Adult-FanFiction.org : Cartoons

Kingdom of War	By : Jayrich Category: Avatar - The Last Airbender > Het - Male/Female Views: 28040 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I do not own Avatar: The Last Airbender, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
- 15
- 16
- 17
Kingdom of War 15
The True Champion
The first impression Aang made onto Kyoko wasn’t one of fear or even wariness…but that of overestimation. How could someone so…short…be considered the protector of the Four Nations? She noticed the tattoos on him; he was an Airbender, the last of his kind as Long Feng informed her. But surely his feats were exaggerated, especially given his build.
Aang simply stood his ground with his glider staff behind him, and both eyes focused on Kyoko. But it didn’t mean his concerns weren’t elsewhere. “Azula…you OK?”
She was surprised to hear him speak her name with such calm and concern. Does he not remember all she’s done to him? “I…can’t move.”
“AZULA!!!”
Aang turned around to see Jet, Sokka and the others rushing towards the two. “Azula, are you O…Aang?”
“Aang…is that you!?” Sokka was shocked to see him as well.
“Sokka!”
The group was soon joined by Appa, who floated down for a landing as Katara, Toph and the Kyoshi Warriors hopped down off of his back. The Water Tribe brother & sister embraced as Toph thanked her stars she was back on solid down.
“Man, never through I’d be glad to feel hot desert sand.” She said.
Suki also greeted her fellow Kyoshi as the reunion continued, with Kyoko watching on in stunned awe. “These are mighty warriors?” She asked herself. “Pathetic. They act as if they’re on a school playground. I shall remind them the direness of this situation!”
Drawing on her Sandbending, she increased the size of a nearby sand dune to a wave, and forced it at the Gaang. The sand wave grew higher as it loomed closer and closer, until it was right on top of the group and…disappeared. In the blink of an eye the wave was quickly diminished to near nothing, thanks to Aang’s Airbending which send the sand away from them, harmlessly into the air.
Kyoko was truly surprised. “No…how is that possible?”
“You know, it’s not nice to interrupt friends having a reunion.” Aang advised her.
“Maybe I should go teach her some manners.” Zuko added with fists aflame.
“No!” The Fire Lord stopped in his tracks as he heard his sister. “You can’t…face her now.”
“Looks like you not in much condition either, princess.” Toph commented before stomping the ground and removing Azula’s sand bindings. Jet was quick to help her up.
“So she’s the one that’s been after us?” Aang asked, switching his focus to the Dai Li Lieutenant. “Do you have any advice for me, Azula?”
The Fire Princess widened her eyes in shock; not that Aang would ask for her advice…but that he was so calm about it. His voice was almost friendly, as if he considered her a colleague. After all she had done to him…everything they had been through…he didn’t seem angry at her at all.
She finally answered. “She’s…a master at Sandbending. She can travel underground and use it to bind you. She also…has some Earthbending…techniques.”
“Thanks, Azula.” Aang replied, before walking off to face Kyoko. As he journeyed forward, Azula couldn’t help to watch him; and then, out of nowhere…she laughed. Though it hurt her ribs, she continued to laugh loud and hard, a genuine smile appearing on her face. Needless to say, some were visibly shaken by it.
“OK, does anyone else find this creepy?” Sokka asked.
After a moment, Azula’s laughter died down. “I…I finally understand…I finally get it now…”
Jet was confused. “Get what?”
“The Avatar…I get it. I get him.” Azula explained. “He’s gonna win…because he can’t be beaten.”
The element master stopped several feet short of Kyoko’s position before sticking his staff in the sand beside him, and staring into her eyes. “So you must be Kyoko…”
“I am.” The Dai Li Lieutenant answered. “I had wondered when I would meet the Avatar face to face…I’m almost disappointed now. I expected someone with more…strength.”
Aang just smirked and nodded his head. “Yeah, I’ve been meaning to buff up. Maybe take an Earth Kingdom Exercise plan or something.”
“This is not a game.” Kyoko told him coldly.
“I know it’s not.” Aang responded, now serious. “Which is why I’ve come to talk. You don’t have to do this…we don’t have to fight.”
Kyoko lifted a curious eyebrow. “You’ve come to surrender.”
“No.” Aang answered. “You must realize what Long Feng is doing is wrong. Taking over the Earth Kingdom like this, the people aren’t gonna stand for it. What you’re doing could just create another—.”
“War.” The Avatar was a little surprised to see her finish his sentence. “Master Feng knows exactly what he’s doing, and it needs to be done. The Earth Kingdom is the mightiest nation on this planet!”
“You know…I take offense to that…” Azula said as she was helped to her feet.
“You’re not the only one…” Zuko added.
