More Fan Art!! Yupiiii!! (copy, delete spaces and paste or just click on my profile for the links)
1) The Amazing Toph Bei Fong (look at that dress!)
http: / / luna-wannabe dot deviantart dot com / art / Toph-Matter-of-Honor-96362230
2) Katara's (in)famous hairdo
http: / / luna-wannabe dot deviantart dot com / art / Katara-s-Hair-AMoH-96457622
3) The Totally Adorable Aang
http : / / luna-wannabe dot deviantart dot com / art / Aang-MoH-planning-WIP-96772955
THANK YOU Luna-wannabe! I love you! xxxoooxxx :-)
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XVII. Trip to the Spirit World, Part I
Appa flew high, as far away from the sea as possible. Sokka was steering, facing the freezing wind of the Pole bravely. Toph was still trembling, chilled to the marrow of her bones. Aang bended hot air on her, making her hair spiky but succeeding in warming her.
Sokka turned his head toward the group.
"What was that that attacked us?" He yelled over the wind, still in shock.
"That was La." Aang answered somberly. "The Spirit of the Ocean. I will recognize him anywhere."
Zuko reclined against Appa's saddle.
"He's terrifying." He muttered. "He killed Zhao in front of me, back at the North Pole."
"Was that after you throw me against a pole and gave me a bump?" Katara moved next to Zuko and forced him to touch her head. "Here, feel it? It's still there." Zuko sighed.
"Katara, how many times have I apologized already?"
"I don't care, you'll have to apologize for as long as I have the bump or for as long as I remember, that's the way it works." She said unflinchingly. He made a deep bow, probably putting his fist against his open palm.
"I'm sorry Master Katara Water Tribe for throwing you against a pole and giving you a bump. My heart bleeds for you and your pain." He said tiredly. She seemed happy. Suki was open mouthed.
"How many times had she made you do that?"
"You don't want to know. I'm just happy that this time she left out the tree."
"What tre…" Before she could finish Toph jumped on Suki covering her mouth.
"No Suki, not on our time. You ask Sweetness that question on your own time." Katara was about to talk, but Toph put a finger against her nose "Don't even think about it."
Sokka interrupted.
"So Aang, why do we all have to go the Spirit World? I understand you and Toph, and maybe me, as I've Spirit World experience, but what about the rest?"
Zuko answered instead of Aang.
"Besides helping Aang and Toph, I need to go because I need to sort something out." He said cryptically. "Your sister is coming to help me sort that out. If the four of us go without bringing you along, we will never hear the end of it. If you come, Suki has to come. That's basically it."
Toph thought that the explanation made no sense, but Sokka's standards regarding sanity were obviously different than hers, because he seemed happy with the answer. Aang added.
"Those maybe Zuko's reasons, but I also think that it will be easier to face whatever we may find over there if we are together. We make a good team."
Sokka assented.
"Well, if that is the case we need to come up with a plan about how to get to the Spirit World. Is not like six mortals can happily wander in there, just because."
'That was the reason of my conversation with Uncle and Mother." Sparky said. "Both of them have been to the Spirit World. And both of them came back."
Sokka raised his hand, waiving it.
"Hello? Spirit World traveler here!" He sounded proud. "I've been to the Spirit World and I can tell you that we need to go to the bathroom first. No bathrooms in the Spirit World."
Aang interrupted him. He had moved closer to Toph in the saddle, to make sure that she was dry and not about to die from hypothermia. He then noticed her burned boot and ankle.
"Toph, you're hurt!" He exclaimed. She hadn't even registered the pain. Katara immediately sprung into action.
"You should have told me you were hurt!" She scolded, bending water on her ankle and starting the healing. "Zuko, you need to be more careful!"
"Next time I'm saving her life, I will!" He retorted. Toph raised two fingers.
"This is the second time you've burned me, Sparky. I deserve at least another day of slavery from you. Preferably when you are Fire Lord."
Zuko ignored her.
"It's not going to be easy to travel to the Spirit World." He said. "My uncle and my mom managed to travel there because they had strong anchors in the Spirit World. My uncle was searching for Lu Ten and my mom was being protected by her grandfather Roku."
Suki did not auto censored herself, like the rest.
"Protecting her from what?" She asked innocently.
"From going crazy. When she was my father prisoner, she got to spend a lot of time in the Spirit World." Zuko answered darkly. His voice made it clear that he was not going to delve further in the topic.
Toph finally understood the feelings the Lady Ursa will inspire in her, and in everyone around for that matter. The feeling that she was made of a strong and unsubstantial material. She also understood that feeling she would get from Zuko about his mom. He would always make sure that she was physically closer to where he was. Since rescuing her, he would try to get her to travel with him wherever he was going, and if not possible because he was in some type of military trip, he would write to her by messenger hawk almost every day. It suddenly made sense to her also his fervent declaration earlier that Katara would go with him wherever he was going. She understood the full extent of what he meant. Sparky had reached some internal decision about her friend, probably made some truce with himself, and it meant that he would not risk losing her again. She just knew it. So the trip to the Spirit World was probably his quest to sort out, or may be even defy, the message from the swamp tree.
"The anchors are going to be a problem." Said Sokka, the Foremost Authority on Spirit World travels. "We don't have them. Aang has like one thousand anchors, maybe he can lend us some. Last time I was in the Spirit World I was kidnapped. Maybe Hei Bai can be my anchor, we bonded and everything."
Zuko sounded doubtful.
"Actually, uncle suggested to use each others as anchors. He said that a life owes a life. And that if everyone here has saved each other's life at least once, we could anchor to each other, and then anchor to Aang. That way we could travel together, and then come back together."
Suki and Katara started doing the math.
"Let's see, Zuko and I saved each other lives the day of the comet." Katara stopped for a second "In fact, that was the second time he saved my life. He save me from being crushed by crumbling rocks once."
"Well, you three saved my life when you didn't let me die in the middle of a blizzard in the North Pole." Zuko intervened.
Aang added.
"Katara saved my life after I was shot by Azula."
"Suki saved Sokka and me the day of the comet, we were facing death like … in our faces." Toph supplemented.
"Aang saved me and my village when Zuko attacked us." Added Suki.
"Toph saved all of us when Wan Shi Tong tried to kill us by burying us alive in his library." Aang said.
