Chapter 14
Katara rested her forehead against her husbands, staring at his pinkly glowing eye lids. Her cheeks were still wet with tears of worry and fear although she had cried herself out ages ago. It felt like hours since Daniel and Mai had come storming back into camp on June's shirshu. Katara had healed June to the best of her abilities, the woman would likely bear scars on her chest for the rest of her days. Although even through her grief and worry Katara had some ideas on how to fix that. She had even dutifully turned her healing abilities onto Nyla, who had surprisingly sat quiet and patient as she had worked with her glowing hands across the animal's flanks. Toph had sat watching, trying to consol the little spirit Hu who had almost seemed dazed and rocked back and forth beside the young Earthbender, making only a soft whimper every now and then. The sight of the little girl so affected when Katara knew that Hu was actually a spirit many thousands of years old with far more knowledge of what was happening was even more unsettling to the woman.
Even the sight of Suki and Sokka returning hadn't managed to cheer anyone up. Sokka was holding a scrap of his torn clothing around his waist in an attempt at decency and Suki was wearing only Zuko's shirt, desperately holding it down to cover herself. Both were wet, shivering and full of questions to which no one had any answers. Once the four that returned on Appa had seen Katara sitting miserably before her husband the questions had died on their lips anyway.
Hours later Sokka and Suki were dressed and sitting by the others with Katara and Aang still sitting together between them and the fire. Next to Suki sat Hu and beside the little spirit was Mai, Toph and Zuko while the still unmoving June was wrapped in blankets near to the group and the fire. Appa, a long time friend of Nyla's, had opted to rest beside the shirshu in silent vigil by the bounty hunter.
The moon was maybe an hour away from setting in the west, though as yet there was no sign of the suns light on the horizon. There was no thought of sleep from those gathered by the fire even though most of them were extremely tired and worn out by the stress of the evenings events.
Sokka just happened to look up toward the cliffs when a tiny point of light appeared there. By the time he'd cried out to alert the others it had exploded silently into a globe of bright white light over six feet wide that cast a pearly glow brighter than the moon. A figure suddenly tumbled from the ball of light and an instant later the globe vanished as silently as it had appeared.
The Gaang were instantly on their feet, preparing to rush over when Aang gave a soft groan and sat up straighter, looking around.
"Aang." Katara cried, dropping back to her knees before him, "Aang, Sweetheart. Are you alright?"
As the Gaang watched, Aang looked up at his wife with a profound look of sadness. He raised a hand and wiped at one of Katara's wet cheeks and then rose unsteadily to his feet. He seemed to be cupping something in his other hand but when the others looked closely they could see nothing there. The young monk cast another sad look at Katara and then stumbled over to the body of June where she still lay before her shirshu friend. He knelt down beside the bounty hunter and held out his cupped hand. Within it was a tiny point of light that it seemed only Aang could see and he turned his hand over, pressing it to June's chest. Instantly June's body arched upward and she gave a loud gasping intake of breath, which she let out as a long, satisfied sounding sigh before settling back down again. Katara knelt beside Aang and inspected June's still unmoving form.
"I think she's in a proper sleep now." Katara said quietly and turned to look at her husband with concern, "Aang? Please, talk to me Aang. Are you ok?"
"I'll be alright, Katara." Aang said in a strange deadpan voice without looking at her, "I just. We had to. I mean, Daniel."
Aang stumbled over his words but as he mentioned Daniel's name his head jerked up and turned toward the cliffs. As though remembering at last, the rest of the Gaang looked about also. In the darkness a feebly moving shape could be seen lying on the ground there. Sokka, Suki and Mai all gasped in shock, they could see the man laying there clearly and could even smell the scent of blood that came from him.
"Katara, we have to help him." Aang said and grabbed his wife's hand as he rose to his feet.
The Gaang moved over together, the little spirit Hu fearfully attached to Zuko's leg as the Firelord raised a hand and summoned large golden flames to light the darkness. The Gaang gasped at the sight of Daniel laying on his back, one hand still pressed against the small dagger handle still protruding from his lower stomach. Dark blood seeped between his fingers and ran down his side onto the grass.
"It's real?" Aang gasped, the first sign of emotion he'd shown beside sadness since waking up.
"Fate is like me." Daniel growled through gritted teeth, his deathly white face set in a grimace, "She still has her mortal body and all the power that goes with it."
Daniel groaned and his head dropped back onto the ground as Katara knelt close by his side and reached out toward the dagger. But Daniel's free hand snapped out and caught Katara's, making her jump in surprise.
"No. It's coated in a spiritual poison. One meant for Aang I think." Daniel said, his breathing strained, "We can't risk…contamination."
Panting slightly, Daniel dropped the hand from his stomach, revealing the dagger and the flesh it was protruding from. As well as the dark blood oozing from around the blade there was a thick, purplish substance that stuck to the man's skin and as they watched some of it was pushed out around the blade, carried by a fresh surge of blood pumping from the wound.
"What?" Katara breathed, "What can we do."
"I cannot heal it." Daniel growled with a frown, "Blade and poison are both made of physical elements, probably from Fate's own body, but saturated with dark energy. It reacted when I tried to use a spiritual attack in the swamps. It…hurt. I can isolate it for now but I need some help."
"Tell us what to do." Katara said. She reached out a little hesitantly and stroked Daniel's hair.
"Not you. We can't risk it." Daniel said, jerking his head away from Katara's touch. Instead his eyes turned and locked onto the flames in Zuko's hand, "Give me a blue flame, Zuko. As hot as you can make it. Hurry."
"I." Zuko hesitated only a moment but he swallowed his confusion and fear at the intensity in Daniel's eyes.
Only Zuko's sister, Azula, had had the ability to create the intensely hot blue flames with barely a thought but the Firelord had managed to achieve it in the past. It took a great deal of his concentration and so he knelt at Daniel's other side and focused on the golden flames in his hands. Clearing his mind, Zuko concentrated as hard as he could.
"Close your eyes, Zuko." Daniel said in a soft growl, "Focus. Maintain it…for as long…as you can."
His hand held just above Daniel's abdomen, Zuko's golden flames jumped for a moment, surging at the intensity of the Firebender's thoughts. A moment later the flames flashed blue, flickered back to gold for a moment and then settled into a bright blue jet above his palm.
Then, as the rest of the Gaang watched in horror, Daniel's left hand came up and gripped the handle of the dagger sticking from him and pulled it out in one fluid movement. In the same motion his other hand grabbed Zuko's, twisting it over and pulling it down so the blue jet of flame washed over the wound. Daniel's back arched, his head twisting from side to side as he gave a strangled scream through clenched teeth. The Gaang leaned back in shock as the sweet, sickening stench of burnt flesh permeated the air.
The blue flames in Zuko's hand had vanished only a moment after Daniel had turned the flames onto himself and the Firebender had opened his eyes in horrified realization. But the work had been done. The blood and purple substance on Daniel's abdomen had been burned away and the wound sealed. The vicious stab wound was now a circular, blackened burn.
"Daniel? What the hell?" Zuko said in a horrified gasp.
"I can isolate it…now. Without risk to any of you." Daniel said as he struggled to sit up with a soft growling groan, "Thank you, Zuko. The burn will heal in a day or two."
Daniel started rising unsteadily to his feet and Katara was the first to rise and offer him a hand but he just pushed it away. She frowned at the man.
"You don't have to do everything alone, you know." She snapped at him as her temper began to fray.
The shock of the evenings events and what they had all just witnessed had them all on edge. But Daniel just turned and frowned at Katara.
"It's not me you should be concerning yourself with." Daniel said still frowning although he dropped his eyes and turned away. He raised a hand and pointed back at Aang, "Your husband needs you more right now. He has to deal…with taking his first life. Even though there was no other choice."
Katara spun and stared at Aang and he could only stare back at her with the same profound sadness that he had shown before.
"There really wasn't another choice. Yin…sacrificed himself." Aang stammered as the pain in his heart made it feel it would burst. He struggled on, trying to explain it to himself as much as to his friends and loved ones, "He was an Avatar and…there was no other way back. The demons. Koh was coming and I…I couldn't."
