"Are you sure you want to go out on the full moon? It's dangerous," Zuko said as the sun was setting. We'd changed into our new earth nation clothes and I had on my Earth bracelet.
"I know," I sighed, sitting atop a rock criss cross, Zuko leaning against a tree. "But I have to know what she has to show me. I'm horrible at waterbending, I think you've already realized that," I rolled my eyes and cupped my chin in my hands, my elbows resting on the knees.
"Yeah."
"I have to do something to make my waterbending stronger."
"You don't need to make your bending stronger if you have strong firebending. That's what you're good at; keep it that way. It's only natural for you to have one element and be good at it," Zuko said wisely.
"Lower your voice," I glanced around us. "But I want both."
"You don't always get what you want, Mei. Sometimes you have to let things go for the best."
I pursed my lips. "You know I'm still going, right?" I said flatly.
"I know," he rolled his eyes, "It was worth a try."
"You tried your best." I grinned.
The corners of his lips turned up in a small smile.
"These are comfortable clothes by the way," I pointed out.
"Very."
"This is the first time you've talked this much," I laughed.
His smile disappeared. "Whatever."
"Are you going to watch me with Hama or are you going to stay here?" I asked.
"Stay here."
"Why?"
"I feel like it."
"Okay. Well, I should get going then," I stood up and jumped off the rock.
"And I should be fighting with someone." Zuko stood up.
"Fighting as in arguing or fighting as in punching and stuff?" I raised my eyebrows.
"Both maybe." Zuko shrugged, walking away.
I laughed and walked into the woods.
♋♋♋
Zuko heard stories of a weird force that came over some villagers every full moon, but they probably weren't true. He'd talked to a boy around his own age a few days ago and he'd told him about a moon spirit. Zuko had seen the moon spirit himself and he knew she was a kind girl, and she would never do something like that to anyone. So what was this 'strange force'? Ayame could take care of herself so while she was with Hama, he'd be able to keep a close eye on the villagers tonight. Zuko was going to visit that boy again and get more answers out of him. And right before Ayame left, he'd warned her.
"Oh, and Ayame," he'd called out after her, "I heard from a lot of people here that there's a mind controlling force that can control you against your will every full moon." She'd just stared at him for a second and then burst out laughing, waving her arm in the air as if to swat the idea away. Zuko had sighed in defeat, turned around and walked away.
Zuko knocked on the door of the boy's house and he'd opened the door almost immediately.
"I knew you'd come," the boy grinned. He was wearing something almost similar to Zuko but his hair was short and the front of his hair had been jelled back. His eyes were a light green and he welcomed Zuko in with a small gesture. Zuko followed him in and they walked into his kitchen, Zuko greeting his mom. His mother eyes him curiously but walked away, disappearing for the rest of the time Zuko was there.
