The Girl After

Chapter 25

"Again!" Kya commanded.

Inhaling deeply, I closed my eyes to collect my focus again. I let the air out through my parts lips and spread my arms. I parted my feet and whirled my arms as I stepped forward. A stream of water followed my movements, swirling around my like a hovering river as I prepared to strike the sparring dummy in front of me. Once my arms were aligned with my leg, I thrusted my left arm forward with a grunt. The water shot out and struck the dummy in the chest, making it wobble in response.

"Very good," Kya said with a nod of approval. "You're getting better at controlling it." Tenzin's sister had been training me in waterbending for the last few weeks, becoming my mentor very quickly. She was interesting. Kya was an assertive woman who rarely ever showed her soft side.

"I'm not getting any better," I grumbled.

"Are you kidding?" She argued, smirking. "It took me months to master that move!"

"It took my grandmother days - at the most! - to master waterbending techniques," I snapped. "I, for some reason, need to learn to bend two elements. I'm just now figuring out water, and I don't even have a teacher for firebending!"

Kya scowled at me. "Getting frustrated is not going to get you anywhere, Leinani. That's one thing that Zuko and your grandmother can vouch for." Her expression softened when she asked, "When are you going to tell your friends about this? You can't pretend to be a nonbender forever."

"Sure I can," I shrugged. "I'll just stick with zapping idiots with the electrogloves."

"Leinani," she said sternly, "you have to tell them sooner or later. They'll find out one way or another, so why not make things easier on yourself?"

I frowned. She was right, but I wasn't admitting that to her.

"On the bright side," she added, "I've already got a solution to your little firebending situation."

"What do you mean?" I asked her. I narrowed my eyes at her. "What are you planning, Kya?"

"Planned," she corrected me. "Past tense. I already did it."

"You're making me nervous now," I said. "What did you do?"

She gave a sly smirk and looked away. "Run through the exercise again."

"But-"

"Again!" She barked.

I yelled in exasperation and parted my feet again to return to the proper stance. I brought my hand together in front of my chest and took a breath, eyes closed as I gained focus. Spreading my arms and taking a step forward, I spun on the mounds of my feet, and my hands matched each fluid motion. The water flowed around my like a slithering serpent, preparing to consume its prey. I spun again on the my feet and swung my hand downward. The water immediately followed and knocked the dummy backwards. It tumbled and rolled away in recoil.

Kya looked at me with pride. "You're a fast learner, Leinani," she said with a smile. "I'm proud."

I didn't mirror the smile. "Glad you were impressed." I snapped, "Now tell me what you did. Who did you contact to be my firebending teacher?"

She crossed her arms and smirked at me. "Your aunt Jasmine," said Kya, and my heart stopped.

Aunt Jasmine was a force to be reckoned with. Gran Gran always said that she was more like Toph than she was her own mother; To say she was aggressive would be the understatement of the century.

She reminded me of the white jade plant. Beautiful upon sight - sand brown complexion, jet black hair, hazel eyes, and all - but, just like the poisonous flower, could easily end your life within seconds.

She wasn't all bad, though. She and Kya dated for a long time until a few years ago. Neither will tell me why things had ended.

Plus, Aunt Jasmine was there when Mom was exiled. She was the one to restrain her during her first attack on the palace. I wondered what that could've been like, to have to fight her older sister and send her away. Of course, they were half-sisters. Maybe that made it different?

"When will she arrive?" I asked.

"Two days," Kya informed me. "So you'd better get to work on your waterbending. We don't want her thinking that you haven't done any training whatsoever, do we?"

"Actually," I said, "I think I need a break. Just for a bit."

She opened her mouth as if to reply, but no words came out. Kya was staring past me. I turned to see what had her so spooked, and felt myself share the same expression.

Standing in front of me, poise as ever, was Aunt Jasmine. Unlike Izumi, Jasmine hated wearing the traditional robes that she was supposed to. She stood in Fire Nation combat attire. The Nation's ornamental piece, perfectly positioned, shined in her hair. She flashed an arrogant smirk (the closest I'd ever seen to a smile) as her gaze darted between me and Kya.

"What?" She asked. "No welcome party?"