Here, have this. :D
Disclaimer: I don't own Avatar. I don't know why I don't, I just don't. And I'm not making profit off this. So there.
Aang sat quietly on the wooden steps, staring out over a trodden village. People slogged through the streets, some lost in their grief, others working for some semblance of order. Aang knew that his duties as the Avatar demanded that he help these people out, but his body still felt weakened by the drugs. He was afraid that if he stood, he'd fall flat on his face. It had taken an effort just to drag himself to the stairs.
Still, just the sight of Aang seemed to lift some spirits. Aang tried his best not to let his own thoughts reflect on his expression. People passed him, and hope spurred up in them, a sense of purpose springing up in their step. If he looked as hopeless and defeated as he felt at that moment...
Casually Aang grazed his fingers against the cold metal that wrapped his neck in an embrace. No idea had yet come to him on how to remove the device. After the reaction it had had when the Avatar state had emerged, Aang didn't want to imagine what would happen if he attempted to remove the collar forcibly. The image of a very slow, very painful death sprung to his mind, and he shivered. He would have to try and find someone who could remove the device. Someone who belonged to whatever group of people these men in black formed. If there was enough order to call it a group. They certainly seemed chaotic.
Added to the hopelessness was a measure of shame. Nowhere in the legends of the Avatars had there been any mention of an Avatar losing their powers. Indeed, that stripped an Avatar of everything he was. Without them, Aang was just another man - not one equipped to keep the world in balance, or protect the innocent. Sure, he had his skills in diplomacy and peace keeping, but they weren't extraordinary. Deep in his heart he felt he had failed his ancestors, made a mockery of their name. Imagine, an Avatar that couldn't bend. Aang snorted.
The creaking of wood behind him alerted Aang to another presence. Turning, he saw Sokka standing over him, holding a small tray. He set the tray down beside Aang and sat down on its other side.
"So..." Sokka said, grabbing one of the two bowls on the tray. They both contained even portions of plain oatmeal. Small portions. The storehouses had probably been destroyed - he guessed in tight times even Sokka could rein in his appetite.
"So..." Aang repeated. He grabbed the other bowl, but instead of eating simply turned his spoon over in the oatmeal. He didn't feel hungry.
Sokka swallowed his mouthful, jabbing his spoon at Aang's neck. "The collar. It stops your bending? Completely?"
Aang nodded. "I can't even stir up a breeze." Rather than focus on what he already knew, Aang decided to tackle a different subject. "Sokka, what happened yesterday?"
"When? Before you arrived or... after you exploded?" Sokka asked, not bothering to clear his mouth this time.
"Both."
"Well," Sokka pondered a moment. "Those firebending guys just sort of showed up and started torching the place. Only eight of them or so. They came on these really freaky lizard things. They didn't really tell us why they came."
"Me..." Aang interrupted. Sokka gave him a confused look. "When I tried to question one of them, they said they were here to capture me. Then they slapped this collar around my neck. They were prepared..."
"Oh, right," mused Sokka. "That would make sense. Well, not really, but it gives us something, right?" Sokka attempted to look hopeful. "Anyway, after you showed up and got collared, you sort of... went bang. It was loud. Like, really loud. It stunned everyone in the vicinity. Probably saved my life. Thanks for that, by the way. You collapsed and started seizuring on the ground. Suki grabbed some kind of relaxing drug, and you stopped."
"What about the firebenders? Did you capture any?" Aang asked. He doubted it, if the firebender he'd encountered the morning before was any indication.
"No. I took out the two that attacked us after the bang - I recovered faster than they did. And Suki took one out. You had two of them trapped in the earth. They're still there, by the way, but they're dead. And the others... well..."
Aang glanced up at Sokka's pause. It wasn't often that Sokka trailed off like that - when he did, you knew it was something important. "What happened?" Aang asked.
"Well, a couple of the others were killed by the other Kyoshi warriors. But Ty Lee had suppressed one, and was asking him why they were here. She says he sort of started foaming at the mouth, then died." Sokka shook his head. "It's kind of freaky."
