I don't own ATLA.

Version 2.0


Chapter 5: The Last Step On Dry Land

Toph's 10 Rules of Ruling Ba Sing Se:

1) You are the boss, but only let the people closest to you know it – let everyone else think Ba Sing Se is a Republic. That way, if you really mess up, you won't be the one executed.

2) Bears are absolutely not allowed in the throne room. This is punishable by death.

3) Pay attention to the Dai Li. Now, pay even *more * attention to the Dai Li.

4) The only one who is allowed to mope is King Sparky. Once every 5 years or so, Avatar Twinkles may have a small pout as well. Shut down anyone else who tries.

5) Exile is no longer a viable form of punishment, no matter how tempting it may be.

6) It is also unacceptable to metalbend annoying dignitaries/lawyers/visiting royalty/family/friend's children into impromptu prison-boxes when they get annoying (exception: Ty Lee, who is apparently into that kind of thing.)

7) Review Rule 3.

8) Every 3 months or so, engineer a small, contained, non-fatal disaster so Twinkles does not get rusty.

9) When you catch one of your advisors being dishonest for their personal gain, do not immediately confront them. Play with them. Praise them privately, to their faces, and then systematically distance them from your presence. When they finally realize what has happened, slap them in the face with the evidence of their dishonesty and deliver them to the Dai Li. Keep all this as public as possible, and never have to worry about it again.

10) Most importantly: take no one's shit. You've got enough to handle as it is.

Toph could not remember the last time she had experienced this much excitement before noon. Well, excitement not of her causing: in her years on the throne, she had learned that there was a distinct difference between trouble she'd caused and trouble she'd had to set to rights. Yet even in all her years of mischief making she'd never come across something quite like this.

Aang had dragged the young spirit woman into the palace several hours ago, so intent on seeing justice done that he didn't even search out Katara first. That had been the first sign that some serious shit was about to hit the fan. Secondly was how he had so tersely ordered Sura away from the council room, along with Iroh's pointed, almost pained silence. Clearly, there was something going on there…perhaps some dissention within the camp? Thirdly had been the woman herself. She was obviously not in the physical condition to be dragged around so violently; judging from the sickly weak thrum of her heartbeat, she was feverish at the least. Her actual interview with the woman had only confused Toph further. She was clearly in shock, and Twinkle Toes was far too eager to deal out punishment. What on earth had happened between the two of them to merit such uncharacteristic brutality?

Toph had actually been in the council chamber for once, pretending to listen to a young scribe's feeble attempt to detail the King on the passing of a new bill. She had recognized Aang's footsteps even before he opened the doors, and guessed that Iroh and Sura were with him, although she had been confused when one set of feet stomped away, and then realized that there had been another set of uneven steps with them all along. Intrigued at her unexpected guest (and their dwindling entourage), Toph interrupted her scribe by standing just as the doors flung open, and Twinkle Toes – feeling angrier than Toph could remember – strode in.

The scribe took one look at the situation and bowed hastily, retreating out the servant's door. Toph didn't blame him. Twinkles felt like he was just one small step away from going Avatar.

"What are doing, Twink-"

"Earth King, here before you is a woman I demand you pass judgment against. She has murdered the entirety of her tribe with the use of her spirit bending ability, and I believe those same powers will be used against us as well. I have seen the demise of her tribe with my own eyes, and as Avatar, I have already made my decision. But I await your judgment. Give me permission to remove these powers."

Toph was shocked by the steady beat of his heart, practically thrumming with energy and purposefulness. Clearly he thought he was pursuing the course of justice. Toph wondered if he – or the world – had recently gone off the rails without her noticing.

She was blind, after all. Bound to miss a thing or two.

"I understand that you'll want to question her. So go on, spirit bender. Tell her what you've-"

"Enough." Toph's powerful voice rang out over the chamber before the woman could speak. Her shoulders heaved and she pointed with unnerving accuracy at Aang. "Avatar. I fully understand the position you hold. And now I would like you to leave the room."

She felt Aang's flare of anger, and guessed (by the flicker of pain she picked up from the supposed spirit woman) that Aang had tightened his hold on her. "Toph you can't-"

"Can't what, Avatar? I am the King here, in case you forgot. I'm the one whose permission you need to strip someone of their power, when they are under my jurisdiction. And I don't care for people telling me what to do, even when they're my friends. Besides. Your mind is very clearly made up, and I'm not going to listen to you again until I hear her say, without your interference."

"Toph, I am the Avatar! I uphold the justice and balance in the universe! Why aren't you listening to me?"

Toph ground her fingers into her temples. When would Aang just grow up? His immaturity had repeatedly hurt Katara over the years, and the earth be damned if she was going to let it get in her way. She knew this side of Aang – this stubborn and unyielding side of him that was convinced he was right because of who he was. It had never reared its head for something like this, though. Something was wrong, and unfortunately, she would have to talk to the woman to hopefully get to the bottom of it.

"I will listen to you when you start making sense. You are indeed the Avatar, and as such, I am ashamed of the path you are promoting. Haven't you always said that revenge is not the way? Now. If you do not wish to anger me further," here, Toph caused all the pillars in the room to rattle ominously, demonstrating that she was still his earth bending Sifu and could still kick his skinny little ass, "you will go and tell your wife you have returned to the Palace."

