𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙣𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙗𝙧𝙞𝙙𝙜𝙚𝙨 » sokka {1}

4

chapter four

Yanmei wanted to be left alone for the rest of the night. she couldn't bare to do anything knowing that the man she had loved was actually dead and she couldn't do anything to bring him back to her. after the found the note one of the soldiers told her that he died during a quarrel with the local earthbenders who were fighting to get their home back. it was 5 against Ken and another man and they were outmatched and crushed by the benders rocks. Yanmei didn't realize that some benders could be so heartless until she heard what happened. from then on, earthbending terrified her.

Zuko tried to go and talk to her but Iroh kept him from doing so, telling him that the young girl needed space and time to grieve. Zuko knew he wasn't the best when it came to emotional confrontations so he let her be and trained for hours on end to distract him mind from the events of be day before.

once the sun was at its peak, Yanmei couldn't conceal her hunger and decided to join Zuko and Iroh for lunch. Yanmei changed into a long shirt that belonged to Zuko and her comfy pants and let her hair down then joined the royals in true dining area, not caring about her appearance.

"Master Yanmei, it is good to see you up and we'll again" Iroh smiles from the left end of the table, Zuko sat facing her with a frown on his face.

Yanmei sighed and sat across from Zuko, "I told you, Iroh, there's no need for that title I am far from a master"

"on the contrary, you are the second most powerful bender, behind the Avatar, and you have mastered both fire bending and waterbending. you are worthy of the title. you'll realize this once you're older" Iroh bows.

Yanmei nods, "thank you, Iroh. that means a lot coming from you"

just then the chef walked in with dinner in his hands. Yanmei nearly banged her head against the table, she was tired of fish, she would like some fruit or noodles every once in a while.

"the Avatar is on Kyoshi Island?!" Zuko yells as he stands up and bangs his hands on the table. Yanmei immediately is interrupted from her thoughts. "uncle, ready the rhino's. he's not getting away from me this time"

"are you going to finish that?" Iroh asks, pointing towards the fish.

Zuko snatches it from the table, "I was going to save it for later!" he says and walks out.

Yanmei decides to join Zuko and his guards on the hunt on Kyoshi. Zuko wouldn't let her go the first time and he lost the Avatar, Yanmei was skilled and if anyone could be greater help, it was her that saved Zuko's ass from getting beaten by the little 12 year old anyways. the girl put on her battle armor and walked to the bottom of the ship where the rhinos were kept and where Zuko would exit the ship.

once Zuko saw Yanmei he gave her a glare, "absolutely not! you are not coming!"

Yanmei rolled her eyes and shoved past him, "i'm coming whether you like it or not, Zuzu. I can protect myself"

Zuko sighed, knowing that Yanmei was determined and he couldn't change her mind, "fine, but you're riding with me and will not leave my side"

++++++++++++

"come out Avatar! you can't hide from me forever!" Zuko shouted from the entrance of the village in front of their statue of Avatar Kyoshi. Yanmei always admired Kyoshi and her fighting skills ever since she was a child. she even received a set of steel fans from Iroh that were just like the ones Kyoshi warriors fought with and trained to use them herself, knowing that bending couldn't always save her.

Zuko sent the guards to ride through the village to find the Avatar and Yanmei hopped down from the rhino, "what are you doing?!" Zuko calles out.

Yanmei reached in the sides of her belt and brought out her own set of fans she used specifically for battle, "to defeat a Kyoshi warrior, you have to fight like a Kyoshi warrior"

Zuko growled as the female warriors jumped off the roofs of the houses and attacked his men. he watched as Yanmei fought off and took down two of the warriors. he had to admit, he was impressed with her skills. three more came towards him and he blasted fire at them and hit one of them with his rhino's tail. as he went to hit her with more fire, another warrior blocked the blast with a fan. Yanmei got a close look at who the warrior was, it was the water tribe boy who was traveling with the Avatar. Sokka. one warrior knocked Zuko off the rhino and a group of them gathered around him. before Yanmei could fight them, Zuko sent a ring of fire towards them and they all fell to he ground.

"nice try, Avatar, but these little girls can't save you!" Zuko spoke from the middle of the village. Yanmei rolled her eyes at her best friends egoistic self and ran to fight more of the warriors. she used the training she learned with her fans along with her fire bending and managed to take down five of the warriors. one final warrior came up to her and she automatically knew it was the water tribe boy for he screamed as he ran up to her with his fans. she dodged his hits and sent a fireball towards him that sent him into a building. Yanmei started to turn to find Zuko but her eyes widened as the house she sent Sokka into burst into flames.

Yanmei hesitated for a second, he was the enemy, but knew she couldn't let the boy die, so she ran into the room and pushed her hands down to put out the fire and dragged the boy out of the house. Sokka coughed harshly for smoke had made its way into his lungs but it wasn't enough to severely injure him. Yanmei rested his head on the porch and she stayed to make sure the boy wasn't too hurt before she went back to help Zuko. Sokka looked up at Yanmei and furrowed his eyebrows when he saw the slightest bit of worry in her eyes. he knew exactly who it was, the beautiful yet dangerous girl who almost killed him during their first encounter. he was confused that she helped him.

"why did you save me?" he asked, his voice husky. Yanmei gave him some water to drink before standing up with a small smile.

"not everyone in the fire nation is heartless"

with that she ran off to find Zuko, but little did she know, the necklace she had bought two days before laid in the hands of the water tribe boy as he flew away from the village on the avatars bison.

he hoped to see her again and return her necklace.