Big thanks to Kimjuni2, Kelev, and guyw1tn0nam3 for reviewing the previous chapter, and Wavebreeze for reviewing a past chapter. So the concensus is that I shouldn't tear too much humour out of Sokka, correct? In that case, I'll keep some in there, but not too much. Sokka does have a serious, mature, not-so-funny side, and I want that to take the spotlight in the more serious scenes. I absolutely despise typecasting characters, especially complete, well-rounded ones like those from Avatar.
Michael DiMartino and Bryan Konietzko own Avatar.
Sokka's POV
"What do you guys think you're doing? I've been looking all over for you!" I shouted at Aang and Katara on the top of my lungs. A few weeks had passed since we left the North Pole, after that scary Fire Nation siege. We started our journey back into the Earth Kingdom, but hit a couple of snags recently. It seemed like either the earth benders didn't really want to help us, or helped us the wrong way. From a general who wanted to force Aang to master the Avatar State, to a bunch of clueless hippies who felt singing their way through a cave-in was adequate, to Aang's old friend King Bumi who wanted to stay as a prisoner at Omashu rather than escape, nobody truly wanted to see things our way. How would Aang ever learn earth bending this way?
But the universe loved to make life miserable for me, as Appa flew into a tornado over this really spooky swamp. While I stayed with Aang and Katara, Appa and Momo were blasted away from us, leaving us to hack our way out of this. Aang had to be oh-so-sensitive to the swamp, claiming it didn't want me to hurt the living things. Come on, they were just branches and roots! What harm could it do? Besides, we were trapped here indefinitely, so unless we wanted to drink smelly swamp water forever, it was best we got out quickly. So what if a few plants here and there ended up being sacrificed?
"Well, I've been wandering all around looking for you!" Katara retorted, trying to dust herself off. We spent a crazy night in the swamp with a few burning timbers as our only source of light. I didn't believe that we were being watched, until a firefly got too close to us and blasted us with its light, revealing countless pairs of eyes glaring at us in the darkness. That was followed by a series of vines grabbing at us, leading to that mad romp through the bog in which we all got lost. Real smooth, right?
But Aang was the one who made the strangest remark, claiming he was chasing a girl. "I heard laughing and saw this little girl in a fancy dress," he described, his eyes tilting back and forth while rubbing the back of his head. Wow, I heard of the Avatar going into the Spirit World for advice, but now Aang had the power to summon girls from nowhere? Maybe he ought to summon a big plate of meat for me to eat!
Yet Katara's statements coincided perfectly with Aang's, as she believed she saw our mother in the swamp. Suddenly, my heart was heavier than a rock as it sank to my feet. So perhaps what I saw was also true? "I thought I saw Yue," I quietly told them, not really wanting to reveal anymore. Yue's message to me was clear, as she told me I didn't protect her. To date, it was the biggest personal loss I ever envisioned since the death of my mother. Must I be reminded of that event right now, when we're lost and confused?
Shaking my head, I figured that there was a logical explanation for all this. We were hungry and tired, so it was natural that our minds played tricks on us. Yue meant a lot to me, just how Mom meant a lot to Katara, so that was why we saw them, right? And now, our visions brought us all here, in what I guessed was the centre of the swamp. "It's been calling us here, I knew it," Aang insisted, a wide grin on his face.
"It's just a tree," I pointed out, not sure why Aang was even going this route. I knew he was the link to the Spirit World, and that he had supernatural powers, but this notion of a sloppy, muddy, disgusting sinkhole calling to Aang was ridiculous beyond belief. "There is nothing after us, and there is nothing magical happening here."
I soon found myself eating my words as this massive blob of vines, mud, and other nasty swampy stuff reared up from the roots and roared at us. Before long, I found myself wrapped up in its vines and being taken for a ride, my body slammed against an indescribable number of objects. Hey, I was a Southern Water Tribe warrior, not a juggler, so why was I the one chosen to be juggled here? As the surroundings whipped past me at record speeds, I felt myself losing consciousness by the second.
The ride came to an abrupt end, dropping me face-first into the water as the vines somehow snapped off. The cold water managed to shock my body back into reality, and gave me enough time to hack away at the vines near me. The sooner I got away from this thing, the better. I wasn't exactly a vegetable eater, so why was this vegetable trying to eat me? Just as I got free, I looked up at the monster, and the most shocking thing just occurred. The vines that were sliced off somehow brought themselves back together, and the monster returned its sights on me. "Oh no," I muttered.
This time, I was kidnapped by the mountain of plants, speeding across the swamp and presumably away from Aang and Katara. My arms and legs were literally flailing in the air, making it near impossible for me to get any shots at this guy. Don't tell me I was about to lose to this ball of vines, because I would rather lose another fight to Zuko than be humiliated by something that supposedly couldn't even move!
By now, I knew Aang and Katara were very desperate. Even though they were knocked back several times already, I could tell they were close to breaking through. Instantly, I felt a whirlwind blast through from the top, the vines loosening up just in time for me to see Katara standing before me. Before long, I felt a chill around my body, my arms and legs encased in ice, courtesy of Katara's icy breath. With a couple of water slices, I was knocked free and away from that monster's grasp.
When I got back up, I could see Katara water bending furiously at the vines, with some success at keeping the monster at bay. If she was cutting faster than it could put the vines back together, that meant we had a chance. I squinted hard, trying to spot its weak point when I saw something peculiar: there was a person inside the monster controlling its every move. "He's bending the vines!" I called to Katara.
It was sheer mayhem as Katara and Aang attacked together, the combination of water and air slashing and slamming the beast all at once. By the time the final move was made, the enemy was no longer moving. "Why did you call me here if you just wanted to kill us?" Aang demanded, still in his fighter stance.
By the time the vines dropped, we could see a squat, heavyset, middle-aged man with a beard and a strange hat. Save for a loincloth made of plant materials, he wore no extra clothing. After Aang introduced himself as the Avatar, the man insisted on bringing us back to the centre of the swamp, claiming he had something to show us. Great, more talks about overgrown plants. How exciting could this get?
We found ourselves back at that large tree in the centre, but this time, we were asked to climb it. Our host, who identified himself as Huu, claimed that he had been here in the swamp for years, meditating under this big tree to find enlightenment. "See? Completely reasonable," I stated, brushing off any wild talk about spiritual calling, "He's not a monster, just a regular guy defending his home. Nothing mystical about it!"
