Chapter 15: To Find Clarity
The Fleet of Fire Nation Ships has grown smaller, and smaller in the waters as it sailed away from the smoke covered lands that was once the Capital of the Fire Nation. What was left of the Dai Li had regrouped at the Royal Palace awaiting further orders from their leader who had yet to show face. The intimidating steps of a single person fell unto their ears, and the corrupted Avatar had found himself walking by the idle Earth and Water Giant who hadn't made a single move since their proclaimed victory. He stopped and looked up at the two beasts who had yet to come out of this monstrous state like Ozai had. He was about to move on after becoming impatient with their stillness, but the sound of crumbling secured his attention to the Earth Giant who had begun to fall into pieces. A few seconds had passed until the entirety of the beast had fallen into the ground, the dust picked up around them creating a thick layer of brown dirt that scattered across the area. Aang had blown the particles after seeing it had interrupted his vision greatly, and appearing from the Earth that had crumbled was none other than a shirtless Long Feng who was trying to contemplate what was happening. The Earth Bender had coughed a few times once emerging from the ground, and his gaze had settled upon the Avatar who felt had betrayed him.
"You - tried to kill me!" Long Feng accused as he fell into another coughing session. "You tried to END me!"
The Earth Bender had made an attempt to attack the Avatar but was immediately reminded of who was actually in power here. A handful of Dai Li had surrounded him displaying acts of aggression towards the aging Earth Bender. Long Feng settled himself, his anger and frustration had rubbed off on him at the thought of feeling betrayed.
"You accuse me of an act that hasn't been fulfilled." Aang approached. "I do not understand why you leak such hostility towards me Long Feng, you should be thanking me. Do you not feel any different?"
Long Feng's glare had partially subsided when he took those words into consideration. He raised his hands while opening and closing his palms to ensure this feeling he felt was real. It was exhilarating - be it downright awakening even.
Aang smiled as he approached. "You feel its power running through your veins, do you not? It feeds you power just as it fortifies your resilience. That is my gift to you if you proven worthy to remain with your sanity intact." Leaning into the Earth Bender, he whispered. "And it can become so much more if you but continue to serve me."
Long Feng smile had widened with anticipation for such power. "I feel - incredible!"
With this power, he would surely exact vengeance on that woman who had betrayed and humiliated him in his own game. Azula would pay, but now wasn't the right time to exact his vengeance. Aang wouldn't allow him to do such a thing, and as powerful as he currently felt - he knew it would still be no match for the Avatar who had blessed him with this strength. His eyes had traveled up the Titan made of water as it too continued to remain idle. So this is what he was only moments prior, a beast that was created to destroy. Amazing.
"I guess Hama wasn't able to regain her sanity that was stripped." The Avatar stated. "I'm not surprised, her mental strength had become too weak with age over the years. She was bound to meet her end."
At this point, Ozai and Azula had approached after overhearing the Avatar speak.
"Now, she will remain like this until someone is able to slay her. But until then, we will make good use of her monstrous abilites" He departed and returned his attention to the Palace.
It was time, it was finally time. To revive the woman he had regretted killing so long ago. Her death by his hands had been commited by pure rage and deceitful emotions of love. But soon enough it would all become a thing of the past. He would make things right, regardless of how she thought of him now. He entered the Royal Walls and headed to the place that was informed to be the burial of where Katara had wounded up. Approaching a beautifully decorated Tomb, he could clearly see the statue designed after his love, standing in all her beauty before the presence of two heavy doors. Aang had looked up at the stone version of Katara, his thoughts and emotions remained unclear to those who saw him. Approaching the double doors, he forced them to slowly wedge open with a powerful gust of air that blew against the frame. It was dark inside, the light coming from the opening he made had faintly lightened the concrete coffin. The top of it contained the same beautiful carvings of her figure just as the statue outside the tomb had.
