Sorry for the long wait. My friend had to read this before I posted because that's what we do... and she was in Canada without me... Anyway. Very sorry and I hope you enjoy this.
PART NINE
I. The sun was beginning to set on the Earth Kingdom plains. The prisoners closest to death had been placed in the few tents they had. Lee Ang and Dyoko had returned several hours earlier with food they'd gotten at the nearest village where they'd spread the news about the freed prisoners. A few people were on their way to the campsite to bring aid. Everyone rushed about aiding those they could and feeding the hungry. The jailers had been gathered in one room back at the prison. Aang planned to return the next day to see if any would change sides.
Sokka was glued to Suki's side. He saw to her meals and care. Slowly, she was regaining enough strength to hold a conversation. She asked about Appa and Sokka began to tell her what had happened in Ba Sing Se…
"But everything's going to be ok now. We're going to take back Omashu soon."
Suki started to cry.
"What's wrong?" he asked, wiping her tears.
She pushed his hands away. "It's not going to be ok. I-I let you go."
"What?"
So you sailed away
Into a grey-skied morning
Now I'm here to stay
Love can be so boring
Tears flowed uncontrollably. "It's gone," she babbled.
"Suki, you're emotional. You need rest," Sokka tried to say.
"No. I can't stay with you. I can't do that to you. I've changed, Sokka."
"Suki, what are you saying?"
But it's not so bad
You're only the best I've ever had
You don't want me back
You're just the best I've ever had
"I can't lie and say I love you." Sokka's heart began to split. Not again.
So you stole my world
Now I'm just a phony
Sokka composed himself long enough to ask one last question. "This is what you want?"
"I want you to be happy, Sokka. I can't make you happy."
Remembering the girl
Leaves me down and lonely
"I hope you're right." Sokka sighed and began to stand. "You should rest," he said detachedly, then paused. "I think I'll always love you."
Send it in a letter
Make yourself feel better
"I'm sorry," Suki whispered.
Sokka walked away. "So am I."
But it's not so bad
You're only the best I've ever had
You don't want me back
You're just the best I've ever had
The girl who could bend blue fire stared down at her tauntingly. A small flame danced on her fingertips. Suki's body had failed her. Her muscles had collapsed in fatigue. This witch before her barely looked tired at all.
'Ty Lee, tie them up.'
'Why?'
'They're a threat!'
'But—'
'Are you questioning me?'
It may take some time
To patch me up inside
I can't take it
So I run away and hide
I may find in time
That you were always right
You're always right
Sokka gazed up at the tiny sliver of moon in the sky. "I lost both of you," he said. "I miss you, Yue. Suki is gone. I couldn't save her. What do I do?"
Ty Lee heard Sokka talking to the sky again. She listened quietly.
So you sailed away
Into a grey-skied morning
Now I'm here to stay
Love can be so boring
Ty Lee slowly emerged from her hiding place and stood behind Sokka. She put a hand on his shoulder. He stiffened. "Not now, Ty Lee."
"You need a friend," she told him.
What was it you wanted?
Could it be I'm haunted?
Sokka relaxed and Ty Lee came to sit next to him. "Am I supposed to talk?" he asked.
"Not if you don't want to."
But it's not so bad
You're only the best I've ever had
You don't want me back
You're just the best I've ever had
"Thank you," Sokka said softly.
"For what?"
"For sitting there."
II. The Princess had eyed Jet and Haru smugly every time she walked into the throne room. She never said a word.
Lounging casually on the throne, Azula inspected her fingernails for the umpteenth time. She was bored, so absolutely, completely, and utterly bored. Beyond yelling at a few stupid people for a few minutes, she had done nothing today. Her eyes glazed over and became distant. She was no longer in that throne room. She was in the Fire Nation. She was older, more powerful. The Fire Nation emblem that signified her leadership was tucked securely in her hair. It would not budge from the elaborate weave. An ugly smiled creased her face.
She snapped back to reality as the door creaked open. The man who entered approached the throne at a brisk and purposeful pace and bowed swiftly.
"What is it, Lieutenant?"
"We have word on Ajax's whereabouts. He separated from the Water Tribe Men at a port on the Southeast tip of the continent and is headed inland."
"And I supposed the trackers want to know who to pursue," Azula said in a bored tone.
"Yes, Princess."
"Send a few men after Ajax and the rest after the water peasants."
"Yes, Princess." The lieutenant bowed and turned to go.
"And have someone fix the doors," Azula added bitterly. "They creak." She was so bored. She needed more than this.
III. "Uh, Aang, are you sure this will work?" Toph asked, very much unable to mask her uncertainty.
The young monk looked over at her. "Yeah, sure," he said unfurling his glider.
"Sure?" she echoed.
"Yeah. Why not?"
"WHY NOT?" she shrieked with growing hysteria.
Aang laughed. "You'll be fine, just don't let go."
Toph gripped his shoulders firmly and screeched as they took off. "Why couldn't we just take Appa?"
"It's more fun!" Aang shouted back. Despite the close proximity of their faces, the wind rushed at them, stealing their voices away. They were forced to shout in order to be heard.
Toph clutched Aang even more tightly, her entire body shaking. At least when she was on Appa there was a reliably firm surface beneath her.
"We're almost there!" Aang shouted over the roar of the wind.
"Good!" Toph shouted back, trying to sound a little less frightened but failing miserably.
The winds around them began to slow as Aang guided his glider towards the ground. They spiraled downwards landing neatly in front of the mostly empty prison. The only people that remained inside were the Warden and fourteen of the fifteen guards. The gatekeeper had mysteriously disappeared.
Toph shivered, but her fear quickly melted away now that she was back on the ground. She started towards the prison with Aang following closely behind. "You know," he said wickedly, "we're going to have to fly back—ooff."
