Rated T for Toph('s vocabulary) – I no own-y anythingy. I'm glad to see you have come back for another glass of tea. I do not know what brew this will end up being, but I repeat, it will not have Katara X Aang. That just isn't my cup of tea. Other parings yet to be determined.
Evening time Western Air Temple fountain courtyard…
Sokka poked at the last of the meat in his bowl. It was the last of the meat. Like, the last. Katara had used it all up while cooking dinner. The air was quiet. Their new earth kingdom friends sat with them around the fire. Teo and The Duke were chatting amicably to each other about their discoveries in the temple. The earthbender Haru was sitting next to Katara, trying to make small talk. Haru's disappointment and Sokka's relief, Katara seemed to not be paying much attention to the boy sitting next to her.
Aang poked at his rice in his bowl, "Has anyone seen Toph. I am getting worried. She has been gone a long time."
Teo looked over from his conversation with The Duke, "Maybe she is down in the tunnels. She does like being down there."
Haru countered, "I don't think so. I was down there all afternoon. If she was down there, she wasn't earthbending. It was too still."
Sokka saw worry flash across both Aang and Katara's faces.
Katara started to speak before trailing off, unable to finish the thought, "You don't think that she…"
Aang replies, "I really wish I could say I don't think she would, but you and I both know her too well to know that that is a real possibility."
Katara replied, "We have to go and look for her. She is all alone out there with that… that monster."
Aang's face turned pale at the thought.
Sokka tried to calm them down, "We don't know that… She could just be off being, well, Toph?" Unfortunately, it seemed to have the opposite impact.
"You just don't know Toph the way I do", Aang said at the same time as Katara, "Sokka, you really aren't the greatest when it comes to girls…"
He replied, "I suppose we could start organizing a search par… - Wait, what do you mean Katara. I know Toph is a girl?"
Katara just rolled her eyes.
A couple hours before just outside the Western Air Temple…
"I suppose I can stay for a little while.", she replied to the fire prince's offer. "But that doesn't mean that I forgive you for this", she said motioning to her feet. "And my trust is preliminary. I know when people lie. You too. And I knew you were not lying down there. But that doesn't mean that I will just give you unlimited blind faith."
He offered another apology, "I really am sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. You just shocked me."
She frowned at him, "Oh, give it a rest. Words mean nothing. Show me you mean it." After a short pause, she continued, "And I am surprised that you admitted that you were scared, Prince Hotpants."
His reaction was laugh worthy, and she wished she had full command of her senses to see all of it. He spluttered at her nickname.
She cocked her head to the side as she turned her face in his general direction, "What? I have a nickname for everyone."
He just sat in silence before she spoke again, "If you really have changed, then you have to fact the problem head on, Sparky. Now. Not tomorrow. Not next week. Right now. If you want to start putting your shitty past behind you, then damn well you better start doing so now."
Sparky replied, "I suppose you are right."
"Damn straight I'm right. I'm the greatest earthbender to ever live! Now get off your mopey sorry ass and get me back to the Western Air Temple", she ordered.
More spluttering from her newfound companion made her chuckle again, "If you keep that up, I am going to rename you Prince Chokes-a-Lot. Now obviously you are not the brightest candle in the candelabra, so let me spell it out for you. One: my feet are burned and there is no way I can get back to the Western Air temple on my own. Two: my family is going to be beyond pissed that you hurt me, so you are going to need me there to keep your princely ass safe from a total whooping. Three: If I am gone too long, Sweetness is going to go into protective mode and rope Twinkletoes and Snoozles into a search party. She might even get Macho Mustache in on it. So we need to G – O go."
This must have worked to inspire him to action because she could feel movement. He stood up and walked toward her. "I'm holding out my hand to help you up…", he snarked.
She waved her hand over her eyes, "Helloooo, blind here", then motioned to her feet, "And mostly missing all senses here. So if you could help me up. Like on your shoulders. Consider this part one of your penance. Consider it a restoration of your honour"
She heard him grumble under his breath before the sensation of nothingness took over. All she could feel were his hands around her sides as he set her up on his shoulders. She laughed and pointed forward, "Onward, my servant prince. Off to make your life even more miserable than it currently is!"
Zuko trudged toward the Western Air Temple. As he walked he considered the absolute absurdity of his current lot in life. Here he was, an exile again, this time without any chance at returning, with a blind earthbender on his shoulders bossing him towards the people in the world who hate him the most. That is, the people he is not related to that hate him the most.
As soon as they arrived at the rope he had used earlier that day, she spoke, "I should go down first. Alone. They might get the wrong impression if you show up with me injured. Sweetness doesn't need another reason to kill you."
