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Passive me aggressive you.
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In the time it took to get this bad, I could have made this work but all I had
Was the hope that pieces would take shape, and we could watch them all fall into place.
All of this – Naked and famous.
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Everyone was absolutely fascinated by Toph at the air temples. While Aang had always been a regular guest there, Toph had rarely graced the hallowed halls. She found air temples too cold and drafty. There was never any good whiskey in stock. There was always lots of spiritual conversation and that was not Toph's bag at all.
So her arrival caused something of a stir.
Toph, like Aang, really enjoyed her fame and status. When they came across adoring fans, wanting to meet the most famous earthbender in the world, Toph would smile and says something like "I know…how awesome am I?" without a trace of modesty.
Her bitch-I'm-fabulous attitude really embarrassed all her children.
After she had arrived Aang had to wait until after she received the requisite amount of kudos and accolades, before he was able to take her aside and find out what she really thought of everything.
They went to meet Aang's "hallucinations" together. Teo was ecstatic to meet the lady who had invented metal bending and asked her many questions – including if a non-bender could learn metal bending. He was quite dejected at the answer. Tara bowed sweetly and very solemnly offered all sorts of assistance. These offers Toph snorted at and then proudly rebuffed. (She always hated anyone trying to do anything for her just because she was blind). Kuzon nodded curtly, but said not a word.
Toph grinned at him said "ah, you're the one who's trying the strong and silent thing out, aren't you?" Kuzon shot Aang an unreadable glance before Toph patted him on the head and said "don't worry. I'm a big fan of the strong and silent type. Two of my favourite boyfriends hardly said a word – it was the best thing about them."
On that note, Toph appeared content to swan off dramatically.
-o-
Toph's other acquired hobbies upon reaching a great old age:
Oversharing personal information, especially pertaining to her love life.
Using the truth at inappropriate times to shock people.
Dropping what Sokka used to call "conversation bombs" as she was leaving a room.
Heckling anyone making a boring speech.
Whacking people with her walking stick. * It should be noted that Toph did not actually need a walking stick and she had gotten this stick for the express purpose of whacking, tripping and otherwise terrorising her unsuspecting victims.
Metal bending most statutes, especially statues of Aang into a rather lewd position. * She used to do this to the various statues of the rest of the Gaang too, while they were living. But she had stopped all that recently, Aang thought that this was her sign of respect.
Making up overly complicated drink recipes involving disgusting combinations of fire whiskey and tea.
Saying variations on "nobody's got time for that."
-o-
After meeting the kids, Toph walked with Aang to her rooms, all the while telling him that he was tripping balls and he had to lay off the cactus juice. The kids were nothing like their friends, Tara's obvious patronising motherly instincts aside. "Treating me like I am helpless – just because I'm old and blind! I have zero patience for that shit." Toph harrumphed.
"You know, I would have never figured that out from the way you were just incredibly rude to a young orphaned girl who offered to get you tea just now." Aang muttered, somewhat sarcastically.
Aang loved Toph, he really did, but her caustic personality often offended people who didn't know her very well. Aang never liked to offend anyone, and was very non-confrontational about most things. He never knew exactly what to say when people had that flabbergasted look of incredulity that often accompanied conversations with Toph and her ever increasing desire to "honest" with everyone.
"Hold it Twinkle-Toes, I did not come all the way to this drafty mountaintop to put up with your passive-aggressive pot shots. Any more snarky asides from and that statue of you in the botanical gardens at Ba Sing Se that you like so much will be doing it doggy-style with Bosco's memorial." Toph said and she gave him a light whack with the common sense stick. " Now I didn't come here to enable your deluded fantasy during which the entire world revolves around your man pain and the fact that you miss our friends so much it caused the spirits to give them back to you in pint-sized form with bonus air bending coupon for one. I came here to help you fix up the mess with Lightning Ridge."
"But the entire spirit world does revolve around me. I'm the Avatar." Aang replied simply. More than 100 years of Toph had made Aang somewhat immune to her rants and threats.
"That's it. I'm hitting you with the stick again." Toph said with a roll of her eyes.
The instant she whacked him, Aang picked her up in a giant squishy hug and said "I'm so glad you're here."
"Aw, don't get all mushy on me now." Toph said with a fond smile as she hugged him back tight. She'd missed him too.
-o-
They had tea in Toph's rooms, and Toph caught him up to speed on everything he'd missed in the city whilst he'd been away, the shenanigans of their new housemaid. Sokka's grandson Darra had come to visit and was working on a new mad invention – it was some sort of bike. Toph had many rides on it. Just as Toph was re-enacting her riding technique there was a faint knock at the door and Hiro popped his head in.
