Very long and important Author's note, then chapter 54
I am BACK! After 9 long months i have finally and permanently returned back to the fanfiction scene. My life has been a hectic mess but now i've finally got time to commit to this story. This story has been as much an adventure to me as it has you. I have come a long way from that first chapter and my writing has evolved as well. While not everything is perfect and there is a lot of room to improve i am ready now to take that challenge. I initially was going to give up on fanfiction but i received a message in my youtube inbox from pandora1225 telling me that i needed to come back and that there were others who wanted me to come back. When i checked my reviews i was overwhelmed by the positive response and the want for the story to continue. I felt guilty for turning my back on you fans and now I'm going to make it up. I'm not just going to continue the story but I'm going to take this to a new level. I'm not going to be able to do this alone. I will continue to need the support of fans like you in new ways. I am building a team to help me with the continuation of this story. I have some open slots for people i need to help me. These people will begin helping me with the sequel which i plan to have released before Halloween and i want it to have a new chapter a week. The following are the positions i need. If you PM me please include in the subject the position you are applying for.
Artists: The sequel will have many new characters and many of the old characters will be different physically than they were in the show. I want to move to original artwork for the new story. This is a big job so there are multiple slots open. I want to eventually have original art for each of the characters in the story. That way the readers also have a visual component when reading the story. Anyone with artistic talent who would be interested please pm me with a sample of some of your avatar related artwork. (The style art i am looking for, for the story is similar to the work of limey404 on deviant art in his comic "The first Date"
Editor: Many people have told me that there are a lot of grammatical errors in my writing. While I try to be grammatically correct I'm still a high school student and therefore have not completely mastered grammar. I'm looking for someone with good grammar skills to help me improve this. This is pretty much first come first serve so whoever PM's me first will probably get the position.
Fact Checkers/Focus group: Essentially this will be a group of about 3 people who know the story almost as well as I do. They will pre read the chapters before release to find continuity errors in the story as well as comment on things they think should be changed. This position is also a first come first serve position.
Wiki People: I would like to start a wiki for the story that would house information specific to the series. The sequel will reference the first story many times and I would like for there to be a place to reference things so that people don't have to go searching in the first story. I need a person to run the wiki and other people to help write the articles for the wiki. PM me if you are interested.
Anyone else who doesn't receive a position can still pm about something they can do to contribute or contribute in other ways like spreading the word to other Avatards.
Chapter 54:
Katara and Zuko had jumped at the sound of the screams overhead. They both turned toward each other.
"I'll go ahead and see what's going upstairs; you go save Aang from Toph's wrath" Zuko said turning around. Katara nodded and continued outside to save Aang. Zuko sighed in relief as he walked back into the house. The last thing he wanted to do is confront Toph when she was mad.
Katara found Aang on the ground shirtless with a fuming Toph standing over him. Toph stomped and a large rock came over her head.
"Whoa Toph calm down" Katara said trying to calm down the raging earth bender.
"Calm Down! I found twinkle toes in my bed. I'm gonna kill him" Toph Screamed Angrily. Aang eyes opened wide as he realized he was about to be murdered.
"Toph calm down it was the cactus juice last night. Everyone woke up to some weird stuff. Teo is in a tree" Katara said pointing to a nearby tree where Teo was slumped over a branch. Toph turned and stomped her foot and saw her boyfriend knocked out. When she turned back to Aang he was gone. Aang was floating in the air on jets of fire. Toph realizing she couldn't see Aang in the air turned and walked toward Teo. She stomped and a pillar of earth shot out and collided with the tree. The tree shook and Teo and his chair fell to the ground.
"You could have been gentler" Katara said.
Toph shrugged. She stomped the ground again causing Teo's body and chair to be raised on an elevated portion of earth. As she walked back toward the house the mound of earth he was on followed her. Aang landed in front of Katara.
"Uh Hey Katara" Aang said with his traditional goofy grin.
"Hey Aang" Katara said. An awkward silence passed.
"So…uh…last night was kinda crazy" Aang said trying to end the silence.
"Yeah I woke up with Zuko in my bed this morning" Katara said.
