Chapter 32
Sandbenders
Toph's reaction to my full story was disbelief. After we filled her in on the entire journey the disbelief lessened.
"Wow, I can't imagine twinkletoes stuck in an iceberg." She sniggered. Aang had looked thoroughly put out at the comment but eventually laughed it off.
"Yeah it was definitely a shock for Katara and Sokka... mostly Sokka." I replied with a cheeky grin. Sokka turned and looked at me with an indignant 'hey!'. I sniggered slightly.
"Well it wasn't a cakewalk." Katara pointed out, "Things got pretty hard at times."
"I kinda got that feeling." Toph replied, leaning back and sticking one foot into the air.
"You don't know the half of it. You try dealing with frustrating spirits all the time and not go insane." Katara did a double take and turned back to me.
"Okay so I know about Hei Bei and La taking over your body... that's not all the time. Who else?" I blushed, suddenly realizing that I hadn't talked to my friends about all the spirits I had come into contact with. Taking a deep breath I started the tally.
"In order of when I met them it was Kyoshi, I think it was Hei Bei then, after that I met La for the first time along with the other four elemental spirits-"
"You met Tui and La?" Katara asked in shock. I nodded.
"Yeah, and Agni, Prithvi and Lung."
"Who?" Sokka asked, furrowing his brow. Aang grinned and explained.
"Agni is the spirit of fire and Prithvi is the spirit of earth." He paused and then looked at me in confusion, "Who's the last spirit?" I stared at Aang incredulously.
"Lung? Aang? Lung is the main spirit of air. How do you know everyone else's spirits but not your own?" Aang looked at me totally confused.
"You must be mistaken. There isn't one dominate spirit of air. We have four, North, South, East and West. One for each temple. They represent the equality that airbenders believe in." I felt my heart sink as I remembered a conversation between Lung and I so long ago.
"Yes, well, the truth is that my people are a minority, how am I supposed to repopulate an entire nation with one child? One who is destined to marry a waterbender? I need more than one person." I frowned. I may not have known a lot about Legend of Korra but hadn't there been two airbenders born from Aang? Besides wasn't there a lot of airbenders later in the series? I couldn't remember.
"Give yourself a generation or two and you'll have a lot more." I stated as I turned away, "You don't need me to be an airbender, it's more trouble then you want." In a rush of air, Lung stood in front of me again.
"I need an Airbender who knows of my existence."
Lung had disobeyed the rules of the spirits and because of that he had lost his solid form and been banished from interacting with people from the world or interfering with their lives. I hadn't realized that his punishment included his memory erased from the minds of the very people who represented him. His desperation to make me an airbender suddenly made a lot more sense. For the first time since I had met him I felt sadness for Lung's state. His people almost entirely wiped out, and the one who remained would never know that he had a powerful spirit rooting for him. Sure Lung was selfish, manipulative and a class-A jerk but he didn't deserve to be forgotten.
"I'm not mistaken." I insisted softly before continuing on. I would let Aang come to me. I had wet his curiosity and it would only be a matter of time.
"So anyway, after that I met Lung again on his own and then I met Nut, umm, her entire name is ridiculously long but she's the spirit of the North star. After her I came across La again which you all know and then in the Swamp Nut introduced me to Ashvattha, the spirit of the tree that made up the swamp." I paused, "I that's it so far I guess." All my friends were gawking at me, causing my face to turn a brilliant crimson. Sokka finally threw up his hands.
"Do you have any more secrets you want to tell us? What have you been a bender all along or something?"
"No." I replied deadpan, "I think I've told you pretty much everything now. Except parts of the future and we all agreed on me keeping that a secret unless I thought otherwise." There was silence for a moment before Toph asked.
"So... what were we talking about before the whole crazy spirit thing?"
Toph teaching Aang how to earthbend followed the similar routine it had in the series, the main change being I went with Sokka so he wasn't alone. Despite my attempts he still managed to get stuck in the fissure in the earth. Sometimes I wondered why I bothered.
The day after Aang suggested that we take short, day-long vacations to relax for a while. Of course he was still expected to work on his bending but all of us were excited for it. Even I was, although trepidation followed as well. I was going to do everything in my power to stop the bison nabbing. This meant that I wouldn't be able to go into the library which was truly disappointing. I had been hoping for some new reading material as my scroll was now in the hands of Zuko. Not that I regretted my choice. I was just going to end up really bored if I didn't have something else to do. True the tradition of stories (and games) had continued on but there were only so many things we could do. However, with Toph joining us some old stories might reappear, after all, the best part about a story was telling it to someone new.
