When Worlds Collide: Book Three, Fire

////Sam's POV\\\\\

"He's terrible," Katara complained, yet again, while gathering wood. "I don't understand how you can stand being in the same room as him, let alone be friends with him."

Sighing, I turned my back. "Look, all I'm saying is that you should give him a chance. He really isn't that bad once you get to know him. He's sweet, and kind, and-"

"You like him?!" Toph and Katara asked at the same time.

I winced, and tucked my hair behind my ears. "I never said that," I mumbled. "I just said he was a good friend, is all."

"Lying," Toph taunted, and I glared.

"Let's just get the fire wood," I snapped.

"Sam," a voice called, and we looked up to see Sokka coming over the hill. "You're jerk boyfriend kicked me out."

"He's not my boyfriend!" I defended, and shoved the wood into his hands. "I'm going back to the temple." Ignoring the snickers behind me, I stomped up the hill.

/////\\\\\

Later that evening, after the sun had gone down, we built a fire and had dinner. It was nice to have a relaxing meal, wihtout having to worry about enemies or upcoming invasions.

I noticed Zuko in the shadows, and debated on whether or not I should go over to him, but he had an annoyed look on his face, so I let him be.

I was laying on my stomach, my feet in the air, and resting my head on the purple blanket that Katara had found in one of the old rooms.

"No, really, this is a good pun, you'll like it," I promised, seeing Sokka's quizical look. "I couldn't remember how to throw a boomerang-" I puased for dramatic effect "-but then it came back to me."

Sokka and I both burst out laughing, and I clutched my stomach as I rolled around.

"Listen everybody," Zuko annouced, stepping towards the group.

Sokka wiped away a tear, and I bit my lip to stop from laughing any more.

"I've got some pretty bad news," the fire bender continued. "I've lost my stuff." He looked down in shame, and I furrowed my eyebrows, confused.

"Don't look at me," Toph rushed, putting up her hands. "I didn't touch your stuff."

"I'm talking about my fire bending; it's gone." Zuko hung his head, and I blinked.

"It can't be...gone," I told him. "You probably just did something wrong, or-"

Katara laughed, and we all looked at her with shock. "I'm sorry," she apologized, not sounding sorrya t all, "I'm just laughing at the irony. You know, how it would've been nice for us if you had lost your fire bending a long time ago?"

"Well, it's not lost, it's just... weaker for some reason," Zuko said, ignoring Katara's rudeness.

"Or maybe you're just not as good as you think you are." Katara raised an eyebrow while taking a sip of her soup.

It was silent for a second.

"Ouch," Toph smirked.

"I bet it's because I changed sides," Zuko thought aloud, and I blanched.

"You're crazy," I told him. "That has nothing to do with it."

"I don't know," Aang shrugged. "Maybe it isn't. Maybe you're fire bending comes with rage, and you just don't have enough anger to fuel it like you used to."

"So," Sokka grinned, picking up a stick, and sliding over to Zuko, "All we have to do is make Zuko angry. Easy enough." Sokka laughed as he poked Zuko repeatedly, and I rolled my eyes.

Right as Sokka was about whack him, Zuko snapped. "Okay, cut it out!" Pinchign the bridge of his nose, he sighed. "Look, even if you're right, I don't want to rely on hate and anger an anymore. There has to be another way."

"You're going to need to learn to draw your fire bending from a different source," Toph told him. "I recommend the original source."

"How's he supposed to do that?" Sokka asked. "By jumping into a volcano?"

"No," the earth bender relpied flatly. "Sokka needs to go back to whatever the original source of fire bending is."

"So... is it jumping into a volcano?" Sokka asked.

"I don't know," Toph shrugged, setting her bowl down. "For earth bending, the original benders were badger moles. One day, when I was little, I ran away and hid in a cave. That's where I met them. They were blind, just like me; so we understood each other. I was able to learn earth bending, not just as a martial art, but as an extension of my senses. For them, the original earth benders, it wasn't just about fighting; it was their way of interacting with the world."

"That's amazing, Toph," Aang grinned. "I learned from the monks, but the original air benders were the sky bison." He looked over to Appan, and smiled widely. "Maybe you can give me a lesson sometime, buddy."

Appa roared in what sounded like agreement, and I giggled.

"Well this doesnt' help me," Zuko said quietly. "The original fire benders were the dragons, and they're extinct."

"Wait, actual dragons?" I asked. "There were actual dragons in this world?"

"What kind of boring place do you come from?" Sokka asked, shaking his head sadly.

"What do you mean?" Aang asked, looking confused. "Roku had a dragon. And there were plenty of dragons when I was a kid."

"Well they aren't around any more, okay?" Zuko snapped.

