Chapter Fifteen - The Resistance

Silent alarms are ringing

Sounds of revolt draw near

A new united front

That you will come to fear

We will hold together

To become the change

Voice for the voiceless

With every common man engaged

--Anberlin (The Resistance)

The door opened with a sullen twinge, making Sokka look up. "Katara?"

Her sister stood at the doorway, her chest rising and falling as she tried to regain her breath. "Sokka," she gasped for air and stumbled to her brother. "I think I know what that lotus tile is for."

Before Sokka could react, Toph's eyes fluttered open. For a moment, stunned silence reigned. And then Toph screamed.

Katara lurched forward and placed a hand on Toph's skinny shoulder. Her eyes flickered upwards to meet her brother's own panic-filled ones. She gulped. If she had enough power within her, she could probably use blood-bending to try and bring Toph into a state of unconsciousness once more. It was risky—using her blood-bending skills often was—but the thought was a persistent one which gnawed on her insides and reminded her that the longer she spent debating over what to do, the more pain her friend would have to experience until such a solution would be presented to them. Much too troubled over the earthbender, she had forgotten their guest.

Haru was, thankfully, acting a bit more sensible at that time. "Hey, do you think you can help?" He asked their petite guest who seemed to have shrunk, frightened by the noise Toph was making.

Cai nodded hesitantly and knelt to the floor, her hand reaching for the haversack she carried with her. Taking out several smallish-sized bottles with very distinct shapes, she sniffed each precariously, her eyebrows knitted in complete concentration. Her squeak indicated her triumphant search. Cai pinched Toph's nose and forced the vile liquid down her throat. The child could not consume the whole thing—fluid ran down her cheeks and dampened her bright yellow tunic—but it seemed that the brew had done its job; she had fallen into peaceful slumber once more.

"Your friend there has quite the pair of lungs," Teo joked, rubbing his ears. The smile on his face suggested that he was trying to ease the tension. "Maybe the next time we meet the enemy, she can just scream them into submission."

"Oh shut it, Teo," snapped Sokka, his face twisting in disgust. "Now isn't really the time to joke about such things! Just because you don't know her as well as we do doesn't mean you have to act like you don't care. Pity—even the pretentious kind—is much more appreciated. Thank you ever so much." This earned him a slap from his sister.

"Sokka! If you're going to be a dunderhead all day, don't take it out on him. Go outside and mope there instead." To Teo, she apologized and said in a reassuring tone, "He's just…stressed, you know? From the lack of sleep? He and his humor will eventually recover."

Sokka opened his mouth to retaliate but couldn't seem to make up his mind. He closed it after some thought and opened it again before stomaching in whatever protest he was about to say. Muttering about needing some air, he stormed off, his fists curled and shoulders sagging with unhappiness.

"I should go talk to him," Teo murmured sheepishly, his fingers resting on the pair of dark green goggles he often wore on top of his head, a sign of nervousness.

Once the boy had slipped out of the barn, Katara turned to address Cai, "Do you know of someone who can help? I'm sorry but…we're all just very much desperate right now."

The blind firebender nodded her head fervently, "It's alright. I'm sure Jianyu or Deshi would be delighted to have guests around. 'Sides, didn't you say your brother possessed a lotus tile?" At Katara's confirmation, Cai continued, "Well, it's sort of a requirement for us—to help people who do have them that is. Few people play Pai sho in our generation and even fewer know of our Society, so I'm sure the tile you have with you comes genuinely from one of our agents."

The Duke raised a hand furtively, his lips quivering, "Ummm…I'm feeling awfully confused right now."

"You're not the only one," Haru said and patted the younger boy's shoulder.

Pipsqueak looked just as confused. "Yep, definitely not the only one."

