Week 2

GON or Avatar I own neither

Aang resumed his training now made harder due to the fact GON now made it harder for him.

GON: Come on the harder things are the stronger you'll get.

Aang had a big rock on his back and GON was sitting on top of the rock, which made it ten times heavier, and his back was about to break.

GON: Move it what doesn't kill you makes you stronger.

Now Aang was forced to jog a mile with two rocks strapped to his knees with GON nipping at his heels.

GON: if you can't swim up a waterfall then we'll climb up a cliff with our teeth.

GON had zoomed up the waterfall no problem; Aang not so easy he paddled stroked and swam but only made it half way up before plummeting back down.

GON: NO air bending climb it with you're teeth like me!

Aang made it but his mouth would hurt for weeks after this.

GON: good work Aang take a five-minute break then we'll start again.

Aang: owie. He rubbed his back.

GON: come here. He laid Aang down on his stomach then with his nose pushed down on the center of Aang's back and it cracked.

Aang: Aowie oh ah Hay it feels better. He jumped up and stretched his arms out.

GON: sit down or your break is over.

Aang sat back down and did nothing energetic.

Five minutes later

GON: Be at peace with the lilies and bounce like this. He hopped across the lily pads without disturbing the water.

GON: If I see so much as a ripple you'll have to do it again.

Aang did this exorcize for over six hours before he made it across the water without disturbing it.

Aang: What was the point of that exorcize? He panted with a hint of anger.

GON: do not question my way of teaching didn't your previous teachers tell you that?

Aang: no they didn't actually.

GON: well that's too bad questioning the teachings makes the student doubt and doubt brings despair, which is followed by failure to pass; the point of the lilies will reveal themselves in time.

Aang: very well sifu GON.

GON: No need for that just call me GON. And by the way its time for the heat residence exorcise.

Aang: what? GON had led him to a hot spring.

GON: Stay in the water for a full 30 minutes. GON jumped in and closed his eyes.

Aang stripped down to his underwear and jumped in.

GON: now close your eyes and visualize yourself unable to be burned.

Aang concentrated but the humidity of the water made it very difficult to think.

Several minutes passed and Aang was finding it hard to stay down; ten minutes harder, fifteen minutes things were turning foggy, twenty minutes he passed out.

GON pulled him out of the water and placed him in the shade of a tree.

When Aang came to he sat up.

GON: Okay maybe that exorcise was a little too much for you that's okay no punishment this time.

Aang: I saw a bright light it was so beautiful I could hear singing it was like paradise.

GON: yup you definitely stayed in there too long now get dressed and we'll go eat.

Aang got dressed and they both headed back to camp.

GON: all in all you did very well but don't get too comfy you train with Toph tomorrow and Katara.

Aang: I like the sound of that. He said not really meaning it.

Campsite

Katara was once again sowing Sokka's pants; he tore them trying to catch a long eared rabbit.

Kali swatted at the thread and pranced around Katara.

Katara: I can't play now Kali I have to finish this.

Mo-mo tackled Kali and the two wrestled with each other.

Aang and GON came walking out of the trees.

Katara: OMG Aang what happened your all red! She dropped the needle and pants.

GON: Hot spring mishap sorry it was my fault.

Katara: how long did you make him stay in? She touched his arm and he flinched.

GON: too long I won't make him do it again so don't give me that look please.

She was giving him the death stare and he wasn't enjoying it.

Aang: I seriously need a nap let me know when we eat okay.

Katara: Okay. Go ahead and rest I'll wake you when we eat.

Aang: thank you he walked over to Appa and climbed up on his back lied down and fell asleep.

Katara: What were you thinking making Aang train in a hot spring for too long he could have died!

GON: I know I just didn't realize it until he passed out but like I said I wouldn't make him do it again.

Katara: maybe you shouldn't train Aang anymore.

GON: What? I have to my job here is to help you guys and I can't always fight for all of you like I did last week a time will come when you'll have to fight Azula without running away.

Katara: I know that, it just seems too dangerous to let Aang continue the way you train him.

GON: you know bending progress isn't the only important thing physical progress is important to if you only work with his bending his body may not be able to handle it and if his body can't handle it he could die; My training will build his body so that his power will not over power it.

Katara: I never looked at it that way.

GON: besides I've only trained him twice and I'll do it again next week.

Katara: Fine just go easier next time.

GON: of course I will I'm not cruel you know I know when enough is enough.

Katara: very well can you do me a favor?

GON: sure what is it?

Katara: go out and find some fruit for Aang; Mo-mo and Appa ate all ours. She handed him a basket.

GON: okay. He grabbed it in his mouth and walked off.

