"Don't say it Sokka; we'll end up having another massive serpent erupt behind us." Said Zoe as Sokka went to do his usual test of Murphy's Law.
Toph laughed, "He makes it too easy doesn't he?"
"Hey, I don't like this; you guys are ganging up me!" blustered Sokka, while still managing to stuff his mouth with food. They had stopped at an Earth Kingdom town for food after having been attacked by another Fire Nation ship that had discovered them…and then a massive sea serpent. Apparently this was normal for the Avatar's gang.
They reboarded the ship to come face to face with a tearful Katara. "H-he's gone." she burst out, her eyes brimming, "Aang, he's g-gone with this stupid idea in his head that he has to do this a-all alone!"
Sokka ran to his sister and embraced her gently, "Sshh.." he crooned, his sensitive side appearing once more, "Slow down, where has he gone?"
"I-I don't know, he just t-took his glider and left!" she stuttered through her tears.
"There's a storm brewing." said Zoe, eyeing the sky. "We should head out now to search for him."
"I'll go get Appa." said Sokka in a 'we're on a mission' voice.
Zoe went to put an arm around Katara's shoulders, even though she wasn't a great comforter; Katara had been there for her even though she barely knew her.
"We'll find him sweetness, don't worry." said Toph somewhat reassuringly just as Sokka reappeared with Appa.
They all jumped aboard, Toph thanking the fact that they had a saddle finally.
"I saw Dad." Said Sokka, "and we have a new plan; we're going to meet up at the rendezvous point in a few weeks. I think it's safer with Aang for now."
"Great idea." Said Toph earnestly, "I hate boats."
"Yip yip!" cried Katara and they were off into the skies, the wind soaring through Zoe's hair and she felt free of all her worries and torments, letting them fly away with the breeze. But, it was short lived. A crackle of lightening and a crash of thunder brought Zoe back to reality and away from the bliss of flying.
Appa swerved and the turbulent sea thrashed below them, the rain began to pour, plastering Zoe's hair to her face, her clothes to her skin, sealing the cold inside her. Toph was wide eyed and gripping onto Appa's saddle with the grip she used to bend metal, Sokka was shouting something, but Zoe couldn't hear him and Katara was ignoring everything and searching the skies and the sea for any sign of Aang. Momo had found his way around Zoe's head and Huan peeked nervously out of the top of her dirty, burned robes.
Zoe didn't know how long they'd been flying like this, swerving and barely staying in the air when they came to a Fire Nation blockade. Suddenly Sokka was steering them higher and higher, right into the twisting, blackened sky. Katara stood precariously and formed a massive bubble around them using the rain and cloud and Zoe stood up quickly to help her keep the clouds at bay around their shelter. They flew terrified through the dark, thick clouds that would suddenly light frighteningly with lightening and then managed to emerge, somewhere on the other side of the blockade.
Katara and Zoe collapsed on Appa from the effort used to protect them from nature's forces and Sokka cried out again, but this time so did Katara.
"It's Aang!" she shrieked, pointing at a volcanic island ahead. Zoe scanned the island, but couldn't see the airbender anywhere. That was until they came closer, then the sun began to rise and she saw the fragile figure that was Aang washed up on the shore, completely still.
They landed and Katara launched herself off Appa into the ankle deep water and raced toward Aang, the rest of them quickly following. They saw Aang slowly sit up dazedly and Katara practically dived on top of him.
"You're OK!" she sighed relieved, hugging him tightly and Zoe envied the tender look they shared. Sokka, Toph, Momo and Appa all joined in on the hug and Zoe stood awkwardly to the side, unsure if she was welcome in the group hugs as of yet.
Katara looked up and caught Zoe's eye and smiled, "Come on," she said, "you're a part of our group now." Zoe shuffled over shyly and Toph yanked her down into the embrace and she gave a soft smile, a small feeling of warmth that she had not felt in a while erupted inside her. Friends…
"Zoe," said Aang standing up a little shakily, breaking the hug. He bowed in what Zoe understood to be a traditional airbender's bow. She followed suit and he smiled. "You have no idea how happy I am to know that I'm not the last airbender. To know my people aren't dead. I can't believe it!" He grinned and Zoe allowed herself to give him a small smile.
