Wandering Firebender

Sixty Seven: Opportunities

Sri opened up the door to Alger's home and stepped outside. Elio followed her out. He briefly made eye contact with the Dai Li agent waiting at the gate before sitting with Sri at the steps in front of Alger's house. He rested his elbows on his knees and clasped his hands together.

"How've you been, Sri?" Elio asked.

"I've been good...um, do you remember Tani? The lady who ran the shop I was working at?" She asked.

"Uh...yeah, yeah, I kinda do." He answered with a nod.

"Well, she died a few months ago." She informed him.

"Oh...I'm sorry."

"Yeah. So now I've taken over her shop, me and my family."

"I see. So you're all settled in? Feeling pretty secure?" Elio presumed.

"I mean, yeah, but...we're doing the same thing we were doing before. Now we're just in a nicer place." Sri commented with an indifferent shrug.

"I'm not sure I follow what you're trying to tell me here." He admitted. Sri sighed in frustration.

"I'm...I don't want to say no. I do want to go with you, but I don't think I could. Well, I could, but I don't think I should." She explained.

"Because of your family." Elio realized. He'd seen firsthand how close Sri was to her mother and father; the only time she'd ever been separated from them was when she came to Ba Sing Se with him.

"Well...I mean...yeah. That has the most to do with it." She admitted.

"But that's not all."

"No...I mean, I'm really flattered by your offer, and it sounds great, but, like, what help would I be? I'm not a bender like your other friends. I don't have any fighting experience." Sri pointed out.

"But that can be fixed." Elio argued.

"You can't make me a bender, Elio." Sri joked with a faint chuckle.

"No, I meant the other thing. We can give you training and experience. I know that you're smart enough to learn. And plus, you know the Earth Kingdom better than any of us." Elio pointed out.

"Then buy a map."

"We still need someone to tell us where we're going. Sri, you're like the most hardworking girl I know. I've watched you fit right into every environment you walk into, regardless of whether you know anything or not." Elio continued.

Sri looked down and didn't respond to this. Elio rubbed her back.

"I'll understand if you say no. You don't have to explain anything else to me...but I am glad you told me why. But if feeling like you'd be useless is the only reason you're saying no then I would reconsider, because that's not the way I see it." Elio said, standing up.

Sri stood up and gave him a hug. Elio hugged her back and rubbed her back again, holding her for a few moments before they let each other go.

"Thank you...and congratulations on your new position. I think it's really cool, what you're doing." She said with a smile.

"Thank you. I'm very nervous about it." He admitted with a chuckle.

"I bet. It's a lot of pressure, sounds like. You're working with the new Fire Lord directly, right?" She asked. Elio confirmed this with a nod.

"Yep. I basically get my missions right from Zuko." He answered.

"That's impressive...I look forward to meeting him." Sri commented.

"Huh?"

"You heard me," Sri took in a breath. "I need to talk it over with my folks, but you convinced me. I guess I'll never know if I don't try, you know?" She said.

"Yeah," Elio chuckled and smiled. "Why don't we go visit them together? I'm sure it'll require a lot of explaining." He offered.

"Yeah...oh boy." Sri let out a nervous, shaky breath.

"Haha, I know. Let me talk to everyone else and figure out how things are gonna go, and then we'll meet up and head back to see your parents." Elio said.

Elio and Sri went back inside and rejoined the others. They entered into the living room to find everyone chatting with each other and with Igor about what happened at the Northern Water Tribe. Cindra was in the middle of talking about what she experienced.

"It was very scary. They were literally cutting holes in our front wall and crawling in like bugs. And then just when we were getting a handle on it-oh hey! Everything okay, you two?" Cindra cut her story off to check in on Elio and Sri.

"Wait, what happened next?!" Igor asked. However, Elio ignored him to answer her question.

"It'll take some time, but Sri will be joining us," He announced. "I'll see if I can take care of it this evening. In the meantime, if you could all pack your things, I can take you to my airship...let me go outside and explain to the Dai Li agent out there what's going on." He decided, pointing towards the door before making his way out.

"Let's go get our stuff." Koda said. She got up and went upstairs. Marx and Nezu followed her. Alger stood up as well and stretched his arms out.

"Are you certain that this is what you want to do, Sri?" Alger asked.

"Mhmm. Yeah. Why?" She asked.

"Well, I know how much you take your family into consideration. If you're confident in your decision, I'll support you all the way." He said with a reassuring smile.

"Thanks, Alger." Sri smiled back.

"I already have everything I need on the airship. Need any help getting packed, Alger?" Cindra offered.

"I certainly wouldn't mind it," Alger replied with a chuckle. "I'm sure Igor would like to hear the rest of your account." He brought up.

