A/N. Oh… I'm back! I gave the Suki POV a try! Not to sure about it, but it helped to set the stage for the Ember Island Players!
Next chapter, it begins…
I don't own Avatar the Last Airbender.
"What the fuck?" She heard Sokka's voice speak, as the Kyoshi Warrior was looking at the market stall with vegetables.
It was three days after their last visit to town… Meaning that that comet was coming in nine days… Nine days. Suki didn't know exactly what it meant, but what she did know was, from what the water tribe boy had told her… That it was powerful. Powerful enough that it wiped out the Air Nomads last time it came around. No… That was wrong. It gave the firebenders immense power. And it had been them who wiped out Aang's people…
"What is it?" She turned to the young man, who was staring wide eyes towards the wall next to the stall. Looking towards it, she saw a poster… And felt her own mouth fall open wide.
No…
The Boy in the Iceberg…
Spirits, what was it now?
"Ah, you want to go see the Players? They perform at the Fire Lord Sozin Cultural Center. Here, I have a pamphlet!" The vegetable vendor handed her a paper, and Suki couldn't do anything else then take it. Spirits, she hoped that the man wouldn't look too closely at Sokka… For his representation on the poster on the wall… Was quite well done.
"Thanks…" She said to the man, while looking at the pamphlet.
The Boy in the Iceberg is a new production from acclaimed playwriter Pu-on Tim, who scoured the globe gathering information on the Avatar, from the icy South pole to the heart of Ba Sing Se. His sources include singing Nomads, pirates, prisoners of war and a surprisingly knowledgeable merchant of cabbage, brought to you by the critically acclaimed Ember Island Players.
"Ehm… Wang?" Suki nodded her head towards a quieter corner of the marketplace, where people couldn't overhear them. Sokka nodded and followed her. Sitting down on the small wall there, the Kyoshi Warrior handed him the paper. As she watched his ice blue eyes scour over the text, she sighed.
This was going to be a problem… And certainly, after the small lull of problems they had had these last few days. Suki had to hide a smile as she remembered the morning after their escapade to town. Aang and Katara had come down early in the morning, for the airbender had firebending training with Zuko. They had looked quite nervous, as if they thought someone had heard them…
Of course, only Suki had, but she had chosen not to say anything about it. It wasn't her business, and she actually found it quite endearing. Those two were so very shy about their feelings, but the looks and the small touches she had observed these last few days made her think it was not the same when the two were together.
She hadn't heard any other… noises… coming from the couple's bedroom, so Suki suspected they had not done anything else, in fear anyone would hear them. Smiling at that, she shook her head. Ever since their last visit to town, Zuko had insisted on constantly training Aang, so perhaps the airbender was just too exhausted to do anything.
"A knowledgeable cabbage merchant? Don't make me laugh, we saw him three times, that's all! Alright, he insisted on the death penalty for destroying his cart that once, but still!" Sokka sounded indignant.
"Seriously? What did you do to his cart?" Suki spoke, surprised that the part about the merchant was actually true.
"Aang landed a box of the Omashu delivery system on it… But really, this is not that bad… is it?" Sokka sounded dubious, and the Kyoshi Warrior could understand that. It was kind of bad… If the actors were well cast. If even one resembled the person they were playing… And the whole island would visit the play… That would mean it wasn't safe to stay here.
"I don't know…" She sighed. Rubbing the sides of her head with her palms, Suki couldn't help but worry. What if this meant that someone had already recognized them? If this pamphlet was to be believed, the play was already there for over two weeks. If they had been reconziged during their evening visit to the town…
That was three days ago. Three days… enough to make the authorities aware of the danger, and more than enough to have warned the Fire Lord in the Caldara. Of course he would know exactly who would have led them here, and he would come for Aang and Zuko.
