Chapter 7: Never Abandon Hope
Oasis at the Edge of the Desert, near the Ba Sing Se travel post
When Aang had eventually calmed down, the group took in the hospitality of the Sandbender tribe, getting fresh food and supplies to get through the massive desert. Maps were given to them that pointed out the desert landmarks, so they could travel by day instead of by night. In addition, as penance for his son stealing Aang's bison, they were given the tribe's fastest Sand Sailer to travel on. While staying with the tribe, Katara, Hinata, and Sakura got a lot of male followers due to their beauty, but after seeing Aang and to a lesser extent, Naruto, said followers decided not to leer at them.
Before departing, Naruto gave the son, Ghashuin, a warning. He flashed his Kyuubi eyes-red irises with a cat-like slit for a pupil-, and warned him gently. "If I ever hear that you stole a traveler's animals and belongings ever again, I'll take the mission of hunting you down personally."
Ghashuin nodded in fear, deeply disturbed by Naruto's appearance there agreed to the jinchuuriki's terms. With that, they departed on the Sand Sailer that the tribe had given them and they flew off with Aang powering the sails with his Airbending. They quickly came to the end of the desert in half a week, and stopped to rest at an oasis near a Earth Kingdom port which was near Ba Sing Se.
Sokka, now free of his drunken stupor, studied a map with Kakashi and Yamato. Toph dangled her feet in the soothing waters of the oasis, tracing her fingers over the brail scroll that Sakura had given her. Sakura, Hinata, Naruto, Aang, and Katara were all taking the time to enjoy the waters by swimming.
Aang floated on the water, stopped and took a breath, dove under the water and he spun, encasing his body up to his neck in a block of ice. Naruto was seeing how long he could stay under the water, as well as attempting to catch some fish. Thanks to the Sandbender tribe, both Sakura and Hinata were given bathing robes to swim with, which showed off their figure as well as Katara's done. The pink-haired kunoichi practiced her dives from a nearby rock, and the Hyuuga Heiress soaked in the shallows.
"Aha, I caught one!" Naruto cheered as he splashed out of the water, with a two foot trout in his hands. "We're going to eat good tonight!"
"G-Great job, Naruto-kun," Hinata stuttered, and the jinchuuriki realized where he surfaced-just two feet away from the Heiress. Hinata began blushing madly, and when Naruto got a closer look at her form…well…
A little bit of blood shot out of his nose, and he embarrassingly covered his nose with one hand. "S-S-S-Sorry about that, Hinata-chan!"
He swam away quickly, his left hand still clutching the slippery fish. He then looked into the sky, trying to keep his mind off of Hinata in her swimming robes, and he couldn't get the image of her assets out of his mind.
'Damn it, what's wrong with me? I'm NOT a pervert!' Naruto thought nervously to himself as he swam to the shoreline. Hinata's body entered his mind again, and a little more blood spurted out of his nose again. 'Damn it!'
Katara had climbed up a path that lead to the cliffs near the waterfall that was flowing at the oasis, and at the edge of a protrusion she looked down. It had been a long time since she tried this, and she was excited. She leapt down the rocky outcrop, cheering.
"Waterbending bomb!" Katara cheered as she curled her legs up to her chest, and slammed into the water creating a veritable tidal wave.
The wave washed Naruto, Aang, Hinata, and Sakura onto shore, and the blond jinchuuriki scrambled to grab the fish he caught. Toph and Aang laughed as Sokka covered the map, and Kakashi found himself chuckling.
"Sure, five thousand year old maps from the Spirit Library, just splash some water on them!" Sokka groaned sarcastically, holding up the map as water dripped off of it.
"Sorry," Katara said as she squeezed some of the water out of her long brown hair, and bent the water out of the soaked map.
Sokka then took the map and placed it in the middle of the group as they all gathered around it. "Have you figured out what route we're going to take?" Aang asked as they all knelt down around the map.
"Our two best guesses are taking the secret checkpoint that the Earth Kingdom has set up to go to Ba Sing Se, or this narrow passage called the Serpent's Pass," Kakashi said as he pointed at the points on the map. "The Serpent's Pass seems the best way to go right now."
"You sure?" Toph asked as Sokka nodded.
"It's the only way, it's not like we have-!" Sokka started before Sakura covered his mouth before he could finish.
"Sokka, you're sometime's denser than Naruto at times!" Sakura hissed and everyone looked at Aang.
"Can't you at least try to be sensitive?" Katara added as she looked at the young Avatar.
"Katara, Sakura, it's okay, I know I was upset about losing Appa before, but I just want to focus on getting to Ba Sing Se, and warn the Earth King about the Solar Eclipse," Aang said somberly, determined not to make the mistakes he did in the desert again.
"Oh, well, okay, I'm glad you're doing better," Katara said as she offered her hand.
"Oto -san, we are going to get Appa back, remember? The good-guy promise?" Naruto said as Aang sighed, and nodded.
"Well, that settles that, go straight to Ba Sing Se, no distractions," Sokka said as they all stood up, and he began to roll up the map.
"We might have some distractions, Sokka," Kakashi told the young Water Tribe warrior. "That's the point of traveling."
"Hello! Fellow refugees!" an Earth Kingdom man said with a wave.
Sokka raised his eyebrow at that, and a little while later the two groups met.
"So you guys heading to Ba Sing Se too?" Aang asked, and the man in the Refugee Group nodded.
"Sure are," he replied with a smirk, and then he put his hands on the pregnant woman with green clothing. "We're trying to get there before my wife Ying has her baby."
"Great, we can travel through the Serpent's Pass together," Katara said cheerily.
"I'd be happy to help anyway I can to help you give birth, I'm a medic," Sakura offered, and the three Earth Kingdom refugees cringed. "Did I say something wrong?"
"The Serpent's Pass? Only the truly desperate take that deadly route," Ying gasped and everyone looked at Sokka, Yamato, and Kakashi.
"A deadly route? Great pick, Sokka," Toph muttered sarcastically as she slammed her fist into the Water Tribe warrior's arm, making him crash to the ground, and he picked himself up.
"Well, we are desperate," Sokka replied as he rubbed his arm.
"I hate to say it, but that's our road," Kakashi added as he took out his book.
"You should come with us to Full Moon Bay," the Earth Kingdom man, identified as Tahn, offered. "Ferries take refugees across the lake; it's the fastest way to Ba Sing Se."
"And it's hidden, so the Fire Nation can't find it," Ying added as Katara put her hand to her chin.
"Hm…peaceful ferry ride…or deadly pass…?" Katara asked herself and everyone, and Sokka glared at his sister.
"We initially wrote off that port since we didn't know its exact location," Kakashi told them with a grin underneath his mask. "Though, if you'll lead us to it, we'll be very grateful."
"Yes, we will," Tahn said with a grin.
The group changed and got ready to go. Naruto, tears practically in his eyes, let go of the trout he caught. He really wanted to eat it, but they didn't have time or the need to cook it now, so it would go to waste and rot if they kept it. A little while later, they were all packed up and ready to go. Tahn and Ying led them to the secret port, which was deep in the mountains, which were only accessible via Earthbending. Thanks to Toph, they were able to find the secret passages and traveled straight through the mountains towards the port.
