"Look," Jet said when I neared him and he got to his feet, "I'm sorry."
I pulled back my flaming fist when I heard the two words and my jaw literally dropped. "Are you mad?" I said, lowering my fiery fist.
"I just didn't know how to react to you being a firebender, and I really am sorry."
"No, I know you're insane." I straightened up and crossed my arms over my chest. "You think imma let you off this easy?"
"No. I know you won't but—" suddenly, a fireball came flying through the air and smashed into his chest, sending him flying through the air. I turned, wide-eyed, to see the source of the fire, unable to figure out whether to laugh or to be angry. I would've laughed if the situation hadn't been so tense.
"Ayame, don't make the same mistake again," Zuko called, walking towards me.
"Who said I believed him?" I said with a shrug, looking at my feet.
"No one did, but your eyes said enough." Zuko sighed. "Don't be stupid." He stood in front of me.
"I'm not stupid."
"You're acting like it." He reached forward, gripping my shoulders. "You got this."
"Thank you Zuko, for your kindness," I said with a bow, hiding my sudden blush, "now let me deal with the—WATCH OUT!" I jumped forward and knocked the prince to the floor, a metal rod nearly slamming into the back of his neck. "You owe me," I said with a groan, sitting up on his abdomen. My blush deepened, Zuko groaning underneath. I staggered to my feet.
"I knew it was coming," he rubbed his head as he got to his feet.
"Of course you did." I turned, facing away from him, fanning my cheeks. Oh, jeez. What was going on with me?
Jet returned, eyes wild.
I kicked out madly with fire, punching and swiping every chance I got, Zuko at my back. "Aren't you gonna help?" I yelled over my shoulder.
"Nope. This is your fight and your fault so deal with it yourself," Zuko said sitting criss cross on the floor.
"Well, at least help Zian!"
Zuko turned to see a struggling Zian throwing rocks at upcoming Freedom Fighters and I would've laughed at the sight of littlies falling over the edge of a cliff and still finding a way up if Jet here wasn't trying to kill my friends.
"Look," Jet said as I watched Zuko leave out of the corner of my eye to help Zian, "I promise I don't want to hurt you. I actually like you more than anyone else. But don't you understand?"
"What don't I understand?" I asked, breathing heavily, my dark hair whipping in my face as clouds rolled in. It was going to rain.
"The fact that I wasn't wrong," Jet said, spreading out his arms. He actually looked innocent with that dumb face he was making.
"About?"
"The Fire Nation. They killed my parents. Our parents." Jet said slowly, approaching me. "They've had this crazy hundred year war raging for absolutely no reason. They're power hungry maniacs."
"They're not the only ones," I said, stepping back and narrowing my eyes.
"With you and Xiaoli on our team, we can beat them and help others," he said, his eyes sparkling.
"What about Zuko?"
"Oh, him? He'll stop us if we let him join us. It doesn't work that way," Jet kept walking and I was nearing the edge of the cliff. "We'll give him a chance though to leave and we won't hurt him. Are you fine with that?"
"Don't be stupid. He's one of my best friends. I'd be an idiot to let him go." I felt heat beginning to creep up my neck and silently cursed myself for it. "Even if he is an arrogant, self-absorbed prince."
The rain started pouring down as the sky cracked open.
"Please," Jet finally said.
As I stepped back, I felt nothing under my foot and I almost toppled down before Jet caught my arm. "Are you okay?" he asked.
"Let go of me," I snarled, pushing him and instantly regretting it. Was I being too mean? "Look, Jet, I refuse the offer. Now please take your Freedom Fighters and get out of here before I actually hurt you. And it'll be easy from past experience like you told me, a lot of girls have kicked your butt."
A looked of fury passed through his face and I instantly recoiled. I was expecting a metal hook slamming into my skull any second.
"I don't want to do this," he said. "You'll be the enemy from now on."
Suddenly, I couldn't take it anymore. I kicked him.
In the stomach.
As he fell to the ground I ran as fast as I could and stood in the center of the battlefield atop the hill and concentrated. I focused and calmed myself. Water.
I needed water.
In a split second I swiped my hands across the rain, and for a second everything froze.
Then with a smooth snakelike movement I sucked the rain into a giant water ball, and it exploded. As soon as it did I clenched my fists and it froze, freezing everyone in its path. The rain fell on.
I looked at the ice sculptures and sighed as the Freedom Fighters' eyes moved in horror as I walked towards the frozen Zian and Zuko, Zuko glaring through the ice. I started laughing so hard I snorted and I swear even Zian laughed, stuck inside a thick layer of ice. I unfroze him as th water splashed onto the floor, Zian soaking, but I continued laughing at Zuko, bent over on my knees. He looked mad.
So mad I saw him glow bright orange and suddenly Zian warned, "Step back!"
And the ice shattered and melted to the floor because of the heat radiating off of Zuko.
"Let's get out of here," he scowled, and as we left, I took one last glance at Jet, guilt eating me alive. He looked heartbroken and angry, frustrated, and confused. Betrayal. I saw so many mixed emotions on his face I had to look away before I could die of guilt.
"Yeah, let's get out of here," I repeated over the heavy beat of the rain.