Aang set his jaw firmly, and Toph could feel his pigheadedness rising from him in waves.

"You will also tell her how it was that Zuko's younger son became injured. None of that earlier bullshit you tried to feed me. Tell her the truth this time, Aang. You don't want her to hear it from Koru when he wakes up…"

A growl, a rush of wind, and he was gone. Toph snorted, not only at Aang's swift departure, but at the surprise she sensed from the two people left in the room. Now. To work.

"All right then. What is your name?"

Anicca turned her wide, faintly glazed eyes towards the unconventional king. Clearly, this question was not directed at the scowling one behind her. "Anicca, Earth King."

Toph snorted again to cover up her uneasiness. Something was wrong with the girl. Either she was very ill, or someone had drugged her. Toph didn't like to think about her options as to whom. "None of that, now. Just answer the questions without the damn honorific. Are you a spirit bender?"

Anicca hesitated, taking a moment to overcome the habit of answering in the shameful negative. "I think so, yes. Now, yes."

Toph squinted. Truth, yet vaguely muddy... "Oh? You are unsure?"

Anicca took a deep breath. Fought for coherency. "I have been unable to bend the spirits until yesterday. I did not grow up with these…abilities."

Toph glanced at Iroh, who shrugged, then nodded. She decided she would get into the details later and moved on to the important. "Anicca, the Avatar has accused you of murdering your tribe. What do you say to this?"

Iroh held his breath. This was it. He knew that she wouldn't-couldn't - lie, and through their tenuous link he could feel that she was on the verge of collapsing. Her mad dash through the mountain had caused her to relapse, and although she had entered a trancelike state on the ride to Ba Sing Se, it hadn't been enough to stave off the fever. Iroh doubted she would have the energy to extrapolate, or even explain the bare bones of the ritual. If she couldn't do at least that, then there was no chance of garnering any sympathy. She was doomed.

"I was the instrument of their deaths."

Toph frowned. What in Shu's name did that even mean? "Let me rephrase: Did you kill any or all members of your tribe?"

Anicca's mouth worked soundlessly as she tried to phrase her response. It would help if her brain would work – everything was so fuzzy and the sounds were distorting. At least she was still able to comprehend this infernal language! She knew she was sick again, but this was simply not the time. "Yes."

An untruth. Not quite a lie, not really the truth. Toph hated it when people answered in shades of gray. Years of experience had taught her how to get to the bottom of it, however. "How?"

"I…I felt them do something that is forbidden to us, and then I-"

"How did you feel them if you didn't have spirit powers before?"

Anicca blinked. "Because they hurt him. My brother-twin. I have always been able to feel him, because he was so strong." She shook her head. "It was not that I felt what they did, but I felt him be taken away from me." She swayed slightly, and exhaled raggedly, forcing herself to a final rally. "I don't know what I did to them, or how I did it. I just called for the spirits to stop them, to save him, and if they could not, to revenge him, but after they came to me, I don't know. I did not know anything else until Sura came."

Toph raised a curious, delicate eyebrow at that, but decided she'd get that later. The woman was about to drop. "Did you want them to die?"

The spirit bender looked at her with pained incomprehension, and Toph couldn't tell if the spiritbender was attempting to portray her innocence or if the woman simply couldn't understand the question. The longer she spoke, the more pronounced her accent became, and Toph wondered where on earth this woman had come from. Nowhere in her kingdom did people speak like that. "I said, did you want them to die?"

"No! Aharem melsonara- my family…yehkar…I can't-"

She interrupted herself by dropping gracelessly to the floor. Iroh attempted to catch her as she fell – Toph raised another brow at that – but he had been too far away. As he reached her, Toph stepped forward as well.

"Are you faking this?"

The weak yet steady thrum of her heart attested her innocence, as well as her unconsciousness. Toph sighed. What to do…the girl needed immediate medical attention, which was easy enough. Harder was to keep Aang at bay. Putting her in one of the higher-level dungeons would appease him, along with being sanitary enough to let the girl heal. Anicca had mentioned Sura, maybe she would be willing to go and work on the spirit bender? Toph sighed heavily. A king's work was never done. Fucking Avatar, bringing in prisoners from who knows where. Disrupts her peace, it does.

"Iroh, go tell the Avatar that I have decided to imprison her until she can finish her testimony. Inform him that while she has plead guilty, I have not yet made up my mind, and that attempting to strip her of her powers – or even breathing on her funny - in this state would very likely kill her." Toph could not imagine that even in his current dark mood that he would be willing to bring death to anyone. Not after he couldn't kill Ozai. "After that…go find Sura. Unless you think she'd not want to help her?" Toph tilted her head towards the unconscious woman.

Iroh huffed. "Not at all. She'd be quite willing."

Well, that explained the set of footsteps stomping off earlier. It also complicated things further…but then again, perhaps not in the long run. Iroh bowed, and then turned to go but Toph stopped him at the door.

"Hey Hot Stuff, what do you think I should do?"

Iroh tried not to cringe at the affectionate nickname. Only the Earth King would make fun of his unwanted good lucks, and subsequent popularity. "I think it is wise to wait, Earth King. Especially as there is reason to believe that she is not the true threat."

