Chapter 10 – The Thunderstorm
Toph and Zuko took a running start toward the Avatar. Aang smirked at their poor start of a battle and jumped out of the way at the last second sending them both flying into the pool. Toph was the first one up sending a boulder flying at him. Aang crushed the boulder with another and shot an air blast at Toph sending her back into the shallow water. Zuko had already gone into a firebending stance and shot three fire balls at Aang. Aang used the splashed water surrounding his feet to create a water shield to extinguish the fireballs. He concentrated on the water below Zuko's feet and froze him to the bottom of the pool. While he was doing this, Toph had snuck out of the pool and was know sending a small earth current towards Aang. Direct hit! The Avatar for the second time that day fell to the ground. Zuko melted the ice and had now gone to join Toph surrounding Aang. Aang bounced up just in time to see a fire ball and a small boulder come flying at his head. He had to think fast. He grabbed a water whip as fast as he could. He ducked the boulder and extinguished the fire ball then used the water from the pool to create a big wave that swallowed his two opponents.
Toph sunk to the ground and spit out a portion of water that had come from her opponents attack. Aang smiled at his work. He crossed his arms looking at his defeated opponents but Toph was far from finished with him. She dug her hands into the ground and pushed with all her might. The ground beneath Aang started shaking. Suddenly a pillar shot out from underneath him. Aang leapt into the air. Toph smirked 'That's for getting me all wet!' she thought. Aang landed behind Toph and Zuko who were getting up after being drenched with a wave. He quickly gathered up a ball on ice then shot it at Toph shaping it into ice daggers as they went.
Toph heard the whizzing of projectiles as they left Aang's hand headed directly for her. She put up an earth barrier. Meanwhile Zuko had used some fancy foot work and was now behind Aang. Finished with Toph, Aang spun around to find a flame ball clip his right shoulder; it barely stung at all. Then it hit him, they were going easy on him! He smirked 'Then I guess they won't see this coming.' Aang shot a powerful air ball at Zuko and leapt over him. I have to get to the pool. Toph felt him running and tried to stop him by putting a rock barrier in the way. Aang used an air current to guide himself over the barrier and land within inches of the pool. Aang quickly got into octopus form while Toph and Zuko gathered themselves ready and waiting for an attack. He used one tentacle to grab Toph's wrist and pull her to the ground freezing it, he used two more to freeze her feet. 'One down; one to go.' He stood before Zuko. The firebender created a flame whip and sent one toward Aang. Aang caught it with his tentacle and pushed the firebender down to the ground. Disobeying Toph's rule he used a quick earthbending move to ensure Zuko would stay there.
Zuko looked up from where he was pinned to ground to where Toph was frozen a few feet away from him to where Aang was standing over him, trying to catch his breath.
"I think we've been beaten at our own game," he said to Toph.
"I think you're right, hothead." Toph said uncomfortably, "Congratulations twinkletoes, you won now unfreeze me before I get in a worse mood than I am already in!"
"Okay Toph," Aang breathed. He released her from her place on the ground and she got up slowly. Aang stared at her as she stretched her back.
"What?" she asked him.
Aang shook his head, "Nothing, I just thought... never mind"
"You thought I would praise you and say good job and nice going."
"Well... yes actually."
"Well, there I already said it." Toph turned and smiled at him which made him feel happier. "I have one more thing to say to you."
Aang closed his eyes and held his breath.
"You mastered earthbending Twinkletoes."
What. Aang opened his eyes and released his breath in a shocked state.
"I said, you mastered earthbending Twinkletoes. You chose each move with earthbending even though you weren't earthbending at the time. It shows you actually learned something I taught you." She laughed then got really serious again. "You're strong, Aang. You have a big job ahead of you and I think you're ready for it."
A lump rose in Aang throat, "Thank you, Sifu Toph," he choked. They started up the hill together when suddenly they were interrupted by a call.
"Hey! I think you're forgetting something!"
Aang and Toph turned around to see Zuko still stuck where Aang had left him trapped in the ground. The two master earthbenders burst out laughing.
A week or 7 days later
Dark storm clouds were taking the sky as Aang, Toph and Zuko trudged up the hill from they're intense work-out; they were all tired and worn and hungry. When they reached the courtyard of the Western Air Temple, Zuko lit a small fire in the pit and Toph placed a kettle filled with water over top of it.
"It's going to take a while to boil," she stated, "Why don't you go rest, Aang, and I'll call you when it's ready."
"Are you sure you don't want me help?" Aang questioned.
"What's there to help with? Go and I'll call you when it's ready." Toph waved him off staring him down with blind eyes. Aang hurried away from the dinner site but as soon as he was far enough away he slowed down to a slow pace. As soon as he left Toph turned to Zuko; she nodded, symbolizing that he was out of earshot.
Aang walked a little ways into the temple staring at the ground the whole way, seemingly lost in a deep thought. Unaware of where he was headed he ventured into a narrow hallway that stopped at a dead end. Reaching the dead end Aang stopped and looked up seeing a door. He opened the door with little caution. 'This place feels awfully familiar,' he thought. He closed the door behind him and stepped into the room he looked around at the dust covered furniture only to find he had wandered into old sleeping corridors of the female airbenders that had lived there before him.
He sat down on the bed and leaned against the wall. He hugged his knees close and thought about Katara. It was times like these when he missed her more than ever. He thought about her warm smile and the way her eyes lit up when she did so. He was mad at himself for letting her leave and threw his head back. His head came in hard contact to the wall and he felt a sharp pain go through it, he immediately put his hand to his head. As the pain cleared he felt something move beside him. He jumped pushing whatever it was to the side of the bed. He peaked out from his hiding place only to find a tangled up lemur struggling to fight the sheet. Aang laughed at his pet and went to help Momo untangle itself.
Suddenly a bolt of lightning lit up the darkened sky. Momo bolted up out of blanket and raced down the hall, thunder followed quickly after. Memories of the last storm he had been in came flooding back to Aang. He suddenly felt very cold. He wrapped the blanket Momo had been tangled in around him but it offered no comfort to the hollering winds and fierce crackles of thunder. Aang raced down the hall after Momo but could not find the lemur anywhere.
"Aang, where are you?" he barely heard Toph shout through all the thunder and his own heart beating wildly. Another lightning strike lit up the halls and Aang ran faster. Turning a sudden corner he nearly collided with Zuko, who grabbed him by the shoulder to keep from losing his balance.
"Let me go!" Aang screamed a little louder than he would have liked. Zuko let go and he ran down the hall to his own safe a comfortable room. He swung the door open and collapsed on his bed. This would be the part where Katara would come, but no one came. Aang pulled the sheet over his head and let out a muffled cry into it.
"Aang?" a soft voice came from the doorway, "the tea is ready." For a second Aang could of swore he heard Katara. Curious he lifted his head only to see Toph standing in the doorway. Disappointed he put his head back on his temporary pillow and sighed. Toph took that as a 'i-don't-want-any-right-now sigh and left the door open to his bedroom.
Far away on the other side of the world, Katara woke with a start. It took her a few seconds to realize she was sleeping in a sleeping bag beside he brother in the South Pole. She had this strange feeling something was wrong; something was wrong with Aang.