed her journal with a bright grin and shoved it into her bag that was resting against the tree. "Alright, let's do this!"

Steven can't help but smile just as bright, his eyes sparkling. "Whoah, Ruby didn't tell me that it looked this amazing! I'm kind of jealous," He admits, picking up a plain silver sword to battle against her with.

"What," Connie's stance falls and her arm that holds the pink weapon staggers. "But you're the avatar, master of all elements and destined to save the world! What could you be jealous of me about?"

Steven dropped the sword before also falling to the ground, he looked up at the bright sky; it was halfway into the afternoon. "…it was too much back then and it's too much now," His usually happy expression was replaced with a conflicted look, it appeared like he had been holding it in for a while.

"Steven," Connie sighed, sitting Indian style beside him. "We've talked about this; you can't keep bottling things inside; not with me at least." She glanced away and glared at the ground to her left. "I thought you trusted me more than that, I've told you things that I've never told anyone else; you read my journal!"

The thirteen-year-old shot up, face set aflame. "And I've apologized, I'm so sorry." He squealed, face set aflame and beads of sweat trickling down his brow.

"But you don't get it," Connie bit her lower lip and tried to find the right words for what she was trying to express. "I was upset but it didn't bother me as much as it should have, like; if it were Amethyst reading my journal I would probably never talk to her again but somehow, you make it okay. You're the only exception."

Steven huffed. "Just because I'm the avatar doesn't make it okay,"

"But you're Steven, one of my best friends who I know would never betray my trust on purpose or knowingly," Connie reached out and placed a comforting hand on his, smiling. "That's why it's okay."

The younger boy was numb to her hand and couldn't keep his brows from furrowing, so much that his pink arrow that sat proudly on his forehead wrinkled. "…everyone thinks that just because I'm the avatar that I can get away with everything." He began, light brown eyes locked on the formless clouds drifting by. "I ran away and hid like a coward, causing this hundred year war that I could have stopped if I were brave enough, but no one yells at me; they just throw me stupid parades and ask for my autograph."

"The firelord may want my head on a stick, but at least she is being open and honest with her viewpoint of me," Steven admitted.

Connie's hand tightened over his, the burning sensation of a small tear falling onto his left thumb finally allowed him to notice her gesture; when he looked up there were more tears threatening to break loose. "…Connie," His weak voice husked out, he hesitated to reach forward and stopped at the last moment.

"It's okay if you were scared, any other twelve-year-old in your situation would have probably done the same thing Steven. They were asking a lot from you," She said softly. "But you're here now—"

Steven used his other hand to clutch a few strands of grass, tugging hard. "If I were there when I was supposed to then all of my people would be alive and maybe there would be peace now," His lower lip quivered. "Then Amethyst would have gotten to stay with her parents instead of me stealing her away, Pearl would be with her true family instead of having to hide around, Ruby's father might still be alive and…you and Sapphire would still be home with your family. But instead, I took away all of your happy endings."

"…but then we never would have met," Connie whispered, refusing to remove her hand. "We wouldn't have become friends and I wouldn't have wanted to become a swordsmen, if I would have stayed home then I would probably be cooking and cleaning; but here, traveling with you, I'm actually finding myself and learning about things I never knew I could do,"

Steven looked at her in awe. "How can you say that when I took you away from your family, I forced you to take my side and made your people turn their backs on you—"

"You didn't force me to do anything Steven, I chose to follow you," Connie stressed. "I saw in you the power to change the world and make things right again. You may not have been there before but everything happens for a reason and…I'd like to believe that you and I met for a purpose. Not just me," She added when his stare became too intimate, her gaze wavered. "You've helped all of us along the way,"

She continued, her gaze still on the ground. "We all know that Amethyst didn't want to be locked up like a defenseless princess, Pearl's soul purpose was to help you but you've allowed her to have an identity of her own, Sapphire never would have become the master she is today if we hadn't traveled to all those places and faught all those people, Peridot was about to be executed—"

"But I didn't rescue Peridot, it wasn't even my idea," Steven explained, not wanting to take credit. "That was Ruby's idea,"

Connie grinned, her eyes sparkling as she finally met his. "Ruby, you believed in her when none of us would. You saw something good inside of her and accepted her with open arms and now look at all the things she is doing for our team; recruiting Peridot to build weapons, helping Sapphire cope with problems from the past, giving Pearl a keepsake from her family, helping you become an amazing firebender and keeping Amethyst out of our hairs,"

They shared a short laugh.

