Chapter 6: Imprisoned
"I'm starving!" Sokka complains unhappily.
They've spent the night in this forest and now would be time for breakfast. However, Sokka's hunt for food was unsuccessful so they're left with nothing.
They really need a market to stock up their supplies.
Suddenly, they're distracted by a loud bang and the earth is shaking a bit underneath them.
"What was that?" Sokka asks nervously.
Another bang and quake.
They follow the noise and eventually, they're watching the cause of it.
There's a young man standing in a dried-out riverbed, he's wearing Earth Kingdom clothes and has almost shoulder-length, dark brown hair.
He lets big rocks float and smashes them against the earth wall of the riverbed.
"An earthbender." Katara realizes astonishedly.
"We should be careful. We don't know if he's a friend or an enemy." Her brother states suspiciously. "Katara, what are you doing?" He whispers alarmed.
The waterbender currently takes a few steps towards the other young man.
"Hi, what's your name?" She yells friendly.
The earthbender faces them startled. Then, he turns back around, lets rocks fall behind him to block the way and bolts.
"Seems like he doesn't wanna talk to us." Amaya says calmly.
"We have to follow him." Katara declares.
"What?" Sokka can't believe what he's hearing.
"He has to live somewhere. So, if there's a village, there's a market."
And indeed, a few minutes later, they're in a small village of the Earth Kingdom.
While they're looking around for a market stall or something similar, Katara sees the young man from earlier. He's just stepping inside one of the houses.
"Hey, there he is!" She tells the others excited.
They instantly follow him into the building, close the door and realize that it's a grocer's shop.
The earthbender is greeted by an older woman with long grey hair who's standing behind the counter.
"Haru, where have you been?"
"Nowhere mother. Stop worrying so much."
"Hello again!" Katara greets happily.
Mother and son look at her surprised.
"We saw you in the woods earthbending. You were pretty good."
"Haru, you were earthbending again?" The older woman turns to her son somewhat shocked. "You know you can't put yourself into danger like that. What if they see you?" She speaks reproachfully.
"Who's they?" Sokka questions distrustfully.
Unexpectedly, there's a knock on the door. He peeks out the window that's next to it.
"Fire Nation soldiers." He says low-voiced and quickly takes a few steps away from the door.
Shortly after, one of the soldiers enters the store.
"What do you want? I've already paid you this week." Haru's mother explains slightly angrily.
"The tax just doubled." The firebender claims spitefully.
"You can't do that!" Haru screams irately.
"I can and I will! So, you better pay up unless you want an accident to happen." The soldier grins maliciously while creating a fireball in his right hand.
Everyone understands what he's implying.
Therefore, Haru's mother goes back to the counter, opens a box and takes out the few earned coins. Then, she hands them over to the firebender.
He receives them but doesn't put all of them in his bag. "You can keep these." He utters haughtily, tossing some of the money to the floor and eventually leaving the store.
Downheartedly, Haru's mother begins collecting the coins from the ground.
Amaya instantly helps her and once they're done, the airbender hands over the money to the older woman, smiling at her encouragingly.
"Thank you." As they're standing again, Haru's mother expresses her gratitude smiling slightly. "Can I ask who you are? You're not from around here, are you?" She now wants to know from the young strangers, eyeing them expectantly.
"My name is Amaya." The airbender bows briefly.
"I'm Katara and this is my brother Sokka." The waterbender introduces them cheerily, her brother waves at them smirking.
"I'm Yori and you've already met my son Haru." The older woman speaks friendly.
However, Haru merely stands there with his arms crossed before his chest, not really thrilled about this situation.
In this pose and since he's wearing a shirt with short sleeves, it shows his well-trained biceps and his tattoos on his upper arms.
Amaya can't help but gaze at him. Of course, she's seen young men before. She's travelling with Sokka who's in good shape himself.
Yet, Haru's physique is different – more sturdy (and manly, if you wanna say that), even though they must be around the same age. Probably because he's an earthbender.
Sokka's question snaps her out of her thoughts.
"So, why's the Fire Nation in your village?"
Yori sighs. "They're using our coal mines to fuel their ships. They've been here for five years."
"They're fucking thieves!" Haru shouts heatedly. "And everyone here is too much of a coward to do anything."
"Don't talk like that, Haru." His mother rebukes him.
