Gudday everyone, hope you're all enjoying your new year and for those of you back at work...i hope you're not too depressed.
As always feel free to make any suggestions or constructive criticisms :)
I don't own anything in the avatar verse. Can someone tell me if i actually need to put disclaimers up?
I can see them.
I can feel them.
They seemed to continue on forever into the distance. They surround me like fireflies moving lazily through the space around me. It's at that moment I realize that the space surrounding me is dark, the only light I see is given by the tiny pricks of light and warmth that continue to move without pattern or obvious purpose. But the lights are not equal, some burn brighter and hotter than the others.
I close my eyes and I can feel a force, like threads, that connects all these points like a web spanning all existence. Focusing even further I feel the energy flowing around the web, flowing from the greater to lesser, feeding and sustaining those around them. And then I feel it, so distant and yet so powerful, connecting directly to the larger lights.
It's at that point I recognize it, the light, the warmth…it is fire. I feel it like I have felt the presence of all nearby fires since the ambush on the barge. But this is far, far larger than any I have felt before, even at the distance it is it puts any hundred of the close fires to shame, in fact it seemed to be the source of all the energy in the web.
As I allowed my senses to flow from flame to flame, I notice a disturbance in the web as if the energy had ceased to flow. All of a sudden the large flame I was mentally inspecting winked out of existence. Confused, I opened my eyes to a scene that could only be described as 'chaos', some flames were expanding beyond control, consuming those around them, some flared violently, destroying themselves and any unlucky enough to be nearby and some simply faded from existence, cut off from their sustaining energy.
Reaching out with the fire within me, I tried to halt the chaos around me but the fires didn't respond, in fact, it continued to worsen. I reached out to a nearby flame, one which had grown out of control, the moment my hand touched I felt a shock run through my body and a series of images flashed through my mind. I saw a man dressed in red and gold armor standing at the head of an army, I saw the army clash with one in green, I saw raging fires, I saw men crushed under giant boulders, I saw charred bodies on the streets.
Gasping, I snatch my hand back from the offending fire. I can see the chaotic show had evolved into a war, the larger fires clashing together in violent bursts of sparks often sweeping aside the smaller flames nearby, even without focusing I could feel the web connecting it all being torn asunder. Desperate, I reach out to grab a smaller flame and again images flash across my vision, I see a small farm surrounded by barren, dead land, I see a small family, thin with hunger. I stumble back, scrunching my eyes closed to ward off the visions but accidentally backing into another small flame.
I see a proud young man decked in red armor, I see his weeping mother reach out for him as he boards a large warship. I see the same young man's face white with fear as the earth surged around him, completely swallowing nearby men.
Panicking now, I duck and weave my way through the sea of colliding flame I ran for what felt like hours before the flames froze in place around me. A man emerged from the darkness in front of me, I could feel strands of the web connecting to him, I could feel the sheer power emanating from him. His skin was coal black, glowing orange lines crisscrossed his skin like miniature fissures, he wore a simple flowing toga of gold silk, his hair was pure white in contrast with his skin and a large crown of fire floated above his head. He simply stood there with his glowing gold eyes fixed on me before he spoke.
"Behold, the imbalance."
"Why am I here?" I ask. "What is all this?"
"My people. Your people. Save them." He stated, completely ignoring my questions.
"Who exactly is 'them'? How exactly do you propose I do this?" I ask, exasperated.
"Those of fire, they too must be saved." Comes the stoic, unhelpful reply.
And then he was gone.
The chaos began again, escalating until the sole surviving flame faded into oblivion, there was a strange noise, like the scuttle of hundreds of feet, there was a deep, booming laughter.
And I awoke.
I glared blearily around my room as the dawn light slowly illuminated my room. It was the most opulent room I had ever seen, let alone slept in, I guess there are perks to traveling with the princess of the most powerful nation in the world.
It was always the same dream, always the same figure and every time I have the dream I remember a little more when I awaken. I'm convinced now that whoever it is that speaks to me in that dream is the one responsible for bringing me here, what he wants from me I'm still not exactly sure, saving the people of fire? If he's referring to the Fire Nation then I'm still confused, they are winning this war.
With a sigh of annoyance I slip out of my bed and move to sit cross legged on the floor, thankfully the padded mats underneath me save me from the discomfort of sitting on cold metal. I reach out in front of me to pinch the wicks of the candles that surround me to set them alight and assumed the mediation position that Azula had shown me a week ago after the ambush. The damage the ship had taken during the attack had slowed our progress toward Omashu considerably, but we are supposed to arrive there today.
