Title: Kataang Week Day 6: "Before the Republic" (K+)
Author: A6
Rating: K+
Summary/Notes: Once the decision to create the United Republic of Nations was made, the capital - Republic City - didn't just pop up out of nowhere. The site for it had to be selected. In this story fiancés Aang and Katara are charged by the World leaders of their time to search throughout the former colonies for the perfect setting to build the capital, and their future home, as spiritual leader of the Republic as well as the World. While the area they find is incredible, finding something else there makes the choice undeniable.
This story was made for Kataang Forum Forever Kataang Week 2012 Day 6 theme "Young Love".
"Erm...guys, can we just decide...something?"said Aang in frustration.
Kuei, Zuko, Arnook, and Hakoda - the reigning leaders of the Four Nations - and Aang stared at each other silently across the conference table at Zuko's Ember Island Summer Palace, stymied. Toph, Mai, Katara, Suki and Sokka fidgeted nervously in the row of chairs behind them. They were just as invested in this decision, as the heroes who saved the world, but sat quietly. They knew that despite their pivotal role in saving the world, it was not their place to carve up the world to make the dream happen.
Weeks ago they had been locked in heated discussions that had at least eliminated the possibility of war and agreed to the compromises that led to the creation of the United Republic of Nations. Thank goodness for the cooler heads of the women in this group that helped create the compromise, with some unexpected assistance by a group of teenage girls who were the Avatar's fans and even the Freedom Fighters.
That led them to sit at this table.
The United Republic would be composed of the former Fire Nation Colonies. They even agreed on a governance model that did not establish a new king. Aang was absolutely dead set against being a ruler, or having one be established. The idea of a Council of leaders, composed of all Nations – benders and non benders alike - on the Council with an elected Council Chair was pivotal. While some of the politicians scoffed at the idea of a constitutional democracy, it was appealing to the people of the world.
As the Avatar, Aang agreed only to be the spiritual guide for the new Republic as well as to all the other Nations, which all of them liked. He was still everyone's Avatar. The other real breakthrough was that the new Capital of the Republic would be brand new, and not directly associated with any of cities in the old colonies, taking the Republic one step beyond just legalizing the existence of the Fire Nation colonies. Kuei was adamant about that point, and since it was his territory being lost, so no one challenged that idea. Everyone who would live in the capital would come from somewhere else. That also honored the memory of the Air Nomads, who would now have a home by becoming the Air Nation. No one realized at the time the significance of that. Aang and Katara would make it real literally as the father and mother of that new Nation.
Since the colonies had been established in a geographic wedge off the extreme western islands of the Fire Nation more than a century ago, it made no sense to put the Capital too far south. Locating the new Capital centrally was a problem. It would have to not be too close to many existing cities or villages that would want to maintain their heritage and not become a megalopolis.
Kuei broke the silence and suggested, "I think Avatar Aang should select the site of the Capital city of the Republic. The whole concept of a place where everyone can live in harmony from all nations was essentially his idea."
Everyone else nodded their assent, especially Zuko, being careful to rebuild the trust and cooperation between the two most powerful nations in the World. Arnook and Hakoda had no territory to give up, but in the interest of World unity, added their "Ayes" to this concept. Hakoda had an added incentive too, in that he knew for a fact that the Avatar was soon to be his son in law. He greatly admired this young man, who always respected his daughter.
Aang blushed, "I would be honored, my friends. Rest assured that the choice of the location of Republic City is not mine alone. Once I find the location that the spirits will show to me, I will bring it back to this Council for your approval. I promise."
There was the murmur of assent, and the conference recessed.
Katara approached Aang to give him a hug, and requested, "I want to go with you."
"Was there ever any question you wouldn't, or that I wouldn't want you to?" scoffed Aang.
She said humbly, "No, but I wanted to make sure, since there have been some journeys and vision quests that only the Avatar could make."
Aang was always amazed at Katara's ability to separate matters of the Avatar from matters of the heart despite her 17 years.
Next, Katara went straight to her father. She said with conviction, "Dad, I want to go with Aang. I want to be with him when he chooses. It will be our home, and I want to find it with him."
"Katara, you travelled the world with him for over two years, facing life and death nearly every single day, and I trusted you both to do the right thing then. You did not betray that trust then, and have not ever since. You and he are promised to each other by the spirits' blessings. Who am I to say no?"
"Because you are my father, and I am still your little girl, even though I am of age."
"Katara, you are so much like your dear Mother."
"'Love you too, Dad," she smiled.
