Media: Fic
Title: Solar Winds (Avatar: The Last Airbender Fusion, 56/?)
Rating: PG-13 for innuendo, swearing, violence.
Spoilers: None for either series that I am aware of.
Warnings: None.
Word Count:
Summary: When a usurper sets eyes on the Fire Nation throne, Avatar Kurt and friends find themselves on the run with the deposed Prince Blaine in a country gone mad. Can they escape Lady Sylvester's wrath? Or will her minions snuff them out for good? Fusion fic!
Author's Note: School is back in session, so my updates might be fewer and further between now. Don't worry, though—I won't give up on this story if you won't. :P Sue is back, putting the plot in motion and teasing us with big juicy pieces of it. Oh, and Kurt and Blaine being adorable boyfriends in love. :3 Enjoy the sweetness while it lasts, because you know it's just a matter of time before I start beating them with the angsty stick again. :P
CHAPTER 56 – The Animal Inside of You
Kurt takes a moment to count his blessings, looking at the convoy of characters riding all around him.
Finn is sleeping somewhat miserably, propped between Rachel and fellow giant Flint. Since Rachel is hardly capable of supporting his weight, Finn is leaned forward and drooling on Flint's armor. To his credit, Flint doesn't seem to mind. Rachel gives him a gentle backrub, careful not to disturb his injured shoulder, looking conflicted and sad.
Artie rides with Jeff. He pokes the other boy in the ribs, whispering something and gesturing to Thad, and Jeff starts laughing so hard that he nearly knocks both of them off the horse. Mercedes and Nick ride over to push them back into the saddle, only to be brought in on the joke and nearly choke with laughter themselves.
Last but not least, Blaine rides with Wes, giving a brilliant grin at something the other boy said. From Kurt's horse, David makes a comment that makes them both start laughing, and Kurt can't help but marvel at how different Blaine seems around them.
He has always been a little closed off, a little mysterious, not unlike Kurt himself. Blaine is a lot like a complicated origami structure, with all sorts of little messages and notes written on the paper. Every time Kurt starts to think he has him figured out, he unfolds a little more, and a new message is revealed. He opened up quite a bit after the train ride, but even then, it was nothing like this. The return of his childhood friends—his brothers-by-proxy—has put him in full bloom. His eyes sparkle again, and he smiles like he doesn't particularly care who he blinds. It's a wonderful thing to witness.
Even nature seems to have taken notice. Little birds flutter over and perch in his hair. Squirrelmunks and fire ferrets cling happily to his shirt. Even normally predatory animals like saber-toothed moose lions and platypus bears trot alongside him and stare at him adoringly. It's cute, but now that Kurt thinks about it, it's a little weird. Especially since neither Blaine, nor anyone else in their little convoy seems to notice the animals at all.
"You've gotten pretty popular lately," Kurt teases. "Even nature seems to want a piece of you."
Blaine keeps right on smiling, seeming to ignore Kurt.
"I suppose we could just blame it on animal magnetism," Kurt continues.
Blaine keeps right on ignoring him, snorting at another comment from David.
Kurt is appalled. "Umm, hello?" he says. "It's nice that your friends are back from the dead and all, but you don't have to ignore me to…"
A low, throaty rumble vibrates through the air above him. Kurt turns his eyes up and nearly flips backwards off his horse.
"DRAGON!" he shouts. "Holy crap, there is a dragon right above us!"
Blaine continues to ignore him. So, in fact, does everyone else. They don't even notice when the dragon swoops down to fly mere inches above their heads.
This is taking oblivious to a whole new level.
It is then that Kurt notices that Thad is trotting just ahead of them, prattling on about something or other, seemingly oblivious to the fact that almost everyone is either ignoring him or outright mocking him.
"Oh," Kurt says. "Now I get it."
He leans back to look at himself. Sure enough, Kurt-in-real-life is fast asleep, having had his lights bored out by Thaddeus's incessant warbling, which can only mean…
"This is a spirit thing," Kurt says idly. "Interesting…"
The dragon groans in the affirmative.
Blaine looks over at the sleeping Kurt, and his eyes soften, and his smile shifts into such pure adoration that Kurt very nearly melts into a puddle of spirit-goo. He'd reach out and hug the boy if his arms would actually touch him.
Kurt glances up at the birds on Blaine's head, the various lizards and rodents clinging to his torso. They look at him as well, seeming to brighten up a bit and flutter over to give him some loving as well.
"You're the animals from the Sylvester House, aren't you?" Kurt says and he scratches the fire ferret behind the ears. "Did our dinky little funeral pyre really help you out?"
The various critters don't quite seem to get the gist—apparently, even in spirit form, animal communication is a little tricky. He can't really think of much other reason for the animals to be following them, however, especially this particular grouping of animals.
A winged monkey perches on his back, running fingers through his hair, probably searching for bugs. He's fairly sure this is a sign of affection, so Kurt takes it in a positive light. After all, it's not like it's messing with his real hair. "Well, we were glad to help," he says. "And as much as I appreciate adoring fans of any species, you don't need to stick around for our sakes. You can go! You're free now."
At this, the dragon swoops down to fly right next to him. If it were tangible, it would've knocked half the Hawks off their horses with its wings alone. The enormous creature side-eyes him and gives a low rumble. Despite the size and ferocity of the thing, the sound isn't threatening at all. It seems almost… inviting.
The animals flutter and hop on over to the dragon. From its back, they, too, turn to look at him.
"Me too?" Kurt asks. "You want me to get on?"
The dragon, at least, seems to understand human speech. It rumbles and drifts slightly closer to Kurt.
"Well, who am I to say 'no' to a dragon ride?" Kurt says, letting himself drift over to grab onto the scaly creature's back. No sooner than Kurt is onboard, the dragon swoops back up into the heavens, moving with impossible speed over the beautiful Fire Nation countryside. The colors swoop by so quickly that they seem to bleed into each other, making him feel like he's flying through a painted world. When he is able to tear his eyes off of the vibrant country around him, he looks ahead and sees what they are heading towards: a particularly tall plume of black smoke, like the kind from a train, only moreso, seems to be moving through the countryside at a rapid pace. A high, blaring whistle blasts through the air, causing Kurt to cringe.