“Long Feng’s actions are not only to ensure our nation’s survival, but that it thrives!” Kyoko continued. “Ba Sing Se, Omashu, every city within this nation will prosper under his rule!”
“And do you think he’ll be satisfied with just controlling the Earth Kingdom?” Aang asked.
Kyoko didn’t waver as she stared back at the Elemental Master. “Whatever Master Feng deems necessary…will be done.”
That was all Aang needed to hear, as he strengthened his stance and prepared for battle. “Not as long as I’m here.”
Kyoko chuckled in response. “Are you sure you want to battle? Out of the Bending styles you’ve mastered I doubt you’ve put even any effort into Sand…”
Aang thought for a moment about her words, heeding the truth within them before replying. “You know what, you’re right. I can’t do it.”
And almost simultaneously, nearly everyone’s jaw dropped, including Jet’s. “Uh Aang, are you OK?”
“Yeah, I know you’re the chivalrous type, but kick her ass!” Sokka added.
“I can’t, and I don’t have to.” Aang said. “This isn’t my fight now, but you’re gonna have to deal with someone even more powerful.”
Aang then turned and pointed at the blind young woman standing near Azula & Jet, as all eyes were on her. “Everyone’s looking at me, aren’t they?” Toph asked.
Kyoko scoffed as she observed the Avatar’s choice of replacement closely. “You cannot be serious. The Avatar, running and hiding behind some defenseless blind girl?”
“I don’t have to see to tell you’re some ugly old hag.” Toph shot back, angering the Dai Li Lieutenant. “Am I right?”
“Actually, she—!” Before Sokka could utter another word, his mouth was covered by Ty Lee & Suki’s hands, as they issued him a dirty look.
“I will not take part in this.” Kyoko barked. “Fight me, Avatar!”
“What’s the matter, the big bad Dai Li turn chicken?” Toph mocked.
No one had ever had the nerve to boldly insult Kyoko to her face before, and she would not let it go unanswered. “You have just dug your own grave, girl.”
Holding her arm out in front of her, she opened her hand; and as with her subordinate before, a sinkhole opened beneath the blind Earthbender. Unable to grasp anything to stop herself, she fell in…and Kyoko closed the hole.
“TOPH!!!”
The Gaang stood in shock over how quickly and easily the dominant Earthbender had been dealt with. “No more games, Avatar!” Kyoko said, turning to Aang. “If you wish to stop Master Feng then you will have to get past m-MGGGHHH!!!!”
In an instant, Kyoko felt her jaws slam shut as she was propelled into the air with astonishing force, courtesy of Toph’s fist planted into her bottom jaw. She erupted from the sand just in front of the Dai Li Lieutenant and delivered a leaping uppercut that sent Kyoko flying, before she landed several feet away. She quickly hopped back to her feet though, trying her best to shake off the blow. “Wha—What was that!?”
“Seriously, if you’re gonna try to bury someone, make sure they didn’t learn the same move when they were 8.” Toph suggested as her friends cheered her attack.
“Aw yeah, The Blind Bandit doesn’t go down that easily!” Sokka praised.
“The Blind Bandit?” Kyoko was shocked to here those words. “Now I understand…the Earth Rumble, you are the young woman who dominates the event.”
“What, you want an autograph?” Toph mockingly asked.
Kyoko responded with a devious grin. “No, I have what I want. Master Feng kept me out of his affairs, kept me hidden away. Which means I was never able to compete in the Earth Rumble against the best Ba Sing Se has to offer…and now I stand in the presence of its Champion.”
“OK, I’m getting a weird feeling.” Sokka noted. “I liked it better when she was angry…”
“PREPARE TO BE DETHRONED, GIRL!!!”
And with that, Kyoko stormed forward with her attack as the gang moved back from the action. Toph shuffled her feet in the sand, listening closely and feeling out her foe’s footsteps to anticipate what attack was coming. She waited for Kyoko’s next step to come down, and as she lowered her leg, Toph kicked the sand in front of her, sending a small vibration wave through the sand, aimed to take her off balance. Unfortunately, Kyoko knew of this tactic, and using her agility she flipped over the wave, landed beside Toph and responded with a rising sand slash attack.
From there, the fight escalated as wisps of sand whipped through the air, each one intended to cut, blind or altogether incapacitate their target, shifting the balance of the fight. Toph held her ground as Kyoko advanced and the sand flew higher. Now small pillars and orbs were being created, tightly packed together to give added force to their blows. The two Earthbenders expertly dodged each attack thrown at them while standing almost literally toe-to-toe with each other. But as the battle raged on, Toph found it more difficult to keep up with her foe. Kyoko was truly at home in the Si Fong Desert, and it showed with her mastery of the grains. Gradually she was incorporating wisps of sand into her pillar attacks. And when one of the wisps finally caught Toph in her leg, it threw off her balance. Kyoko took advantage by launching another pillar, one that the Blind Bandit was barely able to block as it sent her tumbling against the sand.
