Well, I couldn't wait. Hey, I posted in Heart's Desire, once. So, here's the deal. I'm writing my first Avatar: The Last Airbender fic. Everyone goes nuts, not really. There are definite spoilers in here so, warning you now, if you read and ruin it that's not my problem. This will take place just after The Boiling Rock. Some pairings may include Kataang, Sukka, and Maiko. For those of you how don't speak that it means: Katara/Aang, Suki/Sokka, Mai/Zuko. There are more, but that'd be ruining it wouldn't it? Hint: Note the Moon part of the title. And now with our feature program!
Sokka's Sun and Moon
-Ki Ai Sky-
Campfire Tales
The men were gathered around one fire, while the women were gathered around another. There was gossip about the Western Air Temple, but it was divided by gender. The women talked about the men, while the men talked about the women (and meat, always meat).
There were a large variety of men gathered around their fire, some of which included: Sokka, the young water-tribe warrior; Hakoda, the leader of the Southern Water-Tribe and Sokka's father; Zuko, the banished prince of the Fire Nation and the avatar's new fire-bending teacher; Haru, an earth-bender who was present in the invasion and was a good friend; the Dude and Pipsqueak, two of Jet's Freedom Fighters; and Aang, the avatar and last air-bender in existence.
"So, Dad, what do you think of Suki?" Sokka asked his father, hopingly. They had gotten to know each other in the few days since they had been rescued from the Boiling Rock, and Sokka hoped that Hakoda approved of his special friend. It had been a prize for the water-tribe warrior to find and free both his father and Suki. He owed Zuko, who helped him in their escape.
"She's quite the girl, not bad on the eyes either," Hakoda said, elbowing his son playfully. How could he not approve? Sure, she wasn't Water-Tribe, but she was marvelous. It didn't matter to him if his son loved the moon, so long as he was happy. The group of men around the fire chuckled, except for Zuko.
"You're lucky to have her," Zuko said, trying to be conversational. He had talked a little more since he joined the group, with a slightly lessened pessimistic look. He, of course, was thinking of his own love, Mai. He felt like he'd betrayed himself, not only her, when they last met and he left her again. What he'd give to have her in his arms again. He smiled lightly at Sokka, his feelings of happiness for him sincere.
"Thanks," Sokka beamed. He was growing to like Zuko, they shared a few qualities and had some joked of their own. He was gladder that his father approved so much. His smile was wide, and it must have hurt his face because lessened it within a few moments.
"What are we going to do?" Aang asked, his voice forlorn, darkening the chipper mood. He wasn't in as great a mood as everyone else. He was growing more and more anxious about Sozan's Comet's approach. There wasn't much time left, and they still had no plan full figured out.
"There's nothing we can do but wait. We need to free the others before we can even think of attacking again," Haru said, thinking of his father who was captive, again. It seemed to him that being a bender did nothing more than get you locked up for some reason or another. He would have asked himself if it were worth it, but he knew that it was. It was also his destiny to help defeat the Fire Lord and aid the avatar.
"He's right," Sokka said, nodding slowly. Over the past few days of their return, he'd tried to form some sort of plan, but there were no options left. Aang needed to learn to master fire-bending before the Comet, and that was key. They stayed where they were so that the training could continue without to interruption of travels. "We'll stay here until it's not safe anymore. We have to move some people though, if we do have to leave we can't take everyone on Appa," he decided. For a sixteen year-old, Sokka was becoming more and more battle-wise and logical.
"Can we please not talk about this now? There are other things to discuss," Pipsqueak said in his booming voice. The name was highly ironic, and many found it funny, at least those who weren't once Freedom Fighters. They all knew what he was talking about. For some reason, he was a glutton for gossip. He wanted it all out on the table.
"Okay, I suppose we can put it off for a little bit," Aang nodded, trying to smile.
"We saw you, Aang," Haru said, his voice only slight on the jealousy that was building in him. He was talking about what happened right before the invasion. He raised a brown eyebrow, waiting for his answer. Haru had recently shaved off his moustache/goatee thing that had been invading his own face. He was quite upset about what he saw, but he knew that what he wanted wasn't meant to be.
"Uh, what do you mean?" Aang said, trying to play it dumb, which was something he was usually very good at. He gave that odd smile that he used to when he was younger and busted for something. Sokka had rarely seen it other than the first time they'd met. Almost everyone knew that he was lying.
"Oh, come on, Aang! We saw you and Katara when the subs came up for air," Sokka pressed. He wanted information as bad as Pipsqueak, but for different reasons. It was his sister, and one of his best friends.
Aang's face reddened, and so did his shinny bald head. "Oh, um, that." He didn't know exactly how to approach the subject in question. Were they upset about it or intrigued? He didn't want to say anything about that topic, especially when her father was sitting only across the fire from him.
"Wait, what happened?" Zuko asked, curious because he hadn't been there. This was something of interest: the avatar and his water-bending mentor had an event, but he didn't know what happened. His eyes were wide, well his non-scared eye was. The other one was opened a little more. His scar… it was practically his identity. He'd thrown everything away, except for that.
