BOOK TWO: EARTH
CHAPTER 12: THE SERPENT'S PASS
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After the events in the desert Team Avatar is situated at the waterfall pond. Sokka is surveying a map. Toph is sitting with her feet in the water, splashing them back and forth. Aang is swimming, briefly going underwater for a moment and bends an ice cube around him for the amusement of floating on top of the water. V was submerged in the water looking up from the bottom watering the sunlight shine through the crystal clear ripples on the surface. Dante relaxed on a large in the warm sunlight.
Katara is walked to the top of the lake near the waterfall. "Waterbending bomb! Yeah!" Jumps into the water. The splash sends V and Aang goes flying out of the water, soaks Sokka, Dante, Toph, and the maps which Sokka tried to protect.
"You sunk my battleship!" Griffon laughed. Shadow on the other hand shook his fur free of the water and began to lick his himself clean.
"Sure, five thousand year-old maps from the spirit library. Just splash some water on 'em." Sokka says sarcastically.
The sun showed off Katara's good side, the water on her skin sparked like tiny stars. "Sorry." She says coming out of the water wringing her hair dry and bends the water off the map.
Everyone gathered around the map. "So, did you figure out what route we're going to take?" Aang asked.
Sokka looked over the map again before answering. "Okay, we just got out of the desert, so we must be around here. And we need to go to Ba Sing Se, which is here. It looks like the only passage connecting the south to the north is this sliver of land called the Serpent's Pass."
"You sure that's the best way to go?" Toph asked.
"It's the only way. I mean, it's not like we have Appa to fly us there." Sokka said insensitively.
"Shush up about Appa. Can't you at least try to be sensitive?" Katara retorted quietly.
"Katara, it's okay. I know I was upset about losing Appa before, but I just want to focus on getting to Ba Sing Se and telling the Earth King about the solar eclipse." Aang said calmly with an uncaring air.
Surprised Katara smiled."Oh ... well, okay. I'm glad you're doing better."
"Then to Ba Sing Se we go. No more distractions." Sokka concluded.
Dante slapped his leg in satisfaction. "To the place dreams go to get a second job."
Suddenly, Toph turned around upon sensing the vibrations three refugees arriving. Upon seeing Team Avatar in the waterfall they greeted the strangers kindly. "Hello there, fellow refugees!"
Sokka was not surprised to see more distractions appearing out of the blue. However he half expected them to be Chong and his merry nomadic band of idiots hippies. These refugees are Than, his wife Lily and his sister.
"So, you guys are headed to Ba Sing Se, too?" asked Aang.
"Sure are. We're trying to get there before my wife Ying has her baby." Than said rubbing the heavily swollen belly of joy of his wife Ying.
"Great! We can travel through the Serpent's Pass together." Katara offered kindly.
All three of the refugees look up in shock as if their hearts skipped a beat. "The Serpent's Pass? Only the truly desperate take that deadly route!" Ying said horrified that these young people would take that route.
"Deadly route." Toph sarcastically punches Sokka in the arm sending him to the ground. "Great pick, Sokka!"
Sokka stood up. "Well, we are desperate."
"You should come with us to Full Moon Bay. Ferries take refugees across the lake. It's the fastest way to Ba Sing Se.
"And it's hidden, so the Fire Nation can't find it." Ying reassured Team Avatar.
"Hmm ... peaceful ferry ride or deadly pass?" Katara pondered.
FULL MOON BAY.
A pair of guards watched the secret entrance to the bay; they received news of more folks come through and lowed a portion of the wall. Team Avatar and the refugees entered inside a vast cave with thousands of refugees as far as their eyes (Or Toph's feet) can see.
"I can't believe how many people's lives have been uprooted by the Fire Nation." Katara said.
Than sighed. "We're all looking for a better life, safe behind the walls of Ba Sing Se."
"As many stars in heaven and sand on the seashore and that came out of the ark, so shall your descendants be." V quoted verse from the book of Genesis.
One of the ferries departs for the exit out of the sea cave which was a large narrow opening. Zuko and Iroh are on board it as it makes its way to Ba Sing Se. Iroh was deep in thought and found truly … ironic. "Who would have thought after all these years, I'd return to the scene of my greatest military disgrace ... AS A TOURIST!" Iroh whips around to Zuko with a floral hat on his head.
"Look around. We're not tourists, we're refugees." Zuko reminds his uncle and takes a sip of some food before spitting it back out. "UGH! I'm sick of eating rotten food, sleeping in the dirt. I'm tired of living like this!"
Zuko's exclamation was heard by someone was maybe have a way of making things better.
"Aren't we all?" said a voice causing Zuko and Iroh turn to see young man with wheat in his mouth. "My name's Jet and these are my Freedom Fighters, Smellerbee and Longshot."
"Hey." Smellerbee introduced. Longshot simply nods.
"Hello." Zuko replied with his eyes to the sea not wanting to engage in conversation.
