A/N. Again, Katara ! But for this chapter, I tried Sokka, then Aang. Both didn't really write well, so I switched back to Katara for her POV seemed more interesting for all of this!
Looking at the small young woman, Katara had to shake her head and laugh. Toph, looking no different then her usual, confident self, standing next to a destroyed gate as a column of warriors streamed behind her, looked nearly impressive. But of course, she would have to ruin a moment by being herself, harsh and direct.
And Katara had never been so glad to see the girl.
"Toph!" She laughed, standing up from where she had been crouching next to Aang. Glancing at the airbender, she saw that his eyes were clearing up, looking a lot healthier than just a few moments ago.
"Katara." The earthbender was also shaking her head, but the waterbender heard the relief in the girl's voice, and not least of all because she had actually used her real name. "Sorry about the idiot, he was sick with worry. Not me, I knew you were alright."
Katara saw the slightly awkward moment where Toph lifted her arms, taking a small step forward, before dropping her arms as fast as she had tried to lift them. Smiling at the girl, the waterbender straightened and walked to her, closing her arms around the earthbender and hugging her. At first, Katara did it gently, but feeling the familiar touch of her friend made her tighten her arms around the blind earthbender. Tears welled up in her eyes as she realized she had not even asked Aang about her… About none of their friends. The only things she knew were the scraps Orsu and On Ji had told her, and those had been from their perspective…
"You are alright? You weren't hurt during the fight?" She whispered in the girl's ear as she felt two very awkward arms close around, and a hand pad her on her back.
"Sugar Queen, you are crushing me. Spirits, I hope for Aang's sake you don't do that with-"
"You are okay!" Katara quickly cut the girl off. She had seen it often enough that when Toph was uncomfortable with something, she quickly returned to making very, very crass remarks. Stepping away from her friend, she looked her up and down. Toph did look like she always did, confident and fierce… But if Katara's own tear-filled eyes didn't deceive her, she could have sworn that there were also tears in the misty green eyes of the earthbender. But she surely imagined that.
"The others?" She couldn't help but smile widely as she turned too. Despite the fact they were standing inside a burning town, Azula was on the loose, Aang was wounded… Her friends were safe. And apparently, close by.
"Coming. I ran up to the front to shield the soldiers from the debris. Your work I presume, Twinkletoes." Toph crouched near the airbender, padding an awkward hand on his shoulder. Aang just nodded, but Katara saw the apprehension on the faces of On Ji, Masi and Shoji. Until now, they had never put a face or a character on the people the Fire Nation had hated so much. But seeing them up close must be a shock. And certainly if the first one they met was Toph…
"Toph, these are-" Aang began, gesturing at the group of Fire Nationals.
"On Ji, I know. The other is the mother I presume. And that idiot is the one that wounded you." Toph nodded curtly towards the group.
"How…" Katara began, but the earthbender continued as if she had not heard her.
"We need to get inside a house. The soldiers are under strict instructions not to hurt the people of the town, but let's face it, they will if they see a chance. And standing here with four women, a wounded man and whatever weakling he is." A finger pointed at Shoji, "Is asking for trouble."
Katara hated to admit it, but the blind girl was right. The soldiers, if left without supervision, would do things she would rather not think about, and Aang's presence would only deter them for so long. And of course, she and Toph were more than a match for most soldiers, but Katara would prefer not to fight anymore, and to keep safe those she had promised to help.
"The tavern then." She pointed her chin to the open door next to them, "But keep the door open. The soldiers will be looking for places where the door is barred if they are let loose. And that way, Sokka and the others will know where to look for us. And take him with us." She kicked Hide in the ribs, not too hard… but she still heard a satisfying groan of pain.
Watching as Masi and Shoji dragged the man inside the building, she herself stepped towards Aang, but Toph was quicker, pulling the airbender up.
"Toph! He needs to stay put! His wound-"
"Has only opened superficially. I sense that it only bleeds outside." The blind girl spoke back.
"And your treatment will open it further!" Spirits, how did she do it? One moment, Katara had been happy to see the girl, and now, they were already arguing. Though, to be honest, that was exactly how they showed their affection for one another.