"We… kissed," Aang said after a long hesitation and pause. He looked down at the fire, not wanting to meet anyone's eyes. He could almost feel the ranges of emotions from around him, they were so strong.
"Way to go!" "You didn't!" "It's about time." "That's what I want to hear." Voices around him said different things; he couldn't tell who said what, except for the last one which was from Pipsqueak. He looked up to see Hakoda's reaction, that one being very important.
Hakoda saw him, and smiled warmly. "You and my Katara, eh? Well, good work and job," he winked. He was getting at something, but only Sokka chuckled. He found it extremely funny, having grown up with his sister. He didn't know that they felt that way about each other, but he didn't mind. He had other people on his mind.
Zuko's good eye looked like it was going to pop out. His mouth was partially open on one side. It was the strangest sight, especially because his hair was in his face. He was shocked, but he also felt as though he should have seen this coming, and maybe he did. Haru looked bitter about the whole thing. He liked Katara, a lot, and there was no way he could compete with the avatar for her. Plus, they were just friends, and that was all she wanted. Too bad, so sad for Haru.
Aang let out a deep breath that nearly ended their fire. It was such a relief for him to feel like he wasn't in trouble, and that everyone was okay with it. Oh sure, he knew that Haru had liked Katara, but he liked her first. He smiled apologetically at the earth-bender. He could remember liking other girls, back over a hundred years ago, but not like this. Anyways, most of them were either ancient or dead. What he felt for the water-bender was strong, like it was meant to be.
The moon above them was nearly full, but of course, they couldn't see it in the Temple. Whenever Sokka saw the moon, he thought of her. She was beautiful, but so was Suki. She was defenseless, while Suki was a Kiyoshi warrior. He had failed her, let her die, but he saved Suki from the prison she was held in. They were so different, but he loved them both. He was torn between emotions. He was always sad, reminded that she was gone. But also glad, he didn't have to choose between them. He fell for Suki first, but their time together was short, until recently. They'd been much closer, and they were allowed to be; Yue was engaged to another man at the time.
Things were going smoothly at the moment. Aang was quite a wonder, having learned to bend earth, water, and a little fire in only a year. It had even taken Avatar Roku years to master them all. He was young, only thirteen now. There was an age difference between him and Katara, but only two years. That was nothing. Sokka hadn't even noticed that he had turned seventeen a few months ago. They didn't have time to keep track of, just time to move and learn. They'd been around the world, with only a few places they hadn't been. Even Zuko had traveled abroad, chasing them of course, but that was all over, for now at least. Things were changing for all of them. The time of decision was approaching fast, where they would save the world and defeat Lord Ozai, or die and fail miserably.
"I never saw it coming," Zuko said quietly. Katara had never liked him after what had happened in Ba Sing Sae, but he hoped that he truly was a different person now. Indeed, he did think of times when he could have used his newly acquired knowledge to capture the avatar. If he'd have known that they were so close, he would have tried to capture Katara more often. Now, though, he would never do such a thing.
"Neither did I, and I was there the whole time!" Sokka commented. He wasn't that slow, was he? How could he be so blind, as to two of the people he saw nearly everyday, that he couldn't see what was going on? It was a wonder indeed, a true marvel.
"Well, I still don't know if she feels the same way about me," Aang said, a little desperately. He needed help. He'd no experience with them, being girls, and he sought the opportunity since he was surrounded by other men. They had to know something, didn't they?
"Love is a wonder," Pipsqueak said, frightening Zuko. This was one big-ass guy, and he didn't want to mess with him. That was practically death right there. He wondered if he had the possibility of being eaten by him. Sokka didn't mind, he was used to the massive man, and he wasn't Fire Nation, so there was no trouble.
"Ask her, Aang. I really doubt she'll say she doesn't. I've seen her around you. She's always watching you, and reacting to you," Hakoda advised. He'd watched his daughter, very closely, and it was true. She wasn't the same as she'd been many months ago, before she'd met Aang.
"But, what if she does?" he asked, unsure. There was always the chance that she would, but he could only hope that she wouldn't. He was the avatar, but that didn't meat that he was impervious to emotions and pain. It sometimes made things one hell of a lot worse. People always expected so much out of him, but he was barely a teenager who didn't know anything.
"Run with it, I guess. But I'm telling you, I don't believe she will," the older water-tribe warrior said smiling warmly. He felt fondly over the young bald monk, feeling slightly alarmed. He kissed his daughter! What kind of shenanigans would they get into next? Sex? Drugs?! It was all too much to think of.
"Okay," he nodded, feeling slightly relieved. What he didn't know, was that on the other side of the Western Air Temple, the women were having a slightly similar conversation.
-
Around a fire that was much smaller than that of the men's, were the women. Such included: Katara, the young water-bender; Toph, the blind earth-bender; and Suki, the seventeen year-old Kiyoshi Warrior. There were only three of them, so their fire needed to be small, so they wouldn't waste wood. Remember now, gossip was about, all over the Temple.
