Avatar The Last Airbender Fan Fiction ❯ Smile Because It Happened ❯ Chapter 13

Chapter 13

 

The resulting trip out of the Cave of Two Lovers was remarkably uneventful, unless one counts the fact that Cai refused to relinquish her hold on Aang and that Katara couldn't keep her eyes off a certain brooding Fire Lord.

 

“You know, if you keep staring at him like that, you're going to burn a hole in the back of his head,” Toph murmured in her ear.

 

Katara jumped. “I am not staring,” she declared, then narrowed her eyes at the Earthbender. “And what makes you think I'm staring at Zuko? I could be staring at Aang.”

 

Toph grinned. “I never said you were staring at Zuko,” she replied triumphantly. “You gave that little tidbit away on your own- just now.”

 

Katara groaned and covered her eyes with her hand. “I walked into that one, didn't I.”

 

“Oh, yeah.” Toph chuckled. “And I'm supposed to be the blind one.”

 

For a few minutes they walked in companionable silence. “How did you know I was staring?” she finally asked Toph quietly.

 

“Oh, I don't know,” came the amused reply. “Probably because your heart's racing faster than a koala-rabbit's. I'm surprised Twinkletoes hasn't commented on it.”

 

Katara blinked at her friend. “What?”

 

“I taught him to `see' through Earthbending, remember? Your rapid heartbeat should be sending major vibrations to his feet.” She cocked her head to the side as they walked. “What did Sparky do to you, anyway?”

 

A bright red flush heated up her face. “I beg your pardon?”

 

Toph laughed right out loud. “Oh, I'd give almost anything to be able to see the look on your face right now. I bet it's priceless.”

 

Katara didn't comment. Toph reached out and poked her in the arm. “Come on, Sugar Queen. Spill.”

 

“No.”

 

“Come on,” she repeated, folding her hands behind her head and grinning broadly. “I had the hardest time keeping a straight face while we were looking for you two.”

 

Katara's blue eyes turned to the petite Earthbender. “…Why?”

 

“I would've been able to sense the two of you from Ba Sing Se with the amount of heart-pounding that was going on between you. So cough up the details.”

 

A sigh escaped her before she could stop it. “I… I can't.”

 

Toph snorted. “He kissed you, didn't he?”

 

Katara choked.

 

“Was it better than Twinkletoes?”

 

“Toph!”

 

She chuckled. “All right, all right. For once I'll grant you mercy. But I expect full details if it happens again!”

 

Katara's head dropped in defeat. “It won't.”

 

.o(O)o.

 

Finally, the group stepped out into bright sunlight, emerging from the Cave with much appreciation.

 

Zuko glanced around, a mixture of wariness and curiosity on his face. “Where's Sokka and that flying rug?”

 

Aang stretched before reaching into his robes for his bison whistle. “I'll call Appa.” But before he could blow, the faint sound of something strange reached his ears. He blinked.

 

Zuko heard it too. “What's that noise? It sounds like some sort of wolverine-bear…”

 

Katara sighed from behind them. “Idiots. It's just my brother. He's asleep over there,” she said, pointing. “How could you miss the huge flying bison hidden ingeniously by one branch?

 

The men turned to see Appa sleeping quite peacefully from behind his leafy camouflage. Granted, it was a very large bough, but it was still only one branch.

 

“Appa!” Aang called out cheerfully, running up to glomp the furry beast on the nose. “I sure missed you, boy!”

 

“He sure didn't act that excited when we finally found you and Sparky in that tunnel,” Toph observed. “And you are his fiancée.”

 

Sokka sat up from his perch in the saddle and rubbed his eye sleepily. “Oh, you're alive,” he said as he yawned. “I was starting to get worried.”

 

“So much so that you couldn't keep your eyes open,” Zuko said dryly.

 

Sokka happened to notice who had joined their group- and he smacked his forehead. “Why am I not surprised?”

 

Chong and Lily waved to the Water Tribe Warrior as he jumped down from Appa's back. “Good to see you again, Underwear Boy!” Chong greeted.

 

Sokka's face went bright red as several people laughed, mostly Katara and Aang, as they had been the only ones from their group who had been present when they had first met the group of nomads four years prior and Sokka had greeted the troupe wearing only his loincloth… and Momo. “My name is Sokka!” he hollered.

 

“I dunno,” Toph grinned. “I kinda like `Underwear Boy' better.”

 

“It does have a certain ring to it,” Katara giggled.

 

Ty Lee sauntered up to Sokka and gave him a bright smile. “Hi, cutie,” she purred.

 

“Oh, Tui,” he grunted, dropping his head onto his hand. “Not you too.”

 

“What's wrong with me?”

 

Sokka backed away slowly. “Nothing. But I'm married!”

 

Ty Lee chortled. “I know, dummy. I was at your wedding, remember? All the Kyoshi Warriors were.”

 

“Then why are you still calling me that?!”

 

She leaned closer, seeming to enjoy causing him discomfort. “It's not my fault you're cute.”

 

“Okaaaay,” Zuko announced, grabbing Ty Lee by her collar and pulling her off Sokka. “We need to go. Now.”

 

“Awwww…”

 

Aang propped one end of his staff on the ground. “Zuko's right. We need to hurry to Omashu. I need to restock some supplies before I head off to the Eastern Air Temple to visit Guru Pathik.”

 

Katara gazed at him with an unreadable look on her face. “So soon?”

 

He nodded. “I need to find out what happened to the other non-bending Air Nomads as soon as possible. Before Azula finds out about them and continues where her great-grandfather left off. No offense, Zuko.”

 

“None taken.”

