A/N: Hey guys! Sorry about the long wait for this one, the family has been moving and I've been on the road a lot. This is also a bit shorter than the other chapters, but don't worry, there's good news too! This is the last chapter before (pardon the expression) shit really starts happening, fast. There are probably about three more chapters left til the end of the story, and a lot of what happens in this chapter sets up what is going to happen in the next one! K, that's enough for now, hope you enjoy!
Disclaimer: I don't own no Avatar!
Toph Bei Fong:
His hand feels rough and calloused in mine, the crudely etched grooves swirling and flowing in irregular and unique patterns that are distinctly Sokka. I follow them with my thumb, feeling the stories that they tell, recognizing almost every ripped piece of skin, every scar, the heat emanating from open portions of raw flesh. The heartbeat pulses out of them, running through my crinkled palms and into my chest. It's a direct connection between us, and not something most others get to share, or even realize.
He managed to crawl, with a shattered left hand and a terrifying gash to his lower abdomen, almost half of a mile to get the help he needed. He's slept for almost a day since then, and I've been beside him, the problems of tomorrow all but forgotten amidst his wrecked and tortured body. Assurances that he will be fine have done nothing to turn me away. I know him. I know he won't be ok.
I'm not even ok, at this point. I can almost feel the palpations of Zuko's raging, torrential heartbeat through the painful, throbbing wounds in his stomach and hand, running up and down my spine and spurring my own temper, never far from the surface, into my face and chest. We wanted to help him! Nothing, not even the death of a loved one, excuses this. We did everything for him. How dare he spurn us like this! How dare he make us do this to him! How dare he hurt Sokka...
I feel the familiar dry, stinging pain begin in the corner of my eyes, realizing that tears would begin to fall if I had any left within me. This is the second time he's been seriously injured almost directly because of me. This time, he hasn't been on death's door, but I can feel the pain emanating through him. Frustration tinges through my hands, clenching the tired muscles of my fingers together into a tightly balled fist. Of course, all turmoil breaks loose as the Waterbending Council is in an extended session to debate the future of Waterbending. He sits here, comatose from the pain of recovery, while simple help that could aid him in a matter of hours is simply not to be found.
The time consists of moments, turned to hours in the chair beside him, as I feel his eyes flutter sporadically behind the tightly clenched lids. Muscles clench and tighten in his subconscious as he suffers through his dreams, the heartbeat dull and drab amidst the turmoil his body undergoes. I squeeze his hand a little tighter, when all of a sudden, I feel the unconsciousness begin to fade.
It begins in his heart. The rhythm increases, pulsing with greater frequency and life until it nearly matches my own. Then, the blood begins to circulate harder and faster through his veins, bringing gilded life to the tips of his fingers and toes, into his face and chest. The eyes begin to see, the nose begins to smell, the ears hear, the tongue tastes, and the body feels. Then, the pain. He screws his eyes shut as I hold my breath, waiting to see him react. I can feel his teeth clench together as the hurt and the memory returns to him.
Then, after painfully long seconds, it dissipates, and fades into some semblance of normalcy. A long, stale breath escapes his throat, perfuming the air as he wisely refrains from sitting up, and instead, turns to look at me.
"Good morning, Snoozles," is all that I can think of to say.
A half smirk is tweaked by the corner of his mouth as the eyes fight to adjust to the harsh light. He cranes his neck to look at himself, glances at the bandages swathed around his chest and his tightly bound left hand, and flinches.
"How long have I been out?" he asks groggily, laying his head back to rest against the pillow. His eyes stare blankly at the ceiling, feeling almost like my own through the dim palpations of his heart.
"A little more than a day," I answer starkly, yet tracing circles in the palm of his hand, "Crawling, the way you did... It took a lot out of you. You were pretty banged up."
"Yeah, I remember that," he says dryly, attempting futilely to keep the emotion from his voice. "He may not be completely gone, Toph, but he's too far to be reached by me or you. He didn't kill me, when he had a clear opportunity to, but other than that, he gave me no sign that there's anything left."
I let the sigh of consternation whisper from between my lips, fighting to quell the fiery temper that kindles against my heart. I grit my teeth so as to not squeeze his right hand too tightly before speaking again.