Tears began to fall from each of the young man's dark gray eyes and Katara's emotions took over. She grabbed Aang by the shirt and drew him in to herself, holding her husband tightly. Aang's shoulders hitched in a silent sob as he buried his face in Katara's shoulders and the rest of his friends came forward, joining together in a group hug to comfort their long time friend. Even the little spirit, Hu got into the action, squeezing herself in between Toph and Sokka. They remained this way for a while until a thump from the fire drew their attention.
Daniel had staggered over to the fire, presumably to check on June and had collapsed beside the bounty hunter. Little Hu streaked away from the Gaang, appearing an instant latter beside the unmoving form of Daniel.
"Dan? Danny?" the little spirit cried out, shaking the man by his shoulder.
The Gaang rushed back over to together to the fire. Daniel lay still on his side and as Katara rolled him onto his back they could see the man was drenched in sweat.
"He's burning up. Like when we first saw him." Katara said and stretched out a hand toward the table where one of her large waterskins lay, "Maybe I should,"
"No." Aang said firmly, resting a gentle hand on his wife's arm, "I don't know much about spiritual poisons. Not yet, anyway. But I think it's best we just keep an eye on him for now. It's almost dawn, why don't we stay up for a while and I can fill you all in on what happened. And a bit more on what we are going to be facing in the future."
"Alright. I'll get a blanket for him." Katara said softly and reached up to touch Aang's cheek, "Are you sure you're ok?"
"Only while I have you, Babe." Aang said, giving her a small, sad smile in return.
As Katara got up, going over to her hut for blankets, Zuko rose to his feet as well.
"I'll get some tea going." He said, offering Aang a comforting smile, "We've got two kinds to brew now. I think I'll be almost as good at this as my Uncle is soon."
Aang forced another small smile and nodded to his friend as Sokka shifted over to sit next to the young monk.
"So, Aang. What did you see over there? In the spirit world, I mean." Sokka asked, "Is it like we've heard? Is whatever we're going to face in the future as bad as Daniel says?"
"No, Sokka." Aang said, his face becoming a wretched mask of sadness again. Everyone around him listened wide eyed as he finished, "It's worse. Much, much worse."
The little spirit looked sadly back and forth between Aang and Daniel, gave a little sob and vanished.
For the last hour before dawn, Aang spoke to his friends, both about what had happened and what he had learned. Two prone figures remained swathed in blankets next to the fire and close to the Gaang. The two animals, Nyla and Appa keeping silent watch nearby. Daniel lay perfectly still, only the sweat on his face and his shallow breathing showing any sign of life. June occasionally moaned and tossed her head but otherwise did not return to consciousness.
Aang's face was still drawn and sad and his voice reflected this, coming from him in a dull monotone. Katara remained close by his side and her face mirrored her husband's. As dawn broke, adding it's own light to the waning fire, it revealed the tired and frightened faces of the rest of the Gaang sitting across from the young monk.
"When it was obvious that there was no other way, I accepted Yin's offer. His sacrifice." Aang said in a soft voice that cracked as he spoke, "It was like when I accept a vision or memory from other spirits or the Avatars. I could still feel Yin for a moment, but then he just…faded away and all his memories came flooding into my mind. He was concentrating on what we needed when he sacrificed himself, so I would know straight away how to open a portal by using his memories. They're still there now but they're all kind of jumbled and mixed up. When I try to focus on them I sometimes get a fragment of knowledge or bits and pieces from Yin's life in the ancient world. I just wish…"
Aang trailed off, unable to keep speaking about the old Avatar. He felt consumed with guilt over Yin's sacrifice even though he had tried to rationalize it to himself before and again just now as he spoke of it to his friends. He sat forward, leaning his elbows on his knees and dropped his face into his hands. Katara put a comforting hand on his shoulder but she seemed to be staring at him with an odd intensity and her face was both sad and slightly afraid at the same time.
Zuko had risen to his feet and was pacing angrily back and forth behind his two loves. Mai's face was unreadably blank but seated beside her, Toph looked almost as angry as Zuko.
Sokka and Suki sat together, gazing at one another with miserable expressions on both their faces. Sokka turned his gaze toward Aang.
"Wars in the spirit world? Heavens, Hells, demons and great spirits all fighting and all being manipulated by one spirit? As if all that isn't insane enough, now that war is coming here? And you're saying all this is true, Aang?" Sokka demanded in a loud, incredulous tone. Aang did not raise his face to his brother-in-law but just nodded into his hands and Sokka sat back, his mouth opening and closing a few times before he could find his voice, "I…I didn't really want to believe it. How could we even comprehend it? What…what are we going to do? How are we supposed to fight this?"
Aang raised his face, looking up with red rimmed eyes and opened his mouth but was interrupted by Toph.
"Hey." Toph said softly and raised an arm to point.
When the others followed the direction Toph indicated they saw that the blankets Katara had thrown over Daniel had settled flat to the ground. June remained sleeping uneasily but Daniel had gone, vanished again.
Aang rose wearily to his feet and looked gravely at his friends.
"I'm not sure how we are going to deal with this war when it comes but I do know that Daniel is the key. The way he fought Koh and Fate tonight was like nothing I've seen before but he insisted before that we can do better." Aang told them, first trying to smile and then giving them a small shrug instead, "I'd like nothing more than to stay up for the rest of today and sift through Yin's memories to discover what I'm capable of but I think we could all use the rest. His memories are kind of…heavy, in my head and still all mixed up at the moment anyway. No doubt Daniel will be back soon enough and wanting us to train some more so lets just try and get some sleep while we can."
Sleep was the last thing on their minds, even Aang's, but they nodded as one and rose together to move off to their huts. Katara though stood beside Aang and suddenly grabbed the sleeve of his shirt with white knuckles. When he turned to look at her, he saw she looked pale and afraid.
"Aang?" She began in a voice that was barely a whisper, "You say you…you have these memories of someone else inside you. But does that…I mean, are you still…you?"
Katara's large blue eyes were trembling as they stared fearfully over at Aang's gray ones and he felt his heart almost break at the sight. Suddenly, Aang realized that the knowledge of creating spiritworld portals wasn't the only bit of knowledge Yin had left ready for him. As he gazed at his wife and his heart filled with the love he had felt for her since he had first laid eyes on her, another of Yin's memories blossomed at the forefront of Aang's mind and he felt something inside himself open up. Suddenly he wasn't just seeing his beautiful wife, mother of his two perfect children and soon to provide them with a third, not just the world's foremost Waterbending Master or the most hard working and devoted healer in all the lands. More than just his eyes sensed the beautiful woman standing before him, Aang could sense her worry, pain and fears pouring out from her like a strong breeze he felt inside himself and behind it all, a limitless, bottomless ocean of love that was devoted almost entirely to him. It was something like the connection he had to Daniel, yet far more intense and personal. He realized he was sensing her emotions as plainly as he could see her before him and his heart almost broke again from the sudden feeling of joy that came with the realization.
Thank you, Yin. He thought.
It only took a couple heartbeats for these revelations to come to the young monk but Katara's grip on his shirt had tightened and she stared at him even more intently.
"Are you, you?" Katara quietly again and her breathing hitched from the barely controlled emotions she was feeling, "Do you still love me, Aang?"
Aang gave her a genuine smile and stepped forward to embrace his wife, bringing their faces close together and gazed deeply into her liquid blue eyes.
"Always, Katara." Aang said and suddenly he twisted her around and down, dipping Katara down backward in his embrace.
Katara stared up at her husband with wonder and a small amount of trepidation as he lowered his smiling face to nuzzle her ear gently with his lips, whispering softly. Then, using the new abilities Yin's memories had opened up to him, Aang opened his heart and let the love her felt for the woman in his arms flow from himself and into her.
"Oh, Aang." Katara exclaimed, smiling back at Aang.
She wrapped her arms about her husband's neck and kissed him soundly until Aang slipped an arm behind her legs and rose with Katara cradled in his arms.
"Come on, Babe." Aang said, gazing into his wife's loving eyes as he began to walk toward their hut, "Lets get some sleep and we'll worry about the world later."
Katara rested her face in the crook of Aang's neck as he carried her, unable to prevent the happy smile from coming even if she had wanted to. She didn't understand how she was experiencing the intense love she felt coming from Aang, but she had no doubt now that she was in the arms of the man she had always loved.
