The elements protection

Chapter 2

One day, after about a year that Kazumi met the two cousins, her mother started training her in different fighting techniques. The reason for that decision was, that the little girl wasn’t a firebender. I know that may not be a good enough reason, but her parents thought that one day she’ll be needing it, because she was like her mother and father against the war and there wasn’t an end in sight. So, her parents thought, “better safe then sorry”.

Kazumi’s day plan changed a bit compared to before. The time before lunch stayed the same and mostly contained playing either with Zuko and LuTen or alone. However, in the afternoon now were always few hours planned for training and that time started really low and got longer over the years.

Even though Kazumi was still quite young, she enjoyed the training and the time she spent with her mom because of that. The girl was a rather quick learner and got a lot better in a relatively short time.

As the time went on Zuko and LuTen came to visit less and less. When Kazumi asked, what the reason for that was, the boys only said, that it had something to do with their family. At some point the girl wanted know the answer to the same question from uncle Iroh, but the end result stayed the same, she did not know anything specific. However, the older man promised her, to stay in touch with her, if the boys wouldn’t be able to come and spend time with her anymore. That, however unfortunate it was for her, did happen about two years after their first meeting.

Iroh stayed true to his promise and kept exchanging letters with Kazumi to keep her somewhat updated on their lives and she told Iroh about hers. From time to time there was a short letter from one of the two boys included and when that happened a smile always lit up her face.

That went on for another two years, but after that not a single letter arrived anymore. No matter how often she would look up to the sky, there never was an even small sign of one of the typical falcons showing up with news about her three friends.
She got anxious as the time went on and nothing came. This was also the reason why she started spending time at the one cliff there was on the island, since the falcon would always come from that direction. Kazumi would stand close to the edge and look in the distance while the wind would softly blow through her hair and to onlookers it would seem as if it was trying to comfort and talk to her and she just seemed to listen.

The seasons changed as much or should I say as little as they do in the firenation and soon it has been around a year since the last contact happened. At the moment, Kazumi’s 10th birthday was just around the corner and to be honest for how she is, in some ways she’s more mature than others, who are a bit older than her. However, before this happy day would have come, a tragedy had to hit her.

This very unfortunate incident took place on a day, that started with the most beautiful weather you can imagine. The sun was shining, a soft and cooling wind was blowing and there were a handful of clouds in the sky. As the day went on and everyone did their jobs, Kazumi’s mother, Mitsuko, and her father, Katsu took a boat to deliver the new goods to the Ember Island. As Kazumi once again look in the sky to search for the falcon, which she knew that wouldn’t come, she noticed that the clouds turned darker. For the people on the island, it was only common knowledge that a storm is coming. Everyone prepared for it and prayed for it to take a little longer, just so that Kazumi’s parents were back and most importantly safe. However, as you might know, not everything can have a happy ending and so it came, that the villagers found Mitsuko’s and Katsu’s bodies out in the water drowned, but still embraced by each other.

As the now orphan received the news, her world broke into the tiniest pieces possible. The others of course grieved too, but for our almost 10 years old girl it was the hardest, as for she thought, that now she was truly alone without her best friends and family. Everyone on the island decided, that they wouldn’t leave Kazumi alone in the now empty house, that she with her parents once called home.

Her parents were buried in the same or at least a similar position that they were found in, because Kazumi didn’t want to know them separated, if it was already the fact between her and the both of them.

For many weeks Kazumi was not herself and if you hadn’t known it was her, you wouldn’t have recognized her. Her usually so lively eyes turned dull and red from all the crying. Her once healthy body became thinner and thinner. Lastly, her bit darkened skin from the sun started to change into a white like color, since she didn’t go outside for a long time. The only time she would step out was to visit her parents grave, where she would cry even more.

However, I ask you, who wouldn’t understand her? Who wouldn’t grieve the same, if this happened to them? I don’t think, you have even one person in mind right now, or am I wrong?

The villagers were worried about her and they knew that something needed to be done, in order to get Kazumi out of that hole of her’s. Everyone tried to come up with an idea, but none of them were good enough to work. Still, they used a few, but failed to succeed every time.

The last one to try was Kitai. He came to her room and first tried to reason with her. After that didn’t work, he picked the girl up, much to her protest and carried her outside.

“Kazu, you remember this place, right?”

The asked one looked around and noticed that it was the beach, where they first met Zuko and LuTen.

She teared up a little, while saying, “Why did you bring me here? … If you want to make me feel better like the others, I can tell you that it’s not working.”

“No,”, the older boy had a serious look on his face, “but I want you to understand something.” Kitai’s expression turned softer as he continued, “You know, it’s been 5 years since we met those two. You were 5, the little boy 6 and the older one was 16 years old. They were important to you, am I right?”

Kazumi was only able to nod her head.

“Your last contact was quite some time ago too, but you still hold them close and don’t want to see them hurt or sad or whatever, right?”

“Right!”, was the quiet answer he got.

“Then, how do you think they AND your parents would feel, if they saw you like that right in this moment? ‘Cause I’m sure, your parents are still looking after you.”

Those words got the 10-year-old girl thinking. How would the people, who may not be in her life but in her heart, feel about her situation?

“You know, may it be the feelings you have for friends or family, as long as those people are sincere, they’ll have the same or similar ones for you. All of us here on this island, including me, are worried about you. You don’t have to let the grieve of losing your parents completely go just yet, but let it fade and live your life, how they would have wanted you to.”, while saying those words, Kitai made Kazumi look him in the eyes and wiped the forming tears from her face.

This situation with these words were a new starting point for our main character. It of course needed some time, but she gradually found back to her old self. The first thing to change was, that she started to eat again. Then she started spending more time outside and slowly but surely, she began to talk and laugh just like she used to not too long ago.

Hi everyone,
I hope you liked the second chapter and I apologize for taking quite some time to upload again.
Also, I'm sorry that this chapter is quite depressing, but I promise it will get better in the next one.
The same as last time, I would be happy about comments and suggestions on how to make it better.
So, goodbye until the next time.