Behind the Flames .:H2OVanoss:.

.:Chapter 1:.

          "RUN!!" A shriek cut the silence of the sandy shores. A group of young children whipped their heads towards the commotion, gasping at the approaching threat, and leaping to their feet in fright. One by one they squealed, bolting from the safety of the prickly bushes, dividing and looking over their shoulders to see which of their friends the attacker decided to pursue.
          Examining his choices for a quick moment, the enemy pounced after the boy who tripped in the sand, his glasses sliding off his face to be buried in the endless amounts of sun bleached rocks. The blonde boy squealed in what was either excitement or fear as he scrambled blindly. Within a moments time, his pursuer towered over him, casting him in a long shadow.
          "Run, Craig! Run!!" His companions shouted to him, but out of fear he refused to move- until he felt a baby soft finger slap down against his back.
          The kid leaned next to his ear and whispered quietly, "You're it!"
          "NO!!" Craig screamed dramatically, puffing tiny flames from his fists as his friends emerged from the bushes. They rejoined with one another on the beach, laughing happily.
          "Wow, Craig. Isn't this like, the sixth time you were tagged?" Tyler, another blonde with blue eyes and one of the other towering terrors,  smacked him on the back with a strong earth bender's hand.
          "Evan's too good at this game!! It's not fair!" He laughed and reached out for his glasses.
          "I'm sorry I'm just so good at being awesome." Evan lifted his head proudly. His tan skin browned in the sunlight as the cool breeze had his charcoal hair whipping back and forth. His bright brown eyes gazed around to make sure all his friends were accounted for. 'Craig, David, Lui, Brian, Arlan, Luke, Tyler, Marcel, Brock, and...'
          "Where's Jonathan?" Evan looked around for his best friend in the cluster.
          "I-I don't know where h-he went but he sa-said something about practicing hi-his bending o-o-or something." A small air bender with fair skin and nearly black hair replied with an uncontrollable stutter. "H-he left right before thi-this round started."
          "Oh. Why did he only tell you, Arlan?" Evan tried not to show the disappointment in his eyes.
          "I-I dunno I thought he told you..." Arlan looked at the ground, fiddling his fingers shyly. "He went that way." He pointed into the lush summertime forest just at the beach's edge.
          "Well I'm gonna go find him. You guys can keep playing." Evan bounded into the forest, listening to his friends continue the game until the sounds of their laughter faded away.

          "C'moooon... Work, dangit!" A small growl of anger sent the forest creatures bolting from their hiding spots. Sounds of water splashing against itself could be heard through the wild sounds of the jungle. 'I can do it... just focus..'
          Small fair hands moved fluently above a pond's surface, pushing back and forth in attempt to create a wave that would submit to him. His small leather boots slid along the ground, drawing semi circles in the squishy moss floor. His dark brown eyebrows scrunched together in focus, teeth clenching hard in concentration. His breathing was slow and long, in through his nose and out his through his mouth.
          Finally, as he took in a deep breath and drew his hands back, the once still pond moved according to the push and pull of his arms. He grinned and giggled as the wave continued to do as he pleased.
          "Now, follow me.." He mumbled, slowly pulling back harder. The water lapped above the bank, but quickly slid right back down into the pool. "No! Listen to me!" He threw his hands forward again, catching the wave in mid-return, and drew it back to him once more. "Up, go up! Off the ground!" He raised his arms to the sky.
          The water listened, splashing at his feet, hissing like a snake as it gathered together, until finally it was a big bubble the size of his head. Unfortunately, it just sat there at the water's surface, refusing to detach from the dusty pond.
          "Go! Up! Rise! Fly!" His raspy cry shouted in annoyance. He thrust his arms up and down to coax the water to let go and take to the sky. With a final desperate push, it rose a few inches upward. The boy squealed with excitement.
          "YES! Stay floating- please!" He giggled with pleasure, admiring the bubble as it hovered just barely above the water.
          "JON!! What are you doing!?" Hot sound exploded in his ear as strong hands gripped his shoulders, startling him with a screech and making him throw his hands to the treetops. A moment later his butt was cushioned on the muddy forest floor, and the water ball he worked so hard for splashed back into the pond once again. The glistening ripples mocked his very existence.
          When Jonathan flipped around, Evan was laughing hysterically, hunching over and clutching his stomach in a fit of uncontrollable giggles.
          "EVAN, YOU JERK!!" Jonathan growled, crawling to his feet and charging at the other ten year old. "It was a beautiful bubble and you murdered it!!" He repeatedly smacked his friend on the shoulder.
          "I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Evan couldn't stop laughing, eventually winning over Jonathan, who couldn't help himself and started giggling too.
          "Do you know how long it took me to get that thing to float?? DO YOU?!" He continued to laugh, delivering one final punch to Evan's shoulder. Then he turned away and pouted with arms crossed. Yes, the smile was still on his lips.
          "I'm sorry, I just had to!" Evan wiped a stray tear from his eye. "I watched you for a while, just waiting for my chance to attack... then I pounced!" He jumped at Jonathan again, making him squeal and leap away.
          "Ya, when I actually did it right?! You're such a bully!!" He smacked Evan's shoulder repeatedly and they both giggled again. "I'm definitely going to get you back, though. I promise you that." Jonathan glared with a competitive fire in his eyes. He just couldn't stay mad at his best friend, despite all the crap he throws at him.
          "I'd like to see you try." Evan challenged.
          The two remained in the shore of the pond for a long while, conversing and arguing about which was the better element- water, or fire.
          "Fire is waaaaay better than water. It's powerful, beautiful, and awesome, just like me!" Evan boasted, releasing a glorious red and yellow flame from his fingertips.
          "You think your beautiful?" Jonathan wheezed with laughter and rolled onto his back.
          "Wha- No!! I mean-"
          "Try eye-meltingly hideous!" He pretended to shield his eyes when Evan glared at him. "AGH! MY EYES! YOU'RE SO UGLY!!" He squealed and flailed his arms around when Evan tackled him.
          "I'm not beautiful! Take it back!" He laughed.
          "You're the one who said it, ugly!" He punched back playfully.