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Full Moon Bay, Earth Kingdom
Perfectly hidden under a mountain, Full Moon Bay was a port perfect in a war against an enemy like the Fire Nation. A large crevice facing the lake could be covered perfectly with Earthbending from several high level benders that were scattered around the compound. A wall, at least 90 feet high blocked the waters from spilling into the rest of the cavern, and also provided a means to get to the ships. Several transports were in the bay, guarded by a dozen Earth Kingdom wooden warships.
At the secret entrance to the bay, the two Earthbending soldiers guarding the entrance thrust their hands into the air, and they brought it down their hands, making the invisible door slide into the ground. The group stepped through and looked around. There were literally tens of thousands of refugees camping out around the wall, waiting for passage to go to Ba Sing Se. Cries of babies were heard all around, and Hinata and Sakura felt sorry for everyone here.
"I've never seen so many refugees before…" Sakura said as she walked in. She rubbed her elbow. "Why haven't there been any counter attacks against the Fire Nation?"
"War isn't so easy to define that way, Sakura," Kakashi told the young kunoichi medic with a sigh, knowing from years of experience, having fought in the last Great Shinobi War when he was only 13. "It is a terrible business, love ones die, people are uprooted, thousands dead… it's not a pretty or glorious business, not for the victors, and not for the losers."
"But…I can't believe how many people's lives have been uprooted by the Fire Nation," Katara said as she looked around. People were being rationed food and water, and it was becoming clear that the Bay would be reaching its full capacity.
"We're all looking for a better life, safe, behind the walls of Ba Sing Se," Tahn told her as a woman fed some cold soup to her baby, who cried at the taste.
"While you guys go get a ticket, I'm going to see if anyone needs some medical assistance," Sakura told them, and Kakashi and Yamato nodded. They could see there were a lot of injured and sick people in the refugee port, and the pink haired kunoichi ran off into the crowd.
Naruto, Hinata, Kakashi, Yamato, Katara, Aang, Toph, and Sokka led Tahn's group to a space with the other refugees so they could get ready to board one of the ships. From behind a wall, one of the transports departed, carrying at least a thousand refugees. Little did anyone know that the Fire Nation's two most wanted criminals, Iroh and Zuko, under the guises of Mushi and Lee were traveling to the refuge of the Earth Kingdom Capital.
Back at the Full Moon Bay, the line to get aboard the ships was long and people were shuffling to get closer to what they view would be safety. An old woman in Earth Kingdom official clothing sat behind a rocky desk, slamming and stamping papers and she addressed the current head of the line, placing the last paper in the pile.
"I told you already, no vegetables on the ferry!" She told the man angrily, and he seemed to shrink under her contempt for him and his situation. "One cabbage slug could destroy the entire ecosystem of Ba Sing Se!" She then pointed at the man's cart, which were filled to overflowing with cabbages. "Security!"
A platypus-bear was brought out and it attacked the cart, ripping it, and the cabbages to shreds. "AH! MY CABBAGES!" the vegetable merchant screamed as he slapped his face and fell to his knees, only to be carried off in that shocked position by the security.
"…scary, mean lady…" Naruto said quietly as he, Hinata, Aang, Kakashi, Toph, Katara, and Yamato watched the merchant be carried away.
"Next!" the woman ordered, slamming her emblem down on a piece of paper.
Aang cautiously walked forward. "Um…nine tickets for the ferry to Ba Sing Se please."
"Passports!"
"Um…no one told us we had to have passports," Aang said shyly, and Sokka took a step.
"Don't you know who this is? He's the Avatar!" Sokka told her and Naruto stepped forward.
"Doesn't he get a free pass or something to go on the ferry, lady?" Naruto asked defiantly.
"Ah, I see fifty Avatars a day, and by the way, not a very impressive costume," the lady told them, pointing at the several Avatar Imposters that tried to board the ferry for free. Momo then jumped on Aang's shoulder. "Besides, no animals allowed. Do I need to call security?"
They all reflexively looked at the platypus-bear, who was still munching on a head of cabbage. Momo pulled back in fear, wanting no contact with the vicious omnivore.
"That won't be necessary," Aang said as he put up his hands and walked away.
"Kakashi-sensei, can't we just sneak on board?" Naruto asked his sensei. "I mean, they would have no way to stop Shinobi of our level."
"The constant searches for stowaways wouldn't make it worth the effort and chakra usage, Naruto," Kakashi replied simply, glancing up from his book.
"I'll take care of this," Toph told them, walking forward to the rocky desk. She slipped a piece of paper with her family's seal. "My name is Toph Bei Fong and I'll need nine tickets."
"Ah, the golden seal of the flying boar!" the woman gasped, seeing Toph's identification card. "It is my pleasure to help anyone of the Bei Fong family."
"You get the same treatment from people like this in Konoha, don't you Hinata-chan?" Naruto asked with a grin, making the Hyuuga blush.
"K-Kind of, Naruto-kun…" Hinata replied, as she looked down at the floor, and she started twiddling her fingers.
"It is your pleasure," Toph told her, letting her hand point aristocratically at herself, showing she was part of the high upper class. "As you can see I am blind, and these three are my valet." She pointed to where Katara, Aang, and Sokka were hugging, to show they were the valley for the Earthbending Master. "They are my bodyguards," she continued, pointing to Naruto, Kakashi, and Yamato. "She's my teacher," she continued, pointing to Hinata. "And my nurse offered her services to the other refugees here," she finished, pointing out into the crowd to the only pink-haired young woman there.
"B-But…the animal…"
"…is my seeing eye lemur," Toph finished for her sternly as Momo crawled onto Toph's shoulder.
"Well…normally it's only one ticket per passport, but this document is so official, I guess it's worth nine tickets," the checkpoint lady said as she rapidly stamped nine tickets with the approved symbol on them.
"Thank you very much," Toph said sarcastically, reaching up and pulling down the tickets and they began to walk away.
"Alright! We scammed that lady good!" Sokka cheered, and Naruto grinned.
"Technically, it wasn't scamming her, but it was a pretty good prank!" Naruto added, rubbing his hands together.
"Toph-chan's family has a lot of influence, so it was neither, N-Naruto-kun, Sokka-kun," Hinata told them with a shy smile.
Sokka was suddenly pulled back by a young woman as he was cheering. "Tickets and passports please…" She asked politely, but her voice was firm.
"I-Is there a problem?" Sokka asked, hoping they weren't found out.
"Yeah, I got a problem with you," the young woman told him, poking at his chest. "I've seen your type before, probably sarcastic, think your hilarious, and let me guess, you're traveling with the Avatar."
Sokka frowned and squinted. Naruto looked back. "Yo Sokka, there a problem?"
"Do I know you?" Sokka asked, trying to place the voice with the face.
"You mean you don't remember?" the young woman replied, grabbing his shirt violently and pulling him towards her. "Maybe you remember this."
She suddenly kissed him on the cheek, and Naruto, Kakashi, Yamato, and Hinata nearly face-faulted at the twist-they weren't expecting that to happen. Sokka's brow suddenly furrowed in recognition, and he gasped in surprise.
"Suki!" Sokka exclaimed with a bright smile, and he pulled her close for a hug which she returned.
