Chapter XV
"Well, we're lost." Sokka groaned, slapping himself on the forehead. They had been wondering around for at least half an hour now, and still he couldn't find where it was that he wanted to go. The nagging feeling that was inside of him seemed to have just fallen asleep or something, leaving him completely lost. But then again, it did leave him calm and in control, which was a first. It was like having somebody pull the levers in your head, and after the longest time of having no free will the little operator just decided to take a nap. So now he moved about with the fear of waking the operator back up, not wanting to return to the angered state that he had previously lived his life in.
"Why did I follow you again?" Sokka stopped, shaking his head. He turned back around to his whining companion, raising an eyebrow.
"You done?" He asked. Toph put her hands on her hips, her face battered and bruised. Dried blood sat smeared across her cheeks, some crusted blood sitting around her nostrils. There was also a giant welt on her left cheek from where he had smacked her. And yet, even with all of that, she still managed to appear apathetic to his threats, shaking off his words as if they were broken arrows. Of course, with the current slumber of the operator, as Sokka had decided to call him, his threats were kind of empty. He was once again afraid to strike the earthbender, not to mention the fact that he didn't want to harm her.
"What do you think meathead?" She asked. Sokka grunted.
"If I apologized would it make you lighten up?" Toph actually seemed shocked, blinking.
"Uhh, Sokka, if you were to apologize I might consider not KILLING YOU! When I get my Earthbending back!" Yelled the little girl, startling him and making him fall back on his hands. Sharp pain flew through him as his palms made contact with the warm stone, blood once again trickling out of his wounds. He grunted, standing back up and wiping his bleeding hands on his pant legs.
"Toph, I'm sorry! But I can't take back what I did, or said. All I can do is try to make things right." Toph snorted, walking up to him and jabbing him in the chest.
"Listen here, buddy. After we get Sugar-Queen back I'm having nothing to do with you, got it?" Sokka opened his mouth to argue, but Toph nailed him in the gut, making him double over.
"Got it?" She growled, leaning down next to his ear. He shook his head, his side flaring up with pain.
"Got it." He coughed, turning around and gasping for breath. Toph dusted off her hands, smiling.
"Good, now let's go get Sugar-Queen." She said The earthbender walked past him, leaving him to wheeze for breath. He eventually straightened out, calming himself with deep breaths. He watched as Toph accidently turned into the wall, bumping her face on the rock. She stumbled back, shocked, feeling the wall. Sokka chuckled, the laugh dying in his throat as Toph turned to him, a curdling glower on her face.
"What are you laughing about?" She demanded. Sokka shrugged his shoulders, walking by her.
"Nothing, but might I suggest we go this way?" He said, walking down one of the side tunnels. Toph merely muttered something about the dim light and followed him, her arms crossed.
The two continued on down the tunnel for a while longer, walking slowly and silently. All around them sat vibrating crystals, bathing them in an eerie luminescence. Blues and greens fell upon them, lighting at their feet a dim path, pulsating softly. Sokka could feel the light touch against his skin, a slight tingling sensation as if there were a bunch of particles in the light bouncing off of him.
Eventually they came across a yellow light, the golden crystal flickering on the cavern wall. It sparked for a few moments as they approached, a moment later a golden image of Toph flickering into view, full sized.
They both jumped back, shocked by the image. The image jumped back as well, mirroring what Toph did. Slowly they approached it, Toph moving up and waving her hand. It waved back at her.
"It's just a reflection." Said Sokka. Toph glared at him.
"I know what it is meathead." She snapped, turning back to the image and performing a series of hand motions. The image reflected all she did, making a smile spread across her face.
"This is pretty neat." She said, making another gesture. The image complied, following the gesture. Sokka shook his head.
"Come on Toph, we don't have time to mess around with magic crystals." He said, moving to go through it. The image vanished, the crystal flickering once more. A moment later there was a crack and flash, the crystal turning crimson as a red image appeared before them.
Sokka jumped back, startled at the horrid appearance of the image. Even Toph gave a little gasp, taking half a step back as the image stood before them, staring at them with black eyes.
Sokka raised a hand, the image responding with a mottled hand, bone protruding out from beneath the skin at various angles.
"I don't actually look like that, do I?" Asked Sokka, titling his head. He watched as the image titled its cut face, black oozing out of the marks. Sokka gave it a half-hearted smile, the image returning it with a mouth of snakes and vipers, staring blankly ahead at him. Toph shuddered next to him.
