"So what's with all the Earthbender guards, Suki?" Katara noticed no other Kyoshi Warriors as the ferry finally disembarked with a giant honk.
"This is the Serpent's Pass," she pointed to the ferry's destination, "they say a giant snake occupies the lake, and is angered easily. The other warriors are on other ferries and the dock on the other side. So you've mastered Earthbending yet, Aang?"
"He has a lot to learn still," Toph punched Aang in the arm.
"Kyoshi was an Earthbender first; our stories say she took many years to learn Air Bending, because she was so stubborn and pigheaded. You'll master it eventually. I'm surprised you aren't trying Fire bending first, considering that Kyoshi liked water best of the other elements."
"Um…." Aang flashed back to the incident with Jeong-Jeong, exchanging a knowing look with Katara who instinctively put her hand over the one Aang accidentally burned.
"We kind of have a guy guiding us on that bit," Sokka broke the odd silence. "He's up there on Appa and the older people," he pointed up. "I hope that Serpent isn't like the one the people on the coast talk about."
"It is," Suki put her hand on his shoulder. "One and the same, people say it can bend Water and Earth."
"At the same time?" Aang's eyes opened wide.
"That's what people say," Suki took a tray of tea served by the ferryman. "That's why there are many Earthbenders here and of course, me."
"We can take it, can't we Aang?" Sokka pumped his chest, making Suki laugh.
"I'd better talk to Mitsu about it," Aang pulled his glider out.
"That's not a good idea," Sokka waved no-no, "That Serpent might sense it if you bend anything."
"That's…amazing, Sokka!" Toph folded her arms, although she smiled in pride. "And how to you know that?"
"I'm Water Tribe, remember 'Lady'? I've seen all sorts of animals in the sea, from Otter Dolphins to Tiger Seals. Some of them can't see too well, so they use sound. We could tell when they came by the shattered ice they left in their wake."
Sokka laughed instantly and scratched his head after the flashbulb moment, making all the girls laugh. He was inventive and resourceful but not usually intuitive. He barely had time for an initial boast when a woman's voice penetrated the chatter on the ferry.
"It's the Serpent!"
The group went to the front of the boat to see a giant, fifty-foot tall snake-like creature with gleaming eyes and a giant mouth loom over them. Another ship was seen in the distance, but it was unclear whether they were coming or going. Appa was a dot on the horizon, apparently missed by the beast. Waterspouts appeared beside it as it roared, frightening most of the ferry's occupants into huddled, trembling masses. The Earthbenders on board hurled rocks at the Serpent, but it effortlessly knocked them out of its way, creating waves of debris and impact ripples.
"The bottom of the lake is so far down, I can't feel it!" Toph slammed her fist into the deck.
"We'll take care of it," Aang fashioned a water slide with Katara, "You protect the people with Sokka and Suki."
"So it's Serpent versus two, plus Toph," Sokka smiled in the corner of his mouth, paraphrasing a previous joke from the Earthbender.
"Oh, shut up. Can we sail nearer to those cliffs?" she turned to the captain, noting the only land she could 'see'.
"Afraid not, Lady Bei Fong, the Serpent might slam us against it. We can stop or go straight but not much else!" the ferryman looked out at the rising blue serpent.
The snake's eyes glowed, leading to two more waterspouts emerging beside it. However Aang felt more wind was in them, and soon enough they billowed into mini-cyclones.
"You're an Air Bender like me! Please, don't hurt these people!" Aang raised his ice platform closer to the creature.
The Serpent's eyes glowed again and its reply was a torrent that threw Aang right into the water. Katara raised him and fired a jet right at the Serpent, but the water simply slid around the monster and flickered harmlessly into the lake.
"Wow, it's powerful!" Sokka looked out from the deck.
"Animal benders are more powerful than most human ones, particularly in their own habitat," Mitsu suddenly appeared beside him.
"Aren't you with Appa?" Sokka shielded his eyes and looked for the Sky Bison.
"Appa should be on the other side with the elderly and that pregnant woman's family."
