Tophang/Taang Stone Mansion V

[taiyo *on limited hiatus*]

^ Woah. That's freaky but amazing.

I need to visit the Sokkla thread. >> *closet shipper* XD and catch the tiny bit of Taang

[mike1921]

Hey taiyo, And marvel....you scare me. and I know momo doesn't want his fur used that way. He'll go find the herbs.

I'm going to make an donkey out of myself and ASSUME that in the Earth Kingdom marriage is sacred and there is no polygamy.

LOL, Earth King, 72 wives. but he's royalty, and he was seperate from rest of EK so I guess he's an exception.

[K9Thefirst1]

Marvel? That Sokkla thing(page 96 of the Sokkla thread) was hilarious. Poor Sokka though.

Also, what's a 'Shipper-Bash'? Is it some sort of RP thing?

[taiyo *on limited hiatus*]

Mike: MIKE!!! :glomps: That reminds me..*goes to email account*

^Exactly. Also having fun with your ship.

[kaibasgirl]

Omg, Mike you're back! You haven't been here in forever! I thought this thread was missing something!

We should have a Taang shipbash! We could go as one of the Earth King's 72 wives! =D

[marvel26]

More movie score derived garbage.

This was from listening to 'The All Spark' from Transformers.

Not really Taang. More of a starting point for them.
------------------------------------------------------------------

"See? This is how binoculars work."

"I'm blind Teo."

"Oooh Ah. Sorry."

"Whatever."

Toph sighed. The inventor's son was just trying to be friendly. Someone had to. Ever since the failed invasion, the group's morale had plummeted. Most obvious were Aang and Sokka.

Oh Sokka.

What a mistake that was....

---------------------------------------------------------------

"Suki....I'm so sorry..."

"Snoozles?"

Ceruelan eyes flooded with tears turned in her direction,

"Not...Not now Toph. I'd like to be alone for w...while."

His vibrations were so erratic.

So much...hurt.

"Snoozles? It's going to be alright."

A fierce bark pushed its way past chokes and coughs,

"I said go away Toph."

'How to reach him? How to reach him? He still loves Suki.'

'I have to try.'

"Snoozles. It isn't the end of the world." Her tone a tad cheerier than usual.

'Sugar Queen does this all the time with Twinkles. It has to work.'

If the little Earth Bender was expecting the manner that Aang would usually react to Katara's consoling....she was wrong.

"What the Hell do you know?!"

"Wha?"

His self loathing couple with his ice cold hate for all residing in the Fire Isle rising to fever pitch, Sokka was about to lose it.

"SUKI. WAS. THERE! SOMEWHERE! And I couldn't save her!"

"Azula was lying! She had to be!"

Snarling the young man turned on his heel. Blue eyes trying to drill their way into her own frosted mint ones,

"How the hell would you know? You couldn't tell."

Each word a snake's hiss.

Dripping with venom and vitriol.

"The one time your abilities were really needed and you couldn't do it. You..."

Shocked and completely stunned, Toph reacted instinctively,

"WHAT?!"

Undaunted Sokka continued, his voice cracking, falling apart. Like his mind.

"That witch had her! You could have made her tell us! You could have...I...I could have made her. I could have made her tell me where Suki was. I could have..."

Taking a tentative step forwards, all the while scanning the vibrations of the young man before her.

"Sokka..."

"I could have saved her...We could have beaten the Fire Lord...I could have just ignored Azula...I could have..."

"Sokka...I..."

A wail came unhindered from the warrior's grief wracked chest as he stared right up into the moon,

"Why?! Why Yue?! Why is this happening to me?! Are you angry with me for being with her?!"

"Maybe she's trying to tell you to move on?"

Sokka didn't respond to her timid tone. Taking that as a sign, Toph continued, clearing the space between them in a few steps, she placed her hand on his.

Still no response.

"Maybe she's....trying to tell you that not all is lost. That you still have someone."

Then it came.

"Get your hand off of me."

'This isn't how it's...'

"NOW."

Dropping the hand as if the very contact was caustic.

"Sokka...I..."

"Who the hell do you think you are? My love might be dead and here you are trying to...I...I just can't say it."

"Why not?!" She yelled, her brash abrasive demeanor returning, "Why the hell not?! I like you Sokka! Why don't you give me a chance?!"

It was his turn to be caught unprepared. She liked him? When did that happen? HOW did it happen? Still it didn't absolve her,

"Why?! Because it never occured to me! Because I was in love with Suki! Because I AM STILL IN LOVE WITH SUKI!"

