Lightning Can be Warm
Chapter 6
AN: Here's the next chapter. Dedicated to Rioshix who made me laugh and start writing this chapter. By the way, I edited the previous chapters to cater various suggestions by lots of people. I've also added a few new bits too, so I suggest a reread.
He didn't want to act until they actually did something bad, but their stances and facial expression were more than enough proof. He groaned at his indecision and all the while, the bickering voices drew closer...
Zuko and Azula burst out of the trees, looking pretty loadened down by a lot of items, in very unusual places. They also seemed to be dragging an ostrich horse that was carrying more items. There was a moment of silence. All of the children were frozen. Katara and Sokka were blinking at the normality of their appearance. They had removed their armour and looked like normal teenagers, if with better clothing than most. Azula on the other hand was wondering why Aang was looking very relieved and everybody seemed to be unsure as what to do.
"Hello? Heavy weight load here? Princess with posture rapidly deteriorating?" she asked and Ty Lee was immediately at her side, helping her lay out all of the heavy items she was carrying. Mai swiftly relieved Zuko of most of his stuff and he collapsed on the floor. Sokka laughed and all the tension seemed to break. Katara regarded the newcomers with a relative caution, but for the moment, they didn't seem to be attacking.
There was a paused as everyone sat down by the fireplace, Mai, raising an eyebrow at Azula's willingness to sit on the muddy ground.
"Have you peasants no idea of proper decorum? The lower class introduce themselves first!" she burst out a minute later.
"Well, in our tribe, we wait for our guests to introduce themselves first. Because that's proper decorum!" said Katara.
'We're not your guests! Water Tribe territory is officially at the poles. You don't own this land and we don't bend to your rules!" retorted Azula.
"Well, we don't bend to yours! You terrorized us enough with your wars! Don't try my patience here!" yelled Katara, standing up.
"I didn't personally invade your little town, so don't act so stuck-up! The way you're acting, it's like you're the princess!" said Azula, getting into Katara's face.
"I bet you and your family ordered it though... We heard them...'Break the spirit of the Water Tribe, rid it of its benders!' Don't you dare pretend that order didn't come from your Fire Lord!" said Katara, poking Azula on her collarbone.
Azula lit a blue flame wreathing her hands and the two were about to get into a fight when there was a yell of "ENOUGH!"
The two girls were blown apart by a gust of air and everyone turned towards Aang who looked pretty angry. He took a deep breath in.
"You're all here with me because you want to defeat the Fire Lord and restore balance to the world. We can't let our differences get to us. That means we've already lost. The Fire Nation in my time were some of the most determined and stubborn people in the world." A sad, bitter smile graced Aang's face. "They're also deeply insightful and they'll be able to recognise our weaknesses. If we can't trust each other, how will the world be able to trust us?"
"You're right Aang... I'm sorry. I let my pride get the best of me. I shouldn't have let it happen." said Katara, getting up and sitting down next to Sokka.
"No problems!" chirped Ty Lee. "Well, introductions are required then. I'm Ty Lee! I like having friends, the colour pink, practising 'varmakalai' and being a contortionist!"
"What's that?" asked Sokka.
"It works like this!" said Ty Lee and stretched her leg around her neck. Sokka recoiled and looked vaguely nauseated. "Doesn't that hurt?" he said, cautiously.
"Nope!" she said, shaking her head, enthusiastically before looking at him intently, as if analysing him. Sokka eeped as she curled her arms around him with a sly smirk.
"I'm not nearly interesting as Ty Lee is. I'm Mai and—"
"She's always bored!" said Zuko putting his arm around her. "She's also the most beautiful person in the world."
"Oh, spare me the dramatics!" said Azula, with a sneer, brushing herself off and sitting upright.
Aang motioned for her to continue talking. She rolled her eyes and sighed.
"I'm Princess Azula and I want nothing more than to see my father being toppled from his throne."
"She's also the greatest bending prodigy of our time, the youngest imperial fire-bender since the time of Agni, a rubbish hand-to-hand combatant and actually cares on the inside though she won't show it!" interrupted Zuko.
"Who in the spirits' name are you then?" asked Katara.
"I'm Zuko and I want peace." He said shortly, glaring at her.
"Hi, I'm Crown Prince Zuko and I want peace because I have Daddy problems. I trust too much and I can't firebend like my amazing younger sister can. I'm only good for cannon fodder and my only talent is being a JERK." said Azula, with a smirk from the corner.
"What is with you today?" asked Zuko. 'You've been nothing but snarky and cynical all the time!"
"I'm just trying to figure out why my older and supposedly kinder and wiser brother decided to be the kind of person you keep trying to make me not be and robbed an old lady of her ostrich horse! If you can be yourself, why can't I? I'm sick of being your toy! I'm sick of agreeing to ideas I think are foolish! We're following a CHILD around the world, committing HIGH TREASON and ABANDONING OUR COUNTRY! I-I d-don't want you to change. I don't want you to become Father..."
