Return of the Blue Spirit
"Aaarrgghh. When are we going to land? I'm sick of flying," said Toph. She blew her hair away from her face and sighed heavily.
"Don't worry I see an island ahead of us. We can land there and make camp," said Aang.
Appa groaned and obliged to the young Avatar's yip yip and descended onto the island. The group landed in a large clearing. The clearing was surrounded by tropical trees and had a natural pool that was fed by a small waterfall. As soon as they landed Momo glided over to a tree and started to eat the fruit with one in each paw.
Toph jumped off and fell on her back with a loud thud. "Ahhhh. Solid earth at last," said Toph the earthbender.
"Ok lets make camp. Aang how about you set up the tents, Sokka can gather food. Toph you can set up the fire pit and I'll get the water," said Katara.
Aang grabbed the tents and landed softly on the ground and used some airbending to set up the tents. "I'm done Katara," said Aang, "I'll go down to the beach to meditate and practice my Earth and Water bending."
"Ok Aang," said Katara to the 12-year-old. She turned to Toph and saw the blind girl sink the earth to make a pit for the fire. "Hey Toph lets wash up in the pool while the boys are gone."
"No thanks. I have a healthy layer of earth and I'm not going to wash it off," replied the 12-year-old earthbender.
"Ok. Suit yourself," shrugged Katara. She turned toward Sokka her older brother who was just laying around and asked, "Sokka where's the food?"
"Oh I didn't get any," said the lazy boy.
"Then why don't you get the rest of us some food instead of lying around and doing nothing. And why don't you get us something other than fruit," said Katara hotly, "Don't come back for half an hour. I'm going to wash myself in the pool."
"Ok, Ok I'll go see if there's any meat on this island. I'm sick of fruit anyway," He grabbed his club and stepped into the shade of the trees. He picked a random direction and set out. Every five steps he took he made a large dent in a tree with his club to make a trail to follow back with.
When Sokka had left Katara went to the side of the pool and shrugged off her dress. She stepped into the pool and waded into the middle. She let herself sink until only her head was visible. She sat there just listening to the waterfall and feeling the water cleanse her body of dirt and tension,
"Ahhhh. This feels good," sighed the 14-year-old waterbender.
Meanwhile Sokka had just spotted a squirrel-rabbit. He had come upon a little clearing and right there nibbling on some grass was a squirrel-rabbit.
"Food," drooled Sokka, "Glorious meat."
The squirrel-rabbit stood alert at the noise and started to hop away toward the south.
"Come back meat!" said Sokka as he started the chase.
The squirrel-rabbit started to zig-zag between the trees, but Sokka ever kept it in his sight. Eventually it led him to the beach. It stopped and stood alert again. Sokka came crashing through the brush with his club raised. Then the squirrel-rabbit bounded away again. Sokka was about to give chase but he looked up and stopped. He was at a bay that had sinister looking cliffs on the opposite side and had a beautiful white beach but that wasn't what caught his eye. It was a ship, a big metal monster that flew a black and red flag.
"Oh no," said Sokka," Fire Nation. I've got to tell the others."
He stepped into the gloom and realized that through out the whole chase he hadn't marked any trees.
"Hey Katara," whispered Toph, "I don't think we're the only ones on this island. I feel someone close by."
"Oh its probably Sokka or Aang," replied Katara as she got out of the pool. She slipped her dress back on and went to stand by Toph.
"No I don't think so. Sokka left my 'vision' chasing after a squirrel-rabbit and ol' Twinkle Toes wandered away. It feels a bit lighter than Sokka but heavier than Aang. Its someone new," said Toph.
"Well let's wait awhile to see if Aang or Sokka saw anything when they come back," said Katara.
When Aang left the group he headed toward the direction of the beach. When he came upon it he saw a tiny peninsula jutting out into the sea. He decided to practice his earthbending first. He went into his stance and raised a huge boulder out of the ground. He then made smaller boulders and sent them hurtling toward the bigger one. In no time it looked like Swiss cheeseWhen he was done with that he decided to raise a statue out of the ground. He closed his eyes and rose up a statue that looked like a certain someone. He blushed and in a swift motion moved it out of sight.
After that Aang practiced his waterbending. He pushed and pulled the water to make waves and raised up columns of water that were so high that Appa couldn't even have reached the top if he stood on his back legs. He practiced making ice disks and dagger sharp icicles. He also practiced his octopus stance.
