Setting: Ember Island, Fire Nation
Who: Katara, Toph, Zuko, Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, Two old Women, Ferry Boat Man, Sokka, Aang
How: Appa is captured by the Fire Nation this time for a reason that no one knows. But because the war still rages on and Ba Sing Se is still in trouble, the group splits. Aang and Sokka stay in the Earth Kingdom territory to try to calm things down while Katara and Toph head towards the Fire Nation in their red-shaded disguises to blend in and find Appa. In the midst of it all, a tired Toph decides to take a quick vacation from it all, you know, relax. And this is what happens during their short, 'relaxation' period…
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Chapter 1: Ember Island's Gift
"Ember Island is a place for reinvention. Take a break and find the true you here, and stumble along a few surprises even. Remember, not everything is what they seem, including Ember Island."
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"Goddamn this fucking world!" Katara kicked at the sand angrily, chest heaving. She bent down in front of a silver-blue ocean, hugging her knees tightly. The moon hung in a black-painted night sky, surrounded by flecks of clear, pale yellow stars. Its radiance emanated off in a hazy, pure glow of white. The casted lonely glow reflected in the salty ocean water and gave the fine sand a brighter, silver-gray look.
She felt alone in a cold, dark world. What with Aang and Sokka watching Ba Sing Se, Katara had to bear the mission with Toph. They had to find Appa in this Fire Nation mess, if that was even possible… Katara looked up and collapsed on her bottom, stretching her legs out to skim the border of the ocean.
"Hey, Sugar Queen…" Toph appeared behind her, standing slightly hunched over. "We're going to make it so stop your sulking. Tomorrow, we head to Ember Island. It seems like a good vacation spot."
"Vacation?! We're in the middle of a war and you expect me to take a fucking vacation?!" Katara bolted up in rage.
"Come on. We need it and we both know it." Toph was stubborn and whirled around immediately to leave.
Katara awoke inside the cave, her face buried into her warm sleeping bag. BOOM! She felt a sharp bump penetrate her back and send shocking waves through her body.
"HEY! Wake up!" Toph yelled in an authoritative tone.
"Ugh… I already am, Toph…" Katara groaned, rolling out of the comforts of her 'bed.'
"We're leaving right now!" Toph slung a backpack over her shoulder and yanked Katara up by the arm. "Hurry! I don't have forever!"
"Nooo…." Katara moaned as if in agony and picked up her own pack and sleeping bag, heading outside of the safe cave and onto the small beach it was placed on.
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"Here we are, ladies!" the captain of the ferry slowed the bulky ship down, unraveling the smooth platform for Toph and Katara to walk down.
"Welcome to Ember Island!" Two old women greeted the pair happily, their voices cracking and uncomfortable sounding.
To Katara, the women looked more eerie than anything. Withholding the urge to vomit, she stuck our her lower lip like a child and glided down the walk-way.
"Toph, this place is a dud," Katara pointed out, frowning at the many dry rocks and mountainous terrain.
"Ahem. Do you, perhaps, have a place for us to stay?" Toph ignored her whining friend, smirking to herself.
"Oh yes, dearies! But you must share it with some other guests," one of the old women gestured toward a small beach house, perched on the tip of an edgy cliff.
"Follow us," the two seniors chimed in unison.
"Ugh…" Katara raised a brow in utter disgust (hey, you can't blame her for being creeped out! I was too….).
"Eww!" Toph accidentally stepped on a fluffy, squishy pillow.
Katara didn't say anything—just stood there, gaping. The room was WAY overly decorated with pink, white, and purple floral patterns. She felt… overwhelmed just looking at the girlish designs.
"To the beach!" Toph was desperate for a way out from the ancient-smelling house—not that she didn't appreciate it…
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"Uhmmm… Wow! A lot of people here!" Katara clutched a red beach bag close to her. She was clad in her strapless white top, which she wore usually as an under garment, and a white bikini bottom, covered with a translucent cherry-colored sarong.
Toph didn't look too bad herself. The red of her tight tank top hugged her features and went well with her loose, gold and crimson shorts.
"HEY! Watch out! Whoa!" A teenager on a white and burgundy surfboard navigated his way through the waves and jumped up before the foamy white wall of water collapsed abruptly. He landed into the ocean, splashing up a fury of salty solution.
"Ah!" A nearby girl winced at her soaked black, goldenrod, and rose bathing suit.
"Wuss…" Toph accused under her breath as she stomped on, disliking the instability of the sand grains.
"Toph, lighten up. This was your idea…" Katara giggled. But her light, airy tinkling ceased when her eye caught sight of something, or someone, to be exact.
Even in the lumpy sand, Toph could barely feel the beating of Katara's heart increase rapidly.
