Avatar Rose: Dusk

Chapter 51: Rose

"You can't tell anyone!" I hiss at Xander. I put a hand on Nathan's chest to make sure he doesn't attack him again.

"Of course I won't. As long as I can go with you, that is," Xander replies with a smile.

I groan. That was pretty much what Nathan said when he found out. Why does this always happen? "Our group is already too big. No."

"I don't think you're in the position to decide that. I could tell this whole town who you are."

"But you won't."

"Who says?"

Suddenly, I'm not holding back Nathan anymore. He backs off, but watches me carefully for my reaction. I begin pacing, braiding and unbraiding my hair as a nervous habit. The two little voices in my head begin to fight once more. It's like one of those cartoons with an angel and devil on each shoulder.

Well, I guess we have no choice but to let him join. We can't trust him enough to keep his mouth shut.

Are you stupid? He'll just weigh us down. Let Nathan have him, or take care of him yourself.

He hasn't done anything wrong! You can't just cut anyone down who doesn't exactly go according to your plans.

Well, why not?

"Uhh... Rose? You've been pacing and staring into space for the last two minutes. You okay?" Nathan asks cautiously.

"I'm not a pain! I- I want to help. Please," Xander says.

My head whips towards him, our faces inches apart. "Fuck off," I growl through gritted teeth.

He flinches, and for a moment even Nathan is shocked. He quickly puts on his mask of intimidation towards Xander. I set my palm aflame as a warning before walking off. A gust of wind sends me plummeting down on to my butt.

"Well that wasn't very nice, huh?" A girl's voice calls. I stagger up, finding a girl standing a few feet in front of me.

She's an airbender. You can tell by her small stature, probably about the same height as me. Her normal position is a lot like my own, like she could take flight and escape swiftly like a little bird at any moment. I might be naturally a firebender, but I'm built like an airbender. 

Nathan quickly rushes to my defense. I push him away gently. I can handle myself. 

"Who are you?" I ask, gazing at her wearily.

She ignores my question and walks over to Xander. Her whisper is just barely audible to my ears. "Who are they, brother?"

Oh, that makes much more since. She's his sister.

Xander just smiles and walks up to Nathan and I. Did he not hear what I just said? Do I need to say it again?

"This is the avatar and her friend," he chirps.

The girl's eye's widen with curiosity. "Really? Isn't she the one who destroyed Ganshan?"

"That wasn't my fault!" I snap angrily.

Maybe it was our fault...

Shut up, not now.

"Well, I'm Liesel. I heard you guys talking, and Xander and I would love to join. There isn't much here for us anymore," the girl says.

I look up at Nathan, trying to find some input on how to take care of this situation. Even though I'm the avatar, he's always been the leader. He's less impulsive and more sensible.

"Rose, it might not be that bad. It's not like we have another choice. We need as much people as possible for the war that is to come," he murmurs.

"Great! I already packed our stuff!" Liesel chimes.

Nathan gives up on being angry and begins to talk to Liesel about helping me in my spiritual side of being the avatar. Which is stupid. Why would I need that? All I need to focus on is killing my father. Sounds terrible, I know.

"We'll start this evening," she confirms with a bright smile.

Liesel is kind and bubbly, but not in the annoying way Gwen is. She doesn't overdo it, and it certainly doesn't seem fake. When we get to the cabin, we actually do some airbending together. Nathan and Xander go inside to tell the others.

After dinner, she leads me outside and plops in a criss-crossed position. I do the same, but reluctantly.

"Try to clear your mind," Liesel murmurs with her eyes closed.

I obey and sit quietly for a while with nothing happening. Of course nothing is happening.

"Liesel, it's not working," I say, opening my eyes in frustration.

My surroundings are definitely not the forest I was just in. It's bright and unnatural. The worst part is a strange man sitting in front of me.