Author's note: This chapter was running long, so the Invasion is in the next chapter. With the stage set, the relationships among the various participants in our tale can be delved into more deeply. (Translation: Lots of soapy goodness!)
Also, each chapter now begins with a 'long ago' prelude that tells of events in the past that will have a big effect on our heroes in the present.
What If Zuko Won?
Based on events in W.I.T.C.H. in the World of Avatar
A Very Long Time Ago…
In a forest, a playful, happy spirit with a round face chased after tiny creatures (beings who looked like miniature trees, insects with doll-size human arms and legs, and walnuts who possessed the faces of men and women).
"Ha! I got you!" he teased as he 'tagged' a few of the little guys.
"Ha ha ha!" the diminutive spirits giggled.
"Let's do that again!" the larger spirit with the oval head and long body exclaimed.
Then he closed his eyes.
"Where are you?" he asked upon opening them. But there was only silence in response.
The he heard muffled cries, and the sound of commotion, of many feet stomping through the woods.
Drawing nearer to the location of the noise, he realized it was people. Human beings!
"Wow! What a haul!" one of them, a young man with brown eyes and gray hair, said.
"Yeah! I think that thunderstorm last night must have boosted our 'catchers!" another replied. He was older, with a white mustache and blue eyes.
Using his feet to part the brush, the fun-loving spirit of play, Wu Guo, cast his eyes upon a horrible sight!
His spirit brethren, trapped in round metallic rings! They cried out in pain and fear, but the humans ignored them!
"An interesting theory, but..." the young man responded to his companion, as the two men gathered up the rings containing the captured beings and shoved them into a sack. Then the young adult cocked his eyes toward the visitor. "Oh, look! Another one!"
"He's a biggie!" the old man cautiously observed.
"Yeah, but he's harmless! I mean, look at him!" the youngster laughed.
Wu Guo, the happy-go-lucky spirit with the round, cherubic face, began to...change. His features contorted into a mask of pain and rage!
And then...His numerous legs propelled him at the two men!
They screamed, and fell back!
When, finally, they stopped struggling and lie there, silent and unmoving on the ground, they were missing...their faces!
Koh, formerly the spirit of play known as Wu Guo, slinked quietly away on his many padded feet, carrying with him the first of many faces he would eventually steal, the empty sack of his victims billowing in the forest breeze.
Chapter 4: Sons and Daughters
August 1st (8 days before the Day of Black Sun), Central Earth Kingdom...
KLANG!
Went the young boy's blade as it deflected the sword of the older, taller youth. Then he spun around and kicked in the back of the older boy's knees, sending him quickly to the ground in a crumpled heap!
"Yee-ow!" the teen howled, as much from embarrassment as from pain.
"You're getting better, Sokka." the youngster charitably said, extending his hand toward the fallen Water Tribe warrior to help him to his feet. "But you have to stop leading with your right!"
Sokka, miffed at being lectured on combat by a kid barely out of diapers, ignored the offered hand and got himself up out of the dirt.
"If you say so, Cal. I'll keep that in mind." the proud son of the South Pole Water Tribe replied through gritted teeth as he dusted himself off.
"If you two are through playing, dinner's almost ready." Toph Bei Fong announced.
"We weren't 'playing', Toph! We're combat training! I was showing Cal a thing or two about how we do it, Water Tribe style!"
"Uh huh. So what part of Water Tribe style includes you falling on your butt?" Toph smirked. Though blind, she could sense people and objects through solid ground.
"Uh...The part where we make like Otter-Pengins?" arctic native Sokka meekly suggested in a weak attempt to save face. "You know, to slide down the glacier?"
"You see any glaciers around here?" Toph teased. Their environs were the warmest part of the Earth Kingdom.
"Well, there could be. If there was a mountain..." Sokka rationalized.
"Cal, could you get us some firewood?" the earth bender politely requested.
"Sure, Toph!" Cal answered, and set about finding some wood.
"...Or, you know, if we get an ice age..." Sokka rambled on.
The three campers had been traveling through the middle area of the Earth Kingdom, gathering allies for an invasion of the Fire Nation to depose the current Fire Lord, Zuko. And that part of their mission went just fine. But other things, particularly the foundling, Cal, were decidedly strange.
As soon as they were alone, the South Pole Water Tribesman vented his misgivings.
"Toph, don't you think it's just a wee bit odd that after a few weeks Cal is now, what, about eight years old??" Sokka fumed. "And have you seen the way he eats??"
"He's a growing boy. So?" Toph brushed it off and went back to preparing dinner.
"Grows like a weed, you mean! And now he's beating me in duels!!" Sokka retorted. "I once thought about seeking a master swordsman to train me, but now I think I'll let Cal do it! Heck, he could probably beat all of our warriors one-on-one!" Sokka added, in a mystified but sincere admiration of the youngster's skills.
"Cal's special. You know that." Toph smiled. "He did come out of a meteor!"
"Yeah, okay. But..." Sokka uneasily groped for the right words.
"But what? Do you want to get rid of him?" the annoyed Toph, arms on hips, challenged the Water Tribe boy. "Do you want to march him back to that Swamp and drop him off, see ya later, Cal!" she said, pantomiming a wave goodbye.
"No! You know I don't want to do that! I like Cal, too. And I like...everything about..." Sokka paused and looked at the young earth girl. He was about to say 'us', but instead said "...Him being around. But now things are going to change. We're going to war. And..."
"I know. I'm worried, too." Toph admitted. Then she sensed something. "Shh! He's coming back."
