A/N. If you want notifications from the stories, you have to go to settings, and manually check the Yes button on notifications. FanFiction has changed their system! On with the story! A little all over the place, but it's Aang, so that is to be expected. I have some difficulty writing this part of his storyline, but it's done lol! From now on, it will be better!
I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.
Avatar Aang… Avatar Aang…
The voice seemed cold and far away, but at the same time so close. Trying to lift his hand in the darkness, the light appeared far off in the distance. Taking a step, the light didn't seem to come closer.
He opened his eyes.
There was a ceiling above him, of a dark wood he couldn't place immediately. His body was stretched out on something so soft that he nearly felt bad for feeling so comfortable. There was something in his mind, knocking to get his half-conscious attention. But to be honest, it had been weeks, if not months, that he had felt like this. Spirits, who was he kidding? It had been since learning he was the Avatar that he had not felt like this.
As if the heaviest weight had been taken off his shoulders, and it had been… he remembered that. Seeing Ozai sin to his knees, alive but harmless… it had been such a relief, to know it was over… Now, all that was left to do was just live his life… With Katara.
Katara.
The images flooded into his mind suddenly. Azula laughing, his fist making contact. Them, standing in the throne room when Suki had brought the news the princess wasn't anywhere to be found… And the dark corridors of the prison, finding the group of Water Tribe warriors… He remembered the dark blue eyes of Bato looking at him with a puzzled expression, before darkness had enveloped him..
Tara!
He shot up, trying to get out of bed, but as he tried to swing his arm to the right with his body, it stopped. Glancing to his left arm, he saw that a rope had been tied around his wrist. The other end of the rope was fixed to one of the bedposts.
"Ah, you're up." A voice from the right said. Turning his head, Aang was nearly shocked at the sight that awaited him. Sokka, holding a crutch underneath his armpit, was staring at him with a desperate look in the ice blue eyes. There were dark rings underneath his eyes, and he looked like he had aged ten years.
"How long was I out?" How much time had they lost? What had happened in the meanwhile?
"Just a few hours, I tried to wake you up several times, but you were out cold. How do you feel?" Sokka hopped towards the bed with his crutch replacing the leg which was bound in bandages. So, apparently, he had seen a physician… But not the one he hoped for. If Katara was here, her brother wouldn't need this kind of help. No… His leg would be a lot better with healing from her waterbending.
"It's the end of the afternoon." Sokka sat down on the chair next to the bed, letting his weight fall down, making the wooden chair creak dangerously. Aang held up his rope tied hand.
"And this?"
"A precaution taken by the few allies we have."
"They do know I can burn through it with ease, right?" Aang said through gritted teeth. What was this for idiocy? They should have woken him up, so that he could go search for Katara! But as he thought about it, the airbender understood why they had done this. They were afraid that he would go do something stupid.
Fuck logic. Stupid was good in this case.
"They know. But come here." Sokka produced his knife and gestured with his other hand. Aang pulled the rope as tightly as possible, and his friend began sawing through the hemp rope. Watching the Water Tribe warrior in silence, the airbender saw that the sides of his friend's head were shaved once more, and that the remaining hair was pulled back in what Sokka called his wolf tail. Apparently, having some of the other warriors back, he had been able to get the things needed to make the traditional oils he had lost after Ba Sing Se…
"You know, you forgot around half of warriors in the prison." Sokka tried to sound upbeat, but Aang detected a slightly irritated tone. Half the… oh… Yes… Bato had said that the cell in which he had been was for forty warriors, and that thirty others had been held on a lower level… But he had forgotten them…
"We got them out, and some of the earthbenders too. Around two hundred warriors in total. If their stories are correct, we lost around three hundred in the fighting at the invasion, and in the aftermath. That means that there are around a hundred unaccounted for." Sokka continued in the same tone, and Aang suddenly understood it. This was I'm trying to remain calm voice. The rope snapped and the airbender was able to lift himself of the bed, without its restriction. Sitting on the edge, he looked at his friend.