"What!" Aang yelled in shock.
"Nothing happened, besides didn't you wake up in Toph's bed" Katara said.
Aang turned red, "Well…yeah but i can't remember what happened last night" Aang said.
"Me neither, we should probably go back inside. Zuko went to go see what was going on with the others" Katara said.
Aang nodded and they turned around together. As they walked into the house they found their friends convened in the main room of the house. They all looked tired. Jet and Haru were sitting as far away from each other as possible. Sokka looked like a wreck. Suki had twigs in her hair and was covered in dirt. Toph was sitting next to Teo who just looked in shock.
"So today's the big day" Zuko said looking at Sokka.
"Yeah it is" Sokka said a little nervously.
"So what's the plan today?" Toph asked.
"Well everything has to be ready by right before sundown. We all have to be dressed and everyone needs to be at the beach" Sokka said.
"I can go make sure everything gets set up, it takes me only a second to get ready" Toph said "Besides you'll need someone tough to make sure they don't screw it up"
"I can help Suki get ready and make sure the decorations are set" Katara said.
"I'll make sure Sokka doesn't hurt himself or others because of his nervousness" Zuko said.
"Hey!" Sokka yelled annoyed.
"Sokka we all know you aren't the greatest when you're nervous" Toph said
"Remember the invasion?" Katara said. Sokka nodded in defeat.
The group nodded in agreement as they now had their assignments. Toph walked out the house and headed down toward the beach. Katara and Suki went toward the bath house so that Suki could be prepped for the ceremony. Zuko and Sokka went for a walk. Zuko hoped that Sokka would stay calm if they did something simple. Aang and Teo decided to go for a quick morning flight.
Toph watched as the workers that Sokka had hired set up on the beach. They had set up many chairs and were in the process of building a Rotunda in front of the water. The trees on the edge of the forest had been lined with candle lit orbs and decorations.
"Move faster slow pokes!" Toph yelled. The workers grumbled and continued to set up for the wedding.
Sokka and Zuko were somewhere in the middle of the forest surrounding Kyoshi Island. They were walking down a path enjoying each other's company.
"So are you excited?" Zuko asked.
"No i'm kinda sick with nervousness" Sokka said. He was trembling a little.
"I know the feeling. I was really nervous too" Zuko said.
"I keep worrying about things going wrong. I don't have the best luck when it comes to things going right" Sokka said.
"I think this will turn out fine" Zuko said. He put his hand on Sokka's shoulder to show his support. He could feel Sokka shaking with nervousness. A squirrel jumped in front of them. Sokka yelped and jumped back ten feet. He was already holding his boomerang and his sword.
"Whoa Sokka calm down" Zuko said. Sokka was breathing heavily. He nodded and put the weapons away.
"I'm a nervous wreck" he said.
"maybe if we go see the progress of the wedding set up you'll feel more confident" Zuko said desperate to make Sokka feel better. Sokka nodded in agreement and the two men walked toward the beach. As they walked out of the forest they saw that the wedding set up was almost complete. The time was a little past noon and the sun was bright in the air. There was a light breeze as well.
"Hey snoozles" Toph said cheerily.
"So it looks like everything is going great here" Sokka said sighing with relief. Before anyone could respond a large wave crashed into the half constructed rotunda. The wood splintered and half the rotunda was carried away back into the sea leaving only a pile of broken wood. Zuko's jaw dropped and Sokka was paralyzed.
"Now what am I supposed to do, I was going to be married in that rotunda" Sokka said as he turned around and kicked the sand angrily. Before Zuko could calm him down one of the hired workers walked up.
"sir the ice sculpture that you had shipped here from the southern water tribe has melted" he said.
"AAAAAAAGH!" Sokka screamed in frustration.
"Sokka calm down" Zuko said.
"CALM DOWN! I spent hours making that sculpture, I had to scrape posen rat barnacles off of a whole ship to get them to ship it here and your telling me to CALM DOWN!" Sokka boomed. Before he could start up again he felt a sharp pain in his foot. Toph had dug her foot right into his.