"I'm alright." She heard Aang sigh softly, but she still took Toph's place, placing a hand on the airbender's back, and the other on his chest. She could feel his heart beating strongly, even if it was slightly too quick, but after the effort he had put into destroying the gate, she wasn't too surprised about that. As they limbed into the tavern, she heard Toph shout something at the soldiers who were still streaming into the town.
"You! Guard this!"
Presuming the girl knew what she was doing, Katara let her eyes accustom to the dark room. Even though the world outside had been filled by dark clouds and rain, she was surprised by the fact that it looked like night inside the tavern's main room. Probably so that customers during the day would be more in a drinking mood…
"Here." She whispered to Aang, as she sat him down on a bench near the door, close to the fireplace that was built into the wall, "And stay seated, please. No more bending, alright?"
"You won't see me bending." The airbender murmured back, but Katara still felt a soft breeze play with her hair, and she knew that he had done that. Softly slapping his shoulder, she looked at the others, who had dropped Hide close to the bench and were now standing rather awkwardly inside the room. She could see in Masi's eyes she knew fully well what kind of place this was, but didn't want to say it in front of her own daughter.
"The girls have probably fled." Katara spoke to the older woman, who nodded, clearly relieved.
"Girls?" On Ji spoke, and Katara cursed the innocence in the girl's question.
"Serving girls." She explained. It was probably true, but also not. Still, it was better if On Ji didn't know they were in a brothel. Walking to the table on which several jugs were still standing, Katara sniffed at one and was relieved to learn it was just water. Walking back to the bench, she also grabbed a few cups. Sitting down next to Aang, Katara poured some of the clear water into one of the cups and handed it to the airbender as Toph entered the building too.
"What a dump." The girl rolled her misty eyes, "Who is that?" She pointed to the man on the floor.
"Hide, On Ji's… Well, the guy that betrayed us during our last stay here." Katara explained, as she watched Aang swallow the water with a painful grimace on his face. To the south, she heard the first clash of weapons, accompanied by the sounds of fire burning and being exstinguished. Probably firebenders fighting…
"Well, he is out cold, so he won't bother us." Toph shrugged her shoulders, stepping on the man's back as she joined them at the bench, "So, what the fuck happened to you?"
Yeah… That would be a thing to explain, Katara knew that. How to explain that a freaking voice had threatened her, and that at the moment she needed it most, her bending had stopped working, even if it had been for just a second? Surely they had understood that something had made her stay in the town, but how to explain all that?
"Well… Ehm… I went to Wulong with… Oh! Appa! Is he alright?" She had not thought to ask Aang about the bison, but she knew that he would have gone back to their friends the first moment he could.
"Appa? Yeah sure, we found him when we were here, just before the army arrived." Toph frowned. The waterbender sighed in relief, before realizing something.
"Wait, you were here before the army?" That didn't make any sense.
"Of course we were." Aang sighed, sitting up slightly next to her, "We thought Azula had captured you."
Looking into the airbender's eyes, the waterbender saw the hurt, the worry and the terrible scenarios that had gone through his mind. Biting her lip at the realization of how much Aang had actually suffered, she thought back at the words the voice of Szeto had spoken in her mind all those weeks ago, after Sozin's Comet.
Avatar Aang shall not enjoy his victory for a long time. He will suffer unspoken horrors, to begin with you. First, he shall know heartbreak. Then, I'll make sure that death will await him with open arms. And only then, only then, shall you be reunited. You shall only hear the last words he will speak.
So… If she wasn't too mistaken, his worries about her, and the ideas that worry had put into his head were probably the "unspoken horrors". Heartbreak… Heartbreak about the idea of losing her… Death, awaiting him with open arms, that had been Shoji trying to kill him… And the last words he will speak…
"Tara…" Those had been the words he had spoken just before being stabbed… But whatever Szeto had wanted, it had not worked… Aang was still alive.
"Aang. What happened in the Spirit World?" She whispered, softly enough so that the others didn't hear her, but from the corner of her eye, she saw Toph's face move, her ears clearly listening, but without saying a word.
"Nothing." The voice of the airbender became hard, as it always did when he was lying.
"Aang…"
"It isn't important. I got out." The airbender's voice cracked slightly, and Katara saw the terrible hurt in his eyes, just for a moment. But she understood. It had been important to him, and he didn't want to say it… It at least, not in front of others.
