16. Avatar(200)
Monk Gyatso watched the toddler dig through mounds of toys. Is this it? he wondered, as Aang selected something from the pile.
"The clay turtle," one of the other monks whispered. "The earth relic."
"Keep watching. We have to be certain."
Silence fell as the toddler moved to another section of the pile. Aang pulled a miniature propeller from a stack of similar toys, lips stretching into a smile as he did so. The air relic, Gyatso thought, eyes narrowing. Have we found the Avatar?
The boy wandered around the room for a while, then stooped down to pick up the wooden monkey of the Fire Nation. Gyatso exchanged a glance with his peers, raising his eyebrows. One of the monks nodded back to him.
Just one more, he thought, breathing deeply to contain his excitement. He could see the wooden hand drum just a few meters to Aang's left. This will decide it.
The young airbender strolled past the relic, paused, then turned around, as if being directed by some spiritual force. Then he stooped down and picked up the water tribe relic.
Monk Gyatso let out a breath. "I will tell the council. The Avatar has been found."
17. Lightning
A soft knock pulled Zuko's attention from the scroll he'd been reading. Thunder crashed as he answered.
Azula stood outside his room.
"What's wrong?"
She shuffled anxiously. "Lightning."
"You're scared?"
Azula nodded. Pity welled up in Zuko's stomach; he'd been afraid of lightning once. "Don't be scared. Master firebenders can create lightning, you know."
Azula frowned, dubious. "Zu-zu, can I stay here?"
He sighed, opening his door wider. "Sure."
Azula hurried to his bed and dove under the covers. He laid down next to her, face-up. "Better?"
She curled up against his side, throwing an arm over his torso. "Better."
18. Choice
Kanna stood at the edge of the docks, watching the sun rise over the waves. In her hands sat the pendant Pakku had given her the day when the match had become official. "Sorry, Pakku," she whispered.
Perhaps, in time, she could've grown to love him. But this wasn't about love.
She'd paid one of the bait boys to give Pakku the news. She expected him to visit her again this morning. She wanted to tell him herself, but doing so would jeopardize her chances of escape.
Marriage wasn't just a matter of love. Kanna wanted to choose her destiny.