Sokka gazed at the bleak towering mountains—a hue of varying grays across the dark horizon—his hands clasped behind his back. He took a deep breath and fought off the urge to cry. He was so…frustrated. He could do nothing that day they invaded the Fire Capital. He knew a lot of people got hurt—Toph was just among them—and he knew that it would be hard to fight the Fire Nation army now that there was only a handful of them left. If he could somehow rescue his father and the others…but no; he didn't know where they were for one thing, and a rescue in itself would require plenty of time and thought. There was also the matter of Aang.

He had hoped that the airbender would have arrived by now, considering the fact that it had been two days since they had left the Western Air Temple. He dreaded for the worst—that Aang had died and that they were all doomed to die in a hopeless battle under the Fire Lord's wrath. He shook his head. Have faith, Sokka. The knowledge that Aang would have probably said something similar to that—given that he was here and Sokka had just let out all of the pent-up emotions he'd been struggling to overcome—made Sokka flinch. He really missed the kid.

"I'm sorry—back there—I was being a real jerk. Then again, you were being a jerk too."

The Water Tribe warrior stiffened at the sound of the voice and pivoted on his feet. His fist soared forward in attempt to punch the living crap out Teo, when he realized what he was doing. If it were not for his reflexes, Teo would have had a broken nose by now. He shuddered at the thought of what his sister might do to him if his fist did connect. It was hard enough these days to get on the girl's good side. She seemed edgier of late.

Teo blinked, cross-eyed from having to stare at Sokka's fist which was only a few inches away from the tip of his nose. "Hey. No need to overreact like that. I was just telling the truth; you really were being a jerk."

The other boy groaned and let his arm drop to his side. "I'm jumpy, ok? I really don't do well with people who like to sneak around and scare others witless."

"I wasn't trying to do either," Teo growled defensively. "If you weren't being such a thick-headed dolt than you would know that I can't do sneaky. My wheels aren't exactly built for stealth; they make the most awful of noises. Can I help it if you were in one of those thinking moods of yours? You're a lot like Dad in that aspect, except he at least has the decency to say sorry afterwards."

"Well I'm sorry. You happy now?" shouted Sokka bitterly. "I can't believe Suki left me for you."

All color fled from Teo's cheeks. "Oh man. I-I…I didn't know. I'm sorry. I heard something about her being in a relationship before—"

"No need," Sokka waved Teo's apology aside and shrugged. "Women—you can't really understand the way their brains go tick. 'Sides, I have someone else now."

"It's not alright. We have to talk to her about this. She can't just leave you for me," argued Teo, looking somewhat frantic. Sokka grabbed the boy's head and noogied it. Hard.

"Were you even listening to me? I said I have someone already." Though I'm not sure how that works, seeing as he doesn't even return my letters. Ok, make that one letter. Whatever did happen to Hawky? The last time he had seen the bird, Re—Azula had used it to send a letter to one of her associates. She was probably doing something spy-ish. "Anyway, that isn't the big problem right now. Don't you understand, Teo? We need something that can turn the tide of this war—we need something that can help us win against them. We can't just play around like little kids anymore. This is a war we're talking about. And Aang! I'm feeling really, really scared right now for the little guy. He hasn't come back yet."

"Have a little faith in him, Sokka," Teo teased and punched his shoulder lightly. "I'm sure he's alright. He probably just got delayed by something important. As for that thing we need…well I'm my father's son! Between you and me, I'm sure we can create something huge! Explosive even!"

Sokka found himself smiling back, a wacky grin on his face, and laughed good-heartedly. Teo reminded him a bit of Aang and he was thankful of the conversation they had just then. "Alright. Now, about Suki…have I ever told you about that time I got her really mad and she almost bit my head off?"

Teo looked at Sokka, horrified. "I thought we weren't supposed to joke around!"

The young man blinked at him, a deadpan expression planted on his face. "Whoever said I was joking around? All women are secretly monsters, you know. Why do you think I avoid them now?"