She returned to Aang, and said, "I'm ready whenever you are."
"Let's rest a night, pack, and start surveying in the morning."
Late that night, when everyone else was asleep, Katara came silently into Aang's waiting arms, but as always, only snuggled together. They couldn't ever stand to be apart. Two years under the stars every night together gave them that right, and they would defend it if challenged.
In the morning, they packed for several weeks of travel up and down the western coast of the Earth Kingdom. Drawing materials and blank parchment were loaded to record what they would select as candidate sites.
They began their travels. Overflying the Wulong Forest, Aang immediately threw out the site of victory over Ozai. It was too volcanic, and too desolate. This heavily scarred region needed to remain a battlefield memorial.
They were explicitly asked by the Makapu citizens to not use their village as the site of the vast new city. The populace liked their small size and wanted it to remain so. Aunt Wu was as adamant as the Mayor about this, and they always respected her opinion. Putting a major new city by a dormant volcano was insanity anyway.
They were starting to get pretty far north. This part of the western coast of the Earth Kingdom was usually pretty foggy, so they got an unusually clear view of the coast line as they flew. As they were flying up the coastline toward the Abbey after departing Makapu, they passed a large island to the west. It was Red Sand Island, and certainly was appropriately named, for all the beaches were clearly volcanic red sands.
It was a big island, and uninhabited. It was far too rugged for any kind of habitation. Even in the days of the great military might of the Fire Nation and its world conquests, it was not considered as a strategic marshalling point for its army and navy. There were no protected bays and the cliffs were nearly inaccessible all the way around the island. There wasn't an inch of level ground on the grass-covered island.
The pair was concentrating on that spectacular view that they almost didn't see a view that was even better.
"Katara, look!"announced an amazed Aang.
They were taken by an incredible sight of a lushly forested flat land along the coast of the Earth Kingdom with a very large protected bay. Receding from the bay inland were twin branching inlets that transitioned upstream into mountain snow-fed rivers. The mountain ranges were majestic and jagged, and covered with snow. There were two islands in mid-bay.
"Goodness, Aang, it's so beautiful." They turned and exchanged knowing glances. This was it. They just had to make sure.
"Katara, let's get a closer look."
She leaned into her fiancé and exclaimed, "This is so exciting, Aang!"
They remained at high altitude as they overflew the beautiful deep blue bay, and crossed over the tip of the land. There appeared to be no evidence of dramatic tides, or violent storm damage. They flew up the northernmost inlet, and watched it turn to a wonderful frothy, cascading mountain snow melt-fed river. Salmon-rays were jumping over the rocks making their way to spawning grounds far upstream. Katara smiled and squeezed her fiancé's arm. Once beyond the front range, they increased altitude to over 5000 meters to clear the highest peaks.
"Oh Aang, I would so love to snow bend up here," encouraged Katara.
Aang grinned and noted, "There isn't anything to stop us."
So Aang guided Appa to land on a relatively flat stretch of glistening mountain snow. The air was crisp and thin and clear. They could see their breath.
They frolicked in the snow, tossing snowballs and bending massive amounts of snow and ice at each other.
Aang walloped Katara in the face with an air bending assisted snow ball, catching her completely off guard, and she shrieked. He laughed uncontrollably.
"Your're dead, air bender!" she glared.
Aang stood and teased, "Two years of protecting the last air bender and you're gonna end it with one snowball to the face?"
Katara feigned anger and charged him, "Rawr!"
She immediately froze his feet in place and tackle-glomped him. The feel of the cold snow on his one bare shoulder exposed by his kayasha tunic made him shiver. Or was it Katara laying on top of him, giving him rapid butterfly kisses followed by one very deep one? It nearly triggered an involuntary fire bending response that would have elevated his temperature enough to melt them both into the snow pack, which they both discovered by accident on one private moment during a one trip to the Southern Water Tribe. It took them nearly 20 minutes to get out of that one, but they really weren't in any rush with their own private snow cave and the privacy it gave them for more kissing.
She felt him tense up to prevent that reaction, "Oops, sorry sweetie."
"No you're not," winked Aang and Katara just rolled her eyes.
She rolled off next to him, "We need a cabin up here, Aang."
Aang sighed happily, "That would be just about perfect, Katara."
He stood up, and blew Katara to her feet, and urged, "C'mon Katara, let's see what's on the other side of these mountains."
They remounted Appa and cleared the peak, seeing the precipitous drop to the other major mountain river that cut the ranges deeply. While at this altitude the river was narrow and ranging with snowmelt, but it wasn't long before it became placid and wide as it joined the bay. It would handle boats and ships easily.
