Aang watched me with a weird look. "Stay with Appa. We'll be right back."
Uh oh. I was totally out of Team Avatar.
They didn't trust me because I was a firebender. Fury bubbled inside me. I ran outside of the palace doors and jumped on Appa, grabbing his fur to hoist myself up.
"I hate my life," I groaned, falling on my back. Appa grunted in agreement. "I mean, I'd rather be you." Appa grunted again. "They don't trust me do they, Appa? Do you?" Appa roared. "I'll take that as a yes."
I wondered what they'd be doing inside.
"I'll complain to you, Appa. You're my only friend."
When they returned, Aang didn't make eye contact with me. Sokka was frowning and Toph was silent. Even Katara looked weirded out.
"We talked to the king," Aang said without eye contact. "He was clueless about the hundred year war. We're assigning the world's best warriors to him."
"You mean Suki?" Sokka said, his mood suddenly lifting.
"Yup. The Kyoshi Warriors," Katara grinned at him.
As they settled on Appa and Aang yelled, "Yip-yip!" And Appa was soaring in the air, I finally blurted, "So can you help me?"
Sokka turned to me, squinting. "You're a firebender!"
"And a waterbender," I pointed out.
"But we haven't seen you really waterbend. What if that was a trick?"
"Yeah you can't bend two elements," Toph shrugged, her legs out in front of her. "Impossible."
"But it is possible!" I argued. "That's why I left my grandma back in my Water Tribe, where I was born just to let you know. Don't hate me because of most of my people. That's the mistake Jet made, which is why he'll never be able to live in peace. You can't wipe out the fire nation. Not all of us are evil. I'm water because of my mother and fire because of my father. That's called being united."
Aang watched me carefully. "Can you—"
I snapped my fingers and a flame appeared at the tips like a little flaming orb.
"And water?" Katara asked.
I twirled my fingers in the air and a stream of water twisted into the air from Katara's little knapsack. She covered her mouth.
"I'm not a bad guy," I said. "I can show you."
Aang took a deep breath. "You aren't."
I raised an eyebrow. "And how did you come to that conclusion?"
"It's just . . . I can tell. Your eyes."
"My eyes?"
"I don't know," he shrugged. "Okay. For now."
I let out a sigh of relief.
♋♋♋
No way. Who pushed him into this?
"I'll see you then," Jin laughed, a sweet smile spreading over her face. Zuko gulped.
"Yeah." He croaked. "Then."
Jin exited the tea shop, and Zuko turned his back to the door, running a hand through his hair. He walked to the table where Zian was sitting, frowning.
Iroh was staring at him.
Tonight.
🔥🔥🔥
