The Firebender

Chapter 22: Past Lives

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 16, 1245

Lapis left about a day ago, and Steven, as well as the rest of us, agreed that it would be best if we attacked right away while Jasper is out of the way. Lapis told us herself, she left to visit Ruby while Jasper was out of town for a few days; so, Lapis a day ago, we can probably plan a sneak attack while their defenses are weak. Without their strongest warrior, we might have a standing chance.

Pearl didn't like the risk, but what other plans do we honestly have? The plan to attack during the day of black sun was crushed long before Steven even truly learned to firebend. And this way, if we attack tomorrow, there may be a chance that Lapis still hasn't arrived and we can avoid fighting her.

We've all trained for this moment, and the weapons Peridot have created are as ready as they'll ever be. We're going to really surprise the firenation with the things she made, and getting in will be a breeze since Ruby still knows about the best nooks and crannies for us to go through. Amethyst thinks it's our best bet, and I'm starting to think it is too. Maybe attacking spontaneously is the best option, it is what we're best known for.

My only worry is Steven. Ruby says he has improved his firebending, but I can tell by the look in her eyes that she's worried he won't be strong enough to beat her mother. I mean he's strong, the best bender in the world (although being the avatar helps), but he doesn't have the strength to stoop to her level. Knowing her, she'll do anything to beat him in a battle; even death.

But if Steven is anything, it's not a murderer. But honestly, after everything Yellow Diamond has done and is planning to do, I think it's the only option for her.

And if Steven can't be strong enough to do it, then who can be?

Connie closed her journal softly and packed it into her bookbag with the rest of her things. Pearl told everyone to pack up all their belongings they would need for the battle tomorrow. She doesn't need her journal for the fight, but if she ever gets a chance to write about what's going on she's going to take it. She could wait until after the fight, but it's always fresh in her mind when she does it right after something has happened.

Besides, she wants everyone to know about all the great things she and the others have gone through. Maybe instead of those terrible history books, they can read her journal as reference to learn about the time of Avatar Steven and all of the amazing journeys he and his friends have gone on.

"Connie, come on, are you finished in here?" The tight lipped question came from Pearl who was standing outside her door with an unexplainable expression on her face. "We're packing our bags on Lion in the courtyard now, we plan on leaving as soon as the sun falls so we can get there first thing in the morning," She announced, not bothering to ask permission as she grabbed the only bag on Connie's bed and walked out of the room.

The fifteen year old jumped off her bed and made to follow the strangely calm airbender. Her steps paused right as she exited the room, chancing a glance over her shoulder at the now vacant room. Void of her belongings, it appears empty and cold unlike the warm home feeling she once felt when she resided there in the last few months.

This room, much like her journal, has been with her during all of her emotional outbursts. It became a place for her to find shelter from the storm outside; her home away from the water tribe.

"…thank you," Connie whispered softly as she closed the door silently. "For everything," Her hand graced the smoothed wooden surface of the black door before she turned on her heel and jogged to Pearl who reached the door leading outside.

Pearl made a beeline to Lion, the pink animal stretched to his full size was lazily licking at his toes. Amethyst sat atop, probably sneaking some snacks along for the sure to be long ride to the firenation. Sapphire was jumping down from the beast, as she finished getting all of her items settled.

Her cousin smiled softly at her, running a hand through Connie's thick waves and pulling her into a side hug. "Hey, how are you?"

Despite them being basically sisters and leaving the south together, she and Sapphire never spent a lot of time together after the others started filling out spaces; especially when Ruby came to join. "…fine," Connie settled, skipping over all of the things she wanted to tell her cousin.

Things like how she was so proud of how far she has come in her waterbending and for being a sister figure for her all of these years despite what she has gone through. For being strong when Connie was weak, and protecting her the best of her ability. Teaching her not to judge people based on their past by helping her learn to find forgiveness for Ruby.