Or perhaps only for Katara. Hakoda had warned them that Ozai was now aware of what the waterbender meant to Aang. And that was a problem. The Fire Lord probably knew he couldn't take them all on, even with an army behind him. They were young and few in numbers… But Suki suspected that if this group let loose their combined powers… Spirits, it would be a bloodbath for the Fire Nation.
So, the best strategy their enemy could apply was stealth. Her training as a Kyoshi Warrior had taught her that often, stealth was more effective than brute force, and directing the enemy weak point against them was always to be preferred, instead of attacking them head on. And as much as she hated the Fire Nation… and Azula in particular… They weren't fools.
They would wait until Aang was relaxed and thinking that he was safe here on Ember Island… And then, one night, a small group of firebenders would try and sneak into the villa. That was the best plan to defeat them, and Suki knew it.
"Also thinking about how they would attack us if they knew we were here?" Sokka interrupted her thoughts, and, looking up, Suki saw him pace in front of her.
"Stealth. That is what I would do." She sighed.
"Yeah… me too. But what if this was just a play? Not a clever trap to make us afraid?" The water tribe began his pacing anew. Suki hadn't thought about that. The play could indeed be a trap… It could make the whole island into an army of bounty hunters…
"Surely it isn't…" She spoke hesitantly, but Sokka waved a hand.
"Fire Nation cultural events are… rare… If Aang is to be believed, before the war, they were quite a festive people apparently. But we have seen what the propaganda has done… Everything is regulated. There isn't a play or a song the government doesn't know about or has approved or banned."
Ah… That was bad. That meant that the play was probably authorized by the regime. Meaning that it wouldn't be good for them… The events would probably be altered into a bad light, and it would make sure to make them appear as the bad guys…
"So, a propaganda piece that has the potential to screw us over…" She shook her head. It wasn't a trap, probably… But it still made it dangerous to be here.
"We could… go to it. And assess the situation ourselves." Sokka suggested, making her look up. Even Suki could feel her eyes widen, surprised by the sheer stupidity of that plan.
"No! Are you crazy? They are looking for us! And if they have done just a half-decent job of casting, as the poster would suggest, we are fucked!" She objected, but Sokka nodded.
"I know, but if we don't go, we won't know what to expect. If it is just a complete farce, it is safe to stay here… And if it is a trap, at least we would know beforehand! It is the only option!" He spoke, and the Kyoshi Warrior could see the truth in that…
Letting her hands slip underneath her chin, she let her face rest on her knuckles as she thought it over. True, the Fire Nation didn't really need to find them, truth be told. They were defeated and presented only a small threat. But they were the last serious threat. So it would make sense if they put some resources into finding them, but much more in the preparations of whatever they would do once that comet came.
And they would surely try and make Aang the bad guy in their version of history. Sokka had told her that after the fall of Ba Sing Se, it had happened that Fire Nation soldiers had mocked the airbender and his culture… But would they know that the Avatar was alive? Sure, the soldiers during the invasion had probably seen the airbender, but would they have been permitted to speak the truth? Surely not.
Meaning that, to a large part of the Fire Nation, the Avatar was still dead.
And their enemies would surely want to keep it that way… So why tell the whole population of an island that the Avatar was still alive? No, the play would probably end at the death of the Avatar at the hands of Azula. That storyline would make sense…
"If there is the slightest hint of danger…" She began but was cut off.
"We will make sure that Appa is already packed before in case we need to flee the theatre. We just have to make sure the play isn't dangerous to us…" Sokka spoke quietly, as a couple of Fire Nation youth walked past them. The man, not much older than they were, looked at her with a barely hidden hunger. Suki rolled her eyes, looking at the girl next to the man. She looked miserable, to be honest. As if she really didn't like the guy but was forced to put up a façade. Which she probably was.