While Cal dropped the firewood near the fire, Toph addressed the Water Tribe teen.
"Thanks, Sokka." she sweetly said.
"Huh? Thanks for what?" the baffled boy warrior blurted out as he hungrily dug into the meal.
"For being you." Toph smiled, then she bashfully turned away from the object of her affection and happily busied herself with some chore.
"She's crazy about you, dad! You do know that, right?" Cal observed.
"What??" Sokka spewed the food from his throat. Wiping himself of regurgitated meat pie, he then lectured the precocious child. "Okay, number one: Don't speak of things you know nothing about. Number two: Eat your greens. Number three: And don't call me dad!"
"What do I call the man who changed my dirty diapers? How about sire?" Cal suggested.
"Better. Not perfect! But better." Sokka agreed. "But don't mention the 'changing diapers' thing to anyone, alright?"
After that uncomfortable exchange, dinner was uneventful. There was talk of the different birds they had seen on their journey, but Sokka just had to turn it into a contest when he stated how many birds he could knock out of the sky with his boomerang! This spurred Cal to declare he could probably hit even more of the winged creatures. Luckily, for the birds' sake, Toph broke up that insane pissing match!
Then Cal asked about something that had been bothering him. "Are you sure there was nothing else where you found me?"
"No, Cal. It was just you." Toph told the young boy.
"Yeah, sport! You were the only 'special delivery' we got!" Sokka joked, trying to keep things light.
Interlude
Near the depression in the terrain created when a meteor landed, a young, earth bending badgermole stuck his head out of the ground. Seeing something shiny, a glass hourglass half full of sand, he scooped it up with his tongue and swallowed it. He crunched on the hourglass, spat out the glass...then instantly grew much older and larger! Bored with the area, he squeezed back into his now extremely tight hole, bent the earth to make the tunnel larger, and disappeared.
End Interlude
"I was sent here for some reason. Some problem I have to fix. I wish I could remember...Why do I keep seeing something gold-colored?" Cal mused. The dark-haired boy then grew quiet. This worried his 'parents'. Cal had mentioned this mission of his before, but Sokka and Toph did not know what to make of it.
So Sokka decided to play along.
"So, who's the girl?" Sokka inquired, a smile playing about his lips.
"A girl?" Toph asked.
"My mom and dad always used to tell me stories about ancient Avatars and heroes before bedtime, and there was always a girl involved!" the teen of the Water Tribe informed the Earth Kingdom lass.
"Yes! A golden girl!" Cal excitedly shouted. "That's who I'm supposed to meet!"
Their tension released, Sokka and Toph both laughed.
"Sorry, Cal!" Sokka apologized for his rude behavior. "But I've been all over this world, and trust me, there aren't any 'golden girls' anywhere!"
"Really? Thanks for letting me know." said the disappointed Cal.
"So, anyway, tomorrow I have to meet Suki to discuss war plans." Sokka innocently interjected as he washed down Toph Bei Fong's carefully prepared meal with a cup of root ale.
"Oh." was all Toph said in response. But it was much more than a simple 'Oh.'
"Dad!" Cal yelled at Sokka, then lightly punched the right arm of his 'sire'.
"Ow! What?!" Sokka exclaimed. "And I thought I told you..."
"Look at Toph!" Cal directed Sokka's attention to the blind earth bender. She had gotten up and absentmindedly began to clean the campsite. But it was the expression on her face that told Sokka all he needed to know. Sadness. Disappointment. A broken heart?
"Oh!! Uhh, but I don't have to go! To see Suki, that is! I mean, uh, why don't you go, Toph?" Sokka suggested, in an attempt to ease her hurt feelings.
"That's silly, Sokka! Why would I meet with Suki? I'm not planning any wars! That's you and your father's job!" Toph sternly answered the Water Tribesman.
"So it's alright with you if I meet with Suki to make war plans?" Sokka asked.
"Yes, of course! That's what I just said, didn't I?" the exasperated Toph replied.
"You're sure??" Sokka desperately inquired.
"Yes!! You don't need to ask my permission, Sokka!" Toph forcefully argued.
"Okay, well, if you're sure!" Sokka said, putting the argument to rest.
Or so he had thought.
"Sokka..." Cal admonished him.
"What?? She said it was okay!" Sokka replied in a panicked voice.
"I may only be eight, but even I know if a woman says it's okay, it really isn't!" wise young Cal informed the Water Tribesman.
"Okay, Cal, you may know a lot about fighting, but the day I take relationship advice from an eight year old...!" Sokka shot back. Then he changed his tune. "So, what do you think would make a better gift for when I get back? Candy or flowers?"
"Toph's blind, so you want to go with something that she can enjoy with all her other senses. Candy!" Cal offered.
"Should I get one of those potions that makes guys sweet-smelling, or rely on my own manly musk?" Sokka asked, furiously scribbling down Cal's answers on a piece of parchment.
"No, you don't want to use some potion!" Cal educated the clueless Water Tribe boy. "Toph might think you got it from Suki or, worse, that you smell like Suki!"
"Good point!" Sokka checked his list. "Now what if I..."
ooooooooooooooo
August 4th, the Royal Zoo of the Fire Nation...
As Taranee the 'Fire Angel' performed fire tricks and signed autographs for her many fans, one young girl stood aloof from the rest.
