Before we start I would like to say thanks to all my wonderful readers for the reviews. I've finally been able to update after my holiday. Finals are coming up soon so I'm pretty sure I won't be able to update for a while.
Anyway you know the drill: Read and Enjoy.
"So you're literally able to make yourself super strong to fight using chakra?" asked Toph with an excited expression on her face.
Sakura laughed and nodded "Yes; that's the third time today I reminded you of that plus you saw-
She cut herself off slapping her hand over her mouth "Shoot sorry."
Toph laughed "That's okay; I do that all the time. Still it's just so cool!"
"Not really; not as cool as your earthbending." Sakura grinned back "I mean using it to actually sense where you're going is amazing."
Sokka rolled his eyes before he looked down at the maps in front of him. It had only been a day since they had gotten out of the desert and only a day since Sakura had started travelling with them.
"And with yet another girl in the group I feel like we have officially lost all sense of masculinity."
"Excuse me?" Sakura asked placing her hands on her hips
"Look no offense but you do have pink hair."
Sakura raised an eyebrow at Sokka "You do know I could throw you ten feet into the air with one arm right? Might want to be more careful with your words."
Sokka gulped in response and went back to looking at his map. "Well it is an unusual colour; no one in this world has it."
Sakura shrugged.
After finding herself waking up in another world where she met a couple of teens travelling through the desert caught in a situation as desperate as her own they decided that they were going to travel together to Ba Sing Se to find Aang's bison Aapa at the same time they would try and help Sakura to figure out a way to get her back home.
They were currently gathered at a watering hole with rocks surrounding them. Sakura and Toph were sitting near the edge together splashing their feet in the water while Aang and Katara were swimming and Sokka was looking over his maps near them to figure out where they needed to go next to get to Ba Sing Se with Momo peering over his shoulder.
Katara appeared from the top of the watering hole standing near the edge "Water bending bomb!"
She jumped off the edge and into the water where she bended a huge wave that sent Aang flying out of the water onto land and splashing the forms of Sakura; Sokka; Toph and Momo. Sakura and Toph laughed at the situation but Sokka was less than pleased.
"Look what you did to the maps from the Spirit Library!"
"Sorry" Katara said before bending the water out of the map.
Everyone gathered around Sokka and the map "So we just got out of the desert and we need to get to Ba Sing Se which is here." He pointed to the map "It looks like the only pass connecting the south and the north is this sliver of land called the Serpents Pass."
Sakura raised her hand "I don't like the sound of that and it's not just because I'm new here."
"She's right; you sure that's the best way to go?" Toph asked crossing her arms
"This is the only way to go, it's not like we have Aapa to fly us there."
Katara frowned at Sokka's nonchalant attitude "Shush up about Aapa can't you at least try to sensitive?"
Everyone looked at Aang who gave them a blank stare "Katara its okay, I know I was upset about losing Aapa before but I just want to focus on getting to Ba Sing Se and telling the earth king about the solar eclipse."
Since Sakura didn't know how long she would be with the group they decided to share their plans with her, explaining that the reason they were in the desert was to find a library where they also found information on the Fire Nation about a solar eclipse that would make them lose their bending abilities. That would be their weak point and it was information that they needed to get to the earth king so that could plan an attack.
'I literally just left a world that came back from a war to end up smack in another.' Sakura thought sighing
"Then to Ba Sing Se we go no more distractions." Sokka said folding up the maps.
As everyone got ready to move out they heard a voice
"Hello there fellow refugees."
Turning around they saw a man with two girls, one of the women was clearly pregnant judging by her belly.
'And not long before due' Sakura thought
"So are you guys heading to Ba Sing Se too?" asked Aang
"Sure are, we're trying to get there before my wife Ying has her baby." The man explained rubbing his wife's stomach.
"Great, we can travel through the serpents pass together." Said Katara
They gasped "The serpents pass, only the truly desperate take that deadly route."
