A/N: Sorry, I'm not so late, but just a bit. This is sort of my slowing down chapter, and I had you get a little more used to the story. Just ask if you guys want another one of these, ya know, and have the characters just thinking over their circumstances. Believe me, I'll gladly write it, and just ask me in a review or PM, I'll do it. Don't be afraid...I don't bite...haha. Vampire joke, there.

Okay, well here it is! Enjoy, and please R&R, I really want to know what you guys think!!!

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"Are you serious?" Sokka said, his voice dull, and unbelievable.

"Yes," Jakoh answered, taking it seriously.

"Okay, let's go!" Toph said, hurrying them along, trying to continue the flow of going along fastly.

They walked, more like crouched, into the hole, and Jakoh blinked.

"Close your eyes?" he asked, more like in a tone a teen would use asking for the car to use for her and her new boyfriend.

"Uhm, why?" Aang asked. Iroh, who was tagging along blindly until now, looked ahead.

"Well, if you must know: There are some corpses splayed along about here, from an old legend of killers coming down here. My village is above this, and we don't like to pay mind to what they do," he explained.

"We'll live," Aang commented, although his stomach grumbled in protest at the knowledge of seeing a lifeless body. Such a light word: lifeless. Yet meaning so much more than it's worth.

They walked on, and indeed there were a few corpses splayed about. The most disturbing of all was yet to come.

A gasp rippled through the small groups. Nobody expected it to be uttered from Toph. Toph, of all people.

"Something wrong?" Ty Lee asked, running forward to meet her leading position. Toph quickly turned her head, her mouth open, yet no words coming out. She decided not to lie.

"Yes," she answered blandly.

"...What?" Ty Lee urged her on.

"Uhm...Hold that thought," she said, walking over to Sokka's place beside Jakoh.

"Sokka!" she said, urgently pulling his sleeve, trying to pry him over.

"What is it, Toph?" he said, curiosity piling high.

"Well, I saw a corpse...that kinda...looks...familiar." Dead silence filled the air, as she then knew everyone had been eavesdropping. Sokka's eyes turned from curious to dead serious, loving, and heartbroken all at once. It was actually kind of...scary. Humans could change emotion so fast!

"...H-Who do you see, Toph?" he tried to keep a steady voice, but it shook and cracked in odd places, making it sound like he was crying. Toph took a deep breath and looked to Jakoh.

"Did you kill either of our members?" she demanded.

"No." He shook his head, as well.

"Have any waterbenders by any chance died down here?" she said.

"Yes, there is a legend of the first few waterbenders down her-"

"Good! Okay, false alarm, people, go back to life...Er, walking, I mean," Toph finalized, starting her pace a little faster. Sokka caught up easily, and stood next to her.

"You thought it was Katara?" his tone wasn't incredulous, it was calming and soothing. Almost like curiosity, but no where near as intense. Just the urge for knowledge, Toph decided.

"Well, she was wearing the same color, so-"

"I know. I'm not judging you, or anything, Toph."

"Okay...," she paused, "This isn't meant to be one of those awkward conversations, is it?" she laughed.

"No, just kinda turned out like that," Sokka said, letting loose a bit.

"Okey dokey, peanut brain. So what'cha still doing here?" she said, not trying to be mean, just pondering. He exhaled in a small nervous laugh, and blushed.

"It's not-"

"I know," she replied, then felt her feet rise in what seemed to be uphill.

"Jakoh! Is this getting higher up?" she asked, continuing her walk with more curiosity than before.

"Yes, this is the way to my village. We are almost there, as a matter of fact. Now, everyone. Listen up. You must be prepared, because it's been black and white there for quite the time." The group nodded, a smile creeping up Mai's face.

They walked for a bit more, not much conversation going on. Pretty soon, the front leaders, who at the time was Toph, Sokka, and Jakoh, spotted some light up ahead. Toph felt it, more than saw it, obviously. She felt like the leaders of the Emperor Penguins, how when they go on hunting trips in colder weather, some leaders freeze until their turn in the middle, where all the body warmth is held.

Finally, they made it to the top.

"We're there?" Sokka asked, anxious and a little stressed at the big change in view.

"Why so scared?" Toph joked.

"It's different than color-seeing," he explained.

"Not for me! I couldn't care less," she said, smiling.

"Yes, Sokka. Everyone take your last glance of color, as you are about to walk into the world of black-and-white," Jakoh said, pushing a block aside. He was having a pretty tough time. Toph bent the nearest rock into it, and dust flew everywhere. Aang cleared it, and walked to the front, holding Sokka's arm and saying, "We're almost there," in a re-encouraging tone.

The first steps were the hardest. Everyone blinked, and it was tough getting used to the change in color..Er, blackness.

"I feel like I just lost all color in the world," Sokka said, rubbing his eyes.

The gaang was carried on by the hurrying Toph who was ready to prance ahead.

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A/N: I'm bound to update again very soon, since I just got used to this story again. So, I'm thinking, depending on what you guys think, this story should be finished in approximately two chapters. Or three. If you need more info, just drop it in a review, or PM me, I'll make a whole chapter dedicated to catching up, understanding, and getting to know the characters' view on things a little more.

So, expect an update soon!

Thanks once again to everyone who is reading this, whether you review or not, (although there appreciated ;) ) I still appreciate you reading it. Thanks!! =)

Bye for now, everyone!

:)