Taking a seat under the tree, Huu explained what he discovered during meditation here. "This whole swamp is just one tree spread out over miles," he described, "it is one big living organism, just like the entire world." Huu asked us to think about if there were true differences between individuals. "You think you're any different from me, or your friends, or this tree? If you listen hard enough, you can hear every living thing breathing together. You can feel everything growing. We're all living together, even if most folks don't act like it. We all have the same roots, and we are all branches of the same tree."
Huu then addressed the notion of visions, as raised by Katara. Why did people we cared about appear to us in the swamp? "The swamp tells us they're not gone. They're still connected to us," Huu described, "time is an illusion, and so is death." Huu even gave Aang a hint for his vision, stating that if time was an illusion, then not only did that apply for the past, but also for the future. That meant the girl Aang saw, whoever she might be, was someone we were about to meet.
During the whole time, I found myself listening to this carefully. Even though I wasn't really a spiritual person, I found this intriguing. Given that Huu spoke of some type of common humanity, did that mean all people could be brought together? I knew the Fire Nation was waging this all-out war, but that meant when we defeated them, it was a chance for us to reach out to them. How would the world feel about that, given all the pain and destruction they caused? I knew I still had reservations about reaching out to the enemy, but what if what Huu said was true, and we were meant to bond?
But on the other hand, this might be the only solution. Even if we defeated the Fire Nation, peace was tenuous at best. With so much mistrust and hatred between us and them, the only way that way could achieve peace was to understand each other, and that meant communicating with each other. I admitted that I was violently torn out of my shell during my journey, forcing to change my views on fighting, women, and morals, often all at once. It wasn't easy, and even today I had trouble adjusting as I went along with Aang.
But if a southern peasant like me could make a change, then so should the rest of the world. Today's battle just showed I could be beaten by something I totally thought was inferior, so maybe having me open my mind up faster than some so-called noble was a possibility. Think of the stories I could tell when I was the enlightened one, lecturing to those snobby aristocrats on the ways of the world. I liked that a lot!
Sokka's POV
"Whoever took Aang and Toph left this," I stated, pulling out the sword sticking out from the ground. Aang's vision in the swamp somehow came true as we arrived at this Earth Kingdom town. After scouring the place looking for an earth bender to teach Aang, we ended up going to an underground earth bending tournament. It was my kind of brainless entertainment as I saw hulking guys throw boulders at each other. I even picked my favourite competitor too, in a guy named The Boulder. And watching them go at it with nothing but pure rocks was an absolute blast!
But Aang had other ideas, as he ended up picking the champion, a petite girl calling herself The Blind Bandit. Originally, Katara and I both thought it was just a moniker, but believe it or not, she was actually blind. And she absolutely rocked the arena, even knocking out The Boulder! At first I wasn't too happy with this little girl defeating my favourite combatant, but that all changed when I heard out her story. Her name was Toph, the daughter of a nobleman named Lao Bei Fong who concealed her from the public because he felt the world was too dangerous for his supposedly disabled daughter. Was this guy's head so far up in the sky, covered by hubris clouds that he couldn't realize his daughter was perfectly capable of handling herself?
Yet it was the sheer irony of being a rich girl that made Toph so vulnerable, as the Earth Rumble tournament organizer and frequent combatants kidnapped and held Toph and Aang for ransom. As Katara read the note, I read over her shoulder. "It's signed Xin Fu and The Boulder," she informed the Bei Fong parents, who looked on in worry.
Suddenly, I couldn't help myself. No longer resisting my urge, I snatched the letter out of Katara's hand and yelled in glee. "I got The Boulder's autograph," I shouted, waving the sheet in the air. Hey, was there anything wrong with showing appreciation for a little something that most fans would be dying to get their hands on?
A sharp slap to the back of my head jolted me back to reality. Staring up, I saw the hard fume on Katara's face as she unleashed the tongue lashing of a lifetime on me. "Your so-called idol is the one kidnapping a blind girl and the Avatar. If the happiness of the Bei Fong family and the balance of the world were ruined because of your bone-headed move, then you will be responsible for each and every single consequence that comes our way!" She berated. As I rubbed the back of my head, I could only think to myself: what was sharper, Katara's icicles from water bending, or Katara's tongue?
Luckily, I didn't have to dwell on that topic anymore, as Lao Bei Fong offered to give up the demanded sum immediately in exchange for his daughter's safety. Master Yu, the earth bending teacher that Aang first approached but was quickly turned off by due to his emphasis on money grabbing rather than technique mastery, was asked to come along to monitor the transition, in case the Earth Rumble folks tried anything funny. Trying to get serious, I decided that perhaps Katara and I went with them too. After all, with Aang involved, there was no way we could sit on the sidelines and watched. With the father's permission, we re-entered the same underground tunnel leading to the arena.
The stadium seemed totally different than it used to be when we saw the earth bending tournament. Instead of rowdy and exciting, the empty rows merely isolated us, almost like we weren't welcome here. Before us were two large iron cages, hoisted high into the air, so that no escape was possible. Yelling at Xin Fu, we dropped the bag of money to the ground, where Master Yu sent it towards the Earth Rumble fighters with a low earthen kick. "Here's your money, now let them go!" I called.
But to my surprise, only Toph's cage was lowered to the ground. As the girl with misty eyes still clad in her nightgown raced to her father, we could only stare in shock as Xin Fu and the fighters revealed another poster. This time, it was a full body sketch of Aang and his staff, with the Fire Nation insignia all over it. "I think the Fire Nation will pay a hefty price for the Avatar," Xin Fu sneered, "now get out of my ring!"
My face froze as I saw the lowlife beings that the Earth Rumble fighters were. Even my favourite fighter, The Boulder, chose to join their side as they exited the ring with Aang's metal cage on their shoulders. And to think I respected these guys, now what respect were they showing us by doing that? Even if we discounted the kidnapping, at least honour their end of the deal by releasing them both! Claiming that Aang would be handed over to the Fire Lord was never in the agreement. Given that the Fire Lord had the Earth Kingdom in his sights, handing Aang over to him would eliminate the last line of defence. Didn't these jerks care about their homeland at all?
But looking around the rink, I realized that water bending would be put at a huge disadvantage, given the rocky and sandy ground. With Master Yu a spineless chicken at best, there was only one person to turn to. Nodding to Katara, we raced back to the tunnel where we came in from, only seeing the silhouettes of Toph, her father, and Master Yu. "Toph, there's too many of them," Katara called to her, "we need you!"
