Summary: What would you do for revenge?; After the fall of Ozai, an earthquake shatters the peace... But what is it really?
You know what? I actually can't give you a halfway decent summary at the moment without telling you what all happens. So go with that for now, and I'll fix it later. (:
A/N: Alright, so before you read and bash, please read this.
I have had this idea in my head for a while, but I haven't been sure about posting it at all. I have the story planned out in my head and I plan to post it all, but I don't think I did a good job with this, the introduction. So I ask that you please be considerate of my disaster of a prologue and keep an open mind. I hope it is not unbearable, because I really think the idea is interesting. As for how I write it...well you decide. :/ I am not at all confident in my writing abilities, so please don't hesitate to send me (constructive!) criticism. Also, it may sound rushed. But I promised myself I would begin the story officially before the movie was released...which is in eight hours. So I am making the deadline. (: Now that I have turned the majority of you away by telling you how bad it is, the few that remain...enjoy. (:
Prologue
It had been scarcely a month since Ozai fell.
Except for the expected news of small rebellions here and there, all was relatively quiet. Peace had graciously fallen over the world and for the past month, the world had been allowed the luxury of relaxation and happiness. After tea with Iroh in Ba Sing Se, the gaang had gone to stay with Zuko in his new palace. Zuko had rooms opened up for all of them and allowed them each a set of servants to design the room in their liking—he decided it was time for some renovation anyway and wanted them all to have a place to stay when they visited, assuming that would be quite often.
Not surprisingly upon their return, Zuko and Mai privately announced to the gaang their engagement and planned to be married in the fall. The two were already sharing a room and seemed to be perfectly matched for each other. Sokka and Suki also shared a room in the palace, though they had no immediate plans to be married. At some point Sokka mentioned that it "wasn't his style." Toph had enjoyed the luxury of the palace and the freedom it provided. As it turns out, she actually loved being treated like royalty as she once was- she just couldn't handle the smothering parents. Without anyone telling her what to do, she was living the life.
As for Aang and Katara, no one was surprised by their budding relationship. They were still new to each other in that respect and kept it simple, but nothing was stopping them from occasionally disappearing for long walks or from holding hands in mixed company. They were not a secret, but they were not making a point to put themselves on display.
Tonight was the night Zuko and Mai were to officially announce their engagement and let the nation know of their Firelord's new wife. It was more of an official celebration amongst friends after the announcement. All had been invited to a quiet dinner, and after sitting down, the feast began.
"So um…congratulations guys," Sokka said between bites. His mouth was already full, but he continued to stuff his face. Suki watched with the faintest of smiles, trying to understand how food was still able to go in. "Anyone else planning to get married soon? Huh? Toph, what about you? Your parents sure know how to throw a feast."
Toph laughed loudly. "That's great Sokka, but I think you should be asking Twinkletoes and Sweetness over there. You two are getting pretty serious, right?" Her question was very straightforward, and though Katara and Aang both blushed furiously at her comment, neither was particularly taken off guard.
"Well I-"
"Woah no," Sokka intervened, hardly looking up from his plate. "They are just friends, Toph. Don't be ridiculous." Sokka had been in denial about their whole relationship from the start, simply unwilling to give up his baby sister to anyone-even Aang.
"We are not just friends, Sokka! Aang and I have been together for a month," she exclaimed, regaining her nerve. Toph's straightforwardness could certainly make her uncomfortable, but she would always have a retort waiting for Sokka. Though, Sokka would not always have one waiting for her.
"Lalalalalalalalalalalala!" he sang, covering his ears with both hands. After a few moments, he resumed pulling things from his plate into his mouth with both hands. Suki answered for him. "Katara," she said, suppressing a small laugh, "I think you can tell him that all you want, but I don't think Sokka is ever going to register it."
"Well I think it's cute," Ty Lee piped in, dancing through the doorway. She had apparently been listening and decided to join them for dinner.
Katara sighed with a smile. Her brother could have all the opinions he wanted, but she would continue to do what she pleased. She reached for Aang's hand beneath the dining table and smiled at him, getting a shy smile and blush in return. "Well I'm just really happy for you guys," he said trying to change the subject. He raised his glass towards the center of the table above their heads. "To Zuko and Mai," he cheered quietly, and all repeated. "To a new nation, a new world, and new beginnings!" Katara followed, and all repeated her toast.