Jet wanted to make offer to Iroh and Zuko. And offer they couldn't refuse. "Here's the deal. I hear the captain's eating like a king while the refugees have to feed off his scraps. Doesn't seem fair, does it?"
"What sort of king is he eating like?" Iroh asked.
"The fat, happy kind." Jet replied.
Iroh's mouth hangs open as he starts to drool. There is nothing better that to eat like a fat, happy king.
"You want to help us "liberate" some food?" Jet asked.
Zuko decided he had enough of living in squalor. He tosses the bowl of rotten food into the water, it was time he got his lion's share for once.
"I'm in."
::
FULL MOON BAY
In order to enter the land of the free one by have a key to unlock the door as well as being able to fit through the door. At the station Team Avatar waited in line to get their tickets. But the line was long and they had to wait. Katara decided to ask V if he could tell a story.
"V, I wanted to ask if that is really you name." Katara asked. Wondering if a letter/syllable was truly his name.
""I have no name; I am but two days old..." Kidding,I have a lot by a lot of names. I traveled a long distance and people have called me many ones while I had to take different to hide from certain folks as well."
"But what is your birth name?" Katara asked.
V took a moment to think back to what his mother called him. "… Valen"
Dante came back with a new lute in his hands. "Valen? Ah … now that is name I haven't heard in a long time."
"Doesn't really matter, you can call me whatever suits you."
"Where did you get that?" Aang asked.
Dante looked down at his lute. "This … oh, it fell off a cart. You got a problem with lutes falling off wagons." Dante then played and impressive rhythm until the loud voice of the Ticket lady surprised everyone in line.
"NO! I told you already ... no vegetables on the ferry! One cabbage slug could destroy the entire ecosystem of Ba Sing Se! Security!"
A Homeland Security platypus bear destroys the cabbage cart. "AHHH! MY CABBAGES!" screamed the Cabbage Merchant as e is carried away by security. Cabbage Merchant seems to not be able to catch a break.
"Next!" The Ticket Lady ordered.
Aang stepped up and looked upward to the high desk of the Ticket Lady. "Um, Six tickets for the ferry to Ba Sing Se, please." He asked politely.
"Passports?"
"Uh ... no one told us we had to have passports." Aang asked awkwardly.
Sokka stepped in to help with the situation. "Don't you know who this is? He's the Avatar!"
"Ah, I see fifty Avatars a day and, by the way, not a very impressive costume." The Ticket Lady points to her left and Aang sees several impostors, big, small, dark skin, light skin, hair and no hair. He smiles upon seeing some who have been inspired by him.
Sokka gestures to Dante beside him. "What about him? He's the Strider!"
"I seen three hundred idiots dressed as the strider. And they all look alike. Only your outfit isn't like theirs." The Ticket lady points to her right and Dante sees several impostors. They all were where red coats and with white hair in various styles with swords with a grinning skull on the hilt.
Dante Shrugged. "Well at least my fans like that fantasy version of me."
"So true." V said breaking the fourth wall and looked at the readers.
"Besides, no animals allowed. Do I need to call security?" the Ticket Lady growled.
The Homeland Security platypus bear chomps down on the cabbage causing Momo to hide in fear.
"That won't be necessary." Aang assured her of his corporation.
The Ticket Lady shouted for the next person in line but Toph decided to step up to the plate. "I'll take care of this. My name is Toph Beifong, and I'll need six tickets." Toph presents The Ticket Lady her passport. A golden passport.
"Ah, the golden seal of the flying boar! It is my pleasure to help anyone of the Beifong family."
"It is your pleasure. As you can see, I am traveling to Ba Sing Se on vacation with my husband. Whom my parents chosen for me." Toph held out her hand. Dante looked at Aang, Katara and Sokka who looked at him with a surprised expression.
"We'll … I don't want to be an illegal immigrate." Dante whispered. He walks up to Toph and takes her hand into his.
"My congratulations on you finding a match." Ticket Lady says sincerely.
"Also as you can see I am blind and the one with the tattoos and cane is handles my money while these three imbeciles are my valets." Toph sweeps her arm behind her presenting her friends to the hesitant clerk. Katara, Aang and Sokka smile like idiots while V does complication mathematics on a clipboard, all trying their best to sell it.
"But, the animal-"the ticket lady says nervously.
"-is my seeing-eye lemur." Toph corrects.
"Well, normally it's only one ticket per passport, but this document is so official ... I guess it's worth six tickets." The Ticket Lady stamps an approval seal on the tickets.
"Thank you very much." Toph retrieved the tickets. "Come husband." Toph said giving Dante a smack on his ass. Dante jumped a little from the sudden sting. When Toph wants to lie she is excellent liar.
"All right, we scammed that lady good!" Sokka exclaimed.
Suddenly, a security guard grabs Sokka from behind causing everyone to stop and looked behind at him. "Tickets and passports please."
"Is there a problem?" he asks.
"Yeah, I got a problem with you! I've seen your type before. Probably sarcastic, think you're hilarious and let me guess, you're traveling with the Avatar."
"Do I know you?"
"You mean you don't remember? Maybe you'll remember this!"
