A/N: Dedicate this chapter to all my awesome friends, you know who you are and I appreciate each one of you and what you do for me. :) Ok, so this chapter wasn't that hard to write, I'm still forming ideas though and it's still not too late to change certain things in the story, so if you have any more impute or recommendations for FH, please feel free to tell me. Always value all your opinions. Thanks and please don't forget to review!
Song: "IRIS" by Goo Goo Dolls.
Why?: I don't know if this song is completely fitting for this chapter, but it's very beautiful and matches to some extent. Lately I haven't been that heavily inspired by music, so any song suggestions would be nice too. :)
Chapter Five: Traps and Lies
There he was. A perfect posture, synchronized breathes, and deep concentration as he cleared all his chakras. But something wasn't connecting. He couldn't get into the Spirit World like he needed to.
Aang gave a big huff and finally opened his eyes to look out at the tall mountainous peaks surrounding him. He no longer lived in the Fire Nation, but on a remote mountain-packed island that officially belonged to the Earth Kingdom.
He enjoyed his new home and the endless peace it gave him for his meditation and sanctuary. Nothing could ever compare to the Air Temples he was raised in, but he couldn't be that far away from everyone else. Besides, it would get lonely...a single Air-bender in such a large empty place. Aang sighed sadly. He felt slightly cold inside, which was a strange combination since the rising sun gave warmth to his body.
A flying lemur suddenly landed on Aang's shoulder, reminding him he was not alone. He patted the little furry head lovingly,
"Hey Momo, I'm trying to talk to the Spirits, any advice?"
Momo stared with wide eyes and quickly blinked twice at the question. Aang wisely nodded,
"Yeah, that's what I was thinking about."
The lemur tilted his head at his mumbling master.
"I know, I know. But Zuko says it will help. Maybe I just need to drink that weird juice the Guru would give me..."
Aang cut himself off, realizing how crazy he looked. He sighed again,
"Why am I telling you all this?"
Momo jumped down, grabbed a pebble and suddenly threw it at Aang's head. It bounced off the uncovered arrow and back to the earth,
"Ow! What was that..." The Avatar's eyes nearly popped open as he exclaimed, "That's it! I need to go visit Toph! She always has good advice for me. Thanks little guy!"
Aang took off running, leaving a cloud of dust behind him. Momo watched and blinked twice fast again; greatly amused by humans and their ever-changing emotions.
~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~
Azula was already starting to regret her decision to work for this arrogant creep who only went by the name, The Shadow.
As soon as they had broken free from the prison, he led the way down to a hidden carriage where ever since then he had been leading and practically ignoring Azula, only giving her a sharp glance when she fell behind. The carriage driver, and servants around them only bowed to The Shadow, as if he was royalty and the real Princess beside him was pretend. The effects of the old meds were finally waring, so the fiery attitude of the Princess began to grow, and she kept everything she saw locked inside. Adding fuel to the ever-growing fire;
By morning, they were sitting on pillow cushions in a simply adorned room of a trader, having a breakfast of sweet jasmine tea and rolls with dried fruit.
Azula couldn't help but notice how they served the darker-skinned man first, and gave him usually the best. This agitated her, for she was used to being served first, even in the prison she kept this attitude though the food was anything but barely edible there, she felt she deserved more respect.
A woman, who appeared to be the trader's wife, knelt and lifted a steaming traditional kettle. She bowed her head and asked in a submissive voice,
"More tea Sir?"
The Shadow simply nodded without even glancing at the woman as she refilled his cup. The woman got up and left without offering Azula anything.
She glowered and looked around the room, which was impeccably clean and silence reigned, though any little sound would bounce off the walls. Azula had grown accustomed to the silence of her cell, with only her own rants to keep her company. She wouldn't have minded complete silence, if it wasn't for the small slurping sounds coming from the two men drinking their tea beside her. The loudest seeming to come from The Shadow stranger. Chopsticks scratched the silver platters as they picked up fruit that crunched as teeth shattered them into a hundred miniature pieces.
Slurp. Crunch. Slurp. Crunch Crunch.
Azula had stopped eating her food and left her teacup untouched, at this point, the sounds seemed to intensify in her brain with each passing second.
Slurp. CRUNCH. A-zula...SLURP. AZ...CRUNCH, SLUUUURP, AZULA!
"WHAT?!" Eyes she hadn't even realized where closed, opened suddenly and Azula snapped at The Shadow.
The trader suddenly fell silent, eyes widening at the outburst, but Azula didn't care. At least it finally stopped those detestable eating sounds.
The Shadow, although, was as calm as ever and looked at the former Fire Nation ruler with narrow eyes like a cat's, that Azula realized were once an amber gold such as her own but for some reason had darkened...intensely.
"That little mission we talked about..." He paused, seeming to wait for Azula to show some form of acknowledgment. She stiffly nodded.