Katara continued sowing Sokka's pants.

GON walked around not knowing what to look for but knew what to avoid.

He picked sickle berries, Apples, and a melon. The basket was not yet full.

GON: Maybe there's something here I haven't eaten yet.

He looked around and sniffed the air and licked the soil.

He looked up into a tree and saw large peaches and his mouth watered.

He walked over and kicked the tree shaking out a bunch of them plus a hog monkey who screeched at GON.

GON stood there and glared.

The hog monkey backed off and ran away.

GON kicked the tree again and more peaches fell out; he filled the rest of the room in the basket and ate what was leftover.

GON: mmm. yummy. He licked the juice off his face and stood up.

He picked up the basket and headed back to camp.

Campsite

Katara: Wow GON you found a bunch good job.

Kali: (Mew) she pounced at GON.

GON licked her head and nuzzled her tummy.

Sokka: Okay after we eat we move on so get ready to go.

Katara: okay oh lord and master. She joked.

A few minutes later

Katara: Aang wake up dinnertime.

Aang: Haaagh I feel stiff and sore.

GON: A good meal will cure that. He hopped up onto Appa's back and gave Aang the melon.

Aang: All right a melon thanks. He broke it in half and ate as much as his stomach could hold.

GON: I'm sorry I made you work so hard I'll go a little easier next time.

Aang: no problem I'm okay. He said with a full mouth.

GON: I'm glad your okay and that you can at the very least survive my training because we train again next week.

Aang: yeah uh can we not do the hot spring thing again?

GON: Again I won't make you do it again that exorcise is too deadly for humans.

Aang: you are a good friend GON even if you're training is over the head.

GON: I'm glad you see me as a friend and not an animal.

GON hopped off of Appa and picked up Kali in his mouth.

Sokka: Okay lets go.

They packed up their things and readied for take off.

Toph: what about Zuko and Iroh?

Zuko: we'll follow from the ground if we can.

Aang: I hope we meet soon I'd like to learn that move.

Iroh: you will Aang you will.

Aang: Appa yip yip.

Appa: maarrgh.

Appa pumped his tail and they were off.

GON: Wow he can actually fly. He looked over at the ground.

Aang: don't bison were you come from fly?

GON: no they aren't even this big and they only have four stomachs.

Aang: really?

GON: really.

Katara: you're world is so different from ours and yet some of it is exactly the same.

GON: yes at least we know we're not alone.

12hourslater

Sokka: that looks like a good place to land. He pointed to a small rock gulch with a small ribbon of a stream flowing through the center.

GON: I don't know if it rains that gulch could flood.

Sokka: It won't rain my instincts tell me so.

GON: I'm an animal my instincts are better then yours.

Sokka: come on you couldn't forecast to save your life.

GON: I'll remember that when your getting your tail kicked by fire benders.

Toph: I say we land and try to at least get some breakfast down and besides that this sounds like a good place to drill Aang on his earth bending.

Katara: And maybe some water bending.

GON: very well I'm good to land lets go.

Appa flew into the gulch and landed firmly on all his feet.

They all climbed off Appa and unpacked a few things.

GON walks over to the stream and dips his head in and drinks his fill.

When he pulls his head out he looked upriver.

GON: I'm going for a walk I'll be back.

Aang: Okay don't get lost.

Toph: Okay twinkle toes lets see what you remember from what I taught you.

Aang repeated the training he had done with Toph a while ago.

Toph: Rock on! She bought some stone columns out of the ground and tried to trip up Aang.

Toph: Rock on! She raised two rock walls and covered her body in stone armor.

Aang also covered himself in rock armor and he and Toph charged each other.

They collided and their armors shattered.

Toph: good work Twinkie. She clapped his back.

Aang: Ow please it still hurts from yesterday.

Toph: Tsk you're such a winnie. She pushed him over but he grabbed her wrist and she fell on his chest.

There was a moment of staring then Toph pushed him away from her.

Toph: watch it next time. Her cheeks were turning red.

Aang: Uhh Yeah sorry. His cheeks were also turning red.

Toph: We- I- lets stop for today.

Aang: y-yeah should we go back to camp?

Toph: yeah back to camp.

A few minutes later

Katara: back so soon I thought you'd be longer. She looked up at them.

Toph: we finished early. She walked behind a rock and didn't come back out.

Katara: what happened?

Aang: nothing can we just practice water bending please?

Katara: sure thing. She stood up.

A few minutes later

They pushed and pulled then pushed and pulled again.

Katara: good Aang your better then ever try the wave.

Aang concentrated then pulled the water up into a wave ten feet high.

