The Ties that Bind us
Yeah I know what you are thinking, the name is kinda overused, but I was unable to think of anything better, seriously, naming a fic. Is a pain, but well, as promised, a week has passed by and here is the next chap, I apologize for not replying your reviews, I have been kinda busy with school and contest entries as well as new fics and updates, I do enjoy reviews and feel sort of down for not replying, but trust me when I tell you, I do care a lot about what you wrote in your reviews and enjoyed them, for now just read this chap and be warned, fluff and theories are ahead.
I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.
The Ties that Bind us.
Aunt Wu took both Sokka and Toph inside of her fortune telling chamber, and forced them to take a sit, Sokka wasn't at all impressed by the look of the room they where at, violet and blue colored curtains adorned the place blocking the little light that would come inside during the day time, black candles with blue flames illuminated the place with a fashion of colors he had never seen before but weren't at all impressive for his eyes, and many pillows of gray, black, violet and deep blue colors around the floor. "What is this place? Some kind of demonic ritual sanctuary?"
"You may call it whatever you want, I call it the binding room." Sokka rolled his eyes annoyed, Toph just poked everywhere searching for something familiar since the pillows were adsorbing any vibration she could possibly feel. "Do not worry young maiden, I am aware of your vibrating sensing abilities, that's why I placed these pillows around the floor, for you to feel what the goodness of fortune has in store for you."
"Whatever you say… wait… we never told you I used earthbending to feel what is around me… how did you…? Wait, I know the answer… mumbo jumbo…?" Toph giggled a little, Sokka did the same. Aunt Wu just ignored them both and began firing some candles and placing them inside a couple of black and gold colored jars. These candles, once lighted, produced smoke of beautiful colors, one was sky blue and the other one was jade green, Sokka was surprised by these colors, giving an aura of freedom inside of this dark colored room. "What is this nice smell… it smells like the sea… and as… wet grounds… I like it."
"It is a natural essence I prepared especially for you my dear, since your eyes are unable to see, you will have to use your senses to seek your fortune." Toph was surprised, this time there were no doubts, Aunt Wu did know Toph was going to take this love fortune test. "Before I start I must make sure you understand how lucky you both are, this is the first time I use this chamber for fortune telling and the first time I will use this kind of fortune telling, whatever you see from now on and whatever you feel from now on, will be nothing more than a potential reality you two are bounded to live."
"That's what I am unable to understand, you said I had no future with Suki, but she was the first girl I ever fall in love with, and I still love her, then why am I taking the love fortune test with Toph." Toph hit Sokka hard; he just glared at the girl annoyed.
"Well thanks a lot noodle brain! I didn't want to take this test in the first place, you were the one saying I might want to know about my fortune but the truth is I don't even believe in this kind of things!" Toph crossed her arms annoyed; Sokka just continued rubbing his arm.
"Wait! I'm taking this test because I thought you wanted to have your fortune read! If none of us believe in this then why are we taking this damn love fortune test?" Toph moved her shoulders up and down, Sokka rolled his eyes annoyed. "I think we should leave now."
"How disappointing, I was just about to tell you why you and your soon to be former girlfriend are not meant to be together." Aunt Wu finally managed to win Sokka's attention and so he turned around and waited for her explanation. "But before I do, you must listen careful to what I have to say." Sokka nodded in agreement, Toph just rolled her blind eyes in annoyance. "This world is ruled by the rules of possibilities; our universe is like a branch which extends into an unlimited number of infinity possible states of varying probability." Toph didn't at all understand what Aunt Wu was talking about, but for some reason Sokka was actually interested by what she was saying. "For many, these possibilities are already ruled by the laws of our plane and space which forged our mere existence and can't change their possibilities, which is what I like to call fortune."
"You wanna know what I heard? Blah, blah, blah possibilities, blah, blah, blah, time and space, mumbo jumbo, not interested." Sokka was angered by that last and looked at her ashamed, for once; Toph was unable to feel his stare since the pillows around the place were pulling her into a state of complete blindness. "This is boring, can we go now?"