When he was done with all of that the young airbender made an airball and whirred over to the end of the peninsula. When he got there he jumped off lightly and turned toward the vast sea. Aang sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes and started to meditate. He first listened to the wind that came from the sea and that brought him the sounds of birds in the air. He smiled softly and concentrated on the push and pull of the waves and tasted their saltiness. Then he tuned into the roots of the earth that was under him. Lastly he focused onto the warmth of the sun that shone brightly overhead.
Aang sat and meditated on all of this for a while. Then all of a sudden he heard the clash of two swords coming together and felt their razor sharpness touch his throat. The frightened 12-year-old looked up and saw a familiar yet terrifying sight.
"Whoever who was here is gone now. I don't feel any more vibrations," said
Toph.
"Are you sure? Are Sokka and Aang near?" asked Katara.
"No, not that I can feel. And don't expect me to go looking for them. Ol' Twinkle Toes can handle himself and Sokka is probably lost somewhere on the island," replied Toph.
Katara turned toward the direction of the beach and noticed that the sun was about to set. "I wonder where Aang is. It's been hours since he left," said Katara worriedly.
Then she heard a crashing through the brush. She turned and got into her stance she could feel Toph go into her stance beside her. They waited until they saw someone emerge from the bushes. When she saw who it was Katara cried out for joy.
Sokka sat under a tree a ways from the beach and tried to figure out what he was going to do to get back to camp and to tell everyone about the Fire Nation. One thing that he could do was go down to the beach pick a direction and go that way until he caught up with them. The other was he could go back into the jungle wander around trying to find them and most likely get more lost.
He put his hand under his chin and thought about his dilemma, get lost or know where you're going. He listed the pros and cons and made his decision. He picked up his club and started to walk toward the lowering sun.
Aang felt the blades press against his jaw line. He obediently stood up and the pressure decreased just a bit. The edge that came from the right bit into his skin. He moved that way and the pressure was released a bit. The sword moved that way again and he moved again in that direction. His captor took his knee and pushed Aang's legs so that they went forward and he stumbled. Aang and his captor kept going like on this for a while.
Aang was starting to slow down because he was tired when he saw a familiar figure in the distance. The young Avatar came up with something quick and put it into action. He pretended to faint from exhaustion and fell to the ground face down. He knew that his captor had an anger problem and sure enough his captor let fly a fireball into the sky. The distant figure darted into the trees just when Aang opened his eyes. He slowly sat up and made to stand up when all of a sudden there was a blue and white demon mask in front of his face and criss-crossed swords against his throat.
He could of easily blown his captor away but the swords could slit his throat if he tried anything. So Aang did what every frightened 12-year-old would have done. He followed the directions of the swords and laid back down beside a rough rock.
Sokka had just been walking down the beach in the direction he thought the others were when he saw a great big ball of fire in the sky and it wasn't the sun.
"Firebenders. They're already exploring the island," said Sokka to himself, " I just hope they haven't found the others. I'll just go sneak up on them and see if they have."
With that he darted into the forest and waited for the sun to go down so he could make his move. When it did Sokka started to walk silently toward the figure in the gloom of the trees.
"So what are you going to do with me?" asked Aang.
The figure next to him said nothing but put one of the blades down on the sand next to him.
"Ok you seem like you aren't a big talker. Would it be ok if I talked a bit?" asked Aang.
Yet again the figure said nothing.
"Ok I'll tell you about my friend from the Fire Nation. His name was Kuzon son of Sozin…" When Aang said that the remaining blade that was flat against his throat was pressed down against his throat with more force. Aang stopped and the figure released the pressure a bit but not fully.
Sokka crept up stealthily toward what he thought was a lone figure. All he saw was a person sitting on the ground with his back up against a rock. He thought he heard voices but couldn't hear anything now except breathing. He noticed the person wore a blue and white demon mask but he brushed it off. He didn't see anything else except a sword lying on the ground. He heard light breathing and guessed the firebender was asleep. He crept even closer and reached out for the sword. Then all of a sudden a hand shot out of the darkness and grabbed his wrist.
The mask turned toward him and looked at him. Sokka shivered and tried to get out of the burning grip of the Blue Spirit. Then just as sudden as the hand had grabbed him it released him. Sokka fell back and scrambled back into the jungle. He peered out of the gloom of the trees toward the figure and noticed that there was something else there. He quickly turned and hurried through the fringes of the forest without taking a closer look at what it was. He stumbled through the jungle until he heard lowered voices. He stopped and listened. He couldn't hear much so he crept closer.
