Avatar: Lightning Strikes (IC)

[ChasNicollette]

"Lift Your Burdens Up"

It is written:

'Neither fire, nor moisture, nor wind
can destroy the blessing of good deeds,
and blessings enlighten the whole world.'​

-from The Gospel of Buddha.​

He was beautiful.

He cleaned her. Cleaned inside of her, even, and her whole body trembled at the alien, mystic, wholly unprecedented sensation of living breathing Water moving within secret, treasured places...

(...she thought, for an instant, that she might climax again, clutching the seat-backs for dear life, might climax again just from the thought and the feel of his Waterbending inside of her...

...she didn't, perhaps obviously, didn't climax again just from that. But she thought for a moment that she could have...)

"There, all done." The water tribesman softly announced as he retracted the stream of bending material, smiling up at the Earth girl as he deposited this portion of liquid into his pouch which remained on one of the numerous seats around them, "Hope that wasn't too weird for you? But I figured it's the most, well, thorough way of cleaning each other up before getting dressed to leave."

"Right," she breathed, her voice a chuckle in the background of disorientation and incredulity. "Very practical. Very efficient."

I want you to do that again very soon.

"Not, uh, too weird."

And then the shoe was on the other foot for a moment as he gave himself the same treatment and she almost laughed aloud at the look on his face...

She didn't. Laugh at him. But she thought for a moment that she could have.

"OK, that certainly was....interesting." Ryota begrudgingly admitted as he again smiled at Xia, only this time with a hint of a smirk on the corner of his lips while he again deposited of the final amount of bending water he pulled out earlier.

Her smirk mirrored his, and a twinkle danced in the Earthen depths of her eyes. "'Interesting.' Yeah, that must've been the word I was looking for."

From there, it was only a matter of getting dressed...

She stole secret glances at him while they did this. And she wondered, not for the first time, not for the last time, what he was thinking. Airbender, Waterbender, what she wouldn't give to be a Mindbender, to peer through the veil that kept his thoughts private. Wondered what he thought of her, that she would give herself up so willingly to him with only a modicum of acquaintance...

Wondered if he really was as good as he seemed.

She thought so. She thought so.

She'd panic later, if he wasn't.

And then, just as they'd stood together naked moments previously, they stood together clothed.

"Shall we? I'm pretty sure we could both go for a good nights sleep after the day we've been through." The young man suggested after he strapped the water pouch around his waist; making for the last article of clothing or personal belonging which he brought into the theatre.

Xia smiled a little smile. "I could go for a good year's sleep, really. After the day we've been through. But I'll take a night's, if that's what's on offer."

She paused, though, and glanced up towards the front of the theatre, curiosity killing the bearded cat, something still bothering her from earlier... "Um. Just. One quick sec."

She considered just jumping the distance, but before she quite considered it she was already weaving her way through the rows of seats up towards the front. She paused, there, behind the seats of honour that had been installed up at the first row, and examined the engravings on the backs thereof. In particular, she scrutinised the characters which she'd not been able to make sense of from the greater distance. The name of the person to whom this place had ostensibly been dedicated.

'For Ursa.'

She wondered who Ursa was. Who Ursa was to them who'd commissioned this place? Wife? Mother? Daughter-in-law?

She wondered. She ran her fingers over the character of the name.

And she smiled softly, and murmured, under her breath: "Hope I've not offended you, Ursa, with our, um, borrowing this place."

"Thank you for letting me find happiness here. Happiness and... happiness and a good man. For however long it lasts... for whatever it winds up signifying... I'll always be grateful to you for this one moment."

"(Thank you.)"

...and then she straightened, and hurried sheepishly back to Ryota's side.

"Um. Sorry. Just had to. Pay my respects to our hostess."

Once they were ready, Ryota led the way out of the theatre, hesitantly pushing open the door which led out of the room and peaking about in a brief attempt to avoid any questions from potentially curious passerby's. While the water tribesman held no shame or regret over what they did, he wasn't exactly in a hurry for anyone to discover any details such as the whereabouts of where it took place. It was an ultimately halfhearted attempt, however, as he promptly led the way out of the room; closing the door behind them before starting to lead Xia toward his temporary bedroom.

Idle chit chat was shared along the way. Nothing too personal, which meant the majority of it was about the Palace itself and perhaps a few general questions about the living conditions in their respective Nations. The pair eventually did reach the doorway of his room as Ryota promptly took hold of the handle, pulled open the door and stood by while allowing Xia to enter first in a gentlemanly manner.

The room was dim, and not dark.

It seemed subtly and profoundly warmer than the room from which she'd fled to sit alone and frantic on the roof of the Palace. But otherwise it was very much the same.

"Ta-da! Probably not much different from the room assigned to you. Basic bed, small table, closet, dresser and armchair combination. Only with myself thrown into the mix, of course."

"What's the word?" she murmured softly, contemplating him, contemplating his room, her thoughts more like ghosts than concrete concepts, wondering little irrational philosophies. "'Imbue.'"

I think, Ryota, that you imbue this room with something.

The same kind of maddening mysterious something that's so aggravating and so endearing about you. That's so infuriatingly delightful about you.

You make this room better just by being in it.

I rather thought you might.

Then again, there was only one bed.

"Um, I'm not sure how you feel about the sleeping arrangements, but I'm fine with having the floor for the night." The young man offered as he reached a hand behind his head to rub at his neck; letting out a brief chuckle while also offering up a genuine, reassuring smile as he spoke honestly of his sleeping habits, "Trust me, after some of the places I've slept during my years in both the Northern and Southern Water Tribes, a soft and carpeted surface in a place like this is a luxury."

Giving a slight shrug of his shoulders, Ryota gazed over at the young woman, fully prepared to respect any wishes she may have when it comes to their arrangements for the night as he assured the girl, "Whatever you feel the most comfortable with doing, Xia."

Reservations and bewilderment flooded Xia's face at exactly the same moment that they flooded her Spirit. Because she really did. Want to be near him. She really did not want to be away from him. Wanted to be in sight of him, wanted him in sight of her.

But at the same time, she needed space. She needed... she needed elbow room.

She needed to watch this man and to decipher him and to see if he was a good man after all, as if she could possibly do that. But he had comforted her and he was comforting to her and she couldn't be away from that, not now, not yet.

She crossed her arms over her stomach and her face crumpled with the effort of thinking...

"Maybe. Maybe that's not such. A bad idea. I just. I mean, I've slept on my share of floors and rooftops, I could sleep on the floor..."

A pang of pure selfishness shot through her and while she felt ashamed of this, she couldn't deny it, either. She gnawed her lower lip-- rather than his shoulder --and she nodded quietly.

"Um. Yes. If that's okay with you. I'll take the bed. And... and you'll take the floor. And if we're both okay with that, then that'll be, ah, that'll be okay."

She went up on tip-toes and she kissed him softly on the cheek, though she was hardly certain what such a gesture should mean to herself, let alone to him. "Ryota. Thank you. For... for everything. Um. Sleep, um, sleep well, I guess? And I'll see you in the morning."

Xia found her way into bed, though, really, she just curled up atop the covers, unwilling to shed her recently-donned clothing and unwilling to fully dirty his sheets with her scuffed up stained clothing...

She lay on the bed and she watched him.

She watched him as he lay on the floor, watched him as he lapsed into unconsciousness. And for a time, before sleep claimed her wild brain also, before dream found her, she watched him as he slept.

She didn't love him.

Not now.

Not yet.

But she thought for a moment that she could do.

Her eyes sank closed, and he was the last thing she saw...

********​

...and when she opened her eyes again, there in the time of dawn not-quite gathered, she was alone.

She sat up with a start, bewildered, instantly stung that he would part from her without a word, instantly panicking that he'd already packed up and made haste for the Far North where she could never ever find him.

Fuck.

But then she saw the outfit. Hanging there by the door to his room. And there was a note pinned to it.

Yeah, fuck. As in: 'What the...?'

...she rose to her feet and she crossed the room in an eyeblink.

There detailed, in a servant's hand, shaped by neat and formal calligraphy, was an explanation. There were funeral services, for all who had been... for all whose possibilities had cried out and then fallen silent... And all still living were invited, no matter the Nation, all were guests of The Royal Family.

And they had seen fit to provide the injured with a modicum of formal-wear, because one could hardly stagger into a royal funeral wearing Lower Ring scraps, especially ones torn by battle.

...and the services were starting...

She looked again at the sky, the particular shade of dark slate grey it had turned.

The services were starting like right now.

(Must be where he's gone. Chivalrous. Of course he's gone to honour the dead.

I should honour the dead.

Them that cling to life should ever honour the dead.)

She tore her way out of her clothes and bit her lip as she reached for this new outfit.

What the Hell am I gonna do with my hair?

...the ground flew past under her sandals as she ran.

She ran not at Airbent speed, not at full tilt, but as fast as powerful legs would carry her.

The Ocean seemed quite far away, and she was still struggling to pin up her own improvised updo as she went. She looked borderline shabby, but that was at least borderline notshabby, so maybe that was okay. Maybe that was okay.

She saw them there.

Priests and Royals at the head of it, at the edge of The Ocean itself, and the head priest-looking fellow was intoning, reciting, invoking...

Xia hesitated.

Her dark eyes danced through the crowd, flitted. She could see The Dragon up front, wearing the uniform in which he'd freed Ba Sing Se. But he was there with his family, she couldn't infringe on that.

Where was he, where was he, where was the maddening idiot with whom she'd found such strange peace the preceding night...

...and there. She found him.

Dressed in similar formal garbs, though standing with The Water Tribes' contingent.

Looking, well, like a fish out of Water.

And she smiled softly at the sight of him, and she shook her head in wonder.

She wondered what she saw in him. But at the same time, she knew she saw it...

Quietly and as unintrusively as she could manage, she wove through the crowd. Again, it would be so much easier just to jump the distance, but she would cause such an uproar, cause so much dishonour.

She found him, then. They were dressed alike. The same colours.

Though his eyes were still as blue.

She ached to talk to him. This was so awkward that it was actually tangibly physically painful. She wanted to ask him what he was thinking, she couldn't Mindbend any more than she could Earthbend.

She wanted to tell him what she was thinking.

Wanted to tell him that she might not love him yet. But she could. And probably would, if they got half a chance.

But she didn't have the words for it, and she couldn't have said any of them even if she had had them, because they were at a funeral and she didn't dare even whisper.

The head priest guy finished his sermon, and Xia felt a thrum of guilt because she hadn't heard a word.

And then The Sun rose. And the men Bent Fire upon the departed beloved.

And without a word, because she had no words and could speak none, Xia slipped her hand into Ryota's hand and held it tight. Held on to him.

Xia held Ryota's hand. And she hoped to gods and Spirits and forces and powers and Buddhas and The Universe that in the absence of words, this would be enough.