"I figured as much," I mutter, frowning, "But that's a choice he made. Now we don't have one. We'll hunt him down with everything we've got, and he'll answer to the judges for what he's done."
Sokka says nothing, merely continues to stare at the ceiling. I can feel the wash of emotions in his heartbeat, too many to place or to identify but clearly there nonetheless. Oh, boy. I've never been too good at this...
I struggle to get the gears working in my head, shaking the dust and the cobwebs from them as I fight to find the right words. Despite being such a complete idiot, he's always so good at pulling my issues to the surface, even when I don't want them there, and I realize that it's up to me to bring his out into the open.
"Sokka," I begin, "You can't blame yourself for this. The ultimate choice was Zuko's, not yours. You did all you could, to get him to come around."
His eyes close as he begins to speak, pulling his hand from mine and resting it against his chest. "Oh, Toph, I know, but I should have stopped him. He was faster than me, stronger than me, but worse than those, even, he outsmarted me. I had him totally trapped, fighting on my terms, against my strengths, but he still managed to catch me off guard with some clever Firebending. I had every advantage, Toph, every advantage, and you, Zuko, and the whole country needed me to succeed there."
I rest my hand lightly on top of his, saying, "Sokka, you didn't have every advantage. You're not a bender. That's a big disadvantage, and it's been amazing that you've been able to overcome it as much as you have, but it's still a there."
"Toph, that doesn't matter!" he snaps, sending a rush of irritation through me, "If I'm incapable of pulling through when I'm needed because I can't bend, then I'm useless. I'm sorry I snapped, it's just so damn frustrating..."
He lapses into silence, my momentary annoyance dissipated by his sudden vulnerability. My hand traces up his arm to rest lightly upon his shoulder, the tips lightly brushing against his skin. He doesn't need to say anything else, I know what he's feeling, and I can't tell him about my father's plans just yet. Not until his confidence is back, which I know it will be.
"Sokka," I say lightly, "You're far from useless, and you know it. You've got a brain that no one here can begin to match. No one, and I mean no one, could have trapped Zuko like you did. No one but you could be so effective at feeling out the Family and stopping them. Without you, people like me are all muscle and no direction. So quit feeling sorry for yourself! You got beat, so what? It happens to everyone, even me!"
I feel his eyes flick towards me, and a self-satisfied smirk alights my lips.
"Well, ok, it doesn't happen to me that often, but you know what I mean."
He smirks in silent joking reproach, which I let slide under the circumstances. He got hit pretty hard, after all. I realize what I have to say next, and I pick my words carefully ahead of time, not wanting to reveal too much at this point.
"Sokka," I begin, careful to say only the truth, "I have a meeting I'm supposed to go to, with Tsung, Farzu and Lo Dai. To discuss the allegations swimming around. I'm going to tell them it was Zuko... I don't want to leave-"
"Please," he says, flashing me a smile that he knows I can tell he doesn't feel, "I'll be fine. You take off, and do what you need to."
I return his smile, feeling awful about keeping my father's plot from him as I lean down. My lips brush lightly against his, sending that familiar shudder up and down my spine as I stand and leave him there.
"This is just such a ridiculous ploy!"
Councilman Lo Dai's voice carries across the room, the echoes fueled by turbulent anger. He runs a hand through his hair, the thin white strands swaying easily underneath his wiry hand. Lo Dai is the oldest of the Councilmen who support Tsung, and also the most prone to losing his temper. I kind of like him for that. He also is the Councilman responsible for the Corps of Doctors and their positions throughout the country, which has made him a valuable asset to Tsung's cause.
"Lo Dai," Tsung's smooth, dignified voice rings admonishingly, "We need to calm down, if we're going to figure out how to stop this movement before it results in Toph leaving."
Lo Dai stops, his thin neck craning as he turns to look at us, as his heartbeat begins to lose its fury, lessening into a calm, measured rhythm.
"Of course, you're right," he says resignedly, "Please, begin, and I will go make some tea."
