I think the problem is that it makes sense to me without the explanation, though I admit that I've done a bit of character dissection here lately. I've gone back and watched a bunch of episodes for reference and character examination, and I think I'm forgetting that most haven't done that. I'll try to be more clear in the future, but some things just connect for me, and I can't always tell what will and won't connect for the reader.
Not to mention that I've written more on this story, more than 10,00 words, in less than a week. One bit of OOC, that makes sense when you think about it, I think that's pretty good.
MrRigger
Swampbending
This forum is for picking apart tricky issues facing any authors in the community. Word choice, action scenes, dialoguing, or plot development. If something isn't working for you, put it up here and see what your fellow community members can make of it. Try to keep examples short and to the point as much as possible.
Re: Swampbending
Unread postby MrRigger2 » March 8th, 2010, 7:20 pm
In engineering, the work is only done when there is nothing left to add. In writing, the work is only done when there is nothing left to take away.
Check out Between Magic and Mount Justice
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MrRigger2 - Posts: 3329
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Swampbending
Unread postby MrRigger2 » March 10th, 2010, 11:03 pm
Here's the next one. I'm not done with this yet, I've got at least one more crack-filled idea rumbling around in my head that I want to put in here, but it probably won't be up till next week, though I might get something up tomorrow after work. The problem is that I've got three full days coming up, plus I just bought FFXIII, so that's eating a lot of time.
Also, if anyone guesses my crack-filled idea, you get a cookie.
MrRigger
Spoiler: show
“There it is,” Katara announced excitedly. “There’s the North Pole!”
“It’s huge,” Sokka said in awe. It was nothing like he had ever seen the South Pole look like.
“I bet they have great penguin sledding runs,” Aang predicted.
“Do they have penguins at the North Pole?” Sokka asked.
“I don’t see why they wouldn’t,” Katara answered.
“Sweet! Maybe after we stop the Fire Nation we can go penguin sledding up here,” Aang decided.
“Way to be positive, buddy,” Sokka commented.
Appa descended and spiraled towards the docks. Guards on the wall punched at them, and a hail of icicles pelted Appa. The giant sky bison roared and dove, buzzing the guards before Aang could stop him.
As Appa rose back to the skies, Aang jumped off, gliding down to the ice. The ruffled guards surrounded him and readied their weapons. “Whoa, hang on guys, we’re not here to fight. I’m the Avatar, and we have information your chief needs as soon as possible.”
One of the guards stepped forward. “Order your animal to land. I’ll escort you to him.”
--
Appa had been held under guard outside the city’s stables, and the rest of the gang was escorted to the Chief’s Temple. A weathered older man sat at the head of the table, several elders on either side of him. “I am Chief Arnook,” He announced. “State your business, Avatar.”
“I’m Aang, Chief Arnook. Katara, Sokka, and I came up here because the Fire Nation is launching an attack against the North Pole. We don’t know exactly when they’ll be here, but it’s supposed to be soon,” Aang explained.
Arnook looked pensive. “I thank you for the warning. Judging by your presence here, I believe I know the answer, but will you stand and fight with us?”
“Yes, Chief Arnook, it would be my honor,” Aang said.
“Excellent, having the Avatar on our side will greatly increase our chances,” Arnook mused.
“Well, Chief Arnook, I haven’t really mastered all the elements yet. Just air, and I’m getting there on water, but I don’t know any earth or firebending yet.”
“Oh,” one of the other elders spoke up. “Who is your waterbending master?”
“I am,” Katara volunteered.
The man’s brow furrowed. “I meant combat waterbending, not healing, little girl.”
“Hey, I’m not a little girl!” Katara shot back. “And what do you mean by healing, anyway?”
The man barked out a laugh. “You call yourself a master, but you don’t know about healing? You must be joking.”
Katara stomped the floor, and the ice cracked around her. “I don’t know who you think you are, but where do you get off questioning my waterbending skills!”
“My name is Master Pakku, and I am the best waterbender in the North Pole. And I will not be disrespected so. If you feel the need to prove yourself so badly, I can spare a few minutes.”
Arnook interjected. “Master Pakku, please, we must adjourn to discuss this new information.”
Pakku smirked. “Don’t worry old friend, this won’t take long. I just need to teach this arrogant little upstart the true meaning of the phrase ‘Master Waterbender’.”
Katara shrieked indignantly, but followed after Pakku, with Aang not far behind, trying to get Katara to stop the fight.
Arnook shook his head at the immature display from Katara and his old friend. He stood up to move the meeting to private quarters, but Sokka spoke up. “Chief Arnook, please wait,” he said, speaking before his mind caught up with him, having recognized the procedure from his father. “I…I think I can help you.”
Arnook eyed him carefully. “What do you bring to the table, young man?”
“I…know a lot about the Fire Nation. I have some more information about the attack, back on Appa, our flying bison, and I think you should see it, but the king we got it from was kind of crazy, so I think I might need to interpret for you a little bit–”
Arnook cut him off, “Slow down, son, you’ll bite your tongue off talking so fast.”
Sokka took a deep breath and swallowed his nervousness. “My dad’s the Chief of the Southern Tribe, sir, so I’ve learned a lot about strategy from him, and when he took the other men to fight the Fire Nation in the Earth Kingdom, I was the only one left to defend the South Pole. So I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to fight the Fire Nation, especially if we’re outnumbered, which we’re going to be. Plus, I’ve spent every second of the past ten days going over all the information King Bumi gave me, so I’m pretty much the closest thing you’ll come to an expert on that information right now. I think I deserve to be included, and I think you’ll need me, sir.”
Chief Arnook mulled Sokka’s reply over. “Very well, Sokka. As a warrior and ambassador from our cousins in the Southern Tribe, you may join us.”
--
Katara followed Pakku until they had reached the docks once more. “Normally, we would have this battle up on the training grounds, but it wouldn’t feel fair unless I gave you any advantage I could. You won’t even need to change the ice and snow to water now."
Katara growled. “I’ll show you advantage…” Katara spun in a circle, ice and snow melting and twisting around her, obscuring her from Pakku’s view. She sped the rotation up and icicles shot at Pakku, who deflected them easily. Katara fired the rest of the mass at the old master, who parted it around him, and froze the wave, leaving him shielded.
“You’re movements are sloppy and inefficient. Your back is too straight, and you move your feet too much. But you’re not an amateur, I suppose.” Pakku went on the offensive. The ground rippled and exploded under Katara’s feet, sending her flying. Katara tucked her body and flipped, pulled up a snow ramp to guide her fall before sending it rushing at Pakku.
Pakku split the top of the ramp off, spinning it around him as he drove the bottom into the ground. He spun the water out, exploding in Katara’s direction. The force knocked her off her feet, and she kicked up, but Pakku launched into his next strike. Rushing water swirled in a bubble around her, wrenching her hands as she tried to seize control. Pakku froze the bubble solid, and a downward chop shot it into the air, falling into the dock water as Katara shifted the ice back to liquid.
She didn’t resurface. After a few seconds, Pakku looked at Aang. “If you want to train with a real waterbending master, I will teach you.”
Pakku was caught off guard as a green arm slammed him aside. A half size Swamp Spirit pulled itself onto the ice and shot a twisted mass of seaweed at Pakku. He dodged to the left on a wave of ice, but Katara pushed forward, snapping seaweed arms to harass Pakku. The master pulled on the ice beneath his feet, and eight tentacles rose to his will. They twisted and writhed, blocking the attacks as Pakku studied his opponent. After a full minute, the attack began to wane, and Pakku pressed the advantage. He sent spear after spear of ice, piercing Katara’s armor, only for it to close the damage immediately.
Pakku finally moved, pushing down and Katara’s control was snapped. The seaweed slid off her body and pooled at her feet. Before she could react, Pakku raised a trio of ice spikes, each stopping bare inches before her throat. “Do you yield?” he asked sardonically.
“Yes,” Katara grumbled, clearly unhappy.
“Don’t feel too bad,” Pakku said as he dropped the ice spears. “I hadn’t seen anyone bend plants before. But I’ve been waterbending for seventy-five years, once I realized what you were doing, it was fairly easy break your control. You did very well for yourself. Come back in a decade or so, you should be able to really challenge me then.”
Katara muttered under her breath and bent the seaweed back into the water.
--
Zuko paced the cabin, ignoring Iroh’s eye roll at his nervousness. Zuko had been in countless skirmishes during his search for the Avatar, especially in the Earth Kingdom, but this was the largest operation he had taken part in by far. And it was the first he wasn’t in charge of.
“Prince Zuko, you should really sit down. You’ll hurt yourself if you stress out too much,” Iroh advised.
“I don’t trust this, Uncle. I don’t trust Zhao. How do we know he won’t sacrifice our ship during the attack?”
“Deliberately placing the Crown Prince and Fire Lord’s brother in a fatal situation? Zhao may be ambitious and arrogant, but he’s not treasonous.”
“Uncle, you know how easy it would be to cause an accident, especially with this many ships. Or put us in a weak position and claim ignorance later.”
Iroh sighed. “I don’t know how to put your mind at ease, Prince Zuko. We will be as safe as any ship in the attack. And Zhao is not as good a planner as he pretends to be. His plan to remove your crew fell through, and now he will be focused on the siege. I doubt he will have time for any kind of assassination plots, not when he is making sure he gets as much glory from this attack as possible.”
“Forgive me if I’m skeptical,” Zuko replied dryly.
The door squeaked as Lieutenant Jee knocked and entered. “Prince Zuko, General Iroh, we have reports of an Earth Kingdom ship off the starboard side. It’s not in range yet, but two other ships have altered course to challenge it. Do we follow?”
“What size are the two ships that altered course, and what size is the Earth Kingdom ship?”
Jee quickly checked his notes. “Two cruisers, sir, but the Earth Kingdom ship is twenty feet longer than either of them.”
Zuko thought over his options. “No, stay our course. We make sure Zhao has no case for claiming we were attempting to desert or act recklessly. Two cruisers should be enough to anything smaller than an Empire-class ship, and the Earth Kingdom has never been great at sea.”
“Yes, Prince Zuko.”
--
Katara steeled herself and went inside. “Is this the healing class?” she asked, seeing a wrinkled old woman kneeling in front of a dummy.
“Yes, yes, though I’m afraid you just missed the morning class.” The old woman looked up. “You’re the girl who faced Master Pakku yesterday afternoon.”
“Yes, I’m Katara. Pakku mentioned something that I hadn’t ever heard of before. He said you could heal with waterbending.”
The woman looked pleased. “Oh yes, you can indeed. Some simply don’t have the gift for it, even if they’re waterbenders, though it seems to be more common in women than in men. Would you care to try?”
“Yes, please.”
“Excellent, excellent.” Yugoda walked over to a small chest in the corner of the room, and pulled a knife from inside. Before she could react, Yugoda had opened up a shallow cut on the back of Katara’s hand, smiling. “Now, cover the wound in water, and see if you feel anything.”
Katara looked at the woman like she was crazy, but did as she was told. She pulled a globe of water from the pool at the center of the room, and swirled it around the cut. “There’s a pull, it’s like water going down a drain.”
“Good, good. See if you can figure it out from here. I’ll stop you if you go too wrong, and I can fix you up if you can’t,” Yugoda prodded.
Katara sucked her teeth and pushed energy into the cut. The pulling decreased, and it felt like the drain had been stopped up. She looked at her hand again and sure enough, the cut was sealed, not even a scar.
Yugoda lit up happily. “Yes, yes you can definitely be a healer, if you choose to train. There’re many nuances to healing that aren’t found in regular waterbending, so you’ll have to be dedicated. Sure, you’ll probably be able to heal small injuries without a problem, but properly trained, a master healer can pull someone back from the spirit world itself, they say. My master’s master even once saved a warrior’s arm after an artic hippo tore it off.”
“Wow,” Katara breathed.
“So you’re interested?” Yugoda confirmed.
“Absolutely!”
“Excellent, excellent. By the way, who is your intended…”
“It’s huge,” Sokka said in awe. It was nothing like he had ever seen the South Pole look like.
“I bet they have great penguin sledding runs,” Aang predicted.
“Do they have penguins at the North Pole?” Sokka asked.
“I don’t see why they wouldn’t,” Katara answered.
“Sweet! Maybe after we stop the Fire Nation we can go penguin sledding up here,” Aang decided.
“Way to be positive, buddy,” Sokka commented.
Appa descended and spiraled towards the docks. Guards on the wall punched at them, and a hail of icicles pelted Appa. The giant sky bison roared and dove, buzzing the guards before Aang could stop him.
As Appa rose back to the skies, Aang jumped off, gliding down to the ice. The ruffled guards surrounded him and readied their weapons. “Whoa, hang on guys, we’re not here to fight. I’m the Avatar, and we have information your chief needs as soon as possible.”
One of the guards stepped forward. “Order your animal to land. I’ll escort you to him.”
--
Appa had been held under guard outside the city’s stables, and the rest of the gang was escorted to the Chief’s Temple. A weathered older man sat at the head of the table, several elders on either side of him. “I am Chief Arnook,” He announced. “State your business, Avatar.”
“I’m Aang, Chief Arnook. Katara, Sokka, and I came up here because the Fire Nation is launching an attack against the North Pole. We don’t know exactly when they’ll be here, but it’s supposed to be soon,” Aang explained.
Arnook looked pensive. “I thank you for the warning. Judging by your presence here, I believe I know the answer, but will you stand and fight with us?”
“Yes, Chief Arnook, it would be my honor,” Aang said.
“Excellent, having the Avatar on our side will greatly increase our chances,” Arnook mused.
