Hello again, beloved readers. That's right, I've upgraded you guys from much appreciated to beloved. I apologize for not updating this sooner, but my stupid computer doesn't work without a charger, and I could never manage to get access to that for long. Oh well, what can you do? Also, there is a poll on my profile about how you guys like your Kataang. Please take part in it. The results will help me handle the romance between Katara and Aang in this and other stories. Anyhow, 'tis time to respond to reviews.
Jokermask18: I assume you meant to say a story worthy of the show itself? Thank you for that, but I am amateur, and there's no way could I write something as good as the show. I'm glad you think it's so good though. That pleases me.
prettyshon10: DON'T GO INSANE. I'VE UPDATED! Calm down. Breathe in. Breathe out. Are you better? Thanks for the favorite. Here is a virtual cookie for that.
KingRock980: You're welcome for the chapter, and thank you for your second review in a row. I like regular reviews, and yes, fighting scenes are a pain, but action is needed for this story, so I must continue to write them. If you have any advice, let me know.
Disclaimer: I've never owned A:TLA, and I never will.
'Tis story time!
Aang sat at the top of a temple, millions of tiny diamonds dotting the clear night sky. A mixture of finality, determination, and anticipation coursed through him, though he wasn't sure where these feelings came from. He stared at the old man in front of him, knowing that he was somehow important. He had an air of peaceful wisdom. Aang was comforted by him.
"This...last...chakra?" Aang couldn't quite make out what he had just said. It felt like he was trying to remember some deeply buried memory from long ago. He couldn't remember exactly what was said.
"Yes...open...chakra...State...at will...control...actions..." the old man said, sounding just as muffled and far away as Aang did.
"Let's do this."
"Thought chakra...crown of head...cosmic energy...blocked...attachment. Meditate...attaches you..."
Suddenly, an overwhelming feeling came over Aang as he watched blurred visions of a girl flash by him, though he could never make out what went on within these visions. The feeling made him feel tingly and warm, as if all the troubles in the world had melted away, replaced by this warmth instead. Aang enjoyed this feeling. He could sit all day and feel nothing but this.
"Let go...flow down...river...forgotten..."
Aang was immediately pulled from his happy bliss. "What? Why...let go of-"
"You do not believe in love. You crave power, power for the Fire Nation." Feng's voice brought an abrupt end to Aang's vision.
"K-katar..." Aang mumbled, barely conscious. He wasn't even quite sure what he was saying. He just knew it was important.
"Anyone or anything you ever loved means nothing to you now. You hate anything that causes visions which go against Admiral Khon's teachings. If you encounter anyone who brings those visions on, you know to either avoid them or fight them."
"Tara..."
"You hate all of Team Avatar. You want them dead."
"No...hate murder..."
"You just want power for the Fire Nation. You could care less about how you get that power."
Aang wasn't exactly sure why he was arguing with Feng, or what he was arguing about. All he knew was to keep arguing. He had a feeling not doing so would have major consequences.
"You are a Rebel, and completely loyal to Admiral Khon."
"Not a...rebel..."
"You never met anyone in Team Avatar except the firelord, who you just recently fought, and who caused these poisonous visions to nearly corrupt your mind. You want revenge for that. You want these visions gone."
"Zuko...friend..."
"Forget about Firelord Zuko ever being your friend. He never was."
"But I remember..."
"Those are not real memories. They are harmful to you. Don't trust them."
"My family...I remember..."
"Those are not real memories. They are harmful to you. Don't trust them," Feng repeated.
This was how it had been going for hours. It was a constant war between Aang's old life and his new one.
Zuko, having finally been freed from his earthen prison by none other than Toph Beifong, found himself in the same position he had been in four months ago, sitting in a war room, surrounded by generals. At least Team Avatar was there, making him feel less like he was some important figure, even though he was.
Katara came as soon as she had heard, having already picked up Toph on Appa. Unfortunately, there were no earthbenders near Zuko and the palace city. He just had to wait for the Blind Bandit.
"When did they attack?" asked a general.
"Around midnight," answered Zuko.
"Couldn't they have waited? How inconsiderate of them to wake me and everybody else up!" Sokka complained in annoyance.
"Yes, Sokka, 'cause everyone knows that you're supposed to be considerate and wait until your enemy is nice and ready before you attack," Katara responded sarcastically. Sokka shut up after that.
"Do you think they already have a second target?" questioned the general.
"If I had to guess, I'd say my father," said Zuko darkly. He hated the thought of his father out of prison. His father had already caused so much destruction in the world. Zuko would hate to see more inflicted.
"Then we'll double our security there!" said the captain in charge of the royal prison.
It was then that Katara posed a question that Zuko and Sokka found extremely uncomfortable.