Toph glowered at him. Pushing aside her annoyance at his outdated courtesy (she imagined that Zuko had been like that, before he had tramped all over the world chasing them in their youth), she raised her eyebrow and growled.

Iroh shrugged his shoulders and gazed longingly towards the door. Every moment he stood near the woman, he could feel her infection. He could feel how hard it was to breathe, and his need to find Sura to fix this was steadily mounting. "It is her story to tell, Earth King. I don't think I fully understand it. It is not an immediate threat, however, and can wait until she is healed – as long as it's done quickly."

Toph's glower was unrelenting. "No one is telling me the truth, Hot Stuff. Even Sickly here wasn't all that truthful, although she appeared to be trying. Then there's Koru, who doesn't mention anything about this woman killing off her tribe and Aang who doesn't mention anything about how she can heal the sleeping sickness. I still don't know what exactly it is that she can even do, and Shu knows why you're on her side instead of Twinkle's. And now there's another baddie out there? Bigger and badder than this lady?" She glanced over at the woman, and was reminded of her purpose. "Something serious is going down, and I've been bored for far too long." She grinned evilly, and even Iroh, stoicism incarnate, felt uneasy.

"Now. After you've gone and ran your errands – remember, Aang then Sura, and don't mention anything about Sura to Aang – stay in touch, but out of sight. I know you're raring to meet your fiancée, but all that will have to wait until we've got all this sorted out. Actually, it might be better if you avoid her entirely – she doesn't know anything about this, and for now I'd like to keep it that way. Not that she's untrustworthy, simply an unneccesary complication. Anyways, I have a feeling you've got a pretty good idea of what's going on, and I don't want to lose you to Aang's prejudice.

"Now be off with you, I have things to do."

Iroh nodded stiffly, bowed, and then departed without a glance to the woman whose fever made him feel vaguely ill himself. He tried very hard to think only of what he would say to the Avatar, and where Sura might be. He did not want to ponder what the Earth King had said about him being on the spirit woman's side rather than the Avatar's. This was largely because it was true. He had reflected deeply on his course of action the whole trip back, and had come to the unfortunate conclusion that he believed Asha. That the woman – Anicca, his consciousness scolded him again, you're going to have to say her name someday- hadn't known what she was doing was obvious, as well as was her aversion to death. She either hadn't meant to kill them or hadn't wanted to, and he was unsure if one was better or worse. Either way, it outlined her character well enough for him, especially considering there was another force at work behind the scenes. She was no hardened murderer, and therefore was the lesser of evils, at least.

Yet all that was neither here nor there, really. To him, it didn't really matter whether she was a sociopath or a saint, she was the means to an end. He believed that the true threat was whatever dark force her people had brought into this world. According to the Asha, she was the only one who knew how to move against him. If she needed the use of her spirit powers to do so, then he would have to protect her until the greater evil had been stopped. Then, she could face the consequences of her actions. To him, it was that simple. That the Avatar couldn't see this only seemed to accentuate the importance of hunting down this dark spirit, for who else could cloud the Avatar's clear mind?

"Iroh!"

He spun to see Aunt Katara (even he could not consider the woman as anything other than Aunt) suddenly start running over to him, bare feet (she must have ditched her slippers somewhere, Iroh noticed) flapping against the polished floor. He tried to smile.

"Hello Aunt Katara. Is everything all right?"

She was breathing heavily by the time she reached him, but she was still impressively in shape for her age and position. Not many ambassadors engaged in strenuous water bending practice at least once (if not four or five times) a day. "Yes, yes, I'm fine. I just saw Sura on her way to Koru's room, and she said that you had brought the spirit woman, and that she was very ill. I thought she'd be with Toph in the council chamber, but no one was there – do you know where they went?"

Had Toph somehow forgotten Katara's longstanding obsession with healing the sleeping sickness? Koru must have told everyone about how the spirit woman could potentially heal the sickness, although he probably hadn't known if she had recovered or not. No wonder Toph and Katara had been so open minded and excited – they at least were considering the wider possibilities the spirit bender presented.

He opened his mouth to tell her about the higher-level dungeons, closed it quickly. Toph had only gotten the Avatar to leave the room by warning him to tell his wife something, and obviously he hadn't done it. For the Avatar's sake, he should do as Toph commanded. But he could feel the woman's weakness, and it was driving him insane. …No, he must do his duty. Yet when he opened his mouth out came: "The higher dungeons. She is not well. Have you seen the Avatar? I have a message for him."

"Are you sure? But um, no. I haven't seen him since he brought in Koru." Katara worked hard to keep her voice neutral. As far as she knew, neither she nor Zuko had seen her husband since the frantic, hurried drop off yesterday night. She hadn't seen Zuko either, thank La. In all the excitement she hadn't had a chance to really think about what her and Zuko's persistent attraction meant, if it meant anything at all. At the moment, all she knew was that she and Zuko were still very much in love, and she was in as much danger of betraying her husband as she had been as a much younger woman. Wasn't age supposed to cool passions, dim ardor?

