Crossroads of Destiny: To Bring Down Ozai
"Duck!"
Aang barely dodged a jagged rock that he had no doubt was meant to decapitate him. He stole a glance at Toph and was relieved to see the Blind Bandit was holding her own.
There's still too many, he thought as he glided trough the oncoming boulders then used a water whip to knock 2 earth benders against each other.
Aang glided out of the way as another boulder attempted to hit him. He turned and saw to his horror that it was headed for Toph. She tried raising an earth wall as a shield but wasn't fast enough. It hit her hard on the back of the head and the boulder she'd raised fell to the ground.
Aang jumped into the air opening his glider and not caring about anything except getting to her.
A few of the soldiers appeared in front of him and Aang started to wonder if they could somehow be cloning themselves.
A whirlwind of fire made everyone stop what they were doing and for the first time, Aang was glad to see the fire bender.
"Need help?"
"A few minutes ago would've been nice.
--
The first thing Toph noticed was the cool dirt around her. Meaning she was in the shade. She felt she was lying on something soft…somebody was holding her.
Am I dreaming?
She sent vibrations to the earth and was surprised at the feedback. There was no mistaking it. Zuko was the one holding her, the vibrations traveled farther and she saw Aang.
Then she heard him.
"Is she ok?"
She felt Zuko stroke her hair, pushing it back from her face before answering.
"She got hit in the head pretty hard but she'll be fine" he said as Toph drifted back asleep.
"It's a good thing you showed up when you did or both of us would be finished"
The banished gazed at the ground. Surprised at the lack of hostility he was receiving from the monk.
"It was nothing"
"It wasn't nothing, it was something. A huge something. Something the size of Appa…"
"Aang" Zuko cut him off getting annoyed. It sometimes surprised him how much of a child the Avatar was.
Then again, he thought, that's just what he, is.
"You're just a child"
"Yeah well, you're just a teenager"
That'd been the first exchange he shred with the monk, more than 2 years ago.
"You saved my life Zuko. Twice" the air bender's soft-spoken voice broke Zuko out of his trance.
Zuko avoided Aang's gaze and took a breath.
Time to deal with this.
"I won't pretend nothing happened in the last 3 years. Or in the last 100 years for that matter. But I can tell you, I've made my choice and once I pick a side I stick to it" He paused and for the first time looked at the monk directly in the eyes.
"I give you my word as a fire bender and swear I will not betray you"
He dropped his gaze to the ground once more, unable to find anything else to say. Aang seemed to take in all of it. Then did something he wouldn't have expected in a 100 years-no pun intended. Bowing his head low so that the arrow seemed to point to the ground and dropping hi guard so that the staff lay at his side harmlessly Aang said the words Zuko and even himself never thought would com from his mouth.
"I know... we haven't exactly been getting along...and I haven't cut you much slack and I'm sorry but...Id be honored if you became my teacher"
Zuko nodded and just like that, everything that had happened before seemed to be buried in the past-something that both benders knew how to do well. Because a lot had happened since that first encounter. And Zuko could admit that they had both been wrong. Aang wasn't just a child and Zuko wasn't just a teenager. They'd started out as benders with opposite yet tightly intertwined fates. Now, years since that encounter, they were working together, the 2 missions having become one.
To bring down Ozai.
There had never been another choice for either of them Zuko mused. Aang had been born the Avatar, never truly just a child. And Zuko'd been born a prince, destined to out rule his father. There was no way to fulfill they're destinies unless they worked along side each other.
No way out of it, after al it's all about the mission.
"Zuko?"
'"Huh?"
The air bender rolled his eyes and Zuko wondered just how he could go from serious to goofball in 5 seconds flat.
"I said we should head back" said goofball said "I mean if they know where we are we should keep on the move
"Right" Zuko said, putting Toph on his back and headed towards the cave. Aang followed on his glider.
"So when's my first lesson gonna be? I mean I suppose pretty early in the morning since fire benders rise with the sun"
Zuko tried not to get annoyed by the stupid saying he'd heard every morning growing up that he didn't want to wake up in the morning which was pretty much every morning o f his life but couldn't help rolling his eyes.
"Not all of them." He said trying to keep the annoyance in his voice to a bare minimum "What time do you usually get up?" he asked hoping he could get in a few more hours' sleep.
"Few minutes after sunrise"
You're kidding.
Zuko half smiled and rolled his eyes.
"You'd make more of a fire bender than I would if the saying were true" he said "I hate getting up in the morning"
Aang laughed"You're a lot like Sokka" he said.
Zuko frowned at being compared to Boomerang boy.
"Aang..."
"Huh?"
"We just made peace. Don't ruin it"
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"What was that?"