"Alright." She whispered back, accepting it for the moment. As she said it the ground trembled slightly, and it felt like a warm wind blew through the cracks of the building. Turning her head towards Toph, Katara felt awkward as she realized the blind girl was exactly that. Blind. So, she wouldn't have seen the question on her face.
"A big building further up the street collapsed. Twenty-three people were inside." Toph spoke in a tone that suggested she didn't care, but Katara knew her better than that, and realized it was probably a shield to protect herself from the feeling of loss.
"A building up the street?" On Ji asked in a worried voice, joining them, "Not… Ehm… one with arches around the courtyard?".
Katara knew why she asked. First, she had told the Fire Nation girl that Toph was able to see with her bending, and secondly, the building On Ji was talking about was the Town's Hall, where the council was held… And where Orsu had been.
"Yeah, that one." Toph nodded curtly. Katara saw the slight anger in those misty eyes, and understood that Toph was feeling the death and destruction. Pulling the girl onto the bench next to her, she heard the soft gasp from the other side of the table.
"Keep your feet off the ground Toph." She whispered before turning to the sound. Masi was wringing her hands together in a way Katara was sure it had to hurt. And the expression on her face suggested that On Ji's mother had thought the same as her daughter.
"We don't know if he is there." The waterbender spoke softly, "Perhaps he was not there."
But in her mind, Katara had no doubt… Azula had burned Orsu's home, for a reason. That bitch never did anything without a reason. So, Orsu had probably annoyed her enough to make him important enough to punish him personally… And Katara knew what that meant. If Orsu wasn't dead… He had probably been locked up somewhere… And the town's hall, where the meeting had been held… Sounded like a good place to lock someone up.
"Who?" Toph asked.
"My father…" On Ji sounded on the verge of tears now.
"Oh, Orsu, right? Oh no, he is outside, in the camp. Some soldiers hit him, but otherwise the guy is alright." The blind girl shrugged, holding her feet above the ground as she had suggested. Katara had to hide her own surprise at those words. Orsu… had managed to get out of the town? How? And more importantly, there had been a way out of the town before Aang blew the gates out of the way?
"Wait, Orsu? You are sure?" Masi sounded hopeful, "Tall, with the stupidest little moustache? Dark hair with grey? Talk more than should be humanly possible?"
"Lady, have you seen me?" Toph waved her hands in front of her eyes, rolling the misty green in an annoyed way, "I would have no idea what grey is. But yeah, it sounds like him. He came to the camp trying to save the town this just an hour or two ago."
Masi looked embarrassed at the fact she had not the seen Toph's handicap, but Katara also saw the pure relief in the soft ember eyes as her hands released themselves. The woman fell down on a bench, smiling in a way Katara recognized all too well. Pure, unabated happiness at the fact that the person she loved was apparently safe.
"We told him we had no plans to actually burn it. He also told us about what happened." Toph pointed her chin towards her, "Seriously, we thought that Aang going inside of this place would be the death of the town. Instead the idiot gets stabbed. Really Twinkletoes, rescuing is not a skill you have perfected, is it?"
"Hey, I got the job done. Like always." Aang answered softly, and Katara heard the pain in the airbender's voice. Pulling some water from the jug, she began to examine the wound. Like Toph had said, it was only opened superficially, but she imagined it hurt like crazy. As she began to close it up with her healing, she looked at the airbender.
"Always?" She asked with a smile.
"No one has died, right?" Aang could see the joke she had meant it to be, "I mean, I did once… But you were there."
"Saving each other has to stop, we don't want it to become a habit."
"Oh Great Spirits, it is already happening again. Like an old married co… Oh wait… That's right. You are an old married couple! At least, Twinkletoes count. He is like a hundred and seventeen." Toph interjected as Katara closed the wound once more. The bright pink scar was surrounded by red, irritated flesh, but she didn't feel any infection, so that had to be alright. Turning back her attention to the blind girl, she saw the horrible grin.
"You already knew before the comet." She retorted, but the wicked grin didn't disappear.
"I did! But the others didn't… Until sweet old Twinkletoes shouted it from the rooftops."
