Alright. If the Chapter numbers are confusing you (as they are me) then let me explain. (And if they don't, bear with me). About a week after I published Chapter 6, My computer went down. And I mean REALLY down, with repair people and everything. Everyhting was gone. So, I had to go out and find myself the notebook that I had written Book2 in, and type everything up. NOw, I had given the book to my friend, who has a dog that can't control his bladder. So, I had to deal with a notebook that smelled like dog pee, and that had absolutely no legible content in it. After making out the words to the rest of the chapters, I finally published some more. See what I do for my fans? Anyways, Chapter7 that is entitled SORRY! is actrually an apology, and not Chapter7. So there.
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"Nika!" I called. I was relieved when she turned to face me. I motioned for her to come over to me. As she was walking over to me, Suki planted a kiss on Sokka's lips. I shook my head when I thought of what would happen if Nika were to find out about… them. I hoped that nothing bad would happen….
Chapter 10: Prayers
I wondered why Katara wanted to talk to me. What a dumb question. She obviously wanted to fill me in on what had just happened. It was all like a giant blackout. One moment, it was dark, then something strange happened, and then I was here. Perhaps I fell, because that's what it felt like.
"So… what happened up there, Katara?" I asked.
"You mean… you don't remember?"
"Wasn't that already established?"
"I guess…"
"Well, I realize that I blacked out, but…"
"Think hard!" she encouraged.
"I… was yelling, right?" Katara nodded. "I was so angry, that I ripped off my necklace. Then, everything… went dark. Somehow, I was… trapped somewhere. I couldn't firebend, but I tried, again and again. I heard Aang calling me. It sounded… far away, like it was somewhere where I couldn't reach it. I couldn't see Aang, either. Suddenly, all of my energy was being drained by something. Or rather, it was like there was a hole in me that was open, and it was leaking out all of my vital force. I was getting weaker and weaker, and I was about to pass out. I was really cold, I remember. Then, right before my final strength gave out, it got really hot so that I was burning, and then I died, but at the same time, I woke up again."
Katara looked at me skeptically.
I sighed. "That didn't make any sense at all, did it?" She shook her head. "Well, that's really all I can tell you."
"I guess that'll just have to do then." Suddenly, I sensed someone behind me. I turned around quickly. It was Sokka. He was holding hands with a girl I had never seen before. Suspicions crowded my mind, yet I somehow refrained from jumping to conclusions. I stared at her, expressionless. I am still very tentative when it comes to meeting new people. I have trust issues.
"Suki, Nika. Nika, Suki." Sokka said, attempting to introduce us.
"Hi, Nika. I'm Suki." She smiled warmly and extended her hand. I didn't move. I didn't even blink. Suki withdrew her hand akwardly. I stood motionless, trying to analyze this person. When I first entered the group, I made it one of my general rules to not like girls that talked or held hands with Sokka. I mean, Katara really didn't count because she was his sister, and half of the things that she said to him were insults, and Toph… well… Toph wasn't really a girl in that aspect was she?
This… Suki person was very good at keeping eye contact. Not once did her gaze waver from mine, not even with Sokka trying to get us to stop staring at each other. He flailed his hands in between us and snapped his fingers in front of our faces. Next, he tried pulling my hair and poking Suki in the temple. I was forced to snatch his wrist millimeters from the clasp to my necklace.
"Hello, Suki." I said quietly and proceeded to bow as an obeisant. "Sokka has told me of you."
"I did? I mean… I did!" Sokka added quickly.
"Sure you did. This is probably why Nika seemed so happy to see me." Suki added sarcastically, rolling her eyes. Judging by the way that she spoke to Sokka, I deemed it alright to trust her… for now. She was probably just holding hands with her because they were really good friends, just friends. No love involved whatsoever, except, of course, friendly love…
"Suki, right?" I asked. She nodded courteously. "How did you and S- how did you meet the group?" I asked quickly, not wanting to sound too suspicious.
"Oh… Aang and Co. just happened to pass by one day. We… sort of… ambushed them." she answered, scratching her head sheepishly. I smiled. She was indeed mostly trustworthy. At least, she hadn't given me any reason not to trust her as of that moment.
She looked around at us, a bedraggled group of adolescents.
"Uh… would you guys like to… er… freshen up?" she asked suddenly. I nodded vigorously. I could hardly remember the last time that I had taken a hot bath. It seemed as if eons had passed since then.
We followed Suki up the path to the village with Appa in tow. It seemed like a small island, the town surrounded by a forest covering the hillsides. The houses were arranged in neat rows with dirt roads leading in between them (a typical Earth Kingdom Village layout) with a bridge leading to another section of the island, one with more green meadows and small shrines. We crossed the bridge over a small river that cut through the flowing grass and walked up steps that were cut into the side of a hill. Excited chatter filled the air as we passed the villagers that were eagerly peering out of their windows, some even walking into the streets to greet us.
After what seemed like a thousand hellos, we finally arrived at a small cluster of thatch-roofed huts that deemed as small "guesties", as Suki called them, of course referring to their purpose as guest quarters. There were enough so that Zuko and I were able to claim our own, while Sokka and Aang agreed to share one, and Toph and Katara took another.
