Title:"The Siege of the North Part 3" (K+)
Author: ayziks
Rating: K+
Word count: 1537
Summary/Notes: This "beginning of Kataang" story takes place in the aftermath of the Season 1 finale episodes "Siege of the North Parts 1 and 2". It deals with Aang's regrets and shame of the annihilation of the Fire Nation Navy, and Katara's comfort of his pain.
...
The siege of the Northern Water Tribe had ended, and it was early evening. The newborn moon was just rising in the east. The acrid smell and soot fallout of the burnt and sunken Fire Nation invasion fleet was still everywhere. A film of oil was over nearly every surface in the battered city. Trebuchet damage to the city was under repair, but the carnage was massive.
The Northern Water Tribe was both jubilant at being saved by the Ocean Spirit and Aang, but was in mourning the loss of their beloved Princess Yue. There was to be no victory celebration. Chief Arnook forbid it.
The few living Fire Nation survivors were fleeing and taking a terrible story of defeat, failure, and betrayal to their unforgiving Fire Lord. They knew death had not found them here, but would upon their return.
For Katara and Pakku, it was a friendly exchange on the training grounds. Pakku had just told Katara of his plan to go to the Southern Tribe to reestablish healing and bending there, and she was ecstatic. She was even more excited that Pakku declared her a Master, and that she personally would be in charge of continuing Aang's water bending training. She wanted to go over to the edge of the training area where Aang was standing to tell him the great news, but Pakku needed her for details of the journey south. By the time she was done, Aang had departed.
She knew where to find him though, and hurried to find him standing on the highest lookout above the city across the bay and the ocean beyond. She had an odd but pleasant thought, "Why am I in such a rush? He is just my friend. Why was it so important to share that news? Why do I just want to be close to him now?"
She didn't have time to reflect on it further and didn't realize her heart skipped a beat when she saw him.
"There he is!" she thought.
But she stopped short behind him, hesitant to interrupt this young boy so alone with heavy adult thoughts. She glanced across to Arnook's palace staircase, and watched the Chieftain and Sokka having a difficult conversation, as both stared at the rising moon. She could do little more to comfort her brother than she had already tried. She had seen the tear tracks still staining Sokka's eyes from the loss of Yue. Katara had never seen her brother cry so desperately since the loss of their mother – also to this terrible war - at the other end of their World.
There they stood – the two most important young men in her life. As powerful as she had become as a water bending Master, she was powerless to comfort either of them.
But she had to try. She heard Aang sigh, and her thoughts turned back to him. She knew what he was thinking.
So she approached him, and he heard her. They reached for each other and hugged, embracing tighter than ever before in their short time together.
She muttered softly into his collar as they hugged tightly, "I am so sorry, Aang."
"I know Katara. It's…just…"
Never to be left out from any affection, Momo interrupted them with his cute forlorn face and chattering.
"You too, Momo," smiled Katara.
Aang reached out to Momo, "Come here."
The lemur climbed and wrapped himself around Aang's neck.
Sokka joined them and put a brotherly hand on Aang's shoulder. Katara mirrored the gesture. They all exchanged glances, and they watched the moon continue to rise. Even Appa joined them.
Finally, Sokka broke the fellowship, "Guys, I need to get something to eat. Wanna come?"
Aang spoke solemnly, "I…I think I need to stay here for awhile, Sokka. I'm…not really hungry."
"I'll stay with you, Aang," said Katara sweetly.
"You don't have to," he replied.
"I want to," smiled Katara, and Aang returned the smile.
Sokka rolled his eyes, and said, "OK then, guys, I'm out of here - more food for me!"
Katara could still hear the hurt in his voice as he left, but she knew he was trying to be funny to cope.
"Do you want to sit and talk?" she coaxed.
"Well at least let's sit," Aang sat cross-legged as he always did, and Katara kneeled next to him, touching legs together. Neither readjusted.
