Post by The Crystal [Hope] Catacombs on Aug 4, 2007 13:34:24 GMT -5
Uh oh! Long chapter this time... lotsa drama! Thanks to everybody!
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I woke up early, unable to sleep for very long at a time. Dawn was just beginning to break, spreading the smallest rays of light through the small window on the far side of the room. I felt a strange combination of laziness and regret as I slid out of bed. My limbs were weak from such little sleep and not having exercised the day before. I wasn't accostomed to sleeping in a cozy bed, only Appa's soft fur and the cold ground. Also I had missed my bending sessions due to our outing, and then Katara was too upset to practice with me. I hadn't meant to hurt her feelings, but she refused to answer me when I knocked on her door, so I guess I did.
I pulled on my clothes and walked over to her door. Quietly, I tried to turn the handle. It was still locked. I sighed. I knew I could always just earthbend a window in the door, but spying just wouldn't feel right. Out of options, I picked up my staff and left my room.
The hallway was silent, and my footsteps barely made any sound at all. I suddenly understood why Toph called me Twinkletoes. A door was open at the far end, with light flowing into the dark corridor. I approached it carefully, then peered inside.
Azula sat at a vanity table, filing her sharp nails to perfect points. Her hair was down for the first time I had ever seen it, falling in thick black waves around her shoulders.
"Um, Azula?" She turned towards me, looking rather surprised.
"Good morning," she said. "You certainly look tired. Come in." I stepped inside the room cautiously. It was huge, with a large bed and high ceilings. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror as I sat on the bed. I did look tired; there were dark rings under my eyes.
"Um, I was wondering," I began. "I know it's still really early, but do you think we could practice firebending for a little while?"
She looked at me hard for a moment, causing me to squirm uncomfortably under her gaze. I silently told myself to stop being so distrustful. She was my teacher, after all.
"Yes, I think that can be arranged. Go warm up in the courtyard. Practice your breathing exercises. I'll be out momentarily," she said. My face broke out into a grin.
"Okay!" I used my glider to fly through the deserted halls into the courtyard. It was completely silent, save for the soft purring of the tigerdoves nesting in the trees. The pond rippled slightly as a waterbug landed on it, and my guilty conscience told me to wake up Katara and apologize. But I had a lesson to do, I reminded myself. I did a few stretches, then sat down to breathe.
In through the nose, out through the mouth. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out.
I heard Azula's footsteps approaching. I kept my eyes closed, careful to notice the specific sound. Flowing and soft, like a princess should walk, but with an undertone of determination. Toph would know who was coming from a mile away.
"Ready to begin?" I opened my eyes and stood up.
"Yes, Azula," I said.
"Good. Take your stance," she ordered. I spread my legs and bent at the knees. "Now the arms," she coached. I drew a mental blank.
"Uh... how do I put my arms again?" Annoyance crossed her face, but she mirrored my leg stance.
"Your left arm should be fisted and close to your body, to protect your core. Your right arm should be extended slightly with the palm facing out," she explained again. I copied her.
"Is this right?" I asked. She nodded.
"Now, we'll cover a basic move. Use your open hand to circle in the air. This distracts your opponent. Then, punch with your fist." I attempted to do so. "No. The point is to catch your opponent off guard. Fluid. As the circle comes around, punch out quickly and without hesitation." She demonstrated. I shakily followed her movements. "Better. Now breathe deeply and add fire."
I inhaled slowly, then exhaled as I went through the movements. Tendrils of flame exploded from my right hand as I circled it around, and only sparks flew from my left as I punched out. The grass was on fire. Azula's face looked angry through the flames. I nervously waterbended a wave from the pond onto the grass, smothering the fire. When I looked up again, she wore a more concerned expression.
"Do you want to talk instead? Looks like you've had a rough night," she commented kindly. I nodded.
"I had a fight with Katara last night. But I'd rather not talk about it," I told her.
"I understand. We can talk about something else. Like you. I don't know much about you yet. What do you like to do, other than practicing bending?" she asked.