Tea. What is with this place and tea? The vibrations I read from him lessen slightly as he disappears through the doorway, headed for the kitchen of his prestigious mansion. As I feel him less and less, I focus my feet on the emanations pulsing from Farzu. He sits resignedly in a large, overstuffed chair, his head propped up on an arm, staring blankly out the window. His heartbeat plods on slowly within, resigned, but carrying a melancholic tone that sparks the tinder within my chest.
Zuko! His actions run the real risk of dooming us all! Doesn't he realize that what he's doing is wreaking havoc on Xiang's poor father? No, he's too swamped in his own grief, feeling sorry for himself to think about anyone else. Damn it, we tried, but now, I'm coming after you. With everything I have. I'll take you down before you hurt anyone else that matters to me.
Tsung clears his throat, just before my fists clench in anger, making me wonder if he could somehow see the swirl of rage that was running through me. He stands at his full height, staring out the same window as Farzu before placing a warm, reassuring hand on the man's shoulder. Farzu doesn't physically react, but I can feel the appreciation and admiration he feels for Tsung. I don't care much for politicians, but Tsung does seem to be the exception to my rule.
"Toph," he says, "You said that you had new news for us."
"Yeah," I answer, leaning forward and propping my head up on my hands, "We know whose responsible for the slaughter of the Family."
Tsung raises a curious eyebrow: an old expression of Fire Nation royalty that, despite myself, springs a touch of irritation within me. Lo Dai re-emerges from the entryway, carrying a metallic platter that he promptly sets down upon the coffee table. Metal and porcelain clinks musically as it lays to rest, sparking unwanted memories of the Dragon of the West Teashop, and the happiness I felt emanating from Zuko barely a week ago. All ripped away, in the name of revenge and selfishness. Poor Iroh must be rolling in his grave.
Angrily I clasp the porcelain tea cup, feeling the smooth ceramic underneath my hands and the heat leaking through as I drain the liquid within. It's hot and bitter, devoid of the extra remnants of flavor that Zuko used to infuse in every sip; mere hot leaf juice as opposed to real tea. I grimace before speaking.
"It's Zuko," I announce, folding my arms, "I hate it too, but Sokka confirmed it personally. We allowed Zuko to keep a pair of twin swords, because they were remnants of his past with his Uncle, and we thought that he would keep them in a case, for sentimental value. In the initial attack on the Family house, he didn't Firebend so it wouldn't be instantly obvious who the culprit might be, but the types of wounds that appeared on the bodies at the scene were consistent with the thick, curved blades of Zuko's twin swords."
"Yesterday, Sokka laid a trap for the culprit, identifying a false meeting-point for survivors of the incident. I was supposed to go with him, but my father pulled me into that stupid meeting, so he went alone. We were right, it was Zuko that showed up, and Sokka attempted to restrain him, but Zuko damn near killed him instead."
No one speaks, yet the palpating hearts of Farzu and Tsung coat the room thickly. I can feel their shock and surprise, the awful weight of what this means bearing down upon them. Oddly enough, Lo Dai seems to have remained calm, though there is a definite air of melancholy about him. Fingers knead into his forehead as he leans up against the wall.
"To be honest," he begins, "I suspected that Zuko might have been behind the attack."
He wisely refrains from bringing up Xiang's death, though no one seems to disagree with his proclamation. Farzu feels so distant, as though he is somewhere far away from his body, his mind lost and unreachable. Tsung takes the initiative, as usual, his clear voice ringing with authority.
"This is... Troubling," he says lamely, "But it seems as though we must hunt him down. The allegations against the Enforcers have a lot of unfortunate weight in the Council right now, and unless we can dispel at least most of them, I fear that the Council will lean towards supporting Ambassador Bei Fong's proposal. I hate to do it, and I desperately don't want to, but we don't have any other options. It appears that he's left us with none."
"I'll bring up the matter before the Council today, including your allegations against Zuko. In the mean time, we need to put the police force on high alert, marking Zuko as a very dangerous fugitive. He'll have to make a move again sometime, and most likely sooner rather than later."
I sigh, putting my face into my hands as I say, "That won't work. No offense to the Fire Nation police, but they couldn't exactly catch us, either. They might as well try to grab a fistful of water. Is there any way we can pull the Council in our favor short of producing Zuko?"
