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As I entered my room, I heard a loud argument brewing louder and louder with each passing second.

Kamon and Silver were here, finally. But Avani?

No idea, whatsoever.

Their argument was still incredibly heated between them so I knew I had to break it up. But did they notice me?

Nope.

"Guys! Shut the hell up!" I screamed turning heads towards me. "Now, what's going on, why are you all so mad at each other?"

They glared at me, obviously annoyed and angry.

"Come on guys, tell me, aren't we friends here?"

"Yes, now leave," Aiden's voice sounded. I looked around for him and caught his eye.

And glared at him.

"Why should I have to leave?" I challenged.

"Because," he hesitated. "No one wants you here, at all."

I was taken aback. "What?"

"You heard what was said. You're not deaf. Now go."

Tears were in my eyes. He couldn't be saying these things to me. He was my best friend. He was hurting me.

"No." My anger was back I was ready to hurt them now. "ALL OF YOU LEAVE, THIS IS MY ROOM, MY HOUSE."

Aiden seemed to realize the hurt he had caused me and reached out to touch me.

That was when I burst into flames. They didn't melt me of course but they did immediately go away after three seconds.

After that was over, my tears started running down my face and my "friends" attempted to reach out for me but quickly I blocked them out with a fire shield which concealed my exit out.

I didn't turn around to see what they would do next. Because they would try to say sorry and make it all better and act like what was spoken, was never even heard of.

Aiden was doing this to me, and he hurt me. Them too, they never spoke up. It made it true. And the truth hurts sometimes.

But the worst part?

I was still falling for Aiden.

***

Sitting on a window sill by yourself is lonely.

And boring, too. Don't forget boring.

I had nothing but time to think. Think about my crush on someone who had broken my heart and made me be able to still fall for him. That same person had taught me how to climb a tree and had always been there for me when things got tough. But when I though back, he'd been doing things like this to me anyway, and I had let him.

My friends weren't on my side any longer and were now keeping things from me. Even Maya, who was always super nice and sweet, was acting like we were enemies.

Without my friends, I was nothing. And they knew that.

Was that why they were doing this?

Build me up and just knock me down.

I looked over the edge of the window. It seemed to be about ten feet down.

Could it kill me?

I'd try it.

Just as I leaned over, I felt a hand on my shoulder, grabbing me back. I turned to see who it was to come face to face with none other than, Aiden.

Aiden.

Why was he here? Did he know I was upset? Did he know what he did to me?

"Ky, listen, I'm so sorry I hurt you like th--."

"NO!" I yelled. "No, you always do these things to me and I always let you. I can't put up with it anymore!"

"Kyden, come on, let's not be too--"

"We can't be friends any longer. This is just to much, Aiden," I said, my heart breaking and tears spilling from my eyes."

"Come on, Ky, you're kidding right?"

"No."

"Oh," he said, looking at me. I could see little tears in his eyes as well. "I guess now would be a bad time to tell you that I love you."

Those words made my heart stop momentarily. But it was an act, and he and I knew it.

"No, you don't. You're just playing me, you don't really like me like that."

"But isn't that what you want to hear? That I like you back.?"

So he knew? He knew all along?

Why bother hiding it?

Because I had my dignity to uphold.

Slowly, I turned to look at him, straight into his eyes. He smirked back at me and stared me down. I tried my best not to get lost in his eyes, so I started speaking instead, because that would make everything better.

Yeah.

"I will not let you continue to intimidate me, no matter how intriguing it is," I spoke slowly and fierce-fully. "You will not impact my decisions, nor will you keep my thought distracted any longer."

And with that, I let myself fall off the ledge, towards a fatal doom.

His face was priceless in every way imaginable. I smiled as the air rushed passed me.

I was falling towards a painful and bone crushing death.

But I wasn't going to let myself die, not when I had such an important duty to my country.

Not when I could use my fire to fly.

Without a second though, I kicked out fire from my feet and made it push me up, so I could fly. Firebenders could do that. It was like an engine that kept you going, produced by your own feet.

I rocked up toward the window, not going to the one I had been on, not to long ago.

Aiden would be furious at me, but I didn't care. He could not have power over me, nor would I allow that to happen to myself.

Closing in on the window, I aimed correctly and floated in.

Well not gracefully, but well enough at most. I walked back towards my room. I was up on a higher floor than it so I had to go downstairs.

Hopefully Aiden was gone.

I was sick of lies. I was due to be Queen and help the problems with the Mindbenders and find a way to make peace with them instead of fighting it out. It would be too dangerous to risk a fight like that with my people. We couldn't be positive on winning, but if my friends were willing to cooperate, then we could settle these disagreements.

It could be over easily.

Or it could become even more difficult then it already is. Something's always off in this situation. It's been that way for a long time.

Conflicts between Elementals, wars over precious items and people. People who are able to extend their ability and are easily turned evil and want to use their power to take over. Things were in peace a while after I was born. Before then, a vicious was was fought by the Earthbenders and the Metalbenders.

