#[plus i do miss this little prankster sobs

[sentofight]

ooc. also i like to make ocs (or even add canon muses) for my friends to interact. if u have an idea we can make a magical creature out of it aaaaaaaaaaahahaha!!!!!

[mythrilhusk]

Korosensei Never Dies - Chapter 3

Words: ~2600 Chapter 2 (Last) AO3 Version Chapter 4 (Next)

Quackity stumbles into the classroom, exhaustion dragging on his eyes. The silence of the room almost deafens him. He yawns and slouches into the desk beside Sapnap's. "Sup, mothers and fuckers of the court."

"And they have the gall to call me late." Technoblade sighs. "Quackity, you missed first period."

"Just get on with the motherfucking class." Quackity grumbles, his head on the desk. And when did he get so comfortable with talking back? He wonders about it briefly, then scrunches his eyes and tries to block out the oceans of hatred beating through his skin.

"You good, mate?" An unfamiliar voice chuckles from the front of the class.

Quackity looks up at the new guy- two new guys. "Who the fuck are you?"

"This is Philza." Technoblade's dry tone almost hides the notes of fondness. "He'll be teaching you how to kill me."

"The lessons will be applicable in later life, I guarantee." The skinny man with ragged blond hair must be Philza. He slouches unconcernedly beside the other, heavily armed, fellow. "Oh, and this is Punz. He's my guard. He'll help me with demonstrations."

"However, the deal is that you will all attempt to at least get a C in every class." Technoblade adds.

"Who agreed to that fucking shitass deal??" Quackity cries. "You think we couldn't get A's if we tried?? None of us give a fuck about school, that's why Puffy stuffed us all together here!"

"Hm. You make a good point, Quackity. Get all A's in every class by the end of the first semester, and Philza here will tutor you in the art of assassination."

Quackity feels his fellow students glaring at him. "It's a fucking deal, baby! You're as good as dead!" This, added to Bad's smuggled weapons, should be enough to level the playing field.

Lunchtime rolls around, and Quackity learns from Sapnap that Punz and Philza have been employed by the school ostensibly to teach extracurriculars like Sociology and Martial Arts. He demolishes his food as Sapnap and Foolish argue over the best way to go about attacking Technoblade with their new weapons.

At the front of the class, Technoblade cleans off the whiteboard. Hannah Rose, the only girl in class 3-E, sits alone at her desk. Quackity watches her for a moment, considering whether he should let her join his group or not.

His mind is just about made up to beckon her over when she stands up and produces a second lunchbox and thermos from her backpack. Placing both on Technoblade's desk, she scrawls a little note, and then returns to her seat.

Technoblade turns around, sees the food and tea, and makes a little "Heh?" sound of confusion. Quackity glowers at Rose. She tilts her head and glances at him with a mysterious smile.

The rest of the day passes as uneventfully as it possibly could with having a terrorist, hostage, and military guard as teachers. Punz has declared his intent to teach Mathematics for the rest of the year after Technoblade started ranting about the economy while attempting to explain trigonometry. Quackity has a feeling the rant was partially a bait for that very purpose, but then again, he's grown used to Technoblade's rambling segways from the actual topic of discussion.

The situation has started to feel almost normal. A simple fact of life. The truth is that people adapt to their environments. As Quackity follows Sapnap out of the classroom, he shoots one last glare at Technoblade, almost a tradition of sorts.

Technoblade meets his eyes and gives him a subtle nod before returning his attention to whatever Philza is on about. Quackity scoffs and hurries to catch up to his friends.

Clubs have started to form for the year. But, cut off from the rest of the highschool by both merit of their reputations as delinquents and the threat of their teacher, class 3-E can't join in any official clubs. So they've made their own.

The Ducklings plus Charlie have formed the Prank club. Tommy, Tubbo, Eret, and Wilbur made the Theatre club. Ranboo and Rose remain separately aloof. Foolish reports to Quackity that Rose disappeared into the Chemistry lab a bit ago, and Ranboo has just been wandering the forest line surrounding the building.

Charlie, as Head Prankster, proposes going over to the main grounds and pranking the other classes. The Ducklings agree on the condition they steal Karl from his club.

When they reach the main grounds of the high school, a mile away from the secluded building for class 3-E, Connor whines about his twisted ankle as Foolish carries him. Quackity drags his feet on the clean linoleum, smirking at the disdainful glances of passing students.

"Well, if it isn't the loser class." Jack Manifold crosses his arms and stands in the middle of the hallway. "Come to beg for scraps, have you?"

"Out of our way, Jack." Charlie snarls.

Jack adjusts his heterochromatic sunglasses. "Niki and I have a proposition."

"What the fuck do you assholes want with us?"

"Give us a cut of the money when you kill that dumb teacher and we'll help you study for college admissions. Win-win." Jack grins.

Quackity gestures for his gang to discuss. "Yo, we don't need that prick."

Sapnap nods. "We're already splitting the winnings with Bad, we don't need another reduction."

"Wait, who's Bad??" Charlie hisses. Quackity shoves him out of the circle.

"We could always take the help and then not pay him. Like, as a prank." Foolish suggests.

"Good idea. In favor?"

Connor and Sapnap agree. The motion passes.

"Alright, Jack, we'll fucking take it."

"Nice. Okay, we want fifty percent of the bounty in return for our splendid, magnanimous help." Jack puffs out his chest.