Aang got the first vacation choice which lead us to a prairie. I couldn't help but laugh at the cute little singing prairie dogs. They were adorable. Also, seeing Momo with his head stuck down a prairie-dog hole was hilarious.
Then it was Katara's turn. She chose Misty Springs Oasis. A natural ice spring in the middle of a desert. It wasn't quite as beautiful as Aang remembered. The ice was almost nothing and the town built around it was clearly within a year of becoming a ghost town. Aang looked quite uncomfortable with the praise he had given the town yesterday and chuckled nervously.
"I guess it changed ownership since I was here last." I didn't reply. I noticed a Sandbender eyeing us suspiciously. I felt a sting of anger. Had they been planning to steal Appa from this point? Or was he just honestly suspicious?
We headed into a restaurant and watched in interest as the bartender created drinks for customers. He would take the fruit that the customer suggested, dice them up with swords then deposit them into plain water that had been boiled to purify. I could tell because I could see a pot of boiling water going in the back. Sokka looked like he had hit the jackpot.
"I don't see a reason we can't have some fruity beverages while we plan." Sokka salivated. I smiled. Actually, one of those drinks did look good. As we walked up to the bar the guy who had previously ordered stood up, slamming into Aang and covering the young Airbender in punch and fruit chunks.
"Oh me I'm so sorry!" He exclaimed grabbing a napkin to star dabbing at Aang's shirt. Aang just laughed.
"Don't worry, I clean up easy." He explained and bent himself dry. I ducked as a piece of mango shot over my head and sent him a teasing glare. Aang laughed guiltily then realized I was teasing and shook his head with a smile.
"You're a living relic!" The man cried in excitement. Aang looked completely befuddled.
"I'm a what?"
"A relic-"
"I know what it means." Aang quickly interjected. I gave a small smile. It was probably painful to remember that all that was left of his people at this time was relics. The man didn't seem to care. I looked at him, trying to remember his face.
"An airnomad, right in front of me! Professor Zei, head of anthropology in Ba Sing Se University." He reached forward and grabbed both of Aang's hands like he was someone famous. Then again, Aang was the avatar and the last airbender, in a way he was. I remembered this guy now. He was the over-exuberant professor who died... my thoughts trailed off as I realized that this man actually was going to die in a few hours. At the same time, Appa was going to be kidnapped. My heart faltered. I wouldn't be able to save both of them without help but I had completely forgotten about Zei. It had been so long since I had watched the TV series connected to this world. I looked at my friends who were watching as Aang was mauled by the over excitable man. I moved forward slightly and caught Katara's arm.
"Can I talk to you for a moment."
"Sure." Katara replied looking at me in confusion. I took a deep breath and pulled her to a quiet part of the bar with no one within listening distance.
"There is something going to happen in a few hours. I won't be able to be there because I'm going to try to change something else... anyway this guy is going to tell Sokka about a library owned by a Spirit and he's going to choose it as his vacation. When you guys go inside you need to be super careful. This spirit doesn't trust humans, he thinks we will always use knowledge to try to kill each other. He's right in part..." I trailed off noticing Katara's look. Blushing I continued.
"Sorry, went off topic there. Anyway, the point is you can't let Sokka say anything about using the
information he found against the fire nation or the spirit will sink the library. Toph will slow the sinking down with her bending from inside... but professor Zei decides that he wants to stay behind, well, actually he's so absorbed in his reading he doesn't even notice." I took a deep breath. And looked at Katara pleadingly.
"I'll try to save him." She agreed. I smiled and nodded.
"Thanks. That's all I can ask."
"We're going to The Library!" Sokka exclaimed from beside the bar.
"And so it begins." I muttered to myself.
The entire ride on Appa professor Zei talked about the library. Constantly. When he wasn't talking about the library he was desperately looking at the large expanse of dunes that seemed to go on forever. While he was definitely annoying I couldn't bring myself to hold a grudge. I didn't want him to die. No one deserved to die. An image of a fire nation soldier with an arrow in his neck flashed before my eyes causing me to wince. Would I ever forget that man?
