Chapter 23
Hi! So I know it's been a while since I last wrote, but I'm back now and I've got loads of ideas for new parts of this story so PLEASE don't leave meeee :(
I mean you obviously can because I can appreciate that my writing can get dull at times, but that's really just another thing I want to improve. I'm happy to write just to improve my skills and please myself, but any extra support is always helpful and I'm grateful for everybody who has responded to this story so far.
It's really hard for me to read back on things I wrote as little as a week ago because I'm young, the way I like to write changes so quickly. At some points, I could be writing in a completely different way to others, so I have to give you credit, for getting this far in without completely giving up on me!
Oh and I closed the poll on my profile because i've decided to carry on this story.
Ok I'll shut up and carry on with the story now because I'm getting sick of me ranting too.
-oOo-
"Sokka, you're not going to be able to catch a tiger-shark if you make so much noise!"
A teasing Suki giggled from the shore. The group of people on the Ember Island beach couldn't help laughing when Sokka, instead of pouncing skilfully on the upcoming sea creature, slipped and, flailing frantically fell into the foamy water.
It had been about a month since Joy and Toph had visited the South Pole. Life had settled down slightly, Zuko returning to his palace and nearly fainting at the amount of paperwork that had built up in his absence.
Toph and Joy had travelled together back to the Earth Kingdom. They weren't entirely sure what their goal should be, but within a few days in the town they had stayed in, some businessmen had seen Joy practicing her swordsmanship and had immediately offered her a small school of her own. The news sent the sisters into panicked excitement. They had already made plans for Toph's metalbending academy but neither had suspected that Joy could have a career teaching. After a few frantic days and sleepless nights, Joy Beifong's School of Swordwork was born. In the first day alone, 20 pupils showed up.
The result of all this work, not to mention Aang's avatar duties and Katara and Sokka's work on The South Pole was an exhausted group, desperately in need of a holiday. Mai had suggested a trip to Ember island would do everyone concerned good. "I know I'm not usually this receptive, but I'm starting to become the charismatic one around here which must mean you need a break" Mai had said to her tense boyfriend as he sat hunched over yet another pile of deals to sign.
"I just had a break. I need to make up for that"
"That was a mission, which doesn't exactly count as a break. Come on Zuko! Someone can fill in for you."
An agreement had finally been reached to take a week long holiday on Ember Island with Katara, Sokka, Aang, Suki, Toph, Joy and Ty Lee. The group were at the beach in a matter of days and itching to relax.
-oOo-
An activity which occupied plenty of time at the beach was trying to coax the stubborn Toph into the water. Despite their efforts, Katara and Suki's attempts to drag her to the pale blue sea were met with no success. When they caught hold of her pale upper arms and dragged, she simply bent the sand around her, so it was covering her entire body.
"I see you've been practicing your sandbending" a half exasperated, half amused Katara collapsed into the white sand.
"Always useful in these sorts of situations!" was the slightly muffled reply.
Without warning, the waterbender leapt to her feet and sent a rush of seawater in Toph's direction. Unprepared, it hit her directly, soaking her completely.
The giggles and sounds of shouting coming from the mound of sand gave cover for Ty Lee to nudge Aang and point subtly. She was pointing at the solitary girl who was sitting cross legged directly in front of the foaming ocean, just out of reach from the waves. Joy. Like her sister, she had so far refused to touch the water. Something told Aang it wasn't her hatred of cleanliness.
The airbender made his way over to the dark-haired girl and sat beside her.
"You ok? You seem kind of...distant"
Joy tore her gaze from the restless water to look at the young master. She had trusted him the moment she met him, there was something... comforting about his presence. She could tell him.
"I've never seen the sea before."
The confession took a moment to sink in. This idea felt completely alien to Aang. Being a nomad, he had travelled all over the world and the sea was just something her had taken for granted. What was it like to have that feeling?
"But... you went to the South Pole right? Surely you would have seen it then?"
"It was dark when we arrived and left so I never got a proper look..." she tailed off, utterly overwhelmed. The sheer distance terrified her. It made her want to scream. It made her want to cry. She couldn't dare to touch the water, terrified it would suck her up and drown her in its infinite depths. It could swallow her and she would sink down, powerless, forgotten.
A splash of water from the rising tide tickled her ankle. Joy shrieked and backed away quickly. She held her ankle, as if it had been wounded. Aang saw the fear in her eyes. He knew she had been slightly unhinged but her fear of this felt understandable. He couldn't believe that there were people out there, perhaps those in Ba Sing Se or in landlocked states, who had never seen, or never would see the ocean. What a wonder to miss out on.