This was it, the moment he's finally been waiting for. He reached into his robes and pulled out the forbidden book that was mentioned to restore life to those who had met their end. With this act, it would be the first of many steps in the right direction. The damage he's done in the Physical and Spiritual Realm of this world would slowly revert to an ideal of peace and justice of a single mind. All of it, for her. Setting his arms against the cool concrete covering of the coffin, Aang began to push slowly. The friction it held created an unpleasant screeching of stone until it had completely fallen off.
...Empty.
"Wha - What?" His face had fallen into disbelief.
This is wrong, why wasn't she here? There should be something here! Whether it would be a body, a skeleton, or even ashes of her cremated self, he needed some sort of DNA to revive her - but yet, their was nothing.
"No, No, NO!" He had fallen to his knees.
His hands shook in rage at this deception. How dare they, how DARE they play him for a fool. Exiting the tomb with a dark aura surrounding him, he stopped momentarily as he refused to look anywhere else. He thought of erasing every trace of Fire Nation history off the surface of this world, and he would've done just that. His eye's had settled upon the tombs of previous Fire Lords who had lived prior. Despite the remaining aura of anger, another full of anticipation had grown - along with a smile.
The ocean - always full of life, always exerting a sound of activity as its currents traversed through the endless body of water - yet tonight, it had remained quiet and depressing. The Fleet of Fire Nation Ships crashed against the waves as the land that was known as the Fire Nation had since disappeared from the human eye. The small whimpers of sorrow of men, women, and children alike became norm on these ships - their max capacity since been overwhelmed as those on board settled in to what little space that was scattered around the ship. Their destination - the United Republic - the only place that would accept tens of thousands of refugees of a single Nation.
Toph had chosen to remain isolated in private quarters for the time-being. She tried her best to come to terms with the severity of what just transpired. She wouldn't remain isolated forever. The use of this room could be put to better use rather than shelling her baffled and vulnerable emotional shell. Her shoulders found themselves slouching, and her eyes grew to be somewhat heavy with exhaustion. Yet despite the obvious signs of her body begging her to close her eyes for a few minutes of rest - her mind refused to settle into the slumbering state her body was in.
"...Aang." She found her lips muttering.
The name of the man who was thought to be dead. The name that remained scorched to her mind and heart so deep - that a mere mention of him left her feeling dirty, and tainted. His name drugged her thoughts of rationality, and her heart would clump in emotions she was once so convinced she grew out of. The minor mention of his name had all but killed what progress she built herself upon - continuously stabbing into her beating organ until it felt like nothing more than a pile of mush. What did she feel? What was the root of just abnormality that she, Toph Beifong, had allowed this foreign emotion to cloud her sense of pride and self-identity. Pain - Anger - Joy - Confusion? ...that wasn't it, for these were all but small increments of the bigger picture. All of these forgotten feelings were but shadowed by one thing, and one thing only - regret.
Regret is what was killing her, and it is regret that continued to torment her. The regret of failing a friend - overlooking his plea for help - and demonizing him instead of trying to understand him. She regretted not having the courage to tell him how she truly felt - just as she regretted for not being a better friend. Her admiration ran deep when thinking of him, and her heart had fluttered for the person he once was. Not the Avatar, but rather who Aang really was. The boy who sought nothing but am alternate source of love that he once lost long before they were born. The sense of love and acceptance that drove his sense of purpose in this world, was no later squashed; betrayed by those he was once closest to. Their rejection to speak with him, to mourn with him, to understand him - all of it wasted when their ultimate betrayal ruled over his sense of companionship.
Yes, it was truly regret that filled every fiber within her; and with that now clear, her mental awareness finally released its hold on her remaining conscience until she slid into state of sleep. Not of dreams - but of past horrors that would bring about nightmares.
Awakening in a foreign place - the nothingness that was around her had manifested into a horrific setting. Corpses of those from a minor, unknown village had laid scattered on the streets as far as her eye could see. It was then that she realized something abnormal - her vision, it was intact - as odd as it may seem, this was not what she had predicted to be the first thing her pupils would take in.