"Hey! Zuko and I totally saved each other at the Boiling Rock!" Sokka yelled happily from Appa's head. "We were so good at saving each other, it was like the stuff of legends! We grabbed each other like this," he braced his own arms, "and we did not let go!" Sokka stopped for a moment. "That was so not manly." He then said with horror, probably to himself.
They made a quick recount. The math worked.
"We need to be strong anchors of each other, though." Zuko insisted. "Uncle and Mother said that we only get to come back if we have strong anchors in the real world, as well as in the Spirit World and we are going to be functioning as each other anchors on both sides. If our bonds are not strong enough, we won't make it."
"What were your Uncle and Mother anchors on this side?" Katara asked.
"Me." Zuko said simply and there was this sentiment on his voice that made Katara gasp a sob.
Toph felt Katara getting close to Sparky and touching his face. She also felt Aang looking at them, but could not pick up any particular reaction from Aang, neither negative or positive. He seemed serene.
"The bond is trust." Aang said. "More than saving a life, the bond is created by trusting each other precisely because we saved a life."
Katara moved her hand away from Zuko, but stayed physically close. She hugged her knees.
"Trust in what?" She asked.
"In that whatever the situation or the circumstances, each of us would risk his or her life for the other. If we don't have that certainty, we shouldn't try to do this."
They all looked at each other, except Toph being as she was, blind. She was the first one to talk, though.
"I know all your secrets." She announced. "So I know what I'm talking about when I say that the bond is there. There is no circumstance, no sentiment, that would impede anyone here from trusting his or her life in the hands of anyone in this group."
Someone grabbed her hand. Aang. Who then put each of their hands on top of hers. Sokka had to scrambled from Appa's head to put his on top.
"Trust." Aang said, and he sounded like he did at the Hall before the cracking of the ice. Powerful and potent. Toph felt that she could die right there, she just found his voice so sexy. "We trust each other, we get there and we make it back. Remember that anger and resentment are the enemies of trust. So let go of those before the trip."
"You can use the bathroom break to let go of ..." Sokka started, but was hushed by a couple of disgusted women.
0o0o0o0o0o0o
They arrived at the small island not long after the trust conversation. When Appa landed and Toph climbed down the saddle, she felt on her knees in the soil and started kissing the earth like a lover. She started caressing the dirt, talking to it using small words, rubbing her face against it, apologizing for her absence and declaring her passion in such a way that her friends had to turn away blushing. Sokka was the one to break up the moment.
"Toph!" He called. "Stop making out with the mud and go take your bathroom break. We have a trip to make!"
She couldn't let go, though.
"I'm back, I'm back." She kept saying in a tiny, sweet voice to a piece of rock while at the same time showering it with kisses and tears. "I am so sorry I ever left you, my precious."
"I've seen weird stuff hanging out with the Avatar." Sokka said aloud. "But this the first time I see an earthbender giving gravel the tongue. Someone please, put that rock out of its misery!"
Zuko next to him was open mouthed.
"I'm scarred for life." He said. "And I'm not talking about my face."
Aang had to intervene. He kneeled next to Toph and started making circles on her back with his open hand. Firm caresses that calmed her down somewhat.
"Toph," he said softly, "I promise you that after this is over, I will take you to the biggest earth playground in the known world. I'll take you to the Grand Canyon, and you are going to be able to throw boulders at Canyon Crawlers and everything."
Toph raised her face from the ground.
"You promise Twinkle Toes?" She asked, her tears running freely, mixing with the dirt. He removed a strand of hair from her face and put it behind her ear.
"I promise. Word of Avatar." He said. She still couldn't let go. She went back to try kissing a rock when he grabbed her chin with his fingers. "You can keep the rock with you Toph, it will help you as an anchor too. Love is usually the strongest anchor of all." He said sweetly. She threw her arms around his neck.
"Really?" She asked, her face on his neck, probably dirtying him with mud made of dirt and tears.
"Really. Come on, let's get you cleaned up." He help her stand up and gave her to Katara and Suki, who took her away to clean her while she kept saying terms of endearments to the rock.
Katara cleaned her face with her fighting water, and Suki help her remove the winter boots she was forced to use in the South Pole. As soon as her feet touched earth again, tough, she was lost. Toph started running around, like a madwoman, singing lullabies and dancing. She would wave her arms in the air, and suddenly, she would throw herself on the ground, and start making dirt angels. Even Sokka had the decency not to laugh.
"Next time we plan a reunion," he said pensively, while watching Toph bending columns of earth around her, giggling like a little kid "let's chose a more earth-friendly place." He turned to Katara. "That was very insensitive of you, planning your wedding in a place like the South Pole. Look what the place had done to Toph."
Katara was exasperated.
"Sokka, the South Pole is our home, get it?"
"I'm just saying." He mumbled. "It's like moving you to the desert. Not fair."
Katara wrapped her arms around herself.
"I know." She said full of compassion. "That was very insensitive of us."
Toph suddenly started dancing in her feet.
"I CAN SEE YOU!!" She was singing "I can see all of you!!" She stopped. "Suki, honestly, you need to let go of that Kyoshi outfit. It's horrible."
Aang called their attention.
"We don't have much time to lose." He said, sitting on the ground in lotus position. "We need to make it to the Spirit World soon, before La starts attacking the Water Tribes again looking for Toph."
They all came to where he was and made a circle, assuming lotus positions. Toph was the last one to sit down.
"Remember," Aang said, "there is no bending in the Spirit World."
Toph stood up.
"No, no, no, I refuse, refuse!!" Aang pulled at her hand.
"No bending for a couple of hours or your death by drowning, you choose." He said sternly. Toph sat back.
"You make a compelling argument." She said. The other four were looking at each other. "Whaa?" She asked ill humored.
"It's just that Aang is usually not that … blunt." Katara said, surprised.
"Toph doesn't do subtle." Aang said with finality. "OK, pay attention, we need to meditate."
Truth be told, four of the six mortals trying to enter the Spirit World were not meditation material. That presented a challenge. Even with a very powerful Avatar capable of very fancy bending and a very focused firebender with iron willpower (unless certain waterbender was around, of course), trying to rein in Sokka two minute attention span; Toph's caresses to the ground she was sitting on while mumbling 'my precious' in a creepy, raspy voice; Katara's constant need to sneak glances at the group, particularly in the direction of the firebender; and Suki's total disregard for the basics of meditation, proved a little too much.
