Notes

Chapter 15, Fear

You may not enjoy the change of topic in this chapter, and it may seem a little weird to have story all about notes and go into more of an adventure/suspense type of writing, but I promise it'll come around full circle in the end. At least, that's what I'm planning. Anyway, let's get into the chapter!

After talking with Toph, Aang decided that he had nothing better to do than climb back in bed with Katara, so he did, which woke her up.

"Hey." She said. Aang looked over and saw Katara smiling up at him.

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you?" He asked.

"Yeah, but it's ok." She replied. Katara snuggled up next to Aang and closed her eyes. Aang began to gently run his fingers through her hair.

"What do you think about last night?" He asked.

"I think it was wonderful." Katara replied, "I had no idea what we were missing." Aang laughed.

"It was really nice, wasn't it?" He said.

"Yeah."

"I didn't hurt you at all, did I?"

"No, not really." Katara replied, "Although, I feel a little sore right now."

"Oh, I'm sorry." Aang said.

"Don't be, it's ok. I was expecting something like this." Katara replied. They stayed in bed for about ten more minutes before Aang finally mentioned that they needed to get up. Katara agreed, and so she got dressed and they both headed down stairs. Iroh, of course, had made breakfast and was sipping a cup of tea. Aang and Katara sat down to join him.

Shortly after, Sokka and Suki came down. They all didn't say much as they ate their breakfast. Once they did, they waited for Toph to come down, and after she did, they all sat at the table to discuss how things were going to go.

"Alright," Aang said, "So, we all know that we can't just sit here with Azula, Liling, and Yaling all on the loose." Everyone nodded in agreement and Aang continued, "Last night, before Zuko left, we discussed a plan. If Azula knows that we're in Ba Sing Se, she'll do whatever she can to get in the city, and she's done it before, so Katara, I need you to head to the palace to talk to the Earth King. If you persuade him, he can give an order to up the security of the city, and also be more strict on the people coming in. I don't want him to lock the city down, but I want every person to be checked before they're allowed to enter." Katara nodded.

"Ok." She said, "I think he'll listen to us. After all, he is our friend." Aang nodded back.
"Next, Toph, Sokka, and Suki, I'd like you to take some guards along the wall and check for any sign of a forced entry. Sokka and Suki can look around for anything suspicious while Toph can use her seismic sense to check for anything potentially underground, or any sort of internal damage." They all nodded. "I'll fly around the outer wall and check for anything strange. Meanwhile, Zuko is going to send some people to try and track them down."

"Sounds like a full proof plan to me." Sokka said.

"So, do we all agree?" Asked Aang. Everyone smiled and nodded once more. "Then let's go." Aang said. Sokka, Toph, and Suki headed out the door. Aang was about to when Katara caught him. He turned around right into a kiss.

"Stay safe." She said. Aang smiled.

"I will." He replied.

Aang left on his glider and the others except Katara walked down the main path towards the wall. Katara went the opposite way towards the palace. When she got there, she was greeted by a guard.

"State your business." He said.

"I am Katara from the southern Water Tribe. I'm here to see the Earth King." She said.

"I'm sorry miss, but one doesn't just pop in on the Earth King." The guard replied.

"Uh." Katara was about to question the guard when another from behind recognized her.
"Katara!" He said, "Welcome back to the palace." He turned to the other guard. "Don't worry Lee, she's welcome any time." Lee nodded and walked away.

The other guard leaned near Katara. "Don't worry about him." He said, "He's a new recruit." Katara smiled and nodded in understanding. Then she entered the palace and found her way to the Earth King's throne room.

Meanwhile, Aang was flying over Ba Sing Se, heading towards the outer wall. It took him a good thirty minutes to get there, Ba Sing Se is enormous. Once he did, he landed on the wall to take a break. He looked at the massive wall that was so big it didn't even look like it curved at all, yet somehow, it surrounded Ba Sing Se. On the other side of the wall, it was only desert and rocky terrain, much like what he and the gang had to travel through when they first visited Ba Sing Se. Aang took a breath and started off on his gilder. This was going to take a while.