To no one's surprise, Lao Bei Fong went on a rant about how it was irresponsible for us to demand Toph for help, given she was "blind, tiny, helpless and fragile." I could feel my teeth grit as this bombastic, arrogant man hurled each word at us like knives, but also aiming them at Toph. Not only was he rejecting our offer to save the world, he was in turn hurting his own daughter. Even though I wasn't the most competent warrior in the world, at least my dad never threw putdowns at me. Who did this guy think he was?
Just as we were losing hope, Toph flung her father's hand away. Marching back in our direction, she told us she was willing to help. I sighed in relief as we at least had a helping hand, but my worry didn't fade completely as I weighed the odds. While Toph did win the tournament, it was mainly a one-on-one match. This time, she had to fight all of them at once. Could she handle it? Swallowing hard, I followed her into the ring.
Toph stomped the ground hard, creating a huge rocky barrier and blocking the fighters' path. "Let him go," she yelled, pointing at the earth benders, "I beat you all before and I'll do it again!" I could only look at the girl beside me, biting my lower lip nervously. Somehow, there was a chance that this could end badly.
Apparently, I was only half right. Things did end badly alright, but it was for the Earth Rumble fighters. Each individual attacked Toph with their own unique style of earth bending, only to have Toph deflect them away. No matter how fast the blows, how large the rocks, or how sneaky the attacks, Toph sent each fighter out of the arena like yesterday's garbage. I was so busy admiring Toph piling the bodies up that only another smack from Katara made me realize that we still had to free Aang. Even as we worked on the metal cage, I kept sneaking looks back at Toph. Apparently, even my favourite fighter, The Boulder, was eliminated, leaving her with Xin Fu.
The tournament organizer went on the offensive, sending a series of boulders, some of which larger than Toph's whole body, at the blind one. But even with my nerves all jittery and my teeth clacking, Toph didn't back down one bit, creating an earth tent and letting the rocks slide past her. As the battering continued, I could only grab hold of Aang, who we freed from the cage, and hoped that he had something to save us with should Toph fail. I mean, the Avatar was bound to have some crazy powers, right?
But Toph surprised us all when she used the momentum from her earthen tent and sent a slice of that at Xin Fu, who somersaulted around and landed with one arm in the sand. Was Xin Fu about to try an underground technique on Toph? I fretted with worry, glancing over at Aang, who seemed surprisingly calm. "This is it," he whispered to me, "with Xin Fu's position right now, Toph pretty much won this battle."
I watched on as Toph's feet planted themselves even further into the ground, her calf muscles tightening ever so slightly just as Xin Fu prepared to unleash the attack. My lips pursed and my teeth clenched as Toph lunged forward at the exact same time Xin Fu's attack arrived, slamming her hands into the sand. This time, her rumble was so loud and violent that we could feel the tremors even when we stood behind her. As I struggled to maintain balance, I could only see a huge puff of smoke blast upward from where Xin Fu used to stand, with the Earth Rumble master nowhere in sight.
Aang tapped my shoulder, pointing into the seats. Indeed, there was Xin Fu, with little consciousness left, sprawling at the seats a few rows up from the ring. Master Yu and Toph's father sat beside him, completely shocked as Toph truly knocked them all out. Suddenly, my head felt light, and my limbs weak. Whoops, there went the daylight as I joined Xin Fu in unconsciousness. Even without using a physical move, Toph got me fainting. Was she something else or what?
Unfortunately, her father felt opposite. When we returned to their mansion, Toph revealed the truth to her family, claiming that it was her role in life now. While she hoped her family would understand and wouldn't judge her harshly, her father did exactly that. Insisting that this was the result of giving Toph too much freedom, he ordered that the guards kept Toph indoors and supervised every single day! And to add salt onto the wound, Lao Bei Fong instructed the guards to throw us out, smugly pointing out that it was the Avatar's group that was being a bad influence on Toph, and that we were no longer welcome guests. I nearly wanted to impale his face with my bladed club. After what his daughter did and what she could potentially contribute to saving the world, how could this selfish man do this? Not only was he jeopardizing the world, he was making his relationship with his daughter even more torn! What would it take for him to realize the truth? Perhaps Toph should send one of her rocks straight at this arrogant guy's face!
As we stepped away from the town, letting ourselves be engulfed by the night, I thought about what all this meant. Certainly, in my first true journey away from home, I had seen my fair share of things that changed my views. This is particularly true on my views of women, as it felt like all the strong people around me now were females. It was a no-brainer how far Katara progressed, but Suki's warrior skills and Yue's sacrifice to save the world really cemented that into my mind. So for Toph, a girl younger than us all, to do all those amazing things, it truly humbled me.
And it was with Toph that not only did I realize how wrong I was, but how wrong the world was. Things were never about entitlement, and just because one was the most skilled warrior in one's town or village didn't mean one could bark orders around. Just like how I learned to be more patient and tolerant, so should Toph's father. He might be the richest man in this region, but could he say he had anything except material wealth? He treated his daughter like a prisoner, and it was all due to a reason out of anyone's full control: blindness. Toph might be different, but did that mean her chances were to be limited as well? This man was lucky to have her born alive, as Yue nearly almost didn't make it had it not been the Moon Spirit. Why couldn't he appreciate Toph for who she was and what she did? If we ever saved the world, I really hoped he wouldn't start going around bragging that he hosted the Avatar, although it wouldn't be surprising if he did.
Suddenly, a voice called from the distance, making us turn back to the town's direction. I had to rub my eyes extra hard just to see what was going on: Toph was racing up the hill, coming straight for us. Claiming her father changed his mind, she now wanted to join our group, excited about the opportunity to see the world and teach earth bending to Aang, after some payback for Aang blowing her off the arena first. I chuckled at her retaliation, but was also happy with Toph's choice. Even with her nonchalant tone, I could tell she was lying when she told us her parents agreed to let her out. But still, for a rich girl, she could have easily stayed inside her mansion and be pampered. For her to give up all that for freedom, both present and future, it was a big sacrifice.
And it was because of this fact that I suggested we left as soon as possible. Given the wealth owned by the Bei Fong family, it wouldn't take much for them to assemble a search team to scour the Earth Kingdom for Toph. "Let's get moving before your father changes his mind again," I insisted, climbing onto Appa. From that moment on, I knew we just added a whole new dynamic into our group. For better or for worse, my world just became that much wider, and I became that much more open.