Corporal Ming was glad that she was the one who was on duty when the Fire princess had finally woken up. If Yun was in her shoes, the young woman would shout for healers and make an unholy racket that would surely disturb Azula. If it were someone else, they would have probably reported to the Fire Lord by now. The princess would not have time for a bit of peace and quiet.

"Corporal Ming?" The drowsy voice of the princess called to her, making her step forward from her position near the door.

"Yes, Your Highness?"

Azula slowly moved into a sitting position, forcing tired muscles to work. She did not flinch nor did she complain despite the constant ache around her shoulder area where the scorpion-wolf had bitten her. Sometimes, she wished her father was more open to living with the other Nations; if they had a waterbender or two around, there would be less casualties and less people in the infirmary, waiting to recover. Soon. She sighed with yearning. When Ozai's reign ends...I'll make sure things get better around here. "Report."

The corporal poured some willow-bark tea and offered the drink to the princess before starting, "Lady Mai has given them the instructions you've written upon your arrival here and has successfully escaped with them through one of the small airships that had been marked as 'damaged' under your command. The Fire Lord believes the story you've concocted as well; that the ex-general has escaped and that Prince Zuko along with Lady Mai have hastened to follow him while his trail was still fresh. He is not overly pleased by the news."

"That is to be expected," Azula muttered and took a sip from her cup. "He likes being in control after all. He wouldn't want others to do something without his approval. Regardless, at least he does not suspect my brother of treachery."

"We've also received a message from Lady Ty Lee. She says that she follows you, Your Highness...wherever your wind may blow."

"That's awfully sweet of her." The smile on Azula's lips seemed to brighten her weary face. "Has she met up with Mai yet?"

"We received the message only a day ago and, judging from her location at that time, the messenger bird would have taken two days to get there. We're assuming that she has arrived at the vantage point, just as you wished." Corporal Ming hesitated. "Princess, there's something else you need to know."

Azula sensed the fear in Corporal Ming's voice and raised a delicate eyebrow. "I'm guessing what you're about to say is quite unpleasant to hear. Well? Better tell me now before you change your mind."

"It's one of your generals. He says that your father's plan for the Sozin's Comet had been revealed in the last council meeting, some days prior to the Day of the Black Sun." The corporal stopped for a moment, clearly troubled. "The Fire Lord wishes to literally burn down the whole of the Earth Kingdom."

Azula slid out of her bed and walked shakily towards Corporal Ming, her face flushed with anger. "Outrageous!" She hissed and waved her arm in jerky motions. She stumbled and almost fell to the floor if not for Ming who had managed to catch her. The soldier gently eased her back into bed. "Tell me you're lying? No. You wouldn't lie to me. I know that much." The princess rubbed her forehead and groaned. She slumped back into bed and looked up at the ceiling. "He's going to pay...that man. Impudence is not one of my qualities but I'm afraid I'm going to have to act a little rash in this case."

Mai surveyed the large warship with eyes that would not betray even the slightest of emotions. Most people had marked her as being easily bored or uncaring because of that but those who knew her more intimately knew that it was merely to mask her true feelings.

"Well, Mai?" A cheerful voice greeted her from behind. "Think we're ready for the war?"

"No one's ever ready for such things, Ty Lee," the weapon mistress drawled, her gaze still fixed on the gigantic mass of metal. "Still, I have to congratulate you for winning the hearts of those people. Azula instructed you to bring the Dai Li Agents here, I assume?"

"Yep! And they're all well-behaved too like the good tiger dogs that they are," Ty Lee said, comparing the agents to a domestic pet owned by some of the higher nobility of the Fire Nation. Mai could not help but imagine Ty Lee bounce along a straight line of Dai Li agents, patting each man's head and handing him a treat.

"And I'm assuming the rest of these...warriors are"—Mai paused to think of the right words to say—"new recruits perhaps?"

"Oh them?" Ty Lee waved her hand nonchalantly, "They're some of the fugitives who lived at Ba Sing Se before it was taken over. I wanted to keep quiet about the whole thing—you know, the war and whatnot?—but one of my men suggested that a few extra hands won't hurt so I had to twist a few tales and promise a few things to get them to follow me."