"Well, when I lived with the monks, we were always travelling. I knew people from everywhere. Now, I guess I'm still stuck in that rut. I love meeting new people and travelling the world. It's my life. Plus, after a hundred years, everything changes, so I get to start new. Now, I have a new family." I stopped.
"You miss them." It wasn't a question.
"Yeah. Did you ever lose anyone?" I asked. She looked at her fingernails.
"Not anyone important. My grandfather died a few years ago, but he was too busy running the nation to pay much attention to my father's side of the family. And my mom went missing around the same time, but she and I were never close," she explained quietly. There was a briskness in her voice that warned me not to ask again.
"So you're close to your dad?" I ventured, hoping to steer clear of touchy subjects.
"Yes. I'm his princess. He was always so disappointed in Zuzu. When I came along, he says it was the happiest moment of his life. Mother always pitied Zuko because he was incompetent, but Father pushed him harder. Little Zuzu was so weak, though. Not like me. The harder Dad pushed me, the better I got. Zuko nearly betrayed our family several times, but I've always been loyal." She smiled. I remembered how Zuko had saved me from Zhao. Although it helped me, it didn't do much for his family.
"Yeah, Zuko doesn't seem like the loyal type. Or the competent type," I said jokingly. She laughed. It was pretty. I liked the idea that I could make her laugh. Maybe she could actually be a friend and not just a teacher and ally.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Katara walk by a window in the palace.
"Sorry. I need to go talk to Katara now," I said, excusing myself.
"Don't worry. Do what you need to do," she allowed me, waving her hand to dismiss me. I smiled before running after Katara.
"Katara! Katara, wait!" I saw her stop up ahead.
"What do you want?" she snarled angrily. I flinched involuntarily.
"I wanted to apologize for the way I acted last night. I was out of line," I said.
"Yes. You were. But I know I was, too. So I'm sorry, too. I just get so angry because I really feel like Azula is trying to trick us."
"But she isn't," I insisted. "Have Toph test her; she isn't lying to us!"
"Maybe I will! In fact, go tell your firebending teacher that I challenge her to a truth test! She wouldn't dare lie then. Noon today, my room," she snapped.
"Fine! I will!" We both stormed off, ready to clash yet again at noon.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
I woke up early, unable to sleep for very long at a time. Dawn was just beginning to break, spreading the smallest rays of light through the small window on the far side of the room. I felt a strange combination of laziness and regret as I slid out of bed. My limbs were weak from such little sleep and not having exercised the day before. I wasn't accostomed to sleeping in a cozy bed, only Appa's soft fur and the cold ground. Also I had missed my bending sessions due to our outing, and then Katara was too upset to practice with me. I hadn't meant to hurt her feelings, but she refused to answer me when I knocked on her door, so I guess I did.
I pulled on my clothes and walked over to her door. Quietly, I tried to turn the handle. It was still locked. I sighed. I knew I could always just earthbend a window in the door, but spying just wouldn't feel right. Out of options, I picked up my staff and left my room.
The hallway was silent, and my footsteps barely made any sound at all. I suddenly understood why Toph called me Twinkletoes. A door was open at the far end, with light flowing into the dark corridor. I approached it carefully, then peered inside.
Azula sat at a vanity table, filing her sharp nails to perfect points. Her hair was down for the first time I had ever seen it, falling in thick black waves around her shoulders.
"Um, Azula?" She turned towards me, looking rather surprised.
"Good morning," she said. "You certainly look tired. Come in." I stepped inside the room cautiously. It was huge, with a large bed and high ceilings. I glanced at my reflection in the mirror as I sat on the bed. I did look tired; there were dark rings under my eyes.
"Um, I was wondering," I began. "I know it's still really early, but do you think we could practice firebending for a little while?"
She looked at me hard for a moment, causing me to squirm uncomfortably under her gaze. I silently told myself to stop being so distrustful. She was my teacher, after all.
"Yes, I think that can be arranged. Go warm up in the courtyard. Practice your breathing exercises. I'll be out momentarily," she said. My face broke out into a grin.
"Okay!" I used my glider to fly through the deserted halls into the courtyard. It was completely silent, save for the soft purring of the tigerdoves nesting in the trees. The pond rippled slightly as a waterbug landed on it, and my guilty conscience told me to wake up Katara and apologize. But I had a lesson to do, I reminded myself. I did a few stretches, then sat down to breathe.
