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.