"Okay, okay," Aang said, putting his hands up, "sorry."

"There's gotta be another way, right?" I asked.

"Well... there are the first people to learn from the dragons, the ancient Sun Warriors" he said, walking over to look over the edge of the temples.

Aang got up to follow him. "Sun Warriors?" he asked. "Well... I know they weren't around when I was a kid."

"No. They died out thousands of years ago," Zuko explained. "But... their civilization isn't too far away from where we are now. Maybe we could learn something by poking around the ruins."

"It's like the monks used to tell me: 'Sometimes the shadows of the past can be felt by the present.'"

"So... what?" Sokka asked, stroking his imaginary beard. "You'll pick up some super old Sun Warrior energy just by standing where they stood a thousand years ago?"

"More or less," Zuko shrugged, but he looked unhappy about it. "Either I find a new way to fire bend, or the Avatar has to find a new teacher."

Aang looked panicked, and I stood up. "Well, we won't have to worry about that, because you both are going to look for your mojo in the morning."

"You're not coming?" they asked in sync, and I shook my head.

"I don't need to worry about fire," I told them. "I'm a bit rusty on my water bending, and I'm sure Katara would love to help me with the whole mind thing."

The brunette snorted into her soup, and I laughed.

"You'll just have to show me when you guys get back."

Zuko smiled, and nodded.

/////\\\\\

After the boys had left, Katara and I headed over to the creek that ran nearby. The water flowed swiftly, and smooth stones shined in the sun.

"How does the mind thing... work?" Katara asked, braiding her hair back.

I smiled, realizing that I missed the braid that usually kept her hair neat and out of her face. "I'm not really sure," I told her. "I just kind of focus all my energy, and it's like I have the fire on a leash. Water more like I just ask, and it does. But it's stressful, and I can feel that it doesn't want to do anything."

Katara raised an eyebrow, and nodded. "Okay, well... let's start at the basics."

And went she said the basics, she meant the basics.

I had to hold a ball of water in the air for five minutes before Katara let me continue, and it took longer than usual because I kept getting distracted and the water would plop back down splashing us both.

"This is hopeless," I griped on my fith try.

"Well... how did Azula teach you?" Katara asked.

"She yelled, and threatened mortal harm," I snorted. "And she used practice dummies that I had to set on fire."

Katara blinked, and huffed. "We're going to stick with this."

I laughed and continued.

We didn't return to the others until night, and I was disappointed that Zuko and Aang hadn't returned.

Everyone else was asleep, so Katara and I made a small fire and sat around it. We were silent for a while, just enjoying the night, until Katara sighed, and stared at me.

I sighed as well, and turned to face her. "Ask away," I told her.

She bit her lip for a second, before sitting up. "You don't really like Zuko... do you?"

"So what if I did?" I asked, tilting my head. "He isn't evil. And he's helping us, he's teaching Aang fire bending."

"Yeah, I guess," Katara pouted. "It's just weird, seeing him here. And he's Fire Nation."

Katara's hand went her necklace, and I understood.

"It's because of your mother," I whispered. "I'm sorry, Katara, I wasn't thinking."

With a sad smile, Katara gave me a hug. She said goodnight, and I was left alone.

I sat in the courtyard, watching the flames die. Even when the glow had completely disappeared, I stayed where I was, wondering how Zuko and Aang were doing, if Katara would ever warm up to our newest member, and my family.

The stars shined brightly, and I looked for the constellations. Capricorn. The dippers. It seemed like ages ago when I had first arrived. How much time had passed? How much time had passed back home?

I fell asleep there, thinking of my family and friends. Their faces were fuzzy, and their names long gone, but I clung to the only memories I had of them, and dreamed of giant rabbits leaving eggs and a man in a red suit breaking into my house.

/////\\\\\

Zuko and Aang didn't make it back until noon the next day. The monk immediatly started bouncing after the walls, and begged Zuko to show us something that they had learned. When we were all gathered around, Zuko looked like he wanted to jump off the cliffside,and Aang was more excited than before.

"With this technique the dragons showed us, Zuko and I will be unstoppable," he explained, as they shot fire into the air.

They completed their stances, meeting together and forming a circle. We clapped, and Aang's smile grew.

Sokka, however looked bored. "Yeah, that's a great dance you two learned there," he sighed.

Zuko's head shot up. "It's not a dance," he defended. "It's a fire bending form."

"We'll just tap dance our victory to the Fire Lord," Sokka sang.

"It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old!"

"Oh yea?" Katara asked, joining her brother. "What's your little form called?"

I raised my eyebrows, daring Zuko as he skewered his face.

"The... Dancing Dragon," he said, and we laughed.

He sighed, and plopped down next to me.