She watched the proceedings for a bit, then adjusted her head scarf, making sure all her golden locks were covered, lest someone recognize her and create a scene. She then wandered off to pretend to enjoy a day at the zoo, staring at animals in cages. Tigerdillos. Rabbiroos. Woolly Mandrill. Poodle Monkey. And an extremely rare Lion-Turtle!
But even here, the blonde from another world could not find peace.
A flying man landed behind her.
"Why did you leave your friend? This special day is to honor you both!" he told her.
"That's okay. I'm not interested in being a rock star." Cornelia dryly informed the man, Fire Lord Zuko.
"Rock star?" The modern earth reference was lost on the Fire Nation ruler, but he grasped its meaning. And changed the subject. "So, um, how do you like our zoo? Rare animals from around the world!"
But Cornelia was not impressed. "I've seen better."
Which Zuko took as a personal challenge!
"Here, I want to show you something." Zuko said, offering his hand to her.
"Is that an order, boss?" the Earth Guardian sarcastically replied.
"Please?" he humbly implored her.
Touched by Zuko's sensitivity, Corny followed him to an area of the zoo closed off to the public. There, in a specially-guarded pen, a young lizard with short, stubby wings romped.
"See that? We hatched it and a few others from eggs we found buried in the sand when we were cleaning up the beaches. It's a dragon! We're bringing the dragons back!" Zuko exulted.
"That's great." Cornelia replied matter-of-factly. "Want to know what I see?" she asked the young Fire Lord.
"What?" Zuko curiously inquired.
"A bunch of animals behind bars! I know how they feel." Cornelia said in a voice both bitchy and sad, both strong and vulnerable.
"Cornelia..." Zuko began, searching for the right words to comfort his indentured servant. "You know I can't let you and your friends leave quite yet! My generals tell me the Earth Kingdom will invade soon! I need your help!"
"And I need my friends! And freedom!" the young Earth girl sulked.
"Anything but that, you know I would give to you." the silver-tongued devil told the troubled teen. Then he drew closer to her, and attempted to put his arms around her. "You deserve to be happy. One so beautiful shouldn't be so sad."
But the captive girl from another world would have none of it. Tearfully, she backed away from the young ruler of the Fire Lands.
"Stop. Please don't." Cornelia meekly said, wet tears running down her cheeks.
"I'm sorry. I was just..." Zuko blurted. With nothing more to say, he then took off, using the power of the Heart of Candracar to fly away.
From the air, Taranee the Fire Guardian observed Zuko jetting off and spied where he alighted from. Seeing Cornelia at the location, she landed and said "You and Zuko again, huh? You guys an item?" she scornfully added.
"Don't be like that, Taranee!" Cornelia defended herself. "I know what I'm doing!"
"You say that, then I see you in his arms!" Taranee criticized her friend's dalliance with the leader of the Fire Nation. "So what am I supposed to think?"
"Taranee, we have to gain his trust in order to defeat him! Haven't you seen ANY movies?" Corny, who had obviously seen too many movies and read too many teen magazines, reasoned.
"Cornelia, this isn't a soap opera!" Tara argued.
"No duh!" Cornelia mocked her friend's logic.
"You're playing a dangerous game, Cornelia! Be careful you don't fall into Zuko's trap while you're busy preparing your own!" the bright Guardian of Fire pointed out. "And don't forget why we're here!"
"Hmphhh!" the Guardian of Earth responded, arms folded in annoyance. "I could say the same thing about you!" she added, referring to Taranee's enjoyment of the trappings of fame.
Weary of trying to talk some sense into her friend, Taranee activated her wings and soared back to the Palace.
Cornelia lingered on the zoo grounds. Dipping her hand in a pool of water, she thought of her missing friend Irma, the Water Guardian, and how she could see the future in water. If only she could see the future, Cornelia thought to herself. Then she would know what action to take. Her musings wandered to the leader of their group, still being held by their captor in an undisclosed location. Will wouldn't have to see the future! She'd know what to do. Cornelia lamented.
As she traced her hand in the water, concentric waves circled away from the break in the surface tension, and gradually became farther and farther apart, mirroring the relationship between Cornelia and Taranee, the two Guardians who, unfortunately, had never been that close to begin with.
ooooooooooooooo
August 4th, Northern Earth Kingdom...
On their way back from their successful trip to the North Pole and the Northern Earth Kingdom (including the Northern Air Temple) to get help for the planned invasion of the Fire Nation, Aang & Katara took a detour.
To the Eastern Air Temple!
Aang hoped the Guru at the Temple could help him master the Avatar State, that awesome force of all the past Avatars' knowledge and power.
But Aang had a lot to learn.
"Aang, tell me everything you know about chakras." Guru Pathik asked.
"What are chakras?" the sleepy Aang innocently replied as he rubbed his eyes.
Aang had a lot more questions. More than normal. But then, with the addition of Irma and Hay Lin to their little band of freedom fighters (especially Hay Lin!), Aang was more confused than normal.
So, Guru Pathik patiently explained the entire process to Aang. It sounded doable to the young air bender. Then the Guru detailed the last chakra.
"And then, for your seventh and final chakra, you must remove yourself from all your attachments to the physical world and join with the energy of the cosmos!" Pathik announced.
"ALL my attachments??" Aang wondered in wide-eyed disbelief. "Even...love?"
"Yes, of course!" the Guru stated. "If you don't, the chakras will lock and you will be unable to enter the Avatar State at all! So let us begin."
"What??" Aang bellowed. "You didn't tell me that!"