"Hey," Sokka pointed at Mitsu, "why aren't you fighting the Serpent thingy?"
Mitsu folded his arms, "Do I need to? We have an Air and Water bending team out there already. Earthbenders listen up!" he clapped his hands loudly until all the guards and Toph turned to him. "I'll deal with the cliff face! When you see the rubble, use it to shield yourself from the Serpent!"
"Hello, see?" Toph waved, only to be lifted off her feet by the rising Mitsu. "What are you doing!?"
"I need the Earthbending sifu to loosen the rocks. Plus you can ride the rocks to the other side; we saw that the rock leads right to the shore. No more boat!"
Toph laughed and hollered into the wind as Aang and Katara desperately fought the Serpent off with their Bending.
"It's Mitsu and Toph! What are they doing?" Aang noticed the flying pair.
"Focus on this thing!" Katara formed an ice shield to deflect a thundering spout from the Serpent.
Toph felt Mitsu let go of her, the uncomfortable sensation of being totally blind returning to her very quickly before she landed square on her feet, on her beloved rock. Her 'foot vision' sensed a thundering blow below her, and she amplified those vibrations to loosen the rocks. The Earthbenders on the ship lifted he rocks above them as the ship pushed full steam ahead, the debris forming a useful shield. Toph couldn't see it, but she grinned in pride.
"Mitsu, where are you? Toph called out.
"In the air! Get going to the eastern shore! Go until you feel the shallow part of the lake!" he threw a massive piece of rock beside the Serpent to distract it. The ship motored past them as the Serpent fled further away, although Toph didn't move. Instead she jumped right into the lake to Mitsu and the others' horror. Suki leapt after her, but instead found herself rising on an earthen platform.
"Now I won't miss the big event," Toph grinned, soaking wet. The platform charged right into the Serpent, sending it tumbling backwards.
"You need to close its eyes, so it can't bend," Mitsu hurled more rock debris at the serpent.
"Done," Aang and Katara combined for a whirlpool that sent the creature head first into the cliff wall behind the ship.
"Follow the ship; I'll take care of the Serpent." Mitsu pointed to the smoke from the ferry's engine. The gang turned to see him disappear behind a cloud of steam, standing still in mid air.
"What is he doing!?" Toph called out, hanging onto Aang's ice platform.
"Aang, what is Mitsu doing?" Katara turned round. Her eyes opened wide as the Serpent slithered out of the fog with Mitsu on top of its head.
"I told you, people now need to cross the lake! Why don't you go to the other side and attack Fire Nation ships or something?" Mitsu poked the Serpent with his titanium rod. It made an apologetic sound in reply.
"Um…what's going on here?" Aang nearly dropped Toph into the water.
"I used to play with the Serpent when I was a small kid; it's just really territorial and nasty with ships," he patted the creature on the head. "Avatar Kyoshi used to ride this kind of Serpent when she was Avatar, just ask Suki."
"It's not nice to try drowning people, you understand?" Katara pointed a finger at the Serpent.
"It's sorry already!" Mitsu flew in front of the Serpent, "Now, take care of those two Fire Nation ships following us."
The snake zipped back into the fog and apart from some flames all the team could notice was screaming and hollering as well as the Serpent's massive groaning sound.
"Our job is done; we have to get back to the ferry and Appa." Aang opened his glider and flew westwards.
"Um, what about me…!" Toph felt the ice shift forward as Katara took over.
"So the creature isn't evil after all?" Aang asked Mitsu as everyone gathered on the western shores of the lake. The giant wall of Ba Sing Se could be seen, but also a small, rapidly moving black object headed towards it.
"Few animals are evil by nature, especially ones that can bend. The Serpent is but one reason the Fire Nation has never invaded Ba Sing Se by way of the lake," Mitsu waved Appa down, the thankful old people and the pregnant lady scratching his ears and hugging the Sky Bison.
"Just what is that thing in the distance?" Aang looked at the giant dust cloud approaching the outer wall.
"Not something good." Mitsu hardened his glance.