Chapter 2
Mist shrouded the wide trunks all around, more rising from the dark waters below reducing visibility to just a few dozen yards. The water sat still and murky around the thick and gnarled roots of the trees but now and then it swirled, a ripple passing over its surface suggesting at something moving beneath. Thick, almost impenetrable vines hung by the thousands from the impossibly high canopy above keeping the very air in this place as still and nearly as cloyingly thick as the dark waters below.
Sweat ran from her face in rivulets as she clawed her way up the thick root of one of the trees, as wide as a highway it was nevertheless covered in green slime, the rough bark treacherously slippery. To make things even more difficult for the young woman, thorns covering the hanging vines caught at her clothes and hair when she brushed against them and try as she might, they hung in such numbers that they were impossible to avoid.
"Oh…screw this." She said with sour expression as she felt her shirt tear for the twentieth time.
Throwing one hand out to her side, she swiped it quickly before herself and down below the still waters humped up, a thin stream of brown water lifting into the air to whip by before her. The vines began to fall away, sliced cleanly through but no sooner did she begin rising to her feet when one of the remaining vines moved. Like a whip itself it sliced across, catching the young woman in her side before she could react and with a shriek of surprise she was sent flying.
Surely your father told you how dangerous it is to cut a path through this particular swamp. came an amused voice from above, He made the same…childish mistakes when he travelled through here.
Sitting up in knee deep water, Reena wiped at the stinking muck covering her face and glared up at the orange and black striped tigress laying casually on a wide branch high above.
"Well…how else are we supposed to search this place?" Reena snapped testily, rising to her feet and grimacing at the sight of something attached to one arm, "Ugh…I always hated this swamp."
With a grunt, she pulled the large slimy creature that was sucking eagerly at her elbow and tossed it aside, rising into the air then to navigate her way carefully through the hanging vines. Flying up to the tigress, Reena dropped down to sit on the same branch, trying but failing to wipe away the mud that now liberally coated her.
Well this swamp doesn't particularly like people who cut and slice it to pieces. Azula returned, shifting a little further away from Reena as that young woman shook her head to send dirty water flying from her hair.
"Well, the swamp should try being a little more helpful then, shouldn't it?" Reena snapped again, releasing a resigned sigh as her shoulders slumped, "We can't fly through here, we can barely walk and we can't make a path. Can't you just…I don't know, ask the swamp where he is or something?"
I already did. Azula returned causing Reena to blink in surprise, And while the spirit of this swamp is extremely ancient and wise, even he cannot know all that walks, crawls or swims in this place. If Daniel is here, we will have to find him ourselves.
"If he's here." Reena said heatedly though her shoulders slumped further.
Azula gave no reply at first although her feline face reflected the same expression as her companion's. Pushing herself up, Azula continued rising as her body flowed and changed until she was standing on two human feet, lifting her arms over her shoulders to extract her clothing from her small pack. Golden eyes scanning the trees around and the swamp below as she dressed, Azula then took a deep breath through her nose and then sat back down beside Reena with a resigned sigh of her own.
"Damn it, Koko." Azula breathed to herself, "Why did you have to be right?"
Reena glanced questioningly over but Azula only continued to stare about them, now and then sampling the air again.
"Why don't we make camp?" Reena asked after a few minutes silence.
"It's been half a day and we're barely five miles into the swamp." Azula snapped without turning her head, "We have days of searching ahead of us. Weeks."
"Yes but we have help. Hugh and the Foggy tribe are searching the wider waterways plus don't forget what Aunt," Reena paused, sighing as she shook her head, "I mean, Katara said your own training is just as important. You haven't even tried Waterbending yet."
"Then I will wait until she has time to teach me." Azula returned imperiously, "She is supposed to be my teacher after all."
"Hey…I am a master and just as good as THIS Katara." Renna shot back hotly, "The Katara who taught me was a thousand times better. I can at least show you the basics."
"I know the martial arts." Azula returned snidely.
"Knowing the movements is hardly the same as," Reena began but stopped as Azula suddenly held up a hand.
Reaching over her shoulder again to her leather pack, Azula withdrew a small chip of blue crystal, no larger than her thumbnail and pressed it to the side of her neck.
"You should not be risking contact." Azula spoke aloud with a hard frown, then jerked forward as Reena listened curiously, "Where? Yes, at the usual place. We'll be there in a moment."
Sensing her companion's sudden excitement, Reena's heart began to hammer in her chest as she followed Azula in jumping to her feet.
"What is it? What's going on?" Reena demanded.
"We have a lead." Azula said simply, extending a hand toward Reena and as the other young woman took it in her own, both vanished.
Where they had sat, the mist swirled gently from their departure but settled quickly leaving no sign that anyone had ever been there.
Deep within an ancient and lonely mountain, hundreds worked and lived in it's hollowed out centre. From what would have been a massive engineering project, an airshaft dozens of yards wide ran down through the centre of the mountain with level after level of walkways lining it's sides. Doors by the hundreds lined the walls on the walkways, some closed and barred, some thrown wide showing huge rooms within with robed figures working or training inside.
Yet for the hundreds within this hidden mountain fortress, barely a whisper was heard in the upper levels, men and women moved about or worked in near perfect silence, their faces blank and emotionless as they went about their tasks. Only down in the lower levels was there noise coming from huge rooms where forges glowed brightly, the sounds of hammers striking steel ringing out along with the occasional shouted instructions from those working at half seen construction projects.
Only from the lowest levels, where all the doors were shut and barred did the sounds of people rise. Echoing faintly from behind many of these doors came the sounds of shouting, crying and from the darkest levels below, the screams rang out constantly.
Three people were moving about one of these lower walkways, two men in fine robes walked side by side while a young woman followed behind, her head bowed as she kept pace a few yards back from them. None disturbed their walk, those few robed Dai Li they came across stopping whatever they were doing and bowing before these three until they were past.
"As you can see, my Lord Phoenix, all is going to schedule." Long Feng said to his companion, stroking his thin goatee thoughtfully, "Weapon production is going splendidly and once our newest recruits have completed…orientation, we will have a sizable and well trained army."
"Like the Dai Li you used to distract the Nomad in Hinomoto?" Phoenix returned with a superior smirk, "They lasted all of what? Thirty seconds?"
His companion's face tightened though he kept his silence which only served to widen Phoenix's smirk, the man glancing at his companion with disdain. Like Long Feng, Phoenix's hair was immaculately combed, spilling over his shoulders in black waves and as though to mirror or mock the man walking beside him, Phoenix reached up to stroke the long goatee that grew from his own chin.
"Mindless automatons or demon fodder have their place but I am here to bring you something…wilder." Phoenix rumbled with a small smile, "A gift from my mother that she bestowed upon me. "
"Indeed?" Long Feng replied conversationally, "If I may say so, my Lord, you are looking much…better than when last we met."
"Indeed." Phoenix parroted with another smirk, raising a fist to look at the pale, slightly golden skin of his very human hand, "Another gift from Mother…which will not be wasted."
"Here we are." Long Feng said then, pausing before one of the barred doors, "This is the prisoner you requested. He is resistant to our mental conditioning which unfortunately had…irreversible effects on his mind. We were simply going to dispose of him."
"I have something much better in mind." Phoenix rumbled softly, stepping up to the door and peering through a small barred window.
