Chapter 48 – The Return
(Previously on the Last Avatar. Kuzo had been rejected as a student by the Air Nomad Spirits. After they refused to teach him Air Bending, Avatar Kyoshi took up the charge and instructed the group to head towards Kyoshi Island)
"Sooo nothing bad's gonna happen, right?"(Nomu)
"Jinxing it like that is basically begging for something bad to happen. But I know what you mean. Even I'm a little freaked out about how well the trip's going."(P'Li)
Nomu and P'Li were following their usual routine of student and tutor. They both stared at the Pai Sho tiles that made up the military scenario. After training for so long on a daily basis, the Water Bender was finally coming into his own as a strategist. No longer making the basic mistakes he had done before, he had reached a level where the next step would be actual battle experience.
Nomu placed his pieces with confidence and stared up at P'Li. She smiled in response.
"Finally! Progress! My army is defeated, General Nomu. The day is yours."(P'Li)
They high fived and bumped fists. Staring from the ship's rooftop and out into the sea, they could just about make out an island coming into view.
"Kyoshi Island… No pirates, no Lightning Count, no Spirits along the way. Kuzo has his [Air Bending] teacher. All is well with the world!"(P'Li)
The Team landed on the island docks and were greeted by certain individuals.
"Crack."(P'Li)
All of the group members had uncomfortable and dopey looks plastered on their expressions as they stared at their welcoming party.
"Well, well, well, you're finally here," Ty Lee said sinisterly.
Kuzo, P'Li, Nomu, and Lin seemed frozen in place as Ty Lee, Toph, and a small Asami walked over to them.
"LAN!" Asami squealed, hugging the giant Subun.
"Sifu Ty Lee, it is great to see you again." Kuzo bowed.
She forgoed any formality and hugged him tightly.
"Idiot…" she muttered softly. Ty Lee then grabbed him and Nomu, and bashed their heads together. "Both of you! Idiots!" She then proceeded to drag them towards the village.
"Lin."(Toph)
"…. Hey, Mom."(Lin)
Toph looked a little taken back by the mellow response.
"I was expecting more yelling. Maybe a sharp piece of metal flying at my face."(Toph)
"Yeah, well. A lot of things happened. I gained perspective, I guess…. I'm just…Whoa…"
Tears began flowing freely down Lin's face.
"I'm… just glad that you're alive."
She moved to her mother and they hugged each other tightly.
"You've grown so beautiful in the time I haven't seen you."(Toph)
"Mom. Can you please knock it off with the blind jokes and give me the moment?"(Lin)
*Sigh* "Fine."(Toph)
While patting the crying Lin, Toph looked over at P'Li.
"Hey, P'Li. How's it going?"(Toph)
"It's! *SNIFF!* Going! *SNIFF* JUST FINE!" P'Li said as she was stifling her tears at the sight of the reunion.
"*Sigh* You're all babies…"(Toph)
The group of Toph, Ty Lee, Asami, and Sokka, had originally gone to the Kyoshi Island to recruit their Warriors for the Avatar Army. They had left Mei and Bumi to manage things back in Omashu. When they received news from Team Avatar, they decided to stay for a while and reunite with them.
Everyone met in the village chief's building where Sokka was speaking with the Kyoshi Warriors' Leader, Aki. As per the group's custom, the woman in her twenties wore the customary make up and uniform of her clan. Blood red brush strokes marked her eyes. The rest of her face was covered in a pure white mask. In her right hand, was a golden metal fan, the signature weapon of the [Warriors]. Aki was Suki's successor, and distant relative.
As introductions and reuniting ensued, the night had evolved into a quiet celebration. The Kyoshi Warriors and members of the Avatar Faction began mingling.
Kuzo, Lin, Toph, and Ty Lee had much to talk about and went to a private room to discuss things further. Sokka was drinking with the other villagers. Asami was playing with Lan. P'Li and Nomu had slipped out of the Village Chief's hall, without notice.
They both walked out into the porch where Nomu poured a wine cup for P'Li and handed it to her. He then took a long draught of his bottle with a loud "Pah!" at the end.
"I blame Kuzo that I can't enjoy parties anymore…"(Nomu)
"Hahaha. Well, you're not alone, at least."(P'Li)
"Seriously. And the reuniting thing was nice, but it's not like I'm really close to any of them."(Nomu)
"Right? Felt kind of left out…"
"No hidden parents somewhere in the White Lotus?"
"Hehe. Nope. Dad's dead. Mom too. You?"
"Mom's gone. Me and dad are playing hide and seek. Been playing for half my life. Like, good game, dad! Where the hell are you, man?"
"Hahaha! Yay~ Orphans. Comradery~"
They both high fived a bit drunkenly.
After some time passed, the two exhaled a heavy sigh.
"It's serious talk time, isn't it?"(Nomu)
"It would be good to find out where you stand."(P'Li)
"I'll be part of the team. I'll even be his advisor if he wants me to be. But it'll go no further than that… Do you know how much I've covered for him?"
"You have?"
"Yeah! Before the Swamp, I was the one that vouched for him, got villages to trust him, made his excuses. I know he would never ask me to do it, but I believed in the good in him. When people expressed doubts in Omashu, I…*Sigh*."
"Wow. I didn't know that."
"Well, of course. I don't advertise it or anything. But, man. The way he killed Touma…"
"You never met Azula, right?"
"No."
"Kuzo ever talk about her?
"…No?"
"Then I'll tell you now. I only saw them together once, and I could tell that Kuzo hero worshipped her… She meant everything to him. I think people presented with the same situation as he was, given the chance to take revenge on the person who took the world from them, nobody would have thought twice about it. And if they did, then they're heartless fools."