"Deadly route...nice pick Sokka." Toph said sarcastically before punching Sokka's arm
"Well we are desperate." He retorted rubbing his arm that was probably going to be bruised.
"You should come with us to Full Moon Bay, fairies take refuges across the lake it's the fastest way to Ba Sing Se."
"And it's hidden so the Fire Nation can't find it." added Ying
Peaceful Ferry ride or deadly pass?
The answer was a no brainer.
The ferry rides were hidden in a mountain; when they got in Sakura couldn't believe how many refuges they were. Then again there was a war going on. It was explained to her that everyone was looking for a better life safe behind the walls of Ba Sing Se. She was told that Ba Sing Se was supposedly untouchable with its great walls and safe from the Fire Nation.
"It's really sad." Sakura muttered as they stood in line "And I've seen a lot of suffering in my world. Suppose no matter where it is; war always has the same results."
The group stood in line for the tickets; the woman who was giving it to them was very bitter and crude.
"Next" she called
When they got to the front of the line and Aang asked for five tickets the women told him that he needed passports. Since this was new information none of them were prepared and Sakura being from another world clearly wouldn't have a passport. Aang and Sokka had tried to persuade the women to letting them on with Sokka mentioning that Aang was the avatar however it seems that a lot of other people had attempted to play that card by disguising themselves as Aang.
"This is bad." Sakura whispered to the girls "What do you we do now?"
"I'll handle this." Toph said reaching into her robe and walking forward.
The blind girl stepped up to the booth and placed a document down "My name is Toph Beifong and I'll need five tickets.
The women instantly went to completely awe struck as she looked at the passport.
"The golden seal of the flying board; it is my honour to help anyone of the Beifong family."
Sakura looked shocked and turned to Katara for an explanation.
"Toph may not look it but she's actually the daughter of a REALLY wealthy family" Katara murmured to her as they watched the women handling the tickets bow her head to Toph. "Too bad she doesn't know Toph ran away."
"What?" Sakura asked
"Toph's blindness caused her parents to be extremely over protective of her, they wouldn't even let her earth bend. She ran away so that she could teach Aang earth bending. We haven't mentioned it since she came along though." Katara explained
Sokka appeared out of nowhere and handed them their tickets "Toph got our tickets let's go!"
They started making their way towards the ferry but then just as Sokka was bragging about how good they scammed that women for their tickets a girl with short brown hair; wearing a green and white uniform grabbed Sokka asking for his ticket and passport making everyone stop nervously.
"Is there a problem?" Sokka asked nervously
"Yeah, I got a problem with you. I've seen your type before probably sarcastic think you're hilarious and let me guess...You're travelling with the Avatar."
"Do I know you?"
The girl grabbed him by his collar and Sakura was worried that they were going to have to intervene.
"You mean you don't remember? Maybe you remember this"
Then she kissed him on his cheek to which confused Sakura and made Sokka beam and shout out "Suki!"
He hugged her
"Sokka it's good to see you."
Turns out that security guard was actually an old friend of theirs from their previous travels; she was a resident of a small island known as Kyoshi.
Suki looked over at Sakura "I haven't seen you before; just join the group?"
Sakura nodded rubbing the back of her head "Yeah..."
"Is that your natural hair colour? Sorry but I have to know."
Sakura guessed that pink hair was far from common in this world; in fact it wasn't exactly all that common back in her world either but at least people didn't stop to stare at it. So far all Sakura has seen are people with either black or brown coloured hair, not even a blonde or redhead.
"Yeah it is." Sakura mumbled
"So why are you guys getting tickets for the Ferry wouldn't you just fly across on Aapa?"
Everyone's expressions dropped
"Aapa is missing, we hope to find him in Ba Sing Se" explained Katara
"I'm sorry to hear that." Suki turned to Aang "Are you doing ok?"
Aang looked at her then at the rest of them who were giving him a similar expression "I'm fine. Would everybody stop worrying about me?"
