Lightning Can Be Warm
Chapter 8
AN: Wow, there was a drop in response. I need to write more cliffhangers it seems. I'm afraid I'm not a fan of this chapter after all the effort I put into it. I forced it out for you guys, so it seems rather substandard as a result. Warning, this chapter may get slightly adult; this story is a T for a reason. Suki and Kyoshi Island are VERY different to canon. With Zuko and Azula in war chambers and meetings, the war has upped its game.
Ty Lee perched on top of Appa's head next to Aang. The area was silent. To Ty Lee, this was eerie, coming from a house of seven children and the bustling Fire Nation, the wind whipping past them all was scary. So she started talking.
"How does your flying work Aang?" she asked. His pensive face burst into a smile, he then grabbed his glider, flipped it open and dived off Appa. Ty Lee gripped the reins and watched in delight as he whooped and the air was filled with noise again. Ty Lee could almost hear the air rejoicing.
"How does that work?' asked Sokka, from where he was sitting. He was slowly sewing his trousers back together in a rather crude manner.
Aang grinned and swooped over the saddle, still gliding. "With my bending, I funnel the wind underneath the wings. This supports the wings and makes them, light enough to fly. Air benders make currents with our bending, but the natural air currents are much more fun to ride."
Sokka smiled. 'So how does the glider help? Wouldn't you technically already be able to do that without it?"
Aang looked momentarily confused, before composing himself quickly. "Well, it's to help gain momentum. You'd need an extraordinary amount of power to fly without a glider, especially for long periods at a time because your body is so much more difficult to support than a glider. It's also more streamlined."
Sokka threw his hands up in the air, discarding the thread and needle, leading the trousers to rip once more. "But that makes no sense! You're still supporting your body when you use a glider! If anything, it would be heavier to support and would exert more energy! It's confusing me!"
He then noticed the trousers and swore violently.
Katara hit him before grabbing the trousers with a sigh. "You really should let me do things like this. You might be wrong about most stereotypes but not all of them. I am STILL better at sewing than you ever were and ever will be."
Mai leant forwards from where she was lounging with Zuko in gloomy silence at the back of the saddle. "And Sokka? It won't make sense. Bending in general doesn't make sense. I mean, how is instant combustion logical? There is no fuel and usually no heat either, which are the two key components to most usual fires."
Sokka shook his head. "No, firebending could make sense. Fuel is really volatile and when you set fire to a fuel, it's the gas that catches fire first before it spreads to the solid or liquid. But the heat is still a dilemma."
Zuko shook his head in bemusement. "I'm afraid I agree with Mai. Bending is bending. You can't explain it. You just have to believe."
Aang had flown away from the conversation and came back to them very quickly. "Guys, I found the island we're looking for!"
Azula looked at him with a sneer. 'I didn't even know we were looking for one!". But Aang brushed it off impatiently. "Elephant Koi! And the most delicious berries I've ever tasted!"
"Is Elephant Koi food?" asked Sokka, looking hungry.
Aang looked horrified. "Of course not! You ride them!"
"We really can't afford another detour..." said Zuko, sensibly.
"But we need more food!" said Ty Lee, "We can't survive on air, and at the rate we're going, all of the food will be gone by tomorrow. There should be a small town on the island. We should buy some food from there."
There was a speechless silence as everyone turned to look at Ty Lee. 'What?" she asked. "I did stay with a circus for two years! I know about roughing it and how to get supplies and food. I'm not stupid, despite my appearance!" she said indignantly.
"Right then. We're landing on the island!" said Aang cheerfully and almost instinctively, Appa started losing height. Sokka sighed as they descended and Ty Lee grinned as she jumped off Appa with a light spring as soon as they were within 10 feet of the ground.
"Show off," muttered Azula with a grumble before springing off Appa with a hop.
Aang meanwhile, was shrugging off his clothes and running towards the water. He laughed with triumph and hopped anxiously at the cold water before swimming out towards the sea. 'Watch me Katara!" he yelled as he swam out towards the main bay.
As soon as Zuko saw Aang was occupied, he sprung into action and grabbed the map from one of the saddle bags with a frown. "I have to see what island this is on. There are so many places that could be potentially harmful to people. There are cannibals on some of the smaller islands nowadays." He said to a curious Sokka. "And put some trousers on! It's too odd." Sokka scowled and grabbed a pair from the saddlebag as Zuko examined the map.