"Deal." Quackity spits in his hand and holds it out for Jack to shake. The boy looks disgusted.

"Ew, I'm not touching that."

"Deal or no deal?" Quackity grins, watching Jack squirm.

"For the love of Newton, Jack!" Niki Nihachu storms out of the nearby empty classroom, her pink hair pinned up in a messy bun. "It's a deal." She spits on her own hand and takes Quackity's without flinching.

"Great, now piss off. We have club business to attend to." Quackity shoulders past Jack, and his club follows.

"How are you planning to kill the Blade??" Niki trots to keep up.

"Secret."

"I want to kill him, too!"

"Join the fucking club."

"Rude! I'm offering help!"

Quackity shrugs at her. "I just told you, join the club. Fail your classes to get transferred into 3-E, then we'll talk."

"I- I will!" Niki cries, then storms back to Jack and drags him away.

++++

"Can I kill him for you?"

Philza glances at the mercenary guard in question. "Mate." He chuckles darkly. "I won't stop you, but he could be useful."

Punz, oblivious to Techno's bloodlust, cleans up the shattered glass on the scorched floor of the Chemistry lab as one of the students cries in a corner. Fake. Philza can spot crocodile tears from a mile away.

"Techno, you didn't eat the lunch she gave you, did you?"

Techno shrugs. "It was a good attempt. Five stars."

Philza laughs a bit. "What's arsenic taste like, then?"

Technoblade glances at the crying girl. "Eh, nothing much."

The girl sobs harder, clearly attempting to play the sympathy card. "I- I didn't p-poison it, it wasn't m-mine." Lies. All lies.

"K." Techno scratches his head and turns away, uncomfortable with the tears.

A knife whistles through the air and buries in Techno's shoulder. He gasps a pained, "Heh??" And he grips the smoke wound as the metal melts and sizzles.

"Techno? You good, mate?"  

Keen steel digs into his back. "Don't move." Rose says, adrenaline making her voice tremble.

Punz laughs in the background. "Nice job, kiddo. Now, twist one arm behind his back, and force him to back away from the Blade."

Philza sighs as Rose does as Punz ordered. "Rose, mate, you don't want to be a murderer."

"You won't be my first kill." Rose retorts in a tremulous attempt at a cold voice.

"Technoblade, hands up." Punz comes around in Philza's peripheral vision. "Try anything and my associate will stab the old man."

"Hey!" Philza cries. "Watch your tongue, motherfucker, I'm not fucking old!" He just could kill the girl and let Techno take out Punz, but Techno has already told him to leave the students alone.

"Phil?" Techno says in a low, furious voice. His wound has already healed. "I'll take care of this." The blade against Philza's skin trembles, then steadies.

Punz smirks and draws his gun. "You'll take care of this, will you? I've got the biggest payday of my life waiting for your death."

"You've caused enough suffering." Rose snarls. "It ends here."

"Phil is innocent. Let him go." Technoblade growls.

"Not unless you let us kill you. You made a big mistake, and now you're going to pay."

"And we're going to get paid!" Rose laughs.

"Rose, kid, let go and run before you get hurt." Philza warns.

"That would be smart, yes." Techno remains motionless.

"Stay there, Rose." Punz snaps. "Don't move. We've got them."

"Ha, the only thing stopping me from punting both of you into the sun is Techno." Phil yawns.

"I could kill you!" Rose presses the dagger between Philza's shoulderblades. "Don't try me."

"If you kill him, what's stopping me from killing both of you?" Techno muses. "Rose, let Phil go, get outta here, and I'll forget this ever happened."

"Don't listen to him." Punz urges.

"You don't stand a chance, buddy." Philza grins mockingly at Punz. This is exciting. Philza hasn't felt so alive since he was burning down cathedrals with Techno.

A smoke grenade drops in-between the four. It shudders on the ground. Philza barks to startle Punz and Rose, "Scatter!"

Punz leaps away. Techno jumps for Phil. Rose lets go and shoves Phil into Techno. Smoke poofs out and fills the entire room.

Techno throws Philza over his shoulder and storms for the door as Phil coughs out the burning air. As they reach clear air, Philza laughs. "Not even close, ey, mate?"

Techno's eyes are dark as he growls, "Never again." A threat. A promise.

++++

Ranboo stares at his empty hands. The smell of smoke lingers on his clothes. What was he doing? He can't remember. That's nothing new, though. He doesn't want to remember.

He staggers shakily through the forest, unable to recall why he's here. Why is he here, so near the school? He opens his book and flips to page two, the day Technoblade joined the school. Right, right, he's supposed to be helping everyone kill Techno.

Was that what he was doing? He can't remember.

++++

"Alright, nerds." Technoblade slams a fist on his desk. The chatter abruptly ceases, leaving the air tense and cold. "If anybody, and I mean anybody, so much as looks at Philza the wrong way, so much as harms one hair on his head, I punt first and ask no questions ever."

He doesn't even glance at her, but Hannah Rose shrinks in her chair anyway, regretting ever choosing the front row for her seat assignment. She could have done it, she could have gotten rid of Technoblade, if it weren't for the damn smoke bomb.

"Who teh fuck tried to kill Philza??" Tommy cries, somehow sounding more incensed than Technoblade.

