A/N. So, several things before the story : This is a sequel to The Blossoms of Spring, and without having read that, this is going to be confusing. So, I'll give you a quick recap: The great lines of the story are the same, but the Gaang is a bit older. Aang and Katara have been turning around each other, until the night after finding Appa. After spending the night together, Aang leaves for the Easter Air Temple, but comes back and gets injured by Azula.
Now, they head to Chief Hakoda's camp in Chameleon Bay, to seek shelter and refuge from the Fire Nation.
I will perhaps post another chapter tomorrow or Sunday, and then, I'll be gone for a week.
Jumping down from the ship when it hit the sandy ground of the beach, Hakoda let out a deep sigh, seeing how his camp was still in one piece after the battle. The Fire Nation had introduced a new type of steam ship and attacking it had been… difficult. By some miracle, he had not lost any one of his fellow tribesmen, but there were some wounded.
Their ships had taken a battering, however. Seeing how his own ship had limbed back to camp, he was surprised it still sailed. Having built it, he couldn't help but feel proud at the craftsmanship. Hearing the crunch of another man jumping down, he heard Bato groan.
"Tui and La, what was that… It moved like the wind, without any sails… If we want to defeat several of those things, we'll have to get smarter, or get the same kind of ships…" His friend spoke, quietly, so not to arise suspicion in the other men's hearts.
"We don't have anything like that Bato… We will just have to… improvise, like always…" Hakoda sighed, walking towards a fire that had been kept alive, so that the Fire Nation Navy would think they hadn't left their encampment. Sitting down next to it, he saw that his friend had followed him.
"Do you think Sokka and Aang are alright? And Katara?" Bato asked, poking the fire with a stick to make it flare up.
"Sokka and the Avatar are quite capable, I think. And if what I heard about my daughter is true… Well, she'll make it." He said. Sokka had sounded like a very intelligent, if not somewhat whacky person… But then again, Hakoda had recognized much of himself in his son, so he wouldn't judge.
The Avatar however… He didn't know what to think of him. Every story about the Avatar, or at least, previous ones, had been… horrifying. In a brutal and beautiful way. The legends his mother liked to tell his children, in the evenings next to the fire… Those had been his favourites too, when he was a child. The Avatar, a legendary figure born of the Spirits, made to protect the world against evil and to punish those committing it… And the powers he possessed! Water, earth, fire and air… combined into something so destructive and powerful as the Avatar State, it was exactly what they would need to defeat the Fire Nation.
And then… A young Air Nomad had walked into his camp. He wasn't impressive. He wasn't a killer. He was… nice. Too decent for his own good. Sure, the stories that Sokka had told him after the Avatar had left made him reconsider that first assessment of the airbender's character. But still, the boy was too young to be burdened by such things.
And yet, Sokka had told him how the Avatar was the last airbender, and that he shouldered that alone. That when people were in danger, he was the first to jump in front of those innocents. That he never turned his back to people in need.
And Hakoda had wanted to believe it. The little knowledge he had about the Air Nomads was probably… Not good. What he knew about them, was that they were not very concerned with other people, that they had commitment issues and that they were known to… well, fornicate wherever and however they liked. He suspected it was probably Fire Nation propaganda that "justified" what they had done against that race.
And when he had invited the Avatar into his tent, Hakoda had seen Bato grin and point his thumbs up. He had not understood it. And the Avatar had… apologized. For something that wasn't his fault. At that moment, Hakoda had promised to hear the boy out, and to throw all his prejudices about Air Nomads out of the window. He had seen how, after apologizing for the state of the South, the… boy… had begun to fidget where he stood, and had become nervous. Having no idea why, Hakoda had invited him to tell him about Katara. Sokka had told him that she and the Avatar were friends. Good friends even. The chief had liked that. Katara had never had a friend of her own age, that wasn't her brother that is. So to hear that she had made friends with this boy, it was so good to hear. And then, the Avatar had begun to talk.
And talk. And talk. He had not stopped, praising Katara into the heavens. At that moment, Hakoda had known. That the Avatar was hopelessly infatuated with her. And he had known why the Avatar had really come to the camp. To ask him his permission.
How could he, in the name of the Spirits, give it? Hakoda had not seen his daughter in six years, she was probably a stranger to him, and he to her… That thought made his heart crack. So, he had tried to let the boy down easy. But at the moment of his refusal, Hakoda had seen the steel in those grey, gentle eyes. A kind of silent strength. Those eyes had said, screw you, I'll do it anyway. And out of his mouth had just come the question of why. And Hakoda had not really been able to answer that.
