Post by Teяa253 on Nov 12, 2008 15:52:01 GMT 1
chapter 24, w00t!
this chapter deals with Malak's fate, and I believe the next chapter will switch to her brother's...
CHAPTER 24: SOMEWHERE YOU CAN'T FOLLOW
Malak came to her senses in a dark room. She was lying on her back in a spread-eagled position. At first she thought she was still in the hands of The Order, but she realized that she was still fully dressed, and so a wave of relief came upon her. She glanced around, but couldn’t see or hear anything distinct. She wasn’t going blind; it’s just that in this dark room there was nothing to see but the dim light.
There was water dripping from somewhere, but Malak couldn’t tell where. She tried to move her arms and legs, but couldn’t. She jerked at them, and felt that she was bound at the wrists and ankles to the table. She began to panic, obvious signs of worry in the grunts she made. She struggled in vain to try and get free. Suddenly, a cloaked figure appeared beside her, and beside this figure was a teenaged boy.
“What do you want with me,” Malak asked, not trying to hide the fact that she was frightened. “I don’t want to hurt anyone, just let me go, please?” she curled her fingers, but not only was there no water in the vicinity to bend, but there was nothing she could do about her bonds. The cloaked figure gently put her hands around Malak’s right hand. Malak knew it was a woman because once the woman had stepped into the light Malak noticed her face.
“I have no intention of letting you go, Malak,” the woman said gently
“w-why,” Malak stammered, her fear growing, “what are you going to do with me? What happened to my brother? Where am I? Who are you?”
She was panicking again and jerking at her bonds. Her clothing was padded, and covered everything but her head and her hands, so her wrists and ankles were not hurting from her jerking.
“Calm down, girl,” said the woman again, “if it makes you feel better, I am former Fire Lady Zeruda of The Avatar Guard Secret Service. We are in the western lair of The Avatar Guard Secret Service. If you know how to find it then chances are we will in fact kill you.”
“I don’t know how to find it,” Malak pleaded, “I just want to go home. What do you want with me?”
“We want your allegiance,” Zeruda replied, “for your brother has gone astray. Did you know that he actually believes it was Avatar Zakura that did this damage to you?”
She put her hand on Malak’s stomach and pressed and Malak cringed and yelled in pain. She had suffered considerable internal damage from being kicked around. There was also a cut on her forehead from where the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors had kicked her in the head, but that was only bleeding slightly, and not enough to get everywhere. For the most part, Malak was cleaned up by this time.
“He,” Malak exclaimed, “he thought Zakura did this?”
“Aye,” Zeruda replied, “he thought that Avatar Zakura, the woman who saved your life, was the one who attacked you.”
“She saved my life,” Malak exclaimed, “really?”
“Assuming her story is true; then aye,” Zeruda replied, “tells me what you remember before you blacked out.”
Zeruda was tactful. She had only tied the teen-aged girl up to make her more scared, and thus more inclined to give her the information she was after. She had no intention of harming Malak.
“I was getting kicked around by a bunch of warriors who seemed to find hurting me as really entertaining. Then that horrible Kyoshi woman kept kicking me just because I didn’t want to fall down.
“Do you know why The Order wanted you,” Zeruda asked,
“No,” Malak replied, “I really don’t.”
“They want powerful benders in their younger years because by logic, if they are that powerful at that early of an age, they can become incredible fighters when they finish growing up. You’re a prodigy, Malak, and yet there is still plenty to learn. The Four Benders were incredible prodigies, having mastered their respective elements at the age of 10.”
“10,” Malak exclaimed, “that’s... that’s incredible.”
“Aye,” Zeruda replied, “it was during my reign. But just because they had become ‘masters’ at their trade did not mean they stopped. They continued their vigorous training and still do to this day. In other words, Malak, what I am saying is, although you are a master, there will always be something for you to learn. You and your brother have great potential, which is why we also had our eyes on you.”
“So,” said Malak, slightly frustrated by this, “I’m just a tool in your big operation? Is that what it is?”