Iroh looked down at his aunt, wondering at the strange look on her face. Now there was a guilty, distracted look if he'd ever seen one…could she possibly know something about the Avatar's current bloodthirstiness? Or was there a legitimate reason Aang hadn't found his wife, namely, that she was avoiding him? "Ah. Well, I believe he's looking for you…so don't be too long in the dungeons." He trailed off as a recognizable yet unfamiliar shape backed into view. He had never seen it in life, but the sketch had been quite detailed…there, at the end of the hallway, was the fiancée he was supposed to avoid. For once, duty and desire aligned, and with a whispered adieu, he took off down an adjacent hallway, thankful that Siyi Tanh had not yet turned around. Later, he would reflect on his eagerness to escape the woman he would undoubtedly spend the rest of his life with. For now, he would leave her in the capable hands of his Aunt.

Now. To find the Avatar.

"Koru!" Sura burst through the door and was in his arms before she could realize that he may be indisposed or unconscious. Thankfully he wasn't, and as Tanh had left only moments before, all his attention was free to spend on the woman who so suddenly flung herself into his arms. Before she could say anything else, he captured her lips with his, making it known to her how much he had missed her. When he was fairly sure she had gotten the message, he continued on with how much he currently desired her.

Sura giggled and playfully shoved his hand off her upper thigh. Not that she didn't want that or anything, but there was a thing or two they should discuss first. Such as his wounds, and whether or not she should be straddling his waist like so. "Koru, are you all right?"

"Mmmhmm." He pulled back and pouted. Sura giggled again, and it was all the sunshine and sweetness that had been lacking over the last few days.

"Thank Yue. I was so worried that I hadn't healed you properly-" Katara glanced down, casting cursory hands over Koru's arm and chest. His arm had healed nicely, and apart from residual inflammation would be up to snuff in a matter of days. Yet the crack in his rib was still not completely healed, and there was a minute danger of infection.

Koru caught her hands in his own, bringing them to his lips. "I'm fine, beloved. Your mother patched me up right away. But I'm dying of curiosity – what happened to the spirit woman?"

Anicca.

Gasping, Sura pulled away again. How could she have forgotten? Practically babbling she told Koru everything: the Ritual, their visions at the Mountain Shrine, Iroh's oddness and her father's anger. The only thing she held back was Asha's gift, but why, she couldn't really say. Something told her that it was her secret alone. Besides, although she loved and trusted Koru implicitly, they had far larger issues to worry about.

The last thing she told him was something that she thought even Iroh wouldn't know, although it was possiblethrough his tenuous connection to Anicca. It was something that had happened only moments ago, and the only thing that could even momentarily dispel her guilt at forgetting about Anicca for even a moment.

"And then Father told me I couldn't go in with him; that I had to go find Mother. I was about to argue with him, but then she just looked at me, and I could hear her telling me to go find you. And maybe I shouldn't have left because she looked so ill, but I was so surprised when I felt her speak to me about you, and then she…she reminded me of how I felt for you, and suddenly I was running. I saw Mother on the stairs coming up and thankfully she didn't want to do anymore than hug, because I just missed you so much." She sighed. Smiled. "And I think that's all of it."

Koru stared at her in shock. Granted, it had been a lot to comprehend, and he was sure he was going to have to hear it all about three more times, but he knew what he'd like to start off with. "Care to explain that last part again?"

Sura sighed in mock exasperation. "Koru. If you're asking for a demonstration to show how much I missed you…"

He shook his head, uncharacteristically serious. "No. Well, yes, but not now. Sura. The part about where she spoke without actually speaking."

Sura knitted her brows in thought, but didn't appear worried. "It was like before, in a way. When I was in her soul, and she told me to go. Except this time I could hear and feel her – the connection was a lot stronger without the evil souls in the way. The reminding part was a bit weird, but I could feel that she didn't mean anything bad by it – she simply wanted me to obey my father, and she knew I would miss you."

"And how did she know that?"

Sura had the grace to blush. "Ah. Well uh…the ride here was kind of long…"

"I thought you said your father didn't let you talk to her."

"Uhhh yeah. About that."

Koru shook his head admiringly. How else could he react? It wouldn't do to let Sura know he worried so much about her. She prided herself on her strength and independence, and if she trusted this woman, he would have to as well – at least until he met her and could form his own opinion. After all, Sura and Iroh were two of the people he respected most, and if they both thought Anicca was all right – or from Iroh's standpoint, no longer an obvious threat – he would as well. "So you've been practicing this mental communication a little longer than you first let on?"

Sura twisted her lips in a manner that was so adorable that Koru had trouble breathing for a moment. "Please don't tell Father? I think Iroh suspects, but he knows that Anicca is at the very least important, and won't do anything rash." She settled her shoulders, anger rising. "Urghh, Koru! Father is being so dumb about all this! He refuses to listen to anyone's opinion other than his. He has it in his head that Anicca is evil and did all this on purpose, and that we're all lying about the evil spirit her people awoke. He thinks she's trying to trick us. But I've seen her intentions, Koru, and I know what her grandmother told her and Iroh! She's not evil. She's not. She's upset and lost and confused and hurt, but she didn't mean to kill anyone."

"I know, I know. I believe you." He brought his lips to her forehead in an effort to reassure. "Hush, love, hush." He kissed her softly, marveling at her compassion and empathy. They were hallmarks of the woman he loved, and would always cherish. There could be no one else for him.