As the pair stepped into their hut, they did not realize, or most likely did not care, that they were being observed. Sokka and Suki had disappeared already into their own hut but Zuko, Mai and Toph were still standing before theirs and had seen the entire exchange between Aang and Katara.
"Wow. That was just like one of those sappy romance stories that Ty Lee always used to read." Mai said, turning to her two loves with a smile, she hastily added, "It was really nice though."
"Don't pretend you don't like sappy romantics." Zuko chided her playfully, then he looked back over at the fire and frowned slightly, "I think he whispered something to her before. I wonder what it was."
"Oh, I heard." Toph said smugly, then gave the other two a slightly embarrassed smile, "And yes, it was sappy and sweet and romantic in true Twinkletoes style."
Toph trailed off with a sigh and Zuko and Mai both turned to her.
"Well, what did he say?" Zuko asked enthusiastically.
"What did who say?" Toph said casually feigning ignorance as she pretended to look at her nails in a bored fashion.
"Oh, come on Toph." Mai asked in a slightly begging tone, "What did Aang say when he dipped Katara like that? What made her so happy?"
"Alright. Alright. I'll tell you." Toph said with a small laugh.
Suddenly Toph grabbed Zuko about the waist and shoulders and twisted around, dipping him as Aang had done to Katara. Surprised, but not one to be left out, Zuko clasped his hands beside his face and batted his good eye up at Toph. Mai could see Toph's arms trembling slightly under Zuko's weight and couldn't help grinning at the foolish antics of the pair.
"Baby, you're my forever girl." Toph said, lowering her voice in an exaggerated imitation of a man's.
"Oh, Aangy." Zuko said in a falsetto, adding to the ridiculousness of it.
He placed his palms on her cheeks and raised his head to kiss Toph but the movement overbalanced her and the two tumbled to the grass at Mai's feet. Mai covered her mouth to suppress her own laughter as the pair got their feet giggling.
"Come on you two hopeless romantics." Mai said with a roll of her eyes. She stepped over and pulled aside the moss curtain to their hut, "Stop making fun of our friends and lets try and get some sleep."
"Oh, we're too romantic for you are we?" Zuko said as he and Toph stepped close to Mai, "I guess it would be too romantic of me to suggest using my mastery of foot massage to help you relax?"
"Or to offer a nice shoulder massage at the same time from a pair of strong Earthbender's hands?" Toph asked innocently, lacing her fingers together and cracking her knuckles loudly.
Mai's smile dropped from her face as she gazed down her nose at the pair with her most formidable imperial glare.
"What's romance got to do with it?" Mai said haughtily, raising an eyebrow, although the ghost of a smile played about her lips, "I'm the pregnant Firelady and you are my loyal subjects. Now get inside and start rubbing, slaves."
"Yes, my lady." Zuko and Toph said together, bowing to Mai.
The three shared a light laugh and disappeared into their hut.
Aang was dreaming. He dreamt he was swimming in the ocean, traveling with several of his clan to visit the dry world for the first time. A tiny part of Aang's awareness knew he was seeing something of Yin's life but the dream was so vivid he could actually feel the warm water coursing through his gills. He could even taste the tiny delicious particles he was filtering from the water with his several mouth openings. An instant later he was crawling up a rocky beach, perhaps only a dozen yards wide but it felt like miles to his multitude of tiny legs and the weight of his own body out of the water was crushing. When next the dream jumped he stood at the head of the beach, looking out over a barren landscape of black and red earth. Only here and there were a few scraggily ferns and other plants like stringy bushes. The only other sign of life was a large beetle that crossed from one bush to another. To the diminutive Yin's perspective, the beetle looked larger than Appa. In the distance he could see several large volcanic mountains, all of which were spewing dark gray smoke high into the air.
Aang opened his eyes and looked up at the ceiling of the hut. The strange dream from Yin's memories still fresh in his mind. He knew the dream itself hadn't awoken him, he was still pretty tired and he wondered just what had woken him up. Just then he felt it, a small tremor and a moment after he heard a faint rumble like distant thunder coming from outside. Aang sat up quietly but almost instantly Katara sat up wearily beside him.
"Aang? What's," Katara started, but was forced to pause as a huge yawn overtook her.
As she yawned and stretched, Katara realized her own experiences earlier that morning before had not been a dream. She could still feel the depth and intensity of Aang's love for her pouring out from him like the warmth of a fire. It had been an odd sensation at first, feeling Aang's emotions and knowing he could feel hers as well, but now, to Katara, it felt perfectly right. Suddenly she lunged forward and wrapped him in a crushing hug.
"Morning, Babe." Aang said when he could draw breath. He smiled at his wife with a touch of concern, "How are you feeling?"
"Better, now." Katara said, still holding Aang tight, "I know you can feel my emotions and I can still feel yours but I just like to say it. I love you, Aang."
"And I like hearing it. I love you too, Katara." Aang said smiling as she drew away slightly to stare into his eyes, "This is weird but a wonderful power. I can't help wondering what else I'll find in Yin's memories about being the Avatar of Mind and Spirit."
Katara laid back down and drew Aang down beside her so they were facing one another on their sides.
"Lets not worry about that right now." Katara said to him, "Lets just enjoy this moment before Daniel comes to start on us again."
At that moment there was another tremble in the ground followed by a distant rumbling and Aang gave a resigned sigh.
"I think he's already started." Aang told her with a roll of his eyes.
"Too right he has, Twinkletoes." Toph's loud voice called from outside, "Since you two love birds are awake you may as well get up and come with us."
Katara and Aang exchanged worried glances and resignedly got up out of their blankets. They were both still fully dressed as they had gone straight to sleep earlier and, pausing only briefly to fix her hair, Katara and Aang stepped outside.
The first thing the husband and wife noticed with some surprise was how long they had slept. The sun was high in the sky and it appeared to be a little passed midday. They saw Toph and Zuko standing together by the firepit but it was what they could not see that gave them true pause.
"Where's June?" Aang asked looking around.
Appa was sleeping peacefully in his open barn but of the bounty hunter and her shirshu there was no sign anywhere within the camp.
"I woke up not long ago, just as she was leaving." Toph said with a frown and turned to point away from the camp, along the coast, "She went east. Toward all the noise."
As if to emphasize Toph's words there came another rumble from that direction.
"That sounds like Daniel again." Katara said, "He hurt himself bad enough yesterday doing whatever it is he's doing and June shouldn't be moving about with her injuries either."
"My swords are missing as well." Zuko said with an angry scowl, "Mai and Sokka and Suki are still sleeping but we were just going to go see what's going on. Coming?"
Aang turned to Katara and she gave him a quick nod.
"Just let me get Appa ready." Aang said to the others and quickly moved away to the bison in his barn.
After much begging, pleading and a few well framed threats, Aang, Katara, Zuko and Toph were holding tightly to the grumbling bison's fur as Appa skimmed along the cliffs edge, just above the height of the trees. It didn't take them long to spot a point where the cliffs were broken by a large ravine and a river that fed into the ocean.
It was a long, wide ravine leading back from the cliffs and was maybe half a mile long. They could see where a river emerged from the forest to tumble into the narrow beginning of the ravine and at it's widest point, near the ocean, Aang spotted a large brown animal with someone standing beside it.
Aang brought Appa down near the cliffs edge and the four Benders quickly jumped off and approached the woman and her shirshu. June was still wearing her torn and bloodstained clothes but had wrapped herself in one of the blankets Katara had put over her the night before. If she was aware of the other's approach she gave no sign, only stared blankly down the steep slope into the ravine.
"June? Are you alright?" Katara asked soothingly, coming up beside the woman and reaching out gingerly for her shoulder.
At Katara's touch, June turned a blank, unreadable face to look at her, then turned the same look toward Aang, Toph and Zuko nearby.
"Hey." June said in a hoarse voice. Being the closest, Katara could see June's eyes were very red and her face drawn, "Thank you…for helping me."
"Hey, I'm the Avatar." Aang said, putting on a cheerful face, "That's what I'm here for."
If Aang thought this would cheer June up he realized straight away that he had failed. With his new abilities he could sense a strong feeling of guilt and shame emanating from her even as she dropped her eyes and turned away from Aang and the others.
