Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Smile Because It Happened ❯ Chapter 10

Chapter 10

 

Toph grabbed the Airbender's hand and started pulling him along as she ran down the tunnel away from the fighting. “Come on, Twinkletoes. When the Fire Lord gives you an order, you obey!”

 

Aang stared at the blind woman for a minute as he was led along the pitch black passageway. Evidently she did have some notion of where they were going, as she never once hesitated in her path. “Um, Toph?”

 

“Yeah?”

 

“Wh… Where's Katara?”

 

He felt her shrug. “Probably stayed back to fight Crazy alongside Sparky. You know how stubborn she is.”

 

He lowered his chin, despite being unable to see. “Yeah. I know.” He blinked into the darkness, aware he couldn't see anything. “Is this how you feel every day?”

 

Toph stopped so quickly he ran into her and accidentally knocked her to the ground, landing partially on top of her in a heap. He put a hand down to brace himself- and found himself with a handful of something warm, firm, round… and undeniably female. He immediately scrambled to remove himself from her, embarrassed as all hell. “Oh, cripes! I'm so sorry…!”

 

She just lay there for a minute, silent. “…What did you mean?”

 

“I couldn't tell that you stopped and I completely ran you over and knocked you down, not to mention I-!”

 

“Not that, idiot. About… how I feel.”

 

Aang did a whole body blush. “You, uh… you feel… You felt… squishy.”

 

Toph sat up. A section of stone jutted out of the ground so fast that it knocked the Avatar clear across the tunnel.

 

Used to Toph's temper, as well as her lightning fast reflexes, Aang caught himself in a vortex of air and landed gracefully on the ground. “I'm sorry!”

 

“That's not what I was talking about, dumbass!” she hollered, and he could swear he heard embarrassment in her voice. Toph? EMBARRASSED? “What the hell do you mean about how I feel every day?”

 

Aang walked toward her voice, unable to really sense where she was because he still wore shoes. “I meant the darkness. I can't see anything in here.”

 

A pause. “Well, isn't that interesting,” she drawled. “For once, I can see better than you, O sighted one. Why don't you just use your fabulous Firebending skills to light your way?”

 

“What if Azula decides to follow us?” he asked logically. “She could use the glow to find us faster. While we're in the complete dark, we can see her coming first.”

 

Toph's expression, if he could see it, was one of complete amazement. “Wow. That's pretty insightful, Twinkletoes. When did you start thinking like Zuko?”

 

He shrugged, knowing she'd be able to sense the movement, if not actually see it. “That first year after he became Fire Lord we hung out together pretty often. I learned a lot.”

 

“You must've spent a lot of time with Sokka, too,” she remarked.

 

“How'd you know?” Aang's voice was filled with surprise.

 

“You two seem to share an uncanny ability to be completely dense in regards to women.”

 

Silence. “Huh?”

 

“Nothing. Come on. I can feel Stretch's footsteps, and she's not alone.”

 

Aang hopped around awkwardly as he removed his shoes and stuffed them in his backpack. “This'll make things easier,” he mumbled, hurrying to Toph's side now that he could “see” her via his feet. “Let's go.”

 

.o(O)o.

 

Ty Lee paused and turned around, gazing back into the darkness behind her little group. Her aura senses were tingling. I recognize this aura… but why is it… RED?

 

The rest of the travelers noticed their Kyoshi Warrior friend had stopped, so they followed suit. “Something wrong?”

 

“We've got company,” she replied, sounding rather confused.

 

Sure enough, out of the darkness came two figures that Ty Lee hadn't seen in several weeks. “Toph! And Aang!”

 

The blind Earthbender and her bald companion hurried up to the group. “Ty Lee!” Aang called as they approached. He blinked in the sudden firelight of several torches held by familiar faces. “Chong! Lily!”

 

The singing nomad gazed at the younger man with a completely unsurprised expression. “Hey, Little Arrowhead…” His eyes looked Aang up and down for a few second. “You've changed a bit, haven't you?”

 

“It's been four years, Chong. I hope I've changed!”

 

Lily smiled brightly, shifting the small child in her arms. “It's good to see you again, Avatar.”

 

Aang bowed. “And you two as well.” He leaned over and smiled brightly at the little girl in Lily's arms. “Which looks like the three of you now, huh?”

 

Chong nodded slowly. “Must've been a result of traveling though the Cave with you that one time. Less than a year later, our little group gained a new addition.”

 

Toph snorted. “Yeah, blame it on the Avatar that you couldn't keep your paws off your wife.”

 

Lily laughed. “Go on, Cai. Say hello to Avatar Aang.”