No sooner had their words echoed in the dining area than a great rumbling erupted in the room. The mood abruptly change and Zuko and Aang stood up simultaneously. For a moment, both expected something or someone to come crashing in and attack. But nothing came and the shaking grew more violent. "Earthquake!" Aang called and moved so that he was right next to Katara. By this point, everyone was standing and trying to find a reason that this was happening.
"No…I don't think it is…" Toph said quietly. Everyone was momentarily horrified by the look on her face. She looked confused…and scared? For Toph to be upset over what was happening with her own element was more than a little scary.
"What's happening?" Zuko asked urgently, looking at Toph with concern and grabbing hold of Mai at the same time. Though certainly capable of handling herself, Mai moved closer to him, letting him wrap his arms around her protectively. Aang and Katara did the same, and Suki attempted to move closer to Sokka, but was cut off when Ty Lee jumped into his arms crying for him to save her. When he let her go after a momentary glare from Suki, Ty Lee jumped into Toph's arms who immediately threw her into the floor with an un-amused expression.
"Toph, what's going on?" Aang finally asked, exasperated. Toph turned her head in his direction, but her mouth remained closed. She wouldn't have had time to speak anyway. The wall behind her collapsed on top of her.
She cried out as she tried to move moments before it gave way, though it was faster and she was trapped beneath the pile of rubble. Her left arm and her head were all that remained to be seen. "I can't see!" she cried, disregarding the wreckage that was crushing her tiny body. In a moment of heroism, Zuko let go of Mai and went to try and help the blind earthbender from beneath the wall. Everyone except Suki, Ty Lee, and Mai went to help. All three stood there, unsure of whether to try and help and risk getting in the way or stand back and try to watch in case of another collapse.
"How is it that everything always works out perfectly for me?" Zuko could have sworn he heard the ghostly voice directly in his ear, but when he looked up, no one had said anything.
Everything went in slow motion from that point on. "Mai, MOVE!" he shouted. From his position on the floor, he could see what she could not- the ceiling above them all giving way. The center caved in first, and the three standing fell victim. "No!" Zuko exclaimed, horrified and prepared to completely abandon Toph for his future wife. As he moved to get up, however, the remaining pieces of the ceiling came down, and everything became black.
"Firelord Zuko is alive!" a guard shouted.
"So is peasant water tribe boy Sokka!" Sokka's muffled whimpering was easy to hear and a guard swiftly picked him up. Sokka began scratching his head and getting his bearing before his eyes grew wide and his tone, serious. He looked to Zuko who was being helped to his feet, very obviously also confused and then alarmed. "The wall…" he said and they exchanged panicked looks before they both fell to the ground, digging through the mess.
"Mai! MAI!" Zuko cried, his words half strangled.
"Suki!" Sokka said worriedly, the tone foreign to him. "Katara? Toph! Aang?" There was a groaning somewhere to his left and he began to dig there, carefully extracting Aang from the mess. Aang looked hurt but essentially okay, and Sokka set him aside before digging more. "Come on, Aang," he called over his shoulder, hoping to arouse the younger boy. "Help me out here. Katara might be in trouble!" he said, hoping to spark some sort of adrenaline rush in Aang to get him up. "Suki might be in trouble…" he murmured to himself, quietly digging in his own person hell of uncertainty.
Sokka's words had done the trick and Aang was up in a few moments, ferociously clawing at the rubble alongside a fire nation guard. "Katara!" he cried in anguish, seeing her limp arm beneath a heavy pile of wall. He moved everything out of the way before reaching for her limp body and moving her aside. While he tended to her, she opened her eyes and looked at him. "Toph…" she choked out, obviously in pain. "I'm fine, Aang," she said breathlessly, though she was already trying to sit up. "Find Toph."
"No…" the murmur stabbed a hole in the heart of all that were in the room to hear it. All heads turned to see Zuko holding Mai's limp figure in his arms. Her broken body showed no signs of movement, and she had been terribly torn up by the fall of the ceiling. "NO!" he roared, tears beginning to stream down his face. He forgot all others in the room and stood up with her body in his arms, a guard quickly rushing to his side. "Bring me a doctor!" he shouted in the man's face. When the man continued to stare at him uneasily, Zuko lashed out. "Are you deaf?" he snarled. He looked like he would hit the man if his arms weren't full with his fiancée's lifeless form. "She needs a doctor!" Deciding it was just best not to argue, the man ran off to fetch a doctor, though he could already tell she was gone.