Within was obviously a cell, a small metal room with a dirty naked man chained upright to the far wall. He was stick thin, obviously on the verge of starvation and the floor below him was slick with filth. Moving to unbar the door, Long Feng was stopped by a simple signal from Phoenix.
"For this demonstration, we will be safest out here." Phoenix rumbled softly, then added, "Jin."
The young woman with them moved forward silently, reaching to a small pouch at her waist she drew forth something small wrapped in cloth that she held out. Not one sound escaped the young woman as Phoenix took the offered thing from her and nor did she raise her face.
Unwrapping the cloth in his hands, Phoenix revealed a metal shuriken, it's sharpened point coated with something oily that stained the cloth it was wrapped in black and dark purple.
"My mother's essence." Phoenix said, holding up the small weapon to show Long Feng though he was careful not to touch the substance coating it's point, "Mingled with something…almost as dangerous."
Raising his hand toward the door, Phoenix opened his fingers and the shuriken remained floating above his palm for a moment, turning about to orientate it's point toward the door before it suddenly flashed away through the barred window. From within the cell came a grunt then a scream that quickly rose in volume until Long Feng slapped his hands over his ears, turning to look questioningly at Phoenix. When his master only continued staring into the cell with eager, hungry eyes, Long Feng turned and moved closer to peer within himself.
He jerked back with a shout as the metal door before them suddenly bulged outwards with an enormous boom, an arm thrusting through the small window and reaching toward them. The screaming from within continued though growing into something less than human and even as they watched, veins and arteries bulged obscenely along that grasping arm. Something like scales was forming along that thin appendage, coarse hair pushing up around those and the nails on the hand were turning black, elongating into wicked points.
As quickly as it had appeared, the arm drew back and they had a brief glimpse of a barely recognisable face, eyes like vertical slits that glared at them for an instant then drew back. Again the door boomed as the creature within slammed itself against it, cracks radiating around the doorframe though for the moment the hinges and bolts held. Long Feng drew back as that door boomed again, the snarling and screaming from within still growing in volume but Phoenix only grinned and nearby Jin remained still and silent with her long brown hair covering her bowed face.
As the door rattled yet again, one of the hinges giving with a musical chime, Phoenix thrust out his arm and from his hand an intense jet of bright golden flames roared through the small window set in the door. The noise within continued at first, the door booming again and again but Phoenix kept up the flow of flames, the heat driving Long Feng further back and it was several minutes before it grew quiet, the roaring scream finally petering out.
Dropping his hand, Phoenix faced the broken, twisted door, the metal glowing softly and ticking gently as it slowly cooled. Moving as close as he dared, Long Feng peered within but only ash and smoke filled the cell now.
"Immense strength, speed and limitless rage." Phoenix rumbled with a smile as Long Feng turned back to him wide eyed, "Such creatures cannot be controlled and even an Avatar would be hard pressed to bring just one of these down."
"Such…potential." Long Feng said eagerly, turning back to the cell, "Even one of those let loose in a populated area would cause unbelievable chaos. With an army of these…we would be unstoppable."
"Unfortunately our supply of Mother's essence is limited." Phoenix informed him as Long Feng turned back again, "And for the physical changes to take place, the mind must be destroyed first. But we shall have a ready supply of potential…soldiers soon enough. Isn't that right…Jin?"
Almost having forgotten their silent companion, Long Feng turned to look at the young woman in surprise. At her master's question, Jin raised her face for the first time and once more Long Feng stepped back. Scars crisscrossed her forehead, her eyes gone, the very eyelids torn away but from those sockets blue green fires looked back at Phoenix, the glows drifting up from her face like smoke.
"Yes…my Lord?" she asked softly.
"Begin phase one of the plan." Phoenix commanded with a smirk, "Select about half a dozen to begin with. Remain hidden until is it time and do not fail in your task. Kill anything that gets in your way."
Slowly, a smile appeared on Jin's face, twisted, cold and eager and as her lips spread wider, two long pointed teeth were revealed alongside human ones.
"It will be done…my Lord." She hissed softly and with that she faded into something like dark smoke that dissipated quickly, leaving the two men alone.
"Err…if I may ask my Lord a question?" Long Feng asked then, his calm demeanour slipping for a moment as he stared with confusion at the place Jin had been.
"Let's just say she came into my possession at a time when she was ripe to mold into exactly what I needed. She is a work in progress but also a perfect weapon…and will be the perfect bait." Phoenix said, his golden eyes flashing with glee before he settled a cold glare onto Long Feng, "I have other tasks for you and your…drones."
Turning Phoenix looked up the wide shaft going all the way through the heart of the mountain and the tiny blue circle at the top. Then stepping close to Long Feng, Phoenix's voice lowered to a soft rumble.
"Mother insists the Nomad escaped gravely injured and reduced to a raving madman…or more likely something even less." Phoenix said quickly, then added in a threatening tone, "The Dai Li are to continue their work but I want each and every agent watching carefully. Any sign of the man or that animal he becomes you summon me instantly. Do you understand? Instantly."
"As you wish, my Lord." Long Feng replied instantly and bowed but as he rose, Phoenix was already gone.
The Misty Palms Oasis. Set on the crossroads of the main southern trade routes and situated on the edge of the largest desert on the earth, it was one of the greatest wonders of the natural world. Or had been once.
Deep beneath the earth a curious geological accident had for thousands of years now caused subsurface water to freeze solid, this ice gradually pushing its way through rock and soil to the surface. Long ago this desert had been green and filled with life thanks to the rivers that flowed from this curious natural wonder. Until the first human had stumbled across this iceberg stranded in the middle of a tropical jungle.
Long forgotten empires and cities had arisen around that mountain of frozen water as it was gradually whittled away and with time the geological processes that caused the ice to form began to slow down. Today the Misty Palms Oasis was little more than a shanty town built around a small shallow lake, the block of ice pushing up from its centre as small as a modest family home. Yellow dunes surrounded the old outpost though flattened by the many carts, wagons and the occasional herd of farm animals that were driven through here. All manner of people came through the place but none would consider a trip to the Oasis complete without stopping for a drink served in a cup carved from local ice at the world famous cantina.
It was a big place and almost always busy and today was no exception as the bartender took his orders and then whipped out a pair of broadswords. Part of the attraction of his establishment was the show he put on with those weapons, cutting, slicing and even squeezing the juice from various fruits between the swords before serving the customers their drinks balanced on the blades. The tourists before him expressed their delight at his show, the bartender thanking them as they paid before they moved away to sit at a table nearby. It was as he began cleaning the bar that the door opened, letting in the bright sunlight from outside and revealing the silhouette of two figures.
People came and went constantly from his bar but like all bartenders in all the known universes this particular bartender paid careful attention to the two young women who walked into his establishment. He took careful notice of the confidence in their stride, the casual lack of weaponry but for two insignificant looking Sai attached to one's backpack, the way their eyes swept the place once before locking onto him at the bar. Well hones instincts bade him to nod once and then point to the far corner.
And elderly man sat alone at the back of the bar, apparently contemplating a Pia Sho table before himself with the pieces already set out as though he were in the middle of a game. Two young women took chairs across from him and sat down, the old man looking up with a vacant smile. He found himself looking at an auburn haired young woman with bored looking blue eyes while directly across from him an ebony haired young woman with dark orange bangs that framed her face, glared at him with golden eyes that seemed to bore into his very soul.
