I Need To Find Myself
Song Inspired: Secret Garden- Song from a Secret Garden
*There is a revelation in this chapter, even if it's not mentioned…*
On the eve of Aang's wedding, a young, expectant mother and a Former General were disembarking from an Earth Kingdom ship that docked in the Fire Nation harbor. The young mother-to-be cradled her growing belly as the former Fire Nation general generously carried her things; both walking alongside one another as they proceeded to walk onto the crowded dock. Both friends observed her surroundings; so many people were disembarking from their ships, all of them arriving simultaneously to the Fire Nation for the very same reason as the passenger next to them. The young water bender looked around in awe while her hands remained nestled on her lower stomach; she could see from a distance the wild festivities that were taking place from within the great Nation, and what a magnificent sight it was. Beautifully exotic Fire Nation décor adorned the streets of the Main Plaza from afar while ritualistic dances moved in unison with the folkloric melodies that were being sung emitted from the horizon; blazing displays of torch dances illuminated the flooded streets within the plaza with deep reds, crimson and orange as people cheered in great celebration. The young water bender looked around her; so many joyous faces, young an old, rich and poor, all sorts of people of different backgrounds and nations, people of a variety of beliefs, all huddled together amongst the multitude to have the chance to witness an even that happens just once in a lifetime: To see the Avatar wed.
The very thought of the young Avatar making eternal vows with someone else was one that generated a loathsome feeling from within the young water bender's gut; how she didn't want to be a part of that multitude, and how she wished it she stood within the shelter of her small room above the infamous Jasmine Dragon in Earth Kingdom instead of forcing herself to sit through what she considered to be a nightmare turned reality. But, she knew it was the right thing to attend the history making event; after all, she and the Avatar were still friends, and the least she could do as an old friend is show her support, even if her heart ached in doing so.
The Former General readjusted the young water bender's bags over his shoulder as they carved their way into the crowd; careful not to lose sight of one another as they made their way past the enormous flood of people, "Katara, keep close to me; I swear, it's as if these people have never attended a wedding before!" exclaimed Iroh sarcastically; rolling his eyes as he struggled to have his voice heard over the widespread echoes, hustles and bustles that blanketed the surrounding ambiance. He then stopped for a moment; turning his head to face the young water bender as the gentle breeze lifted the loose strands of grays from the root of his receding hairline.
Iroh bent towards the young water bender's ear, "Katara, it looks as if there's no way for us to get by all of these people without any physical contact. Hold onto my robe and I'll make a way for us to get through!" yelled Iroh.
Katara nodded compliantly as she grabbed hold of the Former Fire Nation General's soft, cotton robe, while her free hand grabbed on tightly to her lower abdomen; "Alright." said Katara with an intent expression in her eyes, gesturing the Fire Nation native to proceed with his plan.
Iroh nodded in agreement as his gaze then became fixed on the harbor's exit; clapping his hands together as he positioned the tips of his fingers towards the only way out of his festive mess. With one deep breath, the Former General relaxed his state of mind as he began to walk into the lively crowd; making a passage for the young water bender to safely maneuver past the active swarm of travelers.
As Iroh spread a path with his bare hands for Katara to walk through the populous harbor, the young, expectant mother couldn't resist the urge to think of the other purpose to her attendance; a reasoning in which she thought long and hard about, and was determined to achieve. That very motive plagued her like a festering sore bubbling from beneath her very skin, while anxiousness began to settle in the very pit of her stomach. As the Former General continued to lead the young water bender out of harm's way, her eyes drifted casually to the far outreach of the harbor; and on that very edge of the entryway to the buzzing square, she was unexpectedly reminded of the very necessity she knows she will never have the opportunity to experience because of her very motive. There, before her eyes she saw a beautiful, and very pregnant, woman in the distance with a long braid that reached her midsection; walking into the busy plaza alongside the father of her expectant child, their fingers interlaced with one another's as an enamoring aura emitted from their entrancing embrace. The enchanting sight was just too painful for the ebony beauty to witness; for she could see their joy and unity in their harmonic gesture, and the love they each harbored for one another in their eyes. A tear escaped her lower eyelid as she bit her lip and forced herself to look away; her hand still gripped tightly on her protruding belly as Iroh carried on his journey to lead them both out of the busy harbor. The young water bender knew she was making the right decision, but how it ached her heart to contemplate what she was about to profess to the person she traveled so far to speak to. Nevertheless, she was tenacious about her decision, and was determined to make things right with him once and for all; she knew she had to confess to this person and was aware that this was the way things were supposed to be. But how the tension intensified within her with every step she took into the Fire Nation, and how just the thought of how she was going to go about it was enough to make the young water bender quiver with dread.
