Hello, oh beloved reader! First off, WOHOO, I'VE GOT 10 REVIEWS! HOORAY FOR DOUBLE DIGITS! I love you guys. Also, the poll is tied. Two people voted, one for Kataangst, one for Kataang fluff. Would more of you please vote, so there is no longer a tie? I also have two shout outs for you guys today. One is for batmanandkaitlyn, who has decided that I am one of their favorite authors. The other is for kira97, who put this story and Just Tell Me, a fanfiction written by me that I personally hate, on their favorite list. Thanks, you guys! Oh, and thanks to everyone else who is following/has put a favorite on my story. Now, 'tis time to respond to your reviews.
Jokermask18: Yes, who wouldn't laugh when they read about a screaming waterbender who can make the firelord wet his pants?
KingRock980: I shall tell you right now. SPOILER ALERT: Stuff happens.
prettyshon10: I'm glad to see you didn't go insane waiting for me to update. If you still think you might, I can send you some virtual tea to calm the mind. Also, I read
on your profile that Aang is one of your character crushes. I KNEW I WASN'T THE ONLY ONE! Aang can only be described by one word: awesome. Oh, by the way, please let me know if this chapter is long enough for you. If not, about how much longer would you like it?
Ahlysha: Yay, you reviewed again! Thanks for the compliment on my personification. I've tried really hard to write an accurate portrayal of the characters, so it means a lot that you think I did a good job.
Now, enough senseless rambling. On with the incredibly overrated fanfiction written by an author who needs to get a life outside of A:TLA!
Disclaimer: I do not own A:TLA. Considering how addicted I am to it, it basically owns me.
Aang felt like the past few days hadn't really happened, like they were some sort of dream. The last thing he remembered was the firelord accusing him of murder. The rest was a blur. Confusion was nearly all that Aang could recollect from the days after that.
Aang also remembered what a big help Feng had been. Feng had helped the young Rebel overcome a lot of headaches and confusion. If it weren't for the Dai Li hypnotist, Aang wasn't sure he would be able to produce a coherent thought. He knew something had gone wrong that day, and he knew Feng had managed to help him through the worst, if the worst had already come.
Speaking of Feng, where was he? Aang looked around. The hypnotist had been staying in Aang's room since the boy had moved back into it, just incase anything serious happened. It was odd that he wasn't there, as Aang was fairly certain that it was early in the morning, too early for Feng to get up. The only reason Aang was up was because of another minor vision that had interrupted his sleep.
Just as Aang was about to give up and go back to sleep, he heard a voice outside his door. The voice sounded angry. Positioning himself in front of the door, he listened more closely.
"I'm sorry, but I can't do it. He's just starting to recover. Who knows what might happen to him if I do as you say!" came the angry whisper of Feng.
Who's he talking to, and who is just starting to recover? Is he talking about me? Aang wondered.
"Do you think I care? I want you to follow my commands, and I don't want to here any complaints," Aang recognized the voice of the Fire Nation princess.
"But if I do this, it might be too much for him. He might become mad!"
"I said I didn't want any more complaints! Do as I say!"
Feng sighed, "I can't do it now, when he's only just recovering, but I what if I did it when he was better?"
"I suppose that's better than nothing, but you better not double-cross me! I am a better fighter than you'll ever dream of being," Azula threatened menacingly.
Aang listened as the sound of Azula's footsteps got farther and farther away. He then jumped in his bed before Feng came in and realized that he had eavesdropped on their conversation.
As he sat there in his bed, one question kept circulating through Aang's mind. He was almost positive that Feng and Azula had been talking about him. If they had, then it was obvious that Feng had pretty much just agreed to doing something really, really bad to him, though Aang didn't know what. Thinking of all this, Aang had to wonder. Can I really trust Feng?
Aang shook his head. Of course I can trust Feng! He's helped me through so much. Besides, whatever Azula wanted him to do to me, he wasn't about to do until I'm completely ready. It probably isn't even that bad. Probably the only reason he seemed so upset at the thought of doing it now is because he knew I wasn't ready yet. When he does decide to do it, I'm sure it'll be fine. Aang suppressed a laugh. Feng was his friend. He'd never do anything to hurt Aang. Ashamed that he had doubted his friend, Aang closed his eyes, ready for some rest.
Still, Aang couldn't hold back a tiny prickle of doubt. This tiny amount of distrust didn't help the boy's sleep in the slightest, and the remainder of his dreams were merely blurred visions of a girl adorned in Water Tribe clothing.
"Are we there yet?"
"No, Sokka," Katara responded in annoyance.