“Well, Chief Arnook, I haven’t really mastered all the elements yet. Just air, and I’m getting there on water, but I don’t know any earth or firebending yet.”
“Oh,” one of the other elders spoke up. “Who is your waterbending master?”
“I am,” Katara volunteered.
The man’s brow furrowed. “I meant combat waterbending, not healing, little girl.”
“Hey, I’m not a little girl!” Katara shot back. “And what do you mean by healing, anyway?”
The man barked out a laugh. “You call yourself a master, but you don’t know about healing? You must be joking.”
Katara stomped the floor, and the ice cracked around her. “I don’t know who you think you are, but where do you get off questioning my waterbending skills!”
“My name is Master Pakku, and I am the best waterbender in the North Pole. And I will not be disrespected so. If you feel the need to prove yourself so badly, I can spare a few minutes.”
Arnook interjected. “Master Pakku, please, we must adjourn to discuss this new information.”
Pakku smirked. “Don’t worry old friend, this won’t take long. I just need to teach this arrogant little upstart the true meaning of the phrase ‘Master Waterbender’.”
Katara shrieked indignantly, but followed after Pakku, with Aang not far behind, trying to get Katara to stop the fight.
Arnook shook his head at the immature display from Katara and his old friend. He stood up to move the meeting to private quarters, but Sokka spoke up. “Chief Arnook, please wait,” he said, speaking before his mind caught up with him, having recognized the procedure from his father. “I…I think I can help you.”
Arnook eyed him carefully. “What do you bring to the table, young man?”
“I…know a lot about the Fire Nation. I have some more information about the attack, back on Appa, our flying bison, and I think you should see it, but the king we got it from was kind of crazy, so I think I might need to interpret for you a little bit–”
Arnook cut him off, “Slow down, son, you’ll bite your tongue off talking so fast.”
Sokka took a deep breath and swallowed his nervousness. “My dad’s the Chief of the Southern Tribe, sir, so I’ve learned a lot about strategy from him, and when he took the other men to fight the Fire Nation in the Earth Kingdom, I was the only one left to defend the South Pole. So I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about how to fight the Fire Nation, especially if we’re outnumbered, which we’re going to be. Plus, I’ve spent every second of the past ten days going over all the information King Bumi gave me, so I’m pretty much the closest thing you’ll come to an expert on that information right now. I think I deserve to be included, and I think you’ll need me, sir.”
Chief Arnook mulled Sokka’s reply over. “Very well, Sokka. As a warrior and ambassador from our cousins in the Southern Tribe, you may join us.”
--
Katara followed Pakku until they had reached the docks once more. “Normally, we would have this battle up on the training grounds, but it wouldn’t feel fair unless I gave you any advantage I could. You won’t even need to change the ice and snow to water now."
Katara growled. “I’ll show you advantage…” Katara spun in a circle, ice and snow melting and twisting around her, obscuring her from Pakku’s view. She sped the rotation up and icicles shot at Pakku, who deflected them easily. Katara fired the rest of the mass at the old master, who parted it around him, and froze the wave, leaving him shielded.
“You’re movements are sloppy and inefficient. Your back is too straight, and you move your feet too much. But you’re not an amateur, I suppose.” Pakku went on the offensive. The ground rippled and exploded under Katara’s feet, sending her flying. Katara tucked her body and flipped, pulled up a snow ramp to guide her fall before sending it rushing at Pakku.
Pakku split the top of the ramp off, spinning it around him as he drove the bottom into the ground. He spun the water out, exploding in Katara’s direction. The force knocked her off her feet, and she kicked up, but Pakku launched into his next strike. Rushing water swirled in a bubble around her, wrenching her hands as she tried to seize control. Pakku froze the bubble solid, and a downward chop shot it into the air, falling into the dock water as Katara shifted the ice back to liquid.
She didn’t resurface. After a few seconds, Pakku looked at Aang. “If you want to train with a real waterbending master, I will teach you.”
Pakku was caught off guard as a green arm slammed him aside. A half size Swamp Spirit pulled itself onto the ice and shot a twisted mass of seaweed at Pakku. He dodged to the left on a wave of ice, but Katara pushed forward, snapping seaweed arms to harass Pakku. The master pulled on the ice beneath his feet, and eight tentacles rose to his will. They twisted and writhed, blocking the attacks as Pakku studied his opponent. After a full minute, the attack began to wane, and Pakku pressed the advantage. He sent spear after spear of ice, piercing Katara’s armor, only for it to close the damage immediately.
Pakku finally moved, pushing down and Katara’s control was snapped. The seaweed slid off her body and pooled at her feet. Before she could react, Pakku raised a trio of ice spikes, each stopping bare inches before her throat. “Do you yield?” he asked sardonically.
“Yes,” Katara grumbled, clearly unhappy.
“Don’t feel too bad,” Pakku said as he dropped the ice spears. “I hadn’t seen anyone bend plants before. But I’ve been waterbending for seventy-five years, once I realized what you were doing, it was fairly easy break your control. You did very well for yourself. Come back in a decade or so, you should be able to really challenge me then.”
Katara muttered under her breath and bent the seaweed back into the water.
--
Zuko paced the cabin, ignoring Iroh’s eye roll at his nervousness. Zuko had been in countless skirmishes during his search for the Avatar, especially in the Earth Kingdom, but this was the largest operation he had taken part in by far. And it was the first he wasn’t in charge of.
“Prince Zuko, you should really sit down. You’ll hurt yourself if you stress out too much,” Iroh advised.
“I don’t trust this, Uncle. I don’t trust Zhao. How do we know he won’t sacrifice our ship during the attack?”
“Deliberately placing the Crown Prince and Fire Lord’s brother in a fatal situation? Zhao may be ambitious and arrogant, but he’s not treasonous.”
“Uncle, you know how easy it would be to cause an accident, especially with this many ships. Or put us in a weak position and claim ignorance later.”
Iroh sighed. “I don’t know how to put your mind at ease, Prince Zuko. We will be as safe as any ship in the attack. And Zhao is not as good a planner as he pretends to be. His plan to remove your crew fell through, and now he will be focused on the siege. I doubt he will have time for any kind of assassination plots, not when he is making sure he gets as much glory from this attack as possible.”
“Forgive me if I’m skeptical,” Zuko replied dryly.
The door squeaked as Lieutenant Jee knocked and entered. “Prince Zuko, General Iroh, we have reports of an Earth Kingdom ship off the starboard side. It’s not in range yet, but two other ships have altered course to challenge it. Do we follow?”
“What size are the two ships that altered course, and what size is the Earth Kingdom ship?”
Jee quickly checked his notes. “Two cruisers, sir, but the Earth Kingdom ship is twenty feet longer than either of them.”
Zuko thought over his options. “No, stay our course. We make sure Zhao has no case for claiming we were attempting to desert or act recklessly. Two cruisers should be enough to anything smaller than an Empire-class ship, and the Earth Kingdom has never been great at sea.”
“Yes, Prince Zuko.”
--
Katara steeled herself and went inside. “Is this the healing class?” she asked, seeing a wrinkled old woman kneeling in front of a dummy.
“Yes, yes, though I’m afraid you just missed the morning class.” The old woman looked up. “You’re the girl who faced Master Pakku yesterday afternoon.”
“Yes, I’m Katara. Pakku mentioned something that I hadn’t ever heard of before. He said you could heal with waterbending.”
The woman looked pleased. “Oh yes, you can indeed. Some simply don’t have the gift for it, even if they’re waterbenders, though it seems to be more common in women than in men. Would you care to try?”
“Yes, please.”
“Excellent, excellent.” Yugoda walked over to a small chest in the corner of the room, and pulled a knife from inside. Before she could react, Yugoda had opened up a shallow cut on the back of Katara’s hand, smiling. “Now, cover the wound in water, and see if you feel anything.”
Katara looked at the woman like she was crazy, but did as she was told. She pulled a globe of water from the pool at the center of the room, and swirled it around the cut. “There’s a pull, it’s like water going down a drain.”
“Good, good. See if you can figure it out from here. I’ll stop you if you go too wrong, and I can fix you up if you can’t,” Yugoda prodded.
Katara sucked her teeth and pushed energy into the cut. The pulling decreased, and it felt like the drain had been stopped up. She looked at her hand again and sure enough, the cut was sealed, not even a scar.
Yugoda lit up happily. “Yes, yes you can definitely be a healer, if you choose to train. There’re many nuances to healing that aren’t found in regular waterbending, so you’ll have to be dedicated. Sure, you’ll probably be able to heal small injuries without a problem, but properly trained, a master healer can pull someone back from the spirit world itself, they say. My master’s master even once saved a warrior’s arm after an artic hippo tore it off.”
“Wow,” Katara breathed.
“So you’re interested?” Yugoda confirmed.
“Absolutely!”
“Excellent, excellent. By the way, who is your intended…”
MrRigger
In engineering, the work is only done when there is nothing left to add. In writing, the work is only done when there is nothing left to take away.
Check out Between Magic and Mount Justice
Check out Between Magic and Mount Justice
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MrRigger2 - Posts: 3329
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
Re: Swampbending
Unread postby MrRigger2 » March 23rd, 2010, 9:49 pm
Here's the next one. It's late, shorter than it was supposed to be, and I'm not happy with the overall product. Smiles all around, everyone. The next one should be more lighthearted. Also, I haven't said this before, but if I don't show it, assume that it happened more or less as canon.
The reason Aang woke up later than in canon was because he never calmed the Hei Bei forest spirit in my story, and had to trek on foot for longer.
MrRigger
Spoiler: show
It was two days later when the black snow started falling.
--
Aang readied himself as Appa flew headlong towards the flaming tar covered boulder. He swept his staff across his body, spinning around completely. The blast of wind deflected the boulder into the ice cliff to the right of the main defensive wall. “Come on, Appa!” Aang shouted as he patted his best friend. Appa groaned and leaned to the right, spinning into a barrel roll, avoiding another flaming boulder. Aang dropped off the saddle and flicked open his glider, enjoying the primal rush he got from flight one last second before landing on the lead Fire Nation ship.
--
Katara spun her arms as Huu had taught her, skipping the tiny fishing boat over the frigid waters of the North Pole and speeding towards the immense Fire Nation Navy, the size difference comical.
With the distraction Aang was providing, the soldiers didn’t notice Katara’s approach. It was a mistake.
Katara swung her arms forward, and a wave of ice rose up, grinding into the side of the ship. A gouge ripped out of the metal, and icy water poured in. Katara spun and kicked down the side of the ship, opening holes down the right side of the ship, hastening the inevitable sinking.
The next ship in the placement noticed Katara’s actions, and readied weapons. Gouts of flame and shafts of metal shot at her, and it took all of Katara’s concentration to maneuver her boat around the attacks. She pulled in close to the next ship, and bounced across the waves to the stern of the cruiser. An effort of will and concentration froze the sea into an iceberg driving straight through the rudder and crippling the ship’s maneuverability.
Katara pushed her tiny boat faster, but as she approached the third ship, a metal bolt speared the wooden vessel, all but shattering it instantly. Katara rode the wave of force, and flipped forward, sliding on the water and shaping it into an elongated ice platform beneath her feet.
She rode her frozen vessel onward, pulling the water up to block a blast of fire before turning it into and ice spear and firing it at the ship.
--
“Hey Aang,” Sokka said, somewhat muted. “How’re you doing?”
The young Avatar sagged as he touched down. “There’s just too many of them. I must have stopped a dozen ships out there today, but there’s so many. I don’t know how we can beat them. Where’s Katara?”
Sokka shook his head. “She passed out the second she got back. I don’t think she’s ever done waterbending like that. She was really great out there, from what I could see.”
Aang sighed. “I just wish I had someone to talk to. Maybe if I could talk to Roku like I did at the solstice…”
Sokka furrowed his brow for a moment before brightening up. “Hey, maybe you can! I didn’t really pay much attention to all that stuff Huu was teaching you guys, but didn’t he say that everything was connected? And since Roku was your past life, shouldn’t you be able to talk to him? With your freaky Avatar mojo powers?”
“You’re right Sokka! Why didn’t I think of that?” Aang smacked himself in the forehead.
“Hey, don’t get down on yourself, you’ve had a lot on your mind today,” Sokka consoled.
“Well, I guess I just need to find a place to meditate, now,” Aang trailed off, looking around furtively.
“I think I know a place,” Princess Yue, Sokka’s charge said. “It’s the most spiritual place in the whole North Pole.”
“Great!” Aang exclaimed. “Let’s go!”
--
“Uncle. There’s movement on Zhao’s ship,” Zuko said, eyes peering across the water at the flagship. “It looks like he and several of his men are going ashore.”
“What? That does not sound like Zhao at all,” Iroh said as he pushed himself out of the chair. “Zhao is a powerful firebender, but the moon is full, and if he meets a master waterbender out there, he’s toast.”
Zuko snorted. “Not to mention that Zhao’s not one to jump into danger unless he’s sure there’s a huge reward. To have him go into the North Pole during a full moon with hardly any guards…”
“It could be something that will spell destruction for everyone,” Iroh finished. “We need to follow him.”
“Are you sure?” Zuko asked, one hand touching the hilt of his swords lightly.
“Yes. This nighttime assault makes no sense. Our men in the city are being overrun easily. And now Zhao is going ashore? No, he has something planned, and I do not have a good feeling about it. We follow.”
“Alright, Uncle.”
