Chapter 9 - Resolution
A/N: Here's a (comparatively) long chapter! Hope you'll enjoy it! :D Also, thank you very much for all the reviews! Do keep them coming~
EDIT: Made some minor edits to the story. :)
Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA, although I wish I did.
The look on her face… He felt as if a fist clenched over his heart. Zuko could not believe it possible to convey so much emotion just through the eyes alone, especially if they had a thin unclear film coating them.
"I'm going in."
As he was running towards the plateau, he started regretting for not bringing his pair of dao swords. Blame it on him assuming this trip would be purely non-combat. Which, in light of the recent attacks from the rebels, was awfully complacent of him. Considering he would be relying heavily on his firebending to put up a fight, he would be at a dangerous disadvantage. He hoped that the sun would rise soon, having lost track of the time.
He set foot on the plateau, looking around for the two Bei Fongs. How do they look like, again?
"HEY! I'm here!" He yelled. "The GREAT Fire Lord Zuko!"
Then, he felt his legs shaking. Odd, was it that obvious that he was fatigued and nervous? No, wait. The ground was shaking.
"Oh crud," He muttered.
He felt something slam straight against his chest, knocking the air out of him while it sent him flying. He hoped there was a wall somewhere with his name on it. His collision with the wall aggravated the injury he received from Toph a few days ago. He shut his eyes and clenched his teeth. The thing that hit him… It had the same smell that came from Toph's house. Gunpowder. Without a doubt, they were from his country.
"Ridiculous! This sixteen-year-old intends to rule our nation?" Someone said.
'Intend'? Oh no. I am ruling my nation.
He looked up at the man approaching him, with two more people in tow.
"Where are the Bei Fongs?" Zuko demanded. "It's me you want. Release them!"
"Sure," The man agreed readily.
Too readily.
"HEY! I'm here! The GREAT Fire Lord Zuko!"
Mai raised her head, before she mentally slapped herself. Seriously. To think one's supposed to get more mature with age and experience.
"I see your boyfriend's here, Mai," Kazuya said in a clipped tone.
"Kazuya," Mai spoke. "You can still turn back. There are other solutions for this."
She heard Kazuya's voice grow softer, as he left the area.
"No, there aren't."
"… Okay," She heard Zuko say.
No. She thought. What did he agree to?
"She's gone really quiet."
"Yeah, ever since that firebender friend of hers left."
Toph kept mum, kicking a random rock away from her. Her scowl grew deeper as she thought about her conversation with Zuko.
"This is my fight."
What? Sparky-
"Stay out of it."
Wouldn't you trust me to watch your back? Sparky... I thought we promised to help each other when we were in tough times. Not...
Not this.
Toph clenched her fists. She sent a tremor across the ground. She felt Jun and Xing fall to the ground after losing their balance. A moment of sadistic glee passed through her before the seriousness of the current situation hit her.
She felt the earth feedback to her. Zuko's not moving. They're doing something to him.
Should she go in?
"Now that that's done, let them go."
"Sure," The brown-haired person in front of him agreed, grinning.
Zuko felt a tinge of relief as he watched the two, that he sincerely hoped were the Bei Fongs, ran off. Now to deal with this…
This was going to be difficult. His arms were tied to each side of the chair, and so were his legs. The chair he was tied to was made of metal. He could somehow send enough heat up to slowly burn the ropes off… That would be difficult. He would have to bear with the heat going to the rest of his body and put up a show for these barbaric rebels. If he just used a large jet of fire to do so… If he did not do that fast enough… Let's just say things would get ugly quickly.
Zuko's eyes darted around for a moment, contemplating his options.
"Hey! Look at me when I'm talking!" The person gripped his chin and forced him to stay straight into his grey eyes.
Zuko stared him down and watched as the person cleared his throat.
"As I was saying, I'm Kazuya, the leader of the Dracen Knights. We would let you go, if you agree to a few of our requests. As simple as that."
Oh, that's for sure.
"The Dracen Knights were set up for one sole purpose, for the unheard to make their stand, for everyone to get what they want. Many people, or so I've heard, all of them, particularly disagree with your thinking." Kazuya continued. "For one, we particularly object to this Harmony Restoration Movement!"