She held his hand and hoped this said it all.

She was alive, and she honoured the dead, and she held Ryota's hand.

 

[ChasNicollette]

"Dirt Room"

Colour crept in around the Earthbender's cheeks, and he turned abruptly away as she stripped naked...

...the same colour visited upon the back of his neck, and he fixed his gaze upon that small, small window.

"You misunderstand my intentions, sea-nymph," he murmured, attempting to regain his stoic demeanour. "I meant no impropriety. My suggestions were based only in pragmatism."

But he could see fluttering discarded blue in the periphery of his vision, and expanses of skin, and weapons being brought to bear, and his hands curled into tense tight fists at his sides. A vein in his temple quirked.

And he... he couldn't help but glance at her...

"See something you like dirt-monger?" Kayna splays herself across the floor, closing her eyes and feigning sleep.

...and he looked swiftly away again, gazing out into the darkness, the crimson darkening on his features.

Ice in her veins.

Good.

(Isn't it?)

"Merely. Ascertaining your wellness."

"Regain your strength. I will make sure that we are. Hm. Unmolested."

...and he took a rooted posture, drawing his sword and holding it low, hilt in both hands.

Zhuang slipped partway into a meditative trance, restoring strength even while standing, and remaining alert enough that if the door were to open, or the window to rattle, his response would be beyond contestation.

And it wasn't until the dawn approached, and Zhuang heard the footsteps flitting out to the services, that he emerged from this trance only moderately stiff, and touched the woman with his toe.

"Sea-nymph. I think perhaps our omen is in the offing."

 

[ChasNicollette]

"The Second Element," I & II

Plans have a way of making The Universe laugh.

Plans are like a school play performed by tiny children, and The Universe kind of smiles tolerantly to itself and wonders to itself, "oh, isn't that cute?"

Katara had planned to help Toph with Kurzen.

Katara had planned to help Kurzen with Toph.

But none of that had worked. And none of it had worked in ways that Katara had planned.

But Toph had seemed content enough with the results. And Kurzen had hardly seemed as though he was having a terrible time.

And they had gone their separate ways as the night dragged on towards morning.

When Katara had returned to her space, she had found her brother gone, and Iroh absent, and this bewildered her. Until she found the note from the old man, on folded, crumpled, singed stationery from Iroh's tea shop. He must have had this in his pocket during the battle, but still he used the paper as proudly as if it were royal parchment.

'I have taken the liberty, fair creature, of attempting to minimise your dillemma. I must needs prepare for tomorrow, as many of us do. And I have left your brother in the care of the same healers that are keeping keen watch over your love.

You need not divide yourself in twain.

If you still feel you must divide yourself in a third way, I am afraid that I can do nothing for this.

Get some sleep, Katara.

More change is coming.

-"Uncle."'

Her smile wobbled on her lips.

She looked at her bed.

But she had slept and dreamed a great deal this day already and was in no rush to do so again. Perhaps Iroh's advice was infallible, she'd so rarely known him to be wrong, but right now, right now, she couldn't bring herself to listen.

She poured herself a glass of Water, sipped it a little bit, but it had warmed sitting out and she cooled it to Ice and thawed it partway before drinking again.

Katara stood quietly and gazed into the reflections in the surface of her glass.

'Eyes were glancing
Hopes set high
But just another day went by
Tears are falling
Like never before'

Her eyes were blue and her face knotted. She downed the rest of the glass.

Malaise wouldn't accomplish anything. She couldn't let herself get dragged down by the miasmic bog of negative emotion. She'd always been a creature of hope, and perhaps in defiance of certain thespian portrayals she'd kept that hope wrapped 'round herself in recent years more than ever.

Aang had once told her, struggling while parted from his oldest friend, that hope was a "distraction." And she hadn't bought that then, and she wouldn't buy that now.

She'd lost her temper and hurt Ty Lee, and she couldn't forgive herself for that. (Katara had a little list of people she'd never forgive. But she never expected to find her own name on that list.)

She'd given in once, and she wouldn't give in again. Not to this.

Azula was on the list of people she'd never forgive. And it would gall Katara to no end to think that she'd let one of those people win, in any sense of the term. Katara wouldn't give in again.

She wouldn't let Azula win. Not even in her heart, not ever again.

She wouldn't let herself get distracted from hope.

Quietly, Katara slipped out of her room. She hesitated, looking at Toph's door across the hall, and she bit her lip.

'Still she's staring at the door
Broken promise
Will you understand'

She wanted to talk more with Toph like they'd done before Kurzen had come to visit, but Toph had perhaps not had the benefit of hours of unconsciousness like Katara had done, and Toph really did need her sleep.

Wrapping slender, strong arms around herself, Katara walked on, and left her room and Toph's room both behind.

She bowed her head, as she walked, and she gathered strength with each step. She needed to be strong. Strong enough for herself and for two fallen men she each loved dearly.

("Love" had never been a word she'd entirely understood, as a linguistic artefact. Her people and the people of The North had so many words for "snow" and yet "love" was just one word. There were so many different shades and sheens to love, how could one word sum up the whole of it?

She loved her brother, and he was wracked with injury.

She loved Aang, and he was in someplace stranger than death.)

Katara navigated the hallways, only half-aware, with the homing facility of a messenger-hawk.

And she found herself standing outside the doorway to the healer's hall where conventional medics and Fire Sages worked in conjunction.

Sokka was there. And Aang. And Azula.

In a bit of a haze, Katara wandered in amongst the beds of this place, regarding the fallen, and she worked her way to the side of the last best hope in this World for peace.

She ran her hand over the bald of his head, over the arrow-work that sometimes glowed pale. And she missed him. Terribly.

She'd not seen him for quite a time even before the meeting of The Four Nations. And to have their interactions so... interrupted. It went so far beyond unfair that she didn't even have words for it, there was no word for it, like "love," "unfair" didn't seem to quite cover it.

'And always you'll be
Blood and soul part of me
My second element
I am longing for you
And always you'll see
That you reflect on me
My second element
Are you missing me too?'

Again, she kissed his brow, kissed him where the tip of that tattooed arrow met his third eye.

And she smiled faintly.

He wouldn't be gone long. She had hope, after all. Aang and Katara both knew there was no better distraction than hope.

'Burning fire
A light in the dark
Shining day and night for me
Flowing water
The source of our life
Covering the world
Gentle air blowing
Caressing my face
Carry me into dreams of love
The endless symphony...
Wasn't it you
Who was filling my dreams
The second element
Everywhere you are rife
Wasn't it you
Who was filling the streams
The second element
With the power of life
Creeks are winding
Just seeking their way
Hardly tryin' to reach the sea
Raindrops falling
From skies to the earth
Bringing life to you and me
Lakes of silence
A magical sound
Keeping secrets in the ground
A perfect harmony...
Wasn't it you
Who was breaking the light
The second element
And the rainbows arise
Oh, wasn't it you
Who was standing a fight
The second element
From the earth to the skies
Wasn't it you, who was filling my dreams
Wasn't it you, who was filling the streams
Wasn't it you, who was breaking the light
Wasn't it you...?'

And it was here, sitting in the chair beside Aang's bedside, that Katara slipped into unconsciousness and slept without dreams, overcome at last by exhaustion only barely kept at bay.

Ty Lee, though Katara didn't know this, not really, had only lived because of Katara. And in turn, Katara had only survived because of Ty Lee. And having almost been dead, Katara had not recovered nearly enough strength from her few hours of sleep, and she passed away into dreamless sleep.

And she only woke, there before the dawn of the day, as Ty Lee herself was preparing Azula for the services. Perfume and robes, cleanliness and godliness.

Quiet gazes and chakric touches. And never once, though Ty Lee was surely aware of Katara's pale blue eyes upon her, did Ty Lee look at Katara.

At first, Katara wasn't rightly sure what she was up to. Had Azula passed away in the night, and they were preparing her for a final journey? But no, but no, everyone-- Fire Sages included --seemed far too calm for that. If Azula had died, supposedly this would have threatened Aang's fragile grasp on this life also, and obviously, obviously, Aang was fine.

Well. Still missing. Still right there but so far far away but still missing but still... functioning.

Katara would never forgive Azula. And she couldn't understand how Ty Lee would be so calm about this after what Azula had done to Aang, and to everyone. But at the same time, Ty Lee had proven herself a better woman when Katara had lost her temper at a terrible moment and Ty Lee had only been quietly sad and astonished.

Katara was hardly in a position to question Ty Lee's mercies.

And thus when Ty Lee departed, Katara sat quietly and watched her go and ached and longed to apologise.

Katara sat quietly alone as the healers filed out, and The Fire Sages, all of them going going going to the services by The Sea.

And Katara sat quietly alone, and rose to her feet and walked to her brother's side.

Sokka.

So near death, over and over again, because of her. Because he'd been trying to fight for her and trying to save her.

Sokka.

Madcap grins and genius tactics and skill of arm and depth of heart.

She sat beside him, and while she couldn't Firebend heat like Iroh, or like the healer that had been tending Sokka's fits of temperature through the night, she could Waterbend with the best of them and a wet washcloth was for her as good a conduit for healing as ever could have been provided.

Katara had tried healing him once from a distance, but then they'd clamoured with her to keep her distance and keep up her strength. But now there was no-one here to stop her.

He shivered, and she touched the Water upon the cloth and warmed it to steam, and he was soothed. Fever surged in him, and she touched the Water upon the cloth and cooled it to ice, and he was soothed. And again he shivered, and again the Water was warmed...

Outside, The Sun was starting to rise.

And Katara rose with The Moon, not with The Sun.

'Sunny day
Never more I go away'

But she missed her lover terribly and she missed her brother terribly.

The healers had told her to save her strength. But here was something she could do something about...

She couldn't help Aang, but so help her gods she could help Sokka.

(She hoped. She hoped.)

...the Water in the cloth was warm, and then it shone bright...

...it shone like Moonlight's Ghost.

And Katara poured out all the healing she had left in her wounded Spirit upon her fallen brother.

'Just like an endless dream
And always you'll be
Blood and soul part of me
My second element'

Her head sagged to his chest and she felt weaker than even when The Black Spirit was choking the chi out of her. But she was alive, and maybe, just maybe...

...maybe just maybe hope had been distraction enough that she'd brought her brother back to her.

'Are you missing me too?'

 

[Mister J]

If there ever were a time when dreaming felt so real, it was then at that moment when a tiny speck of light cut through the darkness. Like a brilliant flash of light had been smothered by shadow. For so long there had been nothing, no sound, no light...no one. So for one lost in the dark, seeing that white glow so far away...it felt like a dream. Had he been asleep for so long that this little bit of hope seemed unreal? Was there someone on the other side, someone calling out to him? Did he dare try to reach for it?

So he reached out, grasping for that far off beacon.

His eyelids slowly opened, he squinted, not used to even the dim light in the room. It took him some time, but his eyes finally adjusted.