"You know what, I liked it better when I was blind." Sokka nodded his head, his gaze fixed on the spiders that were crawling around the image's body. He could feel their little feet patter across his chest, making him shake.
"I'm kinda wishing I was blind at the moment." He said. Toph shook her head, looking back up at the image.
"Come on, we don't have time for this!" She said, grabbing Sokka by the arm and marching him through the image. The projection flickered as they went through it. Sokka cast one last glance back, watching as the image turned to him, a sinister smile on its lips. It raised its hand, waving goodbye to him as he stumbled ahead of Toph.
"Wha…?" Toph pushed him, making him stumble past the crystal and around a corner. He blinked as a blinding light struck him, the tunnel ahead of them shining white. The two stopped.
"What in the world?" Muttered Toph. Sokka raised a hand, blocking the light.
"It's daylight." He said, walking forward. Toph kept to his side, still blinking as they came to the end of the tunnel.
Toph grabbed Sokka's arm. "Wait!" She hissed. Sokka turned to her, his heart leaping into his throat.
"What, what is it?" He asked, his hand flying to a water skin he did not have.
"There's people waiting in the room for us." She said. Sokka paused, turning back to Toph.
"How do you know that?" He asked. Toph opened her mouth, then stopped, a confused look crossing her face.
"I don't know." She said, peering ahead to the end of the tunnel. Sokka watched as she closed her eyes, taking in a deep breath. A moment later they flew open, their emerald hue stained by a splash of milky green.
"I'm pretty sure there's two people waiting for us in that room." She said. Sokka held out a hand in front of her.
"How many fingers?" He asked. Toph frowned, crossing her arms.
"Sokka…" She stared, but he shook his head.
"No, how many fingers." Toph rolled her eyes, looking at his hand. She blinked for a moment, squinting.
"Thre…no, four." She said. Sokka put down his four fingers.
"You're losing your sight, aren't you?" He said. Toph snorted.
"No, it's just this dang tunnel. How can you expect me to see anything when it's so dang dim?"
"But the people in the room, you sensed them with your Earthbending, didn't you?" Toph opened her mouth, then closed it, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. She took a moment and closed her eyes, no doubt focusing on her senses. She opened them again a moment later.
"I may be getting my bending back." She said, punching the wall. The stone bowed inwards, leaving an indent of her little fist. She gave a satisfied grunt.
"Ya, it's coming back." She said, shaking her hand out. "Slowly." Sokka, scratched his chin.
"So, you're going blind again, but getting your bending back. Which means at the moment you're the most useless." Toph frowned, crossing her arms.
"Pardon?" She asked. Sokka looked down the tunnel, hoping that this place didn't have good acoustics.
"When you were blind you had all of your bending, which is extremely beneficial. Without your bending you could see which still made you a threat. But now, halfway between both, you can barely bend and barely see, which means you are almost completely useless." Toph curled her lip at him, her frown deepening.
"Well, it isn't my fault that I lost my bending. Not like I wanted to see your ugly mug." Sokka felt a stab of pain shoot through him at the remark, his feelings hurt. Sure he was a total ass now, but he stilled cared for the little girl. There had been a time when they were best friends. But then again, that was a time. Perhaps it was best just to move on now. He'd continue being a perverted, angry, freak, and she could keep being the sassy, young, gorgeous, growing woman who had always matched his personality so perfectly.
Sokka blink, realizing that his heart rate was racing at the moment. It felt like the beating of a bird's wings thumping against his chest. He looked down at Toph's blurring eyes, watching her angry stare. It seemed that she wasn't picking up on his current condition. Good, he didn't want her to know that he still had feelings for her, however twisted they were.
"Your brain go dead numbnuts?" Sokka shook his head, snapping out of his thoughts and looking back at his friend, or companion, which ever fit better. More than likely companion, he was beginning to lose those afore mentioned feelings as a wave of heat crept up his spine.
"No, I was just thinking of what we should do." He snapped, trying to keep his voice to a harsh whisper. He looked back over his shoulder to the blinding sunlight, feeling as if his every word was being heard, which was not an impossibility.
Toph continued to stare at him, her eyes becoming dimmer and dimmer with each passing minute. "Well then, what's the plan?" Sokka opened his mouth, then shut it, his finger raised. What was his plan? He always had a plan, so what was it now?