Toph appeared delighted to see him, like they were friends who had known each other years. She invited him in to sit with them and he took her up on her offer. She asked him how it had gone with his nephew and Hiro shook his head a little sadly. He said that Kuzon seemed sadly changed from the young boy Hiro remembered. Still Hiro was going to do his best for the lad. He had the idea of taking Kuzon up to the northern water-tribes. He had heard so many tales of the miraculous restorative powers in the waters up there. Perhaps if Kuzon was completely healed of his disfigurement, he might be able to start healing in his spirit.
It was such a simple idea that Aang could not believe he had not thought of it first. He knew firsthand what water from the oasis could do.
Sure, the northerners hoarded it like misers and charged extravagantly for it, but he had always been on good terms with the chieftains up there. He hadn't been in ages, but he was sure he receive a warm welcome. He could take Hiro and Kuzon on Appa and help ease their way through a strange and icy city that was not always welcoming to strangers.
Since the armistice, the Northern Water Tribe had opened up to the rest of the world a little more, they were still the most isolated city in the world, and its inhabitants were more than a little suspicious of tourists. Despite its isolation, the Northern Water tribe had now become a sort of holiday retreat from people all over the world. They came in search of cures for what ailed them. When their usual physician was at a loss, those who could afford it sort healing in the far away northern city.
Aang immediately offered his services to Hiro. Hiro thanked him profusely and said that his help and transportation would be a blessing indeed. Toph rolled her eyes and poked Aang with her walking stick under the table and told him he wasn't going gallivanting off to that icebox until the situation in Lightning Ridge was more stable. Toph wasn't going to stand for any more dithering on that front. Toph had already sent for reinforcements on that front.
Hiro at that point seemed to realise that more good natured bickering was brewing and decided to take his leave. He proffered a piece of paper towards Toph and told her it was a letter for her. It was what he had come to her chamber to deliver. Toph told him to pass it to Aang so he could read it out.
-o-
Dearest Auntie Toph,
What a lovely surprise it was to receive your letter. We are all well. Akira is now walking, much to Kasumi's delight. Mum was right, she is a clever one. I am glad to see my littlest princess takes after my side of the family – we were all quick learners after all. I still can't believe my third grandchild is walking already.
Sorry to hear that you have had such a hard time finding assistants. I'd offer you one of mine, but I already know what happened to the last assistant daddy sent to help you. I'm sure you'll find a suitable one soon. Why don't you just ask them if they would make a suitable assistant in the interview process and then use your truth-bending to see if they answer correctly. That should help weed out some of the rubbish.
You should also stop terrorizing you poor kitchen-maid. Poor thing's handwriting is so full of shakes and jolts, she must have been very nervous when she wrote this.
About the other thing you mentioned, the lotus can bloom red almost immediately upon my say so to my gardeners. However I would like to discuss the matter with Uncle Aang first. I'm not going to go over him on this, and I'm not going to order a red lotus blossom without knowing some of the particulars. And you know that – you sneaky old lady!
I'll be on the next flight out to the Air Temple, so I will see you soon.
Love
Kya.
P.S. Are you actually serious about Uncle Aang and an addiction to cactus juice? Do I need to be worried?
-o-
"Kya? You wrote to Kya!" Aang was incredulous. "….and you told her I'm on cactus juice!"
"Well I had to come up with an explanation for why you have done precious little but play with your hallucinations for an age." Toph said with a non-committal shrug. "Besides as soon as you tell her your theory about those kids she is going to think you are on cactus juice anyway my friend."
"You shouldn't have dragged Kya into this. I could've handled it." Aang said, sounding far more petulant that he would have liked.
"But you didn't handle it. You dithered about and hoped the problem would go away. We all know what needs to be done… but waiting for you to shift yourself and do it? Aint nobody got time for that!"
-o-
That night Aang lay in bed, re-reading Kya's letter, trying to get his head around why it made him feel so sad. He loved Kya in a deep and simple way. Hearing from her should've made him happy.
She was Katara and Zuko's daughter. She was the first baby born out of all their friends (and had been doted on accordingly by scores of Aunties and Uncles). Aang had held her when she was just a baby. She'd giggled at him and tried to grab at the tuffs of his (woefully ill advised) beard, and Aang felt such happiness in his heart at holding her innocent little body in his arms. He knew then that he would love her and do his best to protect her always.
She didn't need that now. She was the Firelady. She was all grown up. She was older than Cloud and was a grandmother three times over. Yet Aang still wanted to protect her. He knew how busy she was, how much she had on her plate. Now his failure to deal with the Lightning Ridge situation was going to become just one more drain on her time and energy.
He didn't want that for her….and he didn't want her to think less of him either.
He liked how she'd bluntly told Toph she wouldn't go over Aang's head. Kya had always tried to keep Aang in the loop, ever since she became firelady. She knew what he thought about the red lotus, but she was going to consult him anyway. Aang loved her for that.
