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Avatar the Last Airbender

Book 4 – Air

Chapter 1: The Rebellion

"And would you consider conspirators and assassins a problem, Zuko?

Things had an ugly passion for repeating history. And for driving the sane mad. It was as if it was addicted to chaos and turmoil. After the war, things had gotten a lot better. For five years, Aang and his friends had spent their time re-establishing broken cities and creating new ones (conveniently, some were named after them…by them). Innocent people from all over the world –Ozai had made sure the Fire Nation's 'suspicious' people were put in as well – were pulled out of the torturous hell that was the Fire Nation's prison. Horribly enough, after five years they became aware of a new problem. Within the vast lands of the world, there were few, living among the rest, that were still loyal to Ozai and his plans to take over. They had hope that they could invade the Fire Nation and take the throne. Little by little, the group grew. The winds and tides of change had drifted them apart onto different continents – and still, the groups grew, keeping contact with one another.

And still, they continued to plan – plans that dreamt of defeating the Avatar and his friends, anyone who would stop them. Plans that dreamt of killing Zuko, and taking over his throne.

Ri Tian, who had succeeded after his father died, had taken over as the leader of the clans. He would lead the Rebellion. He would take over the throne.

Seven young people, their faces layered with sweat and exhaustion, sat around a large table, filled to the brim with facts and figures, maps and charts. Sokka stretched out, his long tan arms had grown muscular and mature, then walked to sit by the window. There was a garden beneath, properly ignored for what seemed like years, but still thriving with a few wilting flowers and tangles of weeds.

"The Fire Nation has great taste, Zuko. I love what you've done with the place." He pointed out sarcastically, his eyes drooping with lack of sleep and surplus of irritation.

The Fire Nation's leader sat, head in his hands, muttering to Katara, "…three reasons why a barricade would do better with the Rebellion." Then nodded warily at the direction of his converser's brother, and tried to take in the sentence as a compliment. Mai and Toph sat beside each other, both wearing uniform bored looks on their face. For Mai, it was custom. For Toph, it was genuine. She let out a breath of frustration, "This is getting insane, we haven't slept for days."

Katara raised an eyebrow, "Actually, Toph, we haven't slept for about five hours."

Aang winced, and then muttered reassuringly and somewhat incomprehensibly to Toph, "Still not enough…"

There was also Suki, having just emerged into the room after a practice with the few Kyoshi warriors (including Ty Lee, although Mai had brushed aside the practices as of late, to stay beside Zuko) that had been recruited in the Fire Nation. They'd travel back with her when they went to Kyoshi Island. She'd taken off the makeup, and had dressed in regular Fire Nation clothes, her lips turned down into a frown as she took in the scene before her. "I'm guessing we're still clueless."

"Why is this so hard? Why can't we just bomb them up?" Sokka shrugged, "That's what they always tried to do to us remember? 'Bout time we return the favor."

"Gee. If only we'd thought of that sooner. That's why Snoozles is the boss, eh?" Toph mumbled.

Aang looked at Sokka, his eyes practically gazing in different directions out of absolute frustration and weariness, "We don't know where they are. We've got generalization…"

"And that's not specific enough?" Sokka shrugged. The other six exchanged looks.

"What we need to do is get insider information. But we can't exactly trust anyone." Aang said.

Zuko nodded, "I'll have to go and round up those I know are trustworthy – I'm going to need your help Toph. And you guys. I suppose we could start off the trip-"

"We?" Katara raised an eyebrow, "Zuko, you know you can't actually come with us."

"What?" Zuko looked up abruptly, "Uh…my ships, my crew, my mission. Why am I being left out…?" he trailed off.

Mai got up to sit next to Zuko, and placed an arm on his shoulder, "Zuko, the whole journey is way too dangerous for you to hunt them down. They're set out to kill you and invade the Fire Nation –"

"They'd kill you too-"

Sokka looked at Toph, picking her nose and Aang, trying to stop her and Katara, readjusting her hair loops for the tenth time today. "It's a chance I'm willing to take."

"Zuko? Don't you get it?" Toph stood up, her arms strictly by her side, "Hundreds of people are grouping up to take you down. The worst thing you could do is leave your only capable defense-"

"But come on, what's the harm? Guys, what's the problem?"

Toph groaned, "And we repeat, there are hundreds of people grouping up to take you down." Her voice had gotten louder, sterner, untouchably rough like a rock. A really loud rock.

Aang cut in, his eyes stern, as he looked at his older and far more stubborn friend and said,"And would you consider conspirators and assassins a problem, Zuko?"

Zuko shook his head; he wasn't going to do this. He couldn't stand feeling like a coward and having to take the same actions as one was even worse. He needed to do this. It was his kingdom after all. "Five years ago, it didn't matter!"

"Five years ago, we had no choice, and barely anyone helping us."

"They're probably expecting that aren't they?" The six looked at Katara curiously. "They all know that he's here. It's like five years ago…"

"On the Day of Black Sun." recounted Aang.

"Except now, we're on the other side." Suki nodded, walking towards Sokka.