The last week has been a…difficult one for me, the fact that I had killed people wouldn't leave me, especially when the time came to clean the blood off me; I don't think I've ever thrown up so much in a single day before and to make matters more confusing, I had noticed small but startling changes like my previously brown eyes now being a piercing gold. I spent the first day sulking in my room avoiding all contact with the world until the princess had come in and forcefully insisted I come out for firebending lessons. I suppose it's a good thing she did, it gave me something to distract myself with and would allow me to "make myself useful" next time as she so kindly put it.
The first thing she had taught me was the importance of breathing…all jokes aside, it turns out that they key to bending fire is in the breath more than anything else and so I now find myself here at this ungodly hour of the morning going through sets of breathing exercises, both standing and sitting while the early morning sun warms me. The exercises are actually very helpful, both in calming me down and in helping me learn to direct my chi.
Slowly I move into some of the more complicated movements, actual fire bending forms done a little slower to help me to maintain my breathing patterns while moving and to direct my 'chi' into punches and kicks, this not only allows firebending but also increases the power of these movements, this is apparently what makes Fire Nation commandos so dangerous.
Over the last week I had spent the majority of everyday practicing my firebending, I need to make sure that I'm ready for future battles, especially if these traitors we are hunting are as dangerous as everyone believes them to be, from the scuttlebutt I have heard on board the two of them took on the entire crew and managed to not only escape but defeat anyone they fought along the way, if I'm to be any good against them I need to be better. Fortunately it all seems to come quickly to me and I can feel myself getting stronger every day.
I feel a stab of guilt as I finish up my morning routine. I have been so obsessed with training that I've hardly spoken to Ty Lee or anyone aside from Azula for that matter and even then, it was only for help with firebending. It's not that I'm avoiding her, it's just…well…I'm not sure I can look her In the eye after what I did to those soldiers in the attack, she's like the very definition of non-lethal combat, the fact I know what I did was necessary doesn't help and it doesn't make me feel like less of a dirt bag. I'm sure that all the wanna be gangsters back home who loved to brag about how they'd kill anyone who 'fucks' with them are full of shit, the dead still haunt my sleeping hours and they don't show any signs of letting up.
Not for the first time I find myself doubting what I was doing here, I hate myself for killing those people even when they tried to kill us and now I'm going in pursuit of some of the most dangerous fugitives alive…but I can't bring myself to leave Ty Lee and the princess alone to do it, even surrounded by soldiers Ty Lee had almost died and I couldn't let anything happen to the first person to treat me with kindness since Joe and Sara.
With yet another internal sigh of frustration, I force those thoughts away and tried to focus on the future. We are due to arrive at the landing port for Omashu this morning where we'll make our way up to the city proper, according to what Ty Lee was saying before the ambush we are supposed to recruit one more member for this traitor hunter squad.
To be honest I'm feeling a little like an extra wheel on this little high school reunion of theirs.
Her aura was darker than usual, the normal vibrant pink had dimmed somewhat and had turned slightly murky. Most people didn't take her talk of auras seriously as Ty Lee had found in her decade and a half of experience and she was fine with that, it gave her an edge when it came to speaking with people and even in battle it help her to predict her opponents.
But at the present time all this wonderful gift was able to tell her was that she was in a particularly glum mood which was a considerably useless tidbit of information as she was well aware of how she was feeling and she knew exactly why, what she needed was a solution but that was where she was stuck.
Hunter has been on edge ever since the ambush and Ty Lee was worried for him. He spent the first day locked in his room in a self-imposed exile before Ty Lee had convinced Azula to drag him out under the pretense of firebending training. The fact he could firebend was a complete shock to her and she could only imagine how he must feel about it, she could remember not even two weeks ago when he had laughed at the thought of 'magic fire dancing' as he had put it, the irony of his situation was not lost on her.
Unfortunately, this didn't really seem to help him much as he spent the next few days actively avoiding everyone in favour of what was perhaps the most intense training regime she had ever seen, his only interaction was with those who he convinced to watch him practice his forms or to spar with him. Every day less people wanted to spar with him.
Not for the first time she wondered how, in such a small time, Hunter had come to have such an effect on her, they had known each other for a few days before Azula had arrived and yet, he was constantly on her mind, whether it be his slightly sarcastic sense of humor or the way he stumbled over his words whenever he got nervous, she found her thoughts constantly turning to him. However she now found her thought constantly turning to him in worry, he was not acting like the Hunter that had arrived in that forest not two weeks ago.
