A Bender's Tale

I sat on my favorite part of the beach, just staring into the sky, thinking. Everything was so different now. I could still see the ashes from my village. It was all gone, my family, my friends and my parents. The anger that had been hidden inside me boiled.
Why does the stupid fire nation have to ruin everything? It was a peaceful day in my village. I sniffled. It was too soon to remember, I thought. Some of the anger resided into sadness, but I needed to get the rest out of my system.
I stood up suddenly, a tear rolling down my cheek. I moved my body in a slow motion, my arms flowing like how water moves, and that’s what happened. The water moved into the air gracefully as it twirled around me. I had realized something, this was my bending, it was my life now. It was all I had left of my parents. Instead of the anger leaving me, it just got bigger. I had flash backs.
**Flashback**
The fire nation storming through our village and destroying everything in its path. They burned the houses until they came to our hut.
**Real life**
I moved my feet, ready to change direction at any minute. My hands were up by my face. My eyes were closed. I thrust one of my hands forward, air shooting from my hand.
**Flashback**
They banged on the door and threw open our door. We didn’t have time to prepare ourselves. They were on us, we couldn’t move. I had clenched my fist and they were thrown off of us. I looked up a scared look in my eyes. I thought that maybe one of the earth benders of the village had come to save us ,but no, There was no one there beside me and my mum. I knew my dad was the only earth bender in our family, but he wasn’t there. I remember my mom telling me to run to my special place.
**Real life**
I twisted my foot and the water dropped and the earth rose. I jumped up and round house kicked the air, making the earth under me fly in the direction I kicked. This continued for a couple more minutes, until I sat down. I had sat down in the fetal position tears running down my cheeks.
Suddenly I heard a honking noise and my eyes flew open, only to see a fire nation ship heading right where I stat. I could see a young man on the ship looking right at me.
He turned around and I could see a scar or burn around his left eye. He started yelling at someone and I realized he was pointing at something behind me. I turned around to see nothing and realized he was pointing at me?
My first instinct was to run back into my village that was a little ways away, but I didn’t want to relive the nightmares. My second instinct was to use my bending, but that might make it even worse for me. I wasn’t even that good at it.
I looked up to see where they were, only to realize they were already landed on the beach. I quickly used my earth bending to make a ball around myself. I waited silently, until I heard footsteps approach, only to have them stop about five feet away from me.
“Hello,” I shouted nervously, my voice shaking.
“Hello, if you would come out of that ball, girl, then I promise we won’t hurt you, “He said power in his voice. Interesting so he was a powerful figure.
“Yeah right, tell what you want with me and maybe I won’t kick your butt,” I said over confident. I mean I had three elements on my side and he only has one.
“Ugh fine little girl, you asked for it,” He said in a bored tone. Suddenly the earth around me got really hot and I got really mad. I mean come on, I’m not little; I’m fun sized.
“I’M NOT LITTLE OR SHORT,” I yelled coming out of my ball of earth. I looked around me and realized there were fire benders all around me. I thrust my arm out and air came flying out of my hand. The fire benders went flying back, all landing in a pile.
Next I twisted my foot on the ground, jumped up and round house kicked the air, just like I did before. The earth flew up and hit the rest of the firenation solders. I didn’t notice, but one had escaped by dogging my attacks. He was the leader of the group and was wearing royal uniform. I realized he must be Prince Zuko, banished by his own father.
“Give up and maybe I won’t hurt you,” I heard a voice behind me say. I turned and just laughed.
“Or not,” I said still laughing.
He just snarled and kicked in the air, sending a fire wave coming right at me. I pulled a wall of earth up, but the flame went right through it. It hit me, making me fly back and hit a rock. Everything was starting to go fuzzy and I just let it. I mean anything I ever knew was killed by the fire nation. They ever killed my pet cat owl, Jaxx. I heard Zuko walk up to me.
“I hope you’re happy with kidnapping the last of my people,” I said, fading into darkness.
**Zuko’s P.O.V.**
Shock came over my face. What did she mean by the last of her people, and why did she have a very lonely look in her eye? She looked so pretty when she was bending. Why could she bend air, water and earth? These questions were swirling in my mind when one of the ships sailors walked up to me cautiously.
“Sir, we have the cells ready for her.”
Zuko turned around anger burning in his eyes. The sailor cringed back.
“She will not be staying in the cells, she will be staying in my quarters,” he said a possessive look in his eyes.
“Yes sir,” the solder said running off.