"Sokka, it's good to see you!" Suki said cheerfully, and she looked at the group. "Picked up some new faces I see."
A little while later they met on the wall, underneath one of the guard posts. Suki was introduced to each of the new members of Team Avatar, and the Kiyoshi Warrior could recognize these fighters from the village known as Konoha would probably have enough skill to not only fight the warriors of her guild, but hold off dozens of Fire Nation soldiers and benders by themselves. Katara and Aang smiled at their old friend, who they haven't seen in months.
"You look so different without your makeup," Katara stated with a smile, sitting next to Aang, Sakura, and Sokka, while Kakashi, Yamato, Naruto, Toph, and Hinata stood up around the post. "And the new outfit…"
"That crabby lady makes all the security guards wear them," Suki said with disgust in her voice. "And look at you, sleeveless guy, been working out?"
"I grab a tree branch and to chin touches every now and again, nothing major," Sokka told her as he stretched, and flexed.
"Really…could have fooled me," Naruto mumbled, making Hinata giggle.
"So Naruto, you guys are from a village called Konoha?" Suki asked, and the jinchuuriki nodded.
"Yep, we're all from Konoha," Naruto grinned, flashing his forehead protector. "And I am going to be the next Hokage, the leader of the village, so I can protect all the people who are precious to me."
Suki noticed a sudden change of mood on Sakura's and Naruto's face. "Something else?"
"…before I become Hokage though, I have to get my friend Sasuke back from the clutches of the traitor Orochimaru," Naruto replied, looking down at the ground. "I promised Sakura-chan that I'd bring him back to Konoha, and I never go back on my word. That's my nindo."
Suki nodded, and she looked over to Aang. "Are the other Kiyoshi Warriors around?"
"Yeah, after you left Kiyoshi we wanted to find a way to help people," Suki replied as she glanced at the lake. "We ended up escorting some refugees here and we've been here ever since." Momo then leapt up and she giggled. "Hi Momo, good to see you too."
She rubbed the lemur's face, and he purred like a cat. "So why you guys getting tickets for the ferry? Wouldn't you just fly across on Appa?"
Katara looked down at the ground somberly in response. "Appa is missing; we hope to find him in Ba Sing Se." She replied, glancing at Aang who was looking at the ground.
"Some thieves stole him while we were gathering information," Kakashi informed her, glancing up from his book. "Toph did all she could, but she was also trying to save us from 'going down with the ship', so to speak."
A pang of guilt hit Aang when he recalled the outburst he made against the blind Earthbending Master when they freshly got out of the library.
"I'm so sorry to hear that," Suki told them, and she, Katara, Hinata, and Naruto glanced over at Naruto. "Are you doing okay?"
Aang slowly looked over to everyone but Kakashi, Toph and Yamato looking at him. "I'm fine, would everyone stop worrying about me?"
"Avatar Aang, you have to help us, someone took all of our belongings, our passports, our tickets, everything's gone!" It was Ying from down before the wall, and they all looked down at her and her husband, Tahn.
"I'll talk to the lady for you," Aang told them.
A little while later, the group was back at the passport point where the crabby old woman was supervising, and she was still in the crappy mood. After hearing the situation, her views on 'order' didn't falter.
"No passports, no tickets!" She told Aang, stamping a 'rejected' symbol on his arrow.
"But she's pregnant and all their belongings were stolen!" Aang protested, and Naruto stepped forward. "You have to make an exception!
"So come on, lady! Bend the rules just this once!" Naruto added, and she glared at him.
"No exceptions, no bending the rules! If I just gave away tickets willy nilly to anyone, there'd be no order!" She told them waving her arms around violently. "And you know what that means, no more civilization!"
"What if we gave them our tickets?" Aang prodded.
"No!"
"But-!"
"Next!"
Her last words sprayed spit on both of them, and Naruto squeezed his fist. He thought of trying to scare her into letting Tahn and Ying go using a flash of the Kyuubi eyes and teeth, but he restrained himself. He wasn't a stupid kid anymore, and it wouldn't be worth the waste of chakra. They both walked over to the couple with their companion, and Aang wiped the spit and stamp off his forehead.
"Don't worry, you're going to get to the city safely, we'll lead you through the Serpent's Pass," Aang told them, and Kakashi walked over.
Under his mask, he smirked. "So, Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, you up for a B-Rank Mission?"
Katara looked over. "B-Rank mission?"
"Missions are divided into ranks in Konoha," Sakura explained. "E and D ranks are used for low level genin and freshly graduated genin, mostly just rescuing pets and tilling fields. C-Ranked missions are a little more dangerous, but those who go on them won't be in life-threatening danger. B-Ranked missions are escorts, where there is some life-threatening danger, but enough for at least a high-level Genin or Chuunin Level ninja to handle. A-Ranked missions are primarily for Chuunin and Jounin, due to high-levels of life threatening danger. And S-Ranked missions are primarily for Jounin, and they are the ones that track and/or capture/kill S-Class Criminals, assassinate high ranking officials, or other missions of that sort that require a high level of skill to complete."
Katara nodded, and Naruto chuckled. "Well, I'm up for it! It would be good to stretch the legs and get a real workout!"
"I-I'm up for it too," Hinata added next to Naruto, and Kakashi looked at Sakura.
"We're all on the same team, so I'm up for it too. Ying-sama, if you need any help, I have some experience with pregnancy," Sakura added, and Ying bowed in thanks.
"Well, then it's settled then. We're going to escort you to Ba Sing Se," Kakashi grinned underneath his mask.
With that, the group began to set off to the invisible gate of the Port. They walked through the small city of tents, and Sokka began to sigh in disbelief at what they were doing. The ferry that they had waited to get was already departing, so he was starting to complain.
"I can't believe we gave up our tickets and now we're going through the Serpent's Pass," Sokka groaned as he followed the others.
"I can't believe you're still complaining about it," Toph muttered in earshot of the Water Tribe Warrior.
"Yeah, quit complaining Sokka, this is the right thing to do. Be a team player, will ya!" Sakura added, making Sokka mumble and thrust his hands into his pockets. "You sometimes can be as lazy as Shikamaru!"
"I wouldn't compare Sokka to Shikamaru too much, Sokka's not lazy enough," Naruto said with a grin, making Hinata and Katara giggle.
"I'm coming too!" the voice of Suki told them as they looked back. She was in full Kiyoshi Warrior attire, green armor and robes that resembled a dress below her waist, a golden head plate similar to the forehead protectors that the shinobi were wearing, as well as white makeup that was put onto her face, with red highlights around her eyes and red lipsticks. As she ran, two tassels dangled back and forth from her head plate.
"…are you sure that's a good idea?" Sokka asked, remembering what happened to the last girl he loved.
"Sokka, I thought you'd want me to come…" Suki replied, a little shocked that he didn't want her to come.
"I do, it's just…"
"Just what?" Suki berated, hoping that the young Water Tribe Warrior hadn't sunk back into his sexist ways.
"Why don't you want her to come, Sokka-kun?" Hinata asked from ahead of them.
"Nothing, I'm glad you're coming," Sokka replied after a pause, and the Kiyoshi Warrior walked to the group, and he rubbed the back of his head.