"What is that?" Kurt says.
The dragon swoops down for a closer look, flying through the smoke trail until it emerges in front of the thing producing it; a terrifying hybrid of tank and train, a veritable metal monster. A huge, armored engine pulls along several heavily armored cars, but there is no track to speak of. The thing is much too wide and powerful to fit on a track—instead, it ploughs through the land itself, leveling the ground in front of it and demolishing all obstacles. Two large cannons are mounted to the sides of the front car, and several smaller cannons are mounted along the sides of the others.
"That… doesn't look friendly," Kurt says.
An iguana parrot climbs up on his shoulder and points ahead, and Kurt turns his eyes to the front just in time to see a man dive out of the way as the train annihilates his house, sending splinters and shattered furniture flying in all directions.
"Ouch," Kurt winces.
The spirit animals huddle in close to one another as the dragon swoops in front of the tank-train and slows itself down, sliding easily through the walls of the engine of destruction. They pass through several cars, Kurt catching glimpses of weapons and personnel and some terrifyingly huge live things, before they slide into a car that is slightly larger and more elaborate than the others. Unlike the bare, cold, metallic décor in the others, this one is drenched in deep reds and golds, and lavishly furnished. It even appears to have multiple rooms.
A sudden sinking feeling takes root in Kurt's stomach, only deepening as they drift further into the car. They pass through several rooms—full of maps, scrolls, books, strange-looking equipment, and a few rather miserable-looking men and women pouring over all of the above, dressed in vivid red armor that covers every part of them from head to toe, making them seem almost inhuman. Soon, they come to the last and largest room of the car. At the far end, on a raised platform, several torches burn prominently around a large palanquin, protected by a line of six firebenders in the same armor. Inside the palanquin, a shadow sits on a throne, its features blurred and obscured by several veils. Even its silhouette seems to have an air of power about it, and the animal spirits surrounding Kurt regard it with abject terror.
"That's her, isn't it?" Kurt says.
As if in answer to his question, a voice suddenly echoes from above.
"Fire Lord Sue!" a tinny voice says through something in the ceiling. "We have confirmed impact with the house we warned you about."
A diminutive girl steps out from behind the palanquin, retrieving a metal cone attached to the wall with a wire and handing it to the figure inside.
"Any damage?" the Fire Lord says into the cone.
"Yes, Fire Lord!" the tinny voice echoes. "The house was completely destr—"
"To the engine!" the Fire Lord says. "Who cares about the house? We blew the whistle, we gave plenty of warning. If these people like their houses so much, they should take some initiative and move them."
"No damage to the hull or the engine, Fire Lord! All gauges read within normal levels!" the voice calls back.
"Excellent!" Sue says. "Carry on."
"Yes, Fire Lord!"
The small girl replaces the cone on the wall.
Kurt shakes his head. "How can anyone be that callous?"
A fire ferret buries its head in Kurt's shirt, and he absentmindedly strokes the creature as he continues to watch Sue.
"Becky!" Fire Lord Sue says. "Bring me one of those tweedy little twerps."
"Which one, Fire Lord?" Becky asks.
"Eh," Sue says. "They're all the same to me. Pick whichever one looks the most terrified."
"Yes, Fire Lord!" Becky says, bowing and marching off to one of the other rooms. She returns dragging a squirmy, skinny figure by the ear, something he has to bend over quite a bit to accommodate. "The Fire Lord requests your presence!" Becky says, releasing him.
"Y-yes, my Lord?" the man says, standing and twitching nervously.
Sue says nothing.
"Y-y-you wanted to see me my Lord?" the man sputters.
At this, Sue slowly rises to her feet, taking slow, measured steps away from her throne. The veils obscuring her visage are pushed aside one by one, until the woman herself comes into full view. She is an enormous specimen herself, nearly as tall as Finn, dressed in a jet-black robe with gold trim, her hair in a top-knot, with the Fire Lord's headpiece firmly in place. She stares down at the man, and sneers.
"How dare you say that about my mother!" Sue growls, snapping her fingers. The Red Guard steps forward and surrounds him, and the poor guy just panics even harder.
"Wh-wh-what?" he stutters. "I didn—I didn't say anything about her! I was asking what you wanted to see me for!"
Sue looks appalled at him. "You have got some nerve," she says. "Who are you to question her sexual proclivities? For all you know, she just likes the smell of leather, and even if that's not the case—what my mother does with barnyard animals in the privacy of her own home is none of your business. I have half a mind to incinerate you where you stand, you upstart little four-eyed mouth-breather."
The man is now terrified beyond the point of words, turning stark white and looking like he could pass out at any moment.
Sue marches down the staircase, prompting the man to back away from her. He tries to escape, but the Red Guard gives him nowhere to run. Sue circles him like a vulture, seeming to contemplate his fate.
"P-p-p-p-p-p-please…" the man says.
Sue rolls her eyes. "And he just doesn't get it," she says. "See, you're standing in my presence, so by default, every word that comes out of your mouth is deep, personal insult. Not just to myself, but to the Fire Nation itself. If I were you, I'd get real low, real fast, and start speaking clearly, before I stop hearing accusations of bestiality and start hearing treason."
The man is face-down on the ground so fast that it'd probably qualify as a belly-flop if there were any water involved.
"Please forgive me, Fire Lord," the man says into the carpet.
"I'll think about it," Sue says, sauntering back to her throne. "On a completely unrelated note; hey, I asked you put that overdeveloped noggin of yours to work on a few things. How's that going?"
"Fairly well," the man says, still face-down on the ground.
"Hey!" Sue says, snapping her fingers. "I'm up here. This isn't the Earth Kingdom. Don't talk to the dirt," Sue grouses.
The man picks his head up. "Sorry, Fire Lord. As I said—it's actually going quite well. Based on my calculations and the results of the preliminary tests, it should be possible, with sufficient manpowe—"
"Should?" Sue says dangerously. "I'm not sure I like the sound of that. It sounds like me and all of my good friends at a cook-out, expecting a fireworks show that never happens. It sounds like a sniveling engineer making excuses, like 'well, the rocket should have gone off!'" She leans forward. "It sounds like his primal scream of terror as he soars into the heavens, strapped to his failed rocket, shortly before I rectify his failure by detonating him myself."