"Are we there now?" Sokka persisted.
"No, we're not, Sokka," Zuko answered.
"Hey, there it is! I see it!" Toph yelled.
"Really?" Sokka asked in excitement, while Zuko and Katara fought snickers.
"Wow, Sokka, I would think that you have known me long enough to know that I CAN'T SEE!"
Katara and Zuko gave up holding back their laughter. Sokka just glared at Toph.
"If you're glaring at me, I can't see it," said Toph, smirking.
Sokka's face reddened.
It had been five days since they'd left for the Rebel hideout, which was located all the way in the vast Si Wong Desert, where Wan Shi Tong's Spirit Library was located. According to Aang, it was an abandoned hideout that had previously belonged to the sandbenders, which the Fire Nation Rebels had built upon. Aang had written that it was really quite impressive.
They knew that once they got in, it should be easy. All they had to do was pretend that they were Rebels until they found Aang, then they could just tell him the mission was off and leave. They knew from Aang's letters that there would be a helmet for Zuko, which would cover up his scar. There was really nothing hard about this rescue mission.
"We should be getting there soon, so let's land Appa and start walking," said Katara. The others nodded in agreement.
"We'll be okay Appa. Go to the Eastern Air Temple. We'll be done with our mission soon and come to get you. Stay safe, and watch out for those sandbenders," Katara said to Appa once they had landed, petting him. The bison let out a content groan before flying off. As he flew off, Katara checked Aang's crudely drawn map to the Rebels.
"Okay, according to Aang's map, we aren't far away. Let's go!" Katara was determined to get to Aang as fast as she possibly could. She would not rest until she knew he was safe.
"Hey, I see it!" Zuko announced to the rest of the Gaang.
"He's right. I can feel it!" added Toph.
"FINALLY!" Sokka fell to his knees and threw his fists in the air.
"Come on, let's go!" Katara quickened her pace, as did everyone else.
As she came closer to the hideout, Katara had to wonder why Aang had found the place impressive. It was an average building, nothing special about it at all. There was a small barbwire fence around its perimeter, with a single man strolling about lazily, who Katara presumed was the guard. The building wasn't that big. In fact, it was rather small. Overall, aside from the guard, the hideout looked like no one had been there in years.
"Excuse me," Katara said as she approached the man, "who are you?"
The man looked suspiciously at her. "Why are you here?" he asked.
"Um, well, we were kind of hoping to join up with a club, and we heard that it meets here," Katara responded.
"Would this club be a Fire Nation club?" the man asked, lowering his voice.
"Yes, yes it would," Katara was happy to see that she was right in assuming that this man was a Rebel.
"Come on through," the man said, ushering Team Avatar through the door.
"Just keep going straight. You'll meet a woman at a desk. Recite this password: The desert contains fire's last hope for burning," the guard instructed.
The Gaang all responded with nods, before going down the hall. They eventually came across the woman who the guard told them about. She had gray, curly hair, and she looked about Iroh's age.
"What's the password?" she asked in monotone voice, for this was all routine to her.
Sokka stepped forward and recited the password.
"Good, so I suppose you're newbies hoping to join up with us?" When the Gaang nodded, she continued, "I just need you to answer a few questions. First, what are your names?"
Zuko went by Lee. Toph was Lin. Katara called herself Namika, and Sokka went by Wang.
"Okay," the woman said, writing the information down, "and where are you all from?"
"We're just a few people who didn't move back to the Fire Nation after the war," said Zuko.
"Colonials, eh?" the woman wrote this down too. "Do any of you bend?"
"Just me," answered Zuko.
"Okay, make sure I've got this right. Your names are Lee, Lin, Namika, and Wang. You're colonials, and only Lee bends."
Team Avatar nodded.
Handing Katara the paper with all the information she'd written down, the old lady motioned for them to follow her. They followed her into a small room, which had a hole in its floor. Looking into the hole, Team Avatar noticed stairs leading downward.
"It took a lot of money to get the Dai Li to do this for us," the lady commented, chuckling softly. "The admiral's face was hilarious when he learned what it cost."
"Make us proud!" she called as the Gaang descended down the stairs.
"Well that went smoothly enough," Sokka said cheerfully once they were out of hearing distance from the lady.
"Now all we have to do is get Twinkletoes," said Toph.
Eventually, the stairs ended and they came to a very large earthen room, in which many Rebels shuffled about. It was then that Katara realized why Aang found the place so impressive. He hadn't meant that it had been built upon on the outside. He had meant it was improved underground. Katara laughed to herself. Aang really needs to be more specific.