"Yes, yes, of course!" Igor spoke up, eagerly nodding his head.

"Haha fine, fine." Cindra agreed with a giggle...

It took some time to get everything arranged, but finally Elio was able to get everyone on the airship. Under the watchful eye of the Dai Li, Elio took Alger, Koda, and the others out of Ba Sing Se and into the airship, where they were given rooms to stay in.

"What an amazing structure," Alger commented, looking at the structure of the huge vehicle as they made their way through the bottom level. "I wonder what sort of design went into this. This is impressive technology."

"It's like a huge flying boat!" Nezu laughed.

"That runs on fire." Marx added.

"Whoaaa." Nezu's eyes widened.

"Haha so all of your rooms will be up and down this hall. I'll have someone come through and make sure you have everything you need, but you can go ahead and grab a room since all of these are empty. Cindra's room is the last one on the right, and my quarters is that door at the end." Elio said, pointing down the hallway.

"It's like a flying inn! Awesome!" Nezu said enthusiastically as they all went and chose their rooms.

"Thank you, Elio, for taking us into consideration. I'm honored that you would think of me as someone who can help you on your mission." Alger said appreciatively.

"You kidding? You're one of the first people I thought of. You took a knife for me, man. I haven't forgotten that," Elio said, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. "I'm glad you're here."

"As am I. Even if this environment will take a lot of getting used to." Alger commented, taking a look around.

"It'll be fun." Elio said with a smile.

"It will be fun." Alger agreed, nodding and smiling back before finding a room for himself. Cindra walked up to Elio.

"You gonna go back and find Sri?" She asked.

"Yeah," Elio nodded. "I told her I'd go with her to talk to her parents and explain the whole situation. It's no guarantee that she'll come with us, but I'd like to give it a shot."

"Of course. I talked with her a little bit. She seems really nervous and unsure. But she says that you think she'll be valuable to the team." She brought up.

"I do! She's very industrious and smart." He said.

"Well, you know her better than I do. If you think she's good for the team then she's good for the team. She is very nice." Cindra commented.

"She is. I'll let you know how it goes when I get back, okay?" He said with a nod before heading downstairs.

"Sounds good." She replied, watching him leave...

Elio took the train ride back into Ba Sing Se. This time he went to the Middle Ring. Sri was waiting for him at the station when he came out. He passed by a few people who looked at him with widened eyes. Sri leaned against a support rail at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hey. Did you get everyone else settled?" She asked.

"Yep, I did. And I have a room picked out for you if this all goes well," He said as they started walking. "Where are we going?" He asked her.

"Same home we used to live in. Well, you used to live there. My parents moved in shortly after the Fire Nation took the city." Sri answered.

"Right, right, I remember. How are they?" He asked.

"They're good now," She answered with a nod. "It was hard when they first arrived. When you were captured, the Dai Li had us on watch for awhile, even though none of us are benders. Once they finally backed off, that's when we were able to get settled.

"Like I said, we took over Tani's shop after she passed. It's expanded now so it's not just furniture. Then it was just all about the business. I thought about going to school for something at the university, but we don't have enough money.

"Before Alger left, I'd hang out at his house a lot. He kinda...became my teacher in a way," She chuckled at this. "I don't know. I told him I couldn't go to the university, so he gave me access to his library. He was teaching me to fight a little too, but we didn't get far before he left."

"Why did he leave?" Elio asked.

"The war. Word got out about the Fire Nation's big plan to burn the world down, so he went out to fight." Sri answered simply.

"Right! Right, yeah, we ran into each other out there. He helped me get to the northern shore." He recalled.

"Yeah he told me! That's crazy how that worked out! Haha, well, after the war ended, he came back with those three firebenders. He pretty much had to sneak them into the city, and since then they've just been stowing away in his mansion...I think that sums everything up." She thought aloud.

"Gotcha. Well, despite all the struggles, I'm glad you all are doing well. I was worried about you." He said.

"I was more worried about you! I heard rumors that you'd been captured but I really had no idea what happened." Sri said.

"Yeah. I did get captured, actually." He confirmed.

"What?! What happened?!" Sri asked.

"I'll tell you about it later." Elio said, holding his hand up. They were coming up on the house now, and he needed a moment to mentally prepare himself for this.

"Right, yeah," Sri nodded and took in a nervous breath. "I've never...been away from my parents before. I never really considered how I'd ever have this conversation with them." She admitted.

"I guess we'll see," Elio gestured towards the house. "Lead the way."

Sri nervously approached the front door of the house. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her house key. Her hands shook a little as she fumbled with it, sliding it into the lock. She opened up the door and knocked on it before walking inside.

"Mom! Dad! I'm home! And I have a friend of ours here with me," She announced as she went inside. "Leave your shoes at the door, please." She said to Elio as he followed her inside.

