I'm amazed that I can read my reviews! For some reason, my stats said I have 6 reviews, but I could read only 3, and alert mails appear only for every other review. So I could only speculate what they may be about. But well, patience pays off? It means I can reply to the reviews now, wuuhuu!
Anyway, next chapter!
The next day has another surprise ready. Kuzon runs around, asking everyone who crosses his path to come to a certain cave this evening. He doesn't say why, but rumor has it that he's going to throw a dance party. It just serves to convince me even more that he has a screw loose somewhere. He just escaped the coal mines, what is he doing provoking the next conflict?
Well, not exactly my problem. I don't plan on going anyway. Social events just aren't my thing.
Hide leaves me alone for a change. I deliver his homework and that's it. He really decided that Kuzon should be his new punching bag, at least for now. I can hear him growl to one of his followers that the insolent colonial must be put in his place. I already see it coming, Hide snitching on Kuzon. I guess I should warn the kid.
It's hard, though. The students are over the rumors and Kuzon is surrounded by his classmates. He is incredibly popular, I can't reach him at all. Well, but he does. Once he spots me, he makes his way over to my position.
"Hello Kamina!"
"Hey, Kuzon. Good to see you didn't get send to the coal mines."
He grins, a little lopsided. "You know, I had someone to share her experiences with me," he states with a twinkle in his eyes and bows. I can't help a grin of my own, but it wouldn't last.
"Kuzon, I've been hearing you're organizing something. Whatever it is, stop it right now!"
"Why?" Kuzon asks, frowning before his face lightens up again. "It'll be fun. You should come, too!"
I let a facepalm communicate my opinion. "Listen, Kuzon, you already are on the headmaster's hit list, and Hide won't miss a chance to stab you in the back. You should really keep it down for a while!"
"Don't worry," he placates, smiling easily. "I'll be fine!"
"Well, if you're so sure about that..." I sigh. "I suppose there is no way to talk you out of that madness?"
Kuzon's only reaction is a chortle. "See you later!"
And with that, he's gone, off to invite other students perhaps, or chat with his classmates. I shake my head, deciding that the guy has totally lost his marbles. But if he wants to be sent away so badly, what am I to do? Apart from abandoning all hope of breaking out of my role as Hide's personal slave, that is. Such a crushing thought...
I spend the rest of the break in a far corner of the yard, back to my habit of avoiding people, feeling unworthy of anyone's attention. The resounding gong announces the beginning of class and thus an excuse to bury myself in textbooks. By the end of the day, I feel a lot better. After all, I can go home now and play with Mimi.
"Hello, everyone!"
"Welcome home, sweetie!" my mum calls. I kick off my shoes in the hallway and bring my satchel upstairs into the attic. I find Mimi in his room, playing with some soldier figurines.
"Take that, you Earth Kingdom spy!" he cries and uses one of his Fire Nation figurines to topple an Earth Kingdom one. I chuckle and enter.
"Hey, Mimi!"
"Kami! You're back!" he cheers and scrambles to his feet. "Come on, I have to show you that new firebending trick I learned!"
He doesn't ask if I want to see it, but that's okay. I giggle and let him drag me into the yard. I sit myself down on the porch and watch Mimi taking a stance, then inhale deeply and take a sudden leap. A forward kick in mid-air unleashes a stream of flames before Mimi lands smoothly back on his two feet. I clap, I can see the point of the move.
"Nice one! Jumping without the betraying movement of bending your knees first... Not everyone can do that."
"Right?" Mimi glows with pride. "My enemies won't know what hit them!"
"I'm sure they'll be quite surprised!" I play along, secretly hoping that the war will be over before Mimi is old enough to join the army. I don't want to see him sent to the front.
While Mimi keeps practicing his new move, my gaze travels across the yard. I've tried combining airbending with firebending forms before, and it didn't work out. Nothing to gain there, so I took to watching leaves fall, or blades of grass sway in the wind. But I still don't get it. Everything I can do is keep trying and hope for results. Only that every minute spent practicing airbending feels like a minute wasted.
I breathe deeply and get up from the porch. I position myself next to Mimi, take a firebending stance and prepare myself. I know enough forms and use them to keep fit, even though I can't produce fire.
The next time I check, mum tells us to take a break. I notice how my uniform is drenched with sweat and I breathe heavily. Mimi doesn't look any better. Mum brought some water to drink and we gratefully take it.