"Guys!!" Aang yelled, frustrated. "This is important!"
Zuko came up with the solution. He shuffled everyone's position, without explaining why. He sat Aang and clockwise from him were Toph, Suki, Sokka, Zuko, and Katara. Toph understood the logic in a minute. Aang saved Toph who saved Suki who saved Sokka who saved Zuko who saved Katara who saved Aang. Besides, the word 'saved' could easily be replaced by the word 'trust". The circle worked backwards too. Also, Zuko gave very specific orders.
"We all need to be touching. Let's get closer together in the circle until our knees are touching. Like that. Aang will travel first, and then he will pull on all of us, but for that we need to be linked. We travel in a chain. Remember, we are the chain. For that we also need to be in deep meditation state. Katara, you need to hover two circles of water on your hands, like I do with fire, and concentrate and look only at the water. Toph, do the same with earth. Sokka, put your sword on your knees, and focus on it. Suki, hold a fan on each hand and focus your energy on them. Momo, shut up. Appa, don't eat anything weird while we are away."
Toph thought that Zuko was a born Fire Lord and a born father. She then closed her eyes and two small whirlwinds of earth started hovering over the palms of her hands. To be in contact with the earth again was all that she needed. To be focusing on the earth again was the closest she had been to a true homecoming. Her mind started hovering, distracted and then it went completely blank. It focused in one single point, the earth in her fingers and suddenly the world around her stopped. She couldn't hear anyone or anything anymore. She was one with the earth, as she was supposed to be. She felt a pull, it was not a physical pull, it was more like someone tugging at her from the inside and unraveling her towards the outside. She found herself flying, but it was not a physical feeling. More like unwrapping. She suddenly found herself in a golden, desolate landscape. It took her a moment to realize that she was … seeing. She was seeing a landscape, that she felt was eerie, but that she could also see was eerie. Toph turned on herself. She stomped the floor and nothing happened. No bending and somehow, seeing. For the first time in her life, things were not felt, or understood based on dimensions, things were … there and she could see them. She thought that she should be overwhelmed by the fact, but somehow she wasn't. She could see and in the Spirit World, seeing made sense. She turned and noticed that there were figures standing next to her and looking at each other. That was the moment that it hit her. She was seeing her friends. The way they looked. Their physical appearance. She gasped. She recognized their shapes, their dimensions, but this was more. These were the details denied to her. The color of the hair, the length of the lashes, the fullness of a mouth, the shade of the skin. All was there for her and that feeling, the one of seeing her friends for the first time, was overwhelming.
Toph walked towards the figure closer to her. It was Katara. She extended her hand to touch Katara's face who looked at her in return, surprised.
"Toph!" She said. "Your eyes! They are … focusing."
"I can see you." Toph said in a very low voice, and a feeling in her chest told her that if she were in the real world, it would be exploding. " I can see you, all of you…" She turned to look at each of them. And then she extended her hands, and started touching their faces. She couldn't stop looking at them or touching them for that matter, even if in the Spirit World touching was not tactile. It was like rubbing her essence with theirs, beautiful and insubstantial at the same time. She felt her eyes brim with spirit tears. Well, the soul of her tears.
"I wish," she said, her voice for once utterly pure, without sarcasm or double entendres, "that I was in the real world so I can kiss each of you, for real. I want to memorize your faces, I don't want to forget them ever." She turned to Katara. "Sugarcakes, you are as beautiful as people say you are. Your eyes, look at the color of your eyes! And your hair! Oh, Sparky look at you! You are so … stunning. That scar! So emo! By earth, you are like the perfect embodiment of intensity! Can you remove your shirt in the Spirit World? I want to know what all the hoopla is about. It's OK, no need to look so panicky. Oh, Suki, my goodness, look at your eyes. So big, so outstanding. And the Kyoshi makeup, as atrocious as I expected, when you bury the Code scroll, please include the uniform and the make up. Sokka! Oh, Sokka! You are so not like I imagine you! You are less handsome, but more attractive. Look at your eyes too! Oh, by earth, you are so … sexy-ugly! No wonder you guys have so many fans!" She left the best for last. She turned to Aang and had to take her hands to her chest first. "T.T." She said sweetly, and she caressed his face with every atom of her own spirit. "You look like you sound. Light, so full of light. Look at your mischievous face, you are a trickster! And look at your tattoos!! By earth, so freaky looking, I totally love them. And those ears, they are huge, like your eyes! And your head, your neck. You are not ugly, hey no one told me you were not ugly. You are quite the cutie, actually. Very, very cute. I would actually say handsome. TT, those eyes of yours are sooo smoldering! Oh, but look at you, blushing in the Spirit World and everything! I want to see myself, I need a mirror!"
Her friends were smiling with her and at her, she knew it, but she didn't care. And she did notice that, regardless of whatever they may say, the five of them also had tears in their eyes. She seeing them for the first time was as powerful to them as it was for her. Katara took her hand and walked her to a pool of ghostly water nearby. Toph kneeled and for the first time saw her reflection in the water, that was perfectly still but felt like a breathing mirror. She opened her mouth, and smiled one of her sunny smiles, and instead of touching the surface of the water, she touched her own face.
"Look at me." She said in wonder. "I'm quite the cutie-pie too!" She turned to them, and their smiles told her that they thought so too. She remembered something that she had overheard once, about herself. It made no sense at the time, but it did now. She turned to look at herself in the water. "I'm a green eyed brunette, how's that for stunning?" She said proudly. "No wonder Kuei likes me, I sound and look good. Poor guy was a goner the moment he met me." She stood up and twirled. "You know what's the most extraordinary thing of all is?" She asked them honestly. "That when we go back to the real world, and the years go by, and you all become old, ugly and hairy, I will always remember you like today. You will always look like this to me." She stopped for a moment. "So Suki, please, get rid of the makeup now, this is not the memory I want of you."
Sokka was the one that seemed kind of unhappy with the idea.
"This is the way you will always remember me? Because I was hoping that maybe you would picture me with more muscle, you know."
She put her hands on her hips.
"You know what? You're right! This South Pole garb is the pits. I want to see some skin. This is the first, and likely the last time, that I will be able to see how you look, so chop-chop, clothes off, guys. I want to see the goods. I've been hearing about the goods for several years now!" The friends looked at each other, mildly frightened. "Only the boys, guys, I'm really not interested in girls." She felt compelled to add.