"That was true?" She couldn't help but shriek. Oh no… No, no, no… That was going to be so, so horrible.
"Ehm… I didn't shout it from the rooftops…" Aang began awkwardly.
"No, just in front of the whole domestic army. Good job Twinkles." Toph laughed, before another shout sounded from the destroyed gate. The slightly good atmosphere in the room evaporated instantly as Katara recognized shouts of fear.
The floor of the room tremble slightly, and again… And again. Frowning, Katara thought she recognized that pattern. And before she could actually look at the airbender for confirmation, she heard the loud bellow that could only belong to one creature.
"Tui and La…" She shook her head, realizing what the shouts of fears had meant.
"What is that?" She heard On Ji whisper, probably having misinterpreted her relieve.
"That is the must disgusting ball of fur you will ever see. At least, as long as this one keeps his clothes on." Toph rolled her eyes, kicking the unconscious form of Hide against his ribs, "Meet Appa."
As if on cue, one of the windows of the room darkened, and Katara saw the enormous eye looking into the building. As soon as it looked at them, she heard a new bellow, excitement clear in it. The ground trembled once more as the eye disappeared from the window. The trembling felt as if Appa was turning around the street, chasing his tail. She had seen him do that when he was happy, but in an open field, where it had looked cute. Here, in a street, it sounded like people didn't appreciate Appa's happiness, as the screams were heard once more.
The open door darkened for an instance as something came in, going straight to her. As she tried to see what it was, it hit her squarely against the chest, screeching and chittering excitedly. As she grabbed Momo just underneath his paws, Katara managed to calm the lemur down.
"It is good to see you too." She whispered, laughing as the lemur tried to hit her with his small paws balled into fists, "I believe you didn't like me missing."
Hugging the small animal, Katara used the distraction to wipe at her eyes, who had filled with tears as she had realized just how much she had missed the two animals. She had learned ever since being able to walk that animals shouldn't be cherished but were beasts of burden or food. But Appa and Momo were different, and she loved them as much as the rest of her friends… And to see them, clearly happy to see her too, it had made her heart crack.
"Tui and La, those idiots should be back at the camp!" A new voice grumbled as the door darkened once more, "I told them to stay in the ca…" The words died in the throat of the newcomer as he saw who was in the room, and Katara didn't recognize the shadow, blurred by the light behind him, but she didn't need to. Dumping Momo into Aang's lap under the loud protests of said animal, she stood up and ran to the figure, closing her arms around him and hugging him fiercely. After a moment, Sokka did the same.
"Little Sis…" She heard her brother whisper as the arms around her began to crush her. She didn't know how long they stayed like that, but after what felt like a full hour, Sokka's arms released her. Stepping back, she let her brother come into the room, but still keeping her own hand wrapped around his fingers.
"Why do you have a cane?" She couldn't help but ask as she spotted the wooden stick in her brother's hand.
"Because you weren't anywhere to be seen when I broke my leg!" He grumbled back, but still kept his fingers tightly around hers.
"You broke your other leg when you were eight! And I don't see you using a cane since then!" She retorted, pressing her fingers against her brother's.
"Zuko's physician didn't like treating a Water Savage I think." Sokka laughed at that, "But it isn't important. Spirits, you are alright…".
Katara heard the relief in her brother's voice, and she understood. If it had been him missing, she would have wanted to move heaven and earth to find him, and she knew he had probably done so.
"And you!" The cane suddenly pointed to the airbender, "You stupid, stupid moron! I told you, together! But no! You just had to go alone!" At that, Sokka began to walk towards Aang, still holding his cane like it was a weapon.
"You know how stupid that was? And the guy from the town us you were stabbed! And yet you are here, blowing gates up!" The cane prodded the airbender, who grimaced painfully. Before Katara could even protest, she saw how her brother dropped the cane to the ground, stepping to the airbender and hugging him.