Even now as they began the walk from the docks up to the city proper she noticed him lagging behind the group, his face downcast, obviously lost in his thoughts. She glanced at the palanquin holding Azula and her escort of imperial firebenders before deciding her presence was not required upfront and she slowed down to fall in beside Hunter.
"So…how's your 'magic fire dancing' going?" she asked, with a weak attempt at humor. "You've been practicing even more than Azula lately."
Hunter gave a slight jump of surprise not having even noticed her approach. "Ah…y-yeah, Azula said I needed to control it then learn to use it, then I'll be more prepared for when we meet those traitors." He said, obviously uncomfortable.
"So is that why you've been so hard to talk to?" Ty Lee responded deciding to cut to the chase.
Hunter sighed with a meek, chastised look on his face as he rubbed the back of his neck, this had the unfortunate consequence of causing the muscles on his arm to ripple almost causing her to miss his next words. "Yeah, I'm sorry Ty Lee…I just needed some time to sort myself out you know? I didn't want to have to deal with anyone judging me at the same time."
"Judging you?" The circus girl asked, confused. "Why would anyone be judging? Everyone was impressed with you after the attack."
"Why would they be? I couldn't stop being sick afterwards! I felt like I was going to go crazy…Lee, I killed those people! How can you talk to me like I'm normal?" It was fortunate that they had begun to lag a considerable distance behind the main party as Hunter's voice had risen considerably by then end.
"Hunter, they attack us, you didn't have a choice!" She stated trying to calm him.
"I know that!" he burst out before taking a deep breath and looking away. "I know that Ty Lee, but it doesn't help at all…I wanted to hurt them and I did, and now I see them every time I go to slee-"
He was cut off as Ty Lee enveloped him in a tight hug that lasted for almost a minute before she stepped back and looked him up in the eye. "You're the only one judging you and that just means that you're a good person." She could see his aura brighten visibly with that. "Besides you're not so cute when you're upset."
This just left Hunter red cheeked and stuttering before they both noticed how far they were falling behind.
The rest of the journey passed by quickly with some light conversation that had Ty Lee feeling like they were getting back to the pre-ambush state, Hunter was smiling and making random comments about things he found strange while keeping his voice ow enough so that only she could hear.
Eventually they arrived in the city itself and found it to be unnaturally quiet for a city of its size, the few green clad citizens that were out and about moved quickly and gave them wide berth, in fact she could see more red uniforms than anything else. As their party moved up to the higher tiers of the city she could see more signs of the Firenation's presence, hastily set up iron factories and towers, make shift barracks to house the soldiers, the only people she saw now were peeking at them from their windows and she couldn't help but feel that something was off here.
Ty Lee was so consumed by the city around her she almost failed to notice that they had arrived at the palace and she could hardly contain her excitement as her eyes found the lone figure waiting to greet them.
Slowly Azula stepped out of her palanquin and started towards the robed girl that awaited them. The girl took in the approaching princess and her party with an impassive stare before offering a polite bow bent at exactly the right angle as she spoke, "Please tell me you're here to kill me.
There was a second pause before she tilted her head up ever so slightly as a small smile broke her otherwise emotionless face and both girls began to laugh.
"Oh it's great to see you Mai." The princess said, placing her hands on Mai's shoulders.
Deciding that etiquette could now be thrown out the window, Ty Lee ran forward and leaped to engulf her old friend in a bear hug, earning herself an awkward pat on the back.
"I thought you had run off to join the circus. You said it was your calling." Mai stated still caught Ty Lee's deceptively strong grip.
Ty Lee stepped back and Mai caught a slight shadow of emotion pass across her face before that ever present smile returned. "Well, Azula called a little louder."
Mai turned her gaze from her friends and saw that Azula's palanquin bearers and body guard's leaving towards the barracks leaving only a strange man standing alone fidgeting as if unsure where he should be. He looked like no one Mai had ever seen before, his eyes were rounder and lacked the normal angles she was familiar with and his skin was a dark brown that was even darker than the Water tribe girl from almost a week ago. As she looked she realized that the man was in fact her age, his size belying his age.
Her inspection was cut off as Ty Lee noticed her staring and she bounced off to grab him by the arm and began to pull him over. "Mai, this is Hunter! He's my friend from the circus and he's coming with us!"
Mai gave sent a questioning look over to Azula who shot one back as if to say 'I'll explain later' before she spoke, "I have a mission and I need each of you with your unique skill-sets."