Katara gasped with concern, but Aang blocked her way as Toph climbed back to her feet. “Tell me, is that the best you have to offer me?” The Dai Li Lieutenant taunted.
“You haven’t even seen my best!” Toph shot back.
“I don’t need to…” Kyoko told her. “…to know that you are Beneath Me!”
She charged again, putting Toph on her heels and on the defensive. She couldn’t even get a clear bearing of her surroundings before she found herself fending off more blows from the vicious vixen. Her moves were graceful and fluid, as if she was one with the sand around her. Toph tried her best to mimic her stance and fluidness, but found herself outmatched during every shuffle. Then, an opening; one of Kyoko’s forward steps stalls for a moment. And it’s only a moment that Toph needs to turn the tide. Kicking her left foot out, she stomps the ground in front of her, sending a sand pillar into her opponent’s side, stunning her.
“YES!” Sokka cheered. “She finally caught her!”
The joy was short-lived though, as Azula made an observation. “Then, why isn’t she moving in to finish her off?”
It was a good question; one that was answered upon closer inspection, as both of Toph’s feet were bound by the sand. “NNGGHH! I can’t move…”
Unable to pull herself free, she sought to use her Sandbending to release the hold, when suddenly she felt herself propelled into the air. It was then that she realized it was a trap; Kyoko let her see the opening, she took the hit so that she could dish out a bigger one. And as Toph crashed down into the sands, she began to wonder if she could even keep up with this Mistress of the Desert.
“Pathetic!” Kyoko huffed. “The champion of the Earth Rumble, humbled at my feet! Can’t you do better?”
Toph responded by kicking the sand in front of her, sending a seismic ripple that made a bee-line for Kyoko. But the Dai Li Lieutenant simply twisted her right heel, redirecting the ripple away from her. And with a wave of her hand, she created another Sand Geyser, sending Toph airborne again.
“All of the tales of the mighty Blind Bandit, utter nonsense!” She continued. “The warriors you defeated the regimes you helped topple…nothing but conjured up trash!”
As Toph began her descent, Kyoko decided not to give her an easy fall. Raising her hand high above her, she drew forth a huge sand copy of it; one that grabbed the young Earthbender and slammed her to the ground. Katara was fuming over the maneuver, but Aang still would not let her interfere.
The Blind Bandit could barely move as she coughed sand out of her mouth. But she wouldn’t need to as Kyoko used the sand to lift her up to eye level. “All you are is just a little girl who deserves a spanking…”
And with that, Kyoko spun into the air and delivered a roundhouse kick, cracking Toph right in her jaw. The impact broke her from her sand trappings as she tumbling violently against the desert ground. Sokka had seen enough.
“That’s it. I’m not just gonna—!”
“And what will you do?” Azula asked bluntly. “You may be a good warrior, but don’t believe for a second that means you can stand against any bender, especially one of her caliber.”
“She’s right.” Zuko added, stepping in front of Sokka. “I hate to say it, but she’d bury you in a second. Aang, we need to get in there and—!”
“No, we don’t…” Aang replied.
Katara couldn’t take it. “Aang, what is wrong with you!? Why are you just standing there!? Can’t you see Toph’s in trouble!? She could—!”
“Win.” Aang interrupted. “She doesn’t need us, not against Kyoko. She can win this by herself. And she will…”
His voice was calm & confident, which unnerved everyone who heard those words. How could the Avatar be so confident after the beating Toph took? How does he know she will come out the victor in this one-sided battle? Regardless, those words persuaded Sokka to give some of his own words of encouragement.
“GET UP, TOPH!!! YOU CAN TAKE THAT OLD HAG!!! COME ON!!!”
Her face was buried beneath the sand, yet she still heard him. Cheering manically & loudly just as he did when she first heard him at the Earth Rumble, the day her life changed for good. She heard him…and she listened. Her body was aching, and a trickle of blood ran down the side of her mouth, but she slowly stood up on her own two feet, much to Kyoko’s shock and amusement.
“Really, you plan to take more punishment?” She asked mockingly.
“No, I plan to end you.” Toph replied coldly, spitting the blood & sand from her mouth. “You see, I’ve been going at you all wrong. This is your home, and you can control all of the sand here, which means we’ve been playing on your terms…”
She lifted her front leg and stomped it down through the sand, immediately causing tremors throughout the area, which caught Kyoko off guard. She slowly lifted her hand upward as the tremors steadily became more violent; as if something was coming up from beneath Si Wong itself.
“…Let’s see how well you on MINE!”
PHOOOM! PHOOOM! PHOOOM!!!