The man gulps. "…that doesn't sound good."
"No, poindexter, it doesn't. So how can I get a little more certainty out of you?" Sue asks.
"W-w-well," the man says. "You have to understand… there are many variables that could affect the outcome of—"
"You know, four-eyes, it's the funniest thing—your mouth is moving, but all I hear is the braying of a donkey rabbit. Get to the point," Sue says.
"But that is the point!" the man cries in desperation. "Something on this scale has never been attempted, in the whole of recorded Fire Nation history! You are toying with the forces of nature that no one fully understands in ways that defy the imagination, all to test a theory based on a story you found carved on rocks—"
Kurt puts his hand over his mouth. The carving! The Sun Warrior thingy! It does have something to do with this.
"SILENCE!" Sue shouts. "I didn't kidnap you so you could come in here and question my genius. You just said you thought it was possible. What changed your mind?"
"I do think it's possible!" the man says. "I j-just… I don't know how to scale it. I have no idea how many it would take to guarantee—"
"So basically, you're telling me there's no kill like overkill," Sue says. "Shoot for the stars, get as many people onboard as possible."
"Well," the man stammers. "That would probably help, but… just because something can be done doesn't mean it should. Tampering with forces on this scale is almost guaranteed to have vast, far-reaching consequences beyond what we can predict…"
"Yeah, yeah, thanks for the tip. You're boring me now," Sue says. "Leave."
Without even waiting for him to get up, the Red Guard hefts the man to his feet and hurls him from the room.
Sue snaps her fingers. "Becky!" she says. "How we doing on time?"
"Ahead of schedule, Fire Lord!" Becky says.
"Outstanding. Get your notepad—we've got some orders to issue…"
At this, the dragon groans and banks to the side, flying out and away from the vehicle.
"Hey!" Kurt says. "Where are we going? She was getting to the juicy part!"
A couple of squirrelmunks bound up in front of Kurt, pointing into the distance and chattering. Kurt looks ahead to see a narrow pass between two fairly high cliffs—one that the tank-train will have little choice but to pass through. The dragon roars and rockets ahead of the steamer, flying up to the very top of the cliff and dumping Kurt off.
Kurt glares at the beast. "You better not make me walk all the way back to my body. I will be a very unhappy Avatar."
The dragon roars, and the other creatures cling tightly to its scales as it begins flying in circles.
Kurt squints at it. "…what are you doing?"
The spirit beast starts to glow as circles in mid-air, flying faster and faster, until suddenly it is no longer a dragon, but a living lightning bolt. Up into the clouds it soars, before diving back down and blasting into the cliff with a bone-rattling thunderclap. Kurt reflexively shields himself from the explosion as the cliff crumbles, several tremendous chunks coming loose and falling, falling, falling… landing right on top of the steaming tank train's engine as it passes underneath.
A cacophonous grinding screeches out from the steel beast as the miniature avalanche slams into it. Kurt watches with bated breath as the vehicle emits a huge cloud of steam and smoke, and slowly grinds to a halt.
The engine is heavily damaged. The hull is warped and leaking steam, there are bits and pieces of metal everywhere, and several wheels and treads seem to be bent or outright broken. An engineer climbs out to survey the damage, shaking his head with dismay at the carnage.
"Oh," Kurt says. "That's what you were going for. Very nice."
A weak-sounding roar from above him makes Kurt look up. The dragon and all its spirit friends drift down towards him, their ghostly forms appearing faded and weak, seeming to flake off and disintegrate before his very eyes.
"Oh no!" Kurt says. "You're fading away. You used up all your energy, didn't you? You didn't have to do that…"
The dragon regards him sadly, nodding towards the wreckage and roaring one last time as its woodland friends climb down onto its face to bid Kurt farewell. As the dragon fades, it reaches out with its little whisker-things, and touches Kurt on the forehead. The last thing he hears before he wakes up is a miserable lament from the engineer…
"This will take days to repair!"
Kurt awakens with a start just as the thunderclap from the dragonbolt reaches his actual body.
"Whoa!" Blaine says, reaching over to keep the slightly startled Kurt from flipping off the back of his mount. "Kurt, are you okay?"
"…I'm fine," Kurt says breathlessly, still trying to recover from his little astral trip. "Just a little… startled, is all."
"That was a pretty juicy one," Jeff says appreciatively.
"We'd better get inside soon," Mercedes says. "That storm might not be as over as we thought."
"Oh no!" Rachel says. "I just remembered—lightning always strikes the tallest point! Finn, put your head down this instant!"
Finn shakes his head sleepily as Rachel tries to push him down to her level. "Wha…?"
"Okay," Kurt says, shaking his head to try and clear his mind. "As soon as we get to town, we're buying new disguises, and then there's something I need to tell everyone."
"Excuse me?" Thad says testily. "Surely you don't intend to use my money."
"And why wouldn't I?" Kurt asks.
"It's set aside for Dragon Hawk expenses," Thad says flatly. "You, sir, are not a Hawk. Neither are your companions."
"Ummm, hi," Blaine says, raising his hand. "Fire Prince, here? I think they could use new disguises as well."
Thad looks conflicted. "… well… I suppose… if you believe it is necessary… then I can allow it," he grinds out. "But don't get anything expensive!" he warns. "I'm made from money, not of it. There's a difference."
At this point, Blaine catches the sight of a city wall in the distance. "Okay," he says. "Let's split up, so we don't draw too much attention to ourselves. Wes, David, you guys are in charge of finding us all somewhere to stay. Take Finn with you—he needs to get inside and rest as soon as possible. Thad, you're coming with Kurt, Mercedes, Rachel and I to facilitate a little shopping trip. Nick, Jeff, you two look for stables for the ostrich horses. Everyone else, look for somewhere we can meet without drawing too much attention to ourselves. Once we'redone, we'll use Pavarotti to get everyone together, and then Kurt can make his announcement. Everybody clear?"
Wes and David share a look of slight shock at Blaine's take-charge attitude.
"Yes, sir!" they say.
"Yes, sir!" the Dragon Hawks echo.