The first thing he saw was the back of Katara's head, her hair falling down over his chest. He smiled and his cheeks ached. He struggled at first but he raised his hand to rest upon her head, his fingers nestling between strands of hair.

"I missed you...I missed you too."

 

[Eazy]

Ryota

"Maybe. Maybe that's not such. A bad idea. I just. I mean, I've slept on my share of floors and rooftops, I could sleep on the floor..."

Gazing at the young Earth girl, Ryota's lips parted as if he were about to say something; likely in steady protest of her suggestion of sleeping on the floor. After all, it wasn't in his nature to let anyone, let alone a 'guest' of the fairer sex sleep on the floor while taking up the comfort of a soft bed. It wouldn't make for a relaxing night and, thankfully, Xia continued with another suggestion on the sleeping arrangements.

"Um. Yes. If that's okay with you. I'll take the bed. And... and you'll take the floor. And if we're both okay with that, then that'll be, ah, that'll be okay."

"It sounds absolutely perfect, Xia." The young man quickly responded as a small smile formed across his lips; softly nodding his head in further affirmation of the mutual agreement reached on their sleeping arrangements for the night.

Watching as Xia started to move up to her tip-toes, the water tribesman leaned in, just a little bit, as she placed a soft kiss upon his cheek. Compared to what else they'd done on this day, it may not have appeared like much to most, but it nevertheless brought about a noticeable smile which seemed to nearly spread from ear-to-ear. Whatever may come in the future, they had tonight, and they had a continued friendship.

"Ryota. Thank you. For... for everything. Um. Sleep, um, sleep well, I guess? And I'll see you in the morning."

Nodding slowly as he gazed down at the Ba Sing Se native, Ryota reached up and placed a brief, gentle hand upon her cheek as they finished saying their good nights, "Thank you, Xia. For being....well, you. Heh, and you sleep well tonight, too."

Turning away as they prepared for sleep, the Waterbender moved a few things to make certain he had enough room for stretching out on the floor. Following this, it only took a minute or two for him to pull out a few sheets and make up a makeshift bed for him to rest upon. He was usually pretty quick at setting up a place for sleep, due to years of training with setting up campsites on both icy and rocky terrain, which made a floor in a lush Palace rather simple in comparison. Truly, by the way he was finished, Xia herself had been made comfortable in the guest bed assigned to him for however long they would be staying.

Giving Xia a final, affectionate smile as he watched over her for a few fleeting seconds, Ryota then slouched down onto he was able to crawl between the covers. Aside from removing his footwear and the container which held his bending water, he was ready to sleep in the clothing he wore for the day. As he did, his thoughts remained focused on the approaching day. On what may or may not happen with the girl sharing a room with him. Of what was to happen the next day, with the addressing of what may happen to the Avatar and former Fire Princess. And, from what he was told when conversing with the healers, to deal with the early ceremonies honoring the dead.

As he gazed up at the bed, catching the occasional glimpse of Xia as he watched from his angle on the floor; the thought of bringing up the ceremony came to mind. But it was late, she was tired in more ways then one, and a small part of him felt like bringing it up now may be putting her on the spot. Staring up at that bed, his hazy thoughts weighed in the options, but were steadily drowned out as the days exhaustion started settling in for him. Taking in whatever glimpses of her that he could, Ryota's eyes slowly closed before he could think to say anything else, signaling his finally giving into the events of the day.

-----------------------

It was early when his tired eyes forced themselves open. Insanely early. Fortunately, years of training for running on however much sleep one could gather before rising with an internal clock set for getting an early start on a new day of traveling or preparation for battle. As his tired eyes surveyed his surroundings, however, he was given an instant reminder of how different his current location was from past outings. Perhaps not surprisingly, as he ignored the aches and pains while sitting up from his position on the floor, it wasn't the funeral services which captured his immediate attention. Rather, it was the sleeping beauty which remained in a seemingly peaceful slumber on the bed at this side.

Staring at her as his eyes steadily regained their focus over the sleepy fog which remained, he again questioned whether or not he should wake her, but decided on leaving the Earth girl be for now. She deserved rest and saw no reason for waking her on something which she may hold little interest in attending. Aside from honoring the dead, it was out of respect for the Fire Lord and his departed wife's past friendship with the famous Water Tribe siblings that he wished to go. As such, Ryota gingerly pulled himself to his feet as he prepared get ready for the early morning activities.

Standing beside the large bed, the Waterbender granted himself a few moments longer to watch over the young woman. Leaning down, he gingerly reached out a hand to brush aside a few strands of hair; allowing him to place a gentle kiss upon Xia's forehead without disturbing her sleep. Turning away, Ryota picked up his footwear and the smaller water container as he creeped out of the heavily shadowed room; sparing only a parting glance as he left to prepare.

From there it was considerably simpler, yet not much easier. The atmosphere was understandably somber, with many of the servants and guards likely having lost someone close to them or, at the least, feeling the reverberating effects of such a harsh loss of life within the kingdom. In a way, it reminded himself of the resulting aftermath which followed the Fire Nation's siege against the Northern Water Tribe. Even after speaking with a few servants and making arrangements for the lone of the proper ceremonial robes, his mind dwelled on these thoughts.

Taking to a private room where he could wash up and dress without fear of disturbing another, Ryota reflected on how, at the time, he wished those of the Fire Nation could be given a sampling of what was given to his tribe. For them to know, for once, what it was like to have an enemy force invade their home and take away what was precious to them. Now, as he stood there while fastening the red robes around his slim frame, Ryota could see how petty and selfish such thoughts were. Nobody deserved to go through this type of pain and, for perhaps the first time, he felt a sense of sorrow for the present Fire Lord and his people.

Letting out a sigh as he finished dressing, the water tribesman walked over to a nearby mirror to take a look at himself; which resulted in a slightly cringing expression as he saw how he halfheartedly quipped, "If there was any family left to see me now, they'd probably drop dead on the spot."

At least he was able to put his hair back into a wolftail; the larger bandages having now been replaced with a smaller strip which largely served in covering whatever scabs remained. A small part of himself felt like he was cloaked in dishonor, but pushed such thoughts aside as he prepared to join the others during the ceremony. Before doing as such, however, Ryota did take whatever time was left for speaking with a servant about the girl in his room. The bender didn't mention she was in his room, of course, but he shared enough to make certain she was made aware of the ceremony and given the proper garments in case she awoke early enough and decided on joining them.

Eventually, Ryota made it out of the Palace and to the ceremony for honoring the dead as it was about to commence. Despite having a passing acquaintanceship (if that) with a couple of those in attendance, he generally stood alone amongst the assembled masses. Watching the entire ceremony in silence, his gaze occasionally shifted toward Fire Lord Zuko and the long retired General Iroh. Although the water tribesman never knew a true love, let alone a wife with which he could hope to share the rest of life with; the Waterbender felt sympathy for said Fire Lord. Hard as losing Akemi was during the war, he couldn't fathom to think of how greater the remorse would be if they had become more then childhood friends like many had guessed. Of how difficult it would be to lose someone special to you. Someone you loved and cared for like none other in this world.

For an unexplained reason, as his mind lingered on such heavy thoughts, Ryota broke his gaze away from the ceremony just in time to catch glimpse of a familiar figure. Albeit a figure whom was dressed in a very different assortment of clothing, but her presence was enough so as to light up his features. Giving a faint smile at her welcomed, yet oddly bittersweet appearance; the Northern Water Tribe native split his attention between Xia and the funeral services. Was he in love with her? Despite the live fast standards their predicament had placed them in, the bender knew it was too early for him to say. He definitely loved her in a caring sense. Ryota wanted to be there for her, for however long he could, and to take whatever of the burden in her life onto his own shoulders.

There were so many thoughts swimming through his head. Questions to ask, questions to answer, reflections to share. Many of which probably weren't nearly as important as he was making them out to be in his mind. Nevertheless, as he watched everyone else seem to nearly fade into background noise during her approach, Ryota gained a sense of relief at the fact that she came. Not only had she come to the ceremony, but she came directly toward his direction. As the sun set, his attention remained divided between the services and the woman at his side. Not unlike herself, the Waterbender wished he could read minds as he stole an occasional glance at her lovely features.

Soon as her hand found his own, however, the water tribesman allowed his own fingers to wrap themselves around hers without hesitation. She felt soft, warm and comforting in more ways then one. Bended flames engulfed the dead, cremating their bodies as their ashes blew off with the wind to find their final resting place amongst the world. The smell of burning flesh was noticeable, near impossible to ignore, and brought back a number of bad memories for Ryota. This caused the grip on Xia's hand to tighten just a bit, while not being near enough to draw any pain or discomfort. The water tribesman did eventually relax it as his thoughts settled back upon the ideal sanctity of life, all life, within the four nations. His eyes closed as he gave a silent prayer for those passed, for those injured which may not make a recovery, and for those who may lose their lives in the coming days if worse came to worst.

"I'm glad you're here, Xia." The Waterbender whispered as he opened his eyes to gaze at the young woman standing by his side for a moment; offering up a faint smile to Xia after uttering that simple string of words which, to Ryota, carried much weight and related to many facets of his busy mind.

 

[ChasNicollette]

"Who Wants to Live Forever?"

He struggled at first but he raised his hand to rest upon her head, his fingers nestling between strands of hair.

"I missed you...I missed you too."

His hand was a warm weight on the back of her head.

She blinked against him for a moment. Once, then twice.

And her hand came up and grasped his wrist, lifted his hand off of her head, and she raised her head to gaze at him as a slow little smile wobbled across her lips.

"Hey, you," she smiled, and she blinked back tears as they pooled in the blue of her eyes.

He looked a little bit like Death warmed over but he was smiling, and she was smiling, and if that didn't mean everything was going to be okay, that everything was going to be fine, she didn't know what would.

She clutched tightly the hand that had touched her head, and she reached up with the other hand, to pull the washcloth off of his forehead.

Maybe she'd made it a little too hot the last time he'd had the shivers, because...

...she grinned at him, a little disbelieving little grin, and shook her head. Her eyes danced.

"You're never going to believe this. Your forehead's all red."

 

[Mister J]

For some reason it had felt like ages since he last saw his sister, or anyone for that matter. When she took his hand in hers and turned to look at him with that teary-eyed smile...he couldn't help but feel a bit of a lump in his throat. She was so beautiful, so caring, so...warm. Wait...warm?

"You're never going to believe this. Your forehead's all red."

It hurt to laugh so hard, even though it came out sounding like a wheezing fit.

"Yeah sis, not as hard to believe as you'd like to think."

Sokka urged his body to move. It felt stiff, rigid, and sore. He sat up slightly and scooted back on the bed so he could lean against the head board.

"So how long have I been out?"

 

[ChasNicollette]

"Save One Breath For Me."

