[The Next Day.]
Inside Zuko's private cave, the sound of fire crackling slowly rang through the cave. A fire camp was built in the middle of the cave, with Zuko and June sitting on a log, while near the fire was Chiyo.
She was sleeping on a bed similar to a Japanese tatami bed.
"So, she is capable of creating Purple flames that can heal? If that was true, she could be powerful in the future with some training," Zuko said with a small smile as he watched Chiyo sleep.
"Hmm?" Suddenly, Zuko raised an eyebrow as he caught the slightest of twitches of Chiyo's lips. It almost looked like she smiled before forcing her face to return to her sleeping expression.
"What are we going to do now? We need to gather an army, but we also need to train her since it would be a waste of her power if we didn't," June asked Zuko with curiosity. Zuko brooded at her question as he looked back at the fire.
"Who said we need to choose one over the other? We will gather the remaining 5 Generals, and while doing this, we will train her," Zuko said with a serious tone, rubbing his hands together above the fire.
"Isn't there a month for us to gather the army? We could barely train a normal Firebender to throw a ball of flame in that time, let alone a unique one," June said with a sigh as she crossed her arms.
"Who said she couldn't learn fast? If she were able to use Purple flames, that means her talent is higher than almost anyone; she is similar to Azula..." Zuko said, his tone lowering a few notes at the mention of his sister.
June raised an eyebrow as she caught Zuko's sadness, and she smiled before scooting closer to him. Their shoulders touched, and Zuko blushed as he tried to lean away.
"Don't, or I will not do it again. Now stay still and accept a warm and healing hug from me, maybe your emo side will start to fade~," June said with a chuckle as she wrapped an arm around Zuko's neck, leaning her head on his shoulder.
Zuko remained still, though his eyes turned shinier as he peeked at June. No one outside his uncle ever acted like this with him... Even Mai was not as close to him with her cold and dark personality.
'No! She just saw that I was sad and tried to cheer me up, don't fall into a trap, Zuko...' Zuko shook his head to throw those thoughts out, but he couldn't stop himself from smiling at the same time.
[2 hours later.]
Opening her eyes, Chiyo heard the sound of heavy breathing and panting echoing throughout the cave. She blushed, her neck suddenly getting stiff as she looked to the right like a robot.
No, it was not something dirty. It was just Zuko training at the entrance of the cave, the sun's light shining upon his firm. His upper body was naked, and a thin sheen of sweat glistened as he did his Firebending katas, which he learned from the dragons.
Suddenly, a shadow was cast over Chiyo's form.
"Seems like you are up. Good, watch and try to memorise Zuko's movements. It will help learn Firebending." June suddenly appeared next to Chiyo's side, who screamed as she jumped back, catching Zuko's attention.
"June, stop scaring her as soon as she wakes up," Zuko said in a stern tone, and June frowned with a roll of her eyes. Chiyo calmed down as she recognised June, and immediately got embarrassed.
"Alright, what's your name?" Zuko asked as he walked over, and June's ears perked up at his question. She didn't get the chance ot ask her name yesterday as she fainted.
"M-My name is Chiyo," Chiyo replied with a shy voice, stuttering at how close Zuko was to her body. She was still scared when a man came close. Though she did not feel disgust with Zuko compared to anyone else.
"Chiyo, huh? My name is Zuko, and this is June. I need you to understand who we are and what we are trying to do, since it would be unfair to train you for something you don't even understand," Zuko said as he sat down on the log, with Chiyo listening.
[After explaining...]
"So, now that you understand why we are doing what we are doing... Will you join us and try to fight for the betterment of the Fire Nation?" Zuko asked with a hopeful tone, and Chiyo smiled.
"Yes, in return. I will live with Zuko and June from now on!" Chiyo demanded with a firm tone, and Zuko raised an eyebrow as he turned to June.
Winking at Zuko, June nodded to Chiyo's words, and Zuko sighed before nodding as well.
"Alright! Now that we've all got acquainted, it's time to go to the next General, and when we come back, train Chiyo!" June suddenly said with a smile and in a loud voice, startling Chiyo out of her mind as she kept staring at Zuko's face.
"Y-Yes!"
[Toph's training...]
Boom!
A massive pressure was exerted on the ground as Toph dropped into a spinning dance move. The ground a few meters away heated up, and steam flowed from the ground as it turned into melted sludge without shape.
Jumping back onto her feet, Toph let out a loud and annoyance-filled groan as she kicked the ground, causing it to crack. She crossed her arms, and Norrak chuckled.
"It was a nice try, Toph. At least you can heat the ground up now, though it's turning into sludge, and not Lava," Norrak said as he examined the melted ground.
"You also need to control the vibrations of the earth while attempting to Lavabend, or it will make the particles gain distance from each other, turning into sludge instead of flowing Lava," Norrak said while feeling the loose earth.
Toph was trying to make sand while simultaneously putting pressure on the ground, and this turned it into sludge rather than Lava. But Lava is not a continuous thing; it's best used as an erupting attack.
"I am trying, but this stupid earth keeps getting out of my control..." Toph clenched her fists as she looked down at the ground. She could see everything in the area as her pulse sent tremors through the ground.
Norrak sighed as he moved to Toph, his arms opening up and embracing her under Toph's confused watch. Toph smiled, a blush on her cheeks as she leaned in, resting her head on his chest.
"Instead of trying to force it logically, you should do more with your feelings. Lava, at the end of the day, is Earthbending, but doing a different set of instructions than normal." Norrak instructed, his hand going lower and taking a handful of Toph's perky butt.
"Do more with feelings... Fine, if you want me to do more with my feelings, you got it!" Toph jumped back reluctantly, and she had a massive grin on her face as she fell to the ground.
Boom!
The moment Toph's heel touched the ground, a massive pressure without trying to control where it seeped into the cracked earth below Toph's foot, erupted like a volcano.
A massive heat erupted from the uncontrollable compression and vibrations. Norrak watched with a smirk as the ground heated up, turning red and flowing like thick water.
"Toph... Looks like you did it," Norrak muttered with a smile as he saw Toph surrounded by bubbling Lava. Lavabending looks so suitable for someone like Toph that it somehow made her look even hotter.
"Oh yeah! Nothing can stop the Blind Bandit baby!" Toph exclaimed as she threw a single fist into the air, while resting her other hand on her hip.
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I don't know why Toph never used Lavabending in the series. It makes so much sense for Toph to have Lavabending instead of Bolin or something. But that's just my opinion.
Leave a power stone!