“Not at all,” Zeruda replied, “we only ‘require’ our allies to fight when they are in the condition to, when they desire to, or when they are the proper age to do so. It’s actually much more complicated than that, but to make a long story short, if you joined us, you would be sheltered—protected from becoming a tool of The Order. Your young age would exempt you from going to war if you so desired it. The Order, however, thinks differently. We are trying to protect those like you.”
“So why did you tie me up like this,” said Malak, again trying to break her bonds, and once again, failing to do so;
“I have my reasons,” Zeruda replied, not about to say ‘because it’s more likely to make you give me the information I want’; “but do not worry. If I do somehow harm you, I’m sure this boy here will be glad to save you.”
“Are you trying to “hook me up” with him?” Malak asked skeptically,
“Not at all,” the boy replied, “what Fire Lady Zeruda means is that she has no intention of harming you.”
“So, why am I still tied down,” Malak asked,
“Because” Zeruda replied, “we don’t want you panicking.”
Malak sighed. “Just let me go, please? I’m not going to go run off and join The Order.”
“Not a chance,” said Zeruda, chuckling, “but it’s not you we worry about, but rather, your brother. How united exactly are you two?”
“Where one of us goes, the other follows,” Malak replied, “I usually follow him though, because he usually looks out for me.”
“Your brother is joining The Order,” said Zeruda, “we heard it from his own mouth. Will you follow him?”
“He never said that,” said Malak, sounding worried, “did he?”
“Technically,” said Zeruda’s “he actually didn’t, but his grudge against the avatar does not make him look like he’s going to join The Avatar Guard, and usually when you learn just who these two sides are, you can’t really remain neutral.”
Malak said nothing. She seemed deep in thought, and yet also looked scared. She was clearly worried about Maric.
“My older twin brother,” she said, her eyes watering, “turning against the woman who saved me? H-how could he?”
“It is not for me to know,” Zeruda replied, “but now I understand your objectives. Would you like me to release you?”
“I... I want to stay here,” she said, but her meaning was misinterpreted.
“Alright then, Zeruda shrugged, “we’ll be back in a while to show you your room. You don’t have to stay like that, you know.”
Malak opened her mouth to say that she meant that aye, she did want to be untied, but no, she did not want to leave the base; however, she seemed to be able to think more clearly when she could do nothing else, and so was busy pondering what Zeruda and that boy had told her, and about Maric, and she wondered where he was.
“Maric,” she whispered, “why won’t you believe me when I say that the avatar is good? Don’t leave me like this.”
Unfortunately, she knew her brother too well, and knew that he was relentlessly stubborn. What would he say though when she told him that this was the one place where she could not and would not follow?
Malak continued lying there, and eventually, she got tired. Zeruda returned a while later and untied her. However, she seemed too weak to move. Zeruda checked to see if she was dying, and she wasn’t. She nudged Malak slightly until she stirred.
“You alright, kid?” she asked,
“Aye,” Malak replied, “I’m just tired is all. Can you show me my room?”
“Aye,” Zeruda replied, hoisting Malak so her head was on Zeruda’s shoulder; Malak yawned, “you’re clearly really tired. Get some sleep.”
Malak didn’t need to argue, or even say that she agreed. The fact that she didn’t move after Zeruda put her on the bed meant she was down and out. She didn’t even cover herself up, and she was still fully dressed.
Zeruda looked down at her and smiled. She moved some of Malak’s bushy hair aside and placed two fingers on her neck, feeling Malak’s chi flow.
“You’re a prodigy, no doubt,” she muttered to herself, “and it’s a pity your brother is against you now.”
She strode away, still retaining the graceful stride she had had during her reign as Fire Lady, before Xin Shing and his invasion had cut it short. The Secret Service Western Base (their current location) was a huge basement of a beach house in a secluded part of the island they were on, and this of course, was where they were. Malak and Maric were separated by a few miles.
“Sometimes, Malak” Zeruda muttered to herself, smirking, “There are going to be times where he’ll go Somewhere You Can’t Follow.”