Then they heard a familiar voice calling Aang and saw the pregnant women Ying with her husband "Avatar Aang you have to help us. Someone took all of our belongings. Our tickets, our passports everything is gone."
She began to sob on her husband's shoulder.
"I'll talk to the lady for you." He said
Aang went to go talk to the women at the ticket booth but it was no use, she wouldn't allow them a ticket without a passport.
'Why do I get the feeling this ride isn't going to be smooth?'
Her hunch was correct, Sakura, Katara, Toph, Suki, Sokka, Aang and the three refuges were standing in front of the beginning of the sliver of land known as the Serpents pass. After being unable to convince the women to grant them the tickets Aang said he would help get the three to Ba Sing Se by leading them through the dangerous route known as the Serpents pass.
Now they were standing at the entrance of the pass starring at a large gate in front of them. The pass was made of sharp dark jagged rocks that went in one direction.
"This is the Serpents pass?" asked Sokka with slight disappointment in his voice "I guess they misnamed it."
"Look at this writing; how awful" the women said looking at the writing on the entrance gate.
"Abandon Hope" Katara read
"How can we abandon hope? That's all we have." Ying cried
Aang looked out into the distance at the ocean "I don't know. The monks use to say that hope was just a distraction; so maybe we do need to abandon it."
"What are you talking about?" Katara asked in concern
"Hope isn't going to get us into Ba Sing Se and it's not going to help us find Aapa. We need to focus on getting across this pass."
As Aang began to walk ahead of everyone Sakura couldn't help but wonder exactly what kind of person Aang was. According to Katara he was actually very fun loving and not the serious type most of the time but with Aapa gone it seems that had changed.
'Abandon hope?' Sakura thought
The trip across the pass at the start of their journey was a bit rough because there was a narrow pass that they had to cross; walking along the edge of the pass and avoiding being spotted by the Fire Nation ships. They watched as the Fire Nation ship passed them by.
"The Fire Nation controls the western lake" Suki explained to them "Rumour has it they're working on something big on the other side and don't want anyone to find out what it is."
As Sakura looked out at the ship sailing pass them she asked "I hope it doesn't have something to do with Ba Sing Se."
Aang looked back at her "What makes you say that?"
Sakura shrugged "Just a thought."
Even for a ninja Sakura was always known to have excellent analytical skills; of course she also didn't rule out that this might be her own paranoia talking. Either way the topic was dropped as they continued to make their way across the deadly pass.
"This over the ferry ride just peachy." Sokka mumbled
Sakura rolled her eyes "You've been complaining for over an hour do you ever stop?"
"Nope" Aang; Katara and Toph answered for her.
Suddenly the rock path gave way under one of the refugees luckily thanks to Toph's quick earthbending she was able to save him from falling but part of the path falling into the water alerted the ship to their whereabouts and it began firing rocks with fire at them.
"They spotted us; let's go let's go!" Sokka said as everyone started to pick up the pace while Aang diverted the first fire back at the ship before more were catapulted at them.
After another fire hit the path Sokka pushed Suki out of the way of the rock debris but that put Sokka now under it; Toph used her earth bending to save Sokka by creating a barrier to deflect it.
"Suki are you okay?" Sokka asked rushing over to her; completely ignoring the fact that he was almost crushed by rocks and that Toph just saved him. "You have to be more careful; come on."
Sakura watched as Sokka pulled Suki down the path to safety while Toph just stood there with a slight pout on her face "Thanks for saving my life Toph-hey no problem Sokka."
Sakura smiled and patted Toph on her head "Nice job."
Toph smiled "Thanks."
Finally making it through their first day, the group set up camp as night fell. Sakura did a check up on Ying to make sure that she and the baby were doing alright.
After that she went further up on the pass to take a look over and see how far they were from the end mainly because she didn't want to stick around to hear Sokka and his over protective comments with Suki; the water tribe boy had already told Suki not to sleep near a ledge thus moving her sleeping mat and then shouted when he thought he saw a spider on the mat.