"Isn't there anything for me?"

His answer was firm. She could sense it in his stance. His conviction.

"No. Not anything more than sister."

'No.'

She didn't believe that, she wouldn't accept that. That part of her, that spoiled rich child in her did not accept that.

"No. You're lying."

He wasn't.

"You're lying. I can make you like me."

Sokka turned away, "No. You can't. Love just happens."

"Then why not us?!"

"Because it just didn't! Now drop it!"

"Why?! Because I'm not old enough? Because I don't have a good figure?! BECAUSE I'M BLIND?!"

'Gods, just make her leave.'

"Yes."

"No."

With that, she grabbed the back of his head and pulled him down into a forceful kiss.

Passion.

Love.

Lust.

None of it was there from his end.

None.

It barely lasted a moment before she felt strong arms grab hers and push her away,

"No Toph! I just don't like you that way! Don't ever do that again!"

She couldn't say anything. Words caught in her throat. She bared her feelings to him. And he said no.

He said no.

Not a word was said. Sokka turned back to his grief and love for Suki. Toph just left as silently as she came.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

Western winds began to pick up as a slim figure landed on his perch. Feeling the faint vibrations of her star pupil Toph wrapped her arms tighter across her chest, trying to keep the chill out.

"Star pupil. Heh. My ONLY pupil." She choked out. Trying her damndest not to cry infront of so many people.

Unknown to her that her pupil had his own baggage.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

"Aang...we need to talk."

"....Sure Katara..."

Ocean blue eyes, so loving, so forgiving.

"Aang...about the invasion..."

The Avatar sighed and look at his love,

"I'm sorry Katara. It was trap. It was Azula." His lips thinned ina grim line, "It's always Azula."

"Oh Aang. I know...Sokka told me." her eyes divertd to the ground as she thought of her grief stricken brother and his love.

"But this isn't what I wanted to talk about."

"And now I have to master Fire Bending and the Avatar...what?"

Taking his hand, she led him deeper into the temple, away from prying eyes and open ears.

Quizically, Aang titled his head, "Katara?"

The water bender took a deep breath and shut her eyes.

"Katara." Aang's voice wavered as she took his hands in hers,

"Aang?"

"Yes?"

What was she doing? Not that he minded the close contact with her.

"Aang. Are you in love with me?"

Joy brust like fireworks in his chest. She reciprocated!

"YES! Oh yes! I am! I love you Katara! Oh you have no idea how long...."

Wait....why...why is she crying?

"Katara? Are you...?"

Wiping the small tears away, she moved her hands to his shoulders,

"Oh Aang."

"Yes?" 'This isn't how I pictured it....'

"I'm sorry."

"Wha?"

His confused expression only made her words hurt more coming out,

"I'm sorry Aang. I love you..."

Confusion quickly turned back into joy,

"Great!"

"But not that way."

'No.'

"When you kissed me...it was so sudden...and..."

'No.'

"I knew...I knew then...I'm sorry Aang."

"NO!"

Surprised at his outburst, Katara dropped her hands from his shoulders. Outside Teo, Haru and the rest felt a wail of wind echo through the dead temple halls.

So much hurt.

"No." He repeated, softer now, "No. You're kidding right? You're trying to make me feel better about the invasion by joking with me, right? Right?!"

'Oh Yue...please help me make him understand.'

"I'm sorry Aang. I...I don't think of you that way. Please understand."

"Understand what? You were so nice to me. You cared for me. You loved me!"

The temple floor began to rumble. Loose tiles and aging mortar began to shake.

"Yes, but not that way! Aang, I love you...like a brother."

"No. The cave of two lovers. All your kind words. We were together all this time. We cared for each other. You saved me from the ice berg. You saved me from Azula's lightning. How can you say you don't love me?!"

"NOT LIKE THAT!"

Aang looked away at her outburst. "Then why did you care? Why didn't you leave me in the ice?"

"I care because...because that's who I am. I will never turn my back on those who need me. And you needed me."

Aang spat, "For what?"

"To help you save the world! To defeat the Fire Lord! Isn't that what we've been doing for the past YEAR?"

"So I'm just a weapon to you."

"No! No! Oh Aang don't make things difficult."

The child in him reared his head,

"Maybe I am."

And the mother in her did the same,

"Don't talk like that."

"Why not? You don't love me. Why should I care? Why don't I just let the Fire Lord win?" he sneered.