This country… it was so fucked up. Sure, Suki had seen things during her time at Ba Sing Se… But this country, the people were just so miserable. So, so very miserable… And it made her heart ache, thinking of the countless of people who had lost so much happiness for the ambition of a handful of people…
"The others can't know…" She spoke quietly, "They would worry. We should just make it appear if it is a fun activity idea. If we arrive at the theatre, a bunch of young people, looking fearfully over our shoulders… No, we need to give the impression we are relaxed. And that is easiest if most of us are. So… We need to lie." She hated to even suggest lying to their friends, but it was the better option.
Sokka sighed in front of her, nodding. But he didn't say anything, just paced a bit more.
"Aang can't know. Katara can't know. Toph and Zuko, perhaps. Those two would be more relaxed, but Aang and Katara… No. They don't need that at this moment." Suki spoke. She needed to protect the little peace those two had at this moment. Because ever since she had joined them again, at the temple… The airbender had been racked with grief, and after that, Katara had cracked.
No… Now, they had a little peace. Maybe the last they would have for a long time. And Suki didn't have the heart to take that away from them. How could she?
"Agreed. They seem… at peace. Something I rather missed since the Invasion… After the debacle with the necklace…" Sokka muttered, but the Kyoshi Warrior looked up. What?
"What do you mean, necklace debacle?" Sure, Katara wore that blue choker everywhere she went, and if she didn't wear it, it was in her pocket… So, what had happened?
"Oh… ehm… nothing!" Yeah, he was clearly lying. Standing up, Suki closed the small distance between her and the water tribe man. Looking into his ice blue eyes, she saw the hesitation.
"Sokka…"
"Alright, alright… Ehm… Necklaces… are kind of… important in the Water Tribes. They symbolize commitment… And are given to a woman you want… you want to marry… And Air Head… Gave one to Katara."
Suki couldn't help it, but her lips parted in astonishment. They had done what now? Seriously, were those two… betrothed? Spirits, that was so dangerous! If the Fire Nation found out! They already knew that the whole domestic army of their enemies was hunting the waterbender, and if they knew about this…
"When did that happen? Katara already wore that necklace at Kyoshi Island." Suki didn't understand, the waterbender had worn that necklace as long as she had known her… Aang had surely not given it to her the moment after breaking free from the iceberg, had he…
"Oh no! No, that was our mother's… Gran gave it to her, after… well, after what happened to Mom." Sokka explained, and Suki felt a slight pang in her heart. She couldn't imagine how that would have been for Katara, when she was around… eight, nine years old? How was giving the necklace of her mother good for a child? But then again… She had seen how the Water Tribe people were though people, passionate and caring… Maybe it had been a good thing?
But then… Katara didn't wear another necklace… Oh…
That was the necklace debacle. Sokka's sister had said no to the airbender.
"What happened?" She needed to know.
"Well, before the invasion… Aang gave her a necklace. He thought that at the end of the day, the war would be over… And he told me he wanted to spend the rest of his life with her. So, he gave it… but Katara kept it during the Invasion, and gave it back at the Air Temple… I don't know any more than that, but their relationship took a hit."
Well, if that was the case, they had moved on, if their "activities" from a few nights ago were to be believed. But Katara had been right. It was too dangerous to accept such a commitment during the final part of the war.
"Well… It isn't important now, is it?" Suki asked, taking the water tribe man's hand. Sokka looked surprised at her, but at the same time, she saw the slight smugness in his eyes. Yeah… Suki was getting fed up with the awkwardness between them. Maybe it was because Sokka was clearly reluctant to dive headfirst into… well, anything. She wouldn't call what they had a relationship. But it had the potential to blossom into something meaningful… If only they could move past the embarrassment of their rather… unlucky first try.
She had been all hot and bothered, when Zuko had barged into the tent, asking about Sokka's dead mother. And if there was something that stopped the mood in its tracks… Well, it was talking about dead family members. And after that, it had become awkward…
Suki suspected that Sokka had gone to Aang for advice, because what was happening now had the whole evade and ignore the problem vibe that Katara had talked about that night at the Serpent's Pass. She had said it was typical for the airbender… And now that it was happening to her, Suki couldn't say she liked this.