Suddenly, a voice emanated from the far outskirts of the enormous crowd; breaking her from her profound reflection.
"Katara!" yelled the voice.
The Former General and the water bender stopped in their tracks, while the expectant mother shuddered at the familiar tone of voice; for she knew who the person that was calling her was. She looked far along the very edge of the entrance to the harbor to see the person she traveled so far to talk to, the person she was both earnest and fearful to talk to; her lover: Lee.
A bittersweet smile reflected from the young water bender's lips as she waved in return; her gesture catching the former general's attention.
Iroh turned his concentration to the object of Katara's attention; that is when he spotted the young man he knew to be the young water bender's lover, jumping enthusiastically in the air so as to get a better view of them from within the ever growing melting pot of people. A worried expression settled in the Former General's eyes as he continued to force himself and the expectant mother through the crowd; while Katara's hand held protectively onto her subtle, yet obvious pregnancy bump.
"Katara." whispered Iroh as he continued to make his way past the crowd.
Katara hummed in question as she followed the Former General away from the rapidly growing multitude.
"You have my support…you know that." said Iroh warmly as he gestured a compassionate glance with his peripheral vision.
Katara's eyes began to glisten as a broken smile emanated from her lips, "I know…" said Katara quietly.
Lee saw the two friends struggling to get through the colossal horde that flocked the busy harbor and rapidly jogged towards their position; pushing and shoving his way into the monstrous crowd.
"Hang on Katara; I'm coming!" yelled Lee as he attempted to pave a way for the expectant mother and the Former General to pass along by without risking herself from getting hurt by the absentminded crowd.
But Iroh was already ahead of the young Fire Nation native; already having carved a way for the two of them as they both came out of the giant clump of visitors from the harbor; her hand still lovingly holding on to her small belly bump as if she were personally carrying her precious cargo with her own bare hands.
A giant wave of relief rippled through Lee as he saw his girlfriend emerge from the vast swarm of foreigners; running frantically towards her as if he were rescuing her from her own demise.
Katara grinned at the sight of her lover; quickly gathering her composure as she let go of her hold on Iroh's robe and slowly walked towards him, her hands extended open as she readied herself for his embrace.
With her arms barely opened, Lee finally reached the young water bender. He tenderly grabbed her waist and pulled her body close to his with his left hand; careful not to hold her too tight around her midsection while his other hands gently grasped the back of her neck, adoringly holding her close to him as if she were to some way slip through his hold. Katara willingly returned his gesture; enveloping her arms affectionately around his neck as if it were the last time she were to ever hold him, and for just that moment, she forgot about the difficult decision she was about to act upon that very night.
Lee then loosened his embrace; his eyes staring dreamily into the water bender's captivating deep blues as he gently passed his fingers through the expectant mother's dark locks, "I'm so glad you guys could make it." said Lee as his focus then drifted to the Former General, "How was the trip?" asked Lee.
Iroh shrugged his shoulders as he overlapped his lower lip on top of his upper, "Mmm…it was alright; Katara had a little motion sickness, but it wasn't anything too severe. It was a decent trip." answered Iroh as he grinned cheesily to the Fire Nation Native.
A wave of relief coated the young water bender's lover, "Ahhh, that's great; I was getting quite worried about you guys when your ship didn't arrive on time." said Lee as he lovingly massaged his lover's neck.