Zuko smiled sheepishly. "So to sum up then, Hormones?" Azula growled and he hugged her gently.
"I was joking. And I'm sorry if I scared you. Our need was greater than hers. And I won't ever turn into Ozai. That I promise you. And we aren't abandoning them. That's why we're following Uncle's plan. Right?" he appealed to the other two Fire Nation girls.
They shrugged and nodded.
"I have to say, I was uncomfortable leaving the Fire Nation. There are some good people there, contrary to what you seem to believe," said Ty Lee, turning to face Katara, "But, I realise from my travels with the circus that what the Fire Nation are doing is wrong. Balance was the key to learning my trade so balance must be the key to fixing the world!" she said with a huge grin.
Katara smiled. "I'm Katara. I'm a waterbender, the only one in the South Pole. My Mom died to protect me and my Dad is fighting somewhere in the big wide world, trying to do his part prevent other families from breaking like ours did. I want to help Aang do his duty because I always believed the Avatar would return and it is the biggest honour to travel with him." She said, beaming at Aang. Aang grinned back.
"What can I say that Katara hasn't? I'm Sokka. I'm the meat and sarcasm guy. My weapons are whatever I can find. I didn't believe the Fire Nation were all bad, because I'm a rationalist. You need proof to consolidate theories. That's always been my belief. I can't say I'm pleased that you're so reluctant to help Aang, but hey, I can't talk. I banished him from the village because I thought he was a threat. Frankly, my life was better without all this magic mumbo jumbo. But, for what it's worth, I think we can save the world." finished Sokka, poking the embers of the dying fire with a stick. The fire suddenly rose up high and burned merrily again. Sokka fell to the ground with a thump and spat sand out with a scowl.
Zuko smiled and held an arm out. Sokka took it, but pulled Zuko down to the floor with it.
"Don't scare me like that again!" he warned as Zuko got up.
"Or what? You'll hit me with your club?" asked Zuko teasingly.
"Yeah! Yeah I will!" said Sokka, lifting it threateningly.
Azula, who was behind him, pinched his arm for a moment. Sokka winced and dropped the machete. "You need to work on your strength and image before anyone will be able to take you seriously." She said with a smirk. Sokka scowled as Katara burst into laughter.
"That's great Azula!" she said giggling.
Sokka stared round and sighed. "Sure, let's all bond over making Sokka look like a fool. Just ignore my feelings..."
"We don't really hate you Sokka!" said Aang, "Only a little bit!"
(X)
The tension had evaporated completely by the next morning and everyone was quietly chatting and packing up the camp supplies. Apart from Sokka. He was still fast asleep. Aang smiled, but he knew the peace wouldn't last for long. Somehow, conflict would rise again in this unlikely motley band; that much was guaranteed, much to Aang's chagrin.
"Hey Aang, where are we going next?" asked Zuko as he loaded his part of the supplies onto Appa. The entire group had dumped their unnecessary supplies in the middle of the clearing. This included the stolen ostrich horse, who Sokka had aptly named, Horsey. Needless to say, everyone had started laughing.
Aang shrugged. "I dunno. North, I guess. But we have to make some extra stops along the way!"
Zuko raised his eyebrow. "Uh-huh. You're gushing Aang. This cannot be good news."
"What can't be good news?" asked Ty Lee, leaning in to the conversation,
Aang grinned and pointed at Ty Lee and Zuko face-palmed. "Where are we going first?" he asked, in a weary tone. Everyone had finished loading supplies and were eagerly awaiting the answer to his question.
"Well, we are in the Patola mountain range...and you know...this area used to be populated by Air Nomads... And well, 100 years ago, I used to live here. I just...just wanted to visit home. Just for a day. I need to see it for myself. Please?"
Aang's super big doe eyes trained themselves on Zuko. He started to feel uncomfortable.
"We might as well..." he said, looking unsure.
"Yeah! Just wait until you see it everybody! The Air Temple is one of the most beautiful places in the world!"
"I'm sure it is Aang, but it has been 100 years since you were last there, things might have changed." Katara said, looking worried
"Just tell it to him outright," said Azula, looking bored with the conversation, "Aang, you're the last airbender in the world. My ancestor, Sozin wiped them all out. Chances are, the place is a ghost-town. It'd be a good place to practise your avatar skills, there will be many souls in unrest, both Fire Nation and Air Nomads. "
Aang looked horrified. "They can't be! You're mistaken!" I bet...they're just less of them! Anyway, firebenders can't get up the sides of the mountains; you need a sky-bison to get up, they're too steep!"
"Aang, I'm going to put it to you bluntly, there were tours of the temple regularly. In large groups, weren't there?" asked Mai. Aang nodded, unsure where this was going, "I spend a lot of time in libraries, most recall a huge battle between the armies of the Air Nomads and Firebenders."
"But Air Nomads don't have an arm—" Aang was cut off by Mai continuing.