"Azula did say you have the potential to become a skilled diplomat someday," Mai admitted, eyes creased with amusement.

"Did she really?" Ty Lee's grin was infectious; a small smile tugged on the other girl's lips. "Then we mustn't let her down!" The acrobat quipped.

For a moment, the two stood in comfortable silence, watching the soldiers from afar as they joked and lingered around the ship docks. The sun would set soon, marking the end of day. They would sleep inside the ship while Ty Lee and Mai would stay at a nearby inn, courtesy of the headman of the village who was a member of Azula's resistance. Finally, Ty Lee looked up at her gloomy friend. "Mai?"

Her only answer was a grunt that more or less sounded inquisitive.

"What happened between you and Zuko?" The girl made a face and placed her hands behind her back; they clasped tightly so as not to show her nervousness. "It's just that...when I first mentioned him, you didn't seem inclined to answer and I was thinking maybe—"

"He and I broke up," Mai spoke placidly as if she was just talking about the weather they would have tomorrow. "I thought it was for the best."

Ty Lee frowned and folded her arms, her usual cheery face gone. "Did you love him?" The bluntness made Mai cringe.

"You know the only reason why I got close to him was to watch him and make sure he doesn't do anything reckless," Mai complained, throwing an arm up in frustration. "My feelings aren't real. You know that. The crush was long gone and has been gone for some time now."

"Then does that mean I can have him?" Ty Lee teased and hooked her arm around Mai's. Her friend raised two delicately arched eyebrows in reply. "You're right; he isn't my type. He's too serious for me." She leaned her head against Mai's shoulder and felt the girl tense. "You loved him, didn't you?"

On a different girl, it would have sounded like an accusation. "If you meant I cared for him deeply—regarded him as one of my few most important people in the world—then yes, I did love him. I still do. But you have to understand, Ty Lee, I'm not ready to have that sort of commitment. Relationships—they're just not for me. You know how it was with my parents. They had burdened me with so many of their expectations. I don't want to have to cater to the wishes of another man if I could help it. I don't want to be obligated to do anything just to please someone."

"But you're friends with us, and there are some kinds of obligations that come with the relationship."

"I've had years to get used to that," Mai answered sharply and gritted her teeth as the feeling of misery which she had struggled with for some time now claw against her heart. "Ty Lee, is this really the time to talk of such things? With the war bordering on the horizon, we can't let this...get in the way."

"The war is no excuse, Mai. Don't try to fight what you feel. And yeah! So what if relationships require something from us? That's only because being in a relationship means having to care about others' feelings too. It means compromising. It means having to"—Ty Lee paused and looked away, a certain princess in her mind's eye—"to let go of certain things."

The clanging of the village bell signalled that night was nearing. "Look at Azula for instance." She continued, "She can be...a bit pushy about things sometimes, but I think she's changing. You know, the only reason why she convinced me to leave the circus in the first place was because she would have made my life miserable. So I agreed; I followed along like a good friend and, remember when we went to Ember Island? I think that was the first time she's ever been open with us. What I'm trying to say is, we can't always think about ourselves. Sooner or later, we change for the people we love, and they change because they love us too, because they want the relationship to work. Think about it, Mai. Please don't close your heart just yet." Ty Lee turned and walked away, leaving Mai to her thoughts.

After a long while, the tall girl sighed. Anger made her body rigid. Had she always let her emotions command her so? "Since when did you understand about such things, Ty Lee?" She asked softly. "We're all too young for this thing called love. Besides, Zuko—he's never going to be anything more than a friend in my eyes. I'm only heartbroken at the fact that...I think I've lost one of my best friends." Schooling her features into the look of a bored noble lady, she started walking towards her temporary quarters.