Iroh scoffed, "Yeah, tell me about it." answered Iroh as he crossed his arms in annoyance, "The stupid ship didn't arrive on time because of the immense amount of people that are flocking to the same place at the same time. I spoke to the captain, and he said his ship has been traveling, hear this, NON STOP for the past week just bringing people into the Fire Nation alone." explained Iroh as he nodded his head in disagreement, "I'm surprised the land isn't completely overflown from its edges with people." chuckled Iroh; his belly jiggling in reaction to every giggle that escaped his mouth.
Lee laughed lightly as the glowing spectacle that was taking place from within the busy square enhanced his ember colored eyes, "Yeah, I guess I could see how that would be feasible." said Lee as he placed his free hand on his waist; turning his attention once again to the young water bender he called his woman, "Are you up to exploring the town a bit? There's a serious jamboree going on in there and I figured that maybe you'd want to check it out?" asked Lee as he lightly shook the water bender by the shoulder while his free hand pointed towards the lively celebration taking place from within the Main Plaza.
Katara's eyes met with his; a momentary silence between them as he patiently awaited her answer. Her focus then quickly looked towards Iroh's direction; a hard expression in his eyes as he returned her a reassuring smile, almost as if subconsciously rooting for her and her intent.
Lee however, remained oblivious to their brief visual communication; anticipating an acceding answer from the young water bender, "Katara?" asked a kind Lee.
Katara snapped out of her visual grasp on Iroh's amber colored eyes as she turned her focus to the man that was ardently anticipating her answer; gazing into her lover's sharp eyes as a weak smiled formed from her lips, "I'm not feeling…up to it tonight, Lee." said Katara, "How's about we just spend the night in your home instead?" asked Katara as she timidly rubbed the back of her arm.
Lee nodded in agreement as he wrapped his arm around the expectant mother's neck and leaned into her ear, "Whatever you want." whispered Lee as he gently placed his warm, soft lips over her cheek; affectionately pecking her on the cheek.
Unbeknown to the young Fire Nation man, Katara's eyes squint when his lips made contact with her skin. The guilt building inside of her for what she was about to do that very night was just so immense for the young water bender, and she found herself struggling to keep her composure.
"H-h-how's about the three of us head back to your place now? I need to put my feet up; they're kind of sore." said Katara distressingly as she placed the palm of her hand over the small of her back
Iroh quickly interceded, "Yes, why don't we all just cash in for the night? It was a long and exhausting trip for her especially; she needs her rest. Besides, we have all of tomorrow to celebrate." suggested Iroh as he chuckled nervously.
Lee smiled sweetly to the Former Fire Nation General, "You're right; We all need our rest for tomorrow. After all, it's going to be a HUUUUGE event; we need to recollect our energy for that." said Lee as he spread his hand across his face idealistically, "So, tonight we rest and tomorrow we party; because tomorrow, THE AVATAR'S GETTING MARRIED!" yelled Lee excitedly as he energetically pumped his fist in the air like a meat head jock; hooting and hollering as he continuously swung his fist in a circular motion. The surrounding crowd soon followed suit to the young Fire Nation man's hysteria with a thunderous cheer of its own. The multitude became fired up as every individual cheered to the historical matrimony that was about to take place the following day; acrobats soaring through the air while Fire Benders showed their breathtaking displays of talent throughout the darkened sky.
But unknown to the exuberant Lee, the Former General stood his ground; not a cheer, not a holler, only silence emitted from him as he watched the young Fire Nation man remain aloof to his lover's dejection.
On the far edge of the Fire Nation Capital, the young Avatar stood barefoot on the sand in front of his lover's home while he held his traditional monk shoes with the tips of his fingers; wearing nothing but his trousers as the warm, spring breeze grazed his bare, night-bathed skin. The young Avatar watched on as the giant hubbub took place within the main Fire Nation Plaza; a golden orange halo of light emanating from within the heart of the Main Plaza as it softly blended with the darkness of the evening sky, while small specs of white shimmered from within the darkest outreach of the horizon. He knew what all the festivity was about; everyone was cheerful, everyone was celebrating, everyone was joyous and merry about his upcoming nuptials, everyone, but him…
"*sigh*…tomorrow's the day, the day that will mark the resssst of my life…" whispered Aang solemnly to himself as the calm wind kissed the base of his neck; the light of the crescent moon reflecting from his solemn gaze.