--
Sokka struggled against his bonds, but the ropes were tight and the soldiers had been thorough in disarming him. He had tried to beat back the soldiers that entered the oasis, but the four of them overpowered him. Zhao had nearly broken Princess Yue’s arm when she placed herself in between Zhao and the pool of water at the center of the oasis. Aang had been cruelly kicked to the side, and his eyes and tattoos still glowed with restrained power as he reached into the spiritual world.
“I must say, this is a pleasant surprise. The Avatar, and the mortal forms of the Ocean and Moon in one fell swoop,” Zhao gloated. “After tonight, I will be a legend. For generations to come, the Fire Nation will tell of Zhao, the one who darkened the moon and brought low the Avatar. Zhao, the Conqueror. Zhao, the Moon-Slayer. Zhao, the Invincible!”
“You’re mad, Zhao!” Sokka screamed. “Kill the Moon? You’re talking about destroying everything!”
“No! It is my destiny to destroy the Water Tribe!” Zhao roared, holding a fist to the struggling bag in his right hand.
“He’s right, Zhao,” Iroh agreed, stepping out of the shadows. “If you kill the Moon, you’ll doom us all, not just the Water Tribe.”
“I should have known a soft-hearted fool like you would show up, General Iroh. But treachery like this, I wouldn’t have expected from you.”
“I’m not a traitor, Zhao. What I do, I do for the people of the Fire Nation, unlike you, who fights only for himself.” Iroh pulled his hood down, his face like granite. “Put that spirit down, Zhao. Anything you do to it, I’ll return to you tenfold!”
Zhao growled, and snorted as he grudgingly released the spirit back into the oasis. Everyone relaxed, and Zhao roared as he suddenly pulled his arm up to let loose a wave of fire.
And was knocked into the support of the archway by a powerful air blast. “I don’t think so, Zhao!” Aang declared as he sprang from his spot, his eyes and tattoos their normal color.
Zhao looked ready to spit fire, and spun, his arm coming out to attack the pool a second time, as a shadow detached itself and darted at the mad Admiral. There was a flash of steel and Zhao screamed in pain over a meaty thud.
A bloodied blade rested on the back of Zhao’s neck, and Zuko pulled back his hood. “You’re lucky I don’t just dispose of you here for attempting to doom the entire Fire Nation,” Zuko told Zhao as Iroh disabled the admiral’s guards. “If you’ve forgotten, we are a nation of islands, and the loss of the Moon would have destroyed us. You’re a fool, and if I thought you even somewhat sane, I’d challenge you to an Agni Kai. But you’re not worth the trouble it would take. Now, you’re going to order the fleet to abandon the siege, and disperse.”
Zhao gasped out around the blinding pain, “You’re the fool, Prince Zuko. If you do this, you’ll never regain your place as the Crown Prince. You’ll lose all credibility.”
“If it keeps the spirits in balance, and the world from being destroyed, I’ll do it anyway. Or are you going to go against the direct orders of two members of the Royal Family?”
Zhao grunted in pain and frustration, frantically grasping at ideas to get out of this, but the pain was unbearable. “Fine…”
Zuko snapped a glare at the Avatar. “Avatar, we are going to retreat. Allow the rest of our forces to make their way back to the fleet, and we will leave in peace.”
“I, um, I don’t really make those decisions…” Aang muttered.
Sokka shouted over his friend. “What, you’re just going to leave, and expect everything to be forgiven? We’re just supposed to let you go?” he snapped, still struggling against his bonds.
Zuko snarled, but Iroh held up a hand. “We are trying to save lives all around, our men and yours. As soon as we get to the open, I will send up the signal for retreat. There is no need for any more death this day.”
“And you’re just going to leave Aang here? You’re not going to try and capture him, like you have before?”
Zuko snarled. “Make no mistake, I will deliver the Avatar to my father. But against the lives of all the men on those ships? I won’t make that trade.”
Sokka scowled, but couldn’t say anything.
“I’ll try to stop the fighting as much as I can, but I just don’t know if I can,” Aang admitted, airbending his glider over to him. “I think you all should leave as soon as possible.” He cast a meaningful glance at the pool and leapt into the air, kicking up a cold breeze.
Iroh and Zuko gathered up Zhao and the soldiers and departed, a blast of intense heat and flame scorching the sky as Iroh hit the open air. There was a moment of silence, and the sounds of battle resumed, the Fire Nation now moving for the ships.
Princess Yue sliced the ropes holding Sokka and the young warrior began gathering up his weapons from where the Fire Nation soldiers had discarded them. “I just don’t understand him, Yue,” Sokka finally said.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Zuko. He does something horrible, like try to capture Aang, or attack the North Pole, or attack someone from his own people, but then he does something good like let Aang go, or call off the invasion. He just doesn’t make sense.”
“Some people are complicated, Sokka,” Yue said. “I don’t know why he did those things either, but sometimes isn’t it just better to be happy when good things happen to you?”
“I guess so,” Sokka said grudgingly, but he wasn’t sure he agreed. He knew that not everyone from the Fire Nation could be all bad, but he just wasn’t sure how to take this new revelation.
--
Two days later, Zuko was peering out over the bow of the ship, and Lieutenant Jee cleared his throat from behind him. “What course are we heading, Prince Zuko?” he asked gruffly.
“We make for the Eastern Air Temple.”
--
Aang readied himself as Appa flew headlong towards the flaming tar covered boulder. He swept his staff across his body, spinning around completely. The blast of wind deflected the boulder into the ice cliff to the right of the main defensive wall. “Come on, Appa!” Aang shouted as he patted his best friend. Appa groaned and leaned to the right, spinning into a barrel roll, avoiding another flaming boulder. Aang dropped off the saddle and flicked open his glider, enjoying the primal rush he got from flight one last second before landing on the lead Fire Nation ship.
--
Katara spun her arms as Huu had taught her, skipping the tiny fishing boat over the frigid waters of the North Pole and speeding towards the immense Fire Nation Navy, the size difference comical.
With the distraction Aang was providing, the soldiers didn’t notice Katara’s approach. It was a mistake.
Katara swung her arms forward, and a wave of ice rose up, grinding into the side of the ship. A gouge ripped out of the metal, and icy water poured in. Katara spun and kicked down the side of the ship, opening holes down the right side of the ship, hastening the inevitable sinking.
The next ship in the placement noticed Katara’s actions, and readied weapons. Gouts of flame and shafts of metal shot at her, and it took all of Katara’s concentration to maneuver her boat around the attacks. She pulled in close to the next ship, and bounced across the waves to the stern of the cruiser. An effort of will and concentration froze the sea into an iceberg driving straight through the rudder and crippling the ship’s maneuverability.
Katara pushed her tiny boat faster, but as she approached the third ship, a metal bolt speared the wooden vessel, all but shattering it instantly. Katara rode the wave of force, and flipped forward, sliding on the water and shaping it into an elongated ice platform beneath her feet.
She rode her frozen vessel onward, pulling the water up to block a blast of fire before turning it into and ice spear and firing it at the ship.
--
“Hey Aang,” Sokka said, somewhat muted. “How’re you doing?”
The young Avatar sagged as he touched down. “There’s just too many of them. I must have stopped a dozen ships out there today, but there’s so many. I don’t know how we can beat them. Where’s Katara?”
Sokka shook his head. “She passed out the second she got back. I don’t think she’s ever done waterbending like that. She was really great out there, from what I could see.”
Aang sighed. “I just wish I had someone to talk to. Maybe if I could talk to Roku like I did at the solstice…”
Sokka furrowed his brow for a moment before brightening up. “Hey, maybe you can! I didn’t really pay much attention to all that stuff Huu was teaching you guys, but didn’t he say that everything was connected? And since Roku was your past life, shouldn’t you be able to talk to him? With your freaky Avatar mojo powers?”
“You’re right Sokka! Why didn’t I think of that?” Aang smacked himself in the forehead.
“Hey, don’t get down on yourself, you’ve had a lot on your mind today,” Sokka consoled.
“Well, I guess I just need to find a place to meditate, now,” Aang trailed off, looking around furtively.
“I think I know a place,” Princess Yue, Sokka’s charge said. “It’s the most spiritual place in the whole North Pole.”
“Great!” Aang exclaimed. “Let’s go!”
--
“Uncle. There’s movement on Zhao’s ship,” Zuko said, eyes peering across the water at the flagship. “It looks like he and several of his men are going ashore.”
“What? That does not sound like Zhao at all,” Iroh said as he pushed himself out of the chair. “Zhao is a powerful firebender, but the moon is full, and if he meets a master waterbender out there, he’s toast.”
Zuko snorted. “Not to mention that Zhao’s not one to jump into danger unless he’s sure there’s a huge reward. To have him go into the North Pole during a full moon with hardly any guards…”
“It could be something that will spell destruction for everyone,” Iroh finished. “We need to follow him.”
“Are you sure?” Zuko asked, one hand touching the hilt of his swords lightly.
“Yes. This nighttime assault makes no sense. Our men in the city are being overrun easily. And now Zhao is going ashore? No, he has something planned, and I do not have a good feeling about it. We follow.”
“Alright, Uncle.”
--
Sokka struggled against his bonds, but the ropes were tight and the soldiers had been thorough in disarming him. He had tried to beat back the soldiers that entered the oasis, but the four of them overpowered him. Zhao had nearly broken Princess Yue’s arm when she placed herself in between Zhao and the pool of water at the center of the oasis. Aang had been cruelly kicked to the side, and his eyes and tattoos still glowed with restrained power as he reached into the spiritual world.
“I must say, this is a pleasant surprise. The Avatar, and the mortal forms of the Ocean and Moon in one fell swoop,” Zhao gloated. “After tonight, I will be a legend. For generations to come, the Fire Nation will tell of Zhao, the one who darkened the moon and brought low the Avatar. Zhao, the Conqueror. Zhao, the Moon-Slayer. Zhao, the Invincible!”
“You’re mad, Zhao!” Sokka screamed. “Kill the Moon? You’re talking about destroying everything!”
“No! It is my destiny to destroy the Water Tribe!” Zhao roared, holding a fist to the struggling bag in his right hand.
“He’s right, Zhao,” Iroh agreed, stepping out of the shadows. “If you kill the Moon, you’ll doom us all, not just the Water Tribe.”
“I should have known a soft-hearted fool like you would show up, General Iroh. But treachery like this, I wouldn’t have expected from you.”
“I’m not a traitor, Zhao. What I do, I do for the people of the Fire Nation, unlike you, who fights only for himself.” Iroh pulled his hood down, his face like granite. “Put that spirit down, Zhao. Anything you do to it, I’ll return to you tenfold!”
Zhao growled, and snorted as he grudgingly released the spirit back into the oasis. Everyone relaxed, and Zhao roared as he suddenly pulled his arm up to let loose a wave of fire.
And was knocked into the support of the archway by a powerful air blast. “I don’t think so, Zhao!” Aang declared as he sprang from his spot, his eyes and tattoos their normal color.
Zhao looked ready to spit fire, and spun, his arm coming out to attack the pool a second time, as a shadow detached itself and darted at the mad Admiral. There was a flash of steel and Zhao screamed in pain over a meaty thud.
A bloodied blade rested on the back of Zhao’s neck, and Zuko pulled back his hood. “You’re lucky I don’t just dispose of you here for attempting to doom the entire Fire Nation,” Zuko told Zhao as Iroh disabled the admiral’s guards. “If you’ve forgotten, we are a nation of islands, and the loss of the Moon would have destroyed us. You’re a fool, and if I thought you even somewhat sane, I’d challenge you to an Agni Kai. But you’re not worth the trouble it would take. Now, you’re going to order the fleet to abandon the siege, and disperse.”
Zhao gasped out around the blinding pain, “You’re the fool, Prince Zuko. If you do this, you’ll never regain your place as the Crown Prince. You’ll lose all credibility.”
“If it keeps the spirits in balance, and the world from being destroyed, I’ll do it anyway. Or are you going to go against the direct orders of two members of the Royal Family?”
Zhao grunted in pain and frustration, frantically grasping at ideas to get out of this, but the pain was unbearable. “Fine…”
Zuko snapped a glare at the Avatar. “Avatar, we are going to retreat. Allow the rest of our forces to make their way back to the fleet, and we will leave in peace.”
“I, um, I don’t really make those decisions…” Aang muttered.
Sokka shouted over his friend. “What, you’re just going to leave, and expect everything to be forgiven? We’re just supposed to let you go?” he snapped, still struggling against his bonds.
Zuko snarled, but Iroh held up a hand. “We are trying to save lives all around, our men and yours. As soon as we get to the open, I will send up the signal for retreat. There is no need for any more death this day.”
“And you’re just going to leave Aang here? You’re not going to try and capture him, like you have before?”
Zuko snarled. “Make no mistake, I will deliver the Avatar to my father. But against the lives of all the men on those ships? I won’t make that trade.”
Sokka scowled, but couldn’t say anything.
“I’ll try to stop the fighting as much as I can, but I just don’t know if I can,” Aang admitted, airbending his glider over to him. “I think you all should leave as soon as possible.” He cast a meaningful glance at the pool and leapt into the air, kicking up a cold breeze.
Iroh and Zuko gathered up Zhao and the soldiers and departed, a blast of intense heat and flame scorching the sky as Iroh hit the open air. There was a moment of silence, and the sounds of battle resumed, the Fire Nation now moving for the ships.
Princess Yue sliced the ropes holding Sokka and the young warrior began gathering up his weapons from where the Fire Nation soldiers had discarded them. “I just don’t understand him, Yue,” Sokka finally said.
“What do you mean?” she asked.
“Zuko. He does something horrible, like try to capture Aang, or attack the North Pole, or attack someone from his own people, but then he does something good like let Aang go, or call off the invasion. He just doesn’t make sense.”
