𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔 𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕

𝒀𝒂𝒏𝒈

                  Chapter Forty one
Elora

It was originally decided that Zuko, Inara, Aang, and I would travel to the Sun Warrior's civilization. However, Inara backed out when she realized we were flying on Appa. She didn't seem to like him much, her nose crinkling at the sight of our flying bison. Aang stayed behind as well, something about keeping a close eye on her in case she showed her true form as a kappa and pulled our friends into the water to drown them.

I never thought I'd see the day where aang would outdo me in the art of insults

Who knew he had it in him?

The journey to the ancient city took us a few hours, with Zuko and me navigating through its intricate pathways while dodging various traps.

Our budding friendship was slowly but surely taking shape. Zuko was warming up to me, though he still frowned at his nickname, which seemed to stick more firmly with each passing day. I was starting to let go of the anger I once held towards him. That is, until he made the questionable decision to pick up an egg-shaped relic from the ruins.

The moment he touched it, we found ourselves pinned against a metal grate, trapped by a viscous sludge that quickly flooded the chamber.

"You know, Zuko, people generally avoid touching shiny objects in ancient temples filled with traps," I remarked, the discomfort of our situation making angrier by the minute

"At least I made something happen. If it were up to you, we'd never have made it past the courtyard," Zuko retorted.

"I'm sorry I didn't want to meet my end via traps older than me," I shot back, attempting to shift my position but finding myself firmly stuck. "Any brilliant ideas on what to do now?"

"Think about our place in the universe?" Zuko suggested, and just as I was about to roll my eyes, a mischievous idea crossed my mind.

"How about you think why you thought that dreadful pony tail was a good idea when we first met?" I quipped, and he let out an exaggerated groan.

"Not this again!"

"Yes, this again. God blessed you with hair, and you abused it,"

"I wonder what Inara's up to," Zuko quickly deflected, steering the conversation away from his questionable hair choices.

Inara walks into the courtyard, ready to put the bald boy on his ass after he challenged her to a fight when she insisted she was a better fighter and now she was going to prove it to him.

"I see you've gathered an audience for our showdown," she says quietly, eyeing Aang and getting into a fighting stance, with the rest of his friends eagerly watching from the sidelines.

"Yeah well, Who wouldn't want front-row seats to watch a monk fight a crocodile?" Aang quips.

"You're hardly a monk, a gutless turd maybe,"

"She and aang are definitely at each other's throats" I reply to zuko

"Yeah definitely I don't even know why I asked"

✾ ✾ ✾ ✾ ✾ ✾

The leader of the Sun Warriors stood tall before us, his gaze piercing as he explained the solemn protocol of seeking the Sun Masters, Ran and Shaw. We stood, our expressions a mix of anticipation and trepidation, our recent liberation from the sticky goop still fresh in our minds.

"Aspire to master the ways of the Sun, and you must first seek the wisdom of Ran and Shaw," the leader began, his voice carrying the weight of ancient tradition. "But know this: when you stand before them, they will not judge you by your appearance alone. They will delve into the depths of your hearts, your souls, and even your ancestry. If they find you worthy, they will impart their knowledge. If not, your fate will be sealed."