"But it's true! No one stands up to them, this is why they can do whatever they fucking want."
"You know what happens if they catch someone earthbending."
"What happens to the earthbenders?" Katara asks concerned.
"They're captured and brought somewhere, but no one knows where exactly. They did this to Tyro, Haru's father. I don't want it to happen to Haru, too."
The waterbender eyes the young man compassionately.
"Amaya is the Avatar. She can help your father and the others." She now clarifies eagerly.
Everyone stares at her stunned. However, Haru's and Yori's gaze quickly shifts to the airbender.
"You're the Avatar?" Haru's the first to speak again.
"Katara, maybe you shouldn't just tell everyone about that?" Sokka deems a bit sullenly.
"We've heard rumors that the Avatar has returned but we couldn't quite believe it. So, it's all true." Yori smiles softly.
"Yes, it is." Amaya finally joins the conversation uncertainly. "But I'm not sure how I can help."
"Maybe you can't. Maybe no one can."
"Mother…" Haru gets interrupted immediately.
"Come on, I'll make us something to eat."
After they've finished eating, Haru leads his new acquaintances to a big shack where they can spend the night.
"This is it. It's not much but better than sleeping outside."
"I'll make sure Appa doesn't eat all of your hay." Amaya says smiling apologetically as the sky bison, who entered first, promptly shoves a big load of hay into his mouth.
"It's fine, don't worry about it." The earthbender grins at her, his green eyes lighting up in the process.
The first time she sees him laughing since they've met.
"He has a cute smile." She thinks and blushes slightly. This is why she quickly looks away.
After getting settled, Amaya, Katara and Haru decide to go for a walk.
Sokka's staying in the shack to study the map and figure out where they could go next.
"Thank you for your hospitality. I know it must be hard for you and your mother." Katara speaks calmly once they've reached the top of a small hillside.
"It is." Haru answers honestly. "My father taught me everything I know about earthbending. That's why I keep doing it. I feel closer to him when I do. And I need to get stronger to be able to fight the Fire Nation."
"I know what you mean." Katara replies and puts her right hand on her necklace. "This necklace belonged to my mother. The Fire Nation killed her because she was a waterbender, like me. I had to hide that fact for a long time. But we can't hide. We have to fight for what's right." She faces him determined and he nods agreeingly.
Amaya's standing a few feet behind them, listening to their conversation. Her expression turns sad.
She remembers Monk Gyatso, how he used to teach her airbending and tell her that one day, everything would be okay.
Obviously, nothing's okay.
The war, the segregation of the four nations and the Fire Nation's cruel supremacy over the world. Everything's out of balance and she's the only one who can restore it.
By now, she knows what her duties as the Avatar are. She understands the importance of hope.
The events on Kyoshi Island and in Omashu have made all of that clearer than ever.
Nevertheless, yet again, the big question of the 'How' runs through her mind. She's not nearly ready to fight someone, let alone Fire Lord Ozai.
Without saying anything, Amaya turns around and walks away.
"What's wrong?" Haru asks frowning, watching her hurrying down the hill.
"She's upset." Katara responds perceptively.
"What did we do?"
"Nothing. It's just hard for her, too, you know. Being the Avatar and having all the responsibilities that come with it. Not to mention her self-doubts."
"That sounds tough."
They're suddenly interrupted by a loud noise.
"What was that?" The waterbender is startled.
"It's coming from over there. The coal mines." Haru points in the mentioned direction and they start running.
"Help!" A male voice calls out desperately. "Somebody, help me!"
They're just arriving at a coal mine and notice that an old man is buried halfway under stones and wood. The entrance of the mine has collapsed.
Haru's instantly trying to hold up the still falling rocks and soil by leaning against the former entrance with his outstretched arms while Katara's struggling to pull out the man.
"Haru, it's not working. You have to use earthbending." The waterbender declares pleadingly.
"Katara, I can't. It's forbidden."
"But there's no other way we can get him out. Please, Haru!"
The young man nods briefly and steps away from the mine. Afterwards, he makes a few specific movements, the final one being outstretching both of his arms with clenched fists towards the entrance.
This causes the soil and stones to be thrown far back into the mine, consequently freeing the old man.
"You did it!" Katara rejoices.
The earthbender smiles relieved and is quickly at her side to help the older man up.
Unexpectantly, Amaya's approaching them.