"What's... going on?"
By some miracle, she was able to move her footing ahead of her - carefully treading over and around the bodies in both respect and disgust. A massacre had taken place, and its presentation was all too similar to the streets of Kyoshi Village and the Fire Nation Capital. Her eye's had traversed over the place where a face should've been present, yet nothing but bare skin was to show. Faceless, enigmatic, and without purpose. Those were what described these people with no identity.
The sounds of an infant crying filled her ears, and her gaze had traversed to the direction its cries came from. Oddly enough, the cries of the infant had left her in a fight or flight standpoint. The bravery, and sturdiness that the world knew of Toph Beifong, had told her to face this disturbance and possible hostility head on just as she's always done - yet, on the opposite end; an anxious and reluctant side of her had told her to avoid its cries in fear of what would come.
The cries continued to grow, and her hands found themselves covering her ears and eyes as the shrieks now pierced her hearing. The cries it emitted, it was haunting just as it was deafening to the one who heard it. Its childlike cry called for her - not by name - but with a sense of fear and anger. It was then that she realized that those cries were not the ones of some ordinary infant - but of the Avatar.
"I hate you!"
Her eyes popped open - just as earlier, her surroundings had once again manifested into a different setting. She was in an old run down house - or at least that's what it presented to be. The hallways were scratched and damaged from whatever hostility that once stood within them. Before her, a door that had been busted in leaving torn wood to scatter inside the lightly darkened roomed within.
The cries of the infant had now reversed to whimpers. Its sound echoed beyond the threshold - seeking a sense of comfort. She gulped, her hesitancy to progress forward had all but overruled her judgement to investigate even further. Entering into the room of the unknown - scanning the walls and floors in search of the disturbance, her pupils had laid upon a concealed baby wrapped in an elegant, and somewhat customized blanket. Her presence in the room seemed to calm its cries of panic. The experience of being alone, being forgotten, being discarded - it was almost is if this child knew of its traumatizing effect on the mind.
Now standing just before it, she was finally able to make out its face. It was young, plump, and filled with so much life. Unlike the deceased corpses that laid outside this building, this child - no, this angel radiated a sense of will that shined through even the deepest pits of oblivion - hope.
Her lips twitched into a small smile before parting lightly in attempt to speak.
"Oh my, what do we have here?"
She jumped at the unexpected voice. Swinging her startled body around, she gazed at the person who was staring in her direction. He was bald, and quite old by his appearance. The man began making his way towards her, and she found herself stuttering.
"I-I found the child here, I-I don't w-why it's all alone."
The man continued its approach, not acknowledging a single word she said.
"Who are you, are you from here? What happened?"
Still - silence was the answer. The lack of a response irked her to no end. She hated being ignored. It felt as if she was being belittled and looked down upon, and it aggravated her. His gaze remained the same as his approach continued.
"That's close enough! If you don't stop, I'll make you!"
Once again, he paid no mind to her words.
"S-Stop, I swear I'll do it!" She clenched her fist. "I-I'll do it!" Shutting her eyes tightly, the familiarity of not being able to see heightened her other senses instantaneously. The tapping of his feet that grew ever closer never ceased. "I-" Her eyes opened, and a sense of shock spiked through her when the man she conversed to literally walked through her.
"Why, you are but a child - yet here you lay in seclusion from the horrors of this village."
A giggle escaped the child's lips, and the elderly man couldn't help but smile at the response. Gently bending his knees, he scooped the child up into his arms and held him firmly to his chest.
"Where are you parents, little one?" His voice presented curiosity, yet Toph could clearly make out depressing tone that hid between his words. "I'm sorry for what happened to your village, but there's no need to be afraid anymore."
The child sneezed - a powerful gust of wind was its outcome. The element blew the mans cloak violently for but a moment. Startled with the sheer power this boy had over air, his shock soon twisted into a smile as a sense of purpose flushed through his bones.