"Alright then, let's do it!" Blaine says.
The group stops to split along the lines Blaine has outlined, shuffling riders and horses as necessary.
"Well, look at you, Mr. Natural-Born Leader," Kurt says teasingly as he hops up on Blaine's horse.
Blaine blushes and grins bashfully as the two of them ride ahead. "You think so? Really?"
"I like a man who isn't afraid to take charge," Kurt says teasingly. "Just be warned—you may be in for a power struggle. I'm a fan of being on top, myself."
Blaine's eyes go wide, and he turns bright red. "You… uhh… you… what?"
Kurt tilts his head at him. "I said 'I'm a fan of being on top.' It was pretty clear. Do you have a bug in your ear, or—OH!" It hits him like an ice-cold bucket of slush. He goes from normal, to milk-white, to bright red in the span of a second. "Oh my La. Oh my La, no. I mean—yes, I mean… I don't know yet, but that's not—I didn't—I didn't mean it like—"
Kurt buries his own brilliant blush in his hands, and the two ride in red-faced silence.
When the others catch up to them and inquire about their sudden, dramatic color change, neither has much to say on the subject.
A few hours later finds Kurt, Blaine, Mercedes, Rachel, and the most of the Dragon Hawks gathered in the kitchen of a quaint little house near the city limits. It's already been largely ransacked by thieves, having belonged to some poor soul stuck in the quarantine zone. Its owner may or may not even be alive—either way, they don't have to worry about him coming back any time soon.
At current, everyone is awaiting the arrival of Artie, Wes, and David. Blaine insists upon waiting until everyone is present before he makes the announcement, so they're doing what they can to pass the time. Kurt is feeling invigorated after their shopping trip, wearing fresh, clean clothes in a color palette a little brighter than what he normally goes for. He's feeling a little bold this evening. Besides, however bright his outfit may be, it pales in comparison to…
"Rachel, honey?" Kurt says.
Rachel looks up from her conversation with Mercedes. "Yes?"
"Please, move about five feet—" He points. "—that way."
Rachel looks a little confused, but she complies.
"Thank you, sweetie," Kurt says kindly. "The neon nightmare you call an outfit can no longer hurt me there."
Mercedes snorts. Rachel looks at her, aghast. "You said I looked good in this!" Rachel accuses.
"No," Mercedes clarified. "I very diplomatically said that it fit with your personality."
"And so it does!" Kurt says. "Blinding, bright, and best in small doses."
Rachel crosses her arms. "Well, it is the nature of a star to shine. Don't hate me for what I am."
Kurt rolls his eyes and prepares a reply when a chorus of oohs and ahs draws his attention over to Blaine.
The Prince is dressed simply but elegantly, his hair once again coiffed and tamed with that infernal gel of his, making him look every bit the competent, suave authority figure. Blaine is passing the time by making a minor spectacle of himself, showing off firebending tricks to the Dragon Hawks, preening at the attention he's receiving. The Hawks seem to be completely infatuated with their shiny new Prince. It'd be a little exasperating if it wasn't so darned cute.
There is a smattering of applause as Blaine bends up a little fireburst in the shape of a bird and lets it fly over everyone's heads.
"That is so cool!" Jeff says.
Thad thwacks him on the shoulder. "You are addressing a royal! Show some respect, man!"
Jeff winces. "Sorry, dude. I mean… ummm… sorry, your highnesty. Err… your majesticism? Your… Princeliness?"
His High Majestic Princeliness chuckles. "'Blaine' is fine, really."
"Cool," Jeff says with a grin. "Sorry, Blaine!"
Thad looks a little sour, but says nothing.
The wait is making him a bit antsy, so Kurt decides to get in on the action. "That was nothing," he says lightly. "Watch this!" He whips his hands forward, drawing out the water from his pouch and looping it around in the air in front of him, stretching it into a long, smooth dragon. He's just getting some momentum going when suddenly, a fire dragon joins the dance, the two looping around each other somewhat chaotically, until the two crash into each other in an explosion of steam.
Blaine grins sheepishly. "Whoops," he says. "Sorry." The Dragon Hawks laugh and applaud, and Kurt is about to take a bow when he notices that none of them are looking at him. They're all focused on Blaine.
"Spotlight hog," Kurt mutters. "I don't get it. I'm the Avatar. I can bend four elements. Why are they so fixated on Blaine? He's just a firebender. They see firebenders all the time; they ARE firebenders!"
"It's not a competition, sweetie" Mercedes says quietly.
"I know that!" Kurt says testily. "I'm just saying… if it was, clearly I should be winning. They're all weird around me, like I scare them or something."
Mercedes looks at him carefully. "Don't take this the wrong way, but… you can be a little unapproachable sometimes."
Kurt's jaw drops in utter appall. "I am very approachable!" he says. "I am… friendly, and warm, and… and…"
He is saved from elaborating on this point by a knock on the door. James and Ethan open it up to find only a small, bespectacled statue of a fat man slapping his belly. There is a note attached that says 'take me in.'
"It's Artie," Kurt says flatly. "Bring him in."
The two Hawks look a little unsure.
"Go ahead, guys," Blaine says.
Oh, of course they do it when Blaine says to. The boys heave the statue indoors as Kurt continues to stew in impotent frustration.
The second he is on the floor, Artie cracks the statuesque shell he has formed and arranges the bits into a little disc beneath him. "Put on your helmets and get out the gym mats, because y'all gon' flip the fuck out when you hear what I just heard."
Blaine raises his magnificent eyebrows at Artie's boast. "That sounds pretty major," he says.
"Well, it can't be any more major than my news," Kurt says.
"Oh, we'll see about that," Artie says. "I just heard that th—"
"Wait!" Blaine says. "We can't start yet. Wes and David aren't here."
At this point, there is another knock on the door. James and Ethan step over to open it, allowing Wes to enter, followed by David with a somewhat pissed-off Pavarotti.
Wes looks at Kurt despairingly. "We told him to stay at the inn," he says.
"He wouldn't listen," David says. "We tried barring the door, but he kept making these pathetic noises and pawing against it and… it just felt cruel."