From amongst the shadows, a sliver of pink made a fleeting appearance. Ty Lee jumped to a nearby rooftop and ran for the inn, picking her way through shoddy roof tiles. "You know, it would have been a lot easier if you just said that," the girl grumbled. "Then I wouldn't have to make a speech." Of course I know of such things. She thought unhappily, remembering the question Mai had brought up. I loved Azula didn't I? It isn't the kind of love that you're familiar with, but I loved her just as much.

The door eased open to reveal a gangly young woman with dark brown hair cut below the earlobes and chestnut coloured eyes. She bore a fighter's scar on her left brow and decorated both ears with studded metal on the outer rims. She wore a simple red tunic and trousers, signs that this soldier was off-duty. Despite that, she still wore a pair of wicked-looking daggers against her hip. "Your Highness?"

Azula had been serving herself some tea when the soldier arrived. She placed the teapot down but did not move to look at her visitor. "Aah, Sergeant Yun, what brings you here?"

"Corporal Ming tells me that Her Highness is finally awake," Sergeant Yun spoke with a bow. "Knowing you, my lady, I immediately came here once I was finished with my duties to report of the goings-on in the palace and outside."

The princess sat cross-legged on top of her bed, and sipped from her cup. "Very good, Sergeant. Report."

"Two more generals have joined our side, Your Highness, which means that only two remain loyal to the Fire Lord now. That was your advisor, Lady Lo's work, though she had to lie about which royalty they were to serve. Your Highness—"

"It's quite understandable, Sergeant," Azula spoke, waving the other woman's hesitation aside. "General Shino and General Ryuu are peace-loving fools deep down. Having seen a bit of the prince's kindness before, they are more readily inclined to follow him than I. Now please go on, Sergeant, unless of course you want to attract flies. I hear they love warm moist places."

Sergeant Yun shut her mouth and gulped. "How did you know it was them, my lady?"

"I've been in enough meetings to know their personalities. Also, remember that I have eyes and ears inside the palace, Sergeant, which means I've heard of their good deeds a lot. I'm rather surprised my fa—the Fire Lord has not yet found out about them." The princess's gaze was a meaningful one. The sergeant gulped and continued.

"We've also recruited two-fifths of the army stationed here in the palace. The ex-general Sho is working on the villages at the western part of the Earth Kingdom. There has been no word from him yet but he's quite the charismatic man so we've placed our faith in him. Besides, some of the soldiers staying there were formerly under his command before the Fire Lord had...urged him to step down from his station and retire."

Sergeant Yun talked of the increasing numbers under Azula's command and those who had sworn fealty to her to rid themselves of the war. The princess listened carefully, considering those whom she could fit into her plans while putting aside those who would be of no use to her except to stay put and wait. Not everyone would be affected by this war if Azula could help it. Given the right amount of planning and time, her army could force the Fire Lord to stay at his palace and fight there, instead of moving to the Earth Kingdom where the casualties would be greater.

Azula's face lit into a devious smirk as ideas began to formulate in her mind. Now that she thought about it, she might actually use those people Sho had been recruiting. They would do no good scrambling to get to the Fire Nation in time, but perhaps they could serve as a distraction. "Sergeant Yun?"

"Yes, Your Highness?" The Fire soldier asked, startled out of her report.

"I want a written report on everything you've just told me. Have them in that new code we've been using for a while: the Dragon's Creed. I know it's a hassle, Sergeant, but I'd rather they be in code if Ozai gets his hands on them than written in plain text for just about anyone to read. You may mix in other codes at your discretion, as long as I recognize them. I can only process so much after all." She rubbed the bridge of her nose and gave the sergeant a weary smile. "I will also need you to send a message to our people occupying the Earth Kingdom villages. We are going to start a rebellion. Several in fact."

