Me: Alrighty! Here's chapter four! This is my longest chapter yet and I am pretty darn proud of it! If you still want to know what becomes of Zuko and who the 'mysterious' man is, you'll have to wait until next chapter! Bwaa ha ha ha!
Zuko: (waving to fan girls) It is I Prince Zuko! Your adoring prince and…idol!
Katara: Prince Ego is more like it.
Aang & Toph: (snicker)
Sokka: How does he get all the fan girls and not me?
Me: It must be your ponytail.
Sokka: It's a Warrior's Wolf Tail! And there is no shame in it.
Katara: If you say so…ponytail.
Everybody else: (laughing)
DISCLAIMER: If I owned Avatar I would make Zuko and Katara already be together and so would Aang and Toph. But I don't…so alas, I must put up this disclaimer… (sigh)
The canyon was huge in itself but that sheer canyon walls only seemed to add to the foreboding of no escape. Going around it wasn't an option. They would have to risk being captured by Fire Nation or being attacked by wild giant saber tooth-moose-lions. It wasn't worth the risk, besides, this was the quickest way to Ba Sing Se. In other words, it is the quickest way to Appa. Who knew they would miss that giant flying bison so much? They were half way through the canyon when Sokka asked of they could have just gone around. He had the dumbest suggestions. When Katara told him about the horrible deaths we would face he mumbled about it not being as hot.
Aang turned to look at his group. Katara was leafing through an Earth bending booklet, Sokka was laughing it up with Toph about some joke he had told. Aang felt anger rise in his stomach at the fact she was talking to Sokka and not himself. Anger? Or Jealousy? He dismissed the thought and continued on his way. His thoughts kept drifting back to Toph though. Frustrated, he shook his head and focused on what it would be like when they got Appa back.
He focused his mind on looking out for prickly snakes. He knew Katara could take care of them herself but her felt the strongest urge to protect her.
But is it her he wants to protect? Or is it the small blind girl tagging along with them?
Again he shook his head and kicked a smallrock on the ground with a bare foot. Bad idea, pain shot up his leg and his toe throbbed. He could hear Toph laughing as he hopped around on one foot. Her laugh…that's what he needed. Her laugh was different, hearty and comforting yet harsh and cruel. He liked it.
Suddenly he felt himself hopping around more just so she would laugh and pay attention to him. He had to stop eventually and he did when she stopped giggling. He had made himself look like an idiot for her, just for her attention. Now her attention and Katara's was focused on Sokka who was telling another cheesy joke.
"Okay now, so there's this ostrich-horse right? And he walks into a bar and the bar tender says, 'Why the long face?'" Then he doubled over laughing, clutching his gut. Katara and Toph exchanged glances then giggled at how Sokka thought it was so funny. Aang couldn't help but crack a smile at it too. Sokka finally got rid off all his bad jokes and walked in silence with the others. Toph rushed forward and walked in step with Aang.
"So, how much farther do we have to go?" She asked.
"About another half mile." He replied happily, feeling elated at the fact they were getting close to Ba Sing Se and because Toph was paying attention to him.
"Oh." Was all she said and remained quiet, just walking along with him peacefully. "Aang, there's two people over there." She pointed to left.
"Where?" He squinted in that direction but saw nothing.
"Right there! Under that ledge." She said as if it were plain as day.
"I don't-" Then he saw them, a large man with short cropped black hair holding a woman with long red hair by the arm. "Oh."
"I wonder if they need help?" Toph questioned.
"I don't know."
"Whatcha guys lookin' at?" Sokka asked good-naturedly.
"There's two people over there." Katara said. "Duh, can't you see them?"
Sokka squinted. 'Uh….oh yeah I see them!"
The man seemed to notice them too and waved his arms frantically. Katara jogged up to him. "We have been trapped here for a few hours. We are trying to escape the Fire Nation and get to Ba Sing Se." The man said hurriedly.
"Welcome to the club, we've got jackets." Sokka said from behind Katara.
"Well, why don't you travel with us? We are headed to Ba Sing Se also." Katara suggested. "But, how did you get lost?"
"We ran out of water and thought that the overhang over there was a cave but it wasn't. By the time we had figured that out we couldn't remember which way lead to Ba Sing Se." The man said.
Katara pulled out her canteen and unscrewed the lid, "Here." She bent the water to the man and his wife's mouth. They drank the water thirstily.
"Thank you." The man bowed. "We are eternally grateful that you would help us like this. My wife is heavy with child so it is hard for her to travel." He gestured towards his wife.
"But the rest has given me renewed strength, I think I can make it the rest of the way to Ba Sing Se." The red haired woman said, rubbing her stomach.