"I betrayed you." June said as she hung her head, letting her hair fall down to cover her face.
"You were doing your job." Aang said seriously, coming forward to stand with his wife at June's side, "You were just asked to look for someone like…our companion. You couldn't know what would happen."
"Can you tell us what did happen to you, June?" Katara asked, "You were attacked somewhere and badly injured. That much we know. If it wasn't for Nyla bringing you to us I don't think you'd have survived the night."
"I was supposed to meet a contact near the wall of Ba Sing Se, I don't know who. I only saw his eyes. They glowed red." June's said in a monotone as the others exchanged surprised and worried glances, "He hit me with some power I've never seen before. It was just colored light but it felt like being hit by a house. I don't remember much after that. There was a woman, I think. She hurt me. Or maybe I only dreamed about that. I don't know."
June lapsed into pained silence and Katara rubbed at the unresisting bounty hunter's shoulders.
"I think we'll explain what happened to you later." Katara said to June soothingly but turned and sent a sharp look to the others. They got the message and nodded back to Katara, accepting her wisdom, "Right now you need to be resting. I was able to heal most of your burns but if you don't keep still you'll have more scarring. What are you doing way out here anyway?"
"To be honest I intended to get on Nyla and find somewhere to go into hiding. I thought maybe I could become a hermit somewhere and I told Nyla to take me to the safest place she could find. But all she did was bring me out here." June said, offering a ghost of a smile to the others. She raised a hand and pointed down into the ravine where it met the ocean, "Since then I've been watching him."
Following June's pointing finger, the others looked down into the ravine and took in the detail of it for the first time since they had arrived. From where they stood the ground led down in a steep slope to a wide shallow river that traveled in a straight line from the waterfall to the ocean. Across from the river the land rose sharply in cliffs almost as sheer as those on the ocean front. Near the ocean though was a wide rocky shore and down near the waves they could see Daniel.
The man was training with Zuko's broadswords, moving, ducking, jumping, twisting and slashing at almost blinding speeds. The swords left a silver trail in their wake, so fast was the man moving and he himself seemed to blur in their vision as he moved about the rocky beach.
Toph had closed her pale, blind eyes and was turning her head this way and that.
"Aang? I can't see him like before." Toph said as she screwed up her face in frustration. Unconsciously she stepped closer to Zuko, "I can see him with my Earthbending but it's nothing like the connection I felt before."
"Yeah, I know. He's closed himself to us somehow." Aang said, frowning. He had noticed the absence of the connection as well. Aang turned to the bounty hunter beside his wife, "June? What's he been doing down there?"
June's eyes narrowed at Aang and the others and she frowned herself.
"You need to tell me what this guy is." She said with more of her usual contemptuous tone, "He's been training with the swords mostly. But I've seen him Bend earth, fire, water and wind. He makes things with them. Is he an Avatar? Or what is he?"
"Kind of an Avatar." Aang admitted slowly and June's eyes widened, "He's like me but different. What did you see him making with his Bending?"
"Weapons mostly. They're shiny." June said, then turned to look down at Daniel and gave a little smirk, "They keep falling apart or blowing up though. I'll say one thing for this guy, he sure can move and he knows some choice swear words."
Falling silent the companions and June watched as Daniel continued to train on the beach far below them. Daniel was still moving impossibly fast about the beach but they could easily see that the man was more than proficient with the blades in his hands. One move especially intrigued Zuko who watched as Daniel first dropped to a low crouch, placed the two pommels of the broadswords end to end, spinning the blades so fast they became a translucent silver disk above his head. Then coming upright and keeping the swords joined, Daniel began to spin the blades in his hands before himself as though he were holding a staff rather than two swords and, keeping them spinning he walked forward with the tips of the swords striking sparks from the ground before him. Zuko groaned at the sight of his broadswords being treated this way but couldn't help from feeling a grudging respect for the man's skill.
"You know," Zuko began, still watching Daniel's training, "Some of that I recognize. I could almost swear he was trained by the same master that trained me."
"I imagine his Uncle, the Zuko he knew, was the first to train him." Aang commented without moving his eyes from Daniel, "At least with swords anyway. But some of those moves are Airbending forms."
"Earthbending too." Toph muttered from beside Zuko.
"The Zuko he knew?" June asked with a confused look at the others.
"We'll explain later." Katara told her. She too did not take her eyes from Daniel and suddenly pointed down into the ravine, "What's he doing now?"
Daniel had joined the broadswords side by side, merging them into one blade that he slipped into their sheath and then tossed away up the beach. Zuko flinched again but could not help watching with fascination at the man's next move. Standing quietly for a moment, facing the ocean, Daniel suddenly made four blindingly fast moves. A punching strike first that sent a huge stream of yellow flames from his hand to form a large ball of bright fire to his side. Then he drew his hands together before himself then thrust out with both, creating a powerful blast of wind that mimicked what he'd done with the flames, making a large milky white ball of compressed air to his other side. With a stomp of a foot he tore a huge lump of stone from the beach behind him and it hovered at his side near the ball of flames. And lastly he dipped low, swinging an arm about himself in a wide sweeping gesture that drew a long horizontal column of water from the sea which formed itself into an undulating ball next to the sphere of compressed wind.
Each sphere was almost as round as Daniel was tall and he simply held them there for a moment, standing with his arms outstretch. Then he brought his hands together before him with a loud clap and from the spheres long tendrils formed, meeting just before Daniel. The spheres faded as their elements joined together and a glowing point of bright light grew where the tendrils met. The moment the spheres were gone, Daniel's hand flashed out and closed around the glowing point before him. His whole body tensed in what those watching could only guess was pain but he held on as the light suddenly extended out from each side of the his clenched fist. Gradually the light faded away and Daniel stood holding a long, shinning silver staff in his hand.
Instantly the man launched himself into a fresh series of attacks and blocks with the staff, again seeming to incorporate two or more Bending styles into every move he made.
"I wonder if he'll get it this time." June commented mostly to herself.
As the others watch entranced, Daniel danced about the beach, once more seeming to blur as he ducked and twisted around. The staff was a spinning silver blur and seemed to move almost independent of his hands.
He was performing a move where he passed the spinning staff from one hand to another as he himself sank low and spun around with one leg outstretched in a sweeping kick. Then as he rose he threw the staff high into the air but as he stood below poised to catch the staff it went from a spinning silver staff to an expanding cloud of glittering silver dust, seeming to go from a solid to a powder almost as soon as it left his hands.
Daniel reached up to pull at his hair and gave a frustrated cry that the others on top of the ravine could clearly hear. The stone beach on which he stood suddenly cracked apart with a loud retort, a spider web of wide cracks that spread from Daniel to the water and in the other direction, all the way to the cliff face.
"Nope. Same as last time." June commented matter of factly, then turned with a raised eyebrow to Katara at her side, "He's got a temper on him though. One hell of a boy you got there."
"He's not my boy." Katara muttered, glancing sideways at Toph.
But no one else heard Katara and they continued to stare down into the ravine. The unintentional outburst of Earthbending seemed to have surprised Daniel as much as those watching him and he stood now relaxed with his head bowed.
Again he made four high speed attacks, this time giving a loud shout with each one and again summoned the four spheres of individual elements. These new spheres were twice as large as the previous ones and seemed denser, more solid than the last. When he brought his hands together with a loud clap, this time he did so above his head and the streamers of elements again came from each sphere to join in a glowing point directly above him. When the spheres were all gone the glowing point above Daniel was larger than last time and almost too bright to look at. He raised his hands, then lowered them slowly to his sides and the glowing point dropped until it touched the top of Daniel's head. The light and Daniel merged and the man glowed as brightly as the sun for a few heartbeats. The watchers at the top of the ravine shielded their eyes from the glare but it faded only a moment later and when they looked again Daniel was clad in silver armor.
"Whoa. He just got really, really heavy." Toph said, screwing up her face as she tried to focus on the man below.
