Chapter Text
"So... your lair is up there?" Zarina held her hand in front of her eyes, protecting herself from the sun. "How do we get up?"
"Come here," Jet says, holding his hand out for her. Zarina eyed it, wondering how that would help them get up to the huts up in the trees, above them.
Either way, she took his hand, and got surprised when he pulled her closer, holding her by her waist. A thick, long vine fell down right beside them, more vines appeared for the other Freedom Fighters too. Jet grabbed the vine, held onto Zarina in a tight grip, and when she understood what was gonna happen, she threw her arms around his neck and held on tight - luckily; stopping herself from shrieking as they went up.
They landed on solid wood, and Zarina let out a sigh of relief. She'd been praying for her life for a whole second there.
"It's pretty nice," she stated. "For a base up in the trees, at least."
"Yeah, it's been our home for some time now," Smellerbee said.
"Hey, why don't you stay for the celebration later tonight?" Jet asked.
"What are you celebrating?" Zarina said. Last she checked, there were no special holidays now...
"Our small victory over the fire nation of course," Pipsqueak said. "Because every win counts," Smellerbee finished.
"Well that sounds nice, but..." Zarina looked away, conflicted with herself. "My aunt is probably wondering why I'm not back, getting wa- OH SHIT!” She exclaims, interrupting herself. “I have to get back! Aunt Jessie is probably worried sick. Oh, and uncle Noah will be home soon,” she said hurriedly as she looked at the setting sun. "Plus Jessie wouldn't want me to miss training..."
“Oh, come on,” Jet always knew how to get people to stay just a little longer. “I dont think they’ll mind you making some new friends.”
Zarina thought for a long time. She liked this guy she'd just met. He was intriguing, and Zarina wanted to know more. But... "I'd love to..." She looks to the side, almost as if guilt was reaching her mind and body about the decision.
"But... U really have to go..." Jet sighed as he finished for her, getting what she were to say next, even before her at that. But Jet wasn't planning on letting this opportunity slide. He wasn't dumb. He'd gotten the feeling the second she'd stepped out from the trees earlier. He'd seen enough of them to know one by first glance now. This 'training' she was talking about just made him surer; this girl was an earth bender.
"Well Zarina," he couldn't lose this chance of new earth-bender meat to manipulate, "how about I stop by some time later - earlier too so u don't have to leave so fast, and we can get to all know each other better?"
The big smile forming on Zarina's face was enough to make a satisfied smirk appear on Jet's. "Great. Just tell me where your house 's at."
~~♡~~
"How many times do I have to tell you, Zarina?" "Just one more time, aunt Jessie?" Zarina's cheeky grin made Jessie sigh and put her hands to her temples. Teenagers...
"Alright. Now listen closely Riri," Jessie went into position again. "To make earth-bending easier, your grip needs to be good. You need to confidently plant your feet in the ground, okay? An- what did I say about the shoes?" She raises her eyebrow in a judgemental at her niece. With her arms crossed over her chest, she patiently waits for Zarina's defense.
"But my feet hurts without shoes!" She groans. Zarina never understood how the other earth-benders she knew managed to walk around shoe-less all the time. She had tried, really tried. For aunt Jessie. But it just wasn't for her. Zarina would just have to become a great earth bender walking around in shoes.
"If you keep wearing shoes you'll never get used to walking barefoot, honey." Jessie rolled her eyes. No matter how many times they had this talk, Zarina insisted on wearing shoes - just like her mother.
"Yeah, yeah..." Before Jessie could ramble on about earth bending tradition or what not; Zarina was already halfway out the port.
"Bye aunt Jessie! See you tonight!" She waved happily as she ran away from the majestic building she lived in with her aunt and uncle.
Jessie was of course yelling something after her. Probably "Where are you going?!" or "Come back here!" Either way, Zarina couldn't hear. She was already on the bridge at the outskirt of her small, beloved town - waiting for her new friend, just as she had done for the past week.
Jet had made true of his words and promises - much to Zarina's delightment. He had sought her out as quickly as the next day, and they had indeed had the time to chat and get better known with each other.
Zarina's head turned as the sound of a thump - someone's feet hitting the wooden bridge - finally rang in her ears.
Her happy giggles slipped smoothly out of her mouth - between her lips forming a bright smile.
"Perfect timing, I just escaped aunt Jessie's strict training lesson."
"C'mon, it can't be that bad, huh? I'd love to be a bender, that's for sure at least," Jet approached the girl, leaning on the bridge's railing.
"Oh don't get me wrong, I love being a bender!" She hurried to clear up. "But Jessie's training sessions are just so..." Jet chuckled at the grimace that reached Zarina's face as she struggled to find the right word.
"I'm sure she just wants you to be as great as possible."
"Yes, so I am sure of too, but it's like she's always trying to make me like mom. Like she keeps forgetting I'm not her... That I'll never be as good as her..."
"Hey! Don't say that," Jet hurried to comfort her. "I've seen you. I think you're great!"
Zarina smiled faintly up at him, eating up every kind word he told her. Even if she was just a pawn in a bigger game of chess.
The eye contact was interrupted by a quack. A bird. God those creatures scare me, Zarina thought as she instinctively stepped closer to Jet.
"Should we get going now, maybe?" Jet suggested. Zarina nodded and they made their way off into the forest.