"Steven," Connie sighed, a small smile on her lips. "We're all following you for a reason, we believe in you! We don't care about the mistakes of the past, you've overlooked ours so we will do the same, we just need you to believe in yourself; we can't do this without you,"

The avatar felt his stomach flutter with new found courage. "You're right, I need to stop thinking about the past and move forward. I'm going to train until I'm ready to take Yellow Diamond on," Steven grinned his boyish grin. "We'll win this fight, together,"

Connie felt her stomach flutter for a different reason that she couldn't put her finger on. It had been happening a lot lately; the jittery feeling she felt whenever she grabbed his hand, or when their eyes would meet automatically after one of Amethyst's shenanigans, and the warm feeling she'd get when he always chose to sit beside her during dinner and when their shoulders brushed throughout.

She wasn't a stranger to attraction, she knew what it was; Sapphire's attraction to Ruby blinded her every day. But just like her cousin, she didn't want to act on it for obvious reasons.

Steven had a lot on his plate as it was, she didn't want to add to the flame with her teenage feelings that could disappear at any moment. She didn't want to lead him, or herself, on.

So, with a brave smile, she nodded. "Yeah, together."

All the while, ignoring the butterflies in her stomach as he nudged her shoulder playfully.

"She misses me that much?" Ruby laughed nervously at the thought of Jasper sulking around the palace groaning about her missing half who she was about to go to war with soon. "She told me that when we spoke but I didn't know if she meant it, Jasper's never been good at showing her emotions unless it was some trick,"

Lapis snickered, leaning her head comfortably on the shorter girls' broad right shoulder. "Yeah, like that time she tricked you into taking the blame for the broken vase…but she's different now, I promise," She giggled at the grunt her best friend supplied her with. "All those years of you being gone has given her time to think and grow,"

"You've grown too," Lapis admitted, looking up at the shorter girl with curious blue eyes. "…well not height wise, but—"

Ruby rolled her eyes, her arms crossing even tighter at her chest; causing her friend to adjust to the movement before placing her head back. "Ha, ha, you're just as funny as when you were a child," Her comment was weak of any true insult, letting Lapis know that she hadn't offended her; if that weren't enough the small grin on her face was enough proof.

Not too soon after returning to the camp, she led Lapis out to the court yard where she and Steven would train. She had given him the day off, for obvious reasons, and had found a nice place on the stone steps where the sun provided them with warmth. They had been talking about random things from their childhood, neither of them having the strength to bring up serious issues that floated around them.

Ruby had mentioned a particularly funny memory, causing Lapis to break into giggles and lean heavily on her right side. Instead of moving away, the waterbender had decided to rest her head on her friends shoulder like old times. It reminded them of those late nights after playing in the yard, long after Peridot had to leave and Jasper had gotten sick of Lapis and Ruby teasing her. It only left them to lean against each other on the tree and watch the turtle ducks swim in the lake.

Ruby's father carried his daughter in his arms and softly awoke the young waterbender to tell her that it was time for her to go home.

"I'm serious though," Lapis finally got off the younger teen and leaned into her knees, looking like a child again. "You're part of the avatars group and you're teaching him firebending, you're going to be a legend."

Ruby shrugged, rolling her shoulder that had become numb due to her friends weight. "I don't care about fame, Steven just believed in me when no one else would and he gave me a chance; they all have, even with my past, they're letting me be myself here,"

"…if you stayed," Ruby began, her red eyes glancing at the taller teen slowly.

Lapis shook her head. "You know I'm in way too deep now, even if I wanted to leave. I don't, well, I don't want to leave Jasper at least; she takes care of me."

"I know," Ruby grinned. "She has always adored you, that's why I'm not worried about you because I know she'll protect you. But Peridot didn't have the same luxury, I had to get her out of there,"

The short haired waterbender nodded. "I'm glad you did, she was annoying us at the palace," She teased, earning a chuckle from the shorter woman. "…so, where's your girlfriend?"

Ruby blushed, her eyes darting around nervously. "Keep your voice down, we haven't told the others anything yet,"

"Why the hell not!" Lapis slapped her friend on the arm, causing her to flinch. "She's gorgeous, why wouldn't you want to show her off!"

The curly haired girl certainly did not miss Lapis's hits. "There is too much going on right now and we don't want to distract everybody, plus I don't need Amethyst teasing me about how oblivious I've been," She definitely was not looking forward to that.

Lapis nodded in agreement. "I guess that's a good idea, but after all of this craziness is over?"

"…what do you want the outcome to be," Ruby asked, playing with her fingers nervously. "I know that I want Steven to stop my mother and bring peace to the world again, and then I'll take the thrown again and be the type of leader that they need—"

Lapis smiled honestly. "And you'll be a great one, I'm sure,"

"But, do you want Yellow Diamond to win?" Ruby was almost afraid to ask. "Or are you just stuck between a rock and a hard place?"