"Make that two…" Sokka choked out, his shoulders hunched forward over a separate pile of broken wall. He had unknowingly uncovered a tomb.
For there in the space beneath the floor and collapsed ceiling, Ty Lee's faded eyes-usually filled with so much life-stared up at him, unseeing. Beside her, Suki's mangled body lay limp, though positioned as if she had gone down trying to fight off the room caving in around her. Suki's face was still red with struggle, and Sokka's fiercely trembling hand moved ever so close to that redness, the backs of his fingers scarcely touching her face. The touch burned his hand, but instead of drawing his hand back, he flipped it and placed his palm against her face before it dawned on him and he slumped forward into her. "Suki…" he breathed, the familiar ache of loss slamming into his chest hard.
By this time, Katara had gotten to her feet and moved over to place a hand on her brother's shoulder. When she saw for herself Suki's body in his arm, she covered her mouth with her hand and sobbed quietly, horrified by the sight. Sokka brushed her off, not able to deal. Tears were streaming down his face, though his expression was impassive. He lifted Suki off the ground, not able to deny the lifelessness of all of the broken bones that lay in his arms. He carried her, stepping over the rubble, and left the room.
"Toph!" Aang shouted, bringing Katara's attention away from Ty Lee, who's mangled body still lay half-buried. She rushed to his side, looking at Toph's limp form. Katara brought her arms up to aid Aang in supporting her upper body, and both cried for their fallen friend.
"Ghm…" the whisper was so small Katara wasn't sure she'd heard it. She placed her ear at Toph's mouth, surprised to feel breathing against her ear. "Gahemee…"
Her mouth was barely open and her eyes remained closed, but she was murmuring something. "What is it Toph?" Katara said softly, not sure of how hurt she was at this point. After three deaths, they hadn't really thought to check. They'd just assumed the worst.
"Get off me."
"Oh."
Toph's lids parted slowly and she began to sat up. She winced in pain and put a hand to her forehead before falling backwards. "Toph, let me help you," Katara worried, reaching for her. "You're hurt."
Katara noted the blood that was coming from behind Toph's head. It wasn't gushing seriously, but it was definitely worth worrying over. Luckily, the man who had gone to fetch a doctor came in at the right moment and was accompanied by three physicians. One went to tend to Toph. Another went to check on Zuko, though Zuko was completely unresponsive, kneeling on the ground with Mai in his arms. The third doctor was assessing the damage, affirming that the fallen three were in fact dead.
They were.
The group that had traveled the world and saved it against all odds had lost three of their own in a few short moments by an unlikely but devastating earthquake.
Katara was holding up Toph's head again as one of the doctors tended to her wound, bandaging her head. "Toph, I know you might be in pain…" she could never be too sure with Toph. Still, the shock over what had just happened was too horrifying to lay unnoticed. "But what just happened?"
Aang had moved over to hold up Ty Lee's body, seeing that she was all alone in the rubble. He was crying, though he didn't know her well. How could something like this happen? He hadn't yet been able to register it all…their deaths were quick. The ceiling had caved in on them all, and the ones that remained were lucky to be alive. How was it that by chance, the three had been standing under the very piece of architecture that had killing capabilities? The rest had been hurt, but only a little. It was just strange. He let the tears roll down his face for his fallen friend as he brushed hair out of her face. He brought two fingers over her eyelids and shut them, ready to let her be at peace.
Aang couldn't quite explain the feeling inside of him. He wanted to be angry or defensive, though there was nothing he could do. For so long he had been expecting such tragedies- the loss of someone close to him. Maybe even because a roof caved in. But the war was over now and the Fire Nation was an ally. He had never expected something as ordinary as an earthquake to bring them down. He looked at Toph and waited to hear her reply to Katara.
Toph hesitated. "I…" she looked a little annoyed. "Well why are you asking me? I'm the blind one here." She seemed to realize that all at once. "Actually…what did happen? I can feel that the ceiling caved in, but why? I…" she looked confused and put a hand to her head. "Ugh…my head. Is everyone else okay?" Her question held no real worry- she was just asking out of necessity. In everything they'd been through together so far, no one had been lost. Certainly an earthquake would have no chance of shattering them. But her muscles froze when she heard Katara stifle a sob.
She re-evaluated the area, but had a hard time "seeing" with such uneven ground. People-guards, doctors, and friends were standing on different pieces of the collapsed ceiling and she couldn't sense them all well. But as she searched for the few in particular that she knew so well, she felt what lacked.