"Thank you!" I wheeze, while Mimi is already downing his drink. He manages a nod. My mum smiles and obviously feels the need to ruffle our hair.
"Take care not to overexert yourselves, my little firebenders," she quips. I roll my eyes and pretend I didn't hear that. "You should take a bath and change your clothes! Dinner will be ready soon."
And that's how it happens. A "Ladies first!" from Mimi tells me to go to the bathroom. We used to bathe together, but lately, Mimi starts getting bothered by his big sister seeing him naked. So we bathe separately. I think it's a bit silly, but if he insists...
After washing up, I put on a casual outfit, a short-sleeved tunic combined with a sleeveless surcoat, knee-length pants and wrist coverings in typical Fire Nation colors – red and golden. I like it better than the sooty black of the school uniform.
I'm playing a card game with Mimi when my dad comes home. Mimi and I call a greeting, but my mum leaves the stove to meet him in the hallway. Once properly arrived, dad joins Mimi and me in our game. A few minutes later, my mum's voice sounds through the house.
"Oh, dear!"
"What is it, honey?" dad inquires.
"I forgot to buy cucumberpotatoes. Will one of you be so kind and dash to the market?"
"I will!" I offer, stand up from my chair and grab a basket. "I'll be right back!"
"Take care, sweetie!"
And with that, I rush out the door and hit the road. The market isn't all that far and I'm there in no time. I walk up to the next stall.
"Five pounds of cucumberpotatoes, please!" That should last us a while.
While the stall's owner is busy weighing the vegetables, I have a look around the marketplace. I catch sight of some people who look awful familiar. Wait... Is that...
I narrow my eyes. Indeed, it's the headmaster, accompanied by some guards and Hide, making their way towards the cliff side. I realize they are after Kuzon and his dance party or whatever it might be.
"Turtle whiskers!" I curse. Even though I knew this would happen, I can't lose Kuzon now. Things are finally looking up, thanks to him, and I won't let my newfound luck be taken away from me like this. I turn to the merchant and basically growl at him, "Will you keep an eye on that basket for a minute? I'll be back!"
I don't even wait for the answer, I take off and follow the group. I have to get past them somehow, but how?
Well, first thing is catching up. I break into a run, but my muscles ache from my training session before. I'm weary. I try to ignore the pain and keep running, until I do indeed close in on the squad which doesn't seem to be in such a big hurry. Once I'm only a few hundred feet away, I slow down to catch my breath and search for a way to slip by them unnoticed.
Racking my brain, I remember the cave Kuzon described has an entrance at the back, so I slide around a corner branching off from the main path.
The thing is, I've forgotten how windy that way is. I lose precious time getting to the cave, and I begin to think I might as well turn around. I won't be there in time, anyway. But as long as I don't know for sure, I keep going, hoping that something may be hindering the headmaster and his pet.
When I finally arrive, I stop dead in my tracks. A big fluffy monster emerges from the back of the cave, with Kuzon sitting astride its head. There is a saddle on the beast's back, carrying another person I know – Kari. With them are a boy, probably Kari's brother, and a girl clinging to the saddle's rim like her life depends on it. I can only gape at them in shock, some part of me realizing that they noticed me, too. But the fluffy creature doesn't stop and it takes only a few seconds until it jumps off the cliff and flies. It flies!
My body switches into automatic mode. I don't really know what I'm doing, everything's fixed on finding out what happens here, and the most logical conclusion my shock-frozen mind seems to be able to come up with is... well, jump after them. Reeeeeeal logical.
I speed to the edge of the cliff and propel myself off the rocky ground, somewhat boosted by airbending. When I'm finally able to construct a senseful thought again, I'm already falling. Which switches my brain off once again, not with the shock of seeing something completely insane, but with the shock of the realization that I'm about to hit the surface of the ocean beneath me and have no chance of surviving the drop. And thus, I scream. I scream a long "AAAAAH!", not exactly heroic, but just the sort of thing normal people do. That is, until I crashland on something definitely not made of water, but my back still doesn't like it.
The impact drives the wind out of my body and an "Uuuumph!" escapes me. Gasping to refill my lungs with the much-needed oxygen, I finally realize that I'm not dead. Then everything goes black.
I apologize if the end sounds forced? Suicide by shock...
The funny thing is that I can totally see that happen. At least inside the Avatarverse. Zuko pulled it, too. I mean, seriously dude! You shouldn't try jumping a war zeppelin when it is out of reach!