She did the unthinkable then.

She slapped him.

It was quick and hard.

His mind barely registred the pain until a moment later when she was in the middle of her yelling,

"...My mother! The war took my mother! And now my father as well!"

Regaining his vocal skills Aang whirled on her,

"I LOST MY WORLD!"

She stopped. Studying him. His wild eyes, so close to glowing,

"I lost my people. I lost my friends. I lost everything. I don't even belong in this time. Don't you ever think your sad story is the be all and end all of all tragedies. And now I've lost you."

She tried to reach for him, the mother in her wanting to sooth her child,

"Aang..."

"Don't touch me."

"Aang...please..."

"Don't."

In seconds he reached the edge of the temple balcony. Deploying his glider, Aang took off. He didn't care where.

He just needed to fly.

'Running away?'

"No."

'You are.'

"I am not."

'Yes. Just like last time. Well I'm sure the world can wait for you another hundred years.'

"Get out of my head Face-Stealer. I will beat Ozai. Then I'm done."

'Will you now?'

"Go to Hell Koh."

'Silly boy. I AM Hell.'

Aang had no reply to that.

--------------------------------------------------------------

An hour's flight and an hour's worth of self questioning. Aang decided to head back.

Landing gracefully on one of the towers, he looked down at his companions.

Friends. He reminded himself.

"Friends."

To his left were Teo and Haru. The young inventor trying to explain to the Earth Bender how binoculars worked. The Duke sleeping soundly just next to them.

"My world is gone."

He spotted Sokka sitting on the edge of a cliff, his black sword stabbed into the ground. The warrior was almost stone still with the exception of a sob shaking his shoulders ever once in a while.

"Everything's gone."

Katara was looking up at him. Worry gracing her features. Aang simply looked back. She gave up first, turning away towards her brother.

"What do I have left?"

Through the masonry and mortar, he felt fain vibrations.

Toph.

Huddled next to Appa, the little Earth Bender was crying.

He watched her take off her meteor arm band and fling it down the mountain.

"Water Tribes." he almost spat. First Katara, now Sokka.

Clicking his glider into place, he swept down towards her.

'Looks like she could use a friend. We both do.'

---------------------------------------------------

"Toph."

She heard him, in fact she felt him coming a literal mile away. Wiping her tears away, the Blind Bandit persona rose to the surface,

"What? Whaddya want Twinkle Toes?"

Aang smiled, "Nothing. Just thought you'd like some company."

She hesitated. Why was he doing this? Then she felt it, the same grief she was experiencing. His usually fleet feet were heavier.

More pained.

"Usually you'd be playing with the Duke and Momo."

"Yeah well, the kid's past his bed time and the flying monkey's missing."

"Oh." He ruffled Appa's fur, "Hey big guy." A low rumble was the bison's tired reply.

"You sleep buddy. You've earned it."

Settling himself beside his Earth Bending master, Aang leaned against Appa.

"Who said you could sit there?"

Despite the earlier incident, Aang felt himself smling at her indignant tone.

"This is the Western Air Temple. An Air Nomad temple. It's my temple and this is my Sky Bison."

"Fine," She huffed getting up to leave.

Only to be halted by a firm hand on hers,

"No. Please."

She turned, fixing her sightless eyes on his grey ones.

"All you'll get are a bunch of children sleeping, a technical nerd and a pretty boy to annoy."

Toph knew he was leaving out the Water siblings on purpose.

"I'm here. You can annoy me."

Simple words.

Toph knew what they meant.

'I'm here for you.'

"Then prepare to be annoyed Twinkles."

'I'm here for you too.'
-----------------------------------------------------

Haru blinked through the binoculars. He rubbed his eyes and looked through them again.

"Umm...Teo?"

He passed the crude contraption over to his new friend. The inventor blinked.

Paused.

A single war balloon.

Then he turned to the rest,

"Uhhh...Guys?! We've got company!"


End.

[kaibasgirl]

Ooooh, marvel, if you don't get a fanfiction account I'm going to make one for you! That was AMAZING! It was so heart-felt! The pain, the angst, the faint glimmer of hope, it was just...wow.

"Go to Hell Koh."

'Silly boy. I AM Hell.'

That was incredibly sharp. I had the same reaction as Aang's, I was just speechless when reading that.

You're going to write more to this, right? You're not just going to leave it at that...please write more!!

-karmas...again- XD

[marvel26]

^ Magic Eight Ball says....No.

