Wow, we're on the last story of the series. This is amazing, I've never started a series before, nevermind finished one, and this is a trilogy. I'm pretty pleased with how it all came out, and I hope you are too. Keep in mind, even after this is over I'm still taking requests for scenes and oneshots you'd like to see featuring Amaya and her friends.
Now, on to Book 3: Family!
Amaya woke and stared at the ceiling in front of her dimly. Rivets, she thought absently as she swung her legs over the side of the uncomfortably firm mattress. She stared at her feet and closed her eyes as the floor swayed nauseatingly. She took stock by touch. She could feel the bandages wrapped around her chest and torso. A pad covered her right shoulder. Her right wrist was bandaged, along with both her shins and the upper portion of her left arm.
Something in her mind clicked suddenly. Rivets. She opened her eyes and stared around at horror. The hangings, the sheets. The Fire nation symbol glared back at her from everything worth stamping.
"Oh no," Amaya groaned, clutching her head as she rose. She staggered across the room towards her staff, panting with pain and exhaustion as she picked it up and leaned on it. When she felt more secure she moved for the door. It took a moment for her fuzzy brain to remember how to open it, but soon she was staggering down the hall, her empty stomach pitching in sync with the floor under her.
"Hey!" said a voice suddenly and Amaya turned to look. Two guards were at the other end of an offshoot hallway, staring at her. "She's finally awake!" The same guard spoke again in his deep voice. He was a hulking man with rippling muscles.
Amaya didn't think, she just reacted, swinging her glider wildly and sending a weak blast at the two soldiers before staggering forwards faster. She crawled more than walked up the steps to the deck. Her foot caught on the top lip and she pitched forwards, her knees cracking painfully on the metal beneath her as she reached for her glider. She happened to glance up and froze, completely confused as she saw familiar lamp-like green eyes.
"Momo?" she said weakly.
"Twinkle Toes, that's gotta be you!" said a voice, and it sounded weirdly like Toph. Oh no, was Toph captured too?
"You're awake," said one of the soldiers standing behind Momo conversationally.
"Are you sure?" Amaya asked vaguely. "I feel like I'm dreaming."
"You're awake," Katara said. Slamming into her and hugging her tightly. "Finally. We were so worried!"
"Amaya!" said a soldier in full armor, coming forwards and hugging her. "Good to see you're back among the land of the living!"
"Sokka?" Amaya said, placing the voice but not the image. Her brain refused to compute and it seemed to shut down. She swayed dangerously, eyelids closing.
"Uh oh, somebody catch her' she's gonna-!" Amaya pitched forwards and Katara caught her, sitting her down slowly. "Do that," Toph finished. "I guess it was too much for her."
Zuko stood at the rail of a boat. The vision flickered, and there was no sound, but Amaya saw Mai come over and start talking to Zuko. She draped her arms around him and Amaya stepped forwards jealously, intending to fling the arm away even though it would do no good. But Zuko did it for her, shrugging off the affectionate embrace.
"It's been a while," he said coldly, hands tightening on the rail until his knuckles were white. "I don't care for you like that anymore."
Amaya cocked her head in surprise. Zuko and Mai? Well, it made a bit more sense than the Prince of the Fire Nation and the Avatar, she'd admit. Still, Mai?
She placed a hand on Zuko's as Mai walked away and watched as Zuko reacted. They both knew she was there in spirit now.
"Amaya," he said softly, then turned away and dropped her hand. "Don't come to me anymore."
Amaya recoiled as if burned. Perhaps she gave Zuko too much credit. Maybe he was still the same person.
"I can't control it," she said weakly. "I won't let you know though."
Amaya's eyes snapped open and she saw everyone crowding around her worriedly. "I'm on a Fire nation ship," she said. That was about as far as she'd made it on processing.
That vision hurt, it hurt more than she cared to say. Maybe Zuko never cared for her, and she had just imagined the looks she saw. Maybe he was really just his father's puppet after all. He seemed to have no interest in her now. Very well. He may not love her but she loved him. She'd respect his wishes, and stay away.