"Do you play?" the old man asked politely.
"We'd rather not." Reena said in a bored tone from beside Azula, "Can we just cut to the chase and say we know you're Fung, a grandmaster of the White,"
"Reena." Azula growled softly, the clear warning in her voice silencing the other woman.
"Please, follow me." The old man said then, rising to his feet and turning to a door behind him.
He knocked once and a small slot set high in the door opened, a pair of eyes scrutinising the old man for a moment before the door swung open. He entered quickly followed by the two young women and they both turned to see a figure shut the door behind them, someone covered by a long travelling cloak, the hood pulled low over their face. They were in a simple but brightly lit office with desk and cabinets along one wall and the rest of the room dominated by a large low table.
"Welcome back, Avatar Azula." The old man said then, bowing low, "Your uncle sends his love and his wishes that you will visit him in Ba Sing Sa. May I offer you tea?"
"Thank you." Azula replied with a slight incline of her head, "As my associate's rudeness demonstrates…we are eager to hear your news."
"Very well." Fung replied warmly, hesitating only a moment longer as he turned his eyes to Reena, "We may speak freely before your…associate?"
"She will understand the value of silence." Azula said moving to sit beside the table without looking around, "Or she will find herself back with her former masters."
"Don't you talk to me like that or," Reena began heatedly but she was stopped as the cloaked figure behind her by the door moved closer, an arm reaching for her shoulder.
Reena became a green tinged blur and there came a thud, the old man swallowing as he looked down at Reena pinning the cloaked figure to the floor, the arm that had been reaching for her now twisted cruelly behind the figure's back. Azula's only reaction to this was to smirk slightly as she settled herself at the table.
"Hey, get off." Cried a young man's voice from the floor, "Let me go."
Her anger fading, Reena released his arm as she reached up to pull back the figure's hood, the young man she revealed twisting his head around to glare at her.
"Duke?" Reena shot in surprise as she stepped back.
"THE Duke!" the young man snapped, pushing himself to his feet and dusting himself down before he looked at the young woman quizzically, "Have we met?"
"Not in this lifetime." Azula quipped though her smirk faded as she turned to the young man, "You should not be breaking cover. You're risking everything we've worked for."
"Yeah, well, first you tell me Sifu Daniel's gone missing then I don't hear from you for a week." The Duke grumbled as he moved past the old man to sit across from Azula, "And my mission was a success by the way, thanks for asking. They recruited me just after the last time we spoke."
"Hold on." Reena shot at the pair then, moving past the still staring Fung as she stepped up to the table, "Sifu Daniel? Missions and breaking cover? Just what is going on?"
At first Azula stared levelly ahead in silence and sweat broke out on the Duke's brow as he tried to hold that gaze, relief showing on the eighteen year old man's face as she nodded imperceptibly at him.
"Sifu Daniel found me in Ba Sing Sa when I was trying to track down the Dai Li taking street kids there." The young man across from Azula said quietly, turning to face Reena, "We hatched a plan to infiltrate the Dai Li instead and…uh, he and Azula here have been training me in secret since then." As Reena arched a disbelieving eyebrow, the Duke turned back to face Azula, "They've taken me in but I'm still just hired muscle of the lowest rank. Only one step up from the zombies."
"Zombies?" Reena asked, hastily taking a seat and leaning over the table.
"Those the Dai Li use their particular brand of mind control on." Fung said softly, Reena and the Duke both jumping as they remembered he was there. Moving about the table he took the last seat and looked to the Duke, "Perhaps it would be best if I give my report first?"
As he turned back, the old man found himself looking into Azula's cold glare, her eyes speaking volumes and Fung quickly cleared his throat and began to speak.
"There are many illicit dealings and backroom trading that takes place here at the Misty Palms, most of it here at the cantina." Fung explained, lowering his voice as he continued, "On the edge of the oasis however is the Den. It's a gladiator arena where warriors compete for money…and notoriety and it is where the Duke here plied his trade to gain the Dai Li's notice." Leaning closer to Azula, Fung's voice was lowered to a whisper, "But over a week ago there was some kind of riot there and the story going around is that the owners of the place were holding death matches with both warriors…and animals taken from the wild."
Where her hands rested on the table, Azula's nails left deep gouges in the dark, ancient timber as she curled her fingers into tight fists.
"Names." She hissed softly in a cool, almost sweet voice, "Give me names."
"It doesn't matter. They're already dead. Most who were there that night are." The old man continued quickly, "One of the traders who survived says the beetle headed merchants came in from the desert with a strange animal they had captured. They boasted it was half dead when they found it but it still managed to tear up two of their handlers and they were putting huge bets on it. The problem was, the trader said when they opened the gates for the first two animals to come out into the fighting pit, all of the animals came out. Dragging what was left of the handlers with them."
Sitting back and looking up at the ceiling, Azula sighed and to the others it almost looked like she was fighting to keep a smirk off her face.
"The animals escaped?" Azula asked as she dropped her face with the same level stare as before.
"Not exactly." The Duke said as her eyes snapped to him, "The gladiator fights and the…death matches are usually set up by the Dai Li or at least they got their fingers in the local crime boss's pockets. My first job was to come here and check on a small supply base that had gone quiet about the same time as the riot at the Den."
"A Dai Li base?" Reena asked from the side and as the Duke nodded, she turned sharply to Azula, "There might be prisoners there or at least there will be wounded after we get there. We should get the others and,"
"No. Everyone at the base will already be dead." Azula said simply and Reena frowned at first until the Duke nodded his head.
"Yeah, it looks like one of the agents supervising the fights ran for the base and the animals followed." The Duke explained with a frown, "The base is a munitions dump. Being an underground desert base it was the perfect place for the Dai Li to store their supplies of blasting jelly. I've been right through what's left. It's just a hole in the ground with…bits everywhere."
"There must have been a few Firebenders amongst them." Fung added with a shake of his head, "And faced with a death by tooth and claw…I doubt even the most hardened Firebender would have given much thought to what they were guarding."
"I see." Azula said thoughtfully as Fung fell silent, then looked to the Duke, "Is it safe for you to take me there?"
"Not yet. I told the guys they sent me with some people here owed me money but I have to get back soon." The Duke told her, "Then once we get out of here to make a report they'll send a clean-up crew to get rid of the evidence but you should have a few hours till they get here."
"That's all the time I need." Azula replied and suddenly half rose, leaning over the table as her arm flashed out to grab a surprised Duke by his shoulder and the pair vanished.
"Oh sure, I'll just wait here then." Reena snapped at the space Azula had occupied, adding in a bitter tone, "I'll just sit here like a good little…prisoner."
"Ah, I guess that would make me your current gaoler then." Fung said from across the table with a wide gap-toothed smile.
Then reaching down, he whipped away the cloth that covered the table, revealing a huge Pia Sho board beneath. Reena turned her sour expression down to this, then back up at Fung.
"It will help pass the time." Fung suggested hopefully.
"You better make some damn good tea, old man." Reena shot back and sighed as Fung grinned happily again, the old man reaching under the table for his box of playing pieces.
There were several others there in plain dark cloaks and one agent, one or two searching amongst the scattered wreckage that covered the shattered mount of a small hill though the agent and several others stood around looking bored. Once the Duke had gone to join them, the group had moved off quickly riding a board of stone the agent was Earthbending, keeping to the cover of the hills as they went.