"She's right," Sokka added, continuing, "We need Zuko to get out of the palace."

"But he can't help us with the Rebellion. Either way I think it's pretty pitiful if he couldn't find a loyal enough crew to help him." Katara voiced her words carefully, not wanting to hurt Zuko's ego anymore than it already was.

There were a million things rushing through Zuko's head. I need to get a haircut. And I need to pee. But this is the abandoned guest house – the toilet's been backed up for months. Besides that…I've been searching for my mother for years. I need to find her, I need to find her. Why can't I do anything right? He'd been beating himself up for months,spending day and night asking himself, 'Where could she be?'

Ozai had been useless, saying she was probably in the Earth Kingdom. No matter how strained the conversation had become, they could tell – Ozai didn't know because he never cared, never bothered to think about it. She had been in the Earth Kingdom years ago – it seemed people still remembered seeing her. But they didn't know where she'd gone. They didn't know how important she was. Still, Zuko had searched, scoured the cities and towns and drifted villages somberly.

"I'm going to go find her." He said with his golden eyes downcast.

They looked at him. He couldn't see them looking at him, his bangs were casting too dark a shadow. But he could feel them, sense them looking at him. Their suspicious eyes burned holes and he reeled with the pain. Every day, every single day, he lost his mother all over again. Was it possible to continue on like this?

Sokka sighed, "It's been years, Zuko…"

"I haven't been looking in the right places."

"You've looked all over the world." Aang said.

"Then…" Zuko's eyes lit up. He had been looking all over the world. He thought back, five years back, when he felt just like this.

Aang had left. Aang, their only hope of defeating his father had left. And with Momo, too. Zuko had felt as if someone knocked him over, punching him in the gut. It was the day before Sozin's Comet – and they weren't even ready.

The only person who could help them, the only person who would ever help Zuko, was Uncle Iroh. And what had been his first thought then? Jun.

He'd looked all over the world. Just not the right way, "I've been doing it wrong."

"Exactly so-"Mai scrunched up her thin eyebrows, quietly removing her arm from Zuko's shoulder, "So…what?"

Zuko glanced at the six, "I've been depending on ships and," he shook his head, "one time an ostrich horse." Actually it had been the ostrich horse, the same one that he and Uncle Iroh had used, properly named Mako, after Iroh's once-but-now-long-gone friend. "The point is I've been looking in the right place, the wrong way. I'm going to find Jun, once we're done with this meeting."

"Jun?" Mai asked.

"Jun." Toph nodded her head, approving Zuko's first brilliant plan in five years.

"Jun!" Sokka said, his fist punching the air. The others raised an eyebrow at him, Suki shook her head.

"What?" Sokka shrugged.

"Do you even remember-" Aang started.

"Of course." He nodded his head, "And I suppose it's easier to ask now that I'm not wanted."

"Uh…" The Gaang exchanged looks, hoping he was kidding.

Mai looked sternly at him, almost as if to say, I want you. All he had to do was show his face, there would either be praise (he had helped stop the war after all) or there would be people ready to kill him (he had helped stop the war after all). Aang and the others were safer – Aang was the Avatar who had helped restore balance. Zuko was not. It was Zuko who had taken the throne. And now, it was his time to step out.

He looked at Mai, "I'm going to need your help. I think I've got a plan." He looked back at his friends and nodded.

Toph was fed up. She was sick of it, that's all. Every single second, there was a new problem. Why couldn't the world just stay fixed? She felt like the maid – like, come on, bitches, I just cleaned up this mess! She shrugged – though she was alone, and no one was there to confide in – and said, "It could be worse." She grinned, her face resembling the madness of a Cheshire cat's, "I could be Zuko or Aang." She nodded, that would definitely be worse. Not only did Zuko need a haircut but he and Aang were really in a fix.

She was walking along the streets, merchants having opened shop hours ago, all she had to do now was wait and listen for a call from one of them to remind her what it was that she needed. She'd forgotten what Katara had ordered her to buy. Or, rather, she hadn't really listened to begin with. Sure, she'd gotten older over the years – heck, everyone does, it's what's supposed to happen – so it seemed everyone expected she could do the same things they could. Which was good, since that was the effect she'd been hoping for. But, Toph had to admit, she liked being underestimated just a little bit. That way, if she failed, she had a perfect excuse. Though I never fail, she assured herself. And when she did things that left people speechless, there was that added pleasure of 'they weren't expecting that'.

She kept walking, her bare dirty feet moving in rhythm with the earth. Oh great, she groaned. She was being followed. And it wasn't much of a surprise either. Why can't he just leave me alone? He was ten steps behind her now, running to catch up.

She waited for the merchants, ignoring her one-man fanclub.

"Get your peach-oranges-"

"...and rootbeets-"

"fresh sea prunes from-"

Her head bolted upright, walking to the direction of the stand. Why did Katara always have to have this? They had taken Zuko's royal connections to get the best cooks and they'd definitely used them. So why did they have to settle for this? The only people who enjoyed sea prunes were Katara and Sokka. Everyone else hated them – so why couldn't they just…overthrow?

