Chapter Fourty One

Sparky

"Has anyone seen Toph around?" Katara asked, and quickly backtracked, "I mean...not that I care where that inconsiderate, filthy, ungrateful earthbender is..."

Sokka shrugged, scooping more oatmeal into his bowl, "I don't know. Probably off earthbending somewhere."

The waterbender bit her lower lip, offering a nod, "You're probably right."

"Probably? I'm always right." He chortled.

This aroused a fit of laughter from each of us around the smoldering embers. The sun was slowly rising to his dominance in the sky, and the distant croaks of the numerous frogs filled the occasional silence. Once the laughter died down, Sokka was left blushing angerily, poking at his breakfast.

I let out a yawn, setting my empty bowl down, stretching. I did wonder where Toph was, because even the stubborn Katara returned last night after storming off. The thought slipped my mind as Aang nudged me, "Wanna go gliding? Or do you want to play some airball? Or we can explore the other side of the Temple..." He trailed off, his gray eyes twinkling with all the possiblities of what we could do today.

I chuckled, thinking over the choices. "Why don't we do all of them?" I suggested.

"That's a good idea." He smiled broadly, eating the last of his breakfast. "We should start off now. I say we explore the other side first -"

His sentence was cut off by a loud crash, and a rustle of what sounded like rocks falling. My eyes lifted to where what seemed to be the origin of the crash, which appeared to be around the corner.

Aang looked that way curiously, before rising to his feet and rushing there, followed by Katara, Sokka, Olin, and I.

As we rounded the corner, we were met by a pile of rocks...with Toph on top. She was splayed out, chest down, feet up in the air, a dazed and tired expression written on her face, her mouth slurring curses.

"Toph? What happened?" Katara inquired as she helped the previously missing earthbender off of the rocks, or attempted to.

"Ouch! Watch it, Sugar Queen!" The girl snapped, flinching as soon as the Water Tribe bender lifted her to her feet. She collasped back on the ground, gingerly putting her feet out in front of her. Her feet were a bright pink, tinted with red. I could recognize that kind of look anywhere. They were burn marks.

"How'd you burn your feet?" I questioned, confused as I neared her.

"What? Your feet are burned?" Katara gasped, bending down.

Toph made a face, and sighed. "That's what Vinca just said, didn't she?"

"How did your feet get burned?"

"With fire. Duh."

"I mean, what happened to them that got them burned?"

The earthbender drummed her fingers against the rocks absently, "Oh, I might've visited Zuko."

"You...what?" Aang exclaimed.

"Can you guys not hear today or something?" Toph snapped, crossing her arms over her chest as she stared off into space.

"Why did you visit Zuko?"

Toph let out another long sigh as Katara began to heal the burned area, "I just wanted to talk with him." she wiggled her feet, "Oh, that's the stuff," she breathed in and Sokka moved to pick up the blind girl, and carried her over to the fountain, where she let out a series of moans which concluded that the cold water worked wonders on the burns.

"That's another reason not to let that firebender join. He burned Toph!" Sokka muttered, pointing to the girl as he glared at both Toph and I.

I clenched my fists, but otherwise stayed silent. He did have a good point.

"It was an accident, Snoozles!" Toph retorted bitterly, moving her feet around in the pool, making the water ripple.

"You just don't burn somebody on accident."

"Well, he did. Now shut up and go get me some breakfast before I earthbend your skinny ass over the edge of this cliff!" She demanded, showing the Water Tribe warrior a dirty fist, a deathly look on her face. Sokka blinked, whirling around on his feet and retrieving the said object for the earthbender.

Aang began to pace, "I can't believe you did that, Toph. We aren't letting Zuko join. And that's final." His brows furrowed together as he shook his head, shuffling his feet against the dusty ground.

Toph was just about to make a snide comment when a high-pitched hum pierced the air, causing us all to glance at each other, hazed.

"Wha -"

"It's Sparky Sparky-!"

There was a loud explosion that ulimately cut off the hum. I jumped backwards, tugging on my brother's arm, pulling him with me. I stumbled to the ground just as the columns surrounding the fountain crashed in, piling up on the place we were just standing. Olin looked at me, concerned and about to say something when the hum returned. "C'mon, we gotta get out of here!" I said, rising and dragging my brother out of the clearing and behind a wall where Aang was standing with Katara.

"What is that thing? Who is it?" Olin yelled over the next explosion, which hit next to the wall we were behind.

"Wait, where's Toph?" I asked, causing everyone's eyes to widen. "She's still out there!" I pulled away from the others, sprinting out into the clearing, where I spotted Toph. The earthbender was concealed by a four-walled structure, which was being targeted by the explosions.

I dogded an explosion, rolling next to the structure. "Toph!" I yelled, knocking hard against the rock wall which was cracking, "You gotta get out of there!" The one wall disappeared, revealing a rather frazzled girl. I grabbed onto her, running with her back to where the others were.

"I can't believe you guys forgot about me!" She muttered once we were back. These words caused Aang, who had been closest to her, to glance down in shame.

"Sorry," the airbender mumbled, receiving a punch from Toph.