As soon as it grew quiet, the tigress emerged from the rocks nearby, her head close to the ground as she moved up the hill. Reaching the top she looked down into absolute destruction and carnage, the charred remains of humans and animals buried amongst the rubble below beginning to putrefy and rot in the dry desert air. She estimated the base had more than a score of levels surrounding a central shaft although it was hard to be accurate. The lowest levels were completely destroyed but Azula leapt lightly down into what remained of the upper levels and explored. She soon began to suspect there was more to this place than a munitions dump. Weapons she found and armor too but alongside those were crates of food stacked high. All weather clothing, machinery supplies and in one large room that had survived unscathed, several cold, unused forges fully stocked with coal.
Soon after she emerged from the destroyed base, the big orange and black striped animal explored all about again with her nose pressed to the ground. For a while she found a tantalising trail, following the scent down the hill and a short distance away until it faded away in the shifting sands. She explored the area for close to an hour before returning to the base of the hill and the beginning of the trail, following it the other way then back into the base and from there back toward the Misty Palms oasis several miles away. Again she returned to the hill, a clear picture in her mind of his movements though she simply couldn't explain them and Azula returned to where she had first found his scent.
In a patch of sand collected amongst the rocks of the hills, Azula paused to stare at two sets of prints, their outlines softened by time and wind but still clearly recognisable. One was obviously Wolf-bat and the scent attached to them proved it but for the longest time Azula stared at the other prints. Like Wolf's they had a large heel and four wide toe pads but raising her head Azula looked to some rocks just beyond the sand drift in the direction the prints were headed. The tigress moved forward to the rocks and suddenly rising upwards into her human form, Azula reached out to pluck two dark brown hairs stuck to the side of a large boulder. She raised them to her nose, inhaling deeply and there she froze a moment, a single tear slipping from one glaring eye.
Closing her fingers about the strands of hair tightly, Azula threw back her shoulders, tipped back her head and roared at the sky. Like the eruption of a volcano the sound burst from her, rolling out over the flat landscape beyond the hills and a short while after she fell silent, Azula heard the faint echos come back to her from the distant mountains far to the south. And though she stood there waiting for long after, no answering call came back.
Far from the desert, a report was filed with the authorities of Half Moon Bay that day, a report backed up by dozens of eyewitness accounts. Along the busy highway that ran south of the city, two animals had been spotted moving just within the forest that bordered the southern side of the road. The reports saying that several young men travelling along the road spied these animals and pointed out the strangeness of one to other travellers using the road. One of the young men, apparently seeing an opportunity for profit had convinced his fellows to capture the animals and the small group had advanced with weapons drawn.
Few could say exactly what happened next, only that the larger of the two animals had moved with a speed that left the onlookers shocked and by the time it was over, more than a dozen people lay dead with just as many terribly injured. Yet all those who witnessed the attack insisted that more might have died but for the other animal, a smaller wolf-bat who had chased her companion, even throwing herself atop the brown animal as the pair snarled and snapped at each other. Her actions seemed to work however and the viscious creature stopped, the wolf-bat whining at her companion before the pair then raced away into the grasslands to the north.
The strangeness ended with two small, juvenile wolf-bats who had then swooped down to the road, paused to urinate on the remains of the man who had first suggested hunting the animals before taking off again, yipping and chirruping excitedly as they chased after the other two. None dared follow as those who hadn't run at the start of the attack stared at the wounded and dying, some helping where they could while trying not to look at the remains of those the creature had torn limb from limb.
After she returned and told of what she had found, Fung excused himself to send a report to the other grandmasters, leaving Azula and Reena alone in the cantina's back rooms. Azula paced restlessly while Reena sat in thoughtful silence, both young women lost in their thoughts.
"Should we search the desert?" Reena asked after several minutes, "We could get the others to help."
"He passed through the desert. Those dead Sandbenders prove that but…he could be anywhere by now." Azula snapped, her voice hard though she continued pacing distractedly.
"Even when we were kids, Danny could pick out a scent a horizon away." Reena said softly and as Azula suddenly stopped to turn a glare her way, Reena added, "I just mean, why hasn't he found us yet?"
"I don't know." Azula returned, her own voice softening as she moved to drop onto the seat across the table from Reena, "Something isn't right and this is part of it."
Dropping her hand onto the table, Azula uncurled her fingers to reveal the two strands of brown hair she had found.
"Danny's hair?" Reena asked curiously, "What's wrong with that?"
"This isn't human and nor is it Wolf's. His hair is grey." Azula said, frowning thoughtfully again, "But Danny's scent is on these the same as those prints I found. Prints like a wolf's but not the Wolf we know."
"So…what do you think it means?" Reena asked hopefully though this only earned her another glare from Azula.
"I told you…I don't know." Azula snapped angrily then covered her face with her hands, sighing tiredly as she dropped them again, "Look…do you have anywhere you'd like to be right now? I just need…I need to…to go tell Aang what we've found."
The lie felt forced to Azula and she could see her companion did not believe a word of it yet Reena only nodded a moment later.
There were any number of ways she could get into the royal bedchambers but for the sake of protocol and considering what her brother and the two women he shared his bed with may be up to, Azula felt more comfortable approaching their door through the hallways. From midday in the earthen kingdoms to early pre-dawn in the Firenation, Azula was surprised to see someone standing before the doors to the royal rooms.
"Jeong Jeong?" Azula asked softly and the older man jumped, turning to her with a start.
"Oh, forgive me, Princess. I was just, err." Jeong Jeong began uncomfortably.
"It's just Azula now." She told him with a shrug, "So…why are you out here about to rob me of the pleasure of forcing my brother out of his bed before dawn?"
"Oh, err, I was, uh," the older man began, seeming unsure at first before he made up his mind, "Perhaps it would be best if I spoke to you. Would you speak to me in private, Lady Azula?"
He gazed back at her with uncharacteristic worry and concern but still she paused a moment, weighing his request against her own desire to speak with her loved ones behind the door in front of them.
"Follow me." She said after a moment, turning and walking away from the royal chambers.
It wasn't long before she stepped out onto cool wet grass, walking quickly over to the ornamental pond and looking down into the fading stars reflected from the still water.
"I remember every time I had to come to the palace I would find your mother here." Jeong Jeong said softly as he came to stand at her side.
"What compelled you to come see my brother so early?" Azula asked simply, her voice level and emotionless.
"Actually…I need to speak to Firelady Mai." Jeong Jeong said, both his voice and his face in the faint light seeming much older, "It concerns Tom Tom…and my daughter."
Azula remained silent as she digested this and the older man at her side was quick to continue.
"I know and trust Tom Tom implicitly. To be honest, far more than I do Zhu Lee and I am well aware she has been sneaking out to visit him at night." He paused a moment, sighing as he turned to face Azula, "Like you and Ty Lee, they were instant friends. Inseparable from the moment they met and for the most part I have been…grateful for his influences on her."
Pausing again, Jeong Jeong's face hardened as he turned back to face the still pond.
"But since his and Ty Lee's…incident during the battle here, during our training sessions Tom Tom is becoming more and more aggressive with his Firebending." He continued, his voice slightly angry but growing more worried, "Yet his skills are advancing far beyond anything I have seen in a student before and that includes you, my Lady. And like when I first trained you, it is going to his head."