"We could…uhh…rush in and catch them by surprise?" He said, his mind completely faltering. Toph raised an eyebrow, a condescending grin on her lips.
"Really, that's your plan? Come on meathead, you've come up with stuff a thousand times better, while on cactus juice." Sokka frowned, shoving his hands into his pockets.
"Ya, that plan sucks." Toph and Sokka both jumped, turning around with fists raised. The noise had come down from the end of the tunnel. The sound of something smacking against flesh was followed by a groan and whimper of pain.
"What? They already knew we were here?" Said the voice.
"But they didn't know we could hear them idiot!" Grumbled a second voice.
"I never told them that we could hear them, that was you."
"Would you just shut up already?" Sokka turned to Toph, eyebrow raised.
"It's the airbending brothers." He whispered, trying to keep the noise down. There was a snort down the tunnel.
"We can still hear you moron!"
"Shut up!" There was another sound of smacking flesh, followed by a light tussle. Toph leaned past Sokka, staring down the tunnel. He turned his gaze down that way as well, expecting to see two forms rolling past the entrance, but the noise soon ceased.
"These guys might be as dumb as you are." Said Toph. Sokka ground his teeth, the absence of the puppet master soon dissipating as a wave began to creep up along his vision. Without even thinking his feet took him down towards the mouth of the tunnel, his hands trembling as shards of ice gathered around them. A small hand reached out and grabbed his arm, making him spin.
"What are you doing?" Hissed Toph. Sokka swung his arm, just barely missing the earthbender as she dropped down to the ground. Sokka turned and fled down the tunnel into the opening, dashing into the glowing sunlight.
Immediately a blast of air came at him, just as he expected. Rolling forward, he shot small shards of ice low in the direction of the air, a cry coming out as they ran into someone's shin. Coming back to his feet, he sensed a body of water to his right. Reaching out a hand he gathered it to his fingertips, making long, waving, whips.
He tried to look over at the two brothers, but for some reason his vision was darkening. Blackness thick as tar began to fall over his eyes, blinding him. He could feel the attacks coming, sensing the movements and motions of his enemies, but he could not see them.
Rolling, diving, and swiping, he fought off the areas he sensed. With each strike his power grew, but so did his blindness. Soon he was shattering cavern walls, shaking the entire mountain to its core, but he could see nothing, though it didn't hinder him.
He had developed a sixth sense of sorts, not seeing anything, but just knowing where the airbenders were at and what they were doing.
One of them was coming up on his left on an air scooter, the other, bigger one limping along on his right, throwing balls of air at him. Rolling underneath them he brought a wave of water out from the mountain itself, cutting through the cavern with an earth rumbling crack. Both of the airbenders fell over, regaining their feet a moment later.
They attacked him, their bending growing fiercer and fiercer as they came at him. The grate of steel alerted him to a draw weapon; his space sword. Turning, he whipped a lash of water out and caught the hand that was holding his weapon. With a tug he yanked it free, the blade soaring through the air, turning end over end. Without looking he caught the blade, the darkness immediately lifting and giving him back his sight.
With a gasp he staggered, a great weight lifting off of his chest and into his sword. He wobbled and fell to the ground, his hand dragging low as the sword grew heavier and heavier.
He could feel himself shaking, his whole body trembling as his power rushed out of him. It was as if his body was just empting his strength, letting it rush out like blood from an open wound. Cold stone cut into his shoulder as he landed on his side, pain coming back into his body and making his world spin.
Two figures approached him, looking down at him with an inquisitive gaze. They seemed to be talking to each other, but by then their voices were blurring, forming into a single string of gurgled sound. One of them bent over and grasped at the sword, tugging it out of his grasp. As the blade left his grip a black spark leaped from the hilt and into his palm. Fiery rage rushed through his veins, setting his heart alight with hatred.
He leapt to his feet with new found strength and knocked the smaller airbender back with a wave of water. He turned to take on the older brother, intent on destroying him.
However, when he turned, his mouth open, he felt a rush of air flow into his lungs, making him freeze. The tender flesh inside of his lungs pressed against his ribs, making them creak as they slowly expanded. He fell to his knees as they expanded further, his hands shaking as he stared up at the other airbender, his hand reached out and spiraling in little circles, forcing more and more air down his throat.
"Easy Sangee, we can't kill him. You know what Joshua said." The one called Sangee continued to turn his hand, making a rib snap in Sokka's chest. With a grunt he swayed, but a rush of red held him steady.