"Punz." Technoblade replies. Rose frowns in confusion. Why wouldn't he tell them about her involvement? He certainly has no reason to hide it.

"I'll kill him!!" Tommy barks, gesturing with his knife haphazardly. "Where is he??"

"He met an unfortunate accident and is now recovering in the hospital." Technoblade deadpans.

Rose wonders if she should feel bad that her former partner got hurt. She doesn't. He wasn't a friend, he was a business associate. He even blamed her for the failure of their attempt. So fuck him.

"Good. Serves the fucker right." Wilbur hums. "Philza, we're going to try to kill your friend, sorry, but you're safe with us."

"Killing friends is not cool, Wilbur, I'm trying to be cool." Tommy complains, brushing back his hair.

"Tommy, we kinda need to kill Techno. Again, sorry about that, Philza."

"Fuck you, bitch!" Tommy retorts.

"Kids, kids. Chill." Philza chuckles. He smiles at Rose for a moment, then turns his attention back to Tommy and Wilbur, who have devolved into slapping each other with notebooks. The look leaves her confused and angry. She was going to kill him. Why isn't he respecting that??

"Tubbo, please sit between your friends so they stop hitting each other." Philza snaps as the playfight grows louder.

"With pleasure." Tubbo grins.

A few minutes into the start of class, Tommy yelps. "Tubbo!!"

"Wilbur paid me to."

A few minutes later, Wilbur cries, "Ow, hey!"

"Tommy paid me more."

Rose snaps and turns around, leveling a glare at Tubbo. "How much do I need to pay you to make your friends shut the hell up??"

"Ten." Tubbo holds out his hand. Rose stuffs a tenner in his hand and turns back around, huffing.

"T-Tubbo, put away the duck tape!!" Tommy cries. "Eret, no, don't help him, help me!! Phiiilza!!"

"Kids, will you just shut up and fucking learn something??"

Hannah spots Quackity in the third row, sitting beside Sapnap and glaring up at Technoblade. He hasn't spoken once the entire time.

A movement from Ranboo catches her gaze from all the way in the back of the class, beside the window. He smiles nervously, not meeting her eyes as he stuffs a kitty-decor notebook back into his backpack. She's seen him with it often, in every class, and it doesn't seem to be for regular notes. She saw the cover once. It was marked 'Do Not Read', which only makes her want to read it.

"Hey, Rose." Eret steals her attention with a wave. "I heard you know martial arts. Can you teach me?"

++++

Ponk grumbles to himself as he strides up the stairs to the small, rundown building that houses class 3-E. He was supposed to begin teaching here at the start of the year, but he got delayed by family issues. His substitute should be gone by now, but if they aren't, he'll get rid of them soon enough.

He opens the door to absolute chaos. Two kids are firing guns at the substitute teacher, who just sits there and takes it as he munches a sandwich. Another man demonstrates to a small group the correct method for throwing knives. Still others are crowded in the center of circled desks and wrestling as a girl criticizes their techniques. And in the back corner, scrawling in a notebook, is the only normal person there. Ponk makes a beeline for him.

"Hey." Ponk sits beside the normal person.

"Hey." The normal person replies in a growly and annoyed voice.

"What's with the chaos?"

"You get used to it."

"Oh. I don't think I want to."

The ?normal? person looks at Ponk's forehead. "Then leave."

Ponk shivers and excuses himself hastily.

But before he reaches the door, he stops himself. No. He's not going to give in so easily. He's the teacher here. When the gunfire ceases to reload, Ponk storms up to the substitute and slams his boot on the- on his desk. "Out of my seat."

"Nah."

Ponk stares at the piggy-mutant man. "What the hell, man? What are you??"

"Some would say I'm death incarnate." The man says in a tired voice.

"Would they, really??"

"Nah. They're already dead."

Ponk glowers. "I'm the teacher here."

"K. Ponk, right?"

"Yeah?"

"Right. Well, hate to break it to you, but I'm the head teacher now. I guess you can help out, though. Not that I need help."

"Right." Ponk groans.

"How good are you at teaching math?"

Chapter 4 (Next)

[zi-i-think]

1 | Just Chill Out

Pairing: Zuko x Ama (OC)

Word Count: 5400+

.☽☼☾.

          Ama was the kinda girl that fought hard. Her persistence is what made her a great waterbender. She and Katara were both very competitive and dueled together for practice. And while it was often a close tie, it didn't change the fact that Ama was older by two years and usually won.

         Usually, Ama styled her hair with a half ponytail and the hair by her ears was tied. Her kimono-like tunic was a light blue and sleeveless. Her loose pants were a darker shade of blue, ending at her shin to make room for her dark brown warm shoes. Lastly, her forearms and her palms were wrapped with white cloth.

         Through their adventures with the Avatar, the Water Tribe siblings learned and grew both together and individually. Sokka and Ama were more similar in their humor, taking it from their dad. Katara and Ama were similar in many ways, but not when it came to who was more stubborn. Katara held the most grudges. It was why it was harder to accept her mother's death.

         So when Zuko arrived, Ama was quick to try to give him another chance after the night in Ba Sing Se. He was the only person that was actually her age and the two were quick to get along. Especially after he helped Ama and Sokka rescue their dad from the Boiling Rock Prison. So after Katara and Zuko went on their little field trip to avenge their mother and came back actually tolerating each other, Ama felt more at ease.