"Your to attend to it with an old friend."
He paused yet again, though this time appeared to have finished his sentence for he lifted his teacup and took a slurp that made Azula openly cringe though she composed herself quickly and asked in a harsh tone of voice that was rising,
"Who?"
The Shadowed man settled his cup back down in a way that showed he was taking his time, rushing for no one or nothing. This heated Azula even more when he finally answered with the word that triggered the explosion,
"Mai."
Everything on the low table went flying as she stood up and kicked it over, and though she was still pretty drugged, she could have sworn a spark of a flame came out.
"That bitch is NOT my friend anymore!!!"
The servants and trader were horrified by now, though The Shadow kept his demeanor, and even managed a hint of a mocking smile as he said both calmly and respectfully,
"Leave us please."
The others didn't have to be told twice, and all hurried out the door, making sure to shut it behind them.
Azula clenched her fists, as if prepared for a fight, and repeated through equally clenched teeth,
"She...is...not...my...friend."
The older man, who must have been no more than forty, slowly rose and gave the Princess a glare that pierced right through her core though she tried not to let it show.
"That may be, but that doesn't change the fact that you will be working with her."
Her eyes dangerously narrowed, "No. I won't."
They had a glaring contest now, "Azula, calm yourself."
This infuriated her even more. No one, no, no one told Princess Azula of the Fire Nation what to do. She had made that mistake with one person, her father, and look how that turned out. She did not take orders. She didn't care that he had busted her from prison, he couldn't talk to her that way and he had to pay.
"Who the hell do you think you are?! You're no one! NO ONE! I am the only royal here! ME!"
Out of nowhere, The Shadow struck out his long arm and Azula realized the strength of it as he grabbed hold around her neck and slammed her head against the wall while slowly choking the breath out of her.
Azula was in shock and could only grope the arm that was chocking her but she could do nothing, she was completely and utterly powerless and that feeling to her was almost worse than the choking itself.
"Now that your paying attention, listen and listen closely because I'm only going to tell you this once. You are no longer ruler here. I am. What I say goes, and your words mean nothing. The sooner you drill that into that insane brain of yours, the better. I have spent years forming and building upon this moment and I will not tolerate failure. Failures die and I think you know that Princess, more than anyone. Even your will-full mother learned to obey me and failing will come as a heavy price to her, I assure you."
When Azula's mother was mentioned, the Princess' eyes widened, though she was gasping for what seemed to be her last gulps of breath. But The Shadow loosened his hold, yet without letting go completely he leaned in and whispered darkly into her ear...
"That's right. Your mother. I had her in this same hold not too long ago and her only pleas for life was for her only precious son...I think you know who that is...don't you?"
Azula shivered, tears pooling in her eyes.
The Shadow let go and let her slide down to the floor. She didn't notice when he left and shut the door. Other sounds were taking over her mind now, sounds from her childhood. She lifted her knees up and rocked back and forth again. Back and forth, back and forth. Trying to hold the tears in as the gentle voice came back.
I love you Azula. I do.
She shook her head, Liar.
. . . . "Liar."
~ ~ ~ * ~ ~ ~
It was still early morning but the Toph Bei Fong Academy was awake and already running. Trainees who wanted to become skilled masters had to follow a strict schedule and that included early morning running drills, followed by bending exercises right before a large breakfast would be served.
The owner of the academy herself was up and walking into the noisy kitchen, following her nose to the delicious aromas coming from the many bubbling pots.
Toph smiled widely while asking, "What's for breakfast? I'm starving!"
The kindly middle-aged man, who was chef at the Earth-bending school, turned from his large black kettle and answered with a charming smile,
"It's your favorite Miss Bei Fong. Bear-hog bacon with morning noddles and spiced fire biscuits, alongside a tall glass of mango-peach juice."
Toph licked her lips in anticipation, "Great! But how many times have I told you to call me Toph, old man?"
The chef chuckled lightly and turned back to his stove while the Master Earth-bender took a few steps to the side of the small kitchen, which exited to a larger dining room where a long oak table seating about 50 children sat. Toph took her seat, as usual, at the head of the table.
She quickly heard tea being poured into her cup and bickering coming from alongside the long table.
"I came here first!"
"Like a moose-cow you did! I always sit here and you know it!"
"Are you calling me a moose-cow?!"
Toph snickered as she picked up her cup. "I hear the Lo Twins are fighting again."
The woman serving the tea looked up and frowned, "Yes. That's the 4th time and the day just started. At least their not throwing boulders at each other...yet."
A devilish grin appeared on the Earth-bender's face as an idea formed. "Their fighting over a chair right?"
The woman sighed. "Afraid so."
Toph blew on her tea while casually announcing, "Then have someone sit in between them."
The woman blinked in confusion, "But...whom?"
In that moment Akemi walked in, yawning so loudly his mouth opened twice it's size. Top gazed in his direction,
"Up and ready to do some good training Cadet?"
