Well, finals are over, the Christmas Break has officially started, and Walking a Wire has a new installment! Wow, thought I'd have this up faster, but some of the conversations in here were really hard to write. Thanks for the reviews I've recieved, although I still feel a little lonely when I see people with 157 reviews after eight chapters. Ah, what the heck, I'm havin' fun, so on with the show!
Chapter XV: The Day Ends
"So what--what happened then?"
"He certainly gave it a Agni-damned good try." He unclasped the robe and let it slide off, and Ty Lee gasped.
Her first thought had been a question--why's he wearing that wrinkled leather thing? Then she realized that the wrinkled leather thing was skin. A haphazard grid of pale lines ran across the skin, reaching from the edge of the hair covering the back of his neck down to nearly meet the edge of his pants, and appearing to wrap around to his chest as well. The skin itself nearly made her sick. Even in the fading light, the grey-brown coloring was in striking contrast with the healthy tan on his arms and neck, and the once smooth layer had been puckered and withered by the solid layer of burnt flesh.
"You--he--Nei did this?" Please say no, please say that most of this was from some childhood accident, some kind of bending accident or--Akira slowly nodded, and Ty Lee had to close her eyes against the sight. No one is this cruel, not even Azula would do something like this. This--how could someone think this was okay? An image of Zuko at the fateful Agni Kai floated before her, This is just like what Zuko had to go through from his own father. Why does this happen, what's wrong with people who do these things?
"It didn't exactly go how he planned, though." Akira's voice pulled her from her thoughts and she looked up again as he turned to her. "The day after he...did that, Kojima managed to get the story out of me during our morning training session." The sharp hiss from Ty Lee distracted him for a moment before he continued, "Well, to make a long story short, the Wolves were reprimanded for assaulting an officer. Only problem was, during the investigation, Nei's actions got out, and he was almost immediately thrown from the army, full military court-martial and everything." He dropped from the rock to lay back on the ground, "We never saw him again, and the next week Ling came and we finished our training under him, even though we weren't supposed to start training with him for another six months. He ended up staying with us until we made High Guard."
"So, Nei just vanished?"
"We have some guesses where he may be hiding, but if he decided to really go quiet, he could be any man in a hundred towns across the Fire Nation and Earth Colonies. We sort of got tired of looking after a while. Listen, I know that this," he pointed to his back, "Isn't--not--well, now you know why I didn't want to go swimming." He grinned weakly, only to recieve a sharp knock on the forehead, "What was that for?"
"For lying to me about why you couldn't swim." Her brief frown disappeared, "But now that we've got that out of the way, we can have fun swimming tomorrow!"
"Yeah, and in the process everyone will see this. Assuming they let me back out there."
You are being absolutely impossible, do you know that? "On the second, no one's going to care. On the first, no one's going to care."
"Outwardly, yes. I'm a soldier, even out here I at least look like one, and they'll show me due respect. But--"
"But what? So they'll be shocked for a second, but I'm going to tell you right now it won't be because of you." She frowned again, more in irritation than anything else. Why? Why do you care so much about this? How am I supposed to tell you that it doesn't matter to me or anyone else?. "It'll be because every single person who sees you will wonder what kind of person would do this to a nice, brave, handsome--" Oh spirits, did I just say that? She hurriedly tried restarting her statement, but was interrupted before she could get anything out.
"You really mean that? All of it?"
Yes, I mean it! I've meant it for the last three years, but I never thought you would listen! "Yes. I meant everything."
"Well," He laughed, "that's probably the closest anyone's come to calling me a self-absorbed cabbage-head since Kojima did it six months ago." Seeing Ty Lee's amused expression, he added, "Oh, come on, I could hear your tone of voice, you wanted to say it." He stood, shrugging the robe back on, "Anyways, it's getting cold and I want something more to eat than jerky on a stick."
"I know of a really good place in the village, but you have to promise that you'll go swimming tomorrow."
"Fine, it's a deal. We'll go swimming tomorrow." He turned back to face her, "Oh, and thanks."
"For what?"
"For not treating me like a soldier."
She walked up until they were nose to nose, grinning. I love doing this, he gets so cute when he's uncomfortable like this. "That's because under all that armor, you're a person, too. And," She flicked him on the forehead, "Don't forget it, or I'll have to remind you. Got it?"
"Got it, now can we eat?"