"No. None," Lo Dai says, narrowing his brows, the frustration running through his heart, "As long as the allegations stand, Bei Fong's going to get his way. What's worse is that there are only three damn days left before the Council is set to rule on the issue. C'mon, Toph, I know that our police squads might not be equipped well enough to find and capture someone as tough as Zuko, but what about the Enforcers? Could you finagle something together?"
I think, taking into account the Enforcer's resources and our respective capabilities, and I sense a solution lying somewhere in the mist of all the information, but its too muddy and fuzzy for me to find it. A groan of frustration seeps from my throat as I worry my fingers through my hair.
"Damn it, we need Sokka, but he's pretty banged up, both physically and mentally from the fight with Zuko," I say, frustration creeping into my voice, "I don't know if we should put this on his plate."
"Toph, I just don't see that we have a choice," Tsung says resignedly, "You said it yourself, without the Enforcers, we can't catch him, and without Sokka, we don't have a plan. I have no mind for martial strategy of this type, and to my knowledge, neither do Councilmen Lo Dai or Farzu. We must at least broach the subject to him. We can't afford to lose you, here, Toph. You, Sokka, and your Enforcers have been the only thing standing between the Family and the Fire Nation government. We can't allow the kind of chaos that would accompany your leaving to reign down upon the Nation."
I sigh, taking a moment before saying, "Fine. Tomorrow, I'll bring it up to him. We have to give him that small amount of time to recover a bit from his wounds."
Zuko, the Former Prince:
Grabbing him is simple, in a place like this. I don't even need to wear a mask. The darkness of the night blends with the dirt paint job that decorates the scummy buildings. Vividly colored torches alight tropical signs advertising all sorts of questionable fun: bars, gambling houses, the works. The people, if you can call them that, that walk around all have a similar, huddled posture: hiding behind tall collars and wide-brimmed hats, as though ashamed of what they are. They have reason to be.
I see the mottled, skinny looking man step out of the building, the thin, filthy hair adorning his scalp and chin swaying lightly in the breeze as he turns his collar upwards. He rounds on his heel and begins to walk towards me, the heavy boots clopping noisily against the ground. I whirl around the corner, waiting for it...
The sudden splash of his boot colliding with the puddle announces his presence, and I move quickly and quietly, catching him totally off guard. My arm reaches out of the alley like a snake from a hole, the fingers clasping tightly around fabric as I rip him into the blackness. Panic takes him over as he attempts to fight back; he throws a weak right hook as the glittering knife appears in my free hand that catches me high on the face. The blow does next to nothing, but the awful black bruise left upon my face by Sokka's boomerang screams out as his wiry knuckles press against it. Anger, fresh and vibrant mixes with the polluted, rotten pool that permanently resides in my belly, culminating in a heavy growl and a hard and powerful knee into his solar plexus.
Breathe wheezes out of him, washing hot and putrid over my face as I slam him roughly against the wall. I fight through the terrible, warm stench of alcohol and press my knife harshly against his exposed throat. All of his struggling instantly stops as his dark, beady eyes fix upon my own, moist and wide with fear.
"Buddy, what money do you think I got?" he begs piteously, "Do I look like a guy with a full wallet?"
I bare my teeth, letting him see the glinting whiteness amidst the dark before speaking. "Shut your filthy mouth!" I hiss, pressing the knife even more roughly against his throat, "I'm not after your money. You scream, you say anything that isn't a direct answer to my questions, and I'll give you the closest shave of your life, understand?"
He nods furiously against the knife, almost killing himself in the process, and I relax the blade a little. His prominent Adam's apple reappears over the wickedly sharp blade, and I hear him breathe again, which manages to calm me, slightly. His nose whistles as the air leaves it, and I realize that if I'm going to get anything out of him, I need to reduce his terror somewhat.
"I don't want to kill you," I whisper, "And I won't, if you cooperate. Ok? You'll be fine, and I'll let you go the second you're done answering my questions."
He doesn't move, but his breathing becomes more regular and less frantic, so I take the opportunity to begin.