"I KNOW that Air Nomads don't have an army. The other few accounts recall a large group going up together on an alleged tour of the temple that day and slaughtering the sky-bison first when visiting the stables and then slaughtering all the airbenders. No one escaped. To check, people climbed up the mountainside for days on end and searched through the temple. None were found alive. It'll be a desolate place Aang." finished Mai.
"Are you sure you want to go, Aang?" asked Katara. He looked away to the side. "I have to know for sure." He whispered. Everyone nodded and climbed onto the bison, a sombre mood settling over them all. Apart from Sokka. Who was still snoring on the floor, curled up in his sleeping bag. Aang smirked and leapt off Appa.
"Wake up Sokka! Air Temple, here we come!" he grinned, knowing what Sokka would likely say.
"Sleep now. Temple later." Sokka mumbled and turned over, away from Aang. Azula looked she was coming down but Aang held up his hand. He knew that Sokka would say something along those lines.
He picked up a stick and ran it along Sokka's front and said, in an alarmed voice, "Wake up Sokka, there's a prickle-snake in your sleeping bag!"
Sokka jumped up, still inside his sleeping bag, screaming like a girl, "Get it off, Get it off!" When he realised there was nothing there he stopped and promptly tripped over a rock. He looked very annoyed. Everyone roared with laughter, even Mai.
"Great, you're awake, let's go!" Aang chirped.
Sokka growled. "You're a devious little kid, you know that?"
(X)
On the Seedy Merchants Port, Azula's imperial ship drew up to the dock. The door opened, with ice cracking off intot he water and half of the side of the walkway snapping off. Iroh winced and continued walking down with Lieutenant Jee, caution increased.
"Princess Azula wants repairs made as quickly as possible. Find the best ship-repairer this port may have and once it is done, find me. In the meantime, I will be attempting to find a smaller, faster means of transport to the Fire Nation; the Fire Lord will want a report about this in person." Iroh commanded. Jee bowed and walked away with a quiet, 'General'.
"Might I be able to help with the means of transport, General Iroh, great hero of our nation?" came a smooth voice from behind him. Iroh turned around and inclined his head.
"Captain Zhao. And it is, retired general now, I am merely an advisor to my younger brother."
"You'll find it is Commander Zhao now, sir." Zhao said, a barely polite expression on his face. "I have heard of a waterbender revolution in the Poles, might this be this reason why ship was damaged." Iroh said nothing to confirm or dissuade Zhao, merely, changed the question.
"You said that you would be able to help with transport then, Commander?" queried Iroh, politely, after a moment's pause.
"Yes, we would be happy to offer any means of service to the Fire Lord's brother. Why don't you tell me what happened over a friendly cup of tea?" asked Zhao smoothly.
"I would be honoured to join you for a drink, Commander Zhao." said Iroh. Zhao kept a stoic expression on his face as he dipped his head.
"Do you have any Ginseng tea? It is my favourite." asked Iroh. Zhao nodded, a faint hint of annoyance in his eyes, but he still motioned for Iroh to follow him.
(X)
"How much longer is it to the temple?" asked Mai, polishing her knifes in the back of the saddle.
"Not long now!" said Aang, from the front where he sat with Ty Lee and Katara. "I can see the Patola mountain range in the distance so we're almost there. Just a few more minutes!" He rejoined his conversation with the two girls about how to fly Appa
Mai sighed and blew her bangs out of her face before leaning into Zuko more. "I'm bored."
"Why am I not surprised?" asked Azula, from where she was sitting in the corner of the saddle, practising juggling with chunks of blue fire.
At that moment, Sokka's stomach grumbled loudly. Everyone turned to look at him.
"What? I didn't have breakfast like you people!" he said. "I'm getting some food now, don't look so annoyed."
"Tell your stomach to be quiet, I'm trying to concentrate!" snapped Azula.
"My stomach doesn't follow instructions like your fancy-shmancy fire!" called Sokka from where he was rummaging. "Ah-hah!" he called, finding a bag. He tipped it out only for a few crumbs to settle on his hands.
"Alright, who ate all the Seal Jerky?" asked Sokka.
Zuko pulled a face. "That stuff is disgusting! We had to eat that in 'Barbaric Cultures Day' in the Royal Academy for Boys." He shuddered.
Aang looked sheepish from the front. "That brown stuff in strips, right?"
Sokka nodded, looking annoyed, "Yes! I can't believe you ate it, you devious child!" said Sokka.
"That was food? I actually used it to fuel the campfire yesterday. Sorry about that."
Sokka face-palmed and groaned. "Awww...No wonder the flames smelt so good..."
Then, he realised something that Zuko said a just a moment ago. "You had a barbaric cultures day? That's wrong in so many ways..."
"We had one too in the Royal Academy for Girls. But I thought it was fun!" piped up Ty Lee from the front.
"Ýou were the only one in the entire school." said Mai.
