Internet! I've got Internet connection!

I'm not entirely sure how it happened. I just needed an excuse to avoid asking Judai what exactly I did to him, being the awkward – and, I admit it, cowardly – person I am, so I buried my nose in the Dragonheart scroll. Lori asked what I was reading. I told her, she was interested, and I read the first couple lines to her. Then the first couple lines grew into the first chapter.

The next time I checked, I realized I've ended up with an audience.

Really, I have no idea. I look around, taking in the way my surroundings have changed while I was off to the Dragonheart universe. Kiran is back, cleaned up and in a new outfit. Which makes sense, seeing how dirty and ripped beyond fixing his old one was. He's very busy sitting shoulder to shoulder with Lori. His sister Mei got comfortable on his other side. Maila and a freshly patched up Li Yu found their place on the corner sofa, snacking away on some fire gummies. Judai somehow bounced back to my side, which is about the most inexplicable.

"Did... something happen?" I express my confusion, a little overwhelmed by the sudden impact of attention.

"Nope," Li Yu speaks up from the sideline. "Carry on."

"But while we're at it..." This time, it's Judai, and he's waving a hand across the table in a summoning gesture. "Pass the fire flakes Kiran, will ya? You're not eating any of it and they're getting cold."

"Doesn't matter," Kiran retorts and uses his free hand to push a bag of fire flakes in front of Mei. "Would you do the honors, sis?"

The maybe-ten-year-old rolls her eyes. "I'm not your personal heater."

"It's for our guests," Kiran mock pleads, causing the girl to sigh.

"Fine!" she grumbles and lets her hand hover above the bag. She inhales and tilts her hand swiftly, creating a whirl of fire to warm up the fire flakes. Then she slides the bag over to Judai, who receives it with a pleased "Thank you very much."

The only adjective I can think of to describe the scene is... bizarre. I mean, what did just happen? It's like a theater here!

I decide I'm better off not questioning it and keep reading, but before I get to it, Kiran's mother enters the room through the kitchen door, tray in hand.

"Who wants some tea?"

"Me!" Mei raises her hand, causing a wave of chuckles to ripple through the group.

"Well, I'm not gonna refuse, either," Lori agrees.

"I think the question is not who wants tea, but who doesn't," Kiran remarks. "Anyone?"

Silence, only filled by the rustling of paper. I roll up the scroll and place it on the table.

"I guess that settles it."

Lori pokes Kiran's shoulder. "Don't be such a smug viperbat about it."

The boy can't be bothered. "Aw, why? You know you love it," he states in a tone which gives me the chills. It makes me seriously question the couple's age. That, and Lori's taste in guys. Well, every Dragon Emperor has his Empress... But really, if it weren't for the circumstances, Kiran would be the kind of person I'd keep at arm's length. Or more like 40 feet away. Preferably 100.

"Yuck!" Mei pretty much sums the whole situation up. "Get a room, for Agni's sake!"

"Kiran, your father could show up with the guards any second now," the mother joins the warning session. "Behave yourself."

Kiran grumbles, but he lets it go. Maila and Li Yu have their tea by now, and the woman walks over to our table. She puts down the tray, then sits and hands out the remaining cups. A string of thanks follows, but the drink is still scalding hot. Which is why I go for a generous helping of fire flakes first, before Judai completely cleans out the bag. He's been steadily crunching them down, perfectly unfazed by the things happening around him.

"You know, you have a good voice," Maila remarks. "I think you would do great as a traveling storyteller."

"Uh... thanks? I guess..." I reply doubtfully. "But I'm not sure if that's the kind of thing I want to do. Having no actual home, I mean... I'm not a nomad."

Even while saying it, I wonder how much truth the words are containing. It's something of a stock phrase, the last word I ever wanted to be associated with is 'nomad'. But the thing is, if I hadn't been traveling with Aang, I never would have ended up here. The teens around me would still be locked in a dark cave, fated to growing up in slavery. If they got the chance to grow up at all.

Maybe, traveling places where some help is needed wouldn't be such a bad thing to do for a living. However, I don't think it's possible as long as I can't make use of my powers freely.

"Do you guys have any plans for the future?" I deflect the focus, looking around.

Maila is the first to answer, "I want to study in the capital and become a teacher."

"A teacher?" I suddenly have to think of Mrs. Kwan, the strictest history teacher in the history of history teachers (har har). Or Mr. Jing. Or the headmaster. I can't imagine perky Maila in that role. "I never would have guessed that."

"Life is full of surprises," Li Yu smirks and Maila elbows him into the side in retribution.

"What's that supposed to mean, heh?"