There were many branches of the firenation spy network. Different members and missions were named after Pai Sho pieces. A red lotus was an assassin.
Kya shouldn't have to get involved because of Aang's lack of action. She shouldn't have to do his job for him. The idea of her having to order something like that, and having that on her conscience, didn't sit well with Aang. Killing changes people – that was why Aang had always tried to avoid it as best he could. But Aang had known for a long time that Chin's death was necessary for peace. You couldn't reason or negotiate with a man who wanted to burn the whole world just so he could be crowned king of the ashes.
But still Aang felt like there had to be another way. He didn't want Kya to become a murdered. He didn't want to turn a blind eye to a murder either.
All life was scared, wasn't it? There had to be a way that he could hold to his Air Nomad beliefs but still protect Kya from having to involve herself.
Aang got up, took his glider and looked up into the night sky. The moon shone back gently and Aang thought he could feel Yue's gentle presence beside him, encouraging him on. The moon was bright enough to see by. He could follow the river all the way to Lightning Ridge.
Aang took off from the temple. He was going to do what he should have done a long time ago. Mostly he was doing it for Kya, so she wouldn't have to dirty her hands in a way that would never wash out… but Aang thought there was a little part of him that was doing this for himself. To prove to himself that, even after all this time, he could be forceful and confront things directly and without fear.
He might be confronting things directly – but he was still going to do it his way. He would explain to Chin the reality of his situation and ask him to change his ways. He had to give Chin just one more chance, didn't he? That was what the monks would have done. One more chance – and whatever Chin did would decide his fate.
Aang was only going to give one chance this time.
One warning and that was it.
-o-
Aang landed at the Governor's residence a little after dawn. He was shown into a stately sitting room by a rather startled servant, who apologised profusely about not being aware of his arrival. She had a pinched, anxious look about her face and over all she appeared too thin. Aang wanted to say something to relax her, but he was at a loss. She lived in a city that had been perpetually on the edge of revolution since the blockade started. What could Aang say that would make her feel any better about that?
Just as she scuttled off to get Chin, Aang became aware of another presence in the room. Elza has slipped in silently as a shadow and hidden herself behind the long curtains. Aang nodded in her direction, just to let her know that he had seen her. She withdrew quickly into the corner and he could no longer see her.
Chin blustered in moments later, standing tall and imposing despite the fact that he must have only very recently been woken. They exchanged curt pleasantries before Chin cut right to the chase and said "I know you are not here on a social call Avatar Aang, so why don't you just tell me what it was you came to say."
"I came to tell you that you will need to send your full surrender to Lord Bero by midnight tonight and begin withdrawing your troops from Cradle Mountain land, or there will dire consequences." Aang replied, he kept his voice even and his tone serious.
"Dire consequences? That's it?" Chin laughed darkly at that. "What are you going to do to me Avatar Aang? Take away my bending, give me a slap on the wrist and send me on my way?" He added with a sneer. "I'm a non-bender Avatar, or did you forget that?"
"This is the one and only warning you will receive from me. If you value your life you will find a way to swallow your pride and live in peaceful co-existence with your neighbours." Aang said in the same flat voice from before.
"You know, you aren't very convincing when you threaten." Chin observed. "Threatening is not really you style, is it?" He asked, his voice was full of derision. "Mind you, I don't expect anything else from an Airbender. After all your people were peaceful to the point of stupidity." He was taunting Aang – like an overgrown six year old. And even though Aang knew this was a test of some sort, he couldn't help but rise to the bait. Aang lost his hard maintained composure. Most people would never dare insult the Air Benders in front of him. Aang felt anger flush into his chest.
"I'm not just an Airbender Chin, I'm the Avatar." He moved across the room in two quick steps and he was toe-to-toe with the other man. Aang was a head taller than him and he used that to his full advantage. He loomed over Chin and felt his eyes prickle with the start of the Avatar glow. A long time ago he had mastered how to make his eyes and tattoos glow. Often just a glimpse of the Avatar state was enough to solve most situations to Aang's liking.
Chin took a step back, and seemed monetarily unnerved. Aang pressed his advantage now that he had Chin on the back foot. He said with real anger infusing his voice. "If I don't like something – I find a way to make it stop. I don't like how you have led this country."
Chin's eyes widened, then narrowed. He quickly regained his composure. "And yet I still find myself unconvinced by your threats. You are the Avatar that spared Ozai the Terrible after all." Chin said airily.
"I was only young then…but I'm so old now – I used to have so much mercy." Aang replied solemnly, heavily emphasising the past tense.