"What was it like?" Toph asked Katara. They were obviously talking about the kiss. Toph wondered what it was like to be kissed, but there wasn't anyone for her to kiss. She held a grudge against Suki for having Sokka all to herself, but she'd also been grateful. Suki had saved her life when she fell in the water in the Serpent's Pass. She liked Suki, but she had also like Sokka, a lot. It was, in a way, shocking to hear Toph asking for mushy details, but she wanted to know.
"Uh," she paused, not sure how to answer. She never expected Aang to do that, but she'd seen him grow from who he was into the avatar who would do anything to help another person. "It was warm, and gentle," she said, fighting to get the words out. She couldn't describe it; it wasn't possible. The more she thought about it, the more pleased she became. Maybe, she did love Aang. Perhaps she just needed the right push to realize that.
"Kissing…" Suki sighed. She'd hardly had any time alone with Sokka since they'd come here. Not that she was ungrateful; it was just that she wanted to talk to him. It, sort of, felt like he was ignoring her. Didn't he care about her anymore? She knew that he loved Yue, but she was gone. She felt pity for him, but she was also growing more and more aggravated. Was he purposely blowing her off? She missed him; she missed pressing herself on his chest with her lips on his.
"I-I wonder if I'll ever find someone," the blind earth-bender asked herself, out loud accidentally. She'd felt alone most of her life, until she'd met Aang, Katara, and Sokka. They'd welcomed her, but not without their fights of course. She thought that she and Sokka had a connection, but he didn't love her. He loved her almost like he loved Katara, not like Suki or the dead Northern Water-Tribe princess.
"Of course you will," Katara said, smiling. "There's someone for everyone."
Suki nodded. She could tell that Toph felt something for her Sokka, and she felt a little sad. She'd taken a guy away from a blind girl, so why wouldn't she? But Sokka was hers first, even before Yue. That had to count for something. She wished that she could be as optimistic as Katara about the subject, but she didn't feel comfortable around the blind girl. It made her feel guilty, like she had everything when Toph had nothing.
Toph looked even sadder. "You're lying," she whispered, so quietly that she could barely be heard over the crackling fire. She could tell if Katara, or mostly anyone, were lying by their physical reaction, either heartbeat increase or gulping. So Katara didn't believe that Toph would find love after all. She was on the verge of tears, but she would not cry, never. It was depressing.
Katara's smile vanished. She wished that she wasn't lying. Toph was really a nice girl, but she was blind and rude. She could be very pretty if she wanted to be, but she pretended not to care about anything or anyone. Maybe there weren't happy endings for everyone, but maybe if she tried harder to be liked she could have one.
"You don't need a man to make you happy, you know. On Kiyoshi, we don't rely on men for anything, except for baby making," Suki said, smiling lightly. She knew that she was right, that Toph could be happy without a lover. She would have winked at the girl to try to make a joke, but she wouldn't see anyways. If she could manage to lighten the mood or change the subject, she would never hit Sokka again, or at least never in the next day or two.
The earth-bender smiled a little. She saw the logic in what Suki was saying, but she still felt like she was getting gypped. They both had someone, but she had no one but them.
"So, you're both benders. What's that like?" Suki tried. She was definitely pressing her luck if this worked.
"Amazing; earth-bending is they way I see. I have feet instead of eyes," Toph explained. She would be blind without her bending, worse than she already was. She'd learned from her master and badger-moles. She'd been this way for years, and it was the only thing that made her not useless and, actually, a threat.
"For me it's hard to explain. It's like the water's a part of me," Katara said thoughtfully. To her, the water was an extension of herself. It was who she was: the last water-bender of the Southern Water-Tribe of the South Pole. If she didn't have it, she would feel as though she were missing part of her. Though, if she were to lose it, she would survive, but on Toph it would be very difficult. She loved water, simple, said, done.
"I wish I was a bender," Suki said, admiringly toward the other two girls. She'd often dreamed of becoming a bender, throwing giant rocks at others, whipping water at foes, spinning on balls of air, and throwing spouts of fire from her fists. To be a bender would be amazing. But that wasn't the life she'd led to live. She was a Kiyoshi Warrior, loyal to the avatar Kiyoshi.
"Yeah, it's awesome," Toph boasted. It was about time that she'd found something that she had that Suki didn't. The fire's glow cast shadow on her glazed eyes from her hair. The air was cool now that it was night.
Things were calm, but it had lasted for too long. The last trouble they'd had was from Sparky-Sparky-Boom-Man, and that was over a week ago. They knew that the peacefulness and serenity was soon to be over, but none of them knew that it would be so soon.
Toph's eyes grew wide, suddenly able to sense what was coming. She could hear something in the air, coming at the girls fast. They were on the other side of the canyon, but none of them could see through the fog and darkness. There were about twenty of them, and they had weapons. Through the foggy air, a single flame-ridden arrow flew. It struck its target in the middle.
Duh-duh-duh… Well that's it. I've got a lot planned for this, so I hope you like it. I can't say what happened with the arrow, but it plays a large part in this. Please review. I'm going to be mean, and ask for at least five reviews before I update or even think of doing so.
-Ki