The security guard kisses Sokka on the cheek. After a moment Sokka face light up in happiness.
"SUKI!" Sokka embraces her tightly.
"Sokka, it's good to see you!" Suki smiles back.
Dante raised an eyebrow upon hearing name of the Kyoshi warrior. He remembered when Zuko invaded Kyoshi Island. It was Suki and other Kyoshi warriors who defend Aang against them. They were fierce warriors that worked as a team; Suki is perhaps the fiercest of the bunch and warrior fellow warrior Dante has grown to respect.
"So we meet again." Dante said while walking to over to the Kyoshi warrior.
Suki looked at Dante and after moment wondering who his is she to a defensive stance. "Easy, Suki he's on our side now." Sokka tried to calm his friend down and not make such a big scene to attract security.
"My contract ended at the North Pole. I switched sides. Not to the winning side but the good guy side, if such thing ever existed."
"Is that so?" Suki said unsure if that is was true.
Dante nodded. "Yeah, I figured I get more money if I plundered the vaults of the capital of the Fire Nation; besides it great to another talented warrior who gave me an ass kicking."
"Talented?" Suki lowered her defensive stance and relaxed at the comment.
V walked up to Suki twirling his cane. "Of course, not just anyone can kick Dante's ass and live to tell about. I'm his little brother V, how do you do?"
"Charmed." Suki said with a smile.
The gang and Suki talk in a different location of the station in one of the lookout towers.
"You look so different without your makeup! And the new outfit." Katara commented. No one of them has ever seen her without her makeup or armor.
Suki shrugged. "That crabby lady makes all the security guards wear them. And look at you, sleeveless guy. Been working out?"
"Ahhh, I'll grab a tree branch and do a few chin touches every now and then. Nothing major." Sokka shows off by stretching and patting his skinny arm.
"He does, really. So much so he looks like hasn't done anything at all." Dante said with a stab to Sokka personality.
"So, are the other Kyoshi Warriors around?" Aang asked.
Suki sighs,"Yeah. After you left Kyoshi, we wanted to find a way to help people. We ended up escorting some refugees and we've been here ever since." Momo jumps up next to her and she scratches his head. "Hi, Momo! Good to see you too! So why are you guys getting tickets for the ferry? Wouldn't you just fly across on Appa?"
That question cause everyone to look sad at how convent it would be if their giant furry friend was still with them.
"Appa is missing. We hope to find him in Ba Sing Se." Katara inform Suki of the bad news.
"I never thought I miss that Itchy SOB but I do." Griffon said landing sitting beside Suki.
"I'm so sorry to hear that. Are you doing okay, Aang?" Suki asked Aang.
Aang saw everyone's concern faces. "I'm doing fine. Would everybody stop worrying about me?"He reassured them a second time.
Suddenly Ying called up far below from the ground floor. "Avatar Aang, you have to help us! Someone took all of our belongings; our passports, our tickets, everything's gone!"
"I'll talk to the lady for you." Aang assured them. Hopefully they can get this straighten out.
Back at the desk Aang got rejected despite his pleas. "No passports, no tickets!" Ticket ladyStamps a "DENIED" stamp on Aang's forehead.
"But she's pregnant and all of her stuff was stolen! You have to make an exception!"
"No exceptions! If I just gave away tickets willy-nilly to anyone, there would be no more order! You know what that means, no more CIVILIZATION!"
"What if we gave them our tickets?"
"No!"
"But ..."
"NEXT!" Ticket Lady shouted shower of spit on Aang which indicate for him to give up.
However wasn't incline to give up on the first try. He returned to the family with good news "Don't worry, you'll get to the city safely. I'll lead you through the Serpent's Pass."
Moments later they started made way to the exit which lead to the Serpent's Pass.
"I can't believe we gave up our tickets and now we're going through the Serpent's Pass." Whined Sokka, again.
"Can't believe you're still complaining about it." Toph retorted.
"If you're going to complain like a little baby bitch then shut the hell up!" Griffon squawked at Sokka.
"I'm coming too!" Suki called out to them
"Are you sure that's a good idea?" Sokka asked.
"Sokka, I thought you'd want me to come."
"I do, it's just–"
"Just what?"
"Nothing. I'm glad you're coming."
Sokka decided to drop it.
Outside the Serpent's pass was a land bridge so narrow that the path on it can only be done in single file.
"This is the Serpent's Pass? I thought it would be a little more wind-y, you know, like a serpent. Huh, I guess they misnamed it."
V disagreed. "I have walked this road many times. It bends like a serpent."
Ying walked over to the post to see a warning sign. "Look at this writing! How awful!"
"Want does it say?" Toph asked.
Katara walked over to post. "It says, "Abandon hope"."
"How can we abandon hope? It's all we have!" Ying wept.
Aang had an unorthodox theory he heard a long time ago. "I don't know. The monks used to say that hope was just a distraction, so maybe we do need to abandon it."
"What are you talking about?" Katara asked wanting to know why Hope should be abandoned.