"Princess, you have visitors."
"Thank you for letting us in. Please leave us, I want this to be private."
"Very well, although I will need to return in an hour to see to those bandages." The door clicked softly on the doctor's exit. Zuko stood over his sister's bed, meeting her half-open eyes as she lay on the cot. Bandages wound around her torso, arms, and hands, and he assumed elsewhere but the blanket covered them. Oddly, only one small bandage covered a spot on her cheek, and her face was unblemished otherwise. "How--?"
"I covered my face, dum-dum. Basic self-defense, you would have done the same. Oh, hello Mai. Did Zu-Zu drag you in here as well?"
"I came because I was worried." The somber girl's voice was flat, although a trace of emotion could be seen in a twitch at her mouth. "You were burned by your own father, Azula. I was worried about you, okay?"
"What did you do, Azula? What could you, his favorite, possibly do to earn this? Was it the lie, did Father finally catch you lying to his face after all these years of getting away with it?"
Azula closed her eyes for a moment, then half-opened them again and stared resolutely at the ceiling. "It wasn't the lie, at least that wasn't what finally caused it. I showed weakness, I thought I was safe and I took a stupid risk and I failed and now I'm paying for it."
"And the mistake, dare I ask?" Zuko prepared himslef for some epic tale of bloodshed and high treason, something that would explain such a violent reaction from Ozai against his openly favored child. It came as a shock, however, when Azula responded with a single sentence.
"I said it was his fault Mom left."
Zuko and Mai simply stared, dumbstruck, at the young royal as she turned her head away. Finally tiring of the ensuing silence, Zuko got up to leave, followed by a reluctant Mai. At the doorway, Mai turned and spoke to Azula.
"I don't know what you're doing, and I certainly don't know what's going on with your father, but I'd like to think we're friends, and if there's anything you need, I'll see what I can do."
The door clicked shut once more, leaving the princess alone. In the rapidly growing darkness within the room, a weak voice began murmering, gaining strength as the last of the light failed.
"Father hates weakness, he always has. He rewards people who are strong, who uphold their honor and duty no matter the cost. Zuko was weak when he discarded his honor for those pathetic fool soldiers, and he deserved what he got. I showed weakness, and Father punished it. I must be stronger than ever to win back Father's trust, Father's love. All sources of weakness have to be destroyed. I will not be weak, I will be strong. Stronger than Zuko, stronger than Father. I will win. I always win."
"So, how is it?"
"Fantastic, although I still feel bad that they're letting us eat for free." Akira looked down at his half-eaten plate of, well, something good, and the bowl of what he had learned was called ryme-fruit. Ty Lee giggled from across the table, nursing a glass of some bluish liquid.
"Well, I don't. I mean, it was their choice to do it, not because of us asking or anything. I think it was reallly nice of them."
"Well, at any rate, the food's good, and this view is great." He gestured out across the small balcony to where the full moon was rising over the ocean, washing the sand and trees in the pale light.
"I'm glad you brought me to the island, I can barely remember the last time I was here."
"Really? When was that?"
"I'm not sure, I think I was only five or six. My mom brought me and took my all over the island while my dad met with some important official or another. Like I said, I don't remember much." The conversation was cut short as two men approached the table. Akira eyed them suspiciously as Ty Lee beamed at the pair.
"You're the captain who confronted the boy on the beach?"
Akira slumped back in his seat, "Yes."
The taller of the men smiled, "Well, we'd like to say that we're proud of you."
"What?"
"You stood up for us, all of us in armor and uniform, when you took down that posturing fake." The shorter man spoke up, "And on behalf of the 504th, we'd like to thank you."
Akira's eyes widened, "You're Fivers?" The two men nodded, "I've heard stories about you guys, you're to the regular army what Dragon Force is to us! This is amazing, you're--wait, why are you on Ember Island? Shouldn't you be out in the field?"
The men shifted nervously, before the tall one spoke, "Umm, sir, if we could talk with you in private?"
Akira sighed, "Be back in a minute." The men led him away from the table to a nearly deserted corner of the restaurant. The shorter man cleared his throat quietly before speaking.