Mai watched from the side, feeling more bored than ever.
Zuko suddenly turned paler than usual and his eyes widened impossibly. "We need to get off the island now, supplies be damned; we're on Ky—"
THUNK! Zuko dropped to the ground like a fly and before Mai could retaliate, she too was knocked out and sent sprawling.
(X)
Ty Lee blinked as she awoke, her vision swimming as her eyesight adjusted to the dark room beneath the thinly veiled blindfold over her eyes.
"Hello?' she called out and someone next to her sighed. "Thank you, another conscious person!" said Azula , sounding annoyed. "Are your ropes looser than ours?' she asked Ty Lee and Ty Lee finally noticed the awkward position they were in. Her arms were pulled behind her and tied to a mortar stone that she had seen in traditional Earth Kingdom villages. Azula was tied next to her and they were in a circle because someone was tied next to her, curving away from her.
"Yeah," interjected Sokka from wherever he was, "All of us are tied up so tightly, our circulation has probably been stopped!" he said dramatically.
"Don't be a fool Sokka," said Zuko wearily, "We'd be dead long back if our circulation had stopped."
'You haven't anything sharp on you?" asked Azula cutting over Sokka's remark.
Ty Lee shook her head, then remembered Azula couldn't see her. "No, you're mistaking me for Mai. She has a number of sharp objects on her. Hidden in her clothes, the likes of that." said Ty Lee, pulling a face.
Azula sounded irritated. "Sokka, you're right on the end, can you tell who's next to you?"
Ty Lee heard some shuffling and muffled swearing before Sokka answered. "Mai. Her buns are now poking right into my face and I can't get rid of them." Azula snorted and Ty Lee could hear Zuko muttering angrily.
"Well then, wake her up!" said Ty Lee, impatiently.
There was some more shuffling and shaking from the mortar which wrenched Ty Lee's wrists backwards and forwards.
"Hurry up Sokka! It can't be that hard to wake her up!" said Azula, an irritated tone filling her voice.
"I'd like to see you try! She's completely unconscious. Nothing stronger than water could wake her up."
Ty Lee heard silence then a snigger from Zuko which turned into full out howling laughter.
"Zuko? asked Ty Lee nervously.
"Soh-kka ," he gasped between laughs, "Tickle her stomach. Or pinch it."
There was a pause then Sokka slowly and clearly said, "I-am-tied-to-the-mortar-like-you. I-can't-tickle-her-because-I-am-bound-as-tightly-as-you-are."
Azula laughed now. "So we're stuck."
"No; no, we are not." said Mai's dry voice.
"Mai!" Ty Lee gasped.
"Good, you're finally awake. Have you got any weapons that are easily accessible to cut the ropes?" asked Azula, practically.
"No." said Mai after a moment's pause. "All my hand holsters and leg holsters are empty and the weapons in my clothing are sewn in. As my hands are tied, I cannot access them. Whoever these warriors are, they are very skilled; they ambushed us in near silence, tied us up effectively and blindfolded us and they removed all of our weapons."
"So what do we do?" asked Sokka quietly after a pause.
Ty Lee felt Azula shrug next to her. "I don't know. If Aang were awake, he could airbend us out, but we don't even know if he's in with us."
"He is." said Mai shortly. "He's drooling on my shoulder. I can tell because he is bald. Which I still think is an abomination of nature. Children should not be bald."
"Which means I'm next to Katara—"
Ty Lee was interrupted by a shaft of light and a large bucket of cold water thrown onto the gang.
Ty Lee spat out a mouthful of water and sighed as she felt her clothes turn nearly transparent. She only hoped whoever captured her wouldn't spend too much time staring at her bindings.
"Who are you and why are you on Kyoshi Island?" asked a high pitched voice.
"Wait...you're girls?" asked Sokka. Ty Lee heard a thwacking sound and winced. She thought Sokka had learnt his lesson yesterday.