"Nothing," he replies innocently before shifting his attention back to the whole group. "I plan to join the army. I will give all my strength to the Fire Nation! Plus, it's a secure income."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Kiran remarks. "The Earth Kingdom has fallen. So has the Avatar." I grit my teeth at that, and I feel my fingers curl into fists. I force myself to relax before anyone notices.

Kiran for his part continues without interruption, "After a century, we're finally nearing victory. I think it'll be over before you're old enough to fight."

"I can still become a soldier!"

"Calm down, Li!" Maila cuts in, placing a hand on her friend's shoulder. "Of course you can. Kiran is just saying that it might not be what you're expecting."

Li Yu huffs and leans back into the sofa, crossing his arms. I make a mental note to never make a remark about the army in his vicinity, that's obviously a hot button. Even Kiran looks slightly shocked.

"What about you, Judai?" Lori changes the subject, distracting from the explosive mixture her boyfriend and Li Yu have become. "Any plans?"

My seat neighbor shrugs. "There is not much to plan. The Kalai inn belongs to my grandmother, which I'll take over when..." He trails off, opting to just wave his hand instead. We all know what he means anyway, and it's understandable that he feels uncomfortable with saying it out loud.

So he's got his future planned out for him rather than deciding for himself. Hmm... I wonder if he's satisfied with it. And also how it goes together with what he told me before. Can you run an inn when you're only partially literate? I kind of doubt that.

A soft laugh snaps me out of it and I glance at Kiran's mother. "You children are still young. You shouldn't worry too much. Besides..." She smiles encouragingly. "I'm sure you all have a bright future to look forward to."

Bright future, huh? If only she knew...

I blow at my tea, sneaking in some airbending to hasten the process. First reading, then talking... my throat is starting to protest. Nothing like a cup of tea for relief, and an excuse to abstain from any kind of comment.

"Great tea!" Mei compliments out of the blue, already slurping the liquid. I blink at her in disbelief. How can she drink that stuff? It's boiling hot, for Agni's sake!

"Thanks," comes the reply with Judai's voice and I shift my gaze at him. I mean, what?! I thought Kiran made it! Or his mother! Boy, I've been missing out on a lot.

"Mei, you're incredible," Lori remarks. "I can't even take a sip without torching my tongue!"

The girl in question shrugs nonchalantly. "It gives you a nice warm feeling in your tummy," she offers as a super helpful non-explanation.

Then I hear the door open.

"I'm home!" a voice sounds through the house which I immediately apply to Kiran's father. "And I brought two guests!"

I almost collide with Judai when everyone shoots to their feet. Everyone except Kiran's mother, that is, who goes about it in a much more relaxed manner.

I take a step back, away from Judai. Just in time, as a man and a woman walk in, their uniforms unambiguously marking them as soldiers. I give a quick bow, glad to note that I don't headbutt Judai by doing so.

"Welcome!" Kiran's mother greets. "Please have a seat. May I offer some tea?"

"Thank you, that's very friendly," the woman responds, while Kiran, Mei and Lori are already shifting to make room, relinquishing their side of the table to the two guards. The two lovebirds flop down at the end of the table instead, while Mei leaves altogether and Kiran's parents sit on the sofa, the part of the corner which isn't occupied by Li Yu and Maila.

I find myself kneeling across the woman guard and not liking it one bit. I chew on my lower lip nervously, staring at my fists resting on my thighs. Which at least are hidden from her sight, thank the table!

I send a silent prayer to the High Dragons, pleading not to be recognized, not to get asked awkward questions. Why didn't I just stick with the gang? Because it would have looked suspicious.

But more suspicious than now?

"Are you alright, girl?" the man asks kindly, catching me off-guard. I pause my lip-chewing for a moment.

"I'm fine," I grind out, forcing myself to raise my head and fake a smile before I drop my gaze again. Agni help me, how am I supposed to get through this?

A feeling of warmth startles me and I find one of Judai's hands covering my fist, giving it a reassuring squeeze. My head snaps up without my permission, looking at the boy. He flashes me a smile, and I return it, feeling a bit better. I'm not alone with this, I've got backup.

I raise my hands to my chest, forming the traditional gesture and bow my head. "I apologize for keeping everyone. I resolve to control my irrational nervousness."

"Please, no need for formalities," the woman cuts in. "Fancy words are for reports."

"I can't wait," the man sighs jokingly, causing some snickers. I don't join in, but the tension is instantly mellowed. What's the worst that could happen?

I could sneeze...

I shove that thought to the back of my mind. I'm not gonna sneeze. I refuse to sneeze.

"So..." the man begins. "My name is Li, by the way." Always those Lis... "And this is Hina. We were told you kids are some of the children who have been disappearing around the Kagio Channel. Is that correct?"