         The 16 year old girl didn't acknowledge her little crush on the firebender. She ignored the butterflies in her stomach when he sat next to her and the way they would touch while they were sparring with each other. After all, the last time she had a crush on someone, it ended in a less than ideal way.

         "He's just a friend." She would tell herself while they rested after sparing.

         This leads to the present. Team Avatar stayed at one of Fire Lord Ozai's houses on Ember Island. Aang and Zuko practiced their firebending in the courtyard. Toph laid on the ground while Katara and Ama watched the boys. Ama would never admit it, but she couldn't take her eyes off the fire prince. And him being shirtless didn't help.

         Considering they were in the Fire Nation, Ama's clothes consisted of a red, sleeveless crop top and loose pants that ended at the calf of her leg. Her shoes were simple black flats that she had to tie round her ankle with a string. The only difference in her hair was that her half ponytail was a half bun and her hair wasn't tied at the front.

         "Doesn't it seem kinda weird that we're hiding from the Fire Lord in his own house?" Katara wondered, looking around the courtyard as the boy's finished their bending.

         "I told you, my father hasn't come here since our family was actually happy." Zuko responded by the fountain and wiped his hair with a yellow towel. "And that was a long time ago. This is the last place anyone would think to look for us."

         "You guys are not going to believe this." Sokka announced, jogging towards them with Suki following behind. "There's a play about us."

         "We were just in town and we found this poster." Suki said and Sokka unrolled the poster in his hand. The poster showed Aang in the middle with Sokka, Katara and Ama behind him. In the background there was a close up of Zuko's eyes, except his scar was on the wrong side. Then there was the information written and playwright.

         "What? How is that possible?" Katara asked, everyone crowded around to look at the poster.

         "Listen to this." Sokka began to read the poster. "The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwright Pu On Tim who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar from the icy South Pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources including singing nomads, pirates, prisoners of war and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage."

         "Brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players." Suki finished.

         "Ugh." Zuko had a disgusted look on his face, already opposing to the idea. "My Mother used to take us to see them. They butchered "Love Amongst The Dragons" every year."

v"Sokka, do you really think it's a good idea for us to attend a play about ourselves?" Katara already considered how bad the idea was.

         "Come on, a day at the theatre? This is the kind of wacky time wasting nonsense I've been missing." Begged Sokka with a huge grin.

         "I'd actually like to see it." Ama took the scroll from her brother's hand and examined the actress playing her. It wasn't that accurate. The actress was too pale and had too much makeup on. Plus the clothing was a more sexualized, the tunic being a little too low cut. "Might be fun to see how we're portrayed."

.☽☼☾.

         That night, the Gaang headed to the theatre. They sat in a private viewing box on the second floor facing the stage. Toph and Katara and Ama took their seats in the first row while Zuko walked in the opposite direction wearing a hooded cloak and sat in the empty spot between Ama and Katara as Aang confidently tried to sit next to Katara. Aang stood up and rubbed his neck.

         "Hey, uh... I wanted to sit there." Aang sheepishly pointed at the seat.

         "Just sit next to Sokka, what's the big deal?" Zuko said a bit aggressively and he took off his hood.

         "I was just... I wanted to..." Aang couldn't get a sentence in before giving in and going to the second row. "Okay."

         "Why are we sitting in the nosebleed section? My feet can't see a thing from up here." Toph complained as the lights dimmed.

         "Don't worry, I'll tell your feet what's happening." Katara assured her.

         The curtain was drawn up to reveal a prop of a canoe surrounded by moving set decorations of water and the backdrop was a crude painting of icebergs. The Water Tribe sibling actors rowed the fake canoe with their oars.

         Ama felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked back seeing her brother point to her and back to himself rapidly. Ama chucked at his reaction to the play and then looked back at the stage.

         Katara's actress was similar to Ama's in that they both had more revealing clothes and had too much blusher on their cheeks. Actress Katara sighed deeply. "My dear siblings. We constantly roam these icy South Pole seas and yet never do we find anything fulfilling."

         "Katara, must you always be so dramatic?" Actor Ama spoke, almost lazily paddling the fake canoe. "Just chill out a bit. Like the ice around us." She made a pun so that the audience would get a laugh.

         Actor Sokka was buck-toothed and thinner than the actual Sokka and his wolf-tail ponytail was way too large. "All I want is a full feeling in my stomach, I'm starving!" The audience laughed loudly at the low-quality joke.

         The real Water Tribe siblings looked at each other in disbelief. Katara and Sokka seemed very disappointed, but Ama was making a mental note to use that pun for the future.

         "Is food the only thing on your mind?" Actress Katara asked.

         "Well, I'm trying to get it out of my mind and into my mouth. I'm starving." Actor Sokka made the same joke twice.

         "This is pathetic" Sokka whispered to Ama and Katara. "My jokes are way funnier than this."

         "I think he's got you pegged." Toph laughed.

         "Everyday, the World awaits a beacon to guide us, yet none appears." Actress Katara melodramatically spoke as Actor Sokka paddled the canoe. "Still, we cannot give up hope. For hope is all we have and we must never relinquish it. Even," She sniffed. "even to our dying breath." She pretended to cry loudly.

         "Well, that's just silly." Katara commented while Sokka and Suki snickered. "I don't sound like that."