He laughed, and he sounded like an asthmatic tiger seal, and Katara instantly winced with one eye shut and her smile going lopsided.

"Yeah sis, not as hard to believe as you'd like to think."

He sat up slightly and scooted back on the bed so he could lean against the head board.

He looked terrible. He looked a mess. He looked like an asthmatic tiger seal that had gone several rounds too many with The Unagi.

(He looked, for example, like Katara felt.)

"(Oh, great, I shouldn't have made you laugh, I'm sorry...)" her wince deepened into outright full-fledged sisterly concern, but she recognised, in his own blue eyes, that indefatigable determination. The selfsame refusal to accept his limits as had inspired Katara to try and resurrect him against healer's orders...

They were rather alike, Katara realised, as if for the first time. They were siblings, after all.

"So how long have I been out?"

Katara's smile was soft, and she shook her head.

"Less than a day," she explained, "though to tell you the truth it feels like lots longer. You had kind of a rough time of it. They patched up your hurt, but you had this kind of infection thing that had you bouncing back between fever and chills... General Iroh took care of you for a long time, we both owe him a huge debt of gratitude. Without him, you might have..."

She hunched over, hugging herself with both arms, and she looked away, pain crawling slowly across her features. "A deplorably vast number of people have died in the last day or so. You're one of the lucky few to come back."

 

[ChasNicollette]

"Pardon Me."

Soon as her hand found his own, however, the water tribesman allowed his own fingers to wrap themselves around hers without hesitation. She felt soft, warm and comforting in more ways then one. Bended flames engulfed the dead, cremating their bodies as their ashes blew off with the wind to find their final resting place amongst the world. The smell of burning flesh was noticeable, near impossible to ignore, and brought back a number of bad memories for Ryota. This caused the grip on Xia's hand to tighten just a bit, while not being near enough to draw any pain or discomfort. The water tribesman did eventually relax it as his thoughts settled back upon the ideal sanctity of life, all life, within the four nations. His eyes closed as he gave a silent prayer for those passed, for those injured which may not make a recovery, and for those who may lose their lives in the coming days if worse came to worst.

Perhaps this was a common enough sensory mnemonic. A common enough evocation amongst their varied, mingled, misfit number. That the smell of burning flesh would be familiar to them, and that it would bring back memories of lost life and lost innocence.

Fire had long been the weapon of the enemy, and the enemy had taken many lives. The enemy had taken much innocence.

...a common thread ran through them all, perhaps.

Fire shed light, but its aroma shed only darkness.

There had been burning in Ba Sing Se when The Dai Li had taken down the walls. And some of the burning had been buildings, and some of the burning had been flesh.

Xia stood there beside Ryota, her hand entwined in his, welcoming and appreciative, and she honoured the dead. And her nostrils flared, almost of their own volition.

And she remembered the burning of Ba Sing Se.

But before that, there was burning. Before this, also, she remembered flames and the scent of smouldering, from back and back and before. There was burning and there was wailing and there was fighting back but too little, too late.

Her eyes slid closed. And she remembered. As one remembers a dream.

There was the scent of burning flesh and the scent of burning hair. Gliders and staves and gardens and lemurs and bisons and poor dear little training girls.

They had come swiftly in the night, come out of the darkness now suddenly illuminated by the comet in the sky.

There was Fire in the mountains and there was Fire in the Heavens. The Universe seemed, in that moment, utterly predisposed to Fire.

The pagodas were built up-side-down and The Echo Chamber was filled with the sound of shouted commands and pleas for mercy and peace that bounded and rebounded and rebounded...

Even as The Fire Nation descended upon them, the nuns of the Temple were forgiving their murderers.

Xia was running, though her name wasn't Xia, running past the walls of statues with a baby cradled under her arm. Her name wasn't Xia.

Xia was someone else. Blue arrows sliced amongst the liver-spots dotting her hands and her dark hair was streaked with silver as it lashed behind her...

She ran with effortless grace. Twin Fire Nation soldiers emerged in front of her from around a corner with spears in their hands and with a wave of her arm she caused a gust to pour from nowhere and cascade them off of the cliff.

...one of their spears tumbled through space and she gestured sharply, and a flux of Air dragged the weapon into her grasp. She ran.

She bounded up a hundred-yard flight of stairs in three strides and came down upon a knot of the soldiers with the spear like it was a true Airbender staff, splitting the sky as she slashed it one-armed through the Air and slammed it one-handed into the ground, causing a massive wake of wind to leap up on either side of her, scattering the soldiers like clothespins torn from the line...

Wads of fur sizzled as they floated on the updrafts, a Bison cried out as it was burning, trying to stamp its tail to extinguish the flames, but the Fire Nationals had anchored its tail to the ground and it could neither fly nor save itself, it simply burned...

She lifted the spear held in that one hand and she twirled it, twirled the spear in a furious blur, carving a breeze from the mountain Air that washed the Bison clear of Fire.

She she hurried to the Bison's side, and twirled the spear so that the sharpened tip tore through the anchoring strands.

The Bison was free, but even as she tossed the spear aside, she saw that the creature was in a bad way.

It sagged, and it thrumbled. Roared with relief, but still with pain.

It looked upon her with those depthless eyes and gritted sad sad teeth.

'One last flight,' she breathed, touching a burnt patch gingerly, pleading with the great beast, showing him the baby cradled in her arms, 'my dear old friend. They cleansed the nurseries, they wiped clean the classrooms, I could not save any other of the children, let me just... let me just save one.'

The Bison seemed to think this over, turned his gaze to the sky.

He nodded, and roared, and pushed with his six legs to rise and stand...

'Thank you,' she smiled sadly. 'Thank you.'

...but then the tang of ozone stung her nostrils and the air around her sizzled...

...she dropped back and hunched around the baby but a bolt of blue-white light seared over her shoulder and struck the Bison square in the forehead...

The Bison screamed, a wholly unnatural, sickening, miserable sound, that crackling light coruscating all around him.

It died, then, as the scream echoed, and it collapsed, and as it died, it whimpered.

She was on her knees on the ground as more Fire Nation gathered around her, a single burst of flame scorched the spear from her reaching grasp.

The gathering parted, and from amongst their number strode a man in blue armour, blue when most of the men wore red.

He took his helmet off and he smiled a faint little smile, his eyes glinting golden in the Firelit darkness.

'Sister Air Nomad,' he purred, a dyed-blue lock of hair fallen betwixt his eyes. 'Leaving us so soon?'

She smiled slightly, her face tinged with regret and with disappointment.

'I did not want to inconvenience an august personage such as yourself,' she murmured, darkly, 'with the troublesomeness of seeing me on my way.'

Electricity crackled around his blue-armoured fists. 'It would certainly ease my mind, Sister, if you would see your way through to begging for your life. Or perhaps the life of the child in your arms. That would make this troublesomeness more convenient.'

Her smile tightened. 'It is written: "The fool thinks he has won a battle when he bullies with harsh speech, but knowing how to be forbearing alone makes one victorious."'

The Lightningbender grinned a bitter, gleaming grin: 'Is it not also written? "If you see Buddha on the path, kill him."'

She nodded quietly. 'It is so written. And I take it as compliment, then, that you seem to think I am properly on The Path.'

'Hnnf,' The Lightningbender shrugged. 'Bored, now.'

And white light flashed from his hands, white and blue, and tore the Air between his gauntlets and the Airbender nun...

She threw her arms around the child, fruitlessly shielding the little creature with her body even as she gritted her teeth against the agony and smelled her own flesh crisping and sizzling and spitting...

She didn't scream.

She didn't cry out.

But through chittering chattering gritted teeth she managed to eke out the words, praying over the baby wailing in her arms...

'"From the hearts of all the holy beings, streams of light and nectar flow down, blessing and purifying..."'

She smelled her own flesh burning. And then all was quiet.

All was stillness.

The sum of this passed through Xia's mind in but a moment, flashes and bursts, disjointed and surreal and unreal, the way that things are remembered in dreams. It had to be a dream. A recurring nightmare. Because the pagodas were upside-down and that made no sense at all...

But she remembered the smell.

The acrid stench.

And in dreams it is rare that one can smell at all.

Xia opened her eyes.

She watched the ashes billow out across the surface of The Ocean and she held Ryota's hand, and she mouthed the words without speaking them, mouthed the words she remembered as if in a dream...

'...all life is impermanent and that all those who are born must eventually pass from this life. However, everyone has within them the seeds of their past virtues, which have the power to bring a fortunate rebirth in the future.

We pray that through the power of this virtue, through the blessings of the holy beings, and through the force of our heartfelt prayers, our dear friends will experience great good fortune and everlasting peace and happiness.

We also pray for the bereaved relatives and friends, that they may be comforted in their loss and find peace of mind and strength of heart.

May all beings without exception be released from suffering, and find true happiness and everlasting peace.'

The corner of her eye saw Ryota's head move beside her, and she glanced at him...

"I'm glad you're here, Xia." The Waterbender whispered as he opened his eyes to gaze at the young woman standing by his side for a moment; offering up a faint smile to Xia after uttering that simple string of words which, to Ryota, carried much weight and related to many facets of his busy mind.

She smiled at him, her faint smile a mirror to his own, and she lifted his hand and she kissed his knuckles softly, and her eyes were full of jagged sadness, though sadness ameliorated no small amount by the man on whom she gazed.

"I'm right here," she whispered in reply, her voice murmured against the skin of the back of his hand. "Nowhere else I'd rather be. I'm right here."

 

[Lunaramblings]

Kayna lay awaiting a response to her display.

"Merely. Ascertaining your wellness."

"Regain your strength. I will make sure that we are. Hm. Unmolested."

...and he took a rooted posture, drawing his sword and holding it low, hilt in both hands.

"Well, if you insist it must be so..." Kayna lets out a soft, low moan as she slides her hands up her body and rests.

Zhuang slipped partway into a meditative trance, restoring strength even while standing, and remaining alert enough that if the door were to open, or the window to rattle, his response would be beyond contestation.

Kayna similarly rests. Kayna had learned many years ago that sleep was unneeded. It was merely a formula for the body to reset it self. Kayna had studied with a guru once. Before she killed him. He had taught her to reset herself without the irritant of sleep. This she did now.

And it wasn't until the dawn approached, and Zhuang heard the footsteps flitting out to the services, that he emerged from this trance only moderately stiff, and touched the woman with his toe.

"Sea-nymph. I think perhaps our omen is in the offing."[/QUOTE]

As Zhuang nudges her, Kayna smiles devilishly."Is it time for the molesting now?"

 

[Mister J]

"Less than a day,"

He raised a brow. It sure felt--

"though to tell you the truth it feels like lots longer. You had kind of a rough time of it."

...felt just like that.

"They patched up your hurt, but you had this kind of infection thing that had you bouncing back between fever and chills... General Iroh took care of you for a long time, we both owe him a huge debt of gratitude. Without him, you might have..."