"How about you come home with me, child? I'm sure someone like yourself would fit perfectly in the culture we pride ourselves in the Southern Air Temple. But, what should I name you?"
His eyes examined the child further in wonder. His pupils had trailed along the fabric the child was wrapped in - only stopping when he spotted a label. A moment later, his satisfaction had shown.
"I see... it's good to know that you were at least given a name." Turning around with the child, the man had walked through Toph once more as he headed for the door. "Lets get you somewhere more hospitable and child friendly - Aang."
Her eyes popped open, and Toph found herself springing herself up into a sitting position. Beads of sweat poured down her forehead - followed by an increased heart rate. The sweet normality of being blind had once again left her relying on her other senses to navigate effortlessly around the room, and that is what she did. Air - she desired it. This luxury of having a private and secluded sector in this overcrowded ship began to grow suffocating. Desire to be free from its hold settled in - and so she exited her chambers in attempt of seeking an alternate source of comfort.
Walking down the surprisingly vacant halls, she headed in the direction of the nearest source of fresh - salty air. Her thoughts remain conflicted - and in her search of clarity, she stumbled upon the sound of voices interacting in a tough and stubborn manner. Curiosity filled her - and with a wonderous thought, she went to investigate.
Tenzin had remained isolated from all source of human interaction. Choosing to remain in a personal, luxurious quarters provided by the ship - he rested his arm against his cheek, glaring out the only window where natural lighting seeped through. He was furious, disappointed, terrified, and worried - But most of all, he never felt so alone.
His beloved sister, taken hostage by the invaders who had conquered their land - now left to be used in whatever demeanor they saw fit. The thought of humiliation falling upon her drove him to madness. She was his reason as to why he endured such relations with his father, just as much as he endured his usefulness to those in the Land of Fire that he did not want to please. Now, with the only sense of restraint robbed of his love - he had nothing.
A knock interrupted his trail of thoughts. Traversing his eyes to the door, he made no sound as the person responsible allowed themselves in. Seeing who entered - a scoff escaped his lips; and his eyes hardened in resent before turning away.
"Hey, how are you doing?"
"I was doing better, until you showed up." He bitterly snarked.
Zuko solemnly sighed. He should've expected this - rather, he has been expecting this. His sons increased resentment over his existence was not a surprise, especially after the act even he had regretted doing. But what could he do? His opponent was the Avatar, and who knew how powerful he had become since their last encounter.
"I know why you hate me... I can feel it." Glancing at the corner of the room, he hesitated through his next words. "I just wanted to say that - I'm sorry; and I know that's not what you want to hear from me right now but-"
"Why!"
Tenzins outburst silenced the Fire Lord. His anger had reached its peak - yet still, his words had trembled when speaking.
"Just - Just why? She's your daughter - my sister! When the cruelty of this world had finally revealed itself, She - She needed you!" A hint of growing moisture formed in his eyes, its effect left a light shade of red around his pupils.. "...I needed you. Yet, just as you always have been doing - you turn a blind eye in hope of a miracle. Did you even stop and think that perhaps we are that miracle? That we were meant to change the tides of battle in hopes of the better."
"It's not that simple, Tenzin. That man - he's on an entirely different scale of power when compared to us all; and those who serve under him - they're just as dangerous. Even if I were to attempt to save her - it'd remain a hopeless struggle."
"...Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that bullshit." He fell into a low hiss. "That didn't stop Grandpa Iroh from throwing his neck out there."
Clenching his fist, his voice snapped. "And look where that got him, Dead! Now all he will be is useless - Killed by the very people who would've done the same to us!"
"How are you so sure! You always cease to see things through when it comes to this! Because of your hesitation, we weren't able to protect our people. Because of your timeliness, we weren't able to stop the downfall of our home! Because of your fear, my sister could be DEAD!"
"Enough!"
Silence reigned upon them. The tense atmosphere revolving the around two was so thick, you could almost cut it with a knife.