~Azula~
this chapter deals with Malak's fate, and I believe the next chapter will switch to her brother's...
CHAPTER 24: SOMEWHERE YOU CAN'T FOLLOW
Malak came to her senses in a dark room. She was lying on her back in a spread-eagled position. At first she thought she was still in the hands of The Order, but she realized that she was still fully dressed, and so a wave of relief came upon her. She glanced around, but couldn’t see or hear anything distinct. She wasn’t going blind; it’s just that in this dark room there was nothing to see but the dim light.
There was water dripping from somewhere, but Malak couldn’t tell where. She tried to move her arms and legs, but couldn’t. She jerked at them, and felt that she was bound at the wrists and ankles to the table. She began to panic, obvious signs of worry in the grunts she made. She struggled in vain to try and get free. Suddenly, a cloaked figure appeared beside her, and beside this figure was a teenaged boy.
“What do you want with me,” Malak asked, not trying to hide the fact that she was frightened. “I don’t want to hurt anyone, just let me go, please?” she curled her fingers, but not only was there no water in the vicinity to bend, but there was nothing she could do about her bonds. The cloaked figure gently put her hands around Malak’s right hand. Malak knew it was a woman because once the woman had stepped into the light Malak noticed her face.
“I have no intention of letting you go, Malak,” the woman said gently
“w-why,” Malak stammered, her fear growing, “what are you going to do with me? What happened to my brother? Where am I? Who are you?”
She was panicking again and jerking at her bonds. Her clothing was padded, and covered everything but her head and her hands, so her wrists and ankles were not hurting from her jerking.
“Calm down, girl,” said the woman again, “if it makes you feel better, I am former Fire Lady Zeruda of The Avatar Guard Secret Service. We are in the western lair of The Avatar Guard Secret Service. If you know how to find it then chances are we will in fact kill you.”
“I don’t know how to find it,” Malak pleaded, “I just want to go home. What do you want with me?”
“We want your allegiance,” Zeruda replied, “for your brother has gone astray. Did you know that he actually believes it was Avatar Zakura that did this damage to you?”
She put her hand on Malak’s stomach and pressed and Malak cringed and yelled in pain. She had suffered considerable internal damage from being kicked around. There was also a cut on her forehead from where the leader of the Kyoshi Warriors had kicked her in the head, but that was only bleeding slightly, and not enough to get everywhere. For the most part, Malak was cleaned up by this time.
“He,” Malak exclaimed, “he thought Zakura did this?”
“Aye,” Zeruda replied, “he thought that Avatar Zakura, the woman who saved your life, was the one who attacked you.”
“She saved my life,” Malak exclaimed, “really?”
“Assuming her story is true; then aye,” Zeruda replied, “tells me what you remember before you blacked out.”
Zeruda was tactful. She had only tied the teen-aged girl up to make her more scared, and thus more inclined to give her the information she was after. She had no intention of harming Malak.
“I was getting kicked around by a bunch of warriors who seemed to find hurting me as really entertaining. Then that horrible Kyoshi woman kept kicking me just because I didn’t want to fall down.
“Do you know why The Order wanted you,” Zeruda asked,
“No,” Malak replied, “I really don’t.”
“They want powerful benders in their younger years because by logic, if they are that powerful at that early of an age, they can become incredible fighters when they finish growing up. You’re a prodigy, Malak, and yet there is still plenty to learn. The Four Benders were incredible prodigies, having mastered their respective elements at the age of 10.”
“10,” Malak exclaimed, “that’s... that’s incredible.”
“Aye,” Zeruda replied, “it was during my reign. But just because they had become ‘masters’ at their trade did not mean they stopped. They continued their vigorous training and still do to this day. In other words, Malak, what I am saying is, although you are a master, there will always be something for you to learn. You and your brother have great potential, which is why we also had our eyes on you.”
“So,” said Malak, slightly frustrated by this, “I’m just a tool in your big operation? Is that what it is?”