At the mention of Iroh, Sokka smiled a bit, an image of the jolly old man entered his mind. He would have to thank him later when he was up and walking again. But near the tail end of her explanation he looked away, his smile fading away. It was true. He could feel it. There was a small gap that separated him from that next place.

Sokka turned to look at his sister, a look of concern spilled across his face.

"How are the others?"

Hopefully they were in better condition than him.

Suddenly his stomach grumbled, but it sounded more like a moose lion's growl. Sokka blinked, bringing a hand up to scratch at the back of his head.

"I guess I'm getting better..."

He leaned closer to Katara, a wide grin on his face.

"...because I'd love some meat."

 

[Mephistophelily]

Silence.

Silence and stillness, in the same manner as the water. Azula frowned, raising to her feet and stepping across the dirt. She had nothing more to say to him, her plans revealed as much as she cared to share. She had preparations to make, plans to create.

She would be free soon. She could feel it. That motion against her wrist, the feeling that flooded through her; it all made sense to her now. Things were changing, all in her favor.

What of her men? Coralled back to their places in the asylum, no doubt; left to set and rot and be forgotten. That was what Zuko had planned of her, was it not? To hide the conflicting thoughts of his sibling, to forget her existance, the true ruler of the Fire Nation. She was certain that her recent actions left no love in his heart for her.

Was there any for him in her own? She paused in her trek, considering this. He had stolen from her, locked her away, betrayed his own family...

She wasn't certain. Perhaps she could decide that fully when the time was right.

Her chest felt warm.

She felt a gentle breeze across her face, though the water did not ripple beside her.
The warmth was growing, flowing from her center and enveloping her limbs. She knew this warmth, so comforting and yet controlling, powerful and soothing...

But it also felt different. Far more to it that she had always found inside her, the roaring embers that burned within her seeming more of a fueled fire now, aching to consume her as well for its added growth.

The Avatar had said bending would not work in this place.
Yet she could feel the flames in her veins, begging to be free, to have their triumphant return to her control and whim. She wanted to give it, to prove that she was a force to be reckoned with.

To prove that the Avatar was still only a man.
A man who made mistakes, a man who loved foolishly, a man who could feel pain.

She closed her eyes, smiling as the warmth embraced her, the scorching burn inside of her and encased in her veins. "He can never keep us apart," she whispered with a chuckle, the feel of silk and the bed beneath her becoming more and more noticable. She opened her eyes slowly, looking around the room with lazy eyes, adjusting to the unused view of the last day or so and finding the Avatar beside her... Still lost to himself. Her smile grew.

She sat up, slowly, her eyes narrowed as she stepped lightly from the cot. The smell of smoke lingered in the air, a scent that told her that something was happening outside... The funeral of Dear Fire Lady Mai. Just how many guards would be seen in the castle's walls, she wondered...

The warmth that flowed through her hands was searing now, begging for her to release it, to remind her of what she had almost lost. "I know, my darling," She purred, runnnig her fingers against her cheek. "Our glory shall come. And you will be leading the fight..." She paused, flexing the fingers and looking at her palm. Smoke. Smoke from her own flesh.

"Anxious, are we?"

She chuckled with that, eyeing back towards the Avatar. One quick, sudden burn would be all it needed.... Gritting her teeth, she remembered what the Spirit had told her. No. She would leave him be, for now.

Her attention turned to the door of the infermary as it began to open, moving off the bed in her bare feet and raising a warning hand. As the healer entered, his eyes first went to the empty bed in shock, looking upwards to find the risen Fire Princess. Before he could speak, she flung forward her opposite hand, two fingers pointed at the old man as the furious flames poured from her; far greater a searing heat and fire than had ever left her before.... An overwhelming source of flame that nearly knocked her from her feet.

"Well, this is a nice development," She mused with a chuckle, wriggling her fingers as she passed the now-seared healer, stepping into the halls for herself. There wasn't much time...

 

[Eazy]

Kazuo

The torches gave off little more then fading streams of smoke as they were snuffed out with the approach of a new day. The small band of Fire Nation denizens which awoke with the sun began exchanging conversation and early breakfast around the camp site just a few miles out of the capital. There little more then a half-dozen in this particular group, with ages varying from those in their late teens and others into their early thirties. What originally brought them this far removed of their primary base of operations hadn't been anything out of the ordinary. Routine check ups on potential nearby safe houses, with the occasional sharing of gathered information relating to the faux Fire Lord's trip to the Earth Kingdom capital.

Their sources within the Palace were sadly few and far between, but enough was leaked out to keep them up to date on the bigger happenings. Of course, one wouldn't need such sources to know of the attack which took place on the capital only one day earlier. What they would know, however, is the current condition of a certain member of the royal family and her whereabouts within. This is what kept the group camped out in the nearby woods, awaiting further word whenever one of their men on the inside could manage sending it out during the happenings of the aftermath.

In particular, laying alone in the largest of the four tents, staring upward as he lay back on the hammock after earlier awakening from a long night, was the man put in charge of this small squad. Upon catching wind of what exactly had taken place during the assault on the Palace, it was his orders which placed the small group in their current location. Theorizing. Planning. Waiting for that confirmation which they, which he desperately sought for the good of their nation. As the dark haired young man laid there in the relative darkness of the early morning, despite however far his mind may have wondered, it quickly came alert upon the first sound of commotion within the camp site. Thus, he was already pulled into a sitting position by the time the first of his people reached and peaked in through the opening of the tent.

"Sir! The messenger hawk!" Alerted the older male as he stuck his head inside with just enough time to gain a passing glimpse of the interior before Kazuo forcefully pushed him out while rushing his way toward the one whom the hawk had perched itself upon.

"Give it here." Were the first words he spoke to his men, barely letting his eyes grow accustomed to the light emitting off the rising sun which shun through the treetops; knowing that the hawk would have the response he'd so eagerly anticipated on its person.

His eyes gave the message a quick skimming over of the text, followed by several considerably more precise follow up reads as a smile crept across his features; barely taking notice of those whom broke away of whatever they were doing to gather closer as he whispered, "Good. Maybe not ideal, but certainly an opening too big to ignore."

The notion of breaking Princess Azula out of her captivity had been brought up many times back home. Each time, it was decided in majority vote that they weren't ready for taking on and breaking into what was often a high security facility. There was also the question of the Princesses mental health, which some would argue to make her of little use other then a figurehead. The Palace itself wasn't any better, and would normally be considered worst when it came to the assembled guarding forces. However, it was vulnerable, and with an Azula inside which, while the report may state as being in a similar trance as the accursed Avatar, was clearly back in fighting spirits.

Staring at the scroll of paper with intense, golden eyes; the young Firebender plotted even as his thoughts constantly reminded him of the protocol amongst their rebellion. Knew how they would need to, at best, send a messenger hawk back to their base of operations so that his fellow rebel leaders may debate the next move. A move he was soundly decided upon as he promptly rolled up the small scroll, placing it in his pouch while preparing to address those amongst him. After their mission succeeded, he would gladly deal with any potential repercussions those awaiting their return may wish to deal out for acting on his own.

Glancing around at those whom gathered before him, Kazuo allowed his gaze to linger upon each of them, properly assuring their undivided attention as he began to address his men, "Perhaps it's fate which places each of us this far removed of home, and yet so tantalizingly close to the source of our salvation on this very day. Now I've never been the greatest believer in such cosmic turns of the wheel, but I know a golden opportunity when one presents itself."

Taking a few scarce moments to allow these words to sink in for those within their modest campsite, the young Firebender could see a fledgling understanding of where he was heading with this speech, slowly but ever so surely, sinking into each of his traveling companions.

"The enemy is currently on high alert, but also wounded and with their forces depleted. While I know none of us intended for anything so outrageous, it appears we'll have to make a more direct strike against the current Fire Lord's mockery of a regime." His words came out direct, passionate yet without sign of raw emotion getting in the way of reason; showing undeniable indication of a mind which continued to think clearly in spite of the potentially disastrous gamble he remained so willing to take.

"But don't allow any delusions of grandeur to enter your minds. If we turned any movement against them into a full battle, matching their numbers against our will, it'll be us who fall." The groups leader warned as his voice took on a grimmer, yet relatively optimistic tone while warning his captive audience of how dangerous the coming day was likely to turn out, "No, we'll need to be careful and precise in what we do next. And, perhaps most important of all, we shall have to wait for the opportune time to strike. To extract the Princess, our Princess, from her captors and insure her safety by any means necessary."

His golden eyes surveyed the proud, yet understandably concerned band of rebel Fire Nation denizens. The young man was prepared for this. For the likelihood of doubt filling the minds of a group unprepared for anything so drastic as what he was proposing. While he hadn't time for preparing a proper motivation speech, Kazuo could still speak from his own heart on the subject.

"I know each of us have our own respective reasons for initially joining this cause. Reasons which may cloud a persons mind to the point of acting foolishly when so close to the enemy. Reasons which may fill you with a passion for what we inevitably hope to achieve, while doing little in preparing you for when confronted with the possibility of imprisonment or even death." His eyes remained calm as he continued to survey their reaction, noting the mixture of emotions coming to the forefront, yet never pulling his direct attention away from any one person as he finished, "For the sake of our nation, for its return to glory, I ask that you suppress such distractions. Not an easy task in such a limited allotment of time, but remember who you are, what we descend from and what we wish for a return to and I trust each of us shall find that strength deep inside."

A short silence filled the campsite, leaving an immediate response unheard for several seconds, while at the same time becoming obvious to the young Firebender standing before those whom were assembled.

"For the Fire Nation!" Bellowed out one man in their small group, which was soon followed by a repeated chorus of the proud chant amongst the modest, yet determined band of rebels.

Showing a genuinely proud grin at the passion of his companions, Kazuo turned away from the others and started back for his tent; calling over his shoulder as he went to ready himself, "We're moving out as soon as everyone's packed. So finish up and make sure you're prepared for whatever may come as we draw nearer to our destination."

Pulling aside the flaps which acted as a doorway for his tent, the Firebender's eyes narrowed into an aggressive expression, muttering to himself once he was inside and away of any prying ears, "Because if anyone does show any signs of weakness or hindering our success, I shall personally snuff them out."

 

[UnseenMaiden]

Smellerbee

The healer stood hovering over her still, like some worried nursemaid. Looking up at the younger woman, because she had to guess the girl was not much more than eighteen years, Smellerbee didn’t try to discern why there was more in her gaze than concern or even what that more was. Instead, she just glared at her for a moment, to no effect, before going for a more direct approach by waving her away. It wasn’t that she needed privacy, not just to rub the poultice on her face, but she didn’t actually happen to ever relish anyone blatantly staring at her. Not that the healer seemed to be taking the hint. For a moment, Bee considered telling her to go away, and opened her mouth a bit to do so, before reconsidering and heaving a big sigh instead. If the girl wanted to stare, fine, whatever. She didn’t care. Dipping her fingers into the jar, she held her breath as she smeared the cream onto her bruised skin. Her annoyance made her rush the job, putting more pressure than was even remotely necessary against her jaw, causing a sharp breath to be drawn in as the pain hit her.