The Avatar squints in confusion, until a prominent, lumbering shadow fills the doorway, leaning against the frame to catch his breath. "Finn!" Kurt says, running over to him. "You dumpling-headed doofball, what are you doing? You should be in bed."
"I feel… fine…" Finn says, even as it is obvious that he isn't moving out of the doorway on his own strength any time soon.
Kurt sighs. "You are the worst liar ever, but there is no point in making you walk back. You'd probably pass out."
"Yes," Finn says. "My master plan… worked awesomely…"
Kurt shoulders as much of Finn as he can manage and helps him over to a chair. Artie slides on his earth disc to sit next to him, while Rachel surreptitiously moves to stand on his other side, once again subjecting Kurt's retinas to colors that clash more violently than pits full of rabid animals. "Sit," Kurt orders. "Do not move, do not speak, do not do anything. You are resting, do you understand?"
Finn nods weakly, and Kurt takes a second to pat him on his uninjured shoulder before walking back over to stand next to Blaine.
"Alright," Blaine says. "Is everyone here?"
"Yes," Kurt says, stepping forward. "Now, I have some very important—"
"Wait!" Wes says. "We haven't even called the meeting to order yet."
Kurt tilts his head at him. "It looks pretty 'ordered' to me."
"Looks can be deceiving," Wes says. "It's very important that we follow protocol. Alright everyone, settle down!" he orders the largely silent room. "I hereby call this meeting of the Dragon Hawks to order. David shall call the roll."
"Nick?"
"Present."
"Jeff?"
"Here."
Kurt tilts his head. "Can you not see them? They're right there!"
Wes looks at Kurt, unimpressed. "It's important that we, and they, acknowledge their presence in an official manner."
The Avatar crosses his arms. "Fine," he says.
He waits until the rest of the roll call. And then… "Okay!" Kurt says. "Big news, people!"
"Wait!" Wes says, growing steadily more exasperated. "Kurt, we haven't gotten to new business yet!"
Kurt clenches his jaw. "And when, exactly, do we get to that?"
"First, David has to go through the minutes of the previous meeting," Wes says. "Then, we'll report on new developments and progress made since then. Then we can get to special orders of business."
Kurt shakes his head in awe. "Okay, seriously. This is incredibly important. Can we skip a few steps?"
Mercedes leans over to whisper at him. "Kurt, baby? This is you being very unapproachable."
He glares at her, but upon surveying the rest of the room, he finds the Dragon Hawks regard him with trepidation. Blaine just looks confused, while Wes is starting to look extremely agitated. Thad, on the other hand, seems oddly pleased.
"Avatar Kurt," Wes says, his voice low. "I understand that our ways might seem a little strange to you, but I ask that you respect them nonetheless. Can you do that?"
Kurt takes a calming breath. "…yes," he says. "I'll try."
"Thank you," Wes says. "David?"
As David drones over the previous meeting's non-events, Blaine leans towards Kurt. "Are you feeling alright?" he whispers.
"I'm fine," Kurt says. "I'm just feeling a little energetic this evening, and it's making me impatient."
"You'll get your chance to talk," Blaine says, nudging him with his shoulder. "I promise."
"…at which point, Pavarotti responded by relieving himself on Senior Hawk Thad's shoulder. Senior Hawk Wesley felt this was an appropriate place to adjourn the meeting, and he did so."
"Thank you, David. Now, it's time for the reports. As I'm sure you've noticed, we have several new faces among us this evening. First and foremost among them…"
Kurt perks up and tries to make himself look less bored as Wes calls attention to him.
"…is Prince Blaine himself," Wes finishes. "It is an honor to have you with us at last. We are at your command, my Lord."
Blaine gives a regal nod as Kurt deflates beside him. "It's an honor to be here," Blaine says. "Again, thank you all for everything you've done."
"Of course, we also have several other new faces that need to be introduced," Wes says.
Kurt perks up again, and starts to step forward.
"Prince Blaine, would you do us the honor of introducing your friends?" Wes says, and Kurt throws up his hands, leans against the counter and crosses his arms to sulk. He is officially in a Bad Mood. Capitalized, ratified, certified, and authenticated. Fuck this noise.
"Of course," Blaine says, stepping forward and gesturing to each of them in turn. "Dragon Hawks, it is my honor to introduce the lovely Miss Rachel Berry…"
"The most talented vocalist to come out of the Fire Nation since April Rhodes," Rachel says proudly.
"April Rhodes!" Luke says. "She is smoking hot."
"She's a really good singer, too," Other Nick says, sitting at a table and playing with dust bunnies.
"Well, I am just as good," Rachel says, "if not better."
"Not as hot, though," Other Nick says, not looking up.
Rachel looks appalled. "Excuse me?"
Other Nick finally looks up. "It's not your fault. You just have small boobs."
Rachel covers her chest. "I do not! What an awful thing to say!"
Other Nick looks appalled. "I didn't say you weren't hot yourself. I just… I just said you aren't April Rhodes hot. There are varying degrees of hotness, determined by multiple factors, such as age, weight, height, bone structure, cup size, nose length—"
Rachel's hands rocket up to her nose. "What's wrong with my nose?" she demands.
"Other Nick, please stop talking," Wes sighs. "Miss Berry, it's very nice to meet you."
"Next, we have Miss Mercedes Jones, of the Earth Kingdom," Blaine continues.
"Hello, boys," Mercedes says, with a grin and a wink.
"…hello to you too," Jeff says with a wink.
"How you doing?" Nick asks, cocking his head back.
David snaps his fingers, creating a small shower of sparks. "Douse it, you two," he warns, turning to Mercedes. "You'll have to forgive them. Dalton is an all-boys school. They don't quite know how to handle interaction with the fairer sex." He clears his throat. "It's not every day that they get to interact with an enchanting creature such as youRRRK—"
The sentence ends in a grunt as Wes elbows him in the least subtle way possible. "It's lovely to meet you as well, Miss Jones," Wes says diplomatically.
Mercedes snorts, but there's a look in her eye that suggests mischief is afoot…
"Moving on," Blaine says, unable to hide his smile. "Mister Artie Abrams, also of the Earth Kingdom."