"What? You can't be serious, I mean she gave us such a simple explanation… you didn't understand did you?" Toph raised an eyebrow, she unable to understand and Sokka actually understanding? That had to be real magic. "Think about it this way, let's say I have one gold piece and wish to have more, so I play my gold piece in a dice game with you, if I win then you pay me a gold piece, if I lose then I give you mine." Toph found no actual help in what Sokka was saying, he slapped his forehead hard. "Just try to understand it ok? Applying the rules of possibilities, there is a plane of existence in which I won the game and one in which I lost, perhaps one in which it was a tie, or another in which I never challenged you to a game, that's the rule of infinite possibilities." Toph nodded in agreement but wasn't at all interested.
"Ok I understand your point, but what does that have to do with love fortune telling?" Sokka was about to say something but nothing came to his mind, Aunt Wu just smiled softly. "What is so funny, you won Sokka's interest, big deal, that's not hard to do."
"Actually, now that you understand the basics, I can continue with my explanation, you see young lady, your present self is one part of an infinite number of possible Tophs, perhaps in one reality you weren't born blind." Toph eyes widened open. "Perhaps in one reality, you never met Sokka and kept living your life without the knowledge of his existence, in another, you were never born." Toph's head lowered, Sokka noticed that last. "Perhaps in another plane, you lost the war to the Fire Nation… what I'm trying to say is… many have their fortunes already written, and many don't… you and your companion are of the lucky ones who still have control over their fortune."
"But… that also means… you can't tell us our fortune… since we still have control over it…" Aunt Wu nodded in agreement but waited for Toph to find the answer herself. "…Wait… you didn't read Sokka's fortune… you read… Suki's one…" Sokka was impressed, that thought never crossed his mind.
"I'm glad you found that out… now is where it begins…" Aunt Wu pointed at Sokka who backed off in fear. "I told you I was going to show you why you and your girlfriend weren't meant to be together, that's because of a decision that was taken not long ago, which changed your fortune and bounded the one of your girlfriend." Sokka stood up as fast as he could; he was sweating hard and shaking with fear. "So you already found it all out?"
"I refuse!" Sokka flinched and so did Toph, the voice they just heard came from nowhere, and at the same time from everywhere. It was Sokka's voice. "And I said I want to spend my vacations on that town!" The second voice was the one of Katara, which was a bigger surprise. "Ok I have a solution, let's have the Avatar decide." The third voice was the one of Iroh. It was a huge impact for both teenagers, to hear voices from the past as clear as if they were speaking to them right now, now there was no doubt, if this wasn't magic then they were losing it.
"Can you see it now? Perhaps your fortune wasn't decided when this happened but Suki's one was, and the worst part is, she said nothing in the whole discussion, she was just watching how her fortune was been decided by the acts of others, in a different plane perhaps her fortune would be different, but in this plane, all possible realities are heading to the same direction… do you want to know which direction I'm talking about?" Sokka gulped hard but nodded in agreement. "There is no turning back now, you wish to know which direction her fortune is taking, and then that's our first stop."
The light inside of the dark room was suddenly been consumed by darkness as the candles were blown out of fire one by one, Toph wasn't affected by the darkness since she never knew what darkness was in the first place because of her blind eyes, but could feel something different, as if some kind of energy she disliked was running through her body. "I'm… cold… what is going on Sokka?"
"I'm not sure, but I feel cold as well." For a couple of minutes, nothing happened, just silence and the chilling feeling someone has whenever the knowledge of something going on is perceived. "A light?" Toph kicked Sokka as reply. "Sorry… I see something…" He couldn't describe it to the blind girl, but in fact, in the middle of the room there was a light, a single spark of white and green colors been held by Aunt Wu herself who began giving it form, forming some kind of mirror. "What is this?"