Aang's hope to command the power of the Avatar State crashed and burned in that instant! Guru Pathik was a spiritual brother to his people, the Air Nomads, and he knew the Guru could help him. But he loved Katara and, Hay Lin, she was...he wasn't quite sure. And now this? He could lose the Avatar State if he fails?!
"I, I'm sorry, Guru Pathik, but I can't do this right now. I'm not ready." Aang humbly informed the wise old soul.
"I understand, Aang. Don't worry! There are many paths to enlightenment." Pathik encouraged the boy.
"Thank you, sir." Aang bowed and exited the Guru's meditation room.
"I pray to the Spirits you find yours, young Avatar." Guru Pathik added once Aang was out of earshot.
Upon re-joining Katara, she asked Aang "So, how'd it go? Did he help you control the Avatar State?"
"We...discussed meditation techniques that could be useful when I go into the Avatar State. That's all." Aang answered her. Which was true, but hardly the whole story.
"Oh. I hope you're not disappointed, Aang." Katara consoled the young Avatar.
"Disappointed? No." Aang happily replied. "I've got everything I need to defeat the Fire Lord right here." he added, almost blushing as he said it. He cried "Yip yip!" and Appa took the two young benders into the sky, on a course to reunite them with their friends.
ooooooooooooooo
When Zuko returned to the Palace, he got a frosty welcome from his paramour in their private apartment.
"You've been with her again, haven't you?" she grilled him.
"Now, Mai, don't be that way!" Zuko teased. "You know you're the only one for me!"
"Then why do you get tongue-tied and practically trip over your own feet when you're around that outworlder girl? It's embarrassing! Everyone sees it!" Mai complained.
"By 'everyone', I take it you mean my personal guard, who really ought to keep their mouths shut." Fire Lord Zuko bitterly observed. "Besides, I thought you liked that about me! You didn't mind when I acted that way around you."
'That was years ago, Zuko! You've matured since then! At least, I thought you did!" the nobleman's daughter bitched.
"Don't worry. 'Act' is the operative word here. When it comes to an asset like this Earth Guardian, I have to be very careful in how I manage her." Zuko revealed. "But it won't be for much longer. Trust me."
"So this is all part of some grand plan, is that it?" Mai mocked Zuko. "Well, does this 'plan' take into account the fact this Cornelia is not as old as she appears? Betcha didn't know that!" Mai added, recalling how she learned that interesting tidbit of information when she dueled Cornelia in Avatar Town.
"Oh, I know all about the Guardian's aging abilities. Which makes it even easier!" Zuko wickedly smiled.
"Zuko!" exclaimed the shocked Mai.
"What? Oh, I don't mean like that!" Zuko downplayed the errant comment. Then he turned amorous. "Besides, I could never leave you for Cornelia. Not unless I wanted to wake up with a knife at my throat!"
"Yeah. There is that." Mai agreed. "Now come here and show me how a Fire Lord does it!"
The two members of Fire Nation royalty then fell into each other's arms, becoming as one, for long into the night.
ooooooooooooooo
August 4th, Southern Earth Kingdom...
In the skies above the Swamp of the Earth Kingdom, two Guardians, having completed their mission in the south (on Kyoshi Island, Avatar Town, and other places) to gather allies for the upcoming invasion of the Fire Nation and on their way to the rendezvous point, discussed...other matters.
"Are you sure Aang will like our little 'surprise'?" Hay Lin fearfully asked as she flew through the air, and used her power over that element to tow her friend behind her.
"Trust me, Hay Hay, he's gonna love it!" Irma assured her.
ooooooooooooooo
August 6th, the Throne Room of the Royal Palace of the Fire Lord...
"You wanted to see me, Zuko?" The impertinent girl walked in unannounced and casually addressed the leader of the Fire Nation. Which caused Zuko's aides to stare, first at Cornelia and then at the Fire Lord for his response.
The Royal Guards glared at the rude outworlder.
Cornelia, having gotten the none-too-subtle message, made a show of curtsying and bowing, and mockingly said "Excuse me, o great Fire Lord Zuko! What is thy wish, great master?"
While Corny remained frozen in her sarcastic bow, Zuko ordered the assembled aides and guards out of the Throne Room.
"The Earth Kingdom forces will attack our Nation in a few days, and the Avatar is leading the invasion." the Fire Lord solemnly informed the Guardian of Earth.
"What?? No, Aang wouldn't do that!" Cornelia dismissed the notion. "Why would the Avatar start a war when you said you would talk to them?"
"Because they hate my country, and are using the excuse of what my forebears did for 100 years to justify their actions." Zuko grimly told the teen Guardian. "And the Avatar is among the worst! Believing some insane 'prophecy' that he has to defeat me, instead of the facts!"
"But I thought the Avatar was a man of peace?!" Cornelia Hale cried.
"It's already begun, Cornelia!" Fire Lord Zuko stated his case. "They've been launching small, sporadic attacks against the Colonies, although my generals say it could be a feint."
"A feint?" she asked.
"A trick. A way of gauging our defenses, for when they finally do invade." Zuko elaborated. "Or the invasion could be somewhere else entirely. There's no way to know for sure! So I've ordered my forces split, to defend both the Homeland and the Colonies. Which spreads us very thin, but..."
"But, Zuko, how can you be so sure there will be an invasion?" the blonde earth elemental inquired. "If these are just, um, skirmishes?"