“Not at all,” Zeruda replied, “we only ‘require’ our allies to fight when they are in the condition to, when they desire to, or when they are the proper age to do so. It’s actually much more complicated than that, but to make a long story short, if you joined us, you would be sheltered—protected from becoming a tool of The Order. Your young age would exempt you from going to war if you so desired it. The Order, however, thinks differently. We are trying to protect those like you.”
“So why did you tie me up like this,” said Malak, again trying to break her bonds, and once again, failing to do so;
“I have my reasons,” Zeruda replied, not about to say ‘because it’s more likely to make you give me the information I want’; “but do not worry. If I do somehow harm you, I’m sure this boy here will be glad to save you.”
“Are you trying to “hook me up” with him?” Malak asked skeptically,
“Not at all,” the boy replied, “what Fire Lady Zeruda means is that she has no intention of harming you.”
“So, why am I still tied down,” Malak asked,
“Because” Zeruda replied, “we don’t want you panicking.”
Malak sighed. “Just let me go, please? I’m not going to go run off and join The Order.”
“Not a chance,” said Zeruda, chuckling, “but it’s not you we worry about, but rather, your brother. How united exactly are you two?”
“Where one of us goes, the other follows,” Malak replied, “I usually follow him though, because he usually looks out for me.”
“Your brother is joining The Order,” said Zeruda, “we heard it from his own mouth. Will you follow him?”
“He never said that,” said Malak, sounding worried, “did he?”
“Technically,” said Zeruda’s “he actually didn’t, but his grudge against the avatar does not make him look like he’s going to join The Avatar Guard, and usually when you learn just who these two sides are, you can’t really remain neutral.”
Malak said nothing. She seemed deep in thought, and yet also looked scared. She was clearly worried about Maric.
“My older twin brother,” she said, her eyes watering, “turning against the woman who saved me? H-how could he?”
“It is not for me to know,” Zeruda replied, “but now I understand your objectives. Would you like me to release you?”
“I... I want to stay here,” she said, but her meaning was misinterpreted.
“Alright then, Zeruda shrugged, “we’ll be back in a while to show you your room. You don’t have to stay like that, you know.”
Malak opened her mouth to say that she meant that aye, she did want to be untied, but no, she did not want to leave the base; however, she seemed to be able to think more clearly when she could do nothing else, and so was busy pondering what Zeruda and that boy had told her, and about Maric, and she wondered where he was.
“Maric,” she whispered, “why won’t you believe me when I say that the avatar is good? Don’t leave me like this.”
Unfortunately, she knew her brother too well, and knew that he was relentlessly stubborn. What would he say though when she told him that this was the one place where she could not and would not follow?
Malak continued lying there, and eventually, she got tired. Zeruda returned a while later and untied her. However, she seemed too weak to move. Zeruda checked to see if she was dying, and she wasn’t. She nudged Malak slightly until she stirred.
“You alright, kid?” she asked,
“Aye,” Malak replied, “I’m just tired is all. Can you show me my room?”
“Aye,” Zeruda replied, hoisting Malak so her head was on Zeruda’s shoulder; Malak yawned, “you’re clearly really tired. Get some sleep.”
Malak didn’t need to argue, or even say that she agreed. The fact that she didn’t move after Zeruda put her on the bed meant she was down and out. She didn’t even cover herself up, and she was still fully dressed.
Zeruda looked down at her and smiled. She moved some of Malak’s bushy hair aside and placed two fingers on her neck, feeling Malak’s chi flow.
“You’re a prodigy, no doubt,” she muttered to herself, “and it’s a pity your brother is against you now.”
She strode away, still retaining the graceful stride she had had during her reign as Fire Lady, before Xin Shing and his invasion had cut it short. The Secret Service Western Base (their current location) was a huge basement of a beach house in a secluded part of the island they were on, and this of course, was where they were. Malak and Maric were separated by a few miles.
“Sometimes, Malak” Zeruda muttered to herself, smirking, “There are going to be times where he’ll go Somewhere You Can’t Follow.”
~Azula~