'Seriously that level of over-protectiveness is enough to make any girl go insane'
As Sakura went further up the pass she spotted Katara and Aang up and decided to go check on them and then ended up hearing their conversation.
"What's going on with you? In the desert all you cared about was finding Aapa and now it's like you don't care about him at all."
"You saw what I did out there, I was so upset about losing Aapa that I couldn't control myself. I hated feeling like that."
"But now you're not letting yourself feel anything at all. I know sometimes it hurts more to hope and it hurts more to care but you have to promise me that you won't stop caring."
Katara held out her arms for Aang saying that he needed a hug but he just politely bowed and thanked her for her concern before leaving.
Sakura decided that was enough eavesdropping and to just show herself to Katara "You sure you're not the one that needs a hug?"
"Sakura don't sneak up on me like that!" Katara exclaimed placing a hand over her heart
"I'm a ninja; it's instinct!" Sakura argued before joining Katara on the ledge "So you're worried about Aang?"
"Yes; I mean I know that Aang doesn't want to lose control again but...the way he's acting now is just so cold. He won't let himself show that he's worried about Aapa anymore."
Sakura sighed before sitting down, her feet dangling over the ledge "When I was twelve, I lost someone I cared about and it was so hard for me handle that I let my emotions cloud my judgment and ended up hurting a lot of people because I was hurt. I very nearly lost one of my closest friends... and made him make a stupid promise that he has been trying to full fill since then."
Sakura's heart clenched as she thought back to her friends; to Naruto and Sasuke. She wondered if her friends were worried about her.
"I think you should just let him be for now and wait until Aang comes to his own realisation."
Katara nodded "You might be right."
"Besides no one can keep up a strong front forever." Sakura said softly closing her eyes
After having her little talk with Katara Sakura decided to head on back but then she spotted Sokka and Suki on the other side of the pass looking up at the moon.
"Look; I know you're just trying to help but I can take care of myself." Suki said softly
"I know you can." Sokka replied
The serious expression on his face was something Sakura felt did not suite him very well; the demeanour and aura was odd.
"Then why are you acting so overprotective?" Suki asked
"It's so hard to lose someone you care about." Sokka told her turning back up to the moon "Something happened at the North Pole and I couldn't protect someone; I don't want anything like that to ever happen again."
Suki gave a small smile "I lost someone I care about; he didn't die he just went away; I only got a few days to get to know him but he was smart and brave and funny."
Sokka stood up frowning in jealousy "Who is this guy is he taller than me?"
"No he's about your height."
Sakura shook her head; was Sokka really that dense?
"Is he better looking?"
"It is you stupid" Suki said standing
"Oh"
Suki and Sokka stared at each other before moving closer in
'And that's my cue to leave.' Sakura thought averting her eyes but then she heard Sokka
"I can't."
Turning back Sakura saw that for whatever reason Sokka had turned his back on Suki.
"I'm sorry." Suki said
"No; you shouldn't be." Sokka said before walking away.
'What is with the men in this group!?' Sakura wondered in annoyance.
While on his way back to camp Sakura caught up to Sokka and pulled him to one side.
"Okay what was that about?"
Sokka looked at her confused "What was what about?"
"What happened with you and Suki?" Sakura said crossing her arms over her chest "I know you like her so why did you hesitate and turn away?"
"You were spying on me?" Sokka asked frowning
"Just answer the question." Sakura said before her face softened "You like Suki don't you?"
"Of course I do."
"Then why didn't you kiss her?"
Sokka bit his lip and looked up at the moon "I can't..."
"What do you have to guilty about?" Sakura asked placing a hand on his shoulder
"I'm not guilty-
"I'd know that look anywhere because I've worn it before; Sokka you're feeling guilty about something. Does it have to do with this person you couldn't' protect?"
Sokka lowered his head and sat on the ground "Yes..."
Sakura joined him on the ground crossing her legs "Care to tell me the story? I'm basically a stranger so I can't really judge."