Suki's POV
"I know you're just trying to help, but I can take care of myself." I insisted to Sokka as we sat underneath a rock arch. I never would have thought the Avatar's group reunited with me under these circumstances. Their actions really inspired my team to tackle more responsibilities in the war, and that was why I was at the Full Moon Bay ferry terminal, escorting refugees onto the ferries for Ba Sing Se, the only safe haven in the Earth Kingdom. I must admit that Sokka was on my mind as I laboured through that mission, thinking about what my favourite Water Tribe warrior could be up to.
But it was a different Sokka that I saw today, as he was very overbearing, to the point where he wasn't even willing to let me do anything by myself. He panicked nonstop when the Fire Nation patrol ships spotted us, running around almost aimlessly when a rock slide occurred as a result of the ship's blast. Even when the newest member of their team, a blind earth bender named Toph, saved us, he didn't even notice it. Frankly, this was not the Sokka I first met, brash but knowledgeable, excited but goofy attitude. And if I didn't figure out what went wrong here, I didn't think I could last another second. "So why are you acting so overprotective?" I demanded, trying to get to the bottom of this.
I watched on intently as Sokka tilted his head upward, letting the full beam of the moon shine onto his face. His eyebrows furrowed, his cheeks drooped, and his lips were sagging in defeat as he pondered my question. With the way the shadows fell onto his face, I could have sworn Sokka became at least a decade older. "It's so hard to lose someone you care about," he began, his voice cracking and his tone dampened. His eyes never left the moon as he stated, "something happened at the North Pole, and I couldn't protect someone. I don't want anything like that to happen ever again."
I pursed my lips, not knowing what to think. I wasn't around his group when they went to the North Pole, so I couldn't really judge. But seeing how Sokka couldn't even turn to look at me, I knew it must be something drastic, perhaps even someone he deeply cared for. Given the Southern Water Tribe was even more isolated from the rest of the world as Kyoshi Island, I knew it was very difficult for Sokka to truly bond with people. And for him speak that longingly on that, I realized he was still in some pain.
But still, the perfect medicine for Sokka right now was someone who could truly sympathize with his needs. I didn't know if I was the best choice, but I was in a similar situation as him. Just like Sokka, I was from a very isolated area of the world, and rarely did we get any visitors. It was also my first time visiting the outside world, meaning my eyes were being opened for the first time. What's more, I was also longing for someone I truly cared about who I hadn't seen in a long time. Perhaps now was the right time to engage Sokka, and hopefully get some of those demons inside him out into the open?
Taking a deep breath, I turned back to Sokka, who still had his head drooped over. "I lost someone I cared about. He didn't die, he just went away," I described, listing off all the traits this person had. It got to the point where I finally riled up Sokka, who shot up from his seat, demanding who this mysterious person was.
I couldn't stop laughing as I revealed the identity of said person. "It is you, stupid!" I declared. After all that moping, Sokka really seemed like he was back to his original self. Maybe this was a good time to see him let go of his past and moving onto a new stage in his life? Almost instinctively, I leaned in, my eyes starting to close as our lips edged closer together. Hopefully, he was ready for this as well.
But the kiss never panned out, as Sokka suddenly pulled back. "I can't," he muttered, before scurrying away. It left me standing there, confused by the rejection but also somewhat guilty of pushing Sokka so much. With the moon now blazing its light onto me, I felt like even it didn't want me to make that move.
For the rest of the next day, I remained silent, hoping not to upset Sokka anymore than I did last night. For me, whatever doubt I had regarding Sokka's past ways were out of my mind, based on what I saw. This Sokka was much more sensitive, and took on way more responsibility than before. His now battle-scarred emotional state showed he had been through much hardship, with no end in sight for his journey. Who knew what other troubles awaited him in Ba Sing Se? Could he convince the earth benders there to side with him against the Fire Nation? Could he prevent the Fire Nation from fully penetrating that city's walls? What about getting Aang the training required for all four elements to challenge the Fire Lord once and for all? All these questions weighed heavily on my mind, and I knew, deep inside, Sokka was probably thinking the same.
A series of violent splashes got my attention, as a large creature similar in size and appearance to the Unagi from Kyoshi Island caught my eye. It was then that I met the namesake of the Serpent's Pass as it hissed furiously at us, spraying water all over the small plot of an island we were standing on right now. Considering that on our way here, Aang's group was also escorting a man and his pregnant wife, meaning things became that much more dangerous. "Get everyone across," Aang ordered, flipping his staff into a glider and going after the serpent. With Katara freezing the ice before us, creating a footbridge to get to the other side, we hurried our way across.
But our progress hit a snag when Toph, the blind earth bender, struggled her way across. From what she told me, she could only "see" via earth bending, meaning a path of ice was not acceptable for her. As she inched along, with only Sokka's voice to guide her, I could only tilt my eyes back and forth. Sokka was a bust of concentration, not budging at all from his position at the edge of the ice. Recalling how he failed to protect someone her cared about at the North Pole, I could see why he was so intent on getting Toph across safely. "You're almost there!" Sokka yelled, urging Toph forward.
Then, as luck would have it, the serpent's tail slashed across the icy bridge, shattering it to bits and sending the helpless Toph into the water. As she struggled to stay afloat, I immediately leaped in. Living near the bay with a large sea monster, I was used to rescuing people who might be in trouble, even though we discouraged anyone from using that area unless it was absolutely necessary. But for Toph's case, not only was I doing this for rescuing someone in need, but also for Sokka. He cared too much for those around him to lose another loved one, and I cared too much for him to stand idly and watched it happen. If I could do something to help out this group, then I certainly would, and that was why I was submerged into the cold liquid, yanking on Toph's limbs.
As I dragged Toph back to the surface, the usually tough girl did the unthinkable by leaning in and kissing my cheek, thinking I was Sokka. I had to put her through some embarrassment by revealing my identity, to which Toph replied that I should just let her drown. With the earth bender securely fastened around me, I pulled her to shore. I barely caught Sokka's expression, but the sigh of relief plus how carefully he checked over Toph for any injuries said everything. After the North Pole incident, I knew Sokka was not about to let another person be hurt in his presence ever again.
As Aang and Katara returned after subduing the serpent, giving us a clear path straight to Ba Sing Se, things hit another snag. Just as we got off the Serpent's Pass, the pregnant woman, Ying, entered labour. With nothing around us to deliver a baby, it was up to Katara's quick thinking and creativity that coordinated the moves. Having Toph make a rock tent over Ying and her family, Katara and I watched over Ying as we got ready for the birth. "Now get ready to push," Katara counted, "one, two, three!"