In through the nose, out through the mouth. In. Out. In. Out. In. Out.
I heard Azula's footsteps approaching. I kept my eyes closed, careful to notice the specific sound. Flowing and soft, like a princess should walk, but with an undertone of determination. Toph would know who was coming from a mile away.
"Ready to begin?" I opened my eyes and stood up.
"Yes, Azula," I said.
"Good. Take your stance," she ordered. I spread my legs and bent at the knees. "Now the arms," she coached. I drew a mental blank.
"Uh... how do I put my arms again?" Annoyance crossed her face, but she mirrored my leg stance.
"Your left arm should be fisted and close to your body, to protect your core. Your right arm should be extended slightly with the palm facing out," she explained again. I copied her.
"Is this right?" I asked. She nodded.
"Now, we'll cover a basic move. Use your open hand to circle in the air. This distracts your opponent. Then, punch with your fist." I attempted to do so. "No. The point is to catch your opponent off guard. Fluid. As the circle comes around, punch out quickly and without hesitation." She demonstrated. I shakily followed her movements. "Better. Now breathe deeply and add fire."
I inhaled slowly, then exhaled as I went through the movements. Tendrils of flame exploded from my right hand as I circled it around, and only sparks flew from my left as I punched out. The grass was on fire. Azula's face looked angry through the flames. I nervously waterbended a wave from the pond onto the grass, smothering the fire. When I looked up again, she wore a more concerned expression.
"Do you want to talk instead? Looks like you've had a rough night," she commented kindly. I nodded.
"I had a fight with Katara last night. But I'd rather not talk about it," I told her.
"I understand. We can talk about something else. Like you. I don't know much about you yet. What do you like to do, other than practicing bending?" she asked.
"Well, when I lived with the monks, we were always travelling. I knew people from everywhere. Now, I guess I'm still stuck in that rut. I love meeting new people and travelling the world. It's my life. Plus, after a hundred years, everything changes, so I get to start new. Now, I have a new family." I stopped.
"You miss them." It wasn't a question.
"Yeah. Did you ever lose anyone?" I asked. She looked at her fingernails.
"Not anyone important. My grandfather died a few years ago, but he was too busy running the nation to pay much attention to my father's side of the family. And my mom went missing around the same time, but she and I were never close," she explained quietly. There was a briskness in her voice that warned me not to ask again.
"So you're close to your dad?" I ventured, hoping to steer clear of touchy subjects.
"Yes. I'm his princess. He was always so disappointed in Zuzu. When I came along, he says it was the happiest moment of his life. Mother always pitied Zuko because he was incompetent, but Father pushed him harder. Little Zuzu was so weak, though. Not like me. The harder Dad pushed me, the better I got. Zuko nearly betrayed our family several times, but I've always been loyal." She smiled. I remembered how Zuko had saved me from Zhao. Although it helped me, it didn't do much for his family.
"Yeah, Zuko doesn't seem like the loyal type. Or the competent type," I said jokingly. She laughed. It was pretty. I liked the idea that I could make her laugh. Maybe she could actually be a friend and not just a teacher and ally.
From the corner of my eye, I saw Katara walk by a window in the palace.
"Sorry. I need to go talk to Katara now," I said, excusing myself.
"Don't worry. Do what you need to do," she allowed me, waving her hand to dismiss me. I smiled before running after Katara.
"Katara! Katara, wait!" I saw her stop up ahead.
"What do you want?" she snarled angrily. I flinched involuntarily.
"I wanted to apologize for the way I acted last night. I was out of line," I said.
"Yes. You were. But I know I was, too. So I'm sorry, too. I just get so angry because I really feel like Azula is trying to trick us."
"But she isn't," I insisted. "Have Toph test her; she isn't lying to us!"
"Maybe I will! In fact, go tell your firebending teacher that I challenge her to a truth test! She wouldn't dare lie then. Noon today, my room," she snapped.
"Fine! I will!" We both stormed off, ready to clash yet again at noon.