"And, if I remember correctly, you suggested it in the first place." said Azula, a smirk on her face. "That was the first time I realized you had potential. If you could torture people in such an effective way, you had to have something. Then you revealed your varmakalai abilities, and we became such good friends!"
"Right, do I even want to know what varamakalai is?" asked Sokka.
"No. You really don't." said Zuko, rubbing his arm, remembering the first time Ty Lee had used it on him.
"Zuko! Varmakalai is the art of hitting people's pressure points to block their chi or to paralyse them. It depends who you hit and how hard." said Ty Lee, "I made friends with some acrobats from the local circus and they said I had natural talent in all things circus. They taught me varmakalai when they couldn't teach me anything else."
"That's really fascinating Ty Lee, but we're here! Everyone hold on tight! Appa, yip yip!" Aang said, with a grin and nearly everyone grabbed hold of something and stared as Aang took them vertically up the side of a mountain, travelling faster and faster until the grey-green blurred into a bland colour until they burst above the clouds to where the temple was haloed by sunlight. Azula took a deep breath in of the sunlight filled air. It felt more like the Fire Nation above the clouds.
"There it is! The Southern Air Temple." Aang announced, a sense of bitter-sweet happiness tingeing his voice. No one seemed to notice.
"Wow Aang! It's amazing!" said Katara, her eyes wide.
'Looks prettier than most Fire Nation buildings," commented Mai from the back, "But it isn't anything too special."
"Though, I suppose if you come from a run-down frozen wasteland, this does look pretty astounding!" said Azula. Katara looked at her, a scowl marring her face.
"You have no sense of tact, do you Azula?" she asked.
Aang sensing another argument held his hands out.
"It doesn't matter. It's okay. I have to show you my home!"
(X)
"So, by year's end, the Earth Kingdom Capital will be under our rule. The Fire Nation will finally claim victory in this war." Zhao finished.
Iroh hid a yawn. He had heard all of this before, reassurances from courtiers and friends that Ba Sing Se would give up easily if he put his efforts to it. He doubted it would happen, but it would not do to say so.
"Am I boring you, General Iroh?" asked Zhao. Iroh sighed, his boredom had not gone unnoticed.
"I do not believe for one instant that the Earth Kingdom will surrender without a fight, even, with the Comet. I discovered that the hard way in my youth." He said, carefully phrasing his words. There were times like this when he really hated politics. He had gladly given up his throne to his brother, not just because he had been distraught but because of how carefully you had to tread and trying to decide who would be the best candidate to backstab was much too stressful for an old man.
"Let us move on I mentioned at the dock, I heard that there has been a waterbender revolution in the South Pole. I also heard the entire Royal family were dispatched. I assume that must be why the ship is quite so damaged?"
Iroh inclined his head, not answering the question yet, as before, merely curious as to Zhao's assumptions.
"Though, if the whole royal family has been dispatched, I wonder why the charming company of Crown Prince Zuko and Princess Azula are not here to make acquaintances with.
Iroh carried on smiling, but in his mind, he swore. He had hoped that Zhao would be as foolish as Guild Master Jeong Jeong had said he was. Unfortunately, he was rather perceptive. Of course, he could not have gained ranks so fast without some extraordinary talent.
"Now, from a messenger hawk we have received, the waterbender revolution doesn't exist. However, your crew found the Avatar. Then let him escape. Princess Azula, Crown Prince Zuko then sent themselves and some elite friends of theirs on a secret mission to find him. Now, General Iroh, care to explain why you seemed to be covering up this information?"
Iroh's smile faltered, despite his frantic attempts to stay calm. He was doomed.
(X)
The group trailed after a hyperactive Aang as he ran up the slippery mountainside slopes without a care in the world.
"I'm hungry..." whined Sokka as they climbed the mountainside. He knew he should have a responsibility to his friends, but he was having a bad day. He'd been woken up far too early for this time of year, had his seal jerky burnt, realized the entire group had bonded together on making him look like a fool and he was frankly, pretty pissed off with his life. He was going to whine and not care about his manliness for once in his life.
"You're lucky enough to be one of the first outsiders to ever visit an airbender temple, and all you can think about is food?" asked Katara.
"If I'd known you were going to be so annoying, I would have saved some food for you at breakfast," sneered Azula as she and Ty Lee marched by to where Aang had stopped.
"I'm just a simple guy with simple needs!" he yelled to Azula who sneered at him.
"What's up, Aang?" asked Ty Lee, "Why've we stopped?"
Aang pointed to an area with large wooden sticks of different sizes and something that looked like goalposts at either ends.
"That's where me and my friends would play airball." He then pointed to a large area which looked soft. "And over there is where the bison would sleep and—" he broke off with a sigh and looked away.
"And?" asked Zuko.
"This place used to be full of people—monks and bison. Now there's just a bunch of weeds. Compare it to Imperial City being deserted!"
"Where's that?" asked Ty Lee.
"It's what Sozin City was called before the Comet and the airbender genocide." Mai replied, listlessly.