As the infant met daylight for the first time, Katara handed the baby girl to me while she took care of Ying. As I called out of the tent, announcing the baby's gender, I realized how important this birth was. Sokka was definitely going through a rebirth, with a new set of ideas and views on the world. Perhaps, if he truly witnessed this event, it could show him that even in hopeless situations, miracles could always happen.
But I soon got the laugh of a lifetime when Toph pointed to the lifeless body at my feet. It was Sokka, who Toph reported as being so overwhelmed by the birth that he fainted on the spot. Even though it was a new Sokka that we were seeing, there was still some of that old Sokka, with his goofiness and ability to turn some small mishap into all-out craziness. "Care to use the cold, wet towels on Sokka?" I offered Toph.
By the time everyone was reenergized, it was time to say goodbye. I pulled Sokka aside, hoping to clarify what was going on. Perhaps I was the one who got too antsy, and ended up creating a negative impression on Sokka. After telling him that I came along because I wanted to escort them through the pass safely, I made my apology. "Listen, I'm really sorry about last night," I stated, "I just got carried away, and before I…"
I couldn't utter another word as Sokka planted his lips onto mine. With how much confidence he showed, kissing the same girl that humiliated him all those months before, I believed Sokka was truly ready to turn the page. Perhaps this was a time for us all to show even more support to each other, given the climax of our adventures was about to unfold. For me, I knew my support for Sokka was undying; he showed me enough in this short period to prove that he had indeed matured, and he was more ready than ever to take on the world. With that thought in mind, I realized now was the time to play my part.
Katara's POV
"We're on your side, we're here to help!" Sokka called across the large room to his target, a slim man with round spectacles wearing green and yellow robes sitting at the throne. Things kept hindering us from reaching our objective of meeting the Earth King here in Ba Sing Se, and only yesterday we found out why. The Dai Li, led by the chief minister Long Feng, controlled everything in the city, including the broadcasting of any information. That meant the Fire Nation's advances, the war, and even the rediscovery of the Avatar were muzzled by the Dai Li. With no Appa and nobody to turn to for help, there was very little that we could do except wait at our residence.
But something happened that caused us to initiate the action, rather than wait for luck to come to us. It turned out that Jet, the former Freedom Fighter leader, was in Ba Sing Se, and offered to show us where Appa was. I never thought I would see that face again, let alone let him approach me after what he did. But upon further investigation, we found out that Jet was brainwashed by the Dai Li, to the point where he couldn't even remember his own past. Only by using my healing water bending tricks did we find out what really happened, leading us straight to the Dai Li's underwater lair.
"You have to trust us," I added, watching anxiously as that squat balding man Long Feng appeared next to the king. It was in the underwater lair that Long Feng and Jet battled each other, with our former acquaintance taking a fatal blow. With Long Feng on the run and another resistor removed, there was nothing preventing the Fire Nation from running roughshod over the capital now. With the lives of the citizens at stake, we must get the Earth King to help us, even if it meant discrediting Long Feng.
But the Earth King was unimpressed, ordering us to drop our weapons before we were allowed to speak to him. Given that Long Feng had the king hook line and sinker, we had no choice but to stand down. As I pulled my water whip back into my sash, the Dai Li sent these blobs of earth at us, yanking my arms violently and cuffing my hands together. "Make sure the Avatar and his friends never see daylight again." Long Feng called monotonously. I glanced around, hoping there would be some plan to escape. Sokka was the one who suggested we invaded the palace, so what did he have to say?
"You're the Avatar?" the Earth King asked, pointing at Sokka. My jaw nearly hit the floor as the bespectacled man thought my goofball brother was the Avatar. Which part of Sokka showed anything Avatar-like? But then again, knowing how things were like with Sokka throughout this journey, maybe I shouldn't be surprised that a weird trick like this would buy us some time. Could this change the Earth King's mind?
Sokka signalled to Aang, who broke free from his earthen cuffs and waved at the king. Even with Long Feng filling up the Earth King with lies, we were still granted some time to speak. It helped our case when the king's pet bear Bosco acted friendly around Aang, making things easier for us. "There's a war going on right now, for the past one hundred years, in fact. The Dai Li kept it secret from you. It's a conspiracy to control the city, and to control you. Long Feng didn't want us to tell you, so he stole our Sky Bison to blackmail us. And blackmail's the least of his crimes, as he brainwashed our friend!"
To no one's surprise, Long Feng worked his magic on the king, describing us as enemies of the state and members of a revolutionary group plotting a rebellion. I deflated as the Earth King suggested that his advisor was correct. Biting my lower lip, I racked my brain for solutions. It was times like this that Sokka usually had some genius move. He got us out of plenty of sticky messes before, so why couldn't he figure out this one?
My wish was granted as Sokka whipped around and challenged Long Feng. "I can prove he's lying," he stated, his eyes larger than saucers and brighter than the sun as he set his sights on Long Feng, "ask him to lift his robe."
My eyes tilted back and forth, realizing Sokka might have pulled it off again. Long Feng was in charge of capturing Appa, and in a recent tussle with us Appa bit him across the shins. If there were any scars or tooth marks, then it would turn everything upside-down. Great thinking, Sokka, we owed you another one.
Despite all the refusals from Long Feng, Aang took a deep breath and blew at the middle-aged man's legs, lifting his robe and exposing the scars. Sokka went one step further by dragging Appa into the throne room, comparing the markings to Appa's teeth. Crazy it might sound, but the evidence was good as gold. "This matter is worth looking into," the Earth King decided, realizing that the Dai Li conspiracy theory was possible after all. For me, it might be a small victory, but one that we would take anytime.
It was all Sokka from that moment on, as he led the Earth King through the sprawling metropolis and to Lake Laogai, where the Dai Li's underwater base was located. Even with only fragments of what was left, given the Dai Li knew we were coming and probably destroyed the base ahead of time, Sokka's upbeat attitude didn't falter. "The wall," I reminded Sokka of the large mechanical drill the Fire Nation used to get into the city just weeks ago, "they'll never be able to cover that up in time."
Enticing the Earth King with a ride on Appa, we flew him all the way to the Outer Wall of Ba Sing Se. There was no denying how terrified, but also excited, the Earth King was when he rode on Appa, screaming nonstop as he zinged through the air. But while the king enjoyed his ride, my mind was on Sokka, as I compared his current situation to what he was like a short few months ago. Back then, he was very similar to the Earth King, with limited outside experience, and certainly had no appetite to open his mind. It might not be as bad as the king, who was brainwashed and manipulated by Long Feng, but I could argue that Sokka brainwashed himself by refusing to be open and receptive, especially regarding his views on fighting wars and gender roles.
