I'm starting a full time internship tonight, so i may not be able to update everyday but i'm going to try!
Maypl Bougher- Thanks! Always appreciate it!
Spatterson- My favorite part of that scene is where little Zuko says that he'll protect Mai, but yeah its really difficult to write a curse without making it seem corny or overdone, but i think you did a good job. And yeah theirs not really any really evil characters in Avatar, the only one i can think of who could maybe be Maleficent is Azula but she's more a victim of upbringing rather than evil. Also the second chapter is posted.
"I know you're nervous but remember…firebending in itself isn't something to be feared" Zuko said wisely, you couldn't help but think maybe he did learn something from Iroh.
Aang hesitated as he breathed in, "Ok, not something to fear" he was so nervous. This was the first time Aang and Zuko were training together, so you thought it would be better if you continued to teach Aang the meditation and emotion stuff while Zuko teaches him the forms.
"But if you don't respect it, it will chew you up and spit you out like an angry komodo rhino!" Zuko yelled. Aang yelped in fear.
"Zuko!" you scolded, "That is not how you teach someone" maybe Zuko didn't learn that much from Iroh.
Zuko smiled at you nervously before turning back to Aang. "Now you've got to show me what you've got. Any amount of fire that you can make"
Aang took a deep breath and tried to create a small fireball in his hands but after a few seconds of trying he failed. He looked discouraged. "Maybe I need more instruction" he said turning to you and Zuko, "perhaps a demonstration?"
You made a gesture encouraging Zuko to demonstrate. Zuko coughed nervously. "Good idea" he paused, "You might want to take a couple steps back."
You rolled your eyes and backed up, Zuko did not need room to firebend; he was just trying to show off.
Zuko took deep breath and created the smallest fireball you've ever seen. Something is wrong. Zuko is a great firebender. He would never intentionally make a fireball that small. Zuko looked at his hands in confusion. "What was that? That was the worst firebending I've ever seen!"
"I thought it was…nice," Aang offered, which only seemed to frustrate Zuko even more.
You tried to approach Zuko but he kept trying to fire bend, each fireball was smaller than the last or nonexistent. Once he was done, you grabbed his hand.
"Try to relax, we'll figure it out" you whispered, Zuko gave you a hopeless look. You'd have to tell him about when you lost your bending later.
Zuko tried again but failed, "why is this happening?" he yelled in frustration.
"Maybe it's the altitude?" Aang suggested.
"Yeah, maybe" Zuko agreed looking lost and confused. You followed as he and Aang walked to a lower elevation.
"Zuko you need to relax, we'll figure it out," you urged. But he was too freaked out to listen, to be honest you couldn't blame him, you freaked out about as much as he is, and you had some time to think about it.
Once you got to the main common area, Zuko said, "Ok just breath, remember the basics…" he paused and tried to firebend but failed again.
"That one felt kind of hot"
"Don't patronize me!" Zuko snapped, "You know what it's suppose to look like" Zuko sat down on the partially destroyed bench.
"Zuko calm down" you said as you walked over to him
"Sorry Sifu Hotman" Aang said.
You and Zuko gave Aang a look, "And stop calling me that!" Zuko yelled, that one you let him get away with. The hell is a Hotman?
You sat next to Zuko who was still freaking out, you reached out and rested your hand on his face. You started to gently caress Zuko's scar. Almost instantly Zuko closed his eyes and leaned into your hand. You saw a slight smile appear on his face.
"Hey you jerks, mind if I watch you three do your jerk bending" Sokka said as he walked over completely oblivious to how distraught Zuko is.
Zuko's eyes suddenly opened, his temper getting the best of him again. "Get out of here" he yelled as he stood up. You shot Sokka a look, you were pretty pissed, you just got Zuko to calm down and he had to go and ruin it.
"Ok take it easy" Sokka said with a laugh, "I was just kidding around" as he left you heard him laugh as he said, "ha jerk bending, I still got it, Kaito's jokes aren't as funny as mine."