Artie bends his disc into a pedestal so he sits a little taller. "What up, Hawks?" he says. "Double-A at your service; finder of things not yet lost, re-distributor of wealth, and virtuoso on the human heartstrings and player of the capital-G Game."
"…what did he say?" Thad says.
"I think he just basically admitted to being a thief and a con-artist. Is that correct?" Wes asks.
"Pretty much," Artie says.
"Oh," Thad says with a queasy smile. "Well, it's wonderful to have such an… interesting character onboard." As he speaks, he seems to be checking his pockets to make sure all his valuables are on him. If it were anyone but Thad, Kurt would probably warn him that he is doing nothing but giving Artie ideas. Oh well.
"Glad to have you with us, Mr. Abrams," Wes says. "I'm sure your… talents will come in handy."
"Up next, we have Mister Finn Hudson, of the Northern Water Tribe," Blaine says.
"Hi," Finn says miserably, rocking back and forth.
"…Finn, are you okay?" Blaine asks.
The taller boy nods, even as he clenches his jaw.
"You're in pain, aren't you?" Blaine asks.
Finn shakes his head. "I'm fine. Keep going. Nice to meet you," he grunts.
Kurt rolls his eyes at his step-brother's stubbornness. "I bet you wish you were in bed right now, don't you?" he asks.
Finn resolutely shakes his head. "I wouldn't be able to sleep, anyway."
"It's nice to meet you as well, Finn," Wes says. "We will not forget your pains on our behalf. We honor your bravery, and wish you a swift recovery."
"Thanks," Finn whispers.
"And last, but certainly not least… someone very dear to me, who saved my life and has become my closest friend in the world," Blaine says softly. "Kurt Hummel, of the Southern Water Tribe, and the current incarnation of the legendary Avatar."
As usual, Blaine is just so darn smitten and lovey-dovey that Kurt's thickest ice-bitch armor cannot withstand him, and he melts just a little. "I'm pleased to meet all of you," Kurt says, with the tiniest smile.
"You honor us, Avatar Kurt," Wes says, himself easing up just a little. "We cannot thank you enough for all you've done for Blaine."
"No, but please, by all means, keep trying," Kurt says, mostly joking.
"That's everyone," Blaine says.
"Very good," Wes says. "If there is nothing else, I would like to open the floor for new business. Is there anything that needs to be addressed?"
"Yes," Kurt says, stepping forward. "I would like to—"
"Please raise your hand and wait to be called upon," Thad says.
Kurt glares at him. "Seriously? You're going to—"
"Yes, Mr. Abrams?" Thad says.
Kurt turns around to see Artie with his hand in the air. "…traitor!" he accuses.
Artie shrugs.
"Mr. Abrams has the floor," Thad says smugly.
Back to sulking it is. Kurt crosses his arms and leans against the counter as Artie starts to speak.
"Anyone pregnant or with a heart condition might want to sit down for this one," Artie says. "Everybody steady and braced against something? Good. Because, ladies and gentlemen… the Fire Lord is in town."
"What?"
"No way!"
"Holy shit!"
"Seriously?" Kurt barks. "I was just about to say that!"
"ORDER!" Wes says, banging his fist on the table. "ORDER! I… ow, I need a fucking hammer or something. Everyone calm down!"
As the room continues to chatter, the Avatar throws his hands up. "I give up," he says. "Blaine, I cannot deal with…"
Turning to Blaine, Kurt is the first to notice—the Prince has frozen. Blaine is pale and blank-eyed, barely breathing. He actually jumps when Kurt reaches behind him to grab his hand. "Hey," he whispers. "Don't check out on me yet."
Blaine summons his courage as best he can. "I'm okay. I'm fine," he says. Kurt gives his hand a gentle squeeze, and Blaine squeezes back as the room finally settles into something resembling calm.
"How did you learn this?" David says.
"Heard a couple of guards passing it along the grape vine," Artie says. "She's not technically in town—she's staying in a fort not too far from here, but still. She's close. And that's not all—as soon as she got to the fort, she ordered a massive troop movement. All soldiers of the Royal Navy are supposed to report to Zedong, wherever that is."
"It's a port city on the eastern tip of the Fire Nation mainland," Blaine says quietly. "It has one of the biggest shipyards in the country, as well as being a naval base."
The Dragon Hawks look at each other in trepidation.
"This is huge," Wes says. "This is a gigantic development."
"What is she up to?" David asks. "What could she possibly be planning?"
"A declaration of war, perhaps?" Thad suggests (which makes Blaine pale even further and start to squeeze Kurt's hand just a little too hard).
The Avatar wrests his hand free of the Prince's for just a moment. "I don't think so," Kurt says stepping forward. "War is simple. Even common. Sue is up to something historical, by her own estimation."
The three head Hawks look sharply at Kurt. "You know something?" Wes asks. "Tell us!"
"Oh, now you want me to talk?" Kurt snarks, indulging his inner diva for just a moment. "Alright, here is what I know—the reason the Fire Lord is in town is because she was heading this way in some kind of hybrid of train and tank. A trank, if you will. The trank was damaged in an avalanche, and it will take a few days to fix."
"How do you know all this?" Thad asks.
"I took a magical spirit journey with some fluffy woodland creatures and a dead dragon—it's not important," Kurt says. "What is important is what I learned while I was there. Sue has researchers working for her, and according to them, Sue is attempting something that has never been done before. Something with potentially catastrophic consequences."
"What is it?" David asks. "Stop beating around the bush and tell us, man!"
Kurt grimaces. "That's… the problem. I didn't really get to learn more than that." He pauses for a second. "Wait; I did learn that whatever Sue is trying to pull, it has a basis in that Sun Warrior carving. Do we have that here?"
Trent heads over to a leather bag and pulls out the carving, bringing it over to set it in front of Wes, David, and Thad. Blaine and Kurt step over to look at it. All they see, however, is the chart that Sam had a copy of.
"This is pointless," Blaine says. "Sam is the only person I know of who can read this stuff."
"He already translated this, though," Kurt says. "Is there any more?"
"Maybe there is something on the other side?" Wes suggests.
They carefully turn the carving over as most everyone but Finn crowds around to look at it. On the other side, there is a long series of hieroglyphics, lined on both sides by figures taking very specific poses.
