North and South
Aang had delayed his trip to the Southern water tribe for two weeks, so that he could escort Suki and Ari himself. The day had finally come however to leave and Zuko and Ari were not handling it very well. Zuko would be coming down in just a couple of weeks but it was what this represented; Ari leaving her home and not being able to return for 4 years. Suki held her friend; rubbing small circles on her back as she sobbed, her heart breaking for her. Eventually Ari wore herself out and fell asleep.
Zuko had watched his wife's departure and his heart had broken. He had no idea when he watched this woman dance around the bonfire on Ember Island that in short order she could so effortlessly settle into her role as Fire Lady. Ari exuded a regality that even Zuko had struggled with at times. Zuko tried to steel his heart as he walked back into the palace. He was thankful that he had his family to lean on and that his wife would have their friends with her. Two weeks, he would see her in two weeks. Zuko just hoped that all went well and that he wouldn't miss the birth of their first child.
Aang, Suki, and Ari arrived in the Southern water tribe late the next day after nightfall. Both of the women had had a few special outfits made in their own nations colors for the trip and they were both bundled up as warm as possible as Appa began to land on the desolate icy terrain.
Aang lept from the saddle before Appa had even settled as he ran to Katara.
"Aang!"
"Katara!" The young couple yelled as they ran to embrace one another.
"I missed you so much, Sweetie!" Katara whispered to him.
"Can I kiss you, Sweetie?" Aang ask her.
"Maybe not in front of my dad?" Katara replied blushing.
"Okay." Aang told her as they released each other slowly.
"How's Zuko doing? Were you guys able to get the spirits to settle down? You were gone longer than planned." Katara asked him.
"Actually, it wasn't spirits at all. It was Azula." Aang explained.
"Oh, no!" Katara said eyes wide in shock.
"But things turned out okay. I'm just glad the Kyoshi Warriors are there to help out, well all except Suki of course." Aang said gesturing to the two women behind him.
"Suki! Ari! You two look like you'll pop any moment now!" Katara yelled as she embraced the two women.
"Thanks for that Katara." Ari said with a hint of sarcasm.
Hakoda walked up behind the group.
"Avatar Aang. Fire Lady Ariadne. And my darling daughter in law Suki." He said respectful bowing to the first two and hugging the third.
"Good to see you, Chief Hakoda!" Aang said answering first.
"It's actually Head Chieftain Hakoda, now." Katara corrected.
"Really? Wow! Congratulations, Head Chieftain Hakoda, sir!" Aang said happily.
"Please, just call me "Hakoda", but thank you." Hakoda said addressing them all.
"And please Hakoda, just call me Ari. I'll be here for far too long to stand on formalities." Ari told Hakoda with a warm smile.
"The Southern water tribe is glad to have you Ari." Hakoda told her. "And I'm equally glad that my daughter in law was finally able to come."
"What's going on? How come you guys are out here?" Aang ask them, it just sinking in that they had been outside the gates of the city.
"Just playing it safe. Don't worry, it's nothing my officers and I can't handle. Why don't you four go enjoy the festival? Oh unless you two are too tired." Hakoda said gesturing to Suki and Ari.
"We'll be fine." Ari smiled.
"It will be good to stretch our legs after our journey " Suki assured him.
"Thanks, Dad." Katara said as she led the others to the festival. She turned to Aang while they were walking. "My dad's always been kind to you, hasn't he?" She ask him.
"Yeah, of course... Why do you ask?" Aang replied confused by the question.
I've just been thinking... I ought to do the same for him." Katara said looking over her shoulder and smiling at her father. "I haven't handled finding out about his girlfriend as well as I should have." Katara confided in him, looking genuinely embarassed.
They found Sokka and Toph playing at a booth at the festival. Sokka having already won Toph a pile of plushies. Suki put her finger to her lips as they quietly snuck up behind them.
"Hey cool guy." She said behind Sokka as he wound up his arm to throw another bean bag.
He dropped the bean bag in his hand and whirled around eyes wide "Suki!" He yelled as he pulled his wife to him for a rough embrace.
"Hey Sokka." She smiled at her husband, they hadn't seen each other now in more than a month.
"Look at you, your as big as a house!" Sokka exclaimed gesturing to her large pregnant belly.
"Thanks Sokka." Suki said flatly giving him the look.
"What? What did I say?" Sokka said turning to great Ari.