Mai looked up at the palace decked with Firenation banner in annoyance. "Oh count me in, anything to get me out of this place."
Azula smiled. "Splendid, then let us retire for a moment, I for one would enjoy some refreshments." She glanced over to Hunter, "we'll also need some equipment made for our friend here, he doesn't quite fit his…anything."
The boy in question looked down at his ill-fitting shirt before shrugging in agreement.
Azula turned back to face Mai, "And I think I need to have a little chat with your parents."
Katara was nervous, thing have only gone from bad to worse since they had left the North Pole. First they had met with that psychotic general Fong, gotten trapped underneath a mountain trying to avoid the Firenation only to find they had already taken Omashu, now they were perched up here on large scaffolding surrounding the incomplete statue of the most horrible living man in the world! Such a terrible string of events had left a bad taste in her mouth and the feelings of foreboding she was experiencing now were doing nothing to help.
She glanced over her collection of allies, Aang was waiting with an uncharacteristic frown etched on his features obviously impatient for his friend's freedom, a loose fitting hat was all that guarded his identity. Sokka stood slightly behind her and Aang, the baby Tom-Tom sat in his arms pointing to random objects while making curious noises and on either side of him was a member of the resistance here to both 'protect' them and ensure Bumi's safety.
Finally she saw a group arriving at their position, it was a group of four people led by that same knife throwing girl from when they first arrived, the daughter of the governor. To one side walked a slightly smaller girl with what could only be described as an elegant strut, she was likely another noble, she wore a polished set of armor but carried no visible weapons; the hallmarks of a firebender.
The figure to the left was yet another young girl, she was dressed in a strange pink outfit that left her midriff bare and she looked around with a large grin to match even Aang's best. The final person was the odd one out being the only boy in the group, his skin was a dark brown where theirs was pale white and where they were all about average height, he towered above everyone on the platform, even the men from the resistance would barely reach his chin. He too was dressed in a shining set of Firenation style armor although his didn't look quite as ornate.
Her thoughts were cut off by the grinding of metal as a large coffin shaped object was lowered down behind their opposing party, it wasn't until they heard the eccentric voice and snorting laughter that she realized Bumi was inside of it, only his head visible.
"You brought my brother?" Asked the leading girl, her face an impassive mask, her tone carrying no inflection whatsoever. Katara decided something was very wrong about these four.
"He's here, we're ready to trade." Aang replied while stepping forward.
Suddenly the armored girl to the right spoke out, prompting a short exchange of words between them before she stepped forward and raised her voice.
"We're trading a two year old for a king, a powerful earthbending king?" she said, glancing at Bumi who only nodded his head with the same simpleton grin on his face. "It just doesn't seem like a fair trade now does it?"
Indignation flashed through Katara's mind before the original speak stepped forward and declared the deal off she barely opened her mouth to protest the breaking of the deal before Aang dashed forward crying out Bumi's name as the king as hoisted into the air once more.
There was a brilliant flash of blue flame that Aang only barley dodged by airbending himself high into the air leaving the firebender staring shocked as he seeming defied gravity and pushed off the statue scaffolding opening his glider midway, unfortunately the sudden change in direction tore the hat completely from Aang's head.
"The avatar!" the firebending girl exclaimed, before smiling smugly and running off in pursuit.
Looking back at the Firenation party she saw that the pink clad girl had vanished and the knife thrower had pulled a set of vicious blades while the larger boy looked around seemingly confused at what was going on.
"Sokka, we've got to get the baby out of here!" Katara cried, taking a bending position.
"Way ahead of ya!" he replied, waving around the bison whistle before Tom-Tom grabbed it from his hands.
The two resistance members stepped forward, bringing their weapons to bear before one of them turn to address them. "Go! We can take them, get the child out of here."
She and Sokka were almost at the end of the scaffolding before a small fist shot up from a hole in the boards to strike Sokka's foot sending him crashing to the ground narrowly avoiding falling from the platform, the previously missing pink clad girl shot up out the same hole, rushing towards Sokka. Thinking fast she took a stance and whipped her hand out sending a ribbon of water to encircle the girls leg halting her just feet away from her brother, with a smooth step and a flick of her arm she send the offending girl flying back towards the resistance fighters who were engaged in a heated battle with the knife wielding girl.
But where was the-
A burst of bright flame announced the large boy as he came running towards her, she didn't know how someone so big had managed to get so close without her noticing and she lunged forward sending a snake-like whip of water at him which only barely dodged by throwing himself out of the way, the water whip grazing the shoulder plate of his armor. He glanced down at his now missing pauldron before looking up at her wide eyed prompting a smirk from Katara.