"That looks like bending instructions," Rachel says. "The poses are different, but the layout is the same as my scroll."
"It's no bending I've ever seen," Blaine says. "Maybe we should try it, see if it does anything?"
"Ummm," Kurt says. "Maybe not. Judging by what I heard on my spirit journey, it could be very dangerous. I don't think we should try it unless we get Sam to tell us what it is."
"But we have no idea where Sam is," Blaine says.
"We could search for him," Wes says.
"We might not need to," Artie points out.
The others turn to look at the earthbender. "Say what?" Kurt asks.
"Kurt, think about what you just said," Artie says. "Fire Lady's tramp—"
"Trank."
"—whatever," Artie continues, "is sitting out in the wilderness. The Fire Lord is chilling elsewhere, and I'll bet she took most of the guards with her. You yourself said there were researchers in that thing, so I'm willing to bet there is information there as well, ripe for the taking!"
"We could mount an assault," Wes says thoughtfully.
"I like that idea," Mercedes says. "Hit 'em fast and hard, lay 'em out, and take what we want."
"I was going to suggest we assassinate the Fire Lord, but that could work as well," David says.
"Assassinate?" Blaine yelps. He actually reaches out and grabs Kurt's hand just so he can squeeze the crap out of it.
"David!" Thad says, appalled. "I'm shocked at you. That is not how a gentleman handles conflict."
Blaine's grip eases up a little.
"If it's a confrontation with the False Fire Lord, clearly Blaine would approach her openly and challenge her to an honorable Agni Kai," Thad finishes.
Oh, and right back to crushing we go. Kurt's fingers cannot handle this much longer. "Why don't we ask Blaine what he wants to do?" Kurt says, pulling his fingers from his boyfriend's death-grip.
"Excellent idea, Kurt," Wes says. "Blaine, which plan do you favor?"
The room turns to look at Blaine, and for the first time, the Prince seems to shrink under all the attention. "I… umm…" He shakes his head, trying to work his thoughts out. "An assault could be incredibly dangerous for all of us, and it risks blowing our cover. An assassination attempt would probably end in horrible disaster, and even if it succeeded… I don't think I could handle how close to being like Sue that would bring me. As for an Agni Kai… that's just a horrible idea. Sue is terrifyingly powerful. There is no way I could beat her in a fight. She'd kill me in seconds."
"Well, we have to do something!" Thad says.
"I know," Blaine says.
"We've been gifted by the gods with a golden opportunity!" Thad continues.
"I know," Blaine insists.
"It would be a terrible crime to waste an opening like this!" Thad presses on.
"I know!" Blaine cries, and Kurt has had enough.
"He's not saying we should waste it!" Kurt says, walking up to Thad. "He's trying to come up with better options. I don't hear you contributing any ideas. Well, no workable ideas, anyway."
Thad steps around the table to walk towards Kurt. "Is that so?" he says. "Because I don't hear you contributing anything besides complete and utter disrespect. You are rude, selfish, and arrogant, parading around like you own the place just because you think you were born special."
"Guys?" Finn says.
Kurt feels his blood start to boil. "Oh, look who's talking, Mr. Moneybags!"
David watches the exchange with increasingly wide eyes. "Wesley, methinks the pot and the kettle are about to come to blows."
"ORDER!" Wes says. "Calm down, both of you!"
"Guys!" Finn says, a little louder.
"Oh, blow it out your smokestack, dragon butt!" Kurt says.
Wes gasps. "Excuse me?"
"I told you he was terribly uncouth," Thad says smugly.
"That's it," Kurt says. "I am fresh out of patience with this circus sideshow."
"Hey, EVERYBODY SHUT UP!" Finn shouts.
The room now turns to the waterbender, who is still sitting down, but still manages to look tired from that little outburst.
"Kurt, calm down. And… other guys, don't be too mad at Kurt. He's always kind of touchy at this time of the month," Finn says.
In the silence that greets that statement, you could hear firefleas having sex in the carpet.
Suddenly, Mercedes is nearly folding in half from laughter. Rachel looks supremely scandalized and embarrassed. Artie laughs so hard he falls off his pedestal. Everyone else looks mortified.
"But…" David says. "I thought he… was a he."
"There is a bit of androgyny," Thad says thoughtfully.
"No!" Kurt growls. "There isn't! Finn, what is wrong with you?"
"It's true!" Finn says. "It happens to me, too. I get all twitchy and I can't sit still…"
"Ewwww," Ethan says, inching away from Finn.
"…and you get mood swings that either have you super happy or super pissed, like all the time," Finn says.
Kurt's eyes widen. "…oh," he says. "Oh, holy crap. I almost forgot!"
"Kurt, what is he talking about?" Blaine asks.
To answer his question, Kurt walks over to the window and pulls aside the curtains, looking up at the early evening sky. Looking back down at him is the huge, round, white face of the moon.
"Oh," Blaine says.
"Oh!" Thad echoes. "…wait, I don't get it."
"It's the full moon," Blaine explains. "Waterbenders are tied to the moon the same way we are tied to the sun. Waterbending becomes stronger at night, and during a full moon, it's supercharged."
"And so are we," Kurt adds. "Finn's right. I always get a little more… tumultuous around the full moon. And Finn can't sit still to save his life. He barely sleeps during full moon nights." A little perspective on the situation helps Kurt get himself under control. "I can't believe I lost track of the moon phases. I guess I've been… a little… distracted at night lately," he says, coughing a bit. "Anyway… I'm sorry I got so upset and so impatient. I didn't realize what was going on."
"…that's quite alright, Kurt," Wes says.
"Just don't do it again," Thad says.
Wes glares at him.
"What?" Thad asks.
"Apologize! You did not help," Wes says.
Thad sighs and crosses his arms. "…I'm sorry," he says. "My behavior was… unbecoming of one of my station."
"Apology accepted," Kurt says. "Believe it or not, this could be a good thing. See, I've just gotten a wonderful idea…"
He walks over to Blaine. "How about instead of mounting an open assault, we wait until nightfall, and sneak in?"
The idea seems to ping something in Blaine's brain. "…that would be less risky," he says quietly.
