Ch.9 Aang's Fury

Aang reacted without thinking. Before Hahn could peel himself off of Katara, Aang was all over him. The Avatar State had been unleashed, and Hahn stood absolutely no chance. Hahn found himself surrounded by a lasso of air. He struggled to break free of it, but he could not. "GIVE ME ONE GOOD REASON I SHOULD NOT KILL YOU WHERE YOU STAND!" Aang's voice boomed. The entire ship shook as he spoke. Hahn attempted to speak, that is to say his mouth was moving. But due to the extreme wind that only affected him, no one could hear him. He couldn't even hear himself.

Toph squeezed past Aang, who was focusing all his energy on Hahn, to get to Katara. With four simple taps, Katara was free. Toph could sense in her heartbeat that something was not right. She felt a warm, sticky substance on Katara's wrists that could only be blood. "You're bleeding," she said softly. Katara pulled away. She could finally assess the damage she'd taken. The first thing she did was feel the back of her head. She still had quite the headache from Hahn's blow, and during her struggle, she unknowingly slamed the back of her head against the metal hull of the ship.

As Katara softly patted her head, she felt a large bump. She pressed a little further, and she felt what had to be a scab forming. Aang himself took in Katara's appearance. With a simple hand gesture, he slammed Hahn against the hull. He painfully slid toward the ground, thinking the worst was over. How wrong he was. Toph picked up two of the shackles that previously restrained Katara. "Do it, Toph," Aang said. Toph needed no further encouragement.

She lightly stamped the floor, causing Hahn to stand. Before he could fall again, she forced the shackles around his wrists, and a crunch was heard as they were attached to the hull. Sokka burst in at that very moment. He took in the condition of his sister, and then snapped. "You bastard!" he yelled. He rushed forward with his meteorite sword, which, thanks to Toph, had been recovered after Ozai's defeat. Aang had left the Avatar State, and knew his friend's intentions.

"Toph," Aang said forcefully. She made a simple gesture, and Sokka's charge was halted by a large door of metal that came right out of the floor. He fell to the ground with a grunt. "What's wrong with you?" he asked angrily as he tried to breathe. "Sorry Sokka," Aang apologized. "But we need him alive." Toph couldn't help but laugh. Aang took a good look at Katara. He realized something was missing.

Zuko stood guard over Hahn's men. The battle had ended quickly. The men were taken by surprise, and the combined might of their opposition was too much. Mai seemed to stare at the ocean, deep in thought. Zuko tried to comfort his wife. "You know we'll find her," he said softly. Something that didn't normally happen did. "That's not what I'm worried about," she said. Her voice wavered as she spoke. The two had no idea what condition Katara was in, no idea what Hahn had attempted while they were fighting their way to her.

"She could..." she couldn't bring herself to say it. Zuko put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "We both know that Ty Lee can handle herself," he said slowly. The two embraced, but parted just as quickly as Aang's Avatar-voice boomed once again.

"WHERE IS IT?" Aang demanded angrily. Hahn hesitated. How long had it been? Katara had been out for nearly six hours, and he had ordered full steam ahead. "I threw it overboard some, fifty to one hundred miles back," he replied. Aang gave a knowing look to Toph. "He's not lying," she reported. "He really doesn't know where it is." Aang's glare could destroy a mountain. If looks could kill, Hahn would certainly be a dead man. He may have been arrogant, but he was no fool. He knew he was beaten.

They were interrupted by Zuko's sudden appearance. "What's wrong?" he asked. There was a mixture of fear and curiosity in his voice. He then glanced at Katara. "Where's your necklace?" he asked. Aang slowly approached their captive. "I can find it," he said. "But I need complete silence," he continued. The entire group nodded. Hahn opened his mouth to speak, but Toph bent one of the spare shakles across his mouth. It made for a most effective gag.

He slowly advanced on Hahn. Everyone present took silent pleasure in watching Hahn's eyes widen in fear. Aang placed one hand on Hahn's chest, the other on Hahn's forehead. For a few tense moments, nothing seemed to be happening. Then, to the group's amazement, Hahn and Aang began glowing a bright blue. Sokka opened his mouth to ask what was happening, but Zuko clamped a hand around his head before he could say a word.

Then, in a flash of light, Aang seemed to disappear. "What the?" Sokka asked. "Where'd he go?" The entire room was quiet. Then, as quickly as he left he was back. He slowly approached Katara, who was letting Sokka bandage her wrists. He took her hand in his, and as they parted, she looked to see her necklace, completely intact and undamaged. Aang turned to Toph. "Release him," he said softly. She hesitated. Were they really just gonna let Hahn go after what he'd tried to do to Katara?

"Listen to me very carefully, because I'm only going to say this once," Aang said. There was an eerie quiet in his voice. "Because I don't believe in killing, I will spare your life just this once," he said. Hahn silently nodded. "However," Aang continued, "if you ever go anywhere near Katara again, I will end you. Consider your marriage over." With that, the group turned to leave. Everyone but Sokka went topside. Hahn slowly began to leave the room, but found Sokka's sword to his throat.

"We're not finished yet," Sokka growled. "What can you possibly do to me?" Hahn asked angrily. In answer, Sokka pressed his blade a little harder against Hahn's throat. "Aang may not believe in killing you, but I do." Hahn tried to intimidate his smaller adversary. "You could never take me," he said. His voice, however, betrayed the bravado he was attempting to show. His encounter with a fully powered and angry Avatar had shaken him to his core. He was a wreck, and Sokka knew it.

"You seem to forget," Sokka said icily. "I am the son of Chief Hakoda of the Southern Water Tribe. Technically that makes me a prince." He paused to let that sink in. "I also know that in the Northern tribe, there is only one punishment for what you've attempted." Hahn remained silent. "If I were you, I would never return to either tribe," Sokka said. The tone of his voice suggested it was more than advice. "If I ever see you again, I will kill you," Sokka warned. "And don't even attempt to tell the council," he added, before sheathing his blade and joining his friends on deck. Hahn collapsed, and wept in fear.

The group was boarding Appa as Sokka emerged from the bowels of Hahn's ship. "What took you?" Aang asked. Sokka didn't answer, he just climbed up Appa's saddle silently. It was clear to everyone he didn't want to talk about it, and no one pressed further. "Where to next?" Toph asked with a laugh. Aang thought for a moment. "I think we should find Suki," Katara suggested. She noticed Sokka lighten up at the idea. The blood on her wrist was gone, as she'd used ocean water to heal herself.

"It's decided, then," Aang said. "Yip, Yip." With a loud bellow, Appa took off.