Four heads turned to glare at Sokka for about the fifth time that day
"What?!" he half-whispered half-yelled "I heard something"
"What's the plan anyway?" Toph asked rubbing her head grumpily, Katara had healed the bump in her head but it still hurt.
"We're looking for a back exit out of here" Zuko whispered his annoyance grew and he had to keep himself in check to stop the flame he was holding from burning his hand.
"Toph you can send vibrations ahead to see if there's a back way out and even if there isn't you and Aang can make one. Plus it's an idea to know the lay about of the cave in case the earth benders come again"
"Why couldn't we just fly off on Appa?" Sokka asked impatiently. Zuko turned to face him giving him an annoyed glare
"We're being sneaky" he said, come to thin of it they should've just done that
"Yeah well …" Sokka started again
"Oh and Sokka' he added for good measure "Being quiet, is a big part of being sneaky"
Suddenly Katara felt Zuko push her out of the way and flinch she looked up at the prince questionably and was surprised to se an arrow sticking out of his shoulder. It was an ambush, about 20 of them but only 6 of them actually visible, the rest was hiding
"Man isn't one ambush enough!" Toph said getting in a stance, Katara who was once again on her feet took out her water whip and Sokka stood beside her boomerang at ready. But before anyone could do anything Aang got in between.
"Get out of the way twinkle toes!"
Wait!"
"Aang" Katara asked "What's going on?"
But Aang didn't say anything. He'd seen how the arrow hit Zuko had seen where it had come from. But it couldn't be. Could it? But then... what other explanation was ther?
"They're air benders"
AN: And with that revelation I bid you farewell -until next chapter at least. I have to get going on my other fics before I get flamed by Martin Mystery and Wildfire fans!
Now for some reviews….whish seem to be slowing down….hmmm…
First off..
air maiden: PLEASE MAKE THIS TAANG! It seems like it can be Taang. Also, please make it Zutara. So it can be Zutara, Taang, and Sokka with whoever like Suki or Ty- Lee or anyone. Love the story! I wonder what's going to happen to Toph and Aang? :0
Ace7: Heh you'll just have to read to find out. I can tell you this. This is NOT a Zuko-Toph fic(makes a face) yuck. No they'll be good friends maybe kinda like brother and sister but that's it as for Sokka(evil smile) I've got my plans for him….big plans.
Next up:
Kinkatia:
If you weren't having to update in secret, I'd totally beta for you. If you want me to anyway, I'll do it!
And wow...
Toph must have been pretty distracted to not notice all those earth-benders coming...
Ace7: Thank you I think Ill take you up on that I mean I doubt I can get grounded for checking my mail and Ive got all my passwords up… yeah would you mind being my beta? Its kinda hard to mind grammar when yopve got one eye on the window.
…and yeah as anyone with a brother knows when youre yelling at a guy and youre rally mad all you can think of is how much you want said guy to feel your wrath….maybe its with all guys…
Ja ne…anyways that's why Toph didn't see it coming
Next up is another top writer
Ranger24: Triratna, what is that?
Crap those two are in trouble aren't they
Ace7: YA THINK?!
Triratna:
The Three Jewels, also called the Three Treasures, the Three Refuges, or the Triple Gem, are the three things that Buddhists take refuge in, and look toward for guidance, in the process known as taking refuge.
I just figured since Aang and the other monks were modeled after Buddhist monks it wouldn't work if he said "for the love of God". Actually I figured that when I tried to have him say it and It just didn't feel right.
To find out more about this go o wikipedia.
Now on to…
AvatarKiba1001: Not to stereotype or anything, but is your dad German, by aby chance? Or a Christian anti-anything-that-opposes/mocks-God kind of guy? 'Cuz from the way you talk about him, that's the kind of vibe I'm getting here.
This is pretty good. Humanizing Azula, Zuko/Toph bonding, Zutara; all great elements for a great 'Avatar' story.
I'd also like to point out that I was working on something like this for awhile, but I just couldn't get enough emotion, so I scrapped it myself.
Ace7:LOL No we're not German…actually we're Spanish which may explain why I'm laughing. picturing my dad with a German accent on top of our Spanish one just made me crack up.
Nah he's on the latter category(Christian anti-anything-that-opposes/mocks-God kind of guy) I guess he's just worried about me?...I dunno whatever…hes one of my best friends and I'll have to share him with God and respect ho he feels about it. My writings just a tension between us so I don't bring it up.
And thank you! I knew it was good but not that it was great!...
Great not Awesome?
LOL.. just kidding…kinda…haven't played that game since I was….actually since last month
Too bad you didn't finish yours I would've liked to read it.
…by the way cool name.