“Some people are complicated, Sokka,” Yue said. “I don’t know why he did those things either, but sometimes isn’t it just better to be happy when good things happen to you?”
“I guess so,” Sokka said grudgingly, but he wasn’t sure he agreed. He knew that not everyone from the Fire Nation could be all bad, but he just wasn’t sure how to take this new revelation.
--
Two days later, Zuko was peering out over the bow of the ship, and Lieutenant Jee cleared his throat from behind him. “What course are we heading, Prince Zuko?” he asked gruffly.
“We make for the Eastern Air Temple.”
MrRigger
In engineering, the work is only done when there is nothing left to add. In writing, the work is only done when there is nothing left to take away.
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MrRigger2 - Posts: 3329
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Re: Swampbending
Unread postby MrRigger2 » March 29th, 2010, 12:57 am
In my fine tradition of updating post midnight, here's the next chapter. Also, is anyone still reading this? The past two sections haven't received any comments, so I figured I'd ask.
MrRigger
Spoiler: show
Aang sighed.
“Cheer up, Aang,” Katara said. “I know you had your heart set on learning from Bumi, but we knew it was a longshot to start with.”
“But why didn’t he let me break him out? I could have done it, but he didn’t even want to get out. I just don’t understand.”
“Well, when we finish this war, you can ask him then,” Sokka said from the front of the saddle. Now why are we going back to Foggy Swamp?”
Katara rolled her eyes. “Because, Master Huu is the only other person we know around here. Maybe he knows of another Earthbending Master. If he doesn’t know, we’ll go down to Kyoshi Island and see if they have anyone Aang could learn from.”
“Fine, fine.”
Hours later, Appa touched down at the base of the Banyan Grove Tree. A few minutes of searching found Huu meditating amongst the roots.
“Hey there kids,” he greeted. “What’s going on? Didn’t expect to see you back so soon.”
“We need to find an Earthbending Master for Aang,” Katara explained.
“Well, you won’t find any here,” Huu responded. “We’re all waterbenders. I was pretty sure you knew that.”
“No, we know. But since Bumi can’t help us, we were wondering if you could tell us anything.”
Huu shook his head. “I haven’t been out of the swamp in so long, I doubt I’d be much help. But I might know someone who could help. A niece of mine married one of the merchants that used to use the swamp as a shortcut for merchandise. She’s down in Gaoling, so she might know of someone who could help you.”
“We’d really appreciate it,” Aang thanked.
“I’ll write her a note,” Huu said.
--
“Oh my,” Lady Bei Fong declared as she read through the note. “I haven’t thought of Uncle Huu in years. Tell me, how is he?”
The gang tried to reconcile the image of the finely attired noble woman with the loincloth-clad waterbender. It didn’t compute.
“He’s doing fine,” Sokka said. “Um…Lady Bei Fong, uh, you…you’re not really what I thought of when Huu said he mentioned his niece.”
Lady Bei Fong blushed elegantly. “Oh, my parents were quite shocked when I was born. I’m the very image of my mother, who was born in Omashu. I inherited her features rather heavily, not that I mind. She was very attractive. It was what first caught my father’s eye. But no, I never really fit in, so when I fell in love with my Lao, it only made sense to move down here to Gaoling, rather than have Lao live with the Tribe like my mother did. But we’ve prospered here, so I can’t complain too much, even if I haven’t seen my family in quite some time.”
“I’m sure they’d love if you’d visit,” Katara suggested. “But about why we’re here…”
“Yes, of course. Please, continue.”
“Aang is the Avatar, but while he has a good understanding of waterbending, he needs an Earthbending Master. We were wondering if you could recommend anyone.”
“Master Yu is a very able Earthbender. Have you considered him?”
Aang grimaced. “We found his academy when we were searching for you. I don’t think it would work out.”
“That’s too bad. Well, if you’re sure you’re against Master Yu, there might be someone strong enough at those barbaric Earth Rumble tournaments. But I’m sure that the Avatar wouldn’t want someone as uncouth as those ruffians as his teacher.”
“Well, thanks anyway, Lady Bei Fong.”
--
“I can’t believe you hid this from us. It’s clear to me that we’ve allowed you too much freedom, Toph. Avatar Aang, I’m going to have to ask you and your friends to leave.” Lao Bei Fong stared imperiously at them.
Sullen, the gang stood to leave, and Poppy Bei Fong glanced at her fuming daughter. “Please, wait. Lao, I agree that we need to address Toph’s situation, but you saw her talent in that awful arena. And it would be horribly rude to deny the Avatar when he is offering us the great honor having our daughter be his teacher.”
“Poppy, you can’t be seriously be considering letting our daughter leave,” Lao exclaimed.
“Of course not. Toph will stay here, and the Avatar will be tutored by her. We won’t have to worry about her safety, and we will be able to do our part for the war against the Fire Nation.”
“I won’t allow it!”
“Lao, think of what you’re saying, please,” Poppy pleaded.
“My brother gave his life to this war, I won’t let it take my daughter as well!” Lao thundered.
Silence.
Toph was the one to break the silence. “Don’t worry Dad. I know you think I’m the weak little blind girl, but I’m the greatest earthbender around. There’s no way any old Fire Nation guy is going to take me down.”
“And I don’t have a problem training here, so you’ll be able to make sure Toph has as many guards as you want,” Aang said with a smile. “But I really do need to learn earthbending, and I think your daughter is the one who’s supposed to teach me. I think its what the spirits want.”
It took several cups of tea and quite a bit of wheedling by Poppy and Toph, but Lao eventually folded.
--
“Um, what are we doing in a cave? Couldn’t we just use the earth outside?” Aang asked. “You know, where I’m not going to collapse anything?”
“Nope. Sorry Twinkletoes, but you’ll just have to deal,” Toph smirked. The young master breathed deeply, relaxing her stance. Aang started to ask what she was doing, but a rock jabbed the bottom of his foot. Shortly after, the ground rippled ever so slightly, and raced off in every direction.
“The original earthbenders don’t use earthbending to fight, specifically. They use it as a part of life, as an extension of themselves. Its how they get around, and how they protect their homes. Before you try to bend earth yourself, you need to see where it came from.”
The wall to the left cracked and exploded inward. “Hey there boy,” Toph said as she patted a massive badger mole on the nose, sniffing it lightly. “This is Aang. He needs to learn earthbending, but I think his heads are in the clouds. What do you think?” she inquired to the badger mole.
The badger mole huffed, and licked Toph’s face.
“Yeah, he’s got a lot of work ahead of him.”
--
Two days later, as they were walking back from the training grounds, Toph stopped and swung her head in the direction of the Bei Fong estate. “There’s people at the house. More than I can ever remember. Can any of you see anything?”
Aang leapt up to a tree branch and peered into the distance as the guards tightened their protective knot. Aang’s call was grim. “I see smoke.”
--
“This will be easier if you just hand over the Avatar,” Azula drawled.
Lao’s voice was level and calm. “As I have explained, the Avatar is not here. If he was, I would cooperate, and hand him over.”
“Harboring a fugitive is a serious crime.”
“I agree. However, we are not harboring him. As you can clearly see. I would not endanger my family so.”
“We have his bison. It was found on the grounds.”
“Of course it was.”
“So you admit to aiding the Avatar.”
“I entered into a business arrangement with him. Despite my reservations, I did not believe it would do to anger such a powerful bender.”
“Then why do you seem so intent on angering me?”
“I apologize if the truth offends, such is not my intention, but it is all I have to offer.”
Azula’s eyes narrowed. “If you are as you claim, useless to me, why shouldn’t I destroy this place and everyone inside?”
Lao didn’t react. “Because Gaoling, while cooperative, is not officially under Fire Nation rule, and as such, not subject to your laws. In this place, the Avatar is not a fugitive, and as such, I have broken no laws entering an agreement with him, so you have no right to execute my family or me. Also, while I do not enjoy the luxuries of position of some, I am one of the more influential merchants in the area. And you have not concealed your presence here today. My death would not just end my personal trade between the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation, my allies would know of your actions here. And while I expect you would not find a great deal of overt resistance, I believe you would discover that any movement of goods in the Southern Theater would be much more difficult than expected.”
Azula stilled for a moment. Then she spun, her leg whipping out and breaking Lao’s jaw, immediately sending him into blissful unconsciousness. Poppy shrieked and fell to her husband’s side, cradling his head in her hands, sending a hateful glare at the Fire Princess. Azula laughed.
“We wait here,” Azula ordered, turning to face her troops. “The Avatar will not leave without his bison, and when he comes to reclaim it, we’ll be waiting.”
--
“There’s too many of them to attack head-on,” the head guard advised.
“Watch me,” Toph said as she strode out of the bushes. The guards shot panicked looks at one another as they scrambled after her.
The soldiers standing watch never saw it coming. Rocks leapt into the air and crashed against their helmets as the earth sucked them under and held them buried up to their chins. The guards rushed forward and made sure the soldiers were unconscious as Toph blew the wall inward in a spectacular and thunderous display of earthbending.
“The Earth Rumble Champion is here, so come and get it!” she crowed as she bounded out of the dust and rubble.
The soldiers that rushed the diminutive bender quickly found themselves slogging through knee deep loose sand. Fire leapt from clenched fists, and the earth rose up meet it, dispelling the blasts.
As Toph held the soldiers’ attention, her guards swept in from the side and overwhelmed the soldiers’ flank. The fire slowly petered off as Aang, Toph, and the Bei Fong guards picked away the Fire Nation soldiers.
“You know, I’d say I’m impressed, but really, I’ve seen better.”
The air was immediately parched as Azula punched an enormous fireball into existence and sent it roaring at the group. Toph brought up a high wall and Aang swung his staff, creating a scythe of wind that cleaved the fireball in half.
Azula instinctively dodged to the left as a boulder flew out of the smoke. She threw another fireball midair, and pushed off the ground the moment she hit. Fire continued to fill the air as she fought on.
Aang jumped over the fire and spun the air into a spiral, crashing the wind down on the attacking Fire Princess. Then a knife grazed his skull. Aang immediately whipped his head around, scanning the ground for the next attacker.
Mai and Ty Lee drove in from the north side. Mai concentrated her next wave of projectiles on the guards, more than half the blades finding homes. Ty Lee took out two guards that were in the way, and made for Toph.
“Toph! Don’t let her touch you, she can take away your bending!” Aang warned from the skies.
The Earth Rumble Champion smirked and dropped to the ground, Ty Lee flying over her head. When Toph stood back up, she was covered from head to toe in a thick layer of rock. Ty Lee recovered easily, and jabbed her fingers at where she knew chi points would be, but couldn’t get past the rock defense. At an unseen signal she leapt away and Toph was covered in blue fire.
“If Ty Lee can’t disable you, I guess I’ll just have to cook you in there,” Azula mocked.
Aang screamed in defiance, call forth a howling wind that sent Azula sprawling. Mai produced more knives and needles in an attempt to skewer Aang, but they couldn’t get through the squall surrounding the airbender.
A low groan pierced the sounds of battle, and Appa dropped from the sky, disrupting everybody. Aang formed a wave of air and bowled over everyone on the battlefield, finding his seat at the head of Appa’s saddle on his next leap. “Toph!” he cried.
The blind girl jerked her head in the direction of his voice. She didn’t want to lose her first friends, but she couldn’t just abandon her family to that crazy firebender.
“Go, Lady Toph!” the head guard ordered. “We’ll cover your escape!” he promised, sending a pulse of earth at Mai, knocking her off her feet once again.
Toph reached out with her senses, taking in a mental image of her home one last time before shooting a pillar of earth out of the ground and landing herself on top of Appa.
“Yip yip!” Aang shouted, and they left the Bei Fong estate behind.
--
“What happened?” Toph demanded of Katara and Sokka as she clenched the side of the saddle.
Katara and Sokka looked at each other nervously. “Azula showed up before any of us knew she was there,” Sokka explained. “We weren’t able to get Appa hid in time, and she and those two crazy ladies took me and Katara out before we knew what was going on. When we woke up, we were all under guard, but Azula wasn’t there. We took out the soldiers that were supposed to be guarding us, and then we went to the house.”
“Toph, we didn’t see your parents anywhere,” Katara admitted. “We didn’t know if there were any secret rooms or anything, so they might have still been there, but there wasn’t any trace of them that we could see.”
“Do you think they…?” Toph cut herself off and straightened her back. “No, there were tunnels underneath the house. Mom and Dad never told me about them, but I knew where they were with my earthbending. I guess they thought I’d always have a guard to guide me through them. They’re still alive, they have to be.”
“Don’t worry Toph, I’m sure they’re alright,” Katara reassured.
“Cheer up, Aang,” Katara said. “I know you had your heart set on learning from Bumi, but we knew it was a longshot to start with.”
“But why didn’t he let me break him out? I could have done it, but he didn’t even want to get out. I just don’t understand.”
“Well, when we finish this war, you can ask him then,” Sokka said from the front of the saddle. Now why are we going back to Foggy Swamp?”
Katara rolled her eyes. “Because, Master Huu is the only other person we know around here. Maybe he knows of another Earthbending Master. If he doesn’t know, we’ll go down to Kyoshi Island and see if they have anyone Aang could learn from.”
“Fine, fine.”
Hours later, Appa touched down at the base of the Banyan Grove Tree. A few minutes of searching found Huu meditating amongst the roots.
“Hey there kids,” he greeted. “What’s going on? Didn’t expect to see you back so soon.”
“We need to find an Earthbending Master for Aang,” Katara explained.