"Don't be afraid, everything is on your mind, all you can see…" Aunt Wu faced Toph who crossed her arms annoyed. "…Or feel, is a mere illusion created by fortune itself… however, you must understand, these illusions are a window that allows you to see… or feel… the fortune ruling this plane of existence… it is just an illusion in theory, but is real in essence… just watch carefully… and you Toph… you will feel it as well."
"No fortune? What does she meant with that last? I mean why not having a fortune with Sokka… he is my boyfriend… right?" Sokka's eyes widened, inside of the small light illuminating the room he could see Suki, walking around the streets of the city they were currently at, she was depressed, Toph could feel it, somehow Suki's vibrations were hitting her body softly. "And why is that girl always spending this much time with Sokka? I mean I'm his girlfriend and don't spend that much time with him… the only time I can be with him is at night and just for a short time before he falls asleep!" Sokka was hurt to hear that last, Suki was angry at him, and despite having her own reasons he knew those reasons weren't enough to have angered her this much. "It's not the same anymore… I have been trying to tell him that… but… I no longer… feel the same way about him… not anymore…"
The light faded, and the room went back to normal, Toph said nothing, she just stayed there with her mouth half opened, she wished she could feel Sokka's vibrations just now, but she couldn't thanks to all the pillows in the way. But it wasn't needed to search in the vibrations, her hand suddenly felt wet; a lone tear from Sokka's eyes had fallen on top of it. "…When did she… when did she start having this kind of feelings…?" Aunt Wu opened a new window just for Sokka, a window in which Suki rescued Toph from drowning; Sokka knew that place, the Serpent's pass. "…That long ago…?" He never remembered a kiss there, but he saw it on that new window.
"Sokka! You saved me!" This time Toph was the one flinching, Sokka just directed a curious look at her. Vibrations sensing wasn't needed, she knew he was looking at her. "A kiss? She wanted to kiss him? To kiss Sokka?" Both flinched in surprise, Sokka noticed Suki's lips weren't moving, and Toph knew Suki never said that in the first place. "So he forgot about me that fast?"
"Those were her thoughts, it is a shame, this girl's heart is one of the purest I have ever seen, but her fortune was never linked to yours, it all happened because you meet this girl." Aunt Wu pointed at Toph who couldn't see or feel anything around her, but that wasn't helping her feel any better. Sokka said nothing; he just took a sit once again and covered his face with both hands like trying to drive his anger away. "Don't be so harsh on yourself; remember what I told you of self inflicted…" Sokka directed a cold glare at Aunt Wu. "…Never mind that… but let me tell you something, your fortune is linked to this girl in many ways." Aunt Wu rubbed Toph's head softly; Toph was depressed enough to not make a move in reply. "For example, there is one reality in which you asked her for marriage."
"What!?" This time it was Toph the one standing up. "You fortune spoiler! I mean, that was something I didn't want to know! And how can you say something like that in a moment like this! I mean come on! Sokka just discovered Suki wasn't linked to his fortune and now you say it is me the one linked to his fortune!?" Sokka moved his head from a side to the other one trying to assimilate everything that was going on, Aunt Wu just opened a new window and Toph's body was invaded with all kind of familiar feelings and vibrations.
"I miss Sokka." Toph bit her lips hard; Sokka just raised an eyebrow at the girl. That was Toph's voice, and a personal memory of her that came after it. "Who might have thought I was going to feel this lonely without him?" Toph almost fainted.
"That… that wasn't me!" She yelled hard, Aunt Wu just smiled. "I mean it was me, but at the same time it wasn't me… you have no right to mess with my mind!" Sokka said nothing; he just looked at everything that was going on carefully. "Please don't show the rest! I'm begging you! Hell I am begging you! Do you know how hard that is!?"
"Not hard enough." Aunt Wu ignored Toph and clapped her hands, Toph wished to earthbend her ten miles underground because of that last, but she couldn't for two reasons, one, pillows around the place messing with her vibrating sensing, and two, she sort of wanted Sokka to know.