"Well, why don't we see if Aang knows anything? We'll just send him a letter asking for details of the Rebels' plan as soon as Momo comes back," she asked.
Sokka threw Zuko a questioning look. Getting the message, Zuko replied with a tiny nod.
"I would like to talk to the rest of Team Avatar in private," Zuko announced.
The confused generals and captains filed out.
"Is something wrong, Zuko?" Katara asked.
"Yeah, why did we have to kick out all those generals?" Toph was just as curious as Katara.
Sokka sighed,"Katara, Toph, there's something we have to tell you..."
"So, you have the Avatar under your complete control?"
"I'm proud to say I've almost made him into a full fledged Fire Nation Rebel," Admiral Khon boasted, as if he had done some kind and noble act, and as if the Dai Li had nothing to do with it.
"I presume I'll be continuing his training, then. Oh, and I believe I will be the one giving orders now," Princess Azula said in a fairly smug voice.
"I hate to say this, Your Highness, but I'm going to remain in charge. I don't think you're fit to to lead, honestly."
"B-but, I'm royalty," the astonished princess exclaimed.
"Yes, that is why we rescued you. Royalty should not be in prison. We never intended for you to take charge of the Rebels," the admiral stated calmly.
Furious, Azula stormed out, although she still seemed to be trying to retain some dignity.
"You, will pay for this," she muttered.
Zuko hated the blank look on Katara's face. It had been this way ever since the words, "Aang hasn't written in a month. Momo came back, but he was injured, and there was no letter," had escaped his lips.
Toph hadn't really reacted to the news. She just sat there, as if lost in thought. Katara, however, was an altogether different story.
"And j-just why didn't you tell me this," Katara said in a low, frightening whisper, completely ignoring the fact that Toph hadn't been told either.
"W-well, we were afraid that-"
"Um, by we, I think you mean you," Sokka defended himself. He knew what was about to happen. The volcano was about to erupt.
"And tell me, Zuko, why were you afraid?"
"B-because..."
"Because you didn't think I was strong enough to handle this? Because you thought I might do something crazy when I heard? Or, I know, MAYBE YOU THOUGHT I DIDN'T DESERVE TO KNOW!"
Sokka gulped. The volcano had erupted.
"P-please, don't be mad," begged the firelord, who now owned a pair of wet pants.
"I THINK I DESERVE TO BE MAD! NOW, BACK TO GUESSING WHY YOU DIDN'T WANT ME TO KNOW ABOUT AANG! HM, DID YOU THINK IT WAS IMPORTANT, OFFICIAL BUSINESS? DID YOU THINK ONLY STRONG MEN LIKE SOKKA COULD HANDLE THE NEWS? WELL I'VE GOT NEWS FOR YOU, ZUKO, ALL OF TEAM AVATAR DESERVES TO KNOW! IN FACT, I THINK YOU SHOULD'VE TOLD ME FIRST!" Katara ranted. Having stood up in the middle of her rant, she sat back down and gasped for breath.
Toph clapped, much like she had when Aang had fought the saber-tooth moose-lion - when everyone least expected it.
"Nice performance, Sugar Queen, I couldn't have said it better myself."
Katara coughed, feeling very awkward once she realized that she had just screamed at Firelord
Zuko and made him whimper.
"Uh, sorry about that, Zuko," she said.
She got a semi-coherent whimper in response.
After waiting for Zuko to recover, Toph decided to move this meeting along.
"So, what now?" she asked.
The other three looked at each other. What could they do to save Aang?
"I don't think we should invade the Rebel hideout. That would probably just make it harder to find Aang," said Katara.
"True, and also, if we did do that, the Rebels would move their hideout. Then we'd have to find them all over again, and what would happen if we didn't get Twinkletoes back? They'd know he was there, and all they'd have to do is find him!" added Toph.
"Well, why don't we just do what Aang did? We could just go undercover in search of Aang!" The more Sokka thought about his idea, the more he liked it.
"That's great! As soon as we found him, we could get out of there!" Zuko agreed.
"Brilliant, Sokka!" Katara exclaimed.
"Yeah,whatever," Toph pretended not to be impressed, but inside she knew it was a good plan. Sokka managed to figure it out, having known the Blind Bandit for awhile.
"There's just one problem. Zuko can't just disappear from his nation," said Sokka, wondering what the solution to this problem was.
"I'll ask Mai and Iroh to handle things while we're gone," replied Zuko.
"Well, I guess that settles it. We're off to the Rebel hideout," said Katara.
Sokka jumped up and yelled, "The idea guy saves the day again!"
Well, what'd you think? Please review and let me know. Again, I'm sorry it's so late. Oh, thanks, Toph, for moving the plot along after Zuko went into shock.
Toph: It was nothing. I was getting a little bored anyway.
Ladies and gentlemen, this has been Toph's words of wisdom.