"I brought you some fried tofu bites," offered Katara. She knew he loved those.
"Thanks Katara, I was a little hungry," and they shared the tasty dish. Aang noted she was experimenting with vegetarian foods, and smiled.
They just sat in silence for awhile.
"Katara, I feel terrible," he lamented, casting his eyes to the ground.
"I know Aang. I can tell," she comforted as she put her hand on his shoulder.
"I should be happy that I saved the Northern Tribe. These people are our friends. But I'm the Avatar, Katara. I'm not supposed to take sides. I'm supposed to be Avatar for the whole World. Four nations, not three," he choked, realizing he was the only remaining member of the fourth Nation.
She wrapped her arm across his shoulder, comforting him more assuredly, "But you do have a duty to restore balance when the World gets out of balance Aang, and the Fire Nation is so far out of balance now. They killed your people, would have slaughtered everyone here, and would have kidnapped you. They even destroyed the moon spirit, Aang."
"I know Katara. It's over for now, but at what cost? Because people wanted to get to me, Yue had to die to let the Moon spirit live again. Look what that did to Sokka and Arnook? I personally sunk over two hundred ships, taking them down in terrible violence to watery graves. Over ten thousand warriors are dead now, all at my hands. Some peaceful Avatar I turned out to be."
He buried his head in his hands and cried.
His peaceful nature was screaming at him from both sides – that he had taken all those lives, but in so doing, saved the Northern Tribe, now forever grateful.
She rubbed his still stiff shoulders.
"But look at what you've done for yourself and us, your friends, Aang. Without you Aang, I'd never be on this incredible adventure with you across the World. I'd never would have flown, or understood the history of the Avatar, or learned about the spirits, or visited our sister tribe. Or ever found out that Gran Gran was promised to Pakku. I would still be stuck taking care of tiny children and old people at the south pole. That may be a good cause for women in my village, but not for me."
"But every step of the way it's been incredibility dangerous for you and Sokka."
"I happen to like our chances with you Aang, rather than just trying to fight from inside the village. We can make a difference together."
"Thank you, Katara," and he touched her arm.
They both paused for a few moments, and pondered the moon, which they would always now know as their friend.
Katara whispered, "Do you think she'll be there for us, Aang, when we need her again?"
Aang contemplated, "I'd like to think so. She is the patron spirit of water benders like you and me."
"You aren't one yet, Mister Avatar," kidded Katara.
"Well, then where are we going to get another Master to teach me?"
She beamed her blue eyes at him and grinned widely.
"You? Pakku declared you a Master?"
"Yes! Early this afternoon. And charged me to teach you."
"Well that's wonderful!" he exclaimed.
But he looked down embarrassed, "And you've been trying to tell me this all night while I was just wallowing in my own self pity."
"Well, it was more important to help you," observed Katara.
Aang emphasized, "No it wasn't. Being friends is about helping each other, not just one."
But then he reflected, "Wow! You will be my sifu. We can keep travelling while we train."
"Exactly. And even better, Aang. Master Pakku is going south with others to give the Southern Tribe our bending and healing back. Isn't that wonderful? And I think he wants to see Gran Gran. I overheard him practicing an introduction to her."
They both giggled at that.
Katara continued, "We can travel with him to the Earth Kingdom coast near Omashu, so you can train with King Bumi. You'll be a pretty good water bender by the time we get there, If I do say so myself."
She crossed her arms in mock overconfidence. They both laughed and they hugged again. This time felt even better than before, since it was in celebration of Katara's achievement, rather than for his comfort. Aang decided long ago that any hug was a good hug from his friend Katara.
"So when does Pakku head south, then?"
"Tomorrow."
Aang blinked, "Tomorrow? Well we better get ready and get some sleep."
Aang helped Katara up, and they took off to the guest quarters, chattering about the days ahead.
Unseen behind them, a vision of the flowing spirit of Yue appeared against the moon and smiled down upon them, and offered a silent blessing on both of them.