Sura managed a shaky smile as he drew back. "I like her, Koru. She'd just lost everyone, and she found the strength to let me in. It was almost like…" She cocked her head to the side, deep in thought. "I felt like the more she worried about me and my life, the easier it was for her to accept herself. Like when she cared for me, she was more at peace, or something. And I think that's a good thing, right? Finding your strength through caring for others?"

Koru nodded absently. "It's like you." He chuckled even as he brought his hands back to her hips. "It's a lot like you."

Sura giggled as his hands began to rub gentle circles on her thighs. "You're not listening to a word I say, are you."

"Not for lack of trying. But I have ten years of unresolved passion driving me."

Sura leaned in to lay a soft kiss on his thin, expressive lips. "You are incorrigible. Honestly, how have you lived this long-"

She was cut off by the sound of the door swinging open behind them. She whipped her head around so quickly it cracked.

"Oh!" There was a sharp intake of breath. "OhyoumustbeSura!"

The lady in question pulled away from her love so jerkily she half-jumped, half-fell to the floor. Oh gods. They had been seen. And by…?

"I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to…to interrupt. Or to - are you all right?" Siyi Tanh was not having an easy time of it. Admittedly, she had been a little late checking up on her patient, but with all the suppressed excitement in the palace that was only to be expected. She had hoped that she might get glimpse of her fiancée (or better yet be introduced) but the guards told her he had left the palace immediately after having an audience with Aunt-King Toph. Apparently, he had been charged with a task so important that he couldn't even stop and speak with his Father, let alone his yet to be met fiancée.

Tanh understood, although she couldn't fight off a faint twinge of displeasure. Duty before desire, and all that. Still…she had been waiting for so long…

But that was neither here nor there. The beautiful girl in front of her was clearly ready to bolt, and even Koru, whose company Tanh thoroughly enjoyed (so fortunate, as future siblings!) was looking rather disjointed. Time to reassure. After all, it's not like she hadn't known – or at least, suspected - of their attachment…especially with the way Koru had been calling out Sura's name during his convalescence!

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to interrupt. And just then! My name is Siyi Tanh…cousin to Toph Bei Fong. I'd been helping Lady Katara check up on Koru since the accident." She gave her deepest curtsy and noticed that Sura had begun to look between Koru and herself, as if trying to divine the connection. Yet Koru still looked on edge. So. Their engagement was a secret, then?

"And don't worry…I won't say anything to anyone. I gather your relationship is a secret?" Her brow furrowed unintentionally. "Although I doubt anyone would do or say anything at the moment. They're all rather distracted…for some odd reason."

If anything, Sura looked even more uncomfortable, and Tanh was beginning to wonder if she hadn't seriously misread the situation. Yet Koru then laughed and pulled Sura so that she stood next to the bed, an action that dispelled the tension.

"Thank you, Tanh, for your assurances. And here we are, standing here like gaping children. Well. Let me remedy this. You of course know who I am, but give me leave to honor you with the presence of Sura, daughter of Lady Katara and the Avatar, my unannounced fiancée, and the love of my life. Sura, likewise, let me addend Tanh's introduction: you are gazing at the lovely woman who will, gods willing, become your sister-in-law." Sura belatedly smiled and murmured something polite as Koru chuckled. "That being said, where is my brother?"

Sura shrugged, thinking she had a good idea of where Iroh might be, but ended up saying nothing. After all, she couldn't know for certain that Iroh was still holding congress with the Earth King. On further reflection, it seemed just as likely that he had left the palace, either trying to find a way to break their connection or to enjoy his last bit of freedom. And as she couldn't feel Anicca at the moment, she couldn't ask her…

Her eyes traveled back to the woman still standing in the doorway. Yue and La, but she was beautiful. This was a woman straight out of love ballads! Sura sighed. Even knowing that Koru had only ever loved herself, she had still felt a long, sickening moment of fear when she saw how easily they interacted. Yet this woman was Iroh's. Judging by the faint flush in her cheeks and flash of intense interest at Koru's question, Tanh didn't mind her future husband at all. Iroh was a handsome man, Sura allowed. Yet would he ever belong to Tanh in return?

Not the point. The point was that Tanh and Koru are as siblings, and there is nothing here to worry about.

Deciding to be brave, and to trust in Koru's judgement, Sura leaned down to kiss him on the cheek, and then crossed the floor to Tanh. She hesitated a moment, wondering if she was the kind of woman to worry about mussing her clothes or ethereally perfect hair, or too reserved to appreciate the intended gesture. Yet Tanh read Sura's indecision and slightly raised arms, and made up her own mind. She threw her slender arms around Sura, and squeezed tightly.

"I am so glad to have met you, Sura. Koru has told me a lot about you...and I am especially happy that we may be sisters." Tanh whispered, so that there would be something like secrets between them. She pulled away and smiled up at the waterbender, hoping that she wouldn't be subjected to the familiar jealous hatred that had always followed her like a shadow. It was one thing to experience it with women who could withhold only the joys of friendship, but in her future sister-in-law it would be worse…

Sura felt the hint of desperation in the hug, and wondered if Tanh was lonely. She seemed so friendly and charming, but Sura knew the ways of jealous women, and could see exactly why she might be ostracized. So she smiled back, and demonstrated her trust in the most potent way possible. "Thank you, Tanh," she whispered. Raising her voice so that Koru could hear as well, she winked broadly at her new friend. "Well then. I'm glad to leave Koru in such capable hands. I have to get back to Mother, though…I'll be sure to tell her you're on your deathbed."