"Why is everyone dressed like this?" she asked as Sokka draped a blanket around her shoulders. She pulled it around her top tightly. Technically she was only wearing bandages. Everything was covered, but it was still embarrassing. "Why am I the only one who's out of the loop?"
"Calm down," Katara said as every left her to explain. "You shouldn't get too excited, you hurt yourself pretty bad."
"I know," Amaya said, touching her bandaged shoulder gently and wincing.
"Katara, Amaya, is everything alright?" asked a man.
"Everything's fine dad," Katara said tensely.
"I'm Hakoda, Sokka and Katara's father," Hakoda said, sticking out a hand.
"She knows," Katara said, knocking the hand away. "I just called you dad, didn't I?"
Amaya blinked. Okay, now she felt really out of the loop. Hadn't Katara been anxious to see her dad when they go the intelligence report? She had clearly missed something big. Still, she was glad to meet him.
"Nice to officially meet you, Chief Hakoda," Amaya said, sticking out her hand. He grasped her forearm and she did the same.
"It's an honor to meet you too," Hakoda said.
"Great, you guys are introduced, so can you give us some time here?" Katara demanded irritably. Hakoda's face fell.
"Of course," he said formally, turning and walking away.
"Okay, what was that?" Amaya demanded. "Last time I saw you, you couldn't wait to see your dad. Are you mad at him or something?"
"No, why?" Katara asked, looking at Amaya quizzically. "What makes you say that?"
Amaya shrugged, wincing as her bandages pulled. She placed a hand on her side and bit her lip.
"Let's go upstairs," Katara said. "You need a healing session."
"Actually, I think I need about a month in a spa, but we'll start there," Amaya joked weakly as Katara pulled her to her feet and helped guide her. Katara sat her down in a spare room that seemed to be used for healing, judging by the bed and bowls of water. Slowly, and with much wincing and cursing on Amaya's part, they unwound her bandages. Amaya covered her breasts absently as Katara sat down behind her and pulled the water from the bowls. She felt it smooth over her skin. Even that was enough to make her have to smother a whimper of pain.
"Tell me where your pain in most intense," Katara said clinically.
"Higher."
Amaya decided that Katara would make a good doctor. Maybe she needed to talk to the crazy herbalist in the Earth Kingdom.
She was racked with pain as Katara moved up, scenes flashing before her eyes as she yelled. She was rising out of the crystal saferoom she had made for herself. Lightning flickered and she came back to herself.
"You're definitely in the right spot," Amaya said dimly.
"I can feel a lot of energy twisted up here," Katara said, pulling the water back. "Maybe I can just…"
Amaya screamed and arched, throwing back her head as pain as intense as when she was first struck shot through her. Beneath her closed eyelids she saw herself, charred and still, sprawled across Appa's back as rain fell around them. Her eyes flashed open and Amaya understood.
"I didn't just get injured," she whispered. "It was more than that. I was gone. What did you do?" she asked, turning to look at Katara in awe.
"I don't really know what I did," Katara admitted with a shrug. "I just used the water from the Spirit Oasis."
"I know what you did," Amaya said with a weak grin. "You brought me back. Thank you." She moved to hug Katara, but her back protested once more.
"Maybe you can hug me later," Katara said with a small smile. "For now, you need some rest."
"Okay," Amaya submitted, and laid down on the bed.
Zuko stared down at his people as they clapped and cheered for him. They wouldn't have done anything of the sort if they knew Amaya was alive. He knew, he was the only one that knew. He had felt her, that night on the ship, when Mai tried to pick up their relationship where they left off. He told her under no uncertain circumstances that he wasn't interested. His heart belonged elsewhere, with someone he could no longer see. He locked it away in a box and threw away the key.