"Because the invaders plan to move against the people of my Nation when we are at our weakest." Zuko revealed. He then sighed and cast his eyes downward, as if the weight of the world was on his shoulders. Returning his steely gaze to the caring Earth Guardian, the calculating Zuko added "You see, Cornelia, on August 9th, there will be a solar eclipse, when all fire benders lose their fire bending ability. My spies tell me the Earth Kingdom knows this, and that's when they'll attack us!"
"Why are you telling me this?" the curious Corny wondered, nervous at learning such a deep, dark, hidden fact.
"The eclipse is supposed to be a state secret, but I don't think there's any harm in telling you." Zuko confided in the young girl. Then he placed his hand on her shoulder and said "This is why I needed you and Taranee! Our nation will be virtually helpless! Cornelia, can I count on you to help defend our people?"
Cornelia gulped. She realized the enormity of her reply, of what it would mean. To fight against the Earth Kingdom army was one thing, but to possibly battle her friends? Then she thought of little Guang, and Hoshi and Ren, and all of the other good folk she had met in the Fire Nation, and there was only one thing she could say. Cornelia looked directly at Zuko and answered "Yes, of course."
"Thank you, Cornelia!" Zuko embraced the young Guardian in a warm hug.
ooooooooooooooo
August 6th, the Allies' camp outside Omashu...
"For the last time, Cal, you can't come with me and Toph! We're going to war! You can stay with King Bumi in Omashu. You'll like him! He's a lot of fun!" Sokka told the young boy.
"But I want to go with you and Toph! It feels like I should be with you, for some reason." Cal whined.
"End of discussion! Oh! There's my dad! Why don't you go off and play, Cal?"
Sokka shooed the youngster away. Cal felt put out, but did as he was told. For the moment.
Meanwhile, the young warrior greeted his sire. "Hi, Dad!"
"Sokka! Hello, son!" Hakoda replied. Then he noticed something odd. "Eh? Who's that young boy…fighting with my men?"
Sokka wheeled around. "Whoops! That's Cal! And he's, uh, just playing! Cal! Stop that!" the teen yelled at he young boy, who was in the process of taking down half a dozen Water Tribe warriors in a sparring match. Then the embarrassed Sokka took his father aside. "Um, why don't we go in this hut and discuss the war plans?"
But Sokka was interrupted...by Toph!
"Sokka! Great news! I just heard about this new singing group from Ba Sing Se! Everyone says they're a must-see! They sing something called 'Blue Moon', and..." Toph nervously rambled on.
"Yeah, that's nice! Except we're kind of busy here! War planning, that sort of thing! You know, not as important as 'singing groups'!" Sokka sarcastically shot her down.
"Hmphh! Suit yourself!" the peeved Toph replied.
"Oh, who is this lovely girl? Sokka, where are your manners?" the polite Hakoda interjected.
"Oh, sorry, dad! This is..." Sokka began.
"Don't tell me! Let me guess! Hmmm. She must be quite near and dear to your heart!" Hakoda correctly speculated.
"Thank you, sir! Sokka's told me so much about you, too!" Toph beamed.
"...Ah! You must be Suki!" the Water Tribe Chief declared. "Son, you didn't tell me Suki was blind!"
Toph was shocked! Very shocked! She turned around, and marched back to camp!
"But, she's not..!" Sokka wanted to explain, but knew he had to patch things up with Toph, so he chased after her.
"Toph! Wait!" he yelled.
But the offended, blind earth bender would have none of it! She quickly made an 'earth hut' for herself, and sealed it so no one could get in!
"Toph, I'm sorry!" Sokka begged.
"You don't want to tell your father about me, that's your business!" Toph caustically replied.
"That's not fair, Toph! I haven't exactly spent a lot of quality time with my dad lately!" Sokka argued. Realizing reason would get him nowhere, he tried bribery. "You still want to see those singers? I'll go with you!"
"Really? Then I've got something for you!" Toph said, in a syrupy sweet voice.
"Yeah? That's great, Toph! I knew we could work this out!" A relieved Sokka loosened up, his stiff muscles, constricted with emotional distress and misery, regaining their elasticity.
Then Toph pelted Sokka with meat products.
"Ow! Not the meat jerky! Ouch! Toph!!" Sokka cried out.
Re-sealing the earth hut, Sokka was left standing there, draped in that which had always comforted him. Until today.
"Female trouble, eh?" Bato commented. Then the Water Tribesman told another of his # stories! "I remember this one time we were on a hunt, and when I got back my wife Roja wouldn't let me into the hut! I had to sleep outside, in the middle of a pack of zebra seals so I wouldn't freeze! To this day I still don't know what I did!"
"And that's why we don't hunt with the women!" Hakoda added. Both men then laughed heartily.
A furious Sokka, paying no heed to who was laughing, raged "Will you two shut up!!"
Then he realized what he did.
"Whoops! Uh, dad, Bato...I, I didn't mean..." Sokka apologized.
"That's okay, son." Hakoda calmly said. "Bato, would you..?"
Conferring privately with his now grown-up child, Hakoda said "I know it must hurt, Sokka. But it's not the end of the world. It'll get better."
"I'm just...so confused, dad!" Sokka poured out his heart. "I mean, I love Suki, or at least I thought I did! But now there's Toph, and I just don't know what to do!"
"You have a good heart, son. You'll figure it out. Now come help me with this sail!" the elder cajoled his only son, knowing work could provide the purpose, distance and time Sokka needed to ease his troubled heart.
Meanwhile, Cal made the acquaintance of King Bumi of Omashu.
"Sir, you've been around a long time, right?" Cal asked.