Turning to face Jeong Jeong for the first time, Azula's only reaction was to arch an eyebrow.
"He is insisting I bring Zhu Lee into our training sessions. Day after day he DEMANDS it." Jeong Jeong growled heatedly.
"You still won't allow her to be trained?" Azula asked in a disbelieving tone, "After what happened?"
"After what happened it's more important than ever I keep her safe and Tom Tom above all should see that." Jeong Jeong continued in the same angry tones, "But he is brash, arrogant and…should not speak to his master like…he,"
The old general fell silent then, turning to Azula again as the tension drained from him and he held out his hands toward her pleadingly.
"My Lady…he…has challenged me to Agni Kai."
"Jeong Jeong, he is a child." Azula said patiently, adding with a shrug, "And considering his age, his aggression can easily be explained by,"
"He is a prince." Jeong Jeong insisted in the same angry yet defeated tone, "Perhaps he doesn't favour using his title but he is the younger brother of the Firelady and a prince of this nation. By the laws of our land, I cannot refuse him."
"Those laws are ancient and Zuko can always," Azula began.
"I will not be the one to break our most sacred traditions." He interrupted again as he dropped his face, "But nor will I dishonour the boy by fighting him. I will accept banishment but I came to see the Firelady to ask her to watch Tom Tom closely. I…I fear for the boy."
"You will NOT be banished and if I have any authority left you can consider that an order, Jeong Jeong." Azula snapped, releasing a heavy sigh of her own, "I'll talk to Mai myself when she gets up but I'm sure if something was wrong with Tom Tom she would know. I know Aang's checked him and Ty Lee a couple of times. He said something of Daniel imprinted onto them but that should have faded days ago."
"And that is true of Ty Lee. She is back to her…usual self." Jeong Jeong said softly, rolling his eyes at Azula before he added pensively, "But in Tommy…they are not great changes…but he is changed."
Azula stared back at the older man in silence for close to a minute before her lips twitched upwards, her sudden smile extending up to her eyes.
"You care a lot for him, don't you?" she asked softly.
"He has been the best…the truest of friends to her." He replied, his own voice dropping to a whisper, "All of my daughters may be alike but with Zhu, she is happiest when Tommy is with her…Like Ty Lee was with you and now with Gar and…I see so much of their mother in their smiles."
"I actually came to see Mai this morning with…other concerns." Azula began after a moment, her own smile slipping though it quickly reformed as she looked up at Jeong Jeong, "But I think I will take the time to speak to her and Tommy both while I'm here. In the meantime…at least until Mai gets out of bed, I wonder if…may I ask something of you?"
The older man looked up at her curiously as Azula blushed suddenly, looking away uncomfortably.
"I just wondered…about my mother." Azula blurted out into the silence that followed, "Was she…ever happy here?"
He merely stared back curiously for a moment before Jeong Jeong turned to face the pond again just as Azula was, the pair standing almost shoulder to shoulder as the faint glow of dawn washed away the stars from the eastern horizon.
"When I was just a boy at the academy, my best friend and I both met our future wives on the same day." Jeong Jeong began after a moment, a wistful smile on his face, "Like us, the girls we wished to marry were the best of friends and while I was rather focused on my Tao Lee at the time, I remember your mother could rarely get the smile off her face as your father courted and romanced her as only a prince of the Firenation can."
"My father?" Azula shot at him as her head snapped around, "You were friends?"
"From the day we met, just like you and Ty Lee. Zhu and Tom Tom." He answered with a soft smile, "And just like you we were always in trouble. We faced Firelord Azulon's ire more than once but in those days your father cared little for politics or the war. Iroh was the favoured child and that was how Ozai preferred it. From the day he met her, all he wanted was to love your mother and make her happy and that is how I remember her. And don't think she was an angel either, I remember when your mother convinced Tao Lee, your father and I into skinny-dipping in the duck pond here. Your uncle threated to tell the Firelord so we grabbed him, stripped him naked and threw him in the pond." as Azula stared open mouthed, Jeong Jeong sighed and added, "We were all such…happy idiots back then."
Pain and more confusing emotions whirled inside Azula but without her conscious control, a snort of amusement escaped her at Jeong Jeong's words and she wiped at her eyes as she turned to the man beside her.
"Tell me more." Azula said quietly, her voice breaking as she added, "Please."
Smiling softly, Jeong Jeong sat down at the pond's edge, Azula quickly joining him at his side and the pair ignored the cold, wet grass beneath them. Lost in his memories, Jeong Jeong spoke softly of days long past and Azula listened raptly at his side, neither paying attention to the rapidly brightening sky above and long after the palace awoke around them, there they remained.
Few noticed her as they went about their daily lives and she was careful to keep things that way, remaining in the shadow of a large dome shaped building as people crunched their way through the snowy streets around. It was close to midday here at the capitol of the Southern Watertribe even with the sun sitting only a few hand widths above the horizon yet the streets were busy, smoke rising from the chimneys of many of the dome shaped buildings. Toward the docks, people clustered thickly working to unload the huge metal ship docked there, some of the fish taken straight to waiting boats while the rest was sorted and taken to nearby warehouses for processing.
She had simply stared around in wonder at her first arrival here but now Reena had eyes for only one place, the only structure of stone and wood set in the center of the town. There was little activity here though some people came and went, some familiar to her, some not and more than once Reena had stepped forward intending to go there herself, only to step back beside the wall where she had remained for a couple hours now.
"The kids are home…if you want to come in." came a voice and Reena spun sharply around, surprised to see Ty Lee standing there in her garishly bright pink kimono, "Sokka went to the Firenation to work with Toph and Suki's out for the day with Tiki and Link in Gaoling so me and Gar came to babysit."
Reena simply stared back at first, something almost hopeful on her face but she turned away from Ty Lee a moment later with a sigh.
"You don't need to pretend to like me." Reena said harshly as Ty Lee moved around to her side, "I know I'm not welcome around any of you. I just…wanted to see this place. See how different it is to what I remember."
"But you are welcome." Ty Lee added with a frown, "Sokka said he'd invited you."
"Because he's a big dumb sap who can't help it." Reena snapped, her voice breaking as she dropped her face, "But…I left them behind…so long ago and…I can never go home. Not just because of the things I've done but…because…I don't belong here anymore."
"That's not true." Ty Lee insisted in a reassuring tone, "I know this isn't your world and I know Danny felt the same way at first but I think he wanted you to have the same chance that he had. A chance to make new friends, a new family. A home."
"Oh, please." Reena said disparagingly, "He saved me out of guilt. For his all-important redemption."
"If you think that then you really didn't know him very well anymore." Ty Lee snapped, all sweetness gone from her tone as she put her hands on her hips and narrowed her eyes at Reena, "He didn't save you for himself or even for you…He did it for June."
"The…bounty hunter?" Reena asked in confusion, "Why would she want to save me?"
"When you understand that, you'll know you're not alone anymore." Ty Lee replied with a smile that grew into a grin as Reena gave her a frustrated frown, "Now, are you just going to stand out here in the cold or would you like to come in?"
"I…I shouldn't," Reena began, her frown deepening, "Mo…Suki wouldn't want,"
"Hello." Interrupted a tiny voice and both women spun to the side, their faces then turning down.
