Lotus Flower: Book One|ZukoxOC(Avatar the Last Airbender Fanfic)

Word Travels Fast

9 Years Later•••

"Ha! Beat you again Liena!" Suki teased.

I rub my head before sitting up, "fine, you got me. But that was a lucky shot!"

"Uh-huh, totally. Not like I've beat you during every match today, oh and yesterday. Usually you at least beat me eight times out of the twenty times we practice," Suki jokes.

"Yeah, well, I've been distracted lately. Also you've been practicing way more than I have, I only get to train five times a week while you train everyday," I complain.

She helps up me up. "I know, I know. You have other responsibilities as 'the Last Airbender,' I get it. But you usually do better, are you okay?" She asks, concern showing on her painted face.

Suki had become the Kyoshi Warriors' leader a year or two back, and she was amazing at it. Even though Suki is the best warrior in town, she didn't treat me like one of her students, and I, as the second greatest warrior on Kyoshi(claimed to be the second greatest by Suki and the other warriors), was grateful to my best friend for it.

"I'm ok. It's just... I've been wanting more than ever to get off of this island and see the world. My uncle keeps saying soon, but he won't take me anywhere. Anytime I ask it's, 'you'll be able to soon enough,' or 'I've taught you everything I can but it's still not time, you'll know when it's time.' What does that even mean? I can clearly defend myself, I've had the warrior training, and the airbending training, I'm as strong as ever. If there's nothing left to be taught then what am I waiting on?"
I rant and finished by jumping up and kicking a foot out, letting a gust of air knock down a training dummy, my frustration at its peak.

"Hey, you know your uncle. He's smart, he knows you're strong, but there's clearly something he's waiting on. You just have to have faith that whatever that something is, will come soon. He's not doing this to punish you," she places a hand on my shoulder to reassure me.

"Thanks Suki, as usual you're right."

"I learned from the best," Suki smiles and I smile back.

Just then the town's prankster, Po, peaked his head inside. "You'll never guess what I heard!" Po begins excitedly, making me get kind of excited as well, "I heard from market lady Sakura, who heard from little Akari, who heard from old man Daizen, who heard from-" Suki cuts him off sternly, "get on with it Po!"

"Oh right, sorry. Apparently the Avatar's back. There's been rumors swirling all around town that he's back! Liena, if he is, you know what this means right? You'll have a real airbender to teach you everything about airbending! Oh and someone to save the world, that's cool too." He finishes sheepishly.

A big smile breaks on my face, I couldn't believe it. He was back? After all this time? And I might just have a master?

"Liena, don't get too excited. This might be another one of his pranks. Po, I thought you gave up on pranking us warriors, you know it never ends well for you." Suki says narrowing her eyes.

"Suki, I don't think he'd prank us about something like this," I say, knowing that even Po knew how much this would mean to me. This was huge, and I was hoping with all my heart that this is real.

"Even if it's not a prank, you know rumors swirl around this town like crazy. I'm not trying to be a downer, Li, I just don't want you to get your hopes up—just in case it's not him. I don't want you getting hurt,"

"I get that. Thanks for looking out for me Suki," I say genuinely, she's a wonderful friend. I turn my attention to Po, "and thanks Po for passing on the message, even if it may not be true,"