"Welcome home, honey! How's that Alger kid? Is he with you?" Lao asked as he made his way over to the door to greet her. His eyes widened when he saw Elio, "Whoa...wait. Elio, is that you?" He recognized him right away. Elio was surprised that her father remembered him.

"Yes. Hello." Elio smiled and approached him, offering a handshake. However, Lao took a step back.

"What is that uniform for?" He asked.

"We'll explain, dad. Elio has a really important job now." Sri said.

"A really important job...for the Fire Nation?" Lao asked.

"Yes, sir," Elio confirmed with a nod. "I'd be happy to talk about it if you want. I'm glad that you all are doing well. Sri was getting me caught up on how things have been for you since you moved here." He said.

"Yeah. Things are comfortable now...are you staying for dinner?" Lao asked.

"I wouldn't mind. Only if it's alright. I wouldn't want to impose." Elio said.

"No, that's alright. Stay. It'll be good to catch up," Lao said slowly before walking back into the kitchen. "Honey, Sri's friend Elio is here with us. Could you get another plate ready?" He requested.

"Sure, honey...Elio? Isn't that the boy we met on the way to-"

"Yes. He's..." Elio and Sri were no longer able to hear what Lao was saying to Jin after that. Sri looked at Elio, feeling awkward.

"Um, I'll help get the table ready. You wanna come sit?" She offered.

"Okay, sure." He agreed.

Elio sat down at the table and waited patiently, watching as Sri and her family prepared the meal. Soon, they were all sitting at the table. He could tell her parents were trying to look at his uniform and take in as much of it as they could. His food and drink were served first.

"Elio. It's nice to see you again, honey. How have you been?" Jin, Sri's mother, asked him politely.

"Doing well now, ma'am. I'm sorry for arriving unannounced, but thank you for the hospitality." He said appreciatively.

"Of course. Enjoy." She said in an inviting tone. They started to eat.

"So, what's going on here, honey?" Lao asked Sri.

"Mm," Sri finished chewing the food in her mouth and started to explain. "So, father, mother; Elio here is from the Fire Nation. He's been from the Fire Nation this entire time." She started.

"What?!" Jin exclaimed in surprise.

"No no, but it's okay! See, he's a good guy. I found out about it when he saved me in the desert last year. So when we saw him again and he said he was going to Ba Sing Se as a refugee, I believed him, because he's proven to be a good guy." She defended him.

"Respectfully, I've never looked to cause anyone trouble or anything like that. Please don't let the uniform fool you. I'm still the same guy." Elio added.

"I can appreciate that," Lao said. "But still, things are tense right now. Even though the war's over, things aren't exactly happy and peaceful right now. Is it even alright for you to be here?" He asked.

"It is. I spoke with the Earth King himself yesterday." He brought up.

"The Earth King!" Lao's eyes widened at this.

"Elio is an agent for the new Fire Lord. He's working with the Avatar to help the world transition into peace now that the war's over." Sri explained.

"Oh my goodness...that's such a huge task." Jin said quietly.

"Yes it is. There's a lot of work to do. More than I really know about honestly," Elio admitted. "Which kinda leads me into the reason I asked to come here. I'm putting together a team to help me with the peace missions, and I would like Sri to be a part of it."

Both of her parents completely froze. For a few lengthy seconds, there was silence throughout the entire house.

"You want...Sri?" Jin asked slowly.

"Yes. She's smart, she's resourceful, and I would trust her to help me navigate across the Earth Kingdom. I've told her this, I've told you this, right?" He gestured to her, "However, the decision is entirely up to you as a family. You should all talk it over." He said.

"Really? So you won't mind if we say no?" Lao inquired.

"Not at all...well, I'd be a little upset of course, but I would understand. You all have built a stable livelihood here. If not having Sri around would affect that, I don't wanna mess that up. But if it's an issue of money, I can say that this is not a charity case. She will be paid well for her efforts." He promised.

"I will?" Sri asked in surprise.

"I see...honey, let's discuss it more after dinner." Lao decided.

"Yes, father." She agreed...

So once dinner was over, Elio thanked them for the meal then respectfully left the house and waited outside the front door. Sri and her family stayed at the dinner table to talk everything over. Sri waited patiently for her parents to process everything they'd just heard.

"...the Fire Nation." Lao said quietly. Sri nodded slowly.

"I know. It feels unbelievable, especially so soon after the war." She acknowledged.

"I wasn't sure what to expect when we first heard that the war was over, but it definitely wasn't this." Her mother admitted.

"Yeah...so...if you two don't want me to go, I understand. I won't leave you if you need me." Sri stated clearly.

