Chapter 2 up, finally. R&R please
Window Shopping
The group slowly made their way back to the campsite. "Aang!" Katara said as she rushed to his side.
Aang fell and clutched his waist. Toph and Katara helped him up and carried him to the tent.
Avin sat down in front of the fire and waited for the healing session to end. Aang's wound was dragging the entire team down, Avin thought bitterly. He looked at his sword, blood still dripping from it.
He realized angrily that although Aang and Toph had fought with him, they hadn't bothered to kill anyone.
We're at war, dammit! Don't they realize that every soldier they leave alive could come back to hurt us? Avin thought.
The soldiers are people like anyone else. Toph and Aang were only showing compassion for others, something you no longer believe in, he replied to himself, a little sadly.
You know something, I don't understand you. Why show anyone the mercy we were never shown?
WE? I'm Avin. There's only one of us. Don't forget that.
Sorry.
Avin spat into the fire angrily. "Don't worry about me, guys. I'm fine."
Toph sat down next to Avin. "Doing ok, Airhead?"
"I'm fine, thanks for asking. Oh wait, no I'm not." Avin muttered angrily.
"What do you mean?" Toph asked.
"I could have taken them all a hundred years ago. But now, I can't even hold my own without you and Aang helping me out of there." Avin said bitterly.
"Listen, we all know you can fight. And you're killing yourself, practicing for hours every day, whether Aang's there or not. Why? Why does it matter so much to you?"
Avin looked into the crackling flames. "Everything came easy to you, Toph. Not everyone is naturally a great bender."
"Is that what you think? That everything was easy for me?" Toph said, anger in her voice, "Because I sure don't!"
Avin got up and walked out of the clearing. "I don't expect you to."
Toph smashed the ground next to her in anger. What an airhead...
The little earth kingdom village Avin had walked to didn't offer much, unfortunately. Just the average array of small shops and restaurants. However, one shop caught his eye; one that dealed in spiritual antiques. Maybe he would find something from the airbenders, maybe even something he had made, long ago...
As he walked in, an old man behind the counter welcomed him. Avin nodded and started looking around. Nothing particularly interesting...but a glint of light caught Avin's eye.
A pair of golden amulets. Just looking at them made Avin feel different, they filled every fiber of his being with...the feeling he seemed to get every time he looked at Toph. Only a million times stronger.
"Ah," the old man said, making Avin jump, "You've met the Amulets of Destiny."
"The what of what now?" Avin asked.
"To make a very long legend short, the spirit of Destiny once fell in love with a mortal man. So she made herself human, and put all her energy into these two Amulets. The legend goes on to say that if you wear one of the Amulets, and give the other to the person you love, then you and said person will be destined to each other, together for the rest of your lives."
At this, Avin's mind jumped. That's it!!! Voices seemed to yell at him, That's the way to Toph's heart!
"I'll take them!" Avin said, excited.
"I'm sorry, young man, but they're not for sale..."
"Surely, there has to be something..." Avin trailed off. If there was nothing the man wanted for them, he wouldn't have put them on display, Avin thought to himself.
"Well, if you can find me an Odelot blade, then I will give you both Amulets."
"It's a deal!!" Avin said as he turned to leave.
"Oh, and one more thing. Choose your other carefully. If it isn't love, then the Amulets may work differently, or not at all. Destiny doesn't like being cheated..."
"Don't worry, I'm sure I'll be fine," muttered Avin as he ran out of the store. To be honest, he hadn't been paying attention, as his thoughts were filled with visions of him and Toph.
Back at the campsite, Aang and Toph sat alone. Aang sighed as he looked at the sky, tinted different shades of pink and red due to the setting sun. From what Toph told him, Avin had decided to spend the day in the village nearby. He would have asked, but something in Toph's voice told him to back off. Katara had gone to find a pond to clean Avin's sword; if she didn't do it, then who would? And who knows where Sokka could be. Probably still out hunting, or trying to, to be more accurate.
"Are we going to eat soon?" Toph spoke up.
Aang sat down near her. "Doubt it."
Toph grimaced as her stomach grumbled. "Grr, I'll find something to eat." She said as she got up.
"So, feeling better, Twinkle Toes?" Toph asked as she rifled through Avin's bag.
"I guess," Aang shrugged, "But these healing sessions aren't helping me, they're only stopping me from getting any worse."
"Sugar Queen not doing her job?" Toph asked, grabbing a piece of meat and plopping down onto the ground.
"I don't want to talk about Katara," Aang said as he looked away.
Toph's face fell a little. "You're lying."
"It hurts to have feelings for someone when they don't feel the same way." Aang confessed, "I'm still trying to feel better. I know she doesn't have feelings for me, at least not like I have for her. I know I should try to feel better and move on. But it still hurts, you know?"
Toph looked into Aang's eyes, wishing she could see his face. "Yeah, I do." She said softly, and a little sadly.
Aang smiled, and hugged her, to her surprise.
"Thanks for being my friend, Toph." Aang said. You're the only one who ever listens to me. To the world, I'm the Avatar. To you, I'm me. You see me.
She hugged him back, and tried to keep the hurt out of her words. "Don't worry about it, Twinkle Toes."
Friends. That was what he saw her as. She knew he meant it as a good thing, but no words had ever hurt her more.
"Aang," Toph asked suddenly, "What does the sunset look like?"
Aang and Toph lied down on the ground. Aang looked at all the different colors as Aang said, "It's nothing special." He looked at her. "There's a lot of things in this world, a lot more beautiful."
Toph smiled, and punched him in the arm.
Avin sighed. He was starting to think the old man had ripped him off. He dropped down to the ground as the guard left and ran down the hall.
Why all the secrecy? Just walk in and kill them all!
Avin looked around as he smashed the door down, and ran towards the sword.
No. No killing. These people didn't do anything, except own what I need.
The second guard was coming. He had to be quick.
Hrmf, don't tell me you're going soft on me?
He dove through the window and landed among the bushes.
Of course not, idiot, but...I don't want to kill anymore. It isn't right.
Avin ran on, despite the bruises and scrapes he had gotten. A guard patrolling the garden saw him.
Come on!! You sincerely believe that? This world won't take pity on you. It never has, it never will.
Avin lifted a hand as the man ran to raise the alarm. Avin could just kill the man now...
I won't kill for fun. That's what the Fire Nation does.
At this, the voices fell silent, and Avin ran silently, away from the estate.
It's too dark. The store's probably closed. So back to the campsite, then we get the Amulets first thing in the morning. No objections. Avin sighed with relief as he ran on, changing his direction towards the campsite.
Chapter 3 should be up either tomorrow or next week, depends on what happens. Hope you like the story so far!