Aang raised his chin to the air; breathing in the clean air as if trying to soothe his troubles with the crisp breeze that momentarily caressed him.
Even on the eve of the most momentous moment in his life, all he could think about was the ebony water bender that hailed from the southern water tribe; that young woman that grabbed his heart and ran with it, that woman that bustled through his mind every single second of every day. That dark skinned beauty with the mystical blue eyes was all he could think about, and was all he wanted to think about; for just the thought of her being happy is the only consolation he has in the decision he has made to proceed with this madness. Aang looked on as the crescent moon embellished the dusk atmosphere; illuminating the ocean below its eternal grasp as the tides swayed gracefully with its pull.
As Aang watched the waved go back and forth; he found himself thinking of that fateful night he spent with her. The sensuous thrusts he made into her body mimicked those very waved he was watching, moving back and forth, pushing and pulling as if they were simulating their erotic moment purposefully in front of him. He remembered her mesmerizing, deep blue gazing into his with great need; hungrily watching him as he fervently loved her while the motion of her naked body flowed steadily in unison with his own. He could still hear her moans, her yelps and screams echoing through his mind as his own soft groans intertwined with her sobs and cries of pleasure. He could still feel the succulent taste of her lips, the warmth of her silk, smooth skin pressed onto his own; the way she gazed below his waste, watching in amazement and delight as he fervently burrowed his length within her contracting walls with great vigor. He could still feel the sweat dripping from their body as their exhausted figures moved harmoniously with one another in what seemed at the time to be an eternal display of love. That one night seemed as though it were an eternity for the young Avatar; an infinity he wished never found its end, and a moment he wished he could return to…and advise himself to stay. Suddenly, a powerful, heavy groan emanated from behind him.
"GROOOOOOAANNNNNNGH…"
Aang jolted his head back from the sudden growl that broke his hypnotic daydream; blinking his eyes repeatedly with a bewildered expression. But the young Avatar didn't stay confused for too long, for he knew that bellow undoubtedly well; smiling warmly as he turned himself around to meet the creature whose roar he was so familiar with.
"You know you can't sneak up on me, Appa." said Aang as a sly smile formed on his mouth.
Aang stood face to face with his animal companion, and best friend, lying comfortably on the warm sand with his belly in the air as if inviting him to kindly rub his rippled belly. The young Avatar couldn't help but chuckle at the sight as he relaxed his fists on his waist; he could always count on his animal companion to cheer him up in even his dampest moments with just a simple gesture. And with that said, Aang walked over to the giant sky bison; sand particles flowing in the breezes as he scuffled his bare feet through the sea of small grains.
"You know, if you wanted a belly rub, you should've asked, instead of growling at me." said Aang sarcastically as he approached the enormous mythical creature. When he finally reached him, he placed his shoes beside his old friend; then rested his hands on the soft base of the sky bison's leathery stomach as he began to scratch his belly with great intent.
A sweet smile formed on the young Avatar's lips, "Enjoying this buddy?" asked Aang as he changed his pace and began to massage the creases on the giant monster's belly.
Appa groaned in satisfaction; expressing his gratitude the only way he could as his reflexes forced his hind legs to kick repeatedly in content.
As Aang continued to please his life companion, he suddenly felt like a child again; for just that one moment, all of his woes and worries melted away from him, almost as if they never existed. It's been so long since the last time he felt such innocent pleasure, and how he longed to remain in that state of ignorance for the sake of his sanity. As he continued to scratch the giant bison's tough skin; the ebony beauty from the Southern Water Tribe crept her way into his thoughts once again. All of a sudden, he found himself ensnared in his own memories; reminiscing of the many wonderful times the young Avatar spent grooming his animal companion alongside her. He remembered the joyous expression she made when she scrubbed Appa's feet; the smile that formed on her sultry lips when they both bent the excess water from the giant monster's monthly wash, even the way her eyes squint when the giant bison shook his water. But those memories have gone with the wind; leaving him desolate and broken with nothing but empty memories with a woman that didn't hold that same interest, how he hated himself for letting her slip from his fingers. "Katara…you have no idea how much I need you…" whispered Aang, "But you will never know…because of my own stupidity!" grumbled the young Avatar bitterly to himself; clenching his teeth as he shut his eyes in remorse for letting go of his own accord what he considered to be the best thing that's ever happened, and ever will happen, in his life.