"Sokka?" she said, the tears already welling in her eyes. Katara put a hand on her shoulder reassuringly.
"Sokka is fine, Toph," and she could feel the blind earth bender relax. "But Suki…"
"Oh no," Toph said slowly and softly, letting her air of annoyance dissipate. She let the tears made for Sokka fall for Suki. "What about-"
"Mai and Ty Lee too," Katara choked out, trying to keep her composure. But it was a lot to take in at the moment. She was trying to stay prepared to help in any way she could, but the sudden loss of three girls she had grown so close to? Why did it happen?
She hadn't know Ty Lee or Mai as friends for very long, but in the time she had, they had bonded and both were considered members of the gaang. As for Suki, she had lost something immeasurable. A best friend, a sister, even. She knew that she would lose part of a brother as well- Sokka couldn't handle losing her, and Katara knew it.
Toph finally managed to sit up, Katara helping to support her. "Aang, what happened?" It seemed appropriate to ask the Avatar of all people when something so bizarre happened.
Aang was wiping tears from his face, but did his best to keep his voice steady. "I don't know, Toph. I thought it was an earthquake. But you said it wasn't before the roof collapsed. Why don't you tell me?"
Toph ignored the slight edge to his tone, assuming he was upset he couldn't have done anything. Aang wanted to be able to help absolutely everyone, just like he was born to do. But he seemed to be the only one who didn't realize that he just couldn't do everything.
Toph felt around for any faint pulses from the ones pronounced dead.
He couldn't save everyone.
Toph shook her head. "I said what now?"
Aang's frustration showed in his eyes, but Katara answered for him, the patience seeping from her lips. "Toph, before the roof fell, when everything was shaking, Aang shouted earthquake. It sure felt like one, but you said you didn't think it was. We just want to know what you think it was."
Toph looked upset. "Katara…I don't remember that." She squeezed her eyes tightly and looked like she would cry more. She seemed terribly upset. "I…I don't remember anything! Ugh. What's wrong with me? I know the roof caved in, but I…I don't remember it happening…"
Katara looked a little concerned. "Well what's the last thing you remember, Toph?"
"Marriage discussions. We were at Zuko and Mai's party, and we were talking about you and Aang getting hitched." There was hardly any humor in her voice.
Katara didn't flinch. "Yes, and after that we had a toast. And then everything started shaking, and-"
"Katara, I don't remember, okay?" Toph's voice rose as she interrupted, something sparking anger in her. She got to her feet quickly and began to stumble, but Katara steadied her before being pushed away. "And I don't need your help. I'm fine, okay?" her voice lowered a small bit, but it was obvious she didn't want to be fussed over any more. She had had about all that she could take at the moment.
"Alright," Katara said, and moved to go kneel by Aang. "How could this happen?" she whispered, more to herself than to him as she knelt and placed a hand behind Ty Lee's unmoving head. She could feel where her neck was limp from her crushed spine, and felt the need to throw up. Not as much from the thought of a shattered spine, but more from the thought that her friend had died in such a horrific manner. "I'm sorry, Aang," she said, getting up to leave him with her. "I can't." She covered her mouth and left the room, unable to bear the sight of the friends she couldn't do anything for. She had nothing special to heal with, nothing to give…she just felt helpless and overwhelmed.
When she was in the hallway, she collapsed against the wall, bringing her knees to her chin, and sobbed into her palms.
Their funerals were quick and quiet.
Their deaths had been so unexpected that no one had the heart left to deal with their burial. They were not extravagant, nor were they entirely proper. Just a small gathering of family and close friends to say farewell.
Zuko and Sokka had avoided everyone since the earthquake. They had barely eaten or slept, both choosing to be alone.
Aang hadn't said a word.
After the funeral's were done, Katara walked out into the courtyard with the turtleduck pond. The tree that had once stood beside it was uprooted and lay on its side, having scattered dirt and twigs everywhere. Katara couldn't think of a sadder sight.
That was, until she saw Aang sitting at the edge of the pond, his face serene but tears streaming down it.
She sat beside him silently, not getting too close. Even though Zuko and Sokka had experienced a great personal loss, Katara knew that Aang couldn't handle death. Especially not someone he truly cared about. She was sure he was troubled over what he could have done for them. How he could have helped in some way. She was sure he knew in his heart that there was nothing he could have done, but his mind was screaming otherwise. She knew him well enough to know that for this, he was suffering inside.