He watched her shimmy down the rope. He thought back to when he tied that rope earlier. That felt like a lifetime ago. He wondered how he had made it to this point in life. He thought of the betrayal to his Uncle. There was no going back now. His Honour was gone. His birthright was gone. The only real family he had for years was gone. Through his internal monologue, he noticed movement on one of the lower ledges of the temple.
Quickly, he shimmied half way down the rope and made his way across the temple roofing. As he got closer, he recognized the assassin he had hired all those moons ago. Creeping along the ledge, Zuko could see the combustion bender was setting up for an assault. Zuko had studied the methodology of this particular assassin. He was skilled, efficient, and deadly. And he was about to take a shot.
Not thinking, Zuko leapt toward him as he took the shot. It was late, but it was enough to change the trajectory. The explosion hit the solid stone a couple meters off from the exposed group in the courtyard.
"Stop!", he commanded, but the combustion bender just stood silently. "I don't want you hunting the Avatar anymore. The mission is off. I am ordering you to stop. I command you to stop!"
The larger man fired another shot at the now empty courtyard.
"If you keep attacking, I won't pay you", he demanded while reaching out to bend a flame. The larger man grabbed his hand halfway through the motion, abruptly throwing the prince off balance. "Alright. I'll pay you double to stop."
The assassin continued to ignore the prince and took another shot. Zuko planted a kick toward the man's knee. The kick again caused the shot to fly wild. Obviously displeased with him, the assassin tightened his grasp on Zuko's wrist and pushed him toward the ledge.
Behind the wall in the Western Air Temple's fountain courtyard…
They had been arguing moments before about the status of Zuko and his supposed redemption, but that all changed when the shouting started. Or was it the explosion that happened first. Sokka couldn't recall. Despite a valiant effort by the group's benders, they were at a tactical disadvantage. Admitting temporary defeat, the four of them had retreated to the safety of the nearby hallway. He, Aang, and Katara all peaked around the corner just in time to see Zuko falling from the ledge that Combustion Man was on. As the prince fell, the combustion bender set his third eye toward them again. He reacted and pulled the other two back as just before the explosion occurred.
"I can't bend at him from behind here", Katara stated. Aang nodded in agreement.
"I still can't see enough to do anything", Toph said.
Another pressure wave followed by an explosion flew past them.
He reached for trusty boomerang, "I think I have a way to get a line on him. Don't fail me now trusty." That last half was only for boomerang. He looked at the crater from the last shot. As the pressure wave that forshadows the explosion passed by, he traced back the line, lining it up with the previous explosion line.
"Alright buddy, don't fail me now. Fly true", he called as he snapped his wrist, releasing his oldest weapon.
He held his breath as he waited for the thunk that would signify that it had made its mark. Then he heard it. A thwack of boomerang on skull, then soon after the sound of Boomerang skidding on the stone floor just outside the hall.
"Yeah, Boomerang!", he called as he stepped out to retrieve his trusty weapon. He looked over to see that Combustion man was rubbing his tattoo, but very much still standing. "Aww, Boomerang", was all he could muster before retreating behind the wall. He could clearly see the concentration on the other man's face. He closed his eyes, expecting the end to come.
The ensuing explosion did come, but it was not close. He warily peaked around the wall to see the building the assassin was standing on collapse. The only remaining sign of the assassin was a metal arm flying off into the distance. As he peaked around the corner, his trusted boomerang again came flying home to him. With a quick flick of his wrist, he snatched it out of the air. He turned around to find the rest of their travel companions had come up to inspect the explosive noise. Teo, Haru, and the Duke were carefully peaking around the corner.
"It's ok, guys. I've got everything under control", he reassured them. To his left, he heard his sister snort. Aang stepped out into the courtyard again.
"Where did Zuko go?", the young airbender asked, "He was up with Combustion Man while the fighting was going on."
"Hopefully he just left and took his sorry ass home", snapped his sister, venom dripping from every word.
"Do you really think that he would just give up like that? That isn't the Zuko that I know of. It certainly doesn't sound like the Zuko that you have told me of…", the tiny earthbender offered.
As if on que, a rustling sound came from the cliff face nearby where the explosive assassin had been standing. He looked toward the sound of the noise, as did his sister and Aang. Toph knelt down to press her right palm into the ground. The younger kids crept behind Haru, who put on a brave face and bended a small rock into the air cautiously.
The sound continued for a moment before a black mop of hair appeared, followed by the form of the disgruntled exiled prince. The fire prince dusts off his shirt before turning to face the assembled group.