         "Oh man, this writer's a genius." Toph giggled and clenched her stomach.

         On stage, a white-blue light illuminated and actresses Katara and Ama looked up at it in a dainty way. The iceberg prop slowly moved to the centre of the stage with a cut out of Aang swaying from side to side on a stick inside the iceberg.

         "It appears to be someone frozen in ice. Perhaps for a hundred years." Actress Katara gaped with hands on her cheeks for dramatic effect.

         "But who? Who is the boy in the iceberg?" Actor Sokka asked.

         Aang grabbed the railings in anticipation with an excited look. Zuko looks bored, resting his cheek on his hand.

         Actress Ama climbed to the top of the iceberg prop while the other two actors were still climbing up. "Waterbend, hai-ya!" Actress Ama yelled and performed a chopping motion and a crack appeared on the iceberg. It opened with the interior smoking where a lady dressed as Aang jumped out, winked and posed.

         Aang was repulsed.

         "Who are you, frozen boy?" Actress Katara asked.

         "I'm the Avatar, silly. Here to spread joy and fun." Actress Aang grinned from ear to ear.

         "Wait, is that a woman playing me?" Aang wondered with a distraught tone.

         A shaggy, white Chinese lion get-up meant to portray Appa popped out from the remnants of the iceberg and moved from side to side before it circled round the iceberg and made a gruff animal noise.

         "An airbender." Actress Katara gasped. "My heart is so full of hope that it's making me tearbend." She fell to her knees and hugged actress Aang's leg as she cried loudly.

         "My stomach is so empty that it's making me tearbend." Actor Sokka dropped to his knees and grabbed actress Aang's other leg and sobbed with Actress Katara. "I need meat."

         "But wait is that a platter of meaty dumplings?" Actress Aang pointed up.

         "Ooh. Where? Where?" Actor Sokka looked around desperately.

         "Did I mention that I'm an incurable prankster?" Actress Aang giggled uncontrollably.

         "I don't do that." Aang got irritated. The others turned around to look at him while he glared at the stage. "That's not what I'm like! And... I'm not a woman!"

         Toph thought otherwise and laughed loudly. "Oh, they nailed you, Twinkle Toes."

         Then on stage, Zuko's ship entered with actor Zuko poised near the front of the ship, looking through a telescope.

         "Prince Zuko, you must try this cake." Actor Iroh offered.

         Actor Zuko wore his Fire Nation armor with a long, exaggerated ponytail. His scar most definitely on the wrong side. "I don't have time to stuff my face. I must capture the Avatar to regain my honor!"

         "Well, while you do that, maybe I'll capture another slice." Actor Iroh stuffed his face in the cake prop.

         "You sicken me." Actor Zuko said with his raspy voice and then looked back in the telescope.

         "They make me totally stiff and humorless." Zuko crossed his arms and critiqued.

         "Maybe that's because you are stiff and humorless." Ama crossed her arms and sent him a smirk. "So, I'd say it's pretty spot on."

         "How could you say that!" Zuko got offended, but Ama just chuckled at him.

         "Let's forget about the Avatar and get massages." Actor Iroh suggested happily.

         "How could you say that?!" Actor Zuko shouted.

         Real Zuko looked defeated and slouched in his seat as Ama started to laugh at the irony of the moment. And while her eyes were closed and she wiped her tears of laughter, Zuko looked at her with a slight smile.

         The scenes were all incredibly over exaggerated. Katara hated the melodramatic portrayal of her, Sokka hated the jokes, and Ama hated how overly sympathetic but competitive they made her.

         In one scene with a pirate ship in the backdrop. The leading characters slid out from underneath a pirate's skirt as the six pirates fought and slowly moved offstage. Actress Ama clenched a large scroll.

         "Why did you have to steal that waterbending scroll?" Actor Sokka complained.

         "Because, all I want is to help with waterbending." Actress Ama responded defensively. "And I must be better than Aang." The actress sent a glare at Actress Aang and stomped off.

         Real Ama was unamused and rolled her eyes. "I'd say it's pretty stop on." Zuko whispered to her. The waterbender gaped offendedly at him, but also was amused at how he threw her comment from earlier back at her.

         In one scene, Actress Aang was tied on stage while Actor Zuko stood proudly. "The Avatar is mine!" Actor Zuko shouted then pointed to the side. "Wait, who's coming?"

         An actor wearing a large tiki Blue Spirit mask that covers his whole body stepped out with duel swords. "I am the Blue Spirit. The scourge of the Fire Nation here to save the Avatar." The actor "fought" off the Fire Nation actors.

         "My hero." Actress Aang jumped off the platform and sits on top of the tiki mask and the Blue Spirit walked offstage.

         Zuko and Aang who looked at each other with slight "sweatdrop" expressions.

         The next scene showed the Freedom Fighter's. Actress Ama and Actor Jet with a rose in his mouth and a heavily exaggerated anime-like hair were lowered into screen on a platform.

         "Oh, Jet." Actress Ama dramatically and slightly seductively said. "I know my sister likes you as well, but I'm just so much better than her."

         "I know that, baby." Actor Jet pulled the actress close to him. "And to show my love, Jet will wipe out that nasty town for you." A blue sheet of cloth representing water came across the stage and covered the village backdrop. The platform holding actress Ama and actor Jet raised to get them off the stage.