And suddenly, Kyoko found herself with company, as three massive boulders erupted from the Si Wong Sand into the air. As she gazed at their sudden appearance, Toph took this moment to change her stance, and began constructing a ring of sand geysers around her foe; geysers which started to juggle the three boulders within the ring, with Kyoko in the middle. She called on all of her agility to avoid them, masterfully bobbing & weaving over, under and between the rocks. But the task quickly began to wear on her; there was no way she could go on the offensive, and the speed of the boulders did not waver. Eventually, she would get struck in her legs, sending her tumbling to the ground.
From the spectator’s view, many jaws were dropped from the display. “I…I can’t believe it.” Katara said. “She brought up chunks of the earth…from Si Wong Desert.”
Aang simply smiled in approval. “That’s my Sifu…”
Within the Earth Maelstrom, Kyoko was fuming, and determined to attack. Timing her jump, she leapt onto the lowest boulder, meaning to climb to the top and out of the trap. But as she jumped for the second, she was brutally bounced off of it, smacked against another, and deposited back to the sand. With even more anger she rushed to the top, but her anger brought forth recklessness, as she would slam into one boulder, and viciously bounce off the other two before hitting the ground. Toph’s trap looked perfect, and it enraged her.
“No…NO! I shall not be beaten by someone Beneath ME!” She said, fearlessly standing up in the middle of the Maelstrom, as the boulders whizzed passed. “I am Kyoko, Lieutenant of the Dai Li, Student & Daughter of Master Long Feng, and I Am YOUR SUPERIOR!!!!!!”
Her rage fueled her Sandbending as she cancelled out Toph’s geysers, creating an instant sandstorm which not only engulfed the two combatants, but Aang and the others as well. “Cover your eyes!” Katara warned as the raging storm blew through the desert, and dissipated as quickly as it was created.
With the scenery once again clear, they opened their eyes to see the result of Kyoko’s fury. The three boulders Toph launched from the sand were now grounded, with Kyoko standing on top of one…but there was no sign of the Blind Bandit.
“I don’t get it, where’s Toph?” Sokka asked.
Without speaking a word, Aang turned his gaze toward the sky and pointed. The others followed his finger, and spotted a lone figure high above the battlefield…directly above Kyoko.
“Where are you, girl?” Kyoko demanded. “You couldn’t have run quick enough to escape! So where are you hiding!?”
What the Dai Li Lieutenant didn’t know was that Toph wasn’t hiding…she was preparing to end the fight. “Man I hope this works…”
Her descent began as she closed her eyes. She was literally flying blind as she fell faster and faster, trusting that her hearing had guided her to the right position. And as Kyoko suddenly felt the presence of someone approaching her, she was right.
WHAM!!!
Toph planted both of her feet onto Kyoko’s head with immense force. The Dai Li Lieutenant’s hat helped her keep some balance as Kyoko fell backwards, smashing onto the boulder she was just boasting from moments earlier. Upon her landing, Toph stumbled down the boulder and onto the sand, where she plopped down in exhaustion, leaning against the rock.
“Wow…I can’t believe that worked…”
She breathed a sigh of relief, and smiled to herself. The Blind Bandit was still the best Earthbender in the land. She could already hear the cheers of her fans…which were actually cheers coming from Aang and the others as they rushed to her side. It was right then that Toph began dreading an outcome from this.
“Please don’t let Katara be first, Please don’t let Katara be first, Please—!”
“TOPH!!!”
Unfortunately she didn’t receive her wish, as Katara was the first to embrace her. “I can’t believe you beat her, Toph…”
“You’re not the only one.” Azula agreed. “Well done, I must say.”
“I need to use a move like that!” Ty Lee added.
Sokka was the next to embrace the victor. “You did it, Toph! You totally stomped her!”
This embrace Toph more than enjoyed, though. She even began to blush as she moved to hug him back…until she remembered everyone was looking at her. “Alright ponytail, that’s enough. People are looking.” She said, pushing him back.
“An awfully risky move to pull though, seeing as you’re blind.” Azula commented. “How did you pull it off?”
Toph shrugged. “Just luck, I guess. Kinda strange though, when I was falling, it felt like a sudden breeze hit me for a second. Like it was changing my course or something…”
Upon hearing that, both Katara & Sokka turned to Aang, who was innocently whistling as he brushed Appa. Katara could only giggle at the sight. “I’m sure it was just the wind…”
“Uhhhhhh…”
The sound startled the gang, causing everyone to jump back except Toph, who was still worn from the battle. But it appeared that her fight wasn’t over, as Kyoko slowly lifted her head, her eyes burning with rage.
“I…am not…done yet…Blind Bandit…”
- 15
- 16
- 17
You need to be logged in to leave a review for this story.
Report Story

Kingdom of War