"Not necessarily," Thad says. "I'm sure there are bound to be some guards on hand throughout the night. Our firebending will be weaker—and incredibly easy to spot, as well. Firebending at night and sneaking do not mesh well."
"While it's true that your firebending will be weaker," Kurt says, "that's true for all firebenders, enemies included. I, on the other hand, will be unstoppable. The full moon is kind of a three-night event, but its peak will be tomorrow night. With me in the lead, you have nothing to worry about."
Blaine carefully mulls this over. "I think this is the best option we've got."
Wes looks around. "Is anyone opposed?"
Nothing.
"Very well then," Wes says. "A sneaking mission it is! Good thinking, Avatar."
"Thank you," Kurt says haughtily.
"Who's going?" David asks. "We don't need to take everyone. Moving with too many people would be cumbersome and make us easier to spot."
Artie pipes up from the floor. "I'm the resident expert in the art of stealth, so obviously, I will be going," he says. "Now, we need people who are light and quick, who know how to fight without bending if need be. So…" He looks around. "You two!" he says, pointing to Nick and Jeff. "You're definitely in."
"Yes!" Nick says.
"Fuck yes," Jeff agrees. They high-five.
"You three could probably handle it," Artie says, pointing at the Head Hawks.
Wes and David seem fairly eager. Thad looks a little annoyed at having his fate decided by Artie, but he soon gives into his own excitement.
"And…" he surveys the rest of the room. "…you," he says, pointing at Other Nick, who seems completely shocked.
"Me?" he asks.
"Yup," Artie says. "You're the last one in. Congratulations!"
"Ummm… cool. I guess," Other Nick says.
"Umm, hello?" Mercedes says. "What about me?"
"And me?" Rachel says. "I am very light and fast on my feet."
"True," Artie says. "Unfortunately, you are also very loud. And Mercedes… you know I have nothing but mad respect for you, but you've got the same problem. You're not exactly subtle."
She narrows her eyes at him. "Boy, don't you tell me how subtle I ain't," she scoffs. "Subtle my fist all up in your face, show you subtle…" she mutters.
"My point exactly," Artie says.
"What about me?" Finn asks.
"Seriously?" Kurt says. "Seriously? Finn, you have a hole in you. There is absolutely no way you are going on this mission. You rest, you soak, you heal."
"But…" Finn grunts. "The full moon! You know I can't just sit around. I already feel like my legs are gonna get up and leave without me just from sitting here."
"Finn, you're just going to have to live with it," Kurt says. "I won't risk you getting hurt even worse than you already are."
Finn sighs.
"Hey," Blaine says. "I've got an idea—how about while we're out, you guys team up with the other Dragon Hawks and start a Sam search?"
"That is a great idea!" Kurt says. "Can any of you draw?"
Luke slowly raises his hand. "I'm pretty handy with a brush or a pen," he says.
"Fantastic!" Kurt says. "You guys help him make drawings of Sam, and you can ask around to see if anyone's seen him."
"Better than doing nothing, I guess," Finn says sulkily.
Mercedes gets an odd look on her face. "I guess I could look for Sam," she says quietly. "I've been wondering what that boy's been up to."
"I'd love to meet him," Rachel says. "I can respect a scholar."
Finn winces a little, but it's unclear if Rachel or his shoulder is the cause.
"Alright," Wes says. "So the plan is as follows; Thad, David, Nick, Jeff, Other Nick, Blaine, Kurt, Artie, and myself are assigned to infiltrate and raid the Fire Lord's 'trank.' Everyone else is assigned to the search for this 'Sam' character. Are there any objections?"
A few looks are shot around the room, but no one says anything.
"Then it's settled!" Wes says, clapping his hands. "Excellent work, everyone! Despite a somewhat rocky start, I'd say this was very productive. I advise all of you to rest well and prepare for tomorrow night. Meeting adjourned!"
"Remember," David says. "Leave in groups of two, and not all at once! We don't want to draw attention to ourselves!"
Kurt raises his eyebrows at Blaine. "Be my leaving partner?"
Blaine smiles. "But of course."
"We'll rendezvous with you two later," Wes says. "And Kurt… I must apologize as well. I'm sorry that we got off on the wrong foot. I'm sure we can put all this behind us."
"Yes, very sure," Kurt says, smiling at him even as he drags Blaine to the door. "Thank you, apology accepted, good night, and good luck. Ta!"
With that, he opens the door, and drags the Prince outside.
"What's gotten into you?" Blaine asks.
Kurt answers by way of a deep, wet, hard kiss right on the mouth that lasts for nearly ten seconds.
When it ends, Blaine is left breathless and flushed. "I… that was… wow."
Kurt graces him with a little smirk. "I'm feeling a little… wild tonight," he says, pulling on Blaine's collar. "How are you feeling?"
"Ummm," Blaine says, turning red. "A little nervous, a little sick, a little afraid, to be perfectly honest."
"…oh," Kurt says, turning down his seductiveness for the moment. "Are you alright? Do you want to go lie down? You did look a little faint in there…"
Blaine gives an answer of his own with a soft, lingering kiss that leaves Kurt's lips moist. "There are a lot of things on my mind right now," he says quietly. "I'd kind of like to forget them for a little while. Think you can help me with that?"
Kurt grins. "When I get through with you, you won't even remember your own name."
Seductiveness back on full blast, he pulls Blaine into a little side-alley, full-body pressing him against the wall the second they are out of sight, and picking up right where he left off; kissing his boyfriend hard enough to suck the air right out of his lungs.
All Blaine can think is that if Kurt really gets like this every month, Blaine might well become the first firebender who prays to Tui as well as Agni.
Credit where credit is due, and all.
A/N: COMING UP NEXT—Dejected at his rejection, Finn says a little prayer to Tui and gets more than he bargained for. Rachel's nose for gossip picks up a scent, and she presses a bit more backstory out of Mercedes during the search for Sam. Meanwhile, Kurt, Blaine, Artie, and the others get their ninja on, heading into well-guarded enemy territory for a nighttime rendezvous with destiny. Do the heavens smile upon them? Or is the moon just one more thing waiting to come crashing down when they least expect it? Chapter 57: Can't Fight the Moonlight is right around the corner. Don't miss it! ;)
