Sorry for the late chapter, guys. I wish you a very late "Happy Holidays" greeting, which is, of course, entirely heartfelt and blah, blah, blah...
Okay, to make sure that there's no confusion, here's the deal: My friend, Kataang-or-Zutara (who, I'm sure, you're all familiar with by now), and I decided to make a switch. She would write my next chapter of "Liz", and I would write her next chapter of EBBA (which you'll find a link to from my profile...duh). I think she did a wonderful job, but keep in mind this is from Liz's point of view. So she can see how much people enjoy her fabulous writing, please R&R! -KTBG
P.S. I am posting this on from my brand new MacBook, baby! Oh yeah!
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Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar. (Stupid Mike and Bryan. They won't let fans do anything...)
We Need To Talk
Toph yanks me by the arm through the maze that calls itself "The Western Air Temple". I can hardly keep track of exactly what pathway or hallway Toph was pulling me down, she was running so fast. The intricit paintings and designs on the walls were only a blur of orange and yellow. All the while, I tried to drag information from her.
"Toph," I whined, trying to realise my arm from her grasp of steel. I dug my heels into the ground, trying to halt my captor. "Can you stop dragging me? My arm is starting to hurt."
"Tough," Toph snapped, not even shooting me a second glance. She stomps her foot without breaking stride, and my heels are shoved out of the ground. I falter, but I remain on my feet.
"Could you at least stop doing that?" I grumbled, reluctantly jogging to keep up with her pace.
"No," Toph replies curtly. She once again stomps her foot without breaking stride and a pillar of earth shoves me from behind. I stumble forward, but luckily remain standing.
"Where are we going?" I question, recovering from my stumble. I was dying for answers.
"We need to talk," Toph repeated.
Revealing nothing.
I shut my mouth, and I am dragged down several more corridors. After about three more minutes of dragging, Toph pulls me into a dimly lit room. I squint my eyes to make out the layout.
My eyes adjust, and I see Katara, Sokka, Aang, and Toph all sitting on a bed, looking grim. There is a bed across from the one they are sitting on, which I sit down on. The walls are plain grey, no ornate designs, no carves, nothing. Blank. The color of the wall and the darkness of the room just screams emo.
This could be Zuko's room, I say silently to myself.
"We need to talk," Sokka reluctantly sighs, pulling me from my observations of the room. I turn to the bed across from the one Sokka is sitting at, and I sit down. The old coil springs creak in protest. Over one hundred years of not being used could do that to you. I look at Sokka. He continues, "About you leaving."
My brow furrows in anger. I stand up and nearly shout, "What? How can you expect me to leave? I just got here a few days ago! Do you hate me or something? What did I do?"
Sokka sighs. "We really don't want you to leave, but it's just that-"
"Just what?" I ask angrily. I realize I shouldn't have gotten so mad, but once I got angry, there was no stopping me. "What Sokka? Am I too weak to take care of myself? And even if I am, don't I have you guys to protect me?"
"You've gotten hurt once, Liz," Sokka says, voice quivering at the memory. "One time to many. We feel responsible for your injuries. We're doing this to protect you."
"But-" I start.
Katara interupts me. "Liz, please. Listen to our reasoning. Trust us, it's not that we want you to leave. We just want the best for you," her voice begins to quiver as well, and I stare at her through the darkness of the room.
Her eyes are glistening with tears.
My anger subdues, yet only a bit. I open my mouth to speak, but shut it as I see Aang put his arm around Katara, comforting her.
"I don't want you to leave either," Sokka's voice come from the darkness. "You've already become like a little sister to me. But we just don't think it's very safe for you to be here any more."
I hang my head in defeat. "Okay...." I sigh. Then, an idae pops into my mind. "Can I at least say goodbye to Zuko?"
"Of course," Sokka's voice replies, sadness heavy in his voice.
I walk quickly out of the room, and wander around the halls. Anything to keep me from leaving. As I wander aimlessly around, I begin to think about Zuko.
I wonder why he gave me that flower in the first place.....
I thought. I can't believe he was stupid enough to go back to that island. And to take Appa like that, without even telling anybody!
As I thought about Zuko, and idea struck me.
What if....
No, I tried to convince myself. That's the wrong thing to do.
But if you don't, you'll end up leaving!
It's stealing!
I felt like one of those people with the angel and the devil on their shoulders.