A/N 02/08/21 Oh my God. So many errors. Must. Rewrite. NOW!
I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender
It was a solemn and silent flight from the Western Air Temple. Even escaping from Ba Sing Se did not hurt so much. True, they had then lost the great capital of the Earth Kingdom and Aang was brought to the very edge of death, but he was still there. He still in the saddle. Katara held him, healed him. They could see him, touch him. This time was different. Zuko was gone. Gone. Removed. Absent forevermore. They could not reach out and touch him, feel his breathing, his pulse. There was nothing to heal, nothing at all.
What can one do against emptiness like that?
Suki was the most unaffected. Of the members of their group, she had spent the least time with the banished prince. The two times she had met the man had been polar opposites, so was the man. The first time was when the warlord burned down her home in a search for the Avatar, all rage and fire. When they met again, he was helping to break her out of prison. That time he was calmer, more wistful, and surprising in the depth of his desire to help. She and him had not gotten the chance to talk much since then, not enough to be friends, enough not to be enemies.
She had also spent the most time as a warrior and a leader. Losses could not be avoided. Neither could the hurt.
Being the most detached of them, she was in the best position to observe and comfort her friends. Sokka, her brilliant, goofy, sarcastic, and sometimes stupid, boyfriend sat staring off into the distance. He tried to act like he was keeping watch. She wondered if he did not them want them to see his face, or see theirs. No doubt he would be watching the moon again tonight.
Aang was perched on the back edge of the saddle. He said he had to mediate. Suki could see the tremors running through his slight frame. As powerful as he was, she hated the idea of a twelve-year-old carrying the weight of the world, a hundred years of war. Damn this war, she thought. She considered going to him, but knew that she was not the one he wanted comfort from.
It was Toph that worried her the most. Their little blind runaway had surprising built a rapport with Zuko. Maybe it was the shared experience of coming from broken homes, or something in their personalities. None of them really knew for sure. Suki would often come across them spending time together. Usually Zuko would be, in a mostly patient manner, trying to explain something to Toph, while she would try, and usually succeed, in annoying him and getting a rise out him. This would be followed by her begging/demanding that he carry her due to her feet hurting so badly, despite Katara healing them weeks again. He always gave into her. It was adorable.
The two had also found a sparring partner in each other. They seemed to admire the unwavering determination both earth and firebending required. It was convenient as well. Zuko could not go all out versus Aang while trying to teach him, not to mention Katara probably would have killed him. He and Sokka managed to spar a few times with their mutual love of swords, but the latter was usually busy "planning" …or busy with Suki. And he could not spar with Katara without risking his life. Toph was more than happy to fill that void. So happy in fact, that Aang and Haru had to repair the courtyard five times. Five.
Normally, the Kyoshi Warrior could not help but admire Toph's spirit. Sometimes she seemed more a force of nature than a little girl. Now, that spirit and bluster was all gone. Gone along with her friend. Toph was curled up, her arms wrapped around her legs, with her dirty toes sticking out. Her bangs may have hidden her tears, but Suki knew they were there. Suki shifted over to her, and wrapped her arms around her. She was surprised when the tough tomboy offered no resistance. Toph just leaned into her and openly cried. Suki pulled her in closer.
The older girl's eyes darted over towards Katara, holding Appa's reins. Suki had not yet decided what to do about her.
The sun had nearly set by the time they had found a place to land that they felt was far away enough from the Fire Nation to be safe. It was a tiny spit of land, but they needed rest from the horror of the day, and they could not find land in the dark. Suki had to get Sokka to help her convince the others to set up camp. Otherwise, they probably would have just curled up in the saddle.
Aang adamantly refused to leave the saddle anyway. He wanted to meditate. After Suki helped Toph to the ground, the younger girl quickly produced one of her triangular earth tents and crawled inside. She closed the opening behind her. The warrior then went to help Katara set up the more conventional tents. They both worked silently, barely looking at one another.
Sokka decided to try to the start a fire for warmth, and no doubt for food. After several fruitless minutes with the spark rocks and several grunts of frustration, he gave up. Without thinking, he turned and said, "Hey Zuko, can you light this… Aang. Can you light this for me, Aang?"
The airbender in question stiffened but did not move. Suki quickly and quietly walked over and smacked her boyfriend on the back of his head. He rubbed his head and smiled apologetically at her. Then they both looked over at Katara. She was still setting up the tents, not saying a word. The warriors spared each other a glance. Katara was the first to berate anyone for upsetting Aang, especially her brother.
Only when she was finished did Katara come over to the makeshift fire pit. Sokka tensed, fearing another smack or even a water whip. Nothing happened. His sister grabbed the spark rocks out of his hands and went to work starting the fire. She did not say anything to him, let alone shout as was her usual.