"There it is!" Toph cried, pointing. I choked back a laugh as all my companions lurched to the side to see what she was pointing at.
"That's what it will sound like when one of you see it." I couldn't help it. I collapsed into giggles which Toph quickly joined. The dirty looks I was getting from my friends didn't effect either of us.
After I calmed down. Professor Zei showed us an image of the library.
"How can a giant ornate building be so hard to spot?" Katara asked, looking around. I could almost see a light bulb go off as she turned to look at me with wide eyes.
"Unless... its buried underground." I smiled.
"Partially." I replied softly. Sokka sent the two of us a strange look and then raised an eyebrow at me.
"Do you want to fill him in?" I asked Katara, turning back to the young waterbender. She looked surprised but nodded and walked over to her brother, lowering her voice and whispering in his ear. She didn't get very far because even as she was talking to him, Sokka's eyes were scanning the desert. I could see the change in what he was looking for as Katara whispered into his ear. She just finished when Sokka called out.
"There it is!"
"Where?" Aang shouted, shooting up from where he had been steering Appa. He looked over the sand dunes and frowned. I grinned and looked at the twenty-some foot spire sticking out of the sand. The spire was a simple tower the exact same colour as the sand around it. It had no entrances or exits other then a window right below the stylized roof. Despite the amount of effort it probably took to carve it like that all I could think about was that it looked like soft-serve ice cream. Although the heat of the desert could be the cause of those thoughts.
"That can't be it, its too small." Aang told us, looking completely confused.
"No its not." Sokka corrected and placed his hand over a good portion of the map, showing the similarity between the tower and the spire in the picture. "The rest of the building is underground."
"WHAT!" Professor Zei cried causing us all to jump from the sheer volume. We were so shocked that Aang almost missed the fox running across the sand with a scroll in its mouth. Almost being the operative word.
"What's that?" He pointed at the red streak crossing the desert. I blinked in surprise. The fox was moving at speeds that only cars could travel at. Then again, so could Appa, besides, the fox belonged to a spirit, all rules stopped applying in that case.
"That's one of Wan Shi Tong's knowledge seekers."
"Wait I thought you said he had pretty assistants." Sokka pouted. Professor Zei looked at him in confusion while Katara, making the connection snorted, gently slapped her brother upside the head.
"You're such a pig." She stated and then turned away. Aang took Appa down and we landed in the sand nearby the tower. Only then did Professor Zei seem to snap out of his shock and declare that he was going to excavate. Toph tilted her head toward him, then shook her head and walked over to the tower.
"You don't have to. The entire building is still intact inside. You just need to find a way in, that's all." Sokka paused, thinking. He looked at the distance between the window and where we stood. I brushed some sweat from my brow. It was ridiculously hot here. I was actually appreciating the looseness of my earth kingdom dress, it allowed for a lot of airflow which helped keep me cool.
"Well climb in through the window and give it a look." He finally decided. Clambering back onto Appa he pulled out a thick coil of rope that we used as a clothesline and tied it into one of the holes in his boomerang.
"Come on Boomerang you haven't failed me yet." He muttered, tossing it up into the air. Toph stepped back.
"I say you guys go on without me." She stated. Katara looked confused for a second before nodding.
"I'll stay behind too." Katara wasn't surprised but Aang and Sokka were.
"Okay I understand Toph but why are you staying behind? You love reading." Aang pointed out in confusion.
"I do." I agreed, "And if you can borrow a book or two I will be eternally grateful." I paused.
"Listen, I need to be here in case the worst happens. As amazing as Toph is even she could use some backup. We never know what might happen." My friends picked up on my meaning while at the same time I kept professor Zei out of the loop. I would have to remember what I had just said and use it as code for 'something bad is going to happen, I'm going to change it'.
I watched as Aang, Katara, Sokka and professor Zei clambered up the rope and into Wan Shi Tong's library.
"Do I want to know?" Toph asked, walking up beside me. I sighed and looked at the petite earthbender.
"Just if I need you I'd like it if you don't let me down."
Hours later and Toph and I were hiding in Appa's shade. I honestly didn't know how the bison could stand such temperatures with his thick fur coat. Even if it was the summer coat. Appa didn't seem to mind the heat too much so we hid in his shadow and praised him. Well, I praised him, Toph made small talk between myself and the bison.