"Toph, we know that you seeing is quite the extraordinary event." Sokka started saying. "But when you say you want to see some skin, Do you mean all?"
"Are you willing to do the Full Monty?" She asked alarmed, albeit … hopeful.
"Of course not!"
"Then, shirts only." She said happily. Aang, Zuko and Sokka looked at each other, uncomfortable, and Katara intervened exasperated.
"Well guys, is not like any of you is the embodiment of modesty. You're always shedding clothes off, so what's the problem now? This is a BIG thing in Toph's life, we all know that. I mean, none of this is new to any of you! So, what are you waiting? Parkas off!!"
Suki and Toph started singing in unison: "Parkas off! Parkas off! Oh! First Parka down! YES!!"
The first one to let go of the winter garb was Zuko.
"Just because we need to get going." He muttered, while unbuttoning his very stylish parka-meets-royal-robe.
Freaking Fire Prince was like born for the thing. He removed the parka with a smirk on his face, between annoyed and bemused, and Toph knew that if they were in the real world, Katara would be on the floor in spasms. He seemed uncomfortable with the applause, the whistles and the chanting, but he was a trooper and complied. Being that this was the Spirit World, the striptease had the same quality of lack of substance. Like every piece of clothes that he shed could either disappear or remain, it made no difference. He finally stood there only in black pants and boots. Toph whistled. She finally understood why Katara had been acting like firemating season had been declared officially open.
"No wonder Sunshine keeps taking you back." She said aloud, instead. "If she did so even after a singing courier, I'm afraid to ask what else there is to see, I may never recover. "
Sokka was now eager for his moment under the eerie light. His striptease was less sexy because it was kind of rushed and he shed clothes in a hurry, without Zuko's deliberate movements, but it was not disappointing.
"Look at those arms!" Suki said proudly. "You're as built as your papa, now!" Sokka showed up some muscle. Toph whistled too.
"I can remember you like this, Sokka." She said happily. "I don't need to add false muscles to you!" Sokka was so pleased that his chest expanded four inches right there.
They turned to Aang, who was standing aside, smiling at the entire scene. The girls applauded and whistled. He blushed fiercely, and Toph wondered how can someone look so cute with a purple face.
"Why are you blushing?" Sokka asked in wonder. "You would be running around naked in the South Pole if it wasn't because Zuko got those parkas made for you in Air Nomads colors. The fur is fake," he informed Toph. "Aang doesn't do real animal furs." He then added in a low voice. "And thanks to Zuko for the chic parkas, the orange blanket-toga-meets-sarong look Aang was sporting for a while was really cramping our style. To give you an idea, I preferred him nude."
"I'm not blushing!" He said defensively, playing with the clasps of his parka. Katara took a step forward and started helping him unbutton, but after the second clasp he put his hand on top of hers and made a gesture. "Let me do it" he said. She stepped aside and he unclasped his parka slowly. He shed clothes with grace, the movements of someone used to flow with the breeze, and Toph thought that he was striking when he was done. His skin was pale, an ivory contrast with his blue tattoos. In anyone else those tattoos would have had her coming up with all sort of nicknames, but in him all she could do was to think that they were sinuous and inviting, and she made a point of memorizing them so she could trace them with her fingers if they ever went back to the real world.
He was not as tall as Zuko, but he was almost as tall as Sokka, and he was built beautifully. All energy and suppleness. Even the other two young women, who were used to seeing him running around semi-naked, suddenly realized that Aang had grown.
"Wow, Aang." Suki said. "I think I haven't seen you without clothes in over a year. You've definitively changed."
Toph knew Suki's tone and that her comment was truly a compliment. Katara was surprised, her arms crossed over her chest. She looked even coy.
"Aang ..." Her voice was … interested. "You've grown. How come we didn't notice …?"
"I'm always in winter clothes when I visit you at the South Pole." He said simply. The unsaid, which was the fact that his own fiancée had no idea what was under the winter garb, was left out there, hanging in the air. Even Sokka's expression was slightly pinched. Not like he would have preferred to hear otherwise, but confirming the fact was just … not right. Toph diffused the silence.
"Twinkle Toes, you're a fiiiine looking monk! Niiiiiice!!" She applauded, "If I were one of your fans I'll throw rocks at you!"
"Underwear." Katara corrected.
"He wishes!" Toph said, still grinning, "I'm better at rocks. Coming from me, that's a compliment."
"OK!" Zuko said. "We've given you some memories, it's time we get going."
Toph was still rocking on her feet, grinning.
"Not yet, not yet. Do some bending movements!" Zuko groaned.
"Toph." He started, but she was unflinching.
"You owe me. One day of slavery. I'm cashing in right now. You too Sokka. Some bending, some sword playing, whatever. I don't care. I just want to see."
"What about Aang?" Suki asked "Aren't you cashing on him?" Toph couldn't confess that she had emptied that bank already, so she shrugged. He came to the rescue.
"She is." Aang said and assumed a firebending posture opposite Zuko, who was rolling his eyes, but deep down was probably flattered.
Toph sat on the ground, and Katara went to sit with her, but Toph stopped her.
"You too. I want to see real waterbending movements. I'm cashing in you too. Join the crowd." She turned to Suki, who raised her arms.
"I know, I know, I'm removing the makeup. I don't even know if you can remove makeup in the Spirit World."
"It's insubstantial, like the clothes, you can remove it and then wish it back or something." Toph said, assuming spectator position. "OK guys, start!"
Bending without bending was not the same, she knew that, but all she cared about was the movement, the bodies, the grace. The jumping, the laughs. Suki removed the make up and Toph thought that she was absolutely beautiful. She made Suki do stuff with her fans and for a moment there she wished for Iroh, Appa, Momo and her parents to have made it with them to the Spirit World just for her to be able to see them once, but it was what it was. She was applauding, when she felt a presence behind her. She turned and saw a tall, elegant, sober looking old gentleman dressed in fire nation colors, with his hands in his sleeves.
"Oh, hello." She said bowing, knowing by the warmth on his eyes that this was a good Spirit.
"Well, hello Aang's friend." The gentleman said smiling. The others stopped with their movements. Aang ran towards the gentleman.