Hope is not going to get us into Ba Sing Se and it's not going to help find Appa. We need to focus on what we're doing right now and that's getting across this path."
"He's right, ya' know. In war the soldiers can't rely on some as fickle as hope. They have to make it happen."
"Okay, if you say so." Katara said going along with it.
The large began on the long journey arcos the Serpent's Pass. At a certain point they all pass by a sailing Fire Nation ship."The Fire Nation controls the western lake. Rumor has it they're working on something big on the other side of it and don't want anyone to find out what it is." Suki informed.
A part of the rock gives out, causing Than to fall. Toph stops it from falling and lifts him back up with earthbending. The rock falls to the water, which the Fire Nation ship notices. Then suddenly a hollow whistle soared through the air and impacted on the surface above the pass.
"They've spotted us! Let's go, let's go!" Sokka pointed out.
The Fire ship launched a fireball from the one board catapult. Aang gets on his glider and deflects the fireball back at the ship temporarily halting it's movement. Another fireball hits the mountain, causing several pieces of rock over Suki to fall. Sokka pushes her out of the way. Toph bends out a part of the mountain to keep the rocks from falling on Sokka.
"Suki, are you okay? You have to be more careful! Come on!" Sokka helping Suki to his feet.
"Thanks for saving my life, Toph." Hey, no problem, Sokka." Toph pretend to be Sokka since he didn't thank Toph for saving his life.
Dante motioned for everyone to go past him. Fire ship didn't know they were about to kill Ying who was pregnant. He wasn't going to let them get away with that. He leaped off the edge and dived into the water below. Dante used waterbending to propel himself toward the hull of the ship as fast as a shark on the hunt.
The ship dropped anchor as the crew tried to put out the fire in the ship's tower. Nephilim then climbed up the anchor's chain till and peeked up to see if the was anyone one on deck. There were a few sailors rushing on the deck. Dante climbed about and made his to the door inside of the ship. If he remembered the layout of this model of Fire Nation ships the boiler room should be on the second level down below.
He finally opened the door with to see the sailors working hard to get the ship's vital system under control without over heat. There in the middle giving orders was a strong muscle man with a long braid down his back. Known that anyone of them will give let Dante walk in and blowup the boiler Dante closed metal loudly behind him.
"So are you the guys that fire on me while I was going for a stroll on the Serpents Pass?"
The big man in charge turned around and readies a warhammer. "I didn't know the Earth Kingdoms soldiers sent one guy to finish the job." He said with a growl.
"I'll finish the job, don't worry. But I like to ask: what is Fire Nation working is on at the Western Lake?" Dante said summoning rebellion on his back and readying it in his hand.
"I'm not telling you. But if I kill you I'll whisper it in your ear before I send you lifeless corpse to be food for the sea –GAAHHKK." the boiler room boss suddenly flew backwards to one of the tank speared through by Rebellion in his cheat. Dante pressed the blade deeper before giving it a good cut across the abdomen letting the two halves fall on the floor. The crew of the Boiler room was in shock as their boss butchered so easily. 'No challenge here' Dante thought to himself.
A while later the boiler room was ready to be blown sky-high along with the rest of the ship. Dante cut a giant X on the wall and kicked out the lower triangle section letting the light and sea air rush inside. Dante inhaled deeply it was a wondered smell. He turned around to the remaining crew and the captain on the ship where were tied up next to the boiler tank. He rounded them up to insure their will be no survivors when the boiler he now sabotaged was going to explode violently in a few minutes.
"Hey, HEY! You just can't leave us here." the captain shouted nervously.
"Yes I can, Fire Fucker." Dante said in a sing song voice. "The captain goes down with the ship." Dante turns around and jumps backwards while giving the Captain and crew the finger. He landed in the water below and made his way to the pass and Earthbended a rock slab out to bring him back up to the path. The whole ship suddenly exploded and sank slowing into the watery deep.
He returned to the group who were waiting for him to return. "What happened?" Toph asked.
"I had to make sure the ship along with the crew was down for the count." He said.
"Was it necessary? It was already wounded." Suki asked question Dante's ethics.
"I had to; the surviving crewmen would have escaped on a lifeboat and went back to their base in the western lake. Soon more ships would come and search up and down Serpent's Pass until they found us. And last time I checked we have with us three refugees … plus one precious cargo. Even I got to do my part." Dante said walking past Suki.
"Thank you." Than said grateful that of this man risking his life to keep his family safe.
"Don't thank me; we're not out of the woods yet." Dante said.
Hours later, at sunset, the travelers set up their camp. Than rubbed his wife's feet having walked all day. Suki too was on her feet all day and now she spreads out her sleeping bag to get some rest.
"Suki, you shouldn't sleep there. Who knows how stable this ledge is, it could give away at any moment!" Sokka approached to voice his concern and moves her sleeping bag.
"Sokka, I'm fine, stop worrying!" Suki said.
Sokka realized what he was doing and gave up. "You're right, you're right, you're perfectly capable of taking care of yourself! WAIT! Oh, never mind, I thought I saw a spider, but, you're fine."