"Do not make the mistake of underestimating us!" hissed the same voice and Ty Lee heard a rasp in the voice. Ty Lee shut her eyes and concentrated on the girl's aura. Sulphur...the shade of torment and pain. This was one troubled girl. It was prickled with grey, which meant frequency to anger and depressing thoughts. Ty Lee had seen plenty of that during her childhood; she could see the signs as clear as anyone. This girl was seriously messed up and needed help. As do half of the world now...helping one person won't do much to the overall aura of the world...
Ty Lee batted away the dark thoughts. Now her aura would be infected by grey, if she wasn't careful.
"We didn't want any trouble." came Aang's voice, unsure and if Ty Lee strained; slightly scared. "We just wanted some more supplies and I wanted to ride the Elephant Koi. This used to be a good spot; right?"
"Where have you been living, under a rock? No one has come to Kyoshi Island for fun in 100 years. There is no fun now. This is the war, and it's survival." said the girl.
"Everyone should be able to have fun, no matter the situation!" said Aang.
Ty Lee felt like hitting her head, this was obviously not the time to talk about fun; did this child have no sense of survival tactics?
There was another wet thwack and Ty Lee winced. This time someone (probably Zuko) had hit their head hard against the mortar stone they seemed to be tied to.
The girl just laughed; not a nice sound but harsh and weary. "There IS no fun child. Get that into your thick head. Especially not on Kyoshi Island."
"Waittaminute." said Aang. Ty Lee wondered what more there was to say. "Did you say this island was called Kyoshi Island?"
Someone (definitely Zuko) hit their head against the pole again and Ty Lee stifled a groan. Was Aang really that deaf?
There was no answer and Ty Lee surmised that this question wasn't worth answering.
"I knew Kyoshi!" said Aang.
"Hehe...BWAHAHAHAHA!" Ty Lee winced, this was full out sarcastic laughing and Ty Lee had been on the end of it far too often to feel anything but pity for Aang.
"Please, Avatar Kyoshi was here over 400 years ago. You're just a kid, how could YOU know her?"
"I'm the Avatar!" said Aang, just a little bit of abashment in it. To stop Aang from getting another round of laughter, Ty Lee cut in.
"Airbend. Show her, Aang!" said Ty Lee, hoping she made her point.
When Ty Lee heard a swoosh, Ty Lee knew that Aang had airbended and to her surprise, her blindfold fell off immediately and slowly, the rope snapped in half, untying them all.
The girl she saw now was lank and lean. Her short red hair hung limply around her face which was covered by white face-paint with lurid red eyepaint. She looked like some of the prostitutes Ty lee had seen in other Earth Kingdom towns where they had performed with the bright white paint to cover the poor girl. She wore a green dress and armour. Ty Lee frowned, it wasn't of a great quality, if she went into battle she was sure to get injured as the only protection was around her chest cavities and not her arms, legs or head. And sure enough, there was a bloodstained bandage wrapped around her arm.
"But the Avatar left us. Abandoned us..." said the girl, her voice sounding childish and lonesome.
"He didn't mean to!" said Katara, her voice indignant.
"But he did!" said the girl with venom. "Do you know how many children have lost parents because the 'almighty' Avatar wasn't there to save us?"
"It shouldn't be his job to deal with every part of the world. The Avatar's duty is the spirits and keeping balance, not solving every island's quarrels." said Zuko acidly, "And anyway, the war doesn't affect you, does it? Kyoshi have been neutral since the war began and have remained neutral."
Her eyes focused upon Zuko and her painted lips drew up into a bitter smirk. "And you would know, wouldn't you? Fire Nation." Her words were laced with contempt and were drawn out.
"And so what if we are? Does every member of the archipelago have to be branded 'good' or 'bad'? The Earth Kingdom hasn't had that done to them. We're just refugees travelling with the Avatar because it's safer than staying at home."
Ty Lee turned to Mai, keeping her face schooled into disinterest. The fluent lying was surprising; usually that was Azula's brand of deception. But as Ty Lee's eyes flickered to Azula, she understood. Azula was in no fit state to do any kind of lying. She seemed to be covered in blue-black bruises and her leg was openly bleeding. But her eyes were burning from defiance despite her sitting position and arms attempting to staunch the bleeding.