"He never said what type of shape we had to keep him in." Said the older bender, snapping another rib. Tears began to trickle down Sokka's face as the pain became more intense. Even with the spirit back inside of him there was not much he could do. The bender kept his mouth open and his body steady. If he moved so much as an inch he was certain that his lungs would burst straight through his chest, and he preferred to keep his organs inside of him.
"That's enough Sangee! I don't want to clean it up." Sangee chuckled, looking into Sokka's eyes.
"Just go see if Joshua's awake by now." Said the older brother. The smaller bender ran off down the hall, leaving Sokka to stare at the airbender holding his life in his hands.
Sokka looked down at his hand, noticing the blue tint beginning to play around at his fingertips. He was full of air none of which he was using. He could feel the burn mix in with the ache of broken bones. If he didn't get a breath soon he was going to pass out, then there would be absolutely no chance of escape.
Struggling, he tried to move his hand, but the airbender saw his move. With a flick of his finger the man broke two more ribs, making Sokka shake violently.
His vision was beginning to blur as his mind shut down, the lack of oxygen killing him. Right when he thought that he was going to pass out the airbender let go, letting him fall to the ground and hack, breathing in deep, easing breaths. Pain flared with every gasp, his whole body trembling as he coughed, his throat sore.
He looked up, expecting to see the bender threatening him with a ball of air, but the man fell over in a heap next to him, his eyes rolling back into his head.
"Thanks for the distraction Snoozles." Sokka smiled, looking up at the small frame of Toph. She held a broken piece of wood in her hands, tossing it to the side with a clatter.
"Come on, let's find your sister." She said, walking past him without so much as a hand to help him up. Sokka struggled to his feet, shaking his head as he followed the grumpy earthbender.
"Thanks." He choked, his voice hoarse. Toph waved him off.
"Don't thank me. I needed to get past him. Besides." She said, stopping and turning her head back towards him. "I was waiting to see where it was heading." Sokka looked at her clouding eyes, trying to determine whether or not she was telling the truth. Her coy smile said she was messing with him, but her stern eyes said she was telling the truth. He shook his head. What did it matter? He wasn't going to see her again after this anyways.
The duo made their way towards the back of the cavern, heading towards a set of tunnels. Letting Toph lead on, Sokka scanned the area quickly for his space sword, which was not to be seen. Continuing on with a slight grumble, he trailed behind the earthbender with a cautious air. There was something, a creeping menace that sought to overcome his being, teaming in the edges of the darkness enveloping them. Once more daylight faded as the eerie glow of crystals guided them on, illuminating their unsure path.
After a while of creeping Sokka looked behind them, his hands beginning to shake. He turned back around and tried to keep on Toph but she was slowly slipping away. Suddenly, he realized that his feet were halting, fighting against his will. A skirmish developed in his mind with faded colors; two battered entities hacking away at one another. After a short time the fight was over, and his feet began retracing their steps, moving back on to the mouth of the tunnel; back towards daylight.
With a subdued will he relinquished himself to his fate. He could no longer fight it, nor fight any other desire. The little operator had reawakened and this time he was not rendering any control to him, pain or not. The only thing he could do was sit back and feel the oncoming onslaught that was to overtake him. The redness of rage, the blackness of hate, the purple of lust, the dull grey of apathy. One after another they descended upon him and overtook him, forcing their way through his head and festering beneath his thoughts.
Upon reaching the edge of the tunnel he found that Toph was not behind him. She had not noticed his absence. Or, more likely, she had noticed and figured good riddance. She had already gambled with his life, staying back and silently goading the airbender to strike a merciless blow. She was, at the moment, likely marching on in her search of Katara, whom, when she found, she would tell that her brother had been slain in the most tragic of ways, dying at the menacing blackness that was the palm of annihilation.
Sokka froze. The palm of annihilation? Now what type silliness was that? It sounded like some old wife's tale; a fabricated creature meant to scare naughty children into subservience. He shook his head, chiding himself for a rampant imagination.
"It's nice to see that you've found your way home once more." Said a voice. Sokka jumped, the sound of the voice bouncing around in his head. A ball of darkness crashing through his shattered mind. He looked up, noticing the dimness of the cave. Daylight still shone through the opening, bright and clear, but its radiance fell short of true color. It was merely a shade, a dismal copy of what it should have been. In grey tones it descended upon the room, illuminating nothing, obscuring all. The only thing that could be made out clearly was the crimson glow of a body lying on the ground, its breaths rising and falling as if in sleep.