The brown haired boy took a deep breath, "Yes Sifu Toph."
"Excellent. Then go and take a seat."
Akemi started for his usual seat but Toph stopped him, "No, not that seat. Sit in between the Lo Twins."
The boy looked at his teacher with his jaw hanging open, thinking she was further disciplining him for something he had done wrong, "B-but Sifu! I thought I already did my punishment!"
Toph pretended to roll her eyes, "Just sit and eat Cadet."
The female twin Earth-benders glared as Akemi took their favored seat and both of them were forced to sit down on either side, glaring at each other with a cowering teenage boy in between.
More students arrived and the food was served. One of the twins looked up from her plate and to her other twin and said,
"Pass me the fire biscuits Joy."
Joy slammed her fork down, "Would it kill you to say please once in awhile Jan?"
Jan slammed her fork harder, "Yes, now pass the stupid biscuits!"
"No, get it yourself!"
"I would if they weren't on your side dumdum!"
Joy got up, "Snob!"
Jan stood, "Slow!"
"Arrogant!"
"Moose-cow!"
Akemi covered his ears and tried to disappear under the table. Toph was grinning from ear to ear, enjoying her prank immensely. She would pay to see the look on her student's face, though she knew no amount of money would give her sight.
The Earth Warrior suddenly frowned, not because of her blindness, no she didn't waste time on self-pity. But because she felt the slightest vibration in the Earth Ring room where she had been training Akemi the other day...yet no one should be there now.
Before she could think too long the vibration suddenly disappeared but this till left Toph thinking.
"Sari?" The tea-serving woman instantly stepped forward,
"Yes, Miss Toph?"
She hated asking the obvious questions, but safety won over pride any day in Toph's book.
"Is...are all the students present at the table?"
"Why, yes Miss Toph, everyone's here. Is there something wrong?"
Sari was already very concerned, Toph could tell from her voice and the vibrations of a few of the students looking up. The last thing she wanted was for anyone to worry over nothing.
"No, every thing's fine. I just need to go look for something."
Sari wanted to protest but Toph was one step ahead of her, "Why don't you go start clearing my plate? I'll be right back."
She was out the door and no one followed her. Good. Some things were just better left done alone. Though Toph couldn't be sure, she had a suspicion and traveling all that time with the gang had sharpened her instincts. That's how she could tell Zuko and Katara's chemistry before anyone else; plus Sugar Queen and her crazy hormones made it too easy.
Toph chuckled to herself as she opened the door to the Earth Ring room, specifically made and designed to be as similar to Toph's first Earth Wrestling Ring as possible. There is where she had learned to fight – here is where she was learning to teach.
Not a bad trade off if you ask me, she thought. Tilting her head she suddenly sighing forlornly, though I do miss beating those guys up.
Toph stopped and tried "seeing" with her feet and ears. Nothing. She could see as far as the courtyard and nothing but turtle-ducks and children could be felt.
"Hm, I guess I'm losing my touch."
She spoke to herself and smiled, as if the thought was very amusing.
She turned to go when one second later, a rush of some unnatural breeze was felt when some fast movement sped by her and something cold landed on her body.
The great Toph Bei Fong, for the first time in her life, was knocked down unconscious.
- - -
Aang was whistling as he entered the broad and sturdy building that was built from scratch for Toph's Earth-bending school ideas. The Avatar encouraged the idea from the start and proposed that each Nation have it's own Performance Art center, even for the non-benders. The economy was still trying to build itself up though, and the last thing people were thinking about was sharpening their creative sides. But it was definitely an encouraging idea for the future.
As soon as Aang was inside, he met with the kind servant lady, Sari.
"Good morning Sari, where can I find Toph? I need to talk to her."
Sari had a worried downward curve to her eyebrows and was generally anxious. Aang's heart suddenly dropped,
"Oh no, what's wrong?!"
She glanced around nervously, "I'm sure it is nothing Avatar it's just...well, I don't like to pry into Miss Toph's affairs, but she suddenly acted strange and said she was just going to look for something and be right back and it's been ten minutes..."
"Where did she go?" He interrupted, now in stern Avatar-mode.
Sari looked up, "I believe toward the eastern side."
Aang didn't know why, but he was already walking and had the Earth Ring in mind. That was Toph's favorite place in the Academy, after all.
As he neared the door to the Earth Ring, he saw it was already half-open and suddenly rushed forward, throwing it open and he thought he would cry when he saw Toph's strong, agile body...rumpled to the ground looking so fragile and lifeless.
He fell to his knees and delicately turned Toph over in his arms. Her eyes were closed but he felt her pulse, which was barely giving. He looked up at the startled Sari's face and yelled,
"Get a healer! HURRY!"
Sari ran off, leaving the last Air-bender with the blind Earth-bender girl in his arms.