Storm

Chapter 15

“Give it back, Rat!” 

“It was mine first anyway!”

“It was not!”

“HEY. If you two want to kill each other, take it outside!” Kai glared at Kinu and Rat, who were fighting over a cookie. Watching, Storm shook her head, an amused smile on her lips. 

Suddenly Dhatri reached over and snatched the cookie, holding it out of the duo’s reach. “You two are worse than a pair of spider-monkeys.”

The boys pouted and pleaded with her to give it back, but Dhatri refused, and soon enough another fight had erupted. Storm chuckled and leaned back in her chair, surveying the cozy dining room of their ship with quiet contemned.

They would reach the Southern Air Temple sometime tomorrow, and she couldn’t wait to see it! In the meantime, things finally seemed to be back to normal. For the first few hours after the attack, everyone had been tense and worried, and Kai insisted that they keep checking to see if they were being followed--not that that did any good, considering that they were sailing through an island chain.

At least now everyone was more relaxed--except Ryuu, who was never relaxed. He sat like a stone beside Kesuk, eating his dinner without a word to anyone. Storm was starting to get annoyed with him. In the past several months, she’d discovered that Ryuu knew more about the world than even Wan, and when he wanted to be, Ryuu could be very nice.

But usually, he preferred to keep to himself and not speak at all, so getting anything out of him was horrifically difficult. Storm wondered what it was about him that held her interest, and why he disliked people so much. Maybe it was because-

“Storm?” Her name was spoken quietly, questioningly, from Kai’s mouth. Somehow, it felt heavy in the air, as if he’d been thinking a long time before he spoke. Even Kinu and Rat stopped fighting to look at Kai.

She tilted her head, smiling at him. “Yes?”

“Why did you fight those soldiers today?”

“Because they were being mean to you. No one gets to be mean to my friends.”

“But you’re from the Fire Nation, aren’t you? They’ll think of you as a criminal now--you won’t be able to go home.”

Storm didn’t miss the surprise on the faces of the crew, even Ryuu. His normally bland expression was replaced by one of shock, and she hoped he wasn’t one of those Fire Nation haters they’d run into near Omashu. Storm looked back at Kai and shrugged. “It doesn’t matter where I was born or what nation I’m from. All that matters is how I view myself, and personally, I think of myself as a citizen of the world.” She smiled, proud of herself for answering without lying.

“But you’ll never be able to go home, Storm. That kid wasn’t just some soldier--he was the prince of the whole Fire Nation. You aren’t worried about that?”

Storm frowned at Kinu, shaking her head. “I can go wherever I want and no one can stop me, I don’t care who they are. But that doesn’t matter anyway, because I still haven’t found what I’m looking for, and I can’t go home until I do.”

“What are you looking for?” This from Kesuk, leaning toward her with his arms on the table. She smiled at him. “It’s a who, actually. Raava.”

“Who is she? Maybe we can help you find her?” Dhatri’s eyes held concern, and Storm was struck with something like sadness. If the Avatar had had friends like these, maybe he wouldn’t have disappeared. Maybe the world would be a better place, and Mother wouldn’t have... no. She didn't want to think about Mother.

She shook her head. “Unless you really do know how to find the Avatar, there’s nothing you can do.”

Ryuu flinched, and she tilted her head at him, frowning. He scowled blackly at her. “You’re telling us you’re from the Fire Nation, and you’re looking for the Avatar? Just like that punk kid from earlier? How do we know you’re not working with him? That that little fight wasn’t just some trick?”

Storm blinked, staring at him. Slowly, she shook her head. “I’m nothing like that spoiled brat, and I’m not working for the Firelord. Raava is a friend of mine, and I’m worried about her.”

“The Avatar is dead, he’s been gone for a hundred years. But you expect us to believe that you know the Avatar? I don’t buy it.”

“Well, not this Avatar, no. I don’t know him. Raava is the spirit of light; she’s the reason that the Avatar exists at all.”

“So you’re friends with a spirit, right. I don’t know if you’re evil or crazy or what, Storm, but if you bring the Fire Navy down on our heads, I will make you pay for it.”

With that, Ryuu walked out of the dining room, slamming the door behind him.While everyone else stared in shock, and then started slinging questions at her, Storm just frowned. She wondered why Ryuu seemed more concerned about being caught by the Fire Nation than the fact that she’d just claimed to know one of the oldest spirits in existence. Storm narrowed her eyes, wondering, not for the first time, what secrets the man kept behind his old eyes.