The Girl After

Chapter 41

Once again, tensions were high as arguments overlapped. Eyes were now shifting to me every so often rather than Dakota. They were all awaiting another emotional eruption. My bending had shattered a cup, after all, and tea would have stained the walls and rug if Pabu and the island's flying lemurs hadn't excitedly licked it up. My bending was fueled by emotion, I had noticed, and any sort of distress could trigger it. Even if I wasn't trying to bend. So, I sat in a still silence with my eyes locked on my grandmother. Zuko held my hand tightly as Uncle Klei squeezed the other.

"Mom," Jasmine frowned, "you can't honestly be suggesting this."

"I do not need to explain myself to you," Gran Gran scolded. "If it was up to any of you, you would have the poor girl executed!" She shook her head. "What she did was horrible, yes. But there is not a single person in this room that hasn't made regrettable decisions." She looked to Zuko sadly, then regained her authoritative demeanor. "She will remain on this island where she can train. Po will teach her to control her bending. In the meantime, Jasmine and Zuko will be monitoring Leinani and her behavior. They will train her with her bending as well. Klei, you will act as a mediator if there are any conflicts."

"Where does that leave you and I?" Mika asked.

Gran Gran gave an assertive nod, her fist tightening a bit. "You and I must update the Order of The White Lotus on recent events. If my daughter truly is planning to return again, we'll need everybody on high alert."

Dakota, having been silent ever since she had been begging for my forgiveness, blurted, "I have a confession to make." All eyes were on her. Even mine. She was flushed of color, but it was difficult to discern whether it was from the sudden attention or from the Spirit World making her look so ghostly. She fiddled with the hem of her shirt and lowered her voice into a hoarse whisper. "While I was in the Spirit World... I was tormented relentlessly with the guilt of what I've caused. Even more so when I still believed that I had killed her. I never wanted to hurt anyone like that again. So, I asked a favor of a Spirit." She hesitated. "I had my bending weakened."

Everyone was silent. Out of confusion, out of concern. Nobody knew what to say.

"It isn't permanent," she went on to explain. "It's only until I fully gain control of my emotions and bending. So, I thank you, Master Saki, and all of your family. I understand why any of you would refuse to help me in anyway, but this is truly important to me that I don't harm Leinani or anyone else again."

"Well," Uncle Po said, "how can we say no to that?"

~~~~~~~~~~~

I was in the courtyard alone. Gran Gran and Mika had already begun their journey to meet with the Order of The White Lotus. Po had taken Dakota off to another area of the island, far from me, while Jasmine said that she was headed to the Pro-Bending arena to see about using the space as a training area. Though, truthfully, I think she was planning to use the space as a venue for me to get even with Dakota. Klei most likely went with her to talk her out of it. I closed my eyes and listened to the wind, felt it blow my hair around. I was never one for quiet, which was part of the reason I'd come to the city. But, in this moment, I appreciated the lack of chaotic arguing. 

"Hey, Nani?" Bolin said from behind me. Nervousness shook his voice. "Can we talk?"

"What do you want, Bo?" I asked without opening my eyes to look at him. 

"I, uh... I wanted to talk about... Well, I wanted to talk about us." 

This caught my attention. I opened my eyes and met his. He had an expression that I had never encountered: desperate, nervous, and ill. He fiddled with the ends of his sleeves and immediately looked away upon eye contact. "Well?" I asked impatiently. "Are you going to actually say anything?" My lips curled into a frown as I watched him.