Zuko raised his eyebrow. Okay. All this trouble caused… For this Fire Nation colony thing?
"Oy, Kazuya!" Another of them cut in suddenly.
Kazuya looked towards the person before nodding.
"Also, many of us, don't want this 'change' that you're offering to us. We are perfectly happy as it were, just a few months back."
Zuko gritted his teeth. "That's not true! You rather that so many of our people die just for this stupid war? Just because you like status quo?"
"I repeat, we were perfectly happy as such. We led relatively peaceful lives, Lord Ozai may have been overbearing at times, but all in all, we never truly suffered."
" 'Overbearing'? Really? That's all?" Zuko asked quietly, sweat was trickling down his temple.
Zuko made to stand up, before forgetting he was tied to the chair. He fell face first on to the ground. He heard footsteps towards him, before being lifted up as the back of his chair was pushed back up.
He came face to face with Kazuya again.
"You idiots in the Fire Nation colonies don't even know what they were doing to you! Propaganda! All of it! You don't even know how it was like back in the country itself!"
"Yes. Of course I've heard. Honestly speaking though, many of us believe that your father fared better in leading a country."
"He caused the deaths of thousands! Millions!" Zuko yelled, trying to convince himself as well.
"Perhaps. But you're far weaker than him. How do you know if your weakness would not cause many deaths as well?"
Zuko frowned. He was stumped. But he was there. Nearly there. He can't give it up now.
"Of course I wouldn't know. However, I have friends. Something my father probably never had. I have friends who would correct me whenever I get too out of hand."
Kazuya looked at him for a while in silence before he slapped his palm to his face and burst into laughter.
"Your friends will not always be there for you when you need them. So how can yo-"
Here's the chance!
Zuko let rip a huge flame that incinerated the ropes to ashes. He quickly burnt off the ropes tying his legs to the chair with his now free hands. He leapt from the chair, the heat getting a little too great for comfort.
He wanted to make a mad dash to escape, before he changed his mind. He wanted to end this once and for all. His eyes widened as the inner area of the plateau was lined with rocks that were not there before. They blocked any means of escape.
Good.
"All right. You managed to break those flimsy ropes. I challenge you now to an Agni Kai."
Zuko frowned as he circled him. Should I…?
"Let's see what you have to lose if I win," Kazuya began, smiling. "Or if you forfeit, you pathetic excuse for a Fire Lord.
Zuko gritted his teeth. I will not. Lose. My. Temper.
"You will relinquish your throne, to my team. If I lose, which I assure you isn't going to happen, the rebellion of the Dracen Knights will cease."
Arrogant.
"Second, if I win…" Kazuya began before he snapped his finger.
Zuko glanced over Kazuya's shoulder to find someone tied to a chair as well, blindfolded and gagged. The figure seemed… Somewhat familiar. The blindfold and gag were removed to find…
"Mai!" He shouted, his eyes widened in shock. "What are you doing here?"
Mai gave him a pained look and whispered. "I was tricked."
He glared at Kazuya, who smirked.
"She's mine."
"Dad! Mom!" Toph called out as she heard the familiar footsteps.
"Toph! Oh, Toph…" She heard her parents cry out before running forward to embrace her.
She blinked, unsure of how to react. She slowly wrapped her hands around her parents. She inhaled deeply, only to realize how much she have missed their scent.
Smells of… Home.
"We were so worried about you!" Her mother said tenderly.
Toph nodded, "Yeah. Me too."
"Let's go then, Master," Jun said, stepping forward.
Her father nodded, gesturing for everyone to follow him. They obediently fell in line behind her Lao Bei Fong. That is, with the exception of Toph.
Toph had refused to budge. No, she could not budge. She glanced down at her feet. No, nothing rooting her to the ground…
"Toph, don't you want to leave?" Her mother asked her, touching her shoulder lightly.
… No. I don't. She answered almost immediately.
"No. I don't," She repeated slowly.
"Toph…" Dad's voice sounded dangerously low.
Why? She felt herself asking.
The answer came to her mind almost immediately.