::
Back on the ferry under the cover of shadows Zuko, Jet, and Smellerbee sneak up to the food storage area. Jet breaks the door open with his twin tiger hook swords, and he and Zuko take some food one slash at the cords holding chickens he quickly bags them in middle air. Zuko stacks plates on plates and wraps them together.
"Guard's coming!" Smellerbee warned.
Longshot fires an arrow with a rope attached to it, allowing the three to slide down it. Longshot pulls it away before the guard notices.
Back at the pass, Aang is standing at the edge of the rock, looking out at the ocean, blankly. Katara approaches him to see how he is doing. "You know, it's okay to miss Appa."Katara said. Aang remains silent which makes her more concern. "What's going on with you? In the desert, all you cared about was finding Appa and now it's like you don't care about him at all."
Aang decided to let what's was going on. "You saw what I did out there. I was so angry about losing Appa that I couldn't control myself. I hated feeling like that."
"But now you're not letting yourself feel anything. I know sometimes it hurts more to hope and it hurts more to care. But you have to promise me that you won't stop caring." Katara hoped.
Aang still cared it's just that that at time he refuse to show it because he believes someone need to be strong through this whole journey. Katara didn't really see strength so much as a coldness as the winter ice of the South Pole "Come on, you need a hug." Katara holds out her arms to warm him up.
Aang respectfully bows before her "Thank you for your concern, Katara." Aang exits with Katara feeling more concern for Aang than before. Someone who needs a hug but turns it down may need a reason big enough to care again.
In the moonlight Dante reclines against a rock that over looked the camp while gazing at the moon. Suddenly he heard a footstep and he turned to his right quickly to see I was Suki standing a few feet away from him.
"Very few people can sneak up on me like that." Dante commented the Kyoshi warrior on her skill in the art of stealth.
"Well you can learn a lot from sneaking past on a wild tiger-Bear in the woods. Kyoshi warriors are also trained in that art of stealth. I can pass thru a bust crowd safely and can go totally unnoticed if I desired."
"But to disappear completely – that is a rare gift." Dante added. "When the Fire Nation closed in on the North Pole I knew it was going to be the final showdown with my friend Aang."
"You and Aang are friends?" Suki finding it hard to believe.
"Before he disappeared a hundred years ago I met him in the Southern Air Temple. I went with on his journeys across the globe. The two of us got into a lot of high-jinx. He's like a little brother to me."
"How did feel when he ran away?" Suki asked.
"Like watching Spider-man and Vergil turning to dust in front of my eyes when Thanos snapped his fingers." Dante replied.
"Who?" Suki asked confused on who he was talking about.
"Nothing … I was extremely sad, I thought he died. Plus with the Airbender genocide if the cycle went back around to Air the cycle will end there. But I had to be certain. That's why I returned to the Fire Nation. If they captured him I would know.
"That was a hundred years ago. You ought to be an old man by now …" Suki still found Dante's claim to be outlandish.
"Well I was Kyoshi's lover for a time." Dante added while pondering to himself.
"You and Kyoshi were lovers? No way." Suki was not buying it.
"Eh … not many would believe me, not the point." Dante said after a yawn. "So what's with Sokka?"
"That's what I intend to find out. Do you know where he is?" Suki asked.
Dante gestured to his left indicating that Sokka went that down that way. Suki walked down the path. Dante decided to turn his attention back to the Ying. He focused on her belly, particularly the baby within, and discovered something very … odd.
In another part of the Pass, Sokka sits by himself, until Suki approaches by the time a cloud reveals the moon behind it.
"It's a beautiful moon." Suki points out.
"Yeah, it really is." Sokka said a bit glum.
"Sokka, I know you're just trying to help, but I can take care of myself."
"I know you can."
"Then why are you acting so overprotective?"
"It's so hard to lose someone you care about. Something happened at the North Pole and I couldn't protect someone. I don't want anything like that to ever happen again."
"I lost someone I care about. He didn't die, he just went away. I only had a few days to get to know him, but he was smart and brave and funny ..."
Sokka became jealous by Suki's description of another guy. "Who is this guy? Is he taller than me?"
"No, he's about your height."
"Is he better-looking?"
"It is you, stupid!"
"Oh."
As if that was obvious enough, now Sokka feels embarrassed that he would think there was another guy. The two prepare to kiss, but Sokka pulls back at the last moment.
"I can't." Sokka said sadly.
"I'm sorry." Suki said guiltily
"No, you shouldn't be." Sokka replied.
He understood what she was trying to do but the time is not right. It was too soon it seems.
::
Back on the ferry Jet passes out food they stole to other travelers. The other Freedom Fighters, Zuko, and Iroh sit together.
"So, Smellerbee. That's an unusual name for a young man." Iroh decided to begin a conversation.
"Maybe it's because I'm not a man ... I'm a girl!" Smellerbee stands up and walks away infuriated.
"Oh, now I see. It's a beautiful name for a lovely girl!" Iroh called out to her to show that meant no harm.