She has heard the noise since she's been in the woods nearby all along.
"What happened?" The airbender wants to know agitatedly.
Katara explains everything while they're taking the old man home and finally, the teenagers are heading back to Haru's place.
Instead of going to the house with the others, Amaya's walking to the shack to check up on Appa. Actually, she needs some time alone to think.
Fortunately, Sokka's not there, probably in the house as well, so she meets only her sky bison and Momo.
"Hey buddy." The airbender greets her big friend, gently stroking his furry forehead.
Appa growls.
"I'm fine."
Another growl.
"Really, it's nothing. Don't worry."
He knows her too well.
She keeps patting him, pondering about what has occurred earlier.
She should've been there. She should've been the one to help the old man. Isn't it her duty?
But she ran. Again.
Everyone's counting on her and that's also the problem.
"Are you okay?"
Surprised, she faces Haru who's standing at the entrance of the shack.
"Yes, sure." Amaya answers with a sad smile, focusing on Appa's head once more.
The young man now approaches her, eyeing her doubtingly as he's standing beside her and crossing his arms before his chest.
"Why don't I believe that?"
She doesn't know what to say so she remains silent.
He on the other hand just continues staring at her.
She glances at him, then back at Appa's head and sighs.
"I'm sorry." Amaya apologizes, turning fully towards the earthbender.
"For what?" Haru is clearly confused.
"That I can't help your father. Believe me, I want to. I just don't know how. I'm not strong enough to fight against the Fire Nation's soldiers."
This time, he says nothing, his green eyes still boring into her and his expression somewhat reproachful.
She can't take it, so she turns away from him yet again.
"You're afraid." The young man realizes.
"Of course I'm afraid!" Amaya yells louder than intended while spinning around. "They've killed my people and so many others. They stop at nothing to get what they want. I'd be a fool not to fear them."
They're facing each other intensely.
"You're the Avatar. They should be afraid of you."
The airbender chuckles cynically. "No one's afraid of me. To them, I'm just a girl and they're right. But that's not the issue. It's the fact that I can't prove them wrong."
Haru ponders for a moment.
"It's the little things that make a difference too, you know. That's what makes you better than them, maybe even stronger."
"What things?" The airbender frowns skeptically.
"Things like helping my mom collect the coins from the ground, walking with Katara and me to make sure the old man got home safely or minding that Appa doesn't eat all of the hay that we've harvested. Simply the way you treat people and animals." The earthbender smirks.
She looks at him flabbergasted. "You really think so?"
"I do."
She blushes and ultimately returns the smile. "Thank you."
He grins. "Come on, let's go back to the house."
Hours later, Amaya, Katara and Sokka are about to go to sleep.
"It was really brave of Haru to use earthbending to help that old man." The waterbender speaks happily, sitting on her hay-bed.
"Yes, it was." The airbender, who's lying on Appa, agrees smiling.
"Yeah, sure." Sokka utters and yawns. "Now, let's turn in. We have to leave early in the morning."
"Can't we sleep in for once?" His sister asks discontentedly.
"We have a long way to go to the North Pole. So, the sooner we leave the sooner we arrive there."
"But-"
"No buts! Good night." Sokka's lying on his hay-bed, now turning away from the girls and snuggling down into his sleeping bag.
Katara merely sighs and shakes her head. Then, she blows out the candle of the lamp next to her and lies down as well.
In the morning, they're packing their belongings and Katara's walking to the fountain outside to get some water.
She uses her bending abilities to get the water out and into a jug. As she's finished, she sees Yori coming out of the house, a sad expression on her face.
"They took Haru!" Katara exclaims appalled while running into the shack.
"What?" Amaya is shocked.
"When?" Sokka enquires serious.
"Yori says they came at midnight. The old man we've saved snitched on Haru. He told them that he's an earthbender." The waterbender explains agitatedly.
"Then it's too late to track him."
"It's all my fault! I urged him to use earthbending."
Sokka puts his left arm around his sister to comfort her.
Amaya joins the conversation. "It's not your fault, Katara. You just wanted to help."
"And I will help him." Her friend declares determined.
"How?" Her brother frowns.
"The Fire Nation will take me to him because they'll arrest me for earthbending."
"Alright, let's go over the plan one more time." Sokka speaks calmly.
They're currently standing near a coal mine and a path guiding to it.
