Chapter seven. There is alot of fluff in this chapter. I really wanna know what you think of Leon and Sorra's relationship, so if you could comment on that, it would be great. Also, their will another main character added next chapter, but I cant give anything away. Enjoy, and please review and shout out to the people who have.
Disclaimer: I know you'll sue... I don't own any part of the Avatar franchise.
Leon had just arrived at the mayor's house, his new mode of transportation being a half ton lion wolf. Seeing Achillien was content wit laying in the grass, he walked into the mayors house. He saw the mayor standing in front of his office door. When Leon tried to walk past him he was stopped by the mayor's hand on his shoulder.
"Leon, may I talk with you for a moment?", the mayor questiond with a hand on Leon's back, urging him to walk with him.
"Yeah, about what?", Leon answered, walking with him to the front of the staircase.
Listen I know how unprofessional this is, and I'm almost embarassed to ak, but Sorra has been distant since last night and I was hoping you could talk to her", the mayor replied, the sadness for his daughter eveident in his voice.
"But what about the meeting?", Leon questioned. He hadn't attended a meeting in days and felt like he was neglecting his dutys.
General Beifong is going to arive tomarrow morning, theirs nothing we can do till then", the mayor explained. Leon understood the situation, but he really wasn't the best person to talk to about personal problems. "His people skills were still in training, but if Sorra needed him he'd do his best.
"Okay, I'll see what I can do", Leon agreed.
The mayor nodded, and Leon turned to walk up the stairs. He stopped in front of Sorra's door and took a deep breath before knocking on the shut door. "Come in", he heard a groggy voice respond. Leon opend the door to find Sorra face down, sprawled out on the bed. "Hi", he said starring at her akwardly.
"Sorra, reconizing Leon's voice, sat up quickly. "What are you doing up here?" she exclaimed. It wasn't that she wasn't happy to see him, it was just her hair looked like a hurricane had hit it and her eyes had huge bags under them.
"I thought I'de come up here and check on you", he explained walking over to the bed and sitting down beside her.
"Im fine", she lied. She was still confused and scared, to emotions that did not mix well.
Leon knew she was lying, but knew trying to get her to talk about it would only end in disaster, and he wasn't exactly great with conversations to begin with, but he could get her mind off of what was bothering her.
"C,mon", he said taking her hand and standing, pulling her up with him.
"Where are we going?", she questioned in suprise.
"Your going to get dressed, then I'll handle everything from there", he explained, nudging her toward the bathroom.
Sorra was suprised at his actions. This was more like something she'd do rather than Leon. "Maybe I'm rubbing off on him", she thought to herself as she was pushed toward the bathroom.
After Leon sat on the bed pondering over random things for thirty minutes or so, Sorra emerged from the bathroom. She looked beautiful, her hair was down and she was wearing a simple dark blue tank top and some shorts that could be considerd nothing more than a large belt, but coverd what it needed to. Leon was fazed by her choice of close, but quickly shook himself out of it. "Ready to go"?, Leon questioned forcing himself to make contact.
"Do I have a choice?", she jokingly asked.
"Not really", Leon replied smirking. Quite honestly, Sorra was excited, but she knew Leon was the main reason for her depression.
"Okay then, lets go", she said walking ahead of him out the door.
Upon reaching the bottom of the stairs, Sorra began heading to the garage, but her hand was grabbed by Leon, stopping her in her tracks.
"Where are you going?", he questioned, even though he knew.
"To the garage to get my car", she replied, starring at him like he was stupid.
"Were not taking a car", Leon informed her.
"Well I'm certainly not walking all over the city", she stated confused.
"Were not walking either", he said, dragging her toward the front door.
"Then what are we...", before she could finish she was tackled the ground by the lion wolf, he was licking her in the face with his large tounge. "It's nice to see you to Achillien", she said, trying to cover her face. "Wait, I know your not talk about us riding him?", She exclaimed still on the ground. Leon didn't answer. He grabed her hand and picked her up off the grass, the lifted her on to Achillien, then he jumped up there himself, sitting behind her.
Sorra was stunned, he was me out of his mind if he thought she was going the ride a lion wolf all over the city. "Okay when your ready just say go and when your want to turn just lean in the direction you want to go", he informed her.
"Go"? she questioned. The lion wolf took off, taking Sorra's question as a command. She was screaming at the top of her lungs not expecting him to be so fast. Leon was laughing to himself at Sorra's reaction. "Where are we going?", Leon questioned. "I don't know I forgot how to turn", she exclaimed loudly, holding on for dear life.
"Just lean", he reminded.