"Where are the others?" He said, ignoring what Sokka had just said.
"The throne room. Zuko is still shoring up his allies, but… Well, it is not looking good. The governors of the towns on the Capital Island are all here, they took balloons from their homes to the palace. Other governors have sent messages that they will arrive as soon as possible. The clans, however… Some are here. But most have not replied to the messages." Sokka sighed.
Aang knew what all that meant. It meant that Zuko could probably count on the support of the merchants and the richer parts of the population. But the nobility, those with the traditional power… Those had been silent.
"For the moment, it seems that the three big islands are on Zuko's side, except Fire Fountain City. The whole east is a still uncertain, as their replies may take some time…" Sokka continued. Aang nodded, trying to understand the situation. Capital Island, Shuhon and the Southern Isle were vital, yes… But without the nobility's support, it meant that even those places were shaky, at best… And North Chung Ling, now Fire Fountain… Aang had visited it before, but the place had changed so much that he suspected that the Fire Nation had made it an example of a model Fire Nation settlement. Of course, a place so drenched in propaganda and rules would reject Zuko.
"Sokka, what ab-"
"As I said, the Eastern Islands are still unclear, but it seems that Ember Island has declared for Azula, which is no surprise. Zuko doesn't think that she is going there, but he still send a message to the governor, asking once more for his support…"
"Sokka! Any news of Katara?" Aang had to shout his question, to interrupt his friend's nervous babbling about the political situation.
"No. Why do you think I'm breaking you out of here?" The Water Tribe warrior looked startled, as if it was obvious what he was doing.
"Breaking me out? What do you mean?" Aang had an idea of what his friend meant…
"You are in the Royal Apartments, Zuko thought this would be the most secure place for you at this moment… Most people are not really a fan of you here. But I need you, so I told Fire Head he could eat shit. Those stuffy nobles and governors are determined to hate you, and in this situation, you are of no use here. But you can do something else." Sokka said as he grabbed the crutch, standing up with some difficulty. Aang did the same, feeling that his left leg was heavier than the other. Looking down, he saw that he too had bandages around his leg, but it seemed much less severe than Sokka's case.
"What?" He asked, but he had a feeling.
"Finding her. You're right, this is not good. But those idiots," Sokka gestured to the left side of the room, probably in the direction of the throne room, "Don't think she is a priority. Toph, Suki and Zuko don't agree, don't worry. Zuko's first order after you stormed out was to send messages all over the Fire Nation to ask if someone had seen a flying bison. He was careful not to mention who was on it."
That was… good. If those messages found their way to people loyal to Azula, that would be dangerous…
"There has not yet been a sighting but fuck the Fire Nation. I know that one person is going to move the sky itself to find her. You." The Water Tribe warrior grabbed his arm and began to hobble towards the door, "I had Bato prepare one of those idiotic balloons. It is a small one, you know, those who can only be used by firebenders. I guessed it would be the safest way to travel, without revealing who is in it. You leave immediately."
Aang nearly wept, feeling thankful for what his friend was doing. Finally… Finally, someone who understood.
"Are you coming with me?"
"No. I have this shitty leg, and if we both disappear for more than an hour, they'll know what happened. They'll send most of the little soldiers we have to find us. But if I spent some time in your room, laughing and talking, people will think you are still here. The people we do have on our side are here because they fear you. And I would like to keep it that way. So they need to think you are healing in the Royal Apartments from your wounds." The information began to slightly overwhelm Aang. What was all this about…
"Meathead is right Twinkles. Storming out and breaking into the prison was a shit idea. This plan actually has some merit." A voice he knew very well spoke. Looking at the door, he saw the small frame of Toph stand there, grim and clearly not in the mood to laugh.