A little girl in thick winter clothing stood there, the hood pulled back to reveal short auburn hair and wide blue eyes that stared up at Reena in wonder.
"Re…I thought you were having a nap." Ty Lee admonished the girl but received only a sweet smile in return.
But beside Ty Lee, the adult Reena stumbled half a step back, the shock of seeing her four year old self standing there less than the shock of seeing what the little girl carried in her arms.
"Where…where did you…get that?" she breathed, pointing with one trembling hand at the dirty and often repaired Air-bison doll clutched in little Reena's arms.
"Danny say his friend give him Appa to make him happy." The little girl said brightly, lifting up her bison doll and then turning to look back at her house, "I see you outside and you sad too so…I give him back."
As Ty Lee's eyes misted over happily, Reena fought back her own tears as she reached out gingerly to take the doll, lifting it to her face and staring with wide eyes.
"He…he carried it all this time?" she breathed, unable to look away from the toy.
"He has a bunch of paintings too." Ty Lee told her brightly, "There's one of you and I love what you've done with the Kyoshi uniform in it."
"I remember that. Kuzon used to draw our designs for us." Reena answered distractedly, looking down at the little girl before her, "Danny gave you this?"
When she nodded, Reena slowly sank to her knees and held out the stuffed toy toward the little girl.
"Yeah, I gave him to Danny a long, long time ago." Reena told her as her four year old doppelganger took the bison from her, "But if Danny gave him to you that means you should have him. I know Appa will be much happier with you."
"Oh, ok." The little girl replied uncertainly, then grinned hugely as she added, "But if you wanna play with him…I gots TWO Appas now."
Such was the little girl's excitement and enthusiasm that Reena could not help but smile while Ty Lee giggled with a grin to match their tiny companion's.
"I'm afraid that will have to wait." drawled a new voice and all three looked up to see Azula standing nearby.
"Anny Zula." little Reena cried happily, pushing past the other two to throw herself at Azula.
"Aunty Azula?" the older Reena asked dryly, watching as Azula lifted the little girl into her arms to embrace her warmly.
"Oh, Zula's always been great with kids." Ty Lee said with a grin while her old friend rolled her eyes at her.
"Hey, Ty." Azula greeted her then as she shifted Reena about in her arms, "Did Reena…that Reena give you the news?"
"No." Ty Lee answered with a curious glance at the woman beside her but as that Reena blushed and dropped her face, Ty Lee quickly added, "But we only just met and…I don't think I gave her the chance to talk yet and then Re came out and then,"
"Azula found something." Reena said and Ty Lee fell silent, looking to both women with wide eyes.
"Danny?" Ty Lee squeaked in excitement.
"His scent at least and…some tracks." Azula told her uncomfortably, "I'm not certain what has happened to him but I have some suspicions and I have just had very enlightening conversations with both Jeong Jeong and Mai."
"My Dad?" Ty Lee asked in surprise, "What would my Dad know about Danny?"
"Actually…mostly we talked about my father." Azula said quietly, earning another blink of surprise, "But both he and Mai had some interesting things to tell me about Tom Tom."
"Tommy? But…Aang checked us out. A couple times." Ty Lee shot back with a worried frown, "I had some bad dreams the first few days but they're gone now."
"Tom Tom's it seems have not and Aang has been busy elsewhere for the last few days." Azula told them, adding in darker tones, "But if my suspicions are correct…and we will go to confirm those shortly…but if I'm right, I need to get Tommy to Aang and soon."
"Oh." Was all Ty Lee could reply at first, "Alright but…do you have time to come in and tell me what's going on?"
She wasn't surprised to see her friend give this serious consideration but Ty Lee relaxed as Azula nodded.
"I'll, uh." Reena began as Azula and Ty Lee went to move away, "I'll wait out here."
"No. No." the little girl in Azula's arms cried, wriggling excitedly until she was obligingly lowered to the ground and then ran over to stand before her older doppelganger, "You gotta come cause Maki an Koda broke Daddy's paint thingy."
"Were they in your Dad's workshop again?" Ty Lee asked with an exasperated sigh.
"Yeah, they were always breaking stuff and blaming it on me…well, you." Reena added, dropping down to one knee before the little girl, "But…sweetheart, isn't Gar in there with them?"
"Nah, they tied him up." The little girl replied with a shrug.
"What?" Ty Lee squeaked in alarm, "I only came out here five minutes ago."
"My stinky brothers always do mean stuff." Little Reena continued, looking up at her larger self with an odd twinkle in her eye, "But now I got a big sister…who look just like Mommy."
With her doll tucked under one arm, little Reena rubbed her gloved hands together, absolute delight on her face as she released a dark and ominous giggle.
"I knew there was a reason I liked her." Azula quipped with a smirk, then added to Reena with a jerk of her head toward the house, "We have a little time. Shall we help her out?"
"Well…alright." Reena said, unable to help grinning down at the little girl, "But instead of me pretending to be Mo…your Mom how about I teach you how I used to keep my brothers in their place?"
"Tommy? Tom Tom." She called insistently, relief showing on her face as his eyes opened.
"Zhu? What's the," he began, raising a hand to shield his eyes from the sun before he sat up with a gasp.
The colour drained from Tom Tom's face as he looked about at the neatly trimmed bushes surrounding them though he blushed next, his face growing almost beet red and the colour rapidly spreading down to his chest as the boy realised he was not just outdoors but very, very naked. Revealing a sheet she had with her, Zhu Lee flicked it up over Tom Tom and he gave her a small grateful smile but she only sat back on her knees, looking to her best friend with worry and concern.
"Your Mom said you were still in bed but it was lucky I wanted to surprise you and climb up to your window." She breathed, admonishing the boy softly as he stared back in confusion, "And it's just as lucky the servants haven't come outside yet. Tommy, you were…I think you buried one of your Mom's garden ornaments."
Leaning to one side, Zhu Lee thrust her arm into the bushes that surrounded them, making a hole for Tom Tom to peer through. Sure enough he found himself looking out into the large, well-managed gardens behind his family's home and just as Zhu Lee said, under a tree nearby he could see a mound of fresh dirt with the lower half of a brightly painted statuette poking from it.
"Tommy…You have got to tell someone about this…Please." Zhu Lee almost begged, "Your sister says it's just cause you're getting older but Tommy…you have to tell her everything."
"But…they're just dreams, Zhu." He replied uncomfortably, "And Avatar Aang said they'd go away."
"But they're not." She snapped desperately, adding in a rush, "Maybe he was wrong or he missed something but Tommy…I'm getting really worried. You can barely sleep but as soon as you do the nightmares start and now you're doing weird stuff in your sleep and then while you're awake you're all strung out and restless and…and Tommy, you…you really shouldn't have fought with my father yesterday."
"I know and…I promise I'll take it back." Tom Tom said quickly, his discomfort growing, "I really thought he would back down."
"You know what my Daddy is like." She admonished him again, though she smiled briefly as she did, "It's sweet of you to stand up for me but Tommy…this isn't like you. You have to see Mai or Avatar Aang again…tell them about the dreams at least."
"But Zhu…the dreams, they're not nightmares." Tom Tom said then, continuing quickly as she gave him a disbelieving look, "They're not. Sometimes they can be scary but mostly…I dream of running through forests and endless fields and…hunting with a family but…they're kind of hard to see except I can feel them inside me too…a part of me. When I have those dreams, Zhu it's like…like when we race over the roofs of the city…when there's no one else in the world except you and me…just running…together…free."