All day you tried to get Zuko alone so that you could talk to him. You didn't want to talk about losing your bending in front of everyone because it was personal, and Zuko definitely didn't want to talk about his bending in front of everyone. Jet has been taking shots at him all day, sometimes Jet really deserves to be punched.
You sat next to Zuko and Daisuke at dinner. Everything was pretty pleasant aside from Katara glaring at you and Zuko, but you ignored it, she would just have to either get over or it or get used to it.
"So Zuko why don't you tell us how training went today" Jet said with a sly grin. You glared at him, but he ignored it.
Zuko sighed and said, "listen everybody, I've got some pretty bad news, I've lost my stuff," he said looking down feeling ashamed.
Instantly Toph put her hands up defensively "Don't look at me, I didn't touch your stuff" you couldn't help but laugh.
"I'm talking about my firebending," he snapped. Toph blushed looking pretty embarrassed.
Suddenly Katara started laughing, instinctively you and Zuko glared at her. "I'm sorry." She said sarcastically, "I'm just laughing at the irony… you know how it would have been nice for us for you to lose your bending a long time ago"
"Well its not lost. Its just weaker for some reason" Zuko said timidly, you knew he was thinking about how sorry he is that he chased the avatar for so long, he must feel horrible about it.
"Maybe you're just not as good as you think you are" Katara snapped.
"Ouch" Toph commented.
Zuko looked down, you put a comforting hand on his shoulder. You were about to say something but you were cut off.
"Give him a break already, you've seen him firebend, you know he's good. Admit it you're just happy he lost his bending" Kaito said, you were surprised because lately Kaito has been pretty cold towards Zuko. Katara was speechless.
"I'm getting pretty sick of your goody-two shoes act, you're not better than Kana and Zuko just because you're a waterbender" Daisuke added. You couldn't help but smile, apparently everyone has been listening to your rants. Plus once Kaito speaks out against something, Daisuke always joins in, and vice versa.
Feeling the tension in the air Zuko spoke, "Maybe its because I switched sides"
"Its possible, remember how sick you got when you freed appa" you said, Zuko nodded in agreement.
"That's ridiculous!" Katara laughed.
"I don't know, maybe it isn't. Kana taught me that firebending comes from your emotions, and it's usually fueled by one emotion." Aang said, he gave you a quick smile to show that he is learning, then he turned to Zuko, "Maybe your firebending comes from rage, and you just don't have enough anger to fuel it like you used to"
"You have learned well young avatar," you said proudly. Aang smiled brightly.
"So all we need to do is make Zuko angry," Sokka said as he stood up and walked over, "easy enough" he said as he started to poke Zuko with the hilt of his sword.
Zuko became increasingly angry with each poke, after a few moments he finally yelled, "Ok cut it out!"
"We could just have Kana kiss Jet" Smellerbee chimed in, Longshot was silently chuckling behind her. This comment earned a deathly glare from Zuko.
"Or not" you mumbled in annoyance.
"That's not happening" Zuko mumbled, then spoke normally, "And even if that's true" he rubbed the bridge of his nose, "I don't want to rely on hate and anger anymore. There has to be another way."
"Zuko we'll talk later, I have something important to tell you," you whispered, Zuko nodded. You didn't want to talk about the sun warriors in front of everyone especially because their existence is suppose to be a secret.
"We don't really need Zuko's firebending back, I mean we do have Kana" Smellerbee said.
"No Zuko needs to get his bending back, it's like losing a part of yourself," you said.
"You have to learn to draw your firebending from another source, I suggest the original source" Toph spoke up, you had to admit she is wise beyond her years.
"How's he going to do that? By jumping into a volcano?" Sokka said, you couldn't tell if he was serious or joking.
" I don't know, Zuko has to go back to whatever the original source of firebending is"
"Is it jumping into a volcano?" Sokka asked seriously. You face palmed, that was one of the most stupid things you've ever heard and that's an accomplishment, after all you grew up with Kaito.
You stayed silent for the rest of the conversation, fearing that you would slip up and talk about the firebending masters.