Without warning, a sudden jolt of pain shot from within the young Avatar's head.
A frightening expression emitted from Aang's storm grays as they widened in awe of his sudden affliction; gasping exasperatedly as he immediately stopped his tender knead on Appa's rough stomach while waves of excruciating ache dug through his cranium like a drill piercing through earth. Aang began to heave as sharp shocks penetrated through even the smallest cerebral nerves within his cranium; forcing even the Avatar to succumb to the extreme throb as he bent his back and got on his knees in torment. His breathing became shallow as he pressed his hands on his head; even the feel of his fingernails piercing into his flesh wasn't enough to distract him of this sudden, physical anguish.
"What…what is this?" grunted Aang to himself, forcing his hoarse words as he continued to grip his head in agony. The young Avatar has felt many different frequencies of afflictions throughout his life, but this one, minute shock paled in comparison to all of them; no, this one shot of pain was on a whole different level.
Suddenly, the extreme waves of pain began to dwindle, and in an instant; dissipated completely from the confinement of his skull.
Aang stood his ground for a moment; slowly opening his eyes as he loosened his grip on his head; almost in disbelief by what occurred just a moment ago.
The young Avatar exhaled light gasps as he lazily rose to his feet, "What just happened?" asked Aang weakly to himself as he forced his debilitated body to straighten itself out; holding his back with the palm of his hand as if he were to somehow collapse from the aftermath of such a powerful force.
"I don't know what that was all about, but I really need to lay down." said an immensely exhausted Aang as he placed his hand over his sky bison's belly; feeling guilt for having to unanticipatedly end their warmhearted moment due to a major inconvenience, "Sorry buddy, I don't know what just happened to me, but I feel too ill to continue rubbing your belly." said Aang apologetically in a soothing tone of voice, "However, I promise that after the ceremony tomorrow; I'll be sure to massage both your stomach and back, AND I'll be sure to scrub between your toes as a special treat. How does that sound?" asked the momentarily crippled Aang as he grinned sweetly to his animal companion as he took his hand away from the fluffy monster's belly.
Appa groaned competently as his enormous tongue slid out from his mouth; licking his master and best friend with great sympathy.
Aang chuckled as the rough bumps that made up the sky bison's tongue tickled his skin, while saliva oozed onto the young Avatar's limbs as his tongue trailed through every inch of the young Avatar's body, including his face. When Appa finished showing his endearment for the young Avatar, Aang took a step back and looked down at his drool infested torso; laughing at what he considered to be a comical sight, "Heh, looks like I'll be needing a bath first before anything else." chuckled the young Avatar as he wiped the excess saliva onto his hands and tossed it onto the grainy ground below his feet.
"See you later buddy." said Aang genially as he pat the giant sky bison on the nose; forcing a crooked smile as he placed the palm of his hand gently on his aching forehead; he then put on the shoes he left beside the giant sky bison and exerted himself to walk back inside his girlfriend's home.
Back in the quiet outskirts of the Fire Nation Plaza, a young water bender began to settle herself in the separate bedroom she requested from her lover, while he helped a former Fire Nation General get himself settled in his own guest room. She placed her travel bag by the side of the door as she walked towards the worn, soot ridden fireplace on the other side of the room; taking out spark rocks from her lower pocket and shifting them together by the pieces of dry wood, starting a small, cozy fire. The blaze illuminated the dark room with its seductive color while the young water bender took off her Earth Kingdom styled flats; undoing the tie that held her spring bud colored maternity dress together simultaneously as she watched herself in front of the room's only mirror. Her dress then gently cascaded over her smooth, chocolate skin; landing softly on her bare feet as her body became immersed in the flame's warm, fluorescent shades.