Katara: Great! I'm proud of you Aang you've mastered water with ease.

Aang: thank you sifu Katara. He bowed and she bowed back.

Katara: wait I've never taught you how to freeze water have I.

Aang: No you haven't.

Katara: Okay then that will be your final lesson.

Katara: freezing water is difficult but knowing you you'll probably do it the minute I show you, you see it takes patience and concentration when you bend the water (she pulls some water out of the stream) you have to cool you're inner fires that warm the body when this inner fire is cooled you breath. Her breath came out foggy and the water froze over.

Aang: wow cool. (Pun unintended)

Katara: now you try it.

Aang bended the water and concentrated hard on cooling his inner fires and he blew. No mist came out of his mouth but the water-cooled a little.

Katara: almost try again.

Aang repeated this step four times before getting it.

The final time the water froze into a nice glacial form.

Katara: well done I have nothing left to teach you.

Aang dropped the ice and sat down Katara sat next to him.

Katara: what's the matter?

Aang: some how I still don't fell confident enough to face fire lord Ozai.

Katara: (sigh) Aang I know you don't feel ready but the time will come when we have to face him and when that time comes you will win I know it.

Aang looked at her a smile playing across his face.

Katara: come on its lunchtime and I'm starving.

Campsite

Sokka had brought out the dried fish he had saved the day they had eaten that giant catfish and he brought out the fruit GON had gathered yesterday.

Sokka: he got a lot of Moon peaches they're usually out of season this late in the year.

Aang: that doesn't matter as long as he found them. He took a bite out of the large peach.

Toph: do any of you guys smell rain?

Sokka: no it's still the dry season.

(Thunder followed by lightning) rain begins to drizzle.

Sokka: okay so I'm wrong. They all pack up their things as fast as they can.

Aang: where's GON?

Sokka: I don't know I haven't seen him all day.

Aang: GON where are you. The sound of thunder was his only answer.

GON from a distance: ROOOOAAAAAAR!

Aang: he's gone up river.

The drizzle suddenly turned into a raging thunderstorm clouds blocked out the sun and wind howled threw the gulch.

They all got on Appa and flew toward GON's roar.

They saw him in a cave up on a ledge it looked big enough for all of them.

Aang flew Appa into the cave and they landed softly on the rock floor.

GON: I'm glad you all made it I found this cave a while ago.

Sokka: Aang can you get a fire going.

Aang: one fire coming up. He breathed in then a fire appeared in his hand.

Aang: is there any firewood?

Sokka checked the wood it was all wet.

GON: lucky I anticipated and brought some wood I found.

He saw the wood GON had brought and bunched some of it together.

Sokka: okay Aang take it away.

Aang threw the fire into the wood and instant campfire.

Toph, Aang, Katara, and Sokka gathered around the fire GON looked at the walls of the cave.

Aang: GON what's wrong?

GON: this cave is too smooth to be a natural formation its like it was gouged into the earth by some kind of claws.

Aang looked at the walls it was indeed smooth like a marble wall.

Something was looking at them from the far ledge seeing everything in red.

Aang: so what do you think did this.

GON: I have no idea.

Aang: well come on then the fire is warm.

GON turned around and walked over to them and the thing that was watching them slinked deeper into its hole.

Several hours past and the storm raged on.

GON: its nightfall and this storm refuses to let up.

Sokka was telling ghost stories he knew since he was a kid.

Sokka: and then the sound was so close they could all ready feel the monsters hot foul breath on their shoulders.

GON snuck up behind him and breathed on his neck making him scream and jump forward.

Aang and Toph laughed at him as Sokka chased GON around the cave.

Katara: we may be stuck here until morning.

Toph: I'm fine as long as it's dry.

Aang: me too I'll just lie here. Lies back with his hand behind his head.

Sokka threw a few more branches into the fire before he himself found a spot to lie down.

Katara lay next to him and Toph next to her.

Appa curled up on the floor and Mo-mo curled up on his head.

When they had fallen asleep the creature that had been watching poked its head out of its hole and watched waiting for its opportunity to strike.

Every now and again Sokka woke and fed the fire more wood.

Next morning.

No one stirred and the fire had burned out.

The creature had waited long enough it crawled out of its hole and moved toward the group.

It's claws reached for Aang.

GON: Roar! He head butt the creature and it flew into the wall.

The others had jumped awake at his roar and saw the creature that was barley even fazed by GON's head butt.

Aang: its a Hog-Scorpion I thought they were extinct.

Toph: apparently this one isn't.

The hog-scorpion roared a glottal squealing roar and raised its tail with its stinger slightly oozing venom.