"But… But…" He didn't understand. What were they asking, exactly…
"We hold the Palace, while telling people you are here. It will give you time to find Sugar Queen and Appa, and make sure the allies we have stay in line." She explained, throwing a bag at him. Catching it, dumbfounded, Aang didn't know what to say…
He had expected resistance to his pla… No, it hadn't been a plan. To his instinct. But here, two of his friends were giving him the opportunity to do what he needed to do, for himself… And they didn't put the job of the Avatar on the forefront. No… They understood.
"But they will eventually realize I'm not here, right?"
"All the more reason to find your Spirits damned… girlfriend." He heard the quick hesitation in Toph's phrase and remembered that she actually knew what Katara was exactly. Not his girlfriend… His wife. But even so, the way she spoke those words made him shiver, which he didn't understand.
Trying to shake off the rather bizarre feeling, he opened the bag and discovered a black cloak, a dark red long-sleeved tunic, a pair of gloves and finally a grey-gold hat that looked like the small hats worn by the merchants of the Fire Nation, all with the little stamp in the front of some guild. Arching an eyebrow, he looked at Sokka.
"Oh yes! That was actually Suki's idea. You are Kuzon, the son of an animal trader. We guessed that it would be a believable story, and it would make sure your tattoos are hidden." His friend explained, holding a hand against the wall to support his own weight. Aang shook the tunic out, and looked at it. It was simple, but it would indeed hide his tattoos, as it had a high collar… And the hat had some charm… Sighing, he pulled the tunic on, and put on the hat.
"Well?"
"You look very good." Toph muttered with a slightly upbeat undertone.
"Than…" He realized who had said it and stopped himself.
"Yeah, welcome to the club buddy. Now you know how it feels when she does that. But enough chatting, you are going. The balloon is in the lower part of the city, outside the caldara. Bato put it next to the docks, and put Alqaok in charge of it for you. You will need to make your way there without being spotted if possible. It would be a good test for your disguise. Here." Sokka shoved a small, heavy bag in his hands. Opening it, Aang saw it was filled with the triangular golden coins of the Fire Nation.
"You will need to eat. Just in case it takes any longer than just a day or two. Toph… Could you leave us for a second?" Sokka spoke quietly, and the blind girl huffed, but she did leave the room, closing the door behind her. His friend turned to him with an expression he had seen before. At Ba Sing Se, when they had come back to find Katara… When Sokka had asked him to find her.
"Aang… Please… Please bring her back. Let all this be a stupid misunderstanding… I… I couldn't live in a world at peace… Knowing… Knowing that she doesn't have that same privilege… My little sister is more important than anything." Sokka was pouring his heart out, and Aang knew what he had to do. The same thing he had done all those months ago.
"I promise. You know that I will do anything to find her…" His friend smiled at those words, and the airbender put a hand on Sokka's shoulder, gently padding it.
"I saw the necklace when we were searching for you… Congrats." The words made Aang waver for a moment. Spirits… He knew. He knew that at least, Katara had taken the necklace… Would his friend also know what had happened in that room on Ember Island? He hoped not… Because he wanted Katara to be here when they told them…
"Oh… yeah… hehe…" He could feel the slight blush on his cheeks. He had not blushed like this for weeks, what he and Katara had was too advanced to be actually embarrassed about it… But this was still a bit too much for his heart.
"Go. I'll make sure no one starts a new war. And Aang… If you can't find her…" The question wasn't uttered, but it hung in the air like a dark cloud between them.
If you can't find her, what will you do?
"You know what I would do." Aang answered, lifting his eyes to meet the ice blue of the Water Tribe Warrior. If something had happened to Tara, he would throw his principles in the wind. He had not killed the man responsible for so much death and destruction. But the person who would even hurt a hair on her head? Oh Spirits… That person was in for the worst things he could imagine. His heart protested slightly at the notion, but he didn't care. The monks had taught him to be patient and forgiving.
But he had been.
And those teachings were not important to him if he couldn't share a peaceful world with her. No… If something had happened, he would burn it all down.