Katara looked on in marvel as her body suddenly became half exposed; wearing nothing but the bindings that shelter her most intimate parts. She then loosened the hair clip that held her long locks together, freeing her flowing tresses from its snare; the young water bender watched as her smooth, loose locks hugged her back and shoulders, elegantly ornamenting her in the way nature intended. Her deep ocean blue eyes gazed at her reflection; staring at her transforming figure with great honor and pride, for within her womb laid the most beautiful and wonderful miracle the Spirits could have ever bestowed upon her life. It became her world from the moment she found out of its existence; and it's all she ever thinks about, even overshadowing the thoughts of…him. She often wondered what kind of child it would turn out to be; if it was to become a caring and kind, little girl like her mother, or a brave, spirited little boy…like his father; either way, her life has been filled with such happiness since the day she discovered her little bundle of joy. However, with happiness, pain also follows; she has wept for it, worried for it, and suffered for it. But despite all the troubles and anxiety she has gone through so far within her pregnancy; she wouldn't have had it any other way, for the pain only made her love for her unborn child so much stronger. After all she has been through in this journey, she was sure that her conception was a sign; it's her destiny to carry this child, and love this child. Love it she does, and always will.
Katara tenderly placed her hands over her lower abdomen; a resolute expression in her eyes as she adoringly stroked her thumbs over the womb that sheltered the most precious gift that this life has entrusted her with, "You are not going to live in this lie that I have created…" said Katara quietly as she caressed her small baby bump.
Suddenly, a soft knock, followed by a smooth voice emitted from the other side of the expectant mother's door.
"Katara?" said the voice behind the door.
Katara came back down to earth as she heard the light thud from behind her door, and immediately knew who was standing behind it. The expectant mother took a deep breath; exhaling her tension as she huddled every bit of courage she had in her so that she may have the strength to act upon what she was intent to do.
"You can come in Lee." said Katara.
Lee entered the room, "How are you feeling?" asked the young Fire Nation man.
Katara nodded her head repeatedly, "I feel alright." answered Katara dolefully, "I don't know where that sharp pain came from, but thank goodness it passed as soon as it began; it's nothing to be alarmed about," explained a blasé Katara as she tensely rubbed her protruding tummy; her eyes reflecting great discomfort.
Lee noticed Katara's detached demeanor as he watched her gently stroke her hand over her belly, raising his eyebrow in worry for his lover, "Katara, is there anything you need?" asked a very bothered Lee.
Katara looked up to meet her lover's distraught gaze, and for that one brief moment, an uncomfortable silence halted their conversation. She tried to contain her stinging tears from flowing out of her eyes as she pressed her lips together; a trembling sigh escaping her breath, for she knew the time had come. "Yes Lee…there is something I need." said Katara as she walked towards her borrowed bed; sitting delicately on it as if assuming its foundation were to break by just her weight alone. She then turned her loving gaze to her amorous lover; smiling at him with her eyes as she gestured him to take a seat next to her.
"I need to talk to you." said Katara.
A questionable expression emitted from her boyfriend's face as she hesitantly walked towards her side; taking a seat next to her.
Katara placed her hands over her lover's, holding them tightly in her grasp as she struggled to hold in her weep; she couldn't be apprehensive any longer. "Lee…" whispered Katara as she fought to keep her visual concentration on him, "I have been meaning to say this to you for a while." said Katara, "But before, I say anything…promise me Lee, please…promise me that you won't hate me from what I'm about to tell you..." begged Katara as her voice began to crack; her eyes expressing unquestionable sadness.
A somber expression overtook his expression, "I could never hate you Katara." said the water bender's lover as he returned his girlfriend's hold with a firm grip of his own; his ember eyes filled with great affection and fear as the flames that derived from the fire place reflected within his ember eyes, changing its color into many dazzling shades of orange, red and brown. "You could tell me anything Katara, you know that; and yet there still wouldn't be any way that I could ever hate you." said Lee as he lovingly placed his hand over her cheek, "I love you too much to ever loathe you Katara..." confessed Lee as he rubbed her skin gently with the base of his thumb.