Sokka made his way over towards the body, stepping hesitantly in the murky grey that covered everything. The body was that of the airbender that Toph had knocked out a couple minutes ago. What did the boy call him again? Sangee?
Lowering a hand he reached out and touched the crimson image, his hand passing through and reaching a distant lump. It was solid, but cold, far from his own body. The man was still unconscious.
Standing straight, Sokka turned about the room, trying to find the source of the noise, but he found nothing, only the sea of grey. With a step forward, he began to panic, the feeling rising inside of him like a current threatening to sweep him away. This was not the world he knew! This was not the world he lived in, he had to find a way back!
"But my friend, there is no way back." Sokka froze at the sound of the voice. Taking his time, he turned towards it, the cheap light of the sun going black against the figure. It stood there, absolute in its abyss, none escaping its presence. With a flicker eyes appeared, red and vile, a flash of white developing for a mouth.
"Hello Sokka, it's so nice to see you once more." Sokka swallowed, his body feeling woozy. Something was gnawing at his being, devouring his essence. He needed to get away, but there was nowhere to run. He was in the creature's world now, and he had to play by its rules.
"Hey Spooky, long time no see."
Moving about the tunnels as deftly as she could, she made her way back towards the cell. Hopefully Azula was there, then she'd be able to grab her and go. As the door came within the crystals light Katara realized that she did not have the key and would not be able to open up the cell door. It was back with Joshua, in his pocket. She hung her head, groaning. Why did these type of things always have to happen? Seriously, she didn't need the extra tension at the moment. Well, since she was here she might as well check in on Azula.
Moving up to the rusted bars of the cell, she pressed her face against them, trying to peer in. She withdrew a second later as the acrid smell of seared flesh wafted up to her nostrils, making her gag.
"Ohh, quiet being a baby and get over here." Said a wearied voice. There was the sound of shifting movement, then Azula's battered face appeared behind the bars, purple and blue. There was still a mischievous gleam in her golden eyes, staring at her with that infuriating look of pretentiousness.
"You know." Started Azula, her voice parched and dry. "I didn't think you had it in you, but you played that wonderfully. I dare say, snow peasant, you might have made a good firebender." Katara stood stunned for a moment, shocked that Azula was not furious. She had gotten her branded! How in the world could she just brush such a thing off?
"You aren't mad?" She asked, taking a tentative step forward. Azula chuckled softly, the annoying sound of an adult chiding a child.
"Please, pain is only a temporary thing. It will pass with time. Death, however, doesn't. As long as you keep me alive and get me out then I have no problem."
"Now." Continued Azula. "Do you have the key?" Katara felt a knot develop in her throat, afraid to tell her. Apparently her face said it all, as Azula let out an irritated snort.
"Of course not. You can pull of torturing me but you couldn't get the key from him." Katara crossed her arms, frowning.
"He tried to rape me." She said, defending herself. Azula waved her off.
"What's that to freedom? You could have just gone along with it until the opportunity arose and then snatched the key from him. Or, after he passed out, you could have killed him then grabbed the key. Seriously snow peasant, you need to think these things more thoroughly. Stop being so selfish." Katara felt her face turn an incredulous red, embarrassment and anger welling up as she felt the slight strike her. She knew she shouldn't be so upset, she really didn't have a choice. It was just, when she thought about it, Azula was probably right. If she had stayed longer or let him have his way she might have been able to get the key. Now she was going to have to sneak back and try to steal the key from an awake Joshua.
"I guess I'll go steal it then." She said, turning to go. As she crept back up the tunnel a crash echoed from behind, shaking the tunnel. Turning around she met a wave of smoke as it slapped her in the face, clearing a moment later to reveal the cell door flat on the ground. Azula stood over it, dusting her hands off. The girl smiled at her, limping towards her.
"I had the spare." Katara watched as Azula made her way over towards the end of the tunnel, smoke drifting from her fingertips, limping slowly all the way. Katara came up behind Azula, her heart jumping as she waited for the sound of footfalls that was sure to follow. After a few moments of silence she thought she heard something. She grabbed Azula's shoulder, making the girl wince.
"Did you hear that?" She whispered. Azula turned, smacking off the offending hand.