No… She was much more direct and opener. She liked to tell people what she was feeling, what she wanted… And what she needed. Perhaps it was also because Sokka was very probably not very experienced. He had told her that there hadn't been any girls his age at his home… And well, she had drawn her own conclusions from that.
"Yeah… We'll have to go back, and present it to the others… As a fun outdoor activity." Sokka rolled his eyes, but she still saw the little smile. Yeah… Underneath the slight shyness, he was quite proud at the fact that clearly, she wanted him.
Still holding his hand, Suki followed him towards the town gate that led towards the path on which the Fire Lord's villa stood. As they walked through the street, she couldn't help but admire what the Fire Nation had built here. She had heard Aang and Zuko talk about this place at dinner. Apparently, during Aang's youth, it had been the headquarters of some pirates, but also the place where the widow of Avatar Roku had lived, surrounded by her children. The Kyoshi Warrior couldn't imagine why a rich, and probably quite popular person, would choose to stay with pirates. But perhaps she had not trusted Sozin… And rightfully so.
Zuko had explained to them that it had been his grandfather, Azulon, who had scoured the island of its smugglers and pirates and made it into the resort it was today. He hadn't said so, but Suki rather suspected that it had been done so that the Fire Lord had one place on which the nobility gathered for the summer. And in the relaxed atmosphere of a "vacation", it was easy to control the clans and the rich.
As they passed the gates, Suki was surprised to see two guards at either side of the gate. They had not seen any soldiers here until now…
"I saw." Sokka whispered before she could say anything. His hand grabbed her fingers more tightly, and the Kyoshi Warrior could nearly feel the worry.
What were soldiers doing here? Had they… had they already been betrayed, and were they closing off the island? No… There would be more soldiers than just two if they knew that the Avatar and the disgraced crown prince were here.
"Probably just routine." She murmured quietly in the water tribe man's ear. Had to be…
"Well, let's just move as if nothing is amiss…" Sokka sounded stressed, and they quickly moved towards the path that led to their hiding place. Looking over her shoulder one more time, Suki saw the soldiers lean on their spears, quite clearly bored out of their minds. Yes… Routine. If they were really here to hunt them down, they wouldn't act like that.
"What were they doing here? Zuko said that no soldiers were allowed on the island." Sokka spoke as they separated from the others on the path.
"Maybe in an effort to secure the country, Ozai lifted the ban?" Suki suggested. That was the only viable explanation…
"Yeah… perhaps. Still, it worries me. That means that he is preparing something… for the comet." The water tribe man sighed, "I really hope I'm wrong… But I think he'll attack the North Pole. If he can defeat Aang… The next Avatar will be born there. And they are the only country he hasn't already under his boot."
Sui bit her lip. Sure, the Earth Kingdom had fallen… But still, large parts were not under constant occupation. She suspected that even some remote parts, like the jungles of Chameleon Bay, or Kyoshi Island were not even aware of the Fire Nation "victory". So, that was a possible target as well. Submitting the Earth Kingdom, once and for all.
But attacking the North Pole made sense too… if Aang died… The Avatar would be reborn in a place where there was a possibility for waterbenders. Meaning that the Avatar Spirit would choose the North... And if Ozai managed to wipe out most of the water tribe…
Spirits, why did the gods and spirits permit such a thing to exist? That comet… Sozin's Comet. In the Earth Kingdom, it was a legend… A legend, how the firebenders had used it to start the war… Only a handful of people had actually seen it…
And those handful had all agreed on one thing. The Fire Nation needed to be ended before they could do it again.
"We need to calm down." She said, stopping in her tracks as in the distance, the villa came into view, "Toph will sense us lying about how cool it would be to visit this play. So, she'll need to be told before. Zuko will be training Aang, so no problems from there… The only wild card is your sister. If she hears us talking to Toph…"
"She won't. She'll be circling the courtyard. Even though she kind of forgave Zuko… I don't expect her to stop doing that. No, Katara will be where Aang is." Sokka also stopped walking, putting a hand to his chin.