"No," She said again. "I will be waiting for Zuko. You guys will leave first."
The gong sounded as columns of earth shot from the ground, marking their arena. Seems like these people were just waiting for this moment to happen. This Agni Kai.
His hand felt for the lining of his top, tearing it away as he quickly turned to face Kazuya. Kazuya had done the same before he took a stance. Zuko snatched a glance at the sky. It wasn't daylight just yet.
Zuko took a few steps back. They circled each other, waiting for the right moment to str-
Kazuya attacked first, leapt forwards, his feet bursting into flames. Zuko dodged easily, counterattacking with a kick directed at his abdomen, which Kazuya blocked.
Kazuya closed a hand around Zuko's wrist and twisted it. Zuko followed through but flinging him overhead, making him slam against the ground.
It wasn't time to get cocky just yet. Kazuya recovered quickly and gave a few punches straight towards Zuko's face. Zuko dodged them, taking a few steps back each time, until he backed up into the barrier that they created.
He was cornered. Zuko was ready to drop to the floor and kick him before he spotted something.
"… No way."
"Yes way," Kazuya said with a smirk.
He snapped his fingers alight, and with that, he ignited the fuse.
Zuko thought fast and he spun, landing a kick on Kazuya. He snatched the dynamite from Kazuya and was ready to fling it to out of the 'arena'…
Which was impossible. If there was any chance that there was an innocent passer-by that happened across the dynamite… Zuko's credibility and reputation will be tarnished, and his guilt will be long lasting.
The spark was reaching the dynamite…
"Sparky!"
Zuko whipped around to see Toph, who was reaching towards him through the gaps of the barrier. She was gesturing for him to throw the explosive to her. He made to do so, but he held back. In an Agni Kai, no one is to interfere. He could not just-
"Just do as she says."
From his periphery, he noticed Kazuya. He moved to block a strike, but it did not land where it expected. Kazuya snatched the dynamite from him and threw it to Toph.
Toph frowned. She obviously knew the person who made the throw wasn't Zuko. She did not know how to react. She could not see that the last bit of fuse was already disappearing.
"Toph…!" Zuko howled, as a loud boom rang in his ears.
Mai inhaled sharply when she registered what just happened before her. The events replayed in her head in slow motion. As if watching it once was not enough.
Toph finally came to their aid, after Agni-knows-how-long. She shouted for Zuko to hand the explosive to her so she could bury it. Or at least, that was supposed to be the plan.
He hesitated, and then everything unfurled way too quickly for Mai's liking. Kazuya took the dynamite from him and threw it, timing it such that it would explode before Toph could react.
Zuko's pained scream ripped through her thoughts, resounding within Mai herself. She gritted her teeth as she strained against the binds that kept her from moving.
"Let me go!" Mai demanded her captors.
The man grinned toothily, "No can do, miss."
He rushed towards the side of the arena where Toph was standing. Mai heard him cough, trying to rid of the smoke that the explosion released from his lungs. The scene cleared up, revealing the spot to be empty. Zuko gripped the barriers that separated him from the rest of the plateau.
"You!" He glared at Kazuya, his face now purple with rage.
"Me, what?" He taunted.
Zuko gnashed his teeth, as he shut his eyes. This alerted Mai. She struggled against the binds more as she watched Kazuya charge towards Zuko. She watched as Zuko made a circular movement with his arms. His chest slowed its heaving. His hands seemed to be holding balls of energy in each hand. All this… Suddenly seemed so familiar to her. Then, white streaks started to follow the fluid motions of his hands, crackling.
Mai's eyes widened. No! Zuko…! You can't…!
"Toph, I did it!"
Silence.
"Toph?"
I walked towards her. Toph was standing stock still, refusing to budge. Has something happened…?
I bent down as I gripped her shoulders. I looked at her straight in the face. Her jade-white eyes bore straight through me. I studied her slowly.
Her eyes were wet.
"What did you do?" She whispered.
I swallowed before speaking. "Lightning generation. … Something wrong…?"
"I…" She stuttered, sniffling a little. "I don't like thunder."
I frowned, wondering what that meant, before it hit me. The sound must have scared her.