And that was the last he had seen of the boy, until a few days later, when he had landed right in front of Hakoda's tent, grabbing Sokka and leaving like the wind, talking about how Katara was in danger. At the moment the boy had said it, Hakoda had wanted to come with them to Ba Sing Se and help them. But one look at the Avatar, and he knew it wouldn't be necessary. That boy would destroy anything and anyone in his path. For his daughter. And at that moment, he had regretted his refusal.
And now, sitting by the fire, he vowed to give… Aang… permission the next time he would see him.
"What are you thinking about?" Bato's voice sounded from across the fire.
"The Avatar… I may have been… rash."
"Why?"
"He asked me if he could court Katara, and I said no." Hakoda sighed. It felt good to talk about this to someone. He had been eating himself up about it.
"You said no? To Aang?" Bato sounded shocked.
"I know, alright! But… I don't him! And… I don't know Katara. How could I have a say in her life, after having abandoned her for six long years?"
"Wait, let me get this straight. The perfect match walks into your tent, a guy clearly crushing on her, I can tell you, and… you say no?" Bato scoffed.
"Yes, I'm an idiot, I know!" Hakoda protested. It was not like he didn't know he had been stupid.
"More than that! You do realize that Katara would say yes in a heartbeat to that, don't you?" Bato spoke, surprising him.
"She would?"
"It was quite clear to anyone that Aang had a crush on your daughter. Even the nuns in that monastery said it. Katara was somewhat more discreet. I think she thought no one noticed. But I did. She looked at the airbender exactly like Kya did, seeing you. So, I knew." Bato chuckled.
Spirits… Katara looked like Kya? Please, let that be true… And she liked the airbender?
"Thanks Bato… You managed to make me feel even more guilty."
"It is my speciality Hakoda! That's why you took me with you all those years ago!" his friend laughed.
They sat in silence, looking at the night sky. As Hakoda looked into the sky, he saw a falling star. His mother had always said those were spirits, asking if the humans wanted a favour from them.
Please, Great Spirit, make me see my family again. And the Avatar, if possible. I want to apologize.
Sighing, he stood up, walking to his tent. This day had been long, bloody and filled with difficulties. As had so many others before. And, so would many in the future…
Just as he touched the entrance of the great tent, he heard it. A loud bellow, a sound he had heard only once before. That was the Sky Bison of the Avatar!
Sokka! Katara!
His eyes filled with tears at the prospect of seeing both his children. The spirits had listened to his wish… Tui and La, thank you.
The great beast turned around the camp, high in the sky. Hakoda quickly ran to the open space next to his camp. The last time, the Avatar had landed there. So, now he would surely do the same!
My children! They would not be back so quick if they hadn't found Katara! They are really here.
The bison landed, as he had expected, at the outskirts of the tents. Bato followed, with several of the other warriors who were still awake.
The first person who jumped down from the beast was a small girl, no older than sixteen. Her skin was pale, and she had dark, jet black hair, Her eyes were misty, and she seemed to be wearing no shoes.
So that is Toph!
Then, a man in a rich garments dropped down unceremoniously. Behind him, Bato gasped, and began to search in his pocket.
"Hakoda… That's the Earth King!" his friend whispered, pushing something into his hand. Looking down, the chief saw a rectangular coin, those from the Earth Kingdom, with on one side the sigil of the kingdom, and on the other… a likeness of the king. Of the man now rubbing his backside and calling down a… animal? Some kind of… Misshapen platypus-bear?
What had happened… The king didn't leave the capital… Never… At yet, here he was.
Then followed Sokka, jumping down, as if he did it each day. He probably did. And yet again, Hakoda felt the tears in his eyes. That young man looked the spitting image of Kya's father, and by extent, looked a lot like his deceased wife.
The young man marched towards them, and the look in his eyes made the chief pause.
Where was Katara?
"I need a stretcher, bandages! Anything you have! And now!" He shouted, and the tone didn't expect to be contradicted. It was an order.
Several of the tribesmen behind Hakoda began to run to the tents, searching for whatever they had.
"Sokka, what happened, did Katara…" He began, but was cut off by his son.
"No, Aang. Badly wounded. It is a miracle he still lives. Katara is… well, she is not injured."
That made him pause. The Avatar… was injured? How? People said he was a force of nature, invincible! And the hesitation in his son's voice when talking about Katara… What had happened?
His warrior came running back, two carrying a stretcher, while a third carried their medical supplies.