She sniffed them to find the ripen ones, feeling them around to find the proper texture. She could sense feet behind her.

Yep he's here now. Party.

"I'll be taking three of these- oh! Toph, fancy seeing here."

"I'm still shaking from such a surprise." She could feel his smile burning her. Kezon had recently started to annoy her. It was fine at first, she enjoyed having that kind of power over people. But it had started to become devastating, having not enough motivation to drive such an 'innocent' (as stated by Katara) boy to tears. That's not all that Katara had said. She thought back to the 'girl talk' and shivered. He likes me? Really? I bet he's blind too, poor guy.

"-and the weather has just been so divi…."he droned on excitedly as if the talk would be fascinating to not only Toph and himself but also the merchants and the townsfolk. Wait, is he talking to me? Has he been talking all this time? She found herself nodding, mumbling a barely comprehensible 'mhm' in his direction. And…I've been acknowledging him? She paused for a second, reveling in the fact that she was really clueless about what was going on. So confusing.

She felt around for the Fire Nation coins in her pockets, using her advanced tact to make sure she was handing in the designated amount. The merchant faced her, eyes wide, "Miss! You're with the Fire Lord aren't you? And the Avatar." Toph nodded, realizing that Mai and Katara would really have it made. The merchant continued, "That means you're the Blind Bandit?"

She nodded again, her hand still outstretched with a mound of coins on it.

The merchant shook his head, "I couldn't, really, you being roy-"

"It's fine. Really." She smiled, "I've got too much change."
Kezon followed behind her, his black hair lazily in front of his eyes, "You gave him too much you know."

"I'm blind not stupid, Stupid." He winced and she mentally kicked herself. The guy was sensitive, what could she do? But something else had caught her attention. About 60 paces ahead of her, she thought she felt Aang. But it wasn't him. Aang always walked with his arms slightly apart from his body, his steps light and this person seemed to do the same. The person was clinging to the walls though, and their arms were clinging to each other. Toph's eyebrows scrunched together. She wasn't near the person enough to know if she needed help, she couldn't read their heart rate. The person was stopping. And walking away. Toph gasped, she needed to know.

"Wait! Toph!" she spun around.

"What?"

"Didn't you hear me?"

"Err…no…what is it?" she looked over her shoulder, though that didn't really help things, at least she could show him that she needed to go. Someone needed help. Someone was…confusing her.

"Well…I was wondering, if tomorrow, we could…you know – hang ou-"

"YEAH! SURE! Can't wait, gotta go! Bye Kezon!" she ran, basket clutched, bangs pressed against her forehead. Where was she? She? Where did 'she' come from? It was a she,' she decided when she got close enough. It was near impossible to tell because her feet were hardly touching the ground. Toph raised an eyebrow. That's impossible. Unless she's….

Toph reached the girl, basket in hand, sweat clinging to her hair. I must look like a lunatic, she guessed. The girl's eyes were closed, her heart slowing down. Toph stepped closer, saying, "Hi."

The girl bolted awake, eyes wide, gasping. Toph scratched her head, confused. "Well…heh…hi there. I was, uh, just in the neighborhood. Thought I'd drop by." Toph shrugged. The girl didn't say anything. Her heart had slowed down, she was looking right at Toph. Why isn't she saying anything? Toph thought.

"My name's Toph."

Nothing. Just silence.

"And…I thought you needed help. So, I came over… I can understand if you don't. I just…figured I shouldn't take a chance." Then, suddenly, she felt a hand. She couldn't see anything but she felt two hands grasp hers and shake it.

"You can't talk can you?" the hands went from side to side.

"I can't see." Toph hung her head, as if studying their hands' hold with her useless eyes.

"And you…you can…bend air?" The hands went up and down.

I don't usually have Author's Notes. This is probably the first and last so do read.

First off, I want to say thanks. Even if you don't review (which is so not okay) at least you got this far with the chapter. Nickelodean is not going to make another season for Avatar: The Last Airbender. The reason I made this is…well…because I hated the fact that they weren't going to make another book. After stalking each and every one of you (heh…) I realized that everyone else wanted another book too. Well here we are.

If you have any suggestions, any at all, or some comments (and…complaints?) then tell meh buddy.

And lastly, I'd like to thank Justthisguyyouknow and his absolutely BRILLIANT (you know it's true if I capitalized, bolded, italicized, and underlined it…) fanfiction story (Tokka, which should interest some of you) called 'I'll Walk You Home'. Because of his absolute awesomeness, he agreed that I could steal his whole there are still airbenders thing that's going to appear in the next chapter from him which is admittedly the best thing I've heard in a long time.

You won't hear from me anymore – this is probably the only author's note you're going to get from me for a long time. Savor it.

But don't forget to review. (I know there are lazy asses there, I can see you Lazy Ass, I'm watching. Review, damn it).

Link to Justthisguyyouknow's profile: .net/u/2018625/Justthisguyyouknow

Link to Justthisguyyouknow's story 'I'll Walk You Home': .net/s/5909101/1/Ill_Walk_You_Home

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