(A/N)- HELLO READERS, IT IS I!
Hope you all had a good summer. Anyway, new chapter.
Disclaimer: Haaaaaaa, right.
Coming Storm
The frigid air nipped at her ears and nose as she and Katar crossed a wide ice bridge in the center of the city.
Pakku's lesson had ended early today—their progress had apparently put him in a good mood—and he'd dismissed them to spend the rest of the morning as they saw fit. They were just wandering now, exploring. Angka balanced on top of the wall of the bridge, hands out as she walked, enjoying the dizzying height and the fresh winter breeze. Momo scampered along the wall behind her, chittering noisily
"Man, I ache everywhere!" she complained, nevertheless grinning.
Katar laughed, rubbing out kinks in his own limbs. "Yeah, he pushed us pretty hard today didn't he? But you were amazing," he said, shining a gaze of admiration at her. "You've gotten so much better at controlling the water whip."
Angka hopped down from the bridge wall with a little laugh, walking next to him now. "Just wish my progress didn't have to come with frozen fingers." She held hers out for emphasis, wiggling them. "I swear they haven't stopped being numb since we got here."
"Well here," Katar offered, reaching for her hands. "Let me try something."
He folded her hands inside his mittened palms and blew on them gently, tenderly.
He'd seen Yuan do this with Sokki, when they were coming back one morning from 'doing an activity' and made note of it because it had made his sister quite braindead; she had been unable to do anything but babble incoherently the rest of the day.
Peeking up, it seemed to be having a similar effect on Angka. Her eyes were wide and her cheeks were cutely pink. She looked a little dazed.
He started to smile, then realized...
...their faces were very close.
Almost as soon as the thought crossed his mind he felt awkward. He could feel his own cheeks flushing and wanted to break eye contact but was frozen, heart sputtering inside his chest.
Momo landed heavily on Angka's shoulder, hopping up from the wall, annoyed at the lack of attention.
The spell broke as if by some unseen signal. Both of them cleared their throats and looked away.
Angka's thoughts cast about for a topic of conversation, trying to muffle and slow her rapid heartbeat, which sounded loud enough to be audible, as she patted Momo's head and gave him scritches under his ears and chin.
"Sooooo... are you hungry?" she asked.
"Famished," Katar replied, still not looking at her.
Angka scanned the city down below from their high vantage point on the bridge, and spotted their favorite street vendor.
"Hey, Kapu is already out!" she exclaimed. She grabbed Katar's wrist, choosing to pretend that wonderful embarrassing whatever-that-was moment hadn't happened and move on, dragging Katar along behind her.
-ATLA-
The vendor seemed pleased to see them when they walked up.
"Hello Avatar!" he greeted with a big smile. "The usual?"
Angka grinned. "You know me," she said.
The man handed both of them skewers, Katar one with dripping juicy seal meat, Angka one with wrapped fried seaweed. Thanking him politely they wandered over to the fountain in the little square.
Momo hopped down from her shoulder and began to groom himself. They both leaned on the fountain wall and just talked, mostly about training, slowly munching on their skewers until they were naught but thin balsa sticks.
Katar reached to take Angka's, so he could dispose of both of them, but suddenly caught sight of something floating on the breeze.
Whatever lighthearted comment he'd been about to make died, as a dark flake dropped onto the back of his mitten.
Staring, quietly uncomprehending for a moment, Katar looked up as gasps started to reverberate around the little square.
He gaped in mute horror.
The snow was... black. Ashen particles were coming down, drifting like dark snowflakes from the sky.
It took Katar's mind immediately back to the past, to one horrible day etched into his childhood like a searing iron poker. Once again he was looking up at the gray sky, watching soot mixed with snow raining down on him.
The blood in his heart ran cold.
"Oh no..." he whispered.
The whole mood of the city changed. Whispers and murmurs echoed in his ears. The fountain started to darken and turn black from the soot falling from the sky.
From far away he could hear Angka calling out to him.
"Katar? What's wrong?"
Before he could answer, a familiar bellow came from the sky. Katar whipped his head around to spot a rapidly descending Appa, Sokki at the reins and Prince Yuan seated in the saddle behind him.
Heedless of the crowd, Sokki brought the bison in for a landing in the most open part of the square. People and snow scattered as Appa's big feet set down, and Sokki was already leaping from his head, running up to him.
"Katar!" she yelled.
He nodded, all serious. "I know. The Fire Nation is coming."
Sokki returned the grim nod. "We have to warn the chief."
-ATLA-
There was something in the air, some kind of tension, some kind of silent rolling thunder.
The black smoke cloud on the horizon grew bigger and bigger, blotting out the sky to the south. The ash and snow continued to fall with surprising gentleness, fluttering softly with a pat pat to the ground.
Her nerves were buzzing. Her pulse was fluttering, anxious, and she only grew more restless the longer the oppressive quiet went on.