Longshot approaches Smellerbee and gestures at her that Iroh really meant no harm. "I know, you're right. As long as I'm confident with who I am, it doesn't matter what other people think. Thanks, Longshot." Longshot nods at her.
Jet sits down with Zuko and Iroh. "From what I heard, people eat like this every night in Ba Sing Se. I can't wait to set my eyes on that giant wall."
"It is a magnificent sight." Iroh's agrees
"So you've been there before? Asked Jet
"Once. When I was a ... different man." Iroh said sadly.
"I've done some things in my past that I'm not proud of, but that's why I'm going to Ba Sing Se: for a new beginning. A second chance." Jet said wanting to atone for he done, or rather what he failed to do.
Iroh nodded. "That's very noble of you. I believe people can change their lives if they want to. I believe in second chances."
Zuko heard their words. If there was hope for a new beginning perhaps he would take it.
::
Dawn came to the Serpent's Pass. The travelers continued on until notice a section of the pass is below the sea level, and not able to be navigated the normal way.
She divides the water, allowing everyone to walk through the drowned out path. "Everyone single file! Aang, I need help!" Katara says.
Aang helps creating an air bubble over the whole group. Momo's curiosity is aroused by the fish. He dives in the water, only to return back in fear when he sees a large shadow. The rest of them notice snaking over them.
"What is that thing?" Katara says.
The shadow breaks through the water, breaking the divide. Toph quickly uses her earthbending to raise the ground they are standing on above the water. The shadow is actually a large serpent, which appears from the water with a shriek.
"I think I just figured out why they call it the Serpent's Pass! Suki, you know about giant sea monsters, make it go away!" Sokka shouted.
"Just because I live near the unagi doesn't mean I'm an expert!" Suki shouted back.
"I'll talk to it." V stepped forward.
"How?" Dante asked.
"Using the language of the dragons." V replied.
"Oh … hey wait a minute. This is a sea serpent not a dragon." Dante objected.
"Actually it's a Sea Dragon. And do you have a better way to tell it to leave us in peace."
"No." Dante replied giving up.
V stood at the edge and shouted aloud: "DOVAH!"
The Sea Dragon turned his attention to V as he spoke the language of the Dragons. The Sea Dragon responded in a deep guttural accent of the dragon tongue.
"It speaks!" Katara asked amazed by the creature's ability to speak. "What did it say?"
"Well he speaks a slight slur of the dragon language. My guess is that when he settles in the seas he lost the ability to leave this world and is been out of touch with his brothers and sisters on the shore. He says he's hunting a ship of the "Fire Folk"."
"Oh that's easy I'll tell him." Dante walked to the edge of the rock and spoke to the sea dragon in the Dovah tongue. "I destroyed the ship."
The Sea dragon reared back and hissed. It spoke in an annoyed tone. V translated to the rest. "He says … he was hunting it down to eat the crewmen on board. When Dante stole it's kill he practically insulted him …"
"By the judgment of the sea you and your friends are doom to die." Bellowed the Sea dragon.
Dante did not liking the sound of that. He summoned Rebellion on his back and placed his hand of the hilt. V follows suit and readies for battle. Sokka being the cowards as he is grabs Momo and holds him up to appease the king of the sea. "Oh great and powerful sea serpent, please accept this humble and tasty offering. Thank you."
"Sokka!" Katara shouts
Blasts the Serpent back with a burst of air. "We'll distract it. Katara, get everyone across!"
Dante and V assist Aang in distracting serpent while Katara freezes the water to create an ice trail. Everyone except for Toph crosses. Katara tries to ice up the serpent, but it fails.
"Toph, come on, it's just ice!" Sokka urges her on.
Toph feels the ice but her sense of sight is restricted. In a way Toph is sort of blind when out of her element. "Actually, I'm going to stay on my little island, where I can see!"
Dante stabs Rebellion in its side and held on the serpent dives in and out of the water to shake him off takes. Suddenly it takes out half the island. "Okay, I'm coming!" Toph slowly crosses the ice as the battle rages behind her.
"You're doing great! Just follow the sound of my voice!" Sokka coached.
"It's hard to ignore." Toph said ironically.
The serpent slams down the ice trail, dropping Toph into a struggle to stay above water. "Help! I can't swim!" Dante heard Toph's plea and released his grip on Rebellion leaving it stuck in the Sea dragon's side. He propelled himself through the water quickly toward Toph.
"I'm coming, Toph!" shouted Sokka. Before he can do anything, Suki jumps in for the save.
"Help!" Toph shouts but finally falls below the water, but Dante reached her in time and pulls her up before she drowns.
Toph gasped and smiled. "Oh Sokka, you saved me! MMMWWA!" Toph thought it is Sokka who saved her and gives Dante a big kiss on the cheek.
"Actually, it's me." Dante informs her with an awkward smile.
Toph eyes widened as she chuckles in embarrassment ". Oh ... well ... heh, you can go ahead and let me drown now."