"Roku!" He exclaimed, and hugged the older Avatar so tight that if wasn't because of the lack of corporeality in the Spirit World, they both would have ended in the ground.
"Hello Aang." Roku was smiling a disarming smile. "I'm happy that there is peace in the world, but I'm sad that I don't get to see you that often anymore." He looked at the young Avatar with appreciation. "And you have grown, you're quite the young man now." Roku looked around. "And you brought your friends, your war heroes with you. I'm so happy to see that."
Aang grabbed Zuko's arm, pulling him in front of him.
"There's someone you need to meet, Roku. This is Zuko." Roku's eyes were full of emotion the same way that Zuko's were suddenly full of spirit tears. The young prince kneeled and bowed down with his forehead against the ground.
"Great-grandfather." He said. "I'm honored." Roku bent and grabbed him by the arms, making him stand up.
"No, Crown Prince." Roku said, a quiver in his voice. "I'm honored. You redeemed my mistakes and those of my friend's Sozin, also your great-grandfather. You represent the best our Nation has to offer the world, you're the reason why no more mothers mourn their children and no more children mourn their fathers." Toph could see from where had Zuko inherited his tall elegance. Katara had once said that Ozai was disturbingly handsome, but that Zuko had a bearing that dwarfed his father's. Zuko's voice was also full of emotion.
"Great-grandfather, thank you for saving my mother." He said, bowing again. Roku kept his hands on the Prince's arms.
"My son, if you or anyone in your family ever needs me, I'll be there. I'll always be an anchor for you here." The old Avatar turned to the others. "Let me introduce myself, friends of Aang. I'm Roku." He bowed deeply. The friends bowed even deeper. They were awed.
"Isn't this extraordinary?" Sokka said. "You're like Zuko's granpa and Aang at the same time, doesn't that make Aang like his own father or something?" Toph had again that feeling that her sanity and Sokka's resided not in different parallels but in different dimensions. The old Avatar seemed amused, however.
"You must be Sokka." He said knowingly. "Aang speaks highly of you." He turned to the others. "And you must be Katara, the Waterbending Master." He bowed lower still. "Aang's intended. I can see you're as good as you're beautiful, my child. I can see it in your soul." He stopped for a second, like wondering at something, but seemed to think the better of it. "And you," he turned toward Toph, "you must be the only known metal bender in the history of bending." Roku was looking directly in Toph's eyes, and that was a weird feeling. Even if in the Spirit World all rules of physicality did not apply, she still felt that, by looking into her eyes, the elderly ghost was somehow reaching inside and pulling things out. Particularly, all the secrets, the furtive thoughts and actions that she kept concealing, about herself and everyone else. Roku must have learned more that he was bargaining for, because he said: "You have an old soul, my child. A very old soul." And then, he winked. He actually winked at her. She didn't know how a wink looked before, but as everything else in this place, it just made sense. He turned to Suki, with the same placid smile. "There is someone who will be very happy to meet you. Please my child, let me introduce you to Avatar Kyoshi."
Suki gasped, and with her all the other friends. Toph saw this HUGE ghost walking towards them, in full Kyoshi regalia, including tassels framing the face. What in Suki look like a festive costume, in Kyoshi was frankly intimidating. Almost scary. The Avatar was a giant of a woman, and Toph remembered Aang saying once that Kyoshi had the biggest feet, and was the longest living, of all Avatars in history. She lived like 250 years or something like that. Now that she saw her, Toph made the steadfast decision of never wanting to know what was written in the Code. She refused to picture the Giant doing anything else but throwing rocks, like good scary Giants do. Anything else should, and would, be auto-censored.
Suki fell to her knees, bowing until touching the ground with her forehead.
"Avatar Kyoshi, I'm deeply honored." Her voice was trembling. Avatar Kyoshi look down from her height, and bowed in return.
"Where's your warrior make-up?" She asked. Toph knew it. This was a cranky Avatar. So much for the happy warrior code. "I'm proud of you my child, and how you helped Avatar Aang. But Kyoshi warriors are warriors at all times. Don't forget that." Suki apologized, still groveling, and must have wished the make-up back or something, because she suddenly was looking like Kyoshi's little sister. "That's better." The solemn Avatar said.
Her presence also made the other guys nervous, because they were getting dressed in haste. The only one that did not seem intimidated was Aang. He did not seem to pay Kyoshi much attention, which Toph knew was Aang's passive aggressive way of dealing with people he did not like. Funny thought. Not liking who you were in a past life. Maybe it was like not liking what you did after drinking too much fire whiskey. You'll wake up in the morning, apologize for the concussions, repair the building and move on.
"Well, Aang" Roku asked. "What brings you all to the Spirit World?"
"I want to know about the covenants between the Avatars and the Earth Kings." Aang answered.
Roku seemed confused.
"What covenants?"
"The 52nd Earth King mentioned a covenant. His attorney said that it was number 345 or something like that. I refused the covenant and something, I think it was La, the Spirit of the Ocean, seemed to get really angry. I need to understand the relationship between the Earth Kings, these covenants and La."
Kyoshi was the one who answered.
"The Covenant the Earth King talks about was created between me and the 46th Earth King. As you know, I created the Dai Li to protect the cultural heritage of Ba Sing Se. Besides the Dai Li, I made an extra covenant with the Earth King. For one time only, if he ever needed the help of the Avatar, the help would be freely given. In exchange, the Earth King would rule with justice and protect all citizens within his kingdom."
Aang scratched his head.
"What does that have to do with La?"
"Nothing. I never had contact with the Spirit of the Ocean." Kyoshi said.
Aang tried to piece this together.
"When you say 'help freely given', do you mean that I'm obliged to help the Earth King with whatever he may want?" He asked in disbelief. Kyoshi seemed uncomfortable.
"Well, yes and no. Justice is the key. If the Earth King rules the Earth Kingdom in fairness, and request the help, the help will be given."
"I don't understand how this covenant can bind all future Avatars."
"Because that's how it was drafted."
Toph intervened.
"Let me guess: By his attorneys?"
"Well, yes."
"It's still confusing. The Earth King wants me to do something that it's not honorable. He's invoking the covenant to force me to champion him in a contest to force the hand of this girl in marriage. That's barbaric. And unjust."
Roku looked confused. He went as far as scratching his head.