"You're crazy peasant, there isn't anything." Said Azula. The girl turned, but then paused, listening for half a moment. There was another thump from up ahead.
"You've got to tell me you heard that one." Whispered Katara. She moved in close behind Azula, intending to use the girl as a shield of sorts for when they came; at least she could bend.
Azula stared ahead for a moment, then shook her head.
"They're not coming for us peasant." Katara peered ahead into the dimly lit tunnel, unsure.
"Are you sure? You made quite a bit of noise busting yourself out of that cell." Azula started to limp forward.
"They're going to be too busy with whoever it was that came in the front door to worry about us now." Katara followed behind, perplexed.
"What do you mean?" Azula snorted, wincing a moment later.
"Why do you think they put us back in that cell so quickly? Someone found the tunnel." A ray of hope passed through Katara as her thoughts turned to her friends. They had found her! She kept close to Azula, looking ahead.
"Do you think it's the others?" She asked. Azula shrugged her shoulders.
"Zuzu isn't the brightest fellow but he's entitled to get lucky every now and again." Katara frowned.
"You mean like the time he beat you?" Azula froze, standing up straight and turning around to Katara. Azula stared her down with a battered face, a scourged painting dripping with red and black. The odor of seared flesh still hung in the air, blood slowly trickling down her shoulder and through the tattered remains of her outfit. She was beaten, torn, and broken, only the remnants of what looked like a person. But still, she was intimidating, someone not to be trifled with nor tested, and in the moment Katara felt like she might have crossed a line.
"What happened there, with precious Zuzu." Growled Azula. "Was that I let him win. There are greater ploys than to merely hold onto power the entire while. Sometimes one must step back to truly seize it." Katara took a step back, frightened by the wild look in Azula's eyes. They sparked with animosity, a hidden insanity that came out only beneath times of great strain or stress. Katara, wising up, decided to not pursue the topic any further, instead merely offering a nod. Azula narrowed her eyes for a moment, then turned, moving back down the hall.
Katara followed behind as quietly as possible, taking care to watch their backs as they moved on. The tunnel kept stretching on ever before them, dim and eerie. The noise had died down after another minute or so, leaving them in a haunting silence. It plagued them along with the faltering steps of Azula and what Katara thought were her all too loud breaths. She was certain that someone was going to hear her panting like an ostrich-horse and come find them, but no one ever came. It was just them and the tunnel.
"What's going on?" She whispered. Azula hushed her, freezing. Blue flames leapt to life in the firebenders hands, taking a precarious stance on injured legs, using Katara to balance. Katara also took a pose. Of course her pose didn't hold any real threat, except maybe she could fool someone into thinking she was shooting columns of water at them if she made convincing enough sound effects.
The slight patter of feet came to them from further up in the tunnel, coming around the corner and directly ahead of them. Azula shot out two columns of flames, obviously intent on annihilating whoever it was before they had the chance to strike. Katara merely moved her hands, making a slurping noise with her mouth.
The figure dropped to the ground right as Azula was moving, rolling beneath the fiery columns. It came up, hands spread out before them.
"Who, hold it guys. It's me, Toph." Azula froze, a ball of flame sitting in her grasp. Katara peered ahead in the gloom, noticing the earthbenders diminutive frame.
"Toph?" She said, taking a step forward. Azula, who had been using her shoulder to balance, fell with a cry, luckily landing on her well preserved butt.
"Geesh, you two are pretty jumpy." Said Toph. Katara hugged her friend, squeezing her tight.
"We have reason to be." She said, stepping back and looking at her friend. Toph's face was badly bruised, dried blood running out beneath her nose and lips. One of her eyes looked pretty swollen, and she held herself with a delicate gait, like one that has gone through recent trials.
"Ahem." Speaking of recent trials. Katara turned around, her face glowing red in the tunnel. She went back over to Azula, bending down to let the firebender wrap her arm around her shoulder.
"Sorry Azula." Azula responded with a snort, standing on her own once Katara lifted her. Toph came up to them, reaching out a hand and gently prodding Azula.
"Man, you she got one heck of a licking."
"No thanks to your friend the snow peasant." Grumbled Azula. Toph chuckled.
"Don't tell me Sugar Queen's gotten all tough now?"
"Well, apparently she likes to use brands." Said Azula, looking over at Katara. The waterbender rubbed the back of her neck, wishing desperately to be out of the tunnel and away from Azula.