"Sure. Suki you can let Toph drown now." Dante said handing Toph to Suki who was trying not to giggle at the whole scene.
Meanwhile, the serpent is caught in a whirlpool created by Aang and Katara. V used Griffon to attack with blasts of lighting to weaken it further. The force of it slams the serpent into the mountain, causing it to fall back below water. Upon seeing the three returns, the rest of the travelers cheer. Dante climbed out of the water and reached out to telekinetically pull Rebellion out of the Sea dragon's scales and into his hand. But it did come as soon as he thought. He tried again harder to summon it back to its master … Nothing.
"Did you lose something?" V walked over and held out Rebellion. Dante accepted with a sigh of relief. "Thanks, brother."
"Don't mention it."V replies back. This wasn't the first time Dante thought he was losing his grip on his powers. But it was happening a little too often the closer they come to Ba Sing Se.
Moments later the traveler finally reached Ba Sing Se's wall. "There's the wall! Now it's nothing but smooth sailing to Ba Sing Se."
Ying suddenly groans in pain. "Ugh … Oh no!"
"Leave it to Sokka to jinx it." Dante muttered.
"What's wrong?" Sokka asked.
"The baby's coming!" Ying announces.
Sokka began to panicked like a chicken with it head chopped off. "What? Now? Can't you hold it in or something?"
"Sokka, calm down. I helped Gran-Gran deliver lots of babies back home."
"This isn't the same as delivering an arctic seal! This is a real ... human ... thing!" Sokka panicked more in disagreement.
"You know this is why you are going to be a doctor." Dante responded.
Katara rolled her eyes. "Yes, and it's called a baby and I helped her deliver plenty of those, too." Aang, get some rags. Sokka, water. Toph, I need you to make an earth tent, a big one." Toph earthbends the rock to form a tent. "Suki, come with me."
"This is it, look like Ba Sing Se is gonna have to wait." V said.
::
Back on the ferry Zuko head out to front of the ferry when he stops upon see the strange boy from the desert staring out into the thick mist. This young man was as tall as Zuko was and yet he appeared like a young boy in the face. Yet his limbs seemed strong enough for him.
"Who or what are you?" Zuko asked as he approached.
"I'm a shadow of my former shadow. My days as a mortal are gone but my life as a spirit warrior is now. I go by the name of Indra. Have you thought about my proposal?" Indra asked.
"You said you will offer help by giving me powers. I must ask what in it for you?" Zuko got right to the point.
"You seek to return to the Fire Nation in your princely glory and the Avatar as your prisoner. I simply want to go back home in the west. But the only way to do that is to give you the power to capture the Avatar. That way we both can go home."
"Are you outcast?" Zuko asked.
"In a way I am, my throne was a volcano in the Fire Nation. With my powers I had created and army of fire and rock to guard it and me. The people nearby heard of me and worshiped me as a God. Then Fire Lord Sozin attacked my kingdom and bound me in chains to use me as a weapon of many years. You were kicked out for speaking out of turn. I escaped so they couldn't abuse my power anymore. Fire Lord Ozai sought to use me as a weapon in this war. Part of my power is gone but I believe I can regain it by returning to the volcano." Indra says.
Moments later Jet approaches Zuko. "You know, as soon as I saw your scar, I knew exactly who you were. You're an outcast, like me. And we outcasts have to stick together. We have to watch each other's backs. Because no one else will."
"I've realized lately that being on your own isn't always the best path." Zuko says. The last time he did that it almost got him killed by his sister, Azula.
Indra, unseen by everyone except for Zuko, nodded his head in agreement. Zuko welcomes Indra's help and the power he wields.
::
Back at the pass Ying is breathing heavily as the baby delivery continues. "You're doing great, Ying. Sokka, where's that water? Now get ready to push. One ... two ... three, push!" Sokka enters the tent with the water amidst Ying groaning and passes out hard.
"Keep going … I see feet. Wait a minute, stop, stop, stop!"!" Katara said which got Dante's attention. He rushed to the entrance of the tent stop the delivery.
Ying stopped pushing confused at what was happening. "What is it … What's wrong?"
"The baby is coming out the wrong way; the baby needs to come out head first." Dante said as he entered inside.
"It the safest way." Katara agrees.
"How are you going to turn child around while she is still inside?" Thane asked concerned.
Dante wasted no time washing his hands and arms in water in a blow. "I delivered babies before but Katara I need your help."
Katara looked and Suki who shrugged. "Okay, what's the plan?"
Dante explained that he's going to reach inside and slowly and carefully turn the baby around. Katara will use waterbending to keep the remaining fluids around the baby to make the rotation smoother. Thane was a little nervous with this procedure; largely for his child's safety and his wife's modesty. But When Dante hands entered inside Thane saw Dante's face was in total focus. Katara gently Waterbended the remaining fluid, help with the changing of the baby's position. It was a slow process and yet the stakes were high.
"How are we doing?" Dante asked in the midst of the slow rearranging.
"I'm fine." Ying replied.