“Well, you won’t find any here,” Huu responded. “We’re all waterbenders. I was pretty sure you knew that.”
“No, we know. But since Bumi can’t help us, we were wondering if you could tell us anything.”
Huu shook his head. “I haven’t been out of the swamp in so long, I doubt I’d be much help. But I might know someone who could help. A niece of mine married one of the merchants that used to use the swamp as a shortcut for merchandise. She’s down in Gaoling, so she might know of someone who could help you.”
“We’d really appreciate it,” Aang thanked.
“I’ll write her a note,” Huu said.
--
“Oh my,” Lady Bei Fong declared as she read through the note. “I haven’t thought of Uncle Huu in years. Tell me, how is he?”
The gang tried to reconcile the image of the finely attired noble woman with the loincloth-clad waterbender. It didn’t compute.
“He’s doing fine,” Sokka said. “Um…Lady Bei Fong, uh, you…you’re not really what I thought of when Huu said he mentioned his niece.”
Lady Bei Fong blushed elegantly. “Oh, my parents were quite shocked when I was born. I’m the very image of my mother, who was born in Omashu. I inherited her features rather heavily, not that I mind. She was very attractive. It was what first caught my father’s eye. But no, I never really fit in, so when I fell in love with my Lao, it only made sense to move down here to Gaoling, rather than have Lao live with the Tribe like my mother did. But we’ve prospered here, so I can’t complain too much, even if I haven’t seen my family in quite some time.”
“I’m sure they’d love if you’d visit,” Katara suggested. “But about why we’re here…”
“Yes, of course. Please, continue.”
“Aang is the Avatar, but while he has a good understanding of waterbending, he needs an Earthbending Master. We were wondering if you could recommend anyone.”
“Master Yu is a very able Earthbender. Have you considered him?”
Aang grimaced. “We found his academy when we were searching for you. I don’t think it would work out.”
“That’s too bad. Well, if you’re sure you’re against Master Yu, there might be someone strong enough at those barbaric Earth Rumble tournaments. But I’m sure that the Avatar wouldn’t want someone as uncouth as those ruffians as his teacher.”
“Well, thanks anyway, Lady Bei Fong.”
--
“I can’t believe you hid this from us. It’s clear to me that we’ve allowed you too much freedom, Toph. Avatar Aang, I’m going to have to ask you and your friends to leave.” Lao Bei Fong stared imperiously at them.
Sullen, the gang stood to leave, and Poppy Bei Fong glanced at her fuming daughter. “Please, wait. Lao, I agree that we need to address Toph’s situation, but you saw her talent in that awful arena. And it would be horribly rude to deny the Avatar when he is offering us the great honor having our daughter be his teacher.”
“Poppy, you can’t be seriously be considering letting our daughter leave,” Lao exclaimed.
“Of course not. Toph will stay here, and the Avatar will be tutored by her. We won’t have to worry about her safety, and we will be able to do our part for the war against the Fire Nation.”
“I won’t allow it!”
“Lao, think of what you’re saying, please,” Poppy pleaded.
“My brother gave his life to this war, I won’t let it take my daughter as well!” Lao thundered.
Silence.
Toph was the one to break the silence. “Don’t worry Dad. I know you think I’m the weak little blind girl, but I’m the greatest earthbender around. There’s no way any old Fire Nation guy is going to take me down.”
“And I don’t have a problem training here, so you’ll be able to make sure Toph has as many guards as you want,” Aang said with a smile. “But I really do need to learn earthbending, and I think your daughter is the one who’s supposed to teach me. I think its what the spirits want.”
It took several cups of tea and quite a bit of wheedling by Poppy and Toph, but Lao eventually folded.
--
“Um, what are we doing in a cave? Couldn’t we just use the earth outside?” Aang asked. “You know, where I’m not going to collapse anything?”
“Nope. Sorry Twinkletoes, but you’ll just have to deal,” Toph smirked. The young master breathed deeply, relaxing her stance. Aang started to ask what she was doing, but a rock jabbed the bottom of his foot. Shortly after, the ground rippled ever so slightly, and raced off in every direction.
“The original earthbenders don’t use earthbending to fight, specifically. They use it as a part of life, as an extension of themselves. Its how they get around, and how they protect their homes. Before you try to bend earth yourself, you need to see where it came from.”
The wall to the left cracked and exploded inward. “Hey there boy,” Toph said as she patted a massive badger mole on the nose, sniffing it lightly. “This is Aang. He needs to learn earthbending, but I think his heads are in the clouds. What do you think?” she inquired to the badger mole.
The badger mole huffed, and licked Toph’s face.
“Yeah, he’s got a lot of work ahead of him.”
--
Two days later, as they were walking back from the training grounds, Toph stopped and swung her head in the direction of the Bei Fong estate. “There’s people at the house. More than I can ever remember. Can any of you see anything?”
Aang leapt up to a tree branch and peered into the distance as the guards tightened their protective knot. Aang’s call was grim. “I see smoke.”
--
“This will be easier if you just hand over the Avatar,” Azula drawled.
Lao’s voice was level and calm. “As I have explained, the Avatar is not here. If he was, I would cooperate, and hand him over.”
“Harboring a fugitive is a serious crime.”
“I agree. However, we are not harboring him. As you can clearly see. I would not endanger my family so.”
“We have his bison. It was found on the grounds.”
“Of course it was.”
“So you admit to aiding the Avatar.”
“I entered into a business arrangement with him. Despite my reservations, I did not believe it would do to anger such a powerful bender.”
“Then why do you seem so intent on angering me?”
“I apologize if the truth offends, such is not my intention, but it is all I have to offer.”
Azula’s eyes narrowed. “If you are as you claim, useless to me, why shouldn’t I destroy this place and everyone inside?”
Lao didn’t react. “Because Gaoling, while cooperative, is not officially under Fire Nation rule, and as such, not subject to your laws. In this place, the Avatar is not a fugitive, and as such, I have broken no laws entering an agreement with him, so you have no right to execute my family or me. Also, while I do not enjoy the luxuries of position of some, I am one of the more influential merchants in the area. And you have not concealed your presence here today. My death would not just end my personal trade between the Earth Kingdom and Fire Nation, my allies would know of your actions here. And while I expect you would not find a great deal of overt resistance, I believe you would discover that any movement of goods in the Southern Theater would be much more difficult than expected.”
Azula stilled for a moment. Then she spun, her leg whipping out and breaking Lao’s jaw, immediately sending him into blissful unconsciousness. Poppy shrieked and fell to her husband’s side, cradling his head in her hands, sending a hateful glare at the Fire Princess. Azula laughed.
“We wait here,” Azula ordered, turning to face her troops. “The Avatar will not leave without his bison, and when he comes to reclaim it, we’ll be waiting.”
--
“There’s too many of them to attack head-on,” the head guard advised.
“Watch me,” Toph said as she strode out of the bushes. The guards shot panicked looks at one another as they scrambled after her.
The soldiers standing watch never saw it coming. Rocks leapt into the air and crashed against their helmets as the earth sucked them under and held them buried up to their chins. The guards rushed forward and made sure the soldiers were unconscious as Toph blew the wall inward in a spectacular and thunderous display of earthbending.
“The Earth Rumble Champion is here, so come and get it!” she crowed as she bounded out of the dust and rubble.
The soldiers that rushed the diminutive bender quickly found themselves slogging through knee deep loose sand. Fire leapt from clenched fists, and the earth rose up meet it, dispelling the blasts.
As Toph held the soldiers’ attention, her guards swept in from the side and overwhelmed the soldiers’ flank. The fire slowly petered off as Aang, Toph, and the Bei Fong guards picked away the Fire Nation soldiers.
“You know, I’d say I’m impressed, but really, I’ve seen better.”
The air was immediately parched as Azula punched an enormous fireball into existence and sent it roaring at the group. Toph brought up a high wall and Aang swung his staff, creating a scythe of wind that cleaved the fireball in half.
Azula instinctively dodged to the left as a boulder flew out of the smoke. She threw another fireball midair, and pushed off the ground the moment she hit. Fire continued to fill the air as she fought on.
Aang jumped over the fire and spun the air into a spiral, crashing the wind down on the attacking Fire Princess. Then a knife grazed his skull. Aang immediately whipped his head around, scanning the ground for the next attacker.
Mai and Ty Lee drove in from the north side. Mai concentrated her next wave of projectiles on the guards, more than half the blades finding homes. Ty Lee took out two guards that were in the way, and made for Toph.
“Toph! Don’t let her touch you, she can take away your bending!” Aang warned from the skies.
The Earth Rumble Champion smirked and dropped to the ground, Ty Lee flying over her head. When Toph stood back up, she was covered from head to toe in a thick layer of rock. Ty Lee recovered easily, and jabbed her fingers at where she knew chi points would be, but couldn’t get past the rock defense. At an unseen signal she leapt away and Toph was covered in blue fire.
“If Ty Lee can’t disable you, I guess I’ll just have to cook you in there,” Azula mocked.
Aang screamed in defiance, call forth a howling wind that sent Azula sprawling. Mai produced more knives and needles in an attempt to skewer Aang, but they couldn’t get through the squall surrounding the airbender.
A low groan pierced the sounds of battle, and Appa dropped from the sky, disrupting everybody. Aang formed a wave of air and bowled over everyone on the battlefield, finding his seat at the head of Appa’s saddle on his next leap. “Toph!” he cried.
The blind girl jerked her head in the direction of his voice. She didn’t want to lose her first friends, but she couldn’t just abandon her family to that crazy firebender.
“Go, Lady Toph!” the head guard ordered. “We’ll cover your escape!” he promised, sending a pulse of earth at Mai, knocking her off her feet once again.
Toph reached out with her senses, taking in a mental image of her home one last time before shooting a pillar of earth out of the ground and landing herself on top of Appa.
“Yip yip!” Aang shouted, and they left the Bei Fong estate behind.
--
“What happened?” Toph demanded of Katara and Sokka as she clenched the side of the saddle.
Katara and Sokka looked at each other nervously. “Azula showed up before any of us knew she was there,” Sokka explained. “We weren’t able to get Appa hid in time, and she and those two crazy ladies took me and Katara out before we knew what was going on. When we woke up, we were all under guard, but Azula wasn’t there. We took out the soldiers that were supposed to be guarding us, and then we went to the house.”
“Toph, we didn’t see your parents anywhere,” Katara admitted. “We didn’t know if there were any secret rooms or anything, so they might have still been there, but there wasn’t any trace of them that we could see.”
“Do you think they…?” Toph cut herself off and straightened her back. “No, there were tunnels underneath the house. Mom and Dad never told me about them, but I knew where they were with my earthbending. I guess they thought I’d always have a guard to guide me through them. They’re still alive, they have to be.”
“Don’t worry Toph, I’m sure they’re alright,” Katara reassured.
In engineering, the work is only done when there is nothing left to add. In writing, the work is only done when there is nothing left to take away.
Check out Between Magic and Mount Justice
Check out Between Magic and Mount Justice
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MrRigger2 - Posts: 3329
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Re: Swampbending
Unread postby Kirai » March 29th, 2010, 1:03 am
reading, meaning to comment, forgetting it every time I have time,
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Kirai - Posts: 1002
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Re: Swampbending
Unread postby Greybane » March 29th, 2010, 2:37 am
Reading, but I'll skype my comments to you.
Odd that. It actually worked.
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Greybane - Posts: 1114
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Re: Swampbending
Unread postby Tempest Kitsune » March 29th, 2010, 2:52 am
Wow, there's a couple of twists I didn't see coming. Azula showing up quite a bit earlier, Huu being related to Toph... though if powerful bending is in his blood, it might explain why Toph is so powerful at that young an age, badgermoles or no.
"Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world — "No, you move."
— Captain America
Naruto RP Character - Takuma Itsuki, Special Jounin
— Captain America
Naruto RP Character - Takuma Itsuki, Special Jounin
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Tempest Kitsune - Posts: 4684
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Re: Swampbending
Unread postby MrRigger2 » March 29th, 2010, 11:14 am
Azula didn't really show up a whole lot earlier, maybe a couple days in universe, if that. The reason for that is because Aang stuck around the Bei Fong Estate. My interpretation is that The Chase isn't set that long after The Blind Bandit, it just seems like it as there's the Zuko Alone episode in between. Remember, Aang doesn't really begin learning earthbending until Bitter Work, the episode after The Chase, so Azula couldn't have been too far behind them when they were in Gaoling (Toph's home town). In this, Aang started his training (and didn't make it too far) at the Bei Fong estate, and Azula caught up with him there.Wow, there's a couple of twists I didn't see coming. Azula showing up quite a bit earlier, Huu being related to Toph... though if powerful bending is in his blood, it might explain why Toph is so powerful at that young an age, badgermoles or no.
Yeah, Huu and Toph being related is my bit of crack for this part of the story, but it makes sense if you think about it. Huu and Toph are both Master Level benders, and they have both worked out ways to find their element in other materials (Plantbending and Metalbending). Add in the fact that Toph has no need for "proper" social conventions, and it makes even more sense. And no, I'm not weighing in on any Nature vs. Nuture arguments this may spawn, as I fully believe its a bit of both.
MrRigger
In engineering, the work is only done when there is nothing left to add. In writing, the work is only done when there is nothing left to take away.
Check out Between Magic and Mount Justice
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MrRigger2 - Posts: 3329
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Re: Swampbending
Unread postby MrRigger2 » March 29th, 2010, 3:41 pm
Another shorter update, but the next one shouldn't take too long to get out. Hope you enjoy it.
Yes, some of the dialogue was lifted more or less from the episodes The Library and The Guru, but there wasn't a whole lot I could do with those scenes besides the minor but important changes I made.