As we approached the wall, I also realized the changes in Sokka making him come full circle now. Where as in the past Sokka was clinging onto old beliefs, only giving them up after receiving shock after shock, particularly during our journey with Aang. To an extent, we were all having our own surprises, with events happening that made us all reconsider our current positions. But for Sokka to reach out extra hard, to a king no less, was truly remarkable. When he resolved to make his mark on the world after the Yue incident, he certainly wasn't exaggerating. Now, on the cusp of showing the Earth Kingdom the big lies of the Dai Li, I truly hoped everything would succeed.
The colour literally drained out of the Earth King's face as he saw the large mechanical beast below, the head deeply imbedded into the wall. Just like how we left it after our team battled Princess Azula and her minions to stop this thing, the sludge was all over the place, making it almost impossible to clean off completely. "I can't believe I never knew," the Earth King murmured, holding onto the wall for balance. My eyes turned to Sokka, who was had an expressionless but uncompromising stare on his face. If this was what it took to wake up the kingdom, then I fully supported Sokka's decision.
A wave of scowls raced through us as Long Feng reappeared from a trapdoor, telling us another set of lies. Claiming that it was a construction project contracted out to the Fire Nation due to incompetent Earth Kingdom technology, all four of us tried our hardest not to punch that guy's lights out. Sokka was screened by the Earth King, who turned his head back and forth between his advisor and the Fire Nation's dangerous machine. But even without seeing him, I could envision Sokka trying to hold it in as well, albeit with much difficulty. Sokka was no longer blind to the truth, and neither was the Earth King. To continue using the veil of blindness was nothing more than foolishness.
Then, after what seemed like an eternity, the Earth King made his decision. "Dai Li, arrest Long Feng," he ordered, "I want him to stand trial for crimes against the Earth Kingdom." Just as it ended, a sudden warm breeze from outside the wall blew in, kicking up some dust and debris just as Long Feng was escorted away. Without another word from anyone, the king requested that we brought him back to the palace.
After a silent ride on Appa, in which all of us had some time to think about what happened, we returned to the palace. "I want to thank you young heroes for opening my eyes," the Earth King told us as he climbed back onto his throne, "All this time, what I thought was a great metropolis was a city of fools, and that makes me the king fool." He shaded his eyes from our stares, trying to hide his guilt and shame.
That was when Sokka made his biggest move. "We think you can help us end the war," he explained. During our journey in the Earth Kingdom, we found out from an underground library that a comet would come by summer, empowering the Fire Nation to the point where they could wipe out the world. "Before the comet comes, we have a window of opportunity. A solar eclipse is coming. The sun will be entirely blocked out by the moon, and the fire benders will be helpless. That's the day we need to invade the Fire Nation!" He declared. All the chips had to be in, and there was no turning back.
Even so, the Earth King was very hesitant, realizing that mobilizing troops out of the capital meant leaving himself vulnerable. For a while, I could understand his thoughts on this. The Earth King just lost his most trusted advisor, having found out that Long Feng had been lying to him all along. I personally felt the same way when Jet turned on me before reuniting with him for the final time in Ba Sing Se, but right now there were bigger stakes, such as the lives of all these citizens. I, along with Aang and Sokka, had to let go of our original mistrust of Jet, so couldn't the Earth King put his feelings aside?
Luckily, Sokka beat us to the punch again. "You're already vulnerable," he corrected the king, "The Fire Nation won't stop until Ba Sing Se falls. You can either sit back and wait for that to happen, or take the offensive and give yourself a fighting chance." I had never seen Sokka with that much determination before. Whatever doubts I had about his leadership qualities were erased on the spot by how he explained his ideas.
Then, in the most amazing gesture ever, the Earth King agreed to our proposal. He would summon his generals, and together we would come up with a plan. While I was overjoyed at the prospects of the invasion, I was proudest of my brother. This was truly the beginning of his ascent into a leadership post, directing the war effort and taking a stand against the Fire Nation. There would still be a battle ahead, as we couldn't tell if the Fire Nation had any other tricks up their sleeves. But for now, Sokka had everything in good shape, and I couldn't be happier with his efforts. This was his first major step, and I certainly hope there would be plenty more advancement for him in the future.
Sokka's POV
Every set of eyes in the camp keyed in on me as I made my approach. While the wave of blue clothing was a familiar sight, I felt like a total outsider here. Given that I hadn't seen these people in years, I had no idea what their impressions of me would be. How would they respond to seeing me now, compared to me then? Had I grown up in their eyes? Would they finally accept me into their group, and made me one of their warriors? As the thoughts swirled in my mind, I entered the campsite.
The strange silence was soon broken as the men swarmed me, greeting me and giving me nudges and pats. Somehow, it reminded me that I was still a kid, especially when some of these warriors already had graying hair. But given my true reason of being here, I didn't resent that. Amidst the "great to see you" and "how you've grown" remarks from the others, my eyes scanned around the campsite. There had to be a planning area where my father could do his work, right?
I scanned no more as my eyes set sight on a large tent in front of me, past the crowd of people. It was like the sea parting as the water warriors cleared a path for me straight into my target. A million things crossed my mind as I was about to meet my dad for the first time in years. When we were in Ba Sing Se earlier, the Earth King arrested that filthy snake Long Feng for crimes against the kingdom, meaning everything Long Feng had in his office were to be investigated. Indeed, there was a letter from Dad that informed us of his location. To say Katara and I were excited would be a massive understatement, as we had been longing to see our father since he first left our tribe. With such a great opportunity, there was no way we would be missing out.
But there was one problem, as one of us had to stay in the palace to discuss our plans for invading the Fire Nation on the day of the eclipse. With Aang off to find a guru that was willing to teach Aang more about the Avatar State, and Toph getting a letter from her parents stating that they were in the city, it meant either Katara or I had to stay behind. I originally offered to remain in Ba Sing Se, given that I was the one who made the announcement regarding the eclipse, but Katara made one of the biggest sacrifices for me when she insisted that I went to see Dad. She knew how much I wanted to see him, more so than she did, and hence the offer. I didn't know what to say to Katara, but for this incident alone, she had my eternal gratitude.
As I pried the tent open, my eyes zoomed in on the seated figure straight in my line of sight. Even though it had been years, I still recognized the features: Round face, dark hair, tan skin, small goatee, the traits were just as I remembered. Feeling my throat going dry and clenching at the same time, I eked out, "Hi, Dad!"