Movement beside her caught her attention just in time to hold a hand out and stave off any concerned attentions the healer was preparing to give her. If she could’ve talked comfortably, she would have said that it was just her own stupid fault anyways. Instead, she only got to scream such a fact in her head repeatedly as she waited for her face to feel something approaching normal again. Not to mention her being so weak as to react so strongly to a little bit of painful bruising. She’d had worse. She’d always had worse, but some traitorous thought in the back of her mind just had to whisper that her face was a rather tender subject under the best of circumstances anyways.

When the pain, brought on by her own foolish actions, subsided to manageable levels, Smellerbee did one of the things she did best and ignored that it had ever happened. After handing the closed jar to the healer, she wavered for only a moment before walking out of the Infirmary. What else was she supposed to do? Go have a friendly visit with the handful of people she could name in there? What would be the point in that? No, it was just better to get out of there as quick as possible. Not that, once she was out, she really knew what to do then either. Though the answer came to her quick enough, with no need for her to stand around pondering it, find Longshot. It was perfectly natural for her to seek him out in the forest, and here, probably even more so for obvious reasons. And, frankly, she just wanted to see his face, comfortingly familiar among all of this foreign territory she happened to be surrounded by at the moment. Of course, now that she knew what she was about, she still didn’t know where to start looking. The thought of having to open her mouth and question servants made her scowl at herself for not bothering to ask Longshot where he was crashing last night, while she still could have.

Then an all-too familiar step caught her ear, coupled by an all-too familiar whistle, and when she turned towards him she saw that all-too familiar face of his that she’d been yearning to see. Blinking at that last thought, a small frown returned to tug at the corner of her lips. Yearning? Seriously? Sure she’d wanted to see him, but yearning was just a little too strong of a word, wasn’t it? As the distance closed between them, she could feel embarrassment threatening to creep up into her face and she hurriedly pushed her confusion with word choice out of her mind. It wasn’t like it mattered. She was probably only thinking about in the first place, because Longshot’s telling her about some old crush had thrown her off-kilter a bit. Not that she was going to admit that out loud, just like she wasn’t going to admit that the little smile he gave her now was throwing her off too. How silly was she to be experiencing some delayed freakout about something that was done and over with? She would have laughed at herself right then if she still wasn’t more than a little leery about causing unnecessary pain at the moment.

His staring wasn’t helping none either since she was pretty damn sure that if he looked at her jaw long enough, he’d be able to tell what she’d stupidly done to herself only moments before. Still it did give her a chance to look at his face without him noticing. Which is why, when he suddenly decided to look her in the eye and tapped against his own skin, she momentarily thought he was talking about the beginnings of whiskers that dusted his normally clean shaven face. Of course she pretty much immediately knew that he was asking about her jaw and not his, but by then her eyes had widening for a completely different reason. He was smelling her and she had not one idea why he would do so. She certainly didn’t smell good, she knew that, but even if she had happened to smell like all sorts of flowers at the moment, she still wouldn’t have understood why he felt the need to lean closer to her like that and sniff at the air. Somehow, it was when he finally pulled away and proposed that that stench was her attempt at perfume, the blood finally conceded to show her faintly frazzled frame of mind by pooling in her cheeks.

Part of it, she was sure, was embarrassment. She knew that he was joking by that glint in his eyes and the laughing tilt of his mouth that usually made her laugh too. Still, in the back of her mind, she caught herself questioning how likely it was that his joke could be taken as truth. Not that she would ever be dim enough to think that crap she’d just put on herself would make her smell better, but it wasn’t like she was particularly well versed about the ways of women either. She happened to know just enough about the art of being feminine that it made her head spin just thinking about trying to do it properly herself. Which brought her to the other part of why she was blushing. She didn’t know. Not exactly and she really didn’t want to bother finding out specifics and somehow run the risk of screwing something up. After everything, it was way too early in the day for her to be causing some sort of crap. So she forced herself to act normal instead.

Crossing her arms over her chest, she looked at him with every ounce of half-hearted offence she could muster, before wrinkling her nose and sticking her tongue out at her friend. Oddly, bits of a dream she’d had that night came to her, not the nightmare she’d woken up to, but something else. She was pretty sure it was Jet that had popped up in there, but the details were sort of foggy. Still, she remembered the gist and she vindictively thought that this too was why her little dream image of Jet was so wrong. She highly doubted that anyone, Longshot included, would tease the one they had some sort of romantic thoughts for about their offensive odor. People just didn’t do that to their sweethearts. They were supposed to be all mushy and sweet and sickening or something, not like how her and Longshot were. Of course, their were about a million and one things wrong with her argument, but she clung to it anyways and ignored the fact that they had been about this way years ago, back when Longshot had told her that he had liked her.

Finally abandoning her childish little reverie of being offended by the tall man’s remarks, Smellerbee lifted her eyebrows at him in a silent question, before looking him over. Of course, looking at him did little good since all that she could really see of his injuries was the bandages on his hand. She wasn’t about to go feeling around inside his clothes again at the moment, either. Didn’t exactly stop her from taking a closer look at his hand, though. Tugging at his wrist, she pulled the appendage up closer to her face, her eyebrows wrinkling in concentration as if by looking at the thing like that she was going to heal him. As his leader, Longshot’s hands were important. If that burn had done too much damage, he wouldn’t be able to pick up a bow again, or at least never be able to use it with that same deadly accuracy he was so great at. She’d always liked his hands. Even when they had just been a bunch of kids hiding out in the woods, just waiting for some band of Fire Nation soldiers to come around. The thought of him not healing from this completely from this, hurt to picture. Then all of a sudden her stomach growled, loudly, effectively breaking the somber moment in her mind, and reminding her that she’d had nothing to eat since breakfast yesterday. Her stomach was going to eat itself if she persisted in keeping it empty like that. Ignoring her body for another moment, and rolling her eyes at the sound, she presented Longshot’s hand to him, careful not to come close to touching the bandaged area.

“How bad does it hurt?”

 

[Ahren1]

"Fare you well, Avatar."

Not 'Avatar Aang.' Just 'Avatar.'

"I hope to see you again."

"Farewell, Roku..." Aang whispered as the form of the old Firebender faded from view. There was a bit of uneasiness in watching him leave. The feeling that there was the possibility Aang would never see Roku again. Regardless, he couldn't let something like that break his spirits now. As horrible as everything had been recently, it was his job to stay strong and fight back. The best way to save his friends was to focus. Roku was right. He'd know when it was time to leave, but it wasn't yet. Likely, Azula was pacing around in frustration when that time could still be so far away.

Silence didn't last, however. Even with his eyes closed and the rather soft movements of the figure approaching, he could sense her there. Azula always had that sort of presence, after all. He had to admit, he was a bit surprised that she hadn't come over to yell at him more. He had figured she was bored and would do so to pass the time, but as she began to speak, there was a chilling calmness in her voice.

"I've had time to think, Avatar," She stated crisply, staring into the water before them. "About everything you have said. I've had a number of thoughts come to mind, to truly think on the subjects we spoke of, of the intentions I have for the world around us- outside of this place." She folded her legs beneath her, her hands resting in her lap. "And I have come to a realization. They will die. Each... and every one of them... All of those you have cared so dearly for. The girl will be the first.... And I won't even be the one to do it. I will be watching you. The pain in your eyes, the fear in your heart, the same anguish I created for my brother- but I was not there to see that. Yours... Yours I will see... and I will RELISH. The spirit of the Fire Nation drives us to glory, and those who follow me will accept nothing but victory. They would gladly risk their lives for this. There is no call for emotion, only loyalty. Their loyalty is far greater a devotion than the love you share with your friends. Loyalty brings rewards. My loyalty to the glory of my Nation, to the spirit that guides me- it gives me strength, the hope and desire to know what shall happen. She shall die, Avatar. She will feel pain that will make you both weep."

The Avatar's eyes cracked open, glancing slowly toward his enemy. There was a look of peace about him, even after everything she said. Was it that he didn't believe her? He believed it those were her intentions, but he didn't believe she would accomplish them. She was in no position to win. Ozai had a whole nation at his fingertips. Azula had nothing. She had managed to perform a sneak attack but she surely wouldn't get another. He knew they had their bodies under watch. Even with her skills in Firebending, it was unlikely she would just be able to walk right out of the palace. Azula had no idea what the Fire Nation was like anymore. She had been in a room for years. Things had changed. She didn't want to see it, but it had happened.

The real dilemma here was the spirit. The ancient spirit that confounded even Roku. What sort of power did this being hold? Was Azula acting as its convenient distraction?

He didn't reply. There was no point. Nothing he could say would change Azula's mind at this point. Even if she suddenly had a change of heart, how could anyone ever trust her? Zuko certainly wouldn't, especially not now. He had done everything possible to avoid unnecessary deaths during the war, but would killing Azula be the only way to stop her? Only time would tell...

As he reopened his eyes some time later, he'd notice Azula missing. Something was off. She hadn't walked away. She had disappeared. Did she...

Now. It was time.

He could feel his consciousness falter for a moment, before the world suddenly faded around him. He could feel his body float backward into flat position. His whole body felt rather numb momentarily. Weakened from the lack of use. His eyes slowly cracked open to notice the ceiling of a Fire Palace room... and the smell of burnt flesh filled the air. He tried to move from his bed quickly, only to fall instead, tumbling forward onto his knees. The view of the charred healer not too far away proved his fears. "No...." He muttered hoarsely, attempting to use his airbending to push himself back up. Every attempt he made only came out as weak gusts, barely pushing him inches. What was happening...?

Finally, he scrambled to the door, made it onto his feet once again and flung it open. Two more burned guards laid not far from the entrance to the room which had held him. Azula had escaped...? Where was everyone? As Aang attempted to run forward down the hall, he only managed to collapse forward once again, his voice too weak to call out, body too strained to move quickly.

"Katara..." Was all he managed to utter as he attempted to push himself back up again. He needed to find her...

 

[Eazy]

Longshot

The silent marksman waited as his friend gave her initial reaction to his light teasing; slowly realizing that there were deeper thoughts then those based around a throwaway joke on her mind. What they may be were beyond his knack for reading others expressions, save for a few passing musings on the possibility of these thoughts being related to their late night conversation. But that didn't seem like something Smellerbee would normally do, so the young Freedom Fighter eventually passed his line of thinking off as a very misplaced moment of private self-indulgence. Inwardly, he chided himself for allowing his thoughts to shift in this direction for even a moment, deciding once again that he needed to keep looking forward and not dwell on such fancies during these times.