MrRigger
Spoiler: show
“This is great and all, but don’t we have more important things to do? Shouldn’t we be making plans?”
“We did make plans, Snoozles,” Toph said. “We’re all picking mini-vacations.”
“We don’t have time for vacations,” Sokka gripped.
“I’m learning the elements as fast as I can, Sokka. I train every day with Katara and Toph to master water and earth. I’ve been training my arrow off,” Aang explained. “I think we all need something to cool us down.”
“Come on Sokka, what’s wrong with a little fun in our downtime?” Katara asked.
“Even if Aang does master all four elements in time, what then? It’s not like we have a map of the Fire Nation. What are we going to do, head west until we hit the Fire Lord’s house? I don’t think so,” Sokka pointed out. “We need some intelligence if we’re going to win this war.”
“Alright, we’ll finish our vacations, and then we’ll go find Sokka’s ‘intelligence’,” Katara decided.
“Okay, Katara, where do you want to go for your vacation?” Aang asked, holding up a map.
“How about here, the Misty Palms Oasis? That sounds refreshing.”
--
“So, professor, you seem like a well-traveled guy. You don’t have a current map, do you? Ours is a little…dated,” Sokka admitted.
“Oh yes, certainly.” Professor Zei found his map and rolled it out on the table.
Sokka’s eyes scanned the paper. “What, no Fire Nation? Doesn’t anyone have a map of that place?”
“Oh no, I’m afraid. The Fire Nation has taken it upon themselves to make sure no information regarding the topography or geography is known outside of the Fire Nation borders. The only places that would have maps now would be in protected stores of information,” Professor Zei explained.
“Stores of information, huh?” Sokka mumbled. “Like where?”
“Well, the most extensive collection I know of is at Ba Sing Se University. They’d be sure to have something.”
“Could you take us there?” Sokka asked eagerly.
Professor Zei laughed nervously and pulled on his collar. “Well, um, no.”
“But you said you worked for them!” Aang protested.
“That’s true, I do, but I’ve always preferred being out in the field, finding out about ancient civilizations myself, rather than reading about them in old tomes. Not that there’s anything wrong with old tomes, mind you.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t take us there, though, does it?”
“Not necessarily, but I have had a few disagreements with the senior staff at the University, and I wouldn’t want to draw you all into personal matters.”
“But–!” Aang started.
“Wake up, Twinkletoes,” Toph interjected. “The professor here pissed off the wrong guy and now he’s not allowed back at the University. Simple as that.”
“Oh…” Aang’s face fell.
Sokka pulled himself out his thoughts. “Hey Aang, do you think any of the Air Temples would have maps? You’ve said the Nomads went all over the place, and if anyone would have vaults of knowledge that the Fire Nation couldn’t get to it would be them. Remember the Southern Air Temple? There were places the Fire Nation couldn’t get into at all,” Sokka reasoned excitedly, not noticing that Aang turned dejected when he mentioned his old home.
“Sokka!” Katara hissed, as she wrapped her arms consolingly around Aang.
Aang blushed and shook himself off. “Yeah, they might. But I don’t know if going back to the Southern Air Temple would be a great idea…” he trailed off, remembering the sight of Gyatso’s body. “And the Northern Air Temple has Teo and his father. I don’t think there’d be any more information left after what happened up there.”
“Well, what about the Western and Eastern Air Temples?” Katara asked.
“The Western Air Temple is really close to the Fire Nation, and it’s kind of far away. But the Eastern Air Temple isn’t that far off with Appa. I bet we could make it there and see if anything…survived,” Aang gulped heavily on the last word. Then he brightened again. “But the Eastern Air Temple is where Appa was born. I bet he’d love to see it. That can be his mini-vacation.”
“And while we’re there, we can search for any information they might have. It works out for everybody,” Sokka decided.
“I suppose this is goodbye then. I had hoped to ask you some more questions about the Air Nomads, but I need to get back to my search for Wan Shi Tong’s Library,” Professor Zei explained.
“Too bad we couldn’t help you, but we really need to get back on track,” Katara apologized. “I wish we could have done more.”
“Oh, don’t worry, just the chance to speak with a living Air Nomad was enough for me.”
--
“There it is, the Eastern Air Temple!” Aang proclaimed as Appa cleared the mountain peak.
Spread across three mountains, the temple was enormous. Green roofed buildings covered the triplet peaks, with arching bridges connecting the different mountains high above the clouds. Winding staircases could be seen climbing the cliff, twisting around the faces. It was an altogether awe-inspiring sight.
“Woo-hoo. Can we land now?” Toph grumbled as she clutched the saddle tightly.
Appa touched down in an open courtyard and Toph jumped off immediately. “Yes! Solid earth. Nothing better.” Toph furrowed her brow suddenly and placed a hand to the stone. “There’s someone else here.”
“Again?” Aang cried in disbelief. “Weren’t any of the Air Temples left alone?”
The gang hopped off of Appa saddle but didn’t break any of their supplies loose. “Okay buddy, you’ve got to stay here. We’re going to track down whoever it is this time.” Appa groaned in response and shuffled off to chew at a tree that was overhanging the courtyard.
The gang slunk through the temple, following Toph’s directions of where she could feel the presence. “He’s just ahead. One, two, three!”
They all jumped out, weapons and bending at the ready. Sokka’s boomerang was poised and his machete was in his off hand, while Katara had a globe of water hovering between her hands. A rock covered Toph’s hand and a breeze had kicked up ominously around Aang’s feet.
A skinny bald man with a long and bushy beard looked back at them serenely. “Hello there. I do hope you’re looking for someone else. I wasn’t expecting any conflict today. Though my days have gotten less predictable as of late.”
“Who are you? What are doing here?” Aang demanded angrily.
“I am Guru Pathik, and I was waiting for you, Avatar Aang, but since you’re here, I suppose I’m not doing that anymore.”
“Huh?” Aang responded intelligently.
“I was a spiritual brother to your people, and a personal friend of Monk Gyatso’s,” Guru Pathik continued. “I received a vision a number of years ago, of meeting you and your bison here. I am here to teach you how to control the Avatar State.”
“No way, General Fong already tried that. I’m not going through that again.”
“Oh no, young airbender. I don’t mean to merely teach your activate the Avatar State, but to control it.”
“And how do you plan to do that?” Aang asked, honestly curious. If he could learn to control the Avatar State, maybe he could beat the Fire Lord before the end of summer after all.
“You seek to right the balance of the world, but before you do that, you must first bring balance to your own spirit,” Guru Pathik explained.
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“I can teach you, but first, you must drink this.” Guru Pathik held out a wooden bowl full of liquid. Aang took it with only slight hesitation. Aang tilted it back and took a long pull off the drink, and spit it out immediately.
Coughing, Aang sputtered, “What is that? It tastes like onion and banana juice.”
Chuckling, the Guru replied, “That’s because it is onion and banana juice.” He drained his own bowl. “Yum, yum.”
“Aang, you seem to have everything under control here, we’re going to explore the rest of the temple,” Katara said, having just barely dodged the spray of Aang’s onion and banana juice. “We’ll start getting Appa’s saddle unpacked and see if we can find anything else around the temple.”
“That’s fine Katara,” Aang said as he waved goodbye.
The Guru piped up, “And please don’t be surprised if you happen across my wayward pupil.”
“Yeah, okay,” Sokka said, only half-paying attention as they walked out into the hallway.
--
“Tell me Aang, what do you know about the chakras?” Guru Pathik probed as they reached a grouping of water pools.
“What are chakras?”
“I see. We’ll just have to start with the basics.” Pathik turned to pools of water. “The water flows through this creek as the energy flows through your body. The pools where the water swirls around and collects before moving on are like your chakras.”
“So chakras are pools of spiraling energy in our bodies?” Aang clarified.
“Yes. If nothing else were around, this creek would flow freely and easily, but life is messy, and things tend to fall in the creek. What happens then?”
“Uh, the pools get clogged up?”
“Precisely. And like these pools, so do our chakras. However, if we remove the blockages, then what happens?” Pathik poked the mossy blockage with a stick, and it dislodged, allowing the water to gush out.
“Then the energy flows!” Aang concluded eagerly.
“Very good Aang.”
BOOM!
The sound of rocks falling rumbled in the distance, and Aang’s face wrinkled with worry. “What was that?”
Pathik sighed. “I believe I have some idea, but I’m not certain. However, I suppose you want to investigate?”
“Of course! My friends could be hurt, or something like that. I have to find out right now.”
“You’re doing yourself no favors towards reaching spiritual balance by getting so worked up. But we can investigate if that is what you wish.”
Aang was off like a shot before Pathik finished his sentence.
--
Aang could see where a cliff face had crumbled, and his heart throbbed in his throat. What if they fell off? They aren’t airbenders, he reminded himself. They wouldn’t be able to glide to safety like I can, and if Appa wasn’t around…
The sounds of a fight pierced his thoughts, and Aang pushed himself further along the path. He saw gouges out of the rock that he knew came from a water whip, and Sokka’s heavier footsteps had trampled through here, he knew. At least I know they didn’t fall off.
Aang followed the trail around, briefly casting a glance back to see Pathik catching up with him. A spray of water caught his eye, and Aang dashed forward.
Katara swirled a blob of water around her head and sent it whipping out again, as Sokka jumped up to catch his favorite weapon. Then Aang saw who they were fighting.
“Zuko?”
“We did make plans, Snoozles,” Toph said. “We’re all picking mini-vacations.”
“We don’t have time for vacations,” Sokka gripped.
“I’m learning the elements as fast as I can, Sokka. I train every day with Katara and Toph to master water and earth. I’ve been training my arrow off,” Aang explained. “I think we all need something to cool us down.”
“Come on Sokka, what’s wrong with a little fun in our downtime?” Katara asked.
“Even if Aang does master all four elements in time, what then? It’s not like we have a map of the Fire Nation. What are we going to do, head west until we hit the Fire Lord’s house? I don’t think so,” Sokka pointed out. “We need some intelligence if we’re going to win this war.”
“Alright, we’ll finish our vacations, and then we’ll go find Sokka’s ‘intelligence’,” Katara decided.
“Okay, Katara, where do you want to go for your vacation?” Aang asked, holding up a map.
“How about here, the Misty Palms Oasis? That sounds refreshing.”
--
“So, professor, you seem like a well-traveled guy. You don’t have a current map, do you? Ours is a little…dated,” Sokka admitted.
“Oh yes, certainly.” Professor Zei found his map and rolled it out on the table.
Sokka’s eyes scanned the paper. “What, no Fire Nation? Doesn’t anyone have a map of that place?”
“Oh no, I’m afraid. The Fire Nation has taken it upon themselves to make sure no information regarding the topography or geography is known outside of the Fire Nation borders. The only places that would have maps now would be in protected stores of information,” Professor Zei explained.
“Stores of information, huh?” Sokka mumbled. “Like where?”
“Well, the most extensive collection I know of is at Ba Sing Se University. They’d be sure to have something.”
“Could you take us there?” Sokka asked eagerly.
Professor Zei laughed nervously and pulled on his collar. “Well, um, no.”
“But you said you worked for them!” Aang protested.
“That’s true, I do, but I’ve always preferred being out in the field, finding out about ancient civilizations myself, rather than reading about them in old tomes. Not that there’s anything wrong with old tomes, mind you.”
“That doesn’t mean you can’t take us there, though, does it?”
“Not necessarily, but I have had a few disagreements with the senior staff at the University, and I wouldn’t want to draw you all into personal matters.”
“But–!” Aang started.
“Wake up, Twinkletoes,” Toph interjected. “The professor here pissed off the wrong guy and now he’s not allowed back at the University. Simple as that.”
“Oh…” Aang’s face fell.
Sokka pulled himself out his thoughts. “Hey Aang, do you think any of the Air Temples would have maps? You’ve said the Nomads went all over the place, and if anyone would have vaults of knowledge that the Fire Nation couldn’t get to it would be them. Remember the Southern Air Temple? There were places the Fire Nation couldn’t get into at all,” Sokka reasoned excitedly, not noticing that Aang turned dejected when he mentioned his old home.
“Sokka!” Katara hissed, as she wrapped her arms consolingly around Aang.
Aang blushed and shook himself off. “Yeah, they might. But I don’t know if going back to the Southern Air Temple would be a great idea…” he trailed off, remembering the sight of Gyatso’s body. “And the Northern Air Temple has Teo and his father. I don’t think there’d be any more information left after what happened up there.”
“Well, what about the Western and Eastern Air Temples?” Katara asked.
“The Western Air Temple is really close to the Fire Nation, and it’s kind of far away. But the Eastern Air Temple isn’t that far off with Appa. I bet we could make it there and see if anything…survived,” Aang gulped heavily on the last word. Then he brightened again. “But the Eastern Air Temple is where Appa was born. I bet he’d love to see it. That can be his mini-vacation.”
“And while we’re there, we can search for any information they might have. It works out for everybody,” Sokka decided.
“I suppose this is goodbye then. I had hoped to ask you some more questions about the Air Nomads, but I need to get back to my search for Wan Shi Tong’s Library,” Professor Zei explained.
“Too bad we couldn’t help you, but we really need to get back on track,” Katara apologized. “I wish we could have done more.”
“Oh, don’t worry, just the chance to speak with a living Air Nomad was enough for me.”
--
“There it is, the Eastern Air Temple!” Aang proclaimed as Appa cleared the mountain peak.
