𝑯𝑰𝑫𝑫𝑬𝑵 𝑫𝑹𝑨𝑮𝑶𝑵, 𝒂: 𝒕𝒍𝒂

➳ 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘦𝘯: 𝘳𝘰𝘤𝘬𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱𝘴

KIDA WOULDN'T CONSIDER HERSELF A NIGHT OWL, BUT SHE SHOULD KNOW BETTER THAN THAT BY NOW. Though, for Kida, "night owl" is just a euphemism for insomniac.

Every single time she tries to close her eyes, Kida remembers the vision of her father, and hears his voice telling her she's not doing enough.

Because of this, Kida spends her days making sure that the team is training, and, more importantly, training herself to the brink of exhaustion. Suggesting that they make frequent stops so that Katara and Toph can practice bending as much as possible. Sparring and sword-fighting with Sokka until they're both out of breath. Reviewing firebending forms and drills, not only alone, but with Aang, too.

After a morning of training, the team meets back at camp. Katara, Toph, Aang, and Sokka settle down, but Kida drops her sword and stays standing.

"Aang, you coming?" Kida turns to Aang, who's busy playing with Momo.

"Firebending?" Aang sighs when Kida nods. "Do we have to?"

"Why are you guys even practicing firebending?" Sokka asks. "We're attacking during the eclipse. Neither of you will have the ability to firebend."

Kida crosses her arms. "The eclipse is only what, 8 minutes? Well, there's a before, and there's an after. We need to be ready for anything and everything."

"But don't you think Aang's time is better spent practicing his waterbending?" Katara counters. "And, you know, taking breaks in between."

"Plus, Twinkle Toes should really keep focusing on his earthbending, too," Toph adds, though she seems uninterested, leaning back against the ground.

"I'm just saying, any chance the Fire Lord has to take out Aang, even if it's one second, he'll take it. Aang, come on. I'll teach you one more firebending move, and we're done for the day."

"Do you really think that the Fire Lord would shoot a kid with lightning?" Sokka wonders.

"What kind of question is that!" Kida shouts. When everyone, other than Toph, turns her attention to Kida, their brows furrowed, Kida takes a deep breath. "Sorry," she offers before continuing. "First of all, Aang isn't just some kid, he's the Avatar. He's a threat to the dynasty that is the Fire Nation. Second of all, this is the same Fire Lord who has no remorse for sending in troops to attack defenseless villages all over the world. And, third of all," Kida pauses. "Third of all, the Fire Lord isn't above attacking a kid."

Katara tilts her head. "What do you mean?"

"How do you think Zuko got his scar?" Kida lowers her voice as she says this. She knows that Zuko shared the story with her in confidence, but he betrayed her trust by switching sides in Ba Sing Se. She doesn't owe him anything. "So, yes, I really think that the Fire Lord isn't above attacking, or killing, a kid by shooting him with lightning." She turns to Aang, almost pleading. He looks back at her, his eyes wide. Kida doesn't want to scare him, but she needs him to know that there are stakes. "Please, Aang. I'll teach you how to redirect lightning, and then we'll be done with firebending, if you want. Okay, kid? Please."

That was Aang's last firebending lesson; at least, for now.

Kida, however, keeps going. Her muscles ache down to her bones, there are blisters on her hands, and minor scrapes and bruises and burns all over her body, but still, she keeps going. She's going to do whatever it takes to keep the world safe; to keep her family safe.

Every single time Kida tries to sleep, she gets flashbacks of her past, or visions of what might happen next. The nightmares vary from time to time, but they don't get better. Kida sees the team in battle, during the eclipse, almost winning. Kida sees a faceless swordsman beside her, about to attack Sokka. Kida tries to protect him, but she's frozen in place. Sokka is slashed by a sword. Kida is still frozen in place, looking around at the rest of her friends. Katara drowns in a tsunami. Toph gets swallowed by the earth itself. Aang is shot by lightning. Fire engulfs her vision, as Kida jolts awake.