Making Sense of It: Sukka (on hiatus)

Chapter 4: Suki

It was Saturday. Suki sat at the kitchen table, working on her science homework. She had improved quite a bit in just two weeks, and gotten a C+ on her last quiz. Suki went over to the kitchen to get a snack, and when she came back with crackers and hummus, she saw Sokka walking down the street and up to her doorstep.

"Hey Suki," he said as she opened the door, "I'm really sorry to bother you, but have you seen a sheepdog coming through recently?" He held up a picture of a huge dog with white fur and brown fur bizarrely arranged in the shape of an arrow.

"I haven't," she said, "Is that your dog?" 

"Appa belongs to my sister's boyfriend," Sokka sighed, "And Katara is going to burn me at the stake if I don't help her find him." 

"Well, I could help!"

"Oh, you don't need to," Sokka said, "I'm fine alone."

"Come on, just let me help," Suki said, "He looks like a cute dog, and you shouldn't have to endure Katara's wrath." Sokka shrugged. 

"I guess if you want to... I don't have a car with me though, Katara took it."

"Me neither," Suki said, "But there's a tandem bike in the garage. We can look for him faster that way." 

A few minutes later, they were riding down the street on the two seated bike. 

"Where to?" Suki asked. 

"Let's check downtown first, then go up to the hills," Sokka said, "Aang and Katara are in the other direction." 

"Okay." They checked the shops downtown first, but no one had seen Appa. Not Meng at the salon, or Teo at the mechanic, or Zuko at the Jasmine Dragon Tea Shop, although Iroh gave them some free tea and pastries. 

"Do you know why Appa would run away?" Suki asked as they took a break on the patio of the tea shop.

"Hmm, well, Appa likes food," Sokka said between bites, "He likes new people, and he likes to chase butterflies."

"Well, that doesn't help us," Suki sighed. 

"Can I ask why you're helping me?"

"I guess," Suki thought for a moment, "I know we aren't exactly friends, but you've really helped me with science, so I want to help you." 

"You've been paying me for the tutoring stuff, you don't owe me anything."

"I know," she said. A peculiar expression appeared on Sokka's face, "Should we keep looking."

"Right! yes, let's keep looking," Sokka said. They rode past the perfectly manicured parks and brick lined walkways, knocking on doors, but no one had seen Appa. 

"Unfortunately, I was not at the Estate this morning, and the Beifongs are busy right now," said a man in a white suit, at the huge manor they visited next.

"Wait! said a voice of a girl in a white dress walking up to the huge front doors, "Hey Suki, Hey Snoozles."

"Hey, Toph," Sokka said.

"I haven't seen a dog," Toph said. Sokka sighed and began to walk away when Toph continued, 

"But I heard a dog." 

"Oh," Sokka said as Toph snickered, "Where?!"

"I think I heard him go towards Ember Meadows." Ember Meadows, the area where Azula, Mai and Ty Lee lived. 

"Thanks Toph," Sokka said. 

"No problem." They hopped on the tandem bike and raced over the hill and past the sign that said Ember Meadows. Ty Lee's sister hadn't seen Appa, and neither had Mai's parents, nor anyone else in the neighborhood. At last, they reached Azula's house, a modernly designed mansion. Suki hesitantly rang the doorbell. It was answered by Azula, with Mai and Ty Lee standing behind her.