None of the others were surprised, they had seen the huge amounts of earth, water, air and fire the man had used. Daniel stood on the broken rocky shore still dressed in an old pair of Aang's trousers (Now very much tattered and singed in places) but now he wore an open face helmet similar to the sea wolf helmet Sokka wore. But the silvery substance of Daniel's wolf styled helmet flowed down across his shoulders and partway down his back. On his left arm was a silver gauntlet that covered his forearm from elbow to knuckles, ending in four stubby spikes shaped like claws. His right arm was covered from shoulder to hand in thin overlapping plates, ending again at his right hand with four claws. Both his legs were protected by greaves that covered him from knees to ankles in shining silver metal. Everywhere he wore the silver substance it seemed to conform to his shape, making his musculature stand out more than before.
"Now that's new." June said, turning her head slightly on it's side as she stared at the man, "You know, I'm starting to think he kind of looks like,"
June paused as Daniel launched again into his training exercises. This time using a variety of unarmed attacks and blocks that still seemed to incorporate two or three bending styles with every move. Even with the weight of the armor upon him his movements were sure and easy as he jumped and spun about the beach. Those watching were forced to shield their eyes many times as the sun reflected from the rapidly moving man. But after only a few minutes of training, Daniel paused and raised his silver clad right arm, scowling darkly at it as though it had offended him.
"It's…he's vibrating?" Toph said, unsure about what she was 'seeing' through the ground.
Suddenly Daniel tore the silver wolf's head helmet from his head and threw it away toward the ocean. Next he tore the greaves from his legs and they quickly followed. He started pulling at the gauntlets on his arms.
"What's," Aang started to ask as Daniel cast the smaller gauntlet from his left arm.
But before Aang could finish framing his question the larger gauntlet on Daniel's right arm exploded. One moment they could see the man struggling to remove the large gauntlet the next he vanished behind a rapidly expanding cloud of white smoke. Briefly they saw Daniel flying backward toward the cliffs, just ahead of the racing white cloud, then the sound of a thousands claps of thunder unleashed all at once assaulted their ears and an expanding shockwave knocked all five watchers off their feet.
Toph was the first to sit up. Her jade and jewel encrusted engagement headband had come loose and hung down over her eyes.
"Holy crap." Toph muttered.
"What?" Zuko asked her loudly, sticking a finger in his ear and giving it a wiggle.
Aang shook his head to clear it and, after checking Katara was alright, he was on his feet and running at full speed down the steep incline into the ravine. As he ran he flung out a hand, summoning a strong gust of wind that scattered the white smoke still hanging in the air. Then approaching the wide, shallow river he concentrated and used his ability to Waterbend to simply run straight over the slow moving waters. As Aang arrived breathless at the base of the far cliffs he heard a noise behind him and turned to see Katara landing Appa nearby, Zuko and Toph gripping the fur on the bison's back. Only a fraction of a second behind, Nyla bounded easily over the wide river with June on her back and skidded to a halt next to Appa. Katara rolled her eyes at her husband and Aang returned a sheepish grin before turning back to the cliffs. There was plenty of shattered rock and rubble but no sign of Daniel.
Zuko, Toph, June and Katara rushed over to help Aang but not one of them knew where to begin. Neither Toph or Aang could sense the man through Earthbending or the connection they had to the man. But a moment later a mound of broken rocks at the base of the cliff shifted, settling slightly before Daniel rose from the pile. He stood shin deep in the broken stones, covered from head to toe in thick gray dust and glowered over at the five who were staring back at him aghast. His right arm under the dust and dirt was deep red and from it arose steam and a faint sizzling sound.
"Daniel? Are you," Reacting instinctively at the sight of an injury, Katara spun and began to summon water from the river over two dozen yards away.
But before the water had gotten halfway to Katara, Daniel waved a hand and the water was flung back in a glittering spray. Looking both shocked and angry Katara turned back to Daniel.
"I don't need help." Daniel growled contemptuously at her.
"Hey." Aang started in a warning tone but Daniel turned away.
He held out his reddened arm and from a pile of rocks further away, Zuko's sword flew up and out to be caught in Daniel's hand. He inspected it quickly and then tossed the scabbard to Zuko before finally turning to look at Aang.
"Get yourselves back to the camp and awaken the warriors." Daniel growled, stepping from the rocks and walking up to stand directly before Aang, "I want you training everyone in basic Airbending forms by the time I get back."
Aang and the others couldn't help taking a step back at the ferocity in Daniel's voice as well as in his glare. Still, Aang could feel nothing of the connection he'd had with the man before, it almost felt as though Daniel had shut himself off somehow.
"Daniel? Are…are you alright?" Aang asked the man.
Daniel's eyes narrowed at Aang and he answered through gritted teeth.
"Fine. But I have made mistakes and for that I apologize." Daniel said though he neither looked or sounded apologetic, only glared all the harder, "I allowed my emotions to cloud my judgment. I should have been with you, Aang, keeping watch as you awoke the Avatars. And now, because I chose to go off and enjoy training the others, Yin has paid for my mistake. I will not allow this to happen again."
"Daniel. You said you're supposed to be training all of us." Aang said to the man reassuringly, "And you can't begrudge yourself for enjoying spending time with those you care about."
"You are not my family." Daniel growled, somehow managing to look even angrier as he said it. Aang and the others took another step back, "I exist for one purpose. To preserve this world. I will train you all and what others I can gather with the skills necessary to help me achieve my purpose and I will kill anyone or anything that gets in the way. From now on I am your Sifu only. Your master. And I expect the same courtesy and respect from you that you give to each other or any master who has trained you. Do I make myself clear?"
The others could do nothing but nod at the commanding tone in Daniel's voice but Aang suddenly frowned and stepped forward.
"You swore an oath, Daniel." Aang said sternly, ignoring the glare he was getting from the man before him, "To me and your,"
"Screw your oath." Daniel snarled and Aang stepped back again from the ferocity in Daniel's voice. But though Aang had backed away, Daniel stepped forward until the two were nose to nose and when he spoke his voice was lower but no less menacing, "I made my own long ago and I will not jeopardize two thousand years of effort and sacrifice by being weak now. Go back to camp. Start training everyone in basic Airbending. Just the forms, not the Bending. I will have eyes watching for trouble and I will be back in a couple of hours at most. Now go."
Daniel stepped back and turned away toward June. Toph's face was red with anger and as she opened her mouth with a scathing remark, Aang's hand flashed up and covered her lips. He hadn't even looked around but Aang had just known that the young woman would have something to say. Daniel either ignored the action or was not aware of it.
"June." Daniel barked at the bounty hunter and she jumped in surprise, wondering if she too was about to get a serve from the man, "Where exactly were you attacked?"
June blinked in surprise and swallowed hard. This was not the commanding yet awkward man she had met a few days ago, suddenly he seemed very hard and cold.
"I. At the wall, south of here." June said, unable to pull her eyes away from Daniel's strange but intense glare.
"Nyla. Go back with the Avatar." Daniel barked at the shirshu.
Then turning back to June, Daniel stepped forward and grabbed her by the arm. Both suddenly shot up into the air, June unable to help herself, shrieked in fear as Daniel took them both up and out of the ravine. Holding June to his side, Daniel vanished over the trees and flew quickly away to the south.
"I knew that man was unstable." Katara commented sadly as she stood with the others still looking to the sky where Daniel and June had vanished.
"I really thought he was opening up to us." Aang said with a disappointed look, "But he's clamped down on his emotions somehow. Did you feel anything, Toph?"
Toph still looked angry as she stood beside Zuko and after Aang had spoken she gave a frustrated sigh.
"Not really. The connections gone, I could only see him with my Earthbending." Toph said. Then the anger dropped from her face and she became pensive, "For a moment there I felt something. When he was talking to you he was angry, really angry. But not at us. At himself, I think."
Toph dropped her head as she finished speaking and Zuko put his arm around her shoulders. For as much as Daniel managed to annoy the young woman she couldn't help but feel sorry for him. What she didn't tell the others was that as well as Daniel's anger she had briefly sensed a deep and terrible loneliness coming from the man.
Aang put his own arm about Katara's shoulders and gave her a half hug.
"Come on, then. Lets go back to camp and I'll start some instruction like Daniel asked." Aang said to Katara, Zuko and Toph, "At least we've got time for some lunch before he gets back."
Far from the Gaang, over half a world away, a large green and red oblong balloon sailed high in the sky above raging storm clouds. Attached to the balloon's underside was a large metal gondola capable of carrying passengers as well as a large payload of supplies. Although, at the moment the cargo hold was empty of goods and was currently holding seven green clad Kyoshi warriors, one honorary male Kyoshi warrior, three children and two very tired old men.
