Before we begin, I would just like to take a moment to apologise for the delay. I am a uni student, you see, and dissertations do not write themselves.
(Well, I'm sure some do but that would be an academic offence.)
There is another reason though; I've been beginning to lose interest in Avatar recently, and I am one of those people who writes a lot better about something when I'm interested in it. I have no desire to leave any of my stories unfinished, don't worry, and I do still like Avatar.
Anyway, with that out of the way let's get on with the normal proceedings, shall we?
Responses to Reviews:
Phieillydinyia: This is Katara we're talking about. The villains won't know what hit them.
Matheus Bezerra de Lima: I had intended for this to be the climax of the story, but you make good points. I shall extend it, but that will mean I'm going to have to make up an entirely new plan from here on in.
RonaldM40196867: The only ways to counter bloodbending, as far as I know, are incapacitating the bloodbender, more bloodbending, or the Avatar State.
As Always, Please Review, and we pick up our story as Katara returns to make an unfortunate discovery...
Katara stepped into the room, warily surveying the scene in front of her. Aang was sure he saw a brief flicker of complete rage in her eyes, but it was gone as soon as it appeared.
"Let him go," she demanded, in a low, dangerous voice.
"Why should I?" Came the response. "We have him exactly where we want him. The fact you came back changes nothing- Your friends are powerless and helpless, and you are alone."
Katara's eyes narrowed.
"When did I say I came alone?"
She suddenly assumed a combat stance and extended her arms. Her water-whip responded, lashing across the room and wrapping around the younger bloodbender so fast that he did not have time to react.
With a further flick of her wrist, he was sent crashing into the sandbender and they both sprawled across the floor. As she did so, there was a sudden noise and men wearing uniforms Aang recognised as belonging to the city's nascent navy came rushing in, one of them brandishing a large curved sword.
Aang took the opportunity to rush towards her.
"Katara! Where were you? Why did you leave? Why did you come back? Not that I'm complaining about that last one..."
Katara smiled at him, but didn't answer immediately, instead turning and swiping Tulimaq across the face with her stream of water, sending the already wounded man slumping to the ground, and smoothly transitioned into attacking his goons. Aang began to move towards them, but Katara stopped him with a hand on his chest. She motioned towards where their team lay on the far side of the room.
Confused, he stopped, and in that moment of hesitation the battle left him behind. Katara and the new arrivals fought their way towards the feebly stirring forms of their enemies as Aang rushed towards Toph.
"Spirits!" She flinched in surprise as Aang grabbed her, but relaxed as soon as she realised who it was.
"Sorry..." Aang told her sheepishly.
"Don't do that!" Toph scolded him. There was a pause.
"What's happening?"
"Katara's back, she has friends, it looks like we might live after all."
"Great," Toph exclaimed. "I love it when we do that."
Just then, all sounds of battle ceased as the last henchman dropped his weapon and surrendered. Katara immediately rushed over, leaving her new friends to do the cleaning up, and engulfed Aang in a bear hug.
"I missed you so much," he told her. She only nodded; she didn't need to say it.
They stayed like that for several minutes until there was a cough from next to them. Aang looked over expecting Toph to have become impatient and was instead greeted by the sight of a man with the bushiest beard he had ever seen, wearing the uniform of a captain.
"Greetings, Avatar," he said formally. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Aang told him, not entirely truthfully. "My friends aren't though."
The man nodded. "They will be well taken care of, as indeed will the ones who did this. I must say it is fortunate we got to you in time."
"Looks like you have Katara to thank for that," Aang replied, looking at her. She nodded.
"Thank you for your assistance," he told the captain. "I don't know what we would have done without your intervention. Can I speak to Katara alone for a second?"
The man nodded, but Aang was already dragging Katara away. He waited until they were alone and then turned to face her.
"So how was it?"
"The South Pole?" Katara eyed him. "Never got that far."
Immediately, Aang felt all the wind go out of his sails, but at the same time relief swept over him.
"You didn't even go?" He repeated.
"Yes. Turns out, flying on Appa by yourself once you're used to it is very boring. Gives lots of time to think. And I decided that I was not going to do anything that Hama wants."
Aang nodded again.
"What's the matter?" Katara asked. "I would have thought you would be happy."
"Oh no, I am!" Aang said quickly. "It's just I've had a very difficult couple of days since you left."
"I know, I saw," Katara replied, moving across to hug him again.
"I'm glad you're back," Aang told her.
"I'm glad I'm back," she replied. Then she laughed briefly. "I leave you alone for two days and look what you get yourself into!"
There was a knock on the door.
Aang got up to answer it, to find Toph on the other side, who had got a very uncomfortable looking crewman to guide her there. Aang did not miss Katara's look of dawning horror at the implications of the sight in front of her.
"Where do you think you're going, running off and leaving me as soon as you come back?" She demanded.
"It wasn't for long," Katara said.
"It felt like a long time! My only companions were either unconscious, evil or sailors!"
"What's wrong with sailors?" Her companion asked, affronted.
"I hate boats," was Toph's only explanation, before she turned back to them. The man shrugged and walked off.
"So, how was Hama?" Toph asked.
"I wouldn't know," Katara replied. "Got second thoughts and came back. Apart from getting attacked, how was the island?"
At that, Toph's shoulders slumped slightly, but immediately they moved back to their former position as Toph did her best to put on a brave face.
"It was fine. I lost my bending, but aside from that-"
"You lost your bending?" Katara demanded, with concern in her voice.
"Yes, do I have to repeat myself?"
"That's terrible! It must feel horrible! We have to fix this now! Do you need anything?"
As Katara kept bombarding Toph with questions, a scowl formed on the younger girl's face, until she held a hand up to stop her.
"What I don't need is your pity," she said. "I am not your charity case."
"I never said you were-"
"Not in as many words, but you meant it."
"I just want to help!"
"Good! Just don't lecture me about how unfortunate I am, thanks?"
Katara nodded, and then realised her mistake.
"Yes," she told her.
"Good!" Toph declared, her anger immediately subsiding. "Now, hopefully Snoozles has finished living up to his name. Take me to the living room!"
Aang looked at Katara, and Katara looked at Aang. This whole situation was far from over, and there were still plenty of problems to overcome. But for now, they had each other back, and that was enough.
They grabbed one of Toph's arms each, and led her back towards their friends.