Angka darted eyes back to Katar. The red lines of the warrior facepaint on his forehead stood out in contrast to the white snow, but he hadn't yet taken up his post defending the front ramparts. He'd surprised her when he'd been one of the first to volunteer. Advancing in skill as a waterbender under Pakku's tutelage had apparently been just the boost of confidence he'd needed.
As for her...
Her thoughts kept wandering back to her people. Wondering. Had the attack on them been like this? Full of waiting and dread and black soot falling like rain? Did they have time to recognize the signs and send the children to evacuate? Did they have any time to flee at all?
Had they been afraid?
She took in a shaky breath. It was horrible to think about. She couldn't stop from seeing Gyatso's skeleton in her mind's eye, surrounded by fallen Fire Nation bodies, cornered and trapped in a dead end and last stand.
A scritch of boots on ice and Chief Arnook was walking up next to the short pillar on which she perched.
"The stillness before battle is unbearable. Such a quiet dread," he said, voicing her exact thoughts.
He spoke with a serene kind of wisdom, and Angka caught the steel glint of resolve in his eyes. She was reminded of her first impression of Jet, of the kind of firm, determined leader she most decidedly wasn't.
She inhaled slowly, thoughts taking shape and hardening inside her.
"I wasn't there when the Fire Nation attacked my people," she told Arnook, voice tinged in regret.
Her brows firmed.
"I'm going to make a difference this time," she determined, standing up with staff in hand, looking up towards the billowing smoke.
-ATLA-
The attack came with a herald of noise and fire, and it didn't let up until well into the evening. Fireballs were flung from trebuchets, punching holes in the outer walls, dropping into the city. Icy blasts hissed and steamed as they intercepted shots, benders brought water up by the gallon to seal back over the breaches and repair the walls as fast as the Fire Nation was tearing at them.
He lost track of Angka during the battle; she flew too far out over the Fire Navy ships for him to glimpse her, but he tried not to worry, tried to keep focused on the task at hand, and that was doing his best to help stave off the advance.
The sun was almost under the horizon when the ships dropped anchor, trebuchets falling silent.
Angka flew back to the city, both her and Appa exhausted, sliding down wearily to the ground.
His relief at seeing her dimmed at how tired she looked, at her despairing whispers of, "So many... there are just so many... I can't do it..."
He helped her up and escorted her back to the palace, to rest, get some water, and regain some energy.
"You can do it, Angka," he encouraged her, his voice softly warm. "You're the Avatar."
She shook her head. "I'm just one kid," she wavered.
-ATLA-
Sokki fidgeted, tapping the edge of her boomerang against her thigh.
There hadn't been much for her to do, really, during the battle. She wasn't a bender and her weapons were limited, so she had mostly occupied herself with hauling giant water tubs to and from the front lines, trying to be useful in some small fashion.
She was almost antsy for the Fire Nation to breach the walls and come charging in so she could at least bash some heads.
Instead, they were stuck waiting. Again. With the moon high above them, the Fire Nation had paused the attack, ending things—for the moment—in a stalemate.
It was so frustrating she wanted to scream.
Yuan didn't seem that calm either, fumbling with his grip on the spear he held. He stamped his feet, moving the spear in small pantomimes, practicing a set in place but with arms held way too close to his chest, movements nervous, eyes down and full of reluctance.
Sokki's tapping grew louder as her own nerves strained. It was too, too quiet. Even Angka and Katar were whispering, sitting tucked in a corner next to the moonlit balcony.
Yuan suddenly raised eyes to look at her.
Sokki ceased tapping immediately, self-conscious.
"Sorry," she said.
A grim smile touched Yuan's lips and he stopped fiddling with his spear. "Have you been in many battles?" he asked her.
"Couple skirmishes," she shrugged. Her insides shuddered, grateful to have something to distract her, break the silence. "A bit of a siege attempt on an old Air Temple." She held her elbows. "You?"
His expression grew grimmer still.
"This is my first time." He looked down at the hilt of the spear in his mittens. "I've... never actually held a real weapon before," he admitted quietly.
That drew Katar's attention, and he leaned up from his seat on the edge of the balcony. "Really?" he asked.
"What? No, that can't be right," Sokki denied, confused. "I know I've seen you holding swords or something before."
"Wooden training blades, ceremonial weapons... never an actual sharp one," Yuan told her. He shrugged, leaning his spear on the ground. "I never really had the stomach for fighting anyway."
Sokki stood there flabbergasted.
"But... you're the crown prince," she protested.
A sad little smile touched his lips. "We don't all have the freedom to choose our role in life, Sokki."
A significant look was paid towards Angka, an expression of quiet sympathy and understanding. Sokki felt a bit chastened, and quietly slipped her boomerang back into her belt.