"112 years! Or is that 113? I stopped counting around 105! Hee hee!" Bumi cackled. "Why?"
"So, have you ever heard of a golden girl? I need to know!" Cal anxiously asked.
"Well, no." the elderly Bumi replied.
"Oh. I see. Thanks." the disheartened Cal mouthed.
"But some girls have golden hair!" King Bumi piped up.
"Really?! I knew it! That must be..." Cal started, then was cut off.
"Except they're fake! Hair dye. It was all the rage for a while!" Bumi somberly added.
More depressed than ever, Cal walked off with King Bumi, to live a safe life in the walled, mountaintop city of Omashu.
Soon after, the other members of the group arrived at the Allies' camp.
Including Aang, Katara, and the two Guardians, Irma and Hay Lin, who just missed meeting the exiting Cal. The same Cal who arrived in a meteor from a far-off land familiar to the Guardians.
ooooooooooooooo
"Our Colonies will be particularly vulnerable to Earth Kingdom attack during the Eclipse, so I'm sending our strongest fighter, the Fire Guardian, to defend them." Fire Lord Zuko casually mentioned to the Earth Guardian as they conversed in the Royal Throne Room.
"What??" a surprised Cornelia responded.
"On the homefront, our biggest problem will be the earth benders, but you can handle them, right?" Zuko asked her.
"Excuse me?" Cornelia croaked. This was not what she wanted to hear. That Taranee would leave her in the lurch during a massive invasion, and she would have to take on an entire army by herself?!
"Zuko, what you're asking of me, to be honest...I don't think I can pull it off! I'm not that powerful!" Cornelia reluctantly admitted.
"I see." Zuko replied, without looking at the teen Guardian. Instead, he stared into the flames dancing in the fireplace, hands folded behind his back. "Well, if that's the case, then there's nothing more you can do for us. Besides, I can't make you fight your friends! That wouldn't be right. I hereby release you from your promise to serve me, Cornelia. You're free to go. My nation will just have to manage as best we can."
"Zuko, I do want to help your people!" the compassionate Cornelia Hale ran to the side of the young Fire Lord and plead her case. "But as I am, there's only so much I can do." Zuko turned his head toward the girl, and their eyes met. She continued. "However, you could..." Cornelia hesitated. She briefly looked down, then returned her eyes to their previous level, baring her soul to the intense leader of the Fire Nation. Cornelia couldn't hide who she was any longer. "…transform me."
"What do you mean?" a baffled Zuko sought more information.
"You can use the power of the Heart of Candracar to transform me, and increase my power." the Guardian of Earth disclosed. "Then I'll be able to protect the people of the Fire Nation from any threat!"
"I..." Zuko choked up. "...On behalf of my people, thank you, Cornelia! I know how hard it must have been for you to reveal a secret like that!" he said as he held her hands and looked into the young female Guardian's eyes. "You're an amazing woman, you know that? I..."
"Yes, Zuko?" Cornelia's heart palpitated.
Then he leaned closer to her, and she to him.
Their lips met in a kiss. (Their first ever!)
But more than love was on Cornelia's mind.
And after we deal with this 'invasion', Taranee and I will be powerful enough to stop you and free Will! the lip-locked teen schemed.
Exiting the throne room after an interval of time, Cornelia straightened her long, blonde hair. Then she spotted the Fire Lord's next audience...
...Taranee!
"So, have you heard?" the fiery Guardian asked her earthy counterpart.
"What?!" the surprised girl yelped, afraid she had been found out. "What have you heard??"
"That Zuko is sending me to the Fire Nation Colonies!" Taranee answered. "Why, what did you think I meant?"
"Oh. Right. Of course." the massively relieved Corny replied.
"And you're okay with that? You'll be alright here, if the Earth Army invades?" Taranee, puzzled at her friend's reaction, asked.
"I'll be fine! Zuko and I have a...secret plan to defend the country. So don't worry!" Cornelia smiled.
"Zuko...and I?" Taranee questioned, cocking an eyebrow to emphasize she didn't think highly of her companion's chumminess with the man who held them prisoner, and wanted an explanation.
Looking around, Cornelia noticed guards coming to escort the Guardian of Fire into her meeting with the Fire Lord, so she spoke quickly, and whispered. "My plan's working. Can't give you details now. Be prepared to move against Zuko when you come back."
Before Taranee could react to her fellow Guardian's comments, she was whisked away by the security detail for her conference with Zuko. Cornelia, uncharacteristically humming a tune, innocently went about her duties. The hum sounded, oddly enough, like 'bibbidi-bobbidi-boo'.
ooooooooooooooo
"Attention, everybody!" Irma announced to the eclectic group of 'bending' freedom fighters in the Allies' war camp. "Me and Hay Lin had a few ideas for the invasion! Well, Hay Lin, mostly! She saw some old scrolls and got totally inspired! Wait'll you see what she came up with!"
"Irma!" the demure Air Guardian mildly scolded. Though hidden behind a screen, she was clearly embarrassed by her longtime friend's effusive praise.
"Okay, okay!" Irma backpedaled. "Without any further adodoo, I hereby present...The new Hay Lin!"
Irma stepped aside, and Hay Lin emerged from her hiding place.
Everyone gasped!
"Wow! She's, she's..." a flustered Aang uttered.
"Unbelievable?" Sokka offered.
Katara, meanwhile, was speechless. "I, uh...The words don't exist that can..."
Toph, though, wanted to know what the heck was going on!
