I can't believe it!!!!!! 405 Reads!!!!!!! You guys are so awesome!!!! Thank you so much!!!! I guess updating as often as I can is a way to thank you, guys.
That's a chapter that occurs while the Blue Spirit incident. It takes place in the ruins of Taku where three of our heroes are ill because of the storm in the last chapter.
It's a small one! But I bet you'll like it! It kind of throws some spoilers for the future ;)
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"This should bring your fever down," Katara said placing the soaked from water blanket to Sokka's forehead.
"You know what I love about Appa the most, his sense of humor," Sokka said quivering.
"That's nice," Katara said.
"I'll tell him," Iris said quivering in her own sleeping bag and she turned and looked at Appa saying "Hey, Appa, tell us a joke,"
Appa roared in response making Sokka and Iris laugh passionately. "Classic Appa,"
Katara got on the other side to reach Iris. She placed another blanket with water on her forehead trying to bring her fever down. "How are Sokka and Iris doing?" Aang asked walking towards them.
"Not so good, being out in that storm really did a number on them," Katara said worriedly.
"I couldn't find any ginger root for the tea, but I did find a map," Aang said opening the scroll he had in his hands. "There's an Herbalist Institute on the top of that mountain. We could probably find a cure for, both of them, there," he said.
"Aang, they're in no condition to travel. They just need more rest, I'm sure they'll be better by tomorrow," Katara said and she started coughing harshly.
"Not you too!" Aang complained.
"Relax, it was just a little cough, I'm fin-" Katara tried to say only to start coughing again.
"That's how Sokka and Iris started yesterday now look at them. Sokka thinks he's an earth bender and Iris thinks she's a fire bender," Aang said.
"Take that you, rock,"
"Flameo, hotman!"
"A few more hours and you'll be talking nonsense too," Aang said and he took his glider. "I'm going to find some medicine," he said determinedly and he started walking away with his glider. He opened his glider to leave but he stopped seeing a lightning coming out from the thick clouds. "Maybe it's better if I go on foot," he said and he turned and looked at Appa and Momo saying "Keep an eye on them, guys," and he walked away.
Momo and Appa roared in response. Iris and Sokka laughed loudly "Ha ha! You guys are killing me!" Sokka exclaimed.
"I always thought Momo was way funnier," Iris said.
After some minutes of talking nonsense Sokka finally managed to say "Katara, please, water,"
"Listen carefully, Momo. I want you to take this to the river and fill it with water, got it?" She asked. Momo nodded and he took the patch and he started flying away.
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...darkness, nothing but the pitch black color of chaos, was surrounding her. Although black was the color she used the last years, she hated it. She always wished for something brighter. A life filled with happiness. All the things that made her happy were gone. Leaving the world, along with her humanity. She wasn't a killing machine. She still had a purpose, something to continue living for.
"I'll always protect you, little brother... always,"
She heard her voice and she saw herself when she still was an eight-year-old girl and Aang was only five, keeping him in a tight sisterly hug. And she smiled. Yes, that was something that made her happy, that was the reason she should continue her life, her brother. She loved Aang more than anyone. And he loved her just the same.
What else made her happy? Could she ever have the chance for love? That's stupid. She thought. She turned around in the sound of her voice. The view changed. She was no longer in the Southern Air Temple with her brother. It seemed like they were on an island.
The moon's light reflected perfectly on the quiet deep blue sea. The greenery around the shore was filled with trees and fire lilies. It must be summer. The quiet cool breeze caressed her skin. She felt a pleasant peace; she hadn't felt in a long time. The sky was clear, no cloud in sight. The only sources of light were the stars and the moon, just like she liked it.
Suddenly she felt someone's strong arms hugging her from behind. She didn't fend away and she wasn't startled at all, much to her surprise. The man's hands were warm blocking the cold breeze from cooling her white, porcelain, skin. She let her head rest on his left shoulder. He pushed gently all off her hairs to the left side and he kissed her right bare shoulder. She just laid her head behind closing her eyes enjoying the feeling.
Her curiosity to find out who the man was, didn't click in just yet. She didn't have full control of her moves and she knew that she certainly wouldn't be so calm in a man's hands without knowing and trusting him.
She finally opened her eyes to see who it was and she just couldn't believe in her eyes. She could recognize that scar resting on the left side of his face and his hair reaching loosely his forehead and ears. It was Zuko!
He stared back at her. His golden eyes consuming hers, his warm hands wrapped around hers, their bodies closer than ever. She found him way handsome than the way she had met him making it easier to fall for him.
"I love you," he said breaking the silence.
Wait, what?! She thought startlingly.
She opened her mouth to speak... No, don't say it, don't you DARE say it!!!! She thought knowing where this was going to end.
"I love you, too," She said leaning closer and kissing him.
I could have face-palmed my forehead right now! She thought.
But this wasn't a normal kiss. It went deeper and deeper like she was about to consume him. When his eyes were closed, lost in the kiss, she opened hers. Her eyes were black, the color of her skin darkening. Then, out of nowhere, not even knowing what she was doing she pulled out a dagger and she managed to stab it in his gut. He wrapped her hand just in time pulling away from the kiss.