Sokka nodded, and held out his arm. Aang took it, shaking it around the elbow in the traditional way of the Southern Water Tribe, before walking to the door and throwing it open. Toph sat in the corridor, whistling something that made him think of that obscene song that Sokka had not stopped singing during the first two months in the Earth Kingdom.
"Ready to go? Good. Sparky will tell everyone that you are in there, so that will give you a day or two before the servant gossip learns you are not here. And that will give you an extra day before the whole Fire Nation knows you are at large. So, give or take, you have three days to find Sugar Queen." Toph stood up as she talked and stepped into the space that separated them. Looking at his friend, Aang couldn't help but feel grateful.
He had not needed to ask them, they had planned a way to help him even without having been asked. They knew what this meant to him… If Katara was missing, they would worry and would do anything to get her back. But they all knew what it did to him personally… And they had acted. Instead of doing what he had done, meaning to run and do something stupid, they had actually sat down and thought about it. And they had found a good way. It would make sure no one dared to question Zuko's authority for a moment, and it would give him three days to find Katara and Appa.
"Don't get yourself killed doing something noble and stupid." Toph spoke abruptly, "If you do, I'll find you and kill you again, just to make sure you can't do it once more. Now, go and find Katara, and be disgusting in love for the rest of your life." The blind girl shuddered, but Aang heard the significance in that statement. Toph never called them by their names, except if she was being serious.
"Keep an eye on Zuko and the others, will you?" He spoke softly, trying to sound grateful for what they were doing "Oh, and take care of Momo!" He had not seen the lemur, but he presumed that his pet was somewhere in the near vicinity. If he took him with him, it would immediately give away his identity…
"Well, I hope they didn't start a war while I was coming to see you off. And sure." Toph laughed, but the idea made his heart grow cold… Azula was free, and people were not swearing fealty to Zuko… That could indeed mean war…
"Just keep them from doing anything stupid." He said instead.
"When have you seen me do something stupid?" The earthbender smiled, padded his arm and walked away. Aang sighed, knowing that Toph exclusively did stupid things when she talked like that. But she would see the importance of the situation, and behave… He hoped.
But that was not his business at this moment. The world could take care of itself for three days. He had more important things to do. Quickly checking if his tunic was covering most of his arms, he began to walk towards the exit. Or at least, he hoped he was. Turning a corner, Aang found himself in another corridor.
It took a few turns and backtracking, but at last he was in the great marble hall. On the right were the gilded throne room doors, and on the left the doors that lead outside. This morning, he had not seen the décor, but now he was surprised to see three high portraits, just outside the throne room. A few servants were milling around them with a ladder against the wall next to it. Aang knew what those portraits were, for he had seen them when he had entered this place during the invasion. But it wasn't his concern what was happening. Quickly walking to the exit, he stepped into the fresh early evening air.
Looking up, the airbender saw that there were dark clouds in the sky, and realized that summer was over. Now, the rain season would begin here in the Fire Nation. Kuzon had always complained about it, and had taken every opportunity to visit him or accompany Aang to see Bumi or one of their other friends in the Earth Kingdom… But that had been a century ago…
And not even a year for Aang himself…
Shaking off the melancholy that he felt descending upon his mind, he quickly began to walk through the long straight street that led to the gate of the Caldara. Sokka had said he had to go to the docks, and that someone from the Water Tribe was waiting with the balloon. Was that a good idea? If they were recognized as anything other than Fire Nation… People would immediately make the connection and know that the Avatar was leaving the capital.
As Aang walked to the gate, he realized that there was something off. He had not encountered a soul just yet… The street, and the caldara in general, were deserted… Was it just that people were hiding in their homes, afraid of what was happening? That the lack of information meant that their tranquil lives were being upheaved? Or, and that was the more concerning idea, that the people had actually left the Royal Caldara? Of course, only the richest people of the Fire Nation could live here… So that was possible. Sokka had said that the merchant class was mostly on Zuko's side, but the nobles were clearly waiting out, to see who would win the first clash, if it came to that.