"Momo leads the soldiers to us. As soon as they're here, Amaya sends air into the ventilation shaft over there and the boulder on top of this shaft will float. Katara pretends to use earthbending so that they'll arrest her. Got it?"
"Got it." Katara affirms.
"Yes." Amaya nods.
"Good. Then let's do this."
Consequently, Amaya's sending Momo to find some Fire Nation soldiers and everyone gets in position.
It only takes a few minutes for the lemur to come back, on his tracks three soldiers. He quickly hides behind the rock where Amaya's waiting for her turn.
"Where did it go?" She hears one man shout.
This is her cue. She blows as much air as she can into the ventilation shaft, causing the boulder on the other end to rise.
Katara, who's standing there with her back turned to the soldiers, immediately lifts her arms, making it look like she's the one letting the rock float. Afterwards, the boulder glides in the direction of the mine to finally fall to the ground with a loud bang.
The waterbender matched every movement and now turns around to the soldiers.
"Hey, earthbender! You're under arrest." One of them yells harshly.
The other two men approach and grab her, eventually dragging her with them.
Once they're out of sight, Amaya, Sokka and Momo come out of hiding. They swiftly get onto Appa, who's also waiting nearby and follow the soldiers and the waterbender.
In the end, Katara and a few other earthbenders are taken by ship to a rig.
As they're standing in line at the dock, a man with long dark grey hair and a beard, who's wearing a Fire Nation's uniform, comes up to them.
He stops right in front of them, eyeing everyone intently before he speaks surprisingly friendly.
"Welcome earthbenders on this noble shipyard! I'm your warden, your humble and caring host. I'd like to think of you not as prisoners but as my guests. We'll get along splendidly if you do as you're told and not misbehave in any way."
At this moment, one of the earthbenders has to cough.
Enraged, the warden shoots fire at the man's feet.
"Is this how you show respect to your host?!" He yells angrily. "Take him away! One week of solitary confinement should teach him some manners." He now commands two of his soldiers.
They obey instantly and lead the earthbender to a part below.
Meanwhile, the others are receiving a tour through the shipyard.
"You'll notice that the structure is built entirely of metal, meaning your bending is completely useless here. You're miles away from any earth or rock. So, if you're having plans of escaping by bending, forget them." The warden explains spitefully, ultimately stopping in front of a gate. "You'll be now shown to your accommodations. Good day." He ends the tour and leaves the prisoners with the guards.
The gate opens and they're stepping through, eventually standing in the prison yard.
Katara starts walking around, looking for Haru when she suddenly hears a familiar voice that makes her turn to her left.
"Katara, what on earth are you doing here?" Haru asks baffled while approaching her.
They hug briefly.
"Rescuing you of course." The waterbender says smiling relieved.
"And how are you gonna do that?"
"Well… I haven't quite figured that part out yet."
The earthbender laughs and shakes his head. "Come on. I want you to meet someone."
Amaya and Sokka have landed with Appa on a big metal girder underneath the shipyard.
"I don't like this. At all." Sokka states concerned.
"Me neither. What if something happens to Katara?" Amaya's also worried about her friend.
"As long as she doesn't do anything stupid, nothing bad is gonna happen."
Speaking of…
"Listen to me, earthbenders!" Katara shouts as she's standing on a metal table. "The people of my Water Tribe have been telling stories about the strong and brave earthbenders since I was a little girl. Your unwavering will and the strength of your hearts is what helps you when fighting against enemies like the Fire Nation."
A guard up on the wall that oversees the whole prison yard wants to intervene immediately. However, the warden indicates him by a simple hand gesture to do nothing and let the young woman continue her speech.
"I know you're feeling powerless now because they've taken away your ability to bend but you're not helpless. You just have to find the courage to stand up to them and fight for what's right. You don't have to be afraid. The Avatar has returned. So let us all unite against our common enemy. Let us fight for our freedom!"
Katara's looking expectantly at the earthbenders sitting on the floor beneath her.
They've all listened to her. Nevertheless, they're quickly turning their gaze back to something else and remain in their places.
The warden on the other hand feels vindicated, smirks contently and leaves again.
Dejected, the waterbender gets back onto the ground and walks over to Haru.
"Well, I tried." She speaks sadly, sitting down next to the young earthbender.
He merely sighs discontentedly.