"I'm puzzled." He confessed politely. "None of the Earth Kings in my time ever claimed such covenant."
"They key is unfairness." Kyoshi insisted. "Is the forced marriage unfair?"
"It is for the girl." Aang said. "The concept of unfairness is a difficult one to define. Arranged marriages are not fair, but they are common and widely practiced. The Earth King is not a bad ruler to his people, he's actually fairly decent. But now he's doing something that's damaging for one person only, Master Bei Fong here. Is that enough to repel this covenant? I still don't understand how all this came to be."
Kyoshi seemed annoyed at the fact that her negotiations skills where being judged by an uppity and very young Avatar.
"Avatar Aang, the covenant reflected the times we were living. The Earth Kings never claimed it during my lifetime nor did they do so during Avatar's Roku's lifetime. This is a one time only covenant. If the Earth Kingdom is being governed in fairness, and the Earth King is making effective the Avatar's promise, the Avatar must comply."
"Even if it's not honorable?"
"You mentioned a Contest. Is the Earth King the creator of the Contest?"
"No, the Contest is a Water Tribe tradition that recreates part of the history of the Ocean with the Moon."
"So the Earth King is not the one who designed the Contest?"
"No. He's only taking advantage of a Water Tribe practice."
"Then, the covenant applies."
Toph interrupted the intimidating Avatar. Even if this woman was scary and domineering, she was the one facing marriage to Kuei.
"Let me get this right: You negotiated a deal where you gave an Earth King, a race that have never been distinguished by their sanity, a blank letter of credit on the Avatar's powers?"
Kyoshi seemed offended.
"There was only one copy of the covenant. I kept the copy! It's hidden in my fans!"
"My family did not become rich for naught! There are couple of things a Bei Fong learns, even before learning to walk: Number One, never, EVER give a blank anything, specially letters of credit. Number Two, never, EVER trust an Earth King; and finally, there is NEVER one copy, especially if attorneys are involved. There is always an extra, hidden, binding copy somewhere!!"
Aang intervened before Toph ended like El Tuerto, thanks to one Spirit Fan sticking in her eye. He put a incorporeal hand in her arm as a gesture that it was time to shut up.
"So, Kyoshi, what happens if I decide not to honor the Covenant?"
Kyoshi seemed scandalized.
"You'll be dishonored, Avatar Aang!"
"OK, besides dishonor. Is the sky going to fall, is the ice in the Poles going to melt, are the volcanoes in the Fire Nation islands going to erupt?"
"No, nothing like that. But you cannot keep the respect of the rulers of the nations, you cannot fulfill your role as a balancing force, if your word is worth nothing. The Avatar is not only a force of good and balance, the Avatar is the representation of honor. If you don't respect your honor, no one else will."
Kyoshi words fell like stones in the middle of the group. Toph was fuming. She liked Suki, a lot, but her friend's idol was a very stupid negotiator. And Toph was a Bei Fong, she could not forgive people that were bad at business. Besides the fact that the Giant was the original creator of the Dai Li's (those evil morons)added insult to injury.
"I understand." Aang said gravely. "I'll fulfill the covenant. The Avatar's honor is at stake. But that also means that whatever attacked us back a the Hall was not the result of me denying the covenant with the Earth King."
"What attacked you, Aang?" Roku asked, concerned.
"La, the Spirit of the Ocean. It was trying to drown Master Bei Fong here."
"I wonder why." Kyoshi said righteously. Toph darted her a venomous look. The Giant returned it.
Roku was serious.
"If La attacked a mortal it must have a reason. La wouldn't do that unless it's motivated by a strong feeling, like revenge."
"Where can I find La?" Aang asked, stubborn determination in his voice. "His physical form is at the North Pole, like Yue's, but I know that I can find Yue in the Spirit World, there must be a way to find La."
Roku assented.
"The best ones to guide you to La are the Dragon Gods or Dragon Kings. These are the gods who rule rivers and oceans, they are the keepers of the balance between water and earth. The Dragon Gods like mortals, they are their defenders. They advocate for them when the Gods are squabbling, and you know how it is, when the Spirits get together, mortals suffer. The Dragon Gods live in the pantheon of the Gods. Here is someone who will guide you to the pantheon."
Roku made an incorporeal gesture with his hand. A big Panda bear showed up. Sokka jumped, immediately.
"Hei Bai!" He screamed with his arms open. The Panda looked at him from head to toe without betraying any recognition. It then walked to Aang and nuzzled him happily. Sokka was offended.
"After everything we were through together, you are going to deny me?" He lowered his voice. "Creepy bear."
Zuko, meanwhile approached his ancestor.
"Great-grandfather, I've a question. If I need to interpret a vision given to me by the Big Sacred Banyan-Grove Tree in the middle of the Foggy Swamp, where can I go? To which Spirit should I talk to?"
Roku seemed pensive.
"Visions given by the swamp can mean the past, the present or the future. But remember, the future is always an elusive thing. There are always as many futures as there are choices. Each choice changes the future, and extinguish all the paths of the choices not taken. The only one who can guide you on that is Destiny, the Goddess of Fate. She also dwells in the pantheon of the Gods."
Zuko bowed deeply to his great-grandfather. Katara, who was standing close gave him a little push. He turned to her in surprise.
"What?" he whispered.
"He's your grandpa. What's with the bowing? Give him a hug."
"It's not proper. He's the Avatar and my ancestor. I'm the Crown Prince!"
"He's your GRANDPA! When is the next time you're going to see him, ah? Do you come to the Spirit World often?"
Roku solved the debate. He stepped forward and embraced his descendant. Zuko was moved, and embraced him back. The older Avatar let go and turned to Aang, who hug him as well. Aang then turned to Kyoshi and bowed.
"I'll respect the Covenant. I'll uphold the honor of the Avatars. But once my duty is fulfilled, there won't be more Covenants with the Earth King." There was finality in his voice.
Kyoshi bowed back.
"You will do what is necessary to keep peace and balance, Avatar Aang." She dictated. Kyoshi turned to Suki, who immediately bowed until her forehead touched the spirit ground. "I expect you to uphold the honor and the Code of the Kyoshi at all times. Remember, you head an elite group of warriors. I'm proud of you." Suki seemed to be in the middle of a fangasm. Toph was deeply annoyed. She wondered how can people be friends when having such different taste in heroes. Those are the little mysteries of life. Her good, nice conscience said. Not all friendships are built on what makes us alike, but in what makes us different.