As he walked as nonchalantly as possible through the gate, he remarked that there were no soldiers standing guard… Yet another sign that things were not going as they had hoped… But that was a problem for Zuko to solve. Even the Avatar couldn't be everywhere… And he had already decided to resolve one thing. After having found Katara, he would come back and try to solve this mess… If the others had not already done so.
Because there was surely a good reason that Katara and Appa were not back. Appa had probably flown nonstop for several days, he would need to rest. Not just a five-minute pause, but a real stop. At least several hours. Katara had probably done just that, and had not anticipated the bison's deep sleep… Nothing would rouse him if he slept like that… Not even food.
Making his way down the mountain, he was surprised to see the scars of the battle that had taken place a month ago. He would have thought that Ozai would have wanted to erase every sign of that humiliation. Sure, they had lost that day, but it had been the first attack on Fire Nation territory for a hundred years. Worse, it had been in the capital, under his own nose, and he had hidden away.
But the craters of the bombs were still here. When he arrived at the base of the volcano, the airbender saw that there, the street was also in a pitiful state. The burned-out tanks, victims of the bombs at the end of the battle, were still there, and the tower that they had taken under Sokka's leadership was also a ruin… As Aang walked past it, he hated seeing a place like this. Scarred. Disfigured. And a horrible feeling, in his gut, told him it would be the last time he saw a place like this, burned and destroyed. No… It was only the beginning.
A fitting life for the one that caused it. Having to see what you caused.
It was as if the voice in his head wasn't his own… Older. But still it was appropriate. Even if it was one of the Avatars that had said it. That thought made his slightly bitter. Some of the Avatars had not wanted to help him. They had only given in because Raava had told them to do so. But they wouldn't have done it if it wasn't for the Spirit. They would have watched him die, just out of spite.
Because he refused to let go. To let go of his attachments. Because they hated the fact that he refused to do so. Well, their loss. He wasn't sure if he could access the Avatar State now, without having to beg for it from a bunch of long dead idiots. Well, that would be a thing to worry about later. Now, he had other things to do.
Find your attachment.
Yeah, definitely not his own voice.
He arrived at the docks, looking around. Here, there were actually people walking around and working. Dock works, like most physical labour, continued, even if there was a political crisis in the making. Merchants still had to deliver their goods, and they still had to go out and fish… No, these places were always busy, even in case of a major disaster.
"Ehm… I think you are looking for me." A voice spoke and Aang turned around. A rather awkward looking young man, with broad shoulders and long brown hair, stood in front of him. The man was just a few years older than him, and was wearing a similar disguise as his own, clearly having been helped by Sokka too.
But that wasn't what attracted his attention. He recognized the man. It had been the sentry on the Fire Nation ship, all those months ago. The one that had spied on him and Hakoda, discussing Katara. The one that had made some rather crude remarks about his relationship with Katara.
"You." He tried to sound reasonable, but it came out as a growl.
"Yeah… Me. B… Our common friend told me to stand guard next to that thing." The Water tribe pervert pointed a thumb to the balloon, which stood ready to go on one of the docks.
"Give him my thanks." Aang spoke through gritted teeth. He hated being unreasonable, but it just came naturally with people like this. This Alqaok had been angry that Hakoda had never wanted to give his permission to some of the younger warriors of the tribe, while he, an outsider, had been given it, seemingly out of the blue. But this man didn't know the whole story, and to be honest, Aang wasn't in the mood to be nice and explain it in a calm, civilized manner.
"He didn't tell me why you are leaving. Is it to do with Katara, and the fact she is miss-" Alqaok spoke, but Aang slapped a hand in front of his mouth before he could finish that sentence.
"Don't. You don't know who is listening." He hated it. He hated it so much. Being suspicious. Always watching over your shoulder… But if he had to do it to make sure she was safe… he would do it.
"But…"
"No but. Tell our friend that I'll be back as soon as possible. But that's it." With that, Aang quickly walked to the balloon.
He was going to find her, and Spirits help anyone who would try and stop him.