Ty Lee frowned. "That's just wrong, Sozin City's always packed. It wouldn't be the capital otherwise."
There was a contemplative silence. Aang looked into the distance. "A lot had changed. I'd hoped—you know, there'd be survivors. Hiding." He smiled bitterly.
Ty Lee glanced at Azula who looked at Zuko who squinted at Sokka. They all stepped forward.
"So...this airball game...how do you play?" Sokka asked, pushing aside himself, once again, despite his tired visage.
Aang turned around with a grin on his face. "I'll tell you all about it!"
(X)
"So General Iroh...you are telling me, you didn't tell anyone this to keep your nephew and niece safe? Would it not have been safer if you had sent a platoon of imperial firebenders to deal with the Avatar?"
Iroh sighed, his lies sounded so bad when they were put bluntly like that.
"Ye-es? I mean, Yes, the blundering fools would have ruined the entire operation. Princess Azula has a plan, and Princess Azula NEVER fails."
"I see, you consider imperial firebenders 'blundering fools'? I will have to tell the Fire Lord that..." said Zhao, contemplatively.
Iroh'a eyes widened, he was very glad the Commander's back was to him, though was all too aware the guards were watching his reactions too. 'Really now? Then I can finally get an officer who agrees with me about the standard of today's children dropping. So very sad. Us old-timers must stick together to discipline the future the proper way!" he said, proudly, glad his lying skills were looking up.
'I am so glad you agree with me, Iroh, I have so very many problems about that! For instance..." Commander Zhao continued talking but Iroh tuned him out. He wondered how Zuko and Azula were coping with the cheerful Avatar. He was sure however that Mai, the poor gloomy girl would have committed suicide already.
"General? General, sir?" asked Zhao
"Sorry, Commander, the beautiful quality of the tea must have stolen my attention from your last few words. My apologies. Please continue."
"I have finished." Said Zhao and Iroh nodded calmly. He was about to say something to break the silence when a messenger entered the room.
"Commander Zhao sir, a reply was received to your previous correspondence!" a panting page boy said, handing Zhao a scroll.
"Excuse me General," said Zhao, as he took the letter and broke the seal. As he read it, his smirk curved upwards. That couldn't be good.
"Now General, I am afraid I will have to cut this meeting short. I have received permission to aid the Royal Elites. I will take this responsibility seriously, so I must start planning routes and ways to capture him. I must thank you for the...enlightening conversation. The guards will show you the way out and a boat will be waiting to take you the Fire Nation.
Iroh looked at Zhao. Here would be the perfect place to be close enough to Zuko and Azula to keep and eye on them and be able to send them news. He had to stay with Zhao.
'On the contrary Commander. I would most wish to stay here with you and to oversee the operation from the background. Would the advise of an old war general be welcomed?" asked Iroh
Zhao smiled. 'It would be very much so..." he said and with that, he left the tent.
(X)
Sokka and Zuko stood on top of the sticks at one side of the 'pitch' as Aang called it. They had just been split into two teams and Zuko wasn't confident the two of them would win.
He had whispered in an undertone has they had clambered onto the sticks, "Not only have Aang, Azula and Ty Lee have more people on their side, Azula is highly competitive and has...creative ways of using firebending." Sokka had winced. Pain this early in the morning was only leading to this day getting worse.
Aang threw the old ball high into the air Sokka looked quizzically at it until Azula leapt forward and propelled it forward through the sticks with a strong blast of blue fire. Sokka panicked and dived out the way, leaving Zuko to catch it and reverse the ball through the poles back towards Aang with pure force and a little bit of bending the heat surrounding the ball.
Ty Lee dived towards the ball, hit it with her back feet, making it soar through the air, hitting Sokka right in the stomach before he realised it was coming his way and pushed him through the goal.
"YES!" Aang shouted. "Team Avatar, Five, Team Boys, Zeroooooo!" he crowed.
"Sokka pulled himself up from the moss slightly, rubbing his stomach.
"Making him feel better is putting me in a world of hurt." He moaned to Katara who was standing close by. Zuko lightly jumped from the poles and landed next to Sokka.
"That was an almighty fail if I say so myself." said Zuko, holding a hand out for Sokka to grab. Sokka eyed it suspiciously and pulled himself up.
"Never mind, if it's put Aangy-Wangy in a better mood, it should be worth it." Zuko snorted at the nickname as Mai drifted over towards them.
"That was entertaining," Mai said blandly.
Zuko looked at her. "You didn't watch it, did you?" he asked, looking curious.
She shook her head. "No, I was admiring the view. What do you think I was doing? There's nothing else to do!"
Zuko put his hands up defensively and Mai shook her head.
"At least I'm not babysitting the world's most annoying child anymore." She said as Aang, Azula and Ty Lee joined them.
"That's enough practise everybody, we should move onto the real temple now!" he chirped.