"Alright, sir, here's the story. Now, I'm sure you've been told about the solar eclipse coming in a few weeks." Akira nodded--it had been common knowledge for months now. "Well, the Fire Lord--his generals anyway--also know that this is the most likely time for an attack by resistance forces, as all fire-bending is rendered useless during the eclipse." Another nod. "Therefor, the Fire Lord has pulled the 504th back to the capital until after the eclipse to repel the near-certain invasion attempt. He's also pulled back a few others, but the 504th got back the soonest, and at any rate we're coming in the most force. The detachment from the 105th won't be here for another few days if I've got that right, and the 302th group got in just last night, so they're still getting settled in."
"And why were we unable to discuss this at the table?" Akira could just imagine Ty Lee's frustration at being left out, and pledged to tell her everything anyway.
"Well, here's the part that goes crooked. Thing is, we're not here just to defend against the invasion, we're here to stop a civil war. The population's tired of the war, even if we are winning. They don't see the need anymore to keep fighting--we've got plenty of farmland and resources in the Earth Kingdom, and the factories over there could keep unemployment virtually nonexistant working at half capacity. And then," He leaned in, and lowered his voice so that Akira had to strain to make out the words, "well, then there's the debacle at the North Pole. Worst thing that could have happened, really. We lost how many ships? A hundred? Two? Neh, by last count, four-hundred and twelve cruiser-class or better are on the bottom right now with all hands still on board. And the accounts from the survivors place the blame on a water spirit. Oh, the people had a field day with that!" His voice was back to normal, and Akira could see the explosion coming, "Not a full year ago, the Avatar shows his face for the first time in a hundred years, and now the bleeding spirits are seen opposing the Fire Nation! What are people supposed to think when the spirits rise against us?"
"Calm down, Shin, you're going to get us thrown out." The taller man's words were true--many patrons had stopped eating to stare at the three soldiers at the table. "I'm sorry, my friend may be the better speaker, but he tends to get worked up over things. He'll be fine in a moment. Now listen, the reason we told you this wasn't to get you worrying, just to explain why we were here and why we had to be, well, secretive about all this. Seriously, after Sozen's Comet reappears this whole nightmare will be over, and I expect a lot of us in uniform will get sent home to, well," He flashed a grin over the table, "populate the colonies, from what I hear. Now get back to your girl and food. If I know anything about you Guardsmen, you need a vacation more than we do." Dragging Shin back down into his seat, the taller man waved Akira away.
"Sir? What's your name, sir?"
"Tachi. It was good talking with you, Captain Hideyoshi."
"You too, thank you." Akira made his way back over to the table, where Ty Lee immediately pinned him with a questioning look, "And just what did they have to say that was so secret?"
"I'll tell you back at the house, but for now all I can say is that the Home Islands aren't the great land of peace and happiness that we picture them to be. Now let's finish this before it goes cold."
"So, a civil war, huh?" Ty Lee slumped back into the couch, her face lost in concentration.
Akira let himself fall back into the cushions as well, "They did say that once Sozen's Comet arrives and the Fire Nation wins the war for good, the tension should settle a bit. Anyway, they said not to worry about it, that there would be plenty of soldiers staying around the Home Islands through the end of the war to stop anything that might come up."
"Sounds like you're out of work for the moment." Ty Lee grinned over at him.
"Frankly, I wouldn't mind having no work for a while, but that's not going to happen." He sighed and closed his eyes, "Even if the war was over and done with, there would still be work for us. We're the elite High Guard, and the Wolves have made a name for themselves. If the Avatar comes back, we'll probably get sent on some wild chase to find him or her, and then there's the already healthy Earth Kingdom resistance movement within the larger cities. Even some of the outlying colony towns are borderline if a full on revolt broke out from Earth Kingdom residents. So, don't worry about work for us."
"So, after this--" Ty Lee gestured around them, "It's back to the frontlines?"
"Probably." Akira felt the girl shift on the cushions, "Although I doubt that any big assignments come up for a while. At any rate, I really don't want to talk about work right now, all right?"
"Good, neither do I. Well, good night!"
"G'night." He felt Ty Lee get up, but then jerked upright as he felt something brush across his skin. Unfortunately, he only succeed in banging heads with the acrobat and was instantly back on the couch.
"Sorry! Sorry! I didn't mean--I mean, um, well, I--seeyouinthemorning!" With that she flipped over the furniture and left the room, leaving Akira to push himself up and slowly shuffle from the room, his eyes lost in thought, his hand absently rubbing the side of his face.