Koru snorted and Tanh stepped away, warmly thankful that Sura had not been repulsed. Sura grinned cheekily at the smaller woman. "And if I see a certain firebender wandering around the palace…I'll be sure to send him your way." She leaned in close to Tanh so that Koru couldn't hear. "Take care of him. As one sister to another. Please?"

Tanhgrinned immoderately for the first time since she came to the palace. Someone liked her, someone liked her, someone liked her! She almost babbled with excitement. "Of course! Absolutely. Always."

Sura laughed as she left. Tanh might be a little odd, and possessed a frighteningly perfect façade, yet she had been so sweet and awkward at the end. Also, Koru was an excellent judge of character, and he had clearly trusted her. Sura hummed to herself as she padded down the hallway. For the first time since Uncle's death, she felt like everything could end well. Sure, the sleeping sickness had been growing steadily worse, and there was her father's immovability to deal with, but-

Sura was yanked unceremoniously through an open door before she had time to scream. Strong arms encircled her, yet she was far from helpless. Summoning water from the flask at her belt, she fashioned a barrage of ice daggers to attack her foe…

…that promptly evaporated the moment before they touched his skin.

"Sura! Stop it! It's me."

"Iroh?" Sura gasped as he let her go to rub at the red marks on his arms and neck. Oh, so the daggers had landed. She was faintly proud of herself, but more so angry and curious. "What are you doing? Why in La's name are you abducting me?"

"I had to get a hold of you secretly. Toph wants me to stay out of the palace, but I had talk to you first." Iroh scowled, a gesture that made him look unsettlingly like his grandfather. "What were you and Koru doing that took so damn long? Braiding each other's hair?"

Sura flushed, but was fairly sure he couldn't see it in the dim light. "I was meeting your fiancée, actually. The one you seem hell-bent on avoiding." She had only guessed, but from his hesitation it seemed she was right. Ha! That she'd live to see the day Iroh was rendered uncomfortable! But then she remembered Siyi, who had been flushed and excited at the prospect of meeting Iroh, and felt bad. Sura had the unfortunate suspicion that all of Siyi's beauty might not be enough to win Iroh's duty-bound affection…

"I am under orders from the Earth King to avoid her – to avoid everyone. She does not want the word of the spirit bender's existence to spread beyond those who already know."

Sura raised a sardonic brow at that. She suspected there was another reason Iroh was supposed to remain tucked away, and she assumed it had to do with her Father. Once again, Sura wondered just what had happened when Anicca had been brought before Aunt Toph. Yet she knew Iroh well enough to know that begging wouldn't avail her; he either would or wouldn't tell her, and said nothing. At the very least, the change of topic meant that she didn't have to think uncomfortable thoughts about Siyi anymore.

Iroh noticed Sura's restraint, and internally thanked Agni. After all, the more time he spent arguing with Sura, the more opportunity there would be for him to run into certain someones... "Regardless. This is about the spirit woman." Now he had her attention. "The King has partially questioned her, but the woman passed out before she could finish. Her interrogation is therefore put on hold until she heals." He looked at Sura pointedly. "The King was wondering if you would like to expedite the process?"

Unexpectedly, Sura hesitated. Iroh had assumed she'd leap at the chance to help the woman. On the way back to Ba Sing Se, Sura's concentration had been utterly fixed on the spirit woman, and although he had attempted to ignore the connection, he could feel the woman's energy fixed just as firmly on Sura. He couldn't tell exactly what they were doing, but he knew they were doing something. His suspicions had been confirmed when they had stood outside the doors leading to the throne room. The woman had somehow communicated something to Sura, non-verbally and without the Avatar's knowledge. He knew this in the unsettling way he knew that the woman was still unconscious, partially healed by Aunt Katara, and located one floor down and several hallways to the left of them. When Sura had abruptly turned to go, he had felt the woman's relief and spasm of weakness, and to his surprise, he realized that the spirit bender had been worried for Sura.

That was the end, of course. With her empathy, Sura would realize all this, and would then have no choice but to care for the spirit woman in return. Best friends, for the rest of the spirit woman's limited existence.

"And if I heal her…her sentence will be passed more quickly?"

Ah. So that was it. "Sura…you know the Earth King. Your father, in full-on Avatar mode, demanding that Toph execute his justice? I'm surprised she didn't fight him then and there." His eyebrows raised at her noticeable relief. "Regardless, you know what that means."

Sura nodded firmly. She looked down at her hands, and then at Iroh. "But just in case…"

Iroh led her to the door. He waited for her to say it.

"What did my Father say her sentence should be?"

"To strip her of her powers. You knew that."

"That can't happen, Iroh." She looked up at him, her most serious expression firmly in place. "I can't let it happen."

Iroh raised an eyebrow, but said nothing. He figured she would know it was his way of conceding without actually agreeing. Finally, he spoke. "Then let me take you to her."