         "Oh Jet, you're so bad." Actress Ama leaned on him and had a flirtatious tone.

         Toph and Katara giggled while Ama held her head in embarrassment. Wondering when the torture would end.

         The first act of the play ended with Actress Aang in an ocean spirit costume destroying Fire Nation ships. Portraying the battle in the North Pole. The crowd cheered and hooted while the Gaang has an opposite reaction and groaned.

.☽☼☾.

         For the intermission they went outside the theatre and on a flight of red steps on a balcony. They were away from the rest of the crowd in order to speak freely.

         "So far, this intermission is the best part of the play." Zuko rightfully complained. He leaned on the stair railing beside where Ama sat.

         "Apparently, the playwright thinks I'm an idiot who tells bad jokes about meat all the time." Sokka criticized. Ironically, he was holding a bag of meat.

         "Yeah, you tell bad jokes about plenty of other topics." Suki quipped with a knowing smirk.

         "I know!" Sokka agreed, taking large bites from his strips of meat.

         "At least this Sokka actor kinda looks like you. That woman playing the Avatar doesn't resemble me at all." Aang's tone was distressed while he buried his head in his hands.

         "I don't know, you are more in touch with your feminine side than most guys." Toph teased him for a reaction from him. And Aang did growl angrily.

         "Relax, Aang." Katara spoke up. "They're not accurate portrayals. It's not like I'm a preachy crybaby who can't resist giving over emotional speeches about hope all the time." Everyone looked at her skeptically. "What?"

         "Yeah. That's not you at all." Aang said sarcastically.

         "Listen, friends. It's obvious that the playwright did his research." Toph spoke. "I know it must hurt but what you're seeing up there on that stage is the truth."

         "The scene with Jet is definitely not the truth." Ama said defensively, pointing to the inside.

         "You're right there." Sokka shrugged. "Cause you definitely can't flirt with guys." He chuckled knowingly and Suki elbowed him, making him stop. Ama's face turned red and avoided looking at Zuko, who indeed looked a little curious.

.☽☼☾.

         Back in the theatre for the next act, the four characters stood in the Earth Kingdom set. "Well, here we are in the Earth Kingdom." Actress Katara announced.

         "I better have a look around to see if I can find an earthbending teacher." A rope pulled Actress Aang off the ground to fly and around the theater.

         "This is it! This must be where I come in." Toph whispered excitedly.

         Actress Aang landed back on the ground. "I flew all over town but I couldn't find a single earthbending master."

         "Here it comes." Toph clenched her fist while there was a drumroll.

         On the stage as a rock prop was lifted by a well built man wearing Toph's outfit who appeared from a trap door under the prop. "You can't find an earthbending master in the sky, you have to look underground." He threw the prop rock to the side.

         The Gaang broke into laughter and Zuko drops his parchment in shock.

         "Who are you?" Actress Aang pointed at the buff actor.

         "My name is Toph because it sounds like tough." He flexed his muscles. "And that's just what I am."

         "Wait a minute," The real Toph used her pinkie to clear her ear. "I sound like... a guy. A really buff guy."

         "Well Toph, what you hear up there is the truth. It hurts, doesn't it?" Katara leaned on the earthbender with a smug look.

         "Are you kidding me?" Toph grinned from ear to ear and giggled. "I wouldn't have cast it any other way. At least it's not a flying bald lady."

         "So, you're blind?" Actress Aang waved her hand in front of Actor Toph's face.

         "I can see you doing that." The actor laughed. "I see everything that you see except that I don't see like you do. I release a sonic wave from my mouth."

         He turned towards the leading characters and screamed. Cut to actor Toph's face. The audience cringed and covered their ears. The Gaang were also cringing but Toph couldn't be happier.

         "There. I got a pretty good look at you." The actor said one he finished.

         The next scene showed actor Zuko and actor Iroh. "Zuko, it's time we had a talk." Actor Iroh pointed. "About your hair. It's gone too far." Actor Zuko's hair was very long and no longer in a ponytail.

         "Maybe it's best if we... split up." Actor Zuko dramatically turned his head and walked away. The long hair flowing behind him.

         A few scenes later, the actors stood around Actress Azula caught in a corner. "Azula! My sister. What are you doing here?" Actor Zuko pointed at the actress in heavy makeup and pink clothing.

         "You caught me. Wait. What's that?" Actress Azula pointed at the ceiling. "I think it's your honor."

         "Where?" Actor Zuko question. All seven actors turned around while Actress Azula used a secret door to escape.

         Real Ama giggled and Zuko looked over at her. Ama caught him looking and covered her left eye. "Honor." She said seriously and with a deep voice before going right back to giggling. The firebender frowned at leaned back in his seat.

         "She escaped. But how?" Actress Katara wondered when they realized she escaped.

         A few scenes later Actor Jet slashed his hook sword arm prop, wearing a pair of crazy eye glasses as the tiny black beads representing his pupils swirl around, portraying that he's insane.

         "No, Jet!" Actress Aang said. "What did they do to you?"

         "Must. Serve. Earth King!" He swung his arms chaotically. "Must... Destroy!"

         Actor Jet made various agonizing noises and acted as if he were having a fit. The rock prop slowly floated into the stage and onto the actor

         "Did Jet just... die?" Real Zuko was really confused.

         "You know, it was really unclear." Sokka responded, only half caring.