They even saw a few arctic sea orca lions calving in the deep inlet. The babies were cute, but they would rip your face off. That would have to be in a protected refuge.
They flew over the wide swath of land between the river inlets.
"Let's get a good look at this."
They let down in a clearing in the forest. Aang jumped off Appa, and he caught Katara as she jumped into his arms and pecked him on the lips.
"Thank you driver," she winked.
"My pleasure, ma'am. Best sky bison cab service in town!"
"Here's your tip," and she proceeded to give him a very enthusiastic hug and kiss.
"Let's not forget what we are here for," he scolded with a smirk.
They walked hand in hand through the clearing, drinking in all the sights and sounds of the beautiful wild flowers, purring cat-owls, and butterfly-bees. He stopped, let go of Katara, removed his shoes, closed his eyes and stomped his feet hard against the rich soil. The echoes resounded sharply in his mind's eye.
"Katara, the bedrock here goes down for miles. There is plenty of solid support for even the biggest buildings."
"There's a lot of water here too, Aang," While Katara could never have Aang's echo sense, she could 'feel' the faint ringing echoes as they penetrated the aquifers and streams in the area and his action allowed her to sense the immense water reserves in the ground.
Aang took her hand again and walked around, taking it all in, "I could see a park over here."
The clear blue skies were littered with white puffy clouds. And something else. Katara saw it first, "Aang...wait...what is that?"
Against the clouds, they caught a fleeting glance of something big...and whitish...and airborne...and headed out to the bay. Appa didn't see it. He was engrossed in savoring some of the grass and wild flowers.
They looked at each other incredulously and Katara stuttered, "A-a-aang. We have to find out."
Aang was nearly speechless knowing the possibility of what they saw.
"I'm sorry boy, but we have leave now," encouraged Aang. Appa grunted, and was not happy to be interrupted when he was eating. Aang whirled himself around Appa's neck, and pulled Katara up to sit next to him.
"Yip! Yip!" Aang commanded.
They followed the white speck. Appa saw what Aang had directed him to follow. He accelerated and growled happily and very loudly. Whatever it was ahead of them turned and looked back, and growled in the same tone, but accelerated away.
It was without question a sky bison. And they had spooked it.
They backed off a bit, but kept a close eye on it. Appa gave a slight whimper. Aang said softly, as he stroked his headed, "I know, boy. We'll meet him. Be patient."
They followed the sky bison as it descended to the biggest of the two islands in mid-bay. Suddenly it ducked around the back of the island, and disappeared.
Katara, who was hardly breathing the whole time, with her hands clutched together under her chin sighed, "Oh no..."
Around the back of the beautiful island, the cliffs were high and rose straight up from the bay. The cliffs were studded with caves.
They stopped in mid-air and hovered. It was obvious that the sky bison had ducked into one of the caves, but which one? And how deep did they go? They could search for hours, and Appa hated caves.
Aang leaned close to Appa's right ear, "Appa, buddy, this is up to you. You have to find him. Use that great nose of yours."
Appa shuddered. Aang understood, "Yes boy, I know you hate caves. But your brother obviously doesn't. Go to him, boy."
Appa took a huge sniff of the ocean air, and then closed the distance toward one of the biggest cave openings.
"Easy boy, be very gentle. We don't want to upset him," cautioned Aang. Katara gripped Aang's arm like a vise.
They entered the cave with Appa uttering a whine, but alighted. This was very difficult for him. Aang and Katara got down very carefully from Appa, and eased ahead of him, peering into the dark cave. It took a few minutes for their eyes to adjust.
But it took only an instant for their minds and hearts to adjust, as they slowly dropped to their knees in awe. There, cowered in the back of the cave for safety, was the sky bison they saw.
But he wasn't alone.
There were a dozen of them, including five calves. They were not quite pure white like Appa. They were more off-white, bordering on light tan. Each had a terra-cotta colored stripe down their backs instead of brown, with more 'spikes' branching from the stripe than Appa had.
"Oh dear spirits," was all that Aang could barely whisper. Katara clasped her hands together and cried in joy.
Aang's mind was reeling. How could this possibly be? Sky bison were right here on the very doorstep of the race who sought to eliminate the Air Nomads and everything associated with their culture, including their spirit animals. How could the Fire Nation warriors have missed this colony? They were so thorough in eliminating everything and everyone else.