"I'm sorry, Katara." A man with long white hair and a long white beard replies calmly. It's Tyro, Haru's father, whom she has met earlier. "As I've told you before, the plan is to survive. No one here wants to take the risk of being killed by the Fire Nation. Our only hope these days is to live to see the next sunrise. The ruthless warden won't take any kind of rebellion. You're lucky he hasn't done anything about your little 'disturbance'. Don't get me wrong, I admire your determination and I envy your youth. But you have to accept that we can't do anything as long as we're trapped here." He faces his son with a soft expression and puts his left hand on Haru's right shoulder. "At least we're here together."
A few hours later, Katara's sleeping in her quarters when she's woken up by someone gently shaking her shoulder.
She turns slightly and recognizes Amaya, who has apparently sneaked onto the Fire Nation's property. The airbender gestures her friend to be quiet and follow her.
They meet up with Sokka in their hiding spot underneath the shipyard.
"Katara, we can't stay any longer. We have to leave." The young man declares seriously.
"No! We can't just leave them. I have to find a way to get through to them." His sister is stubborn.
"If you haven't succeeded yet then maybe it's already too late."
"I refuse to believe that."
"Then I guess they need some motivation, something to bend like earth or rocks. Something to remind them who they are."
"Where would we find that? This whole place is made of metal."
Everyone's quiet for a moment until Amaya breaks the silence.
"Not everything." She clarifies. "They're burning coal, we've noticed earlier when we were flying over the rig."
"Earth." Sokka understands. "Alright, let's work out a plan."
Subsequently, the siblings are standing in front of a huge ventilation shaft in the middle of the prison yard.
None of the prisoners is outside yet since it's too early in the morning.
"Are you sure this is gonna work?" Katara asks uncertainly.
"It has to. It's the same as with the vents from the coal mines." Her brother explains. "Amaya has checked it out. There's a huge deposit of coal in a silo and the whole system is ventilated. She has closed all ventilation shafts except one. She'll bend the air in the silo and the coal will have only one way to go. Right here."
"There's the intruder! Get him!" The warden suddenly yells.
The evening before, a few of the soldiers have noticed that someone was running around the shipyard and have reported that incident to the warden. The rig has been searched but they haven't been able to find the intruder. Until now.
The siblings turn around startled. Firebenders are encircling them fast.
"Stay back!" Sokka admonishes the soldiers harshly, holding his boomerang combatively towards them.
The uproar causes the imprisoned earthbenders to come out of their quarters.
"Katara, stop! I told you this is pointless." Tyro utters seriously.
The waterbender looks at him and Haru a little nervously.
"Listen to him, girl." The warden responses haughtily. "Unless you wanna die today, you better back down now."
Just as the guards are approaching the siblings even further, a load of coal is shooting up from the ventilation shaft with a loud noise, making the ground shake and covering a bit of it with the black rocks.
Amaya's emerging shortly after, her face and clothes dirty from the coal.
Katara hurries to her side on the coal pile, taking a piece of the black rock and holding it meaningfully up in the air.
"This is your chance, earthbenders! Fight!"
Haru takes a step forward, his father holds him back though.
The warden laughs maliciously. "Give it up, girl! You're wasting your time and energy. Just look at them. They're broken and empty, they have neither hope nor fighting spirit left in them. Their fear to fail, to die, is too great."
The waterbender watches the crowd in front of her. No one is moving, the sad and exhausted faces of the earthbenders are giving her goosebumps.
Disheartened, she lowers her hand that holds the piece of coal.
Amaya's observing the earthbenders equally dejectedly. She almost can't bear it.
Her gaze shifts to Sokka who's still standing there bravely and ready to fight the enemy no matter how pointless it seems.
Then she looks at Katara who's staring at the ground, miserably and slightly trembling.
Unexpectedly, she remembers a quote monk Gyatso had cited often when she had been in doubt or had felt hopeless.
"Courage is not the absence of fear, but rather the assessment that something else is more important than fear."
Therefore, Amaya takes a deep breath and speaks loudly.
"Dear earthbenders!" Everyone's attention is now fixed on her. "I know how you feel. You're tired and sad and angry. They don't want you to fight and make you think there's no point in trying. But they're wrong. Every single one of you still has something to fight for. Your families, your nation, yourselves. I'm the Avatar and I'm scared as well. However, I learned that courage is not the absence of fear but the triumph over it. This is why I will fight. For you."