Ari hugged him as she replied "It's usually best to just say 'You look beautiful' and not tell a pregnant woman how massive they look." She advised him with a small laugh.
"Toph!" Ari said turning to the other member of Team Avatar. "I don't think I've seen you since Sokka and Suki's wedding." She said hugging her. "How are things at the school."
"Busy." Toph told her "Now that the lily livers...uh... students have shown what they can do, everyone and their mother wants to be a metalbender. And now I'm an executive partner for Earthen Fire Industries as well."
"That's incredible Toph!" Ari said happy for her old friends success.
"Oh I think I see someone I needed to talk to, excuse me." Katara said walking away. "Malina!" she called out.
"Need some help there Sokka." Aang said knocking over all of the cups in the booth with an airbending blast, making them all laugh.
'It was nice to be back with her friends', Ari thought to herself.
Sokka knocks over another stack of cups.
"Woohoo! Come one and all! Come marvel at Sokka of the Water Tribe's manly, manly beanbag-tossing skills!" He cried out, while Suki and Ari just laughed at his antics.
"I'm marveling, I'm marveling." Toph tells him from under the pile of plushies he had already won her.
"Guys, I think someone's about to give a speech!" Aang told them, turning to the stage.
"Whatever. I only like speeches if they're by me." Toph told him.
"Hold on. Let me claim my prize first! I'd like that giant polar bear dog, please." Sokka said turning back to the booth.
"Sorry, fella. For that, you gotta do what you just did seven more times. Here's yer prize." The man in the booth told him indifferently.
"Aw." said Sokka disappointed as the man dropped a tiny plush snow rat in his hand.
"Good evening, my brothers and sisters of the South! Are you having a good time?" Malina ask and the crowd cheered. "My name is Malina. As many of you already know, my brother Maliq and I were brought here as part of the Southern Reconstruction Project! Together with you, we are going to usher the South Pole into a brand-new age! We'll help you make the most of your natural resources, so you can finally establish a presence for yourselves on the world stage!"
"What is that...?" Toph ask dropping all her prizes.
"I know, right? What a rip-off." Sokka said still looking at the ugly little snow rat in his hand.
"No, not that..." Toph said kneeling down and putting a hand on the ground. "Underground... I feel something... someone coming toward us! Would've felt it sooner if it weren't for these stupid things!" She said gesturing to the thick snow boots.
"Tonight, we're thrilled to announce a new partner in this venture: Earthen Fire Industries! Representative Toph Beifong-" Malina called out.
"Heads up, Team Avatar!" Toph told them.
"Shhh! Some of us are trying to listen!" A woman said shushing Toph.
"I think she prefers executive partner." Maliq said behind Malina on the stage.
"Executive partner Toph Beifong, where are you? Would you like to come up here and say a few words?" Malina call out.
"Yeah, I'd like to say a few words! Everybody get out of here!" Toph yelled to the crowd as a large drill suddenly came up through the ground. The crowd started panicking and running off.
"Hear me, people of the Southern Water Tribe! I am Gilak, your true brother! Many of you know me! We came of age together! We've shared meals together! We've bled together in foreign lands! You know that I am blood of your blood and flesh of your flesh! So you must believe me when I tell you that these two scoundrels from our so-called "sister tribe" are not here to help us! They are here to subjugate and humiliate us! They want to strip our land and destroy everything we are!" Gilak called out to the crowd.
"What are you talking about?! Malina ask him.
"Recently, they discovered oil beneath our homeland-" Gilak called out.
"Oil that will bring prosperity to your people!" Malina countered.
"Oil they're going to claim for the North!" Gilak rebutted.
"Wait. What?!" Toph ask with disbelief as she grew angry.
"No! That's not true!" Malina assured them.
"I have proof!" Gilak said holding up a briefcase.
"My briefcase!" Maliq called out.
"I've read through your documents! I know all about your plan to make the Southern Water Tribe a colony of the North!" Gilak told them.
"That's preposterous!" Malina yelled.
"You want the Northern Water Tribe to decide how the oil's extracted, what it's used for, and where it's shipped! What would the South be then, if not a colony?" Gilak ask.
"That is not our plan! But it used to be. We never used the word "colony"... But we did worry that the South wasn't ready to handle such an important resource. We were wrong." Malina tells the crowd.