Iroh and captain Jee were sitting, half dozing on chairs against the walls of the hold, half watching as some of the warriors trained. Sanna was drilling Gar as hard as the female warriors but so far the man had taken to every lesson with enthusiasm, if not always success. Ty Lee sat to one side with Reena, braiding the little girls hair while her brothers stood a little distance away, copying the forms and movements of the Kyoshi warriors.
Manny, her thin face set in an angry scowl, had been watching the two young boys for some time and as Sanna called a halt to the training, Manny approached the boys. Ty Lee watched Manny out of the corner of her eye and suppressed a sigh, expecting trouble from the often angry woman.
"What do you think you are doing?" Manny said harshly to the two boys when she reached them.
The Kyoshi warrior glared sternly at the two boys, who looked guiltily up at the woman, unsure if they were in trouble or not.
"Uh, we just wanted to try it for ourselves." Maki said with a wary look at Manny
"We train with Mom sometimes at home." Hakoda added with a little more enthusiasm.
But both boys went silent as Manny just glowered at them. Sanna noticed what was happening and approached with a frown on her face. Gar followed the Kyoshi's Captain and sat himself down next to Ty Lee, wiping the sweat from his face and watched.
"Is everything alright here, boys?" Sanna asked her nephews.
She didn't really expect Manny to be causing trouble around children but was pleasantly surprised when the other woman turned to her with a tight smile and a request.
"Captain. With your permission I'd like to train the boys in my spare time." Manny told Sanna who couldn't keep the surprise off her face, "They both seem to have a grasp of the basic forms, Hakoda especially. They're both sloppy but I think that can be fixed."
Both boys mouth's dropped open and they turned to each other with huge grins, then lunged forward as one and threw their arms about Manny's waist in a tight hug. The woman cringed and then scowled again.
"Off!" Manny barked and they boys jumped back, guiltily, "If your aunt agrees with this then I will be your teacher and you will show respect, understood?"
Sanna was staring at Manny as though the woman had grown a second head. She stepped closer to whisper to Manny.
"Are you sure? I thought you didn't like the idea of boys being trained." Sanna asked frowning.
"Then you really don't know me that well. Captain." Manny said with a small smirk, then scowled at the boys again, "I do think these two have potential though. I can see they've learned a lot from Suki and I believe they can go a lot further."
Sanna couldn't help narrowing her eyes at the other woman. Suspicions whirled inside her at the uncharacteristic offer from Manny to train her nephews but she could think of no ulterior motives. Manny had always been something of an angry girl, even sometimes downright mean but she had never been deliberately hurtful or cruel to children and Sanna thought perhaps the boys might be a healthy influence on Manny as much as she wanted to influence the boys.
"Alright, Manny. You can start the boy's training." Sanna said with a smile and the two boys grinned excitedly again, "But I want constant updates on how they're doing. And nothing too advanced."
The boys were practically jumping with excitement. They rushed forward together and wrapped their arms about Sanna.
"Thank you, Aunty Sanna. Thank you." They cried in unison.
"Respect!" Manny barked. The boys and even Sanna jumped and Manny glowered at the boys again, "She is more than your Aunt now. She is your Captain. You will show her the proper respect."
By example, Manny placed one fist against an open palm, both hands held near her stomach and bowed to Sanna. Both still looking excited and only a little chastised, Maki and Hakoda took a step back from their Aunt and copied the Kyoshi warrior, bowing respectfully to Sanna.
"Good, boys. Don't forget Manny is your sifu now. You have to do the same for her." Sanna told the boys with a smile, "And it's still ok to give your Aunty a cuddle now and then. Just not when we're working."
The boys, still grinning hugely, turned to Manny and bowed to her. A frown still on her face, Manny pointed over to the centre of the hold which the other warriors had now vacated.
"Let's go. No time like the present." Manny said sharply and the boys were quick to comply.
Sanna walked over to sit down with Gar, Ty Lee and Reena and watched Manny start drilling the boys through the basic exercises.
"That was weird." Sanna said in a low voice to Ty Lee, "Manny's never volunteered for anything. Let alone training boys."
"Her aura's still healthy." Ty Lee commented, looking over Reena's head as she worked on the little girls hair, "She's a good person, Sanna. You know that."
"I know she's not a bad one." Sanna shot back quietly, "But how can you defend her when she's always been so mean to you?"
"It's just her way." Ty Lee replied with a shrug.
In fact, Ty Lee knew exactly why Manny was often mean to her and plenty of others, especially around the Kyoshi's Captain. But she wasn't about to explain that to Sanna. They sat quietly, along with the other four warriors sitting along the opposite wall watching Manny work with the two boys. Mostly they were quite impressed with the skills the young boys already possessed, no doubt thanks to their mother and father, two of the most celebrated warriors in the world. And it was no small source of pride to the watching warriors to know that both the boy's parents had begun their own training on Kyoshi island.
"You know, if my wife was here she'd probably be having a fit right about now." Jee mumbled quietly beside Iroh.
Both men sat on their chairs away from the others in the hold and to all appearances looked to be asleep. Iroh turned his head a fraction toward Captain Jee.
"Bit of a stickler for the old traditions is she?" Iroh whispered to his friend and got a tiny nod in reply, "Ah, the world is ever changing, my friend. Perhaps the warriors will find new strengths they never imagined with some boys on the team."
Jee's only reply was a tiny grin and a small snort of amusement which no one but Iroh noticed.
"So how is our situation?" Iroh asked in all seriousness, "Any sign of the storm breaking?"
"No. This is no natural storm, Iroh." Jee said in a soft growl and frowned slightly, "The clouds below us extend out to about two miles in every direction and no matter how hard or far the wind blows us, the storm follows."
"It is as I thought. We are being taken somewhere." Iroh said softly. Jee turned sharply to stare at the man and Iroh hastily added, "Nothing evil has us in it's clutches or we would have known by now. Of that I am sure."
"Well, whatever is driving us, we appear to be taking a path parallel to the earth kingdoms." Jee said relaxing in his chair again, though his frown remained, "I plotted our course by the stars last night. The winds are pushing us north by north west and pretty damn fast too. By my best guess we're a good distance north of Whale Tail island already."
"I have leaned to trust in your best guesses, Jee." Iroh said respectfully to his friend, "They are usually right."
"As I have learned to trust in your wisdom." Jee said turning his head to look seriously at Iroh, "But if this storm continues for too much longer I will have no choice but to bring the balloon down. We have enough food and water on board for a week if we ration it. But we only have enough coal to keep the engines going at a minimum and the balloon inflated for few more days. I only hope you are right and nothing evil is driving us to our doom."
So do I, my friend. Iroh thought to himself as he watched Maki and Hakoda being trained by Manny, So do I.
June had screamed until she ran out of breath but then embarrassment had forestalled any further outbursts. Daniel's arm was wrapped tightly around her shoulders as they flew at amazing speeds over the thick northern forests, trees, valleys and hills fleeing behind them faster than June had ever traveled before. The wind was a roar in her ears and she kept her own arms wrapped tightly around the man's torso. The blanket she'd wrapped about her shoulders had slipped a little yet June still felt oddly light and secure in Daniel's grasp. The great wall of Ba Sing Se was quickly growing before them and June was just beginning to think she could get used to the sensation of flying. It didn't hurt to have her arms wrapped about the powerful man who was carrying her either. They had been flying for over an hour but it didn't seem long before they had cleared the forest and were flying over the wide grasslands and bare earth that bordered the wall.
"Where?" Daniel said loudly.
It was the first time Daniel had even acknowledged June since carrying her away and she twisted her head around to look up at him. He remained focused ahead of himself and did not look back at her. With a sigh she scanned the ground below them searching for a familiar landmark.
"Over there." June cried over the wind, daring to let go of the man with one arm and pointing, "That hill over there. There's an old farmhouse at the base. See it?"
Daniel did not reply but suddenly they angled down toward the hill June had pointed out and started dropping down out of the sky. The ground was rushing up toward them at a fantastic speed and June couldn't help closing her eyes and giving a little moan of fear. In moments it seemed, June felt her feet touch ground and Daniel's arm pulled away from her shoulders. She opened her eyes and looked around.
