Book Four: Air

Sokka grinned at Toph, "That's good. And you're an earthbender, so I just have to follow the rumbling earth to find you."

"Exactly," said Toph. "And that shouldn't be too hard for you, oh wondrous tracker. I am the greatest earthbender in the world."

She hesitated, not knowing what to say next. Part of her just wanted to forget about it. At the same time, however, Toph knew there was no forgetting about it. It had happened.

"Look, I'm sorry you had to find out. About me..." she said.

Sokka looked over at Toph, completely serious now. He spoke, "It's fine. I'm sorry I didn't notice or if I've hurt you in any way. I'm just not sure of my feelings about you, or Suki for that matter. All I know is that you're my best friend."

IC: Azon

Azon shook his head.

"This is difficult to explain; perhaps if I went about it differently. The Sky Lily, The Moon Flower, The Blood Lily, and the Earth Flower are all different types of flowers. Each with it's own unique petals. Say, for instance Lady Katara, you favor the Moon Flower; Toph favors the Earth Flower; Avatar Aang favors the Sky Lily, and Sokka favors the Blood Lily."

He looked back from Appa to Katara's back.

"Each of you collects your favorite flower and ignore all the others; because each of you favors the way the petals on yours look. I, however, collect all of the flowers. But first I strip them of their petals so that nothing is left but their cores. Because they now are the same, I can collect them all without worry, but I loose the beauty of their petals..."

He looked up at Katara with a tilted head.

"Forgive me, I believe I may have only confused you further..."

"That's good to hear," said Toph. She fiddled with a stray thread on her trousers. "I almost thought you'd..." She trailed off, but it was obvious what she had been about to say.

I almost though you'd not want anything to do with me.

"Let's keep it that way."

Katara

"No, I think I get it. You can bend energy like any bender can, but the elements are like the petals, you've lost the ability to call on them when calling upon energy," Katara said. She finished up healing Appa, who looked better now that she had gotten to all the area. "How's that feel boy?"

IC: Alric

IC: Azon

Azon smiled.

"I do not think your eyes will have any trouble opening, Lady Katara," he whispered.

He stood and placed a hand on Appa's fur.

"You look better Appa."

Appa gave a roar and Azon smiled.

"He really seems to like you, Lady Katara. He trusts you as much as he does Avatar Aang. The same for Sokka, and Toph. I'm glad; the unity between man and beast has lessened through the centuries..."

Katara

"We've just been through so much together, we just formed a bond somehow," Katara said. "I know what you mean, I've seen some cruel things done to animals on our journey. How insensitve do you have to be to hurt something just because you think they're worth less than you are?"

IC: Azon

Azon was silent for several moments, staring motionless at Appa's fur. He seemed lost in thought before he suddenly turned to look over at Katara.

"I can see why the Avatar holds you so dearly to his heart, Lady Katara. It is people like you, people like Toph, that give me hope..."

Katara

Katara blushed, and smiled. "Thanks. I just support what I think is right," she said simply. "I don't know anything about you though, other than you can bend energy. Would you mind telling me about yourself?"

IC: Azon

Azon scratched Appa's fur and nodded.

"I am Azon, Lady Katara. I'd say I'm about eighteen years. I was born in a small Earth Kingdom village on the western coast. I have no family, and I've spent my years wandering..."

He turned his blindfolded eyes back to Appa.

"I've been given the title "The Sage", but only because people do not know what my abilities are. In a world where the four elements are bent, the usage of energy is unheard of. In fact, only two people have ever shown this ability since the time of the Ancients...the time before the Avatar..."

He turned to smile at Katara.

"Myself, and Avatar Aang."

Sokka looked at Toph seriously, "Toph, I don't know what I'd do without you. I wouldn't just abandon you just because you like me like that. It's not your fault I'm irresistible!"

Katara

"Well, Azon, you seem a lot older than eighteen," Katara responded. "How did you learn to bend energy, if no one has done it in centuries?" Aang learned from a Lion Turtle, but how likely was it that Azon learned from the same Lion Turtle that remained hidden for so long?

IC: Azon

"No one has done it in almost a hundred-thousand years actually," corrected Azon, smiling at Katara.

"I've always known how; just as you have always known you've have the ability to Waterbend. You yourself seem alot older than you are, Lady Katara. You're what; fifteen? You have the maturity and wisdom of far triple that age. And yet you are still beautiful beyond compare..."