"I was nearly hit once… During a storm I ran out to play in the rain…" She started to explain.
I nodded, letting her continue.
Then, she suddenly stiffened. She turned away quickly, causing me to fall backwards from the lack of balance.
"Hey!" I yelled indignantly.
"This sparring session sucks!" She declared. "I'm leaving."
I scratched my head as I watched her leave. She's crazy.
Sorry, Toph. I know you don't like it, but… I have to.
Zuko felt his hands surge with power, as the temperature grew. He placed a hand to his back and the other, he pointed directly at Kazuya.
The white streaks of energy flew straight towards Kazuya, striking true. His eyes widened in shock as lightning shot through the air towards him.
Never seen this before? Some leader of the Fire Nation's rebels you are.
A flash of white, and he heard a groan of pain. Kazuya lay on the ground, gripping his injury. Zuko winced in pain, remembering how that felt when Azula hit him with a similar attack. The columns of dirt that prevented him from escaping retreated back into the ground.
Zuko walked towards Kazuya. As much as he hated him for what he had done to Toph… That guy needed serious help. He would have considered an alternative if he did not want to end the match right there and then. Even when Katara healed him right after that battle with Azula… He felt the wound on his chest. It still hurt at times.
Kazuya struggled to get back on his feet, but slammed against the ground almost immediately. His limp body started twitching.
"Come on. We need to bring you in for some treatment."
He slung Kazuya's arm over his shoulder, supporting him. Zuko chose remaining electricity running through Kazuya's body prickling his skin. He made to walk towards Mai. He will ask her to bring him back to Xuanwu Gu first. He wanted to look for Toph. There was no way that she just simply disappeared. Without a trace.
He set Kazuya down to burn off Mai's ropes. He was about to squat down when Mai called out for him to watch out.
They haven't let up yet? He thought as he turned to receive the blow.
It never came.
She grinned as she sent the person flying.
"Hah, Sparky. What would you ever do without me?" She folded her arms.
"Not too well, apparently," He could not hide the obvious tone in his voice.
"Toph!"
"Yeah, Sunshine. I'm alive. No need to get emotional."
"Pardon me?" Mai said, sounding particularly aghast.
She grunted as she fended off the next attack from the persistent group. No time for a sappy reunion now, sadly. I always wanted to see how those turn out. Toph scowled. She took it out on the poor firebender that was attacking her.
His groan in pain made her feel slightly better.
"Why are you doing this?" Zuko asked the rebels. "Your leader is down. The Agni Kai has settled this dispute. We have to make sure he gets immediate medical attention!"
Some stepped back immediately, while others stayed where they were.
"He may be down, but it does not break our spirit!" One yelled.
Toph raised an eyebrow. Some pep talk. Oh, I bet they are all so fired up.
"At least let him be tended to first!" Zuko said.
He was obviously remembering how it felt when Azula struck him down. Katara had told her all about it.
"Guys…" She heard the man Mai was supporting say weakly. "We've lost the match to Zuko. We have to keep our promise."
The rebels continued to advance.
"Did you not hear what he just said? He said to stop already!" Toph said, frowning. "Isn't an Agni Kai supposed to end a dispute once and for all?"
Zuko nodded in response.
"He may have lost. But we haven't."
She felt Zuko take a step back. He has got to be kidding. If he took on all these people, fight them in an Agni Kai, he'll probably just collapse of exhaustion. Fancy-pants Fire Lord or not.
"Toph… Think you can sharpen some rocks for me?"
"Sure," She nodded, before grinning widely. "But isn't that metal I sense?"
She lifted her hands, and flicked her fingers towards her. The weapons the rebels held before them started vibrating. There were gasps amongst them, before their weapons flew from their hands.
Toph levitated them, and snapped the metal parts off. Zuko supplied a steady flame, whose color went dangerously close to blue. Toph molded the metal into sharp knives.
"… They're staring at me, aren't they?" Toph asked.
Zuko nodded.
"Well? What's wrong? Stunned by the world's greatest Earthbender's awesomeness?" Toph demanded, causing Mai to quirk an eyebrow.
