Guess who's back with a brand new update for you guys! This is coming along nicely I think- once more, Thank you for all the great feedback I'm getting, It really makes me excited to post for you guys! This is a longer chapter, things start to get interesting here- not too much but we are definitely getting into the meat of the story- I hope that's how it feels, that's what I was going for, Let me know what you think!
DISCLAIMER: I own none of this- just write fanfiction about it~teehee.
Chapter 6: Progress (Takes practice)
"Well that went well." Zuko said as they reached their makshift camp a few yards outside of the nearest ground level entrace into the hanging buildings.
"Yes, way to go- telling them you sent an assasin after them! What were you thinking, you could have told them Ozia had done that! They would have bought it!" Azula yelled.
"I don't think being dishonest is a really good idea right now." Zuko said, piling some near-by pieces of wood up and setting them on fire.
"Whatever, let's just get some rest and…try again tomorrow." Azula mumbled as she found a relitivly soft patch of earth and warmed it a bit with her bending.
Tonight was going to be a long night.
Page break~ How's it goin'~ Page break~ Get ready y'all~ Page break~ Does this even count as a PB?~
A rustling sound in the bushes alearted the sleeping prince that someone was approaching.
"Huh?" he said inteligently, rubbing his eyes as he tried to see through the dark.
Azula stirred next to him, sitting up and muttering sleepily.
"Who's there?" He asked, his voice rising slightly as he became more alert.
More rustling replied, this time closer then before.
"Stay back!" He yelled, sending out a wave of orange fire before he could hear the small "It's me!" come from a framiliar voice.
Azula was about to luanch a flame fist before she stopped at the sound of a squeaky "OW!" and a thud as someone small fell to the earth.
"You burned my feet!" Toph yelled, sitting there vacantly staring-well more like glaring-in the direction of the two fire nation siblings.
"I'm sorry!" Zuko yelped as he sprang to his feet, running after the girl who was now crawling away on all fours as fast as she could.
"Wait! Come back! I didn't know it was you!"
"Stay away from me!" she began to throw rocks in his general direction, which he dodged easily.
Azula, who was watching the whole ordeal in a hazed fasination, snapped to her senses.
"WAIT!" She yelled, running after Zuko.
Once she reached her brother, she pulled him back and ungracefully shoved him to the ground.
"W-Wait! Let me help you! My brother burned you, not me, you- YOU CAN TRUST ME!"
Toph stopped her crawling and sat there-tensed- as she thought. Meanwhile Zuko was rolling on the ground grumbling something about 'why am I so bad at being good!'. Azula stood still, waiting for the small girl to say something.
"…Why should I trust you?" She challanged. Toph knew compleatly well that the two firebenders had been sincere when they offered an alliance. Their heartbets stayed steady- even the princess was telling the truth- She just wanted to see what Azula would do to prove herself worthy of trust.
"Well…you must have come here for a reason. Why?" Azula asked.
"I wanted to talk to you. But it looks like that's out of the question." Toph spit coldly.
"Maybe not entierly." Azula thought for a moment. "Why don't you let me help you back, you can get there faster and Ka..katar… Katara! She can work on your feet. She can heal, can't she?" Azula asked more for the sake of making her point valid rather then out of atual curosity.
"…Yeah, sugarqueen can help." Toph replied feigning uncertianty.
Azula sighed and said. "Let me take you back, we can talk on the way."
"And what about Sparky over there?" Toph asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Spar- oh. Well he can come if he promises not to set anything else on fire." Azula punctually turned to her brother who just laid there, glaring at the stars.
Toph considered things for a moment.
On the one hand, if she got to Katara quicker, the burn wouldn't cause as much damage as it would if left unattended.
On the other hand, trusting the two people in this world that were most threatining to her life was pobably not the best decision…
But they had changed. They had been truthful. Her feet never lie.
Toph sighed. "Fine. But Sparky has to carry me, payback for burning my feet."
Zuko sprang to his feet in an instant, turning and bowing low to Toph. "I'm sorry for-"
Toph cut him off "Save it for the group explanation. I'm sure everyone will LOVE to hear about this." Toph said grinning.
Zuko pouted but nodded his head nonetheless, knowing the expert earthbender could feel his actions.
With that he easily scooped her up and started the trek back to the camp where the others were staying, Azula close behind.
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Katara and Aang woke to the sound of distant chattering.
"Who's up at this time of night?" Katara asked, looking at the sky to see that sunrise was about another hour or two off.
"I don't know… do think Toph is back?" Aang asked, looking off to where the voices had come from.
"Well who would she be with?"
"Can you guys keep it down? I'm trying to sleep!" Sokka complained, waking up to his sister's voice in the middle of the night was not something he enjoyed.
"Sorry Sokka, but we think Toph is back." Aang explained, still looking into the dark.
"Well then let her come into camp quietly and the rest of us can go back to sleep." He muttered.
"Sokka I… I think she's with someone." Katara said as the voices became more distinct and a small light grew bigger as the party approached.
"Then they can go to sleep too. Must be Haru or…" Sokka trailed off as he saw that everyone was with them, sleeping peacfully around the still-dying embers of a campfire.
"Wait… I think I recognize that voice… And that one!" Aang said quietly as he strained to hear, getting to his feet.