Kyoshi bowed to Sokka, Katara and Zuko. When it was Toph's turn, they looked at each other from head to toe, but none initiated the bow.
"Can you bend metal?" Toph attacked first.
"Can you bend all elements?"
"Doesn't count. That's avatar stuff. From Earthbender to Earthbender. What can you do?"
"I can create islands. I can tumble palaces and mountains with one swipe of my feet."
"That's a no on the metal, then."
Aang intervened before the argument turned to Spirit Blows. He grabbed Toph's arm.
"Toph, we're leaving. Now. Please salute Avatar Kyoshi, like you learned at your home with your very expensive tutors." She looked at him surprised. Aang had been exhibiting some attitude all day. Giving lip and orders around. She liked it. "Kyoshi, Toph Bei Fong is a war hero and was instrumental in me defeating Ozai. Without her techniques, that she developed because she's blind in the real world, I would have never be able to sense Ozai. The world is at peace and I'm alive thanks to her. Please, salute each other."
The two EarthBenders sized each other up, and then bowed exactly at the same time, and at the same level. Aang was satisfied.
When Katara bowed to Roku, however, she had a question.
"Avatar Roku, if I would like to find a Spirit, not a God, but the Spirit of a mortal who died years ago, where should I go?"
Roku looked at her pensively.
"There is a place called the Pure Land. It's the dwelling of the deserving mortals who lived a worthwhile life. It's part of the eight Coral Mountains that conform and surround the Pantheon of the Gods. However, you cannot enter the Pure Land if you're alive in the real world. You've to die before entering the Pure Land." He noticed the sadness of her face. "Who are you looking for, my child?"
"My mother. I wanted to thank her for saving my life."
"You may still see her. If the pull of your love is strong enough, she may still be able to leave the Pure Land to see you."
Katara gave him a teary smile while she bowed her farewell. The six friends got on top of Hei Bai. This was definitively the Spirit World and no physical rules applied, because they all fit on top of the Panda. They said goodbye to the Avatars and left.
During the trip to the Pantheon of the Gods, the friends were talking.
"Your great-grandfather is charming, Zuko." Katara was saying. "But you were too formal. You need to be more affectionate with your family."
"The ways of the Fire Nation are different than those of the Water Tribes. We don't do Public Displays of Affection. It's considered improper."
"Uncle Iroh does Public Displays of Affection."
"Uncle is different than the rest of the family."
"Yeah, like taking emotional cues from your family has taken you far in life."
Meanwhile, Toph was talking to Aang.
"That Kyoshi is awful. It must be like a total trauma to dislike that part of yourself."
"I don't dislike Kyoshi."
"Kyoshi is awesome." Suki said dreamily.
"This is the same woman who gave you the Code, Suki." Toph reminded her. "Remember? By the way, I'm telling you right now, never read me the Code, OK? Keep it a mystery from me."
Sokka was in a different train of thought altogether.
"So, Aang. When you do trips down the memory line of your past lives, do you remember everything? Do you remember being a girl? Like Kyoshi per example?"
"Of course not. The Avatar wouldn't be able to maintain his or her sanity if he or she kept the memories. It would be too much."
"Too awkward, I'd say. Imagine remembering Kyoshi's boyfriends. Ughh!!" Sokka shuddered.
"Yeah, like Kyoshi isn't totally into alternative choices." Toph mumbled. Sokka was open mouthed.
"You think so?"
"Total butch." She said. Suki was about to say something, but she probably remembered something written in the Code because she decided to shut up and let it go.
Eventually, Hei Bai stopped. The place was still strange, filled with unnatural golden light, but now they could see huge doors, framing the entrance of a garden. The friends climbed down from the bear, saluted and Hei Bai nuzzled Aang.
"He'll wait for us, to take us back." The Avatar said.
The friends entered the garden. Voices, far away forgotten voices, could be heard. They were singing songs without lyrics. The place was filled with music that was enchanting and uncanny at the same time. A strange feeling pervaded the garden. I was not dread, but it was not happiness either. It was a heavy feeling, a thick heavy feeling.
"It's time." Aang said suddenly, putting his friends' feelings into words. "We're feeling the weight of time."
They crossed the garden and came to four doors. Each had the symbol of a Nation.
"Which one should we choose?" Katara asked. Aang pointed to the water symbol.
"The Dragon Gods protect the rivers and springs. And they like mortals. That means community. I say we choose the water door."
The friends accepted the proposal. They opened the door and found themselves in what looked like a library. Shelves and shelves filled with scrolls covered the walls, and in the middle of a cozy reading room, four comfy chairs with footstools were tastefully spread. A charming fire flickered in a fireplace in a corner, even though there was no warm emanating from the fire. Actually, more than fire, it seemed like the idea of a fire. The entire place felt like an idea of a place, idyllically executed. The product of the imagination of Gods that admired mortals a bit too much. There were four innocent looking gentlemen sitting on the chairs.
"Good day." Aang spoke first, bowing with respect. "I'm Avatar Aang, are you the Dragon Gods?"
The Dragon Gods looked at the group with interest. One of them, with a long face and slim built, lowered what look like glasses from his nose.
"Well, what have we here? Guys, we have visitors."
A God, scrupulously dressed in black, raised his gaze from the scroll he had been reading. He surveyed the group, and his gaze stopped when it reached Zuko.
"Isn't this Agni's kid?" He asked aloud, to the rest.
"Yeah, it looks like him." Answered a half naked pale God, that was petting some nondescript animal. "Good looking kid, like his sire."
"Yep, that Agni sure makes his descendants look good." Assented the one with the long features.
"What happened to his face?" Inquired another one, the fourth one, with a big headdress crowned with yellow feathers.
"His father went Agni on him" Answered the one in black, who was reading the book, sounding bored.
"That Agni, the family is all about looks but not much about brains." Accepted the pale naked God.
"Yeah, some crazy genes in there, those get recycled often. Usually to the second child." Commented the one with the long face.
"Hey, Agni's kid, you should only have one child. Or get yourself a woman with no Agni genes." The Dragon God with the yellow feathers warned him.
Zuko was speechless. Actually, so were the rest of the friends. Aang tried to rescue the effort.
