I've been thinking very hard lately about the more emotional aspect of the episode the Ember Island Players. As I was flipping through the Lost Adventures, it hit me - how would Aang take it if he found that mangled little doll of him after Zuko destroyed the game. Probably something similar, yeah?
Anyway, it's a predecessor to my soon-to-be (but you'd know I'm lying if you thought that was true) coming out edition (novelization, more like. ;) of the Ember Island Players, also Aang point of view.
They passed by the doors to the arcade just as a shout echoed from inside. People began hustling out and Aang grabbed Toph by the elbow, slowing her.
"What's going on?" Katara and Sokka had almost left them behind, but at the sight of the crowd, naturally, Sokka turned around and dragged Katara back.
"It feels…strange," Toph said quietly. "I think something's wrong with one of the games. People aren't going near it." She inched closer, resting her arm on the wall. "It's made of metal, but … the metal's melting," she exclaimed. "One of the machines is on fire!"
"Oh, no," Aang sighed quietly. If it had been anywhere else in the world – anywhere – but Ember Island, he'd have gone in and put the fire out in an instant, the way they'd quenched the meteor in the countryside. But there were people here to see – and naturally, he wouldn't have thought first to use Waterbending.
It kind of felt like that talk Katara had given him at the beginning of their stint in the Fire Nation – about how if he was ever separated from them and got into a fight, he had to let them win.
While he'd liked the confidence she'd had in him, it had really hit him hard. Let them win? Let them win. Let them win?! What if it meant something horrible?
Like this. It was dangerous. Stupid. What if someone got hurt? He was the Avatar. He was supposed to prevent this. He was supposed to protect people.
Katara had reasoned with him: if he kept low, he'd have the best chance to protect people – everyone, all in one shot, as long as he kept the invasion plan on.
Which was seeming even more impossible by the hour.
"What do we do?" He asked desperately.
Katara took a moment to respond. "I think everyone's out." Sadly, she glanced at the building, to which smoke was beginning to pour out as other things caught fire. "I wish-" She paused. "We can't go in. There are people all over."
In frustration, Aang gripped one of the sleeves. I'm not going out if I can't wear my arrow proudly. Had he really grown to need that attention? What would happen…
He reined himself in. It was stupid, and dangerous, and it would ruin everything Sokka worked for. Everything everyone worked for.
He couldn't blow it. Literally.
"We can't do … anything?" Toph sounded disappointed. What was it she said the other day? She missed the hero worship.
The man who seemed to be in charge of the arcade stormed out, shouting something unintelligible. People swarmed to get the information; he seemed to be looking for the man who set the game on fire. In anger, he held up something yellow and shook it so hard one of the arms fell off. He pitched it away from him in disgust.
"What was that?" Katara asked, already moving toward it.
"What was what?" Toph demanded.
"One of the people threw something," Sokka explained, pushing them through the crowd. "We're going to see what it is…" He sounded resigned, thought Aang. Like it was already the worst.
But naturally Aang got there first. It was a doll, bedecked in yellow and red, springy and agile. It had huge feet and legs, little hinges for knees. The face was smiling, even though the entire thing was singed almost beyond recognition. And on its small bald head was a tiny blue arrow.
He fell back in horror.
"What is it?" Toph reached down to pick it up, because Sokka and Katara were staring, almost as if afraid to pick it up. "Is it… a … doll?" She frowned. "Why's everybody so worked up about a doll?"
He'd never wished more that his "Avatar powers" extended to mind reading or something so he wouldn't have to say it out loud.
For once, Katara didn't speak.
Silently, Toph tried to reattach the broken arm. Unconsciously, Aang reached for his own, almost as if it could protect him.
Were there still people in the Fire Nation, even after he "died" that wanted to kill him?
"Toph…" His voice was hoarse. He coughed and began again. "Um, Toph. It's a doll…of me."
"What?" Toph was incredulous. "How do you know?"
At this, Sokka sniggered. He started to speak, but Katara hushed him, pushing him out of the crowd and toward their campsite.
"Uh, Toph? Aang's got these big blue arrows tattooed onto his head and stuff." At this explanation, even Aang had to laugh, no matter how horrible he felt.
When she responded, her voice was small. "Oh."