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Earth Kingdom, Entrance to the Serpent's Pass
A few hours later, they reached the pass. It was a long narrow rocky pathway to a massive mountain that jutted out of the lake like a pike. The paths around the mountain looked narrow and treacherous, and they'd be completely visible from the sea. At the start of the pass was a shrine-arch that toward above them by at least a couple dozen feet.
"This is the Serpent's Pass? I thought it'd be more windy," Sokka said as he looked at the long narrow path. "Guess they misnamed it."
"Sokka, not everything is named for the way it's shaped, for all we know, there could be snakes on that island-mountain, or swimming underneath the waves," Yamato said quietly, not wanting to scare the other members of the group.
Ying walked up to one of the wooden poles holding up the shrine-arch. "Look at this writing, how horrible!"
"…what does it say?" Hinata asked wearily.
"It says…abandon hope," Katara read, a chill going down her spine.
"How can we abandon hope? It's all we have!" Ying yelled in fear, putting her head into Tahn's shoulder.
"I don't know, the monks use to say that hope is just a distraction, so maybe we do need to abandon it," Aang said, his voice uncharacteristically cold.
"What are you talking about?" Katara asked, shocked at what the young Avatar was saying.
"Hope isn't going to get us into Ba Sing Se and it's not going to find Appa," Aang told her coldly as he walked through the arch. "We need to focus what's going on right now, and that's getting across this pass."
"Aang, that type of talk gets people killed on missions," Sakura said, gritting her teeth. "Hope is all we can do if our mission seems hopeless."
Aang just ignored her and began leading them. Naruto squeezed his fist. "Aang-oto-san, giving up hope is the last thing we want to do."
The young Avatar continued to ignore them and they started walking single file through the uneven pass to the island in the middle of the lake. They took the western side, since it would be the safest-wide enough so they could travel single or double file to the other side. Kakashi and Yamato were covering the fore and back of the group respectfully, their eyes constantly searching for any threat to their charges survival.
"The Fire Nation patrols the western lake. Rumor has it they are working on the other side, and they don't want anyone to find out what it is," Suki told them as they walked along the path.
A Fire Navy Ship glided over the lake, the large metal ship's lookouts didn't seem to notice the travelers passing along the paths on the mountain island. Smoke from its coal powered engines puffed out of the twin smokestacks, creating a thick cloud of smoke overhead. It was smaller than the ocean-faring ships, but it was still larger than any wooden ship in the Water Tribe Navy. Aang, Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Kakashi, Yamato, and Suki glanced at it go by on the western lake, and then they kept walking.
As they continued walking, Tahn led Ying along, his hands on her shoulders. He wasn't watching where he was going, and he stepped on a loose rock. The weight of his body made it fall off the jagged rock face, nearly taking the Earth Kingdom refugee with it. Toph immediately shifted her weight into the ground and moved her feet to face the lake. A rock jutted out instantly, preventing the refugee from suffering from a fatal fall, and then bounced him back onto the ledge.
"I'm okay!" Tahn assured them, most especially his wife Ying.
The rock however continued to fall, creating a massive splash which alerted the lookouts on the Fire Navy ship. Sokka and Kakashi squinted, and they saw the twin catapults on the ship rotate towards them. The silver haired copy ninja immediately began to do hand seals, and the Water Tribe Warrior turned back to the group.
"They spotted us!" Sokka yelled as a fireball was lobbed at them from one of the catapults on the ship.
Aang however didn't pause. He leapt up onto the cliff, and repelled away with his staff drawn. He put all his strength into the strike, and swung with a blast of airbending. The fireball was deflected, and it crashed right into the engine unit of the ship. The Fire Navy ship erupted into flame on its aft section. On the bow, the remaining catapult launched another fireball, and it crashed into the rocks above the group.
"Kage Bushin no Jutsu!" Naruto yelled as he created twenty clones which leapt into the path of the collapsing rocks. They all punched each rock, shattering the pieces of the cliff. With each punch the bushins launched, however, more fell in an avalanche, and soon the clones all disappeared in a large puff of smoke.
Sokka pushed Suki out of the way of the remaining boulders, and he prepared to get flattened by the boulders. Toph shifted stance, her hand open low on the side facing the lake, and her right arched in a fist pointing at her head. A large wedge of rock popped out of the cliff above Sokka, guiding the rocks harmlessly away from him.
"Great job Toph-chan!" Sakura said as she dodged one of the boulders and used her strength to smash one before it hit her.
Suki got up on her hands and Sokka ran over. "Suki are you okay, you got to be more careful!"
"'Thanks for saving my life, Toph', no problem Sokka," Toph said to herself sarcastically.
"You saved two teammates, thanks isn't needed at times," Yamato said and Toph nodded, and they began to run off.
Aang flew over them and Kakashi performed a water jutsu. A massive tidal wave crashed into the burning wreck of the Fire Navy ship, capsizing it. He, Naruto, and Aang were the last ones to disappear from sight, running down the rest of the path. They reached a resting place on the half-way point of the pass, and set up camp.
As night fell, a fire was lit in the center of the campsite. Sakura and Tahn tended Ying; her husband rubbed her feet while the medical kunoichi used a soothing balm to heal the pains in her hips. A heat pack was on her rump as she sat on the ground, provided by Sakura. Suki went to unravel her sleeping blanket and walked up to an edge she thought suitable and shook it out.
"Suki, you shouldn't sleep there. Who knows how stable this ledge is, it could give way at any time," Sokka said, his voice laden with concern, as he walked over and took her blanket and brought it back to the group.
"Sokka I'm fine, stop worrying!" Suki yelled, completely surprised on how Sokka was acting.
"You're right, you're right, you're perfectly capable to taking care of yourself," Sokka said as he breathed out, placing Suki's sleeping blanket next to his. He then started to push her out of the way. "WAIT!" He placed himself in front of her. "Never mind, I thought I saw a spider, but your fine."
Naruto had found a place to start training for his new jutsu, a massive clearing in the mountain. It had been weeks since he had trained, and he hoped he didn't lose his place. He brought up his hands, crossing his fingers. Suddenly, two Kage Bushins appeared, and he held out his hand. He would attempt to create the Odama Rasengan without using the Kyuubi's power. He then held out his hand, and created a normal Rasengan. One of his clones got the jest, and put their hands out and began rotating, molding, and adding their power to the swirling, mini-hurricane of chakra.
The Rasengan grew in size and intensity, and Naruto winced as a rock flew up and slashed his cheek with its jagged edge. His hand twitched around the growing mini-hurricane, but he didn't disrupt it. Pretty soon, the Rasengan had grown in size from a softball to a basketball sized object. By now, his attack was a glowing ball of light that could be seen from the campsite, and Hinata, Katara, Sokka, Suki, Yamato, Kakashi and Than had ran over to see what was happening.
Naruto turned, dispersed his clones, and stomped near a massive rock. He winced as he tried to hold all the power, and he stepped, slamming the Odama Rasengan into rock. Like a drill, it ground into the hard rock, and a shockwave hit as it erupted in massive explosion. Kakashi, Aang, and Sakura immediately came running over to the area, right on the heels of Hinata and Katara.
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata yelled in fright as the Jinchuuriki was engulfed by the smoke that his Rasengan had kicked up.
"…what d-did he do?" Suki asked, looking what remained of the rock.