"Well, airbender I may be, but I'm not a very good one. I don't know much at all." She admitted truthfully.
"I can teach you!" cried Aang with a sudden surge of excitement and Katara seemed to bristle slightly as if annoyed.
It was what Zoe had wanted and dreamed of for so long; to learn airbending from a true master, from the Avatar. The opportunity did not spark the old enthusiasm she once held, but Zoe bowed quickly, not wanting to disappoint him.
"I would be honoured." She said and offered him another smile. He grinned happily.
"Hey, what's-" Said Toph suddenly, reaching behind her where the waves were lightly lapping her feet. "Oh…" she realised mournfully, "it's your glider."
"It's ok." said Aang, taking the ruined wooden stick off her, "if someone saw it…it would give away my identity. It's better for now that no one knows I'm alive."
He launched himself in the air, jumping about ten feet to land on a crevice of the volcano and he planted his dead staff in the ground. It burst into flames. It was like a symbol, a new beginning, time to move on.
Zoe sighed inwardly…time to move on. She wasn't sure if she ever could, but…the least she could do was try.
"Yeah, I know Momo." said Zoe to the little lemur, "Huan and I would rather be cave people too."
"Blending in is better than hiding out." said Aang wisely for the second time that day.
"What about your hair?" said Katara suddenly, "it's so...uncommon; it's a bit of a stand out."
"It's not that uncommon." said Aang, "back in the air temples there were many women with blonde hair, far blonder even than Zoe's."
"That's my point." Said Katara, "now days her hair is very rare."
"Wait, how'd you know they had blonde hair?" Asked Zoe, confused, "I thought you were all bald?"
Aang laughed, "Only the monks had their heads shaven, the female airbenders only had to shave their forehead, so that their arrow was visible."
Zoe struggled to keep her face composed politely, but the thought of shaving half her head was just as bad as the whole thing. "Right…well, anyway, Katara about my hair problem; I'll find a scarf to cover it, don't worry." assured Zoe, tugging at her hair annoyed, but slightly protectively.
They all came to a halt out the back of a Fire Nation wash house. Drying clothes were hanging out on lines in front of them, the worker asleep, leaving them there for the taking.
"I don't know about this…" said Aang unsure, "these clothes belong to someone…"
"I call the silk robe!" cried Katara, suddenly and looked at her startled.
"But, if it's essential to our survival…" he continued, spurred on by Katara, "then, I call the suit!"
Zoe shook her head bemused and ran in to grab some clothes of her own.
Still not believing that they were going to be dressing as Fire Nation citizens Zoe finally made herself put on her red garments. Her skirt was pretty, comfortable, but practical and very similar to Katara's. Whereas her shirt had two sleeves that sat off her shoulders, on her arms and cut off just under her breasts in a silky, red material. She had her hair tied back in a low bun, and a red cotton scarf wound over her hair elegantly.
"Wow, Zoe." said Katara when she finished putting her hair back also. "You look…beautiful."
"Oh." said Zoe taken aback, "thanks…" she mumbled looking down, "you look stunning too; red suits you."
Katara smiled, "Thanks, come on; let's go!"
"Why do I have to do this all the time?" Demanded Zoe, sitting annoyed in her meditation position. "Can't you teach me how to make a tornado?"
Aang laughed, "You have to be able to really feel the air particles around you before we move on to the bending." explained Aang joyfully. "Meditation is a very important part of every airbenders daily life. It helps you focus your energies."
Zoe huffed in annoyance. She needed to be doing something, not 'focusing her energies'. Focusing her energies put her mind to rest and let it wander…let it slip into tormenting memories…dreams…But, when she was concentrating really hard, or working hard she was able to forget, slightly, everything else that was bothering her.
She closed her eyes again and tried to concentrate on nothing. She tried to discipline herself as Aang told her. But, as soon as the outside world was drowned out her mind was filled with golden eyes, a soft smile, warm hands holding her hips, and gentle fingers caressing her curved waist. Warm breath tickled the sensitive hairs on her face and soft, firm lips pressed against hers and Zoe's heart fluttered lightly. But, then the warm hands were pushing her away and the smile turned to a snarl and the scorching golden eyes were flying away, never to be seen again and Zoe's fluttering heart clenched painfully.