"It's another quarter mile." Said a happy Aang.
"No problem." The wife said, waving it off with a hand.
"Well, if you're traveling with us, you should probably learn all our names. I'm Katara, this is Aang, Sokka, and Toph." She said, pointing to each of them in turn. Momo crept up and ran up to Aang and sat on his shoulder.
"This is Momo." Aang told them. The lemur just chattered and moved to Aang's other shoulder.
"I am Muki and this is my wife Isha.." The man said. "And this is our unborn child Rayne."
The woman grunted. "She sure is going to be a feisty one. She kicks like crazy." Isha laughed.
Toph sidled up to her and ran a hand over Isha's stomach. "There really is a baby in there." Her eyes seemed to sparkle. "I can feel her kicking. It's weird."
Katara giggled. "We should probably get going. We've only got a little more to go." Everyone agreed and they set off, Aang leading the way again. Toph walked alongside Isha and asked questions about the child while Katara tried to help explain. Sokka was talking with Muki about fishing and hunting. They were exchanging ideas as to the best way to catch something for food. A prickly snake slithered across Aang's path and darted to the other side of the canyon. He looked back at the others; nobody had seemed to notice so he kept walking. The canyon walls loomed as ominously as ever until Aang saw an empty plain ahead of him and farther off, the gates of Ba Sing Se.
"We're here!" he shouted and took off running towards Ba Sing Se.
"Aang, wait up!" Katara yelled, running after him.
He sprinted for all that he was worth to the city gates and would have ran right through them had he not been stopped by the guards outside. They stepped in his path and held out large spears to his chest whilst levitating a large rock over Aang's head.
"State your name and purpose." One of the officials demanded.
"Aang!" Katara panted, doubling over with her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. "Aang…you really…shouldn't…run off…like that…"
"State your name and purpose." The official said again.
"We're here traveling with the Avatar." Katara said.
The men's eyes widened, "The Avatar?" they said exasperatedly.
Aang nodded proudly. "Yep, that's me. All my friends need through too." He jerked a thumb over his shoulder at Sokka, Toph, Isha and Muki who were catching up fast.
The men nodded furiously and stepped aside, "Of course, anything for the Avatar."
Aang and Katara stepped past them into the city. Hundreds of people were bustling about from food stands to small shops and some women were hanging out their washed clothing. Small children played in the streets, kicking rubber balls and running. Katara gasped at the huge city.
"This is humongous!" She exclaimed.
"Geez you guys! Could you have run any faster?" Sokka whined, panting.
"Of course we could have, you're just too slow." Katara shot back.
"Hey I'm not-"
"Thank you for bringing us to this city. We are very grateful for what you have done, now my wife can have her baby in a nice hospital and be around her family." Muki said.
"It was no problem." Katara said. Everybody exchanged hugs, which was awkward with Isha because of her large stomach. Toph beamed after feeling the baby kick inside Isha's stomach.
They watched them leave then started up the street. "First stop, toothbrushes and combs." Aang chirped. They stopped inside a small shop and bought the things then continued up the street again.
"Now to find Appa." Toph said.
They walked in silence for a while just taking in the new sights and smells until a large crash was heard. Sokka had not been watching where he was going and run straight into a cabbage cart. The tipped cart had spilt the vegetables all over the ground and they rolled to a stop.
"My cabbages!" The man shrieked, he glimpsed Aang and immediately stood in front of the wrecked cabbage cart. "I know you! Get away! Get away!"
"I just want to help you set up your cart again." Aang offered.
"NO! Just go away! Go or I'll have you arrested for malicious cabbage destruction, again!" He shouted.
"I'm sorry cabbage man, just let me help-" Sokka picked up some cabbages to hand him.
The man ran up and snatched the cabbage from his hands. "Just go." He said dramatically.
"Alright, drama queen." Sokka muttered.
"Let's go Sokka." Toph said grabbing him by the wrist and pulling him along.
"I hope all your cabbages rot!" Sokka yelled.
"They were already half rotten." Katara commented.
"How do you know?" Aang asked.
Toph pinched her nose. "CauseSokka smells like it, that's why."
"Aw man! I smell like cabbage!" He pouted. "Can we go check into a hotel? Because I want to get a shower." He sniffed his shirt. Everybody stepped away from him.
"First we find Appa." Aang said sternly.
Me: That's all for now folks.
Katara: Tune in…eh…tomorrow or the next day for the next chapter!
Aang: Until then, REVIEW!
Sokka: (pouts)
Toph: Yeah review before Sokka goes emo and cuts himself.
Sokka: Shut up!
Zuko: My loyal fans…Please review…you know you want to.
Me: Oh brother…