The more I look at it the more it seems crappy, cliche and very minimalistic. Riddled with typos, but that's what you get trying to put down what flies through your head instead of planning it out on paper first.

The above was a sort of reaction to some 'Supposed' spoilers for The Western Air Temple with Toph taking the next step in her attraction to Sokka.

I was not amused.

Hence the above.

Which is also why I left it with Teo and Haru spotting Zuko's approach. This is basically what I'd like to see in the episode, but as we all know, what we want is irrelevant.

[mike1921]

Omg, Mike you're back! You haven't been here in forever! I thought this thread was missing something!

Aww. thanks, I was busy banging up my chin and getting stitches, and I got something else to keep me away for that week.

[lunauc]

Karma Marvel. It was a nice lil ficlette, your self-depreciation aside.

It is a bit more dramatic and angsty than I think Nick may go for, but something along those lines is about the only chance we have for Taang(or at least not Kataang and Tokka) now. The Sokka Suki thing is a no-brainer. The harder one to figure on is Kataang's dissolution. It does occur to me that it is a bit strange that the "big kiss" between Katara and Aang came in midway through the last season, rather than at the end. If they're going to be romantically involved from here on out the story loses much of its suspence over the matter. Of course, the writers might not care to much about shipper suspence(and for some of us, pertaining to Kataang, it's more like dread, ), so it doesn't really matter if they resolve Kataang now and carry on with fluffiness straight to the end, peppered with dramatic" I'll save you, my Love!" moments. Alternatively though, if they had the want to pull it off, they could revisit the final chakra, and see how Aang feels about saving a world when he isn't going to get the girl for his troubles. It delivers a more mature and profound meaning, in my opinion than the simplistic "good people get rewarded" story telling. It would be more of a "good people do the right thing because it is the right thing" story, which we just don't see enough of. Considering the whole final chakra "letting go" thing, while I don't think Aang would be hindered further by it, since in his mind the Avatar State seems to be sealed anyway, so why bother? Katara, on the other hand, might have another opinion, especially if Aang starts going into jealous bursts if she has innocent "moments" with Haru or Zuko. She might see herself as a distraction, or,as with your story, just not feel "that way" about him. Either way, if Kataang will dissolve, it will likely have to be from Katara's less clouded point of view. Unless Aang suddenly has an emotional growth spurt.

[mike1921]

but something along those lines is about the only chance we have for Taang

Yea, we're kinda screwed. The only way things could get worse is if Aang and Katara got married, had 20 kids, Toph died, and Aang got eternal life.

It does occur to me that it is a bit strange that the "big kiss" between Katara and Aang came in midway through the last season, rather than at the end. If they're going to be romantically involved from here on out the story loses much of its suspence over the matter. Of course, the writers might not care to much about shipper suspence

Well, if they waited another 5 eppisodes I would've probably killed myself due to the tourcher of waiting.

[marvel26]

Thanks for the karma all.

Let’s try this fic writing thing again.

This time with actual planning.

The song used here is titled ‘Mad World’. Original by Tears of Fears. Cover by Michael Andrews and Gary Jules.

-----------------------------------------------------------------
She smiled.

Past the fear.

Past the horror.

She smiled for her friends.

She smiled for her family.

She smiled for me.

---------------------------------------------------------------------
All around me are familiar faces
Worn out places, worn out faces

What was the point?

Why keep going?

Why bother?

You didn’t know.

So you asked.

“You must end this war Aang! Too many people have died! Too many…too many….too many…We’ve all…I’ve lost to this war. It has to end. You have to end it.”

Sokka.

Still pained over Suki.

Such devotion.

Such drivel.

The world is bigger than him and his cheap notions of love.

Two lost loves, he hasn’t even begun to feel loss.

“Because it’s your job! It’s your duty! You must defeat my father to end this madness. End it Avatar. Do it for the world if not for your honor!”

Zuko.

The noble hero.

The redeemed villian

The banished prince.

The traitor.

The traitor.

What would a traitor to his own nation, his own family, know of duty?

Of honor?

“You have the end this war. Please Aang. Please.”

Katara.

Mistress of the Water.

The Maiden of the South Seas.

A whimpering child.

Still clinging on to false dreams of happier days.

Still clinging to the foolish idea called hope.

Bright and early for their daily races
Going nowhere, going nowhere

You are their hope.

You are their salvation.

You are the one to reunite lost lovers,

Redeem a poisoned blood line,

Save the world.

And what have they given you in return?

Burden.