Zuko looked back at the pretty earth bender and wondered why she attracted him so much. Maybe it was that lonely look in her eye, the same one he had in his.
**Ailee’s P.O.V.**
I woke up to a pounding in my head. I slowly opened my eyes and noticed a small room. I sat up a little too quickly and I started to get dizzy. I brought my hand up to my head and held it there. I took a quick look around the room and noticed how fine the bed sheets were. I also noticed the two fire nation symbols on the wall.
I got up quickly, not believing this was happening. I ran to the door and started banging on it loudly.
“You can’t get out Ailee, I have the key,” a familiar voice said from behind me.
I spun around and yelled, “YO-,” but cut myself off. “Wait, how do you know my name,” I asked him.
He laughed and said, “Oh your earth kingdom license.” He replied casually.
“Give that back and what do you want with me,” I asked in the same tone. He just shrugged and that set me off.
“I was perfectly fine on the riverbank. I was waiting for my cat owl, Jaxx, but oh no, you had to go and take me away from the only thing I had le-,” I didn’t get to finish my sentence because Zuko go up from his spot on the floor and stalked over to me. He raised his hand and the next thing I knew was my cheek was stinging. I pulled my hand up to my face and turned away, tears falling down my face.
“Don’t talk to me about everything you know being taken away from you, all you’ve ever known is gone,” He said sadly.
This intrigued me, but I couldn’t help but notice the vent right above my head. I was too small for me to fit in, but Jaxx might be able to hear me whistle. I took some a step so I was sitting right under the vent and sat down. I whistled lowly, and then changed my pitch to high. I stopped, and then just waited. I could only hope Jaxx heard it.
While I stared at the vent I could only think. I knew Zuko was behind me, but why did he take me? Was it because he saw me bending? I know I have a lot of power in me but am I really that bad? He would have killed me already if he was going to kill me right? What if he was taking me back to his father? Zuko did have a lonely look in his eye when he said everything he had was gone to. Maybe that’s why he kidnapped me, for some company.
I stopped my daydreaming and started to listen when I heard faint screaming. It sounded like it was right above us. Maybe Jaxx is here.
Suddenly there was a loud pounding coming from behind the door.
“Sir there is a rabid cat owl attacking the crew,” he said in a loud voice. Zuko sighed audibly.
“If I want something done right I have to do it myself,” He said not taking his eyes of me.
Then I realized something, that cat owl is Jaxx. I ran up the steps and out of the door that lead to the main deck. I looked straight ahead and saw Zuko firing his fire blasts into the air. I slowly walked up behind Zuko and tapped him on the shoulder.
“What,” he said and sighed. I took a small step in front of him and did my whistle.
“Hello my dear Jaxx,” I said in a pleasant tone as Jaxx flew onto my arm.
“That is Jaxx?” Zuko asked confused.
“Yes he is and he’s staying by my side. He’s the only thing I have left of my village,” I said in a matter of fact tone.
“That thing is not staying in my room,” he said with a horrifying look.
“If you want to keep him you have to stay in the cells,” he said scarily.
I was shocked. As they pulled me along I shouted at Zuko,
“I was in your room! Next time I see you, you’re dead,” I shouted angrily. I wish I could use my bending right now, oh wait, I can only use it when I’m in danger or emotional. I was dragged down the stairs before I could say anything else. They dragged me down a long narrow hallway that had pipes running through it and into a giant room with metal bars and cells.
When they moved me by the first cell I noticed a young man with a pigtail and hair on the side of his head shaved. He was also wearing southern water tribe uniform. He was also kind of cute.
They dragged me into the next cell over and threw me in there. It was very dirty and smelled really bad. It had an old, dirty bed and almost yellow toilet. They then proceeded to slam the door shut.
As soon as they did, I ran over to the side of the cell where mine and the water tribe boy cells meet.
“Hey, you, water tribe warrior,” I whispered. I eyed the guard at the door carefully, making sure he didn’t notice I was talking.
I had set Jaxx on the ground beside me and looked back at the boy with questioning eyes. He looked at me with kind eyes and smiled.
“Why are you down here?” He questioned. I just shrugged and replied,
“Zuko kidnapped me for a reason unknown.”
“Oh he’s just mean. He thinks he can get his honor back by capturing a bunch of spoils of war. I’m from the southern water tribe. My name is Sakka” he responded nicely.
“Oh my name is Ailee; I’m just an earth kingdom commoner that can bend the three elements,” I replied sarcastically.