"Put it there! He shouldn't be moved! Or at least, not before Katara has begun healing him!" Sokka shouted, pointing to where the Bison stood. While they ran towards, Hakoda followed, more slowly. What had his son meant when saying not before Katara has begun healing him? The chief had heard about how some waterbenders, very experienced ones, were able to do healing with the water… But… Katara? She had not even managed to bend a puddle back when she was eleven…
"Is everything there Sokka?" A voice called from the bison
Spirits… It sounded… just like Kya…
Hakoda felt a hand on his shoulder, and turning around, saw it was Bato, with a small smile on his face.
"Yeah Sis! I'll help you get him down!" His son shouted back and climbed halfway up the side of the bison. The chief saw how the beast looked… sad. And nearly pushed himself inside the sand to make the distance between his back and the ground as small as possible.
From the back of the bison, a body was lowered to Sokka's arms. Squinting his eyes, Hakoda nearly collapsed.
It was the Avatar. Drenched in blood, and with a deep cut on his shoulder. But all that blood… it couldn't be from just that… And he was so, so very pale… Sokka took him in his arms, and, closing his arms around the pale shadow of the Avatar jumped down as carefully as possible. And when his son turned, Hakoda saw the Avatar's back. And, to his shame, averted his eyes.
That was not a wound someone would survive. Half the young man's back was… gone… And a gaping wound, from which blood flowed, stood in its place.
"Hakoda of the Water tribe." A man's voice broke the silence in which the tribe had watched the Avatar. Slowly looking to the side, he saw it was the Earth King.
"Your Majesty." He bowed politely, before turning back to the horrifying scene in front of him. Sokka had laid the younger boy on the stretcher and from the back of the bison, appeared another person.
And Hakoda's heart broke into a million pieces.
It was Katara…but again, it wasn't. The young woman who stood next to the bison, gently caressing its fur, while watching Sokka putting the content of the medical bag in front of her… That was Katara?
He hair flowed loose behind her back, and one of her hair loopies was gone. Her face… It wasn't Kya's. But then again, those eyes… Those eyes that held the ocean in their gaze, and the world for those who looked for it in them… Those, she had still.
Looking further, he realized how she was actually carrying a small chest, and put it down on the sand next to her. Was this beautiful woman his daughter? How?
And what broke his heart the most? She had not even looked towards him. She had only eyes for one person. And that was the Avatar, laid down on the stretcher. And Hakoda saw that Bato had been right. Those eyes had the exact same look as Kya had had… When looking at him.
"So. You are Katara and Sokka's dad?" The girl, Toph, asked, walking up to him.
"Yes, I'm Hako-" The rest of his sentence was drowned in the sound of skin clapping against skin. She had slapped him!
"That is for being to most idiotic father in the world. Now, I'm Toph. We need to discuss some things, but not here, not in front of Katara. She needs all her concentration for what is ahead. And tell you people to get back to their tents."
Was… Was this girl real? In just three sentences, she had shamed him, and taken over all authority in the camp. The warriors behind him scrambled back to their tents, leaving only the king, Bato and the blind girl on the beach, while his children were still busy with the Avatar.
"I know I am not the best of fathers… But what happened?" Hakoda sighed, rubbing his face, where the slap had hit him. He had deserved it.
"As I said, not here. Sokka!" She shouted the last word, and the chief saw how his son ran towards them, hands covered in blood. The Avatar's blood…
"Hey Dad. Sorry about all of this… But we had to go somewhere safe. I'll tell you… Out of earshot of Katara that is." Sokka looked at his sister, who was still bending over the young man on the stretcher, not looking up. As Hakoda looked at her, he felt his mouth fall open. His daughter's hand was glowing, and covered in water.
She really is a master… Spirits… Kya, if you can see this…
He gestured towards the tent, and the others followed.
"Won't Katara need anyone to watch over her?" he heard Bato ask.
"No need, Appa and Momo are there. And believe me, those two will defend Aang." Sokka answered.
As they entered the tent, Hakoda sat down in a chair, covered in furs. The others also sat down, wherever possible.
"So, what happened?" Bato asked. The chief was grateful for his friend's presence, because his head was a mess.
"Ba Sing Se has fallen. Princess Azula of the Fire Nation has taken the city, and the Earth Kingdom is no more." The king spoke, in a soft voice. Ashamed even.
That information hit Hakoda like a brick wall. The unconquerable city… Had fallen?
"How…"
"By working together with the Dai Li. We saw how they brought down a part of the Outer Wall on the way here. And how, from the forests, a whole Fire Nation Army marched in. Ba Sing Se has fallen." Sokka spoke, through gritted teeth.
"Was that how the Avatar was injured?" He asked. It had to be. The city would have been defended, and the Avatar would not have allowed, at least voluntarily, that the last bastion against the Fire Nation would fall…
"No." Toph spoke suddenly.