“The world’s counting on us Aang. World’s counting on you.”

Guilt.

“My family name must be redeemed, Avatar. Joining you is the best way to clear up past mistakes. My great-grand father’s mistakes.”

Roku’s mistakes.

Your mistakes.

And they’ve given you pain.

“I just don’t…I’m sorry Aang. I’m so sorry.”

I’m sure she is.

Their tears are filling up their glasses
No expression, no expression

Now you know.

Now you understand.

Now you see.

Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow
No tomorrow, no tomorrow

Rest Avatar.

Rest and it will all go away.

Just rest.

And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad

“You’re a sad pathetic little excuse for an Avatar aren’t you Twinkles?”

The dreams in which I'm dying
Are the best I've ever had

“And how can I be sure you won’t drop me?”

“It’s just gliding. And we’re using Teo’s chair. It’s big enough for both of us. You won’t have to hold on to me…if you don’t want to….”

“Think I’ll keep my hands around your neck. So that I can strangle you while we fall screaming to our horrifically bloody deaths.”

I find it hard to tell you
I find it hard to take
When people run in circles

“Mind not calling me Twinkles anymore? I think I’ve grown past that.”

“Do you still jump around during a fight?”

“Yes. I fail to see…”

“Do you still prance from time to time while walking?”

“I am an Air Bender, we glide. Not prance. Glide.”

“Do I still have trouble locating you on the ground?”

“You do?”

“Then you’re still Twinkles to me”

“As long as it’s you…”

“Hmmm? What was that?”

It's a very, very mad world mad world

The world deserves its fate.

Let it all go.

Let it all go.

Children waiting for the day they feel good
Happy Birthday, Happy Birthday

“Yo ho! Yo ho! A pirate’s life for me!”

“Something, something…and really bad eggs!”

“Aaargh! For the last time I do not look like a pirate!”

“Oh come on Haru. It’s a fun song.”

“Yeah, ‘Captain’. Live a little. We don’t have any rum but Snoozles’s got some Cactus Juice.”

“Aarrrgh!”

Made to feel the way that every child should
Sit and listen, sit and listen

“Fire bending’s all about the breath. Meditation is key.”

“So…Weenie Roast’s teaching you to sit still, fall asleep and drool on my shoulder?”

Went to school and I was very nervous
No one knew me, no one knew me

“Who am I exactly?”

“You’re the Avatar.”

“You’re our best friend Aang.”

“And we all love you.”

Hello teacher tell me what's my lesson
Look right through me, look right through me

“Okay, okay. Please. Stop with the ‘Let’s go so soft on Twinkles he turns into a pile of goop.’ Look here Twinkles. You are Twinkle Toes. You’re my student and since you’re the student of the World’s Best Earth bender, which makes you second best. You can’t stand up to a person to save your life. You’re too generous to a fault. You’re too into the ‘Let’s all be friend’s’ routine and you’re also a dumb goofy bald kid.”

“…..I…see.”

“But you’re a good dumb goofy bald kid.”

And I find it kinda funny
I find it kinda sad

Still going?

“Yes.”

Hmm…

The dreams in which I'm dying

Why?

Why prolong the pain?

Why?

Are the best I've ever had

“You’re my dumb goofy bald kid.”

I find it hard to tell you

“I…I made this for you.”

“It’s a rock.”

“Feel what’s on it.”

“…Twinkles…Aang…”

“I…just…I just couldn’t find the words to say…soooo….”

“Oh Aang….”

I find it hard to take

Oh this is amusing.

You really think this is going to help you?

It’s over Avatar.

You’ve lost.

When people run in circles

“Not yet. I will not lose. I will not surrender. I will not fail.”

You already have.

“I am a rock. I am the Earth. I will not be swayed. I will not be moved.”

My, you are persistent.

It's a very, very mad world ... world

“I’ve had the best teacher.”

Enlarge your world

Mad world

“Let her go Koh.”

End.

[lunauc]

Heh.. nice work. Very beat poetesque. I thought you said you didn't have a fountain of fic material to offer to qualify for an FF.net account, or was that someone else?

[K9Thefirst1]

Hmm...Interesting. *as Strong bad* You get a Karma!

*normal*I like how it ended too, you told us volumes about the situation with as few words as possible.

[LiveInThaskyE]

@lunuac: His inspiration comes from songs and Avatar. And if he would let me, I will post his stuff on fanficiton.net since he doesn't have one, or I could make him one. He deserves an account.