"Hey guys someone's back from his camping trip," said Toph. She made a small movement with her foot.
Everyone turned when Sokka stumbled into the clearing when he tripped on a sudden mound of dirt that wasn't there before.
Sokka put his hand behind his head and said sheepishly, "Hi everybody." He opened his eyes and saw someone not from their regular group standing in front of him. "Suki! What are you doing here?" asked Sokka surprised.
Suki put her hand to her mouth and giggled, "It's nice to see you too Sokka." Then she turned serious. "I've been tracking Prince Zuko since he attacked my village. But I lost track of him in the jungle and found Katara and Toph here."
"Oh," Sokka looked up as if he was searching something in his head. Then he said, "Have you ever seen him wear a blue and white demon mask and carry a sword?"
"No I don't think I have. Why?" said Suki. She had on a puzzled face as she looked at Sokka.
"I think I saw him on the beach. And he was wearing a blue and white demon mask and he had a sword." Sokka looked around the clearing and turning to his sister asked, "Wait where's Aang?"
"We don't know. We thought you guys would probably find each other and come back together. You mean you didn't see him?" asked Katara worriedly.
"No I don't think so. All I saw was a firebender down at the beach. Wait I think I saw something else lying down. Do you think…?" said Sokka.
"Oh I hope not but it's a possibility. None of us have heard of him for a while. So Zuko must have him. If only we knew where his ship is," muttered Katara.
They all thought in silence for a while then Sokka practically shouted, "I know where it is! I know where it is!" He started to jump up and down and woke up Momo who was sleeping in a tree.
"Where? Where is the ship Sokka?" said Sokka's little sister.
Sokka settled down and said, "It's in a bay east of here. There's cliffs on one side and a white beach in the inlet."
"Ok everybody lets make a plan. We have a friend to save," said Katara.
They were walking again. Aang was in the lead but like before his captor guided him with the criss-crossed blades against his throat. Then Aang saw some cliffs through the trees. He wondered where they were going when all of a sudden a bay suddenly opened up right in front of them. There was a startling white beach and brown cliffs on the other side. But there was something else that caught his eye. In the harbor was a black metal ship that stood waiting for them with a resting beak on the shore.
When they got there the blades made Aang stop and one blade retreated. Aang was just about to do some airbending to escape when it came back again. He looked up and saw a pale face with a dark red scar taking up much of the face. The amber eyes of his foe's face looked at him telling him not to try anything to escape.
Aang shrank down with fear and looked toward the ship after Prince Zuko told him, "Don't even try anything. You're mine Avatar. And I'm going to keep it that way."
Zuko shoved Aang to go forward. When they got to the ship Zuko called up to the deck, "Get my Uncle. I want him to see the Avatar."
Shortly after a round and gray haired man came to the railing. "Prince Zuko," he called, "I'm glad to see that you are ok and that you have the Avatar. Come lets have some tea for celebration."
"I'll put the Avatar in the prison hold before I'll come Uncle," replied Zuko. Zuko sheathed his swords and grabbed Aang by his wrists and bound them behind his back. Next Zuko shoved Aang up the ramp, across the deck, through a door, and down several flights of stairs. They ended up at a short corridor that had bars that separated different cells. Zuko locked Aang in a cell with him chained to the wall.
The 17-year-old prince told the guard on duty not to give water to the young Avatar unless he was chained to the wall so he wouldn't be able to bend it. And that he the guard would have to pour the water into Aang's mouth.
Before Zuko left he stopped at Aang's cell and saw the 12-year-old sitting there with his head in his hands. Zuko told him, "Don't worry." Aang looked up and Zuko continued. "Soon you'll be at the Fire Nation talking with my father soon and I'll finally gain my honor back."
"Ok does everyone know what they're supposed to do?" asked Katara. There was a chorus of yeps and nods. Appa groaned and tossed his head. Momo chattered his agreement and glided to Katara's arm. "Ok then lets gather everything and set out to save Aang."
Everyone gathered into their groups and set out to their designated areas around the bay.
Katara, Suki, and Momo peered out of the trees and saw soldiers walking around on the beach and on the deck of the ship. Katara and Suki walked out of the gloom and walked up to the nearest soldier.
Katara caught his eye and said in a honey-coated voice, "Hello. Could you help us? My friend here and I were summoned by the prince to help him with something."