"Brands? Well that would explain the smell. Geesh Katara, I guess I don't' want to be on your bad side."
"Let's just focus on getting out of here, okay?" Said Katara, moving ahead of them and peering around the corner of the tunnel. Toph came up behind her, shrugging her shoulders.
"Whatever you say Sugar Queen." Katara suppressed a groan, quickly growing tired of her nickname. She had somehow idealized the adventures she had shared with the earthbender, blocking out how annoying she could really be. Apparently it only took two minutes to remember.
"Is the path clear?" Toph walked forward.
"Let's find out." Katara groaned, following her little friend with Azula tailing behind.
The three girls made their way down the tunnel, sunlight soon shining at its end.
"This to Meathead and the way out." Said Toph, about to move ahead. Suddenly the light died, a wall of pitch darkness submerging the entire mouth of the tunnel. Katara jumped back, shocked at the sudden change. She felt the earth tremble beneath her, shaking with a terrifying violence. Something fierce was going down, and it lay right in their path.
"Toph, what did you leave behind?" Toph took a step back, flashes of red now coming out from the opening.
"Just your idiot for a brother, he went back for some odd reason or another." Azula came hobbling up, laying a hand on the cavern wall to keep herself up.
"Joshua found him." Katara turned, looking at the firebenders intrigued face.
"Joshua found him? Then we need to help!" She said, moving to charge ahead and help out Sokka. Toph stepped in front of her, reaching out a palm and ramming it in her chest, pushing her back.
"Not so fast Sugar Queen. I think this is something Meathead needs to take on by himself." Katara leaned over with her hands on her knees, trying to catch her breath. Toph's palm strike had done a little more than stop her.
"I'd have to agree with the mud-wrestler on this one snow peasant. I'd rather not get involved in a spirit battle." Katara straightened up, looking over at Azula.
"What do you mean spirit battle?" Azula raised a black eyebrow, her golden eyes flashing with their usual condescending attitude.
"Well the battle for dominance over the spirit of course. What else do you think Sokka would be doing facing down Joshua?" Katara blinked, at a lost.
"What in the world does that mean?" She demanded. Azula sighed, wincing as she leaned up against the cold stone.
"We don't exactly have time for me to explain. If we want to escape it'd be best to leave now."
"How?" Asked Toph. "I'm all for leaving Sokka to get charred by some demon but that's kind of our only way out." Finished the girl, pointing an ivory finger covered in dirt down the tunnel. Azula laughed.
"You people have no creativity. A cave has many routes." Azula then proceeded to turn back around and open a door, moving in without waiting for the others. After standing silently for a moment, Toph followed, passing by Katara without so much as a word. The waterbender stood there, staring ahead back to the raging battle taking place. Bolts of red, grey, and black streaked about, thundering down the tunnel and ringing in her ears. Sokka was in danger, she knew it. Heck, anyone would know it, they would just have to look over at the wall of evil that was seeping down the tunnel to know it. The problem was, she was not so sure that she could help. Maybe if she rushed in she would just make things worse, like that time she was taking on Hama and Aang and Sokka came to 'help'. But then again he might be in desperate need, on the last limb of his struggle before Joshua crushed him. What was she to do?
Giving one last look to the door where Toph and Azula had disappeared, she began her way over. Coming to the door, she grabbed the knob, closing it shut with a gentle shove. She would have blocked it if she could, but there was nothing she could do, so instead she merely turned around and began walking to the blackness. With each step she took fear seized hold of her, dancing about in her chest. Everything in her was telling her to flee, to get as far away from the evil that lay in wait, but she couldn't. This was the power of love, not just to walk through hell for someone, but to take their place. And if it was necessary, she would take Sokka's place in whatever screwed up world he was in in order to free him.
Coming to the very edge of the night she reached out a hand, touching it. A jolt of pure emotions rushed through her whole body, tingling on her skin as it raced around and around. It felt like power, raw, and unbridled. She felt like she could do anything, take on anyone, crush whomever she wished, then the second wave hit her. It filled her with hatred, spite, envy, and anger. She began to wonder why it was she was trying to help out her dumb-nut brother. What had he ever done for her besides be a nuisance? She had always been the one washing the clothes, cooking the meals, and cleaning. All he ever did was play soldier, running around with his stupid boomerang as he pretended like he was actually useful to society. Even when they were fighting the Fire-Nation he hadn't done much, aside provide some comedy relief every now and again. Toph was right she should let Sokka deal with this on his own; the moron.
