ATLA: Book Three: Fire [Makki]

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven: The Boys' Wild Adventures

Part One

Makki |~|

Yesterday, Zuko joined our group as Aang's fire bending teacher. And to be honest, it feels really weird to have him here as a friend and not as someone trying to hunt us down.

I know that I've lived with him before and even... you know... but I had Iroh there too, making sure that he didn't go too far off the rails.

This morning after breakfast, Aang and Zuko left to go train. Although, something felt weird. The whole time they were gone, working on Aang's fire bending, I didn't once hear or see any fire; at all. Sokka even left to go taunt Zuko, since he knew Zuko wouldn't hurt him, and when he got back, he explained that it was all really... dull.

Something's really off... Am I the only one who's unsettled?

[~][~][~]

The day went by pretty quickly. It was already time for dinner and Katara and I just got finished serving everyone when Zuko came from around a pillar to announce something.

"Listen, everybody," he began. "I've got some pretty bad news. I've lost my stuff."

"Don't look at me. I didn't touch your stuff," Toph said, defensively.

"...I'm talking about my fire bending. It's gone," Zuko said grimly.

I knew something was up. How strange...

Katara suddenly started to laugh very obnoxiously.

"I'm sorry," she giggled. "I'm just laughing at the irony. You know, how it would've been nice for us if you'd lost your fire bending a long time ago?"

"Well, it's not lost," said Zuko. "It's just weaker for some reason."

"Maybe you're just not as good as you think you are," Katara glared.

"...Ouch," Toph smirked.

"...I bet it's because I changed sides," said Zuko.

I raised an eyebrow, "That doesn't make any sense."

"I don't know," said Aang. "Maybe it does. Maybe your fire bending comes from rage and you just don't have enough anger to fuel it the way you used to."

"Soooo all we need to do is make Zuko angry," Sokka smiled. "Easy enough."

Sokka began to giggle mischievously as he poked Zuko repeatedly with his sheathed sword.

"Okay, cut it out!" Zuko shouted, making Sokka stop. "Look..! Even if you're right, I don't want to rely on hate and anger anymore. There has to be another way."

"You're gonna need to learn to draw your fire bending from a different source," said Toph. "I recommend the original source."

"How's he supposed to do that? By jumping into a volcano?" Sokka teased.

"No," said Toph. "Zuko needs to go back to whatever the original source of fire bending is."

"So, is it jumping into a volcano?"

"I don't know," Toph set her bowl down before smiling at us. "For earth bending, the original benders were badger moles. One day, when I was little, I ran away and hid in a cave. That's where I met them. They were blind, just like me, so we understood each other. I was able to learn earth bending not just as a martial art but as an extension of my senses. For them, the original earth benders, it wasn't just about fighting. It was their way of interacting with the world."