"If you miss him so much." Toph suddenly wished she hadn't thought about wanting Sokka to know at all since this was Katara's bad try of a joke which of course had a terrible impact on Toph. "Why don't you marry him!?" Toph stood there not making a move with an emotionless expression drawn on her face. "Wish I could do that Sugar Queen, but your oblivious brother just can't notice me, can he?"
"I'm so gonna reject ever thinking that last!" Aunt Wu laughed at the girl who was currently hiding her blushing face with some pillows and yelling inappropriate words for a girl her age at the soft object.
"Wait, you mean that really happened." Toph nodded in agreement, still keeping her face inside of the pillow. "And those were your thoughts?" Toph closed her tiny hands into fists but once again nodded in agreement. "So you like me!?"
"Hell! I had enough of this crap!" She finally came out from her pillow prison and kicked Sokka hard. "Of course I do! But you were always so oblivious! And you were always talking about Yue and Suki all the time! How was I supposed to tell you when you were always telling me about how much you missed them! You never ever gave me a hint of you actually feeling something for me! You idiot! If you didn't find it out then it is your fault!"
"How was I supposed to find it out if you were always hitting me and pushing me away from you?" Toph kicked him once again and took a sit annoyed. "That's what I'm talking about! Do you know how many bruises I have because of you hitting me all the time!?"
"That's how I show affection." Toph and Sokka both raised their eyebrows, Aunt Wu just smiled. "Pardon me, you weren't watching, let's just see it again, shall we. "Sokka scratched the back of his head, confused while Toph took a sit once again, this time relaxing herself a little. "That's how I show affection." Sokka heard Toph's voice once again, and then saw Zuko rubbing his arm. "Perhaps if I show you what happened before?" And so she did and Sokka was able to see the full scene of Toph hitting Zuko, he complaining and Toph's answer.
"Your affection hurts a lot, ya know?" She threw a pillow to him in annoyance; he was angered by that last but didn't know what to say anymore. Instead of continuing with this past life events showing, Aunt Wu decided to watch carefully what would happen next, both Sokka and Toph said nothing, they just refused to 'face' the other one for a few minutes. "I did show you affection."
"Yeah? Explain yourself! Because to where I remember this crush was always one sided!" She was still mad, but Sokka knew there was no point in keeping this argument, so he just probed his point by touching Toph's bracelet. "What? This space rock? Don't get me wrong, I love this thing, but I never actually thought you were giving me something that… significant… I mean well… that's what I wanted to believe… but I sort of knew the truth… you never had… feelings for me to begin with…"
"That's because I was just discovering I had!" Toph tried to 'face' Sokka who refused to look at her. "Come on Toph, I'm sorry I never told ya before, I was beginning to like you… I mean I already liked you but… recently… I began liking you even more… but what point is there on explaining it you, we might just live it again." Sokka faced Aunt Wu.
"Am I that predictable?" Both Sokka and Toph crossed their arms annoyed. "Ok it was quiet obvious I was going to show you that part." Aunt Wu opened the fortune window once again, this time in a point in time Sokka knew well but Toph was never aware of it's existence.
"She is amazing, I mean she was born blind, but she walks and do everything as if she could see for real!" Sokka blushed a little and faced away while Toph just listened to everything carefully. Inside the window of time, Sokka was having dinner with Master Piandao, his meal was untouched, it was something Toph would be glad at if she could see it. "She I sort of a pain most of the time, but I grew to like her the way she is, I mean, we are the sarcastic duo and all, and we are arguing all the time, but I wouldn't be able to endure this trip if it wasn't for her."
"So, what you are trying to say is that this girl… is something important for you?" Toph's face flashed with the blood heating her cheeks, the present time Sokka noticed it and sort of was glad by it, but tried hard to ignore those kinds of feelings. "Is she perhaps… your girlfriend?"