"How then?"
"We don't know the details… Only Katara was with him when it happened… We learned that Azula had captured her, and was keeping her in the caves beneath the city. Aang went there to free her… And when they emerged, Katara was holding him in her arms… dead." Sokka's voice broke at the last word.
The Avatar… had gone to save her… And had… died for her?
"Apparently, Azula shot him with lightning. We don't know anything else. Katara got some Spirit Water at the North Pole, and she used it to bring Aang back. How, don't ask me. I believe no one knows exactly how." His son continued, rubbing the sides of his head.
"You really think a little lightning would stop Twinkletoes from getting back to her?" Toph chuckled, but it didn't sound amused. It sounded… angry.
"Not really… He can be quite stubborn when he wants to…" Sokka began to chuckle, and before too long, both his son and the blind girl were laughing, not stopping. Hakoda knew what it was… It was not because they were happy or amused. It was the stress leaving them. He had seen it with some of his warriors, after a battle. He let them laugh until silence followed.
"Has he been awake?" Bato asked suddenly. He was the most senior medic of their tribe, so Hakoda trusted his friend's judgement in asking that question.
"Briefly. He said some things we didn't understand, because it was in Air Nomad language… But I suspect Katara knew exactly what he said. She thinks no one knows, but late at night, those two were always bent over scrolls and books from Aang's chest. I suspect he was teaching her his language." Sokka said, whipping tears out of his eyes. From the laughter, or because of the sadness his son felt, Hakoda didn't want to know.
"Oh, we understood two words very clearly Meathead." Toph spoke softly but didn't elaborate. But he felt his son's eyes on him.
"Dad, we are going to need a tent, big enough for Katara and Aang. I suspect he will need constant care for the foreseeable future. And whatever she asks for, she gets. Katara knows what to do." There it was again… The orders. In Hakoda's head, he still had difficulties associating this Sokka from the boy who had wanted to come with him, six years ago…
He nodded, and stood up.
"Can I… Can I speak to her?" The chief asked and felt his heart crack. Talking to his daughter… In this situation…
"You can try. Don't expect much…" Sokka sighed.
Hakoda walked out of the tent, past the rows of tents and crude huts they had built here. Past the sentries, who were clearly watching towards where the great beast lay, lowing softly, sounding miserable beyond what was humanly possible… And, perched on one of its horns, sat a small lemur, who watched with big eyes and complete silence towards where the boy lay with his daughter bend over him.
The chief walked towards them but stopped when he heard the soft murmur. Kya's voice… but coming from Katara…
"…please, don't leave me Aang… Not now, not after what happened…"
And again, Hakoda felt his heart shatter. Katara didn't just have a crush. Those were the words of someone who loved the other utterly, totally. Those were the words he himself had said, clutching the lifeless body of Kya, all those years ago…
And now, history was repeating itself. With Katara, trying desperately to make the boy cling onto the little strength that remained inside that broken, mutilated body…
"Katara?" He said it too suddenly… too loudly.
And before he even knew it, she was standing in front of him, an icy spike in her hand, whose point stood just underneath his chin…
"Oh… Dad." The ice melted, and formed into liquid around her hands, when she turned her back around, sitting down again next to the Avatar.
The way she had said it… it was so heartbreakingly neutral. It had been six years, and the woman in front of him was a stranger. And he was one in her eyes probably…
"Can we do something?"
"I need the biggest tent. And Sokka and Bato to carry him. He can be moved now, not very far, however." The words were clinical, mechanical. There was no spark, nothing that betrayed the emotions she had shown just before, when she wasn't aware of his presence…
"I can hel-"
"Sokka and Bato." She cut him off, still in that neutral manner…
Sighing, he walked away. Sokka had warned him not to expect anything, but it still hurt… When he got back to his tent, he saw that the others had left, probably going to sleep, or to do something for themselves…
Gathering his few belongings, Hakoda dragged the bag outside of the tent. If he couldn't talk to his daughter, at least, he could do that. His tent was the largest of all and he would survive several nights outside. When those stood next to the entrance, the chief saw his son and Bato, talking quietly to each other.
"Could you go help Katara with transporting… Aang?" The name still sounded strange in his mouth. The Avatar, the Air Nomad, the airbender. He had heard stories about this boy, and never had those bothered to name him… It gave the Avatar a human side. A boy, no older than Katara probably, having lost so much, and having feelings like any other man.
And those feelings had cost him his life. And… If he wasn't mistaken, the feelings of a woman for said Avatar had brought him back.