When she took his hand, however, there was little doubt on what was on her mind while she inspected the bandaged injury. Wounds were always a concern in their walk of life, perhaps more so then those which operated within an actual military. Normally, they couldn't afford the proper medical care, and even if they did, their numbers often meant everyone needed to pull their weight and then some. In Longshot's case, his pinpoint accuracy was one of, if not the most important way he contributed to their group. Without that, he wouldn't be able to keep up as well with the others and rely more heavily on newer recruits. Not even halfway into his twenties and already worried about his usefulness; as he had been for years. As she released his hand, he mused on how such concerns seemed to be another byproduct which came from the childhood robbing life they lived.

“How bad does it hurt?”

Gazing at his friend for a moment, Longshot then raised his hand and began to slowly clench his hand into as near to a fist as he could manage. The young man tried to hide any sign of wincing, but it was clear this simple act caused him a degree of discomfort. Fortunately, it seemed the majority of this discomfort was from purely superficial damage, with little to none long-term injury being dealt to his hand. If needed, he could ignore the pain enough reflexively pull an arrow back and hit a far off target without any considerable delay in his response time. Sadly, it would take a while longer before he was back to peak efficiency.

As he lowered his hand, the tall man watched over the young woman and gave a small, reassuring smile as he silently asked her not to worry about it. Longshot would be able to do his job, eventually being capable of returning to one-hundred percent. In the meantime, he would deal with any pain or discomfort which came from the injury. They were Freedom Fighters, after all. Dealing with pain and fighting around it were as much a part of their past growing experiences as trying to cover up embarrassing pimples had been for teens whom were fortunate enough to experience more mundane lives.

"I remember." The young man started to say in a calm voice as he stared down at his wounded hand; the stifled beginnings of a smirk playing at the corner of his mouth as he reminisced, "Whenever we were injured during training or after a mission, Jet would often give talks about girls being into guys with battle scars in order to lighten the mood."

Returning his attention to Smellerbee, the marksman raised his bandaged hand, carefully holding it up as if on display while he noted with a light hint of playful sarcasm, "We can consider this a new addition to my silent charm."

Smiling at his leader, Longshot resumed his silence as he held his light demeanor for a moment longer, before it eventually turned more serious as his focus shifted toward her own injury. Truth be told, he was as concerned, if not more so for Smellerbee's health then his own since the events of yesterday. At least he could continue being properly nourished during this period of rehabilitation. Judging by the earlier sounds which emitted from her stomach, 'Bee hadn't eaten much (if anything) since her injury. Not the best of things to let slide for long after the workout they'd been through, and, while they were used going fairly long stretches of time with limited amounts of food, it wasn't exactly something he liked himself or others to go through.

Taking a few steps closer, the young man gestured with a nod of his head for his friend to follow his lead. To further push his point, he wrapped an arm firmly around Smellerbee's shoulders; nudging the girl to begin moving with him before she could put up any signs of protest or resistance to the unspoken notion of getting breakfast. Even if it were just mashed potatoes with lots of gravy for added lubrication, she deserved to have something fill that rumbling stomach. Besides, Longshot knew where the kitchen was after his 'patrolling' in the wake of yesterdays battle, and they could both go for a head start on eating before others came in for grub after the ceremony. Which, judging by the faint sounds which were picking up from outside, seemed as if it wasn't going to take much longer.

----------------------

Ryota

Watching quietly as the beautiful young Earth girl reciprocated his smile, Ryota allowed her to lead his hand toward her face, where Xia's waiting lips placed a few very appreciated kisses upon his knuckles. This nearly brought about a wide smile on the water tribeman's face, yet he stifled it to a smaller one out of respect for any nearby grievers whom may have lost someone during the previous day. Also, as he watched her, the Waterbender once again felt like he could be doing more for her yet didn't know where to even begin. What she must be feeling, the thoughts flowing through her mind which she shared a good peak into during their time together. Even as he gazed upon her now, the tribesman could faintly detect traces of such troubling inner turmoil within her dark eyes.

"I'm right here," she whispered in reply, her voice murmured against the skin of the back of his hand. "Nowhere else I'd rather be. I'm right here."

Upon hearing these words, the young man wasn't capable of holding back the now growing smile any longer. This trip hadn't turned out the way Ryota had imagined, nor was he particularly comfortable with the general idea of staying within the Fire Nation capital for any extended period of time. And yet, while a portion of his heart may have ached for a return to the simpler, familiar life of the Water Tribes; there wasn't any place he'd prefer to be on this day then at her side. His fingers tightened their firm grip on her hand, squeezing it gently as he fought back the urge to embrace Xia on the spot; whether through an adoring hug or something more intimate and spontaneous.

Instead, as the final minutes of the ceremony ticked away, Ryota stepped in closer to her until he was shoulder to shoulder at the girls side. Then, without a word, he simply tilted his head to its side until he was able to gently rest his cheek against the top of her own dark nest of hair. There was a slight discomfort from his head due to his angling, of course, but it didn't appear to matter to the young man during this moment. Letting his thumb slowly brush itself along each of the girls soft knuckles as he gazed out into nothing, the young bender would gradually lose track of time as he focused on little else then the two of them.

~Skipping Time~

Shortly after the ceremony had come to its official conclusion, the tribesman made the offer of joining Xia for breakfast. While holding a genuine respect for those whom lost their lives, neither of them were personally acquainted with those related to them, save for the Fire Lord himself and his legendary retired Uncle. With neither of the members of the Fire Nation's royal family being free for a lengthy conversation at the time, it freed up both of the young allies a lot faster then the majority of those which were in attendance.

As such, they were able to head in for a casual breakfast before any rush of hungry guards and guests made their way for one of the main dining areas. Ryota had noticed a couple of recognizable faces in the large hall, with Smellerbee and Longshot being amongst the most familiar amongst. For now, however, they say alone rather then intruding on the two longtime friends as they enjoyed a meal together. Besides, the memories of the female Freedom Fighters attitude while traveling in the airship were enough to keep him at bay until he got some food in his stomach. Thus, before any larger crowd could make their way inside, they made their requests and were eventually seated by themselves near the corner of a long table.

Watching as Xia enjoyed a cup of green tea, the young man had taken a short break from their exchanging of small talk, mixed with the occasional anecdote about life back home. There wasn't as much to tell when compared to the other Water Tribe members whom he accompanied during the long abandoned four nations meeting. Ryota also tried to keep it lighter in comparison to what he shared during their time in the theatre last night. Which essentially meant the majority of his portion of the conversation tended to revolve around his own training mishaps with Waterbending, including an accidental water whip to another trainee's bottom which, perversely, brought about a few unspoken thoughts which lingered on his late night private use of bending with Xia. Not exactly the type of things you'd see on your average waterbending scroll, to say the least.

Pushing such thoughts aside as he helped himself to one of the remaining pieces of meat which remained on his own plate, the water tribesman did allow for his thoughts to settle on heavier concerns which nagged at his conscious mind. A new day was here, wounds were being licked, the Avatar would eventually awaken out of whatever state of unconsciousness he'd fallen into during the previous days events; or so each of them hoped. Either way, their time here seemed to be drawing toward its conclusion with every hour which ticked away. As he gazed over at the novice Airbender whom honored him by sharing a humble meal together, Ryota decided on asking a question of greater substance now; now that they were at least nearing the completion of their respective orders.

"Xia?" The blue-eyed young man started by addressing her by name before awaiting her full attention, his fingers absentmindedly fiddling with the fork and knife in his hands while beginning to ask his question, "Have you given much thought about what you're going to do after this? After Avatar Aang's awakened out of his trance and given you whatever answers he can offer?"

This set up wasn't going to last forever. Sooner or later, they would have to part ways to continue on their own respective journeys in life. With any luck, she'd presumably come to peace with this troubling aspect of herself, which would leave her with a couple of options in where to go next. None of which, however, would likely involve many visits to the Southern Water Tribe.

Stretching a hand up to fidget with the bandages which remained around his head, the young warrior gave a slight smirk as he tried to keep his own morose feelings from becoming evident; hoping to keep their exchanges a bit on the lighter side for now, "I imagine life back in the Earth Kingdom capital is going to feel a little mundane after living through an experience like this. At least relocating yourself to one of the Air Temples would provide an interesting change of scenery. If it came to that, of course."

As he lowered his hands and resumed finishing off the last small pieces of meat that remained on his plate, Ryota briefly thought back on how he hadn't truly seen much of Ba Sing Se. Or the Earth Kingdom in general. And a part of him had always wanted to actually see an Air Temple with his own eyes; despite their being notoriously difficult to locate or, in some cases, even gain entry to. Assuming she wouldn't find his presence intrusive, the Waterbender figured there would be faint chances for them to see each other in the future, however briefly. If nothing else, there was the ever so slim chance of maintaining some semblance of a friendship over the years. But that was his selfish side speaking. In the end, he estimated, there were more important matters at hand.

"But I suppose when you get down to it, what any person truly needs is to find the place their heart feels most at home and come to make peace with it." The young man suggested as he finished with his early meal; leaning back in his chair a bit while his blue eyes settled on the Earth girl, showing an unspoken sincerity in his gaze which matched the current tone of his voice, "I...I just want to say that I hope you're able to find wherever it is your home may lie, Xia. Amongst the many things I wish to come out of this debacle, I hold this to be one of the highest and most dearest."

 

[Mephistophelily]

The sound of footsteps slowed the former fire princess, halting her own movements as she moved down the halls of the castle. She slid her bare feet against the marbled floor, pressing her white robed body tight to the stone wall as she waited. The heavier steps meant a guard; the weight of their uniform adding to the downfall of their steps. She listened.. Waiting.

He rounded the corner, his eyes lowered until he spotted the white robe. When he glanced upward to see which mourner was approaching, he found the smiling Azula reaching out with a closed fist. "Let's not ruin that armor," she hissed, barely flinching as she sent a shock of lightning into the armor. The guard crumpled to the ground, Azula tugging him into one of the rooms for a few moments.

When the armored form re-appeared, it seemed to carry itself differently; a rather arrogant step as it walked, the helmet revealing only the snide smirk resting upon its occupant's full reddened lips.

She continued onward, heading down the corridors in a far less hidden manner.

Freedom was only a few corridors away.
All she needed to do was blend in, to keep hidden.

It infuriated her, to keep herself secluded and silenced. This was HER home, this was HER castle... Her brother simply was keeping it occupied for the time being, in her eyes. Why should she need to keep herself silenced in the walls of her own domain?!

That would surely change, as soon as she took control once again.

Sunlight. It came in through the windows before her, the scent of still smoldering embers outside reaching her nose. She loved that smell. Azula smirked as she continued on, glancing around to be sure no others could see her. Certain of her solitude, she slipped through the opened window and out into the courtyard.