But then he felt her and his resolve wavered. He could go to her, could just leave and go to her… but now. He could do more good for her cause in the Fire Nation, and she would be safer. She didn't need the trouble and division he would bring to her friends. It was too painful to know she was there, know she still cared, so he made a clear break of it and told her not to see him anymore. He had felt her pain then, heard her inhale sharply.
It had to be done. His life was no longer his own here in the Fire Nation. He was just doing what had to be done.
"We had to get you to safety," Sokka explained as they all gathered around the map spread on the deck of the ship. "We got you to Chameleon Bay to the other Water Tribe ships. The Earth King decided he wanted to travel the world in disguise. Well, with Bosco. Pretty soon though the Fire Nation ships started coming. Instead of fighting, we captured one in the night and used it as our disguise. We've been heading west since then. We passed through Serpent's Pass not two days ago. None of the Fire Nation ships we've seen have bothered us."
"We've been working on a modified version of the invasion plan," Hakoda continued as Sokka finished. Amaya tugged her blanket tighter around her shoulders. Everything about her seemed more these days. Colder, hungrier, more tired.
"Sokka's invasion plan," Katara hissed as she ate.
"Yes," Hakoda said, his face falling slightly at his daughters tone. Amaya looked between the two suspiciously. No matter what Katara said, something was up. "Without the Earth King's army we don't have the troops for a full scale invasion, but the Day of Black Sun will still leave the Fire Nation defenseless."
Sokka jumped in excitedly. Amaya grinned at the gleam in his eye he always got when planning. They may give him a hard time, but Sokka really was a genius. "We're planning a much smaller invasion, just a rag-tag team of our friends and allies from around the Earth Kingdom. We already ran into pipsqueak and the Duke," he said, gesturing to the two 'soldiers' Amaya had attacked on her great 'escape.'
"Hey," the Duke waved.
"Any word on Jet?" Amaya asked softly. Sokka went quiet for a moment and Katara looked away, frowning.
"No," Sokka said somberly. "Lake Laogai was the last location we've got for him." Amaya nodded. "It's not that grim though!" Sokka said encouragingly. "We have a secret weapon!"
"We do?" Amaya blinked. She had seen nothing on this ship so far that she classified as 'secret.' Then again, she'd only managed the short trips between her room, the healing room, and the deck so far. Her legs were still weak and shaky form so long in bed.
"You!" Sokka said, pointing to her happily. "The whole world thinks you're dead?"
"Wait, what?" Amaya asked, completely confused. "They think I'm… Why?"
"Azula announced that she killed you down in the catacombs," Katara explained.
"It means the Fire Nation won't be hunting us, and they won't expect you on the Day of Black Sun," Sokka said.
A horn blared, catching everyone's attention. A Fire Nation ship was coming towards them, chugging swiftly across the water and belching coal smoke into the air. Immediately the ship turned into a hive of activity. Appa and Momo were covered by a tarp, courtesy of Pipsqueak and the Duke.
"What's going on?" Amaya said, at a loss. "Why is no one getting ready to… Ah, Fire Nation ship. Right."
"Come on," Katara said, helping Amaya up and pulling her down the stairs belowdecks. The two, along with Toph, perched on the upper stairs and watched over the rim of the deck. The other ship pulled alongside them and a gangplank lowered. The ship's captain and two soldiers crossed, confronting Bato. Amaya couldn't hear what was being said very well, but the enemy commander seemed a bit annoyed. However, they exchanged a few words and the trio left, crossing the gangplank calmly.
But then Toph jumped up. "They know!" she shouted, and slammed her hands onto the deck. The gangplank jerked violently, disengaging from the locks holding it in place, before falling into the water with its three passengers. Katara ran to the edge of the ship and raised her arms. A wall of water built up between the two ships. Katara whirled suddenly and shoved the other ship away. Immediately they began making their escape, running across the waves as fast as the ship would go.
There was a brief lull while the ship picked up its lost commander, and then the fireballs started, glancing off the sides of their hulls. Sokka rushed Amaya inside, the two of them pressing against the wall on either side of the door.
