27 Aden

I had missed PT with the 15th. Didn't really bother me. I couldn't say I was planning on going. I found the one I was looking for. The one who killed Meeko. I was discharged from the medical ward at noon. For 10 hours, I was digging up everything I could until finally, I got his name. Zanech. I knew where he was going to be tonight, so I waited for him to pass. I waited in the hallway, waiting for him to pass. I kept the knife tucked between my uniform greaves and my shirt, waiting. Just waiting.

"Hey kid!" I heard a voice call from above me followed by a kick in the side. "You dead?"

I shook awake and stumbled to my feet, making sure the knife was still secure. I got up, ready to start running until I saw him. The one who had kicked me awake. It was him, surrounded by two others I didn't recognize.

"Holy shit." Zanech said. "It's you."

"You know this kid?" one of his friends asked.

"Hell yes I know him." He chuckled. "I almost killed him."

"You didn't." I responded.

"Clearly. Here you are."

He knew what he did. He was waiting to see if I would act. He wasn't far in front of me. I could reach him if I was quick enough to grab the dagger. The two with him, though. I didn't think I could outplay them both. When he saw I was taking to long to reply, he filled in the gap of silence.

"Can't say the same for you friend though."

My fists clenched. He noticed.

"What was his name? I remember you screaming it when I put my sword in his stomach. You know, when they told me that Zar'un had recruited some kids from the slums, I never fucking expected you to be among them, but seriously. What was his name."

"His name was Meeko." I growled.

"Right. That's it. Shame about him, truly. Seemed a nice kid, nicer than you, that is. He went down with quite the fight, but not you. All you took was one hit to the head and you were down for the count."

"Fuck you."

"I'll pass. No. Meeko. He fought. Gave me a nice scratch to remember him by." He lifted his shirt to show a scar in his side made by a small knife. A knife Meeko would never stop bragging bout. I found myself reaching for my own. He was right in front of me. I could reach him.

"But hey. He's dead. And you're not, so there's that. Maybe he was weaker than you. So what can I say but welcome you to the Fire Nation. I think you're going to love it here. I doubt a slum shit like you is acquainted with civilized life, but one of these days we could-"

He stepped back to soon, but it was too late for me to stop. I pulled the knife from where I kept it and lept forward. Where I should have cut his throat, I aimed to high and slashed him across the brow, barely missing his eye.

He stumbled back and felt his brow to feel the blood that had been drawn. He chuckled. That was stupid.

I missed once, but I was determined. I was going to kill him. I lept forward again but felt myself be shoved to the ground from the side. The knife fell from my hands and I landed on the steel ground, clambering to get back up. I felt a kick at my side and was knocked to the ground again.

Then his annoying fucking voice came back to the forefront of my head. "You should really stay down. This'll only get worse for you."

I turned around from where I was on the ground and saw that he had picked up my knife. That was my knife. Meeko gave it to me when I joined the Hornets, and I was getting it back. Then, I would use it to kill this asshole.

I rushed to the ground, positioning myself to tackle him. I sent him back 2 feet, but it wasn't enough. He grabbed me and threw me off of him, hitting me across the face with a gauntleted hand, knocking em to the ground once more."

"I said. Stay. Down!"

I wasn't going to listen. I stood up. Again, but was knocked to the ground just as quickly. I looked up, and saw Zanech stow the knife, my knife in his belt. No. That's mine. I attempted to rise once more, but felt another hand knock the vision out of me and send me to the ground against the wall. My vison came back as a haze, but it didn't last. I didn't even feel it as they dragged me back, so I was facing them and as their fists made their way onto my face. I wasn't even there. I was just watching. I was just watching a stupid kid, sick with revenge, getting what he had asked for. I didn't know whether to feel bad for him or not. He deserved it, did he not? He asked for this, but then again, he was just a kid. A stupid kid, but even that was reason enough to die. When you're stupid, you die. It was as simple as that. And Aden, he was an idiot.