The soldier looked at them suspiciously and asked, "With what?"
"All we were told was that he needed our help with something," replied Katara, "So if you would be so kind to as show us where to go."
Then the soldier broke out into a grin. "Well, well," he said, "Looks like the prince is getting a bit lonely."
Suki and Katara tried their best to smile sweetly and followed the soldier as he led them up the ramp, across the deck, through a door and down a flight of stairs. They found themselves in a corridor and walked into a room. It had a simple bed set up against the wall and it had a giant Fire Nation flag hanging above it taking up much of the wall. There were a few chests backed up against the opposite wall and there was a shrine with candles burning.
When the soldier was about to leave when Katara stopped him by saying, "Oh don't tell Prince Zuko we're here. Ok? We want it to be a surprise."
"I get you little lady," he said. He touched the side of his nose and left the girls alone in Zuko's room.
The girls waited until they couldn't hear his footsteps anymore and dashed to the stairs. Suki stayed on the stairs as Katara went deep down into the belly of the beast.
Every time she stopped she didn't find a sign of Aang. She was just about to give up when she saw there was only one more set of stairs. "This must be where Aang is," thought Katara. She uncapped her water skin and flew down the stairs to meet whoever had Aang.
Aang was hanging from the wall when he heard a splash and a loud thud. The guard that was giving him water dropped the tin cup and rushed out of the cell. Then all of a sudden a small whip of water slapped the man down and froze up. Then a figure stood inside the door of the cell.
"Katara!" said Aang joyfully, "You're here!"
"Hi Aang. I'm here to rescue you. Now stay still," said Katara. She summoned four streams of water and focused them onto the chains that held him. They heard a clash from the stairs and Katara worked faster. She froze each stream on the chains and broke each chain starting with the ones binding his feet. The clatter was much more closer, practically right there when a dozen Fire Nation soldiers came into view and grabbed Katara.
She yelled and tried to fight them off but the soldiers finally succumbed her and dragged her away. An old soldier with a limp was left to mop up the water and unchain Aang.
When the soldier left Aang ran up to the bars and looked out. He saw that Katara, Suki even Momo were chained up in the cell opposite of him.
Just then Zuko came and stopped in front of Katara's cell and looked at the chained girls for a while. He turned toward a guard and said as he pointed toward each prisoner, "You can unchain the fan girl and the animal, but keep the waterbender up there." With that he turned and left.
The guards did as they were told and released Suki and Momo from their chains. But kept Katara chained. Soon after only a sleeping guard was left when the others left for supper. Before they left the guards left them some bread and water for their supper.
Aang wouldn't get his water until later so he wasn't chained up when he called to Katara, "Psssst, Pssssst Katara."
Katara lifted her head and looked at Aang. She looked tired. Her hair was all out of her braid from the earlier fight and it covered most of her face. She shook her head to get it out of her face.
"Umm Katara there's always been something I've wanted to tell you for some time…" started Aang.
"Is it something you want Suki to know about Aang?" asked Katara.
"She's sleeping I don't think she'll hear," said Aang, "Well the thing is, is that I've always liked you as a friend and possibly more than a friend."
"What are you getting at Aang?" asked Katara. She had a confused look on her face and looked at Aang.
"Well…er…I…I love you Katara. I love you," stammered Aang. He ducked his head in embarrassment.
Katara put on a surprised look then a look of admiration. "I've been meaning to tell you something too Aang."
Aang looked up. His face was all read and looked at Katara. "Yeah? What is it?" he asked.
"I love you too Aang. With all my heart I love you," said Katara. It was her turn to duck her head in embarrassment.
Now it was Aang's turn to be surprised. Then he grinned joyfully and jumped up. "Really Katara? You really mean it?" beamed the happy 12-year-old.
Katara nodded her head and tears filled her blue-grey eyes.
Aang wished he were over there so he could hug her and wipe the tears from her eyes. He walked over to the bars and looked at Katara. She was so beautiful even with her hair all in a mess. He lightly blew her a kiss and laid down next to the bars and fell asleep quickly with a smile playing his lips.
Sokka peered over the edge of the cliff and looked at the ship for the fifteenth time that 15 minutes. "I wonder if something happened to them, " said Sokka the tenth time that 15 minutes, "I don't see any more commotion on the deck and the flag is definitely not moving."
"What are you going to do about it all mighty warrior? Are you just going to sit there and do nothing? Come on think of something," scoffed Toph.
