Higosha ~ Guardian

Chapter 27 ~ A Dancing Dragon

I sat nearby as Zuko and Aang began their first lesson. Katara still does not trust Zuko, so she asked me to watch the two. Knowing that I can handle Firebenders was her reason, but knowing that Zuko trusts me is probably another. "I know you're nervous,  but remember... firebending in and of itself is not something to fear," Zuko said to Aang. 

"Ok. Not something to fear," Aang said still unsure. 

"But if you don't respect it, it'll chew you up and spit you out like an angry komodo rhino!" Zuko said making Aang yelp in fear. "Now show me what you've got. Any amount of fire you can make."

We watched as Aang nervously tried to create fire. Unfortunately, he only produced a small cloud of smoke. "Maybe I need a little more instruction. Perhaps a demonstration?"

"Good idea. You might want to take a couple steps back," Zuko said. Aang moved backward as Zuko began to firebend, but it was only a small flame. "What was that?! That was the worst firebending I've ever seen!"

"I thought it was, nice," Aang offered weakly. 

"Why is this happening?!"

"Maybe it's the altitude," Aang said. 

"Yeah, could be," Zuko said looking lost. A few minutes later, "just breathe, and..."

"That one kind of felt hot," Aang said. 

"Don't patronize me. You know what it's supposed to look like!" Zuko said. 

"Sorry, Sifu Hotman."

"And stop calling me that!"

"Hey, jerks. Mind if I watch you two jerks do your jerk bending?" Sokka asked coming over. 

"Get out of here!" 

"Sokka quit it!" 

Zuko said at the same time I did.  

"Ok, take it easy. I was just kidding around. Jerk bending, still got it," Sokka muttered to himself. Aang left shortly after that, but Zuko stayed by the cliff looking nervous. 

"You don't think it's the altitude," I said simply as I sat next to him. Zuko didn't say anything, "once they get to know you, it'll get better."

"It won't get better if I'm useless." 

~ H ~

"Listen everybody; I've got some pretty bad news. I've lost my stuff," Zuko said confusing everyone.  

"Don't look at me. I didn't touch your stuff," Toph said. 

"I'm talking about my firebending. It's gone," Zuko said. Nobody said anything, except for Katara who burst out laughing.

"Katara," I said.  

"I'm sorry. I'm just laughing at the irony. You know... how it would have been nice for us if you lost your firebending a long time ago?" Katara said. 

"Well, it's not lost. It's just weaker for some reason," Zuko said sitting down next to me. 

"Maybe you're just not as good as you think you are," Katara said with a glare. 

"Ouch," Toph and I said together. 

"I bet it's because I changed sides."

"That's ridiculous," Katara scoffed. 

"I don't know. Maybe it isn't. Maybe your firebending comes from rage, and you just don't have enough anger to fuel it the way you used to," Aang said.  

"So, all we need to do is make Zuko angry... easy enough," Sokka said as he started to poke Zuko in the side with the hilt of his space sword. 

"Ok, cut it out!" Zuko shouted. "Look... even if you're right, I don't want to rely on hate and anger anymore. There has to be another way."

"You're gonna need to learn to draw your firebending from a different source. I recommend the original source," Toph said. 

"How's he supposed to do that? By jumping into a volcano?"

"No. Zuko needs to go back to whatever the original source of firebending is," Toph said. 

"So is it jumping into a volcano?" Sokka said. 

"I don't know. For earthbending, the original benders were badgermoles," Toph said but the original fire benders... "One day, when I was little, I ran away and hid in a cave. That's where I met them. They were blind, just like me, so we understood each other. I was able to learn earthbending, not just as a martial art, but as an extension of my senses. For them, the original earthbenders, wasn't just about fighting. It was their way of interacting with the World."

"That's amazing, Toph. I learned from the monks, but the original airbenders were the Sky Bison," Aang said looking at Appa. 

"Well, this doesn't help me. The original firebenders were the dragons, and they're extinct," Zuko said. 

"What do you mean? Roku had a dragon, and there were plenty of dragons when I was a kid."

"Well, they aren't around anymore, ok?"

"Ok, ok. I'm sorry."

"But maybe there's another way," I said gently. "The first people to learn from the dragons were the ancient Sun Warriors."

"Sun Warriors? Well, I know they weren't around when I was a kid," Aang said. 

"No, they died off thousands of years ago, but their civilization wasn't too far from where we are now. Maybe we can learn something by poking around their ruins," Zuko said. 

"It's like the monks used to tell me. Sometimes, the shadows of the past can be felt by the present," Aang said. 

"So, what?" Sokka asked.   Maybe you'll pick up some super old Sun Warrior energy just by standing where they stood 1000 years ago?"

"More or less. Either I find a new way to firebend, or the Avatar has to find a new teacher," Zuko said.

~ H ~

I sat next to Katara as Aang and Zuko showed a technique they learned on their trip. They were gone for a few days and seemed to be in a better mood than before. 

"With this technique, the dragons showed us, Zuko and I would be unstoppable," Aang said as they finished demonstrating the dance. 

"Yeah, that's a great dance you two learned there," Sokka said. 

"It's not a dance. It's a firebending form," Zuko said annoyed. 

"We'll just tap-dance our way to victory over the Fire Lord," Sokka continued to mock to which I hit him, "ow! What was that for?!"

"Be respectful of the ancient culture," I scolded. 

"It's a sacred form that happens to be thousands of years old!" Zuko said angrily. 

"Oh yeah? What's your little form called?" Katara asked. 

"The Dancing Dragon," Zuko said. Even I had to laugh when he said that. 

~ H ~