"Shut up snoozles, we know you loved your ice sculpture but stop crying about it. Your getting married today so start acting like a man and not like baby Iroh. Now go with Zuko and fight or something and leave this to me" Toph said. Sokka nodded and start skulking back toward town.
"Thanks Toph" Zuko said as he turned to follow Sokka. Toph turned and went back to directing the set up crew.
"So how about we spar for a little bit Sokka. I haven't used my duel swords in a while" Zuko said hoping to cheer him up. Sokka agreed and they went to the dojo which was deserted as the Kyoshi warriors were getting ready for the wedding.
"Okay Ready?" Zuko said. They were both in training gi and they were standing in the Kyoshi Dojo. Sokka was holding a wooden sword and Zuko was holding two wooden duel swords. They both took stances. Zuko struck first slashing one sword horizontally and the other vertically. Sokka dodged and they engaged each other.
"Are you done yet?" Suki asked Katara. Katara was underneath her pinning the last pieces of her wedding dress together. Suki and Katara had taken baths and cleaned themselves up. All that was left were the dresses and their hair.
"No not yet, I thought Sokka was the most impatient person in the world" she said rolling her eyes.
"No he definitely is" Suki said with a laugh.
"So are you excited?" Katara asked.
"Yeah I've been waiting for this for a long time. Is there anything I need to know about your brother?" Suki said.
"I think you know pretty much everything. He's protective, stubborn, kinda foolish, and a little bit crazy" Katara said laughing.
"Do you think I'll be a good wife? I'm afraid i won't be. I'm not exactly an average bride. I don't cook or clean really and I fight" Suki said a little nervous.
"You'll be fine, the last thing Sokka needs is a house wife. That would only fuel is already inflated ego" Katara said.
"He was kind of sexist before he met me" Suki said honestly.
"You've changed him in a lot of ways. You bring out the best in Sokka" Katara said smiling.
"He changed me too. After you guys came to Kyoshi i felt i had to play my part in ending the war. Sokka inspired me to really do something. If a loveable oaf from the middle of some glacier could change the world why couldn't I?" Suki said laughing. Katara was also laughing. The door opened and Mai walked in. Iroh was sleeping in her arms.
"Aww he's so cute" Suki said.
"Thankfully he'll be asleep for the next couple of hours and probably won't be awake until the wedding reception. I actually wanted to know if you had anything that Iroh could drink at the reception since we can't give him adult drinks" Mai asked.
"Yeah Sokka has this box of all purpose liquids. One of the bottles is this traditional water tribe baby stuff" Suki said.
"Yeah that will be fine" Mai responded.
"Okay you should look under Sokka's bed. That's where he normally keeps the box" Suki said. Mai nodded and walked off back toward their house.
Sokka swung his sword hard knocking a sword out of Zuko's left hand. They had been dueling for hours. The fighting had taken Sokka's mind off the wedding and allowed him to calm down. Zuko blocked another swipe and then swiped himself stopping before hitting Sokka's neck. Zuko held his sword to Sokka's neck. He then noticed Sokka's sword was in the exact same position on his neck.
"Looks like it's a tie" Zuko said.
"Yeah good match" Sokka said.
They both dropped their swords. As the turned around to leave Sokka tripped on the butt of his sword. He fell into Zuko who fell face first into the butt of his sword. Zuko recoiled in pain, grasping at his non scarred eye.
"Let me see it" Sokka said. Zuko moved his hands. Sokka jumped back in shock.
"I think i have something that can help, we'll get it and get changed for the wedding" Sokka said leading Zuko out of the dojo.
Aang and Teo had since taken their flight and gotten ready. The two were dressed up in traditional air nomad attire. Aang's outfit was similar to the one he wore at the celebration party after the war in Ba Sing Se when he first kissed Katara. They were almost to the clearing that opened up to the beach.
"So do you think you'll ever get married?" Teo asked Aang.
"I don't know, air benders didn't traditionally marry" Aang said.
"Well then how did you get the next generation of air benders?" Teo asked.
"well you were paired up with someone at birth spiritually and you would meet that person once a month until you were sixteen. If you loved the person you could marry them when you turned 16" Aang said.
