Rush [Sokka - Book Three]

⚝Chapter Seventeen⚝

"Oh, no," Katara said. She was also looking at the horizon with a frown on her face. "Sokka, do you think the fog will delay the invasion?"

"No," Sokka said, shaking his head. "That is the invasion."

Aang and Toph got into stance, raising their arms above their heads. A couple of earthen docks rose out of the water in preparation for the fleets to come in. Soon enough, the ships were cutting through the water close to them. There were at least ten ships, if not more. Konno couldn't believe that they had gotten that much people to help them with the Invasion.

A familiar man stepped off of the ship he was on. He was also wearing Water Tribe armor. Sokka was the spitting image of his father. It had been a little bit since Konno saw Hakoda, but he still looked as good as he did before. A smile broke out on his face as Katara threw herself into his arms.

"You made it, Dad!" Katara said happily.

Konno's heart clenched at the sight. She wished she could embrace her mother like that again. She was happy that Katara had gotten over the rift with her father, but now it was her turn to get over the rift she had with her own parents. 

"Were you able to locate everyone I told you to find?" Sokka asked him hopefully.

Konno stepped closer to the happy family. She stood awkwardly near Bato and nodded to him. He nodded back. These people had quickly become family to her. They spent many nights on the ship waiting for Aang to wake up after Azula shot him with lightning. Those nights were horrible and happy all at the same time. 

"I did. But, I'm a little worried, Sokka," Hakoda said. He glanced behind him. Konno gasped when she saw the two swamp men descend from the ship. She hadn't ever thought that she would see them again. She wasn't sure if she wanted to see them again. "Some of these men aren't exactly the warrior type."

"Whooo-wheee," the shorter man said excitedly. "This place ain't nothing like a swamp." He pointed to the rock where Toph had been sitting on earlier. "What'd you reckon this is, Tho? Some sort of exploding Fire Nation exploding trap that would eat ya?"

"It's just a rock, Due," Tho said.

"Well, I'll be." Due looked around them, and his eyes landed on Konno. He smiled and said, "What're you doing here?"

"I'm with them," Konno said, gesturing to Sokka and the rest of them. She didn't know what else to say to him.

"It's nice to see you again," Due said with a nod. "You look better than when you were at the swamp. Your eyes . . . they're brighter now."

Konno swallowed hard. She didn't know that it would have been this hard seeing him. The last time she saw him, she was in the darkest place of her life. She had run away from home to get away from all the pain. It followed her there, and she would've died because of it if they hadn't found her. Seeing these two men again almost brought the pain back. Almost. She was stronger now, though. Even though she missed Yue and Navrek dearly, she knew they would want her to be happy.

"I just wish they would wear pants," Bato said, his eyes wide. 

Hue scratched his abdomen as he said, "Pants are an illusion and so is death."

Konno didn't believe that at all. She knew death was real, realer than anything else in the world. It had ravaged her city and her life, but she wouldn't let it defeat her. She had gotten real close to Death, more times than she would like to admit. Yet she was still surviving again and again and again.

A young man with an ugly moustache walked forward, a grin on his face. "Hi, Katara," he said, almost shyly. 

Konno was surprised to see Katara run into his arms. She thought Katara liked Aang, but she wasn't sure anymore. "Haru, it's so good to see you!"