A lovers burn

Chapter seven: The student

I woke the next morning before sunrise, giving myself a chance to get dressed. The village people had left us a few clothes but I felt wrong wearing them, seeing as I would dirty them up today. I opted to wear my same red loose pants and black shirt. I glanced at myself in the mirror and stared at the Fire Nation emblem. It made me sick. I sighed before going to work on my hair. I decided to just throw it into a neat low bun, leaving out my bangs to frame my face.

"What are you doing up so early." I jumped, forming fire in my hand, and turned on my heels to see Sokka leaning in my doorway. I sighed and extinguished the fire.

"Hasn't anyone told you not to walk up on a Fire bender..." I looked back at myself in the mirror. "I could ask you the same question, you're never up this early." I grabbed my necklace and slipped it back onto my neck.

"I'm going to see Suki. I treated her pretty badly yesterday." I smiled warmly, was Sokka getting out of his sexism phase? "Don't smile like that; it's already bad enough I have to admit I'm wrong." I chuckled.

"I'm proud of you Sokka. Glad someone can finally get through your thick head." I heard a knock on the house door. "That's Sheng, I gotta go. Have fun with Suki." I placed a hand on his shoulder as I raced past him. I readjusted my shirt before opening the door. "Hi Sheng!" I greeted, shutting the door behind me, and glanced at his apparel. He was in fighting clothes.

"Hey, Esme. I thought I told you to wear something you can get dirty in?" He was still smiling.

"This is the best I can do." I truthfully answered. "So, what's the plan for today." A mischievous grin escaped and he started leading me to another part of the island.

"The Kyoshi warriors are the protectors of our land. They are the reason we've stayed out of the war for so long. But, they aren't the only fighter on the island." My confusion turned into intrigue as we got to the corner of the island, hidden from everything. I wouldn't even know of it unless we flew up above. "My father taught me the art of Yiquan. It's an art strictly for Earth benders and fire benders. The firebenders have long forgotten this technique. Even most of the Earth Kingdom has. We are the last ones who still follow and use its guidance" He stood in front of me and dropped into a fight stance. He was planted against the ground. "Follow my movements." The excitement in me only grew. I dropped down. He looked down at my feet and signaled for me to adjust them. I glanced at him before copying the position. "Focus on your breathing. Focus on the warmness not only around you but in you."

I shut my eyes, sucking in a deep breath and feeling the beams of the sun hitting my body. I felt the heat in my veins and let it grow slightly. "Use that energy to guide you through the movements. Unlike the Air Benders, it's important to stay attached to the world for this. Losing that control could cause harm to others." I nodded and he stood up, walking beside me. He grabbed my left arm and lifted it, he moved behind me and forced me to stand up fully. "You use your connection to be firm, to strike your opponents with the intent to stop them with as little movements as possible." He pushed my arm forward, a quick strong punch through the air. "Use your bending." I glanced back at him, unsure. "I'll be fine. Do it." I nodded and lit my hand. He backed his hand up to my upper forearm. "Move when I move." I did as follows. He guided me through it, taking steps forward and striking with deadly force.

He showed me more of the techniques as I got through the first fighting stance. He used his Earth Bending to demonstrate and I copied just using my fire bending. I eventually started to use blue flames, seeing that they fit the more deadly side of this style.

"You a natural at this, Ese!" I couldn't help but love the nickname. "Come on, let's take a break. I got spicy pickle Kelp." My stomach grumbled upon hearing the word spicy. I may hate my nation but spirits I missed the food.