'I never knew the Monks had such an...entertaining game to play," said Azula in an undertone to Zuko.
'You just liked it because you won." He said with a dry smile. 'Do you regret leaving home now, Azula?"
"You know what? I don't think I do. Surprisingly. Though I'll miss the servants. Then again, you can't have everything in life." She said as they made their way back up the mountainside.
(X)
Aang stopped outside a courtyard door.
"Feel free to explore, I have to see if something still exists!" he said and they started climbing through the many courtyards and corridors.
"So tell me something about the Air Nomads Mai. I'm sure you know quite a lot." said Katara.
"Why should I?" said Mai in a monotone voice "How am I, a Fire Nation girl supposed to know anything about the Air Nomads?"
Katara faltered, her attempt at friendship obviously scorned. "Bec-Because y-you said you'd spent a lot of time in the l-library and you seemed really knowledgeable on the War's details." said Katara hesitantly.
"Don't be so uppity Mai! She's only trying to be a friend!" said Ty lee, joining them at the balcony. She looked at Katara with an exasperated look. "She did that to me when I tried to be her friend after she saved me from some bullies."
"And I told you to toughen up. Did you take my advice?" said Mai.
"Well, yes. I defend myself and my friends from bullies now with varmakalai and I've lasted many tortures you don't know about."
Mai smirked. "Don't get angry, Miss Poof. It was a rhetorical question." Katara smiled, Mai seemed to be loosening up when there was a sudden crack and Mai's face suddenly snapped back to monotone and she walked away.
"What's up with her?" asked Katara.
"I don't know. She's very private, like a snail-clam. You should ask Zuko. He might know." said Ty Lee with a smile.
"Hey guys!" called Aang, everyone looked up from their respective activities to glance at him on the higher courtyard. "There's someone I'd like you to meet. Everyone looked puzzled, surely no one had survived the genocide?
The group scrambled to the top, Ty Lee getting there first, pulling Sokka up first and almost dropping him. He scowled as he touched the land as everyone else stepped over him or in Zuko case, tripped over him. This really was shaping up to be a really bad day.
Azula walked herself to the front, eager to meet this airbender that managed to survive the genocide as imperial firebenders took the— Oh.
There was a wooden statue in a calm lotus position with brushings of snow covering him. Briefly she wondered how the wood hadn't rotten away over the 100 years but the overwhelming sense of incredulity brushed that fleeting thought away.
"That's it?" she said, an eyebrow going up. "This is the so called 'person' you wanted us to meet? A statue?"
Aang shook his head and finger. "Not just any old statue. Meet Monk Gyatso, the greatest airbender in the world. He taught me everything I know." Aang then bowed to the statue and held there before looking up, a look of sadness entering his eyes.
Azula looked unimpressed and tapped her long fingernails impatiently on the stone banister to the side of her. This was not worth the climb.
"You must miss him." said Katara, placing a hand on his shoulder. Azula rolled her eyes, such obvious fawning and smothering would soon get very tiring to both Aang and herself watching it. On the other side of the courtyard, Mai seemed to agree.
Aang started walking up the stairs past the old wooden statue.
"Where are you going now?" asked Sokka, looking weary. Azula rolled her eyes, such unfitness and constant complaining would have had him kicked out immediately if he had been Fire Nation.
"The Air Temple Sanctuary. There's someone I'm ready to meet." He said.
"Another statue?" asked Azula.
"Dear Agni, I hope not!" Mai murmured, "The boredom would kill me."
Katara shot a quizzical look to everyone. Sokka shrugged and they all followed him.
(X)
After a very long flight of stairs, they reached a vast corridor in a bright yellow paint that was fading and flaking. An old tree was snaking around the walls and reaching an odd shaped mechanism on the large door. There were piles of snow and half-melted slush everywhere and beams of light made their way in through the old holes cut out for windows whose glass had vanished over the years.
"Aang, no one could have survived in there for 100 years, even if he didn't get slaughtered." said Katara as she walked up next to him.
"It's not impossible. I survived." He said.
Sokka shuffled towards Aang sideways and looked at him with an incredulous look. "You're the Avatar. Stuff like that happens!"
"Everybody here were airbenders. I don't know any other element other apart from air. Someone could have survived." said Aang.
Everyone looked at Mai who shrugged. "What? There aren't many texts about airbenders. They're forbidden and replaced with propaganda. It isn't the truth the stuff I read on a daily basis. I have no idea whether or not it's possible to survive that long without Avatar powers."
"I just realised, this person in here may be able to help me with all this Avatar stuff!"
"And maybe, the person in there might have a medley of pure, delicious meat!" said Sokka, eyes wide in a surprisingly evil look.
Then he ran at the door and collided with it and fell down backwards. He got up again rapidly and attempted different ways of pushing the door open.
Azula rolled her eyes. "Look, I'll just burn the door down, get out of the way, peasant."