Sokka began to tell Sakura of his; Katara's and Aang's early travels; they had gone to the Northern water tribe in the North pole so that Aang and Katara could find a master to teach them waterbending. While they were there they had been introduced to the leader of the tribe and his daughter princess Yue.
"Let me guess you and her became...
"Sort of." Sokka said his eyes downcast "While my sister and Aang were learning water bending I was with her. Then the Fire Nation launched an attack; see in the tribe there were two spirits; the ocean and moon spirit. The general's aim for attacking was to kill the moon spirit which he almost did."
"Almost?" asked Sakura
"He managed to kill the moon spirit but Yue who had been given life by the moon spirit when she was a child had been able to return the life essence to it-she became the moon spirit."
Sakura felt her heart clench "Sokka...
"She sacrificed herself to save everyone."
"Then why are you so downcast and blaming yourself?" the pinkette asked
"BECAUSE I WASN'T ABLE TO PROTECT HER." Sokka cried "HER FATHER TOLD ME TO PROTECT HER AND I COULDN'T; I JUST LET HER DO IT; I LET HER SACRIFICE HERSELF BECAUSE I WASN'T STRONG ENOUGH TO STOP HER; IT'S ALL MY FAULT."
'Looking like this; he reminds me of myself at a point.' Sakura thought
Sakura watched as Sokka broke down; hands in his knees. "It's not your fault Sokka; sometimes these things happen and there's nothing we can do about it."
"But why did it have to happen to her?"
Sakura took a breath "Sometimes you have to accept the things that happen and move on. If you don't you will remain at a stalemate; punishing yourself isn't going to bring her back and it won't appease her either. I don't think she would want you to keep blaming yourself. If anything I bet all it does is hurt her."
With that said Sakura stood up and began making her way back to camp.
"And you should remember; love isn't limited."
The following day the group continued to make their way through Serpents Pass. A little while after travelling they came to a part of the pass that was cut off by it being flooded; Sakura could easily pass over by walking over but the others wouldn't.
"Everyone form a single line" Katara ordered
After everyone did as told Katara started bending the water to move out of the way as they made their way through to the other side of the pass. Sakura still couldn't help but marvel at their amazing abilities. They continued to walk through the water until something swam across from them.
Something really big.
Everyone stopped to look "What is that thing?"
It swam straight through the water barrier breaking it. Toph was quick to bring them all up on land before they drifted in the water. When they got on top all they saw was something green with scales circling them.
Then out of the water emerged a large sea serpent.
"So that's why it's called the Serpents Pass." Sokka observed
"This world just gets better and better." Sakura said sarcastically getting ready to fight.
Sokka grabbed Momo and held him up "Oh great and powerful sea serpent please accept this humble and tasty offering."
"Sokka!" Katara scolded
"I'll distract it, Katara get everyone across." Aang said before flying up into the air
Katara created an ice path for them to walk across; after everyone was across Katara went to help Aang.
"I'm coming to." Sakura said
"You can't water bend." Sokka pointed out
Sakura smiled "I don't need to."
With that she started walking on the water and running towards Aang and Katara; not even bothering to turn and see everyone's shocked expressions.
Sakura ran up to the sea serpent and with chakra coated fist, landed a powerful punch into its head but it was quick to recover.
Sakura began to make some hand signs "Water style; water dragon jutsu!"
A giant water dragon almost the size of the sea serpent appeared from the water and began attacking it. Aang and Katara stared in amazement.
"We are so learning that!" Aang said
The two water serpents began to clash but it didn't hold up very long because the sea serpent attacked Sakura's water dragon by slashing it with its tail reverting it back to normal water.
"I could use some help here" Sakura called
Aang and Katara started to create a whirl pool that flung the sea snake into the side of the pass before it swam away.
"That takes care of that." Katara said sighing in relief
After a few more hours of walking the group finally made it to the end of Serpents Pass.
"There's the wall" Sokka cried in relief "Now it's nothing but smooth sailing to Ba Sing Se."