"…that's the Odama Rasengan, one of the most powerful attacks I've ever seen Naruto use," Yamato replied as he started to run to his pupil.
Naruto coughed as he was thrown back by his own attack. "Damn it, I still need a clone to keep my footing!"
Hinata caught him, and she pushed to get him back on his feet. "Thanks Hinata-chan."
"N-N-No problem, Naruto-kun," Hinata stuttered as her face turned red from an embarrassed blush, when she realized how close she was to Naruto at that moment, and that she touched him.
"Well, at least I was able to hold it without clone support this time," Naruto said with a grin, and the cut on his cheek started to heal on its own. It stitched itself up, and disappeared.
"…the gash on his cheek healed instantly…" Suki said in awe, and Sokka nodded, surprised at that.
"It's due to the Kyuubi Chakra that continuously circulates through Naruto's system," Yamato told them, and they looked at the ANBU. "He heals fast, basically. Wounds that would kill most people wouldn't kill him, for instance."
"What's a Kyuubi?" Suki asked, not getting what that part was.
"Giant demonic fox with nine-tails, used to be one of Wan Shi Tong's servants before it was possessed by an evil spirit," Sokka replied, remembering what he learned of Naruto from Professor Zei. "Naruto jails the beast now, Y-Y-Yondaime Hokage, sealed him in Naruto 16 years ago to save their village."
Suki nodded. "He sure doesn't act like a demon, just like a normal kid."
"He is," Sakura said, walking over to them. "I never got why the older people in Konoha hated him, but after he told me and Temari that he contained Kyuubi, I realized they hated him for stupid reasons. He's not the beast; he jails it and protects us all by keeping it in him."
"Yondaime wanted Naruto to be viewed as a hero in Konoha, keeping the beast sealed inside of him, but they took him as a scapegoat for all deaths that happened," Yamato said with disgust. "The only people who initially honored Yondaime's wish were Sandaime, Kakashi-san, Kurenai-san, Asuma-san, Ibiki-san, myself, and the children, who were forbade to be told the secret. Naruto learned that he was the demon foxes' jailer when he was 12, when the traitor Mizuki used him to get a sacred scroll from the Hokage Tower. So far, he has only told Sakura, but Hinata-san found out when Kakashi-san asked her to help train him, and Aang-san's group was told by Naruto himself, when Zei told them what a jinchuuriki, or 'demon container', was."
Suki nodded. "No one should be treated that way. It's like the inverse of how the Avatar is treated."
Yamato nodded, and Naruto turned around and grinned. "I'm really going to get it this time!"
"S-Sure you will, Naruto-kun," Hinata said, with a smile. "I-I'll be here to help."
"Thanks Hinata-chan!" Naruto grinned, and the Hyuuga blushed deeply. He just shrugged it off by now, since every time he asked if she was sick when she went red she ended up fainting, and she really wasn't sick. He just chalked it up to 'weird things' that Hinata does. "How you doing with Bending by the way? Think of any new jutsus to do with it?"
"P-Pretty good, Katara-chan's been showing me more complex moves now," Hinata said shyly, her eyes looking into Naruto's cerulean eyes. "I-I haven't been able to think of any ninjutsus to do with the Bending though."
Naruto grinned and nodded. "Well, let's start training then!"
"Hai!" Hinata said enthusiastically, and in her mind she beamed. 'I didn't stutter that time! I didn't!'
Kakashi grinned underneath his mask. 'Probably they'll be able to work together better even better than Naruto and Sakura did during their recent missions. He's starting to care for her more…'
The blond genin crossed his index and middle fingers and created several Shadow Clones in a puff of smoke. "I'm ready Hinata-chan!"
Hinata nodded, and activated her Byakugan. Naruto threw his left hand out behind him, and two of his Shadow Clones, and they began to swirl the chakra into his hand. He began to mold it, and the Hyuuga Heiress focused on his hand. The Wind Chakra was Bended into the Rasengan that was forming, and two energy 'blades' warped around it. Hinata's eyes widened-he was doing it! He would finally complete the attack! But then…
"Naruto-kun!" Hinata yelled as Naruto looked over to see she was running towards him. "Disperse it quickly! It's too unstable!"
"What?" Naruto asked and he looked back. The Rasengan looked perfect…and then it's outdoor wall of the chakra started cracking. "Damn it!"
Instinctively, he threw it up into the air and the wind chakra and dispersed his clones. He met Hinata and pulled her down to the ground as the Rasengan detonated, and on instinct he shielded her body with his own to prevent the rocks from showering on her. Kakashi sighed, he almost had it. Something was wrong with the molding of the chakra, and he didn't know why.
"Are you guys okay?" Katara asked as both Naruto and Hinata looked up.
"I'm fine, you okay, Hinata-chan? I was…kind of slow getting rid of that…bomb…" Naruto said, looking down at Hinata, who began to blush. "Damn, what did I do wrong?"
"I-I'm fine, N-Naruto-kun. Y-You almost had it," Hinata replied, her blush deepening. "I could see the Wind Chakra being molded into the Rasengan…but I don't know why the containing wall collapsed around the swirling chakra…"
"…well, we'll figure it out together, right?" Naruto grinned, and the Hyuuga blushed deeper. 'Man, she looks so…cute…doing that…wait, what am I thinking?'
Hinata saw Naruto's face redden slightly, and they crawled away from each other, extremely embarrassed. Sakura giggled, and she looked at how the young Jinchuuriki's face was-actually blushing being near the Hyuuga Heiress.
'Looks like Naruto is finally starting to get flustered around her, good. Hinata-chan, you have to make your move soon, tell him how you feel when you are up to it girl!' Sakura thought, and the Inner Sakura added. 'YEAH! TELL THE IDIOT HOW YOU FEEL! HELL YA!'
"W-Well, lets continue training Hinata-chan!" Naruto grinned with a weak stutter, rubbing the back of his head.
"Y-Yeah…" Hinata said, still blushing, and the two of them got up off the rocky ground.
Meanwhile, Aang had gone to a pillar to think. He was standing, bathed in the moonlight, trying to calm the thoughts of anxiety he was thinking. Every time he thought of Appa's kidnapping, a barely controlled rage. He squeezed his hand into a tight fist; his finger nails digging deeply into his palm that a tiny bit of blood started dripping out. Katara walked slowly behind him, hoping to talk to him, to get to the bottom of his recent behavior.
"You know, it's okay to miss Appa," Katara told him, but he didn't move, and didn't look back at her. The wind ruffled his clothes, and she was distressed that he didn't acknowledge her. "What's going on with you? In the desert all you cared about was finding Appa, and now it seems you don't care about him at all."
"You saw what I did back there, I was so angry about losing Appa, I couldn't control myself. I hated feeling like that…" Aang replied, closing his eyes in pain and squeezing his fist even more.
"But now your not letting yourself feel anything, you know, it hurts more sometimes to hope, more to care, you have to promise me you won't stop caring," Katara pleaded, looking at the young Avatar. She saw his fist, blood leaking out of Aang's clenched fist, and then she smiled, and held out her hands. "Come on, you need a hug."
