Wandering Firebender
Ninety: Ember Island
The bay doors were opened, and Elio's crew began to pour out slowly. They stepped down from the metal walkway onto the rocky runway, where they were able to get a glimpse of the white sandy beaches of Ember Island off in the distance.
"Here we are, vacation destination." Mila said as she made her wait out with Delun and Sri.
"Yeah, but I mean, I'm sure that we're here for something important, right?" Delun asked, looking to Sri since she usually spent a lot of time with Elio.
"Actually, we are here on vacation. Fire Lord Zuko granted us a break after what happened to Elio. So the whole crew is off. I guess Elio just hasn't told everyone yet." Sri informed them.
"Oh wow...then yeah, vacation time! Glad I brought some clothes for warm weather." Mila said happily.
"How is the captain doing? I haven't see him." Delun inquired curiously.
"He's doing okay. From what I hear, his wounds are healing, but it has been slow. Alger and Cindra have been taking turns being by his side." Sri described...
This morning was Cindra's turn.
Since Elio had gotten stabbed, Cindra was by his side at the beginning of every day and at the end of every night using her waterbending to further along Elio's healing process. She would occasionally have to scold him about not doing too much, but for the most part Elio actually seemed to be taking advantage of being able to get extra rest.
"Well the good news is that my healing is working well. The bad news is there isn't a lot of healing left for me to do. Does it still feel tender?" Cindra asked, taking her hands off of Elio's abdomen. He sat up slowly and let out a small grunt of pain.
"Mm...yeah. Sometimes it kinda feels like the knife is still in there." He described to her.
"It's still going to be awhile for it to fully heal. For now just take it easy and keep following Alger's advice." Cindra recommended, standing up from Elio's bed now. Elio nodded and slowly stood up too.
"Well thanks for looking after me. Somehow, I knew having a waterbender on our team would turn out to be a good idea." He joked lightly with a smile, putting his shirt back on.
"Oh yeah? Look at you with the foresight." Cindra teased to play along with the joke.
"Yeah, I had a good feeling about it." He said. The two of them walked out of his quarters and made their way down towards the bay doors.
"Hey, captain! Everyone's waiting on you for their orders!" One of the engineers called up to him when he noticed Elio coming down.
"Have everyone gather around now. I'm coming." Elio said to him. The engineer nodded and hurried outside to get the crew's attention.
Elio made his way outside with Cindra following just behind him. He took in a deep breath, feeling the warm, humid weather hit him in the face as he stepped out into the morning sun. There were hardly any clouds in the sky, and Elio could faintly hear the birds chirping near the beach.
When he stepped outside, the crew turned their attention to him. They all started to line up and stand straight, but Elio held his hand up and shook it side to side, signaling that they didn't have to do that.
"No need to worry about the formalities right now. Everyone gather around, please. I don't want to have to repeat myself." He requested. He remained standing at the open bay door. The crew pressed in further to gather and listen to him speak.
"What's going on, captain?" One soldier asked him. Elio let out a brief sigh before answering him.
"After our last mission, Fire Lord Zuko has granted us a short break from all of these assignments. We'll be spending the next two days here on Ember Island to relax and recover. When we return to the Fire Nation, you will all be granted about another week to be with your families and friends.
"But for now, your only orders are to take advantage of this time we have here. Have fun. You've all earned it." Elio said with a kind smile.
"Alright, captain! Time to hit the beach!" One of the chefs yelled. There was plenty of laughter and cheering to go around in response to her exclamation.
Elio moved aside and let his crew go back into the airship, where they quickly changed into casual clothing and started to scatter all over the island. At Mila's urging, Cindra, Sri, and Alger all changed into swimwear so they could join her and Delun on the beach.
Despite their insisting, Elio encouraged both Cindra and Alger to go with the group and have fun, so they went.
"I love Ember Island! I haven't been here since I was a kid!" Mila said with an elated expression as the 5 of them walked towards the beach along with plenty of other members of the crew.
"Really? Is it nice?" Cindra asked curiously.
"It's the most popular vacation spot in the Fire Nation! Even the royal family used to come here regularly. They still have a villa here somewhere." Delun answered.
"Oh wow. So it is more of a high-end place." Alger thought aloud.
The grass beneath their feet shifted to sand, and they were now able to look out across the beach. They saw that the whole area was littered with Fire Nation people. Towels were already laid out, umbrellas were already set up, and the shallow waters were already occupied.