He wrapped her wrist tightly but there was no anger in his eyes as he looked at her even if she tried to kill him a second ago. "Iris, you can no longer let him control you like that," he said softly.
What is he talking about?! What the hell is going on?!
Her dark eyes glared back at him in hatred but eventually, their purple color was back and the color of her skin returned as well. She let the dagger fall on the sand of the shore and she started crying. She collapsed on her knees burying her face in her hands.
"You are not safe with me!" she exclaimed between sobs.
He knelt beside her as well and he took her in his arms. He passed his hands around her waist and he let her cry on his shoulder. "I can't live without you either," he whispered in her ear. His hot breath tickling her neck, she liked it... she really, really like it but she knew she had to pull back.
She immediately pulled away from his hands, concerned for his safety of not being able to control herself. She could hear that voice in her mind again, ordering her to kill him, over and over. She placed her hands on her head trying to make it stop...
Kill him, that's what you wanted.
His ancestors are responsible for your people's death.
Do you think that you can be together?
They wouldn't allow an Air Nomad peasant hung around with the Fire Lord.
Do it, Iris!
DO IT, NOW!
"SHUT UP!"
She jumped from her sleeping bag breathing heavily. It was just a nightmare, just a nightmare... everything will be alright... She tried to convince herself, trying to calm down. Although Aang no longer had nightmares since the storm, she just couldn't stop them from coming. And raising high leveled fever wasn't helping either.
She felt someone's hand approaching hers. She turned immediately around and she calmed down when she realized that it was just Katara.
"Relax, it's just me," Katara said.
"I'm sorry," Iris said between deep breaths and she laid back in her sleeping bag resting her head in it and trying to push the remaining of the nightmare away.
"It's okay," Katara said kindly and she smiled "Can't let these nightmares go, can you?" She asked worriedly.
"Did I wake you?" Iris asked turning and looking at her.
"No, I was already awake," Katara answered. Only then Iris noticed a crown on Katara's head.
"I think I'm not still hallucinating, but you have a crown on your head...?" Iris tried to ask when the both girls looked at Momo coming flying carrying a fan at his feet.
"No, water, wa-ter!" Katara said at Momo. "Oh, forget it," she said giving up. "Aang, what in the world is taking you so long!?" Katara asked frustrated.
"Who is this Aang-kid you're talking about, your highness?" Sokka asked from behind making Katara's eye twitch in frustration.
"Where is Aang?" Iris asked ignoring him.
"He went to an Herbalist Institute on the other mountain, he should be back by now," Katara said worriedly.
"You let him go alone! Why didn't you wake me?" Iris asked worryingly.
"You were burning, Iris, you thought you were a fire bender, for goodness's sake, you were in no condition to travel!" Katara said. Iris hit her head behind and she shut her eyes. Katara was right and she knew that, but her brother's safety was way more important than her health.
"You're right, but Aang's safety is much important than my health," She said.
"Don't say that, you're important too, you're the Defender," Katara said.
"That's why I need to protect him," Iris said.
A small moment of silence passed. Katara had noticed how carrying Iris acted for Aang and how close both siblings were. And she smiled thinking of that. She might have been fighting with Sokka most of the time, but she loved him as much as a sister can.
"So, you lived in the Western Air Temple and Aang lived in the Southern, how come?" Katara asked.
Iris sighed. She could never forget that. "It's kind of a long story," she said and looked at Katara "Aang probably won't remember that, he was only five when it happened. The Monks had recently found out that Aang is the Avatar and they had started training him since he was five. I was eight and Monk Gyatso trained us together in the Southern Air Temple. Aang and I played a lot, I protected my brother from the other kids and I was there when he needed me..." she chuckled at the memory and smiled widely. She remembered keeping him in her arms as a baby; she could never forget that image. "...I was only six when I held him in my arms as a baby," she said smiling.
Katara and Iris laughed together at the comment. Katara could only wish she could have seen that.
"...anyway, the Monks considered me as a distraction. Like I was keeping him from his Avatar training and they wanted him to concentrate on that. So, they decided to send me away to the Western Air Temple. Monk Gyatso was the only one who tried to change their minds but... their decision was final," Iris said sadly.
"This is awful, Iris," Katara said.
"I was so angry with them. I would only be able to see Aang once in a while. They drifted me away from everyone I loved. Luckily there was Monk Chengyu in the Western Air Temple, he was just as good as Gyatso and he helped me get along. And when I met Gershwin, things changed," She said shrugging and smiling.
"You miss him, don't you?" Katara asked sadly.
"Yeah, he..." She tried to say and she took another deep breath "...he changed my life. After days of crying he... made smile. I... I loved him,"
Katara placed her arm on hers and she said "I know it's difficult to forget people you love. I passed through the same thing when they killed my mom. I don't know how it feels to be imprisoned and tortured by these monsters but... I'm sorry about everything that happened," She said and she gave her a consoling smile.
"Thank you, Katara," Iris said returning the smile.
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"Suck on these, it'll make you feel better," Aang said placing the frozen-wood frogs in his friends mouths.
"Aang, did you make any new friends?" Sokka asked.
"No, I don't think I did..."
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Here it is! Thank you guys for reading!
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