Aang opened his hands and turned to her. The blood dripped out of his left palm, and despite the pain he put both hands together and bowed. "Thank you for your concern Katara." He then began to walk away, and Katara looked at him depart. She frowned with sadness, and rubbed her eye.
On another part of the island, away from the campsite, Sokka sat looking up at the moon. He remembered Yue, and he felt he was bathed in her light while he stared up at the celestial body. The clouds starting passing over the moon as Suki walked over to him, and they uncovered it as she got near him.
"It's a beautiful moon…" Suki started as she looked up into the sky at the moon, not knowing the tragedy Sokka experienced at the North Pole.
"It really is," Sokka said his voice detached and soft-spoken.
"Look, I know you're just trying to help, but I can take care of myself," Suki told him softly, as she sat down next to him on the rock.
"Yeah, I know," Sokka replied, looking at her.
"Then why are you acting so overprotective?"
"It's so hard to lose someone you care about," Sokka told her softly and sadly. "Something happened at the North Pole and I couldn't protect someone. I don't want anything like that to never happen again."
"I lost someone I cared about; he didn't die, he just went away, I only had a few days to get to know him. But he was smart, brave, and funny," Suki told him, and with each compliment to the guy she met, Sokka's eyebrows rose and he suddenly stood up.
"Who's this guy? Is he taller than me?"
"No, he's about your height."
"Is he better looking?"
"He is you, stupid!" Suki told him playfully, getting up and she put her hands on her hips.
"Oh…" Sokka said, wincing at his stupidity. He then stared into Suki's eyes, and she stepped towards him.
Her head moved close to his, and her eyes started to close. His did too, and when they were only a few centimeters apart…he pulled away, looking down at the ground. The moon was shining brightly on them at that moment.
"I can't," Sokka told her sadly, looking away.
"I'm sorry," Suki said, as the young Water Tribe warrior began to walk off, her hands were still around his arm.
"You shouldn't be," Sokka said has he got out of her grip and walked off. Suki watched him go, and she rubbed her elbow.
The next morning, they had made more progress in getting to Ba Sing Se. They were over half-way across the land bridge and climbing down the narrow paths on the small rocky mountains. They reached the bottom of the mountain and saw that…their path was cut off. The path disappeared into the water, and it was too far away for Ying to swim. They looked at where the path continued, and Aang sighed.
"Too far to swim or walk across with Ying-chan in this condition," Sakura said as she knelt down and splashed the water.
Katara then stepped forward, deciding on how to cross. "Everyone, single file!"
Kakashi got what she was doing. "Are you sure you can bend us all the way across?"
"Not alone," Katara said as everyone went into a single file line behind her. She began to bend the water, making parting the lake in front of them, and making two walls of water in front of them as they continued to move behind the young Waterbending Master. "Hinata, Aang, I need help!"
They nodded, and began bending the water from behind to keep a safe bubble of air at the bottom of the lake. Hinata activated her Byakugan while bending so they could keep on the path.
"Katara-san, we need to move a little more right to reach the other end," Hinata told the younger girl, who nodded and sidestepped more to the right.
Everyone that wasn't bending the water watched the fish swim by in awe. It was a living aquarium, and everyone but Toph, who couldn't see, was amazed by the view. Momo leapt off of the blind Earthbending Master's shoulder and went into the water to swim with the fish. Suki and Sokka watched the playful lemur swim, trying to catch a few trout and bass while they were down there.
"Wait," Hinata said as a massive object came into her view. A shadow descended over Momo, he froze and then he jumped back onto Toph's shoulder. "…it's huge…"
The shape moved around the bubble, and Katara gasped, her hand stopping momentarily. "What is that thing?"
"Everyone, prepare yourselves for anything!" Kakashi ordered, quickly taking out a kunai as the shape continued to pass around the bubble.
The size of the creature made Naruto decide he needed to bring the toad boss in, but if they do it underwater…they'd be crushed. "Toph, get us on the surface with plenty of land surrounding us!"
"Huh? Why? What's happening?" Toph asked as she looked around, and she could feel the fear from Tahn, Ying, and the woman traveling with them.
Suddenly, a massive sea serpent crashed into the bubble, disrupting the bending that kept in shape. Aang and Toph stomped the ground, and the blind Earthbender did what Naruto instructed, she lifted a larger amount of the land underneath the lake upwards. The pillar shot up to the surface, and Naruto looked around and sighed. It was just about large enough so no one would be crushed. Toph handed Naruto's staff back to him as the sea serpent circled around the raised landmass.
The serpent circled them like a shark hunting prey, and the blond haired jinchuuriki used his canine teeth to bite his thumb. The serpent burst out of the water and roared. It had the head of a dragon, the body of a snake, and the fins of an eel. Its head loomed at least 60 meters above them, and it roared.
"I think I just found out why they call it the Serpent's Pass!" Sokka yelled in fear as Momo scampered about towards him on the landmass. The dragon serpent roared again. "Suki, you know about giant sea monsters, make it go away!"
"Just because I live near the Unagi, doesn't mean I'm an expert!" Suki told him angrily, and Kakashi, Yamato, and Sakura had leapt onto the water.
"Oh great and humble sea serpent, please accept this humble and tasty offering!" Sokka yelled in fear, holding Momo up to the Serpent, who roared.
"Make room!" Naruto yelled as he did the hand seals after rubbing the blood from his thumb on his palm. "Kuchiyose no Jutsu!
"Naruto, what are you doing?" Sokka yelled as a billow of smoke pushed them near the edge of the raised rock. As it cleared, the Water Tribe warrior's eyes widened as the 100 meter tall Toad Boss appeared, smoking a pipe. "W-W-W-What…?"
"Boss, we need to get these people out of here! Please, will you help us?" Naruto asked as Gamabunta pulled the pipe out of his mouth.
"Sure, Naruto," Gamabunta said as he unsheathed his blade, and he pointed it at the giant serpent. "I'm always up for a snake hunt."
The giant serpent roared, and lunged at Ying and Tahn. Aang stepped and tossed a huge wave of wind that threw the serpent back, and Naruto leapt onto Gamabunta's head. Kakashi, Sakura, and Yamato had stopped on the water and turned around, and the pink haired kunoichi's eyes widened when she saw the Toad Boss.
"I didn't know he could actually summon him!" Sakura gasped as Kakashi and Yamato nodded.
"Jiraiya-sama didn't inform me he got that far in Naruto's training with summoning," Kakashi said as he saw Gamabunta leap into the water with Naruto on his head. "Gamabunta only used to let Jiraiya and Yondaime ride him as well…"
Aang flicked his staff, making the wings appear. "We'll distract him, Katara, Hinata, get everyone across!" With that, the Avatar took off as a projectile of water slammed into the giant serpent, and it hissed and glared at Gamabunta.
Katara froze the water leading towards the rest of the path to Ba Sing Se. She walked out on the ice and did it again, Sokka, Suki, Tahn, Ying, and Hinata all started to follow. Hinata strengthened the ice, making the path slightly wider too. Pretty soon the ice bridge extended to the other side of the rocky path. Katara and Hinata helped the others get over it without slipping. The Waterbending Master then leapt off the bridge and into the water, making an ice board to propel herself towards the battle between the serpent, Aang, Gamabunta, and Naruto.