She would need new allies.
Or as she deemed them, new pawns to play with.

 

[Mephistophelily]

"I want some of that. Ohh. And that. And that too."

The Earth Queen's fingers were jabbing wildly at the plates of other men around her, the man attempting to take her requests writing furiously on his paper as she continued to point towards the smells that intoxicated her and drool. Even with the meal Kurzen had provided to herself and Katara last night, the Earthbender's stomach was less than calm when it came to her lunch decision. The smell of food was enough to set it off completely, and eating seemed the perfect way to get her mind off the depressing morning.

"Y-You want all of that?," The man stammered meekly, finishing the last of her requests on his tally.

"Of course not. I haven't listed any drinks." Toph grinned, letting out a laugh as she heard him gasp, only to then catch the sound of his footsteps as he headed for the kitchen. "And don't forget my sugar biscuits!," She shouted after him, laughing again as she sat down and propped her bare feet up on the table.

Even with the smiles, however, she felt awkward. That in itself was a strange feeling for her; she rarely ever felt uncomfortable in places... but she certainly felt it now. She frowned for a moment. She hated feeling like this. It was because of him... Because of Kurzen. Or more appropriately, what Katara had told her about Kurzen.

Maybe Katara had been wrong.
Maybe that was just his way of being nice, how he was courteous to the Fire Lord's guests. Katara may have simply- misread him or something.

She'd have to get a better feel for him herself. She could tell when someone lied, if they were pretending to be something they weren't. She hadn't caught it before, but at that time, she'd been so hungry that she hadn't thought about focusing on him like that.

Like now.
Her stomach was going crazy again.
"Gyahhhh."

 

[Mister J]

There was the distinct sound of a metallic clink against the floor followed by what sounded like shuffling feet. It was heading towards the dining hall.

clink, drag drag

clink, drag drag

clink, drag drag

Sokka stood in the doorway to the dining hall fully dressed save for his upper body. His robes were undone and hung loosely. He had bandages wrapped snugly about his waist and chest. His hair fell down on one side, but was pinned up on the other. There was a 24 hour shadow lingering on his face. In his right hand he was clutching the pommel of his sword firmly, leaning on it like a makeshift cane. When he noticed Toph, he hobbled over to her with a smile on his face.

"Your majesty."

He jokingly bowed before taking the seat beside her.

"So what're we eating? I'm starving!"

 

[Mephistophelily]

"Hey there, Limpy."

Toph smirked as she heard Sokka's greeting, sitting up in her chair a bit as he took a seat beside her. She was glad to hear him moving about now... After everything that had happened, she had been rather worried about her friends. Katara had surprised her with as quickly as she recovered- but that was one thing about that woman. She was hard to keep down.

Maybe that was why Toph had such an unspoken respect for her... Like she had told her earlier, Katara had an Earthbender's spirit.

Her brother wasn't that far behind either.

"The menu's pretty much everything those guys over there are chowing down on. Smelled good. If lunch is as good as dinner was last night, I might just be sending my own kitchen staff over for a few pointers."

She paused as the fresh smell of new food wafted towards them, a grin coming to her face. "Now there we go..." Dropping her feet back to the floor, she let her smile grow further as the plates were placed in front of her. A slight laugh from the man delivering them caused her to raise an eyebrow, cocking her head at him. "What's so funny?"

"I get it now! You were ordering for your friend as well! I knew a woman your size couldn't eat this much on her own!"

"What?" Toph's voice gained a few octaves with that, only to scowl and give a rather annoyed nod. "My- friend. Yeah. Ha... Gotcha!"

 

[Mister J]

Sokka was already chewing unsuccessfully on a rather large mouthful when the man spouted off the comment about Toph's size. Now Sokka, having known her for some time, had the sense to not mention things of that nature. Namely her blindness as a handicap, but size was right up there. This man, this poor poor man, was just a guy who didn't know any better.

He stopped his futile attempts at chewing, glancing towards Toph as a pair of chop sticks were lingering close to his lips. She responded as he expected initially, but quickly shrugged it of with an annoyed nod. He raised a brow. What was this? Did the "take no crap" Toph actually concede? His brow lowered as he finally managed to gulp down his food. Maybe he didn't know her as well as he thought he did. Seems the girl had grown up.

"Snuffed out that short fuse eh?"

He nudged her in the arm with his elbow as he grabbed a cube of meat from one of her plates and eagerly chomped down on it, smiling wide the whole time.

"You don't hurry, I'll eat all your food!"

Sokka reached over with his chopsticks in an attempt to snatch another piece of meat from her.

 

[Mephistophelily]

Toph simply sat there as the man walked away, waiting until his footfall was merely light taps on the ground before shooting her arm out hard to slam Sokka in the side. Her face stayed solemn, as if her arm was a seperate entity from the rest of her and acting on its own. "Blowing up at him would set a bad image for Omashu... He doesn't know me well enough for me to go off on him. YOU, however..."

She dropped her heel back hard on the clay floor, twisting it and causing the floor beneath Sokka's chair to soften on the back legs, letting the wooden seat lean back enough to knock him off balance.

"...You're still Meathead. And you'll get the same treatment you did from OLD Toph from NEW Toph." She smirked, plucking up a piece of meat with her fingers and popping it in her mouth. "I've already got a bad enough image around you guys. And it'd be a shame if I let -that- change."

Swallowing the food, she paused as she picked up another snack, a thought coming to her. "By the way."

She pointed to the band in her hair with her free hand, the other still clutching the sugared roll. "I kept that band you gave me... Of the meteor rock. Didn't fit as well anymore... So I used it for something else. I had them turn it into my crown. Or at least, what I convinced them to let me have as a crown. Stupid big heavy thing they were tryin' to put on my head-" She continued to grumble, gnawing on her roll.

 

[Mister J]

A hand reached up, taking hold of the table to lift Sokka back up. He replaced the chair as it originally sat and took his seat, rubbing his side a bit.

"Yep, I deserved that."

He spoke with a light laugh before looking at the crown. He nodded.

"I noticed it before yeah. Still looks good on you."

Sokka let his eyes travel from the crown down to her face as he fiddled with a strand of bead-lined hair. She still had that cute face, even if she had grown up...she was still cute, but now in a slightly different way. She even still had those strands of hair that fell over her eyes. It was odd to think of her like that, as a young woman and not a kid. Then his eyes traveled further down, never really lingering anywhere too long. Toph couldn't see it, but he wasn't one to stare anyway. He finished his quick glances and let his eyes return to the plates before him.

He was silent for awhile then, his mind wandering on it's own as he stuffed his face. They'd all grown up, now that he thought about it. Aang, Katara, Toph, Zuko, and himself. He was almost half way to thirty. Toph was just reaching her twenties. Suddenly the adventures they went on seemed like so long ago. Yet...he remembered them, at least some parts, quite vividly.

An image of fire and metal flashed in his mind. The water was so far down, the sky was red as flame. He fell far after using his sword to slow the decent. Sokka had landed badly on his leg, injuring it after falling down the side of the air ship. Yet he never let go of Toph's hand as she hung over the edge. Not even as several fire nation soldiers advanced on them.

A bit of a smile came to his face after he had finished another large mouthful. The memory was dramatic and scary, but the image that most stuck in his head wasn't the soldiers or the destruction around them. It was the look of trust in Toph's face as she held on for dear life. Even when the tears came, he knew that she trusted him not to let go. She knew he'd hold on until the end. The feeling he had while sitting next to her just then... it was not unlike pride.

"Hey Toph, remember when we fought Azula below this very Palace?"

He pushed a dirty plate to the center of the table.

"I'm still glad we took you along. You kicked butt."

 

[Mephistophelily]

"Yeah. You did."

Toph smirked slightly as he readjusted the chair, tapping her fingers on the table enough to find the cup of water that had been dropped off by the overly-cheerful man that had helped her with the food. Taking a long sip off the drink, she could feel Sokka looking at her, though the reason behind the glance seemed... hard to judge.

Well, no smug comments thus far. Must not have been anything too bad.

She set the cup back down, realizing the change in his voice over the years. The catching high-pitched tones that used to happen when he was embarrassed or annoyed didn't seem to be there anymore- at least, not as much as they once were. Maybe she'd have to test and see if they still happened. As much as she liked to annoy him- well, and the rest of the group, really... She owed all of them a great deal of thanks.

Of course, she also thought they could stand to give a few her way too.

Snagging up another dumpling, she shoved it into her mouth, pausing in her chewing as he spoke up again. Recalling the fight that happened in this very palace, which also brought about memories of what he had done for her in the Air Ship....

She swallowed the food, hearing the plate scrape across the table.

"Hey, if it weren't for me, you would've had a heck of a time trying to take over that ship and..." She paused, a smile creeping onto her face. "I was really hoping you were gonna let me steer that ship, too. That would've really thrown them off. It did do a fairly good job of crashing on its own, though."

She took another drink, holding the cup for a moment. "I have dreams about what happened. I guess you could call them dreams. I hear it all, all over again... feel everything. How there was nothing around me, the heat of the ship, the way my heart was racing- and... and your hand. That's all that was there..." She took another drink, letting out a soft sigh as she placed it back on the table.

"Man, if Suki had never shown up, we really would've been screwed, huh?"

 

[Mister J]

(If the history is wrong I apologize. I can edit, just let me know.)

Sokka was all smiles and nods as Toph recounted the airship battle. That is, until she mentioned Suki. Her name caused him to wince slightly, completely halting what he had been doing previously for a moment or two. He was glad Toph couldn't see the awkward look on his face as he set his cup down on the table.

"Yeah, heh...she saved us for sure."

Sokka's voice wavered as he spoke. He tried to hide it, but to someone as adept as Toph it would probably come out plain as day.

Suki had taken ill not long after the final battle. No one could figure out what was wrong with her. She had all the symptoms of a common cold, but it didn't fade over time. Instead it lingered with her, making her weaker by the day until eventually she passed. The entire time Sokka had stayed by her side, hoping that she would come out of it. After she was gone, he stayed in the room for longer than he should have, just staring at the empty bed. Eventually the sage-like advice of Iroh was the only thing that got him out of that room.

Taking the old man's advice, he took some time to himself and traveled for a few years, coming back into everyone's life a bit more mature but relatively happy. Everyone was still worried, most asked how he was. He admitted he had been troubled and eventually moved past it. Sokka claimed he was over it, that he had had plenty of time to move on. His claim wasn't far from the truth, but like Yue, he still loved and missed Suki. After spending some time again with the group, he left with Katara and traveled back to his home until they were both called back to Ba Sing Se.

Sokka quickly changed the subject after noticing they had mostly devoured everything on the table.

"Hey, you want to go for a walk or something? I'm sure this place has got some cool stuff to see."

He stopped, wide eyes.

"Err...um... That food was great huh?! Wanna go for a walk?!"