"Who is it? Toph should be alone… unless…" Katara let her sentence die as she thought of all the different people the blind earthbender could be dragging into their camp. There were two in particular that she dared not even consider.
As the voices grew ever closer, however, Katara's uncertianty turned to dread as she too recognzied who was coming.
"Zuko and Azula." She whispered darkly, squinting to watch as the two royals walked in, one with Toph locked around his neck.
"THEY GOT TOPH!" Sokka yelled, effictevliy waking everyone else, who all sprang to the ready, about to attack before Toph called out.
"Guys! It's fine, I'm ok!"
"Well not entierly ok…" Azula said as they approached the group of tense benders and warriors, putting out the flame in her palm she had used as a torch.
"Toph…What's going on?" Katara asked slowly, quietly- as if loud sounds and sudden movements would cuase the two firebenders to explode.
"It's ok Katara, but I need your help. You can put me down now sparky."
Zuko looked uncertian but set the girl down nonetheless as the others looked on in a mix of horror and confusion.
"Sparky?" Haru asked, looking between Toph and Zuko.
"Nevermind. Anyway, I went to go talk to these two and Zuko here thought I was an assain. He ACCIDENTALY burned my feet. Uh. Katara could you-"
"Of course." Katara said hotly. She made her way closer to the trio, her eyes never leaving their "Guests".
She took water from her pouch and covered Toph's feet, the water glowing as she put her healing properties to work.
"But Sparky here has something to say." Toph said, nodding at Zuko who in turn looked at the rest of the group, who all stared at him, which gave him the need to clear his throat.
"Right well…" he turned and bowed to Toph in the fire nation style, one hand open, the base of the palm touching the closed fist of the other hand. "I'm sorry I burned your feet, fire is dangerous and unpredictable, and I should be more careful, I'm sorry." He said, bowing is head. He turned to Aang and said,
"I would like to teach you in the way of firebending, ending this war peacefully is something we have in common."
Aang looked thoughtful for a moment, considering the older teen with cuation before stepping forward.
"…I think you are supposed to be my firebending teacher. I need someone to teach me how to control such a brash element, something unpredictable…You know how to do that."
Zuko went from a somber calm to extreamly happy in a matter of seconds. "Thank you! It would be an honor!"
"Not so fast, I have to ask my friends. Toph, you're the one he burned…"
Toph grinned. "I say let 'em join, would give me time for my revenge!"
Aang nodded and turned to Sokka. "Sokka, what about you?"
Sokka looked torn but then sighed. "Look…I just want to do whatever it takes to end this war, and if that means adding Zuko to the group then so be it."
Aang nodded and turned to Katara. Thanks to the advanced form of earthbeanding Toph had taught him, he could feel Zuko's heartbeat pick up as he was confronted with the waterbender's desicion.
"I'll go along with whatever you think is going to work." She said, her glare still focused on the firebenders.
"Thank you! I won't let you down! I promise!" Zuko said, overjoyed.
"WAIT!" Sokka yelled, hopping forward, pushing Zuko out of the way and pointing Space Sword-where had that even come from?- at Azula "What about this one." he asked, eyeing her suspisiously. She stared back, more calculating then anything.
"Relax snoozles, she's actually the one who got me to change my mind about ditching these two after Sparky burned me."
"And how exactly did she do that?" Katara asked, still hostile. She wouldn't put it past the Fire Nation to be masters of mind control just like the Dia Li.
"I simply took the time to speak to her rather then chase after her yelling that I was sorry." Azula said, casually examining her nails as she pushed Sokka's sword out of her face.
Katara saw Toph nod. Was she over-thinking this?
Aang contemplated Azula's answer.
"Actually, having a teacher that knows how to create lightning would be good, especially for when I face the firelord. If you are willing." He asked, looking to Azula who merley shrugged.
"It would be benificial I suppose…" She looked over to Zuko who barely nodded his head and Azula huffed. Turning to Aang, she bowed low, her hands in the same fire nation pose as Zuko had his. "It would be an honor to assist the Avatar in defeating my father, helping to restore peace to the four nations."
She rose and Aang smiled, returning her bow.
"Great!" Sokka said, putting space sword down again, "We're all friends now, so let's get back to sleep, I'm sure there is a lot to be done tomorrow- training Aang; preparing to save the world and all; eating meat, ya know- so goodnight!" He wandered back over to his sleeping roll.
Everyone followed suit- deciding things would probably make more sense in the morning.
Azula, however, eyed the young Water Tribe man curiously as he walked past her, plopping down next to the nearly-dead embers of the fire.
"Is he always like that?" Azula asked Katara quietly, the sincere curiosity of her tone cathing the waterbender off guard.
"Um…Yeah, mostly… goodnight."
Azula gave a nod of recognition and followed her brother to a place around the campfire. Zuko subtly heated the embers until they crakled back to life and small flames licked at the air.
Katara stood a moment longer, watching as everyone found a place- though the royal siblings were more slow-going- and mulled things over.
Maybe she just needed to give this time. After all- Aang seemed to trust them too…
Long night indeed.
BAM! There ya have it folks- as always, let me know what you think and I will see you guys on the next one ~0u0~