Suddenly Ying let out a cry and everyone turned to her in alarm "Oh no the babies coming!"
Sokka began to freak out "What right now? Can't you hold it in?"
Katara was quick to step in "Sokka calm down, I helped Gran-gran deliver plenty of babies."
"This isn't an arctic seal this is an actual human thing!" Sokka exclaimed
Katara didn't waver "It's called a baby and I helped her deliver plenty of those to."
"Plus, I'm also a trained medic from where I come from so I can help." Sakura added raising her hand
"Great." Katara said "Aang get some rags, Sokka water; Toph I need you to make an earth tent."
Everyone started running around while Sakura, Katara and Suki went in to help Ying.
The full labour process was one Sakura had dealt with plenty of times before only difference now was that someone was delivering their baby in another world instead of in a hospital.
"Okay get ready to push." Sakura instructed
"One, two three..." Katara started
"Push!"
Just as they said that Sokka came in with the water and fainted; Sakura turned around and grabbed the water that was in the pouch.
"Did Sokka just faint!?" Suki asked looking at him.
Sakura restrained herself from laughing "And I'm the reason the group is losing its masculinity?"
A little while later Sakura and Katara were exclaiming in happiness the baby's gender which was a girl. Soon after everyone else appeared into the tent Toph apologised saying that they had to make sure Sokka wasn't going to faint again.
"She sounds healthy" said Toph
"She's beautiful" Katara told her
"It's so squishy looking?" Sokka observed
Sakura rolled her eyes "Oh the day you have kids...
"What should we name her?"
Ying looked at her husband and smiled "I want our babies name to be unique; I want it to mean something."
As Aang entered and saw the baby his eyes started to fill with tears "I've been going through a really hard time lately but you've made me hopeful again."
"I know what I want to name our baby now...Hope."
"That's a perfect name."
Sakura smiled as she looked at the couple and then at Aang, it was like she told Katara; he'd come to his own realisation in time that feelings isn't a weakness.
The group left the family in the earth tent while they went outside to decide on their next choice of actions.
Aang pulled Katara to the side to talk to her.
"I thought I was trying to be strong but really I was just running away from my feelings seeing this family together so full of happiness and love it's reminded me about how I feel about Aapa and how I feel about you." Aang said looking at Katara
Sakura smiled as she watched Aang and Katara hug; the rest of them went to join him.
"I promise I'll find Aapa as fast as I can." Aang said taking his glider from Toph
"See you in the big city" Sokka told him placing a hand on his shoulder
Toph punched Aang on his shoulder "Say hi to that big fuzz ball for me."
"You'll find him Aang" Katara said
"Good luck" Sakura told him
They watched as Aang and Momo took off to the skies towards Ba Sing Se. Sakura narrowed her eyes; she felt as if this was the calm before the storm.
"Well I guess that's everything for now." Sokka said
Sakura raised an eyebrow at him and pointed over to where Suki was "Not quite; get over there now."
Sokka mumbled under his breath before walking towards Suki while Sakura pulled Toph and Katara away.
"What's going on?" asked Katara
"Nothing." Sakura replied curtly
"Does it have anything to do with Sokka and Suki's hearts pounding in their chests?" Toph asked "Because I can feel it from here."
Then Toph froze "Oh boy..."
"What?" Katara asked wanting to turn around but Sakura stopped her and turned her head back.
"They're kissing." Toph shuddered
Sakura laughed softly "I guess it doesn't matter if I turn you away from them huh?"
It didn't take long before Aang and Momo reached the outer wall of Ba Sing Se; they flew to the top together and stood on it looking over into the distance but what they saw shocked them both. Further ahead Aang and Momo saw several fire nation tanks and moving in the middle of them was a huge drill with the Fire Nation insignia on it.
Momo made a noise and looked at Aang
"Sorry Momo; Aapa's gonna have to wait."
There we go next chapter will be waiting for all of you lovely readers soon.
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