Sorra, now understanding, began to calm down and for the first time on their joy ride, noticed Leon's arms were wrapped tightly around her waist. She was thankful he couldn't see her face because she red. Regaining her focus she began to steer the beast toward the park. Achillein was jumping over cars like nothing, and ironically they jumped over the same guy's car, who was drunk outside the hotel the night before, causing him to look down at his coffee cup he had in his hand, wide eyed. "What do they put in this stuff", he questioned himself. Because of few "short cuts" and the rate they were moving, it didn't take long to get to their distination. When the lion wolf came rushing through the park, the people who wern't running as if their life depended on it, were stunned and their legs couldn't move. Leon reached over and patted Achillein's siide with his hand, which have the signal to stop because the beast slowed his dash quickly, coming to a complete stop in seconds.
Leon and Sorra both jumped off the animal and Achillien collasped to the ground, not really liking the idea of excercise. Leon smiled at him and patted his back before sitting down in the grass, and laying down resting his head on Achillien's side. Sorra, seeing Leon was motioning for him to come lay next to him, followed him to ground resting her head on Achilleins side as well. They laid there in silence for the longest time. Sorra was trying understand why she felt so confused about Leon and Leon what just starring into space. Leon took notice of Sorra, he knew if she wasn't talking something was wrong.
"You wanna tell me what's bothering you now?, he questioned, still looking up into the sky.
Sorra was suprised by the question. She didn't really know how to answer. She couldn't tell him th truth could she? "ugh", she sighed deeply, "I just don't know", she said not making eye contact.
You don't know why your upset?, Leon said looking at her oddly.
"No, I do know it's just that I can't tell you", she explained
"You can't tell me?", he repeated back
"Leon, please just trust me". "It's not a big deal", she replied, now looking at him.
Leon knew Sorra was strong willed, and if she didn't wasnt to talk, he wouldn't be able to make her. They sat in silence for a moment before Leon stood, grabbing her hand and forcing he to stand. "C,mon", he exclaimed.
"Where are we going now?" she questiond
"You'll see", he replied, picking her up and placing her own the now standing Achillein. Leon jumped in the front this time, "Hold on tight".
Sorra did as she was told and scooted in close wrapping her arms around his waist and placing her head on his shoulder. She may be confused about Leon, but she was deffinately comfortable with him and trusted him greatly.
"Go", Leon shouted, making the beast take off in a mad dash to an destination only known to Leon.
After minutes of dodging cars and anything else in their way, they made it to their destination, which turned out to be Leon's appartment. The elavator ride up to the apartment waas kind of akward. Leon and Sorra were still sitting on Achillein, their were to men in buisness suits and an old woman. Needless to say nobody talked. Upon reaching Leon's apartment, Achillien bucked both Sorra and Leon off his back before walking into his room. Sorra and Leon both laughed at the animal's reaction. Leon was honestly really happy to Sorra smile, it made missing the meeting worth it.
"So, what are we doing here?", Sorra finally questioned.
"Movie day", Leon said simply, dragging her to the now present couch, with a television placed in front of her. Sorra honestly, kinda liked the idea of a movie day, it would take her mind off the constant stress. Leon turned on the t.v and took a seat right next to Sorra. She kinda luaghed in her mind. When the had first met Leon had set a few feet away, and now not even an inch seperated them. It was things like this that frustrated Sorra the most. Sometimes he would do things like this that would give her the feeling that he may like her back, even if it was just the slightest bit, but then other times he would be distant, or ignore her all together. He was deffinately complicated, but at the moment she was happy. Leon was right next to her, and no one was trying to kill them at the moment. In her world that was a good day. Her body began to relax and her tiredness began to take hold of her, within fifteen minutes of the movie starting she was out, her resting on Leon's shoulder.
When she awoke, the first thing she noticed was that Leon was not on the couch with her, and she could smell something good cooking. She arose from the blanket that had been placed over and walked to the kitchen to find Leon cooking comodo chicken salad, the first meal the had eating together.
"Hey, enjoy your sleep"?, he questioned looking at her smirking.
"Yeah, I really did how long was I out?" She asked trying to rub down her dark brown hair.
"Five hours", he answered casually.
Sorra was amazed, no wonder she felt so much better. She began to look at Leon oddly. For some reason it was hard to imagine him cooking even though she was watching it happen before her eyes. It was kind of humerous to her. She walked over to the kitchen table and took a seat, and right about then, Leon placed a plate full of komodo chicken salad in front of her, then grabbing his own plate took a seat beside her.
"You didn't have to do this", she said looking down at the food.
"I know, I'm just trying to make you feel better, is it working"?, he questioned.
"Yeah, maybe a little", she replied nudging his arm.
"Oh, I got you something", he exclaimed, getting up from the table and grabing something from a bag sitting on the counter.
"What is it?", she questioned, trying not to sound ungreatful
"A water pouch", he informed. Keep it with you at all times, that way no matter where you are, you will always be on an even palying feild, Leon explained handing it to her.
She tied it around her waist, and it actually went quite well with her dress. "thank you Leon, what made you do this?" she questioned smiling at him brightly. She then looked at him curiously as his face became somber.