Her smile widened as he spoke softly and as Tom Tom finished, Zhu Lee leaned forward to caress his cheek with a gentle kiss. He blushed deeply again, reminded once more of their position and the thin sheet that was all that covered him. Zhu Lee's smiled faded however and she looked to him with concern once more.
"I understand, Tommy but even you have to accept that something is…well, not wrong but there is something different about you and it's beginning to show." She breathed, moving closer again to rest a hand on his chest over his heart, "I can see it in your aura now. It's so jumpy and filled with so many colours and right down deep inside…I see pain. But the main thing…is your eyes."
"My eyes?" he asked, staring back into hers as she drew close.
"I see them reflected in your aura now but…those are closed." Zhu Lee breathed quietly, brushing her fingers over his forehead before leaning close to gaze into his eyes, "I always loved your eyes, Tommy. Like polished gold…but lately…when the light hits them just right, your eyes shine like silver."
He had almost become lost in her wide, soft grey eyes but the spell broke as Zhu Lee sat back, her eyes filling with concern again as she looked to him.
"If you don't want to talk to Mai or Avatar Aang then…talk to my Daddy." She almost begged him, "Please Tommy. You know he will help."
"I know and…I really am sorry, Zhu." Tom Tom, looking down at the sheet covering his waist he finished as a fresh blush spread over him, "If, uh, if you'll grab me some clothes from my room we could…we could go talk to him now…together. If…if you'll come with me?"
"I will, Tommy. It'll be alright, you'll see." She breathed, lunging forward to wrap her arms about his torso in a tight embrace, "Daddy won't be mad…well, no more than usual. He really likes you."
"I guess…and like I said I'll take back the challenge." Tom Tom said with a slightly frightened look as she released him, "I don't know what I was thinking. I was angry but I don't really want to fight your Dad. He'd fry me in a heartbeat."
"You think?" came a voice from beyond the bushes, both children freezing in sudden horror, "And I have a feeling he's going to enjoy frying your ass when he hears about this."
"Come out here you two." snapped another more familiar voice.
Both blushing now, they paused as Tom Tom tied his sheet more securely about his waist then crawled out from under the bushes, emerging into bright sunlight and finding themselves confronted by two young women similarly attired in green tunic and pants. One young woman smirked at the pair, her shoulders shaking with barely restrained humour but the other lent forward to scrutinize Tom Tom closely with a golden eyed glare.
"I'm glad I didn't bring either of your sisters." Azula said, her glare unchanged, "If Jeong Jeong didn't kill you, they most likely would."
"B…but, Lady Azula…you don't understand." Tom Tom began, the boy white faced and stuttering into silence.
"Man, my aunt used to tell me some wild stories but I doubt even she hung around with naked boys at this age." The other young woman shot at Zhu Lee with a wide grin, the girl's mouth opening and closing though at first she could make no sound.
"Reena." Azula said in a soft warning, dropping to her knees then to take Tom Tom's head in both her hands.
He found himself blushing deeply again as Azula's eyes scrutinised every inch of him before her and Tom Tom squeaked in protest as she roughly pulled his head down, bringing her own forward to bury her nose in his hair, inhaling deeply. Then lifting his golden eyes to hers and searching there intently once more, Tom Tom stared back in confusion as his face was pushed side to side, up and down until suddenly Azula's glare vanished and she smiled, then to his horror she pulled the boy roughly forward and embraced him tightly.
"Err…Angel Zula?" Zhu Lee asked after a minute, watching Azula hold Tom Tom in confusion although the tiniest knot appeared between Zhu Lee's brows, her lips compressing into a frown.
She released Tom Tom but Azula did not acknowledge Zhu Lee at first, only remaining on her knees and staring thoughtfully at the boy before her.
"He wove you together well, didn't he? No wonder Aang missed you in there." Azula seemed to say to the boy, both her words and the sad smile she gave him deepening his confusion, "But you're going to have to complete that bond to survive. I can't find him and…I think…he surrendered himself to…to become what he's always feared…to become the Beast."
"You really think his friend is in there?" Reena asked quietly, arching an eyebrow at the back of Azula's head.
"It explains the things we've found." Azula replied, still staring into Tom Tom's confused eyes, "Those animals behaviour and…what they did to that base."
"Lady Azula?" Tom Tom breathed, fear beginning to overshadow his confusion, "What's going on? What's happening to me?"
"Nothing terrible, Tommy." Azula told him, turning her soft smile onto Zhu Lee beside him, "Now I have a lot to explain and…I need your help. Both of you."
"Our help?" the boy asked as Zhu Lee shifted closer to him.
"I will explain some things to you that may seem difficult to understand but then both of you will go and pack for a long journey." Azula told them, their confused faces following as she rose to her feet, "We are going to join Avatar Aang and continue our search for Daniel together. Because I think you, Tom Tom might be the only one who can find him."
Both still struggled with their confusion but both of the pre-teen children turned to each other with wide eyes, grinning at each other a moment later.
"How did you ever talk my Daddy into this?" Zhu Lee breathed as they turned back.
"Simple." Reena answered, leaning forward to grin into Tom Tom's face, "He's coming with us."
The colour again drained from Tom Tom's face as his and Zhu Lee's smiles vanished and the young girl blinked in surprise as she heard a soft thud from beside her, looking down then to see her best friend out cold on the ground.
Appearing just inside the door of her rebuilt home, Suki stretched her arms tiredly and began stripping away her armour, hanging it piece by piece on hooks near the door.
"Hello?" she called into her unusually quiet house, "I'm home."
"We're in the kitchen." She heard her husband call back.
"I'm not surprised you beat me home or that Tiki and Linka asked for my help. Goaling's soldiers really are useless." Suki said loudly, making her way through the house, "Have Ty and Gar…already…gone…what the?"
Her voice trailed into silence as she entered the kitchen firstly from the sight of her husband sitting at the table and staring open mouthed and as Suki followed his gaze, her jaw dropped as well. One of her sons stood before their iron stove stirring a large bubbling pot with one hand and turning several pieces of fish sizzling in a pan beside it while her other son stood before the sink, industriously washing dishes. Standing in the middle of this, Reena stood with her little arms folded over her chest, glowering at her brothers while they worked.
"Momma!" the little girl cried as she spied Suki.
As Reena ran across the room, Hakoda and Maki looked up from their work to send frightened looks at their mother but quickly dropped their faces again. Picking Reena up into her arms, Suki shared a glance with Sokka but he could only shrug in return.
"Maki. Koda." Reena suddenly snapped, her brothers shoulders hunching at her words, "Mamma need nice hot tea an her slippers."
Wordlessly the twins moved to comply, Maki leaving the room briefly while Hakoda quickly prepared a pot and a cup for his mother. He carried them over to the table, giving his mother and Reena a wide bearth and as Maki returned with a pair of fur trimmed slippers, Suki noticed the way he too kept his distance from his sister, dropping the footwear near the table and moving quickly away.
"Good boys." Reena said happily from her mother's arms as Suki moved to sit beside her husband, sharing in his amazement as the twins returned to their chores.
"Err." Suki began.
"Don't look at me." Sokka breathed without taking his eyes from his sons, "They cleaned my workshop, Suki. Like, really cleaned it. I found tools in there I haven't seen in years."