Sokka heard the younger boys turn and retreat deeper into the Air Temple. The sound of the wheeled chair and The Duke's heavy footfalls were unique and hard to miss. "I will, uh, go keep an eye on them…", Haru coughed out before turning and departing as well.
And just like that, it was the four companions and their adversary. The exiled royal took a few short steps towards the group before stopping. Readjusting his boomerang for another toss, Sokka noticed that his sister had tensed up for battle. Her arms were both raised chest high, fingers splayed about. He noticed there was a steel to her eye that he didn't see often. Not that he would ever admit it out loud, his sister looked scary at this moment. Aang gripped his staff a little tighter, but was altogether less tense than the waterbender. Only Top seemed unmoved by the whole thing. He notice that the small earthbender neither assumed a stance nor even seemed worried. She just wandered toward a half broken wall and sat down.
For a tense moment, it looked like a follow up fight was about to break out. Only the sound of the wind rustling in the cliffs broke the tense silence. He stared down the fire prince, who hung his head low, draping his hair in front of his face. He presented his arms in front of himself at waist height, palms up, as if to say, "I am not looking for a fight, and I will not fight back if you are."
He stood that way for a over a few minutes before the silence was broken. Aang was the first to speak. "I can't believe I am saying this, but, thank you, Zuko", came the airbender's initial statement.
'Thank you, Zuko?!', Sokka thought to himself, 'I don't recall Zuko making an impossible shot using nothing but raw skill and mathematics. Humpfh'. He vocalized, "Hey, I did the thing with the boomerang.", but no one seemed to be paying any attention. Zuko and Aang were silently looking at each other, attempting to discern the other's motives. His sister stood ever at the ready, looking for the first moment to strike. Quite frankly, Sokka thought if he sneezed it might be enough to set her off. He noticed her right eye would occasionally twitch as she maintained her ready stance.
Standing opposite the small band of heroes…
After what felt like multiple eternities, Zuko broke the silence stalemate, "Listen, I know I didn't explain myself very well earlier. I've been through a lot in the past few years, and it's been hard. But I'm realizing that I had to go through all those things to learn the truth. The real truth. I thought I had lost my honour, and that somehow my father could return it to me."
He let out a small sigh crossed with a sarcastic chuckle. His shoulders dropped as his arms flopped down to his sides. "But now I know that no one can give you your honour. It is something that you earn for yourself, by yourself. By choosing to do what is right. And that is not always easy", he looked from Aang, who was watching him with curious intent over to Sokka. The warrior had relaxed his stance, but his face was still stone cold. His eyes were wary as he considered the prince's monologue.
"All I want to do now is play my part in ending this was, and I know it is my destiny to help you restore balance to the world", he paused to look over at Katara, who had not relaxed. Quite contrarily, she seemed even more angry as he continued to speak. He could see that she had developed a small twitch in her left eye as she stared him down. If looks could kill, he would be dead thrice over.
In order to break the tension, he looked over at the small earthbender. Shame washed over him again as he thought of the pain that he had just caused to someone who had wanted nothing but to speak to him. Risking a full out assault by Katara, he pulled his left palm over his right fist and bowed deeply before Toph. He spoke from the bowed position, "I am so sorry for what I did to you. It was an accident. You had scared me, and I reacted badly."
He stood tall and turned back towards Aang, "Fire can be dangerous and wild, and so can firebending. I need to be more careful and in control of my power. So I don't hurt people unintentionally."
A pregnant pause hung in the air as the Avatar considered the prince's statements. "I think you are supposed to be my teacher. When I first tried to learn, I burned Katara, and after that I never wanted to firebend again. But now I know that you know how easy it is to hurt the people you love. I'd like you to teach me.", the Avatar replied. He bowed to Zuko in the traditional fire nation fashion.
Zuko felt a flash of relief pass over him. He let out a breath he forgot he was holding. He exclaimed in a rather un-princely manner, "Thank you. I'm so happy you've accepted me into your group!"
Just as quickly as the relief come, it was gone as the Avatar spoke again, "Not so fast. I still have to ask my friends if it's okay with them. They have been with me since I started this journey, and I need their input."
Aang turned to address Toph, "Toph, you're the one that Zuko burned. What do you think?"
Toph made a large show of thinking over the answer. Her face was stoic, but her sightless eyes seemed to twinkle mischievously. Suddenly, she smashed her right fist into her left palm in a rather violent manner. "Go ahead. Let the fluffy fire-prince join. It'll give me plenty of time to get back at him for burning my feet." Zuko wasn't sure how to feel about the borderline evil grin that was plastered across the blind bender's face.
Aang then addressed the elder water tribe sibling, "Sokka?"