"Please, don't be ridiculous. I'm not stupid. The clothes you are wearing are obviously nobles' clothing. Fine quality fabric, gold embroidery, that's a rich noble's clothing. And if you tell me I'm lying; Kyoshi Island is the main clothing manufacturer for nobility. Even the Fire Nation should know that." Said the girl, her voice hard.
"Shouldn't my word to vouch for them be enough?" asked Aang, his voice growing hard too.
"Please, you're a child. Even if you are the Avatar, power isn't everything. We of all people should know that. We've been on siege for three years. This little island where hardly any food grows and our main source of income is exportation. But we survived by skill. And cunning. Something you aren't familiar with, I think." She said, an air of smugness permeating her voice.
"Don't be smug. I took at least four of you down before you got me," said Azula smoothly "And I wouldn't be so sure of your power at the moment. There's seven of us and one of you. We're untied and all of us can fight."
"Except she's not alone..." said a voice and several people came in through the doors. All of whom were girls and dressed in the uniform of the lank girl. Some had horrific injuries and Ty Lee winced at the burn mark against one's hands and the blood-splattered patch covering one's eye.
"Now, what's to say you aren't spies?" said the girl.
"What need would there be? The Fire Nation comes with six boats full of men next month. There's no way you could stand against that, despite your talents for espionage and surprise." said Azula, looking bored as she said it but Ty Lee could only admire her cunning. In displacing that titbit, she not only assuaged the villagers concerns or their being spies but distracted them too and made the whole company seem trustworthy. Ty Lee saw only one flaw with that plan and hoped it wouldn't be brought up amidst the girls' worries and gasps of horror.
"What more do you know? If you know of this battle in a month's time, surely you know about more recent battles or battles to come? Why not tell us about those while you're at it?"
Damn, this girl was good. Ty Lee wasn't sure how Azula was about to come out of that, especially as everyone jeered and shouted and generally made clamour until Aang sent a burst of air outwards.
"Enough!" he shouted. "I trust these people with my life. It is now up to you whether you trust us and let us recoup for a few more days or get us supplies at let us leave."
The girl looked at him, her eyes narrowed in anger before they smoothed out and turned to her comrades. "Friends, what say you? Do we trust them or send them out?"
Another girl with longer black hair, escaping a topknot stepped forwards. "The Avatar and his friends have shown us no ill manner until we attacked them. I say we let them stay. They seem wise; their counsel will be welcome since Oyagi's departure to the Spirit World." She said, her voice in an odd rhythm and pacing.
Katara's eyes lit. "You are Water Tribe?" she asked the girl and the girl looked away. "Yes. Half Water Tribe. Before they stopped trading with us three years ago. Now, I am a Kyoshi Warrior and proud of it. Suki," the girl said suddenly turning to address the red-headed girl, "Let go of your pride and anger and let them in. It isn't their fault we no longer have adults with power in the village anymore. They're tired and the girl in red's bleeding. It'll get infected. Come on, that's what killed Oyagi."
Suki, as that was now what the red-head was called, turned her head away and nodded stiffly. "Treat them and give them food. If there are rooms to spare in the village, give it to them. Spare no expenses." She said before abruptly walking out.
Ty Lee threw a look to Zuko, who shrugged. This was an unexpected turn in events.
(X)
Ty Lee stared at the food that was set out in front of them. It was not a fitting meal at all. "Sweets?" she asked.
The man in blue shrugged. "It's all we have left. The necessities are mostly depleted. Unless you want some fish with that, we haven't much else."
Ty Lee felt herself pull a face and she saw Azula agree. South Pole fish reeked. Badly.
"What's wrong with fish?" asked Katara, as she sniffed the food experimentally.
"Fish and sweets? I think not. That's more than likely to give you indigestion." said Zuko, lighting a flame with his finger and toasting the sweet before finding it satisfactory and eating it.
Aang rolled his eyes. "At the temple, we used to eat whatever we could find. Ginger with Fruit Pie, salad with fire flakes, just not meat." He said, happily chewing the delicacies.
"Really?" said Azula, walking in, her leg severely bandaged, wearing dark blue trousers and scuffed, brown boots instead of her bloodstained and ripped clothes. "It sounds horrific. But once you're done eating, they 'summon' us to the 'war-room'. Some desolate, dark room somewhere I expe—Ow!" she scowled as Zuko threw a large sweet at her head.