Sapphire must have seen the admiring gaze in her eyes because she nodded to show she understood, placing a soft kiss on Connie's forehead; her plump lips tickling her skin. "Good," Sapphire always had a way of understanding her, even when her words were limited or mute. "I'm good too," Sapphire said, using their covert language. "How about you go feed Lion for the long ride, I'm going to help Peridot get the gadgets on board,"

Peridot growled, looking up from where she was carrying a suspicious brown box that Connie hoped were cool things for her to use during battle. "They are not gadgets, they are weapons designed to help everyone one of you improve on what little skills you have,"

Amethyst glared down at the shorter girl from where she sat on Lion. "Watch it Peri," Aside from the threat, she helped lug the box on the beast. "Are these for me? Or should I stash them wherever,"

"Those," Peridot took a much-needed breath before continuing. "…are for Connie. Just some bender proof clothes for her to wear if she gets too close to the fire or ice at some point. They monitor her body temperature as well, so if it's too hot or cold it will adjust for her," She continued. "And there are some gloves in there, I noticed that her sword sometimes marks her hands so I—"

Amethyst groaned, pushing the box aside, bored. "Right, so it goes anywhere, got it."

Connie pouted as Peridot shook her head and walked over to the non-bender. "Ignore her, she's upset she doesn't have nearly as much as you have,"

"…that's because I'm not a soft non-bender who needs fancy gloves to protect my hands, I embrace the battle scars," Amethyst muttered under her breath.

Pearl dropped Connie's bag loudly beside the earthbender, a death glare pointed to Amethyst. "It's our last hours together before the ambush and you want to pick a fight with the ones who will be watching your back tomorrow?"

"…sorry," Amethyst muttered, falling on her back to look up at the sky. "I'll be good and save the smart talk for those fire nation dorks tomorrow,"

Pearl nodded. "Good, now help us grab the weapons with Peridot so we can have them strapped and ready to go,"

"Ugh, why can't Ruby or Steven help?" Amethyst looked around, jumping down from Lion with a frown. "Where are they anyway?"

Sapphire motioned for them all to follow behind Peridot to the weapons. "Ruby's giving him a final pep talk about what to expect from Yellow Diamond, avatar stuff. Let's just make sure everything is taken care of so they don't have to worry about anything later," She said, breezing over the subject as if it weren't important.

Connie opened her mouth to question where they were but was stopped by Amethyst dragging her by the arm. "Come on, you can see your boyfriend later—"

"He's not—" Connie closed her lips and took a deep breath through her nose, face flushed. "…whatever, let's just get the stuff on board," She muttered under her breath; she was used to the earthbenders teasing.

Besides, once tomorrow came she had a feeling Amethyst won't be teasing anyone. So, for now she'll take the abuse, just this once.

The nonbender stuck her tongue out at the chubby girl walking beside her. "You're just mad my weapons are cooler than yours!"

"As if," Was Amethyst's response, a soft smirk peeking in the corner of her lips.

The wind whipped around wildly in the selected spot where Ruby and Steven stood across from each other in the woods; just a few minutes away from the temple. The sky was getting darker as the sun prepared to set. They had been gone longer than Ruby had anticipated and she worried the others would come looking for them soon.

If only she could convince the avatar to leave from his hiding spot.

"I'm not hiding," Steven said when Ruby first found him two hours ago; his knees were tucked into his chest as he leaned against a mossy tree. "…just thinking. I was trying to get in contact with some of my past lives to get some advice about fighting the firelord."

Ruby had nodded her head, eyes narrowed as the sun hit her gaze causing her to step into the shade beside the boy; they were shoulder to shoulder as she slid down beside him. "…did they give any good advice?" She questioned, closing her eyes to take in the nice breeze and the sound of the animals running about.

They were seeking shelter from the storm that would surely come.

Steven bit his lip in anguish. "They all gave their own personal experiences where they had to…kill…they had to kill someone who was—"

"Like Yellow Diamond?" Ruby said, eyes still closed.

Steven nodded, glaring at the ground below him. "…Greg told me I would find a way to do it where I would be comfortable but I'm starting to think there isn't another way to stop her." His bloodshot eyes turned to his firebending teacher who had opened her eyes, she looked at him for the first time; really examined him.

His curls were messier than usual, and there were dark bags under his heavy eyes. The gleam in his brown irises had gone dim. Innocence lost by the weight of the world he's forced to lift on his shoulders.