Aang had been taught to see the world as it was, and appreciate all it's vagueries and shades of grey. Yet it ran opposite to his nature, which was to understand a situation in blunt facts. The answer was either yes or no. The world could only be dressed in black or in white. Most of the time, he was able to fall back on training, and accept everything as a monk should. Yet in times of stress and anxiety, nature won out. This, coupled with the blind madness of almost entering the Avatar State was the reason that he had very nearly "attacked" his daughter whom he loved so, so much, and had brought back the light of hope into his life.

His wife was similar, in nature if not by training. Blunt by nature and by her native culture; she had only learned subtlety since the fall of Ozai. Yet unlike him, she owned her personality, and instead of viewing it as a defect, she lauded it as a strength. Unfortunately for him, she was now using that strength against him.

"You. Attacked. Sura."

Aang didn't know how she could have known. Toph had seemed sure that she didn't already know, and the grim-faced Zuko at her side couldn't have told her, as he hadn't known either. Unless…unless Koru had woken up already. Then it didn't matter who had told whom. Either way he was screwed.

Stay in the present, Aang. Katara. Is. Pissed.

"Katara, I had the situation perfectly under control. Sura was in no danger-"

"No danger?! No danger?! She was facing down the Avatar and you claim she was in no danger?" Katara knew she was practically hissing, but she couldn't do anything about it. At the moment, she had two volumes, and the other would have deafened them all. "No danger. Yeah. So then why did Koru need medical attention?"

She watched the flash of emotion diffuse her husband's stoic face. Aang was extremely expressive until he was either very angry, or very in trouble, and then it was like arguing with a stone replica of himself. Where had such immovability come from? Katara darkly suspected that it was Toph.

"He acted in a way I did not expect, and I had to react. It was instinctive. I am sorry for that." He turned to Zuko, and struggled to unbind his tight face into something that resembled contrition. He was sorry. He hadn't meant to hurt Koru, just as he hadn't meant to hurt Sura. Truthfully, he didn't really know why he had reacted the way he did. The hatred he had felt for the spiritbender had surpassed all common sense, and when he had viewed her there, lying helplessly on the ground, all he could think was that this was his one chance to end it all, end whatever madness might come before it even began. Yet that chance had passed, and now he had to deal with the fallout.

"I'm sorry, Zuko. Until I made contact, I couldn't even tell who it was that was moving – I feared it was another like her." He bowed deeply from the waist, and held the position. "It was my mistake. I handled the situation badly. I'm sorry."

A muscle in Zuko's cheek twitched, and it was the only indication of his anger. Save for the emphasis on that last sorry, Aang's apology had been made as the Avatar. Not that Zuko blamed him. He had indirectly made an attempt on the life of the second prince of the Fire Nation, and if word got out the political repercussions could potentially start another war. They both knew that. They all did. So, with a quick glance at Katara (by her grimace he could tell she agreed with him, but didn't like it one bit) he gripped his friend by his shoulders, and pulled him upright.

"It's all right, Aang. Both Koru and Sura are fine." He took a deep breath before continuing. "So tell us about this…spiritbender."

Aang needed no provocation. He told them all, exactly as he saw it. He told them of the atrocity she had committed, and the blood that was on her figurative hands. He allowed that she had been under some sort of influence, yet that she had brought it all upon herself. He briefly outlined the ritual, offering it as her reason into madness. No, he did not understand the full purpose of the ritual – she had run away before she could explain it. Finally, and with the smallest trace of exultation, he announced that Roku had informed him that she was unable to end the sleeping sickness.

Katara found her voice only because she obeyed the blind impulse to argue, fostered under a lifetime of senseless arguments with her older brother. Otherwise, she might have been shocked into silence like Zuko. "Well what about curing it? Can she do anything to help those already afflicted? Or at least identify it?"

Both men looked at her like they hadn't the slightest idea what that meant. Then they looked at each other. Aang's face stiffened again.

"I don't know. I just know she can't stop the plague."

Katara followed the line of her argument like it was a light in the dark. It was her way of dealing with tribal genocide. "Maybe she can help though. The way you found her – it sounds a lot like certain cases of the epidemic. Who's to say that the sickness isn't some kind of…of soul malady? What if-" Katara caught herself with a sharp intake of breath. "Oh La, what if her village is what caused the epidemic?"

Aang said nothing, not knowing what to say. He perversely noted the way Katara's eyes swung first to Zuko, and then back to him.

"I don't know, Katara. If her village had caused the epidemic, then wouldn't its demise have ended it? Yet we were still receiving reports of fresh outbreaks this morning." Zuko's visage softened as Katara slumped, clearly having forgotten all that in her excitement. He continued, and only Aang's presence stopped him from touching her. "But you may be on to something, in regards to the spiritbender…she may be able to slow down the sickness…or even heal those already afflicted. Hopefully she can shed some light on what the sickness is-"

"No, no, Zuko. Katara may have gotten it." Aang spoke with the memory of the villagers' deaths before his eyes. It had been practically all he could see, since his return to Ba Sing Se, as if the vision had been painted against the back of his eyelids, instead of merely being burned into his memory. Unlike the younger benders who had focused on the dais, his gaze had been focused on those in the spirals, and the children who had attempted to pull themselves from their parents' hands, and the despair and horror displayed by those who had known they were going to die. It was a personal affront to him. He was the Avatar, he who fought for and achieved world peace, and everything about the spiritbender and that inhumane ritual sickened him. Their deaths meant that he had failed. Well, he would not fail again. "Perhaps the villagers did cause the epidemic. And maybe the sickness won't stop until all the villagers are dead." He thought back to what Iroh had told him, only minutes before this painful interview. Toph had put her foot down, and demanded that the woman be healed before she was fully tried. That any attempt to take away her bending would kill her. For the first time in a long, long time, Aang considered going against Toph's wishes. Yet he knew he wouldn't; less because of his moral convictions, and more due to the fear that only Toph could instill.