That was true… The waterbender had spent her days in a very consistent way. Mornings, she had helped with making the house liveable, her afternoons had been spent outside, watching Zuko and Aang train… And the evenings, she had gone to her room with the airbender, and each time Suki had walked past the door of their room, she had heard the soft whispers.
It was clear that Katara was not ready to let Aang go to war…
"First, let warn To…"
"Warn Toph about what?" The hard voice of the blind girl suddenly sounded, and, looking towards the path, Suki saw the earthbender stand on the sandy surface, surrounded by small sand statues… Some depicted things that Suki knew, such as trees, rocks and even a small miniature of the villa. But there were also things she didn't really understand.
On the left stood a small platypus-bear, but it looked… wrong. And there was also the statue of several people, but even though Suki suspected it was them, their friends… She also saw that the figures were slightly wrong, as if Toph could make out exact shapes for some people. She recognized Katara, hair loopies and all… But Aang looked as if he had been made from a long distant memory…
Twinkletoes… Of course. Toph couldn't sense him as well…
"We saw a pamphlet!" Sokka spoke, way too cheerful, and presented the blind girl with the paper. Spirits… Suki put a hand to her forehead, knowing she shouldn't say it…
"Are you dumb? Really Meathead…" Toph just sighed, waving a hand in front of the misty green eyes.
"Oh… hehe… sorry… But there is a play about us." Sokka blushed.
"Really? Cool!" Toph grinned.
"No, not cool. It could be a trap. Or a way to make everyone look for us… We want to go, see for ourselves what it is…" Suki intervened. If she didn't, this would take all afternoon…
"Still, cool! Does this mean I'm finally going to understand the whole he fucked the water tribe princess rumour?" The blind girl grinned wickedly in her direction, and Suki felt a slight pang in her heart. What? What was that about?
"I… I… Tui and La, Toph…" Sokka muttered.
But he didn't object! What was that? Had he really… and, in that case, why was he acting the blushing virgin with her? It was… weird. But Suki didn't say anything. It wasn't her place to judge, even though she too would like to understand that rumour.
"Just asking! But sure, let's go. It will be fun! At least, more fun than feeling Katara get excited each time she watches Twinkletoes bend." Toph gagged.
"Please shut up…" the water tribe man next to her groaned, and Suki smiled. So that was why Katara went to watch the training each afternoon… Not to keep an eye on the prince. No… To check out Aang. Spirits, that was great!
"Hey, just telling the truth…" Toph pulled her shoulders up, in a clear sign of carelessness.
"Yeah, yeah, please shut up about it all the same. Aang and Katara can't know why we are going. They have to believe it is just for fun." Sokka waved his hands around.
"Why not?"
"Because… If we are wrong, and it is just some Fire Nation propaganda… I don't want to ruin the little peace they have at this moment. The Spirits know that it won't last that long… So why not give them this?" The water tribe man sighed.
"Oh… You do have a heart in there." The blind girl laughed, then nodded, "Sure, why not… But I'm only going for two reasons! I want dirt on all of you, and I want to know who they cast as me!" And with that, the sand statues dissolved and Toph walked away, laughing aloud.
"Well… That was interesting…" Suki shook her head. But Toph was right… if this wasn't a trap by the Fire Nation… It could be a good way to find out some stuff about the others… If any of the play was true, of course…
Well, only one way to know for sure.
Answers:
Kalaong: Yeah, I like the rather kinky Kataang chapters. I throw in the slight shyness just because I think it would be something they would do. But at the same time, they would want to go to town with each other.
Rak: Yeah, if you think about it, it is tragic. They both expect this is their last chance… Their last moment to be just together. But at the same time, they have so much bottled up feelings that they can't help themselves, and need a release. And of course, that is all going to have a role in the next chapters…