She only had a split second's warning as his eyes narrowed and he shot to his feet like a viper and send another brilliant burst of gold flame her way.
"Who are you people?" Katara called as she sent another whip of water at him which was countered by a small burst of flame.
"Why does it matter?" he asked with sincere confusion on his face. "Just give us the kid, aren't you a little young for kidnapping infants?"
Oh no you don't. Katara thought as she spun and brought her hands down bringing her water whip down to crash into the ground as he jumped to the side. Damn he's fast.
"Aren't you a little young for world domination?" she shot back.
This actually made him pause to send her a confused stare. "What the hell are you on about?" he shot back kicking a succession of fireballs at her, the continuous flashes of light obscuring her vision.
She never got a chance to answer as she felt a large hand clamp down on her wrist, The Firebender had used his fire to cover his approach. She looked up to see his with his arm upraised, his fist at the ready before he hesitated. Not taking any chances he would change his mind, she kicked out striking him in the groin before tearing her arm free and stepping back. She raised her hand, hardening a ribbon of water into ice a prepared to bring it down on him when she felt something jab her just besides her neck, she spun to see the pink girl behind her and lashed out with her fist in an attempt to backhand her only to hit air as she spun gracefully underneath her she felt another few jabs strike her at various places before she managed to slip away from her.
The pink girl didn't pursue instead moving to help up her comrade who shot her a smug look as he got back to his feet. Deciding to wipe that smile off his face, Katara focused on the water spilled on the ground around her, she drew back her arm willing the water to form into another deadly whip…
…only to feel it slip from her control. She tried again, only to see the water raise a few inches from the floor before collapsing once more, she looked up shocked at the girl who had done this to her to find that the knife throwing girl had joined them as they all took battle stances.
"How are you going to fight without your bending?" the Knife thrower mocked, pulling a sai from her robes as Katara stumbled back another few step in fear.
Suddenly the sai was knocked from her grip as a flash of blue and white struck her arm followed by the voice of her brother. "I seem to manage!" he shouted, snatching the returning boomerang from the air while Appa came crashing down on the scaffolding between her and her foes and with one swing of his mighty tail, sent the three Firenation warriors flying from the platform.
"All passengers for air Sokka please come aboard!" her brother crowed, a large grin plastered on his face.
Even as they flew away, she could see the three figured hanging from various beams of wood. The same sense of foreboding told her this was not the last she would see of them.
"Sooooo…come here often?"
Ty Lee turned her gaze upwards to hunter as she clung to one of his hands, the other clutched onto a support beam and was currently all that was supporting them over a nasty drop to the courtyard below.
Her reply was to cock her brow questioningly to which he chuckled before continuing, "I'm gonna swing you up here on the count of three alright? You're starting to get heavy."
"Ok." She replied, she didn't want to wait around and see how long he could hold them both up with one arm.
"Just don't drop her, it'll take forever to find another peppy pink chi blocker." Mai added from her position stuck on her stomach on the fork of two support struts.
"Absolutely stellar advice my good friend." Hunter replied before beginning the countdown.
On three a swung his arm and Ty Lee easily used the momentum to flick herself up to grab onto the same support beam leaving them hanging face to face, their noses almost touching.
"Why hello." She said playfully.
"If you two love birds could finish up soon, I'd like to be back on solid ground today, preferably before Azula comes back throwing lightning around." Came Mai's voice once more.
Ty Lee glanced over to her before turning back to Hunter who was grinning. "Well, one of us should go hel-" he managed before he was cut off as Ty Lee darted forward to press her lips to his.
It was less than a second but it was almost enough to make hunter loose his grip and he scrambled to regain his hand holds as she effortlessly swung herself across the scaffolding towards her friend, giggling all the way.
Even as far away as he was he could hear Mai sigh.
A/N: Soooo after a series of super fast updates i finally settle down a little. There has been quite alot of travel lately with family coming over from all over the place and i haven't had any time to do any writing, but things have settled down now and school doesn't start for another month so we'll see how much more i can crank out before University cripples me.
I can now see my reviews so ill be sure to respond to any questions or advice :)
To my panda loving friend - Rooting for the bad guys is exactly what I'm going for right now :) I really want to explore the idea of someone being thrust into a war where both sides are committing evils and picking the 'wrong' side without knowing, i think it's a lot more interesting than another story where one joins up with the gaang...not to say i don't like any of those stories.
As always, thanks for reading and I'll see y'all next time