The Legacy of the Headband
A/N: Thank you everyone for favoring and reviewing this story. I'm enjoying exploring the unfinished plotlines that "The Headband" provoked. In the coming chapters, I'm going to expand upon events that were canon and add more conversations and happenings that are still canon compliant. Eventually, the story will proceed in a somewhat AU direction.
"Kuzon!" Mr. Shou's voice cut crisply across the classroom, instantly causing everyone to fall silent, all staring at the boy in question. Kuzon looked around confusedly, clearly having no idea why he was being singled out. He glanced down at his instrument and grinned back up at Mr. Shou sheepishly. "I know… I'm a terrible Sunghi hornist."
Mr. Shou frowned. Either the boy was completely stupid or he was being deceptively naïve- how could he not realize what a disturbance he'd caused? "No, child. That hullaballoo going on with your feet. Is that a nervous disorder?" Mr. Shou had never seen any youth of this age act so blatantly disruptive. Surely there had to be some sort of involuntary nature to the feet tapping. The boy just didn't seem like a typical troublemaker, angry and aggressive. On the contrary, he seemed more easy going and relaxed than any of his peers.
Kuzon smiled and surveyed his fellow students. "I was just dancing. You do dances here in the Homeland, right?" Mr. Shou could not believe what he was hearing. Kuzon had just admitted to deliberately engaging in countercultural behavior. Dancing, as it were, had been forbidden in public places since the crowning of Fire Lord Azulon. It was uncontrolled, frivolous behavior that encouraged free thinking and destroyed the cohesion of a warring nation. All the other students knew that. Shoji tentatively answered Kuzon's ridiculous question. "Not really… no."
Mr. Shou quickly continued, determined to close the book on the matter. "Dancing is not conducive to a proper learning environment. Young people must have rigid discipline and order." Kuzon's grin faltered. But then his eyes took on a determined glint and his face set. "But what about expressing yourself?" Mr. Shou appraised him. Ah, so that was what this was all about. The boy had self control issues, but his attitude was at least understandable. He sighed and rubbed his forehead. "I know that sometimes we are so moved by our love for our nation that we can't control our own bodies… if you must, you may march quietly in place the next time the urge hits you."
As the rest of the class went back to their instruments, Kuzon's entire body slumped as he halfheartedly marched while quietly blowing into the horn. Mr. Shou had to hand it to him- it'd been a long time since he'd had such an unusually bold student. The thought irritated- and strangely enough- intrigued him to no end.
After his conversation with Ms. Kwan during lunch, Mr. Gosai had been awaiting his last class of the day with great anticipation. He wanted to observe the strange boy who'd penned such articulate falsehoods firsthand. As the students assembled, Mr. Gosai identified him immediately. He walked with head held high, shoulders back, and his red belt tied unapologetically around his forehead. He had a slim, light build as far as Mr. Gosai could tell. Hmm… likely not a firebender then. Anyway, it was time to get the class started. Mr. Wei stood next to him, ready to take the non benders off for their training. However, all of the students warmed up together. Mr. Gosai decided to push them a little harder today. "Students, take fifteen laps around the courtyard. Anyone who fails to complete all of their laps will receive fifty extra pushups."
Many of the students barely stifled groans of protest. They all trudged over to one side of the yard. Mr. Gosai noted that the new boy had taken a position in the front. Hmm… it would be interesting to see how he fared. "Begin!" Immediately, the new boy set a rigorous pace, with a few of the more athletic firebenders drafting him and breaking away from the pack of students. Ha. Mr. Gosai stifled a smirk. The youth was clearly trying to show off. Give it a couple of laps and he'd crash and burn. There was no way that he'd be able to maintain that rate, with such a small frame. Someone would definitely be receiving extra pushups today…
Five minutes in, and Mr. Gosai was having trouble believing his eyes. Kuzon Fire was still keeping the same pace he'd started with, while all the other boys had long ago fallen off of his tail. He'd lapped the general pack of students several times now, running around the very outside of the courtyard. His feet pounded against the stone rhythmically, and he never lost focus or stumbled. All the other students were showing signs of fatigue, from red faces to heavy breathing and visible pools of sweat across their brows. Kuzon appeared unaffected, continuing to run as though it were effortless.
Mr. Wei nudged him. "Who is that kid?" Before Mr. Gosai could respond, Kuzon stopped short in front of them. "Done." Upon a closer look, both teachers could see that Kuzon hadn't even broken a sweat, and that he was breathing fairly normally. Mr. Wei stuttered. "But that's…that's impossible. Everyone else is still on lap… ten." Kuzon gave them a shy little grin. "I uh… used to run a lot in the colonies. Places were farther apart and I kinda got pretty fast, I guess." Mr. Gosai was silent, rethinking his prior assessment of the boy's athleticism. Oh, he had to be a firebender, and a pretty good one too. There was no way a thirteen year old who hadn't been through some kind of intense training would be able to run like that. But was he strong as well?
"All right, Kuzon. While we're waiting for the rest of the class to finish, why don't you do thirty pushups?" This would be interesting. The average student could get through ten decent ones before they collapsed. Even the most athletic still had not developed the muscles of their adulthood, and could only pull off twenty without difficulty. Kuzon dropped to the ground and began to push up and down with a speed that rivaled that of military training units. His form was precise and neither his speed nor angle faltered for the entire set. Mr. Wei exchanged a glance with Mr. Gosai. Clearly, the boy was a prodigy of some sort. His lightness of foot and slenderness masked incredible speed and endurance.
By now, the rest of the class was finishing, and they staggered over before several plopped down on the ground in exhaustion. Kuzon straightened up, easy going contentment radiating from his expression and body language. Mr. Gosai addressed the group. "Stand up, all of you. You may go and retrieve some water if necessary, but don't be all day about it." As they all walked towards the small pool to one side kept clean for drinking, Mr. Gosai called one student back. "Kuzon." The boy turned around, puzzlement eschewing his features. "Yes, sir?" "Are you a firebender?" At this the boy's entire body tensed, and his eyes shifted away. He mumbled something. "Speak up!" Mr. Gosai reproached him sharply. Kuzon straightened and looked Mr. Gosai squarely in the eyes. "I said no, sir. I am not." There was a bite to his voice, an underlying tone of bitterness which Mr. Gosai took as resentment and jealousy due to not being able to bend. He almost smirked. Maybe Mr. Perfect wasn't so perfect after all. Mr. Wei stepped forward. "You will be in my class then. Come with me."
As the rest of the students came back and divided into their groups for physical training, Mr. Gosai glanced over his shoulder at the retreating back of the boy with the headband. He was happily chatting away with some other students with a bounce in his step, momentary sullenness apparently forgotten. Mr. Gosai shook his head. This had to be one of the most interesting students, nay, one of the most interesting people he had ever met. Even while ensconced in making sure his students didn't blast open any walls with their basic front kicks, he mulled over the mystery that was Kuzon Fire. He couldn't help but hear the adeptly penned words about choosing love over power echoing over and over again in his mind.