Zuko turned his gaze to the other boy, awaiting his reply. Unlike Toph, Sokka answered quickly and succinctly, "Hey. All I want is to defeat the Fire Lord. If you think this is the way to do it, then, I'm all for it."
Knowing what was yet to come, a large cloud of dread fell over Zuko. Aang turned to the younger sibling, and addressed her, "Katara?"
Her name hung in the air as a question. Zuko could see her face contort in assorted emotions: fear, hatred, loathing, sadness, and anger. His nervousness grew exponentially as he watched his fate with this new group rest in the face of his old enemy. He began to sweat nervously as he awaited he answer. The silence continued to grow, and he was almost certain she would reject him. And if she rejected him, then her brother would as well. And if both of them rejected him, then the Avatar would reject him for sure. Then he would have no where to go. He couldn't go home, he wouldn't be allowed to follow the Avatar, and Uncle was imprisoned. He dropped his head in shame. Just as he was about to turn away, her voice broke the stillness of the air, "I'll go along with whatever you think is right, Aang."
He jumped in excitement and relief, "I won't let you down. I promise!"
Katara turned inward and disappeared into the temple. Aang and Sokka approached Toph, who stood up. Aang said, "Zuko can sleep down the hall from us."
Sokka replied, "I will take Toph back to her room, then show Zuko to his. Come along Zuko." Sokka stopped to put his hand on Toph's forearm to help guide her. Zuko would have sworn that the slightest ghost of a smile tugged at her lips when Sokka's hand met her forearm. They delved into the temple, and after a few moments of walking, Sokka let Toph know they were at her room, "This is your door, Lady Bei Fong."
She thanked him by elbowing him sharply in the gut and entered her room. She swung the door shut sharply behind her with a bang.
Sokka looked over to Zuko, "I can't imagine that you came here with just yourself and that rope. Take me to your camp so that I can help you get your stuff here."
Zuko replied with a mumbled grunt and nodded in the affirmative. They walked in awkward silence back to the rope in the courtyard. Both shimmied up and Zuko took the lead toward the forest.
In an effort to break the silence, Sokka spoke, "Do you have any meat in your provisions. I am just starving. I haven't had a good meal in like three whole days."
Just outside the Western Air Temple, in the clearing with Zuko's camp…
Sokka marveled at the sight before him. It wasn't the burnt out fireplace, nor the odd assortment of camp equipment. Zuko's haphazardly assembled tent was not of much interest either. No, what was interesting was the war balloon. It was deflated at the edge of the clearing.
In its current state, you could hardly tell it was little more than a canvas blob. Its red body was draped over the passenger basket, leaving half of the emblem of the imperial reconnaissance squadron visible.
He hated the fire nation and what they had done for the last century, but he had to admit that their technology was impressive. Even if it was built of the back of the Machinist and his own work. A device that can make anyone fly, regardless of situation.
He thought of the other things that the jerkbender nation had come up with. Iron clad ships, landships made out of metal that moved across the earth, and one stupidly annoying drill.
"I wonder what the world would look like if they would try doing something good for a change", he thought aloud to himself.
A sarcastic laugh emerged from Zuko's half dissembled tent. "What do you think I am trying to do?", the prince replied to Sokka's unintentional statement.
Caught off guard, Sokka answered honestly, "I honestly don't know. You and Toph could be right, and you are just here to teach Aang jerkbending and then get out of our lives forever. My sister thinks that you are going to wait until we are all asleep and betray us again. She never has told us why she hates you so much. I mean, we all hate you, but she reeeeaaally. Hates. You.", he replied, drifting off onto a tangent. The silence being too much, Sokka continued rambling, "You could be trying to infiltrate us to send coded messages back to your family". Zuko visibly flinched at the mention of his family, but Sokka was too enveloped in his growing conspiracy theory to notice. "Or, you could be teaching Aang the wrong jerkbending to make him weaker. Or poison our food. Or destroy my maps. Or try to use your jerkeyness to convince us to join you by joining us. Or maybe you are just jealous that we continued to outsmart you for that long."
Obviously pleased with himself, Sokka let his ramble die off and went to inspect the balloon. The canvas was a sturdy quality and quite heavy. He heaved it up with a grunt and the bucket underneath became visible. It wasn't large in any sense of the word. Big enough for three or maybe four people, if you were really comfortable with each other. What was most confusing to Sokka was the lack of a coal or wood basket. How it this thing supposed to even fly if it doesn't have any heat to inflate the balloon.
As he was marveling at the balloon, a sharp gust of wind pulled the canvas back down, enshrouding the boy in darkness. "Ugh", he groaned as he felt around for the exit of the passenger basket.