"Reena?" Suki said then, settling the girl on her lap and staring levelly at her, "Did your brothers get in any trouble with Aunty Ty or Uncle Gar?"
"Look what I learn." Was Reena's eager reply.
Turning to the table, Reena's face scrunched up in concentration and her little hands began to weave a complex, fluid pattern above the small teapot. Moments later a stream of dark tea emerged slowly from the pot's spout, coiling and twisting through the air like a snake as it made it's way to the cup nearby. The cup was quickly filled and though some tea splashed onto the table as Reena dropped her hands, she turned back to her mother with an enormous smile.
"Oh, sweetheart. That was amazing." Suki breathed, returning Reena's smile, "Your control is getting so much better. Did you work that out yourself?"
Looking thoughtful for a moment, Reena smiled sweetly up at her mother.
"Kinda." The four year old answered.
"No she didn't." grumbled Maki from across the room.
"She learned it from," began Hakoda.
Before either Sokka or Suki realised what she was doing, Reena glared at her brothers backs then reached again for her mother's tea cup. With a twist of her wrist and then bringing her arm up over her shoulder, Reena caused the tea in the cup to rise up in a long stream that flashed across the room to snap in the air between the twins with a loud crack. Everybody jumped and the twins again returned wordlessly to their tasks while Sokka and Suki turned incredulous eyes onto their daughter. Her arms in constant motion, Reena managed to return most of the tea to its cup then beamed with pride at her parents before turning more of a grin toward her brothers.
"Now be good and give Momma and Daddy dinner." Reena told them, "Or I tell Momma who broke her Kyoshi fan."
"Re." the twins cried in unison.
"I kind of guessed it was them." Suki said with a shrug, "Even if I couldn't prove it at the time."
"Ok, then I tell what they did to those pengy-seals that time." The little girl continued cheerfully, "Or how they spied on grandpa Koda's naked lady friend or how they broke Gran Gran's,"
"OK! OK!" the twins cried again, rushing to ready plates and begin serving the meal they had been preparing.
While Suki and Sokka's wide eyes travelled from their sons to their daughter and back again, little Reena only sat comfortably in her mother's lap, grinning from ear to ear the entire time.
"Tiki. TIKI!" Linka cried, sprinting along a narrow road.
Her friend had just emerged from the Bei Fong estate situated just outside the walls of Goaling, a large and bustling city near the southern coast of the earthen kingdoms. Obviously tired, her shoulders slumped and her white face paint streaked with sweat, Tiki sent a slightly annoyed look to her friend as she ran up, panting breathlessly from her run.
"Link. Where have you been?" Tiki said testily as Linka caught her breath, "Suki already went home and I had to finish training those useless recruits on my own…and the next time one of those idiots tries to grab my ass I swear I'm going to stab him with a,"
"Wait…Tik." Linka gasped as she finally found her voice, her eyes wide and excited, "The messenger hawks just came in with reports. Look at these from Half Moon Bay."
Thrusting out her hand, Linka revealed a fistful of rolled parchments that Tiki took with a tired frown, unrolling them and scanning their contents quickly.
"Oh, look." Tiki commented and rolled her eyes as she began walking past Linka toward the gates to the town, "The price of strawberries has gone up."
"No, Tiki." Linka said insistently as she caught up, "Look further down the page."
"More animal attacks?" Tiki said in the same tired tones as they entered the wide gates, reading the papers in her hand as they walked, "Come on Link. We don't know those Sandbenders were killed by Danny and we can't just assume every animal attack we read about is,"
"No wait, Tiki. Listen." Linka said insistently, grabbing her friend's arm to halt her, "The reason I took so long to pick up the reports was because Azula called me."
"She did?" Tiki asked curiously as Linka nodded vigorously.
"She said she's joining up with Aang and Katara because she thinks she found Wolf." Linka blurted excitedly.
"Wolfie?" Tiki shot back, sudden excitement on her own face to match her friend's, "And…Danny?"
"No. That's the funny thing. She said they're not together anymore." Linka replied with a frown but her excitement grew again quickly as she snatched the rolls of papers from Tiki, "But Azula also said she and…that woman went back to the desert for another look and over near the Misty Palms she found wolf tracks and some of Danny's hair and…this is the important bit…he seemed to be travelling with a wolf-bat."
"A wolf-bat?" Tiki asked, her confusion growing, "Why is that important?"
"It didn't make sense to me till I read the reports." Linka said, holding up the papers she held in a trembling hand, "Listen, first it was those Sandbenders in the middle of the desert and now look here. A few days ago a father and son in the forests not far north of the desert reported a strange animal with a wolf-bat killed their hunting partner and here, this is from today, an unknown type of animal in the company of a wolf-bat attacked a bunch of people on the road southwest of Full Moon Bay."
"But, Link…if…if it's him," Tiki said slowly, her excitement fading as she reread the reports with wide eyes, "Why is he killing everyone?"
"I…I don't know." Linka answered her own expression falling, "That's why I came to get you. We need to take this to Azula personally instead of tell her with the crystals. It's too important."
"Yeah…and she can tell us what happened to poor Wolfie." Tiki said with a frown then added thoughtfully, "She found signs near the Oasis, then those Sandbenders, then that father and his boy and the last just south of Full Moon Bay. He's going north. Do you think…maybe he's going to Ba Sing Sa?"
"I don't know but that's where Aang is and Azula said she's going to join him." Linka said as she set a determined frown on her face, "So it's where we're going right now."
"Alright. I'm with you, Link." Tiki said, thrusting out her hand but suddenly drew it back as Linka reached for it, "And, Link? I know you're mad, sweetheart but please, don't do anything…nasty to…that other Reena while we're around Katara and her kids."
"I promise." Linka said with a warm smile although it quickly disappeared, "At least while we're around the kids."
Linka simply vanished from the street then, leaving Tiki standing there a moment shaking her head with another tired sigh before she followed.
Between two tall buildings near to where the two Kyoshi Warriors had been, a shadow arose in far back inside the alley. It would have been difficult for any passers-by to see into the dark alley but none could have seen through the shadows surrounding the figure who stood there looking out, even the luminous blue green glow in place of her eyes were muted by the darkness that drifted about her like smoke.
"My…Lord." Jin hissed in a barely audible whisper, "They suspect him…to be in Ba Sing Sa and seek…him there."
You have candidates prepared there? came the immediate response in her mind.
"Many, my…Lord." Jin hissed, the new scars across her brow gathering together as she suddenly frowned, "But…I do not wish to…return to that,"
Jin. the deep voice reverberated through her thoughts, You are my perfect weapon, Jin. You will be...PERFECTION.
Instantly her frown vanished, her face going blank for the briefest moment before a cold smile settled on her lips.
"Yes…my Lord." She whispered again.
Go to Ba Sing Sa but until it is time or you have a confirmed sighting of him, we must use my mother's essence sparingly. the voice told her, Unleash just two of your candidates upon them. Give them a taste of what is to come.
"It will…be done, my Lord." she replied, the darkness surrounding her gathering close before it simply blew away and Jin was gone.
Hooray! Two chapters down and I got em done fast! I hope they turned out alright but I gotta go away for a few days which means no more writing for awhile. WHaaaaaGH!
I hope it turned out ok. You better REVIEW and let me know just in case.