"Hey Aang," she greeted him quietly and sadly, looking at him with tearful eyes. As most days went, it had been an emotional one. As always, she knew something was bothering him. Unlike most other times, however, she knew exactly what it was. "You want to talk about it?"
"No," he said truthfully and calmly. "I don't." It was obvious he wasn't at all angry with her for asking. If anything, he was grateful for the company . Both were silent , staring into the reflection of the pond. All that could be seen was the clear blue sky above. Serene and bright, the warm sun filling it to the brim with life and beauty. The sky was untouched and unbroken, holding no signs that in the faraway universe above their heads, the sky had been broken too. It was just calm.
"I…I keep thinking there was something I could have done." Katara felt her own tears come as she saw the muscles in Aang's face twitch in his proud effort to not let forth a sob. After a moment or two though, he seemed to remember he was with Katara. If anyone, he could let himself cry easily in front of her. He buried his face into his knees as he brought them to his chest. "I know it sounds stupid…but I'm the Avatar. It's my job to save people. To help them. All this was…it was just an earthquake… Katara, how could I not have helped them? I can bend every element. I could have stopped the roof from caving in…but I just let it hit me."
"Aang, no one blames you. No one knew what was going on. No one saw the roof coming down until it was on top of us." She reached out hesitantly to touch his arm and was grateful when he responded by moving a little closer. "I know how you must feel…for so long, everything bad that's happened has come from someone. There's always something easy to blame, someone to go after, something to be fixed. But you have to see that this was just a horrible accident… It can't be prevented, and it can't be fixed."
Aang hardly registered her words, though he knew they were exactly what he needed to hear. He knew she was right, but he couldn't help but feel like there was more he could have done. He wasn't blaming himself for the roof caving in or even for the deaths of his three friends. He just blamed himself for not being able to do anything. For feeling helpless.
"Thank you, Katara," he said, though he still did not turn and look at her, nor did his voice hold any sort of emotion. "But I think I just need to be alone."
When he didn't look at her still, Katara nodded and rose to her feet, turning to leave. She wasn't hurt by his words; she understood why he wanted to be alone. But she didn't. She just wanted to be close to him. She needed some sort of comfort in the aftermath of this harsh blow.
"Katara, wait," he said, and when she turned he was on his feet looking at her. Though his eyes met her, they were looking through her, and she could still tell he wasn't all there. "I'm sorry…I know you just want to help me. It's just that…"
"No, Aang," she reassured. "I understand. I really do. You need to be alone right now. You have a lot to think about. I just want you to know that…well…" she looked at him with tender, caring eyes. "You don't have to do it alone." She opened her mouth to continue about how none of it was really his fault and how he shouldn't have to dwell over what was not his responsibility, but she was interrupted.
His lips crushed hers with insatiable need and she responded, letting herself be wrapped in his arms. His right hand rested at the nape of her neck while his left arm snaked around her waist and held her close, just wanting to be near her. Both of her arms wrapped around his neck, pulling him towards her. Their kiss was not so much romantic or full of lust as it was comforting. Knowing that they were both still there. Katara's hand's moved about the side of his face, seeming to affirm this; as if she were checking to make sure that he, too, were still there.
They were cut short when Toph cleared her throat from the other side of the courtyard. "I don't mean to interrupt," she said, her voice barely holding on to a sarcastic tone. But she surprisingly dropped it a moment later. "but we really need to get Sokka out of here. I don't want to have to be the one to force us back into reality, but ," she said, her voice suddenly strong and full of conviction. It was like a mini-speech. She would later kick herself for sounding like Katara. "we have to move on. I know it's been a terrible loss, but we have to keep each other going. Aang, I think now would be a good time to go and settle all the riots breaking out in the Fire Nation colonies in the Earth Kingdom. I never thought I'd say it, but we just need something to do. We need to get busy again. So vacation time is over, Twinkletoes," she said, a slightly joking tone coming back into her voice. She sounded hopeful. And hopeful was what they all needed. At this point, they just needed to keep moving forward.
"We need to head out."
Also, I am seeing now that when I uploaded this document, a lot of words were randomly deleted? So please excuse typos for the time being. I'm trying to find what changed...
The two main ones I have fixed, so I am just going to repost this story. I'm sorry if you looked at it twice. :P
Also, about the whole killing three characters in one blow...I promise. I'm going somewhere with this. (:
Again, constructive criticism (any at all!) is greatly appreciated.