Its head was like a wild boar with tusks to boot but from the neck down the rest was scorpion.

It rushed forward with its claws snapping.

Aang jumped out of the way but just barley.

Sokka there's no room for a fight in here let's get out. They all run out of he cave and jump down.

Appa landed with a Boom and turned around.

The hog-scorpion dove out of the cave after it's pray and landed quite gracefully.

From head to tail it was almost as big as Appa.

It leapt forward and snapped its claws at Katara who water whipped it across the head.

It hardly noticed the attack but recoiled when it felt a small sting in the eye.

Sokka threw his boomerang at its head; it bounced off pitifully but got its attention.

The hog-scorpion turned its head to him and belched out a cloud of green colored gas.

Sokka: Oh God it smells like dead fish and burned whale blubber. He dropped to one knee and covered his nose and mouth.

Seeing him defenseless the hog-scorpion attacked him but was rammed by Appa.

It got up and faced Appa who was being intimidating; but the scorpion wouldn't be driven back; it jumped forward landing on Appa's back and just as quick stung him.

Appa: MAARRGH. He tried in vain to buck the scorpion off his back.

Aang: Appa! He jumped forward and used his staff to make a force of air that spiked the scorpion clear off Appa's back.

Appa shook his head everything was getting fuzzy and blurry to him.

Toph threw a giant rock at the hog-scorpion but it just swats it aside with its claws.

Toph then makes a rock pillar shoot up under the scorpion flipping it on it's back.

It thrashed around trying to right itself.

Toph: now's our chance lets get out of here. She ran over to the others.

Aang: Appa are you okay boy?

Appa was very dizzy but he was able to walk.

GON: there up that ramp while we still have a chance. He pointed at a part of the gulch that had a ramp like incline.

Aang lead Appa to the incline with Sokka (who had recovered his boomerang) Toph, and Katara close behind.

Toph: Katara behind you!

Katara turned and was grabbed by the hog-scorpions claws.

She tried to wiggle free but its grip was too strong.

It raised its stinger and tried to bring it down but its tail wouldn't move.

It looked and saw GON with his teeth snapped shut on its tail and his feet dug into the ground.

The scorpion tried to pull harder but GON held fast refusing to let it have its way with Katara.

Sokka suddenly appeared with his club and smacked it over the head.

The shock of the blow made the scorpion let go of Katara who ran for it with Sokka right behind her.

Meanwhile

On the mouth of the gulch Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai were watching the whole battle.

Azula: I now see how we can get rid of that orange nuisance.

Ty Lee: How?

Azula: remember that dam we saw up river.

Mai: Ahh what a splendid idea.

Azula rode her pack lizard to the large wooden dam they had past earlier.

She concentrated then did several arm movements and fired a bolt of lightning at the dam.

The dam shuddered and began to crack; Azula fired another bolt of lightning.

The dam collapsed and water rushed out with a loud Whoosh.

Back to the Avatar group

GON had let go of the scorpion and ran for the safety of the ramp but the scorpion wasn't finished yet it gabbed GON's tail then threw him against the wall of the gulch.

GON jumped up and kicked it in the jaw; the scorpion in return clubbed him in the head with its claw.

Toph felt the water rushing toward them.

Toph: GON-GON The River!

GON looked at the corner and saw the giant wave of water rushing to him then he bit into the side of the gulch.

The water hit them both and the hog-scorpion was swept away by the rapid water.

It was all GON could do to hang on his mouth was cracking the rock side of the gulch.

Aang: Hang on GON I'm coming. He turned his staff into a glider and flew down to GON but before he could reach him the rock gave out and GON was swept away by the water.

He re-emerged trying to keep his head above the water but he couldn't and sank again.

Aang: Quick follow the river maybe we can still help him.

A few minutes later

GON's head had stopped breaking the surface.

Aang: GON where are you? He flew over the water looking for him.

Katara: GON come back. She was bending the water in hopes of finding his body

Sokka: GON don't drown on us please. He was sifting threw the water.

Toph: GON I warned you about the river why didn't you get out of there. She forced earth out of the river hoping to get something other then bits of wood.

Later they regrouped at the site they had set up camp.

Aang: did you guys find him?

They all shook their heads.

Aang: No! Not again I can't lose a friend again! He hit his staff on the ground.

Katara: I'm sorry Aang we tried but we couldn't find him.

Sokka had his face in his hands and was sitting next to the fire.

Toph leaned her back against a tree with her chin on her knees.

Aang: this just can't be.

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Well that's all for this chapter I hope to at least get two reviews before the next one.

GON has disappeared will he be all right? Find out in chapter four.