parallel lines

chapter xxviii

Word Count: 4, 821 words

CHAPTER XXVIII. 千军易得, 一将难求

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The next day came in a hurry, Aang had the time of hogging all the space of the makeshift comfortable cloud bed and Natsuko getting a kick at the back almost all the time. Just as the sun started to rise, so did the rest of them with Sokka being surprisingly early to meet the people who were to come for the invasion, even Toph was up and going even when she was sitting by a rock.

Aang woke up before Natsuko, pulling her up to get her going as well. When they walked back to the rest of the group, Aang jumping his way to them while Natsuko was dragging her body along with the cloud bed sheets, the two Water Tribe siblings took notice of Aang's arrival.

"Top of the morning, Momo!" Aang exclaimed as he came down from a lengthy jump.

Momo also took notice of Aang's arrival and circled around his shoulders. Toph had a smile on her face along with Katara who mentioned Aang's well slept night, "Like a baby moose lion. I'm ready to face the Fire Lord."

Coming from the distance, Natsuko finally catched up to them whilst fumbling around the soft bed sheet they were sleeping in. Sokka narrowed his eyes at her, so did Katara when she gave them a smile.

"We can't leave this here, you all worked hard on it." Sokka comically went to her with a hand on his chin before grabbing the makeshift fabric, "This could make a lot of money if we sell it."

Natsuko looked at Sokka with an expression that says unbelievable all over before snatching it from his hands, "We can still use this!"

"See!" she wrapped it around her frame by the shoulders, "It would make a great cape!"

"No capes!" Sokka scolded Natsuko but she whined at it more, "But it's great."

"You mean to say it's great for you." Toph pitched her opinion to the conversation and Natsuko let out a hmmph before giving in, "Fine, you'll get the left side of the sheet."

"I'd rather lay down on the Earth rather than hear you sleep talk about Avatar stuff." Toph gave her a smirk before continuing with what she meant to ask Aang, "On that note, twinkle-toes! What's your strategy for taking him down? Going to glow on and hit him with a little Avatar State action?"

As Toph began punching, Momo's tail curled at the sight of Aang's head looking at the ground, "I can't. When Azula shot me with lightning, my seventh chakra was locked, cutting off my connection to all cosmic energy in the Universe."

Natsuko placed a hand on Aang's shoulder while everyone else looked down at the ground as well feeling sorry for Aang. Toph, however, managed to move on quickly from pity to confusion, "You know what I just heard? Blah blah, spiritual mumbo jumbo, blah blah, something about space."

While Toph kept on listing of what she heard and tried to lighten up the mood, Katara quickly saw a fog coming their way.

"Sokka, do you think the fog will delay the invasion?" Sokka went beside Katara to see the fog she was referring to with a smile on his face, "No, that is the invasion."

As if by cue, the Water Tribe sailboats came out from the fog and they all went down to meet them. Toph, Aang, and Natsuko created docks for the ship and the people to meet the land for a little more breathing earth time for their feet before coming into battle.

The last of the ship arrives and the Water Tribe siblings came to their father who had just come down from their ship while Natsuko has been dragged around to meet this new people as well as Toph with a few of them. Sokka had a hand on Natsuko's shoulder when Katara introduced Hakoda to Natsuko, "Dad, this is Natsuko, she's the spirit of the Avatar."