Sighing, Aang recounted his own encounter the morning before. Sokka took it in silently, nodding slowly. When Aang was finished, he let out a low whistle. "Well," he said. "They're definitely related. Aang, somebody wants you, and they want you bad."
"Uhh..." Sokka's sentence sent Aang's mind straight to the gutter. Blushing, he shook his head vigorously. This was serious! He would never get used to this puberty thing. "Yeah. That's what I'm afraid of."
Suddenly Aang remembered he hadn't told Sokka the reason he had come out to Kyoshi Island to begin with. "Azula!" he exclaimed.
Sokka looked at him as though he had lost a marble or two. "Uhh, no Aang. Azula's in the Fire Nation dungeons, remember?"
"No, she isn't," Aang explained. "That's why I came here. Azula escaped. About a week ago. We were worried about everyone, so I came out here to make sure Azula hadn't come and attacked you or something."
"I haven't seen her," Sokka said. "Are the others okay?"
"Katara is. I saw her yesterday morning. I was planning on heading out to Ba Sing Se next to make sure Iroh was alright. And Toph..." Aang frowned. Come to think of it, he didn't know where Toph was.
Sokka's face seemed to fall at the mention of the earthbender's name. Jumping to his feet, he raced into the house. Aang followed him with his gaze. A moment later Sokka returned and dropped a bracelet in Aang's hands. The bracelet Toph had made from the remaining meteor rock.
Aang turned the bracelet over in his hands before looking up at Sokka. He was staring reminiscently at the ground. "Why do you have this?" Aang asked slowly.
"Toph stopped by here on her way to her parents," Sokka replied. "That's where she should be now. I sort of made a remark about her parents that she didn't take right. We ended up getting in a pretty bad argument. Then she threw that at me and stormed off. Nearly took off my head, it did." He sighed. "Take that with you and give it to her when you see her. And tell her I'm sorry?"
"Yeah..." Aang said. He slipped the bracelet into a pocket in his pants.
"Now," Sokka said, his mood visibly lifting. "About that collar. If Azula's escaped, and these men showed up and started attacking the village, you think maybe they're related? Nothing like this," Sokka motioned at the scorched houses and buildings around them, "hasn't happened since Ozai fell. It can't be a coincidence."
"Maybe. I was thinking about it myself," Aang replied. "I don't know if she would have had any time to organize anything after she escaped. Not like this."
"This wasn't really organized," Sokka replied. "A dozen firebenders burning things to try to get to you. Also, how would they have known you would be here. Azula might have guessed that you would have stopped by as soon as you heard she was gone, but that might be too farfetched."
Aang nodded. The two events did seem to be connected somehow. "I wonder then..." Aang said thoughtfully. He rose from the stairs - and nearly did a header into the dirt. Sokka grabbed him, steadying him with an arm.
"What?" Sokka asked curiously.
Aang began to walk back into the house, leaning on Sokka to stay balanced. "I need to send a letter to Zuko. He should know about my new... predicament," Aang explained. "He would want to hear about it. And he has people out looking for Azula, and gathering as much information as possible. Maybe one of them will stumble upon something helpful."
"It's worth a try," Sokka admitted. "I'll grab some paper, and Hawky. Just... sit tight." He lowered Aang down onto one of the nearby chairs at the table and disappeared down a hall. Aang sighed. The effort that it had taken to walk that short distance was unnerving.
Rather than Sokka reappearing around the corner, it was Suki that greeted him, a small smile on her face. She was wearing her Kyoshi warrior clothes, though her face paint and headdress was absent.
"Morning, Aang," she said warmly. "How are you feeling?"
"Like my legs are made of mud," Aang replied honestly. He flicked his choker with a finger. "And not overly amused."
"I wish I could help," Suki shrugged. She patted Aang's shoulder comfortingly. "I'm sure Sokka will think of something."