"You idiot." She heard him murmur, "But thanks…"
"Sokka!" She heard another voice call into the building, "We need to move!" At that, a figure entered the door and Katara couldn't help but laugh at the surprised expression on Suki's face as she saw what was probably a rather interesting scene. Sokka hugging the sitting airbender awkwardly, while Toph was just leaning against the table. Then, behind them, On Ji and Masi looking with a mixture of confusion and fear at them, a group they had learned was not evil, but they probably still couldn't shake off the feeling that they should run for their lives…
"Or not…" Suki's voice faltered slightly as she stepped towards Katara, hugging her too. The waterbender felt the sight of relief coming from the Kyoshi Warrior, and realized that all her friends had been worried sick… Of course she had been too, but to see how much impact her disseaparance had made, it made her feel guilty about not trying harder to get out.
"I tried to escape the town…" She whispered to Suki, feeling the guilt bubble to the surface.
"I know you did… But you're alright… We're all alright." The Kyoshi Warrior murmured back, "You missed some interesting things."
That, Katara was sure… But she also knew from who she wanted to hear it. The first moment she would get, she would ask Aang to tell her all about him disappearing just before the comet, and what had happened afterwards… The only thing she knew for certain was that the airbender had beaten Ozai, and that apparently, he was still alive… At least, that was what Piandao had said, and she believed him.
As she released Suki from her embrace, Katara couldn't believe it. All her friends, safe and sound… Except one.
"How is Zuko? Last we heard here was that he was at Fire Fountain." She asked, looking at her brother, who looked confused for a second, before shaking his head.
"No, think dumber. He let Iroh do that, while he himse-"
"Agni, if I had known how easy it would have been to lure you into a brothel, I would have used that to capture you. Seriously, what are you…" The voice with its harsh accent spoke, a voice she knew all too well. First she had hated it, now, she hated it a little less.
"Zuko?" She laughed, "Azula's lightning didn't kill you I see." She nodded her head towards him, and she could see the relief on his face too, something she hadn't expected from him to be honest.
"I had a good healer." He nodded, and she saw that he didn't open his arms, like Sokka, Suki and even Toph had done. But she understood. The firebender had never been good with emotions.
"Good to see you Sifu Hotman." Aang's voice sounded happy, and she could hear the smile in those words, "What are you doing here?"
Glancing back to the airbender, she saw the smile instead of hearing it, but Katara also saw the rather panicked looks on On Ji and Masi's faces. Both had clearly not expected to be face to face with the person claiming the Fire Nation's throne. And they also were evidently hesitating what to do.
"I came to help my… Well, check upon you." Zuko explained, and she saw how he quickly looked the other way when he had obviously wanted to say My friends.
"Well, yay, everyone is here and alive! As much as we are all happy Sugar Queen is back, can we go back at the matter of hand of, well, you know… The town burning down? What the fuck is up with that?" Toph interjected the moment with a harsh voice, "Piandao thought it was Azula running and burning the town in the process."
"Running?" Katara had not even thought about that. Azula would not run, right? Except… Well, the princess had used that strategy during the invasion… Lure them in, let the soldiers run, until the best moment the strike back. Azula understood that she couldn't win every battle… And she would only fight if she could win.
"Yes. The soldiers have orders to capture as many enemies as possible. I believe you already have been doing that." Zuko pointed his chin towards Hide.
"That is the governor's son. Might as well make a use of him." Katara shrugged, but her mind was racing. If Azula wanted to run, she needed to be stopped. Glancing towards the airbender, she saw that he was looking at her intently, evidently having guessed what she was thinking.
Biting her lip, she knew that what she saw in those grey eyes was true. Going after Azula wasn't the priority right now. Right now, getting the people of the town to safety and making sure that the horrors the princess had wanted to inflect weren't happening. Now, she needed to make sure that Aang was going to be alright. At this moment, she needed to look at Sokka's leg. She needed to find her dad and let him know she was alright.
Right now, she needed some peace.
Answers
McChartney : Haha, sorry for the long wait! Yeah, but I'm done with torturing Aang I think, he has had enough! Fluff and perhaps more are coming… Not next chapter, but the one after that. And I'm looking forward to it!
Jjsmith103 : Exactly, I know this is not very romantic or anything of the likes, but in the middle of a battle, it is difficult to set a mood! But the next few chapters are going to be the real reunion!
Katara2323: Yeah, Toph mocking the Kataang is always one of my personal favorites!
The Talent : Oh that is so cool to read! Thanks a lot, it makes me happy to see people enjoying this work!