The wall of Ba Sing Se was only a mile away. Holding the title as the largest man made structure in the world it stood at least half a mile high, was almost an eighth of a mile wide and encircled an area equivalent to a third of the continent. Before the wall, extending out to about twenty miles away from it was barren ground and grasslands with only a few patches of shrubby trees scattered here and there.
Daniel had brought them down at the base of a low hill and just visible in the centre of a patch of trees was an old, abandoned farmhouse. It's roof was mostly missing and whatever color it had originally been painted had flaked away long ago and the rest was covered in thick dust. June felt a tightening in her chest at the sight of the farmhouse where she had been attacked. Daniel merely marched away from her and up to the doorway.
"Wait." June called, unable to keep the fear out of her voice, "That guy might still be here."
Daniel just looked briefly over his shoulder at June, then disappeared through the doorway. She shivered, though it had nothing to do with the cool winter breeze, and the silence seemed to press in around her. Without her constant companion, Nyla at her side she suddenly felt very alone and hurried forward to the broken house. Peering inside she saw Daniel kneeling on the floor of the single room inspecting something on the floor.
Amongst the dirt and broken, rotted furniture was a corpse. A man lay on his back in a large pool of dried blood and June could see instantly what had killed him. The man's throat had been torn out. Daniel turned from where he kneeled beside the corpse and looked at June.
"This the one?" He growled expressionlessly to her.
"I…I don't think so." June said, looking closer, "I didn't see much of the guy who attacked me but he was huge. But fat, huge. And he was covered in a big cloak. All I saw was his eyes glowing red out of the hood."
Daniel nodded to her then turned back to the body on the floor. What he did next almost made June retch. Reaching down, Daniel probed at the grisly wound with his fingers and then brought them to his face, sniffing at his bloody fingers.
"Some one took out his throat with their bare hands." Daniel commented softly, "Someone who likes lilac soap."
Standing up Daniel scanned the house one more time then turned and brushed passed June, heading back outside. Not wanting to remain near the body, June hurried to catch up. Daniel was walking about in front of the house looking closely at the ground.
"Here is where you fell." Daniel said pointing to the ground just before the doorway, "Nyla came forward and grabbed you and then headed north to me. Here."
Kneeling down, Daniel picked something up from the dirt and held it out to June. It was a patch of brown fur with a bloody strip of skin still attached.
"Oh, Nyla." June said softly, half in fear, half in gratitude for her brave companion. She looked sharply at Daniel, "Nyla's never taken a hit like that before. No ones ever gotten close enough. Who did it?"
"It's not so much the who that's the problem." Daniel said frowning, "It's what's inside that who that's the problem. A demon."
"A demon." June repeated incredulously.
"A demon possessing a human body is a powerful foe." Daniel said to June with a frown, "You are lucky you still exist. Come on, we should get back."
"But, shouldn't we find who killed that guy?" June asked.
She started to raise an arm to point at the ruined farmhouse but winced as she felt the recently healed burn on her chest stretch painfully. June hissed in pain and raised her other hand to her chest.
"He's long gone. Here, let me see." Daniel said stepping over and before she could protest he pulled the blanket she was covering herself with aside.
June's shirt was torn down the front and partially burned, exposing half her chest. Daniel inspected her exposed breast dispassionately and for a moment June could find nothing to say. The terrible burn she had received the night before was now mostly healed but she still had several large patches of reddish scar tissue near her collar bone and under her arm.
"Katara's done well but you need some more treatment." Daniel told her, pulling the blanket back across June's chest, "I will get us back to camp quicker this time, but you may not enjoy the experience."
June looked at Daniel standing before her and could help letting her eyes roam over the man. She'd never had much use for men, usually they were intimidated by her occupation or the woman's carefree yet confident attitude. But the innate strength she sensed in the man and the power she had already seen him display intrigued and excited her. June stepped forward and let the blanket slip aside once more as she brought her face up close to Daniel's.
"We could hang around for a while if you like." She said, her voice lowering to a gentle purr, "You liked my lips the other day, didn't you? There's a whole lot more to me than just my lips."
Daniel's glaring expression did not change but June thought for a moment she saw something like regret flash across his face. But next moment he stepped forward, slipped an arm about June's waist and pulled her against him. June raised her face, her mouth opening expectantly but Daniel suddenly grinned at her coldly.
"I don't think this will be the kind of ride you're expecting." He said to June as she looked back up into his face, confused.
Suddenly everything went dark. She felt as though she was being squeezed painfully from all sides while at the same time it felt as though she were spinning frightfully fast. A heartbeat later the light returned but June's head kept reeling and she pushed away from Daniel and retched violently on the ground. Soft hands took her by the shoulders and rubbed at her back.
"June? It's alright. Just relax." Came a soothing feminine voice that June recognized, "Here drink this."
A steaming cup of tea was pushed under June's face and she took it gratefully. Blinking tears from her eyes she stood straight and looked for the source of the voice. Standing beside her, one hand still gently rubbing her back, was Katara. Looking around with confusion, June realized she was back in the Avatar's camp site on the northern coast of the earth kingdoms. The rest of the Gaang was standing in the clear area between the firepit and the cliffs edge looking over at her. A large pot steamed on the fire and when she looked she saw Nyla and Appa resting together under the roof of the large open sided barn.
"What? How?" June started, turning to see Daniel standing a few paces away.
"Enjoy the ride?" He asked her with a crooked grin.
"Bastard." June said hoarsely and then belched. Katara helped her over to sit on one of the stones about the fire.
"Teleporting." Daniel told her by way of explanation, still grinning, "It takes some getting used to."
The grin dropping from his face, Daniel looked to Katara.
"June's injuries are still paining her. See to it and then get back to training." Daniel growled to her, "There'll be time for tea later."
Leaving the two angry looking women by the fire (Though June still looked a little green) Daniel marched over to where the rest of the Gaang stood near the cliffs edge. He moved over to stand before Aang.
"Are they taking to the lessons?" Daniel growled to him.
"Uh, we've only just started." Aang told him, looking a little confused, "We were doing some of the basic exercises but since I'm the only Airbender here I'm not sure what I'm supposed to be teaching."
"This is not about Bending." Daniel said turning to address the others as well, "But the martial arts used by Benders to focus their abilities. The martial arts themselves existed long before Bending abilities and while many fighters today still use some forms it is by melding all of the arts that you can become truly formidable warriors."
Without warning, Daniel suddenly launch a punch at Aang's head. The young monk bent back and down, barely avoiding the blow as Daniel's fist passed just above Aang's face. Again Daniel struck out with his other fist and Aang twisted, turning quickly so the blow scraped by his shoulder. Daniel nodded and stepped back.
"The Airbending forms are primarily about flexible defense. Finding the easiest route to avoid danger." Daniel said frowning at the Gaang, "Using your opponents strikes to avoid their blows and keeping yourself from harm. There are some forms of Airbending attacks and they can be truly devastating but for now we will focus on defense."
Sokka and Suki looked eager and excited but both Zuko and Toph standing Beside Mai looked disbelievingly at Daniel.
"What?" Daniel growled, noticing their incredulous looks.
"Well. We're not warriors, we're Benders." Toph told him smartly, "And we're not Airbenders."
"I can fight with my swords but what use is learning this to us?" Zuko asked Daniel in the same tone.
Daniel merely stared at the pair for a moment and then suddenly vanished. He reappeared an instant later behind Mai, one arm wrapped about her chest, pinning her arms to her sides. In his other hand, Daniel held one of Mai's own blades with the flat side of it pressed against the woman's throat. Mai was a little shocked but made herself remain calm and relaxed even as Zuko and Toph glared angrily at Daniel over the Firelady's shoulder.
"There will come times when large impressive displays of Bending will not serve." Daniel growled at the others from behind Mai, "Either in battle beside your comrades or when your loved ones are in the firing line. In these situations your Bending is useless to you. So what are you going to do, Zuko? Toph? How will you save your fair maiden from my clutches without hurting her."
Zuko and Toph just glared impotently at Daniel but it was Mai who responded to him. Keeping the rest of her body as still as possible, Mai raised one foot slightly and then brought her heel down as hard as she could atop Daniel's foot. Daniel jumped back from Mai but next moment he threw back his head and barked out a short laugh and gave the woman a crooked grin.