"Do you want to go?" Lao asked, a tinge of disbelief present in his tone.

"...I do," She confirmed with a nod. "It seems like Elio could really use my help. And the idea of traveling around the world, getting paid to help people is nice." She shared her thoughts.

"Are you certain that's what this is though, honey? Who knows what the Fire Nation could be up to behind the scenes?" Jin pointed out.

"I trust what Elio has told me," Sri said. "He's saved my life several times, remember? I lived with him here in this house for like a month, and not once did I ever feel unsafe around him. It was actually the opposite. So if he says he's here to help people then I believe him." She stated.

Her parents looked at each other. It was hard to argue with such noble intentions, even if they did lead to so much uncertainty. But could they really consent to their only daughter thrusting herself into an unknowable and dangerous position?

"You...have always been with us, Sri. You've never had the chance to go out into the world on your own. I understand that. But are you sure that this is the way you want to do it?" Lao asked seriously.

"If not now then when?" Sri asked with a shrug, "It makes me really nervous even thinking about leaving. But this city is a place where you could live your entire life without ever leaving, and-and I don't know if that's what I want. You know?" She tried her best to explain her feelings.

"But is this the way you want to experience it?" Jin asked the question again.

"I don't know...it just seems like it would be good. But again, I don't want to just leave you here. You've always needed my help, and I'm here for you." Sri said again.

There was some silence between Sri's mother and father...

"Maybe you should go." Jin finally said, although she was hesitant to say so.

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Honey...your mother and I are obviously concerned about this, but at the same time, we've had a conversation about this before. You've always opted to stay and take care of us, which we've always appreciated. But it has been holding you back from growing too." Lao acknowledged.

"That's not true. You've taught me so much!" Sri argued.

"Of course. We've taught you everything that you know. But we're not gonna be around forever, baby. And even though the Fire Nation is definitely not the way I would recommend you go, you need to start figuring things out for yourself.

"That was something we hoped for you here in Ba Sing Se. We're comfortable here now, and we have the shop. There's options for you outside of us, dear, and we do want you to consider pursuing them." He continued.

"I-I see..." Sri swallowed and looked down, taking a moment to ponder over this...

After what seemed like a long 10-15 minutes, the front door opened. Elio, who was sitting on the steps, looked back to see Sri coming out with a large travel pack on. His eyes widened excitedly and he stood up.

"So is this official? They said yes?" He asked.

"Well...it was kind of a yes, kind of a no. But I've decided that I will go with you. We talked about what I should do in the future, and after having that talk, I think that helping you is the best opportunity I have." She explained.

"I'm glad you think so." Elio said with a smile.

"Mhmm. So I'll take that spare room if you'll have me." She said with a smile.

"Of course I'll have you. That's what all of this has been about." He pointed out with a chuckle.

"I know I know, I just...ha, I hope you understand that I have a lot that I will need to learn. I don't feel like I'll be able to carry much weight for awhile." She admitted.

"Hey, that's honestly fine. I barely know what I'm doing right now," Elio admitted with a chuckle. "But we'll figure it out. And anything you feel like you need, I'll make sure you have it." He promised.

"Thank you...I promise I won't screw things up like before." She said. Elio looked at her oddly.

"Like before? What do you mean 'like before'?" Elio asked.

"I mean...like with Cassian." Sri slowly brought up.

Elio's eyes widened a little. Suddenly, a lot of Sri's hesitation made much more sense. It wasn't just that she was afraid she wouldn't be good enough. She was blaming herself for what happened, thinking she might cause another incident like that.

"Hey, that wasn't your fault." Elio quickly said.

"I just mean that-"

"I know," Elio said, putting his hands on her arms. "Look at me. That wasn't your fault, okay?" He insisted.

"Okay...you really feel that way?"

"...I feel like what happened was bound to happen one way or another," He said with a shrug. "But I still want you on the team. That one day has no bearing on my decision."

"Okay...then let's go." Sri managed a smile...

Elio and Sri left Ba Sing Se immediately and went to his airship. When they reached the second level for living quarters, they found everyone in the map area chatting with each other. It seemed like Cindra was getting to know the three firebenders: Koda, Marx, and Nezu.

"Look who it is," Alger said with a smile when he saw them come up the stairs. "So you've decided to come with us after all."

"Yeah, heheh, it took some convincing, but yes." Sri said with a giggle.

"Good. I'm glad you're here." Alger nodded and smiled warmly at her.

"Hey, Sri! Welcome aboard! You're gonna love it here! This ship is amazing!" Cindra said with a laugh.

"Can't wait." Sri giggled again and smiled. Being here now, she felt like she was able to breathe a little easier, at least for now. Her feelings were still present, but she was determined to show that Elio wasn't wrong about her being here...