The man in question returned from the depths of the house bearing a roll of parchment, a brush and inkwell, and a sleeping messenger hawk. He placed all but the latter on the table in front of Aang.
"Okay. Here you go. I'll be back in a few," Sokka said quickly, rushing back down the hall he had just emerged from. Aang and Suki both watched him go with curious looks.
Deciding that he'd discover Sokka's intentions later, Aang turned to the parchment. Dipping the brush in ink, he began to write out a hasty letter to Zuko:
Zuko
I'm writing from Kyoshi Island. The island was attacked by a number of men clad in all black. One said that they were here for me. I was also attacked on the way to Kyoshi Island by another man in black, riding some sort of lizard beast. While on Kyoshi they put a metal collar thing on me that suppresses both my bending and my Avatar state. Want to let you know in case one of your people find something. Sokka thinks the men might be related to Azula.
(Suki placed Aang's bowl of oatmeal on the table beside him. He thanked her before continuing:)
Katara is fine and well protected. I'm heading for Ba Sing Se as soon as possible. Maybe your uncle knows something about this. Will write from there.
Good Luck
Aang
Aang scribbled his signature to prove that the letter was indeed from him before setting the brush down. Frowning, he quickly reread what he had written, then blew hard on it, forcing the ink dry. It would still smear a little when he rolled it up, but hopefully it would be legible.
Rolling the parchment, he tied it to Hawky's leg. The messenger hawk woke with a squawk, then stared at Aang expectantly. "Er... Take it to Zuko. The Fire Lord." The hawk took off from the table, soaring gracefully out the door and into the morning sun.
Aang picked up his bowl of oatmeal and began to munch on it while waiting for Sokka to return. Suki joined him with her own bowl, eating in silence. It was good oatmeal - not overly special, but well made. He was just scraping the bottom of the bowl with his spoon when Sokka returned, lugging a sword behind him.
"What's that for?" Aang asked curiously. Sokka approached him and handed the sword over. Taking it hesitantly, Aang nearly fell out of the chair from it's weight.
"For you. Since you don't have your bending, you need a way to defend yourself, right?" Sokka beamed. "You'll get the hang of it quickly."
"Uhh..." Aang was struggled just to keep the sword above the ground. His reply came in a strained voice, "Thanks, but... I think my staff will do."
Suki burst into laughter from her spot across the table. Aang finally let the sword drop to the ground. "What?" both he and Sokka said simultaneously.
"I... just..." she shook her head, hiding her face in her hands. Her shoulders shook with silent mirth.
Shrugging, Sokka turned back to Aang. "I'm coming with you then. We should go now. Iroh might know something about that collar."
Aang stood, leaning on the table for support. "Thanks, but your place is here. These people need you to help rebuild."
"But I'm not-"
"He's right, Sokka," Suki interjected, her voice still edged with her laughter. "The old mayor is a great leader, but we'll need someone like you to help get things back on track. Plus, if they come back..." That thought sapped the mirth out of her.
"Oh..." Sokka sighed. "But... Aang can't travel on his own. Not if people are after him. And... oh!" For the fourth time, Sokka disappeared, this time out the front door. Aang turned to Suki for a hint as to what Sokka had planned this time.
Instead of the confused reply he expected, Suki was grinning. "Ty Lee," she said simply.
"Ty Lee?" Aang parroted. Sure enough, a few minutes later Sokka returned with the bubbly girl in tow. She was wearing a slim, pink outfit that allowed her to move with ease.
"Oh, hi, Aang!" Ty Lee said, running across the room. She grabbed Aang, pulling him into a tight hug. "It's so good to see you again. Sokka told me everything."
"Ugn!" Aang grunted as the wind was pushed out of him. "Good to see you too, Ty Lee." The girl let go and backed away, standing beside Sokka expectantly.
Aang rose to his feet, using the table as a support. "I suppose we should go as soon as possible, then," he said. He stumbled over to where his staff leaned against the wall and used it as a walking stick. "I want to get to Iroh by tomorrow. Even if he doesn't know anything about this choker, he should know what to do."