"No! No, we weren't! I tried to tell you, but you wouldn't listen, Malina! I never destroyed those documents! I never canceled the plans!" Maliq told her.
"What?!" She said in shocked disbelief.
"You would've found out sooner or later. As would you all, so I may as well tell you now! The man in that... that ridiculous tribal getup speaks the truth!" Maliq told the crowd.
"Maliq! What are you doing?!" Malina ask her brother in horror.
"It's what has to be done!" He told her.
"What he's saying isn't true!" Malina yelled.
"Can you believe the gall of these Northerners?! During the war, our blood kept them safe! And as if that wasn't enough, now they want our oil to make them rich!" Gilak yelled at the crowd.
"You think this is about money?! You have no idea what this oil means, not just for your own little backward society, but for the world!" Maliq yelled.
"Maliq!" Malina yelled at him, desperate for him to stop talking.
"This oil changes everything!" Maliq shouted to the crowd.
"Stop!" Malina cried out.
"This oil is our pathway to a future of equality! And we can't trust the future to a culture so mired in the past! You Southerners need the oversight of an actual civilization! You can't even come up with a coherent set of laws-" Maliq continued to yell.
"Stop talking!" Malina told him grabbing his shoulders before turning to speak to the crowd. "People of the Southern Water Tribe, I deeply regret the hurt that my crew and I have caused. We are stepping down from the Southern Reconstruction Project, effective immediately. We'll leave the South Pole first thing in the morning." She announced.
"Oh no. After what you've done, you don't get to just leave." Gilak told her. "For the tribe!" He cried out motioning for his soldiers to attack.
"FOR THE TRIBE!" The soldiers cried as they rushed the stage.
Malina raise an ice wall infront of her and her brother, "Maliq, I told you to stay quiet! Stay behind me!" She yelled.
"Look, whatever Malina and Maliq have done, they don't deserve to die! Katara and I will get them someplace safe. Ari and Suki go find someplace safe for yourself and stay out of the fray." Aang directed them.
"While Captain Boomerang and I keep everyone else from pummeling each other!" Toph told them.
"Captain Boomerang?!" Sokka ask sounding strangled.
"Oh, don't act like you don't love it when I call you that, Captain Boomerang!" Toph teased him.
Ari and Suki ran away from the fight, a move that didn't sit well with Suki, but at 38 weeks pregnant she really didn't have a choice. The problem was they had only just arrived and didn't have the first clue where they were goings. Eventually they found a restaurant with a light on and went inside. With the festival going on business was slow so it was easy to find a free table.
"You wanna order a pot of tea...and maybe a snack I'm pretty sure I could eat." Suki ask Ari.
"Sure." Ari laughed at her friend. "Do you have any money on you that's not Fire Nation? I have a feeling that might not be well received when we're by ourselves." Ari ask her.
"Hmm" Suki hummed digging out her change purse from under her layers. "Yep. We should be good." She said with a smile.
That was how they passed their time while the others fought; eating good food, drinking tea, and laughing far more than they should have been able to considering the circumstances. Eventually that qas where Aang and Toph found them; sitting in that restaurant.
"There you guys are. We've been looking for you everywhere." Aang told them.
"I can hardly see anything, I couldn't sense you two until we got closer." Toph added.
"Sorry guys we had no idea where else to go." Ari apologized.
"So we made do." Suki said gesturing at the table.
"Come on let's go. I'll take you guys to Kanna's for know. Hakoda was hurt in the fight." Aang explained to as he led them away.
Suki and Ari traded expressions of concern.
They arrived at a small igloo in the middle of the growing city. It didn't take long for Sokka and Katara to come outside.
"Sweetie? How is he?" Aang ask Katara.
"He woke up." Katara told him.
"Then he'll be all right?" Toph ask her.
"Yeah. He'll be all right." Sokka answered.
"Listen, Katara, if I'd known what Malina and Maliq were up to, I never would've let Earthen Fire Industries do business with them." Toph told her.
"I know, Toph, I-" Katara assured her friend but was interrupted by a noise behind her.
"Hey." Malina said and Katara turned around to face her.
"What are you doing here?!" Katara ask her angrily.
"I swear to you, all those things my brother said, I don't believe them." Malina tried to tell her.
"Anymore." Katara replied.
"What do you mean?" She ask.
"You don't believe them anymore, not after you "fell in love" with my dad. But what happens when you fall out of love, Malina?" Katara ask her unkindly.