Katara

"You're too kind," Katara said. "I'm nowhere near as wonderful as you make me sound. How did you learn to bend the energy, though? My master showed me how to Waterbend even though I knew I could before, but how did you learn to manipulate energy? Or did you always know how?"

IC: Azon

He smiled and looked off towards the clearing.

"Yes...you could say that."

He looked back at Katara with a grin.

"Don't underestimate who you are, Lady Katara. Toph does the same thing. If it wasn't for you, Avatar Aang would have not mastered Waterbending...and more importantly, he would no longer be in this world."

He bowed his head in respect.

"It is you who keeps him going, Lady Katara. Avatar Aang might give hope to the world, but it is you that gives him hope. Even I have troubling seeing what the world might be like right now, if it wasn't for you. I thank you, Lady Katara."

Appa roared and Azon turned to pat his fur.

"And you too, of course Appa."

Katara

"Well, if you put it like that," Katara said. "But even if I was a major influence, it's Aang that really deserves the credit. Toph, Sokka, Zuko, Suki and I helped along the way, but it was because of Aang that everything turned out this way." Azon was making it sound like she fought the Fire Lord and brought balance to the world, and while she certainly did help out a lot with Aang, she didn't undervalue anyone else's part in it.

Toph groaned. "Keep telling yourself that, Snoozles," she said. "Maybe the rest of us will believe it one day."

And then she was suddenly hugging him tight. When she pulled away, Toph sighed and smiled lightly.

"Don't doubt your feelings for Suki. I know you really like her, Sokka. And she likes you. I don't want to ruin that for you, okay? As long as you're happy, I'm good."

"Technically I did, if I hadn't freed Katara, or any of you for that matter, Toph would still be in those mercenaries clutches, and you would most likely have ended up fish food." Jerrel said to Sokka as he grabbed the other four fish. "And everybody gets one fish, except the big guy, figured he'd have to eat two." He said he turned to Samanya. "Here, food, eat." Then he headed over to where Katara and Azon where chatted next to Appa. "I've brought you two some fish, please enjoy." Jerrel said setting the fish down next to Katara. Jerrel turned and walked away, he climbed a tree and sat at the very top. He pulled out a strange nutritious bar and eating it.

IC: Azon

"Oh I do not doubt Avatar Aang," replied Azon.

"People see no difference in the Avatar, and the person carrying the title. But just because someone bends the four elements, does not mean they are bound to the will of the Avatar. It is the individual nature of the person that makes the Avatar who he or she is. I believe that has become less known with each incarnation. But Aang denied the will of the Avatar; and stayed true to what he believed. That takes strength beyond any I've ever seen...and it is what first drew me."

He took the fish from Jerrel and an obvious grimace came over his face.

"Thank you..."

When Jerrel had left, he turned to look at Katara.

"I...don't eat meat..."

Katara

"I suppose you're right," Katara said softly, thinking on his words. She thanked Jerrel for the fish, and smiled when Azon said he didn't eat meat, and said, "I don't think Sokka would appreciate hearing that. Maybe some of the trees around here have some fruit growing on them."

IC: Azon

"Oh...I'll manage," replied Azon, taking a cross legged seat next to Katara and Appa.

He set the fish aside and sighed.

"I'll just give it to Sokka or the large one. Oh well..."

He lifting his blindfolded eyes up towards the sky.

"If Appa is ready, we should get the others soon. When we arrive back, we should send word to Avatar Aang and Lady Suki to reassure them everyone is well...for the most part."

Sokka smiled softly at Toph, ignoring Jerrel as he hugged her back. He told her, "Thanks. I want you to be happy too. To tell the truth, I don't know who I really like at the moment."

OOC: Sigh...I'm terriable, I know. I can't remember to sign out...My bad. - Plague

IC: Samanya

Keep eye on him. The titan looked to the hugging pair of Sokka and Toph, a massive smile spreading across his face at the sight.

"Samanya make happy!" Wrapping his trunk-like arms around the two, he hoisted them into the air in a bone-crushing hug. He was like a child trapped in the body of a giant, and it really didn't seem to click with him how strong he was.

Aang

Aang looked up at Suki with a grateful smile after listening to her. He felt a bit more confident now, or, at least he no longer felt alone on this trip. "Yeah, yeah you're right." He agreed with her as they continued to walk into the city.

"We'll do this together, we'll figure out how to appease the Colonists while making sure that balance isn't disturbed."