"You going to be alright?" Sokka asked.
As the kindling finally caught some of sparks, she answered without looking up, "We survived mom, and everything else. We well get through this too."
Her brother tried to smile and voice his agreement.
A few hours later, the fire was burning down low. Katara had gone into her own tent. Aang, as predicted, had curled up in the saddle, buried himself under blankets, and refused to budge. Sokka and Suki held each other, watching the flames go down. Suki's eyes were closed, but the tribesman knew better.
He pressed a kiss to her check and whispered, "I know you are still awake."
A sly smile blossomed on her face and he loved it. He loved it even more when she grabbed his hand and lead him away from camp. Their toes felt the cool touch of water by the time she stopped, turned, and kissed him deeply, hungrily.
Sokka wasted no time in being surprised. They were soon wrapped in each other's arms, lips parting as they kissed. Their fingers danced softly across on another, exploring, searching. He moaned when he felt her press her breasts against him. The tribesman trailed kisses down her neck to her collarbone. She groaned and gently pushed him away.
He blinked in confusion, wondering why she stopped, and where his shirt had gone. He was about to lean in again when he saw the hurt and confusion in those big brown eyes.
"I… I need to tell you something," Suki whispered.
Unbeknownst to them, a little earthbender, hidden in her own little cave, woke up when she heard Sokka yell.
"Katara did what!"
Far away, Iroh was in a White Lotus camp doing what he did best, making tea. His slow, steady breathing controlled the flame to the right size, color, and temperature. A practiced hand added the leaves and smooth stirred them in the pot at the precise time, not a moment sooner or later. He gracefully poured the liquid into his favorite cup, a gift from his late wife. The old man lightly cursed his aching bones as he sat down at the low table. He first breathed in that delicate and complex aroma. Second, he enjoyed the feeling as warmth from the tea soaked into his hands and into his heart. The cup was nearly at his lips when there was a polite cough outside his tent.
"Come in," Iroh invited trying not to sound annoyed. They knew it was his private teatime. What was the point of being Grand Master if you could not have time to enjoy your tea in peace? Oh well, he thought, perhaps Piando had decided to join him for once.
Sadly, it was not his old friend. Instead, a young novice of the order walked in and bowed stiffly towards the Grand Master. Iroh chuckled, "Relax, young man. Have some tea if you would like. It is a new blend of my own creation."
The messenger looked anywhere but Iroh, "I am honored, Grand Master, another time perhaps."
Iroh sighed, "Right to business is it? Very well, what do you have for me?"
A shaky hand placed an unsealed scroll upon the table. The messenger left as soon as the parchment left his hand, leaving behind a concerned Iroh. An unsealed scroll was a sign of haste. At first glance of words revealed that they sent it in the clear, without encryption to hide their secrets. The White Lotus survived by secrecy. He had not even read it and already this message had greatly troubled the old man.
Scenarios began to run through his mind. Had Ozai decided to attack before the comet? Had Bumi failed to free Omashu? Was the deposed Earth King safe? Was his nephew…Iroh shook away such troubling thoughts. He took a hearty sip of his tea and read the message.
A scroll fell.
A cup broke.
An old man died inside.
Her room in the war balloon was a dark cell of metal, simple and unadorned. She had snuffed out all the candles, not wanting to see any more of those flickering sounds. They were too loud. Every once in a while, the engine would make a sharp unexpected sound, and she would jump toward it, fire in her hands. She was not afraid. No. Never that. She knew should feel joyous, but all she felt was wrong.
Azula had finally done it. She was an only child, the only heir. The crown princess. Barely hanging to cliff wall, she watched her brother disappear into the mist. She watched him die. Shouldn't she feel better? Weak, annoying little Zuko was gone, never to bother her or father ever again. She had burned away that rotten branch of the family tree.
Instead, she felt wrong.
Empty.
It reminded her of when she was little, and her mother left. She had always chastised little Azula for being a good firebender, ruthless and ferocious. She had always told her to play nice with her friends and brother. Her mother didn't, couldn't, love her. The Monster. Yet Ursa, sweet Ursa had killed the Fire Lord himself to save Zuko. Ursa risked her own life and suffered banishment for him! She loved the weak older brother and probably died because of him.
Azula had felt a little empty then too.
It reminded her of Boiling Rock. Her two companions, whom she had groomed and molded for years, betrayed her. Mai prattled on about her love for Zuko and pity for Azula. Love for Zuko! Again! And pity for Azula! Ty Lee said little, just apologized and said Azula was wrong about a lot of things. Azula knew she was never wrong. They were traitors, Father even said so. Father knew what was right.
That had hurt, left her feeling wrong.
Azula felt very alone in that cold, dark room. For the first time since her mother left, she cried herself to sleep.
"Zuzu…"