Not another word was spoken as I was pulled into a huge embrace, Dad's arms wrapping around me so tightly that I could feel my ribs pushed closer. I could only return the gesture as I held my father close, burying my face onto his shoulder. It was a moment that I hoped would never fade in my memory, even after the war was over. I had so many things to tell and show Dad, and hopefully I had time to add in Katara's tidbits too.
Before long, I was totally immersed into Dad's planning session with his top strategists. As tribe chief, Dad assembled the top people on his team to lead the war effort. Given that our tribe had access to water, it was obvious that the reliance on our navy was a focal point. But for me, I was barely absorbing the information, my mind too focused on getting some time with Dad. I knew Dad was doing me a favour by having me hear out this meeting, given that one day I would succeed him and be the coordinator of these talks. But for now, I was content to be in the same place as my father.
The meeting went by sooner than expected, even though the words spoken by Dad's advisors were nothing but slurs. My mind was completely blanked during the time inside the tent as my stomach churned and my knees jellied. I knew Dad must have some new inventions to show me, given how he spent all his life developing new techniques and instruments for our tribe. All the innovation I used throughout my journey was in large part due to things I picked up from Dad, and I really wished I could have a chance to show him what I came up with. I always wanted him to judge me for how I grew up while he was gone, so hopefully we could have a chance right now.
And one such invention was being adjusted right now, with Dad opening a large barrel-like container. "We've been using these tangle mines to stop Fire Nation ships from getting through," he explained. Chameleon Bay was the most direct route to get into Ba Sing Se, so if the Fire Nation wanted to invade the city via water, this was the place to do it. As Dad unscrewed the cap, Bato approached and poured in the secret formula, claiming that Dad invented both the concept of tangle mines and the solution that filled it.
I stuck my head into the opening, trying to get a peak. Before long, a strange odour filled the air, completely overwhelming me. "Destructive, buoyant, and…argh, terrible smelling!" I exclaimed, pinching my nose. Whatever my dad intended to go into that thing was ridiculously unpleasant, and I could tell how it could be effective.
"The mines are filled with skunk fish and seaweed. When a ship detonates the mine, the seaweed tangles up the propeller, and the foul smell forces people to abandon the ship," Dad described, cleaning up the outsides of the container. Somehow, I knew there was a witty name Dad came up with for this. How about the weedy destroyer, or maybe the fish torpedo? Wait, here it comes. "I call it, the stink and sink."
I rolled on the ground laughing as Dad revealed the name. There wasn't anything better than that one, both memorable and descriptive. In my childhood, I didn't really have much of a chance to bond with my father, given the constant state of war we were in. Add in the death of my mother when I was still a boy, and I truly wondered how my family didn't become more dysfunctional. But for me, it took a lot of courage from more than one person to hold everything together, and forced me to grow up faster than most other children my age. So for me, to bond with my father again, this was like regaining the lost years. In my heart, I truly believed I would treasure moments like these forever.
But an interruption cut into my thoughts, as one of the warrior reported seeing Fire Nation ships coming near the coast. I struggled to my feet, that churning feeling in my stomach returning again as I realized it was time for battle. "Bato, get these mines loaded up," Dad instructed the team, "the rest of you men, prepare for battle." I could only look up as the warriors packed their gear and set their course, but I wasn't given any orders at all. Did that mean I didn't get to battle? All the years where I prepared myself to fight alongside the other warriors, would I not get a chance at all? How could I show Dad that I was ready to take on the Fire Nation along with the others?
Yet the moment of truth slowly revealed itself as my dad turned his head at me. "Aren't you listening? I said the rest of you men get ready for battle." He ordered, the command clearly sent towards me. From my position, I could barely react, realizing that I was finally accepted into the group for the first time! So not only did Dad not feel I was too immature, instead he felt I was ready to fight alongside the men! This was a moment I had been waiting for all my life, and I was determined not to disappoint him. Whatever challenge on the horizon, I say bring it on!
By the time I grabbed my belongings and headed for the boats, it was already dusk. With the sun nearing the horizon, there was maybe a sliver of light for me to still see my father's face as he approached me. "You don't know how much this means to me, Dad. I'll make you proud, and I'll finally prove to you what a great warrior I am."" I murmured, trying hard not to get sentimental. Water Tribe warriors were taught to be solid in battle and to be unafraid of death, so I couldn't possibly let my tears loose before these veterans. Otherwise, I didn't know what would be worse, my father getting irritated or being sent back to Ba Sing Se dressed like a baby. Diaper, anyone?
Dad put all my fears to rest when he replied, "Sokka, you don't have to prove anything to me. I'm already proud of you, and I've always known that you're a great warrior. Why do you think I trusted you to look after our tribe when I left?" The moon shone just enough light onto Dad for me to see the mists in his eyes, showing me that even the toughest of warriors could get emotional. Heh, maybe if those elders wanted to get tough on us, they'd have to put Dad in baby clothes too!
But all that was shoved aside as a huge breeze from the beach nearly knocked me off balance. We all glanced up and saw Aang on Appa, sitting eagerly on the sand. Aang had a strange expression on his face, almost like he was filled with guilt. One look at the situation, and I knew something was wrong. "This can't be good news," I muttered.
Luckily, Dad had enough manpower to handle the mission, and insisted that I went back with the Avatar. "In times like these, you must prioritize," he lectured, waving at the Sky Bison. Taking a deep breath, I headed towards Aang. Even though I would miss out on my dream mission to battle alongside my father, I knew there was a much bigger stake at hand. Whatever Aang was up to, I had a feeling that it would affect us all.
Sokka's POV
"Thank goodness we're in time," I exclaimed just as Toph and I rushed into the throne room. Aang's reasoning for leaving the guru early was completely unveiled as a coup took place right before my eyes. As we rushed to the palace, Dai Li agents around us started picking off generals and other high ranking officials one by one, to the point where they were pretty much in charge. Luckily, I wasn't captured by any of their weird metal cuffs. Not exactly suitable for me to be hung upside-down with those chains around my feet, so why didn't the Dai Li just use that on one of their own, like Long Feng?
But things weren't about to stop there, as Iroh, Zuko's uncle and apparently a good friend of Toph's, claimed his niece, Princess Azula, was in on the coup as well. She kidnapped and imprisoned both Zuko and Katara, and now had control of the Dai Li. My group actually came across Azula a few times before in the past, the most recent one being the drill incident, but now was the first time I realized that Azula really meant business. With Iroh and Aang going after my sister and the angry jerk, I took Toph into the palace with me to warn the Earth King. Just before I left for Chameleon Bay, the Kyoshi Warriors arrived to guard the king, so everything should be okay, right?
