Rainbow's Gift (Avatar The Last Airbender Fanfic)

64. Before The Battle

"You've got to be kidding me." Toph said as Sokka and I told her our plan to help Aang.

"No, we're pretty serious." I told her as I glared at her.

"But I already helped him the best I could." She argued.

"Yeah you did. By injuring his back." I spat back.

"It's not my fault that he has baby skin." Toph said. I was about to say something mean but Sokka came in between us and pushed us back. I didn't even realize how close I was to her.

"Guys stop. Aang is our friend and he has to fight the Firelord tomorrow. He hasn't slept in days and if he doesn't we're going to lose tomorrow." He said. I nodded and then we both looked at her. She sighed frustatedly.

"Okay, let's go help Twinkle Toes." She said as we walked where we left Katara. For the past four days, Aang had been acting weird. It was probably because of all the stress and pressure he was in. He was a twelve year old boy who had to save the world. We all depended on him to win. I knew it was dangerous thinking but I had started to wonder what I would do if we did win. Who would become the new Firelord? What would I do? My whole life had been about the war even before I met Aang. It was all I heard from my father and brother. My father would announce proudly to us on how fast the Fire Nation was taking over the Earth Kingdom. He had told us that he would be the one leading the army to take over Ba Sing Se. I thought he would. Sadly, to say I was glad he died in the North Pole for what he did to the Moon spirit.

"You're thinking about it, aren't you?" Sokka asked. I looked at him. I hadn't realized that we were surrounded by the sheep.

I nodded. "All our lives have been about the war. What are we going to do afterwards?" I asked. Even Sokka looked like he didn't know the answer.

"I'm trying not to think about. I don't want to put too much hope in tomorrow otherwise I might just get disappointed." Sokka said as he passed me some shears that I didn't know we had. He was right. We might die tomorrow. I didn't tell him that even though I knew that was everyone was thinking about. I smiled. I didn't fear death. My mother had told me that the fire sages had prophesized that I would live a long life. I didn't believe them though. Especially after Rashan died.

"Okay guys we have to do this as quickly as possible. It's almost nightfall and Aang needs to sleep." Katara ordered.

"Of course sugar queen."Toph said jokingly but that really made Katara mad. Sokka and I laughed as watched them argue. The sheep did not look happy that they were losing their coat. We continued to shear as we talked lightly of happy stories. By the time it was nightfall, we were done. Toph pulled out a rock out of the earth in the shape of a bed. We tried to put as much as the wool as we could. Katara made some clouds making it look foggy. We waited for Aang to come back as he always did to try to sleeping. He looked horrible. His brown hair was shaggy, he had prominent dark circles around his eyes. He had blood on his hands, I'm guessing from punching a tree. He looked at the bed we made him. We watched as he checked it feeling how soft it was.

"Oh, look, another hallucination. An imaginary bed made out of clouds." He said as he placed his head on it. I sighed. He really was out of it. It was sad because I had never seen him like this. He was always the one who was always strong. I always questioned myself how he did it. I looked up to him to keep my calm. He was kind, wise, headstrong and tried to do things as less violently as possible. I hated to see him hurting.

"Hey, it's real!" Toph exclaimed. She was complaining a few minutes ago on how her hands hurt. "We spent hours working on it."

"We made it for you. A good night's sleep will probably take the crazy away." Sokka said as we looked at him. "We hope."