"Who's that...?" Sokka said to himself as he peered around the corner, flinching away from another explosion. Once it cleared, he peeked back around. "It's Zuko!" He exclaimed in disbelief.

"Zuko's the one firing explosions at us?" Olin asked, raising an eyebrow.

"No - that's Sparky Sparky Boom Man."

Olin only stared at him, both eyebrows raised.

"Zuko is trying to...stop him?"

"Now is definately not the time to try and be funny, Sokka." Katara scolded, shaking her head at her brother.

Sokka huffed, "I'm not trying to be funny! Take a look for yourself!"

The waterbender did just that, and when she looked back, her blue eyes were wide, "It's true," She whispered just as another explosion.

I looked for myself, and blinked in surprise upon seeing the former prince attempting to stop the man. The man was buff, pale, and rather rugged looking. And even more surprising was that he had three eyes. I stared at the three eyed man, and suddenly, the figure shoved Zuko off the side. I took a sharp intake of breath, slowly looking back at my friends, a shocked expression present on my face.

"What happened?" Aang inquired.

"Zuko...he's...gone."

Aang stared at me.

Sokka got over the news, "Well, looks like its our turn to try." his lips set in a firm line as he removed his boomerang, "Alright, Boomy, don't fail me down!" And with a kiss planted on the weapon, he chucked it around the corner.

I glanced back around the corner, to see the boomerang smack the man straight in the forehead, missing the third eye by a milimeter. I frowned, about to deliever the verdict, but was stopped just as a familiar figure leapt over the side of the cliff, running full speed at Sparky Sparky Boom Man. The former prince firebended skillyfully, taking the three-eyed man by surprise, sending him stumbling over the cliff.

An loud silence filled the Temple as we all slowly drew out from the wall we were hiding behind.

"Zuko?" Katara breathed in disbelief.

The firebender hestiantly approached us.

"I never thought I'd say this...but thanks, Zuko. You saved us." Aang said, bowing in respect.

He bowed back, "I'm sorry for everything I've done in the past. I finally realized that my destiny was to help the Avatar. I will do all that I can to take down my father and teach you firebending, because now I know my destiny and I will make sure fulfill it to all it has."

Sokka sighed, "I guess if Aang's okay with it, so am I. But if you try something tricky, you're gonna get it!" He threatened lightly.

"Nice to have you in the group, Sparky." Toph punched Zuko in the arm, making him wince.

"Sparky?"

"Nicknames," I explained. He nodded, gingerly rubbing the bruised area.

Katara had her arms crossed across her chest, her eyes narrowed as she glared at the former prince. Their eyes met, and the waterbender steadily held his gaze, a deathly look on her face. And with that, she whipped around, stalking away.

Aang frowned as he watched his friend leave before turning back to Zuko. "Ready to start firebending?" he smiled, his eyes twinkling, yet they weren't as enthusiastic as they might've been.

Zuko smiled, shrugging, "Sure."

"Katara, what's wrong?" I asked later that evening as I caught up to her. She was waterbending, her brows furrowed as she focused forming different shapes with the liquid.

The waterbender glanced up, "Nothing." she brushed away the question, returning the water to the pouch strapped onto her waist. Katara sat down, her blue eyes staring out over the side of the cliff.

I sat down next to her, "Are you sure? Something seems to be bothering you." I pointed out gently.

She drummed her fingers against the ground. "It's Zuko."

"You don't like the fact that he joined?"

Katara clenched her palms, "Of course not!" Her voice rose dramatically, "I can't believe they gave in so easily. But I can assure you that I will never forgive him for what he's done." She huffed.

"I understand. But maybe sometimes it's just best to forgive."

"Would you ever forgive the people who took everything away from you? Murdered your grandmother? Burned you?" Katara countered.

I lowered my eyes, "No," I said quietly.

"Exactly. Zuko will have to prove to me that he's worth my trust." She nodded confidently, "And that's that."

"Well, I don't really remember all of the joke, but the main punchline is; 'I'm bushed!' Get it? Tea? Tea leaves? Bush?" Zuko chuckled awkwardly at his half-joke as he made his rounds, handing people each their own cup of tea. I carefully took the cup he offered me, smiling in thanks.

Katara rolled her eyes, "Maybe it would be funny if you remembered the entire joke." She stated blandly, her untouched cup of tea growing cold beside her.

Toph laughed, "She's right."

Zuko looked flustered as he took a seat, "Yeah. I'm not the greatest at making jokes or tea. My Uncle Iroh is the one for that." He smiled wistfully.

"The tea is good." Aang chided.

"It is." Olin agreed.

The firebender shrugged nonchalantly, but otherwise looked pleased, "Thanks. It's my Uncle's recipe."

"I think it's disgusting." Katara spat, rising to her feet, knocking over the tea cup. The fragile glass broke, spilling the contents inside. The waterbender glided away, retreating into the darkness, Zuko's amber eyes not once leaving her figure.

AN; Sorry if I made Katara seem a little too...um, biotchy. Apologizes if she seems out of character as well. As always, thank you all for the greatly appriciated reviews. I love receiving them! :) And thank you for being patient for this chapter. For some reason, believe it or not, it look a while to write. ^^'

Until next time!