Yet the universe loved to prove me wrong, as one of the warriors somersaulted up to me and stared flirtingly. I didn't really know how to react, but Toph took care of all that for me. "They're not the real Kyoshi Warriors!" She shouted, bending a slab of rock that sent the warrior flying. I should have guessed, right? Given the warrior said she had no idea who Suki was, that should have set some alarms through my brain? But somehow it didn't ring a bell, and I was shocked how easily I was caught off guard.
Before long, there was an all-out battle going on, with Toph taking on the other warrior in a projectile versus rock battle. For me, I was still stuck with the first warrior, who I recalled had the ability to block one's chi and paralyzing one immediately. For me, it was all about avoiding her hits, dodging and weaving away with her every jab. Brawl? More like a weird dance, as my opponent pointed out. Foot pivot, hip twist, body turn, waist in, arms out, was there anything more embarrassing? And the sad irony was, I was fighting someone in a Kyoshi uniform, which was supposed to be this style that I tried to learn after being embarrassed the first time. How bad could this look?
Apparently, not as bad as the Earth King looked, as he had a flame right up his throat, with Princess Azula, now dressed in Earth Kingdom clothing, declaring, "This fight is over!" With the Earth King's life at stake, Toph and I couldn't possibly take this risk. So, in complete defeat, we dropped our weapons and raised our hands.
We ended up finding ourselves in a prison cell a distance from the throne room. With the Earth King and Toph somewhere behind me, I marched up to the front peephole and squinted, trying to see if there was anything outside that could help me. There was no way I could operate in these conditions, not without my tools. Was there anything that I could use to get us out of here? When did I become this clueless?
Just then, Toph marched up to me, and told me of a new technique she invented herself. "I recently started to feel pieces of metal, and could sense the earthen particles inside them. If there are no guards outside, I'll bend the earth inside the door and break us out." Toph marched up to the door, and pressed her hands on the surface.
I kept my eyes on the opening even as Toph marched up, realizing that she most likely wanted an empty exterior. No point in trying anything with Dai Li agents marching around us. I wondered how well Toph could bend the metal cuffs the Dai Li used to catch the generals. "Are there any Dai Li agents nearby?" Toph asked me.
Reporting no, I stepped back and watched Toph do her work. It truly amazed me from the first day that Toph could do all this while fighting a handicap, but to see that she not only mastered earth bending, but created her own technique, it truly amazed me. For me, even though I had my dad's vote of confidence, I personally didn't feel I contributed my fair share to our group's efforts. My mission to fight alongside Dad was postponed when Aang returned, and throughout most battles there was a lot of bending, which was something I wasn't familiar with. So if we got out unscathed, I would put in extra effort into making our invasion, which would most likely have to be modified, a successful one.
After an agonizing minute or so, Toph crumpled the metal door and tossed it aside. I immediately grabbed the Earth King and hustled out, amidst the king's cries of wanting us to save his pet bear. Originally, both Toph and I had reservations about this. Was the Earth King implying that his bear was more important than us both, and more specifically, more important than his kingdom? Maybe he ought to switch occupations and became a zookeeper for bears instead of running a kingdom.
But the king insisted, claiming that Bosco was his only companion. Toph and I glanced at each other, and finally my good side took over. It wasn't often that we saw a king who lost his kingdom thanks to the betrayal of his closest advisor, so perhaps the least we ought to give him was some psychological comfort with his pet bear. Nodding at each other, Toph and I led the king back to the throne room, where we believed a large animal like Bosco would be kept. I just hoped I didn't have to go against that flirty fake warrior again. I shuddered to think what Suki had to say should she see me with her.
Luckily, Toph took care of that problem for me, as she caught Miss Flirty doing a handstand just as we entered. Binding her hands with rocks, the warrior naturally fell, and Toph trapped her feet as well. Her partner in crime, however, was totally nonchalant about our attack, which allowed us to take Bosco without resistance. I was a bit curious about that, given the Fire Nation's relentless attitude. After all, they had a tendency of lighting anything around them on fire, so why the sudden change?
Either way, we rushed back outside, which was now blanketed by dusk and rain clouds. Coolness and dampness clung to our skin as we approached Appa, trying to flee the capital as quickly as possible. I was still concerned for Aang and Iroh, who rushed to the underground catacombs to rescue Katara and Zuko. There were surprisingly no Dai Li agents around, but that probably meant Azula got them to go underground to pursue as well. Whatever was happening, I hoped Aang and Katara could stay alive long enough to get out safely. "Where are you guys?" I muttered, gripping Appa's reins tightly.
Suddenly, from that very hole Toph created to lead Aang and Iroh into the catacombs emerged a gruesome sight. With clothes tattered, bodies battered, and fairly fatigued-looking faces, came two individuals. The standing one struggling to move forward was none other than my sister, but the individual she carried seemed almost lifeless. "Oh no," I murmured, wondering what happened to Aang. There was no way that the world's saviour could be dead, right? What would happen to achieving peace now? Or even worse, what would happen to our group, now that we lost a true friend?
I could only concentrate on flying us out of Ba Sing Se, my mind completely paralyzed. Azula did what her friend couldn't do, and that was blocking my brain's chi. Even when Katara tried to heal Aang behind me, I couldn't bring myself to look. This was a huge blow to us all, both physically and emotionally. Not only were my friends in danger, our battle plans all had to be scuttled. We went from an advantageous position where we had the trust of the Earth King and the Council of Five into a case where the generals were prisoners in their own homes and the king was now a refugee. It would take all the thinking in the world, but hopefully we could get something re-planned.
But there was one thing Azula and her friends forgot: there was no way the Fire Nation could out-think two Water Tribe geniuses, namely my father ant me. Adding the determination of Katara and Toph to it, and they were fighting an impossible battle. Even if Zuko sided with them and turned on Aang, they still had to face the entire Southern Water Tribe ship fleet. I promised my group that I would do everything I could to contribute my part, and as long as I was unscathed, the Fire Nation better watch out.
My overall feeling is that Sokka actually loses some of his sarcasm as he moves in Season 3, mainly because so many things happened that he can no longer hide behind that. To me, the sarcastic side of him is like a mask, letting him re-enter his comfort zone when things get rough. But you see it almost disappearing completely after the Day of Black Sun. So after this chapter, Sokka will no longer be as sarcastic, and you guys will just have to live with that. Thank you for reading and see you next time.