"I am not a damsel in distress." Mai said coolly, folding her arms.
"Of that I am in no doubt." Daniel said with a small bow of his head and offered her blade back to her.
Zuko and Toph came up to stand beside Mai once more as Aang, Sokka and Suki joined them in facing Daniel.
"There are times for large, devastating Bending attacks and times when such will simply work against you." Daniel said to them, "But there are other ways Benders can work alongside warriors."
Daniel raised a hand and held it up, palm out before him. Sokka, standing beside Suki and slightly behind the others suddenly felt an odd sensation, like he was suddenly buoyantly light.
"Hey. I feel weird." Sokka commented, looking down at himself.
"Like what?" Toph asked him, turning her head slightly to address him over her shoulder.
"Why don't you show her, Sokka." Daniel said and his crooked grin widened.
Daniel's hand remained upraised before him and the man's index finger twitched slightly. Sokka felt his hand move of it's own violation, suddenly swinging forward and slapping his open palm against Toph's backside. Both Toph and Sokka showed looks of equal surprise and disbelief.
"Hey!" Toph shouted angrily spinning to face the spluttering Sokka.
The young Earthbender swung a fist at Sokka's side but when the punch connected her wrist collapsed and she quickly pulled her hand back with a grimace.
"Ow." Toph said with a frown and rubbing her wrist, "Have you got your armor on?"
Sokka looked down with confusion at his plain blue shirt. He had barely felt the blow at all yet he knew from experience that the smaller woman's punches were never gentle. Suki had glared angrily at her husband at first but turned a suspicious glance at Daniel.
"Yes. Warriors can be just as formidable as Benders but the two working side by side can become an almost unstoppable force. What I just did was to affect the elements in Sokka's body to make it as hard as stone in just the right place. But first just a little push to make him slap Toph on the ass." Daniel said to the others with his crooked grin. Then he took a dozen quick steps backward, "And a Bender who hones their warrior skills can be far more capable than those who rely only on their element."
Daniel stood calmly a dozen yards away from the rest of the Gaang, with one hand held behind his back. His other hand he swept low before him in a sweeping gesture. Suddenly the air cooled noticeably and the sounds around them seemed muted and dull.
At the same moment Toph's Earthbending 'sight' vanished yet she found she could still see the earth elements around herself faintly, almost like a ghostly echo of the vibrations she usually saw. Around herself and at least to as far away as Daniel stood, about fifteen yards seemed the limit to her fledgling 'Earthsight' so far. But Toph couldn't help feeling the unsettling fear that always came when she couldn't feel the vibrations around her and stepped sideways, pressing herself against Mai's side.
"Now, Zuko." Daniel said, his voice sounding hollow and far away, "Hit me with your best shot. Blast me with fire. You know I can take it."
Zuko hesitated for a moment. As well as the obvious affects of whatever Daniel was doing, Zuko felt an odd, empty feeling inside himself. But a glance from the corner of his eye showed him the obviously unnerved Toph (obvious to Zuko who knew her so well at least) and Zuko's determination resolved. Jumping forward he lashed out with a fist in a move that should have sent a massive stream of flames roaring toward Daniel. Nothing happened. Zuko stared for a moment at his fist in disbelief and then tried a few more punches, then dropped into a low spinning kick and yet still no flames came forth. He felt the energies moving within himself yet no matter how hard he tried, he could produce no flames.
"My Bending. It's gone." Zuko exclaimed, staring at Daniel with something like horror on his face.
"It's not gone." Daniel growled and waved his hand once more. The warmth of the sun and the sounds around returned to normal, "A Bender can focus their own energies to mute the vibrations and chi flows around themselves. A handy trick if you find yourself surrounded by aggressive Benders. It also means your own Bending is useless but if you study the ways of the warrior then no matter how many Benders may stand against you, you will have the upper hand. After all, what can you do Toph, without your bending? Or even you, Aang?"
Aang and Zuko both nodded in understanding but Toph looked thoughtful. She was quietly pleased that her usual 'sight' had returned after Daniel's little demonstration but she was also intrigued by the fact that she had still been able to 'see' her element, at least to a limited extent. She was more determined then even to develop her 'Earthsight' but she had to agree with Daniel on one thing. Without her Earthbending ability she wasn't much more than a dead weight, a useless, blind woman. The very idea of it terrified her.
"It is vitally important you all study and master all the various form of the martial arts. Aang." Daniel walked forward to stand before the young monk once more, "Keep drilling them on defensive techniques. Imagine how your Bending forms can be applied in non-Bending ways. I need to scout the forest but I will return soon and help you with the instruction."
With that said Daniel vanished once more with a soft pop of displaced air.
"Ok, I can see his point, I suppose." Aang said, rubbing his forehead thoughtfully, "Let's work on evasive movements and blocking for now and try some of the more complex moves later."
The three Benders and three Warriors spread out into a loose circle and Aang began to demonstrate various Airbending moves while the others attempted to emulate with varying degrees of success.
Katara and June sat by the fire. They had watched a little of Daniel's display with the others before Katara turned to pull June's blanket slightly aside and inspect the woman's injuries. They chatted as Katara pulled some water from the air and slipped her blue glowing hand under the blanket.
"You did what?" Katara was asking June incredulously moments after Daniel vanished.
"Well, he is kind of hot in a grumpy, bossy kind of way. All those scars kind of add to it too." June said quietly, blushing slightly, "And after everything that's happened I thought it might be a nice distraction."
"That I can understand." Katara replied, turning to glance over at her husband as he instructed the others, "But do you often try to sleep with men you've only just met out in the wilderness?"
"I know what you think of me, Katara. And I'll admit I play up that image." June said looking seriously at the other woman, "But I'm almost thirty and in my entire life I've been with three guys. With two of them I was so drunk I could barely think straight and the other guy only made it into my bed cause he could fight as well as me. I've never experienced love. But with that Daniel out near the wall, he looked so…so confident and strong and for a moment I just wanted to be in his arms. I guess it was a comfort thing. Pathetic, huh?"
"No. Not at all. I understand where your coming from, I really do." Katara said kindly, smiling at June, "And I don't think you're a bad person, June. We've seen enough of each other over the last ten years for me to know you're an honorable person. I just get a little…frustrated with you teasing, sometimes."
"Yeah, sorry about that. I promise I'll lay off from now on." June said returning the Waterbender's smile. Then she smirked at Katara, "Although I'm trying very hard right now not to comment on the fact that the Avatar's wife is feeling up my left tit."
Katara jerked her hand from under June's blanket and she blushed deeply but a moment later both women shared a quiet laugh. Katara inspected June's chest one last time before pulling the blanket back over to cover her up.
"I'll get you one of my spare shirts but that scarring is looking much better." Katara said to June, "I've been trying something Daniel suggested. Something I never liked to use before but I have to admit that it's working."
"So, you're experimenting on me?" June asked with a raised eyebrow.
"Yep." Katara replied with a smirk of her own, then pointed to a bubbling pot of water on the fire, "Want some tea? It's a new kind. Very sweet but refreshing."
"Sure. But shouldn't you be working with the others?" June said, indicating Aang and the others training near the cliffs with a jerk of her head.
"I'm too tired and anyway, I know all of Aang's moves off by heart by now anyway." Katara said, getting up and collecting two cups and a teapot from the table by the fire, "Anyway, if Daniel doesn't like it we can both flash our breasts at him. That should scare him off."
Both women laughed as Katara poured tea for them and they sat back to watch the others train.
OK, it's slow going with the new chapters. I'm trying but perhaps some reviews or your ideas would help - hint hint.
I have to admit I'm feeling a little err, review challenged. I am gratefull to those who have reviewed the story so far and I thank you all for them. Even that last one, although if you read the first chapter through you'll see the relationship between Zuko, Mai and Toph works. I mean, Mai and Toph come from similar backgrounds and Zuko's always been attracted to strong independant women (and of course what man would say no to both?).
The action is going to heat up from here on in as the Gaang train in new ways of fighting and Bending, although not new as in different, I just think there are ways they can take their natural abilities to whole new levels. Anyway, I need the inspiration so please, please read and review.