"Oh wow...vacation spot, heheh. No kidding." Sri said with an awkward chuckle...
While the others were out getting set up on the beach and spreading out across the island, Elio was taking his time picking out clothes to wear and redressing his wounds. After wrapping bandaging around his abdomen, he reached for a shirt but, after some hesitation, decided to simply wear pants and sandals.
Stepping outside of the airship again, he slowly walked towards the beach. He hadn't been to Ember Island in a long time, but while he had been out traveling the Earth Kingdom, he would sometimes think back to those family trips.
He missed swimming with his father, making sandcastles with his sister, and taking his mom to see the Ember Island Players. Those moments in time felt bittersweet to him now, since he knew that even if he did those things with them again, it wouldn't feel like it had back then.
It wouldn't be bad, just different, and that was a little sad to him.
Elio slowly made his way down to the beach, his eyes focused on the water ahead. He paid no attention to anyone else around him, and he wasn't worried about where his crew had gone. For once, he was able to just focus on himself and free his mind of thought.
Now standing where the tide was shallow, he removed his sandals and left them in the dry sand. He walked onto the firmer wet sand now, letting the ocean rise up and wrap around his feet and ankles. He let out a long sigh, his eyes tracing from one end of the horizon to the other.
He had forgotten how much he loved the beach.
"Hey," Cindra gently called to him, walking up next to him. "I, uh, didn't expect you to actually come all the way out here. I figured you would wanna stay in your room and get your rest." She said.
"On Ember Island? No way. I love it here." Elio said with a chuckle.
"Yeah? That's what pretty much the whole crew was saying too. It is really nice. It feels...different here. It's more peaceful." She observed, looking around at the people on the beach before gazing out into the open water along with Elio.
"That's what I like about it. We used to come here all the time. Taiga and I would walk up and down the beach; sometimes I'd have conversations with my dad." He recalled, gesturing with his hand down the shoreline.
"Must've been nice," Cindra said. "Our family vacations were just dad not working for a while, heheh, but sometimes we would go sledding."
"Sledding, huh? Makes sense. Is it fun?" He asked curiously, looking at her.
"It is. You're just sliding on snow in a chair, but I mean, sliding's fun." Cindra said, chuckling awkwardly afterwards.
"Sliding is fun, haha...maybe next time we're in the North Pole, we can go sledding." Elio suggested.
"Hm...that might be funny to watch." Cindra acknowledged with a smile...
"Look at those two. They can never stay mad at each other." Sri observed Cindra and Elio from afar, giggling afterwards. Alger, who was sitting in the chair next to hers, leaned over to look at them too.
"Were they mad at each other?" Alger asked cluelessly. Sri gave him a look of disapproval.
"Alger, come on. You haven't noticed the tension? You've been sitting with them for days now!" She pointed out.
"I just figured it was business as usual between them. They have a very complicated relationship." Alger shrugged it off and shook his head.
"Yeah, you're not wrong," Sri acknowledged, sitting back in her chair again. "Still though, it's nice – it's cute. They make a good team."
"They do. We all do." Alger added on to her statement.
"Heh, well, you guys do." She said in response, letting out a weak chuckle after.
"What do you mean?" Alger asked, looking at her. His eyebrows furrowed in concern as he leaned over again to establish eye contact with her. She met his gaze for a moment before shying away.
"It's nothing. I was just...I don't know."
"You're a part of this team too, Sri. You're included in what I said." Alger said to her.
"I know I know, I...like, you guys are so good at what you do. You're all bending masters and crazy martial artists. Compared to that, I'm just...the navigator, I guess? I hold the map and I point." Sri shared her thoughts, shrugging afterwards.
"What you do is valuable to us all, Sri. No one is making comparisons, and if someone is telling you these things, I'll let Elio know and we can have a chat with them." Alger offered.
"Haha, you don't have to do that, Alger. It's me. I'm the one telling myself that stuff. It's how I've felt even before I joined." Sri admitted.
"And even after everything, you still feel that way?" Alger asked in surprise.
"What do you mean 'after everything'?" Sri asked oddly, looking at him now.
"You navigate the team, you keep the soldiers informed about the area and how to behave, you keep an eye on the weather and plot our course. It hasn't even been a week since you saved Elio's life, you know, and it isn't the first time you've done something like that.