"Eat, you sissy. They can wait. You must be famished. Blood loss and all. I wouldn't want you to get an infection or lose luster. You could be sun-deprived for all we know."
Azula threw him a look of deep disdain before eating the offending projectile. Her eyes widened. "These are good!" she said, sitting down and filling her plate delicately, but quickly.
Sokka laughed and leant back while Katara stifled laughter. Even Mai was smiling at the fast pace of eating from Azula. Ty Lee smiled, everything was okay for now.
(X)
"So six ships of troops would mean how many soldiers?" asked Suki, her make-up now barely existent as Mai efficiently drew a map of the land around Kyoshi with added information round the sides and colours.
"Around 40 score. Quite a few soldiers; benders or not..." said Zuko absentmindedly scanning the inventory reports.
Azula on the other hand, was reading the fighting styles and techniques.
They both glanced at each other, made a few faces and Zuko turned to Suki with an apologetic smile on his face.
"You won't be able to last a siege. Not a chance. You don't have enough supplies and you have next to no opportunities to sell and products, let alone make them. And forget trying to fight 800 people. Either you surrender or you evacuate. Only two choices, unless you're contemplating suicide."
Suki scowled. "No way whatsoever?" she asked, leaning against the tapestry of Avatar Kyoshi in the old house that used to belong to her. All of Kyoshi's belongings were scattered along the wall and Katara was reading the old Avatar's journal.
"None." said Azula simply.
"Surely there could be some way..." said Sokka, grabbing the map from Mai as she finished the last touches to it, twisting it round in odd shapes and angles. "They are stealthy people. If they ambushed us...they are good. Shouldn't we put that to use?" asked Sokka, giving the map back to Mai as she glared at him.
"Yes, but a team of 15 cannot ambush 800 people, let alone capture them." said Zuko.
"Who said they had to be captured?" asked Suki, her painted smirk, oozing wrongness to Ty Lee. Even Azula didn't relish killing people she didn't know or didn't have a grudge on.
Zuko looked disgusted. "You capture soldiers when they have done no wrong to you. You take prisoners, you bargain—
"That's it!" said Sokka, looking excited. "Hostages and bargaining! You kidnap someone important, leave a ransom note and they'll leave!"
Azula's eyebrows rose. "That would be a good plan if you weren't dealing with General Hoy-Lin. His troops hate him and would be more than happy to be rid of him. They would wreak more havoc upon the island in their happiness and it would be anarchy. I've more than suspected that he works for the Earth Kingdom in secret, so I am unable to give that plan the all-clear."
Suki threw Azula a suspicious look before nodding. "Thank you, we'll take that all into consideration. Have a good stay- bye, bye!" she blathered, all the while pushing them towards the door, snatching the map out of Mai's hand before slamming the door in their faces.
"There's gratefulness for you," said Ty Lee, getting angry inside. They didn't have to help the islanders, but they had. And that was their reward? Disgraceful.
Aang sighed. "Can we please get our supplies and go now? This island gives me the creeps. It used to be lovely here. The grass was always green and their fishing industry bloomed. All the monks came here for clothing, especially from the Southern Air Temple. It's weird how things change." He said, sounding wistful.
Ty Lee put her arm around Aang. "It'll be alright. Anyway, it's drawing close to evening, we might as well stay. I know that I need a bath. I don't know about you guys!"
Zuko barked a laugh and they headed back to the small house they shared for the night.
(X)
Zuko sighed as he collapsed into bed. Another child had run away screaming when he had popped into the small gathering house to ask where the stream was. He looked down at the water, illuminated by the light of the half moon. He touched his scar gingerly. It didn't hurt anymore, but he was more ashamed of it now than ever.
He heard a light gust of unnatural breeze behind him and sighed. 'What is it Aang?"
Aang looked at him. "You and Azula and maybe even Sokka knew what you were doing in there. I didn't. Everyone had a purpose in that room, apart from me. What do I do, Zuko? Apart from tell people to get along? All I am is a figurehead. And I need to do something, not just sit here and wait till we get to the North Pole." Aang flopped down beside Zuko and Zuko couldn't help but feel a modicum of pity.