"Load the Toph!" came a cry from the deck and Amaya had to smother giggles. Ah, she loved her friends.
Pipsqueak supplied Toph with a boulder that she shaped into two discs. One went spinning across the open water between the two vessels and took out the first catapult, the other pulverizing a fireball in midair. Amaya moved to go out and help, but Sokka stopped her.
"You're still weak," he reminded her and Amaya leaned back against the wall, laying her head back against the wall, closing her eyes. She saw a brief flash, barely a glimpse. Zuko sitting by a pond, throwing bread to some turtle ducks.
Zuko's eyes widened. It was barely there, just a flash, but for a moment he had felt her. He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. Would he always have to deal with reminders of her? Hadn't he done the right thing in leaving despite his feeling to protect her? It was like his own personal hell.
Amaya's eyes snapped open as Katara raised a fog around them, covering them. Unfortunately, that now meant they couldn't see where the fireballs were coming from, and the next one managed to connect with the deck.
"That's it," Amaya hissed. "I can't just sit here and cower!"
"Amaya no!" Sokka said, catching her hand as she ran across the deck. "You're hurt, you can barely get around, and you have to stay a secret! Just let us take care of this!"
Amaya growled. This sitting here and waiting, it wasn't her style. She wasn't one to sit around when there was action, she was always in the middle, either urging it on or calming it down depending on her situation. But now she had to remain behind the curtain, listening to orders being given and just waiting.
"Fine," she snapped, snatching her hand away and walking back inside. She would apologize to Sokka for being short with him later, for now she was going to be angry. She sat down with her glider across her lap, closed her eyes, and covered her ears. Imagining what was going on was no good. Her imagination would without a doubt make it ten times worse. Not being in the thick of it meant her mind could run wild. She didn't know how much longer she would be able to do this. She had to get back on her feet soon. Had to.
"Come on Amaya," Sokka said as he and the others entered her room. "You've been laying in here staring at the ceiling for hours. We're going into town to get some dinner."
Amaya sat up, placing a hand on her stomach. It was rumbling and twisting uncomfortably. Then again, it didn't seem to do anything but these days, no matter how much she ate. The deadline was close, she could feel it, nipping at their heels, and she was still down. Her body rebelled at inactivity, and it was driving her crazy.
"Dinner would be good," she said. At least she would be able to get out and do something, even if it wasn't productive.
"Great!" Sokka said cheerfully. He held out a scrap of red fabric. "Just tie this around your arrow and we'll…"
"Get out," Amaya said sharply, lying down and turning her back to them. "Just go."
"Guys, go," Katara said softly, touching Toph and Sokka's shoulders gently. They obeyed, shutting the door behind them as they went.
"I think I know why being a secret bothers you so much," Katara said, sitting down on the edge of Amaya's bed.
"Oh really?" Amaya scoffed. "Why?"
"Because you don't want people to think you failed."
Darn her. Katara knew her a lot better than she had thought.
"Congratulations, give the girl a prize," Amaya sneered as she rolled away and stood up, staring at the wall. "It's not just thinking I failed Katara, I did fail. I was in Ba Sing Se, wasn't I? And what happened? The Fire Nation came in and I almost died." I think I did die.
"Calm down," Katara sad soothingly. "We still have the invasion plan."
"I hate the invasion plan!" Amaya roared, reaching up and seizing the tapestry over her bed, yanking firmly and reveling in the sound of tearing fabric. She threw the fabric to the side carelessly. "We knew what was going to happen, didn't we? We were going to march into the capital in a blaze of glory, I would defeat the Fire Lord, and then we'd all go skipping through the tulips, la la la la." She snorted derisively. "Well guess what? I can't even handle Azula in the Avatar State, how the hell am I supposed to take down the Fire Lord?" She whirled on Katara furiously. "Hmm? How? Answer me that! And if we go in now and I fail like I did in Ba Sing Se, it just means that the rest of you are captured or you die." She turned away, facing the corner again. "This whole thing is a suicide mission. I see that now."