"Good … good." Dante said quietly as he continued to focus.
After what seem like an eternity the baby was position correctly. Dante gently pulled his and back out when he suddenly stop.
"What's wrong?" Katara asked concerned.
"Nothing is wrong … it's just … your baby grabbed onto my pointer finger and won't let go." Dante informed as he didn't know what to do.
Suki thought for a moment and came to a conclusion. "I think their baby just wanted to thank you."
Dante looked at Suki then at the refugees and finally at Katara. He felt the baby within releasing Dante's finger allowing his to pull out safely. Dante stood up and walked out before anyone could say anything. Dante went to the shore and washed his hands and forearms. He pauses after he was done and stares at his hands. He suddenly saw his vision beginning to blur from the warm tears that were coming down his still face. He smiled knowing he did a job well done for the first time.
In no time the baby finally arrives and begins to cry loudly. Aang, Toph, V Dante and Sokka are all waiting outside the tent.
"It's a girl!" Katara announced.
"So, you want to go see the baby, or are you going to faint like an old lady again?"
"No, no, I'm good this time." Sokka reassures her.
"Well let's see who's new in the world." V says as he and Dante entered inside.
Aang waited outside until they were all ready to go. Katara on the other hand came out to persuade Aang to come inside. He finally did enter to see the new life.
"She sounds healthy." Toph sad going by what she can hear.
"She's beautiful." Katara praises.
"It's so ... squishy looking." Sokka comments upon seeing the new born.
"The Angel that presided 'oer my birth said, "Little creature, form'd of Joy and Mirth, "Go love without the help of anything on Earth."" V quoted a poetic verse.
"Well it's been a while since I help delivered a baby. This one seems to have a good start." Dante commented.
"Yeah, not bad for a firebender … Oh shit!" Suki said and covered her mouth in what she accidently blurted out in the moment of happiness for the newborn.
The refugees became quiet in surprise and shook at what they just heard about the identity of the young man who helped make the child's delivery safer.
"Wow, like you showed no restraint at all. I expected this from Sokka but not the person he would have thing with. Well I'll just exit stage left." Dante said and turned to leave until the baby began to cry again. Dante stopped in his tracks and turned back around entering back inside the tent. The baby suddenly quieted down.
"It appears the baby wants you stay." V deduced.
"Wait sir, please stay." Ying pleaded.
Dante looked at them. "Why?"
"You helped our daughter be born safely. We are eternally thankful." Than bowed.
"Thank you." Ying bowed her head also.
"Well ... If anyone should be thanking, thank Katara. She the one who took command of the satiation. I just helped." Dante gestured to Katara who smiled with satisfaction. Aang looks at the baby girl begins to smile as a warm joy begins to fill him.
"What should we name her?" Than asked his wife.
"I want our daughter's name to be unique. I want it to mean something."
Aang tears finally came but they were tears of joy as he finally regains something that was misplaced. "I've been going through a really hard time lately. But you've made me ... hopeful again."
Than then got an idea of a name for their new daughter based on a word term in one of the Earth Kingdom's many languages. "I know what I want to name our baby now. Espera.
Ying smiles in agreement. "That's a perfect name. Espera."
Espera – in translation means Hope.
Outside the tent Aang meets with Katara while everyone stand next to the tent talking. "I thought I was trying to be strong. But really I was just running away from my feelings. Seeing this family together, so full of happiness and love, it's reminded me how I feel about Appa ... and how I feel about you."
Katara sheds some tears. Aang and Katara embrace, Katara's eyes still watering. The others approach to see Aang off.
"I promise, I'll find Appa as fast as I can. I just really need to do this." Aang vows.
"See you in the big city." Sokka says.
Toph punches Aang in the arm for good luck. "Say hi to that big fuzzball for me."
"Wind fly like a sparrow and search like a fox, Aang." V says.
"Until then, peace out." Dante adds with the 'victory' hand signal.
"You'll find him, Aang." Katara send her blessing.
"I know. Thank you, Katara. You ready, Momo?"
Aang and Momo fly off with the rest wave goodbye.
As everyone prepares to set off of the wall Suki approaches Sokka. "Sokka, it's been really great to see you again." she began.
Sokka knows what this is leading to. "Whoa, hold on. Why does it sound like you're saying goodbye?"
"I came along because I wanted to make sure you got through the Serpent's Pass safely. But now I need to get back to the other Kyoshi Warriors."
"So you came along to protect me?"
"Listen, I'm really sorry about last night. We were talking ... and saying things ... and I just got carried away and before I knew it –"
Sokka kisses Suki to shut her up. "You talk too much." The two share a deep kiss. He said she shouldn't be sorry for doing something out of affection for another person.
Aang and Momo fly to the top of the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se. it was high as it was wide. However, Aang quickly notices something that puts pain to the plan of finding Appa. Monolithic drill with a Fire Nation insignia is slowly heading for the wall.
Aang sighs, "Sorry Momo, Appa's going to have to wait." He then returns back to his friends.
The second Siege of Ba Sing Se is about to begin.