Lord of Fire

CHAPTER 32: SHORT TALES – SOKKA’S DILEMMA (I)

A young boy lay in bed. From head to toe he was covered in bandages. The young man, Jet lay barely unconscious with his mind going in and out of sleep. A young woman, Manori, of similar age sat in a tree by the bed. She looked at the young man with a worried look.

“I can feel you staring at me Manori,” Jet suddenly said as he continued to fight the tiredness.

“Are you crazy?” Manori snapped to sit up. “You are in no condition to travel not to mention get into it with a bender that powerful!”

“I have survived worse,” Jet defied. “We both know that I have to at least make a play to avenge our fallen comrades.”

“The others wouldn't want you to die trying to avenge them!” She warned. “You and I both know as well that they would want you to survive and carry on the dream!”

The words hit hard for the leader of the freedom fighters. Deep down he knew she was right but he just could not bring himself to accept the reality of the situation.

“I might not do much but I still need follow the King and see that Prince get what’s coming to him!” He insisted.

“Fine than go ahead,” Manori surrendered. “Just know that I won't be a part of your suicidal revenge tour!”

Upon those words she stood up and stormed off to live him alone in the room.

As soon as she exited the room she bumped into a rather skinny and weak body.

“Owwww!!!” The owner of the skinny body screamed in pain.

“Oh I am so sorry I didn't see you there!” Manori tried to apologise.

“How about you watch were you storm off to next alright!!” the skinny boy refused to back down.

“Calm down Sokka,” the young woman beside him tried to calm him down. “It was just an accident.”

“An accident?” Sokka’s voice rose almost pitchy. “I am a grown ass man with arms the size of a tree trunk! How could she not see someone as buffed as me.” With every word he tried to show off his barely visible muscles by puffing out his chest and flexing those scrawny arms of his.

“Oh please you call those arms?” Manori too got annoyed by his refusal to back down.”I have seen infants with more muscles than you! You just look like a skinny ass giraffe antelope in blue clothes!”

“A giraffe!?” Sokka uttered in disbelief. “Well you look like a big fat as shit seal in black leather!”

Manori’s eyes widened in anger at his insult.

“Alright you and me! Outside let’s go!!” She challenged.

“Gladly!” Sokka answered and followed her to the back of the hospital.

“What about the medicine for Satori?’ Suki reminded of their purpose at the hospital.

“You go get it and return to the mansion!” Sokka answered from the edge of the hall. “I will meet you there once I take care of this!”

Suki stood alone in the hallway not believing what she just saw. Such a small matter as bumping into each other was escalated by his bruised ego from the previous night.

---

Not a soul was around at the back of the hospital except for a pair of young man and woman. In the blazing midday sun they stood facing each other.

“Oh I remember you,” Manori recognized. “You are the brother of that Katara girl captured by Prince Zuko.” Truthfully her anger had vanished when they came outside but she decided she still needed this battle to take out some of her stress and worry for Jet.

“You are the little bitch who was with Jet!” Sokka returned the favour.

“Dude I’m taller than you!” Manori revealed.

For some reason that was the last straw for Sokka. He had enough of this dirty talking girl. It was about time she was put in her place. With his mind made up he raised his special broad sword like weapon and charged at the girl.

As he reached within closing distance he swung at her with all his might but she simply stepped to the side that he came passed flying from the momentum of the swing. Suddenly Manori did a quick turn and swung her left leg for his neck but he ducked and rolled away.

“Your initial swing was too forceful,” she advised as he glared at her from frustration. “Yet you somehow recovered enough to dodge my attack.”

“I don't need your fucking advice!!” He screamed and yet again ran charging at her.

With his arm raised he closed the distance between them closer than she expected but his sudden burst of speed didn't bother her too much. Infact she barely noticed because of her sheer level of experience. She simply grapped the wrist of his raised hand. In the blink of an eye she suddenly appeared behind him with his arm tied behind his back.

“AAAAHHH!!” He screamed in pain as she slightly gave him a pull and squeeze.

She proceeded to push him forward that he stumble. While he was still off balance she kicked him on the ass  that his face went into the dirt. Almost identical to his fight with Zuko weeks earlier.

She waited for a moment but he did not get up. Not because he was too injured or anything of the sort but it was another blow to his ego as both a warrior and as a man. Flashes of the events of the previous night flooded his mind. The more he thought of it the more he wanted to crawl into the ground.

“What's wrong with you?” Manori asked as she could see the embarrassment. She had seen it before in her time in the south. Men fighting against her almost always had a similar look. For him though she sensed it wasn't just his male ego she just thrashed.

“You seem like you have more than just dirt on your face. Let me buy you lunch so we talk!”

[A/N: Read 15 to 30 chapters ahead on my patreon available now. 

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