"Just because you aren't a bender or a master martial artist doesn't make you any less valuable to this team. We're lucky to have you." Alger spoke sincerely. Sri blushed and looked down, smiling to herself.
"Aw...thanks...uh...I don't know what to say, haha. Thank you, Alger. I appreciate that you think that." She said.
"We all do," Alger said again. "If there's anything I can do to help you too, just let me know." He offered.
"You already do a lot for me," Sri said, smiling at him. "Helping out with my parents, training me how to fight better." She listed.
"Speaking of which, it sounds like we might need to have another lesson soon, so we can put your feelings away." Alger suggested. Sri scoffed at this and nodded.
"Sure. I'd like that." She agreed.
"Hey, Sri! There's a shop down that way! You wanna come?!" Mila called to her from a distance. Some of the other crew members were with her.
"Haha yeah we're coming!" Sri called back to her. She looked at Alger, "You wanna come with?" She offered.
"Sure." He nodded and stood up. The two of them walked side by side down the beach, gradually catching up with the others who were ahead of them.
The two walked at their own pace, occasionally glancing at some of the people they were passing by. It was still a relatively new experience for them even now, seeing Fire Nation citizens in a normal context. It fascinated Alger especially, seeing how things were different here and yet exactly the same.
"Nico!" A woman shouted as a small child ran out in front of Alger and Sri, stopping them in their tracks. The young boy's mother quickly came to scoop him up in their arms, "Sorry." She said before quickly retreating back.
"You're alright, ma'am." Alger responded with a faint chuckle. Sri smiled at this too. They watched as the mother and child returned back to where the rest of the family was sitting in the sand.
"Haha, cute. Everyone's so comfortable here," Sri observed. "I wouldn't mind coming back here myself. I've never been to the beach before." She admitted.
"Really?" Alger glanced at her.
"Never had the opportunity. We were always working." She explained.
"That makes sense. Well it is quite peaceful here, I will say. This is probably the nicest part of the Fire Nation we've seen so far, in my opinion." He commented.
"Yeah, definitely. You know, it's kinda funny, I still find myself thinking sometimes...did you ever think that we'd end up in a place like this? Working with firebenders and making friends with them? Walking around their homes like all the time?" Sri posed this question to him while speaking generally.
"Never in my life," Alger answered with a shake of his head. "Nor did I think that I would see the end of the war in my lifetime. But I am happy with the outcome, that's for certain." He added.
"Me too." Sri smiled, letting the conversation conclude on that positive note as they now caught up with the others...
While Sri and Alger were walking one way to join up with the other members of the crew, Elio and Cindra were now walking in the other direction towards a private part of the beach. He led her to a rougher part of the beach darkened by the shade of a small crag.
"You wanna climb up there? You sure that's a good idea in your condition?" Cindra asked.
"Yeah, it'll be fine. I already know where I'm going. I've done this a couple times." Elio said, leading the way up around. He walked up from the sand of the beach onto patches of grass near the rocks, making his way around to the other side of it so he could safely climb on it.
"Is there something at the top?" Cindra asked curiously, unsure of why Elio was so enthusiastic about getting up there. Elio glanced back at her and shrugged.
"Not really, I just haven't been up here in awhile," He answered simply. "Watch your step on here. Some of these rocks have sharp edges."
"Alright...how long has it been since you've been here?" Cindra asked curiously.
"Couple years now. We went on vacation for a couple days, our family and Cassian's family." He recalled.
"Cassian...you haven't talked about him in a while. So this is a more sentimental place for you, huh?" She realized now as they neared the top of the rock.
"Yeah. Cassian was actually the one who found this place," Elio said, carefully walking to the top of the rock. "Good place to sneak away too." He said, sitting down on the rock now.
"Ha, yeah. You get a great view of the beach out here." Cindra agreed, eyeing the scarring over his heart before carefully sitting down next to him.
Elio nodded silently in agreement, bending one knee and resting his arm on it. He sighed to himself as he sat quietly. Cindra didn't have anything to say right now. It was the first time in a while that they had sat together comfortably...without arguing.
"I guess they don't really have beaches in the North Pole, huh?" Elio thought aloud.
"Do ice beaches with ice islands count?" Cindra joked mildly.
"Ice islands? Is that a thing?" He asked, looking at her.
"Yes. They're called glaciers." She giggled at him. Elio scoffed and shook his head.