A loud rumble alerted me to what was happening. My heart jumped to my throat. Someone must have slipped up. I had hoped to avoid the library sinking but sometimes there was nothing I could do. Toph sprang up with a shout and tore across the short expanse of desert to stick her hands right into the tower wall.
"Hold on Toph, don't let go." I shouted, tearing up Appa to grab my bow.
"Right because I'm just going to let go." Toph shouted back, sarcasm dripping from her tone. I knocked an arrow and waited. I could hear Toph grunting in exertion. I peered out over the dunes, looking for any sign of movement. It was only a moment later that I saw the signs. My heart was racing a thousand miles a minute as I stood on Appa's back. The sand-gliders flew across the desert so quickly that in less then a minute they were close enough I could count the number of men on them.
"Toph, no matter what you hear, do not let go of that tower."
"What are you-"
"Do you understand or not Toph!" I barked. I could feel my stress level rising. My mind wandered to professor Zei. For a moment I felt worry build inside of me but I shoved it aside. I needed to focus on what was happening here. I had trusted Katara with the knowledge, she would do everything she could. I knew she would. The sand-gliders stopped and the men jumped out. I counted ten in all. Carefully I took aim and let my arrow go. The arrow landed quivering between one man's feet.
"Identify yourselves." I barked. I wondered if everyone could hear my heartbeat from where I was standing. A few nervous looks quickly identified the leader. He was the man the others all turned to look at. There was no verbal response.
"I know that you can speak En- The Common Tongue. Tell me your name and your purpose here." I snarled at the leader. I had to watch my words, I almost called the language English. Considering I wasn't actually speaking English that would have just lead to confusion. Still silence. Only the sound of wind and Toph's struggles could be heard.
"Fine. Let me tell you what you're going to do. You saw this animal back at the town and realized that it was valuable. So you decided to steal him. After all it was only a bunch of kids who owned it right?" I could see a little surprise but I wasn't done yet.
"So you followed us and tried to discover when the bison would be the least protected. After you obtained the animal you were going to sell it to some traders heading to Ba Sing Se for a good price." There was definitely shock in their eyes now.
"What you don't know is that while we are young we are warriors. The currently occupied girl is the greatest earthbender in this generation. The boy and girl in blue who are not here currently are the prince and princess of the southern water tribe. The boy in yellow is the Avatar and if that is not enough to discourage you to leave then know this." I stepped forward, bringing myself into full view.
"I am Maddison. Girl of all four nations. I have been blessed by the spirits and have walked among them for a long time. I am the avatar's spirit guide and if you cross us and try to steal our bison know that you will never rest again. The very spirits will attack you and misfortune will fall upon you like a plague. Not even the innocents will survive." I was totally bluffing but they didn't need to know that. Slowly I knocked another arrow.
"So what do you think?" I called down, eyes steel cold, "Will you risk your lives and the lives of your families for a few measly gold coins?" We were silent in a stare down. It felt like an eternity. Slowly the lead man made a gesture with his hand. A muscle twitched in my arm but I held firm. I would wait for him to make the first move.
The sandbenders slowly retreated, eyes riveted on me until they climbed on their sand-gliders and took off. As soon as they were far enough away I collapsed onto Appa's saddle, breathing hard. I hadn't realized that I had been holding my breath as they had left.
Fifteen minutes later there was an ugly sucking noise. I jolted upright. My friends were standing in the sand beside Toph. Katara, Sokka and Aang were all fine. Professor Zei wasn't there. I slid down Appa's tail.
"Everyone okay?" I asked. Toph was panting on the ground, Sokka was bent over, hands on his knees. Aang was looking hot and flustered. Katara looked devastated.
"Pala, I'm sorry I couldn't-" I raised my palm, cutting her off.
"You did your best. The rest was up to him." Katara nodded but she didn't look completely convinced.
"Come on. I don't want to sleep here." Sokka stated, clambering onto Appa's back. We followed right behind him. I smiled warmly as Aang petted Appa's head. Somethings were worth taking stakes on.
"Alright buddy, let's get out of here. Yip yip!"
So I updated early because I'm going on a trip. I will be back soon but I figured I might as well get this episode done before I left. So let me know what you think? Do you like the changes? How Maddi stepped up to the challenge? What did you think of her speech? As always
Princess Kassie Out.
(And just because I probably need to say this once in a while: I do not own Avatar the Last Airbender.)