Katara was flabbergasted by the Fire Nation native's declaration. Never ONCE, since the very day they began dating, did he say those words to her, and on this night; this very night Katara herself had chosen to profess her own feelings, he chose to confess his love. She felt her throat quake as Lee gazed into her deep ocean blues with great eagerness; waiting for her to return his affection. She could feel his stare piercing through her heart as she sought for the right words to say, but to no avail. She knew there was nothing she could say to such a devoted proclamation; the only thing she could say to her lover is the truth, which was not only the right thing to do, but the best thing to do…
"Lee, I- *GASP*….."
Katara mouth widened as she felt a sharp pang emit from her upper abdomen; its powerful sting traveling sporadically through her nerves as her arm muscles began to erratically convulse. Without a second to think, the expectant mother involuntarily bent her body down in immense physical torment as she gripped the afflicted area with her bare arms.
Lee's eyes darted continuously from her dreadful expression and her arms which cradled the area below her breasts; his eyes widened in alarm by the young water bender's sudden bust of agony; "Katara, Katara what's wrong?" asked a frantic Lee as he placed his arm around the ailing water bender.
"Lee…Lee…the pain…" Katara couldn't finish her sentence, for the ache was just so unbearable that she found it anguishing to even speak. Suddenly, her pace of breath became shallow as her watery eyes began to swell; her misery intensifying with every second she spent sitting on that bed.
Lee nodded his head frantically from side to side as panic began to reflect in his expression; watching in great terror as the woman who held his heart suffered before his eyes, rendering him helpless to do assist her. "Katara, whatever it is that you were going to tell me; it's going to have to wait." suggested Lee nervously as he darted from his woman's side; running towards the clothes she took off not too long ago, "We need to get you help Katara, NOW!" exclaimed Lee as he gathered her maternity apparel from the wooden floor.
But the sound of Lee's voice was inaudible to the hurting water bender; for the pang was so extreme, so severe, that her surroundings seemed to have submerged into dark nothingness; leaving her alone in her trepidation. "N-Noooohh….mmmy baby…." whispered the water bender sharply as she gagged from the nausea settling violently in the pit of her stomach. Tears began to trail down her flushed cheeks as another sharp pain coursed through her abdomen; causing the young water bender to jerk from her fetal position and gasp in agony as her irises shrunk in size. Her long locks flew into every direction as the entire room started to spin around her; gripping her upper abdomen with her quivering fingertips before a horrifying, blood curdling scream escaped from her trembling mouth.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHH!..."
As the young water bender's screams echoed though the quietness of the remote location of her lover's home, the young Avatar's eyes shot wide open; the small, bluish-purple veins on the white of his eyes protruding as his irises contracted, reflecting an awful disturbance in his expression. With an infuriating gasp, Aang instinctively shot up from his rest and shifted himself on the edge of the guest bed within the lower level of his lover's home; unable to find any relief from the pangs that were returning to him once again, only this time, they came with great fury.
His tan color began to drain from his appearance as he felt the pain spread from his head down to his upper torso, "Oh no…not again…" said a fearful Aang as the shocking currents of pain began its cruel journey down his spine to consume every inch of his body. Soon after, the young Avatar began to see bright flashes of light before his eyes; nausea beginning to ripple from within his core as the continuous shocks blinded his vision. Vertigo then began to settle in his focus; unable to even balance himself properly as he cradled his throbbing head within the palm of his hands, resting his elbows on his weakened thighs as his exhales became more fierce with every hoarse breath he took. His mouth gaped by the overwhelming sense of dread and discomfort as he grasped his head; each breath he took in becoming more erratic than the last as he began to pant from the overwhelming sensations that were carving through every organ in his body. Every muscle in his body twitched erratically as his hands trembled without control; curling his toes from within the confinement of his shoes as his heart began to accelerate dramatically from his indescribable distress.