Toph, Sokka, and Suki were walking the inner wall of the city. Even though they were closer to the city, they were so high up that it was silent except for the wind and their own footsteps. On one side was the lower ring, it was full of small homes and clotheslines and ect. The other side contained only a large empty space as far as the eye could see. If you squint, you can see the outer wall in some parts of the city, but not where they were currently standing. Walking with just the three of them all day was sure to bring up some conversation, and that's what was happening.

"So." Toph said, "How do you guys feel about Aang and Katara?" She asked.

"I don't know." Sokka said. "They're fine I guess."

"I think they're adorable!" Suki exclaimed. "They are definitely perfect for each other."

"Yeah, I guess you could say that." Sokka replied, "But that doesn't mean I want to see that all the time."

"And do you think that I want to see you all the time?" Toph asked.

"Wel, I guess not." Sokka replied.

"Give them a break Sokka." Suki said, "You know that you're worse, right?"

"What? No I'm not!" Sokka said defensively.

"Yes you are." Toph said. Sokka glanced at both of them in disbelief. Then he crossed his arms.

"Whatever." He said.

Katara exited the palace. It was a fairly short meeting, the Earth King was very compliant with Aang's wishes and he carried them out nearly identically to how he wanted it. Katara smiled at how she was able to easily convince him, and she started her walk home.

Since the Jasmine Dragon was in the upper ring, it wasn't very far from the palace, and it didn't take long to get there, but everytime Katara walked through the upper ring of Ba Sing Se, she always stopped to look at all of the things that were out on display, and how everything was constructed with such detail and elegance. Much different than most places in the Earth Kingdom. It always took her longer than it should to get to where she was going while she was in the upper ring. Katara finally decided that she was taking too long, and so she began to head back to the shop much quicker now. She was rounding a corner when a hand grabbed her and a cloth covered her mouth. She tried to scream but the cloth muffled her voice. She couldn't see who it was that was doing this, but she didn't care, she kicked and fought but it was no use. They must have put something on the rag because she was suddenly very drowsy. Her vision blurred, and her legs collapsed. Then she had no choice but to close her eyes.

Aang had been flying for hours now, but he had covered only a small portion of the entire wall. He knew that he would not be able to cover the whole thing in a single day. He stopped to take a break for a little while, and he landed on the wall. He leaned against the side and looked out into the horizon. It was now late afternoon, and the sun was behind him. As he looked he noticed that this place seemed familiar, and it was. In the distance, he could see the path that led down to the serpent's pass. He couldn't see it directly, but he knew that if he were to fly in that direction he would make it there. Just to be sure he stood up on the edge and looked to the right, and sure enough there was where the drill had been. The drill was gone now, but there was a large pit on the ground where it had been, and a bunch of debris from the rocks that had been thrown that day.

Aang waited a few minutes before he decided to fly again. It was a tiring job, but he knew that if he wanted to make sure that everyone in Ba Sing Se was safe, and that Katara was safe, he had to do it.

Sokka, Toph, and Suki all walked the wall. While this wall was much smaller than the outer wall, it was still huge, and they were walking it on foot. Everyone was tired except for Toph, and she was now in front of the group.

"C'mon you slowpokes! We gotta move if we want to make sure this thing is secure!" She said.

"Can't we take a break?" Sokka asked.

"No can do Snoozles," Toph replied, "The less wall we walk today, the more wall we have to walk tomorrow, and I'm not doing this for a week straight."

"Fair enough." Said Suki.

"Why can't you just walk the wall Toph?" Sokka asked.

"Um, hello? I'm blind, remember!" She replied, "I may be able to see deep into the wall and underground, but I can't see everything. That's what you're for."

Sokka let out a sigh. There was no way he was getting out of this.

Katara woke up completely surrounded in earth except for her head. When her vision finally focused and her head cleared, she started to panic. She tried to squirm her way out, but all that did was cause pain. She was stuck, tight.

"I wouldn't try that." Came a voice in the dark. Katara couldn't see where she was, all she knew was that she was in a dark room.

In front of her, she saw movement. Not knowing who it was only caused more panic. The figure stepped forward and into light coming from somewhere that Katara couldn't see. Most likely a window. Now the person was in full view and Katara's heart stopped.

"Hello. Nice to see you again." said Azula.

Katara's breathing was heavy, she was terrified, and a lone tear fell down her cheek, because she knew that she was doomed.

Aha, have fun with the cliffhanger!

:P