Reborn In Water || ATLA

I Don't Belong Here

The Waterbending Master - Cont.

"Those days, it was all I wanted, nowadays, it feels all the same. Used to stare at my bedroom ceiling wishing everything could change. Now it's hard when you're always searching for the life that you left behind. Time disappears, year after year. How the hell did I get here? I feel so far away, minutes turn to hours and the hours into days. I gave up everything. You don't know what you got until you throw it all away." - I Prevail

TRIGGER WARNING. Graphic language, and physical violence later in the chapter.

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"I'm so sorry." Yue fumbled with her hands in her lap, guilt creeping up her neck. "I didn't mean to put you on the spot or cause a fight."

"It's not your fault, you didn't know." Aelita sighed deeply as she watched Sokka storm away. "Things are...complicated between us right now." The young firebender kept on staring unapologetically until Sokka was out of her sight.

Yue glanced at Hahn, her potential husband, and grimaced again. "I understand complicated, I'd be happy to listen if you ever wanted to talk about it."

Aelita paused. Did she want to? She certainly didn't want to talk to Katara about it, Sokka was her brother after all, and she didn't want to put Aang in the middle. She glanced over at Mushu who was currently laid on his back fast asleep, belly swollen from all the food he had eaten. She didn't have any other options. The Princess before her exuded calm and steadiness. Aelita wasn't sure why but she felt as if she were an old friend already.

"I think I'd like that." Aelita finally said with a small smile.

"I'll call for you tomorrow after my morning duties and we'll have what my maidens call a 'girls day.' I've never had a close friend to have one with before." Yue's smile was now genuine and lit up her entire face. Sure everyone was kind to her, but she had never had real friends before.

"Neither have I," Aelita admitted. "I was raised by my Dad, he didn't know the first thing about girls but spirits bless him he tried. After the third time he managed to get a comb stuck in my hair he just insisted I keep it short."

"That sounds like my Father." The two girls laughed freely at the memories of their parents and found themselves enjoying the other's company. Aelita was happy to have Yue on her side. She had a feeling the Princess would make a great leader one day.

"Would you mind if I spent the morning training first?" Aelita asked. "Unfortunately we won't be able to stay here for long. After Aang and I master waterbending he'll still have to master earth and fire." This time Yue fell silent. The Akira didn't know.

"You want to master waterbending?" She asked.

"Of course," Aelita said as if it were common knowledge. "Aang, Katara and I all do. We have to. It's the whole reason we came to the North Pole."

"No one's told you yet, have they?"

"Told me what?" Aelita asked. She didn't like the sudden change in her newfound friend.

"In our tribe, it's forbidden for women to learn waterbending."

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Docked along the coast of the northernmost edge of the Earth Kingdom.

Iroh had begged and begged but Zuko hadn't budged. Music night on the ship might have always been Aelita's thing, but it had never been his. She was the one the entire crew had loved after all while they simply followed him because they had to. Without her here he sure as hell wouldn't be participating.