Both wanted land and power over the other.

It was pretty big and destroyed a bit of land here in Fire and in Air. The Firebenders had to step in as well as the Airbenders. It lasted for about ten years.

But it ended when I was about eight months old.

No one knew how to get along well and no one knew how to control their need for power. Everyone always wanted peace and no one attempted to bring that. They only spread evil, brought sickness and hunger and created war.

In some cases, the wars mostly ended in a stalemate that was conflicted over for many years after the war had ended until both sides could come up with a treaty.

Even Energy, so spiritual, has started a war. But only one, over and important person being taken. Which was their Spirit leader.

Nothing could stay the same for long and as Pyro Phoenix Queen-- soon to be at least-- it was my job to end conflict before something bad started so the world could remain in some sort of matter of peace.

It was always difficult.

We had manage throughout the years despite having started one or two wars our self over land and people.

Most wars are started by either Water or Earth.

Never before had Mindbenders started one before, until they realized the extent of there power.

Control. Utter complete control over body and thought. Only few could do it, but in hundreds and there were enough that they could easily overpower us and anyone.

But there are only two ways to counter their control and it's with either another Mindbender or lightning from a Firebender.

A few Firebenders decided to join them, at least the ones who could extend their power; lightning. Well minus a few, like me or any of my family members that knew how.

But they were serious about it and are loyal and non betrayers. I've seen it myself in person, when I was ten and my friend Ember was killed by a Firebender that could extend into lightning. He was friends with the Mindbenders and laughed at her death as if it were a joke.

I know what you're thinking; Couldn't he be being controlled by the Mindbenders since that is the extent of the power?

It may be a possibility but it has never happened. Firebenders know how to attack using lightning and if they haven't gotten that ability any ways, Mindbenders don't go so low as to make people join them, unwillingly. They will try to convince you and persuade you to see why their lifestyle is a better life.

Kamon has seen it, on accident, but still.

They corner you and try to tell you but if you say no, they either let you go off on your own, or kill you on the spot.

But the day Ember died was seven years ago, and I'm seventeen, almost eighteen now.

In all seriousness, a long time ago, all elemental benders were friends believe it or not. Non-benders too. I don't even think any body knows the real stories as apposed to some royal families. Like mine. Firebenders, Mindbenders, and Earthbenders each had a royal family that they had to listen to. At least depending on which reign they belonged to of their element.

It depeneded on where they lived on the map and if it was apart of their element.

It was complicated.

This world was completely complicated.

And I could barely do a thing about it.

Wait a minute.

Yes, I could! I had the power to settle this thing once and for all and keep the problems at bay. I just needed to get to my room first. I needed a plan for this thought in my head. I needed to solve things.

I seemed to be the answer to the world's problems all of a sudden.

I just needed an Energybender on my side at this point. Energybenders controlled the liveliness of people, the air animals and the skies. But the sky was the extent of their power if they could control it. They could create lightning storms and rainstorms and tornados.

I knew one, and we hadn't spoken in a while due to the fact that he had to go on leave for his Spirit Journey to learn the ways of his energybending.

Nengyuan. That was his name.

We parted ways when he was fifteen. I haven't seen him since then. But I knew he live here in Fire. Good thing too. I wouldn't be able to find him if he lived in Energy.

I needed to find him.

The steps seem to be longer now and I hop on the railing and slide down the rest of the way. I turn and head towards my room, which still has a light on.

I open the door and take a breath. I know what I need to do, first.

But he's there.

Tate.

Tate's there, looking sorrowful as ever. He seems to want my forgiveness and I litsen to what he has to say.

"What is it, Tate?"

"Listen, Kyden. I'm sorry Aiden did that. You know we all love you just as much as you love us. We would never hurt you like that and I just wanted to say sorry for not saying this earlier. Aiden was just playing to get a rise out of you."

"I know that, and I told him off a while ago," I said smiling proudly. He gave a smirk and opened his arms for a hug. I took the offer warmly and embraced him for a while. He was warm and kind.

When he finally did pull back, I felt a bit cold and lost, but regained my sense and smiled at him. He grinned back at me.

"It's ok, Tate. Your still one of my best friends."

"Good, I hope so," he said smiling now. I nod.

"Well, is there any thing you need help with right now?" he offers.

"Yeah, well I have a few errands to do in town, mind accompying me, young Airbender?"

"Why of course my queen Firebender!" He says, cheerfully.

I chuckle and smile at his playfulness and we walk down to the front of the palace.

And I figure, things are gonna get better, eventually.

Just not with Aiden.

Not now.

I had to start with one problem at a time.

A/N

I didn't actually think I would upload this story for a while but it felt empty and I needed something more to it. Next chapter will be a lot longer and a lot more action pack. Eventually I'm gonna put up a picture of the regions in with the Elementals come from.

This story will go some where an I promise you it will have cheesy, corny romance. haha.

That's it for now and expect Ink in the next week or so.

SUNWAVE