"Dragon Gods, please let us introduce ourselves." He started. The pale naked God raised a hand.
"We know who you are. Let us introduce ourselves. I'm the Pearl Dragon."
"I'm the Long Dragon." The one with the long face said.
"And I'm the Yellow Dragon." The one with the feathers added.
"And I'm the Black Dragon." The bored one finished.
"We are happy you came to visit us." The Long Dragon said. "We haven't spoken to mortals in a long time."
"We like mortals." The Yellow Dragon added. "We used to hunt them and eat them until one day one said Not me please, I've a child!"
"That was the day we were converted. The day our food spoke to us." The Pearl Dragon nodded. "We all turned vegetarian."
"Commendable." Zuko mumbled, spooked.
"Yes. Sometimes it's hard to be without meat for so long, but we like mortals."
"A lot." The Black Dragon seemed to consider something. "Specially with fennel and lemongrass."
"Don't pay attention to Black Dragon. He is nostalgic." Long Dragon dismissed the longing in Black Dragon eyes. "We cannot eat mortals anymore. Their feelings, their memories, come with the flesh. Even Gods get eroded with too much memories and feelings. We stopped eating mortals since before the time of the Avatars. Don't fear us. We protect you."
"Yeah? Then what was that thing about allowing one hundred years of war?" Toph retorted, before the others tried to shush-her.
"The only way to appreciate what you have is losing it." The Pearl Dragon answered cryptically.
All the Dragons nodded simultaneously.
"And over population. War is the most effective way to keep overpopulation in check."
The friends opened their mouths. That sounded … barbaric.
"So, Avatar, mortals, what brings you here, to visit us?"
"We want to talk to La, the Spirit of the Ocean. Do you know where can we find him?" Aang asked.
Long Dragon shook his head.
"La is a weird child." He said sad, like a tired parent.
"He has all these issues." Pearl Dragon said reprovingly.
"We thought that once Tui's destiny was fulfilled, you know, the prophecy of her death came true, that he would get over the entire thing." Yellow Dragon added.
"We had high hopes when Yue came along. So pretty, so sweet." Long Dragon nodded. Sokka snorted.
"But La is fixated. That's who he is. He's still fixated with the fact that Tui rejected him, and didn't even tried to make it work with Yue. They keep the dance, as they are supposed to. But he's still living in the past."
"And Yue tried, poor child. But then Agni needed consolation too, so there she went."
"Agni?" Zuko asked, confused.
"The Spirit of the Sun. Agni. Your forefather." Long Dragon explained. "Yue consoles him now. So we are back to where we were before Tui died. And La keeps in this negative …" he looked for the right word " … funk. Any of these days he's going to do something regrettable."
"He's trying to kill me." Toph said.
The Dragons looked at her with interest.
"That's good." Yellow Dragon said. "He's taking interest in something."
"It's not good." Katara was the one who spoke. "He's trying to kill my friend and almost destroyed my village. Why does he go after the Water Tribes for this Contest? Tui is dead now, shouldn't he let go of the idea of this Contest?"
The Dragon Gods looked at her with interest too.
"You're a Moon Child." One of them, the Black one, said with yearning. "Tasty little things, the Moon Children." He snapped out of it. "May be you can talk to La. Remind him of the Covenant that he made with the Water Tribes. We had to rein him in once already. The world almost got destroyed." He turned to Toph. "However, his issue with the Earth Child is a different one. I would advise you to discuss it with the Goddess of Fate."
"And where can we find the Goddess of Fate?" Aang asked.
"When you leave here, follow your instinct."
"What about La? Where do we find La?"
"That's hard. He doesn't socialize much. Still pining for his Lost Moon. He comes and goes. The best is to ask the Goddess of Fate. She's the best link to La."
The friends look at each other confused. And these were the helpful Gods.
Long Dragon took pity.
"Try the doors. Fate is holding a party. Just follow the sounds."
"You weren't invited?" Toph asked bewildered. The Dragon Gods looked at each other pondering about giving her the bad news.
"We like mortals." Yellow Dragon said.
"We defend and protect them." Pearl Dragon added.
"With this attitude, we're not welcomed at Fate's parties." Long Dragon continued.
"We lack the hunting instinct." Black Dragon concluded, but he sounded wistful and was licking his teeth. Toph moved a couple of steps away from the Black Dragon, to avoid stirring those memories too much. She pushed Sokka in front of her, after all he was bigger, with more muscle, way more appetizing than a blind girl, and anyway he could probably run very fast in the Spirit World. The choice was obvious.
Aang bowed to the Dragon Gods.
"Thank you. Anything we should know before attending the party?"
"Don't eat Spirit food." Warned the Pearl Dragon. "If you do, you become a phantom. Neither here, nor there, with one foot in either side of both worlds. And after a while, out of frustration, phantoms become abominations."
The friends left the library of the Dragon Gods. They stood in the middle of the garden, between the doors.
"Sokka, you heard that last bit, did you?" Zuko warned. "No eating, Sokka, or you will become an abominable semi-ghost."
Sokka made a crossing gesture.
"Water Tribe honor." He mumbled, spooked.
Aang turned to Toph, concerned.
"Toph, I'm not sure you have the right attitude to talk to Gods. They don't take nicely to … cheekiness."
Toph assented.
"I promise I'll behave." She said. Aang was doubtful.
"I'm serious Toph. One thing is dealing with Kyoshi who is bound to goodness because she was an Avatar, or with Dragon Gods that decided to be vegetarians and protect humans. Another very different to deal with proud, arrogant Gods. This is religion we're talking about, you need to take it seriously."
"I take religion seriously. Religion is not funny. It never makes me laugh. That's one of the reasons why I don't do religion."
"That's precisely what I'm afraid of." Aang answered worried. Toph placed a hand on her chest.
"I promise that I will control my tongue and my temper. I'm perfectly capable of doing it. I'll pretend that I'm back at my parents home."
She noticed that he was resisting the impulse to grab her hand. She had the impression that he was also resisting the impulse to hug her and protect her, probably from herself. He finally let go a sigh, without touching her. "Come on." He called the group and went directly to the Earth door. A lot of noise and laughs could be heard through the lintel. They opened the door and stepped inside.
Thank you AmberDragonfly for the idea of Zuko's tailors making Aang some cool winter outfits in his colors with fake eco-fur and everything. Love you too!