"So can you help her?" Sokka demanded as he watched the leader of the White Lotus examine Toph. The man had a dancer's build; short and thin-waisted with a slightly muscled frame. He wore his hair in a warrior's topknot, his beard lightly trimmed. He carried no remarkable features except perhaps his forest-green eyes which were pleasantly warm. He wore no jewellery—which was surprising for a man of his presence and stature—except for a simple band of silver on his ring finger. Sokka wondered how a man like him got into so high a position.

"Can I?" The man queried, a slight smile on his lips. He immediately went back to staring at the girl after receiving a deadly Pakku-worthy glare from Sokka. "I believe I have an idea of what her problem is. Is it true that she summoned some sort of...rock golem during your fight with the princess and her cronies?"

"Yes," Sokka spoke flatly, folding his arms across his chest. "We said that already. So what of it?"

"And her arms were otherwise preoccupied, yes?"

The water tribe warrior narrowed his eyes in annoyance. "Are you deaf? Because it sounds like you're trying to make me repeat everything."

"I'm simply confirming a few things," Jianyu raised both hands. "Your friend is a very powerful earthbender. To be able to call forth the Earth's power without initiating"—he moved into a horse stance and slammed one fist forward—"contact with the Earth through actual bending—moving the body from one stance to another—means that she has done what no bender has ever done before; she has made contact with the very spirit of the Earth and has been accepted by it. Only few have the potential to achieve this kind of enlightenment. You should be very proud of your friend."

"You know…I would be, if I wasn't so worried right now!"

"The youth have no patience." Jianyu lamented and nodded to Deshi who had been silently watching them converse. The bald man was never one for interrupting—a habit he had developed from his former occupation as an assassin. "I'll need Quon here. He still has that sample of Cactus juice he got from the desert?"

"He does, Jianyu."

"I'll need some for the patient. If you can also find Yin, our seamstress as well, I'd appreciate that a lot."

Deshi gave a stiff bow and exited the room, his scarred face void of emotion. He had always been a bit shy when it came to guests.

"Cactus juice?" Sokka, who had been an unfortunate victim of the Cactus juice's strange side-effects, looked about ready to complain again. "What do you need that for?"

"Your friend has gotten herself in a situation where she has grown too powerful. The fact that she can even mold golems—stone beasts—proved that. If she were to wake up now, her senses would be overwhelmed, especially her sense of touch which she uses primarily to see. Why do you think she acted the way she did when she woke up screaming like that?" Jianyu let Quon—an elderly-looking man who wore thick lenses and a simple red robe which clearly spoke of his Fire Nation origin—inside the room. "I believe the Cactus Juice can be used to numb her senses for now. In that time, I can teach her how to suppress her power so that she won't have to be dependent on the juice."

"But I thought it made you hallucinate!" Sokka protested and blushed at his sudden outburst. He was glad that none of his friends were in the room with him; they would probably have admonished him by now for being rude.

"In huge moderations, yes, it would," Jianyu spoke, eyeing Sokka curiously. To Quon he said, "Quon, if you will?"

The man took a small round bottle from his sash and gently lifted Toph's head. He administered the drink and placed the empty bottle on the wooden bedside table. He produced another bottle—one which contained smelling salts—and placed this one near Toph's nose.

Light green eyes opened for the second time that day. "Where am I?" She wondered weakly and coughed. Her throat was dry.

"Somewhere safe." Sokka said, after recovering from the initial shock. He found a chair and propped it besides Toph's bed. "I missed you, Toph."

"You're still alive, ol' chap?" Iroh inquired after a sip of tea, directing his gaze to the man standing in front of him.

Cuzon snorted, "Ozai isn't really making enough of an effort to try and kill me, if you've noticed." He stood at a full six feet and five inches, a towering behemoth made of muscle and steel. He regarded his drinking companion with a lone golden eye and took another sip of jasmine tea, blanching. "Are you sure you don't want something stronger? Like beer maybe?"

"The battlefields have made your taste in beverages somewhat questionable," observed Iroh.

"Beer's easier to find out there."

"Beer tastes like ostrich-horse piss."