Yuan sniffed, his tone growing lighter. "And besides," he went on, giving the spear a little toss and twirl, "there hadn't been a major offensive against the North for decades. We were safe here. Or so we thought." He peered out across the city curiously, squinting through the bright moonlight. "It's strange that they came at the time of month when the moon was full, though."
"How so?" asked Angka, chiming in to the conversation from where she was slumped, back on the wall under the balcony.
Yuan looked up at the silver-white orb in the sky. "The legends say the moon was the first waterbender, Our ancestors saw how it pushed and pulled the tides and learned how to do it themselves."
Enraptured, Katar nodded, as if that made perfect sense to him. "I've always noticed my waterbending is stronger at night," he said.
"Our strength comes from the spirit of the moon. Our life comes from the spirit of the ocean. They work together to keep balance." Yuan spoke with reverence, as if telling old cultural stories, and in spite of herself Sokki was a bit fascinated and wanted to know more.
Of course that was when Angka got an idea.
"The spirits!" she exclaimed, brightening up suddenly from her funk. She stood up. "Maybe I can find them and get their help!"
Yuan seemed surprised that that was possible. "How can you do that?" he asked.
Sokki was about to explain but her brother, never missing an opportunity to brag about Angka of course, beat her to it.
"The Avatar is the bridge between our world and the Spirit World! Angka can talk to them!" he said excitedly.
Glimmers of hope hit Yuan's eyes.
"Maybe they'll give you the wisdom to win this battle!" he said.
"Or," Sokki interjected, riding their enthusiasm, "maybe they'll unleash a crazy amazing spirit attack on the Fire Nation!"
Her suggestion was met with an odd, awkward silence and stares from the others.
Sokki's ears burned a bit pink. "Ooooor wisdom," she amended. "That—that's good, too."
Katar turned to Angka. "The only problem is, last time you got to the Spirit World by accident. How are you going to get there this time?" he asked, worried.
"I have an idea," Yuan said. He gestured, pointing with the tip of his spear. "Follow me."
-ATLA-
They slipped like furtive shadows through the city. The streets were dimmed, lit by only the occasional brazier or torch; they didn't want to be presenting clear targets if the bombardment resumed again. The only people out were benders and military, the women and children and male civilians were all huddled inside, sheltering.
No one stopped them as they made their way. No one spoke to them. The group was quiet all the way to the palace, only the scrunch of shoes on the show and the pop of torches echoing in their ears.
Yuan led them to the rear of the palace, out a back entrance. There was a long wall in front of them. It didn't appear to be ice, but stone, and there was a significant little doorway with a perfectly round door, made of wood, set into the side.
Angka walked up curiously. "So, is this the way to the Spirit World?" she asked.
Yuan laughed. "No. You'll have to get there on your own." He leaned forward to open the little door. "But I can take you to the most spiritual place in the entire North Pole."
With a quiet gesture, he ushered Angka inside. She ducked her head down and crouched, stepping through the small round portal, disappearing without so much of a whisper.
Katar followed close behind, but Yuan paused a moment.
"Are you coming?" he asked Sokki, looking back at her.
Sokki chewed her lip, reluctant. "You go on ahead," she decided, shaking her head. "IIIIII don't exactly have the best experience with the Spirit World."
"All right," he said, giving a warm smile. "Be safe."
"You too."
His white hair slipped under the lip of the doorway and then he was gone.
And she was back to waiting in the quiet.
Again.
"Great," she sighed, crossing her arms and leaning on the wall and trying not to fidget too much.
(A/N)- The plot arrives to cause some drama and interrupt Angka and Katar's second "not date", and Sokki is maybe possibly starting to understand her brother's insecurities about wanting to act but being helpless to actually do anything. Meanwhile Angka has decided to try and Take A Level In Badass, only to realize her own limited power as she is, and Yuan is just along for the ride and the crazy Spirit World shenanigans.
Whew! So obviously the first thing I'm sure y'all have noticed was the major alterations to the Sokka/Yue plotline. Because I already covered the "fighting an asshole for their sake" plot point in the last chapter, and because they're simply not the major focus of the fic (so Angka and Katar got the cute date and awkward almost kiss), I wound up adding Sokki to the Spirit World prelude scenes, both to have her more closely on hand and then also to give her at least a little bit of onscreen interaction with Yuan. It's gonna be important for her character development later, I promise.
Yuan also got major alterations to his character dilemma, which is still related to the fact that his free choices are limited, but are also paralleling Katar's aversion to fighting, despite him being the crown prince of a nation of Proud Warrior Guys. Which, again, gonna be important for Sokki's character development.
For the mood, tried to capture the feel of that scene in Return of the King, where Pippin and Gandalf are talking about the awful quiet of anticipation that exists before a battle. The subtle gloom and the ominous portents of an ever-growing danger. I think I succeeded!
Next time, new and improved Katar vs. Zuka round two!