Best Friends Forever?[SPORATIC UPDATES]

9: A Successful Concure

All I think about these days is how I am where I am in my life. How I ended up in the greatest city of the Earth Kingdom. How I ended up in a plot to concur it. How a nonbender, like me, ended up on a special team with the Fire Nation Princess. Of course she'd recruit Mai and Ty Lee. She's been close to them for years. I can't do much more than Ty. What's the point in there being two of us? Where's the advantage?

I shake my head when Mai calls my name.

"Zea. What are you thinking so hard about?" she asks with slight curiosity in her voice.

"Nothing. Nothing." I reply with another shake of my head.

She gives me a deadpan look, but drops the topic. Returning to her conversation with Ty Lee.

I really need to stop spacing out so much. It could prove fatal.

Once again, there are people running towards us.

"Thank goodness we're in time." a boy that looks strangely familiar spoke when he got close enough. A short girl by his side

"In time for what?" the Earth King replied. 

"Yeah, what are you in time for?" Ty Lee asked before she flipped closer to him. "Cutie." she added. Leaning real close to his face. I roll my eyes.

"Uh, I'm kind of involved with Suki." he replied awkwardly. 

"Who?-" Ty Lee was knocked off her feet, and away from the guy,  by a rush of rock. 

"They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors." the young girl beside him said.

Guess our cover's been blown. I ready myself for the inevitable battle.

"Sorry to disappoint you." Mai apologizes, sarcastically. Throwing 3 pieces of metal at the Earth bending girl.  Who blocks with a wall. 

As Ty Lee tries to strike the guy from earlier, while also attempting to flirt with him, I realize something. There isn't really anything I should do right now. Mai & Ty are fighting 1-on-1, and I  know they can handle it.   

Perhaps they really don't need me anymore. Did they ever need me to begin with?

"This fight, is over." Azula says while holing on to the Earth King in a threatening manner. Blue flames on the tips of her fingers. 

The 2 quickly surrender with their hands up. Ty hits them with a few jabs to block their bending. 

It's over for them now. Seems like this whole thing will be over soon at this rate. Really soon.

I'm just not sure if I'd classify that as a good thing.

'''''

When I thought about how today could be the day this whole journey ends, I had at least imagined it being a BIT more entertaining then watching Ty try to teach a bear how to do a handstand.

"Come on, it's easy. You just walk on your front paws instead of your rear ones." She gets on her hands to demonstrate, "Like this."

I'm on my feet as soon as her hands are encased in earth.

"That is a nice trick." the earth bending girl says. The Earth King & older boy by her sides. She lifts a large piece of rock from the ground.

I turn to Mai, but she's looking straight at them.

"Just take the bear." she says, with a wave of her hand.

"Bosco!" the King shouts as he hugs his friend.

I sit back down with a huff. I'm sure Azula won't mind, pretty sure the whole watching the bear thing was Ty's idea anyway. Still, I get the feeling I won't get much more excitement before I go back to the Circus. 

'''''''

It's over. It's really over. The Earth Kingdom, has fallen. And at the hands of The Fire Nation. Great for them. That's a real win. 

So why do I feel so down?

Upon collecting my things, I realized I don't have much to take. My shoes I saved 2 months for, my favorite pair of Ruka balloon bottoms, and my 'friendship arm band'. I shoved my things into a bag and changed into some Earth Kingdom garb. The Kyoshi uniform is too hot & heavy to travel in. I have no idea how they wear that all the time. 

"Zea! Hurry up!" Ty shouts from the hallway. Reminding me that my time is here.

With 1 last thought about how I was working with THE Princess of the Fire Nation. And how met the Avatar. And... nearly killed his friends. 

I bring the tips of my fingers to my lips. I never did figure what that was about. And it hasn't happened since. Hopefully, it was a one time thing. 

I can't bare to say goodbye to the group. So I don't. I just try to sneak out without being noticed.

"Zea!" 

There goes that plan.

"Zea! Where are you going? We're going this way!" Ty waves at me from the other side of the room.

"Yeah, well, um, I'm going this way." I respond, continuing on my way.

"Why?"Mai asks this time. 

"I'm headed back to Kap's."

"You're leaving?" Azula's voice has me stop in my tracks.

"You're one of us now." Mai says.

"Come on, Zea!" Ty does 3 flips to where I stand. She takes my bag from me and flips away. "Wow. This is a lot lighter than I expected."

I slightly smile at them when Azula turns to continue walking.

Maybe this journey isn't quite over just yet.

_________________________________________

Hey y'all!

It's, uh... been a while...

If you've been here since the beginning. Thank you for sticking around. I plan to write more of this (don't worry. I haven't given up on this story... yet.). I just don't know when. 

My writing style has changed a bit since I last wrote this... hope it's not TOO noticeable. 

Let me know what you like (& what you don't) and I'll keep it in mind as I write. 

Catch ya in the next chapter.

P.S. this story was started in 2016... ah ha ha... dang