"What is it? What happened to Hay Lin?" Toph asked. For the first time in a long time, the earth bender regretted being blind. Then, in an attempt to discover what was occurring, she used her ability to sense heartbeats to gauge the others' reactions. "Sokka, why is your heart racing?"
"Oh, no particular reason!" the angelic Water Tribe teen replied. His words said one thing, however, while his actions said another thing entirely.
"Sokka! Don't stare!" his sister chastised him.
"Yeah, but…They didn't have girls who looked like this where I grew up!" the South Pole boy answered, in a foolhardy attempt to explain himself. "Ow! Katara, not my ear!" he yelled, as his sibling dragged him away to complete his chores.
"Wow, Hay Lin, you look…amazing!" Aang gushed.
"Really?? Yap! Thank you, Aang!" said the bubbly (and relieved!) Guardian of Air. "I was so worried you might be offended!"
"See, Hay Lin? I told you Aang would love it!" the Water Guardian beamed proudly at having been proven right, impressing even herself with her prognostication skills.
"Offended? No, I feel great you would honor my people in this way!" Aang told the young Asian girl.
Hay Lin had, under Irma's guidance, abandoned the modest (and rather drab) robes of the Earth Kingdom and adopted attire more suited to a girl who, in another life, could have been an Air Nomad! The two young Guardians had found an old scroll portraying a female air bender from the Western Air Temple, and decided to give it a go.
"It's all part of our plan!" Irma added. "We've got more traditional robes for when we go into battle later on, but we wanted to try out the whole air bender look on you guys before we went full bore on it. And if you're that surprised, imagine how the Fire Nation will react!"
"You even got the ribbons right! And you have all the air bender tattoos!" the young Air Monk marveled at the foreign girl's attention to detail. Hay Lin had the blue arrow tattoos of the air bender culture on her head, feet and hands, and they ran all the way up her arms and legs, just like Aang's. Plus, the robes she wore were very similar to the ones the sole Air Nomad dressed in. Except, the girl from Heatherfield did it all in her own inimitable style. "But what's that tattoo around your belly button?" Aang asked.
"Oh, that's my symbol!" Hay Lin informed the last air bender, her pigtails moving excitedly in the breeze. "It's the Candracar symbol for air. And the air bender tattoos are only temporary."
"Yeah, Hay Hay isn't totally turning her back on her past!" Irma chuckled. "She might go native, but she doesn't want to forget where she came from!"
"Well, of course you wouldn't want to do that!" Aang agreed, his respect for the air elemental from another world growing by leaps and bounds by the second.
(If you want to know why everyone (except Toph) is staring at Hay Lin, go to
worldwideweb dot teenheroines dot com - the can't resist a plug creator!)
As the three continued their discussion, another member of their group had very personal issues on her mind.
"I guess that's that." said a dejected Toph Bei Fong.
"That's what, Toph?" Katara inquired.
"Sokka really doesn't love me!" she cried.
"If you mean because of the way he ogled Hay Lin…" the water bender commented.
"No, it's not that. It's Suki!" Toph revealed.
"Oh." replied Katara. She knew her brother's feelings for the Kyoshi Warrior, and couldn't deny it to Toph.
"I guess that whole thing with Cal was just…playing house." Toph emoted.
"Ooh! Am I missing anything juicy?" said Irma, joining the conversation.
"Toph was telling me she thinks Sokka doesn't love her because he's in love with Suki." Katara filled in the Water Guardian. Turning to the earth bender, she sensitively added "Sokka does cares about you, Toph! He cares for you a lot!"
"I know. But he doesn't think about me the way I think about him!" Toph replied, tears welling up in her eyes.
"What?! Are you telling me Sokka would toss you over the side for one of those overly made up, fan-waving fangirl cosplayers??" an indignant Irma declared as a way of supporting her bender 'sister'. But she said it in a loud voice that the Kyoshi Warriors, camped nearby, could overhear.
Before Irma could continue with her rant, a fan sailed by her head and embedded itself into a tree!
"Okay, in their defense, that is one really sharp fan!" Irma stated, in a voice mixed with both fear and admiration.
Regaining her composure, Irma offered Toph her 'special services' "Hey, Toph, if you want, I can 'mindzap' Sokka!"
"Irma!" the prim and proper Katara recoiled. "There'll be no zapping of minds! We're all supposed to be friends here!"
"Jeez, relax! I was just joking!" Irma defended herself. "Sorry I said anything!"
Seeking to change the subject (and head off a fight), Toph observed "Well, at least I'm not the only one with boy problems!" She motioned towards where Aang was talking to Hay Lin.
"Huh?" retorted the clueless Katara. "What do you mean?"
"Oh, nothing!" Toph smiled.
"Oh, you mean because Hay Lin has a boyfriend back home that she's having problems with?" Katara speculated.
Which made the other two girls laugh!
"Yeah, that's what we're talking about! Snort!" Toph teased.
Irma continued to snicker at the puzzled girl from the South Pole.
Angry at being left out of the joke, Katara railed "You know, that's not very funny!" and stormed off in a huff.
"Think we should tell her?" Toph asked Irma.
"Are you kidding me?" Irma replied. "Besides, Katara has to know how Aang feels about her! No one could be that dense! She's only playing dumb so no one makes a big deal out of it!"