"So did you have a person" Teo said.
"Yeah but it's a long story, it's really complicated" Aang said.
"But even with that system i doubt enough air benders would have had kids" Teo said.
"Well most air benders didn't believe in marriage. Even though they had the choice to marry their spiritual partner many chose not to. To make sure there were enough new air benders every year the male and female temples would meet up for a really big party. They would meet on this island in the middle of the ocean. No one knew where it was though except air benders. The air benders would then….well… procreate" Aang said.
"That sounds…different" Teo said at a loss for words.
"It worked this way because children didn't grow up with their parents. They were iven away to the older monks at the temples when they were born to be trained. Then at sixteen the children would get a sky bison and could roam free as nomads. When they got old they would come back to the temple to teach. It's really a big cycle" Aang said.
"Wait so how did you get Appa at twelve then?" Teo asked.
"Well air benders pick out their baby sky bison at the age of eight. Then we train them and get close to them as children. We aren't allowed to fly them anywhere but we are taught how to take care of them. Since i got my tattoos and mastered air bending at twelve instead of sixteen the monks rewarded me by letting me fly Appa where i wanted to. It was that year that i traveled the world and met all of my friends" Aang said. Aang smiled a bit at his memories.
"Wow that sounds awesome, too bad there aren't any more sky bison" Teo said disappointed.
They came out of the clearing and saw everything set up. Some things looked odd however. The ice sculpture was now a rock statue of Toph, the rotunda was now a stone platform, and momo was in a stone cage.
"So do you like it?" Toph asked.
"Why is momo in a cage?" Aang asked confused.
"He ate half of the reception food, I had no choice" Toph said annoyed.
"He ate half the food!" Teo said.
"Sokka's gonna be really upset" Aang said smirking.
"That guy is a wreck today. I hope these modifications don't put him over the edge" Toph said.
Mai and Iroh came and joined them. Iroh was still sound asleep.
"He'll probably never remember this" Toph said smirking.
As she finished her statement Sokka and Zuko walked out of the forest. They were dressed up however Zuko was wearing an eye patch. Only Zuko's scarred eye was revealed. Mai smirked at Zuko's appearance obviously amused.
"Why is Zuko wearing an eye patch?" Teo asked. Zuko grumbled and Teo decided it probably wasn't important. Sokka noticed the slight modifications that were made. Sokka pointed to the Toph statue and was about to speak.
"Sokka don't get upset. Be optimistic like me. Just tell yourself everything is going to be okay and it will" Aang said cheerily. Sokka scowled at him.
"Everything is gonna be okay" he mumbled to himself as he walked toward the stage.
The seats started filling with people from Kyoshi and the southern Water Tribe. The southern Water tribe citizens had been staying in the main hall of Kyoshi for the last two days. Kyoshi was glad to host them and the people of the two societies mingled and got to know each other. The kids played all throughout the day and the adults socialized. A lasting friendship had been forged between the two societies.
Aang and Zuko joined Sokka on the stage. Toph stood across from them where the bride would stand later. Oyajii stood in between where the bride and Groom would be wed. He being the one to marry the couple. Hakoda walked up and joined the three men.
"Hey dad" Sokka said.
"Your mother would be proud son, you've found yourself a good one" Hakoda said winking at his son.
They stood for a while before Katara joined Toph. Aang gazed at her in amazement. Her beauty completed disrupting his through process. She had did her hair up and was wearing a traditional water tribe dress that matched her eyes.
"Earth to Aang" Teo said hitting him in the back of the head. Aang turned red.
"I…uh…uh" Aang stammered.
"You've known her for like three years and you still do this every time she dresses up" Zuko said rolling his eyes. Katara giggled and Toph made a gagging noise.
"everything is gonna be alright" Sokka mumbled to himself nonstop as he waited for the wedding to start.
The sun was just beginning to set and the water reflected the beautiful orange light. A perfect light breeze swept through the beach keeping the temperature cool but not cold. Gran Gran and Pakku sat in the front row as well as Suki's mother. Appa sat on the side of the seats with Momo.