"I'm thinking. I'm thinking," said Sokka as he rubbed his chin Then he got an idea. "Hey Toph can you bend metal?"
Aang woke up when he heard crying. He looked up and saw that the chains that had held Katara were empty. He turned toward Suki who was curled into a ball in a corner.
"What happened? Where's Katara? Where is she?" asked Aang as tears formed in his brown eyes. Suki only shook her head and turned away from Aang. Even Momo looked sad. "Tell mw what happened to Katara!" shouted Aang. He stood up and looked through them at Suki.
"I'll tell you," sobbed Suki, "Early this morning Prince Z-Zuko came and o-ordered her brought u-up onto the deck. When they got up there I-I heard that they were fighting. Then I-I heard a scream then there was nothing. I'm afraid that Z-Zuko killed K-Katara."
"You're lying! You're lying!" yelled Aang at Suki. He turned his back to her and started to cry. All the emotions he had for Katara spilled out in tears. Then he started to glow. At first it was dim but it started to grow brighter. His arrows and eyes glowed like moonlight on the water Katara used to bend. Then started the wind. It threw the guards, Suki, and Momo up against the walls. A ball of air surrounded him and it bent and broke the bars. Then he did it. He didn't mean to but he did. He blew up the ship.
Aang woke up with a start. He looked over at the other cell and saw Katara still hanging there asleep. Aang gave a sigh of relief it was only a bad dream. He laid back down and closed his eyes.
Sokka peered over the edge of the cliff toward Zuko's ship. "Do you know what you're supposed to do?"
"Yes for the hundredth time Sokka. I know what I'm supposed to do," replied the strongest earthbender.
"Ok then. Lets move," said Sokka. He climbed onto Appa with Toph and said, "Yip yip"
They descended onto the ship and started the plan. Toph bended the metal around the startled soldiers and ship hands. Sokka ran down the stairs looking into each room.
In one of the rooms he found Prince Zuko. Zuko was practicing his firebending when Sokka barged in. Zuko took one glance at him and attacked. He released a fireball at Sokka but Sokka closed the door just in time. Thankfully the door could be locked from the outside and can't be unlocked from the inside.
"That must be where his uncle locked him up when he was in a temper tantrum," whistled Sokka as he went down the last set of stairs.
At the bottom he met a few guards but quickly knocked them out with his boomerang and club. He walked over to the nearest cell and found Aang chained to the wall.
"Pssst, Pssst Aang, Aang it's me Sokka. I'm here to bust you outta here. I'll get the keys," whispered the 15-year-old warrior.
Aang looked up hopefully and walked over to the bars. "Sokka! How did you get here?" asked Aang.
"Shhh enough chatting we gotta get outta here. Where's Suki and Katara?" said Sokka.
"Over here Sokka," said Suki. She was pressed up against the bars of her cell.
Sokka grabbed the keys from one of the unconscious guards and freed Suki and Katara first. Katara pretty much fell down when Sokka unlocked the chains that bound her.
"Hurry up Sokka," said Aang.
Sokka walked over to the cell and unlocked the door. Aang had already broken the chain that had bound him to the wall with some airbending and when the door opened he zoomed right out.
Everyone rushed to the stairs but stopped. At the top of the stairs stood an angry Prince Zuko. "The Avatar isn't leaving," he growled. He went into his stance and waited.
Aang got into his airbending stance and waited. Zuko attacked first. He sent a fireball through the group toward Aang. Aang easily dodged it. The fight had begun.
Aang began to lure Zuko away from the stairs and from his friends by using defensive airbending and by letting Zuko back him up into the corridor.
When they had enough room the rest of the group ran up the steps. Katara slowed and looked down. She made to go back to help Aang but he said to her, "Go Katara. I can handle him."
She went up with the others and helped them corral the firebenders into the metal pen Toph had bended. When the others had escaped Aang switched into offensive. He started to blow gail force winds at Zuko who tried to fight them but kept being blown away. Finally Aang blew Zuko into a cell and locked the door. He ran up the stairs and into the sunlight.
He blinked back tears as the seeming blinding light hit him full in the face as he walked across the deck. The gang already had all the ship's crew in the metal fence. They were all sitting on Appa waiting to depart. Aang looked up and saw Katara sitting on Appa's head waiting for him. He floated himself up next to her and kissed her on the cheek. Katara blushed and looked away. Aang looked at her for a second then whipped Appa's reins said yip yip and they left their latest adventure behind them.