"Ok, Pinzu," I say, declaring his name to reinforce the fact that I know who he is, "You spread a rumor of some bad information yesterday. It took me all day, but I tracked you down as the source of the rumor. Don't bother denying it, I know its true. What's more, I know that you were told to start that rumor by Sokka of the Water Tribe and his enforcers. This tells me a couple of things. One, you're probably his snitch, if he trusts you to spread rumors, and two, since you're the snitch for the Enforcers, you probably know a lot about the Family. That's what I wanted to have a... conversation... with you about. Don't bother denying anything, and whatever you do, don't lie to me, because even if you get away here, I know who you are, and I know where you live, and I will hunt you down and kill you. Understand?"
He doesn't move.
"Fine then," I hiss, releasing the knife still a little more from his throat, "Who is the leader of the Family, and where does he conduct his business from?"
His mouth quavers as he begins to answer, the tremors carrying through his voice. "That... that ain't no secret, man," he says, and I can hear the beginnings of sobs deep within his throat, "Todhe... Todhe is the guy that calls the shots... As for his business... He does it from Wei-Dai Tower, that old battlement about three miles away from his mansion... And word is there's some major operations goin' down there right now, like some major hits against the government and stuff... Now please, is that all?"
"Not quite," I reply. "What can you tell me about a man named Singe?"
Toph Bei Fong:
As I sit down, relaxing against the couch, the thoughts of the day begin to swirl harshly around my head. Sokka will probably be up and about tomorrow, though weak, and I'll have to tell him about my Father's plot, and we'll have to devise a plan to catch Zuko while keeping the Family at bay and somehow stem the allegations that we were behind the slaughter at the same time....
Ugh, its a lot for one Earthbender.
I swallow, cautiously, seeking to feel out a soreness in my throat that has compounded throughout the day. As I left Sokka's side, I figured it was the legacy left behind by the lump in my throat that bubbled up as he was brought into the hospital, but as the day has worn on, it has worsened and worsened to the point that it hurts significantly if I try to talk.
I swallow again, wincing this time at the fiery streaks of pain that reach down my throat, angry at myself for giving in that much to the pain. I suddenly realize that a glass of water sounds pleasant, and begin to rise to my feet to get one, but a sudden searing pain shrieking from my forehead stops me dead. I fall back against the couch, placing a hand to my head and wincing in shock as I feel the solid wave of heat bubbling from it.
The fuzziness now begins to seem less as a result from the stress and heavy thinking, and much more because of the pain throbbing throughout my head. I realize that I desperately need that drink of water now, and resolutely place my feet against the ground, determined to fight through it and get what I need, but as my bare feet rest against the cold, gritty stone of the floor, a shocking realization flashes through my mind.
I can't feel the vibrations through the floor.
My jaw drops as claustrophobia races through my mind, the vibration-less world suddenly seeming massive and vicious, closing upon me with jaws of darkness. I press the back of a hand against my forehead, feeling the obvious swelter of a fever, and gasping loudly as I realize that my sinuses must be blocked up.
This has happened to me before, when I got sick, but never this severely. My Earthbending and my awareness of my surroundings turned fuzzy and it got really hard to find my way around, but I've never had my sinuses just closed off to the point of true blindness before.
Despite myself, I begin to feel fear..
Have I been pushing myself too hard? The stress has been overwhelming the last couple of days, and it must have weakened my immune system. I recline against the couch, my body feeling light and floaty, as though on a bed of air. Ugh, whatever this is, it came on fast.
Well, I'll have to sleep it off! I've got a lot to do tomorrow, and I can't give in to some sickness now. I let a slight prayer whisper through my head that I'll be able to feel the vibrations against the ground tomorrow. I'll need it.
A/N: Uh oh, Toph is sick! Lol one of the major things that I wanted to convey in this chapter was the toll that all of these events have taken upon Toph. That's why I stayed in her perspective so much, and had her running around in so many different scenes, etc etc etc, so I hope that came across well!
Hahaha, it sucks to be Pinzu, doesn't it?
Also, none of the Fire Nation Loyalists in this one... I wonder what they might be up to...
Well that's all for now! Keep reading!
Superbleh11
Next week: Hell comes in a handbasket to the Fire Nation as Xu's plan begins to take effect. Will Toph's sickness and Sokka's current state affect how the Enforcers are able to deal with it? Intrigue, betrayal, romance and plot twists hit the ground running next week! Mwahahahahahha