"Quit being stupid!" Katara snapped. Amaya turned to her in surprise, raising an eyebrow. Katara rarely raised her voice at her. "So Azula beat you, so what? You beat her before, didn't you? The only reasons he won is because she snuck up on you! But you can fight that now, you know to watch your back! If you let one loss ruin your confidence, then you're a lot weaker than I thought you were!"
Amaya stepped back, surprised. Was that really what she was doing? Yes, in all honesty it was. But she couldn't seem to shake the feeling, no matter what. And it wasn't just the fight. It was Zuko too, she was questioning things she had taken for granted because of what had happened. He chose his family over her, sacrificing his own happiness. It was a comfort to know he cared for her, a huge comfort, but she still wanted more, and she hated herself for that. Zuko had signed his life over to his father and she was sitting in a corner sulking and throwing tantrums because she didn't get her way. She really was selfish.
Well, she could handle that. She'd handled it on top of the Air Temple and she could handle it now. She wasn't going to let herself get pulled down by a guy, she'd always told herself she was far to sensible for that, so she would prove herself right now.
"I'm sorry," Amaya said truthfully. "I've been… we'll, sort of a bitch since I woke up. I've just been feeling useless and pathetic. I need to get over myself and move on."
"So you'll come with us to dinner?" Katara asked hopefully.
"No," Amaya said, shaking her head and grinning ruefully. "Haven't quite gotten over myself yet, but this time it's pride more than anything."
"What do you mean?" Katara asked.
"I refuse to cover my arrows," Amaya said simply. "They're the mark of a master Airbender, and that's what I am above all else. I was one of the youngest masters in the last few centuries. I refuse to hide what I am."
"Okay," Katara nodded. "I can understand that. It would be like asking me to hide my mother's necklace." Amaya grinned and Katara rose, going to the door. "Do you need anything?"
"No," Amaya said, shaking her head. Katara nodded and left. "Nothing you can bring me."
Amaya sat down. She needed something to do, something with her hands. She looked down and saw the state of her clothes. A search of her room turned up her pack, so she began making new clothes, the same as her old outfit.
But the work was mindless, tedious. Working with her hands didn't calm her thoughts as she had hoped it was. Guilt reared up inside her. Losing meant her friends would probably die. Waiting meant more people would die. She couldn't just sit here.
She knew it was wrong and fruitless and stupid, but she couldn't help herself. Amaya couldn't tolerate feeling useless, not with the deadline of the Day of Black Sun looming. So she scratched out a letter, picked up her glider, and snuck away.
She came to on the bank of an island. The night before was a blur. She remembered Roku and Yue. She remembered the storm, the blockade. She remembered vaguely losing her glider in the storm. She could feel hot stone under her back and in front of her was
"Momo?" she muttered, completely sure she was hallucinating until dark arms wrapped around her and lifted her.
"You're okay," Katara sobbed into her shoulder.
"You're here," Amaya said blankly. "But… the invasion?"
"We'll join up with the other on the Day of Black Sun," Sokka shrugged.
"Did you think coming to the Fire Nation would get you out of training?" Toph snorted. "Hey, what's….? Oh. Your glider."
Amaya stared at the mess of splintered wood and torn fabric.
"I'm so sorry," Katara said sadly.
"It's better like this," Amaya sighed, every inch of fight gone from her. "It could give away my identity, everyone knows I carry it." She stood, taking the wrecked glider from Toph and hopping up onto a rock above the flowing lava. Twirling it over her head once, she slammed the end of the glider into the rock and jumped down, turning her back on it.
She wasn't going to think of what happened before. Thinking of what happened made her stupidly leave the boat. She had no idea what she was thinking then, she was probably delirious when she left. She was only looking forwards to the future, to the day when she defeated the Fire Lord, and her little misfit family was safe.