Toph smirked as Aang struggled to his feet after being tripped up by a stray crop of earth. "As long as I get a little payback," she muttered, passing into the cool darkness that was the prison. "You know," she said loudly. "It's a little cool in here. Let's let in some sunlight." She made a tugging motion with her left fist and several floors of raw metal collapsed into the hall. "That's better." The wide-awake prison guards shuddered in the metal bindings that secured them to the hallway floor. They were afraid.
Aang stepped forward. "I am the Avatar," he began. "I am here to see if any of you will join me. Undoubtedly you are all brave warriors. If you choose to come with me, you may become part of the alliance as we take on Fire Lord Ozai. You will become heroes in our quest for peace. If you do not join me, you will be taken into the forest and left to fend for yourself. You will be separated so that you may not pursue me or the former prisoners. Will any of you join me?"
Silence echoed through the prison halls. Aang frowned and hung his head. "I see. You do not love your people as much as you love your Lord. We will return later to take you to the forest." Aang turned to leave and Toph followed.
"Wait!"
IV. "I'm not a taxidermist," Katara cried, her head jerking up abruptly.
"That's good to know," replied an amused voice.
Katara opened her eyes fully and realized that she was sprawled out rather awkwardly over a boulder that had become a temporary mattress. Zuko was looking down at her, his eyes glinting. "Damn you," she muttered. "I was asleep…oh, shit. I was asleep! I supposed to be watching over the sick prisoners!" Katara scrambled to her feet. She swayed for a moment and then her knees buckled.
Zuko scooped and arm around her waist and caught her. "You're not talking care of anyone like that. You'll get sick yourself. Healers don't get sick," he admonished. "Besides, everyone is fine. The healers from the village arrived a few hours ago."
Katara opened her mouth to protest, but Zuko promptly covered it with a calloused hand before she could speak. She glared at him instead.
Zuko's smirk widened into a smile. "Come on," he said, sweeping Katara up in his arms. "You need a decent rest."
Katara sighed in resignation and settled her head in the crook of his shoulder. Zuko walked past a few tents towards a furry mat of with hair by the fire, which upon closer inspection would reveal itself to be a certain large, flying bison named Appa. "Will you make sure Katara stays put?" Zuko asked the giant beast.
Appa blink his brown eyes and let out a soft groan.
"Good," Zuko replied, placing Katara in the warm nest of Appa's fur. Zuko turned his smirk to Katara again. "Now, you stay there."
"Yes, Gran-Gran," she teased.
V. A gentle steam rose from the two tea cups place on a rough boulder that served as a makeshift table. A small fire crackled nearby with a ceramic pot bubbling over it. The retired general let out a deep sigh. "What troubled you, Dyoko?"
Dyoko blew on his hot tea before drinking it. Dyoko was not a great tea-lover, but Iroh brewed an excellent pot. He surveyed the old man over the rim of his cup before he spoke. "My sister."
"Why is that?"
"She wants to stay here and wait for dad to find us. Well her excuse is to stay and help the prisoners, but she's hoping dad'll find us," Dyoko said quickly.
"And you want to leave?" Iroh asked wisely.
"Yes. I mean, we haven't even really learned our other elements yet. I can be so much more useful in Omashu," Dyoko said frustratedly.
"You must understand, Dyoko, that while you are a fighter, your sister is a healer."
"Yes, I know that. It's just, we're better off if we stick together, right?"
"I supposed," Iroh said slowly.
"But we're complete opposites in EVERYTHING."
"You've parted ways once before, haven't you?" Iroh asked.
"Yes," said Dyoko. "It was great at first, but…"
"But?"
"I got into trouble real fast. Actually, there are probably some pirates still looking for me." He grinned sheepishly.
"This is not a choice I can make for you, Dyoko. I cannot tell you to stay with or leave your sister anymore that I can tell her where to go. You two share a deep connection. You must decide this between the two of you," Iroh concluded.
"Yeah, I know."
Break… I give up coming up with something to put here… Break
"I know you've been watching me, Jet," Azula said. An intoxicating smile graced her face. She looked like poison, deadly but beautiful. "You're surprised I know your name," she observed. Her eyes bore into his soul.
Jet felt a little weak at the knees. "I, uh, Princess, I—" he stuttered.
Azula advanced towards him. "You may call me 'Azula,' Jet," she said quietly. "I know who you are." Jet's blood ran cold. He tore his eyes away from her and gazed at a bit of palace wall behind her. "It must be awful to be just a servant. After all, you are the leader of the notorious Freedom Fighters," she said taking a few steps closer.
Jet looked back at her. Her eyes challenged him to deny her accusations. Jet felt a little more firm again. "The Freedom Fighters are the best family I have," he said coldly. "The Fire Natin took my parents away from me."
"And how ironic is it that here you are lusting after me," Azula said. "The Fire Nation Princess." She laughed sharply and pressed herself up against him. "You have something planned, Jet," she said, kissing the edge of his mouth tauntingly. "Kiss me, Jet."
He wanted to. He shouldn't, but he wanted to.
"Kiss me, Jet," Azula repeated, stroking his face. "Tell me everything and kiss me."
"Noooo!" Haru burst into the room. "No, JET!"
Jet's eyes snapped open. He was in a dark room on the top bunk of a bed. His shirt was uncomfortably wet with sweat and his breath was heavy. "It was only a dream," he whispered. "It was only a dream."
Yup, so I hope you liked that. The song in the first bit is called "Best I Ever Had" it's by Vertical Horizon. Don't own it, those guys are excellent. But then... I listen to a cover version of it by Bronson Arroyo (used to pitch for the Red Sox, yeah I'm a freak). Anyway, leave a review if you got a moment.