She snapped her eyes open, breathing heavily and jumped up. "Enough meditating!" she shouted then looked around, everyone was staring at her.
"What are you all doing?" She snapped, feeling left out and embarrassed by her out burst.
"Aang's having that dance party…remember? From school? Because he's insane?" Toph reminded her.
"Oh…" mumbled Zoe and Toph turned round and created a massive stage out of earth. Huan and Momo jumped startled and ran over to Zoe's feet. "I don't know that it's insane actually, I reckon those kids would need it. Fire Nation schooling is so rigid…"
"How do you know?" asked Katara with a raised eyebrow.
"Oh…umm, I was…" crap, crap, crap. Why did I bring this up? Zoe sighed, "I used to live in the Fire Nation." She admitted finally.
"What?" demanded four simultaneous voices.
"I know…I was adopted by a Fire Nation family when I was little." She said miserably, sitting down against the wall. "And I ran away when I was eight." She looked up at them all earnestly, "you have to understand, there are some good people in the Fire Nation."
Sokka scoffed. "Right, I'll believe that when I see it."
Zoe stood up again, furious and stormed over to him. "My Uncle Iroh is just one example. You know, the guy that saved our ass's in Ba Sing Se?" She hissed and Sokka backed up warily, "Or how about my adopted parents; they loved me, adopted me; a dirty orphan and hid me to protect me from the Fire Nation. You have no idea the propaganda that those people endure. It's like brainwashing; even I don't know what of it was true."
"I'm sorry…" said Sokka truthfully, "I wasn't thinking about what I was saying."
"You're damn right you weren't." Snarled Zoe and with that she stalked over to Appa, not looking at any of them. "I'll stay with Appa for the dance party." She said to the quiet room and then led him out the back of their cave. She needed to be alone.
Zoe had a new plan: never to be doing nothing, always to be busy. When she wasn't airbending with Aang, she'd made Sokka swear he would teach her how to fight with swords. Now that Sokka had learned from a master and made himself a space sword he was a really great teacher. She learnt fast too, though that was perhaps due to the amount of practice and desperation she put into it. She didn't even want to stop to sleep; sleep was her least favourite time of day. If she didn't require it to live she would quite happily give it away.
"I think we should buy you a sword." said Sokka seriously.
"Really?" said Zoe excitedly. "Great! Let's go get one right now from the town!" They were still near Master Piandao's home and the excellent weapons shop was very close.
As they walked, Sokka looked at Zoe from the corner of his eye. "I can tell why you and Zuko got along." He said suddenly.
"Excuse me?" Spluttered Zoe, completely taken off guard by the sudden use of…his name.
"You're determined and you have a bad temper…it's pretty obvious." He said simply. Zoe bristled furiously on the spot.
"My temper is not that bad." She hissed at him.
Sokka shrugged, "Sooo what kind of sword do you want? I think you would be good with dual swor-"
"NO!" Zoe shouted and Sokka nearly jumped ten feet in the air.
"What?"
"Anything, but those swords."
They walked inside the shop in silence, Sokka completely confused, but Zoe saw what she wanted immediately. Some beautiful katana's hung on the wall and she ran to them ecstatic.
"Hey, they'd be good for you!" He enthused, "you don't need brute strength; you need to be fast and agile. They're perfect!"
"They're also expensive…" mumbled Zoe turning away. But, then the shop keeper came up to them.
"Good sir! I heard you trained under Master Piandao; any student of his may receive half price in my store!" He said good naturedly.
Sokka looked pretty smug, "Well then, "he said pompously, "We will take the katana's if you please."
"Excellent choice sir. I do admire your taste."
And with that Zoe had her sword and Sokka had a huge ego boost.
"Thanks Sokka." She smiled softly.
"Not a problem, princess."
Zoe rolled her eyes. But, ever so slowly she felt the hole inside her gradually filling. Though she knew it would never again be fully healed.
A/N sorry about the delayed update! I'm trying to get through these episodes…quickly, but without rushing and without including unnecessary show bits that we all already know =/ but I want to get to the western air temple already! Anyway thank you SOOOO MUCH all of you for your reviews! Hehe, sorry for making you cry…well no… it was intentional XD (does that make me sadistic?) Anyway, yes I love your reviews very much =) they keep me writing!