"Then do something about it. Find something to do, a certain purpose to achieve. You know why the Fire Nation has been winning for so long? We plan. We make targets and goals to achieve in a time limit. We use our resources and use them efficiently. Everybody does something, so it gets done faster. Apart from royalty, we don't really have a hierarchy by blood. You prove yourself by what you do and what you make; not who your father was or your family is. But who they are sticks...oho, it sticks..."
Aang put his hand on his shoulder. "I had a friend like you once. His name was Kuzon. Kuzon of Ember Island. I don't know if that still exists, but you remind me of him. He was the driving force to how all of my childhood schemes worked. Him, me and Bumi: we were the best team in ages! We used to explore every lead and any kind of fun! I guess people did get annoyed with us, but it was possibly the best part of my life."
Aang looked away and Zuko managed a weak smile. He did have to bathe quite desperately. Ty Lee, Katara and Azula had claimed the hot water inside the house so...
Moments later both Aang and Zuko were spluttering and splashing each other in the cold stream, the moment of emotion long forgotten in their to wash and get warm once more. Zuko might have wanted hot water, but even he wasn't about to try and attempt to heat the whole stream.
(X)
Ty Lee rubbed her wet hair down before swiftly tying it into a topknot, which she had so loathed as a child.
She then walked across the street to the girl, Suki's house (which she had deduced from the village gathering house). Ty Lee knocked on the door and waited. The door opened to a girl without any make-up on, her short straggly hair curling and four vivid red scars cut across her cheek into a M. Murderer.
Ty Lee hid her wince and merely asked whether she was allowed inside. The door slammed in her face.
Ty Lee sighed and knocked again. The door opened again then almost shut, if it wasn't for Ty Lee's foot.
"I can keep this up all night. Ask Mai."
The door was slammed into Ty Lee's face and Ty Lee's foot was wedged out. She knocked once more, but the door did not open. The window, however, did and Suki seemed to have a bucket - Abandoning all dignity, Ty Lee launched into a sporadic cartwheel to get out of the splash zone. She had just washed; she had no wish to yet again!
"Suki, come on! I only want to talk to you. You're hurt inside. Let me help. I'm a specialist in aura reading."
"What if I don't want to talk to you?" said Suki, her voice dangerous. In the dim light that cam from inside the house, Suki was silhouetted and Ty Lee saw the dangerous glimmer of a knife. That was wasn't good.
"Please! I only want to help." Said Ty lee.
"Why not help others? There are plenty of war-stricken children here who saw their parents burned and slaughtered in front of their very eyes. They need care more than I do. I'm coping!" said Suki.
"But you aren't. I thought Azula was disturbing as a child; but you're worse. You think you're fine, but you aren't. You've lost the ability to feel, because it hurts. Feeling emotions hurts, but it's those children out there crying who are natural. You aren't. Please let me help."
There was silence and the window shut. Ty Lee sighed and walked away. There were some people you couldn't help.
She stared as her dim shadow suddenly became much brighter against a bright light. Ty Lee whirled around. Suki was at the open door, her face tormented. "You can help me?" she asked, her voice quiet and childlike.
Ty Lee nodded and Suki opened the door wider and Ty Lee entered.
(X)
Azula smiled and relaxed back against the tub of hot water. She hadn't enjoyed anything relaxing or clean since they had embarked on their journey. Fire Nation ship heating was often faulty despite their constant engineering to fix them and it was far too cold in the South Pole to bathe properly. Azula sighed, she missed heat. It was far too cold at the poles. The Water Tribe had big furry parkas and Aang seemed oblivious to the temperature. She supposed the constant cheerfulness fueled that. She couldn't read Zuko as well as she could before he had been scarred. Usually, she could tell everything from his facial expression; he had never been very good at hiding what he felt like, he was like fire embodied, with all of its passion. However, the large scarring made it tricky to guess exactly what emotion he was feeling.
"Azula, are you done with the tub yet?" asked the Water Tribe girl.
Azula sighed. "Yes Katara, I'll be done in a few minutes." She hated having to share things. That was one good thing about being at home. The bad thing was her father. And the Fire Nation army that were constantly around, no matter what she did. Azula pulled herself out of the tub and dried herself before putting on the brand new clothes. She had never realized how much she hated the colour blue before. She pulled her wet hair into a sopping topknot and came out the room stiffly.