         It got to the scene where Ama and Zuko were in the cave in Ba Sing Se together. Where Azula had tricked them both.

         "I have to admit, Prince Zuko. I really find you attractive." Actress Ama spoke.

         "You don't have to make fun of me." Actor Zuko grumbled.

         "But I mean it." Actress Ama got a bit more seductive and sat next to him. "I had eyes for you since the day you first captured me."

         Real Ama and Zuko glanced at each other and blushed a deep red, sinking into their seats. Ama could hear Sokka and Aang snickering from behind them and looked back at them. The two were definitely pointing at the blushing teens.

         "I must admit." The Zuko actor spoke loudly. "I have also had eyes for you!"

         Actress Ama dramatically put her hand on her head. "Oh, but if the others would find out!"

         "They won't!" Actor Zuko pulled the actress into him. "This will be our secret." Ama sighed in relief that they didn't kiss, but just embraced each other.

         "Well, my brother. What's it going to be?" The Azula actress asked in the next scene. "Your nation or a life of treachery?"

         "Choose treachery, it's more fun." Actor Iroh drank a cup of tea and threw a thumbs up.

         "No way!" Actress Azula called when Actor Zuko walked next to the old actor.

         But then Actor Zuko shoved Actor Iroh to the floor and walked next to Azula. "I hate you, Uncle. You smell and I hate you for all time."

         Ama looked next to Zuko, who leaned on the railing. "You didn't really say that, did you?"

         "I might as well have." Zuko responded regrettably and turned away.

.☽☼☾.

         Soon the second act ended with Actress Azula "killing" actress Aang. Team Avatar hung out inside the theatre this time. Zuko kept his hood over his head, sitting on the floor and leaning on the wall. Ama made sure that Toph was between the two before sitting on the floor, still feeling embarrassed by the scene from earlier.

         "It seems like every time there's a big battle you guys barely make it out alive. I mean, you guys lose a lot." Suki commented.

         "You're one to talk, Suki. Didn't Azula take you captive? That's right, she did." Sokka shot back.

         Suki frowned and acted serious. "Are you trying to get on my bad side?"

         "I'm just saying." Sokka said matter-of-factly.

         "Does anyone know where Aang is?" Katara wondered, walking up to the small group.

         "He left to get me fire gummies like, 10 minutes ago. And I'm still waiting." Sokka said impatiently.

         "I'm going to check outside." Katara announced and walked away from them.

         "Wheeee." A little boy in an Aang costume zoomed past the five teens.

         "Suki, what are the chances you can get me backstage? I got some jokes I want to give to the actor me." Sokka asked his girlfriend.

         "I'm an elite warrior who's trained for many years in the art of stealth." Suki said seriously then gave Sokka a large grin. "I think I can get you backstage."

         "Jeez. Everyone's getting so upset about their characters." Toph commented as the couple walked away. "Even you seem more down than usual and that's saying something."

         "You don't get it. It's different for you. You get a muscle-y version of yourself taking down 10 bad guys at once and making sassy remarks." Zuko responded.

         "Yeah, that's pretty great." Toph agreed.

         "But for me, it takes all the mistakes I've made in my life and shoves them back in my face." Zuko felt ashamed of himself and turned away a bit. "My Uncle. He's always been on my side even when things were bad. He was there for me. He taught me so much and how do I repay him? With a knife in his back. It's my greatest regret and I may never get to redeem myself."

         "You have redeemed yourself to your Uncle." Toph sunk onto the floor. "You don't realize it but you already have."

         "How do you know?" Zuko asked her.

         "Because I once had a long conversation with the guy and all he would talk about was you."

         The fire prince smiled and put down his hood. "Really?"

         "Yeah, and it was kind of annoying." Toph said.

         "Oh, sorry." Zuko apologized.

         "But it was also very sweet." The young girl told him. "All your Uncle wanted was for you to find your own path and see the light. Now you're here with us. He'd be proud." Zuko smiled until Toph punched his arm

         "Ow." He rubbed his arm in pain and Ama burst out laughing. "What was that for?"

         "That's how I show affection." Toph smiled.

         "Haha, oh Toph. I love you so much." Ama leaned on the girl for some support while cracking up. Then blind girl punched her too. "Ow." It was Toph and Zuko's turn to laugh while Ama rubbed her arm.

         The little boy from earlier came running back around the corner and stopped in front of Zuko. "Your Zuko costume is pretty good but your scar's on the wrong side." He pointed at the scar and then ran off. Zuko's mouth dropped in shock and Ama burst out laughing.

         "The scar is not on the wrong side!" Zuko shouted angrily, pulling his hood over his head again.

         Ama chuckled at him. "You're adorable." She mumbled, not realizing she said it out loud.

         "Thanks, you too." Zuko mumbled back. Both teens froze completely and Toph failed at hiding her giggle. No one spoke after that. But Ama's thoughts began to race.

         Did I hear that wrong? Are my feelings not as one sided as I thought? How do I respond to that? Damn it, where's Sokka's bad jokes when I need them?

.☽☼☾.

         Spoiler. The play was terrible. Ending with actress Aang's death and Fire Lord Ozai winning the war, everyone realized that the entire show was bad all around. Once the theatre lights came on, they walked back to the house glad it was over.

         "That... wasn't a good play." Zuko broke the silence. Everyone vocally agreed with him.