"There she is" Toph said pointing toward Suki and her father. They were standing at the edge of the clearing. Sokka saw Suki and he was stunned. He knew she was beautiful but she had never been so beautiful to him.
"Everything is going to be okay" he started to chant with more confidence. Seeing her gave him confidence and his nervousness began to subside.
The Tsungi horn player began to play and Suki and her father made their way toward the platform. They made their way up the stone steps and Suki stood next to Sokka. They smiled at each other. All their friends and family beamed at the two as they stood together in the setting sun. Oyajii began to speak about the sacredness of marriage. He spoke of how they two loved each other. He told the crowd of when Sokka and the gang first came to Kyoshi and how Suki changed. He told them of how Suki and Sokka grew to love each other.
"Now Sokka of the Water Tribe, Do you take Suki of Kyoshi to be your wife?" Oyajii asked Sokka. Sokka turned to Suki. He smiled and opened his mouth to speak.
Before he could say a word something shot out of the water behind them. Everyone turned and they faced the Unagi. The Unagi roared.
"Everything is gonna be alright" Sokka said very nervously.
The Unagi shot a burst of water straight at them. Aang and Katara both moved simultaneously and bended the blast of water to the right missing the procession. Zuko shot of a couple of fire blast at the Unagi's face. It recoiled and then roared louder.
Aang was already in the air on his fire jets and whipped the Unagi with an air wave. It turned toward him and shot a water blast. Teo hit the blast with an air blast causing the water blast o miss Aang. Katara had jumped in the water and was riding an ice board around the base of the Unagi. She attempted to freeze its base to the water.
"Everything is gonna be okay" Sokka kept chanting to himself. The Unagi turned and spat a water blast directly at the stage. Sokka and the others were blasted with water as the fell into the sand.
"Why does the universe hate me?" Sokka asked himself as he picked himself out of the sand. His traditional outfit had been ripped up and he was soaked. Everyone in the seats had gotten up and was scrambling to avoid water blasts from the Unagi.
Aang started flying around in circles around the Unagi's head. A small air vortex formed around the head causing it to spin. The Unagi began to lose balance as the vortex increased speed. Aang jumped out the small tornado and the Unagi began to stumble in the air. It finally lost balance and its head crashed against the side of the beach. The Unagi sunk into the water and swam off.
Aang landed back on the ground as Katara came out of the water. The bottom of her dress was tattered. As people noticed the Unagi was gone they began to return to the beach. The stage was in ruin and all their outfits were ruined. Sokka looked really depressed.
"Okay where were we" Aang said trying to pretend the disturbance didn't happen.
"Did you not just notice we were attacked by a SEA MONSTER!" Sokka yelled.
"Yeah maybe we should just reschedule" Teo said.
"Let's just do it Sokka" Suki asked.
"Suki wanted this day to be perfect, you deserve a perfect wedding day. I just have the worst luck in the world" Sokka said. Sokka put his head down. He was visually upset. Suki put her hand on his shoulder.
"Sokka if i wanted to marry a lucky man i wouldn't have said yes to marry you. Any day i get to marry you would be a perfect one. So why can't it be today" Suki said.
Sokka still looked upset. As he turned, his eyes met Suki's. She smiled at him and he instantly felt better. He looked into her eyes and found the confidence he needed.
"Yeah let's do this!" Sokka said.
Everyone resumed their positions the best they could. Oyajii was still soaked but he repeated his earlier line.
"Sokka of the Water Tribe, Do you take Suki of Kyoshi to be your wife?" Oyajii asked Sokka.
"Yes I do" Sokka said smiling at Suki.
"And Suki do you take Sokka to be your husband?" Oyajii asked Suki.
"Yes I do" Suki beaming at Sokka.
"Then let the spirits bless this marriage" Oyajii said.
Sokka turned and kissed Suki. The crowd started cheering. Aang and the others smiled at the happy couple as they kissed. Aang looked at Katara smiling and happy. He wondered if one day he'd be back in a wedding like this but in Sokka's position with Katara. The sun was setting behind them.