The settlement was built so that the houses, in a jagged row, wrapped around the top of a high hill that was relatively far from the village, at the inner edge of the forest where it began. My hut, along with that of the two boys, was on the side closer to the forest that shaded the entire north side of the island. The one that belonged to Zuko faced the mountain on the western side, while Katara and Toph faced the village in the south towards the water.
There were two roads that led down into the town from where we were. One was straight up and steep, slicing what looked from afar almost like an unnatural seam into the land. It plowed through the grass carelessly, oblivious the disgusting way it looked. It had a purpose, and it was bent on fulfilling it, no matter what got in its way.
The second, as I realized upon arriving on the top that overlooked most of the island except for the mountain, was winding and narrow, and it dispersed amongst the houses before continuing down in a snake-like fashion. It seemed more… right, in a way. Unlike the path we had taken up, it moved with the land, curving and dipping where it needed to. I could tell that this road was older, and that it was created long before the threat of a Fire Nation attack had forced the people to build the straight one.
The small quarters also showed care for the land. The hard-packed earthen floors showed no manifest of ever being overlaid with wood, and all of the vases and pots that decorated the small wooden shelves were made of clay found in the heart of the mountain. A small, communal water pump stood at the top of the hill. After unloading my things, I took the liberty of walking up to where the two roads met in a small circle around the base of the pump.
I touched the metal and could feel the water flowing underneath the earth. The clay in the ground had filtered out the salt in the ocean water and created freshwater, which it had deposited into the groundwater reserve. Eventually, the level had gotten up too high, and it had created the river that now separated the hills from the shore.
I smiled, happy that there was at least one place still left on this earth that had survived a Fire Nation attack without being taken over. Although there were still a few singed straws on some of the rooftops, it was nothing compared to what I had seen during my days of travel. People weren't crying and moaning in the streets, little children weren't holding out their hands for food and money to feed their families… this place was largely self-sufficient.
I sat on the side of the road and contemplated this, the warm afternoon breeze stirring my hair around my face. It was quiet, the only sound around me being the far-off rustling of the leaves in the forest. Toph had taught me how to extend my Earthbending senses around me so that I could see something happening far away without actually being there. I submerged the tendrils of my energy underneath the grass and the topsoil, sinking deep down into the depths of the hill, closing my eyes and orienting myself only by the center of gravity that rooted me to the earth. I felt the world… calling to me, whispering to me things that no one but me could hear. Things about love and courage and betrayal rang in my mind, stories of conquerors, great powers, and separation. It was the story of how this island came into being.
We know who we are
and we will never forget the pain
We will never be torn apart
by the foolish game that is an endless war
Those that try to tear us apart
will soon realize, much to their dismay
the truth will manifest in their minds
that our love bonds us in unknown methods
and that those who try to overtake us
will seem to have succeeded in breaking our faith
… but will have only made us stronger!
The last defiant proclamation sounded so loudly that I jolted back into my body with a force more incredible than I had ever known. I felt energized and new, like the spirit of Avatar Kyoshi that lived in this island had recharged my body with a war cry. I ran down the road to my house and threw open the door, ready for what I had been dreading the entire week. I rummaged through my bag and pulled out a small table cover that I had bought at a market, a miniature wooden trunk that I had saved from a soldier, two sticks of incense, and two moonpeaches. Finally, I took out my two most prized possessions, things that not even Zuko knew I had. One was a royal hair piece that had been given to me at birth, and the second was a, though slightly worn, perfect picture of my mother.
I arranged all of the things on the small wooden table in the corner so that they became a small altar. I knelt in front of it and felt all of my sudden energy drain back into the earth where it belonged. I knew that it was only borrowed, so I did not fret. It would return when I needed it.
I tried to be thankful for everything that had happened to me, and for all of the good fortune that the spirits had bestowed on me, but I couldn't help but to let a small tear roll down my face as I thought about how I would never, ever see my mother again. But I was grateful. After the years of suffering without my family, I finally had Zuko again.
"Happy birthday, Mom." I whispered. I remembered something that she had told me right before we had stepped into the temple at the Crescent Shaped Island.
"Why are we coming here, mama?"
"…"
"Mama?"
"… whatever happens, you must remember that you are very special. Very, very special. You will do good things one day."
"Like father?"
"No, child. You will do other good things. Different things. But while you are doing all of these good things, you must remember this: whatever happens to me, whatever happens to you, you will always be my daughter no matter what. It doesn't matter if we get separated. I will always love you."
"Like you love Zuko and Azula?"
"Yes, like them. I love all three of you so much, enough that it hurts."
"If it hurts, then why do you love us so much? Maybe I should stop loving you and you should stop loving me so that your heart won't hurt anymore!"
"Never say that, darling. Promise me that you will never say that, okay? Promise me that you'll never forget that I love all of you. Promise."
"Okay, mama. I promise…"
"Please, mom…" I whispered. "I was such a good girl. I didn't forget my promise, not ever. I didn't forget, mom, I swear! I never stopped loving anything or anyone. I still love the entire world! And I love it for you, mom, and for me. Please, mom… please don't leave me or forget me. Protect me. Please…"
Somehow, I hoped that she couldn't hear me, because if she could, she would have had to be dead. But she wasn't and I hung on to that. Tightly.
The last of the energy left me… and the tears finally came.
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