On the pallets were Mai and Katara avidly talking together? Azula's eyebrows rose. This was new. "What's the topic conversation?" asked Azula, flopping onto Ty Lee's pallet.
"Travel plan." said Katara, "Mai's brought up the question of how wise it is to let Aang be in charge of our destinations. I mean, he brought us here to ride Elephant Koi. He's not the most focused person on Earth."
Azula almost bent over double. On yesterday's flight, Aang had changed topics five times in the space of a minute, not letting anyone else get a word in. She knew Aang's flighty tendencies. "Okay, I understand what you point is. What's your solution? Telling the kid he can't steer the giant beast? It'll crush his heart. Then he won't have the will to carry on. Which will be even worse than flighty distracted kid."
"I know!" said Katara, "We'll get Sokka to draw a map with a route. He loves planning things, it'll be okay!"
"Why d'you assume I'll do it?" asked Sokka sleepily from the corner. He was inside his pallet, leaning against the wall, looking tired.
"Oh, come on! Do you really want to deal with a depressed Aang? We can't keep detouring like this, or we'll never get to the North Pole." exclaimed Katara.
"Not my problem..." he murmured. "I'm not the one who wants to learn water-bending. Why don't you make the plan? After all, girls are SO superior!" he said sarcastically. "Leave me alone. I need sleep. I haven't been able to get any for the past few days. Too cold."
Azula smirked and set the bottom of the pallet smoking, Sokka immediately leapt out, quickly dousing the fire with his blanket. He looked rather terrified and his clothes were smoking. "Now that you're more... awake. How about we discuss a suitable route?" asked Azula, a smile curving her lips.
(X)
Ty Lee settled Suki down in a chair and told her to wait. After quickly raiding her kitchen for some spices and herb essences, Ty Lee tossed large amounts of them onto the fire. A plume of scented smoke wafted around the room.
"If you set my house on fire, I will kill you. Don't think I've forgotten that you're Fire Nation." warned Suki, the hard edge to her voice, returned.
"I can't firebend, silly!" said Ty Lee cartwheeling over towards Suki from the fire. "Now relax. And give me a smile."
Suki, if that was even possible, seemed to tense even more and her ghastly attempt at a smile made Ty Lee whimper. "This ain't gonna work," Ty Lee uttered under her breath, her eyes still wide and her breath frantic as Suki scowled at her again.
Ty Lee's face rumpled. "I'm sorry about this. You won't feel anything, promise!" said Ty Lee and with four quick jabs, Suki was knocked out. Her long limbs were sprawled everywhere and her short, limp hair drooped over Suki's face.
With that, Ty Lee settled down. She had known the circus peoples since she was four. Her parents had never been able to keep track of seven children and 'in-the-middle-Ty Lee' was always counted out. She had grown up on the circus, learning how to cartwheel and other tricks. The circus peoples were gypsies, nomads. She supposed they were the equivalent to the Air Nomads. The world needed balance somehow, and there were a LOT of homeless people with the war around. She had also seen strong gusts of wind around the camp, especially when tempers were high, but Ty Lee had never mentioned those. Silence was a virtue.
It was here she had learned Varmakalai among other arts from the old gypsy mother. She said her name was Ulsurina but most just called her Grandmother. No one seemed to know how old she was and she was always hidden inside a tent, out of sight of the Fire Nation military who often watched the circus shows. The old lady had taught her a way to bend chi as well as block it. And it was this method Ty Lee sat down to do. Ty Lee shut her eyes and placed her hand over Suki's Earth chakra.
A monkey spirit sat here in front of her looking cranky. "You again?" it asked.
Ty Lee nodded, she daren't speak in case it ranted at her for hours on end like her first meeting with it. Grandmother had understandably been unimpressed.
"Well then, I suppose you must know what you are doing?" it asked.
Ty Lee nodded and the monkey spirit let her pass into Suki's memories.
What are you afraid of? Ty Lee asked. Suki's brain replied with images of carnage and her mother's rape in front of her. Ty Lee winced as the Fire Nation man advanced upon Younger Suki before a fan was thrown into the man's stomach. Young Suki turned around and another lady with bright red lips and eyepaint smiled at her. "You'd do well to run..."