"Katara, it goes deeper than that." Malina said trying to reason with the younger girl.
"I'm going to ask you again- What are you doing here?!" Katara ask her angrily.
"My brother and the rest of my crew were released from custody on the condition that we leave tomorrow. I came to say goodbye to your father." Malina explained.
"You don't deserve to say goodbye." Katara replied acidly.
"Katara..." Sokka interjected, surprised by his sisters bitterness.
"No, no. I get it." Malina said putting her hands up in defeat and turning to walk away.
"Malina! Hakoda wants to see you." Kanna said coming out of her igloo having heard the commotion out front.
Katara turned away unhappy as Malina walked into the igloo.
Ari broke the silence first.
"Hey how about you guys show us where we are staying, because it is freezing out here." Ari told them, rubbing her arms for emphasis.
"Yeah gotta agree with Ari there. This pregnant lady could use some rest, and maybe a snack." Suki added.
"You just ate!" Ari told her friend.
"So! I could eat again." Suki argued and the others laughed.
"Come on, I'll show you to our place." Sokka told the women.
Sokka had truely prepared an amazing place for them to stay. It was kind of 'H' shaped with rooms on either side of a shared communal area. Each side had 3 rooms, so that each one had a: master bedroom, nursery, and then a guest room. For now Katara and Toph would be sharing the guest room on Ari's side while Aang stayed in the other guest room on Sokka and Suki's side. Ari wandered around the house absolutely amazed at what Sokka had accomplished, she almost teared up at the sight of the kitchen. Everybody settled in for the night after a very long evening.
The next week passed somewhat tensly. Suki and Ari had wanted to wander about to acclimatize themselves to their new home, for the forseeable future; but protestors shouting 'Foreigners Out!' had made their walks rather uncomfortable. Both woman had been so excited to have clothes made in their nations colors, however now it just made them stand out at the worst possible time. Suki had purchased some Southern water tribe blue by the second day; but as the Fire Lady, Ari felt like she would be betraying her country. By the end of the week Hakoda was feeling well enough to be out and about.
"Hello girls." Hakoda greeted them as they were out for a stroll.
"Hello Hakoda, your looking well." Suki told him giving him a kiss on the cheek.
"I'm feeling quite a bit better today thanks to Katara." He told them. "I'm looking for her now actually."
"Oh I think they were doing a demonstration at Master Pakku's waterbending school." Ari told him.
"Great I'll head over there next. I called a conference for this evening, as Fire Lady I would like it if you could be there." Hakoda told Ari.
"I would be happy to." Ari said bowing respectfully.
"You too Suki, if you wouldn't mind." Hakoda ask the other woman.
"I'll be there." Suki told him with a smile.
"Hakoda!" Ari said stopping him as we walked away "I heard them talking about Oil. Don't sign anything. Don't agree to anything. If the oil deposit is as big as Malina says it is, it could make the Southern water tribe one of the richest nations in the world. This world is just beginning its industrial revolution, the changes we see in our lifetime will be exponential. And oil will be an absolute necessity for that growth." Ari warned him.
"Thank you Ari." Hakoda said bowing to her.
"I might want to hear more about this later." He said as he limped away.
That evening Suki and Ari saw the air ships flying over, from their front window, and they made their way out to them as quickly as a pair of pregnant women could.
"Announcing the arrival of Earth King Kuei and Fire Lord Zuko!"
"We're here! We're finally here! I've been wanting to visit the South Pole for years now, ever since meeting Katara and Sokka! Isn't that right, Bosco? My goodness! It's everything I'd imagined it'd be! It's... it's- freezing!" Kuei said clasping his arms around himself and shivering.
"Well, it is the South Pole, Your Majesty." Zuko replied logically.
"Boo! Foreigners out!"
"Are those p-p-people protesting the c-c-cold?" Kuei ask, his teeth chattering.
"I'm afraid not. They're protesting us. And after what the Fire Nation has put them through, I can't blame them." Zuko said sadly.
"Bosco? W-w-would you mind?" Kuei ask his pet and Bosco draped himself over the king. "Much better! Everyone should have a bear for a best friend! Zuko, if you'd like to join me, I'm sure there's enough room in Bosco's hug!"
"That's very, um, generous of you, but no thanks. Besides it doesn't look like I'll need it." Zuko said with a smile as he saw his wife running towards him.
"Zuko!" She yelled as she launched herself into his arms.