Sakka’s jaw flew to the floor, as I stared at Jaxx trying to catch the rats.
Since Sakka became quiet I started to think of my life so far. I discovered that I could bend 3 elements. I got kidnapped by some random cute prince….Wait did I just call Zuko hot? That is so wrong, but it feels right too. He did hit me, but I guess I provoked him and he said he lost everything too. I wonder if he feels how I feel. I felt a sudden tiredness come over me and my eyes started to droop. I slowly closed my eyes and drifted off into darkness.
**Zuko’s P.O.V.**
One whole week had passed since she had been down there. I stomped down the steps to where the cells were and Ailee was. One of my guards had recently told me that Ailee and Sakka were talking to each other. Why was that stupid water tribe boy been talking to my Ailee. Wait; did I just call her my Ailee? I know that when I first saw her she looked so beautiful, but lonely. I had felt an instant connection to her, but calling her my Ailee was just messed up. She had looked beautiful when she bended, but she also looked emotional.
Those thoughts made me go faster. I was in the holding cells now and it looked like I had woken Ailee up with all the noise I was making. She looked at me tiredly and I turned to one of the guards.
“Get her out of that cell now, Even if she won’t leave her pet there she will be staying in my quarters.” I said with authority.
I turned to the water tribe boy and slowly stalked over towards his cell.
“Don’t ever talk to Ailee, she is MINE!” I told him in a possessive voice.
“Wouldn’t think of it, caption,” he laughed.
I stomped away towards the guard that held Ailee. I grabbed her arm roughly but let go when she made a small cry of pain.
“Sorry Ailee,” I mumbled like a child that was scolded. I started walking up the stairs and I could hear her delicate foot steps behind me.
**Ailee’s P.O.V. **
As I was walking behind Zuko, I noticed we were on the way to his cabin. We walked up to the main deck and realized that I forgot Jaxx. I whistled and Jaxx flew up behind me and landed delicately landed on my arm.
We walked up to his door that was open, just a crack. It sounded like I heard Zuko mumble an ‘odd’.
“Zuko, wait,” I told him.
“What is it Ailee?” He asked. He turned around and I could tell something was different about him. I could tell something was up about me too. I was thinking for that week and I had finally come to a conclusion.
“I have something to tell you. I li-,” I was cut off by the door bursting open and a girl with shiny black hair came out. Her eyes lit up when she saw Zuko, but narrowed when she saw me.
“Zukey, who’s this,” she asked him incontinently, clinging to his arm. Zuko jumped a little bit and turned around to face her.
“Uh, hi Mai. What are you doing here?” He asked nervously.
“Oh, I thought I’d come see my boyfriend.” She said glaring daggers at me.
“Uh, Zuko I think I’ll go outside for some fresh air.” I told him sadly. I turned around and started walking the way we came. I could feel the tears rolling down my cheek.
“Wait, Ail-, Mai get off me. Ailee wait,” She shouted pushing Mai off and following me.
“N-no get away from me, go to your girlfriend Mai,” I said as I started to run down the hallway, hearing Zuko’s footsteps speed up.
“Ail-“He started. We were on the main deck now, where Zuko practiced fire bending.
“NO!”I screamed. MY body moved into a defense stance. My body flowed like the water that was surrounding us. My arms and feet moved like how the air nomads could. This was all too familiar.
My right leg moved in a half circle and I stomped my foot. The metal of the ship spiked right towards him and yet he didn’t move.
Right before it could hit him I diverted it to make it look like a crossroad. I turned around as he stood there shocked.
“Oh did I forget to mention I can metal bend. It’s another thing to add to the list of bending that you kidnapped me for. Oh and I think that I love you, not that you care.” I said tears coming out of my eyes. I turned back around to face the setting sun as I heard Zuko’s footsteps slowly walk up behind me.
I felt a pair of arms wrap softly around my waist and he put his head on my shoulder.
“Ailee, the reason I took you wasn’t for your bending. I thought you looked so beautiful and just had to have you for myself. Oh and another thing,” he said mocking me, “I don’t think, I know I love you.”
My eyes lit up and I turned around to hug him. I looked up at him as our lips grew closer together. I connected our lips and we kissed in the sunset. We broke apart and stared into the sunset, just happy to be together. The sunset grew into twilight as we walked back into the ship.
We passed a shocked Mai on our way back to the room.
“Come on Ailee, Let’s go to bed for the night.” He said looking at me in adoring eyes.
I sighed happily and replied, “as long as I’m with you.”