The man in the candle circle lurched to his feet and towered over her. “You are teaching the Avatar the elements out of order?”
Suki planted her feet in the powdery dirt and stood her ground. “I have to.”
“No, you do not.” His eyes reflected the candle light, glinting in the gloom. “You must not.”
Aang shuffled his feet awkwardly, and Suki grimaced. Her finger bumped into her festival mask when she went to scratch her nose. “Look, Roku said he has to master them all before Sozin’s com-”
“Water is cool and soothing.” He cut her off. “Earth is steady and stable, but fire, fire is alive! It breathes, it grows! Without a bender, a rock will not throw itself! But fire will spread and destroy everything in its path if one does not have the will to control it. That is its destiny. He is not ready!”
Suki sucked in a breath, ready to tell him exactly what she thought of that, and how he was an idiot, and on Kyoshi, they learned about how fire was life, how it breathed and ate, and moved, and how benders had to work with it, and love it, or it would break away from them, but the air just dragged into her lungs and didn’t come out. At last, she closed her mouth and swallowed. “Do you know how many children learn fire without ever learning water and earth?”
“They are not the Avatar.” His face was too close to hers. She could feel the heat of his breath. “They are not full of air to fan the flames!”
“You aren’t the Avatar’s firebending master. You don’t decide when to teach him.” she shot back, voice level. “I do.”
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branchandroot
Fire Sifu Suki meets Jeong Jeong
Date: 2010-12-11 04:04 am (UTC)Suki planted her feet in the powdery dirt and stood her ground. “I have to.”
“No, you do not.” His eyes reflected the candle light, glinting in the gloom. “You must not.”
Aang shuffled his feet awkwardly, and Suki grimaced. Her finger bumped into her festival mask when she went to scratch her nose. “Look, Roku said he has to master them all before Sozin’s com-”
“Water is cool and soothing.” He cut her off. “Earth is steady and stable, but fire, fire is alive! It breathes, it grows! Without a bender, a rock will not throw itself! But fire will spread and destroy everything in its path if one does not have the will to control it. That is its destiny. He is not ready!”
Suki sucked in a breath, ready to tell him exactly what she thought of that, and how he was an idiot, and on Kyoshi, they learned about how fire was life, how it breathed and ate, and moved, and how benders had to work with it, and love it, or it would break away from them, but the air just dragged into her lungs and didn’t come out. At last, she closed her mouth and swallowed. “Do you know how many children learn fire without ever learning water and earth?”
“They are not the Avatar.” His face was too close to hers. She could feel the heat of his breath. “They are not full of air to fan the flames!”
“You aren’t the Avatar’s firebending master. You don’t decide when to teach him.” she shot back, voice level. “I do.”