They were on uncertain ground now. For a brief moment Chin was at a loss. Aang has always been famed for his mercy throughout the world. Clearly Chin had not been expecting this from Aang. Aang hadn't expected it of himself, but Chin with his taunting cruelty just reminded him so much of Ozai and his past mistakes. Aang sometimes wondered if he had done the right thing then. Maybe he should have...
Maybe some people were beyond the reach of mercy – but the Air Nomads still said they had to be given a choice in how they lived their lives.
"What is your answer? Will you strive for peaceful coexistence?" Aang asked, offering that chance, a gift he knew Chin would never be able to appreciate or understand.
"No." The other man said menacingly.
"Then what happens next is your own doing. I gave you a chance." Aang said forebodingly as he walked away, with his conscience clear.
"I am not afraid of you Avatar Aang. Do your worst! I am a non-bender, how can you harm me?" Chin called after him, still trying to have the last word even though the conversation was over.
Aang popped his glider and took off back to the temple. He felt disappointed, but not really surprised. He always wanted to believe the best of everyone, despite the fact that the world had disappointed him so many times on this score. All his long years he had held onto his optimism like a life-raft. It buoyed him through the dark times. He held on to the hope that everyone could be reasonable and would choose what was best for those around them, if ever given the chance to choose.
Chin hadn't even asked about Kuzon, even though he knew his son was in Aang's care. What kind of man choose to live like that?
Kya would arrive later today and she would ask him what he thought. A red Lotus was the easiest way to stop the war on Cradle Mountain. It would most likely cause a civil war in the former colony, but their bombardments on their neighbours would stop.
Lightning Ridge was a tinder-box of discontentment. The removal of Chin would case a power vacuum and all that anger would turn inwards as people scrambled over each other to get the top job. Aang had seen it before and it sickened him every time. The things people would do for a little bit of power over others.
And yet, if Chin was not stopped, countless innocent citizens would be killed in the endless fighting between the two countries. Lightning Ridge was starving. Who knew how many people had succumbed to sickness and malnourishment since the blockade. Chin's death would enable the blockade to be lifted. Aang could help the people then. He could bring them food and medicine and hope. He could tell that he was sorry. That he never meant for them to suffer in this way.
Aang knew that Kya was going to ask him if he thought this Chin was deserving of life, or if his removal would be for the greater good. All Aang could think about was Hiro's words from earlier.
Sometimes you have to pull a few weeds.
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Lovely readers,
Yes this story is back. I have not abandoned it. I have lots of ideas for it and only need the time to work on it. I hope you have enjoyed this latest update and as always a huge enormous thank you to those people who take the trouble to review. I relish all comments and concrit.
now, err, I am kind of really ignoring canon at this point. The way Korra is being handled is just too disappointing for me. Because I believe the Gaang were a wonderful family unit who really loved each other. there is just so much wasted potential and so many problematic plots and I just don't like how they are handling the Gaang. I will address some of the storylines/issues I felt were handled poorly in Korra, but as always YMMV.
Now in this chapter we get a letter from Kya, who is Katara and Zuko's eldest and current firelady. We will meet her in person next chapter. The baby Akira that Kya mentions in her letter is Katara's third great grand child. Katara got to hold her and cuddle her and pronounce her very clever before her time was up.
I think Aang was just the most wonderful Uncle to Katara and Zuko's kids and Sokka and Suki's kids. I actually think he would not have had children until much later (mostly due to his Avatar duties, playful flighty nature and Air nomad philosophy). Anyway, I reckon Aang was the "fun" uncle and he would have spoiled those kids rotten, taken them on little vacations to give their parents a break, given them too much sugar and fruit tarts and even given them drumkits if they asked for them...that sort of thing. I think he had a special soft spot for baby Kya, simply because I think she would have been the first baby he would have felt directly responsible for, and babies can bring out people's protective instincts. I also think she was tots adorable as a kid.
So now Kya is an old old lady, but Aang still feels the need to help her out and protect her. He is a bit miffed that Toph has made his lack of initiative in sorting our the border dispute into Kya's problem, because he wouldn't have brought her into it at all. This gives him the impetus to act decisively and try to lay down the law in his Aang way this chapter.I totally love Aang, but I think his dithering about his less pleasant duties was a character trait and not a habit he would easily grow out of. So directly confronting a problem like Aang does here is a HUGE step forward for him.
Toph thinks Aang is absolutely tripping balls over his obsession with the reincarnated kids, or his hallucinations as she calls them. She's a bit unimpressed by the whole thing. But she loves Aang and has his back when he needs her- even if she goes behind his back to solve a problem.
We will see Toph interact more with the kids next chapter, also we will get lots of Kya, a bit about how the firenation functions now, a glimpse into the Zutara family life... and Aang busting out the Avatar state.
Til then lovely readers...