"Exactly why it's easier to find out there." Cuzon eased into his seat and placed the empty cup he was holding on the ornate coffee table in front of them. "What brings you here, Dragon of the West?"

"I'll be blunt with you, Cuzon: we need you. I know you've long since ceased your guerrilla operations, but this time, we have an actual chance to overthrow him."

Cuzon raised a finger. "First of all, we've not stopped fighting. We're simply...ahh, focusing our energies elsewhere. After all, I am getting old for this, and I'd rather not die until the day the sun rises to greet a new king—to greet a new, much more peaceful era for the Fire Nation." He propped a chin against his fist. "Secondly, how am I to know that this is indeed the time for my people to act?"

"I've heard of the army my niece has gathered, Cuzon. She means business alright." Iroh spoke tightly. "Not only that, but the other factions have decided to become active again. They've seen the Avatar, Cuzon. They will rise. You know how it is; now that they've seen their living emblem of hope, they'll feel as if the gods are in their favour once more. They won't be scared anymore."

"How is he?" Cuzon asked, his expression softening. "How's Aang?"

"He's a good kid. A bit too goofy for the job, but I think he'll pull through." Iroh shook his head somberly, staring at his hands which were shaking with barely contained rage. "Why must we put the fate of the world in such young hands, Cuzon?"

Cuzon scratched his stubbled cheek, thinking the question over in his mind. Finally he answered, "Because we're evil old men who can't be bothered to look after the world ourselves. Because we're too set in our ways to change for the better." He bowed his head, "You have the support of my people, Iroh. It's pretty much the only thing I can offer."

The crowlion soared downwards, beating black, magnificent wings to slow its descent. Behind it, a small air vessel followed in a rather haphazard fashion, the wind making it hard for its riders to maintain control. They landed on top of a hill—though crashed would have been a better word for it, judging from the state of the airship—near the entrance of the village.

One of them—a bald young man with blue arrows tattooed around his body as if mapping the flow of his energy—crouched and touched the ground lightly, closing his eyes in concentration. "They're here somewhere," he spoke, after a moment of silence. He stood up and allowed a small smile on his face. "I'm back. I'm finally back."

A/N: And I'm back! (Is now a good time to hide? Haha.) Don't worry, my dear readers! I'm not planning to abandon this in the near future. I mean, I have plans for this! Sequels in fact! And if you're worried about updates, please look at my profile. I usually try to specify when the next update will be there.

First of all, Yes, I'm assuming Hawky came back to them at some point after the Runaway. As for whether or not Toph's parents actually read the letter this time round? Well, we'll see.

Secondly, Quon was actually taken from an omake I wrote about a year ago. Thankfully, I still have a copy of it! So, for those of you who actually haven't read it yet, here it is!

OMAKE: The Power of Cactus Juice

"Master Quon, I have found the cactus plant."

"Aah, very good my student. It is vital that we get some samples at once!"

"Why, Master Quon?"

"I have read many scrolls in my time, young Jin. Some have hinted of a mysterious plant that gives extraordinary powers to those who consume it."

"Really?"

"Yes. I have deduced that this rare cactus plant is the one. If consumed, the person hallucinates for a time. Often, it drives the person insane and death usually follows, but the few who do survive may receive some unusual abilities. Oh, how I would like to get my hands on a specimen that has consumed such a plant!"

And here comes Sokka.

"Katara."

"What is it, Sokka?"

"Is it just me or are there spikes growing in my back?"

"Sokka, you look like a boar-q-pine!"

"I am not a boar-q-pine, Aang, don't pull my tail! No seriously, don't pull it."

And another Sokka moment. (From Bitter Work)

"I'm sorry little fella, but I have to eat you. You're meat, and I'm human. It's how things are."

"I understand. But if my mother comes here, she'll eat you too. Because you're meat and she's a Sabertooth Mooselion. It's how things are."

"Oh no, I can talk to animals too!"