"NO! Don't burn one oaf the only pieces of my culture left!" said Aang, looking at Azula with a dubious tone to his voice. "Are you stupid? Anyway, I know how to bring the door down. The lock can only be unlocked by an airbender. Watch."
He stepped forward and took a very deep breath inwards and sent two blasts of air into the two horns either side of the mechanism. The sheels slowly turned around, linking the path of ait towards the middle shell which once turned, unlocked the door. When Aang brought his hands down, the door swung open with an almighty creak.
"Woah..." said Ty Lee, gazing into the dark room.
Azula lit her flame, sending an eerie blue tint to the room as she walked in. Zuko followed her lead, making two bunches of flame in each hand and followed Azula in.
Aang darted next to Zuko. "Hello?" he called into the darkness. 'HELLO? ANYONE HOME?" the room echoed and Aang stared upwards and around him. Everywhere, as far as the eye could see, there were statues.
Zuko looked pretty astounded. "This is amazing!" he gasped, he hadn't seen anything like it. Sokka didn't look impressed.
"We came up here for more statues? Where's the meat?" he whined. Azual shot him two looks. The first one an, 'I told you so' look and the second was one of annoyance.
"I wonder who they all are?" said Katara who was next to Azula examining a statue.
"I think I do." said Mai, scratching the stone and taking in all the details as she quickly darted around. "This is the Avatar cycle. Air, Water, Earth, Fire. And this statue looks a lot like the picture of Avatar Kyoshi." She said, looking up to one particularly tall girl in makeup and with fans.
"These must be your past lives, Aang!" said Katara, poking a waterbender's feathered coat.
"Wow! There's so many!" he exclaimed.
Sokka looked at Katara oddly as Aang wandered away towards Zuko. "You believe in this stuff?" he asked
"The Avatar is as much part of our history as the spirits. The Avatars were the spirits' mortal forms upon Earth. The numerous amount makes sense, there were Avatars from the beginning of time. The Avatar reincarnates every time he dies to a new race, something you should know if you were literate." said Azula from where she stood next to Zuko. Sokka pulled a face at her from behind her.
"And this statue looks very familiar. Can you remember it Zuko?" she asked.
"I can," he murmured, touching the avatar's headpiece, "This is—
"-Avatar Roku, the Avatar before me." finished Aang, staring up at his face.
"How do you know that Aang?" asked Katara.
"I—I don't know. I just did." stuttered Aang.
Sokka growled "You just couldn't get any weirder!"
"Perhaps you recognised him from a dream or the Avatar Spirit remembered something." said Mai absently from the other side of the room.
"Maybe..." murmured Aang as he walked away from the group around Roku.
Suddenly, there was a rustle from near the door. Everyone stiffened and turned towards the door. From the light, a large shadow was cast. Everybody ducked behind a statue and hid silently. Ty Lee squeezed next to Sokka and squeezed his arm.
"Enemy. Don't make a sound!" Sokka whispered.
"You're making a sound!" said Katara in her normal voice and Aang and Sokka shushed her.
Azula rolled her eyes and whispered, "On the count of three, attack! One," Zuko conjured some fire and Ty Lee rolled up her sleeves.
"Two..." Everyoen crouched, ready to leap.
"THREE!" Everybody exploded form behind their statues ready to hurt whoever was in the door and stopped dead.
In front of them was a lemur. It cocked it's head and looked intently at the group, blinking several times.
"AWWWWWW!" Ty Lee squealed, "It's shooooo cyute!" she lisped.
"Lemur!" yelled Aang.
"Dinner..." said Sokka, his mouth drooling.
"Don't listen to him; you're going to be my new pet!" Aang retorted
"Not if I get to him first!" said Sokka hungrily.
They both ran out after it and understandably, the lemur screeched and ran away from both of them out into the corridor.
Zuko started laughing and both Katara and Azula rolled their eyes.
"Boys..." said Katara, her nose wrinkled in disdain.
"Well Sokka has got the right survival idea. Any animal is food, regardless of how cute or not it is." said Zuko.
"Zuko's right, food is food." said Mai.
"Aw guys, you wouldn't eat a little cute fluffy rabbit-kitten, would you?" asked Ty Lee.
"If it was a choice between that and starvation? Yes." said Azula, "I'd better go check up on Aang. Knowing him, he's found something ridiculously dangerous to do." She said, with a tinkling laugh.
"I'll come with you," said Katara, maybe this was her chance to bond with Azula.
Suddenly, all of the statues started to glow a brilliant blue. All of the group exchanged looks and pelted as fast as they could out of the room after Aang and Sokka.
When they made their way out of the building, an immensely strong gale was pelting the mountainside with rubble, snow and bones.
Katara made her way to Sokka who was hiding behind a ripped up wall, clinging on for dear life as his legs were blown behind him. Everyone else followed, making sure to cling onto something.
"What's going on?" yelled Katara.
"He saw Gyatso and went psycho!" yelled Sokka.
