Tougher Than Stone

Chapter 6

Nakia's pov

I stuffed the list of recruits into the bag containing the scroll and eyed the jewelry stall across the square. Gui was the first name on the list, which I only partially understood. He would be loyal to Liena at least, but he was from one of the richest families in Shoa. He could sometimes be an extremely bratty twelve year old. Still, he was Liena's "boyfriend" so I could tolerate him. Evidently he had noticed me because he smiled and waved me over.

"You here for another bracelet, Nakia? We've got some new ones that I think you'd love." he tapped the table in front of him causing a few of the bracelets to jingle.

"Not now, Gui. I actually needed to talk to you about something."

"Yeah, what's AAAAAAAA!" as soon as he had stepped out from behind the table I had grabbed him by the collar and drug him into a dark alleyway.

"What the heck?" Gui brushed off his clothes and glanced down the alley back towards his market stall.

"I have some questions for you, Gui."

"Please tell me this isn't about me having a crush on Liena. Because if it is, I swear it's just a crush! I'm sorry!"

"That is not why I needed to talk to you. It's perfectly fine to like someone." Gui sighed with relief.

"Regardless of that fact, if you break her heart you will suffer serious consequences." his face paled again.

"What did you want to ask me?"

"Are you a bender?" I leaned back against the wall opposite him. He squinted at me.

"Is this a trick question? I mean, you've known me my whole life-"

"Would you like to learn to use your abilities?" Now he's listening.

"You'll teach me?" I nodded. His smile, I'll admit, was rather cute and genuine.

"Now get back to your stall before the Fire Nation soldiers become suspicious. And, before you leave, if anyone asks you about our conversation tell them that we were discussing Liena. I'll come collect you sometime this afternoon or evening and take you to where we will be training you. And don't tell anyone." Gui thanked me and ran off. I made a mental note to buy a bracelet from him later.

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Gui had been confused when we had ended up at Liena's house for training but now he was certainly more confused now that we were standing in front of Liena's bed.

"Where's Liena? Where are we training?" I was about to answer but I heard a doorknob turn. I dragged Gui under the bed and clapped a hand over his mouth.

I completely forgot that Tira comes over here almost every day. At least I think that that might be her. My suspicions were confirmed when the door to the bedroom opened and I saw two pairs of shoes walk in, one of which was my sister's sandals.

"What are we going to learn today, Mrs. Lin?" I smiled. Tira was such an inquisitive little girl. She reminded me a lot of our sister Yanli, well, what Yanli had been like before she died.

Liena's mother Lin was Shoa's resident healer. After my father was killed by Fire Nation soldiers around three years ago, she had stepped in and volunteered to teach Tira the art of healing every afternoon so my mother could rest. I really respected her.

"Well..." Gui began shaking like a leaf as her shoes began walking towards our hiding spot, "I'm going to teach you about which plants are good to use in medicine!"

"Haven't I learned that already?"

Liena's mother chuckled, "Yes, but it would do you good to review. Sometimes I fear that you and Zhan are so busy fighting each other that you forget the things I tell you." well that was certainly true. My siblings do bicker quite a bit.

Liena's mother got down on her knees and began feeling for her medical bag, which was right by Gui's feet. I dragged Gui a little closer to the wall and held my breath. Her fingers brushed Gui's shin and I swear I could feel Gui start shaking. In some ways, I can't blame him. We stayed quiet until the room was empty and a door shut somewhere in the house. I took my hand off of Guozhi's mouth.

"Are they gone?"

"Yes, stop whispering. Now I need you to bend a hole right around... here," I tapped a spot on the floor near the corner of the wall. Gui nodded, hitting his head on the underside of the bed.

Soon there was a hole just big enough for us both to slide through. That slide dumped us rather unceremoniously in a little room that, to Gui, would likely seem like a dead end.

"This is where we're training? There's not a lot of space here." I didn't answer, I just walked over to the wall and began kicking. Within a matter of a few minutes, the wall suddenly disappeared.

"After you, Gui." this child is so thoroughly impressed by everything.

He stepped into one of the few caverns we built, glancing around in wonder. As soon as he saw Liena, he smiled, ran to her, and tapped her on the shoulder.

Liena squealed and jumped into his arms, nearly knocking him off his feet as he began to spin her around.

"I see you rolling your eyes, Nakia!" Liena pointed at me and I raised my arms defensively before moving to relight one of the candles on the other side of the room.

After the candle was lit, I sat in my usual spot a ways away from the happy couple. Liena was excitedly explaining some of the beginning bending techniques on the scroll. I really hope this idea of ours won't blow up in our faces.

Written  by AmericanPopsicle

A/N Kate: I APOLOGIZE FOR NOT GETTING THIS UP ON TIME!! My parents surprised me and my family with a weekend trip (again) and I didn't have enough time/connection to post Chapter 6. Here you are now :) Enjoy, little butterflies