"I missed you so much already." Zuko whispered into her neck.
"I wasn't expecting you for another week!" Ari said happily.
"I know, but since the conference was called I was able to come earlier." Zuko told her finally setting her down.
"Earth King Kuei." Ari said with a respectful bow.
"Fire Lady Ariadne, it is a pleasure to see you again. You are truly glowing." Kuei said complimenting her.
"Fire Lord Zuko! Earth King Kuei! Thanks so much for coming!" Sokka yelled running up to hug Zuko.
"Sokka! Good to see you, buddy! How is Suki?" Zuko said hugging his friend back.
"She's good. No baby yet." Sokka replied.
"Hello, friend!" Kuei greated Sokka.
"You sure we should be here? I don't want to cause the South any more trouble." Zuko ask him, suddenly very uncomfortable with his wife living in a place where protestors were protesting her being there.
"Don't worry about them. They just need to see what we're trying to do. Then they'll get it." Sokka told them.
"Protecting foreigners, Sokka?! You've been away for too long! You've forgotten where you belong!" A protestor yelled at him.
"Come on." Sokka said leading them to city hall.
They all sat at a long conference table while Hakoda spoke.
"... A modernized harbor would not only give the world access to our tribe, but also our tribe access to the world. And finally, we would like to establish embassies in both of your nations. We, of course, invite you to do the same. And that, my friends, is our vision for the future of the Southern Water Tribe." Hakoda told them finishing his presentation.
"Here, here! Here, here!" Sokka yelled getting up and clapping.
"Sit down, Sokka!" Suki told him tugging on the back of his tunic.
"Didn't you say you weren't a big fan of meetings?!" Katara ask him.
"Normally, no. But this one's been amazing!" Sokka said excitedly.
"I don't see what's so amazing about changing everything we've ever loved about home!" Katara said sullenly.
"Change is inevitable and necessary." Ari offered.
"As I'm sure you can imagine, the Southern Water Tribe's economy has been- how should I put this?- under extreme duress for the last century. We don't have the proper resources to make this vision a reality. And that's why we're asking for your partnership." Hakoda told the present royalty.
"You can count the Fire Nation in, Head Chieftain Hakoda. Your people have suffered so much destruction at our hands. We are grateful for the opportunity to help you rebuild." Zuko replied diplomatically.
"I'm sorry that the Earth Kingdom can't offer our support so readily. We have so many of our own needs back home. But if I could show my advisers that the Southern Water Tribe is going to make measurable, concrete progress toward civilization-" Keui said trailing off at the end.
"Excuse me?!" Katara ask incensed.
"Oh dear. Please, forgive the clumsiness of my words, Katara! I should have phrased it differently. Of course, what you already have here is a form of civilization. We would simply want you to achieve a higher form! In fact, we'd be honored to help the Southern Water Tribe develop into a cleaner, safer place! And perhaps warmer, too." Kuei spoke turning back to Hakoda.
"With all due respect, Your Majesty, compared to the Outer Ring of Ba Sing Se, the South Pole is-" Katara started to say, not willing to let it lie, when she was interupted by a soldier at the door.
"Head Chieftain Hakoda! We've just received an alert from the prison! Gilak and his army-" He reported before being attacked from behind. He fell with a thud before men rushed into the room.
"Are here." Gilak finished for the soldier holding a weapon and blocking the door. "Look at you, "Head Chieftain" Hakoda! So eager to sell out your tribe to foreign masters"
Zuko and Sokka both pushed their pregnant wives behind them protectively.
"Officer Lirin?! You're with them?!" Hakoda ask while also pushing Malina behind him as the other men had done.
"I'm sorry, but Gilak is right about our tribe. We're in terrible danger and you're too blind to see it!" Officer Lirin told him.
"Don't you hear the cry of your people, Hakoda?!" Gilak ask.
"Foreigners out!" The soldiers yelled as they rushed Zuko.
"Stay back!" Zuko yelled blasting them with fire.
The soldiers recoiled from the flames, seeing them pushed back Aang sprang into action.
"Get down, Your Majesty!" Aang yelled jumping over him and hurling a blast of air with his hands and feet.
"Ash maker!" Gilak yelled as he raised his large bone blade against Zuko.
"Whoa!" Zuko yelled just narrowly jumping out of the way.