Toph lost her breath, and so did Sokka. "My what? I never thought about her that way before." Once again Toph's face lowered, someone could tell she would burst into tears at any time now, but she forced herself no to. "Although… she is kinda cute… I mean she has a hell of a temper… but must of the time she is nice to me… and I enjoy her company… perhaps… I do like her… she is my best friend… sooner or later I was going to have this kind of feelings… but just how much do I like her…?"
"Oh, let's answer that question, shall we?" Toph and Sokka exchanged looks, or at least Sokka did since Toph just 'faced' him like trying to see him with her milky blind eyes. "Don't look that confused! You both know which moment in time I'm talking about, don't pretend you don't know, anyway let's just see it… Toph you can feel it too…"
And so she did, her chest began burning and she began shaking with fear, it was a horrible sensation she had only felt a couple of times in her young life… fear. Her eyes began watering at the moment that feeling invaded her body. "I don't think boomerang is coming back Toph!" Sokka felt a chilling feeling running down his spine as he saw himself holding Toph's hand and not wanting to let her go. "It looks like this is the end." Toph cried hard, not the one in the past vision but the present Toph.
"Please don't! Don't let me go! I don't want to die! You can't be serious! I don't want to die here! Not now! I don't want you to see me die! Don't let me die without telling you!" Toph feel to her knees, it was the moment in her life that she felt weaker than ever, but she wasn't crying because of her own weakness, it was because of the feeling of fear and emptiness that was hitting her once again.
"Come on hand! Don't let her go! I'm not going to lose her! I always lose those I love!" Toph reacted in shock to that last, Sokka did the same but managed to smile softly. "Don't dare losing her now Sokka, I rater die than losing her! But… I… I can't… why can't I save her!? I'm not giving up! I'm not going to see her die! I have to save her! I won't lose her! I'm never going to lose her!"
"What wonderful thoughts you both had." The vision was over, Toph cleared her tears away and tried to return to her usual self with no apparent luck, Sokka just rested himself on the floor in deep thoughts, now with a new perspective about fortune telling and about his feelings for the young earthbender. "These are the ties that bind you both, your fortune isn't linked to future or past events quiet yet, but soon it will, so you must be careful with what you want and understand what you seek… this is all I have to say, your fortune, is yours for you to create."
"Wait! That can't be all you can tell us." Sokka stood up as fast as he could, Toph was confused by that last, what else was left to say? What was going to happen with them both? She didn't know, and had no clue if she actually wanted to know at all. "Aunt Wu, you said our fortune is tied together… then… I want to know what kind of fortune is waiting for us…"
Toph was surprised by that last but kept her silence. "That is impossible to tell, since your fortune isn't tied just yet, just now… I can't predict your fortune…" Aunt Wu walked away, but Toph stood up and run to her side, cutting her way in the progress.
"…I… I… also wish to know about my fortune… is it true that we have… a fortune together…?" Aunt Wu smiled once again and then rubbed Toph's head carefully, something she disliked but never dared to prevent.
"I can't tell you since I don't know… but if you wish… I can hold a little experiment to satisfy your curiosity." Sokka nodded in agreement and so did Toph who was shaking nervously. "Fine then, this experiment will allow you not just to see… or feel your fortune but also live it, as a especial rule to ensure your security, I will only conduct this experiment 3 times, once I'm done, I will tell you no more of your fortune, since it will already be tied… do you both agree with my terms?" Toph did nothing, she just stood there shaking nervously, but soon she felt something odd, Sokka had just grabbed her hand, and for some reason, despite not wanting to admit it, she needed his hand to hold hers. "Very well, then I will show you, the possible fortunes that are waiting for you!" A strong with light filled the room, and Sokka was blinded by the intensity, Toph couldn't see that light, but she could feel it, soon, both knew they were no longer conscious, as if everything had just been an illusion.
So, if your brains aren't melted yet by all this infinite possibilities business, I will wait for ya all at the next chap, which will be up next Friday, so, see ya there my friends and wish me luck in my exams!