         "But the effects were decent." Was the only good comment coming from Sokka.

         Before they entered the house, Ama stopped and stepped aside so the others could enter. "I think I'm gonna go on a quick walk." The waterbender pointed towards the forest with her thumb.

         "Are you sure? It's kinda late." Katara said with a worried tone.

         "Yeah, I kinda need to clear my mind and forget that terrible play." She chuckled and rubbed the back of her neck.

         "Alright, stay safe." Katara shrugged and went inside.

         Zuko stayed back, watching Ama walk down the steps and heading to the thicket of trees. He considered walking with her. He also needed to clear his head. But also wanted to talk to the water tribe girl. He took a quick glance at the inside of the house, then Ama before running after her. "Hey! Wait up!"

         The brunette stopped walking and looked back at the boy running towards her. "Uh. Can I help you?" She wondered and he stood next to her.

         "I just thought, you might like some company." Zuko responded, nervously rubbing the back of his neck while they started walking down the path again.

         "It's not what I necessarily had in mind, but I'd like that." A light smile tugged on her lips as she looked at the floor anxiously.

         The walk was pretty quiet at first. Neither of the two knew what to say. Ama looked around. Her eye's had adjusted fine to the dark path and the moon lit everything also. So she could get a good look at the flora of Ember Island.

         "Look." The girl gasped excitedly, pointing at an area that strayed a few feet from the path. She jogged over to the patch of flowers that caught her eye and Zuko followed behind curiously. "Fire lilies." He watched as she admired the patch, her fingers delicately running across the petals. "They're so pretty."

         This is my chance. Zuko thought. Gathering up his courage and ignoring the teenage boy tendency of being awkward and silent, the boy took his shot. "Almost as pretty at you." Still, he could only muster a whisper. Ama watched as he took a seat next to her and reached to snap a flower off the stem and moved to place it behind the waterbender's ear, moving some of her hair to the side.

         "Thank you." She couldn't hide her blush or the smile. Her heart was racing. The girl wondered what she should do or say in response. After all, the only "experience" with boys she had was with Jet. But even then, it was more like they just talked and he turned out to be insane.

         Then a spark of confidence was lit inside her. The girl reached for another flower. Snapping it off the stem and placing it behind Zuko's ear, just as he did to her. "You look beautiful, Prince Zuko." She grinned while he just chuckled.

         "Look, Ama. I think it's time we talked about," Zuko started. His tone was a bit timid, which was pretty out of character for him. "Well, us."

         "What about us." Ama asked, a smirk playing on her lips.

         "Look, I always thought you were really pretty. Even during those months where I was chasing you all." He rubbed the back of his neck and looked at the flowers. "And during that time in the Ba Sing Se caves, you showed genuine kindness and actually cared about me. I realized that you're probably the prettiest girl I've even met."

         "Not even just that, but you're so strong and independent and smart." He started to ramble a bit and Ama chuckled. "And being with you all after leaving my father and the Fire Nation, you still believed in me. Even after all those horrible things I've done. I think... I think I really like you, Ama."

         "I think I really like you too." Ama responded, fiddling with her nails. "You're one of the bravest people I know. Leaving behind your entire life. Realizing and admitting your wrong doings. I admire you so much for that. Just getting to know you more made me like you more." Ama chuckled nervously. "Just seeing you gave me butterflies."

         "Is that why you always watched Aang and I practice?" Zuko lightly laughed.

         "Well it didn't help that you're attractive." Ama laughed back.

         "So you think I'm attractive." Zuko smirked.

         "Eh, only a little." Ama shrugged and giggled at his playful glare. Then it got quiet. But it wasn't an uncomfortable silence like earlier. It was more content and peaceful.

         "Can..." Zuko started to ask and Ama looked back at him after staring at the moon. "Can I kiss you?" Ama blushed, but nodded. Zuko leaned in most of the way until Ama leaded up as well. It was short and sweet. Barely lasting a second. Ama and Zuko stared into each other's eyes for a moment before leaning in again for another, still sweet but more wistful kiss.

         One of Ama's hands wound up in Zuko's dark hair and the other on his cheek. Zuko grabbed onto her waist, to pull her closer to him. Considering that the two were still sitting on the ground, the teens looked a little awkward. But the waterbender moved, not breaking the kiss to straddle him.

         Pulling away, the two smiled and stared at each other again. The girl's blue eyes seemed to sparkle in the moonlight as Zuko looked into them. Her blue eyes were like an ocean. And the prince didn't mind drowning in them. Meanwhile, Ama felt drawn to his fiery gold eyes. And she didn't mind being burned by them.

         "So, uh." Ama bit her bottom lip. Her hands moved from his hair down to his chest. "Does this mean we're together?"

         "You mean does this make me your boyfriend and you my girlfriend." Zuko clarified and Ama nodded. "I don't know if I see you that way." He said teasingly, earning a light punch on the arm. "I'm kidding. I'd like that. A lot."

         "Me too."

.☽☼☾.

Cool. I just posted the first chapter. My writing does better in first person so just hang in there. Or if you want to wait for chapter eight where there is a plot and better writing (in my opinion) that would be fine. I don’t believe you’d miss much. This is mainly to set a baseline for Ama’s placement in the Avatar Universe. 

I hope you all enjoy. Hang loose, amigos! 🤙🏼