The waterbender bit her lower lip and for the first time since her arrival, she was quiet. "…I, do want to support Jasper and her dreams to be ruler but, I know she won't do as good of a job as you would. You're compassionate and you've struggled, Jasper has had everything handed to her and she doesn't know the people like you do. I know that you guys are going to win but I still have to stand by her, you understand?"

"I do," Ruby huffed, leaning back on her elbows as she looked back over at her friend lazily. "Do you ever get to practice waterbending?"

Lapis, used to having to keep her secret hidden stiffened before she realized they were far from the kingdom. "Are you crazy, I haven't done anything since the day in the hallway with the flag. Your mother is starting to get suspicious, I think she even knows I went to see you and she let me for some reason."

"She won't follow you," Ruby mumbled impassively. "I'm not important enough for her to look for,"

The older girl sighed. "Ruby,"

"It's fine Lapis, really, I've accepted that she's never going to care about anyone but herself," Ruby smiled softly. "My father may not have been around long but he was there long enough to allow some good inside of me before Yellow Diamond could darken me. I'm not defined by her, I get to choose my destiny,"

Lapis sat silent, taking in the words of advice.

"Anyway, about the waterbending," Ruby began.

"I told you," Lapis huffed, confused as to why the other woman kept bringing it up. "I don't practice,"

Ruby's grin was bright, a certain glint shinning in her red eyes. "Do you want to?"

The older girl stiffened, looking her excited friend up and down. "What do you mean?"

"Sapphire could teach you the basics, I'm sure she would be happy to," Ruby jumped up to her feet, holding her hand out and hefting Lapis off the ground with effortless strength. "I think around this time if we aren't together she's practicing by the lake," She mumbled in thought.

Lapis scratched the back of her neck. "I don't know, wouldn't it be a little awkward? My foe teaching me her moves? I'd already know what she was going to do before she did it, it would be unfair!"

"First of all, if you waterbend in the firenation, which is where I'm sure we'll be fighting, then your team will turn on you so you can't even bend no matter what," Ruby crossed her arms with a dreamy smile. "And Sapphire is the queen of knowing what others do before they do it, and I don't think you can top her in that area. So, come on," She turned around without waiting for an answer and began jogging towards the woods.

Lapis huffed, running to follow her friend. "Ruby, slow down!"

Sapphire let out a heavy sigh, she dropped the stream of water she had been mindlessly bending to glare at Amethyst; her long bangs made her look uninterested. "No, it is not awkward,"

"But Ruby totally just brought her old best friend here and now she's hanging out with her instead of you!" Amethyst explained for the third time from where she sat on a high rock, looking down at the long haired girl. "Aren't you like super jealous?" She asked, stretching out the word super like a ten-year-old.

Pearl, leaning on the rock, scoffed. "Sapphire has no reason to be jealous, Lapis isn't even staying too long and she'll be out of our hair in no time."

"Ruby is not obligated to spend all of her time with me," Sapphire began in her monotone voice, catching the eye rolling from Amethyst. "If she wants to spend some time with her old friend then I'm not going to stop her,"

Amethyst raised an eyebrow. "You're like the only person who didn't greet Lapis, I didn't even see you when you guys returned! Where did you go? Crying into the woods?" She joked.

"I did not go crying," Sapphire almost snapped, but not wanting Amethyst (of all people) to get the best of her. "I just needed to give them some space, and I'd rather not get too friendly with a future enemy,"

Pearl nodded. "That's true,"

"I guess," Amethyst finally gave up trying to get information, much to Sapphire's pleasure. "We shouldn't probably stay away then, it would make things hard if we got too attached."

Before they could continue, a loud wail echoed from behind them. "Sapph, Sapphire, I need a huge favor from you!" The firebender grinned as she came to a stop in front of her secret girlfriend.

Sapphire couldn't stop the smile from rising on her face, only for it to lessen when Lapis creeped in behind the curly haired girl; she looked nervous. "…what can I do for you?" She asked with hesitance.

"I need you to teach Lapis some waterbending," Ruby said casually, an easy grin on her face as she pointed her thumb in Lapis's direction.

Sapphire stared at her girlfriend shocked, had she heard correctly? "…uhm,"

"Man," Amethyst snickered, leaning on her knees to get a closer look. "This is going to be good!" She whispered to the slim airbender.

Pearl couldn't help but nod in agreement. "I'll get the fire flakes."

Sorry for not updating in a while but, college life and all. I'm adjusting well, and I'm thinking about writing a story about it but it won't be up until late summer or so. For Halloween I have this short fic that I want to post but we'll see.

Thanks for reading and sorry for the wait but I'm trying. I'll try updating Going the Distance because I've got a few reviews asking for that one but it will have to wait becasue those chapters are usually pretty long.

See you guys next chapter.