"There's a large desk with a bunch of people sitting by it. That's probably where we should go," Toph advised cheerfully. She was very happy that the whole hideout was made out of earth.
The rest of Team Avatar approached the desk. After waiting in a fairly long line, they talked to a rather bored looking man.
"We've come to join the Rebels," said Katara, handing the man the paper that the lady had given her.
"M'kay, let's see. Who's free to give yeh a tour?" the man wondered aloud, scanning a piece of paper on his desk.
"I'll be right back," he said, leaving his position at the desk.
"This is taking forever! This is such lousy service," Sokka grumbled as the man left.
"Well I love it here already!" exclaimed Toph.
"No, don't go. You can't. Don't follow him, Aang."
Aang was standing in front of an abandoned Fire Nation ship. The cold air whipped against his skin, and the snow didn't help how completely frozen he felt as the blizzard strengthened.
Aang turned to the girl behind him, who he couldn't see very well in the blizzard.
"I need to go," he said stubbornly. Aang walked closer to Feng, who stood in front of the Fire Navy vessel.
That's right. Follow me," tempted Feng.
"No, he's your enemy, Aang!" the girl called.
Admiral Khon came up behind Aang. "Your loyalties lie with me," he said.
"Don't listen to them. They're just using you to defeat us. They don't really care about you. They just want power."
Aang looked from the girl to Khon and Feng. Who could he trust?
"You don't believe in love. You crave power, power for the Fire Nation," Feng said. That sentence alone was enough to drive Aang closer to the Rebel side.
"Please, Aang, you do believe in love. I know you do! Power isn't what matters most to you. You embrace love."
Aang wavered for a second when he heard that.
"You don't believe in love. You crave power, power for the Fire Nation."
Aang was so confused. What should he do, and why was it so hard for him to choose? He knew he was a Rebel, so what was there to be confused about? Why was this girl's opinion so important to him?
"Aang?" the girl said softly.
Aang said nothing.
"Aang!" she tried again, this time louder.
Aang still didn't reply.
"AANG!" she screamed.
There was still no answer.
"AANG!"
Aang's nap was interrupted by the voice of Goro, one of the people who worked at the main desk.
"What?" Aang asked groggily.
"Took yeh long enough to get up," said an annoyed Goro.
"Just tell me what you want," Aang sighed.
"There are some new recruits in need of a tour, so come on."
"Is there anyone else who can do it? I didn't get very good sleep last night," Aang yawned, proving his story to be true.
"Everyone else in the Child Division is busy. Sorry, kiddo."
"Oh well, let's go then," Aang sighed, getting out of his bed and stretching.
"Well, I've got to get their information form to the admiral, so you'll be gettin' there solo."
"Fine by me."
Aang left for the new recruits, stopping to pick up uniforms for them, having been informed by Goro about how many of them there were and about what sizes they'd need.
"Uh, guys, I think I can feel Twinkletoes coming," Toph told the others. She concentrated, and she became sure that it was in fact the Avatar.
"Really?!" Katara scanned the area in hope of spotting her beloved airbender.
"Yeah, that's him for sure," assured Toph.
"Where? Where?!" All of Team Avatar looked around frantically.
"He's coming straight for us!"
"All I can see is that kid I fought when the Rebels attacked the asylum," said Zuko bitterly. He saw the kid in the distance, and sincerely hoped that this wasn't the one giving them a tour.
"Nobody cares. Just look for Aang!" Katara commanded.
"I see him!" Sokka yelled, pointing at a boy who was walking toward them.
"I see him too!" Katara exclaimed. Coming straight toward her was none other than Aang. He'd grown his hair out, was wearing Fire Nation clothing, and had a headband tied around his arrow, but he was Aang, and he wasn't hurt at all. Katara's airbender had returned. It took all of her restraint not to run to him.
"That's the kid I fought!" said a very confused Zuko.
"Aang was probably just trying not to blow his cover," Katara reasoned, never looking away from Aang, and never really paying much attention to what Zuko said.
Aang walked up to the new recruits, hoping to get this over with and maybe catch some sleep before his practice session with Khon.
"Goro says you guys need a tour," Aang said as he approached, only to find that all of the new recruits were gawking at him.
"Aang?!"
Don't you just love cliffhangers? How will the Gaang react when they learn what's happened to Aang? Will Aang recognize them? Will sparks fly between Katara and Aang? WHEN WILL I STOP ASKING QUESTIONS?! Find out this and more in the next chapter of *insert dramatic pause* THE AVATAR REBELS!