Soldiers advanced on Sokka and Katara. Katara was fighting officer Liren with her waterbending "You swore an oath to my father, Officer! Remember?!" She yelled as she bound the womans' hands.
Meanwhile the other soldier had knocked Sokka's club out of his hand "Hey!" He yelled.
"It's over, kid." The soldier said holding his sword out.
"Not yet!" Sokka told him as he threw his boomerang.
"Ha! You missed!" The soldier laughed.
"Did I, though?" Sokka said smuggly as he pointed upward.
The soldier looked up and saw the chandelier about to fall "Oh no." He said before it fell on top of him.
"Ha ha! Captain Boomerang does it again!" Sokka cheered for himself catching his boomerang.
Another soldier had advanced on Toph. As he raised his weapon high above his head Toph simply said "Stop!" As she held out her space earth bracelet. "Stop! Stop, stop! You don't want to fight me, big guy. Trust me. I have this." Toph assured him.
"You seriously think I'm afraid of a little pebble?!" The man laughed as he lowered his weapon.
"It's not just any pebble." Toph told him sweetly. "It's my space rock!" She said slapping him in the face with it.
"Do everything in your power to protect our guests, officers!" Hakoda said having pulled Ari and Suki behind him with Kuei and Malina.
"They, uh, seem just fine on their own, Head Chieftain." The officer told him watching the fight.
"Not all of them! Get the Earth King, Fire Lady, Malina, and Suki someplace safe!" Hakoda ordered.
"Hakoda, I want to stay and help!" Malina yelled as one of the officers tried to lead her away.
"No, Malina! You're one of Gilak's targets!" Hakoda told her.
"The doorway's blocked!" An officer yelled.
"Then let's get them out through the windows!" Hakoda yelled back, just moments before the windows burst inward as more of Gilak's men rushed in.
"There are too many of them!" The officer yells as chi blockers begin taking out the officers.
"If you want to get to them, you'll have to go through me!" Hakoda said standing in front of them.
"You think I came here for the foreigners? No, Hakoda. I'm here for the real enemy: You! My stay in prison gave me time to ponder all that's happened, "brother"! I realized that you are the root of our problems! You're too weak to lead us! The Southern Water Tribe needs a leader who's strong. A leader who won't betray his people. A leader like me!" Gilak yells while he fights Hakoda accentuating his last word by punching Hakoda in the face. Hakoda drops like a sack of bricks and Gilak throws him over his shoulder.
"Dad!" Katara yells.
"Hakoda!" Malina yells at the same time.
"Let's go! We got what we came for! For the tribe!" Gilak says calling out to his soldiers.
"FOR THE TRIBE!" They yell as the retreat.
"Stop him!" Katara yells.
"Monkey feathers! He's moving too fast!" Aang yells out as they try to chase them.
"Dad!" Sokka yells joining in the chase with Toph on his heels.
"He's almost at the door!" Zuko yells to them.
"Too many jerks in the way!" Toph says as the hall is still filled with soldiers.
"Aang! He's gone!" Katara cries out.
"No he's not! Hang on!" Aang says as he lifts her in his arms blowing the soldiers out of the way before flying out of the building and out over the city.
"What-?!" Gilak asks in confusion as he looks up to see Aang flying above him.
"Drop me here!" Katara tells Aang as he drops her in the snow behind Gilak.
Katara throws Gilak up in the air by bending the snow underneath him and he drops Hakoda.
"Gotcha, Head Chieftain!" Aang says as he catches the man.
"Is my dad-?" Katara yells running over to them.
"He's tough, Katara. He's been through a lot worse than this! Go after Gilak, quick!" Aang yells to Katara.
Katara chases after Gilak but quickly looses him in the dark of the night.
"He's gone!" She tells herself.
"Gilak got away" Katara told them returning to where Aang was waiting with Sokka and Hakoda.
"We saved Dad, Katara. That's what counts." Sokka reassured her.
They walked back to city hall.
"Malina?" Hakoda said seeing her in front of city hall.
"Thank heavens you're okay!" She said rushing to his side.
"Never thought... city politics... would be so rough." Hakoda gasp painfully.
Suddenly Zuko realized one of their number was missing. "Where-?! No!"
"What's wrong, Zuko?" Toph ask him
"They took Earth King Kuei!" Zuko said in shock, thankful for just a moment that the men hadn't been absolute monsters and abducted one of the two very heavily pregnant women that had been present.