 

The little girl looked intently at the Airbender. She took her finger out of her mouth, her grey eyes wide as she swung her arm wide towards him. “A'tar Aang!”

 

A strong breeze swept over the group, despite them being deep in the tunnels.

 

Chong sighed. “That's been happening a lot lately,” he mused.

 

Aang's attention turned from the little girl who was squirming to get down from her mother's hold to her minstrel father. “What's been happening lately?” he queried.

 

Chong looked around. “It's been really windy. Blasts of wind all the time.”

 

Ty Lee nodded. “We've had to relight the torches quite a bit. Must be a draft somewhere.”

 

Cai now ran over to Aang's side and was tugging on his pant leg. “Up! Up!”

 

The young man glanced at Lily, who shrugged. “Go ahead. Normally she doesn't like strangers.”

 

Chong rubbed his chin. “Yeah, but he's the Avatar. Everyone knows him.”

 

“How old is she- three?” Toph asked. “I doubt she's heard of him.”

 

Aang picked up the child and gazed into her innocent face. He smiled, thinking of little Airbender children that he himself might someday have, if the spirits were generous.

 

“Hey, Twinkletoes,” Toph called, shaking him out of his thoughts. “Weren't we searching for Stretch here for a reason?”

 

He nodded, his expression serious. “Ty Lee, you're in danger.”

 

The former circus performer blinked. “I what?”

 

“Azula just attacked us a little while ago,” he went on, trying to ignore the worried murmurs of the rest of the troupe. “Zuko and Katara stayed behind to distract her so Toph and I could warn you.”

 

Ty Lee's brown eyes were wide. “Warn me about what?”

 

“She's already kidnapped Needles,” Toph explained, “and we've got good reason to believe she'd come after you for the same reason- revenge.”

 

Ty Lee may have been ditzy, but she wasn't stupid. “Because we betrayed her back then?” she murmured.

 

At Aang and Toph's nod, the young woman sighed. “I was afraid of this.” She turned to the group of musical nomads she was travelling with. “I don't want you to end up in the middle of this, especially with Cai and Lan,” she added, nodding at another couple with their young daughter. “You should hurry on ahead.”

 

Aang shook his head. “That's no good. Azula could be waiting at the exit. We should all go together so that Toph and I can protect you if need be.”

 

“Wooo,” Chong hummed, completely undisturbed. “Escorted by the Avatar himself. This day is turning out to be truly entertaining indeed.”

 

.o(O)o.

 

Aang glanced down at the little girl in his arms, somewhat bemused that she refused to let him put her down or relinquish her to her parents. Instead, her eyes remained locked on him as though entranced by something.

 

“Is there something on my face, Cai?” he asked her. She giggled.

 

“Arrow,” she said, pointing at his forehead.

 

He grinned and nodded. “Yup. I guess there is, isn't there?” He rubbed the bald skin on his head. “It's a tattoo- Air Nomads get them when they've done a certain amount of Airbending.”

 

She giggled again. “Cai nomad!”

 

Aang smiled softly. His heart ached when he thought of his people, but he knew that now they were at peace- he had avenged them by defeating Ozai. “That's right. Cai's a nomad. But I'm a different type of nomad- an Air Nomad. I bend air.”

 

She tilted her head, curious. “Air…?”

 

“Airbending. You've seen Earthbenders before, right?”

 

Cai nodded.

 

“Well, Airbending is the opposite. Instead of bending the ground and making it move, Airbenders move the air.”

 

She blinked. “Move air?”

 

“Yeah. Like this.” He stopped and set her down on her feet, then knelt down next to her. He held out his hands and bent a sphere of air between them, letting the orb bounce from palm to palm. The ball of wind spun quickly, and the toddler's eyes grew even wider.

 

“Cai do! Cai do!” she squealed, reaching out a hand toward the ball.

 

Aang chuckled. “I don't think so, little one. For one thing, you're not an Airbender. It'll just disappear if I'm not bending it.”

 

Cai scowled as only a three-year-old girl can. “CAI DO!” she announced, every inch of her (which wasn't much) showing pure determination.

 

He shrugged. “Don't say I didn't warn you…”

 

He trailed off as Cai moved her hands awkwardly over the air ball, mimicking in her own way the movements he had used to create the orb- and the ball jumped from his hand into hers, spinning between her palms. Aang's hands dropped.

 

The air sphere remained.

 

She beamed up at him, still moving her hands in circular motions. “See? Cai do!”

 

Aang entire being froze. His grey eyes were locked on the image in front of him. A little girl, smiling as she bent- BENT- an air ball between her hands, her eyes sparkling. Grey eyes.

 

By the winds. She's an Airbender.

 

.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.oOo.

 

Cai- Full of Color

 

Lan- Orchid