"Alright, Mai," Zuko whispered to her. "Take Kazuya back to Xuanwu Gu. Have him treated. Toph and I will fend them off. Just keep the knives at the ready."
Mai nodded grimly. She glanced at Kazuya, hoping he would not be too much of deadweight. She slipped the hot new knives into her sleeves.
"Come on," She muttered to Kazuya, who nodded.
She honestly hadn't savored the idea of helping him, after all that he had been doing. However…
Zuko shifted himself next to Toph. He didn't want to injure any more people, yet he needed to send out a clear message to them.
Show who them who's really in power.
He shot out two jets of fire from his fists, as Toph knocked down some others as they advanced.
Toph nudged him, causing him to turn his attention towards her.
"Threaten them!" She hissed.
He blinked. Oh.
"Such impudence!" He roared, setting his fists aflame. "Once I'm through with all of you, just wait till I trace you to your families!"
Toph sent a slab of dirt to one of the rebels, plastering over his face. The man struggled for a bit, before Toph removed the slab. She lifted it such that everyone could see the rebel's face's imprint on the slab. The rebels stopped suddenly. He gulped. Did he go overboard…?
He glanced at Toph, who shrugged.
Some immediately dropped their weapons and fled the scene. Toph raised an eyebrow.
The number left was decreasing, prompting Zuko give a small smile. He took down the nearest person swiftly, causing the person to hit the floor face-first.
"What are you going to do to them, Fire Lord Zuko?" Toph asked.
"… What?" He answered, taken aback by the unusual formal address.
Toph's knuckles turned white. She was trying not to punch him, that much, he could tell.
Then, he got it.
"Oh, I don't know. Lock them up in Fire Nation prison to pay for their foolish relatives' acts?" He supplied darkly, racking his brains for a good threat.
The rebels dropped to their knees suddenly, causing Zuko to flinch.
"We surrender! Please do not harm our families!" They cried out.
He frowned, that was a rather quick change in behavior… Was this a trick…?
"They're not lying," Toph stated.
What should I do now? I can't possibly just let them off…
"Let's round them up," She said, summoning walls of dirt from the ground. "I've also got the ones who ran off."
She made three walls, to make a near-complete room.
"Get in."
Zuko pursed his lips then nodded in agreement. "Do as you're told! And no funny business. I know you have at least one earthbender amongst you. You'll be sent to prison in Fire Nation, along with the other friends who have tried to escape. You are lucky that during your bouts of rebellion that no one was fatally injured. I'll release you as I deem fit."
They got up, slightly dejectedly. He kept a fist aflame, just in case they changed their minds.
After all of those present entered the room, Toph closed it up with another wall. She made a hole at one side for ventilation.
Zuko breathed a sigh of relief. Now that that was settled…
"How did you know?" Toph asked suddenly.
"About what?" He asked.
"Me not actually being dead."
"People don't just disappear completely without a trace, you know?"
"What? Really?" Toph asked incredulously. "Then Lang…"
"I don't know about him, but he probably just wasn't in the house," Zuko shrugged.
"Oof! What was that for?" Zuko demanded, after she punched his shoulder.
"That's for generating lightning again."
A/N: Please do forgive me if you were expecting a lot of action in this chapter... I can't write action scenes to save my life. (Sadly. Ugh.)
Anyhow, I've tried looking up on whether people actually do like... Leave no trace at all should they encounter an explosion in rather close proximity. ... I didn't get any answers. Do tell/correct me if I'm wrong and all. ):
Oh, I'll be going on a hiatus soon to prepare for my impending doom. *beat* Actually, it's just my tests coming up. So after chapter 10, I won't be posting for a while. Yep. Just thought I'd let you guys know.
Meanwhile, reviews would be awesome. :D
EDIT: Yeah. There's a slight edit in this part. From tomboy26's review, it would seem very much unlike Toph to like... Just stay out of the battle. Okay, my rationale was that (from Toph's POV) after all that they have been through, Zuko didn't trust her enough to fight and end the problem once and for all. ... Is that a sufficient explanation? Anyhow, thank you for your review, tomboy26! Really appreciate it. :D