"Assuming he's still alive," Sokka pointed out. Suki, who had left the table to stand on Sokka's other side, smacked his arm with her hand. "What?" he said incredulously.
Aang hugged them both, thanking them for their hospitality and wishing them luck with the rebuilding. He expressed his regret that he couldn't help, but both of them waved it off. With a last goodbye he exited the house, Ty Lee walking beside him. Appa was already just outside the house, waiting patiently for Aang. The Sky Bison moaned happily at the sight of Aang, nuzzling him gently in the shoulder.
With a little help from Ty Lee, Aang climbed onto Appa's head. He waited for his friend to settle in the saddle, and then sent Appa into the air. They rose high above the smouldering ruins of Kyoshi Island. With a sigh, Aang turned his attention forward, toward Ba Sing Se. His trip had just gotten a whole lot more interesting.
Toph drew her sword, facing the giant Canyon Crawler before her. She could see the beast with her feet as though it were made of stone, watch as it felt the air with its tongue. She held a solid stance, waiting for her enemy to attack. It stared at her, growling hungrily.
It shifted forward, bringing a large claw down atop Toph. Toph raised her sword and sliced through the thick claw as she leaped high into the air. With a cry she brought her sword down, and felt it tear through the Crawler's thick carapace. She slid down its side, letting her sword slice cleanly through one of the Crawler's many hearts. The cliff walls shook as it screeched in pain.
As she landed she saw the crawler begin to morph. It shimmered and distorted as it swelled into something larger, more menacing. As it grew, its wounds closed, and it let out a terrible roar. Toph swung her sword at its leg, but the cut disappeared before her sword even finished its arc.
Toph bent the earth, pulling herself back to a safe distance. Then she shifted her body forward, against the ground. A gigantic slab of earth rose into the air, floating dangerously above the new creature's head. It roared at the sight, but before it could move Toph let the slab fall. It shattered over the beasts' head. With a piercing cry it evaporated into the air, leaving behind only its stench.
Smiling, Toph sheathed her sword and stood proudly. Suddenly people cheered all aroud her, calling out her name, praising her almighty powers. She revelled in their worship, punching the air for show. She was the best - a mightiest warrior and earthbender around. She could do anything. Defeat anything. She-
Suddenly everything stopped. She was surrounded by dust, remnants of the glory that had been all around her a moment ago. Then the dust changed, dropping heavily to the ground. It soaked Toph. Blood. Memories of her past leapt to her mind. She was dreaming. A nightmare. She had to get out.
Death swallowed her in an instant, and she was floating in emptiness. Nothing surrounded her. She was alone. Then not. Flies orbited her, hundreds of them. Their buzzing filled her head. She screamed, and felt them approach. As they landed on her skin, they morphed, changing into spiders. Legs tore through her flesh as they crawled along her body. Claws. Pain, oh the pain. She-
Hot sunlight welcomed Toph as she sat up with a cry of fear. Once again a cold sweat drenched her clothes, and she was shaking uncontrollably. With a deep sigh she felt the memories of the nightmare begin to fade from her mind. Sucking in air, tears began to fall down her cheeks. Her body ached from the shaking, and the fresh burn on her arm throbbed painfully. Thoughts of her parents filled her mind to replace those of the nightmare. Oh, god, Toph moaned in her mind. She had to fight herself from letting the tears turn into sobs. There was only so much she could take.
Reminding herself that she had to be strong, that her parents could still be alive - a small hope, but hope nonetheless - Toph wiped her eyes and straightened. She felt Qin looming over her, his hand resting lightly on her knee. She gave her head a shake to clear it, then smiled where she thought he was kneeling. She had to keep it together, for both their sakes. She couldn't let Azula get to her.
"Morning," Toph said as casually as she could. Despite the warm air, she rubbed her bare arms with her hands. They felt cold. Her head, on the other hand, was hot - too much so. She desperately hoped she wasn't coming down with a fever.