"You - You don't know that." Zuko's voice fell into a softer, more frustrated voice. "You don't know what will happen - what would happen. You think you know what you're talking about, but you don't Tenzin - you're still a kid."
Tenzin clenched his teeth behind his lips. His arms shook beside him as his thoughts were clouded with hurt and frustration for their lack of control over this matter.
"Tell me one thing..." He softly sighed. "That man - Avatar Aang... he knew of you, Aunt Toph, and Uncle Sokka well - too well. You know him... don't you?"
The silence Zuko held confirmed Tenzin's thoughts. With demands for an answer overwhelming his emotions, he continued to press on the matter.
"F-Father..." He forced those words from his throat. "Who - Who is he... too all of you? I thought Kya and I inherited the title of Avatar; yet, the previous Avatar still lives?"
The silence remained for a few passing seconds until he spoke.
"Yes - I do know him." He finally answered. "Avatar Aang, was an outstanding man. Able to find meaning in his life even after the genocide caused to his entire culture - he has surprised even me with his sheer determination for peace. Sadly, that didn't come to permanently be his sole motives of life. I don't know the full details, all I truly understood was that Avatar Aang had been corrupted by a more merciless and absolute way of spreading his ideals of peace. Before he could've done such a thing, Toph, Sokka, Uncle Iroh, your mother, your father, and I decided that he needed to be stopped by any means necessary. He was a great friend, and we'd hate to see his reputation in the world squashed over these extremist acts. Our plan was simple, to reason with him and try to understand the source of his pain. Only then could we be able to stop him... but, things don't always go as planned. As we engaged him in battle, I overestimated my abilities against him and failed to recognize the creeping fatal blow that would've ended me. It would've worked if..."
He stopped, and Zuko found himself unable to speak any longer.
"If - If what?" He pressed. "What happened?"
Zuko took another deep breath before looking at Tenzin directly in his pupils. "Tenzin, that man who you speak of - he's the one who killed your father."
His chest released, yet a disturbing and uncanny sense of emotions remained. He knew that this what but another cover up to keep Tenzin from the truth, but he dread the thought of how he would react if he figured out his blood father was the one responsible for this entire mess.
"I'm sorry, Tenzin." Zuko sadly sighed. "If I only knew long before, maybe - maybe your father wouldn't have succumb into that of a memory."
He didn't bother looking at the Prince's face. The sound of retreating footsteps is what greeted and faded from his ears. The door opened, and Zuko didn't have to bother confirming his departure. His forehead fell unto his palms - rubbing them against the aching of his temples soothingly. He said it, he finally said it. Was it the truth? No, not really - but it wasn't exactly a lie either. This man who Aang had now become had certainly killed the previous identity known as Avatar Aang.
"You know... you can't keep him in the dark forever, Zuko."
Picking his head from his palms, Zuko turned to see Toph standing at the door, a concerning look plastered all over.
"Toph?" He questioned, a faint smile embraced his lips. "Hehe, well... I suppose it's safe to say you heard what I said."
"When will you stop lying to him?"
"I don't know what you mean, I have always-"
"Zuko." Despite her interruption, her voice remained calm and caring. "He deserves to know of his father - his true father."
"...So you know." He sighed. "How long?"
She sat beside him, staring into an empty space of the room as she recalled her suspicions. "I can't really say when - but somehow, I've always known. Kya and Tenzin, both of them unique in their own ways - yet, their similarities to him is undeniable. I know they aren't them - but, you can't deny how similar Kya is to Katara; just as Tenzin is to Aang. Hence why I nickname the boy, Twinkles."
Zuko nodded. "Well - you're right."
Toph chuckled. "I know I'm right, I'm always right."
"Don't push your buttons now, Toph." Zuko smiled. "You're venturing into territory that could easily backfire."
"You aren't one to make such bold statements either, considering where you came from." She retorted.