"Hey, um, where did you go? I am ready to go", came the cautious voice of Zuko. "Great, don't tell me you left me here in the forest and moved everyone. Do you know how hard it was to find you the first time? Aagh. Why. Is. It. So hard. To. Just. Do. The. Right thing", he grumbled.
By that point, Sokka had just managed to extract himself from the innards of the war balloon. "Look, I knew you are crazy, but this is a whole new level for you. I mean, I have never left you camp. Hey, did you find any meat? I'm starving."
Looking around, he could see that the prince had broken camp fast. The tent was packed up and held underneath the prince's left arm. A bundle was tied to the back of the tent that Sokka assumed contained the rest of the prince's possessions. He could just see the hilt of a blade strapped across the jerkbender's back. In the prince's right hand was a small open container with the lid ajar. A strangely enticing smell wafted from it.
"I forgot I had a little more. I don't know if you'll like it… It's cayenne fireflake jerkey. Powerful stuff.", the prince offered as he started back in the direction of the temple. The only things left in the camp were the balloon and a spot on the ground where the fire had been.
"How do I know that you didn't poison it?", Sokka asked as he grabbed a strip and stuffed it in his mouth.
Zuko rolled his eyes and retorted, "I would eat one, if it would make you feel better. But what reason would I have to poison my own tiny food supply?"
Sokka replied, "That is exactly what a subtle poisoner would want me to think. But this is good. In a painful kind of tongue burning way. Have any more?" He looked over at the prince, who in turn shook his head in the negative.
"That was the last of it. You don't have much time to pack when you leave as fast as I do…", came the reply.
They returned in silence, only the sounds of the forest echoing on the wind.
A little later, in the hallways of the Western Air Temple…
Zuko shook his head, 'The water tribe warrior is a strange one. Are all water tribe people this odd. His sister is, for sure. But he accused me of trying to poison him in the same breath he used to inhale the last of my food…'
His thoughts were interrupted by said blue clad warrior, who was now eating a piece of bread. "I thought I lost you for a minute there", he prattled on cheerfully through the crumbs.
'You mean when you took off into the temple to look for food, leaving me completely alone?', he thought to himself. Biting back the sharp remark, Zuko replied, "Well, you are here now, so, how about helping me to my room?"
A little while later, they stood before a row of doorways. Sokka explained who's room was who's, "Well, this one is Teo's, that one is The Duke's, Haru, Myself, and now you!". He tapped on each door lightly as he walked past them. At Zuko's he pushed the door open, and it opened with a soft creak.
Zuko nodded to the other boy as he dropped his tent and sack on the floor. They fell into a heap, with stuff falling out, but he didn't care. All he did was flop onto his bed and embrace sleep.
His dreams overtook him, of the last time he was at this very location. He recalled having searched the building high and low for any signs of life. Ever tower, room, storage closet, and corner were checked and checked again. Overlooking the river deep below, he mused on his fate.
"If I have to, I will spend every day of the rest of my life hunting the Avatar. I know it is my destiny to capture him", he declared proudly to the desolate ruins. His Uncle's had patted onto his left shoulder as his Uncle let out a soft chuckle.
"You know, Price Zuko, destiny is a funny thing. You never know how things are going to work out. But if you keep an open mind and an open heard, I promise you will find your own destiny some day", came his Uncle's cryptic words of wisdom.
"Uncle, I know my destiny", Zuko snarked back, "It is to capture the Avatar. Then I can claim my rightful place at Father's side at the helm of the Fire Nation"
Zuko's room in the Western Air Temple, the following morning…
He woke from his slumber to find all of his stuff splayed about on the floor. He rolled off of the bed and rummaged through the meager pile of his belongings. Picking up a portrait of his Uncle, he delicately set it on the small table next to his bed. "I'm so sorry.", he whispered to his Uncle's portrait, pain obvious on his nearly inaudible whisper.
He gently ran his fingers over the top of the frame for a moment before he heard a noise behind him. Turning slowly, he saw the younger water tribe sibling standing in his doorway. Her face was set in a scowl, and her arms were tightly crossed across her chest.
"You might have everyone else here buying your… transformation. But you and I both know you've struggled with doing the right thing in the past", she began a tirade, approaching the cornered firebender. "So let me tell you something. Right here, right now. You make one step backward, one slip-up, give me one reason to think you might hurt Aang", she continued as she was leaning in towards his face. He stood his ground, not moving towards nor away, but just standing still. "You won't have to worry about your destiny anymore. Because I'll make sure your destiny ends… right then and there. Permanently"