"Are you okay?" Qin's quavering voice asked. His hand slid from her knee, and she heard him lean back against the cage bars. "I..."
"I'm fine. Why wouldn't I be?" As though that wasn't obvious. She would have been worried stiff had someone woken up the way she had.
Qin was silent for a moment. "Azula..." he mumbled, then, in a whisper, "she did something to you. With firebending, I think. You started to twitch in your dream, so I tried to wake you up. It was... hard."
Toph frowned. "Did something?" she asked curiously. With firebending? That was more vague than some of Iroh's advice.
"Yeah. She cut herself, and then her fire turned all green. It was really weird," Qin recounted.
That didn't help much, Toph thought with a mental sigh. Aloud she said, "Green, eh? What's the difference?" She shot Qin a teasing smile.
"Uh-huh. Funny." Qin didn't sound overly amused. Toph's smile disappeared - it hadn't been a real smile anyway. With a groan, Toph began to stretch her limbs, working out the kinks and trying to help take some of the ache away.
As she stretched, her hand ran along her arm. The feel of her bracelet was still imprinted on her wrist - a constant reminder that she could be free had she only kept the moon-rock with her. Toph pressed a palm against her forehead, feeling another headache coming on. The memory of her fight with Sokka ran clear in her mind.
"Right." Sokka said, his voice sounding annoyingly sarcastic. Toph felt her fist clench, fighting back the urge to deck her friend. "Your parents are just going to welcome you back with open arms, all giddy to see you again."
"I didn't say that!" Toph snapped, her voice rising. Sokka was really starting to get on her nerves. She had stopped by to visit him on her way to her parents so that she could get some friendly support, not discouragement and criticism.
She heard Sokka shift his weight on the creaky floorboards. "Think about it, Toph," he said almost scornfully. "The last time you saw your parents they were overbearing and pissy. And your dad sent those people after you. Who locked you in a _metal cage_. I just don't think you should go alone."
"I'll be fine," Toph retorted, crossing her arms. "I can take care of myself. This is something I have to do alone, Sokka."
"I don't see why you have to do this at all."
Toph snorted. "So you would just have me forget I have parents at all?"
"Why not? They were horrible parents anyway."
"Screw you!" In a flare of anger, Toph bent her bracelet off her hand and sent it flying in Sokka's direction. She heard a very satisfying yelp. This was ridiculous! Was Sokka even listening to what he was saying?
With a huff, Toph spun on her heels and stormed out the door. Behind her, she heard Sokka shouting an apology, but she ignored him.
Toph sighed and let her back rest against the wooden bars. Now she wished she had listened to Sokka - though not for the reasons he had given. Had she not gone alone, she probably wouldn't be in the mess she was in right now. At the very least, she would still have her bracelet. She couldn't believe she had let Sokka get under her skin like that...
Oh well, it was too late to do anything about it now. She would have to apologize for lashing out at him next time she saw him - he had only been trying to help, after all. Maybe he had just had a bad day, and was-
Suddenly the cage lurched to a stop. Toph moved cautiously to the center of the cage, steeling herself for anything. What was Azula up to now? Another prisoner?
"What's going on?" Toph whispered to Qin. He didn't reply. The creaking of the cage door told Toph that someone was there.
In a sudden rush of adrenaline Toph shot forward, launching herself in the direction the creaking had come from. She felt herself fall into the air and awaited the glorious impact of the ground. Could it really be that easy? She heard Azula laugh, heard Qin shout her name.
Her shoulder slammed into something, but the lack of bending vibrations told her it wasn't earth. Groaning, Toph hastily pushed herself onto her feet. A sharp pain tore through the shoulder she had landed on, and she gasped. Of course. I land on my hurt shoulder... She gripped her arm, her teeth clenched.
"We've arrived," Azula said, her laughter echoing throughout the room. Toph ran her bare feet along the hard floor beneath her and cursed. More wood. Where the hell was she?
Phew. Well, there it is. Thanks for all the reviews (seriously, thanks!), and hopefully I'll see you again next week!