The two laughed, enjoying the sense of ease they radiated off one another. How they missed this. Those days where all they cared about was not revolving around the past state of war their times had once been. Rather, it was those small moments where they laughed together, ate together, slept together, and even thrived together as an individual. Those days where their concern was of nothing but the happiness of those who sat beside you. It was those days they chose to reminisce upon, those days much like this moment. The laughter died, and what followed was the pleasant silence of two who had grown in terms of friendship for most of their lives.
"You still love him - don't you?"
Toph closed her eyes, that question she knew that was coming. That question that even she was skeptical of answering to anyone, or anything. It was a difficult question to answer, but not an impossible one.
"I - I do." She struggled to say. "I thought I moved on - but seeing him now reminded me of how it once was. I realized something, and it was the fact that I never truly stopped loving him. I surely don't condemn the man he has become; And now, nearly twenty years later... I still can't seem to let him go." Tears began to swell in her eye's. "It's funny isn't it? How someone like me has been bested by a love interest that should've died off years ago. It's stupid, and it's childish - but, I just can't forgive myself. I failed him, I was his teacher, his friend, his family - and I still failed him."
Zuko watched solemnly as Toph tried to stop her tears from falling. Inwardly, it surprised him. He never suspected her to hold such sorrow and regret within her. She was never the one to express her sadness through words or tears. Matter of fact, he's never seen her shed tears at all. This was the first, and it was entirely foreign to him - he didn't know what to do.
"S-Sometimes I can still hear it." She continued to choke. "I can still hear his screams - calling for us - begging for us, but we turned our backs to him. I should've helped him. I should've pulled him away from streaming river of lava and just hold him. I should've told him how I felt for him. How I regret hurting him. How I've always loved him. It's all my fault, if only I-"
Zuko threw his arm around her shoulders and brought her close. He may not understand how to entirely handle this situation, but what he did know was that Toph needed reassurance - now, more than ever.
"Don't." He whispered. "Whatever happened in the past can't change what will happen now. You've suffered a lot because of my irrationality, Toph. I never realized how much this all meant to you - how much he meant to you. So please, don't shed another tear for the past. Instead, let those tears be the beginning of a better future - But, it all has to start from here." He rested his finger gently over her heart.
Without another word, Toph had released the bottled up emotions she was once convinced had disappeared. Leaning into Zuko's chest, she sobbed. All of the regret, the anger, the sadness, the betrayal. She released it all in hopes that she would find a small sense of clarity on the other side. Maybe - just maybe, she would find her footing she had lost decades ago. That would be her sole driven purpose from this point on. To rid of this masked shell of strength she built herself upon - and to once again stand before the man she truly loved. Not as the little girl who once was; rather, as the woman this world should've known of as Toph Beifong.
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End of Chapter 15
I was thinking a lot during this chapter and tried to emphasize myself into the mindset of Toph. My mission when writing these scenes are not to alter these characters in a way that would consider them OC. Rather, it would be considered as obstacles they would have to mentally build off of. I'm not too sure how well I'm doing with this idea, and I hope it's not coming off in a terrible way. Because to me, I picture Toph as this character who carries a lot on her shoulders for the sake of others. So I hope this chapter somewhat passes into the idea of how Aang's tragic reveal is rubbing off on her. I would appreciate the feedback on this chapter, because I do have plans for the next which should have a good chunk of Sokka's perspective on this. Tenzin will have his own screen time as well, especially revolving with the previous Avatar's who haven't been captured and reduced to a mere powerhouse by Aang yet. Also, two very important characters will return either in the next chapter, or the one after. So keep your eyes peeled. Other than that, let me know what you think and I'll see you all in the next chapter.
Ciao
~TheLivingMyth
P.S.
To those who like dark fanfictions like myself - might I suggest reading Yandere Katara by Bay45220. Good story to kill time on much like his other one Heart Broken - that's if ya'll haven't already seen it.
Also - Avatar: Love in Danger, by No0BxD. It's not the best written story, but what I do admire is that this writer has great determination which is why I enjoy reading his work.
