ANYTHING BUT; avatar the last airbender

chapter 10

[act two; chapter ten     -     today's destiny]

    She hadn't ever been surrounded by such an environment. Tossed into the belly of raging shouts and slamming fists, or chairs soaring through the air. It was a strange place, she felt, as she stood at Zuko's side, her eyes flitting from one corner to another in quick succession.

    They approached slowly, Lian and Suki sharing a look of confusion as, of course, they were the only two who had not been involved in Zuko's past with June.

    The woman groaned, tipping her chin in the opposite direction as they stopped before the table. "Oh, great, it's Prince Pouty. Where's your creepy grandpa?"

    Zuko's brows furrowed, annoyed. "He's my uncle. And he's not here."

    She shrugged once, looking back to the cup of tea in her hand. Her eyes, dark, Lian noticed, flitted between her and the Prince, before settling back on her tea. "I see you worked things out with your girlfriend."

    Her face immediately ran hot, cheeks bruisingly red. Her brows furrowed, lips pursed. She said, "Oh, no, he's not—"

    And at the very same time, nearly in tandem, Zuko stammered, "She's not my girlfriend—"

    June held a hand up innocently. "Okay, okay. Sheesh. I was only teasing."

    "I need your help finding the avatar," he explained.

    "Hm, doesn't sound too fun."

     His lips twisted into a frown, his body leaning forward as his hands fisted just in front of his chest. "Does the end of the world sound like more fun?"

    Never in her life had Lian seen a creature quite like June's. Her name was Nyla, she learned. A large creature with a piqued sense of smell. She walked in circles, then, helplessly searching for the scent of a boy who was, seemingly, long gone. She collapsed to the ground, paws rubbing at her nose, whines echoing from her.

    Lian, with her hands interlocked behind her back, frowned. "What does that mean?"

    June, crouched beside the creature, turned her head, her eyes finding the earthbender's. "It means your friend's gone."

    "We know he's gone," Toph exclaimed, her arms splayed out on either side of her body. "That's why we're trying to find him."

    "No, I mean he's gone-gone. He doesn't exist."

    Dread seemed to sink into her gut, weighing her down as though it was all that she existed of. As if it were her purpose of living. She felt as though her soul had been stitched and woven together by dread and grief, and an incurable sense of sadness. As if it was all that she had been made for. As if it were her nearest companion.