She turns around, facing the warden.
He laughs at her. "How moving. I really don't get why you care so much about these people. However, if you are in fact the Avatar, I cannot let you leave. The Fire Lord will personally thank me for capturing you." The elderly man lifts his right hand.
Yet, before he can do anything else, he gets hit on the head by a piece of coal.
Surprised, Amaya turns back around and sees Haru who's letting a few pieces of coal bounce in his left hand.
Angrily, the warden holds his hurt head. "What are you waiting for? Attack!" He orders his soldiers.
They're all immediately shooting fire at Haru and the young man puts his arms protectively in front of his face.
He doesn't get hit by the flames because his father steps in, creating a wall of coal before them.
At last, the other earthbenders join them in fighting. As do Amaya, Katara and Sokka.
The Fire Nation soldiers don't really stand a chance now. Their flames are getting blocked by walls or boulders of coal and the black rocks are hitting them relentlessly so that they have to retreat instead of attack.
Ultimately, Haru and Tyro are forming a giant boulder and throw it straight through a wall.
"Go to the ship! We'll hold them off!" Tyro shouts and the other earthbenders run towards the new created exit.
"Don't let them escape!" The warden yells irately.
Again, he and a few of his soldiers shoot fire at the earthbenders.
Amaya quickly jumps in between and averts the flames with airbending.
"I need some coal!" She tells Katara and Sokka while forming air discs.
The siblings instantly toss some pieces of coal directly into the air discs and the airbender sends them towards the soldiers and the warden.
Once more, they're getting hit by black rocks and eventually, they're meeting the hard ground.
Before they can get back up, Tyro, Haru and another earthbender are forming a slab from the coal underneath the firebenders, lifting it up in the air with them still on it and guiding it over the shipyard's edge.
"No, please! I can't swim." The warden begs desperately as they're right above the ocean.
"Don't worry. Cowards float." Tyro speaks calmly, making some final movements with his arms and hands.
Consequently, the coal slab dissolves and the firebenders are dropped into the cold water.
Luckily, everyone was able to escape safely. They're currently on the Fire Nation's ships, leaving the rig far behind.
"I don't know how to thank you. You've saved us, in more than one way." Haru says smiling to Amaya and Katara.
"Yes, thank you both for restoring our hope and reawakening our spirits. We owe you so much." Tyro expresses his gratitude as well.
"I'm just glad you're all okay." The waterbender answers happily.
"Me too." The airbender replies relieved. "You don't owe us anything."
The older earthbender looks at Amaya, a soft expression on his face. "You may be young but I think we can expect great things from you."
She smiles and bows briefly.
"Are you going home now?" Katara asks.
"Yes. We'll take back our village." Tyro declares, then he shouts so that the other earthbenders can hear him. "We'll take back all of our villages! The Fire Nation will regret the day they set foot on our land!"
He gets approving cheers from everyone.
Afterwards, Katara bids Haru and Tyro farewell and gets onto Appa who's swimming next to the ship.
Sokka's already sitting in the saddle, studying the map in his hands.
"Come with us." Haru utters unexpectedly as Amaya's about to leave as well.
She turns around surprised.
"I can't." She reacts resolved, yet smiling. "I have to take care of something important. But I think you'll be fine."
"I know. Worth a try." He grins.
Then suddenly, he takes a big step towards her and before she even knows what's happening, he kisses her on the lips.
It's brief and soft and it makes something in her stomach flutter.
She can merely stare at him perplexed as he walks backwards, a big smile on his face.
"Thanks again for everything. See you soon!" The young man winks at her cheerfully.
"Bye." Is all Amaya can reply.
Still puzzled, yet smiling, she turns to her right and jumps from the ship right onto Appa's head.
Shortly after, she gives her furry friend the signal for take-off.
Meanwhile, a certain prince is inspecting the vandalized shipyard.
Zuko has been informed earlier that the Avatar is on this rig.
But once again, he's too late. She's already gone.
He's looking around grumpily. Until he notices something lying on the ground.
He bends down and picks it up.
It's a necklace.
No, not any necklace.
It belongs to the girl from the Water Tribe.
The prince is staring pensively at the object in his hand.
Maybe this is the sign he has been waiting for.