I don't know, it's just that after last night, when I heard they found blood, I almost lost control". "I didn't even wanna think about if they had hurt you or worse". "You've became such a big part of my life that I'de be dead inside if I had lost you", he rexplained, his voice reflecting his feelings.
Sorra was tearing up. She had no idea he cared for her that much. In a way, she felt so much better, even though tears were dripping down her face. "Leon, your the greatest guy I know, and I don't want to ever loose you." It was quite for a moment, and she began to think she had said to much, but her fears were subsided when Leon pulled her into a tight hug. She couldn't see his guilty expression, he knew he wouldn't be in unity city much longer, but after the day the had he didn't have the heart to inform her they would be saying goodbye soon.
After a long moment Leon released her and stood. "C,mon it's getting late, I need to get you home." Sorra didn't want to leave, but she knew it was time to go.
"Will I see you tomarrow?", she asked hopefully.
"Yeah, I'll be there early to meet with General Beifong", Leon informed.
Sorra didn't like the idea of these meetings. She had gotten used to Leon being excused from them, and now she knew she would only get to see him a few hours a day.' Okay", she said trying to sound perky. In actuallity she felt miles better, Leon really was a miracle worker. Leon dropped her off and they said goodbye, then Leon headed home. He had to get some rest because he knew tomarrow would be a long day.
Leon walked into the mayor's house only to see a crowd of council members, the mayor, members of the united forces, and General Beifong all standing around a table in the mayors office. He was the last one to arive, or at least he hoped he was because their was now way to many more people were fitting in that office. Leon walked in the door and was greeted, everyone bowing respectfully. Leon returned the jester, but then turned his attention to General Beifong.
"It's very nice to meet you General", Leon said shaking his hand.
"You as well Avatar, I'm very impressed with your work so far". "It sounds to me like the media didn't do your skills justice", the general exclaimed placing a hand on Leon's shoulder.
"That means alot coming from you", Leon replied truthfully. Leon was aware that both his mother and his grandmother had assited past Avatars, and he was looking foward to working with this man. He had read great storys of this man's tactical abillity and bravery, which were charateristics Leon had as well.
"Don't mention it Avatar, now tell me and my troops here this plan of yours", the man asked seemingly intrested.
"Well, for starters we had to arrest current members of the gangs, which I think we've done a good job of, but we they keep recruiting teens to join them". "We have to show these kid's their's another way to be apart of something, than joining these gangs, where they are nothing more than pawns, and that's where the United Forces come in, Leon explained.
"You are intelligent Avatar, I shall send recruiters to the city's schools", the man said smiling at the teen, impressed with him. "However, that is not our biggest issue at the moment". "I've heard rumors in multiple citys that both the Red Dragons and The Abyss are working on producing a narcotic called white dust, and if I'm right, and I always am, then they are very close to being ready to distribute it", General Beifong infromed, very sure of himself.
"How can you be so positive", a council memeber questioned.
"Because in the last month, the number of gang battles has trippled, trust me, their close", the general explained.
Leon feared the same thing as well. "Then we have to find their factorys" Leon spoke out.
"But how?", the mayor questioned. "We've searched all of there warehouses, and found noting."
"It's simple", General Beifong said smirking. Every one just looked at him oddly waiting for futher explanation.
"If we can't find the factorys on the ground, then we will just have to look under it", he said simply.
"How do you supose we do that?", one of the council members asked, not understanding, than again no one besides his' troops did.
"Just leave that to me, call it a family secret", he said smirking confidently.
"Alright so it's settled, in one week we will mobalize into task forces and raid every gang warehouse in the city", the mayor stated loudly. Little did they know both the Red Dragons and the Abyss were gearing up for an all out war at that very moment.
Sorra watched from the kitchen wide eyed, as one person after another exited her father's office. "How did they fit all those people in there?", she mummbled to herself. As always Leon and her father were the last ones to exit, both making their way to the kitchen, where Sorra's mother was making lunch and talking to her daugther about random things, and Sorra was sitting and pretending to listen. The mayor walked over to his wife and gave her a kiss, which made Sorra pretend to gag, and Leon sat across from Sorra and plopped his head down on the table, obvisously exhausted.
"Leon, would you like a sandwhich?", Sorra's mother asked smiling at the exausted teen.
"Yes mamm", he mumbled, still face down against the table.
Sorra giggled to herself. It was like Leon had became apart of the family. No one referd to him as Avatar Leon any more, it was just simply Leon, and she knew he liked it that way. "So, what did your little clown car of a meeting talk about that has you so tired"?, she questioned smiling at him. Leon raised his head laughing at the analogy. "You know, just old people stuff", he replied, not wanting to worry Sorra. Leon knew in a weeks time the city was gonna have a battle to fight.