Retracting her hand, the power and emotion rushed out, making her stumble backwards. She caught her breath, shaking as she stood up. What had just happened? That cloud, it had corrupted her emotions, made them bitter and vile. How had it done that?
She rolled her eyes. Vengeful spirit, remember? She smacked herself on the head, shaking her head. How had she missed that again?
"Well then mister spirit, I'm up to your game. I can play too." She said. With one last deep breath she dashed into the black night, the waves of power and hate immediately falling upon her. She fought them off, struggling forward. It felt as if she was inside a living thing, warm sticky feelings pressing in around her and slowing her progress, but still she moved on.
Looking around, she tried to find her brother, but it was not like looking in a normal fog. The colors were constantly changing, shifting and flashing, red and yellow and orange. Noise crackled all around, loud snaps and low rumbles, shaking the ground. She tried to call out to Sokka, but even screaming at the top of her lungs she could not hear herself. She was going to have to just find him.
Moving as fast as she could, she searched the mist, feeling that the room had somehow gotten a lot larger since the last time she had been there. It felt like she had been searching for almost ten minutes and still she found nothing, only a growing sense of hatred building inside her chest. She was beginning to think once more of ditching her brother, leaving him to his fate inside this cave. Why should she stick her nose out for him?
Right as she moved to leave him a thought broke upon her mind. The image of Sokka in grief, mourning of some lost friend. He sat on his knees weeping at the base of a cherry tree, a figure swinging gently in the breeze. Katara froze, recalling the image of Suki hung in the tree. It frightened her, but it also swelled her with pity. Sokka had been through so much, carrying it all inside. When had she ever tried to talk to him about it? Or ask him if he was really okay? All she had been concerned with in the past six months was his raucous behavior and how it reflected back on their family. Sure there were times she had actually been concerned about his lost, like back at the lake, but they were too far and in between. How could she, his loving sister, leave him now in his greatest time of need? Sokka would do anything for her, there was no way she was leaving.
So, with renewed courage, she turned back around, realizing in that moment she was completely lost anyways and would not be able to find her way back even if she wanted to. Well, who cared, she was still going to find her brother.
Taking a step forward, she ran into someone, knocking them over. Immediately there was a large snap and the night abated. Glowing rays of golden sunlight flooded into the cavern, blinding her. She shook herself, her hand resting on someone's rising and falling chest.
"Sokka?" She mumbled, looking at her brother's blurry form. She got up to her knees, shaking him by the shoulders.
"Sokka wake up! It's me, Katara!" The boy's eyes remained shut, his head laying against the stone floor. His breath did not stir as his sister tried to raise him from slumber, so eventually she decided on moving him herself.
"Come on big brother, we're getting out of here." Squatting down, she wrapped her brother's arm around her shoulder, picking up his knee and throwing it around her back. With a grunt she lifted him up off the ground, swaying slightly as the weight came crashing down on her. Eventually, though, she gained her footing, and she started off down the tunnel away from the cave. There was, however, one small problem to her plan. A figure standing over by the tunnel, calmly looking at his nails. He brushed back his blonde hair, a sinister smile on his lips.
"O dear. It seems that you're running off with my prey. I'm sorry darling, but I can't let you go." Katara stopped. She had forgotten about Joshua. Of course he was going to be around to screw things up, it was basically his job.
"Joshua, please. If you really want to earn my trust, let me leave with him." Joshua seemed to mull things over in his mind for a moment, then he dipped his head, stepping to the side and motioning her on.
"Very well my dear." Hesitantly, she started forward. She eyed the villain the entire time she was walking, but he did not move to stop her. Nor did he come after her once she was deep within the tunnel.
Katara wondered around the tunnels for a while, struggling beneath the weight of Sokka. She did not stop, however, following some strange intuitive sense that led her down one tunnel after another, all of them leading up. Eventually she came across sunlight once more, blinking as she stepped out of the tunnel into the last dying lights of sunset. A wind whipped past her, blowing her sweat soaked hair up into her face. Sokka coughed on her back.
"Sokka?" She laid him down on the cold stone, running a hand across his forehead. He opened up his eyes, his pupils filling the entire expanse of his iris for a moment, frightening her. It disappeared, leaving her brother's normal face.
"Sokka, what's happening?" She asked. Sokka blinked.
"Well then, you are prettier in person."