Spread across three mountains, the temple was enormous. Green roofed buildings covered the triplet peaks, with arching bridges connecting the different mountains high above the clouds. Winding staircases could be seen climbing the cliff, twisting around the faces. It was an altogether awe-inspiring sight.
“Woo-hoo. Can we land now?” Toph grumbled as she clutched the saddle tightly.
Appa touched down in an open courtyard and Toph jumped off immediately. “Yes! Solid earth. Nothing better.” Toph furrowed her brow suddenly and placed a hand to the stone. “There’s someone else here.”
“Again?” Aang cried in disbelief. “Weren’t any of the Air Temples left alone?”
The gang hopped off of Appa saddle but didn’t break any of their supplies loose. “Okay buddy, you’ve got to stay here. We’re going to track down whoever it is this time.” Appa groaned in response and shuffled off to chew at a tree that was overhanging the courtyard.
The gang slunk through the temple, following Toph’s directions of where she could feel the presence. “He’s just ahead. One, two, three!”
They all jumped out, weapons and bending at the ready. Sokka’s boomerang was poised and his machete was in his off hand, while Katara had a globe of water hovering between her hands. A rock covered Toph’s hand and a breeze had kicked up ominously around Aang’s feet.
A skinny bald man with a long and bushy beard looked back at them serenely. “Hello there. I do hope you’re looking for someone else. I wasn’t expecting any conflict today. Though my days have gotten less predictable as of late.”
“Who are you? What are doing here?” Aang demanded angrily.
“I am Guru Pathik, and I was waiting for you, Avatar Aang, but since you’re here, I suppose I’m not doing that anymore.”
“Huh?” Aang responded intelligently.
“I was a spiritual brother to your people, and a personal friend of Monk Gyatso’s,” Guru Pathik continued. “I received a vision a number of years ago, of meeting you and your bison here. I am here to teach you how to control the Avatar State.”
“No way, General Fong already tried that. I’m not going through that again.”
“Oh no, young airbender. I don’t mean to merely teach your activate the Avatar State, but to control it.”
“And how do you plan to do that?” Aang asked, honestly curious. If he could learn to control the Avatar State, maybe he could beat the Fire Lord before the end of summer after all.
“You seek to right the balance of the world, but before you do that, you must first bring balance to your own spirit,” Guru Pathik explained.
“How am I supposed to do that?”
“I can teach you, but first, you must drink this.” Guru Pathik held out a wooden bowl full of liquid. Aang took it with only slight hesitation. Aang tilted it back and took a long pull off the drink, and spit it out immediately.
Coughing, Aang sputtered, “What is that? It tastes like onion and banana juice.”
Chuckling, the Guru replied, “That’s because it is onion and banana juice.” He drained his own bowl. “Yum, yum.”
“Aang, you seem to have everything under control here, we’re going to explore the rest of the temple,” Katara said, having just barely dodged the spray of Aang’s onion and banana juice. “We’ll start getting Appa’s saddle unpacked and see if we can find anything else around the temple.”
“That’s fine Katara,” Aang said as he waved goodbye.
The Guru piped up, “And please don’t be surprised if you happen across my wayward pupil.”
“Yeah, okay,” Sokka said, only half-paying attention as they walked out into the hallway.
--
“Tell me Aang, what do you know about the chakras?” Guru Pathik probed as they reached a grouping of water pools.
“What are chakras?”
“I see. We’ll just have to start with the basics.” Pathik turned to pools of water. “The water flows through this creek as the energy flows through your body. The pools where the water swirls around and collects before moving on are like your chakras.”
“So chakras are pools of spiraling energy in our bodies?” Aang clarified.
“Yes. If nothing else were around, this creek would flow freely and easily, but life is messy, and things tend to fall in the creek. What happens then?”
“Uh, the pools get clogged up?”
“Precisely. And like these pools, so do our chakras. However, if we remove the blockages, then what happens?” Pathik poked the mossy blockage with a stick, and it dislodged, allowing the water to gush out.
“Then the energy flows!” Aang concluded eagerly.
“Very good Aang.”
BOOM!
The sound of rocks falling rumbled in the distance, and Aang’s face wrinkled with worry. “What was that?”
Pathik sighed. “I believe I have some idea, but I’m not certain. However, I suppose you want to investigate?”
“Of course! My friends could be hurt, or something like that. I have to find out right now.”
“You’re doing yourself no favors towards reaching spiritual balance by getting so worked up. But we can investigate if that is what you wish.”
Aang was off like a shot before Pathik finished his sentence.
--
Aang could see where a cliff face had crumbled, and his heart throbbed in his throat. What if they fell off? They aren’t airbenders, he reminded himself. They wouldn’t be able to glide to safety like I can, and if Appa wasn’t around…
The sounds of a fight pierced his thoughts, and Aang pushed himself further along the path. He saw gouges out of the rock that he knew came from a water whip, and Sokka’s heavier footsteps had trampled through here, he knew. At least I know they didn’t fall off.
Aang followed the trail around, briefly casting a glance back to see Pathik catching up with him. A spray of water caught his eye, and Aang dashed forward.
Katara swirled a blob of water around her head and sent it whipping out again, as Sokka jumped up to catch his favorite weapon. Then Aang saw who they were fighting.
“Zuko?”
MrRigger
Last edited by MrRigger2 on March 30th, 2010, 12:31 am, edited 1 time in total.
In engineering, the work is only done when there is nothing left to add. In writing, the work is only done when there is nothing left to take away.
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Re: Swampbending
Unread postby Tempest Kitsune » March 29th, 2010, 4:42 pm
Zuko is studying under the Guru? The Swamp Spirit must have screwed with his head more than we realized.
"Doesn't matter what the press says. Doesn't matter what the politicians or the mobs say. Doesn't matter if the whole country decides that something wrong is something right. This nation was founded on one principle above all else: the requirement that we stand up for what we believe, no matter the odds or the consequences. When the mob and the press and the whole world tell you to move, your job is to plant yourself like a tree beside the river of truth, and tell the whole world — "No, you move."
— Captain America
Naruto RP Character - Takuma Itsuki, Special Jounin
— Captain America
Naruto RP Character - Takuma Itsuki, Special Jounin
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Re: Swampbending
Unread postby MrRigger2 » March 29th, 2010, 6:30 pm
I've left you a few big clues throughout the story as to what actually happened there. At least, I think they're fairly obvious. If not, it'll be explained in the next part.
MrRigger
MrRigger
In engineering, the work is only done when there is nothing left to add. In writing, the work is only done when there is nothing left to take away.
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Re: Swampbending
Unread postby DIT_grue » March 29th, 2010, 11:11 pm
I'm still reading and interested, even if I don't have any useful comments to make.
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Re: Swampbending
Unread postby MrRigger2 » March 30th, 2010, 4:35 pm
Here's the next part. I've written this story faster than anything else of this length. This update tops fifty pages in my Word Document, and broke 20,000 words.
MrRigger
Spoiler: show
“Message for you, Prince Zuko,” Lieutenant Jee stated without fanfare.
Zuko took the message and stared at the seal. Father… The Fire Lord’s dragon seal stared back at him. “That will be all, Lieutenant,” he dismissed, as if he hadn’t just received the first piece of correspondence from his father in over three years.
Zuko waited for Jee to depart before unrolling the message with trembling fingers. There wasn’t even a greeting.
Your actions during the recent operation in the North Pole, as well as your continuing failure to deliver the Avatar border on treasonous. Only reports that you prevented further disaster stayed your execution. From this point forward, consider yourself banished until Agni no longer shines in the sky. If you are found within any Fire Nation territories, you will be put to death. Orders have been sent recalling your ship and crew. May Agni have mercy on your soul.
Fire Lord Ozai
Zuko let the message fall out of his hands as he grasped the railing of the ship for support. He didn’t know how much time had passed when Iroh placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Prince Zuko, the railing is smoking.”
Zuko looked down and sure enough, there were visible smoke trails wafting up from where his hands clenched the metal. He jerked his hands away. “Sorry Uncle,” he mumbled.
“I saw what my brother wrote,” Iroh said, leaving his steady hand on Zuko’s shoulder, keeping the boy grounded. Zuko’s breath hitched, expecting a lecture. “He is wrong. What you did was honorable and saved lives. No one could ask more from you. Remember, it is the prince’s responsibility to protect his people. And for what you did, you should be called a hero, not banished.”
“What will I do now, Uncle?” Zuko demanded softly, desperate for a goal. “My honor’s gone, my ship and crew have been taken from me, and I’ve been abandoned. What do I do?”
Iroh’s hand was almost painfully tight on Zuko’s shoulder, but his voice was strong when he answered. “Whatever you decide, I will face it with you.”
--
The door squeaked open, but Zuko didn’t turn around. “I know we’ve docked. I’ll be ready in a moment,” Zuko said, silently saying good-bye to the ship that had been his home for three years.
“Going ashore might not be the best idea, actually,” Lieutenant Jee suggested.
“What?”
“General Iroh explained what happened to me, and I explained it to the men. We’ve put the ones who were going to follow along with the orders ashore. They’ll wake up in a day or two.”
“What do you mean?” Zuko demanded, confused.
“I don’t really like you, but you aren’t a spoiled brat who orders sailors to their death. You jump into the fray and get us to follow you, even if you do bite our heads off nearly every day. That’s enough to get me to follow you, but you saved everyone when you kept Zhao from murdering the Moon Spirit. You know how important the Moon is to anyone at sea, and doing that impressed everybody on the crew, except a few knuckleheads who don’t hardly believe in the spirits. They’re in the local drunk tank. We knocked them out and handed them over to the locals, told them to let them dry out for a while. Once they get out, we’ll be long gone.”
“You’re all deserting…for me?” Zuko sputtered in disbelief.
“Like I said. Don’t start thinking this means we like you, but I’m not marching behind anyone else.”
Zuko smiled faintly. “Thank you, Lieutenant. We leave immediately. Any supplies we need can be rationed until we reach a neutral port. We’re going east.”
“Yes, sir.”
It was nearly dark when Jee found Zuko again. Zuko was at the front of the ship, feeling the wind as the Wani cut through the water. Jee cleared his throat when Zuko didn’t seem to notice him. “What course are we heading, Prince Zuko?” he asked gruffly.
“We make for the Eastern Air Temple.”
Jee considered it, and noted, “That course will take us dangerously close to Fire Nation waters.”
“I know. They’re expecting this ship to return to the Fire Nation, but I doubt many know where it’s supposed to be docking. As long as I’m not on deck if we’re spotted, we shouldn’t be stopped.”
“That’s a lot to hope for,” Lieutenant Jee remarked.
“The spirits owe me a little luck right now,” Zuko countered. “Set the course.”
“Yes, Prince Zuko.”
--
The Wani docked in the small cove at the foot of the Eastern Air Temple mountains. While it wasn’t the most defensible position, it was fairly well hidden, and it was only due to the Wani’s small size and some creative steering that they were able to make it in.
Zuko, Iroh, and a small guard started up the mountain, leaving Lieutenant Jee to manage the ship. It took the better part of two days to make it up the mountain on foot, even with the periodic staircases that were still usable. The others were crumbling rock at best and needed to be avoided to keep from collapse.
When they finally reached the top of the center peak, it was just a short rest for food before they started searching. Then they split up, Zuko and Iroh taking the center temple, and ordering the guards to search the others.
Even though Zuko had visited the temple before, he had only vague recollections of where to find his quarry. After three dead ends and two drops into nothingness, Iroh found a passage out to a natural plateau. They could see a figure meditating in the distance.
“Uncle, please wait here.”
Iroh’s brow furrowed. “Why, Prince Zuko?”
“Uncle, please. This is something I have to do myself.”
Iroh hesitated, but assented. “Very well, Prince Zuko. If you need my help, give me a signal.”
Zuko climbed the narrow staircase and kneeled before the orange-clad guru. It didn’t take long for Guru Pathik to acknowledge his presence.
One eye cracked open before closing again. “So, the angry prince has returned. If you’re looking for information on the Avatar, he’s not here.”
“I’m not a prince anymore. I came here because I need your help.”
“I’m not going to help you find the Avatar. He’s too important to the spiritual balance of the world.”
“I didn’t come here about the Avatar.”
“Oh?” The eye cracked open again.
“You’re the only person I know who could help me. I angered a spirit, and my bending was taken away. And since then, I’ve been seeing things…”
Images of the North Pole flashed in Zuko’s mind, of that quiet oasis where Zhao nearly destroyed them all. He remembered the ghostly, inhuman energy snaking out of the sack Zhao held, rolling up his arm and creeping towards his neck. The man had no idea how close he had been to death before he released the mortal body of the Moon. He had to force himself to forge what he had seen in that shallow pool. Just remembering the first parts of it caused Zuko to break out in a cold sweat.
“I see.” Guru Pathik rose from his seat easily and walked over to the still kneeling Zuko. “Yes, there is a great imbalance within you. Especially here,” he continued, poking Zuko’s third chakra, the Fire Chakra. “You messed with the wrong spirit indeed, I’m uncertain if this is even within my capabilities to unravel. Tell me what happened, exactly.”
Zuko paused, uncertain of where to start. He took a deep breath and plunged in. “Have you ever heard of the Foggy Swamp, south of Omashu?” The Guru nodded. “I had tracked the Avatar there, and we entered in search of him. But even from the start, it seemed like the swamp itself was against us. Now I know that was true, even if I didn’t at the time. But after we were driven off the first time, I snuck back in, desperate to capture the Avatar. I don’t know how long it was, but I started seeing things. I saw…” my mother “someone from my past, someone I thought was dead. I chased her. When I finally caught up with her, it wasn’t her, it was something…else. I tried to attack it, but it stopped me, and,” he gulped heavily, “it made me look at it. Really look at it, see it how it really was. It was old, and it was vast. I don’t really know how to describe it. It was terrifying.”