"He triggered his Avatar State. This is triggered when the Avatar is in extreme danger or feeling a particularly strong emotion, in this state, he can access all the power and knowledge of all of his past life. It's considerably strong."
"You're telling me!" yelled Sokka as he was almost blown away but caught by Ty Lee who kept a firm grip on Sokka and the wall.
"I'm going to try and calm him down!" yelled Azula.
"Be careful!" yelled Sokka.
Zuko looked her in the eye. "Hurry, or he'll blow us off the mountain's side."
She slowly picked her way towards him as he rose slowly upwards, making sure to keep her balance.
She got as close to him as she could and started yelling to him.
"Aang! We all know grief here. We have all lost someone we loved."
'Yeah!" yelled Katara as she got closer to Azula, "Sokka and I lost our Mum. She was the most important thing in our lives and then she was dead. It's hard to take in, but you have to get over it!"
"Me and Zuko lost our mother. She murdered our grandfather to keep us alive. And Ty Lee suffered the loss of her best friend at the circus. And Mai lost her beloved pet fish."
There was a snort of laughter from Sokka who was silenced by Ty Lee's grip loosening and he gulped.
'Anyway, the fact is, we all know what grief feels like and how it can overtake everything. But like a—wise old man once said, Grieve and feel no shame in it but know when to let it go. You have to let it go!"
Zuko looked up, the wind was lessening, Aang was reaching the floor again
"Aang, you lost family 100 years ago, but now you have a new one! Me, Sokka, Ty Lee, Mai, Zuko, Azula, we're your family now. You can count on us Aang! Please, stop this!"
The wind stopped and sputtered and Aang gently landed before falling to the floor in a swoon. Sokka dropped from flying backwards in the air to sprawled on the floor, sand in his mouth, yet again.
Katara ran towards Aang and comforted him as did Ty Lee but Zuko turned to Azula. "A wise old man? I thought you considered Uncle as a tea-loving fuddy-duddy?" he said.
Azula looked him with raised eyebrows. "If I told Aang that, he would hardly believe it now, would he?"
Zuko laughed as they walked down the mountainside, back towards the cave where Appa was.
(X)
Everyone was off gathering, talking or generally mucking about while Sokka was sat by the campfire attempting to light it with two stones. Usually in the South Pole, this was an easy task, but here, Sokka seemed to find it increasingly difficult. He blamed it on his immensely horrendous day. He growled and threw the stones to the ground and flopped backwards. Suddenly the fire sparked and turned a brilliant blue to a ridiculous height. Sokka screamed and moved backwards.
"If you wanted a fire lit, you should have asked the firebender." said Azula, perching on a fallen tree trunk, opposite him.
Sokka snapped. He screamed and paced and mumbled thing sunder his breath. Azula look surprised and slightly taken aback but not very frightened.
"When you sound like a girl, it's very hard to take you seriously," she said to him and he turned around looking pretty annoyed.
"That's it! I am up to here with girls in general being a pain in the neck. They insult me, they drop me, they beat me in bending and CAN'T STOP SHOWING OFF! BOYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE SUPERIOR GENDER! BOYS ARE BETTER THAN GIRLS!"
By now everyone had gathered in the clearing to hear his final statements.
Aang and Zuko exchanged looks and stepped backwards as all the girls apart from Azula started yelling verbal abuse at Sokka.
"He's a lost case." said Aang and Zuko nodded and replied, "It's strange though, I thought he was the calm, rational one."
Aang shrugged. "Everyone has an off day. He didn't believe in Magic or Spirits two days ago. Now another one of his beliefs is challenged. Can't blame him."
"Say," Zuko asked, "Aren't you supposed to be an ultimate peacemaker?" Zuko's eyebrows rose as the shouting got louder as Sokka attempted to defend himself.
"You're kidding me, right? I'm not getting in the middle of that argument. Would you try to stop them?" Zuko shook his head and sat down to watch the show.
Azula finally stood up. She had been calmly listening to the entire conversation and there was a silence immediately. She went up to Sokka and started talking, a hint of sarcasm lacing her words.
"Sokka, you believe boys are better than girls? Why don't you prove it? Here and now. I CHALLENGE YOU TO AN AGNI KAI!" she finished with a flourish.
Zuko facepalmed. This could not be good.
AN: To be continued... Sorry. I'm going away on holiday to America on the 1st so I wanted to get something out. I won't have a laptop I can write with in America so, I thought I'll write fast and this only took me a day and half to write, so officially my Author's Block is gone. Yay! It might have something to do with my birthday being on the 3rd though...
The next chapter is something that actually inspired the entire story. The 'Agni Kai' was my basis for writing this entire thing but as we've gone along, I've planned a few more I can't wait to write. Of course, if you believe I have any basis or perpetual planning of a path for this story to go along, you're sorely mistaken.
Thank you for reading this if you have reached this point. Very sorry for this long AN but I wanted to get that out of my system. But review if you want to! I love hearing from readers so I know I'm not just writing to imaginary people.