"But he's supposed to be above that! Better! I'm not saying he's supposed to be heartless but—"
"Remember what the Guru said? He's a worldly Avatar. He doesn't sit above us passing judgement. He's down here with us, Nomu. In the mud, suffering and fighting alongside us. He's not looking at the world from afar, but here, pulling us and dragging us with him. If you ask me, I prefer Kuzo then some almighty superior being."
"… Sorry, P'Li. I can understand some of it, and even agree with some parts, but I still don't buy into the Avatar hype. Not anymore at least…"
"You know… I'm pretty sure he regrets what he did. Or at least feels bad about it…"
"What makes you say that?"
"Hunch."
"You saw him P'Li. He stabbed his sword through him, lightning blasted him from the inside, and then chucked him into the water."
"And you don't think he felt the weight of what he did afterwards?"
"He never showed anything like it."
"He's Kuzo. He can lie through Lin's [Vibration Tuning]. I think he made a mistake. I'm not saying you're supposed to let that pass. But it's not the first time anyone's ever killed anyone, while blinded by revenge."
*Sigh* "Lin controlled herself."
"… Touché."
"Kuzo restores the Northern Water Tribes, and then I go my separate way. Nothing changes that."
A hush fell on the two as they watched the faintly blinking fireflies in the tall grass.
"You know, Nomu. Despite being the so called 'neutral' one. More than Lin. You might be the one who felt most betrayed by Kuzo's actions."
Nomu wanted to retort, but felt the words catch in his throat.
Maybe…
…
*BOOM!
P'Li and Nomu turned to see Lin and Kuzo blasted into a deep crater. It appeared as though they had been forced through multiple building walls until they were shot here. The Metal Bender was lying unconscious on top of a painfully groaning Avatar.
"An enemy attack?!"(P'Li)
"Run… Run for your…lives…" Kuzo muttered before passing out.
What could have done this to them?! Who could have taken these two out so easily?!
They both heard ominous footsteps and turned around.
"THE MELON LORD RETUUUUURRRNNNNSSS….."
A drunk red faced Toph steps from hole in the building holding watermelons under each arm. An angry, tearful, and inebriated Ty Lee follows after. She stares at Nomu with bloodlust.
"I believe one of the rules was to keep him from killing people…."(Ty Lee)
Oh… So Lin and Kuzo told them everything…
Probably the Death match too since they can't lie to Toph.
P'Li and Nomu felt a cold sweat travel down their spines.
"What do you have to say for yourself, Nomu."(Ty Lee)
…
"The feeling was mutual and all of us are alive?"
(Outside the inner walls of Ba Sing Se)
Baro's forces continued their siege as the Earth Kingdom Fortress self-destructed from within. It seemed victory was only a few days away.
The Shogun had only recently received news of Touma's death and lamented over the loss in his war tent. Raina was burdened with even more tasks now that there was no Second in Command for the Lightning Count. They would have to appoint a replacement soon.
At least we will finally be able to take Ba Sing Se….. the damned infernal city…
A messenger burst into the tent with a ghostly pale complexion.
"What is it?" Raina asked the soldier.
When the agent paused, they both felt something was very wrong.
"Th-The Phoenix Air Fleets are moving…!"(Messenger)
Baro looked at him curiously. "They are attempting to go on the offensive? A last ditch effort to save the stronghold?"
"No. They… They are overwhelming us!"(Messenger)
Raina grabbed him by the collar. "How is that possible?! Speak clearly, agent! WHAT exactly is going on?!"
"All over the skies…. They're…"
(Omashu)
Mei stares at the sky in disbelief from the Town Hall's balcony.
"Have Sato and all the engineers bring out the Anti-Air Weaponry at once!" she yelled to a communications officer.
"Oh no… this isn't a nightmare, is it? I still have my underpants so this must be a real…" Bumi commented beside Mei.
They both stared at a large fleet of Phoenix Airships covering the skies. Utilizing their binoculars, they found something even more shocking. Some of the flying fortresses were not air carriers as they originally thought. They seemed to be gigantic chained creatures floating in the sky.
"[Lion Turtles]?"
(Outside Ba Sing Se)
Baro and Raina were giving out orders to the sorting solders.
"We've planned for this! There is nothing to be afraid of!" Baro rallied his army.
As if answering his statement, a great flock of shadows began filtering out of the airships in amazing droves. All of the Shogun forces looked on at the sight with wonder. It looked like a swarm of birds had been released and were flying towards them. Even Baro was stunned at the sight of the smooth maneuvering animals. Only Raina was composed as she looked through a telescope.
"BRACE FOR VOLLEY!" she spat as she yelled at the top of her lungs.
The soldiers moved out of their stupor and reacted instinctively to the order. Hiding behind cover or bringing up shields, they protected themselves from the sky. It was proof of how well trained they were. Being able to move like clockwork despite the nonsensical sounding order. Of course, the order was anything but.
Long, black metal arrows whistled through the air and rained heavily on the Shogun's forces. The projectiles were heavily reinforced and must have been shot with inhuman strength. Even with the army's set defense, the bombardment had cheesed many positions. After what seemed like an eternity, the hail of death stopped. The soldiers looked up and saw the flock of red birds swooping away and turning around for another run by.
Raina gave Baro the telescope so he could see for himself what exactly was attacking them. He focused the lenses, and his gut sank. He blinked his eyes furiously to make sure he was seeing correctly.
They were Yuyan Archers standing upon white clouds. As they flew through the air, they left a swirling white trail in their wake. With bows in hand, they shot enormous arrows with the assisted power of the wind.
"…[Air Benders]?"