"I can't kill anyone, Ruby," Steven whispered, broken.

Ruby narrowed her eyes, disapproving the weakness the avatar gave off at the moment; she trained him to be strong, not weak. "If you show anything but strength and authority when you face Yellow Diamond, she will not think twice before taking your life Steven. You have to be strong—"

"Well I can't!" He growled, standing up from his spot with a stumble. "I couldn't do it a hundred years ago and I can't do it now! Killing isn't going to solve this problem, it will only lead to more death, but it's the only option I can think of!" He shook his head, the look in his eyes displaying how much his inner daemons have been torturing him.

Following him, even from his past lives and transforming; growing stronger.

He looked down at the mute teen. "…I spoke with all the past avatars. Greg told me about a time he accidentally killed a dictator who was threatening a family of earthbenders who were powerless. He saved the family but the economics of it all caused people to lash out, a revolution, anarchy where people killed for no reason. A death for more death," He muttered hauntingly, recalling the images Greg had shown him.

Ruby licked her lips. "But it was for a good reason,"

"Lars, the fifth firebender," Steven continued, ignoring her. "Told me about a time he let a serial killer live and sentenced him to life in prison instead of death." He scoffed. "He broke out three days later and went on the biggest killing spree in history, and Lars ended his life after hunting him down for months. He tried to do the moral thing, in his eyes, but everyone blamed him for being foolish."

Steven shook his head, grabbing his chest as he caught his breath after being pulled from the memory. "…it wasn't your fault, you did your best," He tried to get out in between takes of air, looking up at the past avatar who sat across him on a bolder.

The fifth avatar, known for his many mistakes and acts in trying to redeem himself, smiled sadly. "No, it was my own fault," The man, in his late twenties, had a firenation mohawk atop his head. "Even when I first discovered I was the avatar, I didn't take the position seriously. I spent most of my time chasing woman, riches, and doing anything but my duties to maintain balance."

"Therefore, balance was lost and another villain came from the shadows. After seeing how badly the families were affected by his murders, I decided I was the only one who could stop it. I didn't believe in death, so when I finally caught him I sentenced him to life in prison," Lars sighed. "If I would have been responsible from the beginning, then I could have maintained the peace and he wouldn't have killed anyone,"

The present avatar frowned. "If it wouldn't have been him, then another would have took his place. You can't blame yourself for that, you made mistakes but in the end you did what you thought was right,"

Lars frowned. "Look where my mistakes got me. Dead before I could even raise a family or—" He stopped his rant and scoffed. "…centuries later and I'm still selfish, I still don't get it. I only care about myself," He whispered, looking up to Steven with a gleam in his eyes. "You left the world once, just like we all have but you can't help wanting to run; it's in your blood, habits from your ancestors, but you have to end it here,"

Lars paused to look at Steven once more. "You asked me what to do against Yellow Diamond?"

Steven nodded, eyes hopeful and breath taken away by the heavy burden. He knew what the answer would be, but he wasn't prepared to hear it.

"Do what I should have done the first time," Lars said firmly, eyes hard. "Stop the pain and suffering that she will cause in the future and bring balance to the world once more."

"Kill her,"

Ruby swallowed at the explicit demand from Avatar Laramie. "…there has to be another way,"

"Kiki, a waterbender who preached about peace, was turned on by her own people when she tried to bring the nations together," Steven shook his head in disgust. "Despite what they did to her, banishing her from her only home, she still told me to spare Yellow Diamond."

Steven sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I appreciate their advice, I really do, but I really want to know what she would say. She's the one who actually knows about the Diamond family tree, before the war," He mumbled, kicking a rock into a puddle.

Ruby raised an eyebrow. "Rose Quartz?" She mumbled, a flash of pink came to her mind; deep within her memory bank. "…she knew my mother?" It was the first time in weeks Ruby had referred to Yellow Diamond as such.