"No." Katara shook her head tightly. "No. I don't accept this. We are not passing a guilty sentence on a woman who is inches away from death. Not even if she's as evil as Azula was. And I don't think-

Zuko spoke with the calm gravity he had adopted during his years on the Fire Nation throne. "We are going to wait until we know for sure what happened, and see if she can help us." He exhaled slowly, letting the air between them shimmer from the heat of his breath. "We will abide by the Earth King's decision. If the woman can prove useful, we will forget all this talk of vengeance. For now. If not, another decision will be made."

"Zuko!"

"For now, I suggest we go check up on our children. After that, we might as well return to planning the Remembrance Ceremony – that's still in just a few days. I know the planning committee especially wants to meet with you, Aang."

Having changed the subject, Zuko discreetly turned his gaze on Katara, quelling her indignation over the spiritbender's fate. She knew as well as he that this was the best decision they could have come to. Aang had become progressively less patient and clear-sighted throughout the years, and it was largely their fault. Accept it for now, his eyes beseeched her. Accept this, and pray nothing happens that makes all this harder.

But that had already happened. As Katara walked between the two most important men in her life, she could not help but reflect on the scroll locked securely in Toph's most useful gift – a chest for scrolls locked by blood. This ensured that she would be the only one to open it, as Aang had never been able or willing to learn the art of bloodbending.

My dearest Katara, it began. Daughter of my heart. If things had been different, I would have another name to call you. But events happen as they will, and I was far too wise to advise you any differently. For this, I apologize. For everything, I apologize.

Katara hung her head. Uncle's last words to her…they were so painful to reflect upon, especially situated as she was. She had never realized he had known all. She had not known that he had sorrowed along with them, for all these years.

I had hoped your love would wither, that you would find peace with others. Yet I think I knew it would not – known since my nephew gave you the necklace that you still wear around your neck.

He had even known about that. The necklace, which had nearly destroyed everything…

No! She would not lose herself in her misery now. There had been so much beauty then, and it would be wrong to mourn that. It's loss, yes, but not that it ever occurred. That was simply not the woman she was. It was not the type of woman she had raised Sura to become.

Sura. Katara wondered if Zuko had grasped the other reason Aang was so determined to strip the spirit bender of her powers. If Sura had been able to somehow interact with the spiritbender while the woman lay unconscious, and was able to read a "friendly" intent, then who was to say what the spirit woman could sense? Their lives were bound by secrets, hanging precariously in reach of truth's blade. Katara had always assumed that they would have to reveal their pasts one day; yet Aang depended on never doing so. Now, his hand was being forced. Could the spirit bender read their souls? Were their hearts and minds open to the same perusal? Would she reveal what she saw lying therin?

Katara hoped not. Yet even more than revealing the past, she hoped that the spirit bender would not announce what was currently in their hearts.

Toph was a woman who appreciated the finer points of chaos, yet in order to run a city, she had to deal in hard facts as well. The majority of her day had been spent dealing with shenanigans – strange women fainting, Twinkle Toes getting angry, and Sparks and Sugar reverting back to their pre-war levels of angst - but her talk with Sura had been surprisingly illuminating. For one thing, Hotness had not mentioned his connection to the spirit bender, although she figured that explained a thing or two. Likewise, Sura was clearly the girl's champion, but that was only to be expected. No, what surprised and delighted her was Sura's determination and newfound courage. Sura was a little afraid of her; it had always been obvious. Yet today she had looked Toph straight in the eye, and told her exactly what she thought: not only about the spiritbender, but also of the situation, and most impressively, her revered father. She too thought Aang was somewhat deranged, although she hadn't voiced it in such terms. Toph had, for once, kept her silence. She let the girl rant, and nodded approvingly when called upon to do so. At the end, she merely smiled and handed the keys to the spiritbender's cell over.

Sura had been surprised, to say the least. Toph had only winked. You never know when these might come in handy, she had said. For now, just heal her. I'll want to speak to her in the morning. But believe me. I'll let you know if I have any other use for you…or those keys.

Sura had looked like she was about to protest, but Toph waved her off.

Don't worry about propriety, Hero. Just protect your bender. And don't worry about the Avatar either. I was born to handle your Father.

Toph couldn't help but smirk. If Twinkles didn't watch his step, she was going to take that a step further, and demonstrate how she had been born to dominate her oldest friend. Toph sighed, leaned back against her throne, and folded her hands demurely across her still-trim stomach.

Just another day for the King of Ba Sing Se.

...

Almost caught up! I hope you're still reading. MAKE MY DAY.

Love,

R&R