He looks around, and I can't help doing the same. Everyone does it, with varying degrees of confusion written on their faces. I realize we didn't elect a speaker. In the end, it's Judai who takes the initiative, probably because he happens to be the one sitting closest to the guy.

"That's correct."

"Mostly," I feel the need to set the record straight. "I was traveling with some friends when I got caught up in this whole catastrophe. I'm from Cinder Island City."

"Cinder Island?" the Li guard repeats, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "That's a few days worth of travel."

What am I supposed to say about that? "It is. But it's fun to spend some time with friends."

"I'm sure it is," he smiles and I relax my shoulders. I didn't even notice them tensing. "Very well, kids. I need your names, ages, the names of your birthplaces and the places where you currently live. From left to right."

Hmm, I guess that makes me second place, after Judai. Guard Li whips out a quill and a scroll, then nods, signaling that we can start.

I look at my friend expectantly, who takes a deep breath. "My name is Judai, no surname. I'm fifteen years old and was born in Chimomi. I live in Kalai."

I guess that was it. Seems like it's my turn now. "My name is Kamina, no surname. I'm fourteen years old, born and residing in Cinder Island City."

"Kiran, no surname. I'm sixteen, and I live here in Rubona. I was born here, too."

There is a short pause while Maila and Li Yu, sitting behind Kiran on the sofa, figure out who goes first.

"Maila Komia, thirteen years old." Wait, she's got a surname? "I was born in Fire Fountain City, and I'm currently living in Iluro."

"Li Yu, no surname. I'm fourteen years old. I was born in Iluro and still live there."

Guard Li scribbles everything down, while Guard Hina sends Lori a glance. "What about you?"

"My name is Lori, but I don't have much to do with the case."

"She's my girlfriend," Kiran explains, pulling her closer. Guard Hina nods her understanding.

"Very well," she declares. "Do you have any knowledge of the whereabouts of the other missing children?"

"Not all of them, I'm afraid," Judai anwers, taking on his newly applied speaker role again. He squirms a bit in his seat, obviously ill at ease. Before I can change my mind, I reach out and place a hand on his arm, hoping to help him calm down. I think it's a good idea to get that part off him, so I turn to the guards and take it from there.

"We were captured by slave traders. I didn't spend much time in captivity, luckily, but as far as I know, children have been shipped to the Earth Kingdom, or..." I bite my tongue. The next words are difficult to bring out. "Or killed."

The two adults exchange afflicted glances, but they don't look surprised.

"We suspected something like this," Guard Li remarks. "There have been a couple arrests for human trafficking along the Kagio Channel, but there was no pinpointing a specific location."

"It's impossible to find if you don't know what to look for," Li Yu puts in. "There is a sort of irony to it, but it's a bunch of colonials we have to thank for our freedom."

"Colonials?" Guard Li frowns.

"We were held in a cave up in the mountains," Maila elaborates. "It was sealed, so it couldn't be distinguished from the outside. We wouldn't have been able to escape either, if it hadn't been for Kamina's earthbender friends. They got us all out."

Guard Li directs his interested gaze at me, and I feel my cheeks heat up. A part of me wants to be defiant and say 'Yeah, some of my friends are earthbenders. So what?'

But I can't do it. I just can't do it. "Long story," I tell him instead, avoiding the topic. "Anyway, back to the original question: There are forty, fifty other children waiting for help, back in the mountains, many of them too injured to walk. We need carts and ostrich horses or komodo rhinos, and shelter and food and... What are we gonna do?"

Now that I talked myself into a frenzy, I bury my face in my hands. Isn't this all a little too much?

"It's alright, Kamina," Guard Hina chips in. "That's nothing for you kids to worry about."

"That's right," Kiran agrees, and I lift my head to find him smile encouragingly. "You and your friends may have been the ones to break everyone out, but that doesn't mean you have to shoulder all the responsibility. Relax! The people of Rubona will handle the rest."

I guess that's true. I lean back and take a deep breath, releasing the tension that has been building up in me again. "Alright," I relent, and I feel a lot lighter afterwards.

This isn't my fight anymore. I don't need to act like it were.

Okay, I don't have much time, so I'll reply reviews and stuff another time. Sorry to keep you waiting, but I can't exactly help it.

There isn't much else to say here, no hidden meanings in names this time. Well, apart from the surnames, that is. That's just some headcanon of mine that only higher classes have surnames. Like the Beifong family.
So teachers are all high society or something... They can afford it, while the lower classes sooner work in menial jobs.
That's why Kami is so surprised that Maila has a surname.

I may or may not give some more backstory, depends on whether it fits the story or not. My plans habitually run away from me anyway, so I can't tell from here.

Zentauria over and out~