"We've flown by this area several times in the past two years. How could we not see them? How could the Fire Nation not find them over the years?" Aang asked incredulously.
"It doesn't matter Aang. And remember it's usually constantly foggy over this part of the world. We found them now. Let's go make friends." Katara said.
They started to edge forward, but were very skitterish. They stopped. Aang said, "Appa, maybe you would be better at making friends."
He whimpered a bit and started forward. The bull looked like he wanted to charge, but didn't. Aang tried to reach his hand to touch the nose of the wild bull bison, "Easy there boy, we are your new friends." But the bull pulled back and snorted.
Katara suggested, "Aang, you and Appa show him how."
So Aang reached instead to Appa, and rubbed his nose. The great bison closed his eyes, and gave a happy noise. The wild bison saw the two interact.
Aang reached again to the bull. He touched his nose, and the bull leaned into it for more, "That's a good boy."
With their apprehension gone, the others began to huddle around Appa, Katara and Aang, each with their desire for affection.
Appa nuzzled them all, and Katara and Aang rubbed noses and petted them nearly non-stop. Katara laughed, "Oh Aang, this so amazing."
"All is not lost Katara," said Aang emotionally.
After a good hour of getting acquainted, the bison seemed antsy, so they decided to leave. Interestingly, the bison seemed reluctant for Appa to leave, and he obviously felt the same way.
"Tell you what boy, drop us off on top of the island and we will explore it while you play. We'll see you in the morning," Appa's eyes lit up with that.
So they hopped aboard, flew above the island, looking for a good spot to spend the night. The sun was getting low on the horizon, so they landed near a wooded and grassy area. They unloaded their gear, and saw Appa off.
It wasn't long that they could see Appa frolic with the wild sky bison family in the sky above the island.
Aang observed, "I think he'll be happy the rest of the night."
Katara huddled close beside him and took his arm and hand in hers, "Being here with you, Aang, will make mehappy the rest of the night.
They walked over to the small forest to gather some wood for an evening fire, but heard some rustling in the woods. They instinctively took a defensive crouch, and went deeper in. They peered into an old, rotting stump. Instantly, several white creatures flushed from the old tree.
'Oh, Aang! Lemurs!"
They watched in amazement as the lemurs flew around them, upset that the two humans had disturbed their home, but too frightened to attack.
"Is there no end to the miracles of today, Katara?" reflected an amazed Aang.
"There would only be one other...," she said sadly, and it struck him what she meant as she squeezed him tight.
"That, Katara, is probably one miracle too many to expect," Aang lamented.
One lemur alighted on Aang's cloak, and he fed it some lychee nuts from his pouch, which it loved. He got a good look at the lemur though. It was also a tan color compared to Momo, and had a distinctive ringed tail, and different ear sizes.
"Let's let them be, Aang. Let's go watch the sunset," she encouraged and pulled him away gently.
The lemurs wouldn't leave the safety of the forest, so Aang and Katara walked out into the grasslands, and put down their load of firewood. Aang leaned up to a rock facing the west. Katara pressed close to Aang, and laced her arms around his, and sighed happily.
The skies and clouds went through a kaleidoscope of pinks and yellows and oranges and reds.
Silhouetted against the darkening sky were the family of sky bison and Appa, but as the light disappeared, they headed for the caves.
Katara chuckled, "I don't think Appa will ever have fear of caves again, Aang."
They both laughed. She kissed him thoroughly on the lips, and watched silently as the sun slipped down below the horizon.
Katara asked, "A yuan for your thoughts, Aang?"
Aang reflected, "I was thinking how beautiful you look, and how good this feels lying here with you."
Katara shook her head, "That's what you always tell me when we get these few moments to ourselves, silly. Now tell me what you are really thinking."
Aang observed, "Well, now that we found all these wonderful new sky bison on this beautiful island, I know now what we need to do."
Katara inquired, already guessing the answer, "What's that, sweetie?"
Aang motioned for Katara to turn around and face the mountains, and they sat cross-legged. Aang spoke with conviction as he swept his hand across the scene ahead of them, "We need to live right here on this island with its bison, and build a temple to thank the spirits for sparing the bison and lemurs. We will build the City across the bay in the valley of where those majestic mountains are, between the rivers, and where the moon is rising now and shining over us like Yue always did when we needed her."
Katara curled up closer to him than before and cooed, "This is why I love you so much. You see things no one else does in the whole world."
They starting kissing and didn't stop for a very long time, pausing only a time or two to just gaze at each other happily. The moon was pretty high in the night sky, before they even considered letting go.