"Mhm," Steven nodded, an odd look in his eyes. "Didn't you know, or learn about it from your father?" He scratched the back of his neck. "They were sort of close friends, not the best, but they respected each other. Yellow Diamond actually helped teach Rose most of her firebending moves when they were teens,"

Ruby stood up, eyes wide. "Seriously," She nodded her head to motion towards his pink arrows scattered across his body. "Then why don't you get glowed up and talk to her,"

"It's not that easy," Steven scoffed. "I don't know why, but I've never been able to get in contact with her. Everyone else is fine, but not her," He bit his lower lip. "I don't know why, and she's the only one who will be able to influence my decision," Steven looked up at Ruby, sheepish. "…and you,"

The firebender almost choked on her own spit. "E-excuse me?"

"You, you know her!" Steven grabbed her hand when Ruby tried walking away. "She raised you and deep down you know you're the only one who knows what's best for her. The only person who can—"

Ruby shook her head, trying to escape the avatars surprisingly strong grasp. "Are you—I can't do that Steven," She whispered, haunted.

"Yes, you can," Steven tightened his grip, eyes fierce, as his arrows began to glow a bright pink. "Because I'm not strong enough, it has to be you, you have to make the decision Ruby. I'm not prepared to face her, you're a better firebender than I am and you know what she deserves,"

Ruby was speechless as the avatar began to shine, his eyes the only indication that he wasn't in the avatar state. "…S-steven," She stammered, wincing as the hand on her arm began heating up against her skin to a low boil.

He either ignored her or didn't hear her over his arguing. "She is your daemon, she always has been. You're the only one who can stop her, and you know it!" Steven shouted, eyes glowing pink initializing the point of no return as the wind began to blow around rapidly.

Ruby tried her best to rip her arm, almost from its socket, away from his hot grasp. "Steven, snap out of it!"

A pink, almost blinding light, made her close her eyes. Heat, unbearable, prickled against her skin as her vision blacked.

"Steven!" Ruby shouted, eyes opening as she awoke from her passed out state. "…Steven, hey," She crawled into a stumbling walk over to his body, the avatar was laid out in the same spot she had found him against the tree; eyes pink, and arrows still shinning bright. "Hey—ahh!"

Ruby squealed as the hand reaching out to touch the avatar went right through his body, causing her to fall forward on her knees. She held a hand to her chest, panicked, as she waved her hand in and out of the holographic body of Steven.

"Wh-what's going on? Where am I?" Ruby questioned, looking at her body that hummed with a blue glow; everything else around her was the same.

Aside from her not being able to reach Steven.

She swallowed, looking to the right where she felt something drawing her near. "…am I supposed to follow the light or not?" Ruby mumbled, looking at the dim white light omitting from the distance.

A soft, feminine, chuckle blessed her ears. "Usually you're supposed to avoid the light, but in this case I have a feeling you'll want to see what I have to show you,"

Ruby froze in her spot, bright eyes widening at the majestic figure before her. "R-rose Quartz?" She stuttered for the seventh time today, heart racing; she contemplated moving towards her or away. "Why am I here…" She whispered.

Why was she in the spirit world? How was she in the spirit world? As a matter of fact, how was she even communicating with a past avatar in the first place?

Rose cocked her head, thick pink curls tumbling to the side perfectly; Ruby felt herself flushed in the presence of such beauty and grace. Like she shouldn't be the one talking to one of the greatest avatars of all time.

"Well," Rose smiled carelessly, shrugging. "You asked to see,"

Ruby frowned. "See what?"

Rose's giggle wasn't like anything she had ever heard. "You asked to know more about my relationship with your mother, so I'm going to show you," She said as if it were obvious.

"B-but, Steven has been trying to get in contact with you for months!" Ruby frowned, finding herself loyal to the child who has always had her back. "Why are you showing me old memories when you should be helping Steven prepare to face her?"

Rose's face wore a look of sorrow, her smile remorseful. "Because," She licked her lips, looking away from the confused firebender and focused on the light in the distance.

"You're the one who has to stop her,"

Sorry for not writing in a while but I hope this makes up for it. Next chapter will go into depth about Yellow Diamond and Rose Quartz past. Please review and let me know what you guys think about this chapter.

I'll try updating my other stories if I have time, but thanks for reading and I'll see you guys soon. Also, much love to those who have been checking in to see if I'm doing okay; I am! But it means a lot that you guys care about my stories that much.