"Uh, Irma?..." Toph hesitated to ask the question. "...Could you really 'mindzap' Sokka?"
ooooooooooooooo
"You've done well, son!" Chief Hakoda complimented his warrior offspring, as the Boulder, the Mechanist, the Kyoshi Warriors and other accomplished, talented benders and soldiers from far-off corners of the globe boarded the three ships that would take them all to the Fire Nation.
"Thanks, dad!" Sokka enjoyed the praise. It felt great working with his father! It was probably the happiest time of his life. Too bad Katara didn't enjoy it as much (Sokka didn't know what her problem was, and wasn't about to pry), and even sadder still that Toph had copped an attitude about his dad's little gaffe. But, Sokka had a job to do, and wasn't going to let anything deter him!
Then Hakoda pointed out a curious member of the freedom-loving band of brothers and sisters.
"Who...is that??" the Chief asked.
(And before you guess, it wasn't Huu, Due and Tho from the Foggy Swamp Tribe! That motley crew of water benders had demonstrated their worth to the Chief earlier).
"Oh, that's Mayor Tong from Avatar Town!" Irma helpfully pointed out. "He agreed to help us!"
"Er, Irma...Isn't he a convicted crook?" Sokka sternly inquired.
"He was! But after the cops dragged him off to Ba Sing Se for punishment, he convinced the Earth King he was innocent! We could use a slick talker like him!" the ebullient Irma illustrated.
"But why would a man like that...want to help us?" the puzzled Hakoda asked.
"It was easy!" the Water Guardian crowed. "After we told him no one in the Fire Nation would know his rep!"
"Ah. I see." Hakoda realized. A chance for a new start. It was one thing they all had in common.
Before departing, Aang spotted Katara lugging supplies aboard their sailing craft. He stopped near her, and was about to say something when she noticed him hovering around and innocently asked "Yes, Aang? What is it?"
Put on the spot, Aang stuttered and stumbled. "Er, ah..." The young Air Monk wanted to tell Katara he loved her, or kiss her, or anything!
But before he could do any of that, he spied Hay Lin in the distance. Thrown off his game, and suffering from a confused heart, Aang avoided the dilemma and said to the Water Tribe girl "Um, need any help carrying those provisions?"
Next:
The Day of Black Sun!
Aang & Co. have cooked up some surprises for Fire Lord Zuko!
(The chapter is totally different from the TV episode. Better, too!)
Featuring the fight you've been waiting for - Toph vs. Cornelia!
Who will win the battle of the master earth bender vs. the non-bending Earth Guardian?
Plus: Fire Lord Zuko - powerless and cornered!
Or is he? Aang isn't the only one with a surprise up his sleeve!
And:
The death of you know who!
Notes
Spiritcatchers are based on Native American Dreamcatchers. Except here they're metal, and unadorned. Iron is considered an 'anti-magic' metal in many cultures. So, charged with lightning, they make excellent snares for otherwordly energy beings like Spirits.
I like the Cornelia/Zuko dynamic in this chapter. Corny's playing the tragic, hardluck (and hard to get) heroine, while Zuko is her amorous and noble, yet flawed, pursuer (and I've never read a romance novel, swear to God!) But it's all an act. Both of them are merely pretending, assuming roles to get what they want. You'll see where that leads them in the next two chapters.
The kiss didn't happen until I wrote that exact moment leading up to it, when it became the most natural thing in the world and essential to the storyline. It was never my intention for Cornelia to have an affair with Zuko, and I even referenced the Zuko/Cornelia non-relationship in a later chapter (which will now have to be re-written).
I also like the fact that Cornelia's usually portrayed as the princessy type, but as soon as she's stuck in a real castle, she's more of a Princess Diaries girl. That is, someone out of place among royalty, someone who burps at the royal dinner table. People are complex, and frequently far more than they seem. But then, Cornelia did become a park ranger, which is a rather get-your-hands-dirty job, in a possible future in issue 50 of the W.I.T.C.H. comic. So my version of Cornelia, where she becomes a rebel and lives off the land with Jet, is not that much different from the creators' vision of the character. Although she wouldn't want to live as a hippie/counter-culturalist/non-material girl, she is capable of it. She has it in her to do that. And according to the notes on her posted by the publisher, Cornelia is supposed to be the 'rebel' of the group, although I think by that they meant the contrary one, the one who questions the actions of the others, particularly Will, the leader. All of which probably explains why she's the star of this story. She's the most interesting and conflict-driven Guardian (just as Zuko, the other star, is the most interesting/most conflicted of the Avatar cast), although Irma, Hay Lin and Taranee all have their moments (Will doesn't have much to do before the end of the tale, regretfully).
The song Cornelia hummed was one she had skated to in competition. It was from the soundtrack to Walt Disney's Cinderella and is called Bibbidi-bobbidi-boo (also known as the magic song). According to a website, Disney music is popular among figure skaters, although I don't know if this particular tune is favored or not. I suppose the ending would be good for a skating finale, with jumps and double axels and salchows and whatnot. Or maybe only 8 year old figure skaters like it. Whatever the case, it's a peppy piece, and shows that Corny's plotting put her in a good mood. The Cinderella tie-in emphasizes the faux fairy tale nature of the story, with Cornelia in a Palace and involved with the ruler of the land. Although it's more of a fractured fairy tale, and darker than those bedtime stories.
Cornelia is said to be the confident Guardian, and I suppose that's true here, too. Who else would have the stones to pull off the scheme she cooked up in this chapter? But confidence can easily morph into stubbornness or overconfidence, with predictable, and unfortunate, results.
Hay Lin says 'yap' a lot in the comics, and I finally got it in here.