"Someday I have will have to thank Yue for guiding us here, and honor her in some way."
"How about right now, Aang. The bay...?"
Aang was inspired by her prompt and said proudly, "Oh, you mean, 'Yue Bay'?"
They laughed, but as they did, a shooting star blazed across the magnificent star-filled night sky near the moon. They turned and looked seriously at one another.
"Aang, do you think...?"
"Yes, I do. Definitely."
All night they stayed firmly snuggled together in their ground cloth facing the mountains, and were awakened at dawn as the sun peaked over one of the glistening snow covered peaks not far beyond the bay. The sun sparkled especially bright as it was refracted through the snow pack.
"If last night wasn't reason enough to live here forever, Katara, this is even better," Aang observed.
They faced each other, kissed gently, then leaned together with hands interlaced, as the sun rose higher above the mountain range, throwing light on the shadowed valley and bay. The rays shimmered on the gentle waves of the bay. They said nothing for an hour but watch grandeur of the light and land and the water playing games with each other as the sun rose. They heard a rumble behind them, turned, and then laughed heartily.
"With all these nice wild oats to munch on Appa, you are still hungry?" asked Aang.
Appa grunted, almost with an annoyed sound.
"Look Aang," pointed Katara. Some of the wild bison were leaving the island.
"Let's follow them!"
They didn't have to ask Appa twice. They were headed due west from the bay, toward the fog-shrouded huge Red Sand Island.
The wild bison dropped through the cloud layer, and Appa eagerly followed.
Blinded by the fog, Katara was very uncomfortable and asked, "Shouldn't one of us clear this fog away? We're headed straight down into a rocky island at high speed."
Aang smiled, "We're OK, Katara, Appa is following them by 'smell bending."
Katara punched his arm, and faked being indignant.
They landed on a rock-studded, grassy flatland. Katara and Aang clung closely together, turning and listening and watching. For a moment everything was quiet, but then they heard ever increasing sounds of mooing and roaring of sky bison.
Katara's eyes grew wide, and she clutched Aang as she exclaimed, "There's moreof them!"
They could see numerous shadowy shapes.
"Stand back, Katara, now is the time to clear the sky!"
With a huge wind up with his staff at its maximum extension, Aang spun in ever faster circles. A tight vortex formed, clearing the air immediately around them, and then by spreading his arms wide with staff extended, the vortex engulfed the flatland and swept clear the air for over a mile in all directions.
Aang could barely contain himself in utter joy and thanksgiving. There were at least a hundred wild bison in the air, with dozens of calves and juveniles flying with the adults.
"This is unbelievable. It's a miracle!" shouted Aang.
He shook as Katara hugged close to him, wiping her own tears. She could feel him being racked with waves of joyful emotion.
They looked across the flatland more carefully. The rocks strewn among the grasses were mostly caves and outcroppings of shelter where these bison lived and bred. With the natural rock overhead protection and the recurring fog, the Fire Nation's dragon riders had never found this herd.
"If only there was someone left to tell this to," Aang noted with terrible sadness.
Katara said, "You can tell our children, Aang. And show them yourself."
He stood and embraced Katara, and they kissed lovingly, surrounded by the familiar sounds of sky bison ringing once again in his ears, over a hundred years after his childhood at the Southern Air Temple.
Suddenly, a huge brownish-green glob fell from the sky. Aang made a quick air thrust to deflect it to the side. If not for the quick reflexes of the air bender, it would have hit the pair solidly.
Upon closer examination, it was warm, runny, and it reeked. He poked it with his staff, and realized what a big mistake that was.
Katara could barely contain her laughter, "Eww, Aang, that is no rock!"
Aang looked around for anything else coming at them from the bison flying above, and chuckled, "Yeah, remind me to warn our kids about that stuff."
Katara made one final observation, "Well Mr. Avatar, I think after this experience, I think it is definitely time to go back to Ember Island now!"
She pecked him on the cheek and squeezed his arm.
They whistled for Appa to stop playing with the other bison. They saddled up and headed back to the Fire Nation Capital with the great news.
What they found was clearly the perfect place.
Upon their return to the Summer Palace, Katara and Aang would stand and excitedly describe to the World leaders the site for Republic City - the beauty of the land across the Straits of Red Sand Island, the deep blue Yue Bay, the spirit animal miracles of Air Temple Island, and what was to become the protected refuge of the lost herd on Red Sand Island.
Unknown to either at the time, the smallest island would one day be solemnly selected as Aang's memorial.