Guru Pathik nodded as Zuko composed himself, pulling out a bowl of onion and banana juice and draining it. “Is that all?”
“It transported me out of the swamp, and I woke up on the beach where my raft was. I haven’t been able to firebend since. But at the North Pole, when Admiral Zhao was about to about to kill the mortal body of the Moon…I never looked at them, the Ocean and the Moon, but just being there, I could feel what they were. They made the spirit of the swamp that took away my bending feel insignificant.”
Pathik nodded and handed Zuko a bowl of onion and banana juice. “Drink it all. It will help balance yourself.”
Zuko grimaced horribly at the taste, but bore it down. “That’s disgusting. What’s in it?”
“The perfect mixture of onion and banana juice.”
Zuko stared at the Guru blankly, unsure of what to say to that.
“The spirit that disrupted your chi is an ancient one, though there are quite a few that are several magnitudes older. But I suspect that if you had angered one of them, you wouldn’t be here telling me about it. I may be able to help you, but you will have to find your own balance as well. Without that, you will never regain your bending. Even so, you might not recover completely.”
“I understand.”
“I doubt you truly understand, but that’s why I’m willing to help you. To gain understanding.”
--
Zuko breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth slowly, feeling the sun soak into his skin. Guru Pathik had him meditating in the sun’s rays at sunrise and sunset, in an effort to heal his wounded chi. After so long sailing the ocean, Agni’s opposite, Zuko needed all the help he could get. He was bringing himself out of meditation and getting ready to track down the Guru, who liked changing his meditation area daily, when he heard footsteps behind him.
Not Uncle, he decided, and not one of the others, either. Guru Pathik hasn’t ever sought me out, and it doesn’t sound like his footsteps.
“Zuko!”
It was the waterbender and her brother. Katara stepped back and pulled her hands up, pulling water from the moss and plants in the surrounding area before she jumped forward, sending the water crashing at Zuko.
With the now withered plants no longer able to help support the rock, and the violent wave shocking the cliff, the face cracked loudly and slid down, just as Zuko dodged out of the way.
“I’m not here to fight,” Zuko shouted as he dashed down the path, grateful that his lighter robes allowed freer movement than his armor.
“Liar! You’ve always been after Aang,” Katara accused.
“You even tracked him to the North Pole!” Sokka shouted back. “Even if you didn’t get him, you would have taken him if you thought you could get away with it.”
“Things have changed! I’m not here for him,” Zuko said as he threw his loose sheath over his shoulder and drew his swords.
“See! You say you aren’t here to fight, but you’re waving swords around,” Katara reasoned as she sent a water whip to strike Zuko.
“That’s because you’re attacking me! Do you really think I’m not going to defend myself?”
Katara growled wordlessly, and pushed her attack. Zuko jumped out of the way and deflected Sokka’s boomerang with his swords, but without firebending, it was difficult
Zuko battle back fiercely, using the terrain as much to his advantage as he could, keeping the high ground and dropping loose rocks on the two Water Tribe members, but as much as he tried, the teamwork the two displayed was beating him down.
A cloud of dust kicked up, and everyone looked at the new arrival. Aang stood there, a bewildered look on his face. “Zuko?”
Zuko took the message and stared at the seal. Father… The Fire Lord’s dragon seal stared back at him. “That will be all, Lieutenant,” he dismissed, as if he hadn’t just received the first piece of correspondence from his father in over three years.
Zuko waited for Jee to depart before unrolling the message with trembling fingers. There wasn’t even a greeting.
Your actions during the recent operation in the North Pole, as well as your continuing failure to deliver the Avatar border on treasonous. Only reports that you prevented further disaster stayed your execution. From this point forward, consider yourself banished until Agni no longer shines in the sky. If you are found within any Fire Nation territories, you will be put to death. Orders have been sent recalling your ship and crew. May Agni have mercy on your soul.
Fire Lord Ozai
Zuko let the message fall out of his hands as he grasped the railing of the ship for support. He didn’t know how much time had passed when Iroh placed a hand on his shoulder.
“Prince Zuko, the railing is smoking.”
Zuko looked down and sure enough, there were visible smoke trails wafting up from where his hands clenched the metal. He jerked his hands away. “Sorry Uncle,” he mumbled.
“I saw what my brother wrote,” Iroh said, leaving his steady hand on Zuko’s shoulder, keeping the boy grounded. Zuko’s breath hitched, expecting a lecture. “He is wrong. What you did was honorable and saved lives. No one could ask more from you. Remember, it is the prince’s responsibility to protect his people. And for what you did, you should be called a hero, not banished.”
“What will I do now, Uncle?” Zuko demanded softly, desperate for a goal. “My honor’s gone, my ship and crew have been taken from me, and I’ve been abandoned. What do I do?”
Iroh’s hand was almost painfully tight on Zuko’s shoulder, but his voice was strong when he answered. “Whatever you decide, I will face it with you.”
--
The door squeaked open, but Zuko didn’t turn around. “I know we’ve docked. I’ll be ready in a moment,” Zuko said, silently saying good-bye to the ship that had been his home for three years.
“Going ashore might not be the best idea, actually,” Lieutenant Jee suggested.
“What?”
“General Iroh explained what happened to me, and I explained it to the men. We’ve put the ones who were going to follow along with the orders ashore. They’ll wake up in a day or two.”
“What do you mean?” Zuko demanded, confused.
“I don’t really like you, but you aren’t a spoiled brat who orders sailors to their death. You jump into the fray and get us to follow you, even if you do bite our heads off nearly every day. That’s enough to get me to follow you, but you saved everyone when you kept Zhao from murdering the Moon Spirit. You know how important the Moon is to anyone at sea, and doing that impressed everybody on the crew, except a few knuckleheads who don’t hardly believe in the spirits. They’re in the local drunk tank. We knocked them out and handed them over to the locals, told them to let them dry out for a while. Once they get out, we’ll be long gone.”
“You’re all deserting…for me?” Zuko sputtered in disbelief.
“Like I said. Don’t start thinking this means we like you, but I’m not marching behind anyone else.”
Zuko smiled faintly. “Thank you, Lieutenant. We leave immediately. Any supplies we need can be rationed until we reach a neutral port. We’re going east.”
“Yes, sir.”
It was nearly dark when Jee found Zuko again. Zuko was at the front of the ship, feeling the wind as the Wani cut through the water. Jee cleared his throat when Zuko didn’t seem to notice him. “What course are we heading, Prince Zuko?” he asked gruffly.
“We make for the Eastern Air Temple.”
Jee considered it, and noted, “That course will take us dangerously close to Fire Nation waters.”
“I know. They’re expecting this ship to return to the Fire Nation, but I doubt many know where it’s supposed to be docking. As long as I’m not on deck if we’re spotted, we shouldn’t be stopped.”
“That’s a lot to hope for,” Lieutenant Jee remarked.
“The spirits owe me a little luck right now,” Zuko countered. “Set the course.”
“Yes, Prince Zuko.”
--
The Wani docked in the small cove at the foot of the Eastern Air Temple mountains. While it wasn’t the most defensible position, it was fairly well hidden, and it was only due to the Wani’s small size and some creative steering that they were able to make it in.
Zuko, Iroh, and a small guard started up the mountain, leaving Lieutenant Jee to manage the ship. It took the better part of two days to make it up the mountain on foot, even with the periodic staircases that were still usable. The others were crumbling rock at best and needed to be avoided to keep from collapse.
When they finally reached the top of the center peak, it was just a short rest for food before they started searching. Then they split up, Zuko and Iroh taking the center temple, and ordering the guards to search the others.
Even though Zuko had visited the temple before, he had only vague recollections of where to find his quarry. After three dead ends and two drops into nothingness, Iroh found a passage out to a natural plateau. They could see a figure meditating in the distance.
“Uncle, please wait here.”
Iroh’s brow furrowed. “Why, Prince Zuko?”
“Uncle, please. This is something I have to do myself.”
Iroh hesitated, but assented. “Very well, Prince Zuko. If you need my help, give me a signal.”
Zuko climbed the narrow staircase and kneeled before the orange-clad guru. It didn’t take long for Guru Pathik to acknowledge his presence.
One eye cracked open before closing again. “So, the angry prince has returned. If you’re looking for information on the Avatar, he’s not here.”
“I’m not a prince anymore. I came here because I need your help.”
“I’m not going to help you find the Avatar. He’s too important to the spiritual balance of the world.”
“I didn’t come here about the Avatar.”
“Oh?” The eye cracked open again.
“You’re the only person I know who could help me. I angered a spirit, and my bending was taken away. And since then, I’ve been seeing things…”
Images of the North Pole flashed in Zuko’s mind, of that quiet oasis where Zhao nearly destroyed them all. He remembered the ghostly, inhuman energy snaking out of the sack Zhao held, rolling up his arm and creeping towards his neck. The man had no idea how close he had been to death before he released the mortal body of the Moon. He had to force himself to forge what he had seen in that shallow pool. Just remembering the first parts of it caused Zuko to break out in a cold sweat.
“I see.” Guru Pathik rose from his seat easily and walked over to the still kneeling Zuko. “Yes, there is a great imbalance within you. Especially here,” he continued, poking Zuko’s third chakra, the Fire Chakra. “You messed with the wrong spirit indeed, I’m uncertain if this is even within my capabilities to unravel. Tell me what happened, exactly.”
Zuko paused, uncertain of where to start. He took a deep breath and plunged in. “Have you ever heard of the Foggy Swamp, south of Omashu?” The Guru nodded. “I had tracked the Avatar there, and we entered in search of him. But even from the start, it seemed like the swamp itself was against us. Now I know that was true, even if I didn’t at the time. But after we were driven off the first time, I snuck back in, desperate to capture the Avatar. I don’t know how long it was, but I started seeing things. I saw…” my mother “someone from my past, someone I thought was dead. I chased her. When I finally caught up with her, it wasn’t her, it was something…else. I tried to attack it, but it stopped me, and,” he gulped heavily, “it made me look at it. Really look at it, see it how it really was. It was old, and it was vast. I don’t really know how to describe it. It was terrifying.”
Guru Pathik nodded as Zuko composed himself, pulling out a bowl of onion and banana juice and draining it. “Is that all?”
“It transported me out of the swamp, and I woke up on the beach where my raft was. I haven’t been able to firebend since. But at the North Pole, when Admiral Zhao was about to about to kill the mortal body of the Moon…I never looked at them, the Ocean and the Moon, but just being there, I could feel what they were. They made the spirit of the swamp that took away my bending feel insignificant.”
Pathik nodded and handed Zuko a bowl of onion and banana juice. “Drink it all. It will help balance yourself.”
Zuko grimaced horribly at the taste, but bore it down. “That’s disgusting. What’s in it?”
“The perfect mixture of onion and banana juice.”
Zuko stared at the Guru blankly, unsure of what to say to that.
“The spirit that disrupted your chi is an ancient one, though there are quite a few that are several magnitudes older. But I suspect that if you had angered one of them, you wouldn’t be here telling me about it. I may be able to help you, but you will have to find your own balance as well. Without that, you will never regain your bending. Even so, you might not recover completely.”
“I understand.”
“I doubt you truly understand, but that’s why I’m willing to help you. To gain understanding.”
--
Zuko breathed in through his nose and out through his mouth slowly, feeling the sun soak into his skin. Guru Pathik had him meditating in the sun’s rays at sunrise and sunset, in an effort to heal his wounded chi. After so long sailing the ocean, Agni’s opposite, Zuko needed all the help he could get. He was bringing himself out of meditation and getting ready to track down the Guru, who liked changing his meditation area daily, when he heard footsteps behind him.
Not Uncle, he decided, and not one of the others, either. Guru Pathik hasn’t ever sought me out, and it doesn’t sound like his footsteps.
“Zuko!”
It was the waterbender and her brother. Katara stepped back and pulled her hands up, pulling water from the moss and plants in the surrounding area before she jumped forward, sending the water crashing at Zuko.
With the now withered plants no longer able to help support the rock, and the violent wave shocking the cliff, the face cracked loudly and slid down, just as Zuko dodged out of the way.
“I’m not here to fight,” Zuko shouted as he dashed down the path, grateful that his lighter robes allowed freer movement than his armor.
“Liar! You’ve always been after Aang,” Katara accused.
“You even tracked him to the North Pole!” Sokka shouted back. “Even if you didn’t get him, you would have taken him if you thought you could get away with it.”
“Things have changed! I’m not here for him,” Zuko said as he threw his loose sheath over his shoulder and drew his swords.
“See! You say you aren’t here to fight, but you’re waving swords around,” Katara reasoned as she sent a water whip to strike Zuko.
“That’s because you’re attacking me! Do you really think I’m not going to defend myself?”
Katara growled wordlessly, and pushed her attack. Zuko jumped out of the way and deflected Sokka’s boomerang with his swords, but without firebending, it was difficult
Zuko battle back fiercely, using the terrain as much to his advantage as he could, keeping the high ground and dropping loose rocks on the two Water Tribe members, but as much as he tried, the teamwork the two displayed was beating him down.
A cloud of dust kicked up, and everyone looked at the new arrival. Aang stood there, a bewildered look on his face. “Zuko?”
In engineering, the work is only done when there is nothing left to add. In writing, the work is only done when there is nothing left to take away.
Check out Between Magic and Mount Justice
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MrRigger2 - Posts: 3329
- Joined: January 20th, 2011, 5:14 pm
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