The serpent snaked around the Toad Boss's dosu as Naruto launched several shadow clones at it. Aang flew around the serpents head like wasp harrying a larger attacker. He looped around and the serpent's head followed him as he flew towards the rocks.
"Boss, we need to move with Katara-chan!" Naruto yelled as Gamabunta began to propel himself towards the serpent.
"You think I don't know that, runt?" Gamabunta snarled as he leapt out of the water and slammed the serpent into the wall, pulling it off it's pursuit of Aang.
"Wow," Katara muttered as she dodged the falling boulders and zipped pass the massive hulk of sea serpent, and she bent a small tidal wave onto its body and froze it.
The sea serpent hissed in pain, released itself from the ice and Gamabunta's grip, and it looped its neck around to pursue her with its mouth open. Suki and Sokka watched from the bridge as they ran across, and they saw Kakashi, Sakura, and Yamato running over. The pink-haired kunoichi and the ANBU Captain tossed several kunai with paper attached onto them at the sea serpent. When they contacted, small explosions dented the serpent's body and it roared in pain.
"Toph, come on, it's just ice!" Sokka yelled as the blind Earthbending Master took a step on the ice, and then promptly stepped back onto the raised earth bridge.
"Actually…I'm going to stay here on the island where I can see!" Toph yelled back. She'd be completely blind on the ice, unable to see any real vibrations without them seeing blurrily. Suddenly, the sea serpent crashed into the island, sailing over it in pursuit of Kakashi. "I'm coming!"
Toph leapt onto the ice, and began inching her way across by sidestepping. "You're doing great! Just follow the sound of my voice!" Sokka told her and she shrugged.
"It's kind of hard not to!" Toph yelled back, still inching her way across the ice.
"Toph-chan, just a little bit further," Hinata told her in a softer voice, which the blind Earthbender mentally thanked her for.
"Your almost there!" Sokka added, and Toph continued to inch along.
As she reached the half-way mark however, the sea serpent's tail crashed into the ice bridge, shattering it with ease. Toph screamed as she was thrown into the water, and she struggled to stay afloat.
"Help! I can't swim!" Toph cried out as she struggled to stay afloat.
"I'm coming Toph!" Sokka yelled as he began to take off his shoes, but he saw Suki already running for the water.
Even in full armor, she leapt into the water without fear in a dive, and she began swimming to the struggling Toph. Hinata prepared to dive in herself, but she saw a rock from the battle careening towards Tahn, and she activated her Byakugan and shattered it before it hit him. Suki began to breathe hard as she swam out; the weight of her armor was holding her back. The blind Earthbender struggled to stay afloat, splashing wildly, but it wasn't enough.
"Help!" Toph screamed as she sunk below the water just as Suki crossed the distance between them. The blind Earthbender began to drift out of consciousness as she sunk below the lake and the Kiyoshi Warrior dove down to get her. She grabbed onto Toph's armpits and pulled her back up to the surface. "Oh Sokka, you saved me!" Toph swooned, and she kissed Suki, who she thought was Sokka, on the cheek.
"…actually, it's me," Suki stated, and Toph's eyes widened in embarrassment.
"…oh…you can let me drown now," Toph said, what she did sinking in and the embarrassment burned her cheeks in a blush.
The sea serpent roared as it tried to get out of Gamabunta's grip, and Naruto began showering kunai and shuriken onto its head. Aang started charging on the water, spraying tons of water up as he ran. He dunked his staff into the water and bore his teeth as he picked up speed, and he began running circles around serpent, creating a small whirlpool around it. Katara began adding to the spin, and Gamabunta let go before he got caught in the whirlpool.
The serpent flailed around, losing equilibrium and it accidentally stretched out it's neck to try to escape from the whirlpool. As it did, however, it slammed into the rock face. It shook off its impact, and hissed at the ninja, Avatar, and Waterbender. However, it didn't see Kakashi charging up to him with lightning caught in his left hand, and he plunged it right through the serpent's scaly armor, slashing right through it like a hot knife through butter. The serpent screamed in pain, and sunk below the lake, blood leaking out of its wound and it swam away. Katara and Aang were in awe at his move, both their jaws drop.
"Man, I forgot how cool the Raikiri was…" Naruto said, and they looked up at him. "Thanks for the help boss, we really needed it."
"No problem, underling. Like I said, I am always up for a good snake hunt," Gamabunta said as he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, and the blond hair jinchuuriki landed on his feet, standing on the water.
"…what's a Raikiri?" Katara asked as Kakashi walked over to them.
"It's my only original attack, the evolved form of the Chidori-1000 Birds. Raikiri basically means 'Lightning Blade', in the common tongue," Kakashi explained, and he looked across the lake. "I focus my lightning chakra into my palm, use my Sharingan to perfect it, and then charge the target with a thrust at extremely high speeds."
Aang and Katara nodded, and the Airbender glided over the Waterbender, and she grabbed onto his ankles and they soared above the water, as Naruto, Sakura, Yamato, and Kakashi ran over to the other end of the lake to meet up with a rest of the group. They cheered when they arrived, knowing that they had been saved by the ninja and Avatar's assistance.
By late afternoon, they had reached the end of the long, narrow rock bridge across the lake, and Sokka's face began to show exhaustion as they trudged along. Deciding it was safer, Kakashi signaled that they would be able to get out of the line formation now, and Naruto stretched his arms in relief. Sakura checked on Ying, feeling her stomach for any changes, and she sighed, nothing yet had changed in her condition.
"There's the wall!" Sokka cheered as he pointed to the massive wall in the distance. Naruto, Sakura, Hinata, Yamato's, and even Kakashi's eyes widened at the half-mile high wall that surrounded the city.
"Wow…and I thought the wall around Konoha was big…" Naruto commented, looking at the massive wall in the distance.
"Now it's nothing but smooth sailing to Ba Sing Se…" Sokka said with a content sigh.
Sakura then noticed Ying clutching her stomach, and she walked over. "Ying-san…you alright?"
"Oh no!" Ying yelled, as she began to sink down to the ground.
"What's wrong…?" Sokka asked, fearful of the answer.
"The babies coming!" Ying replied as Sakura helped her down.
"Baka, her water broke," Sakura told the surprised Sokka.
"What? Now? Can't you just…hold it in or something?" Sokka asked in disbelief as Katara started to rush over.
"Sokka, calm down. I helped Gram-gram deliver lots of babies back home," Katara told him calmly. "And Sakura is a medical ninja, she has a lot of experience in this field as well. Aang, get some rags, Sokka, water, Toph, I need you to make a rock tent, a big one; Yamato, some firewood."
Toph walked over and raised her arms. A massive rock tent raised over Ying, Tahn, and the third woman, and Katara turned to Naruto, Hinata, and Suki.
"Suki, Hinata, come with me. Naruto, Kakashi, get something for us to eat afterwards, Ying will be exhausted," Katara told them, and they all nodded and ran off.
Hours later, Ying was still breathing out, clenching her husband's and her friend's hand hard. Sakura rubbed her head with nice cold water, while the small fire that Yamato made burned and crackled, providing the right amount of heat for the rock tent.
"You're doing great Ying," Katara told her softly. "Sokka, where's that water?"
"This should help a little bit to ease the pain," Sakura said as her hand glowed green, and she put it over the pregnant woman's stomach.
