Violent Delights, ATLA

chapter thirty three, anomaly

33
ANOMALY

THEIR NEXT STOP OF RELAXATION was at a secluded hot springs in the Fire Nation. The earthy walls were towering so no one could easily climb over and peek, Appa able to fly inside without anyone noticing because of the sheer size of the hot spring and its outer wall. Everyone immediately took some time off for themselves. Aang went for a swim, Sokka began revising his plans for the solar eclipse invasion, Katara surfed around using a board made of smooth ice, Toph chilled on land bathing in sunlight, and San dipped her toes in the water to get used to the feeling before joining the others in for a swim.

She wore a simple two-piece dyed burgundy red; the top was a strapless bandeau and the bottom was a skirt reaching above her knees. The water was cool enough to send shivers down her spine but after some movement in the water, she was able to feel warm.

(Ever since becoming the sun spirit, San no longer had issues regulating her body temperature. Perhaps it was because her state before becoming the sun spirit was like a glass jar holding a lit candle. The jar would always be warm so long as the candle remained alight inside. Now, she was the candle in control of her own flame.)

"Aang, I know swimming is fun and all but do you think you should really be exposing yourself like that?" Toph asked as San rose from the waters after diving down, "Cover up."

"What? I'm wearing trunks." Aang replied defensively in an innocent manner.

"I know. I meant your tattoos. What if someone sees you?"

"There are walls all around us. It's completely safe." Katara said with a shrug, wringing water out of her hair.

San dove into the waters again, blew some bubbles, and resurfaced, pulling her doused hair back. Then she floated across the waters like a starfish, completely idle. This was the first complete relaxation she had since the mini dance party Aang hosted in the Fire Nation. Her worries slipped away like water trickling down a pipe.

"So what else are you working on?" She finished her swim, returning to land and noticing Sokka drawing something on paper.

"Hey, hey! You're gonna wet all my paper!" He warned, pulling his drawings back as well as the surrounding materials.

"Oops, sorry." She apologised, stepping back and wringing the water out of her hair. A puddle formed beside her.

"I'm drawing some inventions for one of my friends, who is an excellent engineer." He continued, reassuming his drawing on a drier piece of land but remained close by. "It's gonna be important for the invasion coming up."

"Uh-huh, but what's it supposed to be? Someone lying in a coffin?" She deadpanned, a hand on her hip.

"No."

"A gingerbread man on a baking pan?"

"No!"

"Ooh, is it someone stuck in a genie lamp?" Toph piped in, participating for fun.

"You can't even see!"

"Thanks, Captain Obvious." She snorted at Sokka's remark, San laughing.

"It's a guy in a submarine." He ended up revealing his answer with a huff.

Nightfall arrived and Team Avatar slept soundly besides Appa, Momo curling up next to San whose eyes were closed and breathing too quick to be considered sleeping. Toph noticed this but said nothing, instead sensing something unfamiliar and threatening close to the secluded hot springs. She sat up abruptly.