"Sugar Queen, something wrong?"
"Yeah, I find something VERY wrong!" Katara's vision was trained on a pale-skinned, shaggy, onyx-haired boy, sitting just a few feet away. A pink-red scar peeked out from just beyond the mop of hair. Dark shadows were casted upon the burn, thanks to a yellow and vermillion umbrella he shared…with his… girlfriend?!
Toph had not need to speak anymore—she felt exactly what Katara saw. Zuko. Even his psycho sister and her posse sat down on the beach (seriously, a vacation really didn't seem like their thing).
"Zuko… has a girlfriend?!" Katara mumbled, her face softening to confusion.
Toph, upon hearing that, let out a loud, full-hearted laugh, not even caring about her manners. Katara cringed, and tip-toed away to set up her towel as curious stares were reflected at the earth-bending master.
"Embarrassing…" Katara sighed. She looked back to Zuko, and what was her name? Mai, was it? At that moment, she felt a bit of pity for the weapon-yielding girl.
"Ok, I'm done!" Toph wiped a tear from her eye and plopped onto the sand next to Katara. "h, good one Katara."
"No! I'm telling the truth!" Katara waved her arms, though knowing Toph couldn't see her actions.
"Oh." Toph's expression went blank." Well, in that case…. How about some volleyball?" The short earthbender could hear the knocking of a ball and the grunts of the players.
"I'm down with that." Katara got up and walked with poise to the net. She turned to face her opponents, a game look on her face.
Currently, the opposing team gathered in a huddle. They consisted of four people (Azula, Mai, Ty Lee, and Zuko). What a surprise… Katara balled up her fists until her knuckles turned a deathly white. Two against four was NOT fair!
"Katara! We're serving!" Toph gave a heads up to Katara, a ball in her hands.
"HAH!" Toph spiked the all over the net. Hard. It spiraled like a white sphere in the air, heading downwards. Just before it could make contact with the sand, Azula, in all her glory, kicked at the ball, sending it back up into the air.
Now Katara was NOT going to lose. Determined, she dove for the fast-traveling volleyball and hit it straight up to Toph, who sensed it. Toph frowned, but was able to jump high enough in order to kick the ball over the net in a perfect line.
Without much effort, Ty Lee leapt and bumped at the ball, landing neatly on the edge of the net. She smiled sweetly, and back-flipped onto the soft sand. Unfortunately, the white sphere was sailing quickly towards the middle of Toph and Katara's side of the 'court,' where neither girl was positioned. Katara made a daring shoot, diving like a professional. Her palms dug into the soft sand and she could feel her legs go parallel to each other up into the air. Her left foot made a brief contact with the ball and using her hand strength, Katara shot into the sky and kicked the volleyball over the net, back at the Fire Nation royalties.
"Ugh!" The waterbender flipped back onto her feet with the elegance of her own element driven into her heart.
"Hn. Impressive, but not enough!" Azula smirked as she watched Zuko speed at full pace and slide through the sand to volley the ball into the air. Mai followed up with an excellent play as the ball bounced off her knee.
Tammi then decided to end this once and for all. She ground her teeth warily, folding her hands together and spreading her legs apart, her knees slightly bent. Katara was right behind her, backing her friend up if needed.
"Get ready!" Katara shouted.
"More than ever…." Toph smiled smugly. Her feet left the ground in a flurry. She squinted her eyes, arms outstretched. With a loud SMACK, the ball was sent flying in the general direction of Ty Lee, the most agile of the opposing group. Ty Lee grinned, like the ball was the easiest thing to hit in the world, which, it probably was.
Unfortunately for them, Azula's pride got in the way of her logic. She rushed in towards the blazingly blurred ball just as Ty Lee was starting to somersault towards it as well. OOF!
"Oww!!" Ty Lee was thrown back onto the sand, outside of the court, rubbing her forehead in pain.
Azula herself was forced backwards as well, her body skidding across the beach. As a result, the ball landed on the ground, rolling to a stop just in front of the border of the court.
"HEY!! WE WON!" Katara jumped for joy, an all-knowing twinkle in her soothing, sapphire eyes. At that very moment, a swell of untamable pride pooled up inside of her, rivaling Zuko's own chunk of self-confidence. "IN YOUR FACE!" She pointed at her opponents, sticking her tongue out.
Toph wasn't as… immoderate as Katara was, merely laughing and snorting in triumph. But of course, this wasn't the end of a bitter sports rivalry between the Fire kids and the other two benders. This was only the beginning of something new… Something different…. Katara was later on to not regret this, but to thank it, and to especially owe the Fire Nation a lot more than expected. As her life unfolds, she'll find there's a lot more than meets the eye to a person.