"Get ready to push," both young women told Ying, who continued to huff and puff in near exhaustion. "One…two…three…PUSH!"
Sokka walked in as Katara put her hands down to catch the baby when Ying started pushing, and the Water Tribe warrior fainted at the sight. An hour later, Naruto, Aang, Toph, Kakashi, and Sokka waited for the baby to be born outside the rock tent. A cry was heard, and the young water tribe warrior was still trying to get the image out of his mind.
"It's a girl!" Katara cheered as the crying continued.
"Sokka, it wasn't that bad," Naruto said with a chuckle. "There are far worse things than seeing a baby being born. Believe me, like being eaten by a giant snake."
"So…you want to see the baby? Or you going to faint like an old lady again?" Toph asked snidely, and Sokka finished wiping his forehead.
"No, no, I'll be fine this time," Sokka said as he got up, and followed Naruto, Kakashi, and Toph into the rock tent.
"Come on, Aang-oto-san," Naruto said, settling on calling Aang younger brother now, not just plain brother. "You can't miss this."
Katara walked over to the tent's opening. "Yeah, you have to come see this."
Aang looked up, got out of his sitting position and walked to the entrance of the rock tent. His eyes were downcast as he walked to the entrance, and he looked up to see the cooing baby in Ying's arms. Sakura and Hinata smiled as they looked at the cute little baby girl in the woman's arms.
"So cute…" Sakura said as she put her finger out in front of the baby's face, and the little baby grabbed it and squeezed. "She'll be strong too."
"Wow…these things really are miracles…" Hinata said as she played with the baby's other hand.
"She sounds healthy," Toph added, putting her hand to her chin and feeling the vibrations.
"She's beautiful," Katara concurred, spreading her arms out.
"She'll be quite a woman one day, and I know you will raise her well," Kakashi said, crouching and looking at the baby girl.
Yamato smiled. "I know you will take good care of her, I know I would."
"It's so…squishy looking," Sokka commented, and Naruto batted him over the head. "Hey, what was that for!"
"You always this stupid after seeing a baby?" Naruto growled, his arm still cocked with his fist pointing down at the ground. "She looks really, really cute by the way."
Aang looked at the babe who was resting in Ying's arms, and he smiled with the proud new mother looked at her baby. Tahn placed his hand comfortingly on his wife's arm, and he looked at his baby's eyes.
"What should we name her?"
"I want our daughter's name to be unique; I want it to mean something."
Tears welled up in Aang's eyes, and he wiped them with a smile on his face. "I've been going through a really hard time lately, but you've made me…hopeful again."
"I know what I want to name our baby now," Ying told them as she glanced at Tahn, and then at the baby in her arms. "Hope."
"That's a perfect name," Tahn concurred, putting his hand on his daughter's forehead. "Hope."
"Perfect alright," Naruto said, nodding with agreement. He looked at the scene, and he sighed. 'And she'll have two loving parents with her…good luck, Hope-chan, but you'll probably won't need it.'
Hinata saw how the blond jinchuuriki was looking at Hope. 'He has no parents…all alone for most his life…' she walked over to him. "N-Naruto-kun…are you alright?"
"Never better, Hinata-chan. Never better," Naruto assured her, looking at the new family, and then her. "Just wishing them luck."
Aang glanced at Katara, who was looking down at the new family. 'I said things I didn't mean…'
A little while later, everyone met outside of the tent. Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Toph, and Sokka stood next to the tent, waiting for any new developments. Aang had led Katara a little ways away, needing to apologize to her.
"I thought I was trying to be strong, but really I was just running away from my feelings, seeing this family together, so full of happiness and love, it's reminded me about how I feel about Appa…" Aang told her with a small smile. "…and how I feel about you."
A tear of joy descended down her cheek and she wiped it away. Aang then walked to her, arms outstretched, and they hugged each other warmly. More tears dropped out of Katara's eyes as they tightened the hug, and they pulled away as the rest of the group walked over.
"I promise, I'll find Appa as fast as I can, I just really need to do this," Aang told them as Toph handed him his staff. "Naruto…-onii-san, watch over them for me!"
"Gotcha, oto-san!" Naruto said cheerfully. "Glad you're finally out of that. You were really lame when you were trying to act all broody and serious."
Aang frowned, then he chuckled. "Guess I really don't pull off that look, huh?"
"Nope," Naruto replied, slapping him on the back.
"See you in the big city," Sokka told him, putting his hand on the Avatar's shoulder.
"Say hi to the big fuzz ball for me," Toph added, smashing her fist lightly into Aang's other arm, making him cringe a bit.
"Good luck, Aang-kun. I know you'll find Appa-chan," Hinata told him, placing her hand on his back.
"And don't go off the deep end you here! And don't forget to ask us for help," Sakura told him, and he chuckled.
"You'll find him Aang," Katara encouraged him, and Aang looked back at her.
"I know, thank you Katara. Thank you, all of you," Aang told them gratefully, and he walked out in front of the group, flexed his staff to get the canvas wings out, put it on his back to hang glide, and Momo walked over, his bat-wings extended. "Ready Momo?"
The two of them took off, and they began flying towards the wall. Everyone waved as the airbender and his lemur flew away, and Suki walked over to talk with Sokka.
"Sokka, it's been really great to see you again," Suki started as she looked down at him packing his bag.
"Whoa, hold on," Sokka told her as his eyebrows rose. "Why does it seem like you're saying goodbye?"
"I came along to make sure you got through the Serpent's Pass safely," Suki told him softly and she looked back at Naruto, Hinata, Sakura, Kakashi, and Yamato. "…though I really wasn't needed…but now I need to get back to the other Kiyoshi Warriors."
"So you came along…to protect me?" Sokka asked in disbelief, and he pointed to himself.
"L-Listen…" Suki replied, blushing slightly. "I'm really sorry about last night. We were talking…and saying things…I just got carried away and before I knew it…."
Before she could finish, Sokka stepped forward and captured her lips with his own. As he pulled away, he looked into her eyes. "You talk too much."
He then kissed her again, fully on the lips, and she reciprocated, wrapping her arms around him in a passionate embrace. The kiss carried on for minutes, before they finally pulled away. Inside, Sokka knew that Yue wouldn't want him to dwell on her for the rest of his life, and she would want him to be happy and move on.
Near the wall, Aang and Momo continued their approach. They closed the gap in less than thirty seconds, and flew vertically up the wall when they reached it. The ascend was massive, and both of them did loop-d-loops to get the blood back into their faces. Aang glided over the wall and prepared to let go, and he took his first steps on the wall, and then he looked around.
He gasped, his eyes widening as his pupils narrowed. For…ahead of the wall was a Fire Nation army…surrounded by a absolutely massive drill that was fashioned like a giant tunnel boring machine. The tiny Fire Army tanks formed a wedge formation around the massive drill as it advanced, kicking up tons of dust.
"Sorry Momo…Appa's going to have to wait," Aang told the lemur on his shoulder with a sigh. Momo chattered in response.
As the drill continued to move towards the wall, Aang took off back for his friends to warn them of this new development. The massive drill had already started drilling, making it look like a giant arrow pointed directly at the heart of the Earth Kingdom.
To Be Continued…