Chapter 14: The New Deal
The group waited in silence outside the palace as the blindfolded earthbender arrived with a large following of earth, water, and firebenders. Sokka arrived soon after walking with his head hung low.
"Sokka, we all knew this time would come…what we need to do now is focus on protecting ourselves and the new avatar…"
"I know Katara, I just…I didn't think it would come this soon…"
"Azula is still strong, but we're stronger, we can take her on Katara, nows our chance to go after her!"
"Toph, cant you see that's exactly what she wants? If we go after her we're going straight into her trap, she knew killing suki would be the spark to set us off, lets not give her the pleasure of killing us…"
"Katara, we're still stronger than her! Us three, you, me, sokka, don't forget about Zuko! We could take her out"
"I know we could, but right now our duty is to the avatar, Yori needs us now more than ever…"
"That reminds me, I brought someone to teach her earthbending"
"I thought we agreed that you would teach her…"
"Come on Katara, we both know how old im getting, besides, she could use the exercise, her name is Son, she's my grand-daughter, Son Bei-Fong, I taught her myself you know so you know she's good."
"73 years old and you still act like your 13…"
The three turned and went towards the palace as Ryou and Yori waited to see her new teacher, she jumped out of the carriage that had brought her and Toph to the palace and without moving her legs was suddenly right in front of Yori,
"HI, im Son, im gonna be your new earthbending teacher you know, ive never actually taught anyone but I think this'll be fun…you must be Ryou right? The firebender? Well, id say we should follow them they know what their doing"
Son seemed embarrassed as her cheeks turned red
"Sorry, im just a bit nervous that's all, come on!"
once again her legs failed to move as she quickly caught up with the others,
"How did she…"
Yori was quickly interrupted by her new master
"EARTHBENDING, LEARN IT!"
Yori's eyes were wide as she stared at Ryou who simply smiled. The two ran to catch up and the group found its way to a map room similar to the one on Toph's island.
"Well…Looks like were gonna have to replan everything…Azula attacked…here"
Toph moved the earthen tokens to an area west of Ba Sing Se
"And im sure by now she's made her way back to the ash lands…she doesn't think we know that's her hiding place but we've found her out, a giant palace in a area of completely flat land isn't exactly well hidden…"
"So…are we just suppose to wait inside these walls while Yori masters the other elements?"
Ryou interrupted and the others were surprised he would do something he would usually deem 'disrespectful', Toph broke the silence,
"Of course not! You forget we still have to find a way to teach her airbending, our best bets are the airtemples, here…here…here…and here…"
Toph moved the dusty old tokens to islands on the west east north and south sides of the map
"Well, we've already checked the southern temple so…"
The token on the southern side suddenly flew back into the box it came from
"we've only got North, east, and west…I suggest we check the northern temple first since.."
"I don't think we should even bother, the temples were abandoned the last time you were there what makes you think they wont still be? After all, their called the air NOMADS they don't live in one particular place. If there are still airbenders around, theyd be traveling the world, not waiting at a temple for us to find them!"
Ryou's comment while rude was still right, the three seasoned fighters looked down at the map…
"Well…." Sokka spoke for the first time since he got there, "We may be chasing the wind here, but I have heard rumors of werid things going on near the western air temple…weird things like people suddenly flying in the air, firebenders disappearing and old sons of generals from the war being picked off and…killed maybe its worth our time to look into this…"
"Sokka, you know Aang, airbenders don't kill people…"
"Katara, you remember when we first went to the southern air temple? How do you think all those lifeless firebender skeletons got there?"
The waterbender looked away and Toph stepped in
"Then its decided, Katara will go with Yori, Ryou, and Son to the western air temple to check things out, Sokka and I will stick with you until we reach the west coast of the earth kingdom, once you guys head off, me and Sokka will head back down to the southern water tribe to make sure everything's alright since you guys left deal?"
"Deal"
everyone spoke in unison. Despite their old age, Sokka Katara and Toph still acted just as they did 60 years ago, not to mention they were in excellent shape and could still fight better than any other bender or non-bender, something Yori could never seem to wrap her arms around.
The group rested for a few days before finally heading out, when they did they made sure no one knew and left under cover of moonlight. Katara had suggested the traveling along rivers so there is an ample amount of water for her and Yori to bend in case of an attack. Everything went smoothly for a few days when they reached the sepents pass the full moon had risen. The group had set up camp for the night and everyone was fast asleep but Yori and Katara who sat by the fire…
"Yori, the full moon gives waterbender immense power…power enough that a beginning water bender could defeat a master of another element…There are certain..skills and techniques that can only be enacted during a full moon…I was taught one…particular technique that can give you more power than you could ever imagine…the technique is bloodbending…"
Yori initially seemed surprised but figured Katara wouldn't teach her this unless she felt it was completely necessary. Katara stood from the stump that acted as her seat and motioned for Yori to follow
"Katara, isn't it a bad idea to go wandering away from camp? What if we get.."
"Don't worry Yori, we're completely safe..see these fish in the river? I want you to try and pull one out of the water without using the water in the river…the posture for blood bending is a lot different than for water bending, your fingers are sprawled out and your arms infront of you…go ahead try it…"
Yori lifted her arms and focused on the fish…she closed her eyes and rose her arms slowly higher, the fish, followed Yori smiled,
"Katara! Look haha I did it!"
Katara wasn't smiling
"Yori, don't take this lightly…try it on me.."
"But..master…"
"Yori just do it, you need to understand the nature of this technique before you go off using it on all your enemies…"
Yori did as she was told and lifted her arms in the air, She motioned her arms to pull Katara closer and the body of her master followed her arms…
"I don't understand Katara, this ability could let me do a lot of good!"
"Yori, I was hoping you would understand it so I wouldn't have to show you…please, don't think badly of me…"
Katara lifted her hands and slowly moved them towards the river, Yori's body followed, dangling over the river,
"I could drown you…"
Her hands rose towards the sky and Yori hung motionless high in the air
"I could drop you…"
Yori started to sweat as katara slowly led her back to the ground, Yori's arm found itself at her waist pulling out a small dagger and placing it on her throat
"I could even make you kill yourself…"
Katara lowered her arms and Yori's breath was fast
"Yori, I taught you this technique in case of an absolute emergency, you're the avatar, once you learn to tap into the avatar state…im sure you could use it whenever you like…I want to make sure you understand the magnitude of what ive just taught you though…"
"Katara, I think I understand, and I promise, I will never use it, unless I absolutely have to…I never knew water bending ould be used in such a…horrifying way…"
"I had wished I was never taught this technique but I feel as the avatar, it is your duty to have knowledge of all bending forms and techniques…"
"I understand master Katara, I will never use this technique for bad intentions"
The two silently walked back to camp and Katara sat by the river until morning while Yori quickly went to sleep in her tent…
"Aang…I know…im not much longer for this world…I hope you will forgive me for teaching Yori bloodbending…im sorry, I know…I will be seeing you soon…"
Yori rustled under her wool blankets whispering slowly
"I forgive you Katara…"