The young Avatar had no idea why his body was experiencing such anguish, but he hadn't a time to spare with thinking, for his anguish was so domineering that he couldn't even contemplate a reason even if he tried. The pain was so intense that he felt as if every organ in his body would burst just from the sheer agony, while the heels of his feet pounded the ground compulsively in reaction to the crushing sensation that smothered his chest. His veins exuded from every muscle in his body while the sweltering pressure in his head intensified; struggling to breathe as cold beads of sweat began to seep out from his pores, trickling down his burning skin. His lower eyelids began to flush bright red as his pupils became blank; whilst a drop of sweat trickled down the Avatar's mid jaw; traveling majestically towards his chin as it settled itself on its very tip.
With every breath he took; he felt himself drown within the control of his suffering; with every heave, it conquered him, with every gasp, it trampled him, with every gag, it pulverized him.
And just as the enlarged bead of sweat that dangled from the young Avatar's chin loosened its grip; the force of gravity guided it towards its inevitable destination, and when that drop of sweat splashed on the ground by his feet, all of that pain, all of that agony, suddenly ceased.
Aang felt his body recover from the sudden shock; taking slow, deep breaths, but was distrusting about this false sense of physical peace, "Oh man…why…is this happening to me?" gasped the Avatar profusely as he fought the urge to regurgitate on the ground in front of him; his body still trembling from the scarring ordeal as he roughly rubbed his face with the palms of his hands, wiping away the excess sweat that remained latched on his clammy skin. Aang placed his hands on opposite shoulders as he rocked his body; attempting to soothe the remnants of his physical and mental affliction with his flimsy sways, but with no luck. It seemed as if everything was going wrong in his life, or at the very least, that's how he felt; and he was aware that he had no one to blame for his melancholy but himself. But this…he felt as if this sudden torment was the cosmos' way of adding salt to his wound; a very dry, grainy salt being callously rubbed by the very metaphysical hands of the supernatural on the fleshy, blood-infested wound in his heart. Anger began to bubble within him; and for that brief moment, the young Avatar lost his sense of rationality.
"Thank you Universe…" whispered Aang as he balled his quaking fists, "For transforming my life into a living NIGHTMARE!" screamed the frenzied Avatar with great anger and hurt as tears began to trickle from his worn eyelids; his expression twisted with hatred and woe as he buried his face pathetically in the false shelter of his hands. He felt like a complete disgrace for having condemned the celestial for his mistakes, but he needed that temporary relief. For just that one moment, he wanted to hear himself pin the blame for his misfortune on another so as to transiently relinquish himself of his responsibility for the catastrophe that has become of his life; even if deep down...he knew it wasn't true. For the sake of his mind's stability, he needed consolation from his lie.
Although the worst seemed to be over, a dull ache continued to travel in waves throughout his insides; however, he knew he had to at the very least attempt to rest. His well-being depended on his repose; for the next day would be the most momentous day in his life by far since the day he battled and overcame the coldhearted tyrant formerly known as Fire Lord Ozai and freed the world from his destructive grasp. The following day would mark the end of his bachelor status, and the beginning of his life in union with the woman he desperately wished was another. He willed his fatigued body to lie on the refuge of his bed, retiring into his own seclusion as he let his thoughts drift to the only memory that brought him great comfort; the memory of that water bender that hailed from the Southern Water Tribe. He positioned his body into a comfortable position; closing his eyes as he felt his body succumb to his exhaustion, the image of the ebony beauty that held his heart the last thing he visualized before he finally surrendered to slumber…
…A new day dawns, a day in which will forever go down in every Nation's history: The day the last Airbender weds…
Stay Tuned…
I listened to The Crisis: Ennio Morricone when I sketched these:
http :/img822. imageshack. us/img822/1466/chapter221. jpg
http :/img826. imageshack. us/img826/1004/chapter222. jpg
And here is my blah, first attempt at Photoshop. Please bear with its shading errors as I am fairly new with this digital art stuff; I've used the program before for some of my sketches, but this is the first time I draw and color with it. I used the pen tool and my mouse to draw (I'm too cheap to get a graphics tablet :P, but do plan on investing in one in the near future).
http :/img835. imageshack. us/img835/4440/chapter223. jpg
P.S.: Happy Valentine's Day!