 

Aang then turned to the nomads- the forgotten descendents of his people. “I'll come find you again,” he told them. “Stay in Omashu for a while, if you can. Bumi will make sure you're safe from Azula in case she comes after you.”

 

Chong scratched his head. “Why would she come after us?”

 

Aang knelt down and placed a gentle hand on top of Cai's head. “Because if she finds out little Cai here is an Airbender like me, she won't hesitate to wipe you all out.”

 

Zuko agreed. “In order to ensure that no more Airbenders could be born from your group.”

 

“Woah, man,” the nomad muttered. “That's crazy.”

 

Toph made a sound between a grunt and a laugh. “That's her name.”

 

.o(O)o.

 

Finally, the group arrived in Omashu, and Aang was obviously extremely distracted. Toph shuffled her way over to his side and managed to nudge him without knocking him over. “Are you really going to run off so soon?” she murmured.

 

Aang sighed. “I have to, Toph. If there are other Airbenders being born, I need to find them and bring them together. I have a responsibility to teach them about our customs.”

 

The Earthbender looked like she wanted to snort derisively but didn't. “You know, Twinkletoes, it's not right to try and push your beliefs and traditions on other people. If there are other Airbenders out there, they've been raised in countries with other beliefs. Those are what they'll view as their rightful heritage- not some long-dead monk society.”

 

Aang scowled. “It's in their blood. They have to change, to bring back the Air Nomads-!”

 

“No, Aang,” Toph interrupted, using his actual name for once. “You can't make someone change. You can certainly offer them your knowledge, your teachings, your abilities… but you can't make someone into something they're not. Even if they are born Airbenders, they're still going to be Fire Nation, Earth Kingdom, or Water Tribe citizens.”

 

Grey eyes drifted over to Katara, who was chatting amiably with Ty Lee before the latter went off in search of her circus friends. “I have a responsibility,” he reiterated.

 

“Yeah, well, you also have a hard head.” Toph blew her bangs out of her eyes. “If you weren't so caught up in yourself and your `restoring-the-Air-Nomads' attitude, you'd notice that certain people aren't too keen on the idea of abandoning their family completely to become a different person.”

 

He blinked, confused. “Certain people? Who?”

 

“If I have to tell you, you're blinder than I am.”

 

.o(O)o.

 

“We've been wandering around for ages,” Sokka whined. “Can't we stop somewhere and get some food?”

 

Katara stopped walking and glanced around their immediate surroundings. The group now clothed in varying shades of green, gold, and brown, they nearly blended in with the Earth Kingdom's buildings. “We're in the middle of the residential area,” she pointed out. “I doubt there'd be a restaurant here.”

 

Toph pointed at a small building just to their right. “Isn't that one?”

 

The group turned to examine the structure she indicated. “'Dragonfly Tea House?'” Aang asked.

 

“Never heard of it,” Zuko muttered.

 

“And why would you?”

 

“His uncle is the Tea Lord, you know.”

 

Sokka peered at Toph. “Hey- how did you know that was a restaurant?”

 

She shrugged. “I read the sign?”

 

“Oh. Well…” He turned away, and quickly spun around to face her again, irritation clear on his face. “Waaaaait a minute-!”

 

“I could feel the difference, Snoozles. Houses and restaurants give off different vibrations. Usually more people in a restaurant, but this one is empty. It looks like there's only a couple people working in the kitchen area. We won't be bothered.”

 

Agreeing, the five friends entered the small, unassuming tea shop. Zuko glanced around neutrally. “It's clean,” he observed.

 

“But kinda dinky,” Toph added.

 

“I don't care as long as they serve food,” Sokka said, rubbing his stomach.

 

“Don't go crazy, Sokka,” his sister warned. “We have to watch our money.”

 

“Why? We've got Mr. Richpants Fire-!”

 

Zuko clamped a hand over the Water Tribe man's mouth. “Shut up, dummy. We're incognito, so keep it that way, okay?”

 

“Welcome, welcome!” A cheerful voice called out as someone emerged from the kitchen. A large man dressed in greens and an off-white apron walked up to the table, a friendly smile on his face. “Welcome to the Dragonfly! New faces are always a pleasant surprise. My name is Tam and I'm the owner.”

 

“Greetings, Master Tam,” Katara said, bowing her head with the others following suite. “What is your specialty here?”

 

“Our Oolong Tea is excellent,” he replied, “and my wife makes the best meat buns around.”

 

“MEAT!” Sokka squealed. “I'll take those!”

 

“Uh, an order of meat buns and tea all around,” Katara requested as Zuko tried to look like he was anywhere but at the same table as Sokka.

 

“Sure thing.”

 

As they waited for their food, Katara noticed that Zuko was continually glancing at her left arm. “It's fine now,” she murmured.

 

“You were burned pretty badly,” he replied just as softly. “I think we should get some burn salve for you as soon as possible.”

 

“But-“

 

“Don't argue with me,” he admonished. “Do you want your arm to look like my face?”

 

Her expression softened considerably. “Oh, Zuko…”

 

“Here we go,” a woman's voice said as she brought out a tray with five cups filled with steaming tea. “My husband will be bringing out your…”

 

Her voice trailed off as she placed a cup on the table in front of Zuko- and saw his face. Katara scowled. “You know, that's rude.”

 

“It's okay, Katara. I'm used to it.”

 

“It is not okay, Zuko.”

 

The tray with the cups fell to the floor. Everyone looked at the woman in surprise.

 

Her hands were covering her mouth and her eyes were wide with a mixture of shock and horror.

 

“Zuko?” she breathed, her voice cracking. “Is… is that you? …What happened to your face?”

 

The young Fire Lord stared at the woman, recognition dawning.

 

“Mom?”