Water Lily in a Sea of Fire

Chapter 81: Avatar Training

A/N:  Here's the list of sources from the previous chapter in order of their first 'appearance': The Young Ones, Spiffing Brit, The Simpsons, Spaceballs, Star Wars, Superman, Star Trek, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Bugs Bunny, Rick and Morty, D&D, Batman, Spongebob, Family Guy, Pirates of the Caribbean, Alice Cooper, Spiderman, Steve Martin, Star Trek: TNG, Doctor Who, Wonder Twins, Avengers, comedian Sam Kinison, Tombstone, The Princess Bride, Inuyasha, My Hero Academia, Pink Floyd, Monty Python, The Manchurian Candidate, Aqua Teen Hunger Force, Futurama, Venture Bros., Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, The Godfather, The Walking Dead, Kill Bill Volume 2, Dirty Harry, Flash Gordon, He-Man

If you're not sure who said what and would like to know, leave a comment.

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The day after their disappointing trip to the theater, which, in their opinion, was more than wacky time-wasting nonsense, Aang, Zuko, Chiara, and Izin were practicing firebending katas in the courtyard. During a break, Chiara disappeared and returned carrying a tray with cups and a ewer of water for them. When Zuko saw what she was doing, he stood up and took the tray from her.

"Chiara, you shouldn't be working. You've been training with us all morning; you don't need to be serving us too."

"I feel fine," she said.

He set the tray before Aang and Izin, and she picked up the ewer and started pouring water. Zuko took the pitcher from her and handed it to Aang.

"Working keeps my mind occupied," she said.

He took her hand and started leading her inside.

"Where are we going?" she asked.

"I'm going to make you tea."

"You made my tea this morning."

"And now I'm going to make you chamomile with lavender," he said.

"Lavender, huh? Are you implying something?"

"Yep. I'm implying that you need to relax."

They entered the kitchen.

"Sit," he demanded.

She sat down while he began preparing her tea.

"You're so precious," she said.

Sitting there quietly, her mind drifted to the play. The ending had troubled her, and with the comet arriving in a week, she was feeling apprehensive.

"Are you okay?" he asked her setting a cup and steaming teapot on the table.

His voice drew her out of her thoughts, and she looked up at him taking in the brightness of his golden eyes that she had adored since she first saw them.

"I don't want to go to the North Pole," she admitted bluntly.

The golden luster dimmed slightly.

"But...but what about the baby?" he asked.

She was not in the final battle scene of the play, and she knew she did not want to leave him to fight the real fight on his own.

"I can't run away from this; not when I can help."

"I'm not comfortable having you go into battle."

"If not battle, I can help heal others."

"Except yourself," he said softly.

"We're lucky we have Lady Katara then."

He hated the thought of her getting injured or worse.

"We need to get Aang safely into the palace before the comet, and I know some of those passages just as well as you," she said.