Younger Suki ran, before she was confronted with a troop of soldiers. The fan lady stepped forward and gestured for Younger Suki to run down a side alleyway. As she ran, the beam of a house fell down in front of her, aflame and spitting sparks with a vengeance. Suki turned around and a masked Fire Nation man came closer towards her and grabbed her—
Ty Lee wrenched away from Suki's worst memory and rocked herself gently. No child should have had to have seen that or been violated that way. No wonder Suki was so messed up. She wasn't sure how she'd be able to convince Suki to let go and forgive that memory. Ty Lee knew that if it had happened to her, she would have never forgiven the man who had done that to her.
Ty Lee shook her head; this was no time for philosophy. She had to plough on. The second chakra of Water would be more difficult to access but Ty Lee was not going to be deterred. Ty Lee placed her hand on the small of Suki back and waited for Suki's brain to acknowledge her. What are you guilty of?
It seemed there was nothing, but Ty Lee would not let that go. Everyone felt guilty for something! Ty Lee ruthlessly plunged downwards into the caverns of Suki's mind. There! Ty Lee pulled it closer upwards and let the memory wash over her.
Suki was older now, with gold encrusted fans in her hand and a green dress in more pristine condition than it was now. She was killing men left, right and centre and there was a child. Little more than Aang's age in armour, looking terrified. And what did Suki do? Kill him. Ty Lee watched the blood pour down Suki's katana before she kept moving to kill others. Ty Lee pulled herself out, she did not want to see more.
Ty Lee couldn't forgive Suki for her actions, but maybe Suki would be able to forgive herself? Ty Lee sighed; it wasn't her job to solve Suki's problems. All she had to do was bring the memories to the surface and hope that Suki would sort them out herself.
The third chakra of Fire was on Suki's stomach. Ty Lee placed her hand there and delved deep. What are you ashamed of? There were plenty of memories here. Ty Lee dived for the deepest memory of shame.
Suki stood on a stone. In front of her an old man with a beard. He declared, "Suki, for the murder of Lim Sung and Lim Turin, you will be required to fight for our community until the day you die. You place Kyoshi first and your life last!"
"But Oyagi! They were Fire Nation! They deserved to die!" Younger Suki protested. Ty Lee sighed as the trial went on and she pulled herself out. Murder? Of two old people for formerly being Fire Nation? If they ever won the war against Ozai, they would still have a lot more work to do on the hearts and loyalties of people. She wasn't sure how Suki was going to repent for the sins she had committed, but she hoped the freed chakras would help stabilize Suki.
The Air Chakra was fourth and Ty Lee placed her hand on the heart of Suki and delved into her memories. What do you grieve for? Suki answered that with relative ease. Her parents. The girl with the fan who'd saved her life. Her sister and her friends in the Kyoshi warriors. And most of all, the fact that to atone for murder, she had to commit more murder. Ty Lee found tears welling in her eyes as she pulled herself out. She did care. She did love. It was okay, she wasn't going to go crazy psycho on them. She had just lost the path to moksha, not her humanity.
Ty Lee smiled as she reached towards Suki's throat and touched the fifth chakra of sound. What lies do you tell yourself? Ty Lee was swamped by so many she couldn't breathe. She pulled herself out of Suki's mind, her eyes wide and breath heavy. She hoped that Suki could deal with that, because she sure as hell couldn't. What scared her the most was the one thought that resounded above all the others was that the Fire Nation must die. Ty Lee covered her mouth and was about to reach for Suki's forehead when she heard screaming and the crackling of flames. This wasn't good. How were they supposed to hide from the Fire Nation, escape off the island and save the islanders without any of the Fire Nation quartet being spotted?
AN: You guessed it, I'm evil. Merry Christmas (if it can be call Christmas this late.)/Happy Holidays/ Happy Hanukkah/ or any kind of Happy New Year (lunar or solar calender) I'll try and get out the next chapter faster, but I've been doing so many in-depth character analyses, my head will explode if I do much more with Suki. I hope you guys will review because I feed on reviews. And do tell me if there are any mistakes in spelling, grammar, etc. I'm too tired to catch them all and I want you all to get this somewhat close to Christmas.
Good Night!