"Whatever." He chuckled a little.
"Hahaha...hey, Elio?" Cindra dropped her voice down, speaking softer now.
"Yeah?"
"I'm glad we're not fighting anymore." She said.
"Same, haha, definitely feel the same way." He agreed.
"Mhmm...despite what happened, I'd still rather be working by your side." Cindra said sincerely.
"Good. There's nowhere else I'd want you to be." Elio said, looking back at her and smiling softly. Cindra nodded at this and smiled in return.
"Truce?"
"Truce." He agreed, offering his hand to her. She took his hand and held it in both of hers, smiling again...
As day started to descend into evening, the crew decided to reconvene and start a bonfire on the beach, where they all gathered around to sit and eat dinner. Elio was standing by the fire hanging out and drinking from a glass.
He needed to say a few words.
"Everyone! Can I have your attention for a few moments?" He requested, calling out to everyone. As word spread to everyone around, conversation silenced and all eyes went on him.
"I overheard some conversations earlier about Alayas. We all wish that he could be here with us. I, um...I didn't know him as well as most of you did, but it wasn't really a secret to anyone that he was a good man – he had a reputation that we should all try to imitate.
"I know that some of you have questions about the trial for the man who murdered him. I don't have any answers for you right now, I'm sorry. As it continues, I don't want it being discussed openly, but if you wish for updates, I will do my best to provide them for you.
"The important thing is that we address the needs of Alayas' family; without him in the picture now, his wife and children could use our...what's the word? Um, our practical help. I'm going to be opening up a donation spot on the ship that'll go towards the family, and if anyone wants to visit or bring them food, I'm sure they would appreciate that too.
"Aside from that, it will be a little while before the Fire Lord sends us on another assignment. I want you all to take full advantage of this slow time to take care of your personal affairs and spend time with your families...
"If this tragic incident has taught us anything, it's that you never know how much time you really have. Take full advantage of it and enjoy. And thank all of you for being the best crew I could ask for. That's all." Elio said, managing a faint smile.
"To Alayas!" A member of the crew shouted out, raising his drink up.
"To Alayas!" A majority of the crew repeated in unison.
Elio nodded, satisfied with this response. He quietly walked and found a table among the crowd to sit at. He let out a small sigh and took another sip of his drink. It didn't take long for Alger, Sri, and Cindra to join him at the table.
"Hey, Elio. That was a really nice speech." Sri said to him with a smile.
"Thanks. That wasn't planned or anything, I just wanted to say what was on my mind, you know?" Elio expressed.
"Well, it came across very well. You're a natural leader, in my humble opinion." Alger complimented, patting him on the shoulder a few times.
"Thank you. I'm doing my best. I still have a lot to learn, but your support makes things just a little easier. I know you'll have my back." Elio said to them appreciatively.
"Always." Cindra said in response, giving him a warm smile. Elio looked and smiled back at her, nodding slowly.
"Always," He said back to her, taking the last sip of his drink. "Ah, I'm out. I'll be right back, I'm gonna get some more." He got up slowly, feeling dull pain in his stomach as he got up from the table and slowly started walking away.
"Hey, Elio," Cindra quickly got up and walked around the table to catch up with him. "That hurt, getting up just now, didn't it? Have you been feeling more pain?" She asked, looking down at his bandages, recalling that they hadn't been changed all day.
"Uh...only a little just now. It's been fine, really." Elio answered.
"Mhmm, sure. Here, you sit back down. I can get you your drink." She said, taking the glass from his hands.
"Huh? It's really no problem, Cindra. I can handle a little walk." He tried to defend, but she wasn't having it.
"You've been up on your feet all day. Time for you to get some rest." She insisted again.
"I'll rest when I get back to the ship. I appreciate it but I'm fine. Really." He said, resting one hand on her back and reaching for the glass with his other hand.
Rather than respond verbally right away, Cindra simply put her other hand over his to stop him from taking the drink. She turned towards him, leaned in, and gave him a small, short kiss on the cheek. Then she stepped away from him with the glass still in her hands.
"I'll be right back." She said, turning away from him now and walking off.
"Alright." Elio nodded, watching her leave. He brushed his hand on his cheek and sat back down at the table. Alger and Sri didn't say anything; they just exchanged smug glances with each other before looking at Elio again.
"Not a word." Elio said with a chuckle...